July 22nd, Nothing bug FUN!!

A heads up: I don’t write walk-throughs, I walk visitors diaries. I’ll give you a basic idea of what I saw and did, but I will not tell you what exactly I DID do. That’s for you to discover!

Also, visit THIS POST to see some more talk about the area!

So after leaving behind the perma-death part of my experiment, I have been rejuvinated with adventuring spirit! It has been so fun to get back out into the world, run some quests and to do some more skinning and reaping, and doing all of it backed up by rules that are so ingrained in me now that I can’t play anyway else!

I use my handy map, and it is slowly getting filled in. But I use it less and less. Just like you don’t need a map around your city, I am starting to memorize all the areas I frequent, and can usually know which in which direction they should be.

And taking time to read the quests and to get to know the stories of the NPC’s involved has made the game feel more alive. While some complain that the NPC’s need more movement, and I tend to agree, I don’t notice at all between the movement that IS there and the fact that the stories are so diverse and sometimes emotional.

Firstly, let me say that my original intention was to go down to the Wardship of the Sleeping Moon, being that I have heard there are great quests and great armor to be had! I am familiar with the area and headed out on boat and finally arrived at the Southern tip of the swamp. Within a few quests, however, I was asked to travel North to visit a half giant. This entire snowy, hilly area is a hotbed for incredible sightseeing and quests! One of the first things I was asked to do is to go into the fortress type valley and to read the runes inscribed on the “Monolith’s of Torshiem” (Bear in mind that I do not keep notes during my play sessions, thanks to Immersion Rules I pretty much keep everything I can in memory.)

The awe-inspiring views of GIANT LAND!

Being a Ranger, I was able to stealth my way down to the area where the first Monoliths are. I was blown away by their size! Luckily, the mobs around the area were just perfect for a level 30 solo Ranger, so I ticked some of them off my list as well. As I would approach a different Monolith, my quest would update because I had read the runes. Snow began to fall, and it was actually one of the most beautiful sites I have seen in Vanguard.

The Giant that is a Crybaby

I HAD to look around as I did quests. The same NPC told me to go deeper into the valley to check up on some other Monoliths. I had some more of those actually scary moments as I climbed further down into the area, scaling on the tops of walls and falling almost to my death. There is a sense of scale there that I have rarely felt, even in Vanguard! As I completed the quests I snuck around while talking to Luper in tells. (Me and her can talk in tells since she’s my co-host! hehe) She told me there was a giant in the area, somewhere. It wasn’t long before I found him! On his wrist he wore a bracelet made out of the head of a giant Elk!

If he’s blind, why is he staring daggers at me?

I was sent eventually to Mimgrar the Blind, a hermit living on the opposite side of the valley. It was awesome to find someone living within all this danger, and living pretty well. I actually felt intimidated by this guy. I mean, I’m a Raki, so everything is larger than me…but this guy made me as a Ranger look like a baby. And to think I thought I was tough, scraping arrows out of branches and making pecan pies out of bark! I am currently trying to accomplish one of the Blin Man’s tasks, but the mobs are not only hard to get to, but they kick my ass too.

Who doesn’t want new STUFF??

At the end of one of the quests, you get a very cool weapon. Being that they had just patched in some new BOP rules, this quest item was tradeable! WOO HOO! Did I sell it, though, HELL NAH. It was a pretty weapon, too, and deadlier at that!

And on to new AREAS!

I ventured down a bit to finally find Southwatch, a killer area made perfectly for a level 30. Someone told me to try the “missives”, which are basic assignments tacked onto a public “bulletin board” type thing in the middle of town. One thing I realized while in Southwatch is how hilly and ever-changing the landscape of Telon is, especially compared to other MMO’s. Southwatch itself is made up of hills, and you can look down and see players 3 yards lower that you going about their business.

The missives were quick fun, and led me into new areas and new quests that I will talk about later. I found an incredible looking light house, and lady that raises Griffons. Also, I did a heartbreakin quest that led me into level 35 plus areas.

With the missives I have heard that as you accomplish them you gain little awards that you can trade in for gear and items. I have been told to save up as many as possible, at least 10, being turning them in, so that I get better gear. I am doing just that. The missives are really just good lil quick quests, with some harder, more involved ones sprinkled in. I am so caught up right now that I need to remember to get back to the snowy land of giants to finish up my business there.

be sure to head to the NW area of Thestra. Check out the snow and the sounds..overall it is one of the scariest and thrilling areas I have ever witnessed. I am going to try to do all the content in the area, as long as it takes!

Rikoo Rakoo

Beau Turkey