Project Lore

I bet you read that expecting naked photos of Blizzard employees, didn't you? While I won't judge anybody out there who might actually have a fetish for that sort of thing (Ghostcrawler is sooooooooo dreamy!), I promise you that there is no scandal afoot. 

The U.S. Community Team just thought it would be a good idea to take a group photo at their home base (presumably somewhere in the dark halls of Blizzard HQ) and post it on the internet, under the pretense that they actually love us and adore dealing with all the crap we fans give them on the official forums on a daily basis.

Normally, this is where I'd post a complimentary photo to go along with the article, but since it's the main attraction here, I'm going to toss it in after the break, with some National Enquirer-quality analysis to boot (nothing too harsh I promise)!

Update: Several more photos of the Community Team playing around with the giant stuffed animals can be found on Warcraft's Facebook page.

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I had a lot of plush figures growing up. Like most children, they kind of served as my little protectors. I'd line them up around the edge of my bed at night, a fortress of fur to keep the monsters lurking in the darkness at bay.

And, of course, I had one special, raggedy dog that I kept closest of all, wrapped up in my arms like the greatest treasure I would ever possess. As time wore on, I let go of these habits, and even retired my faithful friend in the fear that I would only wear his already threadbare body out completely.

But that didn't stop me from collecting others as time went on. An alligator (graduation present after leaving the University of Florida), several dogs (total dog person here), and a few random characters that I liked over the years. In fact, they're all lined up at the top of the computer desk I'm sitting at right now. Yes, that's right, a big, burly, bearded man like me is not afraid to admit he still has stuffed animals!

I may not sleep with them anymore, but in many ways, they still define me. And I can't think of anything that has defined me more over the past few years as World of Warcraft. 

You know those Gryphon Hatchling and Wind Rider Cub plushies we announced a couple weeks ago? Well, they're finally available for purchase from the official store, and Blizzard is about this close to goading me into adding another member to the family!

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I've always thought that murlocs have an odd cuteness to them (despite that crazy grrlrgglglg!!  noise they make - actually, maybe because of it!). But on the cuteness scale, nothing compares to murloc babies. As I headed back to Borean Tundra after questing through Zul'Drak and still not dinging level 77, I joined the ranks of those of us who have learned just how adorable these little creatures are. It all starts when King Mrgl-Mrgl sends you on a mission (what I would argue to be one of the cutest quests I've experienced yet in game) to rescue 20 Winterfin Tadpoles that have been encaged by the evil (or perhaps just misunderstood) Makrura Claximus (seriously, who would ever want to mistreat these little buggers?) Conveniently, while doing this quest, you also can complete Them!, a quest in which Brglmurgl (love these onomatopoeia names) asks you to kill 15 of the murloc savages. As you ravage through the encampment and open up cage after cage, you'll amass an army of murloc babies running behind you and gurgling the occasional "mama!" Later, you face off with Claximus himself after disguising yourself in a murloc costume (complete with a white flag) and parading right past his minions. I would consider the borrowed murloc suit to be another high point of the zone (if you look close enough, you can even see little heart boxer shorts peeking through the zipper opening in the back). Anyone else find it hard to believe that such a costume would fool anyone, much less another murloc? Perhaps they're not the smartest humanoids around. I seriously debated not turning that quest in so I could keep the costume. But alas, you can only wear it while in Winterfin Village  (another option - go back in time and attend Blizzcon 2007 so I can get a similar version of the suit!). I obliged and turned the damn thing in. But not before getting in a little /dance action in costume. I don't know about you guys, but all these quests have got me really wanting a RL murloc. Yes, I know they are humanoids in-game, but I can't help but think they would make for a fun pet, if you could train one to maintain its baby sweetness. I suppose I'll have to settle with Grunty, or maybe a murloc plushy -- if I can ever manage to find one that's not sold out. What are your feelings on the murloc race? Love them? Hate them? Want to eat them? I've seen some people argue in the past that murlocs should be made into a playable race in the next expansion. But I'd be content to just have one as a lovable companion!

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