Contents:
I. Introduction
II. Travel Across Western and Southern Antonica.
III. Cities of Western and Southern Antonica
IV. Dungeons of Western and Southern Antonica
V. Afterwords.
EverQuest is a vast game, and it keeps getting bigger - each expansion brings new zones to explore, new places to go and new things to see - not to mention new things to kill and new stuff to take. Even between expansions, only a priveleged few have learned the game well enough to get to and master the out-of-the-way endgame zones. Sleeper's Tomb requires a drop from named, Velious dragons; Vex Thal requires spending time in ten different zones on Luclin; reaching the Plane of Time requires having gone through virtually all of Planes of Power.
My ambition with this paper is to lay out the geography of EverQuest in the most intuitive manner possible. Those who have been playing for awhile, who have many characters of higher or lower level, and have a lot of play time, will know how to get around. This guide is for all those who have had the experience of being invited somewhere by a friend and been forced to decline; for everyone who has died on his way to a raid; or experienced any of the many pitfalls that can befall the solo traveller in EverQuest.
This Part VI will finish off our examination of EverQuest's Old World with Southern and Western Antonica, from EverFrost to East Karana, including the area from Lake Rathe to Innothule swamp. This area is dominated by the vast Plains of Karana, which span four unusually large zones; the Lake Rathe and Rathe Mountains; and Southern Antonica, containing the Innothule Swamp and the Feerrott.
Everfrost, which contails Halas the Barbarian city, may be regarded as the "Westmost" city in Antonica; if it is not this, it is at least the furthest in number of zones, from any part of Eastern Antonica. Here we will start our investigation of Western Antonica, and work our way Eastward to the South Desert of Ro on the one hand, and East Karana and High Pass on the other.
The EverFrost peaks, an icy area half maze-like peaks in its Western half and its Eastern half an open tundra, is the place the Barbarians call home. On the far Eastern wall of the Peaks is the entrance to PermaFrost caverns, home of Lady Vox the white dragon. Although she is an object of terror for all life in EverFrost, nobody knows what her ambitions and goals are; however it is assumed that if they are not outright hostile to most other forms of life, they are at least incompatible. We will speak more of Lady Vox in Chapter III.
EverFrost contains both a Wayfarer's Camp in the middle of the tundra, and a Plane of Knowledge Book outside of Halas itself.
The one pass through the EverFrost peaks to the outside world is through the gnoll lair of Blackburrow; however, the gnolls themselves are not tough or skilled enough to present much of a challenge to a seasoned adventurer, and don't catch on to invisibility, so passing to and from EverFrost to the Qeynos Hills on the other side of the Blackburrow is rarely much of a challenge. The Blackburrow also opens into the gnoll-caves of Jaggedpine forest - but the Gnolls of the forest are of a different stock than those of the 'Burrow, and the two should not be confused. I will speak more of Jaggedpine in a moment.
Even with the presence of patrols from Qeynos, there are constant skirmishes between the guards and the Blackburrow gnolls.
The Qeynos hills, which separate the human city of Qeynos from the Plains of Karana to the East, are well defended by the human city. The Qeynos hills house Surefall Glade, also known as the Qeynos Ranger Guild, a place of protected nature, at the foot of the Jaggedpine forest. Jaggedpine in turn is a place of almost untouched nature, where snakes and great cats, largely unaffected by any barriers to evolution, have become quite powerful and vicious. It is a place for druids to test their command over animals, and for necromancers to show their contempt.
I feel a moment of trepidation in attempting to describe the Plains of Karana generally; this is because the most immediate and true descriptions of them are "vast" and "featureless." However, this will not do for a travellogue such as I am attempting to construct; and so I will give the real mnemonic for the Karanas is that they form a passage from West to East, from Qeynos to High Pass. From North Karana, travelling due south through South Karana leads to Lake Rathetear.
From Qeynos Hills and the zone to West Karana, travel due East to reach North Karana, which contains a Combine Spire for travel to Luclin in the south; this is the only such spire on Antonica. From North Karana, travelling due East and crossing a wood bridge brings to you Eastern Karana; turning South, following the river, and crossing the stone bridge brings you to South Karana.
From East Karana, travelling due East will bring you to High Pass, the gateway to Eastern Antonica across the Snakespine Mountains. Travelling North and then East, along the wall, leads to the Gorge of King Xorbb and eventually to Rivervale, which areas are considered in the Wayfarer's Guide, Part V. Returning to South Karana, to the far south, past Infected Paw (formerly "Split Paw") and the famous Aviak roost, is Lake Rathetear.
The Karanas (as they are commonly known) have few real waypoints, save the farms and the bandit camps that dot them. The major points of interest are the farm in the southern part of West Karana; the Wizard Spires and Druid Circle in North Karana; and Infected Paw and the Aviak roost in South Karana. I am honestly unable to think of any waypoints of interest in the Eastern Plains of Karana; when travelling through here, the only reason to leave the path is for the sake of excitement. Except to note the variety of animal life (lions, elephants, giant spiders and scarabs, great cats and wolves, etc.) and the number of things to kill for experience or, as it were, taxidermy, I have said about all I am going to on the Karanas.
Lake Rathetear is a mountian lake which forms something of a watery pass from South Karana, to the Rathe mountains in the East. Rathetear is best known for its camps of Aviak guards and, in the days of way back when, often formed a proving grounds for both the Human and half-elven adventurers from Qeynos and the Trolls and Ogres to the South. To the West of Lake Rathetear, through a short tunnel, is the Lake Rathetear Arena, a massive colossium for Player vs. Player combat.
The Rathe Mountains is a varied area, much like Butcherblock (see Wayfarer's Guide, Part III). Briefly, it is an outdoor mountain maze, dotted here and there with camps of varied life-forms - Ogres, Trolls, human gypsies and, for the first time, the tribal Norrathian lizard-men. The best manner of navigation here, given the many dead-ends of the mountain walls, is simply to use the map. To the North is the Feerrott-Innothule passage to South Ro, and thence to Eastern Antonica.
At one time this was a favorite area for druids to come and farm hill-giants for platinum pieces. However, the drops rates of plat from these giants have recently been "nerfed;" while the maximum possible drop is still high, the average giant now drops only 4 or 5 plat per kill.
At the foot of the Rathe Mountains, to the North, is the Feerrott, a fairly dense jungle, and the real home of the Tae Ew lizard-men. Trisected by a river-delta along the Western edge, this is the location of the infamous Temple of Cazic Thule; at the heart of the temple is a portal from the Plane of Fear to Norrath. The entrance to the Plane of Fear is also here, hidden in the South-Eastern corner of the forest. To the North of this, past the Feerrott, is the Innothule Swamp and the Froglok cities of Guk and Gukta; and to the North of Innothule Swamp is the Southern Desert of Ro, which connects the Southern and Eastern parts of Antonica.
II.1. Oggok is the city, if it can be called that, of the Ogres. It is really a collection of huts made of enormous slabs of solid granite and occupied natural caverns in the sides of nearby cliffs; these are surrounded by stone walls and a defensive fortress. Ah, what to say about Ogres? That they are big, dumb, powerful, evil humanoids covers the essential ground. The Ogres are very territorial, and even the Trolls who used to occupy nearby Grobb could rarely gain entrance; but since the invasion of Gukta this has been more rarely an issue.
II.2. Gukta, formerly known as Grobb, was "liberated" by a Froglok force from its former Trollish occupants around the time Broken Skull Rock was discovered. Carved from a small valley to the South-east of Innothule Swamp, mosquitos and spiderlings live here undisturbed among the Frogloks of Gukta. The city takes a more-or-less straightforward path from the zoneline, across the river, past tradeskill vendors and the Mercantile to the "Valley of Training" and the Council of Elders. Taking a right at the Mercantile past the forges (coming from the zoneline) brings one to the Gukta barracks.
Frogloks who have taken their initiation into the Guktan army will know this city intimately right from the start. This results in the Guktan Initiate's Soulstone as a souvenier of the experience.
II.3. Qeynos is the largest city in Western Antonica, and the third largest city in the Old World, after Freeport and Neriak; it is under the rule, currently, of Antonius Bayle III. There is a lot to see and do here.
Proceeding from the gate, the first right takes one to the courtyard containing x, the main selling point in Qeynos for newbie-yard rat fur; Crow's Tavern, a place of more-or-less ill repute, and the Monk guild. Returning to the Main street, the next left brings one to the Temple of Quellious and its "U.F.O.," a sight in itself worth seeing. Returning one again to the main street and past a few tradeskill vendors takes us to South Qeynos.
South Qeynos is the larger area of the city, and is constructed in a more haphazard manner than is North Qeynos. Here is the dock also, where you can catch the ship bound to Odus; although this is actually accomplished nowadays by the services of a Translocator of the Freeport Academy of Arcane Science.
Upon entering South Qeynos, the first thing one runs across is the Clock Tower, which serves as a landmark. To reach the bank, turn left at the Clock Tower and then right at the Lion's Mane Inn, which is within eyeshot of the Dock. Take again the first right turn, and, passing Firepride's Forge, cross the small bridge on your left. Continuing past the bank takes one to the Hall of Sorcery. The Hall of Steel, or Warriors' guild, can be found by simply making another right at Firepride's and entering the gates of the Arena.
Qeynos Aqueducts are the sewers of Qeynos - it has been somewhat overrun by low-level scavengers, rats and small snakes, and the occasional Gelatinous Cube, such as the infamous Cubert. This is also the home of the Bloodsabres, a cadre of Bertoxxulous Shadow Knights, Necromancers and Clerics.
II.4. Halas is the Barbarian city to the North of Qeynos, through Blackburrow and the EverFrost peaks; it, like EverFrost, is perpetually snow-covered. Crossing the defensive moat and reaching the gates of the city proper, one finds the Bound Mermaid bait shop. Inside the gate proper, the city is constructed, essentially, in a circle. To the left one finds the Bank (under the auspices of the White Rose rogues' guild), the Church of the Tribunal, and the Beastlord trainers.
To the right of the gate, one finds a number of tradeskill vendors and, a little further North, the "Pit of Doom" - I'm not making that up - and the Warrior Guild.
III.1. Permafrost is a goblin lair at the far Eastern end of the EverFrost Peaks. The Ice Goblins here, while numerous, act as servants to the white dragon Lady Vox, though more out of fear than loyalty. The deepest caverns, closest to Lady Vox herself, are guarded by Ice Giants and Tentacle Terrors. It is rumored that Lady Vox wants to mate with the red dragon, Lord Nagafen, of Lavastorm - but those in a position to know are not in a position to talk.
III.2. Upper Guk is the home of a tribe of primitive froglok, different from the more sophisticated Guktan Frogloks. Upper Guk is a maze of slimy underground passageways, dotted and streaked with seepage-water from the Swamp above. The frogloks here are more or less peaceful and keep to themselves; however, they are devoted followers of Marr, and they take their ideology very seriously - Necromancers and Shadow Knights will be challenged by the Paladins and Shamans who form the upper end of the froglok social scale.
Having said that, the frogloks of Guk have never acquired very much in the way of power; it is not sure how they repel the undead frogloks below, unless the Froglok Shin Lord and his Ghoulbane are consistently at the front of the line.
III.3. Lower Guk is, I will venture, the most famous dungeon in all of Norrath. Accessed through a passageway from Upper Guk, Lower Guk is where the more powerful of the Antonican frogloks reside. It is divided into two halves - the castle of the Froglok King and defensive passageways of the Live Side and the depths of the dungeon, the Dead Side, under the command of the Froglok Ghoul Lord.
The Frogloks of the Live Side have, frankly, very little worth killing them for, and it is very little worth destroying your faction with them. A much better proving ground, and formerly one of the best "farms" in the whole game, is the Dead Side, ruled over by a being known as The Ghoul Lord. The ghoul warriors, knights, and shamans range from around level 36 to 41. The many named undead frogloks are well known to all, as are their drops: a sample would include the Frenzied Ghoul and his Flowing Black Silk Sash; the Ghoul Arch Magus, a wizard, and his Shining Metallic Robes; the Ghoul Cavalier and the Adamantite Epaulets; and The Ghoul Lord himself, with his Short Sword of the Ykesha.
Lower Guk has recently been overrun by people trying to improve their faction with the Frogloks of Guk (aka "Live Frogs") in persuit of the Crown of Deceit. This is a warning to players who would otherwise be playing in the zone for experience.
III.4. The Blackburrow Lair is the traditional home of the Blackburrow clan of gnolls, a hyena-like race of humanoids. They are hostile to the human city of Qeynos - however, they do not have enough power to make an overt attempt to invade the city; if they had, they probably would be regarded as more of a threat to the inhabitants of Halas and Qeynos. In the "Waterfall Room" is an entrance to Jaggedpine Forest, represented by a red ball on a pedastal. Blackburrow is connected to EverFrost Peaks on one side, and Qeynos hills on the other, by way of the topmost layer of the 'Burrow.
III.5. Infected Paw was formerly known as the Split Paw Lair. Situated near the center of South Karana, Infceted Paw is the home, unsurprisingly, of the Infected Paw Gnolls, the most powerful clan of gnolls on Antonica. This is not saying much when their closest competitors are the Blackburrow clan! Nonetheless, Infected Paw is a challenge for seasoned adventurers, as the gnolls here are very social and comparitively strong. The Split Paw Hide Tunic and Split Paw Gloves are sometimes sought after as twink gear for Monks and Druids, but the real draw here is the famous Gnoll-hide Lariat, which procs Stun and thus makes a cheap and excellent pet weapon. I find that, despite being easy to acquire, these are not commonly available in the Bazaar.
This concludes the Complete Wayfarer's Guide to Norrath Part VI, final part of our look at navigating the Old World. Part I covered everything one needs to know about travel on and around Norrath; Part II concerned the various modes of travel, from the Plane of Knowledge books to the Luclin spires. Part III covered Faydwer, Part IV covered Odus, and Parts V and VI covered the whole continent of Antonica and ended our look at the Old World. If these have been well recieved, Wayfarer's Guides to Kunark and Velious will appear shortly to round out our coverage of the EverQuest Trilogy.