Xfire at will!

(and quoteth Will: "Why? What did I do?!") Sorry, bad joke. Irresistable, mate. Couldn't help myself, savvy? [insert cricket chirp.mp3]

Anyways, moving on..

Yet again, Fallon Shadowblade leads the charge with a great idea!

With "grouping" coming up with Grizzleheim, but no clans/guilds "proper", She has gone and created not one, but TWO groups, of which yours truly has now joined:

Wizards of the World - http://www.xfire.com/clans/w101wizards/

and

Death Wizards of W101 - http://www.xfire.com/clans/necromancer101/

As for myself, still new to this whole Xfire thing, but it seems pretty solid, and may well become a useful tool to complement your MMO gaming experience.

Be well!

The time, it ever flows

Meet Phil and Bob. They're my house guardians. They don't have a lot to do, so they while away their time playing chess. Now THAT is a "Clash of the Titans". They have a good solid working relationship, much like the sheepdog and the coyote in those old Looney Tunes.

I let them use the chessboard, because I can't , really. The pieces don't align properly. There is talk of making interactive home objects, so one must keep faith, yes? Yes.

So, how about a nice game of cards? Don't have any? Not to worry.. Friendly does! And now, yours truly is one. I am honored and humbled to have been selected. And with his commentary on "Homework", I can't help but feel like a student that just got an approving nod from a Master.
(insert blush here)

So the next time someone says "You're a card!", I can proudly reply "Yes. Yes, I am."

Thank you, Thomas Lionblood!

The King is dead.

Long live the King!

The "King of Pop"
Michael Joseph Jackson
29 Aug 1958 - 25 Jun 2009

Nothing lasts forever. However, we have necromancers, right? Let's bring him back! It might look something like this:

Rest In Peace, Michael

Sneak Peek new Spells

Thanks to Fallon Shadowblade, Courtesy of Diary of a Wizard , Go check 'em out!I will have to agree with Fallon Shadowblade, the inclusion of these new spells are going to offer a new, and interesting interaction to the strategies that will have to be employed, both on the battlefield, and in the Arena.

Also, check out her great videos showing what we'll be facing in Boss fights, when Grizzleheim goes live. Fun, fun!

In related news, be sure to check out West Karana's post concerning the "new" final fight against Malistaire, with the inclusion of T.F.N.'s Thomas Lionblood. 100K. Yup, you read that right, it's not a typo. 100, 000 Health. Pack a lunch.

This is a tractor.

"Why is there a tractor on your blog?" you may ask?

Well, last night, Fallon Star, Ryan Ironrider, and myself went and paid Professor Malistaire a visit. It was quite fun, considering none of us had done our homework, and didn't know entirely what to expect. So, it was good that there were 3 of us, if only to get past the crystal stands locking the door to the Crown of Fire. Here we are, watchin a bit of good old-fashioned smug Boss monologue. (see? I told you it was a Universal Truth!):

Smug Boss monologues are a Universal Truth.

Well, all said and done, we all but walked through the battle, (poking fun at the Dragon Titan's eye the whole time), and finally, 10k later, a fade I've been questing for, for a while:

School's out, for the Summer.

You are dismissed, professor. School is out. You did not pass. We figured it was better to hit him pre-patch, (considering who-knows-what-happens post-patch). In our elation at having earned our "Saviour of the Spiral" badges, we took the portal, as Professor Drake had suggested.

Oh, drat!

I forgot to collect my last Stone Rose! Grrrr. Curse you, Prof. Drake, *still* you vex me! It's okay, though, I suppose. Malistaire dropped an Ice School cloak. Completely useless, for me.

That's okay, because to quote The Governator, "I'll be back!". Which leads us back to the tractor.

Yes, I'm sure you've figured it out, by now. With only a single Stone Rose left in my quest log, and untill Grizzleheim goes live, I have only one occupational choice available to me: Farmer.

Be well.

Daily Motivational

Hey, fellow wizards!
Found a fun little site that lets you make your own "motivational" poster graphics. Here's my example, (Necromancer, of course!). I was gonna throw the Wiz101/Kingisle logo in the lower right-hand corner, but I try to use other entity's logo's sparingly, unless given express permission.So, let's see some creativity out there! Grizzleheim will be going live sooner, rather than later, so what better way to celebrate than a little createwizardry?

That is all.

The bugs! They haunt me!

Anyone else get this? It happened several times , while trying to access the Furniture Shop in the Anthemmumish Area. It solved itself by re-logging, so nothing fatal, I suppose.

Anatomy of a failure

Hello, fellow wizards. At the behest of Mr. Dworgyn, and on behalf of the Death School, I'd like to give you a quick class on how NOT to go about battling.

The title of this lesson is:

ANATOMY OF A FAILURE:

So get your quills and ink ready, and I'll put our projection slide up.

Let's call it "How many things are wrong with this picture?"So, as you can see from this slide, several basic rules, if followed correctly, would have prevented this scenario. Let's cover them, in order.

1) When running a high-level area, bring friends. Empty slots are wasted firepower.
2) Bring enough cards. This may seem self-evident, but no 2 battles are alike. Just 'cause you did a 4-on-1 with that same deck...
3)If you choose to ignore (1), At least follow (2). Plan for a long, drawn out battle.
4) If you're dumb enough to ignore (3), and (2), AND (1), well, then: just go directly to :
5) If you're up to (5), you've failed already. You're gonna die, or flee. Either way, you've wasted all your time getting this far. You have failed to follow "The Law of the 7 P's".

What, You may ask , is this "Law of the 7 P's"? Quite simple, really.

Prior Proper Planning Prevents Pretty Poor Performance.

See, how easy is that? Obviously, for the dummy in our above example, it was too much to ask.
Don't be a dummy. Just remember "7P's", and you won't be a failure.

Thank you for your time. Class dismissed.

Chickens and eggs.

With Grizzleheim just around the corner, yours truly is thinking “What’s next?”
I mean, with Malistaire defeated, who becomes the primary antagonist? Why, look at the Legacy of Kain series. Once Moebius was dispatched, a deeper, darker puppeteer was revealed. Was Malistaire an independent actor, or was someone else pulling his strings from behind some shrouded curtain?

So, I thought to myself, “Self, what would be a natural enemy to the creativity of Magic?”
“Well, ‘reality’, of course.” Came the reply of my inner voice.

So, at the risk of making Wizard 101 “edutainment”, what about future worlds employing enemies using new “schools” of magic..uh, I mean, ‘reality’?

Science and Magic have, historically, always been 2 sides to the same coin. What if the Spiral itself is merely the 3rd side of the coin? What is magic, really, besides unexplained science? But science is magic without creativity. It is cold. It is calculating. It is “absoloute”. Magic, on the other hand, is more a flowing, vibrant thing. Magic is Science with a really good stage show. So, really, I think my thesis would be “concretism” versus creativity. Yeah, clinical absoloutists would be enemies of magic, IMO. Ben Stein vs. Broadway.

Part of me, however, says this smacks of ToonTown, and it’s Cogs. On the other hand , I can also envision enemies ‘casting’ biological debuffs, throwing globes, and racking abbacus of denials. Dungeons and instances requiring understanding of weights & measures, physics, mathmatic basics, and logic could “easily” be instituted. Think about some of the puzzles in Krokotopia's Temple of Storms - logic is already a game componnent, right?

To my mind, especially with the advent of proper grouping in W101, a lot of these attacks would be AoE buffs/debuffs. But, I dunno. This is just a brainstorming idea. Nothing more.

On the other hand, W101 could also come out with a “secondary school specific” class of spells, also primarily AoE buff/debuffs:And why not? Isn't music a magic of it's own kind? Does it not add to your life?

Good for party play, or soloing those 4-on-1 scenarious (yeah, Malistaire’s Lair, I’m talking about YOU) Like, a bayou frog playing a mistuned banjo (ala Kermit the Frog), a cat fiddling something reminiscent of "Devil went down to Georgia"..(just before launching his bow, archer style), all the way up to a Heavy Metal Grizzleheim Wolf thumping a Bass riff, in Arena Rock glory.
Lullabies to pacify, anthems to empower,... many possibilities, in between.

I dunno, just thinking aloud.

Thoughts?

Happy Father's Day

To Thomas Lionblood, and any/all other WizDads.

May you and your children prosper.

First Impressions

WET BLANKET ALERT! skepticism of human altruism to follow.

Yes, I finally broke down and downloaded the Test Realm Loader.
Had to see. Had to know.
Awoke to find myself a level 45, in Moo Shu. Disconcerting, that.
Had to see. Had to know.

First impression? Hmmm. Grizzleheim will be fun, but I forsee that, without adjustment, the procurement of materials for crafting (cough, MISTWOOD, cough) and other "high demand" reagents will be the cause of many farming battles when it goes live. The current spawn rates would be hard-pressed to keep up with the overwhelming demand when Grizzleheim hits the overall player base.

Granted, there's only the 4 test realms, atm, but whatever the necessary reagent of the "en masse" crafting curve is at that time , is gonna be hard-fought for. "Realm hopping: it's not just for Bosses, anymore!"

Especially combined with the new, expanded chat, I see "reporting" of players going through the roof. Yes, I know it's supposed to be "age appropriate", but we've already seen the current chat filters circumvented. I know that W101 is, after all, a "business", and I want to see it succeed, but I sometimes wonder if it's core principles are going to be sorely strained by it's exponential growth. 2 Million players, and counting.

Hmmm. Give them something to fight over, and give voice to their frustration...

Best of luck , KingsIsle. IMO, you're about to open Pandora's Box.
The mind is a labyrinth, ladies and gentlemen, a puzzle. And while the paths of the brain are plainly visible, its ways deceptively apparent, its destinations are unknown. Its secrets still secret. And, if we are honest, it is the lure of the labyrinth that draws us to our chosen field to unlock those secrets. Others have been here before us and have left us signs, but we, as explorers of the mind, must devote our lives and energies to going further to tread the unknown corridors in order to find ultimately, the final solution. We have to see, we have to know...-HB:HR2

Housing Item of the day: WANTED Edition

Yeah.

For our houses. instead of hanging around Duel Master Diego, (the flies get to you after a while, ya know?). I would pay BIG crowns to put one of these in my Grand Fortress. Like a roleplay Boss battle with my friends:

" At last. I must say I'm disappointed in your progress. I imagined you'd be here sooner."
*because no roleplay is complete without a smug Boss monologue..it's a Universal Truth!

Or, set it as the "spawn point" for anyone who blind teleports off your friend list.

ooh! And Guardian minions!

And. as special "Booster Packs" we can have Friendly's Collectible Cards, lol

Or, even cooler idea:
an ACTUAL Home game, especially if it used the same kind of technology that they have for the PS3 Eye Toy game, "Eye of Judgement". That would be sweet, too.

Yes?
No?
Oh, Helephant no?

To Infinity..and beyond?

Well, there it is. GrandMaster. June 19th, 2009.

Hmm..kinda anticlimactic. I'm just barely out of Crystal Grove, (still have a few spiders to squish), and I've hit the ceiling.

I thought I'd be bidding a fond "adieu" to my exp bar, yet there it is, inexorably grinding on. I suppose it *should* stop just shy of 51, which is good, because I was kinda playing around with the idea of holding off until Grizzleheim is released to keep advancing, so as not to waste the exp. Now, I have a little extra time to quest.

And, oh yes, that is my DragonRider Staff. Nice hit on that, (100 fire)

Hmmm. Well, I guess I'll go see if I can't hitch a ride...

I
Hate
Spiders!

Especially Dragonspyre Spiders. Especially especially Dragonspyre Ice Spiders in Crystal Grove . They're too big to squish. They gang up on me , like 3-on-one. Yeah, in the gemcutter's tower. They completely, and utterly, made lunchtime out of me. With a side of humble pie.

Considering I already had a heaping helping of "defeat" in a surprising run in the Labyrinth, (and I still haven't found either Jareth OR Hoggle ). Two defeats in one day? Not since Colossus Ave!

I feel like a newb.

The Great Wall of Moo Shu

Yeah, I hit it...hard.
So, there I was, smugly skipping across the Spiral, opening those up-to-now mysterious Obsidian Chests, (yeah, now I know, but I'm not gonna spoil it for ya).

Wizard City. Easy, piesy! (except for the annoying pulls on Triton)
Krokotopia: Ah, good times, good times!
Marleybone: Um..there's a lot of walking to do, here..
Moo Shu: Just gonna grab the one from the Forest Spirit, and BAM!

No lights.
I can't get in.
What the Helephant?

Oh. I think I missed something. Yup, I did.
Like almost the *entire* Mossback quest line. DOH!

So, that's what I spent the majority of the day doing. Catching up. Cleaning up. Just to advance.

On the plus side, I leveled again, and am now on the final road to Grandmaster.

Heed the call!

First, the call came in:

The call was answered.

Victory was attained.

I am very content, atm. However, there seems to be a disparity over whether/not there is a "Master of Death" title. I am more than sure I had all the spells. I currently have 23 Death spells, and cannot for the life of me figure out what I'm missing, if anything.

UPDATE: It is an unannounced title acquisition. I am now "Master of Death". What a productive day!

Ponder, ponder, ponder...

Behold, Terminus!

Behold! The Trademark of Friendly!

Muah-ha-ha! I must be getting closer to being a *real* necromancer!

Well, since I'm a crown player, I can't be all Grizzleheim-ey like everyone else, so I burnt down Ivan Soulsinger. Not as 'easy' a farm mark as Ol' Oyotomi. Perhaps Ill take up Countess Shadowbane on her offer to do some farming.

Sigh. Grizzleheim. I wonder how it is. Friendly isn't saying much, 'cuz he's probably rolling around in the Grizzleheim-ey goodness.

Sure, maybe it ISN'T out yet, even on the test server, but I still have to believe. I have to push, to be ready, to...oh, who am I kidding? I just wanna SEE!

Necropolis,and secret handshakes.

Ah, feels like home. What? Don't you think a necromancer would be at home in The City Of The Dead? Of course you do.

It seems anyone/everyone I run across sends a blind friend request. Understandable, but not my style. Since I do want to have friends, REAL friends, (not users), I've developed my own "secret handshake" with 2, count 'em, 2 options:

Option, the first:
If you CAN chat, then say "Web Log". Then I'll know you read it here.
If you CANNOT talk, well you're outta luck.
(just kidding). If you can't talk then it's a *little* more involved:

Option, the second:
Jump twice (spacebar)
I will jump once, in recognition.
Emote "salute"
I will emote "salute", in return.
Add friend, I will accept.

I don't wanna seem pretentious, or anything, it's just I want to have a compact friend list of people I know, via Friendly's Blog Group.

Sorry, that's "Just how I roll", lol.
But if you're reading this, you're pre-qualified, right? Right!

Hope to add you soon!
Be well!

Tidbits

Discovered another blog, one that I'll be watching, by Fallon Shadowblade at Diary of a Wizard. , because this world needs more "MMO MOM's.

Okay, got outta Plaza of Conquests last night, and can I just say?

Marva Flamewing and her two "Protection Pox"...

MOST ANNOYING FIGHT...EVAH!

Oh, my goodness, people. If you gotta go:bring a friend. I didn't, and it was a regular "Shield-a-palooza". 30 minutes on that fight, no joke. When a game designer wants to really run you through your paces, they come up with a fight like that. Absoloutely NO comparison to the NPC with the "Damage Pox"- that fight was , theoretically, over in 5 mins.

Struggled to level again, it's no super-de-duper-extra-exp like Moo Shu , in Dragonspyre. You work for it, and hard.

2 more levels, and I'll be getting "The Big Call" from Dworgyn. Yeah, you know the one. Scarecrow.

'nuff said. ;)

Seeing Double

The Tower of War.
The Tower of War.

I had to do it twice.
I had to do it twice.

First time, because I had to quit to get my tween.
First time, because I had to quit to get my tween.

Both time, had bugged mobs, as you can see.
Both time, had bugged mobs, as you can see.
I think duplicity is contagious.
I think duplicity is contagious.

Me and my pal, Oyotomi

I spent the day farming Oyotomi, in The Village of Sorrow.
I'm now Helephant-bent on getting a sword, and after doing a bit o' homework, decided that Ol' Oyo would probably be my best bet. Having recently watched The Friendly Necromancer's video of farming Yeva Spiderkeeper for his hat, all I could see, in my mind..

Nope.
Nope.
Nope.
et cetera, et cetera, ad naseum,

I started losing track of which spells I had cast, the battles all bleeding together. It's no that he was a hard fight, on the contrary, I was consistently "one-shotting" him. It's the push of determination, meeting the wall of "the grind". I even started having a conversation with Oyotomi, In reminisent shades of Wiley and Sam, :

G'morning, Oyotomi (as I cast Feint)
'Morning, Autumn. (as he casts Death Blade)
How's things with you? (as I cast Curse)
Good, good...you? (as he casts Dark Sprite)
Can't complain. You know, your voice is sounding a little rough. (As I cast Death Prism)
Well, I'm dead, and KingsIsle stuck me out here in the open. The dead don't heal too well, so once you catch a cold... (as he casts Death Trap)
Oh, sorry to hear that. So, hey, why don't you just drop me a sword? (as I cast Death Trap)
Oh, c'mon, Autumn, you know the rules, I can't just do that. As he cast Deathblade)
Yeah, I know. Doesn't hurt to try right? (as I cast Deathblade)
Hey, kid, "A for effort" (as he casts Weakness)
Well, ok, then. See you again in a minute, k? (As I cast Wraith)
Sure, Autumn, see you in a minute. Enjoy your Shoes of Music, hahahahaha (as he withers under a 2361 point combo.)
Curse you, Oyo, that's not even funny, dude. Myth boots. His idea of humor.

SIGH

The codes are in...

...concerning Wizard 101's Facebook. If you've been following such informed blogs as The Friendly Necromancer, you know that anyone who became a Facebook W101 Fan on , or before 5-12-09, would receive a free promotional code.

Well, true to their word, my code arrived in Facebook (under UPDATES in YOUR Inbox):

Thank you for being a fan of Wizard 101 and for joining us on our Facebook page. The response was overwhelming and it's great to know that we have so many fans out there!

As promised, here is your special ONE USE PER WIZARD101 ACCOUNT code, good for 1000 Gold:

xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx (no, I'm not printing my code here!)

To redeem this code, log in to Wizard101.com the website - click Redeem Card or Code under your name and follow the instructions for Wizard101 Promotional Codes. This code will only be valid for 24 hours!

This is only the beginning of the promotions you will see from Wizard101. Stay tuned to our Facebook page for more information!

So, ever curious, I rushed to log in and redeem:
So. be quick, because according to FB W101: "This code will only be valid for 24 hours so check your Facebook page at that time! See you in Wizard City!"

Thank you, KingsIsle, and thank you, Faculty of Wizard 101!

Now, about that tenure for Dworgyn...

Oh noes!

Was looking forward to Wizard Gathering 2009 tomorrow, but my tween, Ashley Duskhunter , reminded me that we have a Pirate Cruise (end of school field trip) tomorrow at 9am EST.

Dilema: Keep your word to your child, or play W101.

Well, my tween DID have to win a lottery for this (limited spaces), and I *did* promise to go, and it IS a "Pirate Cruise", so I think for once, just this once mind you, W101 will have to take a back seat, lol.

If I'm luckier IRL than I am on mob drops, then maybe we'll be back in time. But if my trend continues, I will have to find a "rain date", or organize a W101 Bloggers gathering, or somesuch.

So, if in fact, I am unable to attend, know that I am there in spirit, wishing you all well, and hoping a good time will be had by all.

Be well, my fellow wizards. Hope to see you soon!

Everybody take one step forward.

It was a day of "2's" for me yesterday.

With minimal assistance from me, Fallon Star made it out of Krokotopia, and is now prancing about the ever night-blessed streets of Marleybone. As for me..."Look, Ma! I'm in Dragonspyre!"

Wait! What?! Back up a minute! How'd Autumn get to Dragonspyre?!

Alone, my friends. Solo. All by my onesies. In a fit of Necromantic fury, yours truly went on a tear of undeath, and re-animation. With Fallon offline, I said to myself "Self, we can't keep Oni No Death waiting much longer...it would be rude." So, bada-bing, bada-boom, the first domino was set up, and knocked down. I was afraid that I was going to get sent packing, but with a heaping helping of Death Prism and Wraith (Whom I've now named Raziel, after Soul Reaver), Oni No Death became "Oni Knows Death" No sword, though, so to quote the Terminator, "I'll be back."

Okay, so Tree of Life restored, yada, yada, yada. Go heal the Emperor. Okay, sounds good, and BAM! My deck was *SO* not ready for the surprising entrance of the Jade Oni. But I got him down to about 2k before I ran out of cards. So, I fled. *gasp*, yes I know. Even I have to flee on occasion, lol. So, now seriously peeved, re-decked, and loaded for bear, or in this case, elephant, I went back and gave him the beating of my lifetime. Sit down, Dumbo...you're done.

And hey! I got a Spiral Key! Hooray! What? Talk to Headmaster Ambrose? Can do!

Talk to Professor Cyrus Drake? Sure, Headmaster.
What's that, Professor Drake? You wanna go one-on one? Oh, how I've dreamed of this! Oh, yeah, get your shiny, Mr. Clean , snobby, get-your-laundry-sending, smug Professorial fanny to the tower. School is OUT! I will teach THIS class, and your homework for today is "How to fill out paperwork in the Emergency Room.". Now THAT fight was pure bonus, almost like a "reward" for getting the Oni's sorted out.

So, here I am, in Dragonspyre. 3/4 of a level shy to wear any Dragonspyre gear. Hmm. I *could* go back and clean up Moo Shu.

Oh, Oni No Deeeeaaaaattthhhhh....

Tenure for Dworgyn!

Poor Mr. Dworgyn. Left unawares, in a sunken Death School, when the Head Professor goes all Apocalyptic-ey on The Spiral. According to the W101 website itself "CLASS CANCELLED". Well, not everyone has given up! Mr. Dworgyn has been resolute in continuing training for young necromancers, against all odds! Does the Faculty think him unworthy? Do they believe a hunchback uncapable of greatness? Pshaw! Obviously they've never watched Igor! Why, without Mr. Dworgyn, we necromancers would be naught more than pseudo-Goths hanging around the Haunted Cave, being pretentious, and debating "What might have been.."

I resolve we petition the Faculty to grant Tenure to Mr. Dworgyn, in light of his commitment to academic excellence in the continuing education of necromancy! Post petitions all across Ravenwood, the Dorms, and even nail it to Headmaster Ambrose's door! We will not be uneducated! We will not be silent! Necromancers Unite! Rally for the Hunchback!

Why, I even started writing a protest song (sung to Stairway to Heaven):

There's a Hunchback who knows
Spells for student necros
And he's minding a su-unken Death School.

Yes, he stands at that old school
Teaching "Dead stuff is cool!"
And he's minding a su-unken Death School.

(Well, it is a work-in-progress)

So, that's it, fellow necromancers! Get out there, and spread the word!

This message paid for by RallyForTheHunchbackBecauseIWantADworgenPortraitForMyHouse.org

No Oni today.

Betcha thought yours truly would be touting a victory over the Death Oni, huh?

Nah. Let him sweat it out a bit. I got plans for him.

No, today was getting Fallon Star a little more caught up. We finished the Sphinx, and got her into the Temple of Storms. Just for giggles, we went and killed Krokopatra. Not amused enough, she and I decided to try Tomb of the Beguiler. Now, THAT was fun! Just when we were getting to "How much more IS there?",

There he was.
For a short moment.
Before we dispatched him.
And didn't get our titles.
Yes, I am a little peeved about that.

But, anyhoo, having fulfilled a sense of obligation to Fallon, I went on a couple clean-up runs in Moo Shu, steadfastly avoiding, with great restraint, not even peeking in on the Death Oni quest line.

Aren't you proud of me? I knew you would be.

So, there I was, finishing the ever-so-hard-to-drop corrupted earths for Mossback, when *ding*! "Oh, my! I've leveled!" And, right on cue, Dworgyn pops up. Good old Dworgyn, always knows how to show a necromancer a good time. So, being the ever-so-obedient student, I whisked myself back to the Death School, fully expecting some epic quest for my next spell:

"Mr. Dworgyn, sir? I'm ready to start my epic quest"
"Epic quest? Whatever are you going on about, Autumn?"
"You know, the new spell you just called me about? Surely I have to go through some Herculean 'here-and-there' to earn this spell?"
"Nope."
"Nope?"
"Nope. Here you go , Autumn. Now, move along, I have other students in queue."

I don't know whether to be elated, or insulted. Wait, what am I saying? Free spell? YES, please!
So, here's my new favorite spell, (until I hit 48):

Another day, another Oni

With the invaluable assistance of Fallon Star , we together, took down the Plague Oni.

Death Oni next, and I may as well get my coveralls, straw hat, and hoe, because "'Dem dere fields ain't gonna till demselves".

Oh, yes, I will farm Death Oni till I get my sword.

Oh, and in other news, I leveled several times, and now rank as "Master Necromancer". Time flies, doesn't it? (Just in time for the Wizard Gathering 2009).

Blog-ity goodness

Well, it seems that Fallon Star is joining us in the W101 Blog community. According to her, Homework in a Graveyard inspired her to blog.

Well, I can't really take the credit, because MY inspiration came from Thomas Lionblood, (Stingite), over at the-hub-of-all-w101-blogging, The Friendly Necromancer. So, Friendly, "Thank you" times 2!

Oh, and speaking of TFN, it seems my prattling has made it to TFN's blog list. Now I feel obligated to try coming up with something really worthwhile to the community. *scurry*, *scurry*

Meep!

Ooh, ooh! Me too!

*sigh*

In the spirit of "pictures all around", my tween wants a pic on the blog, too.

See, to my mind, tweens are like summoned minions. You expend a lot trying to get a good one, but even then, you never know how the minion is gonna perform.

"Attack, already!"
"You already have *3* Death Swords over you!"
"Quit buffing, and get to fightin'!"

Nah, seriously, my tween is a good kid, (as far as kids go). And I'm hoping to see a long-term commitment to leveling in this game.

Casual?

I did say "Casual kind of day", before , right? Well "Casual kinda day, my foot, it was!". After running around a bit, saving villages, and defeating warlords, and such, leveled (again), and got a quick note from Dworgyn.

Now see, being a necromancer, I LOVE getting a call from Dworgyn. He gives out the greatest cards, (for me, at least..I don't mind being a "Teacher's Pet", lol). Well, somehow , he knew I was in Moo Shu, and he told me he had a spell for me. In Moo Shu.

"Uh, Mr. Dworgyn, sir, why did I come all the way back to Wizard City, just to go back to Moo Shu?"
... "Uh, huh..I see".
"No, it's no problem , at all, Mr. Dworgyn, sir. I'll get right on it."

He sent me to go "capture" a War Oni. Oh, no, just killing it isn't enough. I had to go capture him into a spirit shard, and transport him to the Well of Souls in Krok, ala Ghostbusters.

Fortunately, (for me), a certain Thomas Mythwhisper was just hanging about the Crimson Field entrance, so he and I, (okay, mostly he ), zipped through the dungeon, slayed and/or captured the War Oni, and got the heckhound outta there. My "casual kind of day" ended at 2:30 AM. Exhausting, but worth it, IMHO.

I'm gonna make a shirt, I think.

"My friend went through The Crimson Fields, and defeated a War Oni, and all I got was this card"

Casual kind of day.

Just some general questing in Moo Shu. The big news, (for me, anyways) came via email:

"Thank you for subscribing to Beckett Massive Online Gamer. Here’s your Wizard 101 in-game item code for the Shard Tail Dragon:" (You didn't think I would actually print my code, did you?)

So, Happy Me, has one more new mouth to feed. Sir Orio. I think I'll need a second job.

On the "unhappy" side of things, I finally started getting around to building up my chess board, at my forested mansion, only to discover that the pieces don't allign properly on the board.

*sigh*

I guess visitors will just have to be satisfied with a bracing game of Tic-Tac-Toe.

xoxo

-AD

Since we're posting pics, now.

Here, she is, the indominable Fallon Star, my friend (IRL), my apprentice (until she surpasses me), and my recruit to W101, ('cause it got her a Dragon for the invite, lol).

She's an up-and-comer in the Necromancer Ranks, and there are few, if any, I'd have battling beside me besides her.

Rock on, Fallon Star!

Who Am I?

Aside from being a splash of text on this blog, perhaps a vanity pic might be in order. Yes, All is vanity, because this is not the current gear I'm using, but this is how I will dress for the Wizard Gathering 2009 coming up soon. So, all few of you who read this blog, feel free to give me a "shout out" in Krokotopia, so I won't feel like I'm typing just to see my own words on screen.

Hope to see you around!

Until then, Be Well!

Teleport to friend's friend's friend.

A very nice post by Countess Shadowbane from The Tales of Countess Shadowbane , concerning Uninvited Guests.

I can relate. When I first started, I accepted any/all friend requests. Not long after, I realized the error of my ways. And tonight, during Fallon Star's a my run on Big Ben, we get joined mid-battle by one of Fallon's "friends".

I have learned not to go through Wizard City Commons with any cash card pet, my amarainthine-however-you-spell-it staff, or any gear that denotes I am anything more than a level 1 necromancer.

I realize the kid quotient is spectacularly high. I accept that. but the incessant "Where did you get..." or "Can you help me with...", or "Can you take me to...". can be a bit wearing , at times.
For me, a blind "Friend Request" without actually talking to me first, is an automagic denial.

Everyone wants to see other worlds. I get that. But trying to get to Marleybone at level 5? Or Moo Shu at level 11? That's just silly. Even if you're going for the shopping, what are you *really* gonna buy on a level 11's income?

Whatever happened to earning your way? trust me, it's the only way, and it is exponentially more rewarding.

Is it a pain in the foot? Yup. Does it take a while? Again, "Yup". Is it worth it? Oh-heckhound-yeah, it's worth it!

Don't judge yourself against other players. Enjoy the game, savor each conquering step you take against Malistaire's designs, and revel in each thread you unravel from his rich tapestry. The environment is yours to conquer, at YOUR pace. If you're too caught up trying to "keep up", you're missing the point altogether. W101 is a game, and a good one , at that. Don't rob yourself of even the minutest detail.

Be well, fellow Wizards.

Wizard 101 Gathering 3009..

..is about a Millenia from now. (I don't think I'll be able to make that one).

However Wizard101 Gathering 2009 is soon upon us.

What is this Gathering of which I speak? No clue, 'cept for what I happen to read.

It's touted as a subscriber/crown player affair. I do believe I will attend.

June 13, 2009

Wu and Sunbird Realm, Krokotopia.

1:00pm to 2:00pm Central time zone

2:00pm to 3:00pm Eastern time zone

Be there. Or, be somewhere else. Either way, Be Well!

Big Ben, Part Three

What? It's not "Tomorrow" yet! Well, What is Today, but Yesterday's Tomorrow?

Not very patient, I.

With Fallon Star, and a blind-friend-add-who-teleported-to-us-in-battle, we sucessfully ran Big Ben, including taking out Spike. I got all my books, and all my cats for Marleybone done, but more importantly..I'm in Moo Shu! Woot!

Um. That is all.

Nice Dead Threads..

courtesy of L.R. Jonte over at Mythspent Youth. Me likey! It's easy to see why it's become a "Most Wanted".

I want one, too.

Do you take Crowns?

Keeping my word.

Well, I owed Fallon Star some "catch up" time in Krokatopia, So, I got her up and into the Sphinx, after running throught the Throne Room to find the location of The Order of the Fang. (I just love the Raiders of the Lost Ark reference). Did some grinding , killing Sokkwi Protectors. At my level, Krokotopia is now "fun", as in "I can look Uber". Never hurts to look back , and remember where you've come from. It only seems like last week that I was grinding Krok.


Wait a minute, it was last week. The sands of time fly in a duststorm of grinding, lol. I'm not sure I've even made my 1 month anniversary, but i's gotta be close by. Listen up, young 'uns ..parents can ROCK!

Which is something that has always "gotten to me" in other games. Whenever some adolescent finds out I'm a parent, and quipps "You're too old for video games!"

Grrr. Listen, up, you young whipper-snapper! My generation made video gaming what it is. We marched like soldiers to the coin-op arcades, We begged, cajoled, and hounded our parents for those hot-off-the-shelf Atari 2600's. Pitfall was a quantum leap in home gaming, lol.

Some of us never got out of gaming. Moving from platform to platform. Now with the Internet, we can do it en masse. So, I'll make a deal with you...I'll respect your well-honed skills, if you recognize my experience. Deal? Yes? Good. Now, where was I...?

Oh, yeah..Krokatopia.

Blazing throught the undead, and rebuilding General Khaba's sword. I want a sword, too, you know.

Big Ben, Part 2

Wait! What happened to "Part 1"? Yesterday's post kinda *was*. Keep up, ya?

Well, felt confident, attempted to solo Counterweight West. Got all the way to the third lever. Saw a 3-on-1, and thought to myself "Self, you've seen this before. Just yesterday, actually."

Having learned that painful lesson yesterday, I summoned the ever-worthy Fallon Star, and together we trounced the remainder of the Tower. no pets, but no Deaths, (on our side..minions don't count), either.

So, tomorrow is Big Ben proper. Big Ben Part 3. Meowarity is in my sights, and I can almost taste the sushi of Moo Shu. I think I want a sword.

When we last left our necromancer...

Well, considering this is the first post, that's not totally accurate. Here I am blogging, now, and already clearing World Tea, Uh, I mean World Three, (Marleybone).

Who am I? Just another necromancer. A Death Student in Wizard 101, a Harry-Potter-meets-Yu-Gi-Oh kind of game that is family friendly, but definitely not "just for kids".

For a better blog, I'd recommend The Friendly Necromancer, aka Thomas Lionblood. His blog is my inspiration to blog. Just, I'm not as witty. Think of this as an open journal of a necromancer's quest for ... something.

I also be a parent, (as well as being edu-macated) , so something my tween and I can reasonably agree on sharing is a good thing.

So anyways..., there I was, cleaning up little side quests in Marleybone, when I got the call to pay a visit , (i.e. eliminate) Dr. Katzenstein, and his creation. Since I had just hit 35, and recently got my "Gloom and Doom" spell from Dworgyn, and being a reclusive soloist most of the time, I figured I was all set.

And I was. Dr. Kat got spayed and/or neutered, his gizmo now a toaster, and all was well. Feeling chock-a-block full of vigor, I sashayed on over the the Royal Museum , to meet the intrepid Sherlock Bones, Master Sleuth.

After a quick chat, I was sent to rectify the problem in Counterweight East, (one of the two prerequisites to open Big Ben), and feeling confident, strode in to solo it, as well.

The tower was a pleasant jaunt. Almost trivial. Old Smokey, I hardly knew you. All fell before me and my summoned minions. I took my reward, and ventured further on to meet Gus.

Hail, and well met, Gus! Whassamatta for you? Oh? 4 levers? Pffft! Easy-piesy! There's one there! Climb, climb. Oh! a battle! Pshaw! A second lever! Nice. I'll be done in no time.

Third lever..hey, wait...*3* on one? That's not nice. 2 Lifes and a Balance...hmmm..I'll just summon my minion. Oh, no! a Dark Sprite?! Gawd, I'll just do this myself..hey! Wait! Where's my Sacrifice cards? I have a 40 card deck with 4 of them in here! Maybe next hand...ok, gotta be the next hand... grrr! It has to be the next han...

That hand never came.

As I materialized in Regent Square with my *whole* 1 hitpoint, I suddenly realized (duh!) I might need a little help. (no, not *that* kind of help..I can hear you back there!) So, after some forced Zen, I summoned my apprentice/friend/recruit Fallon Star, and together we breezed through it like I thought I would have solo. (I owe her some catch-up time in Krokatopia for that one.)

And by way of apology, Old Spocket Boy "up top" dropped me a nifty Rat Magician for a pet. How daper! You can get a glimpse of him HERE , courtesy of Defenders of the Spiral .

So, at the end of the day, it was a good night in Marleybone. Because it's ALWAYS night in Marleybone.

So, there you have it.
A Post.
Of a blog.
Of a game.
By a person.

Be well!

-Autumn Duskhunter