EQOA Famine Event

[Rhabuka]

As posted on the main EQOA boards

When Josephine Huely ran through the gates of Qeynos, she looked as if she had seen a ghost. Later, when questioned by Guards Fellwood and Horley, they found out what she had actually seen.

"It was as if, for a sudden moment, there was a solar eclipse," she said. "And the sky became dark, and the air filled with the shrill noise of thousands of insect wings flapping. I hurried from the Crethly Manor area back to my home in Qeynos to warn everyone, but the bugs never came. While I'm very relieved, I just wonder what those horrible things were..."

For a while, no one believed her because she had a reputation around town for being a bit of a drama queen.

Brutus Kaliathon is one Qeynosian that didn't believe her at first. "Well, you have to take what Josephine says with a grain of salt, sometimes a whole LOT of salt. Me and the others just figured she wanted some attention like usual. I mean, she spends all day parading around the city with that blasted pet in tow, always stepping on the grass. It's such nice grass, you know, it doesn't deserve to be stepped on all the time."

Further comments and pleas to save the Qeynosian grass were uttered as the guards walked away slowly, making sure to NOT step on the grassy areas.

After further investigation, an infestation of these strange insects (that Josephine had described) was found around the farming areas in the western and southwestern regions of Tunaria.

Farmer Alysha in the Crethley Manor area was found chasing some of the offending bugs away from her field. "This simply would not do to have an infestation so near to harvest time. I keep shooing them away from my crops and they keep coming back. The other farmers and I had to band together to stop this, but I didn't think we could do it on our own. We're asking everyone to please put the word out to the brave heros in other towns that we may need their help in the near future."

When the farmers of Tunaria ask for your aid, will you heed their call? It may be up to you, the brave adventurers of Tunaria, to prevent a horrible famine from plaguing the lands.


(Interesting... Slyfoot, notice how Crethley Manor is involved. No others details about this 'event' yet but I will post here if I see something. The boards also note that some NPCs are having their resistances tweaked (for example, a basilisk can now paralyze you), and new hunt & gather quests will be added.)

[mobi]

On the way to the bank in freeport i found a bunch of slith tar's in the city. they are red faced to me but dont attack is this something to do with the famine thing?

[Zugarok]

it does appear that way, many grocers have dissapeared as well.

[hakiko]

They are all over the farms in the Qeynos area. Poor farmer Hops

[Nikkii O'seth]

Neriak and seriak has been taken now too.

[Nobel]

Last I saw, Ling at the Black Swan Inn was still selling food and drink. It seems more and more grocers are affected each day.

[hakiko]

At least our watering hole has not been effected yet

[mobi]

anyone know the perpous off this famine. if it is a qst what lvl you gotta be for it? just a question thought since no one on CLW would inform me

[Rhabuka]

Yes, there are quests but I'm not sure what the level range is or where the quests are logged. Maybe from farmers around Qeynos or near Crethley Manor??

I've heard that in one quest, you need to kill the Chiktar Queen and get her brain (mmmmm.... brains). Other quests involve gathering wings from various bug-like creatures.

I'll do some more research into this when I have a chance, the hodstock.com boards usually have fairly reliable information.

So far I've heard those slith tar hovering around the wells can't be attacked and won't attack you (emphasis on so far). It was funny watching people stay well back from them when they first appeared.

[Rhabuka]

As posted on the main EQOA boards...

An EQOA Thanksgiving Tale

Scene:
The Farmers Association Emergency Meeting

Alysha stood up and said her piece. "All this incessant buzzing is driving me crazy, not to mention our crops are completely ruined! We cannot stand for this! We must find some way to rid our lands of the slith tar and chiktar. While it appears the southwest coast and the Qeynosian city areas are still holding strong, the majority of Tunaria is now infested."

Tarlig and Gerdie looked at each other. "We've been sending adventurers that were willing to infiltrate the hives. From what we've discovered, they've put up a bit of a fight, but they're not strong or tactical enough to be waging this war on their own," Tarlig said.

Gertie set a jar on the table with some half decaying grey matter which the others peered at with disgust. "This is the brain of a chiktar queen, which an adventurer able to recover from the hive. I know that Byrom has sent this and other specimens that have been found to our contact in Klik`Anon. Has there been any word from Wizzmaggle?"

"Yes, a traveler brought me back this note. Do you wish for me to read it aloud?"

The others nodded.

Byrom cleared his throat. "Dear Byrom, It has been a very exciting time in Klik`Anon, with the discovery of the tri-coated whirligig...erm...let me skip to the relevant information, one moment."

Byrom skimmed through the long parchment. "Ah, yes. The brains that you had delivered were quite intriguing, actually. While in every other sense they were similar to the grey matter of other chiktar and slith tar I've seen, these two had these odd sections missing. Very precisely placed in the frontal lobe as well, which I can only deduce that this is not by accident. Think about it. Should you wish to attack someone, you would sneak up on them from behind unless you were either much stronger then them, or had them under some sort of control. What we are dealing with is either very strong, or very smart. The portion of the brain removed looks very deliberate too..."

"I'm sorry, this goes on for a long time about brain functions...very gnomishly written as well. Let me skip forward again a bit....ah, here it is." Byrom cleared his throat again. "To summarize, something else has removed the portion of the brain that controls the hive mentality of the queens. In doing this, and taking control of the queens, they have essentially enslaved the whole chiktar and slith tar races. Unfortunately, whoever did this did not leave any fingerprints or traces that I can find, so that is still a mystery. Good luck finding the culprit and you must see my creation made only of tri-coated whirligigs and sand blasted sprockets! It is simply divine! Best wishes, Wizzmaggle."

Raldimo glanced at the others. "I may have the explanation for the lack of fingerprints. I found this odd artifact at the edge of town. It was a...lens...I think. It had a small inscription of R.E. on the edge of it, and it must have come from an eyeball the size of me! One of the adventurers I sent off came back with another one just like it. They told me that it came from the area of..."

He stopped abruptly as Josephine Huely burst into the meeting. "Farmers, farmers, I have horrible news! Around the Qeynos Prison area, there were some rather ugly sightings recently. At first, the guards thought they were escaped prisoners, but later found to be ...well... the best way I can describe them as floating eyes."

Raldimo nodded. "It sounds as if our saboteur is scouting out the next targets. I fear that Stormhaven will be hit harder than other towns. Josephine, can you ask some members of the Anagogical Order to investigate the area?"

She nodded. "I will return and request this immediately. I do not expect there will be much resistance. Our city is dreadfully frightened of this famine that has spared us thus far. I will also ask that The Seekers of Forkwatch to send representatives out to the slith tar and chiktar hives to investigate the presence of anything out of the ordinary."

"Thank you, Josephine. We will continue to battle these bugs on our home front and keep enlisting the aid of brave travelers until this is over. I appreciate your assistance with this situation." Gerdie said.

Josephine smiled thinly. "Qeynos will do anything we can to keep this away, and I'm sure our friends in Forkwatch, who have already been hit by this famine, will be happy to assist. I shall be on my way immediately."

Will the little town of Stormhaven hold or fall to the evil forces causing this plight? What is controlling the chiktar and the slith tar and what is afoot at their hives? Will the famine ever end? The Anagogical Society and The Seekers may need forces to combat the brains behind the famine, perhaps you and your party can take part in saving Tunaria from further infestation.

[Rhabuka]

Information I've gathered so far:

Farmers are the quest givers and are located in the East zone of Crethley Manor at farmers row. All 5 are standing just south of Farmer Hops. The first part apparently gives level-specific food and drinks (no xp, no other items).

If your quest involves killing Chiktar, be aware that they heal themselves.

There is a second quest involving an NPC in Slith Tar (S), who is located under an archway. He gives a quest for lvls 45 and lower, which consists of various hunt-and-gather quests.

The Evil Eyes of Runnyeye Gorge are involved in this event. The 50+ quest involves taking one of them down.

I've also seen various levels who have the Evil Eye form, which must be from the second part.

If anyone has given this stuff a try, please feel free to post! Thanks.

[Nobel]

Well, the famine event has ended... for now. Apparently there's an NPC in Forkwatch hinting that we haven't seen the last of these strange events. For now though, you should be able to buy all the food and drink you can afford. Slyfoot, I'm sure you're happy to hear that!