Guild wars 2 Lore

Reign of Humans

Historical records after the Exodus primarily focus upon humanity. Ever since 100 BE the known world of Tyria, Elona, and Cantha was under the domain of the human nations: Ascalon, Orr, Kryta, Elona, and the Empire of the Dragon. Two years after the Exodus Orr became an independent nation. Humanity continued to spread, eventually forcing the forgotten into the Crystal Desert in 174 AE where they became caretakers to Glint and guardians of the trials of Ascension.

Over the following century after the Exodus human culture established guilds which became powerful groups in the nations. They began to hold more power, being the enforcers of laws and regulations in whatever means they desired. In time their influence began to overlap bringing conflicts. But that was not until the volcano in the Ring of Fire erupted sending the five Bloodstones across the land; the magic they contained seeped into the land and air around them. With greed and the desire of power in mind, the guilds attempted to claim these Bloodstones.

Because so much power was in the hands of guilds, the kings of Ascalon, Kryta, and Orr were unable to prevent conflict and the first Guild War began, raging for decades. In time, Ascalon and Kryta were embroiled into the war; only Orr remained outside the Guild War, preferring to remain neutral and peaceful. In whole, there were three Guild Wars. When the first two began and ended are unknown.

221 AE marks the beginning of what Canthans call the Age of the Hedgehog; it was when Canthans made official contact and trade with the northern continents of Tyria and Elona. In 300 AE, Kryta became an official colony of Elona, although humans had lived on Kryta since the time of King Doric. This time marked the beginning of the human-centaur conflict as humans had spread further out and into centaur lands. Kryta gained its independence 58 years later.

452 AE Saw the first fall of a human nation. The Scarab Plague began, sweeping through Istan and wiping out the Primeval Kings. After the Scarab Plague subsided the Great Dynasty was established until its fall after 127 years. The Great Dynasty was followed by Elona's darkest times, the Shattered Dynasty Era. Although wars raged on, and leaderships changed, the human nations saw little historical effect until 851 AE. Lord Odran, through sacrifices and powerful rituals, became the first mortal to open portals into the Mists. Although the portals lay hidden in dangerous lands his eventual death brought new sport to both man and spirit: tournaments of glory held within the Hall of Heroes.

Two decades after Odran first opened portals to the Mists, Abaddon began his plot to return and bring forth Nightfall. In 870 AE the Flame Legion of the charr discovered the titans, agents of Abaddon, at Hrangmer, worshiping them as gods of their own. Bathea Havocbringer rebelled against this new worship, raising an underground army to disrupt the Shaman caste and their new faith. But she was defeated, and sacrificed to the new gods. In turn, the Flame Legion banned all females from fighting in battle, forcing them to domesticated tasks at homes and on farms.

Two years later Shiro Tagachi slew his own emperor under the influence of the words of a Fortune Teller, who also was an agent of Abaddon. Through dark rituals Shiro absorbed magic granted to Emperor Angsiyan from Dwayna and twisted it. Upon being slain by Viktor, Archemorus, and Vizu Shiro released this magic in a death wail, causing the Jade Wind.

Abaddon's plots were not heard of again until the end of the Third Guild War, which began in 1013 AE. When the nation of Orr was eventually forced into battle, though they intended to end the conflict under King Reza's orders, the casualties rose exponentially compared to the past two. This third war did not end due to Orr's influence, however, but by a blitzkrieg attack from the charr. In 1070 AE, the charr assaulted Ascalon while they were distracted with Kryta and Orr, and quickly made it to the Northern Wall, where they performed the Ritual of the Searing. Ascalon was devastated, and the charr armies marched through with ease, bringing more Searing Cauldrons with them towards Orr and to Kryta.

With the Orrian armies away, the charr swept through Orr with ease despite their magical affinity. They quickly made it through to the western edge of Orr, now known as the Cursed Shore, though never had the chance to reach the actual city of Arah. This was due to Vizier Khilbron, a possible follower of Abaddon, unleashing a powerful spell that sank the peninsula of Orr in the Cataclysm - although there is conflicting information upon whether the destruction of the nation was intentional or done out of desperation. Either way, the only survivors of this event were those who were away from their home at the time; all those who were in Orr during the Cataclysm became the walking dead, Khilbron himself becoming a Lich Lord.

Kryta shared a different fate. When the charr forces arrived King Jadon fled the throne, leaving his people at the mercy of the feline race. However, a newly formed order stepped up to defend their land - the White Mantle, led by Saul D'Alessio. The White Mantle, backed by the mursaat whom they called the Unseen Ones, successfully defeated the charr, although at the price of the lives of the unfaithful who witnessed the Unseen Ones' true form - including Saul himself. With the royal family gone and Kryta leaderless, the White Mantle rose to power as the new government, savior of the lands.