Visions of Eternity story
A note on spoilers: Aside from a brief summary, this article assumes a basic understanding of the Janthir Wilds plot and previous stories. Since the story of Visions of Eternity begins circa 1338 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.
Visions of Eternity was released on October 28, 2025.
Setting
Zones
The story of Visions of Eternity covers four new open world zones.
Main characters
Allies
Hullgardeners — A community of shipwreck survivors who have committed to banding together to survive along the shores of the harsh environment. They have built cities out of pieces of wrecked ships, not unlike old Lion’s Arch. They stay along the shoreline to avoid the dangerous creatures who live further inland.[1]
- Canach — Sylvari entrepreneur with a sordid past who is roped into the adventure only to find surprising opportunities to expand his business.
- Isgarren — A secretive and obscure wizard of enigmatic origins and mysterious motives who leads the Wizard's Court and oversees the Astral Ward. He is the owner of the Wizard's Tower. After ending the threat posed by the titans in Janthir, he now aids the budding Tyrian Alliance, only to find more than he bargained for on Castora.
- Rytlock Brimstone — Charr tribune of the Blood Legion with a colorful past.
- Sayida the Sly — Human corsair captain of Elonian descent who leads the Sly Crew and helms The Dark Leviathan. She assists the Tyrian Alliance in the voyage to Castora.
- PTM — Golem originally aligned with the Inquest, he eventually switches sides and assists the alliance by providing information on the Inquest as well as helping to thwart the Inquest's schemes in the region.
Main villains
Freebooters — A mishmash of different pirate groups from around Tyria who live deeper in the jungle. Allies with the Inquest who supplied them with advanced tech, and together they are using that tech to cybernetically enhance and weaponize the already dangerous local wildlife.[1]
- Director Vloxx — The latest leader of the Inquest, he has far-reaching aspirations although the reason behind his actions forces the Pact Commander to question what the Inquest's purpose is actually meant to be.
- Overseer Kuda — Daughter of a former Inquest kingpin, she has taken over the remnants of her father's old krewe within the greater organization. She has slowly risen in prominence among Inquest leadership.[2]
- Principal Biomancer Sebb — Notably lacking in charm, he has instead risen to power in the Inquest through a combination of ruthless ambition and the brutal effectiveness of his experiments which involve augmenting living beings with cybernetics.[3]
Other characters
Seneschal — Magically enhanced and mutated Castoran wildlife which the seers have bound with arcane chains to act as immortal guardians of Castora.
Story
Visions of Eternity: Act 1
Prologue: On the Sly
Following the events that happened in Janthir, the Commander received an update on the latest in Lion's Arch. Given recent events, things were pretty busy in Sanctum Harbor—there had been a lot of movement in and out of the city.
The Commander learned about how the locals were adjusting, including how recent events had brought new trades to light; there was much to be learned.
The Commander then received an urgent letter from Commodore Lawson, summoning them to Lion's Arch to meet with him. When they got to Lion's Arch, they were greeted by the sounds of a scuffle in the alley. Sayida's Sly Crew was at odds with Magnus's. Sayida quickly took command of the situation and sent the opposing crew on their way. As the Commander caught up with Sayida, she revealed that she'd taken—by questionable means—a seat on the Captain's Council. While watching the docks ahead of an alliance trade deal, her crew witnessed some unscheduled departures, all manned by the Inquest. Her technician lost the signal before they could learn anything meaningful.
While Sayida scolded her crew for the earlier scuffle, she directed the Commander towards Canach and Lawson. Canach was enamored with a recent ship purchase and seemingly unbothered by the Inquest situation, but Lawson shared Sayida's discomfort. No one wants to see an organization like that moving en masse. While they waited for Sayida, the Commander called Councillor Ludo to see if she knew anything. She was similarly distraught by the revelation, expressing concern that something sinister may be at play. She suggested that the Commander meet with her in Rata Sum, and so they headed to Maguuma.
Chapter 1: Unscheduled Departures
Sayida and the Commander met with Ludo in Rata Sum, who suggested speaking with the dock workers. They did not get much information and were attacked by Inquest plants, confirming that they were on the right track. They headed to the Port Authority and were ambushed by Inquest again. After gaining access to the terminal, they found a few clues about the Inquest's movements: the Inquest were under a new leadership and a storage unit filled with Zinn's archived research was broken into. After decrypting some files, they found that Inquest vessels were approved to depart from the docks and that Councillor Yahk redirected rations meant for the Tyrian Alliance to those vessels. In addition, Councillor Flax may also be involved in these events.
Ludo suggested they head towards Councillor Flax's office to further investigate. Disguised as one of Flax's lab workers, the Commander created a distraction and searched Flax's office. Copies of Zinn's stolen research referred to an island called Castora and a note from the Port Authority director criticizing the councillor's abuse of power. These findings confirmed that both Flax and Yahk were involved.
The Commander returned to update Ludo and Sayida with their findings. Sayida offered The Dark Leviathan to pursue the Inquest to Castora. The Commander met with their allies in Lion's Arch, and were also joined by Isgarren and Rytlock.
During their travels, the Commander and allies overcame ocean storms, fended off a Krait attack, and repelled a massive kraken. Days later, they encountered a thick, magical fog. Isgarren distilled the magic in the air, and the Commander guided the ship through wreckage and dangerous creatures. Unfortunately, the Martingale was sunk after a vicious roar erupted somewhere out of sight. Thankfully, Canach, Rytlock, and their crew were safe.
After pushing through the last of the fog, the Commander and allies reached Castora, its coastlines rippling with magic.
Chapter 2: Solid Ground
The Commander checked in with their allies on the beach. Isgarren seemed to be dealing with seasickness while a sullen Canach stewed over the loss of the Martingale. Rytlock itched to see some action, and Sayida was directing traffic, helping both ships' surviving crews recover from the treacherous journey.
The Commander started by scouting the area to get the lay of the land... It was beautiful; teeming with magic—gravity-defying rocks, luminescent shoals, misty waterfalls... like nothing they have ever seen. As the Commander explored, they observed scores of shipwrecks and ran across some of the supplies that washed ashore from the Martingale. The magic in the area felt unlike anything they had experienced, yet there was a slightly familiar tinge to it that they couldn't put their finger on. From one lofty peak, the Commander caught a glimpse of what appeared to be local inhabitants.
The Commander returned what salvageable supplies they could to their makeshift camp. Canach had hoped for more valuables, but Sayida put what they had to good use. As the Commander finished doling out the recovered supplies to the wounded and ailing crew, a castaway by the name of Westergard approached. Sayida attempted to make friends, but Westergard wasn't having it. She was... not exactly welcoming. Hard as nails, that one. Westergard insisted that the Commander go speak to the mayor of the nearby village. Alone.
The Commander introduced themself to Mayor Osborne in the shipwreck village of Hullgarden. He was guarded but willing to exchange information for some much-needed aid around the town. He said that in order to really be of use, they’d need a properly trained skimmer and better knowledge of the area. So he sent them to the oddly named Wavehawk Pete to learn more about the local skimmer population and how they've adapted to the Castoran environment.
Pete turned out to be extremely enthusiastic about the local skimmer population—a subspecies they call wavehawks—hence the nickname. The Commander helped Pete tend to the juvenile wavehawks around Hullgarden, learning about their predators, their caring and devoted nature, their diet, their playfulness... By the time the Commander finished, they’d earned a loyal wavehawk and an even more loyal Wavehawk Pete, who'd already put in a good word for them with the mayor. Despite the fact that Pete was still alive (a joke on the mayor's part), his word wasn't quite enough. Mayor Osborne insisted the Commander to "make a few more Hullgardeners happy" before he'd give them any info on the Inquest's whereabouts. The Commander pitched in around town, helping these castaway survivors in all manner of tasks; beautiful as this land is, surviving on it is no easy feat. They found the Hullgardeners to be a hearty, resilient bunch, if not particularly trusting.
Once the mayor was satisfied with their work, he pointed the Commander in the direction of a local scrap collector who might have run across some Inquest equipment. The collector, Sparktail, insisted they gather some shipwreck salvage for him in exchange for information. The Commander also managed to run across a bit of Inquest wreckage in the process, confirming that even the Inquest didn't make it to Castora without casualties. After they returned to Sparktail, he told them the Inquest had been trading with some of the local pirate-like mercenaries who call themselves "freebooters." He said that if the Commander could find some of them at the pub, they’d likely get information on the Inquest's whereabouts.
Later on, the Commander made their way to the pub, only to find that it had somehow already been purchased by Canach. To "recoup my losses from Martingale," he said! Canach gave them a round of drinks on the house, which they served to a few freebooters to loosen their lips. And talk they did; the Commander found out the Inquest were holed up in a cavern to the south, behind a waterfall. Apparently, there was some kind of conflict brewing between the Inquest leaders, and the cavern was full of golem suits and consoles. The Commander has already formulated a plan to use the freebooters' intel to their advantage...
Chapter 3: Eyes, Ears, and Arms
The Commander followed the freebooters' leads to a cave in the south of Shipwreck Strand. To access the base and gain more intel unnoticed, they stole an Inquest power suit and hacked into the control system, setting one of their golems to combat mode. The Commander thought they'd hacked into several golem units, but one malfunctioning golem proved to be enough to draw the attention of Inquest leadership.
Surprisingly, one of the leaders turned out to be Overseer Kuda. The other they'd never heard of—a "principal biomancer" named Sebb. Sebb ordered the Commander to open the animal pen nearby, releasing a pair of his experimental creatures—"5" and "7," reptiles grafted with golem-like tech. The creatures ripped the malfunctioning golem to shreds. While Sebb seemed to enjoy the chance to test out his creatures, Kuda was annoyed and wanted to focus on their current mission. Perhaps their distaste for each other could prove useful later...
With the golem destroyed, the Commander eavesdropped on Sebb and Kuda's bickering—they planned to leave the facility with Agent Thessa and her "procurement team." Kuda chastised Sebb for the delay, but Sebb pushed back, mentioning he answered "solely to the director." As they made their way out of the area, the Commander considered their next move...but suddenly a number of other golems malfunctioned—their hacking had worked after all, just too slowly...maybe too well; the Commander’s own golem suit burst into flames, and they were forced to eject and fight their way out of the cavern. The Commander will have to go after Kuda and Sebb another time. For now, it's time to find their allies and fill them in on what the Commander has learned.
After the Commander returned, they headed to Canach's pub to find Sayida, and they filled her in on the Inquest facility and the presence of Overseer Kuda and this principal biomancer, Sebb. The Commander was still unclear as to who was in charge of the Inquest, but they agreed the only way to get more information was to try following their trail through the caverns.
After the activity calmed at the facility, the Commander returned and followed the procurement team's circuitous path through the cavern system, eventually leading them north into Twisting Hollows— freebooter territory. Outside a private bar called the Wardroom, they overheard a snippet of conversation—Agent Thessa speaking to a freebooter. The Commander wasn't getting past the bouncer into the Wardroom without a password and a disguise. Luckily, they were able to get both off the nearby freebooters and gain access.
Inside the Wardroom, Agent Thessa was in deep negotiations with a freebooter representative called Seamus the Slick (likely a self-given nickname since his negotiation skills didn't seem to warrant it—he seemed mostly interested in acquiring barrels of "swill."). The Inquest agreed to provide the freebooters with weapons and golems, so long as the freebooters agreed to use them against the Hullgardeners—and keep the Tyrian Alliance busy in the process. The Inquest also provided supplies in exchange for freebooter intel and manpower somewhere inland.
The Commander couldn't allow the freebooters to use those weapons and golems—they were too dangerous, and they'd tie up even more of their forces protecting Hullgarden. Before following the Inquest's trail north, the Commander made their way back into Inquest territory and tracked down a set of codes that allowed them to turn off the freebooters' newly acquired golems' combat systems.
After sabotaging what supplies, weapons, and golems they could, Sayida checked in over comms. With the immediate threat to Hullgarden dealt with, the Commander let her know they were ready to continue tracking the Inquest north.
Chapter 4: Truths Unearthed
There was too much foot traffic in northern Twisting Hollows to continue following the Inquest's footprints. The Commander needed a new strategy, so they put their skimmer's Aetherlocation skill to work. Their skimmer picked up on an Inquest tech frequency, and they followed it north, out of the cavern system and onto the sandy shoals of the strand.
Strangely, they first discovered a buried communique, left for Kuda by one of her underlings, detailing Sebb's obsession with inland artifacts and an experiment in which he intended to use some of them. Next, they found an audio communication from Kuda herself, left to be unearthed by one of her contacts. In the message, it's clear that Kuda detests Sebb and would be happy to see him dead. She mentioned that she was on her way to observe Sebb perform some kind of experiment involving a "seneschal," which she seemed to begrudgingly respect and possibly even fear.
Following the frequencies, the skimmer then uncovered a hastily written communication to Kuda—this one mentioning this "director" again, whose name seems to be Vloxx. The note suggested that Vloxx is hard to read, but that he might be losing patience with Sebb. It also mentioned Vloxx's speculation that, whatever these seneschals are, they might be "unnaturally" territorial.
The skimmer again followed the frequencies, turning inland to an area where it seemed to sense a large presence ahead...something to do with Sebb's experiment, no doubt. Unsure what to expect, the Commander called Sayida and asked her to bring backup.
The Commander met up with Sayida on the beaches of Guarded Glades. Rytlock was the only ally she'd been able to gather—Canach being preoccupied with rowdy patrons at the pub, and Isgarren nowhere to be found. With no time to waste, they ascended the hill, heading inland.
As they climbed, they were swarmed by crabs. As Sayida pointed out, the vicious things had been harrying them since before they made landfall! This turned out not to be a coincidence... They caught up to Sebb and Kuda in a hillside glade. It seemed too good to be true—Sebb and Kuda, seemingly unprotected, Sebb inexplicably burying artifacts in the sandy ground. They'd interrupted Sebb just before he could attempt whatever experiment he had planned... But Sebb improvised. He threw the last artifact in their direction and bolted. Before they could pursue him, a gigantic crablike creature emerged from beneath the ground, snapping its massive claws at them and Kuda.
Kuda quickly escaped, leaving them to deal with the creature that had been hinted at in Kuda's communications: Kela, Seneschal of Waves. Shackled in magical chains, Kela struck relentlessly. Sayida realized that the seneschal was not fully in control of herself, and she fiercely defended the artifact thrown by Sebb. Thinking quickly, they unearthed the artifacts that Sebb buried in the glade in an attempt to give them to Kela and calm her down, rather than fighting her to the death. Sayida's idea seemed to work, so they kept at it.
Eventually, they gathered enough of the artifacts to soothe the seneschal. With Kela subdued, they gathered themselves and tried to piece together the clues and intel they'd discovered about the Inquest's mission. The artifacts Sebb had buried included old books, ancient tablets, a shard. And that's when it all clicked. The shard was a piece of shadowstone. The subtle hint of familiar magic the Commander had felt when they first landed... That was seer magic! And Isgarren, the one person who would likely know more, was conspicuously missing.
After a fruitless attempt to contact Isgarren over comms, they decided to follow the lead of Sebb's artifacts further inland. Sayida and Rytlock went ahead to help establish a camp.
Where was Isgarren? He'd been acting strangely since the moment they set foot on this island. An island that his people were somehow familiar with. Now, when they most needed him, he'd disappeared. And what about this director, Vloxx? Was he actually leading the Inquest on Castora? There was no shortage of questions. It was time to hack their way inland to find more answers.
Visions of Eternity: Act 2
Chapter 5: Beneath the Canopy
Having finally broken through into the forest proper, the Commander first regrouped with Rytlock and Sayida so they could plan their next move. Unfortunately, addressing tensions among their allies around their newly-founded camp was the most pressing issue—and, as usual, that responsibility fell to the Commander. They spoke with Colonel Rheff, the Astral Ward's liaison in charge of the encampment, about the situation; he felt he could keep everyone happy if the Commander could make sure the base was secure, and intel about the area was being gathered. Seemed a fair enough trade to them.
The Commander tracked down some of their scouts in the area, and they were able to give them enough intel to know where to start. They gathered up some samples of the local ley-line magic for Magister Keadin, who will hopefully be able to give them a better sense of the forces at play here. The Commander tracked down Ember Doomforge; also, as usual, she has the Ash Legion listening in on everything, which should prove useful in tracking the Inquest, at least. They gave her a hand by planting some of her devices around to widen the network. The more they know, the better.
Things took an unexpected turn when the Commander went to help Kiango and the Sly Crew. They somehow stumbled on this special Inquest golem, PTM, that's not only friendly but able to talk and reason. But instead of seeing what a lucky break that is, they were going to try to sell him! Fortunately, the Commander was able to barter them out of doing so. Unfortunately, PTM was damaged in the process of being captured, and the Commander is going to need special tools from the Inquest complex to access what he knows. They’ll set out for the complex at nightfall. Nothing is ever easy.
As time passed, things were definitely not going as the Commander expected. Infiltrating the Inquest base went as well as could be hoped for; with some careful stealth, the Commander successfully disabled the turrets that they had positioned around the inner complex. The plan hit a bit of a snag when they encountered the electrical field blocking access to the main building, but the Commander was able to track down the control panel for it—after dispatching the engineer on duty, of course. Their presence hadn't gone unnoticed, however, and reinforcements from Kuda were on their way. Still, they had time to get in, get the repair tools, and get out.
The Commander expected the next part to be harder, but instead of a chamber filled with Inquest, they found only one: Director Vloxx, who was unexpectedly happy to see them. He explained that he didn't want to kill the Commander; he wanted their help to "save their world." He insisted that he didn't have time to explain, but that his only goal was to "return Tyria's destiny to the hands of her people." And then he provided an infuriating revelation: the Arcane Council didn't just know about the Inquest coming to Castora, they funded the expedition! The Commander needs to find out what Ludo knew of this, if anything.
The Commander wished they had had more time to press him for details, but he simply handed them a comms device, promising he would be in touch, and insisting the Inquest couldn't see them together "yet." Before they could object, he was gone, leaving them to dispose of Kuda's reinforcements. Luckily, the Commander was able to find the repair tools for PTM and then exit through the nearby teleporter.
The Commander has stopped for a breather, but they’ll be headed back to camp soon. They’ve got even more questions now than they left Shipwreck Strand with. Hopefully, PTM can provide some answers.
The Commander managed to get PTM repaired. As he was rebooting, they were joined by Canach, who had apparently decided he needed more adventure. The Commander called and updated Rytlock and Sayida on what they’ve been up to; they've moved to another encampment up north, so the Commander sent Canach to join them. Maybe they'll keep each other out of trouble.
PTM was able to provide some insight about Vloxx's past as an engineer in Rata Sum, and it seems consistent with the asura the Commander met: a career of trying to do good and growing increasingly frustrated by corruption. They got even more insight when he called them just a few minutes ago. By his accounting, he's working with the Inquest because they're the only "tool" he has available. He frankly seems pleased with the idea of dismantling them, which is promising. And he spoke a bit about what his goals here are, how he worries that Tyria won't survive on its current course, and how he intends to "remove the impediments to individuals like you." An understandable sentiment, but it takes more than that to do good, and the Inquest are certainly not doing any good here.
The Commander is not sure what to make of him yet. They are going to join up with the others and figure out their next steps.
Chapter 6: Ruins of the Old World
The Commander met up with Rytlock, Canach, and Sayida at the hunting camp to the north and filled them in on everything they've learned. They're predictably divided on what to make of Vloxx; Rytlock seems sympathetic, Sayida doesn't believe a word of it, and Canach... The Commander thinks Canach mostly enjoyed being cheeky about the whole thing. What they all agreed on was that they needed more information, because operating in the dark is going to get them nowhere. Since Isgarren is still missing, they'll have to go digging on their own.
Canach proposed a plan to reverse engineer the data banks of Sebb's creatures to see if it would give him access to some internal Inquest information. The Commander destroyed a good number of them and brought back as many data banks as they could carry to let Canach work on them, then headed back out and cleaned up the rest of the creatures in the area. The less of those things prowling around, the better. Before they could return, Rytlock called them; Canach must have found something in the data banks, because he left with Sayida, headed for some nearby ruins.
The Commander is on their way there now as well. Hopefully, they find them before they get themselves into trouble.
Predictably, Canach and Sayida were arguing about Vloxx when the Commander reached the ruins; it's a wonder they hadn't been ambushed. They managed to at least temporarily disrupt their debate, and they resumed searching for the ruins that the Inquest had been digging around in.
They found them soon after, as confirmed by an ambush of Inquest forces still in the area. But almost immediately after dispatching them, they discovered a group of Durmand Priory scholars who were being held by additional Inquest nearby.
They liberated the Priory researchers and found out from one of them, Scholar Renato, that the Inquest had been interrogating them about a specific artifact. It seems the Inquest didn't give them enough detail to know which one they meant; maybe the Inquest don't even know what they're looking for yet? They offered to escort them back to their camp, but they were undeterred and insisted on continuing their work.
Canach, Sayida, and the Commander conducted their own examination of the Inquest excavation and came away with a few dear conclusions: they're looking for a single, specific artifact; the artifact in question is magically powerful; and they don't know what it is yet. They did their own survey of what the seers had left behind in the area to see if anything would stand out— and got ambushed by one of their defense mechanisms in the process—but weren't able to reach any conclusions.
The Commander thinks that if they're going to figure this out, they need a better understanding of what the seers were doing here. They checked in with Scholar Renato to see if he could recommend anyone, and he told the Commander that Historian Meliza is the seer expert back at their camp. Canach also suggested they try to contact Isgarren and get the info from him, though whether he believed it would work or just thought it might be funny to try is unclear. Needless to say, Isgarren still didn't answer.
The Commander is heading to the Priory camp to talk to Meliza now. Hopefully, that will give them some idea of where to look next.
The Priory camp was in disarray when the Commander arrived, and Historian Meliza was too preoccupied to talk. They were able to assist Scout Hiorr and Magister Sirkk, however, and get things to a more amenable state. It seems every place they visit on Castora has its own set of problems.
The Commander finally got a moment to speak to Meliza. She was eager to help, but needed more artifacts to examine to provide any new insights. They set out to gather as many as they could from the sites she listed and brought them back. They seem to be promising finds, and Meliza is confident that many of them are ritual objects, pointing to a religious significance to Castora. But more detailed information is just going to take time.
The Commander updated Sayida, and she says it's time to track down Isgarren. They can't say they disagree, although the Commander is not thrilled about it. For now, they are taking a breather while they work up the tolerance for him to ignore their call again.
Chapter 7: Fumbling in the Dark
As expected, the Commander’s attempt to contact Isgarren was once again unsuccessful. So, instead, they were left to track him down the old— fashioned way. Luckily, Hiorr happened to have seen him heading west into the ruins. The Commander is not sure where they'd have even started without that tip.
They followed his trail until they reached the piazza, which was scattered with evidence of Inquest excavation and combat- and also with undoubtedly valuable seer artifacts and statues. The Commander even discovered a message on an abandoned Inquest communicator that suggests that Sebb has something planned in that area. They need to follow up on that later. As they searched, however, the Commander came upon a magical disturbance near the basilica's entrance; while Castora's magic is especially active, this seemed to have been specifically stirred up by something. As they moved further into the entrance of the massive structure, the Commander finally found Isgarren.
He's as unhelpful and unapologetic as they've come to expect, and seems to have no interest in answering any of the Commander’s questions. The Commander called the others, and while Canach and Sayida are occupied elsewhere, Rytlock is on his way. Isgarren insists he needs to explore this facility, and it seems the Inquest beat them here. They'll be going in with him, of course; until they get some answers, the Commander is not letting him out of their sight.
Once Rytlock arrived, the three of them pushed their way further into the basilica. They encountered traps almost immediately, which Isgarren apparently expected, but didn't bother to mention. Soon after that, they started to encounter Inquest patrols as well; they don't have a heavy presence within the structure, but they aren't willing to leave it unguarded, either.
Their descent into the depths of the basilica was met with more resistance, both in the form of seer defense mechanisms built to keep them out and Inquest soldiers aiming to do the same. They encountered a lot of signs that the two had run into each other as well: there are dead Inquest everywhere, and plenty of freebooters, too. It seems the Inquest hired them to clear the way and trigger as many traps as possible. At the base of a large staircase laden with seer defenses, they found the doors to a large chamber being actively guarded by another contingent of Inquest. Once they were taken care of, they made their way inside.
That final chamber turned out to be a crypt containing the tombs of a number of seers, each buried reverently with inscriptions memorializing their loss. Many were too worn to be legible, but one in particular indicated that they were "lost in the rite of Divitium Nava" and "fallen on the doorstep of divinity," without specifying what that meant. There was also mention of something called "Ancora," which seemed to be tied to this rite.
Their investigation stirred up an especially powerful and heavily shielded seer construct that had remained dormant when the Inquest were here. Isgarren suggested that it was because "this one was meant for me," but, in his usual fashion, offered no further insight. After a prolonged battle, they managed to disable the construct, and the Commander finally got a moment to interrogate Isgarren on what was going on.
The Commander is still livid even as they wrote in the journal. He knew the whole time—or "merely suspected," if they were to take him at his word—that the Inquest were after this Ancora, an incredibly powerful staff that was used in the rite of Divitium Nava, one even more powerful than the ritual used to create the wizards. They've been groping blindly in the dark while he just kept this to himself! Would he have ever told them if we hadn't learned it themselves? He says he will give them further answers when they return to camp, but that remains to be seen.
The Commander needs to contact Vloxx again. They think his intentions are good, but the kind of power he's after... They need to move quickly now. There is still time to prevent a catastrophe, but only if they find Ancora first.
Chapter 8: Path of Divinity
Following their revelation in the temple, the Commander demanded answers from Isgarren. After everything they'd endured from him, this was not the time for silence. He reiterated that Vloxx will need Ancora if he truly wishes to perform the ritual and ascend. The Commander pressured Isgarren for more information, but his memories of Castora are obscured—a great deal of time has passed since he last dwelled here.
Since the Inquest haven't ceased their search, they can assume that they've yet to locate the artifact. It's likely hidden somewhere in the forest or even deeper into the island. The Commander checked in with PTM as well, who at least confirmed that it's yet to be discovered.
After digging through various Inquest excavation sites and abandoned seer grounds, they returned to Isgarren. While the Commander hit a few dead ends, they happened to come across three runes that are embedded in the environment. When they touched the runes, hazy images rolled through the Commander’s mind: seers congregating, a seer statue, and a circle of stars. Isgarren's interest was piqued. He called them binding runes and said that they each represent a different facet of a powerful spell. When the Commander told him that they had evoked the ancient plaza that they found while looking for him, Isgarren suggested that they go there next.
The Commander met with Isgarren back at the Consecrated Piazza. There, he was able to trace the origin of the runes. He explained that binding runes require an immense well of power and demand much from the caster, so they often leave a trail of essence where they were set. If he could trace that essence to the origin of the spell, they'd be able to witness the moment when the runes were conjured.
After casting his seeking spell, two massive astral projections of Isgarren and Sidony, the former leader of the seers, emerged. Isgarren was shaken by the vision. The projection of Sidony scolded Isgarren for ascending Waiting Sorrow, a building monolith of Isgarren's "mistakes," and banished Isgarren. Sidony cursed and set Castora's defenses against him.
This is why Isgarren has been so...difficult.
The visage of Sidony flickered southward, presumably in the direction of Ancora, mumbling about a tree. With this information, Isgarren believes that he may be able to locate the artifact that Vloxx seeks.
Joined once again by Rytlock and Sayida, they met Isgarren at the foot of the tree that Sidony spoke of. Although his senses are dulled, Isgarren claimed that he heard the low mumble of Ancora's call somewhere beneath them.
After a bit of searching, they were able to locate the entrance to the vault. The door was sealed by what Isgarren called a tiered balancing charm, and he explained that each tier must be manually disengaged before they're able to enter. After securing each tier, they were able to open the vault. They ventured inside.
The vault was filled with ancient seer weapons and artifacts. After determining that none of the artifacts in their presence was the one they sought, Isgarren guided them towards a large door affixed with a piece of shadowstone. Unable to interact with the stone directly due to Sidony's curse, Isgarren instructed the Commander to do as they did on the ship before-he would channel the dormant seer magic around them, and the Commander would collect their essence to deposit it into the stone.
Once the stone was charged, the door to the vault rolled open, revealing a cavernous chamber. Isgarren grimaced at the magic that hung in the air, having coalesced over a millennium. And suddenly the Commander could hear the whispers of Ancora, too.
At the end of the chamber atop was an unmistakable artifact: Ancora.
As they approached the pedestal, Isgarren asked the Commander to pick up the artifact. Whispers surged-ancient power flowed through them. With the artifact in hand, they foolishly allowed themselves to indulge in a moment of reprieve. Then they were knocked to the ground.
When the Commander came to their senses, they were on the floor, and Vloxx was backing away with Ancora. Vloxx suggested they would come around once they saw results, then left Sebb to keep them occupied. As Sebb stepped between them, Vloxx said, "Take your time," but who that was meant for is unclear.
Kuda took off after Vloxx, seemingly gleeful about abandoning her supposed ally. Eventually, his mech failed him, too, and Sebb was forced to fight them on foot. Even with the raptors at his side, he proved to be little more than a wall that blocked their way. Something went awry with his tech, and the creation turned on the creator—they watched as his raptors ripped him to shreds.
After liberating Sebb's creations, they turned to Isgarren. He was already weak from the energies in the vault, and the explosion only worsened his state.
Before discussing their next steps, they need to get him to clearer air.
The Commander returned to the Dark Leviathan to check on their allies following the battle. While they were able to celebrate one victory with Sebb's defeat, everyone is nervous now that Ancora is in Vloxx's possession.
Isgarren echoed these fears, especially with as little as they know about Vloxx's intentions. When Isgarren performed the lesser version of the ritual on the members of the Wizard's Court, he dampened their memories so that they would be of unbiased mind when they obtained that power. Vloxx, on the other hand, was seeking an even more primal version of that ritual. And unlike Mabon, Dagda, or Lyhr, he would keep all of his memories intact. For this reason, none of them found much solace in their small victory.
As they pondered their next steps, the comms device that Vloxx gifted the Commander buzzed. He started by thanking them for disposing of Sebb. They urged him to stop while there's still time, but the Commander knows he won't. He believes that this is the only path left, and while he'd like the Commander to walk it with him, he's not going to be deterred either way.
It's clear that Vloxx is going to walk this path even if he has to walk it alone.
The Only Way
Chapter 9: On the Threshold
Chapter 10: Within Your Grasp
Chapter 12: A Bold Strategy
Chapter 13: So It Is Written
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Flameseeker Chronicles: Hands-on with Guild Wars 2's Visions of Eternity, MassivelyOP.com
- ↑ Tweet by Guild Wars 2, X.com
- ↑ Tweet by Guild Wars 2, X.com
