The Black Citadel is a name synonymous to both Charr and Humans alike. To one it means home, a place to relax with your warband and the training grounds of cub-hood. For the other it stands for lost lands, an on-going war and an uneasy truce.
Unlike many of the other maps, The Black Citadel has a plethora of hidden detail - rather then just leaving the hidden areas blank, the Anet devs decided to make it feel much more alive. Pipes, rivets and scrap metal litter the environment in a way you would expect real life engineers to leave behind after building such a monumental structure.
Another of the earliest maps built, this one incorporates all of the space available and fills it to the brim with cogs, iron and the different legions who co-exist within the citadel. As a Charr, you yourself own a training ground where your own warband moves in and trains. The further you progress the more this area fills with Charr and if you collect them, cats, nodes and other oddities.
Unlike the other humanoid races, the entire area rings with warlike behaviour. The clash of weapons can be heard throughout where people train, giant war machines parked in the entrance just waiting to roll out and flatten the opposition, cannons and a massive lava furnace come together to make this a truly interesting area to explore.
Before the removal of the Log-in-log-out trick that many used to explore, you could enter an area that used to be used during a halloween event that no longer runs. The area is massive - filled with bats, ghosts and a magnificent giant chest. It is one of the few areas I truly regret no longer being accessible. [Edit: I found another way. It's still there!]
There are little pieces of history spread throughout the Black Citadel. Small snippets of backstory for characters such as Rytlock that add to the character we already know.
In the Tribunes office, we can find a bottle of top-shelf whiskey upon the table and nearby, a LionGuard Polearm bearing the inscription:
"To the Winners of the 1320 Lion's arch Tournament: Destiny's Edge. Last contestants standing, Rytlock Brimstone and Garm the Wolf."
Unlike many of the other maps, The Black Citadel has a plethora of hidden detail - rather then just leaving the hidden areas blank, the Anet devs decided to make it feel much more alive. Pipes, rivets and scrap metal litter the environment in a way you would expect real life engineers to leave behind after building such a monumental structure.
Another of the earliest maps built, this one incorporates all of the space available and fills it to the brim with cogs, iron and the different legions who co-exist within the citadel. As a Charr, you yourself own a training ground where your own warband moves in and trains. The further you progress the more this area fills with Charr and if you collect them, cats, nodes and other oddities.
Unlike the other humanoid races, the entire area rings with warlike behaviour. The clash of weapons can be heard throughout where people train, giant war machines parked in the entrance just waiting to roll out and flatten the opposition, cannons and a massive lava furnace come together to make this a truly interesting area to explore.
Before the removal of the Log-in-log-out trick that many used to explore, you could enter an area that used to be used during a halloween event that no longer runs. The area is massive - filled with bats, ghosts and a magnificent giant chest. It is one of the few areas I truly regret no longer being accessible. [Edit: I found another way. It's still there!]
There are little pieces of history spread throughout the Black Citadel. Small snippets of backstory for characters such as Rytlock that add to the character we already know.
In the Tribunes office, we can find a bottle of top-shelf whiskey upon the table and nearby, a LionGuard Polearm bearing the inscription:
"To the Winners of the 1320 Lion's arch Tournament: Destiny's Edge. Last contestants standing, Rytlock Brimstone and Garm the Wolf."
HISTORY OF THE BLACK CITADEL
The Black Citadel is built upon the ruins of an old Ascalon City called Rin. Rin was the capital of the Ascalonian kingdom, after the previous capital Drascir was overtaken by the Charr.
Rin itself was overthrown by Bonfaaz Burntfur, who called forth the Searing and who brought the charr invasion into Ascalon. He singlehandedly led the Shamans in a show of unity against the Wall of Ascalon, seizing towns and enslaving any Humans they came upon, and turning the tide of a millennium long war.
For those unaware, the Searing was a massive turning point in the war between the Charr and the Humans. The Charr had managed to obtain an item known as the Cauldron of Cataclysm ( a few of these can still be seen near the Broken Spit Waypoint in the Straits of Devastation, half sunk in the water) , and used it to call upon the power of the Titans. through the Ritual of the Searing. The Shamans had long believed the Cauldron to be older than recorded history, and forged by ancient entities long since fallen into eternal slumber.
Using the Cauldrons power, the Charr called forth titanic crystal meteors that ravaged their enemies, and destroyed the wall, allowing the swarms of Charr to charge the Human forces.
Although Burntfur was killed by Prince Rurik a mere two years into the war, he had rallied his people and struck a flame in their determination. They had become nigh unstoppable.
An interesting thing to note is that when the Shamans had come to power, they banished all female Charr from the legions, as a collective punishment for a single females "disobedience". Bathea Havocbringer, a Charr Warrior with the Blood region, was believed to have been a part of the 'Shaman caste' ( see: the ruling class of Charr) and yet refused to bow to the new Titan gods they brought to the people. The Titans were chosen for their power, to allow them to call upon the new gods to aid them in their fight against the Humans. As punishment for refusing to accept them, Bathea was executed and all Female Charr were relegated to simple utility tasks in the cities, effectively banning them from any fighting.
But, as many will know, bloodlust runs through every Charrs veins, from cubhood until death. The female Charr did not bow to this treatment so easily.
For many years, they trained in secret, led by the legendary Pyre Fierceshots grand cub, Kalla Scorchrazor.
Kalla overthrew the Shaman and the Flame Legions domination over the other legions 40 years after a defeat at the hands of the Human king Adelbern, who called forth a Sword-shaped flame that devastated their forces, turning many of his own Human kin to spectral shades of themselves.
This defeat proved the Titans were not true gods, and taught many of the Charr to revile and obliterate anyone who would serve any master, be they a god or not.
A final fight to overthrow the Shamans was fought upon the Plains of Golghein, wherein Kalla struck a blow for both her people, and her gender. Thanks to her, the battlefield was filled with women who had been training in secret for generations, defying the Shamans order to remain at home in servitude.
The Shamans surrendered to avoid total eradication and were allowed to live as they were deemed as useful due to their magical prowess. They were however, never allowed to rule over the Charr again.
Although 250 years after the Searing and their attack upon the wall, the Charr still face constant attack against the Ascalonian ghosts. They have however all but tamed the surrounding lands and their Iron Citadel stands tall and protective of it's people within. The Charr still hope to overtake Ascalon city one day, and truly finish the battle that has been fought for so long, but until then, the Citadel stands as a testament to their defiance.
Besides this, the feeling you get from the Black Citadel is quite unique. The lighting and the buildings work together to bring around a feeling which is harmonious yet at the same time ominous. The steel frames and natural surroundings contrast each other, truly showing the industrial side of the Charr as well as their animal side, making them feel much more like a humanoid beast - which perfectly sums up what they are.
The Black Citadel is built upon the ruins of an old Ascalon City called Rin. Rin was the capital of the Ascalonian kingdom, after the previous capital Drascir was overtaken by the Charr.
Rin itself was overthrown by Bonfaaz Burntfur, who called forth the Searing and who brought the charr invasion into Ascalon. He singlehandedly led the Shamans in a show of unity against the Wall of Ascalon, seizing towns and enslaving any Humans they came upon, and turning the tide of a millennium long war.
For those unaware, the Searing was a massive turning point in the war between the Charr and the Humans. The Charr had managed to obtain an item known as the Cauldron of Cataclysm ( a few of these can still be seen near the Broken Spit Waypoint in the Straits of Devastation, half sunk in the water) , and used it to call upon the power of the Titans. through the Ritual of the Searing. The Shamans had long believed the Cauldron to be older than recorded history, and forged by ancient entities long since fallen into eternal slumber.
Using the Cauldrons power, the Charr called forth titanic crystal meteors that ravaged their enemies, and destroyed the wall, allowing the swarms of Charr to charge the Human forces.
Although Burntfur was killed by Prince Rurik a mere two years into the war, he had rallied his people and struck a flame in their determination. They had become nigh unstoppable.
An interesting thing to note is that when the Shamans had come to power, they banished all female Charr from the legions, as a collective punishment for a single females "disobedience". Bathea Havocbringer, a Charr Warrior with the Blood region, was believed to have been a part of the 'Shaman caste' ( see: the ruling class of Charr) and yet refused to bow to the new Titan gods they brought to the people. The Titans were chosen for their power, to allow them to call upon the new gods to aid them in their fight against the Humans. As punishment for refusing to accept them, Bathea was executed and all Female Charr were relegated to simple utility tasks in the cities, effectively banning them from any fighting.
But, as many will know, bloodlust runs through every Charrs veins, from cubhood until death. The female Charr did not bow to this treatment so easily.
For many years, they trained in secret, led by the legendary Pyre Fierceshots grand cub, Kalla Scorchrazor.
Kalla overthrew the Shaman and the Flame Legions domination over the other legions 40 years after a defeat at the hands of the Human king Adelbern, who called forth a Sword-shaped flame that devastated their forces, turning many of his own Human kin to spectral shades of themselves.
This defeat proved the Titans were not true gods, and taught many of the Charr to revile and obliterate anyone who would serve any master, be they a god or not.
A final fight to overthrow the Shamans was fought upon the Plains of Golghein, wherein Kalla struck a blow for both her people, and her gender. Thanks to her, the battlefield was filled with women who had been training in secret for generations, defying the Shamans order to remain at home in servitude.
The Shamans surrendered to avoid total eradication and were allowed to live as they were deemed as useful due to their magical prowess. They were however, never allowed to rule over the Charr again.
Although 250 years after the Searing and their attack upon the wall, the Charr still face constant attack against the Ascalonian ghosts. They have however all but tamed the surrounding lands and their Iron Citadel stands tall and protective of it's people within. The Charr still hope to overtake Ascalon city one day, and truly finish the battle that has been fought for so long, but until then, the Citadel stands as a testament to their defiance.
Besides this, the feeling you get from the Black Citadel is quite unique. The lighting and the buildings work together to bring around a feeling which is harmonious yet at the same time ominous. The steel frames and natural surroundings contrast each other, truly showing the industrial side of the Charr as well as their animal side, making them feel much more like a humanoid beast - which perfectly sums up what they are.