Guild Wars Kira

A Distant Drum

2007-08-18T09:45:00.000-07:00

Life has been quiet of late. Once you have gone about the business of destroying a god, mundane problems don't loom so large. If you had told me those years ago before I first enrolled at the Ascalon Academy about everything I would see and do in the world, I would not have believed you. Now, it is hard to image that there is anything left for me to do.

So I've been spending a lot of time reading. A lot of time. I've been following the serial adventures of a woman from another world who also has taken up arms against the evil that besieges her from all sides. I can identify with her quite a bit, though she has never once lifted a bow for any other reason than to sell it. What a mad woman. Her tale never seems to end, though. There are so many other heroes in the world that seem to achieve much greater things. I wonder sometimes what the point of her story is if she never aspires to loftier goals. I suppose the same could be said of my reaction to Urgoz, Kanaxai, and Mallyx. Something to ponder.

I also took the time to renovate the Brotherhood's guild hall. The old Ascalonian design was weighing on me, so it has been converted into something more resembling a serene Canthan estate. The merchants enjoy hiding in seperate areas instead of the common market of the old hall, but it's a small complaint.

I have been spending much time among my Kurzick allies. There is something peaceful of the shadowed world of the Echovald Forest. Of course, nothing is peaceful on that frontier long, so I have taken up arms against the Luxon invaders. Count zu Heltzer has acknowledged me with the title Kurzick Supporter, though I wonder if I will soon be know as the Scourge of Ferndale so often do I patrol there. This service has earned me the right to be trained in the Kurzick method known as the Triple Shot. It's a tricky feat of archery that I am ill at ease with. But I find myself using it with greater frequency than my beloved Maurader's Shot. And I was promised more training should my support of the Kurzicks continue.

I must admit that I've come out of my long solitude due to rumors of... well, something in the far reachs of my old home, Tyria. After being away for so much, I find myself with a strange longing for those shores that I was not aware still burned inside me. Certainly there will be evil to overcome and allies to win, but I would face anything to protect my home once again.

The Fall and Rise of a God

2006-12-02T18:56:00.000-08:00

It is finally done. Neither the Desolation nor the Realm of Torment could keep me from my confrontation with Abbadon. I was quite fascinated to find my old friends, Vizier Khilbron and Shiro Tagachi in the service of the fallen God of Secrets. It certainly explains a lot. But I've bested them before, so even together they were no threat.

And then came the final battle with the fallen god. I have trouble even comprehending that I fought a god. It was nearly a futile exercise. Time and again my companions and I fell before Abbadon's might, only to be restored and renew the attack. And when he was defeated, beyond all belief, Kormir stepped forward to take up the mantle as Goddess of Truth. I can think of no one more fitting than the Spearmarshal.

Saving the world is an exhausting endeavor. Elona is at peace once again, though there is still much I have to discover. The Sunspears must be returned to glory. And there are whispers that the Order has discovered a forgotten gate in the Realm of Torment. Someday maybe I'll be able to rest.

Solitude and Desolation

2006-11-18T21:50:00.000-08:00

My journey to Vabbi was in vain. Seemingly the instant I gained the princes backing to fight the Kournans, Varesh Ossa's Nightfall was unleashed. Now I find myself trudging across the sulfur wastes, sometimes afoot, sometimes in the belly of a wurm. And all around me, the world grows darker.

I write now from the Bone Palace, the bastion of Palawa Joko and his undead minions. Is this what I've become, just another minion, knowing that not even death will keep me from this fight? Sometimes I wonder if the struggle is worth all the trouble. I just wanted to defend my family and my home. How many failures must I endure before I give in to the darkness. Ossa is somewhere in the wastes, but I am too tired to try anymore. Let the night come on. There are others who can take up the fight.

Intrigue and Subterfuge

2006-11-07T17:59:00.000-08:00

It has been too long since I've had the time to make note of my experiences. So much has happened in so little time that I barely have recollection of all that I have done. Even now there is so much I have to do that I have trouble justifying even this pause to inscribe my thoughts. But it is easy to disappear among the thieves and con-men that populate Honur Hill and take the time for reflection.

It seems that Elona is a land made for scheming and much as it is for warring. Recently a centaur called Zhed Shadowhoof infiltrated our sanctuary and threatened to betray us all to Varesh Ossa. To prevent this, he required my help in rescuing his brethren from enslavement. As I would have undertaken the commission voluntarily if he had just asked, I was annoyed by his temerity. But my displeasure was not such that would keep me from helping the centaurs and striking another blow against the Kornans. And afterward, Zhed dedicated himself to my service to insure his peoples continued safety.

Not long after recovering Koss from Kournan hands, I came into contact with the most mercenary corsair in Elona, Margrid the Sly. She has been instrumental in spiriting my Sunspears past Kourna's navy to Istan as well as helping invade the fortress of Gandara. I was inclined to a direct assault upon discovering that Spearmarshal Kormir was held in the prison there, but Margrid persuaded me that a more subtle plan was called for. She help me waylay an Kournan patrol for its armor and we snuck into the fortress in disguise. With daring and luck, we freed Kormir and fled the fortress with corsair assistance.

And now I find myself in Vabbi, seeking assistance from the princes here. I made little impression on them at the Festival of Lyss. I guess saving the world twice isn't enough to impress some people. However, Prince Bokka invited me to view a new play in his amphitheatre, so I readily accepted hoping to secure his backing. The play, it turns out, is the story of Rurik and his flight from Ascalon. And beyond that, it was staged by Kournans who staged the event to capture me. Did they choose that production because of my involvement in those events? There are wheels turning within wheels in this country and I am ill-suited for diplomacy.

Olias is glowering at the Xunlai again, so I must move on. Everyone here is too lively for his tastes.

The Attack on Gandara

2006-10-28T09:40:00.000-07:00

I write from somewhere below the Kourna desert in this sanctuary the Sunspears have made. So much has happened in the last couple of days and I need to write it down while I have this respite.

It turns out that I was confused about my role in the upcoming attack by the Sunspears. I was not just to direct a small squad of champions in the battle, I was placed in charge of the entire Sunspear army. That came as a bit of a shock to me, but I took to the challenge and lead the charge as best I could. My personal cadre acted admirably, though their inexperience lead them into some folly during the fray. Nothing a good resurrection spell could not handle.

Speaking of resurrection spell, the Sunspears have this marvelous variant of the trusty resurrection signet I was given upon first arriving at Ascalon Academy. This Sunspear Rebirth Signet actually becomes more effective as one rises through the ranks of the Sunspears. Evidently it's powered by the expression of one's own majesty. The things some people will think of astound me.

All was going reasonable will during the battle until we reached the heart of Varesh Ossa's defenses. There the damnable woman summoned enormous demons and completely routed the Sunspear army. I must admit that I tucked tail and ran in the face of that horde. Along the way, Spearmarshal Kormir was lost and Koss, one of my cadre, was captured.

So I have gathered what Sunspears I have left and set up a temporary headquarters in the Kourna desert. It is an underground oasis overrun with overgrown termites. The cleansing of the shrine was not overly difficult. And now we have a base of operations from which to strike at Ossa and her demonic horde.

As one last item of note, I would like to thank Midshipman Morolah, a corsair raider on the Marga Coast. I learned from him the technique for firing a single Burning Arrow. And though he did not survive the lesson, I will remember his ability for a long time to come.

Ahai, Sunspear

2006-10-27T08:54:00.000-07:00

Much as I feared, the coming of the Elonans coincides with the growing darkness we've witnessed before. Just after being approached for aid by Kormir, Spearmarshal for the Order of the Sunspears, chaos forces boldly attacked Kaineng Center. It was those same enemies that destroyed the Tomb of the Primeval Kings and disrupted the Dragon Festival in Shing Jea earlier this year. It seems the source of all this darkness is to be found in Elona and so I have sailed there to lend my support in the fight.

Based on word of my prior exploits, Kormir granted me a novice rank in the order upon arriving in Kamadan and placed four other heroes under my direction. Heroes they were called, but they are more like rank amateurs to me. There will be some time before I can shape them into an effective fighting unit. But though there experience in shallow, they take to every skill I can teach them like a fish to water.

For now, Spearmarshal Kormir has called me to rally the Sunspears and lead them in an attack on the Kourna army, lead by Varesh Ossa. I go now to the Consulate Docks to face this new challenge.

Keeping Myself Amused

2006-10-18T17:49:00.000-07:00

Here are some of the things I've been doing to keep busy.

My little sister has been giving me all the keys she's been finding while ridding the Shiverpeaks of mountain trolls. Why trolls need to horde keys I don't know? I'm been taking them into Grenth's Footprint to raid the treasure chests of the Stone Summit. Why do dwarves keep their treasure chests out in the open, exposed to the elements, for me plunder? It is a mad world, I tell you.
While doing all this, I've left my precious bows at home. Instead I've been playing with the assassin's daggers my friend, Jondalyn, gave me. I did recently modify them to make them more effective while using the dreaded Temple Strike method. I guess I just need a challenge.
I finally stopped shirking my duties and infiltrated the Am Fah assassins who congregate around Wajjun Bazaar. We had a strange relationship for a long time. One of the villains, Bujo, has set up a meeting between me and Brother Tosai, a leader of the Am Fah. As such, the assassins left me alone while I travelled through Wajjun. They probably expected I was there to keep my meeting. So of course, I never did that. No one ever asked either. Very kindly assassins, at least up until I finally kept that meeting. They don't like me much anymore.

Rumors of Istani Rangers

2006-10-11T18:05:00.000-07:00

A learned sage once remarked that the only true power is knowledge and I believe him. So I spend hours consulting the great library of Wiki so that I might learn all that I can about the world. Wiki is so vast that I doubt I will read all it contains. But there are certain sections I am drawn to time and again. More specifically, I study the abilities of rangers from around the world.

One day recent, Wiki received an influx of documents related to Elona. Most likely the came along with the loosening of trade restrictions with that distant shore. I, along with many others, rushed to survey these new scrolls. And while the others read and moved on, I fell in love.

Somewhere in Elona, there is a ranger who has learned how to fire an arrow with such velocity that it literally burst the eardrums of the target. They call it the screaming shot. I feel a little warm just thinking about it again.

So yes, some magnificent evil will probably reveal itself just as I set foot on the Istani shore. I'll have to gather heroes and henchment together to drive it from the land with little or no reward. But I must learn that skill.

Down In The Dark Places

2006-10-10T16:50:00.000-07:00

It was a shock going from the blasted Ascalon of my youth into the snow-capped Shiverpeaks. But it was exhilarating to explore a land that seemed only a distant horizon for so long. There were a number of sights I will never forget.

Out in the frozen wastes of Anvil Rock is a small outpost cunningly hidden in the mountainside. I came upon Ice Tooth Cave from the east. My companions and I stood high above that entrance taking in the view without knowing what was just beneath our feet. The cave itself has a transitory population, with only a couple merchant and the ubiquitous agent of the Xunlai as permenant residents. But having arrived at Ice Tooth Cave, I became a member of that informal cadre of true adventurers. It was there I learned of the lost temple of Balthazar in the distant Maguuma, another destination for the daring.

I spent a lot of time running to and fro through what the dwarves call Iron Horse Mine in the spirit of cooperation between our peoples. I was asked to assist a Deldrimor scout by the name of Rangil Ironbow with his one-dwarf skirmish with the Snow Summit. In truth, I did the dirty work while he sat in the safety of Traveler's Vale. But since helping my people meant helping the dwarves, I bit my tongue and did what I was told.

Grooble's Gulch stands in the middle of Borlis Pass, the route through which we lead the refugee to Kryta. We did not rest there long as there was a growing desire to take the Frost Gate and escape the cold and snow. Maybe we should have stayed to rally our forces first, or maybe beg greater assistance from the dwarves. Maybe I could have done something that would have saved our good prince, Rurik.

An Insight in Elona

2006-09-26T17:59:00.000-07:00

I've hinted in the past that my grandfather was quite prolific in expanding the Lanfier clan through many lands. It's an amusing story and everyone agrees that the old man got around in his youth. But this weekend, I receive news from distant Elona that confirms a long held suspicion of mine. There is something greater than a randy wanderer at work.

Anywhere I've been in the world, I hear whispers of another woman of the Lanfier clan. She has been referred to varyingly as a warrior, an elementalist, a ranger, and more. Her features are always different, even of different race. But every time, she is regal of stature with long gray hair. And every time she calls herself Tyria.

She has been seen most often in the Zaishen arenas. She appeared briefly in Droknar's Forge, but disappeared without a trace. When I arrived in House zu Heltzer, I was told she travelled extensively throughout the Kurzick homeland.

This weekend, Tyria was seen again in Istan. She was seen fighting with the Order of the Sunspears, this time as a paragon. When Elona finally lifts the restriction on travel to that land, I will not be surprised to find a number of Lanfiers have taken up the adventuring life. Not because my grandfather's lack of self control, but because Tyria has inspired those women to be like her.

In The Meantime

2006-09-11T18:00:00.000-07:00

Everything is at a low simmer here in Cantha. The celebratory feeling that arose after our defeat of Shiro Tagachi has dissipated and everyone is uneasy. It's like everyone is waiting for the next big cataclysm to arrive. I find myself discomfited by this prolonged peace. To stove off the ennui, I found a pair of assassin's blades and practice some of their deadly arts. It was mildly diverting for a while.

I hear word from my little sister that she has taken to stripping down to her small clothes and luring Shiverpeak Mountain Trolls to a surprising demise. She writes that she is under the protection of the gods and thus has nothing to fear, even should she proceed completely undressed. I think she's tempting the gods to prove a lesson to her one of these days. Considering how seldom they turn their favor onto our world, I am quite certain of their capricious nature.

And just recently one of my guild mates, Jaxvier of Alsgoth, has left our hall to form his own guild. The Starlight Coven is still an ally of the Brotherhood of Stone, but it is one more sign that people are on edge and creating challenges when none present themselves.

What I Learned About The Weather

2006-08-25T16:51:00.000-07:00

On a recent sojourn at the Shing Jea Monastery, I overheard an argument between neophyte rangers. They were discussing the efficacy of various arrowheads in combat. I could not help but smile as I recalled a similar conversation I had in my early days in the Ascalon Academy with Ivor Trueshot, a marksman of some renown in those parts.

"The power of an arrow doesn't come from how sharp your stick is," he told me. "The power comes from how you deliver that stick to your target." In many cases, your choice of bow is the greatest influence on this. But Ivor showed me how to take advantage of the winds to speed the flight of my arrows. My flat bow normally fires in a high arc to reach the target. This gives more than enough time for my intended pincushion to scurry out of the way. But by firing with the wind, my arrows speed to the bull's eye much straighter and much quicker. And for times when the winds are not so cooperative, I've learned a ritual to draw the winds to do my bidding. That might seem a little strange, but Melandru has never withdrawn her blessing from me.

So when I heard those students argument, I had to laugh. In time, they will learn too. Of course, maybe I should look into this broad-head arrow they mentioned...

Protector of Cantha

2006-08-15T22:25:00.000-07:00

I don't have a lot to say tonight, but I wanted to get this down while it was still fresh. I was just honored with the title Protector of Cantha for all of the hard work I've put into defeating Shiro Tagachi and saving the Canthans, Luxons, and Kurzicks from his evil machinations. You'd think that killing an unkillable envoy of the gods would be enough, but it turns out there was a little backtracking to be done in the Echovald Forest. A couple of flare-ups in Arborstone and the Eternal Grove to be put down. I guess it was my dedication to making sure that no evil was left undealtwith, no matter how large or small.

The celebration was small, but there was fireworks in Altrumm Ruins. I'm not sure they were for me, but they were nice all the same.

A Bag Full Of Signets of Capture

2006-08-12T12:15:00.000-07:00

Not that you should ever have to go through this, but I wanted to give a little unsolicited advice. I discovered that, once I'd saved the world a couple of times, it is difficult to keep myself occupied with mundane tasks. Sure, there are still monsters to be slain. The Luxons are still raiding Kurzick lands. I could still help clear the gods' personal paradises of malign influences. But it gets old after a while.

So I set goals for myself. Recently I decided to I wanted to learn a number of skills beyond my normal ranger abilities. And not just any skills, I wanted to learn the elite skills at are only attainable through hard work. I made a quick trip to Senji's Corner in Cantha, purchased more signets of capture than I could fit on all my figures and toes, and made for the wilderness.

It turns out that the deeper you get into the wilderness, the greater your opportunities for skill capturing become. In the Echovald, I transversed the vast Morostav Trail and the magnificent Mourning Veil Falls. I even braved the Jade Sea to explore the Silent Surf and Rhea's Crater, one of the most hazardous places in all of Cantha. We fought and slew the most dreadful creatures and I drew the knowledge of their abilities from their still warm corpses.

Senji and I have become pretty close during this ordeal. I have to consult him everytime I want to refocus on a new profession. I'll stop by to chat, throw in that I have to work on my elementalist abilities, he rolls his eyes at me and does his thing. When I finally told him what I was up to he laughed at me. Do you know how many elite skills you have to capture to gain any notority? 90, he tells me! I need a bigger bag of signets.

A Brief Encounter With The Elonians

2006-08-03T16:35:00.000-07:00

I wasn't sleeping well last weekend, so I climbed the tallest tower here at the Brotherhood of Stone guild hall to take some air. As I scanned the horizon, hoping to calm my overly active mind, I instead found strange sails approaching the islands. The ships carried warriors from a distant land I heard of once before: Elona.

I hope you'll understand how shocked I was to discover their origin. The only Elonians I had meet before were the ghosts, long deceased, who guided my Ascension in the Crystal Desert. I had assumed that all the Elonians died in that desert, but I guess I just wasn't paying that much attention.

There were two types of fighter among their number: scythe-wielding dervishes and spear-brandishing paragons. The dervishes seemed to be masters of dealing damage on all sides with either their weapon or with devastating enchantments. They also could call upon the power of the gods and assume the form of their avatars. The paragons, on the other hand, used their natural leadership abilities to exhort their companions to greater deeds. I even tried my hand with the spear to some effect.

Battle-hardened arena champions had much difficulty in facing these new opponents during the short time they were here. I suspect the fight will more even when the Elonians return to these lands.

One final note: they didn't explain why Elona was suddenly interested in sending fighters to the Battle Isles. Like Cantha before them, it probably means that ships will be making their way to that far continent as well. I'm looking forward to exploring a new land.

But if have to save the world again, I'm going to be pissed.

Into The Shiverpeaks

2006-07-29T16:44:00.000-07:00

Yak's Bend is exactly what it sounds like: there is a bend in the road and there are yaks. It might not be much more than a wide spot on the path, but I always felt welcomed upon returning to the camp.

After fleeing from the desperate situation in Ascalon, Rurik led a number of survivors into the Shiverpeaks and right into a conflict between the Deldrimor and Stone Summit dwarves. I guess the Krytan ambassador forgot to mention that another war was going on to our west. So it fell to me and my companions to clear the way for the refugees to cross over the pass. The xenophobic Stone Summit had heavy patrols ranging to keep us out of their domain. I'm not sure how many dwarves we killed, but I did make a tidy sum selling their armor for scrap.

We ran into a group of besieged refugees that, if I'd known what was to come, I would have left to their fates. Their leader, Elsa Alston, pleaded for our assistance in leading them to safety and I said that we would. But every time we had to sneak past a Stone Summit patrol, the refugees would charge into battle yelling, "Help me! Please help me!" I can only suspect insanity on their parts.

After a number forays into Traveler's Vale, it was time for us to lead the way through Borlis Pass and onto the Frost Gate. Little did we foresee the new tragedy that would befall us.

My Favorite Bows: Elswyth's Recurve Bow

2006-07-25T16:23:00.000-07:00

I have, from time to time, complained about the futility in battling the chaos incursion at the Tomb of the Primeval Kings. So it is with some amusement that I discovered a weapon perfectly designed to drive them out deep within the Hall of Heroes.

King Elswyth was a man with a conflicted nature. A great hero of the Elonian people, he was entombed with his mighty bow. On the other hand when his ghost appeared last Wintersday, he was championing the use of the axe, hammer, and sword. This makes it difficult to determine if the king was a ranger of incomparable skill or just another stupid warrior.

Whether Elswyth followed the high path or the low, it is without dispute that he owned a bow of fiendish glory. The weapon itself is dark as onyx and feels chilly to the touch. While holding the bow, I can feel my very life energy draining into it. Much like a canteen with a slow leak, you may not notice until it's too late. Therefore, I have to be very careful in handling it. Or I have to find another way to satiate its hunger.

Any arrow fired from the bow does more than harm its target. It also drains life energy from my enemy and flows it back into me. The effect is much like the vampiric touch skills I learned from my necromancer training. And if I fire a barrage of arrows into a crowd (and there are many crowd in the ruined tomb), the flood of life can be overwhelming.

It helps that the recurve design causes arrows to fly low and fast. But you have to get in close for it to be affective. This greatly contrasts the high-arcing, long-flying shots of my flat bow. But when your using a vampiric weapon, nothing you face is going to last long.

Remember if you ever have a vampiric bow to put it away when your not using it. You'd have to be pretty stupid to let a vampiric weapon kill you because you weren't paying attention. Not that I'm speaking from experience. Really.

Oh, crud. How do I fix this stupid magic diary again?

Slacking Off For Personal Gain

2006-07-23T11:48:00.000-07:00

As of late, the Luxon Armada has been making a concerted effort to push into the Echovald Forest. Primarily their focus has been on Durheim Archives. They seem less than interested in exploiting the accumulated knowledge of the scholars there, though some of the seafaring barbarians could clearly use the education. Instead, the goal is just to keep the battle lines of the conflict away from the Harvest Temple and their new jade mining operations there.

The Kurzicks, of course, go into a panic when the ancestral home of one of their noble families is overrun by landlocked pirates. That's when I usually drag myself to the front to push back the overextended Luxons. Count zu Heltzer is always so overjoyed that my standing grows considerably in his eyes, never mind the fact that I can't be bothered to stand watch at Saltspray Beach and prevent the invasion in the first place.

In my increasingly mercenary mind, there is no percentage in holding or pushing the battle into Luxon territory. As interesting as capturing one of their outposts might be, it would only encourage them to strike back and drive us out again. And Count zu Heltzer doesn't reward failure. So my theory is this: if it is more personally advantageous to easily win back territory than to take territory with much greater difficulty, then maybe it's better to let the Luxons has Durheim Archives once in a while so I can play the hero.

From One Illness To Another

2006-07-11T18:15:00.000-07:00

For those of you concerned about me after my last entry, I'm feeling much better now. The end of my illness coincided with the start of the Dragon Festival in Cantha. This, it turns out, was a mixed blessing.

Decorations for the festival went up well early of the intended festival start which let to good spirits for all. And curiously, the recently slain began to release trapped energies of the Jade Wind that devastated Cantha centuries before. There was such speculation about the value of these orbs of energy that I soon found people calling out in the courtyard of Shing Jea Monastery, "W.T.S orbs > 250 g." Had I known then what I know now, I would have sold those few orbs I had. As it is, I still have several hundred orbs in my possession as the emperor only required 250 in exchange for the Dragon Masks the Celestial Ministry was distributing. I wonder what they're doing with all those orbs now.

The festival itself was fascinating, from the drake hatchling grab to the Dragon Arena. Where I met my downfall was on the Nine Rings. For the price of ten tickets, you have the chance to win back 15, 25, or even 55 tickets. At 15 gold pieces per ticket, there is a lot of money to be won or lost. At first I was on quite the winning streak. But, as a old dwarf in Droknar's Forge once told me, the house always wins. No matter how much I tried, I could not stem the tide of tickets and gold from flowing out of my purse. It was so bad and I had so little money that woke up on the Rings of Fortune, a lower stakes version of Nine Rings, wearing my Yule Cap and without a cent to my name. People even started to call me Hapless Kira behind my back.

My little sister got me shaped up enough to fight another chaos incursion and redeem my orbs. In all, it was an eventful festival, but I am sworn off gambling for life.

Mending

2006-06-28T11:56:00.000-07:00

I feel bad about not writing in my magic diary lately, but I have a good excuse. I have been feeling under the weather lately. It's a good thing my little sister is a monk or I might be worse off. She's tried everything from Karei's Healing Circle to Mend Condition to the lamented Mending. She's a wonder with magical ailments, but everyday, ordinary affliction are a little more difficult.

Anyway, with the terrible heat getting to me, I haven't been out of the guild hall much. Ever since my birthday party out in Quarrel Falls. Poor Sparky, my new baby fungal wallow, hasn't had much opportunity to get out and explore, but he's been good company.

I shall try to update you more as I feel better. Or you could drop by my bedroom and listen to me moan.

The Highs Are High, But The Lows...

2006-06-24T10:54:00.000-07:00

Prince Rurik is not one to plot, plan, or worry about a situation. When some wrong comes to his attention, he will do what it takes to correct it without hesitation. When he discovered that soldiers where being held captive, he charged out into the ruins of Surmia to save them. When he saw the Charr defiling his childhood home of Drascir, he went to drive them out. And when, in those ruins, we came across Stormcaller, the mouthpiece of the great horn of King Doric, we knew he would next lead us to Rin.

We struck out from Nolani, devastating the forces besieging the academy, and crossed over the wall into the fallen capital. Rurik blew the mighty call and the heavens opened up, like tears from the gods for our wasted country. The Charr panicked and we fell upon them with our fury. In the end, even the Charr general, Bonfaaz Burntfur, fell to my arrows. The enemy was driven back and the tide of war had turned.

But the prince is not one to plot, plan, or worry about a situation. When the king returned to his capital, Rurik demanded that we lead the Ascalon people to the protection of Kryta. As before, Adelbern refused to seek help from the age-old enemy. So at the moment of our greatest victory, Rurik was cast out of the kingdom and we had only to follow.

Into The Breach

2006-06-22T17:00:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite places in Ascalon now is an area beyond the Northern Wall that everyone refers to as the Breach. It's not a particularly attractive place since it is as blasted and ruined as any place in the kingdom. There is even a river of tar flowing through it. No, the reason I am drawn to the Breach is that the area has an irresistible pull on those Charr looking to hunt my fellow citizens.

Even a few years after the Searing, the Charr see this as the primary staging area for their continued assaults. They are held in check only through the persistence of Duke Barradin and his Vanguard, based in Piken Square. And the occasional hero, such as myself.

I see the Breach as a personal challenge. An awful great number of Charr wander the area and I want to see how fast I can kill them all. Sometimes I want to see how many carvings I can loot from their corpses. And sometimes, I want to remind them that they may have bloodied the kingdom, but they have not beaten us.

So particular fun, there is a deep depression south of Piken where many Charr tend to congregate. I like to stand on the rim and rain arrows on the beasts. Oh, good times.

The Dark Side Of Adventuring

2006-06-19T16:40:00.000-07:00

I am going to share with you the deepest, darkest secret of adventuring. Your life is not in jeopardy for knowing this, so don't shy away. However, your delusions are about to be shattered.

Adventuring is all about getting rich.

No one adventures out of some heroic purpose anymore. No one is looking for the thrill in defeating a foe. No one wants to lend a helping hand. Unless your hand is clutching a fist full of gold. That is what it takes get some attention from an adventurer.

I wish I could say that I'm above that, but no. I just spent about a half hour this past weekend in the open market at Lion's Arch to sell a Zodiac Longbow my little sister found. She was too busy keeping other treasure hunters alive in Urgoz's Warren to do it herself. I might have kept the bow for myself if Drago hadn't coughed up his newest flat bow. Someone gave me 40 platinum and a perfunctory "ty man" for the bow, which I'm assured will go directly to our cousin, Echo. Giygas of Vasburg Armory is going to give her a deal on a new enchanter's outfit. It didn't sound like a good deal to me, but we do owe her the money.

At least I can say I've saved the world between all these financial transactions. Twice, even.

Birth of the Brotherhood

2006-06-16T23:15:00.000-07:00

Almost immediately after our foray from Fort Ranik to drive the Charr back across the northern wall, I found myself in the company of a young mesmer by the name Lord Lodi Dodi. While the veracity his nobility may have been dubious at best, there was nothing about his character that one would find less than worthy. This illustration is of the two of us in the ruins of Ascalon, though the non-descript scenery does not remind me exactly where. You can also see me in my new set of Corwen's finest fur-lined armor. You wouldn't believe how hard it is to find a good source of fur in that wasteland.

So close was the bond between Lodi and I that we decided to form a guild of our own and declare ourselves a force for good in the world. Also, we really wanted a nice cape. We spent over an hour with Nolan of Ascalon City deciding on the right mix of colors, shapes, styles, and emblems. We settled on a field of light and dark blues with a crossed rose and saber emblem in silver.

If there was one point of friction between Lodi and I, it was his youthful sense of humor. By youthful, I mean stupid. I'm not all that old, but people have commented on my maturity. Lodi wanted to name the guild the Terrible Unit of Red Deathdealers or the Crimson Union of Noted Travelers, knowing that Baron Egan would register our guild with an official abbreviation. On top of that, our cape wasn't even red!

Thank goodness I was able to convince him to accept our current name, the Brotherhood of Stone, though I did not inform him that the abbreviation entered would be "tBoS." Thus, the Brotherhood was born.

People Only War When It Is Convenient

2006-06-14T10:50:00.000-07:00

Standing on the ramparts of Fort Aspenwood, I remembered the words that rang throughout House zu Heltzer. "The Luxon curs are approaching our hallowed forests! We must meet them with all the violence we can muster!" I came here ready to defend this people to whom I swore my allegiance, only to find the battlefield nearly deserted. The few people here were standing around, chatting amongst themselves or dancing.

"What happened to the war?" I asked.

An assassin nearby answered, "Not enough Suxons on the other side."

So Fort Aspenwood was safe for now, if only because the enemy could not be bothered to show up for the fight. Laziness, it seems, is the true secret weapon of Kurzicks.

What I Learned From The Marauders

2006-06-12T12:57:00.000-07:00

One of the first things I did upon arriving in Cantha was seek out any new archery techniques that were not common to my homeland. If you were under the assumption that everyone drew a bow the same, let me clear up your delusions now. No matter where you go, people do things differently. A lot of the basics may be the same, but there is no telling what people will do beyond that.

Take the marauders' technique, for instance. The mechanics are simplicity itself once you overcome your preconceptions. Basically, the archer mentally prepares, instead of just one shot, an entire sequence of attacks. What you lose in flexibility, you gain in power ten fold. So easy, but so devastating as well. It is certainly the most useful skill I've learned in this strange land.

As an amusing side note: I've never once met a marauder. I've traveled almost the length and breadth of two continents, and nary spotted a one. I learned the skill from a woman by the name of Michiko I met up in Kaineng Center. Very smart woman, if a little harried. There are always people around her ready to pay for help. Anyway there is a lesson to me learned here: no matter how good your technique, it may not be enough to keep your people from being lost to the Mists.

(That last sentence may have been a little melodramatic, but my little sister hasn't told me how change anything in this magic diary yet. Please pretend I didn't write that.)

The Price Of Our Hubris

2006-06-09T11:40:00.000-07:00

It was just after my formal acceptance to the Ascalon Academy that the Charr made their apocalyptic assault on the kingdom. There were many signs of activity recently among the beasts. I had been sent into the catacombs to discover how they were crossing under the wall. And I went to the northlands to assess their positions. But there was no warning for what would eventually befall us.

So here I am two years later, standing in the ruins of Old Ascalon. Prince Rurik had me running all over the lands, lending support where I could. But I was never able to do enough. The Charr kept coming and my friends kept dying.

The first sign that something might change occurred when Zain, the ambassador from Kryta, arrived outside the city. He and Rurik discussed Kryta offering of help to push back the Charr, but King Adelbern would hear nothing of it. Distrust between the two nations still ran deep, even in the face of total annihilation. And the rift between Rurik and the king signaled greater problems to come.

Even in the face of all this, I was finally coming into my own. People had things that needed done and they turned to me for help. I learned a number of new skills including my first ritual to summon a nature spirit to guide my arrows. It was a heady and confusing time, and I loved it and hated it all the same.

On Dancing

2006-06-08T20:45:00.000-07:00

As much as I enjoy roaming the countryside, making the world safe from the Mursaat, the Afflicted, and aloe seeds, there are times when I have to put my bow down and relax. Thank goodness there always seems to be a dance party around to unwind. And even if there isn't a party to be found, you can start one pretty fast just my starting to dance yourself. People are more than willing to join in.

My distant Canthan cousin, Asuka, was telling me about a dance party she recently attended in, of all places, the monastery on Shing Jea Island. Not what one would think of as a party destination, but they attract a wide cross-section of students. She joined a fellow elementalist in a little number. There were a few assassins who could not get their act together. If you've seen an assassin dance, you would understand how difficult that can be. Good with the knives, but can't find a beat to save their lives. And there was a chorus line of ritualists with their spirit minions all dancing in nothing but their undergarments. She said it was a wild time.

I was too busy perfecting my vampiric knowledge in the arenas to attend. I have some pretty wicked moves of my own I would have like to have shown them. If you ever see around Tyria, don't be afraid to ask. I can get a party started in no time.

My Favorite Bows: Drago's Flat Bow

2006-06-05T14:52:00.000-07:00

Have I made it any secret that I love bows of all shapes and sizes? Each bow is unique and each has its own quirks and quibbles. But there is not one bow that I've owned that I could not find a place for in my life. However some bows have proven to be more useful than others. And of all my bows, this one may be the one that has held my attention the longest.

Drago Stoneherder is one of the least friendly dwarves you might have the misfortune to meet. That's saying something considering the whole of the Stone Summit. Dagnar Stonepate might have been a real jerk, miscreant, and attempted regicide, but he was no Drago. I heard a tale about a group of dredge who were so fed up with Stoneherder's ill temper that they burrowed to the other side of the world. I haven't seen the hole, but that would explain a lot.

So although there isn't much to say kindly about Drago, he did know his bows. The flat bow itself is massive. I haven't compared them side-by-side, but it looks to be taller than my little sister. If you think that's big, remember that I don't call her my little sister because she's younger than me. She's tiny. But the bow is still huge.

It's that massiveness that make it so powerful. And arrow fired by the bow can punch through just about anything. There was a warrior once who seemed intent on chasing me clear across Fort Koga until I punched him full of holes. And he had been so proud of his armor too.

Of course, now I hear the Drago as devised an even more powerful weapon. I guess he felt lonely after I took this one away. Some dwarves never learn.

The Things I Have To Do

2006-06-02T13:05:00.000-07:00

Being an adventurer is not as glamorous at it may seem. Sure, there's the killing of things. You get to defend people and assault the occasional enemy fortifications. And once I beat a dragon into submission. But then there are the other things.

Any time an adventurer shows up, it's like people lose all ability to do anything for themselves. They stand there and whine about how they are so helpless. And they want me to do the stupidest things: take this there, go get this and bring it back here, go talk to a bunch of people and tell me what they say.

Mary Malone took the prize for the strangest request during my Academy days. She left her basket of apples out in the orchard because she was scared of the spiders, and she asked me to get it back. To be fair, they were big spiders. But I don't think I'll be volunteering to carry fruit ever again.

Fort Aspenwood, As Long As I'm Complaining

2006-06-01T14:23:00.000-07:00

The Luxons can have it. It's not like the Kurzicks have any interest in holding the place. Have you seen the defenses there? Each gate is guarded by three men. Three! If the gate was made of iron or steel, or maybe that stone they have so much of, three might be sufficient. But no, the gates are made of glass. It only takes the Luxons one shot from a siege turtle cannon and the gate crashes down. Doesn't that seem like the best place to develop the ultimate weapon?

I guess Count zu Heltzer is not a complete moron as he seems to know that something is amiss at Aspenwood. He is so worried about the situation that he is asking literally everyone he talks to for help defending the fort. And by asking everyone, you get the expected results. The reinforcements I've met are varyingly self-interested, confused, or completely uncooperative. When the Luxons press their attack, some panic and run around without any inclination as to how to defend the gates. Some charge the enemy forces maniacally and usually die in an ignoble fashion. Some just hide in the fortress and collect their pay from the survivors.

And yet, the Kurzicks always refortify, begin construction on Gods' Vengeance, and pray to their silent deities that someone who is not an idiot will deliver them from the Luxons. If I was Count zu Heltzer, I think I'd invest in stronger gates instead.

Tired Of Fending Off The Forces Of Chaos

2006-05-31T12:23:00.000-07:00

Oh, how I detest the Tomb of the Primeval Kings.

I'm not talking about the old Tomb where a bunch of elitist jerks hang out who can't swing an axe effectively unless their pet is dead and won't give you the time of day unless you can prove that you've spent countless days in the Rifts crying for vengeance. The Zaishen Order quickly figured out how useless those idiots would be against the Chaos hordes that overtook this portal and took them all off to Heroes Ascent.

No, I'm talking about the Tomb of today: corrupted, dank, dreary, overrun with morons. And there are monsters. As much as the morons bother me, they are much more tolerable than the one who proceeded them. What I detest is the time and energy involved in driving back the darkness, bringing order to the void, and purifying the Hall of Heroes for the gods. Especially when it turns out that the chaos forces are hoarding nothing more than a couple of raven staffs.

I'm not bitter, no.

The Most Beautiful Place in All Ascalon

2006-05-30T09:19:00.000-07:00

That was a long day. I had barely been at the Academy an hour before Artemis asked for help with the river skale problem. The beasts had become more aggressive as their colony expanded and I had to put down their queen. I know it sounds easy, but killing so many skales took a lot out of me. (This was in the days before I could run the length of Tyria without stopping. And in bare feet!)

I found my way to the hillside overlooking Ashford Village, looking for a place to rest. A rabbit scurried away as I climbed. I reached the top and looked out on the pastoral valley below me. Then around the bend, I came upon the most magnificent waterfall I've seen. It is not the largest, by any means. But alone in that place, I felt like it was all mine.

A Defense of the -Way Nomenclature

2006-05-29T10:15:00.000-07:00

This is going to drift dangerously close to esoterica. I will excuse you if you don't make it all the way through this entry.

Everywhere one looks, someone is proclaiming that they have developed the new IWAY. Then they muck it up by naming their build after the primary gimmick and adding a -way at the end. There have been builds like Flareway, Touchway, and the late, lamentable Henchway. This drives many people crazy. However, I feel this is useful for those heroes who stalk the Zaishan islands for a number of reason.

First, this naming convention gives respect to the original, anyone-can-do-it build. The creator acknowledges that the new build is just trying to duplicate the ease with which IWAY is played.

Second, new jargon in the competitive arenas indicates a growth of complexity. A more complex arena is a more interesting arena. And that means happier competitors.

Third, and best of all, when a new build comes along that is so good that it blows IWAY away, they won't name it after IWAY. That's how'll know the competitive revolution has arrived.

On Killing Charr

2006-05-26T10:37:00.000-07:00

It was not long in my career as a ranger that I discovered a knack for slaying monsters. It is a dangerous world out there. You would not believe the beasts I seen, of the animal or human sort. But above all, I love killing Charr. Should you accuse me of taking the Searing personally, I would not argue with you. Charr are filthy, brutish, odious, odorous, maladjusted, misshapen mounds of fur and teeth. The only good Charr is a dead Charr. The only redeeming quality of a living Charr is the cute little carvings they make. They're nice to find on their newly deceased corpses.

When I first entered the Academy, Charr seemed pretty quite fearsome. Mostly that's because no matter how proficient I proved myself, the armorers of Ascalon were more interested in fashion than actual protection. It is hard to defend yourself when your armor won't even deflect small pebbles. I was reduced to trading trinkets with local crafters for armor that turned out to be a slightly more rigid version of my original leathers. And people wonder why we were outmatched.

Nowadays, facing the Charr is almost laughable. I can run through the Breach without fear that the beasts will even touch me. Even when I wearing that pervert Karl's druid armor. And it's almost laughable how fast the mindless hordes drop when you shoot them. Maybe even cruel. That's not going to stop me, though.

So if you have trouble finding me, chances are I'm running through the hills of old Ascalon, meting out a just punishment and collecting as many carvings as I can carry.

How Very Touching

2006-05-25T10:25:00.000-07:00

I would be lying if I said I do not follow trends. I do it all the time, because that how you learn. When all the rangers were on a trap spreading frenzy, I learned to lay traps. When the power of interrupt attacks was discovered, I was there with my punishing, dual shot technique. And when barragers were so sought after following the fall of the Tomb of the Primeval Kings, I started slinging arrows with the best of them.

It should be no surprise to you, then, that I have learned the secrets of vampirism from my necromancer friend, Fel Drake. It's not the blood sucking, neck biting thing you might imagine. The technique is simple: focus your energy, direct it at your target with a touch, and draw his life force into yourself. It turns out that my ranger training makes me particularly apt at the focusing of energy part. And though my knowledge of hemomancy will never match that of a true necromancer, but you might be surprised how effective I can be.

You may be thinking to yourself, "How can I ever face this master and expect to survive?" There is nothing for you to worry about. Time has proven that even with these new secrets, I am not invulnerable. Or as one opponent recently explained, "LoL @ touch". (It's like we're from different worlds sometimes.)

No, my dabbling in the vampiric arts will not shake the very foundations of the world. What it is is darn fun.

My First Day at the Academy

2006-05-24T09:19:00.000-07:00

This was one of the happiest days of my life. Just a week prior, Father received a letter from his good friend, Armin Saberlin. The letter said that the Charr were on the hunt again. They had come as far as the Great Northern Wall and had skirmished with soldiers outside Ascalon City itself. Saberlin remembered me from the time I spent with his son, Dieter, and thought that I would be a good candidate for the Ascalon Academy.

I was hesitant at first. I knew that the Academy was the best place to grow as a ranger, but it also meant leaving my family behind and dedicating myself to the kingdom. I might have refused unless Father hadn't shown something to me.

My very first bow.

Not that I hadn't used a bow before. I was a pretty good shot, even in those days, but that was with someone else's bow. This one was different. Custom crafted for my own hand, it felt like a part of myself that I never knew was missing. Father handed me the bow. He told me how proud he was of me and I saw tears in his eyes. I'm not prone to crying, but I wept that day.

So there I am, standing before the gates of Ascalon Academy, my whole future ahead of me. Not that I would be admitted immediately. I still had to prove my abilities as a ranger and decide what secondary path I would learn. And I had no idea what would soon befall the kingdom.

It's strange to look at myself now, knowing what was to come. You can see that I'm a little awkward in my first leathers. My bow is discretely hidden away from the Ascalon guards. But if you look real close, you might see something else: I was on an adventure.

By Way Of Introduction

2006-05-23T15:58:00.000-07:00

It feels sort of strange to be writing like this. But since things have become so hectic lately, my little sister suggested that I write about my adventures. She said it would help me keep perspective. I told her that if I needed perspective, I'd climb to the top of Icedome. But here I am anyway.

My name is Kira Lanfier of the Green Hills Lanfiers. It's a large family with branches in quite a number of places. Different continents, too, it turns out. Grandfather thought of himself as prolific.

I don't know how to describe myself. Some guy once said I look like Denise Richards. I'm not sure who that is. I do know a Dennis Rickardson. Last I saw of him, he was working as an obelisk mage out at Nolani Academy. He's very nice, but if that's who the guy meant, it isn't much of a compliment. To make up for my lack writing ability, I promise to place an illustration of myself in this magic diary as soon as someone shows me how.

I am a ranger by trade, and that is how I entered the Ascalon Academy. It seems like forever ago. I've dedicated myself to the perfection that is the bow. Flatbows, hornbows, recurve bows, longbows, shortbows. Every bow is perfect in its own way, and I love them all. Not that I haven't dabbled in other disciplines. At one time or other, I've taken up the path of the warrior, monk, elementalist, mesmer, necromancer, and ritualist. The only profession I've never explored is that of assassin. I've heard some interesting things about that, however, so it is only a matter of time.

I think that's enough for now. Maybe next time I'll talk about my early days in the Academy and my favorite ways to kill Charr.