by Raya

Two things made my life in EverQuest a challenge—okay, actually
a living hell. One is getting lost. I am the original Everlost, having
successfully lost myself in whatever corner of Norrath I happened to be
nearly 100% of the time. And finding my way around cities was a nightmare
for me…Kelethin, Freeport, Neriak (now THERE was a nightmare, if
you'll pardon the expression), Highpass Hold, you name it, I've been lost
in it. The only ones I recall not having trouble with were Qeynos and
Felwithe, and even in Felwithe I didn't know there was another section
of the city other than where the bank etc. was until six months later.

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When I first started playing EQ, my computer's video card was really not
up to the task, even with the graphics turned down as low as I could get
them. My clipping plane was so low that I had to be practically on top of
a tree before I could actually see it. When I ran anywhere, I had to run
with my head bent forward, eyes on the ground, in a futile attempt to reduce
the video lag. You add this to a penchant for getting lost and playing became
almost impossible for me.

The other situation that terrified me—don't laugh—is standing
on a high spot looking down. Yep, I have a fear of heights in RL and it
translated very well in EQ, especially given the fact that I played first
person view and was always up front and ready for most adventures. The
particular adventure that sticks in my mind to this day is my first encounter
with Velketor's Labyrinth. A group of us were going to go to the top of
the catwalks to fight the crystal spiders. Several of us needed the crystalline
silk threads and the spiders and other mobs at the top of the ramps were
considered the best for a group.

With some trepidation, I started up. Now I don't usually like to hold
a group up for any reason. I try to arrive on time, be prepared with whatever
buffs I need, have everything sold that I needed to sell after my last
excursion, arrive at the meeting place ready to go. However, when I looked
at those blessed catwalks and realized that they did not have any kind
of railings, look steep as heck, and I needed to go all the way to the
top, I balked.

"It's not that bad," Forte, an old EQ friend, assured me. "Just
go slowly, follow Pat (ex-hubby and group member) and don't look down."

Others in the group added reassurance, while one member was perplexed
as to how I could have a fear of heights in a game. I told him, it wasn't
just a game to me—that I lived it—and everything that happened
in the game was reality for me for that period of time. He looked at me
funny. So I stopped explaining. How do I tell someone that I can't watch
a horror movie that has lots of blood and guts and suspense…that
going into the unknown in a game, especially by myself, makes me rigid
with tension, that if any avatar sneaks up on me (or an NPC) I yell with
surprise and scare the liver out of anyone in the room playing with or
near me. Even now, if I tell people that, I get funny looks.

Much against my better judgment, I decided to try it. The first little
bit wasn't too bad. I kept my eyes on Pat's plate armored back and didn't
look down. We shuffled along like prisoners in a chain gang, and I could
tell just by the light that we were getting higher…how high I didn't
exactly know.

Just as Pat said, "Be careful here, it's slippery," I started
slipsliding away. Ohmigod, it was terrifying! One big difference in-game
is that you can't grab something and hold on. Probably good for Pat that
I couldn't or I would have taken him down with me. For some strange reason,
Tunare smiled on me and I didn't fall. By this time, I was frozen—couldn't
move backward and didn't want to move forward. Forte and Pat kept encouraging
me. It's just that little patch, they said.

There was nothing for it but to keep moving. When I came to the slippery
bit, I shut my eyes and shuffled forward inch by painful inch. When I
made it across, I breathed a huge sigh of relief that nearly took me over
the side. But the worst was over, I thought.

"There are two more slippery spots like that," Pat said. "I'll
tell you when we get to them."

I groaned. By this time, everyone in the group, even the non-believer,
was watching the drama with open-mouthed wonder. That made it ten times
worse. There is nothing so humbling as making a fool of yourself in front
of an attentive audience. But I couldn't think about that now.

Pat waited for me and by the time I reached him I was so numb with anxiety
and apprehension that all I could do was shuffle after him. Somehow, we
navigated the next slippery spot a bit up ahead…and then one of the
spiders decided to investigate these slow moving morsels…I mean,
mortals. Pat, being the good wood elf warrior that he was, whipped out
his sword and joined battle. "Don't back up," he cautioned me
through clenched teeth. "Another MOB has spawned behind us."

I carefully turned around and, sure enough, just beyond agro range was
a white monster gazing thoughtfully in my direction. Gulping, I turned
back just as Pat finished off the spider. He moved ahead to let me loot
it. Bending over like that, it's hard to not look down, so I shut my eyes
again and looted.

Up we went again. I made a mental note to write a scorching letter to
whoever designed this dreadful place. And all was well…well, nearly
well. We were on the last series of ramps up to the top, when Pat hollered,
"Watch out…another icy patch here!" just as I hit it in
mid-shuffle, teetered and slipped for a minute, then plunged downwards,
all two miles of it. Okay, maybe not two miles, but it seemed like it.
I had my eyes plastered wide open by terror and saw every grim detail
as I passed…sort of like my life flashing before my eyes. The staring
of the group members at the top, the yells of Patrynn and Forte, the ice
blue walls flashing at me, and the occasional curious white spider watching
this blue-clad high elf cleric zooming past it at a phenomenal speed.
Then I hit the bottom with a dull thud and expired.

Since I was the cleric, I either had to run from my bind point (which
was Plane of Knowledge) or wait until the group found another cleric in
the area to resurrect me. I was not familiar with the area around Velketor's
Labyrinth. Too, I was worried about the dragons and wild life between
Velk's and Thurgadin and really didn't want to try running it by myself.
By this time, my policy of not keeping a group waiting was ripped apart
like tissue in a blizzard.

Forte said, "Don't worry, I'll find a cleric." Well, for some
reason, despite the fact that Velk's was reasonably populated, there were
no clerics that day…only one paladin and would I take a rez from
him? Yep, you bet your bippy, I would. I just wanted to get my corpse
and go home.

Forte and Pat and the rest of the group cajoled me for a few minutes
after rez. It would be easier the second time. (No, it wouldn't!) I would
know where the icy spots were and would avoid them. (How do you avoid
slippery spots on a three-inch-wide path-okay, maybe two-foot-wide-that
has an icy spot that is longer than you can jump and two feet wide itself?)
The persuasion fell on deaf ears. I was not going to climb up to the top
of those miserable ramps. Period.

Then Forte said, "Anyone got any pearls?" Never having played
a mage before and rarely grouped with them up to this point in my EQ career,
I was a little confused. Forte was going to string pearls? Cast them before
swine? Mollify me with a tasteful pearl necklace?

Somebody had pearls. Forte hollered, "Okay, stay there. I'll CotH
you up." I was speechless. Okay, not that speechless. "You mean
you have the wherewithal to CotH me and you didn't think of it?"
Ran out of pearls was Forte's unrepenitent reply.

Pretty soon, I heard the words (okay, saw them): "Forte is a novice
at this…chances are he will drop you before you get here. Say a prayer
to Mother Tunare and get ready for the first CotH attempt."

"WHAT?!" I shrieked, getting ready to run all the way to Thurgadin.

"Sorry," Forte mumbled. "It's just my warped sense of
humor. Stand by."

Before I could move…the CotH spell landed. I closed my eyes and
waited for the dizzying sweep upstairs. No dizzying sweep…just a
blur and I was there, standing beside the group. There was an impromptu
burst of applause. After I buffed everyone again, we started battling
the spiders in earnest.

So, this was the one time I didn't get lost, because there were only
two ways to go…up or down. And that's the story of my victory (of
sorts) over Velk's Labyrinth. Oh yeah, and I did pay Forte back for the
pearl, delivered with a thanks and a bonk.