GW2 Starting Locations and Places of Interest

[ShadowedSin]

The major norn settlement that has been mentioned is called Hoelbrak, and we have no information on where it is.

[Arghore]

Originally Posted by Free Runner

Arghore theres no point to arguing it futher. ArenaNets story guy himself said the Asura were in the South.

lol ... Konig started this one, by saying Rata Sum didnt look flooded ... sigh ... ohw and seeing you mention the map ... i was kindoff thinking about doing a newer one which has the new information worked into it, unfortunatly i wont be able to fit in Kodan Iceberg, but Hoelbrak i might as its was described as being the 'central' town of the norn civ. in the shiver peaks... meaning ... well that it must be in the center...

After discussing the flooding to large extend and the receding of the water was mention, aswell as the conclusion (also on my part) that the water level as a whole might not have risen asmuch as i previously thought ...

Kralkatorrik having mentioned 2x to scorche and corrupt the land below him...

Still sortoff in debate wether the desert is now green or a sea or more of an oasis in the middle sorta thing...

Sorrow's furnace partially confirmed by concept art, and i would emagine that place is hard to move somewhere...

So, i guess alot of new information can be added to a concept Map, that might help further speculations...

[Konig Des Todes]

Originally Posted by Arghore

but Hoelbrak i might as its was described as being the 'central' town of the norn civ. in the shiver peaks... meaning ... well that it must be in the center...

Central town of the norn civilization as in it is the main norn settlement. Doesn't necessarily mean center.

Originally Posted by Arghore

So, i guess alot of new information can be added to a concept Map, that might help further speculations...

I think it is pointless to make a speculation map, tbh. Too little info still.

[Craywulf]

Originally Posted by Konig Des Todes

I think it is pointless to make a speculation map, tbh. Too little info still.

I agree because the map itself hasn't been fully revealed. We don't know how far North, East and West has been opened up for GW2. All we know is the south (Cantha & Elona)has been cut off and is not accessible...for now.

[pumpkin pie]

I am fascinated by this particular concept art/visual - Valley of the KingS. Who are these Kings? I know these are only Concept art/visuals, but producing them means they are thinking about Kings of the pass, (possibly) it might be in or not in GW2.

Notice top right hand side, there's a settlement/town resting on top the hill? could that be blazeridge mountain? Divinity's Reach?

from CGhub.

[Konig Des Todes]

That was from Utopia, I doubt that it will be in GW2. Though it is possible.

However, this is the only Utopia concept art which is desert like ("Defeated Dragon is said to be early concept art of random Elder Dragons). If it was GW2 concept art camouflaged Utopian, then I'd say it may be a different tomb of the primeval kings and somewhere in the Crystal Desert.

[Mordakai]

I missed this, apologize if it was already mentioned:

Starting Cities for each race confirmed.

"Each of these races will have their own starting cities. According to Eric, the trailer shows the Human and Asura starting cities, Divinity's Reach and Rata Sum."

http://pc.ign.com/articles/102/1022360p1.html

Please let me know via PM if any other cities are confirmed.

[pumpkin pie]

Places of Interest: The Ogre Fortress

[Zav]

I know it's a lot of speculation. Despite this, on another forum, I tried to imagine some locations with the informations we know. It's not exactely the same map as Arghore, but I think it can help to have a vision of where things could be.
Of course I know, the map will change a lot in 250 years. And for example, we know there will be some water around Ascalon (where we can see nagas swimming in the trailer).
I have some serious doubts about the 5th dragon being near Zhaitan. But it's still is a possible location.

[Thalador Doomspeaker]

Great job Zav! I really like your map. Unfortunately, we won't know the true face of Tyria for awhile, but that map looks quite good. Keep on upgrading it based on the known and on later informations!

[draxynnic]

Izza Zav! Now we just need a labsenpai to show up...

Nice map! I'm not sure I agree with all your positionings, but they're all approximately where I'd put them, so that's a nitpick. The only significant adjustment I'd probably make would be putting a second possible Sylvari location at the Henge of Denravi.

[Arghore]

Originally Posted by Zav

I know it's a lot of speculation. Despite this, on another forum, I tried to imagine some locations with the informations we know. It's not exactely the same map as Arghore, but I think it can help to have a vision of where things could be.
Of course I know, the map will change a lot in 250 years. And for example, we know there will be some water around Ascalon (where we can see nagas swimming in the trailer).
I have some serious doubts about the 5th dragon being near Zhaitan. But it's still is a possible location.

Nice map, Realy like the way how you put things on there ... i been thinking about doing a new map, unfortunatly i keep getting stuck here reading posts instead of making it ...

Biggest thing that still lurking for another version... how and were could there be water in ascalon, that naga thing to me looked more like it was in the desert ... and on that desert, did the river that was bend by Palowa actually flood the crystal desert on the side of Tyria or just divert it on the side of Elona ... and how much would the water table rise due to the rise of orr, if it were to rise at all...

[Joiry]

As I've said elsewhere, I suspect the Norn are actually spread across the entire Shiverpeaks, from as high up as Yak's Bend/Anvil all the way down to Droknar's Forge (even if these locations don't exist anymore). That doesn't mean they "control" all that territory.

The nature of Hoelbrak will be interesting. As far as I can tell, it doesn't follow the naming convention of Norn outposts in GWEN

Gunnar's Hold
Sifhalla
Olafstead
Longeye's Ledge

All of which are named for their primary occupant (aka esteemed by many). Unless there's someone named "Hoel" and "brak" is the Norn equivalent of -burg or something similar. Norn with big reputations seem to attract a number of other Norn to their steads - or perhaps the various NPCs in these locations are part of that Norn's extended family.

[Konig Des Todes]

I believe Jeff said that Jormag pushed the Norn south, and destroyed their culture. Or something of the like (maybe it was that the Norn have to "preserve their race, and their culture"?), so it could be that in the 250 years, the Norn's culture has changed and the naming method for locations is no longer the case.

[Lord Bazaah]

I think Todes is going in the right direction, America's culture was very different 250 years ago.

[Thalador Doomspeaker]

I think that Hoelbrak is free town for the Norn, without being touched by any of the large hunters' influence -> turned into their stead. I assume that it is the central place for every Norn, and it is controlled by noone. Of course, I'm sure that we'll be able to get to other Norns homestead, or we could make our own!

On the Kodans:

Originally Posted by Thalador Doomspeaker

A thought came to my mind. What if the Kodans were Norns, who went raiding into Dredge territory, and they stayed there. I would think their Iceberg could be found patrolling in that frozen sea/lake where the port of Droknar's Forge was. Also, that abandoned Dwarven outpost reminded me of that background area in Ice Caves of Sorrow (there was an area behind the inital outpost - henchmans, vendors - and there I found Dwarven houses and a similar gate.

Back on topic: they stayed there, built the "ship" from the sketches of the Dwarves old ice-floaters, and while doing that, they became an off-shoot race of the Norn.

This is a weak hypothesis, but I thought it could help out Zav in perfecting his/her awesome map. Of course, after we discussed it.

[Arghore]

Updated a bit here and there ... should be more in line with the general idea...

Still think the Asura are very likely to expand in the area around Grotto.
Added in a corrupted flight path of Kralkatorrik..




For those that wanna mess with my basic map... perhaps Zav, since i rather liked his icons



Seeing my Internet provider had a crash last night, just as i was about to sell my Rotwing Recurved Bow
I also made another map, this one suggests a bit bigger changes and i largely made it with said thought
to myself, what/how to change the map so that it actually looks different but might still be assumable for
a 250y time periode.. seeing its not entirely finished, ill put it up when it is...

[Arghore]

Ok this map is totally speculation and about as 'mad' as i could get for a 250y time periode..
General idea, the temp rose about 3degree in the southern regions, while the North with the
rise of Jormag got extra cold, extending the snow and ice a bit... logging near grotto for the
expand of (i would say Asura) has uncovered a river and lakes... the two lakes above Kryta
have been uncovered as being connected aswell, the 'spring' in the east of the heart of shiverpeaks.
Since the awakening of Primordus he has not been stationairy, a new mountain range to the
west is a showtell of him being on the move, it is unsure why he stopped where he did, but
it is very likely that where he stopped he has set up a new 'base of operations'...

The rise in temp in the south (middle of planet) has caused most of the ice to melt in the
southern shiverpeaks, and with the rise of Orr weather paterns changed, turning the Southern bay
of the shiverpeaks into a desert (desert dragon might also have to do something with this)
This dragon has also torn a scar of Corruption accross the Charr homelands, over Ascalon, the
mountains and into the desert. This desert is only green where it gets fed by water from the
thursty river and parts of it have turned into lakes/sea. In general the water level rose about
1 to 2 meters, the extra presure might have had something to do with the awakening of the
Deep Sea dragon, which would realise this extra pressure would mean a higher sea level
which would mean the crystal desert mostlikely has turned into a sea again..

The rise in temperature also caused water to dry up in the west of the map at higher altitude,
which made the Centaur come down the mountains in search of fresh water... The valleys in
this reagion, also known as the Maguma jungle have provited from the rise in temp and extended
into a true jungle with frequent rain. Eating away at what once were barren hilltops...



Like i said, this map is full specualation and an effort from me to go 'mad' at the map to see if
i could change it in such a way that although still looking like Tyria, the map in itself would offer
a whole new view/looks of Tyria ... enough Photoshop for today, its time to Talk like a Pirate now,
AARRRrrrrr ya scurvey landlubbers, it's time to scrub the desks, walk the plank and hoist the main
sail, we a'r setting out for the High Sea's...

[Thalador Doomspeaker]

Why did you freeze that mysterious black island in the Northern Sea? As far as I know there was no interview or evidence that could support that idea.

[Zav]

Some interesting ideas.
It seems there will be a lot of water near Ascalon too. In the gw2 trailer, and in some interviews, we learn there's an important explorable surface under water.
I don't know where the water comes from though.