Hello Vana'diel!

  Ok so, I have been playing for a few days now. I believe I started on the 12th of this month? Anyways, let's see what I have done. As I mentioned in the previous post, I created my Hume, Siegrien, and I chose the job...Black Mage. I figured this would be a decent job for me, as I realize this game is very slow-paced compared to other MMO's out there, and I thought having a bunch of spells to cast from would be something to keep me interested during a fight. Then I see that I have to choose a nation to be a citizen of, and I remember from a friend playing some time ago that San D'Oria had some annoying bagpipe music I believe? Bagpipes are not my friend. Windurst seemed to look pretty cool, very lively and green, but I wasn't convinced. You probably already know I picked Bastok as my nation. Opening cutscene plays and such, I give in my Adventurer's coupon, get the guard to cast Signet on me (a friend mentioned this years ago, somehow I remembered) and I go straight out to S Gustaberg to fight some monsters. Little did I know this is the worst class for soloing (Yes, I know this is heavily group-oriented game, I am referring to the low levels). So, I become familiarized with the controls and mechanics of the game (I am using a Logitech Dual Action Gamepad, and playing on an HP Laptop) and gain my my first few levels.

  Siegrien, Hume BLM of Bastok

   After killing a slew of Ding Bats, Tunnel Worms, and Huge Hornets, while I am healing, another inhabitant of Vana'diel seems to cross paths with me, however unlike me, this guy is very experienced. I ran into "Nightshade" 75 DNC/35 NIN, also a Hume of Bastok. Aware that I was clearly a new player, he offered to teach me the 101s of this game, how to actually make some money at the start (I completely forgot about having to worry about money, duh), and pretty much told me what my goals should be for now. He also confirmed that I picked the hardest class to level by yourself; something I was beginning to realize >_<". He basically shows me how to use the Auction House (yay an AH, that's something I'm familiar with!), and where Sororo the Scribe's shop is, so I don't waste my money on the overpriced scrolls listed on the AH.

 Just chilling in Bastok Markets. That glare effect on the sun is actually really cool.

   Other than that, Nightshade told me that I should focus on getting my way to level 13, turning on my "Seek Party" flag, and setting my comment to [Summoner] [Burn] [Can I have it?]. First thing I think of is, what in the hell is a Summoner Burn? I remember a friend telling me that at that level you were supposed to go to some place called Valkurm Dunes and get an xp party there. Guess that has been phased out over the years. So he explains to me that it basically means a group of high level players and a bunch of Summoners gather a shitload of mobs in a zone called Korroloka Tunnel, then use the Level Sync feature to sync down to my level, and then use the Summoner's 2 Hour ability called "Astral Flow", and then their summons would AoE the crap out of them, resulting in a gigantic XP burst that would most likely get me from 13-25ish. Oh my god, hell YES I would like a Summoner Burn group! So I grind my ass to 13 (I did this over the span of the weekend, playing a few hours a day, and hit level 13 on the Monday the 15th I believe? I throw up my party flag, stoked as hell that I am going to get this giant powerlevel. So I wait about an hour or so, and a dude messages me asking me to be the sync designee! Aw yeah, time for some sweet xp. Or is it? I make my way to where you get into Korroloka Tunnel, the guy who invited me moves across that gate, and...I can't get through. I ask what is wrong, and he says to just talk to the guard and he will let me through. Nothing. Then he asks me if I have Rise of the Zilart, and I ask him if that is part of the trial. The guy laughs and says sorry, and that I need RoZ to get into Korroloka. Dammit. Guess I am going to have to go buy the game sooner than I thought.