Phasing

Phasing or Phased is a game term used to describe when an NPC has either moved from their previous location to appear in another location, so that you may progress a quest/quest arc.

This functionality has been around since the early days of the game, and became widely used during the Riders of Rohan expansion.

Notes

There have been several instances where players have been prevented from progressing quests because of phasing issues.

In some cases, you will notice that phasing is in place by looking at your mini-map, where you'll notice a quest ring in a location and will not have an NPC at that location. You'll need to backtrack through your quest log, comparing it with information found elsewhere on the wiki to see where there may be a gap. You may also want to ask in game.

If you're unable to find the missing quest or you find yourself in quest arc limbo then you'll need to file a help request AND file a bug report within the in-game support system. The help request will help you get it resolved for your character, and the bug report will help to ensure it doesn't happen to other players.