There's a lagstorm in Southsun right now, the worst I've ever seen. The original Lost Shores event has nothing on it. I disconnected five times in 30 minutes and it was only because it was taking up to three or four minutes for the server to finally kick me out that I got credit for killing the Karka Queen at all. My contribution to the team effort was limited to lying down in a salt pan right at the beginning, standing up briefly half-way through after a revive, then lying down again watching a freeze-frame of the Queen at 25% health until I dropped to character select.
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| An earlier attempt, in which I survived but so, unfortunately, did the Queen |
Logging back in to find my head in a large treasure chest was a bonus, although not as literally so as the actual two-rare Bonus chest jiggling suggestively at me from the lower right corner of the screen. At that point I decided to quit while I was ahead and go elsewhere. I did think about Guesting somewhere quieter but in the middle of the American working day every single US server was running Very High except for Blackgate, Dragonbrand and Tarnished Coast, which were Full. Read into that what you will.
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| Is that an original Hokusai, Braham? |
That's how I came to be wandering idly through Wayfarer's Foothills and into Diessa Plateau where, just as I passed Charrgate Haven, I happened to notice that steam was still venting from the mountainside, which in turn got me to wondering if Cragstead was still there and if so was the gate unlocked. It is and it was.
Cragstead is a hive of activity. Norns are hammering away right and left, children chase each other through the frozen streets between the newbuilt Steads, there are vendors selling food and drink and plenty of people have a moment to chat. Some of them even remembered me, albeit after a little prompting.
Braham has a very nicely decorated new place and some choice things to say about his mother. There's a Shaman of Owl that I found intriguing, and a Charr gladium who's thrown his lot in with the Norn to become a Dolyak Herder, who I found very touching. All in all Cragstead seems to be turning into rather a promising settlement.
And what of The Hatchery? That was something of a surprise, not because it was back in business, nor because Rox was there, both of which I'd expected, but because most of the Charr refugees for whom we recovered precious lost possessions from the Diessa dust seem to have ended up working there too. Even the little cub with the toy soldier has found a Fahrar to take on her training.
As a comic fan of extremely long standing I have a very fine appreciation of continuity but it's something I am not at all used to seeing taken seriously in MMOs. This attention to detail after the fact, unattached as far as I can tell to any Achievement, Event or other practical in-game benefit, is most heartening
and strongly to be
encouraged. I fear it may also largely be a wasted effort. I wonder how many players have stopped back to either of these ex-instances to catch up with the folks they supposedly went so far out of their way to help just a few weeks ago?
If Southsun hadn't been so laggy today, I wouldn't have.
Braham has a very nicely decorated new place and some choice things to say about his mother. There's a Shaman of Owl that I found intriguing, and a Charr gladium who's thrown his lot in with the Norn to become a Dolyak Herder, who I found very touching. All in all Cragstead seems to be turning into rather a promising settlement.
And what of The Hatchery? That was something of a surprise, not because it was back in business, nor because Rox was there, both of which I'd expected, but because most of the Charr refugees for whom we recovered precious lost possessions from the Diessa dust seem to have ended up working there too. Even the little cub with the toy soldier has found a Fahrar to take on her training.
and strongly to be 
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