With the end raid in Mists of Pandaria, mop as I like to call it, announced this past week, Orgrimmar’s going down. This is good news for Lithlin who has been angling for the Horde hangout to be in Silvermoon City for years. There’s nicer construction, views, and all the amenities a big city has to offer. Business owners in the Drag will need to relocate soon, what with the rebellion of Garrosh Hellscream and the Siege of Orgrimmar, Horde and Alliance folks alike are coming to raise hell in our once peaceful city.

Hanging out with Hellscream, '12

Real estate aside, the Mists of Pandaria expansion is highly anticipated at this point. Without tearing Cataclysm a new one, I will simply say that many of the new expansion’s additions, rather than the changes to things I like, are exciting.

The Pandarens themselves, literally Panda people, are obviously funny looking. They are rotund, cute bear people. Their world though, is as gorgeous and lush as the ancient east was on our own, though probably cooler. Interestingly enough, one of the additions to game play is also very Asian inspired—Pokemon! Sure, they aren’t calling it that, but pet battles are clearly derivative of that gaming tradition. I have never been fond of pets really, besides my Siamese cat that follows me through raids (see cat at my feet above), nor of mounts (once you have a flying carpet do you really need anything else?), so many of the additions in these areas do not thrill me.

However, the element of new factions that are “offering unique gameplay mechanics and rewards” is very thrilling as rumors have it there will be an opportunity to actually own property! Finally, a WoW house. So far this sounds more like WoW Farmville than what we experience in say, Kingdoms of Amalur, but I will take what I can get.

Lithlin has had a rough couple of months after her account getting jacked and her stuff all violated and her recent guild removal, I think she, and us all really, could use a clean WoW slate. Mists of Pandaria please come soon.