Did you ever put in the final params for the spawn function? Is it Spawn(Zone, spawn_id, [private_spawn], x, y, z, [heading])?
I'd look in the source but I'm not sure where to find the source that hasn't been completely tested or whatever

Yes, that is correct. Note that if it is alone in a particular area it might not show up correctly because it needs a spawn close by to get the correct location_id.

Ok, does it automatically try to find a spawn nearby or must we specify one somehow?

It automatically finds the closest one. The reason it has to do so is because of the way that the client handles graphics. They section a zone into many different regions and the client uses these regions via the location_id. If it is off, then NPCs will disappear depending on which angle you look at them. Similarly, if an NPC disappears after fighting it, then the y coord for that NPC is off.

Makes sense! Thanks for the clarification.

Speaking of location_id, and slightly off-topic, how can we determine a location_id of an NPC if we do not have data from the given zone? Take for instance the old boat rides you initially got when creating a new toon and heading TO the islands. Those do not exist anymore (I believe), so we'll never get collects for that data... but I'd like to spawn one anyway.
I spawned a Captain Varlos in zone 26 for some private testing, and he's bobbing all over the place... perhaps because I have no location_id. Ya think?

Look for Left Grid %lu and Entered Grid %lu in your console window when your character moves around. It will display the correct location_id for the position that your character is currently located.

Oh, is that what grid ID mean? hehe. duh, I probably should have put that together. thanks!

Doing some noob quests on my Sarnak yesterday, I think I have discovered another LUA function needed. There was a quest where I had to lure "skittering monitors" towards a ravenous plant - like using taunt or something, then training them back into the plant, which then turned them into "filament encapsulated monitor". It was so cool.
So basically, the monitor was running at me, got within range of the other NPC, then not only died but despawned and immediately respawned "filament encapsulated monitor" in it's exact x,y,z. I think the function I may be looking for here is to cause one NPC to aggro the range of another, then kill the second, and repop it, then ding a quest step has been completed. Here is a sample of the log around those events:
Right-clicking the plant/NPC shows this:
"This large plant has many tiny roots going within the soil."
When the monitor comes near:
"a filament strangler moves slightly as filaments emerge from the ground, gripping its target."
The demise of the skittering monitor:
"You find \aITEM 1939396535 2117050548:filament encapsulated monitor."
Maybe this can be handled by using our factions? What do you think?

yeah, Timorous Deep is a great starting zone.

No kidding. Ask Scat, I have been bitching and moaning for weeks now about how shitty the older villages quest lines are. I am horrified that SOE tossed out so many of those awesome piddly little quests that I loved in 2004-2005, for that assinine generic "Mentor" quest.
I hadn't been a noob in a long time, so when I was about to collect, I thought I'd just do what I used to do, and run through every Village or Hood and get every quest I could. There were like 5. I was pissed, and sad. Why do they continually ruin things?

John I believe I have asked for this already in the thread for our requests. Actually I'm not positive so I'll double check after I post this assuming I did. Anyhow, is that quest you are talking about familiar to the one on the Queen's Colony where you must attack those ghosts and bring 3 back to the priest and she casts a spell when they get close to turn them back into "living" people?
Edit:
Ok so I kind of did. Number 4 in the priority list thread but that didn't entail another mob interacting with the mobs you were training back.

Yeah I suppose that would be similar, if the priest is supposed to take a spawn you are "training" behind you and depop/repop it as something else. Although, I think my "filament encapsulated monitor" is an "Item" not a spawn.

Ahh I just remembered what the other thing I saw was... Scat, do you have a request in for a LUA that will remove an item from your inventory upon completing a quest/step? I noticed those same monitors and other things (pride feathers, I believe) disappeared from my inventory after I handed in the quest.

Oh I didn't realize those were items. Nope I didn't think of that one. That should be able to be handled with some kind of generic DeleteItem function since it should only happen when a step gets completed right?