Il Mheg 1/2 of two mirrored zones?

[ObsidianFire]

The problem for most people when it comes to the "Mirrored Shards" idea is that the Shards were cut off from the Source so long ago. We're talking before the 1st Umbral Calamity which was thousands of years before Allag which fell five thousand years ago. The odds of any of the Shards developing to be visually similar to the Source over that period of time is very, very low. If they were to look similar to the Source, it's more likely that it was random chance then on purpose. We also haven't seen anything of what Ilsabard or the New World looks like, so we are missing a lot of examples of what a "Hydalyn zone" looks like.

There's also the fact that buildings constructed out of similar materials look similar just because of how those materials behave. Like, I can't tell if those pictures are of Gelmora or Amdapoor just based on looking at it without the rest of the zone's context. However, both Gelmor and Amdapoor are made out of stone with pointed arches for doors since stone buildings tend to do well with the kind of design. Anyx Trine would be another example...

[KageTokage]

I suppose it's possible some of the new zones may simply be more adversely affected by the excess light at the Source then others, which might explain the unnatural radiance of Il Mheg and wherever the WoL was in the trailer.

[fay2]

The problem for most people when it comes to the "Mirrored Shards" idea is that the Shards were cut off from the Source so long ago. We're talking before the 1st Umbral Calamity which was thousands of years before Allag which fell five thousand years ago. The odds of any of the Shards developing to be visually similar to the Source over that period of time is very, very low.

Yes if they where cut off and isolated from one another sure the civilisation would have different aesthetics sure.

However they aren't fully cut off a few examples
-Ascians seem to travel between them
-The Warriors of darkness coming from the 1st
-"Voidsent" regularly "escape" the 13th {even people from the 1st seem to know about this}

Also it wasn't the architecture that had me down this line of that probably on the 1st shard it was the areas aura


The "mirror" aspect I preposing is the land forms as the shards were reflections of the source at the start .

If they were to look similar to the Source, it's more likely that it was random chance then on purpose.

I'd agree out right with you if beings like the Ascians didn't exist.

We also haven't seen anything of what Ilsabard or the New World looks like, so we are missing a lot of examples of what a "Hydalyn zone" looks like.

I suppose it's possible some of the new zones may simply be more adversely affected by the excess light at the Source then others, which might explain the unnatural radiance of Il Mheg and wherever the WoL was in the trailer.

Yes, very true some of the auras of zones we have been like Mor Dhona seem unnatural to the rest.
Unfortunately that also doesn't mean it not from the 1st.

It just puts the zone into the area yet unknown location. What happens during the MSQ will uncover that.

There's also the fact that buildings constructed out of similar materials look similar just because of how those materials behave. Like, I can't tell if those pictures are of Gelmora or Amdapoor just based on looking at it without the rest of the zone's context. However, both Gelmor and Amdapoor are made out of stone with pointed arches for doors since stone buildings tend to do well with the kind of design. Anyx Trine would be another example...

Yup World of Darkness also gets some saying it looks Amdapoor like too but those are on different shards.

edit
the base image was found here btw

[QT_Melon]

Whether a civilization will look similar, not so much the same may be philosophical debate about choice. Environmental factors play in of course since shards have variances of light and dark.

But will people just come to the same conclusions on architecture because of sensibilities or people tend to make the same choices regardless?

[fay2]

Whether a civilization will look similar, not so much the same may be philosophical debate about choice. Environmental factors play in of course since shards have variances of light and dark.

But will people just come to the same conclusions on architecture because of sensibilities or people tend to make the same choices regardless?

I not sure why people get hung up on the buildings in the 1st place as reason its not a shard ? and how on a basic level they need a roof and something to hold it up or it is the aesthetic is similar to zones we've seen?
also lots of zones we've have been to have huge winged castles in them ?

That is all rather here nor there about if is on a shard or on the source.

I guess maybe people get stuck on mirror?
When you look in a mirror you see something similar in the reflection but it not a carbon copy there is a fundamental difference it is a reflection everything that is left is right and vis versa.

A mirror realm has a fundamental difference from the realm you start and you get a hole range in stories form minor ones like the basic refection you see in a mirror to is some more drastic where everything is majorly twisted in one way or another, in this case the speculation is light over dark. My hope is we get the dark version too and we get a way to rift between them.

Look at it this way the rifting could used to get to interesting duties that would make little sense on the source expanding the realm on the planer side we know the 13th is lost to darkness and the 1st is on its way to being lost to light but very little more than that. There are 4 others that are still out there we know nothing about other than they are there.
or at a longer term be used to make mirrored starting zones with flying added or more swimming{seems like less of a problem} and diving. That after another calamity can switch in ?

[Balipu]

A problem with mirrored zones is that we have a finite number of zones. Not counting the cities, both HW and SB added 6 zones. We have already seen 3 zones for Shadowbringers. And these 3 really don't look like zones that are connected. They are just all over the place. Filling the other 3 slots with dark versions of these places, would just make the new zones less connected. Even though dark pixies and dark viera would be fun.

[fay2]

A problem with mirrored zones is that we have a finite number of zones. Not counting the cities, both HW and SB added 6 zones.

There were the later added zone/zones too if only in the form of instances, but yes at lanuch 6 and 6.

We have already seen 3 zones for Shadowbringers. And these 3 really don't look like zones that are connected. They are just all over the place. Filling the other 3 slots with dark versions of these places, would just make the new zones less connected.

It really depends how they add a rifting feature if its built to the zone like the dive feature then you need to compare it to the zones that got diving/swimming.

In the case of diving its part of only 4 zones in StB , of those 4, yes the steps dive feels a little like it was added last minute, and the fringes and pecks feel like they missed the dive boat all together for the expansion but still have areas that could have had diving added .
We also got swimming added to Eastern La Noscea a ARR zone and all housing areas to different degrees.

I'm thinking if we only get 6 and they stay to passed patterns we'll get 3 more zones over in southern Othrad , of which 2 shown so far fit what we know of the expanded Othradian map. 3 zones "elsewhere", with 1 of those zones out right hidden till we get there in the expansion.

Personally I hope they buck the trend give us more and we get 7 zones . I would love 4 Othardian zones. It would keep people speculating on their toes lol .

Il Mheg is a major piece of the story based on the key notes a fanfest eu.
The story is pointing to me to the 1st shard, so I fell this "elsewhere" is other shards.

Even though dark pixies and dark viera would be fun.

Indeed although Viera have 2 clans lored in already, they are referred to as a lesser race based on numbers, maybe this is a way to drastically up grade the Viera from lesser race to 1 of the 6 numerous races?

Well it would be 1 of the 7 numerous if they where joined the rank of numerous race.

The hole planer thing could open up a 3rd clan option for some races that exist tho, assuming there is less work in making 3rd clans over adding hole races , which might be a way to add pseudo races in the future. They need not all come from that im sure people might use a hyur true born garlean clan option or a half-Elezen option. Just a way to add a 3rd clan option to less numerous that present lore cant explain. a little of track that.

Yes I hope we get true dark Viera in character creator too.

[Balipu]

It really depends how they add a rifting feature if its built to the zone like the dive feature then you need to compare it to the zones that got diving/swimming.

That's not a bad idea. After flying and swimming, we get dimension hopping. It can even turn into an integral part of the exploration. You have a mountain in the way? On one of the shards a pathway was carved into the mountain. Let's jump over a bit

I would be happy with more Othardian zones. Nangxia maybe.

[fay2]

That's not a bad idea. After flying and swimming, we get dimension hopping. It can even turn into an integral part of the exploration. You have a mountain in the way? On one of the shards a pathway was carved into the mountain. Let's jump over a bit .

Indeed precisely one of the things I am getting at with this.

It might also be easier to retro this aspect into older zones because it dose not require set topography, than having to have a body of water in the case of swimming/diving ?

I would be happy with more Othardian zones. Nangxia maybe.

Two of the zones shown so far feel like they are from southern othard so far. Those being Amh Araeng (seems likely to be located east of Dalmasca) and the Rak'Tika Greatwood ("near where" the Orbonne Monastery is located) .

The 3rd Othardian zone, I think we will likely get one for Nangxia too.
Its one of the places that sent a emissary to Doma. Its also the land mass between Doma and the Rak'Tika Greatwood. Nangxia is the farthest eastern foot hold the Garleans have as empire land at present.

If we were to get a forth Othardian zone. I'd hope for something like a "Rak Tika Mangroves".
Which I'd hope would be a zone that had forest meeting the sea with Mangroved coastline and the town we see in the new map of southern Othard , maybe have another Rean Auri settlement deep under the water way off the coast there too.
Plus the Garleans skirted the Greatwood along the coast line so its likely to have a castrum as a relay point there.

[QT_Melon]

I not sure why people get hung up on the buildings in the 1st place as reason its not a shard ? and how on a basic level they need a roof and something to hold it up or it is the aesthetic is similar to zones we've seen?
also lots of zones we've have been to have huge winged castles in them ?

Well I'm talking more philosophical than the obvious. It's not just some structure that is going to have the base conclusion of how something should be built. I'm referring to people existing on said shards building what they will build. Just because they were separated from the source, I was posing will people make wildly different decisions due to their long time of separation or is it likely they just repeat destiny with some minor variances? Some of which because of how light and dark are distributed across shards, I can see some changes but, obviously the was a carbon copy of our originally CG party doing the same stuff we were doing here.

So somewhat reflected/mirror zones isn't too far off due to already reoccurring themes imo