Guild Wars 2

So in the Sylvari Tutorial zone, it’s heavily implied that the Tree Dragon you face as your first “boss” fight is an aspect of Zhaitan coming for you in The Dream, right?

Why is it being backed up by Thorn Wolves?

That would seem to suggest it’s an aspect of the Jungle Dragon instead, because a link between him and the Nightmare Court seems very plausible, while a link between the Nightmare Court and Zhaitan is pretty bizarre. But if it’s an aspect of the Jungle Dragon, does that mean the PC Sylvari’s Wyld Hunt isn’t actually to kill Zhaitan? Or maybe it’s to kill ALL Elder Dragons, and we just went after him first?

Hey Melchior,
As far as I understand it, the most popular answer is that it is related to Zaithan. In a sense, Zaithan is (at least partially) responsible for the Nightmare. After all, it was after having witnessed Zaithan’s horrors in Orr that Faolin chose to turn to Nightmare and so became the first Sylvari to live it. However, there are alternative theories and I am sure that others will be able to answer this with greater brevity.

There a few clues suggesting the Jungle dragon and a dozen clues suggesting Zaitan. It could be either but the personal story culminates in Zaitan so probably starts there as well.

Here’s the situation:

The Thorn Wolves are caused by the Nightmare Court – according to Caithe at least. It’s a reaction within the Dream of Dreams to their reaction. the Shadow of the Dragon being hostile is likely to be such as well. The dragon itself though is like the emblem you can see on the waterfall at the very beginning which marks your first chapter’s story (which is your first of two Wyld Hunts) – per the Pale Tree and Caithe.

@Stephen: It’s not clear as to what Faolain witnessed to fall to nightmare, just that it was in Orr (though this may have changed since I believe it was said in a pre-release interview but never mentioned in-game, iirc – in-game it’s only said that she fell to Nightmare before Cadeyrn plunged her fully into Nightmare and into the Nightmare Court). Caithe actually says that only she and Trahearne saw Zhaitan and lived to tell the tale. Faolain did not see Zhaitan.

I would like to point out that the Dream of Dreams is influenced at least in part by all the Sylvari who have ever been created by the Pale Tree. As such, the Shadow Dragon could technically be any and all of the six Elder Dragons. As such, the Wyld Hunt that the Sylvari Player Character is sent on, may not necessarily be concluded with the death of just one of the Elder Dragons. In fact it could turn out that the Wyld Hunt that the Sylvari PC has been destined for is to seek out and defeat all six Elder Dragons.

Afterall, we are only kidding ourselves if we think that the death of Zhaitan is the end of the Personal Story in its entirety. That was only the first act!

Unlikely to be the DSD or Mordremoth, since knowledge of either is more or less unknown to the main races of Tyria until the current year – give or take. The DSD has only been “suspected upon” until recently, and Mordremoth’s existence seems to still be unknown by the Pact – at least, Mordremoth being awake (if it is even awake) is unknown. At the end of the personal story, there’s multiple mentions of “four more Elder Dragons” to fight. And even Eir seems unknowing of the fourth as at the end she says (paraphrased) “which dragon next: Primordus, Kralkatorrik, or Jormag?”

This said, we don’t know if any sylvari had seen Jormag or Primordus. But we do know that Caithe and Trahearne has seen Zhaitan (and lived), while Caithe had seen Kralkatorrik (and lived). And that’s not counting those who had seen Zhaitan and died and the unknown who’ve seen Kralkatorrik (as unlike Zhaitan, it’s not said that only Caithe has seen Kralk and lived).

Given that Caithe had seen Zhaitan, and saw the Shadow of the Dragon, I think that if she thought the Shadow meant something other than Zhaitan that she would have spoken up rather than sending a newborn sylvari on a suicide mission (one that eventually succeeded).

Even if Zhaitan was the first Wyld Hunt of our characters, there is still room for another Wyld Hunt to bring us to the next Dragon. If I remember right, it is mentioned in game that some sylvari receive Wyld Hunts after awakening once they have finished their current one. I’m interested in seeing what the Dream seems to pose as the next greatest threat.

Technically speaking, Zhaitan is the second Wyld Hunt. The first is the Green Huntsman/Shield of the Moon/White Stag.

And yes, sylvari can receive new Wyld Hunts upon completion of the old. Tegwen is one such sylvari, whom receives a Wyld Hunt to hunt down the risen norn during the Shards of Orr storyline step. It’s just very rare to receive two Wyld Hunts at once.

Narcemus.1348:

Even if Zhaitan was the first Wyld Hunt of our characters, there is still room for another Wyld Hunt to bring us to the next Dragon. If I remember right, it is mentioned in game that some sylvari receive Wyld Hunts after awakening once they have finished their current one. I’m interested in seeing what the Dream seems to pose as the next greatest threat.

This is true. it is surprising to a beginning cutscene NPC that our character received a wyld hunt so early. Indicating that most sylvari get theirs later on. Not neccesarily before they first fall from the tree.

Yeah, honestly I find that NPC’s line to be very very odd. Other lore indicates that the Dream of Dreams experience often tells sylvari about their eventual Wyld Hunt. Even if they don’t realize it immediately. I even recall an interview which once said that most Wyld Hunts are first seen in the Dream of Dreams (or was it “all Wyld Hunts”? If the latter, obviously changed).