Guild Wars 2

Canach: I needed to send Noll and his superiors a message, and these people needed hope. So I provided it.
Inspector Ellen Kiel: Well, that hope you provided left a trail of wreckage and broken bodies across my island.
Canach: It doesn’t matter. The last of these contracts will be destroyed and the settlers will be freed.

I think that puts Canach’s motives in prospective. He wants to free the settlers, but he doesn’t really care how his actions effect them, as long as he gets what he wants in the end. Even if his actions directly lead to their death.

I think one of the dialogues from Job-o-Tron sums it up nicely.

Tergvi: I’m no raider. I kill dangerous beasts and those who do evil. I defend the innocent.
Job–o–Tron: Updating–response: “Muderous–raider–with–delusions–of–grandeur.”

Helping a terrorist just because they might look like they are right is quite dangerous.
That is what breeds new terrorists after all.

And no matter how you twist it, Canach is very much a terrorist.

I have very mixed feelings about Canach. On the one hand, his motives are… good-ish. On the other, his methods leave much to be desired. And the Consortium stinks. The whole thing left me wanting to start a 3rd side – or rather, organize the settlers into a decent 3rd side

I did want to point out, though, that not all the Norn and Charr went to Southsun. The Charr who lost their possessions are now in Nolan Hatchery and I assume the Norn are now in Cragstead. (And some of them might have said – cool, new enemies. I’ll go to Southsun.)

lordkrall.7241:

Helping a terrorist just because they might look like they are right is quite dangerous.
That is what breeds new terrorists after all.

And no matter how you twist it, Canach is very much a terrorist.

A terrorist ist someone who uses terror as a weapon. Attacking civilians in order to force a government to accept a certain agenda. Canach on the other hand uses the karka and other wildlife to target the Consortium contracts and propaganda to stirr unrest. So Canach is a demagoge and an unscrupulous guerilla fighter, but a terrorist only if you use an opportunistic definition of terrorist.

I don’t know Canach. I haven’t seen him say anything in game. I haven’t seen a Southsun story save the footnotes on the two back pieces.

Where is the story? Am I going to have to buy a book by Christie Golden or Richard Knaak to understand the in-game storyline?

Elbegast.6970:

I don’t know Canach. I haven’t seen him say anything in game. I haven’t seen a Southsun story save the footnotes on the two back pieces.

Then you weren’t there at the Lost Shore-event in november. There Canach had dialogues and a letter.
And he has a dialogue with Kiel now when you beat him at his Lair. And you can read the story-pieces that are spread out over the island, like the log at Canach’s Folly. There are some information about him.

Also feel free to read the letters from Lost Shore. The link is in my signature.

Niyo.5920:

Elbegast.6970:

I don’t know Canach. I haven’t seen him say anything in game. I haven’t seen a Southsun story save the footnotes on the two back pieces.

Then you weren’t there at the Lost Shore-event in november. There Canach had dialogues and a letter.
And he has a dialogue with Kiel now when you beat him at his Lair. And you can read the story-pieces that are spread out over the island, like the log at Canach’s Folly. There are some information about him.

Also feel free to read the letters from Lost Shore. The link is in my signature.

I’ve been playing for almost 3 months. So, no, I wasn’t at Southsun in November.

So, in order to figure out what is going on, I must scour every in-game pixel in hopes of finding small paragraphs that detail the storyline? I’m sorry, but that isn’t storytelling.

The story should be unavoidable during the course of the event. Rather, it seems that the story is being intentionally hidden from the player base.

The story I have gotten so far….

The Cabbage Patch King went on vacation.
He made the animals angry.
We captured the Cabbage Patch King (why? because he made animals angry?!?!).
We are left farming wildlife because they love to steal treasures and hide RNG chests under their shells.

Now tell me, who is Canach, Noll and Kiel? And why should I care?
Canach never attacked me.
Kiel has never helped me.
Noll is just an arrogant, bossy Asuran (in other words, generic) who deserves a swift death at the hands of a random Charr Warrior.

And don’t get me started on Karen and Fasmeer. Both are more useless than an Endless Mystery Tonic.

WHERE IS THE STORY?

Canach makes me want to decapitate him / put a stake through his leafy heart / burn to ashes to make sure he is dead as a doornail and not perma invulnerable to anything but disarmed mines that flash green at the top (but not not disarmed mines that flash green at the top).

Elbegast.6970:

I’ve been playing for almost 3 months. So, no, I wasn’t at Southsun in November.

[snip]

WHERE IS THE STORY?

You know that time when you find a really cool TV show and realise you are watching season 3? And then you watch the repeats to catch up on old story?

Yeah, that. Not too difficult, is it?

GuzziHero.2467:

Elbegast.6970:

I’ve been playing for almost 3 months. So, no, I wasn’t at Southsun in November.

[snip]

WHERE IS THE STORY?

You know that time when you find a really cool TV show and realise you are watching season 3? And then you watch the repeats to catch up on old story?

Yeah, that. Not too difficult, is it?

…Except that the previous parts of the story have been completely removed from the game.

If I miss a couple seasons of a television show, I can go watch them online. If I miss content that has been removed from GW2, well, you see the dilemma. At least, I hope you do. The entire story should always be available in-game. I shouldn’t have to do a wiki search to understand the plotline.

This game needs more cutscenes, audible dialogue and some place to catch up on backstories….especially for those who did not start playing on launch day.

ASaturnus.4980:

A terrorist ist someone who uses terror as a weapon. Attacking civilians in order to force a government to accept a certain agenda. Canach on the other hand uses the karka and other wildlife to target the Consortium contracts and propaganda to stirr unrest. So Canach is a demagoge and an unscrupulous guerilla fighter, but a terrorist only if you use an opportunistic definition of terrorist.

So.. causing dangerous creates to attack and destroy settlements is not using terror as a weapon?
What he is doing is more or less the very definition of terrorism.
He might be targeting Consortium, but there is still a rather high amount of civilian death and destruction. At this time ALL settlements are getting attacked, not just the Consortiums bases of operations so clearly he don’t really care who he kills with his attacks.

But then on the other hand I don’t think terrorists or their followers see themselves as terrorists either, but rather as freedom fighters. So this discussion will be quite biased since some people are siding with Canach.

One thing I find weird is the way Canach is attacking the camp and killing refugees as well. That’s hardly helping them…

They should of had a quest where you help the refugees, and when completed the guy gives you a note and says something like “Thanks for helping out, you look like someone I can trust. I received this a few nights ago ago from this shadowy figure. Perhaps you can find out who.”

The have an award which is a letter from ‘A friend’ warning the refugees to leave the camp that night because something bad will happen.

Because right now Canach is trying to slaughter everyone. Its like “lets free that town from an army that has taken it over. I know, we’ll bomb the entire place.”

lordkrall.7241:

So.. causing dangerous creates to attack and destroy settlements is not using terror as a weapon?

No, it’s not. It’s using the wildlife as a weapon. He’s targeting Consortium property because he wants it destroyed, not because he wants to instill fear in civilians. Dead civilians are not his targets, they are collateral damage.
And I’m not biased towards Canach, I think he’s a dangerous criminal. But I’m biased against opportunistic definitions of terrorism.

ASaturnus.4980:

No, it’s not. It’s using the wildlife as a weapon. He’s targeting Consortium property because he wants it destroyed, not because he wants to instill fear in civilians. Dead civilians are not his targets, they are collateral damage.
And I’m not biased towards Canach, I think he’s a dangerous criminal. But I’m biased against opportunistic definitions of terrorism.

And who are using said Consortium property?
Thats right, civilians. Ergo he is attacking civilians.

Common definitions of terrorism refer only to those violent acts which are intended to create fear (terror); are perpetrated for a religious, political or, ideological goal; and deliberately target or disregard the safety of non-combatants (civilians).

Which is EXACTLY what Canach is doing at the moment in Southsun.
He don’t care about civilian casualties as long as he can spread fear and damage the Consortium.

lordkrall.7241:

Which is EXACTLY what Canach is doing at the moment in Southsun.
He don’t care about civilian casualties as long as he can spread fear and damage the Consortium.

Can you give any source that shows that he is actually trying to cause fear and use this fear for his purposes?

And he’s attacking the Consortium property not because of the civilians there. The civilians just happen to be there where his targets are, the contracts. If civilians live at a military base, it’s still a lawful act of war to attack that base (not that Canach’s deeds are lawful acts of war).

lordkrall.7241:

Which is EXACTLY what Canach is doing at the moment in Southsun.
He don’t care about civilian casualties as long as he can spread fear and damage the Consortium.

He doesn’t want to “spread fear”. He wants to help the refugees, cause he sees himself as their hero.

Here is a quote from Scott McGough about Canach’s change of appearance (maybe this helps to better understand him):

Canach’s look has indeed undergone a major change since The Lost Shores, and I regret that there isn’t more background available regarding how it happened, but let me address the question here: his change in appearance is almost entirely due to the hardships he’s endured since he escaped Lionguard custody. He’s a fugitive from justice, he’s had Noll’s freelance decommission teams trying to kill him, and he’s utterly alone, so it’s been a tough couple of months for the sylvari fugitive.

Being on the run, fighting for his life, and killing the killers sent after him have weathered Canach; plus, he made a concerted effort to change his look (hairstyle, etc.) so as not to be recognized and arrested by the Lionguard. It’s quite a come down from the high position and status he enjoyed as a secondborn (even if that status was never as high as he thought it should be), and his new, grimmer look is meant to reflect the psychological toll he’s had to pay as well as the physical one.

As for the flaming gauntlets, remember that Canach is a seasoned combat veteran and an experienced guerilla fighter with a fairly twisted sense of what’s right. When he heard about the Molten Alliance refugees resettling on Southsun Cove, he saw a chance to help other Consortium victims and get even with Noll. But like a good soldier, he wanted to understand the situation in which he was about to involve himself, so he made a point of seeking out one of the Molten Alliance weapons facilities and clearing it. He obtained the gauntlets from that escapade and wears them now as a symbol of his newly adopted (and so far poorly executed) role as a champion of the weak…right before he set out for Southsun Cove to settle things with Noll.

Niyo.5920:

He wants to help the refugees, cause he sees himself as their hero.

Right. He wants to save them by using deadly monsters and treats the refugees as expendable collateral damage. Very heroic.

As Scott McGough said: he has “a fairly twisted sense of what’s right”. Maybe he thinks he is their hero. That he is not is clear for us.

Well, saying that he thinks himself as a hero gives him too much credit considering that all of his dialogue suggests otherwise. There isn’t anything sympathetic about him and let’s be honest, his desire to “save” the refugees is a lot of grandstanding. Canach is merely using it as a front for his personal vendetta against the Consortium.

Spendingallmytime.7249:

Well, saying that he thinks himself as a hero gives him too much credit considering that all of his dialogue suggests otherwise. There isn’t anything sympathetic about him and let’s be honest, his desire to “save” the refugees is a lot of grandstanding. Canach is merely using it as a front for his personal vendetta against the Consortium.

Have you read the full quote from Scott McGough?
Canach is gone through hell and it’s all the Consortiums fault. He has legitimate reasons to have a grudge against them. I feel sorry for him.

I’ve read the full quote and I’m familiar with Canach from the Lost Shores event. However, what sympathy I could possibly have for him is gone considering his actions. Although, Canach may have legitimate reasons to hold a grudge against the Consortium, the fact that he’d endanger the lives of so many innocent people to get his revenge reveals his character.

That’s your opinion. And that’s ok.
I feel pity for him and I wish that it all will end well for the settlers. It’s clear that Canach has to take the responsibility for his actions. But to kill him is not the right way and I hope he will have a longer part in the game from now on.

I can agree with that. I wonder if he’ll be part of the new Destiny’s Edge alongside Braham and Rox. He has that ‘will do what’s necessary’ vibe.

Spendingallmytime.7249:

I can agree with that. I wonder if he’ll be part of the new Destiny’s Edge alongside Braham and Rox. He has that ‘will do what’s necessary’ vibe.

Yeah. That would be very cool.
Would fit with Caithe. She also is not the “every time nice”-character and has done things that weren’t all good. Like killing a nightmare courtier who my character promised will live when he tells us what we wanted to know.

Niyo.5920:

Spendingallmytime.7249:

I can agree with that. I wonder if he’ll be part of the new Destiny’s Edge alongside Braham and Rox. He has that ‘will do what’s necessary’ vibe.

Yeah. That would be very cool.
Would fit with Caithe. She also is not the “every time nice”-character and has done things that weren’t all good. Like killing a nightmare courtier who my character promised will live when he tells us what we wanted to know.

I agree with both of you.
Niyo, my Sylvari character couldn’t trust Caithe ever again after that part of the personal story. She still tries to avoid talking about that and to go anywhere near Caithe.
I really hope that Canach, Braham and Rox won’t simply disappear from our lives. I really like them. I want to see Braham forgiving Eir someday, and Rox being accepted into Rytlock’s warband. Also, I would love to see Canach healing.
It is funny, but I felt so proud of Braham and Rox after the Molten Facility… Like if they really were my friends, people that I care about, and not just a bunch of data xD
Makes me think of Tybalt, to be honest. I really miss him. I wish I could have made this kind of connection to Trahearne, though, but I couldn’t and I have no idea why.

Spendingallmytime.7249:

I can agree with that. I wonder if he’ll be part of the new Destiny’s Edge alongside Braham and Rox. He has that ‘will do what’s necessary’ vibe.

I’m kinda iffy on that. While I like the idea of them joining together to fight something like the Personal Nemesis, I’m not sure about the “new Destiny’s Edge” idea. We already have a group of npcs to deal with the dragons. I’d rather not have another group to deal with all the living story stuff as well. Let us, the players, do something sometimes.

Though, I do hope they expand on the story of Canach and Kiel. Canach needs some better treatment, since I do like where is character is going. I just (really really) don’t like where it’s at the moment, if that makes any sense at all. Kiel, on the other hand, needs more character depth. All she is right now is a no nonsense cop.

Ironic symbolism isn’t it? The Consortium actually represents NexonNet (Greedy, gluttonous, and lustful) while the Settlers represents the players (Hobbyists, farmers, and frustrated individuals), yeah, I’d definitely side with Canach.

By the way, all the people who are saying they hate Kiel because she’s helping the Consortium save their contracts, I wouldn’t be so sure. Recall her last comment about getting her hands on “as much black powder as I can muster”. Somehow, I get the feeling that she’s not going to be using that black powder against the Karka Queen…

Zaxares.5419:

By the way, all the people who are saying they hate Kiel because she’s helping the Consortium save their contracts, I wouldn’t be so sure. Recall her last comment about getting her hands on “as much black powder as I can muster”. Somehow, I get the feeling that she’s not going to be using that black powder against the Karka Queen…

Show Spoiler

hide spoiler

My prediction? She’s going to store the black powder on the very same ship that Noll is loading all his precious contracts on. Once all the contracts are aboard and it’s time to leave (but before anyone actually gets on the ship)… KABOOM!

Kiel: “Oops. Looks like some lubberhead didn’t store the black powder properly. Oh well. Good luck in fishing out soggy, charred scraps of settler contracts from the bay, Noll!”

Oh. I DO think it will turn out like you say. But I hate Kiel, cause her “you will not be their hero, cause I will be the one who is their hero and you will rot in prison”-attitude.