New lore behind Neriak and the Arsai confirmed.

[Cusashorn]

<p><a href="http://forums.station.sony.com/eq2/posts/list.m?topic_id=360205" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://forums.station.sony.com/eq2/...topic_id=360205</a></p><hr />We decided to go this direction for a couple reasons.  As we were developing the storyline for Faydwer, we saw the potential both in gameplay and story development for a dark, twisted shadow of the Fae, and we've wanted to explain a few important things about this area of the world for quite some time. We pick up the story of Neriak 300 years ago. It was no secret even then that Queen Cristanos Thex of Neriak was the embodiment of malevolent ambition.  So close to the crown and ultimate power over her own kind, but it was destined to pass her by.  When King Tearis' time came, the empire would fall to the hands of her son, Prince Talvus Thex.  While the War of the Fay raged, with the Crown Prince and his father otherwise occupied in Faydwer, the Queen saw her opportunity and exploited it mercilessly.   It wasn't long before both King Tearis and his son fell to mysterious circumstances in combat.  Cristanos seized the power she had long desired, ending the Thex Dynasty in one final, brutal stroke.  ("Two, actually," she would later recount to her most trusted priestess.)   Neriak, however, would not remain unscathed for long under her rule.  It's not entirely certain what allowed the Leatherfoot Raiders of Rivervale to pose the threat that they did to Neriak.  Some say it was assistance from foreigners from the outermost quarter of the city, others whispered that the Teir'Dal had been betrayed by those who remained loyal to the King, and yet others credit the assault on Nektulos by the Kithicor Rangers.  In the end, it was no matter.  The effect would be the same. At Cristanos' order, the high priestess Tseralith made use of an artifact known as the Hand of Malice summoning forth a beast of great destruction to seal Neriak off from the invaders. The surviving invaders gave the ruins that resulted the name "Fallen Gate," and soon abandoned them to the spirits that rose from the destruction. Unbeknownst to the attackers, however, the grand expanse of Neriak Proper was entirely spared.  Sealed off from her enemies, her people and homeland assumed destroyed, Cristanos has had nothing but time.  Freed from influences of the outside, Cristanos only grew more and more malicious, soon thinking of herself as the divine manifestation of Hate to her people - a god in her own right. To her, you see, the Dark Elves are the "correct" way that Elves should have developed, though most of the races of Norrath consider them a wicked perversion of High Elves.  One day while toying with one of the captured Fae spirit buds she frequently tormented to amuse herself, she realized how perfectly fitting it would be to fix what the old gods had gotten wrong, and set the evolution of the Fae along their "correct" course as well.  The screams, it is said, were legendary. <hr />

[Methriln]

awsome <img src="/smilies/283a16da79f3aa23fe1025c96295f04f.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />

[Kryussius]

I wonder if this means that Neriak may open up as a new dungeon or as a new starting city with these dark fae being playable. If it opens up as a new opening city, I also wonder if it's going to be possible for existing Teir'Dal to earn a way back in.  I, for one, know that my Thexian faction is in the toilet at the moment. *edited to say - nevermind just read the full notice.  Still interested to see if the in-game Teir'Dal will ever be able to go back home, or if new Teir'Dal characters will have the option of starting in Neriak the way new wood elves can in Kelethin.

[Xova]

<p>/happydance</p><p>All my Teir'dal girls will be calling Neriak home...along with my new Arasai. <img src="/smilies/283a16da79f3aa23fe1025c96295f04f.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></p><p>/edit: fixed!</p>

[Jindrack]

Just to clear it up a little, it's "Arasai"... three A's in there. <img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />  "AIR-ah-sigh"

[Josgar]

<cite>Jindrack wrote:</cite><blockquote>Just to clear it up a little, it's "Arasai"... three A's in there. <img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />  "AIR-ah-sigh"</blockquote> Then how come in all of the leaked files and the leaked character window and the messed up character creation before EOF came out, it was Arsai?

[Cusashorn]

<p>"R-Sigh" sounds infinitely better though. Infinitely better.</p>

[Kryussius]

Nah, it doesn't.  <img src="/smilies/69934afc394145350659cd7add244ca9.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />

[Ama]

<cite>Jindrack wrote:</cite><blockquote>Just to clear it up a little, it's "Arasai"... three A's in there. <img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />  "AIR-ah-sigh"</blockquote><p> Kept pronouncing it aR-ah-see.  <img src="/smilies/385970365b8ed7503b4294502a458efa.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></p><p>I think i'm going to hear the tiny flapping of wings at my house tonight and fing my shoes filled with dog doo.  Dang evil fairies <img src="/smilies/69934afc394145350659cd7add244ca9.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></p>

[Cusashorn]

<p>Yes, it does. Arsai sounds cool. Evil.</p><p>Arasai, as pronounced by Jindrack, is one syllable off from "Airasol"</p><p>The new fae race is highly condensed pressurized spray particles in a can...</p>

[Vollux]

<p>I was curious, does it seem like Gallenite's writing style has developed a more lyrical flow?</p><p> In blunter terms- did Vhalen or Jindrack ghostwrite?  Sorry Gallenite but you're not exactly the story-telling-type normally when it comes to revealing future content.</p><p>Is Neriak pronounced nAIR-ick?  </p>

[Jindrack]

<cite>Vollux wrote:</cite><blockquote><p>I was curious, does it seem like Gallenite's writing style has developed a more lyrical flow?</p><p> In blunter terms- did Vhalen or Jindrack ghostwrite?  Sorry Gallenite but you're not exactly the story-telling-type normally when it comes to revealing future content.</p><p>Is Neriak pronounced nAIR-ick?  </p></blockquote>"nair-ee-ack"

[Kryussius]

<cite>Cusashorn wrote:</cite><blockquote><p>Yes, it does. Arsai sounds cool. Evil.</p><p>Arasai, as pronounced by Jindrack, is one syllable off from "Airasol"</p><p>The new fae race is highly condensed pressurized spray particles in a can...</p></blockquote> Oh please.  "Arsai" sounds about as evil as an econo-box hybrid made by Scion.

[Archonix]

<cite>Cusashorn wrote:</cite><blockquote><p>The new fae race is highly condensed pressurized spray particles in a can <b>with wings</b>... </p></blockquote> Fixed!

[Josgar]

Oh glorious devses can we (did I mention I josgar norrath's best High Elf consider you the coolest people ever? (excluding me of course)) can we get a few sneak peek screenies since it is coming out tomorrow anyways? Like maybe a male and female arsai and a pic from DL Woods or some grafiti in Neriak (EQ2 version)

[Methriln]

<p>Any chance you could hit us up with some lore on  darklight woods....<img src="/smilies/ed515dbff23a0ee3241dcc0a601c9ed6.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></p>

[Kindayr]

<p>One thing i ask of Vhalen and Jindrack:</p><p>To write an EQii Bible before they pass. A thousand+ pages of lore, myths, and canon candy.</p>

[Cusashorn]

<cite>Archonix wrote:</cite><blockquote><cite>Cusashorn wrote:</cite><blockquote><p>The new fae race is highly condensed pressurized spray particles in a can <b>with wings</b>... </p></blockquote> Fixed!</blockquote> Oh you really *ARE* Evil...

[troodon]

<p>Great.... evil guys ask for a new race and they give us freaking fairies.</p><p>Dumb.</p>

[Themaginator]

<cite>troodon wrote:</cite><blockquote><p>Great.... evil guys ask for a new race and they give us freaking fairies.</p><p>Dumb.</p></blockquote> yeah really twisted screwed up Fairies...have you ever seen an evil Fae in D&D hehe look up the Grey Jester.  I mean cmon, look at hat innoruuk did to the High Elves, think what that same force could do to cute little fairies.

[DrkVsr]

<p><span style="font-size: small"><span style="color: #993300">People knew the evil Aerosol race was coming at the same time they found out the Fae were coming (just took this long to get it done right), same with knowing Neriak proper was returning</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small"><span style="color: #993300">Got a few questions regarding Neriak: </span></span></p><ul><li><span style="font-size: small"><span style="color: #993300">can current Teir`Dal freely move 'home' without having to betray (like characters moving from Qeynos to K-Town)?</span></span></li><li><span style="font-size: small"><span style="color: #993300">Will they finally introduce the free house moving service with the return of Neriak?</span></span></li><li><span style="font-size: small"><span style="color: #993300">Will there be a way to repair the Thexian faction?</span></span></li><li><span style="font-size: small"><span style="color: #993300">Will the Aerosols and newly created Teir`Dal have their own Newbie Yard like the Fae got with The Nursary?</span></span></li><li><span style="font-size: small"><span style="color: #993300">Will the Trolls and Ogres also have the option to start in Neriak? The Trolls at least used to call Old Neriak home for awhile when the frogs for stinking up Grobb with their froggy-ness <img src="/smilies/69934afc394145350659cd7add244ca9.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></span></span></li></ul><p><span style="font-size: small"><span style="color: #993300">That's all ah can think of for now, but like Josgar keeps asking: can we get some sneak pics of <i><u>something</u></i> from this release</span></span></p>

[Cusashorn]

<cite>DrkVsr wrote:</cite><blockquote><p><span style="font-size: small"><span style="color: #993300">People knew the evil Aerosol race was coming at the same time they found out the Fae were coming (just took this long to get it done right), same with knowing Neriak proper was returning</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small"><span style="color: #993300">Got a few questions regarding Neriak: </span></span></p><ul><li><span style="font-size: small"><span style="color: #993300">can current Teir`Dal freely move 'home' without having to betray (like characters moving from Qeynos to K-Town)?</span></span></li><li><span style="font-size: small"><span style="color: #993300">Will they finally introduce the free house moving service with the return of Neriak?</span></span></li><li><span style="font-size: small"><span style="color: #993300">Will there be a way to repair the Thexian faction?</span></span></li><li><span style="font-size: small"><span style="color: #993300">Will the Aerosols and newly created Teir`Dal have their own Newbie Yard like the Fae got with The Nursary?</span></span></li><li><span style="font-size: small"><span style="color: #993300">Will the Trolls and Ogres also have the option to start in Neriak? The Trolls at least used to call Old Neriak home for awhile when the frogs for stinking up Grobb with their froggy-ness <img src="/smilies/69934afc394145350659cd7add244ca9.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></span></span></li></ul><p><span style="font-size: small"><span style="color: #993300">That's all ah can think of for now, but like Josgar keeps asking: can we get some sneak pics of <i><u>something</u></i> from this release</span></span></p></blockquote><p> 1. I'm sure you'll have to betray the Overlord to move. You realy think he'd just let you leave? This is Lucan we're talking about here.</p><p>2. You seriously think they would? Seriously?</p><p>3. Yeah the Thexian faction thing is interesting.</p><p>4. Darklight Woods. Level 1-20 zone</p><p>5. I hope not.</p><p>6. Go play on Test.</p>

[DrkVsr]

<p><span style="font-size: small"><span style="color: #993300">Just didn't want to lose spell upgrades (was tough enough getting them in the first place) <img src="/smilies/69934afc394145350659cd7add244ca9.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small"><span style="color: #993300">People have been asking for the moving service for months (if not years), but yeah, ah seriously doubt, even if they did introduce it, they would allow it between cities (which means creating 2 new alts and moving the 100+ in there temporary)</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small"><span style="color: #993300">Hmmm, the trolls were still calling Neriak home when EQII 'split' from EQLive, weren't they?</span></span></p>

[Cusashorn]

<cite>DrkVsr wrote:</cite><blockquote><p><span style="font-size: small"><span style="color: #993300">Just didn't want to lose spell upgrades (was tough enough getting them in the first place) <img src="/smilies/69934afc394145350659cd7add244ca9.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small"><span style="color: #993300">People have been asking for the moving service for months (if not years), but yeah, ah seriously doubt, even if they did introduce it, they would allow it between cities (which means creating 2 new alts and moving the 100+ in there temporary)</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small"><span style="color: #993300">Hmmm, the trolls were still calling Neriak home when EQII 'split' from EQLive, weren't they?</span></span></p></blockquote> Yes. They've since recovered Grobb in EQlive, but that doesn't apply here. Anyways, Neriak's Foreign Quarter has been destroyed. That's what the Fallen Gate is. I doubt that the Dark Elves would let them back into thier city to stink up the joint.

[DrkVsr]

<span style="font-size: small; color: #993300; font-family: comic sans ms,sand">Ah know, ah have a troll who was 'born' in Neriak who now has to call Grobb home and get used to the swamp, and 1 frog who was 'hatched' in Gukta who now has to get used to calling Rathe Mountains home, was just checking that ah had the timelines straight. And yeah, on re-thought ah doubt Queen Thex would allow <i>any</i> other race into Neriak proper</span>

[Pibu]

<cite>DrkVsr wrote:</cite><blockquote><p><span style="font-size: small"><span style="color: #993300">Just didn't want to lose spell upgrades (was tough enough getting them in the first place) <img src="/smilies/69934afc394145350659cd7add244ca9.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></span></span></p><span style="color: #993300"><span style="font-size: small"> </span></span></blockquote>This is the real reason that you will have to betray more the likely since all non Tier'Dal people moving would scream bloody murder if they had to lose their masters and not the Tier'Dal

[Cusashorn]

<p>Remember that scroll players were tasked with recovering during the tunare and innoruuk preview quests? The one where we got ambushed by the Assassins of the Arm?</p><p>Well....</p><p><img src="http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a291/Cusashorn/EQ2_000015.jpg" border="0"></p>

[Jennive]

The new fae... spray-on evil? Oh spray-on evil (with wings)! I am very excited by all this news! I have a lowbie fae wizard that I think I will be rerolling for the Arasai.

[Xova]

<cite>DrkVsr wrote:</cite><blockquote><p><span style="font-size: small"><span style="color: #993300">That's all ah can think of for now, but like Josgar keeps asking: can we get some sneak pics of <i><u>something</u></i> from this release</span></span></p></blockquote><p> <a href="http://forums.station.sony.com/eq2/posts/list.m?topic_id=360353" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Ask and ye shall receive...</a></p><p>It's all up on test now, so go roll a newbie character there and check it out! <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></p>

[ChildofHate]

<p>such a shame Felwithe was never returned to the Koada`Dal.  Oh well, trees are fun too!</p><p>/auc WTB more boxes for moving!  See ya Fleaport!</p>

[Kryussius]

Kryussius is finally going home. Time to have a chat with the Queen that betrayed her faithful ...

[Cusashorn]

Kryussius@Lucan DLere wrote: <blockquote>Kryussius is finally going home. Time to have a chat with the Queen that betrayed her faithful ... </blockquote> Ummm.. If you were smart and value your testicles, You'd stay away from her. Seriously. She's possessed by a greater entity and threatens any male character to turn them into a eunich.

[RoXx]

<p>Lets hope they implement dyes with this LU as well, and it will be perfect! <img src="/smilies/283a16da79f3aa23fe1025c96295f04f.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></p>

[RoninSenshi]

<hr />   <p>Ummm.. If you were smart and value your testicles, You'd stay away from her. Seriously. She's possessed by a greater entity and threatens any male character to turn them into a eunich. </p><hr /><p>Oh great, thats what the Tier'dal really needed. More reason to be confused with Drow :/. If you play a male Tier'dal character thats still Innoruuk loyal, good luck/run away. Shintou isn't digging the whole Queen's in charge thing.</p><p>I'm actually disapointed that Neriak survived. Its interesting, but I think it just kinda sucks on a storytelling level. Maybe I just don't like the ending of this story. (King gets screwed for waging war against Tunares Elves, Queen sits back, sips some wine coolers and sends assassins and what not allowing the Woodelves to survive, and now she gets to be Queen Bee)</p><p>I cannot currently log in in game to look around and see some lore, I notice you mention that shes Possessed? Any idea by what? Innoruuk?  Maybe for an interesting Twist, Innoruuk himself took the spirit of the King and shoved it into Chrissy's body. .. .. ..</p><p>I speculate too much.</p><p>Oh well, My exiled Darkelf will probably be staying in solitude in Maj'Dul. He was loyal to the king anyway.</p><p>Oh, and Evil faries suck. Thats as bad as an emo Spiderman. Wait...</p><p>Anyway, I really was looking forward to Kunark with a real evil city, maybe have Sarnaks as a new evil playable race. That would of been nice.</p>

[Cusashorn]

<cite>ShintouShinai wrote:</cite><blockquote><hr />  <p>Ummm.. If you were smart and value your testicles, You'd stay away from her. Seriously. She's possessed by a greater entity and threatens any male character to turn them into a eunich. </p><hr /><p>Oh great, thats what the Tier'dal really needed. More reason to be confused with Drow :/. If you play a male Tier'dal character thats still Innoruuk loyal, good luck/run away. Shintou isn't digging the whole Queen's in charge thing.</p></blockquote> Fortunatly for you, you're not alone. The Disciples of Innoruuk faction in Neriak, which contains the Healer and Bruiser classes, are oppossed to Queen Christanos. They still follow her on a political level, but believe that people have lost thier ways and should be worshipping Innoruuk instead of her.

[RoninSenshi]

<p>Well, Seems Shintou being a Bruiser now a days is a perfect fit for that kind of thing. Thats interesting, when I get back on EQ2 I'll definitly have to check those guys out.</p><p>That sounds more acceptable to him on that level.</p><p>Outside of that, it appears that you are implying that Christanous is thinking that shes suddendly better than Innoruuk? Now that would be an interesting twist.. but I dont see how that could be the case, seeing how shes got the support of the Seraph (apparently, let me know if I'm wrong).</p>

[DrkVsr]

<span style="font-size: small"><span style="color: #993300">Nice to see the mage guild survived (The Spurned covered all 3 mage guilds in EQLive:- Magicians, Wizards, Enchanters) as well as the Shadow Knight/Necro guild (The Dead) in case anyone was wondering what those factions were <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></span></span>

[Nocturnal Aby]

<p>In fact, all of the old guilds have survived, the Spurned are now in the Library (before they had their own tower), and make up the guild that studies the "lesser" arcane arts of wizardry, coercian, and the arts practiced by warlocks (I'd call it witchcraft, but it doesn't really fit in this usage).  Lesser, because they are not Necromancy, the gift given to the Teir'Dal by their creator, Innoruuk.  The Dead is the guild of the Necromancers and the Shadow Knights.  The Ebon Hand is the rogue's guild (which, I'm sure has now expanded to inclued both Brigands and Assassins), the Indigo Brotherhood was the Warrior guild (now Berserkers and Guardians), The Disciples of Innoruuk, which were of course the clerics in the Temple, have expanded their branches of faith to include defiler, bruisers, and possibly even druids?</p><p>Besides these old houses they seem to have one or two more.  Neriak has an opera house, where you can find practicioners of the musical arts (dirge and troubador).  And let's not forget their foreign district!  Now you will not only find ogres and trolls, but vampires and ratonga, as all of the classes that were exclusively native to Freeport, can also start out in Neriak (ogres, trolls, iksar, ratonga, and of course, dark elves).  Reminiscent of Paineel, undead also walk the streets, seemingly of their right mind.  You can even find one teaching a class in summoning outside the Library of K'Lorn, though most likely it is a form of wizardry, as any conjuring outside of necromancy has now been forbidden.</p>

[Thunderthyze]

<cite>troodon wrote:</cite><blockquote><p>Great.... evil guys ask for a new race and they give us freaking fairies.</p></blockquote><p>/sighon</p><p>So many fairies...</p><p>So few recipes...</p><p>/sighoff</p>

[troodon]

<cite>ShintouShinai wrote:</cite><blockquote>Anyway, I really was looking forward to Kunark with a real evil city, maybe have Sarnaks as a new evil playable race. </blockquote>We can still hope....

[Kryussius]

<cite>Cusashorn wrote:</cite><blockquote>Kryussius@Lucan DLere wrote: <blockquote>Kryussius is finally going home. Time to have a chat with the Queen that betrayed her faithful ... </blockquote> Ummm.. If you were smart and value your testicles, You'd stay away from her. Seriously. She's possessed by a greater entity and threatens any male character to turn them into a eunich.</blockquote>It would take more time to go into Kry's full background than I'm going to take up in the Lore area. All I'll say is that he does nothing that isn't well thought out after all this time. In any case, I'm talking RP stuff that isn't going to have an actual in-game resolution anyway, unless the Queen somehow becomes an attackable raid-type mob.

[Dragowulf]

inny isnt possessing her fo sure.  Inny wants everbody to worship him only.  Cristanos wants everybody to worship herself and not inny.  It could be a dragon or some other entity...maybe even obelisk dwellers.

[RoninSenshi]

maybe even obelisk dwellers

[RoninSenshi]

<p>maybe even obelisk dwellers Unlikely, because you would think the very first Darkelf Necromancer would be more powerful then the Obelisk type folks, BUT..</p><p>If you haven't been, in the Obelisk on Faydwer they are busy corrupting and Possessing Fay.. so maybe?</p>

[Evilcow]

Anyone have any idea of when this is hitting live? Looks very interesting.

[initoci]

hits live sometime later this month....and it is very true that the fae buds are being tortured.