Rift: Killing Faeries

Posted by Wolfen in Rift

The Rift Head Start event began this past Thursday. Anyone who pre-ordered the game is allowed to start playing before the official launch date of March 1st.  I rushed home from work with great anticipation and a long play session ahead of me. As I soon learned, I wasn’t the only person with the same idea.

The launch serves were packed with players, which meant most people had to wait in a queue before they could get in. My queue was 45 minutes long. It was frustrating, but not unexpected. Trion did the best they could, bringing up new servers quickly, but it was obvious that this game was in great demand. A testament to how good the game is.

Once into the game, I created my Paladin/Riftblade/Beastmaster and tore through the newbie areas as fast as I could. My guild changed their minds at the last minute and decided to play on the Guardian side. The original plan was to be Defiants, so I had spent my entire alpha/beta test time in that area. So, all new content for me! I enjoyed the Guardian level 1-20 content, but I prefer the Defiant lands.

I was level 17 when my guild decided to try the 5-man instance located at the Realm of Fae. I was designated as main tank for the group. Things went fairly well considering it was our first time through. We wiped a couple times due to a larger pull than anticipated, but other than that, we cruised on apace.

As you move through the instance, you go higher and higher into the mountains. The landscape eventually turns to snow and you find yourself in a blizzard. The environmental effects of this area are some of the best I have ever seen. It really looks like you are in a blinding snow storm.

The Fae Lord is the final boss of the instance. You have to plow through a bunch of his minions before facing him directly. He is no slouch, but we took him down without any deaths. I did very well as far as loot drops went. I obtained three very nice blue items by the time we were done. All-in-all, it is a fun instance. My biggest piece of advice would be to take a healer that is as high a level as possible.

I leave you with a nice cozy inn:

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LOTRO: Rescuing Amdir

Posted by Wolfen in LOTRO

Now that Jagger is dead, Ellie wants me to go after bigger fish. She has talked me up to the top leader of the Blackwolds, a man named Skunkwood. I am to go speak with him, but I should first go talk to the ranger Toradan. He tells me where the Blackwold hideout is located and sends me on my way. Toradan said he would meet me there later.

The Blackwold Hideout is located at the northeast corner of the Staddle pond. The door to the hideout is next to the falls that pour into the pond.

I enter the hideout and I am transported into an instance. The Blackwold”s guarding the gate were expecting me and they let me pass. I roam around the cavern for awhile until I come across the leader of the Blackwold’s. A man named Skunkwood.

I eventually find the cell in which Amdir is imprisoned. Amdir appears to be in a very bad way. He has been attempting to fight off the evil influence infecting his body but things are not going very well. He even scares the Blackwold guards stationed there to keep an eye on him.

I try to speak with Amdir but he is too far gone. He bursts open the door of his cage, knocks down his guards, and runs down the tunnel. This is when I noticed another prisoner in the cell.

A woman named Oakheart asks me to escort her out of the cave so that she can be free. The problem with helping her is that she walks very slowly. As we make our way through the cave, we see that all the Blackwold’s have been knocked unconscious. They re-awaken as we approach and I have to defend the woman from the attackers. Towards the end, I must defeat Skunkwood and his wolf guards. I took screenshots of all this but somehow they never saved to my hard drive. I don’t know why.

As I make my way towards the cave exit, I encounter Toradan facing off with Amdir. Toradan tries to help him but Amdir has transformed into something evil. He attacks and kills Toradan and then runs out of the cave.

I return to Constable Underhill and tell him what happened. I am rewarded with a tunic that is a huge upgrade for me. 74 more armor rating to be exact. Underhill then tasks me with finding the ranger mustering cave in hopes of finding more help.

This Blackwold instance was a fun experience. It advanced the main storyline and gave me several things to do in the cave. I never came close to dying, but I did enjoy my time.

–Wolfen

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