Guild Wars 2

Title asks my question..
Now that the story arc is heading towards the White Mantle from GW1, I was curious as to what happened to that huge floating eye ball we all lugged around in the original game.
It would zap anyone it found ‘worthy’, and they trailed us around until we unknowingly led them back into town, into the hands of their future executioners.
Last we saw of the monstrosity was when it perched back onto it’s pedestal in the middle of town. Your input will be greatly appreciated.
(Thank you my favorite lore Gurus!)

I don’t think we know, but at a guess either it was destroyed or the Krytan government has it. Or maybe the Priory or Order of Whispers since both have collections of interesting artefacts, including some they’re probably not supposed to have.

But unless it does a lot more than we were told in GW1 it would be fairly useless now. It’s purpose was to detect the ‘chosen’ – those who were capable of completing the Rite of Ascension and gaining the Gift of Truesight, which enabled them to see and fight the mursaat (and also do a bunch of other things like enter the Mists).

But now the Mursaat are gone, except for possibly Lazarus, the site of the original Rite of Ascension is inaccessible but we’ve found other ways to achieve the same thing, and other ways to enter the Mists, although completely different areas of it.

Of course we were never told how a creepy floating eye crystal could detect the chosen, so maybe it can do more than that. But it would need someone who knows how to use it to find out.

The Eye of Janthir.

Disclaimer: I am no lore-guru, I know little about the Eye of Janthir right now but I’ll do my best to provide an answer with what I know and what little information I can find.

Thanks to Mantle Knight Franklin we may know quite a bit about the Eye of Janthir. As can be quoted from the following bit of text:

“What’s the Divine Eye of Janthir?”

“Years ago, the founder of the White Mantle, Saul D’Alessio, traveled south to the island of Janthir. It is said that those who come from this island are gifted with True Sight, the ability to see a person for who he really is.
When Saul returned to Kryta, he brought with him the Divine Eye, an artifact that possesses this True Sight in a limited capacity. The Eye can identify those individuals who have within themselves the potential to become powerful magic users. Those identified by the Eye as having talent are taken to the Temple of the Unseen to study under the Grand Masters, so they may realize their full potential.”

Because of the White Mantle being prone to covering up their identities with tales and lies. (Such as the entire Test of the Chosen appears to be.) We simply can’t give any straight answers regarding the origins or the essence of the Eye of Janthir.

But alright,

So we’d know Saul D’alessio supposedly brought the eye from Janthir.
At this point the Eye may very well be a tool created by the Mursaat or even the Grand Masters of the Temple of the Unseen.

The eye is likely to be what Franklin said: “an artifact that possesses this True Sight in a limited capacity.” And as such is an item or perhaps a tool.

We don’t know if there is only one Eye of Janthir or if the Eye degrades.
We have last seen the Eye during the Divinity Coast mission where we transported it from Shaemoor to Loamhurst and lost track of it after this mission.

Long story short, after having read just about everything I could find about the Eye of Janthir, Janthir, the Mursaat, Saul D’alessio and the White Mantle…
…I can’t give a conclusive answer.

I don’t know what or where the Eye of Janthir is.

My theory is…

“The Divine Eye has an intelligence of its own. It won’t follow just anybody. Only those who have proven themselves worthy are asked to partake in this ceremony. In the past five years, all of the knights who have been promoted to the rank of zealot or justiciar had at one time administered the test.”

“You came all this way for a few soldiers? You really have no idea what’s in this compound, do you? Only the worthy are taken inside. Like the squad leader.”

It would be rather interesting, if the Eye of Janthir returns in the third wing, perhaps even as an ‘enemy’ to destroy. We know it was capable of offensive capabilities – it knocked down all who were not worthy, and illuminated the Chosen. It is sapient, too.

One thing I maintain is I doubt the Mursaat are all dead. I figure the ones behind the white mantle are all gone, but we know Saul stumbled into a golden city of the Mursaat, and they had cities/places on the Isle of Janthir.

I suspect there are more Mursaat out there, just more isolationist and hidden and Lazarus is the last active one in the wide world.

As for the Eye, it most definately was sent by the Mursaat, as we all know Saul disappeared shortly before the White mantle completely took over Kryta. Maybe it’ll show up in the raid, given how this seems to be where the White Mantle retreated to and built a base after being defeated.

Kalavier.1097:

As for the Eye, it most definately was sent by the Mursaat, as we all know Saul disappeared shortly before the White mantle completely took over Kryta.

“Most Definitely” has a variety of definitions.
Most of those are along the lines of:

• “Undeniably”
• “Unquestionably”
• “Doubtlessly”

Yet also providing, although in far lesser extent:

• “Most likely”

Which is why I personally had a hard time grasping the message of the quote cited above.

“As for the Eye, it most definately was sent by the Mursaat, …”
Could therefore imply multiple things with two being notable:

1. “It is most likely that the Eye of Janthir was sent by the Mursaat.”
2. “There is no doubt that the Eye of Janthir was sent by the Mursaat.”

In the first case this sentence is harmless speculation, a suggestion of a possibility in regards of probability. Evidence to support this statement can be given and isn’t even required in the first place.

In the second case however, this sentence is an unsubstantiated claim.

… , as we all know Saul disappeared shortly before the White mantle completely took over Kryta.

This does not exclude the possiblity of other options.
Saul disappearing before the widespread rule of the White Mantle does not exclude the possibility of him having brought the Eye of Janthir to Kryta before his disappearance.

Mantle Knight Franklin stated no accurate dates of occurrence.

“Years ago, the founder of the White Mantle, Saul D’Alessio, traveled south to the island of Janthir.”

“When Saul returned to Kryta, he brought with him the Divine Eye, an artifact that possesses this True Sight in a limited capacity. "

We have no indication of time besides “Years ago” and “when Saul returned…”

I am not great with the Tyrian calendar, but I’m sure others on these forums such as Konig will be able to indicate that there’s a gap between the return of Saul D’alessio, the founding of the White Mantle, and the “The Rise of the White Mantle” Mission in which Saul disappeared after chasing the Charr out of Kryta. This gap will likely prove that Saul would have had the time needed to “fetch” the Eye of Janthir.

Kalavier.1097:

One thing I maintain is I doubt the Mursaat are all dead. I figure the ones behind the white mantle are all gone, but we know Saul stumbled into a golden city of the Mursaat, and they had cities/places on the Isle of Janthir.

It was not a golden city. This is a highly warped remembrance of the lore.

“a city of massive towers reaching into the heavens. It was a sight to behold, alabaster and golden filigree.”

http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/The_Protectors_of_Kryta

Our one and only line describing the city that Saul found beyond “towers reaching into the heavens” describes it as Alabaster with golden filigree. This line comes from pre-beta lore where Saul’s name was Botolf instead of D’Alessio, and the Confessor’s was Schessler not Dorion. The description of material is actually removed from all later versions of the story – including the Prophecies manual – which at most will only talk about the towers’ height.

Furthermore, nothing says that the mursaat inhabited Janthir at any point in time. All that’s said about Janthir is:

1) It’s where Saul got the Eye of Janthir, and
2) its inhabitance had the Gift of True Sight (which one can deduce to mean seeing into the overlap between Tyria and the Mists, where the mursaat and souls hide).

Kalavier.1097:

As for the Eye, it most definately was sent by the Mursaat, as we all know Saul disappeared shortly before the White mantle completely took over Kryta. Maybe it’ll show up in the raid, given how this seems to be where the White Mantle retreated to and built a base after being defeated.

The first Test of the Chosen began no later than 1067 AE, according to Franklin who states its been around for five years at the time of Prophecies.

Saul D’Alessio disappeared in 1070/1071 AE.

That means that Saul and the Eye and the White Mantle were around for at least three years before the events of the Bonus Mission Pack where Saul is ‘killed’ (aka kidnapped).

So unless Franklin was a huge liar or told nothing but lies (the latter being highly unlikely in this case), there’s nothing to contradict Saul being the one who brought the Eye of Janthir to Kryta.

Eh, it’s been forever since I delved into the lore around the White Mantle.

I would still maintain that Saul could have brought it back with the Mursaat having given it to him, as opposed to him ‘finding’ it. And the White mantle were enshrouded in propaganda and lies throughout Prophecies, and some of their interactions with the PC were to paint a better picture then what they were really doing.

Course, Franklin states that Saul traveled South… to an Island north of Kryta. I’ll give that a typo pass though.

Less a typo and more a retcon, since we didn’t know the island existed until Eye of the North nor had a name for it until GW2 betas (and for all we know the devs didn’t come up with that island location until making the new map for Eye of the North); most people, iirc, thought that Janthir was the mursaat’s name for the Ring of Fire islands until GW2 named that northern island.

Anyways, your comment made it sound like you were saying that the mursaat handed it to the White Mantle post-Saul’s disappearance.

Konig Des Todes.2086:

Less a typo and more a retcon, since we didn’t know the island existed until Eye of the North nor had a name for it until GW2 betas (and for all we know the devs didn’t come up with that island location until making the new map for Eye of the North); most people, iirc, thought that Janthir was the mursaat’s name for the Ring of Fire islands until GW2 named that northern island.

Anyways, your comment made it sound like you were saying that the mursaat handed it to the White Mantle post-Saul’s disappearance.

Not meaning to ‘necro’ this question…but with the new insights with Laz and all… Could Lazarus have the eye, and be using it for himself somehow?

It’s entirely pausible the White Mantle (and by extension, Lazarus) still have the Eye. They kept sacrificing people on the Bloodstone. Though they’d not need “chosen” they may seek such out just by virtue.

In the raids, Bennet is mentioned as being worthy – it’s entirely possible they’re using the same process of the Eye (with or without it) to determine the “worthy” sacrifices who’d be taken to Salvation Pass for their sacrificing with Bloodstone Shards/on the Bloodstone itself/experiments to make Bloodstone Abominations.

@trub I made this topic a while ago (here it is) about the Eye and the latest lore insights. Long story short (even though it’s fast to read) the seal found in the mursaat’s fortress (Ember Bay) and the new helm of Lazarus recall the Eye of Janthir (and to an extent even the Anomalies’ eyes).

So, we still don’t know where it is, but why would Lazarus need it now? He is supposed to be incredibly powerful, and most likely he’s got the gift True Sight himself.

Also, regarding the Eye itself, is it a mere artifact or was an entity somehow trapped in it? Or better, was someone watching through the Eye from a distance, given that the mursaat wouldn’t show themselves easily at the time?

I feel…..a reawakening….the eye…the eye….

Spoilers below related to the season finale.

To answer…

Still unclear…

It’s actually pretty firmly established that the Eye of Janthir is heavily tied to the mursaat, since the days of Prophecies. While there has never been any direct confirmation of the “people of Janthir” being mursaat or not, the Eye of Janthir has always been 100% tied to the mursaat – first in being lent to the White Mantle, then overseeing a mursaat prison. And now gathering the aspects of Lazarus in "seeking out its masters". Nothing truly new here, except for the Eye’s ability to be autonomous, which was established at the end of Bastion of the Penitent.

Janthir was named back in Prophecies as part of lore, specifically of “where the Eye came from and why it is named that,” but we never knew where it was – we found out where it was in Guild Wars 2, and that was likely enough to name the isle (which was of big interest to players in GW1 when we got the expanded Eye of the North map that showed the full island). There was never any real indication we would ever go to Janthir, just player desire.

Kasmeer’s ability has nothing to do with the Gift of True Sight. She’s stated on multiple occasions that her ability is more talent for mundane lie detection (flinching of eyes, body movement, etc.) on a large number of occasions, only once or twice relating it to magic. The Gift of True Sight has only been related to 1) seeing souls trying to hide themselves from mortal sight, 2) seeing mursaat who’s “slipping partway into the Mists” seems related to if not the same as #1, and 3) seeing the potential for an individual being “Chosen” (i.e., seeing others who can gain the Gift of True Sight).

This bizarre eye is one of the few really scary things I saw in Gw2. It was never clear whether he is 1-Creation of the Mursaat 2-A preexisting artifact that the Mursaat seized control.

I just hate the fact they removed the eye without ever discussing its origin. It came from the isle of Janthir obviously, but if the eye dissipated with the death of its master it had magical servitude or creation

Also, what did Livia do with the scepter of Orr? Did she casually toss it off a cliff or something?
(https://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Staff_of_the_Mists)

Konig Des Todes.2086:

It’s actually pretty firmly established that the Eye of Janthir is heavily tied to the mursaat, since the days of Prophecies.

Sorry, I think I haven’t clarified what I meant by the Eye being “tied” to the Mursaat. What I meant was why did the Eye disintegrate (I'm taking this to mean that it died) when the last Mursaat died? Almost as if the life force of the two are connected to each other such that one cannot exist without the other. Why couldn't the Eye just continue to exist after Lazarus' death? Clearly there is a reason for this and my issue is that this reason was never given.

I don’t think a reason really is needed to be given for that. Not every single little tidbit should be explained. There is a simple fact we’re told: the Eye’s existence is tied to the existence of the mursaat. While we could be told why that fact exists, it doesn’t really need to because that explanation is unlikely to give us any additional knowledge.

This would not be the first time in which a magical enchantment is tied to the existence of an object or a person, and that with the person/object’s death/destruction, the enchantment fades away.