Category: Gaming

Game Description:

Centuries of war have left their mark on the continent of Kunark. Explore this massive region as your existing character or as the new playable race – The Sarnak – and discover a world full of intrigue and danger. Engage in all-new adventures as you embark on a crusade to reveal the truth of the wars between the reborn Iksar Empire, Sarnaks, and Dragons and uncover artifacts long since thought lost to history. The lush, nostalgic continent of Kunark begins your courageous path from the new starting city in Timorous Deep.

Rise of Kunark is the fourth expansion pack for the critically acclaimed EverQuest II franchise. With the introduction of the new playable race, the Sarnak, and new starting area, Timorous Deep, Rise of Kunark provides a full range of content for new player’s levels 1-20 as well as advanced, high level players whom can now achieve up to level 80 in high level zones, both increasing their Adventure and Tradeskill classes.

Rise of Kunark includes many highly-detailed areas that are fondly remembered from EverQuest as well as brand new areas only recently unearthed! Hundreds of new quests, dozens of new NPCs, brand new Epic Weapon quests for each class, and new armor sets await those who dare set foot on this fabled continent.

Feature Set:

All-New Player Race – Start up a brand new Sarnak – the classic dragon-like humanoid creature that now inhabits Timorous Deep. Exiled from your homeland and magically altered, discover how your new breed came to be, and eventually return home to help your race triumph over the evil Iksar.

New Starting Area – Begin your adventure from the new starting area in the islands of Timorous Deep. Conclude your day of epic quests and retire to new housing within the Village of Gorowyn.

Level Cap Raised – Continue your adventures on your existing character in Kunark, expanding on your achievements as Adventure, Tradeskill and Guild levels all increase to 80.

More Unique Zones – Advance your way through new massive regions, containing many zones filled with nostalgia and danger, such as the Emerald Jungle and the Skyfire Mountains

Hundreds of New Quests – The tale of Kunark is told through hundreds of new quests, aimed at gameplay of all types: solo, group, and raid.

More Weapons & Armor – New Epic Weapon quests for all 24 classes, with new weapons for both those who raid and those who choose not to. Battle through the opposition and acquire additional fabled and legendary armor sets as well.

New Mount – Explore the world on the shoulders of a new rampaging beast – The Kunarkian Rhinoceros.

New Deities – Recent activities on Norrath have again attracted the attention of the gods. Bertoxxulous the Plaguebringer, Karana the Rain Keeper, and the mysterious Tribunal return to exert their influences on planet. As with the existing gods of Norrath, players may pledge to these new deities to gain access to their Blessings and Miracles.

Dozens of New NPCs – Encounter and engage a wide variety of new enemies that inhabit the menacing lands of Kunark.

Details found here, I’m already so excited I can ignore the fact that it’s still 6 months away…

Hmms some tunnel laborers traveling through the commonlands, they must be helping with Neriak

Misako frowned at the Ratonga who clung to her side. This was not exactly how she envisioned her day.

“Stop bouncing!” She hissed.

“I’m sorries Missums Misa!” Squeeled the little mouse, as she tried to control her hopping, “It has been so very long those! You knows that Missums!”

Misako sighed, Goudia had a point, it had been quite some time. Not since the ratonga had betrayed and became an exile had Misako needed her help or called upon her. There was much that needed to be done though.

So what have I been up to? Today’s a fairly exciting and busy day. Not due to anything in particular, but a number of smaller things. Number one, my characters are settling in yet another server. So that was me moving from Lucan D’Lere, to Kithicor, to Antonia Bayle. Why the move (again)? Easy, the community and atmosphere. The guild mates who had moved along with me did not like Kithicor. I can’t blame them, the 60-69 was a bit more then I could handle at times. I’m used to drama, but people were down right mean at times. I also missed the role play aspect that I could involve myself in on LDL. AB’s rp community is far larger, and I’m looking forward to it.

So Torrent Knights has reformed on AB. We’re actively recruiting, and hoping to form either an alliance with another raid guild, or even if people find their own new homes that’s fine as well. In the mean time, we’re working on leveling the guild. I did not complete a single heritage quest on Misako, and Goudia (previously known as Gouda, she had to be renamed), has only done one. With the former TK at level 60 there was no point to it, and alts were not allowed in the guild anyhow. So holding off on all of those heritage quests was a great thing. I finished off the greater lightstone early this morning, and also finished off Foomby’s stolen goods. Next I’m working on the Fishbone earring, and the guise of the deceiver. I’m doing them both with Misako and Goudia, in the hopes of pushing the guild towards level 10, we’re currently sitting at level 3. I love having a goal like this in game, while I make new friends and accomplish new goals. It revitalizes me.

Misako riding around Sinking Sands, with her new spoon

Did some instances with the defiler, and she’s now sporting the very stylish spoon that drops in cazels. Figured the thing never dropped for any of my other characters, at least she’s got some good luck. She hit 59 yesterday as I grinded through some very easy Lesser Faydark quests, making a whole lot of coin off of them as well. Also managed to hit 62ap on her, so she’s eating those up nicely. In fact she has more then the 70 templar now, go figure. Ap are so much easier to get when you’re a lower level.

A huge thank you to Cordanim for sharing his new blog format, I adored it and of course had to grab it for myself. I like the layout much better then the old one I had. It’s also just nice to switch it out every so often.

Other then that, I haven’t been doing too much. Reading a good book by Robin Hobbs and contemplating a few new suggestions as far as where to go in game. A friend of mine, Beeglin, suggested some time ago that I apply to Strike, the top raiding guild on Lucan D’Lere. I shrugged at the suggestion, doubting myself as a player, and the fact that they’ve got two raiding illusionists already. After speaking to another member of the guild, I’m contemplating the suggestion again. In the two plus years that I’ve played EQII I’ve never been in the top end guild before. Not from lack of knowledge about the game or time played, but for other smaller (and just as important) reasons. I was a recruit for Second Dawn as my warden and decided that they were not what I was looking for at the time, so raiding is really not that new to me. Devoting so much time to raiding would be new though, and a challenge that I’m not sure I could pass. Yes, I am online frequently enough, and yes, I could most certainly make all those raid hours, but do I really want to raid 6-7 days a week? I value my independence a lot, and I really am not sure if I’m good enough. Decisions decisions!

Chosing your avatar in the arena is just one use for those pesky house animals you have roaming around

In the 2+ years I’ve played EQII I’d never set foot in the arena. I rarely duel, in fact I think I’ve done it a grand total of three times, twice vs. Lader a conjuror friend of mine, and once vs. Mishanna, a warden. I’ve never bothered playing the PvP version because quite frankly that aspect of this particular game does not interest me what so ever. That’s not to say I’m not an avid PvP’er when I want to be, I have after all left to play WoW for brief stints, and I adored it, but EQII is so complex to me already without that factor, I don’t need more. I don’t mean complex in difficulty level of the game, but in the fact that there’s plenty to do to keep me busy.

I happened to be in someone’s house (of course) examining their items when I came across a blue and gold flag, hanging from an ornamental axe. I’d never seen it before. Examining it showed that it was an arena reward for 1,00 wins.

The arena had house items for winning?

I set out to Maj’Dul to investigate. Low and behold the merchant outside the arena did indeed sell a variety of house items, for wins and kills. No small feats either, the first items starting at 1,00 wins, or 1,000 kills. There are also unique titles for sale. The price, 6s. Exceptionally low -if- you can find people to battle that many times. I attempted to play in the arena just to see what it was all about. No one was around on the three occasions I went besides myself. It was fun at first and then faded fast. You get to pick which zone to battle in, whether to use avatars (the house pets you typically see roaming around people’s homes) or use characters. You can allow spectators or have private matches, play your typical player vs. player round or play games like capture the flag. You can play team events, and a few other variables. It was exceptionally well done if you’re into that sort of thing. The avatar matches are interesting because you get to play a class other then your own. Granted the fountain spirit is a healer and it wasn’t much fun, but the fear knight was a lot of fun being a warrior / guardian class.

The house items may not be something I obtain right away, but they’re going on my list of “I would like to have one day”, a list that seems to be growing continuously. Anyone else spent any time in the arena? What did you think?

Minxes’ newly designed kitchen, a portion of it at least

It was another quiet day in EQII for me, didn’t really feel like grinding experience on the defiler, though she’s comfortably sitting 30% through 58. The weather was too nice to want to do too much indoors anyhow. I did manage to complete two blue shiny quests though. One of them being the acorns from greater faydark that give the distillery on the right side wall, and the other was a torture chair from Crushbone. Once I’d completed the quests and put the spare pieces for sale (netting about 7p throughout the day, which helps cover the costs I’ve been spending on house items to begin with) I decided it was time for a few small changes to the house. I have a small personal set of “house goals” I’ll call them. One, is obviously working down my rent from 18,000 remaining to 0. My house requires 60,000 status a week. I have 42,000 so far thanks to the gorgeous rare furniture that’s out there. It’s not really that much status I suppose, so long as I continue to work on writs and turn in my status items. Raids net a whole lot more but since I’m not raiding lately, well, the writs will do.

Anyhow, one of my other goals is to get at least amiable faction with the Ironforge exchange to be able to purchase their display case. It’s going to take forever. So I’m obviously procrastinating on it. I figure maybe I’ll start small. Do 5 writs a day. Eventually, I’ll have enough. Who knows though, I’ve tried to attempt this before (I’m sitting at 3,700 faction currently towards my 10,000 goal) and given up over time. It’s very easy with the provisioner, I just do rush order writs of the lowest level, they use squash and meat, which are two items that are for sale in abundance on the broker since they don’t make anything worth while to players.

I also want to finish off my weapons wall, by completing numerous heritage quests that can convert into house items, as well as the lore and legends that I have not finished yet. There are a lot, let me assure you. My illusionist currently has 17/33 L&L completed. I had finished them all on the fury, but didn’t want to be bothered with the illusionist. That will also add a whole lot more books to my library collection. I’d also like to re-do my library, adding floor to ceiling book shelves, and build them much like my old Freeport house had, with a display area along the bottom before a row of books on the top.

After all of these changes to my EQII home, I’ve decided that it’s well past time I actually had my own carpenter. You’d think that by now I’d have stuck it out with one, since I spend so much money on housing items and talk about it so frequently. Alas, out of all the crafters I have (and trust me, I have plenty) a carpenter is not one of them. When the evil fae are released at the end of this month I’ll be attempting to make a warlock, who will (hopefully, attention span willing) become my carpenter.

I’ve also taken a peek at the maj’dul arena, having never ever bothered with it before, so look for my post on that tomorrow!