Anyone who’s followed the Lore Hound crew for some time probably is familiar with my long-standing fascination with all things murloc. My first experience with creating an army of murloc babies while questing in Borean Tundra nearly gave me cute overload. IF that is even possible!
But that was quite a while ago, and since then I’ve had a distinct lack of murloc kind in my Warcraft experience. I knew something was missing while I’ve been questing toward Loremaster — but I couldn’t quite place my finger on it until a jaunt through the Wailing Caverns to finish up some stray questing.
That’s when I came across him. Mutanus the Devourer. Hunched over, blood-red spikey appendages cascading down his back, pointed teeth gleaming, larger-than-normal muscles glistening through that slimy skin — I knew he was hungry for my death. And I for his.
The level 21 elite may have given me trouble as a fledgling warlock, but not as a level-capped rogue. He charged toward me, a throaty Ggrrrllljsggll escaping that giant, gaping mouth before a single weapon FoKed him up.
And, that was that. An anti-climactic death. But it did serve a purpose — it made me realize how much I’ve missed murlocs and their awesomely crazy, gurgling warscreams. Since the release of ICC and before I started this game of questing, I could probably count the number of murlocs I’ve encountered on one hand. And that’s a shame.
I’m not sure what it is about these little monsters that makes us all love/hate them so. Surely they have a story not as grand as the main playable races of the world. And yet, they’re also one of the most beloved (to kill ravenously, perhaps, but still beloved) of all creations upon Azeroth.
Are they not a breed of creatures encroaching on our precious lands from their oceanic realm? And yet, are they not also dangerously cute and innocent when but helpless little tadpoles? One species has never held such a heart-wrenching dichotomy!
Which is why I have one single, simple plea. Please, Cataclysm devs, give me more of the creatures that we all love to hate. Surely, you can find a spot for them to thrive within the world, both old and new. Perhaps a more ancient line of murloc family could lurk beneath the waters of Vashj’ir. What about that deep sea murloc of which I’ve heard rumors? Surely, he is not but a figment of our collective hope for more murlocs?
As for those murlocs who have happened upon the shores of Kalimdor and the Eastern Kingdoms, they, too, may yet find an uprising. I can recall a certain mighty Gobbler and his Bluegill compatriots who reside within the Wetlands — they may not be too pleased about the changes to their homeland… or perhaps the flooding that will happen nearby their home will serve to make them even stronger. And they presumably won’t be alone — there will be plenty of others also put into unsteady positions.
And we’ll be waiting.
Does that make us a blood-thirsty monsters? Perhaps. But so are they. Don’t turn your back.
Mmmrrrggglll the Grimscale chieftain! is my fave murloc. Massing his forces on the shores to the west of the Sunsail Anchorage, south of Silvermoon, he seems to be a shaman, with healing wave and chain lightning.
Kiling him had to be one of the most memorable moments of my WoW gaming career…
When he dies, the entire island of murlocs runs around in total panic!!! funny as hell, but also quite sad and disturbing, as I love Murlocs too.
I was, at first, thrilled to bits to see Murlocs in Borean Tundra. I was going, “Yay! They’re here too!” and I coo’ed over the tadpoles.
But that was it. The thrill was short lived as after the quests were done, so were the reasons to come back to that cave.
I should think that with Cata the old shores of all the continents would be changed and that Murlocs from all over the place would be washed up on new lands now made accessible. I can just see colonies of our favorite fish-beings sprouting up here and there for the glory of the Ggrrrllljsggll!
I’m keeping my fingers crossed.
And hey, seeing as we can talk to some of them, creating a faction of Murlocs wouldn’t be half bad. Possible rewards: swim speed enchants, water breathing enchants, tadpole adoptions (I know I’d be for that one ^_^).
Pixie, I don’t know if you have seen this, but as a testiment to blizz’s love of murlocs they have http://www.savethemurlocs.org/ just throwing it out there.
LOL, yes! I actually have a Save the Murlocs shirt but totally forgot to mention the campaign in this post. Perhaps you’re right, that it’s a sign of Blizzard’s devotion to saving the murlocs!
From what I’ve read, in Azshara there will be naga enslaving murlocs as well as on the shores of the Blasted Lands and in Ashenvale possibly. One thing this leads me to wonder is are they making murlocs a sympathetic race/mob in preparation for the day they become a PLAYABLE race?
mind if i quote you for a card flavor?
and the image aswell?