[ACStrider]

As most of you know by now, my character is a bard. Today I participated in a bardic festival. I didn't win the competition, but did have a few fans cheer for me to win, and got personal praise from the festival director. (also got some experience for singing) I've gotten to team up with Fritz and QuikSand once, and have made contacts with some pretty cool characters. My best guess is that to have a successful gaming experience, you need to coordinate a time and place to meet (before entering the game) and have a destination agreed upon as well. Otherwise, you spend too much time trying to recruit a team together or don't have waste time running in circles.

To new players, I've found a good place to gather experience and gold rather quickly. The firebeatle quests is solid. If you go to the marketplace (follow the city gate where you start to the government district, keep going in the gov district to the market) and go to the opposite end, you come to an exit to the docks district. When you get in the docks, take a quick right and follow it around. The first sewers grate that you come across should have some city guards and some fire beetles that spawn from that location. At level 3 I was getting 6 experience for each fire beatle (better then most monsters). Worried about low hit points? No fear. THE CITY GUARDS KILL THE BEATLES! So if you want, you don't have to do any fighting at all...just sit there and soak up experience.

Ok, so the beatles are killed by the guards (2 at a time)...now what. Collect their bellies after they dissappear. A few minutes later, a few more beatles will come out. (respawning) process repeats itself.

Ok, you have a lot of fire beatle bellies...now what? Go back to the market. There should be two columns of markets. Go to the first vendor of the column not directly in front of you (a little to your right). There should be a little boy there who is looking for fire beatle bellies. EVERY FIRE BEATLE BELLY WILL GIVE YOU 25 EXP (so in essence, a 3rd level character is getting 31 experience for EACH kill), AND A FIRE POTION (excellent for low level casters who are looking for a way of casting). Have no need for fire potions? Sell them...good money. Well, that's my advice. I might be on late tonight...if so, I'll post here what time. Otherwise, have fun everyone!