On the horizon
When I checked my e-mail this morning, I had a pre-order notification from Sony for Rise of Kunark in my inbox.
Kunark.
Just the name itself evokes so many memories for me. When I began my time in EQ1, Kunark had already been released and Velious was just over the horizon. Even so, it was a month or so before I even ventured out to this land that was filled with many locations with ominous names. The Lake of Ill Omen. Trakanon’s Teeth. The City of Mist. Skyfire. Dreadlands. Burning Woods. The Crypt of Dalnir. Howling Stones.
The first time that I made the journey, I was nervous as hell. I jumped on the shuttles in Butcherblock Mountains not knowing what was awaiting me on the other side. I remember zoning over and seeing that massive ship for the first time. I remember the mad dash from the Firiona Vie Outpost to the Lake of Ill Omen dodging and juking to avoid the drachnid hordes that wanted to make me dead every step of the way.
I spent a lot of memorable hours in Kunark of old. It was here that I made countless friends and allies for many battles to come. It was here that I finally began to learn my characters and how to play them. It was here that I learned how much I enjoyed involved quest lines, freaky-scary dungeon crawls, and raiding with my friends and guild mates.
Through all of the temptations I have felt over the years to give EQ2 another glance, none of them were compelling enough to pull me back to the game until I heard the rumors of Kunark coming once again. There are few areas of Norrath (old or new) that have the pull on me as Kunark does.
I don’t even know what to expect yet, but if Kunark is the same quality of expansion as Faydwer was, I just know that I am in store for quite a treat.
All of the press releases I have read concerning this expansion all have the same hook… “a forgotten enemy arises.” Kunark has so many possibilities for what that forgotten enemy might be between the dragon tribes of Veeshan’s Peak to Venril Sathir to, what for a very long time was the most difficult raid mob anyone could even conceive.
And let us not forget… pre-order comes with a new housepet. 
The little kid inside of me is bouncing around in anticipation right now because this year, Christmas falls on November 13.
