Adventuring in Neverwinter: Ravenloft (Parts 2, 3 and 4).

Our adventures in Barovia continue!

In our previous adventure, we had to kill packs of werewolves and save some villagers from their leader's den.

Troubles did not end there.

More villagers were captured by witches as well.

The hero must see that evil is vanquished, of course!

Time to destroy a family of witches



followed by the demolition of a spy network!





Of course, adventuring in Neverwinter is not always about killing bad guys.

The next quest brings us around Barovia lighting campfires to aid fellow adventurers.

My barbarian, a melee DPS* character, has volunteered to be the tour guide.

(*DPS refers to a character class or specialization which focuses on doing a lot of damage quickly.)


If we know the route to take to avoid the mobs, we can achieve our goal without any killing.

We can even take some time to smell the roses and enjoy the scenery.



Remember what Warren Buffett said?

"I don't look to jump over 7 foot bars.

"I look around for 1 foot bars that I can step over."

AK is always looking for ways to make life easier.

Yes, even in Neverwinter!

If AK can do it, so can you!




Related post:
Adventuring in Neverwinter: Ravenloft (Part 1).

Adventuring in Neverwinter: Ravenloft (Part 1).

The next series of "Adventuring in Neverwinter" will show my end-game ready ranged DPS character, a wizard, in Barovia.

Barovia is the adventure zone for the Ravenloft campaign.

The Ravenloft campaign is much newer compared to the Sharandar campaign and also much more challenging.

However, seeing my wizard in action, you might not think so as his DPS* stats are even over the caps for the latest and most difficult dungeon at the moment (i.e. Infernal Citadel)

(*DPS refers to a character class or specialization which focuses on doing a lot of damage quickly.)

So, Ravenloft isn't going to ruffle his feathers (or scales).

Scales?

Yes, my wizard is somewhat scaly.

No, my wizard does not have some skin disease.

He is a Dragonborn.

"Dragonborn! Children of Io, the great dragon-god, the Dragonborn are a steadfast and honorable people who have thrown off the shackles of their former dragon masters."

Source:
Neverwinter website.

AK bought the Dragonborn pack during Neverwinter's 6th Jubilee celebration and unlocked the race when he got a 50% discount coupon.

If you thought AK went mad and spent real life (RL) money on the game, no, he didn't.

AK is mad in many ways but he is not mad enough to spend any RL money on MMORPGs.

Neverwinter is a free to play (F2P) high fantasy MMORPG.

We can obtain currency called Astral Diamonds simply by adventuring and exchange them for the premium currency called ZEN which is paid for with RL money by less patient adventurers.

It is a very good system for adventurers who are patient enough to wait.

I always like to think that good things come to those who wait.

Like in saving and investing our hard earned money in RL, patience is also a virtue in the virtual world.

Alamak, better stop here before I start nagging.

Hope you enjoy this video.





More "Adventuring in Neverwinter" videos coming soon!

Related posts:
1. Sharandar (Part 1).
2. Sharandar (Part 2).

Adventuring in Neverwinter: Sharandar (Parts 2 & 3).

My paladin is a healer.

He is not my most powerful damage dealing character in Neverwinter.

However, having leveled up significantly, he has more than enough power to mow down monsters in older regions like Sharandar.

Of course, for newbie adventurers, Sharandar could still present a challenge like it did for me when I was a newbie adventurer.

Following my somewhat successful video making debut, AK Studios is proud to present to you two more videos for your enjoyment today.







My most powerful damage dealing character, at the moment, is a wizard.

He is mostly adventuring in Avernus, the first layer of Nine Hells, which is the most difficult adventure zone available right now.

However, he will revisit Barovia, the adventure zone for the Ravenloft campaign, in the next video!

Barovia is under attack by witches, werewolves and vampires!

Sit idle and do nothing about it?

Not a chance!

Look out for more "Adventuring in Neverwinter" with AK!

Evil doers will be vanquished!




Related post:
Adventuring in Neverwinter: Sharandar (Part 1).

Adventuring in Neverwinter: Sharandar (Part 1).

I have not been spending as much time here in ASSI as I spend most of my time travelling.

Travelling?

Where?

My travels are, of course, in the fantastic world of The Forgotten Realms.

More accurately, I don't just go travelling, I go adventuring.

From time to time, I would talk about Neverwinter and how much I enjoy it.

Today, for the first time, I have made a video on adventuring in Neverwinter.

This is my first attempt and it is a short video of 11 mins or so.

It shows my paladin adventuring in one of the regions, Sharandar.

Have a look and let me know what you think of it.








I hope to continue making videos like this one on a regular basis to share here in ASSI.

For those who enjoy MMORPGs and the high fantasy genre, this would probably be something fun for them.

For those who are not into gaming but enjoy the fantasy stories, this is probably entertaining too.

For those who do not enjoy this kind of stuff, well, at least you know AK is alive and kicking.

Yes, I know.

Bad AK! Bad AK!

Never bored in retirement, I am glad I picked up a new skill today.

If AK can do it, so can you!





Recently published:
Passive income and Dividend Machines (2020).

Related post:
Is AK blogging about Neverwinter?

Coronavirus in Singapore means no milk and cheese for AK.

AK enjoys visits to the supermarkets.

See this blog, for example:

My food bill grew but my weight reduced.

Having meals at home is one way to keep cost of living low in Singapore.

It seems that more Singaporeans are latching on to this idea of having meals at home now.

However, it is probably not to save money.

Yesterday, AK went to the supermarket to get some milk and cheese.

Guess what happened?

OMG!

Never before.

It was madness.

The lines snaked all the way into unimaginable places of the supermarket for lines to form.

Now, since we are supposed to avoid crowded places, I decided that waiting in line for possibly an hour or more was probably not a good idea.

People have gone mad in Singapore.

Mad with fear of the Wuhan coronavirus.

Is the situation so deadly now?



This is taken from Ministry of Health.

We are at DORSCON Orange.

What does DORSCON stand for?


Disease Outbreak Response System Condition.


DORSCON Orange isn't all that dire as the situation is contained.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong urged calm, saying Singapore had "ample supplies" and there was no need for people to stock up with items such as instant noodles or toilet paper.

"Fear can do more harm than the virus itself," he said in a statement.

Source: Reuters.





While it is understandable that the current situation is causing concern, please do not panic.

Please do not go crazy hoarding essentials.

Please do not deprive AK of milk and cheese.
------------------------
(Added at 7.45PM)

I just saw a video on shopping in a supermarket in Wuhan and would like to share it here in ASSI:







This video was shared on YouTube yesterday.

Things are pretty grim but life goes on.

Wuhan is the epicenter of the current coronavirus crisis.

If Wuhan can stay calm, so can we!
-------------------------------
PM Lee Hsien Loong's remarks on the Novel Coronavirus (nCoV) Situation in Singapore on 8 February 2020:





Related posts:
1. Wuhan coronavirus and our REIT investments.
2. Wuhan coronavirus is war and are we ready?

AK told to remove blog and it has to do with insurance again.

As a blogger, I have poetic license.

This license is something I use frequently as I talk to myself here in ASSI.

What is poetic license?

"The act by a writer or poet of changing facts or rules to make a story or poem more interesting or effective."
Source: Cambridge Dictionary.

In fact, without poetic license, I wouldn't enjoy blogging as much.

If you enjoy my blogs as much as I enjoy blogging, I am glad.

There will be people who don't enjoy my blogs but that doesn't make me sad.

The world is what it is.

My blog is what it is.

This is my blog.

This is my style.

These are my stories.

Please don't expect me to change anything.

I thought about it for a bit and decided that there is a need for this blog so that people who eavesdrop on me talking to myself are in the know.

Someone recently told me to retract a statement I made in my blog about getting free H&S insurance in Singapore.

In my latest reply to that person, I said:

"I have also said before that I have investments which are free and I even say that my current home is free.

"They are paid for by Mr. Market while my H&S insurance is paid for by the government.

"Must I remove all those blogs as well because you have a different take on the matter and that you disagree?

"This is my blog and there is such a thing as poetic license.

"Like I said earlier, you are entitled to your opinion, of course, and if it bothers you, ignore the blogs."






It reminded me of something that happened a few years ago when I was told to remove a blog on getting free term life policies.

I actually did take that blog down but later put it back up as many readers puzzled over my decision and some had yet to read the blog too.

I decided since that time that ASSI is my blog and it is what it is.

If people don't like what I have to say, they can choose not to read my blogs.

Which blog was it and when did that happen?

Interested in the story?

See:
Free investment linked policies or term life policies?






I later added a side story at the top of the blog hinting as to why the blog was removed shortly after posting.

That blog has tens of comments from readers and that doesn't include the many comments in Facebook.

Poetic license was obviously employed in the blog but readers' comments were mostly supportive.

Most, if not all, thought that the blog was excellent.

AK was just talking to himself about a strategy.

It was pretty mathematical but I suppose it was pretty poetic too.

People who choose to read financial blogs like ASSI are probably smart enough to tell the parts which are mathematical from the parts which are poetic.

While effort has been made to make ASSI light reading, it can be pretty heavy at times, I guess.

OK, please pardon me as I might be giving myself too much credit here.

Pat on the back or slap on the back?

Whatever. ;p





Remember that AK is just talking to himself in his little corner of cyberspace.

AK is not seeking agreement from anyone and, most definitely, he is not seeking approval from anyone on how he should talk to himself.

Remember, eavesdrop on AK at your own risk.

Why AK says that?

Well, it could drive you crazy.

However, please don't push self talking AK to the brink as well.

Thank you very much.

Related posts:
1. How to get free medical insurance in our old age?
2. How to get free medical insurance in Singapore?

Recently published:
2019 CPF savings in a pie (chart).

Chinese New Year of the Rat 2020. (Of rats and races.)

In a few days from now, my year will be over.

We will be going from year of the "oink, oink" to year of the "squeak, squeak".

Good bye to Piggy.

Welcome to Ratty!

Yes, AK is not a rat.

AK is a pig.

Unless we are Chinese, saying that we are a rat or a pig would probably sound rather strange or even offensive.

However, if are familiar with the phrase "rat race", then, all adults would have been a rat at one time or another.

"The origin of the expression is from laboratory experiments where two rats are trying to outrun each other in order to get a piece of cheese."

Source: Quora.

Interesting bit of trivia but rather depressing when we think about it as an analogy.






What?

Mr. XYZ is the number one rat in the race?

I don't care?

I am not a rat anymore.

Mr. XYZ and his friends can be rats and they can race each other all they want.

Take a break and have a Kit Kat?

Sorry, if Mr. XYZ and his friends take a break, there is no Kit Kat and they might not get that piece of cheese either.

Having said this, I do understand that we are all wired differently.






Although I think that there is nothing wrong with people who would like to achieve financial freedom and to stop working, there will be people who think that such people are just lazy.

Some might even think that AK is being irresponsible and should be ashamed of himself.

See:
Financially free AK ashamed?

AK, on the other hand, doesn't have anything mean to say about people who are gainfully employed.

See?

AK is such a nice guy.

The fact that AK doesn't like being a rat doesn't mean that others should feel the same way.

However, to those who enjoy being rats, the question to ask is this:

"Can I be a rat and not be in the race?"

Work not because we need the money from working and we would be such a rat.

Simple.

See:
9 wealth building blogs.






That piece of moldy cheese?

Other rats can have it.

I don't need it.

No more hunger and no more suffering.

Nirvana in Buddhism leads to the release from the cycle of birth and death.

Nirvana for rats leads to the release from the rat race.

We can still be rats but we don't have to take part in the racing.

Hope this is food for thought for some and, no, I am not referring to a piece of cheese.

Sincerely,
Not a rat AK.

Wishing all readers 

a happy and prosperous 

Chinese New Year!

Published recently:
Investors eat crusty bread with ink slowly for peace of mind.

Related post:
Scolded by wife for thinking about financial freedom.

Investors eat crusty bread with ink slowly for peace of mind.

Older readers will remember an older blog of mine which asked

"How to have peace of mind as an investor?"

In that blog, I suggested that we should

"Eat bread with ink slowly."

Using mnemonics, it stood for:

1. Emergency fund.

2. Borrowings.

3. War chest.

4. Income.

5. Sizing.

If you cannot remember the details or if you are new to my blog, you might want to read the blog: HERE.





Actually, there is something missing from the list and I have been thinking of doing an update for a while but long time readers of my blog know that I have such a busy life.

This week, in fact, I have spent tens of hours adventuring in a new world.

Yes, a new world.

It is likely that I will spend hundreds of hours in this new world in the coming months.

It is an ARPG this time which is quite different from the MMORPGs like Neverwinter and Guild Wars 2.

ARPG stands for action role-playing game.

The name of this ARPG?

Path of Exile.







Once Mod 18 in Neverwinter goes live on 21 January, I will be busy adventuring in Avernus, the first layer of the Nine Hells of Baator.

Path of Exile and Guild Wars 2 will provide me with alternative worlds to adventure in each time I wait for new Mods from Neverwinter.

I can never be bored in retirement as I enjoy adventuring in such fantastic worlds.

The amazing thing is that I don't have to pay a single cent (and I don't) in order to enjoy these larger than life adventures.

Some people say:

"Aiyah, you can do this because you are rich mah."

This might sound a little sour but, to be honest, they are right.





We want to be financially free so that we do not have to exchange the most precious resource we have (i.e. time) for money anymore.

Why do many average income workers find this impossible?

Do you believe me if I were to say it is not because they make an average income?

If you are a new reader or if you don't remember, read this blog:

Average income workers have a choice to be rich.






To be richer, learn to be better savers first.

This brings me to the crux of the blog or in this case, the "crust".

"Eat crusty bread with ink slowly."

Using mnemonics again.

The letter "C" in the word "crusty" stands for CPF.

I have said in many blogs before that having a rather significant safety net allows me to invest the way I invest with peace of mind.

My CPF savings is a very big part of this rather significant safety net.

In fact, I said that the CPF would continue to be an important part of my passive income strategy even after I had made $1 million in dividends from my many investments in equities and trusts.

Now, when was this?

This was back in October 2016.

See:
The AK passive income strategy after making $1 million.

So, to have peace of mind as an investor, not only do I eat bread with ink slowly, I choose to eat crusty bread with ink slowly.

1. Emergency fund.

2. CPF.

3. Borrowings.

4. War chest.

5. Income.

6. Sizing.






I rather like this update.

Definitely sounds complete now.

Sounds a bit more yummy too.

Sedap!

Don't you think so?

Related post:
CPF is all we need unless we are very rich.

ASSI celebrates 10 years of blogging! Merry Christmas!

ASSI is 10 years old.

Time flies, doesn't it?

If someone had told me 10 years ago what ASSI would become today, I would not have believed him.

Worse, I would imagine that he was from some SEO outfit trying to sell me some package of services. :p

Yes, I know.

Bad AK! Bad AK!

"Giamsiap" AK is so terrible.






Last year, when ASSI turned 9, I said:

"To be quite realistic, one day, I will stop blogging but that day is not today."

I also said:

"However, I will probably be blogging less often from now."

Well, this year so far, I have published only around 50 articles in ASSI.

See?

AK was being honest.

I remember a period of time when I was publishing articles daily and sometimes even twice a day.

That was many years ago.

The current pace is better for lazy AK.

In fact, 50 a year is still many times more than the once a quarter update I was thinking of doing before.

Anyway, less likely to burn out now as a blogger, I will probably continue blogging for some time to come.

Slow and easy is the way.

Will AK the blogger ever become prolific again?

Well, I think it is rather unlikely but I know never to say never.






The season of giving is upon us and what is AK giving to his readers?

Some words, of course.

What else? ;p

我送你几个字.

So Chinese drama, right?

"Have money must also have a heart."

We investors are a lucky bunch because if we have the money to invest with, we are better off than many people in the world.

There will always be people who need a helping hand.

Making a contribution, no matter how small, will help lift the needy out of poverty.






Readers who have been following ASSI long enough might remember that I shared from time to time charities which I support.

I like to help children because they have their whole lives ahead of them.

I like to help poor students because education is the best way to lift them and their loved ones out of poverty.

Being charitable gives the needy a better life and makes us better people.

Everyone's life can be and should be better.

If we can help to make it so, why not?

So, remember to spread some cheer and, of course, be happy.


Have a good laugh.

Ho ho ho!


Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone!

Thank you very much!







Related post:
Leaving a legacy as ASSI turns 9.

Year end holiday update. (Winter Festival and Hell Pit.)

This is just an update to let readers know that AK might be less active here in ASSI after this blog for the next few weeks.

AK will be going away to a faraway land on a holiday for 6 weeks!

That sounds expensive, doesn't it?

Not to worry.

This won't cost AK any money at all.

It is all going to be free!

What?

Where?

How?

From today till early next year, AK will be pretty busy holidaying in Neverwinter, doing adventurous and heroic stuff which is only possible in virtual reality.

Yes, I know!

Bad AK! Bad AK!

AK the Wizard.
Vanquishing evildoers!

AK the Paladin.
Saving innocent folks.

Neverwinter is having their annual Winter Festival which is probably the most rewarding event in their calendar.

This event runs for 3 weeks from 13 December into the new year, ending on 3 January 2020.

This year, however, before the Winter Festival, Neverwinter will have another event that will also run for 3 weeks.

This is a new event that will run from 22 November to 12 December.

Two big events back to back for a total of 6 weeks!

Delirious!

The new event is "Hell Pit" and it challenges adventurers to solo content that will get progressively more difficult.

There is a long reward list but the ultimate reward, in my opinion, for those who succeed is a legendary mount, the Golden Warhorse!







After adventuring in Neverwinter for three years or so, AK still does not own a legendary mount as the drop rate is abysmal.

Well, to be fair, AK has only been a Neverwinter VIP for less than a year and, so, for most of the three years in Neverwinter, AK wasn't trying.

Many adventurers who are less patient simply buy a legendary mount from other adventurers in the Auction House if they want one.

It is all about luck or what adventurers call RNG (i.e. random number generator) and some people are just very lucky to get a legendary mount despite the terribly low drop rate.

The less popular legendary mounts go for about 5 million Astral Diamonds (ADs) and the more popular ones go for as much as 20 million ADs or even more in the Auction House.

AD is one of the more important in game currencies in Neverwinter.





AD can be earned (relatively slowly) through playing the game since Neverwiner is a F2P (free to play) game and everything we need or want in the game can be obtained simply by playing the game.

AD can also be purchased by spending real life money (which AK has never done before and will never do, of course).

For those who are more business minded, AD can also be earned at a faster pace by selling stuff in the Auction House to other adventurers.

Currently, 5 million ADs is worth almost US$ 70.

Imagine people paying 20 million ADs for the more popular legendary mounts.

Talk about paying lots of money for virtual assets.

Bitcoins, anyone?

Mind boggling!






To be honest, adventurers don't really need legendary mounts in Neverwinter but if AK can get one for free, why not?

A legendary mount allows us to move at 140% our usual travelling speed.

If we are attacked while on a legendary mount, we fall off only if we are hit 6 times or more within 5 seconds.

So, unless we encounter relatively large mobs, we don't have to waste time fighting random mobs while moving around in a zone.

Legendary mounts also have combat powers which mounts of lower grades do not have.

AK would very much like to have a (free) legendary mount or two.

Yes, please.

At the moment, I have five characters in game.

Lots of time and resources have gone into nurturing one rather powerful end game DPS character.

So, I am pretty confident that I will be able to get a Golden Warhorse as a reward.

The other two DPS characters were very recently created during Neverember's recruitment event last month in October which I talked about in this blog:

3Q 2019 passive income: Numbers.

Not very powerful, they serve mostly as caddies or what adventurers call "pack mules" (i.e. they exist mainly to carry stuff for my main characters).

When I created them, I purposely did not choose new classes to avoid the temptation to play them more.

They are adequate for some crafting, also some farming for gold and AD in addition to being caddies but they will never be upgraded to end game standards.

The last two characters are a tank and a healer.

They have been around for far longer and are more powerful than the two relatively young DPS characters I mentioned earlier but tanks and healers are not exactly DPS gods.

(DPS = Damage per second and means a character that does damage.)






AK is always plotting in Neverwinter. :p

Wouldn't you like to be adventuring (and plotting) in Neverwinter too? ;p


It is free to play and lots of fun.

Watch the following video and see if it is something that you will enjoy:






Wishing all readers a fun filled holiday season. :)
-------------
UPDATE ON THE UPDATE:

I have just found out that I would not be able to get the Golden Warhorse by successfully completing only one Hell Pit event.

If that sounds like there is going to be more than one Hell Pit event to you, well, you are right.

The Hell Pit event is apparently a recurring event that will return every few months.

I will have to successfully complete five events before I can get my hands on the Golden Warhorse!

This is more like a MMORPG.

The grind!

Well, I guess I was being too generous (or naive) to think that the world of Neverwinter has become more generous in handing out rewards. :p

There is no free lunch in this world, real or virtual. ;p





Related posts:
1. Spent money and will spend more time.
2. Is AK blogging about Neverwinter?