Where in the real life world do you live?
DuBois, PA.
How long have you played EQ?
About 10.5 years give or take a few months I would say.
What other MMOs have you played?
Done a little of most but I would say outside of EQ City of Hero's is about the only other that I have put any real time into.
What type of work do you do?
I did work in the printing field for a while but when my mother's health took a turn for the worse I turned to Care Giver for her.
How long is your typical gaming session when playing EQ?
I would think that about say 5 hours in the evening is the typical gaming session. However I can be found on in the afternoon hours depending on what all I have to do and what time gaps I have.
What does a typical EQ day consist of for you?
Generally start off and get some Vet runs done on an Alt or two, then work on what ever with my main with friends. Usually there is a trade skill focus set in there some where for what ever I need to process of use or trader.
What was the race and class of your very first character?
Well class was defiantly a ranger, though race…… Time has faded my memory there a bit. I know I tried out all the races that rangers could be back then, But I don't remember if it was the wood elf that fell to his death in Faydark (gee what a shock) and then I could not find my way back to the guild master for training or was it the human that corpse got lost some where in Tox after taking him all the way there exploring at lvl 5 that was the 1st. The one that remained the trial by fire period was the Half Elf that never made it past 20 but still remains to this day.
What got you into gaming and what sort of games do you like the most?
Well the "Pen and Paper" (that always makes me laugh, who uses a Pen on a character sheet they don't erase well at BEST if at all) has a LONG standing tradition going back quite a ways. Friends of friends are responsible for that, one of which I much later turned onto EQ. I generally like strategy games but most games can hold an allure for me.
What other hobbies or activities do you take part in, other then playing EverQuest?
I used to paint miniature figures and have given some thought of getting back to that for kicks, but mostly it is doing Home Brew rule sets for RPG's with friends - that is the only thing outside of EQ I do at the moment. Bowling, pool, and golf I managed to get in every now and then but opportunities have been less and less.
What is your highest level in EQ?
85
What race and class is your main character?
Barbarian Shaman
What do you like the most about the class you have chosen for your main character?
There always been a nice niche for soloing or grouping. I can usually find a variety of things to do. I don't have to just be the slow machine and nothing else. And of course there is Alchemy [Though it really feels more like Herbalism then Alchemy to me but ehh what is in a name but a rose right? ;) ] which is nice and has recently trended to be the bulk to near total of my traders wares.
Does your main character worship a deity?
Yup, the Tribunal. Thought he has a trend for Quellious. Usually this shows up when arriving for GM events. I tend to adopt the ranting barbarian persona going on about not being able to get X trade skill done (usually Alchemy). Thus I have come to return peace and tranquility and end the disturbance caused by what ever event they are running for the sake of getting back to my work.
How did you choose your main character's name?
Well you see Bryk is a moniker that was given to me by my best friend many a year ago, spelling and all. This became a standard for a D&D character name for me. Thus when sitting there needing to choose a name why break with tradition. Thus was created Bryk Woad a barbarian shaman (HOW could I resist). He garnered the nickname of the "Hermit of Everfrost" by those in his guild back in the day and a running joke about how he was confused as a NPC there by some newbies once upon a time. I was drawn to Prexus by a RL D&D gaming friend and could not think of playing a Barb shammie that was not named Bryk in some way. Having to settle with smashing the name into just one to get it to fly that left me with the only appropriate surname in honor of that character that came before. Thus Brykwoad Frosthermit it would be.
Which classes in EQ have you NOT played?
I have dabbled with all of them but never gotten Bard, Cleric, Necro, Mage, or Wizard above 20 before the where deleted. Over all I do not have much love for playing INT Casters, or most casters in general save for shaman, which is a bit odd but well I make no claims otherwise really.
What is your favorite expansion?
Over all I would have to go with Gates of Discord. Uqua and Inktu'Ta are my favorite raids still to this day. The whole Gates back flagging and farming never got old for me. I can not make the same claim for the expansions that came after. Now admittedly my love for this expansion is generally from a raid perspective, group content was nothing to write home about. Thought the thought of the great fishing boom that came about after the expansion launch still brings a smile to my face. The vast number of people all just fishing, due to the mistake in the vendor greed table. Seeing the shore in Natimbi just lined with people fishing or the little launch on The Queen of Thorns crammed with people just… fishing. Summoned ale, bad jokes and time spent fishing, it was something.
What is your favorite zone?
I would have to go with Blackborrow. It is that same nostalgia that people have for Crushbone, mostly those that started on Faydwer. Camping the Elite ledge, the "Green room", the Commander room, and many others… la sigh. When SoD was coming out I hoped that it would show up and over all was happy with the take on that zone.
What is your favorite NPC?
Well the NPC that I derive the most joy from even thought never doing anything to garner and enmity would be Nillipuss. Just passing thru Rivervale it is always hey Nillipuss how you doing, SPLAT, Ok nice catching up with you.
Which expansion do you like the least?
The Buried Sea. It always struck me as just a filler expansion with nothing much to offer. Of course here is where I really stopped with any kind of raid progression so the biggest thing for it was lost on me but honestly not bothered by that. Huzzah the boats are back (much rejoicing of Sir Robins minstrels) and now you can have ship to ship combat… umm yea right. Sure it set the standard for infusible gear and the multiple part group level quest aug but ehh. If ever there was ever an expansion I should have saved the cash and just passed on that would be my pick.
Which zone do you like the least?
Lower Guk, hands down. Probably one of the more popular zones with most but man I hate it. Sure I will still do Old Man Missions but that does not mean that I like the zone or don't harbor much hate. Sure these missions have pretty much instilled a great familiarity of this zone but I would not weep a tear if I never used it again.
Which NPC do you like the least?
I would have to say the Akheva models. They have 4 arms but can't hold a weapon in any of them. Instead the weapons just float in the middle of their bodies. Plus they just sound like they are vomiting not attacking you.
What is the most platinum you have ever spent on purchasing a single item for one of your characters?
I believe it was 54k for a ornate chain bracer pattern for my shammie back in the day. When it was like OMG it has FT on it. I was paid for mostly from profits made from making Misty Thicket Picnics. Back when the bazaar you had to search for stall space just to set up a trader. Of course I doubt that will stand for my top end purchases for much longer. I will probably but a Venerable aug or 2 for an alt here soon and those are easy over that.
Do you have an item you no longer use but keep around for nostalgic reasons? If so what is it and why do you keep it?
Now it is not something I have ever used but just insane nostalgia would be "Chunk of Tundra" from the corrupted woolly mammoth in Everfrost. It is so I always have a piece of home with me as well as something to keep my food cold including my Zatozia's Pail o ice-cream. Yes I have it in my bag with my food and in the slot above it is the Pail. Sure it IS actually used for the Druid 1.0 but what fun it that, pure insane character flavor is much more fun.
What do you like best about EverQuest?
The fact that there is always something to do. I can grind if I want to, I can just chill and chat if that suits me better, I can just trade skill if I just feel like, or work on some quest for some character.
What do you get out of playing EverQuest?
Generally stress/boredom relief. I can have a sense of accomplishment for the time spent. There is that more social element that is nice verse just playing most games.
Describe your best experience from playing EverQuest?
Now this happened to me on my Halfling ranger alt. So I am just passing time before dinner and I am passing thru PoK and the GM event emote goes off for a location in Qeynos, which was where I was headed any way. So why not, I go see what it is about. There is the GM as a Barbarian warrior emoting as if he is blind and stumbling about. Intrigued I decide in for a penny in for a pound I got time before dinner. He gives a story about how he was exploring the sewers of Qeynos when he was set upon by some necromancers and barely got out but not before being blinded. He knows that a Cleric in Rivervale is the only one that can cure him but in his condition he has not hope of getting there alone. OK, I see how this is going to go. He will have some reason as to why we can't take the PoK book just behind me, which is the fastest route. No he will want to take the overland route thru the Karana's. Sure enough giving an unnatural fear of magical portals he will not go thru the PoK book and overland it will have to be. Well I have always had a fondness for the Plains of Karana and I am a Halfling WHY not. So begins my journey "leading" this guy thru the Karana's, Beholders Maze, Runny Eye, and Misty Thicket mostly walking backwards to keep and eye on him as well as to not out pace him. I swear that the guy was trying to hit every tree in the route just to get to me. But it was a fun role-play event all in all. By we concluded dinner was only 10 minutes late, so I misjudged ho long this would take a bit. For my trouble I got couple sapphires and an electrum trio ring, and an enjoyable time spent.
Do you run or work for an EverQuest Fan Site?
Nope, that would cut into my EQ time ;)
