The Wandering Druid of Tranquility

It’s been a while since I’ve had the chance to update things here.  I have been busy in real life as well as in game.  I am having a lot of fun with my newish corp.  Newish in that I am still a new to them.  We have been very busy in getting into a lot of fights.  Some successful and some not so much.  Still, it’s been a blast.

So, as the fights have ensued, lots of video has been captured.  I have a small something to share.  It’s only 3 minutes long, but I like to capture video in high quality and produce nice looking videos.  Why do it if it’s not going to look good.

Be Careful

I have some more work to do here, I need to finish the next episode of The Bleeding Rose as it too, has been too long since the last posting.  So, I promise, it’s coming.

Last night was a long night as The United and Neo Spartans joined forces to take a POS down. Lucky for us, the owner forgot to put Stont in it and we were able to take it all the way down.

http://theunited.griefwatch.net/?p=details&kill=52968

To that end, I put together another video, I hope you enjoy it.

http://dl.eve-files.com/media/corp/galen/POS_Takedown.wmv

Well, I have to share this story about the new celebrity I have encountered in game. Unfortunately this player is becoming famous in and around Hek for all the wrong reasons.

He’s a newer player, been playing since March 21st of 2008. I first met him in this post where he had stolen loot from me and I popped his Domi. Since then, I have popped another one of ships, again, he had stolen loot after being warned not to do so.

Today, while NPC ratting in Hek, local chat seemed very much alive with talk of this person. I learned of this kill as well, a wonderful example of EPIC FAIL.

Now, to top this off, we all started asking this poor fellow why he continues to lose ships. The conversation turned to how a 2 month old player had access to a large amount of isk. Below is the chat log and I do apologize as it is rather long:

Read the rest of this entry »

My hands are still shaking as I write this. I am still in disbelief.

What happened? Well, I had another one of my “you know you are insane moments”.

I was working the belts, popping NPC rats and leaving the wrecks behind. A few people in local had asked me if they could loot the wrecks and that’s fine with me. You ask, I usually let you as I really don’t need the loot.

I had looted a wreck from this one chap as I had been wanting to engage in some PvP with him. I saw that he was in the next belt on the scanner, so, I warped in. I figure that he would lock me and possibly engage. A Myrmidon vs an Ishkur, he would have a good chance of popping me.

I warp in and what greets my eyes? A fellow in a Domi, flashing red. Okay, this guy has looted one of MY wrecks and he’s not asked if he could loot them.

Hmm, well, it could possibly be a 2 on 1 situation, I most likely will not win. The aggro timer on the Myrm pilot was almost over, I figured what the hell, it will be a good show. I locked and engaged the Domi. To my surprise, the Myrm pilot does nothing. His ship has stopped moving, but he just sits there for a moment, then starts to close the distance.

The Domi’s shields fail rather fast, armor is a bit tougher. His drones are hitting me hard, I lock 3 of them and send my drones after his. I pop 1 of them and realize that his armor is going back up. I re-engaged my drones on him and redirect one of my guns on his drones. Slowly, his armor is going down.

At this point, they Myrm pilot engages, warp scrambles me and send his drones after me. My armor is melting, barely able to maintain levels as the drones drill into me.

Then, the Domi’s armor suddenly drops, wrecking shots FTW. I decide that I am not leaving this fight, I may loose my Ishkur, but I am taking this Domi with me.

He goes pop.

YESS!!!! I popped the Domi, pretty blue flash and everything. Now, let’s see how much damage I can do to the Myrm.

???

He’s fled the fight. No, I can’t have been that lucky? Right? I learn as we chat in local why I got so lucky.

?[ 2008.04.20 06:46:45 ] Barbeau > i pussed out i know
?[ 2008.04.20 06:47:04 ] Ga’len > /emote tips hat
?[ 2008.04.20 06:47:16 ] Barbeau > inexperienced man

So, Barbeau, the Myrm pilot, left the fight because he knew was not sure he could win. Can’t fault him for that. First rule of PvP, know the battlefield. That means you know what you and your opponent are capable of. He didn’t think he could win, so he left gracefully.

So, I’ve been back in my old 1 man corp for a week and I have this kill to add to my experience. I wonder what is in store for me next.

In Y.A.R.R., we have an unofficial hit list. It’s just a communal remembrance of certain people who in the past have committed some act of aggression and have gotten away with it. This is the story of a one Chuck DeNomolos. He’s a piece of work.

Now, from time to time, we in Y.A.R.R. do perform a public service, where we will go around and around the belts in a system, popping the npc rats that are harassing those poor miners. From time to time, someone makes the mistake of taking the loot from our wrecks, gets engaged by one of our and talks smack after they have lost the fight.

The other night, Chuck flying about, looting wrecks. He was taking stuff from all kinds of people. He took loot from one of my wrecks. As he was flashing red, I began to close the distance and locked him. He warped out and docked. No talk in local, no response to convo invites, nothing. Promptly, he logged.

Actions like that get you put on the hit list. Noted, opportunities to engage Chuck in the future will be sought out.

Opportunities like last night. Again, I am out in my rifter, running the belts, popping npc rats. On the scanner, I see that Chuck is out and about in his Harbinger. Right about that time, I come upon a wreck that belongs to him. I figure, yeah, the opportunity to engage him may be at hand. I loot the wreck and like Chuck, I warp off and dock. But unlike Chuck, I change ships and promptly undock. With what to I warp back to the belts in, nothing but my new Deimos. He’s gotten away in the past and he’s in a battlecruiser, better bring the big guns to make the point clear, you don’t steal from us.

I scan the belts again, he’s still out and about. I narrow down his location and warp in. Now, he’s at the warp in point in this belt, a mere 4 km from me. I see that he has additional wrecks in this belt. As I have returned his favors from the past, I am flashing red to him. I wait a few moments, nothing happens. So, I figure, the more wrecks, the more favors I can return. I move in and loot them, just the wrecks that belong to him as he has done to me in the past. Payback. I’m in a very powerful ship and there’s no chance that he will engage me. He wouldn’t be that foolish.

Or would he? As I approach the first of his wrecks, he locks me and opens fire. I return the lock and as I return fire, I suddenly loose lock. Yup, jammed. Wow, that’s not happened in a long time. I let loose my drones and close the distance back to him. As the ECM cycles ends, I am able to relock him. The usual, weapons, web and warp scram and engaged and his armor begins to melt under my guns.

So, he’s taking damage and can’t get away. Time for a convo invite as I should now have his attention. I send the invite, it’s promptly rejected. I send another invite, rejected again. I say hello in local, nope, nothing. Well, you attack and don’t talk to me, I guess that means you want to see this thing through.

So, as the fight progresses, rather quickly I might add, I get a wrecking shot and it’s all over.

So, in local, I offer the usual:

• [ 2008.03.02 05:47:38 ] Ga’len > good fight
• [ 2008.03.02 05:49:22 ] Chuck DeNomolos > yeah
• [ 2008.03.02 05:49:23 ] Chuck DeNomolos > right

I can understand his response. He engaged in a fight and he lost, it happens. What happens next has happened before. I receive a convo from his CEO. As I accept the convo invite, his pod warps off as he has logged off. I grab the loot and moved to a safe spot in case they are hopeful that some “friendly” conversation can buy them time to mount a counter attack. Remember, I am flagged to their corp.

• [ 2008.03.02 05:55:12 ] Ga’len > yes?
• [ 2008.03.02 05:55:15 ] Ga’len > May I help you?
• [ 2008.03.02 05:55:16 ] PFChang > hey…I’m in the same corp as denomolos…you just made his day
• [ 2008.03.02 05:55:43 ] Ga’len > We are Y.A.R.R. will always be happy to provide ship deconstruction services
• [ 2008.03.02 05:56:04 ] Ga’len > He engaged in service requisition today
• [ 2008.03.02 05:56:15 ] PFChang > He’s more shocked that you were able to attack him in Tash…he’s just curious how you where able to attack jim without attracting concord…
• [ 2008.03.02 05:56:28 ] Ga’len > we relocate loot in tmp and when someone else does that, we are quite offended by the action
• [ 2008.03.02 05:56:51 ] Ga’len > we also specialize in loot relocation you see, so, when I relocated some of his loot, he deciced to engage in our services
• [ 2008.03.02 05:57:14 ] Ga’len > Concord has declared such actions as legal
• [ 2008.03.02 05:57:23 ] PFChang > oh…I see. so he incourde your services….
• [ 2008.03.02 05:57:31 ] Ga’len > so, when he requested our services, I was happy to return fire
• [ 2008.03.02 05:57:34 ] PFChang > i mean incoured’
• [ 2008.03.02 05:57:48 ] Ga’len > Yes, he made his intentions of becoming a customer of ours quite clear
• [ 2008.03.02 05:58:18 ] PFChang > very interesting…he’s a bit ‘peeve’ , but he’ll get over it…I guess lesson learned.
• [ 2008.03.02 05:58:23 ] Ga’len > I trust there is no confusion on this issue?
• [ 2008.03.02 05:58:48 ] Ga’len > We here at Y.A.R.R. are always willing to empower our customers with knowledge and wisdom
• [ 2008.03.02 05:58:54 ] PFChang > very well,..stay busy with work …
• [ 2008.03.02 05:59:03 ] Ga’len > Thank you, we intened to
• [ 2008.03.02 05:59:18 ] Ga’len > If in the future you wish to seek our services, please feel free to contact us
• [ 2008.03.02 06:00:16 ] PFChang > thanks…I’ll keep it in mind…
• [ 2008.03.02 06:01:16 ] Ga’len > We strive to provide our customers with the very best services
• [ 2008.03.02 06:01:32 ] Ga’len > Have we provided good service for your corp mate today?
• [ 2008.03.02 06:02:56 ] PFChang > Yeah…I think You did well…thanks
• [ 2008.03.02 06:03:27 ] Ga’len > It was my pleasure
• [ 2008.03.02 06:03:59 ] Ga’len > I would like to thank your corp mate for using our service today, please do come again, we look forward to future customs

A very civil conversation. No smack talk, just a simple inquiry as to what happened. I think that this is over now, right? Well, this morning, I receive this in game email from PFChang:

2008.03.02 08:16
Hey, I’m sorry to keep bugging you on this issue, but after I convo’ed with you last night and then talked to my corpmate I’m even more confused.

I know you where in character when you convo’ed me and I looked over what you had said, but he claims something else happened. I was hoping you could help me resolve this out of character for one second. He honestly think that he did nothing to provoke a confrontation with you…I just want to explain to him ‘why’ things went the way they did.

I read your corp’s business statement, so I’m quite aware of how your corp operates and can only assume that he left a wreck which you decided to loot (part of your loot transportation serveice) which is why you flashed hostile to him. He then says he warped out because he thought you were flashing hostile because Concord was after you and it wasnt his problem, but then you warped to him, locked on him and webified his ship. After you webified him, he opened fire,

Can you help me out?

So, what part of he engaged a flagged play don’t you understand? Well, being in character, I can see how someone can get confused, so, I kindly reply with the requested details.

Chuck has stolen loot from us in the past, I returned the favor.

At this time Chuck was not flashing red to me, I could not have fired first as Concord would have taken action. Concord was not involved because it was a legal fight. He attacked a flagged player. I found him in a belt and continued to return that favor until he fired up on me first.

When I warped into the belt, I started moving towards some more wrecks that were in the belt. He locked me, opened fire, fired off an ECM cycle and continued to fire. After I was able to relock him back, I returned fire until the fight was over.

This is what transpired in local after the fight:

[ 2008.03.02 05:47:38 ] Ga’len > good fight
[ 2008.03.02 05:49:22 ] Chuck DeNomolos > yeah
[ 2008.03.02 05:49:23 ] Chuck DeNomolos > right

I can guess from his comments that simply, he was not happy. He cast the first stone in this fight.

Yeah, let’s all take a guess on what that convo from Chuck to his CEO was about. Hmm, how would he have put it? Let me grab my Carebear dictionary and see if I can do this here…

The following is a fictional account of a conversation, it’s not real:

Hey CEO, this guy just warped into the belt and attacked me for no reason and he’s a hacker and an exploiter and hacked the servers because Concord did not protects me. BTW, I need a newz ship becausez he hacked me and made me blow up!! I didz nothing wrong, I waz just flying about, mindingz my ownz bizness!!!

You know, EVE is all about risk versus reward. If you risk stealing people’s loot, you risk being attacked. You do it again and again, you are really risking an engagement. You risk engaging in a fight with a more powerful ship, you very well may end up in your pod.