Riglee is my Gnome Death Knight. She is level 72. Winter Veil is not my favorite World Event (because Christmas is problematic for me). Despite this, I decided to see what Riglee could accomplish during the 2015 Winter Veil.
Overall, my attempt at working on Winter Veil Achievements was a mix of success and failure. It turned out that Riglee is not a high enough level to do everything. There were, however, some fun things that she was able to complete.
I started working on the Winter Veil stuff in the early hours of Christmas Eve (December 24, 2015). For whatever reason, I thought that the presents that are under the big tree in Ironforge would be ready to open. Nope!
Fail number 1: The presents aren’t ready yet. As you can see, there are no little, yellow, floating exclamation marks under that tree. I’m going to have to make time to come back here on December 25, 2015. I settled for a screenshot of Riglee with Greatfather Winter.
So, Riglee can’t unwrap presents (yet). What can she do? I decided a good way to figure that out would be to check my Winter Veil Achievements and see which ones she has already earned, and which ones she has yet to complete.
On Metzen! : Save Metzen the Reindeer. Riglee earned this one December 30, 2010.
Obviously, this Achievement is referring to an older version of the quests that involve Metzen the Reindeer. I heard that a new one had been added to the 2015 Winter Veil. Would the game let me do the new version, or would it think that I’d already done it?
Simply Abominable: Complete the quest to retrieve Smokeywood Pastures’ stolen treats and receive a Smokeywood Pastures’ Thank You. Riglee completed this Achievement on December 30, 2010.
He Knows If You’ve Been Naughty: Open one of the presents underneath the Winter Veil tree once they are available. Riglee completed this Achievement on December 25, 2010.
Riglee was able to successfully complete some of the Winter Veil quests.
Wulmort Jinglepocket: Have a wondrous Winter Veil, friend! Be sure to say hello to Greatfather Winter! If you’ve been nice this year, you’ll receive wondrous treats on the day of the Feast of Winter Veil. Be sure to tell him what you hope to get this year!
Also, be sure to stock up on treats to give those who’ve been nice this year. We have a great selection to choose from. Fresh from our farm to your plate – it’s Smokywood Pastures wholesome goodness!
Greatfather Winter: A wondrous Winter Veil to you… uh… little girl. Good children get special, um, discounts at any local Smokywood Pastures vendor. Yum.
Greatfather Winter: Ho ho hello. I am Greatfather Winter, and I – courtesy of the fine folks of Smokywood Pastures… “Fresh from our farm to your plate, it’s Smokywood Pastures wholesome goodness” – would like to wish you a fantastic Feast of Winter Veil.
If you’ve been good this year, maybe you will receive treats from Smokeywood Pastures as your treat for the Feast of Winter Veil. Huzzah.
Success Number 1: Riglee completed the “Greatfather Winter is Here!” quest.
Greatfather Winter: Hey, can you do Grandfather Winter a favor, um, little girl?
Not to needlessly talk about myself in the third person, but Greatfather Winter has been at this all day and he could use a treat himself. Some gingerbread cookies and ice cold milk to wash them down with would really hit the spot. Think you could be a friend to the Greatfather and fetch some for me?
This quest requires players to bring Greatfather Winter 5 Gingerbread Cookies and an Ice Cold Milk to Greatfather Winter. Go the nearest Inn and buy the Ice Cold Milk from the Innkeeper. Players have to craft the cookies themselves.
You can buy Holiday Spices from the Goblin vendor. (You can also buy the Gingerbread Cookie recipe from the Goblins – if your character hasn’t yet learned it). There are two ways to obtain Small Eggs. One – go to Westmarch and kill some birds. Almost all of them will drop one Small Egg. Two – buy the amount of Small Eggs that you need from the Auction House.
Cooking requires a fire, and these will do! This is the closest fire to Greatfather Winter.
Greatfather Winter: All this talk of treats has given me a hankering for some myself. Mmmm… gingerbread cookies and milk.
Greatfather Winter: You’re quite the helper to ol’ Greatfather Winter there, Riglee. Have a great Feast of Winter Veil. Here’s a little something … you know, for the effort. (The “little something” is a Smokywood Pastures Gift Pack.)
Success Number 2: Riglee has completed the “Treats for Greatfather Winter” quest.
Goli Krumn has had it with all the Smokywood Pastures stuff!
Goli Krumn: Gifts, treats, presents… bah, I say!
Those goblins pollute the true meaning of this season – the Feast of Winter Veil. This is a time of renewal; the land slumbers under a blanket of snow brought forth by Greatfather Winter, who is NOT the bumbling fool over there in the red suit!
If you’re interested in learning what the Feast is all about for yourself, ask Historian Karnik at the Explorers’ League. I’m sure he’ll be surprised that someone cares about history rather than getting presents.
Historian Karnik is located at the Explorers’ League in Ironforge. He’s standing in the back of the room, and off to one side.
Historian Karnik: The Feast of Winter Veil, you say? Alas, in times past it held a more substantial meaning to use dwarves. Nowadays, it seems as though others have turned the legend of Greatfather Winter into something that helps to sell candies and presents.
It’s no surprise that Goli is bitter about that sort of change. He and other dwarves like him cling to our past like a banner of war. While I think a little celebration is always good, it is important to remember the origins of the Feast.
Success Number 3: Riglee completed the “The Reason for the Season” quest.
Historian Karnik: Here- if you are interested in learning more about the Feast of Winter Veil, read this book. While I think our recognition of the legend is the appropriate one, I’m enough of a scholar to appreciate the collection of all information into a single source.
When you’re done, take the book to Muradin Bronzebeard. I know for a fact that he’d be interested in hearing that others have taken an interest in the older legends.
The “quest objectives” section says: Feel free to read the book, “The Feast of Winter Veil”, to learn more about the holiday. When you are finished with the book, deliver it to Muradin Bronzebeard in Ironforge.
The Feast of Winter Veil book has six pages. I found it interesting.
Muradin Bronzebeard is happy to receive “The Feasts of Winter Veil” book.
Muradin Bronzebeard: I bid you welcome to the Kingdom of Ironforge, friend. I always take an interest in the kingdom, its people, and its lore. Is this why you are standing before me?
Muradin Bronzebeard: The legends and lore surrounding the Winter veil are ones that have faded from the forefront of public thought over the years. While I recognize that the goblins are helping to revive the season for their own ends, the fact that the citizenry thinks about it at least in some form does good to keep such lore alive.
Your desire to go beyond the material and learn about our past is an admirable trait, young death knight. I salute your erudite nature.
Success Number 4: Riglee completed “The Feast of Winter Veil” quest.
I had heard that the Greench stuff had been updated this year, so I went over to check it out. When I arrived, I found players already fighting the Abominable Greench. Riglee immediately joined the battle.
The strange thing was that I could target the Abominable Greench, throw spells at him, and hit him with my weapon. But, no matter how close I stood, the screen always said “Miss”.
The group of players that I joined managed to kill The Abominable Greench. This screenshot was taken seconds before something killed me. I’ve no clue what it was. One second, I’m standing in front of a dead Greench, and the next I’m standing in front of a Spirit Healer.
I did the “corpse run” back to where I died… and The Greench was gone. There was no loot to pick up, either. I wasn’t sure what I’d done wrong, so I stuck around until The Greench respawned, and tried again. The new group of players successfully killed The Greench, I managed not to die immediately after… and yet, I could not collect the loot from the bags the other players were getting it from.
All this stuff is inside The Greench’s cave. Riglee can’t pick up any of it, or access the bags of loot outside the cave. I later learned The Greench fight is for characters that are level 100.
Fail Number 2: Everything associated with The Abominable Greench.
I found Metzen the Reindeer! I was hoping that this would be the start of a quest, but it wasn’t. I’m not sure why. Maybe there is a quest that leads to this that I hadn’t picked up yet. I also read online that the Metzen quest was bugged.
Around this reindeer’s neck is a tag with the Smokywood Pastures logo on it and a name – “Metzen”. Metzen looks at you with sad, forlorn eyes. It is almost as if the reindeer has been immobilized by some unseen force.
Fail Number 3: The Metzen quest.
Random Success: The player standing near Metzen the Reindeer recognized Riglee from at least one of her attempts to kill The Greench, and saluted her.
Scrooge: Throw a snowball a Muradin Bronzebeard during the Feast of Winter Veil.
Success Number 5: Riglee completed the “Scrooge” Achievement.
Riglee was working on the “Winter Veil Gourmet” Achievement. She already made the Gingerbread Cookies (for Greatfather Winter). In the screenshot above, Riglee was making Hot Apple Cider.
She used her Little Wickerman as a stove, but it got placed wrong. The barrel started smoking! The Gnome Death Knight set out to make a holiday beverage, and ended up committing an accidental act of arson.
Things worked out much better when Riglee made the Winter Veil Egg Nog.
The Winter Veil Gourmet: During the Feast of Winter Veil, use your culinary expertise to produce a Gingerbread Cookie, Winter Veil Egg Nog and Hot Apple Cider.
Success Number 6: Riglee completed “The Winter Veil Gourmet” Achievement on December 24, 2015.
Bros. Before Ho Ho Ho’s: Use Mistletoe on the Alliance “Brothers” during the Feast of Winter Veil.
Brother Joshua in Stormwind, Brother Crowley in Stormwind, Brother Karman in Theramore, Brother Cassius in Stormwind, Brother Kristoff in Stormwind, Brother Wilhelm in Goldshire, Brother Nimetz in Stranglethorn Vale, Brother Benjamin in Stormwind.
Riglee completed the “Bros. Before Ho Ho Ho’s” Achievment on December 25, 2015.
Success Number 7: Riglee completed the “Bros. Before Ho Ho Ho’s” Achievement.
Crashin’ Thrashin’ Flamer: Proud owner of the 2015 Vintage Winter Veil gift, the Crashin’ Thrashin’ Flamer.
Riglee got a Mechanical Greench from one of the presents.
Success number 8: Riglee was, eventually, able to open presents.
Riglee didn’t have a Gaudy Winter Veil Sweater in her bank, so she had to buy one from the Goblin Vendor.
The Gnome Death Knight goes Caroling – in Gaudy Winter Veil Sweater. Her singing was not very well received.
A-Caroling We Will Go: Use your Gaudy Winter Veil Sweater to carol in enemy capital cities during the Feast of Winter Veil.
Riglee completed the “A-Caroling We Will Go” Achievement on December 26, 2015.
Success Number 9: Riglee completed the “A-Caroling We Will Go” Achievement.
Riglee couldn’t quite finish the “Let It Snow” Achievement. She managed to throw a Handful of Snoflakes at a Blood Elf Warlock, Draenei Priest, Orc Death Knight, Night Elf Druid, Human Warrior, Troll Hunter, Gnome Mage, and Dwarf Paladin.
Fail Number 4: Riglee couldn’t complete the “Let It Snow” Achievement this year.
RANDOM FUN
Players got very festive while waiting for the presents to be ready.
Jakado gave me two Grumplings. I have no idea who this player is, but he was super nice to me.
The Grumpling is big and resembles The Abominable Greench.
I got into a fun snowball fight with Kirafyre. She was throwing snowballs at everyone, and only a couple of people decided to play along and throw some snowballs back.
When Winter Veil crosses with Christmas….
My good friend Medros gave me a Left Shark. It’s a shark in a bubble that makes funny noises when you click it! This made me giggle.
A player who was a complete stranger to me sent me a Death Talon Whelpguard in the mail. I’ve never seen one of these before!
This was the first year I actually turned my mount into a reindeer. Winter Veil fest is not usually my thing, but I have to admit that I had a really good time playing with the holiday stuff and working on the Achievements for this world event this time.