In the fantasy MMO Guild Wars 2, the next Living Story continues on November 4. Fans have found hints of an old acquaintance from the first Guild Wars in the teasers.
The following text contains spoilers about a possible storyline for the next episodes.
In recent months, there has been silence around Guild Wars 2, but now the PR machinery has been set into motion to excite players for the second half of this year’s Living World season. A teaser image of a mysterious statue has particularly caught the attention of some fans. They concluded that the image must depict a statue of Abaddon, a central figure in the first Guild Wars and in the background story, the mythology, of the world of Guild Wars.
The background story of Guild Wars 2 is complex and allusive
Abaddon is a fallen god whom players defeated at the end of Guild Wars: Nightfall. He bestowed the gift of magic upon humanity. However, they were unable to handle it and nearly destroyed each other in bloody wars until a king begged the gods to take the magic away from them. Abaddon opposed the other gods and was overthrown after a battle.
A whole series of theories and entanglements have built up around his character. Not all fans believe that he was truly a typical villain. Perhaps, they speculated, he simply held a different view than the other gods and wanted to prepare humanity for the hard times that would come with the awakening of the Elder Dragons – how were they to survive without the full power of magic? Through exclusion from the Pantheon and his banishment to the underworld, he was then driven into madness.
The background story of Guild Wars is quite complicated and often touches on popular esoteric themes and includes numerous allusions from mythology. A core role is played by magic, its effects on the world, the danger, and the potential that arise from it. It is a kind of forbidden fruit, reserved for the gods and bestowed upon humanity. Just like in Christian mythology, the apple from the tree of knowledge, or in Greek mythology, the fire, as a symbol of civilization that Prometheus brought to humanity and was punished for.
The concept of a corrupting form of power keeps reappearing even in high-fantasy cycles.
Is an expansion for Guild Wars 2 being prepared?
The second season of the Living World will continue next week and will see the confrontation between the peoples of Tyria and the awakened Elder Dragon Modremoth. ArenaNet has promised an unforgettable finale for weeks. Some observers speculate that the end of this season could set the stage for a possible expansion to Guild Wars 2 in 2015.
The next episode of the Living World is titled “Echo of the Past” and begins on November 4.
