A Musical Journey Through Norrath (EverQuest Soundtrack)

[@thorjor1]

At 52 years old, the opening music nearly brought tears to my eyes. What a time to be alive and a gamer...

[@Elias_Halloran]

magnificent journey

[@bum4evr]

@@Elias_Halloran so true, im 53 now and play warcraft, but its all 8 year olds now, it will never be the same.

[@WitnessToDawn]

same here! this song has lived in my head since I was a child. I am 34 and my father bought this for us when I was just 10 or 11 years old. I remember playing this on our old Sony Vaio PC

[@inkster21]

@@bum4evr sad times. I went back to WoW like 6 years after I stopped playing WotLK and it’s nice not the same. Leveling thru classic and TBC was nice tho.

[@StrIIker-TV]

Completely agree. Man, I used to love that intro music! Sometimes it took longer to load due to slowness issues on the server or my connection and I would get to the piano part which I loved. Also made it through the full song a few times. Then… that character select screen. That music gave me such a happy feeling. I knew my adventures were about to start. I also used to log in at work and just sit at Qeynos gates to watch and listen to the music.

[@matthewthompson5922]

I'll seriously never forget this time in my life. It's amazing, my mother always said, in 1999, when I was 15 years old "Some day you're going to regret all the hours you spent on a stupid game" I still don't

[@Foultone84]

Amen.

[@brandonwarren1042]

I was 14 and it was such a great time. Truly a unique experience

[@TheRealAstronaut123]

So f... true

[@DaKloneLiving]

Matthew Thompson I don't either, isn't that crazy? I regretted half of my time in WoW, but not EQ! I lost my college girlfriend over an 8h Kael raid; no regrets! (My Warrior got the Blade of Carnage(BoC) from that run XD

[@robinsoncurusoe1927]

Same thing happened to me, with my Mom.

[@paulcole5575]

If I had a time machine I would go back to the day I installed EQ and play it for 8 years straight. Truly a once in a lifetime experience.

[@calebb7012]

Hey Paul, did you know about Project 1999? It isn't perfect but it is there.

[@TheBeardedFrogSage]

If I could go back, my first character would have been a druid or paladin. I'm kicking myself for starting a shaman and then a cleric, most passive boring classes there were. I spent hours reorganizing my spellbook because there was little else to do but throw out the occasional buff or heal. I always wanted a more active role in groups, and didn't get that when I played either of the two that I did early on. Later, sure, I had fun with ranger gating, but had that actually been my first character I could have had more fun.

[@Zeval31]

@@calebb7012 yes indeed, but the sense of discovery, wonder, the time we were able to sink into this thn .... this we will never get back. got tear eyed just listening to rivervale tune, 20+ years after

[@Elias_Halloran]

@@TheBeardedFrogSage when our choices lead us in the wrong direction...sorry about this. Paladin was a good class for me, first SK then paladin both past level 50 here.

[@Elias_Halloran]

When Everquest was released people were still usually communicating by phone rather than cell phone and I remember I was using dial up. I loved the graphics. Our phone line was always busy and once people started remarking we got a second phone line just because of this game. This was a great way to come of age, and I felt very ahead of the times as I soon realized it was actually a fully international community of people who played the game. When a friend of mine moved to japan we still played EQ together.

[@ObscuredByTime]

My wife and I were victims of Evercrack. We ended up homeless for a few months. Looking back, we have zero regrets. If you were there with us, take solace in the fact that you were a part of something so new and unique that it can never be experienced again by anyone. Truly, we are members of a very exclusive, historical club.

[@Elias_Halloran]

When Everquest was released people were still usually communicating by phone rather than cell phone and I remember I was using dial up. I loved the graphics. Our phone line was always busy and once people started remarking we got a second phone line just because of this game. This was a great way to come of age, and I felt very ahead of the times as I soon realized it was actually a fully international community of people who played the game. When a friend of mine moved to japan we still played EQ together.

[@DunkSkunk]

​@@Elias_Halloranthis tugs at my heart for many reasons.

[@Elias_Halloran]

@@DunkSkunk 🙌👍 very cool!

[@jenton70]

The greatest video game of all time. At the turn of the millennium we logged into this and changed. This was a game that became a part of your life and identity. The birth of the first-person MMORPG. A world that lived and breathed. Roleplay weddings! Boundless adventure. Real fear. And friends. I still have close personal friends I met in Norrath nearly 20 years ago. The sadness you feel, mixed with joy while listening to these midi files is the knowledge that you can only have it once.

[@TimelapseExperimentals]

jenton70 Yeah man Such good times...no game has ever grabbed me like EQ did

[@jayruff1322]

Go play on Project 1999 they just opened 2 new servers fesh start. EQ just like it was 1999

[@Elias_Halloran]

the song for this is 38:04. It has some sad notes but it ultimately a hopeful tune

[@ThatGuy-cb3yv]

@@jayruff1322 I just can't do 8 hour plane of fear corpse runs anymore. Lol

[@peaceforall7413]

Still playing today !!! ❤️ The best Game, period.

[@autex2609]

As others are saying, it's common for ppl to regret their MMO experience and addiction to it. But Everquest... my god, it was such a great experience and I have great memories associated. Even at the time, it felt like I was playing something slightly out of time. It felt like it came from the past and the future at the same time. Newer MMOs never really clicked with me.. even WOW. Everquest felt "pure" in a way. Wasn't that flashy, but I've never felt so immersed and happy to adventure around in an environment with friends. It was Tolkien and D&D in my computer.

[@Elias_Halloran]

Tolkien and D&D in the computer indeed! The timelessness of EQ was a great thing. EQ was ahead of it's time for connecting people all around the world at a time when high speed internet existed for only select people. I loved the game too. No regrets. What was your favorite item and class! Feel free to check out Paul Hertenstein's musical renditions. They're super too. I love the way eq too me back to how the parents played. Log cabins were like Lincoln Logs, trolls and ogre like fairy tales, ect. All from a generation before, yet the technology of EQ was still so especially advanced.

[@jbiwer32]

Some of my favorite memories are of playing EQ. I looged on with a friend of mine when the game was released. He chose a Dark Elf Necro, I chose a Dwarf Warrior, and we fought our way (and did a lot of running) from zone to zone. Finally meeting in East Commonlands. From there spent many nights exploring, hitting a few low lev dungeons, pooling our gold and buying gear upgrades, and leveling up together. It was a magical game for its time.

[@Elias_Halloran]

a magical game for its time indeed. my time is occupied with different things but recently I logged into P1999 and saw some very very cool stuff. Cheers to adventuring in general, nobody knows for sure what the future will bring. Long live EQ.

[@Arishem34]

Aside from the many "firsts" this game had to offer the genre, what made EQ so good was how dangerous it was. Past level 9, soloing became difficult for all but 2-3 classes (looking at Necros, Druid, and Wizards). I remember Kodiak Bears (9) wrecking soloers in Nek Forest. 2 equal-level Orcs were usually too much. The danger made grouping and, ultimately, community necessary.

[@Elias_Halloran]

challenging but lively

[@Torvanyr]

To go back and to live those days of wonder and discovery again would be my own personal version of heaven. We were adventurers once... and young.

[@TimelapseExperimentals]

Torvanyr I know right? Games are still fun but nothing grabs me like EQ did in its hayday

[@spacednation4807]

It isn't too late! Pick up a Daybreak All Access pass ($9.99/month) and jump back into it! There is a Timelocked Progression Server called Mangler that exists right now. It is ONLY classic EQ, as it was in 1999. It will progress through the expansions at the rate of one every 3 months. This means that Kunark is 2 months from now, and Luclin 3 months after that launch. Now is the time to get back into the game and play it exactly as you remember back in its golden days. Viva La EverQuest!

[@pickclawraider4206]

I know the sentiment, man. Project 1999 is coming out with a Green Server, pushing everything back to classic. It's going to be fun to get that nostalgia going again. Come give it a try. It's free (as long as you can find the Titanium client, but there are ways).

[@Elias_Halloran]

personally I miss that feeling of authority that EQ had, it is interesting how the items took on a special value, like the Blackened Iron Bastard Sword nomenclature in the trader's feeds.

[@mastertuck]

As lame as it sounds, I get damn near teary-eyed when I hear old school EverQuest music. The memories, man... damn. And this music was amazing for MIDI music, so that helps.

[@MrShibalba187]

Its not weird

[@FirstLast-fr4hb]

project1999 Dont tell the servants of the dark lord ,or any of his agents.

[@peetwi]

preach

[@sunilmkaushik]

A new server was just launched. Classic EQ. I played it for a few hours. Did not regret.

[@kaelryder3565]

Real men cry

[@thenandoc]

I will never forget the first day I logged into Everquest, started in Felwithe as a high elf Mage, I've adventured a bit too far from the city and got really lost in Greater Faydark. The fear of getting lost was so real, but the feeling of discovering a tree house city in the middle of the forest was priceless.

[@chopstickx]

Same here. I'll never forget the first time logging in as a High-elf Wizard leveling by Felwithe entrance killing bats and skellies. The starting area was rather crowded back then.

[@kalbic]

I remember starting out in Butcherblock mountains as a dwarf and I agroed a goblin, I saw a house and opened the door and went inside thinking I was going to be safe. Nope, that goblin beat the crap out of me in that house.

[@caiburn]

My first minute in Norrath: Create a wood elf bard, fall to death from Kelethin because everything was dark. Had forgotten to adjust the ingame gamma.

[@asadlittleman]

first started as a half elf warrior in Qeynos and killed rats inside the city until level 6 because I didn't want to face the hoards in the front yard alone

[@wc5144]

A brownie begins to cast a spell

[@Lucians_Sword]

I was 12-13 when this came out, and it was the most amazing game to me at the time. This music brings back many great memories of exploring and making friends in this awesome game. Never time wasted. I wish they would make a proper sequel.

[@anniethdesign]

Lucians! i love your content, nice to see you here

[@spectre3492]

Same

[@GrayGeist]

Couldn't agree with you more. Same age here. It was defining of my entire gaming life.

[@jayruff1322]

Project 1999 , look it up. Classic Everquest lives

[@starsandbeyond7703]

Dude. 16 or 18 here. Everquest is the greatest thing since sliced bread if you ask me.

[@robnalu6436]

I remember .....even when the servers would crash, and you had to go to the chat rooms...and everyone is b@itching and complaining how long till the servers are up....EVEN THAT WAS FUN!!! memories.....

[@Elias_Halloran]

eq forever

[@grayoth4156]

I have nostalgia for a lot of games. I don’t know why but the nostalgia I have for EverQuest hits me so much harder than anything else. It might sound ridiculous but as soon as this music came on it almost hurt. Complete nostalgia overload. What a wonderful game.

[@Elias_Halloran]

EQ forever.

[@inkster21]

Who remembers waking up the next day selling all your loot and going to the bank because you were too tired to do it the night before.

[@coreinator27]

I was like 8 or 9 when I played, the first thing I did was create a Dwarf. I don't recall what class it was I want to say Warrior, and I met my friend at the docks who happened to live in the apartment next to us. He got me into EQ, I begged and begged my dad to buy it at Wal-Mart, and so I got my character drunk and fell off the docks! Great times, good laughs, and awesome memories. By interacting with adults, it helped me vastly improve my spelling in school. I did very well in English, but always hated math lol.

[@Elias_Halloran]

haha no kidding. playing the game with a real life friend was a very good way to go. It was amazing the things there were to confer about. Helped my vocabulary too, I was in awe of the depth of descriptive words that flowed through the game. Voracious was a cool one I learned in Kunark. EQ forever!

[@KubaxKristallmond]

15 years of my life. I made one Character, Barbarian Shaman on the Tunare Server. So many great memories of defeat and victory. Many thanks for everyone that was there. FOR THE TRIBUNAL! FOR HALAS!

[@Elias_Halloran]

for halas indeedi!

[@inkster21]

I was on Tunare as a Wood Elf Ranger, Narseith. I wonder if we ever crossed paths

[@KubaxKristallmond]

@@inkster21 Char Name was Kubax here. Guild was Grey Horizon.

[@lanceswarts4936]

We were truly part of something special. Never felt anything like it since. The nostalgia is bitter-sweet, like remembering the good times with someone who has passed.

[@Elias_Halloran]

made 10 levels on p99 and 65 on Agnarr coming back, it was a cheerful experience, wasn't sure I could go back then out of nothing something great.

[@klosrlee7179]

最愛的遊戲 沒有之一 自從1999 伴隨著我的青春直到現在 2023年還是偶而會玩一下 直至今日沒有可以超越它的遊戲 希望它能永遠持續營運

[@cyclonecerebrum6297]

When RPG was REAL RPG no map only compass, no guidance only from NPC, When you were afraid of death while discovery new zone, when you have no idea to find ur corpse when you died in nowhere or in the middle of dungeon. Good Old Day

[@Elias_Halloran]

like in the book Everquest: The Rogue's Hour by Scott Ciencin. How I recall the new music of misty thicket play as I watched the /auction advertise the Blackened Iron Bastard Sword

[@Semarri]

wow 20 years ago. Playing this game as a 14 year old kid and my parents telling me not to "waste my time" playing it. Such an incredible adventure over so many years, expansions and friendships. The people I met and bonded with, ultimately spending years of our lives together helped shape me into the person I am today! Great game. Time flies, today I am 34 and have a 12 year old son playing video games.

[@Elias_Halloran]

a successful journey it was

[@mireadur]

@twizzm only in the last of their days maybe. They worked their asses off back in the day, never much time for joy.

[@GrayGeist]

Seeing so many comments such as "I will never forget..." and "to experience the awe of it again would be my own Heaven" and "We were adventurers once... and young" brings me such joy. Joy to know I am not alone in Everquest's light and darkness, community and greatness bringing such joy to my own life.

[@Elias_Halloran]

Cheers to the artists and creators of EQ!

[@omophagia]

what got me hooked on this game is when my brother, Eric, was describing his excitement of playing that game. As a half-elf, he was fighting the hill giant that was attacking the weaker players near the docks. It was the highlight of his moment of mmorpg. May he rest in peace.

[@Elias_Halloran]

RIP Eric, The Aradune's grave in The Karanas is your type of thing. RIP Aradune.

[@Alexander-ix2jp]

Everyone thinking of and feeling the past: Come back, the world of Norrath awaits you. I did and I have yet to regret it. The magic is still there, the nostalgia real and both EQ1 and 2 are one of a kind experiences, both in their own and unique way. The EQ franchise is second to none.

[@Elias_Halloran]

I really enjoyed playing the dungeons which I never had time first go around. Unrest and Lower Guk!

[@Rekaert]

I remember after trying several different classes, finding the wizard spires in Greater Faydark, and I was amazed when a group ported in, and then amazed some more when the wizard ported a new group out. Right then and there, I knew what class I wanted to play and took my dark elf wizard through the planes of Hate and Fear, through the lands of Kunark and Velious, and onwards to lay siege to the gods themselves. So many hours, and I don't regret any of them. They were filled with adventure and friendship. Everquest is something you carry with you, and no matter how long ago you left those lands. Some piece of you is still there.

[@Elias_Halloran]

I played and Ogre Shadowknight to level 52 sticking to the classic zones and the frontier mountains, but then 18 years later I played a Dwarf Paladin to level 64...enjoying the plane of fear loot as well. 1999 were story book times indeed!

[@anthonyzarfati3579]

I am not going to pretend like I know the feeling of wonder and magic that this game gave people back into 1999, when you first stepped into your first mmorpg. My first experience with the genre came in 2004 with wow. But I love reading everyone's stories about there experiences in Norrath and the love they have for this game. I have recently began studying the history of the game and it makes me sad that I will never get to play it as a young man who had not experienced the magic that this once great (admittedly not so great anymore) genre has to offer. I thank you all for the stories you share, and salute you for the adventures you had!

[@Elias_Halloran]

My character absorbs your salute with stalwart perfection. I don't normally consider myself a lucky guy, but rather for having the EQ experience I was quite the lucky dude!

[@s0methingrarer]

It was magical, the first mmo for me. I imagine everyone's first mmo feels that way though!

[@squidlit4308]

The server, Project 1999, is a faithful recreation that is recognized by Everquest's current owners. I highly recommend it! Everquest has some wrinkles, but there's really no competition, even today. I first played it in 2015, and I keep coming back.

[@NaSai]

it means a lot to appreciate 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 peoples nostalgia. thank you. i wish i could share my memories with you.

[@keomo]

Just wishing an awesome day to my fellow Norrathians!! /shout DING!!!

[@Elias_Halloran]

The game of games.

[@Morporkshortman]

When I die, bury me in Norrath.

[@Elias_Halloran]

Thats what they did for Aradune, Brad McQaid's character, when he died. Castle Mistmoore has a small cemetery also worth considering.

[@TheBlackPigeon]

You'll always be my hero, Fippy Darkpaw. Let these compositions stand as testament to your undying courage in the face of insurmountable odds. #neverforget

[@rolandsprenger9249]

You'v re ruined your own lands, you'll not ruin mine!

[@Star841]

"TRAAAAAAIIIINNN!!"

[@Maeousie]

One of my proudest moments was catching Fippy deep in Qeynos. He had pushed in with Holinix while someone was farming the guards.

[@FippyDarkpaw2]

Did I hear my name?

[@timf6750]

My very first experience with EverQuest on my own character was staying the night at a friend from school's house. While I was creating my human warrior I believe she was, he spent the entire time telling me about this massive dangerous beast that I should avoid at all costs. Of course when my character spawned into the world it was night time, and he talked me through navigating Qeynos. As I wound through the corridors of Qeynos he was sitting behind me, continuing to warn me about Fippy Darkpaw. I got near the gates of Qeynos and then Fippy spawned and did his shout, my buddy shouted behind me and we both lept out of our seats. Blake I know we've lost touch bud, but I hope you're doing well in life.

[@jeffreyraia5804]

I started playing EQ the day it went live. Here I am 20+ years later and still playing. So many memories created in this game. So many great friends made. So many good times. May she still be around for many years to come.

[@Elias_Halloran]

with aradune's passing the prospect of true future EQ is shambled, but EQ must not be the last of it's kind. The human race will come up with something.

[@danielrk8]

The Kelethin music.... WOW..... hurts my heart with memories

[@timmorris6456]

same man

[@bassdude44]

Same here, dude. Oh, the nostalgia!!!

[@Elias_Halloran]

Tunare the good and Innorukk the bad. Sweet story lines.

[@lindaclayton8410]

Mine too :(

[@calebb7012]

I love this game, very unfortunate how it fell to the wayside though; closest thing that comes to it now is WoW; but EQ will always hold that 80s and early 90s artwork feel. The original artist Keith Parkinson did some of the best fantasy artwork I've seen to this day. Shame MMOs seem to be dying out.

[@ThatGuy-cb3yv]

I played on innoruuk and started mid Kunark. When I first started, as a high elf wizard, on orc hill a giant naked troll named Milky ran up and gave me a stack of Milk. I was like "wtf is going on". I was hooked.

[@Elias_Halloran]

a great game like EQ implores the players to create their own content, sharing their own personal greatness. Milky was that storybook deviation that made sense in the context of the game. Viva EQ!

[@buddyhartley2829]

I entered Norrath shortly after the launch of EQ, and made a Half Elf Ranger up in Qeynos Hills, earning my stripes by killing skeletons. Discovering the majestic city of Qeynos, and walking up to Hail the guards at the gate. Hit "A"... BOOM ... corpse run from Qeynos Hills! Then I found a very primitive map online showing a way to get to Freeport from Qeynos via Highhold Pass. I was level 10, and with my young son looking over my shoulder, I set out to try to get there alive. What an epic journey! Like nothing I have ever been able to reproduce in any game since. The utter terror of almost running into a HUGE giant, the massive train chasing me to the zone in Highhold Pass, staying high on the wall on the way to Freeport, and finally, desperately, sprinting through the gates and to safety!! My god, what a rush! And this music brings it all back! Thanks so much for posting!

[@tobias-braun]

Sounds exactly like my trip from Qeynos to Freeport with one difference: I was killed by a Hill giant close to freeport :-)

[@december12twok12]

Lmfao. Yeup. Back before auto-attack was rebound to q. I always got so paranoid that attacking guards and NPCs lowered your faction with them, I debated rerolling characters entirely.

[@OddGospel911]

I had a similar trip. From Rivervale to Freeport to find shoe's since they didn't sell any in Rivervale. Learned the hard way you can't hide from Gix in a house ;p

[@raccoon1996]

Nearly the same thing. Hit the ranger trainer with the accidental 'a' key... and woke up on the forest floor under Kelethin with NO idea how to get back up! Whatever my character started with rotted away.

[@Elias_Halloran]

yeah Buddy!

[@intisumac8535]

Ahh my first game! I remember buying a Dell and a huge 24" monitor (tube monitor :) ) to play this game. I remember choosing a high elf, getting lost in the forest and being delighted to see flames in the distance....only to discover it was the entrance to crushbone and getting killed by the orcs! Like people said, back then there were no maps, darkness was real, no instant teleporting, and you had to retrieve your corpse if you died. It made the journey dangerous.

[@DruttTV]

And it made it all the more memorable. Thanks for sharing.

[@Elias_Halloran]

21 inch monitor is what I had, tube as well

[@MarcDufresneosorusrex]

@@Elias_Halloran glad i found this game; never tried it but the comments are all positive, xd

[@ericshutter5305]

everything was hardcore compared to today ... and unending fun. some zones were scary with wandering bosses ... 🙃

[@vekokrava1423]

@@ericshutter5305 i come from wow and i agree everything was harder but somehow it was less in competitive mindset, truly a masterpieces, new gaming designers should learn few things from old games and think of what that kind of design did amd how we felt, it teached us patience because everything took longer time to do and it was slower paced, combat and normal things in game such as traveling, i remember as a kid first time lessons of patience and i learned from early ages alone not to chase end results and enjoy moment, i learned that lesson but i wasnt fully aware of what it means to be patient yet.

[@WoM]

Oh man that sound when you DINGED!

[@jamescurrie01]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/aYGUhISPjKibf68

[@BarelyEinstein]

You can never go home again, but you can always hear its music.

[@boomdangleofficial]

fuck

[@Yabuturtle]

I still can't believe they made it to 30 expansions. It really is the most influential MMORPG out there because so many future games were inspired by EverQuest.

[@Elias_Halloran]

I was captivated by the original races but not so much the added Iksar, Vah shire, and Drakkin, Froglok ect.

[@huntermorris3645]

God damn....if time travel was ever invented in my time...I would go back to when I first started playing EQ. Those times, the memories, the community back then. Yes they made project 1999 but the mentality is not the same. EQ changed the MMO community at the time, it was ban together or fail, corpse runs, hail a large rat, slaying orcs in ECL or Crush Bone. FBSS was the epic haste item. Fuck man, I could cry

[@markletsch9747]

FBSS until CoF. So many memories. As a monk, I played the market.. Buy low sell high until I could afford a Fungi tunic. I was very lucky to be on a server (Xev) that did not awaken the sleeper so I ended up getting a shroud of longevity and full compliment of primal velium weapons. As many others point out..... Just wipe my memory and take me back to 1999 please and thanks.

[@Elias_Halloran]

Memories starting with thinking how great the graphics were in offline tutorial. I do remember when I was in freeport and someone took me aside to show me the FBSS equiped. A pep talk on lower guk ensued.

[@Chrisxantixemox]

I was pretty young playing this with my father and grandfather when I was about 7 or 8 years old (EQ was a huge motivator to help me read, and I'd sit on my grandfathers lap for hours just reading and learning to type "/hail". I swear, hearing Freeport Gates is enough to bring a tear to my eye. An ode to the happiest times of my life.

[@Elias_Halloran]

prosperity to the players of EQ!

[@ErikVKing]

Wow. Just. Wow. I forgot how much this music brought me back to simpler happier times. Everyone that I played this game with was so amazing and we had such a blast. Much more than how amazing the game was (and it was SUPREMELY amazing!!!) was the time I had with my virtual friends and a few local friends. As some have said: I would go back in a time machine and play this game time and again! I can almost feel myself playing in some of the zones and raids just by the music!!!

[@Elias_Halloran]

oh yeah, you were smitten by the gods and beautiful pixels of EQ! Glad you listened to this and still recall things like raiding. Supremely amazing, hah sure was.

[@Rezzekful]

I regret not being old enough to appreciate or able to get deep into the game, but I always remembered the music and the community. EQ's community was something special no game today can match.

[@Elias_Halloran]

good times

[@RolyPolyGames]

"A Hero Born" sends a chill down my spine of nostalgia hearing that every time I logged in for years on end as a kid.

[@Elias_Halloran]

😃 for me the character selection screen was increased for having already played Quest for Glory: So you Want to Be a Hero which had a comparable layout and formality at the start. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quest_for_Glory:_So_You_Want_to_Be_a_Hero . A great song as you designed your character.

[@travislankford9254]

Play the Kelethin music at my funeral. It was and will forever be my home. If only time travel was a thing...

[@Tamalain]

I created these lyrics for the Kelethin music in my Fan Fic series I wrote. Sung for the death of a friend or family. Sleep now my child, Close your eyes and rest, Your day is now over, Your trials at last now done. Sleep now my child, Rest in Lady Tunares arms, Fear the dark night no more, Time to close your living door. Sleep now my child, For your time here is done, Marr guards your spirit now, Rest your soul for a while. Sleep now my child, Let the forest take you home, Struggle no more with life, Sleep forever on the forest floor.

[@Elias_Halloran]

@@Tamalain its unique enough. nice job.

[@corycoddington5037]

The good old days, my brother and I would play this for 15 hours a day. He passed away in 2020. This brings back fun memories of him. Spectrefist was his name on Druzzl Ro. I was Drakana

[@Elias_Halloran]

When the adventure was over what had mattered? The real human moments, moments that broke the boundaries of the casual.

[@mireadur]

I wouldnt give up a single minute of the 320+ played days i had in this game in the span of 3 real time years. 19 years since i quit and only my son has exceeded the emotional levels that this game created.

[@Elias_Halloran]

Congratulations on succefully enjoying so many hours. I'm glad you stopped by. I say, keep on enjoying your son and the everquest music! For now we enjoy it as it brings sweet memories!

[@tafkaga474]

I never had a more magical game experience than my first EverQuest session, logging into Surefall Glade and making my way through a pitch black tunnel to Qeynos Hills. Seeing other adventurers battling snakes and fire beetles outside the cave entrance. Then, a group of them decided to go to Blackburrow. I wanted to go too, but they told me I would just get killed. A few levels later, I found my way into a Blackburrow group, where we camped the green room all night long and wiped several times from so many epic battles. What an amazing time that was.

[@Elias_Halloran]

I started in freeport then ogguk but 4 years ago when I replayed the game my paladin did the Soulfire quest in Qeynos which was a perfect success ending in the gnoll dungeon

[@s0methingrarer]

Ah Blackburrow, and the periodic shout "TRAIN"... which meant someone got in over their head and are now fleeing to the zone exit/entrance with 10+ monsters after them. Even if they make it to the exit, the monsters hang around that area for a while and totally blindside anyone just coming into the zone. It was equal parts infuriating and hilarious, lol.

[@rabyla6396]

I was 22 when this game came out. I still remember a comment a guy I knew from college said to me about a month after I introduced him to this game, "Thank you, you have ruined my life". Still to this day no other game when I hear the theme music makes me feel like I have come home. I genuinely just feel happy hearing it.

[@Elias_Halloran]

the belonging is one of a kind

[@nightskei]

Coming back to this after all this time fills me with indescribable emotion. Rest in peace, Brad McQuaid.

[@Elias_Halloran]

seasons come and go, McQuaid makes an impression still each day

[@styke101styke9]

They don't make music like this anymore that transports you back to your childhood like this. Huge EverQuest 1 fan and always will.

[@Elias_Halloran]

So true. The music is as ancient as Gameboy, Mario Cart 64 and Warcraft 2

[@sreshunts]

So many memories from this game, hurtling around as a bard, corpse runs, the commons tunnel, kiting giants and later dragons...

[@jlawrence9740]

Fancy?🤣🤣

[@Elias_Halloran]

the corpse retrieval process was a good learning experience

[@puzzykhatcom]

45, its 0327am, and this judt started autoplaying after has anybody seen my corpse!

[@Elias_Halloran]

revel in the mayhem. love the chaos. glad you made it!

[@durkdrago2040]

😊 The memories when the game first came out. Needing wizards to teleport. The sellers in the tunnel. You actually had to run from freeport to queynos no teleporting tablets. Everyone was new. Farming wasn't really that big yet. A lot of role players. Funniest happy times. Made a lot of friends. Had a lot of late nights. Xandel L'Ange

[@Elias_Halloran]

The gamer of 1999 was a different beast. We had different values from today.

[@harlek1149]

It's amazing how music can catapult your thoughts and feelings 20 years with such ease. I remember these tracks, so clearly, and I haven't heard them in almost as long. Now and again I think of my old guild, my friends and all the people I used to play with, only now I regret that I drifted away and didn't keep contact with any of them. Wherever they are, and wherever you were, I hope they and you are doing well. It was great playing with you.

[@Elias_Halloran]

Agreed. Played again for what might be a final time, now my source of excitement is laser cut metal projects and origami inspired works with the fabricator. EQ was amazing.

[@KaiLuck]

The nostalgia! I have so many great memories of this game. Playing (mostly) a Troll Shaman I would try to sneak my way into Freeport to get a bind there in case I died leveling up in one of the Orc camps in East Commonlands. Running back to Grobb to pick up my new Shaman spells (what a journey!). Sitting in the East Commonlands tunnel getting buffed, selling items and buying items. Trying to sell bone chips for 2pp a stack. Selling High Quality Bear Skin for 15pp or so. And those were just low-level memories.

[@DruttTV]

+Sheogorath Heh, thanks for sharing. I avoided the evil races due to them being kill on sight in more of the towns etc. I recall seeing at one point some evil race character doing as you did, getting a bind in Freeport in a very bad place. He ended up in a bind death loop and lost like 30 levels!!! Crazy game.

[@bigsykedaddy999]

You should try out Project 1999. It's a free to play emu server that goes up to Velious. There are over 1000 people that play there. It's amazing.

[@roccihoweii1561]

Agreed Anthony, if anyone joins it hit me up, my name is Aezure :)

[@mtlhd777]

ah, the good ol days. I miss my digital home in Halas....

[@JamesDurcan]

Aye Yes My Home was Halas too! For I was a Barbarian Warrior! My name was Makano. I grew up in Halas and hunted as a young child there and later became went on to become a man in the Blackburrow. When I was Old enough I made way on my first journey across the land of Norrath to find myself, make new friends, and conquer kingdoms!

[@mtlhd777]

Barb Warrior as well - Name was Hunnak :D

[@jasonhater3926]

Same! I played a Barbarian Shaman. Halas always got my imagination going and I spent a lot of time RPing there or just walking around. I could probably map out the whole town just from memory.

[@guillaumepoirier5469]

Searrus Grovekeeper. Surefall Glade was my home, but I spent most of my time in Everfrost/Black Burrow. I was a Druid on Rodcet Nife

[@thereallavalamp1463]

Beloved rogue daughter of Halas hails all! /nerdOFF

[@VitaAnimationGroups]

i love this game，i dont play anyone else game after it ，i was the best chief of all the server of CEQ！and i get lots of friend

[@Elias_Halloran]

you are remembered as a player of eq

[@bamagrad99]

I could listen to this music all day! I will always be thankful that I was around to play this game in its prime and even though it's been 18 years since I "retired," I still have more fond memories of EQ than for all other games I've played combined. EverQuest is the GOAT! Percevall Pureheart Paladin of Marr Povar server Dec '99 - Nov '04

[@Elias_Halloran]

Everquest the GOAT rebukes all criticism. Thank you for your contribution.

[@edwardsiebel3864]

Povar reppin.

[@DavidLari]

I close my eyes when some of these tunes come on and I can see the landscape in my memories. Great times. And the players, by and large, were so nice. Not like MMO's today where no one talks or interacts.

[@jayruff1322]

Check out project 1999, EQ just like it was back in 1999

[@Asterra2]

It was the kind of MMO that simply could not be made today and survive. I recently did the final rounds on a live server, sticking with the top hardcore guild, taking down everything I ever wanted to kill, getting every piece of loot I ever wanted, and even thoroughly beating Luclin and PoP, which I hadn't even experienced back in the day and basically heard secondhand about how I'd missed out. Everquest is officially behind me now. But they could never make a game today that makes such hardcore demands on players, or which has such a laid-back pace, with extreme downtimes, and the social consequences of all of that. You either experienced it at the time or you missed out forever.

[@DavidLari]

@@Asterra2 So true. A bygone era. :(

[@Elias_Halloran]

@@Asterra2 A unique experience of a player who has seeming dedication and promise.

[@PC-eu4xj]

Times were better. Real thought, writing and passion went into this game and a community of some of the best people you could ever meet. I hope in the future we may still have a chance at another EverQuest.

[@novyxl9672]

Yes, it was a project of passion. Not metrics of how to make the most money.

[@Elias_Halloran]

Fast forward to the year 2089 and the last of the generation that played is living, Everquest is gone then but there was an EQ 3, Wikipedia is all thats left...

[@bradb4332]

Ak’anon song so fits the gnome race, one of my favorite. So many memories running around that city and steamfont.

[@natea7823]

the damn maze that it was!!!!

[@Neceros]

Kelethin, omg. These sounds. Forever in my memory

[@Elias_Halloran]

a reply of the song motivated Hertenstein's playing of eq songs

[@Neceros]

@@Elias_Halloran what do you mean?

[@Elias_Halloran]

@@Neceros It should read "replay". Jeremiah Comer was first to come out with a piano rendition of the Kelethin zone song. After Paul Hertenstein saw that video, he decided to make his own versions of EQ music (according to his website)

[@Elias_Halloran]

I've just read through all 530 comments and made many replies. I'm happy with the quality of the posters. Interestingly, Michael's Shenanigan's posted shortly after the music went up 5 years ago. Respect to everyone who has posted. EQ loves you.

[@Eener1000]

Jay Barbeau does not get the credit he deserves. This soundtrack is absolutely amazing and memorable.

[@gunl1776]

True i call him the music god

[@SenaBryer]

Kelethin, man how I miss you :(

[@casperinmd]

Sena Bryer Kelethin is the worst!

[@SenaBryer]

You've ruined your own lands, you'll not ruin mine

[@DruttTV]

I started out in Kelethin as I recall. What a pain in the ass trying to find the right way about town! It all looked the same.

[@condemned7515]

The best thing of Kelethin was plying noobies with free booze and watching them fall to their deaths. Yeah, I wasn't the best behaved Wood Elf.

[@gabrielwilliams1814]

Gabe Toomey What

[@jonn8508]

Cazic Thule server, 1999-2001, I probably shouldn't have played this game so much... but I don't regret it

[@Semarri]

Cazic-Thule all the way. Incredible game and time of my life.

[@timf6750]

CT for sure. :D

[@nikolasweischner3560]

This mix is dangerous, it seriously makes me want to abandon all responsibilities and get back on p99. I hope Pantheon's music is just as iconic.

[@siuaiseo]

lol, all the time. i put this video on and 5 mins in I just want to drop everything, table flip and close myself into a basement for 3 month playing EQ 20h/day xD

[@Elias_Halloran]

I wont be as young and impressionable, but Pantheon is worth a good look and try.

[@TheDiulasing]

Everquest Intro, I still remember back in 2000, when we only had a 56k dial up modem, and a really slow PC, the loading time is so slow you get to hear the whole intro. Nowadays its like 20sec and you are done

[@DruttTV]

Yeah, the load time was crazy long back then. You could actually read the loading tips, but not anymore!

[@colinsmith5373]

My god, I didn't expect to still recognize it after all these years...

[@nelsoncabrera6464]

00:45 When the main theme song kept playing and the piano started that's when one started to worry because more often than not it meant the server was down..

[@Elias_Halloran]

yep

[@Z3rostar]

We can never go back but we will always remember.

[@Elias_Halloran]

so true...

[@gunl1776]

/target Z3rostar /salute

[@securitymanager2938]

I've got EverQuest down in the depths of my soul, and a piece of me lives there; always and forever.

[@Elias_Halloran]

this is the type of guy you always invited to your raid.

[@KayossSZ]

This music still brings a nostalgic tear to my eye. Especially the Neriak parts. Always been my favorite city in the game. Glory to Innoruuk!

[@Elias_Halloran]

😂

[@satrulsis8801]

22 years now and i find myself finding this OST to sleep to.

[@Elias_Halloran]

A town crier says, a warm thank you goes out to Jay Barbeau, composer and companion to the adventurers of Norrath!

[@Molokai963]

I would use it for a lullaby but it's riddled with ads!

[@returntogolf7028]

Amazing how these tracks can pull you back to such an amazing point in time! Everquest will always have a special place in my heart. Even after nearly two decades I still have vivid memories of my time spent in the world of Norrath.

[@DruttTV]

Yeah, it is surprising how they bring it all back!

[@FirstLast-fr4hb]

what works even better is playing it :) @Saiidin They had some beautiful compositions! Who wrote those?

[@Elias_Halloran]

love that EQ feeling

[@theaterobscura]

"The Enchanter Empties his Bags" @41:20 was always such a comfort when selling my hard-earned loot.

[@Elias_Halloran]

great

[@pw3904]

I'd kill to be able to play pre-kunark with the blue stone UI with only 3/4 visibility because there were no transparencies. I remember when the black transparent background came out and it was fully adjustable and customizable. But the original UI was so charming and I just remember being in awe of what I was seeing through that tiny window. Nafed was my first character on Tunare. a Dark Elf Warrior who never made it past level 17 because I was 9 years old. I went on to play other characters and enjoyed myself. Never got to raid during the old forum organization days. Never did any proper raiding at all, but I loved every minute that I played. I do regret not getting high enough to join in the end-game content, but I still wouldn't trade the experience and memories for the world. Truly one of the greatest games of all time.

[@pw3904]

And then Luclin came out, and newbie zones were a thing of the past.

[@JM-yc1nh]

Still playing on Emu now 20 yrs later

[@liquidbeaf]

I love this music! When I heard the Qeynos theme, I felt like I was back in 2000, logging in for the first time, looking for the monk guild.

[@DruttTV]

Everyone who played must know this, but did you know Qeynos spells Sony EQ backwards?

[@liquidbeaf]

DruttTV sure did 😁

[@TristanShelton]

A lesser known fact is that the clock in South Qeynos spells this out along with the words "ak'anon gnomes"

[@condemned7515]

And the deities were often anagrams: Tunare = Nature Veeshan = Heavens Fennin Ro = Innferno Xegony = Oxygen Povar = Vapor Tarew = Water Rathe = Earth E'Ci = Ice...

[@liquidbeaf]

Paul Barlow holy sheeet, I never knew about the anagrams!

[@dissya1]

that mmo ruined any mmo forever it was so darn good nothing will ever beat that i miss you EQ

[@MsTLea]

You know, I think back and I really miss my EQ days. The wonderful people and friends I would spend time with kept me coming back day after day. The virtual adventures that could never be had in my real life were just so addicting. I was a human necromancer on the Saryn server after switching from Torvonnolus (sp?). I truly, deeply miss those days and the only thing I would do different is keep up with the friends I made. I know some have passed away, most have stopped gaming and no one plays EQ any longer. Dragonchow, my guild, I miss you. My first avatar was Poofbegone Hugsalot, lol. But I stuck with Mystikka. Thank you so much for the memories.

[@Elias_Halloran]

Appreciation from the heart of EQ

[@Aviennda40]

Dragonchow!!!! OMG, fellow guildie here! 5 years after you posted, so not sure if you'll see this but...

[@Elias_Halloran]

@@Aviennda40 congrats niceness

[@starfox1]

first night in the game and i walked out of felwithe to a gay wedding . two high elf males standing face to face and reciting vows. i was like woah what have i signed up for

[@shaunsmith3625]

Lol!!!!

[@tiptoptonic]

'Elevensies in Rivervale' was the first sound I heard in EQ against a black screen as I waited impatiently for the graphics to load. It's a jaunty tune that instantly reminds me of the fun and excitement I had exploring Misty Thicket in my character's early days and inadvertently dying to Nillipus in the town on a couple of occasions!

[@DruttTV]

Mooto to guards!

[@ROBBiESMiTTENS]

HE'S STEALING THE JUM JUM

[@bishyaler]

Still my favorite city theme

[@Elias_Halloran]

For those that don't know about Nillipus, Nillipus is one of the smallest characters in Everquest, this dying inadvertently it's own humiliation. Go Everquest stories like this. A good example of the dangers of 1999 era EQ.

[@zishlol]

RIP Brad.

[@NinjaDimes]

I play on p1999 and I'm still not sick of this music. I love it so much. Thanks for this upload. ♥

[@hoppkins]

So many years passed. Never gets old.

[@DruttTV]

True enough.

[@condemned7515]

Battle 2 @45:10. Best fighting music ever. My God my heartbeats increased just hearing it again. Damn you, Kizdean Gix!

[@Elias_Halloran]

That music is pretty good indeed. I don't have the same reaction, but it was always high stakes with the thought of dreaded corpse run if you lost the battle. Always a sigh of relief when that music turned off and the fight was over.

[@bum4evr]

I remember someone complaining about Gix once so I said in chat "Silly rabbit, Gix is for kids!" and got a few laughs... memories..

[@Elias_Halloran]

@@bum4evr ha! nice.

[@Cornerboy73]

Takes me back to happier times when the internet was young and so was I. I wouldn't trade a day out of all the years I spent in Norrath, it really was a special experience.

[@Elias_Halloran]

many posts here have also said almost the same thing. those we good times. its great to be a pioneer and this game was just a bit of just that, it captured that fundamental drive to explore new things. This was a really good game!

[@MarkMark-ji6ts]

A truly magical time. My favorite most loved, most hated MMORPG.

[@stephenkaake7016]

I wish I had all the screen shots from back then, heres an EQ story I played a troll shadow knight, when I got invis and voice graft, I went to crush bone and started talking thru the orcs, taunting players, eventually dvinn trained the whole zone and he was standing there with about 20 players all looking at him, and I was voice grafting thru him taunting all the players, they ganged up and killed him

[@Elias_Halloran]

troll shadow knight considers you amiably. YOU have been SLAIN by a TROLL SHADOW KNIGHT

[@guillaumepoirier5469]

😭 I miss this game so much.

[@tunabros]

THE NOSTALGIA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@treljaengo]

I played EQ for years and swear I'm hearing songs in here for the first time.

[@Elias_Halloran]

yeah buddy! glad you heard something new.

[@JHM117]

Makes me want to cry listening to this. The memories, the past. Damn does time fly.

[@Elias_Halloran]

aptly, "the Mournful Bard Sings of Freeport"

[@Foultone84]

never ever take this down. I feel so happy right now

[@thereallavalamp1463]

😀

[@Elias_Halloran]

happy for you my guy

[@caiburn]

I've started playing again, for the fourth time or so, this time on the Aradune server. RIP Brad, you were part of giving so many of us so many enjoyable hours in a virtual world.

[@ShinraEQ]

I don't have any fancy words to say. All I can say is that I deeply appreciated the words left by others who could describe these feelings much better than myself. Born in 85. Started EQ in 99. Life changing. - Shinra from Solusek Ro.

[@Elias_Halloran]

cheers to the golden years of EQ! forever young!

[@Nykad]

This really makes my heart ache. It's like remembering a long lost place where you spent so much time with friends. So many fond memories of adventuring around Norrath from 99 to 03. Innoruuk server had such a great community, fiends and friends alike. This was a special game at a special time.

[@Elias_Halloran]

Lower Guk. Unrest. Oasis of Marr. Solsek B.

[@pauls4523]

I also played on Innoruuk. Character name was Phenix, a human warrior. I was so young then but perhaps I'll remember. What was your character name?

[@vetman548]

Oh wow the memories of this game I loved it. One of my favorites was being in Crushbone and getting run over by a train someone brought to the zone entrance. Also the damn sand giants in the Oasis that were like 30 lvls higher then you that people would pull to the beach were you hung out to heal.

[@DruttTV]

Crushbone was notorious for its trains, like Unrest. I certainly had my fair share. Some time ago I uploaded some Project 1999 Oasis footage which included some Sand Giant action! (Other people being brutalised as I recall).

[@Josh-rv4kv]

Haha, those damn sand giants!

[@Torvanyr]

D'Vinn to zone!!!

[@FirstLast-fr4hb]

That was me, sorry, it was fun seeing as many orcs as possible.

[@ShneekeyTheLost]

Specs to docks! Also, you thought CB was bad for trains? Karnors Keep, two billion trains served and counting...

[@00Salts]

Holy crap, that just sent me back 20 years in time.

[@Elias_Halloran]

glad you had a listen man. I'm sure the auto attack songs were especially familiar. Anyways, I encourage you to consider playing again!