Krytan, Elona, Canthan, Ascalonian question
First of, I suggest you read the Movement of the World and maybe have a look at this: http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Timeline
Another general tip I would give is listening to music and watching screenshots/videos from GW1 to get a sense of the different cultures and regions.
Will my choice have any influence on the story btw?
I think the only impact it has is on how your sister looks.
I am probably not gonna pick Elona, because I am not gonna choose the Order of Whispers on this one (already have that order on another character) and they have an unknown way of travelling and communication with Elona. Or I might do.
Elona and the Order of Whispers are not as tightly linked as you suggest. There are a lot of Elonians in Kryta that have nothing to do with the order, see the Ossan Quarter in Divinity’s Reach. Elonians are a mix of Arabian and Egyptian cultures. Three different groups of Elonians exist: Istani, Kournans and Vabbians. A fourth group, one without it’s own region, is the Sunspears.
Canthan are a bit of an Asian looking human nation right?
My human does not look as such (could of course still be Canthan and have lost its Asian looks through generations though).
Yes, Cantha is inspired by a mix of different Asian cultures (specifically China and Japan). Like Elona, it has different groups of people living in different regions. The three main groups are the Canthans living in Kaineng City, the Kurzicks and the Luxons. A fourth group lives on Shing Jea Island which houses an important training monastery.
I am considering to answer Krytan (Shining blade Krytan if that is eventually possible or if it remains unknown what type of Krytan you are).
The Shining Blade are like the secret service of Kryta. Nothing prevents your character from being in the Shining Blade but you can not officially enter it in-game.
I read that King Alberdern was not the next in line for the thrown, yet he is descended from king Doric.
Who was the next in line for the thrown?
http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Duke_Barradin
http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Tyrian_royalty_family_tree
Anyway, could you please describe a bit of what the Krytan, Elona, Canthan and Acalonian are about (cultures, identities, environment, looks), so that I can choose the one that fits my identity the best?
Kryta, at least modern Kryta, could be compared to rennaisance northwestern Europe. GW1’s Kryta was more mediterranean. Ascalon was similar to medieval northwestern Europe.
As for looks:
GW1 Kryta —> Mediterranean.
GW2 Kryta and GW1 Ascalon --> Northwest European.
Cantha —> Southeast Asian.
Elona --> Arabian and African.
(edited by Diovid.9506)
Will my choice have any influence on the story btw?
Yes, but I won’t go into details without spoiling too much. Suffice it to say you will see a family member and their appearance will alter based on your choice. Further, you will meet said family member later on during the Orr arc if you choose the Vigil’s plan to invade it.
I am probably not gonna pick Elona, because I am not gonna choose the Order of Whispers on this one (already have that order on another character) and they have an unknown way of travelling and communication with Elona. Or I might do.
Choosing Elonian (or any other nationality) has no affect on your order.
Canthan are a bit of an Asian looking human nation right?
Yes, though some Canthans – the Luxon and Kurzicks – take on aspects from elsewhere, such as gothic gemanic (Kurzicks) and ancient Greek (Luxons). Cantha’s three human cultures are largely a mixture of many cultures, more than any other human culture in GW. Which I think is why people love it so much.
I am considering to answer Krytan (Shining blade Krytan if that is eventually possible or if it remains unknown what type of Krytan you are).
Shining Blade is an organization within the nation of Kryta, so it isn’t really a “type of Krytan” at all.
I read that King Alberdern was not the next in line for the thrown, yet he is descended from king Doric.
Who was the next in line for the thrown?
Duke Barradin.
Anyway, could you please describe a bit of what the Krytan, Elona, Canthan and Acalonian are about (cultures, identities, environment, looks), so that I can choose the one that fits my identity the best?
Ascalon was a war-based nation due to its conflicts with the charr. They were established in 100 BE but fell in 1090 AE (1191 years established). It was the land where King Doric was actually crowned. Ascalonians were, as mentioned, constantly fighting the charr making them a grim people overall. In GW1, we saw the nation fall as the charr unleashed The Searing which burned the landscape and made the ground largely unusable. In response to the now-losing war, Prince Rurik took many Ascalonians west into Kryta for refuge. Shortly after GW1’s time, Adelbern unleashed the Foefire due to the charr constant encroaching armies, killing all remaining humans in Ascalon and turning them into never-ending ghosts, except for the recently established Ebonhawke that managed to be far enough out of reach of the spell. http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Ascalon
Kryta was the third Tyrian kingdom established, having been founded by King Mazdak who was King Doric’s son. For reasons unknown, Kryta was later colonized by Elona in 300 AE. During GW1’s time, the king fled the throne when the charr attacked which gave way for the White Mantle, puppets of the mursaat, to take leadership in a totalitarian krytocracy (religion-ran government) leaving those not supporting the White Mantle to be poor and living in thatched roofs (which was the majority of Kryta leading many folks to believe that “thatched roofs” was the norm for Kryta – it was, but only due to the White Mantle’s subjugations). GW1 saw the White Mantle overthrown and Salma put on the crown. http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Kryta
Cantha was an empire, not a kingdom, which reigned over two vassal states: the Luxon Armada and the Kurzick Houses. Cantha is the oldest known homeland to humanity, with Luxons and Kurzicks following suit, and in turn the most technologically advanced during GW1. Luxons and Kurzicks however have been at each others’ throats since the second emperor of Cantha, Yian Zho, placing their war to lasting over 1,500 years. In the end of GW1’s campaigns, Cantha was becoming xenophobic due to the plague caused by Shiro Tagachi’s return, which eventually led them to subjugate the Luxons and Kurzicks entirely, as well as commit genocide or exile all non-humans (including two tribes of tengu: Angchu and Sensali). Because many Canthans were going xenophobic, few left the land – most Canthans in Tyria are actually those who were locked out when Zhaitan rose, though some are descended from those who could not agree with the xenophobic leadership. http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Cantha http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Kurzick http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Luxon
Elona is a nation divided into three independent but mostly allied provinces: Istan, Kourna, and Vabbi. Each province has a different culture and government. Istan, situated on an island, is a naval based culture; Kourna is more militant, especially since Turai Ossa’s victory over Palawa Joko, and led by a Warmarshal; and Vabbi is a merchantile culture, led by whomever has the most wealth in the nation (Clansmarshals – though known also as Princes). In the past two centuries, Palawa Joko returned and waged war once more, enslaving the three provinces – conquering Vabbi and turning Kourna and Istan into vassal states of his living-and-undead empire. Refugees fled the land, with the last of them arriving 50 years prior to GW2. http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Istan http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Kourna http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Vabbi
Dear ANet writers,
Stop treating GW2 as a single story. Each Season and expansion should be their own story.
Stop treating GW2 as a single story. Each Season and expansion should be their own story.
Thanks both for all the info.
I went with Acalonian.
@ Konig des Todes.
To avoid confusion, I didnt meant to say that it would have an effect on my order.
It was more meant story wise, on the lines of that with the info I had before this thread,
I thought that it would be cooler to choose order of Whispers if I chose Elona.
Than I would be of Elona descent and be in an order that has contact with that area. But my Asura character already has Order of Whispers
So I want to pick a different order for my human to unlock more gear. which gives me personally less reason to go for Elona.
I am at a story quest, where I have to say if my sister and I are from Krytan, Elona, Canthan or Ascalonian descent.
I know little of these human nations (having read a little bit through wikis) and was wondering if someone more knowledgable, can give a short description about their identities.
Will my choice have any influence on the story btw?
I am probably not gonna pick Elona, because I am not gonna choose the Order of Whispers on this one (already have that order on another character) and they have an unknown way of travelling and communication with Elona. Or I might do.
Canthan are a bit of an Asian looking human nation right?
My human does not look as such (could of course still be Canthan and have lost its Asian looks through generations though).I am considering to answer Krytan (Shining blade Krytan if that is eventually possible or if it remains unknown what type of Krytan you are).
I know that the Acalonian are that Nation who are now largely ghosts.
Also the Thackeries are from here, which could be cool because Logan Thackery is asking from which descent I am.I read that King Alberdern was not the next in line for the thrown, yet he is descended from king Doric.
Who was the next in line for the thrown?Anyway, could you please describe a bit of what the Krytan, Elona, Canthan and Acalonian are about (cultures, identities, environment, looks), so that I can choose the one that fits my identity the best?
Your choice will not have an effect on the PS (as far as I know; however, I have not looked into it).
Elona (GW1-wise, anyways) was based off of Northern Africa. There were three human-controlled major areas: Istan, Kourna, and Vabbi. Abaddon (the 6th human god (of Secrets and Water)) was imprisoned in the Realm of Torment, which was in the West of Elona (if I remember correctly). Palawa Joko (an undead ruler who had conquered Elona previously, and had been dethroned by Turai Ossa before GW1) was also imprisoned in Elona and currently rules it.
In Factions, Cantha was mostly based off of China and other Oriental countries. It had an Emperor, who ruled from Kaineng City, the capital. West of the main continent was the island of Shing Jea, and south of Kaineng were the Jade Sea (which was primarily inhabited by the Luxons) and the Echovald Forest (which was inhabited by the Kurzicks). The Luxons and the Kurzicks were constantly at war with each other. If you do some reading on Shiro Tagachi, you’ll find he killed one of the Emperors during the Harvest Festival, then when he was killed, his death scream caused the Jade Sea into solid jade.
For much of GW1, Kryta was under the “protection” of the White Mantle cult, who worshipped the Mursaat, an ancient race of magic-users nearly wiped out by the Titans (demonic creatures made in the Foundry of Failed Creations). The White Mantle would find the Chosen, people who had magical potential, and sacrifice them on the Bloodstone to keep the Door of Komalie shut (which kept the Titans from coming into Tyria and wiping the Mursaat race into extinction). In GW1, you let loose the Titans by killing the Lich Lord (Vizier Khilbron, the only “survivor” of Orr), then you helped the Shining Blade kick the White Mantle out of Kryta for good. The Shining Blade instated Princess Salma as Queen (of whom Queen Jennah is descended, and is descended from King Doric).
Currently, most of the population of Ascalon are ghosts, but some followed it’s crown prince, Rurik, out of Ascalon, ending up in Kryta. Rurik is banished by his father, King Adelbern for sounding the horn Stormcaller. In Prophecies, you help Prince Rurik evacuate Ascalonians through the Frost Gate; however, Rurik is killed by Dagnar Stonepate, the leader of the Stone Summit faction of dwarves (those who opposed King Jalis Ironhammer, the king of the Deldrimor dwarves). You kill Dagnar at Thunderhead Keep, and kill the re-animated version of Rurik in Hell’s Precipice. Therefore, there is no one next in line for the Ascalonian throne, and it is mostly just a dead nation, just like Orr.
Well, that’s my spiel on GW lore, have fun! ^^