Humble Ferocity

In our most recent article and over the past few months, we’ve explored the fiercer side of the aquatic civilizations, from krait to naga, and finally to the elusive Elder Dragon of the sea. However, there is a more benevolent and peaceful side to this otherwise harsh environment. A side which is to be found amongst the soft-spoken and mild-mannered quaggan.

Unlike the other races of the sea, the quaggan are not highly combative, instead restraining their aggression as much as possible. Even in conversation, they have a tendency to avoid confrontation. Both actions are a result of a part of their basic nature that they prefer to keep under check: a transformation from the normally relaxed and serene attitude of the quaggan, to an aggravated and aggressive attitude in which they lose control of themselves. This prevents them from distinguishing between individuals, making them a danger to, well, everyone, including their own person.

As such, quaggan society has developed to avoid these manifestations of aggression as much as possible, for their own survival as well as the safety of others.

Peaceful History

In fact, those of their race that do behave aggressively without losing control, are seen to be more peculiar than heroic and, as would be expected, few in number. They were not able to prevent what has perhaps been the most interesting event in quaggan history for centuries: the destruction of their civilization, by Jormag in the north, and the krait’s emergence from their homes in the deep trenches of the Unending Ocean, fifty years prior to the present in Guild Wars 2.

Considering this fact, quaggan history is, to put it bluntly, quite uninteresting for those races more accustomed to old tales of intrigue and courageous war heroes. For even in the face of others expanding their territory, the quaggan would, if asked to, get out of their way. It is, for the most part, simply another part of the quaggan way to do so.

This disruption of their otherwise uneventful lives has had all manner of effects on their civilization, shifting them from their traditional territories, but more interestingly, altering their political structure ever so slightly. There Goes The King As the krait ramped up their assaults, and the quaggan continued to flee, at some point they lost their “king” or their main leader, referred to as a “markissios,” and the noble family itself is said to have either been killed in the krait raids, enslaved, or even actually eaten. Which is really the case, it seems that no one currently knows. Yet either way, the old political structure built around a single leader and its family is no more.

Instead, the quaggan have built a localized political system, with the populace managing themselves and following their village mayors, otherwise known as “varonos.” Despite this separation and rule of themselves in their own distinct villages, their civilization still retains some sense of unity, with the varonos of each village helping each other out when possible. A very different situation than may be expected, were the leadership of some other races to be destroyed in a conflict.
Speaking on the differences of races, the religion of the quaggan is also fairly interesting in this regard.

Another Single Deity

Much like the kodan of the north and the dwarves of the Shiverpeaks, the quaggan generally only worship a single deity. Strangely, this deity seems to share some similarities with the human goddess Melandru, even down to the name, Mellaggan. Regardless of this, the quaggan do believe there to be a difference, as one relates to the bounty of the sea, and the other to the land and nature.

What is perhaps most fascinating of this religious belief, however, is that it holds in reverence not a masculine deity, as found in the faiths of the kodan and dwarves, but a feminine deity. While this is nothing too unusual in the Tyrian faiths, as the leader of the human pantheon is Dwayna, and is female too, it is rather unusual to find in the Tyrian faiths that focus their worship upon a single deity alone.

Newfound Friends

Despite these small differences of faith and society, the quaggan, in being pushed from their homes, have encountered new allies and friends in the other races of Tyria. So far, most has been heard of their alliance with the humans, yet there may be some settlements found amongst the norn, asuran, and sylvari territories that are being left to be discovered.

Always remember though, never anger a quaggan.

Further reading:
http://www.arena.net/blog/the-mostly-harmless-quaggan