View source for The Mists

{{spoiler|the [[personal story]], [[Living World]], and [[expansion]]s}}
{{Location infobox
| map = The Mists map (unexplored).jpg
| map text = Partial map of the Mists
| type = Continent
| connections = [[Crystal Desert]]<br />[[Kryta]]<br />[[Shiverpeak Mountains]]
| id = 2
| continent id = 2
}}
{{quotation|[ftp://ftp.guildwars.com/downloads/gwp-manual.pdf Guild Wars Prophecies manual]|Before there were humans or dwarves, before there were even worlds or the stars that light the night sky, there was but one thing in the universe—the Mists. The Mists touch all things. They are what binds the universe together, past, present, and future. They are the source of all good and evil, of all matter and knowledge. It is said that all forms of life, no matter how simple or complex, can trace their origins back to this one place.

In the middle of the Mists is a spot where time moves neither forward nor back. It is a tear in the fabric of the cosmos, the point of perfect balance between all forces of the universe. This place is known as the Rift, and there is nothing to which it does not connect, nothing that cannot be reached from inside it. Those who have the know-how to travel across the universe through the Mists must pass through the Rift on their way to all other places. It is the center of all things.

In the center of the Rift, deep inside the Mists, stands the imposing walled fortress known across the multiverse as the Hall of Heroes. This structure is the pinnacle of the afterlife. When a hero dies, his spirit goes to one of two places: either it is buried with the deceased body, forever trapped inside the rotting flesh and rancid bones of the corpse, or it is released into the Rift. This latter honor goes to only those few whose deeds in life were legendary enough to be known across multiple worlds, and fewer still earn a place among the souls ensconced inside the Hall itself.

For a long while, the Rift and the Hall of Heroes were accessible only by those who had passed from the mortal world into the immaterial. It was the Land of the Dead, an exclusive club whose membership cost the blood of one's own life. But within the last century all that has changed.}}
[[The Mists]], sometimes called the land of secrets by the [[norn]],<ref>[[Through the Veil]]
:'''Havroun Svena:''' Snow Leopard, grant us your stealth. Let us slip into the land of secrets.</ref> is the primordial proto-reality that exists between worlds, constituting the fabric of time and space that connect the multiverse together. Everything that has existed, does exist, and will exist is made out of the Mists.<ref name="reddit">[https://web.archive.org/web/20140828004219/https://www.reddit.com/r/Guildwars2/comments/25iqrv/i_attended_the_gw2_china_beta_festival_heres_some/ Post by Deviantbias paraphrasing Colin Johanson, Jeff Grubb, and Ree Soesbee], Reddit.com (Archived)</ref> Islands of reality of various physical nature and size are found within the Mists, including [[Tyria (world)|the world of Tyria]]. These realities may mirror each other, representing historical and physical alternatives of the same world or its parts. The realms of the Mists are separated from each other by an ethereal barrier known as the [[Veil (lore)|Veil]].

The Mists outside of the world of Tyria serve as the setting for [[Structured PvP]] and [[World versus World]] game modes, as well as the [[Fractals of the Mists|Fractals of the Mists]] explorable dungeon in the [[Player versus Environment|PvE]] game mode.

== Cosmology ==
=== Mist realms and the multiverse ===
{{quotation|[[Mist Stranger]] during [[Fractal Incursion#Talking to the Mist Stranger|Fractal Incursion]]|The Mists are the background of Tyria, the world between worlds, and a realm of possibilities both good and ill. From its chaos, an eruption looms. The state of Tyria's walls is not strong; without defenders, there will be harm.}}
[[File:Lord Odran's map of the Mists (texture).png|thumb|240px|[[Lord Odran]]'s map to the Mists, from the [[Durmand Priory]]'s [[Special Collections]].<ref name="Odranmap">[[gw1:User talk:Linsey Murdock/Lore2#The Alchemy Circle|Comment by Linsey Murdock]], Guild Wars Wiki</ref>]]
Within the Mists are worlds or realms (of which [[Tyria (world)|Tyria]] is just one), each with their own realities and histories, floating as islands in the [[w:Aether (classical element)|ether]]. [[Human]]s are from [[Human homeworld|one of these worlds]], brought to Tyria by the [[Six Human Gods|Six Gods]].<ref>[[Orrian History Scrolls]]</ref><ref>[[Guild Wars 2: Path of Fire—Road to the Desert]]</ref><ref>[[Cathedral of Silence (story)|Cathedral of Silence]]
:'''The Seventh Reaper:''' So shall it be. You seek the heart of Orr? Then you must go to the very beginning. The rock where the gods first set foot upon this world. [...]
:'''<Character name>:''' Where the gods first walked? What does that mean?
:'''Trahearne:''' Human myth says that when the Six Gods came to Tyria, they built the city of Arah. The "source" must be the place where they first set foot on Tyria.
:'''<Character name>:''' A place so powerful that it drew the attention of Gods from deep in the Mists? It must be amazing.</ref> The alien [[Branded Riftstalker|riftstalkers]], [[Branded Riftcrawler|riftcrawlers]], and [[Otherworldly Fungus|"otherworldly" fungi]] which have manifested in [[Jahai Bluffs]] originate either from the Mists or unknown realms within the Mists.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20210121160859/https://en-forum.guildwars2.com/discussion/comment/802982/ Post by Andrew Gray] in "What were Riftstalkers and the Wrathbringer?", Guild Wars 2 Forums (Archived)</ref>

The Mists resonate from the worlds around them, forming bits of their own reality—islands of existence that reflect the histories of their worlds.<ref>[http://www.guildmag.com/gmblitz-lore-interview-with-jeff-grubb Lore interview with Jeff Grubb], GuildMag.com</ref> Some worlds are enormous, such as the [[Underworld]], the home of the dead; others are simply residences for powerful spirits or deities. At the center of the Mists is [[gww:the Rift|the Rift]], and within the Rift is [[the Hall of Heroes]], the final resting place of powerful and virtuous souls.

There are a set number of versions of Tyria, each mechanically corresponding to a [[world]]. [[Pact Commander|Player characters]] are unique to every world; there are no "alternate versions" of player characters that exist in other worlds. The [[Mysterious Stranger|Grand High Sovereign]] and [[Grand Vice Admiral Shodd]], alternate versions of the [[asura]] Pact Commander and [[Shodd]] in the [[Infinity Ball]] storyline, are not actually from an alternate reality, but from a potential future that exists within the Mists. Important [[non-player character]]s, however (e.g. [[Destiny's Edge]]) exist across all versions of Tyria. The timelines in these alternate Tyrias do not diverge, so e.g. in all of them [[Glint]] and [[Snaff]] have died.<ref name="reddit"/>

=== Fractals and Mist Wars ===
{{see|Fractal (lore),Mist War}}
In the [[Mist War]] (mechanically represented as the [[World versus World]] game mode), different versions of Tyria fight each other for resources in their own respective battles against their worlds' [[Elder Dragon]]s—the [[borderlands]] are the literal borderlands between these Tyrias. The vast majority of the citizens of Tyria have no knowledge of the multiple worlds in the Mists. [[Mist Warrior]]s will have some understanding of them, but very limited.<ref name="reddit"/> The [[Durmand Priory]] have discovered clues—such as the existence of the [[warclaw]] as a combat [[mount]] as well as the materials used in its armor's construction appearing Tyrian but with a style corresponding to several cultures throughout different points in Tyria's history—that there may have been multiple Mist Wars throughout Tyria's history over several millennia.<ref name="The Warclaw">[[The Warclaw]]</ref>

The [[Eternal Battlegrounds]] and borderlands exist in a repetitious "fractal state" that reset over a longer period of time than the more short-lived [[Fractals of the Mists]]. The fractal state has two chief characteristics. The first characteristic is its impermanence: events eventually reset to a default origin state regardless of actions taken therein, e.g. explaining why no side can hold any territory such as the [[Stonemist Castle]] indefinitely and why the battlegrounds reset to an unclaimed state weekly. The second characteristic is that subjects of a fractal cannot be removed from their environment just as a reflection cannot be removed from a mirror.<ref name="The Warclaw" /> This is why e.g. [[Dessa]] of [[Mistlock Observatory]] and other fractal and borderland Mist copies of beings reset to their default state with some of their memories of recent conversations erased if anyone tries to lead them from the Mists to Tyria.<ref>[[Fractals of the Mists (story)|Fractals of the Mists]]
:'''Captain Ellen Kiel:''' At least we've got some good info to take back to the people of Lion's Arch. And that's not the only thing we're taking back.
:'''Captain Ellen Kiel:''' Dessa, you're coming with me. I've got a lot more questions that need answers.
:'''Dessa:''' I don't—I can't—
:'''Captain Ellen Kiel:''' You're not under arrest, but I can't leave this machinery in Consortium hands. Now do us all a favor and come quietly.
:''(Dessa walks into the asura gate. The screen flashes, and she re-appears in front of Kiel.)''
:'''Captain Ellen Kiel:''' Nice try. Dessa. I don't know what kind of mecha-magical gizmo you're using, but you can't get away from us that easily.
:'''Dessa:''' I'm sorry, have we met? Welcome to the Mistlock Observatory. So, are you interested in exploring the Fractals?
:'''Captain Ellen Kiel:''' You really don't recognize me, do you? You don't remember sending a team into the Thaumanova Reactor?
:'''Dessa:''' Thaumanova? I've got friends on that krewe, and from what I understand, it's not a safe place to visit. Or work.
:'''Captain Ellen Kiel:''' Never mind. This is going to take some time to figure out. I'll be back, Dessa. Be here when I come for you.
:'''Dessa:''' Not a problem. My life's work is here, and I couldn't leave it even if I wanted to.
:'''Captain Ellen Kiel:''' I understand. At least, I think I'm starting to. My sincere apologies, citizen. Carry on.</ref>

However, there seem to be some ways to circumvent the limitation of transporting beings from fractal states to Tyria without these fractal beings reseting: warclaws, which are discovered in the borderlands of the Mists and whose spirits are bound to armor pieces, can be exported to Tyria and continue existing outside the Mists.<ref name="The Warclaw" /> Similarly, the asuran Infinity Ball appears to possess the power to manifest fractal-like Mist beings with personalities and false memories of e.g. an alternate future Tyria such as when the Infinity Ball [[Split Second|manifested]] the Grand High Sovereign and Grand Vice Admiral Shodd who were evil Mist versions of the asura Snaff Savant and Shodd and who attempted to invade Tyria with their versions of [[steam creature]]s.<ref name="reddit"/>

{{spoilers|Using powerful enough magic, mortals and immortals can create fractals artificially as well with specific parameters such as exploring what Tyria would be like if magic ran rampant. The artificial fractals created by the [[Wizard's Court]] are able to exist longer than a typical fractal would although how the wizards maintain them remains unknown. Sometimes fractals can even manifest and solidify on Tyria and other planes of existence. Rare, cataclysmic events such as the rearranging of [[the All]] via the end of the [[Elder Dragon]] cycle can spill parts of bigger fractals into other planes of existence, turning the fractal beings as permanent inhabitants of the physical world as happened on [[Skywatch Archipelago]].<ref>[[Hell Breaks Loose]]
:'''Mabon:''' The final dragon cycle weighed heavily on our ability to shield ourselves. Nightfall came, Balthazar... Tyria has suffered, still.
:'''Mabon:''' But when the cycle ended, the magical ecosystem was fractured. The lake stilled. And now...you can see to the bottom.</ref><ref>[[Mother of Stars]]
:'''Frode:''' Right. Over time Isgarren and the wizards created various "reflections."
:'''Zojja:''' For the scientific-minded, you can think of them like simulations.
:'''Mabon:''' They were kept on an astral plane, separated from our physical reality.
:'''<Character name>:''' So they're like fractals.
:'''Zojja:''' Exactly!
:'''Zojja:''' But unlike fractals, these are HERE. These "copies" are now physical and susceptible to Kryptis influence.
:'''Mabon:''' When the dragon cycle ended and the spire's magic was fractured, some of those reflections spilled out.
:'''Mabon:''' They fell into multiple planes of existence. Some of them solified here.
:'''Frode:''' Kaineng, Elona... So often the world was only inches away from a completely different reality.
:'''<Character name>:''' So they are real, not just...illusions? Living beings, trapped in "simulations"?
:'''Frode:''' Real as you and I. They're shaken and in need of someone's help.</ref> At other times temporary fractals may attempt to manifest on other worlds unless stopped as seemed to be the case with the Twisted Marionette from a fractal's alternate timeline where the marionette had won and attempted to [[Wrath of the Twisted Marionette|invade]] other realities, or when various fractal inhabitants [[Fractal Incursion|emerged on Tyria]] until they were pushed back by Tyria's defenders.<ref>[[Mist Stranger/historical|Mist Stranger]]</ref><ref>[[Fractal Incursion#Dialogue|Fractal Incursion]]</ref>|''[[Guild Wars 2: Secrets of the Obscure]]''|100}}

=== Realms of the dead ===
{{see|Fissure of Woe, Melandru's Lost Domain, Realm of Torment, Underworld}}
Both the [[Spirits of the Wild]], such as [[Raven (Spirit of the Wild)|Raven]], and the Six Gods and their servants (the [[avatar]]s and [[Cantha]]n [[envoy]]s) have access to the Underworld, and can take spirits to and from there.<ref>[[The Spirits of the Wild]]</ref><ref>[[gww:A Good Deed|A Good Deed]]
:'''Lefsi Spiritchaser:''' Hear me, Raven!
:'''Lefsi Spiritchaser:''' We beseech you, oh spirit of trickery and cunning.
:'''Lefsi Spiritchaser:''' Send us an emissary from the lands of the dead.
:'''Lefsi Spiritchaser:''' Imbue this pendant with your spirit to protect its bearer.</ref><ref name="Attack on Jalis's Camp">[[gww:Attack on Jalis's Camp|Attack on Jalis's Camp]]
:'''Orozar Highstone:''' My brother, Ural Highstone, was once in the Stone Summit, but he reformed and has become a follower of the human god, Dwayna. [...]
:'''Marln Steelfist:''' Your life is mine, Ural Highstone!
:'''Avatar of Dwayna:''' And your soul, mine.
:'''Orozar Highstone:''' Ural! No! NO! Dwayna has taken him!
:'''Orozar Highstone:''' Dwayna, why would you take my brother? We had come to terms, he and I. I had forgiven him. What am I to do now?</ref> While different races and beings of different faiths have different afterlives, it is unknown if non-human afterlives are simply separated regions of the Underworld or altogether different afterlife realms.<ref>[[The Departing]]
:'''<Character name>:''' We're trapped here.
:'''Lost Spirit (Charr):''' Correction. You are! I deny this human prison and refuse its judgment. I'll murder my way out of here if I have to. I don't belong.</ref><ref>[[Hall of Chains]]
:'''<Character name>:''' Glad to see you made it. I'm also pleased we won't be coming back here when we die. (if asura)
:'''<Character name>:''' Glad to see you made it. Also glad I'm not coming here when I die. (if charr)
:'''Scholar Glenna:''' Agreed. The Eternal Alchemy must be more impressive than this frozen dirt hole. [...]
:'''<Character name>:''' Glad to see you made it. It's not impressive, but I really hope this isn't my final visit here. (if human)
:'''Scholar Glenna:''' Oh, right. Assuming we make it out alive, you'll have to return to this frozen dirt hole someday. Lucky you.</ref>

In the case of [[human]]s, Grenth, or his powerful servants such as [[the Judge]] and [[Desmina]] judge a human's spirit once it enters the Underworld and appoint it to its designated afterlife: e.g. [[Balthazar]]'s followers enter the [[Eternal Battle]] in the [[Fissure of Woe]] while [[Kormir]]'s followers enter the great library of [[the Sanctum]] in the [[Realm of Torment]].<ref>[[gww:Clear the Chamber|Clear the Chamber]]
:'''Lost Soul:''' It's odd. I thought after you died, you were sent to the Hall of Judgment so that Grenth could choose your eternal fate. At first, I was relieved to find myself here instead, but...I don't want to be stuck here for eternity either.</ref><ref>[[The Departing]]
:'''Lost Spirit:''' Who is the judge?
:'''Nenah:''' He is a loyal servant of Grenth, charged with sending all the spirits who come through here to their appointed place. [...]
:'''The Judge:''' Step forward, wandering spirit. Why have you avoided judgment?
:'''Nenah:''' I've been afraid. I think I lived a good life, but I could have done more.
:'''The Judge:''' I see you clearly now, Nenah. You worshipped Kormir, and were a teacher.
:'''Nenah:''' I had to hide my worship. I would not teach Joko's propaganda, so I fled.
:'''Nenah:''' I was killed by Balthazar's army.
:'''The Judge:''' You did what you could with what you had. You may go now. Kormir's library awaits.
:'''The Judge:''' Every book ever written can be found and read there. A new world awaits you. Go now with Grenth's blessing.
:'''Nenah:''' Thank you. Praise to Kormir, and to Grenth!</ref> In some cases the spiritual Canthan envoys can also determine a human spirit's fate.<ref name="Vizunah Square">[[gww:Vizunah Square|Vizunah Square]]
:'''Messenger Vetaura:''' We cannot stand by while Shiro continues to meddle in the affairs of the mortal.
:'''Emissary Heleyne:''' His duty is to shepherd the newly dead to the gates of the Mists.
:'''Emissary Heleyne:''' He's shirking his responsibility as an Envoy.
:'''Courier Torivos:''' For every disembodied spirit that he lets loose here in the mortal realm, the delicate equilibrium between worlds tips further out of balance. [...]
:'''Messenger Vetaura:''' We are the Envoys to the next world.
:'''Messenger Vetaura:''' The shepherds who guide the newly departed to Eternal Paradise within the Mists.</ref><ref>[[gww:Divine Path|Divine Path]]
:'''Kuunavang:''' Shiro will trouble us no longer. The Envoys have taken him to a special place in the Underworld where he will pay for his crimes for all eternity.</ref><ref>[[gww:Imperial Sanctum|Imperial Sanctum]]
:'''Courier Torivos:''' You are merely a new spirit, lost between the realm of the mortal and the Underworld.
:'''Messenger Vetaura:''' You are our charge now.
:'''Courier Torivos:''' We have reserved a special place in the Underworld for you.</ref> However, a non-human who converts to the faith of one of the Six appears to enter their new patron god's afterlife rather than their racial afterlife; it is unknown if a human who converts to revering the Spirits of the Wild would be taken to the norn afterlife after passing.<ref name="Attack on Jalis's Camp" /> Spirits appointed to different afterlives do not generally seem to interact with other Mist realms' spiritual denizens, which is why the ghosts of the human and [[norn]] lovers [[Nicholas (ghost)|Nicholas]] and [[Yngvild]] did not want to be judged in the [[Domain of the Lost]] so they would never be separated from each other in death.<ref>[[The Departing]]
:'''Yngvild:''' You have to find your way, then it'll all come back to you. Like we did. We helped each other find our names and our past. And in the process...we bonded.
:'''<Character name>:''' That doesn't make sense.
:'''Yngvild:''' I know. I'm supposed to join Raven. And he should go to be with his god. But we'd rather spend eternity with each other here. I suppose afterlife is what you make of it, too.</ref>

=== Children of the Mists ===
[[File:The All (texture).png|thumb|240px|Design of [[the All]], from the Durmand Priory's Special Collections.]]
The protomatter that makes up the Mists strains toward creation, often spawning [[demon]]ic creations either in nightmarish or humanoid forms. Demons have been historically described as malicious creatures most often born from shards of existence within the Mists that have turned corrupted by strong malignant forces. They have been said to instinctively hate all living beings and relish in torturing their victims, but they are not averse to manipulating or even working for or with the living for their own gain.<ref name="Nightfall Manual">[ftp://ftp.guildwars.com/downloads/gwn-manual-en.pdf Guild Wars Nightfall Manual], GuildWars.com</ref><ref>[[gww:Pogahn Passage|Pogahn Passage]]
:'''The Hunger:''' You misunderstand, little mortal. You are not my master.
:'''Bayel:''' You are charged to help me hunt these Sunspears. You will do as I say.
:'''The Hunger:''' I answer to my lord Abaddon. I answer to Warmarshal Varesh. I do not answer to you. Are we clear?
:'''Bayel:''' I am Varesh's general. You should respect...
:'''The Hunger:''' Varesh does not need generals anymore. She needs us. Do not make her choose.
:'''The Hunger:''' We are partners, at best, until all your Sunspears are slain.
:'''Bayel:''' And then?
:'''The Hunger:''' Then? We renegotiate. I know where these Sunspears are going. Follow me.</ref><ref>[[Defend Klement and Fabri from pirate thieves]]</ref> The [[Kryptis]] are some of these demons although their interpretation of demonic existence is more ambiguous and less nefarious than Tyrian accounts; the Kryptis claim that all demons are born with a flicker of curiosity and that the dreams of Tyrians and other realms' denizens inspire them for better or worse.<ref>[[Duress]]
:'''Ramses:''' Dreams flutter through our air, bleeding in from other worlds. Visions of cities and wars... Great beasts and lovers.
:'''Ramses:''' We Kryptis–and all "demons"–are born with a flicker of curiosity. Your dreams inspire us. For better or worse.</ref>

Not all creatures from the Mists are demonic, however. When the Mists come into contact with a suitable template, for example, it can copy that form, creating a sentient entity with an appearance mimicking its "progenitor" and which can have as sophisticated a mind as the template it has been based on.<ref name="Nightfall Manual" /> These "children of the Mists"—often called Mist-beings,<ref>[[Exordium#Lore|Exordium]]</ref> Mistborn,<ref>[[Heavy Book]]</ref> or Mists-born<ref>[[Heitor's Gate]]
:'''Peitha:''' Your scaly Mists-born companion may be the edge we crave in this fight. To the air!</ref>—such as the humanoid [[Razah]] and the [[Dragon|draconic]] [[skyscale]]s begin their lives as blank slates and can be steered towards either good or evil via their interactions with other beings.<ref>[[gww:Finding a Purpose|Finding a Purpose]]
:'''Razah:''' I have been alone for what seems like ages. I am Razah, created from the Mists. I have no memories of my creation, though; the past is shrouded in fog. Abaddon bound me to this plane. His minions blessed me with knowledge to fulfill a great purpose. However, I can sense that Abaddon is no more. Now I am without purpose, my existence without meaning. So tell me...are you here to give me my purpose?
:'''<Character name>:''' We must find our own purpose in life, Razah.
:'''Razah:''' Search for my own purpose? An interesting concept. To not be told what to do; to merely...exist to find a purpose. I find you curious, unlike anything I have ever encountered. I wish to journey with you to learn more about your ways. Perhaps my purpose is to travel through the world with you. [...]
:'''Razah:''' The barriers are no more. I offer you my skills and my insight. As a child of the Mists, I have an affinity for things spiritual. In return, you will show me how you experience life and aid me in finding the purpose for which I was created. I must take this time to reflect. I will meet you later.</ref><ref>[[Glory of Dragons]]
:'''<Character name>:''' What...what are they?
:'''Aurene:''' Newborns. A new species, like wyverns and drakes. Call them skyscales. I'm taking a few to help with Kralkatorrik. [...]
:'''Caithe:''' You're going to ride one up to collect his blood? Will they trust you?
:'''<Character name>:''' Maybe if I feed them first. They're related to dragons. And dragons eat magic, don't they? I have to try.</ref>

The first generation of skyscales that had come into existence on Tyria as adults suffered from accelerated aging do to the process of their creation. Subsequent generations were able to hatch and live longer once the eggs had been exposed to various types of [[magic]] to stabilize them.<ref>[[Newborn Skyscales]]</ref><ref>[[Saving Skyscales]]</ref><ref>[[Raising Skyscales]]</ref>

=== Access to the Mists ===
{{see|Veil (lore)}}
Certain magical entities such as the Six Gods and the Spirits of the Wild can enter the Mists with little effort, either via opening portals or simply phasing into the Mists. [[Elder Dragon]]s, however, do not appear to be innately capable of entering the Mists unless they either abuse the powers of a corrupted Spirit of the Wild or devour a god's divine magic.<ref name="A Spirit of Legend">[[A Spirit of Legend]]</ref> Similarly, mortals who cannot enter the Mists on their own will need to either persuade a shaman or a mage or abuse them to open portals.<ref name="Into the Mists">[[Into the Mists]]
:'''Styrr Frostblade:''' Faugh! I'll fight all of you at once! Jormag's will is mighty! In Dragon's name, we claim the Mists and destroy the spirits themselves! [...]
:'''Styrr Frostblade:''' With Solvi's power at my command, I can open as many portals as I need! [...]
:'''Apprentice Valda:''' He was teaching me to spirit walk when we were attacked. He screamed, then vanished... and in his place, a ragged portal appeared.
:'''Apprentice Valda:''' The Sons of Svanir came through it, and I've been fighting them off ever since. They boasted about subduing my master with a magical spike made of corrupted Mist.
:'''Havroun Weibe/Grechen:''' Hmm. That, combined with Solvi's power, could create such a portal. They must have attacked Solvi's body in the waking world while his spirit was here.
:'''<Character name>:''' Then we'll rescue Solvi's body just as we did Valda's spirit. We'll heal the wound in the veil between worlds, and kill those who inflicted it.</ref>

For the majority of mortals, the Mists are accessible through portals, most of which are temporarily made by channeling the power of a force within the Mists, such as the [[havroun]]s calling upon the Spirits of the Wild or [[necromancer]]s calling upon the Spirits of the Wild or the Six Gods. Using their intimate connection with their chosen Spirit, however, havrouns can simply step into the spirit realm without the use of portals.<ref name="A Spirit of Legend" /> Great care should be taken when opening such portals, however, as they are like beacons of light attracting entities from the Mists which may try to break into the land of the living.<ref>[[Speaker of the Dead]]
:'''<Character name>:''' I'm interested in knowing more about the ritual.
:'''Priestess Rhie:''' We will open portals into the land of the dead, and ask Grenth to send Alastia Crow's spirit to us.
:'''<Character name>:''' Josir said it might be dangerous. How so?
:'''Priestess Rhie:''' Open portals are like beacons of light in the Mists. Other entities may try to escape the lands of death—and we must prevent that.</ref> Some beings such as the [[mursaat]] could likewise shift into the Mists although they apparently had no connection to any of the spiritual entities to do so.<ref>[[The Ruined City of Arah (explorable)#Mursaat|The Ruined City of Arah explorable Mursaat path]]
:'''Scholar Yissa:''' The mursaat are a lost race, but once they ruled humans as the Unseen Ones.
:'''Scholar Yissa:''' What legends I have uncovered say they used powerful magic to shift themselves out of phase with this world.
:'''Scholar Yissa:''' I believe they used this as a way to escape the Elder Dragons.</ref>

There are a few permanent portals as well—these portals were created by the wizard [[Lord Odran]], including [[the Portal]] in the [[Tomb of the Primeval Kings]]. Other known portals in the past included the [[gww:Door of Komalie|Door of Komalie]], [[the Mouth of Torment]], and a portal on [[the Battle Isles]]; these four portals became inaccessible over the past 250 years due to the [[Dragonrise|rise]] of the Elder Dragons.<ref name="The Movement of the World">[[The Movement of the World]]</ref> Portals can also form naturally in places where the barriers between Tyria and the Mists are thin, or at sites of massacre where a great influx of the dead have weakened the barrier. This ethereal barrier is also known as the [[Veil (lore)|Veil]] as it separates Tyria from other realms and the Mists.

== Effects of the Mists ==
=== Mistburn ===
{{main|Mistburned}}
A phenomenon known as [[Mistburned|Mistburn]] has been observed to seep through at least one [[Mists Gate]] on Tyria, connected to the [[Foundry of Failed Creations]], even when said gate was closed for centuries. Mortals who do not have proper magical protections are susceptible to the corrosive effect of Mistburn which coats them in a toxic aura and turns them deranged so they attack any living being not affected by the Mistburn.

=== Revenant ===
{{main|Revenant}}
Prolonged exposure to the Mists such as travelling there unprotected for weeks can cause mortals to become haunted over time, developing [[revenant]] powers as they get sensitive to echoes of beings who have existed, exist, or will exist. Revenants learn to channel these echoes, called legends, or get possessed by them as these snapshots of souls might try to take over the revenant's body if not properly controlled.<ref>[https://www.guildwars2.com/en/news/hidden-arcana-role-playing-the-revenant/ Hidden Arcana: Role-Playing the Revenant], GuildWars2.com</ref>

== Rituals to access the Mists ==
{{quotation|[[Human]] [[necromancer]] [[Speaker of the Dead|invocation]] of [[Grenth]]|Grenth, Prince of Winter, hear your servant's plea!

Open the gates to the Mists! The living call upon the dead—in Grenth's name!

<Name and occupation of the spirit>, I call your spirit to commune. Appear! Appear and speak!}}

{{quotation|[[Norn]] [[havroun]] [[Through the Veil|invocation]] of [[Snow Leopard (Spirit of the Wild)|Snow Leopard]]|Snow Leopard, grant us your stealth. Let us slip into the land of secrets.

We come to aid those who have devoted themselves to defending the Spirits of the Wild.

Bless us with your vision and shield us from the rising evil.

Grant us safe passage to the Mists!}}

{{quotation|Norn spiritcaller [[gww:A Good Deed|invocation]] of [[Raven (Spirit of the Wild)|Raven]]|Hear me, Raven!

We beseech you, oh spirit of trickery and cunning.

Send us an emissary from the lands of the dead.}}

== History ==
=== Early history ===
{{section-stub|lore|Add missing lore.}}
According to an old [[human]] legend, [[Lord Odran]] opened various portals into various worlds within the Mists. When Odran's mortal body died, the wards and enchantments that had kept his portals hidden failed, and the gates to [[the Hall of Heroes]] were laid open to all who were able to find them. The wizard lord had been canny though; Odran knew that one day he too might be ensconced in the Hall of Heroes, so he had hidden the portals in the most treacherous locations he could find while believing that the fear of death would keep the meek at bay.

However, Odran had underestimated mortal ambition and greed. Over time, the whereabouts of the portals were revealed. Though the portals remained difficult to get to, there were those with enough skill and enough bravery to reach them. As a result, the numbers of intruders to the Hall of Heroes rose, and the spirits there began playing groups of mortals against each other for sport, placing bets on which will make it farthest while giving special aid to those they favored.

Between 1320 and 1325 <small>[[Mouvelian calendar|AE]]</small>, five [[asura gate]]s were built within [[Fort Marriner]] of [[Lion's Arch]]. They replaced the [[Zaishen Order]]'s [[Zaishen arena|arena]],<ref>[[Vonbrig Kemp]]</ref> and became the only known fixed means of entering the Mists in [[Tyria|Central Tyria]] at the time.<ref name="The Movement of the World" />

=== [[Personal story]] ===
{{section-stub|lore|Add missing lore.}}
In 1325 <small>AE</small>, the [[Sons of Svanir]] had caught [[Wolf (Spirit of the Wild)|Wolf]]'s [[Havroun Solvi]] meditating while he was on one of his spirit walks. They pierced him with a magical spike made from corrupted Mist, trapping him in an in-between state, and abused his havroun power to open portals and invade the Mists with [[icebrood]] in order to destroy the Spirits of the Wild to honor the [[Elder Dragon]] [[Jormag]]. However, a party led by [[Eir Stegalkin]] and the [[Pact Commander|Slayer of Issormir]] was able to thwart the Sons' plans by entering the Mists with help from [[Snow Leopard (Spirit of the Wild)|Snow Leopard]]'s [[Havroun Svena]], and they were able to [[The Wolf Havroun|free]] Solvi but not before he passed away due to his injuries and left the mantle of Wolf Havroun on his apprentice [[Apprentice Valda|Valda]].<ref name="Into the Mists" /><ref>[[The Wolf Havroun]]
:'''Apprentice Valda:''' There! That spike has Solvi's spirit pinned between life and death. His soul is trapped.
:'''Apprentice Valda:''' That's why the portal won't close. It's waiting for him to cross over.
:'''<Character name>:''' Get away from Havroun Solvi, Frostblade. Your invasion of the Mists ends here and now.</ref>

Meanwhile, the Snaff Savant and [[Shodd]] were testing the Savant's invention known as the [[Infinity Ball]] which was designed to produce possible results of what would happen in the future. They were eventually able to [[Split Second|open a portal]] into what appeared to be an alternate future timeline of Tyria from which the Savant's and Shodd's evil alter egos, the [[Mysterious Stranger|Grand High Sovereign]] and [[Grand Vice Admiral Shodd]], emerged. The Grand High Sovereign claimed to have conquered their timeline's Tyria with [[steam creature]]s and threatened to do the same to the Savant's Tyria once they had killed the Savant. However, the Savant and Shodd were able to defeat their doppelgangers instead with [[Zojja]]'s help, and they shut the portal down to stop the invasion of steam creatures from the Sovereign's realm. The Savant swore to never use the Infinity Ball again, and Zojja in turn promised to end the Savant's life if they ever gave in to megalomania.<ref>[[Split Second]]
:'''Mysterious Stranger:''' Hello, Zojja. Recognize me? I'm the one you tried to bully into subservience and mediocrity.
:'''Mysterious Stranger:''' But I left you behind, and achieved greatness: I am the Grand High Sovereign of my reality.
:'''Zojja:''' Whatever you call yourself, you don't belong here. And you can't stay.
:'''Mysterious Stranger:''' I can do anything I want. And here, as in my world, the only obstacle to my transcendence is you.
:'''Mysterious Stranger:''' To become all that I am capable of becoming, you must die. It's my destiny...and my pleasure.
:'''Mysterious Stranger:''' Wait until you get to know my creations. In my reality, they conquered Tyria. [...]
:'''<Character name>:''' Shut up, Shodd. Forever. The Infinity Ball is a dead end. I'm going to gut it and keep the shell as a reminder of what a genius shouldn't do. [...]
:'''Zojja:''' If you turn into a dimension-travelling dictator from the future, I'll have to put you down like a rabid skelk.</ref> Despite the Grand High Sovereign and Vice Admiral Shodd's claims, however, it appears that the doppelgangers had not necessarily come from an actual alternate future timeline but were simply created in response to the Infinity Ball's unleashed power from a potential future within the Mists.<ref name="reddit" />

=== [[Living World Season 1]] ===
{{section-stub|lore|Add missing lore.}}
During [[Scarlet Briar]]'s [[Escape from Lion's Arch|occupation]] of Lion's Arch in 1326 <small>AE</small>, the [[Mist Portals]] temporarily resided in [[Vigil Keep]], but were moved back to Lion's Arch when [[Festival of the Four Winds 2014|reconstruction efforts]] began.

=== [[Guild Wars 2: Path of Fire|Path of Fire]] ===
{{section-stub|lore|Add missing lore.}}

=== [[Living World Season 4]] ===
{{section-stub|lore|Add missing lore.}}
By 1330 <small>AE</small> the portals in both the Tomb of the Primeval Kings and the Mouth of Torment became active again, and a new portal to an unknown location in the Mists was opened in [[the Foundry]] from which the [[Forged]] army brought in reinforcements to the [[Domain of Vabbi]]. After [[Balthazar]]'s [[Battle of Kodash Bazaar|defeat]] in Vabbi, [[Desmina]] opened a new portal to the [[Underworld]] at [[Reaper's Gate]], where the veil between Tyria and the Mists was already weak.

=== [[The Icebrood Saga]] ===
{{section-stub|lore|Add missing lore.}}

=== [[Guild Wars 2: End of Dragons|End of Dragons]] ===
{{section-stub|lore|Add missing lore.}}

=== [[Guild Wars 2: Secrets of the Obscure|Secrets of the Obscure]] ===
{{section-stub|lore|Add missing lore.}}

=== [[Guild Wars 2: Janthir Wilds|Janthir Wilds]] ===
{{section-stub|lore|Add missing lore.}}

=== [[Fractal Incursion]] ===
{{section-stub|lore|Add missing lore.}}

== Locations ==
;Explorable [[zone]]s
* [[Glint's Lair]]
** [[Glint's Lair (Crystalline Memories)]]
** [[Glint's Lair (Hidden Arcana)]]
** [[Glint's Trials]]
* [[Heart of the Mists]]
* [[Mistlock Sanctuary]] <small>([[lounge]]; requires pass)</small>
* [[Nayos]] (Realm of Dreams)<ref>[[Hell Breaks Loose]]
:'''Mabon:''' Demons tend to be solitary creatures, but Eparch saw potential. Wells of power that they'd yet to tap into.
:'''Mabon:''' He dubbed himself their king and built a society in his own image. One of fear and anger. Nayos, the Realm of Dreams.</ref>
** [[Convergence: Outer Nayos‎]]
** [[Inner Nayos]]
** [[Temple of Febe (instance)|Temple of Febe]]
* [[Realm of Torment]] (Nightmare Realm)<ref>[[gww:Forgotten Keeper|Forgotten Keeper]]</ref>
** [[Foundry of Failed Creations]]
** [[The Sanctum]]<ref name="RoTSanctum">[https://www.reddit.com/r/Guildwars2/comments/74qjlh/path_of_fire_devs_here_ask_us_anything/do0g89h/ Comment by Bobby Stein], Reddit.com</ref>
* [[Underworld]] (Realm of Death)<ref>[[Intelligence Report: Palawa Joko I]]</ref>
** [[Domain of the Lost]]
** [[Hall of Chains]]
** [[Mad King's Realm]]

;[[Dungeon]]s
* [[Fractals of the Mists]]

;[[World versus World]]
* [[Edge of the Mists]]
* [[Eternal Battlegrounds]]
* [[Blue Borderlands]]
* [[Green Borderlands]]
* [[Red Desert Borderlands]]
* [[Obsidian Sanctum]]
* [[Armistice Bastion]] <small>(lounge; requires pass)</small>

;Arenas
* [[Conquest]]
** [[Battle of Kyhlo]]
** [[Djinn's Dominion]]
** [[Eternal Coliseum]]
** [[Forest of Niflhel]]
** [[Legacy of the Foefire]]
** [[Revenge of the Capricorn]]
** [[Skyhammer]]
** [[Spirit Watch]]
** [[Temple of the Silent Storm]]
* [[Murderball]]
** [[Courtyard#Murderball|Courtyard]]
* [[Stronghold]]
** [[Battle of Champion's Dusk]]
* [[Team Deathmatch]]
** [[Asura Arena]]
** [[Auric Span]]
** [[Courtyard#Team Deathmatch|Courtyard]]
** [[Hall of the Mists]]

;Other
* [[Fissure of Woe]] (Realm of War)<ref>[[gww:Tower of Courage|Tower of Courage]]
:'''Rastigan the Eternal:''' Balthazar does not allow mortals into the realm of War without good reason. Give us a demonstration that you are worthy of the honor that has been bestowed upon you. Go forth and destroy the Shadow Army forces in the Tower.</ref>
* [[Human homeworld]]
* [[Melandru's Lost Domain]]
* [[The Hall of Heroes]]

;Other suggested afterlives
The existence of these afterlives has not been verified via visiting them, but the respective races believe that their afterlife exists.
* Bright Hollow<ref>[[Free captured skritt from the Inquest]]</ref> - [[skritt]]
* Celestial Realm - [[Cantha]]n afterlife where the [[Celestial (group)|celestials]] dwell<ref>[[Celestial Plaque]]</ref>
* [[gww:Eternal Paradise|Eternal Paradise]]<ref name="Vizunah Square" /> - afterlife which [[Cantha]]n humans believe in and are shepherded to by the [[Envoy]]s
* [[gww:Great Forge|Great Forge]]<ref>[[gww:Ring of Fire|Ring of Fire]]
:'''Vizier Khilbron:''' Somewhere in the Rift, deep within the Great Forge, Brechnar Ironhammer begins his long journey to the Hall of Heroes.</ref> - [[Dwarf|dwarves]]
* Realm of Travail<ref>"Chapter 27", ''[[Sea of Sorrows (book)|Sea of Sorrows]]'' by [[Ree Soesbee]]:
:"Indeed! How in the realms of torment and travail did you do that?" Cobiah brought his attention back to the topic of their feat.</ref> - [[human]]s (presumably)
* [[Sky Above the Sky]]<ref>[[Mori Elder]]</ref><ref>[[gww:Cleansing the Steel|Cleansing the Steel]]
:'''Soar Honorclaw:''' With Dao Weng's death, my father's spirit can finally fly away into the Sky Above the Sky. You may return to Master Togo and tell him that the score is settled. He is one of the few humans in this land who deals with the Tengu honorably, and that is not something I take lightly.</ref> - [[tengu]]

== Interactive map ==
{{Interactive map|map=-1|continent=2}}

== List of known portals to the Mists ==
[[File:Absolution key art.jpg|thumb|Members of the [[Tyrian Alliance]] approach the [[Mists Gate]] deep in [[Bava Nisos]].]]
;[[Ascalon]]
* [[gww:The Tombs of Drascir|The Tombs of Drascir]] <small>(connects to the [[Underworld]])</small>

;[[Crystal Desert]]
* [[Desert Highlands]]
** [[Tomb of the Primeval Kings]]
*** [[The Portal]] <small>(connects to [[the Sanctum]] in the [[Realm of Torment]])</small>
* [[Domain of Vabbi]]
** [[The Foundry]]
*** [[The Hearth]]
* [[The Desolation]]
** [[The Ruptured Heart]]
*** [[The Mouth of Torment]] <small>(connects to the [[gww:Gate of Torment|Gate of Torment]] in the Realm of Torment)</small>

;[[Horn of Maguuma]]
* [[The Wizard's Tower]]
** [[Outer Ring]]
*** [[Dream Connector]] <small>(connects to [[Inner Nayos]] in [[Nayos]])</small>
** [[Outer Sanctorium]]
*** [[Rift Hunter Lounge]] <small>(periodically connects to [[Convergence: Outer Nayos|Outer Nayos]] in [[Nayos]])</small>

;[[Janthir]]
* [[Bava Nisos]]
** [[Pericardial Nexus]]
*** [[Mists Gate]] <small>(connects to the [[Foundry of Failed Creations]] in the Realm of Torment)</small>

;[[Kryta]]
* [[Queensdale]]
** [[Godslost Swamp]]
* [[Lion's Arch]]
** [[Fort Marriner]]
*** [[Mist Portals]] <small>(connect to the [[Heart of the Mists]], [[World versus World|different Tyrias' borderlands]], and the [[Mistlock Observatory]])</small>

;[[Shiverpeak Mountains]]
* [[Lornar's Pass]]
** [[Reaper's Gate]]
*** [[Grenth's Door]] <small>(connects to the [[Hall of Chains]] in the Underworld)</small>

== Gallery ==
<gallery>
File:Lord Odran's map of the Mists.jpg|Original [[gww:Lord Odran|Lord Odran]]'s map to the Mists, used in ''[[Guild Wars]]'' media.<ref name="Odranmap" />
</gallery>

== Notes ==
* [[Raid on the Capricorn]], a Conquest map that had been in the game since launch, was removed as a consequence of the removal of [[underwater]] combat in [[Structured PvP]] in the [[April 2014 Feature Pack]]. It was remade and re-released as [[Revenge of the Capricorn]] on July 26th, 2016.

== Trivia ==
{{gww}}
* The writing on [[gww:Lord Odran|Lord Odran]]'s map to the Mists is in [[Languages of Tyria#Ascalonian|Ascalonian]] and translates to "beware the danger of secrets kept".

== References ==
<references/>

{{Locations nav}}
{{Realms nav}}
[[Category:The Mists|*]]

[[de:Die Nebel]]
[[es:La Niebla]]
[[fr:Les Brumes]]