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Exploring Draenor: Hemet’s Happy Hunting Grounds

by - 10 years ago

Exploring Draenor delves into the hidden places of the world that will one day become Outland. From the volcanic landscape of Frostfire to the gloomy dells of Shadowmoon, these articles are your guide to events that are off the beaten path.

I promised you a visit with an old friend last week – and who older or friendlier than Hemet Nesingwary, the lord of the hunt himself?

Location: Nagrand, north of Hallvalor

Task: What do you think? Killing, and lots of it

Rewards: 75g and hilarity

Hemet has accompanied us through every expansion to date, providing various quests to slaughter the local wildlife in droves. Back in vanilla, Nesingwary’s Safari took players through a chain of events leading up to the mighty King Bangalash; in Burning Crusade he was in Nagrand, targeting the elekk queen, Tusker. Come Wrath he moved to Sholazar Basin (pursued by D.E.H.T.A). Cataclysm was the only expansion where we didn’t get a series of quests from the dwarf, although he did appear as a random companion during a daily, The Protectors of Hyjal. In Mists both Hemet and his son, Hemet Jr., made an appearance in a little-travelled corner of the Valley of the Four Winds, wiping out a swathe of wildlife and eventually killing a mist elemental called Torjar’s Bane.

In Warlords, Nesingwary is found in Hemet’s Happy Hunting Grounds, although the name is a bit misleading: Hemet is definitely not happy, and neither is he doing what could traditionally be called hunting.

The Alliance and Horde, recognising Hemet’s aptitude for murdering hapless (though, to give him his due, often vicious) wildlife, has sent him (back) to Nagrand, promising him the hunt of a lifetime. When he arrived, it wasn’t quite what was promised, though. Nagrand is home to the Warsong clan, which provides wolfriders to the Iron Horde. Hemet is asked to kill those wolves, depriving the orcs of a vital fighting force.

Now, having been promised big game and then sent to kill wolves, Hemet is not in the best of moods. In fact, he’s pretty maudlin, having set up camp (complete with picnic basket and striped umbrella) on the shores of a river. From here, he is swigging beer (you can tap his keg to get your own high) and Kaja’cola, throwing the empty bottles – and occasional grenade – at surrounding critters. Sometimes he also breaks out his rifle, firing buckshot at the wolves on the opposite bank and blasting himself backwards. The grunts as he manoeuvres his chair back to its original position are their own reward.

With the dwarf out of the picture, it’s up to us to kill the wolves. The Hunting Grounds are littered with Aspiring Wolfrider corpses, and it’s easy to see why: these wolves are savage. As well as hitting hard, they also have a ground-targeted leap, which stuns you (without diminishing returns). Pulling multiple wolves is not recommended.

The Hunting Grounds are set out on several levels. At the bottom you’ll find wolves, sometimes being attacked by the nearby windrocs and talbuks. At the head of the nearby stream you’ll also find another reason for Hemet’s depression: a massive worm called Big Pete. Part of the bonus objective, Pete doesn’t have any special abilities but is chomping on a dwarven steam tank – presumably Hemet’s own ride.

The middle level is home to more canines and the alpha male and female of the pack, Lupe and Loup. These wolves are chasing each other around a small island, and are also part of the bonus objective. There is a treasure (Hidden Stash) in a tree behind them, but can’t reach it right now.

Continue up to the top of the Hunting Grounds and you’ll find a cliff face peppered with caves, full of wolves (running past these caves and following the cliff round will lead to the top of another cliff overlooking Shattrath, which BC players will recognise as the Barrier Hills). Here, you will find a spire of rock – the highest point you can reach. Run to the top and you’ll find Explorer Garix, a member of the Steamwheedle Preservation Society. Quite what he’s preserving out here is anyone’s guess, but he does offer a free glider ride back to ground level. It acts just like an Engineer’s Goblin Glider – and you can (presumably) steer it to the tree to loot the Hidden Stash. To be honest, I never managed it. There is another goblin nearby, who can only be reached with the Glider or a slowfall spell. He appears to be in a better position to reach the tree, so if you have your own Glider or a slowfall mechanic, I suggest trying from there.

Poor Hemet might be past his glory days, but I live in hope that we will see him make a triumphant return later on in Warlords.

Hemet's Hunting Grounds

 

Hemet Neswingwary

Big Pete

Loup and Lupe

 


JR Cook

JR has been writing for fan sites since 2000 and has been involved with Blizzard Exclusive fansites since 2003. JR was also a co-host for 6 years on the Hearthstone podcast Well Met! He helped co-found BlizzPro in 2013.


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