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@theartofmadeline
ojovivo
titsay
he wasn't even looking at me and he found me
d e v o n
sheepfilms
occasionally subtle
noise dept.
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TVSTRANGERTHINGS
"I'm Dorothy Gale from Kansas"
❣ Chile in a Photography ❣
Sade Olutola
shark vs the universe
oozey mess
Alisa U Zemlji Chuda
Product Placement
cherry valley forever
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@trixnotes
The Six Human Gods.
Dwayna, goddess of healing, air, warmth, and life. Balthazar, god of war, fire, and courage. Melandru, goddess of nature, earth, and growth. Grenth, god of darkness, death, and ice. Lyssa, twin goddesses of beauty, water and illusion (individually, they are Lyss and Ilya). Kormir, goddess of order, spirit, and truth.
The Dragon’s Reach, Part 2
The Pale Tree's vision ...
Canach seems to have found new purpose with Countess Anise ...
Pale Tree's protection research
With the Pale Tree's recent revelation, it seemed prudent to re-examine the implications concerning the Soundless, Scarlet Briar and sylvari from other trees.
Soundless revisited
Aerin, the sylvari who brought down the Zephyrites' ship, was Soundless
Per previous research, Soundless purport to escape the Nightmare by separating themselves from the Dream as well
However, a common mantra (uttered by Aerin also) suggests something less benign: "I turn my back on you, Mother. My solo voice of truth with dampen the cacophony of fools."
If the connection to the Pale Tree is what protects sylvari from dragon corruption, Soundless are likely already susceptible (Is it possible, due to mantra's implications, they had already been becoming affected by Mordremoth's influence before his rise was confirmed?)
On Scarlet Briar
Scarlet's time in Omadd's Machine was supposed to shut down the mind's security via a sensory deprivation chamber
She had a vision while there, where she heard the Pale Tree's voice for the first time in a long time -- implying she had been living as Soundless
In the vision, Scarlet pressed beyond the Pale Tree and her pleas/warning and something looked back across the darkness
Kasmeer points out Aerin says things like "'Yes, it will be so pleased.' And, 'I’ve seen the bigger picture.' He sounded so much like Scarlet, it was unnerving."
Brief Pale Tree origin
she grew from one of many seeds from a cave guarded by plant creatures
Found by Shining Blade warrior named Ronin, who planted it over his family's graves
Had help tending it from Ventari, a peaceful centaur who left the tablet that governs the Pale Tree's/the sylvaris' morality
Other trees
At least one other tree is creating sylvari, as proven by Malyck, who has no connection to the Dream
He says: "Tree? I know no Pale Tree. I have had no Dream."
This means he does NOT enjoy the Pale Tree's protection -- nor would any other sylvari born from that tree or others
His suffers amnesia, remembering only waking up beside a river that flowed east (putting his tree to the west of the Grove, likely in Magus Falls)
His (separated) pod was located
From the seer Amaranda (exceptionally sensitive to/knowledgeable of the Dream)'s vision: "A distant shore -- and darkness. A root, a cave ... you. You are the seed. What Ronan knew and never told still lingers in the Dream."
The Nightmare Court wanted him/his tree as perhaps an easier target than the Pale Tree to corrupt to Nightmare
Rytlock's Failed Ritual
Rytlock's ritual research
Rytlock Brimstone's attempt to free Ascalon's ghosts from the Foefire curse was unsuccessful, and he has gone missing, ostensibly to somewhere in the Mists.
About the ritual
Per previous research, the curse could supposedly be lifted when either Sohothin (Rytlock's sword) or its twin, Magdaer (King Adelbern's sword) returned to the rightful heir of Ascalon
Rytlock had been researching "for years" a solution to the ghosts
Thought he'd found the "proper combination of elements to unlock the sword's powers"
Supposedly Rytlock discovered the ritual (with Orrian stamp) with help of a Priory scholar, but unknown which one
Rytlock said: "This story begins over a thousand years ago, when this ritual was formulated by the human gods -- the Six."
When the gods gave humans magic, they also gave them the two magical swords AND a magical crown, "to protect the kingdom"
Requires Sohothin to be "charged" with ghosts' essences first
Ritual DID succeed in opening a portal to the Mists; Smodur seems to think the ritual was unfinished
Smodur: "Without that sword, he can't complete the ritual. He had to go after it" and "This cleansing's not over."
Performed in Barradin's Vaults -- Duke Barradin was actually in line to succeed the throne, but Adelbern was crowned instead by popular demand
About the crown
Crown designed to break into 4 parts, as safeguard/way to hide it; Adelbern was wearing it when he performed the Foefire
Crown's pieces were scattered (unintentionally it seems) by charr, then recently put back together, with the promise it would be returned to the humans after the ritual
Rox: "it practically crackled with the weight of Ascalon's ancestors"
Why would the human gods have a ritual to undo a curse that binds humans as ghosts? It seems strange that items supposedly meant to protect the humans would require absorbing their ghosts to undo the curse.
... Is it possible the ritual Rytlock tried was actually meant to do something else?
The Pale Tree is the source of sylvari immunity to corruption.
The Pale Tree: Well, my child, the one thing you must never forget is that I stand between you and the greatest darkness you’ll ever know. A vast darkness intent on consuming all that we hold dear.
Cicatrix: What do you mean, Mother?
The Pale Tree: There are those who reject my protection. It leaves them vulnerable in ways they cannot imagine, in ways they never were before. I shield you as best I can and will for as long as I can.
Cicatrix: You’re talking about dragon corruption. We’ve been immune to it.
The Pale Tree: Yes. In the past, my children have been immune. But Mordremoth’s corruption is powerful, and just as Zhaitan created the undead from so many creatures, so Mordremoth’s corruption can change you.
By now many of us have stumbled over the broken waypoint in Lion's Arch, courtesy Mordremoth's vines. There appear to be four now.
Haunted areas of Ascalon, dark even during the day. All these trapped souls, so sad.
... I dared not venture in the Catacombs alone, where King Adelbern himself stands guard.
A comparison gif and pictures of all the Lions Arch maps I’ve collected. I have this one posted on Project Tyria. Full size gif here!
"Magical Grounding vs. Magical Flow" & Foefire Research
"We Ascalonians may be doomed, but Ascalon will live forever!" -- King Adelbern
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A book Scarlet left in the ley line hub, "Magical Grounding versus Magical Flow," has me thinking of ghosts -- and what ghosts more famous than those of Ascalon?
There are two accounts for how the Foefire occurred.
Foefire: Charr version
Spell, cast by the human Ascalonian king Adelbern, that ended the Last Battle of Ascalon City in 1090 AE -- and ultimately, the human-charr conflict
Adelbern's sword Magdaer (twin to Rytlock's Sohothin), when thrust into the ground, made a sword-shaped burst of white fire above his tower
All humans in a huge radius of Ascalon City (near present-day Black Citadel) were burned and turned to ghosts
Only the charr very near/inside the city were killed ... others who witnessed from outside had their fur turned white but lived.
NO charr were made ghosts -- the spell seemed only to really affect the Ascalonian humans. Why?
Adelbern's dying servant suggested the king knew his people would be destroyed, and that the servant himself was stabbed for trying to stop him
Foefire: Human version
Ascalon forces fell, Adelbern left to fight alone
Adelbern fought his way to the charr Flame Legion Imperator, who held the charr relic the Claw of Khan-Ur (symbolic of the leader of all the charr legions, unknown if it actually has magical properties)
When Magdaer and the Claw collided, it created the spark and the Foefire occurred
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About the swords, Magdaer and Sohothin:
Charr Tribune Rytlock Brimstone currently wields Sohothin. The last human to wield it was Prince Rurik, Adelbern's son, who died roughly 250 years ago
Sohothin's last recorded location before Rytlock owned it was near Abaddon's Mouth in the Ring of Fire.
It's unknown how Rytlock acquired it, or where
Magdaer was shattered during the Foefire ... Eir gathered the shards in 1325 AE, ostensibly to reforge it for Logan Thackeray, but nothing has been heard of it since
Supposedly of Orrian origin, from a time when the human gods still dwelt in Arah.
Adelbern: "I have long known that Magdaer had other powers -- remnants of the gods themselves."
Legend says that the curse will be broken on the Ascalonian ghosts if either sword returns to the rightful king of Ascalon.
The book suggests ghosts are merely energy -- and can be channeled or grounded. Could they be led to rest at last, even without help from the legendary swords?
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About Adelbern
Was charismatic and strong in battle
Crowned king by popular demand, despite not being next in line. (That was actually Duke Barradin, father of Althea, betrothed of Adelbern's only son, Prince Rurik)
Rurik died to Dagnar Stonepate (Stone Summit dwarf, group seeking to wake the Great Destroyer, Primordus' general) while leading a group to seek refuge in Kryta
Adelbern suffered the same fate as his subjects and guards the catacombs
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About the Searing
The Foefire and Searing share some eerie similarities. It could be coincidental ...
Took place in 1070 AE (around 250+ years ago)
Charr shaman Bonfaaz Burntfur used magic given to him by the titans (charr worshipped them as gods at the time) at the Cauldron of Cataclysm or Cauldron of Searing (Iron Marches)
Burning crystals rained down over Ascalon, leaving it a scarred wasteland
Krytan Monarchy Research
With the discovery of a locket that supposedly always shows the heir to the Krytan throne, I wanted to familiarize myself with the current monarchy and its history.
Queen Jennah
Sole (human) ruler of Kryta; seat in Divinity's Reach
Bodyguard: Countess Anise
Rumors of romantic feelings or involvement with Seraph captain Logan Thackeray, though it may only be one-sided (his); regardless, they share a magical connection and he is her champion
Has made fewer public appearances since Scarlet's attack at the Jubilee
Freakishly powerful mesmer -- supposedly enough so that she cloned an Elder Dragon while simultaneously holding hundreds of human and charr with a glamour (feat occurred at Ebonhawke)
Strong proponent of, and instrumental in, human-charr peace
Faces strong opposition from Minister Caudecus
Has no known children
Does have a dark grey cat, Shadow
Her notable predecessors
King Doric, whose pleas supposedly caused the human gods to break the Bloodstone into 5 pieces and whose blood sealed it -- his line is charged with the Bloodstones' protection
NOTE: ALL human royalty -- from Kryta, Ascalon or Orr -- have supposedly been Doric's descendants
Mazdak the Accursed, corrupted by Zhaitan (lich); Orrian prince who left to establish Krytan colony
Mad King (Oswald) Thorn and his son Edrick, though not a direct antecedent
Queen Salma, who with the Shining Blade defeated the White Mantle. Notable also because she was illegitimate -- her mother was a common priestess, and Salma was being raised to follow in her mother's footsteps before assuming the throne.
So an illegitimate child could be an heir? Or potentially a more distant "commoner" relative? Interesting. And I keep coming back to Bloodstones ...
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The Shining Blade
Serve as Royal Guard
Currently headed by Countess Anise (a position hand-picked by monarch); also a mesmer
Founded between 1070-1072 AE as rebel group to take on White Mantle/Mursaat
Largely shadowy organization -- spies, messengers etc.
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The Krytan Ministry
Installed by King Baede (whose reign saw the rise of Orr) to give all humans a voice
Headed by Legate Minister (currently Lord Caudecus Beetlestone), who is in charge of Ministry Guard and acts as liaison between Ministry and monarch
Designs laws that monarch then approves or rejects
Each Minister elected, serves particular area (including those outside Kryta, such as Ascalon)
Ruled in Jennah's stead after her father died until she came of age
Some scandal, including: Marjory's claim that a minister was practicing dark magic on a kidnap victim; and Caudecus' daughter claiming he was involved in shady dealings (likely he has Separatist ties)
Having discovered the existence of a locket that supposedly shows the heir to the Krytan throne, a family tree seems a necessary reference.
NOT MY WORK.
Updated map of the vines' path, including broken waypoint. I originally saw it here.
Kitabu's point is hurtful, but he HAS one.
Explorer Kitabu: So a mad sylvari terrorizes Tyria for half a year, and then another mad sylvari brings down the Zephyrite ship right next to her former home.
Explorer Savio: Yeah. I think I understand now why Gixx opted not to send a sylvari along on our mission.
Explorer Kitabu: I thought their people were singularly incorruptible.
Concordia attack ... royal locket the target/catalyst?
Tactician Art: Thanks for helping us out here. That attack caught us by surprise.
Rox: You had no warning?
Tactician Art: Well, a few small vines popped up after the Priory caravan arrived, but we didn't pay those any mind. Er, until they grew.
Braham: Priory caravan? Was it carrying the vines? Seeds?
Tactician Art: Hmm, not that they mentioned. They did have some extremely old artifacts with them.
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Magister Lindsay: How bad are things over there? Have the items in the fort been compromised?
Contact: I'm afraid so. The Vigil have retreated to the Goldenlight Hallow lab.
Magister Lindsay: What are we going to do now? Our caravans were carrying magical artifacts out here for safekeeping. The Krytan royal locket is among them.
Contact: The Krytan royal locket?
Magister Lindsay: It's a magical locket. It's said to always have the image of the current heir to the throne of Kryta displayed inside it. It's quite beautiful.
Contact: It sounds powerful.
Magister Lindsay: Quite powerful. And coveted. We move it from fort to fort on an irregular schedule. I probably shouldn't even be telling you about it.
Detailed Inventory of Scarlet's Trail/Ley Line Hub
These are objects Scarlet left scattered in Dry Top.
One of Scarlet's abandoned steam minions remains where it ceased functioning while on its way out of her lab.
Power Crystal
Someone dropped what appears to be an asuran power crystal here
Strange Cube
What looks to be the component of a larger machine of asuran design lies where it fell in the sand. (Likely a part to Omadd's machine.)
(These holes located very near the strange cube.)
Broken Steam Minotaur
One of Scarlet's steam minions remains decapitated and abandoned here in the dunes. This may be where the head on her workbench came from.
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These are objects found in the ley line hub.
EDIT: A colleague who publishes under the pen name "The Ley Line Hub" helpfully pointed out this is actually the symbol for the Inquest ... though its resemblance to the Eternal Alchemy is striking. My colleague theorized that perhaps the Inquest had glimpsed the Eternal Alchemy before even Scarlet had.
This exact symbol also found on the floor in Omadd's machine.
Sheet of paper:
This sketch -- probably drawn by Scarlet -- is of some stone circles with rays of magic shooting through them. The notations imply her suspicion that this occurs naturally in certain places throughout Tyria.
Sheet of paper:
This piece of parchment contains calculations that appear to be done by Scarlet's hand. She was trying to track how much weight her steam creatures could carry.
A conversation:
Taimi: Well, everything points to it being a ley line hub. And before you ask, it's where multiple ley lines intersect. Scarlet thought it was important enough to set up a lab here.
Marjory: The plant dragon's corruption has found its way in.
Taimi: Yes, it's troubling, but it makes sense given how the dragons consume magic. They're undoubtedly attracted to ley lines like spiders are attracted to flies caught in their webs.
"Magical Grounding versus Magical Flow" by Scholar Abel
This theoretical treatise discusses the control of magical energy as it applies to ghosts. Scholar Abel of the Durmand Priory theorizes that ghosts are just magical energy constructs.
Because of this, they can be grounded as lightning can, or channeled as electrical surges can. The entire second half of hte work is his complaint that no one takes his theories seriously.
Control console:
This display reveals how Scarlet moved her equipment. Various types of cargo are assigned to a mix of Scarlet's steam creatures, and strategic placement of portals allowed teleportation of larger pieces.
Inquest Teleporter Component
This strange item is new and without a layer of dust. The Inquest must have brought it in and left it behind.
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(see symbol also on Scarlet's drawing above)
Conversation at Omadd's machine:
According to Taimi, there's a "disturbance" in the ley lines
Taimi: It's these vines. They're attracted to the magical resonance of the waypoints.
Contact: So you mean Mordremoth's corruption?
Taimi: Not exactly. It's my belief that these vines we're seeing are coming directly from the dragon, spreading underground across Tyria. It's not just corruption. It's him.
Contact: And the free-moving ones above ground?
Taimi: As far as I can tell, they're corrupted. And spreading.
