Almost my Swan Song

The Swan Song quest. Two deaths and the need to purchase missing rune armor. The first death was a quick surprise with me attempting to flee. The second was a grinding death with me knowing it was going to happen when the computer lagged. It did make the victory sweet with Boy and Girl watching their old man slug it out and finally defeat the Sea Troll Queen. I even had a cheer or two from the people fishing for monkfish. They were a little surprised I won against a level 170 monster (I am level 76). I guess they did not realise that I threw common sense out the window cause my dander was up from getting killed. Oh well, I can now fish monkfish in peace.

I have also reached 70 attack... I can now wield the whip... just got to go and chop some magics to get the cash. It is my unrealistic goal to reach woodcutting 99 before I go back to school....

Frustration

Hero Quest looked like an easy quest and it was for the most part. The hang up was finding a person who was in the other gang to complete the final task. I found a person but they missed a step and it took some time to find out. Then I messed up my end and it took more time to resolve that. It is done. I did manage to go up in Ranged


Health and a Combat level to boot. Nice.

Meet Baby

This is baby. Baby was an impulse buy.

Stats update

Here are the stats from the start of the year and today's. I finished the Medium Varrock Achievement Diary the other day. I finished the Rat Catcher and Dwarf Canon tonight. I think that I walked almost from one end of the game to the other.

Vampires suck.....

I have spent two nights attempting to get past one section of this quest... get a guy past some vampires. He kept getting beaten and running away. I finally armed, armored and gave him food. It was fairly easy after that. Now I can do the Temple Trekking mini-game. I plan to see if I can get the undead lumberjack outfit so I can get a small bonus with woodcutting. Or there is always the Varrock Achievement Diary- medium level. I think that I have to do a quest in order to complete this... the rat catcher quest. There are always options and choices.

Wood Cutting Blues

Here I am. Cutting Magic trees again for money. I died again this morning doing the Troll Stronghold quest... I think that it is the second time I have died on that quest. I started it a long time ago and noticed it on my quest log. I hate to have unfinished quests listed in yellow. I figured that it would be a quick in and out. I have to stop thinking that way cause it only causes lost rune armor. I figured I was in a safe spot and went to meet the nutritional needs of little she. I came back just in time to see that I was dead. Ten magic tree runs and I can replace all that I have lost (again).

Mining 70

The adamnite ore is now mine. Now I am off to the mining guild to start collecting it. Then it is off to work on my smithing skills or perhaps a quest.

Coal trucks and open sky......

I think since it is vacation time it is time to just do some low level activities. Work on some skills that are fairly close to going up in level... like mining. I am about 35k from level 70. There are a few other skills that I have not used in a while that can be quickly brought up a level. I have finished the first part of the Varrock Achievement Dairy and just need to do a quest or two in order to start the second part. I got knocked off the other night in the City of the Dead. I guess it did not get its name for nothing.... My cat paid the ultimate price though. Gone but not forgotten. It is just such a pain to raise them from kittens. I think that it is part of the Varrock Achievement Diary anyways. Off to the coal trucks.... You can see my buddy in the background. He thinks he can take the coal from me but is learning a lesson in frustration instead.

Done

I think that this was the most frustrating quest that I have done yet. It was not really difficult but the time put in seemed long. It is over and I move on to the next thing. I was thinking about doing the two quests to open up the fishing colony so that I could fish monkfish. My friend has started on slayer and it sounds interesting. Perhaps a quest first.... it about gardening. How hard could that be?

Gone fishing....

Time to restock the food.... perhaps a few days of catching swordfish and tuna will mellow me out. Mellow.... calm..... looking at the little fishies.... just before I stab them with the harpoon. Makes me think of Ahab on the quarterdeck....


Drink and pass! he cried, handing the heavy charged flagon to the nearest seaman. The crew alone now drink. Round with it, round! Short draughts --long swallows, men; 'tis hot as Satan's hoof. So, so; it goes round excellently. It spiralizes in ye; forks out at the serpent-snapping eye. well done; almost drained. That way it went, this way it comes. Hand it me -- here's a hollow! Men, ye seem the years; so brimming life is gulped and gone.


Even digital fishing makes me thirsty... Since Ahab has been mentioned can one escape the great Ahab quote?


And later on in the Towards thee I roll, thou all-destroying but unconquering whale(Goraks); to the last I grapple with thee; from hell's heart I stab at thee; for hate's sake I spit my last breath at thee.


Revenge and your claw, Goraks, will be mine.....

Building pyramids in honor of our leaving.....

I had a student who started the pyramid project a while ago but he gave up on it and it was thrown away. I have started it again using Hirst Arts Sand Blasted Pyramid Mold #92 and Egyptian Pyramid Accessory Mold #96. The picture of the wall is wrong in its set up. I have since figured out the mistake and should have this wall glued together in a few days. I got to pour some more molds to finish the room. I quickly painted up a mummy and sarcophagus for a student the other day. It was my first time painting for a number of years and painting plaster. He seemed to think it came out pretty good. I think that I got to practice some more.

The project has started to interest some of the other students and I hope they will help to finish the Greek temple that was started last semester. It is really hard (at least for me) to get the smooth bricks to line up right. I need to step back and relax a little about that. It will look fine no matter what.

Farking Goraks

After all this time slaughtering goats in order to make a potion to cure the Fairy Queen... I made the potion and got back to the Queen and Farked up in giving it to her. After killing three or four Garaks a claw finally was to be had and I grabbed it. Then I was dead. I am still trying to calm down. Not only lost rune armor parts and a weapon but the claw too. The Dramen staff too. I am off to fish so I can exact my revenge. What can one do beyond pay the five dollars a month for the frustration. A cold and fickle mistress this.

Dice Tower

This is the start of a dice tower. There are two molds being used at this point, both from Hirst Arts. The walls are from the basic block mold (#40), the floor is from the floor tile mold (#2o1) and the arch is from the prison tower mold(#60). If you have not been to Bruce Hirst's site, you should. He is a great guy.

I remember when I bought the Egyptian pyramid and inner chamber mold, he gave me a call to make sure I got the type of pyramid blocks for the look I was going for. I mistakenly ordered the smooth blocks instead of the weathered. That was pretty cool for him to do that. I have bought several other molds since then and have never had a problem with his molds. Any problems that have happened were my or the student's fault. Mainly forgetting we have a mold poured and not scraping off the tops.

The next step in this project is to figure out the ramps inside the tower for the dice to roll down. I thought about using the stairs from the prison mold but figure that they will get worn down eventually. I think I am going to go with cardboard ramps with something secured on them to make the dice tumble. It has been an interesting project so far.

Herblore.... 57....

The goats are breathing easier now. Now I am off to finish the Fairy Tale Part II.

56

One more.

50

There is a little rush going on for the goat horns... these people tell me that the horns bring about 800 to 900 gp. I just move on to another world and continue the slow slaughter of the desert goats.

Gary Gygax

Gary Gygax has passed on. It is a sad day. Thanks to his and Dave Arneson's efforts we are able to play the various types of fantasy games (from D&D to Magic: The Gathering to Runescape) that we play today. Rest in peace, Mr. Gygax, and thanks for the adventures.

Happy Birthday

Today is my sister's birthday, she would be 47.

48

48. Tonight was the first time I have played in a while. The slaughter of the desert goats goes on.

Strange Behavior

I found this image while looking for a photo for The Vikings. This is Mr. Cramp's site.

The Vikings

I was thinking about The Vikings the other day. This is a perfect Sunday afternoon movie for all to see. It might be time for boy to see it. It was one of the inspirations for my axe throwing activities. That is a great scene. If you have not seen it, you should. If you have not seen it in a while.... what are you waiting for?

I found this image on this site. I think that it is a better image than the movie's art work.

Turns out I am the goat...

The goat got me. There I was the mighty slayer one minute and then they got me. The real shame is that the movie that distracted me was not all that good.

Behold a mighty slayer of goats.....

There is a certain feeling of peace here in the desert. The goal is around 1500 ground goat horns. 1500. Do not look for logic or reason. It is to get the herblore up to 57. Yes there are faster ways but I have half of the material to do meet this goal this way. At least I can work on my attack level while doing this. I hear the whip calling my name....

The Dragon Axe is mine!

Woodcutting 82

Runescape stats for 2007

Still Chopping

Woodcutting 80 now and still chopping wood. The goal is a dragon axe so I can chop wood faster. The only problem is that the price of the dragon axe is slowly rising. Capitalism at its best. Supply and demand. The price of Yew is also going up. After this goal is met, I think I am going to complete a quest or two. Just mindless killing. Perhaps an abysmal whip will help in that.

Perhaps I should just spend some time and paint. The area is a disaster area with stuff stacked and piled around it. I got to look into a better lighting set up for the pictures. Sounds like some new years plans are forming.

Chop your way to wealth

I have set my Herb lore goals aside for the moment and have gone back to woodcutting. That was my first goal way back when. I wanted to get to chop yews.... that was about a year or so ago. Now I have woodcutting 75 and can harvest magic trees. I wish that I did not burn all those yews back in the day... If I would have held on to them I could have made big money and gotten that dragon axe that I need. They are somewhere around 3 million on the exchange. Yew and magic logs sell quick on the new exchange. I have other things on there that have not moved at all. The high end logs fly off the shelves.

Happy Thanksgiving

Ah, Thanksgiving Day. Boy wants to watch a football game. Girl wants this and that. Dad wants runescape. I have begun to cut my way to wealth and my herb lore goal. I'm a Lumber Jack, and I'm OK. But as everything in runescape, I have also set another goal of fletching 65 so I can fletch yew shortbows. Never the linear path.

At work, the Hirst Arts blocks have taken a break. The projects have slowed for some reason. It is ok. I have grown tired of scrapping the dried mess off the counters. One of the projects, a stone house, took on the look of a stone trailer. That is now someone else's start of a tower. The great pyramid has stalled. The Roman Temple is a disaster. Ah, education. We will re-light the fires and get them done before the end of the quarter.

Herb Lore

I thought that farming was boring.... herb lore is even more so. I got a long way to go...

Farming 49

I have reached my goal. The moment of achievement was then crushed by the need of having Herblore 57. The high to the low. Current Herblore level? 24. Needed experience? 195565. O, the pain! SHE is disgusted by boy and mine expression of joy then frustration. At least Boy understands at some level. I am off to gather herbs and other items to make potions. If you need some, look me up. I think that I will have more than enough to spare.

Farming 48

Farming 48. One more level to go.

I miss Art Bell

I tried to listen to Coast to Coast the other night. As I listened to some one drone on about a book about time travel the only sound the host made were "hmmm" or agreeing with the guest. It was some of the worse radio that I have heard in a while. I miss Art Bell. Art would have at least interjected some interesting points or noticed that the guest was boring. No matter how crazy or whacked out the caller or topic, Art made it entertaining to hear. I am hoping that he will be on tonight for a Ghost to Ghost episode. Come back, Art. Late night radio needs you.

Past Figure Wednesday

Behold, the Wizard! I have to get better lighting at some point but the darkness hides how badly this figure is painted. I have no idea what I was thinking with the colors of the staff and hat. They must have been close to hand.

Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween

Farming 47

Farming 47 reached. Two more levels to go....

Paddy and his pig

Today was a gaming day. I headed down south to visit a friend and take part in the D&D Miniature Desert of Desolation pre-release tournament down at Crossroad Games. I had a great time having people hand me defeat after defeat. I am truly sorry that I could not hang around for the last round. My friend could have been a contender.... but he had to bring me back. So if you are down that way, make sure to stop into Crossroad Games and say hello.

Flashback

Phantasie was THE GAME that started my addiction to computer games. I think that Shaggy and I did that game from start to finish in a weekend. O what joy when the monsters were defeated.... the entire party would jump up and down. There were three games in the series. The other two did not really compare to the first one. I don't even remember if Shaggy and I finished the last one. I think we had moved over to the Ultima series by then. Perhaps even The Bard's Tale.

My father made a comment on the old Commodore 64 taking up space upstairs the last time I visited. It would have come home with me if SHE did not give me the look of Medusa. Boy and I would have had a great time with that system. I wonder if the discs still work. It would have been a steal... since it is my brother's machine. It is my hope that since it has been sitting up there for about twenty years it can wait until a solo visit is made. As long as I can get it down into the basement and Boy or Girl hooked before SHE notices. The planned responses when she does notice are first, "Whuut?", and when that fails, "but it is for the children...."

You a farmer? Then why do you have that pig on your back?!

Boy does not like me to farm on Runescape. I have to admit, I do not care for it all that much either. Until I reach level 49 I will continue to get the digital dirt under my fingernails. It is a slow process. The best way is to plant and grow trees. Naturally, it is hard to come across tree seeds. This springs from my need to have farming level 49 in order to finish a quest. I thought that it would only take me a while to accomplish it but it as slowed to a crawl. At least I am working on my woodcutting and fletching skills during the long grow times.

Hirst Arts

I stumbled upon Hirst Arts a few years ago. It is a great site to visit and a great product to own. I remember that Bruce Hirst gave me a call after I ordered the smooth pyramid to ask me if it was really what I wanted or was it the sandblasted pyramid. He was correct. I wanted the sandblasted pyramid. Now that is customer service!

I have had other mold purchased recently and they are great too. I am using them to support my units on Ancient Rome and Medieval Europe. The only limit that I have found is the type of material you cast with. We started out with plaster of paris. It pays to get material that is harder than that when dry. We are using Densite at the moment and it is a little better. I want to get the dental plaster but I think that we need to work on our mixing and pouring technique first. Attempting to get all of the air bubbles out is difficult. I will have to build one of the vibrating pour boards that Mr. Hirst built.

Old figures

Here are some older figures. I went through a spell where I was painting almost every night for a while. I think that I have to do some more about the lighting for the pictures but it might also be becasue of my lack of painting skill... It was fun anyways.

Guardian of the Throne

This is the guardian of the Throne. She demanded her picture to be snapped when I took the other pictures. I got to read a little more about snapping pictures of figures. I don't think that they came out very good. I will have to find the others and put them on this site. She has been a great guardian except she sheds hair on the painting station and figures. She also drools when you scratch the back of her head... much like her owner.

Throne of Bone

Here is the state of Throne of Bone as of tonight. Primed and ready for paint. Actually it has been primed since this summer. Just got to find time to spend on it. Boy and Girl want to help paint it too. That might be interesting but I don't think my fragile ego could take it if they do better than me. I guess I would have to pass my few brushes to them.

Yes, but skeletons are white......

There are moments within one's life that all becomes clear. I have had a few and have named this great effort for one of them. Back in the early 90s I started painting D&D figures. I had some of the Ral Partha box sets among others. One set stood out among the figures... Throne of Bone. A wizard and his wench lounging upon an elevated platform of skeletons. I tried several times to paint that pile of lead to no avail. The shading was off or it just did not look right. In frustration I gave it away to a fraternity brother who also painted. After some time I asked him how his efforts were going with that project. He amazed me by saying he had finished it. He said that he spray painted it because.... wait for it..... skeletons are white.

All hail the one and only Mutant, Ed Bantz for his Zen wisdom.

AAAAAGGGGGGGGGG!!!!! It still is a knife in the eye almost 20 years later. I saw that set on EBay last winter and bought it. It is now primed black (spray painted) and is waiting for my tender brush strokes. It can wait a while longer, I have gotten use to its cold whisperings in the back of my mind.