Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered weak and weary, Over many a quaint and curious website of warcraft lore, While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a poking, As of someone gently knocking, knocking on some wooden floor, "'Tis this damn ICQ,"' I muttered, '"a new scam contact popping - Only this, and nothing more."'
Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December, And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor. When the gates to one divine game, opened my path to glory and fame, World of Warcraft was it's name, such fun I never had before - For the rare and radiant game which I used to play before - gone from my hard drive for evermore.
And the dingling sound and pinging of a luminous iPhone ringing thrilled me - filled me with fantastic joy a hundred times felt before; So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating "'Tis the email on my hotmail account - A new email on my hotmail account - a beta key, of that I'm sure!"
Presently my soul grew stronger, hesitating then no longer, "Yes," said I, "for my childish joy, forgiveness I implore; But the fact is I've been waiting, oh waiting so long, waiting for this here to occur, dear lord" I opened the inbox... a list of scam mail, and nothing more.
Deep into my screen peering, long I sat there mousewheel scrolling, Doubting, dreaming dreams no gamer ever dared to dream before; But the spam mails were unbroken, and the inbox gave no token, and the only headlines there the word "free deals galore" This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, "get trolled" Merely this and nothing more.
Back onto my bed falling, all my sould within me mourning, Soon again I heard a tapping somewhat louder than before. "Surely," said I, "surely that is something at my window lattice; Let me see then, what thereat is, and this mystery explore - Lety my heart be still a moment and this mystery explore, - 'tis the wind and nothing more!"
Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter, In there stepped a stately SPIDER of the saintly days of yore. Not the least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped or stayed he; But, with mien of lord or lady, crawled above my chamber door - crawled upon a bust of Thrall just above my chamber door - crawled, and sat, and nothing more.
Then this ebony spider beguiling my sad fancy into smiling, By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore, "Though thy legs be many and creepy, thou," I said, "art sure no troll. Ghastly grim and ancient spider wandering from the nightly shore - Tell me what thy lordly name is, come on and be no bore!" Quoth the spider, "Nevermore."
Much I marvelled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly, Though its answer little meaning - little relevancy bore; For we cannot help agreeing that no living human being Ever yet was blessed with seeing a spider above his chamber door - Spider or beast above the sculptured bust above his chamber door, With such name as "Nevermore."
But the spider, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only, That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour. Nothing further then he uttered - not one leg of his ruttered - Till I scarcely more than muttered "Other friends have gone before - On the morrow he will leave me, as my hopes have gone before." Then the spider said, "Nevermore."
But the spider still beguiling all my sad soul into smiling, Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of spider and bust and door; Then, upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous spider of yore - What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt, and ominous spider of yore Meant in speaking "Nevermore."
This I sat engaged in guessing, but no syllable expressing To the fowl whose fiery eyes now burned into my bosom's core; This and more I sat divining, with my head at ease reclining On the cushion's velvet lining that my desktop screen-light gloated over, But this screen-light oh so brightly gloating over, It shall display THIS game, nevermore!
Then, methought, the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer Swung by little demons whose foot-falls tinkled on the tufted floor. "Beta", I cried, "Blizzard has sent thee - by these devils he has sent thee, trolling - yes, trolling me, never ever giving a key or more, away, away! Take away this torment, and forget this key and more" Quoth the spider, "Nevermore."
"TROLL!" said I, "thing of evil! - troll still, if spider or devil! - Whether tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here ashore, Desolate yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchanted - On this home by horror haunted - tell me truly, I implore - Have you brought key for me to claim? - tell me - tell me, I implore!" Quoth the spider, "Nevermore."
"Troll!" said I, "thing of evil! - troll still, if spider or devil! By that company that thrones abovue us - by that Blizzard we both adore - Tell this soul with sorrow laden if, within the distant Aidenn, It shall clasp a beta key from Hearthstone I so adore - Clasp a rare and radiant key, whom this game I so adore?" Quoth the spider, "Nevermore."
"Be that word our sign of parting, spider or troll!" I shrieked upstarting - "Get thee back into the tempest and the Night's shore! Leave no trace of cobweb as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken! Leave my loneliness unbroken! - quit the bust above my door! Take thy dagger from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door!" Quoth the spider, "Nevermore."
And the spider, still is sitting, still is sitting On the pallid bust of Thrall just above my chamber door; And his eyes have all the seeming of a troll's that is dreaming, And the screen-light over him streaming throws his shadow on the floor; And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor Shall be lifted - nevermore!
-------
Some of you may have noticed. It is a famous poem from Edgar Ellan Poe called "The Raven". I have rewritten some parts so that it fits into the beta hunt theme. And if you ask yourself why the raven was transformed into a spider, well... I originally posted this in one of "spidersaystofly"'s giveaway discussions at reddit for a chance to win a key. No, I did not win, for those that may be asking, but that is not the point and is not up for discussion.
I wanted to share this with you guys just to express what I think about this beta key hunt. I know that for many of you out there, this key means a lot. This poem originally tells the tale of a man who has lost his wife long ago and he gets lost in his sorrow and desperation. He gets lonely and depressed and can't find joy or fun in anything in his life anymore. The raven (spider) represents his inner conflict, that he can never see his wife again and in the end, his soul shall rise from his shadow.. nevermore. It is a tale of missing out on life, friends and everything because you are so drowned in sorrow about something that you lost (or don't have).
This is to all you guys (and girls) out there. Open Beta will come soon, hang in there!
Well done OP. Not often you see people get creative enough with their frustration to be entertaining. Most just write some expletives with their "I have no beta" and leave it at that. :D
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
If you see a bad post on the forum use the report function under it, so I or someone else of the moderation team can take care of it!
I am getting so much feedback. I honestly did not expect this. Wtf is going on here? This is the internet, right? My usual experience with forums is that people don't give a crap about anything that has more then 50 words in it.
Very creative, and at first I did not realize it was The Raven, but when it got to the spider on the bust and calling out nevermore it become a bit more obvious. How this would not win a contest is beyond me, unless the other entries were even more creative. I enjoyed it :D
I am getting so much feedback. I honestly did not expect this. Wtf is going on here? This is the internet, right? My usual experience with forums is that people don't give a crap about anything that has more then 50 words in it.
Thank you, glad you liked it!
You're on the wrong forums then :P. Good forums lead to good discussions ;).
Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious website of warcraft lore,
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a poking,
As of someone gently knocking, knocking on some wooden floor,
"'Tis this damn ICQ,"' I muttered, '"a new scam contact popping -
Only this, and nothing more."'
Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December,
And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.
When the gates to one divine game, opened my path to glory and fame,
World of Warcraft was it's name, such fun I never had before -
For the rare and radiant game which I used to play before -
gone from my hard drive for evermore.
And the dingling sound and pinging of a luminous iPhone ringing
thrilled me - filled me with fantastic joy a hundred times felt before;
So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating
"'Tis the email on my hotmail account -
A new email on my hotmail account -
a beta key, of that I'm sure!"
Presently my soul grew stronger, hesitating then no longer,
"Yes," said I, "for my childish joy, forgiveness I implore;
But the fact is I've been waiting, oh waiting so long,
waiting for this here to occur, dear lord"
I opened the inbox...
a list of scam mail, and nothing more.
Deep into my screen peering, long I sat there mousewheel scrolling,
Doubting, dreaming dreams no gamer ever dared to dream before;
But the spam mails were unbroken, and the inbox gave no token,
and the only headlines there the word "free deals galore"
This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, "get trolled"
Merely this and nothing more.
Back onto my bed falling, all my sould within me mourning,
Soon again I heard a tapping somewhat louder than before.
"Surely," said I, "surely that is something at my window lattice;
Let me see then, what thereat is, and this mystery explore -
Lety my heart be still a moment and this mystery explore, -
'tis the wind and nothing more!"
Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter,
In there stepped a stately SPIDER of the saintly days of yore.
Not the least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped or stayed he;
But, with mien of lord or lady, crawled above my chamber door -
crawled upon a bust of Thrall just above my chamber door -
crawled, and sat, and nothing more.
Then this ebony spider beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,
By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore,
"Though thy legs be many and creepy, thou," I said, "art sure no troll.
Ghastly grim and ancient spider wandering from the nightly shore -
Tell me what thy lordly name is, come on and be no bore!"
Quoth the spider, "Nevermore."
Much I marvelled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly,
Though its answer little meaning - little relevancy bore;
For we cannot help agreeing that no living human being
Ever yet was blessed with seeing a spider above his chamber door -
Spider or beast above the sculptured bust above his chamber door,
With such name as "Nevermore."
But the spider, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only,
That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour.
Nothing further then he uttered - not one leg of his ruttered -
Till I scarcely more than muttered "Other friends have gone before -
On the morrow he will leave me, as my hopes have gone before."
Then the spider said, "Nevermore."
But the spider still beguiling all my sad soul into smiling,
Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of spider and bust and door;
Then, upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking
Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous spider of yore -
What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt, and ominous spider of yore
Meant in speaking "Nevermore."
This I sat engaged in guessing, but no syllable expressing
To the fowl whose fiery eyes now burned into my bosom's core;
This and more I sat divining, with my head at ease reclining
On the cushion's velvet lining that my desktop screen-light gloated over,
But this screen-light oh so brightly gloating over,
It shall display THIS game, nevermore!
Then, methought, the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer
Swung by little demons whose foot-falls tinkled on the tufted floor.
"Beta", I cried, "Blizzard has sent thee - by these devils he has sent thee,
trolling - yes, trolling me, never ever giving a key or more,
away, away! Take away this torment, and forget this key and more"
Quoth the spider, "Nevermore."
"TROLL!" said I, "thing of evil! - troll still, if spider or devil! -
Whether tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here ashore,
Desolate yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchanted -
On this home by horror haunted - tell me truly, I implore -
Have you brought key for me to claim? - tell me - tell me, I implore!"
Quoth the spider, "Nevermore."
"Troll!" said I, "thing of evil! - troll still, if spider or devil!
By that company that thrones abovue us - by that Blizzard we both adore -
Tell this soul with sorrow laden if, within the distant Aidenn,
It shall clasp a beta key from Hearthstone I so adore -
Clasp a rare and radiant key, whom this game I so adore?"
Quoth the spider, "Nevermore."
"Be that word our sign of parting, spider or troll!" I shrieked upstarting -
"Get thee back into the tempest and the Night's shore!
Leave no trace of cobweb as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken!
Leave my loneliness unbroken! - quit the bust above my door!
Take thy dagger from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door!"
Quoth the spider, "Nevermore."
And the spider, still is sitting, still is sitting
On the pallid bust of Thrall just above my chamber door;
And his eyes have all the seeming of a troll's that is dreaming,
And the screen-light over him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;
And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor
Shall be lifted - nevermore!
-------
Some of you may have noticed. It is a famous poem from Edgar Ellan Poe called "The Raven". I have rewritten some parts so that it fits into the beta hunt theme. And if you ask yourself why the raven was transformed into a spider, well... I originally posted this in one of "spidersaystofly"'s giveaway discussions at reddit for a chance to win a key. No, I did not win, for those that may be asking, but that is not the point and is not up for discussion.
I wanted to share this with you guys just to express what I think about this beta key hunt. I know that for many of you out there, this key means a lot. This poem originally tells the tale of a man who has lost his wife long ago and he gets lost in his sorrow and desperation. He gets lonely and depressed and can't find joy or fun in anything in his life anymore. The raven (spider) represents his inner conflict, that he can never see his wife again and in the end, his soul shall rise from his shadow.. nevermore. It is a tale of missing out on life, friends and everything because you are so drowned in sorrow about something that you lost (or don't have).
This is to all you guys (and girls) out there. Open Beta will come soon, hang in there!
Clever, but well written.
the words "Open Beta" get me a little heated every time I see them on a hearthstone website.
Well done OP. Not often you see people get creative enough with their frustration to be entertaining. Most just write some expletives with their "I have no beta" and leave it at that. :D
If you see a bad post on the forum use the report function under it, so I or someone else of the moderation team can take care of it!
Hey thx dude :D
I honestly did not believe anyone would read this. You know how it is, tl;dr
If it's a blizzard soon we'll see it in 1-10 years :P.
Nice read, you should also post this on the Blizzard forum! Maybe they will reward you :)
I doubt that!
I am getting so much feedback. I honestly did not expect this. Wtf is going on here? This is the internet, right? My usual experience with forums is that people don't give a crap about anything that has more then 50 words in it.
Thank you, glad you liked it!
Very creative! Keep up the good work! :D
Your life force, is merely my play thing....It ebbs and flows at my will!
- Winters Edge
Very creative, and at first I did not realize it was The Raven, but when it got to the spider on the bust and calling out nevermore it become a bit more obvious. How this would not win a contest is beyond me, unless the other entries were even more creative. I enjoyed it :D
Thanks guys!
It did not win the contest but after posting it here, I am very glad that it was not for nothing! At least I entertained some fellow hearthstoners!
You're on the wrong forums then :P. Good forums lead to good discussions ;).
Sooo..uh...is there a beta key secretly embedded into that poem?