So I got a chance to work on Ironkerion this past weekend and push his way all the way through Silverpine Forest and up to level 21.  I must say that compared to things I’ve been hearing from my fellow challenger over at The Tome of the Ancient I’m thinking that a warlock has been definitely a boon to Ironkerion’s success.  After completing the Tirisfal quest line to completion (though the final quest with Ms. Voss bugged out on me and I got disconnected. Quest still got completed, but the paternal slaughter? Definitely missed.), I ventured down south into the Silverpine Forest to meet up with the Banshee Queen.

I’ve done the Silverpine questline in whole about 3 times now and I must say, it really does quite a bit in terms of making the Forsaken seem justified in their actions.  Granted, most of Hillsbrad undoes that, but I find myself hard pressed to find a reason that the Alliance should have a stake in Lordaeron.  Oh I’m sure there are reasons.  They always have reasons, but when lined up to the Forsaken’s reasons… eh, I’ve got to agree with the forsaken.  However, in regards to Gilneas – Gilneas is not part of Lordaeron.  Heck, neither is Hillsbrad, Alterac, or Arathor for that matter.  They were part of the Alliance of Lordaeron, but that’s like saying every country in the United Nations is part of America because their club house is in New York.  If Sylvanas is referring to the entire continent of Lordaeron… then no, sorry, that doesn’t belong to the Forsaken by default.  In fact, I’m sure your Sin’dorei relatives would probably take issue with that statement too, since Quel’thalas is part of the continent of Lordaeron.  However, since the fall of the Seven Kingdoms between the scourge and the Third War (and that little incident with Deathwing probably didn’t help matters), the entire continent has been more or less a state of nature.  In fact the only reason Gilneas and Kul Tiras survived was due to their seperationist tendencies, and now that they wall is open… sorry Greymane, a new challenger has appeared.

Questing in Silverpine on Ironkerion wasn’t really that difficult until the end.  Once you get to the point where you are sent into Gilneas to assist the front lines, that’s when things started to get a little hairy.  My voidwalker, while easily keeping threat, didn’t have the health to stand up to two 7th Legion soldiers at once.  I died many times attempting to penetrate Gilneas City and peer through its ridiculously oversized telescope.  I was able to kill the completely optional elite Ettin that wandered the Gilnean countryside though.  I simply dotted him with everything I could and health funneled my blueberry.  When the blueberry eventually died, it was just a matter of fearing the ettin away long enough to soul burn summon another voidwalker for immediate disposal (They hate me soooo much. I just know it.)  Using this process, I eventually killed the ettin and claimed the start-a-quest item he drops for a fabulous new ring that I sold to some random forsaken vendor (I can only imagine that they find this mildly insulting.  I’m wearing whites and vendor trash and keep selling all the nice rewards they give me.  And yet I’m still revered with them.)

The other place that was tricky was penetrating the Kirin Tor bubble (oh god that sounds dirty).  While the elementals that patrol the non-phased bubble, and the mages around the crater, were spaced out far enough that there weren’t issues, the phased bubble was a pink, sparkley death trap of doom.  The mages were so packed in places, I was pulling 2-3 at every turn and I will not hesitate to tell you I died a few times trying to get out of their town hall.  Once I reached the witchaloks, it was much easier.  They summoned wolfoids but luckily I was prepared because I read ‘Lord of the God-Kings‘ before venturing into mage territory.  Did I have three wand-claws bursting from each of my hands? No. I am a warlock. I have warlock stuff.  Warlock stuff instantly beats any mage stuff.  The internet told me so.  However, I did jack one of their dresses.

Those were the two biggest problem areas really.  Other than that the mobs were sparse enough that I only had one at a time on my voidwalker, and if they hit too hard I could always funnel him up.  Ironkerion himself can’t take too many hits.  Maybe 10 direct smacks and he’s down.  Thank the nether that I have a tank-in-a-box.

Oh, also this:

Next up: Hillsbrad.  I try to not murder Johnny Awesome, and attempt to justify playing a forsaken some more.  Wish Ironkerion luck!