Story Journal/Living World Season 1

The Story Journal entries for Living World Season 1 serve as an effective story summary from the point of view of the Pact Commander, and are transcribed here.

Flame and Frost

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1326

New Friends, New Enemies

I was asked to meet with Rytlock at the Black Citadel—walked right into a full-on war council. There've been attacks all over the southern Shiverpeaks, dredge and Flame Legion working together. They're calling themselves the "Molten Alliance", and the casualties are starting to stack up.

On my way inside, I ran into Rytlock consulting with a charr named Rox. She's trying out for his warband, so Rytlock's putting her through her paces. He ordered her to retake the recently captured North Nolan Hatchery from the Alliance. I volunteered to tag along, see if I can get a better grasp of the situation.

I went straight to Rytlock's office after the quorum. If the stakes weren't high enough, Rytlock was already at odds with another unfamiliar face: Braham Eirsson. His village was being threatened by the Molten Alliance. Rytlock rejected his request, despite their desperate need for reinforcements. The Legions are overwhelmed and Smodur can't spare the troops. Braham claimed to be Eir Stegalkin's son in an attempt to curry our favor, but it didn't work on Rytlock or me. Hopefully he'll get some better news after speaking to Knut Whitebear.

The air was already thick with smoke by the time Rox and I arrived at the hatchery. The Alliance was using some sort of sonic emitters to incapacitate the devourers- the sound was miserable. Fortunately with a couple good whacks, they were out of commission. But if that was just a taste of the weapons they're fusing... The dredge and Flame Legion are going to be a far more destructive team than we imagined.

After we destroyed the emitters and rescued Sithio Quicklash, Sithio gave us a key to travel further into the facility. We put down one of the Alliance leaders inside, a dredge named Marat. With Marat down the attack was quelled and we were able to reclaim the hatchery. Though the reason for these attacks is still foggy, we do know that they[sic] Molten Alliance is taking prisoners... Where and for what purpose? That's for us to find out.

In lighter news, Rox found a new friend. One of the lone devourers at the hatchery started following her like a lost puppy. She tried to shoo it away, but an ally is an ally. Rox gave in and let the little guy tag along. A small moment of reprieve on an otherwise difficult day.

The Battle for Cragstead

Rytlock asked me to check in on the Cragstead situation. When I arrived in Hoelbrak to meet Braham, I walked in on a pretty...colorful chat between him, Knut, and Eir. And here I thought a war council of battle-hungry Tribunes was intimidating.

The Molten Alliance has been striking small villages throughout the Shiverpeaks- including Cragstead, Braham's home. Even though a raid was imminent, Knut was reluctant to send any reinforcements. They've got enough of a refugee crisis on their doorstep, same as the charr in the Citadel. Given the way things escalated at the hatchery, I volunteered to join Braham in fighting back.

Our losses at Cragstead were brutal. We managed to rescue some of the homesteaders, but a few of them were taken prisoner, including Ottilia, an ex-fling of Braham's. We don't know where they were taken yet, but finding their base is next on our list, and the Vigil is hot on their trail.

I didn't know Eir had a kid, let alone one as...hardheaded as Braham. His head may be full of steam, but he's got guts if he's willing to stand up to the Master of the Lodge. Reinforcements or not, he ran right into Cragstead, shield raised.

Alliance Investigation

Agent Brandubh, a representative from the Order of Whispers, called on me to help with their recon operation in Diessa Plateau. The countryside is currently littered with Molten Alliance attacks- villages raided, homesteaders and charr being taken left and right. The Orders are working tirelessly to tame the chaos, but the Molten Alliance grows stronger by the hour.

The Order of Whispers partnered with the Vigil to locate the Molten Alliance's base of operations. Brandubh's partner is currently undercover as Flame Legion, gathering intel on their goals and whereabouts. She's been leaving dead drops all over the countryside with vital information, ready for us to decode. The intel was scattered about the countryside, but Brandubh had a rough idea about where the messages are tucked away. The information they contained would have been deadly in the wrong hands.

With the dead drops in hand, the Order was able to determine the location of the Molten Alliance base. They've been operating out of an old dredge mine right beneath our feet. We're getting a small strike group together to get the prisoners out, maybe see what else we can learn inside.

Molten Furnace

With the help of the Vigil and Order of Whispers, Braham, Rox, and I infiltrated the Molten Alliance base. The things they're doing down there, the weapons that the Alliance is building...

We fought our way to the weapons-testing facility first. They tried to trap us inside of the main arena, subjecting us to their "games." Flaming walls, traps, explosions- to think that they made some of the prisoners endure those tests. Well, there's not much left of the lab anymore. Kostya, one of the Alliance's leading scientists, tried to stop us, but I don't think anyone was in the mood to talk things out.

After destroying their weapons-testing area, we made our way deeper into the mine. We encountered a few survivors along the way. Braham... I could tell his stress was building. Finding some of his friends from Cragstead gave him a flicker of hope, but there were still more prisoners deeper in the mine. The smell of burnt flesh didn't instill a ton of confidence.

As we made our way into the heart of the base, we found some sort of weapon fixed in the center of the main chamber. The size of that thing...it was enormous. We didn't have a lot of time to inspect the device before we were ambushed by two more Molten Alliance warriors: Rodion and Gigarg.

They looked like they were dropped straight out of the test lab. Blue flame pulsed through Rodion's veins—I've never seen a charr that big. Gigarg's armor was just as impressive. There was something eerie about them. Their size, their strength...there's nothing natural about it. We took them down, but we almost went down with them.

After the fight, Braham and I planted bombs along the base of the mystery weapon while Rox secured our exit. Rox was reluctant to handle explosives, but that's a story for less dire circumstances. We escaped by the skin of our teeth, but at least we left behind a mess. Whatever that weapon was, I hope it stays buried along with the rest of the facility.

The Molten Alliance is done. At least for now.

A Quiet Celebration

I regrouped with Braham in Hoelbrak to report back to Knut and Eir. His friends, his family- most of them were killed during the raid at Cragstead. Knut expressed his regrets, but his remorse felt forced. I think Braham's anger was justified- if anything, given the loss of his home his anger was modest.

Rox was already hands-on with her interrogation when I got back to the Black Citadel. Rytlock isn't ready to welcome her to his warband, yet. He doesn't pass out compliments as readily as, say, Logan, but his warmth is subtle.

After everything I witnessed at the hatchery and mine, I can tell Rox is a good one. A little weary, but she's sharp- and with the way things are escalating, we need more allies.

I finally regrouped with Braham in Hoelbrak to participate in "victory" celebrations. We sat by the fire for a while, listening to drunken ballads and clanking glasses of ale. Standing there, I couldn't help but feel uneasy. I suspect this is the beginning of something bigger. I can't put my finger on it, but all those experiments... Well, we'll see what happens next.

Tonight, we celebrate. Even if all we're celebrating is a moment of rest.

Sky Pirates

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1326

Ceremony and Acrimony

Out of the blue, an elusive benefactor named "E" wrote and directed me to the effigy ceremony at Dragon Bash, claiming that the Captain's Council was under some sort of threat. It was a faceless lead, but the only one I had. I made my way to Lion's Arch to see for myself. The ceremony started without a hitch, but then the effigies were lit...

As the cultural representatives approached with their offerings, one of the dragon effigies erupted with arcane energies, emitting an electrical current that struck the captains on stage. Inspector Ellen Kiel immediately took control of the scene. With the help of her Lionguard, Kiel and I escorted the wounded to Fort Marriner. Along the way, we were harassed by a group of scrapyard pirates.

We delivered the captains to the medical ward, but their wounds were critical. Kiel implored me to return to the festivities, but I'm not in the mood for a celebration anymore. Between this and the Molten Alliance... Something is brewing, and I'm fast growing tired of these constant surprises.

Hard Boiled

Another letter from E today. Captain Theo Ashford succumbed to his wounds after the attack on Dragon Bash... The festivities are ongoing, so the Lionguard are desperate to keep this investigation under wraps. E recommended that I stop by the Dead End Bar in Divinity's Reach to meet with Detective Marjory Delaqua. Never heard of her, but E's intel is good. I headed her way.

I ran into Logan Thackeray inside the tavern; he was already speaking with Marjory about the case. She was accompanied by Lady Kasmeer Meade, Marjory's assistant (much to Logan's surprise). Ashford's family is looking into the incident, and they're afraid the Lionguard is too busy keeping things quiet to get any meaningful work done. Marjory and Kasmeer agreed to help.

After regrouping with Ellen Kiel at the crime scene, Marjory lent me a device that detects energy fluctuations: she called it the Tassi box. Anything that came into contact with the arcane residue left behind from the attack should glow after being scanned, helping us find our culprit. While testing the device, we caught a trace of residue on one of the medics—a woman named Mai Trin. That turned out to be a false positive, though, as she'd been in contact with the wounded while tending to their injuries.

Some of the cultural representatives fled the scene following the attack. Since they'd each approached the effigy to deliver their offerings, Marjory considers them all suspects. The Lionguard were able to track three of the five, so Marjory tasked me with bringing them back to Lion's Arch for questioning.

I spoke with Morraloo, the quaggan suspect, in Bloodtide Coast. They claimed that someone threatened them, threatened their tadpoles. The skritt suspect, Kasparak, was even less help. Whoever is behind this mess bribed her with something "shiny," which wasn't all that surprising. At the very least, I convinced both to return to the crime scene to share their stories with Marjory and Kiel. The third suspect was already dead by the time I arrived; throat cut from ear to ear, tossed away in a cave south of Lion's Arch.

The Lionguard were able to track down the final two suspects in the nick of time, so I headed their way. Astorra was tucked away in Caledon Forest and was immediately defensive of her actions. She quickly surrendered her side of the tale, citing manipulation. I didn't get the impression that she was responsible, but...naive.

Trembling Song was the most helpful (and seemed at least somewhat remorseful). She was quick to share, sparing no detail, which shed light on the others' stories. During her journey to Lion's Arch, she was beckoned to join a group of travelers and sit by their fire. She believes that while she slept, they tampered with her offering to the effigy. Much like the other suspects, whatever was added to their offerings may have caused the chemical reaction that triggered the explosion.

With the suspects headed to Lion's Arch, we're one step closer to the truth.

No More Secrets

With the suspects returned to Lion's Arch. I regrouped with Marjory at the scene of the crime. While I was searching for our suspects, she was recalibrating the Tassi box with some of the chemicals found at the crime scene. Our culprit? Mai Trin, the "ever-helpful" medic. It turns out that false positive was right all along. She's apparently the leader of those ragtag pirates that attacked us after the effigy ceremony. They call themselves the "Aetherblades." I'd call them a bunch of brutes, though they must be competent enough if they're managed to remain this elusive. Unfortunately, Mai Trin fled the scene before Kiel could make an arrest. Our next goal is to track her down and determine what the 'Blades are up to.

Aether Investigation

While the Lionguard was busy tracking Mai Trin's movements, I helped Kiel quell Aetherblade threats along the Bloodtide Coast. The Lionguard are decoding messages all throughout the area, containing vital information on the whereabouts of the Aetherblades' base. With that information in hand, we were able to track down its location. Turns out they were hiding in Lion's Arch all along, tucked away in a cave southwest of the city. Looks like Kiel and I know where we're headed next.

The Aetherblade Retreat

Turns out they were hiding in Lion's Arch all along, tucked away in a cave southwest of the city. Looks like Kiel and I know where we're headed next.

Kiel and I infiltrated the Aetherblade base and managed to fight our way inside. Seems the 'Blades are comprised of pirates and Inquest; they're rough in a fight, but also tech savvy. Their operation was impressive, especially given it was so close to the city.

The base was riddled with traps and lasers, making it difficult to navigate. Kiel and I found our way into a lab run by an asura named Frizz. Unbelievable that a bunch of pirates managed to erect an entire Inquest laboratory inside of the cave, filled with strange technologies. It looked like they were tracing something, though it'll be hard to question Frizz about his findings now. He was...squashed during the encounter.

The main hub of their hideout was constructed from the remnants of beached ships. And the stormy alcove was filled with pirates and Inquest engineers; crates upon crates were stacked against the walls. Mai Trin and her First Mate, Horrik, were hiding in the center of the maze, waiting for us to arrive.

They gave us their best fight, but we were able to take them both down. Horrik didn't make it out alive, but Mai Trin wisely surrendered to Kiel before we diced her into skritt feed.

With Mai Trin in custody, maybe we'll figure out who's behind this whole mess.

Case Closed

I met with Marjory and Kasmeer back at the Dead End Bar for a much-needed post-investigation drink. Logan expressed his thanks for our work in capturing Mai Trin.

On my way out, I heard Kiel and Magnus discussing her future in Lion's Arch. He wants her to run for Ashford's spot on the Captain's Council, even commandeered one of the abandoned Aetherblade ships for her. If Kiel's work on the investigation was any indicator of her possible success, I think she's set up for a good run.

First it was the Molten Alliance, now the Aetherblades... We don't know what's behind this mess, or who, but every time we think things have calmed down...something else wakes up. Mai Trin mentioned someone named "Scarlet" back at the hideout. Maybe that's our best lead.

Clockwork Chaos

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1326

The Opening Ceremony

I was invited to attend the Queen's Jubilee, where I met up with Rox and Braham to watch the festivities. Queen Jennah used the fanfare to introduce her watchknights—gilded mechanisms, crafted to protect the people of Divinity's Reach. Logan Thackeray valiantly stepped into the arena to spar with one. The whole thing was an odd show of force—on one hand, Anise was displaying her resourcefulness and wit in commissioning the creation of these mechanical wonders, and on the other we had the queen's most loyal defender and confidant who was likely trying to prove that he was still Her Majesty's most ardent sword hand.

Midway through the demonstration, the watchknight malfunctioned and started going haywire, leaving Logan overwhelmed and the crowd distressed. Before we could intervene, the Aetherblades, the murderous pirates behind the Dragon Bash incident, ambushed us.

A hooded figure mocked us from the sidelines; Rox attempted to snipe her, but she was fast. We eventually reached Logan and quelled the frenzied machine, but the hooded figure leapt back into the arena and mocked us again. Logan tried to strike her down, but his efforts were ineffective. The figure threatened to return before taking her leave.

Jennah refused to let someone dampen her message of resilience. Despite the city being on high alert, the festivites continued—with additional protection from the Seraph.

The Queen's Address

A few days later, I attended the closing ceremony for the Queen's Jubilee with Rox and Braham—as promised, the festivities continued despite the attack. Unfortunately, the city's blissful ignorance was cut short when the hooded figure revealed herself during Jennah's concluding speech. Scarket Briar is her name, and I have a sneaking suspicion she has something to do with Tryia's recent misfortunes.

Scarlet wrested control of the watchknights, employing them as her muscle in a hostile takeover of the jubilee. She then fired her rifle at Queen Jennah's dais and detonated a bomb, causing it to collapse. Lord Faren was able to grab hold of the queen, but she shattered in his arms—a mesmer illusion. Faren fell to an uncertain fate, unable to maintain his balance.

To complicate matters, Scarlet planted bombs throughout the Pavilion's courtyard, sending the city into pandemonium. We were able to disarm most of them, but the causalities were significant. All the while Scarlet continued to mock the panicked civilians, claiming tha tthis is "bigger than them."

We regrouped with the real queen (safe and unharmed), along with Countess Anise and Logan. While Anise and Logan were at odds about their preparedness for the situation, Rox announced that the asuran cultural representative, Vorpp, might have some usefull teleportation technology that could help us breach the Pavilion and confront Scarlet. Vorpp immediately agreed to help, claiming that Scarlet had previously made her way through the asuran colleges and was a blister he wouldn't mind popping.

Clockwork Invasion

I traveled to Gendarran Fields to help regain control over the countryside and assist Vorpp in studying Scarlet's portal technology. While the city was occupied with Scarlet's invasion of Divinity's Reach, her clockwork beasts were tearing up the land outside.

Thankfully, by helping quell these threats we were able to gather more intel on Scarlet's portal technology and help Vorpp secure us a route into the Pavilion to rescue our friends and allies.

Scarlet's Playhouse

With Vorpp's portal functioning, we were able to infiltrate Scarlet's Playhouse. She filled the Crown Pavilion to the brim with Aetherblades and her horrific clockwork creatures. First, we located Faren and Scarlet's other captives. While they watched in horror, Scarlet slowly brought Faren to a steady boil inside of a fiery cauldron. He shrieked for relief while we attempted to quell the flames; Scarlet eventually conceded and retreated further into her "playhouse."

***

While Rox and Braham tended to the survivors, I made my way through the rest of the maze—finally confronting Scarlet at the apex of the arena. Before our fight began, she threatened me if I didn't stop meddling in her plans. As our weapons clashed, she utilized every trick available in that arena. She almost soccumbed, but Scarlet knew when to pull back. She stared me down, noting my role in foiling her operation before fleeing the city for her own safety.

Scarlet keeps a short list of people who've gotten in her way, and guess who just earned their place at the top.

Picking Up the Pieces

In a moment of reprive from Scarlet's twisted games, I regrouped with Logan at his office. Inside, Logan and Marjory were rummaging through evidence from Scarlet's attack—piecing together any intel they could gather.

Lady Anise stopped by to hand over additional evidence to Logan, but the two were at odds again. Logan believes that Anise is leaving him out of her schemes, and that she's putting the queen's safety at risk by keeping him in the dark. They're both working toward the same goal, but can't seem to cooperate long enough to internalize it.

Between the events in the Shiverpeaks, the tragedy at Dragon Bash, and the lives lost in Divinity's Reach... Scarlet might sit at the center of it all. I can only hope we're prepared for her next strike.

Tower of Nightmares

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1326

The Nightmare Unveiled

Marjory called my attention to Kessex Hills, where some invisible anomaly formed in the center of Viathan Lake. Kasmeer was sent by the Mesmer Collective — a mysterious, low-profile society of powerful magic users — to investigate and disarm whatever illusion or veil was covering it up.

When I first arrived at the scene, it was hard to ignore the barbed, rugged tower at the center of the lake. It looked like a krait structure, with a massive spore fixed at the height of the spire. Shortly after my arrival, I was greeted by a Sergeant Walters of the Seraph. She had strict orders to escort me to Kasmeer and Marjory in the ruins nearby. As we navigated the toxic landscape, we were attacked by krait and members of the Nightmare Court.

Spores lined our path, and whatever toxins they're emitting not only affected the environment but our minds. On our way to the rendezvous point, Sergeant Walters was overcome with mania and started attacking the escort group, claiming we were all rampaging centaurs. We were able to quell her frezy, so I headed to Kasmeer and Marjory while Walters stayed behind to tend to the wounded.

After securing the shore from wandering krait and Nightmare Court, I finally reached Kasmeer and Marjory hiding at the edge of the lake. Kasmeer cast a spell that revealed a tower of nightmares. It's surrounded by a thick plume of toxins, and we can't get inside until we have some way to do it safely.

Making the Antitoxin

After revealing the malignant Tower of Nightmares in the heart of Kessex Hills, Kasmeer and Marjory returned to camp at Thunder Ridge. Marjory tasked me with collecting toxic spores from across the region, and with those spores in hand, she was able to successfully create an antitoxin to counter the plume of toxic discharge inside of the tower. Priory researchers are going to attempt to quell the tower by injecting the antitoxin into the chamber at the tower's core, but we've yet to see or hear if that effort will be at all successful.

The Tower of Nightmares

With the antitoxin in hand, we were able to enter the tower. My comrades and I navigated the treacherous maze of endless corridors, which was filled to the brim with krait, Nightmare Court, and other toxic horrors. The Priory's initial attempt to quell the tower failed, so it was up to me and my comrades to fight our way to the top.

The Nightmare Incarnate

Once we reached the apex of the tower, Marjory, Kasmeer, and I entered the core—it was filled with illusionary tricks. Nestled at the heart was a massive, pulsing organism. As we approached the mass, Scarlet finally graced us with her presence. She gallantly admitted to her hand in the chaos to date: her alliances, the devastation at Dragon Bash. It was all Scarlet, and the Nightmare Tower is simply the latest of her cruel games.

We were ambushed by a krait-turned-beast, a monstrous creation of the Toxic Alliance. With the beast defeated, we were finally able to inject the antitoxin—but the heart barely squirmed. It looks like it will take more than one dose to bring down the tower after all.

The Nightmare Ends

I regrouped with Marjory and Kasmeer inside of the tower's innermost chamber a few weeks later. Even though we were able to clear the way to the heart, giving us ample opportunity to inject the antitoxin, the Tower of Nightmares continued to corrupt Kessex Hills with toxic spores. No matter how many doses they injected into the heart, the tower stood tall. Marjory knew we were missing something, but what was it?

We took a small portion of the leftover antitoxin and used it to break our way into a hidden lab near the injector. Inside, we found several Molten, Inquest, and Toxic Alliance devices presumably being used to maintain the integrity of Scarlet's wild contraption. We were able to extract various materials from the devices, and when combined in Scarlet's personal forge, they created a magical, antibarrier compound. We injected the new mixture—along with the remaining antitoxin—into the heart of the tower. The new compound shattered the heart's defenses and allowed the antitoxin to take its toll. The tower began to collapse and Kasmeer started conjuring us a portal to escape, but we were ambushed by a small squad of lingering Nightmare Court. Thankfully, Kasmeer was able to finish the portal in the nick of time and we watched the whole thing crumble to the ground from the shore of the lake.

We made a real blow to Scarlet's plans today, but knowing her... Well, all we may have accomplished is making her that much angrier.

Awake and Allied

I regrouped with my friends back at camp, where Kasmeer and Marjory were finally acquainted with Braham and Rox. They got on well, bonding over the shared experience of combating Scarlet's various schemes to date.

Standing among all of my new comrades, I can't help but feel like we're at the catalyst. I don't know what Scarlet is going to pull next, but I feel we're nearing the peak of this mountain.

Battle for Lion's Arch

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1327

The Twisted Marionette

I received a priority message from Logan Thackeray about a developing situation in Lornar's Pass. Scarlet's latest handiwork, a massive watchknight mechanical puppet chained to some kind of hovering fortress, was wreaking havoc as part of a deadly weapon test. I met some familiar faces there: Braham, Rox, Marjory, and Kasmeer were fighting against this abomination when an unsupervised and spunky progeny named Taimi charged into battle before I could stop her. So I gave chase. Our group split up and teleported to the individual platforms to disable each power regulator, all while fighting off clockwork monsters and ducking attacks from the colossal marionette. To my surprise, Taimi and her golem proved themselves a capable duo. Eventually, we forced Scarlet to pull her broken toy back for repairs.

Afterward, Taimi mentioned something about Scarlet using an array of devices to probe Tyria, but we couldn't figure out for what purpose. The others headed to Lion's Arch to recoup for the marionette's inevitable return. We were met by Captain Thackeray, who showed up to take the progeny off our hands. Taimi showed some real courage, but her obsession with Scarlet was concerning.

Connecting the Pieces

Soon after, I received a missive from Steward Gixx of the Durmand Priory. He disclosed the location of a recently discovered lair belonging to - you guessed it - one Scarlet Briar in the caves below the Priory itself. Lucky for me, Gixx offered me a first crack at investigating the place.

At first glance, Scarlet's Lair appeared to be nothing more than a candlelit hideout with simple furniture and pages scattered about. After a bit of digging through her notes, I uncovered the passcode for the magitech console in the corner. Once accessed, the console projected a series of moving images and maps that I surmised would help uncover Scarlet's next big move. As I puzzled over the images, my eyes were drawn to a crude and unsettling painting of a large best on the ceiling. Was this creature some new obsession of hers? A nightmare?

By the time I regrouped with my friends in Lion's Arch, they'd put down Scarlet's Marionette for good and were taking some personal time. Rytlock Brimstone had tracked down Rox to give her a new assignment after some business taking down the dragon lieutenant Tequatl and aquiring a rotten tail trophy as proof. She was ordered to kill Scarlet Briar as her final test to secure a spot in Rytlock's Stone warband. Braham seemed upset by the news; I think he's worried he'll lose his new friend.

Logan Thackeray was there, too, with Taimi and her golem still in tow. The progeny made an optimistic attempt at playacting her way into Braham's charge, which worked. Taimi brought up the probing devices again; she suspected that Scarlet's plans were somehow tied into the Elder Dragons. I thought back to the painting in Scarlet's Lair. Was the progeny right? After, I overheard Kasmeer confide in Marjory about a family matter. Today was the anniversary of her father's death. Kasmeer's brother gambled away more than he could pay, which led to her father's imprisonment and demise. Her family had lost everything: titles, home, every possession. She was deeply upset, but Marjory offered her a place to stay.

More bad news wasn't far behind. I received a note from Captain Ellen Kiel and rushed over to Fort Marriner. With lightning precision, the Aetherblades had attacked the fort and freed Captain Mai Trin from the stockade. After mopping up the leftover pirates, Captain Kiel and I spoke with the sheriff. From the sound of it, Braham and Taimi got wrapped up in the mess and gave chase as the Aetherblades fled through a portal into the Mists.

I caught up with Braham and Taimi in the Edge of the Mists, a series of fringe islands floating between Tyria and whatever lies beyond. Mai Trin and her Aetherblades were long gone. Taimi's golem, Scruffy, had been damage while investigating one of Scarlet's probe devices and was undergoing repairs, stranding her for the time being. Braham kept watch over the progeny, trading stories and banter. Looking to kill some time, I got to know the "prodigy progeny" a little better, and her thoughts about Scarlet. She suspects Scarlet's probes were made to search for Tyria's ley lines, some kind of pattern of magical currents spanning the world.

After returning from the Mists, Marjory requested my presence at the Dead End Bar to help figure out Scarlet's endgame. With some help from Emissary Vorpp, we pored over the evidence.

Scarlet - Ceara back then - had studied at all three asura colleges and attracted the attention of Omadd, who wanted to understand the very nature of the Eternal Alchemy. Omadd took Ceara on as an assistant and eventually experimented on her with a special mind-isolating machine. As her mind was exposed to Tyria's magical network, she encountered something that drove her mad. Sporting a new name, Scarlet went on to make friends and allies of various outcast factions across Tyria, pairing them together for their mutual benefit, but also her own. These groups began to terrorize the lands from Ascalon to Kryta all while she set up her probes, virtually unnoticed. She used intel about ley lines gathered from her studies in Rata Sum and her time in the inquest to narrow her list of targets. Her tampering with the watchknight allowed her the chance to bolster her ranks and reverse engineer and modify future versions. Finally, Scarlet's ploy to install Captain Mai Trin on the Captain's Council in Lion's Arch was attempted to weaken the city's defenses and leadership from the inside. Mai Trin ultimately failed, but with the rest of the evidence taken into consideration - Scarlet's gathering armies, airships, and equipment; probes searching for ley lines; assassinations - we came to an alarming conclusion: Scarlet Briar's next target was Lion's Arch.

Escape from Lion's Arch

Our fears were realized: Lion's Arch came under siege. Aetherblade airships swept in and opened fire without warning. Chaos provided the perfect cover for Scarlet's forces to move in for the kill. We rushed into the city to give aid as best we could, but the enemy had overwhelmed and routed the Lionguard amid a growing miasma of toxic gas. We did our best to push back against our foes and evacuate the citizens, but the loss of life was severe. I've never seen such ruin in Lion's Arch; not since Zhaitan's assault on Claw Island. I took a moment between escort groups to peer over to the harbor, where a massive drill had lowered from Scarlet's flying fortress, pushing deep into the bedrock below.

The Battle for Lion's Arch

Camps in Lornar's Pass, Bloodtide Coast, and Gendarran Fields were set up by the Orders of Tyria as refugees poured out of the city. I made the rounds at the camp near Vigil Keep. Taimi was there, questioning the refugess. I'd never seen her so deflated. Her impression of Scarlet had changed a lot after she saw what the "brilliant" engineer was capable of and what she was willing to do. That said, there was something new about the progeny— a fresh determination, a focus. Meanwhile, morale was low among the refugees, but the Lionguard and the Orders of Tyria were already poised and prepared for a counterattack. We were going to retake Lion's Arch.

The combined forces of the Liongard and the Pact descended on the ruins of Lion's Arch with fervor and purpose. Little by little we pushed back, cutting through Scarlet's forces and capturing key checkpoints throughout the city. After a heated struggle against a trio of Scarlet's upgraded watchknights, we secured the teleporters that would allow us to infiltrate the Breachmaker fortress above.

Battle on the Breachmaker

Aboard the hovering command center, Rox, Braham, Marjory, Kasmeer, and I were immediately greeted by Scarlet Briar and her newest toys. She conjured giant hardlight holograms of herself that would split and reform, making them difficult to pin down. After a grueling fight, I finally landed a wounding blow on the crazed engineer. Enraged and frantic, Scarlet retreated further into her fortress with all following close behind.

Scarlet's End

This was it — the final push. Braham would claim glory for his legend, Rox would earn a place in the Stone warband, and Marjory and Kasmeer would exact justice for the whole of Kryta. We found Scarlet Briar wounded in front of a central control console for the entire operation. She ranted and raved at us, mocking our heroics and gloating about what was to come: that Tyria would serve a new master. Marjory and Braham moved in to apprehend her, but the crafty engineer still had one last trick up her sleeve.

Marjory and Braham took the brunt of Scarlet's trap, getting thrown back by a concussive force and lightning. Rox ordered Braham to stay put as she treated his broken leg, refusing to leave his side. Marjory appeared far worse off. She was lying on the floor motionless, bruised, and burned. Kasmeer tried to wake her, but there was no response. The mesmer's expression darkened and she rose to her feet, staff trembling in hand. Enraged, she cried out and sprinted back toward the fight.

Scarlet was ready with a stockpile of grenades, but it couldn't hold the two of us at bay for long. She became distracted by Kasmeer's illusions just long enough for the opening I needed to deal a fatal blow. With her last words, Scarlet said her death wouldn't save us. I glanced at the main screen of the console behind her. We were too late; the drill was about to breach its intended target, the ley-line hub beneath Lion's Arch. Kasmeer had returned to Marjory who, despite Rox's efforts, was still unresponsive. Cradled in Kasmeer's arms, the detective slowly stirred awake. The two embraced and shared a touching moment. Seconds later, the Breachmaker shook as a blinding column of light shot up into the center of the fortress. As the shaking grew in intensity, we hurried our injured friends back through the portal and down to the city. The Breachmaker collapsed shortly after, debris crashing below and littering the whole of Lion's Arch.

After the Battle

Some days had passed since Scarlet's demise, and while the battle was won, we all heard the echoing roar that shook the foundation of Tyria. Ominous signs aside, Kasmeer invited me to a little gathering at the Dead End Bar. The whole gang was there, even Taimi. She was up in arms about Scarlet, the drill, they ley lines; all out it. When I finally spoke with Kasmeer, she touched on the topic on all of our minds— we were dealing with a new Elder Dragon. The sobering moment was interrupted by the arrival of a Seraph soldier: Belinda Delaqua, Marjory's sister. The two of them caught up a little after introductions, but Belinda didn't stay long; she was headed west to a new assignment near the Maguuma Wastes.

Dawn of the Next Journey

I received a letter from Captain Kiel. The reconstruction of Lion's Arch was already underway, thanks to the support of Queen Jennah and the charity of the Zephyrites. The captain hoped that our little group of heroes would be available to receive the nomadic group's leader, the Master of Peace. After some formalities, we were finally introduced and received compliments from both the captain and the Zephyrite master. They suggested we make ourselves seen at the various events being held to support the Lion's Arch relief effort, if only to drum up donations. Braham and Rox were quick to depart to the Crown Pavilion, while Taimi stuck with Marjory and Kasmeer, opting to visit the Labyrinthine Cliffs and the festivities there. As my new comrades went their separate ways, I felt as though we'd finally turned the page on a new chapter.

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Story summaries