Hypnotised?

Yesterday started with a meeting with Ziyal. She wanted to check the strengths of some pirates aswell as of those Undead living in the Mynna Crypt. The fight against the pirates went pretty well and i was glad for every single lesson i have already spent listening to Battuo. Only very few pirates managed to escape with their lifes and give us a hard time, among those the crew of a battleship.

The Undead proved to be a bigger threat, mostly owned to their numbers, but also because noone managed to brick the Banshees and some Skeletons and Spirits were reincarnations of apparently very strong warriors. Terra Bul managed to paint some of the scenes of this fight, i was too busy swinging, evading and running.

After the test was over, i was invited on a hunt to Ardvell. The way to the spiderplateau involved a boattrip, but i was hoping for solid ground under my feet again and so endured what can´t be avoided until i find some hidden paths or a mage learns the art of opening a Portal into this region. Some days ago Terra Bul had told me she´d like to try hypnotising me to take my fear of boats and in retrospect i am wondering if she did so yesterday without asking me. The fights with the spiders were very dangerous, even for the large and skilled group, especially when there was more than one to fight. Ursus did a great job luring them to us, but several times we fell or had to flee to the river. I suppose i´ll never know if Terra's hypnosis on me caused me to take a boat rather than fall on the ground or wether it was due to the peer pressure of everyone else running there. Anyway, it was slightly better than being dragged into the muddy river upside down. After killing some spiders it was getting late and we headed back to the safety of MT. I´m sure that more spiderhunts will follow and with the skills enhanced we´ll give them a better stand than now and kill even more.

Exploring Boanyoo

Yesterday i discovered i can finally use shortcuts leading to Plateau aswell as to Kittyland, so my short training with F'rritti has paid off well. Although i don´t really like the pirate, i am now listening to Tutamen to learn how to keep on my feet longer even when i get hurt.

After i went to Donoma with Lafaborn, where he bought a harness fitting for an Azcatl (waitsize XXS). Afterwards we joined Tarra and Ursus in Wendies, where we petted the Silverback.

After this Crash, Ursus, Tarra, Terra Bul and me hunted through the Caverns of Darkness. At first i was afraid of the seemingly shoreless lakes in the caves, but Terra was so kind to lead my boatthrough relatively calm waters to the next landing places. We earned quite some money there and i gained lots of experience aswell. The trip would have been even nicer if all caves had had bridges connecting the isles with oneanother. Even the deepest cave, where bolting monoliths made my fur stand up, didn´t prove a real difficulty due to excellent teamwork.

When we finally emerged from the caves, we found it was still quite early in the day and so decided to go on a follow-up hunt. The choice fell on Boanyoo, which made me quite excited as i hadn´t had more than a glimpse of the region when exploring Derain and accidently peeking through a cave leading into the desert.

We had just arrived, when Newt joined us and so we started exploring Boanyoo from the place where we entered (we took the bridge leading over the Derain ravine) to the south. Just one mile west of the entrance is a little village, which looks quite forsaken. The houses look shabby and most have been hastily locked. But this is understandable, as the village lacks defensive structures and the region is inhabited not only by worms, poisonous lizards and Camels, but also by Jawas and Sandbandits, some of which even mounted lizards to ride upon. The way south and west took us to a beautiful beach, where a seemingly rather calm ocean branded upon. The beach also housed mutated Sandmahas. Terra found them rather ugly, but their unusual built made their furs rather valuable. We also encountered Sandwyrm, Snigils and greater Sandworms, but after all the adventures that day the group worked together well and we rarely got ourselves into deep trouble.
Another remarkable place is a graveyard of considerable size. It is haunted by Undead, but nevertheless Terra Bul seemed to like the location near the beach and claimed one of the graves for herself.
After we had seen all of southern Boanyoo and found it to be bordered by the mountains, behind which Derain valley lies, in the east and an ocean in the south and west., we went home as it had become late. It was a great tour, with a lot to see!

Into the cold

Yesterday started with a visit to Wendies, where Tarra and Pit Bull were hunting. We didn´t found any skull, but met a Silverback-Nightwendecka! I was wondering how much the fur of this impressive animal is worth, but until we can seriously challenge it a lot of lectures have to be learned first.

A rescue at the riverbed resulted in a hunt at Niamph jungle, which provided Reindinho with 2 leather and i had quite some fun skinning and evading multiple hooves at once.

Back in town Crash asked me if i wanted to come along on a trip to the Longsword-seller and i gladly accepted. After some slimy falls of the group when we fought a bunch of Taxhisworms, we ran into Bisonland. This time we didn´t meet a cobra and so we soon arrived at the spot where the skilled eyes of pathfinders like Crash and me can see a way to climb up to Tundra. We didn´t want to return immediately and so we decided to hunt a little in Tundra. I was glad my fur is already becoming longer due to approaching winter, because it was icy cold there. We met and killed several Snowtigers and - thanks to Abe's mental boost - even a Sabreowl aswell as many Gianthermelins. I would have liked to try to skin a Tundrawolf, but maybe i should be happy we didn´t meet one. Still, the hunt was nice and i´m sure we will hunt in Tundra from time to time now.

An exhausting day

The day started with something lots of Arilonians might call easy work or even being lazy: i sat in front of Reizendes tree and finally copied Newts map of Tarana and Treangi into the world map, which i am currently keeping and cultivating. I had pushed this task ahead long enough, dreading Taranas cliffs, plateaus and mountain passes. It took quite a while, but when i was done i felt a great burden being taken from me. I will now add some more details and then publish the newest version of the map.

After a very exciting, relaxing hunt with Frenzymac and Pit Bull in the Niamph jungle, where i discovered a previously unknown path, i was asked if i would be interested to hunt even stronger horses, on Eilean! I agreed and while i was waiting at the meeting point, i remembered i once started to map the island aswell. Soon i found the scetch, which had some dog ears but was otherwise unharmed. I think i will add the already mapped half to the map, before i publish it. The hunt itself was not very nice, the horses knew how to kick with their hooves and we had to end the hunt quickly, i even had to be chained headlong through the water to carrots, where Tarra and Terra Bul had to clear my lungs of water. I hate these experiences!

To compensate for the misery we wanted to hunt some Barwidgee Wolves, so that Tarra could buy reinforced bracers. The search went well and soon we had found the leather he needed. I even managed to skin a quite valuable fur of a bear:

Of course the hunt didn´t go smoothly all the time, at the end we had to run from quite some Snigils to save everyone, but it was a nice end of the days labours. Now i just have to find a path along the stones in Mirrin Bay to spare myself the boats to reduce the dangers of the way.

Dor'Shak tests our skills

My day started with a rescue towards Chateau Loredan. Apparently a group had displeased the guards and the strongly armed watchmen proved the better fighters. So Tarra, Penthka and me set out and headed for a path leading us from Autumn Woods to Ponyland. Lots of horses and a little miscalculation from me lead to myself arriving at the Chauteau - but both healers were fallen on the way. Luckily Kathius had left the Meditower in the meantime and was soon coming to Autumn Wood together with Balaforn. This time we fought us down to the palace and we managed to get up the fallen healers aswell as those in the Chateau.

Back in town, i wanted to check if i judge my current training correctly. As can be seen on the next picture, i did:


After that i went to Wasteland once more together with Pit Bull and Newt. We did quite well and even found 2 leather for Pit. Close to the river we were attacked by a pack of blue tinged hyenas and i managed to recover quite a nice fur:

Once more town center called and there my nap was disrupted by some Orga sticking their heads into Arilon. It seems the Dor'Shak is slowly getting serious with killing us, the forces he sent yesterday seemed to be a test of our strength. Several Fearless, some Snow Zerks and even a Fury were part of the army. Lots of Pirates accompanied the Orga, about half of them being priests. Once when we were healing up in Reizendes tree, the Orga even managed to build a statue near the Arindal-cave. Their buildings skills must have improved greatly and we really have to be careful to not be surrounded by an Orga siege one day.

Watch out!

It seems the Dor'Shak, who has been quiet for some time and thus slowly escaped the mind of many Arilonians is stirring again. Yesterday he started sending scouting parties to TC again, consisting of Orga forces assisted by some pirates. Newt and me were able to fight back the first forces, but later in the evening another party appeared and they erected a statue and a hut west of Arilon! Arlon and Puppy managed to question one of the pirates and learned that they only help the Dor'Shak because he forces them to. The pirate also repeated that our hooded enemy is gathering an army. We should watch out for more scouts and try to forge the weapon against the Dor'Shak as fast as possible!

But the day also held joyous news: on a hunt to Wasteland with Frenzymac, Hermes and Balaforn i got the last mising leather, so i could finally obtain one of Donoma's fine caps. The effort paid off, it fits my head well and i´m sure it will offer better protection than a thin layer of leather had.

The barren lands proved the more successful hunting area

When i woke up yesterday a nice ratio of healers and fighters was around and after a while i was heading towards Wasteland together with Jago, Terra Bul and Tarra. In the rocky passes i made the pleasant observation that Jago must have studied with Skalio, as she recovered lots of snakescales with ease. Although the snakes sometimes managed to sink their poisonous teeth into the skin of one of us, this made their presence much more welcome.

When we reached the dry lands behind the passes we started working our way towards Dinken. If you always keep the Canyon, a deep gorge deviding the Wasteland nearly into two parts, to your right you can´t miss it. Although we had delivered the last food for the inhabitants quite some time ago the inhabitants still look miserable. It seems only the craftsmen creating Anevays and Oakbashers have recovered their full strength. I had hoped to see the forger of the Hatchets again and learn his price or maybe another promising, young smith, but that hope proved vain.

On our way back i insisted on greeting Hannes, who has been looking into the Canyon probably longer than i am old. It always makes me a little sad seeing him sitting lost in thought on the edge of a barren country. But on the way back to the passes (Tarra had to go back to Meditower, but Newt already waited at the passes to accompany us) and on another tour deeper south nearly towards the river, we found 2 pieces of hyena leather, which cheered me up quite a bit. Now Jago and me only need to find 2 more each.

In the meanwhile more and more people had come out of the tower and i took the opportunity and announced a hunt at Aroona, where i wanted to give Newt the opportunity to fill the last bleak spots on his map, so i can one day paint them into the big world map. The start was rather fast, as the group kept together well enough to follow me through various paths leading us to Party Beach. We had to take boats then, as i sadly haven´t found safe paths across the stones scattered between Piratebeach and Mirrin Islands yet. We rowed north and soon had explored the small plateau in the east of Aroona. The part around the little village proved not much more difficult, but we were able to recover quite some nice furs from the tigris.

Only when we wanted to land in the northeast of the inland lake we had become a little careless. The first try of taking the long, steep stairs leading from the docks up to the grassy plateau was not successful, but some nice chainruns saved the group. Then we went to the east and disaster struck. All of a sudden several grey panther were lunging at the group from the north. Although they are small, their teeth and claws are sharp as a razor, which brought down about half the group. Then large grey tigris appeared too and caused further trouble. Sadly i waited a little too long with my order for retreat and so only a few healers made it back onto the lake. Sadly, rescue efforts proved vain.

All in all it was a nice, but much too short hunt, on which i learned to keep a more watchful eye on the time of retreat. I only wonder wether it was a sign, that both times i gave the order to retreat to the boats, i was hit and killed right after and the one time i was on a chain and pulled towards the boats the chainer also fell.

Storm!

Today i had a nice hunt in Kittyland with Bingro, where we skinned lots and lots of furry creatures. The tour was very successful, my purse was much heavier when we left. When i came back from Akvumi, where i had checked something all the training and routine in skinning paid off, when i recovered a boloks fur worth 20c!

I was so happy with this fur, that i lay down in town center and somehow my eyes must have closed and i dozed off. I woke up from thunder rolling and some wet drops falling on me! Unnoticed in my sleep a storm had come close and the first drops began to fall. I sprang up and hurried to the tower to avoid getting wet. I am curious wether the storm will change anything in the lands as many other big storms have in the past.

OC: Camp 1

When i left the Meditower on Saturday evening several people were in the lands and the usual question for a bigger hunt came up. Terra Bul proposed a hunt in Orga Camp, where Chosch, who is back in the lands and had just passed Sarques' test and Tzorn, a Drakh Nor who has a fighter apprenticeship, could join and hit some monsters aswell.

The appointed time for the hunt was still a little off, so i started to the northwest on a - as it proved fruitless - search for paths leading to the Plateau or Orga Camp. Soon after the others arrived and we killed our first Rage and Fury even before we had entered the passage. Before entering the passage i was asked to take leadership. I accepted and guided the other 9 people to the wall. We were a nice, balanced group with 4 fighters, 1 fighter apprentice, 1 mage and 4 healers. Nevertheless i thought that Camp 2 might prove too hard for the less trained attendants, so i slowly lead the group towards Camp 1. In retrostect my commands might have contained a little too many lectures, but in general the group worked together well, allowing tags for most people and no one got lost or behaved to our disadvantage.

I was looking forward to the actual storm on Camp 1, but there weren´t that many Orga around, so that a full-scale attack by the group already provided victory. I had hoped on giving lectures about rodding Shamans or Hemlocks and maybe a fury that had to be lured or something similar. But only 1 mile south of the Camp i finally knew who´s fault every misfortune on this hunt was, when said person took an unannounced nap for some time ;) while i had planned to make a short break in the safe 1 mile further south. We then made our way back towards Autumn Woods and only Puppy had to depart, because he had an urgent desire to meditate. We safely arrived back on Plateau and i hope, everyone had as much fun as i had and no one felt insulted or bored by too many commands from me.

The hunt also was a nice opportunity for me to check how well i can handle Furies now. Basically i noted what i had already thought: as Birgil somehow has warded the test area against the help of magic crystals, their effect on my abilities is what i still need to train before i can hope to pass into the 3rd circle.

A Visit to Sunken

Today very few people were around once more and i had already skinned lots of feline critters, so i decided to take a look down into Sunken Forest. I quickly cleared the area around the ladder from Potaks and soon was on my way deeper into the eastern part. At first i just had to kill some more Potaks and even found some Kraskajos. Sadly all of them are just kills for me these days. But not long after i was attacked by a Chabyllus. In the time before the big storm i hunted them for a long time to grow stronger, but until today i had always failed to solo one of them. But it seems the addition of continued training and some new equipment had changed tides. Finally i was able to move fast enough not only to evade their tentacles, but also to wound it severely and finally bring it down. Excited i journeyed deeper into Sunken and defeated some more chabys. I was so concentrated on spotting and fighting them that i didn´t notice at first: not all of them were still vanqs! It seems my training differs more from the time before the big storm than i was aware of. I will have to think more about my training to ensure i will stay on the path i want to take.