Guild Wars 2

Ive been wondering are the krytan people romans?

EDIT:" Ive just been looking on the wiki and when i look at the Charr it looks more like they are the Romans here, militairy culture, Imperator as leader, and other Roman/Latin terms are used like Centurion, Gladium and Legionnaire.

Maybe its just cuz in every MMO the Humans are the standard race. And maybe in this game they are jsut every culture on earth combined, Roman Asian African and so on… (Cantha, Elona, Kryta etc.) Every has its own references to a different culture on earth… And since Humans are most most common they just made every culture for it.

PS: Sorry for the grammar im dutch =3

I’m not quite sure I understand the question?
Like you point out in your edit, the Charr are based off Roman and Mongolian culture/history.

I think with Kryta it’s important to point out that in GW1 it was more of a Mediterranean setting and Krytans originally had darker skin.

So the Krytans are really based of the old greco/roman people.

I just dont see how the charr are based off the mongolians… Is there somewwhere a site or something that shows where all the racesw are based of?

Damash.1074:

So the Krytans are really based of the old greco/roman people.

I just dont see how the charr are based off the mongolians… Is there somewwhere a site or something that shows where all the racesw are based of?

It’s in the Trivia on the wiki – the reasoning is the Charr history is similar to the history of the Mongol’s. Also the Charr leader is called the “Khan-Ur”, which is taking the Mongol title “Khan”. So there are a decent amount of parallels that players have picked up on between the two.

I actually had more or less been thinking of them as Romans without even realizing it, but yeah.

Humans have a lot of cultural references, the Krytans specifically are more like south americans imo, darker skin, near a forest region and beaches. Ascalonians are the europeans, Orrians are more like arabic culture, Elonians are Africa based and Canthans are asians.

What Belzebu said: in GW1 in particular, you’ll notice that Kryta has a very temperate feel, be it South American or Mediterranean (Greco-roman, northern Africa). Asclonians are more Germanic in both appearance and naming conventions and the immigration of Ascalonians into Kryta has noticeably affected the original Krytans and their architecture.

I would use the phrase “inspired by” rather than “based on.” For instance, the Kurziks seem to heavily impart a gothic theme, which is odd given that they are within an “asian” themed area. Rurik is an important Russian name, the original real-life Rurik is loosely considered the father of ancient Russia, or at least the Kievan Rus. To me, the authors seem to have used bits and pieces of real-world cultures to flesh out a GW culture, but there is plenty of original thought involved in it too.

The Krytans of GW1 are not as clean cut a reference to real-world cultures as others are. You can see elements of Mediterranean, South American, or even SE Asian in there, but it’s hard to pin it down. Old Krytan architecture certainly has tropical or coastal elements imbued in it though. The White Mantle style is pretty original, but it’s not “technically” Krytan.

Krytan’s are inspired by a host of different cultures. Mediterranean Europe is the primary influence, though…This has been stated by a developer before, and I also believe it is in the Wiki. So basically Greece, France, etc.

It’s important to note that this game is taking place 250+ years after the 1st game, and the other human cultures have largely immigrated to Kryta in that time, and assimilated into Krytan society for generations now. So you see a LOT of Ascalonian (inspired largely by Britain), and then the Canthan (Asia), Elona (Egypt/Africa), and even some Orrian (Middle Eastern) depending on where you look and what npc’s you talk to or over-hear in Divinity’s Reach.

Belzebu.3912:

Humans have a lot of cultural references, the Krytans specifically are more like south americans imo, darker skin, near a forest region and beaches. Ascalonians are the europeans, Orrians are more like arabic culture, Elonians are Africa based and Canthans are asians.

I agree with this with one particular disagreement.

In Elona, Vabbi was Arabic. Its easily seen in their clothes buildings and armor. Kourna was Sub-Saharan+Ethiopian, and Istan was some carribean/egyptian. The desolation was very Egyptian.

Yes you are all right. A game created by humans featuring many different races, cultures and creeds is infact inspired by our different races, cultures and creeds.

Regarding Elona, I would say that by cultural influence:

• Istan is Nubian (North-Sudan), based on the elongated physiques and very dark complexities, predominance of white attire, papyrus boats, the many lesser pyramid buildings, it being the origin of the Elonian dynasty (Egyptian Pharaonic rule) and the archeological interest of the region
• Kourna is West-African (Mali), based on the Yoruba-like admixture of Bantu and Sehelian traits in the general populace, a Berber-like minority such as Turai Ossa and Corsairs, the wearing of headscarfs, kufi, dashiki and those baggy pants, the copper-alloy armors, practice of slavery, its strong organisation, oversees connections with Ascalon and Cantha (reflecting the international mercantile importance of Timbuktu) and the traditional adobe architecture with abstract decorations, contrasted by Arabian-inspired fortresses
• Vabbi is Persian (Zanzibar), based on the mix of Black and Middle-East features, the fantastic 1001 Nights elements, a level of hygiene and sophistication far ahead of Tyria (the Western world) and it being the mineral trade hub of the continent with the rest of the world.

Sub-equatorial Africa being unrepresented, it would be nice if Dzalana were to be “discovered” as the home of a Zulu- or Zimbabwe-inspired civilisation, who likewise avoided foreign encroachment until the advent of gun turrets.

Obsidian.1328:

I would use the phrase “inspired by” rather than “based on.” For instance, the Kurziks seem to heavily impart a gothic theme, which is odd given that they are within an “asian” themed area.

The key word being “seem”, for the Kurzicks’ theme is more of a conflation that is half Gothic and half Japanese:

Nice post, Bazom! Loving the detailed information about the influences of the various real-world cultures on Canthan and Elonian societies.

The Luxons are another odd one. Their culture is reminiscent of nomadic, raiding cultures like the Mongols, yet their names have been borrowed from Greek sources.

Shanna.4762:

Krytan’s are inspired by a host of different cultures. Mediterranean Europe is the primary influence, though…This has been stated by a developer before, and I also believe it is in the Wiki. So basically Greece, France, etc.

It’s important to note that this game is taking place 250+ years after the 1st game, and the other human cultures have largely immigrated to Kryta in that time, and assimilated into Krytan society for generations now. So you see a LOT of Ascalonian (inspired largely by Britain), and then the Canthan (Asia), Elona (Egypt/Africa), and even some Orrian (Middle Eastern) depending on where you look and what npc’s you talk to or over-hear in Divinity’s Reach.

Another consideration is that Kryta has essentially moved north since GW1. The Krytan fashions in clothing and architecture in GW1 were probably driven mostly from the subtropical south – Lion’s Arch, what is now Caledon Forest, at least some of Bloodtide Coast, the coast of the Sea of Sorrows west of LA – all of which has been abandoned. The north is still warm enough that it’s viable to follow the fashions from the south at the cost of it feeling a bit brisk on occasion – but when “North Kryta Province” ended up on the southeastern border, fashions for clothing and architecture would have shifted to better fit the more temperate climate of what was left of Kryta. This would only have been accelerated by the presence of refugees from colder regions such as Ascalon and Cantha, who are more experienced in making clothes and buildings for cooler climates.

Hmm… I’ve always thought ethnic Krytans were based off Polynesians and their culture.

In particular, the Krytans of 250 years ago had several notable cities built near the sea, like Lion’s Arch, which may be inspired by the Polynesians of our own world who lived lives with very strong seafaring connections.

Also, some Krytans in GW1 sported body and facial tattoos reminiscent of Maori tattoos. The historian Durmand is a good example.

Further more, Krytans have a nice, rich copper skin tone, which is similar to what peoples of Oceanic descent have.

Modern-day Krytans are, as previously mentioned, a melting pot, but overall their culture seems pretty close to the European Renaissance in my opinion. It’s certainly much more progressive than the decidedly medieval feel of GW1. The clockwork machines, flashy clothes, and artistic style are quite close to what spread across Europe in the 14th and 15th centuries.

Heraldusluminare.2946:

Hmm… I’ve always thought ethnic Krytans were based off Polynesians and their culture.

I always thought it was closer to European/Asian Indian, since Tyria is Europe, and the Luxons are Greek/Polynesian, and Anet generally kept different groups inspired by different real-world continents in their separate Tyrian continents. The Krytans of GW1 all had dark skin, but overall their society was European.

In particular, the Krytans of 250 years ago had several notable cities built near the sea, like Lion’s Arch, which may be inspired by the Polynesians of our own world who lived lives with very strong seafaring connections.

It’s because they were originally an Orrian colony. Sort of like how the American colonists didn’t even leave the eastern seaboard until the late 1700s. Like the American colonists, however, they’ve definitely expanded their reach since the time of GW1, and have set up moderate to large settlements and outposts across a substantial area.

Also, some Krytans in GW1 sported body and facial tattoos reminiscent of Maori tattoos. The historian Durmand is a good example.

This is the only hole in my theory, but it might be due to the Elonian influence from when Elona tried to colonize Kryta. The Elonians we met back in Nightfall didn’t have tattoos as far as I recall, but it could be an older tradition that got cast aside in Elona but retained in Kryta.

Actually, from what we’ve seen Kryta has only shrunk since GW1. Queensdale, Gendarran Fields, and Kessex Hills were all entirely Krytan, at least on paper, in GW1. So was Sanctum Cay and the currently unexplorable D’Alessio Seaboard, at least half of what is now Caledon Forest (that was a major province, in fact) and possibly part of northern Metrica and eastern Brisban, at least southern Harathi Hinterlands although it wasn’t explorable, and parts of Bloodtide Coast at least, possibly down to the northern edge of Sparkfly, and of course Lion’s Arch itself.

Now, the only zone that can be said to be entirely within Kryta is Queensdale and Divinity’s Reach itself. Parts of Gendarran, Kessex, and Harathi Hinterlands are Krytan, but that’s as far as it goes. It’s possible that Kryta has expanded a little to the north and west, where we currently can’t explore and/or couldn’t explore in GW1, but I don’t think it’s possible to have expanded enough in those directions to have made up for lost ground in the south, especially since we’ve been told that the explorable areas represent the most important parts of Kryta and they’re half-overrun by centaurs and bandits – presumably the security situation on the western and northern frontiers would be even worse.

Now, to be fair, a lot of regions that were formally considered to be in Kryta in GW1 were uninhabited wilderness, and GW2 Kryta has made more use of the land it does have. Mind you, the impression I had in GW1 is that the most important areas of GW1 Kryta apart from Lion’s Arch itself were the mission areas – D’Alessio Seaboard, Riverside Province and the area between Shaemoor and Loamhurst inclusive. Of those, only the Shaemoor-Loamhurst stretch is known to still be in Kryta (according to the GuildMag interview last year, Loamhurst is still Krytan even if it’s not in the game) – Riverside definitely isn’t, and while D’Alessio remains undefined, the political situation surrounding it makes it highly unlikely. What’s left is more developed than the tracts of wilderness we saw before, but that’s probably the result of having to make best use of what they’ve got left when formerly they could pick and choose the best land over a wide area.