Kunark! The adventures of Khek in Kunark have begun.

It’s been quiet here on the blog the past 2 days and there’s a darn good reason for it. Kunark launched and I have been completely absorbed into what I now consider one of the best ‘newbie’ experiences in a MMORPG. I didn’t have much hopes for the low level content of Kunark when I first heard there would be level 1-20 content then a huge gap until 70+. I thought it might be an afterthought but heck, I decided to give it a try anyway. The results? Like I said, the best newbie experience ever. I’m not sure which races can start in Kunark but I decided to go with my gut and create a Sarnak Shadowknight. Maybe getting raids will be tough, maybe not. I have a great guild now and things are looking up like they never have before for me in EQ2. But back to my Kunark experience.

Khek the Sarnak started off in this little fishing village in Timorous Deep. I was one of the first Sarnaks to log in (thank you lord!) and I could feel the lag growy by the second as dozens of players decided to give the new race a try. Having absolutely zero knowledge of where to go or what the best route to take would be I decided to read every quest entirely and enjoy the lore and get the full experience. Starting you off quickly the Sarnaks have you go out and start the beginning of what will be a very long campaign against the Hoareaorns (Or however that’s spelled.. let’s call them Aviaks or bird people). Completing a series of about 4 quests is all you will do in the very beginning before you’re send up the beach to the first outpost/town. From there you complete 10 or so quests before being sent to yet again the next location for quests. In other starting areas you’re given so many quests yet none of them seem to give the EXP that these gave – and the best part? – none of them turned green… heck only one ever turned blue on me within the first three hubs. It’s worth mentioning that every single quest reward was amazing. I’m talking so amazing that it’s better than anything you’ll find in ANY other part of the game until level 20+ and then some. I decided to help my little guy out by giving him some items he could use but they turned out completely useless because the quest rewards are so amazing. To top it all off, Khek made two server first discoveries. yay!

Working through the quests eventually lands you at Gorowyn, the new main city in Timorous Deep for the entire Kunark expansion. Gorowyn is built much like that place where Obi Wan fought General 6-arms in Star Wars episode 3. It’s a huge hole with lifts and zepplin lifts to take you all over and it’s near the beach so you have dock access. The city is extremely laggy (reminds me of playing on my old PC back when EQ2 first launched and I couldn’t move in Qeynos Harbor) but I attribute most of that to it being new. I found a few memory leaks and those ticked me off but overall the city is gorgeous and conveniently laid out. Housing is all in one cavern which is so very convenient and there’s a broker, mailbox, and bank all right outside my apartment. Can I get a heck ya? I bought a little apartment and claimed all my pets and have them sitting in my house, which by the way has a window (Never before seen in EQ2).

My entire experience from 1-20 in Kunark was paced and I ended up being way ahead of the curve for Sarnaks. I’m not even rushing nor do I care but I think I might be in the top 10 Sarnaks. Most of which are probably SK’s like me because who wouldn’t want to be a dragon lizard guy with plate armor and a huge sword? Not to lose sight here… Khek finished each hub right at the perfect level to advance to even con quests at the next. The 1-20 experience was laid out so well I dinged 20 on the very last quest available and received some magnificent rewards to carry me well into the 30’s if I’m conservative.

I’m actually really sad that my Kunark newbie experience is over. I’m not in Butcherblock Mountains starting the quests there (which there are plenty of new quests now at a Sarnak Outpost) and I hop to continue my progression as well as I have. The Shadowknight is amazing. He’s so much stronger than my Conjuror and 10x the fun. I hope it continues as new abilities become available and maybe I’ll even get my first group.

I took a few pictures to share with you all and will take more this evening. The adventures of Khek in EQ2 and Kunark shall continue!