Reralaaaaae! That was a wonderful treat to wake up to!

I'm glad you both enjoyed   

When I was considering Aranwen's background and personality, I saw that the entry for her age was about 170, approaching two hundred years. That is a long time to cover, and for a Syl that's long enough to potentially outlive old companions. I realized she had felt loss, something that in the Sylvari kingdoms is something of an unusual concept for them. One of those things that is mentioned as a possibility, especially in more military establishments, but never really thought through fully. This informed her personality, kind and needing to surround herself with allies whom she could share in their determination and smiles (and perhaps passion). Her personal code as a bladesinger informed her determination and desire to do good. 

Originally, I came to the conclusion that it might have been an old adventuring party Aranwen simply outlived. When approached with the idea of this prequel, however, I could see her with a much deeper connection, and resentment, for Sendria than I expected. I went deeper, to her more distant past. 

In my mind, I saw Aranwen didn't excel in her training. She was determined to succeed in spite of her failures though, and met Saeriel much the same way. As she was originally a seer and more artistic, Saeriel likewise didn't excel, and so they were often paired with and noticed each other. Through each other, they were able to get through their training and succeed.

Saeriel's death in Sendria is ultimately the largest factor in Aranwen's personality and motives. At the start of the prequel, she still feels as though she is in mourning. The song she was singing alone being  a funeral song

Incidentally, there's a different song that feels appropriate to her initial state in this prequel...

I love all the insight we're getting into Aranwen, here!

That Light and Shadow song is haunting... and I've always loved that Sylvari funeral song! That said, my heart kind of breaks for Ara, at the moment... Gonna be very interesting to see how the initial interactions are going to go when this trio finally meets.

P.S. If there's a song that comes to mind when I'm writing for Ch'dau, it's usually this one,

Sorry for the oog-factor! Adadre was in my head and I had to let her out... Didn't want to go to sleep with that in my head.

Pre-reading: ogad, what can it beeeee?!?!?!?

Be back soon . . . *reading*

Post-reading: weeeellllll heeeeelllllll looks like we have a few . . . BONES TO PICK *ba dum tiissss*

I had my mental compass inverted and kept referring to east and west opposite what they should have been. Very minor detail but now fixed

Also, creating undead in a more or less literal pool of blood is a bit chilling o_o

That's down right humerus!

Also - *dramatic theme music swells as Aranwen strolls through Davnor's gates* - our little group is getting closer and closer...

Now that Ch'dau is uncaged (presently, he and Kith are hiding in a closet trying to recuperate a little bit) and Arenwen has made it through Davnor's gates, we're pretty darn close to having our little trio united for the first time.

Knowing that Ara's got her own mission in this wicked land, I can't help but wonder, what are your thoughts on how/when that happens? Do Kith and Ch'dau finish off their quest in Adedre's estate and encounter Aranwen as they're trying to "beat feet" out of town? Or does Aranwen somehow find herself tangled up in the mess Kith and the Cat have gotten themselves into before the three embark on whatever mission it is that the bladesinger has?

We don't have to come up with anything "concrete," of course, I just kind of wanted to put the question out there and see where your minds were on this.

There's two rough sequences of events I had in mind based on what we have already seen and set up

First option is Kithran and Ch'dau opting to retreat out of the alarum of the full alert keep. Not what they want to do, but both are no longer in peak condition, and fighting their way to the witch is less than ideal in this circumstance.

The second option is Adedra's undead minions, so recklessly commanded and sent off, starting to enter the city proper, and causing no small commotion. Aranwen would respond to this threat and make her way inside under guise of aiding the city guard (or the claim of such anyhow).

Neither option is mutually exclusive, and there's far more that can happen in the 'how', but these are the very rough threads I can see to guide the story forward and the trio together

Kithran has just convinced Ch'dau to accompany her on her mission by calling him a scaredy cat in the semi-collab post I'm about to put up. Whether they complete the job or Ch'dau ends up tossing Kith through a window to save her has yet to be seen (it's just so much gold!), but I imagine we'd meet up not too much longer after that.

I do like that idea of Aranwen entering the town during some necromantic army search for the escapees. It wouldn't be too far of a leap for the three to meet up then while Kith and the Cat are laying low.

Why do I get the feeling Aranwen will make for a soft landing for Kithran?

Loving all the options you both have in mind! Definitely gave me a few ideas that I hadn't thought of, yet... The undead slipping from the estate and out into the city, for instance. We'll see where things take us and how things go with the shadow girl and the scaredy cat in the next few posts but I'm digging the possibilities.

Be careful, she's a pin cushion!

Got my butt kicked at work this afternoon, but I stayed a little late so I could finish this semi-collab. Cause I'm D E D I C A T E D.

Meow team delta, let's go go go!

A little Morgana with my morning coffee! I cannot complain!

Also - well done on that closet conversation, breebles! I loved it.