Gallery of Underutilized or Overlooked Locations

[Grinkles]

Dalaya is full to the brim with custom NPCs, quests, lore, and so on, making it easy to forget that the zones we run around in were actually crafted for entirely different purposes back when they were developed for EQ Live. When building a zone, those developers had the advantage of being able to insert landmarks, buildings, ravines, etc. as they saw fit in order to suit the purposes of the game they were creating.

However, when a fresh developer comes in to repurpose a zone, there can be unique features of that zone which are forgotten or simply go unnoticed. To make matters worse, seemingly important features, such as a Druid ring or mysterious ruins, were often left unmarked in the official in-game maps. The result is that, despite the rich content spanning Dalaya, there are still many underutilized or overlooked points of interest in several zones.

I have decided to document some of these locations in the form of screenshots in order to draw attention to the absence of content surrounding them. Current/future SoD developers might see something here that would be perfect for hiding away a new groundspawn, housing a 6-man encounter, inserting a lore-related NPC, etc. As rich as SoD is in content, these screenshots show that there's always room for more.

NOTE: This is a work in progress. There are many zones with other noteworthy landmarks that I intend to seek out and document in future posts.​

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Darkwoods -- #1
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This pillar shows up right before the Red Sun Peaks zoneline. The stone and symbol design are consistent with Druid rings, though this pillar apparently serves no purpose currently. What is the significance of this symbol in Dalaya, if any?
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Darkwoods -- #2
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This mysterious monument floats high above a campfire and lies northwest of Traekoth the Ancient. The design is consistent with monuments found in Northern Badlands (surrounded by zombies) and in the Sea of Swords (surrounded by lizardmen). I have a feeling that the floating effect is unintended, and that the original developer(s) accidentally set the Z-axis coordinate way too high and simply forgot about this object altogether.
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Darkwoods -- #3

Another unused pillar clearly linked to the Druid rings. This is found along the western wall of the zone.
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Darkwoods -- #4

An empty encampment north of the river. As far as I can tell, no NPCs even path here. The design is consistent with multiple species spanning several zones, including lizardmen, orcs, and goblins.
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Darkwoods -- #5

A dilapidated monument or shrine found south of the river along the western wall. The same monument is found in the Sea of Swords (also abandoned) and most likely a few other places I can't recall.
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EDIT: According to Nwaij, Darkwoods #5 is used for something!
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Darkwoods -- #6

Another empty encampment similar to #4 above. This one has two standards and a taller tent, whereas the other has two squat tents and only one standard.
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Eastern Badlands -- #1

Yes, this is Eastern Badlands despite its resemblance to the Northern Badlands Druid ring. While the scene is nearly an exact copy of what one would see upon porting into NBL (complete with guardian treants that are prone to corruption at night), this Druid ring unfortunately does not work.​

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Eastern Plaguelands -- #1

An empty encampment consistent with Darkwoods #4 and #6 above. This was one of the highly popular orc camps on Live, though it apparently serves no purpose whatsoever in SoD. It is possible that this is intended, given the rampant plague in this region.
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Eastern Plaguelands -- #2

This Druid ring has sunk into the sands. Unlike the Darkwoods examples, this one is much more "complete" in that it consists of just as many pillars as a functional Druid ring. This served as undead ruins on live, though it apparently has no unique purpose in our game.
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EDIT: According to Nwaij, Eastern Plaguelands #2 is used for something!

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Heartlands -- #1

This location is visible from the Druid port-in. Although there are two burning torches, ornate stonework, and an inviting platform that stretches out into the river, this entry leads to nowhere. Granted, several caved-in boulders block the way once the hallway takes a turn, but it could still serve as a zoneline or a hiding spot for a quest NPC.​

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King's Pass -- #1

The so-called Tiger's Roar inn/tavern is, as far as I can tell, entirely empty. This is strange, as I seem to recall that it used to be full of level ~35 skeletons just like the rest of the zone. Did I imagine this? I thought that the place might, for some odd reason, only populate at night, but a visit after dark proved just as uneventful.
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King's Pass -- #2

The main bar of the Tiger's Roar is quiet as can be -- an injustice to the establishment's name.
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King's Pass -- #3

The keg storage area upstairs is just as empty.
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King's Pass -- #4

Jogren is the one and only zombie merchant in the game! He's the only NPC found beyond the hidden underwater path in this zone. Despite these rare distinctions, he has no dialog, no lore associated with him, and no unique items among his buyable wares. Why is he the only undead creature in King's Pass to have retained some of his flesh? What is his backstory?
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King's Pass -- #5

These goods are found in the caves not far from Jogren. No NPCs or groundspawns in sight....
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King's Pass -- #6

More miscellaneous items in the same caves.
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King's Pass -- #7

And more.
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Mistwoods -- #1

Far north along the river lies this tiny, lonely island that I'm sure almost nobody has ever paid any attention to. It is the only such feature of its kind along the whole river. A groundspawn or lone quest NPC would fit in perfectly here!​

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Mistwoods -- #2

Another mysteriously unacknowledged Druid pillar. This one is far removed from the functional Druid ring in the zone, though the design is unmistakable. The entry to Erudin can be seen in the distant background.
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Sea of Swords -- #1

This zone is littered with lots of underutilized features, and this empty inn is among the most obvious. It is found on the Druid ring island. Interestingly, this inn features a walled-off "front yard" with two campfires and a tree; such a feature is not found anywhere else in game.​

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Sea of Swords -- #2

This encampment, found on one of the northeastern islands of the zone, is abandoned. It is consistent with the Reptitus (lizardman) camps on the island south of here. The tents themselves are difficult to enter, as they are placed unusually low in the terrain.
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Sea of Swords -- #3

Two tents, a standard, and a campfire lie dormant on the southwestern edge of the Druid ring island. The design may be consistent with the pirates far to the west, though I'm uncertain.
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Sea of Swords -- #4

This mysterious monument has sunk into the ground. It is located on one of the northeastern islands. No NPCs, groundspawns, or anything else of note can be seen from here.
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Sea of Swords -- #5

An unmarked grave can be found on, once again, one of the northeastern islands. The design is consistent with graves seen in Goblinskull Mountains, though I believe many of those are also unused. The design appears to be a Dwarf face.
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Sea of Swords -- #6

A rocky archipelago is found far to the west in this zone. The design is consistent with the twin peaks (home to lotus plant monsters) near the center of the zone. No NPCs, no groundspawns, no quest locations....
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Shadowdale -- #1

Several burned, abandoned cabins such as this dot the terrain of Shadowdale. Two of them are home to "corrupted shadowdale druids", though many are simply unused. This particular one overlooks the najad lake.
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Shadowdale -- #2

Another example of such a cabin, this one farther to the west.
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Shadowdale -- #3

This house is unique in several ways. Although the design is consistent with other non-cabin houses found in the zone, this one is empty. A standard can be seen next to the entry; the design is unique, as far as I can tell (though it may be matched to the banners at the Silver Crown or Council camps in the zone -- I didn't check). The most unique feature, however, is found inside...
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Shadowdale -- #4

A distinctly evil-looking bed takes up the bulk of the floorspace inside! The design is consistent with beds found in the Ruins of Nagthilian and Eldenal's Mansion. Even though these features make the house unique, I believe it has been completely overlooked thus far in SoD.
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Southern Badlands -- #1

This Wizard spire is found near the eastern wall of the zone. It is marked on the map, though no NPCs path over or near it. The toppled pillar would suggest it has fallen into disuse by Wizards, but the design is still consistent with, for example, the perfectly active spire in Southern Wastes of Tarhyl.
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Southern Badlands -- #2

A complete Druid ring can be found south of the abovementioned Wizard spire. For whatever reason, this landmark is not marked on the map. The Wood Elf Druid Ledrana Stormkeeper is found on the other side of the hill seen in the background, though she does not acknowledge its presence in her quest's dialog. No NPCs path through the ring, as far as I have seen. Interestingly, this Druid ring's distance and orientation with respect to the Wizard spire in zone are highly similar to the distance and orientation between the DRU and WIZ port-ins seen in Southern Wastes of Tarhyl, yet both of those actually work....
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Southern Badlands -- #3

More a curiosity than a legitimate landmark, this tree is comically smaller than any other tree in the zone! I wonder if the original developer(s) intended this as a joke. It is found near the eastern wall of the zone amid an otherwise unremarkable landscape.
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Steamfont Mountains -- #1

These two isolated huts are found far to the north of the zone. A large telescope protrudes through the roof of the eastern hut. While NPCs are present, they are simply generic clockwork guards with no dialog. No NPC with a proper name is to be found, and the location is, as far as I know, not used by or referenced in any quests in the area.
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Western Plaguelands -- #1

This hut overlooking Plaguefang's lake is, to my knowledge, the only hut in Western Plaguelands that is unused; all others house plague victims or, in one case, a quest groundspawn.
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Western Plaguelands -- #2

Another disused Wizard spire. Again, the design is consistent with the perfectly functional spire seen in Southern Wastes of Tarhyl, though this one is unused. As far as I've seen, the local wildlife will steer clear of it (almost as if it were intended as a port-in).​

 

[Nwaij]

Might want to take Darkwoods #5 and Eastern Plaguelands #2 off your list - both these things serve a purpose.

 

[DodoBot]

Sweet post. Really like the zone exploration that went on to back this up. I always wondered why we only had one set of badlands ports...

 

[Grinkles]

Might want to take Darkwoods #5 and Eastern Plaguelands #2 off your list - both these things serve a purpose.

I'll edit the post to explain this. Whatever their purposes are, they sure aren't advertised well!

Sweet post. Really like the zone exploration that went on to back this up. I always wondered why we only had one set of badlands ports...

I wish DRU/WIZ ports would be given to all ring/spire locations both for consistency's sake and just to broaden the range covered by ports. Even if a DRU ended up with three Badlands ports, for instance, it would still be an convenient improvement over the one. They could even be implemented as mid-level quest rewards or sold exclusively by merchants stationed at each location.

 

[AngryCow]

I think the lore is that some places are too corrupted via Kaezul's twisted magics/etc to be connected via teleportation. It would be nice to see stronger signs of corruption however at the spires themselves. Also, places like Kelethin were originally covered in mist, a good reason to leave that druid port inactive, but nowadays it seems pretty clear to me with the soothing presence of Athica nearby, so maybe a quest from the nearby druids guild could re-open the rings at Kelethin's doorstep?

 

[AngryCow]

Also, I've used the EPL #2 location for a quest, so backing up Nwaij for that one. It was part of [Daymare into Night], the Marlow deity quest.

 

[donfolstar3]

Grinkles, your posts like this are one of the best things about this entire game. Thank you.

I wish DRU/WIZ ports would be given to all ring/spire locations both for consistency's sake and just to broaden the range covered by ports. Even if a DRU ended up with three Badlands ports, for instance, it would still be an convenient improvement over the one. They could even be implemented as mid-level quest rewards or sold exclusively by merchants stationed at each location.

We were talking in ooc or guild chat or somewhere the other day about how it is weird that the SC hasn't attempted to utilize ring/spires/m.o.p. since they are a trading organization who, you know, move stuff around. Or COI out of curiosity. Or BS for troop deployment. Perhaps these redundant rings/spires could be divided between the three with a simple quest for DRU/WIZ that goes something like:

1. COI Translocationist / SC Shipping Dude / BS Troop Deployment Officer in Heartlands
Hello researcher/trader/raider Sir, I have a task vital which I cannot trust to a subordinate. Blah blah teleportation system blah blah. So please go check in with our people in the field at locations X, Y, and Z to see what the hold up is.

2. Locations X, Y, and Z
Hello Sir, what can I do for you?
/cmd d1 [explanation]
WHAT? I have been stranded out here for weeks waiting for [first person you talked to] to send someone like they said they would! Here is my report- everything is ready on our end!
rinse, repeat

3. Back in the Heartlands
[however you want to spin it]
Would you like to be the first to test our system?
d1 - Yes, translocate me
d2 - Yes, give me the scrolls (receive any dru/wiz ports)
d3 - No, you are a crazy person

Short and sweet. Mostly flavor since these ports are right next to other ports. Maybe even leave the network up as a perk for people who finish their faction augs.

 

[Grinkles]

Short and sweet. Mostly flavor since these ports are right next to other ports.

Something along these lines would be great. Even if multiple Badlands ports may seem redundant, there have been countless times when I've ported to NBL only as a means to run to WBL for a quest piece or SBL to check on Notus of the Wind's spawn. The Badlands are the largest contiguous region of all the original zones, which often makes them a pain to navigate (especially as, say, a Wizard without SoW). Since the structures are already in place to faciliate additional ports, why not put them to use?

Curiously, the West Badlands (West Karana) Wizard spire is in use on Live, which means it was deliberately cut here (possibly to be repurposed for some other unique SoD spell). The spire in SBL, however, has never been active. This seems arbitrary to me. If nothing else, firing up these unused port spots could add yet another layer of custom content to the server.

 

[Expletus]

I always thought that the little door/tunnel area in hearthlands could lead to a secret zone.

 

[Swiftur]

I still constantly forget that I can't teleport to Darkwoods because I always used to load a wizard to teleport there on live anytime I needed to get to the famed dark elf city, or the East Commons tunnel. This could still be SO useful even now, especially with so many quests needing players to go to these surrounding areas... #Darkwoodsteleport2015

 

[Nwaij]

*cough* RSP port and evac *cough*

Really, the only zones in the entire game that require you to zone more then 3 times if you use the closest port (gatenecks included!) are Tur'ruj and Temple of Elael. And everyone going to Tur'ruij is bound outside anyways.

 

[Daffie]

*cough* RSP port and evac *cough*

Really, the only zones in the entire game that require you to zone more then 3 times if you use the closest port (gatenecks included!) are Tur'ruj and Temple of Elael. And everyone going to Tur'ruij is bound outside anyways.

Misery

 

[Kedrin]

Also any of the Freeport's.

 

[DodoBot]

Also any of the Freeport's.

Didn't they re-do freeport into a single zone on live? Was that ever a thing after I quit (OOW era) or did I imagine this? Also WTB more freeport.

 

[Nwaij]

Didn't think of Misery nor freeport. But add in MoP entrances and my statement is true again. In a nutshell, I don't think we need any more ports unless we get more zones.

 

[Daffie]

Mop to the expansion would be nice

 

[AngryCow]

Mop to Regrath!

 

[donfolstar3]

Didn't think of Misery nor freeport. But add in MoP entrances and my statement is true again. In a nutshell, I don't think we need any more ports unless we get more zones.

MoP, or:
Rivervale Neck > Shadowdale > WPL > Misery
Druid Port SoS > Eastfreeport

Regardless, the whole idea was making unused stuff just laying around doing nothing semi-useful for some flavor. It's not really about "need".

 

[Kedrin]

Druid Port SoS > Eastfreeport

A technically that would take longer than any other way. Haha

Also, I NEED loot.

 

[cornelweezy]

This post is awesome. Does remind me of how confused I felt a few years ago when Slaar told me that there active and designed zones in the game that hadn't yet been discovered by the playerbase yet. Not sure how true that still is today but I assume there are a couple out there that haven't been properly explorered. Since then, I've assumed that if I could see it in game, it served some purpose.

Would be cool if some of those old broken down spires/rings were port spells given to good/evil wizards and druids or ones that have pledged to certain deities. Definitely flavor, but interesting flavor.