The winners are announced for the SOE/ZAM holiday contest!

newquseio has a heart set on Velious: “If I have to pick one area alone it would be the Thurgadin/Scar/Icewall Keep area.  The war of the giants vs the dragons and coldain, and the end is just EPIC.

Thurgadin is just chock full of stuff to do the ring war and the shawl. It also introduced something new short term visible consequences for failing the ring war all the dwarves died there. Also Thurgadin had funny conversations just go listen in the bar for a while.”

Charisa enjoyed the challenge and music of the Karanas: “I had a hard time narrowing things down to one particular place, but I'd have to go back to the original EQ, when I'd make the run across the Karana's, about half way across North Karana, next to the river, there was a spot where the prettiest version of the EQ Theme song used to play. I often times used to find myself making that run just to kick that music off and listen to it, it also seemed like such a nice peaceful place, a wide open plain, quiet meandering river next to you, if I could find a place like that in real life I'd love to sit and meditate next to it.

Back in the day I had to make that run across the Karana's often and while it was a long scary run, that spot always brought a smile to my face and since it was relatively safe location I always took this as a breather space to sit and listen to the music. I believe when they redid the music, they changed this, but it’s been a long time since I've been in EQ1 now, making me think of logging in and seeing if it’s still there.”

Xenariel spins a tale forged in the fires of a Paladin’s heart: “About 7 years ago I was going through a pretty rough patch in life. College full-time and a job that worked me long and hard to pay for it, with nothing left over for rent. I moved everything I owned into a 5X5 storage unit and into the 02 Kia Rio wagon that now served as my home. I'd been playing EQ for around 6 years at this point and, since I had it on my laptop, I figured sneaking in a little EQ between classes wouldn't be too hard. Sadly, the performing arts building that 90% of my classes were in was a legitimate 1950's certified bomb shelter. Cell phone reception was almost nothing (good for not going off during a show) and the wifi varied wildly. Like "If I sit on this ladder in the corner of the room on a Tuesday I MAY get 2 bars" level variance.

The stress of work, school and homelessness slowly, inexorably pushed out the time I could spend enjoying EQ. My annual membership was coming to an end and I knew I needed to let it go. I never made it a point to do some sort of laundry list of going away tasks or messages to send people announcing my departure from the game. My one and only guild, that even today I'm the sole active member of, had been long ago shattered by the trifecta of fail that was GoD, WoW's launch and the repeated failures to kill RZ to break into the Elemental Planes. I had very few friends left to say goodbye to.

About a week before the membership ended, I took a few days to tour the places that most resonated from Xenariel's early days. I visited the north hills of West Karana, where I once came within 2 hours of permarot thanks to some bandits that agroed just before an IRL trip I had planned. I once again saved Baby Joseph Sayer and saw him safely home. I dismounted and made the still long Qeynos to Freeport run. I rode the boat to Erud's Crossing where I first led a trusting group of characters to an long and profitless corpse run.

Were there raids I'd not done? Factions I'd not maxxed and quests I'd not finished? By the dozen. But in Norrath, as in our world, we don't always finish all the work we set out to do. I came to terms with that and decided it was time.

At that time, the enormity of the situation I was in kept from any thoughts that I'd ever return to Norrath. I just couldn't see that far and needed to go. It wasn't until the last night that I really thought about where to end it. I thought about camping in the Knights of Thunder encampment in South Qeynos where I spent my single digit days. I thought about boarding the boat sailing west from Qeynos and /q'ing just before it zoned so Xen would be forever sailing, on his way to some Norrathian Fiddler's Green.

And then the answer came to me. I was clearing out old items in the bank when I spied the Fiery Defender. How many months had I worked toward that flaming sword? I took it out and equipped it. Forged from AOL-era code it still manages to be one of the most striking swords in the game. I had ridden then length and breadth of Norrath saying my goodbye. And with this sword in hand, I decided the last place to go was up.

Plane of Sky keys on me, I moved from island to island until I saw that lonely windmill on island 4. Inside stood no one, I having opted not to spawn Inte Akera, giver of the paladin epic weapon. I looked out over the island and knew it was the time and this was the place. I'd gone from running from gnoll pups outside the gates of Qeynos, to standing in the sky. I knelt and the next 30 seconds seemed to stretch on forever. By the end I felt alright about leaving the world. Sad, but knowing that it was the closing of a very special part of my life.

However......

As I'm sure many of you know, the call of Norrath echoes long and loud and doesn't take kindly to being ignored. To bastardize Jeff Goldblum, "Everquest finds a way." 3 years, a degree, a condo and the best job in the world later, the call became too loud to ignore. After installing the game on the new machine I really wondered if Xen would still be there. I logged in and almost didn't recognize anything. Seriously devs, you guys do great work, but the default ui setup must have been done by a temp on his last day. It was like recovering from a stroke. Learning to walk, talk and use skills again. It took some doing, but eventually I was functional.

In the end I walked to the edge of the island and looked down. Down there were good times. Down there were friends, new and old. Down there was a large part of my life, that, even if I took not one more step, would always be cherished and thought fondly of. Down there was adventure. Down there was fun.

And I jumped.”

Kluiana shares the incredible start of a lifelong adventure: “My favorite spot in EQ is Fungus Grove (FG). In 2004, I met this cute vah shir beastlord and our favorite spot to duo was FG. We spent many a night killing all the buggies in the area, talking and developing an awesome friendship. One night I noticed my vah shir friend was acting funny so being the good friend I was I ask what was wrong. After a bit of prodding and to my delight, I got the answer. She was in love with me and hoped I felt the same. Now 9 years later we are happily married with a mortgage and 2 dogs. EQ and FG will always be special to me. I met the love of my life there.”

stardast1 recalls death by forge in EQII’s Isle of Refuge: “For me I think the Isle of Refuge was the best zone. I have been playing from day one. From the fight you had to even get there and that it had a storyline from start to finish. My best memory was a death that happened when I was crafting at the forge my brother and I say I jump in to the forge. We thought it was so funny that you can die while you were crafting. I still from pepper that you could only get on the isle. There was so many nameds for you to go after on the isle. The King beetle was the first one I kill.”

Uthere can’t get enough of trees: “Kelethin ! Omg Kelethin ! I can’t leave that place! The reason is the soundtrack; Jay Barbeau is really a big artist. Enjoy this masterpiece!”

Congrats again to the winners and we wish you all a Happy New Year!

Ann "Cyliena" Hosler, Managing Editor