Economics of the Auction House, major world events (Legion)

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One would think that there is an easy pile of gold to be made during the time of a major world event like the opening of the Dark Portal, Cataclysm etc if you would have a hunch of the timings.
During a normal economic cycle in the auction houses in Azeroth there are some key states of demand.

1. Exploration

Whenever a new place is discovered or a major world event has turned things up-side down there is a rush to explore that area and to use whatever new resources that are found into making new things.
So all gatherers move to the new area and start to mine ore and gather herbs.
They then go to the auction house and sell it there. During this phase, there is a huge demand for the new material so it will fetch quite a price in gold. This is a small window of opportunity that has clear peak and then a fast fall to the next state.
At this point there are also a lot of people teaching themselves new skills and that requires quite a lot of materials from older areas. Someone with a stockpile of materials could make a fortune.

2. Stabilization

Where the materials from the new area or zone plane out in price. There will always be ups and downs but this part of the economic cycle is quite stable and long.

3. End of cycle

Whenever the rumors start that there is a new major earth shaking event in the horizon the economy has already reached a mature state and there are no real opportunities. Material prices are at a cycle low. Someone with a lot of gold lying around could speculate in materials by buying at this low price and then selling when the economy hits the Exploration phase again.

Reality check

So, how does this theory prove during this last world changing event this year? Let's see the track record of some resources during that timing. The graphs will show the End of last cycle, the new Exploration and start of stabilization. All information and graphs are from www.wowuction.com.

Saronite ore

Saronite ore, mostly mined up north showed a real drop in availability and an increase in price (from ~5 to ~7.5) the August 29th.

Titanium ore

Also farmed up north in Icecrown Valley together with Saronite ore. Here we also see an increase in price as and the drop in availability.

Ghost Iron Bar

Ghost Iron showed the biggest trend upward of the sampled materials. The drop on August 29th in availability is clear and at the same time a steady price growth that has grown over time. This would have given double the gold if you would have bought before the event and sold in portions afterwards.

Leystone Ore

Just to show the new Exploration area material for reference. The Leystone ore had a very significant and volatile start where the early birds were able to make a buck and a very steep downturn to a stable economy. I don't have the numbers from Outland or Pandaria, but it feels like this curve was faster to stabilize itself then during the earlier events. I think I have to dig through old data and see if I can find something relevant there. But for this report, nothing.

So. there is a chance to make a bucket of gold during a world event if you have the gold to speculate with.

Once again thanks for www.wowuction.com for collecting the auction house data and providing nice graphs..

Also if you are interested in investment in general. Go over to Dreamstate living for their nice articles on longterm investment.

Relax

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I am starting to feel like almost all adventourers in Azeroth are stressing through their lives. They have turned guild life, dailies, professions and raids into some sort of work that must be done and should have been done last week!
Whenever I visit Dalaran, and that is quite often as I live there, or any other major city I am forced to listen to yelling and chatter about gearscores and preparations for dungeon runs...
I left my last guild due to the fact that they wanted me to be available during set times and that I should spend hours for the greater good of the guild. I couldn't do that, even I do not know what I will end up doing in one hour and a lot less in one week. Needless to say that I got booted out quite fast. But the key here is that there are so many guilds like that out there, the description fits my last 4 guilds. All 4 guilds since I left Pious Brethren that was more a relaxed place with a lot of friends around. I am currently one of the Ladies of the Alliance, a fairly dead guild these days, I do not know where everyone went as they were gone one day. Another extreeme, either be in a totally stressed out environment or an empty place, the only reason I stick around is because I do not know where I would go if I left. And going guildless is not an option as I can not stand the bullying from guild recruiters, the worst kind of people most of the time.
So I ended up with doing other things, I've travelled the lands, seen the people and lended them a hand until I knew their stories by hearth and was awarded the title of a Loremaster and during that journey I ended up with the Seeker and Explorer as well. I enjoyed every minute, made some really good friends and met really nice people that I still visit from time to time.
Other times I just travel to a seldom visited place and fish for a bit, just to see the nature and magic that is still there even though many people will never see it.

Wherever I travel I try to take pictures and document what I see, all from fishing in Orgrimmar to swimming around Silithus. Most people seem to think that Dalaran is all there is, they complain that it is too crowded there but still they do not leave other then for some daily job or a battle.. They always return, even I return after my trips.. But I never feel the stress...
I know that most people will never understand what I am trying to say here but I hope that at least some of you will.

There is more to Azeroth then Dalaran...

The Stars…

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Eowind Moonchild

Loremaster, Ambassador, Brewmaster, Corporal, Flame Warden,
of Darnassus, the Explorer, the Noble, the Patient, the Seeker

Level 85 Night Elf Feral Druid. Herbalist, Miner and a fantastic Sous Chef that enjoys fishing on her spare time. Owns 34 mounts but still mostly rides the Black War Bear. Also owns 31 pets, favorite one is the Wolpertinger.

Favorite project is the Unforgotten Places series.

Jennie Nowind

the Patient

Level 82 Human Affliction Warlock. Sinner, Skinner and Inscriber. Loves her demons and enjoys talking with them rather then with her peers. Favorite pet is the Core Hound Pup and mostly used mounts are the Red Drake and the Black War Tiger.

Enjoys helping Eowind with her articles in whatever way is needed.

The Banker

Level 80 Draenei Death Knight. Engineer and Leatherworker, even though her dabbles with leather shouldn’t be counted.
Likes to trade, enjoys Stormwind and Ironforge, and sometimes the emptiness of Darnassus. Most of all enjoys the fast and easy ways to get to those places from Dalaran.
Spends most of her waken hours at the auction house. Supports Eowind’s projects financially.

Wanilla

Level 24 Human Protection Paladin. Blacksmith and miner, likes to travel a lot and thus has been sent out to do research for Eowind from time to time. Favorite pet is Mr. Chilly.

Noomishie Moonchild

Level 15 Night Elven Hunter. Skinner and Leatherworker, and loves her wolf Amoux. She happened to be close to Dalaraan during Noblegarden so the task of filming the event was given to her. Eowind mailed the camera and she was all set. Due to the success of her work she has been given the trust to continue the work. Distant relative to Eowind.

Eleanoria

 

Level 7 Human Warrior and close friend of Noomishie. After being introduced to Eowinds banker, she has picked up the same trade. After making some hundred gold on her first day at the auction house, she decided to support Noomishie with the financial part of her adventours. She has woven to continue her warrior training, sometime, when the auction house gets boring.

Noblegarden Goldshire Egg Hunt

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Due to popular demand, Noomishie decided to continue the Egg Hunt, this time around the inn in Goldshire.

Noblegarden Dolanaar Egg Hunt

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Noomishie, a hunter friend of mine borrowed my camera to capture some footage from the egg hunt around Dolanaar inn.

Unforgotten Places – Loch Modan

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The Loch Modan area is a place that links Dun Morogh together with both the Badlands and Wetlands. This Dwarven controlled area is a little more tempered then their home country, mostly because it is located on a lower altitude in the mountains.

One of the wonders of Azeroth, the Stonewrough Dam, is located here or more precisely on the border between Loch Modan and the Wetlands. More of the dam later in this article.

 

Thelsamar

Located along the road between the South and North pass into Dun Morogh. This is a typical Dwarven settlement with a flight master, and a tavern. You can also find trainers for some professions here, like Journeyman Alchemist, Mining, Herbalism and fishing. While the fishing trainer is located north east of the town, the others are inside the small town and easy to find.

Silver Stream Mine

This Kobold infested mine is located between the North gate and Thelsamar. As this mine once was one of the main supplies of Silver for Ironforge, one can begin to wonder how come they ignore the new residents.

Stonewrough Dam
One of the wonders of Azeroth, the Stonewrough Dam, was once built by the Dwarves and it nicely dams up Loch Modan and thus uncovering most of Wetlands to a swamp instead of sea bed. Even though this is good for business in Wetlands, the water still needs to go somewhere and the dam has grown Loch Modan to around twice of its original size.
The Dark Iron dwarves try to sabotage the dam from time to time, and their raids have constantly increased during the last few years. So far, the Ironforge dwarves together with adventurers have successfully repelled all of the attacks but the threat level is fairly high for this place.
The Dam also is the home for an Engineering Trainer.

Mo’grosh Stronghold
Home of the Mo’grosh ogres in the north eastern parts of Loch Modan. This is a barren place containing a lot for burnt vegetation. The caves in this area holds most of the different varieties of these ogre’s.

The Farstrider Lodge
 
The Farstrider Lodge is a hunting lodge in the south eastern parts of the region, in the hills above Ironband's Excavation site. There are some hunting challenges available here with nice rewards for hunters and some even for other adventurers. The challenges are time based and involves tracking and hunting beasts that live in the hills and on the eastern shore of the lake. I did enjoy these challenges as they involve sneaking around other beasts to get to the targets.
The lodge also hosts a leather armor merchant who from time to time has green items in stock.

 

Valley of Kings
The first time that I travelled to this valley was when i needed to get to the Searing Gorge in a hurry. I had heard of a tunnel that could be used and the entrance to that tunnel was located in the Valley of Kings in Loch Modan.
Even though I was unable to use the tunnel at that time due to the fact that it was locked and the gate keeper, Mountaineer Pebblebitty,  didn't trust me to survive on the other side, the visit to the valley was worth the detour.
The beautiful nature and the fantastic statues of old kings.I've later come back to the gate keeper with proof that I can handle the things that lie on the other side of the tunnel and thus I am now a proud owner of the key to the tunnel between Loch Modan and the Searing Gorge. The tunnel is in reality of no use these days due to the flight point in the gorge but it is a nice memory and a nice way to reach the gorge if travelling over land.

 

Natural Resources
Mining: Copper Ore, Tin Ore.. Rumors say that there is silver as well but the most common are copper and Tin.

Herbs: Peacebloom, Silverleaf, Earthroot, Mageroyal, Briarthorn and Bruiseweed.

Skinners will find Light Leather and Medium Leather as well as some scraps.

Neighboring regions
Dun Morogh, Wetlands, Badlands and the Searing Gorge.

Unforgotten Places – Teldrassil

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For todays issue of Unforgotten Places I sent out Nowind to visit Teldrassil and she came back with a movie report. I do hope that you will enjoy this : )

Unforgotten Places – Dun Morogh

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Time has come for the Unforgotten Places series to visit the home land of the Dwarves, Dun Morogh. A fantastic place, if you like snow!
As seen on the map, Dun Morogh is located in the mountains between Wetlands to the north and Searing Gorge to the south. The altitude makes it so that the snow never melts here and the lakes are always frozen. On the eastern side of the area is Loch Modan.
There are some inaccessible parts in the region, mainly the airfield to the east of Iron Forge and the village on the mountain side towards the Wetlands.

Coldridge Valley

Located in the south wester part of the area is Coldridge Valley. This is where Dwarves start their studies in the various combat and healing disciplines.

Other interesting things about Coldridge is that the Frostmane Trolls, especially the whelps are no longer hostile. Pretty good diplomacy from the Alliance side.

Dwarven Mortar Team

Travelling on the road between Coldridge and Kharanos you will probabbly end up visiting the camp of Hegnar Rumbleshot, a nice gunsmith. A Dwarven Mortar Team also hangs around Hegnar’s camp.

Kharanos Kharanos, the best place to drink beer if it is not Brewfest. Even though it is located only a short trip south of Iron Forge, most people have not heard of the great beer and will rarely visit. Too bad for them I say, as they do not know what they are missing out on.

Iceflow Lake
In western Dun Morogh is a frozen lake called Iceflow Lake and the ice seems to hold as each time I visit, there is only one small area free of it and that is only thanks to the people in Brewnall Village who use it for fishing. The snow clad islands in are best left unvisited if you are afraid of a fight or two with wolves.

Gnomeregan
Gnomeregan, a place that I do not have much fondness for. The capital and home of the Gnomes even though most of them are living in exile in Iron Forge for the time being and I do understand why as I have been into the place once or twice. Every step you take inside is a potential misstep and Elune knows what kinds of mechanical things will come after you. Enter at your own risk. To get here the only thing you have to do is to follow the road west from Iron Forge until it ends.

Iron Forge
The capital city of the Dwarves, burried into the side of the mountain itself says something about the dwarven stubbornes. Many articles could be written about this place so I will not say more then that the best party of the year is held just outside of its front porch, The Brewfest!

Steelgrills's Depot
If you are into mechanical things more then flesh and blood, then you may like the mount vendor at Steelgrill’s Depot as she sells Mechanostriders. There are also a few siege engine pilots resting closeby.

Misty Pine Refuge
The  Argent Dawn. I never thought that I would run into them in cold Dun Morogh until I did. They have a small, and with small I do mean small, research camp located between Steelgrill’s Depot and Aberstill Ranch to the north of the road. And I did say small didn’t I? Father Gavin is the chief researcher here, and the only one. My guess is that they left him here to do his work and forgot about him when they left for the Plaguelands, and later Northrend.
I do feel sorry for him and I usually try to pay him a visit when my duties brings me to the region.

Amberstill Ranch
Ram! Ram! Ram! Ram! Here you buy Rams! They come in various sizes and colors and there is one for every rammy taste!
The ranch is located east of the Misty Pine Refuge and here you can also find a rabbit vendor, who wouldn’t want a rabbit?
The ranch is probably where most dwarves have learned their first riding skill.

Gol’Bolar Quarry
The Gol’Bolar Quarry is located southeast of Amberstill Ranch, the quarry and the Miners’ League camp can be seen from the road.
The Quarry and the mine that can be entered from it have both been taken over by Throggs meaning that the miners are paying adventourers to get rid of them.

Ironband's Compound
Further east from the Gol’Bolar Quarry lies Ironband’s Compound. This place is overrun with Dark Iron dwarves. The compound used to belong to Sturgy Ironband, a fine blacksmith tutor. Some even say that he was the best. The Dark Iron dwarves attacked the compound shortly after one of Ironband’s students brought him some rare ore called Umbral Ore.

 

I hope you will enjoy your next trip to Dun Morogh and do not be affraid to explore a bit.

Unforgotten Places – Ashenvale, part II

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In Ashenvale, part II we will go through the eastern parts of this area. Starting from Raynewood Retreat and all the way to Forest Song and beyond.

Raynewood Retreat

Raynewood Retreat is an Alliance controlled outpost, built originally by the Night Elves. It is there to protected Ashenvale from the corruption that flows in Felwood to the north. The area surrounding the retreat is populated with Laughing Sisters who are protecting Keeper Ordanus. Keeper Ordanus is one of the sons of the Forest God Cenarius. Both the Keeper and the Laughing Sisters are wanted by the Horde and adventourers regulary try to raid the Raynewood Retreat. Evidently the hair of a Laughing Sister is used by the Horde to create robes for their mages.

Silverwing Grove

Silverwing Grove and the Silverwing Outpost are located in the south of Ashenvale, close to the entrance to the Barrens. This is the location of the Alliance entrance to the Warsong Gulch battlegrounds where the Silverwing Sentinels battle the Warsong Outriders that want to turn Ashenvale to a wast logging camp.

Splintertree Post

The Splintertree Post is the main Horde encampment in Ashenvale, located between the Raynewood Retreat and Forest Song. The camp is mostly populated by Tauren and Orcish guards and scouts. This place can give travellers some trouble when they travel to Forest Song for the first time, before they get the flight path there. This place is also one of the more frequent targets for Alliance retaliation raids even though not as popular as Crossroads in the Barrens.

 Warsong Labor Camps

In the southern Ashenvale, east of the entrance to the Barrens, are the Warsong Labor Camps. This is where the Horde has harvested trees since Grom Hellscreams time, it was he who first established this camp. Today there are logging camps almost all the way to the Southfury River.
Demon Fall Canyon

Even further to the east from the Warsong Logging camp, and to the south of Forest Song is a demon infested area. It was here that the demon lord Mannoroth battled with the two orcs Grom Hellscream and Thrall. A memorial stone was erected in the memory of Grom, who died while striking the final blow on the demon.

Forest SongForest Song is the eastern camp for the Alliance in Ashenvale and it is located almost at the border to Azshara. It is recomended that during your first visit to Forest Song to also visit the camp and flight master in Azshara as it is directly on the other side of the border.
Forest Song is the residence of one of the ancients, Gnarl. Other residents are Night Elfs and a team of Draenei architects who are building a new town for them. The leader of the Draenei seems to be Architect Nemos. The location between Satynaar and Bough Shadow gives visiting adventourers little peace.

Bough Shadow - Portal to the Emerald Dream

One of the portals to the Emerald Dream is located close to Forest Song in a place called Bough Shadow. The area is crawling with dragonkin and inexperienced adventourers are quite often never heard of again if they decide to travel here.
From time to time one of the Dragons of Nightmare, also known as the Emerald Dragons, will visit this place.

 

So, this was all of Ashenvale. There are places in the area that were not covered in this article, but most likely you will stumble across some of them during your own travels.

Unforgotten Places – Ashenvale, part I

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Ashenvale has a special place in my heart, the first thing that struck me about the place was its contrast against its neighbour Darkshore in the north, it was from there that I first entered the forest. But now that you start to think about it, the whole area is in contrast with all of its neighbouring lands. Be it Barrens to the south, Azshara to the east, Stonetalon Mountains to the west or Felwood to the north.
Back in the day before I got hold of my first Striped Frostsaber, it took quite a while to travel through it on foot. Back then the only flight path was located in Astranaar and to be honest I have spent many nights mending my feet at the inn there.

The Zoram Strand
Located to the north east of Ashenvale lies a small region on the coastline. The place is mostly populated with various naga but a smaller Horde camp can also be found here. Along the border to Darkshore lies the Blackfathom Deeps, once a great Night Elven temple but is today overrun with naga and the cult of the Twilight’s Hammer. The cult seeks there for clues of the Old Gods. The cult can also be found around the Ruins of Ordil’Aran close to Maestra’s Post.

The Shrine of Aessina
This shrine was built for the spirit of wilderness, Aessina, by the Night Elves. The shrine itself is visited by both Night Elves and dryads. North west of the shrine is a small cottage where some members of the Alliance reside. Among these are Sulan Dunadaire and her brother William as well as some Night Elves of the family Edune.

Old Scars

As with most other places in Azeroth, Ashenvale has seen its part of war and still harbors scars from long forgotten battles. Among these is the Fire Scar Shrine, still the home demons from and members of the Shadow Council. Another place is Satynaar, the main settlement of the three satyr camps in eastern Ashenvale.
If this wasn’t enough, Ashenvale is also under the influence of the evil taint that is spreading through the lands from Felwood. Most of the furbolgs around the forest have been corrupted with the taint.

Astranaar

The major Alliance village in Ashenvale is Astranaar. The town itself is located on an island in the middle of a small lake and built like most other Night Elven towns. The architecture is common around the whole region.

Ruins of Stardust
Directly south from Astranaar lies the Ruins of Stardust, similiar to Astranaar, the city once lied on a small island in the middle of a small like. The only thing that is still there are the ruins and some bog beasts roaming the lands. The area around Stardust has been tainted by the same corruption that has taken over Felwood.

Mystral Lake

A little bit to the east from Stardust lies a lake called Mystral Lake. On the western side of the lake is a cave that leads to Stonetalon Peak and on the north side lies a house called Silverwind Refuge.
The lake itself is the home of a large number of water elementals, so please watch out when travelling around this region but the Refuge is worth a visit as there are hunter, herbalism and alchemy trainers that reside there.

Greenpaw Village
Last place for part one is Greenpaw Village, located between Mystral Lake and Raynewood Retreat. This is the home of the Foulweald, a tribe of corrupted furbolgs lead by Chief Murgut.
Both the Horde and the Alliance are constantly trying to limit the size of the various corrputed furbolg tribes that reside in Ashenvale.

 

Next time we will cover the eastern parts of Ashenvale.