October 1st, 2006
Pandaren Way Of Life
Well... It's been a more than year since I visited this place... I've been thinking about moving back to tabulas...
I'm not really up for posting a rant blog entry today... so I'll save my "Moving Back to Tabulas" story for later and keep this post all about a cute and cuddly Panda...
Anyways... been addicted to Frozen Throne's Defender of the Ancients for a couple of months now... and just like how I loved playing Chen Stormstout: Pandaren Brew Master in Frozen Throne... I've been loving Mangix: Pandaren Battle Master for most of the couple long hours play of DoTa...
Here's a little info on the Pandaren...
Pandaren society has changed from its origins. Where once the pandaren were a mighty empire, standing proud beside their night elf allies, now they are a simple people who want only peace and a safe home. Yet the world is a dangerous place, and only through an acceptance of the violence that comes with life can the pandaren continue to prosper.
Pandaren society is, in many ways, compartmentalized. At their core, the pandaren treasure peace and creativity. Most pandaren are poets and singers, and the craftsmen of their culture are truly revered. The danger of their lives, however, has necessitated the evolution of a class of warriors to defend those ideals - it is these warriors, from the simplest pikeman to the great shodopans, who ensure that pandaren culture survives.
Pandaren SocietyEven the lowliest pandaren is capable of defending himself, using the fangs and stubby but needle-like claws that are a natural part of his body. All pandaren can use these natural weapons to fight and hunt, as pandaren grow up playing rough and tumble games meant to hone their abilities while learning the admonishments of their elders that such things are a lastresort. In general, pandaren prefer to use the weapons they craft, feeling that their natural weapons hearken back to a primal time.
Pandaren are bipedal creatures, but their pseudo-ursine forms allow them to move at tremendous speed on four limbs. When a pandaren drops down to all fours, his speed increases greatly. He must have nothing in his hands to use quadrupedal movement.
The Pandaren are the smallest of the bestial races and seem positively tiny next to the hulking bulk of the Furbolgs. However, they seem much less like beasts than their apparent cousins. They value honor, discipline and friendship above all else. Gain the companionship and trust of a Pandaren, they say, and you have a friend and protector for life.
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Shamanistic
Like the furbolgs, Tauren and Wildhammer Dwarves, the Pandaren follow a shamanistic faith, worshipping the Earth Mother and giving passage to their dead. They are true geomancers, drawing their holy power directly from the Earth Mother. They also follow a new philosophy (new to the other residents of Kalimdor, of course); they are a society that reacts, instead of acting first. They claim to be the water that flows around a rock: The water does not push the rock out of the way, it merely goes around it. They use this uncomplicated way of thinking in their everyday life. If they set their minds to a task, and they fail, then they believe they went about it the wrong way and try again. They do not mourn for failures, believing that they simply have mapped out improper ways to do things and they will know better next time. This philosophy seems simple, but the pandaren apply it to every aspect of their lives, from brewing beer to adventuring. They are calm, affable types who will extend the hand of friendship to a stranger on the road - but if the stranger is hostile, the hand of friendship can quickly turn into an excruciating joint lock.
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Love of Beer
What may surprise those who encounter the pandaren most, however, is their unabashed love for beer. Most religious and meditative people on Kalimdor consider alcohol a drink for the masses, a drink whose properties cloud the mind and block contemplation of the gods. The Pandaren laugh at this notion. The ideal day for a Pandaren begins with meditation and ends with a good drink with a better friend. They love encountering folk who live life to the fullest; they enjoy adventuring; and they are happiest in a tavern swapping stories and buying rounds for the house. Those lucky enough to meet a Pandaren and share in his ale will undoubtedly find it to be the best beer they have ever tasted. The down side to this, of course, is that they will no longer enjoy Kalimdor-brewed beer as much.
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Martial Artists
They take the same stance regarding their martial arts as they do every other part of their lives. They use what works, perfecting it with terrifying results, and they don't use what doesn't work. If an injured leg won't allow the pandaren to kick very high, he gives up that kind of kick and perfects another. If up against a massive opponent, the Pandaren will not waste time trying to match strength with strength, as the opponent represents the rock in the river to them. They find a clever way to best their opponent while expending the least strength necessary. They are formidable monks, following their philosophies to the letter and perfecting their martial arts as they see fit.
Note: Pandaren philosophy points indirectly at the Chinese martial Tai-Chi, because of its soft gental nature and powerful attacks. It also is a style that tries not to hurt the opponent, just disarm them. Because Pandarens do not join sides or choose to hurt anybody (thats why they stay a neutral race) which is the same as Tai-Chi. The style also shows the same philosphy as the Pandarens religion.
Source: Pandaren - WoWWiki
Actually... I placed all that long and boring geeky stuff hoping that people would be bored enough to skip this post and read something else...
[sigh]... well enough about my fantasy world... meanwhile... in real life... been bombarded with a couple of self-depreciating low-downs... and I've been thinking... from now on... I will adhere to the Pandaren way of life... I will no longer dwell in the 'what-could-have-beens'... i will no longer fall into the depths of 'wallow-in-self-pity'... but instead... like the Pandarens, I will no longer have regrets... which is something I seems to be collecting a alot like cobwebs in the past year...
F*ck-it... I'm ready to leave Panderia and explore the world... learn new crafts and enjoy life like a mug of ale...
Daemon™