#shiverpeaks sylvari

[wall-legion]

Fan Tree Concept: Shiverpeaks Tree

So a few days ago I was consumed by the idea of "to be loved is to be changed" and started developing the idea of a seed being carried to the Shiverpeaks and taking root there, resulting in a coniferous Tree (and by proxy, sylvari). More information under the snip!

So the basic facts about this tree are as follows:

Like the Pale Tree in the Tarnished Coast, this tree has an avatar: it is male presenting and has been named Pinefather. (I think he sounds like Patrick Page but that may change!)

The seed was planted by a Shining Blade human monk named Laird, after he was separated from the rest of the Shining Blade and nearly died from frostbite/exposure. He was saved from this fate by a norn warrior named Sif, and in the process of her helping him to recover the two fell in love. Laird planted the seed he had taken from the same cave Ronan had found the Pale Tree's seed outside the abandoned haven where Sif cared for him, and the Shiverpeaks tree has grown through the remains of that same haven.

The sylvari from this tree have body patterns and "hairstyles" more akin to the trees you would find in the Shiverpeaks: think pine cones or tassels, maple leaves, birch bark, etc. Less tropical and more "humid continental".

Unlike the Pale Tree, the sylvari from this tree only drop four times a year and thus are sorted by the time of year that they are "born": Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter.

Because of Sif's influence on the seed and their proximity to the norn, these sylvari have their own version of the Spirits of the Wild. They are the Spirit of Rain, the Spirit of Wind, the Spirit of Sun, and the Spirit of Earth. Instead of the Dream, the sylvari commune with these spirits before they awake into the season they're "born" into, and the spirits inform the sylvari of what to expect of the world they're about to join: for example, a Winterborn sylvari might hear "I am Earth. I am frozen and the seeds sleep within me."; "I am Sun. I stay out as long as I can, but I must be fair to the season."; "I am Rain. I fall as snow this time of year and blanket those sleeping within Earth."; "I am Wind. I shake the snow from Pinefather so you do not catch a chill before you awake." Finally, the season the sylvari awakes into is equivalent to the Pale Tree's time of day. And while these are not true for every sylvari born in these seasons, these descriptions are fitting for most sylvari from the Shiverpeak tree.

Springborn sylvari are said to be naive but charming, the kind who will ask a thousand questions about something and then have a thousand more by the time you've answered the first set.

Summerborn sylvari are thought to be naturally gifted at the arts and entertaining other, and there are stories that the first Summer child climbed down from Pinefather's branches by dancing.

Autumnborn sylvari tend to be caretakers: they care for the crops, they care for the sick, or they care for the animals who help them survive. Because of this, Autumnborn are thought to be more serious than their siblings.

Winterborn sylvari seem to be the most shy of the Shiverpeaks sylvari, as they tend to be quieter or more secretive. So there's what I have so far! If I figure out anything more, I'll post it by reblogging this post!

[valiant-portabella-pirkko]

One of the many things I’m surprised Anet has never released: a ‘Sylvan’ set of themed mount skins like the Inquest Exosuit, Branded, and Shiverpeaks ones, but plant-themed so they can resemble the sylvari, nightmare court, or mordrem depending on what dyes you use.

[nurllius]

SAPLING AAHRTUR + Callahan

LORE TIME. So Aahrtur is actually not from the Pale Tree but from a tree based somewhere deep in the Shiverpeaks. However when he was to wake, Sons of Svanir that found the tree attacked it, killing everyone there without mercy. Some Norn that knew about the Tree and swore to protect it in alliance with it came to aid in the battle however they werent enough. Amidst the fight the svanir would destroy pods killing the sylvari inside. When one got to Aahrtur’s pod they striked once, stabbing him near his heart, however a norn that fought alongside the tree stopped him before he could completely destroy the pod. Aahrtur fell out of the pod, still asleep as he was heavily bleeding. The norn saw the fight was unable to be won and swore to save anyone that he could. With that he grabbed Aahrtur and ran to see the nearest mender. Many menders of many races tried to wake Aahrtur up even after the wound was tended to but he remained asleep, his breathing shallow. That’s when the Norn decided he would visit his dear friend that he knew to be the best mender he knew, based in the Caledon Forest. Once there. After a few days of trying different things, a white fern hound came in, one of the fern hounds that Callahan, the mender, took care of, and it licked the sleeping sylvari. To everyone’s surprise that woke him up as he slowly stirred awake.

Aahrtur however woke up feeling confused and…empty. He didnt know but the tree that he awoke from, had fallen in battle. Oblivious to the fact and absent of any connection with the Dream he over time learns from the ones around him, mainly Callahan as she agreed to keeping Aahrtur with her to see his recovery process.

This is why Aahrtur’s main goal was to find who he really was and to find his place where he’d feel like he belonged.

He did eventually, but at what cost.

ALSO IN THE LAST PIC the black on his body is suppose to represent his scars, the middle across his chest is from Balthazar’s sword, the one along his arm and face is burns from the fight, and the one above his heart is from Bangar. I mainly wanted to represent his significant scars.

[ratasum]

Pride Month Showcase - Islwyn

Hailing from a mysterious tree in the northern Shiverpeaks, Islwyn had a bit of a rough start after he emerged from his pod. Mistaken for a lost Pale Tree sylvari, he was taken to Caledon Forest, and eventually he made his way to working with the Nightmare Court. Still unable to find anywhere he truly fit in, he went into hiding during Heart of Thorns, worked with the warring Nightmare Court factions during the aftermath, and eventually found himself picked up by the Crystal Bloom. Though he's frustrated, he's working to better himself, having met several other of his own people in the organization. Islwyn is trans and gay!

[brax-was-here]

What are your interpretation and headcanons for Scarlet Briar?

My interpretation and headcanon’s for Scarlet Briar. I’m only going to go with pre-Battle for Lion’s Arch here. If you want a rundown of what happens to her afterward Mordremoth awakens, I’ll post that in another post.

Ceara’s personality during her early years was rather dismissive of her siblings, and pretty much anyone else in the Grove for that matter. She spent a lot of her time focused on learning things, and often times scoffed at doing anything else not involved with her self-induced studies. She looked down on her fellow sylvari, referring to them as being simple minded. She wasn’t violent and didn’t go out of her way to hurt anyone. She saw herself as intellectually superior to her siblings.

When venturing outside the Grove, she often would go off on her own way, away from the group to explore and search for anything she may have never seen before. This sometimes led to her getting caught in a predicament that she would have to be saved from.

A notable sylvari named Cian would sometimes accompany her when exploring the forest outside of the Grove. She was mostly dismissive of him, sometimes annoyed that he always seemed to be nearby her whenever they traveled. He was a gentle sylvari that dreamed of flying through the air as the birds did and would often times hum to himself, usually a lullaby he had learned.

Eventually the time arrived when she realized that the Grove had nothing left to offer her. Without hesitation, she left to explore the world, leaving behind what little possessions she had. Tyria was her new “classroom” now. She travelled from the Maguuma Jungle, to Kryta, The Shiverpeaks, and Ascalon. Learning what she could as much as she could. Spending years under the tutelage of various teachers, she eventually turned her attention to the colleges of Rata Sum. The last bastions of knowledge that she had not studied under. Enrolling into any of the colleges was near impossible, not because of lack of knowledge, but because the Asura saw the Sylvari as an inferior race. It was only with her outwitting them at their own game did the Asura take allow her in. Even then the courses weren’t easy, and she struggled early on. But with time and determination, she was able to start to put things together and started learning about Asuran technology. It wasn’t long before she turned her attention to learning about the Eternal Alchemy. She started to excel, even outpacing some of her classmates, which many Asura were not happy about.

Her thesis about the Eternal Alchemy was rejected as heresy by the Arcane Council, which led to her to start working with the Inquest, which ultimately led to her downfall in the colleges. She was expelled for unsavory activity within the hall of records of the colleges. Much to her dismay, the Arcane Council actually saw her studies on the Eternal Alchemy as a boon, and took them, rebranding her findings as if they themselves had discovered these miraculous breakthroughs.

She wandered around the Maguuma Jungle, once again in search of knowledge of anything. During this time, one of her professors, Omadd, tracked her down and brought her back to Rata Sum. His plan was to use her as a test subject for his mind opening device. He kept the fact that the device had killed 3 prior test subject a secret from her, explaining to her that the device would allow her to see the Eternal Alchemy firsthand. She gladly accepted. Then things went bad.

What seemed like hours to her inside the machine, was three days in Tyria. What she found inside the Eternal Alchemy fractured her mind. The elder jungle dragon Mordremoth infiltrated her mind, and broke down psychic barriers that the Pale Tree had put in place in all her children. Breaking this barrier started to fracture her psyche, slowly twisted her mind as Mordremoth exerted his control.

When she was removed from the mind opening device, she wasn’t herself. Ceara, as Omadd and the world knew her, was shut into a small corner of her mind, and Scarlet Briar was in control.

For the next few years, she struggled trying to control the voice in her head. She often found herself talking out loud to her “other self”, a seemingly more violent version of herself focused on awakening the jungle dragon. As time went on, she tried searching for help, but to no avail. As a last effort to try to save herself, she formulated a plan. Realizing that she could not control this other version of herself, she allowed herself to fall to the sway of what was in her head. Her plan was to do its bidding, and awaken the jungle dragon, in the hopes that Trahearne and the Pact fleet would destroy the dragon, even if it meant her own death.

So Ceara, while distant and aloof and not very sociable, was not out to hurt anyone. After her fall due to the mind opening device, did part of her psyche that was attached to Mordremoth get corrupted, and Scarlet Briar, a piece of Ceara’s mind fused with the power of Mordremoth, took over.  

In regards to Mai Trin's apparent affection for Scarlet. To Scarlet Briar, Mai Trin and the Aetherblades were just tools to use to awaken the elder dragon. Ceara had no feelings for the captain, other than maybe a slight friendship.

That’s my headcanon and I’m sticking to it.

If you want to know more about what happened after the Battle of Lion’s Arch, don’t be afraid to ask.

[rabbitgardens]

GUESS WHOS MAKING ANOTHER ONE. theyre a necromancer…some kinda ex courtier(?)hermit…i want em to be a part of @/wall-legion shiverpeaks sylvari?? they’re probably an old associate tm of revyls?? i just needed to make a severe looking bitch with big tits

[thornethenorn]

Hi! This is the account where I don't shut up about norn. Ever

My main blog is @generationlosers !

I like to talk. I like to talk a lot. I live yapping.

I draw sometimes

Tags

Characters

Thorne Vætkisson: My main norn ranger who is usually who I'm referring to when I say "The Commander." An au of an Owl House Grimwalker oc, but different characters with different personalities

Hunter Thornkin: Norn revanant that channels Wolf. Thorne’s little brother. Is an au of Hunter from the Owl House. (Note: in game he is a human, but that's because he's supposed to be abnormally small)

Bleepblorp Skrungle: Asura Engineer with a fascination with cats. Experiment went wrong. He's a cat now. Has a gun. Run

Salem Steelveil: Charr Revenant with ice magic. Absolutely insane. Blind, uses mist magic to navigate. Lesbian.

Ivory Darkwood: Charr Necromancer. Small and housecatlike. Hates confrontation. Lesbian. Makes out with Salem sloppy style

Garráncroí: Sylvari Mesmer. Wants to kiss Trahearne. A lot. Part of the Astral Ward and Thorne’s best friend during SotO

Basil Greenwhisper: Norn guardian. Thorne’s mate (norn word for spouse). Likes plants. Based on an Owl House oc, whose last name is Burrlow. (Not that he's only Thorne's mate in the side universe, theres an alternate universe to allow more leeway with ships)

Hazel Slayersdottir: way late in storyline. Basil and Thorne’s biological daughter. Norn thief. Worships Aurene as the dragon spirit and cleanses Jormag and Svanir corruption from the shiverpeaks with the little amount of prismatic magic she got from her father.

Alala Gunthild: An elonian human warrior. She is an au where the human Commander becomes the God of War after killing Balthazar like Kormir. Instead of her patron hounds being pitbulls (? i think Temar and Tegon are pitbulls?) she has Basenji and has a soft spot for Jackals. She has her Basenji companions that she can summon similar to Temar and Tegon, they are named Andromeda and Guinevere. She also has a Jackal Puppy- Artemis- and will stay a puppy companion as thats how Jackals work.

Others

Art: art.

my art: My art!

Any other character name: self explainitory

loser edits: my memes and other edits

[dotmander]

hello sylvari enjoyers, map comp lovers, and people that talk to every single possible npc, i need your help!

when i was doing map comp the first time around, a whole fuckin year ago, i swear to god i came across a pass in....the shiverpeaks i believe? named for a sylvari. he ignored the warnings of local norn(?) and set up his camp in a place that would eventually get buried by an avalanche. now the pass is named after him! however I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT IT'S CALLED OR WHERE IT IS T_T can you help a bitch out

[eparch]

AU brainworms, Tyria with Elder Dragons always awake and as religions

Zhaitan reigns over the island continent of Orr, where humans first appeared thousands of years ago—and where they remain as Zhaitan's faithful chosen, officially forbidden to sail away save for a select few given the dragon's blessing. Though their old gods arrived with them, they were chased out of Tyria by the four great Elder Dragons. Since then, all of Zhaitan's champions—as high priests of the Elder Dragons are called—have been human, the latest of which is one with a curious love for the sea and a desire to roam further than he is allowed.

Mordremoth reigns over the entire Maguuma, which he keeps too hostile for most races to encroach upon. Hylek and centaurs live on the edges of the Maguuma, though the Itzel and Nuhoch have successfully maintained their villages for hundreds of years under the jungle's watchful eye. When Mordremoth caught what he assumed was a human spy stealing a seed from him, he intentionally set out to create the Sylvari to serve him, embedding within them a natural hatred for Zhaitan's Risen, and taking the eldest of them as his champion.

Jormag reigns over the Far Shiverpeaks from a distance, allowing the Spirits of the Wild authority over the mortal matters of the Norn living under them. They appear only to choose their champion. Many petition them for the chance at the role, and just as many are chosen, only to swiftly lose their favor and interest. In the past few centuries, the Asura have ventured north to seek Jormag's aid in dealing with the monsters known as Destroyers which displaced them from their underground homes, a request that Jormag has been strangely eager to fulfill. Their latest champion who has yet to be replaced, strangely enough, is a young Charr...

Kralkatorrik controls the rest of the mainland that stretches between the Maguuma and the Blazeridges, though it is rare that he interacts with mortals. Still, majority of Tyria default to his worship, led by the Dragon Oracle, her children, and a handful of Forgotten in the former's lair near the Crystal Desert.

To the distant south, Soo-Won watches over an unnamed land, disallowing any of her children's followers to venture to it, where lesser dragons roam free alongside the tengu and naga.

And beneath Tyria, Primordus lurks, reviled in Icebrood teachings as the source of the evil Destroyers that spread only chaos and destruction. Little is known about this dragon...until the day a certain Norn develops a strange connection to the Destroyers, causing them to flock to him and take him to their creator, where he discovers he has been chosen as champion and must now build for Primordus his first temple.

Spoilers the AU is actually an excuse to write PrimoBraham but then the ideas got out of hand

[silvanantlers]

I have high hopes that the little we've seen of Janthir means we'll get some cool armor. The new kodan look and the housing designs look great. So if we get armor with similar aesthetics I'll be extremely happy. Also with the spears? I might not be able to make a kodan or make my sylvari have a Shiverpeaks look, but it looks like Janthir Wilds will get me somewhere close.

I'm just going to find religion and pray very hard until this time next year.

[i-mybrunettelady]

Alysannyra Ainsaph | she/her | Commander & Champion | 29-30 | Noble human of Ascalonian descent | Firebrand/Dragonhunter | Vigil | Bisexual | ♡ Trahearne

Elandrin Aien | he/him | Commander, Archon & Knight of the Thorn | 32 | Secondborn sylvari dreamer | Weaver/Tempest | Priory | Gay | ♡ Livion Stormbreath

Renira Sulver | she/her | Commander, Keeper | 36 | Krytan human street rat | Chronomancer | Order of Whispers | Lesbian | ♡ Lady Akila

Aisanne Bjornsdottir | she/her | Warmaster, scout, skaald | 34 | Norn huntress from Hoelbrak | Ranger/druid | Vigil | Heterosexual | ♡ Braham Eirsson

Livion Stormbreath | he/him | Magister, blacksmith | 36 | Iron Legion deserter turned archeologist | Engineer/elementalist | Priory | Gay | ♡ Elandrin Aien

Vladimira Jaradotyr | she/her | mother | 34 | Norn huntress of the far Shiverpeaks | Berserker | No order | Bisexual/sapphic | ♡ Fiadh (@moonlit-grove)

Siona Nightthorn | she/her | Warden Captain | 32 | Secondborn sylvari dreamer, podtwin of Cadeyrn | Reaper | Wardens | Heterosexual/polyamorous | ♡ Canach, ♡ Laranthir

Eirene Featherscorn | she/her | Icebrooded Owl shaman | 33 | Norn exile from Hoelbrak | No order | Daredevil/deadeye | Lesbian | ♡ Isoun (@antariies)

Kosara Severbone | she/her | Alt AU Commander | 32? | Blood Legion soldier turned Commander with her twin sister Vissenta (@uselessidiotsquad) | Priory | Renegade | Heterosexual | ♡ Rytlock Brimstone

[wall-legion]

Shiverpeaks Sylvari Personal Story Chapter 1: Descending the Boughs

Since the Shiverpeaks sylvari do not experience the Dream, after character creation your sylvari comes into an ethereal space, the World before Awakening. This is where your sylvari meets the four Spirits of Nature and learns about their Season, and can choose a Spirit of Nature to be more closely aligned with (and in turn get a personal story to start following).

Dialogue after CC: PC: I am sylvari. I hail from the Shiverpeaks, and the Pinefather. The first of our family descended from his boughs twenty-five years back and began to explore the world with the guidance of the Spirits of Nature. With their wisdom, we have been able to learn, grow, and find our place in this world. We are nurturers. We give back what we take. We leave places better than we found them. PC: I sense the Spirits of Nature reaching out to me. They say that it is time to leave Pinefather's branches, that my season is now. (If your sylvari chooses to align with the Spirit of Earth, Follow the Roots) PC: Earth tells me that there is trouble underground, an evil that may endanger Pinefather if not addressed. A creature called "dredge" have come here to search for resources. I must see if I and some of my elder siblings can convince them to leave, without resorting to aggressive tactics... but if we must fight to defend our family, we will. (If your sylvari chooses to align with the Spirit of Rain, Drink Deep) PC: Rain tells me that a spring we use nearby has been poisoned by a group called the Sons of Svanir. I have no knowledge of who Svanir is, but I fear his sons are dishonoring him by causing our family harm. I will go investigate and see if I can remove the poison, and prevent them from doing this again. (If your sylvari chooses to align with the Spirit of Sun, Food for Thought) PC: Sun tells me that a pineshade is trampling our gardens. What is a pineshade? Perhaps it is a relative of Pinefather. I will have to ask him some time. For now, I must see to the protection of our hard work, so we will have enough to eat. I should speak to Emlyn, the head gardener, once I have awoken and am ready. They will be able to give me more information about the damage done, and how best to take on this creature. (If your sylvari choose to align with the Spirit of Wind, Send Me a Song) PC: Wind tells me that there are something called "ice imps" keeping the first Summerborn, Taranis, from being able to perform a play he has written for us. I'm sure Taranis has worked very hard on this, and will be very upset if he is unable to share this gift with our family! I will find out what an ice imp is, and I will make them go away, so Taranis's show can go on! Cinematic following after initial CC animation: Pinefather: (character name), your season has come. Have you spoken with the Spirits of Nature yet? Do you know of the world below? PC: Pinefather? Yes, I have just spoken with them, but... Pinefather: But what? PC: I still have so many questions. I do not know what some of the things they spoke of even are! How am I to help make the world better without understanding the task I was just given? Pinefather: (chuckles) Dear child, your presence in the world alone makes it better because you want to make it better. Our family will help you learn what you must, in order to achieve the goal that was set for you. The Spirits of Nature believe in you. I believe in you. Pinefather: Get ready now. I'll be here when you need me most. Our family will always be here for you. But it is time. Awaken! The player character then comes to at the base of the Pinefather, to be greeted by the esus (Celtic word for "lord") of their season: Spring's is Rosheen (they/them), Summer's is Keath (he/him), Autumn's is Granya (she/her), and Winter's is Berach (he/him).

[ghostace]

gw2 oc masterlist

something like the swtor one - a very brief, very non-exhaustive introduction to each

main crew:

pleurri - commander, priory, champion of aurene - mirage

asuran scholar turned priory researcher, after the colleges' back-stabbing and competition became less and less to her liking. frequently summons her own clones just to talk to, a socially anxious wreck that ended up in a position of leadership she was never meant for when mordremoth arose. with the care of aurene now her responsibility, she rose to the challenge and carried out the path of the champion.

taior voth - commander, vigil - firebrand

the dream always meant for him to be a leader, a protector, a healer, but fate had other plans. lost in the tangled depths after the destruction of the pact fleet, he took a back seat after a painful recovery. reunited after the destruction of the twin dragons, he and pleurri are more of one mind than ever - and they have each others' backs.

side characters:

kiyo kanai - whispers - daredevil & deadeye

criminal scum, street rat - they made many ill-advised choices before finally being caught. leveraging their skills, they negotiated a release to join the order of whispers, where they excelled - and were eventually admitted to the shining blade. with cantha reconnected, they're seeking out particular new interests in the region, including some personal questions as to their ancestry.

saga stormslayer - reaper

a shepherd in the shiverpeaks, away from civilization raising goats and dolyaks, saga led a quiet life until a svanir attack ended her life... and she reawoke, some days later, with new powers and the distant memory of someone in the mists sending her back. she and marad set out from their destroyed homestead to find the person who'd saved her, and try to figure out how she returned.

marad warweaver - specter

an ash legion elementalist, her magic began to wane, growing too unreliable to count upon. frustrated, she left, resigning her position and risking being branded a gladium, and went north where she met saga and the two formed a deep bond. with the help of the raven shaman, she was able to learn a new type of magic, but it wasn't enough when the svanir arrived. despite burying her, saga arose and brought with her more questions than answers, and a new focus for the two.

syvva vlok - renegade & herald

the mists were always an interest of hers, one that made her greatly successful - and always kept her pushing for more. when an experiment led to her falling into the mists, she had to quickly learn to survive with the aid of a long-dead charr warband. manipulating the mists came easily to her, and more than once she sent back wayward spirits, not knowing she was returning them to tyria. her eventual escape landed her in the crystal desert, but in her time away much has changed - and she's in for a rude awakening.

marsus ruincatcher - spellbreaker

blood legion aren't typically known for their intellect, but marsus was perhaps an exception. tired of the battlefield, he joined the priory and devoured the knowledge there, becoming both a stalwart protector and a keen mind in the fight against the dragons. when his wounds from mordremoth's attack never fully healed, he took on the role of caretaker instead - looking out for other wounded pact soldiers, and living a more peaceful existence.

[tbd]

julian frei - elementalist

a healer by trade, the vigil soldier was left to try and keep as many alive as he could when the pact fleet fell. struggling with the effort and the memories, he spends most of his time drowning his mind or following after marsus. aimless, he finds a hint of purpose when an unfamiliar sylvari shows up on their doorstep.

calastris - scrapper & mechanist

she awoke on the run, halfway out of the depths of the maguuma jungle, the echo of a dangerous voice in her mind. straight across tyria, she built tools and weapons from scraps, trying to place as much distance between herself and the remnants of the voice, until she ran into marsus and julian deep in ascalon. clothing and feeding the sapling, they found the odd sylvari doesn't speak and avoids eye contact - but with her contraptions, determination to learn, and an unexpected cheerfulness, she manages to communicate regardless.

ahnwyl - untamed

what do you do when your dream is about someone else? left aimless after fulfilling his purpose, and bitter that his entire existence is meant for someone who doesn't want him, he trails after dragon's watch, causing as many problems as he clears.

dexion theta - holosmith

an inquest experiment in cloning turned sideways when he escaped, one of many copies set himself loose upon the world. injured in the escape but smart enough to take care of himself, dexion took to freedom with enthusiasm - and a particular love of setting things on fire.

[tbd]

fable frostsong - bladesworn

[tbd]

nameless victor - willbender

[ratasum]

Islwyn the Penitent is a Shiverpeaks Sylvari who was mistakenly taken to the Pale Tree by a well meaning norn who thought he was lost. After being left with the Soundless as he had no connection to the Dream, he spent some time within the Nightmare Court out of sheer frustration with his predicament.

After briefly being tempted by Mordremoth's call, he wound up fleeing back to the north, where he was mostly ostracized by his own community. He's since become part of the Crystal Bloom and is working on his "rehabilitation."

[sylvaridreams]

I'm here to talk about my bandits.... :) delving into some background and the formation of the gang Bourbon came from, and its members.

So first to preface, I know bandits in gw2 are considered to be purely human. The human culture's internal bad guys, bankrolled and managed by the White Mantle, and they only crop up in Kryta and northern Maguuma because of course why not they gotta be close to humanity's city right. Okay. Well I.... disagree. I think outside of Kryta there are going to be other bandits because bandits aren't a culturally human or Krytan thing they're a "desperate rejects of society" thing. Regardless of race or landscape.... Where people go, bandits will go.

So my bandit gang ocs (adapted from bandit gang ocs that I've used. elsewhere.) Are located in the far shiverpeaks. Most of them are human sheerly because of how some of them may have known each other, and because I feel like humans are:

1. Adaptive to any environment

2. Highly likely to be abandoned by society the moment that they fail to be useful, productive, or at least likable and easy to sympathize with, and unlikely to return to the society that had abandoned them (whereas charr have a sense of duty to the legions and will try to find another warband, norn have a sense of community and pride, sylvari a sense of honor and loyalty to the tree, and asura are more likely to have higher tier prospects and aspirations that their society has prepared them for... bottom line its almost always pride in oneself and one's culture, or for humans, a lack of it.)

Back to the concept of desperate rejects... something I've explored a lot with my bandits in this and prior settings is that UNLIKE the various races cultural "bad guy" mobs (icebrood and svanir, nightmare court, white mantle, inquest, flame legion) I don't think anyone becomes a bandit through choice, corruption, or aspiration. It is not something that you wake up and decide to aim for. It is something you adapt to because you have no other choice, because society has closed the door on you. It is one act of desperation after another, of doing what you can to survive in a world that has asked you to die quietly.

Obviously pirates exist as well and Aetherblades, both of which recruit from all races, but I feel both of these are categories that require skill and knowhow that not everyone cast out by society is going to have or be able to learn. Anyone can learn to kill to defend, anyone can learn to steal and cheat and lie.

So in the Far Shiverpeaks, think of an area like Bjora's, desperately cold and unforgiving. There's little in the area in terms of people: there are some veeeeery old dwarven structures (and so there are dredge in the mountains.) There are Priory in the region who have even excavating these structures for years, carefully uncovering the histories, and Vigil encampments that largely provide mercenary protection in a special agreement with the Priory. There are some small norn villages that have existed spanning back generations. and serving the Priory, Vigil, and the locals are going to be traveling merchants, bringing supplies north to soldiers and scholars, and trading with the locals.

And where there are people and especially merchants there is opportunity, and so there are bandits.

So MY gang of bandits is situated up there in the ruins of an old dwarven keep, where they've carved a place for themselves into the world. It's a rough life, not for everyone, but their leader is good and they've survived unbothered in this desolate landscape for years without confrontation, which is more than any of them can say for Krytan bandit camps they've lived in, where the Seraph come through at least yearly if not quarterly to exterminate. The pros and cons have to be weighed but for a lot of the gang, the pros are more.

The man who's led them for years is called Glaz. His enemies call him One-eye, or sometimes "Half-Sight Glaz" if they're really mocking him. He's blind in one eye after a knife fight when he was young, and suffers from chronic, incapacitating migraines that left him unable to work most professions or be seen as useful in human society. And with no family to support him, he turned to begging and then stealing before he was 20. Fell in with other thieves, ran afoul of the seraph repeatedly, and soon ended up with a gang. He enjoyed the apparent freedom from Divinity's Reach culture and society, the ability to feel like he was contributing rather than acting as a leech, but hated the structure of the gang and being stepped on and kicked at the bottom of the pack. In other words, his gang mirrored Krytan society in certain expectations and cultural norms, and with time the gang's leader grew to be especially venomous towards him, as he perceived the time that Glaz needed to recover from migraines as being unnecessary and an excuse to slack off and not carry and weight, when he should have been out pillaging basically. They fought over it, the other bandit was victorious, leaving Glaz half blinded and without a place to return to.

He survived the encounter and managed to at least keep the useless eye with the assistance of Doc Grisha, a back alley chop-shop "surgeon" who'd been chased out of DR over one too many accidental deaths in his surgery parlor. The bandits often went to him for injuries and illness, as Grisha seemingly had no conscience or desire to turn away payment, regardless of who the patient may be. He advised Glaz to head east, away from Kryta, because any gang west of the Shiverpeaks was going to be controlled by the White Mantle and would have the exact same structure and story.

So Glaz did that, left his homeland and ventured into the mountains, where he met a half-norn guardian who would become his second in command, Hypocrite. They ran things smoothly together, Hypocrite deferring to Glaz as leader, and with time they moved north, picking up followers in other criminals that had lost their places in society.

They've been situated for at least a decade before Bourbon runs away from his home in the dredge mine he was raised in and is taken in by Glaz. By that time, permanent gang members are:

Glaz: thief, deadeye spec. Calculated, thoughtful, and generally cool headed. When he does snap, it's explosive. (Dies in the Vigil raid when Bourbon is around 17, but later on his spirit attaches to his rifle that Bourbon kept.)

Hypocrite, second in command. Guardian. (Hammer and greatsword.) Half norn, half human, looked down on by the society he was raised in, isolated and disconnected from either culture. Defacto leader whenever Glaz is unable to perform. If Glaz is considered to be brains and strategy, Hypocrite is almost entirely brawn. Seems to be mellow and cool headed but he can change on a dime to violent fury. He beat Bourbon once, and only once, because Glaz took him aside and privately threatened him in such a way that Hypocrite was shaken and never struck Bourbon again. He and Glaz were great friends and he respected his leader a lot. Survives the Vigil raid, but dies within the next year, old and sick.

Bourbon: we know this guy! Thief/deadeye. Named Bost as a baby. He was abandoned by a Vigil mother in a dredge mine, a secret shame meant to die there. Found by a dredge sage, he was brought into the labour's city, and they intended to return him to the Vigil camp after the blizzard passed. Instead he ended up being raised by a young mother who has lost her son, and grew up thinking himself dredge, until a small Vigil raid on the mine. There he realized he was "one of them." A male dredge he looked up to as a friend and brother/paternal figure died defending him, and so Bost ran away, hoping his absence would protect his people. He found the bandit camp and began stealing food scraps to survive. Glaz soon cornered him and started trying to feed and tame him like a stray, eventually taking him in and teaching him to live as a bandit.

Jaeger: warrior, bladesworn spec. Often angry and argumentative, quick to fight. Hated Bourbon from day zero. Took over as leader after Glaz, while the gang was weak and needed direction. Kicked Bourbon out within 16 months. He had half-legitimate reasons for doing this, having seen that Bourbon was a bit of a loose cannon at that time, too reckless for anyone's good.

Kuiltro, aka Dog-of-Many Names, aka Mongrel, aka Mutt (birth name Vedivi but he'll cut your face if you call him that.) Human of uncertain origins, Warrior class. A friend of Jaeger's but always left Bourbon alone, leading to Bourbon thinking they were on ok or sympathetic terms. Dog-of-Many is actually a big hater, a violent fighter, a quiet dark-eyed beast that bites an outstretched hand. He just respected Glaz a LOT. Silently supported Jaeger in ousting Bourbon, as he also saw that Bourbon’s grief spiral was going to get them all killed. (Like Glaz was.) They meet again post-SotO sometime after Bourbon has Glaz taken from him by the Astral Ward and bad feelings surface fast. Kuiltro is currently working for someone Pact or Commander adjacent enough that their paths cross and entwine for some time, not really by his choice. (This is my new in game human character hehe.) Each of his names has meaning behind it. Sometimes they seem interchangeable, but it's all quite intricately distinct; calling him Mongrel when he's Dog-of-Many is a good way to get bit.

Avudim/Dima. Mesmer, virtuoso spec. Musician. Charming and good natured, taught Bourbon music. He made clear to Bourbon that no one wakes up and chooses to do what bandits do on a whim. It's not a life you pick out of a list, it's a life you fall down into, and you gotta do what you must to survive it. Imbued in Bourbon a sense that he had the capability for something greater than being a bandit, even if he didn't pursue it right away. Dima protested when Bourbon was ousted, but was outvoted and, as Jaeger put it, "we aren't voting on this, it's not a popularity contest."

Desman: Ranger. Druid spec? Half Canthan man with very poor eyesight, a quiet manner, and two pet rats that he carries on his shoulders or in his coat. Desman comes off as somewhat meek and mild. Isn't always afforded a lot of respect by the other bandits, especially those younger than him. His vision is so bad and deteriorating so much, he can't stand watch, as he would miss things. He also can't use long range weapons, so he relies on blades- swords, daggers, axes. Eugene is trying to find a permanent fix for his vision, for now he wears an old pair of thick glasses.

Eyes (Eugene) - norn engineer. A friend of Desman's. Big, stocky build, heavily tattooed. He's a tattoo artist and inventor, and takes both arts seriously. Easy to be friends with, always seems to be in high spirits. They call him Eyes because he acts as Desman's sight sometimes, describing to him details he can't see. Big friendly teddy bear bandit basically.

Lenny - thief class. claims to be related to Queen Jennah or other such claims of grandeur and importance. Jaeger says she was a common Shaemoor whore who skipped town on a loan shark and couldn't stop running until she found someone to defend her presence. The type to get into a violent brawl over a mild insult, it's important to approach her with careful respect.

Ana - thief, daredevil spec. another female bandit, sold by her family as a teenager to cover debts. Carted around, saw a lot of the world through the scope of enslavement. Stole some gold and ran away, ended up in the shiverpeaks and joined the gang, never wants to go home.

Grisha or Doc - Canthan necromancer. Harbinger? Joined up with the gang a few years in, after the Seraph caught up with him again in Brisban. The guy to go to for injury and illness, if you dare.

[commanders-company]

BIO - RUNA WYRMSDOTTIR

Norn | Warrior/Revenant | Disciple of Bear

Runa was orphaned in her early teens in a Svanir raid on one of the many settlements in the Shiverpeaks. Rather than remain amongst her people, she fled to the south, eventually finding her way into a small street gang in Lion’s Arch.

Years passed, and she thought she had made a decent home for herself - as much as one can amongst thieves and looters. However, fate came in an unlikely form: late one night, they attempted to mug an old charr visiting the port, only for the retired warrior to soundly wipe the floor with them. But rather than turn them into the Lionguard - or simply kill them - the charr instead made them an offer: meet him in the arena and “learn to fight for something more than a handful of copper for tomorrow’s meal.”

Runa’s compatriots never seriously considered the offer, but something inside her stirred - perhaps the last bit of Norn pride she had left from her youth in the mountains. She joined the charr, a retired Blood legion soldier named Bretak Ironfist, and through months and years he taught her everything he knew, turning her into a formidable warrior who eventually caught the eye of the Vigil. Years later, Runa would rise to be the Commander of the newly formed Pact under Trahearne. When she asked Bretak to join as her second, he refused, saying it was her legend to unfold, and his time had come and gone long ago.

Runa successfully led the Pact against Zhaitan, helped coordinate the retaking of Lion’s Arch from Scarlet Briar, quickly mobilized their forces to prepare an assault on Mordremoth deep in the jungle…to disastrous results that none could have predicted. For weeks after the fleet fell, she found herself plagued by the same dream: the stranded forces surrounded by deadly vines, until a small, bright flower - shielded by the body of a fallen bear - grew into a mighty tree, breaking through the canopy to allow light to burn away the Mordrem growth. A norn shaman with the fleet said he was convinced this was a prophecy from the Spirits of the Wild - the first time she had ever felt any connection to them since childhood - and when she met Feyn for the first time in a makeshift camp deep in the jungle, she instantly knew this sylvari was the “flower” destined to save them all.

Runa took Feyn, Bato and Gheli aside privately and told them the secrets they had learned while investigating Scarlet’s motivations - specifically Glint’s egg they had lost to Caithe. She asked them to work with her new companions (Marjorie, Taimi and the gang) to track down the egg and ensure it stayed safe, leading to it being safely secreted away in Tarir. Later on, she and Feyn took on a scouting mission deep into the tangled depths of root and cave, where they were ambushed and Runa was severely injured. Feyn did her best to help, but Runa refused, knowing this was her prophesied fate. She entrusted Feyn with her Pact sigil, telling her of the vision and trusting the fate of the Pact - of all of Tyria - to her. Firing a flare to distract the approaching Mordrem, she commanded Feyn to run and took her final stand.

The rest, as they say, is history: Feyn took up the mantle of Pact Commander and slew Mordremoth, nurtured the dragon egg and raised the hatchling which would become Aurene, and even faced down the humans’ god of war himself. All the while the story of the First Commander was told and retold, a legend among legends to be passed down in memory of a hero.

And then, two years after she died, Runa awoke in the desert.

As Kralkatorrik tore through the Mists in the wake of Balthazar’s demise, Runa’s soul was wrenched from its rest, finding new life in the wastes of Elona. Though she had no memory of who she was beyond her name, she was quickly taken in by locals who nursed her to health - and gave her cause to fight with her new mist-fueled powers as a Revenant.

When word spread of the Pact’s fight to take down the crystal dragon, Runa’s memories began to resurface, prompting her to begin the long journey back to Tyria. When she returned to the Shiverpeaks, she met with the shamans who helped her understand who she once was - but that person felt foreign to her. Left without a clear path, she resorted to wandering the north, making a solitary living in the wild far away from other settlements.

Her path crossed with Feyn once again as the sylvari and her company ventured north in pursuit of Bangar, where she helped them slay the Boneskinner. Reuniting returned more of Runa’s old memories, and prompted her to aid in the fight against Jormag, Primordus, and the Frost Legion.

But as that crisis resolved, she once again felt lost. The old Runa was no longer needed; Feyn’s legend had long since surpassed her own, and she no longer felt any true connection to the Pact regardless. But her solitude would be cut short by an unexpected invitation: the secretive Astral Ward had need of her strength and what knowledge of the Mists she had left.

Here Runa at last found a permanent home, questing from one end of the world to the other, protecting the innocent as a simple, faceless warrior, here one day and gone the next. Though the threat of the Kryptis brings her a bit too close to the world-saving limelight than she’d like, she is glad to have a true purpose once again.