I am an old school EQOA player, Played about since Launch. Let me tell you a few things. First, You should -not- take EQ2 lore seriously with EQOA / EQ1 Lore. It is -not- the same universe. Literally, EQ2 is a spin off after completing Plane of Time iirc. Secondly, if you try, you will go mad. Names are not the same, difficulty of mobs are not the same. The lay out of the land is vastly different. Also it has been closer to 800 years from what I've seen. You're better off just enjoying EQ2 Lore for what it is, a completely separate entity. If you'd like to discuss the mechanics of the game, feel free to PM me. I played on PPO, and then CLW after the servers started dying, and soe, with its marvelous CS, refused to do anything. P.S. Remember when the devs said they were going to release new content for the game, and then never posted on the forums again? Me too.
See this is where I disagree, respectfully of course. When the Plane of Time arc was complete in EQ1 1 storyline continues (EQ2) and one re-rolls in on itself (ala-Zeb's prophecy) continuing EQ1. To be honest here's where i make my difference. Developers. A major hunk of the EQ1 devs left after Kunark was launched in EQ1 setting up some of Velious. They were people like Tony Garcia, Bill Trost, Brad Mcquaid (though idr how much of EQ2 Brad was in on before going to make Sigil Games). And a 2nd set of developers took over and instead of looking back at the success of what the previous dev's created lore wise, EQ'1 2nd set of devs took the lore layouts the previous crews had and twisted/turned/totally re-wrote for their own projects in EQ1. Why? I assume because many of the developers were continuing storylines from EQ1 into EQ2 For example an npc from EQ1 that was there in the launch in 1999 here https://forums.station.sony.com/eq/...important-lore-quest-in-north-freeport.59948/ Was a crucial point in the Faydwer War of Fay that sent many Teir'Dal back to Antonica with that scroll and led to the attempt on Teir'dal prince Talvus' life by Queen Cristanos we got to see in EQ2 as the Inny-Tunare lead-in quests before the Echoes of Faydwer expac launched. This along with things like in the Tome of Ages saying the portal that the Discord forces were coming through was closed in the Age of Turmoil. Kind of show you things that the EQ2 devs weren't going to get into regarding the lore/stories from EQ1. Maybe the Discord Planes and the Discord forces and Zeb himself weren't supposed to be "World ending" story arcs and such like they became in EQ1 but because EQ1's 2nd dev crews set it up that way and EQ2's dev crew (at the time of launch) decided to put that mess of their peers not listening to their helpful advice behind them. We know that the original EQ story was loosely if not tightly based off of Bill and Tony and others DnD campaigns when they were creating the world of On-Earth.(Norrath, just swap an E) for the 989 studio project. Now.. that's not to say that other developers and for gods sake... the damned artists wouldn't throw in their own 2 cents on what they wanted to do with the Norrathian storylines/world, (see the real reason there are Giant Chess boards in Butcherblock/Tim-Deep etc.). Even in EQ1 they put the Sleeper back to sleep in their timeline, where as he was Awoken in EQ1 that story continues into EQ2 him awaking and taking over Kingdom of Sky and the current continuing storylines. As it is I'd say "Both" could count as "correct" it just matters on your opinion of which EQ1-devs/stories you prefer to follow. IMO I prefer EQ2's continued story from EQ1 w/ The Sleeper awakening and helping destroy parts of Luclin and the gods tearing away the planes, I'm not saying I agreed I liked that way the story went but again it's an opinion with the small fact that the original devs helped set up EQ2... but they are mostly if not all gone now... *shrugs* btw. Hostock 4EVER! Rezikai Rogue of Freeport 60/assassin, student of Necorik the Ghost!
Although you don't have to be a fan of science fiction to understand the concepts, it doesn't hurt. Essentially, EQ2 and EQOA are divergent timestreams from EQ. EQ2's timestream diverged from EQ's around the time of the Planes of Power expansion (I could be wrong on the specific expansion, but it was definitely after the Luclin expansion). Additionally, it is set 500 years after the point of divergence. What this allows, from a development standpoint, is for things that happen in EQ to be independent of things that happen in EQ2, and vice versa. EQOA's timestream diverged from EQ's a bit earlier (I think, but I don't remember if it was prior to the Luclin expansion). Unlike EQ2, however, it was set in EQ's past (but in an alternate timeline that just happened to correspond to the lore of EQ up to the divergence point). Again, things that occurred in "EQ-Prime" didn't necessarily affect EQOA, and vice versa. With the Chains of Eternity expansion, there has been some indication the there may be points of reconvergence in the future, but only time will really tell.
I think the devs left to work on eq2 around the time of luclin as from what I can recall from old forum posts most of it was contracted to other people EQOA is a bit of a funny one because it was created after planes of power but focused on lore prior to the time split so there's no reason it can't be viable in both games if it fits neatly - naturally they were given free reign to do their own thing so as usual the lore fits until proven otherwise Vhalen then went to work closely with the all three games later on before he left SOE to create a universal timeline that would make them all compatible - speculation here but this is probably for his final multiple year story arcs he was to leave behind with the new devs before he departed which is no doubt why we are seeing lots of bits of eqoa and eq1 lore pop up in our world I bet he found the best way to make the story fit neatly was to play with dimensions and timetravel
I don't know if the Ethernere, as we experienced it in CoE, is part of Vhalen's plan or not, but I do know that, lore-wise, it is supposed to connect the multiple dimensions of Norrath. (So there are many versions of Norrath - at least three or four that we know of, depending upon whether or not EQN follows a separate timeline from any of the other games - but there is only one realm of the dead.) Rallos was defeated in EQ2's timeline (I think - I stopped raiding a while back so I could be in error) and his essence had to pass from the Ethernere to help stabilize it. Cazic was, I believe, defeated and driven from his plane in EQ (which caused the disturbances up at the Fearcreep). I don't remember any references specifically to EQOA lore during CoE, but I'll keep my eyes open the next time I run the sig quest. Also I don't know if they plan on adding anything more to the Ethernere at this point. Time will tell.
Even if our Ethernere is 100% what Vhalen imagined it to be, if they have an Ethernere in any other EQ game it won't be the same as ours. The whole reason for each game getting split off instead of just saying "its the same world, just earlier or later in time" is because each development team is going to make its own spin on things and it won't be the same no matter how much they try. So, the reason for the split is so they don't have to make it true to some other game's standard, they can make it fit to the story they are trying to tell, and the game they are trying to present.
I understand what you are saying (in fact, scroll up two posts above the one you quoted), as far as the Ethernere is concerned, though, I'm just going by the explanation that you get while going through the signature quest in CoE. Basically, as I understood it, Cazic was defeated in another plane of existence (EQ, if I'm not mistaken) and his defeat is what caused the imbalance/instability that resulted in the problems up in the Fearcreep region. I do remember one of the quest givers explaining that the Ethernere connects to several different realities (although I'm almost positive that isn't the word they used), one of which is ours. The explanation is in response to confusion which arises from Cazic's presence in the Ethernere, since he hasn't actually been defeated* in EQ2. Let me do some rooting around and I'll see if I can find the relevant quest dialogue. If I find it, I'll send you a PM with a link to it - or failing that, I'll type it out by hand. If the latter is the case, it might take a couple of days while I get a toon to the appropriate level that hasn't been through that part of the questline. * To my knowledge, the closest we have come is defeating the golem Terror in Shard of Fear.
According to Drinal's Steward there is only one Ethernere amongst all the different dimensions. So all dead souls from all variations of Norrath end up in the single Ethernere. Yes, I'm fully aware of this.
I dug up some old posts that seem relevant here, or at least of interest... (Thanks to EQ2wire's searchable archives of EQ2's forums!) Rezikai posted (06-09-2008, 09:48 PM) Which devs.... Used to play/worked on EQoA?I know Vhalen often helped us with lore gaps from the Age of Enlightenment to the Age of Turmoil to the Age of Destiny.But there have been so many ... coincedences in EQ2 that I have started wondering if some of the current (or recently departed) EQ2 team played this game. Too many things in EQ2 often link up with it in ways that seem so very subtle yet noteworthy.1. The Springview Healers.... they arrived in EQoA as part of its plague event and the name of their "Last Home" the SpringView Sanitarium was only mentioned 1 time.. by a Grand Druid NPC for a short while while the NPC was in Surefall glade at the begining of EQoA's month long plague event.2. Fayspire, Doomcookie mentioned it in the mudskipper tale, it being a refugee city/outpost (with Telethin much the same nearby) and Vhalen even gave some more "current" lore of what happened to the Main Fayspire (the center of the city had the massive towering one) after the breaking of Antonica, while less subtle (it was one of the 2 spots Elddar Elves in EQoA started) its still very... eyebrow raising.3. Parathoir, I must admit, i havent completed my epic on my Brigand I have helped other brigands with the final mob Parathoir and i must say I got nostalgic fighting the old EQoA epic mob. Though I'm not sure if the lore of the EQoA one and EQ2's is the same, i'll have to investigate more.4. Tempe of Light, recently the devs talked about the temple of light and what it was from the Age of Enlightenment and where it was during the Age of Turmoil.5. 1001 Tales in MajDul, The tale of Mal'Akht / Tal'Thex, while not in EQoA (unless its one of/is the Citadel shown in game as Envar) it does speak of the Dead Hills, an EQoA zone which... *shivers* i hope to never traverse alone again.... its barren crawling with tough endead.. and its easy to get yourself lost in it (the zone was HUGE).So these footnotes have me wondering, Vhalen said he didnt work on EQOA (though he did on the EQ2 Pen-paper) If any red names have worked on/played EQoA and if they plan to refrence more of it into present day Norrath? To which I replied (06-09-2008, 10:44 PM) I did, Rezikai! And I enjoy slipping in references and characters when appropriate (Springview Healers) or giving old favorites another appearance (Parathior). But more importantly, there is no reason to ignore EQOA lore, and fellow designers like Missdoomcookie, Kander and Jindrack understand that, just as well as Vhalen did while he was here. Sure, some of it may not be considered cannon, and I don't have to be the first to admit that there are certain inconsistencies between the two histories. But it doesn't mean you throw it all away, either. There is a wealth of history to be tapped in EQOA. And when it aligns well, then I say go for it! Why not add that additional level of depth by making a reference to Elder Rycha, Dagladar, Sektamoot or the dracnids in the Salt Mines? (All of which are real examples that can be found in EQ2, and more!) You can read the whole thread at http://archive.eq2wire.com/showthread.php?t=420329 Shemyaza posted (02-01-2008, 04:48 PM) Is EQ:OA now offical canon lore? in the GU42 preview is the following line regarding epics: "Some items touch back to FAR earlier times, so deep knowledge of history (touching on EverQuest lore and even going as far back as EverQuest Online Adventures, 1000 years in the past!)" does this mean that EQ:OA is finally being brought into the official lore of eq and eq2 with all the inconsistancies that have been pointed out over the years? Kander posted (02-05-2008, 12:37 PM) Maergoth wrote:I always thought of EQOA like a storybook.. a recollection of sorts.. some of it will be true, and some will be misconstrued, like all history has been. I really like this statement! This is exactly how I used it...somewhere! Not tellin! /runs Pyrrhx posted (02-05-2008, 07:49 PM) Meh... I'd rather see Parathior reborn as a result of gnomish miscalibration during their attempts to launch his remains to the moon. Rezikai posted (02-10-2008, 09:48 AM) heh.... ask and ye shall recieve. He is the final boss for the Brigand Epic to boot... how we missed ye so old friend. You can read the whole thread at http://archive.eq2wire.com/showthread.php?t=405621 ~Kaitheel
Oh! A few more threads I found that may be interesting: Jal'Raeth (The thread where the Jal'Raeth / Void man connection was first discussed) http://archive.eq2wire.com/showthread.php?t=430671 EQOA and todays lore http://archive.eq2wire.com/showthread.php?t=393996 ~Kaitheel
hey kaitheel i remember years and years ago kyv posted on the eq1 forums that the jal'raeth were once obsessed with the xulous ruins on antonica and that rodcet became ascended for his efforts in fighting against that - i have searched tirelessly for years trying to find a source for that reference but i havent been able to find it and i guessed it was somewhere in eqoa - can you confirm any of that?
