[ukaking]

Good post Lagaidh! My wife and I are lvl 24 cleric and bard, Bigred and Armandoe, look us up! Sounds like we have very similar opinions on what we think the classic experience should be.
I have never understood the power game regardless. Maybe it's because I am successful in my RL that I don't need the ego boost online? I don't have a need to be the best at anything on EQ. I enjoy that people get to know that when they group with my wife and I that we are going to play our characters well and have good conversation in the process. Soon, I will enjoy once again being known as a good and fair guild leader of a very unique guild on P99 when The Harbingers of Thule return with the opening of Kunark.
Here are a few things to consider...How many of your best memories of EQ were about raids and some loot you got from them? For me, the raids are a blur with almost no distinct great memories. Now, how many of your memories of EQ were having good groups to play and chat with while casually leveling? How about having good guildmates to log in and just chat with while winding down from a rough day in RL? Or some random guild event that had nothing to do with loot and everything to do with friends and unity?

I tell ya, my best memories were having PvP tournaments and battle royals in the arena in Cabilis (I was in an all iksar guild), RP Raiding Oasis and killing anything that wasn't iksar (RZ, PvP server), playing some silly hide and seek type stuff in the City or having newbies try to run a burynai (furbie) from the pit to the guards without dying, for a prize.

Its the little things that people remember. Just the other night, the wife and I had a few deaths in Sol A and it was really pissing me off as a vet. Then I look over at her, playing her cleric and see her do everything she can to save everyone but herself in the group. She died and everyone else lived (other than me as the first who went down). She is happy?! Because she isnt TAINTED by the end game. She is a true noobie to EQ and she sees the magic for what it is. Something we should all try to think about and remember. The magic is only lost because you allow it to be. Don't fly passed it and don't forget about it.