Hello all, Since the favorite zone thread did so well, I thought I'd make a more focused post to ask for your 'favorite city in EverQuest?' What makes this city special to you? I wrote a short answer for myself in a Wikia blog here: http://everquest.wikia.com/wiki/User_blog:Roshen/Favorite_City_in_EverQuest? Special Note: Since there were some conversation about this in the favorite zone thread, feel free to mention more than one city if you want to. I would like to know WHY a city is your favorite though ^_^
I will second the original Freeport. The current version is probably my most-disliked city, though Shadow Haven is up there as well.
Froststone (the city in crystal caverns). Mainly because I was amazed when I found it. I then proceeded to spend a lot of time there.
Original Freeport for sure. Thurgadin/Kael/Skyshrine (depending on your faction) probably tied for second. You could XP in them or quest depending on your choices. Wait.....does City of Mist count?? =)
Qeynos I loved the city , i remeber traveling to there from kaladim as a part of my exploring thing, i was only like lvl 6 or so when i got there, ( a very long run ) Loved the zones around from hills/blackburrow/wisp iceland/karanas when i got high enugh and i really enjoyed permafrost i also did like nearly every quest i could find in there , and i even tried to get the gnoll sword that the guy in hills talked about , spent a very long time in blackburrow trying to find this gnoll before i got told that the named gnoll was not spawning
Sanctus Seru. I love the amusing guard dialogue almost as much as I love the Roman style architecture. Plus, the name sounds really cool. Second would probably be the vampireihaunted, gothic Katta Castellum. Luclin will always be my favorite expansion.
Paineel!! or maybe the ancient city in The Hole I do love how there are many cities squirreled away in corners of EQ where you wouldn't expect them.
As much as I want to say my hometown of Qeynos, I'll pick Katta Castellum - it just feels like it was built by, for and about paladins. The quest to vanquish the vampires on one side (and within) the city was excellent, of course. Valdanov was an excellent apex to that major quest. I probably can't count high enough to tally the number of times I recharged my Mask of Espionage . . . in fact, I'm going to go redo the quest this weekend since this thread reminded me of all those good times in Luclin when undead were plentiful and lore was meaningful.
Original Freeport was amazing. I was shocked when it was remade. Kelethin was and continues to be excellent as well. Thematically, Greater Faydark is a lot of fun and Kelethin is well-executed. I strongly appreciate how unfriendly the city is at heart. If you were new and you fell, too bad. Be a Dwarf if you don't like it. Cabalis is grand, though I think my feelings have more to do with really liking Field of Bone than the city itself. Rivervale is very good too. It fits the race, it's small and compact yet has a lot of flavor and a surprising number of things to do and see. The only thing I don't like about it is the lack of either mobs to kill in Rivervale's zone itself or a merchant in Misty Thicket. So I think in terms of execution, I prefer cities that are generally compact and have features that cut out some travel time. Newbie zones within the city and merchants in the next area of content made playing the game easier and more fun. Greater Faydark is the best example of this. Do 1-3 on one side of Kelethin, near guards and merchants, then move to Orc Hill at 3 or 4, where you're away from guards (but still close-ish) and the danger of dying to trains is real, then move to the tunnel entrance or thereabouts at six to eight. At no point do you ever have to zone, unless you die. Then you have Crushbone, a fantastic early zone with some cool elements and good learning, next door. Neriak is my least favorite; a confusing, sprawling mess of a place that never seemed to have a point for all its space. Being a Necromancer or Shadowknight in the old days around there was tough. Want to go sell stuff? Gotta zone! Want to go train at your guildmaster? Gotta zone, then zone again, then again, then run to the back! I despite Crescent Reach with all my being. The whole "Oh, here's this enclave of all the people living happily right in the middle of the biggest continent! And no one knew about them!" thing is terrible. Just horrible. Between Crescent Reach and the whole Froglok situation - they're in Grobb! Now they aren't! Who cares anymore! - I don't ever want to see another race.
Shar Vahl, for it's olden middle eastern feel. And since I only play Vah Shir, it's the birthplace of my beloved characters, so I have that sentimental attachment. Hanging by the little fountain near the bank always feels good. Honorable mention is Kelethin, music being my personal favorite aspect.
Replying to myself... missed the "I want to know WHY" part of Roshen's post Qeynos was ALIVE. There were people walking around and DOING things. There were merchants coming and going. The music is still epic and gives a feel of "You're safe in this city... and it's a happy city". This is quite possibly the best designed city in the game. Freeport was ALIVE as well. I enjoyed it when I played a Dark Elf Necromancer because of the neutrality of it, aside from the caster's guild and pally guild areas. It was surrounded by desert and ocean and was the gateway to the Ocean of Tears. And while speaking of the Ocean of Tears - nothing quite compared to traveling on the boat and seeing those searury cyclops roaming on their island and knowing that "one day, I'll fight them"
Firiona Vie before it was taken over was prolly one of my favorites. As far as class cities, most of the original cities i liked, freeport especially, it was a sad day when they changed it to a place that no one wants to go to
