Last week Wartower.de released an excellent TowerTalk Podcast interview with GuildWars 2′s Lore and Continuity Designer, Jeff Grubb. Special thanks goes to Cirdan and Thrainesd for their hard work in transcribing the podcast.

Wartower: Jeff I heard you had a Nornish week in Seattle, so you should be in the mood to dig into some Norn lore!

Jeff: Yeah, in Seattle we had some major snow fall and an ice storm. Seattle’s not equipped to handle either really, so a lot of power lines came down and we spent four days in the dark.

Wartower: So you got to see what it’s like to be a Norn.

Jeff: Very much so! We even had a wood fire stove and were cooking on it.

Wartower: The Norn homeland originated in the north of Tyria, but that changed with the elder dragon Jormag. What happened?

Jeff: The elder dragons have been slowly wakening over time, and when the elder ice dragon Jormag awoke, it happened to be in the far away Norn territory of Shiverpeaks. For many years, the Norn fought Jormag as best they could (which is entirely at random). Being disorganized individualists, the Norn aren’t big on planning, which makes fighting a dragon difficult. Eventually, the Spirirts of the Wild approached one of the Norn leaders, Asgeir, and told him to take his people south, away from the dragon. Initially, this didn’t go over so well, and it wasn’t until Asgeir made himself into a hero by doing the only serious blow to Jormag that the rest of the Norn rallied under him. The tooth that Asgeir knocked from Jormag’s mouth is still held in the Norn’s new southern home, Hoelbrak, in the Great Hall. The local legend is: when someone successfuly breaks the tooth, they will take that as a sign to return to their ancestral homelands as they will be powerful enough to take on the dragon.

 Wartower: So Asgeir is the greatest, or one of the greatest, Norn in their history. What can you tell us about him apart from him being Jormag’s dentist?

Jeff:  (laughing) We haven’t revealed a lot about him actually, but the whole idea is that he is very much in the Norn model of a hero. He is a man very worth telling stories about. One of the pillars of Norn culture is that you have written a great legend, or you have an ancestor who has written a legend; maybe you have taken on the dragon and done damage, something great along those lines. Leadership really comes down to Knut Whitebear, Girda, and their two kids who are as close as you get to rulers, which is very tentative statement for the Norn. Norn don’t really have an organized hierarchy like the Humans or as defined as the Charr. This befuddles people horribly, the idea that Knut can’t just say “Go do this,” and people respond. He can encourage and direct, but he’s not the type who can martial an army and send it out. But Asgeir, we haven’t said as much about, we’ll revealed his story as we go along.

Wartower: Story telling is a very important part of their history. What about writing? Do they keep track of their history?

Jeff: I’m trying to think if we have an alphabet for them, but a specific one doesn’t come to mind. Matt is our alphabet guy. He does wonderful stuff, but I don’t think we have a Nornish alphabet per-say. What we have been using is one script is that we render in and then apply for each particular race. The human writing of the script is designed for pen and paper, whereas the Charr versions are for inscribing on wood or stone, so it’s much more Roman-feeling; more like direct-strikes with strong marks. Asura is much more magical in nature, so you’ll see their letters scrolling on the side of a building. I can’t think of a Norn-specific script yet, but I could just be forgetting about it, so I’m hesitant to say that does or doesn’t exist.

Wartower: We talked a bit about the spirits. We have four main spirits but different ones as well. Can you quickly tell us what they stand for?

Jeff: To the Norn, these spirits are not “gods” per say, these are embodiments of ideals. It’s not like they have the same god organization as the Humans would have. For example, Humans would see Grenth as the being responsible for death, whereas the Norn see Grenth simply as the embodiment of that specific trait. He doesn’t bring death, he simply is death. So the “big four” are bear, raven, snow leopard, and wolf. Bear is the embodiment of strength, ferocity, and self reliance. Raven is much more into wisdom, cleverness, and being able to see clearly. Snow leopard is independence and stealth, as opposed to wolf, who is loyalty, pack fighting, and brotherhood. The four big ones are the closest and most important to the Norn, and are the ones with specific halls, but other spirits are out there, such as hare and minotaur. We started off with hare as a joke early on in the design process, naming him bunny. But we realized, bunnies actually have value too, and we renamed and kept him. The idea behind these spirits is they are ideals that allow the Norn to live closer to the natural world. It doesn’t mean you will never attack a wolf, it just means you will respect the wolf. And if you are forced to to fight the wolf, you would respect it’s spirit, and the wolf spirit would not hold it against you even though you attacked its totem creature.

Wartower: We will come back to the halls later. First I want to know, do the Norn choose a spirit, or is it the other way around?

Jeff: The Norn chooses the spirit in most cases. Many Norn venerate a number of the spirits, or may have a particular preference for one over another. This is a difference from Human gods. Some Norn are chosen as shaman, who are exclusive and direct lines with these spirits, but your average Norn may also have a heritage or a background or feel a particular attraction to a one of the spirit because they share the same values as. That that does not exclude from respecting, venerating, beseeching the other spirits as well.

Wartower: I understand there might be a process to getting close to a spirit or choosing a spirit? Does that mean there is a ritual to connect to the spirit to be able to transform into it’s form?

Jeff: At the start of the game you choose a particular spirit that you venerate and that has an effect on your story. The ability to become the bear, to become the wolf, is something that is grown over time. This is in the game mechanics so I’m walking on thin ice at the moment. We are not saying if you venerate the bear you may only become the bear. You may have the ability to become the wolf or snow leopard as well. This is from the play standpoint as opposed to lore, we are still in discussions about this.

Wartower: Can you tell us about the halls and what part the shamans play in Norn society?

Jeff: Halls are big gathering points, and we saw several of them up in the Eye of the North. And because of the nature of the Norn is not one of permanence, this is a place where you can come and find space by the fire, or a seat at the table with friends while you feast and rest. Obviously, these halls are dependent on your chosen spirit: if you go towards the bear, you would spend your time in the bear hall.  The halls also have merchants, crafters, and things of that nature.

We talked about religion earlier, the highest level of the hierarchy is the Speaker, the lead shaman of that particular spirit. So you have the speaker of bear, or speaker of wolf, for example. These are positions of recognition, as opposed to election. They have shown that they are close to the spirit and are respected from years of service. Instead of finding them in the halls, however, you’ll find the shaman in shrines that have been set up all over the region. These locations coincide with each particular spirit’s habitat, so the bear shrine is in the Wayfarer’s Foothills, a region abundant with salmon. So to summarize, each spirit has a Speaker, the speaker more-or-less oversees the rest of the shaman, and they are found in the shrines for each spirit.

Now, along with the shaman, each spirit has Havroun. The Havroun are righteous fighters, (dare I say, paladins?) for the spirits, and they’re the ones who will go out and fight on behalf of the spirits. So if something is threatening  the bear population, or a dragon is feasting on the wolves, or the Sons of Svanir are bothering the followers of snow leopard, the Havroun show up to give ‘em what-for.

Wartower: It is said that they are the defenders of the spirits interests in both worlds? In this world and the next. What do Norn believe happens after death?

Jeff: There is a spiritual nature to the Norn that there is a connectivity in this world with the natural world. They do believe in the mists, just like the Humans do. But for the Norn, what you leave behind in this world are your stories, reputation, deeds, and legacies. To them, as long as you’re remembered, you can live on forever.
Wartower: You mentioned before the individualistic way of the Norn. Will we see them try to adopt a more rigid structure to help face the coming threats?

Jeff: Thinking for the future like that isn’t exactly the way of the Norn. Living in the south currently, having been beaten out of their homelands by the ice dragon, is just viewed as a challenge by most. Ordinarily, they just live in individualistic homesteads, coming together in small trading communities. Now they’re in a new region, living in these great halls, on this much larger and more organized scale. But even those who feel this is a setback to the people don’t view it that way; they’re positive and live in the moment. Humans, for example, look at the loss of Ascalon and the sinking of Orr as “the golden age that has now passed”. The Norn, however, simply view this as a passing obstacle, and someday they will return to the north to retake what’s theirs.

Wartower: Maybe it’s because they are living the natural, with the mentality of “without death, there is no life”. So you have to accept it positively because it’s the change is the source of energy.

Jeff: Very much so. The idea that the Charr or Humans have trouble grasping is that, despite the immense size, these great halls are not a city to the Norn. Sure, they have the same amenities as a city, and are operating as a community, but this is essentially just a tactic to enable the Norn to last through their current situation. In the end, this is just a large camp,and eventually things will change and they will move on.

Wartower: Do they have laws or a code that the settlementss are built on? Or how do they organize the society? Do they have death sentences for criminals, for example?

Jeff: Their code is primarily based on tradition. What did they do before, what do we record having happened in this situation, what stories effect us? They don’t have a written text like the Sylvari have with the Ventari Tablets, and they don’t have a standardized code of ethics. Leadership within the Norn is only a position of guidance, not rule. Most decisions are made by the people as a whole, and the system is a much more tribal type of council. Knut being the grandson of Asgeir isn’t the reason he’s the current leader of the Norn. Each generation has to prove themselves, and until then, there’s no guarantee that the will be taking up the banner and ruling. It’s a matter of recognition.

Wartower: What about family structure? We’ve only seen the dynamic of brother and sister. We would love to see how they raise their kids. Do we get to know something more about how the family structure works?

Jeff: The family structure is close but loose. Again, this goes back to the independence of the Norn. Knut’s wife does not live in Hoelbrak, she has her own setup. Yet, they have together raised two sons. Often each child will go with one parent or another. Parents will stay together for the important early years, but don’t let the term “together” confuse you. Even though they may not be in the same location, Norn find mates for life, building on hat closeness and that comes from common interests and common adventures, and they are a part of the world together. They just live as separate entities.

Wartower: Is there something like a ritual that turns children into adults? I had the impression from the story of Viskar Whisperclaw that this transformation happens when a Norn kills an enemy? When Whisper claw killed Grimhilde who killed his father, I got the impression the Whisperclaw was regarded as a child until he finished it. That seemed to be the ritual or the deed that made him and adult in the eye of the other Norn. Is that true?

Jeff: I remember, that was Ree’s story. The idea is that, there is no specific ritual. You hunted your first big bear, you took down a big drake mother, you have avenged the family honor. Yes you will be considered an adult at that point. Again, it’s about your story.

Wartower: So there is sort of a typical hunting tradition?

Jeff: Not necessarily a ritual per-say, there is no award ceremony. It’s about recognition.

Wartower: We have this emphasis on strength and independence in Norn society and tradition.  What happens with treatment to the weak, sick, and elderly?

Jeff: Generally, with respect. The old are still valuable for their life experience, and the weak for their other talents. In other words, a Norn that might not hunt well may have other abilities that help the community, and they are recognized accordingly.

Wartower: Is there a ceremony to bury the dead or burn them?

Jeff: I believe the norn burn their dead as apposed to bury them. There are ways they treat the dead, invoking the spirits. As far as a set instructions in a book, no. More importantly, this goes back to the way of change that the Norn embrace so well. Just as there would be a party for a wedding, like we saw when Kieren and Gwen got marries in Guild Wars Beyond, the passing of a hero would kick of a wake. The Norn would celebrate his life, not mourn his loss.

Wartower: We have new threats such as the dredge, the jotun and the jormag minions. I guess the Norn are happy with that?

Jeff: They are in a target rich environment. They have a lot of things to match their merit with, lots of challenges, and that’s the kind of stuff the Norn thrive on. You establish your legend fighting back the various dangers to the world, so they’re ironically happy with all of these opportunities.

Wartower: What is the one thing you like most about the Norn?

Jeff: I really like the Norn mindset, how they are a generally positive race. You simply can’t keep them down. They’re optimists. Big, savage, shape-changing optimists that believe things can only get better over time.

Wartower: So they would work very well as psychologists for the depressed humans?

Jeff: Hahaha. The Norn and the Humans share the fact that they both keep history, but the Norn are different in the sense that it isn’t really written down, or imbibed with the idea of kingdoms and lineage. The Norn just retell tales of great heroes and worth deeds, and mold their lives to be just as amazing. This gives them a lot more mobility, in a mental sense, to deal with changes and disasters such as the dragons. Now, granted, these are just general statements. There are Norn out there who are concerned, and there are Norn who are depressed, and there are even Norn who have gone over to the dragons, such as the Sons of Svanir.

Wartower: Yeah, that’s something they have to deal with, because as far is I understand it’s not a brotherhood or a group. When the individual has done something to harm the society or another Norn, it’s the individual to blame, not group.

Jeff: I’ve refered to the Sons of Svanir as the bad tempered biker gang down the road. If a Son of Svanir transgresses he will be exiled or he may be slain according to the community he is in. But not all Sons of Svanir are held responsible. There are Sons of Svanir in hoelbrak. They are off in the corner, keeping to themselves and keeping their noses clean. Your not going to see them misbehaving as they do in the Wayfarer Foothills or acting without restraint as they do when they get closer to jormag’s lands.

Wartower: How about the Norn and the Charr. I have the impression that the Norn might have a problem with the Charr’s industrialization and the harm they are doing to nature. Is that true?

Jeff: The Norn environmentalism is much more about understanding and being one with the cycles of the world, instead of protecting it. They lumber, they smelt and they mine. They engage in the same sort of thing. The mechanical, clockwork world of the Charr is a bit alien to the Norn, though. They look at things like keeping time and keeping ranks, and simply scratch their heads. But the Norn also recognize the talent that the Charr have on the battlefield, and can find common ground there. In fact, when the Charr invaded Kryta, it was the Norn who gave them passage to the land. And the Norn and Charr certainly get along better than the Charr and the Asura. Or the Asura and anyone, for that matter.

Wartower: Do we see a lot of Norn artwork, or is Eir a rare case?

Jeff: Ah yes, Eir, the sculptor. We do see the Norn are notable artists, actually. If you look at the entrance to Hoelbrak, you’ll see great statues of raven and bear, and once you get inside, there’s even more beautiful statues of the spirits. And of course, in keeping with the stories of heroes, there are dozens are bards and songwriters among the Norn. The majority of what we’ve touched on has been the Norn ideal of heroes in battle, but that’s not all you can be recognized for. Painters, singers, sculptors, and many other gifts and professions can earn you respect.

Wartower: Unfortunately our time is up, I could talk for hours! Maybe we can talk another time. Thank you so much for giving us an deeper insight to Norn culture.

Jeff: When we did our races, we wanted to think if them as their own self contained universe. They had their own reason for existing and had their own mindset. So when our writers write as Norn, they are thinking like them. How would a Norn approach this as apposed to a Human, Charr, or anything else? This allows each race to have their own specific flavor and appeal. I think the Norn will interest players who are more interested in a solo experience, pulling off incredible feats on their own, and bragging about their heroics.