Guild Wars 2

Obviously the Zephyr Sanctum’s current decorations are due to the Chinese release, but it doesn’t mean they can’t be rooted in lore. And indeed, although nobody I’ve met so far says it explicitly (there is an NPC who says something to the effect of having just come from some “wondrous place”), it seems as though the Zephyrites have just come from Cantha, which for the uninitiated took aesthetic inspiration from Asiatic cultures.

Sadly, at least from my (admittedly limited) exploration so far, none of the Zephyrites seem to be talking about any current affairs in Cantha. Which is a shame, since the Empire of the Dragon has been physically cut off from Zhaitan’s rise in 1219 AE until almost two years ago, and politically isolated for even longer.

The Bazaar of the Four Winds usually convenes in isolated locations, away from authorities, so it is not unthinkable that they could do so in Cantha without facing the wrath of the emperor. But the Bazaar and the Zephyrites actually seem to be independent from one another; it just so happened that last year (and this?) the Zephyr Sanctum was an attendee.

Also worth noting is that the Zephyrites are largely comprised by Canthans and Elonians. I initially wanted to say displaced Canthans and Elonians (why not Tyrians? I believe this was answered by a dev once, but I can’t find where), but if we assume that they formed not long after the dwarven transformation put an end to the Brotherhood of the Dragon, then they may well have come into being before Palawa Joko’s conquest of Elona or Emperor Usoku’s isolationism. Clearly these Canthans chose to leave Kaineng City, but is it still possible they have some contact with their old home?

We also have this quote:

Renuu

Do you ever wonder what sort of cargo these people are transporting? I get the feeling that it’s not just supplies. One of the ships is giving off an unnatural glow.

I think we all know the one she means. I haven’t the time at the moment to go and explore myself; has anyone found any clues as to what that strange golden glow might be? Whatever it is, if the Zephyrites were carrying it before then I don’t think we were aware of it. I think it’s more likely that they picked it up at one of their destinations between then and now, and probably Cantha, given that otherwise we’d be in absolutely no position to speculate whatever, and speculation is clearly something that ArenaNet want to generate on this subject.

My first thought was that it might be a reference to the Xunlai headquarters in Guild Wars Factions, which itself was a reference to shiny maguffins such as Indiana Jones’ Ark of the Covenant or Pulp Fiction’s briefcase. But the fact that both the trailer (which is also an in-game cinematic) and now an NPC have drawn attention to it makes me think otherwise.

errr, what is a Zephyrite?

The Zephyrites are a group of humans, largely of Canthan and Elonian ethnicity, who live in a flying ‘city’ called the Zephyr Sanctum, in order to remain out of reach of the conflicts of the surface world. Most of their history is a complete unknown for us, save that they’re somehow linked to the dwarvern Brotherhood of the Dragon and shared that group’s respect for, and cooperation with, Glint. They roam the world, touching down from time to time to trade and promote peace, and last year they signed a trade agreement with Lion’s Arch and played an important role in filling the empty seat on the Captain’s Council.

I have only seen one thing about the land they got the decorations from: it is highly cultured and seems to be in good condition (or their ports are).

So Cantha seems to be doing well.

As to the Bazaar and Zephyrites – it seems that the Zephyrites tend to land for the Bazaar itself, but not always.

For why there’s more Canthans and Elonians, the dev comment you may be thinking of may be:

GuildMag: So one more question. So why do the Elonians and Canthans take up most of the crew of the Order of the Zephyrites?

ArenaNet : I believe it has to do mostly with the way the organization was founded and where it was founded. They do have this connection to the Brotherhood of the Dragon. They were in – like I said they keep themselves separate, they keep themselves distinct from the Tyrian races. So naturally the only thing left after you deal with Tyria is Cantha and Elona. It’s really just a question of geography. This is where the organization was founded so it drew on its members from those places before the Sanctum figuratively took off and floated away never to touch the ground again.

http://guildmag.com/magazine/issue9/interview.htm

As to Remnu’s comment… isn’t that from last time? Which I thought referred to Glint’s power they hold.

I feel like that answer just poses more questions. Why pull away from Tyria but not Cantha or Elona? The Brotherhood of the Dragon never had ties to those places, and while Elona is near to the Crystal Desert, why would they consider it ok but not Tyria? And Cantha? The isolationist empire, which under Usoku’s iron-fisted rule expelled all who didn’t agree with the official policies? Why would dedicated pacifists with ties to a dragon on the other side of the world do their recruiting there?

That dev response was…less satisfactory than I was anticipating. Why do they specifically exclude Ascalonians, Krytans, and Orrians? As for its founding being a question of geography, Elonians I could understand due to their proximity to the Dragon’s Lair, as well as Ascalonians from Ebonhawke. But Canthans? They’re further away than any of the Tyrian races, by a very long way.

Konig Des Todes.2086:

As to Remnu’s comment… isn’t that from last time? Which I thought referred to Glint’s power they hold.

Rennu’s dialogue last time, according to the wiki, was far less specific.

Even though I’ve posted this in another thread here and The Cantha Thread, it’s pretty important in that it implies the Zephyrites did, in fact, go to Cantha. Not only do we have the dialogue from this NPC you mentioned, but if you speak with Marjory by the Sky Docks waypoint, she’ll mention that the new bazaar aesthetic bears similarity with items passed down from her grandparents. And, well, Marjory has some Canthan blood in her.

That’s a good point to make Shew, and I’d say it puts the nail into certifying that they came from Cantha.

If Zephyrites are involved in Season 2, then we may eventually get some hints to Cantha’s state. Or it may just end with it being a tie for China’s release.

@Tamias: I think it’s less of excluding, but that at the time each had no interest in joining in large numbers. The Zephyrites are the successors of the Brotherhood, so they were likely formed after Eye of the North (may have been tied to the cut Elonian Beyond story actually…), and by that time the Orrians were almost all gone, the Ascalonians were on the brink of death, and Kryta was still cleaning up the mess of the White Mantle. Most people would have been too patriotic to leave if they hadn’t already – or dead.

Elonians or Canthans however, were different. All dwarves were turned to stone by 50 years after EN, which matches pretty close to the rises of Joko and Usoku, so the forming of the Zephyrites would have accompanied the exiling of Canthans and Elonians. All those Canthans and Elonians would need a place to go, and as we see with DR, there… actually isn’t a sizable amount of Canthans – odd, isn’kitten Unless the sizable portion… joined the Zephryites.

The NPC “Fang” standing on the Cliff’s docks pretty much confirms that they went to Cantha (there is a new Jade statue of carps sitting at the top of the Cliffs, which almost certainly came from Cantha) after departing LA last year, although they also tease the player by saying that “they probably won’t return there for a while.” The player can even say that they “hope to visit there someday”, to which the NPC replies, “I certainly hope you will!”

Curse you and your teasing, ANet! :P

Taimi also has some teaser dialogue about what the Zephyrites are taking on in their cargo, saying she’s getting some “strange readings” from the crates. That suggests it’s not anything to do with Scarlet or Scarlet’s various technologies; Taimi should be extremely familiar with them by now. It seems that the Zephyrites are picking up something at the Cliffs and delivering them to another non-Canthan destination. Perhaps they’re headed to Elona next?

Whatever they are heading for, it’s implied to be a long journey from what Taimi says and speculates, but she wonders were the destination is.

The golden glow however, does remind me of the glow from the Xunlai headquarters. And yeah, that jade statue… only place with jade blocks we know of period is the jade sea.

However, I do believe the Bazaar is a ‘home location’ for them, probably one of many. There are structures made around the crashed airship, and the buildings there (assuming the ones on cliffs have some sort of cave entrance cause.. Idummo how you’d reach them otherwise daily) seem like the type you don’t just leave alone for a year+ possibly at a time.

Wiki says nobody lives there outside the bazaar times, but I could see either some living there to fend the krait off or nothing of value period being left behind when they leave.

Yeah, I don’t think that place is abandoned outside the Bazaar, especially since we have that new building built over the Aetherblade airship crash site. Whether it’s a frequent place of the Zephyrites though isn’t really clear – though it would certainly make sense if it was given their apparent avoidance of the nations (that area being in an effective no-man’s land of the nation borders and spheres of influence).

I could easily see it being converted into a fishing village during the times when the Sanctum isn’t docked there. Plenty of houses on the lower level and (assuming it’s not zephyrites living there during the off time) you could block off the water(or place a roof over it… if the water is even that harsh but I think that’s gameplay :P) and possibly easily access the lower and mid level for housing.

That and easy access to open water nearby and shipping to LA to sell goods…

One thing I was wondering:
Last year there were a few Tyrians who were saying that they were going to travel with the Zephyrites – where are these people? O_o. Should they not theoretically, at least one of them, have returned with the Zephyrites.

I think I saw a sylvari and norn Zephyrites on the ship. I’ll have to check again to make sure.

Edit: Yes, there is at least one sylvari and one norn (not sure if he was there during the first event) Zephyrite on the Sanctum. So they did seem to return, or at least those ones did.

Tamias.7059:

Renuu

Do you ever wonder what sort of cargo these people are transporting? I get the feeling that it’s not just supplies. One of the ships is giving off an unnatural glow.

I think we all know the one she means. I haven’t the time at the moment to go and explore myself; has anyone found any clues as to what that strange golden glow might be?

I don’t know, maybe it is just some valuable freight glinting inside that cargo hold …

~MRA

“Last year there were a few Tyrians who were saying that they were going to travel with the Zephyrites – where are these people?”

They are probably busy reporting back to the Order of Whispers.

I feel bad for anyone trying to live there without the Zephyrites. Run out of crystals, and, well…

FlamingFoxx.1305:

One thing I was wondering:
Last year there were a few Tyrians who were saying that they were going to travel with the Zephyrites – where are these people? O_o. Should they not theoretically, at least one of them, have returned with the Zephyrites.

Trader Aerin has returned and has, this time, gotten permission to join them. The rest have returned too but give off a “I’m tempted to, but I don’t think I will” in their dialogue – like last time.

Erukk.1408:

I think I saw a sylvari and norn Zephyrites on the ship. I’ll have to check again to make sure.

Edit: Yes, there is at least one sylvari and one norn (not sure if he was there during the first event) Zephyrite on the Sanctum. So they did seem to return, or at least those ones did.

Those were there last time. Except for Trader Aerin, no NPC on the Sanctum itself has really changed, except for a couple of dialogues.

Aaron Ansari.1604:

I feel bad for anyone trying to live there without the Zephyrites. Run out of crystals, and, well…

I think that’s more of game mechanics, like I doubt those waterfalls are really so heavy to prevent anybody from walking though, while also not ruining that thin walkway.

Honestly, you could set up rope bridges from the mid to lower level (the wind jump part) and simply live there. Or just at the bottom as a small fishing village.

edit: “Bottom” meaning everything from the do to the wind adept, while middle means the area around the bar (between the wind jumps and the lighting jumps) Top I consider the top of cliffs, maybe including the lighting jump pillars to reach it.

Cliffside houses (which I find weird unless they have some cave access system cause they are SUPER weird and hard to get to…) probably connect to middle? <_<

Konig Des Todes.2086:

FlamingFoxx.1305:

One thing I was wondering:
Last year there were a few Tyrians who were saying that they were going to travel with the Zephyrites – where are these people? O_o. Should they not theoretically, at least one of them, have returned with the Zephyrites.

Trader Aerin has returned and has, this time, gotten permission to join them. The rest have returned too but give off a “I’m tempted to, but I don’t think I will” in their dialogue – like last time.

Erukk.1408:

I think I saw a sylvari and norn Zephyrites on the ship. I’ll have to check again to make sure.

Edit: Yes, there is at least one sylvari and one norn (not sure if he was there during the first event) Zephyrite on the Sanctum. So they did seem to return, or at least those ones did.

Those were there last time. Except for Trader Aerin, no NPC on the Sanctum itself has really changed, except for a couple of dialogues.

Thanks I was looking all around talking to the NPC’s but somehow not getting the idea that any of them actually had returned >.> my bad.

Aaron Ansari.1604:

I feel like that answer just poses more questions. Why pull away from Tyria but not Cantha or Elona?

Okay, so I don’t post much in the forums, but I do have a possible answer to this. Though, I will admit that it revolves around further speculation about the Zephyrites. Primarily that they, the ‘Protectors of Heritage’ – which has been assumed to mean the protectors of Glint’s heritage (which may or may not be the baby dragon that we defended in GW1) – harbor and protect Glint’s child.. Assuming that all of the above is accurate..

I would assume that the primary reason that the Zephyrites have kept (for the most part) from Tyria and from adding many Tyrian’s into their ranks may revolve around the Elder Dragons. So far we’ve only seen confirmation of the Elder Dragons directly influencing Tyria, while Cantha and Elona are not their current focus. We’ve also seen that Dragon Minions are capable of transferring thoughts and memories back to their Masters (seen when corpses raised by Zhaitan relayed messages and memories to the Elder Dragon in many Personal Story instances).

Glint rebelled and eventually tried to assassinate her former master, Kralk, and may have succeeded if Destiny’s Edge had held out a bit longer. Perhaps, again if they truly have Glint’s child aboard their vessels, they are waiting for the child to be strong enough to try the attack again. So they may view it as safer to keep away from Tyrian’s and adding Tyrian’s to their ranks to further protect the dragon from the Elder Dragons (as a returning Tyrian may want to venture out to their family or friends during one of their extended trips to Tyria, such as at the festival and if they were to be corrupted the secret would be blown – where as Canthan’s and Elonian’s wouldn’t feel that strong of a reason to venture outside of the Sanctum or Bazaar).

Of course, the above is all based on various speculation.. but in my mind I think it holds some water.

Countering this argument, though, I could see mention that there are ‘supposedly’ Tyrian’s who joined the Zephyrites since their last visit. But that may be that only Zhaitan had the power to pull memories from it’s minions, and so that threat is no longer present. Though we don’t know enough about the other Elder Dragons to really state that as fact.

Konig Des Todes.2086:

Those were there last time. Except for Trader Aerin, no NPC on the Sanctum itself has really changed, except for a couple of dialogues.

Was the sylvari npc labeled a Zephyrite last year though? Because I thought last year was the first time a member of the sylvari race met/seen the Zephyrites before. It would have been kinda weird if he instantly converted to the group right after they met.

Yes, he was labeled a Zephyrite and even was/is part of the alas song. I know, the NPC not even 10 feet away says that there is no memory of the place in the Dream.

Which means mister generic sylvari Zephyrite is either Soundless or not from the Pale Tree.

Not sure it has been mentioned, but has anyone commented on the dialogue on the ship where two NPC’s mention something along the lines of seeding crystal’s dust on the clouds when they’re higher up? I’ve been thinking a lot about those lines and I can’t really get any good speculation out of it – alas not one that would make much sense yet.

Eluveitie.1290:

Not sure it has been mentioned, but has anyone commented on the dialogue on the ship where two NPC’s mention something along the lines of seeding crystal’s dust on the clouds when they’re higher up? I’ve been thinking a lot about those lines and I can’t really get any good speculation out of it – alas not one that would make much sense yet.

Sounds like cloud seeding here – tossing dust (silver iodide?) up into clouds to encourage rain. Haven’t seen the conversation, so they could mean something entirely different.

It’s clearly the source of the Crystalline Dust. It’s all Ground Glint.

>.>

<.<

She tastes like rainbows!

No wonder food has tasted funny lately, it has dragon remains on it.

galen ubal.2807:

Eluveitie.1290:

Not sure it has been mentioned, but has anyone commented on the dialogue on the ship where two NPC’s mention something along the lines of seeding crystal’s dust on the clouds when they’re higher up? I’ve been thinking a lot about those lines and I can’t really get any good speculation out of it – alas not one that would make much sense yet.

Sounds like cloud seeding here – tossing dust (silver iodide?) up into clouds to encourage rain. Haven’t seen the conversation, so they could mean something entirely different.

Pretty much that seems to be the context. It could be the reason, not much of a scientist here so didn’t know that, but interesting point.