Cutthroat Politics

An assassination has created a vacancy on the Captain’s Council of Lion’s Arch. Two candidates —war hero Ellen Kiel and prominent merchant Evon Gnashblade —both want to occupy that empty seat, but they can’t do it without your support! To prove they have what it takes to sit on the powerful ruling council, Kiel and Gnashblade will compete to secure a lucrative trade agreement with the merchants of the Zephyr Sanctum. Support your favorite candidate as you experience two weeks of new events, activities, features and rewards beginning July 23! — Official website

“

An assassination has created a vacancy on the Captain’s Council of Lion’s Arch. Two candidates —war hero Ellen Kiel and prominent merchant Evon Gnashblade —both want to occupy that empty seat, but they can’t do it without your support!

To prove they have what it takes to sit on the powerful ruling council, Kiel and Gnashblade will compete to secure a lucrative trade agreement with the merchants of the Zephyr Sanctum. Support your favorite candidate as you experience two weeks of new events, activities, features and rewards beginning July 23!

— Official website

Cutthroat Politics is a release launched on July 23, 2013. The release deals with the Captain's Council election, with two candidates vying for the position: Captain Ellen Kiel and Captain Evon Gnashblade, each providing special benefits upon winning.

Features

Temporary features

• New Living World content
  • Captain's Council election, through August 5, 2013 11 AM PDT.
  • Support your candidate with Support Tokens
  • New challenge activity: Candidate Trials
  • New competitive activities: Aspect Arena and Southsun Survival
  • New achievements: Support Ellen Kiel and Support Evon Gnashblade
  • New events
• New Living World rewards
  • New back items: Desert Rose and Zephyr Rucksack
  • New miniatures: Mini Evon Gnashblade and Mini Ellen Kiel

Permanent features

• WvW updates
  • New World Ability Line: Catapult Mastery
• Gem Store updates
  • Black Lion Claim Ticket Scraps and Black Lion Claim Ticket in Black Lion Chests
  • New Aetherized weapon skins on Black Lion Weapons Specialist
  • Braham's, Magitech, and Phoenix armor skins

Overview

Special Event

• Ellen Kiel and Evon Gnashblade are competing for Zephyr Sanctum's trade contract–your vote decides!

Mail

Primary article: Cutthroat Politics mail

Players received mail from Ellen Kiel and Evon Gnashblade at the beginning of the release.

Audience with the Master

Primary article: Audience with the Master

Audience with the Master is the introductory instance explaining the situation between Ellen Kiel and Evon Gnashblade.

Captain's Council Election

The Captain's Council election has been tied together with the Zephyrite trade agreement. The Zephyrites want to see which of the two candidates have the support of Tyria before they work towards a trade agreement. The candidate that secures trade agreement will win the open seat. Captain Gnashblade and Captain Kiel each have promised benefits if they are elected. The chosen candidate will determine future content that players will receive, both immediately and by the end of the year. To support a candidate, players earn Support Tokens by completing the new activities and turn them in to their candidate's basket on the Zephyr Sanctum. Doing so will earn them a badge they can wear for 1 hour to support their desired candidate and earn new achievements for each candidate while playing existing content.

Regardless of the winner, the election will result in a rotating schedule of previously available activities (Southsun Survival, Sanctum Sprint, Crab Toss, and Keg Brawl) as well as fractal versions of Molten Facility and Aetherblade Retreat later in the year. The election will only be available from July 23rd to August 5th, after which no more votes will be accepted.

Evon Gnashblade

• Reduced prices on Black Lion Keys for four weeks.
• Development of a Fall of Abaddon fractal to be added by the end of the year.
  • Note: This fractal will cover the original fall of Abaddon that took place prior to the events of Guild Wars 1.

Ellen Kiel

• Reduced waypoint costs for four weeks.
• Development of a Thaumanova Reactor fractal to be added by the end of the year.
  • Note: This fractal will cover the chaos magic explosion that took place between the events of Guild Wars 1 and Guild Wars 2.

Candidate Trials

Primary article: Candidate Trials

Players can participate in the trials either solo or with a group, fighting up to four waves of Aetherblades pirates for support and rewards. There is a rare chance for an Aetherized weapon.

Southsun Survival

Primary article: Southsun Survival

Players are armed with a bow and arrow, and will have to scavenge for equipment and rations to survive against other players before they starve to death. If a player dies, they return as a ghost to make the game even more difficult for the remaining survivors.

Aspect Arena

Primary article: Aspect Arena

Armed with the power of the Aspects, players must gather small crystals at the various large crystals and make their way back to their base to score points. Players get both movement and new offensive Aspect skills to fight other players.

Gem Store

• Ellen Kiel Support Bundle
  • 125  for 1
  • 500  for 5
• Evon Gnashblade Support Bundle
  • 125  for 1
  • 500  for 5
• Braham's Heavy Armor Skin — 800 
• Magitech Medium Armor Skin — 800 
• Phoenix Light Armor Skin — 800 
• Banker Golem (2 weeks) — 500 

Gallery

• 

  A poster supporting Ellen Kiel.

• 

  A banner supporting Ellen Kiel — "Vote for Kiel".

• 

  A banner supporting Ellen Kiel.

• 

  A poster supporting Evon Gnashblade.

• 

  A banner supporting Evon Gnashblade — "Vote for Evon".

• 

  A banner supporting Evon Gnashblade.

Notes

• The fractal for the losing candidate will not be created.
• Bazaar of the Four Winds achievements and other content continue to be available through August 6, 2013.

External links

• Cutthroat Politics on official website
• A Guide to Cutthroat Poltics on official website
• Black Lion Trading Company new item announcement on official website
• A Shipwreck: How Ellen Met Magnus on official website
• Short Story: Evon Gnashblade Disembarks on official website

References

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Living World Season 1 original story releases

Flame and Frost (Prelude•The Gathering Storm•The Razing•Retribution) The Secret of Southsun Last Stand at Southsun Dragon Bash Sky Pirates of Tyria Cutthroat Politics Queen's Jubilee Clockwork Chaos Twilight Assault Tower of Nightmares The Nightmares Within Fractured The Origins of Madness The Edge of the Mists Escape from Lion's Arch Battle for Lion's Arch Battle for Lion's Arch: Aftermath