So I Ventured in to Auric Basin Today...

[DreadstoneofXev.6810]

Zone in, notice the lack of cliffs, stow the contraption (for the moment) made from the same material as Wolverine's bones. Amble over to a scout. He's got a REALLY distant look on his face. Giving off the same odd vibes as William Shatner doing Elton John's 'Rocket Man'. (Yes, that's a thing) ---> ((2) Elton John's "Rocket Man" - William Shatner (1978) - YouTube)

 

Summary of conversation follows:

 

Me: "Hi, Charr Engineer THX 1138 reporting in, just got through in Verdant Brink."

Scout: "Oh, cool man, welcome to 'The Basin'. That's what we long-timers call this place."

Me: "Great. I have my glider, and fully powered Mech, so I'm good to go"

Scout: "Totally. Won't be much use for gliders, we mostly use the magic mushrooms to get up and down"

Me: "Excuse me. Mushrooms?"

Scout: "Oh yeah. Just jump on them and you bounce everywhere. Really far out man"

Me: Pauses so he can (finally) focus on me. Cough to get his attention as he seems REALLY distracted.

Me: "You do realize I'm Charr - right? With a cast iron stove on my back? And you want me to 'jump' on your mushrooms?"

Scout: Laughs, gazes into the distance at nothing, then laughs again "Oh yeah man, they're really bouncy. You bounce everywhere. It's a trip."

Me: "Just for my own edification, when the day winds down, you don't happen to cut a couple of small pieces from those mushrooms, roll them in a parchment and smoke them? Or perhaps mix em up in a soup?"

Scout: "No way man, we eat em straight!"

Me: Heads off to find the nearest waypoint shaking my head

 

Waypoint location is an exercise in futility as roads lead into mountains, (or impenetrable vines. More on this in a moment) or just end. The map reads like the cartographer was munching on his own "magic" mushrooms while drawing the thing. Los Angeles rush hour traffic on the I-5 is less convoluted and confusing.

 

Come across some fellow pact members fighting the local denizens as see-through apparitions provide support. Apparently, we're setting up mirrors?  I guess the latest plan is to use the power of the sun to burn the vines. I still like my herbicide plan (more on this in a moment), but soldiers follow orders.

 

Lay waste to Zorgrimoth? Lorgrimoth? Gorgrimoth's?  (Just once I'd like to see a big bad with the name 'Susan'. Yes I know "How juvenile") minions who sing his praise (or predict my doom) as we cut them down. Turns out the mirror ceremony is just a prelude to a four-pronged attack to kill more bad guys laying siege inside the see-through apparitions main city.  Fight our way in, and I find myself in the west wing dodging invulnerable (Aerin's shield again) everything, as some BA (big a55) vines prevent us from advancing to the center area. Our strategy centers around protecting the oddly-shaped containers that will remove the outer layer of protective slime coating using a herbicide of some kind so we can get at the vines underneath.

 

Hold on.  HERBICIDE? YOU GUYS STOLE MY IDEA! (Note to self - talk to Rytlock about a promotion in Iron Legion)

 

The herbicide does its thing, and the vines are quickly laid to waste. Oh wait. Not in all wings. North wing can't quit get it done and ALL vines regenerate with even MORE protective slime coating. I can't go help because even though I'm putting my life on the line, the see-through apparitions won't give me free reign to move around their city. (Or I just don't know the way. Probably the latter)

 

Commanders reinforce North from West. This time West doesn't have enough forces so we're back at it again, protecting the herbicide containers created by the see-through apparition in the back.

 

FINALLY, all vines are down, and everyone moves in zerg formation to a central location. On the way, quickly smack some local for the obligatory decagon of Hero Points, and head downstairs, following the tail end of the zerg.

 

Holy cow. Treasure chests (Urns) EVERYWHERE. 

 

Apparently the see-through guys have no qualms with us looting these chests like we're locals who just discovered Tutankhamen's tomb. As I'm filling my bags with {STUFF}, a thought occurs. 'Ya know, with all this loot, the see-through apparition clan could probably hire some mercenaries to clean house, both in the city and 'The Basin'. 

 

Oh wait, I'm the mercenary. (Hooray for irony)

 

Do the obligatory map shout congratulating folks on a job well done and let them know I'll see them in 24 hours as these vines grow faster than a teenager on a growth spurt. Get told you can do this every two hours. Two.

 

Open bags, notice the distinct lack of free space, and think to myself, 'You're gonna need a bigger inventory'.

 

Porting back to Black Citadel (I'm a Charr of habit), a final thought occurs.

 

'I don't want to tell anyone how to do their job, but if all these vines are connected, then why don't we head back to Verdant brink, bring a load of dynamite, and the see-through lady who can produce herbicide containers like a mother Hen laying eggs? Drop massive quantities of both (as opposed to Charr learning to glide. Cough) on those vines at the bottom of {ANY} random cliff and see what happens? Tell me what ya think. Don't worry about the dynamite.'

 

I know a guy.

[squeegee.4320]

Looking forward to your venture into Tangled Depths. Leave the mounts for the true experience.

[Nash.2681]

19 minutes ago, narwhalsbend.7059 said:

Looking forward to your venture into Tangled Depths. Leave the mounts for the true experience.

You beat me by 19 minutes 😄

Edited May 27, 2022 by Nash.2681

[Rogue.8235]

The mushrooms get weirder as the story progresses.

you've been warned.

As for dynamite.  Well, what can I say?  Dynamite is the solution for everything.  And every plan only benefits with the addition of dynamite.  In fact, the greatest plans begin with dynamite.  Why, yes, I too am from Iron Legion.

 

[Farohna.6247]

Yay part 2 of HoT adventures!!  Somehow ended up reading in Tommy Chong's voice for the bouncing mushrooms....go figure.  

I often wonder about why it's not awkward to shamelessly plunder someone's treasures too.  And yet I do it over and over....

[Dante.1508]

At least you know how to brighten up a terrible set of maps op.. thank you for todays diary. Keep up the good work Soldier.