User:Darqam/Raid Lore
Raid Lore[edit]
This is a personal project, were I will attempt to create a (as much as possible) complete cover of the Forsaken Thicket lore. I will attempt to make it pleasant to read and as objective as possible.
Note that I WILL ABSOLUTELY miss some pieces of lore, if anyone notices this, please feel free to speak up in the talk page.
Obviously this page is full of spoilers, read at your own risks if you care about such things.
Short Preface[edit]
The story of the Forsaken Thicket is prefaced by two major events: the defeat of Mordremoth, and the defeat of the White Mantle (back in Guild Wars 1)[1]. Through Mordremoth's death, a giant Windstorm swept across the land. This windstorm is what activated the Mysterious Pylons spawning it's guardians and Vale Guardian. Although indirectly, it is also possible that the windstorm acted as a catalyst to the formation of Gorseval.
The White Mantle were a scourge which almost succeeded in controlling Krytan government over 200 years ago. The White Mantle viewed the Mursaat (The Unseen Ones) as their gods. After the Heros (players of GW1) crushed the White Mantle and defeated all but one Mursaat, Lazarus the Dire. Lazarus was gravely injured and withdrew into the mists, never to be heard of again.
Spirit Vale[edit]
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Squad Leader Falgeir Rescue Mission URGENT: Requesting ground support in northern Maguuma. Platoon suffered heavy casualties. All available personnel should report to the Pact representative at the designated location north of Batrach Falls for briefing. |
The story begins prior to the player's involvement with a group of Pact soldiers and researchers which had made camp in the Northern Maguuma (that is, the Forsaken Thicket). This group of Pact soldiers were tracking mordrem movement through the jungle until they started to find traces of human movement.[2] After days of walking, the group setup camp in a place they assumed was safe; only to be ambushed in the middle of the night by bandits lead by Sabetha. Many of the soldiers were either killed or wounded, while some few others were taken as prisoners and brought deeper into the Forsaken thicket. Mounting a rescue mission to save their friends proved to be impossible due to the sudden appearance of the Vale Guardian and his lesser guardians.
Seeking help to save his fellow soldiers, Squad Leader Falgeir sent out a mail asking for reinforcement at his position. It is at this moment that a group of mercenaries (the GW2 players) enter Spirit Vale, and encounter the Pact soldiers for the first time.
Following a briefing with the squad leader, the players learn that amongst the missing soldiers is Squad Leader Bennett, the initial squad leader. Additionally, Falgeir informs the players that these bandits are no regular ruffians; these bandits were able to take out a well trained Pact platoon, take prisoners, and erect a magical barrier sealing the path behind them.
These bandits have evidently been present in the Forsaken Thicket for quite some time as they already had, at the moment the players arrived, a fully developed compound, named The Skillet, and a supply chain developed from deeper in the Forsaken Thicket. These have both been upgraded thanks to airship parts scavenged from Pact airships taken down by Mordremoth, and additional bandits reporting in from Fort Vandal.
Piecing together the Journal Entry fragments found throughout Spirit Vale, it becomes evident that these bandits are only acting as an outer defense to a bigger complex. Not only are they part of something much bigger, but all of these restless spirits seem to be spawning from within the compound, as said in one of the notes: they came from inside the compound. I know what they did. Additionally to defending what seems to be a very macabre compound, these bandits are also tasked with burning bodies; presumably those to which the restless souls weer attached.
The flow of spirits from the inner compound is so great within Spirit Vale that bandits report being unable to walk on the ground. Additionally they state being relived that none of the spirits seem to remember the real cause for their current state; implying that the bandits, or their associates are the primary cause for all of these spirits. Due to the confusion of these spirits, the players of GW2 will frequently be attacked by any and all spirits which they find along their way. These spirits will immediately throw blame onto the players, ignoring any defensive statements made in response.
When the Spirits become threatened, they merge into stronger entities. These are represented both in the formation of spirit champions, or in extreme cases, of a creature such as Gorseval. Contrary to his appearance, Gorseval is not a single animal or creature, but rather the agglomeration of many spirits. The entity Gorseval is in such a state of aggression that it will kill any which reach Gorseval's Perch without hesitation.
Once players approach Sabetha, and offer her one last chance to free the prisoners, she laughs them off. She seems amazed that the mercenaries would have come all this was for only the prisoners. She informs players indirectly, that there is something much more imposing deeper into the compound, something which seems to be entirely unrelated to the Pact prisoners.
While fighting Sabetha, one of her champions, "Knuckles" attempts to turn on her, offering the players guidance deeper into the compound. He is however quickly quieted by Sabetha and players ultimately defeat him. Upon defeating Sabetha and all of her champions, the mercenaries free the prisoners; only to learn that some of them were taken deeper into the compound, into Salvation Pass.
