Playing through the whole Norrath Timeline [Archive]

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Arython

09-20-2007, 03:35 AM

I sometimes have these fanciful thoughts and due to real life time limits I can't always go through with them. But if Everquest Online Adventures is still around in a few years can you imagine playing through the entire Everquest II timeline.Start off in Everquest Online Adventures roll a toon and play through all the content. Then continue in Frontiers and play through all of Odus. I don't know exactly how long, but probably take a good year or two of content to go through.You might play through Lords of Everquest the RTS game.Next you would play through Champions of Norrath and Champions Return to Arms. There is probably 200+ hours of gameplay there.Then move on to Everquest. To do all 14 expansions would probably require 2-3 years because of lack of pick up groups. If you could get some new players together in a guild you could probably play through all the content. Then finally play Everquest II through Rise of Kunark. That would also take about 1-2 years to do all content you could over several characters. And also play through Legends of Norrath for additional lore.So from start to finish you would need....Playstation 2<ul><li><a href="http://everquestonlineadventures.station.sony.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Everquest Online Adventures Frontiers</a></li><li><a href="http://championsofnorrath.station.sony.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Champions of Norrath</a></li><li><a href="http://returntoarms.station.sony.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Champions Return to Arms</a></li></ul>PC<ul><li><a href="http://uk.pc.ign.com/objects/550/550295.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Lords of Everquest</a></li><li><a href="http://everquest.station.sony.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Everquest</a></li><li><a href="http://everquest2.station.sony.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Everquest II</a></li><li><a href="http://legendsofnorrath.station.sony.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Legends of Norrath</a></li></ul>That is seven games and probably about 10+ years worth of game play right now. That is allot of Norrath to explore and play!

Cusashorn

09-20-2007, 08:53 AM

Champions of Norrath, Return to Arms, and Lords of Everquest aren't canon to the Everquest and Everquest 2 storyline. Heck. Most of EQOA isn't canon either. They're still good games though. :p

Sapphirius

09-20-2007, 09:23 AM

<nods> I thought LON was great fun when I played it, but yeah.... very different in some areas and not so different in others.

Daine

09-20-2007, 11:39 AM

I just got the three main EQ1 pen and paper RPG books for my birthday...are they considered canon? They're certainly interesting with some amazing little stories in there. Would be a shame to find out all that info was inconsequential now.

Nocturnal Aby

09-26-2007, 05:28 AM

Unfortunately, most of the PnP, particularly the little stories, is either some sort of concept lore (some of which might still be implemented) or stuff the PnP team made up for their product (like the details on how Inny made the first Teir'Dal. None of that is canon). The best sources are still EQ and EQ2 if you're looking for lore, I'd call Maps of Myrist and the EQ2 Atlas reliable as well, as they were written by the devs of EQ2. I wouldn't be surprised, though, if a lot of the little overviews of some of the areas in the PnP were from the Tome of Lore, but don't be surprised if that sort of stuff changes, as oft occurs when the devs decide to implement things in-game.I've seen about three variations on the Everling story (How Everling came by the estate, and how he lost both his families), and I'm hoping that Vhalen has down the actual specifics. It truly is a complicated tale, though.

Rezikai

09-26-2007, 12:26 PM

" (like the details on how Inny made the first Teir'Dal. None of that is canon). "See I find this disheartening, I have read about 3 different versions of the creation of the Teir'Dal, and the PnP one seemed to me the most in depth and detailed. I've read an old version from Beta and a later version and the PnP one as well. Maybe we can get some of the more "Lore experts" to come and weigh in on the situation of the creation of the Teir'Dal.As for cannon from EQoA, some of it was just made for that product i can easly see, the whole "Wegadas/Lycanthrope" events are no where else as found in Everquest lore, but.. some things from it do come across well. Hanif in EQ2's commonlands is a Springview Sanitarium healer, and to my best knowledge were healers introduced in the EQoA plauge event that opened the plane of Disease. Seeing the dark cloaked evil healer brought a tear of nostalgic joy to my eye -snif-Hmmm would it be possible for Vhalen to piece together the different games lore to at least give us a "rough" outline of what to toss out so we dont get the stories confused?.... it would mean him going over the lore over PnP (which i think he worked on anyways) EQoA and EQ1-EQ2.hmmm for a lover of Van-halen and Metallica, gearing up for such an endeavor would be hard for one of the long haired metal band, slcaker life stock.... who knows perhaps he can do it <img src="/smilies/69934afc394145350659cd7add244ca9.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />

OutcastBlade

09-26-2007, 09:02 PM

Don't let this make you feel disheartened. The pnp books are official everquest products, which means that unless it is specifically contradicted by the devs of EQ1 and EQ2, then it can be regarded as canon. Not to mention, the devs don't go into detail about the methods used by say Innoruuk and his creation of the dark elves. Also bare in mind the people telling you it isn't canon are not part of any dev team associated with ANY of the Everquest products.In other words I believe that at this moment in time, they are talking out of their rears.

Cusashorn

09-26-2007, 09:07 PM

<cite>Kanolth@Antonia Bayle wrote:</cite><blockquote>Don't let this make you feel disheartened. The pnp books are official everquest products, which means that unless it is specifically contradicted by the devs of EQ1 and EQ2, then it can be regarded as canon. Not to mention, the devs don't go into detail about the methods used by say Innoruuk and his creation of the dark elves. Also bare in mind the people telling you it isn't canon are not part of any dev team associated with ANY of the Everquest products.In other words I believe that at this moment in time, they are talking out of their rears.</blockquote>But since Everquest is the original video game that spawned EVERYTHING else, then everything that only happens in the video game is canon. The same said for EQ2 as a video game. It's the base for the entire medium. Everything that happens outside the game isn't canon unless stated by the developers. Even if the PnP is an official SoE product, it's not canon to the games.

Mary the Prophetess

09-26-2007, 10:56 PM

As for cannon from EQoA, some of it was just made for that product i can easly see, the whole "Wegadas/Lycanthrope" events are no where else as found in Everquest lore,The Lujien, the Gihjna, and Wegadas are all canon from EQ1, and I spent years searching for the Writ of the Wild in game. I never found it, but I did find some leads (I started with the Hermit in the Karanas who is a member of the Unkempt Druids--who are the nemesis of the Unkempt Warders)Here are the six volumes of lore on the Unkempt Warders (of the Unkempt Woods) from the Plane of Knowledge. It speaks of a Tome called the 'Writ of the Wild', and a Willow Tree within the Unkempt Woods, (located to the East of the JaggedPine, but never an accessible zone in EQ1--though it WAS an accessible zone in EQoA)The way I view it, as long as it is a Sony sanctioned product, and does not contradict official lore, then it may be considered 'semi-official' and may be used until such time as it is either refuted by official lore or, (as sometimes happens), is elevated to 'official' status. However EQ1 and EQ2 lore will trump these stories if they come into conflict The Unkempt Warders: Volume IThis work details a little of the unknown ancient legends and history of the Unkempt Warders. All the text is factual, though many parts of this history are missing. The Writ of the Wild, the ancient tome from which I gathered much of this information, is lost to me and the world for now. I give this warning and note to all who read these words: Do not use this information as a catalyst to pursue the Unkempt Woods, or the people who dwell there! This work is done out of fervent respect for the Unkempt People and the Bestial Folk who have called this region home since before the time of the Elves. Their story is great, and one that should not go unheard. Do not disturb these unique people who have mastered the true harmony of existence within the natural order of birth, destruction, chaos, and order!In any case, those who dare to trek within the Unkempt's territory will find themselves greeted with passionate virulence! Even if you believe yourself one of the purest Druids of the Mother of All's modern following, the woods are not a domain for you to dwell. Leave it be--for your sake and for the sake of the last pure forest to grace the face of Norrath since the destruction of the Elddar!~AnonymousThe Unkempt WoodThe Valley of the DawnNestled in ancient mystery and untold secrecy, within the topmost regions of the Underfoot, beneath the Unkempt Woods, resides a mystic place known as the Valley of the Dawn. This haven of the Wilding Beast-Folk was constructed in the unknown past, and concealed from the Keepers of Norrath's history by the blessings of chance.The Valley of the Dawn was constructed before the time of Man; perhaps even before the time of the Elves. The Beastial Folk known as the Tribes of the Dawn and Moon, took haven on the surface of Norrath; comfortable and nestled within the confines of the dank, dark, and strangely beautiful redwood forest now known as the Unkempt Woods. As the Solar and Lunar tribes established themselves as fierce warriors and guardians of the natural world that they revere as sacred above all else, the tribes built The Valley of the Dawn--a complex and beautiful subterranian citadel dedicated to the Laws of the Wild that these beings protect.Within the First Era of Man, when great civilizations and cultures were still in the far distance of time, a nomadic tribe of Humans stumbled upon the redwood forest. The Tribes of the Dawn and Moon were curious, although they did not interfere with the Human's initial presence. When the Humans had shown themselves to be intelligent beings that wished for nothing other than their own survival, the Tribes approached.It was the Gihjna that the Humans first encountered-- the Ursine Behemoths who represent the side of Life and Creation within the Cycle of Nature, and who comprised the Tribe of the Dawn. The gentle, although wary, Gihjna interacted with the Human tribe over the course of a single year, and in that time, the Gihjna lent their knowledge and beliefs to the curious and eager Humans.The Lujien--the Wolf-Like creatures that embodied Destruction, Death, and inherent Chaos of the Wild, and who comprise the Tribe of the Lunar Tribe of the Moon--never did show themselves at this historic moment, despite their shared curiosity with their Ursine brethren.The nomads settled within the forest and adapted themselves to the Ways of Nature and the Wild as the Gihjna had taught them. They were fledgling in their beginnings as Primordial Wardens of the Wild, although their magical gifts were few and almost vulgar, for all they had learned was from the Gihjna, whose spirits are more tightly bound to the Natural World than any Human or Elf.The Unkempt Wardens: Volume II A generation would pass before the Elves of Tunaria would first find the majestic redwood forest. When the day arrived that a small band of Scouts from the Elddar Forest found the untouched beauty of this rugged wilderness, the Human Nomads reacted as the Gihjna had greeted their ancestors. The Elves were not receptive to the warm welcome that the Humans extended, all but one--an Elf Druid by the name of Wegadas. He was curious about the Human settlers, and even more curious to find that there were no man made structures to deteriorate the Life Force of the Forest that he felt so strongly. Wegadas accepted the Human's hospitality and despite the language barrier separating them, Wegadas quickly learned that these Humans were in harmony with the Forest, and likely had been for some time. Their intense geographical knowledge of the region was percise and what little bit Wegadas had to observe. He took notes of the harmony in which the Humans shared their habitat. He was reminded much of the Primordial Elves--in the time before Takish'Hiz and the establishment of the Great Empire his people had come to be. Wegadas' Elven companions were entranced with the dank, gloomy treasure they had found. They were lured by the gentle song of the Forest's Spirit, a song that any Elf's Spirit would easily hear, and bewitched by the purity and strength of the uncorrupted and untouched Spiritual Life and strength of the wood. After a day of intense scouting and breif interaction with the peaceful Human tribe, the Elves reunited with their brother and spoke of their need to have this forest for the Takish'Hiz Empire. Wegadas spoke out against his fellow Elves, he did not wish to drive the Humans from their home, for they lived with it in a way parallel to the Elves own cultural ways. He felt that the Humans could be brought to the ways of the Elves and the Forest could, with the aid of the Elven Empire, thrive on it's own and remain the pure emerald jewel of the wilderness that they stood within. There was no need to reave this home for the Tribe, for they lived only in harmony with thw Wild and Balance of Nature. The Superior in the group, a Wanderer by the name of Kuvriathan, objected to Wegadas' argument and sent him back to the Takish'Hiz with instructions to report their discovery. The Druid departed his party's side obediently, but did not leave the Forest boundries. The Elves then tried to herd the Humans out of the Forest in an attempt to cleanse it of the Tribal presence and the taint they believed that the Humans would inevitably bring--for these Elves had seen the fledgling foundation of the Eastern Coastal Cities, and knew the destruction this race was capable of on a whim. The wary Gihjna and Lujien immediately interfered, having watched the Elves since their arrival. Unsuspecting of the fierce and powerful Guardians of the Woodland, the Elves were taken unaware. All but one of the Elven party were destroyrd--Wegadas. When the Lujien came for him, he presented himself unarmed and willingly, despite the Human pleas for him to go and not incur the wrath of the Guardians that had allowed them haven in the woods. The Lujien halted their advancement when they saw the plight of their accepted Human guests to spare the Elf's life. It was their Pack-Leader, an Elder Lujien warrior known to the Human Tribe as Udos-Ehai-Digowa (Fang of the Shadow in the common tongue), that approached Wegadas and sank his great maw into the Elf's shoulder, but did not kill him. The Lujien spoke in voiceless words to the Elf, a conversation that would later be written in the Writ of the Wild, a sacred text that dictates the history and code of the Unkempt Wardens. The Unkempt Warders: Volume III Udos-Ehai-Digowa commanded the Druid to remain in the Forest and share with the Humans his magics and his ways. If ever the Druid should attempt to flee the Forest confines, the Tribe of the Moon would kill him, for they are always watching. However Wegadas was not to corrupt the knowledge and ways that the Gihjna had taught the Humans. Wegadas agreed without argument, and the Lujien Pack faded silently into the shadows, leaving the wounded Elf to the Human Tribe to fulfill the demands that would guarantee his continued life. Wegadas learned the language of the Humans to perfection in his first fortnight. With communication established, Wegadas learned the ways that the Gihjna had taught the humans--finding them intriguing and immediately adopting them as his own, for the sake of the people now in his care, and in respect to the native Bestial Tribes that had spared his life. Over the first years, Wegadas taught the Human Tribe the Ways of the Wilderness--he spoke to them of Tunare, the Mother of All; that Great Goddess of Growth and Nature. He taught them how to pay their respects to his own Goddess without prayer or sacrifice--only that they must respect the Power of the Natural World, for as it had given them life, it could just as easily, and without warning, take it from them. This is a Law that should be neither feared nor hated, but one that is given the respect of an inevitable reality, and one that cannot be altered by steel or mind. The Humans clung to Wegadas' liberal preaching and lessons, embracing the Matron Goddess of Growth as their own. Soon thereafter, the Humans would learn the ways of the Druid--adapting and weilding the magics that Weadas taught them, and that they taught themselves at an exceptional rate. Rangers would be the first of the Master Adepts however, for the magic within them was less than their Druid compatriots, and the Ferocity of the Wild had already been established in their ways. As the Human Tribe became established, Udos-Ehai-Digowa, and the Gihjna Elder, Etsi-Agal-Iha (Mother of the Light), returned to the Human Tribe. The Tribes of the Dawn and Moon established the Laws of the Wild:None of Wegadas' tribe was to leave the Forest, and if they attempted to do so, they would be killed. They were Children of the Wild now, and their attempts to see the outside world would corrupt them.The Tribes of the Dawn and Moon also established that all who entered the Forest would be driven out or destroyed at the discretion of Wegadas and the Tribe.The third law was that the Lujien and Gihjna would remain out of the Human Tribe's affairs--so long as they maintained the Order the Gihjna had given the generations past, and that they did not stray from their Duties to the Forest that accepted them as its children. The Laws were agreed upon with Wegadas' leadership, for the Human Tribe trusted his wisdom and guidance explicitly. Satisfied, the Solar and Lunar Tribes departed, although their eyes never strayed from their Human guests. It was in those first years that Wegadas' intrigue with the Humans grew to tightly woven kinship. Slowly, he released his grip on his Elven life, and embraced the fledgling existence and culture that he was instrumental in fathering. The Elven Druid was Fier'Dal no more; his brethern were no longer Human--they were all Children of the Wild, and it was then that Wegadas learned a true peace. Finding his true purpose and never longing for the life he abandoned, Wegadas would spend nearly a century composing what would become the most revered and sacred of relics to the Homid Tribe of the Redwood Forest--The Writ of the Wild. This Sacred Tome detailed Wegadas' rebirth into the Wilderness per his own perspective, as well as the Laws that he had established and his people followed. The Tome also detailed the Lujien and Gihjna culture and their ancient tales and religion that Wegadas had been privy to in the several centuries he dwelt among them.

Mary the Prophetess

09-26-2007, 11:03 PM

The Unkempt Warders: Volume IVWegadas would find several mates in his lifetime among the Human Tribe and be father to over a dozen children--Half-Elven children. The last of his children and only daughter would be named Elaryness.Shortly after the birth of his final child, nearly four centuries after the establishing The Writ of the Wild, and guiding his brethern through their newfound ways, Wegadas' was old and weary and heard the distant call of the Forest--beckoning him to fulfill his own cycle of life. the old Druid would pass into the Wilderness forever at a site that would later become the most sacred site of the Unkempt Tribe.Wegadas' body was not buried, nor was it touched by the wild creatures of the Forest. He is said to have melded into the Earth, and from his reclaimed flesh and Spirit, a Great Willow grew--the Weeping Willow of Tunare. The ancient tales of the Human Tribe would say that the Willow was a gift to Wegadas' Children and Brethern from Tunare herself. As She reclaimed his old Spirit, the Mother of All felt the great loss that the Unkempt Tribe suffered with Wegadas' passing, and listened to their wordless prayer as they said their farewells to the beloved leader. In Her appreciation for the Human Tribe's devotion to Her, and in honor of Her missonary, Wegadas, She molded his Spirit and Essence into the great and beautiful tree that eternally weeps the tears of joy and sorrow of the Tribe.With her father's passing, and the appearance of the Great Willow, Elaryness, the only daughter of Wegadas, would rightfully challenge four others--two of whom were her own half-brothers--who had made the declaration for the leadership in Wegadas' stead.The brutal, ceremonial battles would last days at a time where those who vied for leadership would hunt one another throughout the whole expanse of the Woods. Elaryness would destroy her challengers, and the Tribe, now beneath her rule, would move their bodies to the very location where Wegadas himself had laid to final rest.These brutal, and oftentimes savage hunts, (dictated by the Hunter's primordial instincts) are Law amongst the Unkempt Warders, for it is the Law of the Wild--the strongest lead whilest the weaker follow, though neither is whole without the other.Elaryness would be declared the First Hierophant of the Unkempt Warders. It was also Elaryness who would establish the Shrine of Tunare, in memory of her father and to fulfill the debt that she felt her entire Tribe owed to the Mother of All for Her gift of Wegadas, and the Weeping Willow. The Unkempt Warders: Volume VFor several more generations, the Unkempt Warders would flourish and hold true to their vows to the Lujien and Gihjan Tribes. However, it would be the settlement of the JaggedPine Forest that would render the peace and harmonious existence of the Unkempt to one of strife and true ferocity to uphold their promise and ways. When Human settlers dedicated to the ways of Karana, established themselves in the JaggedPine Forest and began to explore the surrounding areas, the Unkempt were revealed to the rest of Norrath in flurry of brutal attacks upon any whom entered their territory. Eventually, the JaggedPine would seal off it's entry to the Unkempt Wood leaving the Feral Tribe to it's own--preserving their own existence and maintaining their ways.For years after, the Unkempt seemed again to be at peace. They managed to convert several of the JaggedPine settlers to their ways before entry was impossible, as well as a few of the scarcely wandering Elves who stumbled into the Unkempt territory as the years passed both prior to, and after Wegadas' death.Now they are again in unknown and unspoken turmoil. The Writ of the Wild, the Sacred Tome of the Unkempt has been lost. Their ancient Vows to the Lujien and Gihjna Tribes prevent them from seeking the Tome beyond the Forest boundries. The better judgement of the Gihjna Elders lean away from searching for material possession--for the Unkempt know the Tome by heart, and they may continue it's life and purpose through voice and lessons, as Wegadas had originally intended.The Unkempt Warders: Volume VIThe Unkempt Druids:Throughout the Plains of Karana, and the Mountains of Rathe, very small bands of Human and Half-Elven Rangers and Druids have laid claim to the Unkempt ways. These misguided few have recently been introduced to the true path of the Unkempt with the discovery of ancient scrolls believed to be a part of the missing Tome bound in a living weave of moss and fern--The Writ of the Wild.Few can decipher this Tome's ancient symbols, dating back to an era when Man was nothing more than groups of nomadic tribes wandering the face of Norrath. The ignorance of the Tome's true words and meaning had only strengthened the thirst for truth of the Unkempt ways in these few outcast Druids and Rangers of the Wild.Eager to know what secrets the Tome would reveal, the Outcast Druids of the Rathe Mountains sought the Hermit who dwells in his solitude in the Southern Plains of Karana. Believed to have been schooled in the ways of the true Unkempt in the Unkempt Woods long ago, the Hermit was able to translate the fragmented pieces of these ancient documents--although he would lend only a small portion of their knowledge and secrets to the curious outsiders. The Hermit gave the secret translated passages to the Outcast Wildings and sent them away--the originals believed to remain in his possession. With only a minor portion of the Unkempt Tome translation, these Outcasts began to spread their passion for the Wild across all of Norrath, looking to convert any Child of the Natural World to their cause. From the Plains of Karana, to the misty forests of the Faydark, the Outcast Druids and Rangers have gained some support, forming a small and sheltered cult dedicated to the vague ways of the Unkempt Path that they have access to.However, the Ancient Writ's words and guidance were not enough to show the curious and passionate Wildings the true meaning of what it is to be Unkempt. Their ignorance may become their downfall, for now they seek to uncover the Sacred Unkempt Woods where the ways of the Unkempt were born.The true followers of The Writ of the Wild are those known as the Unkempt Warders, who have not wandered from their homeland of the Unkempt Woods since their founding. Litle is known by outsiders of the Unkempt Warders, for they are reclusive by nature and do not seek to venture beyond the boundries of their cherished and well-guarded territory.

troodon

09-27-2007, 12:32 AM

<cite>Mary the Prophetess wrote:</cite><blockquote>The Lujien, the Gihjna, and Wegadas are all canon from EQ1, and I spent years searching for the Writ of the Wild in game. I never found it, but I did find some leads (I started with the Hermit in the Karanas who is a member of the Unkempt Druids--who are the nemesis of the Unkempt Warders)</blockquote>Wegadas is there, sure, but none of <a href="http://everquestonlineadventures.station.sony.com/lore_4.vm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">this</a> lycanthropy stuff.

Rezikai

09-27-2007, 04:00 AM

"With her father's passing, and the appearance of the Great Willow, Elaryness, the only daughter of Wegadas, would rightfully challenge four others--two of whom were her own half-brothers--who had made the declaration for the leadership in Wegadas' stead. "<hr />Aye this was the time progressed in EQoA.. as players we entered the late days of Wegadas' life.. over the 3 month EQoA event Wegadas "died" as it were and the 2 half brothers and the daughter were all part of the Unkempt war event, (a side product was the abilty for players and NPC's to become "touched" by Wegadas' and inherit lycan forms and abilities).I remember Boradel (EQoA CR person at the time) talking of the event crossing the 2 seperate games. but had always assumed it was no where to be found in EQ1. good catch <img src="/smilies/283a16da79f3aa23fe1025c96295f04f.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />

troodon

09-27-2007, 04:27 AM

Wegadas' death was a live event in EQoA? Hmm..

Rezikai

09-27-2007, 11:02 AM

Wegadas' death was a live event in EQoA? Hmm.. <hr />Aye, it was a High end raid event. When you first met the NPC Wegadas, the old elven druid, he tells you his time on Norrath is short and drawing to close, and he asks you to help stop the violence sure to come after his death. His 2 sons are by his side, (there names escape me atm) also as NPCs in the game, and in the ..... "village" area around a great willow tree was Wegadas' daughter, and she tells you that when he does pass there will be a great conflict, due to the 2 brothers despising each other and their sister.Later they removed Wegadas as an NPC and had the dialogue of the sons and daughter to talk of Wegadas' passing and this was the start of the Unkempt War event that had the factions of the sons and others pitted against each other. Upon defeating the generals for each faction (no small task seeing the huge number of soldier/officer spawns to kill through, we killed literally... thousands) they surrender and you return to the daughter Elaryness and tell her you have were successfull in helping her bring the conflict to a subdued conclusion.