Via Taymar at MMORPG Info (always a fantastic place for information about EQ2 and other games), EQ2′s game update 49 — the last one before the expansion — is live. GU49 introduces guild halls, multicore support, and more. Perhaps another chapter in the Anashti Sul world event?

I THOUGHT they were doing a tailoring update with new colors and patterns, but I can’t remember if that was expansion or pre-expansion.

My tests with the multicore support on my Core 2 Duo-powered laptop showed a significant improvement on Test.

The EverQuest 2 GU48 world quest deals with, from the evil side, anyway, discovering who is responsible for the death of a Qeynosian Seeress who died mysteriously just before she was to make a pronouncement. All the signs point to work by Bertoxxulous’s disciples, but the high priest of the god of disease swears that though they have no love for any follower of the Prime Healer, Rodcet Nife, it wasn’t them. They were framed.

I put my necromancer, Adora, on the case. If this investigation was going to veer into life and death, who better than a necro to get to the (blackened, shrunken) heart of the matter?

Adora hunted for clues all over Norrath. Her investigations finally led her to a small apartment in Neriak, where she listened, hidden, as shadow creatures plotted with mortals about some foul deed. Then Adora was discovered.

While her pet went on a mad rampage and killed every living and unliving thing in the apartment, Adora picked up a curious amulet from the floor, and was immediately gripped in the power of a vision that seemed all too real.

Thousands — millions of void beasts and shadowmen gathered in what can only be the Void, all looking at a mysterious figure addressing them from atop a tall stone…

Though robed and shrouded, the woman on the stone wielded incredible power, and she held Adora’s soul in a grip so powerful she could not struggle nor scream… and then she was suddenly released.

Adora never suspected a necromancer could show fear. But there are some things in the universe more powerful, and more dread, than mere death. Adora realized that she had been left to live for one purpose only — to give up the creed of Brell Serillis and to help reveal to the world the coming of the Queen of Unlife, Anashti Sul.

Adora got a replica of Anashti’s staff as well as the amulet she found (now drained of its connection with The Void) and … a treant pet? Not sure how that fits into the lore, but whatever. The bubbling bowl of poison on the floor was a gift from a grateful Evdonia for helping her clear the good name of the Disciples of Disease.

Today is possibly GU49 and the continuation of the story. One of the very nice things about EQ2 is how each expansion is set up with months of storyline and lore quests — these have been going on since spring, and each one gets more elaborate.

SOE has a great preview of their re-imagining of the dungeon of Najena on their web site.

I loved the original Najena — it was the first raid I ever did with the guild I’d just joined, United Norrath Coalition, and I must have been all of level 19, and Drelzna hated druids so much, she harm touched me to death every time she popped.

Good times. I don’t expect it to be the sort of casual fun Najena was in EQ1 (which, despite what people say, was pretty much the ultimate casual, social MMO), but it will be nice to see what it has become.

Ironforge, looks like…

But without the dancing naked night elves.

I don’t think Najena dances.

I’ll be seeing these live hopefully later today, but here’s my first reactions to the expansions.

EQ2: The Shadow Odyssey

So, we’re getting Lost Dungeons of Norrath, EQ2 style. I don’t know if this means the return of the Wayfarers, but I kind of hope it doesn’t, as the Wayfarer’s led into the ugly Gates of Discord and Omens of War expansions, which kinda broke the whole fantasy feel of EQ with their SciFi aliens from across the 8th dimension, a mistake finally corrected with Dragons of Norrath.

Anyway, expect a single gorup focus, the reurn of Innothule Swamp and its signature dungeon, Guk.

Also returning is the dungeon of Befallen, which is a little odd, since we all kinda thought Stormhold was Befallen, given the NPCs like Gynok Moltar who spawn there, the heritage quests like the Bone Bladed Claymore that go through there, etc. and now, here’s Befallen.

It won’t really feel like Befallen unless you can fall into a deep hole, die, lose all your stuff and have to start over.

Ah, Befallen memories.

Remember how much people hated that whole aliens from across the 8th dimension thing in GoD and OoW? Well, they’re BACK.

They are adding Guild wars-style hirelings in case you need someone for your group. This can work out one of two ways. Either the hirelings are awesome, removing the need to find a real human for their spot and removing the need for clerics outside of raids entirely; or they are weaker than players and useless. Guild Wars does it th first way. I expect EQ will be going with the second/ Shrouded characters are far weaker than the equivalent player; I expect the same for hirelings.

But, if you could have a full group of competent hirelings to help you, then perhaps new players would be able to level up to their fifties, where grouping begins, without having to two box or get powerleveled.

Anyway, time to get ready for a fun day :)