Lore Information From Interview with Anet

[Thalador Doomspeaker]

Originally Posted by ShadowedSin

-Asura are organized into colleges (Evolution of the Krewe?)

Then my idea about Magical Institute of Technology (MIT) wasn't that bad and foolish after all...

Originally Posted by Ree Soesbee

However, with the rise of the dragon Jormag in the far north, their Sanctuaries have been pushed out of the massive ice seas and into the shallow bays and harbors that border the Shiverpeaks. They cannot return to the arctic oceans, for fear that the dragon will destroy them utterly.

(Bolded parts) I suppose this means that they've come from the far northern areas, more precisely from around the northern polar circle or the northern pole itself.

(Underlined parts) Does that mean that Jormag's territory and influence stretches into the farthest areas of the north?

Originally Posted by Eric Flannum

One of the things that we try to do with our story and lore is to build a sort of roadmap for where the world and all the races that inhabit it have been and where they are going in the future. The dwarves have played an important part in past events (more than players are even aware of at this time) and will have a role in the future as well. Because of the destiny we chose for the dwarven race, they didn’t make a particularly compelling playable race for Guild Wars 2. But who knows what the future holds for them?

At least I can still keep up my hopes. Also, it looks like that they are involved in many past events, events from about we haven't got the slightest idea...

[Konig Des Todes]

Originally Posted by Thalador Doomspeaker

(Bolded parts) I suppose this means that they've come from the far northern areas, more precisely from around the northern polar circle or the northern pole itself.

(Underlined parts) Does that mean that Jormag's territory and influence stretches into the farthest areas of the north?

Originally Posted by patrickvp

As for the sailing iceberg, the book says that the artists came up with the idea, even though there wasn't a place for it in the game. They all loved it so much that they MADE a space for it.

Anet just retcon'd the map to add in the Kodan. http://guildwars.incgamers.com/showthread.php?t=491152

[Breakfast Mc Rit]

Humans and Charr still argue over old grievances, most races treat the Sylvari with mistrust and uncertainty due to their newness. The Asura feel they need to prove their intellectual superiority

Can we change "prove" to "constantly shove down everybody's throats"?

[Mordakai]

Originally Posted by Konig Des Todes

Anet just retcon'd the map to add in the Kodan. http://guildwars.incgamers.com/showthread.php?t=491152

To save me the time of searching through the whole thread, can you link the specific post please?

[Thalador Doomspeaker]

He was just referring to Patrickvp's quote:

Originally Posted by Patrickvp

Just re-read it and yes, they seem to be their own culture. I'm guessing they are allies of the Norn, as there is that one picture of the Norn ranger with a big Kodan guy backing her up. Unless he's a rebel like Pyre was. As for the sailing iceberg, the book says that the artists came up with the idea, even though there wasn't a place for it in the game. They all loved it so much that they MADE a space for it.

Again, that doesn't mean that the Kodan were not in the game, nor their homeland, it was their iceberg. The artists wanted it so much (I concur, it is a brilliant idea) that ArenaNet have altered the terrain, made space for the Iceberg, and created a path for these sanctuaries so they could explain how the Kodan arrived at their current location.

(I've just searched through the whole thread. The only ArenaNet member's post was Regina's, and she only said that the concept art was not equivalent to the game design. Aside from that, there's no mention that they've only retcon'd the World Map we see today.)

[Mordakai]

I agree with Thalador.

It's quite a stretch to equate "making space in the game for an iceberg", to "making space in the game for a Kodan Homeland"....

especially considering Anet doesn't need to make the homeland, since the only place our characters will interact with the Kodan is on said iceberg.

[Konig Des Todes]

Updated with a new interview from Ten Ton Hammer.

It has been a while since I updated this, so I think I missed some things. If anyone knows of an interview I missed, please post or PM a link.

[King Tomodo]

The players grow personally throughout their quests, going beyond the race-specific challenges of their people to the point where they join one of the multi-racial orders (Durmand Priory, Order of Whispers, or the Vigil),

Those this reveal a game with multiple choices in which "road-to-walk"?

[Naoroji]

You know, we already had that.
Firstly; the 3 to 5 (or something) affiliations to choose from while making your character.
Second; it's already been stated that we'd have more control and more choices to make to kind of,... Decide our own story.

[draxynnic]

Originally Posted by King Tomodo

Those this reveal a game with multiple choices in which "road-to-walk"?

This does introduce some interesting questions: Who is this Vigil being referred to? When and how did Durmand Priory and the Order of Whispers split (last we heard, the former was run by the latter)? Since last we heard these organisations were human-based, what circumstances caused them to branch out - and will we see organisations born of other races that went multiracial?

The extra tidbit on the facets is interesting - I wonder if the facets are basically to the Forgotten as the avatars are to humanity?

PS The mention of Dark Vigils in one of the Sylvari threads sparked a thought - I wonder if the "The Vigil" might be a Sylvari-formed interracial organisation aimed at fighting the Elder Dragons?