Nightmare Court
“A true sylvari should have two hearts: one soft and pliable as hot wax, and the other as hard and impenetrable as an icy diamond. The first, he should show to his companions, the second, to his enemy. Woe to the one for whom the two are the same.
— Dagonet
The Nightmare Court is a home to those sylvari who reject the Ventari Tablet's teachings, embrace the nightmares encountered within the Dream of Dreams, and are attempting to understand them, while giving life to them with acts of evil. The primary goal of the Nightmare Court is to corrupt the Pale Tree herself, bringing her around to their twisted ideals so that the sylvari may be freed from the shackles of Ventari's Tablet and replace this philosophy of a centaur and a human by one which is uniquely sylvari.
The Nightmare Court do not consider themselves "perverse" or "evil." However, once within the court, their converts are forced to commit dreadful acts that destroy every last ounce of virtue they may have left. To achieve this, the Nightmare Court holds Dark Vigils, which consist of depraved tournaments and other detestable acts, all the while contributing to the growing Nightmare within the Dream. Nightmare Courtiers also have Dark Hunts, as opposed to Wyld Hunts, which they view to be their purpose for expanding the Nightmare.
Contents
Structure[edit]
The sylvari in the Nightmare Court do not unanimously share the same mentality. Some courtiers preach their way is about balancing the Dream and the Nightmare, and only convert those willing to join; others seek for the Nightmare to overcome the Dream and will forcefully convert others to their cause. In the end, however, all converts believe the Nightmare's path is correct, even if forced upon them, and are all more than willing to convince other sylvari to choose the same path, regardless of how they go about it.
The main portion of the Nightmare Court holds an apprenticeship system where low-ranking members are made servant to higher-ranking members. Members gain ranks as they become able to spread nightmare to others on their own, where they become a Knight and often take on titles, such as Knight of Decay, to help spread the nightmare. The highest ranks within the Nightmare Court are known as the Retinue, elevated to such a position by the leader and given new ranks: baron, count, countess, duke, and duchess.
There are, however, multiple splinter factions within the Nightmare Court and not all of these factions use the same structure and rank names as the Nightmare Court proper. Two splinter groups are known to exist: the Nightmare Court within Brokenhope Village and Venomblight, and those who joined the Toxic Alliance. There are also known cases of infighting between high ranking members of a single faction - such as seen between Leurent, Fyonna, and Vevina.
History[edit]

The Nightmare Court was founded by the Secondborn Cadeyrn in circa 1309 AE[1] after a number of events, such as Niamh's refusal to dispatch of krait younglings and the refusal of the Firstborn to seek revenge on the asura for their treatment of Malomedies, convinced him that the Ventari Tablet was holding the sylvari back and that if the sylvari were truly to defeat the Elder Dragons, they would have to use any means necessary. It was Caithe's own statement that the Pale Tree would not listen to Cadeyrn, saying "You are either firstborn...or you are simply sylvari" that led Cadeyrn to create the Nightmare Court and forcefully make the Pale Tree listen to his views - an act Caithe later regretted.
Eventually, Cadeyrn had managed to bring the Firstborn Faolain into his fold, though this was after Faolain had first touched the Nightmare herself, and she later replaced him as leader, titling herself the Grand Duchess. Since then, Faolain has attempted multiple times to bring Caithe into the Nightmare. Caithe, believing herself responsible, traveled to the Nightmare Court base Twilight Arbor to put an end to a string of recent sylvari kidnappings by defeating the Nightmare Court. She was able to defeat Faolain, who fled, leaving Twilight Arbor abandoned by the Nightmare Court.
However, within Twilight Arbor Faolain had been growing a Nightmare Tree, which when grown is supposedly capable of granting others' desires of nightmare. As sylvari under protection the Wardens attempted to rebuild Twilight Arbor, the courtiers Fyonna, Leurent, and Vevina had arrived, causing panic among the non-courtiers, and competed fiercely for control of the Nightmare Tree.
In 1326 AE, some Nightmare Courtier groups had worked out a deal with Scarlet Briar, allowing the Aetherblades to set up a base within Twilight Arbor. What the Court gained from this deal is not yet known, however a splinter group (unknown if the same as those who let her into Twilight Arbor) has joined an alliance with the krait to form the Toxic Alliance.
When Mordremoth arose in 1328 AE, Faolain journeyed to the Heart of Maguuma. Nightmare Courtiers, according to Faolain, wanted nothing to do with Mordremoth, despite his promises, finding his influence just as bad or worse than that of the Pale Tree's. While there, Faolain was taken away by a Mordrem Vinetooth and mutated into a powerful Mordrem beast with her face. Inevitably she was killed by the Commander and party, including her former lover, Caithe. This left the Nightmare Court with no clear leader.
Known camps[edit]
- Banshee's Keen
- Briarthorn Den
- Dolorous Vale
- Dreamdark Enclave
- Hemlock Coil
- Twilight Arbor (headquarters)
- Brokenhope Village
- Unnamed camp within Shimmerstone Cave
Types[edit]
- See also: Category:Nightmare Court
- Apprentice Toindra
- Attendant of Sorrows
- Bercilak
- Brangoire
- Cadeyrn
- Champion Toxic Alchemist
- Champion Toxic Assassin
- Champion Toxic Knight
- Courtier Elisaid
- Diplomat Tarban
- Duchess Chrysanthea
- Ebon Knight Cariaddar
- Elite Nightmare Court Archer
- Elite Nightmare Court Cultist
- Elite Nightmare Court Knight
- Elite Nightmare Court Sorcerer
- Elite Nightmare Initiate
- Elite Nightmare Warder
- Elite Toxic Assassin
- Elite Toxic Bulwark
- Elite Toxic Knight
- Emissary Gift Carrier
- Executioner Eorana
- Faolain
- Fyonna
- Gavin
- Houndmaster Rienne
- Kennelmaster Marm
- Knight of Embers
- Lania the Feathered Death
- Leurent
- Meinir of the Beasts
- Nightmare Consort
- Nightmare Corrupter
- Nightmare Corruptor
- Nightmare Court Ambusher
- Nightmare Court Apprentice
- Nightmare Court Black Widow
- Nightmare Court Bowman
- Nightmare Court Ebon Knight
- Nightmare Court Executioner
- Nightmare Court Guard
- Nightmare Court Kennelmaster
- Nightmare Court Knight
- Nightmare Court Marquis
- Nightmare Court Noble
- Nightmare Court Pack Trainer
- Nightmare Court Page
- Nightmare Court Recruiter
- Nightmare Court Scout
- Nightmare Court Slaver
- Nightmare Court Spider Tamer
- Nightmare Court Spider Trainer
- Nightmare Court Squire
- Nightmare Court Thorn Wolf
- Nightmare Court Tormentor
- Nightmare Courtier
- Nightmare Dancer
- Nightmare Defiler
- Nightmare Duelist
- Nightmare Huntsman
- Nightmare Jailer
- Nightmare Minstrel
- Nightmare Recruit
- Nightmare Spellbinder
- Nightmare Warder
- Noxia
- Renvari
- Sariel
- Shadowy Bulwark
- Shadowy Sorcerer
- Shadowy Warrior
- Soira the Dreameater
- Spellbinder Aillithe
- Sylvari Emissary
- Toxic Assassin
- Toxic Baron
- Toxic Baroness
- Toxic Bulwark
- Toxic Courtier
- Toxic Knight
- Toxic Sorcerer
- Veteran Ebon Knight Moith
- Veteran Knight of Sorrows
- Veteran Nightmare Courtier
- Veteran Nightmare Guardian
- Veteran Nightmare Jailer
- Veteran Nightmare Spellbinder
- Veteran Nightmare Wolfmaster
- Veteran Toxic Assassin
- Veteran Toxic Baron
- Veteran Toxic Bulwark
- Veteran Toxic Knight
- Vevina
- Ysvelta
Gallery[edit]
Concept art[edit]
Art by Kekai Kotaki.
Related achievements[edit]
Slayer: Nightmare Court's Bane — Kill 1000 members of the Nightmare Court. (16 )
Notes[edit]
- It has been stated that the Nightmare Court consists of approximately 1/6 to 1/8 [2] (or 10-15 percent)[3] of the Sylvari population.
Trivia[edit]
- The concept for the Nightmare Court was derived from the Unseelie Court of Scottish folklore and other dark faerie lore.
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ Comment by Regina Buenaobra, GuildWars2Guru.com (archived)
- ^ Sylvari race sees the light of day Interview with Jeff Grubb and Ree Soesbee by gamereactor.no (in Norwegian)
- ^ Sylvari Lore Interview with Ree Soesbee & Kristen Perry by Talktyria.net