The Lost Vale by Genjuro

 

If this website were an "offical" or such website, I would be required to not have any favorites or otherwised "biased" opinions. Luckily for me though, it's not "offical" and so i can do whatever i want. I'm not afraid to play favorites - with taws being my current favorite. The reason for this is that i really like his areas, and i feel that they bring something to the world that otherwise would have been lacking. If taws is my favorite, then Genjuro's a close second, as his areas "flesh out" a world that otherwise would seem sparse. I think that he was in his best form when he did the areas "The Vampire Dens" and "The Lost Vale".

This review focus's on The Lost Vale - an area stuffed in the far high reaches above the cavern of heros - a place not even i've fully explored yet. The lost vale is acutally a set of four "smaller" areas - the Mountain of Power, the Jester's Court, The Haunted Woods, and the Blue Adept. These 4 "sub areas" each could stand on thier own with just a bit more work; as it is the area is almost to much to take in "in one glance" so to speak. It took me (at level 60) several trips to fully explore.

The "entrance" part is a maze, and no recall (as is much of Jester's Court and a good bit of the Haunted woods); as such exploring it takes on a bit of a frantic edge as you try to find something - anything - to lead you out. Eventually you find something (so far i've found four) paths that are "diffrent" - each of which leads to a sub area. The sub areas have no set "Combined" theme - other then being challanging. Since there are four distinct sub areas, i'll list each one seperatly.

The Mountain of Power
This one's based on the Conan movie series (and even features conan himself). It's very challanging, as it has several "inobvious" trap rooms. The gear from here's not extraordinary, but it is well done - everythings very well described, and there are some..interesting..sights.

The mobs are challanging, considering their 30-ish level. I think a group would be best for this one, of perhaps mid-30's level, with a fighter (to tank), a "designated healer", and a necromancer or pugilist (to weaken).

The Jester's Court
This area's an odd one. It's got some really good gear (stuff that's almost equal with the 9mm in btown in power), but yet it's got some intriguing traps as well. The first advice i can give is to ID everything you get - some's no drop, some of the "edible" items are beneifical, while others are lethal. Some things are staffs, some are wands. Certainly the Tarot Card of Death - a staff of level 15, with spells of Acid Blast - is a premo item for a low-level, and the juggling balls - a level 10 flaming exotic - are an excellent weapon for an up and coming necromancer. (thier actually what i used in my lower levels).

One odd note is something i'd not seen in a genjuro area before - a statue of the man himself. It's serving as a fountain near the city square, and is done in typical "god" style - a gold statue, marble base. It looks somewhat out of place in the otherwise circus-based environment. That's the odd thing about this place - it's almost entirely done in a circus style, but yet it's also got distinct "small town" elements - imagine the two bred together. For example, take the shops. One would expect a circus to have trailers, but yet - there are acutal buildings.

Also there are no clowns here, just jesters, in an eternal carnival or circus, forever partying. It SOUNDS fun - but it's acutally quite creepy. I got this sort of creepy-crawly feeling on my spine after a while here - like I get when I'm down in some deep cavern or similar area. The overall vibe from this place is a "lets go away from here" one. Icky eh?

The Blue Dematis/Adept
This area I'm not to "filled in" on - i've heard everything from that it's original, to that it's acutally based on a book of some sort. One things for sure - if it is original, it is QUITE original. To understand why you have to acutally go there; but basically it's a "house" with a "pasture" full of werewolves and unicorns, and with a big level 60 bad ass named Stile who (apparently) runs the show. The entire area is blue - floor, ceilings, walls, floors, grass, flowers. Makes you a bit nauseous - which Genjuro points out at the outset.

The gear here is mediocore, but some is level 60, and a sword is level 60 and 33/sharp - not bad for a backup weapon or something "quick". Things are well described - you look at some "key" mobs and it gives you a good bit of information about them. It's this information that makes me think the area is based on a book - but he never says what book. All told an interesting (and quite challanging) area, especially if you dont use charmies.

The Haunted Woods
Ahhh..now THIS is an area, which only has a few minor issues that keep it from being "great". I'll go into why it's good first - then why it's not so good.

It's based on an old chinese ghost story (which is acutally included in the area, in the form of an "ancient chinese book" on the ground - read it it's good). This story is sincerly sad - about a man who falls in love with a ghost, and tries to save her, yet fails. All the characters are here, and it's very well executed - I mean you can really "feel" the story. The Gear's good to mediocor, and the mobs descriptions are very well done. The book's a show peice, as it's one of only 2 i know of that it actually takes a while to read (the other is the newbie guide at the academy).

What does this area lack? Well done progs, and "reasonable" mobs. Progs that could have been done are almost limitless - the female ghost could sing, the ghost hunter could say he was looking for ghosts, ect. The reasonable mobs part is that mobs here are insanely hard - i mean INSANE. I was a hero when i went here, and even then i almost died repeatedly - with 5 minions. The tree demon i wasn't even able to kill - i would have needed a load of balms. The ghost-hunting mob was a caster and did insane damage - as well as totted around a vorpal weapon.

So - lessen the mobs, add in progs and maybe some "useless items" and then your set - this place would rock all.