Keep Your Eyes Open

You wouldn't think it would be that easy to miss a big glowing datacube, but it turns out it is. As someone following the Scientist Path, I have to find all the datacubes in a zone to gain Path XP, so I know that some are legitimately hard to find. There is one inside the trunk of Elderoot, for example. Sometimes though, you just need to take a second and look around.

When I was exploring near the falls and taking screenshots for my post about Harehollow I didn't even notice that I was walking right near a datacube. It wasn't until the next day when I was looking through my screenshots that I saw it. If it's in the screenshot, then it was on my screen so I simply wasn't paying attention.

I am as guilty as anyone as trying to race to housing, trying to race into group content, not wanting to be left behind but not having unlimited hours to play. I'm still going to tell you to slow down. Look before you hit your sprint button and head to the next objective. Turn off your AI and just look. The views are amazing, and you might be surprised by what you find.

Hashtag Not All Mordesh

I'm not saying that there are no good Mordesh. Heck, there are Mordesh in my guild. They seem like lovely folks. I do have to look sideways at their lead scientists. Maybe I shouldn't expect better from zombies, but it's a bit of a stretch to consider them good guys. After all if it weren't for the Dominion quarantining their planet and leaving them to die, they'd be IN the Dominion. Still they are our allies against the Dominion now, so what is an Aurin supposed to do?

I didn't really bat an eye when they asked me to gather Vitalus from the bodies of their dead, because what the Mordesh do with their own dead doesn't really affect me. Then outside of Woodhaven I ran into Professor Papovich who would really like to bring her dead husband back to life. She asks you gather material from dead Aurin so that she can test her process on them. The results are less than stellar, and I found this quest quite disturbing to do. Watching the mostly naked reanimated Aurin run into the woods crying "Leave me alone!" was unsettling.

I am happy to hear there is an interrogation in Galeras that doesn't involve physical violence, but I feel that I have to offer this counter point in the torture you're asked to do in Grimveil Enclave. The quest chain "The Lives and Deaths of Moodies" starts with Physician Boravic who asks you do a series of experiments on Moodies that are being kept in a cage. He has you burn them, freeze them, electrocute them, and finally cut them, all just to see what makes them tick.

Maybe you think they're animals and that makes it okay? To me that would make it even worse, but no, these "creatures" have a society. They have a village and social structure, they have religion and a love of dance. So you aren't even torturing a soldier for information, you are strictly torturing them to find out how to kill or control them more efficiently.

I don't know which of these quests may or may not be required to advance your story. Maybe if you never wander over to the Mordesh you won't be asked to do these things. Maybe you can ignore the fact that the Mordesh were one decision away from being our enemies too. But don't you think for a second that I'm going to trust their leaders. When it comes down to it, they are only looking out for themselves.

Bewildering Under Terrifying Tiki Semblance

Here Be Spiders

A lot has been said about how fun and pretty the game of WildStar is, but I think I would be remiss if I didn't talk about some of the darker aspects. Sometimes there is a fair amount of blood spatter, and of course a crit can cause your enemy to explode into chunks. The Mordesh in particular I'd like to talk about later but that post is still brewing. In the meantime we can talk about spiders!

In Sylvan Glade I came upon a mound of dirt outside one of the houses. There was an injured Aurin and a kind of splatted Aurin. She was hurt and unable to go into the Spider Queen's Den and enlists us to go in, kill spiders, and rescue Exiles who have been taken and wrapped in cocoons.

That wasn't pretty.

Entering the nest you find strange Eldan spheres, and there is a control panel further in that I wasn't able to interact with.

I don't know what that does, but probably nothing good.

There are several types of spiders. One in particular has a terrible green skull on its back, spits green clouds of poison, and can burrow. FUN TIMES! (I hate spiders.)

Why yes, it is poisonous.

I ventured as far as I could into the cave system and at the top of a wall found a little gap I could just barely peer through. There seems to be some sort of house or manor, or possibly a small township behind the wall. I couldn't find any way too it, but I'm fascinated. I want to know more!

I really wanted over that wall.

I kicked spider butt and rescued those who hadn't been eaten yet. Not everyone who ventures into the spider dwelling makes it out alive, but I was triumphant!

Look at the bones!

The Races of WildStar

The races in WildStar come from all over the place, universe? I don't know, many planets in a large amount of space. None of the races you can play in game are from Nexus, that is the name of the planet that you've come to fight over.

The 8 playable races are divided into the Dominion and Exiles. The factions are pretty self explanatory. The Dominion is the Empire (probably evil, but I suppose it's a matter of perspective) and the Exiles are the forces that oppose them. It's adorable that the devs prepose that they haven't created a good/evil divide in the factions, but truly Dominion forces are agressive oppressors that have created the opposing Exiles by trying to take over those races home planets and in the case of the Aurin pretty much destroying the planet because they were giving food to Exile Humans. (Ahem, evil.)

Anyway, you have to pick. Your character has to be something, and aside from the very cool and or cute aesthetics there are back stories to each of the races.

Image from WildStar-Online.com

As part of the Dominion you can play Cassian, Mechari, Draken, or Chua.
Cassian are "humans" born on Cassius and chosen by the Eldan* to establish the Dominion. They lead the Dominion and can play every class in the game.

Mechari are actual robots made by the Eldan. Literally killing machines. Mechari can play Warrior, Engineer, Medic, Stalker

Draken look demony, and are "savage, blood thirsty and brutal". They are a vital part of the Dominion military force. Draken can play Warrior, Stalker, Spellslinger

Chua are adorable or scary as heck. They don't have a gender, so you can't choose male or female. The Chua love science. Chua can play Engineer, Esper, Medic, Spellslinger

As part of the Exile you can play Human, Granok, Aurin, or Mordesh
Humans are "Cassians" that have fled Dominion's totalitarian rule. Just like Cassians they can play every class in the game.

Granok are living moving rock people. They like a good fight and to drink beer. Granok can play Warrior, Engineer, Medic

Aurin are just cute as heck, from the tops of their ears to the tips of their tails. They are also quite capable fighters. Aurin can play Esper, Stalker, Spellslinger

Mordesh are space zombies. They have robotic bits which help deliver the Vitalus Serum to their bodies, to stop them from trying to eat their friend's brains. Mordesh can play Warrior, Engineer, Medic, Stalker, Spellslinger

*I don't know much about the Eldan, so don't feel bad if you don't either. Seems they disappeared a long ass time ago and faded into myth, until Nexus was found. Nexus is the Eldan home world and filled with technology that each side wants to use and not be killed by. (maybe?)