December 2009

A Little Free Realms

It’s not often I get some time to play Free Realms, but I do occasionally find myself looking for something very relaxed to play for a few hours, and Free Realms certainly has that covered. They’ve just released a huge update with new pets, new housing, and their winter events so I decided to take a peek around last night with Hampooj (better known as Wpus from EQ2). I really enjoy their ‘spin’ event. When you log in you get to spin a giant wheel and have the chance to win some prizes. I actually managed to win myself a small wooded cottage, and some housing blocks for that cottage. Since I’m a member I also had a little package of furniture waiting for me to claim to put into the house.

It’s not that big, and there’s not many furniture choices (and they’re expensive I found) but hey, it’s housing and it’s pretty neat. Your pets (if you own any) roam around the property, and you can invite your friends over. Plus who doesn’t like decorating.

I like the activities in Free Realms. I hadn’t tried fishing before, so when I checked it out I was surprised that I spent so long doing it. There’s really nothing to it, you cast your rod (hopefully where fish are) and when you get a bite, you mouse click and reel it in. There are collections for different types of fish, and you can catch treasure chests with prizes inside. There were a lot of others hanging around fishing, and the area was bright and colourful with fantastic music, it was just relaxing and fun.

Free Realms is probably the only game I’ve ever played where I have no need or desire for alts. You can do everything you want on one character, no restrictions. Any class, any game, any pet, any adventure. I’ve been an alt-o-holic since the early days of EverQuest, even before that in MUDS I’d have a plethora of alts. Free Realms is the only game I’ve ever played where I haven’t made a single alt, nor do I have any desire to. I LIKE this factor, a lot. It feels great to concentrate on one character.

Before I knew it, two hours had passed by, and it was getting late. I headed to the vault cave to turn in my tokens (and picked up a few more pieces of gear) happy that I had gained a few levels in a few classes. Who says only kids get to play these types of games? I had a blast, and I’m looking forward to finding more time to play. Now I just need to keep leveling up! I think the highest I’ve reached so far is level 9 in a few classes. There’s lots more that I haven’t even tried yet (like archer, and wizard). Looking forward to some nice relaxed gaming!

Frostfell and Decorating, Oh What Fun

With Frostfell here I spent most of yesterday doing one of two things. Running the heroic instance with Wpus and Ultann, and then decorating. So much decorating. After a year, I finally finished off my Norrathian Museum. Of course a house like that is never really “finished” so what I mean is that now there’s no structural things that I need to do, I just need to take my relics and place them. Which reminds me, I need to run the Will of a Tyrant quests on Ellithia. I have been neglecting the quests since I no longer receive aa from them.

For those who may be new to Frostfell – you get different aa for doing the easy / hard versions of the zone, even though they’ve got the same mobs. It was my first time experiencing the ‘heroic’ version of the zone which was really fast and a lot of fun. Not to mention it rewarded an incredible frozen sword house item.

I’ve been trying to set up in game ‘goals’ for myself, to achieve before Sentinel’s Fate comes out in February. So far I haven’t come up with too many, but I’d like to get at least one or two other characters to 200aa and I’d love to get all of my characters to at least level 80 crafter on my main account. Since I’m spread across three servers (Oasis, Antonia Bayle, Lucan D’Lere) this can be a little frustrating, I have crafters all over the place, but I’m determined. I love crafting.

I should be doing shard runs, so that I can finally empty my bags of the WoE gear I’ve had saved up forever, but I’ve done so many shard runs over the months that I’m a little bit tired of it. That’s to be expected though, you do any one thing for any length of time and eventually you’re going to get tired.

What is everyone else up to in game? Frostfell? Raids? Instances? Crafting? Excited about the expansion? All of the above? Let me know!

In the mean time, I’ll see you in Norrath.

Limited Weekend Gaming (but still fun)

Ibeogur and my warden Seduisant headed to DFC to complete the Chronomagic quest from last week. I love this zone. I loved it when it was a lot more difficult too, and you needed an actual group to complete it. It still has lots of memories even though the script has changed. I don’t typically enjoy the archers who stand on the top of the towers and rain arrows down over the group until we manage to scramble up there and kill them.

T’is the season for family get togethers and for me this was no different. I had a brunch to attend on Saturday that was loaded with bacon, eggs, roasted potatoes, ham, and all sorts of other goodies. Next week I have a lunch to attend, and everyone has Christmas parties going on. Of course since I work from home I’d have to throw myself my own party, but hey that could be fun too!

I hope everyone is gearing up to have a fantastic holiday season, and I want to say a huge thank you to some amazing people out there. My readers of course, those who have followed me here on MmoQuests as well as Beckett Massive Online Gamer, and all of my friends. Brenda, Nicholas, Thomas, Derrick, Angela, Pat, Peter, Brad, Christopher, Matt, and a whole bunch more. You guys mean the world to me and don’t ever forget that!

Back to gaming!

I did some crafting this weekend. Trying to get all of my ‘left over’ characters to 80 before February. I picked up some new books for my library (and thank you those who have donated) it’s been fantastic. I also ran through some more frostfell quests and dragged Calreth along with so that we could save up our tokens and purchase ice dividers for the basement of my Norrathian Museum. Happily, it’s ALMOST done. After over a year in the making. Then I can turn my attentions to someone else’ house that needs work. I’ve been decorating my guild hall room as well (there are five rooms in the basement, and the founders of the guild each get one as their own) as well as the overall guild. Now that we’re not moving anywhere any time soon, it’s time to settle!

Aside from that, things have been quiet. Just the way I like them.

I hope everyone has a fantastic Monday, and happy gaming no matter where you find yourself! See you in Norrath!

Book of the day – Da True Adventures of Ogur – Vol. 1

(( Another book of the day, each week I try to post at least one or more books from my library in game on the Antonia Bayle server. You can find the library in the North Freeport mage building, bottom floor, under the name of Ellithia. If you’d like to donate a book to my library, please send me in game mail and I will send you some coin and a blank book for your troubles! ))

Da True Adventures of Ogur – Vol 1. by Ibeogur

“Shut up!” Ogur screamed. His largs legs pounding the soft forest floor as he ran, leaving dents from the massive weight he carried. He was running as fast as he could, which wasn’t all that fast, but for an ogre he was barreling through the growth. Had his skin not been so thick he would’ve suffered dozens of scratches and scrapes from the foliage.

Another loud cackle, closer this time. Ogur was getting tired from the running. He knew he couldn’t go much farther, and cried out in desperation, “Go ‘way! Me no want yoos anymore!”

The cackle once again shrieked through the otherwise peaceful forest.

Ogur finally stopped running and as he slowed down he heard the little pitter-patter of his pursuer slow as well. As he turned to face this tireless foe, he unsheathed a massive club. “Go ‘way!” Ogur screamed as he swung his mighty club at the skull of Jonaber. The cackling died the second the club struck its target. Jonaber exploded in a spray of bone shards.

Ogur was gleefully clapping his hands and celebrating his victory over the skeleton companion he had accidentally summoned earlier in the day. Somewhat undecided about his choice to become a Shadowknight, he had chosen this path just this morning and now was regretting it. Ogur’s skeleton companion had terrified him and would cackle endlessly to his annoyance.

Bark! Bark!

“Hullo der doggy!” The dog picked up one of the shattered bones from Jonaber and carried it over to Ogur. As he patted the dog through his heavy gloves he could see it had a collar on and words he could not read – not only because it was in another language, but because he was an Ogre.

“Kitty? Come on boy! Where did you run off to?”

The dog bolted up at the sound. Ogur didn’t understand, was the dog named Kitty? Ogur knew what a kitty looked like and he knew what a doggy looked like but he never thought anyone would call a doggy Kitty.

“Hullo der little wuns,” Ogur exclaimed with a big, somewhat toothy grin, as he followed the dog to its owners. Screams could be heard as the 9 foot goliath stepped into the clearing of a group of little Halflings having a picnic.

Ogur convinced the little Halflings that he was kind and gentle by playing fetch with Kitty. They had invited him to join them in their picnic and over the course of the afternoon the Halflings explained that the name Kitty was just a joke. Ogur didn’t understand, but it didn’t matter. He was having fun and enjoying his new tiny friends. Time passed and after a while of drinking wine and eating delicious pies and sandwiches, Ogur’s little friends decided they wanted to go swimming in the nearby stream. They pleaded and begged and him to come along, assuring him it would be fun. Ogur gave in, bounding after them to the waters edge, drunk and happily singing nursery rhymes he learned as a child in Oggish.

The Halflings all stripped off their tunics and jerkins and bounded merrily into the stream with Ogur lagging behind, stumbling to take his heavy plate mail armor off. Finally, stripped down to just his skin underwear, he joined them jumping into the stream and causing a massive tidal wave to playfully splash over everyone nearby.

Ogur was tipsy, full-bellied, and happy. With new friends making him forget the scary events of earlier, and a friendly dog named Kitty that loved to play fetch with the broken femur of his old annoying companion, Ogur had not a care in the world.

It was getting late now and the oddball group of five drunken Halflings and a drunken Ogre were getting tired. The sun was waning in the sky, not quite ready to set, as the group slowly sauntered out of the stream to get dressed and head to their own homes. Ogur was struggling to put his boots on when Kitty woke up from under a nearby tree. He’d been napping all afternoon, worn out from fetch with Ogur, as everyone else played in the water. Seeing Ogur, Kitty got excited and bounded towards him. Ogre fell over, startled, but opened his big, meaty hands to catch him, laughing his big hearty bellow of a laugh.

Kitty was not a small dog by any means, but Ogur managed to catch him playfully in just one hand as Kitty pounced. The dog froze, his tail stopped wagging, his tongue stopped panting and drooling. In Ogur’s massive, gentle hand, Kitty convulsed, gave Ogur a very puzzling look, and then exploded. Screams echoed as bits of Kitty splattered the half-dressed crowd of Halflings that no longer wore smiling, happy grins.

Monster!

Evil beast!

Get away from me!

They screamed and ran; leaving Ogur alone and confused, covered in bits of fur and flesh from Kitty. Ogur was sad; he’d lost all his friends, and Kitty. Kitty was the best out of all of them, he thought. Kitty was friendly and not scared even from the start. His thoughts trailed back to playing fetch with Jonabers’  femur. He sat up suddenly, looking at his bare hands.

Oh nos, dats wut happen!

He’d remembered the last lesson his Shadowknight Master had taught him and warned him about. Deff Touch, Ogur, ez da best ting about us. But da price ez yoo can nebber touch anyting living wit yer bare hands again.

Ogur miss yoos, Kitty. Ogur not mean to explode yoos. Ogur not furget yoos be best frend ‘n Ogur sorry.

Ogur remembered.
He knew now this would be a hard, lonely path.

Book of the Day – The Plea of the Intelligentsia By Arthalion

(( It’s time once more for me to post an EQ2 player written book of the day. I have over 160 books written by 77 different players on the Antonia Bayle server. If you’d like to visit the library in person, you can find it in North Freeport, in the mage tower (bottom floor) under the name of Ellithia. If you’d like to donate a book to the library, please feel free to send me an in game mail! I will send you a blank book and some coin for your time. If you play on another server please feel free to also ask for a blank book and I will add yours to the collection! ))

The PLEA of the INTELLIGENTSIA
by Arthalion Gatecaller

When Erud discovered the homeland,
True civilization began!
His knowledge was set in a tome and
Enlightened the brightest of Man.

Our cities were built out of granite,
And marble, and crystal, and glass:
The most glorious sight on the planet
With beauty as never could pass!

Though steadily time’s disc was turning,
Unchanging our palaces stood,
Proclaiming that wisdom and learning
Are the highest of all that is good.

But accursed be the name of the Rending!
Accursed be the Shatt’ring’s renown!
Destruction from Luclin descending
As the civilized world crashes down!
The Stonebrunt is rendered asunder!
The Warrens collapse to the ground!
Toxxulia burns to a cinder!
The sea rises!  Odus is drowned!

O Prexus, could you not defend us?
O Quellious, where is our peace?
Ye gods, only death do you send us!
Will your tyrannous rule never cease?

Yea, dark times befell in those ages,
Such woe ne’er shall fit in a tome!
O miserable plight of those sages:
Live in exile or die at home?

And yet immaterial knowledge
Not even the gods can destroy.
Its might shall our people acknowledge
And its powers and strengths e’er employ.

Our seers and mystics saw visions,
Our scholars, the signs of the time,
And mid all the Shattering’s scissions,
Our devotion to mind proved sublime.

Thus stoically ceding our status,
We sailed Erud’s Crossing once more,
And after eight cent’ries’ hiatus,
Set foot on th’Antonican shore.

And though but a few hundred dozens
Had made it, they lived yet at least,
And learned our Paineelian cousins
Had survived and made port in the East!

So th’Erudites still are divided,
In schism to live evermore;
Yet great is the knowledge confided
To our people, and culture, and lore.

And scholarly knowledge brings wisdom,
And wisdom, perspective and scope,
Perspective shall breed understanding,
And with understanding is hope.

So hearken, ye leaders of nations,
And seek to grow wise in your ways!
That we, through your own educations,
May see peace, by the end of our days…

Nomadic Gamer