Guild Wars 2

I noticed as well as many other people, that krait in Kessex Hills are up to something, deforesting the shoreline and gathering large amounts of lumber in Viathan Lake.

I was thinking about what can they possibly want to prepare for, obviously an offensive of sorts, right?

And then when I was thinking about potential targets nearby, it hit me!

There is a water connection between Viathan Lake and Viathan’s Arm. Siege engines can easily be transported underwater between them and then it’s a short stretch to take down the wall of Dominion of winds!

Why that thought?

Well, they would have to build the engines further away from Viathan’s Arm simply because there is not enough lumber availbale on Arm’s shores plus there is a Lionguard haven nearby.

AND there already are underground tunnels where destroyers emerge between the shore line and Dominion’s wall.

What do you think?

Attached is a map of Kessex, look at segments 6 and 7:

http://guides.gamepressure.com/guildwars2/guide.asp?ID=16609

Is it too far of a stretch?

EDIT: The other viable strategic target could be Fort Salma I guess, but how would they transport siege engines up the Halacon Cataracts? Well, it’s also a possibility, so I post it as well.

I feel like the lumber is being used for some sort of mega larder, rather than any siege weapons (the only siege I can think of are their turrets). It would explain why the ‘void’ is a pillar, rather than a bubble. Also, whatever they’re doing is making the surrounding area warmer (Kasmeer and I think Marjory mention that they’re starting to sweat).

I haven’t met those two… Hmm, maybe they are digging then? That could possibly create both the strong updraft and temperature?

On the other hand, if they are tunneling to Dominion Killing Zone tunnels, between Viathan’s Arm and Dominion, then they would meet destroyers, and lava – possible source for the heat?

I think it’s interesting they are building something in Kessex Hills instead of other places in the world (like Timberline Falls or Mount Maelstrom). It could because it’s closer to other dominant racial civilizations, and it’s a bit of distance from the established Risen haunting ground. However I don’t know if they are trying to target the Tengu specifically. The Krait have always been a megalomaniac and xenophobic race. So if they launched a war it’s usually with everything and not exclusive to one species in particular.

To me I have a feeling the Krait are building something to show they have a dominant presence in the world compared to the other races. Maybe even use it as a base of operation to spy on all the other races, and perhaps come up with world impacting nefarious scheme’s. However what this means to the living story can only be speculated at. Whatever they are planning I can tell you it is not world peace.

Hence my first thoughts were Fort Salma or Dominion of Winds with usage of Destroyer made tunnels.

Building siege engines/ramps to attack Fort Salma or tunnels/siege to take the Dominion Walla from below and enslave tengu when they least expect it seems like a valid course of actions, but so do other theories I heard so far.

On my way to talk with Marjorie and the other gal to see what they have to say, and please by all that is holy don’t let it be Scarlet.

EDIT: BTW Moogooloo vista shows inside of the cave, not much change, if at all, other than less witch.

Personally, I’m of the opinion that the krait are trying to rebuild- they too lost their homes to a particularly nasty Bubble, and compared to what we had described to us in their lore article (http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Shadows_in_the_Water_%E2%80%93_The_Krait) the Deeps we see in-game are nothing more than temporary lash-ups. I’m hopeful that Viathan Lake will shortly become our first look at true krait architecture.

Soo, found the npc’s, they don’t let out much… Except we know some researchers, including owner of the golem is missing… Well, I guess we’ll have to rescue them from some new and rebuilt krait base in the remodeled krait Bloodwitch cave? Vista viewing shows old cave, but the video is cut short from the front.

The video isn’t cut short- at least I don’t think it is- it just starts from where the vista used to be before the force field went up.

Maybe, though I seem to recall it was starting a bit before the entrance of the cave main, as it was placed on the hill quite some ways from the cave itself.

I can’t recall exactly, or don’t have videos or screens of it available to check, so it remains my gut feeling of course.

Of course, and you still may well be right. The vista relocation seems to just be a temporary measure on account of the map compers.

They will be building an underwater base for Scarlet because every evil group helps Scarlet because she’s just such a nemesis.

Stooperdale.3560:

They will be building an underwater base for Scarlet because every evil group helps Scarlet because she’s just such a nemesis.

I’d bet all my money on the fact that Scarlet is involved again…

I’d take that bet, Thalador. Even that maniacal vegetable would meet her match in the krait. This is a race that believes they and they alone are above all others, and unlike the Flame Legion or the dredge, they have suffered no crushing defeat to force them to relent on that policy. There’s nothing for Scarlet to leverage to force them into her League of Evil-Doers.

That, and I find myself in need of a couple dozen gold.

I would side with Aaron. I think that if Scarlet is involved with the krait there has been a major breach of the currently standing lore. The Krait are unrelenting, and similarly, from what I can tell, they have very little to offer Scarlet anyways. I find it a much more interesting idea that at least one villainous group (maybe two with inclusion of centaurs) are un-involved with her.

Ok, I won’t go all in – I’m not that mad – but I’d bet 50g per capita with you guys (you don’t have to wager that much, though). How much is your bid? XD

It might be that in her absolute Villain Sueness she coerced the krait with some ancient and powerful relic similar to the Blue Orb, or provided tech assist/labor (slaves from Aetherblade attacks)/resources for the building of the obelisk.

I’d bet 50g, but I don’t have it, lol. (I farm a lot, but I’m also pretty loose with my wallet on buying stuff). I’m a safe better anyways I’ll go 20g. I’m pretty certain in my belief of this, but Thal, if you are correct I will not only cough up the 20g, but I’ll also join the “Nothing good can come of the LS now that Scarlet’s involved” band wagon.

I personally think that perhaps we have left the Krait Blood Witch alone for too long. This might be her doing. Now the nearby village has been destroyed, and the villagers have probably been dragged off to the depths. They’ll probably be chained up inside the structure that they are building.

Knowing the Krait they would try to gut Scarlet the moment they see her. Remember anyone to even change or degrade their zealot religious order will be met with vicious end. The only way I would see her getting involved if she was either:

A) Stealing something from the Krait.
B) Trying provoke a war.

To be fair, Malafide, that village has always been destroyed and (mostly) abandoned. It looks like the krait have just torn down the ruins for stuff to build with.

@Sindex: What if, being sneaky and sly and overly-impossibly-smart that she is, she’s not trying to change or degrade their views but are complimenting them?

She could have found something of desire for the krait, like she did with the dredge and Flame Legion. Something related to their prophets perhaps. I mean, despite never seeing them, we’ve seen obelisk concept art that puts them on the shoreline… so there’s a possibility.

@Aaron: Technically speaking, we’ve killed a good number of their religious leaders (three repeatable krait witch events, and slap on the Head Slaver Nymfassa – not to mention how many krait got risen-fied recently, and the loss of their Blue Orb)… how high up they go we don’t know. And there’s the fact that the krait did have a major suffering, mind you 50-ish years ago. So they’re not on top of the food chain per se.

As for the village – yes, it has been destroyed for some time. By the krait. It was a fishing dock and there was once an Old Man NPC there who just sat in one of the buildings and would occasionally see his mother/grandmother’s ghost. If you talked to him he’d say that he left to join the Seraph iirc, and came back to retire but it was wiped out. I wonder if the event where you escort the fisher who was out on the water during the attack is still available…

Edit: I’d like to join in on that bet. I’m siding with Thalador on this. I suspect Scarlet because it’s Living Story stuff. And the preview reminds me of the Queen’s Jubilee’s preview (but more to it).

We don’t know that the witches are religious leaders, or even leaders, do we? They’re the most powerful krait in the vicinity, but I don’t recall any examples of other krait following them. Even their sacrifices don’t seem religious- they’re usually said to be to control sharks or the like.

Edit: 50 gold is a bit beyond my means, but I’ll put up 35.

Well, the witches are mesmers, and the mysterious void is mesmer magic (I’m assuming). And I feel like Scarlet isn’t involved; usually, we have a month of non-scarlet stuff. But perhaps Ellen Kiel will come back with a new fractal since it’s been a few months since she’s been gone.

I’d say the Blood Witch and other similar ranking krait are -or were, actually- religious leaders of some sort, just not the most powerful krait around. They’re a highly religious society. Also, slaves are mostly sacrificed for their religious purposes, or to be eaten. So they might not be THE religious leader, but must be a high ranking religious “officer” of sorts.

I will take on the bet, 50 gold that it is not tied to Scarlet.

Time for a theory completely out of left field: Canach has escaped yet again, and has promised the Krait they can settle on Southsun Cove if they’ll help him slaughter the Consortium. (Plus, all the Consortium slaves you can capture!) The Krait agree, but want the blessings of the Oratuss/Witches before they launch their assault, so they are constructing massive sacrificial towers to conduct great ritual sacrifices before they embark on their invasion.

Gotta agree, it’s very likely they construct an obelisk in there, but I think there is more to it.

I’d also like to add my 50g to the bet, against Scarlet involved.

I fear she might be, but it just would not make sense at all for her to be involved. Not that she makes any sense whatsoever anyway, but that would simply be over the top splatting her on every possible topic for no reason if she was.

I’ll cover the balance of Narcemus’ and Aaron’s bets (I think that makes 45 total to bring them both up to 50). Call it the cost of maintaining some optimism that ArenaNet hasn’t VillainSued out on all credibility.

On location:

Off the top of my head, the only major krait holdings that don’t come up somewhere in the personal story are the one in Sparkfly (which is really too close to Tequatl to want to do something like this) and Lake Viathan. And so Lake Viathan it is.

Maybe the Krait are trying to pull a Baelfire and get one of their priests to ascend? We know the pillars supposedly mark locations where Krait prophets ascended. Maybe they found some funky boo-boo-matic wheeze calculator or whatever that makes them think they could ascend another prophet? Those earlier ones have been gone for ages, after all, and the whole Krait race is kinda waiting on them to come back with that army. Seems plausible they’d want to send someone up (or down or whatever direction Krait deem favourable) there and see what the hold up is.

Supposing this is their endgame for this construction site:

• The location makes sense, they don’t have the orb anymore and this is as far as they can get from Orr. Zhaitan’s minions do have a thing for strong magic since that’s what the boss eats, it makes sense to do all the crazy powerful magic as far away from them as possible now that simply killing the minions doesn’t work.

• If they’re not worried about Zhaitan and/or his crew, that’s still about as far from Orr and all those pesky Pact fellows with their submarines and whole freakin invasion force as they could hope to get without needing a new zone somewhere silly.

• What if some Krait hatchling put on a Krait fedora and felt euphoric not because of some false prophets’ blessing, but because he’s englightened by his own intelligence? Surely, after promptly gutting him, the priesthood would want to demonstrate that Krait religion is legit by making a brand-spankin-new prophet?

• What if it doesn’t work? We kill whoever the head honcho is or the ritual goes wrong and the whole thing blows up in his face, then what? If we’re responsible, that’d surely lead to massive Krait retribution. If it simply doesn’t work, it could lead to civil war.

• What if it does work? We show up, try to stop the bad guy, but alas, his ritual is successful and he ascends, vanishing. That would be quite the twist, since we’d have definitive proof Krait religion is actually more than a bunch of stories the priests come up with to stay in control. We’d have a (presumably very powerful) evil entity on the loose somewhere we can’t get to or even know anything about.

I just hope this isn’t more Scarlet.

An obelisk is being built, I assume. Hence, and with reference to beliefs of the Krait priesthood, these obelisks "mark the sites of the “ascension” of ancient krait prophets to some higher realm".

Furthermore, the Krait believe in “the return of the obelisks’ prophets, bringing with them massive armies to flood the surface of the world and destroy other species.”

Won’t go into my general view of religion as poppy-kitten, but could the Krait be misled into believing such a prophet is returning (Scarlet appearing disguised as one) and of course, we know she has an army already, so could she be trying to lure the Krait into her forces as well?

If so we’re bound for condition hell with the Aetherblades and Krait on the same side; but enough about that – could it be just a classic ruse like this the LS is now taking?

Or will we actually see a new antagonist enter the fray – a Krait prophet – who will gather their armies in preparation for war. Of course, the Krait being xenophobic and attacking everyone, who’s their target?

The underwater dragon that drove them from the Unending Ocean? Humans because of their oppressive nature in Tyria and probable target of anyone feeling slightly resentful?

What I do find odd though is that the Krait seemingly are building this obelisk, whereas lore so far has said they revere these rare and mysterious obelisks of dark stone in such wording that they discovered them but were not the creators.

After all; it’s an odd doctrine to believe the prophets return with the obelisks if they can construct these obelisks themselves…

Not that I need to be one to count toward any ‘per capita’ but I’ll throw in 20g to the Not-Scarlet pool. Merely out of hope and optimism that not everything LS related anymore has a blasted tie to the Red Salad.

Maybe it’s because of having suffered in the game (with big honchos being defeated, the Orb being stolen, turned to risen, etc.) that this building of the obelisk is a move made because they’ve been hit hard. An attempt to gain an advantage over the other local races for area domination? Whether some ascension or ritual purpose or something with a less religious purpose and more of a fortifiable stronghold.

But, in terms of the OP, I do find it unlikely that it’s sole purpose is to get to the Dominion. Might be a side benefit, but hey.

I’ve got 20g that says Scarlet is involved. Because at this point, what AREN’T they going to try and tie in to the Red Cabbage from Hades?

Also it brings to mind the song “What’s he building in there?” by Tom Waits. Because it sure isn’t a playground for the kiddies…

The part of the obelisk story regarding them as ancient artifacts made from unknown materials is the reason why I discounted them from being the reason of krait activity in the first place…

I didn’t think about the possibility of krait building one, instead my train of thoughts went towards constructing siege engines and/or digging tunnels. They would need wood to build a tunnel too, mind you, for staples and other factors of mining, especially underwater one.

I still lean towards either krait wanting to take advantage of destroyer activity nearby, OR planning to attack Fort Salma, geography and strategy wise it would make sense.

hahaha /mustache twirl obviously one of the krait prophets is returning and kessex is drowned in water scarlet is somehow pulled in by an undertow and is the first to be sacrificed the perfect ending.

I doubt they are building an obelisk, however, Viathan Lake is the only place we’ve seen anything that could even possible be an obelisk. It doesn’t look anything like the concept art, but the is a stone spire right above the Blood Witch’s cave that emits a weird blue flame. Only problem is that it’s the same color of the surrounding stone, but that could be waved off as detritus covering the real obelisk over.

As to the Scarlet-as-prophet, I literally have money riding on that not being the case… but I do think that this is a case of expecting a prophet to return. One of the things we were told in the article, and have yet to see anywhere in-game, is that the krait “constantly foretell of the prophets’ return” using math, numerology, and magic to try to pin down the date. Maybe one of those dates is upon us, and this new frenzy of activity is typical of such times?

Aaron Ansari.1604:

We don’t know that the witches are religious leaders, or even leaders, do we? They’re the most powerful krait in the vicinity, but I don’t recall any examples of other krait following them. Even their sacrifices don’t seem religious- they’re usually said to be to control sharks or the like.

Edit: 50 gold is a bit beyond my means, but I’ll put up 35.

A few things:

1) http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Krait_Altar and http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Shadows_in_the_Water_%E2%80%93_The_Krait clearly state the sacrificing is religious.
2) At least one of these witches – the Blood Witch – does this sacrificing; another, within Caledon, I believe is said to be infiltrating the hylek village in order to capture the hylek for sacrificing.

zwierz.9012:

Gotta agree, it’s very likely they construct an obelisk in there, but I think there is more to it.

I doubt it’s an obelisk – those things are ancient, single blocks of smooth stone (not wood), and extremely religious. I would think they’d view it as blasphemous to try and recreate something that marks the rise of their prophets into the other world that they’re building an army within.

So the betting pool:

Those who think Scarlet’s involved:
Thalador: 50g per capita
Myself: 50g per capita
therapite: 20g per capita

total being put down: 120g per capita

Those who think Scarlet is not involved:
Narcemus: 20g per capita
Aaron: 35g per capita
zwierzL 50g per capita
Draxynnic: 45g per capita
Eluviete: 50g per capita
Maethor: 20g per capita

Total being put down: 220g per capita

The funny thing is that the group betting for Scarlet’s return will be loosing more individually if wrong. :P I can handle losing 300g (though I’ll have to buy gems to get the money, heh.)

That witch in Caledon is actually my primary reason to believe that the role isn’t religious- she was operating completely by herself, to transform hylek to keep as pets. Very traditional witch-like, not very religious as krait define the term. As for the Blood Witch, I freely admit that I didn’t pay too much attention to her, but the only line about her sacrifices I recall is “The Blood Witch is feeding quaggans to her pets!” No sacrifices or altars are actually in evidence in the lake itself.

Summed up, my argument isn’t that krait sacrifices aren’t religious, it’s that the witches aren’t conducting those rites.

Well, dear Mr. Konig, I sure as hell hope Scarlet got nothing to do with the next update, because otherwise my fiance, who isn’t a gamer but is interested in my quest for Twilight, will hate me for loosing all the money on a bet!

my bet would be on scarlet not being in the next Living Story but sorry can’t put any money on it trying to buy up all the putrid essences in existence I got a long way to go Im only at 30K

I do want to note that my original 20 gold was to Scarlet not pulling the Krait’s strings, as in leading them like every other enemy. I will still hold up to 20 gold to her not being involved at all, though my bet was with Thal, and I can only really afford to pay 1 person that 20 gold, not everyone :P

Well, this is serious then, I better get 50g quick. :P

Hell yeah it’s serious, we’re puttin’ heavy gold here on Scarlet taking her poorly thought through fingers away from this one!

Konig Des Todes.2086:

Aaron Ansari.1604:

We don’t know that the witches are religious leaders, or even leaders, do we? They’re the most powerful krait in the vicinity, but I don’t recall any examples of other krait following them. Even their sacrifices don’t seem religious- they’re usually said to be to control sharks or the like.

Edit: 50 gold is a bit beyond my means, but I’ll put up 35.

A few things:

1) http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Krait_Altar and http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Shadows_in_the_Water_%E2%80%93_The_Krait clearly state the sacrificing is religious.
2) At least one of these witches – the Blood Witch – does this sacrificing; another, within Caledon, I believe is said to be infiltrating the hylek village in order to capture the hylek for sacrificing.

zwierz.9012:

Gotta agree, it’s very likely they construct an obelisk in there, but I think there is more to it.

I doubt it’s an obelisk – those things are ancient, single blocks of smooth stone (not wood), and extremely religious. I would think they’d view it as blasphemous to try and recreate something that marks the rise of their prophets into the other world that they’re building an army within.

---

So the betting pool:

Those who think Scarlet’s involved:
Thalador: 50g per capita
Myself: 50g per capita
therapite: 20g per capita

total being put down: 120g per capita

Those who think Scarlet is not involved:
Narcemus: 20g per capita
Aaron: 35g per capita
zwierzL 50g per capita
Draxynnic: 45g per capita
Eluviete: 50g per capita
Maethor: 20g per capita

Total being put down: 220g per capita

The funny thing is that the group betting for Scarlet’s return will be loosing more individually if wrong. :P I can handle losing 300g (though I’ll have to buy gems to get the money, heh.)

I don’t know about anyone else, but I wasn’t thinking along “per capita” lines (that has the potential to ramp up quickly) – the reason I chose my figure was so that the combined stake of myself, Aaron and Narcemus could count as two capitae that balance the stakes. I’m maintaining a cautious optimism, not an insane one – I’m willing to stake an amount that is significant but that I can afford to lose, not to pay out a potentially uncapped amount if a lot of people weigh in on the “Scarlet is involved” side and it turns out she is. I suspect therapite was also intending to stake just 20g, not 20g to everyone who’s taken the other side of the bet (which would currently total 120g).

My innate sense of fairness says that it’s fairer for the stakes to be balanced in the end, with those people who are prepared to make uncapped bets making up the shortfall. So at the moment, the way I’d see it divvying up is 100g from you and Thal for a total of 220g matching our 220g, divided up according to individual stakes.

I originally thought Scarlet wouldn’t be involved in this (she had nothing to do with the Southsun events, as far as we know), but the theory about Scarlet somehow shoe-horning herself into the position of being one of the Krait’s returned prophets (made plausible by the fact that she seems to have “peered behind the veil” by looking directly at the Dream) makes a horrifying kind of sense.

Well, guys. We know Scarlet is missing. She left her prerecorded holograms in Twilight Arbor. Where is she though? She was probably trying to bring the krait to her team but instead she became their slave and soon-to-be sacrificed. Scarlet’s death could be really random be like Rurik’s.

There is a conversation between AUX-1 and Maddox. Kari, AUX-1’s mistress is missing. Maddox sent out a search party but could not find her. Kari might have been captured by the krait or she is invisible and currently investigating Viathan Lake, she is a mesmer after all.

Stooperdale.3560:

They will be building an underwater base for Scarlet because every evil group helps Scarlet because she’s just such a nemesis.

Sad but true.

But I really do hope, for the sake of the game, that we can get one interesting piece of the changing world without Scarlet Sue being involved. Krait in themselves, and more so Krait and Tengu connection, would be far more interesting than the return of the crazy plant.

draxynnic.3719:

I was figuring the ‘per capita’s could be for the original betters, there. I don’t have a ton of gold myself – and good lord I don’t expect anyone to be paying 50g per head to all of us hoping Scarlet isn’t involved. The first betters, up to Drax for making that bit even, can worry about the per capita bit.

The rest of us, if willing to keep in the stakes, can throw into a pool that’ll be split up among the winners? That makes it fair for those of us who have a rather limited amount of gold but like the little bit of fun of gambling on. There’s probably a better way to do it but I’m not one of those math/stakes/etc people

I do not know if Scarlet is involved, it is a bit early to tell. But would manipulating the Krait be the logical next step after her adventures in Twilight Arbor?

I can’t see any LOGICAL reason for either krait or Scarlet to be interested in cooperating,

Scarlet already has a deus ex machina infinite resources and armies to throw away on pointless escapades, krait on the other hand are a slaver society, and are dealing reasonably well with their own agendas, and haven’t shown any signs of being susceptible to enslavement.

What we know about Scarlet’s methods of recruiting is that she is more likely to try and enforce her rule with fear of death, or violence, and we do know that krait are about as susceptible to such methods as a solid peace of rock, so as far as I see it there are no foundations for any alliances being made.

I’ll just point out that the Krait tend to build things from salvaged wreckage. They’ve had opportunity to cut down trees elsewhere but instead they make ugly towers of junk. As an undersea race they generally conquer the ocean and raid the land for slaves, so have no mechanical ability to construct siege engines.

The race that is well known for Krytan deforestation is the centaurs, although they are the most unlikely group to store their wood underwater. Perhaps the Scarlet connection is there again.

Or not. Scarlet havng allied with the Krait would be the biggest lore break in GW2. The Krait would try to gut and eat her on sight.

But we have 2 new screenshots about the next update and one is called Krait-Obelisk-Shard. Perhaps they found something they consider sacred and tied to their prophet and now they are trying to build a new obilisk to honor their prophet. Cutting down the trees around the lake would make sense. Building something like an obilisk with junk to get high enough would be stupid. The junk wood would break and so they need something to work with to get high enough without the danger to break and kill the ones who are working at the building.

But now we have other questions to ask. How did they aquire the shard, or did they take some shards with them the time they fled the DSD? If so, why now? Did they wait to find something related to the prophet?