The Nora tribe is the first group of people that the player meets in Horizon Zero Dawn. Though their callous treatment of Aloy and Rost may seem harsh, their decision to do so stems from years of belief and tradition. That’s not to say that their behavior was justified, but rather, that it is difficult for such a devout tribe to go against their central tenets.
As one of the biggest settlements in Horizon Zero Dawn, the Nora have a rich history from which they take some of their most distinct beliefs — most notably, the significance of motherhood. It is with these beliefs that they built their society, making it into what it is in the game.
The Origins of the Nora in Horizon Zero Dawn
The Nora propagated from the humans who were born in ELEUTHIA-9, which is known in the game as Mother’s Watch. This stands as a Cradle facility where GAIA kept and raised human zygotes for when life on Earth could flourish again. The facility was equipped with food, water, and other resources enough to last until the children’s young adulthood. There were also robot servitors there who took on the role of the children’s mother and father.
Based on hologram recordings within the All-Mother Mountain facility, the children seemed to be more fond of the female servitor rather than the male servitor, as the latter was known to tase the children should they exhibit physical aggression. The female servitor, on the other hand, was seen as a healer and was more patient with the children and their questions.
As the children grew up, the servitors taught them about the world outside, but their capabilities were severely lacking given that the system no longer had APOLLO, its knowledge base. Thus, the inhabitants did not learn of old-world technology or culture, nor did they understand the history of mankind. When the facility finally ran out of resources, the servitors simply allowed the inhabitants — now young adults — to leave before closing ELEUTHIA-9. The new generation then built their settlement around the inaccessible facility.
At one point, a tribesman by the name of Araman would find an ancient text containing old-world knowledge. These “Leaves,” as the book was referred to, contained information on how to observe the sun. Araman brought the artifact back to show it to the rest of the tribe, but they exiled him. This led Araman and his followers to the west, where they founded the settlement of Meridian and the Carja tribe. Meanwhile, those residing by the Cradle facility cemented their denial of old-world knowledge, becoming the Nora tribe.
The All-Mother and the Corrupted Old Ones
As generations passed, the Nora soon forgot what the Cradle facility was. This was exacerbated by their inability to re-enter ELEUTHIA-9, and their lack of a written language. Eventually, they began to worship the facility, believing that a goddess lay within it. They called this deity the All-Mother, and they believe that she was the being who birthed all life on Earth.
The Nora’s distrust of old-world knowledge and technology also persevered. They believe that the people from the old world — the Old Ones — grew too accustomed to machines, relying on them to such a great degree just to make their lives easier. However, this over-reliance led to the machines overpowering the Old Ones. Humans then became slaves to machines, and not the other way around. Eventually, the Metal Devil — who supposedly ruled over all machines — attacked the All-Mother, but was defeated. As punishment, she turned all machines into mindless creatures and destroyed the Old Ones’ metal lands.
This is why the Nora believe that everything outside the borders of their Sacred Land, from Meridian to Devil’s Grief, is tainted — corrupted by the old world. Similarly, they thought that the Carja and any other tribes that made use of machinery were not worthy of the All-Mother’s grace.
The Nora and Carja Tribes’ Bloody History
Given the stark contrast in the Nora and Carja’s belief systems, the tribes were generally wary of each other. However, their relationship would grow much worse after Sun-King Jiran — the 13th ruler of the Carja — ordered that his people pillage other tribes to acquire slaves. This was done as Jiran believed that human sacrifice was the only way to appease the Deranged machines. During this time, the Carja’s troops invaded the westernmost region of the Sacred Lands — Valleymeet — forcing the Nora to abandon these settlements and retreat further east.
Though the Red Raids came to an end when Jiran’s son, Avad, usurped the throne, this would not mend the tribes’ relationship. This is seen during Aloy’s Proving. When a Carja Sun-Priest delivers the new Sun-King’s message of apology, the Nora react angrily, throwing fruit at him in the middle of the speech. Still, Sun-King Avad is committed to improving relations with all other tribes, including the Nora.
That said, some progress has been made in mending tribal relations since the Red Raids. Though the Nora chose not to re-occupy Valleymeet, a settlement known as Hunter’s Gathering was formed at the edge of the border between Nora and Carja lands. This allowed for trading between the two tribes, and even with those from other groups, like the Banuk, who play a more prominent role in the Frozen Wilds DLC.
Given the Nora’s strong beliefs regarding motherhood, it’s clear why the tribe chose to shun Aloy — the child of a supposedly motherless birth. Their long history with the Carja also reveals why they’re so hesitant to journey past the borders of their Sacred Land. Finally, the Nora’s mistrust of technology and machinery is understandable. Though their account of the Old Ones’ history is steeped with mythical elements, they were right about how machines eventually overpowered humans, and their fear of that happening again is valid.
That said, it seems the Nora have become much more open to exploring the world around them and interacting with people from other tribes following the events of Horizon Zero Dawn. Thus, players can expect the tribe to be a bit different in Horizon Forbidden West — just another facet to the game’s rich and ever-expanding lore.
Horizon Zero Dawn is available now for PC, PS4, and PS5.
