#champions defending tyria

[rostomanologist]

"she never asked for her hunt. she needed help. so i provided. i took her pain"

once known as commander anemona, the pale fugitive is now in eternal run. she did what she could during zhaitan and mordremoth campaigns - and broke after, being not ready for the fight and, moreover, never being asked if she was.

once known as alba, the pale fugitive is now rejected and lost. an ancient dragon, scion of mordremoth purified ages ago, she spent most of her life hiding. her attempts to favor and help people in maguuma were fruitless, so she laid low, trying to defend herself from her master. and when he died, she started to wither.

once being separate people, they are now one person with a lot of secrets.

the dragon desperately wanted to live, whereas the valiant craved for death. so they had a deal. they merged. alba consumed anemona, took everything belonging to her - body, memories, duty - and provided her rest, promising to continue her legacy.

she fulfilled it. and when aurene, the only one who knew about true nature of her champion, departed to slumber, she opened up to tyria. probably was a mistake.

so she had to run again, now to the mists.

just to seek shelter in other tyria that never knew her.

[rosewoodroad]

I present this absolutely crackpot swap!AU idea:

The Commander as an Elder Dragon, and Aurene as their champion.

I imagine, in contrast to Aurene's youth, the "Commander" would have already been around for a while- much younger than their aunts and uncles but still well-versed in worldly experiences like Vlast was. But their need to protect and defend Tyria never wavers even as millennia pass them by, though their purpose continues to be unreachable, intangible.

Maybe they've taken to mortal disguise like Navan, travelling and helping those in need.

Maybe they are still the "Commander," just... not Tyrian.

Then one day, they feel it- the birth of the little girl who would be their Champion, the one to aid them to their final destination. Except she's a long way to go until she's ready, and ever the guardian they are, the Commander feels the need to parent protect her until she's prepared to fulfill her duty by their side.

But that's all just my extrapolation on how I interpret the Commander's character. What would your Commander be like as an ED? What would be their Domains, if not Crystal and Light? Who would be their parent, if any?

[madame-cookie]

Nuadhane (they/them) Rank: Legendary

A newborn sylvari fatally wounded and asleep for years, only brought to waking life by the aid of a certain magical sword. In their separation from the Dream of Dreams and the Pale Tree, they owe all that they know to the secondhand knowledge of the magical sword's former champion.

Nuadhane possesses disproportionate strength for a creature of their size, easily being able to tear through boulders with their bare hands. During a hunting expedition against an unchained champion of the late Elder Dragon Zhaitan, they revealed themselves as a sworn defender of the forests and lands of Tyria. In a proclamation against their opposition, and a demonstration of their convictions, they leapt up to the massive wyvern-- the likes of which had single-handedly swarmed some of the better-defended places in all of Tyria-- and fell the beast unconscious with a single mighty punch upon the middle of its head.

They wander the forests of Tyria in an endless call to protect the land from those who would harm it, drawn to places significant to Melandru and her followers. Despite not being a follower, the champion believes the two of them likely draw their true sense of strength from the same source: the heartbeat of Tyria.

[archesa]

have 1, 6, 13, and 15 from the gw2 asks for anwen, if you’d like! :) @kerra-and-company

Thanks for the ask 💜 I'm also working on your pens, promise! 🖊️ Time for Anwen loving-hours💙

Your character is now the leader of their species, whatever that looks like for them (Arcane Council member, Imperator, Royalty, etc). How do they govern and what sorts of changes would they make if any?

Oh would she not make a resplendent queen? 🥰

As a successor to Salma's line, she'd probably have to prove herself over and over again. Sure, she has a reputation, as a viscountess and as the Commander, but she is not exactly beloved by her fellow nobles and she's made a few enemies amongst the ministers.

So the first few months / years of her reign would be very hard on the Shining Blade's nerves, for as Queen, Anwen would endeavour to purge the corruption in her government, and install a strong parliament, with representatives of every trade, every social class, every village and settlement in Kryta, to discuss and decide on the politics within her borders.

She would personally take great joy in working on foreign affairs, especially considering that she's on first-name basis with more than half of the rulers of the world.

And she'd be very adamant about Orr keeping her independence.

They're now a heart NPC/part of a string of quests. What does that involve?

Help Anwen Evergreen tend to Caer Aval :

Defend the garden plots against Risen threats, prune the fire orchids before they invade the greenhouses, use seed pouches to grow new plants, bring aid to the stranded botanists.

What is the worst/funniest/dumbest article that could be written about them in Tyria's trashiest gossip mag?

Let's start with worst! Since Anwen's got a... reputation in Divinity's Reach... She's probably rumoured to be a brute (defenestration of a suitor, breaking and entering a minister's property with the Seraph, killing said minister in trial by combat, killing Zhaitan, leaving a trail of embers in her wake through the Heart of Maguuma, slamming the door of the Pact... etc.) and some people would tend to vilify her less than dainty appearance. She's strong, tall, bulky with robust shoulders and big thighs, and overall does not care about her appearance as much as would be expected from a Lady. So the most mean-spirited slander-sheet will gladly publish something along this line :

Centaur-face menace is back in ton!

As for the trashiest...

The Commander's stretching routine! (It works!)

What is their favorite and least favorite part of being the commander (or whatever role they play in your canon)?

Not that she'd admit it but... she enjoys being in charge. Preparing an assault and seeing it go perfectly according to the plan, working on the supply lines so the soldiers are well fed, well armed, well healed, and the civilian populations won't suffer too greatly from the tragic events at hand. Providing hope when there is not much to be found.

Her least favorite part, of course, is being the one to shoulder all the blame when things go awry, and the difficult decisions that are the burden of leaders. Announcing their loved ones that soldiers lives were lost. Sending an unit to certain death to further the advance of another so they would gain some ground and hope one day to secure complete victory. The necessary sacrifices have always felt bitter. And no longer being in charge of the Pact felt like a relief because neither her not Trahearne would have to live with the consequences of such decisions. (or so they thought)

The decisions she has to make as Aurene's Champion are... different. They feel different. But the price to pay for one mistake is higher than ever. The people who die, who sacrifice for their cause are no longer distant faces in a crowd and names on casualties report. They're friends, and siblings, and mentors, and innocents...

They're Vlast. They're Blish. They're Soo Won.

[uselessidiotsquad]

Should you fight my characters? Plant Flavor!

Back at it with more!

Riaghael

Battle Music: Saltillo - A Necessary End

Should you fight Riag? Look I get it, you get it, even he gets it - he's not the most amiable person in the world. He's usually grumpy and sometimes even an asshole. He wouldn't even be mad at if you if you tried to fight him. But no one is winning from this fight. You will likely feel like crap trying to fight someone who (is trying but) cannot fight back, and guaranteed he will feel even worse. Trying to fight someone who is well aware of that they aren't what they used to be is a little mean - so please don't fight the grump.

Who initiates the battle? You would have to, he knows he can't win in fights anymore so he doesn't try to start anything.

Who would win? You would. He physically can't wield weapons anymore and mentally/psychologically is unable to deal with the stress of it. It wouldn't even be a fair fight, he would summon minions to try to defend himself but that's it. You would still be able to take him down pretty quickly.

Deiliús

Battle Music: anoice - finale

Should you fight Dei? They are the least threatening person you can encounter. ...so why on Tyria would you? The only reason I could ever see someone trying to fight them is them being a rigid 'All NMC are evil and must die' type of person. They have all the strength of wet tissue paper and are allergic to conflict. Don't fight them. You stand nothing to gain from it (besides my unwavering disapproval).

Who initiates the battle? You would HAVE to. They would expend all of their energy just trying to run from you than have to fight. Even if cornered they would try to fend off attacks but not fight back.

Who would win? There's no question that you would win. It would be like kicking a stray cat on the street that had just gotten its ass kicked from other cats. Their magic is illusion based for concealment or psychological harm (which they hated using and only did in the past because they were forced to) not for attacking. It wouldn't even really be a fight, it would be you kicking their ass.

Under the cut to save your dash!

Naechdion

Battle Music: Shadow of the Colossus OST - Silence

Should you fight Dion? No! Absolutely not! He's minding his own business in the Wychmire and is already scared of everything. Leave him be.

Who would initiate the battle? You would have to start it - but that means finding him first. He's very good at hiding.

Who would win? You would, but then you would probably have to fight me because Dion doesn't deserve to be picked on. He's bad at Guardian magic and scared of everything, he would probably be shaking in a corner as soon as you got anywhere near him.

Ruby Aenn

Battle Music: Dallas String Quartet - Firework

Should you fight Ruby? Ruby is always up for a good fair sparring session. Actual fights, she thinks can be avoided with enough discussion but sparring for practice is fun! She's game for a bit of a spat if you are!

Who would initiate the fight? 50/50! She might want to warm up before a bigger skirmish and ask you to spar with her. Or perhaps you feel like trying the Prismatic Dragon's Champion on for size.

Who would win? Ruby has some very clear strong points and weaknesses. For one, she's tiny, just at 4'9, so her center of balance makes her harder to take down. Most especially challenging is that she changes her fight strategy depending on which pet she is soulbound to. So that's tricky. However, it is easy to bait while attuned to specific animals and that makes her slip up because the animal side wins. It would be fair!

Madrúil

Battle Music: The Dali Thundering Concept - There is no Calm Before the Storm (Instrumental)

Should you fight Mad? Oh god, please kick his ass. He has made life hell for a lot of innocent people and deserves to get the shit kicked out of him. You would be making a lot of people happy.

Who would initiate the fight? Chances are Mad would since he thinks with his fists more often than his brain. Or he would be trying to abduct you for his hounds to 'play with' so you had to defend yourself.

Who would win? Tricky. Mad is good at both long range with his bow and close melee with axes, but struggles at mid-range. If you have something that can keep him just close enough to you to not be able to use his long bow but not so close you meet the axe, you can probably out last him. That is until he goes full chicken shit and gets other Blasphemy goonies to try and waylay you. He's not above being a slime ball to win.

Countess Diamhasla

Battle Music: Romanian Folk Dances, Sz 56: III. Pe-loc - Andante

Should you fight Diam? PLEASE DO. Can I help? I would love to help. We can throw her down a well. She sets people up for failure, and when they are at their most vulnerable she 'saves' them, only to then hold that over their head to get what she wants. She's fragile and has poor health but I'm not above beating her leafy head in with a mallet.

Who would initiate the battle? You would, she doesn't do fighting. Usually letting her henchmen do the dirty work for her. Half of the issue of fighting her is actually getting to her, she's fairly well defended.

Who would win? She's scary good at earth magic, so the key would be to interrupt her before she can summon too many elementals or the huge earthen hands to grab you. If you can hit hard and fast, you win, easy. But if you let her get too many spells off it's looking like she will win.

Warden Captain Cálguais

Battle music: Andry Vinogradov - Chain Dance

Should you fight Cal? They're the most honorable (to the point of being insufferable) person to fight. If you asked for an honorable dual they would be happy to oblige you but in any other situations they would not. To spar for the sake of improvement (since they will be telling you the whole time where you could have done better) sure! Fight them!

Who would initiate the battle? Either you asking to spar with them or them training baby Wardens and asking you to spar as an example.

Who would win? Likely you would, but not easily. They are pretty competent at fighting but they tend to be rigid and fixed in their training they learned so they can't always adapt to new threats.

Glanaim

Battle music: Gallowstreet - Fisticuffs

Should you fight Glan? Sure, as long as you realize he treats fighting like flirting half the time. Morally he's a grey person so you don't have much to lose by fighting him. He doesn't kill people unless he's paid to do so so go for it!

Who would initiate the fight? Depends! If he's in a good mood, he'll ask you to spar with him. Otherwise you'd have to approach the topic.

Who would win? If you give him any distance at all, he will win so fast it makes your head spin. He's a sniper, and a damn good one at that. If you go after him in melee you have a very strong chance of winning, since he's not as good with pistols as he is with his rifle. (bonus there's a high chance he asks you out for a drink and then a rematch later).

Caonai

Battle Music: Skyrim OST - Tooth and Claw

Should you fight Cao? I don't recommend it. She doesn't see the point of fighting without killing - so if you challenge her one of you is going down for good. Plus she's an older lady who just is trying to care for her siblings. Sure, she may not have social skills, but she keeps to herself.

Who initiates the battle? If she thinks you are going to harm her siblings or pose a threat to the remnants of her family, she will absolutely start it. And give you no warning, you will just have a Norn sized, winter-hardened Warrior after you.

Who would win? Cao would win unless you run away mid-fight. She fights to kill, not to spar. While she is not as strong as some of my other kiddos, she is very slow and unyielding. She aims to break your defenses before going in for any major damage with her mace. If you run, she might not chase you - having tired herself out.

Caemdryn

Battle Music: LORN - ENTANGLED

Should you fight Caem? Honestly, it's up to you. While he is not a bad person, he has so much anger (mainly at Charr and the Jungle but it bleeds over) that it makes him a twat at times. Would there be any major negatives to getting rid of him? No. Any positives? Not really.

Who would initiate the battle? I think you would have to but it wouldn't take much. All it would take is a comment about Sylvari being dragon minions in any shape or form to get him defensive and then he will be after you.

Who would win? In close quarters, Caem, hands down. He hits hard and fast and has no small amount of fury/unhinged behind it. At distance he can't really attack but he can block and shield himself from most projectiles. Best bet would be to try and slow/cripple him and then get him from range so he can't close the space.

[soulbeastdragon]

Don't mind this post, it's a quick Personal Story recap (up to Claw Island) for my own ref. Feel free to ignore this!

Act 1 (Sylvari Personal Story) Ch1 - Following the Dream Ch2 - The Teachings of Ventari Ch3 - Justice for Riannoc

🔲🔲🔲🔲🔲

Act 2 The Orders Ch4: Order Neophyte The character witnesses a meeting between the members of Destiny's Edge. They then meet with their new order, are assigned a new mentor, and are sent on their first mission, where they prove themselves worthy of becoming a full member.

Priory - Dredging up the Past https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Dredging_up_the_Past Whispers - Stealing Secrets https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Stealing_Secrets Vigil - A Fragile Peace https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/A_Fragile_Peace

💠💠💠 Ch5: Helping Hands The character's order assigns them the task of assisting one of the tribal races of Tyria (note not all racial sympathy plotlines are available for each playable race). The character will assist in one of the following:

[Choices for Sylvari]

Champion's Sacrifice https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Champion's_Sacrifice Bad Ice https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Bad_Ice Rat-Tastrophe https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Rat-Tastrophe

💠💠💠 Ch6: The Battle of Claw Island The character's order sends them on a mission that leads them to discover that Lion's Arch is Zhaitan's next target. The character and the mentor leave for Claw Island to defend it, but the fortress is lost. From there, the order sends the character and Trahearne to gain an ally for retaking the island fortress. Each order has the choice between two potential allies:

Priory characters can make use of stolen dredge weaponry or get help from Carys and Tegwen.

Order of Whispers characters must decide whether to use a weapon made from Professor Gorr's research or to enlist the help of Benn Tenstrikes and his mercenaries.

Vigil characters chose either Fibharr or the competitive Charr: Snarl and Galina.

After bolstering the pact, Trahearne suggests visiting the Pale Tree to get her advice. She offers a vision of the future, taking the character and Trahearne to Orr. After returning from the vision, the pale tree gives the sword Caladbolg to Trahearne.

This sequence ends with defense of the character's order's headquarters, the creation of the unified Pact with Trahearne as its military commander, and the retaking of Claw Island.

[mistfallengw2]

[I know this is late as heck but it's been in my drafts for over a month and I didn't want to throw it away]

Okay so, for starters: to me a revenant is just some person who develops a strong connection to the Mists that allows them to channel powers and entities from there, and it usually happens after going in the Mists for long enough, by forging a "bond" with something powerful in there or by "absorbing too much Mists juice(?)" in some manner. Very generic and applicable to most things, and yes technically it means that ritualists and norn shamans are like one lil' step removed from being revenants, but that's part of the charm.

Anyway, here's a quickfire answers for my four revs:

Aurelia

She became a sort of revenant (proto-revenant?) by training to be Glint's Champion/Herald, after she accidentally ended up in the Mists and the dragoness's spirit promised her a way out and the power to kill Kralkatorrik. Too bad she fucked up during said training and ended up getting lost in the Mists, having a majorly bad time as her rev powers developed without control, barely surviving [redacted] and getting stuck in an unstable fractal for a long time. All of that makes her a fairly dysfunctional revenant who at first couldn't use her powers efficiently (trauma-induced amnesia will do that to you, I guess) and still can't create proper rifts to the Mists.

Aurelia can channel all canon legends, though Glint slowly gets replaced by Aurene as time passes and, at the height of the fight with Soo-Won, Kalla gets replaced by her late warband.

-

Flom

His krewe was sucked into a rift while doing Mists-related experiments to further portal technology for the Inquest, and he was the only one who survived the encounter with the demonic entity on the other side (krewe attacked it, it defended itself, only Flom ran and hid). When the entity touched him, it accidentally used its powers on Flom and a connection was forged, and the asura was somehow able to reopen the rift to escape. After a ton of Inquest experimentation that made the situation worse, he was freed and given the help and tools he needed to find out that the demonic being was a Margonite, specifically one who had been suffering solitude in exile for so long due to its betrayal of Abaddon that it had forgotten even its past and full name. Zar'gol never meant any harm to Flom specifically, the whole experience having been overwhelming for it as well, but it is now overjoyed to be able to experience Tyria again through Flom, so they end up becoming buddies.

In-game, Zar'gol's powers are pretty much Mallyx's, though more varied and flexible to allow the use of other legends as well. Given that Flom doesn't really know how to fight in general, Zar'gol ends up possessing his body a lot more often than in-game revs can do, and they get to be a little feral together when necessary.

-

Eurys

She's not a full revenant, but a mix between one and a druid, and she was molded by the extremely strong connection to the Dream she had and still has. While she never physically traveled to the Mists, her powers manifested before she even awakened, allowing her to experience the Mists from within the Dream. Once she awoke, taking an unusually long time due to Mordremoth's demise being less than a year prior, she discovered she was able to channel echoes from the Dream in a rev-like way.

In-game she uses a mix of all legends, but Eurys favors Ventari whenever possible. They're all stand-ins for the various sylvari she summons (rarely the same), and the only one that's the a constant is Ventari being replaced by Morwen. She was the one Eurys felt drawn to before she even awakened, experiencing all of Morwen's memories she could reach, both good and bad. When Morwen's snow owl found her, she fully devoted herself to the belief that Morwen's legacy was her Wyld Hunt. While Eurys knew she was her own person, her instinct was to "be Morwen" for those who mourned her, and it took her a while to find a balance between living her own life and bringing comfort and closure to those strangers she cared for through memories that didn't belong to her. Due to that, she mainly focuses on healing, but she's ready to be deadly if it's what's necessary to protect others.

-

Wraith [no pic available since I'm unsure about some design elements: just imagine a young female norn with scars and blue tattoos on her face + white hair]

When she was still a young teen, she and her family were traveling in the Shiverpeaks when a blizzard hit them, and only she survived, nearly dying as well before something in her mind rallied her and guided her to safety. She had assumed that was Snow Leopard's influence, but it turned out to be Jormag's... sort of. In short, she was channeling an echo of their essence, and the Elder Dragon had no direct control over her, only being able to communicate through instincts, emotions or minions sent to keep an eye on her and guide her. She was such an oddity, immune to whispers and whatnot yet ready to listen, and Jormag wanted to observe her, and later on they managed to find a way to more easily communicate with her. Over the years, Wraith's role became to hunt down any Svanir that the "whispers" told her to eliminate, and rumors began to spread around both cultists and locals of an icy hunter that lived with Icebrood, ran with the snowstorms and killed only Sons. She was seen a lot more during Icebrood Saga, then after Jormag's defeat she disappeared and was believed to have been caught in the explosion. She somehow survived, nearly losing herself to the chaos in her mind, but a compassionate paw wanted to give her a second chance, and now Wraith uses the echoes of the Elder Dragon's powers to help those who were once oppressed by them.

In game she'd be using whatever legend, which is why I haven't made her in game yet (Eurys gets the next Revenant slot). In headcanon, she uses Jormag's powers, albeit to a much weaker extent, with some erratic moments of sudden power bursts. She doesn't know how their powers work exactly, she just "knows" to use them. Mechanically, it's all a mix of different legends, probably with a focus on chilled, vulnerability and torment.

ALRIGHT GW2BLR im not sure if ive made a post like this before but whatever

TELL ME ABOUT YOUR REVENANTS!

since the lore around them is so wonky, tell me your headcanons! how did they become a rev? what does it even mean for them (or you) to be a rev? what legends do they channel/communicate with, if any at all? if you have multiple revs, how do they and their powers differ? if theyre a rev in game but something different in your canon, why? what are they?

[storm-called]

Broken Oaths [33]

Includes spoilers for Champions: Defending Tyria

[First/Previous/Next] || [AO3]

–

Glaw ran their fingers through the shaved side of their head, feeling the prickling of the short fuzz beneath their fingertips. The new haircut was certainly different from their last. They eyed their reflection in a window for the fiftieth time, sweeping their hand over the now-short ponytail that tied their hair back and fiddling with the small braids on either side of their head.

“It looks fine, Glaw,” Braham said, also for the fiftieth time.

Glaw shot him a look and removed their hands from their head. “You let an asuran barber go at your hair while verbally berating you for a few hours.” They joined him at the railing overlooking the outskirts of Rata Sum. Crossing their arms, they leaned against Braham, not oppressively but enough to keep a constant contact.

Braham chuckled. “I think I’ll pass. It does look good, though, I promise. Very... distinguished. Norn-like.”

“I don’t look like a shaggy dolyak anymore?”

“Well, I--” Braham began. Glaw punched him lightly in the arm. “Hey! That was a leading question.”

With a snort, Glaw leaned against the railing. The asuran gate in the distance fluctuated, and Glaw watched as a figure emerged from the undulating purple. They knew that silhouette. “Is that the Commander?”

Rook greeted the pair as they crossed the forum to meet her. “Braham, Glaw. I didn’t realize you two were still out this way.”

Glaw shared a glance with Braham. “Taimi put us to work helping the scientists. This place has been bleeding destroyers left and right,” Braham explained.

“Most of the portals in the city have been closed. Can’t afford destroyers getting into the heart of the city,” Glaw added, “It’s been a long week.”

“Have either of you spoken to Taimi recently?”

“No, why?” The three of them paused outside the Hydrone Unit.

“Taimi called earlier, saying there was a signal beneath Metrica Province that was steadily getting stronger. I came over to help with evacuation efforts,” Rook said. She paused for a moment, squinting up at Glaw. “I like the haircut.”

“We could use all the help we can get, Commander. Have you ever tried to herd asura?” Braham’s tone betrayed his exasperation. Glaw hummed in agreement. Most of the asura they had had to cajole to leave their projects behind and find safety in the city had been civil, if not a bit rude, but there were one or two who had definitely tried to bite Glaw. One had succeeded until Braham had threatened to smash their hydro gun.

“I believe it will be a first,” Rook murmured. She was the first one into the Hydrone Unit, and she clapped her hands to get the attention of the asura inside. “We’ve got destroyers incoming! Time to evacuate. Everyone, get to the city!”

The asura grumbled, but most of them filed out with minimal complaints, many with machines and spare parts tucked under their arms or being toted along by golems. A few lingered, claiming they would be fine; they had security built into the lab. With a sigh, Glaw looked at Braham.

“Are you sure we can’t just leave them here?” They weren’t serious. Not... fully. But they had yet to meet another race that was as ornery and stubborn as the asura, save for maybe norn themselves.

Braham quirked his lip up in a half smile. “I think the Commander would have some strong words against that.” Another ten minutes passed before they managed to convince the last asura to leave. She went but not without a mouthful of foul language tossed over her shoulder at their trio.

“Right,” Rook said, dusting off her hands, “Taimi said she was out at the Hinterlabs. Shall we?”

Glaw wasn’t sure what to make of Taimi. She had introduced herself to Glaw as Braham’s best friend, and Braham seemed fiercely protective of her in turn. And as with any sibling relationship, they constantly annoyed each other. Glaw had witnessed the pint-sized asura fall into a full fit of yelling at Braham when he had accidentally broken a knob off of a machine, but in the same breath, she thanked him for keeping her lab free of destroyers. The large golem that dogged her every step was as equally intimidating as Taimi’s temper.

“Great, you’re all here!” Glaw heard Taimi before they saw her. She loaded herself into her golem and began to parse through things scattered around the lab. “We have a perfect sized-force to head into the caverns.”

“An expedition? At a time like this?” Rook sounded doubtful.

“Half these folks will guard the portal and help with the evacuation. Besides, this is the perfect time to go collect some rare data!” Taimi stopped in front of them. “All ready to go?”

Sighing, Rook waved a hand towards the caverns. “Let’s head out.” The four of them and a small collection of asuran peacekeepers ascended the slope up to the grotto that delved down beneath Rata Sum. From the mouth of the cave, Glaw spied a few destroyers milling around. They grimaced. Hopefully this venture would end without the need for another haircut.

“So what’s down here that’s so important?” Braham’s voice echoed strangely off the pockmarked walls.

“There’s a signal coming from deeper in the caves. I’ve not been able to duplicate it successfully in the lab. Ryland and Jormag are waiting on my analysis--my findings could help kill the fire dragon.”

“You’re okay with this alliance?” An incredulous note entered Braham’s tone. Glaw side-eyed him.

“If it means stopping Primordus... yeah,” Taimi replied. “You’re not?”

“An Elder Dragon is an Elder Dragon, Taimi. Jormag can’t be taken lightly.”

“I’m not taking it lightly,” Taimi soothed, “but Jormag’s not the one pinging my instruments. Primordus is. And at least Jormag can be reasoned with.”

“Have you ever tried to reason with an icebrood? They’re not big on talking,” Braham countered.

“What about the Svanir?” Glaw wrinkled their nose. They turned their attention away from the conversation, not wanting to hear the asura’s defense of the Sons of Svanir. They joined Rook who was trailing at the back of the group, picking off any destroyers who tried to stray too close.

“Got tired of the bickering?” she assumed as she fired off another arrow.

Glaw hummed. “Are they always like this?”

“Not usually, actually. I think they’re both just... worried. They come from similar backgrounds, so they do have a tendency to butt heads.”

“Similar backgrounds?”

Rook sighed. “Taimi was a brilliant progeny. She’s always had the pressure of living up to greatness. Braham is the son of Eir Stegalkin who is arguably the most famed norn in the modern age, and he’s always tried to measure himself by that standard. Both grew up with the expectation that they would be able to fix everything.”

Glaw looked back at the two who were still locked in debate. They broke off for a moment to crush a few bursters who had the misfortune of trying to attack them. As soon as the destroyers were dead, they were back at it again. “And who do you agree with?”

Rook considered the question. “Jormag is dangerous, and we shouldn’t trust anything they promise,” she began carefully, “but Primordus is the active threat at the moment, and Jormag is one of the few beings in Tyria capable of countering him.”

“I think Ryland’s planning something else,” Glaw admitted. They had known Jormag too long to believe the Dragon would suddenly play along after months of attempting to kill all of them.

“So do I,” Rook agreed as she joined Taimi and Braham at the front of the escort as they came to a halt. Glaw swept their gaze across the cavernous walls before following the Commander.

“This is the spot,” Taimi was saying as they approached, “Strongest readings yet.” She let her machine run, turning to Braham once more. “Look Braham, I get where you’re coming from. I do. But even if Jormag is lying, the data isn’t. Jormag isn’t the one who’s currently burning our world, killing our people, and destroying our homes. Primordus is.”

A look of hurt flickered across Braham’s face. “Jormag terrorized the norn. Made us run--remember? Run or die.”

Glaw couldn’t read Taimi’s expression from inside her golem, but her words relayed her anger. “But you’re still there, in the mountains and the snow. We had to abandon everything, and we’re not the only ones.”

“Jormag--” Braham started.

“Isn’t. Threatening. You!” Taimi exploded. Braham pulled away. “That is.” She pointed to a large destroyer roaming the cave they entered through.

Braham was silent after her outburst. He set his jaw and drew his mace, eyeing the large molten beast. Glaw huffed and unsheathed their own weapon. They followed Braham, listening as Rook urged Taimi to gather her data faster.

“You alright?” Glaw asked as they squared off with the massive destroyer. Braham’s mace slamming into its carapace was answer enough.

“Fine,” he grunted. Glaw wasn’t going to get anything else out of him, they knew. They swallowed some of their own ire they felt at Taimi’s tirade and got to work crippling the destroyer. It was easiest to deal with them, they had found, when they no longer had any of their legs to evade you with.

The creature shrieked as the steel of Glaw’s sword sliced through the ligaments of its jointed leg. The limb fell severed and twitching to the ground. One down, one to go. The beast toppled slightly before catching itself on its dagger-like arm. It swiped at Glaw with its free arm. The acrid taste of smoke hit the back of Glaw’s throat, a little too close for comfort. They muttered a curse and lurched out of the destroyer’s reach. Braham was making short work of the thick shell, and Rook and a few of the peacekeepers joined the fray.

It wasn’t long before the creature was on its knees. With a roar, Braham brought his mace down one last time onto its head. The carapace crumpled inwards, and the destroyer tied with a fizzing whine.

The tension eased out of the air, but when Glaw looked to Braham, they found him still standing beside the destroyer, mace in hand. “Everything okay?” they asked as they neared.

“Yeah,” Braham breathed, sounding distant. “I just... it was like I could feel it for a moment. I knew where it was going to be.”

Glaw glanced between Braham and the corpse. “The destroyer?” Braham nodded. “How?”

Braham heaved a breath. He met Glaw’s eyes, and their heart constricted in their chest at the lost look on his face. “I don’t know. I don’t know what’s going on with me.”

Glaw licked their dry lips. They glanced up and caught the Commander’s stare. She was watching their conversation with a measured gaze. “We’ll figure it out,” Glaw finally said.

[khorren]

Stretch Goals is becoming easier to get!

On the 23rd of March there will be a change to the "Stretch Goals" achievement from Champions. This rewards the /stretch emote, an emote that is different per race and is really cool. It's very animated and great if you're into screenshots of your character.

You may have overlooked this achievement in the past as you may have seen all the Challenge Mode (CM) versions of Dragon Response Missions (DRM) that you have to do and gone "YEEEUCH" Well the requirement for the emote has been reduced from 31 to 26.

You are gonna have to run some DRMs for the Tyrian Seal currency, but you can do this in regular normal mode either public (pugs join you) or private (solo / your party only). Don't need to tryhard it and grind it out, just do a bit each day when it takes your fancy. A DRM takes about 10-15 mins to run. If you've got any support marks left over you can turn these into seals.

So here's a quick little guide on getting those 26 achievements.

4 from just doing story : Primordus Rising, Defending Tyria, Rising Flames, Jormag's World

7 from just doing a DRM for the first time: Metrica, Brisban, Gendarran, Fields of Ruin, Thunderhead Keep, Lake Doric, Snowden

7 from getting the commune mastery point from the above DRMs

4 from Supporter: Crystal Bloom (150 Tyrian Seals) , Ebon Vanguard (150 Tyrian Seals), Deldrimor (200 Tyrian Seals), Exalted (200 Tyrian Seals) - Use Tyrian Defense Seals to buy 10 supply boxes and open them

1 from Dragon Slayer Arms Master - Cheap recipes to unlock. 5 seals each - 16 weapons. 80 seals total.

1 from "Swift cleanup" an achievement in Primordus Rising. I didn't even try for this one it just sort of ... happened. So it must be straight forward :D

So that's 24 accounted for. Nearly there!

3 of the boss CMs are pretty simple. You just need to active the boss CM, so you don't need to worry about doing it in any time limit.

Fields of Ruin - Make sure you're in the green circle every time during the final boss fight.

Lake Doric - Break the breakbar every time it comes up. Putting down a portable waystation and taking the EMP skill will help a lot and then make sure you have some decent CC to take down the other half of the bar.

Gendarran Fields - Don't get hit by the end boss's big attack. Take your time and play at range. It has a pretty clear wind-up tell before the AoE on the ground is actually going to be a problem and just run away while that happens. Don't panic, take it slow and you'll get through the fight. If you're not sure of your skills, maybe skip this one.

If you do want to work on some of the Top Responder achievements, which are doing the DRMs with all 3 CMs active, five times each, then some of them really aren't so bad. Metrica, Caledon, Lake Doric are all pretty straight forward. And Fields of Ruin isn't too bad but if you can bring a friend or two along to help, great. You're going to want a solid build, a decent chunk of CC for the boss's breakbar, and bringing along a United Legions Waystation for the EMP CC is always a good idea.

As always, if you need me to babble more, I'll be happy to!

Happy stretching!

[the-shiniest-plant]

OC Interview: Fionnuala

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!

(I was tagged by @uselessidiotsquad and @thoseofuswhoblossom! Hi, guys!)

Introduction

Can you introduce yourself?

- Hi! I’m Fionnuala, Nuala to friends, family, and anyone who finds my name difficult to pronounce. I’m a member of the Crystal Bloom, one of Aurene’s Champions, former Slayer of the Order of Whispers, former Warden, and Maker of Friends! Nice to meet you all!

What is your Gender Identity, Orientation, and Relationship Status?

- Cisgender Female, Panromantic Demisexual, and Single. Turns out not a lot of people want to date someone who’s dragon-branded… which I can understand.

When and where were you born?

- I was born in the Grove about…. Five minutes after midnight… sometime in the Season of the Phoenix, in… 1310! Yeah, that’s about right. I can’t remember what day, but the day doesn’t really matter to Sylvari more than the time of day, so… I guess it makes sense. Does that answer your question well enough? Yes? Good! What’s next?

What is your weapon of choice and fighting style?

- I fight with two longswords - one in each hand - and though I’m heavily armored I can and prefer to jump in and out of the Dream like most Revenants do the Mists in order to get the drop on my foes. I do use hammers from time to time when I need to hit something far away that I can’t get to. Though, most of all, I like to use the magic of Aurene to lend support to my allies in battle - regeneration, strength, cunning… though I can’t do that too much or it wears me out. Still makes me happy knowing my allies may have survived because of these gifts.

Lastly, are you happy?

- Well, I’m as happy as my current life situation allows me to be. I know I could be happier, if I had different circumstances, but right now I feel like I’m… content at the very least - my brother is safe, my Mother is getting healthier by the day, and I’m always willing to answer Aurene’s call to service. I’m a bit lonely, in all honesty, when apart from my friends in Rurikton, but for now I’m okay with that - I figure when the right person for me comes along, I won’t be so lonely anymore.

Family and Friends

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

- I have a pod-brother, Sitheach! He’s a wonderful person, and I love him dearly. We’re very close, and we write to one another all the time when he’s on missions for the Pale Reavers, just to keep each other posted on current situations. He’s been home for a bit now, which is a blessing. His boyfriend misses him terribly when he’s away so seeing them back together warms my sparkly little heart!

Have you ever run away from home?

- Nope! I’ve been called everywhere I’ve been, so technically I haven’t “run away” from anything.

Would you consider marriage or having children?

- Well, marriage is a foreign concept to Sylvari, as is childbirth, but I would absolutely love a partner, and would certainly adopt orphaned children of other races if my partner was also okay with raising them, as I highly doubt with my duties as a Champion of Aurene would allow me to effectively raise a child alone. I like to think I’d be a good mother, though.

Do you secretly hate one of your friends?

- Pfffft, what kind of a question is that!? Why on Tyria would you call someone a friend if you secretly hated them? How silly!

Which friend knows everything about you?

- The only people on Tyria that know all about me are my brother, and my best friend Elspeth. That being said, I’m rather open to questions so if you see me in public and want to know more about a specific sliver of my life, just ask! I’ll do my best to answer.

Asked by Fans

Are you literate? Have you been to school?

- I can definitely read and write, as most if not all Sylvari can do that from emergence, and… does the Dream count as schooling? I know learning from Mentors does, but I feel like I learned more from the Dream than I ever did from my mentor - sorry, Maeryn, but it’s true!

What’s the eeriest prediction you made that later came true?

- I don’t think I’ve made any predictions like that, it’d be handy if I could, though… I wish I could’ve predicted the attack on the Grove during the World Summit… if we were prepared… maybe, just maybe Mother wouldn’t have been so grievously injured…

What is something that you were embarrassingly late in realizing?

- I partially understood how the other races weren’t born from pods, but what I didn’t know was the process of mammalian conception and live birth, until a kind Asura explained it to me during a stay in Divinity’s Reach. Hi, Quizz! Hope you’re well!

Do you have mental health or physical issues?

- Hoo boy, where to start… Anxiety and a bit of depression, mostly. Not being on the scene in time to help defend mother during the Shadow of Mordremoth’s attack… it really hit my self-esteem, so now, whenever I’m too late to save an innocent life, it… it haunts me for days…

What is your current main goal?

- My current goal is to protect the people of Tyria and help them in whatever way I can. It may or may not be a compulsion that I get from being Branded, but I’d likely do that anyway without the compulsion, so it works out.

Choices

Drinks or food?

- Drinks! Nothing like a good glass of Nectar after a long day of doing good things!

Cats or dogs?

- Dogs. Sylvan hounds. Specifically the puppies... I need to visit Danador’s Kennel again!

Early bird or night owl?

- Definitely a Night Owl! Which makes sense because of my Cycle. I thrive in the Evenings!

Optimist or Pessimist?

- My friends have never known me to be anything but optimistic in all my endeavors, and I certainly don’t plan to stop now!

Sassy or Sarcastic?

- Ooh, hard choice… they both have their merits… can I say “both”? Is that okay? I honestly can’t choose with this one!

Have you ever…

Been caught sneaking out?

- Of a Nightmare Camp? Yes. On several occasions, actually. I got a lot better at not being caught after I joined the Order of Whispers. Mostly because I didn’t have Ellie to help distract my foes so I could make an escape, if I was caught. Which I wasn’t! Not after Whispers.

Broken a bone?

- Never! Not even during Dragonstorm! Rather lucky on that front, my Priory friend lost her whole arm! Hi, Vledda!

Received flowers?

- No. Grown several myself, though.

Ghosted someone?

- Like, turned them into a ghost? Probably several people.

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

- Oh, plenty, when I was a sapling. I understood humor more and more as I kept living.

And there you have it! I tag @moonlit-grove again because I want Sitheach Lore, dang it!

[i-mybrunettelady]

----- 1334 AE

Liv offered to come. El remembers Liv’s whiskers trembling, as they often do when he’s annoyed, but doesn’t want to lash out; it’s always been one of the charr’s greatest mysteries, how he manages to keep his annoyance from fanning into rage.

“I can go there alone,” El said, pulling on his too big fur-lined coat.

“There are Elder Dragons,” Liv pointed out. It was cold in Lion’s Arch, but El dreaded how cold it’d be in far Shiverpeaks.

“I want to see Aurene. See what’s so special about her. See what’s made Caithe abandon all sense of normalcy and betray us for an Elder Dragon. Besides, Alysannyra wouldn’t risk Trahearne’s life. She can do few things right, but that she cannot allow herself to fuck up.”

“Alright,” Liv sighed. “Don’t get yourself in danger, though. I’ll worry.”

Liv offered to come, El turned him down and now he is heaving alone in the cold shithole that is Eye of the North, trying to chase away that special aftertaste of vomit that only an asuran gate can produce. But he has to see Aurene, has to see what drove Caithe to betrayal. Because it feels like betrayal, because every Elder Dragon comes to be big and green and scream in his mind, and willingly joining the oppressors of mortals on Tyria cannot feel like anything but.

He senses Trahearne before he sees him, deep in conversation with Aife. There’s a noticeable weight of worry in him, worry he keeps hidden and cannot shake off.

“El,” the Firstborn greets, brow shooting up in surprise. His glow isn’t as noticeable as it was before.  “What brings you here?”

“Aurene,” El says curtly.

“Hello, Elandrin,” Aife says with a smile. “How did your self-defense lecture with the saplings go?”

“Lecture with the saplings? Aife, my dear, you can’t have found a worse replacement.” Trahearne shakes his head in disbelief.

“I agree,” El adds. “Don’t think it was my idea. Oh no. Canach and I had a bet and how in the Pale Tree’s branches could I refuse a bet?”

Trahearne pins him with a fond, but serious stare. “How much money did he milk out of you?”

“Enough for two masterwork daggers,” El sighs sadly. “In my defense, nobody got burned. Badly. I don’t envy you Luminaries.”

“Good thing you’re not a luminary,” Aife laughs. “We’d all be ash by now if that were the case.”

“Aife, wait here a moment,” Trahearne suddenly says, going around the table to stand before El. He lowers his voice and asks, “Are you sure? There’s Jormag too-”

“They’re all evil things,” El says harshly, squinting. “But I can handle myself. Thorns, you’re like Liv. I’m not a defenseless little sapling, I survived Maguuma by myself!”

“Jormag whispers,” Trahearne frowns. It’s a strange expression. El feels anger with an equally strange undercurrent of guilt radiate from his friend.

“I should know how to defend myself from dragons whispering in my head,” El bites out angrily. He’s capable, strong-willed. What’s another Elder Dragon?

Trahearne purses his lips. El feels his annoyance beat against his own, and he’s ready to argue if need be. But ever the calmer man, the Firstborn doesn’t take the bait. “Just beware,” he says with resignation, turning to go back to Aife. “They don’t play fair and minds like minefields are at most risk.”

El bristles. “Your dearheart told you that?”

“Yes,” Trahearne says. “If only you two could get along, my life would be a lot simpler. You’re more similar than you’d like to admit.”

“Never let a wrong ripen into evil,” El says sardonically. There’s conversation all around him, sylvari projecting fear and excitement in equal measures, grunting of the charr, laughter of the asura. Blades clash and people who look important - a white-furred charr with tattoos beneath her eye and a big, darkhaired norn, a short-haired human and Logan Thackeray, a floating mass of energy that talks for fuck’s sake - all converse in words he doesn’t quite get.

They’re all here because Alysannyra gathered them. Maybe he even asks her where she got a floating magical being so he could get one for himself.

He turns on his heel and moves towards the corridor. There’s a curious sense of ancient magic lingering in that direction. That’s when he sees her. She’s translucent, white, on her throne of pale crystals, smaller than he expected her to be, but with a long neck and a soothing voice. El hates it, hates how kind it seems, how gentle, when all dragons do is destroy. There’s no kindness within a dragon.

She’s deeply engaged in a conversation - argument - with a charr who doesn’t sound like a charr. Alysannyra sits beside them, purple eyes attentively looking between them, as if waiting for an opportunity to interject. She looks on edge, there are dark bags beneath her eyes, and her legs keep bouncing, like she’s about to run and needs to be prepared at any moment.

Just as she’s about to open her mouth, the charr turns to El and speaks in that smooth voice, “Ah, a visitor!”

“Elandrin?” Alysannyra asks, standing up. “What are you doing here?”

“Sight-seeing,” he says deadpan.

“Please,” she shakes her head. “My day’s bad already, don’t-”

“If you think I’m here for you, you’re an idiot,” he says honestly. “I’m here to see your elder dragon. And Jormag, it would seem.”

“Hello, sylvari,” Jormag says sweetly, a sudden shift from their firm tone from earlier. “I’m pleased to meet you.”

“As long as you don’t call me fodder,” he all but hisses, managing to rein himself in.

“No,” Jormag replies, “that’s my brother’s role, but my brother is dead. You’re marginally more defensive than that compatriot of yours who resides here. I do not see the reason, really.”

“I will not be swayed,” El bites out. “I won’t accept anything you offer, you frigid lizard.”

“Do not antagonise Jormag,” Aurene says and it’s as if crystals fall from her mouth when she speaks.

“Aurene, let me handle this,” Alysannyra says gently.

“But, mother, he-”

“I know what he said,” her champion replies. “And I know he stands by that still. But I ask you not to fight my battles for me. It’s...” She waves her hand.

“Hypocritical of you, Champion,” Jormag tsks. “She just wants to protect you. It’s her choice, after all.”

That seems to have hit a nerve. “Shut up,” Alysannyra hisses.

Mind like a minefield, El thinks. It burns to admit Trahearne was right.

“I’m Elandrin,” he says. “Elandrin Aien. I’d rather be that than sylvari.”

“Of course, Elandrin Aien,” Jormag replies. “I’ll call you whatever you wish to be called.”

“Do not listen,” Alysannyra says, “do not engage. Jormag wants that. They cannot be trusted.”

“You’re protective of me?” El frowns.

“No, I value my own life and mental health,” she bristles. It’s as big of a compliment as she’ll ever pay him and a nearby sylvari chokes on his drink and stares at him. “And besides, Trahearne will end me if anything happens to you. You’re very dear to him.”

“How lovely of you,” he says. “Aurene, you say you like mortals, no?”

“My mother and father are mortals,” the dragon says. “I love them. All of them.”

“You do not make minions? Little Aurene-imbibed underlings?”

“None.” Aurene sounds confused by that line of questioning.

“How do you know that won’t change? How can you be sure? What’s your goal in pretending to be kind?”

“Pretending? I’m not pretending. I do not wish mortals harm. Elandrin, what is the purpose of this?”

“He’s distrustful because of Mordremoth,” Alysannyra explains, crossing her arms. She taps her heel on the ground. “My advice would be giving up. He’s set in his ways. He won’t listen in the best of times.”

“There’s no good in Elder Dragons. Only things they’re capable of are evil. I wanted to see what turned Caithe to your side.” El shakes his head. “False promises.”

Aurene keeps quiet.

“Mind your words,” Alysannyra warns. “It’s my daughter you’re speaking to.”

“And you’re the greatest traitor of them all,” El continues, “if this creature is your daughter. It’s all you could ever do. I knew it would happen, but he didn’t listen.” She closes her eyes, reaches out for her magic, taps her foot against the floor harder and mumbles to herself.

“Mind your words,” she repeats, with more firmness.

“Elandrin!” Trahearne’s voice booms from the hallway. He’s angry. “Is that why you came here? To insult?”

“If need be,” El replies.

Jormag laughs. “What a lovely show you mortals make,” they comment.

“And you, Lyss? Threats?”

“I’m a mother,” she says. “I was just defending her honour.”

“You two are impossible,” Trahearne mutters. “I’ll discuss this with both of you if I have to, and I clearly do. You’re behaving like saplings.”

“Tell you what, Aurene,” El says, eyeing the dragon. “Save Tyria and I may yet believe you don’t plan out imminent destruction. If not...” He shivers at the thought of the Mists. “Save the world, Alysannyra, and I’ll think you a little less of traitor.”

“Of course,” she says, holding his gaze. “It’s what I do. With or without your thanks.”

"With or without my thanks," he mocks. There's an admission of fighting back that wasn't there when he called her a murderer two years ago.

He doesn't know how he feels about it, so he turns to leave. "I'm returning to Lion's Arch, Trahearne. Call for me when you want to talk to me. I'm sure I've heard it before but..."

He doesn't wait for any replies. There's someone who would actually be happy for him in Lion's Arch.

[brandedsalad]

Character Bio - Cain Thornblade Cain emerged from the Pale Tree with a strong conviction to be a protector. This need to protect others, as well as his innate abilities for fighting, made him quickly gain a place within the Wardens of the grove and become the right hand man of the captain of his squad.

A few months after he started his duty, the news of a sapling with a Wyld Hunt of fighting the elder dragons emerged. The Pale Tree, hearing of the great deeds Cain’s group had accomplished, and how fast he had grown as a fighter, tasked his group with training the sapling and prepare her for her quest.

This newborn sylvari, who’s attitude was chipper and full of curiosity, was a heavy contrast with Cain’s determination and seriousness. Surprisingly, this contrast of emotions made them both grow from each other. While Cain taught the young valiant how to defend herself and how to prepare before heading on, she taught him about he had to keep in touch with his emotions instead of repressing them, and how there are many other solutions besides fighting. He eventually had to admit he had come to care deeply for her. 

These happy times would not last however. During one routine patrol around the Ventry Bay with the valiant, a group of inquest and nightmare court ambushed them. Despite the odds, the group fought with all their conviction, losing almost half the squad in the fight. 

It was when the captain was shot and mortally wounded that they had to surrender. After being chained, they were immediately transported to an inquest facility for experimenting. 

To say his experience in the labs was torturous was short from describing the horrible suffering he went through. Cain was unlucky enough to have Zhaitan’s magic fused into his veins, slowly rotting parts of his body as the experiments went on. It would be months before a group of wardens, led by the first born Trahearne, managed to find the lab and rescue them. Out of what was left of his squad, only he and the valiant managed to survive the imprisonment.

This experience deeply hardened Cain’s heart. After a few months of recovery, he came back to his duties as a warden, but hints of a more ruthless and unforgiving attitude began to show. He found immense power in his new necromantic abilities, and showed no mercy or kindness towards his enemies, especially the nightmare court and the inquest; he could never forgive them for the death of his friends and the suffering they made them go through.

The wardens were becoming worried about his new attitude, and it was when Cain suggested they use more deadly and reckless tactics to train the new sylvari and root out their enemies before they existed that a disagreement came through.

The Pale Tree, hearing this dispute, understood Cain’s pain, but agreed that his warden brethren were right and could not follow his ways, as it was against Ventari’s teachings. Cain, in his anger, decided that if the Grove would not help him, he’d have to follow his own way far from the grove and from the dream; starting his path as a soundless sylvari. 

He would go trough his life as a mercenary, doing what he needed to do for some coin and to fulfill his need of vengeance. Distancing himself, he became a loner, not keeping any close connections to anyone. 
His mind, however, would not make him stop thinking of the valiant he spent so much time with. Hearing stories of her deeds around Tyria, he finally decided to find and follow her, having a feeling that maybe she would be the one to understand his pain. 

Her soft, kind, and sweet attitude, however, gave him so many conflicting feelings; he felt himself soften more around her, but he couldn’t help being jealous of how she seemed to have overcome her pain and find someone to love and fight for; all while he wasn’t able to move past his own trauma. 

After the battle against Mordremoth, he decided to part ways and give her space. Returning to being a loner was better off for him than letting his own pain and resentment affect the only friend he had left, especially since she had just suffered the loss of the one she loved dearly.

He would still hear tales of her during his lone times however; how she managed to defeat the human god Balthazar, saving the populace of Elona from the lich king Joko’s tyranny, destroying the elder dragon Kralkatorrik, and even becoming the new prismatic dragon’s champion and ambassador. 

He was glad to hear she was doing well every time he walked and listened in a bar, but he could not help feel regret for the way he had left her in Maguuma. He was too scared to get emotionally close to her or anyone, keeping in the shadows and trying to forget his own mistakes and traumas in vice. 

However, with a new dragon threat rising from the north, and a civil war between the Charr emerging, it seemed that destiny would make their paths cross again…

[nocte-argentea]

Guild Wars 2 Commander Week

Day 2: Champion

Vesper was not expecting to be chosen as Aurene’s champion. Hell, she didn’t even know that was a thing! But, truth be told, she loves that dragon more than any treasure she could hope to find in Tyria. She was nervous at first; I mean, that’s one hefty title to carry on your shoulders! But she carries it with pride and love, and her friends, who are also close to Aurene, are with her every step of the way.

The only thing that really changed about her is her point of view on things. For a long time, she really didn’t have too much to worry about if something happened to her. She’s always had her friends to make sure she stuck around, but now she also has to think about Aurene. She’s not gonna leave the newly christened elder dragon on her own with who knows what coming after her! She’ll defend Aurene to her last breath.

@gw2commanderweek

[madame-cookie]

Hayato Kanbara (he/him) Rank: Champion

Hayato is a librarian for the Astral Ward. After stumbling in confused and hurt from the Mists, he was healed and eventually offered the option of taking up a new home with the Ward.

After recovering from his initial incursion into Tyria, and bridging the language gap between them, Hayato explained that he was an assistant in a sort of scientific magical laboratory, where mages were researching on how to access what they called “The Gaps Between Everything”. In an attack on their lab, he was whisked away into a tear in reality. With no current way to accurately navigate the Mists, he has resigned to helping where he can in the Astral Ward as thanks for taking him in.

He is slowly learning elemental magic, although it comes with great difficulty. In his world, magic users are about one for every hundred thousand. And to be proficient enough to use it practically, let alone to defend yourself, was a feat thought of by many as only a legend. Hayato takes some comfort in his studies, knowing that he attempts the legendary daily in this strange world of infinite potential.

Still, he keeps to himself whenever possible, seemingly preferring the company of tomes and scrolls than his colleagues.

[axe-trio-commanders]

After

First take on Zori’s journal entries! Spoilers for... just sort of everything, really? 

------

“Seremnis”

1325 AE-X

Entry date: 1332 AE

Seremnis is a sylvari, part of Dragon’s Watch as one of it’s original members, and both a necromancer and chef by profession.

-And a good chef, at that. Not sure if she’d ever want to run a restaurant, but if you’ve ever tried those strawberry cakes you’ve known true bliss.

She is also Aurene’s champion, and holds the title of ‘commander of Elona’ for her acts there.

-Generally, that’s shortened to ‘commander’ for both of us, which I’m sure is going to drive future historians nuts- nevermind the fact that she doesn’t want to be known in Tyria. I’m not going to take that from her- if I still had the option to be able to blend into a crowd, I’d take it myself.

Though not technically present for the final battle against Mordremoth, she was instrumental in getting the rest of the group to that point, and responsible for saving the lives of Trahearne, Albas, and myself, afterwards, when all of us were far too injured to defend ourselves.

She was also instrumental in saving my life upon the appearance of Balthazar, leading the pact and Dragon’s Watch to Elona after I disappeared. She, along with Ev and Trahearne, freed me from the effects of his idol long enough to join in the fight, even if they were still doing most of the work.

-And that almost definitely isn’t the only time she’s saved my life, either. Despite being a necromancer by trade, I’m pretty sure her true power is keeping all of us alive.

She is close to both Caithe and Trahearne, and joined the Order of Whispers before they became part of the pact. She helped convince them to join.

-This took me way longer to learn than it should’ve. I knew since Orr that she couldn’t be part of the Priory or Vigil, it should’ve been a simple process of elimination. But, in my defense, she’s always been secretive- a combination of being a night bloom, being in Whispers, and growing up so close to Caithe, I’d guess. I think I sort of took a shortcut to gaining her trust because of our bond through Aurene- we can both tell what the other’s feeling. It’s gotten stronger, just like Aurene has. I still don’t know everything about her, though, and I guess she’s entitled to those secrets. I know she feels comfortable in Dragon’s Watch, and that’s all I need to know. And, for that matter, that’s probably all Tyria needs to know, too, while she’s alive. I know she doesn’t want the fame- if at all possible, I think I’d like this to be kept with her until she wants to release it herself, as a part of whatever set this stuff might come in. 

---New entry---

-I’ve seen some things in the scrying pool that worry me, late at night. They’re not of the future or past, but different realities. I’ve had some minor experience with them- different realities is what I call them, anyways. I’ve heard them called other universes, Enkkioh calls them alternate universes... realities sounds better to me. Not all of them have people I know in them, and most are just snapshots of other... commanders, I’d guess, looking into the scrying pool- but what worries me is that the few times I’ve recognized who I see, it’s only Seremnis, alone. Logically, she wouldn’t actually be alone, she’d still have all of Dragon’s Watch, but it’s a sobering reminder that I’m still not invincible, even as someone who’s already died once. I don’t think I’m allowed to come back again, and even if, as far as Charr go, I’m still practically a cub in comparison to some, the lifestyle I live isn’t exactly safe. I’m starting to think she’ll outlive me, and the consequences of that are worrying. I don’t know how close she is with the rest of Dragon’s Watch, even if we all treat each other like family. I know she’s lost her connection to the Dream, and I know that the thought of going back to the Grove now scares her. And besides protecting all of us, I’m not sure what exactly it is she’s fighting for if she has nothing, without us, to go back to. I already know what I want my legacy to be- I’m writing it here. This journal, and those written in it, are my legacy. But among all her secrets, the fact that I don’t know what she wants hers to be worries me, now that I’ve seen how fragile my own life is, that I might not be there to help her through it. It takes her long enough to trust someone as it is, and I don’t think she’s known anything but this constant threat to Tyria. But if we win, if one day all of this is finally over, what happens for her, then?

[almorras-massacre]

“Seeker of cunning, fledgling of mine, show me your mind,” a small Raven statue announced as we entered a room that vaguely resembled a frozen forest.

Suddenly, a ghostly image of  an injured hunter appeared at the base of a tree.

“A mortally wounded man lies beneath a tree. Without help, he will die. Wild beasts close in, eager for a meal,” the statue dictated, as wolfish ghostly creatures also appeared.

“Healers are nearby,” as the statue continued, two men appeared further away. “They are unarmed, and unaware of the wounded man or the beasts. 

You summon a flock of ravens for aid. What will the ravens do?”

“Make your choice at the totem,” stated Jhavi.

I walked to the statue. It was a riddle, for sure, I thought. I looked around the room, at the ghostly figures representing this challenge. What was the answer hidden in plain sight?

“I tell the ravens to take the healers to the wounded man,” I said confidently.

“I see. You want the healers to save the wounded man’s life.” As Raven spoke, a healer appeared at the man to help. 

Then, however, a healer appeared being feasted upon by the beasts, screaming in agony. “But one life is traded for another. A fate not easily avoided. Did you believe you could cheat death?” it said with a smarmy tone, and I felt my fur bristle.

“I have seen enough. The trial continues.”

“I feel like I didn’t make the right choice...” I said, staring at the statue, feeling humiliated.

“There isn’t a “right choice”, Commander. That’s what the Raven Spirit is about. That’s why we choose to follow it,” explained Jhavi, as we headed towards the next room, with me reluctantly taking up the rear.

I looked back at the statue. I wanted to argue with it. I wasn’t trying to cheat death, I wanted to say. I was trying to help everyone. I thought 3 was better against the animals. The wounded man could defend the healers. 

I turned away, as we moved as a group through the maze. And anyway, I thought, what makes it cheating death? Death doesn’t own us. That’s not what death is about. That’s the entire reason that Grenth...

I shook my head, frustrated, tapping a Raven statue as I passed it. I saw the Spirit’s image emerge from it and dart through a corridor, and followed. “Jhavi, how much farther do we have?” I asked, irritable and ready to be done with this already.

But no answer came. I looked up, suddenly realizing I was alone. “Jhavi??” I asked, looking around. The halls had suddenly gotten incredibly dark, and I felt my fur beginning to stand on end as if I was being watched.

I heard whispers, not Jormag but something else. Something swiped at me, passing through my body like a ghost’s blade, and I felt sharp coldness. Was it Jormag after all?! But as I whipped around, nothing was there.

What did Jhavi say? That things would not be as they seemed? 

I darted back to the totem I had tapped. The light returned, and I realized it was that specific area that was... dark, and wrong. But, my companions did not return to the light with me. Were they trapped in the corridor?

No, no, remember what Jhavi said. I took a deep breath and tapped the totem again. The image emerged again and went down the hallway, and I followed.

It lit up several larger statues, showing the way. But shadowy figures kept snatching at my fur, tangling in my mane, trying to chase me down and frighten me. I saw Risen giants marching the halls. Were these all tricks? Or were some of them punishing me for going a wrong way, and the Raven image was the trick?

Trust Raven. I have to trust Raven. It has not led me astray in such a way before. I shouldn’t expect it now.

“Why couldn’t you save her?” I suddenly heard Jhavi’s voice again.

“Jhavi!?” I started, looking around and feeling my heart rise. But, there was no one there.

Another trick, surely.

“She died alone,” said Jhavi’s voice solemnly. 

I kept following the image.

“Did you even try?” the voice spat.

But before I knew it, the darkness lifted, and I was in another room. Still alone, save for the Raven totem in front of me.

“Seeker of wisdom,” it beckoned.

The room was like that of a fancy library, with lovely seating and a great Raven shrine, with the walls lined from ceiling to floor with books. Seeing such literary splendor made me feel worlds better, as I marveled at all of it.

But suddenly, fires burst into the room, engulfing every shelf and book around me. I looked around in alarm as the totem began its riddle.

“A fire spreads through Tyria’s greatest library. Thousands of books turn to ash as the flames leap higher.”

Oh, burn me!! REALLY!?!

“A scholar cries, wracked with turmoil. Two books lie on opposite ends of the room.”

As the statue spoke it, a scholar appeared in the middle, looking frantic, with two books appearing quite far apart from each other, impossible to take together.

“The first is a detailed record of Tyria's history before human arrival. There are no other copies. The second is a book of arcane spells that could turn the tide against the dragons. It is the only one of its kind.”

I know it was just a test, just a bunch of fake books in a fake scenario, but I groaned in agony. I was a Priory Explorer before everything, after all. And what a horrific choice I know this is going to be.

“The scholar can only save one book. Which does she save?”

I licked my lips, anxious. Both books could mean so much to the world, to its future. But... but, knowing what I do now...

“She should save the history book!” I declared.

“You would forgo peace to preserve what came before,” it remarked, much to my dismay. “What good is the past when there is no future?”

“I--!” I started.

“I'm beginning to get a feel for you, seeker. The trial continues,” it concluded, sounding almost amused, with the room returning to normal.

“N-no!! No no no!” I yelped, hopping in fury at the totem. “The past is the key to the future!! If... if we knew the past, we’d have known that--!! We wouldn’t have killed the Dragons!! WE WOULD HAVE KNOWN GLINT’S LEGACY!!” I hollered. 

But the statue remained silent. I gave a snarling snap as I passed it by.

I was absolutely done with this place already. I had been excited and apprehensive when we started, but now all I could feel was the sting of rejection and being found out as ignorant and foolish.

I sighed as I left the room and continued through the maze. I guess that shouldn’t be a surprise, after all it’s not like things are going our way, are they-- ugh!!

I covered my nose with my paws. A foul stench had suddenly hit, stinging my eyes and making it hard to breathe. Poison!! Ash Legion knows poison when we find it! The surroundings were lit up in choking, green smog.

“We’ve lost something because of you...” I heard Braham’s voice. I ignored it and moved quickly. This poison gas was no phantasm, as I felt my health draining from me. This could actually kill me!

“All of us,” I heard Rytlock’s gravelly voice say as I started to run, feeling frantic.

“We sacrificed for you.” Braham again. I felt spittle at my lips as I bumped into a Raven shrine. There’s a trick somewhere! Somewhere! Help me survive! I looked up at the shrine pleadingly. Something, somewhere, how do I survive!?

“Aurene sacrificed for you.” Rytlock this time. I galloped around a corner and found a dead end.

“You’ll never be enough,” snarled Jhavi’s voice.

“Who do you think you are?” Crecia’s voice said contemptuously. 

I scrambled away from the wall and turned the other direction in the fork.

“You just make everything worse!” Rytlock’s growl almost matched Crecia’s in contempt.

“We can’t trust you, can we?” the condemning voice was Jhavi’s now.

“Just give up!” It was Braham’s voice, almost. It was distorted with hushed, agonized whispers. 

I stopped at a Raven barrier, and clutched my head, holding my ears. “Stop it!” I demanded. I am fucking over these god damned voices in my head!!

I shook myself. Ash Legion. Be like Ash. Be like Raven. You are a soldier, you are the Champion. I looked around. If there was a barrier, there must be totems I have missed. Panic does me no good and will not let me escape alive. I must look for the totems. 

I scanned the hall behind me, and suddenly saw it at the beginning of the T I had come from.

I darted to it, pain and oxygen depletion making my movements difficult. I activated it, and immediately felt relief. I could breathe again. I was being protected by Raven, just like the Raven shrines protected Jora’s Keep. I rested for a moment, regaining my strength.

I turned towards the barrier, but it had not fallen. There must be another totem I missed, now that I could think clearer. It couldn’t be back in the library room, so it had to be... at the “dead end”. 

Clever Raven.

I moved back towards it, and sure enough, there was the totem. Just as I activated it, however, the protection of Raven left me, and the poisonous air seized my body immediately. 

I had to make a run for it. There would surely be no time for me to stop at the other totem before the barrier was back again. 

I loped on all fours towards the now opened hall.

And as I careened past the shrine, surely past the barrier, I heard Jhavi’s voice again: “...should be coming up on the last one.”

I skidded to a stop, and my friends appeared around me.

“You’re back!!” I gasped, relieved to see and hear the real deal this time.

Rytlock looked at me, raising an eyebrow. “Commander. You okay?”

“Where... Where were you?”

“We’ve been here the whole time,” Braham said, a hint of confusion in his voice. “You went quiet for a while.”

I frowned. It was all a big trick. “This place is--”

“I know,” reassured Jhavi. “But we’re almost done.”

We continued and found ourselves in another room with another totem. This time, the room was apparently a mausoleum, and we were surrounded by bones, spiritual imagery, and caskets, almost reminiscent of the Cathedral of Silence.

Another flame-damned riddle to mock me over, I thought bitterly as the statue addressed me.

“Seeker of the beyond...”

A bed appeared with a man beside it, and an elderly woman ailing upon it. 

"A plague sweeps the capital city, claiming countless victims. Both the old queen and the young prince have fallen ill. The queen is benevolent and wise, and she has ruled fairly for decades. But her age is showing. The prince is her only child. He's very young, and prone to petulance."

A darkened portal then appeared beyond the bed.

"If one dies, the other will make a full recovery. You must guide one of their souls to the afterlife. Choose."

“I choose to lead the queen to the afterlife,” I growl, arms folded, ready to receive my tongue lashing.

“You would gamble with the fate of a kingdom to preserve a young life. A child becomes king before he is ready."

A throne replaces the bed, with the young prince cowering upon it. Multiple people appear around him, making various gestures, some threats and mockery, and speaking words we could not hear. 

"He may fail. He may be taken advantage of. People will suffer. Was saving his life worth the cost?"

“Of course you’d say that,” I muttered under my breath. I don’t choose because he’s young and I value youth above wisdom, I wanted to argue again. She may not live long enough for another child...

"You have shown me who you are. The trial is complete."

Shaking my head, defeated, I left the totem, sure that I would be booted back outside. 

But to my surprise, the halls continued on, and I could hear the taunting of the fraenir.