The 2016 New Years Recap

The 2016 New Years Recap

The 2017 New Year is almost here. Time again to recount the accomplishments and lesser deeds of the outgoing year.

The latest expansion, Warlords of Draenor, was released on 13 November, 2014. Counting fingers, toes, and other digits, that's going on fourteen months ago.  Wild, Jocy, Tiphaine, and Fist are settled in. The every day routine of the garrisons continues. Happy maintains the Auction House.

Draenor has reached Boring of legendary scale. The family is restless. The gals are getting on Wild's nerves. He is threatening to ask for a male demon hunter come Legion. That "threat" brought cheers from the girl gallery. Fist immediately offered to handle all of the demon hunter's leatherworking, and any other needs he might gave. And this was only one of many situations plaguing the family of late. Nobody is getting enough time, not with six players trying to level and/or work on their garrisons. Philly reached Level 100 in February and asked JB to partner up with her in the dangerous Tanaan Jungle. They were successful at reaching the post of Vol'Mar, but there things stalled. The great shadow of the next expansion, Legion, was already the talk of Azeroth.

In March Wildshard made a decision that turned the family upside down. They had a level 100 Boost available and there were many opinions about who would get that boost. Wild suggested that the boost go to the Alliance. Wild had to yell over the objections.
"Look," Wild explained, "we are all bored and boring. Draenor is sucking the life out of us." There were a few angry looks, some hope for Legion, but not much else.
Wild's next words stunned everyone. "We are going to activate and reinstate families we had to leave behind in the dormant account." Everyone wanted to talk at once.
Wild continued, raising his voice again. "Not only that, we are going to expand the reach of the Wild Family - into Alliance territory." There was bedlum. Wild waited it out.
"It can't be done." Tiphaine shook her head. "But I'm listening."

"It won't be easy," Wild admitted. "Thinking like the Alliance is utterly foreign, I know. The dormant guild is full moldering junk. Bank assets are a joke. Gear must be earned instead of bought. Everything will have to be built mostly from scratch. Not to mention that Alliance lands are virtually uncharted territory. It is a daunting challenge."

To Wild's credit, the expansion and changeover was a success. Today the Autumn Tea Green Guild is a thriving Alliance guild.

The Horde Order of the Dragon Guild is still in place. It's a quiet place now, without a lot of activity. The point, however, is that it is ready and available should the two guilds decide to make changes. Both Alliance and Horde guilds are strong and capable. That is the legacy Wildshard envisioned, and brought into reality.

But getting there still had it's issues. Surprises: (1) Javajoo decided to explore his/her feminine side with a makeover to female and switching from Holy to Protection paladin. (2) Happyface stayed to run the Horde Auction House, so a young level 21 Chaitee volunteered to take the post for the Alliance guild. Her journey from Darnassus to Stormwind City was long, difficult, and dangerous, but she made it safely and is doing a superb job. (3) Sista was given the Boost, going from level 60 to 90. (4) Rakta got a Boost from level 20 to Level 100. (5) On April 19 the faction transfer was finally complete. (6) Chaitee struggles to make ends meet, losing 11,000 gold in her first month on the job at the Auction House. (6) Mahakeya, the first and so far only demon hunter, joins the family and the guild on August 9th. (7) Endless invasions, limitless killing, but the whole family was able to reach level i700 in gear this way, led by Tiphaine.

Amid the growing activity around Legion was a sadness for those left behind. The names: Bruiserbabe (63 death knight), Merytophvy (60 hunter), Hearnoevils (30 hunter), Beanoevils (25 hunter), Hapless (16 druid), Mewgoogaipan (12 mage), Whispersoul (12 warrior), and Alwayslost (12 paladin). As the senior of the group, level 63 Bruiserbabe was given a chance to level as long as the invasions lasted. At Level 70, another boost was available. BB wanted that boost, but it had been granted to the horde as their own demon hunter. No decision was made.

On August 30th, Tiphaine was the first to plunge into Legion. However, the guild's first level 110 was Keya, who achieved the goal on September 21st.

Chaitee got an early Christmas present when Tiphaine sent her off to earn some guild credit she that was long overdue. She rambled across the countryside and had a blast, coming home at Level 32. Just in time for the New Year.

Some Notes:

JB became the fifth and last family member to reach level 100 in 2016. Here is a quick summary of each family member's speed in getting there.

Wild took 59 days.
It took Jocy 134 leveling days. Lazy ass.
By contrast, Tiphaine showed how to do it right. It took her six days. That's not a misprint.
Fist took 102 days. In her defense both Wild and Jocy were still leveling at the time, which cost Fist some days.
JB took a hard charge at beating Tiphaine. She came up short, but did a superb job getting it done in 14 days.

Statistics of the 2016 year in review.

Guild and Character List:

Alliance Autumn Tea Green Guild: Guild Master Tiphaine (101), Sistaphilia (110), Mahakeya (110), Chaitee (32, AH), Rakta (100), Javajoo (102), Whispersoul (12), plus Sinnstarr, Hcab

Horde Order of the Dragon Guild: Guild Master Happyface (24, AH), Jocelyne (100), Plumrosefist (101), Wildshard (100), Jezzibel (100), Phillyperdue (100), plus the following guildies ranging in level from 16 to 70: Narcissus, Beanoevil, Hapless, Erikred, Amarga, Seenoevil, and Briuserbabe. NOTE: The Guild Bank has 987k gold should they ever need it.

Meitha: Guild Leader Grrbaby (i867) [Tala is a Rank 3 player]
    Total Members (# level 110): 495/56 [last year, 479/140]
    Legion Dungeons/Raids
        The Emerald Nightmare (7/7 LFR, 7/7 Normal, 6/7 Heroic -Nice!]
        Trial of Valor (3/3 LFR, 0/3 Normal)
        The Nighthood (0/10 LFR)

Fate Sealed: Guild Leader Ramux [Kikz too and other well known names]
    Total Members (# level 110): 216/33 [last year 213/90]
    Legaris (110) at i878 is their top tier player.
    Legion Dungeons/Raids
        Emerald Nightmare (7/7 LFR)
        Trial of Valor (3/3 LFR, 2/3 Normal)
        The Nighthood (0/10)

Warchild: Guild Leader Grymshot (Rhonna Rank 1), Grmnyght is i859
    Total Members: (# level 110): 81/11 [Last year 72/28]
    Legion Dungeon/Raids
        Emerald Nightmare (4/7 LFR)
        Trial of Valor (3/3 LFR)
        The Nighthood (0/10)
    Comments: Warchild seems to be off to a slower start than in the past.

Mayhem: No longer active, no such guild on Silvermoon.