Guild Wars 2

I mean the graphics are absolutely beautiful and the lore is nice, but the combat in this game is what really makes it shine for me. The combat is extremely fluid and I would say it compares to a FPS game. It’s fast, fluid, exciting, and demanding! Even if they took away all of the cool weapons and armor in the game and dressed us all in pink bunny suits with carrots for weapons I would log on everyday for the combat.

I feel extremely bad for having hated the living world system but…
these news are awesome, living story is good and I LOVE YOU ARENANET GO GUILD WARS 2!!!

God knows I have loudly voiced my criticisms of this game (and will continue to do so – lol) …

But yes, to date, this is the best MMO I have ever played overall. Sure there are specific aspects of some other MMOs with I prefer over GW2, but in general, when talking about all 3 modes (PvE, WvW, PvP), then yep, GW2 beats out all my previous mmo experiences.

So now that I got that out of the way, time to go back to my regularly scheduled program of loud criticisms and suggestions. ;-)

I have my beefs with some things, but yea, I agree this is the best MMO out right now.

I agree… this game is really, really good. By MMO standards, good community to boot

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??

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

Just saying there are some corrupted largos, there’s either a vet or champ one in frost gore at the end of the guild rush quaggas one in the water! And the jungle wurm I think is corrupted by something(mordemeth maybe?)

Mad Queen Malafide.7512:

There is no basis to assume this at all. We have never ever seen a single female Norn icebrood. Not one. So we have no reason to assume they are turned, or can be turned at all. How ever, we also have no evidence to assume the opposite.

I guess you only read that part instead of what i based the idea on… selective reading…. don’t worry i suffer from it sometimes as well

Also… i have seen one… there is a poster of either a female icebrood or a female version of the norn Svanir who is a an icebrood, apparently they wanted something bulkier after designing it… i would have stuck with the first idea. icebear vs icedragon dragon wins every time

Google Female Norn Icebrood should be right near the top of images.

Someone should report Jormag for not being an equal-opportunities employer.

Danikat.8537:

Honestly I always assumed that after Jora rejected his power and then killed his first new champion Jormag holds a grudge against female norn and refuses to have them in his armies. I also assumed they were killed outright instead but it’s possible they’re kept imprisoned for another purpose (maybe used as slave workers?).

I find that unlikely. After all it was a male Norn who is said to have taken Jormag’s own tooth, while Jora only killed one of his champions. So if anything, Jormag should have a grudge against male Norn.

Simplicity.7208:

Quote from Eilif (Son of Svanir in Hoelbrak)“Begone, woman. The Sons have nothing to say to you or your fellow skirt-wearing wenches.”

Sounds like Jormag doesn’t try to recruit females. Or at least he doesn’t have his followers trying to recruit them.

Keep in mind that the Sons of Svanir simply worship Jormag, and have their own reasons for not wanting women among their ranks (the whole Jora tale). That doesn’t mean they are declining women on direct orders of Jormag. They are a cult, and have their own rules.

Quote from Eilif (Son of Svanir in Hoelbrak)“Begone, woman. The Sons have nothing to say to you or your fellow skirt-wearing wenches.”

Sounds like Jormag doesn’t try to recruit females. Or at least he doesn’t have his followers trying to recruit them.

Konig Des Todes.2086:

I personally view that as something akin to how the amulets from Necromancer Rissa turned the grubs from living to dead without inflicting harm, or how the Orrian artifact that Kellach had (which I suspect was an amulet from Rissa) was turning him into a champion of Zhaitan, despite the fact that everyhow else, Zhaitan only corrupts corpses.

That is, the Koda’s Bane guy was using Jormag’s corruption in a way that Jormag (and his highest champions like the Dragonspawn and, possibly, the Claw of Jormag and Drakkar) doesn’t prefer.

There are some huge flaws in there.

Firstly, the artifacts that corrupted Kellach came from a plundered Orrian Dead Ship that the Ravenous and her crew ambushed on the high seas. Alasita Crow knew they were cursed, and so did her crewmates, and so they sold it to Kellach who didn’t. They thought they’d made a good bargain…

You are also wrong on Jormag’s champions. It is shown in several events in Frostgorge (maybe some in Snowden, too) and a whole renown heart in Snowden that the Claws bombard areas with corrupted ice crystals which then corrupt those around them. Also, the Dragonspawn was more than willing to turn dead or defeated norn into icebrood, without their consent.

I’d say Jormag’s only reason for trying with mingling his way to norn through promises is that more will likely flock to him without having to fight to dominate them. In other words, he won’t be seen as a hated, public enemy by the Fools of Svanir who will willingly undergo corruption, fight for him, and bring in more minions later on. He’s just recruiting an army as well as corrupting one. Doubled progress.

I personally view that as something akin to how the amulets from Necromancer Rissa turned the grubs from living to dead without inflicting harm, or how the Orrian artifact that Kellach had (which I suspect was an amulet from Rissa) was turning him into a champion of Zhaitan, despite the fact that everyhow else, Zhaitan only corrupts corpses.

That is, the Koda’s Bane guy was using Jormag’s corruption in a way that Jormag (and his highest champions like the Dragonspawn and, possibly, the Claw of Jormag and Drakkar) doesn’t prefer.

I would like to stress however that Svanir was turned into the Nornbear, while Jora was cursed (but she wasn’t changed in appearance). And if you look closely at what the Nornbear looks like, he is basically an icebrood champion. And we know that only male Norn return as icebrood.

This could mean that female Norn can’t be turned into icebrood at all.

There is nothing that indicates they felt anything different, again quite the contrary, nor that Svanir’s susceptibility was due to being male. Svanir and Jora were different people, with many subtle factors playing into their identity. Male and female was by no stretch of the imagination the only relevant one. Nor can Svanir’s actions portray all norn- he is one man, and one man does not make a trend. The reason female norn don’t flock to Jormag’s banners is because Jormag’s representatives in norn territories are misogynists. The Sons can more easily tempt male norn, because the Sons don’t even try to tempt females. We have absolutely no reason to believe there’s anything deeper than that.

It is almost certain that Jormag’s tooth does not have the power to corrupt. The only indication we have that Elder Dragon body parts can corrupt is the sword in the Priory storyline, which A.) was made of blood, which in Guild Wars is innately magically potent, and B.) was tampered with in gods know what ways to make it into a sword. As for why Jormag didn’t corrupt him in the fight, we’re not so sure, but he did have help from the Spirits of the Wild. Perhaps we’ll learn in Sea of Sorrows (small chance, I know, but a man can hope.)

We’re talking mental resilience here. Svanir embraced Jormag’s promises of power and prey, because he did not want to resist it. While Jora fought it and lost her connection with The Bear. It is quite possible that Jormag can more easily tempt male Norn than female Norn. This could be a physical difference, but it could today also be a cultural difference, since Jora is an example to many female Norn.

The Sons of Svanir are a different matter btw, they are simply male Norn who decided to freely pursue these same promises by Jormag. What Jora did (kill her brother) is widely known among all the Norn. This is why the Sons of Svanir do not want women amongst their ranks, because of what Jora did.

But to get back to this point of mental influence. We know both Jora and her brother Svanir could feel Jormag’s corrupting influence. But they felt a different thing. Her brother chose to embrace it (maybe male Norn are more willing to do so?), but Jora felt it was wrong. It is quite possible that since all female Norn are taught this story to this very day, that all of them instinctively resist Jormag’s manipulation. What we don’t know, is if all female Norn also feel that the power of Jormag is evil, as Jora did.

One thing we do know for sure. Jormag’s power can transform both male and female Norn alike physically and spiritually, even through the presence of one of his champions alone.

Also, we know that at least one male Norn was also able to resist Jormag’s influence: Asgeir Dragonrender. Who as far as we know, after taking Jormag’s tooth, was able to found Hoelbrak without being corrupted (it is at least never mentioned, as far as I know).

See I’ve been thinking about this after seeing a concept art.

http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/File:A_Trap_Foiled.jpg

It clearly depicts a female follower of Jormag. Now, one could shrug this off as simply something they decided not to use and left in because it was cool…….but I have a different though.

What if Jormag feels that, after what happened with Jora and her brother, the female norn has the most potential?

Now as for why Jormag would keep this a secret from the sons, perhaps he wishes them to feel like the chosen ones? After all the Sons all appear to be extremely weak willed, so I imagine it would be a way of stroking their ego. Not only that, perhaps Jormag’s “daughters” as I’ll call them are his trump card and thus he wants to keep them secret?

Again, the quote was “The men return… as frozen icebrood. The women return… not at all.” It does not say the women die, just that they aren’t part of Jormag’s southern armies.

Mad Queen Malafide.7512:

Maybe Norn women in general are resilient to his influence, and die in the process of resisting him.

As far as I recall this is roughly accurate. There was some discussion in the book Edge of Destiny about the subject – I think it suggested that the women die, the men come back as icebrood. As for why? Not really sure. The Sons of Svanir may point back to the Svanir and Jora tale, but who’s to say that was the cause as opposed to merely the first example of Jormag’s “preference” for male norn?

Explorer Hekja became Risen in Estate of Decay, so we know at least Zhaitan can corrupt female norn. We also find out, in the early norn quest where you become a minotaur, that Sons of Svanir don’t have any women around to reproduce with, so it’s not likely that they become sex slaves.

I think the most logical answer to this question would be that they just straight-out die, but the question is still why they would be killed instead of turning to icebrood, and whether it’s mental, physiological, or just Jormag being a misogynist.