Just like you didn't pop up from nowhere, you came from your parents, so did Everquest 2. EQ2 came from Everquest 1 or as most people call it "Everquest Live". As most of you know EQ2 takes place 500 years after EQ1, which poses challenges because EQ1 is still ongoing with their story lines. The possibilities for conflict are endless. This issue has been brought up time and time again and warranted an official response over a year ago:

Vhalen said:

......I will tell you that I have assisted in the lore design of most, if not all, EverQuest projects. The information I give them is expanded upon by other project teams. So, being aware of much of the foundation of various EQ projects helps mold the Age of Destiny. Don't be surprised to see some similarities or contradictions. As for the timeline, we are aware of the moves that are taking place in the other timeline. Whether or not these have any influence to our timeline, I cannot say. As time goes on, we will see.

I played EQ1 since launch and quit when EQ2 came out. I don't claim to know the storylines for what is going on currently but I did run across this a few weeks ago about EQ1's upcoming expansion:

EVERQUEST® SECRETS OF FAYDWER™

Defend Faydwer against acts of vengeance from enemies old and new! The clockwork armies of the evil gnomish necromancer Meldrath the Malignant gather in the Steamfront Mountains, awaiting his order to invade the kingdom of Ak'Anon. The launch of his great air fortress Mechanotus has exposed new paths into the nearby Loping Plains, home to the soul-eating wereorcs of Bloodmoon Keep. Meanwhile, an ancient menace stirs deep in the Dragonscale Hills, where the prismatic dragon Kerafyrm the Awakened plots the destruction of all Norrath.

If you look at Faydwer on the original map for Everquest 1 (Pictured Above) you can see The Loping Plains. It was one of many zones in Everquest 1 that were printed in maps / mentioned in lore that never made it into the game.

Who gives a crap? It seems that the Everquest 1 team is tying up loose ends for EQ2. To me that means EQ1 will now have their storylines coincide with EQ2's. The Echoes of Faydwer Expansions brings EQ2 players back to Faydwer where the Clockworks have taken over Ak'Anon, Meldrath is a ghost and in league with these Clockworks, The Loping Plains is now accesible (As opposed to EQ1 where they never were) and if you explore enough in Steamfont you will get discovery experience at a giant crater named "Kerafyrms Claw". When I first stumbled upon it it took me by complete and udder surprise. Story goes every server woke Kerafyrm "The Sleeper", he left his prison, went through most zones in Velious plowing through anyone who stood in his way, only to fly away to never be seen or heard from again.

Regardless of their reasons, it's very interesting to see both games starting to really intertwine their storylines which makes for a truly unique experience that spans across two completely different worlds.

For those who never played EQ1 and would like a beautiful but brief glimpse as to what you've missed over the past 8 years or for those who did play and want to put on their rosey colored glasses to take a look back at the history of the game that introduced many to this genre, I give you a SOE produced and released EQ1 Compilation Movie of every expansion to date.