Exterminators : Prelude

Since it's been a long while I've written anything, I think I'm ripe for a fresh start. So starting today, I'll be jumping forward in my career to the day I was introduced to Exterminators, a static group within my old francophone linkshell.

It was a time when I wasn't going much of anywhere in my career. I gave up Ranger due to the high cost of materials. I mostly jumped from job to job, for whatever meager reason I had in mind at the time. Most of them didn't get to see the dunes before I switched over to something else yet again. Some of my friends wondered when I'd finally set my mind to adventuring past the L50 threshold, see how I'd react facing my first trial with Maat.

Fortune smiled upon me one day.

Kinah >> Hey Coeurl! Doing anything today?
Coeurl >> Oh, not much. Harvesting in Sarutabaruta.
Kinah >> Oh! Fancying being a Samurai now?
Coeurl >> ...How did yo-
Kinah >> Did a quick /search.
Coeurl >> Oh.
Kinah >> Anyways, I want to ask you something.
Coeurl >> Ok, ask away.
Kinah >> Would-ar-you be interested to join our static?

I heard about their static from time to time. It sounded like fun, to go to places always with the same people. They sometimes shared their experience with the linkshell, especially the funnier parts, like the wiping, the counter-camping, the whinning... You know, good ol' drama stuff.

Coeurl >> I'd be honored, but...
Coeurl >> I thought you were already full?
Kinah >> Yah... about that...
Kinah >> Ririont can't do it anymore.
Coeurl >> Riri's quitting?
Kinah >> Oh heavens no! He just has a tighter schedule.
Kinah >> So we're looking for someone to replace him.
Kinah >> And I thought you could fit in nicely!
Coeurl >> That's sweet! So... what level is the static anyway?
Kinah >> We just got our L40.
Coeurl >> Ok... and Riri was a Thief, right?
Kinah >> Yup!
Coeurl >> Okay... Dang, only job that's close is my Ranger.
Kinah >> Um...
Coeurl >> Dang it... That means I'd have to lose three levels,
Coeurl >> and spend all my free time farming for arrows...
Coeurl >> Elemental arrows really aren't cheap...
Kinah >> Um, no Coeurl, that's not what we had in mind.
Coeurl >> Uh... but if it's not my Ranger,
Coeurl >> then I don't have any jobs in that range.
Kinah >> But didn't you level up Thief back in the day?
Coeurl >> Well, yah, but I quit the moment I hit L30.
Kinah >> Alrightaru! Then it's settled!
Coeurl >> Uh, what?
Kinah >> We'll wait for you to get your Thief up to speed!
Kinah >> You still have your Leaping Boots and Hairpin?
Coeurl >> Umm, yah, I used them as I leveled Ranger.
Kinah >> Then you already have the big pieces, right?
Coeurl >> Well yah...
Kinah >> Good! How long do you think it'll take you
Kinah >> to catch up to us?
Coeurl >> I dunno... maybe two weeks?

Coeurl braces up for a negative reaction

Kinah >> Great-aru! We'll be ready the moment you hit 40!
Coeurl >> O-o-okay... So it's not too long?
Kinah >> Oh not at all! What's two more weeks at this point?
Coeurl >> Uh... what do you mean?
Kinah >> It's already been a month since our last static.
Kinah >> Knowing we can count on you sure beats having to
Kinah >> postpone a static each time due to schedule conflicts.
Coeurl >> O-okay... I'll g-get started right away.

I couldn't believe the pressure up on my shoulders at that point. I had only two weeks to meet the expectations I've set. So I started to gather all the gear I could to perform as a Thief that day, and swore that all my efforts would go towards getting the level to get the static back on the road. That was a real rush, twirling my thumbs impatiently waiting for an invitation each night, hoping I would be lucky enough to get another level closer to my goal. One level per day seemed reasonable to me, with a few days without any invites in the mix. That would amount to two weeks I figured.

I figured wrong. It took me only one week.

I felt extremely lucky through it all. I was whisked through the last two levels in the Jungle, straight into Garlaige (gosh I still hate the poor floor condition of that place), and tackled the Crawler's Nest. At the start, I had doubts that I'd be able to perform after so long not being a Thief, but thankfully from my Ranger training, my skill with daggers was already strong enough for me to do the good ol' Viper Bite the moment I was the appropriate level. And SATA wasn't too hard for me to learn to do properly, thankfully.

My most surprising party on my way to L40 was in Crawler's Nest. We had a SAM/MNK/THF/WHM/BLM/RDM setup. The Samurai was both our leader and the tank, and had appropriate gear for the task, so it really was a breeze to cut through those crawlers. Mid-way in the party, the leader complimented me in the most surprising of ways.

Samurai >> Wow Coeurl, you sure are a good Thief!

Coeurl blushes embarrasingly

Coeurl >> I'm sure there are plenty of other good Thieves out there.
Samurai >> No-no-no! I'm serious!
Samurai >> So much I'd like you to join my static.

Coeurl stares blankly at invisible headlights.

Samurai >> What? Did I say something wrong?
Coeurl >> Oh no, nothing like that! I just feel so...
Coeurl >> well... so... happy.
Samurai >> So it's a yes?
Coeurl >> I'm terribly sorry, but I have to decline.
Coeurl >> I'm already preparing myself to join my friend's static.
Samurai >> Oh, damn, what a bummer.
Samurai >> Your friends sure are lucky to have you on board.

Coeurl turns redder than a beat.

That Samurai made me feel like I was on the right track with what I was doing, from pulling to splitting Sneak and Trick Attacks when necessary. I think I thanked him and his friends for their party three times over before disbanding. That was the best compliment I could have ever received. I felt bad for having to turn him down.

At least I finally got to my L40... and about 2,000 xp overhead. So to top it all off, I set my HP in Upper Jeuno and went out to let myself be killed by the goblins at the campfire right outside town. Damn it was annoying to see them miss so often. Someone passing by thought it was a good idea to throw me a strong Cure, thinking I was in danger. I told him about what I was trying to do.

Helper >> Oh, so odd to see someone actually want to lose experience, sorry.
Coeurl >> No problem, you couldn't have known.
Coeurl >> Damn, they just keep on missing me and hitting for crap!
Helper >> You know... You might want to dress down a little.
Coeurl >> WHY YOU PERV-wait... I see your point, thank you!

Indeed, taking down my Emperor Hairpin as well as pretty much everything but my body and legs armor (I am too much self-conscious to go out practically naked) sped up the process exponentially. Must have seemed bizzare for my random helper to see me waving goodbye and smiling at him while goblins stabbed me 'til I fell unconscious.

Yah, that night, I went to my Mog House with the feeling of having accomplished my duty. I talked to Kinah, and she told me to get ready for our first static meeting the next Darksday. I was so excited I had trouble finding sleep that night. Easy leveling, here I come!

Return to Ordinary

Seems things haven't changed much in two months... Paladins are still as little in demand as ever for those last few gruelsome levels. Oh well, I'm still determined towards getting at the very least to L73. Got to try that purple armor on someday.

Today was the closest I ever got to a party. Trouble was assembling all the entities at the same time. First Red Mage we got had to be reminded he had a Sky event in the works he forgot about. Then the White Mage was adamant about having a refresher. When we finally got one, he revealed he had less than an hour of free time left. Bummer... We parted ways after that. It was a large exercise in frustration.

Lately, most of my xp intake have been either from Besieged events, or from whacking up Lesser Colibris outside the city gates of Aht Urghan. I'm thinking that with a bit of perseverance, I can make it to my minimal objective. Sure, L75 would be the sweetest of sweets. However, I can't help but be itching for some action. I might go back to the ways of the Monk, Bard or Warrior, depending on where I want to pour in my efforts.

Hehehe... Time will tell when I get all that conveniently under control. I'm spending too much time killing pink stuff as of late, it's driving me a bit nuts.