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Comment by ViceVersa

All six of the artifacts are common tier items from the Night Elf tier in archaeology.

Cloak Clasp with Antlers
Hairpin of Silver and Malachite
Delicate Music Box
Chest of Tiny Glass Animals
Cracked Crystal Vial
Silver Scroll Case(##RESPBREAK##)2056##DELIM##adashiel##DELIM##Updated spell links

Comment by fakeh

The story of Pyramond and Theleste (as we know it from the descriptions of the artifacts) maybe references to a number of different romantic tragedies. I can identify two, but I'm confident the others will also be references to plays.

Chest of Tiny Glass Animals - Glass Menagerie
Cracked Crystal Vial - Romeo and Juliette

Cloak Clasp with Antlers
Hairpin of Silver and Malachite
Delicate Music Box
Silver Scroll Case

Comment by Xicon

The achievement's name is likely a reference to three-act plays as a general subject.

The names "Pyramond and Theleste" are likely references to Pyramus and Thisbe, two characters from Ovid's Metamorphoses, in a story very similar to most romantic tragedies, that has been noted to be the source of Shakespeare's more widely known Romeo and Juliet.

Indeed, the items necessary for the achievement do reference these dramas, as well as others.

The Cloak Clasp with Antlers is a reference to Pyramus and Thisbe itself, as Pyramus sees Thisbe's cloak on the ground, torn to shreds by the nearby lion, and mistakenly interprets it as a sign of her death.

The Cracked Crystal Vial is a reference to Romeo and Juliet, specifically the vial of poison that Romeo purchased from an Apothecary for the purpose of suicide should he find Juliet dead.

The Hairpin of Silver and Malachite is a reference to the Chinese folktale of Niu Lang and Zhi Nu. The Hairpin in the tale was one of gold, and it was used by the Queen Mother to make a large river appear between the lovers.

The Chest of Tiny Glass Animals is a reference to The Glass Menagerie, a memory play. The glass animals are prized possessions of Laura, one of the four major players in the drama.

The Delicate Music Box is hard to place as a reference; it is likely not a reference to a specific work, but rather to the general romantic nature of Music Boxes.

The Silver Scroll Case is much harder to place. I have found no likely reference as of writing.

Comment by 737650

I noticed ingame the names of the character, obvious plays of Pyramus and Thisbe (noted in Shakespeare's "A Mid-summers Night Dream.")

Comment by ArgentSun

Here are the flavor texts of each one of the six artifacts required for this achievement. For quick reference. As well as to make it easier for readers to figure out the story of Pyramond and Theleste.

Delicate Music Box
This box is of sandalwood with a tiny clockwork elf and nightsaber within. Although the winding mechanism is no longer functional, you can imagine the two would dance together while music played. Engraved on the bottom: 'To my dearest Theleste.'

Not a terrible lot one can extract from this one. Pyramond loved Theleste and gave her this music box as a gift.
Cloak Clasp with Antlers
This clasp is fashioned of lacquered wood carved to resemble stag antlers. On the reverse is engraved the name 'Pyramond' in Darnassian.

So Pyramond owned this. One could claim the antlers were some symbol associated with him - perhaps he was a druid? Or a noble?
Hairpin of Silver and Malachite
Engraved beneath the setting for the precious stone are the words 'To Theleste, on her twenty-fourth birth year.'

Another one of Pyramond's gifts, likely. It could be from her parents, but the precious stone makes that option seem unlikely. Also, the fact that this was a gift for Theleste's 24th birthday suggests that she was probably not an elf - she would have been to young for romance at that age. Human, maybe? We don't know how old the artifacts are, but if they were from the pre-Sundering times, that would be almost impossible, as night elves and humans did not interact. Could be an elf, after all...
Chest of Tiny Glass Animals
Remarkably, you managed to find an entire menagerie of these elven glass animals in their original storage container. While some of the animals have understandably suffered cracks and chips, it is clear that the head of the stag has been deliberately severed. The initial 'T' is carved on the bottom of the chest.

This one is puzzling. It looks like the chest belonged to Teleste, as indicated by the initial 'T'. The head of the stag being deliberately severed vaguely suggests strong negative emotion - hatred or sadness/despair. Since we know the chest is related to the story between her and Pyramond, we could assume that the stag is another symbol for Pyramond - after all his cloak pin had antlers on it. Both noble and a druid are equally likely vocations for Pyramond.
Cracked Crystal Vial
A note in rich vellum is tied to the bottle. 'Dearest P, now that I know we can never be together, it is my wish to drink this draught of spider venom. If this note finds you, my hope is that you might do the same. May Elune watch over our souls.'

The "dearest P" must be Pyramond. For some reason Theleste decided that the two can't be together and pulled a Juliet on him. Her call to Elune suggests that either she was an elf, or her love for Pyramond made her believe in the moon goddess.
Silver Scroll Case
While this elven scroll case is graced with much ornamentation, it is the message inside, written in Darnassian, that is of the most interest: 'Pyramond, under no circumstances are you to spend time with that tavern wench. Your mother and I forbid it. She is far beneath your station.'

This must be from Pyramond's father. The language of choice suggests that they were all elves, and there is a likelihood that Pyramond's family was noble as well. I can't imagine an elf being a "tavern wench", but apparently Theleste was considered one by Pyramond's parents. Maybe she was a human after all?

There are many holes in the story, but it looks like Pyramond was a young noble, perhaps the heir in his house. His family's crest was a stag - or antlers, at least. At some point of time he fell in love with Teleste - a human or an elf girl; young, perhaps working as a waitress in a tavern - or whatever equivalent they had at the time. The two loved each other, but Pyramond's parents found out about the relationship and forbid their son to see his love. Theleste learned that somehow, could overcome the pain, and drank a vial of spider poison, ending her life. She left a note for Pyramond, asking him to do the same so that they could be together in the afterlife. Sometime before she committed the suicide, she - in a fit of sadness or rage - ripped the head off the glass stag, presumably given to her by Pyramond.

Comment by 674626

Praise for ArgentSun! I love the way you analysed these artifacts. They feel more real to me. And so do P and T. This is what makes this profession great!

Comment by 130626

Another one of Pyramond's gifts, likely. It could be from her parents, but the precious stone makes that option seem unlikely. Also, the fact that this was a gift for Theleste's 24th birthday suggests that she was probably not an elf - she would have been to young for romance at that age. Human, maybe? We don't know how old the artifacts are, but if they were from the pre-Sundering times, that would be almost impossible, as night elves and humans did not interact. Could be an elf, after all...

It's quite possible that the engraving is not referring to Theleste's age, but some other event celebrating a different measure of age. Since Night Elves aren't adults until they are over 100 years old, and could live for millennia even before Nordrassil prevented them from dying of age, it would make sense that "birth-year" could refer to something different and less frequent than an annual birth-date.

Comment by Nordigo

Nicely thought out Argent Sun - but some things I thought up and would like to argue with you: Indeed i think the story is very Romeo and Juliet - the hairpin obviously implies they were young, but probably not that young during the time of the tragedy. Night Elf lifespan has been implied to be around a few thousand years even without their immortality, so a twenty-four year-old is at least society wise, almost an infant.

The severed head of the stag translates in to my mind as the "head of the family", it would imply she (Theleste) was mad at Pyramond's father, not Pyramond. Maybe enraged she wanted him dead.
Also what you said about the stag in general, it's likely Pyramond was one of the Highborne, and Highborne generally weren't druids but mages, as they dabbled in the arcane magics in general. However, I think even the highborne did to some degree revere Malorne, Elune and other night elf deities, therefore they likely would pick something like an antler, or stag, or many other nature related things to be adorned in their house crest. The cloak clasp is just clothing ornamentation, but could obviously be themed after the noble house's crest. Many other night elf archaeology items paint Highborne as extremely vain people with highly ornamented and stylized anything from a comb to a glaive so it shouldn't be that far fetched.

Theleste likely was just your average night elf (therefore far beneath Pyramond's station, son of a noble/highborne), and likely believed in Elune's guidance like many others of her kind. I'm pretty certain Theleste was not a human, or of any other race, since aside from Tauren they were the only mention-worthy humanoid races (as I highly doubt neither of them was a Quilboar, Furbolg or a Centaur) in Kalimdor until just mere ten-fifteen years ago, I think also the condition of the music box & glass animals imply the items are far older than a mere decade or two.

Aside from these thigns I agree with you, they likely were truly in love, but the world was against them. The story plays out very much like the story of Romeo and Juliet, as many people have noted.

Comment by seeker296

It's a trap!

Comment by popor

Some here seem to be of the opinion that this is a story of forbidden love. However, the message inside the silver scroll case clearly indicates (imho) otherwise;

"Pyramond, under no circumstances are you to spend time with that tavern wench. Your mother and I forbid it. She is far beneath your station"

Here, Pyramond's mother is siding with Theleste. The story is that Pyramond's and Theleste's family have groomed the to young elves for an arranged marriage. Pyramond's gifts to theleste are ones of affection, but hardly of passionate love. However, Pyramond has lost his heart to a young woman who serves in a Tavern, much to the dismay of both Theleste and Pyramond's mother. Theleste, in her rage in finally understanding that she has lost her love, severs the head of the stag representing her love. She then kills herself. It is her hope that Pyramond will do the same, perhaps in the vain hope that they may be together in death or simply for spite.

Comment by 268231

I find your theory interesting, but if true, would portray Theleste as a vain, superior Noble woman. And, since there is only 3 people directly mentioned within the artifact's descriptions, the 3 being Pyramond, Theleste and Pyramond's mother, this theory is only speculation seeing as there is no real evidence of a 4th character. In fact, the Silver Scroll Case's message would dispute Theleste as being so vain considering that she is asking Pyramond to join her in death.

But, to modify your theory, maybe there is a 4th character and instead of Theleste being the vain noblewoman to be married to Pyramond, its the 4th, unmentioned woman who is the arranged bride to be. The writer of the message in the case is the arranged bride telling Pyramond to break it off with Theleste.

If you arrange the pieces, the letter could be the turning point in the story if Pyramond chooses his parents wishes over his feeling for Theleste. This could explain why the stag in the Chest of Tiny Glass Animals has had its head severed. Displaying the pain and anger she felt for being rejected.

If true, this would place the Cracked Crystal Vial as the last piece in the story.

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Tragedy in Three Acts

Recover the following night elf artifacts that tell the fateful story of Pyramond and Theleste.

Criteria

	Chest of Tiny Glass Animals (1)
	Cloak Clasp with Antlers (1)
	Cracked Crystal Vial (1)

	Delicate Music Box (1)
	Hairpin of Silver and Malachite (1)
	Silver Scroll Case (1)

Tragedy in Three Acts

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