A lil story.
Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2005 10:54 pm
ok, I was bored at work...we're doing a field excersise, and I have nothing to do all day long but sit in my truck playing with my computer...wish we had internet of some sort though.
So I wrote this little story. It's based on true events, but more like an amalgamation of different people I've met throughout my time in FFXI, with a little literary license thrown in for good measure.
A Vana’diel Story
One day, long ago, I began my adventure in Vana’diel. I set about learning what I could about this strange new world. I talked to the locals, and conversed with other adventurers. I quickly learned my way around my hometown of San’doria; and soon headed outside the protective walls of the city; to begin my long process of gaining experience.
In those first days, I fought alone. I learned from my mistakes, while still making others. I gained strength from my experience, and soon felt that it was time for me to raise my standing with the Kingdom. I asked around, inquiring into what I could do to raise my ranking. I was lead to the gate guard, who told me of missions that I could accomplish that would raise my ranking within the Kingdom of San’doria.
By this time, the first few missions were simple for me. To simply kill beasts that I had killed many times before, and to bring back to the guard items dropped from one of these monsters. However, I came upon a mission that that would send me further away from the city than I had ever been; to an area called Ordelles Caves.
I asked around, seeking the advice of the more experienced adventurers of San’doria, trying to learn the location of Ordelles Caves. Finally I was told to head to a valley in La Thiene plateau, an area I had avoided due to the strength of the monsters in that area. With my limited experience, one wrong step would catch the attention of a beastman that could put a quick end to my adventure.
I prepared myself for the upcoming mission. Talking to the vendors in the armor and weapon shops, then to the auction house; trying to find the best equipment I could get myself with my meager earnings.
Finally, I was ready to set out on this mission for the Kingdom. I made it to La Thiene plateau without incident, as it would seem the beastmen of the area decided that it would be best to leave me to my business. I set out along the road through La Theine, seeing other adventurers coming and going. I cautiously snuck past the powerful beastmen that I found along the road, and made my way to the valley that I had heard of, just east of the entrance to La Theine.
Once down in the ravine, I came upon strange beasts that I had never seen before. Half monster, half mushroom by appearances. I stared at these beasts, trying to make out what I could of these strange creatures. It would seem that I wandered too closely to one, and it took offense to my presence. I soon learned that these strange beasts were far more powerful than I, and I ran for my life towards the caves.
Facing what seemed certain death, I saw a stranger emerge from the caves. It didn’t take him long to assess the situation, and figure out that I was in trouble. Being a far more experienced adventurer than I, he quickly dispatched that monster chasing after me.
I stopped to express my gratitude, and he humbly accepted my thanks. He asked what such an inexperienced, such as myself, was doing so far from the city.
I explained to him the mission San’doria and sent me on. Yes, he mused, he remembered the mission, and offered to help me finish my task. I was honored to have the assistance of such an adventurer, and together, we quickly finished the mission. Back at the city, I thanked him again, and we set out upon our separate ways.
I began to find other adventurers such as myself to fight alongside with, and together we all gained much needed experience. Every day, and every party I met new people. Every now and then I would come across an adventurer that I had partied with before, and we would briefly chat before beginning the business of gaining ever more experience.
Soon I felt I was experienced enough to accept a particularly difficult mission from the Kingdom. This mission required me not to just venture out into dangerous lands, but to travel to another city. This time, I was required to travel through Valkurm dunes, and catch a boat that would take me from the town of Selbina to the town of Mhuara. From Mhuara, I would have to travel through strange and dangerous lands to the city of Windurst.
When I came to the dock to which the ship would arrive, I saw a familiar face; the adventurer who had helped me near Ordelles caves. We talked for a bit, waiting for the boat, and as the boat was traveling between the towns he told me of some of his many adventures. Wonderous places he’d seen, places that I could, at that time, only imagine. I expressed to him how I wanted to explore the areas he was telling me about. He told me that one day, when I was ready, he would show me.
The boat docked, and I told him that I would like to explore the town. I guess he had business to take care of there too, as he stuck around town too. After talking to many of the locals in Mhuara, it was time for me to set out for Windurst. I walked down the steps, into the alleyway leading to Buburimu peninsula.
Upon entering these new lands, I found that I didn’t have a map, and my travels to Windurst just became much longer and far more dangerous. My old friend, I assume, sensed my trouble, and asked what was wrong. I told him what was troubling me, and he again offered his assistance. He would guide and protect me through the dangerous lands to the city of Windurst.
Along the way, he showed me various things that I could do that I had never known. One such thing was a thing called a friends list. To this list I could add friends, and see if they were currently engaged in the world of Vana’diel.
We came to the city of Windurst, and we again went our separate ways. This time would be different though. We had added each other to our friends list, and through many levels of experience and adventures, we stayed in touch. I would often ask him questions, and we would share with each other our adventures.
Every now and then, we would meet each other again, and go hunt for particularly powerful beasts known as Notorious Monsters, or just go to an area and farm for items together.
Time passed, and we spoke less and less to each other. Soon, I stopped looking in my friends list to see if he was there. I kept up with gaining experience. I began to look forward more to gaining experience over adventuring. I kept doing missions for San’doria, but my focus was to become stronger through experience. I passed the threshold where I didn’t even think of my old friend anymore. It would seem that I had moved on to bigger and better things.
One day, as I was browsing the merchandise in the Jeuno auction house, a familiar name flashed before me, with a message. It said, “It’s been a long time friend.” Immediately, memories of the adventures I had had with this friend came back to me, and I missed the times we had had. We talked for a bit, and he told me of the troubles he had had at home, preventing him from adventuring in Vana’diel. I soon realized that I had far surpassed his level of experience, and this time, it was I who was able to offer help, and I was glad for it.
He needed help with a mission of San’doria, one that I had accomplished long ago. I eagerly dropped what I was doing to go help my friend who had so many times helped me out during my first days in Vana’diel.
Soon I realized how much I had missed adventuring with my friend, as we headed to Beadeaux. Along the way we caught up on what we had been doing all this time. We soon had this mission finished, and we went our separate ways again from Jeuno. We promised to stay in touch this time.
Over my adventures, I’ve added many names to my friends list. Many of these friends I talk to on a daily basis. Sometimes I meet up with them to enjoy some adventure, as I had with the person who occupied the first spot on my friends list. I haven’t seen him on my friends list since that day we left each other in Jeuno. Every day though, I keep looking for his name. Every day, I look forward to seeing a familiar name come to me, and give me a message…”It’s been a long time friend.”
So I wrote this little story. It's based on true events, but more like an amalgamation of different people I've met throughout my time in FFXI, with a little literary license thrown in for good measure.
A Vana’diel Story
One day, long ago, I began my adventure in Vana’diel. I set about learning what I could about this strange new world. I talked to the locals, and conversed with other adventurers. I quickly learned my way around my hometown of San’doria; and soon headed outside the protective walls of the city; to begin my long process of gaining experience.
In those first days, I fought alone. I learned from my mistakes, while still making others. I gained strength from my experience, and soon felt that it was time for me to raise my standing with the Kingdom. I asked around, inquiring into what I could do to raise my ranking. I was lead to the gate guard, who told me of missions that I could accomplish that would raise my ranking within the Kingdom of San’doria.
By this time, the first few missions were simple for me. To simply kill beasts that I had killed many times before, and to bring back to the guard items dropped from one of these monsters. However, I came upon a mission that that would send me further away from the city than I had ever been; to an area called Ordelles Caves.
I asked around, seeking the advice of the more experienced adventurers of San’doria, trying to learn the location of Ordelles Caves. Finally I was told to head to a valley in La Thiene plateau, an area I had avoided due to the strength of the monsters in that area. With my limited experience, one wrong step would catch the attention of a beastman that could put a quick end to my adventure.
I prepared myself for the upcoming mission. Talking to the vendors in the armor and weapon shops, then to the auction house; trying to find the best equipment I could get myself with my meager earnings.
Finally, I was ready to set out on this mission for the Kingdom. I made it to La Thiene plateau without incident, as it would seem the beastmen of the area decided that it would be best to leave me to my business. I set out along the road through La Theine, seeing other adventurers coming and going. I cautiously snuck past the powerful beastmen that I found along the road, and made my way to the valley that I had heard of, just east of the entrance to La Theine.
Once down in the ravine, I came upon strange beasts that I had never seen before. Half monster, half mushroom by appearances. I stared at these beasts, trying to make out what I could of these strange creatures. It would seem that I wandered too closely to one, and it took offense to my presence. I soon learned that these strange beasts were far more powerful than I, and I ran for my life towards the caves.
Facing what seemed certain death, I saw a stranger emerge from the caves. It didn’t take him long to assess the situation, and figure out that I was in trouble. Being a far more experienced adventurer than I, he quickly dispatched that monster chasing after me.
I stopped to express my gratitude, and he humbly accepted my thanks. He asked what such an inexperienced, such as myself, was doing so far from the city.
I explained to him the mission San’doria and sent me on. Yes, he mused, he remembered the mission, and offered to help me finish my task. I was honored to have the assistance of such an adventurer, and together, we quickly finished the mission. Back at the city, I thanked him again, and we set out upon our separate ways.
I began to find other adventurers such as myself to fight alongside with, and together we all gained much needed experience. Every day, and every party I met new people. Every now and then I would come across an adventurer that I had partied with before, and we would briefly chat before beginning the business of gaining ever more experience.
Soon I felt I was experienced enough to accept a particularly difficult mission from the Kingdom. This mission required me not to just venture out into dangerous lands, but to travel to another city. This time, I was required to travel through Valkurm dunes, and catch a boat that would take me from the town of Selbina to the town of Mhuara. From Mhuara, I would have to travel through strange and dangerous lands to the city of Windurst.
When I came to the dock to which the ship would arrive, I saw a familiar face; the adventurer who had helped me near Ordelles caves. We talked for a bit, waiting for the boat, and as the boat was traveling between the towns he told me of some of his many adventures. Wonderous places he’d seen, places that I could, at that time, only imagine. I expressed to him how I wanted to explore the areas he was telling me about. He told me that one day, when I was ready, he would show me.
The boat docked, and I told him that I would like to explore the town. I guess he had business to take care of there too, as he stuck around town too. After talking to many of the locals in Mhuara, it was time for me to set out for Windurst. I walked down the steps, into the alleyway leading to Buburimu peninsula.
Upon entering these new lands, I found that I didn’t have a map, and my travels to Windurst just became much longer and far more dangerous. My old friend, I assume, sensed my trouble, and asked what was wrong. I told him what was troubling me, and he again offered his assistance. He would guide and protect me through the dangerous lands to the city of Windurst.
Along the way, he showed me various things that I could do that I had never known. One such thing was a thing called a friends list. To this list I could add friends, and see if they were currently engaged in the world of Vana’diel.
We came to the city of Windurst, and we again went our separate ways. This time would be different though. We had added each other to our friends list, and through many levels of experience and adventures, we stayed in touch. I would often ask him questions, and we would share with each other our adventures.
Every now and then, we would meet each other again, and go hunt for particularly powerful beasts known as Notorious Monsters, or just go to an area and farm for items together.
Time passed, and we spoke less and less to each other. Soon, I stopped looking in my friends list to see if he was there. I kept up with gaining experience. I began to look forward more to gaining experience over adventuring. I kept doing missions for San’doria, but my focus was to become stronger through experience. I passed the threshold where I didn’t even think of my old friend anymore. It would seem that I had moved on to bigger and better things.
One day, as I was browsing the merchandise in the Jeuno auction house, a familiar name flashed before me, with a message. It said, “It’s been a long time friend.” Immediately, memories of the adventures I had had with this friend came back to me, and I missed the times we had had. We talked for a bit, and he told me of the troubles he had had at home, preventing him from adventuring in Vana’diel. I soon realized that I had far surpassed his level of experience, and this time, it was I who was able to offer help, and I was glad for it.
He needed help with a mission of San’doria, one that I had accomplished long ago. I eagerly dropped what I was doing to go help my friend who had so many times helped me out during my first days in Vana’diel.
Soon I realized how much I had missed adventuring with my friend, as we headed to Beadeaux. Along the way we caught up on what we had been doing all this time. We soon had this mission finished, and we went our separate ways again from Jeuno. We promised to stay in touch this time.
Over my adventures, I’ve added many names to my friends list. Many of these friends I talk to on a daily basis. Sometimes I meet up with them to enjoy some adventure, as I had with the person who occupied the first spot on my friends list. I haven’t seen him on my friends list since that day we left each other in Jeuno. Every day though, I keep looking for his name. Every day, I look forward to seeing a familiar name come to me, and give me a message…”It’s been a long time friend.”