Question reguarding the New Halas starting city!

[Macross_JR]

<p>As barbarians are my favorite race in this game, and my roots are tied to Halas back from EQLive.  I was wondering if we would be able to find out if the New Halas starting city will be like Gorowyn where only certain factions can start and any faction can live, or only one faction will be able to start and live there.  The reason I ask is I need to know if I need to betray any of my barbarians so that I will be able to have them live there.</p>

[Xalmat]

<p>New Halas will be good aligned, as such only good classes will be able to start there. As for allowing outsiders in, that remains to be seen.</p>

[Vonotar]

<p>Hopefully this will be the long awaited good version of Neriak, i.e. extremely hostile to evil people.</p><p>Kelethin and Gorowyn are more akin to each other, as they are good/evil but very very tolerant of the opposite alignment people.</p>

[shadowscale]

<p><cite>Banedon@Antonia Bayle wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>Kelethin and Gorowyn are more akin to each other, as they are good/evil but very very tolerant of the opposite alignment people.</p></blockquote><p>you havent delt with the roal guards in kelethin have you? and evils cant buy there. even barred from entire quest lines. gorowyn dosent have blocked quest lines.</p>

[Vonotar]

<p><cite>shadowscale wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p><cite>Banedon@Antonia Bayle wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>Kelethin and Gorowyn are more akin to each other, as they are good/evil but very very tolerant of the opposite alignment people.</p></blockquote><p>you havent delt with the roal guards in kelethin have you? and evils cant buy there. even barred from entire quest lines. gorowyn dosent have blocked quest lines.</p></blockquote><p>whine whine whine whine whine whine whine whine whine whine whine whine whine whine whine whine</p><p>Sorry, didn't quite catch you there.</p><p>OK, lets think this through, Freeport and Qeynos are obviously complementary as one allows good/neutral races and classes, the other allows evil/neutral races and classes, both are kos to the opposite alignment but most guards are wimpy at high levels or can be dodged.</p><p>So the question becomes, which of the two additional evil cities are closer to Kelethin and could be considered 'complementary'.</p><p>Lets see how the three other cities treat people of the opposite alignment -</p><p>Evil people are tolerated in Kelethin (sure they are KoS around the royal court, but thats ONE platform)</p><p>Good people are tolerated in Gorowyn pretty much everywhere in the zone</p><p>Good people are totally KOS in Neriak, you have to be in the high levels before even thinking about trying to sneak or invis past the OTT guards.</p><p>Therefore, in terms of attitude to opposite alignments, Gorowyn and Kelethin are more complementary than Neriak and Kelethin.</p><p>Perhaps when Halas has been added and the 3 evil verses 2 good cities issue has been addressed, they may relax the questing rules in Kelethin.  In addition my good characters have never been able to pick up Gorowyn writs, so Gorowyn DOES have blocked quests.</p><p>Why on earth evils need another neutral city pandering to them I don't know.</p>

[Macross_JR]

<p><cite>Banedon@Antonia Bayle wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p><cite>shadowscale wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p><cite>Banedon@Antonia Bayle wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>Kelethin and Gorowyn are more akin to each other, as they are good/evil but very very tolerant of the opposite alignment people.</p></blockquote><p>you havent delt with the roal guards in kelethin have you? and evils cant buy there. even barred from entire quest lines. gorowyn dosent have blocked quest lines.</p></blockquote><p>whine whine whine whine whine whine whine whine whine whine whine whine whine whine whine whine</p><p>Sorry, didn't quite catch you there.</p><p>OK, lets think this through, Freeport and Qeynos are obviously complementary as one allows good/neutral races and classes, the other allows evil/neutral races and classes, both are kos to the opposite alignment but most guards are wimpy at high levels or can be dodged.</p><p>So the question becomes, which of the two additional evil cities are closer to Kelethin and could be considered 'complementary'.</p><p>Lets see how the three other cities treat people of the opposite alignment -</p><p>Evil people are tolerated in Kelethin (sure they are KoS around the royal court, but thats ONE platform)</p><p>Good people are tolerated in Gorowyn pretty much everywhere in the zone</p><p>Good people are totally KOS in Neriak, you have to be in the high levels before even thinking about trying to sneak or invis past the OTT guards.</p><p>Therefore, in terms of attitude to opposite alignments, Gorowyn and Kelethin are more complementary than Neriak and Kelethin.</p><p>Perhaps when Halas has been added and the 3 evil verses 2 good cities issue has been addressed, they may relax the questing rules in Kelethin.  In addition my good characters have never been able to pick up Gorowyn writs, so Gorowyn DOES have blocked quests.</p><p>Why on earth evils need another neutral city pandering to them I don't know.</p></blockquote><p>No, you are wrong.  Kelethin is not tolerant to Evil aligned players.  Kelethin and Neriak are akin to each other.  Here is how it goes as of right now:</p><p>Freeport=Qeynos</p><p>Neriak=Kelethin</p><p>Gorrowyn=???</p><p>I am just wondering, because it's suppose to be used for the new EQ2 Trial how it's going to work.  And would love if it was just a good version of Gorrowyn.</p>

[Trellium]

<p><cite>Banedon@Antonia Bayle wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p><cite>shadowscale wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p><cite>Banedon@Antonia Bayle wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>Kelethin and Gorowyn are more akin to each other, as they are good/evil but very very tolerant of the opposite alignment people.</p></blockquote><p>you havent delt with the roal guards in kelethin have you? and evils cant buy there. even barred from entire quest lines. gorowyn dosent have blocked quest lines.</p></blockquote><p>whine whine whine whine whine whine whine whine whine whine whine whine whine whine whine whine</p></blockquote><p>Why would his point be a whine? Sounds like you are far too sensitive to someone posting anything you don't agree with. You are clearly wrong. Take an evil to Kelethin and try to get all the quests. You will be killed. That is not a complaint, it is merely a statement of fact.</p><p>Neriak is evil, Kelethin is good. Opposing factions can get some quests but not all.</p><p>Gorowyn is much more neutral, and I hope SOE does the same with Halas. There aren't enough new players these days to group up, let alone split between factions. I think faction splits are great, but not at the start of the game as you try to learn and meet new people and don't have a guild or a community and the friends pool is small.</p>

[Arslan2000]

<p>Perhaps the reason Kelethin is not KOS to evils everywhere is due to the idea that it's an open environment.  They do not want the guards coming out of the trees to kill evils that are wandering by.  It's one of the many flaws of an open world environment.</p>

[Ahlana]

<p>Banedon ... wow, is all I can say.</p><p>The only real difference between Neriak and Kelethain is that Neriak has more KoS guards. Which fine I purpose SOE changes all guards in Kel to be KoS to the opposite faction. And this discussion of who has more cities (as if it matters) can end.</p>

[denmom]

<p>I've taken evils to Kelethin, the only place that was a problem was near the Royals' homes.  And in the following of the questlines, you go nowhere that platform.  I don't think evils could take the one questline that's aimed at Kelethin started toons anyways.  That one takes you up into the Royals.</p><p>As for a broker, there's a fence for evils at the base of the Kelethin Stump, inside where the entrance to the satyr instance is.</p><p>Evils can use the bank in The Nursery area.  They can use the mender there, and I think the one merchant there, can't remember.</p><p>I have taken the quests there, and I know of others who have as well.</p><p>So unless Kelethin has changed since I had an evil in there, which admittedly has been many months ago, they can run thru there and take the majority of quests.</p>

[Purr]

<p>What does this have to do with testing, if I might ask?</p><p>Purr~</p>

[denmom]

<p><cite>Purr wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>What does this have to do with testing, if I might ask?</p><p>Purr~</p></blockquote><p>Heh, my question as well, tho I added to the topic drift.</p><p>Apologies.</p>

[Macross_JR]

<p>I put this here, because I'm pretty sure they will "TEST" the starting city, even if it isn't even on test yet.</p>

[Trellium]

<p><cite>Gimbel@Permafrost wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>I put this here, because I'm pretty sure they will "TEST" the starting city, even if it isn't even on test yet.</p></blockquote><p>My guess is they will test it along with the expansion, thereby getting it covered by a non-disclosure for testing. A test environment and testers will already be available. It really only differs from the expansion code by an administration flag for who gets access upon release.</p><p>Hopefully we do get it early, but I doubt it.</p><p>I did ask Domino about where Halas will be tested and she didn't know. Or, she knew but couldn't tell me without also having to kill me. Or, I accidently guess right and would have to kill myself. Or, Rothgar decides it isn't worth the risk and he has to kill me and all my alts who <em>might </em>have known.</p><p>Do you see what you started?!?!?!</p><p><img src="/eq2/images/smilies/97ada74b88049a6d50a6ed40898a03d7.gif" border="0" /></p>

[Thinwizzy]

<p>I don't get it, why does it even matter if there is an equal number of good and evil cities?</p>

[TheSpin]

<p>With just a little bit of effort, they could still make both Gorowyn and Halas into neutral cities.</p><p>Just add a 'good' or 'evil' step into the character creation screen (before city selection).  Obviously good and evil races wouldn't get a choice.</p><p>After that, all that needs to be done is to basically layer a good city and an evil city on top of each other.  The computer would see it as two seperate entities, a good Gorowyn and an evil Gorowyn, but it could be done in a way that the players wouldn't really notice a difference between the two.  Maybe seperate housing doors for each faction would have to be made, or maybe some other details would have to be reworked, but overall I'm sure it's possible.</p>

[Macross_JR]

<p><cite>TheSpin wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>With just a little bit of effort, they could still make both Gorowyn and Halas into neutral cities.</p><p>Just add a 'good' or 'evil' step into the character creation screen (before city selection).  Obviously good and evil races wouldn't get a choice.</p><p>After that, all that needs to be done is to basically layer a good city and an evil city on top of each other.  The computer would see it as two seperate entities, a good Gorowyn and an evil Gorowyn, but it could be done in a way that the players wouldn't really notice a difference between the two.  Maybe seperate housing doors for each faction would have to be made, or maybe some other details would have to be reworked, but overall I'm sure it's possible.</p></blockquote><p>Actually they don't even need to put an option in character creation for good or evil, they need to just swap the order in which things are choosen.  Technically they don't even have to have a faction tied to a city, they could just let you start in that city seeing as you are nuetral to them anyway.</p>

[Wyeth]

<p>Is Halas coming in GU 54?</p>

[Galithdor]

<p><cite>Thinwizzy@Nagafen wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>I don't get it, why does it even matter if there is an equal number of good and evil cities?</p></blockquote><p>Symmetry...and PVP issues</p>

[Kigneer]

<p><cite>TheSpin wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>With just a little bit of effort, they could still make both Gorowyn and Halas into neutral cities.</p></blockquote><p>Halas would have to be a neutral city, because Barbarians are a neutral race. Wouldn't make sense to have a neutral race tied to a good or evil city.</p>

[Thinwizzy]

<p><cite>Galithdor wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p><cite>Thinwizzy@Nagafen wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>I don't get it, why does it even matter if there is an equal number of good and evil cities?</p></blockquote><p>Symmetry...and PVP issues</p></blockquote><p>It doesn't matter in pvp what side has more cities.  Evil will always triumph over good because good is dumb.</p>

[denmom]

<p><cite>Wyeth wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>Is Halas coming in GU 54?</p></blockquote><p>It's supposed to be in Feb, after the expac hits.</p>

[Wyeth]

<p><cite>Pheep@Unrest wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p><cite>Wyeth wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>Is Halas coming in GU 54?</p></blockquote><p>It's supposed to be in Feb, after the expac hits.</p></blockquote><p>Oh, OK, thanks.  I was under the impression that it was going to happen before the expansion. </p>

[feldon30]

The original intention was January, before the expansion. Now Gu55 will probably hit the same day or a few days before the expansion (Feb 16).

[Gisallo]

<p><cite>Gimbel@Permafrost wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p><cite>Banedon@Antonia Bayle wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p><cite>shadowscale wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p><cite>Banedon@Antonia Bayle wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>Kelethin and Gorowyn are more akin to each other, as they are good/evil but very very tolerant of the opposite alignment people.</p></blockquote><p>you havent delt with the roal guards in kelethin have you? and evils cant buy there. even barred from entire quest lines. gorowyn dosent have blocked quest lines.</p></blockquote><p>whine whine whine whine whine whine whine whine whine whine whine whine whine whine whine whine</p><p>Sorry, didn't quite catch you there.</p><p>OK, lets think this through, Freeport and Qeynos are obviously complementary as one allows good/neutral races and classes, the other allows evil/neutral races and classes, both are kos to the opposite alignment but most guards are wimpy at high levels or can be dodged.</p><p>So the question becomes, which of the two additional evil cities are closer to Kelethin and could be considered 'complementary'.</p><p>Lets see how the three other cities treat people of the opposite alignment -</p><p>Evil people are tolerated in Kelethin (sure they are KoS around the royal court, but thats ONE platform)</p><p>Good people are tolerated in Gorowyn pretty much everywhere in the zone</p><p>Good people are totally KOS in Neriak, you have to be in the high levels before even thinking about trying to sneak or invis past the OTT guards.</p><p>Therefore, in terms of attitude to opposite alignments, Gorowyn and Kelethin are more complementary than Neriak and Kelethin.</p><p>Perhaps when Halas has been added and the 3 evil verses 2 good cities issue has been addressed, they may relax the questing rules in Kelethin.  In addition my good characters have never been able to pick up Gorowyn writs, so Gorowyn DOES have blocked quests.</p><p>Why on earth evils need another neutral city pandering to them I don't know.</p></blockquote><p>No, you are wrong.  Kelethin is not tolerant to Evil aligned players.  Kelethin and Neriak are akin to each other.  Here is how it goes as of right now:</p><p>Freeport=Qeynos</p><p>Neriak=Kelethin</p><p>Gorrowyn=???</p><p>I am just wondering, because it's suppose to be used for the new EQ2 Trial how it's going to work.  And would love if it was just a good version of Gorrowyn.</p></blockquote><p>All the minutia aside for a moment it comes down to who can live/start there.</p><p>with the new change</p><p>Good/neutral Qeynos, Kelethin</p><p>Evil/Neutral Freeport, Gorowyn, Neriak</p><p>with the inclusion of Halas as a "good" city, there will now be 3 for each not 2 and 3.</p>

[Gisallo]

<p><cite>Kigneer wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p><cite>TheSpin wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>With just a little bit of effort, they could still make both Gorowyn and Halas into neutral cities.</p></blockquote><p>Halas would have to be a neutral city, because Barbarians are a neutral race. Wouldn't make sense to have a neutral race tied to a good or evil city.</p></blockquote><p>Well first for whatever reason the devs have stated that the game does not allow them to have real neutral cities due to mechanical issues.  Could be a cop out, I don't know. </p><p>Now I am going to play lore geek for a minute here <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />.  Barbarians in the Shattered Lands are of course Neutral, but who knows what the heck happened to the Barbs of New Halas.  Maybe something happened so they returned to the primary worship of Marr?  Maybe they just got into a fight with something REALLY evil and had to pick "good" just to have enough allies to survive?  It may just be for mechanical reasons or they may (or may not) have a lore based reason for this decision but we won't know until SF hits.  I just hope I can survive the boredom until then.</p>

[Cusashorn]

<p><cite>Galibier@Lucan DLere wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p><cite>Kigneer wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p><cite>TheSpin wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>With just a little bit of effort, they could still make both Gorowyn and Halas into neutral cities.</p></blockquote><p>Halas would have to be a neutral city, because Barbarians are a neutral race. Wouldn't make sense to have a neutral race tied to a good or evil city.</p></blockquote><p>Well first for whatever reason the devs have stated that the game does not allow them to have real neutral cities due to mechanical issues.  Could be a cop out, I don't know. </p><p>Now I am going to play lore geek for a minute here <img src="/eq2/images/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" />.  Barbarians in the Shattered Lands are of course Neutral, but who knows what the heck happened to the Barbs of New Halas.  Maybe something happened so they returned to the primary worship of Marr?  Maybe they just got into a fight with something REALLY evil and had to pick "good" just to have enough allies to survive?  It may just be for mechanical reasons or they may (or may not) have a lore based reason for this decision but we won't know until SF hits.  I just hope I can survive the boredom until then.</p></blockquote><p>Actually, the Barbarians rarely ever worshiped Mithanial Marr. The shaman guild were strict followers of the Tribunal, and served as the city's ruling government. The Warriors were either Agnostic, Tribunal, or Rallos Zek (note, this did not make them evil. *ANY* Warrior for all races except Iksar and Vah Shir could worship him), and the Rogues were Agnostic, Bristlebane, or Tribunal.</p><p>Mithanial Marr wasn't even added until the Sullon Zek server came out, where it was realized that the Barbarians had no Good dieties to place them on that team.</p><p>At any rate, what with them removing racial restrictions to the existing cities and allowing all good and neutral races to start in Kelethin, all Evil races to start in Gorowyn, and all neutral races to start in Neriak, we can expect to see all good and neutral races in Halas. Halas is pretty much gonna be a neutral-good city.</p>

[Gisallo]

<p><cite>Cusashorn wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>Actually, the Barbarians rarely ever worshiped Mithanial Marr. The shaman guild were strict followers of the Tribunal, and served as the city's ruling government. The Warriors were either Agnostic, Tribunal, or Rallos Zek (note, this did not make them evil. *ANY* Warrior for all races except Iksar and Vah Shir could worship him), and the Rogues were Agnostic, Bristlebane, or Tribunal.</p><p>Mithanial Marr wasn't even added until the Sullon Zek server came out, where it was realized that the Barbarians had no Good dieties to place them on that team.</p><p>At any rate, what with them removing racial restrictions to the existing cities and allowing all good and neutral races to start in Kelethin, all Evil races to start in Gorowyn, and all neutral races to start in Neriak, we can expect to see all good and neutral races in Halas. Halas is pretty much gonna be a neutral-good city.</p></blockquote><p>I know thats the known evolution but I thought they retrofitted the race so to speak, stating they were created by Marr and had worshipped Marr but some event (which was always vague because of the fact Marr himself was an add on) turned them to being what they were at launch.  A conversation for another forum of course though.</p>

[Rijacki]

<p><cite>Cusashorn wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>Halas is pretty much gonna be a neutral-good city.</p></blockquote><p>This would be pretty much counter to what was said at Fan Faire and other venues about Halas being part of their new 'trial' starting area. It would be very restrictive to have the trial be limited to only good or neutral races.</p>

[Gninja]

<p>The current plan is to have New Halas coming in with the expansion as free content. It is planned to be Good-Neutral and those races who are aligned good or neutral can start there. Now that is how we have it planned as long as mutant gnomes don't come in and change everything <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></p>

[TheSpin]

<p><cite>Gninja wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>The current plan is to have New Halas coming in with the expansion as free content. It is planned to be Good-Neutral and those races who are aligned good or neutral can start there. Now that is how we have it planned as long as mutant gnomes don't come in and change everything <img src="/eq2/images/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" /></p></blockquote><p>I'm wondering if my suggestion of having a good and evil city basically overlapping to create a neutral city is at all possible.   First post on page 2 as a reference if you don't know what I'm talking about.</p>

[Cusashorn]

<p><cite>Rijacki wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p><cite>Cusashorn wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>Halas is pretty much gonna be a neutral-good city.</p></blockquote><p>This would be pretty much counter to what was said at Fan Faire and other venues about Halas being part of their new 'trial' starting area. It would be very restrictive to have the trial be limited to only good or neutral races.</p></blockquote><p>So it will be no different from the Trail of the Fey. Why should that be an issue?</p>

[Dreyco]

<p>The Streaming Client eliminates all needs for a "Small Download Trial", as everything that a player comes into the game doing will be a small download.</p><p>Therefore, Halas can be any allignment they wish it to be and it won't make a difference.  If someone wants to start evil-neutral, they can roll in Timerous Deep.</p>

[TheSpin]

<p><cite>Dreyco wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>The Streaming Client eliminates all needs for a "Small Download Trial", as everything that a player comes into the game doing will be a small download.</p><p>Therefore, Halas can be any allignment they wish it to be and it won't make a difference.  If someone wants to start evil-neutral, they can roll in Timerous Deep.</p></blockquote><p>I think the concern for most of us is more about housing/living in a city than creating a character in Halas or going through any starter quest lines.  It's kinda sad that it sounds like Freeport friendly Barbarians won't be able to return to their home city.</p>

[Macross_JR]

<p><cite>TheSpin wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p><cite>Dreyco wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>The Streaming Client eliminates all needs for a "Small Download Trial", as everything that a player comes into the game doing will be a small download.</p><p>Therefore, Halas can be any allignment they wish it to be and it won't make a difference.  If someone wants to start evil-neutral, they can roll in Timerous Deep.</p></blockquote><p>I think the concern for most of us is more about housing/living in a city than creating a character in Halas or going through any starter quest lines.  It's kinda sad that it sounds like Freeport friendly Barbarians won't be able to return to their home city.</p></blockquote><p>That really is my main question.  But from what Gninja said, I won't be able to take my barbarian bruiser there, so I am going to betray him to monk.</p>

[Vonotar]

<p><cite>Gninja wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>The current plan is to have New Halas coming in with the expansion as free content. It is planned to be Good-Neutral and those races who are aligned good or neutral can start there. Now that is how we have it planned as long as mutant gnomes don't come in and change everything <img src="/eq2/images/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" /></p></blockquote><p>Does this mean that Neriak will still be the only city that is over-the-top aggro to players of the opposite alignment?</p>

[Cusashorn]

<p><cite>Vonotar@Antonia Bayle wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p><cite>Gninja wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>The current plan is to have New Halas coming in with the expansion as free content. It is planned to be Good-Neutral and those races who are aligned good or neutral can start there. Now that is how we have it planned as long as mutant gnomes don't come in and change everything <img src="/eq2/images/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" /></p></blockquote><p>Does this mean that Neriak will still be the only city that is over-the-top aggro to players of the opposite alignment?</p></blockquote><p>Yeah whats up with that? The city is already enlclosed by tunnels and bridges, but do the level 85, soon to be 95x4 guards walking around every part of city really have to be there? I could feign death past them if I wanted, but it'd be nice to just invis instead.</p>

[Trellium]

<p><cite>Cusashorn wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>Yeah whats up with that? The city is already enlclosed by tunnels and bridges, but do the level 85, soon to be 95x4 guards walking around every part of city really have to be there? I could feign death past them if I wanted, but it'd be nice to just invis instead.</p></blockquote><p>Pssst. Don't tell anyone, but those guards, tunnels and bridges are there to keep the dark elves IN. Mere safety precaution for the rest of us.</p><p><img src="/eq2/images/smilies/908627bbe5e9f6a080977db8c365caff.gif" border="0" /></p>

[Gisallo]

<p><cite>Cusashorn wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p><cite>Vonotar@Antonia Bayle wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p><cite>Gninja wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>The current plan is to have New Halas coming in with the expansion as free content. It is planned to be Good-Neutral and those races who are aligned good or neutral can start there. Now that is how we have it planned as long as mutant gnomes don't come in and change everything <img src="/eq2/images/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" /></p></blockquote><p>Does this mean that Neriak will still be the only city that is over-the-top aggro to players of the opposite alignment?</p></blockquote><p>Yeah whats up with that? The city is already enlclosed by tunnels and bridges, but do the level 85, soon to be 95x4 guards walking around every part of city really have to be there? I could feign death past them if I wanted, but it'd be nice to just invis instead.</p></blockquote><p>Or at a minimum have the collection quest and HQ rewards that let you take on the illusion of one of the "permited" races actually be worth something practical.  As it is now there isn't even a "back door" into the place like Freeport and Qeynos.  TBH while they set an "open" precedent with Gorowyn, and I KNOW it would annoy the Freeport based barbs, if they really want balance between them Halas should be as hellish to get around for evil and Neriak is for good.  My guess is though, while evil won't be able to get housing in New Halas, they will likely have as open quest access in the newbie zone as everyone did in Tim deep.  Brenlo went out of his way at Fan Faire saying how this was going to be the largest starting zone ever in EQ2 and if its limited to good/neutral races there will be lots of angst babies. </p>

[Krazzil]

<p>They should make a pair of starting cities where Good and Evil are separated by one zone.</p><p>Kinda like Odus....</p><p>hmmmmm</p>

[Cusashorn]

<p><cite>Aerazykil@Everfrost wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>They should make a pair of starting cities where Good and Evil are separated by one zone.</p><p>Kinda like Odus....</p><p>hmmmmm</p></blockquote><p>keep dreaming. Odus won't have any starting areas.</p>

[Seolta]

<p>To make the home city of the worshippers of the Tribunal(the original neutral diety)  into a non-neutral city is a complete travesty as far as lore is concerned(Halas was the home of 1 evil temple-Rallos Zek, 1 good temple(Mithaniel Marr) and 1 neutral temple - Tribunal). It's also downright stupid considering barbarians have been a neutral race in EQ2 since day one.</p><p>You might as well just turn the high elves evil and stupid in the next expansion and build them a dirty trailer park starting city complete with tinkered Norrathian NASCAR racetrack and county fair. p </p><p>p.s. Guess i'm gonna have to change my sig now too. Thanks SO much.</p>

[Cjay]

<p>Solution! Step guards up in kelethin to match that of Neriak and make halas good but non agro to evil, yus? I think that'd even things out alot. also what would halas have as its main enemy. FP=Blood skulls, Qeynos= Gnolls, Neriak = Thexians?, Kelethin = Chrushbone orcs, gorowin =aviaks, Halas = ???. was gnolls in eq1 but i think i remmeber there being orcs aswell on the plains outside of everfrost mountians. but as this is NEW Halas im guessing it could be something else all together. Doubt it'll be gnolls cause the BB tunnel collapsed. Knowing SOE the unimaginative bunch that they seem to be recently MORE viod crap. Undead I Think maybe good.</p>

[Seidhkona]

<p><cite>Seolta@Unrest wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>To make the home city of the worshippers of the Tribunal(the original neutral diety)  into a non-neutral city is a complete travesty as far as lore is concerned(Halas was the home of 1 evil temple-Rallos Zek, 1 good temple(Mithaniel Marr) and 1 neutral temple - Tribunal). It's also downright stupid considering barbarians have been a neutral race in EQ2 since day one.</p></blockquote><p>This isn't Halas, it's NEW HALAS. When Halas was destroyed a new city had to be built, this some of these disconnects you are seeing.</p>

[scalzo]

<p>Yeah and if you want to keep bringing up the past. Barbarians where not allowed to be Shadow Knights or a knight period OK. So you fail on the lore aspect.</p>

[Seidhkona]

<p><cite>scalzo wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>Yeah and if you want to keep bringing up the past. Barbarians where not allowed to be Shadow Knights or a knight period OK. So you fail on the lore aspect.</p></blockquote><p>EQ1 Halasians could be Warriors, Shaman, or Rogues I believe.</p><p>Paladins and Shadowknights were not part of the ancestral culture, but as we children of Halas have moved out in the world, we too have become knights for both good and evil. Typically the evil races or humans were Shadowknights, while Paladins were drawn from the dwarves, elves, humans and erudites. </p><p>When you are the of the Tribe of Marr, though, being both good and a paladin is a glorious thing! But you know, we pray for the beknighted who fall into the clutches of evil anyway.</p>

[Cjay]

<p><cite>scalzo wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>Yeah and if you want to keep bringing up the past. Barbarians where not allowed to be Shadow Knights or a knight period OK. So you fail on the lore aspect.</p></blockquote><p>Also in eq2 there are no race restrictions reguarding race only alignment unlike eq1. And Remember This Is New Halas And Eq1 was set 500 year befor eq2 so alot could have changed for those barbarians isolated and the returning barbarians would bring their new heritage along with them.</p>

[Harlequin]

<p>Call me curious, but why do good characters concern themselves with what the access to Neriak is like?  Unlike Kelethin, which sits in the center of a zone that one has to pass through to reach certain dungeons, I'm not aware of a similar situation with Neriak.  Thus, I don't really see any way of "balancing" the cities out in the truest sense anyway.</p>

[Chikkin]

<p>there are quests that require good toons to go to neriak</p>

[Seidhkona]

<p><cite>HarlequinJD wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>Call me curious, but why do good characters concern themselves with what the access to Neriak is like?  Unlike Kelethin, which sits in the center of a zone that one has to pass through to reach certain dungeons, I'm not aware of a similar situation with Neriak.  Thus, I don't really see any way of "balancing" the cities out in the truest sense anyway.</p></blockquote><p>I usually go direct to a merchan'ts house to purchase pricey items and save a plat or two on a master, so being able to sneak in is a consideration for me. It is possible to invis past the Neriak guards now, which is handy.</p><p>And there's also the coolness of getting to see a new area. If all you have are good toons (which is nearly the case for me personally, though I do have a couple of evils) and no free alt slots, sneaking in may be the only way to see the area.</p>

[urgthock]

<p><cite>Sigrdrifa@Lucan DLere wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p><cite>scalzo wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>Yeah and if you want to keep bringing up the past. Barbarians where not allowed to be Shadow Knights or a knight period OK. So you fail on the lore aspect.</p></blockquote><p>EQ1 Halasians could be Warriors, Shaman, or Rogues I believe.</p><p>Paladins and Shadowknights were not part of the ancestral culture, but as we children of Halas have moved out in the world, we too have become knights for both good and evil. Typically the evil races or humans were Shadowknights, while Paladins were drawn from the dwarves, elves, humans and erudites. </p><p>When you are the of the Tribe of Marr, though, being both good and a paladin is a glorious thing! But you know, we pray for the beknighted who fall into the clutches of evil anyway.</p></blockquote><p>They could also be be@stlords. I had one.</p>