Gwynevere Crimino (GW2)

The Dream 
Before her Awakening, Gwynevere reveled in the balance of past and future within the Dream. Saw her place within it, woven into a patternwork of other lives and experiences. She was one thread of many, one whisper among a collective shout. She relaxed within the knowledge of a fate predetermined, a life in front of her like the written pages of a book. Then the shadow came, and unraveled the future she saw with a singular pull of a thread. She watched as the Nightmare took the peace of the Dreamers around her, and as the Dragon’s shadow sought to take their lives as well. The horrors took, and took, and took. And though Gwyn successfully defeated the danger within the Dream, the Dragon still managed to take one last thing: the serene, tranquil fate that had been promised to so many around her.In the final seconds before she Awoke, Gwyn was called into the service of the Dream, her Wyld Hunt’s purpose to kill an Elder Dragon. She put on a brave face, completed her duties as a Valiant, but all she saw was how much had been taken. What was once a comfort became a condemnation, and she struggled with the idea that this was the fate which had been chosen for her. She’d never asked to be a warrior in a centuries-old fight the Sylvari were born into. Moreover, she didn’t understand why the Dream had shown her that which she would never experience: a normal life. So she decided she would take it for herself instead.
AwakeningAfter her dream of facing Zhaitan, Gwynevere Awoke and rattled and afraid of her fate. When she voiced her fears, she was met by confusion in the face of what was supposed to be a honorable calling. Shunned by some for questioning the validity of the Dream, she sought out rumors of the Soundless, a group of Sylvari who had disconnected themselves from the Pale Tree and the Dream altogether. They shunned, in every respect, what made a Sylvari a Sylvari- and discarded their missions to take their lives back and live for their purpose and being above all else. 
For a time, Gwyn did too. In fact, she applied her brand new philosophy of 'taking' to every aspect of her life, discovering new and progressively illlegal methods to supplement her growing appetite. She gained regard in Caledon Forest as a skilled thief, sidelining the comfort and guidance of the Soundless for something even greater. She stole from everything and everyone around her, and gave nothing back. She'd been warned before that it was lonely at the top, but nobody'd ever mentioned the view. 
From her new vantage, she could see her place in Tyria as it was, and as it would be: swallowed by the shadow that was Zhaitan's influence. The Orrian dead had begun to rise from their sleep in the depths of the swamps, and the influence of the Nightmare Court began to reach ever inward towards the Grove.  
As such, Gwyn's confidence in the Soundless began to waver, as they'd become easy targets without the Pale Tree's protection. And the members who were left, were no longer interested in someone who'd so willingly taken advantage of their welcome, their guidance, their protection. 
As a last-ditch effort to preserve her own freedom, she returned to the sole offer of protection still willing to reach out to her- the Valiants of the Grove and the Avatar of the Tree. Among them was Caithe, who, despite Gwyn's past, treated her as though she were any other Awakened around her and agreed to work with her as though she'd never left. Though her disconnect from the Dream and wariness towards the Pale Tree's chosen remained, Gwyn soon found herself working with a Valiant named Visthira- who became, quite possibly, the first true friend she'd ever had.    

Recent History
After rejoining the Pale Tree’s influence, Gwynevere found herself working with Valiant Visthira first, then later, Valiant Wren Sharpe. Their assignments, while initially confined to basic escorts, one-off conflicts, and low-level dispatches to nearby cities, quickly escalated as the danger Tyria faced did. Despite her intense efforts to the contrary, Gwyn followed her Dream into a long-term contract with the Vigil.
She rose through the ranks with the help of her mentor, the late Warmaster Forgal Kernsson, and currently works under Firstborn Trahearne’s guidance to protect Tyria and all who live within. She’s also a part of ‘Death by Periphery’, a guild she helped found alongside Visthira and Wren Sharpe, and is a part-time mentor to new recruits working to find their place in Tyria. She technically resides within the Dreamer’s Terrace, but she spends most of her days traveling through unexplored wilderness, and gaining regard through (mostly) heroic deeds. She’s also attempting to raise money for a guild hall, so her, Wren’s and Visthira’s efforts towards the wellbeing of Tyria (and beyond) can gain continued momentum.

Physical Attributes

Gwyn is Sylvari, a race of "omnivorous humanoid plants" born of the Pale Tree.  She presents primarily female, though she perceives gender similarly to the idea of stealth during active combat: constructed for unimaginative minds, easily discarded, and occasionally useless in the first place. Her skin is various shades of blue, and her hair takes the form of a mushroom cap. It's midnight blue in color, with ringed variations that hint toward a deep plum-like color in some areas. The underside of the mushroom cap, along with various markings upon her body, glow in a vibrant yellow. Though difficult to distinguish beneath the shadow of her cap, her eyes are the same, if more intense color, accentuated by pale blue leaves growing above her cheekbones, and upon her browbone. She bears few flaws or scars, but does not shy away from showing off the gashes in her armor or the jagged seams holding her livery in one piece. She's not a fan of excessive jewelry, but does indulge in the ornate, mirror polished armor available to her as a result of her status as a Commander. She appears to be in her mid-20's to early 30's, but holds the effervescent, youthful glow that most Sylvari possess. 

Personality 

Gwyn's personality is best described by an onion. From afar, she's like any other vegetable. Unassuming at first glance, obnoxiously overbearing and slightly repelling as you get closer, but layered, complex and more than likely to make you cry the deeper you go. Whether from physical combat, or through an unexpectedly warm declaration of friendship is up for you to decide. She's loud, brash, and impulsive, all of which she overplays in order to mask her intentions: robbing you blind. She can strike people as unthoughtful or air-heady at times, and is (admittedly) prone to use her weaponry before her words, but she's distinctly confident and comfortable in her surroundings. She's used to being on her own and functioning as a proverbial one-man-army, but more times than not, her brash cockiness is a mask for her deep insecurity of her connection with the Dream and awkwardness in relationships she doesn't intend to eventually remove herself from. 
As a friend, Gwyn is loyal and caring, but struggles with emotional confrontation due to her lack of experience with the overwhelming impact of the Pale Tree's connection between Sylvari. It's a constant fight, but she does her best to let it in, and distance herself if she needs the room. She prefers physical conflict over mental, and is deeply anxious whether her work with the Soundless has left her with an impaired connection to the Dream. She prioritizes her connections with her friends as an anchor to the Pale Tree, but is doing her best to stand on her own when necessary too. To compensate for her weaknesses, she shows her appreciation with acts of gratitude- whether it's acting as a silent companion in someone else's quest, or acquiring things a friend's shown interest in in the past. One knows they've gained her favor when receipts accompany Gwyn's presents; it's her way of saying she cares enough to pay for something, instead of stealing it. 
Gwyn's one-liners, smart-ass remarks, and a Mary Poppins-like ability to whatever her team needs on hand (she routinely carrries around snacks, books, entertainment, and toilet paper!) often wins over any doubters as to her character in the end. She may be an onion, but she ends up being an unexpectedly integral ingredient of a team's "recipe:, and once she's been around long enough, it's hard to imagine life without her. 

Skills 
Alongside her reputation as a skilled thief, Gwyn's also gained regard with her skills as a marksman. Trained by the Vigil, Gwyn received awards for her abilities from close combat to long range. She prefers the maneuverability of mid-range combat, and occasionally will add her trusty daggers to the midst when she runs out of ammo. She's additionally expanded her training to staff-based combat, and hopes to add more in her (very, very occasional) time off. She also cooks occasionally. And is actively trying to sit in every chair in Tyria. 
 

The Soundless 
After her departure from the Pale Tree’s influence, Gwyn became involved with the Soundless in the hopes to make connections of her own. However, individuality and self-reliance was a large portion of the Soundless identity, and Gwyn struggled becoming continually distant and isolated. One day, straying unusually close to the Grove, she was contacted by Trahearne to undertake a mission with another Sylvari, Visthira.

Visthira 
Though unsure as to interacting with someone with a strong connection to the Dream, Gwyn agreed and was pleasantly surprised to find a strange camaraderie with the necromancer. Visthira was quiet and intellectual, but was willing to answer Gwyn’s questions about her interaction with life and death. After the mission ended, she found herself going out of her way to cross paths with her new friend, talking about nothing in particular at times- and others, delving deep into philosophy and history (which, admittedly, Visthira was far more knowledgeable of). As their friendship grew, Gwyn found herself in the Grove more and more often, and with the Soundless less and less. 

Wren Sharpe 
Gwyn parted with the Soundless for good when she made the acquaintance of her second friend, Wren Sharpe. A kindred spirit, sociable and reckless, Wren’s presence in a particularly important mission was a welcome distraction from the stress of the situation. Her growing army of animal companions was an entertaining addition to the mission, along with her penchant for naming them after various types of birds. Their witty repartee during combat and Wren’s complete lack of judgement as to Gwyn’s volume was all she needed to make her decision. Wren. Is a friend. Though Visthira was hesitant to make her acquaintance, Gwyn was persistent and happy to find that after some time, the ranger had won the necromancer over. The third musketeer finally discovered, their little group moved on to bigger and better missions, and they decided to form a guild shortly afterward, thanks to Visthira’s forethought to what was certainly an unsure future. 

Death By Periphery
The friendship, which quickly evolved into an agreement to start a Guild and collectively ensure their future was met together, was not without difficulty. As conflicts necessitated the  group distance themselves both physically and mentally, Gwyn struggled watching both Wren and Visthira distance themselves as the Soundless so often had. Whether through misunderstanding or a simple desire to be alone, Gwyn feared that the only family she’d ever really had were growing apart. She often followed them into their attempted retreat, watching at a distance for some clue as to how to make things better- or how to understand the way her friends worked. She could not match Visthira’s scholarly investigation into the oftentimes macabre depths of mortality and the limits of resurrection. Likewise, she struggled to keep up with Wren’s at times random, unexpected exploits with other groups of adventurers and tendency toward withholding parts of her experiences. She began to wonder whether it was she who was inadequate, or if they were training to make up for her inconsistent skillset. She hadn’t had the Pale Tree’s guidance as long as they had, or the resources that came with the connection.

Warmaster Forgal Kernsson 
Upon Trahearne’s suggestion, she joined the Vigil, where she was mentored by Warmaster Forgal Kernsson. Though she considered the old Norn more of a frustration than an aid through her studies, she began to look forward to her missions with the grumpy militant. He judged her for her actions in the present, and not her past misgivings or mistakes, and he was always there when she needed assistance in battle. Every compliment from him, every bit of insight beyond the tough exterior he displayed to the rest of the Vigil, Gwyn considered a victory. One moment, they were walking into a renegade char camp and burning it to the ground, throwing insults all the while, and the next Gwyn was rising through the ranks- and being told that someone was proud of her. And for once, Commander- then Warmaster Crimino was able to be herself- not sacrificing an inch of her ferocity or subtlety, fighting side by side with fellow warriors to arrange the dragons’ downfall. To avenge Forgal’s wife and child, lost to Jormag’s minions. To take back Tyria once and for all. To protect her friends, and her family. And, for a moment, her fate didn’t seem so scary anymore. Then that moment ended.

The Pact 
Through her involvement with Warmaster Kernsson and the Vigil, Gwyn worked to rekindle her friendship with Durmand Priory and Order of Whispers members Wren and Visthira. As Gwyn rose through the ranks, so did they, and they often joined each other on respective missions, to the point where a mission for one, was a mission for all. Their respective organizations had given all three the outlet they needed to pursue their passions and explore their interests in a way that did not strain their friendship- instead, it was strengthened by their collective experiences and newfound sense of purpose. Their organizations benefited as well, their successful involvement throughout their missions setting the stage for the eventual Pact, the union of the Durmand Priory, Order of Whispers, and Vigil as set forth by Firstborn Trahearne.