The Swords of Destiny was an idea that began to develop during my early days on the original EverQuest team. I was working in Freeport on a quest that involved the faction known as the Knights of Truth and their arch-nemesis, Sir Lucan D'Lere. I wanted the knights to be the sworn protectors of an ancient force that they did not even fully understand, but their faith would drive them. I eventually developed a story around the magical blade we now know as Soulfire. Unfortunately, my duties on EQ shifted before I could reveal more of the true lore behind Soulfire. The EQ Soulfire was the first in-game glimpse at the Swords of Destiny storyline, but the tale would not continue until EverQuest II arrived.
What does the name 'The Swords of Destiny' imply?
The title Swords of Destiny refers to two things, the Age of Destiny and the fate of Norrath. From the dawn of creation to the Age of Cataclysms, few Norrathians had knowledge of the Swords of Destiny. However, in our time, we now find a number of entities on Norrath spreading the legend as they seek to unlock the secrets of the swords.
Can you share with us few details of the story behind the Swords of Destiny?
The Swords of Destiny is a tale of creation and fate. It is a story of the balance of power and petty grievances that permeate every soul in the universe. The tale spans eons and covers epic tragedies and jubilant victories that we may never know in EQ II. The Swords of Destiny is but a piece of a universal puzzle, but to Norrathians, the tale is much more localized.
Is there any relation between the Swords of Destiny's Quest & the Qeynos Claymore Quest Line (from KoS)?
I would rather not reveal the relationship between primary quest lines, odysseys if you like. What I can tell you is that there is a lot of content in EQII that is both directly and indirectly related to the Swords of Destiny. The Swords of Destiny is also a clue to a greater enigma. We have always known where we are going in the Age of Destiny and as we march along that path, clues will rain down upon Norrathians. So, yes, the Qeynos Claymore is somehow associated to the Swords of Destiny.
Can you tell us a bit about the factions involved in the Swords of Destiny?
One faction I truly enjoyed bringing into the world is the Circle of the Unseen Hand. In the original EverQuest, the Hand was a thieves' guild located in the lawful city of Qeynos. As you might guess, over a period of 400 years, the law discovered them and booted them out of the city, but that was not the end of the Hand. They evolved into a global thieves' guild that maintains secret guild taverns in every major city on Norrath. These taverns are safe houses for not only the members of the Hand, but for their allies or those willing to earn the right to carry one of the valuable tavern coins. In the Swords of Destiny we get a greater glimpse of Crow's Resting Place, the Hand tavern located beneath the lawful city of Qeynos. You just can't keep a good thief away.
Other than the Hand you will encounter the Order of Marr and possibly even the League of Freethinkers. Of these two organizations, one is an ancient order sworn to a secret code of honor while the other is a clandestine organization of monster slayers. There is also a chance you will meet new agents of darkness known as the Libant.
What is your personal favorite quest in the Swords of Destiny series? I do not really have a favorite quest in the odyssey of the Swords of Destiny. My favorite part is getting out the lore to the people and planting my hooks for future tales. I do have favorite npc's in the story. Two of my favorites were Inspector Berlok Beeglesnoop and Chypp the talking rat. As with most npc's I create, you never know when you will be meeting them again, but you will most likely bump into them again.
What are a few of the surprises that players should look forward to?
Players can look forward to speaking to Norrathian personalities that they thought they would never get a chance to speak with. They can also look forward to being introduced to a secret the Queen of Felwithe has been keeping for a long time, a key to destiny.
What are the difficulties and challenges that you encountered during this project?
The greatest challenge was finding the time. I monitor the lore on EQII so I usually get involved in lore creation and review between expansions and live content while still trying to implement content. I can often find myself working on the past present and future content of EQII. To help alleviate some of the pressure, I decided to introduce the Swords of Destiny to the game world in chunks rather than all at once. It would have been impossible to complete the quest line by the launch of EoF.
How long did it take you to finish this project?
Finish? Ask me again in a month or two.