:::11 August 2006:::
Little G is now 24, very close to 25.  I have been doing quests in Redridge, Darkshire and making some Stockade runs.  I have been having fun, trying to improve myself in every way I can.  For example one of the last Deadmine runs I did was an interesting group.  It was Little G, two other warriors and two Paladins.  The one Pally was dedicated to being a good healer and we KICKED BUTT!  We had just one death along the way and that was when we pulled the entire Captains Nest on us (like 15 mobs including the captain)!  We totally kicked butt.  Later I did Little G's first Stockade run with the same Pally.  We had a another warrior to be the tank and a few others that were really too low a level to make it through the place.  I was 23 at the time and I was too low.  That other warrior was too obsessed with DPS and couldn't really tank well.  I learned quite a bit on that run.  I then finished a quest that gave me a good one-hand sword to use for tanking.  After I leveled to 24 I did another Stockade run, same paladin but he and I were the only two that were "of level" to be in the place.  There was a Druid that wouldn't heal a mage and a rogue with us.  I really put into use some "aggressive tanking" practices of tanking while in battle stance and switching to defensive on the big mobs.  I was able to hold multiple mobs on me and pull mobs off the druid and other squishies when needed.  I was even able to tank Hamhok (level 28 Ogre) for a while but the two level 26 guards he had ate up the rest of the party and then they all turned on me.  I did some more multiple target tanking practice in Redridge by hitting the multi-spawn orc spots.  I'd be in battle stance, charge in and start tanking.  My objective was to kill all of them without having them run away nor for me to die.  I was 23 at the time and the mobs were from 19 to 21.  I never died and usually they didn't run away.  I did get bold and try to take on six mobs (and a named) in the Rethiban Ore cave.  That was not good.  The lowest level mob in that pack was the healer.  I tried to take him out first, but the boss and his guards were ALL hitting me and I went down right after I took out the mystic.  Oh well, it was fun.

 

This weekend I will be doing more Stockade runs and working on completing the Redridge quests so I can move to Darkshire more full-time.  I also need to hit some quests in the Wetlands so I can make my way to Arathi.  I need to get my whirlwind quest started.  I think it starts in Desolace.  Running to Desolace will take a while so I need to log in early some night to start that run.

 

I did leave Blade's Edge.  I was never able to communicate with the Guild Leader, Sandviper.  I think I pissed him off too during that one Deadmines run.  Oh well, if that is going to piss him off it is better for me to find out now before I have invested a lot of time and effort into that guild.  I'll free-lance for a while until I find the RIGHT guild for me to belong.

:::7 August 2006:::
 I guess there was one aspect of a new server that I forgot to realize; there are a lot of TOTAL NEWBS on this server.  Last night, for example, I got in a deadmines group with two guildies (rogue and paladin), a pickup warrior, and another rogue (friend of the guild rogue).  Only the 2nd rogue had even BEEN to Deadmines before.  The guild rogue was really a level too low to go there.  The paladin was told "You will be the healer, you musk keep us alive" and still he could not do that.  The other warrior was the same level as Little G but had much better gear and was a total doofus.  I kept pulling aggro from him, I out damaged him, and I was the only one using any shout.  Many times there would be two mobs and I would tell him directly "you take the one on the left" then I'd charge the right and he would then take on the mob on the right.  With a healer that is not that skilled or powerful you have to kill the mobs fast.  I told that other warrior that.  He still had no clue.  The lowbie rogue half the time would stand behind the fight and shoot arrows at the mob (what a waste!)  The mob would then get low health, run off and the rogue would chase it, bringing four to six mobs with him.  We died at least four times and we just got to the goblin boss.  When we had that room clear the other rogue was scouting the next room (which is FULL of mobs) and said to the rest of the group "Stay back I am scouting" So the newb rogue and newb warrior go charfing into that room.  Forgetting that the Paladin was AFK.  It was against my better interest but I started fighting.  we had no chance.  After I died the Paladin came back and had to fight just two mobs.  After that, I realiezed that it was getting late and I needed to log.

 

Before that group started I discoverd that the war effort has begun.  This is GREAT NEWS! As I can gather LOTS of Linen Cloth and Copper Bars and make some good cash!  The AH price of linen has already shot up from 20s a stack to 1g a stack.  I see the same thing happening for copper bars and other items.  After the MNC run tonight I will go through the War Effort master to list everything that is needed and start farming.  This could get me to 100 gold really fast.  This may cause a slowdown in levelling but the money will be nice.

Speaking of levelling, Little G is now 21.  I have moved over to Redridge and begun questing there.  In three levels I can begin Stockade runs.  I should hit the wetlands but I know that redridge mobs drop a good deal of linen.  Actually if I am going to be farming linen and light leather I should stay in westfall and run the Highwayman pass for as much linen and leather as I can carry.  I should look into getting some 10-slot bags so I can carry more.

 

What is the value of friends? Well, I have some GREAT friends in this game.  I mentioned that I had started a warrior on Gnomer to the MNC group and told them that I would be around for at least the Monday night stuff.  Anyhow aside from Laurel, Dej and Wilddiiana have created characters on Gnomer.  That is so cool!  I know Dej and Laurel have spent A LOT of time building their characters on Elune (as have I) but they are willing to start over to be with some friends.  Guys I don't know if you are reading this but you don't know how much that means to me and I appreciate it greatly.