“We came. We saw. We were disappointed.” – Sarte, 50th Paladin of the endangered Half Elven race.

What started out as a very rough start and some un-rezzable corpses, turned into a pretty dominating weekend as we cleared over two thirds of Fear’s planar-gear mobs on each day. Our initial break in on Saturday consisted of two groups zoning in attempting to control the West Wall camp. Underestimating the roamers that would agro and path into camp, we lost a few members before we evac’d out. Our second attempt was to try and train everything away from the West Wall and camp as many people at the wall and begin ressing in.. which was partially successful in that some were able to camp out, but none were getting ressed in without a ton of mobs agroing, which resulted in more corpses. Lastly, we all regrouped at the Fear portal and attempted another push into the West Wall camp with druids kiting roamers away so we could protect the healers as they ressed in the tanks. This also became a futile attempt. We learned, the hard way, that the amount of agro from roamers will overpower us without enough kiters and enchanters to keep the area clear for a group to zone in…

Finally after the third hour of break in attempts of our own, we called in help from the server and a small raid force assembled to assist us get our corpses back, including Bolohan, Turtlehead, Knovo, Pane, Dopp, Chik, Kadarr, Dhanu and Fiyisk! Thanks to the help of these guys, Vintage members were able to get back some experience and their corpses! You guys were fantastic and heroic and we thank you!

Once the corpses were recovered, we were finally able to begin the weekend of Fear-gear farming, which was scarce and disappointing compared to our usual Plane of Hate weekends. Notable items, however, were 2 Carmine Robes and Druid/Cleric belts aplenty.

At the end of our weekend, we mustered the forces to attempt the golem, Fright. We had 20 members for this battle but ended up helplessly falling like flies to his Death Touch and 520 dmg per swing quad attack. We however brought him down to 62% despite the DT’s and Velious-grade attacks.

Total Weekend Haul:

Vermiculated Leggings: Mefsolis
Dweamorvine Garland: Mefsolis
Dweamorvine Garland: Bibble
Dweamorvine Garland: Rot
Carmine Robe: Cobilt
Carmine Robe: Kapowie
Carmine Gloves: Cobilt
Carmine Gloves: Kapowie
Carmine Pants: Kapowie
Thorny Vine Boots: Autotune
Thorny Vine Bracer: Autotune
Fluxbladed Axe: Autotune
Cyrosilk Amice: Rictus
Cyrosilk Choker: Rictus
Girdle of the Diligent: Snaredrum
Girdle of the Diligent: Wejbot
Valorium Boots: Sarte
Valorium Gauntlets: Sarte
Valorium Gauntlets: Rot
Thorny Vine Gloves: Rot
Fluxbladed Axe: Rot
Eyerazzia: Rot

In attendance were: Wejbot, Kapowie, Dunkirk, Cobilt, Monkus, Brawndo, Rictus, Lulzcat, Shuvit, Bibble, Sarte, Unity, Rhaja, Joban, Rictus, Athlete, Xica, Shlomo, Autotune, Snaredrum, Mefsolis, Trapster, Phug, Wieglaf, Dooks, Four, Decayed, Beep, Fump, Saittane, Torrad, Unity, Negadien, and Tsundere.

We had a busy week of raiding this week including our old friends the Fire Giants on Tuesday, we cleared them really fast and decided to make an impromptu attempt on Naggy. All buffed up and ready to go, we charged and downed him to 75% with three groups. We now have a benchmark to beat on our next attempt! Congrats to our new members on some FG loot:

The Loot:

Polished Mithril Torque: Rhaja
Polished Mithril Mask: Mefsolis
Mithril Greaves: Bank

In attendance were: Nicol, Nollo, Gubb, Shuvit, Dooks, Decayed, Rhaja, Lulzcat, Unity, Wieglaf, Unity, Bibble, Xica, Dunkirk, Cobilt, Beep, Mefsolis, and Monkus

The next day we attempted Phinigel Autropos. Firstly, we wanted to time how long it would take us to mobilize from all over the world into the golden brick ledge that would shortly become his watery tomb. It didn’t take us long to get to the prep area besides showing a few new members where to go and the pulls were one seahorse, and then a solo Phinny who was downed easily without a death.

The Loot:

Staff of Elemental Mastery Water: Barrett and Bank
Wand of Mana Tapping: Dunkirk
Fusible Coral Ore: Shuvit

In attendance were: Dunkirk, Rictus, Barrett, Cobilt, Wejbot, Kapowie, Xica, Nollo, Mefsolis, Monkus, Beep, Gubb, Cayotee, Joban, Shuvit and Bibble.

After Phinny, we ported over to Lavastorm to rescue Saittane from a deathloop in Naggy’s prep room from the night before.

The Loot:

Mithril Legs: Guild Bank (Sarte)
Polished Mithril Mask: Cobilt
Polished Mithril Torque: Rot

In attendance were: Cobilt, Dunkirk, Monkus, Nollo, Joban, Wejbot, Barrett, Lulzcat, Shuvit, Bibble, Rictus and Xica.

Finally, this weekend we ventured to Plane of Hate again on a 2-day raid to get the last of the gear we could from the zone for our members. We hauled in a ton of loot and geared out our new rogue, Phug in no time! With 3-4 solid groups all weekend, we were able to clear most of the zone and down the mini’s, Lord of Loathing (level 60), Ashenbone Broodmaster (level 60), Coercer T’Vala, Mistress of Scorn, and Avatar of Abhorrence (x2). Some notable drops were, Ethereal Mist Breastplate, Rod of Infinite Thought, Encyclopedia Necrotheurgia and a Shattered Emerald of Corruption.

The Total Haul:

Indicolite Boots: Torrad
Indicolite Gloves: Torrad
Indicolite Gloves: Shuvit
Shrieking Ahlspiess: Phug
Vexthorne: Phug
Woven Shadow Gloves: Phug
Woven Shadow Greaves: Phug
Woven Shadow Vambraces: Phug
Imbrued Platemail Greaves: Four
Imbrued Platemail Vambraces: Four
Imbrued Platemail Gloves: Four
Ethereal Mist Greaves: Snaredrum
Ethereal Mist Gloves: Wejbot
Ethereal Mist Bracer: Wejbot
Ethereal Mist Helm: Wejbot
Ethereal Mist Greaves: Wieglaf
Ethereal Mist Boots: Wieglaf
Ethereal Mist Breastplate: Wieglaf
Ethereal Mist Bracer: Wieglaf
Prismatic Shield: Wieglaf
Ethereal Mist Greaves: Xica
Spitestone Shield: Unity
Runed Etched Boots: Unity
Runed Etched Gloves: Joban
Scaled Heirophants Cloak: Brawndo
Apothic Arms: Barrett
Insidious Halo: Silke
Insidious Sleeves: Dunkirk
Rod of Infinite Thought: Dunkirk
Revenant Whip: Autotune
Trueheart Shield: Sarte
Runewood Shield: Bibble
Encyclopedia Necrotheurgia: Rictus
Cryosilk Pantaloons: Rictus
Shiver-Hide Boots: Dooks
Umbral Plate Bracer: Nollo
Shattered Emerald of Corruption: Guild Bank (Saittane)
Silver Blade of Rot: Guild Bank (Saittane)
Woven Shadow Greaves (x2): Rot
Shrieking Ahlspiess: Rot
Revenant Whip: Rot
Scaled Heirophant Cloak: Rot

In attendance were: Shuvit, Dooks, Xica, Joban, Brawndo, Four, Dangermouse, Cobilt, Decayed, Monkus, Sarte, Bibble, Phug, Kapowie, Barrett, Wieglaf, Lulzcat, Saittane, Dunkirk, Rictus, Wejbot, Unity, Tsundere, Nicol, Joban, Nollo, Mefsolis, Autotune, Snaredrum and Negadien.

** 30 out of 34 of our level 46 to 50 members were in Hate this weekend! WOW and Good Job on attendance everyone!!

Over the weekend we planned a PoHate raid to gear up more of our members. What started out as a rough beginning, including two wipes before the first mob was killed, turned into a very good day for gear including TWO Breastplates. Again, we were three full groups strong for almost 12 hours, with some members leaving later in the raid and more joining to replace those who left. We had a different monk and warrior pull team who were able to work out the kinks and get into a good rhythm later in the raid and brought in single mobs for a few hours.

We also made another attempt at the Lord of Ire, which we downed on our first attempt this time and again, dropped no loot. Later in the night, we made an attempt on the Avatar of Abhorrence, who dropped 2 Shadow Woven Greaves and 2 rogue weapons which all rotted. On a positive note, we’ve successfully killed two of the mini bosses in Hate, and there is no doubt we’ll be able to clear the others on our next trip there.

Indicolite Breastplate: Shuvit
Indicolite Vambraces (x2): Shuvit (ogres are so fat they need one per arm!)
Indicolite Vambraces: Torrad
Indicolite Greaves: Torrad
Ethereal Mist Breastplate: Wejbot
Prismatic Shield: Snaredrum
Runed Etched Bracer: Joban
Runed Etched Bracer: Unity
Scaled Heirophant Bracer: Brawndo
Woven Shadow Gloves: Rot
Woven Shadow Greaves (x2): Rot
Vexthorne: Rot
Shrieking Ahlspiess (x2): Rot
Trueheart Shield: Rot
Legoinare Vambraces (x2): Rot

In attendance were: Shuvit, Bibble, Dunkirk, Cobilt, Wejbot, Kapowie, Joban, Xica, Autotune, Snaredrum, Rictus, Brawndo, Monkus, Lulzcat, Barrett, Saittane, Nollo, Negadien, Gubb, Beep, Unity, Dooks, Nicol, and Wieglaf

Last week we raided Fire Giants very effortlessly and flawlessly. Our raid force looks like it’s starting to get into a rhythm with our communication, positioning and buff/debuff/dpsing. Although a great run, we’re looking to improve the time it takes to do the Fire Giants raid in preparations for getting to Naggy quickly when we start our attempts on him.

In our next Fire Giants raid we’re going to attempt Naggy and see how well we do. With a lot of our new members catching up to 40+, including bards, clerics and wizards, we’ll put up a decent fight against the fiery red beast.

Congratulations to our returning Shadowknight, Nollo on the Polished Mithril Troque, and Rictus on the Polished Mithril Mask. Mithril Vambracers were banked and then given to Sarte.

In attendance were: Dooks, Nicol, Nollo, Wejbot, Barrett, Dunkirk, Cobilt, Monkus, Lulzcat, Xica, Cayotee, Joban, Brawndo, Rictus, Mefolsis, Snaredrum and Autotune.

After a half dozen trips to Plane of Hate without seeing a single non-iksar warrior gear dropping, it was finally raining Indicolite. A long overdue upgrade for our already beasty tanks, congrats warriors! Our first planar raid in months was a major success, with 19 players at the peak of the raid and Dooks single pulling for hours, we had a fantastic time, cleared most of the zone and got many nostalgic planar items.

The loot:

Indicolite Greaves: Shuvit
Indicolite Helm: Nicol
Indicolite Bracer: Nicol
Indicolite Breastplate: Nicol
Indicolite Boots: Hungus
Imbrued Platemail Gauntlets: Lulzcat
Imbrued Platemail Vambraces: Lulzcat
Ethereal Mist Boots: Wejbot
Ethereal Mist Greaves: Wejbot
Ethereal Mist Bracer: Rot
Legionaire Scaled Breastplate: Rot
Legionaire Scaled Breastplate: Rot
Legionaire Scaled Boots: Rot

In attendance were: Brawndo, Saittane, Athlete, Wejbot, Cobilt, Wieglaf, Dooks, Dunkirk, Lulzcat, Nicol, Joban, Monkus, Rictus, Bibble, Shuvit, Barrett, Kapowie, and Unity.

UPDATE: Day 2

We had a strong turnout for our second day of Plane of Hate, clearing just as much as day 1 with less wipes… and just as much loot! Our mana-bot bard is almost fully planar geared, and our warriors look more intimidating by the day. We were also lucky enough to pick up an Insidious Halo and enchanter epic dust in the same, and only female forsaken revenant kill of the day. At the end of the night, we felt frisky and attempted a miniboss, Lord of Ire, who went down in our second attempt but dropped nothing for loot. Overall, a fun, successful and nostalgic raiding weekend.

Imbrued Bracer: Lulzcat
Imbrued Boots: Lulzcat
Imbrued Helm: Lulzcat
Martane Dagger: Lulzcat
Insidious Halo: Dunkirk
Indicolite Greaves: Nicol
Indicolite Boots: Shuvit
Ethereal Mist Gloves: Wieglaf
Prismatic Shield: Wejbot
Woven Shadow Gloves: Rot
Woven Shadow Bracer: Rot
Legionnaire Scaled Gloves: Rot
Legionare Scale Breastplate: Rot
Revulant Whip: Rot

In attendance were: Brawndo, Saittane, Snaredrum, Wejbot, Cobilt, Wieglaf, Dooks, Dunkirk, Lulzcat, Nicol, Joban, Monkus, Rictus, Bibble, Shuvit, Barrett, Kapowie, and Unity.