The World & Races of Guild Wars 2

The Continent of Tyria

Back to Tyria; thus the continent where we will spend most of our gaming time in the near future. In addition to the five playable races is this location also home to several other breeds. Each playable race has its own territory and its capital city.

Kryta

The Humans are living in Kryta. It is a lush land of green forests, green fields and hills and flowing streams. From being a nation wide area to live on, has the humans had been pushed back from the rest of the continent which makes Kryta to the humans only refuge.

Lion's Arch was once the capital, but after a tsunami knocked out the town it was rebuilt by the pirates who made the city a haven, hence the emergence of the new capital city, Divinity's Reach. It is a massive city situated in the north of Kryta with lots of people from different cultures. People used to even stay in Ascalon, past Shiverpeak Mountains. However, this place is now a home for the Charr, a race that has been at war with the people for hundreds of years.

Ascalon

Charr is a industrialised people who have through their stubbornness and magic polluted this beautiful landscape called Ascalon. Remains of human defeat can be seen from east to west where the Great Wall once stretched to keep Charr away from the country. From being a country far more beautiful than in Kryta the nature struggles to take root in these tarnished lands. Charr built their capital, The Black Citadel, on top of an overthrown human city, Rin, as an exemplification of his victory over man.

Shiverpeaks

Shiverpeaks is a mountain range that separates Ascalon from the rest of Tyria. This is where the Norns live. They have fled from Far Shiverpeaks north. Shiverpeaks snowy landscape is a enormous heights and steep cliffs that are very similar to the Nordic winter climate. Despite their nomadic lifestyle, they have a capital, Hoelbrak, which is intended as a place to return to in order to share stories of their own deeds.

Tarnished Coast

Tarnished Coast is home to two of our last playable races. It is a lush jungle area with scattered ruins left behind by an unknown civilization.

Sylvari was born, or rather woke up from the dream 25 years ago by a tree called the Pale Tree. This tree is located on the east coast. Although many Sylvari now travels to gain personal experience in the world it is this place that is their home. The lowest situated parts of the tree is called the Grove and is sylvarins capital.

In the western part of the Tarnished Coast is where the Asura call their home. They have built a floating pyramid in the middle of the jungle called Rata Sum, who acts as their capital. Here asuran spend their time with magic golems and other inventions with little awareness of how the environment is affected by their ingenuity. From the beginning they kept to the underworld but was driven away from this place.

A changing world

The years have worn on Tyria. While the plants cover the scorched lands of Ascalon and the water has retreated from Lion's Arch, awaits new adventure around every crest. Ancient places beneath the surface pushed back and opens doors to hidden secrets.