Histories of the Hole
The Hole and Erudites
We have come across three differing accounts regarding the creating of this unholy rupture in the land. Who knows which one is correct.
According to the initial data, back in Norraths history, a group of humans split off from those inhabiting the island continent of Antonica, and settled on the isle of Odus, where they discovered ancient magics, becoming a race of human mages (wizards, enchanters, etcetera). After a while, certain of their number researched death-based magics, and became necromancers. The rest of the Erudites declared the new lot heretics, and set off a magical war of immense proportions. During one of their exchanges, the backwash of waste energies damaged the land itself, sinking a massive chasm into the rock of Odus.
It was this event that convinced both sides to back off and maintain an uneasy truce. The chasm is known to all simply as The Hole. The necromancers have built their city (Paineel?) in the side of that great rift.
It is said that a vast subterranean city exists inside that mysterious rended area, buried by divine intervention. Undiscovered treasures protected by deadly Elemental guardians.
The Hole and Plane of Underfoot
A tome, possibly quest-related, places the blame squarely on the shoulders of past necromancers, and says they used their magics to sink the Hole, unwittingly burrowing so deep that they pierced the Plane of Underfoot. Over the years, elemental forces leaked through the fissure that was created, until there were sufficient to stage a pitched battle with the Paineel inhabitants, eventually taking the subterranean city for their own.
Legends tell of a brave hero who managed to seal the doorway between Norrath and that hostile Plane.
The Hole and the Cat People
Recent data regarding the cat race on the Luclin moon points to the Vah Shir city originally being on Odus until an Erudite "weapons test" scooped it out of the very bedrock, teleporting the metropolis and it's inhabitants up to the moon, and thus creating the Hole.
I am willing to extrapolate that the necromancers built Paineel following the Vah Shir event, and then a crisis of living space coupled with a 'Bob the Builder' type optimism led to their accidentally breaching the Underfoot plane.
Erudin is the main city of the Erudites (human mages), and it is reached directly from the Odus docks - north coast.
Yavscout's journey through that city was rather hurried, so no details were taken. Your journey begins on entry into the Tox Forest. "Tox" is short for something, but it is a low level mob (1-10) zone consisting of a twi-lit forest where you never see the sky. A heavy green mist permeates the place during the day.
Running straight out of the Erudin exit into the forest will take you across a river, up a small bank, and eventually up to a Roman-style structure, with two columns. This is the zone into Paineel. Location: -2297.01, -302.92, -46.41
Once you go in, and see two skeletons hacking at the walls with mining equipment, SLOW THE FRAG DOWN, for you are running into a trap!
a) if the player had the Optional Patch loaded, containing Stonebrunt Mountains and the Warrens, they should zone into The Hole, die, and re-appear back at their bind point.
b) if the player did not have the Optional Patch, events are a little more worrying. They will zone, and their computer will note that it does not have any software for the new zone, and crash. The only way back into the game with the unfortunate character, will be to download that Optional Patch, accessed with the new Patcher at the start of your sessions, by exploring the Advanced settings.
In Majesticvale's case, this action found him in a 9ft x 9ft 'safe room' which he could move around in, but not physically escape. He was a non-caster, so he could not try gating. The floor was tiled, and the walls were covered in three pieces of Hole entry information, repeated many times - the /loc coordinates for entering The Hole via teleportation, levitate, and underwater. I assumed this was for a trapped person to direct potential rescuers
In the end, the trapped person was forced to /petition a Guide, in order to get out.
On the opposite side of this quite small grassed area, is a stone structure leading down to a chamber with a nice water ornament in the centre, and two exits, one to the left and one in front.
The one on the left leads to the Warrens, initially a tunnel lined with Kobolds (like low level were-wolves) which conned green to our Scout.
Ignoring the Warrens however, the route opposite in front comes out onto a balcony overlooking the pond we are after. A stairway cut from the rock goes round the little gulley, allowing you to descend safely to the water.
Further reconnaissance - Dragnet
Following additional data kindly provided by Khaylena (see below), a halfling rogue was created and escorted to the Hole from Rivervale, no cakewalk in itself.
I decided to end a long session with twenty minutes of checking out the Hole with Dragnet, and only took 3 dmg stepping off that impassable ledge close to the Locked Outpost Tower. Entered the nearest structure without Hide or Sneak, and managed not to aggro the heavy patrols of elementals, rock golems and Flying Fiends around the place. Descended into some more tunnels before finding a nice columned area. I attempted to get a closer look at a rat warrior which immediately went into the "ruining own lands" tirade and the rogue got snuffed.
Beyond this area though, you should find a slope going down to the 'F' section of the map on eqatlas.com
I allowed a high-level player to commandeer the halfling for a reconnaissance of his own to check on Master Yael, the route including a drop down a sheer waterfall. And then he left Dragnet down there, close to Nortlav the Scalekeeper.
The only area of the eqatlas.com map that I had difficulty in was that 'F' section, but this was made more onerous by me orienting myself, choosing a direction, falling asleep at the keyboard, and waking to find my nose in a wall, but not knowing which wall.
The new graphics make it more difficult to read the names on buildings, but I think Dragnet was stuck at Cornover's Clothes when I recognised that covered slope or staircase going upwards (with hexagonal (six-sided) window holes), that Dragnet had descended earlier, but which are difficult to realise on a 2D map drawing.
I finally got out, but my body with the extra food supplies and an axe was gone.
Current intelligence indicates that the halfling rogue chosen to drag a body from the depths will have to die at least once. He can drag the corpse as close to the impassable ledge as he can, but then needs to go aggro something (make sure he is bound just outside the zone), and when he re-spawns, head back in, go to the top of the ledge, summon the client's corpse, and drag it back to the water area, where the client needs to make their own arrangements.
Personal Account #1 - courtesy of Khaylena (Karana server)
Following my hapless slippage into "The Hole" in Paineel last night, I came across your site while researching the area to find out how best to proceed with a rescue mission. As a level 14 half-elf rogue (15 before I fell down the hole), I was successfully able to coordinate the safe return of my corpse, and as a fellow helper on the Karana server I am pleased to share the following additional recon data:
- Levitate does not work in The Hole. It is not possible to jump into the chasm with the levitate spell and hover safely above the ground.
- Although a key to The Hole is available at Paineel vendors, it is not required; by approaching the rocks from a certain angle you can wiggle your way in without key or lockpick. However, to wiggle out again you must be a small character. My escape from The Hole was facilitated by being turned into wolf form by a caster.
- The point where fallen bodies land in The Hole is protected by Master Yael, the leader of the 50+ elementals which inhabit The Hole, and this gentleman has death touch. This is the deepest part of the dungeon.
- eqatlas.com provides a map and further information about The Hole, however some of the marks on the map are inaccurate, and some shown routes are in fact impassable.
Our method of recovery was as follows:
- We contacted an operative who has a level 1 halfling rogue Brell worshipper (as mentioned on the web site) who actually lives in The Hole.
This rogue navigated the tunnels with hide and sneak to drag the corpse back to the entrance water section.
- The rescuee swims into The Hole with a caster and loots their corpse.
- The caster may then either make the rescuee small enough to crawl back through The Hole with a spell like Share Wolf Form, followed by Enduring Breath to allow an extended period of time underwater; or they may teleport the rescuee to an alternative location.
This method requires only 1 high level caster, a friend to create the appropriate rogue, and no money. If you have both characters in your arsenal, with the rogue permanently stationed inside The Hole, and someone requests help, you will be able to conduct the entire rescue operation alone.
Khaylena
Karana server
