Guild Wars 2

To become imperator? In that I mean does it have to be recorded that you have to be descended from the first Khan to become a imperator?
He lived thousands of years ago so most likely most charr are descended from him because statistics do not lie unless his four descendants had only 1 child each and went like that for thousands of years which I really doubt.
So do you have to be a recorded descended from him to become a charr imperator?

This sounds like a perfect set up for a future elite spec with rytlock channeling the khan ur

I would imagine Charr try to make sure they have cubs before doing something they’re likely to die during. A Charr’s life obligation is to benefit their legion, and can be assumed, having cubs to increase the legion’s size is one of the ways they can do that. They also just tend to sleep around a lot, meaning many of them have cubs all over the place.

Keeping this in mind, its likely Charr bloodlines can go on for a very long time, since the likelihood they will have cubs before they die is very high. This is probably even more true for members of the Imperator’s bloodlines knowing their offspring will replace them as Imperator upon their death or retirement, meaning they will deliberately have multiple cubs.

Think of it like a human nobility. Many of them have multiple children to ensure that even if one dies, at least one will remain to inherit titles, estates, wealth, etc, and carry on the bloodline.

As for how well recorded it is, it isn’t really elaborated on concerning how well documented the Charr are and how well they keep track of things, but they did invent the printing press, so its very likely they have the Khan-Ur’s descendants recorded in writing, as well as the details of all other soldiers, warbands and companies. (At least those who came after the printing presses, as well as those who have been remembered from before it’s invention.)

There is actually an item called “Blood of The Khan-Ur”, which has an icon that appears to be a vial of blood in a necklace, however, the flavour text conflicts this, implying its a manufactured necklace, stating it was “forged in the blazing fires of the Black Citadel’s foundry.”. Weather this is simply a metaphor, and it really is a genuine vial of his blood is unclear, but if it is a surviving piece of him, it shows that if the Charr can keep a vial of blood around for over 1300 years, they can remember the names of a few important people throughout history to identify who a genuine Imperator is. I think the eldest Imperator we hear of, besides the 4 originals, is the one who battled alongside Kalla Scorchrazor ~200-ish years ago. Im pretty sure his name is floating around somewhere, but it always eludes me.

Considering we’ve only met 2 of the 4 Charr Imperators, (Smodur and Gaheron), its likely more information on the Khan-Ur’s lineage will come later when Bangar and Malice are introduced into the story. Smodur will have to tell us what hes done with The Claw of The Khan-Ur eventually.

Personally, I don’t think it will ever be explicitly stated if the tradition of the Khan-Ur/Imperator’s bloodline has held true for over a millennium, however, we have to assume it has, since we don’t really have anything to prove otherwise.

“There has been no true Khan-Ur for over a thousand years. Although the position has been claimed several times, no Charr has been able to hold the crown for more than a handful of years, certainly not enough time to solidify the title or create a new lineage. Each one has been overthrown shortly after making the daring claim; the Charr accept no ruler who is not strong enough to defend his throne.”

[…]

“The primus warband of any legion carries the name of that legion–Ash, Blood, Iron and in the case of the Gold Legion, Flame. This singular [warband] is hereditary, but the leader must claim the name through blood challenge–a fight between descendants of the Khan-Ur for supremacy within the legion.”

“Occasionally, non-descendants of the Khan-Ur join the primus warband, taking the name of their leader as their own, as is Charr tradition. But the leader of the primus is always a descendant of the Khan-Ur, the foremost heir of the legion and their rightful inheritor of the crown of leadership among the Charr.”

http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/The_Ecology_of_the_Charr

These are important facts to consider, and come from the same source that only a Khan-Ur’s descendant can be an Imperator.

All descendants appear to be within the Primus Warband of each legion. So no, not “most likely most charr” is not the case, for then everyone would be in the Primus Warband.

As to why they remain so few in number: they kill each other off to vie for the title. Any who tries to claim the title doesn’t last long due to either being killed, or failing to uphold the claim which would no doubt result in exile or execution. And no doubt there’d be the stereotypical selective breeding to ensure the bloodline stays strong.

Is it ever stated anywhere why this one area of Charr society is dependent on family bloodlines considering that in greater Charr society family units are much less important?

I was hoping Rythlock could have become one but since you have to be from that bloodline its not gonna happen. He is strong enough to defeat all 4 of them and well did 1 at least.