Observation: Post- Impact, does Mor Dhona become a lush jungle?!

EDIT: ...or lush swampland, based on new evidence come to light.

I was analyzing the recent videos released as promotions for ARR, and noticed something rather odd:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...7/Hydaelyn.jpg

This is a screengrab of the Eorzean section of Hydaelyn as portrayed in ARR.

Looking closer:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4.../Hydaelyn2.jpg

As FFX|V lore implies, Aether is the lifeblood of the planet, much like Lifestream on the world of Gaia. Based on these observations, and images such as this one after the lifestream condensed to halt meteor:

http://images.wikia.com/finalfantasy...gar-future.jpg

It is not too presumptious to presume that the heavy concentration of aetherial energy once absent from the landscape of Mor Dhona (see: deaspected crystals), has suddenly been replenished, causing accellerated, lush growth in the region.

...Right?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Duuude007

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...ilvertear1.jpg

Which adds to the other detail: the exposed aether at Mor Dhona is blue-green before the events, much like the normal aetherytes, and is a pale blue after, as if drained. Based on Atomos and concepts, one can presume that tons of aether in one spot makes them orange, and red is so much that the device ceases to function. (Sidebar: Could this be why Dalamud was capable of being unsealed?)

Based on the aftermath of Midgarsormr's apparent suicide to destroy the mothership, there was, as far as we can tell, a sudden release of aetheric energy, which also:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...ilvertear2.jpg

..summoned the Primals from slumber.

And this all happened 15 some years ago.

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Of course, the information yet to be revealed about Atomos could also bring new light to these theories.

EDIT: Another thing is that the replenished aether could be due to the Twelve ritual failing- because it did not perform the task of recreating Dalamud, the aetheric energy drawn from 13 locations of Eorzea was dispersed directly above Silvertear Falls... And ash is known to be a pretty effective component for fertilizing land, heh.

What do other people think?

I think it's the icy region we see the behemoth in from the trailers.

As in the crystal tower formed around the key of the Twelve? Interesting theory. But that still doesn't explain the massive green landscape where Mor Dhona used to be on that global image. Furthermore, the global image shows a large whitened region to the northwest, presumeably an icy Dravania?

The crystal tower already exists though. It was just underground the whole time.

Still, this would be interesting. Seeing Mor Dhona as a giant jungle would definitely be cool.

I think people are so bored, they make something out of nothing.

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Originally Posted by Chardrizard

I think people are so bored, they make something out of nothing.

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Right, because a world's landscape has never changed dramatically after some terrible event in the FF series.

Oh, wait...

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Originally Posted by Chardrizard

I think people are so bored, they make something out of nothing.

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it's just theories, we have months to wait till we can play the game
if people don't bring some thoughts and theories, the forum will be dead in few days

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Duuude007

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...7/Hydaelyn.jpg

This is a screengrab of the Eorzean section of Hydaelyn as portrayed in ARR.

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I think your looking at the wrong section,maybe this will help.
http://ffxivmaps.com/img/region-eorzea-large.png

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Originally Posted by CptGrimlock

I think your looking at the wrong section,maybe this will help.
http://ffxivmaps.com/img/region-eorzea-large.png

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http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4.../Hydaelyn3.jpg

...No, im looking at the correct section. Due east of the Strait's inlet.

Well considering Mor Dhona was at one point a lush forested/waterfall filled area, it could happen. If the explosion of Dalamud and Bahamut's Megaflare at the end of the trailer was anything like what a volcano does, then in 5 years there could be that radical transformation from barren rocky, crystalized landscape to something that it formerely resembled.

I mean, the entire landscape of Mor Dhona was covered in crystals from the impact of that massive airship and the dragon that brought it down, wiping out the land and the aether got twisted up in the process. If Dalamud had released all of that aether that it had been absorbing for so long at once and the crystalized aether in the crystals in Mor Dhona all at once shattered releasing their own stored aether, I dont see why not. It'd be easily explained going in game lore.

Is it called Grandia in some other language? ;v
Also, interesting assertion. Hopefully its not just some foul up on their part

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't Mor Dhona pretty green just a few years ago?

http://i.imgur.com/RW515.jpg

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Originally Posted by Kaizlu

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't Mor Dhona pretty green just a few years ago?

http://i.imgur.com/RW515.jpg

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Have we confirmed that this is silvertear falls? Any landmarks that help?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Duuude007

Have we confirmed that this is silvertear falls? Any landmarks that help?

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I'm pretty sure it is. After all, isn't the battle that happens in the opening video (the one with Midgardsormr) called 'The battle of silvertear falls'? Even if it isn't lol if you watch the opening video you can clearly see that the area surrounding Midgardsormr's corpse was pretty green/lush.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kaizlu

I'm pretty sure it is. After all, isn't the battle that happens in the opening video (the one with Midgardsormr) called 'The battle of silvertear falls'? Even if it isn't lol if you watch the opening video you can clearly see that the area surrounding Midgardsormr's corpse was pretty green/lush.

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The battle in the opening is in Mor Dhona. That crash and explosion is what makes Mor Dhona the way it is was.

Yes, of course. I only had to replay it once to see the crash site and the fight are very close:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...ilvertear1.jpg

Which adds to the other detail: the exposed aether at Mor Dhona is blue-green before the events, much like the normal aetherytes, and is a pale blue after, as if drained. Based on Atomos and concepts, one can presume that tons of aether in one spot makes them orange, and red is so much that the device ceases to function. (Sidebar: Could this be why Dalamud was capable of being unsealed?)

Based on the aftermath of Midgarsormr's apparent suicide to destroy the mothership, there was, as far as we can tell, a sudden release of aetheric energy, which also:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...ilvertear2.jpg

..summoned the Primals from slumber.

And this all happened 15 some years ago.

Jungle might be a bit much but I think you may be on the right track. It seems like the trailers released earlier are spliced together with the End of an Era cutscene and what I assume will be the 2nd part and opening cutscene for ARR.

Check out the characters surroundings and reaction at 0:46
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYMrFXcqvk4
Looks to me like they've just arrived (in their battle gear, WAR still missing his helm) and are quite surprised in what they're seeing.

http://static2.finalfantasyxiv.com/a...VMeLmN-piI.jpg

Also this one
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frIJ5CubG1U
at 0:30 (..until now!) they're chocoing through what the area could look like.

http://static2.finalfantasyxiv.com/a...VMemVkKAb8.jpg

There are also scenes with the allied grand companys chocoing through a forest out into a more open area that could be interpreted as them coming from The Black Shroud to Mor Dhona.

Dalamud was sucking the aether from the land to fuel bahamut, no more dalamud no more sucking. Atomos is one of several beings able travel through the Void, as such he and the rest of the creatures of the void can move through time and space. no time passes while in the void.

my theory is Atomos wasnt sucking up aether to have us all fail, he was sucking it up to send to the future and to starve bahamut of the power to continue his rampage.

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Originally Posted by Valmonte

Dalamud was sucking the aether from the land to fuel bahamut, no more dalamud no more sucking. Atomos is one of several beings able travel through the Void, as such he and the rest of the creatures of the void can move through time and space. no time passes while in the void.

my theory is Atomos wasnt sucking up aether to have us all fail, he was sucking it up to send to the future and to starve bahamut of the power to continue his rampage.

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Now I feel bad for the few times I killed him ._.

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Originally Posted by Valmonte

Dalamud was sucking the aether from the land to fuel bahamut, no more dalamud no more sucking. Atomos is one of several beings able travel through the Void, as such he and the rest of the creatures of the void can move through time and space. no time passes while in the void.

my theory is Atomos wasnt sucking up aether to have us all fail, he was sucking it up to send to the future and to starve bahamut of the power to continue his rampage.

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wow I never thought that atomos could actually have been trying to help us.

Is it possible then that we have been sent to the void?

Who summoned atomos, was that uriangers contribution to the final battle to deny bahamut the aether to completely destroy eorzea?

great post it has me thinking.

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Originally Posted by DubstepNinja

wow I never thought that atomos could actually have been trying to help us.

Is it possible then that we have been sent to the void?

Who summoned atomos, was that uriangers contribution to the final battle to deny bahamut the aether to completely destroy eorzea?

great post it has me thinking.

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I think Atomos was a double edge sword though if you play off his theory because the twelve also draw from the same aether that he drained which may have been why the resealing failed among other conditions.

Who knows he may have screwed us and helped us at the same time, nobody truly knows his intentions. Maybe in ARR they will explain.

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Originally Posted by DubstepNinja

wow I never thought that atomos could actually have been trying to help us.

Is it possible then that we have been sent to the void?

Who summoned atomos, was that uriangers contribution to the final battle to deny bahamut the aether to completely destroy eorzea?

great post it has me thinking.

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atomos could have very well been Uriangers doing, if not then Atomos And the void was threatened in some way by dalamuds actions. its highly doubtfull that atomos would care if a single dimension the void went dark. in short he didn't do it for us.

as far as i know we are currently trapped in the void. its stated that in order to return to the aether you have to be dead, and we'ere not so that just leaves the void.

http://finalfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/The_Void

here's information on the void

No.

http://eu.finalfantasyxiv.com/static...or-dana-01.jpg

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Originally Posted by Inzoum

No.

http://eu.finalfantasyxiv.com/static...or-dana-01.jpg

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Proof?

All we know is that Xandes the First's tomb is emblazoned with the mark of Thaliak in Mor Dhona, and that a bigass airship screwed with the aether in the area when it picked a fight with a powerful wyrm.

Your image shows some rather dramatic mountainous region with no sign of flatlands surrounding such a lake or crash site.

Please share evidence that indicates that image is Mor Dhona, and not somewhere more snow covered, like Dravania is on the OP globe image.

EDIT: More evidence suggesting a new zone up north which could support this image:

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Originally Posted by Vanguard319

Petyr Winsome showed up in Ul'dah tonite, and gave some juicy info. I copied down my log, omitting my LS entries:
__________________________________________________________________________

Petyr Winsome: Why hello there adventurers, My name is Petyr Winsome, reporter for the Harbor Herald.

Petyr Winsome: Say have you heard the rumors about some beastmen tribe attempting to ally themself with the Empire?

Uni Neko: not really, but considering how the empire feels about beastmen, I don't see an alliance happening

Petyr Winsome: It does seem unlikely, and the rumors were unsubstantiated. But from what I have heard it was some sort of really big Beastmen.

Jaison Aurelio: I wonder if it's the Ixali! Isn't Garuda their primal?

Petyr Winsome: I do not think it was them, was some tribe I have not heard of, all I heard was that they were very big.

Uni Neko: like trolls?

Petyr Winsome: Perhaps. The only other part of the rumor said that they had an icy demeanor. Then again this all could just be bunk, made by the mind of someone who spent a little too much time rummaging around underground.

Jaison Aurelio: I wonder where this beastman tribe could be found?

Petyr Winsome: Yes, there is usually some grain of truth somewhere in a rumor. Only time would tell though. The report I saw with the rumor said something about "up north" somewhere.

Jaison Aurelio: I want to confront these icy beastmen!

Petyr Winsome: I wonder that myself honestly. But I think I'll leave first contact to you strong adventurers. A bit too old to be wandering about in dangerous territory now.

Jaison Aurelio: I wonder if these icy beastmen call upon Shiva as their primal!

Petyr Winsome: I think that would make sense, certainly more so than having it be Ifrit. I do believe that one would get cold up there.

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EDIT: Map indicating Behemoth (marked with a '3') is nowhere near Mor Dhona:

http://i.imgur.com/3PsqO.jpg

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Duuude007

Proof?

All we know is that Xandes the First's tomb is emblazoned with the mark of Thaliak in Mor Dhona, and that a bigass airship screwed with the aether in the area when it picked a fight with a powerful wyrm.

Your image shows some rather dramatic mountainous region with no sign of flatlands surrounding such a lake or crash site.

Please share evidence that indicates that image is Mor Dhona, and not somewhere more snow covered, like Dravania is on the OP globe image.

EDIT: More evidence suggesting a new zone up north which could support this image:



EDIT: Map indicating Behemoth (marked with a '3') is nowhere near Mor Dhona:

http://i.imgur.com/3PsqO.jpg

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i must admit that does look like the key that fell from dalamud frozen over, but i don't think so. the terrain is far to steep to be Mor Dhona

I do hope we get a jungle zone in FF XIV. I thought it was Cortheus that was going to be a snowy zone.

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Originally Posted by Duuude007

Proof?

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http://eu.finalfantasyxiv.com/about/...ties/mor-dhona

Picture is listed in the part of the ARR website describing the Mor Dhona region. Exact filename and location:
http://eu.finalfantasyxiv.com/static...or-dana-01.jpg

This is as official as you can get. I don't know what more proof you want. Those maps are super old and it's likely they were revised during the development process. It's highly possible they decided to move the entire Behemoth area to Mor Dhona somewhere between then and now. Fact is this picture, today, is associated with Mor Dhona.

Also: "Jungle" does not exactly scream "harsh, desolate, devastated" to me. 5 years is a liiiiiiitle short for so much flora to reclaim a murky swamp area that was just scorched down by a gigantic dragon. That icy mountain scenery is a lot more fitting.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Inzoum

No.

http://eu.finalfantasyxiv.com/static...or-dana-01.jpg

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I believe the Crystal Tower is going to be more up northwest past Ishgard near the land of the dragons. That is a snowy area, to be around were Mor used to be is would change the landscape. There is no way a forest (black shroud) would be right next to a wintery mountainous setting.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Inzoum

http://eu.finalfantasyxiv.com/about/...ties/mor-dhona

Picture is listed in the part of the ARR website describing the Mor Dhona region. Exact filename and location:
http://eu.finalfantasyxiv.com/static...or-dana-01.jpg

This is as official as you can get. I don't know what more proof you want. Those maps are super old and it's likely they were revised during the development process. It's highly possible they decided to move the entire Behemoth area to Mor Dhona somewhere between then and now. Fact is this picture, today, is associated with Mor Dhona.

Also: "Jungle" does not exactly scream "harsh, desolate, devastated" to me. 5 years is a liiiiiiitle short for so much flora to reclaim a murky swamp area that was just scorched down by a gigantic dragon. That icy mountain scenery is a lot more fitting.

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^ this, its been on the site for a while now, and its the best information you can use untill any ARR story leaks out. If you look at the concept arts too that helps, there are a couple areas similar to or could be in coerthas(the trees are a dead give away), also covered in snow.

http://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/static...ARR_PUB_24.jpg

Also in the concept art are snowy areas covered in snow with crystal formations around, also a hint at mor dhonas new landscapes. Crystal tower is also in the backround if that wasnt enough.

http://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/static...ARR_PUB_22.jpg

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Inzoum

No.

http://eu.finalfantasyxiv.com/static...or-dana-01.jpg

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Isn't that giant thing in the background the key from Dalamud?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Inzoum

This is as official as you can get. I don't know what more proof you want. Those maps are super old and it's likely they were revised during the development process. It's highly possible they decided to move the entire Behemoth area to Mor Dhona somewhere between then and now. Fact is this picture, today, is associated with Mor Dhona.

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Super old? really? Also, already revised? just what fact are you basing your conjectures on?

It's equally possible that some guy simply picked a random old picture (behemoth) to throw up under Mor Dhona's section.

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Originally Posted by Aenarion

Super old? really? Also, already revised? just what fact are you basing your conjectures on?

It's equally possible that some guy simply picked a random old picture (behemoth) to throw up under Mor Dhona's section.

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So... why is that Behemoth picture is under Mor Dhona section.... :|

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Originally Posted by Seirra_Lanzce

So... why is that Behemoth picture is under Mor Dhona section.... :|

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Could be an older picture, who knows. Point is that if a design document could be revised and be out of date, so can a pre-rendered picture. Personally I'd put more stock into the design document, it wouldn't be the first time (nor the last) that a picture gets posted in the wrong section of a website.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Aenarion

Could be an older picture, who knows. Point is that if a design document could be revised and be out of date, so can a pre-rendered picture.

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It was in multiple trailers.

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Originally Posted by Elexia

It was in multiple trailers.

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pretty sure there was no "THIS HERE IS MOR DHONA!!!" sign when it showed up in those trailers :P

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Aenarion

Super old? really? Also, already revised? just what fact are you basing your conjectures on?

It's equally possible that some guy simply picked a random old picture (behemoth) to throw up under Mor Dhona's section.

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This whole thread is just conjecture. Neither me nor OP has a solid "Mor Dhona is going to be like ___" to pull out of an official press release because such statements have not been made yet. We're all just guessing.

It's quite possible some web designer just slapped that picture on the website in that section like "we need 3 pictures at the bottom, only got 2 so I'll pick one I find cool, whatever". But if this had been in any way contradictory with the developers' intention or misleading in anyway, at some point or another it would have been removed or replaced. It's been there for a long while already.

The behemoth and icy mountain range are part of recent trailers, they're most certainly still of actuality. The map that was brought up is as old as the first roadmap and Version 2.0 announcement, that's like a year and a half ago and some designs most certainly have changed since (remember how they said at first that cities would be mostly unchanged and in the end they admitted that they ended up adding so much it changes them a lot? yeah....). It may have been part of Coerthas then, but moving an area in a MMORPG is as simple as changing where a zone line leads to. It could very well have moved to being part of Mor Dhona after all.

As for drastic landscape changes, take it with a grain of salt, other parts have changed as well. Camp Tranquil certainly didn't have any marshlands with Adamantoises in it, from what we've seen in the live letter, it does now.

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Originally Posted by Duuude007

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4.../Hydaelyn3.jpg

...No, im looking at the correct section.

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Mor Dhona is a little south of where you circled, I believe. It would be more on the border of the brown area and the green area. They did say each current zone is getting split into 3-5 seperate zones, so it could be a desert, a forest, and an icy area for all we know.

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Originally Posted by Teuciont

Isn't that giant thing in the background the key from Dalamud?

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Could be, but I'd guess it's probably the Crystal Tower (unles *gasp* they're both the same!)

Yoshi-P did appear to suggest that the key would be explained with the Labyrinth of Bahamut's quest story. We know that this dungeon and the Crystal Tower are unrelated asides from being both long-term expandable end-game content.

I'm pretty sure Mor Dhona is a snowy region based on the image we saw with Behemoth and the Crystal Tower. When asked if we were getting new zones, Yoshida danced around that question by stating that all zones are practically new and never confirmed we were getting new zones.....something I see no reason to deny and something that was never advertised for ARR. I doubt we're getting new zones outside of the areas that already exist at the moment.