Guild Wars 2

Being that both male and female both “wear the pants” how do the two coexist under one roof, or is their divorce rate rather high?

Sounds like the best marriage ever….I don’t see the problem.

I don’t think Norn get married. They coexist by drinking together and hunting together.

Oh they don’t marry, but they do partner? Are they loyal to one particular norn or just spread the norn love?

Norn marriages consist of two Norn being worthy of each other due to having preformed deeds that make them deserving of their partner. So, pretty much, they’re only married BECAUSE they consider each other “ballsy”.

They get married, the quest text in the first Guild Wars confirms that. Judging by what we see, Norn get married to partners that they see as being on even footing with themselves, because no Norn would want to marry someone whose legend eclipses his/her own. So, they find someone compatible whose on the same rough social standing as themselves, get married, and do much of the same things together in order to keep on even footing.

Judging by how they act and their culture, I’m not even sure Norn would fully understand the concept of an unequal marriage. They’d probably laugh it off as typically human.

riku.2091:

Norn marriages consist of two Norn being worthy of each other due to having preformed deeds that make them deserving of their partner. So, pretty much, they’re only married BECAUSE they consider each other “ballsy”.

Lmao, what a sweet deal.

“Til cowardice do we part”

Like others stated, the reputation of the Norns in question must be fairly equal because your name is the big thing you leave behind in their culture.

If there are divorces it might be looked at with some stigma to the “lesser”, the one whose name isn’t well recognized. However I think they take a Kahless and Lady Lukara style to life (Star Trek fans know what I’m talking about).
The two become one and take on life together. Double the weapons, double the hunt, double the fun!

I actually wrote an article about this entitled “I want a norn girlfriend” (on talktyria dot net if you are bored). This was part of what I was getting at, which is why I love the norn culture, and proudly play my main as one.

The kind of relationship that I consider true partnership is best defined by their outlook on life. You marry your equal… and together are truly epic… Not to mention have legendary kids together lol.

As an amusing sidenote- The series of events in Wayfarer Foothills, with the one dude at home with the kids is one of the most fun event chains I have ever played! I plan on blogging about that one really soon. It definitely deserves some special mention. LOL

For now, let me see if I can find Eir’s number. Maybe she will want to meet up at one of Knut’s really good moots. I’ll bring her some loot, so I do not get the boot.

In the days of the Norse, women were far more equal than they were in other cultures at the same time.

Norse women could vote, they were trained to fight for defence of the village, and women were believed to be the only sex strongly capable of using magic.

So Norn women are pretty similar to the actual real life Norse, though Norns are definitely even more gender equal than the Norse were.

Bel Geode.8129:

I actually wrote an article about this entitled “I want a norn girlfriend” (on talktyria dot net if you are bored). This was part of what I was getting at, which is why I love the norn culture, and proudly play my main as one.

The kind of relationship that I consider true partnership is best defined by their outlook on life. You marry your equal… and together are truly epic… Not to mention have legendary kids together lol.

As an amusing sidenote- The series of events in Wayfarer Foothills, with the one dude at home with the kids is one of the most fun event chains I have ever played! I plan on blogging about that one really soon. It definitely deserves some special mention. LOL

For now, let me see if I can find Eir’s number. Maybe she will want to meet up at one of Knut’s really good moots. I’ll bring her some loot, so I do not get the boot.

You need to write that blog! And by any chance can you remember where to locate this chain. I might of done it but don’t remember it off the top of my head. Would like to go back if I missed it somehow. I agree the culture is epic in itself. The writers really hit it on the head with these guys, even if we do come across a little “too human” at times in the story chain.

@Irishbrewed-

The closest waypoint to it is Taigan WP, and the homestead is slightly east and north of there. It is marked by the POI “Victor’s Point”, and there is a heart there to “entertain and protect the children” (It is the one where you can pelt them with snowballs). Just hang around a little while and listen to the kids.

Pretty much all the events of that area center around the mischief these kids get into while their dad figures out what to do with himself because his wife is out, and he is overwhelmed.

Instant classic!

There is actually one dynamic event in which a Norn woman and her ‘mate’ as she calls him, are having a bit of a tiff. Well, less of a tiff and more of a he’s become a dragon worshiping freak and he says that she has to come with him to be with him. She tells him that he’s not the man he once was and to buzz off.

So they aren’t married, they’re mated and it doesn’t seem to have any strict force keeping it together other than force of will and fists.

Bel Geode.8129:

@Irishbrewed-

The closest waypoint to it is Taigan WP, and the homestead is slightly east and north of there. It is marked by the POI “Victor’s Point”, and there is a heart there to “entertain and protect the children” (It is the one where you can pelt them with snowballs). Just hang around a little while and listen to the kids.

Pretty much all the events of that area center around the mischief these kids get into while their dad figures out what to do with himself because his wife is out, and he is overwhelmed.

Instant classic!

I know exactly where you are talking about. Thanks, headed back to check it all out again when I log, thanks man!

EndlessDreamer.6780:

There is actually one dynamic event in which a Norn woman and her ‘mate’ as she calls him, are having a bit of a tiff. Well, less of a tiff and more of a he’s become a dragon worshiping freak and he says that she has to come with him to be with him. She tells him that he’s not the man he once was and to buzz off.

So they aren’t married, they’re mated and it doesn’t seem to have any strict force keeping it together other than force of will and fists.

Well, maybe it’s just that particular couple isn’t married.

To be more clear, I’m pretty sure the male’s name is “Veteran Potential Mate.” Note the “potential” there.

It’s kind of strange that we never discover his name, now that I think about it.

Pretty sure they marry their equals. Then they build their honor with their spouse

By comparing female and male Nord’s body size difference I think that mating can onlly happen when male Nord is too drunk and female is top.

Grakor.3450:

To be more clear, I’m pretty sure the male’s name is “Veteran Potential Mate.” Note the “potential” there.

It’s kind of strange that we never discover his name, now that I think about it.

If you follow him to the Svanir camp he has second thoughts but their dragon shaman starts doing the ritual on him to convert him. If you run in and kill the shaman he thanks you and runs back to the stead and apologizes to everyone.

Given their history and lifestyle, I don’t know why we can’t make female Norn who are just as tall and big as the male Norn.

I’ll take a norn wife over a wimpy human woman anyday. Get into an arguement? BREAK OUT THE MUGS, CHALLENGE ACCEPTED!

In Hoelbrak i once heard a conversation between to Norn males.
One was complaining that after a verbal fight with his female mate he agreed to a contest of Axe throwing to settle the issue. It was a loose-loose situation he realised later.
If he wins his female parter would hate him, and if he looses he would never hear the end of it (being reminded of it forever). His male “friend” responded with that he would get ale and snacks to consume during watching the contest.

Thought it was a nice example of some Norn culture.

do they allow both male/ both female marriage?

I don’t see why not ecanus, over all the playable races seem very open minded when it comes to relationships. Granted, it is never really touched upon except for the sylvari.

I don’t have a link handy, but there was an interview for some site that touched on this topic, and the general answer was that all of the playable races are generally open-minded when it comes to homosexuality and bisexuality. I don’t recall if it mentioned marriage in specific, but I’d still like to think that the answer is “yes.”

And I figured I’d bring this up since nobody else has… in Guild Wars Beyond (The missions added afterwards in the original Guild Wars), you actually SEE a Norn wedding. Or at least a Norn-themed wedding of two humans (Specifically Gwen and Thackery). If I remember right, they have people come up to tell of the strengths and deeds the two have accomplished, they speak of fighting as one and building their tale together to the end of their days, and then they get drunk and party.

For more details, read the dialogue of the related quest here: http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/The_Wedding

Norn marriages are generally “between equals”, but not all Norn marriages are the same. There are a large number of Norn craftsmen, brewers, and even traders. For these households, I imagine their domestic life is much the same as a human family, except that they probably split chores and responsibilities evenly and don’t have distinct gender roles the way humans do.

Irishbrewed.6537:

Being that both male and female both “wear the pants” how do the two coexist under one roof, or is their divorce rate rather high?

Actually one of the most common root causes of divorce is the uneven distribution of household chores, so i’d say the fact that both “wear the pants” bodes well for their marriage statistics.

As has been mentioned, historically norse women were considered equal to the men, although in different areas. While the men were the farmers and traders (in truth, VERY few norse did the entire raiding thing and most raiding accounts came from romans trying to describe how evul the norse barbarians were.), the women were the true masters of the house. There is a reason it was the women who had the keys to the place. This is true evenmoreso for norn who can only get married if they are equal to one another, and only after having a witness for each testify to that effect. Anyway, divorces were not a big historical problem in norse society and is rarely adressed except in sagas where the women “divorce” in bloody and frankly quite entertaining ways.

So, with a basis in how one of the closest things to a both-sexes-equal society we have had (much better off than the west nowadays anyway…), I would say that divorces are quite rare, but also very easy to carry through if you end up wanting one. Especially since the marriage isn’t based as much around how hot someone is, money, or other fleeting superficial factors like that, but instead is built on mutual respect for one another from the very beginning.

Irishbrewed.6537:

Being that both male and female both “wear the pants” how do the two coexist under one roof, or is their divorce rate rather high?

We learned about this in Guild Wars 1 from Olaf Olafson. There’s a quest chain you can do where he (or his daughter I think it was) tries to woo your character.

http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/The_Great_Norn_Alemoot

It starts here, enjoy reading (but I recommend playing it if you have the opportunity to do so).

In short, norn have a social taboo where they’re not supposed to marry above or below their own legend. They are supposed to marry their equal, and then expand their legends together. If at any point one or the other becomes more legendary, then the marriage is in jeopardy unless the lesser spouse can catch up.

I call dibbs on Eir.

Should memory serve, Forgal (spirits rest his soul) mentioned how his mate and child had died. The way he said it made it clear he cared for them more than “they both did great deeds”. Maybe I am reading into this too much.

In short, norn have a social taboo where they’re not supposed to marry above or below their own legend. They are supposed to marry their equal, and then expand their legends together. If at any point one or the other becomes more legendary, then the marriage is in jeopardy unless the lesser spouse can catch up.

Clearly the Norn do not embrace the concepts of down-scaling. it would help both norn out, so that the one ahead is not OP in lower levels.

marriage moots must be crazy!

faustus.8493:

Should memory serve, Forgal (spirits rest his soul) mentioned how his mate and child had died. The way he said it made it clear he cared for them more than “they both did great deeds”. Maybe I am reading into this too much.

I don’t think you are.
If equal status/standing/honour or legend bring them together, it’s more than likely love/friendship keeps them together. When married I think the lines significantly blur between personal status/legend and that which is attained together. It’s also worth keeping in mind that status and legend can be attained in a whole plethora of ways, not just on the battle field, though that is by far the most common.

As Jora say at a wedding: ‘’May neither of them ever hunt alone again’’. I think this can be taken either literally and/or metaphorically.