Guild Wars 2

Doing a preemtive strike here with the release of the trailer for Out of the Shadows (and I am not talking about the recent Turtles movie), thought we start disecting what we see here and go further in next week.

There are some very interesting things to see, aside from some recap here and there:

• We start off with Trahearns and Eir’s death, building up a damped mood, over supposed celebration
• The white mantle banner is shown and we get something that could be the chaos isles , which were teased in articles. The new fractal?
• Some strange ley line energy in a ley line cave ? I haven’t played the raid, but this doesn’t seem to be part of it.
• We get an air ship? My suspicion is, that we will go into the mist. EotM allready suggested air ship travel there, with the Aetherblade pirates.
• An Sylvari soldier in the new fractal? He wields the chain-sword gem store item.
• Raid flashback
• Dark red sky, like the supposed fractal. Some white mantle bloodstone designs and a Phalanx armor warrior of Balthazar? (The new fractal is supposed to be a very mixed, hence the name)
• A big hole in the sky… (Gozer is comming, get the proton packs out of Ascalon), … above a red energy. Could be bloodstone, could be Primordus (unlikely).
• More raid filler (I guess they don’t have enough footage or Xera makes a comeback?)
• Big explosion we have seen before
• White Mantle storming formward, with a voice proclaiming they take him to the throne of Kryta. My money is on Caudecus here.

Well, not much, but enough to speculate.
You got my first impression up there, feel free to chime in.

The party starts in one week, july 26.

Nothing interesting until0 to me.

• @ : 33 – Some messed up place that looks post-cataclysmic or hellish. Unlikely to be Chaos Isles as that was said to be a mixture of previous fractals. More thoughts later. Note red sky.
• @ : 36 – Underground ley line location. Doesn’t look familiar but could be Tangled Depths or Dry Top? Possibly new map? Some Anomaly-like thing being created or empowered.
• @ : 38 – Canach’s shield and weapon (he wields chainsword and shield of the moon in HoT), sylvari, followed by mesmer magic. Canach got a makeover (aka new armor) and empowered by Anise? Note the red sky.
• @ : 41 – White Mantle Knight from wing 3, Note the red sky, note the airship, and White Mantle architecture.
• @ : 48 – wing2 footage with new audio: Possibly Caudecus shouting? Sounds less whiny than Caudecus but could be a case of different situation-different tone and/or voice actor forgetting how he did Caudecus after 4 years. If not Caudecus, probably unknown-to-us Confessor. But why would they reveal their plan so soon?

• @ : 37, : 43, : 45, : 54 – Pact airship heads towards massive cyclone that then explodes. This seems to be second-long shots of same cinematic to me.

My theory: we’ll get a new map that has a persistent red sky. This map opens by cyclone and explosion, resulting in shattered floating landscape. Explosion likely caused by ley line stuff and White Mantle messing with it. Most likely to the north – I suspect good ol’ Lake Doric making a return (original incomplete map had a whirlpool in the middle of the lake in the ground – fits a cyclone in the middle of the lake!)

I think this trailer shows a lot less than people are thinking – which is typical for Anet trailers.

I was hoping we would get to that Dwarven Valley that was teased with the E3 concept art, but I guess the new map (?) seems to be north of Maguuma. While I doubt it, getting to Janthir this season would be cool.

TBH, that might still come in later. Remember, all of this is for episode one. Out of who knows how many episodes.

Mind, it’ll be 2-3 months before next chance at it, but it’s not like it’s scrapped. I wouldn’t be surprised if we get a new map every episode, given that’s the same distance between Dry Top and Silverwastes.

(Note: I don’t count on it. But I’d hope that each episode is now on par to 3-4 of S2’s episodes in terms of content and quality, else it isn’t worth the wait).

I believe that the sylvari with Canach’s weapons is Canach. I still stepped through it and saw his face. The mesmer butterflies do suggest Anise providing some support or direction.

Right after Canach we see a figure in Phalanx, with a Balthazar shield and a reclaimed axe as best I can tell, and behind him a twisted red stone rotates. And from that we cut to a huge atmospheric disturbance with red energy tendrils, though in the spirit of cut up trailers nothing requires there to be a direct connection between stone and storm.

I had assumed the male voice was a White Mantle person we’d met in the raid or who’d been implied in the raid, but the words absolutely could be uttered by Caudecus. His firmer tone could be his shedding of his unctuous politician’s veneer as his true fanaticism is revealed.

That “figure in Phalanx” is a White Mantle Knight – wiki has an image of the female model; that’s the male model in the trailer – just go to Stronghold of the Faithful, the guys are in the very first group you need to fight. Also, the axe isn’t reclaimed but Kryta’s Salvation – an exotic that uses a skin well used by the White Mantle in GW1. Why he has a Blathazar Shield I do not know.

The twisted red stones are Bloodstone Shards seen throughout the third raid.

And these Shards are Part of the Turrets the White Mantle is using to prtect their Forts.

But I think that this Fort is another Fortress we’ll see. First our Raid Group obliterated the Stronghold and massacred the White Mantle and second has something to do with the Sky. Perhaps this Fort is at a Bloodstone Mining Station.

Ah sorry Konig — I’ve never seen any part of the raid fights other than VG, and not beaten that, so I had no idea what the trash mobs looked like deeper in the raid (I might have had a more successful raiding experience if I just never tried VG and skipped ahead to other easier bosses as I hear you can do, but oh well). I did figure the Shard was part of the raid scenery but that it now possesses more story relevance and might be seen in LS and/or new maps rather than just in the raid.

Thanks for correcting the axe skin mistake. As I didn’t realize the Phalanx guy was a standard raid mook I was trying to figure out who/what he might be and just made a quick guess at the skin to help identify which guy I was talking about.

Im going to pander a few guesses at what episode 1 will be about:

1. We will probably go to Eir’s funeral, and possibly see the Pale Tree awaken again, this will likely be the start of the episode.

2. We get a message from Taimi about some unknown event going on North and she needs us in Rata Novus.

3. The event in question is the bloodstone fen, the only part of the raid currently not available, which will be made available to all players as possibly a smaller instanced area via living story.

4. We will go there by Airship, evidenced by the trailer, by the end of which we will end up trying to escape the blast caused by some cataclysmic event there (im going to put an estimate at something to do with the white mantle and lazarus the dire being empowered/awakened).

5. This will trigger a further problem, a sort of signal, for all white mantle in DR to rise up and destroy the kingdom, Cadecus will take this chance to try and possibly even succeed in assassinating Jennah, we, will foil/kill him in the process.

The episode will end with chaos, the throne of kryta vacant and the fate of the krytan people very uncertain and tense, the mantle having scored a victory, albiet, a phyrric one with heavy losses in revenge against humanity.

Bonus Points:

- Something to do with the Shiverpeaks and the North, possibly the Eye of the North.

- Kasmeer gets made into queen or will be revealed as Jennahs replacement.

- Canach being a kitten because reasons, I suspect the mesmer he was trying to hit “may” be a fragment of Xera from the raid.

- Braham actually growing a pair and being less of a manchild, also, no more bald Braham plx.

- MAYBE a Teaser as to what Rytlock actually bloody did in the mists.

Captain, I think we’ll find out something even more important…that Jennah doesn’t exist, and that Anise is in fact the current ruler of Kryta. Two incredibly powerful Mesmers under the same roof, both rather aloof to everything and acting somewhat similar? No, I don’t believe this is a coincidence. I believe that Jennah is an illusion cast by Anise, a powerful one at that. /tinfoilhat

RyuDragnier.9476:

Captain, I think we’ll find out something even more important…that Jennah doesn’t exist, and that Anise is in fact the current ruler of Kryta. Two incredibly powerful Mesmers under the same roof, both rather aloof to everything and acting somewhat similar? No, I don’t believe this is a coincidence. I believe that Jennah is an illusion cast by Anise, a powerful one at that. /tinfoilhat

Jennah is a mesmer???? But yes I can see Anise as someone strong enough to pull off such an illusion but I doubt that is what is going on

The Queen is definitely a mesmer. In Edge of Destiny Logan first sees her as a projected face in the sky over the battle arena, and she does various mesmery things in the novel, details of which escape me as I’ve not read it for 4 years. I think her shield at the end of CM Story is also credited to mesmer powers.

The Queen that “fell” into the Pavilion during Scarlet’s attack was an illusion (Faren overbalanced and fell himself grabbing for her and she poofed into butterflies). I think it was established that Anise had cast the illusion, but if not it could have been the Queen herself doing so.

There has been speculation that Anise is actually Livia. All I know of Livia is what the speculators have described, as I was not a GW1 player, but apparently she was a powerful mesmer 250 years ago and if still alive would be even more powerful.

Donari.5237:

The Queen is definitely a mesmer. In Edge of Destiny Logan first sees her as a projected face in the sky over the battle arena, and she does various mesmery things in the novel, details of which escape me as I’ve not read it for 4 years. I think her shield at the end of CM Story is also credited to mesmer powers.

The Queen that “fell” into the Pavilion during Scarlet’s attack was an illusion (Faren overbalanced and fell himself grabbing for her and she poofed into butterflies). I think it was established that Anise had cast the illusion, but if not it could have been the Queen herself doing so.

There has been speculation that Anise is actually Livia. All I know of Livia is what the speculators have described, as I was not a GW1 player, but apparently she was a powerful mesmer 250 years ago and if still alive would be even more powerful.

She created an illusion of Kralkatorrik itself turning humans into branded to shoo off some Branded Ogres attacking Ebonhawke. It’d take some incredible power to create an illusion that size, something most Mesmers wouldn’t be able to pull off (I’m not even sure Kasmeer could pull that off). It doesn’t help that she’s always being protected by Anise, so they’re always together. A mesmer doesn’t wander far from their illusions after all.

Marjory couldn’t pull that illusion off because she’s a necromancer.

A bone dragon the size of Kralkatorrik, on the other hand…

More seriously, I doubt Kasmeer could come close to that either.

And Anise is not always with Jennah. Such as when she went with Logan to kill some White Mantle, or went to The Grove well before Jennah. Or at the party Jennah wasn’t present at.

Donari.5237:

There has been speculation that Anise is actually Livia. All I know of Livia is what the speculators have described, as I was not a GW1 player, but apparently she was a powerful mesmer 250 years ago and if still alive would be even more powerful.

Livia was a necro. No mesmer at all. The theory is that mesmerism is something she might’ve picked up, but…

Livia is/was a necromancer. Unless Queen Jennah is a zombie, I doubt Livia has any real involvement.

I stand corrected. As I said, I didn’t directly know thing one about her — just that there was a lot of forum speculation that Livia was Anise (maybe having picked up new skills?).

Well, Livia did come from a time when we could have two professions xD. But if she did have a second job, it’d probably be ritualist. That discord build was popular!

I assume, though, that if they did bring Livia back into the game, they’d not give her a second profession. Just narrow her down to Necromancer.

Konig Des Todes.2086:

Marjory couldn’t pull that illusion off because she’s a necromancer.

A bone dragon the size of Kralkatorrik, on the other hand…

More seriously, I doubt Kasmeer could come close to that either.

And Anise is not always with Jennah. Such as when she went with Logan to kill some White Mantle, or went to The Grove well before Jennah. Or at the party Jennah wasn’t present at.

Sorry, kitten ed there. Meant Kasmeer. Fix’d it.

Squee.7829:

Livia is/was a necromancer. Unless Queen Jennah is a zombie, I doubt Livia has any real involvement.

Scepter of Orr. Little is known of its power.

Well, Jennah being an illusion, a mesmer puppet so to speak would be quite ironic, since she introduced the watchwork knights.
A puppet, which dons a mesmer illusion in the crown pavillion.

Wouldn’t it be interesting if the mesmer collective created Jennah for the greater good?

Though I guess we don’t get that far meta, since Logan might have had a few private moments with her and turning her into an illusion could break him.

It would be very creepy as well. Having a mesmer everyhwere she goes… everywhere, so anyone who could spy on her, does indeed see her act natualy .

I think we can bury that theory (if they don’t go the she is a magical autonom being, which gives life to an idea, instead of a puppet route)

I’m probably reading way too much into it, but assuming the final voice is Caudecus; I found the choice of words a bit peculiar.

“They will carry me all the way to the throne of Krytan.” Emphasis mine.

It almost sounds as if he puts some distance between himself and the WM, almost like he doesn’t consider himself an actual member/fanatic, when talking about them. Not that he isn’t afraid to use them or anything, but rather he sees them mostly as a means to and end (claiming the throne) more than anything else.

Erukk.1408:

I’m probably reading way too much into it, but assuming the final voice is Caudecus; I found the choice of words a bit peculiar.

“They will carry me all the way to the throne of Krytan.” Emphasis mine.

It almost sounds as if he puts some distance between himself and the WM, almost like he doesn’t consider himself an actual member/fanatic, when talking about them. Not that he isn’t afraid to use them or anything, but rather he sees them mostly as a means to and end (claiming the throne) more than anything else.

Obviously.
The white mantle always had their own goal (Mursaat, ehem).
The minister is nothing more than someone who supported them. Gave them access to everything.

Even if there are sleeper in DR, the minister is most likely just a political puppet, who sees the white mantle as a group of fanatics, he can use to push his agenda.

I believe he thought that he helps a group who has fallen from grace and can use them.
Their goals do allign partly. He wants to rule DR and they want to be back in power, to save humanity (and bring back their gods/Mursaat).

The problem is just their endgame.
Caudecus is a politican who uses the current distrust and racism to get on the throne, using the white mantle as his personal army.

Unfortunatly, they use him to get back to power, so while Caudecus might see them as a disposeable little group of bandits, with white mantle ties, they see him as disposeable as well.

So ready up for the siege of DR (I believe from the north, since the south is Queensdale and we don’t disturb starter zones sooo much)

Personally, I think there is a real Jennah… but after the stunt that was pulled in the Queen’s Pavilion, I have my suspicions as to how often we see the Queen as the actual Queen.

We don’t know the full extent of her powers, except that, apart from being mesmeric in nature, they’re not the same as PC mesmers. If she needs to be close by to maintain the illusion, the real Jennah could be the nameless female Shining Blade guard. Or even the male one. Or she could be mindlinked to the guards, using their eyes to project the illusion.

Regarding Caudecus and the White Mantle… even assuming that the voice IS his, it’s possible that their goals are compatible. Caudecus wants the throne, the Mantle want to be the ruling class and to impose their religion… Caudecus might well be quite willing to give the Mantle free reign if they’ll support him in ruling. Alternatively, though, the ‘they’ might simply be referring to his subordinates, rather than considering himself to be separate.

I think we’ll go to a Bloodstone Mining Position. At3 we see a kittened up Area with Red Sky and floating Rocks. Also some of the Rocks have Bloodstone Parts underneath them. Would make sense, the whole Place seems to be overflowing with Magic and cutting a High Yield Magic Energy Battery doesn’t seem like a good Idea to me, its bound to leak more Magic when cutted. Also the Fort we see with th Red Sky also seems to be in the new Area. Red Sky Box, different Bloodstone Turrets etc.

Also interesting, we see a massive Cyclone with red Lightning and then a Blue Energy Explosion. Perhaps the Anomaly at6 which was gathering Ley Energy and Bloodstone Magic went Nuke?

RyuDragnier.9476:

Scepter of Orr. Little is known of its power.

Plenty is known, actually. We know it’s the twin to the Staff of the Mists which “allows the wielder to bend the fabric of reality” (quest dialogue) and health (its pick up/drop effects), and we know that the Scepter of Orr controls spirits (Sanctum Cay bonus) and energy (its pick up/drop effects).

Erukk.1408:

I’m probably reading way too much into it, but assuming the final voice is Caudecus; I found the choice of words a bit peculiar.

“They will carry me all the way to the throne of Krytan.” Emphasis mine.

It almost sounds as if he puts some distance between himself and the WM, almost like he doesn’t consider himself an actual member/fanatic, when talking about them. Not that he isn’t afraid to use them or anything, but rather he sees them mostly as a means to and end (claiming the throne) more than anything else.

I am fairly sure that he is referring to the people of Kryta.

The White Mantle have been running a propaganda campaign – one where they create the very downsides they bring up about the crown and queen. Caudecus has done this as well, working with the bandits (aka White Mantle mooks) for years.

The White Mantle do stuff to demoralize people from serving the crown and convince good people to join the bandits – we see many bandit mooks being those who were either tricked into thinking Jennah is evil (like Riot Alice), and many who are just stealing because they’re so poor (many of the street gangs, like Quinn), and those who just enjoy killing and all that (who probably get promoted).

And honestly, I’m suspecting that Caudecus is the Confessor of the White Mantle. Aside from utilizing the bandits (aka White Mantle front) for his own gain for years, he’s had family secrets that he would kill to protect (Order of Whispers plot with Demmi).

And it seems a bit too coincidental to me that Caudecus, who is shady as hell and is the lead anti-Jennah man, lives in the first town that the White Mantle attacked after their loss to Salma.

Walhalla.5473:

I think we’ll go to a Bloodstone Mining Position. At3 we see a kittened up Area with Red Sky and floating Rocks. Also some of the Rocks have Bloodstone Parts underneath them.

Those don’t look like bloodstone parts to me.

Walhalla.5473:

Would make sense, the whole Place seems to be overflowing with Magic and cutting a High Yield Magic Energy Battery doesn’t seem like a good Idea to me, its bound to leak more Magic when cutted.

Nothing actually says the place is overflowing with magic. The best we got is that the bloodstone got charged due to Mordremoth’s death (but never overcharged or the like) – but over the weeks after that very same magic was used to heal Lazarus.

Konig Des Todes.2086:

Walhalla.5473:

I think we’ll go to a Bloodstone Mining Position. At3 we see a kittened up Area with Red Sky and floating Rocks. Also some of the Rocks have Bloodstone Parts underneath them.

Those don’t look like bloodstone parts to me.

For me it really looks like some Bloodstone Part hanging out of the Rock.

The Color there is typical for a Bloodstone Part.

Taimi’s next bit is out https://www.guildwars2.com/en/news/notes-from-rata-novus-partthree/

I wonder if the “particular direction” is north.

Also interesting hint towards Crystal Desert.

Donari.5237:

Taimi’s next bit is out https://www.guildwars2.com/en/news/notes-from-rata-novus-partthree/

I wonder if the “particular direction” is north.

Also interesting hint towards Crystal Desert.

Several leads to be honest.
We know of several agendas, but now we got Taimis as well.

Great that she will be our Oracle[/url] for the next few episodes (I hope).

She wants Primordus.
Rytlock and Glints legacy might take us to Orr
Braham wants Jormags head.
Did I miss someone?
Do we have a Quaggan in the party somewhere, that might want Steve?

Anyway. Mordremoths energy seems to be still alive to some capacity and Taimi wants to honor the Rata Novans. Other than that, not that much new .

Or is there? An interesting piece missing is information on Jormag. Working with the Exalted, they would at least have knowledge of them in some capacity, as his minions were in the trial.
I didn’t expect info on the DSD, though info on both might come in later logs.

Mentioning Krakaltorik and Primordus might mean we might tackle both at once, this time.

Konig Des Todes.2086:

• @ : 48 – wing2 footage with new audio: Possibly Caudecus shouting? Sounds less whiny than Caudecus but could be a case of different situation-different tone and/or voice actor forgetting how he did Caudecus after 4 years. If not Caudecus, probably unknown-to-us Confessor. But why would they reveal their plan so soon?

I watched the trailer in german now, since I’m more familiar with the german voices. That is Caudecus, atleast it’s his german VA, so I asume it’s the same in english.

Jaken.6801:

She wants Primordus.
Rytlock and Glints legacy might take us to Orr
Braham wants Jormags head.
Did I miss someone?
Do we have a Quaggan in the party somewhere, that might want Steve?

Why Orr?

Also, Rytlock wants Kralkatorrik’s head. You missed that.

Jaken.6801:

Mentioning Krakaltorik and Primordus might mean we might tackle both at once, this time.

Still calling a threeway fight with Kralkatorrik, Jormag, and Primordus.

On the Krytan war front, I’m hoping (and predicting) that the magic item that identifies the true heir to the throne is going to become important in some manner. It’s been such a Chekhov’s gun ever since the attacks on Concordia and Salma.

Donari.5237:

On the Krytan war front, I’m hoping (and predicting) that the magic item that identifies the true heir to the throne is going to become important in some manner. It’s been such a Chekhov’s gun ever since the attacks on Concordia and Salma.

Oh it’s most likely going to be used this season, and I’m predicting the destruction (at least partial) of Divinity’s Reach. Would make for one hell of a season, and I think we’ve all been craving another Battle for Lion’s Arch style event map.

Konig Des Todes.2086:

Jaken.6801:

She wants Primordus.
Rytlock and Glints legacy might take us to Orr
Braham wants Jormags head.
Did I miss someone?
Do we have a Quaggan in the party somewhere, that might want Steve?

Why Orr?

Also, Rytlock wants Kralkatorrik’s head. You missed that.

Oh, my mistake.
was a bit late.
Of course I was saying Elona and the crystal desert… I mean, who believes that we revisit Orr nowadays?

RyuDragnier.9476:

Donari.5237:

On the Krytan war front, I’m hoping (and predicting) that the magic item that identifies the true heir to the throne is going to become important in some manner. It’s been such a Chekhov’s gun ever since the attacks on Concordia and Salma.

Oh it’s most likely going to be used this season, and I’m predicting the destruction (at least partial) of Divinity’s Reach. Would make for one hell of a season, and I think we’ve all been craving another Battle for Lion’s Arch style event map.

Speak for yourself.

ArenaNet took the experience from that and put it into the new maps that have been made since: Silverwastes and the various HoT maps all have the ‘warzone’ feel.

From a game design perspective, it’s much more efficient to put that kind of gameplay into a new map than to rebuild an existing map, and then potentially rebuild it again when they’re done. That’s a lot of wasted effort that could have gone into more real estate.

There are other practical reasons why I don’t think they’re eager to trash another city:

First, because Season 1 was designed to be temporary, they could trash Lion’s Arch and rebuild it later. The current model, however, is for material introduced in the Living Story to be accessible permanently. So they can’t trash a city to create a new combat zone to return it to normal later: any city that gets trashed now will stay trashed.

Second, the trashing and rebuilding of Lion’s Arch caused some significant headaches for the personal story. Doing the same to a racial capital would create even bigger headaches – especially if it’s permanent (see above).

Third, the former Great Collapse area of Divinity’s Reach is now one of the festival areas. I doubt that ArenaNet is eager to need to move the Wintersday festival area again.

Additionally, part of the reason ArenaNet chose to destroy Lion’s Arch is that they weren’t happy with the original design. Now, we can’t read their minds, but apart from the Great Collapse (see above), the impression I get is that they’re happy with Divinity’s Reach. ArenaNet has also expressed that they feel like depriving the player of their home (as the Searing did) is a mistake – which is why we haven’t seen that done since Prophecies. There’s also the consideration that the White Mantle (and Caudecus, if he’s involved as many suspect) want to rule Kryta, not destroy it: they probably want to take as much as they can intact rather than claiming a ruin, and with the amount to which they’ve infiltrated Krytan society, they have a good shot at that. Probably better than they’d have engaging in a conventional siege, in fact: Divinity’s Reach has formidable walls, and for any major city not to have invested in good anti-air defences after what happened to Lion’s Arch would be a blatant idiot-ball plot.

Finally, ArenaNet had the opportunity to trash a racial capital when Rata Sum was within spitting distance of Mordremoth in Dragon’s Stand, and they didn’t take it. I suspect there are reasons for this… pretty much the same as I’ve outlined for Divinity’s Reach above, in fact.

Now, this doesn’t mean that Divinity’s Reach is sacrosanct. I expect we will see fighting in the streets of Divinity’s Reach… in story instances, as happens in the personal story for human characters. We’ll see significant changes in the political structure of Kryta, both during the season and after it all settles down again (and it’s worth noting that most of the real political locations, such as the throne room and the Seraph headquarters, are instanced…). However, it will all be done in a way that remains friendly to new players that are still early in the original personal story.

It wouldn’t be unlikely that part of DR could be destroyed.
However I believe it would only happen, if it is a major plotpoint, in which something like the Queens Throne and the buildings sourounding it, would be destroyed.

Or the area around the gate towards Ebon Hawke is broken (to push towards the crystal desert, with a Ebon Hawke rescue mission, etc…)

Overall, if there is a siege, I believe they will come from the north.

The Queen speaks
https://www.guildwars2.com/en/news/an-interview-with-queen-jennah/

It sounds like a leader-pro-tem for the Pact has been chosen? Unless the original reasons for selecting the outsider Trahearne come back and Whispers and Priory decline to follow Soulkeeper.

Donari.5237:

The Queen speaks
https://www.guildwars2.com/en/news/an-interview-with-queen-jennah/

It sounds like a leader-pro-tem for the Pact has been chosen? Unless the original reasons for selecting the outsider Trahearne come back and Whispers and Priory decline to follow Soulkeeper.

I’d say Almorra makes sense for the position, at least right now. However, that might change when the troops are more or less safely back from the jungle.

anninke.7469:

Donari.5237:

The Queen speaks
https://www.guildwars2.com/en/news/an-interview-with-queen-jennah/

It sounds like a leader-pro-tem for the Pact has been chosen? Unless the original reasons for selecting the outsider Trahearne come back and Whispers and Priory decline to follow Soulkeeper.

I’d say Almorra makes sense for the position, at least right now. However, that might change when the troops are more or less safely back from the jungle.

Might just be a temporary thing, while a new leader is elected.

Sounds like Jennah has hell of a PR thing, because this “interview” [conducted by whom?] sounds like proactive damage control.

I’m a pro-Queen, but her words sound empty, and just reassuring. Trying to keep people from panicking.

On the other hand, it sounds like the Pact has made a choice in terms of leadership. Permanent, or temporary?

So I guess the point that the Marshall can’t be a member of any order that makes up the Pact is a moot point now. Good, Soulkeeper is a fine choice and more qualified than Trahearne has ever been. This also means we get to see her again in the LS, I bet. If I remember correctly she hasn’t had any appearences after the PS, which is weird considering she was the leader of the Vigil and by that a high ranking Pact member.

Jaken.6801:

It wouldn’t be unlikely that part of DR could be destroyed.
However I believe it would only happen, if it is a major plotpoint, in which something like the Queens Throne and the buildings sourounding it, would be destroyed.

Western Commons has 0 personal story relevance, as does most of Eastern Commons (only Uzolan’s Orchestra area does). Those could easily be destroyed with no PS rammifacations and eventually rebuilt to be different. They’re also near the main entrance to the city.

Jaken.6801:

Overall, if there is a siege, I believe they will come from the north.

You mean where there’s nothing but water and steep cliffs?

:P

BuddhaKeks.4857:

So I guess the point that the Marshall can’t be a member of any order that makes up the Pact is a moot point now. Good, Soulkeeper is a fine choice and more qualified than Trahearne has ever been. This also means we get to see her again in the LS, I bet. If I remember correctly she hasn’t had any appearences after the PS, which is weird considering she was the leader of the Vigil and by that a high ranking Pact member.

While not necessarily an appearance, during Flame and Frost she was the author of the first batch of letters to Vigil individuals rather than the racial DE member. And she had unique dialogue for Vigil players then.

But it’s not too surprising that she wouldn’t show up – as you said, she’s the leader of the Vigil. She’s busy leading the Vigil. She was never a Pact member, technically, as the highest ranking member of the Pact-and-Vigil was considered Warmaster Efut (the liaison between the two) though Laranthir (second in command of the Vigil) worked with the Pact as often too (though unlike Efut, Laranthir was on front line missions).

who knows, the huge ley-line disruptance the the ship is heading into could be DR. But, humanity could re-establish themselves back in Ebonhawke. Then that leads to expanding south towards the crystal dragon, and returning to Elona.

Konig Des Todes.2086:

Western Commons has 0 personal story relevance, as does most of Eastern Commons (only Uzolan’s Orchestra area does). Those could easily be destroyed with no PS rammifacations and eventually rebuilt to be different. They’re also near the main entrance to the city.

True, that could certainly be razed.
We got the flashback mechanic of LA, though. It opens up some new possibilities.
Still, right now starter areas seem to be off limits… though i would welcome a change in that policy.
Even though I will never get my dam breaking (they could flood queensdale and enter the city via the drained areas or drown the enemies army for example)

Konig Des Todes.2086:

You mean where there’s nothing but water and steep cliffs?

At least based on data mining and unofficial maps.
They could rework it as a siege map, with WM camps and settlements, that were hidden thanks to powerful magic (maybe based on Mursaat magic?).

I don’t think they pull something like that off.

Grimmsblood.5231:

who knows, the huge ley-line disruptance the the ship is heading into could be DR. But, humanity could re-establish themselves back in Ebonhawke. Then that leads to expanding south towards the crystal dragon, and returning to Elona.

I think drax summarized perfectly why such wouldn’t happen.

went full White Mantle. But appearently he didn’t read the pamphlets to well, it seems he wasn’t aware that they had to worship the Mursaat.

It’s interesting. We’d already killed someone in his position in the PS, which is why I didn’t think the twist would happen. But now it seems like the Mantle might have splintered a bit. Maybe it actually got so bad there were two at once.

Someone in his Position? May I ask who was in the same Position?

Kryta Arc might not happen or be wrapped up a lot sooner than anticipated. Caduceus comes off as incompetent; I seriously doubt his faction will last long or even pose a threat to Kryta, and Lazarus doesn’t seem interested in the throne. On one hand I’m excited to see how the Lazarus and Primordus story converges, but at the same time I was kind of hoping to take a break from dragons and focus on some Kryta stuff – that entire region is just fantastically done. Also, I really wanted Lake Doric, seems like it won’t happen.

Also wonder if that last line spoken by Taimi pretty much confirms where the next xpac is going to be.

I always thought the Primordus arch could take place at the same time as another expansion or during Living Story – because he’s underground he could surface anywhere on the current maps, we wouldn’t need to open up an entire new region like the jungle to do his campaign justice. He’s also closely tied to Rata Novus and the asura so they kinda already opened that story (then again the sylvari/Mordremoth plot barely mattered so the asura/Primordus one may not). If they make Primordus in Season 3 they could do a mix between destroyers surfacing across existing maps and some new underground maps.

I’m not a fan of the resignation from the Pact or Dragon’s Watch as a thing. It all feels very contrived and out of sync with the history of our story so far. The Pact functions fine, we can function within it as a group without forming a guild. I don’t think they’ve demonstrated to me or Tyria that there is a need for guild like DE anymore. The resignation from the Pact seems silly on another level because nothing has changed from Season 1 – we still work with them, they likely still follow our lead and we still work on our own. Just seems like a contrived way to tie us to Dragon’s Watch and force them into the spotlight. Sometimes the direction the story goes in is so indelicate (like when Rox was “trying out for Rytlock’s warband” and we all knew she wouldn’t join) and Almorra’s offer was basically constructed solely to create context for why we obviously wouldn’t take it.

As other’s have mentioned in other discussions, continuing as Destiny’s Edge makes so much more sense than a new guild seeing as the role is identical and the members are either the same or linked to the old ones. An annoying development imo but largely inconsequential.

I am baffled as to why Eir gets an entire drawn out funeral while Trahearne got nothing. Not only was Trahearne a bigger player overall, he headed the Pact and his death was as a sacrificial hero while Eir’s was just tragic. I guess this is the general direction of the story though – away from the bigger players and the big picture and a focus on small character driven drama, which is Eir’s (a personal funeral/wake compared to what would be Trahearne’s likely larger military/political funeral as well as the rest of the Pact).

Taimi was good in small doses, this release really hit overkill for me. How is it a good idea to hide some of the most valuable knowledge that could literally save lives all because one asura can’t get over their own ego? She might be smart, but the combined minds of the Priory, asura and other scholars across Tyria could be scouring every bit of dragon data from the hidden Rata Novus room and lives that will be lost could be saved if it weren’t for Taimi’s selfishness (and us putting up with it). People won’t see it because it’s portrayed as Taimi vs Phlunt but it’s really Taimi vs the best interests of all of Tyria.

Both Almorra and Rytlock seemed softer and less formidable this time around. Something about Rytlock being like a subordinate (maybe cause I’m a charr) and being so cutesy with Taimi (they did the same with Braham) seems wrong. Almorra seemed almost goofy and quirky with her job offer, not like the kitten chick who was the sole survivor from her encounter with the brand and founder of Tyria’s largest army.

The new map is amazing. Visually, navigating it, gliding, updrafts, ley rifts – and all the little lore throwbacks. I love the throw back to Zinn and his research during the War in Kryta, it’s a really clever way to solve the “infusion” problem in modern day Tyria without a seer and also while tapping into GW1 lore.

I didn’t like Caithe’s new “emo” development. Her character has become a mess since Season 2 and this begging for forgiveness thing and self pity shadows thing isn’t helping. Her VA is doing an excellent job on the line delivery even if I didn’t like the dialogue itself, still, she was one of the most welcome presences in the story, back to investigating things and trying to do good for Tyria – it reminds me of her first appearance in Edge of Destiny and I think it’s telling of her nature as a person.

I love that Caudecus seems to be a sideshow in the Lazarus plot and hopefully they wrap it up soon. He is not a clever opposition to Jennah and his characterization never seemed like that of a formidable leader, I was hoping he was going to be betrayed by more senior White Mantle leadership but Lazarus himself smacking him down was just as good.

The focus of Lazarus (less on Jennah and the throne) is also a nice change from what people were predicting. While Caudecus’ faction can fizzle out with the Krytan throne plot, Lazarus’ motivation makes more sense for a mursaat. They didn’t care specifically about Kryta (unless we get some BS about the ley line cluster again) so much as their use as fuel for the batteries. That’s not needed anymore and Lazarus can focus on something else, I’m guessing it’s similar to Scarlet and he will have a grand plan that involves Elder Dragons and ley lines.

Canach looks awesome, his dynamic with Rytlock was fun. Marjory’s new outfit makes me really wish they didn’t abandon armour – outfits look like cosplay props and costumes sometimes and Marjory’s new look is one of them.

Why the hell were we able to SEE Lazarus?

None of our characters or NPCs have ascended.