Drarra
If you've been in-game at any time during the last month, you've experienced the upheaval and ripples from Scarlet Briar attacking and holding the city of Lion's Arch.
The entire support structure of the capitol city has been relocated to the Vigil keep in Gendarran Fields, and the city has become a war zone and explorable area.
When I reached the point in the story where I realized Scarlet attacking Lion's Arch was inevitable, I knew I'd be upset. What I didn't realize was the emotional reaction I'd have to the destruction of what has come to be my in-game "home". Watching the cut scene that first time I logged in was akin to the first time I played through Guild Wars 1, when i didn't realize the Searing was going to happen. Wandering through the destruction she left in her wake was as powerful as exploring in Old Ascalon in the first act of Guild Wars. And don't think I've forgiven the Flame Legion for that destruction yet - I the player still have not.
The mass of events from the last two Living Story updates have been interesting. We've helped defend key points in the city, struggled to keep the various factions of Scarlet's alliance from taking over and poisoning the air and saved countless civilians from certain death.
In the latest installment, we've progressed to fighting her Knights, the final champions preventing us from attacking Scarlet's Prime Hologram. Upon simultaneously killing the Knights, we've encountered the frenzy of slaying the Prime Hologram and then reached the final point.
Dear reader, there will now be spoilers. If you have not completed the Living Story at this time, you are warned.
Then we get to kick Scarlet's evil, corrupted self and finish her off.
Finishing her was quite satisfying for me, I'm not going to lie to you. I felt like I was avenging my home. But it was only a partial victory, and her drilling has awoken another dragon, and my best guess places that dragon in Maguuma.
I experienced a blur of emotions in this moment: grim determination to finish her off, satisfaction for defending my home, grief for Marjory's fate, horror for another awakening dragon, and even a touch of excitement, because maybe we'll get more of the Maguuma map opened up.
With today's patch, the Battle of Lion's Arch has come to a close, and we'll enter a period of rebuilding and reconstruction. It will be interesting to watch the citizens put the city back together and see what changes develop in the landscape - and in the world at large.
Tell me, gentle reader, what do you think about this installment of the Living Story? Do you think ArenaNet will open up more of the jungle? Which zones would you like to revisit (I want to go back to The Falls)? And did you collect enough heirlooms for horns or a halo?
The entire support structure of the capitol city has been relocated to the Vigil keep in Gendarran Fields, and the city has become a war zone and explorable area.
When I reached the point in the story where I realized Scarlet attacking Lion's Arch was inevitable, I knew I'd be upset. What I didn't realize was the emotional reaction I'd have to the destruction of what has come to be my in-game "home". Watching the cut scene that first time I logged in was akin to the first time I played through Guild Wars 1, when i didn't realize the Searing was going to happen. Wandering through the destruction she left in her wake was as powerful as exploring in Old Ascalon in the first act of Guild Wars. And don't think I've forgiven the Flame Legion for that destruction yet - I the player still have not.
The mass of events from the last two Living Story updates have been interesting. We've helped defend key points in the city, struggled to keep the various factions of Scarlet's alliance from taking over and poisoning the air and saved countless civilians from certain death.
In the latest installment, we've progressed to fighting her Knights, the final champions preventing us from attacking Scarlet's Prime Hologram. Upon simultaneously killing the Knights, we've encountered the frenzy of slaying the Prime Hologram and then reached the final point.
Dear reader, there will now be spoilers. If you have not completed the Living Story at this time, you are warned.
Then we get to kick Scarlet's evil, corrupted self and finish her off.
Finishing her was quite satisfying for me, I'm not going to lie to you. I felt like I was avenging my home. But it was only a partial victory, and her drilling has awoken another dragon, and my best guess places that dragon in Maguuma.
I experienced a blur of emotions in this moment: grim determination to finish her off, satisfaction for defending my home, grief for Marjory's fate, horror for another awakening dragon, and even a touch of excitement, because maybe we'll get more of the Maguuma map opened up.
With today's patch, the Battle of Lion's Arch has come to a close, and we'll enter a period of rebuilding and reconstruction. It will be interesting to watch the citizens put the city back together and see what changes develop in the landscape - and in the world at large.
Tell me, gentle reader, what do you think about this installment of the Living Story? Do you think ArenaNet will open up more of the jungle? Which zones would you like to revisit (I want to go back to The Falls)? And did you collect enough heirlooms for horns or a halo?
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