#Crisis in Kryta

[tricos-here]

🖊🖊🖊

🖊 Astêrales is a second cycle sylvari whose pod was cut down from the Pale Tree by asura and taken into the Mists as an experiment - the experiment being if they could maintain the pod and for it to continue to grow until the sylvari was mature, even when cut from its root, and what the effects of that would be.

Her physical appearance doesn't stray much from the typical sylvari because she'd already formed in her pod when it was cut down, though she lacks any connections to the Dream, she doesn't have any memories from it nor feels any connection to other sylvari. In fact, she lacks context of what sylvari are in general, being surrounded by asura and the occasional human all the time - she often has a bit of an existential crisis over her reflection. She's technically never been out of the Mists either, typically running through fractals to generate data for the asura for further experiments.

🖊Valentine is most commonly known for his family name, they're descendants of Elonian Ambassadors that came to Kryta some generations ago and have always been influential in court, possibly even being involved in the Ministry.

Though Val has for the most part denounced all that and has made quite a name for himself too with his mercenary work and more importantly, the fact he is a decorated Champion in the Mists, with numerous tournament wins under his belt - something his parents love to parade him around for during noble parties, despite their constant criticism of him "not doing anything of use". He would later even form his own mercenary guild together with Yweyn which would come to be rather successful. They have a little HQ Office in Lion's Arch, something they argued about considering the track record of that city being destroyed but hey, it was cheap.

🖊 Raphaela was thought to be a sign or a gift from the goddess Lyssa due the nature of her appearance - she was inexplicably left as a babe at the steps of a Lyssa Temple in the middle of the day, without anyone being seen coming and going despite priests milling about the entire time. On top of that, and besides her very purple eyes, it was during the season of the Scion, which has the alignment of water, same as the element of the goddess, it was raining that day, and it was near the time for the Festival of Lyss.

Most of her life she was known as Parsa, due to the fact that it was the name stitched in her blankets when she was left at the steps of the temple, though she'd later pick the name Raphaela for herself. Ironically, Parsa means "devout" and she's certainly anything but after she was discarded by the church.

[cvik]

Ahai!

On the thirty-fourth day of Phoenix, the residents Divinity’s Reach’s Ossan Quarter welcomes refugees of the Lake Doric conflict into their new home.

Before we receive our new neighbours, the Consulate is encouraging residents and visitors of the city to donate new and used clothing for all ages, sizes and seasons.

On 27 Phoenix from six bells in the evening, near the main gates of Ossan, Consulate volunteers will be on-hand to receive all donations and answer any questions or concerns residents may have on the refugee relocation projection.

Six bless, Lady Nela Aurum Consulate of Vabbian, Istani and Kournan Affairs

OOC Information: April 27 at 6pm PT | 9pm ET, the Consulate will be at the gates of Ossan Quarter accepting donations for the refugees of Lake Doric in preparation for an upcoming event on May 4.

[pyreo]

GW1 (2005) // GW2 (2015)

Auric Basin

The Falls was empty of Exalted architecture on the first visit, as Tarir and the pylons wouldn’t be built for around another 50 years. The Secret Underground Lair of Zinn can be accessed behind the waterfall as it could back then, full of disused robotics.

Given that the location was remote enough to be used for a completely hidden city, it’s noticable that, at the furthest possible point of the map from Kryta, humans built a shrine to the God of War despite having no settlements nearby. In the present day the shrine’s power can be channeled and it spawns an extremely strong Champion of Balthazar, the only shrine that can do this - as the associated god has, at this point, returned to Tyria.

“The druids were gone long before the Exalted arrived. Only their legend remains.“ “It's Old Krytan, barely visible. It says, "Long ago, we shed our human forms and became spirit guardians of the jungle. Signal...us in times of crisis, and we will be there.““

[i-mybrunettelady]

I don't feel like asking anything specific but I felt like sending an ask. Ren appreciation hour? :3

Ren appreciation hour it is! For your trouble, here's Inquisition!Ren I perfected today and that I absolutely love

Secondly, I wanna talk about names, because names are important and I wanna start by writing this:

Abaddon is formless, but she sees him anyway, blessed by him as she is. He lingers there, a curious gaze set on her, studying her face, her perfected face, a face that has felt like home for years but one she wasn't born with.

"What is your name?" he asks, patiently. The world can wait, it would seem - the god of secrets wants to know what is the name of an insignificant human woman.

Strangely enough, she isn't nervous, nor does she feel defensive. You can't lie to the god of secrets. Instead, she embraces the unique chance of total and complete honesty and replies, "I believe some people are meant to have more than one name."

Vera and Renira are two separate people. Ren doesn't identify as Vera, in the crudest possible sense of that word, anymore. When referring to Vera, she talks about someone who she is close to, who she knew intimately, but she doesn't talk about herself.

Instead, and it's taken her years to figure this out, through the fog of one hell of an identity crisis, Vera doesn't have a future and Renira doesn't have a past. Strictly, legally speaking, Vera Bellenne-Svetovid is dead, she even has a grave, and the formative years of Renira Sulver, a young child indeed born in Triskell Quay, are unknown to anyone after the Sulver family moved out there more than 20 years ago (truth is that she too is dead, and Ren knows this.)

Ren sees this as her giving a new life to two dead girls - one who borrowed her body and one who borrowed her name - and who gave way to a totally separate individual from each of them. She doesn't talk about her childhood, except for few fabricated memories (a "brother, mother and father she doesn't keep in contact with anymore") because she doesn't have any. To her closest people, she references Vera, but never says, "I was Vera and this happened to me." She speaks as if Vera told her all of this and that's how it feels. She's angry at Kryta on Vera's behalf because there is no Vera to be angry at it anymore.

The past may be Vera's, but the future is safe in Ren's hands and she will not squander it. (There's also a thing about Ren considering Vera to be the only person she can't ever disappoint in life simply because of this.)

And a fun fact to leave you with - her codename for the Elona harem undercover job was Reem, which means red in Elonian and is a nickname her gf calls her by still <3

[storm-called]

it’s 2 am, time to think about my alt commander & friends

My alt commander is Horatio Norteferro, originally Horatio Argris. He grew up in a relatively poor coastal village in southern Kryta where he was the local blacksmith’s son and expected to carry on his family’s craft. He got into a lot of trouble as a youth and ended up running with a pirate crew for a while. Eventually he had a crisis of morality and fled back to his home village only to find it mostly burnt down and his family long gone. He turned to the Seraph for a source of belonging and rose through the ranks with relative ease. Eventually he made some good connections and got roped in with the Pact commander business and defeating of Zhaitan.

His wife is Sarefini Norteferro, a noble of Divinity’s Reach coming from an old and powerful lineage. Horatio met Sarefini in the wake of Scarlet’s destruction of Lion’s Arch where Sarefini was providing aid and supplies to the city. It was a classic romantic tale, and Horatio was roped into learning all of the intricate noble customs and rules when he finally proposed.

Their son is Hesper Norteferro, born just before the hatching of Aurene. Because of the close age, the boy has basically grown up with an Elder Dragon as his strange and now-quite-large sister.

One of Horatio’s closest friends is Ophelia Targen, a noble who he met through Sarefini. She is a painter by day and a necromancer also by day, and basically a pain in her parent’s ass by night. She isn’t an official member of Dragon’s Watch, but she’s basically become an honorary member of the guild.

One of the newest additions to the team is Pyrisous, a very large and very quiet sylvari guardian. He has lycanthropy and has a tendency to become much more wolfish whenever he loses control of his emotions. In actuality, though, he’s just a big puppy.

Alongside Pyrisous came Sablewick, a half-mordrem sylvari who spent years after Mordremoth’s death searching the Mists for a cure to her dragon corruption. She found a mild solution that took away the deadened flesh and bark but left her with the substantial mordrem height and a whole lot of thorns. She also picked up a few revenants on the way and now has a bunch of ghosts yelling at her all the time.

[sylvari-bouquet]

Invasive questions for Pops! ⚙ , ⛵, 👊 , ⚔, 🌠 and 🎁!

(For engies) What was the first thing they ever built?

A small silver statue of a fern hound. A bit lopsided, but good enough for a first complete creation. It was a gift.

⛵ - Where is their favorite place to travel in Kryta?

They enjoy places like Shiverpeaks, long roads that disappear between the mountains with only few travelers. Norns are generally hospitable folk, so it’s also easy to find lodging in any settlement you come across.

Out of the major cities, they’ve come to enjoy Rata Sum most. Even though it might seem confusing to first time visitors, it’s lot easier to navigate when you learn the design and symmetry of it. Plus most of the time Asura are so focused on whatever their current project is, they really don’t pay attention to their surroundings, which makes it peaceful in a weird sense, like a busy street where no one pays attention to you.

👊 - Describe their fighting style!

Their style is going in full blast, trying to end the fight as quick as possible to avoid overheating the forge. Their style changes for more defensive when the forge is cooling off. They prefer to keep their distance if possible, but can hold their own in close combat.

⚔ - Is there a significance to the weapons they wield? Do they have names?

Currently, the sword and shield they are wielding were crystallized by Aurene (In my version of events, she gave the DW a choice to get her blessing, similar to Caithe but not as potent, and they, Taimi, Logan, Rytlock and Gorrik accepted it while Canach and Braham refused).

🌠 - A falling star twinkles in the sky. What do they wish for?

That Tyria could just chill for a while and not face a major world-ending crisis, for maybe few years?

🎁 - What kind of gift would make them the happiest?

Something in which the gift-giver put an effort in, whenever it’s something made by the giver, or something they worked hard to find, or tried to find something they’d know Papaver would like.

[strongfeelingsaboutsalads]

3 & 13 for any characters you wanna answer with!

You give me too much choice. I’m gonna go with… all of them.

3. what are their thoughts towards Queen Jennah?

My current characters are pretty boringly neutral on this, really.Lynette probably doesn’t care for her much. This has more to do with a general sense of discontentment with her own life than anything Jennah has specifically done. Regardless, it doesn’t benefit her to be outspoken on the matter, so she keeps her dissatisfaction to herself.Amara and Rasheem are kind of the inverse situation. They’re actually doing pretty well for themselves and are pretty comfy so… Yeah, Jennah seems to be doing just fine for them, they support her.Galen was never very invested in politics to begin with, but now that he’s not even technically allowed back in Kryta (or at least DR, a story I’ll have to tell at some point,) he deeply, passionately does not want to think about it.Vesh supports eating the rich.Miguel calls Lion’s Arch his home, so only cares about Krytan politics insofar as they’ll influence his trade routes, and I’m not really informed enough to guess how that would apply here.

13. are they comfortable with where they are in life? 

Lynette emphatically is not. She’s spent her entire adult life stuck in the limbo of being nearly destitute but still technically noble, and nothing she’s done feels like it’s managed to make her situation any more stable. Realistically things have been slowly improving, but three steps forward, two steps back.Amara is doing quite well for herself! She’s a sharp businesswoman who was able to use old family connections to capitalize on reopened trade routes with Elona. (Not to mention the relief that being able to actually be a woman in public brings. It’s still only been a few years for that.)Rasheem is still floating a bit directionless, existing mostly in the shadow of an older sibling. But he did find a boyfriend who’s pulling him into more philanthropic work, so that’s promising.Galen is finally stable for the first time in a long while. He was married and divorced in less than a year, had a major crisis of faith, and his long history of getting himself evicted from places culminated in getting kicked out of his country, but he seems to actually be settling well into Elona. He found someone who balances out his rashness quite well, and it turns out that having an extensive knowledge of necromantic technique is highly useful in a region with a large population of freshly liberated, sapient undead.Vesh… needs more character work. I’m not actually sure what her current situation is, just what it has been. Which for a long time was rather shit. But I want to say things are looking up?Miguel is fabulous in every possible sense. Financially stable, has an engaging and satisfying job, has a wonderful boyfriend, gorgeous, talented, and humble! He’ll tell you so himself.

[curuniel]

How about Jayna, living story s4? I'd like to see how your human warrior is doing in a post-balthazar world.

“Hah! Read ‘em and weep.” Jayna spread her cards on the table in front of her and swung back on her chair with a grin.

Her opponents grumbled, tossing their own cards down in a manner which confirmed they had nothing to rival her. As the dealer slid her winnings over she slowly swept casino tokens into her bag, taking her time and making no effort to hide her satisfaction.

“Another round, ma’am?” the attendant asked mildly. Jayna saw two of the locals at the table give her an evil look, and briefly considered playing again just to annoy them. Unfortunately, she couldn’t waste all her profits on cards.

“Not tonight.” She flashed the man who seemed most disgruntled a bright smile. “But it’s been fun. Have a lovely evening, dears, and I do hope your luck turns!”

With a little wave and a grin she left the card table and sashayed towards the bar, but not before hearing one of the Elonians mutter, “foreign bitch.”

Carefree in the manner of a mercenary with a pouch full of money and some more reliably hard cash stashed elsewhere for safe keeping (naturally), Jayna found herself a bar stool and ordered one of the Grand Sahil’s stronger specialities. Two days earlier she’d been working, smashing more of the Branded that continued to encroach on Amnoon. Since the rude revelation that Brandstorms would now be a serious threat to the city itself Amnoon’s councillors and citizens had all been in a tizzy about it - enough that they’d take the help of anyone willing to bolster the defences, at very reasonable prices. The first few jobs had been with the cavaliers but that, she’d realised, was a chump’s game. There were soft politicians and nobles in this pretty oasis who were more than willing to hire an individual fighter to protect them and their lands, and they had far less of a grasp on market rates than did Captain Rahim.

Now, however, she was done with her most recent contract and paid handsomely for it. The Free City of Amnoon had plenty of diversions for anyone looking to relax, but the Grand Sahil had quickly become a favourite haunt. Whoever this Zalambur was, and whatever truth there might be to the rumours about him, he knew how to keep a party going through a crisis or three.

“Mind if I take this seat?”

Jayna looked up, her glass halfway to her lips, and found a reasonably good-looking Elonian man wearing tight braids and a silk coat smiling down at her. She took her time to take a sip and savour the taste of the cocktail, leaving him hanging before answering, “by all means.”

He sat, favouring her with what she suspected was his best ‘non-threateningly confident charm’ smile. It was pretty good.

“I’d offer to buy you a drink, but -”

Jayna met his eyes and tipped back her glass, quickly draining it of its entire high-alcohol contents.

“Maybe I should be buying you drinks. It seems Sandstorm agrees with me,” she said, jiggling her bag to let him hear the clack of tokens within it.

There was a long pause.

“But you’re not,” he observed.

“Well,” she said sweetly, “you did offer.”

The man chuckled to himself. “Vabbian red for me and another of those for the lady,” he instructed the bartender, producing some coins. As the drinks were poured he gave her another smile, perhaps a little more calculating this time, and said “I’m Leshan. And you don’t seem like you’re from around here. Tyrian?”

“Krytan, yes. The name’s Jayna.” She took the glass the bartender offered her and tipped it gently towards Leshan. “Cheers.”

“Cheers,” he agreed, and they clinked their glasses and each took a sip. “Now, forgive me if I’m being presumptuous, but I would venture those aren’t the arms of a merchant. What do you do, Jayna? What brings you all the way to fair Amnoon?”

“This casino brings me back to Amnoon,” she laughed, feeling the alcohol sit pleasantly in her head now, “but I’ve seen plenty of the less ‘fair’ parts of your country. I’m a fighter. Don’t let the dress fool you.” It was a new one, another gift to herself for a job well done.

“Oh no, only distract me,” he shot back, and she grinned despite herself before hiding the expression behind another sip. “A fighter, huh? Long way to come for a fight. Does Kryta not have wars? Maybe I should visit.”

“Maybe you should - I hear your people wiped out the centaurs in Elona. We could go for a little of that in Kryta.”

Leshan’s expression sobered a little. “Must be a bit of a hard time for you though. Given the, uh... gods situation.”

Jayna sipped. “What of it? Not much changed from where I’m sitting.”

Gaping, he said “but - I mean, you must have heard - Balthazar - the Forged are all over the desert and now they’re saying He was -” Leshan glanced around at the people near them, lowered his voice and hissed, “killed. The Lord of War Himself!”

“Oh, I know,” she retorted, “I just don’t care. Well, scratch that; I’m glad the bastard’s dead, it serves him right for showing his face here.”

Leshan was just staring at her now. She’d seen the look before - the face of someone who has just heard flippant blasphemy and is waiting for the lightning to strike. Well, it never had yet, she reflected.

“Look, I’ve been a mercenary for almost ten years now. And yes, I offered more than a few prayers to Balthazar in my younger days, everyone did. But do you know what I never witnessed? Divine intervention.” Jayna set down her glass, crossed her legs and leaned forward. She didn’t miss the way he shuffled very slightly back. “Never did those prayers lead to anything that I’d credit to a god. Sometimes we were victorious, sure, because we fought hard. Sometimes we had to retreat, and we made that decision and kept ourselves alive. Not once did Balthazar deign to show himself then, in the thick of real battle. No matter how much anyone prayed.”

“Well,” Leshan ventured, handsome face looking significantly less comfortable with the conversation, “they say that a warrior is Balthazar’s instrument, through you-”

“And then!” she continued, ignoring him, buoyed along by the drink. “Then he does show up, among us once more after lifetimes of neglect, and what does he do? Reward his faithful? Crush the charr? Of course not! He hasn’t shown any interest in that for the last few hundred years, why should he now? And where is merciful Dwayna, or Melandru the protector of all life? Nowhere to be found. Clearly, they don’t care enough to actually intervene, actually do anything about anything.

He was squirming now, Jayna noticed with some satisfaction. His wine sat forgotten on the counter beside him.

“Kormir is said -”

“Kormir is the worst of them,” Jayna said flatly. “She’s supposed to have been a human before she was a goddess. In this very land, right? The priests won’t shut up about it. She fought wars like the rest of us, not that long ago, in god time. She should remember. Remember us. But it’s the same crap. She can’t, she won’t. A god’s not worth a damn if they won’t give us a thing in return.”

She took up her drink and once more drained it, then slammed the empty glass down on the bar with enough force to rattle his. “Gods. Fuck ‘em.”

There was a long silence. When he’d recovered a little Leshan said with false levity, “well Jayna, it was nice to meet you, but I -”

“Save your effort,” Jayna sneered, meaner than she’d meant to be. He’d been moving as if to stand, but she stood first. “I need some air.”

Turning her back on the floundering man she slung her bag back on her shoulder and strode for the exit, and people instinctively made way for her as she crossed the floor.

[khorren]

Day 1 - Your first (or oldest) and newest characters.

GW2 30 Day Challenge

I technically made Khorren, my sylvari mesmer first, but she was remade about 2 weeks later because I didn't like her placeholder appearance. So as it stands now, my oldest surviving character is my human ele, Alexis Fae.

Her original look.

How she is now.

She and her sister Madison were born and raised in Ebonhawke. Their grandfather quandered away the family's fame and fortune from the lineage of Lexine Fae, one of the Chosen who escaped Ascalon when it was destroyed by the charr. They have no love for the Monarchy or for Kryta,  and it wasn't until the battle for Lion's Arch when they both had a crisis of faith and changed their beliefs. Madison's was as a result of divine intervention, and Alexis just hurt from seeing all the devistation. She originally came to loot and ransack the place amidst the chaos, but ended up becoming the Hero of Lion's Arch.

My newest is my Norn Reaper, Aisling Ulvstrom. I wanted to make a light Norn character for the cultural top.

She's not part of my Ulvstrom family by blood, but was taken in by them when her father was lured in by Dragon. She's a Raven Shaman who hopes to be Raven's Havroun one day. For now she looks after Raven's shrines. And will keep an eye on the Wolf ones in honor of her father. He was lost to Dragon, but she chooses to remember him before these times. While meditating at Raven shrines, she can take over the sight of birds, and uses this to scout ahead for hunting and survival purposes. Her deep understanding of the Mists and the Underworld allows her to make some coin in funerary services to humans.

[thefreelanceangel]

Hello again! Do you create characters differently for rp than for narratives or short stories? If so, what're some important things to keep in mind when dreaming up an rp character?

That’s adorable. You’re implying I actually plan characters or have a method. :D {No, seriously, I’m the worst person to ask about “character creation processes” because I have none.} However… 

In all fairness, I’ll say this– I have yet to actually create a character specifically for a novel. (I suck at short stories.) Except for “hey I need a name to fill in a role here,” all of my characters in my fiction are derived from RP characters designed waaaaaaaaaaaaay back in the day. 

All of my @brandenburgva characters were created as NPCs and I’ve developed them through both RP and personal writing. And their creation? Literally a slightly less graphically-restricted version of my MMO character creation process. 

That goes along the lines of:

get makeover kit

fiddle with sliders and settings

like what I see

realize I have no name

scan through list of names already used

dig up lists of baby names

finds name that sounds really cool

names character

looks at class/race/gender

compares to other pre-existing characters

says “fuck it” and dives into some form of RP

figures out everything else later

No, that’s… literally it. That is how I make characters. It’s how I made my Brandenburg characters, too, albeit I didn’t have a makeover kit/sliders to fiddle with and often had to come up with names off the top of my head. {This is why I have an agoraphobic optimistic Goth bookstore owner named Spider. Such imagination, wow.}

However, if I was going to sit down and try to make a character without having a specific goal/plot in mind or someone else’s character I was angling to play off of, I’d probably do the above. 

And then I’d come up with a “hook.” Want an example? Let’s do examples. It’s slow at work, it’s 1:40 AM for me and we love examples. 

I’ve recently made an engineer named Alexis Linser. Now all I had to go off of initially was a level 80 engineer that I wanted to ID kit into a usable character. My engineers have been female, so I went with tradition. She’s going to be in the Blackclaw Mercenaries, and I’ve already had a female engineer in there (oh, Chessi) so I figured “TRADITION” and made a blonde engineer. 

Now when you make a score of alts, it’s important to avoid playing the same character over and over again under a different name. Chessi was derpy, sweet, incompetent and almost violently optimistic. I knew Chessi’s history so I knew what to avoid repeating for Alexis. 

I’d been considering a Kurzick/Luxon mix because that’s just rife with possible backstory. Lo and behold, her grandmother is a Kurzick necromancer and her grandfather was a Turtle Clan Luxon elementalist. Both grandparents shared their respective cultures with their son and, eventually, their granddaughter. Alexis knows how to dress up like a lady and conduct herself in “proper society,” but she’s a blacksmith by trade, specializing in armorsmithing. 

{Why not fishing/piracy like her father? She gets horribly seasick.}

Her parents died in the “Crisis in Kryta” metaplot (because why not?) and her grandmother is her only living relative. She visits her grandmother very often, lives in Divinity’s Reach and spends a lot of time in Lion’s Arch. Alexis is friendly, open, morally rather grey and doesn’t believe in dictating how people live their lives. She takes people as they come rather than forming expectations about them. 

I made it a point to include hooks in every aspect of her brief backstory. Her grandparents are Kurzick and Luxon–someone with either cultural background could recognize the piece of petrified wood from the Echovald that she wears on a choker chain or the jade turtle piercing in her left ear. Her profession gives someone a reason to approach her–being a blacksmith, she can create household objects or fashion a suit of armor. Her range of preferred locations makes it easy for her to be “in the right place at the right time” in order to meet up for RP. 

When you have an established circle of RP connections, you can play the “Billy Badass” characters that brood, huff, stare morosely at others and don’t say a damn thing. Those people already know they’ll have to be the ones to engage you and that certain approaches just won’t work.

However, if you’re going to make an RP character for public RP, you need to create a proactive, approachable character that’s willing to give others something to react to. Shy characters are fine, but they have to spill a drink, ask a question, be terrified of bugs, do something that’s going to encourage others to interact with them. 

That’s the biggest tip I have for creating an RP character: make the character easy to engage with, whether by having them be a proactive, talkative, outgoing sort or by having them noticeably react when others are present, drinking, talking, etc. As a whole, RPers like to ‘react’ instead of ‘act.’ Be the one that gives them something to react to. 

[cvik]

To Lord Cristian Eskara, Ahai!

It is hoped you remain in good health. You are likely quite busy as word from the front is that the war in Lake Doric is starting to let up. And yet, the destruction remains.

It is this we at the Consulate write to you. On the 34th of Phoenix, Ossan Quarter will welcome refugees of the conflict into the district. All in thanks to the generous donation made in Lady Lu Saiyuki’s name.

Further, the Seraph and Shining Blade will be on hand to process the refugees and administer medical exams. After they will take part in a Lyssan water ceremony, and finally shown to one of three housing units with a care package.

We look forward to meeting yourself and Lady Lu.

Six bless!

Cordially, Lady Nela Aurum

@cristianeskara a reminder for the refugee event in Ossan Quarter on May 4 at 9pm ET | 6pm PT. We hope you and your SB friends can make it and participate by ensuring our refugee NPCs are who they say they are. Also if there is a SB medic who wants to help with the physicals.

[dezigrar-ic]

71st of Scion, 1328

I met with Ash Ambassador Quill Burlpoint and the Brevet of Plague Warband, Gaius Plaguespear tonight. 

We discussed that I’d like to hire the warband for sample collection and help with my research. Plaguespear turned down the offer of taking on researchers, as he needs them elsewhere, but he will provide his members for the ‘gruntwork’.

They will be paid to acquire samples from Ascalon first, then perhaps into Kryta... I am keen to move them into the nation not only for a more in depth look into the sprouting areas of the Rot, but also as a form of my own game. I would like to see them viewed by Krytans as an ally, rather than an enemy. Perhaps if commoners see the Charr helping to find a Cure, their opinion will adjust.

I will send Plaguespear and his outfit a detailed account of how to identify the Rot in dirt and plant samples so that they can prevent the possibility of tracking it through their destinations and risk spread. Disposable clothing - over the shoes at the very least - is suggested.

[calicotourniquet]

“FUCK!”  The book slammed down on the pile with an angry slap of leather hitting leather.  Yet another dead end, yet another book of nothing and hours wasted.  Calico looked down at the blank pages in front of her.  It’d been nearly two weeks since she’d come up with any new theories on the blight and it was starting to get to her.  

Jasper squawked from his perch, rather annoyed that his afternoon preening session had been so rudely interrupted.  Callie capped the mahogany pen and pushed it away, tearing the glasses from her face and tossing them down.  After rubbing her tired eyes,  her arms crossed on the desktop and her head lowered down to rest on her forearms with an exhausted sigh.  What wasn’t she getting?  What was she missing?  She’d created a bandage, not a cure..it wasn’t good enough..

[thelittleredminx]

RESEARCH REPORT - THE SYLVARI ROT

7th, Season of Scion, 1328 AE

Two days ago I conducted a soil test analysis on a sample portion of soil obtained from the Krytan Freeholds; one of the regions where the Crop Blight severely affected the farmers of Queensdale. Soil testing provides valuable information on important soil characteristics, though what it has done is that it has provided me with necessary data regarding whether it has also been polluted and infected by the Blight and can be transferred from plants to the soil itself. Following this report, I shall be detailing possible solutions and remediation options as to go about resolving the contamination of soil. These are possible suggestions that cannot and have not yet been tested. 

Soil Testing: 

Organic Carbon Percentages ~

Organic Carbon is the measurement of organic matter present in the soil, i.e. plant and animal residue. If there is a lack of organic matter within the soil, the percentage of organic carbon will be of a low result. Presently, there is a low percentage of organic carbon at an approximate percentage level of 2.2% in low - medium rainfall conditions. Soil organic carbon is the basis for soil fertility, which justifies the affects the soil has had on the growth and development of crops and plants. 

Soil PH Levels ~

Despite my initial assumptions the acidity or alkalinity levels are at an neutral standing value of 7, meaning that they are neither too acidic based or alkaline based. This alludes to the function that the Soil PH levels are not associated with plant nutrients, that the illness present in the soil is moving too slowly to have a drastic impact on the plants, where the plants, through the roots more likely are having more of a detrimental impact on soil.

Phosphorous ~

Phosphorous is an essential element for plant growth and is vital for early root formation. This is an aspect that makes me assume that the contamination of the Rot Fungi can be found be in the soil and furthermore, may in fact be the reason for the infection of the soil in the farm regions. However, that being said it’s development is slow, which makes me question whether the illness has been spread from plant to soil rather than the other way around. Olsen P results have found that the level of Phosphorous is not low, but marginal at 10kg availability.  

Salinity Levels ~

Soil salinity is a measure of the total soluble salts present in the soil. High levels of soluble salts in the root zone may affect water and nutrient intake and may adversely affect plant growth. Due to most of the farmers regions behind of mostly pastures, crops and legumes, there is generally a low level of salinity in the soil, this level of 2.78 ECe is considered normal, meaning that the soil cannot possibly affect the contamination of the plants from their roots. 

Soil Contamination Solution:

As a result of what I have discovered from the soil testing undertaken and from my additional servitude to books and encyclopedia over the past few days, I have determined that the most effective, albeit costing solutions to the soil contamination would be to excavate the regions affected. Undoubtedly, this would prove disastrous for farmers, but it would perhaps enable the chance for the Rot to be easily targeted by researchers and would minimize one extraneous variables. I also suggest, that the soil be treated and then replaced by new soil in order to ensure that there is no longer a presence of the Rot. 

This may prove to be troubling for many individuals, to that I also suggest the prospect of  Bioremediation, which is where specific plants or fungi are utilized to naturally break down hazardous materials in the soil. 

[reapers-blades]

Found the tomb. Met some murellows along the way, and managed to mess up my leg as a result. It was not a high point for me. But my woes are the least of the issues right now. Araxus and the Larkspurs had been attacked. He had been run through with a bloody greatsword. Thankfully, Estel had been in the area and was able to help keep him alive. He was not looking good when I visited, but he will live. That is what is important. Darius Marwin was behind it, apparently. A man who I know has decided to help with the whole commoner uprising or revolt or whatever that yakshit was. Things go far deeper, however. I am told there is a very good chance that he is tied to the Faceless. And it just so happened that Elidryn approached Estel and I about some potential upcoming Faceless activity.  I do not think this is a coincidence. Running around the city to relay information and the like was not easy in my current condition, but it was important. Sozyn wished to know what I had learned from Araxus. It was not within my plan to get involved with the whole revolution issue. But things are not as simple as they seem. And friends and allies’ lives have been endangered. And are still in danger.

[katyavblack-blog]

Sales are already going down, and fast. People need food more than clothes, he said. I’ve got to find a way around this. Now.  I won’t let this so-called ‘Rot’ be my downfall.

Reminder: make an appointment with Saul—as soon as possible.