Riel Darkwater
Riel Darkwater
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Riel with hood equipped. 
Riel as seen in a cutscene. |
“Our order will be watching you closely.
Lightbringer Riel Darkwater is a member of the Order of Whispers. She is the Order's primary spy in Lion's Arch and their most accomplished sniper.[1] Riel works under Commodore Lawson Marriner, and in exchange for the details of Captain's Council meetings she keeps the Commodore informed on the criminal underworld of the city.
| In reality, Riel is the current Master of Whispers. Her role is a closely-guarded secret, known only to the Preceptors, a few of the Order's agents, and Trahearne. Her cover story is that she is an attaché to the Preceptors, and the lead Whispers agent stationed in Lion's Arch. |
Biography[edit]
Early years[edit]
Riel Darkwater served in the Order of Whispers and was eventually promoted to the rank of Lightbringer, becoming the Order's most accomplished sniper.[1] She eventually came in contact with the sylvari Trahearne, the foremost expert on Elder Dragons. At some point she became the attaché of Commodore Lawson Marriner, the leader of the Ship's Council, and worked directly under the three Preceptors of the Order. She kept her identity as a Whispers member a secret from the commodore, however, which put her in the perfect place to spy on and manipulate the leaders of Lion's Arch.[2]
| When the previous Master of Whispers had fallen to the corruption of the Elder Dragons and became a threat, Trahearne helped Riel put him down. After the deed had been done, Riel succeeded her predecessor as the next Master of Whispers but acted as if she was working under the Preceptors, keeping her true role a secret from most of the lower-ranked Whispers agents and outsiders. The only ones who knew her true identity as the new Master of Whispers were the Preceptors, a few select agents, and Trahearne. She had also learned a secret only known by each Master of Whispers who would pass the information on to their successor: the Master who had originally commissioned the Chantry of Secrets to be built had planted explosives in the island's foundation as a safeguard if the base ever came under attack. Because Riel was aware of this secret, she had likely already been chosen as the Master's successor before the latter got corrupted.[3] |
Personal story[edit]
Order Neophyte[edit]
The Battle of Claw Island[edit]
Victory or Death[edit]
After Zhaitan had been slain, Riel, acting the part of an ordinary agent, attended the subsequent victory celebration at Fort Trinity which had been acting as the Pact's base of operations during the invasion of Orr. In a conversation with General Almorra Soulkeeper and Steward Gixx, Riel admitted that the Commander and Trahearne had made the victory possible by uniting the factions when previously the three orders had only ever been occasionally thinking about it. Almorra, annoyed by Riel and Gixx being so formal and only talking about work, told them to shut up and start having fun while the celebration lasted. Upon being reunited with a Whispers-aligned Commander, Riel pointed out that they still had four Elder Dragons to deal with after Zhaitan, seemingly being unaware of the existence of a sixth Elder Dragon at the time. She indicated that the Elder Dragons had become the Order of Whispers's primary goal and stated that the loud celebration helped conceal the preparations her agents were making for the next Elder Dragon confrontation.[4]
Janthir Wilds[edit]
Act 1[edit]
In 1337 AE, Riel attended the second meeting of the Tyrian Alliance at the Guild Initiative Headquarters as one of the Pact leadership's representatives alongside the Priory and the Vigil after they and various other factions' representatives had received an urgent summons to discuss a matter relating to a new threat emerging in Janthir. Upon reuniting with the Pact Commander, Riel accused them of having been aware of the Astral Ward's existence and not informing her about it although she accepted the Commander's explanation on why they had kept the ward's actions a secret until now. She used the opportunity talk to the ward's representative Frode who would put her in contact with the ward's specialists for further questioning. After listening to the ensuing conversation with the Tyrian Alliance's founders, Riel learned about the return of the titans and observed the founders' vote on whether to use the Scepter of Orr against the titans or not after Livia had revealed her identity and her history with the Scepter to everyone present.[5]
Absolution[edit]
After the titan threat had been dealt with, Riel participated in the victory celebration held in Lion's Arch in 1338 AE. Upon meeting with the Commander, Riel kept up the act of being just an ordinary agent only interested in gossip if the Commander was not a member of the Order of Whispers. However, a Whispers-aligned Commander learned that it was just an act to put some distance between the two of them to keep Riel's masquerade going. She also pointed out how pleased she was that the Whispers-aligned Commander had not forgotten all the tricks of spycraft and that the Commander should return to the Chantry one day for a thorough debriefing.[6]
Location[edit]
Story involvement[edit]
Personal story[edit]
- Chapter 4: Order Neophyte
- Chapter 6: The Battle of Claw Island
- Chapter 8: Victory or Death
Janthir Wilds story[edit]
- Act 1
- Strangers among Lands (as Agent Riel Darkwater)
- Absolution
- Salvation's Cost (as Agent Riel Darkwater)
Combat abilities[edit]
- Effects
Dialogue[edit]
- After An Apple a Day
- I'd like to hear a progress report on your last assignment, but I've got a mess of paperwork here that I need to coordinate for Preceptor Doern. Perhaps later.
Understood.
- After A Light in the Darkness
- Agent <Character name>, the Order of Whispers owes you a great debt of gratitude for saving the Chantry of Secrets, and for saving our so many lives.
- I'm glad to serve, Master Riel. Farewell for now.
- If your character is not a member of the Order of Whispers (requires a party member with a portal skill)
- How'd you get in here? You'd better find your way out before you disappear forever.
- Okay.
Related achievements[edit]
Absolution: Master Mingler — Speak with all of the partygoers during the Tyrian Alliance's celebration. (1
)
Trivia[edit]
- Riel is voiced by Lara Cody.
- Riel wears the Whisper's Secret armor (medium).
References[edit]
- ^ a b Stealing Secrets
- Riel Darkwater: My name is Riel, and I am the order's primary spy in Lion's Arch. [...]
- Valenze: Riel Darkwater is a Lightbringer, and our primary agent in Lion's Arch. She's also the order's most accomplished sniper.
- ^ Reconnaissance
- Riel Darkwater: Commodore Lawson Marriner is the leader of the Ship's Council, and master of Lion's Arch. I serve as his attaché.
- <Character name>: Does he know you're in the Order of the Whispers?
- Riel Darkwater: Absolutely not...which puts me in the perfect place to spy and manipulate.
- ^ Critical Blowback
- Halvora Snapdagger: We thought we'd be safe in the annex. The portal was sealed, the corridor defenses activated—but the Orrians burrowed through the walls.
- <Character name>: There must be some way to seal the tunnels so that the undead can't reach the chantry. Or some way to escape.
- Halvora Snapdagger: Impossible. We're trapped in here. Prepare for your final—
- Riel Darkwater: No Halvora, there is a way. During the chantry's construction, the Master of Whispers planted explosives in the island's foundation. A safeguard.
- Riel Darkwater: If the chantry were seized by our enemies, it would be destroyed. To ensure secrecy, the preceptors were not told, though each Master of Whispers did pass the information on to their successor.
- <Character name>: But if you know about it, Riel, that means you're...
- Riel Darkwater: Yes, Lightbringer, I am the Master of Whispers. [...]
- <Character name>: You're right, Master. Trahearne and I spoke with the Pale Tree. She said, "With unity, many impossible things can be achieved."
- <Character name>: The Order of Whispers can't fight Zhaitan alone. We may have the resources, but we don't have the knowledge, and we don't have the army.
- <Character name>: The other orders of Tyria are making futile plans to retake Claw Island. They will fail—unless we aid them.
- Doern Velazquez: Speak one word, and the Priory scholars won't shut up for days. The Vigil's even worse—those thickwits can barely form complete sentences.
- Trahearne: You're wrong Doern. They're different, yes, but both have their own ways of fighting Zhaitan. They could be our allies.
- Riel Darkwater: There are risks, but if you're sure the others will cooperate...it could benefit us. I trust you, Lightbringer, and I trust Trahearne.
- Riel Darkwater: Some years ago, he and I worked together to defeat my predecessor, who had been corrupted by the dragons. Since then, Trahearne has kept my identity a secret.
- Riel Darkwater: Go to the others. Set up a meeting. Tell them that the Order of Whispers is stepping out of the shadows and wishes to collaborate. [...]
- <Character name>: How many know you're the Master of Whispers?
- Riel Darkwater: The preceptors, a few agents, and you. Trahearne, due to a strange twist in our past. No one else.
- <Character name>: Trahearne knew?
- Riel Darkwater: The master before me became corrupted; I had to put him down. Trahearne helped me save the Order of Whispers.
- <Character name>: So now you trust him with this information?
- Riel Darkwater: Trahearne put his life on the line for the Order. I've trusted him implicitly ever since.
- ^ Victory or Death
- Gixx: This is truly remarkable, and so I shall remark upon it: we have achieved the unthinkable!
- Riel Darkwater: We've all been thinking it, Gixx. It took the commander and the marshal to make it happen.
- Gixx: There's plenty yet to do. More dragons to confront, and I'm delivering an important lecture in the morning.
- General Almorra Soulkeeper: Listen to yourselves. I swear, spies and scholars. This is a victory party. Shut up and start having fun!
- Riel Darkwater: One down, four to go. May they never see us coming until it's too late!
- <Character name>: Cheers to that.
- Riel Darkwater: One-fifth of our order's primary goal: complete. Nicely done, Commander. And a big, loud party like this one helps conceal the preparations we're making for the next Elder Dragon confrontation.
- <Character name>: I'll be ready for the next dragon, Mas-I mean, Riel.
- ^ Strangers among Lands
- Agent Riel Darkwater: You knew that there was a more covert organization than my own, and you didn't tell me.
- <Character name>: I didn't think that was my story to tell.
- Agent Riel Darkwater: Mm. I suppose any reveal would have been compromising... But that doesn't mean I don't have a great many questions for this "Astral Ward."
- <Character name>: A lot of people do. They'll talk to you.
- Agent Riel Darkwater: I've only spoken to their warden thus far. Frode. He's going to put me in contact with one of their specialists. It won't be an interrogation, I promise, but they owe us some answers.
- <Character name>: That they do. Like I said, they'll be down for talks.
- Agent Riel Darkwater: Eyes and ears to the conflict at hand, then? I hear you have something to do with it?
- <Character name>: Been on a diplomacy mission with Caithe and Imperator Malice. Got news to share.
- Agent Riel Darkwater: Ah, "news." If the urgency demonstrated in the invitation is evocative of anything, color me fascinated.
- ^ Salvation's Cost
- Agent Riel Darkwater: Well, well. The guest of honor wants to speak with me? To what do I owe such an honor, <Character name>? Forgive me, is that too informal? Shall I use Commander, or perhaps Wayfinder, instead?
- <Character name>: Clever, creating distance by pretending we don't know each other...
- Agent Riel Darkwater: It's good to see you haven't forgotten all your lessons in tradecraft, my dear. You know, one of these days, you'll need to return to the Chantry for a...thorough debriefing.
