Possession Is 9/10 of the Law

“You’re saying that mine was yours? So why’s the ore in my backpack?”
--Just about anyone who has beat you to a node

Not too long ago, I was skimming the forest floor of Terrokar with Scepter when I spy the most beautiful of sights, the adamantite node. You know the one, all shiny and glittery and completely solitary, not a toon soul within Frostbolt distance. With the lightning speed that can only come from a normal flying mount and an equipped Carrot on a Stick I shift course and angle down to approach the Mine of Scepter (to be christened ever so briefly).

I land crisply, textbook really. I dismount (this was before the patch that rolled dismounting and harvesting into one convenient action, God bless Blizzard) and reach for my worn pick . . . when my kid sidles up to me, knocking my hand from my mouse. I take a moment to glance down on her. Smiling benevolently, I kindly brush her aside as I prepare to return my attention back to the Mine of Scepter.

But what’s this? I hear a clanging terrifyingly close by. A metal on metal sound that seems much too premature given the fact I never actually began the mining process. Couldn’t have, given the real life gremlin that had seconds ago wrestled my hand away from certain divine mining justice. I snap my head to face the screen and witness the horror of horrors: an alliance pudwacker stealing the Mine of Scepter, reaping its bounty it as it were his to reap.

My anguished cry startles my little girl. I pat her on the head and give her a peck on the cheek, assuring her interruption is forgiven. And promptly log onto my only alliance toon to have a “discussion” with my alliance friend regarding mining rights etiquette.

/tell ALLIANCE PUDWACKER

ME: You know, that mine was mine. I was clearly there first.

PUDWACKER: Really? Sorry man, I didn’t see you there.

ME: For Christ’s sake, how could you not see me? I was right there! You landed your damn chicken right on me!

Long pause.

PUDWACKER: WTF, you’re like level two. What the hell are you talking about?

ME: My other toon. The one you just stole the mine from. In Terrokar.

PUDWACKER: You mean that horde toon? Lolz.

ME: You can’t go around stealing people’s mines.

PUDWACKER: Sure I can. Horde does it to me all the time.

ME: But that doesn’t make it right.

PUDWACKER: Yeah it does. You’re Horde, I’m Alliance. We’re at war you idiot. I’m going to steal ore from you pricks every chance I get. Now go QQ somewhere else.

Long pause.

ME: I see. Carry on then.

The only thing worse than being wrong is being wrong at the expense of a night elf hunter named Leggolass.