Neutral Ratongas? Where?

[Winter]

<p><span style="color: #cc99ff; font-size: medium;">I remember it being mentioned that ratongas were going neutral along with some of the classes. For some reason, however, I can only create new EBIL ratonga peepulz! I are confused. Anyone know if this was changed or something?</span></p>

[Meirril]

<p>The lore reason for the formerly alligned classes becomming neutral hasn't gone in yet. That is suppose to be comming with LU58. It might not, ask someone on test.</p><p>Ratonga might go neutral with LU58. They might not. Dev might of even changed their minds about it too. This is probably a better question for the test boards because there isn't any lore reason for it yet.</p>

[Xalmat]

<p>Where do you hear that Ratonga are going neutral?</p>

[Kaitheel]

<p>'Spoiler alert!</p><p>It was indeed something spoken about at the Lore and Quests panel at FanFaire, but it hasn't been locked down to any particular date or GU, to my knowledge.</p><p>~Kaitheel</p>

[Cusashorn]

<p>Further spoiler alert- The Roekillik are so maliciously evil that the Ratonga as a race entirely realized just how much better off they were, now that their predecessors have returned. The Ratonga are basically realizing that there's no reason to stay in the evil cities, and have had a change of heart after seeing what the Roekillik do on a normal daily basis.</p>

[Xalmat]

<p>OK, I can support this.</p><p>Gogo Ratonga!</p><p>By the way, which Qeynos district will they live in? Baubbleshire?</p>

[Cusashorn]

<p>Whichever one they choose to live in. I wouldn't expect to see ratongas showing up as regular NPC's in the city just because players can now play as a good Ratonga from the start.</p>

[Rijacki]

<p>Qeynos has a nice, and dry, sewer system.. err catacombs. Kelethin not so much. For Halas, they at least have fur coats *smirk*</p>

[Xalmat]

<p><cite>Cusashorn wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>I wouldn't expect to see ratongas showing up as regular NPC's in the city just because players can now play as a good Ratonga from the start.</p></blockquote><p>Some of my <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wgr9nwFfmtY" target="_blank">favorite NPCs in the entire game</a> are Ratongas from Freeport. It would be a shame not to see energetic and eccentric Ratonga populate Qeynos.</p>

[Cusashorn]

<p>It would be a shame, but SoE would rather not hire voice talent to record a couple lines of dialogue to do so, or alter the "negative" dialogue that other flavor NPC's say to the Ratonga when they see them.</p>

[Meirril]

<p><cite>Xalmat wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>OK, I can support this.</p><p>Gogo Ratonga!</p><p>By the way, which Qeynos district will they live in? Baubbleshire?</p></blockquote><p>Greystone yard, the default home of every evil race that enters Qeynos.</p>

[Zabjade]

<p><span style="color: #00cc00;">Ratongas seem to like tinkering however.</span></p>

[Xalmat]

<p><cite>Zabjade wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p><span style="color: #00cc00;">Ratongas seem to like tinkering however.</span></p></blockquote><p>It's not so much that they like tinkering, it's that they like shiny things. They just happen to be tinkering in the process <img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></p>

[Zabjade]

<p><span style="color: #00cc00;">Nonono that's the <span style="color: #ff00ff;">FERRETONGA</span> that are like that! <img src="/smilies/69934afc394145350659cd7add244ca9.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></span></p><p><span style="color: #00cc00;"></span></p><p><span style="color: #00cc00;">An'd it's why they never made it to the Playable characters they were all enmass staring at a ? and got eaten by a passing Hungry Troll...or was that a Halfling?</span></p>

[Jrral]

<p><cite>Cusashorn wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>Further spoiler alert- The Roekillik are so maliciously evil that the Ratonga as a race entirely realized just how much better off they were, now that their predecessors have returned. The Ratonga are basically realizing that there's no reason to stay in the evil cities, and have had a change of heart after seeing what the Roekillik do on a normal daily basis.</p></blockquote><p>I've always thought the ratonga weren't so much evil as a) concerned with their own agenda, b) way too intelligent and inquisitive for their own good, and c) having a somewhat casual attitude towards the ownership of anything not firmly nailed down. They seem to have ended up in Freeport mainly because Qeynos went "Eww. Thieving rats. Do not want.", and Lucan was smart enough (for once) to realize it was better to have them somewhere where he could keep track of at least some of what they were up to.</p><p>There's a reason the ratonga are doing a better job of filling in the gnome's equations than the gnomes are.</p>

[Cusashorn]

<p>This is true that Freeport just happened to be the first city that the Ratonga came upon when they reached the surface.</p>

[Nakaru-Nitepaw]

<p><cite>Jrral@Unrest wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p><span style="font-size: 10.9954px; ">I've always thought the ratonga weren't so much evil as a) concerned with their own agenda, b) way too intelligent and inquisitive for their own good, and c) having a somewhat casual attitude towards the ownership of anything not firmly nailed down. They seem to have ended up in Freeport mainly because Qeynos went "Eww. Thieving rats. Do not want.", and Lucan was smart enough (for once) to realize it was better to have them somewhere where he could keep track of at least some of what they were up to. </span><span style="font-size: 10.9954px; ">There's a reason the ratonga are doing a better job of filling in the gnome's equations than the gnomes are.</span></p></blockquote><p>This makes it sound like all ratonga are supposed to be involved in some huge unknown plot, and everyone is paranoid as to what it is. My ratongas are mostly good, and are good because they like helping people. To sorta show the world how steriotypes aren't always the truth. Such as not all dwarves are drunks, not all trolls are bog dwelling cannibals, not all halflings love to eat, not all ogres love to bash, and not all erudites are book reading eggheads lol. It has nothing to do with a agenda that took place before some of my characters were even born. Some of them are (in RP) born in qeynos and have never heard of this plot to take over the world by chasing everyone away with stinky cheese. Oops i shouldn't have saids that muches... I has to gas you nows. (hehe)</p>

[kelvmor]

<p><cite>Eschia@Antonia Bayle wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p><cite>Jrral@Unrest wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p><span style="font-size: 10.9954px; ">I've always thought the ratonga weren't so much evil as a) concerned with their own agenda, b) way too intelligent and inquisitive for their own good, and c) having a somewhat casual attitude towards the ownership of anything not firmly nailed down. They seem to have ended up in Freeport mainly because Qeynos went "Eww. Thieving rats. Do not want.", and Lucan was smart enough (for once) to realize it was better to have them somewhere where he could keep track of at least some of what they were up to. </span><span style="font-size: 10.9954px; ">There's a reason the ratonga are doing a better job of filling in the gnome's equations than the gnomes are.</span></p></blockquote><p>Such as not all dwarves are drunks, not all trolls are bog dwelling cannibals, not all halflings love to eat, not all ogres love to bash, and not all erudites are book reading eggheads lol.</p></blockquote><p>These are actually all 100% true, aside from the cannibal part. All dwarves love ale (even if some can't stomach it for long), all trolls would prefer a bog to dry city streets, halflings -do- love food, and ogres are violent creatures, period, because it was hard-coded into them by Rallos Zek, even if they seem gentle at first. As soon as you give an ogre a chance to crush something, they will crush it, and crush it again simply because it pleases them. Now, the stupid ogre stereotype is no longer true. And yes, all Erudites are book-reading eggheads, because of the magical evolution that took place after they moved to Odus. Now, some might prefer a martial profession compared to that of a priest or mage, but I guarentee you, you will almost never see a stupid Erudite, unless that Erudite was dropped on the head when he was a child.</p>

[Cusashorn]

<p><cite>kelvmor wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p><cite>Eschia@Antonia Bayle wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p><cite>Jrral@Unrest wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p><span style="font-size: 10.9954px; ">I've always thought the ratonga weren't so much evil as a) concerned with their own agenda, b) way too intelligent and inquisitive for their own good, and c) having a somewhat casual attitude towards the ownership of anything not firmly nailed down. They seem to have ended up in Freeport mainly because Qeynos went "Eww. Thieving rats. Do not want.", and Lucan was smart enough (for once) to realize it was better to have them somewhere where he could keep track of at least some of what they were up to. </span><span style="font-size: 10.9954px; ">There's a reason the ratonga are doing a better job of filling in the gnome's equations than the gnomes are.</span></p></blockquote><p>Such as not all dwarves are drunks, not all trolls are bog dwelling cannibals, not all halflings love to eat, not all ogres love to bash, and not all erudites are book reading eggheads lol.</p></blockquote><p>These are actually all 100% true, aside from the cannibal part. All dwarves love ale (even if some can't stomach it for long), all trolls would prefer a bog to dry city streets, halflings -do- love food, and ogres are violent creatures, period, because it was hard-coded into them by Rallos Zek, even if they seem gentle at first. As soon as you give an ogre a chance to crush something, they will crush it, and crush it again simply because it pleases them. Now, the stupid ogre stereotype is no longer true. And yes, all Erudites are book-reading eggheads, because of the magical evolution that took place after they moved to Odus. Now, some might prefer a martial profession compared to that of a priest or mage, but I guarentee you, you will almost never see a stupid Erudite, unless that Erudite was dropped on the head when he was a child.</p></blockquote><p>And said child would still graduate top of his class from Harvard by modern standards.</p>

[kelvmor]

<p><cite>Cusashorn wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p><cite>kelvmor wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p><cite>Eschia@Antonia Bayle wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p><cite>Jrral@Unrest wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p><span style="font-size: 10.9954px; ">I've always thought the ratonga weren't so much evil as a) concerned with their own agenda, b) way too intelligent and inquisitive for their own good, and c) having a somewhat casual attitude towards the ownership of anything not firmly nailed down. They seem to have ended up in Freeport mainly because Qeynos went "Eww. Thieving rats. Do not want.", and Lucan was smart enough (for once) to realize it was better to have them somewhere where he could keep track of at least some of what they were up to. </span><span style="font-size: 10.9954px; ">There's a reason the ratonga are doing a better job of filling in the gnome's equations than the gnomes are.</span></p></blockquote><p>Such as not all dwarves are drunks, not all trolls are bog dwelling cannibals, not all halflings love to eat, not all ogres love to bash, and not all erudites are book reading eggheads lol.</p></blockquote><p>These are actually all 100% true, aside from the cannibal part. All dwarves love ale (even if some can't stomach it for long), all trolls would prefer a bog to dry city streets, halflings -do- love food, and ogres are violent creatures, period, because it was hard-coded into them by Rallos Zek, even if they seem gentle at first. As soon as you give an ogre a chance to crush something, they will crush it, and crush it again simply because it pleases them. Now, the stupid ogre stereotype is no longer true. And yes, all Erudites are book-reading eggheads, because of the magical evolution that took place after they moved to Odus. Now, some might prefer a martial profession compared to that of a priest or mage, but I guarentee you, you will almost never see a stupid Erudite, unless that Erudite was dropped on the head when he was a child.</p></blockquote><p>And said child would still graduate top of his class from Harvard by modern standards.</p></blockquote><p>Yup!</p>

[Nakaru-Nitepaw]

<p>I still see all of those as just the steriotypes. It's all on the perspective of how a player chooses to RP their character, not what is written for them to do. <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> For example the guild that i'm in accepts all races even though it's good aligned as long as they betrayed and need shelter. We got dark elves who instead of hating, prefer to care. <img src="/smilies/69934afc394145350659cd7add244ca9.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> The whole ratonga hidden agenda thing, not even most of us people who play as tongas know what it is. lol</p>

[kelvmor]

<p>Sometimes, though, there comes to be too many non-stereotypes. Too many Drizzt-dark elves, too many valorous Iksar, and not enough stereotypes. You do not understand, methinks, how many good-aligned evil races there are on Antonia Bayle, and how many evil-aligned good races there are on AB. It makes my head hurt. I play my stereotypes, and love them, though I can't help but think that I'm eventually going to be one of the last pockets of black amongst a world of gray.</p><p>My ogres will be battle-hardened Rallosian devotees that like to kill things. My Iksar will by Cazicite zealots (aside from one Rallosian exception). My dwarves will be ale-loving warriors that prefer heavy weapons. If I get an orc illusion and RP an orc, he will attack you on sight to try and kill you and take your stuff. And most of all, my dark elves will be strictly Innoruukian.</p>

[Jrral]

<p><cite>Eschia@Antonia Bayle wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>This makes it sound like all ratonga are supposed to be involved in some huge unknown plot, and everyone is paranoid as to what it is.</p></blockquote><p>Well, based on the published game lore, all ratonga <em>are</em> involved in some unknown plot. Well, unknown to non-ratonga, because the ratonga just don't talk about it when non-ratonga are around. It's not so much a secret as something that's just not any of those other races' business. My impression from the lore is that most ratonga at least partly follow Brell, and their main focus is the Underfoot and the problems the roekillik are causing. The surface world's something they have to live in (thank you roekillik ever so much) and it can be useful to deal with it at times, but it's not something they really consider their problem.</p><p>And yeah, most people are paranoid around ratonga. Bristlebane had a hand in them, and they love playing tricks on the stupid gadjo who aren't on the ball enough to notice and take steps.</p>

[Nakaru-Nitepaw]

<p><cite>Jrral@Unrest wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p><span style="font-size: 10.9954px;">Well, based on the published game lore, all ratonga <em>are</em> involved in some unknown plot. Well, unknown to non-ratonga, because the ratonga just don't talk about it when non-ratonga are around.</span></p></blockquote><p>Yea i know it's in the lore; but if there is a secret, it's a secret kept from even ratongas because none of us who play ratongas know of it. You'd think there would be some secret book that would appear in your bags if your a ratonga just starting out that fills you in on it but nope. lol <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></p>

[kelvmor]

<p>Or if you're a dwarf, a book concerning the Great March.</p>

[Jrral]

<p><cite>Eschia@Antonia Bayle wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>Yea i know it's in the lore; but if there is a secret, it's a secret kept from even ratongas because none of us who play ratongas know of it. You'd think there would be some secret book that would appear in your bags if your a ratonga just starting out that fills you in on it but nope. lol <img src="/eq2/images/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" /></p></blockquote><p>You've read the Prima guide for the original game?</p>

[Meirril]

<p><cite>Eschia@Antonia Bayle wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p><cite>Jrral@Unrest wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p><span style="font-size: 10.9954px;">Well, based on the published game lore, all ratonga <em>are</em> involved in some unknown plot. Well, unknown to non-ratonga, because the ratonga just don't talk about it when non-ratonga are around.</span></p></blockquote><p>Yea i know it's in the lore; but if there is a secret, it's a secret kept from even ratongas because none of us who play ratongas know of it. You'd think there would be some secret book that would appear in your bags if your a ratonga just starting out that fills you in on it but nope. lol <img src="/eq2/images/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" /></p></blockquote><p>A secret is best kept between two people if one of them is dead. The pawns don't need to understand the game so long as they continue to move by the rules. All the players need only to know their own part in the play.</p><p>PC Ratonga play a vital role in the conspiracy: a distraction to say the Ratonga are just normal citizens and not a unified force trying to accomplish some secret goal. What is that goal? It probably has to do with their origins, but its hard to say. They may actually be plotting to take the Underfoot away from the Roeklik. They may be plotting to make a kingdom for themselves on the surface of Norrath. They may be plotting a way to prove to Brell and Bristlebane that they are the greatest creation of either and deserve to be the chosen race of both. They may be plotting a way to travel to Velious where they can consume enough warp stone to transform their mightiest warriors into horribly mutated demonic beings and to power their tinkered warp-stone infused war machines so they can lead armies of Ratonga to enslave Norrath in the name of the Gods of Chaos...er...wait no that's warhammer fantasy.</p><p>The point is, there are very good reasons that untrustworthy ratonga that have yet to prove their loyalty arn't in on a conspiracy even if it is ment for them to benifit from it.</p>

[kelvmor]

<p><cite>Meirril wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p><cite>Eschia@Antonia Bayle wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p><cite>Jrral@Unrest wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p><span style="font-size: 10.9954px;">Well, based on the published game lore, all ratonga <em>are</em> involved in some unknown plot. Well, unknown to non-ratonga, because the ratonga just don't talk about it when non-ratonga are around.</span></p></blockquote><p>Yea i know it's in the lore; but if there is a secret, it's a secret kept from even ratongas because none of us who play ratongas know of it. You'd think there would be some secret book that would appear in your bags if your a ratonga just starting out that fills you in on it but nope. lol <img src="/eq2/images/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" /></p></blockquote><p>They may be plotting a way to prove to Brell....that they are the greatest creation of either and deserve to be the chosen race of both.</p></blockquote><p>LOL, a bunch of rat people being better than dwarves.</p>

[Cusashorn]

<p>You're both inferior to Burynai, now suck it up and learn to live with it.</p>

[Zabjade]

<p><span style="color: #00cc00;">My Good DE Monk is no noble just a street-rat who wanted to be a carpenter and did't like the Coalition of Tradesfolk telling her what to do. </span></p><p><span style="color: #00cc00;">My Iksar wanted to be a True Monk not some Bruiser. </span></p>

[Xalmat]

<p><cite>kelvmor wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>And most of all, my dark elves will be strictly Innoruukian.</p></blockquote><p>Actually worshipping Solusek Ro is not strictly taboo for us Tier'Dal, especially for those of us who's profession it is to play with fire.</p>

[Cusashorn]

<p>The traditional dieties for Dark Elves are Bristlebane for the rogues, Innoruuk for everyone, Solusek Ro for the mages, and Rallos Zek for the warriors.</p>

[kelvmor]

<p><cite>Cusashorn wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>The traditional dieties for Dark Elves are Bristlebane for the rogues, Innoruuk for everyone, Solusek Ro for the mages, and Rallos Zek for the warriors.</p></blockquote><p>I was unaware of this.</p><p>I was also unaware that dark elves were capable of doing pranks without the person being pranked dying horribly in some way.</p>

[Xalmat]

<p><cite>Bakzok@Antonia Bayle wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p><cite>Cusashorn wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>The traditional dieties for Dark Elves are Bristlebane for the rogues, Innoruuk for everyone, Solusek Ro for the mages, and Rallos Zek for the warriors.</p></blockquote><p>I was unaware of this.</p></blockquote><p>It's true. In fact the breakdown is this:</p><p>Cleric, Necromancer, Shadowknight - Innoruuk onlyEnchanter, Magician - Agnostic or InnoruukRogue - Agnostic, Bristlebane, or InnoruukWarrior - Agnostic, Rallos Zek, or InnoruukWizard - Agnostic, Solusek Ro, or Innoruuk</p><p>With the exception of Cleric, Necromancer, and Shadowknight (for obvious reasons), the other playable classes for an EQ1 Dark Elf were fairly varied.</p>

[Cusashorn]

<p>NM. Xalmat covered it before I could.</p>

[Lavenderboi]

<p><cite>Bakzok@Antonia Bayle wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p><cite>Cusashorn wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>The traditional dieties for Dark Elves are Bristlebane for the rogues, Innoruuk for everyone, Solusek Ro for the mages, and Rallos Zek for the warriors.</p></blockquote><p>I was unaware of this.</p><p>I was also unaware that dark elves were capable of doing pranks without the person being pranked dying horribly in some way.</p></blockquote><p>That is more of an Arasai thing, I believe.</p><p>Dark Elf personality can be all over the map. Including sarcastic, coy, deceitful, lusty, strategic, insightful, and greedy. Aside from their typical hateful and arrogant demeanors.</p>

[Lavenderboi]

<p>/whisper</p><p>Besides, Ratonga going neutral balances the evil and good race numbers</p>