Twas the night before Ravenmas, when all through the fortress
Not a creature was stirring, not even a Skaven.
The skulls were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that Tzeentch soon would be there.

The Marauders were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of flaying skin of Witch Hunters danced in their heads.
And my concubine in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our weapons for a long winter’s nap.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below.
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny vulture demons.

With a little old demon, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be Tzeentch.
More rapid than ravens his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!

“Now Kresuc! now, Korak’in! now, Bloodspatter and Vilegore!
On, Crusher! On, Callous! on, on Deathmonger and Bonesmahser!
To the top of the keep! to the top of the wall!
Now slay away! slay away! slay away all!”

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky.
So up to the keep-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of heads, and Tzeentch too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little talon.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney Tzeentch came with a bound.

He was dressed all in feathers, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with blood and soot.
A bundle of severed heads he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler, just opening his pack.

His eyes-how they shined with evil! his dimples how scary!
His cheeks were pale like the moon, his nose like a beak!
His droll little mouth formed an evil grin.
And the beard of his chin was as black as midnight.

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his blackened teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a Orc Fire.
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of dead carcass!

He was mean, and foul, a right evil old elf,
And I cackled when I saw him, in spite of myself!
A glare of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had everything to dread.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings with skulls, then turned with a jerk.
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose!

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ‘ere he drove out of sight,
“Happy Ravenmas to all, and Order you must kill them all!”

I really like the role of Tank in PvE, and PvP, you might be saying, “Rivs, Tanks don’t have a place in PvP”  We are not killers. In fact most of us hit like a feather pillow.  What we do excel at is either harass, or be a target. Let me give you some scenarios.

Harrassing -

I was in a scenario, and a Runepriest was healing away. I came up, and gave him a knockdown. This might have interrupted his healing, which may led to one of his friend’s death. I progressed to beat on him, he started to run. Running healers don’t usually make good healers. This may have caused more death’s of his order buddies.

Being a Target -

If Order is busy trying to take me down, that keeps them busy with me and not taking objectives, or trying to kill my teammates. Say your on a 20 versus 20. You and a healer are keeping 4 or 5 order busy. You just made it 18-16/15, that means the numerical advantage has swayed to your side. Very oversimplified example, but i think you get my point.

Being a Survivor. -

You make a better guard, if there is an objective that needs to be guarded, you can hold out longer, keep the objective until reinforcements come. Thus making it harder to take, thus making it maybe a little easier to win.  

DoorSmasher-

I love operating rams, and smashing doors. ‘Nuff said.

The bottomline, Yes being a good killer is a good thing, but it’s not the only thing. Being a teammate, and helping the team is very rewarding as well.  I enjoy that.

I was impressed last night, On Iron Rock I was attempting to take a fortress. I was banging on the the front door. Then all of a sudden we were out flanked by order, they were bull rushing us from the side door. To me that was something new, and then when a horde of them came out the side door, some more came out the front in a classic pincher action.

I was stunned, tactics? Order upped their game, and when they took our fortress, they had patrols killing incoming troops.

I got to hand it to them, it’s not the Order I was use to seeing.  So after they handed me my arse. I thought I would do some scenarios.  The show was on the other foot there. Mopped them up, and it felt good to trade steel with some Knights.

Looking forward to some 20% extra renown this weekend, hopefully I can get some playing in.

That's me..passed out at a bar after having too much of the devil's brew...stoopid whiskey.

Last year Keg’s End I got that title, this year you can get the title Brew Dawg if your Destro, Brew Pansy or something of the ilk if your Order.

Tell you the truth, I like being the Drunkard…it’s pretty damn cool to me. A person who occasional imbibes an adult beverage.

I’m a little upset I reupped, and then a few days later their offering some goodies. Werit explains the freebies more indepth…I’m too disgusted in myself to list what you get, maybe I’ll tweet Josh and complain, or at least toss an email to Customer Service.

The great thing is EVERYONE get 20% bonus to renown, experience, and influence.

This morning I was reading good old Warhammer Alliance forums, and noticed Order was bragging about kill Tchar again. Thanks to Lokax. he explains how their doing it. Damn Cheatin Order.

I think I need a drink!

So it was awesome with some different gear choices, and back to be Sword and Board I felt like a Monster yesterday in scenarios. Sure I am no killer, but with a little help from my friends. I am a huge pain in the ass.

I key in on healers, I am in the back trying to disrupt them. It’s great when Order trys to kill me, usually it takes 4 or 5 of them to do it. or one Bright Wizard. I hate these guys. I hate the so much it’s so hard to pull off the healer, and go for them. I have even done it out of anger. These guys are the bane of my exsistance, and once I find out the bane of their’s I will give praise to the Raven God.  

Really what I’m trying to do is work on my Renown. I am level 42 now, I have been left in the lurch so to speak, alot of the players I played with are all 70/80 Renown Ranks. If anyone knows a faster way, please let me know. Though City PQ’s are quite nice.

Well tonight it will be back into the breach once more.

Werit put up a wonderful post about Camping in Fallen Earth. But being the good Chaos minions we are, we scryed through the powers of Tzeentch what really goes on.

Werit goes Camping.

Well I’m old school, I knew the Wards System had changed but still I like my Sentinel, my Darkpromise, and my bloodlord shoulders which I’m cursed to wear forever…and ever. Thanks Bilerot, and my crappy luck. They were like my security blankets though.

This morning I broke out of that, and reviewed my armor. Since I don’t need ward armor anymore, I picked out some better pieces like my Giant Slayer Gauntlets, and Girdle of the Despoiler which has spots for 3 talismans, albiet you have to put crappy talismans in it.

Right now I’m sitting at around little less then 800 toughness, and 950 Wounds. I gotta get my toughness up more, without affecting my wounds then work on my Strength as well.

Any good armor or item choices you know of, feel free to toss them out there.

Well I got into Altdorf for the first time in awhile. I was in an instance 2005….I think the most exciting part was when I laughed at a Black Orc friend of mine. Yeah not that exciting. Cries of Order Bombing one instance went through Region Chat. Then the finger pointing started cause we didn’t make it to Phase 2. It was a learning experience though, and that’s a good thing. The good news is I won some Invader Shoulders…Now if I can only get 10 more levels of Renown.

Some other things I went back to Sword and Board. I have to really go over my armor selections again since Wards are given now, and not dependent on the armor I am wearing there may be a better selection.

I also joined a new Guild…Jaded Souls. I use to run Lost Vale back when LV was new. So it’s good to be one of them, they are a good group of people and know their stuff. Even if they don’t enjoy bathing too much.

So as I started up my new Witch Elf, some things got me confused. The starting area is different. Not just the way it looks, but the quests, the tutorials, and no more blighted isle, I’m in Norsca….me a lonely Dark Elf in the middle of Norsca.

Some things I liked…

1. Better quest design, though some of them seem shorter.

2. Better layout of starting area. I had to go back and forth in the original starting area. Seems like that got rid of that.

3. Better placement of the Ancestral documents (Or what ever they were)- First time doing this quest took me forever

4. Tutorials, these are great for starting players.

5. Starting guilds, gets people social fast. I like the idea behind the Advice Channel, but see it devolving real quick.

Things I don’t like.

1. I don’t like the fact that some of the old starting areas will go unused. Such a shame.

2. The quests are a little too easy. Not really a bad thing for a new player, but I feel a little mad. Damn it new players should have to chew the same dirt.

3. How the hell do you turn off the advice channel?

Overall I like the revamp, I think it makes the starting region more fun for the player, and more people means more fun. One more question I have what the hell is HV, someone spamming they need people. Some sort of dungeon for lowbies?

It seems that the taint of Cowardice is in the air, and while the Order scum beg to their false gods, and those animal Greenskins pray to whatever it is they pray to.  We the servants of Tzeentch take matters in our own hands.  We plot, and scheme. We take the souls required by our Lord to make our plans come to fruition, we do not wait upon the hand outs of our God like the weak southerlings.

Dear True God, Tzeentch 

1. Oh Mighty Tzeentch, We beg for more souls to crush in your name. We beg you for a 3rd Army so that those who have not felt your wrath may do so. Order has proven their weakness time, and time again, we require new souls to bend to your service.

2. Master of Change, We yearn to spread word to the Lands of the Dead more. We feel that the land is unused, and untouched by your corrupted hand.

3.Raven God, May the Renown Points come faster in the future. I have been hard at work gearing our soldiers in the dungeons and need to catch up. So that I may crush our enemies.

4. Oh God of the Raven Host, I beg that you bestow upon your Chosen your continued might so that we may crush your enemies. They already fear us, and beg their pitiful Gods to destroy us, and it feels glorious to be hated.

5. Oh Dark Lord, I will kill many this coming year, so you may bestow upon me greater gifts of armor, and weapons.  So that when they see me upon my dread steed our enemies will know fear!

All praise Tzeentch,

Rivs, One of The Chosen of the Raven God.