stargrace

The anticipation of EoF

Silverstep, standing in Lesser Faydark

I was accepted into EoF beta about a month ago, but honestly, I played very little. I perfer to leave most quests / zones a surprise, and just wanted to know a little about what to expect with my characters. I think I spent more time looking at fae and exploring the lowbie zones and Gods then doing much of anything else. Since the NDA has been lifted, I can post a few screen shots of the expansion and ramble a bit. It’s an absolutely BEAUTIFUL expansion, despite what bugs may be around currently. There is literally something for everyone, from level 1-70. There are new raid zones, new instances, new regular zones, a new obelisk even. New lore, a new race. Two new crafting subclasses, new aa’s, a second earring slot, a new cloak slot, new guild levels.. it’s quite amazing.

Some people are of course upset that there is no level cap increase. I can see why SoE did this though. The one thought on everyone’s mind is whether or not there is enough content to last until the next expansion comes out. With Vanguard coming out in January (unless it’s been pushed back, I never know) there’s lots of competition around.

Standing outside Castle Mistmoore

Contested mobs should keep raiders interested, along with the new raid zones. The fact that there’s a new race is appealing to those who have wanted to start a new class and had no motivation. Not to mention there are new starting zones, and you could level from 1-70 in EoF zones alone and never leave. It’s certainly one expansion I’m really looking forward to.

QoTW: The Battle of Cauldron Hollow (Tunare Quest revealed)

The prophets foretold of two more Gods who would soon be walking the lands of Norrath this day. One was Tunare, and while some may consider this an obvious choice due to the fact that I am a druid, it is not so. None the less I listened to their woes and eagerly aided them in their trials, but do not doubt for a second that it was because of my own selfish curiosity rather then a desire to walk along the path of Growth.

I was told not to question their methods, and that I would be able to inhabit the body of Gandari for this battle. I rode astride a mount so glorious. I could smell the fear in the air. We rode and the calls of battle echoed through the air. It was glorious.

The reward for aiding them was a small fountain for my home, which has a spot in the back yard. It may look slightly out of place amongst some of the other… pieces.. I have out there, but it looks wonderful none the less.

(( Absolutely *amazing* quest, very fun to do, and a new turn on things here in eq2. Those who have done the monster missions in eq1 will be very familiar with this form of quest, and I have to say it’s sort of fun to see it here too. I would certainly recommend this quest for anyone who enjoys questing or house items or both! The starter can be found in Antonica, by the druid rings just past the wizard spires. The evil version is found by the priest guild in NFP ))

Happy Halloween and all the rest

Silverstep, standing in her spooky backyard

Halloween in Norrath would have been slightly more entertaining if they did not just repeat the two quests we had last year. They compromised of a haunted house (with different rewards this time I suppose it should be added) and trick ‘n treating, with a few new face masks as rewards. I still found it slightly disappointing. However with the 2 year anniversary of the game on the 9th of this month, along with the newest expansion upcoming (which I have been off beta testing) I don’t really blame them for not putting much effort into the newest holiday.

I’ve sequestered myself to the crafting tables for the past few days, on various characters while I prepare for the two new sub-classes, tinkering and transmuting. The sage reached level 45 (finally) the jeweler 65, and Silverstep herself managed to level to 56 woodworker. I really do hate woodworking might I add. I get on average 1-2 new recipes a level. So in order to work this skill I’ve resorted to grinding out guild writs, which seem to be the only way I can handle the monotonous grinding. Granted, with the guild at level 50 even that seems to have little point, but the personal status is good and the faction is not too bad. I’m saving up for (another) 5 room house, and there are some Qeynos faction items I’d like to be able to purchase such as vendor stands.

Of course there are always the usual raids, last night was Vyemm, nothing of any significance happened there though, a few guild members played alts and we cleared it with three groups in less then two hours. I think pretty much everyone is looking forward to EoF just simply for a little new content, even if there is no level increase. Hopefully the expansion gives everyone something to do. I certainly can’t complain.

Raids, Updates, and other Randomness

Not that much is new this week, thankfully. I’ve been taking it easy after grinding out claymore and deathtoll access last week. This week? I crafted a bit, and did some farming of Poets Palace. I’m trying to get my level 55+ spells (masters) to drop, to no avail. I’ve seen the same dirge master drop twice now (which I sold for 10p each time) as well as the level 58 guardian offensive stance (which I’m holding onto until I can check with guild leader / friends to see if they need it first), and a few tradeskill items like vanadiums and pearls, a few cobalt. Nothing grand though.

Drama on Lucan has been quiet, I like it that way. I tend to ignore almost everything that goes on in channels unless it directly affects me. No need to get into that huge mess that goes on.

Tonight the guild attempts Chel’Drak again, after our success last week it’ll be interesting to see if we can do it again. We’re also apparently doing HoS, the most boring zone in the world that drops garbage. Anyone else out there who’s done this zone knows what I mean! Hopefully more screen shots and interesting stories to post tomorrow.

Silverstep – From Warden to Fury –

(( A continuation of all the other Silverstep Rp notes I have on this site ))

Silverstep tried to clear her head from the fog that surrounded her, and blinked one lazy eye open. The events of the past few days drifted through her mind and she grimaced, wondering if half of it were not some sort of weird dream. Alas, she knew it was not.

Upon waking, she was briefed, that was the best word to describe it. By a prophet of Solusek Ro, the Burning Prince himself. She was told that her life was owed to him. That they had brought her back from the brink of death by whatever means they had available (on this fact it was made no clearer), and thus she was in debt. She didn’t have the energy to argue, or question it. Her thoughts seemed muddled and there were portions of her daily life that did not make sense any more. So she accepted this debt she had incurred without question. The druid who had life in South Freeport was no more, and even though one may look at these changes and see them as some sort of manipulation by the Burning Prince and his prophets, Silverstep took it in stride. She did not have many friends after all, things could be worse.

The prophet never told Silverstep what was required of her. Only that she was needed for some future plan. There had been vast rumors spreading throughout both Qeynos and Freeport, of the return of the Gods. It seemed the tremors throughout the land were proof enough of Brell’s eventual return. Each day Silverstep grew a little stronger, her recovery more apparent. With this recovery came changes though. The once tame and quiet druid explored the woods alone one day, and found herself with a branch in her hands, slowly spinning it between her fingers. She contemplated life, and what it had handed her. What she had made from it. Anger slowly fused under the surface and the branch burst into flames. She gasped and dropped it to the ground, ashamed at herself for daring to destroy something of nature’s hands. It was not the last time that the Burning Prince would exert his power over her.

She moved to Qeynos, as the prophet advised. She really had no alliance towards the city of Freeport or Qeynos, though she did miss her home quite a bit, she remained impartial in that regard at least. She tried to think back, to see if perhaps she had at one time stood up for either of the leaders in Norrath, and could simply not remember. She grew frustrated over these pockets of missing information. The prophets told her it was common, with the mind moving so close to the spiritual wall of death. It did not lessen her worries any, but she kept them to herself.

On the way home one day, the man whose voice she had heard along side the prophets stopped her at her door. His eyes gazed into hers and she shivered for no explainable reason.

“Can I help you?” She asked some what strained, she was not in the mood to be around people this evening.

He said nothing to her, but embraced her suddenly, and lowered his lips to hers. Hot fire shot through her and she tried to pull back, some what dazed.

“That,” he murmured, “is for being so beautiful.” She lost her footing, and fell to the ground, the man letting her drop and making no effort at all to stop the fall.

“That, is for being a traitor.” He turned away from her, leaving her to pick herself up from the ground, and went on his way down the street. Silverstep brushed herself off, blushing like a fool. She fumbled with the doorknob and let herself into the house, ashamed that she had let someone affect her so. She dropped a few books onto the counter tops and tried to seek some solitude in the garden. She felt enclosed, and confined, had to get away to some open space.

No one else in South Qeynos that night noticed the thunderclouds that hung low towards only one house. The low rumble of the storm reverberated between homes and scared a cat, but again, no one noticed. She was very much the nobody that she had always been.