Everquest 2: Exclusive first interview with Tony "Vhalen" Garcia

Fans of the History and Lore boards over on the EQ2 official forums love to read the cryptic clues of Norrath's past and future that are left by the mysterious Sage of Lore. Here at Warcry, we were able to tear him away from his dusty old books and give us his first ever interview. Listen in as Rapha asks Vhalen about some of the mysteries of Norrath.

Warcry: What is your role at SOE?

Vhalen: I am a game designer on EQII whose specialty is the creation and maintenance of lore. Being involved with the original lore of both EQ and EQII gives me a unique perspective on most EQ related projects.

Warcry: How much of the lore concepts do you come up with, and who else helps you keep all those stories straight?

Vhalen: I developed most of the foundation lore of the EQII universe. Having done so, I now maintain our lore vision and primary story arc. Other designers have ideas that I help integrate into the foundation and story arc. Among the designers that I work closely with are Jindrack and Illucide.

Warcry: How does the EQ2 lore relate to the original game of Everquest?

Vhalen: The universe of EverQuest II is based on some very early visions that I worked on with Bill Trost, one of the original creators of EverQuest. You will find some elements in EQII that we had hoped would make it into the launch of the original EverQuest but didn't quite make it, as well as past entities of Norrath.

Warcry: One of the topics players speculate a lot on is the timeline of events in EQ2's history. Do you have a timeline of our history that you have written?

Vhalen: I do have a timeline. I know where we have been and where we are going. Due to the mechanics of the game, exact dates are avoided, but I do know where major events fall in relation to one another. We have already started our march on that timeline and soon we will all... well, you'll have to wait and see what awaits us at the end of that road.

Warcry: What is one of your favorite storylines in the game?

Vhalen: My favorite storyline in game is the one that touches upon most of Norrath, but remains unseen. Beyond that storyline I have to say I really enjoy adding new chapters to the Everling saga.

Warcry: Many people enjoyed getting "The Idol of Everling" through a concept you've called "forum quests." Do you have another one planned that the players can look forward to figuring out?

Vhalen: I really enjoyed doing that type of quest. The people on the lore boards have always held interesting debates and I keep an eye on them. I wanted to begin to offer the community a chance to share mysteries and not only learn about the lore of EQII, but participate in spreading the tales of Norrath. With the help of the lore community, I think it turned out nicely.

But you asked me about future forum quests. I have already worked out the next two, but other duties keep me from implementing them into the game world at this time. Although they may not be implemented, the seeds of lore that will help solve them have already been planted.

Warcry: Nektropos Castle and the Everling Family is a great storyline enjoyed by many of the lore fans. Can you give some information on how Rikantus came about building his twisted castle in the middle of Teir'Dal territory?

Vhalen: The origins of the castle have long been laid out, but it is not until the Age of Destiny that the true story of the castle is beginning to unfold. Lord Rikantus Everling has had dealings in his past that brought curses upon his family line. Dealing with these curses became his priority and also led to some forbidden alliances. From one of these evil alliances came the safe haven of Nektropos Castle, a place of isolation, research and containment. If only we could step back into time, through the Chronoscape, and visit the castle as it stood back then. It was not the structure we see today ... twisted in so many ways.

Warcry: Another well known character to the evil side is the Foci. Can you tell us anything about the relationship between Lucan D'Lere and the Foci, formerly known as Opal Darkbriar?

Vhalen: It is dangerous to call the Overlord by his true name. He is not fond of that and has created a law that forbids such a thing. But on to your question:

The Overlord and Opal have come to an agreement. It was during the Age of Turmoil that this pact was sealed. They each got what they wanted. They may have different goals, but they have learned how unstoppable their alliance is. Unfortunately, such powerful entities are certain to clash as they vie for ultimate power. I fear that day is soon to come.

Warcry: Dancer is a character familiar to many Qeynosians and is found in several key places but very little is known about her. Is there anything about her life that you can share with us?

Vhalen: Dancer is a Green Hood officer. She has been appointed as an aide to Murrar Shar, commander of the Royal Antonican Guard and all Qeynosian operations in the Overrealm.

As for Dancer's past, her real name can be found in-game. If you wonder where she got her green hood name, she was a type of dancer. Her artistic endeavor was not by choice, but rather, forced upon her by a sinister society that had captured her during a raid on her home village. Upon escape, she joined the group that rescued her from that servitude, the Green Hoods.

Warcry: The Greenhoods have had a significant, though secretive, role to play in the world of Norrath. Could you tell us a little bit about their inception/creation?

Vhalen: Ah! The Green Hoods, my second favorite fighting force in Norrath. The Green Hoods evolved from my interest in the real world U.S. Army Special Forces. Back in EQLive I created the lore for this unit of highly mobile soldiers that hailed from the Jaggedpine. This unit is an elite unit of the Qeynos Guard, but had its roots and training bound to the Protectors of Pine. Their original name was the Ghost Brigade. I barely mentioned them in EQLive, but I really wanted to revive them for the Age of Destiny. This is what I came up with:

The Green Hoods get their name from their distinct green hooded cloaks. They also wear a form of camouflaged leather armor. All members of this force cast away their old life and name. They are given nicknames that are related to their past life. The Green Hoods are a highly mobile division of the Qeynos Guard.

During the end days of the Age of Cataclysms they began a perilous war to retake the Orcish Wastes from the Deathfist Empire. They were badly outnumbered and soon found themselves disconnected from the Kingdom of Qeynos. These were highly skilled survivalists and soon found themselves living off the land. Slowly they began to free captives the orcs had enslaved. These slaves were of a variety of races including the ones often thought to be "evil". In order to survive, a great many escaped slaves trained with the Green Hoods and soon joined its ranks. Eventually, they shared the same goals and ideals. This how the Green Hoods have come to accept petitions for new recruits from all races, although few ever graduate to don the prestigious green hood.

Warcry: Since Faydwer is being rediscovered in the upcoming expansion, Echoes of Faydwer, can you give us a little insight into the current state of affairs there?

Vhalen: Where the Shattered Lands was ravaged by cataclysms, Faydwer was ripped apart by war. The War of the Fay destroyed much of the great elf empire and events that followed formed new evils. Events would also unfold in both the dwarven and gnomish kingdoms that would lead them towards a new destiny that brought along blessings and curses. In the wake of this upheaval came political struggles for the remnants of some of the greatest empires to ever grace Norrath.

Faydwer was enveloped in chaos as its great empires attempted to reform and rebuild. New empires rose and old ones were altered. But one shadow has been cast over the continent that has been in existence on Faydwer for longer than history can tell. This shadow now reaches over most of the continent of Faydwer, infecting every corner, but hope arrives. This hope can be found in the form of faith, new growth and rediscovery. Perhaps this hope will usher in a new age of grandeur for Faydwer or perhaps it is a foreshadowing of darker times to come.

Warcry: Can you tell us anything about the lore and background of the new Fae race, besides what is currently on the official site?

Vhalen: As I had stated at one time or another, fairies are creatures that are brought to life by the condensed magic of a given location. The symbiotic relationship between the fairies and their environment helps create the fairy form and can even evolve that original form. The dragonfly fairy, the wisps, sun fairies, etc. These are all fairyfolke given life, not by the hand of the gods, but by the arcane environment around them. The fae are an evolved form.

I could get more in depth about the fae, but I would hate to speak for their true creator. The fae background was mostly developed by Owlchick. She did a great job in breathing new life into this enchanted race of the Faydark.

Warcry: What is your favorite race and or class to play?

Vhalen: Dwarf warrior, of course! This goes back to the days of the original EQ when many of the developers ran around as members of the Irontoe Brigade, a dwarven guild. But if we are speaking about the Age of Destiny, I would have to choose a barbarian monk. (And you thought I would say bard.)

Warcry: Is there any bit of "lore candy" that you would be able to treat us with before you go?

Vhalen: Remember when we revealed to you "the future of EverQuest II." It is the key to destiny.