Sylvari
From Guild Wars 2 Wiki
.jpg)
“Sylvari are not born. They awaken beneath the Pale Tree with knowledge gleaned in their pre-life Dream. These noble beings travel, seeking adventure and pursuing quests. They struggle to balance curiosity with duty, eagerness with chivalry, and warfare with honor. Magic and mystery entwine to shape the future of this race that has so recently appeared.
— In-game description
The sylvari are a young, inquisitive race of botanical humanoids spawned from the Pale Tree in Arbor Bay - the first sylvari emerging in 1302 AE. The tree was planted by Ronan and raised by Ventari, who were attempting to escape the violence that engulfed Tyria.
Sylvari are one of the five playable races in Guild Wars 2.
Contents |
[edit] Character creation
Selecting a sylvari character will start players off in the Dream of Dreams, where they will confront the darkness within the Dream. Afterwards, they will awaken at the base of the Pale Tree in The Grove.
During character creation, sylvari characters have three race specific biography questions that they can answer, affecting their personal story:
- What day time cycle they were born in.
- Which quest they dreamed of.
- Most important of Ventari's teachings.
The personal story begins in the Dream of Dreams.[1]
The sylvari racial skills focus on themes of plant manipulation and the sylvari dream. Interviews have stated the sylvari have more healing skills than other races.[2]
[edit] Physiology
The sylvari are omnivorous humanoid plants. Some sylvari closely resemble humans but with a fey cast to their features such as tilted eyes and pointed ear tips; most display plantlike features such as bark simulating bone structure, have foliage and petals for hair, and leaves or vines acting as flesh. Golden sap moves through their veins instead of blood and pollen shakes off of them as they move. They are much slighter than the average human, about a head shorter and of slimmer build. While sylvari can seemingly absorb sunlight and become rejuvenated, they still must eat and drink to survive.[3]
Sylvari emerge fully formed from golden fruit pods which grow on the branches of the Pale Tree. Their "gender" is selected by the Pale Tree prior to emergence and is distinguished by the same features as human genders;[4] while sylvari are able to and do have sex, it is not for reproduction as sylvari can only be born from the Pale Tree.[5] As they are all born from the Pale Tree they could be considered all of the same family. Their family bond might even be considered stronger than most species as they share a collective dream and are connected on a basic psychic level as well as the genetic level. It is unknown whether the sylvari die of old age as sylvari have only died through violence, poison or disease so far and no sylvari has shown signs of aging.[6] When a sylvari is harmed, instead of scarring tissue they heal via tendrils and expanding bark, but heal at the same general rate as humans.[6]
Prior to emergence they share a bond through the Pale Tree which they call the Dream of Dreams. In this dream a growing sylvari is exposed to the consciousness of the Pale Tree and the vast pool of knowledge and memories of what every other sylvari has thought and learned of the world. When they emerge a portion of this knowledge remains with them, including basic wisdom and understanding from the Pale Tree and a small fraction of what other sylvari have seen and experienced, though this rarely includes specific memories. After emergence the bond with the Pale Tree is weaker but it links all sylvari and, to an extent, other plants. On rare occasion twins can emerge from the same pod and they exhibit a greater empathy toward one another.[3]
[edit] Culture
Sylvari are usually honest, direct and focused, taking most things at face value. With the dream ensuring there is so much in common with the other sylvari, experience is cherished for creating uniqueness between them. They are eager to learn, experience and understand.
Sylvari morality and ethics are based on those of the Pale Tree. These were formed by following the lives of Ronan and Ventari, during the early growth of the Pale Tree and later written on the Ventari Tablet situated at the base of the tree. After emergence a sylvari is guided by older sylvari to understand what they have dreamed and ensure they have a clear understanding of the tablet, their history and the world.
Despite the kick start of knowledge from the dream they still seem naive as there are some matters which seem beyond their comprehension. Emotions and tact, in particular, are difficult for them to grasp, so often a sylvari will state out loud something which would normally be politely avoided by other races. Death as well is still not fully understood, but it is viewed as something to be embraced and wholly understood - this creates an acceptance and fascination of death which the other races can find disturbing.
Romance and sex is practiced among the sylvari, disregarding gender between those involved. To a sylvari, love is about inspiration, and it has nothing at all to do with the physical form. [7]
The sylvari believe it is their destiny to hunt the dragons. Throughout their dream there is a shadow cast over them, and when they awaken to the world they see the same shadow is cast over the world by the elder dragons.
Sylvari craft their armor and weapons from organic material, such as roots and leaves.[8]
[edit] Religion
The sylvari have an agnostic view of the Human Gods, wishing to see proof of the gods' existence and work.[9] They venerate the Ventari Tablet as their most sacred artifact and testament. The Pale Tree is also much revered, though more as a wise parent than as a deity. If the sylvari need counseling, they often travel to the heart of the mighty tree and commune with her there.
[edit] Government
The firstborn, the first of the sylvari to emerge from the Pale Tree, have the greatest experience in and wisdom of the world and are well respected among the sylvari. Four of them in particular (one of each cycle) have taken on positions of leadership, organization and teaching and provide something like governance and guidance for the sylvari people.
[edit] History
Ronan, a human soldier, found the fist-sized seed of the pale tree in a cave. On returning to his home he discovered his home destroyed by mursaat. He planted the seed on the graves of his family and swore never to fight again. Ronan formed an unlikely friendship with the centaur Ventari and together they built a refuge near the growing tree for those who sought peace and shelter.
As the pale tree grew, the war between the centaur and krytans became more brutal and fewer listened to Ventari and the small outpost grew smaller. Before he passed away in 1180 AE, Ventari carved his life lessons on a tablet which he placed at the base of the tree in the hope travellers might read it.
Over one hundred years later, golden fruit formed for the first time on the pale tree. In 1302 AE, these opened to reveal the first of the sylvari. The tablet at the base of the tree and the Dream of Dreams guide the sylvari, who are imprinted by the morality and ethics of Ventari and the bravery of Ronan.
[edit] Gallery
 |
 |
.jpg) |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
[edit] Notes
- The term sylvari is used in the plural, possessive and singular forms.
- The sylvari race underwent a redesign early on, the results of which were revealed on August 8, 2011.
[edit] Trivia
- The sylvari are based on arthurian legends, and their personal story has strong ties to them.[10]
- Silva is Latin for forest.
- The unimplemented Guild Wars Utopia included the sidhe, a race based upon the Irish mythological aos sí, also known as as sídhe. Sylvari also have some similarities to Irish and Celtic folklore.
[edit] See also
- Official page (original version).
- The Movement of the World - sylvari entry.
- Dream and Nightmare
- Background information - by Ree Soesbee.
- The official books Ghosts of Ascalon and Edge of Destiny.
- Gallery of sylvari appearances
[edit] References
- ^ Interview with Ree Soesbee, Wartower
- ^ Interview with Eric Flannum, Isaiah Cartwright, and Ryan Scott, Guild Wars 2 Guru
- ^ a b Sylvari Lore Interview with Ree Soesbee & Kristen Perry, TalkTyria.net
- ^ Post by Martin Kerstein, Guild Wars 2 Guru
- ^ GW2 Interview with Martin Kerstein & Eric Flannum, CD-Action
- ^ a b Ashenfold Cartel Interview with Jeff Grubb and Eric Flannum!, The Ashenfold Cartel
- ^ Quote of Ree Soesbee, Guild Wars 2 Guru
- ^ PCGameplay Article on Guildwars 2, Translation of PCGameplay, Guild Wars 2 Guru
- ^ Wiispace Interview With Ree Soesbee, World Designer and Writer For Guild Wars 2, Wiispace
- ^ Eurogamer interview on Youtube, Colin Johanson
| Playable races | |
|---|---|
 Asura •  Charr •  Human •  Norn •  Sylvari
| |
