Yesterday I logged into Rift and didn’t particularly want to do anything. I was nowhere near where I was supposed to be questing and at that particular moment no rifts had opened up anywhere near by. Which left me wondering what else Rift had to offer.
I’ve been known to explore a bit, and as I was in a very low level part of town, so I just started exploring the stuff I hadn’t seen the first time through. Whilst exploring I found myself looking for something that Rift offers beyond killing stuff.
Artifacts. They’re essentially a collectible item that are found just about anywhere. In the middle of camps, beside a main road, or off in the distance hidden under a random log in the middle of nowhere. As far as I know they can be turned in as a collection to an artifact collector for rewards, but there are so many collections I’ve only finished the most basic collections of 2 or 3 artifacts.
They appear randomly and even if you find an artifact in the same spot twice it’s not necessarily the same artifact, I think. Other people can get to them first as well, which is why they appear more commonly in less traveled areas.
I just naturally found myself scanning the horizon for them.
Eventually I ended up at a mountain, and I was reminded of reading somewhere that scaling the tallest mountain in Silverwood (where I was) gives you an achievement. Another not necessarily combat related activity.
So I combined my two objectives. I began scouting out ways to climb this massive mountain in Silverwood and collect artifacts along the way. I tried one ascent path but it ended about half way and I had to return to the bottom and pathfind along the side until I found another way up. All the while since it was a relatively untraveled area I found the odd artifact. Having little luck I finally remembered my racial ability Angelic Flight.
Angelic Flight reminds me a lot of Aion. It’s a short term flying or jumping skill. I say flying because you sprout a wing skill effect out of your back, and the jump that it gives you is long and more flight like. However there are limitations like distance and vertical lift so it’s not over powered.
Using Angelic Flight got me really moving upward and because there were even fewer people likely to be traversing the unclimbable mountainside I found more and more artifacts.
Eventually I approached the peak I had been ascending and with careful and repeated use of Angelic Flight made the ascent, only to arrive to the chat message “Gloamwood. You joined the channel”. This particular peak is actually in another zone, and no achievement was given.
Disappointed I wandered the ridge-line wondering if any of the other close by peaks might qualify. None did, but I came across a cairn on the ridge which was sparkling with glowiness. In the grave that I so unceremoniously desecrated I found a level 20 dagger, several levels above me. Unfortunately on my guardian I’m a ranged dps.
Shortly thereafter I hearthed back to Argent Glade to take out my rage on the unsuspecting creatures of the planes.
The wrong peak in the distance, the right peak under my feet.
