Guild Wars 2

Hello,

Just wondering what the lore -background information is in regards to the recent gings on re anomalies? I assume you all have spoken re this before?
For example the “sad anomaly” which is now not appearing after what my character is done seemed similar in form at least to Lazarus (where was he before anywhere).
So were we seeing one or more anomalies do you think? Are these similar to Lazarus and where do they come from (the underworld? the mists?)
Also in conjunction is there a specific form – for example during the consortium / priory events in Snowden Drifts they collect a coalescence which look like energy beings from other events, is that a default look?
I admit I may be looking too much into it but was curious

Honestly, we don’t really know what the anomalies are.

Part of why they’re called anomalies…

The “sad anomalies” begin appearing when you complete the Ley Anomaly achievements (not sure which one, but one in particular it seems), and stop when you complete Burden of Choice. Depending on your choice you could turn into a new-appearance anomaly yourself, leaving your body behind (though this was temporarily disabled by ArenaNet because it allowed other players to attack you). This being done at the new rift Current Events stuff.

What they are, where they come from – all unknown.

My theory is that they’re the beginnings of air djinn – they always had that appearance to me that is similar to the ones in GW1, and the first anomaly we fought (Thaumanova Anomaly) used a spear, just as the air djinn of GW1 did. Furthermore, djinn are basically sapient elementals, and elementals form in areas of heavy magical concentration – if the rules of what makes dragon minions stronger and smarter carry over to elementals (it seems to work the same for imps), then a lot of magical concentration could result in sapient, powerful elementals… or djinn.

The different looks of coalescences (appearing like air elementals) from the anomalies (appearing like air djinn), and the anomaly being the more powerful version, is another thing that leads to my theory.

Another theory I’ve seen and liked is that the anomalies are the remnants of mursaat phased out of the world.

And a third theory that gained small traction I saw was that they’re the formings of souls, born out of “all elements of magic that is the ley lines”. This one was formed out of the whole ‘we can turn into one’ situation.

A fourth theory I saw, came about when Ley Anomalies began, was that they were the Priory and Consortium researchers at the ley line overflows (Inquest or dragon minion defenses in Snowden, Blazeridge, and Maelstrom) – apparently some of the Priory researchers (sylvari and human, iirc) disappeared in a cloud of smoke (basically exploding) when the events began, while Consortium NPCs ran. This could tie a bit into the third theory, connecting the two. Heck, even the second.

As to where Lazarus was this whole time – he was at Bloodstone Fen and the Twisted Castle until his revival. Cami’s Journals in Ember Bay imply that Lazarus may have returned there and watched the asura (Cami’s final journal says she felt like something was watching her). Which gives credence to the theory that Lazarus’ timely appearance in Tarir is because he saw the Commander in Ember Bay, invisible, and followed them to Tarir after overhearing about the ‘urgent vision’.

There’s little to no evidence on the anomalies. At least what’s been confirmed so far is that you need to have been blasted by the Bloodstone Fen Big Bang to be able to see them. So I assume we got overcharged with magic. From there on, it’s all theories. They could be Seers, they could be Leyline Spirits, they could be Mursaat, they literally be anything right now.
I suppose out of phase Mursaat and Seers are the most popular theories, especially now that the priory mentioned them during the Choice quest.

That’s not true, Amaimon, as folks saw the anomalies without doing episode 1. And similarly, folks have not seen any anomaly without doing such.

What I’ve seen is that you need to complete either the achievement “Anomaly Sighted” or “Anomalies of the World.”

You don’t need Anomalies of the World – I know somebody who was seeing them without having defeated the Iron Marches anomaly.

I’ve done both of the latest living world episodes, but haven’t seen a single anomaly around. I haven’t done any of the ley anomaly events, though, so that may be the trigger I’m lacking. Closest I’ve gotten is the leystone Ela Makkey gives out.

That’s it, you need to do one of the ley anomaly events. I didn’t see any until I did one of the events on Sunday… and then I saw one on Monday.