Margonites are a species in the bestiary of Guild Wars, first referred to in the Prophecies campaign, and later physically appeared in the Nightfall campaign.
Margonites in the Crystal Desert[]
The Margonites were an ancient seafaring civilization who visited what later became the Crystal Desert 'hundreds of years' before the current time, and predated the Elonians.
In their attempts to achieve Ascension, they constructed towers in order to ascend to the gods, not realizing that it is not by physical means one may ascend. Like all others, the Margonites failed.
At the time the Margonites attempted Ascension, the Crystal Desert was mostly covered in water. Being a seafaring civilization, their architecture is primarily constructed out of (or built to resemble) parts of old ships. Their greatest concentration of settlements appears to have been in the southeast corner of the Crystal Desert near Thirsty River and Destiny's Gorge.
Margonites in Guild Wars Nightfall[]
Warning: The following text contains spoilers relating to the plot of Nightfall.
According to the lore[1], the Margonites worship Abaddon and are his loyal servants:
- "Civilized nations recognise revere the Five True Gods. But heretics speak of a sixth god...a fallen god. A thousand years ago, the spiritual ancestors of these heretics, the Margonites, fought an epic battle on the northern plains of Elona. The resulting carnage created a vast wasteland - the realm now known as the Crystal Desert.
- Empowered by the blessings of their dark deity, the Margonites waged wars against the followers of the Five Gods - smashing temples, desecrating shrines and butchering all rivals. Yet, despite the awesome power granted by horriffic transformation, their army was annihilated; their false god was exiled to a realm of torment."
Margonites are tall, six-eyed humanoids with bodies made partially of heavily scarred, greyish flesh and partially of purple flames. Many also have mutations such as extra limbs, wings, tendrils and piscine features, some Margonites also have the ability to float above the ground.
Some or all Margonites are former humans. The transformation has made them extremely long-lived, as well as sterile.
Margonite settlements were first recorded appearing along the coastlines of Elona in 25 DR. However, the scripture of Abaddon, which told of the story of Jadoth, the first of the Margonites, was not written until 199 DR (1 BE). It is unknown if Jadoth was merely the first to be given magic in 1 BE (defining a new generation of Margonites); or if the Margonites as a race received magic as early as 25 DR, almost two centuries prior to the other races receiving magic.
In the Yatendi Canyons, a Whispers Informant says of them:
- "Perhaps you've heard of Margonites? Dark magicians sworn to serve evil? They arrive with demons and black rituals and leave behind only death and destruction."
Units[]
For a complete list of all Margonite units including bosses, quest-specific Margonites and Margonite NPCs, see category:Margonites.
Notes[]
There is an apparent discrepancy between the Ghostly Hero's description of the Margonites in Thirsty River (location) as seeking Ascension to petition the Gods of Tyria and the Guild Wars Taiwan website lore's description of the Abaddon's fight with the Five Gods mentions that the Margonites attacked the rift under Abaddon's command.
There are a few possible explanations:
- It is possible that the Margonites originally followed all six Gods of Tyria (at least to some degree) and did not turn exclusively to Abaddon until some event, such as their failure to ascend, the creation of the Bloodstones, or the schism between Abaddon and the other five gods, alienated them from the other five gods and caused them to side with Abaddon.
- It is possible that the Margonites sought ascension in order to invade the Realms of the Gods, that the story of the Margonites was not common knowledge in Turai Ossa's time, and that the Ghostly Hero's statements regarding the Margonites were speculation based on incomplete evidence.
- It is possible that after their defeat at the hands of the Five Gods, the Margonites, or a sect thereof, repented of their worship of Abaddon and sought Ascension in order to ask forgiveness of the Five True Gods. This could be supported by the fact that some Margonite ruins in the Crystal Desert would seem to have been built only after the waters had been boiled away from the desert during their defeat.
The Margonite concept art also heavily resembles both the Mursaat and their Jade minions. All three of them also seem to resemble concept art of the sixth god.
The theme of boats in their desert settlements could be due to the fact that Abaddon was god of water.
Trivia[]
- The name "Margonite" may be derived from the Greek adjective Μάργος [mar-gos], meaning "frantic", or "mad", in reference to their zealous worship of a fallen deity.
- It is also an anagram of the gemstone Morganite.
References[]
Mini Strategy Guide included with the Guild Wars Nightfall Prerelease Bonus Pack