8/3 The Scribe and More Nightfall Details!

Well more info now, sounds like gems are going to be of use now, maybe, about time? eh? Three Provinces south? or maybe east? of Crystal Desert?

Discuss-

From Guild Wars The Scribe, publication -
"The Distant Land of Elona

During recent days, I took some time to speak with a few of the visiting Elonians regarding their homeland. I learned that the realm of Elona is divided into three separate provinces, each offering a unique environment and exotic dangers. I spoke with representatives from each of the three provinces, and they gave me a bit of insight into their respective homelands.

The first of the three provinces I learned about was the Island province of Istan. Residents of Istan spoke of fantastic monuments left behind as remnants of a distant past. These monuments are scattered amongst the modern buildings of Istan, lending an intriguing appearance to the island province. Those Istani with whom I spoke were warm and kind, sharing information of their homeland with pride and delight. From what I understand, Istan is a land of heroes, and those who dwell within it are considered the protectors of Elona. Many of the standing monuments symbolize bygone glories of an ancient Elonian empire. I should very much like a chance to pay a visit to this fine land.

Next, I learned of the powerful military province of Kourna. A young Dervish and I discussed Kourna at length. While she seemed unwilling to talk about the politics of her homeland, she went into elaborate detail about the region itself, and the might of the army that dwells within. Kourna borders the vast Crystal Desert, and thus depends on a man-made irrigation system that brings water from the magnificent Elon River. The Elon River is essentially the only life source in an otherwise arid wasteland, enriching the soil and nurturing the land with its annual flooding. Despite the harsh environment, Kourna is the heart of Elona, housing a majestic army led by the descendant of a long-dead hero named Turai Ossa, whom the Elonians hold in high regard.

A noble Paragon spoke to me about Vabbi, the northernmost province of Elona. He spoke with pride about his home in the highlands, and praised Vabbi's marvelous wealth and beauty. The Paragon described the ornamental architecture used in the cities of Vabbi and, I must say, if his armor is any evidence of the land's splendor, I cannot wait for the chance to visit his homeland. The Paragon also mentioned that the surrounding mountains are littered with gem mines, and their treasures may provide an inspiration for the fabulous architecture seen throughout the province.

I was not able to discuss political or social issues with any of the Elonians. However, I learned enough of the Elonian homeland to make me desire more information. I hope the Elonians return to Tyria and Cantha some day soon. Or, perhaps, they will welcome us to their lands as we welcomed them to ours. Time will tell if this will come to pass. For now, let us remember the visitors with kindness and pray for their safe return to the lands of which they speak with such fondness and devotion."

Borders with the crystal desert eh?

Id say its south east :3

The possible location ties in with area its themed after.

I'd say southeast is a pretty good guess, especially if thirsty river has anything to do with the elonian river. Wonder how the travel will tie in with factions and prophicies... Think they will continue with the boat theme? Kinda hard to travel by boat to a desert

Caravan?

Or maybe they'll finally do what I've always wanted them to do, but isn't very likely since they market these games as stand alones.

Connect the maps.

Anyways, since I'm sure they'll never connect the maps, we can only assume it will be something like a caravan. Meet Mhenlo and friends at one of the towns in the Crystal Desert, embark on a quest to head to Elona, travel out into the nearest zone where one meets up with a small caravan that will take you into the land of Elona.

Hey this will be cool, it sounds like were going to have another Kurzick or Luxon unique armor but with those nations.

Does this smell like Rubies and Sapphires?

When reading that Elona had three provinces I was a little worry, only a little. I thought it was going to small, but after reading that Kourna borders the Crystal Desert and checking that map someone made comparing the size of Tyria and Cantha, I'm relieved. The desert is a little bigger than Cantha or somewhat the same size. This means no locked-type gates or less, but we might have a mission that we have to complete in order to get to Istan (since it's an island) or vice versa.

Still wondering about the land size of Istan and Vabbi. Although, I'm just guessing here.

I was under the impression that the explorable area of Nightfall is larger than Factions. I think someone at the E3 said that. More missions, too, so the larger size is highly likely. I pray they dont do the same they did with Factions. As if Prophecies pathing wasnt horrible, Factions was a nightmare. I certainly hope that by Ch 3 they wouldve learned their lesson and created something that is actually enjoyable to explore (and does not contain overlapping and confusing city areas >.< and blocked parts). Please, please, please, better pathing!

I think they will keep the boat tho. I mean, Istan is an island... so it only figures there is a sea somewhere. Plus if the Crystal Desert is so huge I doubt travelling through will be any fun. Better to jump on the boat and do some cruising.

If Mhenlo is part of Nightfall I will think twice be4 buying it. Seriously, no1 he is an idiot that gets himself killed all the freaking time, no 2 he hangs out with a crowd that needs serious group councelling, no3 he is absolutely unoriginal and boring. I could see Gwen growing from a flute playing girl into a bellydancer tho. That would be kinda cool.

You left out the BEST PART OF THE SCRIBE.

^ that is the best part and you left that whole part of the article out

"Kourna borders the vast Crystal Desert"
I sense KEKEKE DEVOURER AND SCARAB RUSH...

Also, I lol'd at the bit about the weekend event.

Elon River, can anyone say "Nile River?" Nice touch for sure. As for Province location, my guess is as follows:

(__C______D_________________|____|________________ ____________)
(___R______E________________|____|__V_____________ ____________)
(____Y______S_______________|____|___A____________ ____________)
(_____S______E______________|____|____B___________ ____________)
(______T______R_____________|____|_____B__________ ____________)
(_______A______T____________|____|_______I________ _____________)
(________L__________________|____|________________ ____________)
(___________________________|____|________________ ____________)
(-------------------------------_____|--------------------------------)
(________________________________|________________ ____________)
(________K_______________________|______I_________ ____________)
(_________O______________________|______S_________ ____________)
(__________U_____________________|_______T________ ____________)
(___________R____________________|________A_______ ____________)
(____________N___________________|_________N______ ____________)
(_____________A__________________|________________ ____________)
(________________________________|________________ ____________)

I was the only one who noticed this then?

Ok its like Kourna is to the EAST of Crystal Desert, While Vabbi is NORTH of Kourna, that is EAST of Ascalon. Istan is well...Its an Island so dont know what is that. Istan means 'land' in Persian...you see all these countries...Pakistan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan......"Istan" is land in the meaning of these country names.

Here's my creativity:



Well, actually, if you were thinking I did that all for you... you're wrong

This is why I made it. That's right, new Lore Project.

Uhh... I mean... no! Not advertising! No, no, of course not, no...

As for how we'll get there, I'm definitely thinking some kind of trek east from the Crystal Desert. Possibly through some valley that Turai Ossa and the Elonians walked through (i.e. there could be various things they left behind along the way, or signs of people trying to flee back to Elona before the Ascension failed completely).

i was looking around in google for elona stuff and i found a map of it!

First area is listed as an island.

Since Canthan lands have no link to the crystal desert they will need a boat to travel.

Likely Tyrian lands will have the same thing, most likely in the same place - Lion's Arch - as last time.

Nice map Symeon, and I'd say that area next to Cantha is Xunlai, though it might be bigger and they could have some islands.

You're off. If you've seen Thirsty River(where the Elonians failed) they have SHIPS as makeshift buildings. Now I'm saying to myself. Hey they must have traveled here from some distant continent here... I doubt buildings would be made of ships if they were connected. I'd have to believe that the Crystal Desert was once ocean or islands until the water suddenly left or something. If I could get ahold on those maps I would try to make a map of my own. OH, and not to diss you or anything. but somehow I'm doubting that battle isles is that big. And tyria in size of the continent seems alot bigger to me than Cantha

Man, between the new info in this week's scribe issue and the scenery screenshots they released, and the stuff leaked at ebgames, I think I'm going to die from excitement before Nightfall gets here! It already looks and sounds much more interesting than Factions when Factions was previewed.

It's good that it sounds like we'll finally be able to use gems, too bad I've been selling the occasional ruby or sapphire that dropped for me.

Hey, maybe we'll be able to use clay bricks, too?

This is most likely the newbie island, equivelent to the monastary and pre-searing.

You are not linking current conditions. There isn't water there anymore.

Furthermore, the Scribe says that Kourna BORDERS the Crystal Desert. So far his map seems very plausible.

Clay bricks .. yest very weird , as i looked theres isn't a slot for them un upgrade storage .. weird huh? maby they were wipped from game?

As for the ships, Parts of the desert could have been earlier sea bed.

I don't think that the connect mission will be from the Crystal desert, I think it will be from LA again and KC again. It might also be from Ascalon, the the lake may connect to some of the Ascalon river sytems which would aslo be the way that Elon would connect to Ascalon, they are getting reprots river pollution and go to investigate.

Kind of a random though: seeing as how Elona is east of Tyria, wouldn't it be interesting if we learned more about the Charr? Like, maybe the Elonians have encountered them in the past, and they can provide insight into why the Charr attacked Ascalon, or maybe the Charr might even have originated from Elonia.

YES! Please do that Arena Net! I don't want to think that the charr just got grouchy so they went to kill stuff, and then ascalon and the charr randomly blew up after we left (this is what I've been thinking has happened and its really anoying having to come up with such odd conclusions just because I can't think of other reasons). Please no more bad self made conclusions! Tell us what happened!

Oh and a map like that or the otherone I've seen around here on guru would be awsome! 1 single map would rule. It wouldn't be that hard either. Just show the chapters you haven't bought yet as unexplored with no cities or anything. Then when you buy it, a quest to a single city apears.

For example

You have prophecies. Cantha looks completely unexplored and there is absolutly no way to get to it (no quests which would be how you unlock cities for othere continents), but you can still view it because it will be part of the big map thing.

Then you buy factions. You do the born twice, I mean mehnlo quest and then kainenge is avalible to travel to and wala, you can travel cantha and tyria with one map.

Arena Net wouldn't have to worry about people getting to places they don't have the chapters for because the only way to get there would be a quest that is only avilible if you have the chapters.

No more multiple zoning just to go from asenwood to droks FTW!

Plus it would make it feel more like a acual world than two different worlds (three with nightfall) because you will accually see them linked and how close they are.

Wrong

The people that came to the Crystal Desert by ship were the Margonites, a long time before the Elonians. They were able to sail in because in those days there were only a few dunes sticking out of the water. The place they tried to ascend at was Thirsty River, where there was some land for them to settle. The structures they built were made from parts of their ships, hence the tall wooden boat-like towers in the mission. A scrap of information somewhere says something that could link the Margonites to the Luxons, but I forget where that scrap is.

The Elonians came long afterwards, led by their hero Turai Ossa, who is standing in Amnoon Oasis as a Ghostly Hero now. If you talk to him and the NPCs in Elona Reach and Dunes of Despair, you'll learn that the Elonians walked into the Crystal Desert and split into two groups, heading to the separate missions. Both failed, and basically everyone died.

There were also the Seekers who supposedly came to Seeker's Passage, but there is very little information about them.

Turai Ossa is mentioned in the part about Kourna in The Scribe. It also says that Kourna borders the Crystal Desert.

Oh and Jin, I have no idea how big the Battle Isles are compared to Tyria and Cantha, I just tried to resize it appropriately The maps of Tyria and Cantha zoomed out both fit the full screen, so it would seem they are sized correctly.

I'd really like a zoom-out to an entire world map, and when there is a new continent they could just add it. Having to move from one map to another is really tedious.

Well, apparently the Charr are native to a Norther part of Ascalon. Of course, that doesn't mean they originated from there, but I doubt they came from Elona. Still, as you said, a history lesson would be cool.

Didn't they connect the dots missing in Prophecies by basically saying the Charr worshipped Titans and somehow the Searing and all was connected to the Lich and the Titan thing.

Edit: By the way is there any OTHER lands we know from Prophecies that we can speculate about future chapters? I mean both Cantha and Elona are referred to in Tyria. Anything else?

• The Charr homeland
• Homeland of the invaders of Watchtower Coast (unknown but definitely not Charr) - read the Beetletun town description
• Margonites/Luxons - possibly linked seafaring nation - origins?
• The Seekers (another group of visitors to Crystal Desert)
• Janthir (supposed Mursaat homeland)

I think they mean when the PVE preview event comes out they will do the pvp event as well, like they did with the factions PVE preview event (i think)

Hmm, I doubt they will use the Mursaat again. Plus weren't they some sort of aliens that came to Tyria from somewhere. I think the Seer says something along those lines. That their worlds were once at war but the Seers (whatever their type of creature is) could not defeat the Mursaat. I also doubt they will use the Luxon theme again. I think the Charr homeland though might have a good potential.

Oh, I didn't notice that. Maybe not with the clay bricks

I am also hoping for more opportunities to see the charr (and kill them). In this thread a euro gaming magazine says that the new chapter will be tied to the titans and shiro, so I guess it's possible we could see see titans, charr, mursaat, the afflicted, the shir'oken, the white mantle, anybody. Kinda cool. Revenge upon the charr seems to be a popular request, so hopefully we'll get to hunt them down at some point in Nightfall.

By the way, where do those stupid grasping darknesses come from? Shiro? I can't remember. It seems likely that they will be part of the tie-in to the new chapter since they are in ToPK in Tyria and also showed up to spoil the dragon festival in Cantha.

Some interesting information here on some Elonian Lore

Taken from Guildwiki
Some infor on Vabbi
I have said it a million times in this and other forums.. There is more to GW lore than meets the eye. One has to just find it in Prophecies. I think with each chapter we will see a story far deeper than what we think it might be. I can't wait for the next chapter.