Theories on The Wheel

[BrownDogLongTong]

Mysteries abound when the subject of the Ratonga arises. Their origins are known (or so we think we know...supposedly the fearsome Roekillik are hunting the Ratonga down but the only roekillik assassins I've seen are tiny weak fuzzies, not the vicious psionic-empowered beings I've heard about), but what of their motives? They have plans. They are acting out their plans, right now. Being a Ratonga myself, one "not in the know" I decided to weed out any information I could. I didn't find much.The Marked. The Wheel. The emblazoned symbol on their chest, a series of circles one within another. There are unaligned gaps in each circle.Possible motives: Its said that the original version of Roekillik expanded their territory, taking over nearly everything in the Underfoot. This caused Brell to kill most and put the rest in a sealed off area of the Underfoot that they could never leave. But when the rending happened, this vault cracked. (On a separate note, the Dark Elves moved to and supposedly conquered the Underfoot. If they encountered the true Roekillik, surely they couldnt stand up to them...very curious) Anyway, it seems this trait was passed on to the next generation of Ratongas, they want to conquer overland territory.<img src="http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/7804/wheel3wy.jpg">So I think its obvious the Marked refer to the Ratonga that emblazon the symbol on their chest. And the Marked seem to be the anarchists, dissidents, and fanatic Ratongas in the Sprawl who are planning a coup. So the symbol on their chest is a way for them to identify friend from enemy, someone they can trust from an unknown ratonga.That still leaves the Wheel. The first things that pop to mind when I think of wheels and ratonga are cheese wheels and running wheels. But I dont think that's quite it. <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />The Wheel. What are your thoughts on the wheel?<div></div>

[BrownDogLongTong]

<div></div>One last thing that just popped into mind. The Marked is referred to in my completed quest journal as an organization. Ratongas who emblazon the symbol are definitely part of a top secret society, unbeknownst even to other ratonga. The Marked seem to be the extreme end of things, seeing as how their followers are labeled as anarchists, dissidents, and fanatics, as I metioned above. Maybe other ratonga fear them or look down on them.The symbol is a series of circles inside circles. It just occurred to me now that the circles themselves might represent the wheel, or several wheels. For a wheel is circular, of course. It makes sense, but does the piece fit the puzzle? Even if it does, it does not tell me what significance the Wheel holds for these Marked.<div></div><p>Message Edited by BrownDogLongTongue on <span class="date_text">04-07-2006</span><span class="time_text">07:35 PM</span></p>

[DreamerClou]

<div></div>There is a quest that starts in Freeport and Qeynos that involves the Wheel Of Vanikii (spelling?)  It revolves around the Ratonga and the Roekilkii (spelling again).  I'm not sure if you've done or seen this quest yet.

[Jait]

<div>The craftiest type of storytelling are stories with no available answers =p  Thus everyone can argue and debate them to death, but the truth is rarely (or never) revealed.  EQ1/2 loves to use this device.</div><div> </div><div> </div><div>Here's some more info to drive you mad:</div><div> </div><div><a href="http://lorenorrath.free.fr/read.php?link=roekillik1" target="_blank">http://lorenorrath.free.fr/read.php?link=roekillik1</a></div>

[Xelrek]

I thought it was probably <a href="http://eq2.ogaming.com/db/quests/TartonsWheel.php" target="_blank">Tarton's Wheel</a> (this not a HQ?) they were talking about since they're all a bunch of spell casters.Btw, Dev's used to watch "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Prisoner" target="_blank">The Prisoner</a>" on TV? <span>:smileywink:</span><div></div>

[Cusashorn]

<div>Uhh thats exactly what it is. A Cheese Wheel.</div>

[Docma]

<div></div><div>From memory, some information on "The Marked" appeared in my underplayed necromancer alt's faction standings after killing off some of the black magi in the ruins and also doing the quest the OP mentioned.</div><div> </div><div>As for the wheel - could it be a reference to '<a href="http://eq2.ogaming.com/db/items/TartonsWheel.php" target="_blank">Tarton's Wheel</a>'? Quest info can be found <a href="http://eq2.ogaming.com/db/quests/TartonsWheel.php" target="_blank">here</a>. There's a piece of lore attached to it, found in either the official EQ2 gameguide or the EQ2 d20 rulebook, but I believe it was written from the perspective of an erudite or human. If I remember correctly, it was a wheel that was able to teleport the user through time/space. It doesn't seem to have much tie in to ratonga or roekilik lore however.</div><div> </div><div><a href="http://eq2.ogaming.com/db/items/TheWheelofVaniki.php" target="_blank">The Wheel of Vaniki</a> seems to fit better. It's a lore item which is part of a quest of the same name which in turn is the 2nd (?) part of the Revelation world event (which was all about the Roekilik).</div><div> </div><div>For me, that raises the question - who's Vaniki? There's a tradeskill instance in Temple Street named Circle of Vaniki too. According to Allakhazam he's a rare rat spawn in Dragon Necropolis in EQ1. Perhaps of interest is the blurb on Dragon Necropolis - "<strong>DRAGON NECROPOLIS: An <font color="#ff6600">ancient burial ground for the dragons of Velious</font>. Below the surface of the necropolis are two clans of rats which do battle with one another. Beware the numerous traps in the Chetari tunnels."</strong></div><div><strong></strong> </div><div>That and with the lore item quoted by Jait above, could it be that the Marked are looking for the Wheel because of a link to dragons and roekilik? Or am I just grasping at multiple unlinked straws? <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></div>

[SpryYoungE]

<div>It is just a cheese wheel. Do the Wheel of Vaniki quest in the Commonlands, starts from Surveyor Menak (spelling?), if you don't believe me.</div>