Etterwyn's Notes From the Beaten Path

[kvndoom]

10/03/05: Grrrr... I attempted to help Dark Lich Livid pass through Thunderhead Keep to reach the portal to the Fire Islands. The area around Thunderhead is still infested with Stone Summit AND Mursaat. It takes a special group to make that journey successfully. Unfortunately, I guess I wasn't so special today. We tried a couple times with hired henchmen, but it was too much for them. They're good fighters, but way too uncoordinated for such a difficult task. Well, I say that, and yet we did better with them than with the last group we tried to pass through with. Now, we did have an excellent Warrior lead our last group, and I wish I could remember his name. Something-or-another Ironfist. He could fight! I wish I had had time to talk to him about the skills he used, but it was battle after battle after battle. Darn, I hate being deprived of good knowledge. But the other Warrior we had wasn't a very good fighter. He seemed clumsy and confused. We had Suger N Spice and Mhenlo for our Monks, and they did well; can't fault them any. And I brought my hammer along for the run, ASSUMING that everyone else could hold their own and I could concentrate more on disruption than pure damage.

I was wrong.

My first clue came when one of our Elementalists (why we had 2 is beyond me) kept complaining that we weren't waiting for him to recharge his energy after each and every battle. Thing is, we weren't even fighting any really difficult enemies at the time! He constantly kept casting super-powerful Fire spells on small groups of Summit who the 3 of us Warriors could have wiped out by ourselves. I hate seeing such reckless waste, especially when it slows everyone else down. I fussed at him about it after the 3rd time he got smart with me for forging ahead. I just ignored him after that.

We made it a good ways, but we couldn't overcome the Mursaat and Jades guarding the portal. It killed me to get turned away after coming so far, but our group just didn't have enough karma to take them out.

I dunno, passage through Thunderhead just demands such teamwork and cohesion that teaming with people I don't know is almost always a tricky prospect. I feel sorry for Livid; he said that he's tried to get to that portal many times. I know the feeling; I went through a lot of trouble to get there too when I first had to. Maybe if he's still trying tomorrow, I'll offer a hand once again. In the meantime I really want to practice with some different skills. That Ironfist guy was very impressive. He called himself a "stance warrior." I've been vowing for some time to try to learn to survive without depending heavily on enchantments; watching him just gave me incentive to try new stuff. I shall go to bed and hope that I don't sleep tomorrow away.

[Yama]

I figure Etterwyn would truely appreciate the news that Dark Lich Livid was able to make it to the fire islands last night.

Still trying to defeat it he rounded up guild run at it. Unfortunatly we were two people short so a couple letters were sent out to some friends of the party goers. Fortunatly a Monk by the name of Missy Kai of the Dkz guild happend to be around the area and was free to assist. After picking up a wild ranger, named Sehka or something like that, we were off. Total head count: 2 Warriors, 2 Necros, 2 Rangers, 2 Monks. Thats right, no Elementalists.

Starting off we were a little disorganized but Missy showed us a marvelous trick that ended up being the saving grace this attempt. Since we had two warriors, we would send one in to draw all the baddies to him. With the enemies attention on the one warrior in the 2nd would go as the necros and rangers would do their duty. The wonderfull thing about this is it keeps the support characters from getting attacked and thus the monks can focus their healing on a select few. I believe efficent was the word used to describe it.

The mission goes on and we take the fort and defend it with ease. We even decided to light the torches and do the bonus for those that had yet to complete it. We split our team placing 1 warrior, 1 necro, and 1 monk at each door as the rangers took care of keeping the catapults baraging the enemy. The biggest surprise was how easy it went. We didnt seem to have any major tough spots while defending the fort. In fact we had several chances to sit down and catch our breath.

[Hizpanick]

Allow me to correct - I, being one of the necros, manned the catapult. However, I'd also like to point out your "efficiency" made me sick!

I was actually in a very silly mood that mission, but I am so glad we did the bonus because even with me fartin around NOT ONE PERSON DIED. I don't know why - Thunderhead is still so easy for me.

[Gandhi]

See! I think it is the presence of necros that makes the difference in Thunderhead.

The only two times I have been successfull with this mission is when there was a necro in the group.

Me is so glad Mangal Pandey is a necro

[kvndoom]

10/04/05: I tried the stance thing in Talmark first thing this morning. Ugh. Not a good idea against Foggies, I found out the hard way. I was too busy concentrating on keeping myself alive and they were too busy focusing on making me dead. I couldn't heal faster than they threw that combo attack on me, so without enough offense, I wound up getting chased out the woods with my tail between my legs. Hard to swallow a half-ton of pride like that, but there's some saying about living to fight a different day...

Alas, the allure of good loot drew me back to the desert today. I'm glad too, because I made a KILLING! 10 platinum in cash, and all kinds of neat stuff that I didn't keep because I ran out of space in my loot bag. I have like 4 hammers for THE BOSS now. He can give them to his daughter to play with, maybe. Get her started bashing heads at a young age. Ha!

Found a really cool axe too, that I sold off because I didn't need it. Same with swords, shields, all kinds of stuff. I'm thinking the Sand Drakes in Diviner's Ascent are the new "Drake Run." Screw the poor-as-dirt Lightning Drakes in Kryta. I want to be rewarded for my thwacking!

Came across a couple funny looking Sand Drakes today too. One was glowing yellow,

and one was glowing red.

Interestingly enough, they both still glowed after I killed them. Key phrase, "after I killed them." Heh, heh. I took the sword again, even in spite of their silly Ward against Melee spells. Of course I had my Furious Smiting Rod of Eternal Desecration to back me up. Turns out I didn't need the Rod too much, since I found a way to trick thore stupid Drakes. I'd wait till they cast their Ward, then backpedal about 25 feet, far enough to get them out of the spell's radius. THEN I would generously apply Sever Artery and Gash on the scaly fools! Mix in a little Balthazaar's Aura, and taste my recipe of DEATH! In the end, I noticed that my sword really wasn't doing any appreciable amount of damage better than the Smiting Rod. Its only advantages are that I can attack faster with it and I can use my bleeding skills. I may even try my hammer next time.

Had to battle a few Sand Wurms too. That is a very hard fight, just the way I like it. Well, as long as I win, which I did. They seem to have a natural resistance to Deep Wounds, so I had to continually use Gash as soon as it was charged.

I finshed the day in Thirsty River, hunting Rockshot Devourers and Sand Giants. The Devourers were really getting under my skin at first, but once I figured out how they play (DIRTY), I was able to take them out with ease. It just requires patience. A LOT of patience. But it was worth it. I guess they've been killing a lot of less fortunate adventurers, because their lairs were ripe with piles of gold. Hey, no tariffs on what you find, right? Hee hee hee...

I still hate the hot, dry monotony of the desert, but I have to follow the money trail! I've been sitting at 400,000 gold in savings for a while now. Hera Eve's at half a million; I want to get there too! I still have this thing about a Monk outclassing me. I just don't know if I can get over it. Grrrr....

[kvndoom]

10/05/05: Well, I finally admitted to myself why I can't keep any money... I can't keep myself from buying expensive toys! I hadn't told anyone about it, but last week, I bought a Vampiric haft for my main hammer. I had been intrigued by vampiric upgrades for some time, and decided to try it. Well, that cost 15 platinum. Using the thing was weird at first. Wielding it made me bleed like a sieve! I had to cast Mending on myself just to stay alive. Granted, I use Mending most all the time anyway, but this was the first time it was ever a necessity and not a luxury. BUT, the first time I hit some ugly beast upside its head with my new vampire Hammer, and felt, yes yes, FELT its life drain away into my veins, I was HOOKED! Hee hee, another advantage is that I get to kill fools that much faster because of life draining. I was dicing the Drakes with my Spatha yesterday, but I actually used my hammer in Thirsty River when I hunted Devourers.

So, this morning, I looted a nice short sword, which I was just going to sell or scrap since I didn't need another sword, when I got to thinking... What if I bought a Vampiric Hilt for this little sword, just to play around...? Well, the price of 'playing around' is rather steep, 25 platinum steep, but I did it anyway. Yes, I spent 2 GOOD days' loot on a sword hilt. But... but... but it felt so, so GOOD.

I had talked to Mono (which one, I can't remember), and he wanted to know how to kill Hydras in the desert more efficiently. I had suggested using the Dolyak Signet, since it defends really well and keeps a Warrior on her feet. Of course, I hadn't actually TRIED this myself. But now, I had this cute litle sword just begging to be used, and a whole day to waste as I saw fit, so why not? Just for the heck of it, I brought Hundred Blades too. I seldom use that skill, but today was all about new stuff, so again, why not? All I can say is... WOW! I used to avoid Hydras because 2 or more of them would give me fits, but now, it's like night and day! I was taking on as many as 4 at a time, and kicking their BUTTS! I laughed at their Meteor spell, spat upon their Inferno, yawned at their Fireball. And after they were done with their stupid spells, it was time for me to slice and dice, ohhhh so nice! I bled 'em good, and put the deep wound on 'em, and liberally applied Hundred Blades and Aura, and then on top of all that, I was sealing their vitality with my sword, and... whew, it all just seemed to happen so fast. I became a Hydra slaying MACHINE on this day. And not just them. I journeyed all the way from Augury Rock to Destiny's Gorge, killing EVERYTHING I saw, which was for the most part Hydras anyway. But when I got closer to the Gorge, I came upon the Losaru Oasis. Heh, I had memories of my venture out there wih Hera Eve and how badly I embarassed myself. Well, there was no embarassment today! I killed 30 or so Losaru to go along with the 20 or so Hydras I had killed along the way. I have never, ever, felt so invincible! Enemies who used to give me trouble, just fell like flies being swatted. And those Centaur swordhorses who kept getting me with Riposte last time, well, they found out the hard way that their Riposte doesn't fare so well against my Smiting Rod! Defend that, fools! So much carnage and bloodshed... I LOVE MY JOB!

I cashed in at the Gorge, and headed back out to Diviner's Ascent. There was no way I was passing up on some tasty Sand Drakes while I was on a roll like this! I used the same tactics as I did yesterday to pull them out of their Ward radius and slice 'em up. And I was really really hoping I'd chance upon a Sand Wurm... and I did. Heh, heh. Sand Wurm, meet my thisty blade. You will get to know it quite well before it's over. That Dolyak Signet made all the difference in the world fighting the Sand Wurm. I could put more focus into bringing the pain than constantly healing myself. Yes, it was a good day.

After a very satisfying run, I took a break in Elona Reach. I decided that I would keep this sword, and I wanted to give it a name. I was trying to thing of things that sucked blood:

The Bat. No, but if it were a Flamberge I might have gone with that.

The Tick. Nah, kinda weak.

The Flea. No, see above.

The Leech. Okay, but leeches are gross.

The Mosquito. Ya, at this point I realized that animal names weren't going to work. Maybe something to do with its vampiric powers.

The Biter. Naw, it just didn't sound right.

The Sucker. At this point, I felt a headache coming and was starting to think "sword" would do just fine. But looking at it, it's such a tiny thing, barely more than half the size of my Spatha. I'm sure no one would expect such a diminutive weapon to deliver so much hurt, at least not until they felt its sting-

-The Stinger-

Heh, heh, hell yeah! And on this day The Stinger was born. I can't wait till tomorrow to use it again. I made back half of what I paid for the hilt today. Gonna get the other half out of SOMEBODY's hide really soon!

I finished the evening in Talmark, because after yesterday, I just HAD to exact revenge upon those Fog Nightmares. Ooooh, they did NOT like the touch of the Stinger! I waxed those fools like nobody's business! I got to thinking, I have a regular hammer and a Vampiric hammer now, and my Spatha plus the Stinger. Wouldn't it be nice if I had a vampiric axe now too? That would totally complete my set. Mmmmm, praise Balthazaar, because the God of Thwack must have been listening. As I was heading back to the Temple of Ages, one last Foggie popped up out of the ground. After I promptly dispatched it with the Stinger, I checked its burrow to see if it had any decent loot.

And there it was.

The axe of my dreams, just begging for a Vampiric Haft. I almost cried, I was so happy. I have a new addition to my family; I think I'm going shopping tomorrow.

[kvndoom]

10/07/05: I did little noteworthy yesterday, but farm for a few hours to make back my money spent on the Vampiric axe haft. Yes, I did buy one. Grrrr, ANOTHER 20 platinum invested in weapons. But, between yesterday's and today's earnings, I've made most of that back. I should recoup some more tomorrow as well. The desert has been good to me. I just have to remember to bring plenty of water (murderous rampages do tend to dehydrate a girl), and avoid those wretched Jade Scarabs like the plague to the universe that they are! I absolutely HATE those things!

I played with my newly upgraded axe in Talmark to open the day. I don't think the Foggies like my axe. Heh. Too bad for them. I think the Stinger would still be better for those fools, even though I can't bleed them. I'll have to bring it next time and see my results. Maybe forego Sever Artery and Gash for Galrath Slash and Final Thrust. Maybe even bring a zero-energy build so I can wax those Mergoyles and Bog Skale Icetooths as well. Mending and Live Vicariously work well, but I've been thinking about trying Strength of Honor instead. Would it balance out, substituting more damage per hit instead of gaining helath per hit? Mmmm, the decisions a finely-tuned killing machine must make...

I swung by the Guild Hall this afternoon for a spell. I haven't gotten a letter from my cousin in a while, so I wanted to check the mail. Still nothing from Ia, but I did find a letter on my pillow:

Greetings Etterwyn

I Just wanted to let you know that I'll be on vacation starting tomorrow, so I will not be able to quest with you for the next week. I will be on a little island SW of Hell's Precipice. My boat leaves from Sanctum Cay tomorrow morning. It's a long way aways, but with the winds as they are around the area it should only take me 4 hours to get there. I hear the weather is good there. I just need a short break is all.

I will bring some light weapons to do a little hunting so as to not come back completely rusty, but for the most part I will be resting and relaxing on the beach with a few pints of Dwarven Ale at my side.

Kind Regards

Darkblade Kazguul

Aww, man! I was really looking forward to taking her along in the desert for some hunting! But good for her; everybody needs a break here and there. And I'm sure there will still be plenty of Centaurs and Hydras to go around when she gets back. I hope she has a fun vacation. Sheesh, Poor Anders is MIA half the time, Amar's on indefinite leave, and I haven't seen Atlantis Guardian in weeks. All my warrior buddies are abandoning me! Oh dear, I hope I don't wind up one of those senile crones who never talk about anything but "the good old days." NOOOOOOOO!!!

Hee, hee, I was VERY mischievous today! I needed a sample of Eidolon Spectral Essence, but I knew I couldn't get to the Seer's cave by myself. So I joined a group at the Iron Mines, who were doing an Infusion Run. I was very quiet the whole time, helping run and thwack as necessary. Then, when we finally found an Eidolon and killed it, I grabbed the Essence and headed back... TO TOWN, that is! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Oh, to hear those poor fools screaming and cursing behind me (WAY behind me, 'cause I brought Rush AND Sprint AND Charge!) was hilarious. Good thing I didn't give my real name. I know one thing, I'm not gonna say a word when THE BOSS asks why Onna Musha is on "Wanted" posters all over south Shiverpeaks. Nope, I know nothing about it. Da da da, whistling and walking away...

Speaking of THE BOSS, I finally caught up with him at Thirsty River, to give him the hammers. He asked me the price, but I guess guilt from what I had done earlier got the better of me, so I let him have them. He really liked the big Mursaat hammer. Good, I'm glad I saved it for him.

Sir Lanclott had a friend, Soul Savage, who was both guildless and needed help in the desert with Ascencion. Since I was in the desert anyway, it was only natural for me to help. I got him registered, got him a cape, rounded up a bunch of other Guild members and showed him how we roll! We helped him with his Elona Reach trial first, then ran (yes, RAN. Ugh!) from Elona to Thirsty River, then partook in the Thirsty River trial. All told, a raging success. At times he almost seemed overwhelmed by our Guild's near-mechanical precision, becuase I caught him standing around just looking, but he'll get used to it. Ha! Once we have him trained to be a proficient killing machine himself, he will be the envy of others lesser than him. Hey, Sir Lanclott is definitely a Warrior worth his salt, so if he recommends someone, I'm 100% confident that he has seen the potential in this person.

Now, on the subject of running. I've been putting some thought into this, but haven't fully made up my mind yet. As much as I don't like the concept of running, I can see where it would still in itself be a useful skill to master. Being a tank, I'm all about survival, and the best runners have to be able to survive and escape impossible odds to get from one place to another. Well, it's the avoiding and escaping part that I usually have a problem with. But sometimes being able to get away from insurmountable odds and regroup might be to my advantage. And I have to admit, I actually got a rush (no pun intended) out of blazing past all those nasty Jade Scarabs between Destiny's Gorge and Thirsty River. Just by becoming such a great survivor, I've inadvertently become at least a decent runner.

Anyways, I've been hearing a lot about Lady Blue Steel, who happens to be one of, if not THE best runner in the world. She has a school that teaches not only running, but improved combat techniques. The price is kinda steep though. She doesn't take money, only ectoplasms and Obsidian Shards. 10 of each, which is about 150 platinum in gold value. Sigh... Here I am, so close to my goal of 500 platinum in savings, and I'm considering spending a third of it to go to school. But, since Atlantis is missing and Amar will be gone for some time yet, our Guild needs a good runner. Yeah, I can afford it myself, but if this is to be helping the Guild, maybe I should ask if they're willing to help. Ohh, I think I'm gonna call an emergency Guild meeting to discuss this.

[kvndoom]

10/09/05: Well, I got a pretty positive response on my idea of joining the Runner's Academy. I'm not 100% set on it, so I'm not taking any donations yet. I have 2 goals first: to get my 500 platinum in savings, and to practice the Forge run on my own. I'm almost at the first goal. I farmed hard in the desert yesterday, and just a little today, but all told I profited about 30 platinum this weekend. Didn't loot many cool weapons, but I'd rather find gold than weapons right now anyway. I was more into the Hydras than anything else this weekend, but I'll probably stick it to the Sand Drakes tomorrow. Anything big, ugly, and scaly should be fair game.

Well, I'm starting to see how Hera Eve does it. Just for the heck of it, I went on a Hydra run yesterday with a primary Smiting skillset. I still had my trusty Dolyak Signet at the ready, and Watch Yourself! (grrrr...), but no weapon skills at all. Nope, I armed myself with Symbol of Wrath, Balthazaar's Aura, and Shield of Judgement. And of course I weilded my Doomsday Smiting Rod of Irrepressible Cataclysm. All I can say is, WOW! I thought 4 Hydras at once with my Stinger was good, but I took on 6 with my Smite and waxed every last one of them!

They simply could not survive such an unyielding onslaught of holy magic! I can't wait to "introduce" my good friends the Foggies to this horrific power! Heh, heh...

I did get with Mono yesterday to show him how I hunt Hydras. Shiva Sung came along too. We made good money, and Mono got all the good loot, but the learning was the important part. I bumped into him late this evening (in the desert of course... Coincidence? Nah...) and he said that he's been doing well with the advice I gave him, and has had a few really good runs. I'm really glad I could help. Once I get my Smite farming techniques down pat, I'll teach him that too.

Ooooh, but I am SO tired right now! All that time in the desert has just made me exhausted! If I'm gonna hunt Drakes tomorrow, I suppose I had better get some sleep now. Hydras. Heh. Three heads and zero brains...

[kvndoom]

10/10/05: Ha, ha! Had another incredible dye run today! I found 10! That takes my collection up to 160 or so. I have no idea why I keep them, I guess it's just something to do. I roamed through the desert all day again today. Getting ever closer to that magic number in savings... Once I have my half million, I'm gonna start practicing my Forge running. I suppose before paying anyone a huge amount, I should at least see how I do on my own accord. Who knows? I might be better at it than I already know.

I'm actually kinda thankful for the hot, dry desolation of the Crystal Desert. I've been eating WAY too much Hydra, which is greasier than grease. If it weren't for running around in the heat all day, my thighs would be saggy and baggy. I can't have any of that! And I have a nice tan too. Which I'll promptly lose once I start spending a world of time in the Shiverpeaks. Crap.

Spent a couple hours at the Guild Hall today studying the Spectral Essence. So far, unfortunately, I've only learned one thing about it- that stuff STINKS when it gets warm! Sheesh! Since the Eidolons live in caves in the mountains, they're always cold anyway. But once I got this stuff home and it hit room temperature... UGH! I had to store it behind the waterfall in the main hall to keep it cold. I also had to leave the window in my room propped open all day. I sure hope that smell goes away. If not, I'm taking Amar's room. Not like he's there to protest. Heh...

Ran into a peculiar Hydra today too. It was glowing green!

What's with all these glowing monsters?!? Now, I've heard talk of a place in the desert, called Yucky Flats or something like that, where some people did some kind of testing a long time ago. Dunno what they tested, but supposedly it mutated some of the animals, and caused other weird stuff. Hmm, maybe if I see something glowing in the desert I should just move in the opposite direction. I certainly don't want to wind up glowing or mutated or anything. And I DEFINITELY would not look good with 3 heads! Ewwww!

Now that I think of it, I haven't been down to Maguuma in quite some time. I should take a little time out tomorrow and go say hi to Ventari. All this easy money in the desert has kinda clouded my brain, I think. Well, not really. I've still been there to help my Guild fellows when they've needed me. And it's not like I've been hard to find or anything. So many people have seen me wandering around the desert that somebody can just go to any town down here and ask any stranger, and they'll be able to tell when they last saw me. Well, so much for anonymity, or however the hell you spell it. I'm off to bed. I really should go to Maguuma tomorrow. If nothing else, to help control the Scarab and Troll population. There's always something that needs a good killin', I'm sure. And I feel that I'm the perfect gal for the job. Ha!

[kvndoom]

10/11/05: Oh, man! I've created a MONSTER! I bumped into Mono at Augury Rock this afternoon, and he looked plain awful! He was pale, his eyes were bloodshot, and his skin was peeling! I asked him what was wrong. "Nothing, Etter," he replied, "I've just been hunting Hydras, that's all." I told him he was looking somewhat ill, and he just ignored me completely. "Look at this!" he said, "I've got 80 Hydra claws! I've kept one claw from each one, and made a necklace out of it!" I was floored. "EIGHTY?!? Mono, have you even gotten any sleep??" He ignored me again. "I really owe you one, Etter. Those Hydras used to be tough, but they aren't a challenge anymore. I'm gonna catch you and Hera, just you wait. Yup, 500 platinum, just like you guys." I could tell now that he was delirious from the heat and exhaustion. "Mono, you need to get some rest!" I pleaded. "You're going to kill yourself at this pace! What's it been, 3 days?" I might as well have been talking to the ground. "Okay Etter, good seeing you too! I'm off to kill me some Hydras. Thanks again for the tip!" And just like that, he ran off. I should have gone after him, but I'm not sure what help that would have been. In his state he probably would have thought I was offering to help him hunt. Sheesh, what have I DONE? And to make it worse, one of his OTHER incarnations was running around Augury trying to sell some weapons and sheilds that he had looted off the Hydras! The horror, the absolute horror...

In better news, I did make it to Maguuma this morning and I got to speak with Ventari, just as I promised myself to do. He was happy to see me and hear what I've been up to. He's such a father figure; he calls everybody his children. He laughed when I told him I was considering becoming a Forge runner. "Etterwyn, my child! I never thought in all my days I would hear YOU wanting to become a runner! Are you sure you could blaze past hundreds of enemies and not swing your weapon even once?" Ewww, I hadn't looked at it that way. But I told him it was something I wanted to try, and I wasn't really doing it for money. "Follow your heart, my child," he told me. "If that's what you were meant to be, you'll know it." Wow, I really felt encouraged then. Ventari is soooo cool.

For old time's sake, I spent a couple hours in the jungle, thwacking Trolls and Moss Scarabs. To my surprise, the loot wasn't half bad! Not as good as desert farming, but I was really there just to lose myself and find myself in the jungle. It brought back a lot of good memories of when Saidra and I used to run stealth missions against those White Mantle scum. I swear, there was no greater rush than pouncing out of hiding to ambush a group of those bastards and sink my axe into their chests, while Saidra sniped them from a treetop. Wow, we worked like a well-oiled machine back in the day!

I shouldn't be surprised that even out in the middle of the jungle, a world away from the desert, I STILL came across a glowing monster! This time it was one of the Maguuma Centaurs, and he was glowing red.

I really did try to avoid him, but he kept casting some kind of spell that froze me in my tracks so I could barely move. Since I couldn't get away, I had no choice but to get in close and acquaint him with the Stinger. He didn't like the Stinger, but not too many beasts who get Stung do. I felt really uneasy after that, so I went to Lion's Arch to check in with the Monk I usually go to. Now I really don't like this guy, and I ESPECIALLY don't like his puny, squeaky, sun-domed receptionist. But unfortunately, this benefits plan THE BOSS has me on doesn't let me choose which Monk I can go to. The plan that would have let me choose costs more, and I didn't have much money when I joined the Guild, so I had to settle. But now, I'm locked into this plan for a year before I can switch, otherwise I lose all my coverage completely. ARGH, I hate the way healthcare works in Tyria! Oh, but I digress. To my surprise, the receptionist was all cheery and friendly to me today. I didn't bring my hammer this time, either. Weird. Maybe she's learned her lesson. Heck, I was so surprised by this hospitality that I didn't mind taking a seat and waiting. The Monk checked me over and said he couldn't find anything wrong. He didn't know what caused certain monsters to glow funny colors. I asked him had he ever heard of Yucky Flats, but he hadn't. Sheesh, I just don't know anymore. But, if there's no problem, then I guess I won't worry about it too much. Now if I ever start glowing, then it's going to be the whole freaking world's problem!

While I was in Lion's Arch, I went by the Xunlai Storage Warehouse to put away some of my loot. I noticed that big frog under the tree again. I went over to it, but this time I didn't talk to it or anything.

I wasn't about to make myself look like a fool like last time. But people have said that the stupid frog can talk! Well, it never talks to me, so I don't know. People say a lot of things, anyway. Grrr...

I'm almost at my goal, financially! I should have my half million in the next day or two, then I'm gonna start practicing my Forge runs. I'm equally dreading it and looking forward to it. But, I'll do like Ventari said and follow my heart, and I'll know before too long if it's for me or not. Ah well, I won't worry too much about it. First things first, I'll raze the desert once more tomorrow and get my MONEY! Errr, I suppose I had better take extra water with me. I have this feeling I'm gonna find poor Mono lying face-down in the sand somewhere...

[kvndoom]

10/13/05: After 2 weeks, I think I'm done in the desert. I have to get out of here. Oddly enough, it's not mainly because of all the glowing monsters I've come across in the past 2 days.

No, it's not because of the Minotaurs that glowed green...

Or because of the Hydras that glowed red...

Or because of the Scarabs that glowed pink...

Or because so many Sand Drakes would jump on me at one time that I felt I had to come up for air...

Or even because, most peculiarly of all, of the one Hydra that not only glowed yellow but danced like a senile chicken...

No, it's because, moreso than anything else, that I finally, finally... GOT MY MONEY!

Yes, I hit the grind hard the past 2 days, cashed in, and deposited my last 50 platinum into savings. And there it was, just like that. 500 thousand gold. Ha! Definitely time to get out of the crazy desert. So, tomorrow I'll head to Beacon's Perch and start my running practice. Oooh, I'm a bit nervous about it. Heck, I don't even have a map, so I'll probably just get lost completely. Aw, man...

Of course I'm not forsaking the desert altogether. I'll be back from time to time. And I'll always be willing to help my Guild mates with their Ascension trials and other stuff. But the heat, the sun, the glowing monsters... ya, it was kinda getting to me. I won't lie to myself. But it did pay off. Ooh! Yeah, it DID pay off! Balthazaar must have been reading my mind again. I was just thinking that I'd probably have to loot a little extra to be able to afford a good runner's shield, since they price pretty high. And surely enough, on my next to last foray into Diviner's Ascent, after waxing a huge group of Sand Drakes, I rummaged through their lairs and found the PERFECT shield for my new endeavor!

I was SO happy! I feel sorry for its previous owner, who was probably the pile of chewed, broken bones beside the shield, but hey his loss is my gain! I guess he didn't take the time to learn Shield of Judgement. Too bad, but thanks again, buddy! HA!

After all that, I decided to spend the rest of the day in a more temperate part of the world, so I'm here in Lion's Arch writing this. I rented myself a room in the best and most expensive inn they have here, I ate a nice lunch at the top restaurant in the city, and I bought a big gallon pitcher of fresh-squeezed ice-cold lemonade. I'm going to bask in my satisfaction before I hit the bitter and cruel cold of the Shiverpeaks tomorrow. Ya, in the morning, the REAL fun begins. Ugh.

[kvndoom]

10/16/05: Sigh... These last few days have not been kind to me. For the most part, I've found myself to be a pretty efficient runner. I've been so many places that I know the terrain and the monsters pretty well, and I can get around quickly and without much trouble. For the most part. But the one and only place I have trouble with is the one and only place I REALLY want to do! I've gotten quite discouraged by my many attempts at Forgerunning. I can't remember the last time I got my butt so thoroughly KICKED so often. I know it's not impossible and I know there are experts who can do it, but grrrr, I want to master it on my own! My sense of independence and pride are really wringing my nerves right now.

Pretty much every town or outpost I travel to has people advertising their running services and people advertising their need for runners. That's all good and well, but I'm still not comfortable with that. I'm not doing this for the money. If I had any need for money I could just go back to the desert for another spell. It's just pride, mostly. And I've been swallowing a healthy chunk of it all weekend. I've taken breaks, I've gone to other places and done other things, but in the end I still wind up at Beacon's Perch, and in the end I still get my ass kicked at Lomar's Pass. I'm just a tad frustrated. Oh well, I think I'll rest up and try it yet again tomorrow. At least it's a project and not a necessity. I can walk away whenever I want to. I think.

[kvndoom]

10/17/05: Yikes, I slept nearly the ENTIRE day away today! I got absolutely NOTHING done, which really sucks. Sheesh, haven't had such a lazybones day in a long time either. Grrrr...

I hear Mono has still been grinding away in the Crystal Desert and is almost at his goal, which just happens to be what my goal was. Heh, I should challenge him to see who can reach a million gold first. Of course that'll mean several more weeks in the desert, drying out, eating yucky food, and having dust cake in my nostrils. Hmmm, I had better think this one out before I commit to such a thing.

Wow, I wonder if Darkblade's back! It's been over a week! I'll have to go by the Guild Hall tomorrow and find out if she's returned. Then she can tell me all about her vacation, and I can tell her about my adventures in the desert. Yeah, that would be really nice.

Time to go shopping, methinks. I want to buy an enchantment pommel for the Stinger. I think that would make it more useful, since I could extend my Shield of Judgement and Balthazaar's Aura cast time. I guess I'll have to spend some time in Lion's Arch tomorrow, since that seems to be the trader's haven these days.

Man, it's already late, too late to do ANYTHING productive. I guess I'll just read some, until I fall asleep yet again. I really, really gotta get my butt in gear. Sigh...

[kvndoom]

10/18/05: Defeat. Ugh. After getting my tail kicked in Lomar's Pass time after time after time, I have finally come to realize that if I'm gonna be a Forge runner then I'm gonna have to be taught and trained. So, it's back to the desert for a while. I'm gonna have to earn another 200,000 gold to cover my tuition and supplies, and still have my 500,000 in savings. I know from asking that my friends in the Guild would gladly help me out, but since this is something I WANT and not something I really NEED, it would be wrong to take from them. I don't mind grinding away for a couple more weeks to reach my goal. Heck, I may even loot some cool new gear in the process. Not that I need it, of course. But the thrill of getting an item appraised in that rare chance it could be worth a fortune never gets old.

So, once I had made up my mind, I went off to Destiny's Gorge to start the grind yet again. Coincidentally, 2 Guild members were there, Roel Shimoda and Killa Barb, whom I hadn't met before. I found out later that he was new to the Guild (when WAS the last time I attended a meeting, anyway?). We set out and of course ran into Centaurs at the Losaru Oasis, and began to beat them down. Well, for the most part. Killa (or is it Barb? I may never know) obviously hadn't run with me before, because he was fighting the Losaru Swordhorses with his sword and getting Riposted to death. Heh, now, after all this time, I finally know how I must've looked in Hera Eve's eyes that day. So, being playful, I joked with him that he must be new. I didn't mean any offense, I didn't even mean that he was inexperienced. I just meant that he was new to the Guild, otherwise he'd have heard about me and how much I stress the importance of having a ranged weapon. Well, maybe I said it wrong or maybe he was already frustrated, but he stormed off. Oh goodness, people can be touchy at times. Ah well, he'll learn versatility in due time. Or die. Hmph.

Roel and I trekked through the desert for a couple hours by ourselves, merrily thwacking and smiting everything in sight. Hydras, Minotaurs, Sand Elementals, Giants, Griffons... no discrimination when it comes to a good killin', that's for sure! Made some decent money and had a lot of fun. I call that a doubly-good time.

Very early this morning, I was with Shiva Sung in northern Kryta. He was telling me that the Ettins up there were sporting some very expensive Runes in their armor, and he had found a few that were worth a lot of money. We made a few runs through the hills, beating down chickens and Skales and Mergoyles in our hunt for ugly two-faced Ettins. We did find some Runes, though I must admit he kept calling claim on the better ones. My problem is that I don't read up on Runes much, so I can't always identify them immediately. Apparently Shiva can, so after a while whenever he'd say, "I'll get this one, Etterwyn," I knew that it must have been worth something. We both went back with the same amount of Runes to sell, but it's the quality, not the quantity, I found out. Oh well, I'll go alone next time. Of course, I won't know if what I find is worth anything, but I'll just keep 'em all. Works for me!

Yes, yes, Darkblade is back! I talked to her for only a few minutes this morning, but it was so good to see her again! She had a great vacation, but was still glad to be back. I should've invited her with me to the desert, but at that point I hadn't 100% decided that was what I was going to do. But if I can find her bright and early tomorrow, I'll ask her to come with me. I don't mind divvying the loot; it'll just be a lot of fun hunting and gossiping and carrying on. Ha!

So, after a long day, and gladly one more productive than yesterday, I'm gonna get some rest. Gotta start working my tail off, yet again. Yeah, kill hundreds of ugly beasts and get paid a fortune for doing it. They call this work? Heh, heh...

[kvndoom]

10/19/05: It came as no surprise whatsoever that I encountered Mono in the desert today. He was looking a lot better than last time, for which I'm thankful. He said he's made a ton of money, found a ton of nice weapons and stuff that he's sold, so he's doing well on the money front. He just could not stop thanking me for my desert survival tips. I was flattered to know that I was of that much help to him. I hope he's not the only other person to have benefitted from my experiences. My strategies are there for anyone in the Guild who wants to earn good money, for whatever reason. Better armor or weapons, buying dye, or just to have it (like me!), nobody in MY family should be denied their wants or needs.

I did very well today! Made about 30 platinum all told, which really shocked me because I usually only make about 20 for the amount of time I spent out there. But I did vary my hunting a little bit. Instead of exclusively fighting the Hydras at Skyward Reach, I spent more time than usual hunting in Prophet's Path. I dunno, I guess it's more variety of stuff to kill. Unfortunately, there are more Jade Scarabs out there than I really care for. I absolutely DESPISE those little blue bastards! For one spell I spent a solid 10 minutes running around like a lost fool because as soon as I shook one group, yet some MORE would pop out the ground and chase me! Grrrr... But in the end I did very well, though my legs are quite tired from all that running. I may take it easy tomorrow and not be out there too much.

Didn't catch up with Darkblade today. That sucks, 'cause we're overdue for a run. Of course she might be up in Port Sledge thwacking the Grawl. I know we'll bump into each other sooner or later.

I think I'm gonna fill the tub with hot water and soak my sore legs. Yeah, sit in the tub and read till I fall asleep, that's the ticket. Hopefully I won't drop my book in the water. That would really suck. Of course, I could just prop it up on my- nevermind, I'm gonna go take a bath now.