Cutthroat Politics is coming!

Guild Wars 2 wrote: [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]
July 23, 2013
An assassination has created a vacancy on the Captain’s Council of Lion’s Arch. Two candidates —war hero Ellen Kiel and prominent merchant Evon Gnashblade —both want to occupy that empty seat, but they can’t do it without your support!

To prove they have what it takes to sit on the powerful ruling council, Kiel and Gnashblade will compete to secure a lucrative trade agreement with the merchants of the Zephyr Sanctum. Support your favorite candidate as you experience two weeks of new events, activities, features and rewards beginning July 23!



Events
* Support Your Candidate – July 23 to August 5
Evon Gnashblade and Ellen Kiel are trying to work out a trade agreement with the Zephyr Sanctum in order to help them secure a spot on the Captain’s Council of Lion’s Arch. Use Support Tokens and coins to help out your candidate of choice!

* New Activity – Southsun Survival – Begins July 23
Scheme, kill, and scavenge your way to the top in this new competitive activity! Armed with only a bow and whatever supplies you can find, you’ll face off against other players in a battle to be the last one standing. Earn karma and coins for each round you play, plus a rare chance at an exclusive Back Item!

* New PvP Activity – Aspect Arena – Begins July 23
Pick one of the Aspects of Sun, Wind, or Lightning, and face off in teams to collect crystals. Each Aspect will grant you different skills with which to maneuver and fight. Earn karma and coins for each round you play, plus a rare chance at an exclusive Back Item!

* Candidate Trials Challenge – Begins July 23
Enter into the Candidate Trials alone or with a group in support of your chosen candidate. You’ll test your battle skills by facing off against waves of Aetherblade pirates – hold out for as long as you can to earn Support Tokens and loot! The challenge is great, but so are the rewards – you may even earn a rare chance at an Aetherized weapon!



Meet the Candidates

Evon Gnashblade
As owner and proprietor of the Black Lion Trading Company, I have the proven leadership skills and business acumen that is sorely needed on the Captain’s Council. With your support, I will secure a trade agreement with the Zephyrites that benefits us all.

If I am elected to the Captain’s Council, I’ll show my gratitude for your support in the following ways:

* I’ll slash prices on Black Lion Keys for four whole weeks
* I’ll sponsor important Fractals of the Mist research into the Fall of Abaddon, to be completed by the end of the year
* I’ll host a rotation of popular activities like Crab Toss and Southsun Survival.

You can find me in the Zephyr Sanctum, working for the best interest of Lion’s Arch.


Ellen Kiel
I’ve stood by the people of Lion’s Arch in good times and bad, defending her from all manner of threat. Now I want to ensure the security of our beloved city in a different capacity, as a member of the Captain’s Council. I’ll need your support to establish a fair trade treaty between Zephyr Sanctum and Lion’s Arch.

If I’m fortunate enough to earn a position on the Captain’s Council, here’s what you can expect from Ellen Kiel:

* I’ll reduce waypoint travel prices for four weeks’ time
* I’ll support important Fractals of the Mists research into the Thaumanova Reactor explosion by the end of the year
* I’ll introduce a rotating schedule of activities such as Crab Toss and Southsun Survival.

Come find me in Zephyr Sanctum; let’s work together for a brighter future!




New Rewards
Exclusive New Back Items
Two new exclusive back items, the Desert Rose and Zephyr Rucksack, are available as rare drops from the Southsun Survival and Aspect Arena activities respectively.

Mini Ellen Kiel and Mini Evon Gnashblade
Complete the Gnashblade Supporter and Kiel Supporter meta achievements to unlock a miniature Evon Gnashblade and Ellen Kiel of your very own!



New Features
New World vs. World Ability Line – Catapult Mastery
This month’s World vs. World ability line addition is Catapult Mastery! Invest points in Catapult Mastery to increase damage done to walls, extra damage against other siege, increase your attack radius, and unlock a new, powerful skill.

Zero wrote:#TeamGnashblade

Cutthroat Politics Q&A with Ree Soesbee
by Regina Buenaobra on July 22, 2013


I sat down with Guild Wars 2 world designer and Sea of Sorrows author Ree Soesbee to learn more about the Captain’s Council and the role it plays in the city of Lion’s Arch.

Q: What exactly is the Captain’s Council?
Ree: Leadership in Lion’s Arch falls to a group of individuals known as the “Captain’s Council.”
When Lion’s Arch was rebuilt after the great flood caused by the rising of Orr, it was led by the men and women whose ships were the strongest and fastest; the captains who could best defend the city against the minions of Orr. Over the years, as the new Lion’s Arch grew larger and more stable, the Captain’s Council became more of a system of governance than merely an alliance of powerful crews.
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]
The Captain’s Council is led by a Commodore, a member whom the council has elected to be their primary leader. The Commodore remains in the city, governing Lion’s Arch from day-to-day and coordinating the various captains of the council. The Captain’s Council is still comprised of the wealthiest and most powerful individuals in the city, but now that council has been broadened to include merchants and other citizens with a vested interest in Lion’s Arch.

Q: Lion’s Arch hasn’t always had a Captain’s Council. Can you give us a little history of how the Council came to be?
Ree: After the flooding of Lion’s Arch, the Krytan population moved north to escape the catastrophic flooding that saturated the continent’s coastline. For many years, Lion’s Arch was in ruins, covered by the sea. As the waters slowly receded, smugglers and pirates began to use the area as a safe haven. The ruins were a shelter from storms and from attacks by Orrian monstrosities, which had difficulty navigating the shallow, treacherous waters of the bay.
Pirates and smugglers used the area as a harbor, and a rough structure of interaction evolved. Captains made deals with one another, working together while they were in the bay in order to ensure the safety of all. This truce of peace extended as more and more ships became part of the deal.
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]
In time, these positions of authority – the Captain’s Council –solidified, and the city that was established looked to the council for governance.

Q: So how does one become a member of the Captain’s Council? Is it as easy as having a ship?
Ree: Originally, an individual had to be captain of one of the ships that used the ruins of Lion’s Arch as a harbor. As the city evolved, the custom became that you had to possess a ship capable of defending the city, and you had to be invested in Lion’s Arch. That ‘investment’ usually meant a massive monetary bribe to the Captain’s Council, which was used for the betterment of the city as a whole.
In modern times, individuals can’t just purchase a seat on the Council. When a seat becomes available (usually when another Captain dies or retires their city commission), they are voted in by popular acclaim and the majority agreement of the current Captains.

Q: Where would I go if I wanted to learn more about Lion’s Arch and the Council?
Ree: You could read the new Guild Wars 2 novel: Sea of Sorrows, of course!
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]
Sea of Sorrows tells the story of Lion’s Arch, from its destruction by the rising of Zhaitan and the lost kingdom of Orr, to the city we recognize today in Guild Wars 2. It follows a resident of the city, Cobiah Marriner, who becomes a sailor as a young man. After the wave hits Lion’s Arch, he travels the sea as a pirate and leader of a multiracial ship named the Pride. His adventures lead to the re-founding of the city, and the establishment of the Captain’s Council.
Thanks, Ree!

Original Article:  https://www.guildwars2.com/en/news/cutthroat-politics-qa-with-ree-soesbee/