Ryland Steelcatcher

Ryland Steelcatcher

Race

Charr

Rank

Legendary

Location

Dragon Response Mission: Brisban Wildlands
(Brisban Wildlands)
Dragon Response Mission: Lake Doric
(Lake Doric)
Dragon Response Mission: Snowden Drifts
(Snowden Drifts)
Dragonstorm Arena
(Dragonstorm)
Forging Steel
(Shiverpeak Mountains)

Organization

Blood Legion
Dominion
Frost Legion
Steel Warband

Image(s)

Ryland's appearance after Shadow in the Ice.

“

I didn't find my purpose—I made it.

— Ryland Steelcatcher

Ryland Steelcatcher is a centurion of the Blood Legion and leader of the Steel Warband. He is also the cub of Rytlock Brimstone and Crecia Stoneglow. Charismatic, cunning and ambitious, he is attempting to step out of his famous parents' shadow and earn recognition on his own terms.

During the charr civil war, Ryland is promoted to tribune, becoming Imperator Bangar Ruinbringer's second-in-command in the Dominion. However, after helping the Elder Dragon Jormag awaken, Ryland abandons both the Dominion and the United Legions and becomes the leading champion of Jormag. After the battle between the Elder Dragons of Fire and Ice, Ryland is slain by Rytlock as he attempts to attack Crecia.

Biography

Early years

Ryland Steelcatcher was born as the cub of Crecia Stoneglow and Rytlock Brimstone, being the latter's eldest son. After Ryland had been weaned, his dam left him to be raised in the Blood Legion's fahrar. He did not meet his sire Rytlock much due to Rytlock being abroad on missions, and the two became distant. Blood Legion cubs would dare each other to take a shard from the biggest sleeping elemental they could find in Shiverpeaks Pass, and Ryland managed to obtain the shard.

The fahrar's primus used to beat the Blood Legion cubs with a rod to toughen them up; however, Ryland stood up to the primus one day and made him stop the beatings, earning the name Steelcatcher that he would use upon joining the Steel warband. Out of all the cubs, only Cinder Steeltemper was brave enough to stop Ryland from beating the primus to death. Ryland and Cinder grew close over time, and they eventually began a relationship. Ryland made a small braid of his lover's fur to carry with him.

While growing up, Ryland caught the attention of Imperator Bangar Ruinbringer who took Ryland under his wing and became a father figure to Ryland in Rytlock's absence. Ryland formed the Steel Warband with Cinder, Vishen Steelshot, and Ranoah Grindsteel. Cinder met with the ex-Renegade Nicabar Steelweaver some time after the Ooze Pit Trials and recruited him to the warband with a tribune's blessing. Upon graduating from the fahrar, the warband got a homeguard posting against their expectations.

As the years passed, Ryland showed his talents as a soldier and gained fame within the Blood Legion as the reputation of the Steel Warband grew. However, some Blood Legion soldiers pondered whether Ryland would ultimately turn out to be a reliable individual like his dam or a loose cannon like his sire.

The Icebrood Saga

Prologue: Bound by Blood

Once news spread of the Pact's victory against Kralkatorrik and Aurene's ascension as a new Elder Dragon in 1332 AE, Crecia convinced Bangar to sign a truce with an atoning Flame Legion splinter group led by Efram Greetsglory. Deciding to host an All-Legion Rally to commemorate the occasion, Bangar had invitations sent to his fellow Imperators as well as other notable Tyrian figures such as General Almorra Soulkeeper of the Vigil, the Pact Commander and members of Dragon's Watch who had contributed to Kralkatorrik's demise. The Blood Imperator ostensibly framed the invitations to be for a celebration of Kralkatorrik's death while using the opportunity to have the High Legions gather in one place so he could host a political rally and promote his views of charr unity under strong leadership in the changed world.

To cement the Blood Legion's symbolic strength in the opening ceremony, Bangar had Ryland, who had recently been promoted as centurion, deliver a killing blow to a Branded devourer in ritualistic combat. As the fight was about to conclude, more Branded erupted from the ground much to the audience's surprise, and the guests had to defend themselves from the sudden attack. Rytlock, the Commander and their ally Braham Eirsson subtly helped Ryland by using nearby harpoons to hold down the Branded broodmother so Ryland could deliver the killing blow. Before the centurion could do so, however, Aurene flew by the arena and Branded the devourer broodmother in her wake, startling and angering Bangar and many other charr who viewed the inteference of the Elder Dragon as the Pact Commander flaunting their power in front of everyone.

As the opening ceremony concluded, Ryland met with the trio who had helped him during the battle with the broodmother. Rytlock tried to reach out to his son by suggesting how Ryland could improve his attacks, to which the young centurion responded coolly. Ryland got along better with Braham, however, and offered himself as a guide to the norn during their tour of Grothmar Valley.

The pair visited many locations in the valley with Ryland offering Braham as much ale to drink as the norn desired. During their tour Ryland told Braham about his parents and charr customs of raising cubs. He also suggested that Braham did not have to be held back by his mother's legacy and could choose another name for himself besides Eirsson. When the centurion learned about Braham's bad blood with his former norn guild, he reminded Braham that the guild was the norn's warband and that Braham should not sever ties with them. He also told Braham that everyone in the valley had heard about Braham using his fire-enchanted bow to break the Fang of the Serpent and his failed mission to assault Jormag.

During the later stages of the tour, the pair confronted angry charr who kept calling Braham names. Ryland escalated the situation by telling the offending charr that Braham was strong enough to take them on, and Braham himself ended up involved in the brawl to defend his honor. The brawlers were arrested and taken to the Brig to cool off, and Ryland spoke on Braham's behalf so the Blood Legion would not press charges on him for disturbing the peace. The charr let Braham to stay in the cell to sleep off the effects of alcohol while Ryland departed from the Brig. Unbeknownst to Braham, however, Ryland did not leave empty-handed: he had confiscated Braham's bow, his true target, in order to deliver it to Bangar for the next stage of the Blood Imperator's plan.

Before leaving to rendezvous with Bangar, Ryland reached out to the Renegades who had arrived in the valley. He ordered them to kidnap the Commander's asuran companion Gorrik, who Bangar believed might have useful intel on Aurene's strengths and weaknesses, and dispose of him once the asura was of no more use to them.

Ryland and Bangar slipped out of the Blood Keep while being joined by several dozen heavily armed warbands from the Renegades and all the four legions whom the Blood Imperator's agents had rallied behind him during the festival. They headed for the Shiverpeaks Pass where they used Iron Legion explosives to blow up the bridge behind them to prevent anyone from following them. Before heading farther north in the blizzard, Bangar addressed the assembled warbands while holding Braham's bow in his claws and announced his plan in clear terms: the charr would even the odds against Aurene by getting their own Elder Dragon—Jormag. Committed to the cause, Ryland stood beside Bangar during the speech and motioned the crowd to cheer at the Blood Imperator in support.

Visions of the Past: Steel and Fire

Ryland watches General Almorra Soulkeeper's death at the hands of Bangar Ruinbringer.

Bangar tasked Ryland with establishing a route through the mountain pass for the northern expedition's additional forces. Eager to impress his imperator, Ryland made it clear to both his warband and their latest recruits that they could not afford any mistakes. An approaching blizzard crashed a few of the supply choppers, forcing the warband to take the ground route and clear it of any obstacles. The warband members had noticed that Ryland had been acting more recklessly and had been pushing the warband to exceed their limits ever since his promotion to centurion, and their views were divided on how to feel about it although they trusted Ryland as a leader to see them through.

As the warband advanced north, they had to battle through agitated wildlife, territorial Sons of Svanir, as well as invading icebrood brought by the blizzard. Ryland reminded Cinder not to overdo it with her kill count challenges involving her trusty flamethrower, which disappointed Cinder who was willing to show off her moves to the recruits. As the warband discussed whether Bangar's cause of furthering charr dominance over other races was justified and Nicabar asked whether Ryland agreed with his skepticism about Bangar's actions, Ryland simply pointed out that it was his duty as a soldier to follow orders of his superior.

Eventually realizing that they would be caught in the rapidly advancing snowstorm, the warband decided to follow Nicabar's suggestion and take a detour through the ruins of an old fortress which had once belonged to the xenophobic Stone Summit dwarves. Upon entering the fortress, they discovered much to their shock that the Stone Summit were still guarding it and that the dwarves had turned more monstrous while summoning destroyers to their side to repel the charr trespassers. Although Vishen suggested that they shoot a flare to alert reinforcements to assist them against the overwhelming enemy, Ryland ordered her to not to as he did not want to disappoint Bangar with his first major assignment.

After fighting through the ruins, the warband came across their last and biggest obstacle, the Ancient Forgeman and its Stone Summit operators guarding the exit. Realizing that they might be overrun, Ryland finally allowed Vishen to shoot the flare. However, the reinforcements did not arrive as quickly as they had hoped, forcing the warband to battle the forgeman in a desperate struggle. The warband prevailed and destroyed the forgeman thanks to the assistance from the recruits only to run into Bangar and his escorts who had arrived to check up on them.

When Bangar questioned the warband's delay and the use of the flare, Ryland quickly explained that the flare had been a miscalculation and that the warband had to take a detour due to the storm. The Blood Imperator was not impressed by Ryland's excuses but quickly brushed the issue aside as he revealed that the blizzard had already hit their main force near Bjora's Pass. He ordered Ryland to accompany him into Darkrime Delves so they could scout an alternate route through the pass. When Cinder offered a security detail to accompany the pair, Ryland told her to stand by and await further instructions.

As Bangar and Ryland explored the delves, the Blood Imperator explained that the use of Braham's fire-enchanted bow had been a propaganda tool rather than a strategic weapon and that he believed how subjugating Jormag should not be too difficult if the Pact Commander had already succeeded with Aurene. When Bangar pointed out how he, as Jormag's champion, would be ordering Jormag to do his bidding, Ryland voiced his doubts about whether champions controlled Elder Dragons or vice versa. The Blood Imperator dismissed Ryland's skepticism and revealed his dream of founding a charr empire that would reach from the Shiverpeaks all the way south to Cantha, ushering in a new age of charr supremacy.

As the pair advanced deeper, they came across Almorra who was being pursued by the Sons of Svanir. After deciding to join forces with the pair to battle the inhabitants of the delves, Almorra revealed what the Sons of Svanir had done to the Vigil at Bjora Marches and urged Bangar to send his forces to aid her. Bangar and Ryland ignored the general's request, however, and tried to convince her to help them with their plans instead.

Ryland got briefly separated from the rest of the group in the maze-like delves. As he tried to reunite with his companions, he overheard Bangar and Almorra continued to bicker and shout at one another as they moved forward, arguing over the present turmoil that Bangar was causing and their troubled past together. When Almorra mentioned her and Bangar's son, Ajax Anvilburn, and insinuated that his death had been due to Bangar's influence, Bangar became enraged. They yelled at one another over their incompatible views on how to deal with Jormag: Almorra wanted to kill the Elder Dragon, while Bangar wanted to tame it and bend it to his will, which Almorra did not think was possible. Finally, their arguments escalated to the point that they began fighting one another, and Almorra, although weakened in Svanir captivity, still had enough strength to knock Bangar back just as Ryland reunited with them.

Ryland burying Almorra Soulkeeper's body.

After questioning Ryland and learning that he would remain loyal to his imperator, Almorra felt that she had no choice but to defeat Ryland too to stop Bangar's plans. The two charr clashed, and Ryland ultimately disarmed the general after a fierce battle. As Almorra lay on the ground beneath Ryland, the recovered Bangar approached her with a dagger in hand and revealed his feelings for her while he tried to win her over one last time.

When Almorra stated that the Blood Imperator had never loved her and that his actions would not preserve but end the charr, the angered Bangar stated that the general was too wounded to be saved and that Ryland should mercy kill her with the dagger. Ryland hesitated, however, due to Almorra's heroic status in charr society. Almorra used the last of her strength to stand up and face Bangar one last time while stating that the imperator had now lost another son, inciting Bangar to stab her with the dagger in rage.

As Almorra's body fell to the ground, Bangar stopped to think for a moment, before coldly ordering Ryland to get rid of the body. He also voiced his disappointment at Ryland being more like Rytlock than he had expected much to Ryland's dismay. As Bangar departed from the scene, Ryland uttered the general's Vigil motto—"Some must fight, so that all may be free."—in reverence and took Almorra to the other exit of Darkrime Delves. He buried Almorra under stones from the surrounding rubble while respectfully planting the general's sword in the ground as a grave marker.

Shadow in the Ice

After returning from Darkrime Delves, Bangar and Ryland led their army into Bjora Marches where several charr were affected by Jormag's whispers via the dragon champion Drakkar. Not wanting to risk losing his army to the Ice Dragon, Bangar resolved to take Ryland with him as the pair traveled to Drakkar to kill the champion and silence the whispers. Although they were being tracked by Crecia and Rytlock who tried to catch up with them unseen, the charr army managed to keep their distance.

Bangar and Ryland tracked down Drakkar to an icy cave south of Drakkar Lake in 1333 AE just in time to witness the Pact Commander and Braham, who had been reunited with Crecia and Rytlock, being close to succumbing to the power that had been controlling Drakkar all along: the Whisper of Jormag, an avatar of the Elder Dragon. Bangar rallied the nearly defeated heroes and told them to stand up as they faced the Whisper together. Using Braham's bow, the Blood Imperator ultimately vanquished the weakened Whisper and gloated his victory to the party.

When the party confronted Bangar about the theft of the bow and that he tried to claim credit for the kill, Bangar revealed his aspirations to become Jormag's champion while he intended to use Drakkar's death as proof that he alone could control the Ice Dragon. Rytlock tried to convince Ryland to stop following Bangar, but Ryland remained loyal to his imperator and responded by asking where Rytlock's loyalties lay as a member of the Blood Legion.

When the Commander tried to persuade Bangar to stop his mission as Jormag could not be controlled, the Blood Imperator responded by shooting the Commander with the enchanted bow while stating that a confrontation between them would always end this way. Before the Blood Imperator could finish off the Commander with another arrow, the enraged Braham accessed his totem ability to Become the Wolf and attacked the two charr. Ryland stepped in the way to face Braham's wolf form, only to be wounded by the transformed norn.

As Crecia and Rytlock lifted the wounded Commander with the intention to retreat, Bangar and Ryland left the cave as well. Their new mission was to return to charr lands to convince the High Legions of the Blood Imperator's power. In the battle's aftermath, Ryland thought that Braham had turned out to be more determined than he had given the norn credit for.

No Quarter

After the battle, Ryland assisted Bangar in rallying charr to his cause of becoming Jormag's champion and making charr the supreme race on Tyria. As a reward for his loyalty, Ryland was promoted to tribune. The cross-legion charr followers of Bangar became known as the Dominion, winning several victories against the High Legions, while Crecia led a rebel Blood Legion faction against her former imperator.

As the threat of the Dominion grew, the High Legions began working together on a larger scale, naming themselves the United Legions as they opposed Bangar's ambitions. The Blood Imperator and his Dominion forces attacked Drizzlewood Coast, driving out and massacring the native denizens there while establishing several fortifications to repel any would-be assailants. The United Legions followed the Dominion to the region, however, making their base in the Umbral Grotto in hopes of catching Bangar before he succeeded in his goals.

Several battles ensued in which the United Legions lost so much ground that their camp ended up as the front line of the war for Drizzlewood Coast. Instead of crushing the resistance, Ryland offered the legions a parley of his own accord, with his terms being that the United Legions would announce their surrender and declare their support of Bangar's campaign publicly. Soon after, the Commander arrived at the parley, attempting to persuade Ryland to let the legions deal with Bangar without Ryland getting involved. However, Logan Thackeray and Lady Kasmeer Meade arrived to offer their support to the legions, causing Ryland to declare that the imperators' alliances were clearly askew and rescinded his offer of peace.

Ryland glares at Crecia Stoneglow after she shields Smodur the Unflinching from his attack.

Aiding the United Legions in their war, the Pact Commander managed to slowly turn the tide. With the Commander's help, the legions located the Steel Warband's base, capturing Cinder to use as a bargaining chip. The rest of Ryland's warbandmates were killed soon after in a battle for control of the Wolf's Crossing Bridge.

Upon learning of his warband's fate and that the United Legions were willing to enter a new parley, Ryland arrived at his warband's former base to meet with the legion leadership and the Pact Commander's party. Ryland attempted to negotiate for Cinder to be turned over to him in exchange for the Dominion giving ground to the legions and potentially even defecting to United Legions.

Crecia, who was leading the negotiations on behalf of the United Legions, considered her son's proposal, angering Imperator Smodur the Unflinching who had shown no quarter to traitors and defectors before. Choosing to resolve the parley swiftly, Smodur stabbed Cinder in the neck, killing her. Angered at his lover's death, Ryland attacked Smodur in rage, only to be blocked by a fire shield conjured by Crecia who needed the Iron Imperator alive.

Furious and hurt by his dam's choice, Ryland fled to the Wolf's Crossing Bridge, where a now-corrupted Varinia Stormsounder was waiting to ambush the group pursuing Ryland. The former Minister of Morale revealed that many Dominion soldiers had been corrupted into the Frost Legion who had then killed the United Legions' sentries to take back the bridge during the meeting between Ryland and the United Legions leadership. Although Varinia was ultimately killed in the ensuing clash, Ryland had vanished from sight, and fierce shellings from Dominion artillery forced the Commander's party to retreat back to the former Steel Warband hideout to plan their next move.

Jormag Rising

For several weeks, Ryland remained unseen by Imperator Malice Swordshadow's agents in the Dominion but soon attacked Smodur in revenge in a hidden alcove which the United Legions had been using as their forward base in their push north. Although the legions and the Commander thwarted the joint assault of the Dominion and Sons of Svanir and dispersed their portals, Ryland managed to kill Smodur before fleeing.

While the United Legions regrouped their forces and assaulted Bangar's base at the Frost Citadel, Bangar began a ritual to empower himself with the energy of the trapped four Great Spirits of the Wild in preparation for using this power to control Jormag. Upon the Commander's party arriving in the grand chamber in the heart of the citadel and breaking Bangar's connection to the Spirits, Ryland arrived and leapt at Bangar, removing Eir's bow from him and voicing his dissatisfaction at the Blood Imperator using yet another leverage against Jormag instead of staying true to his word. Ryland trapped Bangar in a shield of corrupted Spirit energy while redirecting the Spirits' energy to Jormag much to the Blood Imperator's surprise. While the two charr brawled, the Commander freed the Great Spirits from the totems which the Sons of Svanir had helped Bangar trap them in.

As the shield broke, the Commander and their allies helped Ryland battle Bangar. Despite the party's efforts, they were too late to stop what had been set in motion: empowered by the Great Spirits' energy, Jormag awoke and trapped the Commander and their allies in shards of ice. After the Ice Dragon had turned the surprised Bangar into their Voice rather than their leading champion, Ryland stepped forward and spoke to Jormag. Gazing at the tribune, the Ice Dragon declared that Ryland had inherited both rage and discipline from his parents, and that Jormag knew what the tribune had wanted all along.

The emboldened Ryland asked to become Jormag's champion, and the Ice Dragon accepted the request, corrupting Ryland into a creature of frost and ice with only Eir Stegalkin's bow remaining untouched. Jormag then disappeared into the Mists along with Ryland and conversed with him at length during their travels while recognizing Ryland's skills as a strategist.

Champions

Chapter 1: Truce

Jormag and their new champion, Ryland.

Months later, Ryland made contact with the asuran Arcane Council in Rata Sum, asking them for an alliance against their mutual enemy Primordus, who was beginning to stir. Wishing to get rid of the Fire Dragon who had once driven the asura from their ancient home in the Depths of Tyria, the Arcane Council accepted the offer. Soon after, the Commander and Braham arrived to talk with Taimi. Braham demanded his mother's bow back upon sighting Ryland. However, Ryland refused as he did not want to hand over a weapon that could harm Jormag, instead telling the party that they should see Taimi.

Upon arriving at the Advanced Metamystics Lab where Taimi had set up shop, Ryland taunted Rytlock much to the latter's frustration. He soon turned his focus on Taimi, however, and inquired where, exactly, they could expect the destroyers to surface. Taimi responded that Primordus's minions were appearing in a very wide variety of places, from northern Ascalon to the Deldrimor Front to the western Maguuma Jungle. Destroyers then appeared at Rata Sum's docks and the group ran to the besieged location to assist Gorrik and the Arcane Council.

Reaching the docks, Ryland summoned a number of Frost Legion to aid him and, after a fierce battle, drove off the destroyers. He asked if he could leave a contingent of Frost Legion in the city should the asura come under attack from destroyers again, but the council politely turned him down. Using his authority as the champion of Jormag, Ryland promised that the Ice Dragon would see the asura's ancient homeland returned to them in exchange for their assistance once Primordus had been slain.

Later on, Ryland appeared in Watchful Source, a sylvari village, where he assisted Caithe and the Commander in battling destroyers. While working alongside the pair, he attempted to manipulate and provoke them in order to test their character. Ryland debated with the pair about the differences between Aurene and Jormag's approaches on saving the world and how Jormag's way was superior to Aurene's.

When the Commander pointed out that Ryland had already betrayed Bangar and could thus betray his current allies in the future, Ryland responded that Bangar was a relic who did not view the world with as much clarity as Ryland, Caithe and the Commander did as dragon champions. After slaying the Destroyer of the Crystal Fields, the leader of the invading destroyers, Ryland left through a portal while stating that Tyria would need more than Aurene's healing once Primordus awoke.

Chapter 2: Power

In another meeting with the Arcane Council, Ryland learned about Primordus empowering himself with the damage his destroyers were causing. Realizing that the Fire Dragon's power would eventually surpass Jormag unless the destroyers were stopped, he decided to perform an experiment to test out his theory.

Ryland sent the icebrood and Sons of Svanir to corrupt Lake Doric and transform the citizens there into Frozen in order to preserve them in Jormag's ice and leaving them invulnerable to destroyers' fire. Crecia, Logan, Rytlock and the Commander drove off the icebrood, however, though not without hundreds of civilians being Frozen. After the party had slain Bors of the Ice Gavel who had been leading the assault, Ryland appeared to tell the party how his experiment with the Frozen had been a success and how the affected citizens would wake far in the future in a new world where Ryland would lead them. When the party voiced out their protests, Ryland pointed out that the Frozen were a means to deny the destroyers more victims and thus prevent Primordus from gaining more power for the coming clash between the two Elder Dragons.

With the test in Lake Doric a success, Ryland targeted Snowden Drifts next where his forces assaulted the local denizens and turned them into Frozen. Ryland himself headed to the Owl Lodge and used an enchanted totem to draw in Owl who had been avoiding Jormag since Braham had awakened her in the Frost Citadel assault. Ryland attempted to corrupt Owl while reminding her that she had promised herself to Jormag once; trick or not, the Ice Dragon would see the deal through even if Ryland would have to use force to make Owl submit.

Braham, Kasmeer and the Commander arrived on the scene soon after in the company of a Claw of Koda to stop him, however. While Braham channelled magic to rescue Owl, the Commander, Kasmeer, and the Claw battled Ryland who angered Braham by taunting him that the norn could have been a worthy opponent if he stopped whining about himself.

While the rest of the party distracted Ryland, Braham followed Owl's advice to sever the connection between her and Ryland, causing the energy to be released upon Owl and leading to her death. Acknowledging his defeat and retreating via a portal, Ryland pointed out that Jormag could still use the magic of the Lost Spirits of Ox, Eagle, and Wolverine to empower themselves even though it would take longer. As the champion of Jormag, Ryland would ensure that the Ice Dragon became strong enough to face Primordus head on and win, and welcomed the party to witness the new world that would come after Jormag's triumph.

Chapter 4: Judgment

Ryland spent the next weeks wreaking havoc around Tyria in an effort to turn more people into the Frozen and empower Jormag while Braham, who had transformed into Primordus's champion to help the Fire Dragon awaken and counter Jormag's influence, had likewise been collecting magic for Primordus. The loss of life from the clashes between the destroyers and the icebrood was incalculable.

By early 1334 , Ryland sought after a potent ley line nexus at Anvil Rock to add its magic to the Ice Dragon, only to realize it was a trap set up by the Commander and their allies who had used Aurene's prismatic power to redirect magic to that one specific spot in order to lure Jormag and Primordus's champions into a confrontation and force the Elder Dragons to intervene in person lest they lose their valuable champions.

Ever confident, Ryland mockingly thanked the Commander's forces for clearing out the destroyers so the icebrood could get the magic for themselves, and he engaged the Tyrian army in battle. Despite having grown in size and power due to absorbing magic over the past weeks, he was nevertheless unable to defeat the Commander and chose to retreat to recover although his pride would not allow him to stay away for long.

By the time Ryland returned to the battlefield with reinforcements, he witnessed Braham bringing a horde of destroyers to claim the magic as well. The two champions spotted one another and, remembering their past animosity, clashed. While the pair were focused on each other, the Commander's forces managed to destroy the two rival Elder Dragons' ley siphons as well as separate the clashing champions and engage them one by one, eventually knocking out both of them.

Witnessing their champions fall forced Jormag and Primordus to intervene and send some of their magic to heal the champions. The rival Elder Dragons were simultaneously cut off from the ley lines thanks to Aurene's intervention, leaving them vulnerable to the Tyrian army's assault. After a fierce battle, Aurene was able to use her prismatic magic to sever the champions' bond to their respective Elder Dragons and direct magic away from the Elder Dragons, forcing Jormag and Primordus to fight. As Braham and Ryland fell once more, Jormag finally attacked Primordus, leading to both Elder Dragons' deaths in a fiery spectacle.

Rytlock Brimstone kills Ryland to protect Crecia Stoneglow.

Due to their bond being severed from their respective Elder Dragon, both Braham and Ryland returned to their precorrupted state although Ryland's fur had turned grey. Weakened but still defiant when confronted by Crecia, Rytlock and the Commander, Ryland announced that he would keep fighting despite Jormag's demise. Angry from his loss and realizing that his ascent to greatness had ended in a fiery crash, Ryland had some harsh words for his parents, calling Rytlock too cowardly to become imperator and blaming Crecia for being content at being Bangar's second-in-command for years rather than reaching for greatness. He refused to concede, and he let out all his pent-up anger with venomous rage.

The trio tried to get Ryland to surrender. When that did not work, they tried to beat him into submission. They wanted to save what little was left of him, but he could not be saved. Towards the end of the clash, Crecia placed the weakened Ryland within a fire shield and told him how ashamed she was of him after witnessing his fall when he had been given everything and yet he had chosen to cast it all aside in his desire for more power.

When Crecia said out loud that she wished she had never given birth to him, Ryland snapped and lunged through the shield at her, Jormag's Needle in hand, ready to end her life much to her shock. Rytlock sprang into action, plunging Sohothin deep into his son's chest and killing him. Rytlock laid Ryland on hard ground, muttering to him that it was over and Ryland had nothing left to prove, while he and Crecia grieved their fallen son.

Locations

Kryta

• Dragon Response Mission: Lake Doric

Maguuma Jungle

• Dragon Response Mission: Brisban Wildlands

Shiverpeak Mountains

• Dragon Response Mission: Snowden Drifts
• Dragonstorm
  • Dragonstorm Arena

• Forging Steel

Story involvement

The Icebrood Saga

• Prologue: Bound by Blood
  • Coming Home
  • Revels & Rivals
  • A Race to Arms
• Episode 2: Shadow in the Ice
  • Voice in the Deep
• Visions of the Past: Steel and Fire
  • Forging Steel
  • Darkrime Delves (as the player character)
• Episode 3: No Quarter
  • Pointed Parley
  • Turnabout
• Episode 4: Jormag Rising
  • A Simple Negotiation
  • One Charr, One Dragon, One Champion
• Episode 5: Champions
  • Chapter 1: Truce
    • Primordus Rising
    • Defending Tyria
  • Chapter 2: Power
    • Jormag's World
  • Chapter 4: Judgment
    • Dragonstorm (as Ryland, Champion of Jormag)
    • Champion's End (as Ryland)

Combat abilities

Prior to One Charr, One Dragon, One Champion

Effects

Skills

•   Greatsword Swing - Slash your foe.
  •   Greatsword Slice - Slice your foe.
    •   Brutal Strike - Hit your foe with a final brutal strike.
•   Shake It Off - Shout. Cure conditions on yourself and nearby allies. Also breaks stuns for affected allies. Grants  Regeneration (2s).
•   Whirlwind Attack - Whirl in a target's direction, slashing foes along your path.

Since One Charr, One Dragon, One Champion Abilities Champion of Jormag Effects Skills   Greatsword Swing - Slash your foe.   Greatsword Slice - Slice your foe.   Brutal Strike - Hit your foe with a final brutal strike. Dragon Response Mission: Snowden Drifts Abilities Cleaving Frostsaw Frost Legion Support Effects Skills Frostbite Fangs - Frostbite Slash - Frostsaw - Rimestrike - Dragonstorm Abilities High Mobility Sweeping Greatsword Attacks Effects Skills Frostbite Fangs - Ryland strikes with his Frostsaw 3 times. Ice spikes in front of these attacks are also considered as Frostbite Fangs attack. Icefall - Ice spikes falling down around Ryland Rimestrike - While standing still Ryland will spin attack around, knocking away everyone. Applying 10x Vulnerability and  Chilled Storm Fury - Charges forward, spinning his Frostsaw and creating a tornado of frost that continues along his path. Applying  Weakness Talon of Jormag - Considered as Elite Skill. Ryland will start charging up Jormag's energy to strike down thousands of ice spikes from above. This attack can happen only when Ryland is under 50% health and can be also disabled by taking down his Defiance bar. Stolen skills   Blinding Tuft   Tooth Stab   Throw Gunk   Bone Crack Champion's End Effects —Staggers Ryland upon being broken, applying  Stun (5s). Becomes locked when he reaches 10% of his health.  Exhaustion (Until reaching 70% health)  Minor Exhaustion (After reaching 70% health)  Major Exhaustion (After reaching 40% health) Skills Brazen Strike Fangless Bite Reckless Leap Storm Fury Unhinged Fury

Gallery

Screenshots

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  Ryland as the Champion of Jormag.

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  Ryland leads the Steel Warband, including the TT6-B Devourer tank, during Forging Steel.

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  Ryland wielding the Steel Warband Flamesaw during Darkrime Delves.

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  Ryland tries to sway Crecia Stoneglow to release Cinder Steeltemper from captivity during Turnabout.

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  Ryland surprised during Turnabout.

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  Bangar Ruinbringer, Jormag, and Ryland during One Charr, One Dragon, One Champion.

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  Braham Eirsson battles Ryland at Anvil Rock during Dragonstorm.

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  Appearance with Frostsaw during Champion's End.

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  Appearance while weaponless during Champion's End.

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  Appearance with Jormag's Needle during Champion's End.

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  Rytlock Brimstone with Ryland's corpse during Champion's End.

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  Crecia Stoneglow and Rytlock Brimstone grieve their fallen son during Champion's End.

Concept art

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  Early design concept by Joe Kimmes.

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  Visions of the Past: Steel and Fire banner with Ryland and the Ancient Forgeman.

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  Concept art by Richard Anderson.

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  No Quarter banner with Ryland and Crecia Stoneglow.

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  Champion's End loading screen with Ryland.

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  Champions Chapter 4: Judgment wallpaper with Jormag, Ryland, Primordus, and Braham.

Miscellaneous

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  Ryland stand for Visions of the Past: Steel and Fire promotion.

Related achievements

• Prologue: Bound by Blood: Chaperone — There's always time to swing by and check on Braham. (1)
• Visions of the Past: Steel and Fire: Centurion's Right Hand — Help Ryland Steelcatcher and the Steel Warband complete their mission. (10)
• Visions of the Past: Steel and Fire: Ryland Steelcatcher's Footsteps — Collect items related to Ryland Steelcatcher's history to earn his signature Steel Warband flamesaw. (10)
• No Quarter: Fast Purrsuit — End the pursuit within the time limit. (3)
• Dragonstorm: Aurene Said Knock You Out — During the Dragonstorm encounter, defeat both dragon champions at least once. (2)
• Dragonstorm: Steelcaught — During the Dragonstorm encounter, prevent Jormag's champion from using his elite skill 10 times. (2)

Notes

• During Deeper and Deeper, the Pact Commander gets to temporarily disguise themselves as Ryland via a mesmer spell.
• During Visions of the Past: Steel and Fire, Ryland becomes a playable character in a mission that takes place in Darkrime Delves.

Trivia

• Ryland is voiced by Bumper Robinson in Prologue: Bound by Blood, and by Ike Amadi since Shadow in the Ice.
• He wears Gladiator Pauldrons, Warband Hauberk, Dreadnought Fists, Dreadnaught Tassets, Heritage Warboots, and wields a Steel Warband Flamesaw.
• Until One Charr, One Dragon, One Champion, Ryland wields a Steel Warband Flamesaw. After One Charr, One Dragon, One Champion, he wields a Frostsaw. During Champion's End, he wields this Frostsaw and Jormag's Needle.

See also

• Clashing Champions
• Family trees

Associated items

• Frostsaw
• Mini Ryland, Champion of Jormag
• Mini Ryland Steelcatcher
• Steel Warband Flamesaw