Discussion on the Grawl

Thalador Doomspeaker

Thalador Doomspeaker

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Dec 2008

The Ruins of Rin

Incarnation of the Reaper [GRIM]

W/

15 Dec 2009 at 17:05 - 1
Nicholas has something important to tell you this week:

Quote:
Originally Posted by Nicholas the Traveler
Good to see you out here. These lands are awfully inhospitable to man and beast alike. The inhabitants aren't very charitable, either. Nevertheless, Durmand insists that grawl have religious tendencies. He claims to have found proof in their Stone Grawl Necklaces. Judging by his excitement, I'm sure he intends to include them in whatever treatise he writes about the natural history of this area. Perhaps if I had 2 of my own to study, I could assist in the research. Two minds are better than one, as they say, and I've always had a fondness for history.
We all suspected that the Grawl were religious in some way. Their gathering around the Statue of Melandru in Regent Valley (although, those are considered heretics by the other Graw*l) or around some special trees in Sacnoth Valley, even their ranks (especially Grawl Shaman and Dark Priest) hint at the fact that they own some kind of religion.

Though, what could it be?

It seems that it has to have a connection with Nature, as they make their "holy places" around areas that have a link to Nature (the Statue of Melandru*, the trees, etc.).

Why do the heretics worship Melandru? I think that they heard about her. After all, the Charr have legends about Melandru creating Tyria, so it wouldn't be a surprise if the Grawl know those legends as well.

I can't make a scientific document, or make pictures, as I must finish my thesis in Geography.

Have a happy discussion!

(Don't forget the Stone Grawl Necklaces and the Tribal Masks that we can see on a race that strongly resembles the Grawl in the new GW2 trailer!)

The 8th

The 8th

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Sep 2008

where the map ends

Seven Ronin

R/Mo

15 Dec 2009 at 20:16 - 2
If memory serves it was the other way around. The heretics where attacking the petitioners who where marching to the Melandru shrine. If that's the case we can assume the Grawl worship Melandru in some way and that these "heretics" worship something else. Maybe I'm just old and losing it. >.>

draxynnic

draxynnic

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Nov 2005

[CRFH]

15 Dec 2009 at 23:02 - 3
As has already been observed: It seems a pretty safe assumption that the Grawl do have some religion.

As to what it is, we don't really have any firm evidence. If I had to guess, though, the trappings do seem to point towards some kind of tribal ancestor worship, as does the spellcasting professions (monks and necromancers pre-Factions, Ritualists post-Factions).

Konig Des Todes

Konig Des Todes

Ooo, pretty flower

Join Date: Jan 2008

Citadel of the Decayed

The Archivists' Sanctum [Lore]

N/

16 Dec 2009 at 23:28 - 4
Don't forget that Grawl congregate around the statue of Lyssa in Eastern Frontier and the Temple of Grenth in the southern Shiverpeaks.


Also, though not on their religious aspect:

Quote:
Originally Posted by Nicholas Sandford
You haven't happened to run across 5 Grawl Necklaces have you? I found one when I was traveling up north, and I thought it would be fun to wear around. Lo and behold, the next Grawl I came across had a look of fear in his eyes and took off running when he saw it. He came back with a friend to chase me, so presumable his fear had left him. Having witnessed this, I theorize that the Grawl will have to outnumber my necklaces before they attack. Sounds like a solid theory doesn't it? I think 5 should be enough to test it.
It'll be interesting to see how Anet takes the Grawl.

draxynnic

draxynnic

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Nov 2005

[CRFH]

18 Dec 2009 at 03:38 - 5
Quote:
Originally Posted by Konig Des Todes View Post
It'll be interesting to see how Anet takes the Grawl.
That looks to me like the Grawl deciding that anyone who's wearing a single necklace as a trophy has obviously killed one Grawl, so it would take two to fight them. If the experiment bore fruit, it would be following the same logic - the necklace-wearer has already killed X grawls, so it would take X+1 to have a good chance at bringing them down.