End of Dragons story
A note about spoilers: a brief summary aside, this article assumes a basic knowledge of the plot of The Icebrood Saga and the stories before it. Since the story of End of Dragons begins circa 1335 AE, and the personal story takes place in 1325 AE, it is likely that this article will contain personal story spoilers, as story threads that began in the personal story may be continued with the expansion.
End of Dragons was released on February 28, 2022.
Setting
With the Charr civil war ended and Jormag and Primordus defeated, peace has finally returned to Tyria. Gorrik receives a letter to meet an old colleague, unaware that it is a trap set by the Aetherblades to kidnap him. The Pact Commander and Aurene set out on a rescue mission, chasing the Aetherblades through the Mists, eventually causing their airships to crash-land in Cantha.
Zones
The story of End of Dragons covers five new open world zones.
Main characters
Dragon's Watch
- Aurene — The second scion of Glint who has chosen the Pact Commander as her champion. As the new Elder Dragon of Crystal and Light, she advocates the balance of magic while healing the wounds left on Tyria by other Elder Dragons.
- Gorrik — An asuran scientist who is particularly fascinated by insects. He and Taimi have become close friends while spending time together as researchers.
- Lady Kasmeer Meade — As a reinstated noble from Divinity's Reach, she continues acting as the steadfast mesmer in the guild. Her relationship with Marjory Delaqua has been troubled lately.
- Marjory Delaqua — A determined necromancer with the heart of a detective and family roots in Cantha. Her relationship with Kasmeer Meade has been troubled lately.
- Taimi — An asuran prodigy with an interest in Elder Dragon research. Despite her degenerative disease that prevents her from walking long distances, she intends to leave her mark on Tyria while providing the guild with valuable insights.
Aetherblades
- Ankka — An asuran First Mate of the Aetherblades who has history with Gorrik.
- Captain Mai Trin — The bloodthirsty and scheming captain of the Aetherblade Armada and the former general of Scarlet's Alliance. She has not been seen on Central Tyria since her master Scarlet Briar sent her into the Mists to carry out a secret mission.
Empire of the Dragon
- Ayumi — A city-born tengu socialite who has joined the Kestrels in the Echovald Wilds. An outsider open to new ideas, she is viewed with dismay by some of the traditionalist Kestrel members.
- Captain Fa Yang — Head of Xunlai Jade Security. A stern rationalist, he follows orders diligently but is willing to listen to logical arguments from his opposition.
- Detective Rama — An investigator who has a mentee-mentor relationship with Minister Li. He has a past with Captain Min.
- Empress Ihn — Empress regnant of Cantha and Joon's half-sister. She cares a lot about the Canthan people and wants the best for them.
- Minister Li Ha-Eung — The head of the Ministry of Security who has a mentor-mentee relationship with Rama. A traditionalist who wants to keep Cantha safe, he is distrustful of outsiders and can come across as very aggressive and stern to others.
- Navan — An advisor in the Imperial Court, serving Empress Ihn and the Empire of Cantha.
- Park Chul-Moo — The charismatic leader of the Jade Brotherhood and Joon's former business partner. He opposes the Speakers in a vicious gang war for the Echovald Wilds.
- Precinct Captain Cho Min — An officer working for the Ministry of Security who has a past with Detective Rama.
- Yu Joon — The head of the Xunlai Jade company and Ihn's half-sister. An ambitious visionary, she oversees the latest breakthroughs in dragonjade research and wants Cantha to embrace a bright future.
Other characters
- Caithe — A close sylvari ally to Dragon's Watch and the leader of the Order of the Crystal Bloom, she follows Aurene in her mission to bring stability to the world.
- Kuunavang — A powerful and mostly benevolent saltspray dragon who once helped heroes save Cantha from the evil of Shiro Tagachi.
- Soo-Won — The last remaining, enigmatic Elder Dragon from the previous dragonrise cycle. Little is presently known about this dragon other than it supposedly having been responsible for the karka, krait, and southern quaggans fleeing to Tyria.
- Tetra Earthcall — A warden and leader of the Speakers who opposes both the Jade Brotherhood and the Empire of the Dragon, seeing dragonjade as a threat to the world. Although she allows human members in the Speakers, she hates them for what they have done to the Echovald Wilds.
Story
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It has been suggested that this article or section should be rewritten, because: Prose, fix incorrect information, add missing stuff.. |
End of Dragons: Act 1
Prologue: Convergence
“Five Elder Dragons are dead, and with each death, more magic has been released into Tyria. While most passed to Aurene, the rest vanished. After an exhaustive period of research, Dragon's Watch has finally had a breakthrough.
— In-game description
After the end of the Icebrood War and the deaths of both Jormag and Primordus, Taimi continued her research on the dragons.
The Commander was called to the Eye of the North by Aurene, as she has felt a presence in the invisible web of ley line energy. Aurene describes that the visions she inherited from Kralkatorrik, concluded that all possible timelines converge into a singular event she can't see past and that event will happen today. Aurene seems surprisingly relaxed about it. Gorrik will be meeting an old colleague from the Inquest and as Taimi has suspicions about it, she asks the Commander to accompany Gorrik in Lornar's pass and protect him. Taimi exhibits a behaviour of jealousy towards Gorrik.
Chapter 1: Old Friends
“Accompany Gorrik as he retrieves dragon research from his contact.
— In-game description
The Commander and Gorrik went to Lornar's Pass and met with his friend Ankka. Gorrik said his former colleague had important dragon research to share. When the Commander and Gorrik met Ankka and brought up the topic of dragons, Ankka revealed herself to be an Aetherblade and kiddnaped Gorrik. The Commander and Aurene are quick to follow them to retrieve Gorrik.
As the Commander enters one of the Aetherblade ships in attempt to save Gorrik, the fleet entered a portal into the Mists. Aurene manages to destroy a few ships from the fleet. Captain Mai Trin is leading the Aetherblades and as the Commander gets close to her she flees. The Aetherblades tried to ambush the Commander. When Aurene poses as a threat to their mission, Ankka shoots Aurene with an Extractor, a new Aetherblade weapon, disobeying Mai Trin's orders not to. The Extractor seemed to have damaged the ship, and the ship went down loosing communication with Taimi.
The Commander is seen washed ashore along with Aetherblade ship wreckage. A Big-Hatted Man appears with soldiers and looks thoughtful as he takes a closer look at the Commander from the Commander's point of view before the scene fades to black.
The fleet exited the Mists to somewhere unknown. The Commander wakes up in a jail cell, attached to some kind of advanced machine and after a look around sees Gorrik is in the cell as well. Gorrik was having an anxiety meltdown. A detective named Rama lets the Commander and Gorrik out of the cell and makes them fill out paperwork. Rama then returns their gear and reveals that they have landed in Cantha.
The Commander followed Rama to a courtyard, where Marjory and Kasmeer were waiting. Kasmeer—now a Krytan ambassador—explained that Cantha reopened its borders after the ship went down. She assured the Commander that Aurene was okay and that they will see her soon.
Before they can be officially released, the Commander spoke with the Canthan Minister of Security, Li. He was polite, but there was distrust in his voice. After leaving Seitung Prison, they found themselves on Shing Jea Island.
Chapter 2: Outreach
“Prove to the people of Cantha that opening their shores is not a mistake.
— In-game description
The Commander, after catching up with their allies and training on the island, headed to the Royal Court for an audience with Empress Ihn. Prior to their audience, Dragon's Watch witnessed a disagreement between the innovator Yu Joon and Minister Li. With the matter settled by Ihn in Joon's favor, the Commander stepped forward to plead their case in pursuing the invading Aetherblades, to the Empress' approval. After discussing with Joon and Li, the Commander set off to gather intelligence on the Aetherblades.
Chapter 3: Your Kind of People
“Search for clues about what the Aetherblades did to Aurene and why they are in Cantha.
— In-game description
After arguing with Joon and Li, the Commander set out to gather information on the Aetherblades, for which they went to search the downed Aetherblade flagship with Marjory and Gorrik and found logs on it detailing the activities of Mai Trin and her pirates. since the attack on Lion's Arch and that they had spent a lot of time in the Mist. Gorrik and Marjory managed to corner an Aetherblade who was repairing the flagship's Mist-piercing technology. The pirate spoke vaguely of big changes and big plans, but he wasn't much help, at least Gorrik managed to destroy the trans-Mist technology.
After that Taimi spoke with the Commander to return to the cave with Aurene, when the Commander arrived he was surprised to see Lady Joon and see that Caithe and Aurene did not respond to any stimulus and as the Commander's spirit approached was taken to a place similar to the bottom of the ocean, there he heard a voice from the last elder dragon, Soo-Won, who... spoke calmly to Aurene, once they returned to the real world, they discovered that Soo-Won not only She was the last Elder Dragon, but also the original Elder Dragon, the "mother" Kralkatorrik referred to all those years ago. Joon tells them that she was in Cantha all this time and that she dedicated herself to protecting them. And also that Soo-Won wants Aurene to take her place and become the only Elder Dragon, as she was at the time. Soo-Won.
Open world: Aetherblade Assault
Chapter 4: Can't Trust a Pirate
“Track down the wayward Captain Mai Trin.
— In-game description
But the revelations did not end with the matter of the dragons: when they started talking about the Aetherblades, Joon confessed that she was the one who hired them! Joon recruited Mai Trin years ago, not knowing the pirate's past, and he believed it would be for the best; but we already know how that ended: the investigation assignment outside Cantha de Joon ended in kidnapping. Joon gave them a rough location to track down Mai Trin in Zen Daijun and Jory and Gorrik went ahead to scout the area. Once they arrived at the place they had captured strange ultrasonic frequencies that emanated from the area and discovered a hidden cave that led to the hideout of the ethereal blades, in that the commander communicated with Taimi to notify him and Joon who was listening started on his way to the place. Upon entering the place they explored the lair and met Ivan who refused to reveal Mai Trin's whereabouts for which they fought, upon defeating him, he insisted that things were not as they seemed and begged us not to harm Mai Trin , in the end they met Mai Trin drunk in that Joon and Kasmmer arrived for the captain to reveal what they were doing, but immediately they got into a fight and Mai Trin began to channel the power of the Mist by invoking the Echo of Scarlet Briar to the surprise of everyone, however the echo was too strong that Mai Trin couldn't control it, once the situation was controlled, Kasmeer suggested dimming her sense of sight to help her focus... more or less like Rytlock did.
After preparing a makeshift bandage for her, they demanded that Mai Trin reveal the orders she had given the Aetherblades, in which she confessed that they were planning to attack a jade processing facility, but also that she was no longer in command: apparently Ankka he had incited a mutiny and taken all their ships and crew. Untying Ivan, Mai Trin was genuinely surprised that she hadn't abandoned her. After that Ivan suggested that we locate Ankka using the ships' transponders; And it was a good idea, but unfortunately Renyak had damaged the transponders, so the tracking data was inaccurate and we could only make it clear that we had to go to New Kaineng. At that Mai Trin offered to help in the chase (perhaps because she felt guilty) and they reluctantly accepted, although Joon did not seem to like the idea of her too much. Before leaving for New Kaineng, they should first obtain a permit from the Ministry of Traffic... in order to travel.
End of Dragons: Act 2
Chapter 5: The Scenic Route
“Pursue the mutineer Ankka to New Kaineng, where Mai Trin believes clues may be found.
— In-game description
After that the Commander met with Lady Kasmeer and Navan in Daigo District, where they probably discussed whether Mai Trin could be trusted. Kasmeer still doesn't trust her, but they felt that with her help they had a better chance of catching Ankka. From there, the Commander left for the Ministry of Transit to process their authorization to travel, while waiting for the Commander to decide to help combat the problems that existed on the island, in which Rama, grateful for the help, moved some threads that accelerated the paperwork. With everything in order, and ready to sail, Navan asked the Commander if they could pick her up before leaving since she had a last minute matter to attend to in New Kaineng.
Upon arrival in New Kaineng Marjory and Mai Trin were finished off at the docks, Navan went about his business while Marjory and the Commander accompanied Mai Trin to a nearby noodle stand, at which point things got a little rough around the edges. the journey. Mai tried to apologize for her actions and make some sort of bond, but Marjory didn't agree. Suddenly there were screams nearby, a cargo 'Mech had gone berserk. In that they managed to neutralize it and a jade technology engineer arrived to assess the situation, their name was Yao and, according to what they said, these failures in jade technology had become more and more frequent during the last year. At that precise moment, the jade spiders that were with Yao went haywire as well, apparently infected by the charging mechanism. After the battle, Yao gave the Commander their own jade robot. As they planned their next step over comm, it became clear that there was some bad vibes going on between Mai Trin and Yao. Yao seemed pleased that Joon had chosen Mai as her protégé, since she believed she was much better qualified.
After that, the Commander went with the chief engineer who gave them the password of the power plant, to be able to use his jade robot once they were ready to investigate the city's energy infrastructure. Mai apologized to Yao for old animosity. Taimi finally managed to encrypt the communications network, just as they began poking around the power plant. According to her, Joon was always very secretive about the exact details about charging the jade batteries. With that the Commander grabbed an energy scanner and began sending data samples to Taimi for analysis. Taimi collected all the data, and her analysis of it produced a truly surprising discovery. Jade technology works based on draconic magic. Taimi linked Yao to the comm frequency, reported the findings, and requested access to Nahpui's lab. Unfortunately, according to Yao, the previous power spikes were Nahpui's backup system, so it was off until it was back up and running. Luckily she didn't have to wait for that, because Mai Trin had just what she needed (buried in the mess of her apartment): an Imperial security badge. With it, they were able to secure Kaineng's lab even in the middle of a blackout.
Chapter 6: The Future in Jade
“Hunt down what Ankka was looking for in the Xunlai Jade power plants.
— In-game description
Mai, Marjory, and the Commander rejoined Gorrik in Nahpui's lab. Taimi had told him everything. If the power cells of the jade technology were indeed powered by draconic magic, that would explain how it was becoming corrupted. We needed to scan more batteries. Now that Taimi knew what to look for, she could try isolating the energy signature to see more clearly what exactly they were up against. Mai Trin reiterated her doubt that Ankka had anything to do with whatever was going on with all the jade batteries and technology. There was no evidence to implicate her as being responsible for it. Taimi ran her scans on the data we just collected, and the results were even more devastating than before. Not only were the batteries powered by draconic magic, but somehow Joon had cracked the mystery of how to produce pure draconic magic. Suddenly an ambush! The Aetherblades had breached security and were stampeding into the lab... but Ankka was not among them. This was a distraction. After finishing off the Aetherblades, they contacted Joon, but before they could question her, Aurene intervened. Apparently, the jade energy wasn't just Joon's idea: Soo-Won is being held in a maximum security facility, and on top of that he's supposedly collaborating with her on this whole thing. That's why she sent Ankka the distraction: somehow she knew about Soo-Won! Joon thought it prudent for everyone to meet face to face and told everyone to meet her at the reactor.
Open world: Kaineng Blackout
Chapter 7: Deepest Secrets
“Meet Joon at her reactor to confront her about Soo-Won's hidden presence.
— In-game description
As soon as they arrived at Yong's Reactor and stepped out of the elevator, the kind Lady Joon didn't bother to greet them in person and offered them a tour via holographic projection. Joon assured that her agreement with Soo-Won was collaborative and beneficial for both of them. As they approached the access point to Soo-Won's chamber, we overheard Lady Joon arguing once more with Minister Li via holoconference; But the hostility of that exchange was nothing compared to what followed: as Joon set about opening the access point for us, the many jade 'Mechs that made up the facility's autonomous security system turned on us. To everyone's surprise, Mai Trin took the initiative, hacking into the security system and shutting down the 'Mechs. There was no longer any doubt that Ankka had also accessed the facility's network, which made reaching Soo-Won all the more pressing. Unfortunately, the security breach meant that the main access point was closed and we lost contact with Joon, so we made our way to an alternate entrance through the maintenance corridors. After so many complications they arrived where Soo-Won was, in that the Commander was again attracted to his mind, where he confirmed that he had resorted to Joon and his technology to make it easier for him to channel the magic of Tyria after the death of their children, the other Elder Dragons. In short: Soo-Won and those facilities were the only thing keeping the world from falling apart after the dragons died. She presented him with a dire prospect but she also left him with the slim hope that Aurene could start a new cycle if we prepared her to withstand the tidal wave of energy that would be released with Soo-Won's death.
In that the Commander abruptly left Soo-Won's mind to meet Ankka in front of the elder dragon; and before they had time to react, Ankka activated the extractor, filling the chamber with the raw power of Aurene's marked magic. The room was filled with crystals. The structure holding Soo-Won was destroyed, she broke free and they were forced to flee as the chamber collapsed and the ocean swamped it. As they walked away from the chaos of Soo-Won's chamber, they saw that the combination of Aurene's uncontrolled magic and Soo-Won's destructive leak was causing the reactor to melt down. It was up to them to save the situation before it exploded and laid waste to all of New Kaineng; But Ankka was determined to stop us, and to do so, she first sent out her Aetherblades, and then gave them another surprise: her own experiments with draconic magic allowed her to harness Zhaitan's power and reanimate deceased Xunlai workers so that they could be killed. they will kill them In that they located her control room and accessed it. Mai Trin locked herself inside her and prevented her from intervening as she prevented the reactor from exploding. The Commander, Marjory, and Gorrik fled the control center, only to witness a disturbing scene: Ankka killed her former captain in cold blood... after she prevented the catastrophic collapse of the reactor. Whoever was before her, Mai Trin sacrificed her visa to save everyone. Returning to the lobby of Yong's Reactor, they were greeted over the public address system by the commanding voice of Captain Fa, Xunlai's head of security, who was ready to arrest them. With Soo-Won on the run and given her dire warnings as to what would happen to Aurene if Ankka had her way, they decided to leave the facility using the emergency escape pods and thus make their way to the surface.
End of Dragons: Act 3
Chapter 8: Fallout
“Regroup and make a plan to prove your innocence.
— In-game description
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After escaping from Yong's reactor, each one took a different path to make it difficult for them to be captured. At that Aurene and Caithe were ready to follow the trail of Soo-Won, and the Commander received a message from Navan in which he implied that the empress was on his side... or, at least, that he still did not have a strong opinion about it. Navan suggested to the Commander that they meet at a local sushi restaurant to discuss the situation at length, so they met at Nika's Blade. Arriving at the sushi restaurant, the Commander found that Detective Rama had joined the meeting. He had orders from the Ministry of Security to arrest and interrogate, but Navan, as the empress's deputy, overrode his orders.
Navan suggested that the commander retreat to a shelter in the Echovald Forest but, before the meeting ended, Captain Fa, Joon's head of security, showed up with the intention of arresting the Commander, in which he convinced Fa to leave them. go (for now). Once Fa left, Rama, since he is not one to shy away from action, decided to go with the Commander, with the subtle threat that, if any indication led him to think that he had been deceived, he would put him back behind bars. in Shing Jea.
In that the Commander contacted their companions to go to the refuge where Navan had said, this refuge turned out to be some ancient ruins called Arboreal Stone that once belonged to the zu Heltzer, a house of noble Kurzicks. The place was destroyed when the Ministry of Purity wiped them out many years ago, but they have been slowly restoring it ever since. Apparently, the detective is half Kurzick, so seeing the big house in ruins affected him deeply. The traumas caused by the actions of the Ministry of Purity continue to bite deep into the people of Cantha. Upon entering the building, they were attacked by mysterious shadowy creatures of unknown origin. Navan expected to find other travelers seeking refuge in Treestone, as well as a guardian named Ishan... but what they found was death, destruction, and that shadowy magic that seemed to alter the very rules of reality. The ways in which the travelers had been killed were among the most disturbing, and despite the horrors they had witnessed, the entire group was shaken. They kept looking for Ishan, Navan's friend. They were able to finally find Ishan but, unfortunately, he had been consumed by that corrupting power called "the Void". Ishan was a saltspray dragon... and apparently so is Navan, whose draconic name is Kuunavang. She was corrupted by Shiro Tagachi for a time, but later became a hero to the Canthians and has since assumed human form to continue to watch over them. Kuunavang is a staunch ally of Soo-Won and aids in stopping the Void from consuming the Elder Dragon and spreading across the rest of Tyria. Joon's reactor stabilizes Soo-Won by drawing out the corrupted magic, and scientific minds believe it's possible Ankka's extractor can as well. Ayumi of the Kestrels, a group of rangers tasked with protecting Echovald, offered to help track down Ankka, who was last seen somewhere in the Echovald Jungles.
Chapter 9: To Catch a Spider
“Track down Ankka in Echovald Forest with the help of the Kestrels.
— In-game description
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The Kestrels provided two clues: the first was a piece of aetherblade technology they found on Echovald. The second, information about Ankka's movements.
Gorrik believed the technology was one of the aircraft's transponders damaged by Reynak. With some time, maybe he can use it to help us. As for Ankka's movements, according to Ayumi she had been sending ether blades to talk to both the Speakers and the Jade Brotherhood. While Aurene and Caithe worked to keep Soo-Won in the Jade Sea, the Kestrels helped infiltrate the Commander into gang camps to find out more about Ankka's activities. Apparently he had been negotiating with both sides before suddenly withdrawing.
Everything became clear when they were able to find the Aetherblade camp. Ankka was long gone, but the sound records of him remained. It turned out that he was trying to build a Mist portal device, and both the Speakers and the Brotherhood had the components he needed. Reports of a new Aetherblade airship arriving in the area, with its own portal device operational, according to his scans. Ankka no longer needed to build one for herself.
Chapter 10: Empty
“Use Canach's airship to lure out Ankka and put a stop to her machinations.
— In-game description
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Using the newly repaired transponder, Gorrik was able to trace the airship's signal to Melandru's Hope. After some searching, they found the airship in a secluded cavern. To the surprise of the Commander and his company, it was his old friends Canach and Sayida, who had gone to Cantha to start a new business venture: a social club that is also a restaurant for gourmets. In that they became aware of the current situation with Ankka and the Commander made them a proposal: to let them use their aircraft as bait to get Ankka out and, in exchange, they would help them set up their establishment.
The best place to lure Ankka was the Xunlai Jade Junk Yard in downtown Echovald. Ivan, now committed to our cause, sent a false message into the Aetherblade communications network.
All this time, Ankka has been one step ahead, but that's over. With Canach and Sayida's airship exposed, the Aetherblades soon found them. After cornering them with their own airships, they sent wave after wave of pirates to take it for themselves. Luckily, Ayumi had gone ahead: kestrel snipers, hidden among the trees, attacked the Aetherblades, finishing them off.
We isolated one of the Aetherblade lieutenants and he was "willing" to give Ankka's whereabouts but before he could, Ankka turned all the fallen pirates into servile undead. When they finished with all the dead in the airship, Gorrik was able to locate exactly where the extractor was located: in the middle of the Xunlai Jade Junk Yard. The road to the junkyard was a twisted reflection of Orr: littered with the corpses of fallen kestrels and patrolled by Aetherblades, now reduced to mindless Risen. And there, waiting in the midst of all that putrefaction, was Ankka, in that she used all of his horrifying repertoire against the Commander and company, even releasing Void energy from the nearby corrupted jade. During the battle, he made it clear that he holds them responsible for all this chaos, for the Void itself. Ankka was defiant to the end, but his last breath eventually came through, so they were able to seize the extractor. Gorrik then needed a few moments to digest Ankka's death: he had never experienced the pain of betrayal like this, and his death had not provided him with the comfort he expected. However Ankka had sabotaged the extractor, so he overloaded as soon as it was activated. But now the plan to use the machine to purge Soo-Won's corruption is gone and time is running out. Luckily they managed to recover a single piece of the extractor; It won't do any good on its own, but it's clear proof that Ankka was behind all of this. With any luck, they could use that evidence to win back the trust of the Ministry of Security...and Joon, and thus rebuild the device and stop the Void before it's too late.
End of Dragons: Act 4
Open world: The Gang War of Echovald
Chapter 11: In the Name of the Law
“Meet with Minister Li to present evidence of Ankka's misdeeds.
— In-game description
After that the Commander met with Rama at the eastern police station with the new evidence proving his innocence and the hope of making Li see reason; but unfortunately Li was not there and as for the lack of cooperation of the police officers. After helping the police station through the streets of Kaineng, Captain Min (Rama's lifelong friend...and maybe more) put them in touch with the minister. Rama and the Commander were once again on the minister's agenda to shelve this misunderstanding. At the Ministry of Security, Rama and the Commander went to see Li to try to convince him of his innocence. After presenting him with proof of Ankka's guilt, it seems that Li has finally admitted the truth. And, more importantly, he has agreed to take us to Joon's mansion so that we can ask him for help in containing the Soo-Won situation. As soon as they reached the roof of the MinSeg to board the "transport" that would take them to Joon, Li ordered his elite guards to apprehend the Commander; but to Li's anger, Rama refused to allow such an injustice and they fought side by side to repel the guards. And things got even worse when Captain Min arrived with shocking news: Li was actually a covert leader of the Purists. With the help of a very timely idea from Captain Min, Rama and the Commander managed to finish off the guards and arrest Li for his crimes.
Chapter 12: Weight of the World
“Convince Joon to ally with us to stop the Void.
— In-game description
Once Li was arrested, the Commander went to Seitung Province where Joon's mansion is, upon arrival he unexpectedly returned to Soo-Won's mind and they had a brief conversation in which she insisted that, when the time came , they would have to kill her; but then everything changed: her mind filled with monsters and she began to speak with the voice of the Void, which warned me that it was inevitable... right before his minions attacked the Commander. Luckily, Caithe and Aurene came to his aid and managed to hold off the Void long enough for him to flee. Already then the Commander met Kasmeer next to Joon's mansion and then Taimi let them in...against Joon's wishes. As soon as they entered, Joon appeared on an upper floor, but not to negotiate, but to kick them out. He still blamed them for what had happened at the reactor and refused to believe they planned anything that wouldn't cause even more damage to the most important work of his life. After a brief conversation, he left and activated the mansion's security. In that they searched the mansion in search of some way to deactivate the security and, also, they found out more about her: from her humble origins to her many awards, through her role as a mother. They were forming an image of Joon and we hope that, by understanding her better, they would know what to say to convince her to take her side again. Arriving at Joon's lab, she had just learned of Minister Li's arrest and her general involvement in recent events; which, combined with Ankka's extractor piece, was enough to convince her that they had nothing to do with the reactor meltdown. When the time came to discuss solutions, she refused to accept any course of action that did not involve Soo-Won's return to the reactor, fearing the consequences that the lack of jade energy would have on Cantha, and that led to a new clash. . Luckily, Taimi managed to get in touch with her and assured her that they understood what her work meant to Cantha and that they were both willing and able to find a solution together. Joon eventually relented, and she and Taimi immediately went to work making the extractors.
End of Dragons: Act 5
Chapter 13: Extraction Point
“Ready the extractors in Dragon's End to trap Soo-Won.
— In-game description
Taimi and Joon got to work with the new extractors, while the rest gathered at Arborstone and devise a plan, when the Commander and his companions arrived they saw many factions supporting them with their confrontation of the Void; Ayumi came representing the Kestrels: Iván, from the reformed Aetherblades; and Detective Rama... well, of himself, but it seems that they would also have the support of the Ministry of Security. Caithe reported that the forces in the Jade Sea were under great pressure and that we must act as soon as possible.
They decided that Ayumi and Ivan would join Canach and Sayida to patrol the coast and that the others would head to the Jade Sea to set up the newly built extractors and help in combat as much as they could. Arriving at the Jade Sea, they found themselves in the middle of a war zone. The troops were widely spread out and growing frustrated, as each time someone managed to bring down a void beast, another formed in its place.
Open world: The Battle for the Jade Sea
Chapter 14: The Only One
“Purge the Void from Soo-Won.
— In-game description
But, after hard fighting, they managed to install the extractors and meet at the Temple of the Harvest. They managed to get Soo-Won to the Harvest Temple and used the extractors to remove the Void from her body; but unfortunately, when removing the corrupted magic, it condensed to form a Void being that attacked them along with his army. The initial appearance of the Void generated a shockwave that shut down the extractors, but Taimi proposed that they use them to harness some of the Void's power... if they could turn them back on. As their allies spread out to retrieve the fringe extractors taken from them by the Void army, Kuunavang and the Commander stayed behind to defend Taimi and Joon as they restarted the main extractor. The forces of the Void overwhelmed them and Kuunavang and the Commander were momentarily cornered; but luckily Aurene saved him from death by infusing him with some of his own power and instructing him how to use it to come face to face with the Void. And he wasn't exaggerating about his effectiveness: when he went back into combat, he somehow used a surge of her power to clear the entire main platform. With that, the Commander set out to help his allies recover the extractors from the periphery and they faced different manifestations of the Void on each platform of the Elder Dragons. Gorrik, Rama, and the Comadnate finished off Jormag's manifestation first; later, he came to Canach and Sayida's aid to defeat Primordus; and then Ayumi, Ivan and the Commander defeated Kralkatorrik.
The threat of the Void soon affected the entire world, and they received calls from their allies stating how upset Hoelbrak, the Black Citadel, the Sandswept Isles, and many other places were. So their allies in those parts of the world set out to fight the Void and defend their nations.
After that the Commander found Marjory trying to get Mordremoth's shadow away from Kasmeer's inert body. Fortunately, Kas was alive, though unconscious from the effort that went into getting them out of there. When they defeated the shadow, the two of them had a tender moment in which they celebrated that she was still alive. Caithe and Logan stood at death's door facing the last of the echoes of the fallen dragons: Zhaitan's. Together, they once again defeated the bringer of death, but Logan was wounded and urged that they continue without him, for the time had come to face the Draconic Void itself.
The Draconic Void was certain of its inevitability but, as Aurene reminded the Commander, nothing is inevitable... not even the cycle of dragons. And, in the end, they defeated him, eradicating the tentacles he had spread across Tyria and bringing harmony back to the world. With the Draconic Void defeated, there was only one thing left to do: say goodbye to Soo-Won and end the cycle of dragons. As Aurene absorbed her remaining magic, Soo-Won dissipated beautifully. At that time, it seemed that the cycle of the dragons had finally ended and a new era had begun: the Age of Aurene.
Chapter 15: The Cycle, Reborn
“Reflect with your allies on your victory over the Void and what comes next.
— In-game description
The Commander seeing Aurene assume her new role was bittersweet, because they knew that chapter of their relationship had come to an end. She wasn't going to need them like she used to, and she would most likely be inaccessible to them in some ways.
With the Void defeated, the Commander and their allies gathered at Arborstone to reflect on Soo-Won's death and the implications of the end of the dragon cycle.
Now Cantha is faced with the great challenge of replacing Soo-Won as the source of jade energy, but Joon, Taimi, Yao and many other great minds are already tackling the problem. Kasmeer and the rest of the Commander's politically savvy companions are still very busy negotiating new alliances, as talks stalled when an apocalyptic threat became a priority.
Delve into the Haze
Chapter 16: What Lies Beneath
“As Cantha recovers in the wake of the dragon cycle's end, Gorrik, Rama, and Yao take on a mind-altering investigation into power and treachery at a Jade Brotherhood mining operation.
— In-game description
Following the events of the dragon cycle, the Commander is drawn back to Cantha to investigate strange occurrences in the Jade Sea. Reports emerge of miners and workers affected by unexplained aggression, as well as mysterious disruptions to jade-powered technology. Alongside allies including Detective Rama, Gorrik, and Engineer Yao, the Commander uncovers signs of corruption tied to a malevolent, otherworldly presence.
The journey leads them into Gyala Delve, an expansive jade mining operation, where the team faces waves of afflicted workers and unstable ley lines. The corruption emanates from an unknown, sinister entity feeding on the area’s energies. The Commander works to uncover the truth behind the disturbances, setting the stage for an even deeper confrontation with the forces at play.
A Raw Deal
The Commander has been laying low in an attempt to recuperate—physically and mentally—from...everything. It's been difficult to wrap their mind around the fact that the dragon cycle is finished. Years of war finally at an end... The Commander had been too tired to clearly think it all through, too tired to even celebrate much since seeing everyone at Kas and Jory's engagement party. Maybe it's because the cycle's end doesn't mean there aren't plenty of problems to solve and battles to fight—Cantha's dwindling energy resources being one of many in this region alone. Not to mention a host of ongoing conflicts back in central Tyria and Elona.
The Commander needed to take their mind off it all. Recharge. So, despite still feeling exhausted, they accepted an invitation to the Red Duck Tea House for a party hosted by the recently retired Detective Rama. Gorrik and the Commander ended up being Rama's only guests. Three people, all that food...and Rama doesn't even eat sushi!
They chatted a bit, though Rama was preoccupied with one eye on the door—hoping for the arrival of an important guest, it seemed—and Gorrik was working on a mouthful of sushi just as Taimi called with some intriguing information. Joon's protégé Yao uncovered that the Jade Brotherhood had discovered a form of high-powered jade during their mining operation in Gyala Depths in the Jade Sea. And the Brotherhood's leader, Park Chul-Moo, apparently informed Yao that some miners were missing while others were acting strangely aggressive.
The second he heard about missing persons and strange happenings, Gorrik excitedly went on the offensive, shooting down excuse after feeble excuse from Rama—this was going to be the first case for the Friends Detective Agency! The paperwork was already done, "terrible name" notwithstanding, and Gorrik was determined to turn the fledging agency into a full-blown operation.
Next thing they knew, Rama's party—and his retirement—were over, and they were on their way to investigate the Jade Brotherhood mining operation at Gyala Delve.
On the Case
After resting their eyes on the winding train ride to Gyala Delve, the Commander woke up and met with Rama and Gorrik to investigate the area and question the Brotherhood crew. As the two of them tended to a fallen miner, a scream drew them to Yao, who was being attacked by a haywire mech.
Once the Commander powered the mech down, Yao reprogrammed it and filled them in on some rumors. The Commander continued to question more of the Brotherhood crew members, but their responses ran the gamut from ridiculous to rude to downright baffling—whispers, complaints, people talking backward...
Another scream led them to Jade Brotherhood leader Chul-Moo, who'd been attacked by one of his own crew, Jin-Lee. They were forced to fight his attacker since Chul-Moo had been hesitant to defend himself, not wanting to injure his own crew.
It was unclear if Chul-Moo had done something to anger Jin-Lee or if there was some other reason for his aggression. Yao convinced Chul-Moo to investigate further, and the two of them headed deeper into the mine.
Open world: The Jade Crisis
An Air of Mystery
The Commander explored deeper into the mine, where they were forced to deal with a thick fog dubbed "the haze" choking the air. Gorrik contacted them over comms and asked them to scan a number of haze concentrations down in the Howling Caves to learn more about it—apparently, it was causing miners to feel ill. Possibly worse.
After the Commander scanned some samples and transmitted the data to Gorrik, he checked in, sounding stressed, but their comms signal broke up. Later, he called back, sounding like himself again...but this time their call was riddled with interference. It sounded as if an ominous voice intruded into their conversation. Gorrik continued speaking as though he hadn't heard it, but the Commander swore it was there. And it eerily sounded familiar.
Gorrik asked the Commander to see how the haze clouds would react to jade. The Commander started to think they were mistaken about the voice they’d heard, but after they completed Gorrik's experiment, the Commander tried to ask him if he'd heard anyone else on the line. Instead of Gorrik, the ominous voice returned with a mocking reply. Or so it seemed to them—Gorrik heard none of it.
The Commander couldn’t explain it. They know that voice. It sounded so real. But it can't be...
Deep Trouble
The Commander regrouped with Gorrik, Rama, and Yao near the bottom of the mine at Luxon Terminus. The group was getting increasingly testy with each other. Not sure if it was the stress or some side effect of haze exposure, or what... They hit a dead end, but Yao had a clever solution using their mech, Finn. They reprogrammed Finn's drone to scan for weaknesses in the cavern wall and plant charges. With a warning from Gorrik about haze levels likely increasing as they descend, the group blasted the wall open and continued deeper into the mine. They were immediately ambushed by subterranean horrors.
As they fought their way through a series of demon attacks, Gorrik asked the Commander about the other voices they’d heard over comms. The Commander wasn't sure if they were real or how to respond if they were. So they didn't. The Commander saw a glow at the end of a tunnel, but as they walked forward to get a better look, they felt as though they’d been punched in the stomach, the breath stolen from their lungs. As the Commander regained their composure, the group realized that the glow ahead came from a ley line!
The nearby jade glimmered with infused energy, though Gorrik said it also seemed to give off a "miasmic byproduct." He and Yao theorized that perhaps this was the cause of the Brotherhood infighting that had been plaguing the mining effort. The group moved through the cavern, inspecting more of the nearby jade.
The group zip-lined across a chasm to a large rock formation—and that's when the Commander’s memory gets hazy. A creature—some kind of shape-shifting demon—attacked them. Physically, yes, but it also assaulted them mentally somehow. Gorrik, Rama, Yao...they disappeared from the Commander’s vision only to be replaced by...departed friends. Almorra and others...under attack. Their twisted words stabbed at the Commander while waves of shadowy beasts pressed in, the wounds raw as though their deaths were fresh—deaths on the Commander’s hands. The demon's power was crushing their mind; they couldn't think, could only feel...
The Commander swore they'd beaten it, but they lost consciousness. They heard their friends yelling to retreat, the demon healing itself as though they hadn't landed a single blow. They dragged the Commander to safety.
The Commander woke outside the mine with Gorrik, Rama, and Yao hovering over them in concern, their head finally clearing, the feeling of mental vulnerability wearing off. As best as the Commander could piece together from their experience and Gorrik's theorizing, the demon had invaded their memories, latching on to the rawest emotions it could find. It used hallucinations in combination with the haze-induced vulnerability to overwhelm them. And while feeding on the ley line, the thing cannot be stopped.
If they can somehow defeat the demon, Gyala Delve's ley line and jade resources could be a solution to Cantha's dwindling energy supply. How they do that with an unkillable demonic entity staking its claim on the ley line is anybody's guess.
The Commander is anxious to hear what Gorrik and Taimi are planning. Seems likely to involve reopening old wounds, but some scars are better left to heal.
Chapter 17: Deep Research
What Lies Within
Chapter 18: What Lies Within
A Plan Emerges
The Commander realized it's been a while since their last update. If they are being honest, their encounter with that demon—the so-called "ravenous wanderer"—took more out of them than they’d like to admit. Though the Commander has recovered well physically, they still feel drained. Years of battle, leadership, loved ones lost—all of it takes its toll.
Regardless, they have a problem on their hands, and it's not going to wait for them to take a spa day to clear their head. It's time to tackle this once and for all.
Bottle Your Emotions
After catching up with Gorrik, Taimi, and Yao, the Commander ventured across Tyria to revisit some crucial moments from their past. Though difficult to relive, they successfully harnessed their emotional power to charge their new invention, the Recollector. Hopefully, this power will be enough to fend off the oni lurking in the Brotherhood mine and to lure the ravenous wanderer to the surface.
Though reliving their memories was psychologically trying, the Commander left with a sense of calm they hadn't felt in years. Confronting their past has lifted some of the guilt and grief they had long carried with them. The Commander knows there's no magic cure for what they are experiencing, but by bringing themself face-to-face with the realities of their past, they came closer to achieving some closure. Additionally, having allies in this fight—even if it's a different sort than they are used to battling—makes the process less isolating. Their candor has given the Commander some much-needed perspective. Each one of them has faced difficulties and found their own individual way to cope. It gives them both great respect for them and great hope for themself.
Emotional Release
The Recollector is charged with emotional resonance! After arming themselves with Chul-Moo's Kurzick rune (and overlooking its questionable legal status), they are prepared to lure the wanderer away from the safety of the ley line. The Commander finds it weighs less on their conscience if they don't think too much about where and how Chul-Moo acquired his supplies.
Rama and the Commander also made a trip to Echovald to practice the art of sealing incantations. Considering the short turnaround, Rama's done well in conjuring the sealing spell. It shows immense fortitude on his part. Keeping tradition alive, reconnecting with their ancestry...no small task, especially when their environment isn't supportive of it. But the Commander has full faith that he'll perform the incantation successfully during their escape. And now, it's finally time to put their plan into motion.
Open world: Escape the Deep!
Open world: Destroy the ravenous wanderer
Entrapment
Through invention, planning, and some improvisation, they did it! They successfully lured and defeated the ravenous wanderer. Though not without cost... There were moments the Commander worried that the wanderer would prove too great a physical and mental threat. But their allies demonstrated strength and perseverance right to the end—no easy task. The Commander also witnessed some of their memories of mental anguish. They admit they feel a little bad about that. The Commander of all people knows the vulnerability and pain that come with moments like those. Yet, if anything, they gained greater respect for them, knowing some of the difficult moments that shaped them into the people they are today.
Coming away from all of this truly feels like a victory. And, as Gorrik said, the Commander feels justified in declaring this entire ordeal "case closed."
Full Circle
What a dinner to remember! On rather short notice, Rama invited the Commander, Gorrik, and Taimi to join him and Acting Minister Min for an outing at the Red Duck Tea House. The Commander suspected that Rama may be gearing up to pursue a romantic relationship with Min; his invitation confirmed it. Gorrik and Taimi "helpfully" reached out to a few of their local friends so the Commander has a partner for the occasion. While they don't know that this was entirely necessary, they will admit they had a great time. More importantly, Min did too. Apart from a few hiccups, the date went well, and it sounds like this may be the start of something wonderful between Rama and Min.
As for the Commander, they come away from the experiences of these past several weeks feeling...lighter. They supposed that comes with the territory when confronting one's demons, be they metaphysical or metaphorical—or some unsettling mix of the two! The process of healing isn't instantaneous, but gradual. With consistent work, it becomes more bearable until one day the pain is the exception. It may never go away completely, but when something is that impactful in your life, perhaps it's best a piece of it remains with you—a reminder of how far you've come and all you've been through to get here.
Interlude: Forward
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“Following the end of the dragon cycle and a restoration of the magical balance across Tyria, Aurene has been preparing for her role as its guardian, the sole remaining Elder Dragon to maintain stability in the fragile new system that she helped establish. Now, her time to step fully into that role has arrived, and the commander is summoned to talk about their place in her plans.
— In-game description
It wasn't easy to hear what Aurene had to tell the Commander: she's leaving. Taking her place as the conduit for the magical balance of Tyria; the Eternal Alchemy; the All...whatever. The Commander knew that this day would come, that this was what they’d been preparing her for. They hoped that it would be years from now... Perhaps even after their time on this world was long over. But, she's gone. The Commander feels an emptiness in their gut, even though they know she's out there...somewhere. They considered whether they should have gone with her, but Aurene is right. The Commander has a place—a responsibility—here. Things that only they can do, so they have to let go. The Commander has to move forward. For her.
And Caithe said it herself: with Aurene, they should always expect the unexpected. The only thing the Commander regrets is not saying "good-bye." They are not ready to close that door. Not fully, not yet.
They’ll see each other soon.
External links
- Guild Wars 2: End of Dragons - The Story Thus Far, YouTube.com
