Guild Wars 2

if you pay attention to scarlet’s lair, you’ll notice that there’s a bunch of red splatters all over the walls and ceiling. buuuuut if you pay even closer attention, you’ll notice that those splatters are a pretty clear drawing of a dragon, with the tail starting near the aetherblade chest, and the head (attached) being on top of the console.

what are your thoughts on this? i haven’t completed the journal yet, so i haven’t read it, or seen what’s behind the console.

Stronger chance that the being influencing her is an Elder Dragon, IMO.

Is it possible to get better/bigger images of those writings on the wall? Maybe they’re translatable! Looks like it could be asuran – or just unintelligble scribbles.

Konig Des Todes.2086:

Stronger chance that the being influencing her is an Elder Dragon, IMO.

Is it possible to get better/bigger images of those writings on the wall? Maybe they’re translatable! Looks like it could be asuran – or just unintelligble scribbles.

the papers are mostly gibberish, and some are repeated too. didn’t look like anything new krytan or asuran or any other language i’ve seen on GW universe, so i think they’re just for texturing’s sake.

some scribbles make obvious references to scarlet’s clockwork monsters, and one of them is basically “group A/group B” drawing with a bunch of known races and connections between them. most of the connections are scratched off in red, but the 3 alliances that did happen aren’t. so just a nod to the whole “she’s just pairing a bunch of things”. i think one of them was ettin and skritt actually :P

also, this is very obviously what scarlet “saw” when she delved into the mists. a red briar strangling the pale tree. well it might be a bit hard to see from that picture, but that dragon is very thorny/spiky, and obviously red.

so whatever scarlet saw that’s been tormenting her, it’s at the very least dragon-shaped.

Not sure if this belongs here, but yeah. After you complete the cyphers and get Scarlet’s journal, her console displays these images as well.

????

Mordremoth

This “eye” is in a couple places around the lair.

And here is the race chart for hilarity

and the dergon

well the arrows point at sparkfly fen, just slightly above the tequatl fight (marked with an X on the map). the blue thing seems like a blueprint for her giant flying gizmo, which apparently is a drill. no idea about the other maps though, but my guess is that it’s the locations of all thumpers?

forgot to mention the eye, thought it was just something stupid :P also notice (once again) the drawing of the pale tree (or a palm tree) being strangled by a red briar, close to the race chart.

so… obvious dragon connection, and she’s obviously involved with tequatl, though we don’t know if she was directly involved or not.

That is not sparkfly fen, according to the land around it I’d say it’s Lion’s Arch.

So if this airship is also a giant drill, can we assume that whatever she’s looking to get at is under Lornar’s Pass? Or that she’s going to fly it somewhere else? If that’s the case, why Lornar’s now?

Gnat.9405:

And here is the race chart for hilarity

The world would have crumbled under the horrors of a Quaggan-Centaur alliance.

Aren’t 3 of those X’s the Order HQ’s?

jboegz.8371:

That is not sparkfly fen, according to the land around it I’d say it’s Lion’s Arch.

oops, you’re right. can even see divinity’s reach up there. the coloring is so different from what we have on our map that i thought those islands were the tequatl battleground.

what are those X’s then? the arrows point towards lion’s arch loosely at best, with only one of the four X’s marking a location in the city (the gate plaza, it seems), and the others point at… the HQ of the 3 orders. huh.

so in short: she’s targeting LA and the 3 orders’ respective headquarters. the weapon of choice is giant flying drill/beam of death/marionette (or maybe the marionette is just protecting the drill/beam during tests, and is not the actual weapon). lornar’s pass is merely the testing grounds, she’ll fly the thing away once she has concluded testing.

why in god’s name she chose a drill as a weapon is beyond me. she clearly wants to dig somewhere, but will she use the same drill to attack her targets?

and somewhere between the drilling and killing tyrian civilization, she has time for dragons and tequatl.

Zaxares.5419:

Gnat.9405:

And here is the race chart for hilarity

The world would have crumbled under the horrors of a Quaggan-Centaur alliance.

largos/tengu alliance would have been hilarious, if only to see the broken dreams of people wanting them as playable races.

This adds some more pieces to the puzzle. It pretty clear now. Scarlett looked too far and came face to face with Primordus. That eye looks very familiar to his eye when he woke up in GW1. If he’s seen as an image of red thorns strangling the Pale Tree, well:

• He’s very much red and spiky.

• The roots of the pale tree must surely extend for miles, given its height. And where are the destroyers? Why, clearing huge tracts of land under Tyria of course. And lured up by these thumpers no doubt. They’re already surfacing at the Dominon of Winds, and that’s right on the pale tree’s doorstep. Surely they’re already gnawing away at her roots.

Primordus got a hold of Scarlet’s mind. He’s been whispering in her ear. She’s targeting us so we’ll be out of his way. Look at that map she’s got Xs on Vigil Keep, the Durmond Priory, the Chantry of Secrets and Lion’s Arch. She plans to wipe out the Pact and our most important city.

She’s setting the table. The dragon is hungry. Let’s cancel dinner, shall we?

MrAmputatoes.6031:

Not sure if this belongs here, but yeah. After you complete the cyphers and get Scarlet’s journal, her console displays these images as well.

????

Yeah. I noted in another trhread here. The drill? Top half of it is the thing that’s above the Marionette. The X’s? Over the Orders and Lionguard’s HQs.

Gnat.9405:

So if this airship is also a giant drill, can we assume that whatever she’s looking to get at is under Lornar’s Pass? Or that she’s going to fly it somewhere else? If that’s the case, why Lornar’s now?

Based on the arrows and X’s. She’s gonna attack the Orders/Lionguard HQs. Durmand Priory is in Lornar’s so I guess her weapons test is so that once it’s done, she can just blow up the Priory.

MoS.5970:

Aren’t 3 of those X’s the Order HQ’s?

Yeah. And one’s over Fort Marriner too – the Lionguard HQ.

You sure that’s a Largos? It looks more like a harpy to me. Even though a Harpy-Tengy alliance would be even more horrifying.

Actually, what does everyone think the races are? Here’s my guesses:

Sylvari —-——- Tengu
Asura —-——— Dredge
Charr —-——— Human? (Although technically the Aetherblades are Asura and everyone else.)
Ettin —-———- Skritt
Harpy —-——- Quaggan
Ogre —-———- Krait
Grawl —-——- Kodan?
Centaur —-— Hylek

Personally don’t think it’s Primordius – how does a red spiky vine = primordius. Sure you can link the colour red and spikiness to him – but you’re missing the very important fact that a vine is plant matter, which is in a very different category to lava and rock :P

Her weapon testing seems to be a giant Aethercanon (weapon of mass destrction go go go death ray!). The drill is likely tied to the Energy Probes’ intention, while the Marionette is a weapon to use/protect/guide the drill.

I think she’s intending to wipe out the Orders and Lionguard and then drill for leylines.

This, to me, once more points to an Elder Dragon behind her. Who’s the biggest threat to the dragons? The Pact. Who’s the main backers of the Pact? The Orders (future main target) and Lion’s Arch (was able to keep Zhaitan at bay, and did aid a bit in fighting Zhaitan). She had attacked Kryta (Tower of Nightmares – don’t include Jubilee as that was on a whim), Hoelbrak and Black Citadel (Molten Alliance), and Lion’s Arch (Mai Trin) intending to weaken them – all that she attacked or marked with X’s are the biggest supporters of the Pact. Sylvari and asura have seen the least amount of direct aid in the Pact; as well as the minor races that she’s completely ignored except as potential alliance makers.

And as for the leylines? Direct food source for an Elder Dragon. And they are known for needing magic to rise – if she’s been influenced by Mordremoth, she’s trying to help him rise.

I could see it also being Primordus, but I find Mordremoth more likely.

Edit: AND ON TOP OF THAT!

She was studying magic as Scarlet Briar (something she seemed to hold little interest for beyond its connections to other things as Ceara), and even caused a massive magical calamity (Thaumanova). And it was there she learned about leylines. After Thaumanova, there was no tampering by Scarlet… Until she began her attack on the Pact’s funders.

On top of that, how did the Aetherblade get their airships? They were stolen from the Pact. Another hindrance to the Anti-Elder Dragon force.

Twilight Assault was her trying to create an airport of sorts and establish a fleet of Aetherblade airships – no doubt for her eventual attacks on the Orders… and perhaps the Pact. Airship to Airship battle. Something the Pact couldn’t counter, because their weaponry is based to be anti-ED.

And there’s also mention by a Lionguard in Kessex (dunno if still there with this update) in Overlake Haven saying the Tower of Nightmares is on par to an Elder Dragon’s corruption. She had to get the seed she gave to the krait from somewhere. What if it isn’t “just” on par, but is influenced/designed from Mordremoth’s corruption?

Zaxares.5419:

You sure that’s a Largos? It looks more like a harpy to me. Even though a Harpy-Tengy alliance would be even more horrifying.

Actually, what does everyone think the races are? Here’s my guesses:

Sylvari —-——- Tengu
Asura —-——— Dredge
Charr —-——— Human? (Although technically the Aetherblades are Asura and everyone else.)
Ettin —-———- Skritt
Harpy —-——- Quaggan
Ogre —-———- Krait
Grawl —-——- Kodan?
Centaur —-— Hylek

Nightmare Court – Tengu
Inquest – Dredge
Flame Legion – Pirate (notice the hat and sword?)
Ettin – Skritt
Largos – Quaggan
Ogre (didn’t think of that!) – Krait
Grawl – Kodan (I’m not sure on either honestly, so going with you on that)
Centaur – Hylek

FlamingFoxx.1305:

Personally don’t think it’s Primordius – how does a red spiky vine = primordius. Sure you can link the colour red and spikiness to him – but you’re missing the very important fact that a vine is plant matter, which is in a very different category to lava and rock :P

well it can just be a metaphorical briar. she was, for all practical purposes, dreaming when she saw the briar. the key factors is that it’s something red (it’s a running theme) and it’s killing the pale tree.

on a side note, she isn’t posessed, or at least she doesn’t notice. she used to dream of whatever-it-is since she woke from the Dream, and it was slowly driving her insane out of fear. then when she saw it face to face, she stopped being afraid, and it’s uncertain if she’s determined to stop/kill it, or to serve it.

source: someone finally posted her journal: www.reddit.com/r/Guildwars2/comments/1vt510/spoilers_scarlet_briars_journal/ (linking is broken for some reason)

You’re wrong on that Bruno. Talk to the Pale Tree – or find the thread in this forum. She has new dialogue which states that it was when the Pale Tree tried to stop Ceara from looking “into the mysteries of the world.” (which to me points to the Elder Dragons again – something I mentioned above). It wasn’t since she awakened from the Dream, but since she came out of Omadd’s experiment – when she took the name Scarlet Briar.

Though, hmm. I suppose when she looked at it and saw those images is when she went into Omadd’s machine, thus meaning she had the dreams since awakening indeed. Would put a whole new twist on it though, as it would indicate a tie to the thing from the very beginning – thus there should be other sylvari who could have a tie to it.

I think it would have to be since her awakening, since she talks about seeing a Mender, and I think the Menders would only be found in the Grove. Or at least in Sylvari-held lands. I’m of the opinion that her journal dates from the time before she left the Grove to pursue studying under the different masters.

I’m still not convinced that Ceara’s journal predates her ecstatic experience. However, I’m not ruling it out.

One interesting aspect of Ceara’s transformation, as Psynch pointed out, is that after her participation in Omadd’s experience she became stronger, then killed the asura with thorns. Is it possible that these things are also what happens to sylvan hounds? They grow thorns and often become “bigger” or “stronger”. Is it also possible that Ceara is not the first to be assaulted by an Elder Dragon through the Nightmare? Could Faolain have been assaulted by the same ED or even Zaithan?

Regarding the map with X’s on it – One obviously points to her lair in Lornar’s, another to the starting point for the Wurms event in Bloodtide and one over Gendarren, presumably where her device thingy was (I missed that part of the LS so no idea about that sorry). The one in Lions Arch – perhaps the most imminently relevant – seems to be right over the Asura Gate into the FoTM. People seem to think she’s going to target Lions Arch, but what if the Mists is her ultimate goal? What if her point is to bring something through?

(People have also pointed out that there is one X in each of the zones that the Order’s bases are located in – and people also saying to look at the roof in Scarlet’s Lair? haven’t been in there yet so I can’t comment on whatever is up there :/)

Another thing that interests me is the fact that one of Marjory’s antitoxin injectors is located in the lair. Maybe that was what Scarlet was after all along? And if so, what are the implications?

BrunoBRS.5178:

i think one of them was ettin and skritt actually :P

Seriously? That was just a joke I made. I called it the dumb alliance. Guess the writers were reading the comments.

There’s also a torn up portrait of Gixx in there, with 2 knives in the area where the eyes would be. Also, those documents with the notes on it are spiralling into a black center.

This may be farfetched but it somehow reminded me of Kormir…no eyes, secrets…and with the 2 fractal options (which would then both fit the living story)…what if this DOES have something to do with Kormir (and in extension, what happened to the human gods)?

ThiBash.5634:

There’s also a torn up portrait of Gixx in there, with 2 knives in the area where the eyes would be. Also, those documents with the notes on it are spiralling into a black center.

This may be farfetched but it somehow reminded me of Kormir…no eyes, secrets…and with the 2 fractal options (which would then both fit the living story)…what if this DOES have something to do with Kormir (and in extension, what happened to the human gods)?

The portrait is of Omadd, Scarlet’s former mentor.

MrAmputatoes.6031:

Not sure if this belongs here, but yeah. After you complete the cyphers and get Scarlet’s journal, her console displays these images as well.

????

Anyone else notice the discoloration in these maps? With all the focus on the thumpers it’s pretty easy too miss that the maps have another type of marking (the thumpers are on the edges of the markings). Image 2 is a very good example. Ideas?

Psynch.4087:

The portrait is of Omadd, Scarlet’s former mentor.

Then why does he wear Priory armor?

ThiBash.5634:

Psynch.4087:

The portrait is of Omadd, Scarlet’s former mentor.

Then why does he wear Priory armor?

No idea, we don’t know much about him. He was the former headmaster of the college of synergetics. I would assume that he would be dressed in Asuran cultural armor, but being that he was a scholar, he might have been a member of the priory as well…?

zamalek.2154:

Anyone else notice the discoloration in these maps? With all the focus on the thumpers it’s pretty easy too miss that the maps have another type of marking (the thumpers are on the edges of the markings). Image 2 is a very good example. Ideas?

Well, it could be underground tunnels.
The picture you mentioned could mean that there are underground caverns which stretch under the vulcano and under the sea up to LA?

I first thought the red was part of it, but it turned out to be blood or her paint.

Konig Des Todes.2086:

You’re wrong on that Bruno. Talk to the Pale Tree – or find the thread in this forum. She has new dialogue which states that it was when the Pale Tree tried to stop Ceara from looking “into the mysteries of the world.” (which to me points to the Elder Dragons again – something I mentioned above). It wasn’t since she awakened from the Dream, but since she came out of Omadd’s experiment – when she took the name Scarlet Briar.

Though, hmm. I suppose when she looked at it and saw those images is when she went into Omadd’s machine, thus meaning she had the dreams since awakening indeed. Would put a whole new twist on it though, as it would indicate a tie to the thing from the very beginning – thus there should be other sylvari who could have a tie to it.

when i said she was dreaming, i mean she was unconscious during the experiment, seeing imagery that does not necessarily represent reality. like a really bad acid trip. yes, she only saw the briar during the experiment however…

if you look at how the journal is worded, she definitely started writing it before she became scarlet. she saw menders, the voices tormented her, and then, near the end of the journal, she conducts the experiment, and whatever it is that she saw stared back at her, and that’s when she lost it.

FlamingFoxx.1305:

Regarding the map with X’s on it – One obviously points to her lair in Lornar’s, another to the starting point for the Wurms event in Bloodtide and one over Gendarren, presumably where her device thingy was (I missed that part of the LS so no idea about that sorry). The one in Lions Arch – perhaps the most imminently relevant – seems to be right over the Asura Gate into the FoTM. People seem to think she’s going to target Lions Arch, but what if the Mists is her ultimate goal? What if her point is to bring something through?

the X is just pointing at the very center of lion’s arch. i don’t think the location of that X is important, and given how three people think it’s located in three different places, it’s probably safe to assume that the X isn’t placed specifically on any particular point of interest.

as for the theory of targeting the mists? doubt it. if her ultimate goal was access to the mists, she wouldn’t have had to go through all this effort, she could have just figured out the readings on the gate to the fractals, and then built her own gate somewhere else.

Mad Queen Malafide.7512:

Seriously? That was just a joke I made. I called it the dumb alliance. Guess the writers were reading the comments.

it’s not the only reference to the lore forum in this release, but that comment was what i thought of when i saw the chart. you can see for yourself early in this thread :P

zamalek.2154:

Anyone else notice the discoloration in these maps? With all the focus on the thumpers it’s pretty easy too miss that the maps have another type of marking (the thumpers are on the edges of the markings). Image 2 is a very good example. Ideas?

you mean how the water is darkened and only the land is highlighted? it might not be anything major. what i’m curious is why the map colors are so different near lion’s arch. you can clearly see on the world map that the area right under it (including those 3 islands) are green, not yellow. it’s like the place is desertified. then again, it might also not be anything.

BrunoBRS.5178:

it’s not the only reference to the lore forum in this release, but that comment was what i thought of when i saw the chart. you can see for yourself early in this thread :P

I wonder if the flying Dolyak is also a reference to one of my comments. Because I often say “I couldn’t care a flying Dolyak about this and that”. It seems almost too much of a coincidence.

Zaxares.5419:

I think it would have to be since her awakening, since she talks about seeing a Mender, and I think the Menders would only be found in the Grove. Or at least in Sylvari-held lands. I’m of the opinion that her journal dates from the time before she left the Grove to pursue studying under the different masters.

BrunoBRS.5178:

when i said she was dreaming, i mean she was unconscious during the experiment, seeing imagery that does not necessarily represent reality. like a really bad acid trip. yes, she only saw the briar during the experiment however…

if you look at how the journal is worded, she definitely started writing it before she became scarlet. she saw menders, the voices tormented her, and then, near the end of the journal, she conducts the experiment, and whatever it is that she saw stared back at her, and that’s when she lost it.

And what would keep her from returning to the Grove for a moment?

The Pale Tree’s dialogue (pulled from other thread):

“Ceara looked too deeply into the mysteries of the world, and something there was looking back at her. It managed to crack her defenses and has been trying to consume her ever since.”

This seems to be about her experience in the Omadd machine. This would mean that was when she encountered the being for the first time.

If you just read the journal, then I would agree it seems to be pre-experiment. But reading the Pale Tree’s line I think differently. She seems to be struggling in that journal – sometimes herself, sometimes not.

FlamingFoxx.1305:

Regarding the map with X’s on it – One obviously points to her lair in Lornar’s, another to the starting point for the Wurms event in Bloodtide and one over Gendarren, presumably where her device thingy was (I missed that part of the LS so no idea about that sorry). The one in Lions Arch – perhaps the most imminently relevant – seems to be right over the Asura Gate into the FoTM. People seem to think she’s going to target Lions Arch, but what if the Mists is her ultimate goal? What if her point is to bring something through?

The one in Gendarran is over Vigil Keep. And the one in Bloodtide is north of where the wurm escort event begins – at the Chantry of Secrets’ tunnel (or arguably Stormbluff Haven). The X’s are over Orders HQs, and Fort Marriner.

ThiBash.5634:

Another thing that interests me is the fact that one of Marjory’s antitoxin injectors is located in the lair. Maybe that was what Scarlet was after all along? And if so, what are the implications?

It was said she left with something but no one knows what…

If it was the anti-toxin, then she could use it to create a toxin that is immune to the anti-toxin. Or she was taking it as a precaution… but why not make the anti-toxin herself then?

zamalek.2154:

Anyone else notice the discoloration in these maps? With all the focus on the thumpers it’s pretty easy too miss that the maps have another type of marking (the thumpers are on the edges of the markings). Image 2 is a very good example. Ideas?

Not seeing what you are. I don’t think. Care to point out?

Konig Des Todes.2086:

ThiBash.5634:

Another thing that interests me is the fact that one of Marjory’s antitoxin injectors is located in the lair. Maybe that was what Scarlet was after all along? And if so, what are the implications?

It was said she left with something but no one knows what…

If it was the anti-toxin, then she could use it to create a toxin that is immune to the anti-toxin. Or she was taking it as a precaution… but why not make the anti-toxin herself then?

That’s not why I mentioned it. What if the injector itself was her target?

Why would she want the injector itself? It’s just a container attached to a needle. Something she can make with immense ease within 5 minutes I’m sure. If not less. It makes no sense at all for her to be after the injector.

Far more likely she was after the anti-toxin.

I will drop it here too. There is this plant thingy on her desk, right next to the injector.
Yes, this is on Southsun and we dealt with them when the karka went crazy.
Any connection between these, the karka and Scarlet? Bubbles is who causing nightmares to Scarlet?

When the Secret of Southsun stuff came out, a few players – myself included – suspected Canach was using Mordremoth-influenced plants. Reason being the whole plant thing (not very DSD seeming).

With Tower of Nightmares, and the giant hallucination plant that attacks via pollen, I suspected a tie to the Fervid Censer (what Canach used to spread those plants across Southsun Cove). I had a long theory on how the two share origins and the seed that Scarlet gave the Toxic Alliance was influenced by Mordremoth as well as the Fervid Censor – both, after all, create hostility in the victim via pollen – one’s method of causing hostility (the Fervid Censor’s) is unknown, but the other’s (ToN’s) is known to do such via hallucinations – making the victim believe he/she is surrounded by enemies (see The Nightmare Unveiled instance).

I don’t think there’s a tie between the karka and Scarlet, but I wouldn’t doubt that she went to Southsun Cove to take some samples herself before forming the Toxic Alliance. And nothing but the reason the karka had been pushed out of their home – and possibly the tentacles/Scelrite weapons/Consortium Harvesting Tool seem to be tied to the DSD.

Would be a nice curve ball if it ended up being the DSD instead of Mordremoth or even Primordus that’s messing with Scarlet’s mind though. And if such is the case, then there’s reason to suspect Kanaxai had some dealings with the DSD after all.

Konig Des Todes.2086:

And what would keep her from returning to the Grove for a moment?

The Pale Tree’s dialogue (pulled from other thread):

“Ceara looked too deeply into the mysteries of the world, and something there was looking back at her. It managed to crack her defenses and has been trying to consume her ever since.”

This seems to be about her experience in the Omadd machine. This would mean that was when she encountered the being for the first time.

If you just read the journal, then I would agree it seems to be pre-experiment. But reading the Pale Tree’s line I think differently. She seems to be struggling in that journal – sometimes herself, sometimes not.

it’s about the order of the events. you accept that the journal spans several days, right? well, it’s only near the end of the journal that she says “i stared into the abyss, and it stared back at me”, which is what the pale tree paraphrases on her new dialogue line.

so something was tormenting scarlet for a long time, maybe since her awakening (maybe it’s tied to her wyld hunt and that’s why she’s so hell bent on breaking free from the “norm”?). at some point in her life, she “stared into the abyss”, the pale tree tried to warn her to turn back, she refused to do so, and as a result, something, the same thing that’s been tormenting her for possibly all her existence, stares back at her, “crack her defenses”, and consume her. at that point she became the scarlet we know.

all that’s left to know if she’s trying to kill that thing, learn from it, control it, or serve it. my bet is on the first or third ones, and it’ll go horribly wrong, probably resulting in her death.

Dalanor.5387:

I will drop it here too. There is this plant thingy on her desk, right next to the injector.
Yes, this is on Southsun and we dealt with them when the karka went crazy.
Any connection between these, the karka and Scarlet? Bubbles is who causing nightmares to Scarlet?

i think it might just be a shared asset for “creepy evil-looking plant/fungus”, not necessarily a connection. if i recall, there was a similar one on her lab inside the tower. it looks like she was dissecting it to study.

By the way, it also looks like that giant drill is actually an extension of the UFO that is now holding up the Twisted Marionette. Did anyone notice?

Mad Queen Malafide.7512:

By the way, it also looks like that giant drill is actually an extension of the UFO that is now holding up the Twisted Marionette. Did anyone notice?

BrunoBRS.5178:

the blue thing seems like a blueprint for her giant flying gizmo, which apparently is a drill.

:P

Ah, didn’t see that.

Also, I was studying that dragon painting, and it seems like the dragon has strange tendrils hanging from its body. These could be plant-like appendages. But one thing seems sure, it does not look like Primordus as seen in Eye of the North.

So, the thumpers are drawing something, or some-things, from underground, and coalescing at Lion’s Arch.
Note also the drill, again pointing to an underground creature.
So Scarlet, once the creature, creatures, or magical energy have gathered underneath Lion’s Arch, will lower her marionette down into the depths, explode it (perhaps explode it using the gathered magical energy) and with it, bring forth.. what devilry? A dragon?
The entire purpose of the Scarlet invasions, then, were to find these magical lines, plant thumpers onto them, and draw a path to Lion’s Arch.

edit; Questions:
1. Why four "x"s?
2. What is she summoning?
-motive: she wants to free the Sylvari
– means: she has a huge bomb, which will draw upon the huge reserves of magical energy (the Thaumanova Reactor being a failed attempt at using such energy)
-goal: Mordremoth? Would summoning Mordremoth “free” the Sylvari from the Pale Tree?

Mordremoth:
-Nightmare court: the one for which the Krait wait, and the reason for their alliance
-Tequatl: has shifted alliances to Mordremoth.

What’s interesting, is that Scarlet has drawn four big red arrows on her map, which cross land and sea. This could either refer to an underground army, or an aerial army, or some sort of underground flow or network.

She has also marked Lion’s Arch, and the bases of the three orders…. which is odd, to say the least. I have to wonder what her beef with the orders is, and how Lion’s Arch fits into all that. Of course it is impossible to ignore the fact that her lair was right underneath the noses of the Priory. And we’ll assume the Priority really did have no idea…. but why? Was she trying to establish her own brilliance by mocking the arguably most ‘learned’ faction? (Like the Riddler tends to do). Or was she also stealing information from them?

The computer screen in her lair ties several elements together:

• The locations of all the thumpers all over Tyria.
• Possibly 4 armies, that are underground, or airborn. Or simply one army that could come from any direction. Or, a flow of energy/magic.
• The Priory, Order of Whispers and Vigil.
• Lion’s Arch.
• A giant drill.

Now we do know that the Depths of Tyria run right underneath Lion’s Arch. There is a vast network of tunnels, that during Eye of the North is overrun with Destroyers. Drilling, thumpers, destroyers… it all seems to hint so much towards Primordus…. except that the dragon in her lair looks nothing like him… unless it is a dragon champion. Is she try to lure things to the surface? Or simply taking measurements?

And if the Twisted Marionette is a weapons test… then what is the real purpose of the Marionette? Is it a giant lure perhaps? Because as a weapon of war, it seems HIGHLY impractical.

It is also possible that she doesn’t plan to attack the red X’s on the map, but that she has marked the nearest human bases that have any sort of army. Maybe she is simply mapping out where the enemy might come from, and where the rest of Tyria’s forces will gather. Her diary seems to imply that she does not want to join the voice that is manipulating her, but wants to face it. This seems to imply a confrontation, not an alliance.

Just one tiny thing. Which is common in the orders HQ? Asura gates. Which leads to Fort trinity, hq of the Pact at the doorstep of Orr.

Wow Requiem. That’s so full of theories stated as facts I don’t know how you got it all like that.

• The thumpers’ purpose is still unknown. The three-headed wurm and its ilk in the new meta event was an unintended side-effect.
• I’m not seeing a creature being pointed at by the drill.
• Her motive is stated to be unknown still, actually. Or was stated to be in the “things to come” update back after Wintersday was released.
• The Thaumanova Reactor was not to use energy, per se, but study it. And if it is intended to be a precursor of using the same energy as the Marionette… then the Marionette is using dragon energy (or would it be chaos energy? Thaumanova used both).
• NOTHING says that Tequatl “shifted alliances”. In fact, all indication states that dragon minions are quite incapable of doing such – and even after Zhaitan’s death, his minions still hold fanatical devotion to Zhaitan (as seen in Arah explorable mode).