Canthan Culture

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Canthan Culture is part of the Guild Wars Factions manual describing the backstory of Cantha.

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A Word from Master Togo of Shing Jea Monaster

I bid you welcome to Cantha, my students. You are ready to study the professions of the hero, including two ancient disciplines unique to the EMpire of the Dragon. You could summon Spirits from beyond with the magic of the Ritualist, or strike down the most dreaded adversaries with the swift, silent techniques of the deadly Assassin. You may grow into a mighty Warrior, or embrace the path of the powerful Elementalist. The methods of the manipulative Mesmer may prove to be your destiny, though the holy strength of the Monk could be the school that calls to your soul. Perhaps you will bring the dead to defend Cantha as a Necromancer, or take on the mantle of Ranger and strike at your enemies with bow, trap and beast.

Study the faces of your enemies and meet them with force should you encounter them on Shing Jea countryside, the streets of Kaineng City, the calcified Echovald Forest, or the glittering Jade Sea. Master your professions and choose your allies wisely. When the time comes to take up arms, you'll have nary a moment to react. There will be little opportunity for idle contemplation, for soon you must step out into a greater world. When that moment comes you must be ready to kill those who would do the same to you. You must be prepared to help those in need and seek alliances with those who may appear more foe than friend.

Foul things are afoot in Cantha, and they hope to strike at the very heart of what we are. This evil wishes to erase our kind and rule a kingdom of misery. We will not allow this. We will defend this kingdom with the will of the gods and the strength of our ancestors. Attend to your training and master your abilities, for you hold the fate of the Empire of the Dragon in your hands.

— Master Togo

The Emperor's Court

Many nobles make up the bulk of the emperor's court—trusted advisors, sycophantic yes-men, and in a few cases outright spies for the Kurzicks or Luxons. (These spies do not realize the emperor knows full well of their existence and uses them to control what information reaches these vassal cultures from the court of Emperor Kisu.) The court is distinct from the offices of the Celestial Ministry, in that its members are literally in the emperor's presence for much of the day.

The court is also where one will find the personal representatives of the Emperor Kisu, who act on his behalf in a number of arenas, both political and military. The Emperor's Blade is the ruler's able right hand, a deadly master of swordsmanship. The Emperor's Voice speaks the Canthan monarch's words. The Emperor's Hand does Kisu's bidding in cases where violence may not be needed, but words will not be enough.

The Celestial Ministry

The vast Empire of the Dragon contains hundreds of thousands of people. Many are human; some on the fringes of humanity, but Emperor Kisu rules all. Yet one man, even an Ascendant Emperor, cannot see to all of the concerns and laws governing so many. To keep Cantha running effectively, a bureaucracy is and always has been key. This bureaucracy—known collectively as the Celestial Ministry—has grown in size and power over the years, though not necessarily in efficiency. Emperor Kisu knows that the bureaucracy is too large, and in places too corrupt, but even the sovereign ruler of Cantha can only do so much to stem the tide of a growing bureaucratic class in Kaineng City. The Celestial Ministry is divided into four smaller Ministries, each one devoted to a different aspect of Cantha's imperial government. These ministries, each named after one of the four major elements, have been created over several hundred years to (ostensibly) meet certain needs that the Celestial Ministry could not handle. Their elemental names—Fire, Earth, Air, and Water—are traditionally tied to specific (and largely mythical) powers. The most visible function of all Ministries is tax collection, which makes them even more unpopular among the masses. Most Canthan citizens love their emperor, but hate the bureaucracy that runs his empire.

Ministry of Flame

The Ministry of Flame is the oldest of the four smaller organizations within the Celestial Ministry. The Ministry of Flame controls law enforcement and justice; convicted criminals may be incinerated.
Mythical Power: Control over the sunrise and sunset.

Ministry of Earth

The Ministry of Earth is synonymous with paperwork; record keeping, building projects, accounting, and more fall under this ministry's purview. The Ministry of Earth is infamous for beginning public projects that never seem to get finished, but prove profitable to the friends and allies of the ministry.
Mythical Power: Control over the bounties of the land—animal, vegetable, and mineral.

Ministry of Water

This ministry controls the city's water supply, irrigation, and the fishing industry, as well as sharing direct control of Cantha's harbors with the Ministry of Wind (an eternal bone of contention).
Mythical Power: Controls rainfall as well as the moon's rise and set.

Ministry of Wind

The Ministry of Wind oversees all trade and shipping that relies on the wind—over land or across the sea. Ship captains pay taxes that (the ministry claims) make the winds blow in the desired direction. The Ministry of Wind shares control of Cantha's ports with the Ministry of Water.
Mythical Power: Controls the winds and storms.

The Tale of Shiro Tagachi

Two hundred years ago, in the Age of the Dragon, the emperor of Cantha ascended the steps of the Kaoya Zun Temple. At the very top, in the middle of the ancient bamboo floor, he knelt and bowed his head before the carved stone stature there—a supplication from a god among men to the gods of men.

The emperor's ritual took place at the same time each year, during the height of the Harvest Festival. And though he did not know it as he laid his head to the cool hardwood, this would be the last time he celebrated the harvest.

A shadow grew behind him, and when he turned his head, he looked up at a pair of drawn sowrds and the cruel grin on the face of his personal bodyguard—Shiro Tagachi. The emperor lost his life that day, as did many other brave Canthan heroes.

At the time, there were three great armies on the continent of Cantha, and all three were present for the Harvest Festival. Hundreds of soldiers poured up the steps of Kaoya Zun Temple to avenge the death of the emperor.

Shiro's skill with a blade was unmatched by anyone on the continent, and he reveled in the carnage. What turned him from the stalwart and honorable man who protected the life of the emperor into the cowardly murderer who stole away the pride of Cantha? Nobody knows. What is known is that two brave champions finally bested Shiro, striking him down with the very same weapons the former bodyguard used to slay the emperor.

Run through the belly with his own two blades, Shiro dropped to his knees on the sanded bamboo floor. He was in agony, blind with rage, and simmering with power he could no longer control. With his last breath, Shiro released one final shout. So filled with malice and evil was Shiro's death wail that as it washed over the Canthan landscape it irrevocably transformed the world—petrifying the forest and turning the sea to pure jade.

Two generations have come and gone since that tragic event. In the intervening years, the Canthans have adapted to the frozen waves and the stone trees. The tale of Shiro Tagachi has slowly drifted into legend, a bogeyman to frighten children at night and a cautionary story for those who would seek great magical power.

But the Harvest Festival is fast approaching once again, and a growing unease has settled over Cantha unlike any since Shiro's death. It is wise to remember the past. For in it, we see the future, and if we are lucky, we do not allow ourselves to make the same mistakes.

“

Greetings, young one,

I have received your letter and considered your request. I receive petitions such as yours often, but few are as articulate and well-reasoned as yours. I was quite impressed. You should be pleased.

After discussing it with the other instructors, we have decided that it would indeed be our honor to accept you into the Shing Jea Monastery, so that you may continue your training in the arcane arts. On behalf of myself and the students already in attendance here at the monastery, I welcome you.

We are eagerly anticipating your arrival.

— Master Togo of Shing Jea Monaster

The Vassal Factions

The Luxons, like their sworn enemies the Kurzicks, have long been "vassals" of Cantha—politically and economically absorbed by the empire long ago, but allowed to maintain distinct cultures and ways of life. All Luxons are united in their distrust of the Kurzicks, their frequent competitors for power and territory, and vice versa. But there was a time when the two vassal cultures were at peace. That peace was shattered when Shiro Tagachi killed the 27th emperor 200 years earlier. Though the Luxon and Kurzick champions slew Shiro and avenged the emperor's death, they died along with thousands of others when the Jade Wind washed over the land. The Luxons and Kurzicks have been at odds ever since.

The Luxons of the Jade Sea

For a scant few seconds the storm that followed Shiro's death wail roiled the sea, spawning waves that reached hundreds of feet into the air. An instant later, everything was frozen in place, but not because of a sudden cold front—the sea was not turned to ice. It had become solid jade. In order to survive, the Luxons had to adapt to a literally landlocked lifestyle, unable to transport goods to market or even sail to the nearby islands for fresh water. Their merchant ships had become one with the petrified ocean, and the currents that took them to farflung lands were now still as glass.

The traditionally seafaring Luxons became nomads sailing on a lifeless sea. They contrived ways to adapt their giant ships to the jade waves. They now carry out extensive jade mining operations on the frozen sea, uncovering magical oddities and precious resources made up of the petrified life embedded in the unmoving waves.

Today, the Luxons have grouped themselves into three different clans: the Serpent, the Turtle, and the Crab. To keep order, the Luxons invest authority in their Council of Elders, the ruling body that meets each year to modify and approve the “code” that all the clans will follow for the next 12 months. Although the clans often battle against one another, this is less about warfare and more about demonstrating which clan is the strongest and most powerful. These battles are usually fought by each clan's champion, along with that champion's elite guard. No matter how much the clans may disagree, they all come together when the Kurzicks need to be taught a lesson.

The Kurzicks of Echovald Forest

When the Jade Wind swept through the branches of Echovald Forest, it turned everything to stone. Birds crashed to the forest floor in midflight. Deer leaped from the ground as flesh and blood, and came to earth little more than life-like statues. Now, two centuries later, life has cautiously returned. The Kurzicks were the first to venture back to the forest. There they have adapted to their petrified surroundings and have begun to carve their culture into this new landscape. To the devout Kurzicks, everything is a sign; a portent of what is to come. They find a divine message and meaning in everything they witness. This church-state is ruled by the Council of Nobles, which makes decisions and laws only after receiving counsel from the spiritual leaders, known as the Redemptors. Great Houses govern the Kurzicks, ancient families that can trace their origins into Cantha's distant past, and beyond.

Today there are five main Houses, two of which are the most powerful and influential. It is common for the Houses to argue among themselves, but when it comes time to fight the Luxons, the Kurzicks quickly forget their internal squabbles and focus their hatred on their long-standing enemy. Since Shiro's death and the petrifaction of the forest, the Kurzicks have built their elaborate homes and cathedrals directly into the fossil trunks of enormous trees that make up the forest. Kurzick culture is built on ceremony, rituals, and traditions, and this is reflected in their elaborate architecture and art.

The Tengu of Cantha

Tengu are a unique species of avian humanoids found in both Tyria and Cantha. Females are generally larger than males of the species, though their plumage is plainer, even drab. Tengu lost the ability of flight some time in the distant past, but can use their almost human hands to wield all manner of weapons—when they want to. Their talons make most weapons superfluous. Tengu hate cooked food, and most live on a diet of fresh, raw meat.

The Angchu Tengu of Cantha have long been cut off from their kinfolk to the north—though Canthan merchants travel frequently to Tyria, few take along Tengu passengers. The Angchu are one of two Tengu tribes found in Cantha, and are the more peaceful of the two. (The more primitive and warlike Sensali Tengu will attack any humans—and any Angchu Tengu—on sight.) The Angchu have found ways to live with the humans that nominally control their land, while the Sensali prefer a nomadic life. The Angchu Tengu have learned much more articulate ways to communicate, and for the most part remain at peace with their human neighbors. The Angchu reserve most of their hatred and aggression for the Yeti people of the mountains, their sworn enemies since the days before Cantha even existed as a unified nation. The Canthans tolerate the Angchu Tengu, but few view them as equal with humans.

The largest Angchu settlement is known as Aerie in the common language (which supplanted ancient Canthan long ago, even on the southern continent). Both Tengu tribes have many names for the place, but refer to it as Aerie when speaking to outsiders. Aerie is ruled by Merlin Featherstone, a wise, gruff, but generally respected old Tengu who acts as the settlement's mayor, sheriff, judge, and (if necessary) executioner. Most Canthans attribute the ongoing peace between Aerie and the humans of Cantha to Featherstone's leadership. But even Merlin Featherstone cannot be held responsible if a foolish human tries to venture into Aerie (or any other Tengu village) during the lean months of winter. During that season, when fresh meat is scarce, the Angchu Tengu can become as hostile and territorial as their Sensali cousins.

The Gods in Cantha

The Tyrian gods are worshipped throughout the world, including distant Imperial Cantha. The worship and perception of the gods within the Empire of the Dragon has taken on a uniquely Canthan cast, and the five greater gods of the pantheon share the Canthan heavens with an assortment of lesser demigods comprised of eternal ancestor spirits and legendary heroes granted divine status by the diverse inhabitants of the realm.

Among the two moster populous and distinct vassal cultures in the Empire, the Kurzicks practice a particularly devout and pious form of worship tied to the great Kurzick Houses. The Luxons, on the other hand, believe not only in the five greater gods of the Tyrian pantheon, but also three demigoddesses — the three queens, Alua, Elora, and Ione.

Grenth

Necromancers learn early that the way to true power is by bowing down at the foot of the god of death and ice to pledge total, undying allegiance. The Assassins of Cantha pay homage to Grenth, and rarely take on a job unless a priest of Grenth places a blessing upon the task. Ritualists, who speak to and control the darker forces of the underworld, also draw strength from Grenth’s teachings. Statues of Grenth depict the god with the body of a man and the narrow, skeletal head of a beast; Canthan artists tend to add a draconic look to the skull. The Canthan version of Grenth stands astride a small mountain of the dead, but in Canthan art the faces of these corpses are always averted from the god of death, as if in shame, to distinguish these enslaved dead from the “living” ancestor spirits.

Dwayna

The goddess of life and air, Dwayna is the even-tempered leader of the old gods. Her followers are primarily healing Monks and Elementalists specializing in Air Magic (though in times of war, there are few who do not send a prayer to the Winged Goddess to spare them or their loved ones). Dwayna is often depicted as young, tall, and slender, rising above the ground on huge feathered wings. Canthan artists often depict her floating above the vibrant, living souls of their eternal ancestors.

Balthazar

The god of war and fire, Balthazar is often worshipped by Warriors and Elementalists, though Monks devoted to the Protection or Smiting disciplines can also be found among his devotees. Army commanders and guild lords will often say a few words to the Bastion of Martial Glory before leading their followers into battle. Balthazar is frequently shown holding a greatsword, its tip lodged in the ground, with a pair of battle hounds sitting at attention at his feet. In Cantha, the sword is usually one of the single-edged imperial style, and the battle hounds are usually replaced with winged drakes.

Lyssa

Twin goddesses of beauty and illusion forming a paradoxically singular entity, Lyssa is the patron god of the Mesmer profession in the northern Tyrian continent. In Cantha she also represents the incarnation of luck, both good and bad. Many Canthan Assassins revere Lyssa more for her intrinsic duality than her famous beauty and have been known to invoke her charms. Depictions of Lyssa in Canthan culture reflect the typical northern style: lithe twin figures of exquisite beauty entwined in an eternal dance.

Melandru

Many Canthans, especially the suspicious Luxons and the warlike Kurzicks, believe that the goddess of earth and nature has abandoned the empire. They believe that not even Melandru could have withstood Shiro Tagachi's literally petrifying death cry. But Melandru’s devoted followers — the Rangers, Earth Elementalists, and many cultist sects know that this is merely a misunderstanding of what the goddess truly represents. They know that the goddess endures within the crystalline shell of the once-thriving Canthan landscape. Melandru is frequently depicted in both Cantha and Tyria as a tall, winged dryad from the waist up. But whereas northerners see a creature whose lower half grows naturally into a living tree, Canthan artists usually describe a severe figure ensconced in an outcrop of Echovald quartz. Melandru’s roadside temples offer shelter, food, and water to weary travelers even in Cantha, though such shrines are few, and separated by long stretches of lifeless stonescape.

The Canthan Calendar

The Canthan Empire uses its own dating system for strictly internal and local affairs. When dealing with outsiders such as the Tyrians of the northern kingdoms, most Canthans can easily convert from the mathematically sound Canthan calendar to the more commonly used Mouvelian dating system. The Mouvelian calendar begins counting years from the moment the gods left Tyria, an event known as the Exodus; years are labeled BE (Before the Exodus) or AE (After the Exodus). In Cantha, the years are counted from the date the clans unified into the Empire of the Dragon under Lord Emperor Kaineng Tah: the year 510 BE according to the Mouvelian calendar. The years before this date are not considered important enough to number, and are simply referred to as the early, middle, or late pre-imperial era.

Months and Seasons

Unlike the Mouvelian calendar, which divides the 360-day year into four seasons aligned with the elements, the Canthan calendar—also 360 days—is broken into 12 months of 30 days each. Each month once aligned perfectly with the cycles of the moon, but over time the two cycles have diverged. Today, the new moon usually appears roughly halfway through any given Canthan month.

Most months of the Canthan calendar have names whose origins are lost to history and predate the empire by centuries. Only two—Changhai and Kainengtah—have relatively recent origins. These months, which bookend the Canthan year, are named for the two most celebrated emperors in Canthan history: Kaineng Tah, the Lord Emperor who united the Canthan clans; and Chang Hai, a prince who followed the path of the hero and became Ascendant before taking the throne. Chang Hai became the first of many such "Ascendant Emperors."