Curse

Vicks · Dec 15, 2007, 12:14 AM // 00:14

I always thought it was really somewhat tragic, how the causes for our battle with the Mursaat were rather circular in nature.

I mean, they heard about the Flameseeker Prophecies which foretold their destruction, and so in an effort to prevent their destruction they decided they would need to kill the chosen and keep us away from the door of Komalie. But the entire reason we destroyed them was because they were killing the chosen and the entire reason we wanted to open the door of Komalie was to defeat them!

Sure they're a bunch of stuck up jerks from what we can grasp from the few instances of Mursaat talking to us or NPCs talking about the Mursaat, but I'm sure that there must have been SOME good hearted Mursaat. I mean, it seems downright unnatural to have an entire race all think alike. Especially such an erudite race of casters like the Mursaat. You'd think that with all that knowledge at least a few of them would be wise and thoughtful rather than abusing their knowledge for power like Optimus Caliph or Lazarus the Dire, right?

Plus I'd really like to know what their history with the Seers is, such that the Seers have come to hold an "enmity" between their two races. Given the sparse known population of Seers, it probably resulted in genocide, whatever it was.

So basically, what I'm getting at here is that I'd really like a Mursaat hero. There could still be a few surviving Mursaat, right? I mean, where does that Asura skill "Summon Mursaat" summon that Mursaat FROM!?
(I'm beginning to become suspicious that it might be some sort of sadistic Asuran research facility or something)

I know asking for something like Mursaat as a playable race in GW2 would be completely unheard of unless Mursaat have extremely fast population growth, but a hero or two would be completely satisfactory.

Heck, while we're on the topic, a Seer hero would be cool too.

1 up and 2 down · Dec 15, 2007, 12:26 AM // 00:26

First off, I am not sure about the quest name but there is one where you help someone from the mantle and he says that the mursaat are still alive but very few are left.

Also the skill summon mursaat actually doesn't summon a mursaat. All you actually do is summon an animated polmock piece.

Vicks · Dec 15, 2007, 01:19 AM // 01:19

Ah, that makes sense about the Summon Mursaat skill. I wasn't really paying attention to anything Hoff was saying when he gave me those skills.

And so the Mursaat are dwindling but not wiped out? Lovely. Then my wish for a Mursaat hero isn't too far fetched.

CrowRbot · Dec 15, 2007, 01:18 PM // 13:18

Perhaps from the Mursaat perspective, we humans were little more than animals to be sacrificed to prevent their doom. Many religions have offered animal sacrifices here to placate or to curry favor with their gods, and I doubt most of the people in those areas or times believed what they were doing was wrong. Likewise there were certainly "good-hearted" individuals in those religions, but they did not believe that killing "innocent" animals was wrong, especially if the alternative was to incur the wrath of a deity (or fulfill some prophecy in the Mursaat's case).

I'm sure the Mursaat were quite charitable, thoughtful, and friendly, if only to their own kind and those lesser creatures (i.e., the White Mantle) to whom they deign to lend their power. Humans were likely regarded as some religions in this world regarded goats, wholly inferior and useful for purposes of ritual sacrifice. In this world, of course, many people now take offense to the idea of sacrificing animals to a god, and there may have been Mursaat who did feel guilty in some way for what they did. In the face of a prophecy predicting their total annihilation should they stop the sacrifices, however, those were very far and few between most likely, and probably kept their mouths shut.

As for their chances for survival, there are a lot of pissed off people looking for blood and the Mursaat's numbers may be too small and spread too far apart to rebuild much of what they had. We also know little about their species or culture... perhaps the Mursaat we encountered were thousands of years old and had lost the ability to reproduce. That may have been the death blow dealt by the titans, simply removing the Mursaat's potential strength in numbers so "lesser species" could defeat them piecemeal.

Born to Mes · Dec 15, 2007, 01:45 PM // 13:45

Well we did basically wipe them off the face of the ring of fire island chain. Those that we didn't kill there were basically taken care of by the Titans. Their fate on the mainland is however unknown. There are probably several settlements there that are still intact and hidden away from human eyes. I wouldn't be surprised if they made an appearance in GW2

Guildmaster Cain · Dec 15, 2007, 05:19 PM // 17:19

Gaile already said their story would be unfold in GW2.

To those that still think the Mursaat were just trying to safe their own race, thus were forced to kill 'animals' for sacrifice, you should read the dialogue from Lazarus the Dire. It aint bout roses or anything near.

Vicks · Dec 16, 2007, 06:18 AM // 06:18

Although Lazarus is presumed to be among the top three leaders of the Mursaat along with Optimus and Mercia. Politicians, bureaucrats, and priests aren't anything to judge an entire race by.

And honestly, at the very least they acknowledged humans as thought capable beings despite using them as tools for their own purposes. Certainly there must have been at least a few Mursaat who were either interested in humans or saw them as a potential partner civilization.
I don't see how an entire race of beings could possibly all think alike short of a preposterously small gene pool and an all encompassing iron fisted totalitarian regime and religion. Given their apparently somewhat large population, I would think such things would be impossible to manage no matter how much power they wielded. Barring small societies, you won't find a government, no matter how strict, that can sway everybody under its influence. You won't find a religion, no matter how widespread, that does not find sects or opposing religions practiced in its midst despite harsh persecution. I know they all use pretty much the same sprites, but the Mursaat aren't actually an entire race of clones, right? (...right?)

And lets face it, they're pretty cool. I know I'd want a big black octopus like appendage sticking out of MY back!

Free Runner · Dec 16, 2007, 11:50 PM // 23:50

The last thing Lazarus says in the Mursaat Quest Chain (From EotN) implies that we'll be seeing the Mursaat again in GW2 and they are not going to be happy with the humans.

So if Lazarus does manage to get some Mursaat going to recreate the race they will probably all be lead by his new teachings - "Make the Humans Suffer".

Born to Mes · Dec 17, 2007, 04:02 AM // 04:02

There has been much speculation with regards to Mursaat society. There is little that we know for certain and much is inferred to us by second hand sources. All that we truly know for certain is that they are powerful spell casters who value their privacy and their survival.

Unfortunately do to their knowledge of the flameseeker prophesies they are forced to give up a bit of that privacy to try to protect themselves. They still manage to keep their identity somewhat secret by posing as unseen gods. Also during the BMP we see that they kill all but the most devout members of the White Mantle who set eyes on them. The Mursaat want to maintain their secrecy as much as possible. Unfortunately due to our actions they are forced to reveal themselves much more publicly.

Because of their secretive nature there is little that we know for sure about them. Due to their secretive nature and the way in which they go about trying to survive, they present the impression that they are definitely not a friendly race.

Even with what little information in which we are given, we do have enough to at least begin to understand their nature. Their secretive nature may imply that the Mursaat are living under a totalitarian regime. This is further reinforced by the cruel behavior of their soldiers. This could mean that there might be some Mursaat who didn’t like their government as it was. They might almost be happy that it was nearly shattered at the hands of the chosen and the Titans. There still might be some individuals that are however rather pissed off about their near extinction though. Another possibility is that the Mursaat are conditioned from a young age to be the way they are by propaganda and such. Whichever the case my be, there is much with regards to the Mursaat that remains unknown such as if the Mersaat children like to laugh and sing and dance and play tetherball. Or if the Mursaat can even have children for that matter.

Hopefully we will know more in GW2

Rabid Fury · Dec 20, 2007, 02:28 AM // 02:28

Well no matter what anything says if I found a Prophecy stating that my race was doomed to destruction do to a group of 'Chosen' ones I'd sure as hell do whatever it takes to get rid of em'

kuhu · Dec 29, 2007, 12:42 AM // 00:42

I dont think there will be a lot of mursaat. If there were then they could just dominate tyria like they did before. The titans are gone and really, the destroyers would be just pathetic against them. The only threat would be us infused guys and the dragons.

Vicks · Dec 29, 2007, 07:03 AM // 07:03

At the very least we know that they were powerful enough to destroy the Charr, and yet they never invaded anybody (except possibly the Seers) and were content to sit inside their hidden cities rather than conquer the humans.

kuhu · Dec 30, 2007, 05:36 AM // 05:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vicks

At the very least we know that they were powerful enough to destroy the Charr, and yet they never invaded anybody (except possibly the Seers) and were content to sit inside their hidden cities rather than conquer the humans.

That would lead to the impression that the Mursaat were actually very passive before the charr war (aside from the seers). Interesting

Fangclaw · Jan 11, 2008, 08:55 PM // 20:55

Well... Maybe the Seers are(were?) Mursaat necromancers who ''delved too deep'' in the dark arts... Then the other Mursaat would want to correct that mistake and set things right.

We dont know for sure if the Seers population is great or scarce. So maybe there were more of them and they got wiped out because the Mursaat felt like they were a threat to the world; or maybe because they felt responsible for some reason, or maybe just because they were different from all the other Mursaat...

Wich takes us back to the totalitary regime theory...

But anyway, I do believe some Mursaat survived the Titans in the chaos of us fighting the Lich Lord...

Konig Des Todes · Jan 29, 2008, 01:14 AM // 01:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fangclaw

We dont know for sure if the Seers population is great or scarce.

But anyway, I do believe some Mursaat survived the Titans in the chaos of us fighting the Lich Lord...

I belive that it is said that the seer population is near extinction by the time of prophecies. Also it IS proven that some Mursaat survived the Titan's attack, that is shown in Eye of the North. The only question about that is "How many survived?"

Accursed · Jan 29, 2008, 02:21 AM // 02:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by Azazel The Assassin

I belive that it is said that the seer population is near extinction by the time of prophecies. Also it IS proven that some Mursaat survived the Titan's attack, that is shown in Eye of the North. The only question about that is "How many survived?"

i have to agree with you on that last question, aza, but may I add that if there IS little left of the Mursaat, anet should have them as the last suriving remenants of the old gods (like the gods before Balthzar+Dwayna+Grenth, created the Mursaat for control when the gods went to their world).

Nemo the Capitalist · Jan 31, 2008, 03:48 PM // 15:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rabid Fury

Well no matter what anything says if I found a Prophecy stating that my race was doomed to destruction do to a group of 'Chosen' ones I'd sure as hell do whatever it takes to get rid of em'

Ud make a fine king Herod

kill the messiah...

Ud make a fine ....American

Abortions 30 mill partial births etc

Ud make a .....great...jihaidst

with that outlook

*wanted to have fun i know u dont support these measures.
*took it out of context but had too*

KnivesOfBloodAndPain · Feb 04, 2008, 11:33 PM // 23:33

If Anet decides to give the Mursaat a rabbit-like reproduction rate then they are a very large possibility to be a playable race in GW2. If not then I'm sure that we will see the Mursaat in GW2 but there won't be much of them and they will not be hostile. There could be a possible alliance between the Asura and Mursaat, seeing as the Mursaat had "A city of massive towers, reaching to the heavens" then I am sure that they had an advanced civilization and they could look at the Asura as a means to regain their former power. They could be friends for a couple of years and the next, they stab the Asura while they're sleeping and steal all of the machines and GOLEMS, do several sneak attacks on the other races, and take over Tyria. I'd rather they be a playable race though.

mrmango · Feb 05, 2008, 12:01 AM // 00:01

I hope they don't go reproduction crazy, but that would cause an interesting continuation of Mursaat vs Asura mindclash.

Vicks · Feb 06, 2008, 04:44 AM // 04:44

Mmm... I'm just putting this out there but everything we actually know about the Mursaat besides what occurs directly within Guild Wars itself is what we can derive from the lore of the White Mantle, which is not a very trustworthy source.

But seriously, we don't know anything about the Mursaat, and yet we're making all these assumptions! Who exactly was the one who told us that the city Saul found was the only place the Mursaat used to dwell on the entire planet? Who exactly was the one who told us that the Mursaat who founded the white mantle and who discovered the flameseeker prophecies and who fortified the door of komalie and were subsequently torn apart by the titans and chosen were even close to the majority of the entire population of Mursaat on the entire planet?

After all... the exact wording for the entirety of the Flameseeker Prophecies... has not been revealed! We know it mentions SOMETHING about some ambiguous amount of Mursaat being killed by some ambiguous group of chosen (man, you have any idea how many chosen they went through before getting the ones that opened the door?) and titans, but we don't know if it literally says, "all the Mursaat 'gonna DIE!" or not.

In fact, we already know for a fact that if it DID say something like that, it wasn't entirely accurate, as not all the Mursaat were actually wiped out by the chosen and titans, as evident within GWEN.

So if for some reason Anet decides to make Mursaat playable, or at the very least have some sort of noticeable presence in GW2 (as I hope), they won't have to look far for an excuse to explain their population. Or at the very least they won't have to say, "Mursaat multiply quickly" or something silly(?) like that (although then again, they do look like they could multiply rather quickly). Need an excuse for more Mursaat? These guys can make entire cities invisible you know. They can also fly. And teleport. There could be invisible cities all over the freaken planet!

...

OR OTHER PLANETS!

Here's another interesting thing! There's really no mention at all as to where the heck the Mursaat CAME from within the various lores which discuss the gods and the dragons and such and what races they created, etc. Who's to say the Mursaat aren't actually ALIENS!? On a related note, they do have some rather unexplained and mysterious connection with the race of Seers, who look remarkably like classical "grays" of popular culture. The Mursaat themselves look rather otherworldly. Looking at them up close, you can see that their black tentacles are actually rather feathery in texture and that there is a solid portion within them that more resembles thin roots.

And man, did you see some of the art within Saul's Story from the bonus mission pack? Like, of a Mursaat without their armor on? Wicked.

I realize I'm rambling now, so I'll leave by restating my desire for Mursaat to be playable within GW2, and that if it becomes impossible for such a wish to be fulfilled due to future revelations about GW2, at the very least throw me a bone with a Mursaat Hero or quest line (or armor theme... I want tendrils)!