heresay is heresay. Just because someone doesn't remember it doesn't mean it wasn't there. Still all I can find is references from Kunark era...but VERY early Kunark. Here is a May 11th 2000 screen shot from Alla:
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This wasn't a feature touted with Kunark so I imagine it came sometime between right before Kunark to right after Kunark. Again any better info is mucho appreciated. Sucks we can't find a specific post saying when it was added, but evidence now shows up at early as May 2000.
I am just trying to get the point across that it was at the very least during early, early Kunark. Being only old-world stuff I really do think it was probably added late in vanilla, right before Kunark. Again though no concrete evidence supports that this was in game prior to May 2000.