Daybreak speculations!

This trailer is so good!

I guess they changed the designer of the trailers because Season 3 ones were really bad. But this one shows amazing stuff, amazing dialogues and the music is perfect!

I can't remember Kormir said: "The conflict could only end in two ways: the ruin of the Six or the utter destruction of Tyria's magical imbalance"...

The Awakened are still the topic, because they spread out in every corner of Elona- so we may go to Istan or Kourna in the 1st episode. Also the place in the trailer doesn't look like was attacked by Kralkatorrik. I love these statues and the huge statue of Joko looks so amazing!!

Then Aurene attacks the ship... Why? Will she turn out as our enemy? I doubt it... We are connected to her so much... Perhaps we'll hear her thoughts?

I guess this "Aurene?" sounds like the commander is surprised by her new appearance.

Don't make this character evil... If she will I'll call out Taimi a prophet XD Glad to hear it. Especially if it lessens the likelihood of an older, bigger Aurene going rogue and slaughtering us all. Hahahaha :D

But I speculate that Aurene will die, this is my speculation out of nowhere. Aurene will die, you'll see!

@Arden.7480 said:This trailer is so good!

I guess they changed the designer of the trailers because Season 3 ones were really bad. But this one shows amazing stuff, amazing dialogues and the music is perfect!

I can't remember Kormir said: "The conflict could only end in two ways: the ruin of the Six or the utter destruction of Tyria's magical imbalance"...

The Awakened are still the topic, because they spread out in every corner of Elona- so we may go to Istan or Kourna in the 1st episode. Also the place in the trailer doesn't look like was attacked by Kralkatorrik. I love these statues and the huge statue of Joko looks so amazing!!

Then Aurene attacks the ship... Why? Will she turn out as our enemy? I doubt it... We are connected to her so much... Perhaps we'll hear her thoughts?

I guess this "Aurene?" sounds like the commander is surprised by her new appearance.

Don't make this character evil... If she will I'll call out Taimi a prophet XD Glad to hear it. Especially if it lessens the likelihood of an older, bigger Aurene going rogue and slaughtering us all. Hahahaha :D

But I speculate that Aurene will die, this is my speculation out of nowhere. Aurene will die, you'll see!

Your speculation is hurting my feelings NOT MY BABY!!!!

I'm also interested to see what the Awakened are up to, maybe they're thinking they need to make more of themselves since Joko is currently MIA? I mean they're not like Risen, they all have independence. I'm thinking the first episode ends with us having to take down some Awakened that's fashioned himself Joko's replacement while still not dealing with Joko.

It's really too soon in the Living Story Season for Aurene to die. If anything, they should at the very least build it up to maybe let her die at the end of the season (I hope NOT!). I mean if they spent a whole season building up to her, they shouldn't end it just like that. We spent so much time "training" her. Maybe have her on a mini rampage ( adolescence and all ;) ) and then have her mature into understanding her destiny that was thrust upon her by Glint and to some extent Vlast.

Haven't they basically said that the fate of the world rests on Aurene's shoulders? Unless they really want Tyria to be destroyed in the end and move on to another world Aurene has some major plot armor. She's like the DM's chosen one NPC who just can't die no matter what because their whole plot relies on their survival. In this case, for the franchise to continue on Tyria.

@Arden.7480 said:This trailer is so good!

So were the other ones, and we ended up with what we got. I'm not holding my breath anymore for some great story telling. It'll be a cliche dues ex from Taimi that there is a way to kill the dragons without everyone dying. Or ( with (lol) respect to last season) a horrible plot twist where wild Charr moved south because of Jormag, and Joko uses mind control to use them against us. Using Charr mounts he rides into battle sounding bratty. More or less

Aurene seems to be using Balthazar's favored Magic while Kralkatorrik uses his own Crystal and Lightning Magic with a boost in power(likely coming from the Bloodstone Balthazar absorbed). Things are getting interesting.

@Arden.7480 said:I can't remember Kormir said: "The conflict could only end in two ways: the ruin of the Six or the utter destruction of Tyria's magical imbalance"...

She didn't, this is a new line. The devs did say that speech went through multiple rewrites, this was likely a line that was recorded than removed. Which is a damn shame because it removes all subtly about why the gods shouldn't fight the dragons. Before we only get told "last time the gods fought" devastation happened in a wide region.This left players wondering "can't the gods just replace the Elder Dragons?"

This line, however, tells us that no, the gods cannot replace the Elder Dragons. So their victory is a guaranteed destruction of Tyria because their victory wouldn't include replacements.

Doesn't tell us why they cannot when supposedly other dragons can, and doesn't tell us why they could fight, overpower, and strip god Balthazar of power but not fight former god Balthazar.

@Arden.7480 said:Then Aurene attacks the ship... Why? Will she turn out as our enemy? I doubt it... We are connected to her so much... Perhaps we'll hear her thoughts?

I guess this "Aurene?" sounds like the commander is surprised by her new appearance.

Don't make this character evil... If she will I'll call out Taimi a prophet XD Glad to hear it. Especially if it lessens the likelihood of an older, bigger Aurene going rogue and slaughtering us all. Hahahaha :D

But I speculate that Aurene will die, this is my speculation out of nowhere. Aurene will die, you'll see!

I don't think they'll kill off Aurene. She's obviously "the key" to solving all our problems. She will get multiple close calls, but she won't die in the end.

Because how else can we obtain victory?

I think Aurene may be more than a bit confused after the power rush she got. If other beings can go mad from too much magic, why not dragons too? Maybe it's affecting her mind a bit and she's not able to tell between friend and foe that well while she adapts to the new levels of magic within her.

@Mickey Frogeater.1470 said:Aurene seems to be using Balthazar's favored Magic while Kralkatorrik uses his own Crystal and Lightning Magic with a boost in power(likely coming from the Bloodstone Balthazar absorbed). Things are getting interesting.

Aurene's fire breath always had that look though. It was just smaller so harder to see. Kralkatorrik does use fire himself - in the Edge of Destiny novel he has a golden fiery breath attack that caused branding.

@Konig Des Todes.2086 said:

@Arden.7480 said:I can't remember Kormir said: "The conflict could only end in two ways: the ruin of the Six or the utter destruction of Tyria's magical imbalance"...

@Arden.7480 said:Then Aurene attacks the ship... Why? Will she turn out as our enemy? I doubt it... We are connected to her so much... Perhaps we'll hear her thoughts?

I guess this "Aurene?" sounds like the commander is surprised by her new appearance.

Don't make this character evil... If she will I'll call out Taimi a prophet XD

Glad to hear it. Especially if it lessens the likelihood of an older, bigger Aurene going rogue and slaughtering us all.

Hahahaha :D

But I speculate that Aurene will die, this is my speculation out of nowhere. Aurene will die, you'll see!

@Mickey Frogeater.1470 said:Aurene seems to be using Balthazar's favored Magic while Kralkatorrik uses his own Crystal and Lightning Magic with a boost in power(likely coming from the Bloodstone Balthazar absorbed). Things are getting interesting.

I was obviously joking about that she will die. :) But that'd be really disasterous, like leaving us without anyone that can even try to restore the balance. Just imagine the face of the Commander... that'd be the end of everything and so I want it to happen, even though I know the story will be just a fairy tale with a happy end. :)

Throwing my hat in:

Safe speculation- Joko is back, and now involved in directly villainous things that'll escalate to us having to confront him directly. Not the most interesting way to go with the plot, but probably the most necessary one, especially if they want to avoid the complaints they got in S3 about 'convoluted' storytelling.

Pure speculation- we aren't going to catch up with Aurene this episode. She'll show up early, do something that causes us to be concerned (like sinking that ship), disappear, then show up later and do something that makes it clearer that she's on our side but possibly in over her head, and then disappear again. ANet likes drawing out their unresolved questions, and the only time we see one answered in the A-plot, especially at the start of the season, is if it proceeds directly into a new one.

Crazy speculation- first map is in Istan? I'd be very surprised, but... the first shot we get of the new area is a fancy orrery, and the harbor where Aurene sinks a ship doesn't look like Amnoon...

@Arden.7480 said:

@Konig Des Todes.2086 said:

@Arden.7480 said:I can't remember Kormir said: "The conflict could only end in two ways: the ruin of the Six or the utter destruction of Tyria's magical imbalance"...

@Arden.7480 said:Then Aurene attacks the ship... Why? Will she turn out as our enemy? I doubt it... We are connected to her so much... Perhaps we'll hear her thoughts?

I guess this "Aurene?" sounds like the commander is surprised by her new appearance.

Don't make this character evil... If she will I'll call out Taimi a prophet XD

Glad to hear it. Especially if it lessens the likelihood of an older, bigger Aurene going rogue and slaughtering us all.

Hahahaha :D

But I speculate that Aurene will die, this is my speculation out of nowhere. Aurene will die, you'll see!

@Mickey Frogeater.1470 said:Aurene seems to be using Balthazar's favored Magic while Kralkatorrik uses his own Crystal and Lightning Magic with a boost in power(likely coming from the Bloodstone Balthazar absorbed). Things are getting interesting.

Not necessarily: How much would you say GW1 got a happy ending? Ascalon got Foefired, Cantha taken over by a xenophobic dictatorship, Elona got Joko'd... the only place that could be said to have had a happy end from GW1 is Kryta.

If and when ArenaNet decides to move on to another installment, the 'final state' of Tyria after GW2 will be whatever they want it to be for GW3 (or whatever). Do they want a high-magic postapocalyptic wasteland setting? Force us to kill all the dragons in the end and the new game is dealing with the consequences! Want a new world altogether to remove the baggage of the old once and for all? Blow it up! > @Hamburger Jack.2543 said:

@Arden.7480 said:This trailer is so good!

I guess they changed the designer of the trailers because Season 3 ones were really bad. But this one shows amazing stuff, amazing dialogues and the music is perfect!

I can't remember Kormir said: "The conflict could only end in two ways: the ruin of the Six or the utter destruction of Tyria's magical imbalance"...

The Awakened are still the topic, because they spread out in every corner of Elona- so we may go to Istan or Kourna in the 1st episode. Also the place in the trailer doesn't look like was attacked by Kralkatorrik. I love these statues and the huge statue of Joko looks so amazing!!

Then Aurene attacks the ship... Why? Will she turn out as our enemy? I doubt it... We are connected to her so much... Perhaps we'll hear her thoughts?

I guess this "Aurene?" sounds like the commander is surprised by her new appearance.

Don't make this character evil... If she will I'll call out Taimi a prophet XD

Glad to hear it. Especially if it lessens the likelihood of an older, bigger Aurene going rogue and slaughtering us all.

Hahahaha :D

But I speculate that Aurene will die, this is my speculation out of nowhere. Aurene will die, you'll see!

It's hinted in PoF that killing Balthaddon might break the bindings that prevent Joko from returning, and it was hinted during Halloween that Joko is active on Tyria again.

I'm pretty sure that wasn't Aurene attacking the ship, they just made it out that way...I think it was a Branded Wyvern and we see Aurene coming in afterwards to attack the Branded Wyvern on the ground, which is the last shot of the reveal trailer. I'm also going to suggest that's either a new location or it's the updated Gandara, the Moon Fortress.

Could be a lot of places. The ships do imply that it's somewhere that can be reached by ship, though, so a coastal region seems likely. The current map doesn't go as far south as Istan or Kourna, though, so if they're sticking to the current map, we may be looking at Dajkah or somewhere on the Scavenger's Causeway. Alternatively, I think there has been a map datamined that extends further south, so Gandara or Kamadan may be possible...

@"Aaron Ansari.1604" said:Crazy speculation- first map is in Istan? I'd be very surprised, but... the first shot we get of the new area is a fancy orrery, and the harbor where Aurene sinks a ship doesn't look like Amnoon...

I sadly agree with your "safe speculation", though ideally the plot would instead turn the Order of Shadow into the enemy with their "intentionally propagating the status quo" and us having a friend-foe relation with Joko (sometimes we fight, sometimes we help each other, in the end we realize fighting full out would be a waste of both of our efforts and give our other enemies - like Kralkatorrik - too large a chance to attack).

But as for the "crazy speculation" - the sail and landscape at 0:56 and 1:02 make me think Kourna. Or at least "outskirts desert" which is not Istan.

I'm placing bets for Dajkah! Formerly used by corsairs, it had docks even in GW1, and it oddly got a name on the world map.

@Zaklex.6308 said:I'm pretty sure that wasn't Aurene attacking the ship, they just made it out that way...I think it was a Branded Wyvern and we see Aurene coming in afterwards to attack the Branded Wyvern on the ground, which is the last shot of the reveal trailer. I'm also going to suggest that's either a new location or it's the updated Gandara, the Moon Fortress.

Nope, if you freeze it at the beginning of the shot you see some clearly blue wings (the center body is always blocked). The branded wyvern, like all branded, is purple crystal with black and gray skin.

The shot of the docks is also different from the shot with the wyvern. First, there's the sky - when Aurene destroys the ship, the sky is clear; in the next two shots there's a brandstorm occurring. Also the shot with Rytlock has Amnoon pyramids in the background while the shots with the ship are bone structures, implying it's in the new map (or in the Desolation). In the teaser, the wyvern was over Amnoon. So unless there's two wyverns, we first see Aurene duke it out with a wyvern as Amnoon is getting attacked - likely immediately after PoF epilogue as it is night time in every Amnoon-attack shot just like in the Small Victory instance. Then she leaves, and we see her attacking a ship in a new place.

If they're going for the angle of "is Aurene a baddie?" then it'll likely be that we took that ship south, and she attacks us for some reason.

New map could be Maarga Coast. Just speculating, there. I would think, and I could be wrong, that the statues we saw make it less likely that we'll be in Istan. Istan is the only region not actually under Jokos control. Sort of. They're a vassal, which is close, but not part of his empire. I doubt they'd erect huge statues of him unless it was like some cheap appeasement ploy.

@Squee.7829 said:New map could be Maarga Coast. Just speculating, there. I would think, and I could be wrong, that the statues we saw make it less likely that we'll be in Istan. Istan is the only region not actually under Jokos control. Sort of. They're a vassal, which is close, but not part of his empire. I doubt they'd erect huge statues of him unless it was like some cheap appeasement ploy.

Every source that refers to Istan as a vassal, though, also extends the same distinction to Kourna.

Based on the precedent of the last vassal states we saw (Kurzicks and Luxons), I expect the term just means that the region has relative autonomy on the condition that they continue to at least give lip service to the Emperor/Joko. If anything, they might be more inclined to build massive statues. After all, if the local Awakened representative starts considering stripping your freedoms, it'd be nice to have a really big symbol of your loyalty to point to. That's not a cheap appeasement, that's smart politics.

@Aaron Ansari.1604 said:

@Squee.7829 said:New map could be Maarga Coast. Just speculating, there. I would think, and I could be wrong, that the statues we saw make it less likely that we'll be in Istan. Istan is the only region not actually under Jokos control. Sort of. They're a vassal, which is close, but not part of his empire. I doubt they'd erect huge statues of him unless it was like some cheap appeasement ploy.

I'd say that a statue that large is actually rather expensive appeasement. :p

But yeah, under the circumstances, appeasement might well be smart politics.

Maybe. I don't think it'd work though. Joko will just be happy he gained a free statue. I honestly can't imagine a situation where someone would invade a place and go "oh, but they built this nice statue of me. I'll leave them alone. So sweet."

@Squee.7829 said:Maybe. I don't think it'd work though. Joko will just be happy he gained a free statue. I honestly can't imagine a situation where someone would invade a place and go "oh, but they built this nice statue of me. I'll leave them alone. So sweet."

Probably not, but that's not really the scenario that Aaron is talking about. Their 'vassal' status could well mean that they're not allowed to maintain their own military, leaving them reliant on Joko for protection (and food in Kourna's case) in exchange for... whatever it is that Joko gets from them, which certainly does seem to include freedom to hunt down any Ossas or Sunspears in their territory. They may have some autonomy to run their own affairs, but Joko doesn't have to invade: his military is already there, and they are effectively part of Joko's empire even if they do have some limited autonomy. In that context, a big statue could essentially be sending a message of "You don't need to establish a police state here, we're loyal citizens, honest!"

...And the events of E1 could be where Joko has decided that he's no longer buying that.

Eh, I was being facetious. Sorry. I see his point though.

I got this weird feeling that one of ls4 plots will be to follow Aurene through Elona while she struggles with huge influx of power and goes chaotic rampage. At some point we might need to "convert" her like was done with Glint, tho it will be easier for us due to bond we created in the past. Anet likes to redo stuff in the story, but even if I write it here I don't like the sound of it. Let's hope it's not the case.

I find it interesting the trailer didndt even mentioned the skeletons and dead bodies in kryta and shiverpeaks, will Dhuum then just be a raid?

The good guy goes bad trope is so overdone. I seriously hope Aurene isn't a "bad" dragon we now have to cleanse or something.

Blow up the world.

The Gods were right all along.

But no, the new Kormir line just makes Balthazar's 180 even worse. If the Six foresaw there could be no victory, what, was Balthazar not one of the Six then?

It's possible he acknowledged that it would be a losing battle and decided it was better to die in battle than to run away. It's also possible that he knew that they're not omniscient and that they could be wrong, that slaying the elder dragons just results in the power transferring to them.

Personally I do find it odd that he decided to go for it but I expect a god of war to be ruthless, objective and invested in tactics. I would expect this god to see that the situation is bad and go find another solution. In reality we know relatively little of his personality and whether this was typical behaviour for him so it's hard to say whether this is out of character for him.

Ultimately the new Kormir line is interesting but doesn't really add anything we don't already know. It's still hazy as to whether Balthazar has been replaced but I'm in the camp that he has been replaced and there are still six gods. It's worth keeping in mind that while Kormir is intending to speak for the rest of the gods, we have hints that Lyssa doesn't entirely agree/is up to something, so it might not be a unanimous decision to leave.

I think episode 1 is going to be about seeing more of Joko's regime and the build up to our fight with him. I think Aurene is taking down Joko's ships in the trailer and we're just seeing it out of context.

Overall, very excited to see where it all goes.

Balthazar's character has been accurately deconstructed by others on this forum and the overwhelming response seems to be "Balthazar -needed- to act out of character to become the Path of Fire Balthazar in the first place."

It is very poor.