Antonica · EverQuest (original release)
East Karana
The rough eastern edge of the plains, reached by a single giants’ bridge: an angry zoo of reavers, evil eyes and cyclops, a knight who will escort you for a fee, and the long gorge to Highpass.
Beyond the bridge
The Eastern Plains of Karana are a rough, partly hilly land on the eastern edge of the plains. A great river flowing west through Karana blocks the southern and western borders, and the only way over it is a massive bridge in the northern part of the western edge, probably built by giants long ago, judging by its scale, from the Northern Plains.
Two narrow mountain passes are its other links. A very long, narrow pass through the mountains on the eastern edge leads to Highpass Hold, and a trail past some shops leads to the Gorge of King Xorbb on the plains’ eastern side. Monsters run from about level 10 to 35.
Sources: EQ Atlas (eqatlas.ca): Eastern Plains of Karana · Allakhazam: East Karana (zone) · Project 1999 Wiki: East Karana
An angry zoo
The EQ Atlas compares hunting here to being in an angry zoo. Hill giants and griffawns come from elsewhere in Karana; gnoll and undead reavers, gorge hounds, war wolves, evil eyes and lion royalty are found nowhere else. There are few safe places apart from the zone edges and no guards to run to, so the guide recommends waiting until fifteenth level.
Some of the killers are named. The cyclops Broon, Proon and Droon and an ancient cyclops wander the plains, with named gnolls, Chief SaNre’Rexxa among them. For careful groups, though, the zone offers good hunting from about fifteenth to twenty-fifth level, and fewer crowds than the plains near the cities.
Sources: EQ Atlas (eqatlas.ca): Eastern Plains of Karana · Allakhazam: East Karana (zone)
Sir Morgan and the tomb
Sir Morgan is a plate-clad knight who waits with his squire just east of the bridge from the Northern Plains. For a fairly small fee he offers to guide travellers across and protect them on the way, which the guide thinks worth it for anyone with bad luck.
Allakhazam’s record also notes the Tomb of Aradune in these plains. Other residents include Tallus Holton, the Mucktail gnolls Grennix, Vexven and Emhu, Splintered Claw, Jairn and Tarbul Earthstrider.
Sources: EQ Atlas (eqatlas.ca): Eastern Plains of Karana · Allakhazam: East Karana (zone) · Project 1999 Wiki: East Karana
Roads onward
The gorge to the east leads to the minotaurs and evil eye lords of the Gorge of King Xorbb and through it to Clan Runnyeye, part of the northern route toward Rivervale. The eastern pass to Highpass Hold is the main road on to Freeport.
The plains belong to Karana, and the pass beyond to Highpass Hold and the McCabes.
Sources: EQ Atlas (eqatlas.ca): Eastern Plains of Karana · Allakhazam: East Karana (zone) · Project 1999 Wiki: East Karana
Lore tied to this zone
Sources: EQ Atlas (eqatlas.ca): Eastern Plains of Karana · Allakhazam: East Karana (zone) · Project 1999 Wiki: East Karana