Storm 298.

Circle test this week: Frustratingly, All-but-Sas™

Donations: Helping Cassia Allin build fortifications.

Exploration: I met a new guy in the passes..

Sombdi, day 55 of Spring, 551.

While wandering through the passes leading to the Greymyr Village the other day, I came across this Sylvan chap in a cave that I use to catch my breath between hunts. He clearly has a skill for stating the obvious, since outside his small cavern, rockslides, Greymyr-tossed rocks and Elder Wendecka-tossed pebbles are constant hazards to the unwary or unlucky.

He didn't have much else to say to me, but if other rumours I hear are true, I think he knows a great deal more about Greymyr than he is willing to divulge to just anyone who happens by.

My ore hunting has tapered off substantially of late. Well, not the hunting so much as its success. I haven't found a single lump of ore in the past 3 days! One day in the GMV I caught a rock in the head and needed rescuing, and Noivad and ShadowSky came to help. Once I was up, they stayed to hunt and we emptied the entire GMV of Greymyr. But saw no ore at all. It's a bit discouraging.

Lundi, day 43 of Spring, 551.

Last night, I joined Mujin-kun, Noivad and ShadowSky for a small "quick-kill" hunt in the Sasquatch Valley. I hadn't seen Noivad in awhile, and was glad to see he was still about and to get the chance to hunt with him.

After a surprisingly easy entry (one Cave Cobra), we zoomed right along across the entire Valley, since we unfortunately found almost no Young Sasquatch or Valley Cougars to hunt. The exit cave was a bit more challenging, with a few Cave Cobras and assorted Stinging Beetles, but still not much of a challenge.

Thankfully, on the sweep back to the West, we found several Young Sasquatch, and on the second trip East many Valley Cougars. Still, it was a disappointing hunt, since I had but a single vanquish the whole time - of the lone Valley Panther we found.

Toward dawn, we headed to the East Cove on Kizmia's Island still seeking adventure. We found it in the form of several Tae-su Lyfelidae on the lower slope of the Glacier. We recruited Catweazle to help heal, but still ended up in a Horus-deficit when Mujin-kun got trapped among a Frost Giant and two Tae-su Lyfes, and fell pretty hard. With a bit of luring, we safely finished off the many Lyfelidae.

On Melabrion's Island afterward, we powered right through the passes, since we found only a handful of Sasquatches there as well. Is there a Sasquatch convention somewhere, that their usual haunts are so empty?

Later, I spent some time gathering coins in the North Forests and Bear Caves.

In the New Bear Cave, I ran into some serious trouble. I didn't really find too many bears, but there were Arachne in abundance throughout the cave. I mostly dodged them, since they don't have any coin value to speak of and I hate to waste my time with them.

But the deeper I went into the cave, the more there were. Finally, I reached the point where I simply couldn't avoid the little buggers and quickly I found myself surrounded. Since they hit me pretty often and move about too quickly to keep a clear path open after killing one (or three), it was only a matter of time before they brought me down.

The Arachne Ballet was quite amusing though. The curious thing I had never really appreciated about Carrion Arachne en masse is just how interested they are in feeding on fresh carrion. The instant I fell, they ALL stopped wandering about and headed straight to my fallen body, and packed themselves in as tight as they could hoping for a nibble. In vain, mostly, since those closest to me refused to give up their prime spots for their comrades behind them. Even Rats back away to let their fellow Rats have a chance to nibble! So interested were the carrion Arachne in feeding on me that they almost refused to acknowledge the presence of my rescuers (ShadowSky, Farhope, Mr Bombastic and Bastion) even as they were being hacked down. It was very curious also that when ShadowSky raised me while I was still surrounded (a bad idea), all the Arachne instantly resumed their wanderings and of course surrounded ShadowSky too. I fell again almost as soon as he switched to healing himself, naturally, but that just sealed him inside the Arachne clamp all the tighter. With all the fighters about, though, the place was quickly cleared to the dirt floor, and I was raised to fight again another day.

Merdi, day 39 of Spring, 551.

I reached a new training level with Balthus this day, reaching 600 total lessons. The recognition felt nice.

By my count, the next Training Ledger Balthus offers should be at 660 lessons, so I am not too far away from that. A third Ledger would be quite an achievement! I will hold steady to my current training course with Evus though, for now. It will still take another 60 lessons or so with Evus before I reach my next training target, 350 total lessons with Atkus. I still do need more Atkus apparently ...

In today's 6th circle test, I felt so close but really blew it.

I killed the two Midnight Wendecka pretty handily (scooping up 47c and 9c furs for my trouble) and caught no stray pebbles in the face for a change. I then killed the Orga Wrath, with him getting but a single hit back on me.

I was still at green health when I drew my Greatsword and turned to face the Young Sasquatch. I was feeling pretty darned good about it, since I have killed many a Sasquatch using less than half my health. Unfortunately, I only hit this Sasquatch with every other swing, while he hit me most times. I got him well into yellow health before I had to hide behind a wall to recover enough to take another blow, but then finally fell in a last rush as time was running out.

I could really taste victory this time, but simply landed blows too poorly to grab the brass ring. Sigh.