The Orders
Other organizations know about the Elder Dragons, and recognize Zhaitan as an imminent threat. Each group has a unique flavor and a distinct strategy for defeating the Elder Dragons. A player can choose to join one of these organizations, making that decision through their character's personal story. At that point, the story of the order becomes available, providing new interactions and events. Each order takes a divergent view of the world. A member explores events specifically from that order's point of view. A major storyline event might impact everyone, but each order will respond differently, as per their unique philosophy.
The Order of Whispers
The Order of Whispers originated in the nation of Elona, long before the rise of the goddess Kormir. Now the Order has found another purpose: to slow the rise of the Elder Dragons, and eventually, discover a way to put them back to sleep. The Order of Whispers does not believe the dragons can be physically destroyed; instead, the Order looks for methods to escape their full awakening and the inevitable aftermath. The Master of Whispers has spies, thieves, and black-ops agents within every nation on Tyria, infiltrating major governments at the highest levels. Diplomacy is meaningless against the dragons. Weapons are useless. Only returning the Elder Dragons to their long sleep can save the world.
The Durmand Priory
The members of the Durmand Priory are dedicated to protecting knowledge and lore. Rarely combatants or politicians, they offer their services as advisors, tutors, and chroniclers for every major race in the world. The Durmand Priory was founded before Orr rose and a massive tidal wave caused by Zhaitan's awakening flooded Lion's Arch. Armed with a storehouse of wisdom, their members gather lost knowledge, long-forgotten history, and legends. They are willing to share their knowledge, revealing information cautiously but freely, so that others can act upon it for the betterment of all races. They do so in the hope that intellect, or some lost piece of knowledge, can save the world from the rise of the dragons.
The Vigil
The Vigil is a powerful fellowship of individuals bound by an oath to defend those in need, fight against the darkness, and offer help to those who cannot aid themselves. Anywhere the Elder Dragons send minions, the Vigil will face them and stand against their spread. The Vigil wants to face the enemy directly, testing Zhaitan's power in the hope that such methods can one day be used against the dragon itself. They believe that the Elder Dragons grow more powerful as each day passes, and that those who do not fight now are giving the world away by standing passively aside. Those who dislike the Vigil's methods call them idealistic, but they are not naive. These crusaders understand that the world is a dangerous place. They intend to be an army of light against the onslaught of darkness.