Charr

The feline charr of Tyria are a victorious race challenged by their own success. They have survived defeat, oppression, and civil war. They have returned, reconquered, and rebuilt their original homes. Their mighty fortress, the Black Citadel, dominates the surrounding ruins of the human city of Rin, and their non-magical technology is the mightiest in the land. Yet despite their success, they are challenged by divisions among their people, the power of the Elder Dragons, and the ghosts of their own victories.

This, then, is their story.

History

The charr made the open lands east of the Shiverpeaks their home for many long years before the arrival of the humans. After they were driven from Ascalon, they engaged for centuries in a war with the humans, only to have their efforts stymied by the power of the human gods and technology. However, they rallied and eventually invaded the human nations. Distant Kryta resisted their incursions, but both Orr and Ascalon ultimately chose self-destruction over defeat by the charr.

The charr paid for their success dearly; the old High Legions (Ash, Blood, and Iron) were put under the yoke of the Flame Legion, who researched forbidden magics and worshipped dark, false gods. The Flame Legion also subordinated the charr females, who had previously been equals to the males. As the war lengthened, each success was attributed to the inherent rightness of the Flame Legion's crusade, while each failure was used as an excuse for others to sacrifice for the good of the Flame Legion shamans.

In the end, the charr did take Ascalon, but its maddened human king chose to invoke his own dark magic, the Foefire, which stripped the souls of his people from their bodies and left them to eternally guard their land as ghosts. The Flame Legion won the battle, but their victory condemned the charr to an eternal insurrection.

The charr females defied the rule of the Flame Legion, gathering with them rebellious factions from the other charr legions. The Iron, Blood, and Ash Legions joined the uprising after the insurgents' leader, Kalla Scorchrazor, won the support of the Iron Legion Imperator. Together, they cast down the Flame Legion shamans and regained control of the fate of the charr race. The Iron Legion, for its part, took control of Ascalon.

Since that time, the charr have had to fight on multiple fronts. An eternal and undead foe struggles to regain Ascalon. The Flame Legion is bowed, but not broken; it plots to retake control. The humans continue to fight in the distant fortress of Ebonhawke. And recently, the Elder Dragon Kralkatorrik scarred Ascalon with the great Dragonbrand. Yet despite the challenges, the charr remain a potent force east of the Shiverpeaks and masters of Ascalon.

The Black Citadel

Upon the overthrow of the Flame Legion, the Iron Legion was granted control of the conquered kingdom of Ascalon by the other victorious legions. They built their main fortress-city, the Black Citadel, on the human ruins of Rin. The wreckage of that destroyed city can still be seen among the foundations of the citadel. While the Iron Legion is officially in charge, Blood and Ash Legions both have a major presence in the city.

As the Iron Legion is the most technologically skilled of the charr legions, its city is a vast foundry and center of industry. The Black Citadel is dominated by the huge Imperator's Core, a great spherical structure that houses the headquarters of the three legions, the offices of the tribunes, and the war council, where the legions meet to plan strategy. The Iron Legion Imperator, Smodur the Unflinching, oversees all of this and coordinates the charr in Ascalon with a veteran's eye.

A Target-Rich Environment

The charr face many challenges. Although they control Ascalon, that control is neither as sure nor as strong as they would like. The Foefire, summoned by the last human King of Ascalon, infested the former human territories with ghosts who still see the charr as invaders to be driven from the land.

The Flame Legion has survived, but they have withdrawn to their northern bases. From there, they continue their assault on the legions, seeking to undermine the leadership and to regain control of the charr.

Yet the greatest and most immediate danger has been brought by the Elder Dragon Kralkatorrik. Once freed from its deep tomb, the dragon flew south, its mere presence scouring and transforming the land beneath it. That blasted landscape bisects Eastern Ascalon and serves as a battleground for the dragon minions' continual war with the charr. Kralkatorrik's passing has had another effect: ogres have come out the Blazeridge Mountains to the east and seek to settle their herds in these new lands.

Humans also survive, making their stand in Ebonhawke, where Krytan support and asura gates have kept the city from falling to a centuries-long siege. Now confronted by the power of an Elder Dragon, the three legions have chosen to negotiate with humans rather than battle them. The negotiations have resulted in a tentative truce, and humans are now permitted in the Black Citadel itself. Still, it will take generations before the long wars are forgotten.

The Triumph of the Charr

Despite all the challenges facing the charr, they have prospered in Ascalon. The great shards of the Searing are now surrounded by grass and young trees; the rolling hills of the former kingdom, once blasted to twisted wreckage by war, are now covered with grass and used to raise herds of meat animals to feed the legions. The ironclad encampments of the legions dot the landscape.

Due to their long history of conflicts, the charr are the most militarily and technologically advanced race in Tyria. Their rifles and pistols are among the most finely made, and their forging technology is superior to that of even the ancient and legendary dwarves. Individual artisans may produce better weapons, but on a mass production scale, no other group holds a candle to the mighty charr arsenals. However, not all of their advancements involve weapons--they also make some of the finest clockwork and spring-driven devices in Tyria.

With the rigid foundation of their warbands and the ruthless efficiency of their leadership, the charr face their opponents as they have always faced them: united in purpose. They have triumphed over internal dissension and external threat, have retaken their ancestral lands, and now face the world as one of the strongest and most energized races in Tyria.

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Norn

The norn are a race of valiant, shape-changing barbarians. Boisterous, strong-willed, and passionate, the norn are an independent people that swear fealty to no single being. They thrive in their mountain stronghold by the sharpness of their senses, the quickness of their wits, and the strength of their massive forearms. They are guided in this world by their Spirits of the Wild, who embody the virtues of the mightiest beasts. As a people, they are quick to anger, even quicker to smile, and treat each new day as a personal challenge. They drink and feast and hunt with equal gusto, and fear few things. They are steadfast allies and implacable foes.

History

The norn hail from the frozen mountains of the Far Shiverpeaks, leagues to the north of the human kingdoms. Their history is one of heroes, spirits, and impossible deeds. A norn warrior remains immortal only as long as she is remembered by descendents and only as long as her songs are sung by skaalds around the lodge fires. So it has been for times uncounted.

This changed with the arrival of Jormag, the Elder Ice Dragon. Stirring from its frozen sleep, the dragon erupted into the living world. The norn first fought it in the manner that they had always fought--as valiant heroes seeking to defeat the beast in single combat. Hundreds were slain, and the norn themselves forced from their homelands.

The Spirits of the Wild aided the norn in their flight. Some died protecting them; some remained behind to fight Jormag and were lost. Others, the greatest of their spirits--Wolf, Bear, Raven, and Snow Leopard--guided the norn to safety in lands once belonging to the dwarves.

Hoelbrak

The norn are not a people of cities--they prefer simple steadings carved out of the wilderness, where survival depends upon one's own power and ability. Yet Hoelbrak acts as a focal point of norn civilization, for it is here that the Spirits of the Wild led the great hero Aesgir and the fleeing norn to safety. In the years since its founding, norn from all over the Shiverpeaks have come here to trade, to meet, to brag, and to drink, but only a few have made it their year-round home.

Knut Whitebear, Aesgir's grandson, now oversees Hoelbrak, but any attempt to call him their ruler would be met with derision. Knut's title is Master of the Lodge. He keeps Hoelbrak safe, as his father and grandfather did before him. He tests the young and celebrates their achievements with great moots. The Wolfborn, led by his two sons, keep the peace among these brawling, argumentative people.

Five great structures dominate Hoelbrak. The Great Lodge is Knut's domain, and in its high galleries and balconies one can find the greatest heroes of this people. Each of the other four lodges is dedicated to one of the four Spirits of the Wild--Wolf, Bear, Raven, and Snow Leopard. Here work the shamans that keep alive the faith and the skaalds that tell the old tales of those who have gone before. Here is where the wisdom of the norn survives.

The Spirits of the Wild

The norn have no gods in the human sense of the word. Instead, they venerate the Spirits of the Wild: totemic powers, the great spirits of the wild creatures. Each totem has virtues and lessons to teach the norn: Bear has her strength; Wolf teaches unity in numbers; Raven is wisdom; Snow Leopard speaks of cunning and stealth. There are other spirits, too, some unworthy of veneration, some dead, some merely missing.

The norn have the ability to shape-change into forms beloved by the Spirits. While transformed, they become closer to those spirits and to understanding the power of the wild. Norn enjoy the bounty of the land, but they do not despoil it, for the wisdom of the Spirits brings them an understanding that tempers their direct, quick-tempered natures.

New Challenges, Ancient Enemies

The norn have spread through the Shiverpeaks, and their distinctive homes can be found near the best hunting grounds and the clearest streams. They are not alone in these new lands, however, and must fight for their homes--which is just as the norn want it.

Long ago, the dwarves ruled these deep valleys and cavern-riddled mountains. These diminutive warriors descended into the depths, transformed by ancient magic to fight the minions of a different Elder Dragon. Now their ruined homes have been usurped by their former slaves and servants, the dredge, who claim all the lands below the surface as their own and vie with the norn for the lands above.

The mountaintops are home to another fallen race, the jotun. These giants were once wise and powerful, and their fall has been long and hard. Now little more than savages surviving in the wreckage of their ancestors' citadels, they challenge the norn for domination.

Yet the greatest danger to the norn has followed them from the north. Jormag's champions and minions are abroad in the land, corrupting the pure snows and powerful creatures with its icy breath. Worst of all, there are those among the norn themselves who recognize Jormag's power. They revere Dragon as if it were another Spirit and seek to learn from it and master its abilities. Only too late do they discover their error: Dragon teaches only corruption and death.

The Power of the Norn

Jormag drove them from their original homeland, but the norn are no refugees, battered and seeking aid. Rather, they see the Elder Dragon as merely another challenge to be bested. If not today, then soon. Until that day comes, until the hero who will shatter the tooth of Jormag arises and shows the norn the way back to their northern homes, the norn will live each day as if it were their last. The living world is a wondrous place for them, filled with challenges, struggles, and the potential for great stories.

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Sylvari

The sylvari are an enigma. Humanoid in form, plantlike in nature, they are recent arrivals in Tyria and have roamed the world for only twenty-five years. They are all born of a single parent—the mighty Pale Tree that dominates the Tarnished Coast. They are bound together with a common origin and a shared dream. No one knows why they have suddenly appeared in Tyria, least of all the sylvari themselves, and they seek to discover their purpose in the world. Of all the races, they have the greatest appreciation of the danger posed by the Elder Dragons; the sylvari battle the undead minions of Zhaitan on a regular basis.

This, then, is their story.

History

"There was a time that I cursed this world for taking away everything that I had. But living here, I have come to understand that these memories, even those that are painful, are seeds of our identity. They shape our growth."—Ronan, Human, formerly of the Shining Blade.

The story of the sylvari begins with a human and a centaur. The human was Ronan, a warrior with the Shining Blade. Separated from his patrol, he discovered a cavern filled with strange seeds and guarded by powerful plant creatures. He took one of those seeds and brought it home to his family, only to discover that his entire village had been slaughtered by the White Mantle and their powerful would-be gods, the Mursaat. Grieving, he planted the seed on their graves and swore to never take up the sword again.

Ronan was joined by Ventari, an aged centaur who also tired of continual conflict. Together they formed a small community, a refuge for those seeking peace in a violent world. The tree that grew of the strange seed came up tall and proud, and beneath its boughs, man and centaur lived at peace. Ronan passed on in time, and aged Ventari passed as well. But before leaving this life, the centaur carved his lessons on a marble tablet and set it among the roots of the Pale Tree. Then he too passed on, the eldest and wisest of the centaurs.

The tree grew and spread her shade over the surrounding area, and in time, she bore fruit. At the heart of this fruit were the first sylvari. And while they were still cradled by the Pale Tree, she sang to them and told them what she knew of the world. The Pale Tree spun a dream that would be shared by all the sylvari: a dream of human lives and the centaur's wisdom. When these initial sylvari emerged as the firstborn, they knew something of their world and yearned to learn more.

The sylvari appear human at first glance, but that comparison breaks down almost immediately. Their flesh is made of vines and leaves, their hair of foliage and petals, and their bones of stronger wood. Golden sap moves through their veins, and pollen shakes from their flesh. They are "born" (they would say "awakened") as adults, with some knowledge of the world around them. Sylvari are instilled with an inherent sense of nobility, curiosity, and a need to explore.

And as each sylvari explores and learns of the world, that knowledge comes back to the Pale Tree, who sings it to a new generation.

The Grove

The Pale Tree now dominates the Tarnished Coast, her towering top higher than many mountains. In the shelter of her lush foliage, the sylvari have made their homes. The Grove, created by the Pale Tree, is a multilevel, verdant, organic city. The roots and branches of the tree form broad terraces where other plants have grown and been spun into homes and buildings. Some of the sylvari have lived their entire lives beneath the tree, but most choose to wander, to adventure, and to let the Dream take them where it may.

The sylvari are divided into houses or cycles, and feel that an individual's personality is determined by time of day when they awaken. The sylvari born in the Cycle of Dawn tend to be loquacious and diplomatic. Those of the Cycle of Day are often problem-solvers, meeting challenges head-on. The sylvari of the Cycle of Dusk tend to be intelligent and reflective. And those of the Cycle of Night are quiet, secretive, and keep their own counsel.

The firstborn are the closest thing the sylvari have to rulers, yet the respect they command comes solely from their wisdom and time spent in the world. Each cycle is advised by one of the firstborn who serves as a luminary, as a guide and tutor, to the newly awakened. Yet the ultimate ruler of the people is their parent, the Pale Tree herself. Her song is found in all sylvari, and those who seek understanding travel to the heart of the tree to commune with her and seek her wisdom.

A Shadow in the Dream

The sylvari are a young race, yet they face challenges from within and without. Not all other races have welcomed them, and their early experiences with the nearby asura have shown them that not all other peoples share their virtuous outlook. But their greatest dangers come from within, both in the form of those sylvari who have rejected the Dream and in the form of a warning in the Dream itself.

Each unborn sylvari hears the song of the Pale Tree and learns of the world, including what other sylvari have learned. Yet many dream of an enigmatic danger that threatens the awakened world. For most, it is but a fleeting glimpse. Only a rare few, the great heroes of their race, see the shadows of dragons and know it as a danger that threatens the world. As a result, of all the races, the sylvari see the challenge of the Elder Dragons most directly. The shores of their lands touch the Sea of Sorrows, and the undead minions of Zhaitan wash ashore and seek to despoil everything they find. While the other races may be corrupted by the Elder Dragons, turned into undead minions or crystalline creatures of the Brand, the sylvari are never turned. Those born of the Pale Tree simply die before the corruption takes hold. Many sylvari believe that this is because they were born to battle the dragons, blessed with a certain protection against their most horrible powers. Some non-sylvari scholars state instead that the sylvari's strange biology foils the corruption of the dragons. A few clever souls state that sylvari just taste bad to dragons. No one knows for certain which is the truth.

Yet the minions of the Elder Dragon are only one threat among many. There are sylvari who have rejected the teachings of Ventari's tablet and claim that the centaur's influence has perverted the Dream. They seek the shadow within the Dream, turn away from what they call "false morality," and explore the darker side of their personalities. Cold, cruel, and without mercy, these sylvari see themselves as the "true sylvari," the rightful children of the tree, and consider it to be their great purpose to bring others of their race into that darkness. They are known as the Nightmare Court, and with each act of cruelty and evil, they add their nightmares to the tree and hope, one day, to change the balance and turn their parent to their side. The leader of the Nightmare Court is one of the firstborn: the Duchess Faolain, once the cherished companion of Caithe.

A Brave New World

The sylvari are fewer in number than the other great races, but more enter the world each day as they awaken. They are new to Tyria, yet because of the Dream, they know what that world is about. Still, they are curious, seeking to understand things about which they have only dreamed. They find the world alive with potential and fascinating.

And though no sylvari has yet died of old age, they have learned about death. They find that fascinating as well.

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Elementalist

The elementalist channels natural forces of destruction, making fire, air, earth, and water do her bidding. What the elementalist lacks in physical toughness, she makes up for in her ability to inflict massive damage in a single attack, dropping foes from a distance before they can become a threat. Yet, despite her incredible offensive potential, versatility is what makes the elementalist truly formidable.

Rather than swap weapons to adjust to new situations, the multi-faceted elementalist quickly adapts to new threats by attuning to different elements as needed. When the elementalist attunes to any of the four elements, she receives intrinsic bonuses that continually empower her.

With FIRE attunement, the elementalist can inflict scorching damage on multiple enemies by turning the ground to fire or raining down molten rock from the skies. Why kill just one enemy when you can burn them all? Just by attuning to fire, the elementalist automatically causes flame damage to any foe foolish enough to touch her.

When the elementalist attunes to AIR, she can harness wind and lightning to target specific foes with focused, high-damage attacks. Dazzling bolts of lightning rip from the elementalist's fingertips, and brilliant flashes of light blind her enemies. When an elementalist attunes to air, nearby enemies are continuously pelted with lightning strikes.

WATER attunement forgoes the raw damage of air and fire, in favor of controlling an opponent's movement. By creating slippery ice or freezing foes solid, water attunement ensures that the battle is always fought on the elementalist's terms. Nearby allies receive continuous healing from an elementalist who is attuned to water.

In the most dangerous situations, the elementalist relies on the powerful defense of EARTH attunement. An earth elementalist uses the ground under her feet to defend herself and her allies, turning flesh to stone, destabilizing foes with seismic shocks, and destroying threats with volcanic eruptions. Earth attunement automatically confers magical protection to the elementalist.

Elementalists have a number of special spell types:

• Glyphs—These arcane spells enhance or modify the natural power of the elementalist. She uses the Glyph of Elemental Power to increase the damage, range, and duration of her spells.
• Signets—Signets provide an ongoing benefit to the elementalist, but can also be activated for a greater effect. An elementalist equipped with the Signet of Earth has increased damage resistance, but activating the Signet sends out a wave of stone, stunning nearby enemies.
• Conjure Spells—The elementalist uses Conjure spells to summon useful items and potent weapons that she or other party members can use. For instance, she uses Conjure Flame to create a fiery rock to hurl at the enemy.
• Area Spells—Using Area spells, the elementalist creates hazards and mayhem all over the field of battle. The elementalist fires lava arrows in a cone-shaped blast or creates walls of fire that scorch any enemies passing through.

Attunements

The elementalist has four elemental attunements that they can tap into. These attunements are represented by four skills that are located on the bar above their normal skills. When an elementalist switches attunements, the first five skills on their bar will change. These five skills are based on the elementalist's attunement and their current weapon, so that a fire-attuned elementalist will have different skills when he wields a staff than when he wields a scepter or focus. In addition to changing the elementalist's skills, attunements also work like a normal skill and provide an ongoing effect.

Weapons

Scepter (Main Hand) — Scepter skills specialize in close range combat.

Dagger (Main Hand) — Main hand daggers are fast and focus on medium range spells.

Staff (Two Handed) — Staves are slow casting long range weapons.

Dagger (Off Hand) — Off hand daggers specialize in powerful medium range abilities.

Focus (Off Hand) — Skills on a focus are powerful close range abilities.

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