Anniversary

Every year EQ has an Anniversary Celebration in March which lasts about six weeks. While there are a bunch of events, the important ones are the anniversary quests. The Anniversary quests are available only during the celebration each year. Fabled monsters and loot will only be around for a short time!

The 2013 EQ 14th Anniversary Celebration will begin on Friday, March 15, 2013 and run until April 26. The new 2013 anniversary quests will run until May 26 June 26 July 26.

New for 2013, the Plane of Knowledge has a new NPC, the Mechanical Fortune Teller. She will give you information to get the quests for anniversary years five through fourteen.


 * SOE EverQuest Community News: Get Ready to Celebrate EverQuest’s 14th Anniversary

2013
On March 16th, EverQuest is turning 14 and we have a few cool things to share with you.

At SOE Live in Las Vegas last October, we had a “Design a Mission” panel where we divided everyone up in smaller groups to work with a Designer on the EverQuest team. The goal of that panel was to have everyone participate in designing a mission that could be experienced by players of varying levels. We have had this panel in past years and the hope has always been to put them into game quickly for everyone to play. We’ve succeeded at times but other times, it takes us a while to fit them into our schedule. I’m happy to inform you that we will be launching several of these player-designed missions during our March Game Update to help celebrate our 14th Anniversary.

A couple years ago, we had an intern join our team and at one point, we let him work on some content just to fill out his remaining schedule and to see what he could do. Well, the content that he created was full of nostalgic Class-specific connections into the world of EverQuest. Some time ago, we placed a few of these missions on the test server for players to run through and they received rave reviews. So without further delay and after the Anniversary Game Update, anyone that has finished their Epic quest for 1.0, 1.5 or 2.0, will be able to test their knowledge and skills by traveling to historic locations in Norrath to earn an Epic Weapon Ornamentation to use on another weapon. We will reveal more information soon, but how can you argue against the ability to Burn Down Freeport and get rewarded for it?! J

Tradeskillers, you’ll be happy to hear that we will be putting in some new recipes to create some Hero’s Forge Armor in March. We have several new animal-themed hats that will immediately take your thoughts to the famous Barbarian Polar Bear hats in Everfrost. Norrathians can find all the items for the recipe but they will need help from their fellow Tradeskillers in order to receive the final product.

We’ll also turn on all past Anniversary events so mark the calendar for cool events to kick-off in two weeks!

For 2013, in addition to the anniversary events, the following special events were added:


 * March 8, 2013 – March 17, 2013: Rare Mobs and Faction Gains/Losses will be dramatically increased.
 * March 11, 2013 – March 17, 2013: Lockout Timers will be reduced by 30%.
 * March 15, 2013 – March 17, 2013: It's Double XP time!

Problems, extending date
Here's the scoop:

Past years' anniversary events will still be ending on April 26th. The content that is specific to the 14th anniversary had been scheduled to end on May 26. It will be pushed out to June 26.

Technically Piestro's Day Off and Big Gnomes Big Problems should not be currently available. However there is a potential issue that could have caused them to re-appear. Piestro's Day Off will return with the Shadow of Fear patch with significant changes to improve the overall quality of the mission. We don't have an exact date for Big Gnomes yet, as there are a few minor issues we'd like to address with that mission.

I hope that clarifies everything,

Hey guys,

My apologies for not keeping you better informed while we work out the issues with this mission. As most of you know, the mission was disabled due to technical issues. It took some time (and some intensive code browsing) to uncover exactly what was causing the problem, but we believe we've found the offending bits and solved them.

I tested a new version of the mission on Friday and it seems to be working within acceptable parameters (aka not stealing CPU power from the rest of the server). It is going to QA today for stress-testing, and if it passes inspection, we'll be pushing it to the test server first, then live servers if it works well there.

I don't have an ETA currently, but we're optimistic it will be back soon (tm). We know that it is a big problem (get it?) that this mission is not currently active, and getting it back on live is one of our top priorities atm.

EDIT: I should also note that a few of the mechanics have changed in the mission as a result of these tunings. They should all be accompanied by messaging in-game to help ease the transition. The biggest change is that there can only be 3 gnome skeletons at a time, and they only apply the damage debuffs to the giant skeleton that summoned them, not all skeletons within range.

In the June 19, 2013 patch, it was announced that the 14th Anniversary quests will be extended to July 26, 2013.

2012
We're celebrating EverQuest's 13th birthday! Beginning at 12:01 AM PDT on Friday, March 16, 2012, we will be launching EverQuest Free to Play. Your Way. This year we are combining it with one of the most exciting things to happen in the history of EQ. Mark your calendars and get ready for one huge celebration, with 13th Anniversary events and the transition to free-to-play both coming on March 16!

To celebrate EverQuest’s 13th birthday, players will be able to embark on anniversary missions and quests. Stop by the Plane of Knowledge to join the celebration. Just look for the festive anniversary décor to get started.

There are thirteen new themed quests, including a spectacular mission as some of the greatest villains of EverQuest, a raid to stop a familiar face from gaining ultimate power, and over 40 events from past anniversaries.

In addition, there will be some bonus xp and increased rare spawn rates. It appears that the bonus xp will be an additional 30% and that both the bonus xp and rare spawn rate increase will be from 3/16/2012 through 3/31/2012.

The 13th anniversary events this year [2012] last for 13 weeks. The older events should last 1 month. The usual reason for the extension is when there are gating [sic] bugs. Those were fixed for previous ones. We of course hope we have none for the new ones.

Quests

 * Allakhazam's anniversary quest list

2013 quests
14th Anniversary - New missions, many created with player help at SOE Live 2012, are available starting March 15th, 2013, and lasting an additional month, through May 26th through June 26, 2013. The Mechanical Fortune Teller in the Plane of Knowledge will be happy to help players locate quest givers for the new quests.


 * Evil Eye Operative
 * Huckle Thornleaf is the last remaining member of a covert task force whose sole focus was to gather intelligence on Xorbb's army. Alone in the woods, Huckle is bound by honor to remain at his post, but worries for the safety of his comrades who he believes were captured by Xorbb's minions. Luckily, Huckle has a plan, and it involves you using the guise of an evil eye to infiltrate Xorbb's stronghold and rescue the remaining task force members.


 * Ogres at the Gates
 * This is an easy to do solo mission needed to request or zone into Big Gnomes, Big Problems.
 * Big Gnomes, Big Problems (requires Ogres at the Gates to be completed to request and zone in)
 * Giant skeletons have started attacking the gates of Ak'anon, and threaten to crush the small gnome army defending it. Join the resistance and help them not only stop the giant skeleton invasion, but uncover who's behind it all. Gnomish inventors will aid you in your mission, granting you boons like super-size, a flamethrower, and a top-secret bunny disguise. Best of all, the mission is level-agnostic, allowing characters of any level play through it together without the use of shrouds.


 * Piestro's Day Off
 * Piestro was enjoying a day off wandering about the Great Divide, when the designers contacted him and gave him some alarming news: Bristlebane is making a huge stink about how the developers haven't paid him any attention lately, so he kidnapped one of them and stashed them away in the Plane of Mischief.


 * The design team has asked Piestro to find some brave adventurers to rescue the captured developer. You will have to play by Bristlebane's rules in his realm, however, and become one of his wacky minions. What tricks does Bristlebane have in store for you and your fellow adventurers? There is only one way to find out; enter the Plane of Mischief and try to keep your wits about you!


 * Surviving Xmiticzin
 * A necromancer by the name of Xmiticzin has obtained a larger piece of a Cazic's shard, and gained control over the artifact vault in Chapterhouse of the Fist. The Harbingers want his shard as part of their mission to revive Cazic Thule. Unfortunately, he has barricaded himself inside the vault and forces anyone trying to reach him to play demented games. In order to reach him, you'll have to get through his games alive.


 * To Thine Own Creator... Be True
 * To Thine Own Creator... Be False
 * Choose to either work with the minions of the First Creation in Convorteum to discover which of his creations has become a traitor, or to overthrow his tyrannical rule!

Rewards
Each mission (except for Ogres at the Gates) has a reward chest. The items in the chests, according to EQ Resource, are Tier 2 Rain of Fear equivalent gear, as well as an augmentation. Experience is a choice of around 2-3% Regular each or 4-5 AA each.

The augmentations are:


 * Blue Stone of Power
 * Green Stone of Power
 * Red Stone of Power
 * White Stone of Power
 * Yellow Stone of Power

You can only have one Stone of Power (unmarked Lore Group item). However: I'll look into it and discuss this [not having them be lore group] with Chandrok.

NOTE: Looking into it DOES NOT mean we're changing anything. No promises other than to investigate.

2012 quests
Sam Napth, a Halfling in the Plane of Knowledge at about -215, -90, -155 (next to the Soulbinder) gives out the new anniversary quests.
 * EQ Resource 13th Anniversary Quests Overview
 * Allakhazam - Sam Napth quests

Completing all the shared and group tasks grants you an achievement and Satchel of the Superstitious.


 * Anniversary Group Task: A Different Perspective
 * Anniversary Raid: Tower of Frozen Shadow
 * Anniversary Shared Task: A Cat-tastrophe
 * Anniversary Shared Task: Breaking Mirrors
 * Anniversary Shared Task: Ferocious Feralings
 * Anniversary Shared Task: Improper Boating Atire
 * Anniversary Shared Task: Lucky 13
 * Anniversary Shared Task: Music For a Weary Soul
 * Anniversary Shared Task: Not For the Rabbit
 * Anniversary Shared Task: Responsible Mining
 * Anniversary Shared Task: Rumor Has It
 * Anniversary Shared Task: Spider's Bite
 * Anniversary Shared Task: Step on a Crack
 * Anniversary Group Task: Summoning the Master
 * Anniversary Shared Task: The Lady of Elks

Older quests

 * Dragons, Dragons, Dragons! - Group / Raid quest. The reward is two augments.  One is Gold Plated Contact Spring Model ____, which fits most slots and the other is Gold Plated Spiked Gear Model ____, which fits in the Charm slot.  The model of the Charm aug that you receive depends on the credited time on your account, unlike the other model augs that are based on how far you advance in the quest.
 * EQ Fifth Anniversary Scavenger Hunt - This quest starts in each home city. The reward is a staff with a clicky graphics effect.
 * EQ Tenth Anniversary: Deity Favors - 16 tasks. Upon completing all 16 tasks you receive (in addition to their numerous individual rewards) the title "Favored of the Gods" and Shiny New Class I Collapsable Roboboar.
 * Gifts of Steel - Solo quest. Reward is an AC augment.  If you shroud down you can do it several times for several augments.
 * Hunt of the Shards - Solo quest. Reward is an AC / HP / Mana / End aug.
 * Infiltrating the Guardian - New group quest for 12th Anniversary.
 * The Short Circuit - Optional side task in the Mechamatic Guardian anniversary instance for "Infiltrating the Guardian".
 * Living Legacy Raid #1: Marathon - Reward is an augment, Silver Threaded Worm Gear Model ____.
 * Living Legacy Raid #2: Sprint - Reward is an augment, Bronze Slant Thread Pinion Gear Model ____.
 * Living Legacy Raid #3: Endurance - Reward is an augment, Carefully Weighted Brass Pinion Model ____.
 * Living Legacy Raid #4: Battle Prowess - Reward is an augment, Iron Plated Timing Pendulum Model ____.
 * Stealing My Life Back - Group quest. Reward is a chest containing a random item.
 * Steel Behemoths - Raid. The reward is your choice of several items.  The raid can be repeated (69 hour lockout) to gain more of the items.
 * The Mechamatic Guardian - This is not a quest but attacking The Mechamatic Guardian is required to complete Parts is Parts and Maximum Capacity.
 * Parts is Parts and Maximum Capacity - New paired solo quests for 12th Anniversary. The Mechamatic Guardian must brought to 80% HP to complete Parts is Parts and be brought to 10% HP to complete Maximum Capacity.

Rewards that are listed as "Model ____" are rewards where the better you do on the quest, the greater the reward and the higher the model number. Model XX (twenty) is better then Model XIX (nineteen). You can not have two of the same name but of different models. You can destroy it and at any time just request a new one from Distribution Facilitator XCV in the Plane of Knowledge, who will always give you the highest model you are entitled to.

Items
Here are some useful items that my be obtained only during the anniversaries. "Fabled" items drop from Fabled mobs. Other items are obtained through quests.


 * EQItems: Search "Fabled"


 * Fabled Ball of Golem Clay - Has Mitigate Melee Damage by 5%, 84925 total, and procs snare.
 * Fabled Journeyman's Boots - Obtained as a drop from The Fabled Drelzna. Speed equal to Run5 AA (normal Journeyman's Boots are slower).
 * Glowing Lena Fete Rune - Obtained through the Anniversary Solo Task: Hunt of the Shards.
 * Ring of the Ancients - Effect: Shrink - Obtained through the Anniversary Shared Task: Rumor Has It.
 * Satchel of the Superstitious - Obtained by completing all the 13th anniversary shared and group tasks.