Cruel Shadows and Crueler Tricks
So, it's time to get back to Nameless Higanbana's journey through Tyria and her quest to defeat the dragon, Zhaitan! Last I left off, she and Trahearne were on their way to Fort Trinity, which (as I had nothing to do with the Norn or the Durmand Priory) meant making my way through most of the Shiverpeak Mountains for the first time!
I did actually have a vague memory of this first quest - we stop at a fort which I discovered was NOT Fort Trinity, but a different fort entirely. After a brief discussion regarding Trahearne's fitness to lead (apparently not so fit?) we hear the cry of a panicked researcher; The dead have amassed at a nearby ruin, trapping several explorers inside!
Now, like I said, I kind of remember this quest - at the very least, I remember finding it pretty tricky the first time I did it. Fortunately, being a geared up tanky Revenant did make things a little easier XD Nameless and Trahearne find the researchers under siege in a corner of the ruins, and after dealing with a small onslaught of Risen, we escape into a twisted network of caves, where we make a troubling discovery. The Dead were planning an ambush. It seems that the closer to Orr we get, the more powerful, and therefore smarter, the dead get. There was a brief moment where Trahearne revealed himself to be a necromancer and summoned several undead to fight for him, which considering the whole Risen problem rather made me question the rules and lore of this world, but no one else seemed bothered. In any case, it's probably best not to question it.
After a brief scuffle with the Lich that was coordinating the Dead, it was time to carry on through Mount Maelstrom and meet up with a team of bombardiers.
Now, I don't think I've done this bit before. I think this bit might be related to the question we were asked by the Mother Tree about what we feared, and I guess I just never picked this option because I have NO memory of this next bit at all. Nameless is given command over a team of cannoneers who are setting up to bomb the undead who are blocking the path ahead. After battling our way through another set of undead (who we aren't bombing, apparently?) the team sets up the cannons and on Nameless's command, opens fire on the teeming mass of Risen below.
Except... they aren't Risen. Despite the fact that I definitely saw Risen - I even have screenshots - it turns out that we just decimated our own troops. Oops. There are a couple of survivors, including one Tactician Syska, who berates us for our horrific mistake. All around us lie the bodies of Charr, Sylvari, Human, Asura, Norn... All part of the pact, all dead due to some kind of trick of the eye. There's no time to wallow in guilt, however - it seems that there are more troops stuck in the bowels of the volcano, and we need to make amends by going to save them. Before we set off though, one of our Pact cohorts mentions that there's something a bit shady about everything going on, and mentions it might be worth looking into Syska.
Arriving at the foot of Mount Maelstrom we find several Pact soldiers bickering amongst themselves. They are quick to snap to attention and let us know that there are more troops trapped deep inside the volcano. Naturally, looking to restore her honour, Nameless is quick to lead the soldiers back into the volcano to find the missing troops. Of course, this means battling our way through hordes of fiery Destroyers. Normally I wouldn't really question this, but considering what just happened, I am a little suspicious of the circumstances around this missing troop, and sure enough, when we find them...
They shatter into fractals. They were just illusions, and we are forced to fight our way back out of the volcano. Tired, confused and feeling very betrayed, the troops are quick to question Syska's orders, with one of them revealing that Syska has been 'off' lately, giving confusing orders and being reckless with her tactics. Nameless is encouraged by the Pact soldiers to get to the bottom of this mystery, something that I think she would be only too happy to do.
Ps. I do think it's a shame that I never really clicked with the Norn, because the male Norn's arms are very yummy <3
