Before today, I might’ve said that nobody loves talking about bears as much as our writers, who keep penning articles about cool MMO bears, chiefly out of spite, I think. In any case, it seems I must revise my assessment, as ArenaNet also loves its bears, and by bears, I mean the Kodan race in Guild Wars 2, the members of which are front and center in the upcoming Janthir Wilds expansion.
The studio’s latest blog post is a lore-filled deep-dive, definitely worth an admittedly spoiler-filled read if you need to catch up on the story (or never played through it to begin with). But the gist is that Janthir Wilds picks up after Secrets of the Obscure as the players are sent into Janthir on a diplomatic mission to the Kodan.
“One of the most exciting things to dig into has been our new faction of lowland kodan, who have called Janthir home for many generations,” ArenaNet’s narrative lead Indigo Linde and story design lead Chloë Mills explain. “Despite the region being viciously dangerous and inhospitable, they are expert survivalists and have carved out a comfortable – even cozy – way of life in these lands. All lowlanders are capable fighters and learn survival tactics from the time they are cubs. The wayfinder will spend much of their time in Janthir learning about – and learning from – the lowlanders, as they have much to teach.”
“As a population isolated from their northern kodan cousins for so long and living in a much different environment, they’re a little different than the kodan we are familiar with. Perhaps the most notable difference lies in their spiritual belief system. Unlike other kodan, who revere the will and balance of Koda, the lowland kodan hold in reverence the environment, the relationship they maintain with it, and the responsibility they have as stewards of the land. Rather than viewing themselves as enlightened protectors chosen by Koda, lowlanders act out of a duty to maintain necessary balance in a harsh place where taking is easier than giving and survival can be difficult.”
Cutest bears ever.
