Guild Wars 2

I speculate that the gods have become inactive because there is too much magic on Tyria and that it is toxic to them. Once the dragons have reduced the levels of magic to non toxic levels, the gods will be active once again.

https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/game/gw2/Dolyak-Express-Jan-10-2014/page/3#post3545340

Q: Are the Six [gods] really gone or not? Their power is still very much present. Players can call upon the gods’ power with prayers, NPC priests can summon Reapers of Grenth etc., and their statues are still stuffed with energy. So if they left, why are their power still here?

Jeff Grubb: The human gods still exist, and their power is still felt within Tyria. However, they have pulled back into the mists, leaving the humans to stand (or fall) on their own merits. There has been a tendency for the human gods to, um, meddle with their worshippers a bit much, and in the wake of the final battle of Abaddon, they have been trying to cut back. Also, the destruction of the big A and his replacement with Kormir in the Pantheon resolved one of their ties with physical contact with Tyria. So there are ties, but you just can’t ring them up to take on the Elder Dragons.

Given that this is just the most recent of dozens of statements by the devs that the gods stopped communicating because they want humanity to stand on their own/have lost the last of their physical ties to the world, I doubt it has anything to do with the Elder Dragons or the levels of magic.

Grenth is likely still in the Underworld and hopefully will make an appearence during one of the upcoming Halloweens.

Would these be the same devs that said the second born sylvari first appeared 6-7 years after the first born?

You still trust what they casually throw out there?

I trust Ree and Jeff, yes. The stories they’ve written have been good and consistent with continuity.

I do not trust Angel, Bobby, and Scott who’ve been writing the Living Story, however, as the stories have been… less, to put it nicely, and inconsistent with continuity.

I think the gods are simply cowards. We do not know of the nature of the six, however, knowing that the dragons consume magic, the gods might be creatures of magic, that could be susceptible to the dragons corruption (seeing that they seemingly corrupted avatars of the six). Maybe they felt threatened by the dragons, even if the dragons may have never known about the mists. You know, the one who has power, fears to lose it. They might have foreseen the rise (or simply knew of the cycle) of the dragons and thus prepared for their next rise.

One could further guess, that the six, arriving thousands of years after the last rise of the dragons, cultivated humans on Tyria, who are probably creations of the old gods. Those humans could be intended to be the tool of defeating the elder dragons.

It is also possible that the six didn’t know of the dragons at first, but have learned of their existence and their powers in time and then “decided” to leave humanity alone. However, the impact of the gods is quite noticeable. Especially the resurrection of the fallen is a gift by grenth, as far as I remember. Even if the gods are not around any more, they have left evidence of vast powers… maybe the dragons won’t resist to eat a bit more

Also the gods retreated into the mists, didn’t they? Asura technology grants access to the mists, maybe the same technology might allow the races of Tyria to follow the six… I would certainly try that… and then I slay all 6 of them and will absorb their immortal powers… MUHAHAHAHAHA…. oh yes… and I am Asura. For me they are only another resource to exploit xD

No, the gods left Tyria because the cries of “ZERK only or GTFO!!!!11” became too loud for them to bear. They got fed up with zerg parties mindlessly running around, and people complaing that the economy is broken and rampant inflation is taking over.

Gates of Madness mission in GW1 pretty much have the gods saying “We gave you the skills, it’s time to grow up and take care of yourselves without depending on us”.

And even in GW1’s time, they didn’t meddle in human affairs. The favor of the gods was us going into their realm helping around, and Wintersday was showing what kind of winter we preferred.

Erm… Abbadon, one of the six did meddle with human affairs all the time.He first interfered by giving humans magic… and then interfered again by wanting to make humans suffer beyond measure. And the latter happened for sure in GW1 time… from prophecies to nightfall it was all about fighting Abbadon and his pawns.

Seeing this context it is a farce that the gods did not protect the humans in the first place from the corruption of Abbadon’s influence. I still believe those gods to be a self righteous and coward example of just another magical race, that fears the dragons and therefor left. They couldn’t say that, because it would make them look weak, but I think that is pretty much what happened.

We know the 6 had been interfering with humanity from the time they brought them to tyria. It’s only recent that they have stopped. But we know why they stopped from the devs not because of any ingame expalnation form the gods themselves.

TyPin.9860:

Erm… Abbadon, one of the six did meddle with human affairs all the time.He first interfered by giving humans magic… and then interfered again by wanting to make humans suffer beyond measure. And the latter happened for sure in GW1 time… from prophecies to nightfall it was all about fighting Abbadon and his pawns.

Seeing this context it is a farce that the gods did not protect the humans in the first place from the corruption of Abbadon’s influence. I still believe those gods to be a self righteous and coward example of just another magical race, that fears the dragons and therefor left. They couldn’t say that, because it would make them look weak, but I think that is pretty much what happened.

From what I remember, they clarified that all the gods took part in releasing the magic from the Bloodstone and giving the “Gift of Magic” to Tyria. But after constant warfare and humanity being pushed to extinction, the gods decided maybe it wasn’t the best idea to release it all at once.

That’s where some of the conflict with Abaddon took place, since he wanted to keep magic just how it was. Even though, you know, humanity facing extinction. “Act with magic, act within reason, act without mercy.”, and all.

Abaddon was maybe the greatest benefactor of humanity. He understood that only the strong should survive. That would have allowed humanity to become the dominating race of Tyria and they could have defeated the dragons already. But instead the other gods took pity on the weak, as they saw themselves in that weakness. And who knows, maybe the humans waging the wars were about to master that magic beyond the gods’ liking. And so they hid behind noble reasons, only to protect themselves. And after they had screwed with humanity and with one of their own, they abandoned everyone, even leaving the now weakened humanity to the wrath of the one they betrayed.

Calling Abaddon the betrayer is as false as it can get. The other 5 where the ones betraying Abaddon. This is why their powers should be harnessed, preferably by me (meaning my main Asura Mesmer ), but they themselves should be destroyed.

Also, the magic of the blood stone should be released and magic should be wild again, as this is the natural state of Tyria.

P.S.: I know that all of that might not be intended by the devs, but I see this kind of scenario with the facts we were given very likely. It certainly would explains a lot to my Asura main character:

1. the 6 gods (members of a magical race somewhere in the mists) were afraid of the dragons discovering their existence
2. they came to Tyria when the dragons were sleeping
3. they cultivated humans as their army against the dragons
4. they escaped the scene, claiming humanity has to “grow on its own”, while they themselves only wanna be as far away as possible from the action and the magic consuming dragons

TyPin.9860:

Erm… Abbadon, one of the six did meddle with human affairs all the time.He first interfered by giving humans magic… and then interfered again by wanting to make humans suffer beyond measure. And the latter happened for sure in GW1 time… from prophecies to nightfall it was all about fighting Abbadon and his pawns.

Seeing this context it is a farce that the gods did not protect the humans in the first place from the corruption of Abbadon’s influence. I still believe those gods to be a self righteous and coward example of just another magical race, that fears the dragons and therefor left. They couldn’t say that, because it would make them look weak, but I think that is pretty much what happened.

Before the Exodus, the gods did whatever they wanted. After it, they stopped meddling and transforming people into trees.

And Abaddon trying to break free isn’t really interfering in human affairs. It’s more him doing whatever he can to free himself, instead of punishing people for their bad deeds.

The gods have grown even more silent since GW1, but then again, two of them sending their avatars to play games or make us do chores isn’t really being active.

RedStar.4218:

The gods have grown even more silent since GW1, but then again, two of them sending their avatars to play games or make us do chores isn’t really being active.

But it is interfering still. The six are a pathetic bunch. It’s like bringing a child into the world, what you have always cared for, but then suddenly you go away and tell it: “grow on your own”. In the same time you send still signs of your existence and caring onto this child and thus sparking the false hope in it that you might return. That is psychological torment. If I’d life in Tyria I would either be very angry at those gods (when being human) or try to study them so I can find them and teach them what happens, when you abandon the people you have set yourself out to care about.

Well maybe they left for an entirely different reason? As humans progressed, and began discovering technology and advancing, they became less dependant on the gods, and in time the gods just became old stories and legends and myths. Humans eventually stopped believing in the gods, so not being wanted anymore they just left.
Still the general idea of the gods still remains, but more out of tradition than anything. How many humans are still devout followers of the gods? The names are more used as oaths and curses than anything.

At least thats how I see thats why the gods left.

Konig Des Todes.2086:

https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/game/gw2/Dolyak-Express-Jan-10-2014/page/3#post3545340

Q: Are the Six [gods] really gone or not? Their power is still very much present. Players can call upon the gods’ power with prayers, NPC priests can summon Reapers of Grenth etc., and their statues are still stuffed with energy. So if they left, why are their power still here?

Jeff Grubb: The human gods still exist, and their power is still felt within Tyria. However, they have pulled back into the mists, leaving the humans to stand (or fall) on their own merits. There has been a tendency for the human gods to, um, meddle with their worshippers a bit much, and in the wake of the final battle of Abaddon, they have been trying to cut back. Also, the destruction of the big A and his replacement with Kormir in the Pantheon resolved one of their ties with physical contact with Tyria. So there are ties, but you just can’t ring them up to take on the Elder Dragons.

Given that this is just the most recent of dozens of statements by the devs that the gods stopped communicating because they want humanity to stand on their own/have lost the last of their physical ties to the world, I doubt it has anything to do with the Elder Dragons or the levels of magic.

I have always been under the impression that the Six realized they would look like a full-course meal to an elder dragon and split to someplace even they couldn’t find them. You and Jeff are likely right, but, well, nothing is entirely as it seems, perhaps?

(See also: Melandru / Melaggan )

TyPin.9860:

But it is interfering still. The six are a pathetic bunch. It’s like bringing a child into the world, what you have always cared for, but then suddenly you go away and tell it: “grow on your own”. In the same time you send still signs of your existence and caring onto this child and thus sparking the false hope in it that you might return. That is psychological torment. If I’d life in Tyria I would either be very angry at those gods (when being human) or try to study them so I can find them and teach them what happens, when you abandon the people you have set yourself out to care about.

What proof, since the exodus, do you have of the gods helping around ? Nothing. They didn’t intervene during the Scarab Plague or during the Charr invasion, they didn’t help with the jade wind. They didn’t even help with Abaddon.

Since the Exodus they never showed signs of “caring”.

TyPin.9860:

But it is interfering still. The six are a pathetic bunch. It’s like bringing a child into the world, what you have always cared for, but then suddenly you go away and tell it: “grow on your own”. In the same time you send still signs of your existence and caring onto this child and thus sparking the false hope in it that you might return. That is psychological torment. If I’d life in Tyria I would either be very angry at those gods (when being human) or try to study them so I can find them and teach them what happens, when you abandon the people you have set yourself out to care about.

This happens all the time. Some children simply won’t fly on their own unless you push them out of the nest. Or kick them out of the house. or stop paying their credit card bill, etc.

wasn’t balthazar in charge of the battle islands? were there reward points distributions in gw1 like we have in wvw? because that would have been Direct meddling.. i remember lion’s arch had Zaishen until it got blow’d up.. and wasn’t the line of Canthan emperors imbued with dwayna’s power at some point? indirectly resulting in the horrific jade wind.. and also, dwayna Directly inducted Karei into Tahnnakai Temple After Exodus.. and quickly i’ll mention nightfall to get to my point.. the human gods may seem “inactive” right now, but we never know when we are going to bump into some influence of theirs.. as for having a tangible presence in tyria, the thread questions ‘why’ and i can’t help but think ‘why not.’
i’m assuming grenth is in the underworld ‘doing his job’ for the most part.. if the 6 were to ‘show up’ i doubt all 6 of them would {i could be wrong} and personally i wouldn’t mind seeing some melandru influence in the season 2 storyline

{ i’m not a lore-ist, these are just some quick thoughts on the issue }

Balthazar wasn’t in charge of the Battle Isles. The Zaishen Order, who revered him, were. He didn’t come down to bless fighters or award them points.

But for Karei, I never knew that ! Huh, that was unexpected xD

TyPin.9860:

Abaddon was maybe the greatest benefactor of humanity. He understood that only the strong should survive. That would have allowed humanity to become the dominating race of Tyria and they could have defeated the dragons already. But instead the other gods took pity on the weak, as they saw themselves in that weakness. And who knows, maybe the humans waging the wars were about to master that magic beyond the gods’ liking. And so they hid behind noble reasons, only to protect themselves. And after they had screwed with humanity and with one of their own, they abandoned everyone, even leaving the now weakened humanity to the wrath of the one they betrayed.

Calling Abaddon the betrayer is as false as it can get. The other 5 where the ones betraying Abaddon. This is why their powers should be harnessed, preferably by me (meaning my main Asura Mesmer ), but they themselves should be destroyed.

Also, the magic of the blood stone should be released and magic should be wild again, as this is the natural state of Tyria.

P.S.: I know that all of that might not be intended by the devs, but I see this kind of scenario with the facts we were given very likely. It certainly would explains a lot to my Asura main character:

1. the 6 gods (members of a magical race somewhere in the mists) were afraid of the dragons discovering their existence
2. they came to Tyria when the dragons were sleeping
3. they cultivated humans as their army against the dragons
4. they escaped the scene, claiming humanity has to “grow on its own”, while they themselves only wanna be as far away as possible from the action and the magic consuming dragons

There are so many different conflicting origin stories for the gods that i wouldnt be surprised.

Didn’t also the gods help Kormir absorb the essence of Abaddon?

Also Abaddon did interfere. Intentionally or not, he interfered still after the exodus. And this is what is so false about the gods. They cause some crap and then let the humans deal with it. Abaddon’s actions are a direct result of their actions that echoed long after they supposedly left.

I wouldn’t say the gods help around. All of their actions have brought suffering beyond comparison to Tyria, before and after the exodus.

The only gods who stood true to their reasoning and intention were Abaddon and Dhuum and maybe Grenth to an extend, although with the war against Dhuum he had, the same way as the imprisonment of Abaddon by the other 5, left an echo of destruction, pain and suffering. And for what?

TyPin.9860:

Abaddon was maybe the greatest benefactor of humanity. He understood that only the strong should survive. That would have allowed humanity to become the dominating race of Tyria and they could have defeated the dragons already. But instead the other gods took pity on the weak, as they saw themselves in that weakness. And who knows, maybe the humans waging the wars were about to master that magic beyond the gods’ liking. And so they hid behind noble reasons, only to protect themselves. And after they had screwed with humanity and with one of their own, they abandoned everyone, even leaving the now weakened humanity to the wrath of the one they betrayed.

I think a bit too much sympathy for the devil is blinding your views of Abaddon a bit.

If Abaddon had his way with the Gift of Magic, and it fully stayed in place, humanity would be dead. No mastering magic and becoming the dominating race in all of Tyria. Sure, there might have been a single dominating race at the end of it all, but it wouldn’t have been the humans. The whole of humanity would have either been wiped out due to infighting or the other races killing them off slowly but surely.

As from the History of Tyria...

Despite the serpents’ retreat, the gods never halted their work creating the world, and with the benevolence of indulgent parents, they decided to create magic. It was to be a gift to all the intelligent creatures—meant to ease a life of toil and make survival a less arduous task. When they had finished creating their gift, they presented it to the humans and the Charr, the Tengu and the dwarves, the minotaurs and the imps, and all the races of the land.

But the gods had not counted upon one thing—greed.

Wars broke out immediately as the magical races fought for dominance. So much destruction was wrought that humans found themselves at the edge of extinction. When all seemed lost, it was King Doric, the leader of the united human tribes himself, who made the long trek to Arah, the city of the gods, on the Orrian peninsula. He gained an audience with the creators and begged them to help, to stop the wars and bring peace to the land once again.

The gods heard his pleas, and they intervened.

And the Elder Dragons devour and store magic. A magic rich environment, no matter how strong the races living there are, is not a good thing to fight the Elder Dragons on. The Mursaat, Seers, Forgotten, Dwarves, and Jotun weren’t able to take them down in their prime, and that was during a time before the creation of the Bloodstone, where magic had no restrictions and was much more plentiful.

What makes you think the humans would stand a chance given the same circumstances?

Well, it states the humans were at the edge of extinction. They weren’t extinct yet. Who ever prevails wouldn’t matter at all. Only that a strong would be left to stand against the dragons.

I remember fighting the Mursaat. Either they are only a shadow of their former prime, or they aren’t as powerful as it is made to believe. Even when they had access to the ancient wild magic, they sure didn’t use it well. I agree that it seem contradictory to fight the dragons with magic, the thing they are consuming. However strong magic can be used to alter matter and through magic an equally powerful entity as the dragons could have been created.

In the end it was asuran technology that harmed and killed Zaithan. Magic is a part of the great alchemy and by limiting magic, the great alchemy would be limited too. Who knows which kind of machinery the asuran genius would have come up with, if the magic would have been free and wild.

Of course this is only a theory and the dragons might have devoured everything nonetheless. However, I can not come around to question the decisions of the 6 gods, when all they did was preaching for the good of humanity, but their actions were ultimately set out to hurt them.