EverQuest was my first MMO and I haven’t found another one that could hold my interest since. I honestly tried to like Final Fantasy XI, Lineage II, City of Heroes, World of Warcraft and Guild Wars—one or two of them even held my attention for a month or two—but nothing has had the staying power or stolen my spare time (and even some time I couldn’t really spare) like EverQuest has.

I remember the first time I stepped foot in the world of Norrath as a newly minted half elf bard. There I was, half naked and confused, not sure where to go or what to do. I stood there nervously eyeing the city of Qeynos, which I supposedly called home. Not much later I found myself fleeing toward the guards at the sight of Fippy Darkpaw or the Klicnik Queen, and making a /rude gesture at a higher level player who had cast Spirit of Wolf on me . . . before I realized that he wasn’t trying to hurt me.