We brought the box home from Sainsburys (special offer, reduced price, souvenir Iksar figurine painted later by husband) and installed it - original EQ plus Kunark and Velious, not long after Velious launch. Got it installed and patched over 24 hours (no joke on dialup).
Read the booklet that came with it, decided on a human ranger. Started in Surefall Glade at midnight game time. Back in the days when no human night vision meant just that. Black screen. Blundered around randomly for ten minutes, finally found guildmaster, managed to accidentally attack him. LOADING - PLEASE WAIT. Deleted ranger.
Went back to the booklet again and decided on wood elf druid since they had night vision. She lasted all of five minutes before falling off a Kelethin platform. LOADING - PLEASE WAIT. Deleted druid.
I still liked the idea of druid so tried a halfling since the booklet said they had an easier starting city. Made it out to Misty Thicket, actually killed a rat or two, managed to get the wrong side of The Wall and six orcs went medieval on her poor little halfling backside. LOADING - PLEASE WAIT. Deleted second druid.
Next attempt was a dark elf necro. She got deleted in disgust after 20 minutes of trying to find my way out of Neriak. No amount of ultravision was worth putting up with that city...
Half elf bard. Got to level 2 and then had multiple deaths. I couldn't get my head round the fact that AE damage song and running to guards in panic was not a good combo.
By this point I was almost about to uninstall the game and throw the box in the bin. Decided on one last try. Easy starting city - hmm, they say Halas is simple. Ok, barbarians have no night vision but how dark can it be if there's snow everywhere? Made a barbarian shaman. Got out to Everfrost, killed my first polar bear cub, never looked back. I finally retired her in Seeds of Destruction era at 85. And it's no accident that I tried a shaman again, coming back here. Though I'm playing with a bard as well. This time I do know that AE songs and Freeport Guards don't mix
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