Games PC GUILD WARS FACTIONS User Manual

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CONTENTS
About These Manuscripts..................................................................	6
A Word from Master Togo of Shing Jea Monastery..........................	7
BOOK I:
Empire of the Dragon...............................................................................	8
Chapter 1:
Canthan Culture.................................................................................	9
The Emperor’s Court...................................................................	10
The Celestial Ministry..................................................................	10
The Vassal Factions......................................................................	12
The Gods in Cantha.....................................................................	18
The Canthan Calendar..................................................................	22
Chapter 2:
Allies..................................................................................................	27
Chapter 3:
Enemies..............................................................................................	41
BOOK II:
Heroes of Cantha......................................................................................	48
Chapter 1:
The Hero’s Path..................................................................................	49
Interesting Times..........................................................................	50
Creating Your Character...............................................................	50
Attributes......................................................................................	51
Leveling Up.................................................................................	53
Chapter 2:
The Eight Professions........................................................................	55
Make Your Choice.......................................................................	56
Assassin.......................................................................................	58
Ritualist........................................................................................	60
Warrior.........................................................................................	62
Elementalist..................................................................................	64
Monk............................................................................................	66
Ranger..........................................................................................	68
Mesmer........................................................................................	70
Necromancer................................................................................	72

Skills..................................................................................................	74
Secondary Professions.................................................................	75
Chapter 3:
Exploring Cantha...............................................................................	77
It’s 1582 CC. Do You Know Where Your Character Is?..............	78
Getting Around.............................................................................	78
Mini-Map.....................................................................................	79
District Menu...............................................................................	81
Map Travel...................................................................................	81
Towns and Landscapes................................................................	84
Chapter 4:
Adventuring.......................................................................................	91
The Good Fight............................................................................	92
Come Equipped............................................................................	92
Your Inventory.............................................................................	92
Loot and Treasure........................................................................	97
The Skill Bar................................................................................	98
Staying Alive................................................................................	100
Missions and Quests....................................................................	103
Meeting the Challenge.................................................................	106
Guilds...........................................................................................	108
Alliances......................................................................................	109
Chapter 5:
Player vs. Player.................................................................................	111
Playing PvP..................................................................................	112
Creating a PvP Character.............................................................	113
PvP Combat..................................................................................	114
Tournament Play..........................................................................	116
Tournaments: Common Factors...................................................	116
Tournaments: Variable Factors.....................................................	116
Tournament Battles......................................................................	116
Observer Mode.............................................................................	120
Credits:............................................................................................	122

About These Manuscripts

These texts comprise a selection of documents found in the vast libraries of Imperial Cantha. The Empire of the Dragon holds sway over the Canthan continent to the south of Tyria, and has a rich and unique history that these manuscripts can only begin to describe. For further secrets and a deeper understanding of Cantha, along with indepth looks at the adventures you will have in this strange land of jade seas and petrified forests, investigate the Guild Wars Factions Guidebook, on sale separately.

On the following pages you will receive a personal welcome from Master Togo of Shing Jea Monastery which leads into Book I: Empire of the Dragon. This section contains a summary of Canthan history, along with an overview of the events that transpired in the year 872 BE by Tyrian reckoning. The death of the 27th Canthan emperor had a massive, sometimes tragic impact on the next 200 years. These manuscripts tell the tale of the Betrayer, Shiro Tagachi, his defeat at the hands of the Luxon and Kurzick champions, and how Canthan culture survived. You will also learn about important players on the current scene—including Master Togo—as well as an overview of politics, religion, economics, and society in Cantha. Finally, you will get a look at some of the foes you will face in your adventures.

Book II: Heroes of Cantha contains all you need to know to begin the life of a hero in Cantha, along with a few pointers for visitors from the northern Tyrian continent. Here you will learn in detail how to play Guild Wars Factions and learn the basics of survival and success in the Empire of the Dragon. For pointers on gameplay and your direct interaction with the in-game world, head to this section.

For instructions on installing Guild Wars Factions on your computer, please see the printed insert that came with your copy of the game.

A Word from Master Togo of Shing Jea Monastery

I bid you welcome to Cantha, my students. You are ready to study the professions of the hero, including two ancient disciplines unique to the Empire of the Dragon. You could summon Spirits from beyond with the magic of the Ritualist, or strike down the most dreaded adversaries with the swift, silent techniques of the deadly Assassin. You may grow into a mighty Warrior, or embrace the path of the powerful Elementalist. The methods of the manipulative Mesmer may prove to be your destiny, though the holy strength of the Monk could be the school that calls to your soul. Perhaps you will bring the dead to defend Cantha as a Necromancer, or take on the mantle of Ranger and strike at your enemies with bow, trap, and beast.

Study the faces of your enemies and meet them with force should you encounter them on the Shing Jea countryside, the streets of Kaineng

City, the calcified Echovald Forest, or the glittering Jade Sea. Master your professions and choose your allies wisely. When the time comes to take up arms, you’ll have nary a moment to react. There will be little opportunity for idle contemplation, for soon you must step out into a greater world. When that moment comes you must be ready to kill those who would do the same to you. You must be prepared to help those in need and seek alliances with those who may appear more foe than friend.

Foul things are afoot in Cantha, and they hope to strike at the very heart of what we are. This evil wishes to erase our kind and rule a kingdom of misery. We will not allow this. We will defend this kingdom with the will of the gods and the strength of our ancestors. Attend to your training and master your abilities, for you hold the fate of the Empire of the Dragon in your hands.

—Master Togo

CANTHAN

CULTURE

Book I:

EMPIRE

OF THE

DRAGON

The Emperor’s Court

Many nobles make up the bulk of the emperor’s court—trusted advisors, sycophantic yes-men, and in a few cases outright spies for the Kurzicks or Luxons. (These spies do not realize the emperor knows full well of their existence and uses them to control what information reaches these vassal cultures from the court of Emperor Kisu.) The court is distinct from the offices of the Celestial Ministry, in that its members are literally in the emperor’s presence for much of the day.

The court is also where one will find the personal representatives of the Emperor Kisu, who act on his behalf in a number of arenas, both political and military. The Emperor’s Blade is the ruler’s able right hand, a deadly master of swordsmanship. The Emperor’s Voice speaks the Canthan monarch’s words. The Emperor’s Hand does Kisu’s bidding in cases where violence may not be needed, but words will not be enough.

The Celestial Ministry

The vast Empire of the Dragon contains hundreds of thousands of people. Many are human; some on the fringes of humanity, but Emperor Kisu rules all. Yet one man, even an Ascendant Emperor, cannot see to all of the concerns and laws governing so many. To keep Cantha running effectively, a bureaucracy is and always has been key. This bureaucracy—known collectively as the Celestial Ministry—has grown in size and power over the years, though not necessarily in efficiency.

Emperor Kisu knows that the bureaucracy is too large, and in places too corrupt, but even the sovereign ruler of Cantha can only do so much to stem the tide of a growing bureaucratic class in Kaineng City..

The Celestial Ministry is divided into four smaller Ministries, each one devoted to a different aspect of Cantha’s imperial government. These ministries, each named after one of the four major elements, have been created over several hundred years to (ostensibly) meet certain needs that the Celestial Ministry could not handle. Their elemental names—

Fire, Earth, Air, and Water—are traditionally tied to specific (and largely mythical) powers. The most visible function of all Ministries is tax collection, which makes them even more unpopular among the masses. Most Canthan citizens love their emperor, but hate the

bureaucracy that runs his empire.

MINISTRY OF FLAME

The Ministry of Flame is the oldest of the four smaller organizations within the Celestial Ministry. The Ministry of Flame controls law enforcement and justice; convicted criminals may be incinerated.

Mythical Power: Control over the sunrise and sunset.

MINISTRY OF EARTH

The Ministry of Earth is synonymous with paperwork; record keeping, building projects, accounting, and more fall under this ministry’s purview. The Ministry of Earth is infamous for beginning public projects that never seem to get finished, but prove profitable to the friends and allies of the ministry.

Mythical Power: Control over the bounties of the land—animal, vegetable, and mineral.

MINISTRY OF WATER

This ministry controls the city’s water supply, irrigation, and the fishing industry, as well as sharing direct control of Cantha’s harbors with the Ministry of Wind (an eternal bone of contention).

Mythical Power: Controls rainfall as well as the moon’s rise and set.

MINISTRY OF WIND

The Ministry of Wind oversees all trade and shipping that relies on the wind—over land or across the sea. Ship captains pay taxes that (the ministry claims) make the winds blow in the desired direction. The Ministry of Wind shares control of Cantha’s ports with the Ministry of Water.

Mythical Power: Controls the winds and storms.

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The Vassal Factions

The Luxons, like their sworn enemies the Kurzicks, have long been “vassals” of Cantha—politically and economically absorbed by the empire long ago, but allowed to maintain distinct cultures and ways of life. All Luxons are united in their distrust of the Kurzicks, their frequent competitors for power and territory, and vice versa. But there was a time when the two vassal cultures were at peace. That peace was

shattered when Shiro Tagachi killed the 27th emperor 200 years earlier. Though the Luxon and Kurzick champions slew Shiro and avenged the emperor’s death, they died along with thousands of others when the Jade Wind washed over the land. The Luxons and Kurzicks have been at odds ever since.

THE LUXONS OF THE JADE SEA

For a scant few seconds the storm that followed Shiro’s death wail roiled the sea, spawning waves that reached hundreds of feet into the air. An instant later, everything was frozen in place, but not because of a sudden cold front—the sea was not turned to ice. It had become solid jade. In order to survive, the Luxons had to adapt to a literally landlocked lifestyle, unable to transport goods to market or even sail to the nearby islands for fresh water. Their merchant ships had become one with the petrified ocean, and the currents that took them to farflung lands were now still as glass.

The traditionally seafaring Luxons became nomads sailing on a lifeless sea. They contrived ways to adapt their giant ships to the jade waves. They now carry out extensive jade mining operations on the frozen sea, uncovering magical oddities and precious resources made up of the petrified life embedded in the unmoving waves.

Today, the Luxons have grouped themselves into three different clans: the Serpent, the Turtle, and the Crab.

To keep order, the Luxons invest authority in their Council of Elders, the ruling body that meets each year to modify and approve the “code” that all the clans will follow for the next 12 months. Although the clans often battle against one another, this is less about warfare and more about demonstrating which clan is the strongest and most powerful. These battles are usually fought by each clan’s champion, along with that champion’s elite guard. No matter how much the clans may disagree, they all come together when the Kurzicks need to be

taught a lesson.

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THE KURZICKS OF ECHOVALD FOREST

When the Jade Wind swept through the branches of Echovald Forest, it turned everything to stone. Birds crashed to the forest floor in midflight. Deer leaped from the ground as flesh and blood, and came to earth little more than life-like statues. Now, two centuries later, life has cautiously returned. The Kurzicks were the first to venture back to the forest. There they have adapted to their petrified surroundings and have begun to carve their culture into this new landscape.

To the devout Kurzicks, everything is a sign; a portent of what is to come. They find a divine message and meaning in everything they witness. This church-state is ruled by the Council of Nobles, which makes decisions and laws only after receiving counsel from the spiritual leaders, known as the Redemptors. Great Houses govern the Kurzicks, ancient families that can trace their origins into Cantha’s distant past, and beyond.

TodaytherearefivemainHouses,twoofwhichare themostpowerfulandinfluential.Itiscommonfor the Houses to argue among themselves, but when it comes time to fight the Luxons, the Kurzicks quickly forget their internal squabbles and focus their hatred on their long-standing enemy. Since Shiro’s death and the petrifaction of the forest, the Kurzicks have built their elaborate homes and cathedrals directly into the fossil trunks of enormous trees that make up

the forest. Kurzick culture is built on ceremony, rituals, and traditions, and this is reflected in their elaborate architecture and art.

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THE TENGU OF CANTHA

Tengu are a unique species of avian humanoids found in both Tyria and Cantha. Females are generally larger than males of the species, though their plumage is plainer, even drab. Tengu lost the ability of flight some time in the distant past, but can use their almost human hands to wield all manner of weapons—when they want to. Their talons make most weapons superfluous. Tengu hate cooked food, and most live on a diet of fresh, raw meat.

The Angchu Tengu of Cantha have long been cut off from their kinfolk to the north—though Canthan merchants travel frequently to Tyria, few take along Tengu passengers. The Angchu are one of two Tengu tribes found in Cantha, and are the more peaceful of the two. (The more primitive and warlike Sensali Tengu will attack any humans—and any Angchu Tengu—on sight.) The Angchu have found ways to live with the humans that nominally control their land, while the Sensali prefer a nomadic life. The Angchu Tengu have learned much more articulate ways to communicate, and for the most part remain at peace with their human neighbors. The Angchu reserve most of their hatred and aggression for the Yeti people of the mountains, their sworn enemies since the days before Cantha even existed as a unified nation. The Canthans tolerate theAngchu Tengu, but few view them as equal with humans.

The largest Angchu settlement is known as Aerie in the common language (which supplanted ancient Canthan long ago, even on the southern continent). Both Tengu tribes have many names for the place, but refer to it as Aerie when speaking to outsiders. Aerie is ruled by Merlin Featherstone, a wise, gruff, but generally respected old Tengu who acts as the settlement’s mayor, sheriff, judge, and (if necessary) executioner. Most Canthans attribute the ongoing peace between Aerie and the humans of Cantha to Featherstone’s leadership. But even Merlin Featherstone cannot be held responsible if a foolish human tries to venture into Aerie (or any other Tengu village) during the lean months of winter. During that season, when fresh meat is scarce, the Angchu Tengu can become as hostile and territorial as their Sensali cousins.

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The Gods in Cantha

The Tyrian gods are worshipped throughout the world, including distant Imperial Cantha. The worship and perception of the gods within the Empire of the Dragon has taken on a uniquely Canthan cast, and the five greater gods of the pantheon share the Canthan heavens with an assortment of lesser demigods comprised of eternal ancestor spirits and legendary heroes granted divine status by the diverse inhabitants of the realm.

Among the two most populous and distinct vassal cultures in the Empire, the Kurzicks practice a particularly devout and pious form of worship tied to the great Kurzick Houses. The Luxons, on the other hand, believe not only in the five greater gods of the Tyrian pantheon, but also three demigoddesses—the three queens Alua, Elora, and Ione.

GRENTH

Necromancers learn early that the way to true power is by bowing down at the foot of the god of death and ice to pledge total, undying allegiance. The Assassins of Cantha pay homage to Grenth, and rarely take on a job unless a priest of Grenth places a blessing upon the task. Ritualists, who speak to and control the darker forces of the underworld, also draw strength from Grenth’s teachings. Statues of Grenth depict

the god with the body of a man		and the narrow, skeletal head of
a beast; Canthan artists tend		to add a draconic look to the
skull. The Canthan	version	of Grenth stands astride a
small mountain of	the	dead, but in Canthan art
the faces of these corpses		are always averted from
the god of death, as if in		shame, to	distinguish
these enslaved dead from		the “living”	ancestor
spirits.

DWAYNA

The goddess of life and air, Dwayna is the even-tempered leader of the old gods. Her followers are primarily healing Monks and Elementalists specializing in Air Magic (though in times of war, there are few who do not

send a prayer to the Winged Goddess to spare them or their loved ones). Dwayna is often depicted as young, tall, and slender, rising above the ground on huge feathered wings. Canthan artists often depict her floating above the vibrant, living souls of their eternal ancestors.

BALTHAZAR

The god of war and fire, Balthazar is often worshipped by Warriors and Elementalists, though Monks devoted to the Protection or Smiting disciplines can also be found among his devotees. Army commanders and guild lords will often say a few words to the Bastion of Martial Glory before leading their followers into battle. Balthazar is frequently shown holding a greatsword, its tip lodged in the ground, with a pair of battle hounds sitting at

attention at his feet. In Cantha, the sword is usually one of the single-edged imperial style, and the battle hounds are usually replaced with winged

drakes.

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LYSSA

Twin goddesses of beauty and illusion forming a paradoxically singular entity, Lyssa is the patron god of the Mesmer profession in the northern Tyrian continent. In Cantha she also represents the incarnation of luck, both good and bad. Many Canthan Assassins revere Lyssa more for her intrinsic duality than her famous beauty and have been known to invoke her charms. Depictions of Lyssa in Canthan culture reflect the. typical northern style: lithe twin figures of exquisite beauty entwined in an eternal dance.

MELANDRU

Many Canthans, especially the suspicious Luxons and the warlike Kurzicks, believe that the goddess of earth and nature has abandoned the empire. They believe that not even Melandru could have withstood Shiro Tagachi’s literally petrifying death cry. But Melandru’s devoted followers—the Rangers, Earth Elementalists, and many cultist sects— know that this is merely a misunderstanding of what the goddess truly represents. They know that the goddess endures within the crystalline shell of the once-thriving Canthan landscape. Melandru is frequently depicted in both Cantha and Tyria as a tall, winged dryad from the waist up. But whereas northerners see a creature whose lower half grows naturally into a living tree, Canthan artists usually describe a severe figure ensconced in an outcrop of Echovald quartz. Melandru’s roadside temples offer shelter, food, and water to weary travelers even in Cantha, though such shrines are few, and separated by long stretches of lifeless stonescape.

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The Canthan Calendar

The Canthan Empire uses its own dating system for strictly internal and local affairs. When dealing with outsiders such as the Tyrians of the northern kingdoms, most Canthans can easily convert from the mathematically sound Canthan calendar to the more commonly used Mouvelian dating system. The Mouvelian calendar begins counting years from the moment the gods left Tyria, an event known as the Exodus; years are labeled BE (Before the Exodus) or AE (After the Exodus). In Cantha, the years are counted from the date the clans unified into the Empire of the Dragon under Lord Emperor Kaineng

Tah: the year 510 BE according to the Mouvelian calendar. The years before this date are not considered important enough to number, and are simply referred to as the early, middle, or late pre-imperial era.

Mouvelian Seasons

Canthan Months

Changhai

Season of the Zephyr (Air aligned) days 1-90 Zhoyo

Nongkam

Zalfawn

Season of the Phoenix (Fire aligned) days 91-180 Saita

Mikan

Nemnai

Season of the Scion (Water aligned) days 181-270 Beibacah

Suzhen

Yundinfang

Season of the Colossus (Earth aligned) days 271-360 Songtahn

Kainengtah

MONTHS AND SEASONS

Unlike the Mouvelian calendar, which divides the 360-day year into four seasons aligned with the elements, the Canthan calendar—also 360 days—is broken into 12 months of 30 days each. Each month once aligned perfectly with the cycles of the moon, but over time the two cycles have diverged. Today, the new moon usually appears roughly halfway through any given Canthan month.

Most months of the Canthan calendar have names whose origins are lost to history and predate the empire by centuries. Only two—Changhai and Kainengtah—have relatively recent origins. These months, which bookend the Canthan year, are named for the two most celebrated emperors in Canthan history: Kaineng Tah, the Lord Emperor who united the Canthan clans; and Chang Hai, a prince who followed the path of the hero and became Ascendant before taking the throne.

Chang Hai became the first of many such “Ascendant Emperors.”

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Unified Timeline

Note that “CC” (for “Canthan Calendar”) is only used in Tyria and other non-Canthan cultures. In Cantha, the year 1 CC is simply the year 1.

	Canthan		Mouvelian	Significant Events
	Calendar		Calendar
	1582 CC		1072 AE	Present day. Master Togo summons Mhenlo to the Shing Jea
				Monastery.
				Resurgent trade between Cantha and the devastated Tyrian king-
	1581 CC		1071 AE	doms formalized in the Second Treaty of Lion’s Arch. Bay of Sirens
				renamed Sea of Sorrows after upswing in shipwrecks.

1580 CC	1070 AE
1568 CC	1058 AE
1527 CC	1017 AE

End of the Guild Wars.

Kintah dies and is succeeded by his son Kisu, who becomes the 31st Canthan emperor.

The Luxons and Kurzicks of Cantha end formal diplomatic contact, communicating with each other only when required (and almost always through official liaisons of the Celestial Ministry).

1523 CC	1013 AE
1450 CC	940 AE
1412 CC	902 AE
1382 CC	872 AE

The first Guild Wars begin.

Cantha’s embassy formally closed in Ascalon City.

Long-standing trade agreements between the Tyrian kingdoms and the Canthan Empire dissolved by imperial decree.

Shiro Tagachi slain in the Harvest Temple of Cantha after killing Emperor Angsiyan. The bloodline is unbroken when his son Hanjai (Kisu’s great-great grandfather) ascends to the throne.

731 CC	221 AE
684 CC	174 AE
511 CC	1 AE

Cantha begins trading with Tyria.

Serpents leave the world of men.

Prince Chang Hai, a Warrior Monk, becomes firstAscendant emperor of Cantha.

	Canthan	Mouvelian	Significant Events
	Calendar	Calendar
	510 CC	Year 0	The gods leave Tyria.
	509 CC	1 BE	Gods give magic to the races of Tyria.
	410 CC	100 BE	High-planes human settlements become known as Ascalon.
			Ascalon’s new king receives first Canthan ambassador.
	305 CC	205 BE	Humans appear on the northern continent.
	51 CC	459 BE	Kurzicks declare independence from Cantha, become vassal clan.
	48 CC	462 BE	Luxons formally secede from the Empire, become vassal clan.
	46 CC	464 BE	Lord Emperor Kaineng Tah dies under mysterious circumstances.
	0 CC	510 BE	Canthan clans unite under Kaineng Tah, first Lord Emperor of the
			Dragon.
	Late Pre-Im-		Humans appear in Cantha for the first time and settle the northern
		786 BE	coastline before spreading completely across the continent. Their
	perial Era
			development is unhindered by the Forgotten.
	Middle
	Pre-Imperial	1769 BE	The Forgotten arrive in Tyria.
	Era
	Early Pre-	10,000 BE	Last sign of Giganticus Lupicus—true giants—on Tyria (best
	Imperial Era		guess).

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ALLIES

EMPEROR KISU

Born in: Kaineng City

Nation: Cantha

Profession: Ritualist

Age: 50

Emperor Kisu grew up admiring his elder half-brother Togo in Kaineng City. Both were sons of the last emperor, Kintah, but Kisu was the legitimate son of Kintah and his wife, while Togo—though 15 years Kisu’s senior—was born to the emperor’s favored concubine Yuki. The two were always close, but when Kisu left to take

on the duties of empire, Togo followed a different path. Kisu became the sovereign ruler of several hundred thousand souls on the southern continent, while Togo studied the ways of magic and ritual. The emperor is respected and beloved by the Canthan people, even though few have ever actually seen him in person outside of the urban areas of Kaineng City.

When not holding court, Emperor Kisu often dwells in his own palatial, private section of the city, Raisu Palace, which is forbidden to all but the emperor and those

he chooses to allow inside. And every year during the Harvest Festival, he travels (with a well-armed entourage) to the temple where Shiro

Tagachi slew Kisu’s ancestor 200 years earlier, in defiance of fear or fate.

MASTER TOGO

Born in: Kaineng City

Nation: Cantha

Profession: Ritualist

Age: 65

Son of the previous Canthan emperor and his beloved concubine, Yuki, Togo grew up in the palace and helped raise his young half-brother, Kisu.

Though Kisu was next in line for the imperial throne, he and Togo were always close, and the elder halfbrother helped oversee the future emperor’s education alongside the palace tutors. When Kisu left his studies behind to take on the imperial role, Togo left for Shing Jea Monastery, eventually rising to a leadership position. In the time since, each has grown accustomed to running his own “empire”—Kisu the literal Empire of the Dragon, and Togo the most respected and holy academic institution in the land. There

is no ill will between them, despite the petty efforts of some underlings to drive wedges between the half-brothers. Still, for the safety of each, their blood relationship is not widely publicized.

Togo went on to become an accomplished Ritualist and was key to several Canthan military victories before he was named the new Master of Shing Jea Monastery upon the death of Master Botah. To the casual observer, Togo would appear to have been shunned by the palace, possessing no power. A closer look reveals that he is the emperor’s “behind-the-scenes” man; Kisu rarely makes a move of any importance without consulting his half-brother first.

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NIKA

Born in: Wajjun Bazaar

Nation: Cantha

Profession: Assassin

Age: 22

Nika’s past is shrouded in nearly as much mystery as Nika herself, though Master Togo has learned a bit about her— everyone knows the master of Shing Jea Monastery. She has also let slip to Master Togo, if not to Mhenlo and his friends, that she was born in Wajjun Bazaar, a market district not far from one of the largest ports in Cantha. Her father died mysteriously before she was born; her mother sent Nika to the secretive Conclave at a very young age to learn the art of the Assassin,

a trade that the women of her family had practiced for centuries. Her mother, in fact, runs the largest Assassin’s guild in all of Cantha. Nika killed her first man

at age 10, and made her first solo kill when she was 12. She has never murdered anyone, to her way of thinking—assassination is her business, and she kills only to defend herself or her friends, or to fulfill a licensed contract.

Nika joins Mhenlo’s group almost by accident. She is impressed by the way the disparate group of heroes works so efficiently, and offers to fill a void left by a set of twin sisters that left the group earlier. She is wholly dedicated to only two things—avenging her ancestor Vizu and protecting the Empire of the Dragon.

MHENLO

Born in: Serenity Temple

Nation: Ascalon

Profession: Monk

Age: 22

Born in Serenity Temple to a priest of Dwayna and

priestess		of		Balthazar,
Mhenlo		has	been steeped
in the teachings of healing
and	smiting		magic. A
devoted		servant of both
Dwayna		and	Balthazar,
he	has	studied		hard
his	entire		life,	and
has	been rewarded by

both the gods of his provenance. But paying allegiance to two gods has not been without its consequences; having no clear path to follow, Mhenlo has a tendency to overanalyze situations and

possible consequences, not sure whether to take the path.

of aggressive strength or that of. defensive grace.

Mhenlo spent much of his life inside Serenity Temple, paying homage to the old gods and studying the Path, which will lead him to enlightenment. He also spent a long stretch of his youth studying under Master Togo of Shing Jea Monastery, where he was exposed to even more religious and philosophical teachings that made it no easier for the young monk to find a focus in life. But the teachings of Togo and the Ritualist’s wisdom made a deep impact on Mhenlo. When Master Togo sends a request for Mhenlo’s aid, the monk wastes no time gathering his friends and setting out for Cantha.

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DEVONA

Born in: Rin

Nation: Ascalon

Profession: Warrior

Age: 24

Devona is quite serious and very direct in her dealings with other people. She aspires to be a great Warrior, just like her father. Sometimes this aspiration turns into a tremendous internal pressure to succeed. Devona’s father was one of the leaders of a prestigious and highly respected guild—Ascalon’s Chosen. He lost his life defending the city walls against a raid by an Orrian guild during the last Guild War. Devona was only a little girl at the time, but since that day, she has dedicated her life to mastering the martial arts of sword and hammer.

Devona naturally rises to lead most any group she is with, and in Cantha she often butts heads with both Togo and Mhenlo, despite her lack of experience on the southern continent. She always assesses any situation before rushing in. This often puts her at odds with the brash Cynn or the impulsive Lo Sha—and when her temper

gets the best of her, this often erupts into verbal, though not physical, conflict.

But whatever differences she might have with her allies, she is loyal to a fault. Devona would sacrifice her own life to save the life

of a friend, and frequently puts herself in harm’s way to protect those who travel with her. Devona was the first of Mhenlo’s friends to volunteer to join him in Cantha. Indeed, there was no question she would join him, she told the monk. Loyalty demanded it.

LO SHA

Born in: Kaineng City

Nation: Cantha

Profession: Mesmer

Age: 25

Lo Sha is one of the most brilliant teachers at Shing Jea Monastery, but like many true geniuses, he is somewhat addled when it comes to small details. And like many

Mesmers, he is justifiably vain and proud.

Headmaster Kaa likes to say that if Lo Sha would focus on his skills as much as he focuses on his fellow Mesmer instructor, Mei Ling, he could be one of the greatest Mesmers in Canthan history.

So far, Lo Sha’s obsession with Mei Ling has kept him just shy of true greatness, but even so, few can

equal his talent with illusion, inspiration,. and domination magic.

Lo Sha joins Mhenlo’s group at Master Togo’s insistence—Togo is one of the few beings Lo Sha truly respects,

and the Mesmer would follow the master of Shing Jea Monastery into the underworld if asked. He prefers, however, to remain at the monastery whenever possible, studying new and spectacular ways to manipulate the perceptions of others—especially . Mei Ling’s.

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EVE

Born in: Unknown

Nation: Ascalon

Profession: Necromancer

Age: 20

Eve hasn’t a clue where she was born—she was found as a young child stealing food from a sleeping vagrant in the back alleys of Ascalon City. Fortunately for Eve, she was not found by a city guard but by a kindly matron, who brought her to the Holy Dwayna Academy for Wayward & Incorrigible Girls (Ascalon City branch). Wherever Eve had come from, she had already learned to read at an advanced level before she ended up at the school students called the “Wayward Academy,” and voraciously devoured every text in the library. It wasn’t long before Eve’s curiosity (and her ability to both manipulate and avoid Matron Irma) led her to a secret library in the bowels of the Academy. There, forbidden texts opened up an entirely new world to young Eve. By the time she was 15, she had raised her first bone minion.

Eve had never gotten along with the other girls—she much preferred the company of her tomes and scrolls. When, one day, a few of her fellow students pulled an especially vicious and humiliating prank on her, Eve literally pounced upon the leader of her tormentors, bit the girl’s ear off, and swallowed it whole. That was the end of Eve’s studies at the Holy Dwayna Academy for Wayward & Incorrigible Girls, and not even Matron Irma mourned her departure.

Eve met Mhenlo, Cynn, Devona, and Aidan during the Charr invasion. She was in the graveyard, experimenting with new methods of undead resurrection, when the Charr flooded into the cemetery on the heels of

Mhenlo and the others. More out of curiosity than any noble intentions, Eve ordered the Charr to stop. When the beastly creatures turned on her instead, thinking her easy prey, she simply raised her hands and called forth a small army of the dead to meet them. The Charr never stood a chance. Eve was amused when Devona asked the Necromancer to join them, but has since become a good friend of Devona, Aidan, and Mhenlo. She is often in conflict with Cynn, but the two respect each other’s power enough to get along when the going gets rough.

Of all	Mhenlo’s
friends,		Eve
is probably		the	most
independent,		and it
would	not	take	much	for

the Necromancer to leave them behind and strike out on her own. But she is smart enough to know that loyal allies—even the living—are valuable to one with her powers. She has joined the expedition to Cantha to learn new ways to manipulate the powers of necromancy, and, she freely admits, to see what kinds of horrors might be created from Cantha’s unique species. Eve’s one constant companion is a human skull she found in the hidden library. She

insists that the skull—which she calls “Adam”—speaks to her and dispenses wise advice at critical junctures. No

one else has ever heard the skull say a word.

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CYNN

Born in: Surmia

Nation: Ascalon

Profession: Elementalist

Age: 20

A former child prodigy, Cynn always had people catering to her every whim. Her family was among the nobility in the city of Surmia—until the Charr invasion and the Searing. When Ascalon was destroyed,

Cynn was caught outside the Wall (Surmia was one of the first places to fall during the initial assault). A magical projectile fell directly upon her palatial home, killing her parents and trapping her under a broken table for several days. A Charr warband discovered her while looting the city. They dug her out, thinking to make a meal of her, but Cynn

had other ideas. She single-handedly wiped out the entire warband, turning them and the remains of her home into little more than a smoldering pile of ash.

Cynn is a bit of a princess but with a decidedly dark streak. She’s often cynical and flippant when dealing with

authorities or situations that seem hopeless. She’s highly intelligent, and magic comes easily to her.

Because of her experiences during the Searing, Cynn has developed a rather cavalier attitude toward her own death. Consequently, she tends to bite off more than she can chew, and often

gets herself and her friends into trouble. She has joined Mhenlo’s expedition to Cantha to satisfy her own curiosity, to learn new ways to make things explode, and out of an honest (though well-hidden) desire to stop the mysterious threat in Cantha before the southern continent sees the same kind of devastation that has wracked the northern

realms of Tyria.

ARGO,TURTLE

CLAN CHAMPION

Born in: Cavalon

Nation: Luxon

Profession: Elementalist

Age: 37

The Turtle Champion is respected and honored throughout the Luxon territories for his courage, his profoundsenseofjustice,andhisaweinspiring power on the battlefield. He was the first Luxon Champion to earn his title in mortal combat that ended without the death of either combatant. Argo’s opponent, Tullus, had fought bravely, and continued to keep his guard defiantly up even after the bloody loss of a foot and many other injuries. Rather than strike Tullus down as the crowd demanded, Argo simply declared himself the victor and handed Tullus his sword. The gesture allowed his foe

to leave the arena alive and with honor

intact, but was a clear indication of Argo’s victory—to hand over his weapon showed that the future champion had nothing to fear.

Justice was served, the bloodlust of the crowd was relatively satisfied, and this noble act earned Argo the admiration of all the clans. Even the Kurzicks honor Argo’s bravery and skill, as a foe against whom they themselves can hope to prove worthy.

Even more than the Luxons’ traditional enemies, Argo carries generations of hatred in his heart for the Canthan Empire, which he, and many Luxons, believe has kept his people cornered in the most desolated section of the continent, the Jade Sea. Yet as much as he despises the Canthan Empire, the continent is still his home. And when threats arise that no one faction can face alone, Argo might be convinced to join forces with the Kurzicks—and perhaps even with the

Canthan oppressors—to fight for the survival of all.

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AIDAN

Born in: Borlis Pass

Nation: Ascalon

Profession: Ranger

Age: 32

The son of a huntsman, Aidan grew up with a quiver of arrows on his back. He never knew his mother, who died in childbirth while his family was on a wagon train from Kryta to Ascalon. As soon as the boy was old enough to hold a bow in one hand, Aidan’s father packed up just the good steel heads of their tools and the two men headed off into the wild. They found a spot in the middle of a forest clearing, refitted their tools with hand-carved handles, and built their own home. from scratch.

Aidan is a survivor. Nothing is out of the question if it means he and his companions will live for another day. He thinks fast and acts even faster, with an inner calm and silent confidence his friends find infectious. Aidan has wisdom his younger counterparts lack, though he never feels the need to lord it over them. To Master Togo, Aidan is a youngster, and the Ranger has easily let the mantle of wisdom pass to the Ritualist. Aidan was glad to join Mhenlo on his journey to Cantha, though he is troubled nightly by the thought of his homeland having to get by without him. This is not arrogance, but

simple recognition of fact.

COUNTESS

DANIKA ZU HELTZER

Born in: Arborstone

Nation: Kurzick

Profession: Monk

Age: 22

Danika zu Heltzer dwells with the rest of her family in the fortress-like Cathedral zu Heltzer, a monument to Saint Viktor (one of the two champions who slew Shiro Tagachi on the day of the Jade Wind). Like her father Count Petrov

zu Heltzer, leader of the great Kurzick House that bears their last name, Danika is proud to name the venerable Viktor as an ancestor.

Unlike her father, Danika is much more open-minded toward nonKurzicks and the other Kurzick Houses. This is probably attributable to her avid reading habits. To overcome the extreme boredom of what she considers her “imprisonment” in the cathedral, she has voraciously devoured the contents

of countless tomes in the zu Heltzer family library, especially those that speak of other lands and other peoples.

Danika has never been more frustrated with the Kurzicks’ isolationist policies, which she believes can only lead to the further decline of her people, and indeed her world. She is eager to venture into the world outside Echovald Forest, and find new allies for all the Kurzicks. Like Argo, her sense of justice is strong, and she would be among the first of the Kurzicks to set aside factional differences should a greater threat arise. She has even had some contact, against her father’s strict orders, with House Vasburg, the longtime rivals of House zu Heltzer.

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