#both of them are heroes of elona

[commanderthalys]

CHARACTER INTRO: ROOTHOME

| sylvari tree/ safehaven/ home away from home

=Origins=

Similar to the Pale Tree, Roothome was once a small seed from Mordremoth. Purely by accidental circumstances it managed to make its way to the far desert highlands of Elona several hundred years ago, where it lay nestled in between barren cliffs for years, until slowly roots sprouted from the hardy pod in search of water. The mountainside where the sprout was held a massive open cave system, and the tree was able to sustain itself from the roots that made it to the cave’s lake.

As it grew larger and stronger, a single pod grew. Covered in spikes and a hard shell, the pod contained valuable fruit, the firstborn of the Roothome sylvari, who would awaken far from their home. In 1295 AE the pod exploded, sending the protected sapling far over the mountain until it landed in a river, which carried it out to sea. After drifting for a time, the pod landed on the shores of Mount Maelstrom. The firstborn, Marek, awoke and cracked open their pod, and began exploring the world for their Tree. Marek’s experiences shaped the tree’s version of a dream, they wandered for ten years before coming back to Roothome as the long lost hero of their people.

In that time many more sylvari were born from the tree much like Marek was, with one exception. Marek was alone in their pod, but through their experience the tree realized that the sylvari would need a community upon awakening in order to guarantee survival and avoid loneliness. The pods after Marek were much larger and contained several sylvari, but very rarely was one alone in a pod after the firstborn.

=Customs=

Due to Marek’s heavy influence on the roothome sylvari, they strongly value community and hospitality. All strangers are welcome regardless of who they are, and are made to feel at home unless they transgress on that kindness in some way. The Roothome sylvari have a deep love of team games and host a festival every year in the winter where pod groups compete in various trials that highlight Roothome’s teamwork. The Roothome sylvari engage in wrestling and fighting sports often, and despite their playful exterior, Roothome is incredibly well defended by the Thornguard, a group that acts as guards and guides. Although the cave is large enough for the entire population, many sylvari live in carved out hollows on the mountainside and tend to fields in the valley, keeping the path to the mountain well lit and safe. These sylvari wear warmer and heavier clothing and utilize thick furs, while those in the cave don’t require as many layers unless the weather is extreme.

Due to the nature of Roothome’s pods, the saplings awaken far from their tree, and with their podmates they go through the rite of passage that is making it back to their tree. Not all pod groups survive, but they are honored for their efforts nonetheless. Sylvari that are born with no podmates or lose their podmates are not shamed, but instead are supported by their fellows, and single podmates tend to group together naturally once they’ve returned.

=Traits of Roothome Sylvari=

All Roothome sylvari have hidden fangs concealed by their face leaves/bark that produce corrosive acid. They peel back their face leaves and bare these fangs to greet each other, but their leaves can also flare out when stressed/angry/excited. Unless displayed like that or used to spit acid, the fangs are completely concealed. They can also have pores across their bodies that produce acid, primarily in the fingers, but this varies between individuals. They use this acid to shape their homes in the thick mountain stone.

Roothome sylvari are also born with a set of dormant gills that can be activated if a pod is in the water long enough. This allows them to breathe both on land and underwater, but not all sylvari have working gills.

They can be any body shape and apart from those traits they resemble the pale tree’s sylvari

=timeline=

1295- Marek awakens

1297- secondborn awaken

1305- Marek returns to an established very small city, day of their return becomes an annual celebration

1310- major cave expansion and building of the game arena

1312- first annual festival (held in the winter)

1320- asura waygates added to the foot of the mountain

[ringofwarding]

“ᴍᴀʏʙᴇ ʜɪsᴛᴏʀʏ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅɴ'ᴛ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇᴘᴇᴀᴛ ɪᴛsᴇʟғ ɪғ ᴡᴇ ʟɪsᴛᴇɴᴇᴅ ᴏɴᴄᴇ ɪɴ ᴀᴡʜɪʟᴇ.” ― ᴡʏɴɴᴇ ᴍᴄʟᴀᴜɢʜʟɪɴ

[khorren]

I've talked about these three individually, but now that they all exist I want to put their story all in one place. This is technically lore-breaky but I'm having fun so who cares.

Meet Serenity, Ridley, and Cosima. They're all the same person.

Back in 1301, a year before the Sylvari appeared on Tyria, a baby girl was born to two members of the Shining Blade. The child was very much loved, and brought up comfortably in the walls of Divinity's Reach. Being a member of the Shining Blade was always a challenging job, protecting the monarch of Kryta always had the potential for danger, and danger often visited the parents.

In 1307 her parents escaped into the Mists, hoping to get away from some assassins that were difficult to pin down and take out. Turns out mist travel didn't sit well with the young child and she became confused and distressed at what was going on. The landing into the Mists wasn't exactly smooth and they landed right in the middle of the Mist War in the battle for a camp. A mysterious figure charged in to protect the family and after the dust settled they escorted them back to the safety of the Citadel. The fighter was intently listening to the family's conversation, constantly checking on the child who was becoming more and more distressed at the situation, then the fighter realised who the adults were. They were her parents. The fighter introduced herself as Ridley, the only name she'd ever known, and all she'd ever known was the Mists. She wasn't sure when she came here, which memories were her own and which were just Mist Echoes. Ridley was a potential future of what the child would become.

After a few days they left the Mists, Ridley couldn't come with them, and the parents placed the child in the care of the father's brother and sister-in-law who lived in Lion's Arch. The child was given the name Meredith to protect her identity and she grew up there, her parents vowing to return some day once it was safe. Meredith grew up happy in Lion's Arch, and after a few years she had no memory of the mist event or her life before then. Since it was for the best, the aunt and uncle just went along with it. Meredith got an in with the Order of Whispers, and when she joined them she changed her name to Serenity Sun.

In 1320, Serenity being 19 at this point, the newly formed Vigil went into the Mists looking for fighters to join The Vigil as part of an effort to defeat the Elder Dragons that were causing destruction and death across Tyria. By this point Ridley had the technology to travel outside the Mists. Similar to how Warclaws can exist out of the Mists. As long as Ridley was imbued by this magic she could exist outside the Mists too. Ridley, realising she was in the version of Tyria that had Serenity in it, she began quietly asking around about her. News of this made its way to Ruby, self-imposed protector of the Fae family and the two got in touch. Ruby said it was critical that Serenity didn't know about her past and Ridley blindly went along with it, not realising the controling and cruel long-game that Ruby was playing. It wasn't until the events after season 4 that Ridley came clear to Serenity, after Serenity was already dealing with the aftermath of a lot of bullshit.

During Serenity's expedition to Elona when she died at the hands of Balthazar she had a difficult time reclaiming her purpose in the Domain of the Lost but made it out in a timely fashion. At the same time as Serenity being there it turns out she was fighting with an alternate version of herself down there. In an alternate version of Tyria lived Cosima. Cosima being the birth name of Serenity. Cosima grew up just like her AU-twin, parents were Shining Blade members, both Cosima and Serenity descended from the Hero of the Flameseeker Prophecies. However where as Serenity's parents took her into the Mists, Cosima's parents were able to take out the direct threats to their family so they never escaped in the Mists. Cosima grew up with the Shining Blade as a second family and joined a covert unit of the Seraph and she became Commander of her version of Tyria, but without joining an Order.

During the events in the Domain of the Lost, Cosima struggled finding her purpose. Every time she got close to following a clue it felt like something was shoving her clear across the area. She was down there for a significant amount of time, in fact she didn't return until there was cracks in the Mist caused by Kralkatorrik and found a way out. By this time she had picked up enough of the pieces of her life and purpose to get out just there was no exit til then as The Judge had since died.

Cosima left and found herself back on the pillars where she died to Balthazar and traveled back to mainland Tyria to be with her Shining Blade allies, only to realise that everything was wrong. Kensi Fae, Mist traveler expert sensed the disturbance and was able to track down Cosima who was holed up in a small bedroom in an inn in Divinity's Reach and they began to piece together what had happened and why Cosima ended up in a different Tyria than her own.

At the end of season 4, Serenity - unaware of the existance of Cosima, stood down from being Commander and went with her best friend Sienna to get away from it all. Serenity's second in command and bodyguard, Aoife, took over Commander duties during this time. During the events of Icebrood Saga while Serenity is off decompressing from learning about her past and the years of manipulation from Ruby, Serenity is introduced to Cosima, and Ridley realises how manipulative Ruby has been so she comes clean about her origins. Serenity does not cope with this very well at all, on top of everything else. Serenity never really felt a connection with Aurene, but Ridley did so she took the role of Champion, and suddenly it all made sense. Because of Serenity's mist accident when she was little, the bond between Commander and Scion wasn't there, instead the bond was strong with Ridley.

Things started to make sense and after a little while Serenity got to grips with things and while she had no plans to come back full time as Commander, she agreed to help Gorrik and Taimi with their current bit of Dragon Research. She got swept up in the events of happy fun Cantha travel. Cosima eventually joined up with her and there it was agreed that Cosima would take the role of Commander in this version of Tyria too. The pair had similar experiences and memories of their two different Tyrias, just some trivial details here and there. After dealing with Soo-Won, Serenity officially retired from being Commander and returned to travelling Tyria, sometimes with Sienna, sometimes alone.

Cosima is now full time Commander and is getting to know the rest of the Celestial Order.

[elismistscorner]

OC Interview: Eli Aleksandros

Draw (or use an old drawing, don’t worry!) or take a screen of your character in an interview setting and make them answer the following questions!

---

Thank you @i-mybrunettelady and @thoseofuswhoblossom for tagging me, this was fun to do!

---

Off stage:

Eli: "Do I really have to do this? it feels so pretentious and blah"

Albus: "Yes! You are a hero to these people, and maybe knowing about you will help inspire others! You will be fine, and I'll be right over here for you."

Eli: sighs "okay."

INTRODUCTION

Can you introduce yourself?:

“Hello, I am Eli, Champion of Aurene.” After a moment of silence, Albus interjects: "You might also know him as Dragon slayer, God slayer, Guild leader, Priory Archon or Magister, Hero of Lion's Arch, Hero of Shaemoor, and ex-commander of the Pact-" "Oh my god. Albus!!" "Love you~"

What is you gender identity, orientation and relationship status?:

"I'm male, and...” looks over at Albus "engaged to that goof over there."

Where and when were you born?:

“I errrr... am not sure exactly where I was born, but I grew up within the walls of Divinity's Reach in Salma District. Well, at least until my elemental abilities started to show, and then I was sent to the Priory HQ but still inside Divinity's Reach. For the second part of that question; I am about old enough to be a sylvari secondborn.”

What is your weapon of choice and fighting style?:

“I guess I was 'classically trained' in the Priory to use the staff, so that may be what I am most confortable with. Albus helped me train with the sword when we realized we would have to confront Balthazar... that did not turn out so well, but against non-gods I can hold my own. However, now that I find myself in a bit of a lull, I have begun training with other weapon types, but that's confidential information... at least for now” he chuckles.

Lastly, are you happy?:

After a brief pause to think his answer, Eli looks down at his ring and then at Albus. "Yeah. I would say so."

FAMILY AND FRIENDS

What’s your family like? What is your relationship with them?:

"Hmm... well, like I mentioned earlier, I don't have any clues on my biological parents, but Uncle Andrew raised me like his own, and his daughter, Petra, is like a sister to me. I haven't been able to visit them in some time, but we exchange letters; they're doing well."

Have you ever ran away from home?:

"Technically yes? 'Ran away' makes it sound dramatic. As a child, I just wanted to find a place where I could figure out my elemental abilities without hurting anyone."

Would you consider marriage or having children?:

Eli looks over at Albus who is clearly waiting to hear this answer. "Okay so. Earlier, when I said I was engaged, I lied a little bit. Albus and I are actually married! He declares with joy and relief. "After I recovered from Bangar's ambush in Drakkar's lair, we decided to not waste any more time. We had been going non-stop for so long, and we were headed into an uncertain future, so we decided to just get married right there in the Eye of the North with some of our guildmates present, and Aurene of course. It was really nice actually. On the subject of children, does Aurene count?" he laughs.

Do you secretly hate one of your friends?:

"What? I don't... what? They're not really your friend if you.. hate... them? I'm not sure I understand the question."

Which friend knows everything about you?:

“Definitely Albus," he smiles "he's seen me at my best and worst. However, I do also have a couple good friends in the Order of Whispers, who I trust enough to confide in. But also, who knows what information they have on me in their archives. So maybe them too. Oh and Jory as well; again, she's someone I trust, but she's also very intuitive and a personal detective. Haha, maybe my life is not as private as I would like it to be”

ASKED BY FANS

Are you literate? Have you been to school?:

“Did you say this was asked by a fan? Anyway, yes. Like I mentioned, I grew up partially in the Priory so...”

The eeriest prediction you made that later came true?:

“So, this is less a prediction, and more a theory I had. See, I've always been fascinated by the mists and alternate realms or dimensions; fractals if you will. And I always thought there must be some way, when all the stars perfectly align for a soul to come back from the dead by traversing through time/space in the right way. And well, here I am.”

What is something you were embarrassingly late to realize?:

With an almost apologetic look, Eli glances at the floor, then up at Albus. “That I have managed to surround myself with very capable people, and that I can trust them to hold their own... aaand that I cannot do this alone; I need them.”

Do you have mental health or physical issues?:

“When you say these are fan questions... like who exactly... I'll say this. I am very lucky to have the people I have around me. They help me stay grounded.”

What is your current main goal?:

“For so long my only goal has been to survive. Except not even that. So for now I don't have any goals per se. Although I am looking forward to the Festival of the Four Winds to return. We always use it to take some time off and just be. The beaches are really nice-" "Also the Queen's Jubilee!" Albus interrupts. "Hah... On a different note, I've read so much about Cantha, and now that I've explored Elona, I'd like to see the Jade Sea, but who knows when that will happen.”

CHOICES

Drink or food?:

“Oh hmmm.. it depends on when you ask me. When we were lost in the (Magumma) jungle, between the rivers and creeks and the HUMIDITY, I never really thirsted for a drink, but a nice meal would have really hit the spot. However, while wondering through Elona, there were so many times I would've killed for a refreshing drink. So... both?

Cats or dogs?:

"Oh dogs for sure"

Early bird or night owl?:

“Hmmm... well, the Elonian sky is a true wonder that can only be perceived at night but sunrises are nice... No, you know what. I'm a night owl. Yup. Don't know why I hesitated”

Optimist or pessimist?:

"I don't think I could... I have to believe things can and will improve, otherwise why would I bother going through everything I have?"

Sassy or sarcastic?:

“I think sarcasm? I know I definitely cannot out-sass Albus.”

HAVE YOU EVER

Been caught sneaking out:

“Pretty sure it happened in the Priory a couple times. Except... I wasn't sneaking out, I was... sneaking... in.” he sighs "I wanted to get in the library after hours and keep researching...-" "OH MY GOD ELI HAHAHA" Albus bursts off-stage.

Broke a bone:

“Wait like, A specific one? I don't... Like, you realize it is statically impossible that I would have gotten this far without such an injury.“

Received flowers:

“Yeah actually! It was nice.“

Ghosted someone:

Eli's gaze wanders as he takes a moment to think of an answer. "Oh, I guess I have. There was this one time that I accidentally ghosted a couple friends... when I died HAAAA!" He boasts with unwarranted pride on his own joke while scanning the room's reactions. "Get it? cause I was a ghost!" he grins. "That was good, wasn't it?" Albus simply facepalms in the corner.

Pretended to laugh at a joke you didn’t get:

“Let me remind you again, I grew up inside basically a library full of smart people. Smart people that sometimes like to show off just how smart they are by using humor they know you will not understand because you're a CHILD.”

After the interview:

Eli: "So? how did I do?"

Albus: "You were great, as I knew you'd be. You we're yourself, and that's all I would ever ask of you."

Eli: "Thanks. I'm glad you were here with me."

---

I tag (with no obligation of course, I would love to catch up on old OCs or learn about new ones but you can pass!):

I feel to "new" to tag people haha. I guess I tag you the reader! If you've been waiting on someone to tag you to join the fun, this is your chance! :D

Also @thepinkywarband, get on this (if you wanna) :3

[cycleof-dusk]

updating my pinned! i want people to have better access to my characters and their basics, along with a small introduction

i’m Jax! 23, located in the EST timezone, and use they/she pronouns! follows come from @darkxyzdragon​ as this is a sideblog - but my main is predominantly FFXIV and chronic illness/disability awareness, for those interested! you can find me on the NA servers at darkxyzdragon.4792 !

Characters are under the cut for length reasons, ofc! (Hikari is all the way at the end to keep everyone in one post)

Name: Sionedda

Birthday: 69 Scion 1325 AE (almost 9 years old! also yes i did change this)

Orientation: Bisexual

Partner: Aym Riverwolf (found at @/riverwoofs)

Gender & Pronouns: Feminine, she/her

Race: Sylvari

Cycle: Dusk

Role: Pact Commander, Leader of the Crystal Bloom

Profession: Elementalist (Tempest)

Alternate Professions: Thief (Deadeye), Revenant

Titles: Commander, Lightbringer, Voice of Aurene, Champion of Aurene

Likes: Cocoa, cold temperatures, light refracting through crystals

Dislikes: Desert, humidity, chak, fire, early morning

Originally a bright violet dusk bloom, reminiscent of a succulent with her hair pattern, Sionedda is bubbly and affectionate with everyone she meets. She predominantly focuses herself on Air magic, but is also known to fall back into a more supportive role with Water. After The Departing, she has never attuned to Fire again.

Her appearance changes twice throughout the story: First, after The Departing, she awakes from the Realm of the Lost with the fern hair instead of her succulent leaves. Then, during the scene in which Caithe is Branded, in Sionedda’s story, she takes her place, and her colors shift more to richer indigos and teals.

Name: Tiernanne

Birthday: 42 Zephyr 1333 AE

Orientation: Homosexual

Partner: Pact Marshal Trahearne

Gender & Pronouns: Trans, he/him

Race: Sylvari

Cycle: Dawn

Role: Pale Reaver

Profession: Mesmer (Mirage)

Alternate Professions: n/a

Titles: Warmaster

Likes: arid desert climate, soft textures, cold drinks

Dislikes: humidity, unfamiliar areas

A blind sapling, adopted by Sionedda during the events of the Icebrood Saga. His vision allows him to see enough to fight, but he prefers not to, in the off chance he hurt someone he cared about because of it. He never has, but he would rather not take the risk. He still ascended to Pale Reaver within the Vigil, as he’s hard-working and a damn good swordsman.

Name: Destiny Sonnen

Birthday: 85 Colossus 1313 AE (20 years old)

Orientation: Homosexual

Partner: n/a

Gender & Pronouns: Cis, she/her

Race: Human

Ethnicity: Canthan/Krytan

Role: Shining Blade Associate, Double Agent

Profession: Necromancer (Reaper)

Alternate Professions: Revenant

Titles: Magister, Lightbringer

Likes: food, her minions, research

Dislikes: dead ends, the ministry guard

A street rat of Divinity’s Reach, Destiny learned that her unknown family were Shining Blade - in addition, a whole line of them, on one side, going back 250 years. In being given a family heirloom - a curved dagger, pointed at both ends - she became determined to find out more about them. She managed to become both a Whispers Lightbringer and a Priory Magister in her efforts to uncover more. She has a feeling there are a few people who know, but possibly don’t realize they do.

In seeing the Pact Commanders in Divinity’s Reach one day, she had glanced at the norn and realized at his side was the twin to her own dagger, and immediately jumped to him and interrogated the two, only to learn the Aym Riverwolf had about as much idea as she did about the daggers. Currently, she’s still searching for her answers.

Name: Eir Aymsdottir

Birthday: - (currently undecided)

Orientation: -

Partner: n/a

Gender & Pronouns: Cis, she/her

Race: Norn/Sylvari

Spirit: Wolf

Role: baby

Profession: Ranger (Druid)

Alternate Professions: n/a

Titles: Little One, Dreamer

Likes: plants, fluffy animals, sugar

Dislikes: sour foods, slipping on ice, when her pets won’t come back to her side

A bubbly Norn-Sylvari child, short for a norn but massive for a sylvari, with a bioluminescent patterning in her skin easily mistaken for traditional tattoos. These markings, along with her freckles, the roots of her hair, and her eyes glow in the dark.

She’s quite sweet, and very empathetic, with a faint connection to the Dream.

[Note: This was me looking at ArenaNet giving Sylvari a FULLY FUNCTIONING digestive system but saying “nah they absolutely cannot reproduce”; I find it cowardly that none of the main races can reproduce among each other but that’s a conversation for a different day. MY POINT BEING, no one is under any obligation to agree with my headcanons and can choose to not ask/interact with her! <3]

Name: Hikari Poole

Birthday: 58 Scion 1051 AE

Orientation: Homosexual

Partner: Zhi Yawen (@/riverwoofs), Jora

Gender & Pronouns: Trans, she/her

Race: Human

Ethnicity: Canthan

Role: Hero of Tyria, Cantha, Elona

Profession: Elementalist/Necromancer

Titles: Priestess of Grenth

Likes: girls, opulent clothing & jewelry, street food, Echovald

Dislikes: the desolation, watching her loved ones in pain

A young elementalist and necromancer, originally from a small village on Shing Jea Isle, she’s attended Shing Jea monastery from a young age, honing her magical abilities and expanding on her knack for blood magic and sacrificial arts, as opposed to minions.

She and her partner - both romantically and in crime - Yawen have traveled across Tyria, Elona, and their Canthan homeland, and helped save lives (and the world, a few times).

In death, they both haunted the Echovald forest happily, as well as traveled through the Mists; when Glint arrived, they mourned, but greeted her warmly, having loved the dragon when they met her; it was during one of their forays back into the Mists that they were directed by Glint to assist the current Tyrian heroes in their fight against Joko - seeing as the two of them are the ones who freed him in the first place, two and a half centuries prior.

[beetrootpatch]

A timeline with Cesaria’s outfits through the years, most of which are based on in-game looks. It seems black and red are his go-to colors, also gold if only he could get his hands on any.

Some more info on each more or less major point in his life lies under the cut:

Sapling 1313: 

Awakened in the cycle of night and soon proved to be quite a handful for a sapling. He had a typical fondness for shadows and dark places and would rather pickpocket guards for his own amusement or attempt to sneak out instead of sitting around listening to some mentor. It was around a year later that he eventually left the Caledon, driven by his dream of far away lands.

Burglar 1315-1321: 

Having been taught by a gang of bandits he joined on his travels, a life of crime was a natural thing to settle into as Cesaria found his way to Divinity’s Reach. Though rather than for wealth, his interest in being a career thief lie more in the job itself as well as causing trouble. Any excess gold he would give away to the poorer folk of the city and he eventually made a name for himself.

Vigil 1321-1325: 

After getting in serious trouble with a Vigil officer, he found himself at an unexpected crossroads and given the choice, enlisted to join the fight against dragons. The start was bumpy since being ordered around didn’t come naturally to him, but once he started to fit in it seemed that he had both the skill and a tactical mind to actually make something of himself. In three year’s time he made it up the ranks all the way to Warmaster.

Pact Commander 1325- present time: 

When the discussions of the major orders uniting were underway, Cesaria was quick to volunteer himself to join the new coalition. The idea was attractive not only because of the advantage cooperation would bring, but also because a well-respected firstborn was taking the lead. His view on the war had changed and was bordering on idealistic at this point and later the hard earned victory against Zhaitan that turned them all into heroes didn’t diminish that spirit.

Heart of Thorns: 

With the Pact having set it’s sights on Kralkatorrik, a change of targets came as a surprise but it made no difference to Cesaria which dragon they would conquer next. Though flying into Maguuma with high hopes and too much confidence proved to be a mistake. After the ships crashed, many lost their trust in a sylvari leader so with only a handful of soldiers he pressed on into the jungle to find the lost marshal who could pull the army back together. That mission was ultimately a failure, which he took very personally, and the whole experience is still a sore subject.

LWS3: 

Taking time off was recommended after the Maguuma campaign and a brief chase of bandit kidnappers, but it proved difficult. Since sitting around in the Grove trying to relax wasn’t really doing much for him, Cesaria soon went back to active duty and took his squad to accompany a colleague on an excursion to Bitterfrost Frontier as protection. Without a war to fight or a clear plan of action, the best he could do was help those who had the smarts to figure out what to do next.

Path of Fire: 

The arrival of a new threat to Tyria with four dragons still around couldn’t have been less welcome, but once Balthazar started a war, it was impossible to ignore. Frustrated by the insufficient action of the Pact on the matter, especially since it involved Kralkatorrik, Cesaria and his squad took on an independent role in Elona. No longer tied to a chain of command, they did as they pleased to help the local humans and hunt the rogue god until he was brought to justice.

LWS4: 

With both Kralkatorrik and Joko causing trouble, challenges were mounting up and even after the lich king’s defeat, peace didn’t last for long. The Shatterer’s attack in Jahai forced Cesaria to cancel a long awaited vacation and stay put instead to help contain the damage in the area. Easier said than done with portals popping up left and right and the looming fight against another elder dragon has him on edge, especially after the last disaster.

[mystery-salad]

8, 13, and 21 for the micro story prompt!

Aw yea story marathon time!(spoilers for PoF on the last one)

8. sunbathing

Tvelle stretches out in the sun, sighing happily. It’s been so long since a summer celebration had come about and she hadn’t seen the zephyrites in ages! But thankfully the Pact was between crises and finally she could take her boys out somewhere! Rhosill put up a fuss at first, something about the Zephyrites holding a grudge against him for working with Scarlet. But she assured him he could stay on the outskirts so long as he promised to show up and finally relax some too.

“Hey Tvelle?” Rhosill called to her attention, pulling her from her daydreaming in the sun.

“Yeah buddy?”

“I know you’re here to relax and you wana make sure I do too,” they both hear a snicker from Canach who’s sitting next to them, “but can you possibly sunbathe on a beach towel instead of my chest?”

13. too loud

Explosions ring out through the room, and Jioro heaves a heavy sigh as she trails Aqun through the chaos. She knew this would happen, knew tampering with unknown machinery would go wrong. They’d followed schematics of steam creatures for crying out loud!

Another explosion rings out, bombs they couldn’t get to in time. Aqun and Roanna guard her back as she sets to work disarming another one. It’s so loud and chaotic, why did she ever leave the mountain? These people who are too dumb to realise they were in over their heads with tampered machinery didn’t even stop to think it could backfire! She mumbles curses under her breath, finally disarming another bomb before motioning to the others to move to the next one.

21. collapse

The celebration feels like it’s ben going on forever, but she wouldn’t dare to tell them to cut it short. Laighe knows they need this, Elona needs some happiness after how much devastation has befallen this land.

Sh tries to have fun and putters around the room, making polite conversation with any who approach her. She hears ‘thank you’ more times than she likes, and ‘hero’ more times than she feels she deserves. None of this will matter when Kralkatorrik shows its face again.

A speech is requested, and while she tiredly tries to deny the request, she’s somehow talked into doing it anyways. A confident smile crosses Laighe’s face as she steps up to the podium, an expression long-practiced, once sincere but now just for show. She speaks of victory, of safety and happiness, she encourages everyone to enjoy this time of peace. They deserve at least one night without fear after all.

She steps down, shaking hands of people telling her variations of ‘good speech’, before slipping away finally. She has no more obligations for the night, and she can’t stand to celebrate any longer, she’s barely holding together as it is.

Making sure she wasn’t noticed as she steps out, Laighe makes her way back to the airship, to her quarters for the night. She locks the door behind her and lets out a deep sigh. Her composure finally falls, and so does she. Before everything goes dark she catches a glimpse of another place, just a moment of seeing the judge again, so she loses feeling in her body. And everything stops.

[thievinghippo]

OC of the Week - Zelka the Swift

Name: Zelka the Swift

Game: Guild Wars 2

Race: Asuran

Class: Ranger

Background: College of Dymanics, Infinity Ball, Zinga

Tag: Zelka the Swift

Fun Fact: She will be the one character solely responsible for eventually crafting a legendary weapon, one that she cannot use. But she’s done all the work. Got the world completion. Got the WvW components. Alchemist Tesla is a lucky gal.

#

Zelka isn’t the smartest asuran. She’s very okay with this. Not every asuran can be a genius, right? If they were all geniuses, they’d basically all be average. So she doesn’t mind being the dunce if that means other people can shine. 

She’s happier spending time with her animal companions, especially her polar bear named Bear. (She’s not very creative, either.) One day, she hopes to tame every single animal in Tyria, especially the ones who want to kill her. 

For most of her life, she’s been on her own. Other asurans shunned her when they realized she couldn’t keep up with them intellectually. Because of this, Zelka sort of became a hero by accident. But now that she’s on the path, she figures she needs to finish the job. 

But the hero business did do something good for her. She met her now husband Glokk while running through the Elon Riverlands in Elona. He helped her find the lost city of Kesho.

At first, she worried she wouldn’t be smart enough to keep up with him. He was a scholar with the Drumand Priory, after all. But Glokk put her mind at ease at once. Brains have only led him to more and more social anxiety. He’s thrilled to have a partner he doesn’t feel like he has to compete with. Together, they can both be themselves.

[pyreo]

Fear Not This Night: An Analysis Of A Mirrored Theme

I’ve been thinking a lot about how the use of an established theme has contructed a link of opposites between sylvari and Awakaned. And in portraying that duality it confers a heightened narrative link between the exemplars of each society, that is, Palawa Joko and the sylvari Commander. In this essay I will provide examples of how this fits together and probably make a huge ass of myself ok here

Fear Not This Night is one of the better known Guild Wars 2 themes, but specifically, it is of sylvari origin, an anthem of hope sung by the mother of the entire sylvari race. In game it is most closely connected with the Pale Tree’s sanctum - a soft piano arrangement of the theme plays there. The lyrics refer to showing strength and resilience in the face of impending darkness.

The theme was also, famously, reworked for the second episode of the Living World Season 4′s trailer, officially referred to as the ‘Joko’ version. The song here is predominantly minor with a male vocalist and most of the same lyrics, which treat said impending darkness as a threat, centering on imagery of the machinations Joko has put into motion. 

Although skipped from the trailer version, the full song contains the same imagery as the original, including multiple references to ‘awakening’:

Awakened from a quiet sleep Hear the whispering of the wind. Awakened as the silence grows In the solitude of the night.

In its original form this would refer to the ‘birth’ of a sylvari, as they don’t have infancy or growth, they emerge from a pod of the tree fully grown, and simply ‘wake up’ into life ready to begin it. While being grown they experience ‘The Dream’, a shared state of consciousness in which they accumulate basic knowledge and language with which to begin their lives, making ‘awakening’ from the Dream the true starting point of their individual experience.

Awakening, in Elona, is the foundation on which Palawa Joko has built his kingdom. He’s (I think) the most powerful necromancer in the world. The entire region was conquered by raising fallen soldiers from the dead, and the gentry of Vabbi worship him for soothing their fear of death: live under his rule and you will be reborn into eternal servitude. Once you reach this part of the story, Joko owns this word. Awakened soldiers and servants are ever-present and devoted to him. 

There was also a story instance in Season 2 called ‘The Newly Awakened’ which referred to the emergence of the secondborn sylvari.

Which both ‘races’ have this concept in common, obviously the difference between them is life and death. Joko’s Awakened are reanimated, unnaturally forced back to varying levels of consciousness, rotting, seeping with tar, characterised by bare skulls and sinew. Sylvari have only just emerged, blinking in wonderment, into a new life they comprehend and embrace from the first second. They sprout leaves, flowers, vines; they start glowing at night. Their entire race is only 25-30 years old - even the oldest and wisest are young adults. Awakened are bound to Joko by force, compelled to serve any order. Sylvari are philosophers who discuss the nature of their free will in terms of the morality of their Dream hivemind. 

These types of creatues with the same name are opposed thematically in every way: undead vs life, enthralled vs curious, desolation vs verdance. A palace made of bones and corpses on the other side of the continent from an enormous pastel tree. 

Nightmares come when shadows grow. Eyes close and heartbeats slow.

This imagery from the song goes perfectly with the Awakened and the culture of death Joko built an empire on. It’s from the original version too. From a culture that is so young, it isn’t even known whether sylvari can grow old and die. 

There are two characters known to have escaped, in their own power, from The Domain of The Lost, and renounced death. These are Palawa Joko and the Commander. 

If you play as a sylvari, you are the summation of everything your race represents: life, renewal, self-determination, hope. Joko intentionally positions himself as your enemy, a nemesis of opposites: death, submission, corruption, despair. When the sylvari Commander faces Joko they are literally 6 years old. Joko is at the very least over 574. 

They complement each other as complete opposites and Joko’s sinister reimagining of the sylvari anthem shows that off to a tee. Be My Guest clashes the two together with the weight of everything they each represent. Joko initiates another mirror of your themes as you talk with him - he hopes to win heroic acclaim for killing and Awakening you, because given what you’ve done to the world, which of you is actually the hero and which is the villain? Which of you has inflicted the land with more visible egoism, he, a lich with 100ft tall statues of himself, or you?

“Fear not,” he says, using the first two words of the song, “the world will not forget you. The scars you’ve gouged into it spell out your name for all to see.”

[sunshinemage]

out of the frying pan...

Setting: Crystal Desert, Amnoon, 1330 AE (PoF epilogue, right before the Commander’s speech). Word Count: 1392.

A party. Of course they would throw a party, Rory thought. The battle is won, the Commander killed a God, hurray!

He sighed.

He did kill a God. They killed a God. The battle was won. But no matter if the fight was won or not, anywhere he looked, Rory couldn’t find a good enough reason to celebrate.

Although it was the middle of the night over Amnoon, there was light in every corner of the city, coming from colourful lanterns of all shapes or countless candles set atop every possible surface. People were throwing flower petals and paper birds all around, children were laughing and chasing each other, wearing fiery masks. Some Sunspears were here, and with them all the feelings of hope and resilience they seemed to symbolise to the people of Amnoon.

This party sounds fake. This victory rings hollow.

“Something on your mind, Commander?”

Rory’s head snapped back up. Around him were his guildmates, looking at him with worry in their eyes.

“No, I... well, I mean, yes. But what else is new?”

“You’re worried about the speech again?” Rytlock groaned. “You’ll do fine, speeches are your thing.”

“That’s not...”

“It’s a delicate situation, no doubt about it,” Canach chimed in, “and we already went through all our options here.”

Rytlock huffed. The charr’s tail swatted the air angrily.

“Your option is the coward’s way,” he snarled, “all talk and no bite. Afraid to get wet, which is too bad for a plant.”

“And you, my furry acquaintance, bite too much. You want to give them the truth, but doing so you’ll only take away their will to fight.”

“They’ll have no choice. They’ll know that they can’t just sit around and wait for heroes to save their sorry asses.”

Just as Canach was about to reply with what no doubt would have been a venomous retort, Kasmeer snapped her fingers in exasperation.

“Can we please not do this right now?” she sighed.

“Thank you Kas.” Rory said with a tired little smile. “Canach is right. It is a delicate situation, and I’ve heard all of you. I already know what to say, but...”

He shook his head and looked away. His hands were shaking. Usually, he would ran his finger through Tani’s white feathers or add another row of beads to Than’s collar to calm himself, but he couldn’t do that anymore. Both his moas had died with him, but there was no bringing them back with him when he left the Domain of the Lost.

Damn it all, he thought. It’s never enough...

“Commander? ... Rory?”

For the second time tonight, Kasmeer’s voice tore him away from his thoughts.

“I’m sorry. I’m still... processing. I’ll step on this podium right away, give the speech and it’ll all be over in a moment. Then we can focus on finding a way to stop Kralkatorrik.”

“No.” Rytlock said firmly.

“No?”

“You heard him,” Canach added. “Sit down, would you?”

Stunned, Rory did as he was told and went to sit on the nearest bench, followed by Kasmeer, who sat beside him.

"Listen,” she said softly, “you don’t have to say anything you don’t want to, but... you rarely say anything about what troubles you. And obviously you do have troubles, no matter how hard you try to make us believe that you’re doing just fine.”

“Kas...”

“Let me finish, please. With the lives we all lead... time is the last thing we have, yet you always have some for us. You’re always here to listen to us, who come to you with all our troubles. And you take it all with a smile and comfort us. The least we can do is to do the same for you.”

“No obligation, of course,” Canach said with a shrug. “Just know that the option is available to you.”

Rory gave a bashful smile.

“Thank you. I mean it. I wouldn’t be standing, well, sitting here without you. And reliving my life as I did, I can say meeting you and fighting at your side was one of the best choices I made.”

“What do you mean, ‘reliving your life’?” Rytlock asked, arms crossed.

Rory paused.

“What... what happened in the Domain of the Lost, Commander?”

Everything happened, Rory thought, running a hand through his hair.

If his guildmates seemed worried moments prior, it was nothing compared to what Rory was seeing on their faces now. He took a deep breath.

“What happened is what I said. I relived my life. All of it.” His hands were itching, and he started to fidget with the golden Sunspear symbol dangling from his sash. “The Domain of the Lost is aptly named: it is where the lost spirits go. People who died in circumstances that made their spirit forget everything about their life. They wander about until they can reclaim their name and remember everything that goes with it. Then they are judged by Grenth’s acolyte and send where they’re supposed to go.”

“You didn’t remember anything?”

“No. I was lost. I was nothing, I didn’t have a form until I claimed my name back. And then I had to remember...” A shiver ran down Rory’s spine. “So I watched. I watched myself live the life I lived. All the choices I ever made, good or bad. I laughed and celebrated my victories, despaired and cried at my failures. I watched people I loved, people I had sworn to protect, die for the second time.”

Kasmeer softly put her hand on his shoulder.

“Now, I know I had a good life, and my regrets are few, but... I was... relieved to die a second time. The more I watched, the more I remembered, and there were times I knew what was going to happen, and... I knew I couldn’t interfere, that it had already happened. Still, it didn’t make it any easier to bear.”

“Wait, you said ‘all your life’?”

“From the day I was born, until the day Balthazar struck me down. To the second.”

“That’s horrible,” Kasmeer gasped. “I thought you were talking about flashbacks, I’m so sorry.”

“You were only gone for twenty minutes, for us.” Rytlock said.

“For me, it was years.”

Canach dropped to a crouch in front of Rory.

“Truly horrible,” he said, “and I’m sorry as well. How many years was that exactly?”

Rory opened his mouth to reply, but quickly stopped himself. He slowly shook his head and rolled his eyes.

“Ooh, that was a nice try.” Rytlock huffed.

“Canach! How dare you take advantage of this moment of weakness?” Kasmeer said in a very offended tone. “... you almost got him though.”

“Keyword being ‘almost’.” Rory chuckled. “But my age will remain a mystery to you for a while longer.”

The atmosphere felt a little lighter to them all as their laughter mingled with the various sounds of the party.

“Thank you once again,” Rory said, standing up. “This whole celebration feels hollow to me, but having you at my side makes it more bearable.”

“Yeah,” Rytlock groaned, “feels like there’s not that much to celebrate. Just a ticked box on the ‘to kill in order to save the world’ list.”

“Exactly.” Rory looked around. Every person he could see had a smile on their face, and many were looking at him expectantly, some more discreet than others. “Now, where is that podium?”

The Commander effortlessly made his way through the crowd. His steps were sure, his shoulders squared, and he held his head as high as his asura stature would allow. The Sunspears were watching him intently as he went, and gave him a respectful bow.

Elona’s symbol of hope. With their Gods gone, the Sunspears will be needed more than ever.

The Councilor asked for silence. All eyes were turned on Rory. From the other side of the plaza, Taimi waved at him, perched on Scruffy as usual. He smiled a gave her a little nod.

Out of the frying pan...

He cleared his throat, and began his speech.

[ringofwarding]

here’s some info on Shu Li because i cannot be stopped

+ similar to the Heroes of Elona, Shu Li was also a young protagonist. however unlike Yorii and Fahima, who both feel like they’ve had too much responsibility pushed on them at a young age and resent their status as heroes, Shu Li actually felt somewhat honoured. like she was chosen.

+ her title while she was living, ‘The Silent’, came from the fact that she rarely spoke. if she did it was barely above a whisper. many in the shing jea monastery thought this was a personal vow she made. the truth was that she was attacked by kurzicks as a child in a freak accident, and her throat didn’t quite heal properly, making it difficult to speak. she’s still fairly quiet as a spirit, but she’ll pipe up with her opinions when she feels like it. the scars on her throat are covered by intricate ritualist tattoos.

+ at the beginning of Factions she was largely a pacifist who enjoyed spending her time communicating with the spirits and listening to their stories. her ways had to change over the course of the plot, however, and she didn’t deal with that too well at the time. now, in the gw2 timeline, she’ll willingly jump into battle to defend / help others.

+ before her death she married a kurzick boy (much to the chagrin of her luxon family) that she travelled with for the majority of Factions. they managed to have a handful of children, and they started the tradition of naming one daughter per generation Yu Hua Ling after the assassin that travelled with Shu Li throughout factions. Shu Li would like to meet the current one, should there even be one, and tell her stories of her namesake.

+ she finds the current situation regarding Cantha lamentable, as she would love nothing more than to see the Jade Sea again.

[kerra-and-company]

New kids of 2022, coming right up :D I only have a few of them, but let's go!

This is my newest character, and thus the one about whom I have the Least Information. They're taking up my last spot, but they might be temporary, since I'm not 100% settled on them. I do like their character design, though! This is Dal-Rae, and if they stick around, they're eventually going to be a harbinger :)

This is Ever, who constantly manages to look like a poor little meow meow in every screen I take of him! (It's a talent.) He's ex-Nightmare-Court, but only in the sense that he's not really part of any court right now, hence the "ex" part. He's still Nightmare, at least for now. (He's also still level 30 because I haven't gotten around to fully leveling him yet xD) Ever is running from an assortment of things and has managed to run his way into being part of a search/rescue and triage team with the Pact, which was not on purpose. He's a bit of an asshat who's still working to learn the ins and outs of being a team player. He also, in a way that's both appropriate and strange, has guardian magic--he'll be a firebrand when he hits level 80!

This is Niko, and as long as we're continuing the trend of characters who are ex-something, he's up next--he's ex-Mordrem. Originally working as a Warden and sticking pretty close to the Grove (which also meant sticking pretty close to his friends/family), he left to join the Vigil about a year before the Pact was formed as the Risen attacks began to get worse. He also was part of the Pact fleet flying into Maguuma and was completely unprepared to hear Mordremoth's voice. He was, unfortunately, one of the sylvari in that cutscene who are throwing explosives and actively turning on the Pact.

After nearly dying multiple times over (a) in the crash, b) thanks to two other members of the Pact who were on his airship, and c) because of the various consequences of trying to follow Mordremoth's orders), Niko eventually came out the other side, so to speak, after Mordremoth's death. He's physically changed, in some ways, and is Not Doing Great mental-health-wise. His best friend Cody (she also served with the Pact and is a sniper with the Pale Reavers) helps, and he eventually joins the same team Ever's a part of--which, weirdly, also helps him. Niko and Ever do not get along, but Ever's one of the few people able to provoke Niko out of defaulting to being passive. Niko's also not level 80 yet (57 right now, I believe), but he'll be a spellbreaker when he gets there :)

And last but not least, we have Maya! She's the only one of these four who is, in fact, fully leveled, and she's a holosmith. (This pic is from when she wasn't fully leveled, but I really love the shot with the moon, so we're keeping it.) She and her little brother Keiran lost their parents, who were working with the remnants of the Sunspears, thanks to Joko. They spent a lot of time moving around, trying to find somewhere safe, and eventually made it to Amnoon. Maya took on an assortment of odd jobs to help support the two of them, and she eventually became involved with the Order of Shadows after noticing one of their agents keeping tabs on her. She works as an agent in pretty much all but official name (through technical shenanigans), and has something of a friendly rivalry with Kito. She also absolutely loves raptors and helps to train them, and she has her own raptor, Blue, that she adores.

She gets personally involved when the Commander (Kerra) comes to Elona to deal with Balthazar and acts as one of Kerra's points of contact, thanks to the fact that she's been on the front lines helping the refugees since there were refugees to help. She also ends up discovering, during the course of PoF and LWS4, that she and Keiran are descendants of the Hero of Nightfall. (Probably ends up doing the equivalent of very awkward "similar descendant hat" finger guns at Kossan at some point.) I'm looking forward to coming up with more of her story; I already love her a lot :)

And that's all my newbies this year! Thanks for reading, if you got this far, and wishing you a great 2023 <3

Community share post!

It's coming to the end of the year, so let's show off the characters you've made this year! Those that have yet to get their very own Mini Queen Jennah, those just starting on their journey.

Whether you want to post just a picture, or just some blurb, or a 24 page word document detailing their lineage, fashion, and relationships with your other blorbos, go nuts! Share your wonder kids with the community :)

[guildwarsstartrekskyrim]

Sunspear

“My years have been ruled by death. Your’s shall be ruled by life.” ~Galina Ghostforge

1322 AE, Season of Phoenix

The sand whipped by the cave entrance in a threatening manner as the fern hound watched carefully.  This was a far different environment than the way things were back in Caledon Forest, but the hound had followed his charr master without question.  At least here in the cave, they were safe from the dangers of the sandstorm.

The fern hound cocked his ears and looked back into the cave.  It was large, one of three that the hound had found safety in.  It was to be expected as the charr seemed to find these hiding spots quite easily.  Even the people seemed to have grown used to the charr, with many thinking she was from the tribe to the south.

As far as Mirri the Wanderer was concerned, that would be just fine with her.  By this time, she’d spent two years in the Crystal Desert.  She’d helped family’s escape the Bone Wall in the Elon Riverlands, fought against Awakened in the Devastation, and even crossed over to reach Istan.  Each trip she took, she learned more about the history of this place.  In particular, she learned of the noble heroes who long ago had fought to protect it from a mad god.

The Sunspears.

Mirri, like any charr, was not one to give in to worshipping gods, especially human gods.  But she found she could respect Kormir much in the same way she respected and honoured Kalla Scorchrazor.  Because of this knowledge of the Sunspears, and the proud history of the Elonian people, she knew what she had to do to fight back against Palawa Joko.

A small fire was crackling as the fern hound found a comfortable spot next to the charr.  The armour she wore was colourful, nothing one would expect of an Ash Legion soldier.  But the call of the High Legions was so very distant for Mirri.  She was Elonian now, even if she wasn’t born here.

On the other side of the camp fire, two adult humans rested, eating the freshly cooked food and watching over two sleeping children.  Mirri believed this was the first time they had found a moments peace in weeks, perhaps months.

“I have heard of you,” the man said once he’d finished his food.  He was an older man, maybe in his mid forties, but he still had strength in his muscles.  His wife was equally strong.  They had to be, for their children.  “I know of the charr who live in the Sandswept Isles, but you are not of that tribe.”

“No, I’m not,” Mirri replied quietly.  “I was born in Diessa Plateau, raised in Caledon Forest among the sylvari.”  The woman offered a questioning look to Mirri.  “Plant people,” Mirri replied with a chuckle.  “They are born into adulthood from the Pale Tree.  They are wide eyed and curious.  Many of them I call friend.”

“Why would a charr from old Ascalon help humans?” the woman asked.

Mirri shrugged.  “Why not?  I have no qualms with humans.  The war that raged between the Iron Legion and Kryta is not my war.  I was raised in a different way, and I went on my own when I came of age.  I recognize a tyrant when I see one, and Palawa Joko’s Awakened reminded me of the Flame Legion.  Oppressors who would rewrite history just to make themselves look good.”

“Some call you the Charr Sunspear,” the man said with a nod.  “I think I see why.”

“I haven’t earned that title,” Mirri replied as she stoked the fire.

“Still,” the man began as he rose to his feet.  He produced a small package from his pocket and looked to his wife.  It was obvious she recognized what it was and gave a silent nod of agreement.  “I want to give this to you...”

“I don’t do this for gold or fame,” Mirri said.

“I want you to have this,” the man repeated as he unwrapped the package.  Once revealed, Mirri could see it was a small sigil, one that a member of an order would carry to denote their rank or their allegiance.  “My father once wore this.  And his mother before him.  But I am not my father, nor my grandmother.  I made a promise that I would find someone worthy to wear this.”  He held out the sigil to Mirri with both hands.

For a brief moment, Mirri just stared at the sigil.  There was a million reasons why she couldn’t take it, why she hadn’t earned it.  But she also felt this man wouldn’t let her say no.  She reached out with hand and carefully plucked the sigil from the man between her claws.  She studied it briefly.  This object had to be over one hundred years old.  “Thank you.  I’ll take good care of it.”

The man watched as Mirri attached it to her belt. “The Sunspears were... are great warriors.  There are those in the desert who will recognize you as a friend to them, they will provide you shelter, give you assistance.”

Mirri nodded in understanding, and the man returned to his seat by his wife. “Tomorrow, we’ll be in Elona Reach,” she said to them.  “You’ll be safe there.”

[lady-knuckles]

so here is the chapter setup i’ve just made up. it’s literally a very rough synopsis. it has poor spelling and punctuation tbh. but the ideas are all spaced out between paragraphs. so like yeah. if you like it let me know. don’t ask me when this will be written. because i dunno. 

obviously it’s about the polymanders, who else would i write about? and jennah, anise, some cadeceus. das bout it. 

ok so like laiari, trev, and hawke (ty), helped save shaemoor from the centaurs and blah blah blah. so after they got out of the hospital and were well enough to like go back to their lives, queen jennah wanted to have a formal dinner, congratulating all of the soldiers and logan and the heroes of shaemoor for protecting DR

so let it be known that lai is excited to be honored because it would be more exposure for her merchant business, hawke gets to be fancy and show the nobles how commoners get down at parties and to make connections to elevate her livlihood, and trev is reluctant because one their adoptive father, magister lewis will be there with minister caudecus, and the minister's newphew, michael, who is lai's fiance, will be there and trev was apart of a crime ring that has been going on since the white mantle days and they know that jennah knows and is just waiting for the right time to bust them all which is why trev has been hidden from sight since their days in the wildlands.

so anyways hawke and lai convinces them to go to the celebration and they go. lai shows up looking glamourous as usual, but hawke and trev enter together and like everyone stops talking and looks at how beautiful they both look together, hawke with their moderately seethrough dress with diamonds and trev with their royally exsquite suit on. Of course lai was jealous because they looked better than her and stole everyone's breath but she'll get over that. All three of them stood with other survivors and protectors including Logan as the queen individually gave her blessings and thank yous to them and with an offer of formally protecting DR, Queendale, and over all Kryta should they accept.

So most folks said yes, some said no because they didn't wanna be full time protectors and that's fine. She finally got down to the trio and came up to Lai first, thanked her for her help and bravery, stated how she has continued to be a blessing of her parents late legacy (they were shining blade excemplars, close to the queen and anise) and personally asked lai for continued support of kryta and so on and so forth and she accepts, does the kneeling and such.

Hawke is next and the queen thanks her for her quick thinking and supurb healing and such, notices that she is purebred Ascalonian and asks for allegiance to Kryta for all humans and all of that political shit, and Hawke accepts.

It comes down to Trev, and before this moment, Trev noticed that Magister Lewis has been staring at them for hours now, as Michael whispers into his ear and they kept looking at them. Jennah speaks on the fact that they are elonian and has came up and became a productive member of society and so forth and asks for allegiance and Trev cracks. Trev goes on a hysterical rant about how Kryta hasn't done shit for Elona or Ascalon in decades and how immagrants and refugees are treated like shit in Kryta as a whole and that's she's a shitty queen and basically starts ranting about how the bandits are taking over Kryta and it's just a matter of time before the mantle takes over again and they do a complete 360 and storms out of the party.

Magister Lewis, Cadeceus, basically all the later known mantle folks smile and snicker to themselves because at the time long ago, Trev was Aurielle, and Aurielle made sure to learn her speeches and propaganda well and to never give allegiance to the Queen of Kryta. She wanted to be one of the heads of the revolution, a bandit exceutioner in the making. She wanted to help make Kryta great again.

So since the whole party at that time was ruined and the queen was looking bad per usual nobles were gossiping and lai was beyond pissed at what happened though hawke was very concerned because she's never seen trev blow up like that so she grabs lai and they go out towards where they ran off to and found trev fighting off literally mercenary bandits into which they helped fight off. Lai starts going off on Trev to which they both start arguing and Hawke tells Lai to just leave them both alone and let her handle trev to which trev runs off to some abandoned house and completely loses it and Hawke consoles them and Lai is just kinda there actually concerned for Trev for once.

A couple of days later, there is a mandatory summons for the trio to meet with Jennah in the palace throne room. Again Trev is very reluctant to go and is at this point ready to go on the run and Hawke talks them out of it saying that it might be for their best intrest to go, especially if it's going to be one-on-one with no other eyes watching.

They head to the throne room and besides jennah, shadow, anise and two shining blade guards, logan and two random seraph, there was no one else there. Lai begins to apoligize for Trev's outburst to which Jennah tells her to hush and comes over to Trev face to face. Trev is terrified at this point because Jennah is a very powerful mesmer and honestly can read into their very soul. Jennah tells Trev that she knows what they have done, what they have been apart of, the only way out and to get redemption is to follow through her every word. Anise then comes and says that all charges can be pardoned and that their birth father's name can be redeemed if they pledge alliegiance to Kryta and the queen and to help with any and all efforts reguarding protection of Kryta (basically what Anise did with Canach but like it's Anise and Jennah holding Trev's leash). Jennah then says, if not, they could kindly spend the rest of their days in the same cell that their father was put in, and died in. The exemplars take trev down to the cells and show them the inside of the cell and they saw words and marks on the wall and little notes all over about how he was going to die and how he did nothing wrong, how it was his employer made him take the fall, how corrupt the ministers of divnity's reach were, and trev broke down again.

After the quick visit to the cells and Hawke seeing how broken Trev looked, Jennah asked again, and Trev obliged to serve under Jennah until the city and her throne was no longer under threat.

[cycleof-dusk]

"why didn't you tell me?" For the secret ask meme thing ✨

this one’s based off a little scenario I’ve talked about with Aym’s player!! (who doesn’t have a GW-specific blog yet but maybe soon)

readmore because it got a liiiiiittle long

“Why didn’t you tell us?”

The question is simple, as Sionedda stirs a pot over a fire. Months ago, they’d been spending time, helping out in areas outside of the big cities, breaking in their powers as Revenants.

They didn’t expect to find two legendary spirits hanging out around Lake Doric. They didn’t speak much at first, not like how Jalis or Ventari or Shiro, even, would chat with them.

But it’s been months, since, and they didn’t learn anything about them for a long time, until an impromptu foray back into Elona.

“What do you mean?” The first Legendary Hero asks, a ghostly form perching on a log next to Aym. She’s tiny, hair done up in buns and twirling a dagger.

“Who you were. What you’ve both done.”

“We’re dead. It’s been two and a half centuries, and Tyria has changed much in the time we’ve been gone. It wasn’t necessary.” The other - tall and long with her hair done up elegantly - floats just outside of the main light of the fire, the sparks of energy dancing around her hair a ghostly light source across her face.

“Wasn’t necessary?!” The spoon clunks against the edge of the pot. “You were the ones who destroyed most of the Mursaat and the White Mantle! The ones who killed Shiro Tagachi for good! The ones who were with Kormir!” She drags a hand through her ferns, getting them out of her face.

“We wouldn’t have even known except that Dunkoro and the Last Spearmarshal knew you both were nearby.”

They both do look a little scolded, exchanging a look between each other. “Our time as heroes has long past,” the smaller one begins, standing up again - she’s shorter than Aym even while he sits. “We wish to lend you our aid, but not to be leaned upon for our deeds so long ago.”

“Can we at least know your names?” Aym finally speaks up, eyes glancing over both of them rapidly. “For posterity’s sake.”

They both sigh in tandem. “Sure. You can call me Yawen,” the smaller Hero offers.

“And I’m Hikari. We’re Tyria’s Legendary Heroes.”

[wanderingstoryteller]

Guild Wars 2: Random Trivia About the Crystal Desert

Hello, fellow lore nerds! I’ve been a busy little Branded this past month: getting back into my college routine, doing a bit more creative writing than usual, and engaging in a fun-but-exhausting new activity my sister calls... “socializing”.

Still, I wanted to find time to cover PoF around here -- I’ve had a couple little side projects cooking, and with Path of Fire just one day away (!!!), I was planning something extra special for you guys. It was gonna be a beginner’s guide to the continent of Elona: background information about the region, its history, inhabitants and whatnot. To make sure everyone’s on the same page, and knows the backstory going in.

Oh, it would have been magnificent. If only Arenanet hadn’t beaten me to the punch by doing the exact same thing, but way better and several days early. 

It put me in a bit of an awkward position. What’s a lore nerd to do when his purpose has been fulfilled? With whom do I share my bounty of knowledge? 

And then I realized what I had known in my heart all along... I don’t need a reason to share pointless trivia about a world I love. To share pointless trivia is its own reward, I say! So, rather than step on Arenanet’s toes by doing the same thing they did, I decided to build on top of it. Because Arenanet’s post, as well-written as it was, didn’t dive into what makes Elona such a fun place to hang around in -- its depth. So many smaller details, not central to the story, but adding that extra layer of uniqueness crucial to making a setting memorable.

So that’s my mission here: show off the more obscure plot elements that make Elona such a cool place to be. Things I hope to see touched on, even if it’s just in a bit of throwaway dialogue. I hope y’all enjoy, and if all goes well, tomorrow I’ll be seeing you on the first ship to Amnoon!

The Junundu

To start with something vaguely relevant: a while back, you might have noticed that the Wurms on the Tarnished Coast were looking a little... different. That turned to be because of a really weird bug, which swapped out the Jungle Wurm model for something else. A model just added to the client.

What is it, you ask? Turns out it’s one of the most feared beasts in all of Elona: The Junundu Wurm.

The Junundu are massive, hardy creatures, one of the few living things able to survive in the Desolation. According to Elonian legend, Palawa Joko tried to tame them, turn them into beasts of war for his conquest of Vabbi. But he failed, so he set them loose across his kingdom. Over the years, though, others have had better luck. During the events of Nightfall, the Sunspears were able to tame a small group of Junundu and use them to cross the Desolation safely. 

Yes, this is the reason I got so excited by the idea of mounts. Who doesn’t want to ride an enormous, all-devouring Sand Wurm? I’d name her Kirby.

The Abandoned Superweapon 

The Crystal Desert is filled with ruins. Before Joko took over, the Elonians were constantly trying to settle the place, drawn to Augury Rock and the possibility of Ascension. Some were killed by the Forgotten protecting the place, but at least one colony destroyed themselves. A civil war broke out over the Crystal Desert’s dwindling resources, and in desperation, one side created a weapon capable of wiping out the entire settlement. Under unknown circumstances, the weapon was activated, and both sides of the conflict ceased to exist. 

What happened to the weapon afterward? Well, for a couple centuries, it just sort of... sat there, in the middle of The Arid Sea. An armed, perfectly functional superweapon, forgotten by everyone. Even Arenanet themselves forgot about it for a little while -- the quest content about the relic had to be cut from Prophecies due to time constraints. And so, for another two centuries, it sat. 

Don’t worry, though -- it was eventually recovered by the Durmand Priory and stored in Special Collections, alongside other lost relics like the Holy Grail, Zhaitan’s tail and Ogden Stonehealer. Tyria is safe... for now. 

Teleporters

You modern Tyrians are spoiled, what with your newfangled Asura Gates and fancy shmancy Waypoints. Back in my day, we had to walk to our destination, and we walked uphill both ways! Unless, that is, we were in the Crystal Desert. Then we kind of had it covered. 

While one Crystal Desert colony was busy constructing the most devastating Indiana Jones reference of all time, another was busy revolutionizing desert commerce. Using magic, they figured out how to transport objects instantly between one point and another -- the same technology found in asuran Waypoints, centuries before the asura were ever encountered on the surface. They spent years constructing a network of these “Teleporters”, making life in the area much easier for anyone that knew how to activate them. When their great work was complete, they proceeded to suddenly and anticlimactically die out, just like all the others. 

Tragically, with nobody left to repair them, the technology behind the Teleporters degraded with time. They now stand as little more than a pretty addition to the desert scenery, and a lasting reminder to us all that humans aren’t nearly as dumb as the asura keep insisting we are. 

Ancestor Trees

Ventari wasn’t the only centaur with a love of nature. Elonian centaurs, like the Veldrunner and Losaru prides, were staunch nature-lovers themselves. In fact, much of local centaur culture revolved around their so-called “Ancestor Trees”. 

According to centaur mystics, the spirits of centaur elders would congregate around these places. Eager to teach the next generation, these spirits blessed the fruit of these trees, imparting their knowledge and wisdom on those lucky enough to get a bite. Somewhat rare, being magic and all, they were highly sought after by Elonians, and vigorously defended by the centaurs.

Most Ancestor Trees were burned or abandoned during Nightfall, when Abaddon’s forces attacked and enslaved many of the centaur prides. At least one survived with help from the Sunspears, but I’m interested to see what happened afterward. Have Ancestor Trees flourished across Elona once again, or has Palawa Joko chosen to uproot them once and for all?

The Order of Whispers

Wait, who let these guys in here!? They aren’t Elonian! 

...Or at least, they aren’t Elonian anymore. 

In the modern day, the Order of Whispers is dedicated to defending Tyria from the Elder Dragons. But few know that this wasn’t their original purpose. The Order of Whispers was originally based in Elona, founded by Turai Ossa himself. Their mission? Guard Palawa Joko’s tomb at all costs. Ensure that he never rises to threaten Vabbi again. And stop anyone who tries to set him free. 

They were good at their jobs -- so good, in fact, that almost nobody outside the Order even knew where the tomb was. But all good things come to an end, and the end came in Nightfall. With Abaddon poised to break free of his prison, the Sunspears needed a way to stop him. The problem? That final climactic battle was going to occur at the Mouth of Torment, smack-dab in the middle of the Desolation. No living thing could cross that sulfurous wasteland intact. But there was one being that knew how they might be able to manage it.

Palawa Joko would tell them. He would tell them all about the Junundu, and how they might be tamed. But first they had to set him free. The Order didn’t like it, but they knew it wouldn’t matter in the end if Abaddon wiped them all out. So the deal was made, and Joko returned. 

A hundred years later, the Order was fleeing for their lives. Vabbi, Kourna and Istan had all surrendered to Joko’s forces, and at long last, his enemies were being purged. To survive, they hopped on a boat and fled to mainland Tyria. There they found a civilization under siege on all sides, and a new purpose. 

But with the path to Elona open once again, I can’t help but wonder... what do they make of their first, greatest failure? And do they plan on setting it right?

The Mordant Crescent

The Sunspears might have freed Palawa Joko, but they didn’t like him very much. The feeling was mutual -- Joko knew the Sunspears would defy him when he made his play for Vabbi, and that’s exactly what they did in the end. Unfortunately, they failed, and for their failure, they suffered the worst of Joko’s wrath. Joko had them hunted mercilessly, one by one, and the hunt was led by an order of his own: the Mordant Crescent. 

Ever a fan of irony, Joko formed the Crescent exclusively out of traitors to the Sunspear Order. He had a lot of them on-hand after the conquest of Vabbi. Many in the Order believed their cause was hopeless, and so defected to the winning side. Some did it for power. Some did it for immortality. Some did it to protect their families. Joko didn’t care about their motivations. As long as they were willing to hunt down their former allies, he would accept them.

All members of the Mordant Crescent are powerful necromancers, and granted far more autonomy than Joko usually allows. This is by design -- Joko already has plenty of mindless minions to go around, after all. What he wants out of the Crescent is something far more dangerous: Heroes. Wandering adventurers that protect Joko’s interests on their own initiative, with the same cunning, creativity and determination that had always been employed against him in the past. 

Much like us? No. Exactly like us. Like the rest of Elonian culture, we too have been reforged in Palawa Joko’s image. 

Tomorrow, ladies and gentlemen, we travel to one of the richest settings in the history of the Guild Wars franchise. For those of us that have been there before, it’ll be a nostalgia trip like no other. And for those of you who have never had the pleasure, I hope this post gave you a little taste of why I’m so excited. 

See you tomorrow, and may the Six Five bless you!