You can also begin play in ToB, level high, export your character and import it in a SoA game, kinda cheesy but it's nice to play for a while this way
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http://www.angelfire.com/rpg2/mirac
I'd be Mirac, mighty mage of er... uhm.. er.. - Mirac Honorguard
Fellow Table Dancer of the Jerome's Table dancer group
Spell formulater of the IW peace-keeping force