Back in town, many exiles wandered through the rift to explore
the other side. Norm's
Diary (88 Spr 541 entry) has details and sketches from the
many different worlds accessible in the annual April Fools'
adventure. I spent most of my time in the Star Wars scenario.
That's because not only were there lots of Large Sand Wurms
(some of which were quite powerful) wandering around but also
legions of Stormtroopers, with blasters that worked a lot
like Orga lightning (without the bouncing, thankfully). Every
once in a while, Elite Stormtroopers would spawn, quite a
challenge to even large groups.
So I was kept quite busy healing exiles here, often being the
only one present who could help heal a very fallen. Probably
the toughest place was Florin (the land from Princess Bride)
which contained Greater Rous (Rodents Of Unusual Size), only
slightly easier to kill (but just as dangerous) as Large Death
Vermine. Also, there were flame pits that burned bodies well
beyond my healing ability if exiles were unfortunate enough
to fall on them.
Sean fell here, and he was perilously near death for myself and
several other exiles in town, and we feared he would need to
depart. Fortunately, some of us had the idea to push him to
the hut home of Miracle Max, who was able to raise any fallen
by shoving a powerful magic pill down their throat.
Soon, a chaos storm approaches which will surely close the rift,
so I will be back to my usual rounds. Bravo to DT for a fantastic
set of worlds and lots of fun.
Fortunately, I was able to raise Marko with the help of Natas and
Benylin who helped me kill all the rats. But then we all explored
TGBG and found lots more rats. Later, Tippy visited the tunnel
and reported that all the rats had respawned. And throughout the
lands there seems to be an overabundance of rats (including the
Feral Den in the muddy north forest). Very puzzling.
Of course, many rats means I am likely to be very busy over the
next few puddleweeks, and I was kept busy today. Probably two
dozen rescues, including a marathon search through Greymyr Village
for WarChild, north plains, brambles, north beach, south forest.
You name it, I was there today, and my feet are killing me. Life
was so much easier when everyone just fell on the other side of
the rift!
Also, a large party went on a Lyfelidae Expedition. It seems that
a way off the island has been discovered, so it is now possible to
hunt there without guaranteeing a depart. From what I gather, there
is a boat builder on one end of the island who will provide you with
transport off the island if you bring him two logs of wood and a
barrel full of tar. You also have to have a mystic with the opening
skills of Robin Greyhawk or Diotima to enter the place.
He has empty barrels with him, and there is a seller of wood (200c
per log!) on the isle, so it is possible to escape from the isle
that way but takes some work. The strategy seems to be to come to
the isle with empty barrel and 2 logs in hand. Fill the barrel with
tar near the island entry, then carry everything along with you
to the exit. It is a very dangerous place, not the kind of island
where you can just casually cross sn'ells on a walking tour.
Anyway, a rather large expedition went there, and most of them were
prepared with their barrels and wood, but they soon all fell. A
rescue party was put together by Veer and a few others, but I learned
that they fell in the very first sn'ell. I have yet to visit
Lyfelidae, but it makes Dread Passage sound like a cakewalk. Still,
I am sure such expeditions will attract many exiles because of the
potential to gain lots of experience. If you plan to go, you should
acquire an empty barrel (or empty a keg of beer with the help of
some nearby dwarves) and a couple of logs first, or you will likely
not make it out alive (possession of these things is probably going
to be made a requirement for participation in a group hunt).
Sephorus was fallen inside the gem mine, having been trapped by
slugs, wurms, snakes and spiders while ore hunting. I knew other
healers were in the area, including Sargon and Destian, so I
ran in to scout around. I barely made it to a tent in safety
thanks to these two maha awaiting me when I exited! Gah.
I finally managed to arrange to hold one of the SMR's while Sargon
held the other, then Destian came out, having healed Sephorus
up to full within the mine. Destian has some impressive faustus!
Anyway, together, we killed the two maha and made our escape.
Much earlier, I had been called to the Chamelopod Forest having
learning that Axell had fallen on a rescue. That should give
you an idea of how dangerous that place can be. Heck, I can
only take 5-6 hits from those quick little demons. Well, that
rescue turned out ok once we unclogged the fallens and
chamelopods from the exit, but after I left savannah, I learned
that Humbaba and Krandor were fallen there again.
Unfortunately, there were a few too many of the little demons,
and I lost all my health just as I managed to loop chains around
the two fallen exiles. Fortunately, Snowy was near, with much
better defense and health than me.
Good old Snowy pulled out his chain and methodically picked
every one of us up, getting out well before the chamelopods
could whittle down his mighty strength. He dragged us all
the way to town for a heal, and thank goodness, because I
don't think there was another healer within 10 sn'ells of
us when I fell. And this wasn't even the toughest rescue today.
I heard over the sunstone that Gorvin was surrounded and falling
near the feral den in the muddy north forest. The geography of
this area has changed a bit since the last chaos storm, by
the way. One used to be able to enter from the east or west but
not north or south. Well, trying to enter from north or south
still skips over the feral den sn'ell, but also entering from west
of the feral den, skips as well. And one cannot exit feral den
sn'ell to the west. That is now a wall of trees.
Anyway, I arrived figuring it would be a chaining job at worst,
but I ran into dozens and dozens of ferals. I barely escaped the
swarm out to the north, and it was without Gorvin. Poor Nettle
who entered the sn'ell right after me was trapped immediately
and fell quickly. I retreated north to a new safe area within
the rose north of the feral den.
By the time I was recovered, fighter help had arrived, but the
sn'ell was so packed, it was very difficult to enter, as you
can see here.
After several failed attempts, we managed to form a small
perimeter of fighters within which support healers were
cowered. Once we were set up tactically, clearing the
sn'ell proceeded like clockwork. For some reason, the ferals
didn't leave the sn'ell either during our many retreats.
The ironic part is that the feral den was nearly empty,
except for all the rats.
Ah well, with luck, my next entry will have some good news
from DP, where another raid is about to begin.
From what I heard, it seemed like that absence of major Horus healers
hurt the expedition. Several healers there have over 100 Horus, such
as Trystran (who I have on good authority just broke through 250 ... I
pride myself on keeping close tabs on all my students ... ahem!),
but there is nothing quite like a 720
rank Horus cannon to heal those midnight wendecka pebble bruises.
This made me feel doubly awful for missing out. I am glad to see others
starting to take their Horus training more seriously to help out on these
expeditions.
Meanwhile, back in town, the most recent chaos storm seems to have mildly
addled the brain of Master Horus. He spoke to me as if I hadn't already
been teaching exiles in the art of healing those closer to death for a
few puddleyears now.
Well, Master Horus has done so much for us all, it behooves me to humor
the old guy, so now he has it written down somewhere that I am also a
trainer. Perhaps that will help his failing memory.
With the blessing of Master Horus, I proudly took on Lorikeet as my
latest student. She has been falling behind a little bit lately
thanks to departs on some dangerous hunts. But oh the sights she
has seen on Lyfelidae! And I know she is such a gem to other exiles
on hunts.
I think we're both in a 10 Horus ranks / 10 other / 10 Horus ranks /
etc. pattern right now. I'm stuck on 720, and she's 5-6 ranks behind.
If she puts her mind to it, she'll blaze right by me like she's been
able to do so many times in the past. Meanwhile, I'm trying to
make myself more generally useful by mixing in some Respia and Eva
training. At this rate, I'll have 50 effective faustus ranks by the
time the new year rolls around!
Horus teaching nothing if not patience and long-term thinking. Lately,
I've been able to spend quite a bit of time out and about in the lands,
but these things come in cycles. Not counting the next DP raid, I imagine
I will be fairly scarce in the lands for a puddlemonth or two upcoming.
So the ranks will slow to a trickle of maybe one every few puddledays again.
Lorikeet wasn't the only thing that brought me to the savannah. There
was also a very rare appearance of a fire drake. We see Forest Drakes
around maybe once a week, but Fire Drakes? I wonder if that fiery
mage Umbrion is up to something...
Here is where my lack of traditional healer skills really hurt me. I
didn't have the speed to get Sargon up quickly or heal myself quickly
as I got pounded by an artak and a few giant vermine. Nevertheless, I
did manage to get Sargon up, and he made it to the safe cave. I did
not.
Here's the dilemma. Clearly it would be safer to show up, assess the
situation in a couple of seconds, then chain half the fallens into the
safe cave. Everyone would be up and the rescue complete in short
order at small cost to me (I have many chains and can afford to use
them). But what if Ugh had spent the last five minutes clearing for
our benefit when he could've chained? Perhaps he wanted the fun of
a tough rescue? What if others are coming to help whose time and
effort would be wasted? All these considerations make me extremely
reluctant to chain this close to town. Besides, I need the practice
healing in difficult situations, and I am getting better at it.
I managed to get the ball rolling by raising Sargon, and with more fighter
and healer help, everything was soon ok. I'm mixing in some respia and eva now,
of course, but it will be a puddleyear or two before I make any
substantial progress, I think. Maybe 4-6 puddleyears before I have
the opportunity to realistically pass 4th circle, at best.
Next was a trip into the Queen's Chamber, where I knew several were
fallen. I picked up a fallen along the way and, knowing Zwei was
near, decided to risk running on in. This is *not* the kind of entry
that is recommended.
As mighty as Callisto is, it is tough to go toe-to-toe with the
Queen and all that other junk, so she soon fell. Zwei managed
to form a defensive front with myself and Stryfe to the rear.
Slowly but surely, we cleared out the whole QC, picking up six
fallens in the process. Way to go, Zwei!
Back in town, I decided to check out the gift shop. Many nice
pieces of jewelry here. But for me, I wouldn't want any of it.
I mean, I already have trouble carrying all the chains and kudzu
that I need for foothills expeditions. I hardly have room for
a pearl necklace or what have you. Still, it is nice to have
the option to buy a gift for someone who would want these things,
especially a wedding ring.
I got to go on a very challenging hunt the other day on Dal'Noth,
my first trip there in quite some time. I thought we would sweep
right through the isle without much difficulty, given the presence
of fast, effective healers Veer and Achates and all these 3rd and
4th circle fighters. Then we ran into two Xar'Noths (we retreated
madly to town and eventually picked them off one by one in lengthy
pitched battles), then we ran into a dozen Kal'Noths and some
Zol'Noths in the outpost.
To top it off, we ran into a deadly trio of Pallidews near
the lake. Through it all, we had a few close calls, but there
were always one or two level heads that kept themselves healthy
and provided a rally point for the rest of us. That sort of
clever, thoughtful fighting really makes trips like this a blast.
Also gives good experience so I can hone my horus skills to be
more effective in the foothills.
Click here to go forward in the archive
to Summer 541, Part 2.
Back to Koric's Journal Archives
Click here to go backward in the archive
to Spring 541, Part 4.
Fighting Stormtroopers in the Tatooine desert.
Dozens of rats attack a fallen exile.
Two Savannah Maha Ruknee make a gem mine rescue more complex.
A rescue ends well.
A rescue is about to end badly.
Snowy rescues us all.
A perilous trap in muddy north forest, and a narrow escape.
Recovering in the safe room inside the rose.
A gigantic feral swarm in the muddy north forest.
Horus is getting forgetful?
Why ask me if I would like to train? I already teach many!
Humoring Master Horus.
My latest student! Few indeed are her peers.
A large party fends off a fire drake in the savannah.
A dangerous rescue in the Northwest Forest.
The dangerous QC entry.
Lanica, the rude gift shop clerk.
Fending off deadly Kal'Noths in the outpost.
Attacked by a very strong Pallidew near the lake.
