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  1. #1

    Where to start with GW Lore?

    As the title says I am really looking to learn as much as I can about Guild Wars lore. I have tried GW1 a few times and I just can't seem to get into to it so I feel like that may not be the best option to learn the lore in my situation. So if I wanted to learn the lore of the Guild Wars universe, where is a good place to start? Books (if so which ones/order)?

    Sorry if this has been asked repeatedly I just can't seem to find a really good way to jump from start -> current with GW lore. Thanks for any help!

  2. #2
    Start with the books : read Edge of Destiny and come back here for the next step

  3. #3
    The Lightbringer jvbastel's Avatar
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    I'ld start with either gw1 prohecies, pretty cheap now, or with the guild wars wiki
    especially the mursaat stuff is awesome, although that might be because of how they utterly destroy you ingame if you try to kill them hen you first see them
    Overall the storyline in prophecies is simply amazing
    Monk, I need a monk!!!

  4. #4
    The Lightbringer Glytch's Avatar
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    if you refuse to play the games read up on the GWwiki
    probably best to search (and then click on every single link that you possibly can, and every link from those links) the terms: "Flameseeker", "searing", "shiro", "forgotten", "abbaddon", "charr", "human", "cantha", "sunspear", "titan", "Gwen"(the girl, not the game), "mursaat", "dwarf" and then when you run out of stuff to read start digging through the website, ripping it inside and out to find all the lore that you missed (theres a metric shit ton)

    and then do the same for the GW2 wiki, but the best link is probably movement of the world, that's the stuff that specifically sets up directly for GW2, but all the stuff from GW1 leads up to everything that movement talks about... especially if you plan to play a human or a charr

    or if you want to wait a few weeks ill be making a series of videos that encompasess as much GW lore as i can think of including the time before the games (the arrival of the gods up to the guild wars), proph, factions, cantha's history, nightfall, elona's history, GWEN, GW beyond, the time in between GW1 and the GW2, edge of destiny, and ghosts of ascalon...hey i had to do SOMETHING while waiting for monks to join my groups
    The Original Ganksta

    Top 100 US daggers. yeah, you're jelly alright

    Quote Originally Posted by Durzlla View Post
    then again i'm pretty sure you're smarter then the average dumbass

  5. #5
    Awesome thank you all for the help! Think I will read the GW wiki's and maybe pick up the book suggested above

  6. #6
    The Lightbringer Glytch's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Crabsy View Post
    Awesome thank you all for the help! Think I will read the GW wiki's and maybe pick up the book suggested above
    ghosts of ascalon has much more backstory than edge of destiny does, pretty much since it was the first book published. however edge of destiny happens before ghosts of ascalon... by like 5 years
    The Original Ganksta

    Top 100 US daggers. yeah, you're jelly alright

    Quote Originally Posted by Durzlla View Post
    then again i'm pretty sure you're smarter then the average dumbass

  7. #7
    WoodenPotatoes has made a very detailed LP of the entire Gw1 legacy only focusing on lore and all its goodies. It's ALOT of stuff to go thru, but it gives a very good picture of the story so far.
    youtube.com/user/WoodenPotatoes/featured

  8. #8
    This is good:
    http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/The_...t_of_the_World
    particularly good if uv played GWs. tells the next 250 yrs of history.
    Both books are highly recommended. I'd do EoD first.
    Also, the GW2 site has a large number of back stories on it...some great ones about the asura and sylvari. Go through until you find the pages on asura/sylvari week etc. They're somewhere in there.

  9. #9
    How good are the books? I'm not really much of a reader and I haven't read a book since like my first year in college, so 4 years or so. I'd like to learn about the lore before GW2 comes out though, and I have both the books, but I just need the motivation to read them I guess.*

  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by grandpab View Post
    How good are the books? I'm not really much of a reader and I haven't read a book since like my first year in college, so 4 years or so. I'd like to learn about the lore before GW2 comes out though, and I have both the books, but I just need the motivation to read them I guess.*
    GoA is considered "better" than EoD. It's probably better written, takes itself slightly more seriously and the characters are somewhat deeper.
    But EoD is more action orientated, the characterisation is over the top and pace and style is more exciting. Plus, you get to know the characters from Destiny's Edge that will form part of your personal story.
    That makes EoD very much worth reading. And it's probably a more fun read for someone who doesn't read.
    Highly recommend both though

  11. #11
    I started reading Ghosts of Ascalon, got through the first chapter and then I started poking around on google. I see a lot of people suggesting to others to read Edge of Destiny first since it happens a few years before GoA. What do some of you think?

  12. #12
    Quote Originally Posted by grandpab View Post
    I started reading Ghosts of Ascalon, got through the first chapter and then I started poking around on google. I see a lot of people suggesting to others to read Edge of Destiny first since it happens a few years before GoA. What do some of you think?
    Lore wise...it's about the same. There are references to Rurik's sword in GoA, which appears in EoD. As well as quite a lot of info on the backstory of ascalon and the conflict between the charr and humans. That's also good for the logan, rytlock relationship in EoD.
    But in EoD, you'll get to know the members of Destiny's Edge, one of whom pops up in GoA.
    I'd say...EoD first. But doesn't make much difference.

  13. #13
    That seems to be the general consensus, so that's what I shall do.

  14. #14
    Stood in the Fire Majik8ball's Avatar
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    This video will teach you EVERYTHING you need to know about GW2 lore in about an hour and a half. Very informative and worth the time.


    "Can you truly help someone so intent on being stupid?"
    - Hawke

  15. #15
    The Lightbringer Durzlla's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Squirrelbanes View Post
    GoA is considered "better" than EoD. It's probably better written, takes itself slightly more seriously and the characters are somewhat deeper.
    But EoD is more action orientated, the characterisation is over the top and pace and style is more exciting. Plus, you get to know the characters from Destiny's Edge that will form part of your personal story.
    That makes EoD very much worth reading. And it's probably a more fun read for someone who doesn't read.
    Highly recommend both though
    Only reason GoA is better then EoD is because Logan isn't in it neeeeereearly as much....

    And just gonna throw this out there, try to get off noob island before passing your final judgement on Gw I was kinda meh on it back in noob land but got really into it afterward
    Quote Originally Posted by draykorinee View Post
    Youre in the mmo forums and you find mmos boring, Im heading on over to the twilight forums to add my unecessary and shallow 2 cents.

  16. #16
    Quote Originally Posted by Durzlla View Post
    Only reason GoA is better then EoD is because Logan isn't in it neeeeereearly as much....
    Snaff :'(

  17. #17
    Field Marshal izziebot's Avatar
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    http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Timeline

    http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Timeline

    Those are a good way to start. It shows major events in order (they overlap somewhat) and offers links to points of interest.

    From there you can delve deeper by going on a link-clicking bonanza.

  18. #18
    Deleted
    do videos exist for people who are too lazy to read ;-)

  19. #19
    The Lightbringer Durzlla's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Squirrelbanes View Post
    Snaff :'(
    Indeed regardless if I'm a salad or an asura I'll help you skin Logan though!!
    Quote Originally Posted by draykorinee View Post
    Youre in the mmo forums and you find mmos boring, Im heading on over to the twilight forums to add my unecessary and shallow 2 cents.

  20. #20
    Quote Originally Posted by Durzlla View Post
    Indeed regardless if I'm a salad or an asura I'll help you skin Logan though!!
    Much appreciated

    I really should change my sig to show my general discontent with that despicable murderer. Maybe adding "in which Rytlock crushes him to jelly" at the end...

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