Please do not use real-world names for items

Anet, please quit naming unique items after historical items from the real world. Tyria is supposed to be its own unique world and should have no connection with planet Earth. The new legendary focus titled Ars Goetia is actually a 17th century book about summoning demons. It was later revised by Alister Crowley in the 20th century. Why do you have to connect Tyria with this kind of crap? I prefer fantasy pretend world.

just google ars goetia and you will see what I am talking about

And a book about summoning demons isn't fantasy pretend?

The 17th century author of the Ars Goetia wasn't trying to write a fantasy novel.

There was a RPG pen & paper line about playing as the "monsters" - vampires, werewolves, mages, etc. Most of them had source books about the corrupted, somewhat "evil" mirror to the somewhat benign player characters. Except for the book about evil satanistic mages - originally, the company didn't want to make that. When asked why, their answer was:

"There are no vampires in the world. No werewolves. But satanists who think they do make magic? Those exist. Writing a book about them is inviting trouble."

A similar situation applies here. Showing players a very big reference to real world demonology in a game isn't really a good idea. Sure, you and I don't believe in demonology or satanism or things like that, but those books, like the one in which Ars Goetia is in, were written by people who believed for people who believed.

I hate to be the one to tell you this, but literally every thing you read in fantasy has been done and referenced before. Most often by people who actually believed in it. From Tolkien to Tyria. Elves, dwarves, etc. Common tropes in 90% of fantasy is old Nordic religion. Djinn, genies, old Arabic religions. Faeries, old European (Celts, gauls, etc.)

Even the names. Abaddon, Balthazar, think of any name in any story and its almost a sure bet that name is lifted from an obsolete religion or folk hero. This is literally no different. The writer might have once believed in demons and whatnot, but the fact is, it's fantasy now.

@Dashingsteel.3410 said:Anet, please quit naming unique items after historical items from the real world. Tyria is supposed to be its own unique world and should have no connection with planet Earth. The new legendary focus titled Ars Goetia is actually a 17th century book about summoning demons. It was later revised by Alister Crowley in the 20th century. Why do you have to connect Tyria with this kind of crap? I prefer fantasy pretend world.

just google ars goetia and you will see what I am talking about

Have you looked at how many things in the game are named after real world things? I don’t see why you’re singling out this one over the others.

I would prefer that Tyria be kept separate from real life demon worship and the occult. Why promote that kind of thing?

So what? It's a pretty name!

@Dashingsteel.3410 said:I would prefer that Tyria be kept separate from real life demon worship and the occult. Why promote that kind of thing?

.... because it is not real? And kinda cool? But mostly not actually real so there's literally no harm in it?

Don't tell me you actually think demon worship and the occult is actually real?

@Dashingsteel.3410 said:I would prefer that Tyria be kept separate from real life demon worship and the occult. Why promote that kind of thing?

As opposed to demon worshipping that’s been a part of Lore?

Many people do believe in the occult and do try to communicate with demons. I am not commenting on if they are successful. I am saying that Anet shouldn't connect the game to this garbage.

If demon worship is part of Tyrian lore they should make up a Tyrian book of summoning. Why connect the game to earth's occult past.

Occultism has always been in guild wars. An entire profession is centered around summoning undead things and shades from the Underworld. (The Tyria version of hell). They leave odd cult symbols on the ground that "curse" people in the form of damage or conditions.

@Dashingsteel.3410 said:If demon worship is part of Tyrian lore they should make up a Tyrian book of summoning. Why connect the game to earth's occult past.

Why not? If you don’t like it then ignore the item.

@Dashingsteel.3410 said:Many people do believe in the occult and do try to communicate with demons. I am not commenting on if they are successful.

Well let me put your fears at rest: Summoning demons or any other kind of occult nonsense has a 100% failure rate so there is no need to be alarmed.

this is literally the dumbest thing I have ever seen someone complain about on these forums...

So of all the things that have been in GW1/2, demon worshipping crosses the line?

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abaddon

If cult nonsense worries you so much, you might want to steer clear of anything regarding Abaddon. Another real world parallel to Christianity, and he may or may not be literally Satan, depending on your denomination I guess.

"Ars Goetia" is just a name in GW2; it has no specific connection to RL Earth other than the words, which is vaguely Latin for "The Art of Sorcery." The ideas in it — and dozens of other sources — are used in all sorts of fiction. And those ideas weren't even original by the time Johann Weyer starting putting them together in the 16th Century.

This is a fantasy game; it already has all sorts of fantastical creatures, including demons and ghosts. I'm not sure what sort of extra trouble might be invited by paying homage to fantasy fiction from the 17th century.

Aren't... um... "humans"... um... of earth?

I think I am sitting next to one here at work...

@Dashingsteel.3410 said:Many people do believe in the occult and do try to communicate with demons. I am not commenting on if they are successful. I am saying that Anet shouldn't connect the game to this garbage.

I'll go ahead and comment. They are not successful. Just as people looking through the desert to find genies and make fantastical wishes are not successful. Killing djinn in Tyria doesn't anger real world spirits that curse people, and referencing demons will not invite unholy terror. It's all make believe.

Did you have the same issue with "Bifrost" which is from Norse mythology?

@Squee.7829 said:I hate to be the one to tell you this, but literally every thing you read in fantasy has been done and referenced before. Most often by people who actually believed in it. From Tolkien to Tyria. Elves, dwarves, etc. Common tropes in 90% of fantasy is old Nordic religion. Djinn, genies, old Arabic religions. Faeries, old European (Celts, gauls, etc.)

Yeah, but how many murder cults worshipping Tolkien elves have you ever seen?

Compare that to Satanistic cults, and...

It's simply not necessary. It's not like it's an integral part of the plot. It's the name of an item. There's little to no reason not to change it, so even if a reason that you don't think is great appears for changing it, it could be changed.

@pah.4931 said:Aren't... um... "humans"... um... of earth?

I think I am sitting next to one here at work...Dude, that's actually a giant banana :o

@Erasculio.2914 said:

@Squee.7829 said:I hate to be the one to tell you this, but literally every thing you read in fantasy has been done and referenced before. Most often by people who actually believed in it. From Tolkien to Tyria. Elves, dwarves, etc. Common tropes in 90% of fantasy is old Nordic religion. Djinn, genies, old Arabic religions. Faeries, old European (Celts, gauls, etc.)

@pah.4931 said:Aren't... um... "humans"... um... of earth?

I think I am sitting next to one here at work...Dude, that's actually a giant banana :o

Asura are literally Vedic demons. You get to play as one.

Well, the bifrost in mythology is a bridge. In this game, it is a staff. While sharing the same name they are not similar.

The ars goetia is a book of demon summoning. The legendary focus looks like a book of scrolls. That is a little too similar.