Starting to fit in.

It's been a good month since re-joining the rank and file of raiders within my guild of Summit and things are finally beginning to smooth out. I'm finally gearing up nicely and am starting to contribute a bit more to our excursions within the dungeons of Northrend.

I do have a ways to go yet. I am currently hard at work training on my speed and accuracy of the arrows I let fly. The bosses I face lately are pretty adept at dodging my shots. With practice and time, I should improve things a great deal.

In between my training, I have been hard at work gaining favor with a strange race I happened upon in Sholazar Basin. They speak very broken common but I was able to understand that they call themselves the Oracles. While assisting them yesterday, I was given the gift of a "mysterious egg"? High Oracle Soo-Say assured me that given time, a wonderous "shiney" would be produced from the egg. "What the hell, I thought. I had room in my bags. I decided to hold on to it to see what becomes of this errr..... gift.

Other than my toils of reputation grinding, I have been working on some of my leatherworking skills. I am finding myself short on gold lately and I honestly believe that it should come in handy!

Oh! In other 'Aurendar News', while out hunting, I came upon a wonderous saber with evil glowing red eyes. He was none to happy about my presence there and made that fact quite known. With a little patience and time, I had the kitty eating out of the palm of my hand. Chalk up another mark to the skills of those in Ironforge that trained me in the art of taming the beasts of Azeroth!

So now, I take him out and teach him the finer arts of battle and the training is coming along just fine! I couldn't help myself, I named him Bloodshot as he looks like he just awoke from a rowdy night of partying with the dwarves and their potent dwarven stout!

He's a good kitty and will serve me well. Anyhow, I am off. I must gather some food for lunch. Azrael looks hungry and bored.

Until next I write,
"Ande'thoras-ethil"

~From the journals of Aurendar Moonstrider~
~~Aurendar

What was I thinking...

Greetings fellow Azerothians.

Aurendar here and this morning I find myself relaxing in the park with Azrael here in Dalaran. I cannot seem to take my thoughts off of the events of last night. You see, we ventured into Naxxaramas to take on the Military Quarter.

The good news? We (and I use that term loosely) were successful in defeating the denizens of that wing. We emerged victorious. The bad news? It was no thanks to this humble hunter.

I seem to be in a slump and frankly, I am not happy about that at all. My comrades are well seasoned and well geared to contribute to the successes needed to defeat the nightmares that wander that dreaded necropolis. I however am not yet prepared for such an exploit.

I have written a memo to the leader of this band addressing my concerns but unfortunately, I fear that he will not recieve it. The postal service here in Azeroth seems to be having some issues lately.

My intent is to refrain from attending these battles until which time I can properly gear myself for what lies ahead. My fear is that my utter presence there is more of a hinderance rather than a benefit. Riding on the coat tails of these heroes is something that I can not nor will not do. For that reason, I will bow out of these adventures and opt for finding more suitable battles. Once Azrael and I are more in line with the bosses Summit face then, and only then will I have something to contribute to the team.

Today, I plan on seeking out adventurers that require the assistance of a hunter at my experience level and with some luck, I will inch closer to the holy grail.

Raiding with Summit once again.

Your's
~Aurendar Moonstrider

Off To A Start...

Well...

Where do I start. I ventured into a dungeon the locals call The Nexus yesterday. I had the opportunity to visit there with some members of Summit. Unfortunately, we did not have a Tank with us so we decided to go it using my trusted pet gorilla Thumper. Everything was going well until we ran into Grand Magnus Telestra. She gave us a fight. The first attempt at her failed miserably. After regrouping, we managed to best her. Unfortunately soon afterward, some members of the party had to depart the dungeon hence we had to crawl back out.

Alas, it was fun whilst it lasted. I only wish I were more experienced in the art of tanking. Thumper is good but nothing compared to that of a highly skilled warrior, paladin or Druid. I am currently in search of some brawn to lead us back in. I hope to find a recruit today.

In other Aurendar happenings, my first full day as a "Summitite" was fulfilling. Catching up with old friends and making new ones brought me joy. It is good to be in the company of those that have a goal to achieve. OH! I visited the Stormwind Auction House and discovered that Blacksmiths have discovered how to craft a belt buckle that accepts gems of any color! I readily purchased one with a gem that grants me +32 Attack Power! This will definitely come in handy in my journey to raiding with Summit. After doing some power shopping through the rest of the Auction House, I decided to catch the ferry to Northrend and get Azrael some excercise. A group of elite elementals in the Troll land of Zul'Drak fit the bill. I was also fortunate enough to gather some crystallized air. Important materials in my leather working recipes.

Well. Just another day in Azeroth! I hope to write soon with some better news on the dungeon fronts!

~From the journals of Aurendar Moonstrider~
"Ande'thoras-ethil"
~~Aurendar

A Happy Day Indeed!

Whilst taking care of business in Dalaran, I ran into the leader of Summit. (A confession, it was NOT by accident!) A conversation ensued and I was soon offered a position amongst their ranks! I have not been this happy in a long long time.

You see, I had left the guild in pursuit of other opportunities. Unfortunately, I found those opportunities somewhat lacking within the realm. Normally, if you were to leave the ranks, your chances of regaining that position become rather uncertain. The gods have smiled upon me this day and I am now a member of the best group of heroes within the realm!

My work is cut out for me however. Wandering alone has caused me to fall behind on my gear and experience within the dungeons of Northrend. If I am to contribute properly to Summit's goals, I must work hard to be prepared for battle. It is not Summit's job to see to it that I get prepared. It is mine and mine alone. Hence, I will be busy befriending other denizens of this realm that are looking for comrades to take on the evil-doers in those dank dark halls.

I will be sure to journal my adventures as I make progress. Say a prayer to Elune for me! I feel I may need her hand!

~From the journals of Aurendar Moonstrider~
"Ande'thoras-ethil"
~~Aurendar

Dear Summit...

I come to you on bended knee.

Azrael and I have wandered from one side of Azeroth to the other in search of the meaning of what we do here. With the trials and tribulations each of us face on a day to day basis, each of us has our own methods of dealing with that aspect that haunts our innermost thoughts.

Being the hunter that I am, I find solace alone in the vast wilderness of Azeroth to console with the gods. I was lost and I was not entirely certain that I wanted to be found. In my daily communes I was repeatedly told to return to that which I came. I resisted. I knew there was another path to my destiny. I fought on. I searched the continents to no avail.

My destiny is Summit.

In Summit, lies my family. In Summit, I find peace. In Summit, victory shines upon us. So in Summit, I must return. The journey back to my comrades has been a treacherous one. Many guilds have sought me out and requested my presense amongst their ranks. Some offers I had accepted only to discover that something was amiss. I couldn't quite put my finger on it. I was not comforted. I was not at peace. It was then that I realized that the reason for these troubled feelings was but a single cause - These guilds were not Summit. These guilds were not home. Make no mistake, the members of these guilds are of highest honor and I would gladly fight at their sides if called upon. But I cannot in good conscience remain in the ranks of heroes when I long to be elsewhere.

So it is with that idea, that I come to you humbly and ask to return home. The one place where I feel the warmth of family. The one place that I long to break bread with trusted and long known friends.

That place is Summit. My family, my guild... My home.

~From the journals of Aurendar Moonstrider~
"Ande'thoras-ethil"
~~Aurendar

For Love of Raids

Ahhhh..... Raiding
There is nothing quite like the adrenaline rush you get whilst your with a group of heroes staring down a demon hell bent on destroying your very essence.

The scent of death is strong in the pungent air and the thrill of victory is but a finger's grasp away. Every muscle in your body twitches with excitement as the leader calls the team into battle.

Those are the good times.

Believe me when I say that with those good times come the bad. Unfortunately it is a fact of life here in Azeroth. A very close friend of mine reminded me of the downside of raiding. You see, nothing in life is euphoric. You must take the good with the bad no matter what you happen to be enjoying. Such is true when you decide to become a raider.

You see, my friend encountered a situation that most raiders come face to face with at one point or another - Blame. It's always somebody's fault, never theirs. It can be frustrating. Very frustrating. It is very important during a raid that you do your best not to toss one of your comrades under the proverbial bus. You are a raid. A team. Not only is it your job to see victory but it is equally your job to see to it that the raid as a whole learns, succeeds and grows in experience. Calling out a team mate or passing blame only leads to low morale, disgruntled team mates and ultimately - failure.

No good can come of this.

To you young raiders out there. Trust me when I say - Admit fault. If you messed up, by all means be the first to call out your error. Learn from your mistake. The others in your party most definitely will and will appreciate you for it. Support each other and keep each other standing. They are after all, your comrades at arms. Take care of them and they will take care of you. If you do these simple things, your raid will ultimately be successful, you will see victory and your guild will gain prestige.

Take it from an old pro...

~From the journals of Aurendar Moonstrider~
"Ande'thoras-ethil"
~~Aurendar

I sit... Alone

Ishnu-Alah my friends.

Today I find myself at rest in Dalaran. Ever since arriving at this beautiful city a few weeks ago, I find the peace it brings me comforting. However I am alone. So alone. I grow tired of my own thoughts.

I miss my comrades. My friends. Why did I leave? I honestly do not know. I am lost.

Whilst walking past the Inn, I was approached by one who calls himself Lightzypher. He graciously offered me a position amongst their ranks. Honored at the request, I told him that I would give it serious thought and seek him out. I am considering tracking this priest down today and offering my services. I need that feeling of inclusion again. Day after day, I wander off alone. Just Azrael and I. Yes, Azrael is a great and trusted friend but I require brotherhood with my kind, comrades at arms. If I cannot seek out fellowship. I may have to leave the glorious land of Azeroth. Forever.

In the meantime, I have kept myself occupied by gaining favor with the multitude of factions here in Northrend. Just yesterday, I was in the company of the Kalu'ak. A strange tusked people. I was offered instruction to craft a mighty pouch that holds many rounds for my firearm. This will indeed come in handy whilst on long excursions. There are many friends to be made in this land. Enemies as well. This land is rich with lore and I yearn to experience all that I can.

Well, let us hope today brings me that which I so desire. A position where I am needed.

Should any despairing party read this entry, I am Aurendar Moonstrider, and I am for hire.

~From the journals of Aurendar Moonstrider~
"Ande'thoras-ethil"
~~Aurendar