Guild Wars 2

This post is about lore and active world perspective, not the Group Event. Please keep remarks germane.

Southsun Island presents a host of problems to the day-to-day operation of Lion’s Arch, specifically involving water-based trade. This could be easily exploited by the storyline writers for use in future content. Here are a few thoughts on the situation presented by a rising island as well as some potential hooks for future usage of said island.

The major straight-shot sea lane to and from Lion’s Arch is now closed, or at least greatly limited. Given the implied boundaries of the Tengu nation to the north and northwest of Southsun Island, there are now only two “clear” shipping lanes:

1) Straight down Bloodtide Coast, through the narrow rocky juts between Mournful Depths and Ocean’s Gullet, through some extremely narrow (possibly too narrow to navigate) stretches and out by the Splintered Coast;

2) Southwest past the Bloodtide Coast, shooting a very narrow gap between Pearl Islet and the currently unmapped peninsula coming off the west side of Sparkfly Fen.

This can be used to the writers’ advantage through the following options:

A) Orr’s major undersea infiltration vector for south Kryta is now blocked. The remaining Orrian forces, still controlled by a few very powerful liches, want to wrest control of the island away from the Consortium and Lionguard and use it as a new base of operations for continued attacks on Lion’s Arch and the surrounding area. Worst of all, they’ve discovered a clutch of Karka eggs and are working on a new, more powerful Risen version…

B) With the rock juts making shipping a dangerous proposition from Bloodtide Coast to Sparkfly Fen, most cargo ships have decided to give the Pearl Islet run a try. Unfortunately, the Covington Pirates were one step ahead and have taken over the Sparkfly Peninsula and lie in wait for a ship to try and shoot the gap unguarded. The Consortium is economically vested in making sure every ship gets through safely – well, most of them are. Is one on the take with the Covington Pirates and feeding them shipping schedules? (Would require opening the passage west from Orvanic Shores in Sparkfly Fen and making the western peninsula a part of the Southsun Island instance).

C) The island rose from Bubbles’ stirring; his full awakening takes out the islets on the eastern portion of the island and opens the gap for easier shipping. Unfortunately, that nice big nest that was halfway blown up in killing the Ancient Karka looks like a great place for his lieutenants to occasionally roost when they’re not swooping down and plucking men, women, and plants from passing ships…