Cryptic

After several runs through the Mana Tombs, culminating in successfully escorting Cryo-Engineer Sha'heen for Blackheathen's tanking boots, the Elder moved to the next stage of the Auchindoun chain - Auchenai Crypts.

The Crypts are a much more straightforward run, with only two bosses and a host of Burning Legion minions. Having three 70's now, the mobs didn't pose many threats, and we got to the first boss without wiping (which for the Elder is quite an accomplishment, the trash always seem to get us at least once!). On the way Fugg picked up a nice set of plans for Felsteel Gloves, and Paxmortis scooped up a formula for +12 Agil to boots. Nice drops from trash!

There were a few interesting moments too when first Stroeb and then Blackheathen were mind controlled and started wailing in on our own party. Some quick thinking from Pax meant that we were soon baaa-ing merrily as sheep - much to the joy of Fugg who was both bearing the brunt of the infighting and also our nominated sheep breaker...

So we cleared the mobs, but Shirrak the Dead Watcher was a different story. A vast floating eye, he has a couple of nasty effects - namely slowing down all casting, and an AoE/bomb that wipes the melee DPS pretty fast. Still, on our first attempt, we got within 5% of having him down before running out of options. On our next couple, early wipes by Fugg and Stroeb left the rest of the team fighting a losing battle. But we finally nailed him thanks to a particularly brilliant Heal from Neit on Blackie at the 100hp mark, and Fugg's strategic bandaging retreats. Stroeb was, of course, dead, ftl.


As we moved on, the cry went out for Stroeb to have another attempt at her "sap without stealth" method, but alas she was a bit stroppy on the night and refused point blank. Thankfully. More mobs were polished off before we reached boss two, the shapeshifting Dranai Exarch Maladaar. This guy posed no problems - tank 'n' spank, with a few diversions when he summoned his pseudo "Blackheathen" and, later, a ghostly version of himself.

Not much of a drop from him, though Neit managed to upgrade her helm twice on the night - first lifting the Collar of Command from Shirrak, then looting a Raven Heart-Headress from a chest ftw!