When I was playing Everquest 2, I enjoyed the event seasons because there was truly content for everyone with easy to find quests many of which could be done by a new or newish character on their own. In Everquest, though, it's different since most of the game content, including "fluff, is intended for max level characters and is generally meant to be done in groups. It can be very frustrating trying to figure out what your character can and cannot do if they're not max level, raid equipped.
The information from Daybreak on the available event content in Everquest is not as robust the same type of information for Everquest 2 with third-party sites not filling that gap the way they do for Everquest 2. Add to this the locations of the quest givers. In Everquest 2, there are hubs for the events with most quest starters in that area making it easy to find them. In Everquest, there might be a decorated area, usually Plane of Knowledge, but the quest givers are spread through out the many many many zones. For some of the events, like for the Anniversary, there might be an NPC who will tell you who quest givers are and in what zone they can be found but absolutely no information if the quest is something your character can do. For anniversary quests, that's compounded by the content being split with some available in the first half of the event time and others available in the later half. Nothing in Daybreak's announcement or the dialogue from the NPC indicates that but it is vaguely noted on the calendar (vague unless you already know it's split).
Yes, there are those who say/think that all characters are max level so what does it matter and that if they aren't max level, it just takes a few hours or a weekend to get to 100 or just buy a Heroic. But, that completely ignores (or invalidates?) players who are new or returning (and yes there are a new and returning players every month) or who play the game a bit more casually or slowly because they prefer it that way or real life commitments preclude anything else.
So, enough of my complaining, but it is the reason I am building this page in the blog. As I can figure out what the lowest level can complete the tasks, I will add them. The level range of a quest does not always match the era it was added though sometimes that can help.
NOTE: Event content is generally not available on TLP servers until they unlock specific expansions (eras) and entirely absent until Seeds of Destruction is unlocked. The era a quest is available in on a TLP might be earlier than when it was added on Live.
Anniversary
Everquest has been around 24 years at the time I am writing this. Wow. Let that sink in a moment. There are are players of the game who were born after it launched! Players who were in their 20s or older when the game launched are in later phases of their employment and might even have kids who are as old or older than Everquest. For those of us who played in the early years or even from launch, our lives have surely changed since those early days. The game has changed, too. Before the 24th anniversary, the 29th expansion was launched with the maximum level at 120. That's a long way from the original max level of 50!
The celebration usually starts in the middle of March and lasts through to the beginning weeks of May. Each year there are usually 'free' items for all characters who log in during the first weeks of the celebration: https://www.everquest.com/anniversary. Those accounts with All-Access get extras, so if you only sub (or Krono) your Free to Play account once a year, early March is s good time to do so to get the extra freebies 😜
The Anniversary content started in the 5th year and has added a few tasks and missions every year since. The availability of the specific content is split over the weeks of the total celebration. The in-game calendar (EQ button > Alerts > Event Calendar) can help to know which content is available. The split of content is called "AV Modern" (at this time, 14th to current) and "AV Legacy" (5th to 13th).
You can also hail the Mechanical Fortune Teller in Plane of Knowledge to find out which are active. You can select a year and they will tell you the content currently available from that year. Unless you know that some aren't available and when they will be, it might be a bit frustrating for them to respond that nothing is available for most of them. Sadly, if there is nothing available for a specific year, they don't indicate it might be available later or even direct you to the in-game calendar to see when the content for that year might be available.
Most of the "Modern" content (15th and later0 will also give you special Commemorative Coins you can use to buy Special Celebratory Goods including mounts, food and drink (with stats!), and fireworks. The content is repeatable so you can save up to buy that fabulous Unicorn or the Armored Bear with the high cost. There are a couple weight-reduction bags, too.
I will be adding to the table as I am able to do the content or find information leading to being able to note a lowest level and if a group at max level is recommended/required.
| Year/Era | Quest/Mission | Starter | Zones | Minimum Level / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year 24 Night of Shadows | Misgnomer 'Zam Bonus: EQ Resource | Captain Nalot the Fake in Steamnfont Mountains |
| 30s roamers in Iceclad Ocean (can be avoided with invis) go to HHP from Blightfire Moors for safer route |
| Year 24 Night of Shadows | Footloose and Fancy Free 'Zam Bonus: EQ Resource | Erol Xybella in Plane of Tranquility |
| level 5ish kills in Gfay, 20s drachnid in FV to avoid, and potential faction issues in Kelethin and W.Freeport |
| Year 24 Night of Shadows | Reetuk the Inexorable 'Zam | Historian Graya in Crescent Reach | Mission version of Blightfire Moors | 120 group recommended / 110+ kills |
| Year 24 Night of Shadows | Stones of the Unknown 'Zam | Talesiyn the Driven in Feerrott (original) |
| Valdeholm has 70s agressive giants and spiders Katta Castrum also has 70s creatures around PoF has a swarm of mid-60s Getting to Dead Hills is easier with invis, |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Year 22 Torment of Velious | School Supplies 'Zam | Geia Korrel in Toxullia | Old Paineel (The Hole) Qeynos Aquaduct West Karana | 50s kills in Old Paineel |
| Year 22 CoV | Unity Zam | Guard Blevins in Qeynos Hills | Instance of newer version of Blackburrow | 115+ group recommended / 110+ kills |
| - | - | - | - | - |
Frostfell/New Year
Analogous to Christmas and other December holidays, Frostfell runs most of December and into January with 'stages' of when the quests/activities are available. Sadly, Frostfell on EQ is significantly not as elaborate as Frostfell in EQ2. First stage is the first half of the month, second stage from mid-month to the 24th, third 25 and 26 only, and then the fourth stage. Zam's listing for the quests
| Era | Quest/Mission | Starter | Zones | Minimum Level / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Terror of Luclin | Case of the Misplaced Dollies Zam (missing from the Zam search list) | Ginjleg Gigglegibber/Timorous Deep | Timorous Deep, Butcherblock, Iceclad Ocean, Southern Ro, Misty Thicket, Plane of Knowledge | All stages? - level 1 Level 5 'dollies' to kill with other higher level mobs around them Note: Obtain 2 of each item so you can 'collect' one. |
| Terror of Luclin | Saga of the Empty Purse Zam | Ganjleg Gigglegibber/Plane of Knowledge | Plane of Knowledge, Timorous Deep | Level 1 Side quest to Case of the Missing Dollies |
| Terror of Luclin | An Adorable Yeti Zam | Belumn, the yeti/Timorous Deep | Timorous Deep, Steamfont, Crescent Reach | Level 1 (with no-fail tradeskill combine) Follow-on quest to Case and Saga above |
| Secrets of Faydwer | Saving Santug Zam | a frostfell goblin/ starting cities | various low level zones | Stage 1 - level 5 with level 1 mobs The second quest starts in Everfrost so Everfrost/Halas is the easiest place to go to for the first quest |
| Secrets of Faydwer | Saving Santug Zam | a frostfell goblin/Everfrost | Everfrost | Stage 1 - level 5 though the mobs in Everfrost can be higher Can be pre-looted |
| Rain of Fear | Braxi Roundup Zam | Santug Claus' helper/ Plane of Knowledge | varies depending on level: Beasts' Domain, Sarith, Dream Feerrot, Brell's Rest, Loping Plains, Oceangren Village, Barren Coast, Natimbi | minimum 50 locations and targets scales to level-ish (scales to 100 but can be done higher) |
| Seeds of Destruction | Misplaced Wishes Zam | Rellith Akkanar/ Plane of Knowledge | Fortress Mechanotus | Level 75+ |
| Serpent's Spine | Search for the Bram Bandyboot Zam | Zoog/The Great Divide | The Great Divide | Zam says 25 but in a zone with level 30+ Starts a series of quests with final boss level 80 |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| - | - | - | - | - |
Daybreak's announcement page displays screenshots of decorated houses
(using mostly Marketplace bought items), do not be deceived into
thinking those might be where you go for the content or that those are
the rewards. The rewards for the quests are mostly lacklustre, in my opinion, such as single use illusions, non- or low-stat food/drink, small bags, etc. Notable rewards: the familiar from An Adorable Yeti, ornaments from Braxi Roundup (repeatable), XP potion from the Search for series
The starting location for the "start here" noted in the Daybreak's announcement is easy to find but only if you know what you're looking for, but it is entirely underwhelming and a little out of the way (and you have to go back and forth to/from there a few times. Use the Find on the map window to locate the two Frostfell NPCs.
Brew Day
Mid-March, in addition to Anniversary content, the celebration of Brew Day is briefly available. The holiday roughly coincides with the real world St Patrick's Day and has similar theming tuned to Norrathian flair.
| Era | Quest/Mission | Starter | Zones | Minimum Level / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seeds of Destruction | May They Always Be Zam | Orr the Brave: Crescent Reach | Blightfire Moors, Plane of Knowledge, Burning Woods | Getting to Burning Woods requires crossing a couple zones with 30s mobs |
| Seeds of Destruction | There Are Good Sips Zam | Orr the Brave: Crescent Reach | Stone Hive | 30s zone |
| Seeds of Destruction | There Are Wood Ships Zam | Orr the Brave: Crescent Reach | Burning Woods | killing treants 30s-40s |
Bristlebane Day
Roughly corresponding to April Fools and a few days after.
| Era | Quest/Mission | Starter | Zones | Minimum Level / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rain of Fear | A Fool's Errand | Emmisary of Bristlebane in Plane of Knowledge | Plane of Knowledge / Valley of King Xorbb | 100 level mobs in Valley of King Xorbb but no kills required. You -might- be able to invis and carefully get the item at a lower level. Also some tradeskill combines. |
Stomples Day
Roughly analogous to Easter, this event might not be on the same span of days each year.
| Year/Era | The Origin of the Cuniculus Zam | Grundle Cogwelder in the Plane of Knowledge | Qeynos Hills / West and South Karana | No kills, just ground spawn (you can trade this to another character if they have the quest it will update) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ToV | Mei Glacierbane in Eastern Wastes (ToV) | A Flurry of Spring Zam | Eastern Wastes (ToV) | 110+ zone with lots of very angry agro things, group recommended |
This post is "in progress" and will be added to as I can get around to doing the event quests and stuff.
