Feldon 
As awesome as it is that Raiders, Group, and yes Solo players get to experience the entire Drinal Signature Quest line which takes players through the entire Chains of Eternity storyline, the requirement to do this 8-12 hour quest on every Alt character just to gain access to the group zones, as well as loot [eq2u]Obol[/eq2u] and [eq2u]Greater Spirit[/eq2u]s was a bridge too far.
From EQ2 Lead Designer Akil “Lyndro” Hooper on the EQ2 Forums:
We’re going to remove the entrance requirements from all of the dungeons and raids in the expansion except for Harrow’s End. For Harrow’s End you’ll be able to get a Heirloom key from Drinal’s Steward that you can give to other characters on your account to gain access to the zone.
UPDATE from Lyndro about [eq2u]Obol[/eq2u] currency and [eq2u]Greater Spirit[/eq2u]s:
We’ve been chatting about this some, and it makes sense to allow your alts to collect the Obol and Spirit drops if you have a character that has completed the signature line. The “Key” for Harrows End will allow for you to start gathering Obols and Spirits (Which are Heirloom). You’ll still need to complete the signature line to see the merchant version of the Steward, but since the Obols and Spirits are Heirloom and the equipment that you buy from the Steward is all heirloom, you should be able to get the benefit on all your characters.
why not put a heirloom key that unlocks ALL instances instead of one so you have to run the content once?
Does this include Wizard Spire and Druid Ring access?
In any event, you’re too late; I’ve already done it on 4 toons! I suspected they were going to make this change at some point, but at least I was able to get lots of trash loot along the way, including plenty of quest gear to transmute since it was worse than Skyshrine vendor gear.
Good change. Should stimulate dungeon grouping again.
@Whilhelmina – From the quote, that’s whatit sounds like they are doing. Anyone can get into any of the instances without doing any questing, except for Harrow’s End. That you’ll still need someone who completed it or has this heirloom key.
In order to get obol currency drops would the character need the heirloom key?
when is this supposed to happen anyway?
What of Obol Currency? I’ve finished the complete Signature quest on one toon, however as of late i’ve been required to raid on one of my alt toons and i’m not getting the obol’s that drop in raid (Which makes me slightly irate to say the least, because others are getting them and i’m not)
Will this new “Heirloom Key” allow me to loot Obol’s on other toons?
Wow let’s make this game even easyer !
Does this mean that characters (alts) who have not done the access questline will be able to see & loot the Obols & Greater Spirits for the end NPc vendor? I know as it was (is?) If you hadn’t done the questline you couldn’t even see the Obols until someone looted one.
Oh, and SoE? Might want to up the drop ratess on those? Doing 7 zones & seeing 1 Obol & no Greater Spirits? I might have just been VERY unlucky (well, my whole group was,) but really?
Hmm, that doesn’t even help so much. And it isn’t 8-12 hour questline was way worse than that! If you can’t even loot the obols without doing the quests, whatd the point?
And why does it say “as well as loot Obol and Greater Spirits was a bridge too far.”
when the thing they said did not at all address the obol or spirit things? Am i overlooking something, or just poorly written?
i have almost 20 toons at 92+ on 2 accounts I have no problem leveling and gearing them, but doing all the quests just so I can get tokens really really sucks, because I don’t mind bringing different toons to fit group but when I only get the tokens on the 2 i have the quest done on that really makes it hard. I know lots of people saying they wont bring alt because they havent done the quests!
TERRIBLE TERRIBLE IDEA BY SOE, it is scary they can be this out of touch with what the people wanted.
I like the way it is.
Well it gave me something to do, I completed it on 2 of my 95’s. It kind of gave me a reason to do it.
From Lyndro on forums:
Lyndro, Today at 2:01 PM
http://forums.station.sony.com/eq2/index.php?threads/the-drinal-signature-line-positive-feedback.1280/page-5#post-10268
@ Dedith : I might have phrased that the wrong way. What I meant is that I would prefer for them to let everything locked out and give you, when you’re finished on a char, an heirloom key unlocking everything for all your alts. That way you have more reasons to do the timeline once.
The announced fix is bringing the “gating instances” concept from one extreme to the other. I find it weird and would prefer a middle position.
im glad to see this. my pallie is having no issues with the new zones, but i felt worried if I was bringing someone like my assassin who isnt as good on the mobs.
Has this been implemented?
Probably Tuesday.
I’m all in favor of Signature quests that tell a great story and have meaningful quests. This Sig quest has a lot of kill-10-rats stuff.
OK… I finished the quest line, have had a few Obols drop, but I cannot see the merchant in the Obol planes. It’s right where he originally was by the tourbillion (sp), right?
Could he be under the world?
No, he’s in the house where you saw Firiona Vie.