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Every New Beginning…

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…comes from some other beginning’s end. ( – Seneca. Or Semisonic. Whichever…)

The account has expired, and I’m done with World of Warcraft for the foreseeable future. Having done everything I needed to do on my “mains” last night, I was actually in the process of going around and double-checking my lesser-played alts today for any rogue items in their mailboxes when I was kicked off of the server.

So wait, you’re coming back, right? When?

I’ve hesitated to say for certain one way or another because I don’t want to make any guarantees. At best I want to give myself a few months to get things sorted out. If needs be I’ll wait until Cataclysm and see how things are looking then. Let’s just give it the ol’ Blizzard “Soon“™

What about the blog?

As I said, I will keep blogging. Probably in more than one place, because apparently I’m an addict like that (or a masochist, take your pick.)

I’ve thought about it for a bit and although I initially figured I’d just keep blogging here, I think I’d rather leave Aspect of the Hare “as is”. That way, people who want to continue linking to me for guides and the like can do so without worrying about people having to wade through non-WoW stuff. Plus, if/when I come back, I can just jump right back in to a ready-to-go WoW-themed blog.

What I’m probably going to do is set up a couple of subdomains here and then when they’re all set I’ll make another post linking you all to them. Gimme a couple days and I’ll get back to you!

Also, if you have a LiveJournal account and want to read my somewhat less-structured and more non-sequitor rambles I don’t mind if you friend me over there, either.

Commissions?

Will continue, send ’em my way! I’d like to think the fabled “Sitemeter Avatar Contest” will continue in some fashion also, though we’ll have to wait and see how things go once I get my “New Blog” all set up.

And now, roll credits:

Thank you…

…to BRK and Lassirra, without whom I would never have started blogging. Your blogs were inspirations that got me excited about the WoW-o-sphere and taught me how to play a hunter in the first place.

…to the WoW Twitterati for giving me one epic chatroom to rant, laugh, cry, and joke in, to bounce ideas off of, and inspire me to do crazy things like draw pictures or write books. I’ll still be around, don’t worry.

…to my guild, Order of the Rose, for being made of at least ten types of awesome. For dragging me around to their alt runs when I was an undergeared nub and then tossing me head first into their 25mans and hard modes, for passing gear and weapons to me, and for pulling together special raids just for me so I could get my Champion of the Frozen Wastes title– on not one, but two characters. For not just “letting” me raid as Beast Mastery, but for flat-out encouraging and challenging me to do so. Every outcast, non-flavor-of-the-month player should be so lucky.

…to my guild in Burning Crusade, the now-defunct but never-forgotten Entelechy. This is going to sound dorky and cheesy to the Nth Degree, but ya know what, I’m gonna say it anyway: you guys are some of the best friends I’ve ever had. I love that a good number of us have kept in touch outside of the game, via our forum or our nightly AIM chats, which is awesome because I know a lot of us have quit playing. I think back to the best memories I have of this game– Karazhan, countless Heroic Mech runs, opening all the graves in Zul’Farrak when we were all level 45, marching in on the Caelestis Templares’ cathedral twenty-strong– and I wasn’t doing it alone, but with you guys. May there always be Five Seconds to Evocate on Curator and may “Thundercats, Ho!” always ring through the hall before Shade of Aran.

…to Blizzard, for, well, making the game to begin with. I’ve been a BlizzHead since StarCraft stole my heart away in 1999, and it’s you guys and Nintendo more than anybody that have instilled a love of gaming in my soul. Being a citizen of Azeroth these past three years has been an honor and privilege. You guys are masters of making living, breathing worlds and characters. I was trying to emulate that solid real-ness when I was writing my book and inventing my own fictional world and characters, and if I was even half as successful as you with it, then I think I’m good. And if my book ever ends up published and with even a modicum of success then I’ll owe you a grateful hat tip.

…and finally, to my readers, for being the best readers that any blogger could ever hope for. It’s been almost three years of blogging and I can count the number of truly negative comments that I’ve received on one hand. And it’s because you guys are all amazing and mature and here to contribute to this little community. I have read every single comment ever posted here– every single one– and I wish I could go through and name names one by one and thank you all individually but it would take too long. Suffice to say if you have ever commented here I consider you a friend. Thank you for making me a part of your lives. I really didn’t deserve it.

If you’re going to follow me along to the rest of my blogging adventures, then I very much look forward to seeing you there. If not, it’s been a pleasure and I can only hope that something I said at some point made you smile or made you think. And I hope to see you again should I return.

—

Before I logged off of my characters last night, I tried to make sure I logged off appropriately. Tawbree, for example, is astride her new Epic Fiery Horse cause I did in fact manage to hit level 40. Tamaryn is in tree form, dancing away, with both trinkets activated and all of her HoTs ticking on herself.

And Tawyn pulled out Tux, her very first pet ever, and went on a little road trip. She went to Teldrassil, where it all began; she went to Azshara and explored the entire thing– including even more things I’d never seen before!– and then… then, she went home.

Bestial Wrath’d right before I logged out. That way she’ll be Bestial Wrath’d out there in Pixel-Land until I come back, and if I don’t come back, she’ll be Bestial Wrath’d until the servers go down.

I thought it was a nice touch.

—

Long past were the days when Medivh’s tower was much of a threat and adventurers flocked to the pass to donate their skills to the cause, but the few Violet Eye delegates that were holding out there did see the occasional visitor.

Archmage Alturus was on a first name basis with a few of these visitors, the night elf Tawyn being one of them.

“Back again, are you?” he asked, eyebrow raised.

“Ayep,” Tawyn replied tersely as she dismounted.

“What keeps drawing you here, really?” The Archmage was genuinely curious. “The time is past that we really needed you…”

Tawyn blinked. He may as well have asked her why fish swam and why birds flew. “Maybe it’s the ley lines under the place. I dunno. You don’t ask the gulls why they return to the sea.” She shrugged.

“Fair enough,” the mage replied. “And we could always use good scouts, I suppose. You never know if something new might pop up in there.”

“Good. I’m goin’ in.”

“Alone?”

“I’m never alone.”

It was then that Archmage Alturus saw the big gray owl with yellow eyes perched nearby in the shadows. As if in response, he took wing now and alighted on Tawyn’s shoulder as she opened the front gate. She stood there a moment, gazing inside, her eyes clouded a bit as if distracted. “We aren’t getting any younger I suppose, are we, Tux?” she murmured.

Tux hooted something in response and then the hunter and her owl went inside.

70 thoughts on “Every New Beginning…”

  1. *wipes a tear*

    You will always be my hero when it comes to non-flavor-of-the-month specs. I will try to do for frost what you have done for Beast Mastery, although I imagine Frost could hardly ever be as cool as BM.

    Big Red Water Elemental For Life. BRWEFL!

  2. I am very much looking forward to the “I’m back” post I am hoping to read here in a few months.

  3. Honestly Pike you are probably the best of us out there. Thank you for always keeping it real and fun. I can’t wait to see were I can follow your next exploits what ever they may be.

    Take care. Be well.

    /bow
    /salute
    /Goodbye

  4. For some reason YOUR “Good bye wow, I might be back in the future” post was more touching than any other I’ve read. Perhaps because I followed you longer than BRK, I don’t know.

    In any case, Happy Hunting in all your endeavors!

  5. *bow* Twas naught but honor and fun reading your escapades. I believe I’ll continue to do so, WoW or no WoW.

  8. Never met you in game or even rolled an alt on your server, but I have to say you’ve influenced how I play a hunter perhaps even more than BRK – and that’s saying something!

    You are a joy to talk to on Twitter and your writing style is gifted. I wish you luck and (should it be in the cards) a swift return to WoW.

    Also, I will continue to insist on a webcomic based on your novel. Do it! DOOOOOOO EEEEEEEEEEEEET!

    *ahem*

    /salute
    /hug
    /tries not to shed a tear in true RP fashion at how you ended this post.

  10. What a beautiful ending. And a beginning of new adventures for you, too, methinks, mehopes.

    Thank you so much for the lovely posts, images and videos you’ve shared here, and all the work you have put in to crafting them and your site. They have always been enjoyable, often inspirational and nearly always brightened that portion of my day where I was reading them 🙂

  12. Quoted from the 6th star trek movie of the original series

    lieutenant uhura: “message from starfleet captain, they say we should return to starbase… to be decommissioned”

    Spock: “if I were human, my response to that would be, go to hell”

    Spock: “if i were human.”

    sulu: coarse heading captain?”

    captain kirk: “second star to the right. and straight on till morning”

    Live long and prosper.

  17. We will miss you Pike. Thank you for the devotion you have shown to the community. You are able to mix information along with RP in a manner that I have never read anywhere else. I will miss that.

    I would encourage everyone to take some time to visit Tawyn’s home this week regardless of the server you are on. A small celebration among many realms….

    Good luck, Pike, in all your endeavors. I hope for the day more posts are made here.

  18. I never commented much before but I want you to know I’ve always enjoyed reading your articles here and following you on Twitter. Best of luck in your future Hunts. While my heart was always in Survival I admired your dedication to Beast Mastery.

    Honorshammer the Templar
    Jyger the Survivalist
    Tivonicus the Tree

  19. Well, since you’ve become probably my favorite single blogger, I’m solidly in the camp that will continue to follow whatever you write. Heck, I may even leave the occasional Anonymous comment on your LiveJournal blog, and just say “This is Will” or “This is the Uromastyx guy”, or somesuch. Hopefully you’ll remember who that is.

    Suffice to say, it’s been a pleasure reading this blog and interacting with you, as brief as that interaction has been. You’re one of the few Internet personalities that I find myself wanting to shake the hand of, or to be able to put a face to the words of. The kind of person that I would like very much to be able to call “friend”.

    Take care of yourself, Pike, in whatever you choose to do. I leave you with a heart that I trust you’ll know is delivered with only the best of intentions. (Nothing creepy.)

    <3

  20. If you have to go out, go out in a blaze of glory. You seem to have that down to a T, with both your characters and your post.

    Good luck on your non-WoW endeavors. If you happen to come back sometime, Everybody will greet you with open arms. If you do not, you went out in style. Few people can honestly say that.

  21. You can’t be serious! Who am I going to follow now? I will miss your blog posts. We will continue to talk on Twitter even more than we do now. You can count on it. What is live journal?

  22. Pike… the best of luck to you. Yours and BRKs sites got me to get back on the ol hunter and level him up.

    You even got me to start drawing again, and possibly even get back on my Nano… either way, your blog has always been light, airy, and a peaceful place to come. Soon I hope to bring my blog out of the nether.

    Again, best of luck to all you do.

    /salute

  23. The hunter world has lost one of it’s best today. We will all miss you pike, was because of you I went back BM and proves my guild wring about it being terrible for dps. Started following your blog over the summer and was hooked instantly. Like a few people have said above I look forward to the “pike is back!” post. Good luck in your future escapades pike.

    /bow
    /salute
    /hug

  24. I very much enjoyed reading your stuff though I only found your blog a few months back. I hope to see you back when your real life permits.

    Nogomo the Night Elf who is leveling as a resto druid was inspired by you.

    Omogon the Dwarf Hunter loves his BM spec uses his original pet whenever he can.

    He’ll raise a mug of Thunderbrew in your honour…..and send you off with the traditional WoW Drarven words.

    Off with ye, Be Good, Watch yer Back and (hopefully) See ya soon 🙂

  25. Farewell Tawtaw! <3

    I can speak for the entire guild and say that you were a joy to have and that you will be missed! You will always be welcome in the guild when/if you decide to come back 🙂

    /hug

  26. Awww Pike, I’ll miss reading your blog everyday….I’ve looked forward to it everyday. Farewell, and thanks for all the advice you never knew you gave me. 🙂 Best wishes.

  27. first time commenting here, cause i wanted to say…i’ll really miss seeing a new post from you pop up on my browser when i open it up. hope you do decide to come back. anywho, good luck and i look forward to following your other blogs til you come back here

    /salute

  28. I haven’t commented much but i’ve followed your blog for quite a while now. As a fellow BM hunter you have been a inspiration to me, your funny and witty posts always made my day, and it was through an old video of yours that I learned to properly kite and jump shot.

    I will follow whatever non wow’y blog you setup, because more then your good taste in class 😉 It has always been your personality that drew me back to read more.

    I wish you the best of luck in your new direction in life!

    /Salute

  29. I’ll miss Tawyn, the gal who taught me that BM hunters are awesome. I levelled one to 80 and played Survival and BM on an RP server, and it’s been great. I even levelled a resto druid after that, and I love the healing style – waving my branches in ToC10 in style!

    Thanks for the tips, tricks, and humor from your blog, Pike. I look forward to reading anything you write.

    I totally cried a little at the RP outro. Karazhan for life. <3

  30. /sniff
    /hug
    /wave

    Good hunting, Pike. I hope your life will become extrarordinary. I know it will. You’ve got IT. You know that.

    And if you ever pass by my inn… you know… there’s an armchair, a cozy fire and a hot brew waiting for you.

  31. /salute

    It was because of you, Pike, more than anything else that I kept from respeccing to SV/MM. I wish you all the best on your WoW hiatus. Come back (WHEN you do) recharged, refreshed and invigorated.

    I too am taking a break from WoW although mine is enforced more than a choice although after playing since Sept 2008 non-stop I think a wee break will do me the world of good.

    Funny that you should choose to sign off now that BM is a getting a slight buff 😉

    /farewell

  32. Epic post to go out on!
    /salute

    Looking forward to more from you – no matter what the topic may be, I am certain it will be good.

    Thanks.

  33. Awww, well then this is where we part ways..! (at least.. for now ;)) I have to say thank you for all your Hunter-y goodness that I’ve followed since my own Hunter was a youngin’, you’ve helped him become less nooby! Even if I don’t really play him as much anymore. You were also the reason I rolled an alt on Silver Hand (granted, Horde side) to get away from my main’s server, and I’m very glad I did (even if I never got to see you in game!) because now I’m very much at home there on my Pally (I even switched over my hunter to your realm!)

    Buutttt anyways.. I hope to see you soon (even if it’s on the battlefield!). Till’ then, farewell! And may the Earthmother watch over you. 🙂

  34. Lok’tar ogar Pike!

    I wish all the best for you. Thank you very much for all these years and blogging such suberb way. Welcome back when you are again ready for the Hunt and adventure.

    Sad panda from Finland, Yours truly

    – Pimukiekko ( Daggerspine EU, Tauren huntress extraordinaire )

  35. “I’m never alone.”

    Nor are we, though perhaps a little more lonely until your return. Soon *grin*

  37. Farewell! wherever you fare, till your eyries receive you at the journey’s end!
    -Bilbo Baggins – The Hobbit

    My hunters have always been beastmasters. You and BRK were my hunter inspirations. Enjoy your time off, unwind, relax. Go for the gold with your writing. We will be here ready to welcome you back if/when you decide to return.

    We will miss you.

  38. *glomps*

    I’ll miss your blogging, Pike!!! More than anything, you and Rilgon have kept me interested in Huntering. I’m looking forward to your new blogging adventures, and I’ll see you around the Twitterverse.

    ♥

  39. Every time Kinnavieve goes to Kara to pay Attumen a visit, she will be sure to wave to Tawyn and Tux, and know that she has a friend there.

  40. Rest easy and well done, fair huntress. Although from a different clan of night elves. to you, Tawyn, my humblest thanks. Many moons ago, Ayanna Everstride taught you well – she is saddened to hear of the laying down of your bow, but pleased by the insights you’ve given others.

    Remember these words my fellow hunter, dare I say, friend, both in life and WoW:

    Steady thy hand, trust thy Aim and let fly with all you have!

    Adieu and Regards,
    Phlegger of Kirin Tor

  42. Aw…. ;(

    Well, if you have to go, might as well go out with style. Thanks for the blogging–I may be a damn dirty Marks Hunter, but I’ve always enjoyed reading what you have to say.

    Rob/Magli

  47. Best of luck to you! You’ve established a great resource for the WoW community here. I won’t ask if I can have your stuff because I know you’ll be back.

  50. /stubbornly awaits her return
    /orders another dwarven ale … this could be a long night

    /thinks a moment and grins at the bartender:
    “best pour one for Pike too, she’ll be back soon enough”

    = )

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