Guild Wars 2

So it seems that most Asura really hate the Inquest. Is this right? If that’s true, then how does such a hated group get itself into the Asuran government?

In short: the Inquest is merely tolerated. They have their own wing in Rata Sum and there is also a member/representative of the Inquest sitting on the council. Talking to him reveals that the Inquest, on the whole, does what it can to stay on friendly (or at least neutral) terms with other asura. Basically, it seems they bargained with the council to be left alone.

I’m wading from fact into theory territory here, but… Considering Councillor Flax’s position in the asura personal story arc, I’m willing to wager he’s very much an Inquest supporter. Like the Inquest, he is convinced of the superiority of asura over other races and has done some morally questionable things in the name of giving the asura an advantage (i.e. suppressing Gorr’s theory, citing that the council wanted it a secret until they found a way to exploit it for Rata Sum’s benefit). With him as the most powerful figure in asuran society… It’s pretty easy to see why the Inquest is tolerated.

The Inquest do research, generally research that other Asura won’t. Their research expands the body of Asura knowledge and that additional knowledge is valuable to the Asura.

The Inquest and their methods may not be liked, but the knowledge they bring still buys them a seat on the council.

Honestly I think it’s because the Inquest are just fabulously wealthy. I mean most Asura have everything in the Asura starter zones and on occasion you’ll see a lab or a platform out in the wilds, but the Inquest? They have a COBRA sea-lab straight out of G.I.Joe in Mt. Maelstrom. I would join them just for the chance to enter that thing…

That being said, they’re largely the equivalent of the Norn Sons of Svanir, who are not seen as evil but rather misguided, and are accused of corrupting nature for their own ends. Even so they are allowed in Hoelbrak where they have their own little area for NPCs so long as they don’t prove themselves to be a threat to the rest of Norn society. The Inquest is largely seen the same way in Asura society, as most seem to believe them as unethical but not actively out to ruin the world.

And this is largely how all races view their “opposition elements”. Humans see separtists as foolish people stuck in the past, and many heart missions stem from talking the less indoctrinated into less racist viewpoints. Charr renegades are largely the same, with the Flame Legion acting very similar to the Sons of Svanir. The Nightmare Court is probably the only group of player races really considered wholly evil (as it’s believed once fallen to nightmare you can never return), but then the Sylvari still have less ostracized groups like the Soundless (who aren’t antagonists).

I think the Inquest is tolerated at least in part because they just take fairly typical Asura attitudes to an extreme, rather than being a wild departure from what’s standard in Asuran society.

The Inquest may be excessive in their belief in Asuran superiority, but a lot of Asura make clear that they also believe they’re smartest and best. The Inquest may be more breathtaking in the cruelty of their experiments, but experimentation done on sentient creatures by the mainstream Asura often gets into territory that from our own perspective would be ethically problematic too (to give one example, the Brill research on Skritt.)

Other Asura can and do believe the Inquest takes things too far, but the line that has been established is extremely blurry anyway, and other Asura also seem to stray up to or over that line from time to time without much censure.

Because the Inquest is just further along the spectrum rather than a totally different entity, I think it makes sense that the other groups are able to accept their presence even while disagreeing with their methods.

I think that the inquest are tolerated because they sometimes provide useful services or knowledge to the politicians and citizens. Most asura know that they’re an unethical organization but my guess is that they’re tolerated because of something that they provide to the citizens or politicians (I scratch your back you scratch mine, kind of deal).

Also remember that the asura have intellectual values and one of those is of being a meritocracy. If the inquest have all of these advanced knowledge, techniques and inventions acquired from unknown (likely shady) means, then would they ignore all this potential knowledge in order to take an ethical standpoint? Somehow I think that they would be less inclined to do so then, say, the Sylvari.

I don’t see what’s so bad about the Inquest :P

Something that cute couldnt possibly be evil. Where do I sign up?

Mif.3471:

I don’t see what’s so bad about the Inquest :P

i uh…

…

… you’re… ?

… have you ever heard… ?

… nevermind.

Zero Angel.9715:

Something that cute couldnt possibly be evil. Where do I sign up?

I know right!

Mif.3471:

Zero Angel.9715:

Something that cute couldnt possibly be evil. Where do I sign up?

I know right!

if i could join inquest i think i would. i was completely sold on the idea after encountering delicious little evil that is Kudu. he’s evil, but he’s got some great brains. and in asuran society brains is everything.

i have a theory that the only reason Zojja is so relentless about persuing Kudu is because she actually secretly has the hots for him and hates herself for it :P

From what I figure from listening to the other npc’s around the Asura areas, all krewes are as bad as the inquest, the inquest is just significantly larger and make an easier target to scapegoat.

Twill.6217:

i have a theory that the only reason Zojja is so relentless about persuing Kudu is because she actually secretly has the hots for him and hates herself for it :P

i thought it was because he was a former apprentice of snaff, and by acting the way he does is disgracing snaffs memory?

That said, Kudu does seem to be the only one continuing with Snaff’s research rather then putting it on an alter to worship from afar. What exactly does Zojja do again when she’s not judging contests?

Khyron.8735:

That said, Kudu does seem to be the only one continuing with Snaff’s research rather then putting it on an alter to worship from afar. What exactly does Zojja do again when she’s not judging contests?

Except he’s continuing Snaff’s research in a rather perverse/evil way.

And Zojja just sort of pursues her own projects in her spare time. I have to agree that Kudu is more actively building on Snaff’s research, though, even if his intentions are sinister (and that’s why Snaff dumped him in the first place).

Dinny.5310:

Khyron.8735:

That said, Kudu does seem to be the only one continuing with Snaff’s research rather then putting it on an alter to worship from afar. What exactly does Zojja do again when she’s not judging contests?

Except he’s continuing Snaff’s research in a rather perverse/evil way.

And Zojja just sort of pursues her own projects in her spare time. I have to agree that Kudu is more actively building on Snaff’s research, though, even if his intentions are sinister (and that’s why Snaff dumped him in the first place).

evil is in the eye of beholder. i’ve seen “good” asura do attrocious experiments, the only difference between them and inquest is that inquest are open about it.
every asura is dreaming about world domination, they’re just too politically correct to admit it

I still stand by my Zojja theory. with Snaff dead, Kudu is the closest person she has to remind her of dear old Snaffy…

Twill.6217:

Dinny.5310:

Khyron.8735:

That said, Kudu does seem to be the only one continuing with Snaff’s research rather then putting it on an alter to worship from afar. What exactly does Zojja do again when she’s not judging contests?

Except he’s continuing Snaff’s research in a rather perverse/evil way.

And Zojja just sort of pursues her own projects in her spare time. I have to agree that Kudu is more actively building on Snaff’s research, though, even if his intentions are sinister (and that’s why Snaff dumped him in the first place).

evil is in the eye of beholder. i’ve seen “good” asura do attrocious experiments, the only difference between them and inquest is that inquest are open about it.
every asura is dreaming about world domination, they’re just too politically correct to admit it

I still stand by my Zojja theory. with Snaff dead, Kudu is the closest person she has to remind her of dear old Snaffy…

I think that works. I like to think it runs both ways and Kudu kind of has a thing for her, too, and also hates himself for it.

It’s a hateship all around. But this is straying from canon and more into my imagination now.