Guild Wars 2

I’ve always been curious as to the creators of the hall of monuments and what the halls actual purpose storyline was. I mean it seems to only react to events it perceives to be of great importance to the future of tyria.

I also am quite curious why over a thousand years it never showed signs of damage but by the time of gw2 it was demolished(I figure jormag ransacked the well for the magical power but then it wouldn’t make sense why it didn’t target the weapons kept there by the ghosts to hand to people).

My only guess to whom made it has to be the seers not only because of their name and their obvious prowess of magic but like the seers themselves it has very little details known bout it.

Side not but i’m hoping the story to the hall is resolved sometime in gw2 because it’s whole mystery has been bothering me lately to exactly what it is aside from obvious gw1 storage for achievements.

As for the source of the damage- mountains are tectonic plates pushed against each other. The Shiverpeaks are literally solid rock down to the bedrock, as far down as rocks goes. And Jormag’s rising cracked those mountains open like an egg. I’m impressed anything at all of the Eye of the North survived those quakes.

The most important source of information bout the Eye of the north (the hall of monuments is just a part of it) is from the gw1 cinematic ‘Arrival at the eye’

’
Vekk: “This is impressive, even by Asuran standards.”
Ogden Stonehealer: “No Dwarves made this. Is it human-built?”
<Party leader>: “No. This was put here by something more powerful than men.”
’

All from this is speculation. The asuran’s 250 years ago found it impressive (atleast Vekk, who was of average asura standards atleast, prolly sub top given his influence on the others). The dwarf didn’t have knowledge bout the place and suspected it to be human build. The human (us) actually seems to be the only one who has more knowledge by saying it was build by something more powerfull then men.

This would mean something that is more powerfull then any of the modern races (so not charr, human, sylvari, asura or norn. It is also not Dwarfen, otherwise Ogden would have said so.

So logic would say it would be Jotun, mursaat, seer’s or forgotten’s. But why would the dwarf in the company suspect humans to have build it?? They have more knowledge bout the elder races, and Ogden isn’t ignorant. Why suspect humans? And why does the human tends to know more then the dwarf

It is a long time enigma. But given this dialogue it is either one of the elder races (not dwarfes and jotun’s wouldn’t feel right, so either seers or forgotten or mursaat) or the human gods. If I was forced to put my money on anything I would say human gods. but only when forced cause I truly don’t know.

As for the damage. People expect the structure to be very old in GW1 but the above dialogue doesn’t indicate it. In GW1 it looks like it could have been build two days before we arrived, so we only know it was build before we arrived there and it wasn’t build by humans, dwarfs or asurans (and likely also not by norns, sylvari or charr). the current devastation could be cause of jormag’s rise. It could be by natural disaster, or just that between the arrival of the ebon vanguard and the previous users there wasn’t a big time gap, so maintenance was being done well till the humans left it.

“The origin of the Eye of the North is so ancient it has been lost to even the wisest skaald…” So it’s definitely old. And it wasn’t exactly intact in Guild Wars 1. The top of the tower wkittentered.

My research on the subject is in no way as extensive as some on this forum, but to me, we have two major architectural indications of built the Eye of the North. First is the Honor monument, which is a statue left behind by the original occupants, and slightly reminiscent of both the seers and mursaat. The other is the eagle bust used extensively throughout the Eye of the North, and found on a much smaller scale in the original Rata Sum and, iirc, some Depths of Tyria ruins.

It always confused me why forgotten were always cited for some unknown structures and alot of times people don’t think the seer would build anything like that. I would assume their name “seers” would make sense to building the hall because of it’s vision giving/fate leading well.

Pavees.7281:

It always confused me why forgotten were always cited for some unknown structures and alot of times people don’t think the seer would build anything like that. I would assume their name “seers” would make sense to building the hall because of it’s vision giving/fate leading well.

Or something I would imagine could be that it is as old as the last rise of the dragons and was build by all 6 ancient races, maybe as a symbol of their alliance. Hence the shape of the hall (6 sites). The statue might be a sculpture’s expression of all 6 races. But then again, I can be totally wrong.

the current amount of destruction can be caused by an elder dragon. We know that specially the pool is a magical artifact. I could imagine one of the elder dragons (Jormag?) sending one of his luitenants to the structure trying to get inside and steal this magic for his master. the magical fortification preventing this but sustaining significant damage.

5. There were five ancient races that survived the last rise.

hmmmm, your right, im so used in this game by having 6 (Gods, dragons, etc.) I forgot there where only 5 races back then (and now too actually)

Pavees.7281:

It always confused me why forgotten were always cited for some unknown structures and alot of times people don’t think the seer would build anything like that. I would assume their name “seers” would make sense to building the hall because of it’s vision giving/fate leading well.

Unfortunately we don’t have any examples of buildings that were constructed by the Seers to compare it to.

obviously it was the Utopians

Getefix.9150:

obviously it was the Utopians

You know when they make a possible future expansion i hope the utopia idea gets reused as a new land or world. So many wasted ideas it’s sad to see alot of them go unused.

Pavees.7281:

Getefix.9150:

obviously it was the Utopians

You know when they make a possible future expansion i hope the utopia idea gets reused as a new land or world. So many wasted ideas it’s sad to see alot of them go unused.

I think they’d be unlikely to do that simply because they did reuse a lot of the ideas in EoTN and going forward into GW2. What is left over once you cut out everything that was either used, adapted or flat out rejected probably doesn’t form anything cohesive. The idea of a Utopian land could be used and is hinted at in lore I guess, but a lot of the architecture and ideas were already adapted into what we saw in EoTN and went on to inform the current Asuran architecture etc.

I’d like to think that what we got was a lot better than the initial Utopia idea. We’ll probably see more of these rejected ideas make their way back into the game in some alternate form.

i always thought it was built by the norns xD

Why wouldn’t the Jotun make sense? That’s who I always assumed built it since we’ve already heard from ArenaNet that the Jotun were one of the (if not the) most advanced races on Tyria with magical understanding rivaling that of the six human gods before their collapse. Seems perfectly logical to me that a race with such intelligence and magical prowess created something as powerful as the HoM.

Simplicity.7208:

Why wouldn’t the Jotun make sense? That’s who I always assumed built it since we’ve already heard from ArenaNet that the Jotun were one of the (if not the) most advanced races on Tyria with magical understanding rivaling that of the six human gods before their collapse. Seems perfectly logical to me that a race with such intelligence and magical prowess created something as powerful as the HoM.

Notice how there is very little Jotun architecture around the world. Considering how there are no remnants of the Jotun’s past I wouldn’t think the Eye would be their creation. If they had the ability to create something as powerful and durable as the EoTN which has stood for (thousands/hundreds?) of years then there would be a lot more Jotun architecture left standing. I would also think the dwarves would have been able to identify it if it had been Jotun architecture. I think it’s far more likely to have been of Seer or Mursaat (or something else entirely) origins.

Primarily because we see jotun architecture in GW2, and it looks nothing like the Hall of Monuments. The assumption here is that each race had a single architectural style. It’s an assumption, not proven fact, but we’ve been shown no evidence to the contrary.

It’s possible. With multiple giant kings, each kingdom may have had different looking architecture. And most of the architecture may have been destroyed in all the wars the jotun have gone through.

Dustfinger.9510:

It’s possible. With multiple giant kings, each kingdom may have had different looking architecture. And most of the architecture may have been destroyed in all the wars the jotun have gone through.

But I don’t think it would be logical for Jotun architecture to have been destroyed but have the Eye with the ability to withstand all the earth shaking that went on with Jormag’s rise. I just don’t think the Jotun built well-lasting structures, if they did there would be evidence of it littered around Tyria, even if you destroy a building parts of it should be left over unless they weather with time and become used for other things or are built out of degrading materials like wood.

I thought Aaron said we have jotun architecture in GW2.

But I just try to look at them as if they had civilizations the way humans do. Different architecture with different purposes and different utilities for those structures. So there’s nothing saying the HoM really is Jotun made. I just don’t want to discount the possibility until I get more information. We may find more from the Jotun with expansions as the unexplored areas open up.

Dustfinger.9510:

I thought Aaron said we have jotun architecture in GW2.

But I just try to look at them as if they had civilizations the way humans do. Different architecture with different purposes and different utilities for those structures. So there’s nothing saying the HoM really is Jotun made. I just don’t want to discount the possibility until I get more information. We may find more from the Jotun with expansions as the unexplored areas open up.

Sorry I wasn’t reading very carefully and i think I mistook what you said.
But yeah definitely the Jotun had civilisation ins some sense close to what the current races have and would most likely have had a lot of different structures built for specific purposes in a range of styles. To me though, the lack of physical evidence of their civilisation suggests that it was all destroyed a long time ago, so it would be odd if the Eye was theirs because it still stands. Then again we really don’t know what it’s true or intended purpose was. For all we know the Mursaat constructed it and used the Scrying pool to travel into possible futures of Tyria that existed in the mists (I don’t think that at all though).

I think Ogden asked if it was human built because it was occupied by humans at the time. Also at various points in their history humans have built some pretty huge and impressive structures.

And your character doesn’t need to know much of anything about the Eye to know it wasn’t made by humans. The game always assumes your character followed the storyline of the games (as opposed to the ‘power-level to 10 and go to EOTN route) so by the time they get there they will have seen a lot of the human cultures on Tyria and should have a pretty good idea of what they’re capable of.

So they’d be able to look at the Eye and know it wasn’t made by humans in the same way people in other franchises can see an alien space ship and instantly know it’s alien.

Danikat.8537:

I think Ogden asked if it was human built because it was occupied by humans at the time. Also at various points in their history humans have built some pretty huge and impressive structures.

And your character doesn’t need to know much of anything about the Eye to know it wasn’t made by humans. The game always assumes your character followed the storyline of the games (as opposed to the ‘power-level to 10 and go to EOTN route) so by the time they get there they will have seen a lot of the human cultures on Tyria and should have a pretty good idea of what they’re capable of.

So they’d be able to look at the Eye and know it wasn’t made by humans in the same way people in other franchises can see an alien space ship and instantly know it’s alien.

Yeah we all know the Eye isn’t a human structure xD

…. I don’t know………

Just kidding :P

Hmm…i think i ’ve seen ina a post in this subforum,some months ago that EotN (outer side of wall) has New Krytan characters on it.

harris.7964:

Hmm…i think i ’ve seen ina a post in this subforum,some months ago that EotN (outer side of wall) has New Krytan characters on it.

That is extremely unlikely. If so then it would be reused textures. But there would be no logical reason for there to be New Krytan on an old structure that we can almost guarantee is not man-made.

FlamingFoxx.1305:

That is extremely unlikely. If so then it would be reused textures. But there would be no logical reason for there to be New Krytan on an old structure that we can almost guarantee is not man-made.

Hmmm…Maybe it’s my fault.

But,another question…Who put the carpet in EotN and who built the Asura Gate (Asura obviously).Also,the ruins are bypassable (the ones at the crack of the wall on your left hand when you just enetered EotN.But there’s currently an invisible wall).So,you can get/in out of Eotn by jumping if you want.For techinical reasons,there’s an invisible wall.My personal opinion that someone used the Asura Gate to get itno EotN and explore it.Then he went to the outer side and maybe he carved his name or something like that??

If there IS New Krytan I would think it’s just a reused texture.. We’ve seen the outside of the HoM in GW1…
The Asura Gate was most likely put there shortly after the events of GW1, although it’s possible that it is only there mechanically as a way for us to exit and isn’t actually there in terms of lore.

If someone found a krytan letters on the outside of the Eye in gw2 he/she has to have done it through glitching or any other way. We are not supposed to get there so what currently is there is in my book nothing related to lore.

As for the portal. There is actually no answering portal like they normally have. Instead there is a stone. This makes this portal rather special. I personally think that Kimmes have made it after the events in eye of the north. It would make sense that the ebon vanguard would get asura’s to place a portal there. After the recall, they destroyed the answering portal and created the portal stone so access to the hall would not be lost forever. Kimmes then made sure that the portal stone would end up by a decendant of the GW1 hero so he could forefill his destiny.

On the otherhand, we are basicly talking bout a mechanic, often mechanics cant be explained by lore.

Aaron Ansari.1604:

Primarily because we see jotun architecture in GW2, and it looks nothing like the Hall of Monuments. The assumption here is that each race had a single architectural style. It’s an assumption, not proven fact, but we’ve been shown no evidence to the contrary.

Examples of OLD Jotun architecture please? We only see modern, crappy Jotun huts as far as I know.

The Jotun often speak of a time when their culture was vast and advanced. But we don’t have any examples of this at all. To assume that the HOM was created by Jotun is not impossible, but there are also no reasons to assume this.

I wonder if a dwarf like Ogden would not be able to recognize Jotun architecture. Surely the dwarves would have some knowledge of these ancient people? Yet when laying eyes on the HOM, he had clearly never seen anything like it before. It could very well be that the HOM is completely unique. Maybe it is the only building of its kind.

The dwarves may have some familiarity with Jotun architecture but like every other race, every individual isn’t privy to the sum knowledge of the entire culture. That said, I agree with the Mad Queen that there is no reason nto assume it is Jotun vs any of the other ancient races that we know so little about.

Mr Mango.3504:

Aaron Ansari.1604:

Primarily because we see jotun architecture in GW2, and it looks nothing like the Hall of Monuments. The assumption here is that each race had a single architectural style. It’s an assumption, not proven fact, but we’ve been shown no evidence to the contrary.

Examples of OLD Jotun architecture please? We only see modern, crappy Jotun huts as far as I know.

It’s not really architecture but:

http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Jotun_Worship_Stone

Im not 100% sure but they do look a bit simular to the places where the jotun spirits are found in arah explorable mode – jotun path (if I remember correctly).

From the Savage Pride of the Jotun.

“Once powerful, advanced, and arrogant, they proclaimed themselves rulers of the Shiverpeak Mountains and raised great monuments to themselves on the highest peaks”

“Long ago, the jotun possessed the ability to use magic and were skilled enough with it to create enchanted monuments in the Shiverpeak Mountains.”

“All that remains of their once-great arcane spirituality are a few carved runes on forgotten, snow-covered peaks”

on that last quote, in EotN, I remember when we first arrived at HoM, Vekk and Jora both say they’ve never seen it before. Basically “forgotten”

Also… Jotun were star gazers.

Top of HoM has this star shaped opening, towards they sky.

^— that is really really weak evidence…
The Asura have been living underground, of course they haven’t seen it before. The Norn have just moved south I believe, so of course they haven’t seen it.
Being stargazers doesn’t give them any kind of claim to a building with a star in it. There are a couple of observatories in Elona, the building is therefore probably Elonan.. Do you see how flawed that kind of logic is?
If you’re just pointing out a possible connection, then yes a possible connection exists, but there isn’t anything to really support it and there is nothing definite about it…

I think it’s a bit hard to believe that the HoM would be a creation of the Jotun. If they were able to produce this kind of building, then it would stand to reason that other buildings they have made would have had similar durability. To me, the fact that the only architecture that exists looks similar to this would imply that the HoM building isn’t of Jotun origin.

I’d really love to work out who is responsible though. It’s a rather… distinct… building, and seems to have always been rather isolated where it is.

From the lost scribes of Tyria…

The mysterious monument in northern Shiverpeaks was made by humans. They even have a name for themselves: ArenaNet, whatever that means. It was made by humans from a world called dirt when they got lost in Tyria having come via the Mist. Some of them became gods after they harnessed the magical threads of this world. The rest were able to return to their world of dirt.

Years passed… another group of humans from their world arrived, landed on a continent which they called Cantha. They ventured forth and landed on the far east and south of the continent we call Tyria. They established a new kingdom they called Elona and claimed a large part of it as their own. Years later they traveled west and north and established a nation called Orr and grew into a vast kingdom. These humans spread east and north, eventually encountering the charrs, the war that is still ranging to this day. Should we help the charr and drive out these invaders? The charr however is losing, a pity for such a promising young race.

These humans are resourceful to have been able to traverse the territories of the {unreadable}, those snakes, not to be trusted.

Ahh, but I have to go. We need to move further west, deep into the forests of maguuma and disappear. Some say we should go south from there but we risk meeting the cathans, those dragon worshippers, if only they knew! The sixth elder dragon {too damaged to decipher}

Some say we should go sail further west, find new uncharted lands. Or go north even deeper into the jungle, into the night, where no one has returned. But go we must or our knowledge and secrets will be destroyed by these invaders from dirt. They might even use it for their selfish ambitions, like those mursaat cowards!

No. We need to keep to ourselves. This knowledge we hold is far too advance even for the young native races of Tyria to handle, especially the asurans. Trial-and-error younglings, I wonder why they have not wiped themselves to oblivion.

Time to go… will continue later… my granddaughter Lusia is here, oh dear Lusia.

~ Arkania, Scribe of Tears

The Eye, these humans call it the All-Seeing Eye. They also called the monument Babel before.

{missing}

The charr were defeated. The humans established a city called Ascalon and Kryta. Oh, grandmother, I wish you and mother were here. We should guide them, we should help them! The dwarves are keeping to themselves too. What should I do? The cowards have returned too!

~ Lusia, granddaughter of Arkania the Scribe of Tears.

^ the above is fan-fiction written for just this reply :p

Yep, there were only 5 races that banded against the Elder Dragons prior to the present GW/GW2 time period.
1) dwarves
2) jotun
3) “forgotten”
4) mursaat
5) “seers”

However, it doesn’t mean there were only 5 races back then. There were possibly the:
1) kodans
2) quaggans
3) tengus

Let’s say the quaggans were a youngling. But the kodans and tengus can not be. If the norns were a devolution of the kodans, then it means years, even centuries have passed since the first norn appeared because there are a lot of norns already. Then there are the tengus who are very knowledgeable of the previous cycle. They were probably already in the world but chose not to join the war.

And do not forget:

Ancient jotun stelae indicate that throughout prehistory, the Elder Dragons have gone through cycles of awakening, destruction, and hibernation, each time ending an era of life in Tyria and bringing forth a new one.

In this cycle of the world, we have 5 races again, banded together to battle the EDs:
1) humans
2) asurans
3) sylvarians
4) charrs
5) norns

^— and that has absolutely nothing to do with the HoM…

FlamingFoxx.1305:

^— and that has absolutely nothing to do with the HoM…

I’m saying, which I forgot to say obviously, was that I doubt any of these “known” races created HoM. I am more inclined that HoM was created by another race that we do not know yet, even older than the previous cycle. We don’t even known which cycle of the world we are in.

Secondly, I was also answering to someone else’s reply on the “elder races”. :p

If someone tries to talk about lore and they say “asurans” I just ignore them because they don’t know what they’re taking about.

its kinda easy and very possible that the jotans build the monument and then left it as it was when something whent bad and when we find it the “bad” is degraded so much we can do something about it and take it over given its proberties.
given that jotans might have been able to build something ever lasting then they should also be able to build something to take it down agien and that might have been turned into a weapon
or the HoM where a secret place for there race as a whole or only knowen by a king that got killed and the place is lost to time into we find it

Mr Mango.3504:

If someone tries to talk about lore and they say “asurans” I just ignore them because they don’t know what they’re taking about.

That is a rather trivial reason and really isn’t worth saying out loud since all it does it distract from the topic that people are currently discussing.