Ok, so, I've been playing this game since it launched, and so I remember the days when in order to access EL, you had to complete the access quest Maid for the Mist in several parts. What I've never been clear on is why evil-aligned players were sent to EL while good-aligned players were sent to Zek. (If you began in Freeport, you ultimately ended at the Nektulos docks, where the quest for EL began; if you started in Qeynos, you ultimately ended up at the TS docks, where a similar access quest, the Prize of Prexus, would send you to Zek.) It's always seemed to me that good-aligned players should have actually been sent to EL, to aid the halflings (a good race) who were struggling against the Void, and that evil-aligned players should have been sent to Zek, which has a number of evil-race NPCs, like trolls, ogres and dark elves, immediately on the docks who are trying to retake the island from the orcs. So why was it reversed? Is there a lore reason I missed all these years? Curious, ~ Ara
neither side once you get to EL/Zek is good/evil. Freeportians move to El and deal with the Void and helping the halflings...while Qeynos moves to Zek to help the Greenhoods fight the Deathfist orcs. Shadow and his Ogre companion are Greenhoods...more neutral then evil. they both however give th eimpression they are Greenhoods more because they don't like the Deathfist, more then they share a bond or the like with the Greenhood organization. at best you could argue that the Necromacy and such practiced in freeport gives them a 1 up on how to fight the Void. just like the Qeynos rangers/druids are more of an alignment of skill and ideals with the Greenhood.
Rainmare@Oasis wrote: Shadow also says he was rescued and raised by the Greenhoods. He's been a Greenhood most of his life. The Greenhoods wern't labled a Qeynos-supporting orginization until the Kingdom of Sky expansion launched. Lore wise Zek is located in what remains of Surefall Glade. Surefall Glade was just across the Qeynos Hills from the city and rather close to Blackburrow. Now that it is seperated by water from Qeynos Hills (now Antonica), the most direct navigatable path is from Thundering Stepps (formally the zones known collectively as the Karana Plains). It would actually make more sense for the port/bell to be in Antonica but considering the level of the content I'm sure it was placed in TS to make progression smoother. Likewise Rivervale (and thus Enchanted Lands) is closer to the Commonlands (which boardered Kithkor Forest). EL itself is a re-named Misty Thicket, missing a few mountains that closed off the halfling starter zone. Rivervale itself has been extensively remoddled and expanded. Notibly missing is the bank/town hall. Instead the town was spread between several shacks and the Fool's Gold re-made into an underground warren instead of a two story building in the center of town. A lot was added including a second inn, a library, and a lot more housing/river. Missing is the bank, mayor's mansion, any sign of the tunnel to Kithkor and the temple! Kithkor is supposidly an island now (similar to Highhold Keep) which is a bit of a mystery since it was located at a much lower elevation and had a direct connection to Rivervale. Well, the Rending works in mysterious ways and all that. Again Commonlands is much closer to RV/EL than Nektulous Forest. Nek forest should be a short walk to get to Lavastorm (pre-rending). Nek forest to EL was a trip through two zones including a short cut through Runnyeye. However considering the directions the dock from EL to Nek forest kinda makes sense.
Actually Zek is the remains of Jaggedpine Forest, which is further north. Surefall on the otherhand is gone/lost/missing. Greenhoods were the remnants of the residents of Surefall which also had residents in Jaddedpine Forest during EQ1. About Antonica, that's all up in the air if its Qeynos Hills or not, as in the original. My theory is that Antonica might actually be West Karana. A lot of resemblance with it. The large farming communities, the scarecrows, bandits and unkempt druids. The original Qeynos Hills is probably where the most of the EQ2 Qeynos resides now. You also have The Ruins north of Qeynos on the end of the island and the 'Tomb Of Varsoon' on that string of small islands near Qeyno's moat. Reminds me a lot of EQ1's spawn zone for Varsoon and Pyzjin. Both Freeport and Qeynos barely made it out of the second Rallosian War, with much of their cities destroyed, so i wouldn't be surprised if this was the case. Now there is a landmark in Antonica called Qeynos Hill, but that might be just for namesake. A lot of locations in EQ2's Norrath happened to be that way. Blackburrow was originally destroyed, but the gnolls rebuilt it somewhere else. Both Freeport and Qeynos barely made it out of the second Rallosian War, with much of their cities destroyed. The Graveyard, one of Freeport's yard's, was where the old North Freeport use to be. Yet there is Jade Tiger Den Inn, is located in the New North Freeport. Same with probably most of Qeyno's iconic buildings. I wouldn't take the EQ2 map and its geography all that seriously. There's been two versions of it since the release of EQ2. You got the original (http://images.wikia.com/eq2/images/2/23/Shattered_Lands.jpg), and you got the new improved version that came out with the revamp of the map system (http://stylishcorpse.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/world_bell.jpg). Notice the vast difference between the two and how the islands are setted up along with the position of TS and Nektulos Forest?
Halo of G4 wrote: Antonica is probably bigger than Qeynos Hills. Qeynos Hills occupied the area between Qeynos and Black Burrow. The remains of the tunnel that leads to Halas is a very good indication that the current BB is very close to the first location. Due to the Rending it is perty obvious that it isn't the origional but they didn't travel to a new location. Windstalker Village, named after Holly and her brother puts a definate question mark on if Antonica is larger than just Qeynos Hills or not. Or, do you think the legend of Holly Windstalker (and her grave) went beyond the Qeynos Hills? More mysterious is the total disappearance of the giant bridges that use to occupy the Karanas. The closest druid ring to old Qeynos was in North Karana but there isn't any indication of the giant bridges near it or the Combine Spire. It is very possible that the Antonica druid ring didn't exist during EQ1 and was built afterward (though with teleportation being cut off...why would it be built?) Not to mention no sign of the Spiroc population from South Karana or the vast infestation of giant spiders that was very common in the Karanas.
