Astara's other other cage

A blow-by-blow tale of Astara and his dealings with the world in which we can humbly dream of...

Friday, April 20, 2007

CoP Complete! Congratulations to all!! 15/4/07



What began in early October of 2006 has resulted in a culmination of massive effort and budding friendships being cemented into history as the OnebyOne linkshell of Shiva successfully completed the quests involved on April 15th 2007. Narnia and Syano created the shell after completing their Promyvion mission together and soon the shell was filled with eager adventurers seeking the answers to the mysteries of Promathia and access to the sacred Sea!

With the help of many friends along the way, the shell consisted of a few good friends who complimented each other and made the dedication to get together often weekly to help each other realize their goals. The group ventured through many difficult battles and tiring adventures across the globe and the rewards and experiences gained were truly memorable. Long after we have all bowed out of this game, I truly believe these memories will serve as a reminder to the fun times we had and that this site will live on as testament to our effort. These memories will show us that although it truly is a game, it really is so much more than that. It’s an example of random strangers coming together and making the commitment to see an adventure through time after time.

Thank you Narnia so much for your continued enthusiasm and leadership. Without you there would never have been a linkshell like OBOS, and your communication skills kept us together over our continuous breaks :P. Syano, Grimwald, Kylidon, Odjaru, Shintaro, Astara, Avhienda, and so so many more to this we owe the rewards and praise to you.

So what is the future for OnebyOne Shiva? There is always more adventure in the world for us to discover. There will always be a battle we can fight. We shall always be in demand! Only time shall tell… *cough ToAU missions cough* hahah

SEE YOU ALL AGAIN SOOOOON!

And so it was over...We saved Vana'Diel!

The battle was over. Promathia was dead. OneByOne of Shiva was victorious. The world tour of Vana'Diel was the final task remaining in our quest. We ventured the world to farewell our commrades one by one and were treated to perhaps the best cs in the game!! (meeeee-teeeeee-ooooor ftw!! XD)

The final cutscene of Chains of Promathia is the only song in the game which has lyrics. To complete the final mission of this long journey offers us this truly unique reward. Through this moment we reflect on the deeds that were done, the enemies faced, but most importantly-- The friends that helped guide us to this victory. To those who helped us on our jouney, to the ones we left behind, we tribute this success to you....

Seas invite in the evening sun
to light the somber abyss.
Clouds dance up with the heavens' stars,
chanting an air of joyous bliss.

Water fades back from blue to jade,
guiding young rainbows high.
Flowers bloom into red and whites,
quenching our hearts when they run dry.

Angels chained by a beast locked in slumber.
Sin washed away by the swift flow of time.

I may know the answers.
Journeys over snow and sand.
What twist in fate has brought us
to tread upon this land?

Blessed by light and the burden of shadow.
Souls abide to an endless desire.

I may know the answers,
though one question I still hear.
What twist in fate has brought us
to roads that run so near?

Distant worlds together.
Miracles from realms beyond.
The lifelight burns inside me
to sing to you this song.
To sing with you this song.
To sing to you your song.

Congratulations everyone. Your rewards were truly deserved.
-- Astara.

CoP Mission 8.4: Piccies.

The souls of the emptiness return to the MOthercrystal as Selh' looks on. Awww a pretty shot of a random Taru....
Prishe is re-born mortal as her Magicite is used to destroy Promathia, sacrificing her immortality for the sake of the world!
The mothercrystal saved!

CoP Mission 8.4: Dawn. The end.


So we ventured for our first and last time into the fabled Empyreal Paradox for the fight that we had anticipated since we first began this game years ago for most of us. The cutscene distracted us for a good few minutes and when most of us had only just entered the BCNM, impatient Prishe and Selh' decided to launch a solo attack on Promathia so we headed into the fight practically unprepared. Within minutes we were struggling big time. Being melee heavy we were absolutely destroyed by Promathia's relentless Meteor and Comet AOE attacks that hit consistently for 600+ damage every minute.

Yet we struggled through and eventually managed to wipe Promathia's first form to the ground as Prishe practically tanked for us. Unfortunately we were forced to wipe as most of us did not consider the final bout being one by a hapless NPC as we lay on our backs. With a little more preperation we went in and proceeded to almost wipe again (or so I hear as I was booted by my ISP for 80% of the second round -- and yes Avhienda, my screams caused avalanches as far away as Canada!!!) to Promathia's incessent attacks as some of us were regretting not coming with a mage or ranged job.
However after a short fight it was done... Promathia was no more!!!! To our shock and amazement Altana herself graced us with her presence and proceeeded to return the whisper of the souls we had all once lost over time and calmed her celestial husband Promathia. We were children of both heaven and hell, mother and father, creater and destroyer.

The Final Confontaion: Dawn of the final day.


So once Promathia had risen he escaped and flew off (toilet maybe >.>) and we were forced to escape the Garden and track him down to confront him and take him out!

Prishe headed off the search and the gassyQuasilumin's (I got it see!!) became all Village of The Damned on our asses (I never trusted them!!) and were happy thier 'KIng' was home once more. So we headed back to the Garden to confront Promathia for the final battle for the Chains of Promathia seriesn feeling both jubilation yet saddened as the realisation that all of our efforts over the previous six months were finally coming to a head. We were at the end.


As anticipated the cutscenes were amazing. The battlefield was stunning! Fighting 'above' Vana'Diel was an excellent touch. Prishe and Selh' did not dissapoint either...

MIssion 8.3 Images of interest! (yes - I've gone mad with pics!)

Nag'molada raises hell incarnate to forsake Vana'Diel and all its inhabitants (inluding us!! 'Oh no he didn't!!'Promathia awakes....VERY hungry! Random side note >>> FFXI Pikmin would rock!!!Promathia finding his feet ... hey it has been like forever!Promathia gets the shits with OBO!


EEEP! ... Awww look how cute the widdle Promathia is!!

CoP Mission 8.3 - When Angels Fall (Part 2)


So when we had completed the perpetually dull climb up the Garden towers we made it to the Pot BCNM which was always said to be horribly difficult. As we were waiting and prepping a group was already attempting it and strangely the BCNM door did not load and I could see right into thier room and inevitably thier hilarious demise....twice ! XD IT certainly brought a smile back to my grumpy and tired face.
So soon it was our turn and needless to say ----------> OBOShiva KICKED POT ASS!! Gogo the 1/1 Kings! The method we took was flawless and we completed the BCNM in a crazed frenzy of damage and gore tot he diamy of the team before us who was still 0/3!!
After the fight we took the last steps into the Kings Chamber where our NPC companions had been drawn to by the mindless utterings of Promathia and his fruitless promises for glory. Needless to say the ensuing drama was completely amazinga nd unexpected as Promathia himself was brought back into Vana'Diel by the mislead and horrendoulsy overzealous Nag'molada!!!


CoP Mission 8.3 - When Angels Fall

After three extended weeks of delay my Chains of Promathia static finally met up for the final round of missions of Chains of Promathia. We set foot into the The Garden of Ru'Hmet as a group for the first time and I must say I was a little sad that there was not a single tree in sight! Instead there were a multitude of crazy-eyed pots lurking in every corridor waiitng to devour and zap (go figure >.>) careless wanderers (or tired-ass leaders like me! /blush) .


So the first step was to scale the five race towers to retrieve the 'light' that was stolen from each of us the moment we first reached sea those short weeks ago. At first we were keen to acquire the map from approaching the 10 randomly scattered Qusi...Quasi...err blobs. After almost wiping again and again an old friend was enlisted to save our sorry asses ... gogo Avhienda ftw!!
So after literally hours we finally made it to the pots of doooom!