Naga
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Naga (New Canthan: 
) are vicious serpentine creatures related to sea snakes[1] inhabiting both the Jade Sea and Shing Jea Island.
Physiology[edit]
Naga hides are extremely versatile; they have been observed to be suitable for making drums with,[2] padding the undercoating of armor with,[3] and even building furniture with.[4] It is claimed that their hides, over time, become attuned to the magic of the Jade Sea.[3]
Culture[edit]
Before the Jade Wind, naga were a peaceful race and coexisted with the Dragon Empire. Naga traded with humans and would serve as mercenaries for human employers. Organized religion among naga was commonplace, though what they worshiped was unknown. Certain naga have been referred to as "Blessed of Dwayna", implying that they may follow the Six Human Gods.[5] They had moral codes passed down through the generations teaching them to limit their propagation.[1]
After the Jade Wind, naga formed tribes[6] and cast away their former peace with humans in order to exact revenge for the transformation of the sea to jade.[1] At some point, they began ornamenting themselves with jewels, cloth and metal.
History[edit]
Early history[edit]
Naga were peaceful at the time of the Dragon Empire's formation and coexisted peacefully with the Luxon Armada in the Jade Sea. With the advent of the Jade Wind, the naga race was almost driven to extinction. Thousands of naga transformed into jade with the sea, while others died alongside humans on land. Only a few dozen naga survived, among them the priestess Hanasha Coralfin. The priestess used her magic to heal the few survivors and in turn ordered those survivors to search for other living naga and bring them to her. After some time, the approximately forty naga left alive gathered before Hanasha, who guided them to abandon their moral codes and to spread and propagate freely, in order to inflict revenge on the Dragon Empire for the near annihilation of their race. They took control of large stretches of Jade Sea coastline, and launched attacks on the Luxons.[1]
During the kind-hearted Empress Tahmu's time, a horde of naga attacked the imperial city, and, not wishing to abandon the city's inhabitants, Tahmu beseeched her people to take up arms and went to do battle with the naga. She was captured, however, and forced to witness every last citizen being tortured and murdered. In an unreasoning fury, Tahmu broke free from her bonds and rained down fire from the sky, streaking through the streets in the form of a dragon to incinerate the naga invaders.[7]
Within the lifetime of the Shing Jea Island villager Miller Quang, the naga population inhabiting the island increased greatly,[8] and as a result, some inhabitants of Daochu Village took up arms and went to battle the naga, carving their way through the hostile naga until they encountered a particularly hostile and powerful individual of the serpentine race which was dubbed Xsshsss Zsss, and which wiped out the party attempting to drive off the creatures. Very few of the villagers managed to survive Xsshsss's attack and those that survived fled headed to Kaineng City in order to escape the naga.[9] After the attack, the naga tore several of the village's huts apart.
Guild Wars Factions[edit]
In 1582 CC (1072 AE), a bedeviled naga appeared in Raiyan Cave, where it was thought by the necromancer headmaster of Shing Jea Monastery to be the source of the Affliction, a "disease" that in actuality was caused by individuals going too close to the malevolent spirit of Shiro Tagachi. On Headmaster Kuju's orders, a necromancer hero slew the naga, though the Affliction remained. Later that year, the soldiers of Captain Elora of the Crab Clan captured a group of hostile elder naga in the Jade Sea, where the elder naga were soon killed by human heroes.
Types[edit]
- See also: Category:Naga
- Champion Naga Stormcaller
- Champion Naga Tide Priest
- Elite Corrupted Naga Wavecaller
- Elite Naga Looter
- Elite Naga Stormcaller
- Elite Naga Venomcaller
- Elite Naga Wavecaller
- Naga Looter
- Naga Poacher
- Naga Raider
- Naga Raider
- Naga Stormcaller
- Naga Stormcaller
- Naga Venomcaller
- Naga Venomcaller
- Naga Wavecaller
- Naga Wavecaller
- Veteran Naga Looter
- Veteran Naga Stormcaller
- Veteran Naga Venomcaller
- Veteran Naga Wavecaller
Gallery[edit]
A naga fighting against Anja.
Art by Zhengyi Wang.
New Canthan for "Naga"
Guild Wars concept art.
Trivia[edit]
|
The Guild Wars Wiki has an article on Naga. |
- Naga are based off Nāga, a race of deific beings commonly referred to in many southern and southeastern areas of Asia. The word "nāgá" can also sometimes be used simply to mean snake.
- The Naga models have tongues that are separate from their glottis almost like real world snakes.
See also[edit]
- Associated items
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d The Guild Wars Factions Manuscripts
- Tyrian visitors claim that the serpentine Naga resemble the Forgotten of the northern continent, but the two species are unrelated. Like the Wardens, the Naga people lost their homes when the Jade Wind struck. But the Naga population—water-dwelling creatures related to sea snakes which evolved a culture at peace with humans—was nearly wiped out by Shiro’s death wail. Thousands became one with the sea when it turned to gemstone. Hundreds more, mostly traders or mercenaries, died with the humans of Cantha on land. The only Naga that survived were those far enough away not to be trapped in the water when it turned to jade, and those survivors—only a few dozen in number—were scattered and terrified.
- If not for a Naga priestess named Hanasha Coralfin the entire race might well have died out within a few years, perhaps even a few months. The priestess used what power she had left to revive those survivors she could find, who then brought more survivors to her, until a united Naga tribe of barely 40 individuals gathered. Under her guidance, the Naga abandoned their ancient moral codes and began to propagate freely and often, so that someday they might make the humans pay for what they had done.
- Now, 200 years later, the Naga are nothing like the peaceful culture that shared the coast with the Canthans of old. They have aggressively taken back whole stretches of crystallized sea and petrified coastline from the humans, and make any journey through the Jade Sea even more perilous.
- ^ Amina
- Amina: Have you heard the sound of a Naga skin drum? There's nothing quite like it, and all my musician friends are looking for some hides to complete their drum circle. Tell you what, fetch me 5 Naga Skins for making drums, and I'll give you this.
- ^ a b Maddison
- Maddison: Elders claim that over time the hide of the Naga becomes infused with the magic of the Jade Sea. The traditional armor donned by our champions is often padded with an undercoating of Naga hide. If they are tough enough to protect our champions, I could surely use me a Naga hide overcoat! Let's see, I'll need 5 Naga Skins in exchange for:
- ^ Debiro Kuri
- Debiro Kuri: Good day to you. I take it you have come to place an order for some furniture? No? Well... that is shocking. My work is renowned throughout all of Cantha, and I am swamped with orders to make more of my popular Naga hide lounging chairs. Well, if you have not come to place an order, perhaps you are looking for some work? I recently hired some workers to bring me Naga hide, but they had a little... mishap. Occupational hazard, I suppose. If you feel up to task and can bring me 5 Naga Hides, I will give you this in return.
- ^ Ssuns, Blessed of Dwayna
- ^ Night Raiders
- Reaver Tammox: We thought they were Kurzicks. Kurzicks are hitting us all the time. But we finally killed one of them, and it was no Kurzick...it was a Naga! It must be that tribe led by Xiriss Stickleback. He used to hunt the roads near here, a bandit and a thief. Don't know why he's attacking us now, but we don't have time to deal with them. Here's what I need you to do: find Stickleback and take his head. Bring it to that Canthan noble and tell him we're back on schedule. If a severed Naga head won't convince him we're sincere, I don't know what will.
- ^ Tahmu
- Tahmu: The Dragon, a reminder of atrocity, pain, and anguish.
- Tahmu: Tahmu was an empress well known for her generosity and kind spirit. The people of her lands were all her children, and she made sure none went without food and shelter. When the Naga attacked, her private guards urged her to flee the city that she might save her own life. But Tahmu would not abandon her children. She called to her people to take up arms and defend themselves against the Naga, and she herself went into the streets to do battle. Unfortunately, the Naga overpowered Tahmu and her people, keeping her alive to witness the torture and murder of every single person in the city. Enraged beyond reason, she managed to break from her bonds and call down fire from the heavens, which streaked through the streets in the form of a dragon, incinerating the Naga attackers.
- ^ Dialogue in Sentimental Treasures
- Miller Quang: I cannot tell you how nice it is to see some new faces around here. Ever since the Naga population exploded, more and more people have moving out of the area. They keep saying I should go, too. But this is my home and no snakes, however large they be, are going chase me away!
- Miller Quang: You know...if you are looking for some work, I could use a little help. You see, before the Naga came, I used to keep some sentimental items in a chest out on Yuroso Island. It's a small island to the northwest. It was great: nice view, nobody around, lots of privacy... I used to sit there for hours sifting through my old things and thinking of times and friends long gone. Now that the Naga have taken over the island, I have been thinking of bringing my things back here where I can keep a closer eye on them. If you retrieve that Old Chest full of memories for me, I shall give you a little something for your trouble.
- ^ Skin the Snake
- Miller Quang: I was hoping you would come around again, <Character name>! Ever since you retrieved my old chest for me, an idea has been forming in my mind. Before the rest of the villagers left, a number of them went to take out the Naga and reclaim our lands. According to the few survivors, they were making good headway until they came up against one particularly nasty Naga. He took out most of them before they even had a chance to react. There were only a handful who managed to flee, and those who did packed up their things that very day and headed to the city. But I have been thinking...if anyone can kill that Naga boss, you can, and maybe, if we can get rid of this Naga, we can convince the other villagers that it is safe to return.
