The Journey Ends.... Again
A funny thing happened to me on the way to the Pillars of Flame today.
Ok first of all, eversince Everfrost and Lavastorm, where I had put up the LFG flag for hours and hours and never got picked up for anything, I kind of gave up on LFG-ing. So, I have been mostly solo-ing on Chen, only getting into pickup groups very rarely.
This perception was further strengthened by recent events where I kept looking for a group for the pirate ship step of the new
An Ancient Desert Power heritage quest, but could never find anyone for it.
So the funny thing is, a couple of days ago I got into an xp group (as stated in a previous blog). Seeing how fast the xps came, I thought - why the heck not, try putting the LFG flag up and see if anyone bites. So I did. I didn't even put out any OOC msg. I just turned it on, and went on my own way, building up faction with the Ashen Order monks (man I really want the Jade Tiger title).
Within like 3 mins, both times (yeah I put the flag up twice), I got picked up into an xp group. Well the 2nd time was a group specifically going into Scornfeathers Roost and Ancient's Table, but it was still really good xp.
And then, this happened:
Ding you're level 60!Yup, I made level 60.
So what now, I ask myself? Continue to build faction with the Ashen Order monks? Yup I would do that. I am almost there. I can take a short cut with the faction with the Blades now though... get some coins and buy favour with them back. I still might have some in Chen's vault in the house, but what the heck I can get more from the guild bank anytime.
I might also think about getting access quests for Silent City and Obelisk Of Lost Souls done too.. you know, just so I can go in and do Tarton's Wheel.
Grinding To 59
There I was, just doing yet another "Trials Of Ash" quest to build up my faction standing with the Ashen Order monks in Pillars of Flame. First of all, I wanted to get the cool Chinese Coolie hat that they are wearing. One of their merchants must sell it!
Secondly, I found out that if I complete the whole series, I would get a suffix title called "the Jade Tiger" tacked on to my normal name. Hence I would be known as "Chenyu, the Jade Tiger". That would be really cool.
So anyway, I was out at the Giant Fields in far southwest of Pillars of Flame, getting some Flame Tornados that was required by the quest. Then, on OOC I saw someone broadcasting that a Giants xp group has a spot open for DPS. So I signed up. At this point, I was about 30% into level 58.
We went off killing giants. We went up the ramp into their camp. We slaughtered them over and over. I saw my xp bar keep rising.
Four hours later, at 6am, I dinged 59. Was completely unexpected, but a welcome surprise. I had only turned 58 a day or 2 earlier, so it's actually very nice not to need to do so many quests just to get to 59.
Now let's see how long it takes me to turn 60. I am expecting to be level 60 around Wednesday or Thursday. It would be nice to be level 60 to go on the Froglok raid as well as the Nektropos Castle: The Return raid...
Final 2 Levels
Yup, just turned 58 today! Managed to find the picture I took of it too, and realised that during one of the recent patches, the game now puts screenshots into its own directory and doesn't clutter up the main EQ2 directory anymore.
Picture is below:
Well, just 2 more levels to go before I hit level 60. This itme it took me 3 days to get from level 57 to level 58, and I still have over 95% vitality! I have levelled up from 56 without seeing the end of the vitality pointer in 57, and now in 58 I still don't see the pointer. I think maybe now, Sony has instead given us vitality that is endless. They may as well go flat out and announce a permanent 2x bonus to all xp earnt.
Anyway I am not complaining. I still have tradeskill xp bonus potions unused. I will use them on Chen to level him up to 39 as soon as possible so I can imbue the Pristine Conditioned Oak Kite Shield I made for Grrrik. That reminds me, I need to buy the T4 imbuing extract. I wonder what it's called, glimmering extract maybe.
Well anyway, I hope I can make level 59 in the next 3 to 5 days... so level 60 should be just next week. Besides, I want to get the Jade Tiger title by completing the Ashen Order monk quests. Looks promising, and I am already at KINDLY status as of now.
... And Then He Was 57...
Yep, just made level 57! Go me!
I tried to take a screenshot, TWICE even.. and somehow I can't find the screenshots in the folder! I am starting to wonder if Xfire had managed to interfere with it because now, in the latest version, it also has screenshot capabilities.
I need to remember to test this later by trying to take another screenshot.
Anyway, yeah LU16 went live. We got our Veteran's Rewards. I actually used up all the bonus xp potions given to me, and somehow it propelled me to level 57 without much of a speed boost.
I also could have kicked myself for claiming a 12-slot bag from the Veterans Rewards. Chen does not need it, it's NO-TRADE hence I can't even put it into the bank to give to Grrrik or someone else. The good news is, I got 2 more claims left, so I can safely use Dakarth and Grrrik to claim the remainder of the 2 bags.
Wish I could have given the 12-slot bag to Leireth tho, but now that he's level 41 he doesn't really need the free one.. he can buy the 14 slots on his own now.
Speaking of which.. it's time I got Leireth to do a couple of heritages so he can get enough status to buy a 32% horse...
Erus Ex Norrath's First Anniversary Video
Yay!
I just finished making the video - check it out
here!
Well that's the 55MB version. If you want the smaller versions, check out the list
here.
The song is
Princes Of The Universe by Queen, and is the theme song of the movie "Highlander". When I first heard it after Pagan suggested it, the image of the opening sequence came to me :)
Well enjoy! Happy Birthday Erus Ex Norrath!
Upper Echelons
A couple of minutes before midnight, Chen levelled up to 56. That finally pushed him into the upper echelons of the game, where only the highest-level players normally will congregate.
I even took a screenshot too - check it out!
The place is in the Court of Blades, in Maj'Dul. That is how I can get myself ready to snap the picture of myself levelling up. If it was like the other times, I would be levelling up during fights or something, and I would have been too busy to snap a screenie.
In other news, Chen now needs access to Obelisk Of Lost Souls to grab the dragon runes. Brenu has made a raid available in 4 hour's time just to do this. Also, Terenius needs to get into both Solusek Eye and Obelisk Of Lost Souls to grab the rods that make up Tarton's Wheel.
The tricky part for Terenius is, need to run to the Teleport on the other end first.... and the mobs along the way SEES invisibility! I even remember Sonnets taking us for the quick runs and we were running like hell and not stopping for anything at all.
I might bring Terenius to LS and try to sneak around or something. I know that there is no way past the Temple of Solusek Ro, cos the mobs in there see through invisibility and they are all level 48 or so. Might have to just run and pray.
Free Naggy Run at 55!
So there I was, slowly getting myself up to 55, which I did, today.
Then, on the FoG channel (that's Fellowship of Guilds), Solnus was offering a "free ride" to speak to Nagafen, the dragon in Solusek Eye. How can I pass up a chance to talk to Naggy?
So I said I'd like to go, and I did. Once I stepped into Solusek Eye, Solnus teleported me to his location, which is way deep, deep, deep inside Sol Eye. As he said, hours and hours of running and fighting has been saved.
Much thanks indeed Solnus! Now all I have left to do is find the runes. I have already started looking. I could have kicked myself cos I was in Solusek Eye and I didn't grab the 2 that was needed in there. I can do that again this coming Friday though, cos Wiaje said she will be on to continue Saving Soles.
We'll see how it goes. Tomorrow, the hunt for the runes continue....
Menagerie Access
I have just done something with Terenius that I have never done with Chen before - I got Menagerie Access!
Yes, now I can sneak in to grab the rod, if I can. The only place left is Obelisk of Lost Souls, where I need someone really high level to get me into the place.
What happened was that I just got in on Terenius, helped Carrieann kill the Scarecrow King, and then someone in Everfrost asked if I'd like to group up. The funny thing is, he asked me how much damage I can do, instead of how well I can heal.
Well whatever it was, I made like 7 bubs of xp on Terenius, just by starting and completing the entire Menagerie access including all the sub-quests found within it. I even dinged 44 on the quest too, although nobody in the group noticed over the sound of fighting. Only guild members know cos of the notification.
Ding you're level 60!
