I counted no fewer than 30 healers simultaneously healing poor
Kojiro, who apparently had fallen pretty hard near the Orga
Camp (I later learned he was the last fallen dragged back from
the unsuccessful Full Moon Orga Camp Raid).
Maybe a new horus record here, especially with me and
Lorikeet both helping! Soon enough, it was
back to a normal day of rescue healing. Probably most
challenging was a call from Xaerus in the brambles.
When I arrived in the sn'ell where he was fallen, there were
no fewer than 30 Large Vermine in the area. Not only that,
Xaerus was tucked away in a cul-de-sac by the mine entrance.
So in order to chain him successfully, I had to run the LV's
around, navigating all the bramble bushes, so that I could line
them up as you see here. Even then, I barely had the time to
duck in, wrap a chain around Xaerus and escape up along the
west rocks.
There were a few more forest rescues, including another near Orga
Camp, which was showing a lot of activity this evening. That's
a little ironic, given that Finn Orak is singing a bit of a
new tune lately:
Now, it is possible that my memory is not what it once was,
but hasn't Finn been saying all along that the Orga attacks
have been increasing? Now he starts saying the Orga are
not attacking as much? I should keep better records (and
I will start now with Finn), but I wonder how much all of
this has to do with our acquisition of two magic stones during
Full Moon Orga Camp Raids and foothills expeditions?
I heard that another group, including Yor, Nyssa and many others
attempted to grab another magic stone from the Orga Camp a
few puddledays ago, but the timing was slightly off. Rather
than killing the Orga Magician, exiles were cut down by a large
swarm of death vermine, foiling the opportunity to get another
stone. Yor seems to think it gets harder as each stone is taken
and the Orga become more wary.
Seeing so many other rescue healers clanning, I decided to take
an opportunity to say "yes" to a Dal'Noth hunt when asked by
Veer. Our sturdy group of fighters was helped by myself, Veer
and Farb (who unfortunately left us shortly after our arrival).
We barely fended off a lightning-throwing Hel'Noth, and then
we decided to risk combat with a couple of Xars.
Ironically,
during our battles, Paramedic fell while on a rescue in brambles
and very few rescue healers were apparently available to help
him. The poor thoom waited for a couple of puddlehours for
a rescue just south of the mirror (!). Argh, this kind of
thing makes me absolutely *hate* hunting with a group that I
cannot freely leave far from town.
Fortunately, I was able to dodge the Night Wendeckas and a few flying
rocks to chain WarChild out from the northern half of GMV. I didn't
realize it, but J'team was also en route. I just happened to be in
the passes hunting for ore when I got the call. So I dragged
WarChild to the north pass where J'team helped me raise him.
What an honor to assist J'team on a rescue. We then heard
Ba'alzamon was fallen up by the lake, so all three of us ran
north to find him. Sure enough, there on the ground next to
the kindly protecting thoom fighter, Ippon, lay poor Ba'alzamon,
and we three healed him as well. With J'team's incredible healing
speed, stamina, higgrus and talent and my ... well, with my help,
there are precious few rescues we can't perform.
After a few more rescues near town (I am really starting to notice
more new faces in the lands hunting near town, the first influx of
new exiles in large numbers in quite some time), I heard Lursa was
fallen at the mid-pass well. So as I was running out there, I was
joined by the fine fighter Station. With my backpacking help and
only a couple of retreats to heal, we managed to clear several White
and Night Wendeckas out of the pass. But the well was still pretty
crowded, and we were about to discuss chain strategy when I hear
J'jh's melodious "Fallen?" yell from outside the pass.
Well, with the help of J'team, we barged right into the well
fearlessly and got Lursa up and out quickly. With backpacks
like these, Station and Lursa were able to wipe the floor with
the swarm of White Wendeckas that followed us out. Then
followed what was probably the wildest rescue of the day in
Northwest Forest.
Our adventure in midpass took quite some time, and some relatively
new characters were left fallen in the Northwest Forest for quite
some time as a result. By the time I arrived, it was madness.
There were 20 ferals south of the safe cave sn'ell and three fallens.
Slyph was helping Callisto methodically whack her way through the
ferals. Then Jannar showed up to help and we got Sara up and
running. Soon the whole sn'ell was cleared out and it was safe
to go north where we had to do the whole business all over again
to rescue the fallens there!
Bravo to Callisto, Jannar and Station for some very fine fighting,
not only killing stuff while staying pretty healthy but also doing
a good job keeping it away from the healers and fallens. Soon,
Lorikeet and a few more healers showed up to help, and all was well.
I left to fix up a fallen Ezi at the mirror, but soon I was called
to lily pond to help heal some Large Sand Wurm bites.
At Friya's request, I dodged through a few LSW's to get to the far
end of the lily pond beach to heal Serco and Indy. Boy, Serco has
come such a long way since I used to pick him up in the forests!
Now he's in lily holding off mighty Large Sand Wurms and guiding
a party of relative novices to big fun. I kinda got caught up in
the excitement and took some swings myself, which I never would
have done had I not known Lorikeet was still close by. Though we
had a couple of close calls, I didn't fall and everyone was soon
up and out.
But then help arrived (!). In the form of the Pogue Mahone and
Friends (PMF) group. Now, many of the exiles in the PMF group,
particularly some in the PM clan, have good reason not to want
to hunt with such a large group. It just isn't their style. In
addition, there is always the danger of personality clashes. So
for their own very good reasons, many politely waited outside
in the Outback for our group to succeed or fail.
Meanwhile, some in their group, including some powerful healers
and wonderful exiles like Cutlas, Lorikeet, Miranth, Rifkin,
Baff, Baffette, Band, Maeght (and I'm sorry if I left anyone out)
decided to help our group. Presumably, once our group was through,
those who wished to do so would go back and help the PMF group
get through.
After some brief organization, during which exiles in both groups
took great pains to offer their goodwill to one another, rising
above the battles of the past, we entered. And began to advance.
We finally reached the pathfinder choke point just below the
rocks spotted by Sala Dragon initially and passed through by
Hunter prior to our successful raid.
Unfortunately, the pathway through the rocks was literally choked
with very powerful orga. Only a few of our group could get through,
and those who did were unable to effectively set up combat on the
far side. South of the rocks, we held off furious bursts of
lightning again and again, but more and more exiles were being
picked off, including Iho and Bones, two of our fastest healers.
Should we heal the fallens and get them up and into the rod or
just chain them to safety one way or the other? Seeing all the
damage Tuzar was taking, I soon ran to support the rod. To no
avail. The lightning and our dwindling numbers were a deadly
combination.
A few of our group managed to make it to safety, chaining some
others. The rest of us were left behind at the mercy of the Orga
Zealots, whom we secretly hoped would chant us out to the Orga
Village. The survivors, including the members of PMF who waited
outside, just weren't strong enough (willing enough? I don't know)
to mount a rescue and push through to the foothills, so several
of them began the journey to the Orga Village to await the arrival
of fallens from the Dread Passage.
It took quite a bit of time, but eventually the Zealots chanted
all of us out of their Dread Passage sanctuary and to the Village
where a veritable army of exiles awaited. I was pretty smacked
by lightning, but several healers combined were able to get me.
Then Lorikeet showed up with some of the group of PMF's who waited outside
(and subsequently abandoned their hope to conquer DP on this day)
and helped us heal the others.
I understand there is another DP raid commencing soon, but who knows?
As we stood around waiting for more fallens, we received reports
of multiple earthquakes in town. Then the apperance of a rift!
It seemed that the April Fools' festivities had begun, as we started
receiving reports of exiles fallen to Oompa Loompa and Rodents of
Unusual Size (Rous). I'm afraid all of this chaos might forestall
the next Dread Passage raid, but we will return eventually and
conquer it, especially if our good friends in PMF are willing to
work together with us to beat the orga. All in all, I'd count today's
raid a victory. But that's just me.
Click here to go forward in the archive
to Summer 541, Part 1.
Back to Koric's Journal Archives
Click here to go backward in the archive
to Spring 541, Part 4.
30 healers help to raise a fallen Kojiro.
A narrow escape near the East T'rool Mine.
Finn comments on the decline in Orga attacks.
Veer bricks a deadly Xar'Noth.
A close pass to attach a chain as wendies pursue.
A happy ending in north pass.
Helping Station clear midpass for a rescue at the well.
A rescue in the mid-pass well.
Callisto clears the way for us to heal some novices.
As the horus healer, this is the *last* thing I should be doing.
The latest DP raid combines forces from PMC and PMF.
Tuzar rods lightning as we wait and hope for the group north to win through.
Our group begins to collapse and retreat to safety.
A Zealot chants Tuzar to the Orga Village.
I am raised by the exiles waiting in the Orga Village.