White Mantle

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Emblem used by the White Mantle.
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“

The Mursaat preyed upon the weak and impressionable, who in turn worshiped them as gods. Calling themselves the White Mantle, these converts sacrificed innocents and toppled the Krytan monarchy. The chaos they inflicted on Tyria was short-lived. They were eventually crushed, and their scattered remnants went into hiding. But pockets of their fanatical followers have been operating in the shadows ever since.

— Squad Leader Bennett

The White Mantle are a group of outlaws based in the Maguuma Wastes and northern Heart of Maguuma. Once leaders of Kryta for a brief time 250 years ago, the White Mantle view themselves as the rightful rulers of the last human nation on Tyria. With intentions to retake their role of rulership over Kryta, the White Mantle have infiltrated deep into the political system of the kingdom and stir strife across the land.[1]

Though most Krytans have long believed the White Mantle a distant historical threat, the Shining Blade are few who know the truth: that the cultists fund and lead the bandits plaguing the countryside in secrecy. Though the White Mantle lead the bandits, not all bandits are members of the cult or know of their existence—many are those fooled by the White Mantle's trickery, or are those left destitute by the cult's actions with little choice but the life of crime.

History[edit]

Rise of the White Mantle[edit]

Saul D'Alessio going on his final mission.

The White Mantle originated as a religious cult formed in Kryta by Saul D'Alessio in 1067 AE. Saul was a drunk and a gambler turned thief who was exiled into a deep forest and had stumbled upon powerful spellcasters whom he had called the Unseen Ones. They rescued Saul from the brink of death and returned him to Kryta, where he preached the doctrine of his new Unseen Ones as gods. Saul proclaimed salvation during Kryta's darkest hour, when the charr invasion threatened the nation's survival and when King Jadon had fled the throne.

Under Saul's leadership, the White Mantle were kind to non-believers and defenders of the weak. Saul led an small elite unit in the middle of the night to strike the charr's invading forces' leaders. Though the leaders were killed, the battle had alarmed the charr camp, and the entire charr army marched upon Saul and his few faithful. Saul prayed in the White Mantle's time of need, and three of the Unseen Ones named Optimus Caliph, Mercia the Smug and Lazarus the Dire arrived and aided them in defeating the charr.

However, this aid came at a steep cost: all but the most faithful White Mantle would perish for having gazed upon their Unseen gods. Witnessing the death of his fellow men, Saul grieved and realized the true nature of his so-called gods. The Unseen Ones took the disillusioned leader of the White Mantle with them to a remote location to ensure his silence.[2]

The survivors, becoming leaders of the White Mantle under Confessor Dorian, spread stories that Saul had valiantly sacrificed his life in the battle against the charr. With no threat and no king, the White Mantle took over Kryta.

War in Kryta[edit]

The White Mantle grew arrogant and abusive during their reign, thriving off of the wealth of the land and leaving non-believers in poverty. Worst of all, each year Krytan citizens were chosen for "special education" and never seen again. In truth, the White Mantle offered these ill-fated Chosen as sacrificial victims atop of the Bloodstone in the Maguuma Jungle.[3]

Born from this strife, a group of rebels situating themselves in the Maguuma Jungle formed. They called themselves the Shining Blade and vowed to hack away the corruption and decay that robbed Kryta of her greatness. The true nature of the White Mantle and the inhuman sorcerers they worshiped was exposed for all to see in a series of violent conflicts that left the Mantle high council dead.[4]

However, the White Mantle remained strong and became even more ruthless under the new Confessor Isaiah who plunged Kryta into a full blown civil war. This war heightened in 1079 AE, and culminated in a battle at Lion's Arch, where Confessor Isaiah and the last of the Unseen Ones except for Lazarus were killed off. Expecting losses, Isaiah had sent many White Mantle into the depths of the Maguuma Jungle to ensure the cult's survival, and they immediately began to attempt to sow distrust against Queen Salma and the Shining Blade for the time they would one day return.[5]

Return of the White Mantle[edit]

In 1325 AE, after several years of preparation, the White Mantle attacked Kryta again. This time, they planned to destabilize Queen Jennah's rule by assassinating several of her key supporters. The list of targets included Logan Thackeray, Countess Anise, and a young human orphan who had recently distinguished themselves in battle against the centaurs. The orphan knew nothing about their parents, but the White Mantle had recently learned that orphan was the child of two royal spies who worked for Queen Jennah's father. The White Mantle had killed the royal spies, but missed their infant child.

The White Mantle chose to start their string of assassinations by killing that orphan in the palace gardens. Unfortunately for them, the orphan hadn't gotten their reputation by luck, and defeated the first wave of assassins. The fight attracted the attention of two Shining Blade exemplars, and together the trio defeated the rest of the assassination team. In two strikes, one on a hunting lodge near Beetletun and one on a White Mantle hideout in northeastern Kessex Hills, a team of the orphan, Thackeray, and the Shining Blade killed Confessor Esthel and other high-ranking members of the White Mantle.


Fall of the White Mantle[edit]

Known bases and ruins[edit]

See also: Bandit#Known bases
Heart of Maguuma
Isles of Janthir
Kryta
Maguuma Jungle
Ring of Fire

Types[edit]

See also: Category:White Mantle

Gallery[edit]

  • WMDismantlePoster.jpg
  • Emblem used by the White Mantle

    Emblem used by the White Mantle

Trivia[edit]

See also[edit]

Gwwlogo.png The Guild Wars Wiki has an article on White Mantle.
Associated items

References[edit]

  1. ^ Stronghold of the Faithful
    Xera: For hundreds of years we have hidden in plain sight, living in your cities, manipulating your politics.
    Xera: Soldiers, farmers, scholars—all swearing allegiance to the cause... all waiting for the moment to strike.
  2. ^ The Rise of the White Mantle
  3. ^ Bloodstone Fen
  4. ^ Final Blow
  5. ^ White Mantle Missive
  6. ^ Conspiracy of Dunces
  7. ^ Janthir Wilds Unleashed: The Enhanced Warclaw Mount, GuildWars2.com
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