Corwynn-Red Mage: A Beginning

[Alucath]

Here we go.. I got the game 2 days ago.. Christmas Eve, with nothing but Dia, my trusty Onion Dagger, and my noob armor.. w00t!

I solo'd till lvl 5, and my IRL friend got on at this point.. he told me to come to the Auction House. Low and behold he bought me new armor.. Not without telling me(since he'd gotten me a WP) that he'd spent over 3 K gil on me.. that I would pay him back. Gladly, really.. His help has been irreplacable.

[Alucath]

ok I'm back.. sorry for the pause between starting and actually.. starting. But I discovered, that to do a journal the right way you need to jump through a few hoops. Anyway back to the story:

For a few days, leveling and exploring were worth it.. I found a nice little area south of Leviathon gate; this peaceful little cliff area with a bunch of easy preys for low levels.


Coming back into town one day, I saw an airship... which only peaked my already high urges to know what it's like to ride in one of them.


A couple of my new buddies from the game accompanied me to do mission 1! I particularly liked this pic. Kirby's awesome haha.


Unfortunately, I'm not great at documenting missions.. I'm usually too wrapped up in the moment, but.. here's what happened. Kirby and I were taken to complete the mission.. and we got there safely. We got a high leveled(prolly only around 10 lol) WAR to clear the mobs in front of us.. but when we touched the door.. we realized that neither of us had officially accepted the mission from the orostery.. How embarressing. Anyway, we go to the orostery and come back.. to find Dustyne(our guide and friend) dead! fortunately there was actually a level 25+ WHM IN OutHorutoto.. what're the odds? So he raises Dustyne and I think enough to take a screen.


Erhm.. woot, after I finish the mission.. kick back and try my hand at fishing a little!


My friend Ardalus got in game(you'll see him a lot), but because certain ports weren't open.. and his ISP is screwy, he couldn't zone without crashing.. Very odd. Anyway, I came to him and we talked.. Whilst this very awesome looking mithra came by, and I took a screen :D.


Then I decided to up my healing ability by healing Ard over and over.. skill up.. mmm


Anyway, that's it for right now.. I'll try and continue the story soon! Anyone who reads... I hope you like it.. :D!!!

[Alucath]

A new day, another update:
So, after a few days, and the completion of Mission 1, I was deffinately getting a grasp of this game's fighting mechanics.. and how addicting Partying can really be, especially to a young red mage!

Basically, I had decided to start leveling a little more, pure and simple. I had some friends in game who were already a couple levels above me and I was going to catch up! So, in leveling up, the wonderful surprise of Weapon skills. This is me, not terribly long after achieving level 10 in my sword skill.

(can somebody say.. Overkill?)

I decided to show Ardalus around some leveling spots I'd found(his connection had finally cleared up), and continue my journy.




And I found another friend of mine, using my World pass.(I had a LOT of friends join my server) Shireena, had been leveling for a day and doing quests, so we met up and I took a screenshot. (That hat looks great)


Well, I went back into town and got some level 7 armor from a friend. The same friend who got me the WP and got me my bronze armor. So yeah, my debt to him is greatly increased.. woot?


I went to level outside of the OutHorutoto ruins, it's kind of in the south eastern part of East Sarutabaruta, and there are some awesome encampments with fires that light up at night. Ran into a lot of easy preys.. Here are my favorite 2 screenshots I've taken in the game so far.



I believe this is leveling to level 8.. More leveling outside of OutHorutoto.


Ok, I'm sorry I never took screens of me doing Mission 2 itself.. but I came back a lot to fight stuff.. That place is always busy.


Ok, I didn't mean to stand on his summon.. he just started casting on top of me.. and carbuncle popped out of the ground. This is such an awesome thing to so, screens don't do it justice.


And all I have of my Mission 3(which Shireena kindly helped me through) is a lowly screen of my completing it.. Sad, no?


Ok, so .. I leveled, more and more boring pics of me just leveling in OutHorutoto, you would NOT want to see this. So here's a screen of me with my brand new beautiful scale male.. -minus the lgn. guantlets I would later acquire by way of AH.


Ok, so this next part.. is rather hillarious, my first.. humiliating defeat. My friend kadafi and I decide to go into the caves of InHorutoto. For those of you who know the ruins alone, they're a pushover. Real monsters hang out inside of the caves past this one cracked wall near the entrance. I was level 10, and Kadafi was as well I believe. And we provoke a beetle. It cons as tough for the both of us, but we defeat it with little HP left. We start healing and me(being the lowly noob) casts cure on kadafi. Not even SEEING the beetle that lay a few feet in front of us. Moments later kadafi and I are simultaneiously screaming "RUN!!!" So we are both off running, and we don't have a map for this place, HUGE mistake. It's a maze, it's amazing how simple this place is once you get an understanding for it. So anyway, we're running.. trying to retrace our steps.. and we run into a crowd of Magicked Bones. Sure, easy prey a moment ago, deadly foe now. And they ALL decide to aggro on us, every one of them, I'd say around 7. Then we run into 3 goblins, and they decide to do the same.. so I'm thinking 2 beetles, 7 Magicked Bones, 3 Goblin Weaver/Thugs. All following us, and we're trying to just ZONE for goodness' sake! So needless to say, we make no daring escape.. it ends with us collapsing, and this beautiful screenshot.


tha's it for now.. Enjoy my Shot of me running off into the sunset with my level 7 leather armor!!

[Alucath]

Heya all.. Another update to the adventures of Corwynn-Red Mage!

Now, in the last chapter of our story, "We just got GANKED!" and I leveled down, losing the ability to use my scale armor. So after going to West Sarutabaruta to kill easy preys, I leveled back up to 10, and headed back to brave the caves of DOOM!!

Only this time with a group of friends, and.. their friends, and so-on. Lythorian was an online friend of mine who I got into the game.. and Ardalus happened to roleplay with me on other games. Lythorian RPed and I didn't know it, and his friend Aonghus was a rather proficiant RPer, who initiated... said RP.
(man that's a lot of.. RP)


Here's the map(I got by way of quest) to the ruins, it helps a lot. I was debating on whether or not it was ethical to post this, but.. I already had a physical map of this thing in my strat guide(Which I mostly use to see what spells I want next.) and it didn't help at all without an in-game reference.


A lot of time passed.. The end of my experience; me running from the caves in terror as my buddies tried to kill the train behind me, because I wanted a save place to logout.(unfortunately I didn't get a screen of this)

Cut to a few days later and 0 levels later. My friend, Lythorian wants to level! I contact an old WHM, SUM, BLM, friend of mine(She's kind of a jack of all trades, in the more specific sense), and we headed out to Tahrongi from West Sarutabaruta(we lost Kaolla along the way somehow )


And I achieve a small goal, after falling behind in levels with my friend, I reach level 11!


After Kaolla disappears, Lythorian and I take on some Yagudo scum to try and get his level up!


And we head into the northern pass between West and East Sarutabaruta.. To be continued, next time!

[Dragon Ghost]

NICE Journal,I love that one picture of you fighting the goblin by the fire. Really nice screenshot. I seem to favor journals like this. But its really good man!

[Alucath]

Originally posted by Dragon Ghost
NICE Journal,I love that one picture of you fighting the goblin by the fire. Really nice screenshot. I seem to favor journals like this. But its really good man!

Thanks so much :D, I was wondering if anyone was reading it.. I mean.. 200 somethin' views is a lot!!

Anyway, the story continues.. and tonight, a couple of posts.. What happened after I left the desert. For now, though, let's finish off what we started.

Heading into Tahrongi Canyon, Lythorian and I found a group to kill things with! Share the love!



This is my first sighting of a ghost.. I really wanted to fight it x.x. Sometimes I'm a little naive.


Here we are, a little further into the actual canyon, spotting a Dhalmel. Remember, this is the first time I've ever thought of taking one of these on, and I'm a little leery. As are my friends, it seems.



And it dies!


With each fight knocking our health all the way down.. and pulling out all the stops for a measly 60-some XP.. we decide to keep on doing it.. because jool thinks it'd be fun =P.


Two closing pictures for this small update, beautiful sunset in the hells of tahrongi.. and running for dear life!



Corwynn decides it's time to hunt some pirates.. or will the pirates be hunting him? Next time in "Corwynn-Red Mage!"

[Dragon Ghost]

More,More!

[Alucath]

Before Corwynn's adventure begins anew; a few screens from the long leveling periods in Tahrongi Canyon, and the InHorutoto Ruins.

Obligatory shot of Ardalus :D!



Just a side note.. Marrius and Rymae=Awesome , and george is kewl too!

Anyway.. after this little adventure, trying to level up... I decided to see more of the world. Ardalus had headed out to San d'Oria previously, having heard the calling that all Elvaans do from their true home. Him being now.. close to 5 levels above me, I thought I could do some leveling around San d'Oria, and help him with a mission he was doing. So I said goodbye to my moghouse. Goodbye to the Cardians outfront.. Goodbye to the naked elvaan girl who liked selling things she couldn't possibly keep in her underwear(:O!)..




Having emptied my pockets, of all except neccessary items.. I headed out to uncertain adventure or doom!


After getting past Tahrongi(I won't take any screens of it.. since it doesn't really deserve to be in any guide.. ebil I tell you, eBiL! *clears throat* I headed through the Buburimu Peninsula(sp). I had only been here once.. It was raining, and I was slaughtered by an angry Goblin Butcher. But that's a different' story, here's me walking through the.. oddly snow covered rocks.


Half of Buburimu seems to consist of these very kewl looking spire type things.. They kind of look like spikes that I could be impailed on at any moment, Yay for optimism!


Ardalus came to meet me.. and a fellow traveler I had met along the way. Finally in Mhaura.. I'm so glad we didn't get aggro'd x.x!




Waiting at the docks, we met an RPer named Kittski. It was a breath of fresh air to see a fellow RPer besides Ardalus and Lythorian(Who were friends previous to FFXI anyway.) And she provided some fun on the boat. This screenshot shows some mild racism towards Tarus and a stupid pick up line by Arnon(still kind of funny.. :D)


The boat arives, and we start moving!


Arnon and I looking down at Kittski.. my character so easily looks letcherous x.x Though :O some people say he look sexy!(liars!)


I well up with tears when I realize that I'm leaving my only home. Well.. not really, but I thought Windurst looks really pretty from the boat.


Our boat lands, and more RPing insues.


Ardalus ends up leading an entire Party through the dunes.. But begins by casting deoderize on all of us.


Some pictures of us running through Ronfaure, which.. I have to say, is one of the most beautiful places I've seen in the game. I'm still considering moving to San d'Oria, JUST for Ronfaure. (I apologize for not taking pics during Valkrum and LaTheine.. I don't like LaTheine much anyway x.x).




Finally entering the Kingdom of San d'Oria, I was overwhelmed.. This place is beautiful.


My first attempts at Crafting. Ardalus showed me the Blacksmith's guild and started me out.


Ardalus was showing me around, but had to go. I headed out to Ghelsba.. Orcs.. and BRIDGES OF DOOM!!!



A breath-taking view of Ghelsba should hold you over till next update... Thanks for reading :D!


[edit: URL problems heh]

[Feaz]

great journal so far can't wait to see more, keep up the good work

[Zenon]

Loved the journal. I might do one when i get my video card.

[shuurajou]

Love the journal! Hopefully one day someone will read mine and it'll be popular like yours ^^v.

[Andokun]

Love the journal. i might ask to party with you when i get FFXI. i'll keep in touch

[Vyse]

Great Journal, but what video card are you using and what are your setting cause you pics look very nice.

[Alucath]

Andokun: Awesome.. as long as you don't have other plans.. try and get into the Lakshmi server!

Vyse: I'm using an ATI Radeon 9600 XT (128 MB) ... I got it for christmas, so consider me one of those christmas newbies.


Ok, everyone.. :O sorry I stopped updating. I played for quite a while, forgetting to turn on my SS taker x.x. But, good news.. I recently did mission 2-3 for Windurst, and killed the dragon. I did get some screens of that, which I will post soon. Hopefully some more screens in general, all. I'm glad I got some readers who like it!

Edit: settings are pretty much.. at max.. I need more ram, so sometimes it lags at AH and in big groups(like at delfkutt tower in Quifm where 3 PTs are camping). I hacked the registry(if you can call it that) to up background texture res.. but it slowed down my camera movement while I was just walking in E Sarutabaruta. I thought that was kinda integral... so I changed it back lol.

[Andokun]

Lakshmi? lemme write that down. cant wait till it comes out