How Saikyo became a Samurai!

I never planned to level Samurai.

When Demajen introduced me to the world of FFXI back in early 2004, the first question I asked was "Are there dragoons?". Kain the Dragoon from FFIV had left a profound impression of coolness upon me, and if I was going to play any FFXI classes, it was going to be this one.

"There are," Demajen replied, "but they don't get many invites."

I wasn't deterred, in fact, I had no idea just what that simple sentence really implied. After levelling warrior to 30 (using a sword & shield and a gimped MNK subjob no less) I had bold plans of unlocking all the subjobs and then picking up Dragoon to be my 'main'.

The first advanced job I unlocked was Paladin, and then for reasons never entirely defined I went to unlock Samurai.

I am writing entirely from memory here, but if I recall correctly the Samurai advanced job quest was considered particularly tough. It involved a trip to Norg for starters. While that is a trivial issue now, back in early 2004 getting to Norg was not a task to be taken lightly. The map for the Jungle areas was hopeless, and even if you got to Sea Serpent Grotto there was much confusion about reaching Norg itself. Once you'd done that, unlocking the job required two NM fights - a Bomb in Konschat Highlands and a treant in Sanctuary of Zi'Tah. With this tough quest ahead, Demajen offered to help, and enlisted two of his chums, a RDM called "Maureen" and a PLD called "Trobian".

[A digression about Trobian. He was a complete cock end, the kind that now inhabits Warcraft PvP servers in monumental numbers. He spent the entire time boasting about his prowess in Ballista, and then demonstrated his awesome powers by nearly getting killed while trying to solo one of the statue mobs in Zi'Tah. I think I can trace some of life long mistrust of PLDs from this formative experience]

Anyway.

The Bomb was easy enough. The Treant was easy enough too, but ERK! I did not realise I had to click on the ??? that spawned it to get a crucial keyitem. I only realised my mistake when we got back to Norg, and the quest giver just repeated his usual chatter to me. HOSED.

So we went back out there. By this time Trobian had wandered away to cause mayhem and confusion on a Ballista field somewhere (and that was just amongst his own team...) and Maureen had gone offline. Me and Demajen lurked around the tree, wondered if we could duo it (iirc, I was a WAR 30 / MNK 12 and Demajen was a DRK 35). After some pondering and casting about, Demajen got a Japanese player called Kanseed to come and help us. He was a level 75 and a true god to us lowbie types. He quickly soloed the mob, bowed and said {Congratulations!}. We responded with /kneel and profuse {Thank you!}s. I made sure to click the ???.

[Kanseed still plays today incidently!]

All sorted!

NO! Part of the SAM flag quest required holding some rare/ex items that are supposed to be used to make your first Great Katana. Having beaten the mobs and got the key items, I thought they were no longer needed. I threw one of them away to make space for fantastic loot such as a bat wing or maybe an earth crystal. We got to back to Norg and I found myself insulted by an NPC who demanded expensive items to make me a fresh one. I can't remember what they were now, but I know it cost Demajen around 50,000 gil, which was a FORTUNE in those days. It took me ages to pay it back!

We got the item again, but then horror of horrors, we needed to go and fight that damned treant for a 3rd bloody time!

So off we trekked yet again, once again we had to cast around for help (Kanseed was still there, but we were too ashamed to ask him for aid again!). Eventually, Demajen found someone he had partied with in the past and asked for help. They were a mid-50s THF or NIN (can't quite recall) and came along soloed the treant for us. I clicked the ???, held onto the rare/ex item, and all was well with the world.

In a scenic twist, dawn broke in Vana time about the same moment, and the light filtered through the trees and looked damned pretty. It was a nice finish at least.

Unfortnately, the entire thing had taken an entire Saturday afternoon and had cost Demajen thousands of gil. I felt appalled and ashamed that my incomptence had led to such a long, torturous experience for my old friend. Although I still wanted to make DRG my main job, I felt I had a kind of duty to ensure Demajen's effort and gil had not been wasted.

Hence, I was going to level SAMURAI! [Although initially I did not intend it to be my main and only job].

What happened next?

Tune in next time to hear the first part of my rambling, self-indulgent story of how I spent four years getting from 1 - 75. And I know I said I was going to tell the story of the Tachi: Kasha NM, but it wasn't a very good story, and thus it is on the back burner for now.

Don't miss the next thrilling episode kids!