After setting my hearthstone, I decide that it's time to go see what's what on the Alliance side of things, and log onto my level 70 Ally: The Druid They Call Tieria.
...doesn't work as well as I'd hoped. Hm. I'll think of something.
As Druids have no handy-dandy teleport and for whatever reason I'd set my hearthstone in Area 52, I take advantage of the reworked boat paths and port to Moonglade, taking a short flight to Auberdine and boarding the Bravery bound for Stormwind.
Even though it's technically Old-World content, Stormwind Harbor, like everything else in this damn expansion pack, is really pretty. Easily the most breathtaking thing in the city, and I'm torn between feeling envy towards the Alliance (uh, not including myself) for having something so damn cool in one of their home cities, or pity for them because they've spent four years here and apparently never known that all you had to do to access a functional harbor was make a tiny little tunnel. As a Night Elf Druid who certainly experienced the ol' Wetlands Corpse-Hop, I sympathize.
Having raided on my Druid for a while, I decide to try out the new Feral tree, and toss my healing gear in the bank for some other time. I (completely unintentionally) earn a new Achievement by falling 65 yards and surviving due to Cat form, which was nice. And then, it was off to Northrend! ...again!
Incidentally, the (nonexistent) crew of the boat to the Borean Tundra isn't very good at docking. There's about a five-foot gap between the side of the boat and the dock which makes for both comedy (when you make the jump) and frustration (when you take a nice swim).
Upon arriving in Valiance Keep, I disembark and explore the town. Yes, it's very pretty, and feels much more "alive" than most other towns in the world. There's a lot going on, including a line of civilians waiting to enlist and fight the Scourge because Uncle Bolvar Wants You! Well, not YOU, You. I meant... THEM, You.
You know what? Let's ... just move on.
As opposed to the unholier-than-thou Undead questgivers, the Alliance NPCs seem to recognize that I am, in fact, a big shot. I'm apparently rather renowned due to my awesomeness and badassery in Outland, and so I get to cut the line and skip the red tape entirely - they send me straight to talk to the commander in charge of things. One of the civilians in the line asks me if I think I'm too good to stand with the rest of them? Yes. Yes I do.
It's silly when you think about it, because literally every player who comes through here is going to be given the same accolades and praise that everyone else gets ... but it's still a little warm fuzzy feeling; they do a good job at making you feel like an actual hero.
Upon talking to the commander of Valiance Keep (and watching him perplexingly turn down an offer from a Draenei ambassador to send reinforcements because his civilians-turned-soldiers are apparently too dumb and superstitious to accept help from Space Paladins), I'm sent to another officer, who tells me to go slaughter Nerubians. Sure, I can do that.
