Current Training: Evus.

Donations: Helping Undrus dig to the East (50-60% done).

Exploration: Revisiting odd corners of the Lands, looking for changes.

Gradi, day 73 of Spring, 553.

I joined a strong group of exiles (Yor, Natas, Snowlion, Sephiroth, Drue'Dreemi, Axell, Gold Moon, Kyp and Talin) in a hunt in the Abyss early today.

We gathered in the Astral Plane for the jump into the Abyss.

On the first try, Yor ran in to try to gather up creatures for our safe entry, and was trapped and fell almost immediately. Natas went and retrieved him on his chain.

The second time, things worked smoothly. Yor ran to distract creatures and Natas brought them to the group to kill. They occassionally traded places for Yor to get healed. We cleared the entire Abyss quite quickly, then settled back waiting for stray creatures to appear again and again. We vanquished quite a number of Darshak Liches and several Abyssal Hunters (as shown here), as well many Ghastly Presences and other foul undead.

Finally, one large spawn got the better of us, when all manner of Undine trapped fighters while unreachable Liche knocked them down (including me). The fallens were all chained out to the Astral Plane to be raised, and we called it a day. It was an interesting hunt, since I hadn't been in the Abyss in ages.

Later, I joined this small group to hunt in the mines under Melabrion's Keep.

First we had trouble getting to the mines. Due to some confusion, half the group (including me) headed into Melabrion's cove (ran into a large crowd of Young Sasquatch in the passes), but the others went to Tenebrion's Island to use the Ethereal passage in Tenebrion's conference room.

When we finally assembled at Melabrion's conference room, we had a very rough entry into the mines, as some half dozen Cobras were anxiously awaiting our arrival. I broke 2 chains collecting fallens from the entryway. I swear that chains always break on their first use, immediately after another chain break.

We finally reached the Toh'Kan caves, and set out hunting those. We ran into several Green Tok'Hans, and slowly vanquished these. With no one along that could avoid their blows, and no one who could hit them well, it took some time. Elrohir with his bloodblade did most of the work, but wasn't hitting them consistently yet. It takes a lot of accuracy to land blows successfully on these strange creatures!

After some time in the mines, we decided that we could not go further in with the strength we had, so we left through Melabrion's Keep. Exiting the Keep and in the passes, we lost a couple of folks to rocks and Sasquatches. We chained away some fallens to be raised in town, but had to regroup to get the others. It was a good excuse to hunt all those Young Sasquatch, and we had our revenge in the end.

Terrdi, day 68 of Spring, 553 .

An impressive adventure today indeed. I joined a small group led by Yor for what he billed as a small Foothills hunt. I was expecting a small Mystic teleport trip. It turned into much more adventure than I expected!

The group consisted of myself, Yor, Natas, Snowlion, Thuja, Jade, Wrapper and Shane. No Mystic.

We walked to the Foothills.

With an experienced group of exiles like this, I wasn't expecting any trouble with Hatred Hollow. We did walk right through that chokepoint to the Trainer Grotto in the Orga Outback, and then I led the group through the Grotto path to the Dred Passage tunnel.

The Dred Passage, on the other hand, can give even large groups pause. We did fighter runs to clear the Dred Passage of as many beasts as possible, then the group all headed in and toward the heavily fortified Southern path leading to the Foothills. As we closed in on the path, the healers took a lot of damage as the two rods got close to the Southwest pit, and we retreated to heal up and try again. Thuja and Wrapper ended up falling during the controlled retreat, and had to be chained back to the tunnel. On the second attempt, we did a little beter, but still had to retreat. The third try was the charm, and we were much more stable and healthy as I spied the path, so I plunged through into the pit. Once everyone was in the pit, and ignoring the Dredlocks and such standing out of our immediate way, I headed straight into the Foothills path. I was pleased to find that everyone followed me safely.

When we started into the Foothills proper, I was surprised that Yor led the group with some speed through the passages instead of searching the corners and far reaches for Midnight Wendecka to kill. It seems he had other goals on his mind. Steadily we advanced through the Foothills until we reached Camp Dred.

Once at Camp Dred, we pushed on into the Dredwood, and soon found ourselves hunting Orga Hatreds and Ash Giants from the Tree Giant section. It was merely a diversion though, as Yor soon pointed us at the Orga Barricade protecting the Waterfall path into the Malachite Arachnoid Caverns. We cleared the Waterfall area (I think I was the only one who fell here, chasing down Warlocks), and then set up a Kudzu wall in the Malachite Cave to control the hunting. With just a few fighters along, we took turns swinging at Arachnoids trying to reach in through a small hole in the Kudzu wall, and eventually killed them all. So we advanced on to Cave 2.

This was a bit more of a problem, because we had a misunderstanding. I understood Yor to ask us to wait to see if it needed a Kudzu wall or not, so when I entered with my Kudzu seedlings at the ready, I awaited word from him as he ran any Arachnoids. Unfortunately, after he had planted Kudzu at the South chokepoint and looped back, he was apparently expecting a wall at the entryway, since he brought a number of Arachnoids with him. Natas and I hurriedly planted a partial wall, but it wasn't enough to keep me from falling (and Yor), while Natas slipped away South leading many Arachnoids off before he too fell. Thankfully, Wrapper could also open this path, and chained me out to be raised when it was fairly quiet. I was then able to re-enter and finish the Kudzu wall so everyone could follow safely.

We decided that we would always make walls anyway, since the group was so small. It was almost a bit late for that decision. If Wrapper hadn't been along as a second pathfinder, or if a backspawn had occurred in Cave 1 at that moment (with only 1 fighter left there), we would have been finished. As it is, we recovered and moved onward.

With Cave 2 under control, we entered Cave 3 much more smoothly, and soon had it under control too. I planted a Kudzu wall behind us as we approached the ladder leading down to the Pitch Arachnoid level.

Jade was chosen to run Arachnoids into the Southeast pit. After a headstart, Yor headed for the mouth of the Southwest pit and Natas and I to the Southeast to plant Kudzu walls. Natas and I ran into the tail end of Jade's Arachnoid train, and I held some out of the way while Natas sealed most of them in, and fell. Natas grabbed me on his chain on the way out, and headed back upstairs to heal. Amazingly, Jade had not only survived in the Southeast pit, but managed to squeeze through a small gap in Natas' wall and make her way back up the ladder safely.

All that was left running loose in the main part of the cavern was a collection of Olive and Malachite Arachnoids, and we set into killing these using Jade as live bait for the herd and then luring off one or two Arachnoids to kill. It took a couple attempts to kill them all, but remarkably soon we had cleared the main part of the cavern.

Yor moved us toward the East passage leading to the next cavern, and we used repeated fighter runs to clear the entry area. Natas managed to erect a wall blocking the pit there, and we set into clearing it in earnest. During the clearing runs, there was a tense moment when a Pitch Arachnoid appeared on our flank in the first cave. Thuja stepped in to grab its attention, and Snowlion managed to knock it to red in one mighty blow. I got my own tag in whilst Snowlion was hovering waiting a second openning, and then it was dead. Simply amazing what a well-trained Bloodblader can do!

Since the next Cavern seemed clear, we all stepped in for a look around. I was far to the East when the call went out that a large spawn had appeared. As I turned around, I found that I was chasing Arachnoids toward the exit as they chased others in the group. I hung back behind a turn in the wall for a chance to try to slip past, and managed to dodge a seeming very large number of Arachnoids to rejoin the group in the main Pitch Cavern. I was by far the last one out, and I felt very lucky to have made it at all.

By this time, the Kudzu walls holding back many Arachnoids at the Southern pits began to wear thin. Since we had been sparing no Kudzu, I had managed to use up the several bags I was carrying, as had Natas. Dangerously low on that critical supply, we had no choice but to retreat back upstairs into the Malachite Caves. It was a close moment there too, as the wall we had left there had also decayed enough that some Malkachite Arachnoids were able to slip through. We beat them back and sealed the gaps, then started clearing these for the trip back up to the first Cavern.

Once in the first cavern, Yor openned an Ethereal Portal and stepped into the void. After a time, we followed and headed to a rendevous spot to clear the snell and then open another portal. Unfortunately, the area of the Ethereal Plane that Yor's portal lead to had an Etheral Cloud, as well as was extremely full of Ethereal beasts. We fought off numbers of them as we tried to meet up and learned the bad news that a cloud was drifting near.

Natas managed to open an Ethereal Portal to Purgatory, but very few made it in to safety.

Yor had entrusted me with his second Ethereal Portal Stone, but I never openned it, not realizing that I could open a portal while still running. I was afraid of becoming fatally trapped among all the beasts if I stopped. Inexperience on my part, and I apologize to my huntmates.

Instead, I ran around and chained Yor toward the safety of the portal that Natas had opened. I didn't make it. I ran headlong into the Etheral Cloud and fell. Unfortunately, we had fallen in one of the worst spots in the Ethereal Plane for a rescue (I'm told), so those of us who were fallen there eventually departed.

Despite the ignoble ending, it was an amazing trip. This small group had managed to make it on foot not only to the Pitch Cavern, but was actually advancing deeper into it. If we had had a lot more Kudzu along (and if folks were not starting to grumble about how long we had been out already), we might well have been able to advance further.

Goodness knows when I'll get another chance at that!

Earlier in the day, I was out on my usual prospecting rounds, and fell in the Greymyr Village when some Wendecka blocked me in just in time to catch a couple rocks. Ouch!

Ezi quickly located me with his Skrystal and broadcast my location, but I was quite surprised a little bit later to see that he had come out to the Greymyr Village himself to rescue me!

He slapped a chain on me like a pro and scurried back out Mid-pass and on to town, where I was raised.

A rescue Mystic! Will wonders never cease?

Sombdi, day 63 of Spring, 553.

Today I help rescue a hunting group that had fallen in Sasquatch Valley.

Apparently, they had been tackling an Angry Mother Sasquatch on the East end of the Valley and ran into Cave Cobras during a retreat to the West. Nearly everyone fell.

Quite a number of exiles gathered in the Brambles to help (Dude, Luther, Viola, White Wolf and Dagiris fighting, and Catweasle, Maquiladora and Harper healing). When I led them into the entry cave, we found a large number of Stinging Beetles but only a single Cave Cobra. After a short time, we had control of the cave, and moved on into the Valley proper.

We found a number of Valley Cougars as well as some of the lost hunting group. Several fallen exiles had been dragged into the first cave during their aborted retreat, and our healers were able to raise some of these. Shard and Gunslinger proved to be too fallen to raise in the field, and were dragged out. On the way, our larer group handily vanquished the Angry Mother Sasquatch.

Some days ago, I joined Urgelt and others on one of his famous quick Scarmis egg runs. We assembled at South Kizmia's Island somewhat after noon, and raced quickly up the island to acquire tar, then dropped through trees to the tunnels to the North side of the island. We steadily advanced through the Scarmis den, vanquished a Queen and her various attendants and collected 2 valuable Scarmis eggs. We reached the boatmaker well before sunset, and safely made our way back home.

Every time I come to the Scarmis den, I am always puzzled by these large tracks, and wonder what great beast might have made them.

And where it lurks now.

As usual I am spending a lot of time prospecting for ore. Not that I have found more than just a few metals lately, but that's been enough to keep me in new chains as I donate or break them here or there.

One of the places I like to look is in the vast Greymyr village beyond the Passes, because if it is fairly quiet I can also kill (well, mostly dispatch) several Greymyr along the way as I scout for ore. Also, many fighters tremble to come here alone, so I can usually find a ore or two about. It is a large area to scan though, and that takes some time.

Lately, though, the Greymyr village has been overfull with these stoney beasts.

There is no way for me to hunt packs of Greymyr without on-site healer support to top me off after the inevitable rock to the head. And with a crowd this size, the rocks are always flying about.

Unfortunately, if I run into a bout of heavy fog out here, I'm doomed.

When there are this many Greymyr running loose, the best that I can do is avoid stray rocks as I search the ground for newly exposed ore, and hope for clear weather. I'm happy enough to get in and get out safely.

Sombdi, day 35 of Spring, 553.

I had a fun time hunting in the Caves of Kizmia's Island recently. I started out at sunset with Mujin-kun and Degu at the South shore, and we worked our way North and then into the caves.

The one unfortunate incident was that I was slashed hard by an Orgaberry Lyfelidae beyond Degu's power to heal. Mujin had admonished me to not fight on red with only one healer along, but this Orgaberry hit me from a low yellow for the same effect. Oops. Thankfully, Degu had a Red Healing Potion, and I was able to be raised to fight on.

After some time, we met up with Natas and Larno, which made the hunt much less hazardous for me.

We eventually cleared the entire caverns of Lyfelidae, including this Cold Lyfelidae. We hunted all night, and I earned two entire lessons with Evus. It's been a long time since I did that much concentrated hunting!

Today Mujin decided I needed more Regia. Not that she was impressed with my defense, no. She's right though. It's easy to get balance training, since many trainers add a bit of balance here and there. Evus simply doesn't emphasize Regia enough, nor does Swengus, so eventually one needs to speak to Regia directly to keep up a decent amount of this skill. And I certainly shall once I reach my Atkus and Histia targets with my current Evus training.

I have spent a lot of time wandering around in dusty corners of the Lands lately, looking with keener eyes for paths I might have overlooked previously with less keen eyes.

Nothing startlingly new to report on that front I'm afraid, but I'll keep looking.

However, it has been interesting revisiting places I have not been in a very long time, or indeed places that no one seems to ever go to.

Four times I have earned exploration experience recently.

In heading out to some of these desolate and overlooked places, I had to dig deep into my own stack of maps as a guide, because no one else seems to have published accurate (or in some cases, any) maps. I've decided to make some of these available to others, and they can be found here.

Not too long ago, I stumbled into this nice campsite near the Passes. I had a pleasant chat with the lone camper, Josi, who also is a naturalist studying these peculiar islands. It's nice sometimes to compare notes with another astute observer, and a new colleague is always welcome.

While in the Foothills themselves recently, I had the chance to observe a Large Midnight Wendecka for the first time.

I was expecting terrible danger from such a large and fierce-looking creature, but I hit it easily and it was not even a vanquish!

Still, it is a most impressive beast.

I also spoke with Fismac the Thoom along a sandy beach. He seems to have a great love for sand in its infinite variety, and was happy to discuss the finer points of the many types of sand found around the islands.

Geology (sandology?) seems an odd preoccupation for a Thoom, who as a group tend to prefer nice splashy water (and fresh fish) to grainy gritty sand. I'd expect that more of a dwarf, although there seems to be little gold to be made in mining sand. It's always the exceptions that prove the sterotypes, though, isn't it?

Before the recent Storm, I spoke to Lundar about that odd brushy area in Westwood. He was pleased to come out and peer at it with Mystic eyes. We first did a test on the one-way exit from the Eastern (GMV) Wendecka Breeding Grounds near Mid-pass, and I was unsurprised to learn that the Orb of Caesindere cannot scan for beasts beyond a one-way passage in the wrong direction. So of course, when Lundar then scanned the brushy trail, he saw nothing there either. Inconclusive, at best. What he was able to do was use his Skrystal to scan from there toward the Marsh and the Savanna, by seeking the Marsh Hermit and one of the Miners trapped in the Savanna Gem Mine. Unsurprisingly, since I can reach the Hermit in 4 snells using the Hermit's own Marsh - East Forest path, the Marsh scanned as quite nearby. The Savanna Mine scanned as being somewhat further away, but again inconclusively so. Walking there would require passing through a fairly large number of snells, even with shortcuts, but Lundar assured me that his scans were "as the Drake flies" rather than as we might have to walk there avoiding various obstacles. Nevertheless, I'm still convinced there may be some undiscovered land betwixt the East Forest and the Savanna.

Another spot I am keeping a close eye on is this section of the Gungla Island cliff wall that seems to be crumbling down. There is only one place like this along the entire bluff, but try as I might I cannot clamber up these fallen rocks, nor even see a possible path up it.

Still, it looks like it might be possible after some further rocks tumble down the cliff to build up a decent stairway.

There must be a way to the further reaches of Gungla Island. Finding it will apparently take some time and effort, though, since no one has stumbled upon it yet.

Lundar also mentioned to me that he had measured the distance from the South side of Gungla Island to Melabrion's Keep by locating one of Melabrion's minions while near the river, and it was a substantial distance. Plenty more to discover here, surely.

Click here for my report on the previous storm.

Click here for my report on the next storm.

Click here to go to the Archive Index scroll.

Click here to go back to the Main scroll.