A New Cantha - A New Wing - Staren Henry
The following post was chosen as one of the winning entries for our Return to Cantha contest.
“It is the time for protective wings to shield all Tyrian contents anew. “
One of the most influential bands to exist in the history of Tyria’s combined nations was ‘The Guilded Wing’, established by the paragon Pheo Chang and the Canthan monk Brotja Lifesong. Having met when Pheo journeyed to Cantha in search of aid against Nightfall, Brotja offered the support of the Lifesong monks; a devout group that claimed their maternal lineage can be tied back to Dwayna herself, though she is only known to have mothered Grenth.
Overtime, the two amassed the help of what would become some of the most influential members of Canthan and Elonian history, specifically that of the Minato clan. Lead by General Kisai Minato, the clan fought against the right-leaning politics of the Ministry of Purity and stood staunchly against the rampant corruption present within Kaineng.
With the end of Nightfall, ‘The Guilded Wing’ still functioned for at least a full generation. However, not much was documented during and after this period, with many controversial claims of historical destruction being levied against the Canthan government. Holders of this belief cite the isolationism and ‘pure’ ideals of Cantha as the cause the general distaste of any content which supports and lauds the efforts of foreign ethnic groups, specifically that of non-humans.
Presently, Brotja Darkwing, the spiritual descendant of Lifesong, is primarily concerned with the lasting effects of Emperor Usoku’s unification campaign. Imagination can be a terrible thing, and her mind frantically wonders if the desperate people that lived in Kaineng’s slums were properly taken care of under the initial unification of Canthan; nor does she feel confident in Cantha’s poverty countermeasures. Furthermore, she is concerned by the integration of the Kurzicks and Luxons, fearing forced cultural erasure.
The Darkwing family is fully prepared to, or to be more accurate, fully hopes to integrate more of the needy and promising within their supportive network. While pessimism can lead to self-fulfilling prophecies, Brotja Darkwing cannot help but find it hard to believe that the descendants of Kisai Minato were in any way convinced to implement Usoku’s regime, and frets over the lack of historical material that exists of them. She also has her suspicions that the widespread displacement and ‘cleansing’ has led to massive hordes of commonfolk and burgeoning heroes alike in dire need of a functional family structure. The main obstacle for the Darkwings will be exactly how they plan to expand their family and organization without Vigil involvement, as the Imperial government is sure to not welcome foreign political unions; nor will they take kindly to a group which so openly questions them and dredges up the faults of their past.
Her good feeling towards the Tengu would truly be the nail in the coffin, as they would be welcome to claim the Darkwing name. This would make the Darkwings more multicultural in nature, as most of them are human or norn. Tengu fear of humans due to repeated prosecution can be eased with inclusion; this, Brotja is sure of.
Canthan martial techniques are not at the forefront of Brotja’s mind; she feels far more at home with the teachings of Firebrand. After all, her and the story of her found family started with the tales of epic heroes, and the wielding of them into tangible change. That being said, she will take the mantle of a Willbender if need be. When it comes to specializations, Brotja is more interested in how she will assist her family in acquiring training in their pursuit to fight for others.
In particular, she hopes the teachings of Specter will help Estelle Darkwing heal from the grief of losing her family and childhood friend to gang violence, making her talents not purely ones of killing. She also will continue to fund the research of the renowned corsair engineer Arissa the Crafty in hopes that her technological advancements can be used for good.
While Brotja gravely hopes she is mistaken, she is more disquieted by the thought that under all of Cantha’s advancements, a steady current of orchestrated governmental erasure sits at the heart of the fragile and shallow peace gained through imperial force.
Background information on both the Guilded Wing and the Darkwing groups
The original Guilded Wing contained four families and seven members in its inner circle, and approximately 200 auxiliary members. These families were the Chang family, the Lifesong Clan, the Matoi family, and the Minato Clan.
The Chang Family consisted of Pheo Chang, Pyre and Nupita Chang (his siters), and Izanami Chang (his lover and eventual wife). Native to the village of Chahbek, Pheo and his sisters became accustomed to corsair raids and Sunspears alike. The Lifesong Clan has its most notable descendant in Brotja Lifesong, noted for her outspoken nature yet small stature. The Matoi Family, known for their secretive ways and deadly training, offered their aid in the form of their eldest daughter Aika. Finally, The Minato Clan sent their representation in General Kisai Minato.
Affiliates include Catherine Lythropy, a native of mainland Tyria who utilized seduction to infiltrate the White Mantle, and Nyguyen Mik, a blind ritualist enrolled at the Shing Jea Monastery. She was in the same class as Izanami.
From left to right:
Matoi Aika (Sin) - Brotja Lifesong (Mo) - Catherine Lythropy (Me) - Kisai Minato (W) - Izanami Chang (Nec) - Nyguyen Mik (Rit) - Nupita Chang (Ra) - Pyre Chang (Ele) - Pheo Chang (Para)
Brotja Darkwing
The Darkwings inner circle consists of a singular family of the same surname and seven nonnuclear members, and 350+ auxiliary members and official Darkwings. Their name is a play on the original ‘Guilded Wing’, referencing their establishment in the ‘shadow’ of the first, as well as Brotja’s devotion to Grenth. The most notable official Darkwings are Brotja Darkwing, its founder, and Estelle Darkwing, an impoverished criminal that Brotja adopted. Estelle fell into rage at the death of her family and best friend to gang activity and was saved from the path of becoming a killer.
As for nonnuclear members, Arissa the Crafty is one of the first norn corsairs and aids the pact in Elona in exchange for research funding. Ephemerais and Matoi are Elonian locals that assist Brotja to cross the deserts unscathed. Aurolai and Chosen to Follow are powerful disciples funded by the Darkwing coffers. And Nerani Lifesong is a druid Brotja encountered in the Heart of Maguuma who allied herself to the cause, adopting the monk’s last name to prove her dedication.
From left to right:
Estelle Darkwing (Thief) - Aurolai (Ele) - Chosen to Follow (Rev) - Arissa the Crafty (Engi) - Nerani Lifesong (Ra) - Matoi (Nec) - Ephemerais (Me)