The Deerfolk appeared on the small teleportation platform near the Deerfolk settlement in the mountains, BvanMimanme. The Deerfolk ran over to the settlement and found the NPC again. Despite the impressive antlers and stature…
…less than ten minutes later, Manda appeared at the teleport again after having died.
[Guild] Manda Munbi: assistance pls?
[Guild] Manda Munbi:i keep getting koed by the roots
[Guild] Memmi Bvinanka: pre-4.0 content? i’m also stuck on the roots
[Guild] Manda Munbi: did you just log on?
[Guild] Memmi Bvinanka:i did
[Guild] Manda Munbi: herb quest?
[Guild] Memmi Bvinanka: y
[Guild] Thor Pendragon: I’m also stuck
[Guild] Nyora Xiishhhh:omgthor it’s been forever!
[Guild] Thor Pendragon: I was surprised to find that I could remember my pw
[Guild] Thor Pendragon: and even more surprised to find that I didn’t get kicked while AWOL
[Guild] Nyora Xiishhhh:i’m shocked to see you too!
Manda teleported to the guild house and checked the guild chest for items that could perhaps boost the Mountain Stag. Unfortunately, there wasn’t anything, so, while at it, the Stag opted to water the plants and increase the gardening skill a fraction.
[Guild] Thor Pendragon: does the guild still quest together? Since we’re all stuck on the same quest we could do it together.
[Guild] Thor Pendragon: if anyone’s up for it, I mean.
[Guild] Memmi Bvinanka: who are you?
[Guild] Nyora Xiishhhh: right!
[Guild] Nyora Xiishhhh:thor joined before you did memmi
[Guild] Nyora Xiishhhh: like, a lot before
[Guild] Nyora Xiishhhh:ithink he’s a founding member
[Guild] Thor Pendragon: I wasn’t. but I knewDoamannu from before
Manda returned to the settlement and spoke to the NPC again.
“There is a herb on the south side of Deer Mountain. I need fifty of it to make the medicine. Speak with the floral elf among the Roots to know which locations you’ll find the herb in. Apparently, it’s ephemeral in nature. Or perhaps some critters just eat it.”
[Guild] Nyora Xiishhhh:thor, i have some old gear i don’t need. i bought some new gear from the crafter
[Guild] Thor Pendragon: no, I’m good. thxtho
Manda began moving out of the settlement, while sending a party request to both Memmi and the oldie. Manda stopped before the dangerous area of the map.
Thor Pendragon accepted the party invitation.
[Party] Thor Pendragon:thx friend
[Party] Manda Munbi:np
MemmiBvinanka accepted the party invitation.
[Party] Manda Munbi:i’m by the entrance to the south side
Soon Thor and Memmi had both joined Manda. Memmi was a Rogue main, while Manda was a Brawler main. Turned out Thor Pendragon was a Fighter main. Neither Brawler nor Fighter had a tank build so all three were DPSes.
They figured it should be fine, anyway. They were such an extremely high level between the three of them after all.
[Guild] Thor Pendragon: This is ridiculous
[Guild] Nyora Xiishhhh: again?
[Guild] Manda Munbi: again
They had already died thrice by now, all three of them wiping to the whipping of the Roots. It truly was outrageous how difficult this was.
Memmi waited by the boundary for the Mountain Stag and the Dreadman to arrive so they could make another attempt. When they joined the Forest Roe, all three of them stood idle for some time.
[Party] Manda Munbi: why do these hit so hard?
[Party] Memmi Bvinanka:its the crabs all over again
[Party] Thor Pendragon: oh god I forgot about the crabs!!
They chatted for a while more before giving it another go.
…And got a fraction further in, only for Memmi to get mauled by a Dryad, and Thor and Manda hit by more roots.
[Guild] Manda Munbi: ASSISTANCE PLS X3 tank or healer
[Guild] Nyora Xiishhhh:sry, not healer or tank
[Guild] Teenam Mortana: gm what is everyone up to today??
[Guild] Teenam Mortana: Entertain me while I’m having breakfast!
[Guild] Teenam Mortana: It’s ice cream and iced tea. Too hot for normal stuff.
[Guild] Nyora Xiishhhh: we arn’t your breakfast entertainment b-word
[Guild] Thor Pendragon:TEENAM?!
[Guild] Teenam Mortana: THOR FVCK YOU
[Guild] Thor Pendragon: didn’t you play competitively??
[Guild] Teenam Mortana: I THOUGHT YOU QUIT PLAYING LIKE 5 YEARS AGO???
[Guild] Teenam Mortana: Yeah. I used to. But I switched guilds because PRDTR are too restrictive. We had a disagreement when I quit too
[Guild] Thor Pendragon: they put in so many resources into you and you QUIT?
[Guild] Teenam Mortana: I’m a world-class healer in Haven now tho. I wasn’t while competing to be one.
[Guild] Teenam Mortana: Not this last Haven tho. Just the Haven before that
[Guild] Teenam Mortana: How’s school?
[Guild] Thor Pendragon:lmao, already finished years ago.
[Guild] Thor Pendragon: congrats on being th best in the world
[Guild] Thor Pendragon: I rememberDoamannu used to invite you to be our healer back then. Are you still a little poo to people?
[Guild] Teenam Mortana: always darling
[Party] Manda Munbi: are you done yet? weneed to continue
[Guild] Thor Pendragon: Gotta catch up later Teenam. We’re off to die to some roots
[Guild] Teenam Mortana: Give me the deets. Who is dying where and to what?
[Guild] Nyora Xiishhhh: Thor, Memmi and Manda are doing the pre-4.0 herb quest and are dying to the roots
[Guild] Teenam Mortana: lol deserved for hubris? perfect breakfast entertainment for me though.
[Guild] Teenam Mortana: Keep me posted lmao
Manda was mildly amused by Teenam’s delight in their failure.
Manda was the first to die the next round and ran back to the NPC.
Next to the NPC was an idling Moontail in a white cloak with a moon circlet and a sparkle to the cloak. It held a staff and, as soon as Manda arrived, the fox cast a couple of buffs.
Teenam Mortana: You’re very welcome
Manda Munbi: didn’t ask for them
Teenam Mortana:np
Teenam Mortana: I’ll make you beg in every raid in the future.
Manda headed over to the border again and waited for the other two. When the other two arrived, they headed into the area.
Thor went in first because his constitution was naturally higher even as a DPS Fighter main, followed by Memmi who was the most agile. Manda went last as the second hardest hitter.
They sprinted past the first section with the Dryads, then reached a clearing with a boar where they snuck past to avoid getting attacked while recovering stamina. Then they tried to sprint again, but Thor managed to avoid the root by dodging, he got hit in the back as Memmi jumped out of the way for a different branch that came swinging at her. Manda got caught in the backswing and flew back, stunned. The board notices the Mountain Stag in the bush and came at Manda with the wrath of any feral pig.
Thor and Manda respawned at the teleport and went for the NPC. Memmi had caught up before Manda had finished talking to it.
There was no Teenam waiting for them this time.
[Guild] Memmi Bvinanka: where did you go t?
[Guild] Thor Pendragon: We need your buffs
[Guild] Teenam Mortana:Manda didn’t want me.
[Guild] Nyora Xiishhhh: LMAO
[Guild] Memmi Bvinanka: …
[Guild] Memmi Bvinanka:ok
The trio rushed to the opening again and headed in among the dryads.
Right as Thor was about to get hit by one that was especially aggressive, vines shot out of the ground and wrapped themselves around the enemy, who screeched and froze in place. Manda ran past, only to see a Moontail in leather armour with a spear in paw. The tinted fox shrieked and drummed the butt of the spear on the ground. A light spread out and enveloped an area, boosting the trio’s morale.
[Party] Memmi Bvinanka: which job is that??
The Moontail ran ahead using the Foxkin’s special dash, and they only saw it again once they approached the opening of the clearing. When they were almost there, the avatar thumped against the ground rhythmically while yipping verses. It wasn’t as melodic as a Bard’s singing, but it was clearly not supposed to be random yips.
This yipping gave the trio a healing buff. It was followed by the more than familiar Velkrinni’s Blessing. The Moontail then cast Velkrinni’s Embrace as well.
The two Deerfolk and the Human moved past and snuck through the clearing to avoid the boar. Then Manda heard a sound and turned around to see the Moontail cast Bind on it, just like on the Dryad, and used skills to attack the boar with both the spear and the yipping. The little fox wasn’t particularly powerful in strength, but with how agile all Foxkin were naturally, the off-white Moontail could attack, then move, then attack again from a different angle.
Thor went into the fray, with Memmi joining too, and Manda had to concede to the majority and joined to take it down.
With a Cleric strong enough to take multiple hits from a boar and agile enough to kite it, it didn’t take too long for the three DPSes to kill it once they joined in.
[Guild] Manda Munbi:thx T
[Guild] Teenam Mortana: I’m just levelling up my character
[Party] Thor Pendragon: invite him
Manda sent an invite to the annoying fox.
TeenamMortana has accepted the invitation to your party.
The Foxkin thumped the spear and yipped in verses. The party received another buff, the Warrior Poet’s Aura. Manda investigated this unfamiliar buff and found that it enhanced morale and attack increasingly the more one was attacked or attacked. It was a party-only spell.
Teenam cast the spell a second time to stack it. Then a third time to stack another time, making ninety seconds long. It then cast Haste on the entire party.
[Party] Teenam Mortana: continue. I’ll keep you alive. These roots are virtually level 750 or above even if it says lvl 500. They’re difficult to deal with for anyone below lvl 800 or so.
Thor, Manda and Memmi all continued to the next section.
Haste really helped with reaching the next NPC, a Floral Fae, living at the foot of the mountain. It told the three to head to the basin north of the mountain, as well as a hollow tree, and the Dryad King’s Dwelling.
[Party] Teenam Mortana: The Hollow Tree is the closest. The Dryad King is the most difficult, so it’s better this way.
Manda watched as Teenam turned to go straight for the basin.
Thor didn’t seem to hesitate over this, but Manda needed a moment to recalibrate slightly, expecting to head to the tree.
Memmi was the last to react, but soon they were all led by a fox to the basin, which was farthest from the Faekin.
The basin was named the Trap on the map. The lore was that it originally had a different name, but people got stuck so often they renamed it. Manda wasn’t sure if this was true, but it was somewhat fun lore. It wouldn’t have been the first time they renamed something. Bear Adversary was famously renamed for a similar reason in the early days.
Teenam jumped down a steep path that wasn’t as difficult for Manda or Memmi as it was for the sole Human. Being a Mountain Stag, this terrain was easy, as long as Manda didn’t miss the tiny ledges for those with advantages similar to the stags.
The Human must have missed one of the larger ledges or tried for one not suitable for Humans and tumbled to his death at the bottom. Manda watched as Teenam simply jumped down to the bottom, losing about three quarters of his health, to resurrect Thor.
Manda arrived at the bottom next while Memmi got there last, missing the last ledge but not losing any life. Teenam cast new spells and skills, the Moontail yipping in rhythm while thumping the spear. Then three damage-dealers had to search for their herbs.
You’ve obtained a moonlight herb.
[Guild] Teenam Mortana: I hate life rn
[Guild] Nyora Xiishhhh: why??
[Guild] Teenam Mortana: work is hard
[Guild] Nyora Xiishhhh: weren’t you taking this week off to clear the new raids??
You’ve obtained a moonlight herb.
After being still for a moment, Teenam suddenly moved and attacked a root part of the environment near Manda with his spear. The root began moving and tried to whip the fox, who had already moved away from where T initially stood. Teenam kept moving around, attacking, using skills and chipped away at its life a little at a time, occasionally buffing the three of them.
[Party] Teenam Mortana: Keep an eye out for living roots. They hide until you come near or attack.
You obtained a moonlight herb.
[Party] Teenam Mortana: The tell is a slight shake that happens occasionally
[Guild] Teenam Mortana: I have a break. First three more days for the raids. Then I’m going abroad for two or three weeks
[Guild] Teenam Mortana: so I got up to a month off from work.
[Party] Teenam Mortana: Also try avoid dying fam. I can work with non-death the best.
[Party] Thor Pendragon: Way to take a jab at me for falling off a cliff.
Manda went to pick up the next herb. The Stag crouched down to pick it up. With a skittish jump, the Deerfolk avoided the swing of a root that suddenly came alive. Manda returned the attack with a charge, a kick, several punches. The health was quickly down a fifth because of the Stag’s high strength. Teenam was still dealing with the other root. This was fine. It took Teenam ages to kill anything, even with STR boosting items because of the penalty of cleric mains. The roots had a lot of health too, so naturally, a weak Foxkin chipping away at it could take several minutes.
Manda could do this alone. It wasn’t that difficult; with knowledge of the mechanic, a few buffs, and high enough raw strength, this Mountain Stag could brute-force a victory. It wouldn’t even take more than a minute or two, for sure.
Having just performed a confident self-congratulation, Manda got stunned by a swing of a root that wasn’t dodged. This strong brawler brutally passed away while majestically immovable, whipped into a corpse by vegetation.
[Guild] Teenam Mortana: LMAO you should have seen the way Manda just died lol
[Guild] Teenam Mortana: Letting my ice cream melt for this was so worth it
Being mocked after an embarrassing death was fine. It was a cheap price for not needing to take the penalty of a respawn at the teleport.
After Manda was resurrected, they had no other major incidents. Teenam didn’t specifically tell them to, but after this death, they would join Teenam in attacking after picking their herbs to free up the Cleric faster so T could buff and heal as needed instead of kiting a root while the damage-dealers died.
Once all herbs they could find were picked, Teenam told them to get out of the basin… before simply teleporting out to the nearest town. Teenam’s level was simply so high that when alone, the fox could apparently stroll past these roots without a care, and rather did so than trying to find a way out of the Trap.
Thor had only just managed to leave the basin when Teenam strolled up to them in T’s usual white cloak and tunic. The fox changed gear once again.
[Party] Memmi Bvinanka: what job is that, t?
[Party] Teenam Mortana:Skald. I hate it. I need to work so hard with it.
[Party] Manda Munbi: then play something else
[Party] Teenam Mortana:ok
The fox switched back and equipped a faintly shimmering lute and equipped full sparkles, even sacrificing the cloak for more of them. T looked ridiculous.
[Party] Teenam Mortana: There you go. Now I have no attack power.
“…”
Good for T.
After this farce, however, the fox brought them to the Hollow Tree. They entered the clearing around the trunk through a rock formation.
Teenam then got still and didn’t type for a long time either. Then…
[Guild] Teenam Mortana: Anyone remember the tell for the underground roots by the hollow tree?
[Guild] Chu Ghilon: underground roots???? tell??????
[Guild] Teenam Mortana: Baby Fae! Did you just log on? What are you up to today?
[Guild] Manda Munbi: focus. what is the tell?
[Guild] Chu Ghilon:i’m finishing up the last quest before the final raid before thornbound
[Guild] Teenam Mortana: You already finished the main questline? Awesome! Are you doing the raid today or some other day?
[Guild] Thor Pendragon: Oh a newbie?
[Guild] Teenam Mortana: Thor, meet our newest recruit, Chu Ghilon, a Solar Fae. He joined almost a year ago. I’ve raised him as my own.
[Guild] Chu Ghilon:fox-mom, since when have you raised me??
[Guild] Chu Ghilon:i don’t thinki’ll be able to get through the raid too before ineed to make myself sleep.
[Guild] Memmi Bvinanka: rare occasion when i and chughilon are playing at the same time
[Guild] Chu Ghilon: night shifts again. need to wind down a little. wasn’t a good day
[Guild] Teenam Mortana: Chu Ghilon, my sweet daughter, meet Thor. He joined the guild early after it was made. I remember when I joined one of their raids on the side of being in PRDTR’s C-rank raid team and had to keep saving his sorry butt. He was a college dropout who had just and back to school back then.
[Guild] Teenam Mortana: How are you holding up, baby? Meet me at the guild house in fifteen? I’ll help you get through the questline and raid
[Guild] Memmi Bvinanka: we got abandoned pretty fast
[Guild] Teenam Mortana:fvck you. I adopted this cute fae when he joined. He’s my son now.
[Guild] Chu Ghilon:i can manage on my own. no need to change your plans @Teenam Mortana
[Guild] Teenam Mortana: BS! Family is highest priority.
[Party] Teenam Mortana: I looked up the tell. I’ll help you with the tree and then you can do whatever you want. Be done within 15 min before I teleport to the guild house. I don’t care
Teenam then explained how to tell when there was a root nearby and then went over what happens if the hollow tree wakes up and explained in detail how three dps might survive. The Moontail clearly had no plans on remaining with them until that happened it seemed…
Manda had learned the lesson offered; Teenam was unreliable.