Slight format change with the images. Having graduated to Fraps, I can now get full-screen JPEGs (we're talkin' 1920 by 1080, almost four times the default in-game size!) at only a slight jump in file size (from around 50k to 140k or so).
Because Tam made me feel guilty about resizing the images instead of making smaller images for display, I've even gone so far as to make minuscule images the size of typical FFXI screenshots! It's really not that much effort, and I did kinda bug me anyway, so I guess I should be grateful!
Much rambling ahead!
Since I was already there upon logging, first up was to finally get a map of the deserts, and trade in my venom for a samurai sword I won't be able to use for who knows how long!
Next up, which the party united, I summoned Clearite, who had thankfully moved on to a different top, the same one I had wore for a while. Between the shades, the armor, and the big ol' claymore, she's lookin' pretty badass!
Things started simple enough as we knocked out a couple pages as I was half-AFK. Of course, I ended up being fully not AFK for this, heehee.
Then things got fun when out of nowhere an Eastern Sphinx Notorious Monster decided to aggro us! We fought deftly, and despite a few close calls pulled through.
Turns out it was spawned from a quest, and a trio of guys starting whining up a storm, big time, without even letting us explain. It didn't matter that we were aggroed, or that disengaging could've gotten us killed, or that they feebly sent a few /says that got lost in the fog instead of doing a /tell, which would've stayed at the top of my list, or that their stupid monster was set to respawn within 10-15 minutes anyway (and I was trying to help by pointing that out), we were jerks!
So once they flipped out, we followed suit. Even better, Israfel decided he wanted to baawwwww at Tam, who responded every single time with "Mommiiieee!" Of course, it wasn't more than seven or eight minutes before their NM respawned - they had killed it before we even finished talking! When the dude decided to cool down and let me talk, I explained things to him and smoothed things over, just to be the bigger man (and now to brag that I'm the bigger man!).
In short, we destroyed their NM, we burned them seven times over, and we came out looking like the bigger men (and woman!). I'd say THC Unlimited, Ltd., pretty much proved we're magnificent bastards.
Then it was down to hunt for a Star Spinal - er, Spinel. Things were going smoothly until, you know, I forgot to cast Sneak on myself and aggroed a couple Girtab scorpions. Their deathscissors were doing 600+ damage, so after me (and Clearite and Delphyne!) and Ham fell, Tam made a quick exit, returning shortly to sleep the scorps so we could reraise and heal!
Things genuinely did smooth out, as it only took a handful of Spelunking Sabotender to score not only the gem but also Clearite a level!
And there was much rejoicing.
With a level so close, but time ticking, we opted for one more page. I decided it was time to bring disco back to Vana'Diel. Shortly afterwards, Ham and I can be seen in pitched battle, while Tam decided to throw open her arms and soak in the rays from that glorious sun.
Oh, and I did nab L61, which was cool!
So it turns out that not only had I already activated the NPC weapon quest, I was already five levels into it, earning me a wall of text from Luto, most of which makes no sense without a weapon-giving in between! Of course, there were no Mythril Claymores on the market...
Figured I might as well start the L65 limit break, Riding on the Clouds, since it's all footwork and I could do it easily between now and 65!
I also had a nice little discussion in /shouts about Pandora's Ru'LudeMart and how it killed Rolanmart. She mentioned people moved inside the city after the Auction House taxes were removed, and Ru'Lude Gardens were a good place since Whitegate warps in right there. Fair enough.
Also turns out she's naked, but she's got a bazaar up, so it's cool.
One final shot of Clearite, having glamorized her "legs," to make her armor match much better! She doesn't show a ton of thigh like before now, but I guess you take the good with the bad, m i rite?
It was finally time to get Eireen to clear out her box, having stuff both from her partner Cinnaris and ever-helpful Tam! Between a few chests from Tam, an extra table and painting from Cin, and Cin's old bed she's rocked for a while, the house is starting to look like a home!
I think I may have to keep that little grouping of dollhouses and bonbori, though!
