Well I got enough rep at last to get my penguin, ( couple of weeks ago now)  though to be honest its not as cute as the polymorph penguin spell.

I still doing the fishing daily in hopes that I get a babay croc for my main mage.

Funny enough my DK only did  crocs in the city eight times and got the perfect d.k croc, muck breath.

Last Friday right before guild Naxx run. I hatched my fourth egg, from the Oracles. I half expected it to be a yolk, due to three successful hatchings already.

Was  real happy when from out of my egg poped a Proto drake whelp. A friend swore to kill me, if I got one before he did. So I am now writing this blog as one of the undead.

Like the Tick Bird it will fly at any hight. I have also seen a character on my realm with a white tick bird hatchling (looked cool)

The shame is Blizzard have not enabled them to fly at epic speed. I might be pushing my luck as Blizzard have allowed them to fly at any hight. Though i.m.o it seems a bit of a wasted ability in certain respect's. As when you fly off at epic speed, you soon lose your companion. It would be cool if Blizzard did allow these top end companions to be able to adjust flight speed. from  non epic flight speed( which is the speed they fly at) to epic speed. As they have done with the death night winged steed.  

I do have a DK and got the DK fly mount, people think its expensive, though personaly I do not think it that expensive when it adjusts flight speed to your flying ability. Prehaps they expect more meat on their mounts for the gold they cost. One other thing of note about Dk mounts is. When you are on your horse, and then summon your flying steed. you do not dismount, in the summoning process. As all other class's do. I think Blizzard idea is that your death charger turns into your flying steed and hence the name of both mounts. One becomes the other, However you will dismount from flying steed when re summoning your death charger.

Talking of Mounts, you may or may not have seen on your realm one of the latest mounts a spectral saber. This is one very bad ass looking saber, totally cool. though the only way one can even have a chance to get one is via the WoW Cards. I can not see myself ever getting one as. I not about to go out and getting cards in slime hope of getting this bad ass cat mount. So for those that have got it congrats.

so thats my update on the pet and mounts front.

One thing that caught my intrest as a new player to WOW was the use of Runes, though these have a base in Nordic Mythology and tradition. The Runes also knowen as a futhark, were spread and then found a common use right throughout eroupe and down into the britsh Isles. there use was a multiple one, and listed in no particular order of importance.

 Firstly as a way of written communication, secondly as a number system, thirdly when placed in certain orders, or groupings  known as bound runes, as a way of forming a spell of incantation for healing the ill, to wining a game,  to help win a legal argument as well as a form of protection from and against evil spirits, bad luck, also as a curse to those disturbing burial stones or helping to have bountful harvests the list goes on. Fourthly most notably known in the modern area as a use of divination

The Word Rune is believed to have come from the Indo-European word ru, which meant a secret thing or a mysterious. Though  the word Rune is  also found commonly through out most of  the  germanic and gaelic languages, though the names differ slighty in spelling they all hold similar meaning or variant of a similar meaning, holding associations with the carefully guarded inner secrets of spirituality and magic. The word rune, also known as, runa, the nordic word run, Rhin, Roun all had similar meaning's either referring to a whisper : one who knows:  a wise woman or a cunning man. one who knows and keeps secrets.

The administrators of Anglo Saxon England called their discussions Runes, again referring to whispered talks, to talk much and about one thing or secret knowledge.

In the WOW game itself you can find runes in the textures within Black rock Mountain and in Iron Forge  The actual runes, I have seen in game are the runes  Dagaz, Mannaz, Uruz, Inguz, and Thurisaz, they are mixed in together with other "glyphs"

In the newest release with the Wrath of the Linch king  Blizzard has introduced glyphs of power, and in ways  seem to have shied away from using actual runes, in a number of quests in Northrend the Iron dwarfs have been portrayed as more as the users of Runes. Again the use of Runes in the Iron dwarfs architecture has been replaced by the new Glyphs. Though there are still "runes" in use within the game such as runes of teleportation and rune of portals. these too using icons of glyphs rather than actual runes.

If you wish  to learn more about Runes I sagest you search team Futhark or Elder Futhark, and Younger Futhark.

So like most things there is more  than mets the eye on first glance within the game.

My main character is a gnome mage, just respeced to a better talent point raiding combo.

He began life as a pure frost mage, and only respeced to fire/arcane for Kara raiding, needed the dps.

I really loved frost spec, and have kinda missed it, even with the new fire frost spec combo. So I have created another wee gnome mage who will be 100 % frost  

Frosty a Gnome's love 

Frosty been quite fun and as it been awhile from last I did alot of the lvling quests its not to bad. That and so much has altered with patches and the release of W.O.L.K, its almost like playing a different game from when I lvled my main mage

Frosty Character/ personality make up is as follows

Frosty Loves his Baby Blizzard Bear whom he has named affectionally Boo  and finds Boo the perfect frost mage companion for adventuring with

When he grows up Frosty greatest wish is to ride a mighty frost saber. For his flying transport he wishs only fo a magic carpet.

Though he can freeze you on a spot, cause you to feel chilled to the bone slowing all movement, he has a big warm heart. he will commonly bless mana class 's with intellect as he ride/ runs by, will greet them with a hearty hello. Yet his love and kind spirit for  others is not relegated to only the Alliance. Often he will greet  a memeber of the horde as he pass's them with a hearty hello or a friendly wave.

If Horde or alliance challenge him to a duel, or go into battle p.v.p mode Frosty is is more likely to laugh give you a hug and run on his merry way than fight. THough as he is still so young do not discount that you will find him on a battle field, he is still full of the innocence of life.

So if you are horde and see a wee gnome with a bear running along and waves at you or says hello, try not to be to boggled its just a little frosty with a big heart being friendly.

Ok so I am a WOW fan. Which means I will at times purchase Official and officially endorsed Blizzard WoW products. I have to buy online and pay up to twice the amount, then pay etc for PPH because I live in New Zealand and we have a weaker dollar. It's path of the corse. So the products I do choose are after careful consideration, and the how much do I really want this factor.  I do expect a standard of service, provided by Blizzard online store, and by Second Party Officially endorsed Blizzard merchandise. 

However, I would Urge Caution when purchasing Products from Second Party Officially endorsed Blizzard suppliers.

I have four cases in point.

The official Blizzard on-line store.

Great service the product I ordered  arrived in a week, and had a tracking code as standard practice. 5 stars

Jinx who makes T shirts and is a officially endorsed product supplier by BLizzard, their service  is excellent.5 stars  ( perhaps it is because they are a professional company suppling a range  of products for other companies besides Blizzard)  again arrived in a week with tracking code as standard practice.

The latest product I brought was a collectable clander for 2009. An officially endorsed Blizzard product printed to order so limited to literally  only those that brought it. ( to this date I have not recived the product.)

It's now Feb. The contact person I admit was prompt at first. when I wrote and inquired to my calendars delivery, having been told the printers let them down  etc, these things happen so I excepted this answer  as I was told it would / should arrive in the next ten days. My last email has taken almost two weeks to receive a reply.

the Reply I got  basically in sum up, Sorry no tracking code or any way of knowing where or what has happened to your ordered product. its sent  by First Class Mail via the USPS If it arrives back here, we shall contact you and re send right away. ( hmmm if I lucky I may get it in Jan 2010 if ever)   So you ask why not just lay a complaint with Pay Pal ? well fact of the matter is the money go's to charity and helps young people suffering with cancer I do not see why they should suffer.( I  have left out the charities name as again I do not feel it fair or right people should suffer more than they are because of a couple of people who do not appear to know what they are doing )  However it is the principle of the thing. This is not the first year they have done this exclusive Blizzard calendar  so  one would think they would have some checks and balances in place. If and when I ever receive my product. It I shall let you know. IT may be also  it has been stolen in shipment as it did not have a tracking code. There fore an easy target. for less than honest postal service employes

Figureprints.

CAUTION TO INTERNATIONAL CUSTOMERS.

At the time I ordered my one of a kind 3d sculpture, it was when the lottery system was still active. Yes I was thrilled that on my first go I got to  order my Main toon in a 3d sculpture having seen the details put in  to others characters in the gallery. Having read the blurb about the time it take's to make. It being hand painted and the time it took to send my product. It would work out this this would be arriving close to my birthday. = Birthday present. I already knew what process they used to make such sculptures having learnt and seen the technology in action 2 years before.

So I waited, when the  preposed delivery time had elapsed, and given fair time for any postal hold ups I became concerned,as I now had  waited and waited and waited long story short the only way I got  to learn their customer service email, was by writing directly to Blizzard online store.

Once learnt I sent in the end several emails. the final one getting a response after a very blunt email. Their reply said sorry your emails ended up in the spam/ junk folder, no company logo was on the email. So for all I knew it was the janitor replying to me.

I was then informed  that it was sent over land then by ship of all things. and no they could not send by air. We shipped the order April 2. There isn't any tracking numbers for it, as we ship out Canada post, then it's ground (ship) after that. the typical times are supposed to be 6-8 weeks they told us.( I and my other half order things from around the world, this was the first I ever heard of a company saying they could not supply air freight due to their country's postal service) It Took  months to arrive from time of shipment notified shipping date april 2 to arriving at my door step in June. Eagerly I opened the package. Disappointment hit me as I unwrapped the final layer of bubble wrap. If this had been hand painted the person must have been blind.

The mages staff looked nothing like what I thought it should, not even close and the rest of my scupltrure was faded out colors. It was as it appears from the 3D laser cutting scanner, no touch ups or hand painting had been applied. 

I see now that Figure Prints offers the product with a no wait, with mini movies of how they make it, and how "artists" touch up   making the figure look like one would expect it to look. I am under the impression now that my own may have been a last mintue rush  half arsed job, and I was told a lot of fob off lies. Perhaps their thinking was that because I lived so far away and in a small  country  it didn't matter.

Perhaps certain companies  think they can get away with such second rate servie and product. Because New Zealand is a small out of the way  country with a population less than small tin pot city's in the U.S. They forget or don't know we are the first country in the world that stood up to the U.S.A Navy and told them no way could they bring their nuclear ships into our harbors. Or we were the country that caught and sentenced French secret service after blowing up the Green Peace ship Rainbow Warrior in  Auckland Harbor 

We are a country of really nice people. Just do not  treat us like we are unimportant nobodies.

Or Perhaps I just happen to be the one unlucky customer that gotten  screwed by second party companies officially endorsed by Blizzard

So what does Blizzard have to say about such service 

Basically tuff cheese its not our responsibility as these companies are not owned or operated by Blizzard inc. Personally  I really do no think this attitude  is good enough. How hard is it  for BLizzard who officially endorses these products with their name  gos out of the way to set up  web sites to ensure they all look like part of Blizzard  and not ensure a few basic standards are put in place. As at the end of the day Its their name that suffers.

So a word from learning the hard way. 

Heres a check list you should ask in email with order or before you order

(1) Can you send with a tracking code ? if so how much etc will it cost

( however there is a postal service from the U.S that includes this as standard )

(2) how long and by what method do you send international orders 

(3) what delays can one expect and reason's why.

One would think you  should not have to ask such questions, that the companies you deal with already know the basics of international postal services. Apparently they do not, and apparently you do have to ask and make sure your not talking to the Janitor.

Its not often I get upset enough to have a rant such as this, I only wish to share my experience's so other WOW fans do not have to suffer as I feel I have when ordering Officially Endorsed Blizzard products by Second party companies, or is that second rate companies.