Flame and Frost / Refugee news

[MacCullock]

Volmar the Red [OP], a norn ranger of Team Too Op guild, says of the refugees in Wayfarer Foothills and Diessa Lowlands (ingame: MacCullock.2859):

03/09 Sat UPDATED (no apparent change in situation since 03/02)

Summary.
The best way to find out news is to ask the Heralds & Refugee Coordinators in Hoelbrak and Black Citadel. They do have different things to say. Some of the refugees in camps at Hoelbrak or Black Citadel also give news. There is no news in the troubled areas and no one good source of news. There is no change in prior existing dredge caves, Flame Legion camps, Seraph forts, steadings, ranches, or towns.

Both dredge and Flame Legion recently began attacking on both sides of the Wayfarer / Diessa border via portals. They appear in waves of at least four creatures. Before that there were steam vents causing temporary tornadoes.

• Personnel Carrier Portal. This is temporary and comes with a circular flame like the human Queensland swamp underworld portals. Both the portal flame and the carrier can be reduced by normal attacks, and the creatures stop arriving when that happens.
• Ranch / Steading Portal. This seems permanent and has three circular flames around it. Those flames cannot be reduced by normal ranger or warrior attacks. These Ranch or Steading places seem to be new. These circular portals had no name, took almost no damage from most attacks, and never seemed to weaken. They did dissipate and reappear. The creatures stopped coming after meeting resistance several times.
• Steam Vents. These are permanent cones about eight feet tall in dispersed groups of about four or five. When they are temporarily erupting they cause tornadoes that harm all creatures but the unstable elementals near them. They can be blocked by destroying those unstable elementals, and stuffing the resulting blocks into the vents. There are two areas of vents each in Wayfarer and in Diessa.

From the Wayfarer / Diessa border the Refugees move southwest to Hoelbrak (not always on roads) and southeast to Black Citadel. There are Memento Collectors on maps that outline the refugee trails. There are signposts along the trails and refugees needing help. Memento Collectors now say refugees are losing valuable keepsakes along the trails. Those keepsakes can be returned to the refugees in Lion's Arch.

Hoelbrak news.
Whitebear of the Great Lodge has sent scouts but had nothing to say himself. Heralds say Dredge invade homesteads in northern Wayfarer. Rumors of Flame Legion invasions in Diessa. At the refugee camp, the Coordinator says a benefactor helps many refugees gating to Lion's Arch. Dredge and Flame Legion are working together. Refugee Blacksmith says he saw Flame Legion using dredge weapons. A swarm of dredge attacked caravan, and with them Flame Legion blasted wagon to shreds. Refugee Steadholder says dredge using fire burned steading down.

Wayfarer Foothills events.
The dredge caves west of Halvaunt waypoint and south of Darkriven wp are the same as before. Personnel Carrier portals appear east of the road between forts, both south and north of Wurmhowl Peaks. There is an occupied steading portal just south of the refugee trail in eastern Wayfarer near Diessa. There are steam vents sometimes causing tornadoes NW of Taigan and Lostvyrm wp.

Black Citadel news.
Tribune Brimstone of Black Citadel has sent scouts. Heralds say there is Dredge trouble in Wayfarer and troops going to Diessa. At the refugee camp the coordinator says things are calming down. Unassigned gladium are going to Lion's Arch. Expect all refugees will be processed soon. They go to Lion's Arch for mercenary jobs, mourning, blowing off steam. Refugee Rancher says Flame Legion drove him out. Refugee Primus says near Butcher's Block Flame Legion killed cubs and destroyed his warband.

Diessa Lowlands events (level 15-25).
The Flame Legion camp west of Oldgate wp at Silex Castrum seemed unchanged, as did the Dredge cave NW of Butcher's Block. A Personnel Carrier portal appears south of the refugee trail very close to Wayfarer, and another east of Oldgate Clearing. There is an occupied Ranch portal north of Butcher's Block. There are two sets of steam vents which cause windstorm tornadoes, east of Butcher's Block and close to Charradis waypoint.

Lion's Arch refugee camp.
I found a toy in Diessa owned by a refugee cub in the Lion's Arch camp SE of the main Asura gate center. The cub was very glad to have it returned. There are other refugees missing keepsakes they would like found in Wayfarer or Diessa. I don't remember finding that keepsake, but it was probably in loot at the enemy portals. The Consortium employees are building homes for the refugees in Lion's Arch.

I, Volmar the Red, have spoken.