Starter area's & Guldorand start reward.

[HeyLadyOfDecay]

Disclaimer, This is my opinion and observation;

First of all: Skaljard.

It's my to go to Starting area for surface, And seeing how there is always some activity, People seem to agree.
The compact state of the isle, The writ's, The "It's a small world" and lack of politics and so on that the surface brings
makes it more than a good starting area, It often is also an escape from Arelith.

Cordor.
It's a starting area.
It's often hard to make a party, And to often it's just solo players.

Bendir/Brog?
I know there are some starter writs there, But never tried them.

Sencliff.
Much like Skal, just less populated and the presence of epics, You start on a small Isle, You can take fewer writs at once there and often have to combine it with Cordor writs, etc. But you do get to enjoy the close community and the aid it brings.

Andunor,
A completely different beast altogether, Though it does have some amazing pros.
You're playing a selective "group" of characters that can go through only on writ-route, Which gives you almost always access to help and party. In this way, Andunor is likely the best starting area for new players, Even with Andunors many flaws.

Guldorand start.
I get that some people would take it..
I wouldn't made it "guldorand" as the level you gain and the lack of equipment vs coin you're basically fed to the lions.
I'd made it Bendir starter. That said, You can easily, And expect many do, Get away from Guldo, And reach out into the surface whole, Even take on ink and be a pirate.

It strikes me as odd that you can't for Andunor. (Though I perhaps prefer it this way).

Now what I think and often experience is that the starters, New characters are so massively spread out over the surface that the numbers are harmful thin, Aside Skaljard which is in my opinion the now to go to start place of Arelith. (Aside Andunor)

I'm due this also extremely curious about the numbers.

[Spriggan Bride]

Since it’s slightly on topic.. there really aren’t enough writs in Bendir/Brog to start there and be based there. You get to level 5 or so then have to go to Cordor anyway. It used to be possible to stay when writs repeatable but not really now. A few more low level writs to fill in the gaps there would be really helpful, clearing the rats from the mill for example or breaking the xvarts into two for each of the leaders.

[Amateur Hour]

Since it’s slightly on topic.. there really aren’t enough writs in Bendir/Brog to start there and be based there.

You can absolutely start in Bendir/Brog...if you are earthkin. The earthkin portals linking Brogendenstein with Bendir and the early Brogendenstein writs that are only (pragmatically) accessible to earthkin make it actually a pretty solid start.

[Spriggan Bride]

Yeah I know that. I’ve played dozens of earthkin starting there now. You can’t start there as non earthkin so that’s not on the table. I think it gets a bit sparse under level 7-8 or so there after xp changes and repeatable writs were removed. A few more low level writs would help.