Griffin Crossing

It's been a long time we have even talked about ARR lore, but was it ever mentioned in Coerthas Central Highlands that where the gate for Griffin Crossing could possibly lead to? I forget if Anonymoose said that Coerthas Eastern Highlands was destroyed, but could Griffin Crossing lead to it? I was just leveling my Miner today and got reminded of that landmark in Coerthas Central.

It goes to the Eastern Low Lands if I remember my Courthan Geography correctly. Didn't get there in 1.0 myself but Moose Sensei did talk about the maps of 1.0 vs the maps of 2.0 where Courthas was mentioned.

If I'm right about the low Lands then Griffin Crossing eventually leads to Xelphatol which seperates Courthas from Gyr Abania and by extension Ala Mihgo.

It should go to the Eastern Lowlands, when/if it's repaired; the old Camp Glory area that leads to Owl's Nest and, eventually, the West Shroud.

There's been no indication that it's making a return, but one day a screenshot Soken posted did seem to have a tab labeled COERTHAS EAST in the background... and you can see the West Shroud from the South Shroud...

Who knows?

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Originally Posted by Kaiser-Ace

If I'm right about the low Lands then Griffin Crossing eventually leads to Xelphatol which seperates Courthas from Gyr Abania and by extension Ala Mihgo.

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If the Lowlands go back to the Shroud, I think the Eastern Highlands might to go back towards Xelphatol and Gyr Abania. There was no zone line considering that the area was never in the game, but there was a copy/paste of the tell-tale this area leads somewhere else border cluster near Raven's Call Canyon that I imagine went in that direction. It wasn't far from the Scarwing Fall ravine that Fernehawles mentioned at the Fan Fest lore panel.

Ah OK. That sounds most likly since Xelphatol is suppose to be primarily moutains and canyons. Being north, north west, and north east of The Shroud, Courthas, and Gyr Abania respectively it would seem more likly for The Highlands to connect directly.

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Originally Posted by Kaiser-Ace

If I'm right about the low Lands then Griffin Crossing eventually leads to Xelphatol which seperates Courthas from Gyr Abania and by extension Ala Mihgo.

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I think we're going to Gyr Abania through the Shroud though, there is a pathway in East Shroud that is currently blocked off that should take us that way. I believe Ala Mhigo refugees even fled through the Shroud (some staying in fact), so there's that too. IIRC there should be a place called Autumn Crossing (or something similar, to lazy to check :x) off to the east of Eash Shroud, where Ala Mhigo and Gridania once had a little falling out.

I do wonder how much stuff has just been completely scrapped at this point... There was meant to be an Ixali dungeon in the NE part of Central Highlands, heck early concept art of Central Highlands had it semi-frozen... Central Lowlands would appear to just be gone, given we completely skip over it on the way to Mor Dhona. Then there is that little Castrum off to the west that was lucky to even get a mention... No idea why Eastern Lowlands wasn't a part of this expansion, perhaps the biggest problem with this expansion (as an expansion, anyway) was how everything was locked behind 2.55. People picking up the game because Dark Knight looked so edgy were essentially screwed over... Slap Coerthas Eastern Lowlands back in, make it a Lv30+ zone, and have the new Jobs accessed there, problem solved...

I really hope 4.0 is actually a "fleshing out" expansion, rather than progressing us through to Ala Mhigo and Garlemald... I could make an entire thread on all the dead ends that clearly lead somewhere, there's certainly enough to build an entire expansion on... Who knows, Yoshida said 4.0 wouldn't be locked behind the story like 3.0 was, and with Ala Mhigo gaining relevance in the story...

I do hope we get to see more of Eorzea. Especially the 'in-between' zones. I think the game would benefit immensely from adding them as additional questing zones for various level brackets. Or even with the 'level sync' that they used for the Vanu Vanu daily quests.

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Originally Posted by Nalien

I think we're going to Gyr Abania through the Shroud though, there is a pathway in East Shroud that is currently blocked off that should take us that way. I believe Ala Mhigo refugees even fled through the Shroud (some staying in fact), so there's that too. IIRC there should be a place called Autumn Crossing (or something similar, to lazy to check :x) off to the east of Eash Shroud, where Ala Mhigo and Gridania once had a little falling out.

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There is a large metal wall the Garleans set up on the border, which will make crossing difficult.

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Originally Posted by Zohar_Lahar

There is a large metal wall the Garleans set up on the border, which will make crossing difficult.

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Castrum Oriens, I'm guessing it will be the final dungeon of Heavensward, our next 'Steps of Faith' or 'Keeper of the Lake'

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Originally Posted by Chewy2nd

Castrum Oriens, I'm guessing it will be the final dungeon of Heavensward, our next 'Steps of Faith' or 'Keeper of the Lake'

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I recently went on a Shroud exploration with a friend looking into this very wall. It looks way too high and way too long to just be Oriens, doesn't it? You can see bits and pieces of Oriens and it looks basically the same size as the other castrums, but that wall is gargantuan in comparison. Could it be the "Great Wall of Garlemald" between Eorzea and the Ala Mhigan Territory of the Garlean Empire?

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Originally Posted by Anonymoose

I recently went on a Shroud exploration with a friend looking into this very wall. It looks way too high and way too long to just be Oriens, doesn't it? You can see bits and pieces of Oriens and it looks basically the same size as the other castrums, but that wall is gargantuan in comparison. Could it be the "Great Wall of Garlemald" between Eorzea and the Ala Mhigan Territory of the Garlean Empire?

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I'd imagine so, the wall seems to run a long way, you can still see it in Larkscall, it does seem to be the big border between Garlean and Eorzean territory. Also, I seem to remember that The Ivy was planning on meeting some Imperial troops in East Shroud, who'd come from Castrum Oriens, hinting that Oriens, unlike the other Castrums across Eorzea was still in touch with Garlemald, also, are Oriens troopers XIVth leigon?

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Originally Posted by Chewy2nd

also, are Oriens troopers XIVth leigon?

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I think so, at least going by a map of Gaius' troops I made in early 2.0. Oriens should be garrisoned by the 3rd Cohort of the XIVth Legion. You actually kill the pilus prior (commander of the 3rd Cohort's 1st Century) in a FATE. I'm not sure whether that makes it more or less likely to be the portus into the Ala Mhigan Territory, though. The XIVth is here rogue, but Gaius did act as viceroy of the Ala Mhigan Territory beforehand, so why not build a castrum right on the other side of the portus? It's a good place for it. /shrug

Now that you mention it, I wonder if the XIVth legion still exists in Ala Mhigo too, given that it was Gaius' little piece of Eorzea, it would only make sense that it was his legion that were stationed there. I imagine we'll see a new Legatus/Viceroy in command of Ala Mhigo by the time we get there though.

A legion theoretically has 10 cohorts. We're missing a few. Perhaps they were left to guard Ala Mhigo.

01 Praetorium
02 Castrum Occidens
03 Castrum Oriens
04 Cape Westwind (and thus Castrum Marinum?)
05 Castrum Centri
06 Seen bringing captured spyhunter to Castrum Centri
07 Seen guarding Tribuni in 3 Thanalan locations
08 Castrum Meridianum
09 UNSEEN
10 UNSEEN

The 6th might be at Centri with the 5th, either due to the "central" castrum being the largest or because they were brought in from the abandoned Castrum Aquilonis. The 7th looks like a mobilized guard, but isn't necessarily.

Perhaps 9 and 10 were left behind? We've never seen one 'o dems.

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Originally Posted by Anonymoose

I recently went on a Shroud exploration with a friend looking into this very wall. It looks way too high and way too long to just be Oriens, doesn't it? You can see bits and pieces of Oriens and it looks basically the same size as the other castrums, but that wall is gargantuan in comparison. Could it be the "Great Wall of Garlemald" between Eorzea and the Ala Mhigan Territory of the Garlean Empire?

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We have to remember that, with Ala Mhigo under Garlean control, it is an extension of the Empire itself. Given that Ala Mhigan territory butts-up against Ilsabard, it makes sense that they would wall off the territory. As off 1557, Ala Mhigo marks the western-most extend of the Empire proper. If we enter Ala Mhigo, we will be entering Garlemald.

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Originally Posted by Velox

We have to remember that, with Ala Mhigo under Garlean control, it is an extension of the Empire itself.

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Quite right, that's why I use the specific name of the Imperial province. As an Eorzean, I'd usually call it Gyr Abania.

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The Garlean Empire renames the conquered city-state and the surrounding lands of Gyr Abania to the Ala Mhigan Territory.

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Originally Posted by Zohar_Lahar

There is a large metal wall the Garleans set up on the border, which will make crossing difficult.

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Originally Posted by Anonymoose

I recently went on a Shroud exploration with a friend looking into this very wall. It looks way too high and way too long to just be Oriens, doesn't it? You can see bits and pieces of Oriens and it looks basically the same size as the other castrums, but that wall is gargantuan in comparison. Could it be the "Great Wall of Garlemald" between Eorzea and the Ala Mhigan Territory of the Garlean Empire?

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One would think, were this the case, that there would be a wall preventing us from going through Xelphatol and Gyr Abania as well, although the geography might be a problem with that. There is a path leading up to the wall though, right at X33Y21, it's very similar to how the zone to Thanalan was blocked off in beta.

Come to think of it, where are Yda and Paplymo? If they're truly building up to an Ala Mhigo expansion, that's where they'd be, right? I very much doubt the Ul'dah refugees sent them through Coerthas (right past us), to Xelphatol and Gyr Abania... Heck, even if they took my route, they'd have gone through Gridania... Ul'dah to Ala Mhigo is actually a fairly long journey, I can't see them having gone that far, not willingly at least... I'm more incline to think we have another Little Ala Mhigo going on, with Yda and Paplymo being in Paglth'an... I would imagine the Garleans are there, in much the same way they're in Sea of Clouds, keeping an eye on the Vanu Vanu.

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Originally Posted by Nalien

Come to think of it, where are Yda and Paplymo? If they're truly building up to an Ala Mhigo expansion, that's where they'd be, right? I very much doubt the Ul'dah refugees sent them through Coerthas (right past us), to Xelphatol and Gyr Abania... Heck, even if they took my route, they'd have gone through Gridania... Ul'dah to Ala Mhigo is actually a fairly long journey, I can't see them having gone that far, not willingly at least... I'm more incline to think we have another Little Ala Mhigo going on, with Yda and Paplymo being in Paglth'an... I would imagine the Garleans are there, in much the same way they're in Sea of Clouds, keeping an eye on the Vanu Vanu.

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My theory is that they're at Carteneau mucking up Ilberd/Syndicate/Garlean plans there. It would give us access to them around 3.4 while also setting up Ala Mhigo for the next expansion.

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Originally Posted by Anonymoose

I recently went on a Shroud exploration with a friend looking into this very wall. It looks way too high and way too long to just be Oriens, doesn't it? You can see bits and pieces of Oriens and it looks basically the same size as the other castrums, but that wall is gargantuan in comparison. Could it be the "Great Wall of Garlemald" between Eorzea and the Ala Mhigan Territory of the Garlean Empire?

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I was just there earlier today, and I noticed Castrum Oriens appears to go under the great wall.

Someone on reddit took this pic

https://i.imgur.com/KGtgHnK.png

It appears Castrum Oriens is in front of the wall

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Originally Posted by Nalien

One would think, were this the case, that there would be a wall preventing us from going through Xelphatol and Gyr Abania as well, although the geography might be a problem with that. There is a path leading up to the wall though, right at X33Y21, it's very similar to how the zone to Thanalan was blocked off in beta.

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There a similar path that is blocked by boulders in Southern Thanalan (X29Y35) that leads to the endless "sea of sand" beyond Sagolii in the south. (I assume that this "sea" is the actual Sagolii desert.)

Edit: after checking it looks more like natural rockiness (kinda mountain like) but it's still super suspicious x)

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Originally Posted by Phyllo

There a similar path that is blocked by boulders in Southern Thanalan (X29Y35) that leads to the endless "sea of sand" beyond Sagolii in the south. (I assume that this "sea" is the actual Sagolii desert.)

Edit: after checking it looks more like natural rockiness (kinda mountain like) but it's still super suspicious x)

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The "Sea of Sand" (Aka, Sangoli Badlands) is just past of the gorge to the south of Forgotten Springs on the far end of the map. The Sea of Sand, if accessible, would lead further south until it reached Cape Ceadwind an the coast of The Sea of Ash.

That path way in East Shroud appears to be the Highland Path to Gyn Abania which is the territory outside Ala Mihgo. Griffin Crossing leads to The Eastern Highlands of Coerthas which would likely be the location of what ever mountain pass(es) that might lead to Xelphatol.

There are other minor territories of Eorzea we've yet to explore, but like Xelphatol have no city states ergo will likely not be directly explored. (Be cool to have an exploration mission into Xelphatol though)

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Originally Posted by Kaiser-Ace

Griffin Crossing leads to The Eastern Highlands of Coerthas which would likely be the location of what ever mountain pass(es) that might lead to Xelphatol.

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If X33Y15 in Central Highlands doesn't make the path to Xelphatol, I'll go nuts... That's a gate, guarded by Ixali, presumably leading to Eastern Highlands and on to Xelphatol, which should be an Ixali controlled region. Griffin Crossing leads to Eastern Lowlands, though whether that will ever be a place is questionable, since Central Lowlands has been completely skipped over these days... Eastern Lowlands would have been the perfect area to add along with Heavensward as a new zone for people not past 2.55, would even have been perfect to put the new Jobs in such an area, rather than gating them behind the entirety of 2.0...

Likewise, X32Y20 in Zahar'ak (there are two gates, one leading underground, one to that tower) should be how we get to Paglth'an. Then there is X13Y19 in Outer La Noscea, which should take us to O'ghomoro, based on early concept images for that map (the coordinates were marked with "Zone to new Volcano area"). Granted, there can always be multiple paths to such areas, but those are the ones I would "confirm". I would hope, rather than an Ala Mhigo expansion, we instead get a Beast Tribe expansion, in which we venture into these regions. Yes there are no city-states in the area, but they are regions controlled by Beast Tribes. That's worth exploring. Perfect chance to bring back Hamlet Defense (shameless self promotion) and provide new Grand Company Ranks, as well.

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Originally Posted by Kaiser-Ace

The "Sea of Sand" (Aka, Sangoli Badlands) is just past of the gorge to the south of Forgotten Springs on the far end of the map. The Sea of Sand, if accessible, would lead further south until it reached Cape Ceadwind an the coast of The Sea of Ash.

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I think I know which gorge you talk of, I'm pretty sure it ends into a head first cliff jump into a way lower bank of sand, we'd need lots of rope to go down there without dying a silly death :p

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Originally Posted by Phyllo

I think I know which gorge you talk of, I'm pretty sure it ends into a head first cliff jump into a way lower bank of sand, we'd need lots of rope to go down there without dying a silly death :p

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Ah come on, if we can survive leaping from the top of The Fury's Gaze in Central Courthas (Which is about 8 stories straight down onto solid stone) surly we could survive a gentle 25 foot drop into a sand dune. lol

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Originally Posted by Kaiser-Ace

Ah come on, if we can survive leaping from the top of The Fury's Gaze in Central Courthas (Which is about 8 stories straight down onto solid stone) surly we could survive a gentle 25 foot drop into a sand dune. lol

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Dunno... It kinda looked a little bigger than 25, just a little... Like 65 ish xD

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Originally Posted by Phyllo

Dunno... It kinda looked a little bigger than 25, just a little... Like 65 ish xD

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Still not as tall as some of the things I've jumped off of. lol

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Originally Posted by Kaiser-Ace

Still not as tall as some of the things I've jumped off of. lol

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Parachuteless parachute dive is as safe as free falling to the ground xD