Arasai and Ratongas wanna know! :)

[Gorpier]

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, Please!!! Give us more back story on these two races.  So the Arasai were twisted and manipulated through torture of Fae spirit buds!  And?The Ratonga came from the underfoot, maybe... and?  Please please give us more.  Its so hard to go on knowing nothing of one's race.  At least with the other races of EQ2's Norrath, there was the chains of events from EQ1 to work with, and the cities they hailed from and the battles they fought, and with whom they fought them.  With the Arasai and the Ratonga, we don't even know that much.

[Cusashorn]

<p>The Arasai have thier lore fleshed out. You were the results of years of experimentation with corrupting spirit buds from Faydwer. That's it. The Innoruuk diety line details that.</p><p>The devs have hinted that the ratonga will get something sometime... Probably around 2073 or so.</p>

[TheLopper]

<cite>Cusashorn wrote:</cite><blockquote><p>The Arasai have thier lore fleshed out. You were the results of years of experimentation with corrupting spirit buds from Faydwer. That's it. The Innoruuk diety line details that.</p><p>The devs have hinted that the ratonga will get something sometime... Probably around 2073 or so.</p></blockquote><p>I bet the next expansion will have something to do with the long ignored Underfoot, similar to EQ1's expansion (I don't remember what it was called).Seems like the perfect opportunity to explore Ratonga lore, tbh.</p>

[TaleraRis]

<cite>TheLopper wrote:</cite><blockquote><cite>Cusashorn wrote:</cite><blockquote><p>The Arasai have thier lore fleshed out. You were the results of years of experimentation with corrupting spirit buds from Faydwer. That's it. The Innoruuk diety line details that.</p><p>The devs have hinted that the ratonga will get something sometime... Probably around 2073 or so.</p></blockquote><p>I bet the next expansion will have something to do with the long ignored Underfoot, similar to EQ1's expansion (I don't remember what it was called).Seems like the perfect opportunity to explore Ratonga lore, tbh.</p></blockquote>Depths of Darkhollow

[Cusashorn]

<cite>Gwyneth@Najena wrote:</cite><blockquote><cite>TheLopper wrote:</cite><blockquote><cite>Cusashorn wrote:</cite><blockquote><p>The Arasai have thier lore fleshed out. You were the results of years of experimentation with corrupting spirit buds from Faydwer. That's it. The Innoruuk diety line details that.</p><p>The devs have hinted that the ratonga will get something sometime... Probably around 2073 or so.</p></blockquote><p>I bet the next expansion will have something to do with the long ignored Underfoot, similar to EQ1's expansion (I don't remember what it was called).Seems like the perfect opportunity to explore Ratonga lore, tbh.</p></blockquote>Depths of Darkhollow</blockquote>An underground expansion is bound to come around sooner or later, but for now I just wanna see Odus return.

[teddyboy4]

<cite>Cusashorn wrote:</cite><blockquote><cite>Gwyneth@Najena wrote:</cite><blockquote><cite>TheLopper wrote:</cite><blockquote><cite>Cusashorn wrote:</cite><blockquote><p>The Arasai have thier lore fleshed out. You were the results of years of experimentation with corrupting spirit buds from Faydwer. That's it. The Innoruuk diety line details that.</p><p>The devs have hinted that the ratonga will get something sometime... Probably around 2073 or so.</p></blockquote><p>I bet the next expansion will have something to do with the long ignored Underfoot, similar to EQ1's expansion (I don't remember what it was called).Seems like the perfect opportunity to explore Ratonga lore, tbh.</p></blockquote>Depths of Darkhollow</blockquote>An underground expansion is bound to come around sooner or later, but for now I just wanna see Odus return.</blockquote>I'd be equally happy w/ either Odus or Velious as the setting for the next xpac.

[troodon]

<cite>Eandiil@Lucan DLere wrote:</cite><blockquote>I'd be equally happy w/ either Odus or Velious as the setting for the next xpac.</blockquote>I don't care where it is as long as it doesn't include the words 'Discord' or 'Taelosia'.  Do I have a second?

[Apocroph]

<cite>troodon wrote:</cite><blockquote><cite></cite>I don't care where it is as long as it doesn't include the words 'Discord' or 'Taelosia'.  Do I have a second?</blockquote>I'll agree as many times as it takes to keep us far, far away from that steaming pile of [Removed for Content] of a continent.

[Gukkor2]

I, for one, hope that we DO eventually rediscover Taelosia, or at least find out what happened to it.  I don't like it when pieces of a world vanish with no explanation other than "the players didn't like it."  At least explain WHY it's gone.

[troodon]

<cite>Gukkor2 wrote:</cite><blockquote>I, for one, hope that we DO eventually rediscover Taelosia, or at least find out what happened to it.  I don't like it when pieces of a world vanish with no explanation other than "the players didn't like it."  At least explain WHY it's gone.</blockquote>Fair enough, on the boat that takes us to the never-discovered really big continent beyond Taelosia there can be a dude that tells us those islands sank.

[Cusashorn]

<cite>troodon wrote:</cite><blockquote><cite>Gukkor2 wrote:</cite><blockquote>I, for one, hope that we DO eventually rediscover Taelosia, or at least find out what happened to it.  I don't like it when pieces of a world vanish with no explanation other than "the players didn't like it."  At least explain WHY it's gone.</blockquote>Fair enough, on the boat that takes us to the never-discovered really big continent beyond Taelosia there can be a dude that tells us those islands sank.</blockquote>That continent that was larger than Antonica, Odus, Faydwer, and Kunark combined. I think that was originally suppose to be Taelosia...

[troodon]

<cite>Cusashorn wrote:</cite><blockquote>That continent that was larger than Antonica, Odus, Faydwer, and Kunark combined. I think that was originally suppose to be Taelosia...</blockquote>There's no way Taelosia was that big.  Of course, the globes we have in EQ2 don't include that continent or the island chain to the east of it (which I think was Taelosia) so it's an open question whether or not either exists in this game.

[Trepan]

The ratonga and arasai are no where near as deprived of origin stories as halflings are.For all we know they sprang fully formed out of a pie.

[Cusashorn]

<cite>Trepan wrote:</cite><blockquote>The ratonga and arasai are no where near as deprived of origin stories as halflings are.For all we know they sprang fully formed out of a pie.</blockquote>Bristlebane created them in his own image. This tidbit of lore has been known since EQlive started in 1999.

[Trepan]

A tidbit does not a story make.

[TheKons]

Ok Froda

[Sylaz]

If you want racial back story, play an Iksar...Anyways, yeah it would be neat to see some more info on the Ratonga. The Arasai really have pretty much all they're going to get. Relatively speaking, they're brand new in the world, maybe the new breed of Sarnak might be newer, but I'm not too positive. Either way, they don't really have a history of their own yet.... and just perhaps, Odus will be the underground expansion. I mean, the Hole was a pretty large cavern to begin with, and who knows what happened during the rending. Unless the devs have stated something that hints at it still be very much like it used to, but with the Erudite thing I think it's changed at least somewhat.

[DeBasilisk]

Personally, I'm not a fan of Arasai lore. I feel like they're just there to balance the Fae, which were already a race that I despised, but hey, I'm an Iksar, I hate all the other races right?Arasai lore seems rushed to me and the Ratonga mystery still needs a lot of fleshing out. I agree, both of these races are a little slack on the lore scale...Check out the Roekillik story for a little insight into the Ratonga.

[Cusashorn]

<cite>DeBasilisk wrote:</cite><blockquote>Personally, I'm not a fan of Arasai lore. I feel like they're just there to balance the Fae, which were already a race that I despised, but hey, I'm an Iksar, I hate all the other races right?</blockquote>Actually, thats' exactly the reason why they were added.

[Xita]

<p>haflings did spring fully formed from a pie...</p><p>havent you read your L&L halfling?</p>

[Apocroph]

<cite>Cusashorn wrote:</cite><blockquote><cite>DeBasilisk wrote:</cite><blockquote>Personally, I'm not a fan of Arasai lore. I feel like they're just there to balance the Fae, which were already a race that I despised, but hey, I'm an Iksar, I hate all the other races right?</blockquote>Actually, thats' exactly the reason why they were added.</blockquote>Contrived motives aside, it was a nice anaphora of the Teir`Dal's creation.  They may only exist to "balance" the Fae, but it was done the best way possible.History repeats itself, remember?

[Dedoc]

<cite>Gorpier wrote:</cite><blockquote>The Ratonga came from the underfoot, maybe... and?  Please please give us more.  Its so hard to go on knowing nothing of one's race.  At least with the other races of EQ2's Norrath, there was the chains of events from EQ1 to work with, and the cities they hailed from and the battles they fought, and with whom they fought them.  With the Arasai and the Ratonga, we don't even know that much.</blockquote><p>Apparently most ratonga and all roekillik (ratpeople) are devoted to a mad god named Caertex, who is extremely powerful and intelligent but unable to block out the thoughts of nearby minds, which apparently bother him greatly. It is said he dwells deep in the plane of Underfoot in the "Endless Tunnels" which nobody has ever returned from. </p><p>There is a book ingame that hints at the current situation of the roekillik. The book details forming an army, uniting the feuding rat races, together with manipulated races, to destroy all surface life. Ther person who apparently found this book was murdered and had a strange symbol carved into his skin. </p><p>Unless the ratonga are defectors, this could mean that the ratonga are part of their larger race of roekillik and are serving as spies and scouts for the coming invasion. The truth of this is not known.</p><p>(Copied from EQ2i)</p>

[Cusashorn]

<cite>Reneh wrote:</cite><blockquote><cite>Gorpier wrote:</cite><blockquote>The Ratonga came from the underfoot, maybe... and?  Please please give us more.  Its so hard to go on knowing nothing of one's race.  At least with the other races of EQ2's Norrath, there was the chains of events from EQ1 to work with, and the cities they hailed from and the battles they fought, and with whom they fought them.  With the Arasai and the Ratonga, we don't even know that much.</blockquote><p>Apparently most ratonga and all roekillik (ratpeople) are devoted to a mad god named Caertex, who is extremely powerful and intelligent but unable to block out the thoughts of nearby minds, which apparently bother him greatly. It is said he dwells deep in the plane of Underfoot in the "Endless Tunnels" which nobody has ever returned from. </p><p>There is a book ingame that hints at the current situation of the roekillik. The book details forming an army, uniting the feuding rat races, together with manipulated races, to destroy all surface life. Ther person who apparently found this book was murdered and had a strange symbol carved into his skin. </p><p>Unless the ratonga are defectors, this could mean that the ratonga are part of their larger race of roekillik and are serving as spies and scouts for the coming invasion. The truth of this is not known.</p><p>(Copied from EQ2i)</p></blockquote>Thats just the thing: Caertix is worshiped as a diety. It hasn't been proven yet that he's a god, though current evidence suggest he's not.

[Umee]

<cite>Xita wrote:</cite><blockquote><p>haflings did spring fully formed from a pie...</p><p>havent you read your L&L halfling?</p></blockquote>*looks around**makes shifty eyes**wipes the pie off her face**crawls back into the crust*

[Rannix]

<cite>Trepan wrote:</cite><blockquote>A tidbit does not a story make.</blockquote>ok Yoda. But anyways, how interesting can a halfling backstory be " As Bristlebane, was lifting the purse of an unsuspecting human, munching on a pie, and sipping a nice cool beer, his drunkeness made him decide to create a race of people 3 feet tall with goofy haircuts and furry feet." the end.

[Rashaak]

<cite>Reneh wrote:</cite><blockquote><cite>Gorpier wrote:</cite><blockquote>The Ratonga came from the underfoot, maybe... and?  Please please give us more.  Its so hard to go on knowing nothing of one's race.  At least with the other races of EQ2's Norrath, there was the chains of events from EQ1 to work with, and the cities they hailed from and the battles they fought, and with whom they fought them.  With the Arasai and the Ratonga, we don't even know that much.</blockquote><p>Apparently most ratonga and all roekillik (ratpeople) are devoted to a mad god named Caertex, who is extremely powerful and intelligent but unable to block out the thoughts of nearby minds, which apparently bother him greatly. It is said he dwells deep in the plane of Underfoot in the<b> "Endless Tunnels" which nobody has ever returned from. </b></p><p>(Copied from EQ2i)</p></blockquote>If no one has ever returned from the Endless Tunnels, how do they really know there endless??

[Gukkor2]

<cite>Cusashorn wrote:</cite><blockquote><cite>Reneh wrote:</cite><blockquote><cite>Gorpier wrote:</cite><blockquote>The Ratonga came from the underfoot, maybe... and?  Please please give us more.  Its so hard to go on knowing nothing of one's race.  At least with the other races of EQ2's Norrath, there was the chains of events from EQ1 to work with, and the cities they hailed from and the battles they fought, and with whom they fought them.  With the Arasai and the Ratonga, we don't even know that much.</blockquote><p>Apparently most ratonga and all roekillik (ratpeople) are devoted to a mad god named Caertex, who is extremely powerful and intelligent but unable to block out the thoughts of nearby minds, which apparently bother him greatly. It is said he dwells deep in the plane of Underfoot in the "Endless Tunnels" which nobody has ever returned from. </p><p>There is a book ingame that hints at the current situation of the roekillik. The book details forming an army, uniting the feuding rat races, together with manipulated races, to destroy all surface life. Ther person who apparently found this book was murdered and had a strange symbol carved into his skin. </p><p>Unless the ratonga are defectors, this could mean that the ratonga are part of their larger race of roekillik and are serving as spies and scouts for the coming invasion. The truth of this is not known.</p><p>(Copied from EQ2i)</p></blockquote>Thats just the thing: Caertix is worshiped as a diety. It hasn't been proven yet that he's a god, though current evidence suggest he's not.</blockquote>There is precedent for insane gods who can't control their powers, though.  Vazaelle Kahleine, anyone?  What specific evidence is there that he <b>isn't</b> a god?

[Cusashorn]

<cite>Gukkor2 wrote:</cite><blockquote><cite>Cusashorn wrote:</cite><blockquote><cite>Reneh wrote:</cite><blockquote><cite>Gorpier wrote:</cite><blockquote>The Ratonga came from the underfoot, maybe... and?  Please please give us more.  Its so hard to go on knowing nothing of one's race.  At least with the other races of EQ2's Norrath, there was the chains of events from EQ1 to work with, and the cities they hailed from and the battles they fought, and with whom they fought them.  With the Arasai and the Ratonga, we don't even know that much.</blockquote><p>Apparently most ratonga and all roekillik (ratpeople) are devoted to a mad god named Caertex, who is extremely powerful and intelligent but unable to block out the thoughts of nearby minds, which apparently bother him greatly. It is said he dwells deep in the plane of Underfoot in the "Endless Tunnels" which nobody has ever returned from. </p><p>There is a book ingame that hints at the current situation of the roekillik. The book details forming an army, uniting the feuding rat races, together with manipulated races, to destroy all surface life. Ther person who apparently found this book was murdered and had a strange symbol carved into his skin. </p><p>Unless the ratonga are defectors, this could mean that the ratonga are part of their larger race of roekillik and are serving as spies and scouts for the coming invasion. The truth of this is not known.</p><p>(Copied from EQ2i)</p></blockquote>Thats just the thing: Caertix is worshiped as a diety. It hasn't been proven yet that he's a god, though current evidence suggest he's not.</blockquote>There is precedent for insane gods who can't control their powers, though.  Vazaelle Kahleine, anyone?  What specific evidence is there that he <b>isn't</b> a god?</blockquote><p>SHE was appointed as the Demi-Goddess of Insanity, and she was destroyed in the process of the Rending because Cazic Thule needed to absorb her domain and entity in order to stabilize himself. If he chooses to, he'll make a new demi-god of insanity sometime down the line.</p><p>It's true she had no large influence in any stories in the game yet, but there was nothing suggesting she didn't have any control over her own domain. (unless the Necro epic states otherwise, in which case I retract those last few words.)</p>

[Kitsune286]

I have often wondered , after finally obtaining the 'website lore book' thing (the murderer and strange symbol, that I apparently have on my chest yet cannot see =p ), if the "Ratilik" (bad sp) is perhaps a combination of the surviving underfoot Ratonga and the Roekillik, ethier by interbreeding (they did seem alittle smaller) , or just pure combination of sub-races, ether by manipulation , or by a common goal.I can fully see the Roekillik finally getting tired of hunting the Ratonga , and instead of hunting them down , offer an alliance to take over the city of Kaladim in exchange for letting them live, and letting the dwarfs do the dirty work of slaying them all. (For the record, I believe my Ratonga could beat down any pipsqueek Roekillik, supermindpowersofdoom or clawsofmetalshreddingdoom or not)I could also see the Roekillik seeing an advantage in breeding with the larger Ratonga, gaining some of Bristlebanes tricksterness, and increasing their numbers perhaps (couldn't have been many in that vault, and .. yea)But then again, I seem to remember reading somewhere that King Caratex (sp again) was merley a puppet in some larger scheme. I do hope they continue this lore with something, was such a cliffhanger. =pI make anyones eyes bleed? =)

[Sartredes]

I'll try to dig up the Ratonga racial lore from the first EQ2 Prima guide. (Vhalen has said in past posts that he provided the lore to Prima)From what I remember, the Ratonga are Brell's second attempt at a ratlike race.  His first race, the <span class="postbody">Roekillik, were extremely intelligent, ruthless, and psionic.  The most ruthless and powerful of these was a Roekillik named Caertex(sp?).  When Brell saw that the Roekillik were getting out of hand, he sealed them away in a cavern in the underdark.With his second attempt at the race, he enlisted the aid of Bristlebane to infuse the new race, the ratonga, with a healthy dose of "mirth" to soften the ruthlessness that was prevalent in the Roekillik. The ratonga were also supposed to be isolated from the other races of Norrath, but apparently the Ratonga inherited some cunning from Bristlebane's influence and began to appear in places within the underdark that they were not meant to be. Eventually appearing on the surface.  A common symbol associated with the ratonga is an arrangement of five interwoven rings, where each ring has a small opening. The meaning of this symbol is unknown to non-ratonga.The Roekillik, if I remember correctly, wish to annihilate the ratonga.This was the jist of what I remember. I'll try to post the lore once I get home where I can look it up, unless someone beats me to it.</span>

[Kitsune286]

<cite>Sartredes wrote:</cite><blockquote>...<span class="postbody"> common symbol associated with the Ratonga is an arrangement of five interwoven rings, where each ring has a small opening. The meaning of this symbol is unknown to non-Ratonga.</span></blockquote>Not to mention, most of the PC Ratonga don't know ether. =P