Guild Wars: High Ground

Chapter 4: Tactical Advantage – With the strength returning to your legs, you decide to explore your new home. From the ramparts you can see Devona and her allies leaving the stronghold. A sensation of fear grips your mind. The distance between you and the ground is overwhelming. Yet, you are curious about the departing Ascalonians. While carefully bracing yourself against the edge, you watch your fellow humans trek into the frozen lands lands.

TANK slaps you on your back, causing you to stumble. He laughs and says, “How are you feeling, my good friend? Watch your step. That’s a one-way staircase. There’s only one step… and it goes down.”

Through the mist and the clouds, you can barely see the bottom. Devona’s caravan becomes harder and harder to see, until they completely disappear in the snow covered wilderness.

TANK says, “How do you like that view? Heh, and I don’t mean Devona. I mean how do you like Wysoki Tower? From up here, we can see for miles. The high ground gives us a tactical advantage. There’s only one road up to the tower and there’s only one road through the valley below. If the Charr try to cross through here, they’ll have to pay the toll in blood.”

Moments later, a female Archer on the east wall whistles. TANK responds, “What? I know I’m sexy.” The archer just shakes her head with disapproval, and then she frantically points at the ground below. TANK looks out into the distance. He smiles and then he says to you, “Good… our first customers are here to pay the toll.” TANK’s voice then grows louder, “Men, and ladies, to your posts.”

Your heart begins to race. It’s the Charr. They’re in pursuit of Devona’s caravan. The Charr are completely walking past the road to Wysoki Tower. Instead, they heading toward the Shiverpeak mountains. TANK grabs your arm and says, “That’s not your post. You’re with me.”

TANK moves towards the Charr side of the tower. He starts shouting down at them. “Hey… Charr… why don’t you want to come up for dinner? Hey… you smelly oafs, you’re going the wrong way. The party’s up here.” The Charr keep marching forward, in pursuit of Devona. TANK looks at you and he smirks.TANK says, “Maybe they don’t hear me. Archers, deliver my message.”

A volley of arrows fly from the ramparts of Wysoki Tower. The sounds of bow strings echo in your ears. The display is impressive, but the result is less than desirable. The arrows completely miss the Charr. Some arrows fall close to hitting the mark, but they all smash against the rocks below. Unfazed and unharmed, the Charr continue their pursuit. TANK shouts, “No… no… no… not like that. Do it like I taught you. Don’t aim for the Charr. Aim for where the Charr are going to be! Lead your shots! Try again!”

The archers reload their bows and then they fire another volley of arrows at the Charr. These projectiles completely miss their targets. The archers, knowing that they missed again, are growing anxious. They’re worried about the safety of the caravan. More importantly, they worried about the wrath of TANK. The archers don’t want to disappoint their leader and they don’t want to be yelled at. TANK looks frustrated. He’s breathing heavy and he’s getting red in the face.

Quickly, his expression changes. He walks over to a metal chest and he opens it. TANK reaches inside and pulls out four magical scrolls. He slams the scrolls in the middle of your chest and says, “Here! Make yourself useful!”

Each of these scrolls can cast a magical spell. They seem to be Nature Ritual spells, that can change the conditions of a battlefield. Which of the four scrolls do you want to use?

• Muddy Terrain – Fighters within its range move 10% slower and speed boosts have no effect.
• Frozen Soil – Fighters within its range cannot resurrect dead allies.
• Fertile Season – Fighters within range have increased maximum Health and gain additional armor.
• Favorable Winds – For fighters within its range, arrows move twice as fast and strike for additional damage.