Love Story
Entry posted by Merch Gwyar
477 views
I have the best job in the world. No, really. Who else could be e-mailing their boss going, 'blah... blah... proof-reading... blah... blah... San Sebastian... blah... blah... tax office... blah blah...' and have the boss immediately e-mail back with, 'I'm sorting it out this end, you log onto Runescape - new quest!' Ok! 
In fact, who else can spend a portion of their working day writing blogs about the extinction of the dinosaurs? But that's by the by. As it happened, I couldn't just log on to do my quest, because I'm still at war with the tax office. When I took this job, I naively thought that the official conversation would go something like this:
Me: Hello Mr Taxman
T: Hello Merch Gwyar
Me: I want to pay my taxes
T: Oooh! I can has pl0x!
Me: Yes, here you are *hands over money*
T: kthxbai
Me: *goes to play Runescape*
You would be amazed how difficult it is to pay your taxes in Britain. True story. I'm still not set up and that's not through want of trying.
Anyway, after two and a half hours being passed from pillar to post and sitting in long telephone queues, playing the same looped single piece of music over and over again, I was ready for my quest. I put on my questing outfit (black dhide; green, pointy hat; rune crossbow; shield-with-a-face-on-it; boots of lightness; ring of life; glory; barrows gloves) and packed the usual supplies (anti-poison; couple of sharks; prayer potion; bolts; rogue's kit; ectophial), then gloried myself to Draynor.
I have to admit that post-Nomad, I'm wary of quests. It used to be that I got very excited on quest day, but now I kind of sidle up to the quest site with a feverent prayer on my lips, 'Please, Guthix, don't let it be another Nomad'. It wasn't. In fact, it was another very enjoyable quest. I have noticed that Jagex seem to release things in batches. There was a run on combat quests, which culminated in Nomad; before that there was a run on Mahjarret quests. At the moment, we're in the midst of a run on puzzle quests. This is great for me, as I love puzzles, but I do feel sorry for those who hate them. I do wish quests could be mixed up a bit. A noob quest; followed by a combat quest; followed by a puzzle quest etc, instead of these batches.
It is cheating, but I do approve of the table at the beginning that gives you a list of the items that you need for the quest. I approve of it, even as I'm thinking that it's not quite right. For me though, I always read it, then go on a gathering or shopping spree, before starting my quest. It does amuse me when, in the quest, the moment comes for your companion (in this case the Wise, Old Man) to ask you to collect things. The first time, I replied something like, 'Oh! I just happen to have a chisel on me!' Before running off after him. The second time was hilarious. The Wise, Old Man went off on one. I should have screenied the exact dialogue, but it was something like, 'How do you just happen to have 2 oak planks, a steel bar and a mithril bar on you?' And I'm all, 'errrmmmm'. There was this big, awkward moment, then he just shrugged it off and we got on with the quest. I love it because it almost pulls down the fourth wall, but just stops short of doing so. I hate it when the fourth wall is torn down in game, but those near misses are really funny.
The first puzzle, hacking into the house teletab, was fairly simple for me; the second puzzle saw me being so meticulous. I had my clockwork dummy covering every square of every room in that dungeon. I felt so accomplished when I found all of the traps. I even sent him back to one room, because I was suspicious of there only being one trap in there. But all in all, it was fun to complete them. I also enjoyed the cut scenes. I liked how Dionysis and Zenevivia did that circling dance thing that we all do. I'm sure that that was originally a player invention, so it was fun to see it happen with NPCs too.
Runescape's greatest questers gang up on an old lady... apparently.
The fight was one of those three times lucky moments. The first time, I was doing fine. We had her down to under half health, when my prayer ran out. I thought this would be fine, as I'd already clocked where her gilded altar was. I took off for it, but Zenevivia screamed, 'I didn't give you permission to explore my house!' and zapped with with a nasty spell. I was soon losing health drastically, so I ectophialled out. The second time, I took extra prayer potions, but they didn't seem to help much. She was hitting hard through my prayer. I also took emerald bolts (e), but I couldn't get her poisoned. I noted that she was praying against my range, so I ectophialled out again.
The third time, I took my whip, as well as extra prayer potions. This time it was much easier. I ran around like a madwoman, just avoiding her shoots, while the Wise, Old Man got in some direct hits. Each time I was close, I whacked her with my whip. She repelled me for a bit of damage, but she'd taken more. Then I'd run away. Soon as I was across the room, I'd shoot her with a bolt, then start running again. It worked well. There was a spot, near to the end, when the Wise, Old Man tried to say something. I couldn't read it fast enough, as I was running and so it flashed off as quickly as it arrived. I still don't know what he said, but she didn't seem to be taking any damage then. It was only when I stood still and took damage myself that she did too. The fight seemed to go on forever, but eventually she was on the floor begging for forgiveness.
I also enjoyed all of the codas. Watching the Wise, Old Man and Zenevivia attempt to raid the Wizards' Tower; cutting the tree from under the guard; releasing Mabel from the sack. There were some lovely rewards. Naturally all of the Construction xp made me happy. My next quest is to fully understand the rest of my rewards. What precisely are dungeon pits and how do they differ from normal dungeon rooms? They aren't mentioned in the official manual yet!
6 Comments
Recommended Comments