index

In this War in Kryta special: - History of Kryta - The End of the Mantle - War in Kryta history - The Shining Blade - The White Mantle - The Mursaat

- The Mursaat - Bar Jokes with Arghore

This issue:

→ A History lesson of Kryta Whoever knows the past, knows the future. → History of the War in Kryta From the beginning to the end. → The Shining Blade The lore behind the heroic rebels of Tyria. → The Mursaat

→ Th e Mur saa t Unseen, but not u nh eard. → Th e White Mantle Find out the truth behind the followers of the Unseen. Costume code contes t wi nne r s. The answer to the riddle and the winners. The En d of the Mant le

Where did it go wrong? Find out here. → Bar Jokes with Arghore A charr, a norn and an asura enter a bar... → End of the Line The last tidbits and the upcoming issue. → GuildMag at GamesCom GuildMag will be providing coverage from GamesCom, find out about the exciting contest we’ve set up.

find out about the exciting contest we’ve set u p.

The White Mantle

The Shining Blade

Fo rewo rd:

Since my youth, I’ve lived in Kryta. Since Saul’s dis- appearance, I’ve known about the Unseen . Ho w- ever, both me and my companions are aware that few know the secret plot within the tale. Few are driven to open forbidden books and find ou t th e truth .

Truth is actually the whole point on wh ich the recent war in Kryta has been based up on. Th e Wh ite Mantle have described the Unseen Ones as the sav- iors of Kryta, worshiping them like gods. On the other hand, rebels who call themselves the Shining Blade have opposed these "deities." Several months ago, both sides be gan campaigns to rally people for their cause.

their cause. Now is the time that we can look back and see how the War in Kryta began, progressed and ul timat ely concluded with a new ruler of Kryta. We can explore the motifs and goals for e ach of the factions, learn of their recruiting technique s and even discover the creation of a third splinter gro up!

I’ve tried to find the best explorers to seek an answer to the truth and I hope you’ ll learn a thing or two that you did not know before. Follow along as we delve deeper into the War in K ryta! - Ollannach Grian (nickn amed: Dutch Sunshine)

These arrows ca n be used to r ea d through the article in- stead. Don’t ge t lost n ow :)

Att ention Bookah!

GuildMag, the unofficial Guild Wars magazin e

Magazine | Page 1/28

Here the charr almost had a successful takeover, if it was not for Saul D’Ale ssio. He re- turned from exile and formed the White Mantle, after which he quickly de alt with the charr by calling upon the he lp of the Unseen Ones.

Kryta was free ye t again, but since the Krytan king fled the throne during the charr invasion, it was missing a true le ader. A lot of people came to beli eve in the cause of the White Mantle and their saviors, the Mursaat. Thus, the White Mantle took the throne and the age of Mantle rule of Kryta began. A few ye ars later, in the year 1072 AE, it was found th at the past king had left an ille gitimate child in Kryta. Soon after the Lionguard got mobilized and began preparing for battle, the Shining Blade joined the cause to get Salma, princess of Kryta, back onto the throne. Meanwhile the White Mantle’s Unseen gods were exposed as the Mursaat and were nearly brought to extinction. Even the White Mantle had to su ffer

the Mursaat and were nearly brought to extinction. Even the White Mantle had to su ffer the loss of their leader, Confessor Dorian, and their Inner Council, which cause d their grip over Tyria to loose n. While an influx of he roes traveled to the north to battle a new threat that had arisen, a civil war in Kryta had broken loose. To get an upper hand in this civil war, Livia, who had sought the help of the Asura, was sent out to find a weapon of powe r. - Ol lann ach Grian

Concept art of the in-game loading screen for Krytan areas.

It began as a fight along the Great North- ern Wall in Ascalon, but when the wall fell, the charr proceeded to invade t he rest of Tyria. With the Great Northern Wall destroyed by the Sear ing, the Char r could now quickly spre ad their forces over Tyria, incl uding K ryta.

By Dut ch Sunsh in e

GuildMag, the unofficial Guild Wars magazin e

Lore | Page 2 /28

With the conclusion of the defeat of the White Mantle at the Battle of Lion’s Arch, it has fallen to me to pen a record of the events leading up to their defeat while the memories are s!ll fresh in the minds of the par!cipants. While Murro’s accounts have provided snap-shots of life during this period, it is perhaps fortunate, given his tendency towards capture by the White Mantle, that he was not in possession of full knowledge of the opera!ons that were undertaken against the Mantle. dismantle or obey! The !rst signs of an escala!on in the con!ict came in the form of a propaganda war be

The !rst signs of an escala!on in the con!ict came in the form of a propaganda war be-tween the two sides, star!ng with posters being raised by the Shining Blade and White Mantle extolling the people of Kryta to “Dismantle” and “Obey” respec!vely. As the cam-paign developed, subtle hints and coded messages directed those who supported Princess Salma to Dakatu Village in the Talmark Wilderness, where Salma and the other leaders of the opposi!on to the White Mantle had gathered and constructed a training camp. These signs of impending con!ict polarised the adventuring community. Most, having seen

These signs of impe nding con!ict polarise d the adventuring community. Most, having seen the atroci!es committed by the White Mantle on the Bloodstones and h aving fo ught the Unseen in the Shiverpeaks and the Ring of Fire, sided with the Shining Blade, eager to see the end of the Mantle ’s grip on Kryta. Others, feeling that the White Mantle had been un- fairly vili!ed, that the sacri!ces were jus!!ed in keeping closed the Door of Komalie, sup- ported the exis!ng regime, feeling that Kryta needed to remain united in the face of exter- nal thre ats.

Ostensible volunteers raised by the Mantle in order to assist in ke eping orde r in Kryta, the Peacekeepers quickly revealed themselves to be little more than g ov ernment-sponsore d bandits, extor!ng gold and food from K rytan civilians and raiding smaller K rytan settle- ments including N ebo Village, Beetletun, and the Ascalonian re fuge. The situa!on was fur- ther worsened with the implementa!on by the Mantle of a system of war!me travel per- mits, that were required to legally travel between Krytan provinces. Whether the re sul t of Shining Blade interference or Mantle indifference to the impact this would have on the Krytan economy, few permits reached those who needed them, effec!vely placing mu ch of

Krytan economy, few permits reached those who needed them, effec!vely placing mu ch of Kryta in a state of sie ge imposed by her own gove rnment.

In disgust, most of the good-hearted men and women that had remained with the Mantle quit the organisa!on, singly or in groups, throwing their support behind Salma against the regime that they now knew to be corrupt. While not en!rely trusted by all of their new allies, they were accepted, if not left unsupervised. Others remained, feeding informa!on to the Shining Blade and its allies. Meanwhile, the Mantle and its Peacekeepers !ghtened their grip, forming camps through

Meanwhile, the Mantle and its Peacekeepers !ghtened their grip, forming camps through- out Kryta. White Mantle jus!ciars and inquisitors began to join the Peacekeepers in ter- rorising the populace, harassing the priests of the Temple of the Ages despite the edict of their founder and displacing innocent K rytan farmers from their lands at the ins!ga!on of collaborators such as Layman Josef. Meanwhile, Inquisitor Bauer was unleashe d on the As- calon Settlement, but fortunately the quick thinking of Farmer Dirk dire cted his atten!on to the mergoyles and skales of Scoundre l’s Rise.

Evennia, however, had somewhat less success – without authorisa!on from K ing Adelbern (which was unlike ly to come, given the Ascalonian king’s attitude towards Kryta), Captain Langmar of the Ebon Vanguard was only willing to commit a single unit to the assistance of the Shining Blade, officially to serve as “observers” to the con!ict. That unit was the Ebon Falcons, lead by Lieutenant Keiran Thackeray. Officially, this was because the Falcons we re

Livia’s expedi!on met with suc- cess sooner than exp ecte d. As a consequence of his un willing par!cipa!on on th e assassina- !on attempts on h uman lead- ers in Kryta, Canth a and Vabbi, the golemancer Zinn and h is assistant Blimm had bee n

assistant Blimm had bee n exiled from the asura lands. In- tercepted by Livia, the y were drafted into the war effort and directed to a secret lab near Shaemoor, where they we re

By Dr axynnic

GuildMag, the unofficial Guild Wars magazin e

Game | Page 3/28

the Vanguard’s best unit and that Langmar and Evennia had agreed that if only one unit would be sent, it would be the elite – however, many adventurers who have worked with the Ebon Vanguard speculate that Lieutenant Keiran volunteered his unit in order to have some dme away from his failed reladonship with Gwen, Captain Langmar’s second in com-mand. Keiran had previously been solicidng adventurers for supplies in a picnic that he had planned to take Gwen on for her birthday, only to be rejected by Gwen in favour of her dudes. Leaving Gwen in command at the Eye, Captain Langmar herself ventured to Kryta to assist

Leaving Gwen in command at the Eye, Captain Langmar herself ventured to Kryta to assist in training the Shining Blade’s new recruits, while Evennia journeyed south to Ascalon to seek authorisadon for further assistance from King Adelbern in return for Salma’s pledge of assistance against the Charr. Witnesses report that Gwen adempted to say something to Keiran before he led, but was unable to get it out. When Captain Langmar and the Ebon Falcons arrived in Kryta, they were received inside the audience chamber of Lion’s Arch Keep itself. the lion, the blade and the vanguard

the lion, the blade and the vanguard While they had dghtened their grip on the rest of the country, the White Mantle had been willing to leave the capital under the protecdon of Lion’s Arch’s tradidonal protectors, the Lionguard. However, it had been an odcer of the Lionguard that, with the help of adventur-ers in the retrieval of the relevant documents, had found Princess Salma in the drst place – and when she arrived at the gates of Lion’s Arch, the Lionguard declared their allegiance, expelling, slaying or imprisoning any of the White Mantle that remained within the city. Ader securing the capital, Salma inidated a series of royal boundes to adract more merce

Ader securing the capital, Salma inidated a series of royal bounde s to adract more mer ce- naries and foreign adventurers to Kryta’s shores. At drst, these boundes were issued against low-value targets such as Peacekeeper gang leaders, but as the bounde s proved successful, the Princess began to aim at higher targets, including three of the White Mantle’s top inquisitors. However, the unse en backers of the White Mantle had also rein- forced their devotees with jade constructs capable of inflicdng a spe ctral agony that tore through any of their opposidon that lacked the protecdon of infused armour, adding a never-before-seen construct capable of wielding elemental magic to the pre viously seen

never-before-seen construct capable of wielding elemental magic to the pre viously seen warrior and archer constru cts.

Despite these reinforcements, Inquisitors Lashona and Baue r were the drst to fall. Bauer was found by adve nturers sdll searching for evidence of an alliance between the Shining Blade and mergoyles in Scoundrel’s Rise, while Lashona was caught in the act of adempdng to arrest the cidzens of the Ascalon Sedlement as punishment for the acdons of the Ebon Falcons and the Ascalonian adventurers that had pardcipated in the opening of the Door of Komalie. Finally, Inquisitor Lovisa was tracked down on a beach on Watchtower Coast,

Willem the De meaning re- ceives a taste of his own medicine .

Meanwhile, while Captain Langmar took up the training of new volunteers, the members of the Ebon Falcons began undertaking operadons within Kryta, including leading a squad of new recruits on a reconnaissance mission into Mantle operadons on Kessex Peak (likely leading to the issuing of several boundes for Mantle leaders in the area) as well as discover-ing the locadons of Mantle troop concentradons through the simple process of asking – or so Keiran claimed, to Bartholos’ disbelief. It was not to be long before the bells began to toll for the Mursaat themselves. the beginning of the end

the beginning of the e nd

The second of the Mursaat to be located was the ironically name d Ai ly the Inno- cent, then watching over the Fountain of Truth in Shaemoor. As protecdo n again st a similar operadon, the key to the gate was put into the possession of a powe r- ful Jade construct in the village of Loam

hurst. Ader the key was retrieved by the assault team, Aily dispatche d ambush teams of White Mantle to interce pt the team before it co uld return to Sh ae- moor. The assault team reached Zinn’s lab in Shaemoor safe ly, wher e it turned out that the asura had develop ed a

weapon to assist in the adack.

Aily the Innocent receiv es di vine judge- ment. The verdict? Guilty .

Intelligence had been recei ved that one of the re main- ing Mursaat, Willem the Demeaning, had been l ocate d gathering White Mantle forces within the Templ e of the Unseen in Riverside Province. Slipping i nto Riv er- side Province by boat at night, the assassinadon team was presented with two opdons – to eith er launch a frontal assault on the Temple’s gates (which had bee n

reinforced by a magic-draining Mursaat towe r) or at- tempt to secure a key to the back gate. In the en d, the frontal assault proved quicker and easie r, as the guards of the temple were spread out enough that they were likely not to nodce and respond to an at- tempt to reach Willem by steal th anyway.

By Dr axynnic

GuildMag, the unofficial Guild Wars magazin e

Game | Page 4/28

It appeared that while Zinn was still working on the protection golem that he had bee n commissioned to build, he did have a large supply of failed prototypes. These prototypes were supplied with the teleportation devices normally used with functional golems to allow them to be teleported to a beacon, and were programmed to detonate on arrival, serving as a crude form of artillery. While this assistance prove d less bene ficial than could have been hoped, the assault team was successful in defeating the White Mantle presence within Shaemoor and slaying Aily in his lair, although the citizens of Shaemoor suffered heavily when the arrival of the assault team triggered an ineffectiv e upri sing.

heavily when the arrival of the assault team triggered an ineffectiv e upr ising. The third of the Mursaat, Koril the Malignant, had taken refuge in the Temple of Tolerance in D’Alessio Seaboard. Thanks to the infiltrator Dinas and his allie d agents within the White Mantle, the assault team was able to land in Hakewood without the White Mantle contest- ing the landing. Be fore taking his leave, Dinas reported that he had been transferred to Demetra as part of a White Mantle build up.

Unlike the Temple of the Unseen, the defences at the Temple of Tolerance had not be en reinforced by a Mursaat tower – in fact, the healing shrine that had bee n present in the main courtyard had been removed. Instead of relying on static de fences, Koril had arranged some form of warning system to alert a constant stream of reinforcements to come to h is aid should his position be threatene d. In the end, however, the assault team was able to fight off the waves of White Mantle reinforcements until the number of troops close enough to respond began to dwindle, allowing the killing blow to be delivered on the third of the surviving Mursaat.

of the surviving Mursaat. However, his compatriots had not been idle.

Before a follow-up to the assault on the Te mple of Tolerance could be planned, Dinas arrived in Lion’s Arch with the news that the Mursaat and the White Mantle had massed their force s in Demetra and were preparing to march on Lio n’s Arch. Immediately on receiving this news, Sal ma dispatched messengers to bring the Shining Blad e troops in the Talmark camp to Lion’s Arch, to re

troops in the Talmark camp to Lion’s Arch, to re- trieve the asura Zinn and Blimm and the p ro duct s of their research, and to warn the village s on the Mantle’s warpath to ev acuate . T he warn ings ar- rived just in time, with the inhabitants of

Nebo Terrace escaping just before the White Mantle army swept through the province. Un - fortunately, the asura had not had time to complete their protection golem, requiring the unstabilised power core to be rushed to the capital in order to grant whatever incomplete protection it could provide . For the inhabitants of the Ascalon Settlement, things were even closer. One family had not been collected at the muster, requiring Captains Langmar and Greywind to lead them into hiding to the e ast while the rest of the Ascalonians fled to Lion’s Arch with the White Mantle and their Peacekeeper allie s hot on the ir hee ls, bare ly making it through the gate s before they were closed against the attacking army.

making it through the gate s before they were closed against the attacking army. With the White Mantle surrounding the city and unwilli ng to allow Kryta to bear the burden of a conventional siege, Salma decided on a despe rate gamble – she would shore up the defences within Lion’s Arch to provide a ki lling field for the Shining Blade archers be fore opening the gates and inviting the Mantle inside.

Against the waves of Jades and the Mursaat themselves, the defenders of Lion’s Arch had some advantages – favourable terrain, the availability of resurrection magic for many of the defenders, and the fruits of Zinn's incomplete research – a defensive enchantment similar to Infusion with the power to turn Spe ctral Agony back on its originator. Nevertheless, it was on the heroes of the Flameseeker Prophecies, equippe d as they were with their own armour infused by the Seers seven years before, that served as the linchpin of the city’s de- fence.

Toriimo declared that he would burn the city to the ground. In the end, he was th e o ne who bu rned.

Confessor Isaiah's reign meets its end on the poin t of a hero' s blade.

By Dr axynnic

GuildMag, the unofficial Guild Wars magazin e

Game | Page 5/28

After two of their number and their most powerful unit of the new Jade elementalists were broken on Lion’s Arch’s defenses, the final two Mursaat lead one last ahempt to end the defiant stand of Salma and her followers – and shortly thereafter, the Bahle for Lion’s Arch ended with a second defeat for the Mursaat, leaving Lazarus the Dire as that race’s only known survivor. Interestingly, despite the climactic nature of this bahle, the Peacekeepers did not appear

Interestingly, despite the climactic nature of this bahle, the Peacekeepers did not appear during the final siege. Perhaps they refused (or were not trusted) to participate in a bahle of this inte nsity, or perhaps the White Mantle delegated them to maintain the grip on the countryside while saving their best troops for the assault. Eithe r way, this means that de- spite the decisive defeat of the White Mantle’s core forces, it is like ly that pack s of Pe ace- keepers remain in hiding – possibly to put aside their weapons under the new regime, or possibly to cause trouble at some later time.

However, the final stages of the war were not without losses, as Captain Langmar and Lieutenant Thackeray went missing after seeking to distract a White Mantle army from escaping refugees. At the time of writing this treatise, a shallow grave believed to be Langmar’s has been lo-cated by the search parties, while Lieutenant Thackeray remains missing. Also missing is Evennia, last seen at a camp outside the gates of Ascalon waiting for an audience with King Adelbern.

With the conclusion of the bahle, Salma gave a speech thanking those who assisted in the overthrow of the Mantle, and an - nounced her plans for the future defence of Kryta. T he Sh in in g Blade would be downsized in orde r to serve as the Krytan royal guard, joining any other willing voluntee rs in the the new stand- ing army of Kryta, the Seraph (named in Dwayna' s ho no ur). More significantly, Salma also de clared an amnesty for for mer

supporters and members of the White Mantle, even o fferin g them positions in the Seraph. Time will tell if this will prove to be an inspire d act of forgiveness or whether further troubl e wi ll follow.

The most significant figure to remain unaccounted for, however, is the last known surviving Mursaat, Lazarus the Dire, who remains at large and no doubt up to no good. I fear that perhaps efforts to weaken him by disrupting his ahempt to reconstitute himself in the pre-vious year may have backfired, by driving him into hiding when he might otherwise have revealed himself where he could be cut down with the remainder of his race. Or perhaps his presence may have tipped the balance the other way. Perhaps, for now, we

Or perhaps his presence may have tipped the balance the other way. Perhaps, for now, we should be content with what has been achieved, and in the confidence that whatever Laza- rus may try in the future, the now united nation of Kryta will be ready.

Surrounded by foes, Oizys the Miserable l ive s up to his moniker…but not for lo ng.

Koril the Malignant meets hi s death

By Dr axynnic

GuildMag, the unofficial Guild Wars magazin e

Game | Page 6/28

Offer protection to the weak. Give solace and shelter to those who need it. Be ye a salve to the wounded. -Shining Blade credo The Shining Blade were a group of royalist freedom fighters who opposed the one "True

The Shining Blade were a group of royalist freedom fighters who opposed the one "True Government of Kryta" known as the White Mantle. They believed in the Old Gods (now Six Gods) and wanted to see the bloodline of King Doric on the throne of Kryta again. Thus they rallied under the young Princess Salma and defended her with their lives. The history of the Shining Blade is just as old as the White Mantle’s; however, they made their presence known much later. the failure of the doric line: My father... the king, was always very kind to me. But when the charr a:acked, he aban

My father... the king, was always very kind to me. But when the charr a:acked, he aban-doned my mother, and all of the people of Kryta, in their hour of need. -Princess Salma The Royal Line of Kryta was a shining one. Descended from the great Doric, first king of the

The Royal Line of Kryta was a shining one. Descende d from the great Doric, first king of the united humans of Tyria, the line continued uninte rrupted for centuries, until the ye ar of 1070 AE, when the charr attacked Kryta after their succe ssful invasion of Ascalon . K in g Jadon was a noble king, but in his heart he was fe eble. After he had seen that even the proud Ascalonians and their great wall could not stop the feline s, he abandoned his people in their darkest hour. Because of this, the broken Krytans flocked to Saul D’ Alessio, savior and hero of Kryta, who destroyed the invading charr armies with the help of his unsee n gods. The new faith and its enforcing orde r arose and assumed leadership over the lands of

gods. The new faith and its enforcing orde r arose and assumed leadership over the lands of Kryta. The White Mantle’s reign h ad begun…

Even the weak-hearted Jadon left his legacy, and it was a good one. Before his cowardly escape, he often visited a priestess called Berea in the Temple of the Ages. Later, the woman gave birth to a daughter named Salma. And as I mentioned earlier, the king was noble and had taken good care of his children, legitimate or not. According to the journal of a royal scribe, the young girl was granted special dispensation from the royal treasury. Salma became the symbol of the rebellion nine years after the failure of royal line. the unseen menace: …the White Mantle and their masters are a threat to all Tyrians, not just Krytans, and not

…the White Mantle and their masters are a threat to all Tyrians, not just Krytans, and not jus t humans. -Councilor Vaylor The true nature of the White Mantle was known only by a few. Their tyranny was not so outstandi ng. Those who believed in the Unseen Ones received special privile ges, but other

nation for the taking of these people. The truth was much more painful though. In order to empower their "gods", the White Mantle led the Chosen to a bloodstone (a terrible relic from the time of the Old Gods) deep within the Maguuma Jungle and sacrificed them atop of it. There were some people who wanted to see a heir to the Doric bloodline on the throne of

There were some people who wanted to see a heir to the Doric bloodline on the throne of Kryta again. They searched for something that could prove how evil the Mantle is, and all of their promises and sayings are lies, incl uding the divi ni ty of thei r unse en masters. Afte r a small time they got what they wanted. Once they followed the Mantle and the Chosen to the bloodstone, only to see the aforementioned, ugly truth. It gave the push for the m to arm themselves and begin a guerrilla war against the fanatics and their unse en demons. At the beginning they could do ve ry little damage against the zealots, although ev en that was enough to raise the i re of the Mantle. The government began to spread their propaganda

enough to raise the i re of the Mantle. The government began to spread their propaganda about the rebels, which effectively influenced the populace, thinking of the Shining Blade as murderous ruffian s. The Blade were very few, while the Mantle were many. They could only re cruit several Kry- tans; they could not find allies and their attacks against the oppressors did not do serious damage. Until the day when they found a group of Ascal onian heroes…

than this, they hadn’t shown any signs of oppression. The only "price" for their protection was the Chosen (a group of people with exceptional magical aptitude), whom they took to the Grand Masters in the Temple of the Unseen – that was the official expla

The Bloodstone, as seen in the ‘Bloodstone Fen’ mission (Prophecies campaign).

By Thalad or Doo mspeak er

GuildMag, the unofficial Guild Wars magazi ne

Lore | Page 7/ 28

a new hope: The truth about the White Mantle will reveal itself. And you will be faced with a difficult de-cision. -Evennia In the year of 1072 AE, Ascalonian refugees arrived through the Shiverpeaks. They searched

In the year of 1072 AE, Ascalonian refugees arrived through the Shiverpeaks. They searched for a new home in Kryta, since Ascalon was in ruins and unde r constant attacks by the charr legions. A small band of the foreigners helped Justiciar Hablion in e radicating a larg e undead army. Because of this, Hablion allowed them and the ir people to settle in the prov- ince of North Kryta. However, the same Ascalonian party’s heroic deeds did not end. Con - fessor Dorian himself bestowed the title of Mantle Knight upon them. What’s more, they were asked to help in finding the Chosen near Shaemoor and leading them to Loamhurst. After their arrival, the Chosen and the ir Mantle guards left from Loamhurst toward the

After their arrival, the Chosen and the ir Mantle guards left from Loamhurst toward the jungle. But this time, the Shining Blade inte rcepted them, killing Justiciar Rhynnon in the process. There was a little "miscalculation" in the plans: the deceased was the younger brother of Thommis, one of the founders of the White Mantle. In his grief, Thommis com- manded numerous White Mantle troops and began hunting the Maguu ma Jungle to fin d and kill his brother’s murderers. The Ascalonians followed the m and found the trace of the escaping Blade and the kidnapped Chosen. The y chased them through the Wilds, but after

saving the Chosen from spiders, they were captured by the rebels… There they met Evennia, leader of the Shining Blade, and the rest of the inner council, in- cluding Markis (who wante d to kill them, because they were the allies of the Mantle). Eve n- nia saw the potential ally in them, thus she asked Saidra – another member of the council –

to take the Ascalonians to the bloodstone . There the confused Knights of the Mantle witnessed the cruelty of their previous allies. Justiciar Hablion murde red a g roup of Chosen, sealing their souls in crimson-coloured stat- ues, which were intended to be taken to their demonic masters. The small Ascalonian party felt guilty for the death of the innocent village rs. If they had not taken the divine Eye of Janthir to Loamhurst, all those pe ople

the divine Eye of Janthir to Loamhurst, all those pe ople would’ve not been killed in the name of the Unse en Ones. The furious heroes stormed the bloodsto ne , ending Hablion’ s villainy once and for all.

That day the Shining Blade made their first, major vic- tory against the fanatical devotees of the unseen "god s" thanks to the ir new allie s. However, their victory came at a price…

revenge of the white mantle: The Shining Blade have already been broken over the knee of the White Mantle. -Vizier Khilbron With the death of his brother in arms, Confessor Dorian declared war on the Shining Blade

With a new base of ope rations and two major victories everything seemed to be fine. Even- nia tasked Shadow, a scout, to guide their Ascalonian frie nds to Riverside Province. Ther e they were given a bold mission: to steal the Scepter of Orr from the Temple of the Unse en. Acquiring the Scepter was the easy part - thanks to Dinas, a Shining Blade spy who mas- queraded as a White Mantle priest. Escaping the enraged Mantle was much tougher, though the Ascalonians safely reached Eve nnia.

While they were taking the Scepter to Vizier Khilbron (advisor to King R e za), the traitor - who was no other than Markis – le d his Mantle comrades into De nravi. Only a few Shining Blade survived the raid. The se survivors fled toward the Shiverpeaks. Markis’ tr eache ry did not stop at that. He told the White Mantle that the knights whom had be trayed them were to visit visited a monastery in Sanctum Cay. The ze alots boarded the isl and, captured Even- nia and cut off the Ascalonians from escaping. The Vi zier raised a ship from the depths in order to make another escape route for himself and the desperate group. They sailed east-

ward, in the Crystal Desert's direction. Khilbron told the Ascalonian band

Evennia

leader. Fortunately, the Ascalonian heroe s – energized by the will to redeem themselve s – ar riv ed in time and defeated the attacking battalions. Vaylor the n ordered the party to discover the fate of Elder Gretchen, the leader of the "Denravi project" , and her pe opl e. Gretchen and some Shining Blade scouts su rvived, however, the White Mantle conti nued in to Aurora Glade to claim Denravi for their own – anothe r betray al

Glade to claim Denravi for their own – anothe r betray al from the infiltrator’s sake. The Ascalonians we nt after them and were able to secure the Henge Portal, s cor- ing against the Mantle again by killing the threate ni ng Demagogue .

The Demagogue

By Thalador Do omspeak er

GuildMag, the unofficial Guild Wars magazin e

Lore | Page 8 /28

In the meantime, the broken Blade continued to flee from the pursuing Wh ite Mantle. Saidra and Evennia were waiting for their execution atop another bloodstone within the Shiverpeak Mountains. However, the Ascalonians returned and broke them out of the ir prison. Unfortunately, the sound of the exploding cell door alarme d the Mursaat – the true name of the Unseen Ones which was revealed by the Dragon Prophet, Glint – and the ir constructs. To give a chance of escape for Evennia and the ir liberators, Saidra dre w the at- tention of the Mursaat to herself. Her sacrifice was not in vain, since the small group did escape on a Dwarven ice ship.

escape on a Dwarven ice ship.

One last ba:le remained from the Shiverpeaks campaign. The ba:le of Thunderhead Ke ep. The Ascalonians joine d Jalis Ironhamme r, king of the Deldrimor dwarves, in a brave m ission to retake the fallen city from the hands of the Stone Summit, the evil cousins of the Deldri- mor dwarves. They successfully raised the flag of Deldrimor over the k eep, but the hard part was yet to come. The Unseen Ones and their disciple s arrived. Through many waves they besieged the city, the Mantle and their unseen gods could not pene trate the keep. The last assault was led by Confessor Dorian himse lf, but he faced a similar fate l ike the r est of the Mantle army…

the Mantle army…

It was time for the Shining Blade to ave nge their fallen brethren. They kne w where the traitorous snake, Mark is was heading… The y chased him through the iron mines of the leg- endary Moladune, stopping at a mysterious individual. The person calle d itself the Seer, and claimed that its race fought the Mursaat in the past. The See r believed in the Flame

in the past. The See r believed in the Flame- seeker Prophecies and thus helped the true Chosen – the Ascalonians – in infusing the ir armor (a technique that protected the m from the Mursaat’s agonizing touch). Now they could face the demons head on. They kille d several of the Mantle’s gods on the i r way to

the traitor. By the end of day Markis was dead…

demise of the unseen ones: I know that behind it lies the only chance we have of defea:ng the Mursaat. -Blade Warrior Olivio The Shining Blade had survived and had won important ba:les against the White Mantle,

The Shining Blade had survived and had won important ba:le s against the White Mantle, but it was time for them to regroup. Before doing this, two agents were sent to the Ring of Fire where the Ascalonian heroes headed. Shadow task ed them with assassinating the last members of the White Mantle’s inner council who we re preparing to meet their " gods" in secret. The Chosen killed them and proceeded toward their de stiny. Through a serie s of ba:les they gained foothold in a small garrison ne ar the Mursaat's mighty Onyx Gate. Blade Warrior Olivio briefed them before the heroes continued on to finish off the demonic Unseen Ones. They succeeded, but by doing so they unleashed the titans upon Tyria. This

The remaining titans a:acked the human kingdoms and the Shining Blade, but they were stopped eventually. The Ascalonian heroes had done what the Seer’s entire race could not – they had defeated the Mursaat - , however, their job was still unfinishe d. The Mantle was not yet defeated… the krytan civil war:

In the wake of the White Mantle, my home, Kryta, is wracked by civil war. F ac:ons and sub- fac:ons are destroyi ng our na:on. -Livia The White Mantle suffered severe losses when the veil of godhood was lifte d from the ir pantheon. This revelation plunge d Kryta into a civil war. Even though the Mantle was a

was the Vizier’s intention all along, as he was no oth er bu t the Lich L ord behind the undead invasion of Kryt a. His desire was to rul e the world, but these dreams were sha:ered quickly, when the true C hosen slew him atop the bloodstone – which was surrounded by soul ba:eries. The absorbed ene rgies

by soul ba:eries. The absorbed ene rgies shut the Door of Komalie once again, preventing the horrors beh ind the portal entry into the mortal realms.

The Lich defeate d

By Thalad or Doo mspeak er

GuildMag, the unofficial Guild Wars magazi ne

Lore | Page 9/ 28

broken shadow of its former self, the Shining Blade was still losing the war. In order to turn the tide they sent agents all across Tyria to find new weapons, allies and magic. In the year of 1078 AE, a Shining Blade necromancer called Livia joined Gadd, a renowned Asuran golemancer, hoping to find something that could help her faction and Kryta. She was right about turning to Gadd. Livia learned a great deal about necromancy and a way that could liberate Kryta from her oppressors, however, their splitting with Gadd was quite "stormy". On the other hand, Bartholos - the new leader of the Shining Blade – and his aide, Saerin,

On the other hand, Bartholos - the new leader of the Shining Blade – and his aide , Saerin, recruited foreign adventurers and mercenaries for a quest to seize special crystal s (an arcane and spectral one) and a shimme ring essence from ettins lurking in a cave system that was infused with the power of a bloodstone – the very bloodstone where the Mursaat had planned to execute Evennia and Saidra. The e ssence was used to make the Blade mem- bers' sword sharper than any other on Tyria. The arcane crystal proved to be perfect in making arrow heads, while the spectral one's true powers were not revealed by Saerin . Ac-

cording to her, it would be invaluable in turning the tide against the Mantle.

Livi a

Although the Blade ’s hands were full of enemie s, Livia joined a group of foreign heroes – among them the same Ascalonians who had defeated the Mursaat – to stop a rising thre at in the heart of the world. Together they defeated the Great Destroye r, the an - cient nemesis of the dwarves. The fact that Livia playe d a role in the death of the Great Destroyer was far more imp ortant th an many had originally thought. She met the Ebon Vanguard, a group of elite Ascalonian soldie rs during her travels. The Vang uard late r

of elite Ascalonian soldie rs during her travels. The Vang uard late r helped in restoring the monarchy to Kr yta.

This was the time when the true Chosen learned that Said ra’ s ashes had been recovered by the Deldrimor dwarves. A fe ll ow Shining Blade member by the name of Kaira laid the heroine’s re- mains in Sparkfly Swamp. Adventurers can find this site, and if they lift the urn that contains he r ashes, they’ll feel her courageous spirit giving aid to the m.

The first round of the war favoured the Shining Blade, but the war itself was far from over. It was just the beginning of the end…

cian, guiding the young princess as her aide and adviser. A visitor could see other similar faces as well, including Shadow, Councilor Vaylor and Alari Doubleblade (a particularly nasty woman who took the fingers of her victims as tokens). The latter was very successful against the White Mantle, as she was blackmailing a White Mantle member to give them information seven years ago (these actions were confirmed by the fact that the Mantle placed a bounty on her head). The Blade started operating within Kryta’s lands once again. However, they were still few

The Blade started operating within Kryta’s lands once again. However, they were still few compared to the Mantle, whose numbers were doubled by the disgusting ban dits called "Peacekeepers". In order to balance the scale, Salma ordered Evennia to make contact with the Ebon Van- guard and ask for their help. The prince ss also ordered Livia to find some Asuran inventors that could build something useful in the upcoming battle s against the oppressors.

Evennia had a hard time convincing Langmar, captain of the Ebon Vanguard, to join the war on the royalists' side, but in the end she agreed to help. Officially, without the agreement of King Adelbern, the Vanguard could not have gone to Kryta. To show that they are taking the alliance between Ascalon and K ryta seriously, Langmar and an elite group calle d the Ebon Falcons went to Kryta; however, Langmar told Evennia th at she sho uld gain aud ien ce with Adelbern if the Shining Blade wanted additional reinforcements from both Ascalon

One year later the Shinin g Blade returned to Kryta. Th ey made their camp in T almark Wilderness where all of the ir leaders were stationed. Barth o- los, Evennia and Watchman Arad, representative of the Li- onguard who brought a special

onguard who brought a special "guest" with him. Prince ss Salma, heir to the throne and the Doric line, took her rightful place beside the peopl e who fought for her and K ryta’ s free - dom. Evennia returned as

something similar of a politi

The camp in Talmark Wilde rne ss

By Thalador Do omspeak er

GuildMag, the unofficial Guild Wars magazin e

Lore | Page 10/28

Shortly afterward, some Shining Blade, Watchman Arad and Councilor Vaylor escorted the princess to Lion’s Arch – without a single drop of blood being spilled – where she was greeted by both the citizens of the city and the Lionguard. Finally, Salma could assume the throne. Though the war was not yet won… In the days to come, Salma gained the alliance of many. Captain Langmar and Lieutenant

In the days to come, Salma gained the alliance of many. Captain Langmar and Li eutenant Thackeray (leader of the Ebon Falcons) arrived in Kryta and offe red their "unofficial" help to her, while many adventurers and mercenaries from Ascalon, Elona and Cantha took boun- ties from her majesty. These bounties wished the end of White Mantle justiciars, officers and Peacekeeper gang leaders. In less than a few weeks the bounty hunte rs made short work of both the bandits’ and the Mantle’s leadership.

Salma sent these brave men and women on more dangerous tasks. First, they slew the pe t inquisitors of Toriimo: Lashona, Bauer and Lovisa. After seeing these great successes, the difficulty of the missions grew. The princess got word of Mursaat leade rs hiding in fortified, holy sites of the Mantle. Willem the Demeaning was assassinated in the Temple of the Unseen. Aily the Innocent was crushed by "raining" golems near the Fountain of Truth. K oril the Malignant got tossed out of one of the towers of the Temple of Tolerance. May I notice that this mission would’ ve been a suicide one without the he lp of the still active Shining

Livia can be conside red lucky. She didn’ t even have to enter Rata Sum, the Asuran capital, because two brilliant, exiled asura happened to meet her. She took the m to the camp, where the identity of one of the asura caused a little chaos among the Blade. Zinn was the infamous asura who created R.O.X., a high-tech gol e m that w as programmed to kill the young Salma. Afte r settling thi s little dispute, Livia, Zinn, Blimm and the ir half-witte d

little dispute, Livia, Zinn, Blimm and the ir half-witte d golem protector, G.O.X., moved to Divinity Coast thr ough a secret river passage, where they set up a lab for the Asuran geniouses. The y were tasked with creating a spe- cial weapon that could either protect an yone fighti ng the Mursaat or damage the demonic be ings. Well, the asur a believed they could combine both into one devic e …

Zinn

The young, but strong princess did not flee like her father had done before. She com-manded the foreign heroes to tell Bartholos and Livia about the approaching Mantle army. She also feared for the settlements that were unfortunate enough to be between Demetra and Lion’s Arch: Beetletun, Nebo village and the Ascalon Settlement. Thus she asked the adventurers to warn them as well. This quest was dangerous and time was short. The heroes told Bartholos, who ordered the Shining Blade to man the fleet that was anchored at Stingray Stand. The foreigners told Livia; however, there was a little problem regarding the secret weapon.

The foreigners told Livia; however, there was a little problem regarding the secret weapon. While the asura were successful at combining both functions into one device, the core that was intended to be installed into a golem was not fully functional - what's more, the golem was not even assembled. Fortunately, the genious asura reconfigured the core before the battle to provide some protection against the lethal spectral agony. In the meantime, the heroes warned the Elder of Beetletun who evacuated his people to the safety of Shaemoor. Livia and the two asura met their escort outside the village. Lieutenant Thackeray and Cap

Livia and the two asura me t their escort outside the village. Lieute nant Thackeray and Cap- tain Langmar also joined them in their run to the capital. Behind them the White Mantle army and the terrible jade soldie rs appeared on the horizon. The escapees warned Elder Sobel and the pe ople of Nebo village in time, who evecauted to Berge n Hot Springs.

He was true to his promise . A few days later he appeared in the Lion’ s Arch Keep bringing grave news. The White Mantle had amassed the ir armies at Demetra, the headquarter s of both the Mursaat generals and Confessor Isaiah. They were de ter- mined to end the war that had already

mined to end the war that had already taken its toll on them. Their intentio n was to kill the prince ss, shattering the embodiment of hope for all the Kry- tans who wanted their future devoid of the White Mantle and their de- monic god s.

Demetra as seen in the Bonus Mission P ack.

By Thalad or Doo mspeak er

GuildMag, the unofficial Guild Wars magazi ne

Lore | Page 11/ 28

The Last place where they had to stop was the Ascalon Settlement. Captain Greywind, the veteran leader of the settlers had already prepared his people for the flight. However, a family and a farmer had not arrived to the meeting spot, thus Greywind, Thackeray and Langmar went on to find them, launching the evacuees and the heroes before leaving. The White Mantle were on the heels of the group by the end of the run, but everyone managed to safely reach Lion’s Arch. The guards quickly closed the gates so the city could prepare its defenses. As the sun went down, more and more Mantle arrived, storming the gates of the mighty

As the sun went down, more and more Mantle arrived, storming the gates of the mighty city… the battle for lion’s arch: Come midnight, we open the gates to draw them in, and then funnel them through that glo

Come midnight, we open the gates to draw them in, and then f unnel them throug h that glo- rious choke point while our archers rain down the fury of the Krytan people upon their heads. Wave after wave, they shall feel the sting of our arrows. And whe n the Mursaat run out of fools to se nd, they will personally enter battle and our moment to e nd thi s will be nigh. -Princess Salma

Even though they were greatly outnumbered, nothing could stop the royalists from defend- ing their queen and their beloved ones. The Six Gods have long le ft Tyria, yet the ir ble ssi ng s and their strength were inside the besieged warriors. While the Unse en Ones we re over - seeing the battle, they did not inspire their disciples, instead, they invoked fear in their hearts. Ironic, isn’t i t?

Bartholos and his men arrived in time. Th e asura began to remodel the core. The city’s inhabitants helped the defenders in the preparations. S alma wanted to fight this battle on her own te rms. Her plan was bold, but there was a high chance that it woul d favour them. During midnight, she ordere d the defenders to open the gates. Th e su r

the defenders to open the gates. Th e su r- prised Mantle charged into the city, only to be killed by the blades, arrows and m agic of the unified defenders. As time went on, mo re and more Mantle entered the city.

First, High Inquisitor Toriimo the n Confessor Isaiah fell dead to the ground. The White Mantle got more demoralized than ever. Near the end of the battle, the White Man tle got completely replaced by the jade soldie rs of the Mursaat. Seeing that their forces were re- pelled one by one, the more impatient Unseen Ones led some of the waves themselves. Be- cause of this, Lucent and Oizys died very soon. In re sponse to their deaths, the Perfected and the Cairn constructs were thrown into the battle, however, Blimm and Zin n acti vated their secret weapon that redirected some damage of the spectral agony to the sou rc e, while it still protecte d the injured from certain death. In the very end, Talios, the Mursaat

while it still protecte d the injured from certain death. In the very end, Ta lios, the Mursaat general, his favourite physici an, – according to Dinas – Ambrillus and the ir jade entourage assaulted the city. At this moment the defenders fought with everything they had. The fury of the Krytan nation was enough to defeat the Mursaat leaders once and fo r all… victory! Thank you, my friend, for everything you have done fo r us. -Livia

Syra Raumine n Ascalonian refugee, Proud member of the Shini ng Blade

On the next morning Salma made her triumphant spee ch. She thanked everyone who longed for peace and the end of the oppression. Livia assume d leadership over the Shining Blade, since Bartholos had stepped d own an d h ad become the leader of the newly-founded nation al army of Kryta, the Seraph. The Shining Blade’s role had changed: from the point whe re Salma had claimed her birthright and had taken her rightful throne, the Shining

birthright and had taken her rightful throne, the Shining Blade became the royal guard of every king and queen of the tropical kingdom.The Shining Blade ’s deeds will never be forgotten, Without them, all Krytans would stil l suffer under the yoke of the Unseen Ones and their fan ati cal devotee s.

I know that there will be hard times when the Shining Blade will be called upon again, but until then let us all enjoy an era of peace and justice. Long live the queen!

Princess Sal ma

By Thalador Do omspeak er

GuildMag, the unofficial Guild Wars magazin e

Lore | Page 12/28

Amongst the enemies in Guild Wars, one holds a special place in the hearts of the commu- nity. Introduced as te mporary villains of Guild Wars Prophecie s, the Mursaat gained a larg e following to the point of player made events being held to keep them living in the final chapter of Guild Wars and (afte r Eye of the Norths release) the upcoming Guild Wars 2. Lik e many of the elder races, the Mursaat are no excepton to the "must have mysteries" rule, and thus, their beginnings and past are yet to be revealed fully.

Here we take a look at the Mursaat detailing what we do know, how they played their part in the story, as well as whether we'll be seeing them again in the near future. saul and the unseen It was in the days of the Guild Wars that a drunken gambler, Saul D'Alessio, turned to rob

It was in the days of the Guild Wars that a drunken gambler, Saul D'Alessio, turned to rob- bing merchants in order to pay his debt back to the gambling guild, the Lucky Horseshoe. However after finally repaying this debt, he was caught by one of his victms, tri ed, and exiled from the kingdom of Kryta. Taken into the forest and left to die, many thought they had seen the last of D'Alessio, but they were wrong. Weeks later he returned to Kryta draped in white robes healthy and ready to begin spreading the word of what he found in that forest, word of the new gods he had give n himself to.

What Saul had seen in that forest he described to many - a city of towers reaching into th e heavens and creatures the likes of which he h ad never seen before. These cre atures wou ld become the driving force of the White Mantle, gods to rule in the place of the Five that human s had worshipe d since early days. They were nick- named by the populace as the "Unseen

named by the populace as the "Unseen Ones"due to their tendency to never sho w themselves despite the Mantles insistence that while the citzens could not see them, they could see the citzens. The Un seen were always watch- ing.

Some believed these so called gods did not e xist, that they were another tale from a dru nken foo l who had delved into madness. But they did e xist, though they were not t he go ds S aul tho ught they were.. .

the mursaat A race of humanoid spellcasters, one could mistake them for angels due to their wing-like appendages and golden appearance. The Mursaat had found their most devoted disciple in Saul, the one who could further their plans to preserve themselves... plans that would not present themselves fully untl later. Unlike the other races, the Mursaat are amongst the elder races that could be traced back beyond the appearance of the humans. Another odd thing about their race comes from their atnity to spell castng. Unlike humans

Another odd thing about the ir race comes from their atnity to spell castng. Unlike humans or charr, who are skilled in both the magical and the martal arts, the Mursaat are strictly magical beings. They do employ the use of swords and bows. For this, the y depend upon strange golem-like creatures known as Jade Constructs. Like their masters, these jade units float above the ground; however, they rarely use spells to vanquish e nemies, instead de- pending on physical force. Jade units are made up of Jade Armours, powerful hammer wielding warriors, and Jade Bows, masters of marksmanship. Rarel y seen are a thir d type, the Jade Cloak, who unlike its predecessors, make full use of magic and bear a gree n she l l

the Jade Cloak, who unlike its predecessors, make full use of magic and bear a gree n she l l rather than a purp le o ne. The Mursaat are a force to be reckoned with, but the full extent of their power does no t solely lie with the mastery of magic they possess or their relentle ss jade soldie r s. The ir tr ue power is an ability that all Mursaat and jade constructs are able to use, a powerful spell able to destroy living creatures. The ability known as Spectral Agony. the power and enemies of the mursaa t

Spectral Agony is a terrifying spell that is able to destroy a person in seconds. While many believe the power is able to be used only by the Mursaat, some speak of Saul D'Alessio being gifted with the ability in his final hours, indicatng that the spell can be passed on to those the Mursaat deem worthy enough to control the power. Despite its power, Spectral Agony is not completely unstoppable and defense against it is possi ble. Long ago, the Mur- saat were involved in a war with a second elde r race known as the Seers. The genderless Seers, like the Mursaat, were unlike any other race. They were grey-skinned, had four arms, and like the Mursaat, could float above the ground with grace.

and like the Mursaat, could float above the ground with grace. However, the Seers were no allies to the Mursaat, and the unnamed war that started be- tween them ended with the Seers being wiped out and their civilizaton being forgotten through tme. Only one known survivor remains to this day, roaming the remote regions of Tyria. However, it does not move without purpose, as sometme during the war the Seers successfully found a way to defe nd themselves from Spectral Agony.

The ritual of the Seers made to combat the effects of Spectral Agony is known as "Infusion". Infusion involve s taking a certain essence from a rare beast and infusing it within an obje ct

By Fr ee Runn er

GuildMag, the unofficial Guild Wars magazin e

Lore | Page 13 /28

such as armour, thus allowing protection against the spell in combat. Only one type of beast is said to produce this essence. This creature is known as the Eidolon; it is said to be made from malice and shade which provides it natural immunity against the agonizing touch of the Mursaat. The Seers hunted these beasts down, using their spectral essence to withstand the Mursaat, in an attempt to have a chance to fight back. the demise of the mursaat It was in 1072 AE that the Flameseeker Prophecies began to unfold. These prophecies,

It was in 1072 AE that the Flameseeker Prophecies began to unfold. The se prophecies, compiled by the dragon Glint, were known only to a few beings, the Mursaat included. However unlike others, the Mursaat had everything to lose if the prophecie s came true - their race would fall. Knowing this, they began to plot ways to stop the prophecies from being completed. But who could do this? The answe r came to them... Saul D'Alessio. Using Saul, the Mursaat were able to gain the divine status they thought themselve s worthy of to the desperate humans of Kryta. The founding of the White Mantle would allow the m to in- tervene upon a piece of the Prophecies, the Chosen who would cause the downfall of th e

tervene upon a piece of the Prophecies, the Chosen who would cause the downfall of th e Mursaat.

However, the Mursaat were foolish to leave the task of getting rid of the chosen to the Mantle. The true Chosen slipped through the grasp of the Mantle and continued on their long journey, unknowingly moving towards the Mursaats greatest fear. Pulling out of K ryta, the Mursaat began defending the Ring of Fire Islands, the place where the Door of Komalie resided. The Chosen, with the help of a Seer, gained infusion and fought through the Mur- saat's defenses finally making it to the door. There the foretold Flameseeker opened the door and allowed the monsters waiting behind it to enter Tyria. The Titans were the demise of the Mursaat that the Prophecies had told of, and they slowly began invading Tyria. T hese

of the Mursaat that the Prophecies had told of, and they slowly began invading Tyria. T hese new terrors were immune to Spectral Agony; therefore, the Mursaat were destroye d by the Titans who rampaged through Tyria like a newborn plague. The Mursaat had failed to s top their fate and fell like the prophecy foretold.

Using an object known as the Eye of Janthir, the Mantle would seek new recruits worthy to join them. Se arching the village s of Kryta, the Eye of Janthir would test peasants and t hose lucky enough to pass would be taken to study with the Unseen o nes. Or so it would see m to the familie s and friends of those taken, as the Eye of Janthir was no mere recruitment test - it was a test to seek out the foretold Chosen. The Mursaat used the Mantle to sacrifice those Chosen on a nearby Bloodstone, both

Mantle to sacrifice those Chosen on a nearby Bloodstone, both powering the doors that held the Mursaats fated destroyers back and getting rid of those who would open the d oors.

The Eye of Janthir

Despite the Mursaat having mostly been wiped out by the Titans, all was not lost. One of the Mursaat leaders, Lazarus the Dire had not falle n with the rest. Lazarus escaped from the Titans rampage by splitting himself into aspe cts and infusing each one within his dedi- cated Mantle followers. The followers graciously allowed their god to e nter into the m, be- lieving it to be a gift of power. Six years afte r the Door of Komal ie had be en opene d, Laza- rus finally began to make his move. Remnants of the Mantle moved throughout the Tar- nished Coast, and the members who had received Lazarus's "gift" had began dyin g.

The process to remove each aspect by Lazarus killed its host and the final host h ad lon g since understood the gift he had received was merely a curse. The lone Justiciar sought the help of a genius Asura named Glayvin, hoping he would get rid of the aspect without killing him. Glayvin the Asura failed to remove the aspect, instead corrupting it in the proce ss. Now without hope, the Justiciar brought L azarus ou t for a fi nal conf ro ntatio n. Having gained all his aspe cts, Lazarus the Dire appeared, killing the Justiciar who had served his purpose. Lazarus turned to those aiding the Justiciar and prepared to kill them when his power began to twist upon itse lf. The aspect Glayvin had uninte ntionally changed backfired

power began to twist upon itse lf. The aspect Glayvin had uninte ntionally changed backfired on Lazarus harming him in the process. Weakened and enraged, Lazarus swore revenge on humanity for what it had done to him and his brothers. Co un tless gen eratio ns wou ld suff er for what they had done to the Mursaat... and with that, Lazarus fled into the darkness. the unseen fut ure

In 1079 AE, the fight between the Shining Blade and the White Mantle over the futu re of Kryta turned from small battles into a ful l-blown civil war. Under a new confessor, the White Mantle attempted to keep its grasp on Kryta... and the surviving Mursaat we re behind them. Se ven survivors besides Lazarus the Dire remained, attempting to take shelter within Mantle forts as their oppression swe pt over Kryta. The new queen of Kryta learned of their survival and began dispatching heroes to de stroy the Mursaat once and for all.

By Fr ee Runn er

GuildMag, the unofficial Guild Wars magazin e

Lore | Page 14/28

Willem the Demeaning and Aily the Innocent were the first of the survivors to be taken c are of, Willem hiding inside the Temple of the Unseen and Aily taking refuge within the w al ls of Shaemoor. Scared by their deaths, the White Mantle began to regroup their forces in the village of Demetra, allowing a group of heroes to slip into the Te mple of Tole rance and de- stroy another Mursaat, Koril the Malignant. With three Mursaat killed under the White Mantle's noses, the time had come for the final decisive batt le.

Will the revenge against humanity Lazarus spoke of be carried out? Nobody can know for sure, but one thing is certain: the Unse en will return.

The White Mantle marched across Kryta to the city of Lions Arch. It was there where the queen's forces clashed with the White Mantle for rule over Kryta; however, the Mantle had not come alone. Alongside the Mantle the last four Mursaat, Lucent the Spectral, Oizys the Miserable, Ambrillus the Guardian, and the ir presumed leader Talios

Guardian, and the ir presumed leader Talios the Resplendent, unle ashed their wrath on the forces of the queen. Each one fell o ne after the other on the battlefield, ensurin g the defeat of the White Mantle once and fo r all. All se ven of the reported survivors had fallen, and Kryta would move on to a new age, no longer under the rule of the Unseen

age, no longer under the rule of the Unseen or the White Mantle. But the Mursaat are n ot extinct yet... for Lazarus the Dire still remains somewhere in Tyr ia.

A Mursaat, as seen in -game.

By Fr ee Runn er

Saul D'Alessio and the Mursaat

GuildMag, the unofficial Guild Wars magazin e

Lore | Page 15 /28

In our faith, we are blind In the Unseen, we seek true sight 'In ourselves, we find obedience "Peasant's Prayer" from the Book of Loam The White Mantle. The name of the militarized religious cult is enough to strike terror into

tered even in the slightest breeze. The broken Saul dropped to his kne es. He believed he

tered even in the slightest breeze. The broken Saul dropped to his kne es. He believed he had found his true gods, and the gods, in return, had found the ir first disciple. They cured Saul in both body and soul as we ll as gave him knowledge and wisdom. Then they sent him back to Kryta to help his countrymen and to spread the teach in gs of the

When I first heard the stories of Saul D’ Alessio I was amazed by it. However, he was not always the pure - hearted savior of Kryta. Before the charr invasion of th e coastal nation, he lived a sinful life. Unable to pay the bet he lost, he began robbing merchants who were tr ave ling on the road from Beetletun to Shaemoor. Although he repaid his debt to the Lucky Horsesh oe – an internation al

gambling guild -, one of his victims calle d him out and he was tried as a thief. To ensure that he could ne ver return, the local authorities blindfolded him and rode out with him for three full weeks before dropping him off.

Saul stumbled through the jungle, waitin g for death. In- stead, he found the Unseen Ones. On the fourth d ay of his wandering, he entered a city of massive tower s that seemingly reached into the heavens. The archite cture was astonishing, and the inhabitants of this divine place were unlike any he had ever seen. The radiant cre atures were tall and thin with wing-lik e appendages that flut-

When Saul returned, things were chaotic in Kryta. King Jadon had fled from the thron e, abandoning his people in their darkest hour. The Krytans were leade rless, hungry, and worn. Day after day they suffered losses at the hands of the charr. It was no surprise that the reborn Saul could rally his de feated brethren. He became the messenger of hope. Even though no one ever saw his mysterious gods, the people be lieved that they did tr uly exist. He and his followers save d many defenseless Krytans from the brutal feline s, however, the invaders were many. They could not have hoped to de feat them in one large battle. In order to give hope and a chance to rally for the Krytan people, Saul and his most tru sted

order to give hope and a chance to rally for the Krytan people, Saul and his most tru sted disciples de vised a desperate plan: they would assassinate the charr leade rs unde r the cover of night.

Eight men and women appeared in the village of Demetra on that fateful night. Saul and his most devoted followers – Dorian, Hablion and Thommis – wore white robes and armor, embroidered with golden thread (the "regal attire" that they would use during the ir reign ). They moved through the charr war camps, evading enemy patrols as they proceeded. After reaching the main camp, they killed Rox Ashreign, the charr leade r and his li eutenants. However, the sounds of their battle alarmed the other charr. Seeing that "puny" humans had killed their generals they sought revenge. One by one the charr mobilize d their camps, moving against Saul’ s single band. D’Alessio knew that there was no escape. He le d his dis

moving against Saul’ s single band. D’Alessio knew that there was no escape. He le d his dis- ciples in prayers to the Unseen Ones one more tim e.

This time, their gods answered their plea. Appearing before the desperate group, they promised to protect Sau l and gave him their greate st "bl ess- ing", the power of spectral agony . They warned him though, that their aid would come at a price, but Saul faithfully agreed. Fighting shoulde r to

faithfully agreed. Fighting shoulde r to shoulder with their unse en gods, Saul and his servants repelled the furi ous charr hordes. The charr’s glorious plans of conquering K ryta failed that day. Their armie s broken, the surviv- ing members of the invasion force

retre ated through the Shiverpeaks.

By Thalador Doo ms peak er

GuildMag, the unofficial Guild Wars magazi ne

Lore | Page 16/28

Kryta was secured. However, the Unseen Ones were true to their promise. They demand ed their due for their help. The most devoted followe rs (the ones I had men:oned earlier) of the faith could con:nue to worship and se rve their new gods, but the rest of the witnesses had to die, for they had seen the true power and brilliance of the Unseen Ones. Saul watched as his "gods" struck down his allie s, realizing that the magnificent beings were nei- ther good nor kind. The y took Saul with them in order to ensure his silence. As he faded from the eyes of the mortals, he knew that he had betrayed his own people to new, harsher masters. He was never seen alive again.

harsher masters. He was never seen alive again.

Saul's legacy is tremendous. If asked, many would only conne ct the founding of the White Mantle to his name, however, there were many more deeds he had don e before he disap- peared. Despite the true nature of those that had inspired him, Saul was a good man . He loved his country more than any other and believed in equality. Even though he was the leader of a new faith, he defended the old one. Some:me before his disappearance, he formed a special edict which protected those who belie ved in the Old Gods (now Six Gods) and the hub of their faith, the Temple of the Ages.

It is true that he was invaluable in the rise of the White Mantle, although I think it is unfair from the Shining Blade to call him "Saul the Deceiver". He will s:ll remain a hero and cham-pion of Kryta. the rise of the white mantle: You have led us to the true faith. Kryta will never be the same. -Jus:ciar Hablion By defea:ng the charr, the White Mantle were celebrated throughout Kryta. The Krytan

By defea:ng the charr, the White Mantle were celebrated throughout Kryta. The K rytan people thought of them as the wise and be nevolent defenders of Kryta. A:er all, the Kry- tans were disappointed with the royalty and the "Old Gods". The king abandoned them and the Five Gods didn’t help them in their hour of nee d, whereas the Unseen Ones showed themselves to Saul and his disciple s. Dorian, Hablion and Thommis assumed control over the na:on. Dorian was chosen to be the confessor – the highest rank in the White Mantle’s order – while the two warriors became the first of the Jus:c iars.

The Temple of the Ages as seen in-g ame.

the reign of the white mantle: The White Mantle serves the greater good of all. -Confessor Dorian In the peaceful years a:er the defeat of the charr armies, the White Mantle’s numbers

In the peaceful years a:er the defeat of the charr armies, the White Mantle’s numbers were bound to swell. Many more have joined them and helpe d in spreading the teachings of the "Silent Saviors of Kryta." They built monume nts and temples for their gods. One of these monuments is presumed to be near Demetra, where Saul D’Alessio died (at least that was the "official" explana:on for his disappearance ). Another of these monuments is the Fountain of Truth, near Shaemoor, which is also the housing place of the E ye of Janth ir. Legend tells that Saul visite d the island of Janthir whose inhabitants possessed the gi: of True Sight. When he returned he brought the Divine Eye with him.

True Sight. When he returned he brought the Divine Eye with him. One of the White Mantle's holie st scriptures are also stored in the province of Shaemoor. The Tablets of Janthir contain the teachings of the Unseen Ones, conversa:ons, and jour- nals of various White Mantle members, prayers, oaths, and volumes of wisdom. It is un- known how the White Mantle acquired these, but some speculate th at it is an oth er gi: from the island of Janthir, just like the Divine Eye.

nors – of course, I don’t even have to say that they were appointed by th e Man tle. T he on ly city that they could not fully influence was Lion’s Arch, as it was s:ll defended and run by the less-popular Lionguard. All in all, through these decrees they solidified their rule over the lands of K ryt a.

The temples of the White Mantle are well-known in Kryta. T he Temple of T ol- erance can be found in D’ Alessio Sea- board, while the Temple of the U nsee n – where the so-called Grand Masters resided – stands in Riverside Province.

The White Mantle posi:one d Jus:ciars in the major towns and provin ces of Kryta to enforce the law. While th ey served as protectors, the true gove rning was the work of the provincial gove r-

The Temple of Tole rance

By Thalador Doo mspeak er

GuildMag, the unofficial Guild Wars magazin e

Lore | Page 17 /28

The Krytan people felt safe under the protecting hands of the Mantle and their unseen gods. To them they were the root of law and order. However, there was a certain social "difference" between those in the order and those outside. If you were part of the "one True Government of Kryta", you would receive more food, better clothing, access to books and other privileges simply by following the rules and teachings of the Unseen Ones and fulfilling the orders that were handed down by the confessor. The White Mantle did not become idle during the years of peace. Since the end of the last

During the se times the first refugees from Ascalon arrived. While they awaited at the Gate s of Kryta, a small party went to negotiate with the ruling power – namely: Justiciar Habli on. He and his forces were fighting a large undead force that occupied the swamps in the vicin - ity. Hablion made a deal with the Ascalonians: if the y helped him in clearing out the swamps, he would give their people passage into Lion’s Arch. By the end of the day, the As- calonian se ttlers had a place they could call the ir own, and the White Mantle had new allies – for a time.

The said Ascalonian party continue d to amaze the White Mantle. They secured the Scepter of Orr (for which the Confessor himself bestowed the title of Mantle Knights upon the m) and helped them in finding the Chosen with the divine Eye of Janthir, and taking them to Loamh urst. The undead weren’t the only thorn in the Mantle ’s side. A group of rebels who called them- selves the Shining Blade assaulted the caravan that was taking the Chosen f ro m Loamh urst to the Grand Masters. The Blade killed Justiciar Rhynoon during the ambush . Th ommis,

Which, of course, came sooner than th ey had thought. In the year of 1071 AE, Orr sank to the bottom of the sea. However, the th ousan ds th at died th at day did not pass into the afte rlife peacefully – or more precisely, something powe rful did not allow them. The walking dead marched in to Kryta, taking shelter in the swamps an d

Kryta, taking shelter in the swamps and bays of the land. The ir assaults were relent- less. Every day they ambushed traveling people or defenseless village s. The Mantle marshaled its forces against the unde ad.

In the end, the small group caught Hablion and his entourage in this horrible act, and slew them in return. the mantle strikes back: When these heathens a:acked the White Mantle they chose their fate. Now it is for us to

When these heathens a:acked the White Mantle they chose their fate. Now it is for us to deliver upon them what they have asked for. -Confessor Dorian The death of his right hand gave the final push for Confessor Dorian to declare war on the Shining Blade and the traitors. Speaking of traitors, the Mantle had an infiltrator deeply embedded within the rebel group.

Speaking of traitors, the Mantle had an infiltrator de eply embedded within the rebel group. It was one of the Blade’s inner-council members, an individual named Markis. He sold out his "friends" three times. After Hablion’s death he gave away the locations of all the Blade’ s bases throughout the jungle . Then, he told the Mantle about the ritual with which the y could gain access into the He nge of Denravi, the place that the Shining Blade planned to be its next base of operations. The Blade and the "redeemed" Ascalonians were able to defeat the Demagogue – the person overseeing the Mantle’s push into the jungle – and his armie s. Eventually, they secured the Henge and everything seemed to be wel l.

Eventually, they secured the Henge and everything seemed to be wel l. However, Markis’ third attempt proved to be successful. He le d his comrades into Denravi from the other way around, nearly eradicating all of the rebels in the process. Also, he told the Mantle that the knights who had be trayed them previously are taking the newly stole n Scepter of Orr to a monastery in Sanctum Cay. White Mantle ships hit the sho re of the island, taking the Blade’s leader, Evennia, as a prisoner. Thanks to Vizi er Khilbron, one of

Instead of killing the al lie s of their archenemy, the rebels sh owed th e painful truth to them: the White Mantle didn’t want to train the Chosen, instead they sacrificed the innoce nt villagers atop a magical artifact from the time of the Old Gods. All in the name of the

Gods. All in the name of the Unseen Ones.

By Thalador Do omspeak er

GuildMag, the unofficial Guild Wars magazin e

Lore | Page 18/28

Now that the Mantle had nearly destroyed their enemies, they pursued the sur viv ing Blade members into the Shiverpeaks. However, there was "something" they had not yet ac- counted for. A group of xenophobic dwarves, the Stone Summit, hated everyth in g that was human. The Mantle met heavy resistance in the mountains. S ometime d urin g this po in t the zealots’ unseen gods nally appeared (possibly, they foresaw the closing of the Flame- seeker Prophecies – that they feared so much – drew near). Togeth er th ey pu shed t he Summit and the Deldrimor dwarves eastward. Until, the Ascalonian adventurers returned…

Although the combined forces of the "gods" and their zealots were much tougher than th e

Although the combined forces of the "gods" and their zealots were much tougher than th e Summit’s attack, they failed utterly. The Confe ssor led the very last wave against the de- fenders, but - like the rest of his army before him - he was defeated.

At this point, the Stone Summit held T hun - derhead Keep. The Ascalon ian s wanted to help King Jalis in re taking the keep, while the White Mantle wanted to raise thei r flag ov er the the capital of the Deldrimor dwar ves. The Ascalonians we re the rst to arrive. They recaptured it from the hands of the Summit, although - shortly afterwards - the cold

although - shortly afterwards - the cold- hearted dwarves mounted an o ffensive, hoping to seize the city once more. Th eir siege failed be cause of two reasons: the de- fenders and the fact that the Unseen On es and the White Mantle appeared on the scene. The surviving Summit retr eated in

order to regroup for an other attack.

the fall of the unseen ones: The crossroads will come, a hiccup in me when the rest of history has not been wrien. At this juncture, when the fate of the world hangs in the balance, the forces of evil will rise. It is at this point, that the chosen ones may fail. -Scroll of Seeing The White Mantle was nearly defeated. The nal blow to the old leadership happened

The White Mantle was nearly defeated. The nal blow to the old leadership happened when the same Ascalonian heroes killed the last surviving members of the Mantle’s Inner Council: Argyle, Bolivar and Cuthbert. These three men were planning to meet their gods to discuss their next step; however, they never reached their destination. The worst was yet to come. The White Mantle basically lost their pantheon as well. Again, "thanks" (not from the Mantle’s point of view) to the very same Ascalonian heroes. the beginning of the end: At his heart, every man has inside him a place of darkness. The challenge of the righteous

At his heart, every man has inside him a place of darkness. The challenge of the righteous man is not only to recognize in himself that which he seeks to strike down in the wicked, but to understand that he too is wicked. -Verse 3, The Book of Confessors A few Unseen Ones still survived. It’s still a mystery how they did so (archivists speculate

A few Unseen One s still survived. It’s still a mystery how they did so (archivists spe culate that they broke themselves into aspects, infusing those "shards" into their followe rs, then when the time was right they reclaimed them, killing the hosts in the process). Seven of the known survivors hid in Kryta, while the last – Lazarus the Dire, one of the gre atest gener als of his race, who fought alongside Saul D’ Alessio – went into hiding afte r the last aspect he was trying to reclaim got damaged. This Mursaat – the true name of their race was re- vealed by the Ascalonian heroe s – has never been seen again.

Even the seven survivors were enough to rally the shatte red White Mantle. One of Dorian’s disciples, Justiciar Isa iah becam e the next Confessor. He was not as kind as Dorian had seemed to be. His spe cial decrees "helped" in making the White Mantl e more infamous and unpopular th an ever. He h ired b andits an d scoundrel from the outlands and beyond in order to enforce his own laws. Ironically, he named them Peacekeepers. Then, he appointe d former Justiciars to the rank of Inquisitor. These me n

appointed former Justiciars to the rank of Inquisitor. These me n and women scoured the land for rebels and village rs who dis- obeyed the rules of the Mantle and the Unseen Ones. Last bu t

By Thalador Do omspeak er

GuildMag, the unofficial Guild Wars magazin e

Lore | Page 19/ 28

While the White Mantle were busy fighting in the countryside, Princess Salma – daughter of King Jadon and Priestess Berea, true heir to the throne of Kryta – and her company easily entered Lion’s Arch. The citizens of Lion's Arch welcomed the return of the princess with open arms and hoped she could organize a campaign against the "new" overbearing Mantle. Aher this event, Salma gathered more and more allies each day including: the Ebon Vanguard, two brilliant Asuran inventors and foreign adventurers from Ascalon, Cantha and Elona. The White Mantle couldn’t do anything about this. They still considered themselves to be

The White Mantle couldn’t do anything about this. They still considered themselves to be the one True Government of Kryta, so they saw it fitting to forbid traveling to the "hea-then" city of Lion’s Arch for the Krytan people. They didn’t realize that the majority of the Krytans supported the young princess. In the meantime they began filtering troops to Demetra, where both their mortal and divine leadership was stationed. Salma gave special missions to her new allies. In the first "turn" they killed High Inquisitor

Salma gave special missions to he r new allie s. In the first "turn" they killed Hi gh Inqui sitor Toriimo’s minions (I think we all knew how the former Justiciar reacted to this). The Prin- cess was pleased with the successes, thus she sent the skille d adventurers on more danger- ous missions. The objectives of these ope rations were the assassinations of the Mursaat leaders. In less than a month, three out of the seven survivors were dead. The Mursaat general, Talios the Resplendent decided the ir response: the total de struction of the royal - ists and the death of the "pretender" Salma. On the last day of the war, the White Mantle, the Mursaat’s jade soldiers, and the Mursaat themselves rose from their headquarte rs in

the Mursaat’s jade soldiers, and the Mursaat themselves rose from their headquarte rs in Demetra, determined to end this conhict once and for all. Their charge began. The Mantle army leh none standing in their wake, as they wanted to punish e veryone who had be- trayed them – especially the Ascalonians. Fortunately, the villa ges in the path of the army were warned in time , and thus their occupants had been evacuated before the fu riou s Mantle arrived...

The rays of the setting sun sparkled on one of the greatest armies ever assembled in Tyrian history. The gates of Lion’s Arch were locked, but they couldn’t hold for lon g. To the Mantle’s great surprise, Princess Salma opened the front gates to initiate the first ahack. The Mursaat and Mantle generals quickly sent in their first assault wave. The Bahle for Lion’s Arch b egan …

Eventually, the less ardent Mantle hed the bahle aher seeing the death of their esteemed leaders. In the end, only the Mursaat leaders and their jade soldiers remained. However, one by one they fell to the arrows, blades, and the magic of those who fought for freedom! Talios, Ambrillus, Oizys and Lucent were dead. The Mantle had no gods to fight for, no priests and military commanders who could rally them. Many White Mantle surrendered to the royalists, finally seeing the truth, and cursing themselves for being blind through so

the royalists, finally seeing the truth, and cursing themselves for being blind through so many years. These Mantle joined the Seraph, hoping that one day they could redeem themselves. However, I fear that the "true" White Mantle is not yet defeated (those who survived the bahle or were not present). It’s true that it’ll take them decades if not centuries to muster a credible threat, but they are still dangerous. The religious cult will still search for their false gods… and if they find Lazarus... Dwayna protect us. Qui-Dor Sethiroth

Qui-Dor Sethi roth Canthan Minister of War, Former White Mantle member, Co-founder of the Shining Mantle , Proud member of the S eraph

It did not maher how large their army was, the de- fenders were stronger, as they were energized an d motivated by all the things they fought for: Kryta, their Queen and the Six Gods. On the other hand, many of the White Mantle’s soldiers d id no t want to fight, as they were either forced into bahle or were cowed by the presence of the "Unseen gods" T he royalist army fought valiantly, and even though the

royalist army fought valiantly, and even though the size of the ahack waves grew, they repelle d them. Toriimo and Isaiah we re killed in the e arly stag es of the bahle. See ing this, the zealous White Mantle became enraged and stormed the city along with th e inhuman j ad es.

By Thalador Do omspeak er

GuildMag, the unofficial Guild Wars magazin e

Lore | Page 20/28

Courtesy to G uildWars2Guru

'We are the Shining Blade, we bring P

eac

e to Kryta

and Pea

ce we s

hall f

ollo

w.

Who

shal

l we fol

low?'

Winners of last issue’s costume contest

GuildMag, the unofficial Guild Wars magazi ne

Contest | Page 21/28

(Salma is a feminine given name de riv ed from the Arabic " salim a" meaning "Pe ace.")

The answer was:

Gr Rawr from the Un i ted States has won a Wh ite Mantle Co stume code

Meize Seiitsu from France has won a S hining Blad e Co stume code

Costume contest r esults!

It was a stormy night when it happened. Not storming of weather with rain and lightni ng. No, it was storming of blood and screams. That night was horre ndous – so much bloodshed, so many limp bodies. Frie nd, ally, enemy. None of that mattered by the time it ended. It was called a war, a battle of a war at least. Instead, all I saw was a slaughte r. We shouldn’ t fight each other like this, no matter how much hatred and pain there is. No matte r how evi l one side is. What I saw shouldn’t have ha ppene d. ****

**** “Hey, Ithaqua! How is everything going?” A tall black-haired man in a polished white jacket strode up to the monk overlooking a map of Kryta on a table. “Hello Malchior. I still can’t figure out the White Mantle movements.” Ithaqua Zhar said as he scratched the shaved hair on his head. “It makes no sense to me – they’re spread out everywhere and taking rather unimportant locations. These places definitely hold no strate-gic value either. What about your end?” “Recruits are now very slow coming in. We have less than a several dozen men. The White

“Recruits are now very slow coming in. We have less than a several dozen men. The White Mantle clearly outnumber us and there doesn’t seem to be any more of them who’ll see that order’s erroneous ways. Communication from Sethiroth in regards to relations with the Shining Blade are not sounding promising either,” the elementalist in the pointed hat explained. “I should be the one in Qui-Dor’s place; I have ties with the Lionguard at least. That would help in having the Shining Blade believe we’re not their enemies.” “And I had friends among the Blade!” snapped Ithaqua. “It doesn’t matter who went

“And I had friends among the Blade!” snapped Ithaqua. “It doesn’t matter who went where, as long as Salma is convinced. We don’t need the trust of every Shining Blade and Lionguard member. Was there any mention of her regards for us in Qui-Dor’s report?” “Yes, she’s letting him stay in Lion’s Arch while she sends off select individuals to assassi-nate the mursaat leaders. According to him, three of them – Willem, Aily, and Koril – were already assassinated. A fourth assassination is intended to occur sometime after he sent the message. In fact, it probably happened already.” “The White Mantle won’t sit around much longer then. From the last reports, they’re sta

“The White Mantle won’t sit around much longe r then. From the last reports, they’re sta- tioned around Riverside Province, T win Serpent Lakes, Kessex Peaks, Loamhurst," “Loamhurst, Sheamoore, and Hakewood have been liberated during th e assassinatio ns. ” Malchior cut Ith aqu a off .

“That’ll change things… With that, the last place they’re stationing at is Demetra.” “And according to Sethiroth, there’s a lot of them there.” “That’s a holy site for the Mantle. A mursaat or two are probably held up. They’re most

“That’s a holy site for the Mantle. A mursaat or two are probably held up. They’ re most likely just trying to protect their leaders. Sanctum Cay and the beach south of the Gates of Kryta are potential bases for the White Mantle. Lieutenant Kevyn Moss!” Ithaqua shou ted to a nearby middle ranked member of the Shining Mantle, “Send a couple scouts to Sanc- tum Cay and the Gates of Kryta. Tell them to send immediate word if they find any White Mantle in those areas.”

“Yes sir!” Kevyn saluted and left down nearby stairs as soon as Ithaqua turned back to the map. “Malchior, why don’t you go to the Shining Blade camp and try to convince Bartholos to allow us to share information and troops. It would be far more beneficial that way.” “Agreed. You were in the White Mantle the longest, so you should be able to crack their strategy soon, right?” “If there is one…” “What do you mean?”

“What do you mean?” “I mean just that. I’m starting to doubt they have a strategy. The whole thing just looks like either one big diversion or, more annoyingly so, random acts and positioning. Isaiah doesn’t seem to be that good of a leader. It’s like everyone in the White Mantle with a high enough rank were told ‘do whatever you want’ - their positions have shown just as much.” Ithaqua looked up as he finished seeing that Malchior had already left and he was talking to himself. He merely shook his head and returned to the map. Where is the common factor? I met Isaiah before. He’s not the brightest match in the box

Where is the common factor? I me t Isaiah before. He’s not the brightest match in the box but he’ s not this incompetent… Ithaqua thought to himself as he studied the table map , moving markers to simulate movements of forces. His eyes began to hurt, but he sim pl y ig- nored it on the premise that he didn’t have time to rest. Temple of the Unseen, Divinity Coast, and Temple of Tole rance were all hi t… three of their holy si te s, and three of thei r Unseen Ones were attacked and killed. There are forces mobilizing to the north at Demetra, the fourth and final holy site. No assassination can occur but… Ithaqua pause d as he moved the pieces again, moving pieces from the attacked sites to De metra.

the pieces again, moving pieces from the attacked sites to Demetra. Why build a lot of forces up there? Even if the mursaat are there…

By K o nig Des T o des

GuildMag, the unofficial Guild Wars magazin e

Fan-fiction | Page 22/28

“Sir! I have a report, a scout just came in after I sent off the scouts and Malchior left.” Lieu-tenant Moss ran up the stairs with surprisingly hard breathing. “What is it?” “Additional reports from the fields. All of the reports are about the White Mantle and Peacekeepers – they’re conjugating in Demetra. Almost all of the forces are in Demetra or heading there. Only a few seem to be stationed in Kessex Peak. All of the White Mantle’s bases are abandoned.” “Of course. Darn it, why didn’t I see it sooner!” Ithaqua pinched the bridge of his nose and

“Of course. Darn it, why didn’t I see it sooner!” Ithaqua pinche d the bridge of his nose and walked to the steps where he could be heard by others. Many of the Shining Mantle were apparently trying to listen in as they were paying attention to Ithaqua already. “Mobilize all troops! We make for the Shining Blade camp then Lion’s Arch. We have to make sure the Shining Blade and Malchior kno w of th is. ” “Sir, what do you think the y’re going to do?” K evyn asked, raising his eyebrow as he fol- lowed Ithaq ua.

“It’s obvious. A full on assault on Lion’ s Arch. Why else would they pour every member into one spot except to begin an assault? And there’s no other target that they know t he lo ca- tion of – or should, at least. There’s going to be a lot of casualties through this method. Pe r- fect for a race that d oesn’t care abou t us h umans .” “I see. I’ll go make sure others nearby know and send a messenger to rush to the Blad e’s camp. ” Isaiah y ou fool .

Ithaqua hurried to grab his gear as the camp of former White Mantle members scattered to get organized. Several minutes passed as he thought over the past nine years of his life, fo- cusing on the first time he met Saul D’Alessio when he returned from his exile. Hear ing someone behind him, he quickly spun around, his former White Mantle robes that had th e emblem altered swung freely as it hung from his shoulders. “Are we all re ady to move, Lieutenant Moss?” Ithaqua asked as he turned back around and grabbed his trusty staff , a momento from the founder of the White Mantle.

“Yes, we’re ready when you are… Are you really goi ng to we ar that into battle, sir?” Kevyn asked, pointing out Ithaqua’s white j ester hat.

“Yes, it is a me mento from an old frie nd. I never leave without it anymore. You’d be sur- prised how many blades these ‘silly’ bells have stoppe d. Let’s be off, shall we? Double pace men! We don’t know how much time we h ave!” The men all made a quick salute, as the habit was drilled into them when they joine d the White Mantle, and rushed out in an orderly fashion to a stockpile of boats at the edge of a river. When they reached the first bridge that led to the Shining Blade’ s camp, a man hol- lered down to the man with the jester hat.

“Sir of the Shining Mantle! I have a message from a Malchior Devenholm! He says that he waits for you in the Cursed Lands. He wants to pull a surprise attack on the rear of the White Mantle! He also said to tell you the situation with the Shining Blade – Bartholos has taken them on ships to Lion’s Arch in order to boost their defenses!” As the man was shouting, Ithaqua recognized him as a man named Hurc. “Understood, thank you!” Ithaqua yelled back to the top of the bridge as he left earshot,

“Understood, thank you!” Ithaqua yelled back to the top of the bridge as he left earshot, and ordered the men steering the ship to land at the beach. “We’ll have to travel through the Black Curtain in order to avoid the White Mantle stationed in Kessex Peak.” Without waiting for the rest of the boats to land after him, the monk began marching off the beach and into the large swamp. Keeping a steady pace, they quickly made it to the Temple of the Ages, where they found a unit of theirs guarding the priests and priestesses. “Sir Zhar, what are you doing out here?” Lieutenant Osborne Raclaw, the man in charge of

“The White Mantle are gathering all their force s in De metra, and reports say they’re in- tending to march on Lion’s Arch soon. We intend to catch them from the rear.” Ith aqu a quickly explained, then turned to the men, “You get a ten minute break here , we can’ t take too much time! If your unit is ready to move on, head to the Cursed Lands and meet up with Malchior! And we’ll ne ed your help as well.” The monk turned to face Osborne as he finished.

“Understood, I’ll get my men. I’ll also bring some priests if they wish to come, in order to help with taking care of wounds and carrying wounded men just in case.” Osborne saluted once more and left Ithaq ua. “Lieutenant Mo ss!” “Yes si r?”

By K onig Des T od es

GuildMag, the unofficial Guild Wars magazin e

Fan-fiction | Page 23/28

I’ll be heading over to the Cursed Lands now, so I can gather the situation. Make sure everything’s in order here. And keep a couple men here, in case the White Mantle in Kessex Peak attack.” “Understood.” Kevyn saluted once more as Ithaqua left to the east, meeting little resistance (most likely due to the White Mantle and Peacekeeper’s previous clearing of the area). In a matter of minutes, he found the scout that Kevyn sent to Malchior. The scout led him to where Malchior awaited. “Ah, Zhar, you made it. I’ve had the area scouted and we’ve found the Peacekeepers. But

“Ah, Zhar, you made it. I’ve had the area scouted and we’ve found the Peacekeepers. But there are no signs of the White Mantle.” Malchior said, for once having his pointed hat off and at his side. “They’ve probably split into two groups. How far are they?” “Southeastern reaches of Nebo Terrace. It seems that they didn’t have enough of torment

“Southeastern reaches of Nebo Terrace. It see ms that they didn’t have enough of to rment- ing the people there before. I would have done something, but they outnumbered my unit ten to one.” Malchior slumpe d up against a nearby tree, obviously upset over not fighting the brigand s. “All of our men shoul d be here soon. I had them rest up for ten minutes at the Temple of the Ages. We’ve emptied out our camp and I’m having Raclaw’s unit join. Just wish I didn’t send those scou ts ou t so so on. ”

“It’ll be fine. Once our men get here, we’ll finish off these so called Peacekeepers. Well, speak of the devil.” Ithaqua turned as Malchior finished to find both lieutenants followed by what was, at least, most of their men. “Everyone but four men who we’ve left to guard the Temple of the Ages are present, sir. Most of the priests and priestesses have joined as well.” Raclaw reported to Ithaqua. “Good, let’s move, the enemy seems to have split into two, leaving their Peacekeepers

“Good, let’s move, the enemy seems to have split into two, leaving their Peacekeepers nearby. We don’t know how long they intend to stay separate, so let’s take th is time to strike now.” As Ithaqua, the men, and women of the Shining Mantle hollered in anticipation and agreement, Ithaqua turned to his elementalist frie nd, “Malchior, lead the way.” “About time," Malchior said as he re-donned his pointed hat. He then smile d and began a jog towards Nebo Terrace. "Keep up everyon e!”

It was a surprisingly short distance to where the Peacekeepers were holding up. Just through a small valley and up a hill, the entire Peacekeeper army, if they could be called such, stood bickering among a group of Krytan houses. The Shining Mantle had the element of surprise, but they were going to fight an uphill battle if they didn’t take it up and per-sonal. Ithaqua looked at Malchior and signaled for him to lead his men quietly to the north. Malchior nodded in response and moved out, followed by man after man. They made little noise – which was good – and the Peacekeepers did not notice. Ithaqua waited until those who went with Malchior were positioned behind cover. Once

Ithaqua waited until those who went with Malchior were positioned behind cover. Once Malchior signaled the okay, Ithaqua led his men up the rest of the hill and towards the houses, keeping silent to allow more distance to be covered before the inevitable. “Darn it, enemy attack guys!” One of the Peacekeepers said after spotting Ithaqua’s group. “Grab your gear, now! We have a battle on our hands!” Other Peacekeepers swore as they rushed to their weapons and some to their armor as

Other Peacekeepers swore as they rushed to their weapons and some to their armor as well. Malchior waited behind cover until all the Peacekeepers’ attentions were on Ithaqua’s group. Then he disappeared. The head of Ithaqua’s staff met the head of the first Peacekeeper to meet his group, knock-ing his teeth out as he fell to the ground. Swords clashed all around Ithaqua, arrows flew past him, just to strike down either foe or ally. Ithaqua was a monk, yet he never got used to the feel of a battle, let alone one like this. Yet another brigand fell to the force of Ithaqua’s staff head. A war cry sounded to the

Yet another brigand fell to the force of Ithaqua’s staff head. A war cry sounded to the north. Turning, Ithaqua saw that Malchior’s group had cut off the Peacekeepers who were beginning to retreat, boxing the fake lawmen in. The Shining Mantle had pushed past where Ithaqua now stood, so he took the opportunity. Bowing his hands, he put one foot behind him and chanted an incantation. As he extended his left arm, he lifted his head and finished the incantation, directing holy magic into the center of the remaining Peacekeep-ers. Victory was in sight. Many of the Shining Mantle were now too far for their swords to reach

Victory was in sight. Many of the Shining Mantle were now too far for their swords to re ach the enemy, or had too many allies blocking his or her line of sight, so they stood and cheered on those in the fron t. A large crash sounded throughout the battlefield as a large chunk of the ground hurled for- ward, crushing Peacekeeper and Shining Mantle alike. “It’s the jades!” Malchior shoute d over the cries of agony from foe and ally. A meteorite

By K o nig Des T o des

GuildMag, the unofficial Guild Wars magazine

Fan-fiction | Page 24/28

crashed down inches in front of the elementalist, knocking him off his feet. A dozen jades approached the group out of the springs. “They were held up in the springs!” Ithaqua shouted, “Get back, they have the same magic that the mursaat do!” Before Ithaqua could finish, many of those in the front froze as a second green jade appeared. This time the jade came from behind where Malchior at-tacked. Arrows were shot through the sky and landed in the middle of the Shining Mantle, barely

Arrows were shot through the sky and landed in the middle of the Shining Mantle, barely missing Ithaqua. He tried to run along with his fellow men, but as he did he was held back at the neck and fell flat to his back. His robe got caught by arrows. One of the jades came up on him with a hammer. As it pulled its arm back, a fireball struck its head knocking it clean off. Ithaqua looked to his right to see Malchior rushing to him. Rolling to his side, Ithaqua grabbed a sword of a fallen Shining Mantle and cut his robe. He

Rolling to his side, Ithaqua grabbed a sword of a fallen Shining Mantle and cut his robe. He saw Raclaw’s face twisted with agony, an arrow pierced right through his chest. The monk wanted to close the eyes and mouth of the man who’s sword he just grabbed, but he had no time. Dozens of jades were appearing, and if he wanted to live, he had to leave his fallen comrades behind. “Come on Zhar, let’s move!” Malchior shouted as he pulled the monk with him. The jester hat still on the monk, he regained himself and ran. The Shining Mantle retreated. Once at the Temple of the Ages, the Shining Mantle began to get treated by the remaining

$Once at the Temple of the Ages, the Shining Mantle began to get treated by the remaining priests, priestesses, and monks. “Sir Zhar.” Lieutenant Moss approached the miraculously unharmed monk. “Scouts report the jades have stopped pursuit. They killed off any Peacekeeper we didn’t, and now they’re heading east, most likely to Lion’s Arch.” “We’re too broken now to fight the jades… How many of us are left?” Ithaqua kept his head down, glad to be alive yet sad that so many around him died. “Only a fraction of before. The jades caught us off guard. We might have been able to make$

“Only a fraction of before. The jades caught us off guard. We might have been able to make a dent in them if we didn’t fight the Peacekeepers, but… We have no defenses against the mursaat’s magic he re.” “If reports are correct, Salma had an asura to help with that. They should be fine withou t us – or with us, right now it wouldn’ t make a difference.” Ithaqua took a deep breath after he finished, stood up, and shouted loud enough for everyone to hear. “Alright, listen up! That

was terrible luck that we faced, and we’re probably all injured – if not ph ysi call y the n e mo- tionally or mental ly. We’re going to heal up here a nd the n m ake w ay to a bea ch. We ’re going to sail i nto Lion’s Arch and pray to the Six Gods that they preserve the city. Under- stoo d?” The entire temple echoed with a thunderous “Ye s sir!”

The sun set on the temple as what was left of the Shining Mantle rested and then slept. Before the sun rose, they rushed southwest to where they left their boats and, within an hour, set off to Lion's Arch. Ithaqua and Malchior pushed the order to keep moving without rest. With enough speed, they managed to navigate through the coast of the Sea of So r- rows to Lion's Arch with ease and managed to get to the city by sunrise . Countle ss bodies littered the main square of the city, slowly being moved by those stil l alive. The Shining Mantle were too late and the battle was over , and w on.

"The Shining Mantle are here!" A woman shouted out. Turning to see who yelled, Ithaqua saw a female Lionguard waving at them. Bartholos and Sethiroth were quickly approaching. "Brother Ithaqua, Brother Malchior! How are you two?" Sethiroth said as he saluted the group. "Why did so few come?" "And why are you so late. Bah, just like a Mantle, refusing to do anything good." Bartholos grunted as he surveyed the newly arrived group. "We encountered jades and the Peacekeepers. We managed to wipe out most of the

"We encountered jades and the Peacekeepers. We managed to wipe out most of the Peacekeepers before the jades appeared. When they did... they slaughtered many of our men. We had to spend most of the night recovering." "The Peacekeepers are no more?" Bartholos asked, appearing shocked. "That's right, those we didn't finish were killed by the jades it seemed. There was a good

"That's right, those we didn't finish were killed by the jades it se eme d. The re was a g ood number of the Peacekeepers, we managed to catch them off guard outside Bergen Hot Springs and prevented them from coming here." Malchior ste pped up to Bar tholos as he explained the Shining Mantle 's actions. "How are things he re?" Ithaqua asked Sethiroth, ignoring the warrior and e lemental ist.

By K onig Des T od es

GuildMag, the unofficial Guild Wars magazi ne

Fan-fiction | Page 25/28

"The mursaat, Toriimo, and Isaiah have be en killed. I killed the confessor myself even. We've won the battle and the war now. Might not have happened if the Peacekeepers ap- peared, so thanks for your support from elsewhere. Salma has news for us. Sh e told me to get the rest of the Shining Mantle and I was about to leave. We'd be st report to her maj- esty." Sethiroth turned as he finishe d, heading to the keep of Lion's Arch.

Ithaqua turned to Kevyn and told him to help with the bodies, and to send some men to Nebo Terrace to give the fall en Shining Mantle a prope r burial be fore the animals get to them. A ft er that, h e, Malchior, and Bartholos followed Sethiroth to S alma. "My queen,"Bartholos said as he kneeled before Salma, "the Shining Mantle leade rs are ac- cou nted f or." "Ithaqua Zhar and Malchior Devenholm. I trust there is a reason you were u nable to aid us in our time of need?" The queen asked the two leaders.

The three leaders kneeled next to Bartholos. Ithaqua and Malchior e xplained what hap- pened to Salma and the othe rs in detail. Salma simply nodded in response. Afte r a few moments of silence, she spoke. "That is good news then, and I am terribly sorry for your loss. However, I hereby request the disban ding of the Shining Mantle. " "Your majesty? If I may be so rude, why?" Qui-Dor Sethiroth asked as he looked in to th e queen's eye s.

"I will form a new group, the Seraph. A group of Blade and Mantle. It seems only right to have the Shining Mantle disbanded and join the Seraph. Their establishment will be made official in my next speech after Lion's Arch is cleaned up after the battle, in a few weeks time. Bartholos here will lead them, and I want you three, and your men, to help ease ten-sion between the former White Mantle and the former Shining Blade." "Understood. I accept your wishes." Ithaqua said, followed by agreements from Qui-Dor and Malchior. "Then the Shining Mantle are no more."

"Then the Shining Mantle are no more."

By K o nig Des T o des

GuildMag, the unofficial Guild Wars magazin e

Fan-fiction | Page 26/28

A charr, a norn and an asura enter a bar... Charr: "I am glad we didn't inform our special allies about the location of our camp." Norn: "Yeah... still they were

Norn: "Yeah... still they were a great help throughout a large part of the war." Asura: "Agreed! Mergoyles FTW!"

A charr, a norn and an asura enter a bar... Charr: "I killed this great White Mantle boss today, Amalek the Unmerciful. Did you guys kill him yet?" Norn: "Nope, he was already

Norn: "Nope, he was already dead before I could even get close." Asura: "Same here, the local wild-life got to him first..."

A charr, a norn and an asura enter a bar... Charr: "I'm glad we saved those kids from Lovisa!" Norn: "Agreed, that mean woman had them under some sort of spell." Asura: "I don't really like kids,

A charr, a norn and an asura enter a bar... Charr: "The Queen surely knows how to keep our spirits up." Norn: "Yeah she knows exactly

Norn: "Yeah she knows exactly how to stimulate us to keep fighting." Asura: "Three Krytan brandy please."

By Ar ghor e

GuildMag, the unofficial Guild Wars magazi ne

Comedy | Page 27/28

SUBSC RIBE @ GuildMag.com

Join Sabre Wolf, Ma lchior and Izari in th e Guild- Mag podcast as they bring the news of both Guild Wars 1 and Guild Wars 2, and expr e ss their personal speculation on various topics. Visit the GuildMag websit e for epi sodes and subscription methods.

CREDITS:

Editors: Dutch Sunshine Asuran Malchior Devenholm BarGamer Jess Design:

Design: Jonny10 Asuran Writers: Draxynnic Konig Des Todes Free Runner Thalador Doomspea

Thalad or Do omspeak er Ar gho r e

Writ ers not in this issue: Iz ari Twit ch y San Darkw ood Magl ama Dael in Dwi n

NEXT ISSUE:*

- PAX & GamesCom - The Deep - Sea Life - The Serpentine Races - Title Hunters - The Norn ... and mo

.. . an d mor e!

Discl aime r:

Follow us on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/guild_mag Website and forum: http://www.guildmag.com

CONTACT:

© 2003-2010 Ar enaNe t, Inc. All righ ts r eserv ed. NCsoft, the int erlocking NC log o , Ar enaNe t, Ar ena.ne t, Guild W ar s, Guild W ar s 2, and all associa t ed lo g o s and designs ar e tr ademark s or r egis t er ed tr ademark s of NCsoft Corpor a tion. All other tr ademark s ar e th e p r operty of their

their r espectiv e o wner s.

CAPTION ATTRACT ION!

T yria's Bes t Dance Cr e w! - Hit en Pa t el

Send in the c ap tion f or this scr een- shot to c ap tion@guildmag.c om

END OF THE LIN E...

*All c on t en t, c on t es ts and/or r e w ar ds scheduled f o r futu r e issues ma y be subject to chan g e.

On the 19th of August, GuildMag’s Dutch Sunshine, Jonny10, Asuran and Arghore will be attending GamesCom in Cologne , Germany. We’ve been giving you subtle hints to something ‘ special’ for a while. Now it is finall y mme to announce we’ll be doing an interview with ArenaNet on the spot at GamesCom. GuildMag is a fan based magazine , we’re avid players, just like you. Therefore we w ant to give the fans a chance to let us ask their quesmon to ArenaNet on their behalf. Send your qu es mon to

Send your quesmon to interview@guildmag.com. Be invenmve and original, we’ll be picking three quesmons to tak e with us.

GuildMag, the unofficial Guild Wars magazin e

Back to the cover