Story Journal/Visions of Eternity
The Story Journal entries for Guild Wars 2: Visions of Eternity serve as an effective story summary from the point of view of the Pact Commander, and are transcribed here.
Visions of Eternity: Act 1
- 1338
Prologue: On the Sly
Guardian
I received an invitation from the Iron Legion Imperator, Mia Kindleshot, to meet with Petrus Dawnwelder in the Black Citadel for a "pioneering training session with one of Iron's best guardians." How can I turn down an offer like that?
***
When I arrived, Petrus introduced me to the art of the luminary—a new guardian specialization that sprung from the charr's latest struggles. He presented me with a brazier capable of carrying radiant flame, crafted in collaboration between the Flame and Iron Legions. Luminaries wield this brazier with pride and have become visions of protection among the charr.
I'm eager to test my new gift in the throes of battle.
Revenant
Frode requested that I meet with an Astral Ward researcher at her posting with the Durmand Priory in Lornar's Pass. As a fellow revenant, she'd made a peculiar discovery and wanted a second opinion. I probably owe Frode a favor, so I'm headed that way.
***
When I reached Durmand Priory headquarters, Severa Spardancer was waiting for me. While she was attempting to connect with an echo in the Mists, she felt something different—whatever she was channeling wasn't dead. She asked if I was willing to attempt to contact the same spirit, and when I agreed, she instructed me to think of the name "Razah" to see what would happen.
After a few long moments of concentration, a voice echoed through me—Razah responded. And with that connection established, I became their conduit.
Warrior
High Councilor Imann wrote to inform me that Queen Jennah has invited members of the Elonian and Canthan delegation to come to Divinity's Reach to teach their cultures to the people of Kryta, She offered an opportunity for me to meet with one of her personal guards, Nadeem, in the Ossan quarter, "warrior-to-warrior."
***
I met with Nadeem in Divinity's Reach. He was loud and affable—good traits for a warrior.
He introduced me to the art of the paragon, an honored position among warriors in Elona. Paragons are leaders on the battlefield who bolster their allies and demoralize their enemies. I'm always eager to learn a new chant, so I'm excited to see how these teachings hold up in a skirmish.
Engineer
I received a summons from Councillor Ludo to visit a former colleague of hers in Rata Sum-a professor from the College of Dynamics. I know better than to leave an academic waiting.
***
Professor Twikk, as I learned, is an amalgam. Or rather, the creator of "mercurial mold."
Mercurial mold is a recently discovered subspecies of ooze. Twikk's original aim was for the mold to reinforce asuran weapons and armor, but after one of his lab assistants tripped into their holding chamber, a mold adapted to their body instead. A fellow engineer, Twikk offered to help me bond with one-I'm eager to see it in action for myself.
Ranger
Kalidris wrote to update me on the tengu's continued interest in the Tyrian Alliance. They're still torn over their involvement, and it may take some time until they're decided, but in an effort to grow their bond with the alliance, I was invited to meet with a rare guest from the Dominion of Winds in Lion's Arch.
***
Parrow, a charismatic tengu archer, taught me the way of the galeshot.
In the Dominion of Winds, galeshots are adept tengu rangers who harness squall magic to summon a bow made of wind. These winds carry both archer and arrow through the battlefield. As an act of diplomacy, they've sent galeshots like Parrow beyond their great walls to share their culture and train their fellow rangers. I'm honored that they decided I was a worthy candidate.
Thief
Kiel wrote to update me on the latest in Lion's Arch. Given recent events, things are pretty busy in Sanctum Harbor—there's been a lot of movement in and out of the city these days.
Kiel encouraged me to meet with one of her Lionguard, a sylvari named Fidelma, to learn more about how the locals are adjusting.
***
Fidelma, who was joined by a skritt named Yikki'ti, introduced herself as an antiquary. The antiquary trade has risen in popularity among thieves in Lion's arch, which might be in response to the increase in relics passing through. They're collectors of sorts, and utilize their vast collections of artifacts to aid them in battle—all with the help of a skritt companion.
It sounds thrilling, if not a little risky.
Elementalist
Skarti wrote to update me on Hoelbrak's continued efforts to help the Spirits of the Wild heal -- they're making progress, but that sort of healing takes great time.
To help them reconnect with Tyria, Skarti has invited me to Hoelbrak to meet with one of their shamans.
***
I met with Vesna Torgsdottir and her curious companion, Torvi, in Hoelbrak. Vesna taught me the art of evocation, a secretive practice among norn elementalists that has seldom been shared. Evokers summon elemental familiars just like Torvi to aid them in battle and join them on their adventures.
I'm eager to master this practice, myself. I wonder what types of lesser spirits I can channel?
Mesmer
I was summoned to the Grove by Dagonet to meet with one of his Secondborn kin, who recently returned home after a long journey.
***
I found Cillian passionately regaling passersby with a tale of heroics. They'd recently returned to the Grove after a long voyage across Tyria, collecting stories to share back home. They called themselves a troubadour, and being an adept mesmer like myself, Cillian has learned to twist these tales with their illusionary magic.
Cillian explained that storytelling and music are excellent motivators in a skirmish, inspiring awe in their allies and unnerving their enemies. They urged me to craft my own tales, too, to see what power they may bring to battle. I'm sure I have a few to tell.
Necromancer
Empress Ihn wrote to inform me that representatives from Cantha are visiting Divinity's Reach to teach Canthan culture to their Krytan allies. She encouraged me to meet with Sang-Mi, a fellow necromancer.
***
I ventured to the city to rendezvous with the empress's representative, where I found Sang-Mi tucked away in the city's cemetry[sic]. She was guarded, but reluctantly introduced me to ritualism—an ancient Canthan tradition.
Ritualists are expert spirit callers, beckoning entities from the Mists to aid them in battle. It's an archaic practice, but highly revered in Cantha, so Sang-Mi encouraged me to approach it with great respect. I know better than to scorn the spirit realms.
***
I received a mysteriously urgent letter from Commodore Lawson, summoning me to Lion's Arch to meet with him.
***
When I got to Lion's Arch, I was greeted by the sounds of a scuffle in the alley. Sayida's Sly Crew was at odds with Magnus's. Sayida quickly took command of the situation and sent the opposing crew on their way.
As we caught up, Sayida revealed that she'd taken—by questionable means—a seat on the Captain's Council. While watching the docks ahead of an alliance trade deal, her crew witnessed some unscheduled departures, all manned by the Inquest. Her technician lost the signal before they could learn anything meaningful.
While Sayida scolded her crew for the scuffle earlier, she directed me towards Canach and Lawson. Canach was enamored with the recent ship purchase and seemingly unbothered by the Inquest situation, but Lawson shared Sayida's discomfort. No one wants to see an organization like that moving en masse.
While we waited for Sayida, I called Councillor Ludo to see if she knew anything. She was similarly distraught by the revelation, expressing concern that something sinister may be at play. She suggested that I meet with her in Rata Sum, so Sayida and I are headed to Maguuma.
Chapter 1: Unscheduled Departures
Sayida and I met with Ludo in Rata Sum. After Sayida filled the councillor in, Ludo suggested we chat with the dock workers to see if they saw anything. Not a lot of information to work with, but everyone seemed on edge. A couple of Inquest plants attacked us for asking the wrong questions, so at least we knew that we were pointed in the right direction.
We then headed toward the Port Authority to see if their terminal housed any helpful information. When we reached the upper deck, we were attacked by another Inquest ambush—additional validation.
Once we gained access to the terminal, we finally uncovered a few clues about the Inquest's movements. First of all, the Inquest recently came under new leadership. Second, a storage unit filled with Zinn's archived research was broken into. Before long though, we hit a wall: everything was encrypted.
After decrypting the files, the information we found was damning. We confirmed that Inquest vessels were approved to depart from the docks—and we also confirmed that Councillor Yahk redirected rations meant for the Tyrian Alliance to those vessels. Ludo was irate.
More concerningly, it appears that Councillor Flax may be involved in all of this, too. Ludo suggested we head toward his office next to see how deep this really goes.
***
With Flax looking more suspicious by the minute, Ludo guided us towards his lab to further our investigation. She said that he'd likely be inside of his office, so she cast a glamour that disguised me as one of his lab workers.
Inside the lab, I created a distraction to lure Flax from his office, and once Flax's security golems were decommissioned, I dug through what I could find. It wasn't good. I found copies of Zinn's stolen research that refer to an island called Castora and a note from the Port Authority director expressing dismay over the high councillor's abuse of power. Flax and Yahk both had a hand in this.
I returned to Ludo and Sayida to report my findings. Sayida had heard of Castora and echoed the great effort it would take to get there—but clearly, her pirate's heart was ignited. Ludo, on the other hand, was concerned. On behalf of the alliance, she encouraged me to follow the Inquest. Sayida quickly offered the Dark Leviathan to get us there.
The Inquest already have a head start, so we need to move. Fast.
***
I met with my allies in Lion's Arch, ready to set sail for the island of Castora. Much to my surprise, Sayida and Canach weren't alone. Isgarren had come on behalf of the Astral Ward, and Rytlock was sent by Crecia and the charr legions.
We don't know what to expect from this journey, but if Zinn's musings and the Inquest's preparations are to be believed, I wonder if we'll make it back at all.
***
After days of uneventful travel, an ocean storm overtook the ship. Krait took advantage of the chaos and attacked the crew on deck. After securing the Dark Leviathan, I jumped to the Martingale to help protect Canach's crew. Chaos blossomed as a massive kraken attacked Sayida's ship—but, thankfully, the Martingale was equipped with harpoons, so we were able to quell the attack.
***
More days came and went, and we found ourselves enveloped by a thick, magical fog. Sayida struggled to see a safe path forward, so Isgarren offered to distill the magic in the air. That way, I could see through the fog and help direct Sayida safely along.
Once we successfully pushed through, we passed ships whose crews were lost to attrition—abandoned or dashed against the jagged rocks obscured along the path. We saw debris from Inquest crashes and some far older. This would have all but assured our demise had Isgarren not helped us navigate. We were even attacked by vicious crustaceans that crawled aboard.
Suddenly, a vicious roar erupted somewhere out of sight. But before we could react, the sounds of splintering wood filled the air. Something had struck the Martingale. We rushed to rescue Canach, Rytlock, and their crew, but the ship was lost.
***
After our perils at sea, we finally pushed through the last of the fog. We'd reached Castora. The coastline rippled with magic, confirming our arrival.
Once I've checked in with my allies and we establish ourselves, we'll make our way inland to uncover more about what the Inquest are up to.
Chapter 2: Solid Ground
I checked in with my allies on the beach. Isgarren seemed to be dealing with seasickness while a sullen Canach stewed over the loss of the Martingale. Rytlock itched to see some action, and Sayida was directing traffic, helping both ships' surviving crews recover from the treacherous journey.
I started by scouting the area to get the lay of the land... It was beautiful; teeming with magic-gravity-defying rocks, luminescent shoals, misty waterfalls... like nothing I've ever seen.
As I explored, I observed scores of shipwrecks and ran across some of the supplies that washed ashore from the Martingale. The magic in the area felt unlike anything I've experienced, yet there was a slightly familiar tinge to it that I couldn't put my finger on. From one lofty peak, I caught a glimpse of what appeared to be local inhabitants.
I returned what salvageable supplies I could to our makeshift camp. Canach had hoped for more valuables, but Sayida put what we had to good use. As I finished doling out the recovered supplies to the wounded and ailing crew, a castaway by the name of Westergard approached. Sayida attempted to make friends, but Westergard wasn't having it. She was... not exactly welcoming. Hard as nails, that one.
Westergard insisted I go speak to the mayor of the nearby village. Alone.
***
I introduced myself to Mayor Osborne in the shipwreck village of Hullgarden. He was guarded but willing to exchange information for some much-needed aid around the town. He said that in order to really be of use, I'd need a properly trained skimmer and better knowledge of the area. So he sent me to the oddly named Wavehawk Pete to learn more about the local skimmer population and how they've adapted to the Castoran environment.
Pete turned out to be extremely enthusiastic about the local skimmer population-a subspecies they call wavehawks—hence the nickname. I helped Pete tend to the juvenile wavehawks around Hullgarden, learning about their predators, their caring and devoted nature, their diet, their playfulness... By the time I'd finished, I'd earned myself a loyal wavehawk and an even more loyal Wavehawk Pete, who'd already put in a good word for me with the mayor.
Despite the fact that Pete was still alive (a joke on the mayor's part, I now realize), his word wasn't quite enough. Mayor Osborne insisted I "make a few more Hullgardeners happy" before he'd give me any info on the Inquest's whereabouts. I pitched in around town, helping these castaway survivors in all manner of tasks; beautiful as this land is, surviving on it is no easy feat. I found the Hullgardeners to be a hearty, resilient bunch, if not particularly trusting.
Once the mayor was satisfied with my work, he pointed me in the direction of a local scrap collector who might have run across some Inquest equipment. The collector, Sparktail, insisted I gather some shipwreck salvage for him in exchange for information. I also managed to run across a bit of Inquest wreckage in the process, confirming that even the Inquest didn't make it to Castora without casualties.
After I returned to Sparktail, he told me the Inquest has been trading with some of the local pirate-like mercenaries that call themselves "freebooters." He said that if I could find some of them at the pub, I'd likely get information on the Inquest's whereabouts.
***
I made my way to the pub, only to find that it had somehow already been purchased by Canach. To "recoup my losses from Martingale," he said!
Canach gave me a round of drinks on the house, which I served to a few freebooters to loosen their lips. And talk they did; I found out the Inquest were holed up in a cavern to the south, behind a waterfall. Apparently there was some kind of conflict brewing between the Inquest leaders, and the cavern was full of golem suits and consoles.
I've already formulated a plan to use the freebooters' intel to my advantage...
Chapter 3: Eyes, Ears, and Arms
I followed the freebooters' leads to a cave in the south of Shipwreck Strand. To access the base and gain more intel unnoticed, I stole an Inquest power suit and hacked into the control system, setting one of their golems to combat mode. I thought I'd hacked into several golem units, but one malfunctioning golem proved to be enough to draw the attention of Inquest leadership.
Surprisingly, one of the leaders turned out to be Overseer Kuda. The other I'd never heard of—a "principal biomancer" named Sebb. Sebb ordered me to open the animal pen nearby, releasing a pair of his experimental creatures—"5" and "7," reptiles grafted with golem—like tech. The creatures ripped the malfunctioning golem to shreds. While Sebb seemed to enjoy the chance to test out his creatures, Kuda was annoyed and wanted to focus on their current mission. Perhaps their distaste for each other could prove useful later...
With the golem destroyed, I eavesdropped on Sebb and Kuda's bickering—they planned to leave the facility with an Agent Thessa and her "procurement team." Kuda chastised Sebb for the delay, but Sebb pushed back, mentioning he answered "solely to the director."
As they made their way out of the area, I considered my next move...but suddenly a number of other golems malfunctioned—my hacking had worked after all, just too slowly...maybe too well; my own golem suit burst into flames, and I was forced to eject and fight my way out of the cavern. I'll have to go after Kuda and Sebb another time. For now, it's time to find my allies and fill them in on what I've learned.
***
I returned to Canach's pub to find Sayida, and I filled her in on the Inquest facility and the presence of Overseer Kuda and this principal biomancer, Sebb. I was still unclear as to who was in charge of the Inquest, but we agreed the only way to get more information was to try following their trail through the caverns.
After activity calmed at the facility, I returned and followed the procurement team's circuitous path through the cavern system, eventually leading me north into Twisting Hollows— freebooter territory.
Outside a private bar called the Wardroom, I overheard a snippet of conversation—Agent Thessa speaking to a freebooter. I wasn't getting past the bouncer into the Wardroom without a password and a disguise. Luckily, I was able to get both off the nearby freebooters and gain access.
Inside the Wardroom, Agent Thessa was in deep negotiations with a freebooter representative called Seamus the Slick (likely a self—given nickname since his negotiation skills didn't seem to warrant it—he seemed mostly interested in acquiring barrels of "swill."). The Inquest agreed to provide the freebooters with weapons and golems, so long as the freebooters agreed to use them against the Hullgardeners—and keep the Tyrian Alliance busy in the process. The Inquest also provided supplies in exchange for freebooter intel and manpower somewhere inland.
I couldn't allow the freebooters to use those weapons and golems—they were too dangerous, and they'd tie up even more of our forces protecting Hullgarden. Before following the Inquest's trail north, I made my way back into Inquest territory and tracked down a set of codes that allowed me to turn off the freebooters' newly acquired golems' combat systems.
After sabotaging what supplies, weapons, and golems I could, Sayida checked in over comms. With the immediate threat to Hullgarden dealt with, I let her know I was ready to continue tracking the Inquest north.
Chapter 4: Truths Unearthed
There was too much foot traffic in northern Twisting Hollows to continue following the Inquest's footprints. I needed a new strategy, so I put my skimmer's Aetherlocation skill to work.
My skimmer picked up on an Inquest tech frequency, and we followed it north, out of the cavern system and onto the sandy shoals of the strand.
Strangely, we first discovered a buried communique, left for Kuda by one of her underlings, detailing Sebb's obsession with inland artifacts and an experiment in which he intended to use some of them.
Next, we found an audio communication from Kuda herself, left to be unearthed by one of her contacts. In the message, it's clear that Kuda detests Sebb and would be happy to see him dead. She mentioned that she was on her way to observe Sebb perform some kind of experiment involving a "seneschal," which she seemed to begrudgingly respect and possibly even fear.
Following the frequencies, the skimmer then uncovered a hastily written communication to Kuda-this one mentioning this "director" again, whose name seems to be Vloxx. The note suggested that Vloxx is hard to read, but that he might be losing patience with Sebb. It also mentioned Vloxx's speculation that, whatever these seneschals are, they might be "unnaturally" territorial.
The skimmer again followed the frequencies, turning inland to an area where it seemed to sense a large presence ahead...something to do with Sebb's experiment, no doubt.
Unsure what to expect, I called Sayida and asked her to bring backup.
***
I met up with Sayida on the beaches of Guarded Glades. Rytlock was the only ally she'd been able to gather—Canach being preoccupied with rowdy patrons at the pub and Isgarren nowhere to be found. With no time to waste, we ascended the hill, heading inland.
As we climbed, we were swarmed by crabs. As Sayida pointed out, the vicious things had been harrying us since before we made landfall! This turned out not to be a coincidence...
We caught up to Sebb and Kuda in a hillside glade. It seemed too good to be true-Sebb and Kuda, seemingly unprotected, Sebb inexplicably burying artifacts in the sandy ground.
We'd interrupted Sebb just before he could attempt whatever experiment he had planned... But Sebb improvised. He threw the last artifact in our direction and bolted. Before we could pursue him, a gigantic crablike creature emerged from beneath the ground, snapping its massive claws at us and Kuda.
Kuda quickly made an escape, leaving us to deal with the creature that had been hinted at in Kuda's communications: Kela, Seneschal of Waves.
Shackled in magical chains, Kela struck relentlessly. Sayida realized that the seneschal was not fully in control of herself, and she fiercely defended the artifact thrown by Sebb. Thinking quickly, we unearthed the artifacts that Sebb buried in the glade in an attempt to give them to Kela and calm her down, rather than fighting her to the death. Sayida's idea seemed to work, so we kept at it.
Eventually, we gathered enough of the artifacts to soothe the seneschal. With Kela subdued, we gathered ourselves and tried to piece together the clues and intel we'd discovered about the Inquest's mission. The artifacts Sebb had buried included old books, ancient tablets, a shard—
And that's when it all clicked. The shard was a piece of shadowstone. The subtle hint of familiar magic I'd felt when we first landed... That was seer magic! And Isgarren, the one person who would likely know more, was conspicuously missing.
After a fruitless attempt to contact Isgarren over comms, we decided to follow the lead of Sebb's artifacts further inland. Sayida and Rytlock went ahead to help establish a camp.
Where was Isgarren? He'd been acting strangely since the moment we set foot on this island. An island his people were somehow familiar with. Now, when we most needed him, he'd disappeared. And what about this director, Vloxx? Was he actually leading the Inquest on Castora?
There was no shortage of questions. It was time to hack our way inland to find more answers.
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Visions of Eternity: Act 2
- 1338
Chapter 5: Beneath the Canopy
Having finally broken through into the forest proper, I first regrouped with Rytlock and Sayida so we could plan our next move. Unfortunately, addressing tensions among our allies around our newly-founded camp was the most pressing issue—and, as usual, that responsibility fell to me. I spoke with Colonel Rheff, the Astral Ward's liaison in charge of the encampment, about the situation; he felt he could keep everyone happy if I could make sure the base was secure and intel about the area was being gathered. Seemed a fair enough trade to me.
I tracked down some of our scouts in the area, and they were able to give me enough intel to know where to start. I gathered up some samples of the local ley-line magic for Magister Keadin, who will hopefully be able to give us a better sense of the forces at play here. I tracked down Ember Doomforge, also; as usual she has the Ash Legion listening in on everything, which should prove useful in tracking the Inquest, at least. I gave her a hand by planting some of her devices around to widen the network. The more we know, the better.
Things took an unexpected turn when I went to help Kiango and the Sly Crew. They somehow stumbled on this special Inquest golem, PTM, that's not only friendly, but able to talk and reason. But instead of seeing what a lucky break that is, theyh were going to try and sell him! Fortunately, I was able to barter them out of doing so. Unfortunately, PTM was damaged in the process of being captured, and I'm going to need special tools from the Inquest complex to access what he knows. I'll set out for the complex at nightfall. Nothing is ever easy.
***
Things have definitely not gone like I expected. Infiltrating the Inquest base went as well as could be hoped for; with some careful stealth, I successfully disabled the turrets that they had positioned around the inner complex. The plan hit a bit of a snag when I encountered the electrical field blocking access to the main building, but I was able to track down the control panel for it—after dispatching the engineer on duty, of course. My presence hadn't gone unnoticed, however, and reinforcements from Luda were on their way. Still, I had time to get in, get the repair tools, and get out.
I expected the next part to be harder, but instead of a chamber filled with Inquest, I found only one: Director Vloxx, who was unexpectedly happy to see me. He explained that he didn't want to kill me; he wanted my help to "save our world." He insisted that he didn't have time to explain, but that his only goal was to "return Tyria's destiny to the hands of her people." And then he provided an infuriating revelation: the Arcane Council didn't just know about the Inquest coming to castora, they funded the expedition! I need to find out what Ludo knew of this, if anything.
I wish I would have had more time to press him for details, but he simply handed me a comms device, promising he's be in touch, and insisting the Inquest couldn't see us together "yet." Before I could object, he was gone, leaving me to dispose of Kkuda's reinforcements. Luckily I was able to find the repair tools for PTM and then exist through the nearby teleporter.
I've stopped for a breather, but I'll be headed back to camp soon. I've gote even more questions now than I left Shipwreck Strand with. Hopefully PTM can provide some answers.
***
I managed to get PTM repaired. AS he was rebooting, I was joined by Canach, who has apparently decided he needs more adventure. I called and updated Rytlock and Sayida on what I've been up to; they've moved to another encampment up north, so I sent Canach to join them. Maybe they'll keep each other out of trouble.
PTM was able to provide some insight about Vloxx's past as an engineer in Rata Sum, and it seems consistent with the asura I met: a career of trying to do good and growing increasingly frustrated by corruption. I got even more insight when he called me just a few minutes ago. By his accounting, he's working with the Inquest because they're the only "tool" he has available. He frankly seems pleased with the idea of dismantling them, which is promising.
And he spoke a bit about what his goals here are, how he worries that Tyria won't survive on its current course, and how he intends to "remove the impediments to individuals like you." An understandable sentiment, but it takes more than that to do good, and the Inquest are certainly not doing any good here.
I'm not sure what to make of him yet. I'm going to join up with the others and figure out our next steps.
Chapter 6: Ruins of the Old World
I met up with Rytlock, Canach, and Sayida at the hunting camp to the north and filled them in on everything I've learned. They're predictably divided on what to make of Vloxx; Rytlock seems sympathetic, Sayida doesn't believe a word of it, and Canach... I think Canach mostly enjoyed being cheeky about the whole thing. What we all agreed on was that we need more information, because operating in the dark is going to get us nowhere. Since Isgarren is still missing, we'll have to go digging on our own.
Canach proposed a plan to reverse engineer the data banks of Sebb's creatures to see if it would give him access to some internal Inquest information. I destroyed a good number of them and brought back as many data banks as I could carry to let Canach work on them, then headed back out and cleaned up the rest of the creatures in the area. The less of those things prowling around, the better. Before I could return, Rytlock called me; Canach must have found something in the data banks, because he left with Sayida, headed for some nearby ruins.
I'm on my way there now as well. Hopefully I find them before they get themselves into trouble.
***
Predictably, Canach and Sayida were arguing about Vloxx when I reached the ruins; it's a wonder they hadn't been ambushed. I managed to at least temporarily disrupt their debate, and we resumed searching for the ruins that the Inquest had been digging around in.
We found them soon after, as confirmed by an ambush of Inquest forces still in the area. But almost immediately after dispatching them, we discovered a group of Durmand Priory scholars that were being held by additional Inquest nearby.
We liberated the Priory researchers and found out from one of them, Scholar Renato, that the Inquest had been interrogating them about a specific artifact. It seems the Inquest didn't give them enough detail to know which one they meant; maybe the Inquest don't even know what they're looking for yet? We offered to escort them back to their camp, but they were undeterred and insisted on continuing their work.
Canach, Sayida, and I conducted our own examination of the Inquest excavation and came away with a few dear conclusions: they're looking for a single, specific artifact; the artifact in question is magically powerful; and they don't know what it is yet. We did our own survey of what the seers had left behind in the area to see if anything would stand out— and got ambushed by one of their defense mechanisms in the process—but weren't able to reach any conclusions.
I think if we're going to figure this out, we need a better understanding of what the seers were doing here. We checked in with Scholar Renato to see if he could recommend anyone, and he told me that Historian Meliza is the seer expert back at their camp. Canach also suggested I try to contact Isgarren and get the info from him, though whether he believed it would work or just thought it might be funny to try is unclear. Needless to say, Isgarren still didn't answer.
I'm heading to the Priory camp to talk to Meliza now. Hopefully that will give me some idea of where to look next.
***
The Priory camp was in disarray when I arrived, and Historian Meliza was too preoccupied to talk. I was able to assist Scout Hiorr and Magister Sirkk, however, and get things to a more amenable state. It seems every place we visit on Castora has its own set of problems.
I finally got a moment to speak to Meliza. She was eager to help, but needed more artifacts to examine to provide any new insights. I set out to gather as many as I could from the sites she listed and brought them back. They seem to be promising finds, and Meliza is confident that many of them are ritual objects, pointing to a religious significance to Castora. But more detailed information is just going to take time.
I updated Sayida, and she says it's time to track down Isgarren. I can't say I disagree, although I'm not thrilled about it. For now, I'm taking a breather while I work up the tolerance for him to ignore my call again.
Chapter 7: Fumbling in the Dark
As expected, my attempt to contact Isgarren was once again unsuccessful. So, instead, I was left to track him down the old— fashioned way. Luckily, Hiorr happened to have seen him heading west into the ruins. I'm not sure where I'd have even started without that tip.
I followed his trail until I reached the piazza, which was scattered with evidence of Inquest excavation and combat- and also with undoubtedly valuable seer artifacts and statues. I even discovered a message on an abandoned Inquest communicator that suggests that Sebb has something planned in that area. I need to follow up on that later. As I searched, however, I came upon a magical disturbance near the basilica's entrance; while Castora's magic is especially active, this seemed to have been specifically stirred up by something. As I moved further into the entrance of the massive structure, I finally found Isgarren.
He's as unhelpful and unapologetic as I've come to expect, and seems to have no interest in answering any of my questions. I called the others, and while Canach and Sayida are occupied elsewhere, Rytlock is on his way. Isgarren insists he needs to explore this facility, and it seems the Inquest beat us here. I'll be going in with him, of course; until I get some answers, I'm not letting him out of my sight.
***
Once Rytlock arrived, the three of us pushed our way further into the basilica. We encountered traps almost immediately, which Isgarren apparently expected, but didn't bother to mention. Soon after that, we started to encounter Inquest patrols as well; they don't have a heavy presence within the structure, but they aren't willing to leave it unguarded, either.
Our descent into the depths of the basilica was met with more resistance, both in the form of seer defense mechanisms built to keep us out and Inquest soldiers aiming to do the same. We encountered a lot of signs that the two had run into each other as well: there are dead Inquest everywhere, and plenty of freebooters, too. It seems the Inquest hired them to clear the way and trigger as many traps as possible. At the base of a large staircase laden with seer defenses, we found the doors to a large chamber being actively guarded by another contingent of Inquest. Once they were taken care of, we made our way inside.
That final chamber turned out to be a crypt containing the tombs of a number of seers, each buried reverently with inscriptions memorializing their loss. Many were too worn to be legible, but one in particular indicated that they were "lost in the rite of Divitium Nava" and "fallen on the doorstep of divinity," without specifying what that meant. There was also mention of something called "Ancora," which seemed to be tied to this rite.
Our investigation stirred up an especially powerful and heavily shielded seer construct that had remained dormant when the Inquest were here. Isgarren suggested that it was because "this one was meant for me," but, in his usual fashion, offered no further insight. After a prolonged battle, we managed to disable the construct, and I finally got a moment to interrogate Isgarren on what was going on.
I'm still livid even as I write this, but I'll try to restrain myself. He knew the whole time—or "merely suspected," if I were to take him at his word—that the Inquest were after this Ancora, an incredibly powerful staff that was used in the rite of Divitium Nava, one even more powerful than the ritual used to create the wizards. We've been groping blindly in the dark while he just kept this to himself! Would he have ever told us if we hadn't learned it ourselves? He says he will give us further answers when we return to camp, but that remains to be seen.
I need to contact Vloxx again. I think his intentions are good, but the kind of power he's after... We need to move quickly now. There is still time to prevent a catastrophe, but only if we find Ancora first.
Chapter 8: Path of Divinity
Following our revelation in the temple, I demanded answers from Isgarren. After everything we'd endured from him, this was not the time for silence. He reiterated that Vloxx will need Ancora if he truly wishes to perform the ritual and ascend. I pressured Isgarren for more information, but his memories of Castora are obscured-a great deal of time has passed since he last dwelled here.
Since the Inquest haven't ceased their search, we can assume that they've yet to locate the artifact. It's likely hidden somewhere in the forest or even deeper into the island. I checked in with PTM as well, who at least confirmed that it's yet to be discovered.
After digging through various Inquest excavation sites and abandoned seer grounds, I returned to Isgarren. While I hit a few dead ends, I happened upon three runes imbedded into the environment. When I touched the runes, hazy images rolled through my mind: seers congregating, a seer statue, and a circle of stars. Isgarren's interest was piqued. He called them binding runes and said that they each represent a different facet of a powerful spell. When I told him that they evoked the ancient plaza that I found while looking for him, Isgarren suggested that we go there next.
***
I met with Isgarren back at the Consecrated Piazza. There, he was able to trace the origin of the runes. He explained that binding runes require an immense well of power and demand much from the caster, so they often leave a trail of essence where they were set. If he could trace that essence to the origin of the spell, we'd be able to witness the moment when the runes were conjured.
After casting his seeking spell, two massive astral projections of Isgarren and Sidony, the former leader of the seers, emerged. Isgarren was shaken by the vision. The projection of Sidony scolded Isgarren for ascending Waiting Sorrow, a building monolith of Isgarren's "mistakes," and banished Isgarren. Sidony cursed and set Castora's defenses against him.
This is why Isgarren has been so...difficult.
The visage of Sidony flickered southward, presumably in the direction of Ancora, mumbling about a tree. With this information, Isgarren believes that he may be able to locate the artifact that Vloxx seeks.
***
Joined once again by Rytlock and Sayida, we met Isgarren at the foot of the tree that Sidony spoke of. Although his senses are dulled, Isgarren claimed that he heard the low mumble of Ancora's call somewhere beneath us.
After a bit of searching, we were able to locate the entrance to the vault. The door was sealed by what Isgarren called a tiered balancing charm, and he explained that each tier must be manually disengaged before we're able to enter. After securing each tier, we were able to open the vault. We ventured inside.
The vault was filled with ancient seer weapons and artifacts. After determining that none of the artifacts in our presence was the one we sought, Isgarren guided us towards a large door affixed with a piece of shadowstone. Unable to interact with the stone directly due to Sidony's curse, Isgarren instructed me to do as we did on the ship before-he would channel the dormant seer magic around us, and I would collect their essence to deposit it into the stone.
***
Once the stone was charged, the door to the vault rolled open, revealing a cavernous chamber. Isgarren grimaced at the magic that hung in the air, it having coalesced over a millennia. And suddenly I could hear the whispers of Ancora, too.
At the end of the chamber atop a dais was an unmistakable artifact: Ancora.
As we approached the pedestal, Isgarren asked me to pick up the artifact. Whispers surged-ancient power flowed through me. With the artifact in hand, we foolishly allowed ourselves to indulge in a moment of reprieve. Then I was knocked to the ground.
When I came to my senses, I was on the floor, and Vloxx was backing away with Ancora. Vloxx suggested I would come around once I saw results, then left Sebb to keep us occupied. As Sebb stepped between us, Vloxx said, "Take your time," but who that was meant for is unclear.
Kuda took off after Vloxx, seemingly gleeful about abandoning her supposed ally. Eventually, his mech failed him, too, and Sebb was forced to fight us on foot. Even with the raptors at his side, he proved to be little more than a wall that blocked our way. Something went awry with his tech, and the creation turned on the creator-we watched as his raptors ripped him to shreds.
After liberating Sebb's creations, we turned to Isgarren. He was already weak from the energies in the vault, and the explosion only worsened his state.
Before discussing our next steps, we need to get him to clearer air.
***
I returned to the Dark Leviathan to check on my allies following the battle. While we were able to celebrate one victory with Sebb's defeat, everyone is nervous now that Ancora is in Vloxx's possession.
Isgarren echoed these fears, especially with as little as we know about Vloxx's intentions. When Isgarren performed the lesser version of the ritual on the members of the Wizard's Court, he dampened their memories so that they would be of unbiased mind when they obtained that power. Vloxx, on the other hand, was seeking an even more primal version of that ritual. And unlike Mabon, Dagda, or Lyhr, he would keep all of his memories intact. For this reason, none of us found much solace in our small victory.
As we pondered our next steps, the comms device that Vlox gifted me buzzed. He started by thanking me for disposing o. Sebb. I urged him to stop while there's still time, but I know he won't. He believes that this is the only path left, and while he'd like me to walk it with him, he's not going to be deterred either way.
It's clear that Vloxx is going to walk this path even if he has to walk it alone.
Visions of Eternity: The Only Way
- 1339
Chapter 9: On the Threshold
Word finally came through that we found the break we've been looking for. Rytlock called to tell me that the Priory had captured some Inquest in the area, so I stopped by the camp to find out more. Meliza told me that she had overheard the captives saying that they "never should have come back," but that they weren't talking. I was able to get a bit more out of them with a little pressure, but they didn't know much beyond that they had been sent here to retrieve something and it had already been taken back to the deep jungle. That means that, even without Ancora, they had some way to get through all of Castora's defenses that have been keeping us from getting to Vloxx.
I did some more digging around the area and turned up some more evidence of their visit. Not enough to figure out what they had actually returned to get, but enough to figure out what path they had taken in the process. I informed the others and we all met up at the start of it, ready to blaze our trail through the thicket. That's when I got a call from Vloxx.
He reiterated his point that he doesn't know what he's going to do with this power, but that he'll decide once he has it. He seems to genuinely want to help Tyria, so I pleaded with him to abandon the Inquest and join us instead. Predictably, it didn't work. He's already anticipated that we're getting closer, and he doesn't seem worried about it. Which means we'd better hurry, before it's too late.
***
We cut our way through Castora's deep jungle, trying as best as we could to follow the path the Inquest had already laid out. Isgarren is really struggling; it seems the closer we get to the ritual ground that Vloxx is seeking, the stronger the effect of Sidony's curse. We had to stop regularly for him to rest, though he urged us to continue on without him. Perhaps it's my imagination, but he seems insistent on being helpful. I wonder if Mabon's words finally got through to him.
As we traveled, I discussed the situation with the others. Canach is unusually motivated, and he described how seeing Vloxx willing to do whatever is necessary made him question his own priorities. It's good to see him eager, although I hope he doesn't follow Vloxx's lead too much. Rytlock is concerned with what might happen if Vloxx is faced with only bad options and how he might decide between them. And Sayida raised the question of what might happen if Vloxx actually does abandon the Inquest and leave it to Kuda. They're all valid points, but I don't think we can resolve any of them just yet.
We came upon an Inquest encampment, dispatched them, and found a message from Kuda to the rank and file among their belongings. No new revelations available, but it did confirm that they're not all on the same page, at least.
Isgarren has been unable to continue, so we're making camp here for the night. Hopefully tomorrow's light will bring some new answers.
***
When morning arrived, Isgarren informed us that he can't continue onward until the curse is broken, so we will proceed on and rely on his guidance from the camp. He asked that we be on the lookout for anything that might be able to break the curse, and we certainly will be. For now, we will continue to search for the ritual grounds, and for Vloxx.
Chapter 10: Within Your Grasp
I set off into the wilderness of Eternity's Garden in search of a structure that might be what Isgarren called "The Spire of Exaltation"—the tower where the seers performed the rite of Divitium Nava. While there are plenty of spire-like ruins in the area-some more interesting than others—I discovered a sprawling temple situated on a massive bluff in the north that seemed particularly promising.
I contacted my allies over comms. Isgarren speculated that if Director Vloxx had also seen this structure, he was likely already there. Vloxx's head start on us meant that he'd had weeks to scour the ruins for information on the rite and learn how to ascend; if he completed the rite, he could obtain power and knowledge to rival that of Isgarren himself. What he would do with such power was unclear, but we couldn't risk Vloxx or the Inquest gaining access to it.
Isgarren could not venture beyond camp, incapacitated by Sidony's curse, but I found a relatively safe spot on the east side of the massive temple and called for Sayida, Canach, and Rytlock to meet me.
***
I rendezvoused with my allies just inside the grounds of the Temple of the Blessed Mantle. Even in its current state of disrepair, the scale and grandiosity of the temple spoke of its importance to seer culture. We battled our way through the corridor's magical defenses—defenses Vloxx no doubt didn't have to contend with, being in possession of Ancora—and then found ourselves at the foot of a towering, ancient seer statue. Sayida speculated that it could be some form of defense, but whether that was true or not, we had more immediate threats to deal with.
As we fought our way up the spire ramps, we found Inquest vehicles and equipment on a landing, all but confirming our suspicions that Vloxx had already found the spire and could well be waiting above.
Sure enough, we entered the tower interior just in time to catch a snippet of conversation between Director Vloxx and Overseer Kuda. Since Sebb's death back in Starlit Weald, it was clear that Kuda now operated as Vloxx's second-in-command...and she seemed to vehemently disagree with Vloxx's priorities.
We eavesdropped as Kuda argued for the importance of her latest experimental creations—a trio of Inquest warriors with powers enhanced by the potent magical energy of the nearby seer forge. She believed their powers could make the Inquest unstoppable.
Vloxx couldn't have been less interested.
Kuda was furious, but Vloxx shut her arguments down. He seemed about to dismiss her when her addled, jittery underling Zipp spotted us.
Vloxx ordered Kuda's "Omega Team"—Zipp, Naati, and Plokk—to attack, then he promptly retreated up the spire ramps. We had no choice but to engage the forge-enhanced Inquest as Kuda shouted orders at them from afar.
It quickly became clear to all involved that Zipp, Naati, and Plokk hadn't mastered their newfound powers yet. Rather than allow the destruction of her precious experiments for the cause of buying Director Vloxx more time, Kuda surprised us and called for a quick retreat. Still, Vloxx had ample time to clear the area; we barreled up the last few ramps only to find a hastily erected magical barrier between us and the chamber atop the spire.
I called Isgarren over comms. As we caught him up on the situation, Canach closely examined the barrier then casually walked back down the ramp saying he was "off to write a new tune" and that he'd be in contact.
Before I could question him any further, Canach leaped away and Vloxx's hologram crackled to life just outside the barrier. There was no convincing Vloxx to open the barrier or talk things over. He insisted what he was doing was "the only way" and that he would see me "on the other side."
We'd been mere minutes from stopping Vloxx, but in the end, we were too late; Vloxx had unfettered access to the Spire of Exaltation, and all we could do was hope that Canach could get us through that door with enough time to stop him before he could complete the rite of Divitium Nava.
***
I made my way from the Spire of Exaltation and the blocked door to the chamber at its peak.
I quickly received a message from Canach detailing the components he required to create the "device" he planned to use to open the barrier. It was time to explore Eternity's Garden.
***
As I set out to hunt Canach's components down, Isgarren contacted me, asking that I also keep an eye out for an ancient magical scroll that Sidony used to create Isgarren's curse. If we could find the scroll, there was a chance that he and his assistant, Historian Minna, could possibly use it to somehow break the curse.
While I had little time to spare, there was no doubt we'd been sorely hampered without having Isgarren at full strength since arriving on Castora. I agreed to help, and he pointed me toward an Astral Ward scholar named Jayna for more information.
With no time to waste, I set about gathering the components for Canach's device. I also met with Jayna, who had a lead on the possible location of Sidony's scroll. It was no small task tracking down the scroll and the extensive list of components, but eventually I managed to gather everything we needed.
I headed to the forge to meet up with Canach.
When I arrived with the supplies, Canach was already set up in the forge. He figured the best way to get past the barrier was to infuse an explosive device with the forge's magic. I helped him construct this makeshift bomb, with his instruction. He certainly seemed pleased to be back in his element.
***
The others stayed behind to keep Kuda and the Inquest occupied while Canach and I headed back to the temple to stop Vloxx. Unfortunately, we couldn't even reach the barrier at first because the control key had been removed from it. Things were further complicated by the fact that the All Seer, the previously inert statue in the temple, was now active. It took some very careful maneuvering to recover the key, but we did, although it cost us precious time. We managed to set up Canach's bomb and get clear of the blast with little breathing room to spare. He stayed at the entrance to guard the way while I pursued Vloxx on my own.
***
I found myself within the temple's innermost sanctum, the chamber of trials where prospective Divitium Nava candidates had to prove their worthiness before undergoing the rite. There, a voice spoke to me, like it was coming inside my own head, and told me of the trials and what I would have to undergo. I have to believe this was the very same voice that guided them through all those millennia ago. The first set were physical trials, testing my constitution and form. Exhausting, but at least they're behind me.
***
Next came the mental trials, testing my cunning and strength of will. The lessons they aimed to impart are valuable, of course, but they used up critical time in my pursuit of Vloxx. Somewhere up above, he was likely already undergoing the rite, and if I didn't stop him in time, there's no way to know if I'd ever be able to stop him again.
I emerged from the trials intact but out of time. As I entered the final chamber, Vloxx floated in front of me, finishing the rite of Divitium Nava only moments before I could intervene.
***
I was too late. Vloxx completed the rite and reached...the other side, I suppose. He looked the same when it ended, but there was no mistaking that a change had occurred. He beckoned me closer, telling me that there was nothing to fear.
Before we could talk, Kuda arrived and interrupted us. Her momentary congratulations to Vloxx for his accomplishment were quickly replaced by demands that he now pass that same power on to her and the Inquest. He finally revealed his true intentions to her, suggesting that he would never let them have such a power. Needless to say, this infuriated her, and she shouted that the Inquest were hers. He told her to take them, and with an effortless wave of his hand, he teleported her out of the room.
Then we talked. I asked what he planned to do now, and he said he realized his vision had been too narrow, that corrupt governments and inept leaders were merely symptoms of the problem. He insisted instead that he had to fix the "code of creation," that with a single change, he could fix all of Tyria's problems. I tried to make him understand how extreme that sounded, but whatever he has seen has convinced him too thoroughly. He promised that I would be there to see whatever he has planned and then he just...disappeared.
I wish I knew what to do next.
Chapter 12: A Bold Strategy
I returned to camp at a loss.
Time after time, Vloxx stayed a step ahead of us. Now I had to explain to everyone that I'd failed, that Vloxx had completed the trials and succeeded in the rite of Divitium Nava. As I began to relate the details to everyone, the discussion got a bit heated, and we stepped outside for some air at Isgarren's suggestion.
I finished explaining that Vloxx had ascended, gaining immense power and insight, and that it seemed Overseer Kuda was now the de facto leader of the Inquest.
We needed to figure out what Vloxx was going to do next. But we had no leads, no idea where to go from that point. Feeling there was no choice, I decided to try to convince Kuda to give us any information she had on Vloxx's next steps with the hope that she'd see that we had a common enemy.
***
With no way to directly contact Kuda, I tracked down an Inquest officer and persuaded him to make an emergency call. She answered and agreed to meet for a parley, but she refused to negotiate on the location—she insisted it be north of the forge, an area crawling with Inquest. I had no leverage; I accepted the meeting and asked my allies to meet me there, prepared for an ambush.
***
We all agreed there was a good chance Kuda would double-cross us, so Sayida gathered as many allies as she could muster to provide us with a safe exit in case of an attack...which inevitably happened. However, while we saw an ambush coming, we didn't anticipate the cruelty with which Kuda executed it. She'd gathered all the remaining Inquest loyal to Vloxx, and—after taking every opportunity she could to insult me—she postured as if to use the loyalists as a bargaining chip. Casually, she proposed that she turn Vloxx's loyalists over in exchange for taking me prisoner.
Of course, she had no real intention of allowing such a trade to happen, regardless of whether we would accept the audacious proposal. Kuda gave us only a few seconds to discuss the proposal, then she suddenly announced, "Time's up!" This was the cue for her Inquest to open fire on the defenseless loyalists, murdering them all in cold blood, before turning her forces on us as she escaped via a teleporter.
***
Kuda had locked the teleporter controls behind her, but Canach saw that she'd teleported into the nearby forge. Inside, the Inquest had taken control of the seer defenses, which threatened to overwhelm us. Canach remembered seeing control consoles when constructing the bomb earlier, so we headed for the central chamber.
As we beat back the Inquest, Canach worked his magic, turning the seer defenses against them. The forge cleared of hostiles, we faced yet another barrier, this one blocking our acccess to Kuda inside the research facility.
Once we found a way to get the barrier down, we entered the facility to find Kuda and her three forge-enhanced soldiers waiting. Kuda had expected us to follow her, leaving our Tyrian Alliance support behind in the chase—we'd played right into her hands.
Kuda's "Omega Team"—Zipp, Plokk, and Naati—had mastered their powers since our first meeting. She ordered them to attack and made her exit, disappearing up the stairs.
Zipp's blurring speed, Plokk's supernatural strength, and Naati's mend-bending illusions pushed us to the brink, but with the help of Rytlock, Canach, and Sayida, I was able to defeat Kuda's Omega Team. By then, Kuda was long gone with an army of Inquest between her and us. With more Inquest encroaching and our backup support left well behind, we had no choice but to call of the chase.
The Inquest's new director had outmaneuvered us.
Frustrated, Rytlock called for us to keep up the pursuit, but it was no use. Just as Kuda herself pointed out, we'd nipped at Vloxx's heels since arriving in Eternity's Garden, to no avail. Then we'd chased after Kuda herself, and now we had nothing to show for it.
Or almost nothing; Isgarren contacted me, and he and Historian Minna did have a positive development to report. They'd managed to translate and reverse Sidony's scroll that I'd recovered earlier while hunting for Canach's bomb components.
If Minna's curse-breaker spell could unravel the hold that Sidony had over Isgarren and Castora, maybe there was a silver lining to our setbacks after all...
Chapter 13: So It Is Written
We met with Minna at the Dome of the Indelible Word, where she had made proparations to perform the rite to reverse the effects of the curse. The disappointment of falling short with Vloxx and Kuda was still lingering, but breaking the curse would take some of the sting out of our failures—Isgarren, our most powerful ally on Castora, had increasingly weakened with every step we'd taken into Castora. Not only was he the strongest wizard of the Astral Ward, he was also the one being with firsthand knowledge of the island and the seers; having his full support and wisdom to take on the Inquest could turn the tide of this entire conflict.
Minna commenced the rite, leading me from altar to altar in a great circle inside the dome. I performed the proper movements alongside her as she recited her freshly penned curse-breaker. For a few seconds, it was unclear if she was successful. Suddenly, a portal popped into existence and out stepped Isgarren with uncharacteristic amusement. Isgarren was in the best spirits we'd seen him in...well, ever, in my memory. And it seemed that his time being cursed, being unable to contribute to the fight, unable to even think clearly—it had all given him a bit of "overdue perspective," to use Isgarren's own words.
Still, when I told Isgarren Vloxx's words, that Vloxx wanted to make "one change" to reforge the foundation of reality, Isgarren was adamant that this was a path that would end in disaster, that Vloxx must be stopped.
With Isgarren's ominous words handing in the air, I was suddenly interrupted by a comms call—Councillor Ludo, from the mainland! With the All Seer defeated and the curse broken, the fog around Castory cleared, and Ludo was finally able to make contact for the first time since we'd sailed from Lion's Arch.
I pressed Ludo, wondering exactly how much she knew about the fact that—as Vloxx himself admitted to me weeks ago—Vloxx had permission from the Arcane Council to make his expedition to Castora to begin with.
Ludo was baffled. I quickly explained that Vloxx ahd completed the rite of Divitium Nava and Kuda had taken over as the director of the Inquest. While she wanted more details, Ludo realized that if she was able to talk to me over comms, the guilty parties in the Arcane Council could just as easily talk to Kuda and cover their tracks. Abruptly, Ludo cut off the call to gather evidence before Kuda could send a warning.
We'd done all we could for the moment. It was time to take stock of our options, see if we could gather any more information on Vloxx's next steps. Whether Isgarren would turn over a new leaf in the long term remained to be seen. But with the wizard on the mend, at least we had something to show for all our struggles in Eternity's Garden.
The question was, what was Vloxx's next move? With the rite of Divitium Nava complete, he already possessed the strength and vision to rival Isgarren. Yet, despite his newfound knowledge, still he seemed to want something more, something that even the power of the greatest wizards couldn't provide—"one change" that would repair "the code of creation."
We needed to take a step back and reassess the entire situation. Would Vloxx leave Castora, or was there someplace here that would play a part in his vision of Tyria's future? It isn't clear to me what he intends. But it's clear that he can't be allowed to succeed.
