And now for something obvious

So I've been trying to find a profound way to talk about this, but couldn't, so here it is. Part of the attraction of WoW is the way that it allows folks to share milestones, in a way that's satisfying and also relatively quick. My example for this is the ceremonial nature of lvl 40, and the obtaining of one's mount.

I got my 40 a couple of Fridays ago in a raid with Hallgrima and Brudie in a Scarlet Monestary run, and it was gratifying and pleasureable to know that both of them had come on the run specifically to be there when the little gold sparkles went off. I was especially happy when it became clear that it was a bit more of a grind that evening than we'd expected - I started the run about 30K short of 40, and even on rest points, 30K takes a while in SM. We ran the library and the armory - about 4 hours of play - and I still needed 5k to level. It was clear that folks in the party were getting tired - I was tired - but even the other two in the group didn't seem to hesitate to stay when it was clear I only needed a few more kills to "get the mount". 30 minutes later, the task was achieved, and then almost instantly, we all hearthed and called it a night. I didn't actually get the mount until the next day, and I did that alone.

But that didn't matter. What mattered to me, and I think to the others, was to share the process of crossing the threshold. Brudie was almost fierce in his whispers that "I told you I'd get you your mount," and he was clear I had to take the 30 gold he offered to me - "I farmed it for you earlier today." For someone I've never "met", it was an act of kindness that meant a great deal to me. I was equally happy that Hallgrima was nuking folks next to me as the bar inched to the right - frankly, it felt motherly, and I appreciated it very much.

In the part of the world I live in, the quinceanera is a fairly frequent celebration - and though I'm sure I'm culturally insensitive to all of the undertones of that celebration, Level 40 feels like how I imagine the quinceanera to be. It's a very public thing to share, and it's not something I expected to find in an MMO.

Twinkleheal
(since Ding'd to lvl 42. And riding a Striped Frostsaber I call "Swiftheal" - 'cept that Blizzard won't let you name your mount. What's up with that? Hunters can name their pet, and I can't name my ride? Crazy.)