[Passenger]

A newsgroup post captured a quest entry for Zimel's Blades/Soulfire prior to July 1999:
- https://groups.google.com/g/alt.game...m/-bS0F2ddLxgJ

diana
May 31, 1999, 7:00:00 AM

I found this on the website:

http://everquest.gamestats.com/

This may be a quest for one of the Paladin Swords, but the details are still
emerging. It seems to be one of the most complex quests in the game. Once
you complete the message of warning quest, the knight asks you to
investigate Zimel's Blades by talking to a character in the office of the
people. After you talk to the lady in the Office of the People, she
mentions that Groflah (the dwarven smith, owner of Groflah's Forge) was good
friends with Zimel, who was also a blacksmith, and Zimel's Blades was a
weapons shop in East Freeport. She says it was condemned by the city. After
you give Kalatrina Plossen the message with Zimel's Blades written on it,
she tells you to find out what happened from Rhashinda(or whoever) and tell
her. When you tell Kalatrina Plossen [Zimel Blades is condemned] she will
reveal some information about what you are looking for and why. You can
talk to Groflah, and ask him of Zimel, but he refuses to say anything,
although you can tell he knows exactly who you're talking about. He says
something like I won't talk about it here. To get Groflah to talk you have
to be in a certain tavern in East Freeport around 5 or 6am. He will appear
and wag his tongue freely (presumably from the liquor). He'll tell you
about Tumpy Tonics (apparently all dwarves are lushes) and will talk about
Zimel, relating the story about what it was that Zimel found, why he
disappeared and who the culprit is. You can also talk to the beggar Tykar
Renlin, who shows up at the Seafarer's roost. If you ask him about Zimel he
will say he needs a drink to wet his lips so he can talk, but he doesnt
know which flavor of drink will do it. Here's the spoiler bits about this.
In this quest you are after the Sword Soulfire (because of the things said
through out the quest and that it is a paladin quest, it is believed to be a
holy sword). You meet Groflah at the Seafarer's Roost. It is possible that
the male bard npc may need to be in the tavern for him to appear (I'm unsure
of this as he didn't show up one morning when the female bard was there, but
did the next when the male bard was). The villain appears to be a
Shadowknight named Pietro Zarn, who is the Guild Leader of Dismal Rage if I
am not mistaken. Consensus at the moment seems that you must kill Zarn to
gain Soulfire (there are no other leads offered by Groflah on this). As yet
nobody has completed this quest and it is unknown what the final result is
or where the quest actually ends.

In July 1999, we see news posted on the same everquest.gamestats.com of what appears to be the first Soulfire completed:
- https://web.archive.org/web/20000107...pdate_0799.htm

July 8, 1999: It's amazing how quickly information circulates around the web. Someone has apparantly finished the Zimels Blades quest and acquired Soulfire. I have posted the stats in 2 Hand Slashing. Also, if you want to see a screen shot of it go to http://www.terrafusion.com/soulfire/ . It is pretty impressive. Almost makes you want to play a Paladin. Several Brewers have sent in the correct bog juice recipe. One even included a screen shot, so I believe that it is accurate.

Additional evidence:

- https://groups.google.com/g/alt.game...m/CVtAx83YeQAJ

Apollo
Jul 5, 1999, 7:00:00 AM

I have a few reasonable (I think) questions for Brad (since he's the one
that's been identified as reading this newsgroup) or anyone else at Verant
that may read this and have the answers. I play an 11th level Paladin on
Mithaniel Marr server, and though I'm not yet up to par for searching for
Holy Swords, I still keep abreast of all the current gossip regarding them.
So far, there are three actual Holy Swords that have been identified (we
think) but only one found. Here are the questions, by holy sword, and I
really think these are reasonable to ask:

1. Ghoulbane: This has been found, but on a high-level NPC which belongs
to a race that is not initially hostile... I find it hard (if playing in
character) to go slay this Froglok just because he has a sword I want. I've
heard that someone asked a GM if this was a quest item, or if we were
supposed to slay the Froglok, and he replied "Goulbane is neither of those
situations." So, I'm wondering IS this part of an unfinished/broken quest?

2. Soulfire: Again, is this quest finished/completeable in the current
game design? We all seem to be stuck looking for the elusive Bog Juice,
which nobody seems to have found.

3. Fiery Avenger: We've been told this IS a quest item. Is the quest
finished? No one seems to have found even step one.

Basically, I'm just wondering if the quests, etc. for these swords are in
working order. If not, I think a paladin's time would be better spent
banging his head against a wall. Thanks for your time.

Dwanalin
Paladin of Marr
Mithaniel Marr Server

- https://groups.google.com/g/alt.game...m/e65txKyAZGYJ

Adar
Jul 9, 1999, 7:00:00 AM

Heh, if you think this is bad, you should LOVE the Bog Juice recipe. No
wonder no one in the game could figure it out. Snake scales, water, and a
bottle, eh? Umm, guys, didn't you forget something when creating this drink-
like the alcohol? :-)

- https://groups.google.com/g/alt.game...m/Icqg0ngoCk0J

Chris Conway
Jul 15, 1999, 7:00:00 AM
...
Why is it that after the Soulfire quest is finally operational (albeit
only after someone from Verant leaked the bog juice recipe) that the
sword is just about impossible to get without an army capable of
killing a dragon (and they'd much rather be killing a dragon than
stupid Sir Lucan, I bet).
...

I suppose one question remains. Was the recipe for bog juice undiscovered or unimplemented?

This post suggests it was undiscovered:
- https://dbsanfte.github.io/eq-archiv...tml/13823.html

Date: Thu Jan 27 01:09:42 GMT 2000
Author: Reece, Tom - 25IDL G4
Subject: Bard Instruments

My take on this is that these two instuments will only be discovered if
Verant leaks the information. This would be similar to the bog juice leak
that occured several months ago. For those you unaware, bog juice is
required by paladins for the Soulfire quest. Verant stated for a very long
time that bog juice was in the game. The problem was that there weren't any
clues, i.e. recipe books or NPC keywords, that gave brewers any help. The
only way anyone found out how to brew bog juice was when a Verant employee
posted the recipe on alt.games.everquest. The required components for bog
juice are so non-logical that there was no way anyone could have figured it
out using systematic procedures. I can't remember all the ingredients but
the key one was snake skins, which no brewer ever considered using as a
brewing component. Within the next day or so after the post on the
newsgroup, paladins were able to complete the Soulfire quest.

In this particular case Verant was telling the truth, but the odds of a
player figuring out how to brew bog juice on their own were infintesimal.

Galtin of E'ci

The developer post in question:
- https://groups.google.com/g/alt.game...m/Bh0WdETKuasJ

Matt Yaney
Jul 7, 1999, 7:00:00 AM

Due to the increasing demand of brewers for information more of the brewing
recipes will be easier to obtain in the coming weeks.

For the inexperienced brewer wanting to enter the trade I have some advice.

When the moon rises and your fresh gator steak is sizzling on the spit why
drink water when you can have Bog Juice?

Bog Juice - Snake Scales, Flask of Water, and the ever present Bottle.

Incredibly simple, Bog Juice has a taste that you can savor for hours. Never
be stingy, so be sure to chew a few of these tangy drinks with your friends.
You wouldnÂ’t believe how much better Bog Juice tastes when consumed with
Gator steaks and a side of Pickled froglock. When you get a chance raise a
cup in the name of Garsen. He just might smile on you for it.

Hope you have fun!

Matt Yaney
Game Designer
Verant Interactive

Given that news of the completed Soulfire came the day after this recipe was posted, it seems clear the quest was otherwise functional and suggests that the recipe was simply undiscovered. I couldn't find a patch note to fit so narrow a timeframe that might indicate the recipe was added. So while there don't appear to have been Soulfires in-game until July 1999, it seems there could have been. As for how to flag the recipe, it depends on which circumstance is more desirable to emulate.