Bragtoberfest: ArcheAge – Hands Across the Water
In my previous post for Bragtoberfest, I noted that this week’s ultimate goal was to earn the scarecrow farm in ArcheAge. This is a quest that requires you to create a trade pack in your home land and travel across the war-zone ocean into enemy territory to attempt to deliver it. Actually, to complete the quest, you only have to get within a certain radius of the trader NPC. Turning it in is actually a bonus.
Ambivalence
I’ve been putting off this quest for a long time. I don’t have a boat, aside from my personal rowboat, and I knew trying to make the trip on my own in this boat would be difficult at lower levels. I kept going back and forth on whether I wanted to complete this quest at all — once I had my thatched farmhouse built, I’d have farm land, afterall. But building it, especially the lumber packs, was slow going because all I have to farm with is my small garden and public tree farms, which allows only 5 trees at a time.
I am a part of a trade guild, so I mulled the idea of asking for help. But I’m new, and I haven’t provided much to them, so I felt bad to ask them for anything first.
Last night, I finally gathered all the materials I needed for the trade run previous to the scarecrow run, and was making that long, long trek across the East continent. Just as I was coming in for the turn-in, someone in my guild asks if anyone is doing the scarecrow farm turn-in. Much to my delight, a guildie was ready and willing with a clipper to set sail. I piped up and said that I needed the turn-in, too, though I needed time to finish the quest I was on, and craft my next pack.
First Clipper Ride
I have to give props to my guildies in <The Consoritium> (Lucius server). They were quick to group, patient to wait for my arrival to their ship, didn’t make fun of me when I didn’t know how to even board the ship (my first time interacting with one), and were pleasant and supportive the whole ride.
We didn’t encounter pirates or enemy faction in the waters, thankfully. The worst we had was some seabugs, which would have been a challenge for me to solo at my level, should I have decided to do this run by myself. On a clipper, the ride was shorter than I thought it would be. But soloing with a tradepack in a rowboat would have taken sooo long. I was so glad I didn’t attempt it.
There were three of us turning in our packs on the enemy shore. We were nervous as we pulled in, despite having two higher level folks there to protect us. We made it within the radius of the turn-in for the quest completion, then decided to brave the reds for the full turn-in for Guilda Stars.
I recognized the dock as we pulled up to it, seeing I started on the West side originally. I was about level 8-ish when I reached that point in the West quests. So while we did encounter reds on the docks, most of them were so low leveled, they were probably more afraid of us! We weren’t there to make trouble, though. We got our turn-ins, they kept their distance, and we recalled home without any issues on either side.
Success!
Now, for the next challenge.
Finding a Place to Farm
I confirmed quickly that there was no room near my farmhouse to place my new farm. There were some areas where it was just on block too wide – so, so close to fitting. My next door neighbor’s taxes run out today, but I knew I’d have another week to wait, and no promise I’d be able to snag the lot. So, it was back to searching for a place to put my farm.
Even on the Lucius server, that was becoming a challenge.
On Saturday, when I was searching for a place to put my farmhouse, I ran across the Mahadevi Pumpkin Farm. The land indicated it was for Scarecrow Farms and Thatched Farmhouses, but a bug prevented me from placing my farmhouse. When I ran through it, it had a TON of open land.
Last night? Not so much.
As I ran through the fields, all claimed by farms, I sometimes chaffed at people who weren’t placing their farms in ways to conserve land and provide the most coverage for everyone. I was ready to give up when I saw it — the perfect spot on the edge of a cliff overlooking the ocean. And to my shock, it had just enough room for my farm!
I was stoked and surprised that such a prime spot was still open. It wasn’t super far from the crafting stations, either. Needless to say, I plunked my farm down there with glee. My goals for AA were slowly becoming a reality!
I had been gathering logs all week, with the idea to save up for the lumber packs I’d need for my farmhouse. I had enough to make the lumber pack for the farm, and decided I’d more than make that up once my farm was built. So I did it, and it’s done. Welcome to my farm plot “Awesomeview”. XD
I was amazed at how many trees I could fit on there. And in between, so many other little plants could thrive. In fact, I held back from farming it all because I need to save LP for mining.
Next goal of Bragtoberfest: Reach 10K mining skill in ArcheAge. I’m getting pretty close!
