Lazy man needs a tan...
 

and that's the plan, play eqemu as long as I can...

So after some absence ive decided I once again wish to ruin my life (even more) and want to play this insidious fucking game.

So I am slightly confused, I cannot find my old eq discs anywhere and I am wondering if I got this correct...

I can eqemu if I just go out and buy JUST the Secrets of Faydwer expansion? Or Rain of Fear, etc...? Or do I need the original EQ AND one of those expansions?

You do not need discs. You can buy secrets of faydwer on disc. It will contain the complete content. I believe all other working clients were downloads from stream, or the everquest website. I believe that most of the downloadable ones have since been patched and may not work. Since they were free, someone may have them. Good luck.