#aetherblades

So I hop along to Lornar's Pass to say hi to Gorrik. Taimi is REALLY antsy about Ankka and not just because she's suspicious of Ankka. Taimi has a severe case of jealousy, haha.

So we're walking along, talking, and suddenly Ankka laughs and says she lied about the data. I instantly switched from walking to running (which... they did as well) and chased her up the slope to... someplace entirely random. Sus? Yeah...

And then Aetherblades showed up! I drew mew weapon and faced Ankka, sure she'd turn into a villain on the spot, but she didn't.

She said 'bye Commander' and vanished - so clearly she'll be a villain for later.

AND THEN I REALIZED SHE TOOK GORRIK. And I panicked. Immediately. Full-on panic reaction. Clearly my friends getting captured is still a trigger for my HoT trauma.

I shrieked Gorrik's name and pounded the Aetherblades with everything I had and demanding they die already. In the time it took me to kill them (frustratingly, longer than I expected) Aurene showed up, and I guessed she was going to carry me, but she and the Commander spent a good thirty seconds TALKING? About Aurene's hesitation to act, no less?? ACT ALREADY, BOTH OF YOU.

Screen fades! Not how I expected that to go... and then I dropped onto an airship. And went back to pummeling Aetherblades shouting for Gorrik.

Now that special-action leap skill was pretty cool, and by the second ship I was settling in to bashing as many Aetherblade skulls as I could find. And mildly smug about the way they started asking how is she doing that.

Finally I found Gorrik! And while I was bashing the Aetherblades on deck, he was pleading they not hurt him and he'd tell them anything. They BETTER not hurt Gorrik. I don't care what he tells them, not like we have a lot to hide at this stage, but don't hurt him.

I get down there and he says they tortured him! And I'm MAD AS ANYTHING over that and I break him free while Aurene distracts that super-mega-laser-cannon-thing.

And then we CRAASH.

AGAIN. WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE AIRSHIPS IN GW2. This is a meme by this point. The airships always crash. Always. There's airship wreckage on almost EVERY major Elder Dragon battle site. I mean! There was even airship wreckage in PS against Zhaitan that we repaired and took to the sky in! (That was not as cool in-game as it could have been, but that was PS.)

While at the loading screen, I realized Gorrik had said "don't hurt me, I'll tell you anything" and ALSO "they tortured me but I didn't break." It felt like an inconsistency for a moment but I decided he was just... being brave or something. Those aren't the right words. But he goes on to have a ferocious streak, so. Yeah.

Anyway, we loaded in and the airship was sinking into the water. I wondered if Gorrik could swim?? The screen went black for an extended period of time and I started wondering if I could swim??? But of course I can. We've had underwater missions before. And we hit the water pretty lightly I think.

But hey! Suspension of disbelief. I washed up on the beach, pretty drowned-like, and then this guy walks in. My first thought is: she/her, they/them, cool hat because that's a meme I have seen with him in it already.

And of course there is cool hat action and I can't help but wonder why. I am unconscious.

Anyway I suppose I was taken... somewhere?? The fade-in and fade-out semi-consciousness was REALLY well done. So far EVERYTHING's been well done. Good job Anet.

Anyway then Gorrik spends a solid minute pacing and muttering frantically to himself, and me like a good player sits and listens because I can't listen to more than one thing at once, but he keeps going on about it and I'm itching to investigate that journal (and the bench? Also looks investigatable?) but it takes me a while to realize I AM supposed to multitask and Gorrik's ramblings aren't supposed to mean anything. Nice touch, but... yeah no it doesn't work like that.

I finally opened the journal and got half a sentence in before we were called out of the cell. I obediently put the thing down and walked out! I shall have to replay the mission to read it. Or check the wiki. Sigh.

Anyway... then... I mean Gorrik was being utterly amusing the whole time. Trying to tell this Detective Rama guy about his charge of bioterrorism. You're a sweet little guy, Gorrik, but you can't read a room to save your life... actually that's because he's autistic. There should've been more options to calm him down and assure him I have everything under control. Oh well.

I get my clothing back! It's a good thing I picture her sylvari-like outfit to be an outfit and not actually grown on her, because otherwise that would've been slightly disorienting. As I observe later, I still have my glider with me, and of course all my other odds-and-ends. My stuff.

Anyway then we - OH WAIT I ALMOST FORGOT.

We're supposed to sign a thing and Gorrik, the adorable little soul, performs this ELABORATE JUMP MANEUVER onto the desk, signs, and JUMPS DOWN AGAIN. It was hilarious.

Then we went to talk to Kas and Jory and Caithe, so that was cool, uh.

Oh! I get to talk about my Commander's first experience with a raptor taxi! Detective Rama told her to get to the training grounds, so she picked up a raptor taxi to get there. And went ZOOMING ALL OVER THE PLACE. I checked my options: go fast, faster, and ZOOM. And also to take control but I didn't know WHERE I was headed. So I as the Commander just clung on tight and terrified as if I'd never been on a raptor before (I like to be IN CONTROL OF THEM, thanks, and maybe just perhaps KNOW WHERE I'M GOING?) and at the very end went leaping past Detective Rama clinging on for dear life. I was unceremoniously dismounted but I walked back to Rama perfectly self-composed, thank you very much.

After that conversation I looked around and decided Anet was serious about this new player experience and making sure we're completely equipped for this GW2 business. I aced it, and I aced the jade mech fight after, and then I had to get back to where I started.

Well, Commander, no raptor taxi here and you have no idea where you went or which way you came or ANYTHING, so let's walk around and find out.

Commander had an INTERESTING conversation with a woman on the road who basically was in charge of city planning regulations and whatnot. I left her determined to take a trip to Central Tyria as if that could be done in a few days' time, like lady, Central Tyria is bigger than you think. Also if you don't go through the Mists I'm guessing it takes ages to even GET there.

Anyway! Headed into Shing Jea, wandered around there for a bit, encountered a STRANGE thing called a jade waypoint and I'm not even sure if I can USE those without a jade bot. Everything else made of jade needs a jade bot, it's like basic passkey around here. I'm starting to feel like I need one of those. What's up.

I... ran into Snargle Goldclaw. Just randomly. Apparently he's having arguments with his editor. But I was very glad to see my Commander shares my view on his "...romance...novels?" (which is what her tone sounded like. Other VAs may have done differently.) Halfway through this whole interaction I just casually said aloud "I hate you" especially when his publisher RECOGNIZED ME from the book Goldclaw had written. Like excuse me do I not get a say in if you write about me. Apparently not.

I was tickled by the publisher's description of Canthan tech and "move-ies" and "interactive stories", to which I nodded enthusiastically while gesturing at my screen and GW2 itself. He then proceeded to say that nobody would be reading books, which I take personal offense at. Oh well.

Goldclaw proceeded to act entirely in love with me in a restrained sort of way, promising to do whatever I require of him. Like. I didn't even do your stupid book collection. Lit-ter-ah-TURE, good sir? No. I respect good literature. I will highly regard an author. I - and the Commander - would be utterly flattered if someone wrote a book about me.

But not when it's Snargle Goldclaw. Not when it's romance novels. Not Goldclaw's "smut." For all his insistence on the idea that it's literature I just can't. He seems to have no respect for the actual relations between characters... I don't even know what the Kralkatorrid Affair even is. What's the pairing. Kralk and somebody... please do NOT tell me who. I'd probably get nightmares.

The only thing good about him is his AMUSING hatred of publishers and editors and anyone who even seeks to critique his art-form of literature. That in itself tells me he may not be all he's cracked up to be. Yes, I am very happy Bonnie Kunderah is surpassing him. SHE sounded cool. And also writes romance. But she's on Goldclaw's level and a perfect rival for him.

Anyway. That's enough about Snargle Goldclaw.

Although I'll admit to being mildly irritated about something else entirely: the adult language. It started on the Aetherblade ship, which was... okay I suppose, 'cause they're pirates, but still. This publisher guy seems... well, I get the vibe I don't like him even though he seems to enjoy getting on Goldclaw's nerves.

But... now that the language is apparent and casual, I miss when it wasn't. When the game was perfectly aimed at young teenagers and had so little adult language it was almost unnoticable! When it was reserved for REALLY serious things, like Taimi getting captured by Joko. It got worse in IBS but not SUPER noticeably. This, however... sigh. Sadly the in-game profanity filter doesn't work on NPCs. LOL.

Anyway! I eventually found my way to the dock so I could take a ship out to Aurene. Actually I found a jade tech zipline (that I couldn't use) and glided instead.

Introduction to Skiffs. Hi. I found it REALLY interesting that, just as Marjory has Canthan recipes from her grandmother, this Canthan guy had Krytan recipes from his father. Why is it recipes. But the point is that the getting-stuck-on-one-continent-for-ages affected both sides. I never expected to find Krytan heritage in Cantha, though I suppose there's no reason why not if there's Canthan heritage in Kryta.

Although they do keep talking about Kryta and never mentioning Elona, or Ascalon for that matter...

Anyway, we get to the cave, we go in, and AWW AURENE... I go up and stand by her head so she can see me, but then Marjory calls me over and tells me she's... had her magic sucked out??!?!?!?!?

Is that even POSSIBLE?! Can she do her proper Elder Dragony balance things without her magic??

Then we have the bringing-fish-to-Aurene sequence, which was ADORABLE. I remember carrying a bit of fish-on-a-stick around in my inventory.

Favorite quote of the day: "even if you were ancient, Aurene, I'd still bring you fish." YES!! GIVE THE COMMANDER SOME PERSONALITY!! I know I was just talking about how little I really care about Aurene earlier, but I WANT to care for her and be her parent. I just haven't quite got there emotionally yet BUT THIS IS GETTING ME CLOSER. THIS IS ADORABLE. THIS IS AMAZING.

Anyway then I went around to the other side of her head because that felt more... comfortable and intimate, I suppose. There should be a /pet emote specifically for Aurene. I want to pet her comfortingly. I want to lean up against her scales and just... sleep like that. It would be comforting to us both. I'll head back to the cave and have a screenshot session.

Anyway, then the 'check up on Aurene' part told me to go back around and approach her from the outside again, so. Sigh. Grouch. Alright.

Caithe is being overprotective of Aurene... but that's understandable. I'll head out and fight on, be Aurene's force for good in Cantha... her champion... :))

Anyway then I got to meet the Empress! She seemed incredibly intimidating and I think she was using the royal We. Which Queen Jennah has never done, but Jennah sort of has this thing going about being available and personal. I sort of fumbled all over myself trying to bow and kneel in the right places alongside Kasmeer, but that was mostly timing and I think my Commander is better at it than I am.

Empress Ihn asked what I was Commander of! And I said 'nothing'! And this feels like it's going somewhere but... not really?? When are we going to start going predominantly by "Champion" because I've been thinking for a while we will at some point. If it's even possible to get more well-known as Champion of an Elder Dragon than as slayer of dragons. But it could be a tool: if someone calls us Commander, that means either they're more familiar with our Pact exploits or else they're behind the times, or something. It could be fun.

Anyway, after that convo, we went in to where Joon and the Minister of Security were talking, and Kasmeer had a GREAT cutscene. Good for Kasmeer. I'm really hoping we get more Kasmeer content. I was sort of out of it through PoF and Kasmeer is the member of DW I'm least familiar with. Jory too, to an extent.

Anyway, the Minister of Security seems rather grouchy and Joon seems rather nice. She also seems like a champion of unity, so that's good. She's definitely a "good guy."

She also hit it off with Taimi, and if you make Taimi happy you're good in my book.