Guild Wars 2

I’m just wondering if the choice as to who to kill off during the Personal Stories is made based on who is the most endearing and personable character in the game?

First, the amazingly endearing Tybalt Leftpaw is taken from us. Why? Why him? Couldn’t you have taken the uber-annoying and shamefully defeatist vegetable (“This won’t end well…”) instead?

Now, for no apparent reason (it could’ve been anybody, after all) Eir Stegalkin, the epitome of a strong woman more than holding her own in a man’s world, is betrayed by someone she’s trying to help and brutally murdered. Why not take her son instead? You know, the dumb one with the idiot hairdo that we always want to send to a competent barber?

Just some random thoughts…

1) Could you please put [Spoiler] in front of your thread so to not kitten other people experience? Thank you.
2) Agreed. They took my Mentor and left all the annoying behind. I think they are trying pulling a cheap “game of thrones” route here.

Lolyta.4582:

(it could’ve been anybody, after all) Eir Stegalkin, the epitome of a strong woman more than holding her own in a man’s world, is betrayed by someone she’s trying to help and brutally murdered

I find this so funny. You called Tyria a man’s world. Yet Arenanet didn’t label it.

The only reason why they killed Eir off . . .

You should definitely add a spoiler warning yes.

Tybalt is overrated and Trahearne hate is too.
Could not kill Braham, clearly the new group is taking over from the old one… you know the group you lead, because everyone hated not being in the lead in the first story and thus hated Trahearne.

I miss my mentor too, her death had me right in the feels. I was shocked to see Eir die… and she will be missed too. But had it been Braham I would miss him too, I do like him, (and his hair) I like all the in the new group you lead… and I liked all the mentors, although personally back at the begining I liked Caithe best… I still like her, but I don’t favorite her anymore.

Anyways lets say everyone feel the same about the characters that you do… killing off a character that you find endearing or strong or for whatever other reason love has a much bigger effect story wise than the death of someone you did not like anyway.

The only thing that bothered me about it is that the death seemed pointless. I feel like the death of a character, especially a major one, should have some meaning to it. This one felt rather senseless to me as if they sat in a meeting and said “oh, yeah, we need another character to be dead for the fight with Mordremoth, how about this one?”

Misguided.5139:

The only thing that bothered me about it is that the death seemed pointless.

I have a feeling that she’ll be back.

Why do you like Eir so much when you don’t even respect her? She would hate you and never be friends with you if you think that way about her son, so why do you care what happens to her?

I just hope Zojja is okay :(

“Eir Stegalkin, the epitome of a strong woman more than holding her own in a man’s world,”

No, it’s an Asura world, gender doesn’t matter.

Tybalt, he was cool, my necro was sorry to see him go. Forgul….why did you take him! Was it because you couldn’t get him to yell “Snake!!!!!!”? Syrine or what ever her name was bugged me as much as Treehurn.

Agemnon.4608:

I just hope Zojja is okay

“Eir Stegalkin, the epitome of a strong woman more than holding her own in a man’s world,”

No, it’s an Asura world, gender doesn’t matter.

Well, by fashion standards all Asura are males. Their whole society revolves around masculinity.

Doggie.3184:

Agemnon.4608:

I just hope Zojja is okay :(

“Eir Stegalkin, the epitome of a strong woman more than holding her own in a man’s world,”

No, it’s an Asura world, gender doesn’t matter.

Well, by fashion standards all Asura are males. :)

An Asuran (or any) female can still be beautiful in pants ^_^ Some medium and heavy pant options are pretty, I’m sure there are pretty light options too but most of the pretty light options are skirts, but men have some pretty options with the inquest, devout, and apostle sets. The student and aristocrat sets are beautiful but are skirts on females.

Though I really think the Wintersday and wedding outfits looks great on them.

Who you like is always different for everybody. I, for one, am more of a Rytlock fan. So it can’t really be based on that.
Also all this Trahearne hate… Sure, he was pretty pessimistic and kinda took away a bit of your role as the great big hero/leader, but that’s nothing to go all crazy about.

Agemnon.4608:

I just hope Zojja is okay

“Eir Stegalkin, the epitome of a strong woman more than holding her own in a man’s world,”

No, it’s an Asura world, gender doesn’t matter.

They’re almost never able to use Zojja because they can’t get Felicia Day to record, so I won’t be surprised at all if she’s killed off in the near future. I’m half expecting Caithe and Logan to die too just so they can make the entire story going forward the adventures of Diversity’s Edge.

Sephas.8793:

Misguided.5139:

The only thing that bothered me about it is that the death seemed pointless.

I have a feeling that she’ll be back.

The Commander and his team, following Garm, burst into the asuran lab. They are greeted by the sight of Braham, standing over a table upon which lies the body of Eir. In his hands, connected by wires to several strange machines, is a crystal glowing a strange green.

Braham: No! Not now! I’m so close!

The Commander steps forward, weapon at the ready.

Commander: Braham! Put the crystal down! You don’t know what you’re doing!

Braham throws his arms wide and laughs, still holding onto the crystal.

Braham: I don’t know? Of course I know! Taimi figured it all out for me. She didn’t want to at first, but without Scruffy to protect her…

Braham’s attention snaps back to those standing before him.

Braham: I’ve gathered enough of the energy released by the Elder Dragons as they died. Zhaitan’s power to bring her back, and Mordremoth’s to make her live again. Don’t you see? I can get her back!

Garm suddenly launches himself at Braham, jaws snapping at his face. Braham lashes out, the crystal catching the wolf in the throat, and with a spray of blood splattering over the area, the beast falls.

Jory: NO!

Rox: Forgive me…

Rox fires several times, quickly, as the others rush in to join the battle or tend to Garm. Her arrows find their mark in Braham’s chest and he staggers for a moment, only to lunge forward and plunge the crystal into Eir’s chest. There is a blast of energy that knocks everyone down, and as light fills the room, Eir’s scream can be heard. And then… Eir’s voice, laughing…

Coming soon to a raid near you!

Palador.2170:

Sephas.8793:

Misguided.5139:

The only thing that bothered me about it is that the death seemed pointless.

I have a feeling that she’ll be back.

The Commander and his team, following Garm, burst into the asuran lab. They are greeted by the sight of Braham, standing over a table upon which lies the body of Eir. In his hands, connected by wires to several strange machines, is a crystal glowing a strange green.

Braham: No! Not now! I’m so close!

The Commander steps forward, weapon at the ready.

Commander: Braham! Put the crystal down! You don’t know what you’re doing!

Braham throws his arms wide and laughs, still holding onto the crystal.

Braham: I don’t know? Of course I know! Taimi figured it all out for me. She didn’t want to at first, but without Scruffy to protect her…

Braham’s attention snaps back to those standing before him.

Braham: I’ve gathered enough of the energy released by the Elder Dragons as they died. Zhaitan’s power to bring her back, and Mordremoth’s to make her live again. Don’t you see? I can get her back!

Garm suddenly launches himself at Braham, jaws snapping at his face. Braham lashes out, the crystal catching the wolf in the throat, and with a spray of blood splattering over the area, the beast falls.

Jory: NO!

Rox: Forgive me…

Rox fires several times, quickly, as the others rush in to join the battle or tend to Garm. Her arrows find their mark in Braham’s chest and he staggers for a moment, only to lunge forward and plunge the crystal into Eir’s chest. There is a blast of energy that knocks everyone down, and as light fills the room, Eir’s scream can be heard. And then… Eir’s voice, laughing…

Coming soon to a raid near you!

+1 for story, I wish I could give you another for your signature

Yamialexa.5103:

Who you like is always different for everybody. I, for one, am more of a Rytlock fan. So it can’t really be based on that.
Also all this Trahearne hate… Sure, he was pretty pessimistic and kinda took away a bit of your role as the great big hero/leader, but that’s nothing to go all crazy about.

He was only pessimistic due to the odds being overwhelmingly against us. I agree though I didn’t care too much for his personality or stealing our thunder.

“I’d rather see both Zojja and Taimi die, they’re both arrogant and annoying as hell, just in different ways.
What I don’t like is how many sylvary died. Sieran and Tegwen in original Story, Trahearne in HoT. Not enough dead grey ears.”

Don’t try to hide it! You like those smart beautiful Asuras just as much as I do! They aren’t arrogant or annoying I find them quite endearing in different ways. Zojja is like a cute best friend whereas Taimi is like a perky and happy little sister and is always so inquisitive.

Sephas.8793:

Misguided.5139:

The only thing that bothered me about it is that the death seemed pointless.

I have a feeling that she’ll be back.

She should have just used a WP like us when we die.

Lolyta.4582:

I’m just wondering if the choice as to who to kill off during the Personal Stories is made based on who is the most endearing and personable character in the game?

First, the amazingly endearing Tybalt Leftpaw is taken from us. Why? Why him? Couldn’t you have taken the uber-annoying and shamefully defeatist vegetable (“This won’t end well…”) instead?

Now, for no apparent reason (it could’ve been anybody, after all) Eir Stegalkin, the epitome of a strong woman more than holding her own in a man’s world, is betrayed by someone she’s trying to help and brutally murdered. Why not take her son instead? You know, the dumb one with the idiot hairdo that we always want to send to a competent barber?

Just some random thoughts…

Tyria is a man’s world? I don’t see that at all. The first election results? Ellen Kiel won. Both Destiny’s Edge and 2.0 have more female members than male members. The leader of the humans is female. The best of the Norn until she died was Eir. The strongest that the Asura and Sylvari are female.

I could keep going but I guess what I am trying to say is that your argument holds no water.

Lolyta.4582:

I’m just wondering if the choice as to who to kill off during the Personal Stories is made based on who is the most endearing and personable character in the game?

To a point, yes… most definitely. Killing off the character that everybody loves is a common trope in storytelling to pull at peoples’ heartstrings. I’m guessing the only reason they haven’t done so with Taimi yet is because she’s a child and they don’t want their game to be known for killing children. The foreshadowing is in place though. It’s just a question of whether they’re willing to be that dark of a game.

Daralii.8940:

Agemnon.4608:

I just hope Zojja is okay

“Eir Stegalkin, the epitome of a strong woman more than holding her own in a man’s world,”

No, it’s an Asura world, gender doesn’t matter.

They’re almost never able to use Zojja because they can’t get Felicia Day to record, so I won’t be surprised at all if she’s killed off in the near future. I’m half expecting Caithe and Logan to die too just so they can make the entire story going forward the adventures of Diversity’s Edge.

I don’t like Destiny’s Edge 2.0 and apart from Taimi and Canath are forgettable. And Taimi because she’s likable while Canath… isn’t. Just don’t like the guy. Marge and Kashmir just have nothing memorable apart from one of them held a book and rezzed you during the chapter 8 achievement missions and Marge just kinda being there. I hope Marge and Kashmir get killed off next but they probably won’t. I don’t hate them…they just have such a non-impression effect. If I hated them there’d be some overwhelmingly negative thing about them making them memorable to justify it but…there’s just nothing there. Canathe and Trahearne you just wanna punch in the face, Tybalt and the Sylvari mentor…are likeable, Taimi very cheery and upbeat, Zojja sensitive and confident, Logan…not too memorable outside of interactions with Rytlock (leadership tussle?) and the final personal story mission, don’t like Faolin at all but Caithe is nice but misguided, etc.

“To a point, yes… most definitely. Killing off the character that everybody loves is a common trope in storytelling to pull at peoples’ heartstrings. I’m guessing the only reason they haven’t done so with Taimi yet is because she’s a child and they don’t want their game to be known for killing children. The foreshadowing is in place though. It’s just a question of whether they’re willing to be that dark of a game.”

If they kill off Taimi I won’t buy the next expansion.

I really like Rox, Braham and Taimi of DE2. Marjory and Kas are okay, but don’t leave that much of an impression for me. I really grew to like Canach over the course of HoT, but I’d say a lot of that stems from me being a sylvari player, which made interaction with him a lot more interesting.

Man, I just got over Tybalt and Forgal, and now you guys bring it right back up again…

And yes, Eir’s death felt forced and out of place. If they really wanted to kill a DE member at the hands of Faolain, then Caithe would have made the most sense…but even that would still feel forced.

Labjax.2465:

Lolyta.4582:

I’m just wondering if the choice as to who to kill off during the Personal Stories is made based on who is the most endearing and personable character in the game?

To a point, yes… most definitely. Killing off the character that everybody loves is a common trope in storytelling to pull at peoples’ heartstrings. I’m guessing the only reason they haven’t done so with Taimi yet is because she’s a child and they don’t want their game to be known for killing children. The foreshadowing is in place though. It’s just a question of whether they’re willing to be that dark of a game.

They legally can’t kill Taimi without the game’s rating being jacked up and probably banned in some countries. She’s invincible unless she ends up an adult.

I thought her death was rather pointless as well. It wasn’t a major thing. In the end what does Rytlock say to us? Something along the lines of “well that’s one dragon down, whos next?”. Nothing at all about Eir, not one thing, as if she didn’t even exist in the first place.

To me in the end I just put it down to perhaps the voice actor needing to move on, contract expired perhaps or just wanted to move on. So it was done without too much thought or care. Just kill her off, don’t make a big issue over it, hopefully “they” wont notice or care too much.

As to Traeharne I think that was only done for the same reason they killed Scarlett off. “Got to give them something to be happy about, they have been calling for his blood for such a long time now. Lets see if it is really something they do want or will they regret it?”.

Well it happened, and no one has said too much about it. In the end I think they may feel justified I guess. But still no real need to kill him off just because “some” people voiced their opinion of dislike for him. Again the death just felt forced because “someone has to die” just to make this “game”/story seem real in some way or more impactful. Yet why does it not make much of an impact to me I wonder? Perhaps because they just felt forced…….

Eir’s was a legend, and legends always have to die one day, and she was seeking for it, so I wasn’t sad about her death. The worst death for me would be if they would made her die like Boromir in the movie “Lord of the Rings”. Horrible long and useless. So she died quickly, and but your character has to move forward to save the others, there isn’t much time for mourning. I would be okay, if there is a party for her in Hoelbrak, where she could be memorised with a lot of ales and many stories-telling about her adventures. this counts also for Trahearne aswell.

Someone from my personal Stories guild? If they die, then they die. It’s war a against the threat of the dragons. Sure I would mourn for one character more then for the others. Just for the fun, I would like to see how everybody would react, when Taimi is the next one. This progeny is really often in trouble.

On the plus side (since there is a spoiler tag on the thread now), Trahearne is dead. Logan next, please? What an irritating goody two-shoes he is (I never did like paladins, which is quite obviously what he is meant to be taken for)!

As for the PS, gods, I hate Forgal! Condescending old fart. And a bad John Wayne impersonator. I’ve levelled & re-levelled lots of alts. I rarely choose the Vigil because he is such a monumental pain in the rear (even that over-enthusiastic, over-cheerful sylvari is heaven by comparison). But I do always, after the tedium that is doing Claw Island again, enjoy watching him stomp stupidly in to his death…

Lolyta.4582:

I’m just wondering if the choice as to who to kill off during the Personal Stories is made based on who is the most endearing and personable character in the game?

First, the amazingly endearing Tybalt Leftpaw is taken from us. Why? Why him? Couldn’t you have taken the uber-annoying and shamefully defeatist vegetable (“This won’t end well…”) instead?

Now, for no apparent reason (it could’ve been anybody, after all) Eir Stegalkin, the epitome of a strong woman more than holding her own in a man’s world, is betrayed by someone she’s trying to help and brutally murdered. Why not take her son instead? You know, the dumb one with the idiot hairdo that we always want to send to a competent barber?

Just some random thoughts…

Saying “this won’t end well” isn’t defeatist.

It’s a prediction and let’s face it, probably a true one, a lot of the time.

Eir’s son seems alright to me, as well.

I wouldn’t wish death on any of them.

I’m no story writer but my take away on Eir is this.

Eir much like Trahearne had to go. They had complete stories that left no room for other characters to live/breathe without being a shadow. Eir also suffered from the problem of being too strong if left unchecked. A master level strategist who helped in taking down 3 Elder Dragons (1 1/2 successful kills, but 3 different dragons) ? This leads to a stale plot where we the PC must always seek out her advice, now with her gone we get to step into the light as the strategist/director and make more meaningful choices without the burden of having to feel like someone else is/was better suited. In the end, she got to overcome and be a mother in ways she never saw possible, patched up bonds with braham generally met a warriors end which leaves me as a critic pretty much okay with the outcome. Had she not perished, it would have more likely left a sour taste in my mouth with yet another deus-ex reason for saving her.

Halan, you could have written the same about yourself. Jokey thread and you’re getting personal? Or did I misunderstand something?

Never really got the feeling Eir was “strong.” Maybe it’s different in the lore/books, but in GW2, she was a waning pollyanna and certainly not an effective leader or icon of greatness.

Still, I’m mad at her chump-death scene. :\ Aside from the “Very Yes!” feeling of her shtooking Faolin with the traitorous thorn, I feel there could have been more to her encounter with the mordrem beast. If she’d just scored one decisive blow at the cost of her life, I’d respect that.

Instead, she got Fridged so Braham could have a longbow and become a dargonhurrdurr.

TexZero.7910:

I’m no story writer but my take away on Eir is this.

Eir much like Trahearne had to go. They had complete stories that left no room for other characters to live/breathe without being a shadow. Eir also suffered from the problem of being too strong if left unchecked. A master level strategist who helped in taking down 3 Elder Dragons (1 1/2 successful kills, but 3 different dragons) ? This leads to a stale plot where we the PC must always seek out her advice, now with her gone we get to step into the light as the strategist/director and make more meaningful choices without the burden of having to feel like someone else is/was better suited. In the end, she got to overcome and be a mother in ways she never saw possible, patched up bonds with Braham generally met a warriors end which leaves me as a critic pretty much okay with the outcome. Had she not perished, it would have more likely left a sour taste in my mouth with yet another deus-ex reason for saving her.

Doesn’t mean she had to die though. What makes a good story is in the details. From a technical narrative perspective lots of comics and anime are terrible, but because the artwork, expressions, details, voice acting, and interactions get us emotionally invested they’re good. Plot “holes” are typically so subtle we don’t notice or care about them, they’d have to be huge or things so irredeemably contrived for them to bother us, and to get that bad you have to do it on purpose.

Killed doesn’t necessarily mean “killed off” like Obi-Wan’s ghost being in Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. Since we know ghosts exist in game the possibility is open.

Agemnon.4608:

TexZero.7910:

I’m no story writer but my take away on Eir is this.

Eir much like Trahearne had to go. They had complete stories that left no room for other characters to live/breathe without being a shadow. Eir also suffered from the problem of being too strong if left unchecked. A master level strategist who helped in taking down 3 Elder Dragons (1 1/2 successful kills, but 3 different dragons) ? This leads to a stale plot where we the PC must always seek out her advice, now with her gone we get to step into the light as the strategist/director and make more meaningful choices without the burden of having to feel like someone else is/was better suited. In the end, she got to overcome and be a mother in ways she never saw possible, patched up bonds with Braham generally met a warriors end which leaves me as a critic pretty much okay with the outcome. Had she not perished, it would have more likely left a sour taste in my mouth with yet another deus-ex reason for saving her.

Doesn’t mean she had to die though. What makes a good story is in the details. From a technical narrative perspective lots of comics and anime are terrible, but because the artwork, expressions, details, voice acting, and interactions get us emotionally invested they’re good. Plot “holes” are typically so subtle we don’t notice or care about them, they’d have to be huge or things so irredeemably contrived for them to bother us, and to get that bad you have to do it on purpose.

Killed doesn’t necessarily mean “killed off” like Obi-Wan’s ghost being in Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. Since we know ghosts exist in game the possibility is open.

I agree, that she doesn’t need to be killed off. Norn are already notorious for communing with the dead. They also are pretty good about respecting their fallen hero’s (See Jora and her statue). It’s not unlikely, that more narrative and world growth will come from her death. It’s just that as for her role as a living being it was pretty much complete and had gone full circle, there’s not much more you could have added to her as a figure without making the player character look inept and have her become Trahaerne all over again.