Well, today was our day for “Traipsing Through Telara Thoroughly Trouncing Trolls” – quite literally today, because we did have to “do away with” a certain number of Ridge Trolls. A highly successful day was had by all (except for the Ridge Trolls, of course) – we went up a level, almost two, actually, and although I died once (it wasn’t fair! I was mobbed!) we ended up knocking over the nasties like ninepins! We started off this morning at level 44, and we were facing mobs of between levels 48 and 50 – a lot of them Elite, too (Elites are supposedly really hard to kill – meh! They were a little tougher, but not by that much!) Julian thinks it’s because we’re both Mages, and we both pack a pretty lethal wallop. In the past, we’ve usually played a Healer + Mage DPS team (DPS = Damage Per Second). In other words, I zapped nasties, and he healed me when I was getting too severely bashed by the nasties I was trying to kill. Clerics are basically healers, and are a definite must in a large-ish group, but they don’t have much killing power. It’s usually worked out quite well for us, working in that sort of team, but this time around we’re both Mages, and we both specialise in doing maximum damage. And as a matter of fact, as the Mage who usually received the healing when I got wounded, I’m not missing it all that much – mind you, I’ve had to take a lot more healing potions than I used to – just as well we have a Guild Apothecary who can make all the healing potions we could possibly need! 😉 Another thing we’ve noticed, too – when we used to play World of Warcraft, Mages, though very good at DPS, were also notoriously fragile – extremely likely to die just when they were needed the most! It was supposedly because they could only wear Cloth Armor (don’t ask me why, because I have no idea!) In Rift, Mages wear Cloth Armor too – but I’d say we’re tougher than the Hunter/Rogues who wear Leather Armor. It could also be because we don’t fight up close and personal, like Warriors, and a lot of Clerics and Hunter-Rogues. No! We stand back and zap spells and DOTs at our foes! (DOT’s = Damage Over Time spells) We can also send out Pets in to Tank for us (Tank = up close and personal fighters who take the brunt of the damage, leaving the spellcasters (Mages) free to work their (ahem!) “Magic” from afar) – so all in all, Mages are very formidable opponents, and as I said, we’re knocking these mobs, 4 to 5 levels higher than ourselves, over like ninepins! It does not compute! The Orange, and especially the Red mobs, should be really, really hard to knock over, and they’re just pussy-cats! It’s amusing, in a way – when I’m starting out a new character, I generally try to level them up a little higher than necessary, on the (now obviously false) premise that as I go for the higher quest levels, I’ll be better able to handle the mobs if my own level is a little higher than it should be. Well, I think I’ve pretty much knocked that particular premise on its head! No more shall I tarry in Silverwood and Freemarch, boosting myself up in order to be able to handle the mobs in Stonefield and Gloamwood more easily! Unfortunately I have no more young ‘uns left on Laethys and Hailol to test this theory out on, and I don’t (at this stage, anyway) really want to start up a new character elsewhere. But I might. Later.
Weigh-in this morning. I feel the faint stirrings of a bump (or lump) beginning under my feet… I stayed the same this morning, at 98.4kg 😦 *sigh* Well, I suppose it was better than going up (that’ll happen tomorrow – you mark my words!) And I have a sort-of confession to make, too… I say “sort of”, because I made up for it this evening! *blows raspberry at screen* At lunch time today…. I forgot to go and do my Stair Walk…. BUT! I went and did it this evening, on my way back to the Den after watching two episodes of Star Trek: Enterprise! So, although I did forget to do it at lunch time, I still got my three Stair Walks per day in, by doing it this evening! I don’t know how it would have worked out if I’d been doing what I’d been thinking of doing, and having a fourth Stair Walk every evening, on my way back down to the Den… Let’s see what the scales tell me tomorrow… it might even turn out to be more beneficial for me to have my third Stair Walk later in the evening…
So tune in again this time tomorrow night, and find out all the latest news! I’m (hopefully) having my hair coloured tomorrow morning – a bright emerald green! No, not really 🙂 It’ll be pretty much the same as what I had done last time – streaks (stripes?) of a rusty sort of red (with just a hint of violet in it to cool the red down a bit, I think?!) I’m really looking forward to not looking like a faded red panda any more! 🙂 I’ll let you all know how it goes, and what it looks like! *sigh* I never got the chance to re-do my nails this afternoon – I just ran out of time. By the time we finished our Rift day, and I’d had my 5 o’clock Stair Walk, it was almost dinner time (Vegetable soup tonight, with semi-dried chili flakes sprinkled over it, followed by cherry flavoured diet jelly and three prunes!) So my nails are looking very sad and sorry this evening, I fear… Never mind, I shall do all of that tomorrow afternoon – er… I think. My favourite eldest daughter will be coming over tomorrow after her visit to the Dentist (I hope himself hasn’t forgotten!) Maybe my nails will have to wait until Wednesday! 
Oh well, I’ll let you know how it all pans out. Hopefully my weight will start behaving properly tomorrow morning and start going down again – I really hate it when it stays the same… So anyway, until this time tomorrow night , once more I shall beg you to bee good, always remember your manners, and above all… stay safe! 🙂 ciao, all! 🙂
My Word! 