Sharing is Caring….and The Omael Quest (echo)

Loaning people gear that I’m not currently using has always been something I’ve been willing to do. People rarely ask me though, which I attribute to my own fairly cantankerous nature. Several months back an up-and-coming war/nin named Jedimasta was desperately in need of a Haubergeon. Go look what it is up if you don’t know, the blog won’t be going anywhere. Here’s a picture of me wearing one with my NPC in Eldieme Necropolis:


Anyway, Jedi needed a Hauby or he’d be a gimp. Gimps are the bane of FFXI, and anyone that gets to level 60 with gimp gear needs to be shot. Scratch that. Anyone that gets to level 40 with gimp gear needs to be shot. Myself, I was tired of trying to level war/nin on about two hours of playtime each night, so I told Jedi he could have my Haubergeon and Assault Earring. I don’t remember if I said to borrow or keep. A couple weeks later, I quit the game. When I returned earlier this year, I learned that not only did Jedi still have my Haubergeon and Assault Earring, but he had leveled all the way to 75. I admit to being surprised, but I learned long ago that I was a slow leveler compared to the rest of the linkshell I belong to. Soon after I returned, one of the linkshell members named Quickswipe was leveling thief. I ran into her (as Quickswipe is a Mithra, I will refer to the character as “her”.) in Jeuno and got to see what gear she was using. It was good, but not great. I offered to let her use my Leaping Boots for a while, provided that they are returned. After a while, Quickswipe stopped leveling thief and retuned the boots. I was intrigued at the idea of using my wealth to accumulate enough favors with linkshell members that my Beastmaster af quests would be a cakewalk. I have since decided to lend my gear out to linkshell members I deem trustworthy enough, in return for future help with af coffers and whatnot. There is a physical list of people on a sheet of printer paper next to my computer that I am willing to loan my better gear to, which I make changes to over time. Recently, I’ve begun to entertain the idea of resuming my war/nin career. My mule plantation has paid off nicely, and allowed me to buy the gear my war/nin would need, except for a Haubergeon, Assault Earring and scroll of Utsusemi: Ni. Lo and behold, I spoke with Jedi and he returned my old gear! Jedi was going to buy a Hauberk for himself anyway and had better earrings than the assault, so he didn’t need my old stuff anymore. Some time later (maybe two days), I learn that Kyrek is leveling war/nin and is also in need of a Haubergeon. I was still on the fence about leveling the job again, so I didn’t want to let him borrow mine. I thought for a few minutes of a way to help this Tarutaru, since he was another member of the linkshell that seemed fairly entertaining and learned (that’s pronounced “lurnid”, not “lurnd”). He was already borrowing one of my Woodsman’s Rings and my Garrulous Ring, and as he hadn’t sold them yet I knew helping him would be a good idea. Kyrek is also a level 75 white mage, and knowing one of those is also a good idea. He was talking about getting a Damascus ingot from some NM and getting a blacksmith to make him a Haubergeon. The linkshell was talking about World of Warcraft at the time, and I was struck with inspiration; a quest as stupid and asinine as those that populate what I consider the faggiest shitpile of an OnlineRPG. The Omael Quest (echo), I call it. It was simple, yet epic. Incredibly stupid, yet incredibly great (that’s great meaning important; highly significant or consequential). Basically, it was what every quest in World of Warcraft was; a fucking fetch quest. Thus, I spoke unto Kyrek: “Bring unto me a Scroll of Utsusemi: Ni and 1 Red Terrapin, Kyrek of Windurst, and the Haubergeon of Ungimptitude shall be yours.” I don’t think Kyrek quite believed me at first, but I was and still am entirely serious. I then bought a Haubergeon and stole it away in my Mog House, where it still waits for its diminutive yet powerful owner to claim it. The overly-dramatic wordage there is to reflect World of Warcraft’s in-game dialogue. I have been asked a few times about wanting the single Red Terrapin. The turtle is symbolic. If it were World of Warcraft I would’ve wanted 30 Red Terrapins, 20 Elshimo Newts, and 25 Gold Lobsters. I have no interest in getting that much worthless crap traded to me. Perhaps, in a few months, another desperate linkshell member will mention needing a Haubergeon or some other high-priced piece of gear that I can buy for them, and then trade for something I actually need. A second Omael Quest....