Another Sentinel’s Fate video
A little more discovery this time around, for those who are curious, I’m in a wing of The Hole (contested).
Tag: expansion
I talk about Changes coming with Sentinel’s Fate
The video is still processing at this time, and it’s VERY amateur, and my cat starts talking about 4 minutes into it – but here is a video / audio about some of the changes coming with Sentinel’s Fate that affect players of all levels, not just those at level 80.
Enjoy!
Sentinel’s Fate – Video
I made a few videos of my exploration around Sentinel’s Fate – this is just the first. There’s not a lot of actual sight seeing in it, but there’s a few more coming. I’m really tired right now, may do a future one where I actually talk. Maybe. We’ll see.
Sentinel’s Fate NDA Drops
Of course by now we’ve all heard the news that the NDA for Sentinel’s Fate has dropped – and with it comes a flood of excitement as we learn about all the goodies headed our way. I had the privilege to partake on a tour With Kiara and Timetravelling mid January, and we had a blast!
I’m looking forward to posting more information about the expansion as the days get closer to the live release – and I’ve also got a preview in the next Beckett MOG Issue #24 that hits stores at the end of March, so be on the look out for that (There are also articles on Wizard 101, Fallen Earth, and Aion that I’ve written in that issue).
I have to say one of the very basic things that appeals to me right from the get go is the absolutely astounding graphics in this expansion. I’m more excited about those then all of the level cap increases, dungeons, battlegrounds, stat revamps, and crafting additions combined.
What about everyone else?
Video Tour of Pellucid Grotto
Lore! Again be sure to check it out on the EQ web site for their magnificent gallery. I realize this video (like the first one I made) is a little dark – but they’ll be getting better over time, I promise. Thank you for watching!
Underfoot: Unfolding the Lore
Pellucid Grotto
The Pellucid Grotto is one of the areas of the Underfoot where the primal mineral underpinnings of Norrath and other worlds are managed. The race collectively known as the Crystalkin has made this their home since before memories were made.
Pellucid Grotto is a natural formation of colorful stones, where light shines through translucent crystal layers above great fissures in the ceiling, giving the area its name. Beautiful crystals thrust up from the ground of the caverns, emerging from the cave-like walls and acting as dim light sources. Other crystals, gems, ores, gasses, and substances can also be found throughout the Grotto.
The Geodech, the Crystalkin city, is dedicated to the implementation of Brell’s vision through the efforts of the Crystalkin themselves. The town was built inside the cracked stony shell of the original geode-like “seed” which Brell brought forth to create this area. This part of the city is known informally as the “Upper City”. Geodech’s structure sits partially embedded in a large, hardened flow of obsidianite, called The Obsidian Scar, which is the main center of industry for the Crystalkin and where they refine and polish the gems which are to be taken to the Repository. The outer portion of the Crystalkin city is referred to informally as the Lower City, and the busier parts of this Lower City are arranged on the flatter areas of the Scar. The Upper City and the Lower City have been split recently by a wave of violence sparked by a third group of the Crystalkin deciding to leave the city in favor of following the Faith of Self. Tensions between the two groups are still high.
Surrounding Geodech, the Obsidian Scar, and other areas within the vicinity are outcroppings of a primal metallic material known as Euthorium. A great mass of Euthorium to the east of Geodech, originally part of a collapsed natural pillar, has been worked into a kind of natural bridge known as the Euthoric Bridge, which connects the central city with The Black Plinth. The Black Plinth is a prominent feature of obsidianite that serves as a landmark and as a ceremonial meeting place where the Crystalkin perform certain rituals.
The cave systems in this area are responsible for the creation of many of the gems found throughout Norrath. The Crystalkin harvest these crystals to make the gemstone seeds which are then sown into Norrath through The Repository. Within the Repository is a representation of Norrath where the gems are literally placed into the world by Brell’s servants. The keepers of the Repository can change the floor map at any time to display a different portion of some other world; for now the focus is on Norrath.
Recently, the normally well-ordered reality of the Pellucid Grotto has come unstrung. The harmonious creations of Brell now find themselves in conflict, and the vital work of the Underfoot is suffering as vast portions of the Underfoot lay idle. The crisis may soon spread to other metaphysical realities, with catastrophic consequences for all.
I hope everyone has enjoyed watching these short videos as I’ve had making them!
Video tour of the Cooling Chambers
Another video tour!
Of course the lore comes from the official EQ web site, so be sure to check it out, they’ve also got a wonderful gallery with more pictures.
Underfoot: Unfolding the Lore
The Cooling Chambers
Water, boiling from the lava that is the life’s blood of the Underfoot, pours into the Cooling Chambers from a sinkhole in Brell’s Rest. The water is cooled by Brell’s servants as it flows through the chambers and eventually grows cold enough to turn to ice. This water can be sent to other realms during its cooling stages, as needed.
The main population of the Cooling Chambers is a group of Coldain (Ice Dwarves) that are perpetually cooling the water that flows away from the central core, by means of a series of endothermic reactions. The ice is used to keep a massive necromantic beast frozen in a jagged glacial iceberg floating in the lower lake.
Unfortunately, some of the Coldain have rebelled against Brell’s influence because of the meddling of the first creation. One of them has learned to harness the power of the beast and is siphoning power away from it in order to fuel his own malicious schemes.
The Coldain are not comfortable in the top half of the Cooling Chambers but no one can perform as well as they do in the chilly depths of the Chamber. They are primarily workers, intent on their tasks, but many have gone rogue. Some rebellious workers are still, to all appearances, at work, but grudgingly. Others are roaming the passageways causing havoc.
Undead of all types can be found throughout the Cooling Chambers. The workers react with terror at the sight of the undead and flee their approach.
Thorbin the Elder
An ancestor of Coldain Guard Thorbin of Thurgadin, Thorbin the Elder was a close companion of Dain Frostreaver II, and was killed in battle with the Kromrif, when he sacrificed himself so that a troop of Coldain warriors could escape to a nearby rally point in a battle outside Kael. Thorbin dislikes spending time at the hot springs entrance to the Cooling Chambers but he can withstand the heat, if he has to. No one else in Brell’s Realm is as skilled and adapted to the work in the depths of the Cooling Chambers, where the air itself turns to ice.Valcamph Shadowfrost
Valcamph Shadowfrost is the Grandfather of Valdicar Shadowfrost, a famous adventurer living in Thurgadin. He runs the main Alchemy area in the Cooling Chambers, overseeing the delicate mixing of materials needed to create the reagents for the cooling process. Valcamph is even more of a playful rogue than his grandson, and still longs for his adventurous days in the frozen wastes of Velious. Valcamph thrives on assigning foolish, dangerous tasks so that he can live vicariously through others experiences.Tasnise Underbelly
Tasnise Underbelly, Ancestor of the Underbellys of Thurgadin, was the inspiration for the dark studies that Dalgrim Underbelly undertook. Unlike his grandson, Tasnise was brave enough, or foolish enough, to dive headfirst into necromancy and death worship. He walked a fine line between worshiping Brell and secretly lusting for the power that Bertoxxulous promised him. In the end it was Brell who claimed his soul when Tasnise died, but his heart secretly belonged to Bertoxxulous by that point. Brell claimed him as an act of spite toward Bertoxxulous, as revenge for trying to steal one of his priests.
Tasnise has not forgotten his love of darkness. He was the first creature in Brell’s domain to hear and respond to the First Creation’s call. He hides in plain sight in the Cooling Chambers now, to all appearances a faithful servant of Brell. But secretly he plots to overthrow the Lord of the Underfoot, in the service to the First Creation, so he can return to Norrath and raze Thurgadin, dreaming that it will then be rebuilt as a haven for Bertoxxulous.Only Brell’s will prevents Tasnise from leaving the Underfoot and taking over Thurgadin.
Taelin the Fearless
After years of living in obscurity within the thieves’ guilds of Freeport, Taelin Barnoc has come to the Underfoot to start over. Determined to reverse his fortunes, he gave himself the moniker Taelin the Fearless. It wasn’t long before he bumped into Rodrick Cleanheart, who convinced Taelin to take on the undead currently running amok in parts of the Cooling Chambers. However, once Taelin realized the danger involved, he became anything but fearless. He stands at the entrance to the tunnels, too afraid to return to Rodrick with the task unfinished.Entarr Coldheart
The ancestor of Captain Dunstan Coldheart of the Froststone Keep found in Crystal Caverns, Entarr Coldheart was a close companion of Dain Frostreaver I. Entarr died of old age in Froststone before the founding of Thurgadin. Though long dead, Entarr is still fiercely proud of the Coldain race.
I’m not sure whether or not people actually enjoy watching these videos or if they’re something that’s typically frowned upon, but I’m going to continue to post them, especially the EQ ones since not many people (that I read at least) are posting about EQ. This is turning into a very fun project for me.
A Video Look at Brell’s Rest
I realize the video starts off a little dark, I may have to adjust the gamma for the next video, remember these are experiments for me, and I’ve got a lot to learn still. This is a video look at Brell’s Rest – one of the first zones I visited in the latest EverQuest expansion. The video doesn’t do it justice, but I tried.
Lore (taken from the official EQ site, for more information and to visit their gallery, be sure to check out their web site!)
Underfoot Lore: Brell’s Rest
Brell’s Rest is the place where the worthy of Brell’s worshippers go when their time on Norrath ends. Some worshippers are given places amongst those of the Underfoot, to work on the world, but few find such a thing to their liking. Many spend their afterlife in an “ideal” setting for their race. Dwarves, gnomes, gnolls, kobolds and others all live in or around Brell’s Rest or in the Shining City just out of sight on the sphere above. However, most of the residents of the Rest are gnolls and kobolds. The dwarves tend to stay in the city brewing beer and crafting things in stone and metal, while the Gnomes tinker, though some of them also wander the land to see what’s up out there.
There is much conflict between the gnolls and kobolds in this domain, since conflict is what they love. Their violent and destructive tendencies tend to keep them out of the Shining City.
There is also an arena dedicated to battle in Brell’s Rest. Here groups of warriors challenge each other to games to prove their superiority.
Trouble in Paradise
Gnoll and kobold warriors have clashed joyfully on the battlefields of Brell’s Rest for millennia, but recently the kobolds have found fewer sparring partners. The gnolls have been acting stranger and stranger, as though they are hiding something from the rest of the realm. Most aren’t speaking at all, but those who do will only whisper of one they call “The Destroyer” or “The Undying One,” their faces twisted by equal parts fear and adulation. Whoever or whatever “The Destroyer” is, the gnolls do not appear to have it under their control just yet.
Excited about this expansion yet? I know I am. I’ll be posting more videos for each of the new zones as the weeks go on and the release date inches closer, so be sure to check back! If you’ve got any questions please don’t hesitate to let me know.
Trivial Matters
One of the things I have been struggling with (a little) is the fact that I know in February the level cap will be going up by 10 – thus making all of the gear I work for now pretty much obsolete. Coupled with the fact that (if it goes through at least) gear will become “grey” to the person wearing it if they out level it, thus reducing its effectiveness. That means at level 90 I’m not going to be wearing a single piece of gear from TSO (unless it was upgraded of course) because it will be ‘grey’ to my character and weaker then a piece of gear that is level 81+
With that being said, spells will also be upgraded making the spells I have now pretty much useless though you could argue the fact that you’ll want the best of the best in the mean time in order to blast through the content of the new expansion. The problem is – the new expansion is still 7 months away. This is a horribly early time to start thinking about how before too long everything will be trivial.
Then there’s also the fact that I am eagerly awaiting server transfers to come down in price so that I can get settled in a new (but old since I’ve been there before) server. I’m not moving the same characters that I’m currently playing on Kithicor (aside from the mystic) and that makes whatever I do on my current coercer and dirge / troub a little meaningless to me – since I’ll be playing someone else. I realize that probably only makes sense to myself, but that’s where things are standing right now.
Yesterday! The guild got together (minus one Kasul who was still at work) and managed to inch our way back to Obelisk of Ahkzul which was the mission of the day (or the daily double for those of you not familiar with Kithicor’s way of terming it). This is the quest given to you in the Moors that rewards 2 void shards and a plat. The zone is simple, and we cleared it without too much trouble. We did lose Ultann on the ‘bounce’ room because he fell through the world, but Burny (Wpus’ mage pet) tanked just fine while we pinged off the magical orbs.
No, the shield didn’t drop. I am fairly sure that thing is a myth, we’ve seen every single other drop numerous times now and no shield. My mystic is getting mighty tired of the RoK one she’s wearing (it’s a really bad shield) but even the void crafted ones offer very little to healers. They have no heal crit on them, low power (only 100) and no other admerable traits aside from their spiffy graphics that would convince me to want one.
The 20th of the month is coming around quickly again and that means the grotto events will be back in Norrath! I’m looking forward to adding some more house items to my collection and getting the aa’s on characters who have not done it yet. I’ve put a few for sale on Kithicor and they’ve been going for 5-10p per piece, which is just neat (and weird). It’s nice to be able to make a little coin.
I hope everyone has a fantastic Tuesday, and I’ll see you in Norrath!
Lore for the next EQ2 Expansion – in a book!
Curious about the new expansion? Want to hear a cool new way that it’s being implemented into game? Well here’s what I found out yesterday:
Kiara says: “we’re going to be doing something fun with the lore leading up to the next expansion”
Kiara says: “with the introduction of the player written books, we’ll be putting lore installments in those books and putting them on random vendors”
Kiara says: “the books will only be available for about a week”
Kiara says: “and we’ll be giving clues on which vendors are carrying them on the forums. sort of a treasure hunt sort of thing.”
Kiara says: “and they’ll be written by our lore dev :)”
Kiara says: “we thought it would be a fun way to introduce the new lore :) the first installment should be coming the week of fan faire.”
Kiara says: “so you guys will have to keep an eye out :D”
How neat is that!
For more information on GU52 and little tid bits that came out during the tour I participated in yesterday, be sure to check out the Beckett MOG forums! I’ll be adding a whole lot of screen shots and other great things that I got to see on the test server later today.