Chains of Eternity: Walking Through the Veil
Holly "Windstalker" Longdale and Carlos "Gninja" Mora took us through the Ethernere.
EverQuest II's ninth expansion, Chains of Eternity, brings the story back to all the players as they explore the Ethernere. After Firiona Vie's death during the quest Unexpected Consequences, the Duality and Ravinus worked together to open an ethereal tear in the Feerrott, allowing mortals to pass into the realm of the dead.
The Ethernere is overseen by Drinal, the Silver Reaper, though players will first encounter his steward as they enter the plane. The realm is in danger as two powerful essences seek to do their bidding through the Ethernere, and it is up to seasoned adventurers to help. In a change from past expansions, the signature lines will be completely soloable so everyone can experience the full story.
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In Chains of Eternity players will be able to increase their adventuring, crafting and guild levels to 95. New prestige abilities will be available to both adventurers and crafters. Some of the adventurer abilities are "incremental spells", which sometimes may trigger unique abilities or buffs. Crafters will be able to choose from one of three unique paths to follow: Experimentation (attempt to add up to five new stats to an item, adding more variety), Mass Production (allows the crafter to make multiples of the same combine at once) or Salvaging (refining resources into "pure" resources).
With Carlos "Gninja" Mora as our tour guide and Holly "Windstalker" Longdale our narrator, we set off in the first overland zone, Eidolon Jungle, which is modeled on the Feerrott. One of the first things you notice is that much of the plane is lush, with saturated colors. In some parts you can see the strain that the Harrowing Horde, former protectors of the realm, is placing upon it as the area will become starkly devoid of color and fissures mark the ground.
We then visited the final overland zone, Obol Plains, modeled on Loping Plains. Holly Longdale explained that the Tourbillions are the method of transportation within the Ethernere. The first outpost you find is Cardin Ward, home to some unique denizens. The Wayward Spirits—dead who have made the Ethernere their final home—are trying to prevent the Harrowing Horde from taking over. One of the monsters we encountered near here was floating eyes which have 17 unique eyeballs—and may sometimes lick them.
