What do you suppose the next Expansion will be about?

So right now with Tears of Veeshan, which debuted ToV, we've pretty much wrapped up all the content revolving around Velious. And with that said; that makes up the entire classic EQ1 trilogy fleshed out in EQ2 that wasn't destroyed by the Rendering/Shattering.

So the question is; where to next?

Temple of Veeshan is located in the Ethernere, the Dragon Necropolis is made non-relevant since Zlandicar now resides in the Temple as a follower of Kerafyrm, and Western Wastes is destroyed according to ingame lore. The Plane/Shard of Growth and Mischief could be added as raid/group zones, but what relevance would it be? Unless SoE becomes creative by making new lore and content rather then recycle areas from EQ1, Velious's chapter has definitely ended.

My best guess is the cliffhanger left off of Kyle Bayle and the Deadhills. Perhaps Kerephym makes an alliance with him as a distraction as he reforms his armies after the defeat of his commanders in ToV? Only thing I can think of that has any lore hinted at in EQ2. I just hope SoE doesn't do another recycled overland zone as part of the Ethernere. Like an Ethernere version of Antonica that hooks up to 'alternate reality' instances of New Qeynos, Temple of Bertoxxulous, Old Qeynos, Old Blackburrow ect.

All I hope for is we get out of the Ethernere (nice concept, but we've been there way too long), and actually see some movement in the story line. Cobalt Scar didn't feel like we actually accomplished anything, because realistically the area didn't seem to have any kind of strategic importance anyway. Now we're in the dragon afterlife sorting out the problem we sorta caused in Cobalt Scar, still with very little movement in the story. We've supposedly invaded the Temple of Veeshan and slaughtered everything in it - ok, so what has changed? Why isn't Kerafyrm there? We're obviously no match for him directly, so when he heard his Temple had been invaded and his champions falling why didn't he just come on home and eat us? Yelinak/the Duality are all worried about us getting the Claws of Veeshan back on our side to rally the new Combine, but why? Apparently we just f**ked up ToV without them, and without Freeport and Qeynos, so what's the need for a huge mortal army that probably can't handle Kerafyrm any better than we could?

Kerafyrm maybe in ToV. we're still waiting on Wing 3 of it. Yes we need to rally the dragons/find a replacement leader for Yelinak, so we can reform the Combine. the idea of the Combine wasn't to face Kera, but to make it so Kera's Awakened army couldn't just mow them down 1 by 1. we're in a World War with the Awakened.

We'll prolly be dealing with Kera soon enough, and I imagine Lendaria will be a major player in that event. We may also see Mayong/Tserrina, and Rohen Theer.

As to where we go from here, there's a LOT of the old world that we haven't been to.

Highpass (our version)
Kithicor
Straights of the Twelve
Kaesora
Dead Hills

We also have other potential situations that may arise or lead into expansions:

Cristanos/Talvus conflict that may open up a more 'Underdepths' style expansion dealing with the Tier'dal empire (that supposedly is a LOT more then just Neriak)

Major conflicts between Freeport and Qeynos again in light of Vishra's murder/

Majot conflicts with Tserrina/Lenya/Mistmoore/Firiona due to the fact Tserrina is loose. I imagein she won't take to Mayongs newest 'bride' very well, and if FV is the new leader of New Tunaria, I would bet she and Mayong are going to have some conflicts. this could lead to a Mistmoore style expansion, dealing with all the hidden areas/labs minions he has out of sight.

Or they could put all this together into an LDON style expansion having us deal with various fall outs for a Combine that splinters again once Kerafyrm is dealt with.

Or perhaps since we are involved with Ethernere, the next major threat will be Kyle Bayle himself...based out of the Qeynos/Dead Hills version of Ethernere, looking to take the Qeynosian throne by force.

Here's a few things I think about those subjects:

1) The Combine Army was originally going to be the army to go face to face with Keraphym along with the Claws Of Veeshan. What they didn't expect was how hostile and treacherous the Western Half of Velious was going to be. I'm assuming the Claws Of Veeshan were originally suppose to help them cut a path in The Withered Lands via magic for them huddle up and assemble in Skyshrine to proceed forward. However days before the New Combine setup camp in WL, Skyshrine was assaulted and lost almost its entire remaining army to the Awakened. Therefore we had to go out alone without the help of Skyshrine to navigate and assist us. Eventually The New Combine Army reached a dead end in Cobalt Scar having to deal with the problems associated with the Tear Of Veeshan.

2) Kerafyrm's power is greatly exaggerated and inconsistent. If he was so powerful, why didn't he directly attack Skyshrine himself? What's the point of having to get a back door entrance for his minions to go through in order to invade? The way SoE has set him up is that he's so powerful that he wouldn't even need an army in the first place. Which also begs the question of why didn't he destroy every other civilization prior? You can argue that he plotted and waited to obtain the Swords Of Destiny to ward of the gods intervention, but the gods didn't return to Norrath until EoF, he had ample time (hundreds of years) to run amok. Not to mention the gods are hesitant to intervene directly outside of Rallos Zek of course; which took a lot of prepared planning to make his move including sacrificing his demi-gods. Most if not everything was Kerafyrm plotting in the background and using others to do his bidding.

3) Kerafyrm's overall goal and intention is even more confusing. We get that he wants to be the Hitler of Dragons and rule the world by exterminating/enslaving all non dragon-kin, but now he wants to rule every reality? I'm assuming that means infinite realities? Dragons like every other race eventually get old and die. Kerafyrm isn't immortal from what I recall. How's he going to be able to sort out and watch over infinite realities? He's not a god and no key story plot involves him becoming one outside of wanting to eventually slaying them. This entire plot just doesn't make sense. My assumption is someone higher up in SoE (Smedley) one day got interested in seeing what the DC Universe was about after they launched DCU, looked up Crisis on Infinite Earths, rushed over to the EQ1/EQ2 studio and yelled "HEY PEOPLE USE THIS PLOT DEVICE OR YOU'RE ALL FIRED!".

4) You're right, we have been in the Ethernere for way too long. However I think one of the major reasons why we're there is because its a way to prolong the main storyline of EQ2 and because EQ2's development studio has dramatically decreased in size over the past 3-5 years. They retextured and redesigned the art style of the overland zones, but the foundation of those zones (Feerott, Loping Plains, Barren Sky) were already there in the first place. That makes it a lot easier to push out an expansion each year....let's just hoping it doesn't happen with the next.

Except the Combine aren't and weren't doing anything. Every major battle was the simple greedy adventurer who wanted shiny loot to plunder.

Also at this point the Claws of Veeshan are through. Every Dragon outside of Lady Nevederia, Lendinaira The Keeper, and the last member of Yelinaks Crusaders have all but betrayed Yelinak. Makes you wonder, if over 90% betray you, can you really call it betrayal or legitimize your claim? At this point the Claws of Veeshan is the Taiwan of Velious

Outside of Dead Hills, none of that content has any relevance to any of the storylines or lore as of now. There's a reason why they used Highpass in this expansion rather then having our version in a separate expansion. Kithicor already has lore around it that it's a impassible very small island that instantly kills people who tread near it. Straights of the Twelve is basically just twelve mountain peaks jutted out of the water. Nothing more. There is nothing living on them. On Norrath, they're just pointed barren rocks between Antonica and Feerrott. Kaesora would have already been released had they thought of putting it in. At this point, it has no relevance nor any implication to any lore surrounding Kunark. If they did release it, it would be a small update in between expansions like Kurns Tower was using recycled art.

There's a lot of side plots in EQ2 that have gone unanswered going all the way back to Nagafen and his eggs. However most of these have been around for over 8 years. I doubt much will come out of Vishra's murder. Outside of the PVP server, the entire Qeynos/Freeport thing has never really gone anywhere. Antonia is too hamfisted to make any actions. That said it could easily tie into the entire Kyle Bayle story of increasing support for him.

Cristanos could be interesting...but I remember hoping something would happen 7 years back. Talvus isn't really much of a threat though. He just seems to be incharge of a small ragtag group of insurgents who are confined to monkey wrenching Neriak. I don't think that have any hold or influence outside of that.

We've pretty much seen all of Mistmoore's stuff with TSO. This is not the EQ1 version of Mistmoore who tried to become a god through various means. How many things can you really hide?

Speaking of TSO, that WAS the LDON of EQ2. Rediscover lost dungeons in older zones ect.

heh maybe not directly related to lore...but no mention of dinosaurs devs showed at SOElive 2013?

Lot of things are usually scrapped or messed around with in game development.

That just means there's possibility, so not a confirmed thing yet. How can we be 100% sure that "devs must've removed these things by now" ?

The Underfoot? Sub Tunaria? The Unkempt Woods?

hehe the ethernere proves that people will build anywhere if given half a chance- even the afterlife lol

It's possible sure, but it still has to be placed in a zone where the stylization is consistent with everything else.

I hope it has something more to do with the Shissar. Just so I can get a Shissar illusion for my Necromancer.

I hope the Shissar never come back, myself. I just don't see how they can without either being in Ethernere, or them pulling a major flub and somehow saying they survived the moon blowing up. cayse we know the Greenmist ate them here..and the greenmist doesn't leave bodies behind to have undead with.

I'd personally love an expansion where we go back in time to before Luclin exploded and either end up saving it or end up causing it. Either way though, they already teased at SOE Live that it would be Dragorn themed. As long as they don't do Discord, the Void, or the Ethernere again though, I'll be happy.

There were Shissar in Katta Castrum in EQ1, could pop up here too

I see...they may or may not build a zone with prehistoric/jungle theme..who knows


And : I personally really really hope that they don't do another alternate reality/parallel universe/time travel...>_<
Hope they do something 'original' this time..furthermore, some story advancements on less known figures/organizations in Norrath

(more contents related to politics/culture/etc would also be nice..why do our fantasy worlds need to be in grave danger/at the precipice of utter destruction almost every year...bah sounds worse than RL..)

Correction: Sounds almost as bad as real life. Not worse than.

Well, it was more like a tongue-in-cheek comparison..hehe

They already proved they were capable of massive teleportation spells, as well as huge, area-of-effect spells like the Grey; is it so hard to believe that on one of the larger chunks of Luclin, a Shissar city survives, protected by their powerful magic?

Whatever the next chapter brings I just plead that it convinces the dragons doing scorch happy fly bys over the capitols (and the bubble of uber shielding) to go away.

Seriously.