Estate of Unrest: Manor of Mystery

by: Tony "RadarX" Jones

The Estate of Unrest is a great new zone introduced with Game Update 32. This is one of the most intriguing, and challenging non-raid zones in EverQuest 2, but the best part of it? There is some amazing treasure to be found here. The first step to Unrest is forming up a party able to go the distance. Now granted, you'll see tales in chat about a one armed swashbuckler tanking the entire zone blindfolded while in a wheelchair, but that is a little far from the norm.

The zone, from Jindrack's own description, is a little harder than Crypt of Varsoon but easier than Nizara. This means you'll need a group with some decent gear all preferably level 70. Can you complete the zone without level 70's in decent gear? Absolutely! Just be prepared to spend a very, VERY long time doing it. A plate tank (although I've done it with a monk/bruiser), one decent healer, and a lot of DPS will be a great set up. Mezzers work well and a second healer never hurt anybody (remember Clerics get damage bonuses to undead) so keep those in mind as well. A bard is also a huge bonus due to the -20% movement penalty given to you as you zone in and at least one event in the zone.

It's important to note the length of Unrest will require about 3.5-4 hours your first time around. Don't panic, there are certain places I'll identify as stopping points, so you can come back later and finish up.

Now you've got your party so head to the Butcherblock Mountains and find the zone in.

A Little Yardwork

As you zone in, you'll be greeted by the voice on angry old man telling you to get off his lawn. You'll notice some small imp like creatures flying around near the entrance. These can be tricky to get one at a time, so make sure your tank body pulls very carefully. Advance towards the fountain and you'll notice a hedge maze on either side. If you want the background story and some clues, pass the hedge maze, take a right and you'll see the Gazebo. Head in it and hail the ghost. You'll be back here eventually and it gives discovery experience so plan on clearing a path. The ghost will tell you that you need two keys to enter the house, so it's time to start clearing the yard.

In each hedge maze you'll find a key lying on the ground (along with a shiny usually). You'll have to clear a number of creatures, but once you have both keys you can unlock the front door. Not so fast though, we're not ready to go in. Work your way past the Gazebo to the back of the house and you'll see a very quiet looking graveyard.

When you step inside the graveyard, hug the right wall and slowly make your way to the back. Do NOT let your healer blindly run in for the shiny, because they will die. Zombies will begin to crawl out of the ground and can be dispatched one a time. At the back of the graveyard, Irritated Chef Demme will rise and ask you…well nothing, he’s just going to eat your face like any good zombie. Killing him will net a recipe called "Chef Deeme's Soothing Supper. If you read the recipe, you'll notice you need swine meat and rotted vegetables.

As you walk out of the graveyard head left back towards the gazebo and you'll notice a number of hellhog's. Killing them will net you a piece of "Cursed Swine Meat" which you'll need later on for the recipe you just received.

Zoiks! A Haunted House!

It's time to head inside, so go around to the front door and whoever has both pieces of the key (you did let ONE person have both right?) unlock it. Head left and around the corner to the bar area. Beware the innocuous looking cat, he's anything but gentle, but it's fun to trick people new to the zone into trying to pet it. Begin clearing the bar area, but be mindful of your pulls as adds are extremely easy to get. Make sure you aren't near the bar as the last of the bar patrons are killed. Moments afterwards the Sadistic Bartender will spawn. He's apparently not been tipped enough and extremely pissed off. He's got a very nasty Elemental AE/Stun that causes some chaos if you aren't prepared. He's also got some interesting swarm pets (at least I think they are swarm pets).

The Bartender will drop a tradeskill provisioner recipe book (sometimes), a potion, and a water downed cocktail. If you haven't noticed the purple flames in the fireplace, there is a key in there, but trying to get it will only get your burned. Iif you use the watered down cocktail (which by the way...hello? Alcohol on a fire?) voila! You now have the key to the game room which you may have noticed behind the force field.

How About a Nice Game of Chess?

There are side doors in the bar that will lead you outside and you'll want to make your way around the house to the back. The rear door can now be unlocked with the key you just picked up. After clearing the game room, you'll find a note telling you to find the missing chess pieces. Of course the chess pieces are scattered all over the zone. As you leave the game room and look to the right, you'll see a pool of water. Go ahead and start clearing the creatures in the water, because there is a piece down there.

Next, head back towards the entrance and look in the fountain next to the hedge maze. The third piece is back in the bar, sitting in a cup. The final piece is in the kitchen, which if you are in the bar, head back towards the front door, take a left and find the only unlocked door in that hallway. Kill the helpers and find the cup on a shelf containing the last piece. There is something else to do in here, but we’ll get to that later.

Head back to the game room, and place all four chess pieces on the table to bring forth Screwloose the Mad Tinkerer. Screwloose is an interesting encounter, not so much for the difficulty but because he leaves you surprises. Have your party open up their first bag with a free slot. During the encounter he’ll randomly drop something into a party member’s bag. A tool? A widget? Oh no, how about a bomb? If it ends up in your bag, right click and select destroy. If you are too slow, you’ll take a massive hit on your health. I’ve never seen a group wipe because of bombs, but I can see how your tank getting one at an inopportune time might do it.

Screwloose sometimes drops a tinkering item with some extremely nice stats on it and two screws. This is a stopping point where you’ll be able to come with little trouble. If you return to Unrest, all you need to do is grab the house key again. This concludes part one of the Ten Ton Hammer guide to Unrest.

See any mistakes or corrections that need to be made? Email me and you’ll get 100% credit!