Gods of Tyria

The Gods of Tyria are the five gods who in the theology of humans and other advanced races created the world of Tyria. They are:
 * Balthazar: God of war and fire
 * Dwayna: Goddess of life and air
 * Grenth: God of death and cold
 * Lyssa: Goddess of beauty and illusion
 * Melandru: Goddess of nature and earth

The Old Gods in the Game
The presence of the Old Gods can be felt in the present day in the game in two major ways:
 * Teams competing in the Global Tournament and winning the Hall of Heroes for their territory will bring the Favor of the Gods to their territory. This will open up interaction with the avatars of these Gods.
 * If a territory has Favor, then players in the PvE campaign can interact with the avatars of the Gods at any god's statue. The avatars can bestow blessings, give quests and even grant access to the Realms of the Gods. See God's statue for full details.

The History of the Old Gods in Tyria
According to legend, the Old Gods used to live on Tyria while they were creating it. They used to make their home the city of Arah in the area known as Orr.

In the year 1769 BE, after creating most species, the Old Gods charged the serpent race of the Forgotten Ones with the responsibility of shepherding all races into a peaceful co-existence. But when the Old Gods created humans, in 205 BE, they quickly mastered many skills and much knowledge and bested all other races and the balance was irrevokably broken. The Forgotten Ones withdrew into oblivion in the Crystal Desert.

Then, in the year 1 BE, the Old Gods gifted all races with the gift of magic which was abused by all as each race tried to use this gift to destroy the others. After a plea from King Doric, the Gods sealed away the power to control all of magic in the Bloodstones and shortly after, they left Tyria for good and went into the Rift in an event known as the Exodus of the Gods.

The Lore of the Old Gods
Outside of their history in Tyria, the Old Gods have a greater history and lore. Some of the known plots are:
 * The constant war between Balthazar and his half-brother Menzies in the Fissure of Woe.
 * The demon infestation that plagues the Underworld, the realm of Grenth.
 * The defeat of Dhuum, the previous god of death, by Grenth.
 * Wintersday.