May 2007

Here my pretty shiny…

stargrace May 11, 2007 2Comments

Ah, the elusive blue shiny. I’ve talked about these collections before. You have to wear special goggles to be able to see them, they spawn every three minutes in specific locations. They can be found in butcherblock, around the chess board (chess pieces). Castle Mistmoore (candles) Crushbone in the Hall of tactics, hall of the magi, hall of truths, and temple of the prophet (torture instruments). They can also be found in Felwithe (sentry shards), Greater Faydark (Acorns), Kaladim (mining picks), Klak’anon (mechanical springs), Lesser Faydark (Gourd seeds), Loping plains (werewolf fangs), Mistmoore Catacombs (Skulls), and Steamfont mountains (mineral water).They typically reward you with a house item, though the Steamfont collection does not (grumble). I could spend hours harvesting in EQII between shinnies and crafting harvests. When I go to another MMO (WoW and Vanguard for example) I’m constantly looking around on the ground for something to harvest. What makes these little things so addictive that whole groups will even wipe to them in order to harvest?

Things are going well on AB, I’ve found a few guilds who are interested in an illusionist, so I’ll be doing Emerald Halls tonight. Lader and Shadowgeist have also found themselves a new home within the server, and I’m glad that things are working out finally for the band of adventurers. Moving to a new server is never much fun, especially when you don’t know any one. It can be a very stressful period of adjustment.

Yesterday I wanted to finish the manastone heritage quest, but neither of my two characters have CoD access. So I gave up frustrated and I figure I’ll complete it later today. There’s been some small unfortunate issues going on that have prevented me from enjoying the game lately, I’m hoping that they’re taken care of. I also petitioned about my houses, again. My character names were changed when I moved to AB, and my housing still says it’s owned by me, but the zones themselves fall under the previous names. Means if I want to relinquish, I can’t, because the names don’t match up.

Hopefully Cordanim is settling in just fine, his alts all got guilded last night. The little coercer in guild is leveling along nicely. It’s refreshing to have someone new in the guild. We’re not growing that fast, but it’s a type of home none the less.

I apologize for my thoughts being all over the place today, but it’s just one of those days!

The Heritage Quests Continue

stargrace May 10, 2007 5Comments

Goudia Is’Gouda, ratonga dirge, is waiting patiently for Stiletto

Yesterday was a good day for HQ’s, in between dealing with some real life stuff I completed six HQ, four on Misako, and two on Goudia. I started the Jboots but after the first two races was feeling tired and decided to go to bed. That one will have to wait until later today. It’s been nice being able to do the HQ’s on both characters at the same time, for pretty much double the guild exp I’d normally get. The guild reached level 7 last night, with Lader picking up a courts raid. That raid always gives an insane amount of guild status.

Speaking of the guild, Cordanim joined the ranks! Ignore his whole comment about peer pressure, I did no such thing! Shadowgeist and I met him quite a way back on Najena, we were at one point in time all in the same guild. Of course things change and guilds changed and then I ended up on Lucan D’Lere, people switched games for a bit and came back, Cordanim took a break from the game for some time and just recently started getting back into things. With the free server transfers ending at midnight, I suggested he move to AB and join the newly formed Torrent Knights, he boxes as well and I know he’s an avid alt-o-holic not to mention crafter. I also know with his young boys and wife that he’s very much a family man and not looking for something big and uber or hardcore, TK would be a perfect fit. Not to mention I’d get to add one more friend to the ranks, it was most certainly a win win situation. As he talks about on his post community is everything in an MMO (to me at least).

I also found out that Cuppy moved to AB! Being just one of many fans of her blog, I’m glad to see her there, along with some of her friends and guildies.

I’m looking forward to some new adventures, last night my 59 defiler hit 65ap on an Acadechism run, I was hoping maybe something useful would drop but I swear if I didn’t have bad luck I’d have no luck at all. I’ve been mentoring down for the HQ turn ins, that helps quite a bit. Going to attempt to do the manastone and glowing black stone HQ’s today, not holding my breath though as Varsoons is typically pretty heavily camped later on in the day and that’s when I’d be headed to the zone. The defiler needs her manastone fairly badly, and hey, guild status is guild status after all. As a side note, good luck to Dalven on his new server Najena, I hope his guild is everything he wants it to be and he has fun with his friends, new and old.

Lets get on the Kunark train..

stargrace May 9, 2007 0Comment

Game Description:

Centuries of war have left their mark on the continent of Kunark. Explore this massive region as your existing character or as the new playable race – The Sarnak – and discover a world full of intrigue and danger. Engage in all-new adventures as you embark on a crusade to reveal the truth of the wars between the reborn Iksar Empire, Sarnaks, and Dragons and uncover artifacts long since thought lost to history. The lush, nostalgic continent of Kunark begins your courageous path from the new starting city in Timorous Deep.

Rise of Kunark is the fourth expansion pack for the critically acclaimed EverQuest II franchise. With the introduction of the new playable race, the Sarnak, and new starting area, Timorous Deep, Rise of Kunark provides a full range of content for new player’s levels 1-20 as well as advanced, high level players whom can now achieve up to level 80 in high level zones, both increasing their Adventure and Tradeskill classes.

Rise of Kunark includes many highly-detailed areas that are fondly remembered from EverQuest as well as brand new areas only recently unearthed! Hundreds of new quests, dozens of new NPCs, brand new Epic Weapon quests for each class, and new armor sets await those who dare set foot on this fabled continent.

Feature Set:

All-New Player Race – Start up a brand new Sarnak – the classic dragon-like humanoid creature that now inhabits Timorous Deep. Exiled from your homeland and magically altered, discover how your new breed came to be, and eventually return home to help your race triumph over the evil Iksar.

New Starting Area – Begin your adventure from the new starting area in the islands of Timorous Deep. Conclude your day of epic quests and retire to new housing within the Village of Gorowyn.

Level Cap Raised – Continue your adventures on your existing character in Kunark, expanding on your achievements as Adventure, Tradeskill and Guild levels all increase to 80.

More Unique Zones – Advance your way through new massive regions, containing many zones filled with nostalgia and danger, such as the Emerald Jungle and the Skyfire Mountains

Hundreds of New Quests – The tale of Kunark is told through hundreds of new quests, aimed at gameplay of all types: solo, group, and raid.

More Weapons & Armor – New Epic Weapon quests for all 24 classes, with new weapons for both those who raid and those who choose not to. Battle through the opposition and acquire additional fabled and legendary armor sets as well.

Details found here, I’m already so excited I can ignore the fact that it’s still 6 months away…

Let the Heritage Quests Begin!

stargrace May 9, 2007 0Comment

Hmms some tunnel laborers traveling through the commonlands, they must be helping with Neriak

Misako frowned at the Ratonga who clung to her side. This was not exactly how she envisioned her day.

“Stop bouncing!” She hissed.

“I’m sorries Missums Misa!” Squeeled the little mouse, as she tried to control her hopping, “It has been so very long those! You knows that Missums!”

Misako sighed, Goudia had a point, it had been quite some time. Not since the ratonga had betrayed and became an exile had Misako needed her help or called upon her. There was much that needed to be done though.

So what have I been up to? Today’s a fairly exciting and busy day. Not due to anything in particular, but a number of smaller things. Number one, my characters are settling in yet another server. So that was me moving from Lucan D’Lere, to Kithicor, to Antonia Bayle. Why the move (again)? Easy, the community and atmosphere. The guild mates who had moved along with me did not like Kithicor. I can’t blame them, the 60-69 was a bit more then I could handle at times. I’m used to drama, but people were down right mean at times. I also missed the role play aspect that I could involve myself in on LDL. AB’s rp community is far larger, and I’m looking forward to it.

So Torrent Knights has reformed on AB. We’re actively recruiting, and hoping to form either an alliance with another raid guild, or even if people find their own new homes that’s fine as well. In the mean time, we’re working on leveling the guild. I did not complete a single heritage quest on Misako, and Goudia (previously known as Gouda, she had to be renamed), has only done one. With the former TK at level 60 there was no point to it, and alts were not allowed in the guild anyhow. So holding off on all of those heritage quests was a great thing. I finished off the greater lightstone early this morning, and also finished off Foomby’s stolen goods. Next I’m working on the Fishbone earring, and the guise of the deceiver. I’m doing them both with Misako and Goudia, in the hopes of pushing the guild towards level 10, we’re currently sitting at level 3. I love having a goal like this in game, while I make new friends and accomplish new goals. It revitalizes me.

Everyone needs a good weap– spoon?

stargrace May 8, 2007 3Comments

Misako riding around Sinking Sands, with her new spoon

Did some instances with the defiler, and she’s now sporting the very stylish spoon that drops in cazels. Figured the thing never dropped for any of my other characters, at least she’s got some good luck. She hit 59 yesterday as I grinded through some very easy Lesser Faydark quests, making a whole lot of coin off of them as well. Also managed to hit 62ap on her, so she’s eating those up nicely. In fact she has more then the 70 templar now, go figure. Ap are so much easier to get when you’re a lower level.

A huge thank you to Cordanim for sharing his new blog format, I adored it and of course had to grab it for myself. I like the layout much better then the old one I had. It’s also just nice to switch it out every so often.

Other then that, I haven’t been doing too much. Reading a good book by Robin Hobbs and contemplating a few new suggestions as far as where to go in game. A friend of mine, Beeglin, suggested some time ago that I apply to Strike, the top raiding guild on Lucan D’Lere. I shrugged at the suggestion, doubting myself as a player, and the fact that they’ve got two raiding illusionists already. After speaking to another member of the guild, I’m contemplating the suggestion again. In the two plus years that I’ve played EQII I’ve never been in the top end guild before. Not from lack of knowledge about the game or time played, but for other smaller (and just as important) reasons. I was a recruit for Second Dawn as my warden and decided that they were not what I was looking for at the time, so raiding is really not that new to me. Devoting so much time to raiding would be new though, and a challenge that I’m not sure I could pass. Yes, I am online frequently enough, and yes, I could most certainly make all those raid hours, but do I really want to raid 6-7 days a week? I value my independence a lot, and I really am not sure if I’m good enough. Decisions decisions!