Monthly Feature:
Return of a Hero, Chapter II
August, 2004
 |  | Blizzard®Entertainment's World of Warcraft™ is one of the most eagerly-anticipated MMORPGs of all time, and its protracted beta phase tacitly promises an exemplary game experience. For the players who have been waiting through years of development and teaser information, this stage has been a rigorous test of patience.
Since the non-disclosure agreement has been lifted from the beta players, there is a wealth of candid, first-hand experience now available. In this issue of the Monthly Feature, guild member Shujaa shares the second chapter of his original short story, "Return of a Hero," vividly illustrating the player experience of the World of Warcraft beta. |
The majestic sunlight beams down through the forest tress on this bright and beautiful day. A small deer innocently prances through the forest nibbling on the local flora that surrounds it. In a nearby mud hole, a large sow can be seen wallowing in the mud, cooling off from the heat of the afternoon sun. In the distance rushing water can be heard cascading over a cliff to a reservoir of water below... Just another simple day in the life of a forest. A small rabbit hops across to the shade of a nearby bush, nibbling on tiny seedlings that fell from a nearby tree. With nay a care in the world, the young rabbit finds nourishment and solace in its surroundings. Free from worry... Free from confusion... Free from... THUD!!!
"Unnnnnnh…," moans Shujaa as he lands forcefully on the ground.
A voice can be heard speaking to him. "Yip-Yip-Yip-Yip-Yip... Posion hurts, doesn't it human?"
"He won't last long now," speaks a snarling voice.
As he regains his bearings, he sees two large, hairy creatures standing before him. Clad in tattered leather armor and the stench of wild animals, the vicious dog-like creatures laugh and howl like a pack of wild hyenas as they circle the felled warrior like prey. A third creature can be seen standing further behind them, staring intensely at him with a look that would scare even the most seasoned of soldiers. As he gives a loud howl in the air, he ushers forth three simple words through his snarling, bloodstained teeth. "Kill the human."
Hearing those simple words, a sinister grin illuminates the creatures' faces as they slowly move in towards him. "More bones to gnaw on," snarl the creatures as they draw their weapons and prepare to carry out their deadly orders.
Seeing them move closer and closer to him, Shujaa quickly stands to his feet and prepares to meet the onslaught of their fury. As he braces himself to meet their attack, he notices a small rabbit near his foot. Barely breathing and hanging on to what little life it seems to have left, the rabbit quivers softly as it stares up at the valiant warrior. Obviously crushed by his earlier fall, the man glances down at the rabbit and speaks softly.
"I am sorry, my little friend..."
With those simple words, he looks up with an intense and focused glare at the two creatures. Though sluggish from the poison coursing through his veins, he stands firmly with shield and mace in hand, readying his stance and preparing for battle.
A long howl permeates the air as one of the creatures brings down his heavy stone club towards him. WHAM! The stone club comes crashing down on his shield as he raises it to meet the forceful blow of his adversary. Quickly deflecting the blow, Shujaa swings his mace through the air striking the creature across the jaw. Recoiling from the hit, the creature becomes enraged and begins to attack him mercilessly without pause. As they trade blows back and forth, the two combatants clash against each other like violent thunder bellowing through a darkened sky — striking, blocking, and parrying each other in a spectacular display of fierce combat.
Seeing an opening to overcome his adversary, Shujaa ducks under the snarling creature's fierce attack and quickly spins around with his mace, backhanding him with an unbridled fury. The force of the blow sends the creature hurtling back in the air as he stumbles and falls to one knee. Looking down at his chest, he sees the gash from the impact of the blow and lets out a bloodcurdling wail. Upon his chest is a glowing mark imbedded in his skin. Screaming in pain, the mark seems to burn like the fires of the Burning Steppes themselves, through to the blackness of his soul. Looking up at the brave warrior, the creature snarls maliciously at the warrior and growls intensely.
"Grrrr... A paladin!" snarls the creature.
"Aaaugh!" screams the paladin as the razor-sharp claws rake against his face.
Snarls from the creature echo in the paladin's ear and he reels from the pain. Quickly regaining his senses, he poises himself against his opponents.
"You will rue the day you crossed paths with me, foul creatures!" says the paladin in a stern voice.
"Tear your flesh we will! Kill you we shall!" growl the creatures.
"Not this day, gnoll... Not this day!" affirms Shujaa.
As he lays his final strike against his last foe, the trance is over just as quickly as it begun. Beneath him lies the dying body of the lead gnoll. Snarling through his clenched teeth and with his body beaten and battered, the gnoll issues forth his final words.
"Foul human stench!"
"It is your stench that is foul, creature. No longer will you plague these lands or their people," says Shujaa.
As Shujaa utters those words, the gnoll uses what remaining strength he has and spits in his face in a last, ditch effort of defiance. Breathing his last breath, the gnoll fades into the sea of darkness from which he came, never again to see the light of day.
Breathing a sigh of relief, the lone paladin stows his mace and shield away and shakes off the air of combat. Walking back to the bush where the battle began, he examines the rabbit crushed by his earlier fall. Picking up the rabbit, Shujaa cradles it in his massive arms and checks it for any injuries. Paying careful attention not to injure it further, Shujaa meticulously examines the rabbit with the care and concern only seen in the most concerned of mothers. Now while this may seem funny to the average onlooker, it is quite common for the holy warrior, for he reveres all life — even those of the floppy-eared persuasion. The young rabbit, frantically jerks around in Shujaa's arms, signaling to him, that he looks far better than previously thought. Placing the rabbit back on the ground, the furry critter scurries off into the bushes and off to safety. Shujaa watches his furry friend rush off and simply smiles.
"Blessed are all God's creatures," Shujaa thinks to himself as he walks off into the distance.
Just as the enraged beast realizes the true nature and power of his adversary, the second creature rushes up from the left, blindsiding the paladin and swipes at him with a pair of steel claws.
And with that last statement, Shujaa moves with an unearthly speed, rushing his opponents with mace and shield in hand. Targeting the marked gnoll, he swings his mace directly at its body felling him in one mighty blow. He quickly shifts his body and turns to meet the attack of the other. Blocking his attack and striking at the heart of the creature, the third gnoll who issued the orders engages the brave paladin hoping to surprise him. With two gnolls striking and clawing at his throat, Shujaa falls into a somewhat of a "battle trance" as he combats his fearsome foes. The world itself seems to slow to a crawl as every move is dynamically played out before his very eyes. Every movement, every gesture, every attack, is made aware to him in perfect clarity. The entire battle is played out in its entirety
even before it has begun. With this foresight, Shujaa then acts in the most heroic of fashions and dispatches his enemies in a blinding display of combative dance and clashing steel. 
It has been a little over a week since I first woke up in the fields of Elwynn Forest. In that time, I have managed to regain much of my senses, yet little of my memory. What remains in my mind is a cloudy sea of misshapen figures and startling visions. These visions seem to come and go like the wind, yet are most profound when near cemeteries of graves of the fallen. While it begs further inquiry, I do not have the time to dwell on it at the moment and make my way back to the road near my earlier confrontation.
In the time that has passed, I found my way through Elwynn Forest to the small town of Goldshire. It is there that I met with Marshall Dughan who spoke to me of a deputy guard in the town of Lakeshire that needed some assistance. It turns out that packs of gnolls were running around terrorizing the local population and the garrison stationed there was having difficulty keeping them in check. As a paladin of Stormwind it is my sworn duty to uphold all that is just in the world. So after meeting with the deputy, I found myself on the trail of one such pack and forced into an ensuing battle with the gnolls I spoke of earlier.
After the battle, I return to the deputy on the outskirts of Lakeshire. Apprising him of my encounter, he is thankful, yet very concerned that the gnolls have amassed themselves in such force. Knowing that that this cannot be mere coincidence he asks me to speak with the local marshal, Capt. Marris and Magistrate Solomon to assist the town further. Agreeing to lend a hand, I make my way to the town hall and speak with the magistrate.
The magistrate is an older gentleman in his late 40s and graying hair... well, what's left of it. He wears a monocle over his right eye, which hides an old injury suffered long ago — perhaps he, too, succumbed to the ruthlessness of the gnoll attacks. While I am curious, I do not ask. Introducing myself to the magistrate, I retell my tale of battle earlier in the day and offer my services to help stem the tide of gnoll aggression in the surrounding lands. Surprised, yet not shocked by my offer of help, we begin a dialogue that would eventually send me forth on the next leg of my journey.
"So you truly wish to help us?" asks the magistrate.
"That I do, sir. I have seen the gnolls for myself and know first-hand the problem you face. It would be a dishonor to me and my faith to not assist you."
"Truly a noble gesture, my friend... The town would welcome your assistance, but I am afraid I cannot offer you any support. With the gnoll menace steadily increasing, I need all the guards here to protect the town." The magistrate pauses with a look of concern and worry in his eyes.
"While greatly appreciated, I ask for no assistance," I say. "I only ask to know where and how you need assistance."
With those words echoing in his ears, the magistrate looks upon the noble paladin with a subtle, yet authoritative look and speaks. "Very well my friend... then I only have one thing to say to you — Fangore."
The name is unfamiliar to me, yet judging from the tone in the magistrate's voice and the nature of the name, I can only assume that it carries some relevance to the situation at hand.
"Fangore?" I ask.
"Yes, he is the leader of the gnoll forces in this region and the cause of our immediate troubles," says the magistrate.
"I see... And where might I find this Fangore?"
"He dwells in the hills near Stonewatch Keep, where most of the gnoll forces dwell. But we have difficulty reaching his camp since the nearby keep is overrun by the Blackrock Orcs."
"Blackrocks?! Here?!" I say with much surprise.
The magistrate wears a heavy burden on his face as he confirms my amazement.
"Yes. They took over the abandoned keep not too long ago and have been inciting much fear in the townsfolk. Why they would come down from the Burning Steppes is beyond me, but they are here to stay. While they do not outright attack the town, they are amassing in great numbers. For what purpose, I do not know."
Sensing a feeling of urgency in the magistrate's voice, I quickly strengthen his nerves by reaffirming my offer to help.
"Then this is where I shall head. Know that I will not return until I have his fearsome paw in my hand," I say. "And as for the orcs, I will deal with them accordingly..."
With those words I take my leave of the magistrate and proceed to leave the town hall, when the magistrate ushers forth one last thing.
"I know not of your travels, brave paladin, but I wish you all the luck in the world!"
I turn to meet the kind words of the magistrate and relay a nod in a thankful gesture. As I walk out the door, I make my way through town and to the road out of town. In the back of my mind the parting words of Magistrate Solomon echo in my mind. "I know not of your travels, brave paladin..." I fret over the words and a slight wave of uncertainty comes over me. Not because of the ensuing battle that I am to face with Fangore, but for the simple fact that I am still not remembered. For the magistrate was someone I had earlier dealings with before my "awakening."
Refusing to give in to the sadness, I strengthen my resolve and continue forth out of town. All that is on my mind is the plight of the town and how I may help them. With that thought, only one word encompasses my mind — Fangore. And when we meet, it will be for the first and the last time...
Shujaa, an Assistant Manager for an undisclosed video game company, has been participating in the Worlds of Warcraft beta since March 2004.