Guild Wars 2

We know little about Malyck, so from here on in there will be a large amount of speculation.

Malyck is seen to have arrived in the Brisban Wildlands and eventually northern Caledon Forest by his pod drifting downstream and him subsequently awakening.

He had no dream that he can recall, and since the pod was not from the Pale Tree, it is obvious that he was born of another Tree.

There are many things he could be, then.

One, he could be a Firstborn of this unseen Tree. Since we have no other information of the other Tree and he promised to return to the Grove with an army of other-sylvari, and he never showed up later in any storyline, we can assume that there must be a reason he did not return in time to fight Zhaitan. One of these reasons could be that he was among the first to be born of the Tree and as such there weren’t enough other-sylvari to constitute a large enough group to send to the grove.

That’s obviously not the only possible explanation. He could be in a similar generation as our player character sylvari and was either not believed when he returned to his Grove, or the sylvari culture in his Grove is suffused with negativity. It’s even possible that the reason he was drifting downstream was because the Tree he came from was destroyed by a possible parallel Nightmare Court, which also explains his lack of Dream.

We do not know whether all Trees infuse a Dream into their sylvari. However, since we have one Tree that does infuse a Dream, we can assume that Dream infusion has something to do with the biological or magical properties of the seed itself. The alternative would be something Ventari and/or Ronan did to the seed before it became full grown, although how they would cause the Dream to form would be a mystery at this stage.

Curious to see what others thought of what I’ve thought of and what they themselves could think.

There has been a lot of debate bout this some (in my opinion) delusional minds put it that a pale tree is a dragon champion, and only the ventari tablet is keeping the dream clear.

My personal theory is that this has to do with mordremoth. But might be wrong as pinky when he though he knew what the brain wanted to do tonight.

Firts off all, we know that the seed of the pale tree we know came from a cave that was filled with other seeds. So it is likely this other tree came from that cave.

We know that it is likely that mordremoth (the 6th elder dragon) is located in the maguuma wastes (former maguuma jungle). We also know that the river that brought Malyck’s pot brought him from that direction.

We haven’t seen any mordremoth minions so far or havent noticed them. We also know that the sylvari dont get turned into minions by elder dragons.

Now my fictional way to putting it all together
My idea is that this comes from the fact that they are always and ever connected to the mother tree, even after they leave their pod, this is done through the dream off course. So to corrupt a sylvari you need to corrupt the mother tree (that might also explain why caledon forest is the only starter area with risen invaders).

I think Malycks tree is corrupted by Mordremoth and he is secretly building his army. using the mother tree as his breeding machine. this tree’s dream is nightmare beyond comprehension. All existing trees influence each other and the nightmare in the pale trees dream is caused by this link and only a hint bout how different the bigger nightmare in that tree is.

This link however also cause a bit of hope in the nightmare of the other tree and causes a bit of hope and rebellion against that corruption.

This part of that tree created a pod she shielded from her own dream/nightmare) and dropped it in the river, hoping it would tell others of her existence and stop her army before it grows too big. That was off course Mallyck.

Off course this is all theory crafting and I can be very wrong. But somehow I do feel that his tale will be explained when the mordemoth story unfold.

Or they are just saving this army and story part for later expansions, maybe against Mordremoth.

Another possibility as to why Malyck doesn’t have a dream comes from noting that most pods remain attached to their Tree before opening. while Malyck’s had been drifting down a river for Melandru knows how long before opening. It’s possible that Malyck’s pod was detached through some accident late enough in development that it could finish off its development, but early enough that Malyck was detached from his Dream before he could form memories of it.

It is worth noting, though, that Malyck does seem to have a similar level of ‘basic knowledge’ of the world to that provided to the sylvari we know through the Dream. So it does seem as if Malyck may have had enough contact with his Dream to learn some things – like fighting with pistols, interestingly enough – despite not having any memory of it.

Perhaps he got the early training which is more instinctual and not the latter development which seems to include more of the “Purpose of Life” stuff.

I don’t know if it was made on purpose, but he’s also the only Sylvari ingame who’s got the face with the stamens (stamens are the organs capable of producing pollen).
I never saw another NPC with his face, so… yeah, maybe it isn’t relevant at all, but eh, what if he was born from some kind of “male” counterpart of the Pale Tree ?

Yeah I know, I have silly theories.

Well that face is available to PCs… and you don’t really see NPCs with that mushroom head hair so I doubt it has much lore significance.

Konig Des Todes.2086:

Well that face is available to PCs… and you don’t really see NPCs with that mushroom head hair so I doubt it has much lore significance.

You do see NPCs with e mushroom head hair, just not many. It’s irrelevant though.

Exactly what I meant, Foxx. You see them, but they’re uncommon/rare.

draxynnic.3719:

It is worth noting, though, that Malyck does seem to have a similar level of ‘basic knowledge’ of the world to that provided to the sylvari we know through the Dream. So it does seem as if Malyck may have had enough contact with his Dream to learn some things – like fighting with pistols, interestingly enough – despite not having any memory of it.

It’s true that he knows how to speak, but he mentioned that the wardens that took him in taught him how to use the pistols with which he ended up fighting. They also gave him those clothes, he’s one of the few sylvari NPCs in the starter area who isn’t wearing some form of cultural armor.

What sylvari know inherently and what they gain from the Dream are likely connected, as you said. So he could certainly have had an indistinct Dream, or a Dream without substance and know knowledge enough to not die quickly out in the wild. He learns his values from the wardens that help him, the player character, and what the Nightmare Court does. I think what he learned in those short story steps created a basis for how he sees the world. Whether this view will line up with what the others in his parallel-Grove is undetermined.

Gandarel.5091:

Or they are just saving this army and story part for later expansions, maybe against Mordremoth.

I mean, they could. But he did say that he’d join the fight against Zhaitan and the rest of the Dragons. If it’s true that Mordremoth has influence where his Tree exists, then it’s likely that they couldn’t spare any other-sylvari to help out with Zhaitan.

From the general direction of things, so far, few are certain.

Was there a specific line of dialogue stating that Zhaitan would be fought, or was it an general reference to the Elder Dragons?

Awakening from his pod, did Malyck already know how to speak in the Tyrian vernacular (as with the other species ranging from the Charr to Hylek, Quaggan, and Krait)? Or was he also taught speech?

If he was firstborn, his lack of a dream would be understandable. But I am unclear about whether the Firstborn of the Pale Tree (Caithe, Trahearne, Faolain, Riannoc, etc.) have had the Dream. Did they awaken as a blank slate or did the Pale Tree infuse her prior knowledge into the Dream?
—Had the Pale Tree learned language in her decades of existence? How? Just from the writings of a six-limb’d-equine-humanoid chiselled into a stone slab? —Had the bodies of Ronan’s family nourished the Pale Tree both physically and mentally (memories, knowledge of the commonly spoken language)?

So many questions and so many paths for which to explore…

Mordremoth of the Maguuma Wastes is confirmed having influence over the summoned husks (Crucible of Eternity & Wychmire Swamp). There’s also an area with a veteran imp and frozen treant corpses reaching into a dark pseudo-cave just north of Twilight Arbor—eerie to say the least. Maybe related to Mordremoth, or could be an allusion to the “Nightmare Tree” in the Twilight Arbor.

Lvl 80 Bandits blockade the only pass into there from Brisban Wildlands. The fact that they’re there now must mean the expansion westward into former druid territory is on the horizon. On the wiki, druids are mentioned to have become “a type of treant” to bring their spirits closer to the Maguuma. However, are the immobile corpse-like remnants left petrified in Wychmire Swamp just the ‘secondary’ bodies. If so, the word ‘husk’ may be used liberally in describing these, but if they are not, would this relate to the “Summoned Husk” connection to Mordremoth..?

Is Mordremoth the quoted, “darker force,” mentioned by Gamarien? Perhaps Mordremoth’s activity is forcing up these Jungle Wurms; is Scarlet then implicated in some way? She has seen dark things when she severed herself from the dream—things worse than Nightmare, apparently. In one stream of dialogue, she knows about Malyck (our secret!) if your character chose the storyline. Is her dreamless state one leaving her vulnerable to corruption? In the same stream of thought, I don’t think the Soundless will be vulnerable because they aren’t severed from it: they just draft-dodge into neutrality and meditatively ignore the rest of the world.

Digressions aside, the anticipation for Malyck’s return is unrivalled! The simple excitement at the possibilities his parent Tree brings; think of the lore and what such a floral entity would look like in a wasteland. Where Humans have Ebonhawke, Sylvari will finally have a second city as well—hopefully with more hairstyles/cultural armour to express a whole new sub-culture.

Reincarnation, nothing links Mordremoth to the Maguuma Wastes.

Nothing outright, I should say. Mordremoth’s only linked to the Maguuma Jungle, which expands far more than just the Wastes (includes Magus Falls and Tarnished Coast, as well as what’s west off the map).

It could be that Malyck is a lying little kitten that works for Mordy.

DarcShriek.5829:

It could be that Malyck is a lying little kitten that works for Mordy.

If that were the case, Anet would have made him involved in LS rather than bring up Scarlet.

Highly unlikely. He holds no traits common amongst all dragon minions. He’d have to be amongst the very very rare exceptions, making him a specialized minion which is possible but for such a minion to be made before the dragon’s awakening….

Konig Des Todes.2086:

Highly unlikely. He holds no traits common amongst all dragon minions. He’d have to be amongst the very very rare exceptions, making him a specialized minion which is possible but for such a minion to be made before the dragon’s awakening….

Would he really be all that different? Consider Svanir and The Great Destroyer, both of whom existed while their masters slumbered. Both were somewhat specialized, however, it’s not Malyck that would be special, but Malyk’s tree. Is there any reason to believe that Malyck’s tree would be any less capable than the Pale Tree?

Vol.7601:

DarcShriek.5829:

It could be that Malyck is a lying little kitten that works for Mordy.

If that were the case, Anet would have made him involved in LS rather than bring up Scarlet.

Why didn’t Anet use Faolain if the Nightmare Court are related to Mordy? BTW, I still don’t think Mordy has any influence on the Nightmare Court.

DarcShriek.5829:

Would he really be all that different? Consider Svanir and The Great Destroyer, both of whom existed while their masters slumbered. Both were somewhat specialized, however, it’s not Malyck that would be special, but Malyk’s tree. Is there any reason to believe that Malyck’s tree would be any less capable than the Pale Tree?

Firstly, you’re comparing Malyck to dragon champions. Y’know, the top dogs of all of dragon minions. The guys who spread corruption wherever they go, who lead the armies and fanatically (just like any other minion) follow their dragon. Does this really sound like Malyck to you?

And it would be Malyck that’s special, because if it were the tree that’s special but Malyck was just your average dragon minion, then he would be on par to risen thralls – he’d have very limited speech, would be nearly (or fully) mindless, and would have no free will and no choice of self-decision or self-awareness. Does this sound like Malyck to you?

No, it just isn’t possible. Unless he’s so specialized of a minion that he’s akin to Labwan the Deceiver, who was so unique of a minion that her personality befuddled Trahearne, who had spent 23 years (all of his life) studying Risen and Orrians.

DarcShriek.5829:

Why didn’t Anet use Faolain if the Nightmare Court are related to Mordy? BTW, I still don’t think Mordy has any influence on the Nightmare Court.

Because Nightmare Court are not corrupted. They still feel the need to fight the dragons. They are still capable of free will, to an extent.

As I said, influence is not the same as corruption. The Sons of Svanir are influenced, but they are not corrupted.

To be corrupted is to become an Elder Dragon. Thus far – and it seems Mordremoth has found a way around it given Scarlet’s personality at the end – the sylvari are immune to all Elder Dragon’s corruption. But immune to their influence? No, they are not.

Konig Des Todes.2086:

DarcShriek.5829:

Would he really be all that different? Consider Svanir and The Great Destroyer, both of whom existed while their masters slumbered. Both were somewhat specialized, however, it’s not Malyck that would be special, but Malyk’s tree. Is there any reason to believe that Malyck’s tree would be any less capable than the Pale Tree?

Firstly, you’re comparing Malyck to dragon champions. Y’know, the top dogs of all of dragon minions. The guys who spread corruption wherever they go, who lead the armies and fanatically (just like any other minion) follow their dragon. Does this really sound like Malyck to you?

And it would be Malyck that’s special, because if it were the tree that’s special but Malyck was just your average dragon minion, then he would be on par to risen thralls – he’d have very limited speech, would be nearly (or fully) mindless, and would have no free will and no choice of self-decision or self-awareness. Does this sound like Malyck to you?

No, it just isn’t possible. Unless he’s so specialized of a minion that he’s akin to Labwan the Deceiver, who was so unique of a minion that her personality befuddled Trahearne, who had spent 23 years (all of his life) studying Risen and Orrians.

DarcShriek.5829:

Why didn’t Anet use Faolain if the Nightmare Court are related to Mordy? BTW, I still don’t think Mordy has any influence on the Nightmare Court.

Because Nightmare Court are not corrupted. They still feel the need to fight the dragons. They are still capable of free will, to an extent.

As I said, influence is not the same as corruption. The Sons of Svanir are influenced, but they are not corrupted.

To be corrupted is to become an Elder Dragon. Thus far – and it seems Mordremoth has found a way around it given Scarlet’s personality at the end – the sylvari are immune to all Elder Dragon’s corruption. But immune to their influence? No, they are not.

Was Scarlet influenced or corrupted? If she was merely influenced, then there is no reason the Nightmare Court couldn’t have been used if they are also influenced. If she was corrupted, then that destroys the whole sylvari can’t be corrupted position.
So by your logic because Scarlet is sylvari, she can’t be corrupted, therefore she could only at best be influenced. Because she is only influenced, like the Nightmare Court, then the Nightmare Court could have done this as well. Why would Mordy wait until a random connection is made with a random person? A connection that may not have happened at all when he has a team of people already at his disposal.

My thought is that there is a preestablished connection between the pale tree and Mordy. I think will find that his connection with plant based life will be a lot different that Zhaitan’s connection with zombies.

Please show me a reference that states categorically that all dragon minions have to have limited speech?

Also, I don’t recall Svanir spreading corruption. The real champion in this case was Drakkar, it was Drakkar that corrupted Svanir. If Drakkar could create Svanir, there is no reason a pale tree equivalent couldn’t create Malyck.

DarcShriek.5829:

Was Scarlet influenced or corrupted?

We don’t know, but given the yellow “growth” on her face in the final cinematic, and her line of “Tyria will bow to a new master” I’m guessing corrupted.

DarcShriek.5829:

If she was merely influenced, then there is no reason the Nightmare Court couldn’t have been used if they are also influenced.

And yet… we do see some Nightmare Courtiers working with Scarlet. And no reason has been given to why they agreed to help.

DarcShriek.5829:

If she was corrupted, then that destroys the whole sylvari can’t be corrupted position.

Scarlet’s a unique case though. Omadd’s machine broke something – likely what kept sylvari from being corruptable.

The rest of your argument is moot, because Scarlet is not a standard situation. She’s an outright unique case, ergo her situation does not apply to any other sylvari.

DarcShriek.5829:

Because she is only influenced, like the Nightmare Court, then the Nightmare Court could have done this as well. Why would Mordy wait until a random connection is made with a random person? A connection that may not have happened at all when he has a team of people already at his disposal.

Or maybe he wasn’t waiting. Maybe he has been trying, but the act of Omadd’s machine is what made his attempts finally succeed.

We know too little to be certain. We don’t even know why sylvari are immune. We just know that they are.

DarcShriek.5829:

Please show me a reference that states categorically that all dragon minions have to have limited speech?

Other than widespread observation of all dragon minions ever?

Mainly this step. But I don’t think there’s any “single reference” that outright state this., the closest is in the link, and Trahearne’s mention of dragon minions being single-minded here – likely many many others too. This is an observation – the weakest minions are also the dumbest; the grunts of dragon minions are mindless zergers; they swarm their enemies rather than deploy tactics of any kind, and it is only the more intelligent minions (most notably lieutenants and champions) that deploy tactics. And these are so uncommon that it surprises even Trahearne when they begin using tactics.

DarcShriek.5829:

Also, I don’t recall Svanir spreading corruption. The real champion in this case was Drakkar, it was Drakkar that corrupted Svanir. If Drakkar could create Svanir, there is no reason a pale tree equivalent couldn’t create Malyck.

True, a champion of Modremoth would be capable of creating another champion, but Svanir was singleminded in causing destruction and killing nonetheless. Even the champions are not so unique like Labwan.

@konig

You may be correct that the sylvari from the pale tree are immune from corruption, with Scarlet being an exception. I believe the cause of this immunity is the dream, which is a localized phenomenom which is why the white stag shares it also. Ventari’s tablet is merely a focus for meditation that helps augment the dream’s immunity. The NC use pain as a focus and the soundless use their meditation.

All this protection was removed from Scarlet in the chamber. That is why Mordy was able to corrupt her.

Other trees don’t have the protection of the dream as the dream is a product of the area that the Pale Tree grows in. While there is no evidence for or against, I think it’s possible that all trees are capable of producing a Scarlet character to serve as an alarm to wake up Mordy. The Pale Tree’s Scarlet just happened to be the first created as it was the first tree planted. The dream prevented her from reaching her destiny until she was in the chamber and freed of the dream’s protection. Had she not taken these actions a sylvari from another tree would have come along soon enough and fulfilled Scarlet’s actions.

I would not disagree with the possibility that Malyck’s tree can be – or could have been – corrupted. However, Malyck being a dragon minion is about as likely as the Pale Tree being the love child of Mordremoth and Melandru. Simply due to his personality.

I don’t think Scarlet something that could be born from any tree. It was her own unique desire for individuality which led her to Omadd’s machine. And then Mordremoth itself got a hold of her. She as herself is no dragon champion by birth or design. She likely got corrupted, or influenced if not that and manipulated into waking Mordremoth.

I don’t think the sylvari origins lie in Mordremoth. There’s nothing to support this other than random speculation – in which you can claim Menzies is the secret persona of Grenth and be just as likely (actually, that claim actually has some kind of backing to it) – and attempts to fill the unknown with… well, random speculation. The sylvari still hold far too many unknowns to make any credible guess at their origins, let alone attempt to tie them into Mordremoth.

Because if the sylvari are tied to Mordremoth you have to wonder why the Pale Tree was capable of breaking free. It seems unlikely that the Dream can not only prevent corruption, but reverse it. I mean, not even Forgotten magic could do that – it just gave Glint free will.

found an updated gw2-wiki post about Mordremoth, with interesting infos:

http://www.reddit.com/r/Guildwars2/comments/1zmy0l/connection_between_mordremoth_and_the_other_pale/

so the other (Malyck’s) Pale Tree is in Magus Falls, just where Mordremoth is. More infos and source in the link above.