A Glimpse into the
Everquest 2 "Desert of Flames" Expansion

On Friday, September 9th, Ryan "Blackguard" Shwayder was good enough
to invite select members of the press (though, with reference to
myself, I use that term very loosely) along for a brief tour of "Desert
of Flames" expansion. I was all set to go, my flying carpet was gassed
up and purring like a Persian cat, when I got the unfortunate news that
the tour would be taking place on the Beta
Server rather than the Test
server that I had dutifully patched up the night before. Of course SOE
had sent an email to this effect, which hotmail promptly gobbled up and
spat into the "junk mail" bin (by the way, this goes out to Bill Gates:
beta invites are never, ever junk mail!).  It's a 4 hour download
even with a fat pipe connection, so I dropped the ball folks; no
firsthand account from your halfling herald of happy happenings.

There is, however, some good news. Blackguard took pity on me in my
folly and sent along a few tidbits that you might find interesting.
Have a look!

A Sampling of Zones
from "Desert of Flames"

Cities:

Maj'Dul: The contested
and dangerous city of the dervish people. Perched atop the central mesa
of the desert of flames, this city walks the edge of lawlessness and
anarchy at all times. Only through the sheer power of Mudeef and the
Sha'ir can any semblance of peace be maintained. You can also access
the headquarters of the warring courts of Maj'Dul within the city.

Regions:

The Sinking Sands: The
entry point into the expansion. From the docks, anyone can take the
carpet ride to Maj'Dul or run across the sands to The Clefts of Rujark
or the Pillars of Flame. The Pillars of Flame: The more dangerous of the two major
overland zones. The Pillars of Flame can be accessed either from inside
the Clefts of Rujark or from the Sinking Sands. It is home to the two
dragons Siyamak and Barakah, the Ashen order monks and disciples,
harpies, naga, goblins, and many other dangers.

Dungeons:

The Clefts of Rujark:
Home to the Rujarkian orcs. Found off the Sinking Sands and Pillars of
Flame, the Clefts are a natural fortress built by the orcs as a defense
from harpies and as a staging ground for their conquests of surrounding
lands. The Living Tombs: The
ancient city of Ahket Aken pulled underground by the power of the gods
still flows with the tainted undead, creating water that both blesses
and curses the Sinking Sands. The Silent City: Locked
away from living eyes, the Silent City can only be accessed once an
adventurer has learned the secrets of finding this buried city within
the Living Tombs. The Gates of Ahket Aken (raid):
Warring factions of undead minions can be found trying to steal or
protect the secrets of the ancient city The Court of Al'Afaz (raid):
A fragmented copy of the Shimmering Citadel created by a jealous rival
of the Djinn Master. Now nearly forgotten, its links to the true
Shimmering citadel still keep it from collapsing in upon itself. The Shimmering Citadel:
The courtyard and flying island of the Djinn Master's Palace. The Naga
Qadira within the Pillars of Flame holds the secret to gaining access
to this flying citadel. The Poet's Palace (group):
The palace of the Djinn Master. Once in the courtyard of the Shimmering
Citadel, this palace of the djinn can be accessed. The Poet's Palace (raid):
The more heavily defended and guarded version of the Poet's Palace.

Instanced Adventure Zones:

Lockjaw's Lair: Locked
away within the Crocodile caves in the Sinking Sands. The Hidden Cache: Hidden
away from prying eyes within the Sinking Sands. The Sanctorium: The final
resting place of a revered paladin. Found within one of the graveyards
in the Sinking Sands. Azhar's Penitence: Home
to an angry and vengeful djinn. Found on the beach of the Sinking Sands. Scornfeather Roost: Found
high on the ledges of the Clefts of Rujark. Vault of Dust: Found
within the lowest levels of the Clefts of Rujark. Cazel's Mesa: Located
behind an iron door within the Pillars of Flame.

The "Official" Features List

[Ed. note- You might have seen this
before; it's the DoF "press spiel" that SOE regularly hands out.
Included here as a bit of a primer to the expansion if the zone
writeups have piqued your interest! You might also find a few hints to
make your experience in DoF smoother. Be sure to cue the dramatic music
at the end!]

Set within an Arabian Nights theme, Desert of Flames builds upon
familiar EverQuest lore, while
including all the classic elements of an action packed desert
adventure.       

<!-- D(["mb","<br>You will face all new challenges as you fight, quest, or tradeskill your way up to the new level cap of 60. <br>\r\n <br>\r\nEscape from enemies and explore over a dozen new zones by climbing up cliffs and walls in a new dimension of gameplay - vertical movement. <br>\r\n <br>\r\nReady yourself to battle familiar foes, like crocodiles, spectres and, of course, sand giants! <br>\r\n</font>\r\n\r\n<br><font color=\"#000000\" size=\"2\" face=\"Arial\">Desert of Flames will add over</font> <font color=\"#000000\" size=\"2\" face=\"Arial\">3</font><font color=\"#000000\" size=\"2\" face=\"Arial\">0 new creatures to the world of Norrath, including genies, sphinxes, mummies, and harpies. <br>\r\n</font>\r\n\r\n<br><font color=\"#000000\" size=\"2\" face=\"Arial\">A host of new enemies awaits you at every turn.<br>\r\n <br>\r\nMore than half of all creatures and quests in Desert of Flames are tailored to soloers and small groups. <br>\r\n</font>\r\n\r\n<br><font color=\"#000000\" size=\"2\" face=\"Arial\">But, don\'t worry, the massive desert landscapes and twisting desert dungeons provide plenty of room for large group content. <br>\r\n <br>\r\nAll new group and raid encounters await to test your skills and new abilities. <br>\r\n</font>\r\n\r\n<br><font color=\"#000000\" size=\"2\" face=\"Arial\">Expect the unexpected as quests and epic foes come looking for you. <br>\r\n</font>\r\n\r\n<br><font color=\"#000000\" size=\"2\" face=\"Arial\">Collect all new weapons, spells, and combat arts to ready yourself for the heroic challenges ahead. <br>\r\n <br>\r\nAt the center of the Desert of Ro stands the colorful bandit city of Maj\'Dul. <br>\r\n</font>\r\n\r\n<br><font color=\"#000000\" size=\"2\" face=\"Arial\">While many of the expansion\'s adventures and quests flow outward from the city, Maj\'Dul is itself full of potential dangers. <br>\r\n</font>\r\n\r\n<br><font color=\"#000000\" size=\"2\" face=\"Arial\">Watch your step in the sordid streets of this desert stronghold. A wrong turn or unchecked tongue can get you in trouble with the city\'s NPC inhabitants, all of which can be attacked and killed. ",1] ); //-->

You will face all new challenges as you fight, quest, or tradeskill
your way up to the new level cap of 60.   

Escape from enemies and explore over a dozen new zones by
climbing up
cliffs and walls in a new dimension of gameplay - vertical
movement.         Ready yourself to battle familiar foes, like crocodiles, spectres
and, of course, sand giants!  Desert of Flames will add over 30
new creatures to the world of Norrath, including genies, sphinxes,
mummies, and harpies. A host of new enemies awaits you at every turn. More than half of all creatures and quests in Desert of Flames
are
tailored to soloers and small
groups. But, don't worry, the
massive desert landscapes and twisting desert dungeons provide plenty
of room for large group content.    All new group and raid encounters await to test your skills and
new abilities.  Expect the unexpected as quests and epic foes come looking for
you.     Collect all new weapons, spells, and combat arts to ready
yourself for the heroic challenges ahead.     At the center of the Desert of Ro stands the colorful bandit city
of Maj'Dul.   While many of the
expansion's adventures and quests flow outward from the city, Maj'Dul
is itself full of potential dangers.    Watch your step in the
sordid streets of this desert stronghold. A wrong turn or unchecked
tongue can get you in trouble with the city's NPC inhabitants, all of
which can be attacked and killed.      Get involved in the conflict within this rough and tumble city by
taking over key buildings. The adventures and quests available will
dynamically change based on your actions. Team up with other players to take on the powers that rule
Maj'Dul in a series of story-driven adventures.
There are, of course consequences for open conflict in the
streets of Maj'Dul. If things get too heated, the city's wizard
guardians will descend from the sky to enforce the law.
If you can\'t settle it in the streets, take it inside to the
player-versus-player arenas of Maj'dul. Here, you'll have the
opportunity to fight as yourself or take control of an arena champion.
Fight other players using a wide variety of creature champions. Collect
orc warriors, goblin wizards, golem servants and dozens of other
monsters as you expand your stable of champions. Arena battles are rarely a straight-up fight. Choose from a
variety of scenarios to even the odds.  Take advantage of your goblin's speed in Capture the Flag or your
golem's strength in Defend and Assault. Each scenario will require new
skills and tactics. This is the first introduction of PvP in EverQuest
II, and we\'re very excited for what that means to both new and
existing players alike. With every win, earn fame and reputation for your player versus
player prowess. As you might expect, not everything in Desert of Flames plays by
the rules. Take on the most dangerous foes yet seen in the new world of
Norrath. Use dozens of new voice emotes to personalize your character and
coordinate combat with your friends.

Prepare yourself for a
new level of adventure, a new kind of player versus player combat, and
for challenges beyond anything you've experienced before...

But make absolutely sure you're ready. 
      

Uncover the
mysteries and follow the adventures within EverQuest II: Desert of
Flames… where all new adventures come alive. Coming in September 2005. color="#000000" face="Arial" size="2">