The Guild Wars 2 fan site devoted to all things GUILD WARS!

Humans - GW2 Survivors

After battling the Charr for what seems like a lifetime, in Guild Wars 2 the Human race faces it's biggest challenge yet.

The resilience of the noble human race has been tested time and time again yet they manage to overcome the challenges of the day and survive to fight another day, another war, another enemy. In Guild Wars 2 the Norn, the Asura and the Sylvari have taken over large portions of the continent. Their civilizations pushed the humans north and west, away from their ancestral land. Elona and Cantha are lost, unreachable. Now the humans are reduced to just one major nation, Kryta.

For more than a hundred years humans have survived in the city of Divinity's Reach, a breathtaking monument of white parapets and high, pale towers, built on the edge of the Divinity coast. The royal line of Adelbern ended with the death of Prince Rurik so the Humans are now ruled by Queen Jennah, a descendant of Queen Salma. The new Queen of Kryta established a system of government designed to give all people ? not just native Krytans ? a voice. In the 150 years since the flood which destroyed Lion's Arch, it has become a stable system, a respected government and a cornerstone of Krytan culture.

However it's a siege existence, as the human Seraph guard stand watch over a troubled land, confronted on all sides. Centaurs have come down from the mountains, Bandits roam the countryside, secret agents of the White Mantle still fight for their unseen gods and the Humans and the Charr are still skirmishing and arguing about historical grievances even while they?re trying to make peace.

In Guild Wars 2 the lone remaining human fortress in Ascalon lies at the far southern tip, where the eastern Blazeridge Mountains merge with the western Shiverpeaks. Valiant human fighters in the stronghold of Ebonhawke struggle to keep the last ember of resistance lit against their Charr conquerors. Although open war has ended save on a few small fronts, the hatred between the Charr legions and the human kingdoms has never abated. If anything, it is worse than ever before. Ebonhawke stands alone in defiance, supplied by an Asura gate from Krytan territories. There's a very tentative truce between the two old enemies but there are some major obstacles which must be conquered to make that truce a lasting one.

These defenders of the realm are the best and last hope their people. Despite all odds, humanity must prevail. The humans still worship their Six Gods with devotion, though their prayers go to silent skies as the gods no longer take an active hand in the destiny of Tyria. Have they truly left? Are they watching, but choosing not to directly answer prayers? These are questions that the people of Divinity?s Reach struggle with on a daily basis. Only the gods themselves know the answer. Bolstered by their faith in their seemingly absent gods, devotion to their Queen, and the dream of a brighter future for all mankind, they must stand against the enemy once more, from Divinity's Reach to Ebonhawke, and they must not fail.

GW2 Wish Granted

Here's a story that brought a tear to the eye of several of the GW2 Krewe.

A young girl named Emily has heart failure and she had one wish, which was to be able to play Guild Wars 2. Through a heart-warming "co-op mission" by the Make-A-Wish Foundation and ArenaNet, Emily was invited to tour the ArenaNet offices and meet some of the game designers.

She sat with a bunch of writers, animators, graphic artists and programmers and they showed her what they do to make games come to life. Emily told them how Guild Wars has helped her deal with her heart condition and hospitalisation by being able to retreat to a fantasy world.

After lunch, they let her play Guild Wars 2 with the developers. YES THEY LET HER PLAY GUILD WARS 2! At one point Emily said, ?I wish there were some sticks on this beach.? So one of the developers re-wrote the game to put sticks there. Amazing stuff!

I'm really looking forward to finding those sticks which may even end up being part of a quest (ala Gwen's Broken Flute).

After meeting with eight senior designers Emily was asked to help them design an "Event" for the game. Emily came up with an idea they really liked so they turned it into a detailed scenario, complete with dialogue, scenery and props.

Like I said at the start, several of the GW2 Krewe had teary eyes after this. I mean, WE want to pay Guild Wars 2 too!

But seriously, three BIG cheers for ArenaNet and the Make-A-Wish Foundation and lots of love and best wishes for Emily from all of of us here at the Guild Wars 2 Blog.

Guild Wars 2 Update

Like most other Guild Wars players, the GW2 Blog Krewe have been eagerly awaiting any news regarding the actual release date for Guild Wars 2. NCSoft CEO Jaeho Lee recently addressed a financial investors meeting to give an update and some interesting tidbits were revealed.

Firstly, a beta release will occur in 2010. That's GREAT news as there will always be information leaks so the hungry Guild Wars community will be able to devour the morsels as they surface... "like seagulls onto a sick prawn" as one of our Krewe like to say.

Secondly, a game release date for GW2 to follow in 2011.

Now bear in mind that the last thing any business wants to do is disappoint its investors (or its customers), so it's likely that these dates are worst-case scenarios and that the Guild Wars 2 release date will be earlier than this.

Guild Wars 2 Wallpapers

Amongst the Guild Wars 2 artwork that's on display at ArenNet's official GW2 site are some really cool desktop wallpapers which Anet is releasing them for download (free of course!).

They're available in 4 full-screen resolutions and 4 wide-screen resolutions and are a really nice way to spice up your desktop.

The lastest offerings are "Hordes of Orrian Undead" and I'm already hoping my Guild Wars 2 characters can get a hold of some high-powered Holy Damage Spells to keep those nasties at bay.

Norn - GW2 Man Bear Race

Well, to call the Norn "Man-Bears" may not be entirely accurate if you consider the statuesque female Norn. I remember what I was thinking at my first glimpse of Jora, the female Norn Warrior introduced to the Guild Wars world in the Eye of the North expansion... "Oh baby, we're going to win the 2-on-2 basketball competition" (What did you think I was thinking? )

A race of rugged, solitary hunters, the Norn worship the Spirits of the Wild... The Bear, The Snow Leopard, The Wolf and The Raven... and have the ability to shapeshift into mighty bestial forms with unique skills and powers. While the Norn are perfectly willing to allow the idea of gods, they think of them as a different type of their own animal Spirits.

Over the past one hundred years, more and more Norn have been seen in Kryta and lands beyond. Forced from their traditional homes in the Far North by the Elder Ice Dragon, Jormag, the Norn have re-settled in the Shiverpeaks, building new Totem lodges and Homesteads amongst the high peaks and snow-filled valleys. The greatest of these settlements is Hoelbrak, which provides a central meeting point for the Norn people where they can prepare for their next glorious battle.

Leading into Guild Wars 2, the eastern border of the Shiverpeaks has been stable for nearly 200 years. During The Searing, the Norn had allowed the Charr armies safe passage through the northern pass from Ascalon into Kryta, setting the stage for the Charr invasion of the central human lands. Although it is certain the Charr could have destroyed the Norn resistance if they had turned their entire army, or even one full legion, to the cause, warbands and smaller raiding parties could not overcome the individual strength of the Norn.

Although this mutual respect is not a real alliance, it has allowed the two races to live within a watchful peace... The Charr are allowed passage through Gunnar's Hold, and the lower canyons where the Norn had spread. The two races allowing one another passage and trade, while keeping their borders secure.

In Guild Wars 2 though, all is not peaceful for the Norn (which probably suits them just fine). After the demise of the Dwarves at the hands of the Great Destroyer, the Dredge seized the opportunity to claim Dwarven lands for themselves, resulting in the Norn and the Dredge fighting for control of these lands in a continual war that rages along the highest mountains.

As well as this, the Sons of Svanir, a group of corrupted Norn, worship the Ice Dragon Jormag as the ultimate Totem spirit. Only time will tell what brutal and bloody destiny awaits these traitors.

As for the Humans... The Norn have kept ties with their human friends, although the Norn often felt betrayed by their unpredictable human allies. Recently, that sense of betrayal has increased, as the Norn do not trust the Krytan Queen, believing her to be too dependant on her advisors, too unwilling to act on her own as a hero must. Although relations have cooled, the Norn hold out hope that the Krytan queen will prove herself by dominating her race, or that someone else will rise from among the humans to show them what it means to be strong.

In Guild Wars 2 YOU get the chance to be that hero!

The Art of Guild Wars 2

Get a big look at what Guild Wars 2 will look like! The works of ArenaNet's award-winning artists have just been released in "The Art of Guild Wars 2". It's a terrific collection of concept art presented over 128 pages in a hardbound book.

Inside you can take a look at the Charr war machines, see the undead realm of Orr and meet the mysterious Sylvari race. This book is a must-have for any GuildWars fan.

You can purchase your copy of The Art of Guild Wars 2 from the Penny Arcade store or the NCsoft Merchandise Store.

The Asura - Guild Wars 2 Mighty Midgets!

Without a doubt the Asura were one of the big hits to come out of previous Guild Wars games, being introduced in the Eye of the North (EOTN) expansion. In Guild Wars 2 they have evolved even further!

Originally a subterranean race, the Asura were driven to the surface during the time the Great Destroyer was wreaking havoc in EOTN. Now the Asura have acclimatised to life aboveground, creating massive cities that exist both above and below the surface.

They are an incredibly intelligent race, using their magic and crafting skills to expand their presence in the know world. At the end of the EOTN period, with the Dwarven race ceasing to exist as it previously had, the Asura became the foremost crafters in Tyria, their abilities and skills instantly invaluable.

In Guild Wars 2 the Asura have created a complex new society throughout the Maguuma Jungle area of Tyria, constructing massive Rata Sum-like cities in which to live and prosper. They've established good relations with every other intelligent race on Tyria, integrating into society where it suits them, but always remaining neutral during any conflicts by careful manipulation of information and relationships.

Although the Asura have learned to appreciate the skills and talents of other races, particularly the "bookahs", they still hold true to their sense of society. Asura life is based around the study of the Eternal Alchemy, an all-encompassing metaphysical theory that they analyze in their great research institutions - the College of Statics, Dynamics, and Synergetics. They have no defined or organised government structure, preferring instead to create "Krewes" to tackle specific tasks where they will follow the most experienced leader for the duration of each task.

While short in stature, the Asura lack nothing in the confidence department. Those unaccustomed to their manner often find them condescending and abrasive as the Asura believe they are destined to rule the larger, less intelligent races of the world (that's every being that ISN'T Asuran ). Humans, in particular, are viewed as being quite useful for heavy lifting and dangerous tasks. In general terms, the Asura view other races as simple tools to be used to achieve success in Asuran schemes.

In Guild Wars 2 the Asura use their magical skill to create magnificent invetions such as Servitor Golems, Blasting Rods and Asura Gates. They have installed these Gates in major cities to provide safe passage from city to city and to promote trade. However, they zealously retain control of these gates, maintaining their trade routes and their neutrality, always keeping themselves on the edges of disputes and wars.

It is no coincidence that the Asuran cities are built far away from the popular travel routes where they can perform their experiments in complete privacy, or with utter secrecy, always searching for new magics and new powers to control.

Those powers will soon be needed, as in Guild Wars 2 the Asura will face their greatest fears and their most deadly challenge.

The Charr Shall Rule!

While the Sylvari may be the newest race in the Guild Wars universe, it is the Charr who persist long after other races have fallen. The original "bad guys" in Prophecies, those Ascalonian-eating, house-burning, furry, fanged marauders are back for more in Guild Wars 2, only this time YOU get to be one! What's even better is that there will be FEMALE Charr in GW2!

It may have taken a little longer than they'd anticipated but the Charr finally conquered the human kingdom of Ascalon, claiming the land as their homeland with The Black Citadel their capital. These ferocious, warmongering creatures have evolved, leading the revolution of physical technology with guns, explosives and war machines to pound their enemies into submission.

In times gone past Charr women were once strong warriors, earning as much respect as the male of the species. However, when the Flame Legion took control, trying to unify the Charr race, they refused combat training to female charr. As a result females had to train in secret, suffering terrible punishment and often death if caught using weapons or fighting in battles. Around 40 years after the fall of Ascalon, a female Charr named Kalla Scorchrazor led an uprising resulting in the Charr legions abandoning their Shamans and refusing to worship false gods.

In Guild Wars 2, Charr warbands function as a government of sorts, with four primary Legions, the Blood Legion, the Ash Legion, the Iron Legion and the Gold Legion, each controlling city-strongholds spread out across the Charr lands. (The Gold Legion has been considered outcast since the fall of the Shamans.)

Although these Legions have no central rule, they work together to maintain their territories stretching from their original lands in the north all the way south to the merging of the two mountain ranges at the edge of the Crystal Desert.

In Guild Wars 2, all the Charr's miltary might will be put to the test, as it seems an Elder Dragon named Kralkatorrik may object to the Charr's plans...

Guild Wars Book Series

If you're as hooked on Guild Wars games as the GW2 Blog Krewe are then you'll be happy to learn ArenaNet have hooked up with Pocket Books to publish a three book series of GW novels. (This isn't to be confused with the Guild Wars 2 ART BOOK - which is a different but absolutely spectacular piece of work).

The three book series fills in the story gap (250 years worth) which exists between the end of the original Guild Wars series of games (Prophecies, Factions, Nightfall, Eye of the North) and the upcoming, and highly anticipated, MMORPG Guild Wars 2.

Over the years we've seen a number of novels based on computer games such as Doom, Halo and the Command and Conquer series released, so it shouldn't come as a surprise that ArenaNet go down this road too.

While the release date for the novels has yet to be announced (doesn't THAT ring a bell ), it's not beyond the realms of possibility that it could hit the shelves in time for Christmas. Financially that would make sense and it would give current GuildWars players something to whet their appetite with.

It's would also make a better gift than the cheap deodorant and too-small socks I received last year from a certain relative who shall remain nameless...

The Sylvari Plant People

Of all the races in Guild Wars 2, only the Silvari are new to the Guild Wars world. Their emergence in the southern lands of Tyria is due to two other races, the Humans and the Centaurs.

A human soldier named Ronan discovered a cavern filled with strange seed-pods being protected by terrible plant creatures. When the opportunity arose he entered the cavern and stole a single seed, as big as a man's fist, to show his daughter when he returned home from war. Upon his arrival, Ronan discovered the Mursaat had destroyed his village and murdered all within it, including his family, leaving only burned houses and mass graves. He planted the seed on their graves in the ground of his ruined village along the southern tip of the Maguuma Jungle and swore never to return to battle. This area is mw know as Arbor Bay.

Ronan was joined by a Centaur named Ventari, who had also begun to lose hope in ever seeing peace return to the land. The human and the Centaur formed a friendship and together they decided to begin their lives anew and create a refuge for human and Centaur alike. They built their safe haven near the ocean and the mysterious tree, offering peace, shelter and friendship to all those who sought it.

Over the years, the pale oak grew under the watchful eye of Ventari, becoming healthy and strong. At last, old and grey, Ventari carved his life's lessons upon a marble tablet, which he placed at the base of the tree so that future travelers might read it and, perhaps, learn the ways of peace and harmony. Then, many years after his human companion had passed on, Ventari laid down beside the tree and died. The year was 1165 AE.

Over the next hundred years the tree continued to grow until small cocoons appeared among its branches. These cocoons grew in size, eventually opening and giving birth to a new race of fully-grown people. They called themselves the Sylvari, and these ?Firstborn? were only the beginning of a the race, all born from the same "Pale Tree" planted so long ago.

The Sylvari who emerged from the cocoons found themselves strangely guided by the words Ventari had inscribed on the marble tablet. Whether the tree somehow became imprinted with the noble Centaur's ethics and moral code or whether it absorbed both the remains of the Centaur's flesh as well as the essence of his compassionate soul upon his death, no one knows for certain. What is certain is that his influence over the Sylvari is strong even to this day and the Ventari Tablet is their most sacred artifact.

When a Sylvari is born it is already fully-mature and from that point forward will show no signs of aging. They have no children and there are no families in the traditional sense but each Sylvari feels a special connection to each other through what they call the "Dream of Dreams". In this dream, they commune with the inner mind of the race, learning how to walk, talk, use implements and interact with the world. Thus, when a Sylvari is "born" they know a great deal more about the world than one might expect.

Their society is shaped by the proverbs on the Ventari Tablet, the basis of Sylvari honor and chivalry, as well as the Inner Dream that guides them toward their destiny. This Dream also contains hidden whispers behind the voices of their fellow Sylvari. They do not understand what it means ? but the Sylvari have yet to experience much of the world around them. They do not know the dangers and troubles of Tyria as well as the other races do. Soon they will understand that the whispers are the beginnings of the nightmares.

The Dragons Have Awoken

Over the centuries, the races of Tyria have endured violence, bloodshed and all-out and war. Wild creatures and monsters aside, conflicts between Humans, Charr, Mursaat, Dwarves, Norn, power-hungry dictators and other-world demons have have continually threatened the peace and stability of the continent. The years since the Ascension of Kormir and the defeat of the Great Destroyer have been no different, but now in Guild Wars 2, there are even worse threats to be faced.

Massive upheavals, earthquakes and tidal waves have torn apart the land. Sanctum Cay, D'Alessio Seaboard, and the Battle Isles sank beneath the waves. The once noble city of Lion's Arch was flooded, its buildings destroyed and was subsequently abandoned. Ancient Dragons many, many times more powerful than either Glint or Kuunavang, were the evil forces behind the carnage.

By the end of the Eye of the North campaign, SIX Ancient Dragons had been identified but the locations of only 3 are known for certain.

In the chamber where the final battle with the Great Destroyer is fought, Primordus (The Fire Dragon), can be seen. Beneath Drakkar Lake in the Far Shiverpeaks lies the "Ice Dragon", Jormag. The "Water Dragon", Kralkatorrik, can be found between Grothmar Wardowns and Dalada Uplands, directly south of Doomlore Shrine near the Charr encampment where Pyre Fierceshot first appears.

The location of the other 3 Ancient Dragons is as yet undetermined. They are either buried beneath sand (the "Desert Dragon" is expected to emerge somewhere in the Crystal Desert area of Tyria). The "Undead Dragon" Zhaitan is somewhere under the sea off the coast near Lion's Arch, while the 6th dragon, the Deep Sea Dragon is a compete mystery. There may also be a number of other "not-so-ancient" dragons around such as the one encased in an ice tower in the Ice Cliff Chasms area north of the Eye of the North.

As a pre-cursor to Guild Wars 2, far beneath Tyria, in the deep caverns, Primordus has now awoken. The death of the Great Destroyer, his most powerful general, delayed the dragon's return by two generations. Now with his magical breath he's turned earth and stone into legions of deadly, twisted minions far beneath the ground which have overrun the caverns beneath the earth, gradually forcing the Asura to the surface.

After Primordus, the other great dragons began to stir one by one.

The rise of a deathless dragon named Zhaitan raised the entire sunken continent of Orr to the surface, triggering massive earthquakes and tidal waves that swept the coastline, laying ruin to entire cities across the Sea of Sorrows. His undead armies surged from the sea, bent on destroying the five races of Tyria and any who stood in their way.

An elder dragon of ice and snow arose in the farthest northern peaks, driving even the bravest hunters south in search of safety.

In the deepest, darkest waters of the sea, another evil dragon breathed life, twisting the waters themselves into tentacled horrors that rose from every river and lake in the land.

Yet another dragon erupted from the northern mountains and flew south over the Charr-controlled region of Ascalon. The land directly below the dragon?s flight was blackened and transformed into a corrupted crater of horror. Any creatures caught within the wind of its breath twisted and changed forever.

The only thing known about these Dragons is that they have no pity, no curiosity, no mercy. They have no concern at all for the other inhabitants of the world. Their only goal is to dominate, to control, to possess and to destroy.

Unless someone can stop them, the dragons will change the face of Tyria for eternity, eradicating all races, indeed all beings except for their own creations.

Can the races of the world unite and fight together to save this troubled world? Is there a hero who will step forward and take up this ultimate challenge to save them from their darkening struggle?

Are YOU that hero?

Official Guild Wars 2 Trailer Released

August 2009 and the official Guild Wars 2 website and trailer were unveiled to a salivating audience at PAX.

"Tyria... the dragons have always been here", says the voice.

... and so it begins. The combatants are revealed, the prize... Tyria and all the worlds above and beneath the land and sea.

Now if only we knew WHEN the game was planned for release! Although the beta stage was scheduled for late 2008 it's well past that now so the best "guesstimates" predict the game will be released around the end of 2010 - mid 2011.

While that may seem like a long time to wait the feeling amongst the GW2 blog krewe is that it's best to get it right rather then rush it and have it disappoint. It's certainly going to be the most anticipated MMORPG in history!

All good things come to those who wait... and Guild Wars 2 is going to be worth the wait,

GW2 Races - Friends or Foes?

Certain playable races have already been announced as being a part of the new Guild Wars 2 world. They are Human, Charr, Norn, Asura and the newly discovered race, The Sylvari.

Old friends and old foes abound! In GW2 you get to decide which race suits YOUR playing style.

The Humans... resilient, resourceful, determined and battle-hardened.


The Charr... a ferocious, lionesque race and long-time foes of the Humans. They worship no God and trust only the power of the Warband.


The Norn... fierce, independent, hulking man/bear shapeshifters from the frozen northern shiverpeaks.


The Asura... short in stature, BIG in intellect - magical inventions and technology are there speciality.


The Sylvari... an entire race spawned from a single tree (The Pale Tree) which was grown from a seed found by a human in a cavern protected by terrible plant creatures. Planted by the human on the grave of his Mursaat-killed family and nurtured for 100 years by a noble Centaur.

Although each race will begin in different areas and have slightly different storylines, all of the races must join together to defeat the Elder Dragons because no single race is powerful enough to do it on their own.


The world of Guild Wars 2 offers an entirely new experience for GW veterans as you play as one of these races.

Guild Wars 2 Blog Goes LIVE!

"Guild Wars 2 finally released causing worldwide rejoicing from devoted GW fans". Well... that's what a future headline WILL read but for the moment we'll have to simply revel in the fact that Guild Wars 2 development is well underway and is aiming to become the BEST MMORPG ever!

It all started with the NCsoft press release on March 27, 2007 announcing the release of Guild Wars: Eye of the North. This was the eagerly awaited and much anticipated first expansion to the award-winning, subscription-free Guild Wars franchise. A central feature of this expansion was the introduction of the Hall of Monuments (HoM). Existing GW players now extra motivation to complete previous campaigns, hunt titles, charm pets, collect heroes and to craft armors and weapons in Guild Wars, Factions, Nightfall and Eye of the North, as the HoM is the link to Guild Wars 2 and allows players to take achievements they have earned over the years with them into the future world of GW2.

In the announcement Mike O'Brien, co-founder of ArenaNet explained "Not only do we go back to the original Guild Wars lands and stories to wrap up plots and themes fans have clamored to learn more about, but we've also built a bridge to the future through the Hall of Monuments. This will give loyal players a way to preserve what they've accomplished in Guild Wars over the past two years, and reclaim the legacy of their favorite characters in Guild Wars 2."

As new information surfaces, Guild Wars 2 Blog will help spread the word. Once the game is released, I and a group of devoted GW-addicted friends (the GW2 Blog Krewe ) will bring you our unique insights into the game, offering personal stories, news, pictures, maps, the odd joke and useful gameplay tips.

It's time to get excited! Guild Wars 2 is coming, it's going to be HUGE, it's going to be spectacular and I want YOU to enjoy it as much as I'm going to!

Stay tuned!

GW2 Fans!

Guild Wars 2 BLOGS
LATEST WEB LOGS

Funny Pranks
& Gag Gifts!

"I'd like to think that if Prince Rurik was alive, (the Ascalonian warrior prince from the original Guild Wars, Prophecies), that he'd enjoy this blog as much as the GW2 Blog Krewe do."