The Hole
A ruined underground city beneath Paineel on Odus, sealed away after a cataclysm.
Overview
Drawn from The Maps of Myrist — zone description.EQ1Primary · official
The Erudites had a problem. Some of their people were beginning to practice the dark, corrupt art of necromancy. The Erudites branded these misguided mages as Heretics and drove them forth from the city of Erudin.
In the ensuing battle resulting from this banishment, magic clashed at a titanic level. At the climax of the battle, the earth itself was ripped asunder blasting a series of craters deep into the wounded firmament. The greatest of these was called The Hole.
Both sides were dismayed and frightened by the devastation they had unleashed. Separated by the crater and weary beyond belief, both sides retired from the field. The Erudites returned to their home and the Heretics retreated to the caverns uncovered during the creation of The Hole. Decimated by the battle, the Heretics practiced the ways of secrecy and slowly faded from the memory of the Erudites.
They may have been forgotten, but the Heretics were not inactive. Deep in The Hole they built the hidden city of Paineel.
For many years they practiced their dark art, perfecting their mastery and exploring the underground passages of The Hole. It was during these explorations that they came across the Vault of Living Stone. This artifact is said to have been created by Brell Serilis to seal the passageway he had opened from the Plane of Underfoot to Norrath. It was through this passageway that he had brought his creations. Once he had finished his seeding, he put the Vault of Living Stone in place. The vault was a magical construct designed to perpetually repair itself and keep Norrath safe from Lord Yael's forces and the more vicious denizens of the Plane of Underfoot.
Overview
No EQ2 source leads this topic — its EQ2 accounts are listed below.
Overview
No RPG source leads this topic — its RPG accounts are listed below.
Map
From the EverQuest Atlas: The Maps of Myrist (SOE, 2002).
Official Lore
17Collected official lore pieces, from in-game and out.
From the Library of Norrath: The Hole Uncovered
This storyline comes from Norrath’s past when the Hole was uncovered by Ognit Eznertob and his friends. The Hole Uncovered Part 1: History Repeats Ognit Eznertob, Dabner Drednever and Dagda Icefury have spent the last several days spelunking in the Hole and the ruins of the old city of Paineel. The ruins are an eerie, dusty and dark place.
Read the full sourceOgnit Eznertob, Dabner
Ognit Eznertob, Dabner Drednever and Dagda Icefury had spent the last several days spelunking in the Hole and the ruins of the old city of Paineel. The ruins were an eerie, dusty and dark place. Strange and terrifying sounds echoed throughout the once splendorous city, like wails of torment from souls suffering in eternal agony.
Read the full sourceknohole2
Finally, the inevitable happened. Ognit channeled just a small amount of energy into the Hatch. It wasn't much, not even enough to kill a moss snake. However this time, the Living Wall began to shudder spasmodically and took on a pale, sickly color. The earthquake that resulted was truly terrifying.
Read the full sourceknohole3
The trio said not a word to each other, and continued at a dead sprint toward the surface as the sound of an army of creatures rumbled directly behind them.
Read the full sourceHOL2Chap21Complete
The appearance of elementals has our people in a panic. The seal I placed on the wall must have been weakened. This new threat has me worried that my plans to return my people to Erudin will not be completed in time. With my people focusing on fortifying our city, I would never get the support I needed to take back our home.
Read the full sourceknohole7
Al'Kabor took a deep breath and the energy that was gathered from the sheer rage of the mighty wizard dissipated. "Fool! Continue." Dagda turned a worried gaze upon the wizard, her hand slowly moving to her sword, just in case. Dabner fidgeted nervously, shuffling his feet and wringing his gnomish hands. "Wow Al, you're really mad about this aren't you."
Read the full sourceShow 11 more →
PAINHoleBk
Two hundred years after Erud left the continent of Antonica to establish Erudin on the continent of Odus, our own ancestors, who have been known to some as Cazicites, grew in power and knowledge of ancient dark arts. The Erudites, once our brothers, criticized us, persecuted us, and eventually drove us out of the city we had helped to found.
Read the full sourcePAINOldPainBk
The great city of Paineel was created to serve as a refuge and home base for us, the Cazicites. We, the practi- tioners of the dark arts, who were so wrongfully and uncere- moniously ejected from our homeland of Erudin, founded the city in the great hole blasted from the ground during the civil war.
Read the full sourceknohole9
Dagda wiped her eyes and brought herself up to her full height. She asked Al'Kabor, "Who is this Dartain?" Al'Kabor answered, "Dartain is one of the heretics. A heretic of old. He was among those that put The Hatch in place to repair the Wall of Living Stone.
Read the full sourceHOL2Chap19Complete
Finally after months of research I have come to the conclusion that the wall placed deep in our home was brought to life by the touch of Brell. My studies have led to proof that this is indeed the door to the Underfoot and as such I have began to figure out ways to extract and harness this power.
Read the full sourceHOL2Chap20Complete
This power has taken over. I did not expect it to be so hard to control. Now every piece of stone I see talks to me. While the others see lifeless slabs of stone, I see living entities begging to be released.
Read the full sourceRoad to Underfoot: Breaking the Seal
Greetings! For our third and last Road to Underfoot event, protect Norrath and quell the threat of invading Cliknar soldiers with Breaking the Seal! Many remember the tale of Ognit Eznertob and his friends when they discovered the Wall of Living Stone in the ruins of Old Paineel.
Read the full sourceOn the Town of: Paineel
Overview of Paineel Paineel is the city of the Cazicites, the powerful necromancers who once lived among the High Men of Erudin but were outcast due to their unfailing interest in the dark arts. Referred to as "Heretics" by the Erudites the Cazicites relocated to one of the most powerful and naturally magical areas in all of Norrath.
Read the full sourceThe Fusibility Study, Vol. 2
The Fusibility Study By Al'Kabor Part 2: The Fusible Ores Fusible Coral Ore: Back while unraveling the secrets behind the demise of the Kedge, I confronted Phinigel Autropos, the last survivor of his kind. While speaking with him and enduring his ill-tempered threats and warnings toward me, I noticed coral-like ore on the reef of his domain.
Read the full sourcePAINUndrftBk
Underfoot is the name of the plane ruled by the god Brell Serilis, sometimes known as the Duke of Below. His plane is believed to be a veritable warren of caves and caverns, tunnels and underground lakes. Brell is thought by the dwarves to have been their creator, and is worshipped by those diminutive beasts.
Read the full sourceOn the Town of: Shar Vahl
Overview of Shar Vahl The Vah Shir were the nobles of kerran society prior to the war between the Heretics and the Erudites. During this war, they were caught in a blast of experimental magic that resulted in the creation of what is now known as The Hole. Due to their spiritual nature, the kerran nobility enjoyed some protection against the strong and violent…
Read the full sourceRoad to Underfoot: Breaking the Seal and Event Progress!
Road to Underfoot Event 3 - Breaking the Seal Help protect Norrath and quell the threat of invading Cliknar soldiers with Breaking the Seal! This final event of the Road to Underfoot will continue until December 1, 2009. Many remember the tale of Ognit Eznertob and his friends when they discovered the Wall of Living Stone in the ruins of Old Paineel.
Read the full sourceFurther sources
16Lore that mentions this in passing.
Community articles
12Fan-written encyclopedia entries — useful overviews, lower authority than the primary sources above.
Show 12 community articles →
Field notes
Adventuring notes from the atlas — what to watch for and what the zone offers. Flavor, not lore.
