Golden Filigree

[:1]I know Rata Sum and the Mursaat has already been the subject of many debates, but I wondered if anyone had noticed this:



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|||You quoted the wrong thing. That comes from a beta story. A handful of things from the beta stories were changed - such as Saul's last name - though the reason I bring this up is because you confused me.

I don't see how this needed its own thread (again), but I don't think golden filigree designs would be that unique. Find alabaster in Rata Sum or like designs and I'll be impressed.

Also, that design is very common among asuran architecture - even in the Central Transfer Chamber. So unless the asura don't have a single piece of original architecture and they've been inhabiting mursaat structures for several dozen years - if not much longer - then I don't think that is really clear.

And I think taking the manual's description over a beta story would be better:


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On the fourth day, delirious with hunger, Saul emerged from the trees to see what he thought was a hallucination—a city of massive towers reaching into the heavens. The architecture was astounding, and the creatures who lived here were unlike any he had ever seen.




Only thing that's the same would be the massive towers reaching into the heavens. The story's telling and the manual's retelling are almost identical. Due to this, I'd be willing so say that there might have been a change in lore between the two.|||Quote:








Find alabaster in Rata Sum or like designs and I'll be impressed.




Ha, I'll get on it tonight


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Also, that design is very common among asuran architecture - even in the Central Transfer Chamber. So unless the asura don't have a single piece of original architecture and they've been inhabiting mursaat structures for several dozen years - if not much longer - then I don't think that is really clear.




Yes, but I think it only strengthens a theory that is actually well-supported. There are other elements that suggest Rata Sum is connected to the Mursaat and may well be the city Saul talks about, so this piece of "evidence" doesn't stand on its own. I also don't think the lore given in the beta story is any less valid because certain changes were made.




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Only thing that's the same would be the massive towers reaching into the heavens.




I haven't noticed any towers to be honest |||(Sorry for doubleposting)

I realized it may be right in front of me. I would have no difficulty believing this is alabaster:



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The materials used for other structures are much more rugged, this appears to be much softer and smoother in comparison. The color varies, as does the alabaster. And if you look closely, you can see a same sort of "vein" in it. It makes sense to find the two together, as it says "...alabaster and golden filigree..."

Now, I know it has been subject of debate before and I draw no conclusions, but here are other similarities beside the usual stuff (Rata Sum anagram, Ullen river, ...) that I find rather striking:



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The power of the Mursaat has always fascinated me. They appear to have some affinity with electricity or lightning, or some form of energy that resembles it. They use it not only to cast their most holy spell, spectral agony, but also to empower their ether seals. Finding a source of this same distinct energy encased in golden filigree, I think is fascinating.



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I know this may seem a bit far-fetched, but when you consider all of the above and assume for a moment Rata Sum is a Mursaat city, it does make sense. These very rare shrines have been found in Kryta, and the special ones above only in the Mursaat stronghold in the ring of fire. We can (safely) assume they are of Mursaat origin, and most likely connected to Janthir. Considering the fact the Mursaat are one of the oldest races of Tyria, Rata Sum would be old. One of their earliest or maybe only structure. So their modern structures, like the shrines in Kryta, would look different but in also similar. Again, a single red gem with triangle shapes all around it, and the same general design. I'm not saying they look alike, but they seem to come from the same origin.|||Eh, I thought the Asura built Rata Suum. Is there anything that suggests they just moved into a previously unoccupied ruin?|||They both moved into ruins and built it. Look at the in-game description (and if it isn't there, then it's somewhere else - but it is a fact that Rata Sum existed prior to the asura) - we just don't know what is asuran and what is not.

For all we know, everything Nayru pointed out is asura, everything else is from the ruins.

Those floating cubes (believed by some to be generators) are definably asuran though. It's probably the sole thing that is only found among the asura and not among the other ruins. It may be that those are the only thing asuran (the floating cubes elsewhere as well, such as on top of the towers)|||I think everything, or at least most of Rata Sum, is not asuran. Here's why.

First. In the picture below, you see that the asura have built little huts for them to use. Not only are the huts compared to the rest of Rata Sum very different in style and material, but why would the asura build such primitive huts if, assuming they built Rata Sum, they are capable of much better construction? It would make no sense.



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Second. In this picture, you clearly see that one of the walls is broken. This suggests that Rata Sum is more of a ruin, rather than it being the result of neglect on part of the asura. Again, notice the striking difference between the simple, wooden huts the asura use and the rest of Rata Sum.



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The hub of Asuran activity on the surface world, Rata Sum was quickly erected through magical means when the race arrived from their native underground homes. Geomystic generators dot the area, providing free power to the town. Some find the atmosphere within the town uncomfortable, saying you can literally feel the Energy being sucked from the air, but the Asura vow this enchanted technology is "perfectly safe."




Third. Two things are interesting about this. First is the term "geomystic". The word "geo" would mean earth or land or even place, while "mystic" would be something like obscure, spiritual or even divine. So these generators are apparently powered by something unintelligible or spiritual unique to that place or land. Seems to suggest something external. Second is that fact that some asura seem to have doubts about the safety of this technology. If this technology involves something non-asura, like Mursaat energy, it would explain this sort of uncertainty and doubt.|||Quote:








I spoke with Jeff Grubb about this and here is what we have to say: The architecture of the Tarnished Coast is a combination of preexisting architecture with Asuran modifications. Who that preexisting architecture belonged to? We don't yet know. It could have been Orrian, the Seers or even the Mursaat. That is yet to be discovered, but one thing is for sure, there was once a civilization situated in the Tarnished Coast before the Asura arrived there.




http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/User_...rave_New_World

Tents are not modifications. There are also much better structures that are known to be asuran (the generator outside of Rata Sum in Riven Earth for the G.O.L.E.M. project, for instance). Those tents are clearly/most likely merely quickly built shelters so they have something to live under while they create a real livelihood.

Furthermore:


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The Asura brought their culture, heritage, and architectural styles with them to the surface, renovating the ruins by magical means to more closely resemble their subterranean homes. In addition to pyramids and great gates, the Asura erected geomystic generators to focus the magical energies brimming in the Tarnished Coast to further aid in their research. They also built large forges and kilns to produce prototypes and finished magical devices. This is no collection of lore-gathering scholars—the Asura are inventors and builders. And their creations tend to work more often than not.




From an article where the devs explained the asura (can be found here).

The asuran architecture is far more then mere huts, which are obviously built in a hurry - after all, if you and a bunch of refugees just got into a new area which had ruins, are you going to 1) live in those ruins as is, 2) build (temporary) huts/tents, or 3) take those ruins and build from them? The asura do 2 and 3, and what we see during EN is the transition between the two.

The tents may also have more practical reasons, and not be living accommodations: quick and movable means to provide shade and shelter from the wind - something that the asura never needed before, and in turn wouldn't have a pre-existing design for something to do such.

The pyramids mentioned in the article would be the floating bits above the towers, the gates should be obvious (both asura gates, which we actually only see one of in the Tarnished Coast that's above ground, and the literal gates), and then the generators, considering it is plural, would probably be the big floating and broken up cube in the center of Rata Sum (which can also be found in the Tarnished Coast and Zinn's lab in Kryta).|||Okey, so modifications were made. We still don't know to what extent though. Based on this information, I'd say everything in Rata Sum is asuran except for the large yellow cube with the energy flowing through, the large fire pillars and maybe some other small bits too.

Btw Konig, are you impressed yet by my alabaster? I think that, with Linsey confirming there possibly could be remains of a Mursaat culture, to then find alabaster and golden filigree and other hints pointing in that direction, isn't a coincidence.|||I always took those stands to be wooden, but now that you point it out, they do look a lot like alabaster. I'll have to take a peek in-game.