Guild Wars 2

Tlaxca-chui

Tlaxca-chui stalked silently along a wet, mossy branch in the jungle canopy. The nicitating membrane above his huge, slitted eyes slid back and forth as he watched his prey. When he sticked out his tongue in regular intervals he could also smell it. A small pride of behemoths wallowed in the mud beneath him. Today he and the other ceruatl – seasoned hunters – would make rich pickings for their tribe.

Tlaxca-chui was an Itzel. The frog-like creature crouched along the huge branches of the rainforest trees before sliding down a huge vine. Though able to giant leaps and ferocious speed, he now moved with furtive little hops, placing his webbed toes with care. The other Itzel did the same, their thin, slippery limbs weaving through the branches. Slowly they surrounded their prey. Some of them had already drawn short bows or bowpipes. Darts were slid across their own oily skin to cover them in poison.

To Tlaxca-chui´s deep satisfaction there was still no sound. No snapping twigs, not even the tiniest quack (which he would have expected amongst younger hunters, who had only recently passed their tadpole-rituals). Still he didn´t renounce to thank mother jungle for their luck. He touched a bromeliad and whispered silently: Ameyalli amaxtli. Ameyalli provides.

Then Tlaxca-chui´s skin changed. Within seconds the camouflage-like dim grey became a bright violet-grey and then an iridescent purple. Colourful dots appeared in the canopy as the Itzel-Hylek started their hunt. Loam and mud-brown was replaced by stark yellow and fiery orange tones. The glands of their skin exuded pheromones to further incite their eagerness to kill and they moved with the deadly unison which could only be expected from individuals hatched from the same frogspawn. Their incredibly powerful hind legs propelled them through the air and Tlaxca-chui was the first to land amidst the surprised behemoths. He could smell the fear and confusion of the ponderous beasts and it intoxicated him. As he slew the first behemoth he inflated his vocal sack in a triumphant call. Tonight there would be celebration in Jaka Itzel since the hunters would bring meat to the starving tribe. With satisfaction he once again thanked mother jungle. Ameyalli indeed provides.

More artwork connected to the story above… :-)

Burning Skies

Llamaria finally made her way to Verdant Brink. Too late to save the pact fleet, yet gathering poison and sharpening arrowheads to avenge some of Tyria´s brave heroes and thin out the local Mordrem population ;-)

Ohh wow, these are really cool! I like your take on the Hylek and the story that connects the paintings.

Hey ho!
Thanks for the kind comment. It´s nice to connect the single pictures and thereby tell some kind of story, indeed. I hope this makes the thread more than the sum of its parts :-)
Regards
Benjamin

Auric Basin

The jungle here was a compilation of golds and greens, with sunlight seeping through the canopy like some viscous liquid. Exotic birds, flying lizards and pterosaurs squawked overhead, pocket raptors screeched and prehistoric insects chirped. Deeper in the jungle the deafening roars of rivalling stoneheads could be heard. Somewhere a small pride of arrowheads dragged their massive, armoured bodies through the tangled underbrush, cutting broad swathes through the jungle.
Yet Llamarias attention was focused on the huge structure towering above her. The ancient ruins were in part overgrown with veins and giant ferns, the stones cracked and the reliefs weathered away, but still it transpired a sense of primal magic and venerable power. There were ramparts and viaducts the size of whole towns, columns reaching towards the sky and arcades spanning hundreds of metres. Everything was cut from some unknown sort of smooth stone, which looked a sandy brown, a warm ochre hue or a rich gold, depending on the light.
Tarir was an age-old, forgotten place now, but in its prime it must have been magnificient.