Nektulos Forest

A forest in shadow

Nektulos Forest lies north of the Commonlands on the eastern half of Antonica. The EQ Atlas calls it barely alive: smoke drifting down from the volcanic Lavastorm Mountains to the north keeps it in constant darkness. Dark elves from nearby Neriak patrol it, and it is their newbie zone. A clan of halflings makes its home here too.

Monsters run from about level 1 to 20, with some from 25 to 30: snakes and spiders, pyre beetles and ash drakelings, basilisk hatchlings, shadow wolves, skeletons and decaying councilmen, Deathfist legionnaires, bears and kodiaks, arcane shapeshifters and elementalists, dark elf dragoons and guards, stone and iron guardians, and missionaries of Rodcet.

Sources: EQ Atlas (eqatlas.ca): Nektulos Forest · Allakhazam: Nektulos Forest (1.0) (zone) · Project 1999 Wiki: Nektulos Forest

A hard start

The newbie area is small, and its creatures group up, so you must let others drift away from a spawn point before you pull. Wandering skeletons and wolves are aggressive, and guards stand only at the bridge and the entrances to Neriak and Lavastorm. The guardians attack good races and leave the evil ones alone. An orc runner of about ninth level sometimes dashes for Neriak, and while he is about, the normally friendly dark elf guards may turn on ogres and trolls.

The guide’s writer, who started a character in every newbie area, rates this the worst designed of them: too small, too dangerous outside, guardians stealing your kills, and loot of silks, ruined pelts and beetle eyes rather than coin. At fourth level the writer moved to the troll swamps.

Sources: EQ Atlas (eqatlas.ca): Nektulos Forest · Project 1999 Wiki: Nektulos Forest

Halflings and guards

A few spots reward a small group: the halfling ruins, if you are evil, and the undead spawns. Good races can do well here by hunting the dark elf guards, pulling them to a zone line for safety; they give good experience and usually drop a bronze weapon. Named figures include Deputy Leatherfoot, High Chief Wasolors and the Leatherfoot Medic.

Sources: EQ Atlas (eqatlas.ca): Nektulos Forest · Allakhazam: Nektulos Forest (1.0) (zone)

Doors in the walls

A pass in the south leads into the East Commonlands near Freeport, the dark elves’ way to the wider world. The entrance to Neriak is in the northeastern corner, on the east wall, with a path running near it. The entrance to the Lavastorm Mountains is in the northwestern corner, on the north wall.

The forest’s masters and their god are in Neriak and the Teir’Dal and Innoruuk; the missionaries of Rodcet Nife add a stranger presence.

Sources: EQ Atlas (eqatlas.ca): Nektulos Forest · EQ Atlas (eqatlas.ca): Neriak · Allakhazam: Nektulos Forest (zone)