Katzil
02-22-2006, 01:52 AM
<div></div><div>I posted, then self-moved the following from <a target="_blank" href="http://eqiiforums.station.sony.com/eq2/board/message?board.id=games&message.id=32266&jump=true#M32266">here</a>. It was inappropriate there (arguably here as well, I suppose).</div><div> </div><div><p><font color="#ffffcc"><font size="3" color="#ffffff">The bitter wind buffeted my uncovered face with millions of icy daggers. It was cold. Colder than I could have ever imagined Everfrost to be. I suppose it's what I should have expected given its all-too-appropriate name. I took a wrong turn on my way to Antonica and ended up in this hellish frozen tundra. But time wasn't pressing, so I decided to check things out a bit. After nearly being mangled by a megalodon, I decided I was better off in my ship and will continue the journey to Antonica after procuring a few provisions.</font></font><span><font face="Comic Sans MS" color="#ffffcc"></font></span></p><p><span><font color="#ffffcc"><font face="Comic Sans MS">“This is no place for a wood elf”, I thought to himself, shivering .. but it wasn’t the first time I’d taken a wrong turn lately.<span> </span>Recently my mind had become foggy .. and my former ability to track using the northern waypoint star has me so confused I feel fortunate when I can stay on dry land!<span> </span></font></font></span></p><p><span><font face="Comic Sans MS" color="#ffffcc"></font></span> </p><p><span><font color="#ffffcc"><font face="Comic Sans MS">I inspected my armour .. and noticed that I was a lot colder because of the maul marks that Megalodon left in the chain breastplate.<span> </span>Only a few weeks ago, that beast would have been roasting over a nice fire right now.<span> </span></font></font></span></p><p><span><font face="Comic Sans MS" color="#ffffcc"></font></span> </p><p><span><font face="Comic Sans MS" color="#ffffcc">I took a deep breath.<span> </span>The chill that resulted went right to my toes.<span> </span>Ahh .. those toes .. what a loss.<span> </span>For reasons I still don’t comprehend, my former ability to kite and do damage with a bow has completely gone.<span> </span>Fast on my feet only a few weeks ago, and able to dance with the best of them, the gods chose to side with the evil casting groups .. and I can no reliably longer pull down anything stronger than an elderly </font><a target="_blank" href="http://eq2.ogaming.com/db/bestiary/ALowlandBadger.php"><font face="Comic Sans MS" color="#ffffcc">lowland badger</font></a><font color="#ffffcc"><font face="Comic Sans MS"> with it’s back to me.<span> </span>“Why?”, he asks himself.<span> </span>They still have root.<span> </span>Why would rangers be singled out to remove their ability to solo?<span> </span>It seems so unfair.</font></font></span></p><p><span><font face="Comic Sans MS" color="#ffffcc"></font></span> </p><p><span><font color="#ffffcc"><font face="Comic Sans MS">Reflecting more on the lost battle, it suddenly came clearer .. only a few weeks ago, my highest damage recurring skill ceased to be effective in most situations.<span> </span>‘Stream of Arrows’ was a wonderful ability.<span> </span>It was his only high-damage attack that could be enacted from afar .. but still worked when the target was up-close-and-personal.<span> </span>Earlier today, that Megalodon had closed the gap after a single shot had been fired.<span> </span>Getting a single shot off sure didn’t help matters.<span> </span>Yes, it was still useful in groups .. but who will want a has-been ranger to adventure with?</font></font></span></p><p><span><font face="Comic Sans MS" color="#ffffcc"></font></span> </p><p><span><font color="#ffffcc"><font face="Comic Sans MS">I hung my head a bit lower .. but this time it wasn’t the cold.<span> </span>“I must have seriously angered the gods”.<span> </span>It was not just the loss of kiting .. nor the loss of his most effective attack .. but the compounding skill losses that have been heaped upon me like those stacks of unused nacre left lying around after the harvesting farmers were done for the day.<span> </span>I started to add them up in my mind .. and my head sank ever lower ..</font></font></span></p><p><span><font color="#ffffcc"><font face="Comic Sans MS"><span> </span>- A couple weeks ago, his trusty</font></font><a target="_blank" href="http://eq2.ogaming.com/db/items/PolishedGraniteTomahawk.php"><font face="Comic Sans MS" color="#ffffcc"> Polished Granite Tomahawk</font></a><font color="#ffffcc"><font face="Comic Sans MS"> .. a weapon that used to strike fear into enemies throughout my entire youth .. ceased to proc while using a ranged attack.<span> </span>Sure, I’d switched to even better ones .. but the emotional loss had been devastating.<span> </span></font></font></span></p><p><span><font color="#ffffcc"><font face="Comic Sans MS"><span> </span>- Around that same time, I found my off-hand weapon ceased to proc as well.<span> </span>How in Norrath could such a thing have happened?<span> </span>It wasn’t overpowering the way it was.<span> </span>My melee skills have always been secondary anyway.<span> </span>Yet, it too was gone forever.</font></font></span></p><p><span><font color="#ffffcc"><font face="Comic Sans MS"><span> </span>- My ability to proc several times with the same ability was not gone too.<span> </span>Triple arrow had a small chance of triggering fairly large damage.<span> </span>Now only an initial hit will yield a chance at additional damage.<span> </span>Stream of Arrow?<span> </span>An enormous loss.<span> </span></font></font></span></p><p><span><font color="#ffffcc"><font face="Comic Sans MS"><span> </span>- Having supplemented my abilities by using a slower primary weapon, I awoke this morning to find that even that advantage had left.<span> </span>Fewer procs is lower damage .. and repairing this armour after today’s incident with the Megalodon won’t be the last time it’ll be necessary to be sure.</font></font></span></p><p><span><font color="#ffffcc"><font face="Comic Sans MS"><span> </span>- My stealth attack had been disabled as well.<span> </span>“What kind of ranger can’t reliably do damage from behind his solo opponent?” I thought<span> </span>to myself.<span> </span>But the opponents turned too quickly now .. far faster than my ability to engage this ability as I’d done ever since I’d been a young ranger roaming the Forest Ruins in behind Baubbleshire.</font></font></span></p><p><span><font color="#ffffcc"><font face="Comic Sans MS"><span></span></font></font></span> </p><p><span><font color="#ffffcc"><font face="Comic Sans MS">My stomach started to ache.<span> </span>Was it the incessant skill degredation .. or the current lack of food.<span> </span>It didn’t matter for the moment.<span> </span>The hunger still had to be appeased.<span> </span>Sure would’ve been nice to be hunting in a group like the good old days.<span> </span>I haven’t heard from my friends today.<span> </span>Sure hope they’re ok.<span> </span>I suspect that caster who had been lurking around making snide comments may be with them now.<span> </span>Oh well .. I’ve never been one to carry a grudge .. it’s time to go hunting for food.<span> </span>This is one thing I’ve always been good at.<span> </span>Unlike my caster friends, I’ve never had the money to buy my own food .. and hunting it just seemed ‘right’ somehow.<span> </span>I sighed again .. as the image brought forth memories of fortunes lost.<span> </span>Yes, I paid dearly for the ability to use poisons effectively in combat.<span> </span>Sure, others used their gold on fancy houses or fast horses.<span> </span>I took pride instead in my ability to make my group proud.<span> </span>But that too is in the past .. and today, there’s hunting to be done.</font></font></span></p><p><span><font face="Comic Sans MS" color="#ffffcc"></font></span> </p><p><span><font color="#ffffcc"><font face="Comic Sans MS">As I glanced down to check my quiver, I looked upon my ring collection.<span> </span>Heirlooms they are .. er .. were ..<span> </span>Even they were damaged in the storm last night .. a shattered fraction of their former selves.<span> </span>“Can’t count on them anymore either”, I thought to myself.<span> My eyes fell to my arrows .. once a source of pride. Now, grey for several seasons, falling to ruin .. there they sit. Upgrade to player crafted? If only the woodworkers back in town didn't detest making them. "Hardest item to make in Norrath" they say .. "no point in spending the time and cost .. you'll just shoot it away and want more anyway". I've tried to argue, even tried to make them myself, only to find out they were right all along. </span></font></font></span></p><p><span><font color="#ffffcc"><font face="Comic Sans MS"><span></span></font></font></span> </p><p><span><font color="#ffffcc"><font face="Comic Sans MS"><span>How could I have been so b</span>etrayed?<span> </span>It’s truly hard to fathom .. </font></font></span></p><p><span><font face="Comic Sans MS" color="#ffffcc"></font></span> </p><p><span><font color="#ffffcc"><font face="Comic Sans MS">I shook my head.<span> </span>I’ve never been a pessimist!<span> </span>What’s come over me?<span> </span>I must look to the future.<span> </span>Surely it will be brighter.<span> </span>I reflected on the last communiqué I’d read before setting off toward Antonica.<span> </span>Oh by the lords.<span> </span>I’d put it out of my mind ‘til now.<span> </span>Even the future looks grim.<span> </span>Yes, a few seasons ago, I’d been bestowed with two good gifts.<span> </span>The ability to lay a trap .. and the ability to do incredible damage with a single cast of the bow.<span> </span>Surely, after everything they’ve done, the gods will bestow a future enhancement to these abilities.<span> </span>But the communiqué said otherwise.<span> </span>The quote rang in his mind .. “yes, while the battles you face will increase in intensity .. it’s been deemed that you are unworthy of skill upgrades”.<span> "Unworthy" .. the adjective stung like the cold of the Everfrost wind.</span></font></font></span></p><p><span><font face="Comic Sans MS" color="#ffffcc"></font></span> </p><p><span><font face="Comic Sans MS" color="#ffffcc">I looked out over the frozen tundra .. heart heavy.<span> </span>There, in the distance .. </font><a target="_blank" href="http://eq2.ogaming.com/db/bestiary/ARat.php"><font face="Comic Sans MS" color="#ffffcc">a worthy foe</font></a><font color="#ffffcc"><font face="Comic Sans MS"> .. and likely dinner for the next few months.<span> </span>Slowly I set out .. dreading the adventures ahead. </font></font></span></p></div>