Canthan Xpac Idea: Shadows of the Emperor

Canthan Xpac Idea: Shadows of the Emperor

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Posted by: lordhelmos.7623

lordhelmos.7623

This is just a think tank for some crazy ideas I had for a Canthan Expansion. Too much time off

FORWARD:

“Magic, the great shaper and mother of life. We cling to her like a newborn babe, unable to let go and unable to satiate our thirst for her. We would drink this world dry, leaving only withered veins of what were once the great veins of power that once flowed through Tyria. The creators knew this, and so they created the guardian dragons to bring balance to this world. And for a time, balance there was…

What the creators did not expect, is what twisted evils us mortals would do with the very power that shapes this world. We burn, twist, and use magic to fuel our dark ambitions. Our sins burn themselves into the magic itself, like a brand burned into flesh. And so the dragons drink deep, swallowing our sins and becoming them.

Now we look into the skies, at the shadows of the dragons that loom before us and crush our tiny empires under their jagged claws. We look into their malicious eyes and see only our own demons.”

-Found etched upon ruins of a Forgotten city.

(cont.)

Canthan Xpac Idea: Shadows of the Emperor

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Posted by: lordhelmos.7623

lordhelmos.7623

THE UNLIKELY ALLIANCE:

Two years had passed since the fall of the Elder Dragon Zhaitan. We knew there would be more battles to come, but the war came to us in a way we did not expect. Seven days ago the first walker made landfall on Kessex Hills. It was a towering machine that hissed steam and had long arching spines for legs. The machine deep gashes across the land it stepped over. The dragonslaves come flooding after, barnacle encrusted beasts mutated by dragon corruption that surged from the ocean like a wave.

Many settlements were lost, countless homes were shattered, and Seraph legions were torn apart by the twisted seaborn creatures. The second walker made landfall at Bloodtide Bay, forcing the Tengu to emerge from their long isolation to face an enemy they had hoped to escape from years ago.

We pushed the first wave back, but more came. They flooded into the human lands faster than the Pact could mobilize airships. Before we knew it, Divinity’s Reach was under siege. The few proud heroes that survived prepared to make a last stand at the foot of Shaemoor.

In our darkest hour, the sky roiled and turned a dark purple. It was then that the Elder Dragon Kralkatorrik emerged, laying waste to the spidery siege engines and army of dragonslaves in a blast of golden light and crackling lightning.

(cont.)

(edited by lordhelmos.7623)

Canthan Xpac Idea: Shadows of the Emperor

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Posted by: lordhelmos.7623

lordhelmos.7623

The dragon approached Shaemoor, its breath crackling with lightning. It demanded the queen in a voice that shook all the forests of Queensdale. After a long silence, Queen Jennah emerged from the city gates to parlay with the titanic beast.

The dragon claimed that another Elder Dragon, Oberon of the Unending Ocean, has fallen. We would soon learn that the Canthan empire of the south defeated the dragon through the use of powerful machines and the leadership of Jinro Tagachi, the prodigy of a cursed clan that sought to reclaim its honor and prove its loyalty to the emperor.

The Canthans captured Oberon, sealing the dragon in a prison of magitech machinery that draws on it’s corruptive power and places it in the hands of the emperor.

Emperor Usoku is a madman who was obsessed with immortality. They say he sealed himself into a golden suit to extend his own life while he desperately seeks a way into divinity. The emperor is using the dragon’s energy to power a machine that is drilling deep into the earth. He seeks to tap into the fragile network of magical leylines that forms a nexus at the heart of the world, the “Heart of Tyria.” He wants to consume the heart to become a god.

Those that opposed the emperor are corrupted by the imprisoned dragon’s energy and turned into dragonslaves. Kralkatorrik claimed that with Oberon’s power, not even she as an Elder Dragon could stand against him. Jormag continues to consume in the Shiverpeaks, failing to see the Emperor as a threat. Only Primordius and its army weakened by the Great Dwarf Crusade stands in the way of stopping the emperor from reaching the heart, but Kralkatorrik stated it was unsure if this would be enough.

No chances could be taken, for it is the purpose of the dragons to bring balance to the world and protect the heart. It is inevitable that the mortal races would discover the heart through our exploration of magic. When we do, our greed would make us yearn for it. We would consume it and wither the world. For that, we must be culled.

Kralkatorrik stated that if the emperor consumes the magical nexus at the heart of Tyria, much of the world would wither and die. In turn, the emperor would become a god with power far greater than that of the dragons.

However, we were fools to think that dragon was without malice. It branded our beloved queen Jennah with its foul magic, vowing only to return her from the dragon corruption if we aided in stopping the emperor.

So the second pact war begins.

(cont.)

(edited by lordhelmos.7623)

Canthan Xpac Idea: Shadows of the Emperor

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Posted by: lordhelmos.7623

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NEW PLAYABLE RACES:

Korians:
A race of crystalline people who were created as an army to fight the Canthan empire by Kralkatorrik. They enter an uneasy alliance with the pact due to Kralkatorric’s actions in Shaemoor. Like their creator, the Korians have inherited an insatiable hunger for perfection in all things and consider themselves greater than other races. Korians live in a hive-based society called the Tessellation. Each Korian is born from crystal geodes charged with Kralkatorric’s power and emerge through a process called Crystal-Genesis. Upon birth, Korians commune with a “fate-stone” that will decide their purpose in Korian society. Like worker ants, Korians are bound to their purpose.

There are three major sects in Tessellation that Korians can be bound to. The “Arm” is the sect of Korians that are the warriors of the hive. The “Mind” study magic and strategy. The “Nons” are the lowest class of Korian purpose and comprise the workers and builders.

Korians display very little emotion and live to serve their creator. The Korian starting zone is the Crystal Lair that was once Glint’s Lair before it was taken from her by Kralkatorric. The Korians fight a two front war against Joko’s empire to the east where they pillage magical artifacts to feed their dragon’s hunger while fighting the Canthan empire to the west. Korians work diligently to capture valuable artifacts to feed to their master and gain praise. They have a borg/terminator type of demeanor and it is unknown as to what kind of effects interacting with the Pact races will have on them.

Tengu:
The Tengu were once driven from their land and dishonored by the Canthan Emperor. With pride and honor being the most important virtues to the Tengu clan, the great exodus left Tengu society broken and untrusting of outsiders. For years the Tengu sealed themselves within their great walls, seeking spirituality, inner peace, and preparing themselves for the day they would be able to reclaim their homelands in Cantha.

When the Canthan siege walkers breached into the beaches near Lion’s Arch, the Tengu realized that they could wait no longer. The gates to the Dominion were opened and a stream of highly trained Tengu warriors emerged to lay waste to the Canthan invaders. Although hesitant to aid the pact, the Tengu now realize that an alliance with the Tyrians may be the only way to reclaim their honor from the emperor.

In return the Pact requires the Tengu knowledge of the Canthan windstorms in order to send airships into Canthan space. The sea channel is inaccessible due to the emperor’s control over Oberon and the dragonslaves.

(cont.)

(edited by lordhelmos.7623)

Canthan Xpac Idea: Shadows of the Emperor

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Posted by: lordhelmos.7623

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Skritt:
When Oberon struck, Keining city was decimated. During the time of need when the emperor abandoned the common people in order to pursue his plan of capturing the dragon, the Skritt emerged from their underground tunnels in Budkek Byway and saved countless citizens by leading through the complex network of sewers under the city. When the empire went mad with the dragon’s power and sent the Ministry Troops into the cities to enslave people and convert them into dragon slaves, the Skritt freed many from concentration camps and holding cells.

The Skritt control the underground tunnels and information channels vital to the resistance. Also among the Skritt is Bongo One-Eye, a master swordsman who was able to force Jinro Tagachi himself into retreating during a battle to reclaim Old Keining Square.

The Skritt now station their resistance deep in the old Keining sewers, acting as a friend to all that would oppose the evils of Usoku. Their starting area begins in the sewers of the Old Keining ruins. The new Canthan capital and Seat of the Emperor is a giant palace that sits upon a giant drilling machine that is burrowing in the area where the harvest temple used to be.

(cont.)

(edited by lordhelmos.7623)

Canthan Xpac Idea: Shadows of the Emperor

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Posted by: lordhelmos.7623

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NEW PERSONAL STORY PATH:

There is a new personal story path that pits the players against the evils of the Emperor. During the course of the player’s campaign through Cantha they will be able to join one of three major factions that are resisting the empire:

Xunlai Trading Houses:
The Xunlai trading houses are a network of shrewd economists and secret suppliers that run the Canthan black market. While other factions may use brute force, the Xunlai prefer guile and market manipulation in order to put powerful weapons into resistance hands and limit the power of Usoku’s army. Many Xunlai agents are members of the emperor’s own celestial ministry that are empathetic towards the rebels and secretly fund the resistance. The trading houses are made up of a network of Zaishen battle isle survivors, former Xunlai agents with large fortunes, and celestial ministry members. They are led by the charismatic Lady Song.

Jade Militia:
The Jade Militia is an organization of former street gangs that have banded together to create a powerful militant alliance against the emperor. Members include the remnants of the Jade Brotherhood, the Am Fah, and the Obsidian Flame. They are led by the valiant Horon Axebeak, a Tengu of the Sensali clan who chose to remain behind and fight during the great exodus. The Jade Militia prefers brute force and gang tactics.

The Seaguard:
The Seaguard is a remnant of the Kurzicks and Luxons that survived the brutal subjugation of the two clans by the empire over 100 years ago. During the subjugation, the majority of the Kurzicks underwent a final “Awakening” ceremony. Through the ceremony, the Kurzicks chose to shed their human bodies and become immortal juggernauts instead of submitting to Usoku’s rule. The remaining Kurzicks that did not choose this path journeyed into the melting Jade Sea to align with their once hated Luxon counterparts. This alliance became known as the Seaguard as a tribute to the valiant defenders who died as the newly found alliance fought to defend Cavalon from the empire. This battle ended with the seaguard successfully pushing Usoku back and establishing a foothold in the Jade Sea region.

The Eschovald forest is now a no-man’s land populated by roaming juggernauts and warden defenders that will kill anyone who enters the forest, even those of kurzick blood. Even the empire has turned away from trying to reclaim it.

The Seaguard prefers seeking ancient artifacts and ancestral weapons to fight the empire, such as the famous Kurzick weapon “The God’s Vengeance.”

(cont.)

Canthan Xpac Idea: Shadows of the Emperor

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Posted by: lordhelmos.7623

lordhelmos.7623

SIGNIFICANT EVENTS:

Capture of Queen Jennah:

Queen Jennah has been transformed into a branded and is being held by Kralkatorrik as insurance that the pact will honor its alliance with the dragon. The players will undergo a series of events that will have them delve deep into the crypts under Kryta via Countess Anises’ orders. The players will then awaken Lady Livia, an ancient Shining Blade Lich who controls the Scepter of Orr and who will act as the Queen Regent during Jennah’s absence.

Opening of the Crystal Desert and Dominion of the Four Winds:

Both the Dominion of the Four Winds and the Crystal Desert will open to reveal the starting zones and story paths of the Korians and the Tengu. The Korian starter quests will have the player prove themselves to their dragon master by claiming artifacts from the nearby encampments that belong to Palawa Joko. The Tengu quests will involve a search to reclaim personal honor and to prove one’s self through the Tengu clan trials.

NEW ENEMIES:

The Mordant Crescent:
Korians now fight the undead minions of Palawa Joko in the Crystal Desert as part of their starting personal storyline to claim artifacts for Kralkatorric.

The Myrmidons:
A sect of giants in Cantha related to the Norn. The emperor employs them as mercenaries. They are brash, violent, and easily swayed by coin. Like the Norn, they worship the native animal spirits of the Canthan Region, which are as follows: Dog, Turtle, Tiger, and Eel. Not all Myrmidons are aligned to the empire, some support the resistance.

The Tagachi Clan:
The Tagachi clan are the blood descendants of Shiro’s old clan and were considered cursed. During Oberon’s siege, Jinro Tagachi came to the aid of the emperor and reclaimed the clan’s honor by being instrumental in the dragon’s capture. Jinro and the Tagachi clan are now the Emperor’s most elite personal guard. Each one is a deadly master swordsman capable of taking on a small army.

The Dragonslaves:
Canthan inhabitants that have been poisoned by Oberon’s dragon corruption, which is now being controlled by the emperor. Slaves that are no longer useful and opposers to Usoku’s rule are corrupted and made into warrior slaves of the empire through Oberon’s power. These creatures resemble Cthulu-like deep sea monstrosities.

The Ministry of Purty:
The army of the celestial ministry that is under the empire’s direct control. These are the footsoldiers of the empire.

Inquest:
They have aligned with Usoku for a chance to study the imprisoned dragon.

The Awakened:
An alliance of x-kurzicks who have now become juggernauts and plant monsters due to the final awakening ceremony and the wardens of Urgoz. These creatures protect the eschovald forest with a zeal that rivals that of the Ascalonian ghosts. They will kill anyone who enters in an attempt to preserve the forest. As such, the eschovald has become a dense jungle of death and no trespassing.

(End for now, maybe I’ll add more)

(edited by lordhelmos.7623)

Canthan Xpac Idea: Shadows of the Emperor

in Suggestions

Posted by: lordhelmos.7623

lordhelmos.7623

(saved for more braindump when bored.)

Canthan Xpac Idea: Shadows of the Emperor

in Suggestions

Posted by: lordhelmos.7623

lordhelmos.7623

(more braindump space)

Canthan Xpac Idea: Shadows of the Emperor

in Suggestions

Posted by: Artiyum.7062

Artiyum.7062

Reading that got me so excited…then i realised Anet will never do this. Anet expansion is more Gem shop items !!! New rng box with a chance of being able to open it..with a chance of getting another box with a chance of getting 50 copper.
Otherwise great stuff. Really looking forward to something like this in the future.