Shadow Wars
The day started out fast and got faster. I logged on and got a message from Elder, we were under attack! He said the mages needed support against the Shadows at Teth and to get over there.
I was full of junk from my last trip to BDC. I hurried over to the gem shop at Tou-Tou and dumped the stuff. I grabbed the portal to Arwic and got notes. I was quickly under 100% burden and ready to fight.
I powered up and started looking for a ride. Someone opened a portal and I jumped into it. It was the Disaster Maze. I got a message that the maze was being attacked and directions from Elder.
I headed up a pass with another fighter and saw a building by a river. The flood plains were full of ppl's and Shadows. Blasts of power were flying in all directions. There were a lot of bodies as well. I jumped down and raced to join in.
LAAGGGGG. With this many players and monsters my connection could not keep up. I got a few hits on a P and killed an LT. But when I attacked one it raced into a swarm of them and I was pulled along, unable to break contact.
All this time there was a threat of a portal storm. I had no idea where I would be sent but I knew I would not like it.
I finally got loose and decided to go into defend mode until things cleared up. This turned out to be the right decision. As I got by the building a few Shadows raced up to it. I was able to engage and defend the building.
While other defended the left all the way to the river, a few shadows were bypassing them and attacking from the right and over the river in front. With a few brave and soon dead fighters we defended it. I found that my best weapon against shadows was my slashing weapon. I still was only hitting for about 11 damage a shot.
One after another the fighters with me fell but so did the shadows. I think there were a few Archers on the building's second floor helping out. Most of the attention was to the right side.
I was way down by the time last the Shadow fell. I went into the building and healed/rested, recharged my weapons with my 4 V spells and headed out again. It had slowed down a little with only few attacks on the left side. A few of us advanced into the river and they never made it to the shore.
I heard a message that the captain at Teth had been killed and that saved them there. It seem that things got better after I heard that.
We got a message that Eastham was under attack. I ported to Tou-Tou and hit the portal to Arwic. It is a short run to Eastham from there. I met a crowd there including Elder. It was a false alarm as it was quite normal.
We all ported to Tou-Tou (a major LS for us) and I ported to Arwic from there. As soon as I got to Arwic I heard a message from Elder. It was a repeat of a message sent by another of his vassals. There was a major attack NE of Arwic. I got the Coords and ran over there.
I got to the Coords along the beach and it was empty. I message Elder that it might have been another false alarm. He gave me updated coords and I ran a little ways North.
There was a line of Shadows stretching from the hills to deep into the sea. We had a lot of fighters in a knot planning how to best take them on. I guess the plan was no plan because everyone just attacked on their own. I saw the Shadows racing to the archers and mages. I met them and defended as well as I could.
Things slowed down as everyone regrouped. I saw a lone Shadow LT deep in the sea and decided to take it out. As I attacked it a golem started blasting me from the rear with spells, not cool. I kill the LT and ran with 6hp left. Sure glad I have been pouring points into health.
Elder showed up with a few of our top fighters. I attached myself to, first a mage, then an archer, defending them when shadows got close.
With this much power we soon defeated them. We advanced up the beach to another line. We did this at least three times. In after thought we should have advanced farther north so see what they were defending.
Most of our group headed for another hot spot and I stayed to mop up. To my surprise I saw the Shadows spawning in a place south of where we were fighting. I tried a few draw and runs against the P's. It did not work. They all ran after me and all returned together. I needed help.
I headed north to see if anyone was left. I saw a group and told them about the Shadows to the south. I did not check their levels but they had no interest in fighting Shadows.
Finally I found a fighter who joined me. He was drawing and fighting P's, LT's and Shadows the same way I did. We ran up to a P, hit him, and ran away. Then we both attack the head P and as the other returned.
I checked him out and he was a 35lv. A 35lv doing the same thing as a 50lv was impressive. His only advantage was his peerless sword. I decided I had to get one of them. Only 1 mote saved up.
A 16lv healer joined us and he was great. We fought and he moved up next to us, tossing heals at the right moment on the right person. Between the three is us (and another mage that joined in) we cleared the beach of about 5 P's and an uncounted number of LT's and Shadows.
Got a message from my Vassal Sidhartha. He was at the Crater and there were only 9 others with him. If they are attacked they could not defend. About this time a message was sent from heaven that an attack to the north was going to happen very soon.
I saw other messages calling for portals to the crater. Sidhartha then told me an attack was forming. Not that he would leave but he has no item skills. I told him to hold on, help was on the way.
Later I got another message saying an army had arrived and defeated the shadows. He said my statement that help was on way was the understatement of the year.
We have defeated the Shadows, for now. I feel this is the opening battle in a long war.
Back to the Vault.
On the day they made it so you cannot tie to the vault they also increased the danger of the outside part. I decided to go to BDC and build up my stats. But of course I did not know that I would never be able to retie to the vault, O'well.
Last week I thought I was going back. That was another story of death and failure. This time the same people were going to the Vault. I agreed to go with them, despite my persistent lag problems. Really hard to play when every 5min you had to stop and wait for 5 to 10 second before getting back the player. What I did not know was this party was to be me, Badmofo and Stratus. There were others even lower and they bugged out quick. Now Badmofo and me can do a lot of damage but that place is bad!
Badmofo had a good plan if all of us knew the layout well and were not lagging. But that was not the case. His plan was to run to the stone and take on the Solders there, stopping only when we had to rest and rebuff.
We had an archer along for a while and he helped clear out the first bridges. But he had been there a while and was out of arrows.
Badmofo started the run and I tried to keep up. I was running in slow motion and they soon disappeared. Last time that happened I was with Elder. I was trapped and had to port out. This time I tried to keep from being trapped but had no idea where to go.
I went into a side passageway to keep from being flanked. I killed three or four. I was fighting the last two when the one I was fighting turned and ran, dragging me with him into a mob.
I finally broke lose and ran. I then was into lag again. When I recovered I was running against a wall in room "I have no idea where". I was down and was being attacked by 5 Solders. I decided to do the 77 book. 7 quick bar for wand, 7 LS recall. It was slow but the wand came out with 89hp left. Portal hit with 49hp left. As I slowly ported out (new stupid effect) I died.
This really sucks, I did everything right and a new bug kills me. (Or new nerf of portal recall) I have 5 death items and still lose my armor and endurance necklace. It was nice enough to let me keep one master robe for a total of 6 items lost.
It was very strange. I hit the LS and stood for a few seconds, swearing, and was ported again, back to the LS. I thought my hitting Lifestone Recall had got buffered somehow.
I message Badmofo and he tells me to meet Stratus at Cragstone. I make a quick trip to my mule and pick up my backup armor.
I'm in the subway and get a message from someone. My body was by the archway. (Later I figured out he said archmage and read it wrong) I asked him if he could guard it and have someone show me the way. (He must have thought I was crazy at this point)
I told him I was on my way to Cragstone to get a portal back the vault and find my body. He said my body was at the Tou-Tou Lifestone!
I messaged Stratus and Badmofo and recalled to the LS. There at my feet was my body. A shock on looker said, "Don't tell me you died here!" I explained it to him.
Picked up my 3 master robes, death item necklace, armor shirt and endurance necklace.
Then a quick trip to the subway and Cragstone. At this point I was deathly afraid of going back to another lag death. But without my support they had no chance. It turned out that Stratus had died a "never mine" death. He was following Badmofo and saw him jump into an acid river and run to the other side. He followed. Of course Badmofo had done no such thing. In a few seconds Stratus was dead in the acid river.
Stratus made the portal and I headed north at a run. The run to the vault is almost as dangerous as the vault itself. This no defense from war spells make it a killer. The other times on this run I had followed someone so of course I got lost. I found a clear spot and got my bearings. After a little back tracking I knew were I was and made the Vault portal at a full run.
With Badmofo's help I worked off the vitae in about 10 minutes. Stratus came in later. He had got stuck somewhere too. Shortly after we got there a group of Archers and mages showed up. With them it was kind of easy to get to the stone.
Badmofo was worried that Stratus would not be able to get the stone with all the others there. But Stratus was the first one in and gets it. Now it was just kill for the fun of it. After a while I see that no one is camping the stone. With the Archers and mages, and the three of us (all fighters) keeping the cave clear was a breeze. I was close to the cave and had a thought. I had decided after the shadow battle to get the unarmed shadow weapon. Be nice to have a major stone for it. This was my second time here so I think I deserved it.
I ask how long the line was for the stone. It turned out that only Archjackle wanted it. I figured they would all leave after getting the stone, leaving the three of us in a tight spot. I told Archjackle if I got it first we would stay to be sure he got his, hoping for an agreement to do the same. Not getting one left me only one choice.
I was lucky and faster, getting the stone. He tried for it but I acted like he didn't. I announced, "Ok we stay until Archjackle gets his stone", as if that was the plan if he had gotten the stone instead of me. Of course they might have stayed for us, but I knew we would stay for them.
It was a fun 15 minutes because the Archers and Mages were taking care of everything in the bottom and the three of us the upper. As soon as ArchJackle got the stone they all ported out.
We stayed for a little until Badmofo had to leave. Stratus and me were still holding the upper section when two attacked her from the rear while I was fighting one. She ran and ported. As she ran my weapon ran out. I grabbed my wand and was recharging, hoping to finish up before the 4 turned on me.
When Stratus ported out they immediately attacked. Well I had wand in hand and so a quick 7 got me out. Now I have a major stone and 1 mote. I have killed over 100 golems and only have a mote because someone gave it to me. Have to kill a bunch more I guess.
A fool givest, a fool taketh away
After the excitement of the shadows, hunting ReedSharks with my low levels might seem small potatoes. But ReadSharks can kill a low level faster than a Shadow can a kill a high level so the excitement is there.
Fighter Fist de Yuma hates Reedsharks. At 6lv I needed to test myself against them. I saw a message about someone being killed by one. I followed him from the LS to help him out and try a shark.
I saw he was a 4lv mage so I figured he was jumped without knowing it was there. My mage died a few times that way. I was wrong, he was hunting them. Now there is brave and there is stupid. He ran up to his body and grabbed his items while I guarded. He then ran over and started firing blasts at an Adult Reedshark. Of course he died in seconds.
Now it was my turn. Buffed with Armor I, Inv I, BD I and Unarmed Mastery I, I moved in. Well, I'm not ready. Battle was going badly. I had 9hp left and Reedshark had over half his points. One more hit and I was dead.
Well I was saved by the stupid mage. He arrived back from the LS and saw the battle. He sent a blast and the Reedshark turned on him. I turned 180 and did my best of "Feet don't fail me now". I only went a few steps before the Shark had killed the mage but it was enough to get away.
So if a stupid mage can save me, a stupid mage can kill me. I'm playing Fist de Mage and I had just expended my mana killing a Hunter. Getting Hunters at 7lv is a trip. Fist de Yuma could not come close at that level. Archer is killing them with ease as well.
I see a Reedshark and knew I can kill it. Piecing Vulnerability, Force bolt, Force bolt until dead. Before I can do that I need full mana and a careful plan. I do my stam to mana and hit the ground.
I had seen this mage running around. Someone commented that he as a fool but I took it with a grain of salt. Saw a few of his bodies around. He comes up next to where I'm resting and fires off a spell at the Readshark. I knew he was dead, only question was would I be too. I get up and started to run, not even looking back.
It was no use; it killed him and gets a rear shot on me before I got 10 steps. Hello Lifestone. Well a fool givest, a fool taketh away.
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