Confusion about the island and new characters

[DukeOccam]

<p>I just returned to the game after a few years, and back when I played, everyone started out on a boat after having been pulled from the sea by Captain Varlos. After helping out a little bit with a goblin gone wild and surviving a short encounter with a Drakota, you were deposited on the Isle of Refuge. There were representatives from both Qeynos and Freeport here, and after adventuring a little bit, you made your choice and off you went.Now apparently that's all changed, I assume due in part to the addition of Kelethin, Neriak, and Gorowyn as starting cities (also I'm reading that the storyline with the prismatic weapons may have changed perception as well). Now you choose your city before your character is even loaded into the game for the first time, and the island is now two more or less duplicate islands, one for future Qeynosians and one for future Freeportians. I kind of preferred the old way, but I can understand the rationale behind this.But this does raise the question of how character come to be on this island. Before, with the whole "plucked from the sea" idea, it was partially answered (although there was still the question of where you were sailing to/from in the first place). But now, I don't understand why only Qeynos and Freeport aspirants end up here.For Neriak you start out in Darklight Woods (I think that was the name) and for Kelethin you start in GFay (haven't tried Gorowyn yet), and while characters will have to account for how they got there, at least it makes some sense that you start out in what is essentially a "suburb" of the city. But for Qeynos/Freeport, there's this additional thing you need to explain, which is why are you on some random island? Do they just tell all applicants they have to go to this island first?I've been thinking about my character's backstory a little bit, and it's gotten a bit complicated now, since events on the island prompted him to choose Freeport over Qeynos, though he would eventually betray and join Qeynos. Now that doesn't really make sense since going to Freeport from "Queen's Colony" isn't really an option.</p>

[Aneova]

<p><cite>Caethas@Permafrost wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>I just returned to the game after a few years, and back when I played, everyone started out on a boat after having been pulled from the sea by Captain Varlos. After helping out a little bit with a goblin gone wild and surviving a short encounter with a Drakota, you were deposited on the Isle of Refuge. There were representatives from both Qeynos and Freeport here, and after adventuring a little bit, you made your choice and off you went.Now apparently that's all changed, I assume due in part to the addition of Kelethin, Neriak, and Gorowyn as starting cities (also I'm reading that the storyline with the prismatic weapons may have changed perception as well). Now you choose your city before your character is even loaded into the game for the first time, and the island is now two more or less duplicate islands, one for future Qeynosians and one for future Freeportians. I kind of preferred the old way, but I can understand the rationale behind this.But this does raise the question of how character come to be on this island. Before, with the whole "plucked from the sea" idea, it was partially answered (although there was still the question of where you were sailing to/from in the first place). But now, I don't understand why only Qeynos and Freeport aspirants end up here.For Neriak you start out in Darklight Woods (I think that was the name) and for Kelethin you start in GFay (haven't tried Gorowyn yet), and while characters will have to account for how they got there, at least it makes some sense that you start out in what is essentially a "suburb" of the city. But for Qeynos/Freeport, there's this additional thing you need to explain, which is why are you on some random island? Do they just tell all applicants they have to go to this island first?I've been thinking about my character's backstory a little bit, and it's gotten a bit complicated now, since events on the island prompted him to choose Freeport over Qeynos, though he would eventually betray and join Qeynos. Now that doesn't really make sense since going to Freeport from "Queen's Colony" isn't really an option.</p></blockquote><p>For the most part you still are "plucked from the sea" as far as things go for the Qeynos and Freeport starter island's, Gorowyn, Greater Fay, and Darklight Wood are different because they were newly discovered and seperate from norrath for so long that they begin their journey's different.</p><p>You might notice you no longer start out with the base Archtypes anymore either, they put the end to that when Kingdom of Sky was released. Which is the same time they ended the boat ride to the Island of Refuge.</p><p>The prismatic storyline is still unchanged it reveals the same secrets as always, however there are many other "prismatic" like quests now in game.</p><p>My suggestion for your background story is to start at the Outpost of the Overlord and then betray once you feel you've learned enough about the overlords wicked and oppressive ways.</p>

[Cusashorn]

<p><cite>Caethas@Permafrost wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>I just returned to the game after a few years, and back when I played, everyone started out on a boat after having been pulled from the sea by Captain Varlos. After helping out a little bit with a goblin gone wild and surviving a short encounter with a Drakota, you were deposited on the Isle of Refuge. There were representatives from both Qeynos and Freeport here, and after adventuring a little bit, you made your choice and off you went.Now apparently that's all changed, I assume due in part to the addition of Kelethin, Neriak, and Gorowyn as starting cities (also I'm reading that the storyline with the prismatic weapons may have changed perception as well). Now you choose your city before your character is even loaded into the game for the first time, and the island is now two more or less duplicate islands, one for future Qeynosians and one for future Freeportians. I kind of preferred the old way, but I can understand the rationale behind this.But this does raise the question of how character come to be on this island. Before, with the whole "plucked from the sea" idea, it was partially answered (although there was still the question of where you were sailing to/from in the first place). But now, I don't understand why only Qeynos and Freeport aspirants end up here.For Neriak you start out in Darklight Woods (I think that was the name) and for Kelethin you start in GFay (haven't tried Gorowyn yet), and while characters will have to account for how they got there, at least it makes some sense that you start out in what is essentially a "suburb" of the city. But for Qeynos/Freeport, there's this additional thing you need to explain, which is why are you on some random island? Do they just tell all applicants they have to go to this island first?I've been thinking about my character's backstory a little bit, and it's gotten a bit complicated now, since events on the island prompted him to choose Freeport over Qeynos, though he would eventually betray and join Qeynos. Now that doesn't really make sense since going to Freeport from "Queen's Colony" isn't really an option.</p></blockquote><p>Back when they changed the game to be more user friendly by allowing you to start off as your desired class right from the start, they announced that the time of Heros to return has arrived. New players are no longer just refugees picked out of the ocean because they had their memories wiped clean from Darathar. You're a returning hero from around Norrath who has chosen to pick up sword and spell once again to help out in Qeynos or Freeport's affairs.</p><p>Why you start on the island is not stated, though since the Far Seas Trading Company is still the primary source of transportation of all goods and services around Norrath, they are probably the ones who directed you to start off on the island to make sure you know what to do and what those cities will expect of you when you finally arrive.</p><p>Actually, the fact that the Prismatic storyline ends with you killing Darathar, it adds right into it as well. Darathar is dead, which means he can no longer wipe our memories clean for his own personal agendas.</p><p>This continuation of past storylines can also be shown when the Ewer of Sul'Dae is rebuilt after you shattered it in Desert of Flames. The reason why there are vampires walking around Neriak is because it was rebuilt.</p>