Exploring Caledon Forest

Wiki - Caledon Forest

Renown Hearts: 18      Waypoints: 18      Points of Interest: 20  
Skill challenges: 7         Vistas: 8

Date: 30. Aug 2012 - 18.09.2012

Character: Istarwyn

Race/Profession: Female Human Elementalist

Weapon/Spec: Staff

Zone Level: 1-15

Level at start: 61

Level at end: 65

Can't really talk much about this map because I was doing this one over such a long period of time. I was travelling while finishing this map and because of that only played little bits and pieces.
Because of that I didn't discover any elaborate eventchains or went around with a group of people.
The lvls I received doing this map are not representative as well. I did my daily quests in this map over the timeperiod. I don't think you are able to lvl from 61 to 65 here, if you do the map in one sitting.

I look forward to doing this map on an alt to experience it more fully.

What I can tell everyone is,  that apparently I'm mad. My travelling companions thought I had gone off the deep end when I started shouting at my computer screen because I couldn't do a Vista. Another thing I don't like is underwater combat. I don't think my brain was made to think in 3 dimentions in mmos. I died more on this map doing underwater hearts, than the rest of my exploration adventures together.

Reward:

Rewards from left to right:

Mighty Magician coat of the Grove
Malign Glyphic Maul of Agony
2 Basic Transmutation Stones
40 Jute Scraps

Exploring Wayfarer Foothills

Wiki - Wayfarer Foothills

Renown Hearts: 16      Waypoints: 17      Points of Interest: 19      Skill challenges: 8      Vistas: 10

Date: 26. Aug 2012

Character: Istarwyn

Race/Profession: Female Human Elementalist

Weapon/Spec: Staff

Zone Level : 1-15

Level at start: 20

Level at end: 24

High Moments:

• The Vista at Gaerta's Summit is beautiful. The first time I saw those statues I wanted exactly something like this. 
• I loved the Metaeventchain on the map, the one that ends at Frusenfell Creek where you fight the elemental. That was a fun experience.
• Lots and lots of events in this map. I loved how it send me all over the place and I didn't even notice. It was fun to get swept up in those mini stories of the NPCs.

Low Moments:

• The Help Bjarni honor the Hare spirit is a pain when no event is going on. Those rabbits sure are strong.
• *Face Palm* At the heart: Help Albin mChronicler trade with the Jotun tribe I noticed, that sleep deprivation has an effect on me. I was almost finished with the heart when I noticed, that I could trade items between the Jotun in the camp. That would have been helpful knowledge before I spend all that time hunting down rabbits and ores.

Reward:

In order from left to right:

Healing Shiverpeak Warhorn of Agony
Healing shiverpeak Short Bow of Agony
1 Black Lion Key
40 Rawhide LeatherSections

Exploring Plains of Ashford - 1.0

Wiki - Plains of Ashford

Renown Hearts: 16      Waypoints: 18      Points of Interest: 17      Skill challenges: 6      Vistas: 10

Date: 29. Aug 2012

Character: Istarwyn

Race/Profession: Female Human Elementalist

Weapon/Spec: Staff

Zone Level : 1-15

Level at start: 15

Level at end: 19 (one skill point won't lvl me to 20)

High Moments:

• The Skill Point south of the Ascalon City Ruins is a hard one alone. It's underwater and those skale are hard to deal with. That selfhealing is a pain. Died a few times trying to get it but it was worth it. I eventually managed to get it. Yay!
• The Viewpoint near the Shards of War is beautiful. 

Low Moments:

• The Skill challenge near the Ashford Forum is/was bugged. Needed to wait for a server restart to finish the zone.
• The south-east part of the map was a bit boring. There were no events while I went through the area but alot of players. It was abit like old MMO times. Everyone was pouncing on the mob that just spawned to tag it so we would get contribution to the heart. I hope this won't happen alot.

Reward:

Can't tell what rewards I will get because that skill challenge still won't work.

Edit: Got the Skillpoint and therefore the rewards for the zone. So here it is:

In order from left to right:

Ravaging Steam Scepter of Accuracy
Strong Swindler coat of the Flock
3 Basic Transmutation Stones
40 Thin Leather Sections