Yeah, I don’t like your odds either.

Herc’s first brush with the Alliance in this phase of Operation: World Explorer resulted in deaths.

None of which were his.

The strategy this time around was to finish exploring the mainland of Kalimdor, before attacking the island zones inhabited by the Alliance.  It’d been awhile since I’d seen many of these zones, especially Darkshore.  Being more of an Alliance zone, I had forgotten some of the more interesting landmarks it provided.

A big knife through the forehead.  Artwork I can appreciate.

Taking in the scenery was fine and dandy, but there was work to be done.  So Herc worked it, baby.

• Darkshore
• Felwood
• Moonglade
• Winterspring
• Azshara

That was the mainland.  The question now was – how do I reach the islands?  The ships were protected by high level Alliance guards, but that was all the recon I had on them.  Were they Elites?  Was I going to have to pull a Spirit Rez gimmick to get to where I needed to go?

The answer came to me in a vision.

Don’t hate me because I’m beautiful.

It was obvious:  Wipe them out.  All of them.

I’d like to thank the good folks in Auberdine for their hospitality as Herc waited for the ship to arrive.  Their insistence that I pay for my ticket, which was met with a severe case of Axe to the Face, helped to pass the time.  Herc mounted up on his Devil Goat as the ship arrived, and he rode onto the deck.

Pictured Above:  Alliance Military Force, in no hurry to ask Herc for his ticket.

Nobody moved, nobody got hurt.  Despite the fact that they were all targetable, and they were all level 75, the ride was uneventful.  That changed once I reached the shore and rode towards the big purple teleport sphere to Darnassus.  Those folks wanted to fight.

Bad idea.

A few minutes later, Teldrassil was under the fist of Herc the Merc.

After the conquest, Herc rode back to the dock to catch the boat back to Auberdine.  There, he’d take the next ship to Azuremyst Isle, say Hi to the Space Goats, and wrap up the Kalimdor leg of World Domination.

Herculano was not alone on that dock.  There were Alliance players there.  And Herc was flagged for PVP.  They started talking, but it was all [Common] gibberish.  Finally, one Night Elf Warrior had enough of this Tauren and his Devil Goat, and he attacked.

And attacked.

And attacked.

He was level nine.

The easy thing would have been to dismount and crush him.  But Herc was in a good mood, and it was much more entertaining to just ignore him and move on.  Still, I respect his insanity and suicidal nature so to Valtar, I tip my hat.

I assume his meds kicked in at this point and he decided he’d take the next boat to Auberdine.

I wish I could say the rest of the trip was as entertaining.  I didn’t see a soul in Draenei Land.  With a shrug and a sigh, Herc dug his heels into his Devil Goat’s ribs and knocked off the final two zones –

• Azuremyst Isle
• Bloodmyst Isle

… and finally –

Boo Yah!

It may be a week or two before I start the next phase of Operation: World Explorer.  Herc has let his JC dailies slip, and Gold is a good thing to have.  But it’s nice to see the zones one final time before Cataclysm, so I’m sure it’ll be sooner rather than later before Herc the Merc enters Phase Three.

This is Herc the Merc, reminding newbie Warriors to stay on their meds, or up the dosage.