Rumour (and i emphasize that word) has it that the new quests involving Kunark are leading into the next expansion. So I popped on test and to the right of Dregs there is an encampment of mostly dwarves with icy spirits and ice graphic weapons roaming around. My Velious hopes are now heightned even more!! but I digress. They are called The Order of Rime and I dont recall anything by that name in Everquest but I do not claim to know everything either lol. Was curious if anyone remembered anything about this order or if its something entirely new.
Dwarves? Emperor Rile Sathir? What? Guess I'll have to see for myself what this is. Obviously it's something new. That much is certain.
They look amazing, the ones in Jarsath glow green, use velium weapons (appearance and ice/snow shatters every swing they take) Mob name is *a hidden sleetsabre* so far so cool... no important dialogue to report yet edit : They battlecry "We fight and die for Killingfrost" . edit: more mob named *an invading flurryburst* and *an invading shardhammer*
It seems that 2 Chel'Drak type beasts are pulling an Iceburg Ship, so to speak, called the Spinebreaker. Here, Kraytoc Killingfrost holds rank. Also on this floating icecap is a chained up iksar female named Elna Tsernin. She is a bard it appears by her particle effects. This entire area of the map is a sheet of ice, POI called "The Sheet". The actual "area" itself is called "Dragon's Rest Shallows". In the cliffs there are boats, pieces of boats and wreckage everywhere. It's really a spectacular sight. The larger "ice giants" as they appear seem to resemble the Coldain dwarf. Just much larger.
The NPC's in fens have wierd armor too...unless thats already in game and i didnt notice...it looks kinda awesome
Test Update Notes, with relevant excerpts: http://patch.everquest2.com:7010/pa...dates_test.html "FEATURED Emperor’s Athenaeum The Order of Rime has managed to re-open this ancient vault of Venril Sathir’s. What secrets lie within? What terrible guardians? Venture in with a single group of adventurers to find out what awaits!" "Kunark Overland Quests A mysterious army has appeared upon the shores of Kunark and begun pillaging the land and slaughtering those that oppose them. Citizens of Dreg’s Landing in Kylong Plains, Riliss in Fens of Nathsar, the City of Jinisk in Kunzar Jungle and Danak in Jarsath Wastes are looking for your help in learning about the invaders and defeating them." Rime, definition: 1. A coating of ice, as on grass and trees, formed when extremely cold water droplets freeze almost instantly on a cold surface. 2. A coating, as of mud or slime, likened to a frosty film: "A meal couldn't leave us feeling really full unless it laid down a rime of fat globules in our mouths and stomachs" James Fallows. tr.v. rimed, rim·ing, rimes To cover with or as if with frost or ice: "heavy [shoes] rimed with mud and cement ... from the building site" Seamus Deane. In other words, Velious? EDIT: Would someone who has done the updated Athenaeum please post details?
Brailyn@Lucan DLere wrote: The last name of that NPC that has chains on her is awfully close to Tserrina isn't it? And that really big Dwarf looking guy....well, that is REALLY big for it to be a pure-blood Dwarf don'tcha think? What if (and this is a HUGE if) the Coldain and the Kromrif/Kromzek got together in the interest of survival and started gettin it on? I know it sounds outlandish seeing as how much they hated each other in EQ, but it certainly isn't without presendence in EQ2. I mean, look at Teren's Grasp, and Dreg's Landing in Kunark, or the Grobbish Trolls and Guktan Frog's coming together to make the Survival Accord. If I hadn't seen these groups come together with my own eyes I would never have believed it, but since I have , I can't dismiss the possibility. Back to Tserrina and the surname of that NPC in the screenshot....maybe Tserrina has thrown her hat in with some of the other factions, and is helping them out as well. Of course, it could just be a big coincidence that the names are so similar, but such large coincidences aren't common in Norrath, and when such things are seen they usually are a clue to what we will be seeing in the future.
I'll wager the chained iksar is how these giants, and they are giants...they look to my like the EF giants with blond hiar rather then white...foudn Kunark in the first place. remember when we first discovered Kunark, it was due to Iksar pirating ships, and in the greenmist line you do lead at least 1 successful raid on Freeport. It's not out of the question an iksar ship was captured by these giants, and Elna was thier 'helper' in finding Kunark itself. of course I like elaborate vampiric plotting, so I can see Tserrina taking on an illusion (though i think she was more necromantic type in EQ1) and allowing her new giant allies to 'capture' her. if the giants win, she just waltz in with them. if they lose, those that come agasint them might 'free' her, still letting her get her hands on the treasure trove of arcane toys in Charasis and/or make deals with the Domini/Venril
One problem though... is that the "ships" are all giant made. All facets of the ships are huge... so they can't belong to that Iksar. She wouldn't be able to see above the stearing wheel as it is. Something happened, and we will know soon enough. I am thinking that she is the one that gave them information on Charasis, and they are keeping her there until they can get what they need, in case they need more information.
Many members of the Order of Rime throughout Kunark are dwarf, barbarian, gnome, and even some ratonga. Can't remember if I saw any humans. Those giants remind me of the Kromrif and Kromzek of Velious (even though they're very similar to the frost giants of Everfrost and Permafrost). Then again in EQ1 the Kromrif and Kromzek looked nothing like any other giants found on Antonica (or for that matter, frost giants of EQ1 look nowhere near like they do in EQ2). Either way signs point to them being Velious in origin.
ll Many members of the Order of Rime throughout Kunark are dwarf, barbarian, gnome, and even some ratonga. Can't remember if I saw any humans. ll Dwarf - Present on Velious in EQ1 (Coldain). Barbarian - Not native to Velious in EQ1, but, the old Velious had a similar environment to old Halas. MAYBE some Barbarians settled Velious after EQ1 but before launch of EQ2, before Velious melted. Gnome - Present on Velious in EQ1 (Pirates). Ratonga - Not present as a race in EQ1. The giants were definitely present in EQ1. Although there's obviously not a perfect matchup, I think there is definitely grounds for a likely tie to Velious.
We still don't know the true origin of Ratonga (do we?), but one would suspect they're descendents of the Roekilik, who are present on Velious.
DeBasilisk wrote: dev mentioned halas "moved" to warmer climates i think.And rats come from underground.
