Having just come back to the game and all my old friends gone I'm finding it impossible to get into any group doing pirate missions for doubloons. Does anyone know of any way of getting them (noone is selling in bazaar for several days now). I'm dying to get than new dmg shield spell but I just don't see any way.

For the spells, work Katta faction and go after Orum/Orux whatever they are called. Katta sells the Rk2 versions of the spells.

yeah, get a monk or sk to farm task 6 for u for the faction and Orux, and just get your rank 2 spells.

i Completely agree...its best to go for katta faction and buy your rk 2 versions..but if all your friends are not in EQ anymore than its not simply as easy as.."find a SK or a monk and have them do task 6"

By task 6 we mean there is a series of tasks that grants solteris access...and task 6 is supposed to be, from what i hear, solo-able by any class that can feign death and take a few hits. but unless you intend to send a tell to every monk or sk and sound like a beggar...this simply isnt really an option for orux/Faction.

we need to realize that the merchants will only sell certain spells to you once you have reached certain faction levels. follow this thread to see what spells are available at what faction
http://thedruidsgrove.org/eq/forums/showthread.php?t=15422

and here is a pretty accurate chart of how many orux/doubloons you need to have earned to raise up to each faction level, you start at apprehensive :

Indifferent : 200 orux (doubloons) gets you to indifferent

Amiable : once you reach 400 orux (doubloons) total earned, You reach
Amiable

Kindly : this is one of the hardest factions to hit. You need about 1200
Orux (doubloons) to reach kindly

Warmly : 1600 Orux (doubloons) gets you to warmly faction

Ally : around 2400 orux (doubloons) earned reaches ally faction

If you want doubloons ( you will need 70 doubloons anyway if you intend to do the jonas dagmires skeletal hand task found here
http://everquest.allakhazam.com/db/quest.html?quest=4188
then the easiest way to get them is to do this task http://everquest.allakhazam.com/db/quest.html?quest=4086( you will need at least 2 random ppl in group to help you request the task but anyone at all lv 61+ should work)

this is a very easy task to solo for almost any druid...the mobs on the shore are non agro/non social for druids(they will not add) and there is a lone skelly u can pull on the shore every spawn cycle to easily get your 8. the only problem will be sharks..they will socially assisst other sharks and must be fought underwater..but again if you can play a druid they arent too hard.

But i really wouldnt bother with rank 1 spells from tbs if i were you..you will need katta faction for the gear eventually anyway and the rk 2 spells are better...why buy the same spell 2 times?

the safest orux in my opinion is fate of the combine http://everquest.allakhazam.com/db/quest.html?quest=4118
although it usually is farmed heavy and only yields 25 orux..but its an easy solo (nothing summons..quad hits around 1500..takes abt an hour and a half or so...you will need any 2 ppl to help you get task.)

orum is commonly sold in bazzar..you can do solo tasks (they dont yield orum..but as far as a faction hit goes each solo task is said to be as if you had done a 20 orux task) and get the needed faction if you want then buy your orum.

the easiest way to do solo tasks is to do the serpent slayer/herb retrieval tasks found on this list http://everquest.allakhazam.com/db/qsearch.html?zone=470
request both tasks and head to the northeast part of katta castrum (you will see a greenhouse) and a HUGE kiting area with no mobs anywhere even close by. the shissar here (herb tenders and alchemists) dont summon..each kill counts towards your serpent slayer task...and they drop the herbs needed for the herb retrieval tasks. you can do both tasks at same time with almost no risk for a druid as long as you are careful.