GU66

Colbalt Scar and 
Sirens Grotto
Game Update #66 - Now Live - April 30th, 2013
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full|right|200 px
==Final Update==
Scars of the Awakened was in-testing from April 2, 2013 through April 29, 2013. It went to Live servers on April 30, 2013. EQII Producer's Letter March 1013.
This update includes the legacy zones of Cobalt Scar and Sirens Grotto, as well as "all-new collections, tradeskill quest lines, tradeskill apprentice items, and updated PvP rewards." EQII Producer's Letter March 1013
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:Ever vigilant, Norrathians march united under the banner of the New Combine army, deeper into the perilous continent of Velious.
:Finally, the army breaches the borders of a region known as Cobalt Scar - a majestic, lush, but tormented region. And from within dark passages in the surrounding mountains, the inhabitants of Sirens Grotto beckon to all.
:The first news heard from Cobalt Scar concerns tribes of Othmir that succumbed to an unfortunate fate that now threatens everyone. Further examination into the area will reveal a foreboding presence of the Awakened Legion, a force of evil that decimated dragonkind in the legendary city of Skyshrine.
:Nearby, in the watery depths of Sirens Grotto - unseen by landwalkers for the ages – it is said that the caverns hold secrets of their own. And the beguiling siren coven known as the Darkwater Sisters will not give up those secrets easily.
:All the while, the Ages End Prophecy looms with its promise to see Kerafyrm - Norrath's most evil, powerful dragon - bring a violent end to the world. Heroes from every corner of Norrath are called to explore this new land in Velious and fight for a future for all.
:Scars of the Awakened will include the legacy zones of Cobalt Scar and Sirens Grotto, as well as "all-new collections, tradeskill quest lines, tradeskill apprentice items, and updated PvP rewards." EQII Producer's Letter March 1013
PATCH NOTES: Official Forums: Tuesday, April 30, 2013
===ZAM Coverage===
Adventuring
* Cobalt Scar (EQ2 Quest Series)
Tradeskills
* Cobalt Scar Crafting (EQ2 Quest Series)
Zones
* EQ2 Zone:Cobalt Scar
* EQ2 Zone:Siren's Grotto
===Announced Content===
====Overlands====
To get to Cobalt Scar and Siren’s Grotto, use the griffon at the Thurgadin Harbor docks in Great Divide to fly to Withered Lands and then take the Withered Lands griffon to Cobalt Scar. Upon arriving, Osh will give quests. Acting Supplymaster Grant will give the tradeskill quests. Siren’s Grotto advanced solo and heroic content can be reached in the north of Cobalt Scar. Open Beta Begins Announcement 4/2/2013
====X4 Difficulty====
The raid content in this update is closed beta. You will not be able to access this content as general population. PM Gninja on the official forums if you'd like in. Gninja on the Scars Beta forum
====X2 Difficulty====
There are two contested X2 encounters out in Cobalt Scar but no full X2 zones. Gninja on the Scars Beta forum
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==Update Release #3==
Beta servers are live for update 66: "Scars of the Awakened". Details below.
EverQuest II fans are in for a treat! Back in March, Sony Online Entertainment announced their upcoming Game Update, "Scars of the Awakened", would be coming to live servers on April 30th.
Beta servers for the new update however, are now in full effect for players who are eager to go and test out some of what it has to offer.
For those who may not have been following the EQII news closely, Scars of the Awakened will offer a plethora of new content that spans a new explorable zone called "Cobalt Scar". This update also takes you deeper into the zone known as "Velious".
The new zone known as Colbalt Scar can be reached via the Withered Lands Flightmaster located on one of the docks in Thurgadin Harbor which is in Thurgadin City inside the Great Divide.  You can access the Great Divide by a portal in the Guild Hall "Magic Carpet" area.  Once you arrive in the Withered Lands, hail the same Flightmaster where you land, and he'll offer you the option to travel to Colbalt Scar.  Once you've visited Colbalt Scar the first time, it will then show up as a travel option at the Flightmaster in Thurgadin Harbor (so you'll not have to go to Withered Lands again to get to Colbalt Scar, you can flight direct from Thurgadin to Colbalt Scar).
Once inside Colbalt Scar you'll arrive at a base camp which is safe for all levels however as soon as you fly up or travel just outside the camp, you'll encounter level 100+ Flying Snakes which have a LARGE agro radius (over 19 meters) so be prepared.  Unless you are all decked out in super good armor and have a mercenary at your side, you most likely will die.  A level 95 character along with a prestige merc worked well against the mobs when we visited on the Beta Server. 
Inside Colbalt Scar you'll find an instance/dungeon called "Sirens Grotto" that offers Advanced Solo, Heroic Group or Raid levels.  Many folks suggested that this area might be underwater, but travelling inside the instance we discovered that the main beginning area was not in water.  Since we didn't travel deep inside, we can't be sure if it doesn't go down into water, but at least when you zone into the instance you can be assured that you won't zone directly into water.  During our exploration of the Advanced Solo instance we were pleased with the layout and mob placement. We encountered level 102+ ^^^ Heroic mobs (single and double linked) and were able to kill them with normal effort (again, we used a prestige mercenary to help).  You'll also find in Colbalt Scar a fort called Scarsboro Fort.  This is where many of the base quests originate. So you'll want to fly around to discover the different areas of the zone to familiarize yourself with the locations of both the fort and the instance "Sirens Grotto".
Players will battle the "Awakened Legion" in hopes of ending its march of destruction, as they uncover the mysteries and secrets within these areas that could threaten the fate of the world.
Additional rewards in other aspects of the game, such as PvP and crafting, will also be prevalent with this update.
U.S. Players may be excited to find that if they sign up with Player Studio and complete a W9 form, they will be able to sell player decorated in-game houses on the Station Cash Marketplace for a 40% percentage of profit from the sales.   More details on how this works is forthcoming.  We can explain it now, however SOE most likely will be providing a much better explanation of how it works along with the restrictions that accompany sales.
For information on how to jump into the beta servers for Scars of the Awakened, be sure to check out this ZAM EQII Beta Server Guide.
The beta servers may be taken down periodically during points of this beta process and will take about as much HD space as the current client. The update is scheduled to hit live servers on April 30th however, so keep your browser locked here for more GU66 EverQuest II news.
Enjoy!
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==Update Release #2==
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  Producer's Letter - Text Version
:To all Norrathians,
:The Velious saga continues! New lands and adventures will be uncovered on April 30 with Game Update 66 entitled EverQuest II: Scars of the Awakened!
:Ever vigilant, Norrathians march united under the banner of the New Combine army, deeper into the perilous continent of Velious.
:Finally, the army breaches the borders of a region known as Cobalt Scar - a majestic, lush, but tormented region. And from within dark passages in the surrounding mountains, the inhabitants of Sirens Grotto beckon to all.
:The first news heard from Cobalt Scar concerns tribes of Othmir that succumbed to an unfortunate fate that now threatens everyone. Further examination into the area will reveal a foreboding presence of the Awakened Legion, a force of evil that decimated dragonkind in the legendary city of Skyshrine.
:Nearby, in the watery depths of Sirens Grotto - unseen by landwalkers for the ages – it is said that the caverns hold secrets of their own. And the beguiling siren coven known as the Darkwater Sisters will not give up those secrets easily.
:All the while, the Ages End Prophecy looms with its promise to see Kerafyrm - Norrath's most evil, powerful dragon - bring a violent end to the world. Heroes from every corner of Norrath are called to explore this new land in Velious and fight for a future for all.
:For those brave and stalwart, we welcome you to EverQuest II: Scars of the Awakened! Cobalt Scar will have many new carefully crafted quests that tell incredible stories. Sirens Grotto – the new dungeon -- will bring you solo, heroic, and raid challenges. You will also find all-new collections, tradeskill quest lines, tradeskill apprentice items, and updated PvP rewards. Not to be forgotten are improvements resulting from the class feedback players gave us on our community forums!
:Beta is expected to begin on April 2 and we encourage everyone to log in help us ensure our game is fun and tested well!
:Look for more details in the coming weeks as we release art, lore, and gameplay features through articles, webcasts and more! You won't want to miss a thing!
:Holly Longdale
:Producer, EverQuest II
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==Update Release #1==
===Upcoming Beta===
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Category:EQ2 Game Updates</div></div></div></div></div>