If you look at the map of Antaron, there are two lakes south of the Chakaran Mountains. Somewhere nearby, following the natural path between them, looks to be a natural place for a town - beyond the border of Sylvari lands, but close enough to still have forest nearby.

It could host a few farms, and a small trade route acting as a halfway point between the Chakaran Mines and Sylvari, a natural location for a foundry to work unprocessed ore.

Probably a very mixed demographic here, some Khord, some Sylvari, humans I'm sure...

Close enough to home for Aranwen to avoid homesickness, far enough away to not be included in its borders proper.

My MAN!!!

Rer - Good call! I hadn't really looked at the map, but you're right. That would be an almost perfect location... especially if, in the wake of all this, Ch'dau finally realised he was NEVER gonna get back to Capasha. *nods*

in FFXIV, with the great soundtrack  Fluffy Nugget Jr (FNJ) is this good squishy boi.

And yeah, perfect for a foundry. Nice and quiet. Our little family would do well recovering there.
If we go this route, I'm seriously going to be doing some trauma recovery research. I'm just thinking about how much of each of them will be left after everything. It's going to be interesting to play out.

She's pretty h y p n o t i c.

Haha another from my youtube list of messed up Kithy brain songs.

Magnetic everything about you
You really got me, now
You took to me so well
Hypnotic taking over me
Make me feel like someone else
You got me talking in my sleep

Hmm, maybe I should starting keeping an ear out for Kithy recovering brain songs.

The 'sung by Kithran' lyrics I was thinking of in Ash Like Snow:

My heart is played just like a harp
By sinful hands of darkness
With nails oh so sharp
Your voice is like a drug
That makes me numb
And leaves me with no senses - deaf and dumb

Oof, yeah, I thought the same thing. I think I misunderstood what you meant initially when said they were for Kithran, but I remember seeing/hearing that part in particular and thinking they could absolutely apply to her in this instance.

Aranwen would likely need to assume a different name as well; better for the Sylvari known as Aranwen to be reported as deceased in battle, than to be hunted as an oathbreaker and deserter...

In some ways, it actually might make it easier - Kithran only then needs to recognize Ch'dau, and Aranwen introducing herself as someone new might help reconnect them.

Oh, wow, the complexity of that . . . .

She does recognize you two though, she recognizes everyone, she just knows it's a ploy because you're all dead--the only reason she would have Aranwen's sword right now is if Aranwen was dead. Aranwen would never leave her sword to the likes of the the D'hurgen priests and their hordes. Trying to convince her you're someone else when she knows who you are might only solidify her belief that you're all pawns set to further mushing her brain.

No, I mean more than that. A new identity. Depending on how far she had to go with it...

Cut her hair, or dye it
Perhaps even cut off the tips of her ears

She's still her, of course, but she cannot be 'Aranwen'

Just thought of Ara with a hot pink bob. I don't know why. Anyway . . . .

Cut off the tips of her ears? :3 Guuuhhhh

I can understand doing that to avoid being hunted, that will be an interesting storyline to unfold *rubs hands together*

Kith will need her Ara though.

"Ara, what tf did you do to your hair?"
"No, no, I told you, I'm Frenchie."
"But . . . you're Ara."
"Yes but call me Frenchie."
"Okaaaay . . . Frenchie, what tf did you do to your hair?"

Added one last little bit of dialogue at the end of Cloaking Devices to include mention of Saina.

The play in HC is incredible.  The play here, every bit as much.

And this Q&A... just, wow. 

I wonder if these characters realize how real they are? 

If they don't, they're missing out.

Kith did, but now she's just like, all over the place lol

I had another thought - though it's observed that Bladesingers will leave their dishonoured blades where they lie on the field of battle, I can't help but wonder if there may be exceptions to that. Especially in the case where the blade is recovered not for use, but as a memoir of either the battle, that bladesinger, or something else of emotional importance.

Not all would, of course. Some, maybe most, would rather leave their dishonoured blade to never know of it again, to never recall to mind the failure associated with it. But I could see how some might - especially if it were a company of bladesingers that picked up the blades of their fallen who died in battle. Perhaps there's even something of a blade graveyard at Megilindor Nost.

Anyhow, let me just get to the point: if Aranwen were to have kept her first blade and Sae's as a memoir of their time together, would that metal serve to be reforged into tools?

Just a thought. Have to start somewhere with acquiring tools of the trade, after all