Updated Items: Ice-Glazed Collar ;  Oakwynd ;  Leather Scraps of Wither and Decay ;  Tea Leaf Oil ;  Grandmaster's Carry-All ;  Arid Indicolite Shard ;  Cloudy Potion ;  Torch ;  Small Lantern ;  Large Lantern ;  Clam Chowder ;  Iron Ration 

Updated Quests: Grandmaster's Carry-All ;  Paladin Epic 1.5: Redemption ;  A Meal of Greens ;  Dastardly Drolvarg 

Bestiary Updates: a fire elemental blazemaster ;  Blazemaster Arnab ;  Windlord Brizoris ;  Water Elemental Overseer ;  a mournful peasant ;  The Ore-mad Prophet ;  Caradawg Gwyn ;  Spirit of Incineration ;  Cathal Paclock ;  Carpenter Adomnan ; Gullerback Undying ;  Plaguebringer ;  Sovarak Klyseer ;  Searstinger ;  Zakija 

Zone Updates: Lceanium

We are looking for a couple more volunteer admins to help out with the Empires of Kunark beta and onward. If you are currently active in beta and want to help out, please let me (Gidono) or another admin know or reply to this post.

New Quests: Dastardly Drolvarg 

Bestiary Updates: a laborer ;  a musician ;  Forewoman Freleta [Quests] ;  a mountain giant steep ;  a drolvarg growler ;  a drolvarg rager ;  a drolvarg ravisher ;  a Sarnak portalkeeper ;  a plaguebone skeleton ;  a mountain giant peak ;  a Sarnak assasin ;  a mountain giant brae ;  an ethicist ;  a chef ;  a painter ;  a sculptor ;  a mason ;  a drachnid silkmistress ;  a dire widow ;  a drachnid silkmistress ;  a drachnid webstrander ;  a rotting skeleton ;  a mountain giant lord

Updated Items: Shark Skin ;  Quintessence of Health ;  White Wine ;  Water Flask ;  Underfoot Triple Bock ;  Turnip ;  Trog Brew ;  Torch ;  Tomato ;  Small Lantern ;  Short Beer ;  Short Ale ;  Salted Fish ;  Red Wine ;  Ration ;  Ogre Swill ;  Muffin ;  Meat Pie;  Mead ;  Loaf of Bread ;  Lettuce ;  Large Lantern ;  Iron Ration ;  Honey Mush Bread ;  Honey Mead ;  Honey Berry Pie ;  Gypsy Wine ;  Grooms Promise ;  Grapes ;  Gouda Cheese ;  Gnomish Spirits ;  Fresh Fish ;  Fishcakes ;  Fish Wine ;  Elven Wine ; Dwarven Ale ;  Cloudy Potion ;  Clamcakes ;  Clam Chowder ;  Cheese ;  Carrot ;  Brides Promise ;  Brandy ;  Bottle of Milk ;  Bottle of Kalish ;  Black Burrow Stout ;  Birthday Stout ;  Bandages ;  Ale ;  Raw Crypt-Hunter's Chestpiece ;  Large Darkhollow Geode 

Updated Quests: Ghulam Armor 

Bestiary Updates: a cursed drachnid assassin ;  a cursed drachnid dreadknight ;  a cursed drachnid gladiator ;  a cursed drachnid lich ;  a cursed drachnid arcanist ;  a cursed drachnid worshipper ;  an old shark ;  Pestilent Warmaster ;  Elzar Windthroppe [Quest and General Supplies] ;  Praetor Denik ;  a regu praesitor ;  a merchant [Raid Merchant] ;  a merchant (Raid Merchant) ;  a merchant (Group Merchant)

Updated Items: Wooden Practice Warhammer ;  Wooden Practice Two Handed Sword ;  Wooden Practice Two Handed Hammer ;  Wooden Practice Spear ;  Wooden Practice Short Sword ;  Wooden Practice Mace ;  Wooden Practice Long Sword ; Wooden Practice Dagger ;  Wooden Practice Broad Sword ;  Wooden Practice Flail ;  Memory Sphere ;  Fresh Fish ;  Spell: Strengthen ;  Spell: Reoccurring Amnesia ;  Spell: Elemental Armor ;  Sylvan Plate Helm Ornament ;  Tattered Hopperhide Wristbands;  Tattered Hopperhide Gorget ;  Firefall Saurek Claw ;  Shattered Jawbone ;  Sharp Toothed Jawbone ;  Darkclaw Claw ;  Thick Jawbone ;  Rotting Jawbone ;  White Ornate Chain Bridle ;  White Ornate Chain Worg Bridle ;  Black Ornate Chain Worg Bridle ; Locker of Lupine Linking ;  Mottled Worg Bridle ;  Black Ornate Chain Bridle 

Updated Quests: Zimel's Blades (Quest for SoulFire) ;  Ghulam Armor ;  Saurek Scales ;  Saurek Claws ;  Sharp Toothed Jawbones ;  Darkened Jawbones ;  Rotting Jawbones ;  Thick Jawbones ;  Agent Tiesh's Old Books ;  Cook Yalkiin's Beetle Claw Stew;  Free the Wolves ;  Locker of Lupine Linking ;  Into the Temple (B) 

New Recipes: Black Ornate Chain Worg Bridle ;  White Ornate Chain Worg Bridle 

Bestiary Updates: Ghul Rustem ;  lava beetle ;  lava duct crawler ;  Phurzikon ;  a skeletal brigand ;  a skeletal hunter ;  a firefall saurek ;  a skeletal thug ;  A Saurek Deathmaw ;  Kogar ;  Pack Leader Orgak ;  The Blazing Hen ;  The Stone Dove ;  Tithnak Shadowhunter ;  Slitherblade ;  Dread Drikat ;  Nightvenom ;  A Drolvarg Captain ;  A Drolvarg Lord ;  Darg Hillock ;  Kergag, the Mountain ;  Hunter Haltha ;  The Dreadland Wanderer ;  The Lost Hunter ;  Yeti Patriarch ;  Yeti Matriarch 

Zone Updates: Scorched Woods

Updated Items: Spell: Trepidation 

Bestiary Updates: a bottomless devourer ;  a Di`zok dragoon 

New Zones: Kor-Sha Laboratory ;  Gates of Kor-Sha ;  Temple of Droga [Empires of Kunark version] ;  Frontier Mountains [Empires of Kunark version] ;  Chardok [Empires of Kunark version] ;  Scorched Woods ;  Lceanium 

Zone Updates: Kor-Sha Laboratory ;  Gates of Kor-Sha ;  Temple of Droga [Empires of Kunark version] ;  Frontier Mountains [Empires of Kunark version] ;  Chardok [Empires of Kunark version] ;  Scorched Woods ;  Lceanium

Updated Items: Serrated Needle Claw ;  5 Dose Potion of the Frost ;  Witchlight Familiar ;  Fiendish Pumpkin Bow Ornamentation ;  Fiendish Pumpkin Shield Ornamentation ;  Fiendish Pumpkin Fist Ornamentation ;  Fiendish Pumpkin Spear Ornamentation;  Fiendish Pumpkin Rapier Ornamentation ;  Fiendish Pumpkin Maul Ornamentation ;  Fiendish Pumpkin Mace Ornamentation ;  Fiendish Pumpkin Greatsword Ornamentation ;  Fiendish Pumpkin Sword Ornamentation ;  Aura of Jack ;  Jack-O-Lantern of Plenty ;  Cursed Mummy Wrappings ;  Terribly Tired Skull ;  Tiny Tentacle Terror ;  Shield of Fright ;  Haunting Nightmares Staff Ornament ;  Grim Nightmares Mace Ornament ;  Grim Nightmares Shield Ornament ;  Haunting Nightmares Sword Ornament ; Haunting Nightmares Shield Ornament ;  Haunting Nightmares Mace Ornament ;  Grim Nightmares Staff Ornament ;  Mesmerizing Robe of Mischief ;  Giant Skull Shield ;  Robe of the All Seeing ;  Smoldering Brand 

Updated Quests: Tarton's Wheel ;  Whiptail Poison Gland 

Bestiary Updates: An Elemental Harvester ;  a blood drenched hopling ;  an arena tiger

Updated Items: Frosted Bag ;  Spell: Zephyr: Stonebrunt ;  Mithril Dagger ;  Brittle Larkspur ;  Spell: Spirit of Flame ;  Sul Vius Tower Key ;  Cracked Sul Vius Key

Updated Quests: Ghulam Armor ;  Whisperlings ;  Claw Needle ;  SoF Tradeskill Quest #5: Counting Shadows ;  Deaths of the Unliving

Bestiary Updates: Warder of Life ;  Malka Rale ;  A Shady Swashbuckler

Updated Items: Enchanted Fine Steel Morning Star ;  Totem of the High Bokon ;  High Bokon Mangling Staff ;  Runed Flesh Shield of Boromas ;  Cured Flesh Sash of Boromas ;  Fleshburner of Boromas ;  Skinflayer of Boromas ;  Emblazoned Belt of Boromas ;  Runed Belt of Boromas ;  Bolstered Belt of Boromas ;  Bifurcated Coin ;  Spirit of Influence ;  Tarnished Scimitar of Decay ;  Oxidized Kris of Decay ;  Dull Broadswoard of Decay ;  Rusted Claymore of Decay ;  Corroded Dirk of Decay ;  Discarded Cutlass of Decay ;  Broken Saber of Decay ;  Shattered Longsword of Decay ;  Decaying Skull ;  Rusty Short Sword ;  Spell: Electrical Charge 

New Quests: Raid Expedition: High Bokon Boromas ;  Achievement: None Shall Stand ;  Achievement: A Quick Death is a Good Death ;  Achievement: Strong to the Core ;  Achievement: Vanquisher of High Bokon Boromas 

Updated Quests: Vasty Deep Water ;  Vah Shir Citizenship (#1) ;  Khati Sha Recruit (Beastlord #2) ;  Achievement: Ruins of Decay (Plane of Health) 

Bestiary Updates: a skeleton ;  The Barb ;  Lashun Novashine ;  High Bokon Boromas ;  a large wooden chest

Updated Items: Swirling Ring of Cleansing Steam ;  Spike of Lasting Vapor ;  Vibrant Vapor Ring of Grannus ;  Steaming Mitts of Grannus ;  Grannus' Grumblecruncher ;  Dancing Steam Ring of Grannus ;  Grannus' Steamcleaner ;  Infinite Protective Vapor Orb ;  Cleansing Steam Satchel ;  Bifurcated Coin ;  Scutum Veritas ;  Combine Gladius ;  Gunthak Earring ;  Rusty Short Sword ;  Hog Key # 2 ;  Leather Tunic ;  Round Shield ;  Sealed Letter ;  White Wine ;  Box with Two Heads ;  Rough Silk ;  Raw Crude Hide ;  Toala's Box for heads ;  Black Bart's Spiced Rum 

New Quests: Shipside Bounty ;  I Need a Drink ;  Raid Expedition: Grannus of the Cleansing Steam ;  Achievement: No Unity ;  Achievement: No Restoration ;  Achievement: Non Transferable ;  Achievement: Vanquisher of Grannus of the Cleansing Steam 

Updated Quests: Staff of Temperate Flux ;  Hogcaller's Inn ;  Chialle's Friendship Ring ;  White Wine to Lady Shae ;  Hunting the Gaz 

Bestiary Updates: a ghoul ;  Atwin Keladryn ;  Shintl Lowbrew ;  Lady Shae ;  Hollish T'noops ;  Swin Blackeye [General Supplies] ;  Arinna Trueblade [Warrior Guildmaster] ;  Toala Nehron [Warrior Guildmaster] ;  Plagus Ladeson [Warrior Guildmaster] ; Lempeck Hargrin ;  Whysia Flock [General Merchant] ;  Astaed Wemor [Paladin Guildmaster] ;  Kizzie Mintopp [General Supplies] ;  froglok gaz shaman ;  froglok gaz warrior ;  Erg Bluntbruiser ;  A Vigilum Cohortis ;  a Vigilum Centurio ;  Legionnaire Rukos ; Faer Shahar ;  Kellboa Skyspeed ;  a fallen deckhand ;  Telligron Forestrunner ;  Grannus of the Cleansing Steam ;  a filthy chest ;  a prime healer ;  Sentry Eloka ;  Lendel Trobo ;  Vigilum Pola ;  Retlon Brenclog

While looking up the Rod of Oblations, we came across a great discussion about EQ's game progression.

Enjoy some quotes from the past. What are your thoughts as of 2016?

Item update is after the jump.

2002 Onielara:

"Let us travel back long ago to a time before Luclin, before Velious even, when Kunark was the first expansion EQ had ever seen, the population of uber folks was much smaller, and the game overall was a smaller place. We all look back on these days, long before focus items, before beastlords and enchanter pets that didn't break mez. Epics, the staple of the 50+ existance NOW, had just been created, and no one had one. No one. 50+ didn't even exist yet, since it was with the birth of Kunark that there was even a level 51...or 60. We look on some of those things now and laugh. Some things that have changed we look upon with trepidation, dismay, perhaps disgust. Others we have welcomed. At that time and in this context this item was uber. Then and only then. It may not be now to some, others may decide this item still has value. Hold your opinion to your heart and call this what you will. Just remember always things were not always as they are now, items were not created all at one time, but over a long haul that has seen people and items get progressively more uber in an attempt by Verant to keep the higher and higher numbers of 50-60 folks happy. Who knows what new items we can expect with Planes of Power. Who knows what drops from Kunark will become unsellable newbie junk, what uber items from Velious will be handed to twinks, and even perhaps what great and still somewhat new items from Luclin we can expect to see called "crud" in the future..."

2006 qenelil:

Was just looking around for gear for my necro on the progression server and I read yoru speech. Very heartwarming :). I started eq in 1999 when it was fun. The uberest of all uber had robes with intelligence on them and the greatest champions sported a blackened alloy weapon. Banded and bronze were considered uber, until you were high enough to hit up lower guk and naggys lair which was not for a LONG time. And then i look at current everquest, nobody goes to cb, uguk, najena, befallen, the warrens, or any of those old zones that used to be bustling with people. The gear we used to pay all of our money for, which was only a few pp off rusty weps, is sitting on npcs that havent been touched for months and 7 years ago had a lifespan of 30 secs. All that "sweet" gear that was trickling from Kunark and Velious into EC and Gfay is left on corpses, being sold in bazaar for 20pp, or thrown at the tribute masters. A 2 hander that doesnt have more damage than delay is considered useless, and a 1 hander with less than 25 delay is scoffed at. I wish sony would make an all classic server so we could all relive those days. The progression server is no fun because everyone rushed to lvl 50 so they could be the first to raid and kill naggy and vox leaving all of us relishing the fun of the old days behind. Now the servers already progressing and the greatness of classic eq is going to be lost.....again.

2003 Lundaein:

Aye. I was not around to see the original EQ, nor was I around for the arrival of Kunark. Even with Velious, I came late, but still before Luclin. I played a barbarian warrior and a high elf mage. The barbarian warrior levelled in Blackburrow until he reached 9, then found his way to Crushbone thanks to a port from a friendly druid. He died there, without getting a bind at the orc lift (before soulbinders, whippersnappers!), and sat at the bridge in the Karanas once more, begging for a port to his body, which held everything.

I remember the first level I lost, before that. I was level 6, and at that time, level 5 corpses die FAST. I lost the level to 5, then died twice trying to retrieve my corpse (I had hit a on my keyboard talking to a merchant!), and thought it lost. I managed to get my corpse, but only after buying everything over again, or making it as I had before I could not retrieve my corpse.

The days of eld I shall miss, now anyone can get to 65 in a matter of days with every pl'ing spot, groups always LFM in 20 different zone for each level range, and solo tactics for most classes now, not to mention every single char on nearly every server is either a twink or in the Planes.

Aye, there were days when Mages could not do the damage they can do now, nor was there always a KEI (though there was Crack). There was a time where if someone ran through Gfay or Ecommons selling silver jewelry, people bought one for every slot they had it. There was a time when Necros were not overpowered (nah, I'm j/k on that :D). When I started playing, though I had no clue what Kerafyrm was, AL had not yet awakened him. There was a time when I would have laughed if someone saId he was stronger than a 34 dwarven warrior I met, who got his xp turning in stacks of gnoll fangs in Qeynos (I kid you not!), and helped me get my corpse. Aye, those were the days... to go back to them...