Elona
“Elona thrives in a realm surrounded by savannahs, deserts, plains, and wastelands. Three allied provinces stand side by side to support this proud nation. To the west is Istan, an island province littered with the ruins of an earlier Elonian empire. To the east is Kourna, known for its fiercely loyal soldiers, dedicated army, expansive estates, and agriculture. The northern province of Vabbi is home to wealthy merchant princes, a land where successful Elonians believe their safety, security, and affluence allow them to sponsor many of their nation’s greatest achievements. Despite occasional rivalries, these three provinces—Istan, Kourna, and Vabbi—have kept Elona prosperous and strong for over a thousand years.
Elona, often called the Land of the Golden Sun, is a continent that is found southeast of Tyria and northeast of Cantha and the Battle Isles. It was once ruled by the Primeval Kings, whose rule spread throughout Elona and eventually all the way to Tyria in the Crystal Desert and even established Kryta as a colony in 300 AE before the Primeval Dynasty fell due to the Scarab Plague.
After Nightfall
“The Land of the Golden Sun has weathered a long night and lived to see a new dawn. It has been three years since Varesh Ossa's reign of terror nearly unleashed Abaddon upon the world, and the effects of that event still resonate throughout all three provinces.
Kourna, home of Warmarshal Varesh, was perhaps hardest hit in the aftermath. In addition to the dark lord's nightmares, which have yet to completely fade from the minds and memories of its people, Kourna had to deal with a power vacuum after the loss of its leader and most of its military. The Sunspears, along with Morgahn, an ex-general of the Kournan armies, proved invaluable to its recovery.
Both Istan and Vabbi fared much better after the death of Abaddon. The Istani, long supporters of the Sunspears, were lauded for the aid they provided in the campaign against Varesh. Attendance at Kamadan festivals has seen a marked increase, as people from across the world come to the Sunspear homeland to pay their respects. In Vabbi, the three princes spread their wealth copiously throughout the province to heal any wounds to their vaunted architecture as well as the rarified sensibilities of their people. Annual performances of Norgu's Nightfall in the Bokka Amphitheatre draw huge crowds...if not rave reviews.
All of Elona has prospered from increased trade with Cantha and Kryta in recent years, and many Elonians have begun traveling the world, for both pleasure and adventure. But as word spreads of strange rumblings from beneath the ground, adventurers are likely to return to Elona to investigate.
Major regions
- Istan: Istan is a large island nation south and west of the Elonian mainland. It is governed by its elected Clanmarshals, is the home of the Order of the Sunspears, and a major port for Elona. It is littered with ruins from the Primeval Dynasty prior to the Scarab Plague.
- Kourna: On the southern section of the Elonian sub-continent, Kourna is a fairly rocky land with very little visible vegetation aside from the Elon delta. It also borders all three other major areas, with Istan to the south-west, Vabbi to the north-east and the Desolation to the north-west. Warmarshal Varesh Ossa rules from Gandara, the Moon Fortress, Kourna's major port and city.
- Vabbi: Arguably the richest nation in all of Tyria, Vabbi is the most remote of the Elonian settlements. It is ruled by its Clanmarshals, the richest three being known as the Princes of Vabbi, each of which governs in a different fashion. They have floating gardens with cascading waterfalls spotting the land. They hold Lyssa in great honor, having a large font and altar dedicated to her. They also hold the annual Festival of Lyss in her name.
- The Desolation: This land is situated on the west-central portion of the Elonian continent, and connected to the Crystal Desert far to the northwest of what was once an inland-sea. It is one of the most hostile regions on the world of Tyria and the deadliest of Elona; any mortal who steps into its sulfurous sands will be instantly slain. It is home to many undead creatures and the great Junundu wurms. The land was once under the rule of Palawa Joko but following his imprisonment the undead armies have turned to their own for leadership. Abaddon was cast down by the other gods upon these lands; shattered and poisoned, it is the part of Tyria closest to the Realm of Torment, its influence twisting the already damaged lands.
- Distinguished Subregions
- The Mouth of Torment: The terrible rift that connects the Mists to Elona. It was here that Abaddon and his Margonites challenged the power of the other five Gods of Tyria, and here that the other gods smote the God of Secrets down, imprisoning him and his following in a Realm of Torment. This once beautiful land is now a crater littered with the trappings of a god. And above it The Mouth of Torment hangs, a weakness in the world, a globe of pure evil, beckoning all to their doom. Heroes both brave and foolish can travel to that dark and dangerous realm by stepping into the Vortex.
- The Sulfurous Wastes: A deadly natural barrier that separates the southern lands of Elona from the rest of the northern continent. The poisonous fumes emitted by the corrupted sands (Sulfurous Haze) is so lethal that all living creatures will die within seconds of directly inhaling these fumes. Only the wurms, both Junundu and Desert Wurms, appear immune to the deadly gas - aside from the undead and demonic.
- Known Inaccessable Regions
- Dzalana: Unexporable region northeast of the Wilderness of Bahdza. Little is known of this area, but Vabbians believe it to be the homeland of the Harpies and Hekets.
Getting there
You can either create a new Nightfall character via the character selection screen, or take an existing character over by completing one of the following quests:
From Tyria
- Take the quest Sunspears in Kryta from Lionguard Figo in Lion's Arch.
From Cantha
- Take the quest Sunspears in Cantha from Imperial Guardsman Linro in Kaineng Center.
Once you have unlocked travel to the respective continents, you can map travel at anytime from any continent to Kamadan, Jewel of Istan.
Trivia
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The Guild Wars 2 Wiki has an article on Elona. |
- Elona in biology is a genus of snails
- Elona, like many of the other regions, draws its inspiration heavily from the real-life continent of Africa and its many cultures.
