SOE Live 2014: EverQuest’s next expansion, The Darkened Sea, announced

EverQuest is getting its 21^st expansion, The Darkened Sea, later this year. Sony Online Entertainment announced the newest expansion for the long-standing MMORPG during SOE Live. It'll reintroduce classic characters Firiona and Lanys T'Vyl in a "classic story of good versus evil."

Celebrating the longevity of EverQuest, the new expansion will actually pay tribute and take place in an area you might recognize from a previous expansion, The Buried Sea. Admittedly, I'm not too familiar in EverQuest lore, but apparently Firiona is there trying to heal the emperor of the city, and while there Lanys — the daughter of the God of Hate — arrives and kidnaps the emperor, running off with him. It's up to you to then rescue him and find out what Lanys is up to. Eight zones will be available at launch with "lots of quests, missions, raids, spells, and items." It will also bring a level increase from 100 to 105, as well as a inventory space saving feature, a mount key ring.

The Darkened Sea is still in the "polish phase," but SOE did show off a few of the zones players will see in their adventure. This included: Tempest Temple, an island paradise ravaged by chaotic magic; Caverns of Endless Song, which is mainly armed by sirens and sailors that they capture; another zone inspired by The Land of the Lost that's filled with lizard men and dinosaurs (because SOE loves dinosaurs); and a zone of islands connected by magical conduits populated by the Combine, a group of people who really on magic to bend the world around them. 

The Darkened Sea will launch for All-Access members on October 28. It'll become available for the free-to-players on November 11.