DING! 15 DING! 16 - yeah, now I can get my level 16 spells! It wasn't the most exciting way to gain two levels, but hunting the wharf rats on Kerra's Island gives good experience and a faction increase with the local residents. Okay, make that a very tiny faction increase. Like one so small that it's barely noticeable. As in I went from the Kerras being 'indifferent' to me all the way up to (drum roll please)... 'indifferent' to me. Maybe that's because the wharf rat that drops the tooth for the quest only shows up every 5 to 10 minutes (I usually had time to kill the two weaker wharf rats before the big one would show, and would still have to sit around and wait). Once I reach 16, I had to move on because the weaker wharf rats were no longer giving experience (and there's nothing else in the zone that you can hunt without getting negative faction with the Kerras).

It's embarrasing how many times I died (twice) by the wharf rats (they hit hard and fast and chew through a level 12 pet pretty quick). On the plus side, I really improved my offense and defense skills by wading in to tank for my pet at times. In the last few days I've improved the following skills (my skill points are currently capped at 85 points for each skill, which is 'very good' in the EQ abilities page):

Abjuration: 59 to 76 - Not too worried about this either, it comes up when I cast shielding on myself.
Alteration: 21 to to 55 - Difficult skill to practice, I can either use Bind Affinity (big mana hit), or Renew Elements (refreshes my pet's hp). I'll need to specifically practice this by casting it on my pet more often (even when it's not needed).
Conjuration: 65 to 85 - This came up because I was using Shock of Blades (DD, 31-35 HP) so often pulling the wharf rats.
Mediate: 65 to 85 - Easy skill, just pull up the spell book and medidate to regain lost mana.
Channeling: 66 to 85 - This is the all-important 'concentration' skill that lets you keep casting even when a mob lands a hit on you.
Evocation: 65 to 73 - My new Shock of Flame (DD, 91-96HP) spell uses this, so this stat will come up quickly on it's own.

Defense: 45 to 60 - I need to really get this stat up, because it keeps me from getting hit, which means my spells won't get interrupted even if the mob aggros on me instead of my pet.
Offense: 34 to 42 - I also need to get this skill up for the cases where I'm backed against the wall.
2H Blunt: 18 to 20 - I haven't decided if this is the best weapon skill or not.

Sense Heading: 7 to 60 - Easy skill, just use the sense heading skill whenever possible (over and over and over). I work on it anytime I'm waiting for a ship to arrive at the dock, or while sitting on the ship, or while meditating.
Fishing: 3 to 5 - Eh, I may buy another fishing rod. It's not a real important skill for me (since I can summon food, water, daggers).
Bind Wound: 37 to 65 - Pretty good here too, since I can summon bandages for free, I do a lot of binding of wounds whenever our tank gets injured and then let the healer bring him back up the rest of the way.
Swimming: 30 to 33 - Need to work on this (maybe go back to Ak'Anon or Felwithe and swim in the ponds).

I may stick skill points into Defense, Offense, or my weapon skill (but it's going to cost a pretty platinum). I reckon that I spent around 70pp for 9 of the 12 level 16 spells (so I still have another 27pp to spend). That's a lot of platinum for a level 16 character who spent lvl 14 and lvl 15 hunting for experience instead of loot. I also need to figure out where I want to go hunting next...

Vorish of Morell-Thule, High Elf Mage lvl 16