I wrote this a bit ago, as an analysis of what might happen. It isn’t part of the official story line but it does ask some questions. I do know that Arenanet has said Mordremoth is really dead but they’re just the devs.
With Season 3 fast approaching I was wondering what others thought about these problems.
She looked around slowly. The dream was the same as last time she was here, almost. Of course, the other Sylvari here were different, but there was something else, something missing.
The presence that had haunted, hunted and tormented her for so long was gone. Her mind was finally clear of it’s influence.
It might have been a trick, the thing had done that before. It hid in the shadows, where you couldn’t see, then pounced on you when you were not expecting it. Even mother hadn’t ever suspected.
A sensation of someone familiar approached, someone she knew. A warmth that nobody else had ever presented to her. “Hello, Mother.”
“So, you’re back again?” The Avatar of the Pale Tree looked radiant, as she always did. “Are you intending to try that again?”
“Umm, no. The Asura Mechamagical tech I used in my last attempt worked perfectly. It vaporised my body completely and I’m still back here, again. The previous attempt worked too, I saw the remains of my body, there wasn’t much left. Tonn was extremely good at making bombs. I now have no other alternative but something is stopping me dying, at least permanently. Every time I end up back here at the start. I do not know who, or why, but they just won’t let me go. It seems that there is something or someone with needs of me yet.”
“If you cannot die permanently then there is no point in trying.”
Scarlett shook her head. “There was – escape. While I was dead I could not feel him. It set me free, even if only temporarily. Then I felt him go. I felt Trahearne go too, I’m… sorry.”
“The Commander of the Pact killed Mordremoth by destroying his mind in the dream. To prevent him returning through Trahearne they killed him too. It was Trahearne’s choice, to prevent Mordremoth returning.”
“I know. Mordremoth’s presence, in my mind, seems totally gone. Although I am not sure if he can ever be eliminated that easily or permanently.”
“You have knowledge?”
“Oh, yes. Mordy was… linked to my mind, so I could not escape. By doing so it allowed me to see things, memories from long ago. The Humans, Charr, Asura, Norn and others believe we were created to serve Mordremoth. What they do not see is that all of them were brought here for the same purposes. Each was brought to fight for a dragon, although none of them were really suitable. We are not even original, we are modifications of the others, made out of plant instead of flesh. That somehow made us individuals and also, in the end, unsuitable.”
Scarlett paused thoughtfully. "The dragons have been fighting for many millions of years, if not billions. They are not really creatures but forces of nature forged by the interaction of magic. They have destroyed each other many times, and each time they sleep, and reform, and wake to fight again. Eventually they will destroy each other again, and they will attempt to eliminate the races too. They look on us all as experimental failures and possible threats to their continued existance. If we prove too much of a threat the ones left could ally to eliminate us.
“The Charr used flaming cauldrons to destroy Ascalon, a crude method,but it worked. The Vizier used magic to destroy the charr, which also sank Orr. Both of these are extremely weak in comparison to what we face now. There is magics of such power we can barely comprehend. The dragons have used them before, many times. They could sear the surface of our world, almost destroy all life in an instant.”
“Mordremoth is dead.”
“If only it was that simple.” Scarlett shook her head. If Mordy could survive by planting a seed of itself in Trahearne, how much simpler would it be to do the same to each and every one of it’s willing subjects? There are untold thousands of them out there still. Any could have a seed implanted in them. And if you think you can tell the future by looking in the dream how much more could Mordy tell?"
“It could know they would find out about Trahearne? It was a trick?”
“I think so. All of the pieces fit. The only reason they managed to get to Mordy was Trahearne and Mordy could have killed him at any time. Just one little squeeze, Trahearne would have went squish and no entry for them to the dream. Sorry…
“Let’s say, it looks very suspicious. Even if there was nothing left the mind would still reform eventually, and the beasts memories still exist, they are part of the dream. His followers could summon him back too. Can even you see absolutely everywhere in the dream? There is far too much that we do not know, that maybe we can never know. Then there was that other Sylvari, the one who had never been in the dream. We may not be the first Sylvari.”
“I have not heard of him in a long time, perhaps he is no more, or, perhaps there are entire countries full of us, ones who have no knowledge of or taint from Mordremoth. How would you deal with the dragons?”
“Not by killing them all?” Scarlett considered. “It might be rather dangerous when they notice they are being eliminated one by one. Their only control is the level of available magic. If that is reduced enough then they will simply sleep, permanently. That could mean there may not be enough left for anyone to do anything useful with it, no gates, no spells, nothing. Somehow I doubt that a no magic option is going to be acceptable to the other races, especially not the Asura. Just eliminating them isn’t enough, it means each of those remaining will have even more power available. Eventually one will use it. The obvious alternative is to replace them with something else.”
“You mean like the human gods replaced Abbadon?”
“Exactly like that. Of course, the ones taking over would have to be seen as above any possible corruption or self interest. They would have to be absolutely trustworthy, just like me. OK, just not like me. Replacing the dragons with Charr would not be my preferred option.”
The Pale Tree considered this for a while before responding. “I can see that might be a problem, especially if it were a flame legion ones like Gaherron. Asura are often self centred and greedy. They do not consider the effects of their actions on others. Norn constantly drunk and fighting. Nor can it only be one race, for obvious reasons.”
“Humans are often underhanded and betray each other. And then there are us, none of us are perfect. We could end up with a much worse situation than present. Yet the human gods found one suitable person.”
The Avatar of the Pale Tree nodded. “You think this would work?”
“What is the alternative? All you need are the right ones. If it doesn’t work then, sooner or later, everyone dies. If you do nothing, sooner or later, everyone dies. The only reason the other races are alive now was Glint, and she isn’t available at the moment to hide anyone.”
The Pale Tree looked even paler than normal. “I think we need to discuss that with some others.”
“It would be useful, although I cannot be involved. I am seen as evil and tainted by them because of what I did. None of them would trust me. I expect the commander, and others, would try to kill me on sight, and I would not blame them. There is, one other thing.”
“And that is?”
“The gods, where did they come from? Theoretically the Asura don’t have any because they see the universe differently from other races. The Humans and Charr do, although the latter rejected theirs, and the Norn spirits. I am wondering if we should suspect their origin too.”
“And me?”
“Maybe, or perhaps there is always something that will fill a vaccum? In the end nobody is above suspicion. Sometimes there is no alternative, you just have to accept and work with what you have available. Even if it is as obnoxious, self centred and nasty as I can be. Then it is down to eternal vigilance. Even if we were to get rid of them all they are what is holding the alliance together. We might be better off keeping the dragons.”
