The storyline ties together some elements that I felt were unexplained in the game at launch. Why were the Vanir making war on the Cimmerians, but not on the Stygians in those areas? Why would they care about Thoth-Amon's agenda? To a certain extent the player takes the role of restoring balance to the region. There are many facets to this; imprisoning the Ghost Kings of Karutonia, killing the loggers who are cutting down the forests, destroying a Frost Giant Shaman who cast an eternal spell of cold and, of course,
Freeing the Frostfather. Every quest ties into the storyline and a player who does them all will have a greater understanding of the region and its people. Oh yeah, and players who have been wondering who the Raven is are in for a nice surprise!

5. There is also a new dungeon included with Ymir's Pass - how does this Dungeon differ from all the other dungeons available in Age of Conan Gold?

The Amphitheatre is a far more focused experience than some of the other dungeons. The player is there for a purpose and that purpose is a very visible part of the playfield. The gameplay in the dungeon is very exciting - I don't want to give away too much but there are objectives that the player must take care of if they wish to complete the dungeon successfully. The boss fights take advantage of the environment and there is no tank and spank in this place - you'll need to use your wits if you want to survive.

6. What is your favorite little detail about Ymir's Pass, Joel?

In one of the quests, players will be asked to use a magical potion to re-grow trees. It is possible, with enough friends, to create a forest. I'm looking forward to seeing the ways that players use the mechanics that we give them. And of course there is the Raven. I know a lot of people felt frustrated by that quest, but I intentionally left it open when the game launched. MMORPG's are games that continue for a while, and I think having a story that can be continued throughout future content updates is important. In Ymir's Pass, we're letting people have another piece of the puzzle.