Kodan

Concept art by Kekai Kotaki.

“

No race weaves the thread of life. We are all strands in it, seeds upon the earth, inheritors of nature's balance.

— Many Stars, Kodan Voice

The kodan are an intelligent polar bear-like race originally from the Far Shiverpeaks. They are highly spiritual, with a deep reverence for Koda, a god whom they believe created Tyria. Their society is divided into tribes, each led by two leaders— a Voice, who seeks and interprets the will of Koda, and a Claw, who carries out the will of Koda and protects the sanctuary, the cities built and carved on icebergs in the arctic seas in which kodan tribes often live.

After the Elder Ice Dragon Jormag awoke, the kodan were scattered in all directions, if not capsized by the dragon. Some of those kodan began a settlement in Lowland Shore, north of Kryta. These Lowland kodan evolved into a different society that abandoned their reverence for Koda and adopted a shared leadership between a Claw and a council that collectively makes decisions for their communities, and their coats turned brown.

Physiology

The kodan are ten feet tall and bipedal. They resemble various species of bear, namely polar bears for the Shiverpeak kodan and brown, glacier, or grizzly bears for the lowland kodan. The lifespan of the kodan is not fully known, but some can live for centuries. There is considerable debate among scholars and kodan Voices over whether the kodan are distant cousins of the norn.

Culture

Shiverpeaks Kodan

The kodan live in close communities upon their Sanctuaries, acting in concert and living in peace. The kodan are not without disputes and disagreements, but they consider themselves "above" most interpersonal conflict. To them, balance is more important than an individual's needs and the will of their god, Koda, supersedes any single kodan's wishes. Each member of the tribe contributes and works to maintain peace, encouraging the sharing of resources, and provide support for others within the Sanctuary.

Their Sanctuaries both act as shelters and as spiritual havens. Within the core of the Sanctuaries lie shrines to Koda and the Voice of the tribe and iceberg city. The kodan are a highly religious race, with their beliefs of balance and Koda at the core of their culture and society.

Kodan young are said to be weak and easily susceptible to outside influence. As such, they are heavily guarded and rarely—if ever—seen by outsiders.

Lowland Kodan

Lowland kodan, the bond between master and disciple, a mature and a cub.

The lowland kodan see themselves as stewards of the land and their environment, maintaining necessary balance in an area where survival can be hard. Centering their livelihoods on agriculture, fishing, honey-gathering, and hunting. Fishing holds special significance, connecting them to their guiding star, The Fisher, symbolizing their bond to nature’s sustenance, the land and sea. A constant reminder of what they owe the natural world and the sustenance it provides.

In their free time, they do have a variety of activities for enjoyment, such as reading a book, dancing together near a bonfire, playing an instruments, hanging out in a tavern, bathing together in a hot spring, and watching a derby or a sparring match.

The lowland Kodan Cubs are the prey of choice for valravns, so the mature kodans, the masters train them spear combat since young for their own survival and their future. They have three combatant professions: the Landspeaker, who manipulates four attunements of Fire, Water, Air, and Earth; the Stoutheart, who focuses on close combat and protecting others with the sun channeling inspiration; and the Wildstalker, who wields the power of nature and endures combat with their wilderness survival skills.

For the lowland kodan, the journeykins play a crucial role in the lives, functioning as trusted companions, mounts, and assistants in their daily routines. This symbiotic relationship further reflects the lowland kodan respect for all life and the interrelation they feel with their surroundings.

Religion

Kodan burial at sea.

The kodan believe that their god, Koda, is the creator of the world, and teaches the importance of balance. For example, each individual's actions must be in balance with nature. However, this does not mean that they are pacifists; they view hunting and killing as a natural order of life, as long as it is done in order to serve the balance. The Voice of each sanctuary communicates with Koda directly, linking their mind to the Mists in order to hear his word. This, in turn, is interpreted by each Sanctuary's Claw. The constant exposure of the Voice's mind to the Mists can, in rare cases, cause the Rage of Koda. The Voice is tended to by shamans and before death passes on his role to one of his caretakers.

The kodan also believe that everyone will always be reborn as their own race until they reach a higher stage of enlightenment, after which they reincarnate a step up in the spiritual ladder. Of course, in their view they have reached the top of this ladder and are therefore responsible for maintaining balance, and they are not afraid to use force to do so.

Although the kodan will not hold an individual responsible for the actions of their race, they do tend to judge races as a whole, often based upon the actions of a few of their members. When they meet a new race, the kodan will take time to evaluate the race and determine how best to bring them into balance—this is how they treat the norn. However, for races that are openly hostile, such as the dredge, the kodan will make their judgement quickly and violently.

The interpretation of the awakening of the Elder Dragons is split; some kodan believe that they have awakened to redress a terrible imbalance in the world, whereas others view the Elder Dragons themselves as an imbalance.

The lowland kodan doesn't have the Voice for the historic reason. However, this does not mean that they don't believe in their god, Koda; its deeper meaning is a vestige of their past connection to their people's namesake. They do more believe in nature and the constellations than the Shiverpeaks kodan.

Government

Shiverpeaks Kodan

The kodan are divided into tribes, with each tribe having two equally important leaders: the Voice and the Claw. The Voice is the spiritual leader of a tribe, passing on messages of Koda and giving guidance to the Claw. They are capable of sensing the balance of the Sanctuary and the world around it. The Claw is the physical leader of the tribe, protecting the Sanctuary and the Voice, and turns the Voice's words into actions. Outside a small group of shamans, who tend to the Voice's needs to keep him alive, only the Claw may speak to the Voice. The Claw also leads the hunters and warriors of the Sanctuary. Neither of the two leaders has the power to overturn the others' decisions.

The Claw and Voice are often chosen at the same time, and end their rule together. If one dies, it is tradition for the other to retire. Between these two kodan, the Sanctuary of the tribe is very organized.

Lowland Kodan

Primary article: Lowland Kodan Council

The lowland kodan communities are led by a solitary Claw, who is advised by a council consisting of several heads of established disciplines, or masters, while also being a member of the council himself.

Names

The kodan choose their own names, basing it off of their personality, past, actions, occupations, or something that they find suitable. In essence, they chose a name which they feel describes them best. As such, their names are usually descriptions or nouns of some form. For example, Still Waters chose his name to remind himself of a past event and Farthest Shore took that name because he felt distant from his people. Kodan will also change their names to suit their evolving personalities or changed circumstances, for example, Watchful Moon changed his name from "Laughs at the Dawn" after his wife died. It is unknown how newborn kodan names are treated.

History

Early years

According to the histories of the kodan, the world was created long ago by Koda, and with it, the spirits of the world. Over time, these spirits began to take form, becoming the beasts of the world we see today. One day, the bear stood up and took notice of the restlessness and chaos, of the endless cycles of creation and destruction. And Koda took notice, and offered the bear guardianship of the world, tasking them with guiding the lesser spirits to enlightenment. Those that accepted his offer, became the kodan.

The kodan are one of the few races that lived during the time of the previous Elder Dragon awakening. Before then, the kodan are said to have spread across the land, bringing balance to the spirits they encountered wherever they went, and were hindered only by the seas. When the Elder Dragons awoke, they fled to the shores of the northern seas and waited out when the Dragonstorm occurred. Over the generations they waited, eventually a tribe of kodan, led by a Claw without a Voice, traveled south to find food, and never returned. It is speculated by scholars and Voices that the norn are descended from this tribe, and those Voices therefore view the norn as spiritual failures who are regressing to a more primal state. They warn that if the norn do not seek balance, they may soon follow the fate of the dwarves. Despite this, the two races are not hostile to one another.

A group who fled south from the dragonstorm, led by Southward Claw and his mate, the Voice, journeyed southward. Along the way, the Voice, affected by the Rage of Koda, eventually left them. At the end, the Claw had ended up on settled on Lowland Shore, becoming the ancestors of the lowland kodan who would move from place to place around the Janthir region while maintaining distance from their northern bearkin.

In 1165 AE, Jormag’s awakening unleashed a years-long dragonstorm that scattered or destroyed the kodan's sanctuaries. Some fled south into the inland sea of the Far Shiverpeaks created by the Elder Ice Dragon and reached as far south as Snowden Drifts. When the dragonstorm finally passed, the Kodan found great frozen chunks of sea, which they saw as gifts from Koda, and established floating cities on the icebergs. Nowadays, they strive to restore balance to the world, though they remain uncertain whether the Elder Dragons are forces of balance or disruption.

Recent developments

Personal story

By 1325 AE, a group of norn led by Eir Stegalkin, during their investigating the danger from the Fastulf Jotharsson's vision they encountered a kodan named Followed by Night, who aided them in identifying the threat: a corrupted horn used by the Sons of Svanir to summon monstrous creatures. Followed by Night provided crucial information about the horn's location and later joined the investigation group in confronting Varg, the Son of Svanir wielding it. After defeating Varg, the kodan helped them extract the horn's corrupting power, though it summoned icebrood creatures in defense. Ultimately, the horn was destroyed to prevent further darkness. The kodan's wisdom and assistance were vital in ensuring the corrupted relic could no longer be misused.

At the Song of Final Exile a kodan settlement, a land-sanctuary. The tribe struggles to find stability after the tragic loss of their previous Claw, who was assassinated by the largos before the settlement was established, and the largos continues to target the new Claw. Traveler passing through the settlement witness the tense situation and find themselves drawn into the conflict.

Honor of the Waves

The Honor's Voice forcefully turned into an icebrood.

The Honor of the Waves, a kodan sactuary in the Watchful Fjord was in crisis. Jormag’s champion, the Claw of Jormag, had launched an assault, sinking the sanctuary and filling it with icebrood and Sons of Svanir. The Voice of the tribe was trapped within, affected by the Rage of Koda. and hunted by an enemy, Kodan's Bane.

Honor's Claw, the Claw of the tribe, refused to give up. They weren’t alone—Eir Stegalkin and Caithe joined the battle to reclaim their home. Together, they carved a path through the enemy forces, pushing toward the Voice. When they finally reached their goal, it was too late. The Svanir Kodan's Bane had found the Voice first, and the corruption had already taken hold, transforming the Voice into an icebrood. A battle ensued, but despite their efforts, the tribe suffered from their loss—the Voice, their spiritual guide, was gone. The remaining kodan of this tribe fled into the Slough of Despond.

Living World Season 3

In 1329 AE, after a memorial for Eir in Hoelbrak, the Pact Commander decided to head into the northern Shiverpeaks to investigate rumors of a unique icebrood creature. Investigations in Hoelbrak revealed that Braham Eirsson had ventured to the same direction, searching for an ancient jotun scroll similar to the one used to shatter Jormag's fang in norn legend. The Commander’s path led them to Frostgorge Sound, where a kodan guarding a Braziers of Koda blocked the way north. The kodan, a flamebearer, offered a torch imbued with Koda's Flame to melt a massive ice barrier and reveal the Bitterfrost Frontier.

The Bitterfrost Frontier was a harsh and desolate land, its icy terrain dominated by a camp of the Sons of Svanir and the Sorrow's Eclipse Sanctuary. This settlement housed an alliance between kodan and quaggan, the commander infiltrated their camp and acquired the formula for an elixir. This concoction required rare ingredients: winterberries, griffon eggshells, frostbitten suet, and a firestone sacred to a local grawl tribe. The grawl demanded the creation of a shrine to their deity, Chokochooka. With all components gathered, the elixir was mixed in the hottest springs and imbibed, granting the Commander the resilience to survive the Bitter Cold.

The Icebrood Saga

In 1333 AE, the Pact Commander, accompanied by Braham Eirsson, Crecia Stoneglow, Garm and Rytlock Brimstone, following Imperator Bangar Ruinbringer's trail into the western half of Bjora Marches. There, they encountered Still Waters Speaking, a kodan settlement named after Drakkar Lake and the haunting whispers that emanate from its icy depths, was led solely by the Claw without the Voice, grapples with questions of balance amidst the trials they endure. They interpret these hardships, including the strange phenomena plaguing their people, as the Trials of Koda—a spiritual test of their faith and resilience.

The whispers plaguing the Far Shiverpeaks were revealed to originate from Drakkar, the Voice of Jormag, a corrupted champion serving as Jormag’s conduit. Cloudseeker, Claw of Still Waters Speaking, explained that Bangar and his army had been spotted in the region, likely influenced by the whispers. He identified Drakkar as the source of the whispers, amplifying Jormag's voice far beyond its lair. Without Drakkar, Jormag’s whispers cannot whisper beyond its lair. However, defeating Drakkar would not be an easy task, as Cloudseeker illustrated in his bonfire how the Lost Spirits of the Wild—Eagle, Ox, and Wolverine—had been corrupted by Jormag while Drakkar feasted on their infinite magic. If the Commander and allies agreed to aid the kodan of Still Waters Speaking, the kodan would then aid them in defeating Drakkar.

While preparations were underway, Jhavi Jorasdottir arrived at the settlement, offering her Vigil forces to help the kodan fend off hostile forces in the region. Jhavi and Cloudseeker occasionally clashed over their differing methods, but both leaders recognized the need for cooperation to face Drakkar and its minions.

Once the kodan were secured, Braham claimed the power of the Lost Spirits of the Wild, and Cloudseeker honored his word and offered his aid in the battle to come. He instructed the party to destroy Jormag's profane idols, scattered all throughout the Marches, which Drakkar uses to heal itself from any damage. At the same time, Jhavi led a direct attack on Drakkar, forcing it to retreat away from the lake into a southern cavern surrounded by rocks. With Drakkar weakened and cornered between the rocks, the Commander's party rallied to face the dragon champion while Cloudseeker prayed that Koda, and the Spirits of the Wild, guide them to victory.

A few months later, as news spread of Jormag's latest movements and the increasing activity of Primordus's destroyers, the Elder Dragons' minions began appearing across Tyria. Among the affected locations was Song of Final Exile, which faced a large-scale attack by Icebrood forces. In response to the growing threats, Cloudseeker traveled to the Eye of the North to exchange ideas with other races' representatives.

While conversing with the Pact Commander, Cloudseeker explained that he and many kodan were willing to join the fight to return the world to balance from the disharmony caused by the Elder Dragons. When the Commander inquired if Cloudseeker, and the rest of the kodan by association, were actually norn wearing bearskin, Cloudseeker calmly countered the claim by questioning whether the Commander was just someone pretending to be the Pact's commander.

Following the deaths of Jormag and Primordus in their clash at Anvil Rock, Cloudseeker was among the delegates as they gathered in Eye of the North to congratulate the Commander on ending the dragon menace.

Janthir Wilds

Lowland Kodan watching over their settlement.

Primary article: Lowland Kodan

Known Sanctuaries

A kodan sanctuary.

• Blue Ice Shining
• Deep and Troubled Waters
• Honor of the Waves
• Gentle Tide (mentioned)
• Morning Frost (mentioned)
• Sorrow's Eclipse

Other settlements

Lowland kodan architecture.

Janthir (Lowland Kodan)

• Lowland Shore
  • Harvest Den
  • Harvest Shore
  • Coursing Upland
  • Cragged Upland
  • Autumn's Vale
  • Tideland Outlet

Ascalon

• Fireheart Rise
  • Haymal Gore

Shiverpeak Mountains

• Bjora Marches
  • Still Waters Speaking

• Frostgorge Sound
  • Blue Ice Station
  • Sacred Trust
  • Slough of Despond

• Snowden Drifts
  • Lost Child's Sorrow
  • Song of Final Exile

Orr (mentioned)

Types

See also: Category:Kodan

• Absolute Patience
• Apprentice Crafter
• Ardent Gale
• Arid Esker
• Ashmaker
• Astral Ward Chef
• Astral Ward Culinary Specialist
• Autumn's Breath
• Azure Windfall
• Babbling Brook
• Barbed Vale
• Bending Reed
• Biting Wind
• Bitter Brook
• Bitter Frost
• Bitter Olive
• Black Sail on the Horizon
• Bladed Softness
• Bleeding Ice
• Blessed by Waves
• Blossoming Spring
• Blue Ice Shining Claw of Koda
• Blue Ice Shining Guard
• Blue Ice Shining Refugee
• Blue Ice Shining Resident
• Blue Ice Shining Worker
• Blustering Squall
• Bobbing Stone
• Born from Thunder
• Born of Blood
• Brackish Shanty
• Branching Path
• Breeze Weaver
• Bright Shore
• Brilliant Dawn
• Bristling Pine
• Bronzed Sun
• Brushing Branches
• Buried Virtue
• Burning River
• Calming Lee
• Carping Gaze
• Castaway
• Champion Kodan Bell-Ringer
• Champion Kodan Chieftain
• Champion Kodan Claw
• Champion The Voice of Koda
• Charging Ram
• Chaser Of Sun
• Chief Logger
• Chilly Tarn
• Chortling Millstone
• Churning Rapids
• Claw Honor Guard
• Claw of Koda
• Cleaning Crew
• Clear Horizon
• Cloudseeker
• Clovering Hills
• Concerned Researcher
• Crafter
• Cresting Wave
• Cresting Wave
• Cunning Melody
• Curious Dunesnake
• Curious Remedy
• Dancing Bard
• Dancing River
• Deafening Footsteps
• Deafening Shout
• Deep Song
• Deep Water
• Deep Water Rising
• Defiance Trainer Cascading Sands
• Deft Lahar
• Deft Paw
• Delicate Ash
• Den Guard
• Den Guard
• Depthless Sea
• Derby Coordinator
• Derby Fan
• Discerning Owl
• Discourager of Hesitancy
• Distant Memory
• Distant Oracle
• Distant Thunder
• Dodge Trainer Golden Daisy
• Drifting Snow
• Duskborn
• Dusty Stone
• Eager Sparrow
• Eagle Flight
• Early Summer
• Echoes of Night
• Endless Green
• Enduring Icicle
• Enduring Protector
• Evergreen Horizon
• Expedition Member
• Fabled Brook
• Fading Aurora
• Fallen Into Night
• Farthest Shore
• Fervent Tempest
• Field of Spring
• Fisherfolk
• Flamebearer
• Fleeting Serenity
• Flowering Meadow
• Flowing Ice
• Foggy Air
• Followed by Night
• Fractal Explorer
• Frantic Hummingbird
• Freezing Steps
• Frigid Paw
• Frost Revel
• Furthest From Deceit
• Gathering Gale
• Gentle Heron
• Gentle Mending
• Gentle Winter
• Ghostly Sacrifice
• Gleaning Copse
• Graced by Fire
• Grain of Hope
• Grateful Smile
• Gravel Glittering
• Grey Sojourn
• Guard
• Guard Splintering Serenity
• Guiding Breath
• Guiding Star
• Hallowed Home
• Hardy Paws
• Harmonious Resonance
• Haunting Embers
• Head Archivist Wavering Heart
• Heedful Scrutiny
• Honor Refugee
• Honor's Claw
• Honor's Voice
• Honorable Paw
• Hooligan Kodan Teen
• Humble Stone
• Humbled Den
• Hungry Kodan
• Hungry Kodan Icehammer
• Hungry Kodan Snowcaller
• Hunter
• Hunting by Moonlight
• Ice Fisher
• Ice Raking
• Icy Gail
• Immovable Boulder
• Infinite Mind
• Jagged Ridge
• Jagged Sierra
• Just Lotus
• Keeper of Words
• Keeper of the Groove
• Kindled Blaze
• Knowing Falls
• Kodan
• Kodan Cub
• Kodan Defender
• Kodan Grandmaw
• Kodan Grandpaw
• Kodan Guard
• Kodan Guard
• Kodan Horn
• Kodan Horn
• Kodan Ice Shaper
• Kodan Icehammer
• Kodan Icehammer
• Kodan Infantry
• Kodan Landspeaker
• Kodan Landspeaker
• Kodan Mother
• Kodan Refugee
• Kodan Snowcaller
• Kodan Spectator
• Kodan Stoutheart
• Kodan Stoutheart
• Kodan Villager
• Kodan Villager
• Kodan Villager
• Kodan Wildstalker
• Kodan Wildstalker
• Lasting Journey
• Lillied Valley
• Lingering Mist
• Little Breeze
• Little Fish
• Logger
• Lookout
• Lorn Tundra
• Loving Orchid
• Lupine in the Wind
• Many Stars
• Maw of the Volcano
• Melting Heart
• Mists of Dawn
• Misty Falls
• Misty Lavender
• Morning Light
• Morning Roar
• Musing Fox
• Narrow Trail
• Needling Brooks
• Neversorrow
• Overstuffed Kodan
• Parting Kindness
• Passing Twilight
• Patient Willow
• Pensive Moments
• Poised Arrow
• Quiet Thinker
• Rainless Meadow
• Refugee
• Relaxed Hunter
• Relentless Uproar
• Remaining Light
• Reserve Kodan Snowcaller
• Restless Fawn
• Restoring Dew
• Rising Bloom
• Roaring Falls
• Roving Stump
• Royal Marks
• Rumbling Badger
• Rumbling Fall
• Running Colors
• Running Joy
• Scouring Hawk
• Scout Careful Pine
• Scout Eager Elm
• Screeching Owl
• Searing Pyre
• Seer of All
• Seething Sinter
• Sentry Never-Blinking Eyes
• Shading Willow
• Shallow Thunder
• Sheltered Heart
• Sheltered Shoal
• Sheltering Dusk
• Shifting Waves
• Shining Grove
• Shining Isle
• Shrouded Spear
• Shrouded Woods
• Silent Loch
• Silent Snowfall
• Skiff Rental Manager
• Skitter Steppes
• Sleeping Boar
• Smiling Fox
• Snapdragon
• Snowborn
• Snowcaller Raging Inner Fire
• Soaring Crest
• Soaring Spirit
• Sparking Stone
• Spearmaster Falling Leaf
• Springhearted
• Sprouting Birch
• Sprouting Oak
• Stable Master
• Stalking Fate
• Steady Ground
• Steel Truth
• Steely Dawn
• Stifled Ember
• Still Waters
• Stinging Wind
• Stoic Alder
• Stoking Flare
• Strange Kodan
• Stubborn Shell
• Sun Warming
• Sure Footing
• Surging Current
• Surging Tide
• Survivor Of Guilt
• Swift Rapids
• Tattered Spite
• Taught by Whales
• Tempered Emotion
• Tempered Flame
• Tempered Longing
• Tempered Resolve
• Tensed Claws
• The Voice of Koda
• Thorned Grasp
• Timeworn Hickory
• Tired Kodan Iceshaper
• Titan Hunter
• Torrid Gaze
• Trampling Herd
• Tranquil Beck
• Trembling Song
• Turbulent Seas
• Twig
• Twisting River
• Unending Tribute
• Unforgotten Melody
• Unmoving Glacier
• Unstilled Harbor
• Unyielding Shelter
• Valiant Aria
• Valued Memories
• Vast Caldera
• Veiled Light
• Verse of Might
• Veteran Kodan Berserker
• Veteran Kodan Shieldbearer
• Veteran Kodan Stormcaller
• Vigilant Dawn
• Vignir the Storm
• Violet Field
• Visitor
• Vital Sprout
• Voice Attendant
• Wafting Embers
• Waiting Sorrow
• Wandering Spirit
• Waning Storm
• Warmest Hearth
• Warming Comfort
• Warming Sun
• Warrior
• Watcher of Skies
• Watchful Moon
• Wayfarer of the Waves
• Westward Wind
• Whispering Echo
• Whispers of Wind
• Whistling Serenity
• Willful Sun
• Willow (kodan)
• Wilted Bough
• Wilting Fern
• Winding Kant
• Winter Dew
• Winter Sky
• Winter Thaw
• Winter's Solace
• Wise Keeper
• Wistful Dove
• Woken by Peace
• Worker Swift Hammer
• Worthy Burden
• Wounded Kodan Scout
• Wry Lichen
• Churning Earth (historical)
• Conclusive Action (historical)
• Enduring Unifier (historical)
• Final Stillness (historical)
• Glory Rewards Vendor (historical)
• Guardian (historical)
• Merchant (historical)
• Pattern of All Things (historical)
• Shield of All (historical)

Gallery

Screenshots

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  Frostreach Region kodan in the Edge of the Mists

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  An alliance between kodan and quaggan.

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  Claw of the Fallen and Voice of the Fallen

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  Lowland kodan

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Concept art

• 

  Further concept art

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  Kodan Attack

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  Kodan Claw concept art

• 

  Kodan armors

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  Structures 1

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  Structures 2

Render

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Trivia

• A race of armored polar bears also appears in the form of the panserbjørne in Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy.
• The kodan did not appear in the original Guild Wars. The developers said when they saw the concept images related to the kodan they were so cool that they had to find some way to include them in Guild Wars 2.

See also

• Bestiary
• Lowland Kodan
• The Wisdom and Power of the Kodan

Associated items

• Kodan weapons
• Mini Cloudseeker
• Mini Kodan Icehammer

External links

• The Bear Necessities: A Peek at the Lowland Kodan and the Story of Janthir Wilds, GuildWars2.com