Desmina

This article is about the allied NPC. For the raid boss, see Soulless Horror.

Desmina

Race

Spirit, Human

Profession

Necromancer

Rank

Legendary

Location

Godslost Swamp
(Queensdale)
Hall of Chains
(The Mists)

Organization

Church of Grenth

Image(s)

Desmina as "Mysterious Spirit".

“

I remain faithful to the Prince of Winter. I will have his bidding done as I see fit.

— Desmina

Desmina is Grenth's first priestess. She asked for revenge on those who had wronged her—and Grenth granted it, in exchange for her loyalty. Desmina's body and spirit have been split since Dhuum's invasion of the Hall of Chains, with her body becoming the Soulless Horror.

Biography

Early years

Little is known of Desmina's early history. According to the Scriptures of Grenth written in 48 BE, Desmina admired power and ambition and was scorned and exiled by her people. In her grief and anger, she cursed the gods while wishing to devote herself to any god who would grant her revenge against those who had scorned her. Grenth answered Desmina's plea and offered her what she desired in exchange for her loyalty. Desmina accepted the offer and became the God of Death's First Follower in the Church of Grenth, swearing allegiance in life and beyond. She became a famous necromancer.

Hall of Chains

Dhuum, the former God of Death whose place in the pantheon Grenth had usurped, was breaking out of his bindings in the Hall of Chains despite the efforts made by Grenth's Seven Reapers and other denizens of the Underworld to contain him. When Grenth's influence faded as the gods withdrew from Tyria and eventually traveled deeper into the Mists, Dhuum grew stronger via devouring souls that had been slain in the Underworld. Eventually Dhuum had become powerful enough to break free and began feasting on souls in greater quantities as he redirected the River of Souls to his former prison. His acts slowly changed the very landscape of the Hall of Chains, and he either converted or slew the denizens of the Underworld who stood in his way.

Desmina did her best to battle Dhuum's growing army but was eventually fighting a losing battle. In a last ditch effort to protect herself from Dhuum's corruption and to keep the spirits hiding in the Besieged Ruins safe, she split her spirit from her body, leading to her two halves becoming the Mysterious Spirit and the Soulless Horror. Her spirit set up a barrier to keep the Soulless Horror at bay although it was only a temporary solution. To stand a chance against Dhuum, she would need to reach out to Grenth's mortal followers in Tyria and ask for their aid against Dhuum like how the Reapers had relied on mortals centuries prior.

Desmina eventually appeared in Godslost Swamp in Queensdale and attracted attention as a glowing wisp during the Shadow Behemoth's attack. At the same time Dhuum's skeletal minions poured out of portals leading to the Underworld in the swamp and at Reaper's Gate, targeting Grenth's followers who were investigating mysterious visions sent by Desmina. Some necromancers successfully crossed over to the Hall of Chains from a portal that had opened at Reaper's Gate, only to be swiftly killed by Dhuum's minions as well.

It was not until 1330 AE that Desmina finally met with adventurers who would be strong enough to survive the battles to come. She enlisted the aid of Scholar Glenna and a group of raiders who had entered the Hall of Chains investigating the mysterious portal and the incursions of Underworld creatures into Central Tyria. With their help, Desmina was able to subdue the Soulless Horror and reunite her spirit with her body.

After becoming whole again, Desmina urged the raiders to help escort her through the River of Souls so they could reach the Statues of Grenth and defeat Dhuum's minions standing guard there in order to access Dhuum's sanctum. Despite the raiders' many questions about her and the Underworld in general, the First Follower's answers were brief and often more mysterious than actual answers would have been while she prompted the raiders to focus on the task at hand to save Tyria from Dhuum's wrath.

Once the raiders had helped Desmina with the statues and lowered the protective barriers around Dhuum's stronghold, the Seven Reapers came to assist them and took the fight to the former God of Death's throne room. While the Reapers began a ritual to contain Dhuum in his prison like they had done centuries before, the recovering Desmina gave orders on the battlefield, instructing the raiders to keep the Reapers safe for the ritual to succeed and to be careful of Dhuum's tricks. However, Dhuum proved to be a strong foe and appeared to slay the Reapers at a critical juncture, forcing the raiders to take the Reapers' roles while Desmina herself put finishing touches on the ritual as her strength returned.

Eventually the group managed to finish the ritual, binding Dhuum in a sturdy magical prison while Desmina looked on. When asked to clarify what had happened, the First Follower only gave cryptic answers, giving way to a possible interpretation that the Reapers' demise may not have been because of Dhuum but an intended effect to ensure that the ritual would be strong enough to prevent Dhuum from escaping ever again.

With the Reapers gone and other powerful servants of Grenth having fallen to Dhuum and destroyed by the raiders, Desmina was the only notable servant of Grenth left. The First Follower had thus effectively become the most powerful being and ruler of the Hall of Chains in Grenth's absence. When questioned about what she would do next, Desmina claimed to stay faithful to Grenth and do the God of Death's bidding done as she saw fit.

Location

Kryta

• Queensdale
  • Godslost Swamp (as Mysterious Spirit)

Underworld

• Hall of Chains
  • Winter's Vigil (as Mysterious Spirit)
  • Ice Wastes
  • Death's Landing

Combat abilities

Abilities

• The First Follower

Effects

Dialogue

At Winter's Vigil, as Mysterious Spirit

I told you, mortal. I cannot maintain this form indefinitely. Reunite me with my body. Answers will come later.

Fine, but I need to know what's happening here.

At Death's Landing

I have a moment. Ask your questions.

How did Dhuum get free?

<Character name>: How did Dhuum get free?

Desmina: With every death, he grows stronger. Dhuum devoured souls for centuries to regain the power to break his bonds.

Desmina: He then manipulated the river and corrupted much of the Underworld.

Desmina: He's seizing territory to mount his escape to the mortal realm.

What happened to you?

<Character name>: What happened to you?

Desmina: I severed the union of my spirit and body to defy Dhuum's influence.

Desmina: I persevered.

Which statue should we head for first?

<Character name>: Which statue should we head for first?

Desmina: The order is unimportant. Get control of them and get back to me as soon as you can.

Who are the allies you mentioned?

<Character name>: Who are the allies you mentioned?

Desmina: Ancients.

<Character name> And?

(pause)

<Character name> Okay. Good talk.

What happens if Dhuum escapes?

<Character name>: What happens if Dhuum escapes?

Desmina: Plague. Pestilence. The irrevocable consumption of mortal souls. The annihilation of humanity.

Never mind.

After defeating Dhuum

Desmina: I have a moment. Ask your questions

Won't Dhuum just gain the strength to free himself again?

<Character name>: Won't Dhuum just gain the strength to free himself again?

Desmina: The alterations to the ritual assure that his new bonds are unbreakable.

How will the Underworld operate without the reapers?

<Character name>: How will the Underworld operate without the reapers?

Desmina: Efficiently.

You recovered just in time.

<Character name>: You recovered just in time.

Desmina: Yes. That was fortunate for humankind.

What will you do now?

<Character name>: What will you do now?

Desmina: I remain faithful to the Prince of Winter. I will have his bidding done as I see fit.

Never mind.

Gallery

• 

  Cinematic at the end of Hall of Chains.

• 

  Portrait for her Mysterious Spirit form.

• 

  Concept art.

• 

  Render by Errol Stange.

Related achievements

• Hall of Chains: The Ferrywoman — Complete the River of Souls event. (5)

Notes

• The Mysterious Spirit was first noticed shortly after Halloween 2017.

Trivia

• Desmina is voiced by Kari Wahlgren.
• Desmina has her own leitmotif, called "Desmina's Theme", which was composed by Maclaine Diemer.
• Desmina's Hallows in the Cursed Shore is named after her.
• Desmina is also referred to as:
  • First Follower of Grenth
  • Herald of the Prince of Winter
  • Keeper of the Gate
  • Red Witch
• The unnamable Despoina ("the mistress") is a Mycenaean Greek goddess of winter and frost, viewed as either sister to Persephone or as the goddess who would become Persephone.

See also

The Guild Wars Wiki has an article on Desmina.

Associated items

• Desmina's Token
• First Follower Desmina Outfit
• Flesh and Sinew
• Mini Desmina
• Sledge of the Red Witch