ERUD'S CROSSING
| Location: | Island at the halfway point on the ferry from Qeynos to Erudin |
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| Adjacent Zones: | Qeynos, Erudin | |
| Level of Monsters: | 5-15 | |
| Types of Monsters: | Kerra Isle Beetles, Kerra Isle Spiders, Kerra Snakes, Will o' Wisps, Island Madmen, Zombie Sailors, Skeleton Sailors, various named Kerrans, Vampire Bats, Fire Elementals, Erudite Madman, Seahorse, Mermaid, Giant Pirhanas, Thought Bleeder, Killer Sharks, Sharks, Hammerhead Sharks, Plague Sharks | |
| Notable NPC's: | Oogla, Plague Shark, necro bat | |
| Unique Items: | Wizard Rod | |
| Indoor/Outdoor: | Outdoor |
Allakhazam Links: Bestiary
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Text last updated: 06/03/01
Map last updated: 07/23/00
Description
Erud's Crossing is the name of the zone which the ferry from Qeynos to Erudin passes through, and it marks the path that Erud himself travelled on his way to the island of Odus centuries ago. Erud's Crossing's only feature is an island that marks the halfway point of the trip, and it is a most unique island, with its own ecosystem of unique creatures.Dangers
This island is a very dangerous zone for several reasons. First of all, there is practically no escape from enemies if you run into trouble and are overwhelmed. There is no zone edge that anyone can easily swim to, and no guards to protect you. It is even impossible to flee into the water when chased, because most monsters will chase you there as well.Secondly, the ecosystem of the island is quite variable and the monsters have an intricate relationship. The following information is mostly secondhand, but reliable as far as what happens on the island. First of all the island is very small, so it is not uncommon to have monsters of the same type as the one you're fighting wander by and join in. All monsters will join with others of their type. Secondly, many of the monsters are intertwined in their relationships, the most complex being the beetles and spiders. The Kerra Isle Beetles are well-liked by the Kerrans who hang out by the dock. As such, killing the beetles can make getting on and off the island difficult, as these Kerrans will begin to hate you and are also among the most powerful monsters here. Also, killing the beetles can result in the spawning of Island Madmen by the docks, some of whom are extremely dangerous spellcasters and all of whom are powerful and aggressive. They can also cause Fire Elementals to spawn in the volcano, which are aggressive and high level. These have also been known to swarm the island. The spiders represent a different problem, and that is that they all seem to know what is going on elsewhere on the island. Attacking one is a quick way to draw others to you, and there are rumors that the entire island's population of spiders has occasionally swarmed an attacker.
The other danger is, as mentioned above, the unpredictability of the spawn rates. For instance, the zombie sailors generally spawn at a regular rate and can provide good hunting. There are rumors that, however, there are occasions when the zombie sailors spawn en masse and swarm the island. Skeleton sailors occasionally spawn in their place, and are much tougher. The other problem with the island in general is that you must be very aware of how small it is and how easily it is for others to join in on the fight. This was mentioned before, but needs to be emphasized. You should not come here to hunt evens and upper hands solo, you will assuredly die at some point because another will join in. This happens with all the monsters, not just those specifically mentioned above.
Benefits
Despite the above dangers, this island can be a great deal of fun to hunt in. The danger makes it very exciting, and there is a great deal of strategy to hunting without being swarmed. The island is also generally not very heavily hunted, and has a good variety of creatures, although people generally come to hunt the wisps that frequently spawn and the zombie sailors because of their rawhide armor and for quests out of Qeynos.There is also a strong sense of comraderie among the people on the island. Basically, one person killing the wrong monster or starting the wrong train can result in the death or near-death of virtually every person on the island, so there is a willingness to help out here that you rarely see elsewhere. The smallness of the island makes you feel like you are in your own little world, with only the occasional boat to take you to safety.