Expedition 1, Friday, May 9.

A hike from Orgrimmar to Thunder Bluff, stopping half way at the Shrine of the Fallen Warrior, and at a number of sites along the way. Participants will pick up the flight points as we go, including at Ratchet, where we suggest lower-level characters should set their hearth stones. An attempt will be made to goad the Alliance into attacking Crossroads, as we pass through. The hike would end with a tour of historical Thunder Bluff. Those who wish to, may then fly from Thunder Bluff back to Orgrimmar, and even take the zeppelin to Undercity in anticipation of the next day’s session. 

NB: All times are Earthen Ring US Server Times (= Eastern US time zone)

Post-Session Activities 1:30-3:30:

In the Barrens:

• Pass through Orgrimmar, exit the West Gate, cross crossing the Southfury River, and head South into The Barrens and conduct first hunting demonstrations when encountering beasts (around Barrens 63,4): giraffes, lions, hyenas, crocolisks
• Turn West at Far Watch Post (Barrens 61,19) and continue hunting demonstrations: plainstriders, zhevras
• Visit Trok and Karu at Grom'dol Farm (Barrens 54,20) - they illustrate the alienated human condition
• Turn South on Gold Road (Barrens 52,23)
• Get Crossroads flight path (Barrens 51,30)
• Head East on the road to Ratchet
• Inspect the Tauren rock painting just South of the road (Barrens 57,37) realizing they were the original inhabitants.
• Visit Ratchet gallows, right beside cemetery (Barrens 60,39), contemplate mortality, justice, injustice
• At Broken Keel Tavern (Barrens 62,39), set your hearthstone with the innkeeper - IMPORTANT for trip to Booty Bay, keep it set here
• Get Ratchet flight path (Barrens 63,37), wait for signal to fly back to Crossroads in tightest possible formation
• Head Southwest from the Crossroad flight point, over rocks beside a tower, not through a gate, and climb the mountain before you.

  If you are killed by a lion or raptor, that's okay because you are already at the cemetery, just return to your corpse and try again.

• After a difficult climb to Falla Sagewind (Barrens 48,38) complete the short ascent to the peak, contemplating the struggle that is life.
• Directly north of the peak is a lower mountain. Go to it, staying on the ridge, and reach The Shrine of the Fallen Warrior (Barrens 47,29)
• Descend roughly North to the road, and head East, back to Barrens.  From there, head South on the Gold Road.   This is the most dangerous section, and higher level people will need to protect lower level people from beasts that may stray near the road.
• Pay respects at the monumental Tauren totem poll (Barrens 50,40), and notice that West of there is an oasis seized by their enemies, the Centaurs.
• Cross bridge over dry gully (Barrens 50,48), and realize the nearby house holds the earthly remains of the wife of Mankrik, a guard at Crossroads: even common people experience tragedy, although the aristocrats may not acknowledge the fact.
• Turn West at the sign to Mulgore (Barrens 47,57) and enter Camp Taurajo
• Get the Camp Taurajo flight path (Barrens 44,59)

In Mulgore:

• Head westward into Mulgore, the home territory of the Tauren, stopping at Bloodhoof Village (Mulgore 47,59) to admire the indigenous architecture
• At a road sign (Mulgore 40,44) turn left (slightly South of West), and we will annihilate the Bael'Dun digsite of the vile Dwarven archaeologists
• Continue Northwest on the road to the elevators to the Tauren city

In Thunder Bluff:

• At your own pace, explore the complex culture, architecture, and social structure of the Tauren city
• Among more remote sites worth visiting are Hunter's Hall (Thunder Bluff 58,86) on Hunter's Rise, and the Pools of Vision under Spirit Rise (Thunder Bluff 25,23)
• Especially worth visiting is the Hall of Elders (Thunder Bluff 76,28) on Elder Rise; can you find the readable books of Tauren lore?
• Speak with Cairne Bloodhoof, Chief of the Tauren (Thunder Bluff 60,51)
• A Puzzle:  Can you find the corpse of Mcbeefy?  We think he killed himself rather than become a hamburger.
• Get the flight path at the top of the tower (Thunder Bluff 47,50) and fly back to Orgrimmar.

You may wish to end the day by taking the zeppelin from the launch site, just outside Orgrimmar, East of the main gate, to Undercity, where the next day's sessions will be held.  That is, if you can find the way into Undercity!

Below: Left: The west gate of Orgrimmar.  Right: The Shrine of the Fallen Warrior commemorates the death of artist Michel Koiter.