Guild Wars 2

Scarlet doing something with the leylines?

I know this sounds REALLY weird given my stance on the prelude to Tower of Nightmares. But I got a feeling this might not be Scarlet. And I don’t think it deals with ley lines – why introduce a story plot that revolves around something that had a 50/50 % chance of being known to players immediately after that reveal? The major aspects of the plots were made months ahead even before development began so the concept for these things would predate the voting outcome in development standards.

It’s not a strong feeling mind you.

Willing to bet Konig?

Ha, Ha, Ha, J/K. I’ve already lost enough gold on account of Scarlet.

I was wondering if they had always planned for Scarlet to do something with the leylines now (with the DO NOT TOUCH machines), and with the new fractal they took the opportunity to pop Scarlet in at the end to give a line about leylines – because it fit well to do so.

Angel first mentioned leylines 3 months ago in that interview (actually Konig I think you pointed out at the time that this was a first mention of leylines in the lore) so it could have been in the works since then.

Narcemus.1348:

Willing to bet Konig?

Hahaha.

No.

There’s the in game mail that some people have gotten (maybe everyone? I didn’t get it though) from Rox talking about new arrivals in Tyria – which certainly doesn’t seem at all relevant to Fractured!. So I am wondering if this has to do with them rather than with scarlet. Also would it be too ridiculous of me to hope that Malyck has finally got his kitten back to his Tree and has brought a whole force of Sylvari to come lend us a hand with things…

The mail is about an influx of players, I think. The whole promotion of joining the game one can see on the main site. An in-universe way of showing “hey, we got new playwrs!”

Because apparently ArenaNet cares so much about their advertising that they’d advertise the game in ridiculous ways and even make a cab and roleplay being taxi drivers from Tyria…

I don’t think it’s smug so much as a mixture of hope and the desire not to have gone to all that effort to advertise for new customers… to have them turned away from the game by an unfriendly community.

I don’t think that’s how you would go about it thought. Nobody is going to read that and go ‘you know what, I need to recruit these players to my guild’, because you have like 0 chance of actually finding these people. I don’t know, if that is what it is then it’s kind of pathetic.

Not true. Whenever a free trial or sale goes up, they saturate Queensdale. Nearly impossible to miss them.

I have seen a fair number of low-level players without a guild tag the last month or two, so I’m inclined to agree that the letter is just Anet encouraging us to play nice with them.

I don`t know…
For me the the devices just scream of an Asura telling us to put our hands away and mind our own buisness.

I presume they are just part of wintersday (at least i hope so). The whole magic ley lines and scarlet involvement just fits too easyly after we just found out about it.

i do not hold them that to that credit. I mean.. come on.. someone would not care about this warning and justs smash that thing to find out what it is. At least some priory people would run around asking questions.

Though that would be overestimating the game again…

Well, nevertheless, i hope it is not Scarlet, but rather the usual “find these machines for stuff” again. You know, the “gameplay” which is supposed to get us engaged and flush us back into the zones. We never had that before, right?

They said they want the story elements to bleed into each other more, so that could basicly just be that effort. It started with the tower, now we have these things around.

I also do not think Scarlet uses these to look for these ley lines, since in my opinion she is allready using/ knowing them. She “discovered” them and is applying the acomidated portals at her laisure.
The only thing i can see her use them is as a transport mechanism, to upload some kind of “virus” or “bomb” into the fabric of the magic network. Well that, or she actually rides along these lines, which allows her to pop up at magic saturated places… though i might have to consult the map for it.

These machines could also be linked to the Destroyers. That’s the first thing that came to my mind.

Konig Des Todes.2086:

I know this sounds REALLY weird given my stance on the prelude to Tower of Nightmares. But I got a feeling this might not be Scarlet. And I don’t think it deals with ley lines – why introduce a story plot that revolves around something that had a 50/50 % chance of being known to players immediately after that reveal? The major aspects of the plots were made months ahead even before development began so the concept for these things would predate the voting outcome in development standards.

It’s not a strong feeling mind you.

I think if we did get the Abaddon fractal instead, the ley lines would have been mentioned there too, somehow.

JohnnySupernova.9182:

Konig Des Todes.2086:

I know this sounds REALLY weird given my stance on the prelude to Tower of Nightmares. But I got a feeling this might not be Scarlet. And I don’t think it deals with ley lines – why introduce a story plot that revolves around something that had a 50/50 % chance of being known to players immediately after that reveal? The major aspects of the plots were made months ahead even before development began so the concept for these things would predate the voting outcome in development standards.

It’s not a strong feeling mind you.

I think if we did get the Abaddon fractal instead, the ley lines would have been mentioned there too, somehow.

I doubt it, they said that whoever won would actually alter how the living story would be done, and seeing as how it took place back in august (4 months ago) they probably had an alternative, IE they had 2 general options at the ready.

Durzlla.6295:

I doubt it, they said that whoever won would actually alter how the living story would be done, and seeing as how it took place back in august (4 months ago) they probably had an alternative, IE they had 2 general options at the ready.

Are implying that ley lines wouldn’t have existed if Evon had won ?
I’m pretty sure what they meant by that was that the main events will be the same, but the details will be slightly altered : basically every thing with Kiel would have been replaced by Evon.

They would have existed, but Durzlla is saying that he thinks the plot will now go the direction of ley line importance, whereas if Evon won the plot would go a different direction.

I find that doubtful honestly, and think the plot direction was only so far as Kiel vs. Evon on the council.

Pretty much what Konig said, we have no real way of knowing if it would be that drastic though since only Anet would know.

May I all invite you to join the discussion about this on reddit. I basically tried to connect the dots and I would like your opinions about it! That would be awesome!

http://www.reddit.com/r/Guildwars2/comments/1rnmzq/i_tried_to_connect_the_dots_on_the_map_with/

I might as well make a post here!

Konig Des Todes.2086:

The mail is about an influx of players, I think. The whole promotion of joining the game one can see on the main site. An in-universe way of showing “hey, we got new playwrs!”

Because apparently ArenaNet cares so much about their advertising that they’d advertise the game in ridiculous ways and even make a cab and roleplay being taxi drivers from Tyria…

I agree, I only got the mail on one character and that one is my bank character being in my bank guild. The mail mentions taking up new players to boost guild influence. My guess is they want to encourage small guilds to socialize with new players to integrate them.

I just took a look onj the map and there seem to be going on a bit more

These “do not touch” devices apear for the first time in orr.

Orr was off limits so far for LS events, because it is supposed to be a constant warzone and seperated from the things in the LS.

So it is either that they want tp change their policity in that regard, or there is some deeper meaning behind them beeing there…

The Fall of Abaddon fractal could very easily have also tapped into the ley lines topic as well. I mean for all we know when Abaddon was smashed into the ground at the Mouth of Torment, he could well have busted open one, causing some of the ill effects in the Desolation.

Perhaps this has something to do with the invasions themselves? Although I see some of them are in regions that were never invaded….

Jaken.6801:

I just took a look onj the map and there seem to be going on a bit more

These “do not touch” devices apear for the first time in orr.

Orr was off limits so far for LS events, because it is supposed to be a constant warzone and seperated from the things in the LS.

So it is either that they want tp change their policity in that regard, or there is some deeper meaning behind them beeing there…

That’s not why LS never touched Orr.

The LS hasn’t touched Orr yet because the focus of the LS has thus far – with the exception of Tequatl Rising – been about attacks on civilization. Orr is more or less a “No Man’s Land.” There’s no civilization to attack.

That just means that the DO NOT TOUCH towers are more than just an attack on a city of some sort.

Meluna.1764:

Since Scarlet did mention the ley lines in the thaumanova fractal, it’s a good guess that these towers are from her. Maybe trying to draw magic energy. The question would be, why only now and not before? Should have been done already before the invasion. Maybe even before Molten Alliance since she was unknown back then.

I disagree.

There’s no tower at Thaumanova, so if the towers were tied to the ley lines they’d be there for sure given it’s built over an intersection of ley lines. Just because ley lines got mentioned in this update doesn’t mean the next thing will focus on ley lines. Just think of how many loose ends are introduced per chapter.

For example: Dragon Bash/Sky Pirates of Tyria showed Aetherblades stealing the hologram technology. Said technology didn’t return until October – that’s 3 months after they were stolen (4 LS chapters in-between them).

People are making this flawed conclusion that “they introduced it therefore it will be focused on next!” But think about it:

• It took six months for Southsun and Canach to be focused on again.
• It took three months to focus on those hologram projectors that were stolen.
• It took four months to get back to Kiel in any form after her election. Not even confirmation of a trade agreement being made.
• They haven’t delved into Azurite.
• They haven’t brought back the Zephyrites.
• They haven’t delved into Tequatl’s power boost.
• They haven’t touched the nature of the Fervid Censor.
• Don’t forget that the Thaumanova Reactor fractal introduces a lot more than just the ley lines – the anomaly, Subject 6, experimentations on chaos magic and dragon energy, etc.

And these are just things brought up in the Living Story.

ArenaNet has stated time and time again that they seed plot potentials while focusing on the main storyline of the now. They put in hints at future plots. Marjory’s past and Kasmeer’s father for example, the Zephyrites and the trade agreement.

Probably missed something back then, what’s the deal with the Fervid Censer?

It’s what Canach used to make the wildlife of Southsun Cove go crazy and super-aggressive. You can even see the back piece’s pollen effect around the wildlife NPCs with the “Crazed” buff – which now only appear during certain events, iirc.

Konig Des Todes.2086:

That’s not why LS never touched Orr.

The LS hasn’t touched Orr yet because the focus of the LS has thus far – with the exception of Tequatl Rising – been about attacks on civilization. Orr is more or less a “No Man’s Land.” There’s no civilization to attack.

That just means that the DO NOT TOUCH towers are more than just an attack on a city of some sort.

Then every celebration could put them there as well. Even if orr is a warzone and they should not get there. And if that is the case, why are they there now.
Whoever put them there is not scared of the supposed war or risen that could still be around there.

Before that the placement was clearly a design decisson. There seemed to be a clear no orr policy.

We can argue why there are these kind of events in some of the far away places in the maps. Why were there wintersday packages or holographic projectors in firehaeart rise a land clearly overrun by flame legions.

We cannot discern these placements based on ingame logic till now. The placement in orr is definetly something they have avoided up till now for some reason.

So it is either actually storydriven this time, or just their way to say: We abandon the exclusivity of orr for the PS and go with a new direction which pushes players in every available region.

it may be some devices Scarlet is planning to use against dragons in some manner? Just remember how at the end of F&F there was this Fire shaman (or was it dredge, don´t remember) that seemed not concerned about Dragons at all? Something along the lines “We will be here long after Dragons are gone”. Maybe a part of Scarlet´s plan about that? And she kitten es of Kralkatorrik/Tequatl/random dragon that eats her in revenge and we will get Dragon centered content? One could hope, right?

Konig Des Todes.2086:

It’s what Canach used to make the wildlife of Southsun Cove go crazy and super-aggressive. You can even see the back piece’s pollen effect around the wildlife NPCs with the “Crazed” buff – which now only appear during certain events, iirc.

Oh, of course. I just thought you meant there was something I missed specifically related to the back piece.

Now that you mention it though, maybe it was a prototype to what became the toxic pollen nowadays? I wouldn’t be surprised Scarlet was somehow behind this too and would make sense.

I would doubt Scarlet was directly behind it – or knowingly herself. Canach destroyed some Molten Facilities and that would kind of annoy her, I’d presume, at least as much as us ruining her ‘fun’ during Queen’s Jubilee.

Every time I read “ley lines” I want to cringe, literally.

It is a tired, old, overused “explainitall” popping up in writing since the 60s in relation to magic, shamanism, ancient astronauts, paranormalism, vampires.. oh god.. anything and everything. It first cropped up in the twenties..as sheer speculation based on the locations of prehistoric structures.. nothing to do with “magiks” then.

In spite of the ’concept" being well established in a ton of mostly mediocre fiction, Anet, wisely, chose to ignore it when creating a “magical” world when they wrote GW1. Blizzard embraced it wholeheartedly.

And now, we have it here. No basis, no history, no mention prior… in spite of Asura being able to track things that “bleed magic” (Vekk, on the location of the CTC)

This is just pulling stock, one size fits all common “lore” off a shelf. It’s not good writing, its not imaginative writing, and it is shoehorned into Tyria thoughtlessly and needlessly.

And what would you prefer? That there are just diffuse clouds of magic filling up the atmosphere? As soon as the writers made the call for magic levels to be measurable, they were tied to three models for distribution, perhaps with some mixing and overlap, but basically three- drifting, circulating, or concentrated. “Ley lines” is just the accepted term for the second, and it isn’t even used in-game. You’re pulling with you a lot of assumption and prejudices you have for that term and projecting it needlessly onto this game- or at least I assume so, since you didn’t say anything about what you find objectionable about ley lines, just that they’ve appeared in content you don’t like. Saying that “ley lines”, or more accurately, a network of magical channels crisscrossing the globe is overused is like saying breathing air from an atmosphere is overused- you only have so many things to pull from without veering into the abstract.

Frankly, I think it’s an improvement, given what we had previously was the first with an assumption of the third. Now we have a blend of all three types- more room for interplay, more room for creative results of that interplay. It doesn’t conflict with what we knew before. It doesn’t clash with what we knew before. It’s just pulling back a bit more of the curtain hiding how the world works.

Teofa Tsavo.9863:

Every time I read “ley lines” I want to cringe, literally.

It is a tired, old, overused “explainitall” popping up in writing since the 60s in relation to magic, shamanism, ancient astronauts, paranormalism, vampires.. oh god.. anything and everything. It first cropped up in the twenties..as sheer speculation based on the locations of prehistoric structures.. nothing to do with “magiks” then.

In spite of the ’concept" being well established in a ton of mostly mediocre fiction, Anet, wisely, chose to ignore it when creating a “magical” world when they wrote GW1. Blizzard embraced it wholeheartedly.

And now, we have it here. No basis, no history, no mention prior… in spite of Asura being able to track things that “bleed magic” (Vekk, on the location of the CTC)

This is just pulling stock, one size fits all common “lore” off a shelf. It’s not good writing, its not imaginative writing, and it is shoehorned into Tyria thoughtlessly and needlessly.

“Tyria: The dragons have always been here. Sleeping deep beneath the earth, beneath the sea; waiting for the time to rise…”

Remember that?

Seems like it’s not that much of a stretch to me. But just what are these “forbidden thumpers”, as I call them, supposed to be for? That’s what I’m wondering.

The easiest explanation would be that they have something to do with the ley lines. But personally I hope they are being used to lure the minions of Primordius to the surface. The Destroyers have spread all over Tyria, using the Depths and underground tunnels to spread the grasp of their master far and wide. I’d like to think the Thumpers have something to do with that. I hope so. I’d welcome a more Elder Dragon focused story.

I just realised that there was one right outside the Chantry of Secrets.

If the columns are made by Scarlet, and the OoW has allowed one to be built on their front porch without doing anything about it, I’m going to be really disappointed.

Konig Des Todes.2086:

I would doubt Scarlet was directly behind it – or knowingly herself. Canach destroyed some Molten Facilities and that would kind of annoy her, I’d presume, at least as much as us ruining her ‘fun’ during Queen’s Jubilee.

It should’ve annoyed her we destroyed her facilities too, but she kinda seemed amused. I don’t think she cares at all about her facilities, she already got what she wanted out from them by the time we come ride along – or she gets what she wants once we do.

There are some similarities between both toxic substances that could very well come down to the same source, not necessarily Scarlet made them, but she could’ve found a specimen and then experimented on it for her purposes. Southsun could’ve been an amusing thing to see for her. All the chaos, fighting amongst factions and whatnot.

Or it could be something completely apart; as is SAB, Tequatl, Zephyrites and the Consortium. At least they seem to be so far. I’m really hoping they delve more into those areas, and maybe connect them in an interesting way. After all, they did say there’s a thread that connects everything in each update.