6.0 Predictions: Will it be Garlemald, Sharlayan, or Meracydia?

[Kesey]

To be honest, I am side-eyeing the Sharlayans with open suspicion at this point. They are pretty much the equivalent of the Vatican archives: they hoard all knowledge that-supposedly-should-not-be-known, and the Forum has this bad habit of pursuing those who might want to share it, sometimes with lethal intent, as Leveva could attest.

Keeping the truth of the world from the people is one of Hydaelyn's penchants. And I shall not lie, at this point I am a little bit eager to kick some giant Light-aspected crystal in... well. You get the idea. From Sharlayan came many people rather biased towards Hydaelyn, Louisoix and the Scions for starters until the latters had their adventure in the First...

However, for the time being, it would seem we are heading into Garlemald, and I am fine with it. It is coherent. I think everyone would agree that leaving Zenos in the throne is a terrible idea not just for the Alliance but for the Empire itself. I have other reasons to believe it would be rather poetic and meaningful to "reverse conquer" Garlemald, but whatever. Let us just say, I believe it is the time to explore Garlemald and Ilsabard in general. I, for one, have been looking forward to it for a long time, and after certain 5.x shenanigans, even more.

My personal theory is Sharlayan is the sister city of Amarout.

A few of the side quest npcs in Amarout mention a sister city that is suffering. We also know little of the Hydaelyn faction of the Ancients. I've also noticed a strange coincidence where Sharlayan places in and around Idyllshire and Sharlayan dungeons are often based in Greek routed words and all of the Amarout locations and dungeons also are Greek routed words.

So I'm thinking Sharlayan is the city founded by followers of Hydaelyn and their isolationism is a means to hide that information from the rest of the world.

Also all of our scion friends are either from Sharlayan, were educated in Sharlayan, or recruited and educated by people from Sharlayan. So the subtle hint is Sharlayan.

But if the Rising is any indication, I expect 5.4, 5.5 to give the appearance of an Empire expansion (just to mess with us), only to find out in the last quest of 5.55 at the very last minute we are going Sharlayan.

[ShadowMeowth]

A few of the side quest npcs in Amarout mention a sister city that is suffering. We also know little of the Hydaelyn faction of the Ancients. I've also noticed a strange coincidence where Sharlayan places in and around Idyllshire and Sharlayan dungeons are often based in Greek routed words and all of the Amarout locations and dungeons also are Greek routed words.

So I'm thinking Sharlayan is the city founded by followers of Hydaelyn and their isolationism is a means to hide that information from the rest of the world.

Not too long ago I solo-ed Gubal Library and Saint Mocianne's Arboretum to check stuff because Sharlayan architecture and patterns are suspiciously similar to those we find in Amaurot. More simplified, aye, but similar. I found particularly interesting that one of the rooms in Gubal is called the "Convocation House". Not an unique term, but after ShB I am eyeing everything with suspicion.

So I am not alone thinking they do know about the true story of the world and they are purposefully keeping it from being known. We do know that many fervent Hydaelyn believers come from Sharlayan as well, like Louisoix Leveilleur. And the Scions before the First shenanigans. We might be onto something there. Old Sharlayan is an island if I recall correctly, so perhaps it is a bit small for an expansion, but for a surprise final zone? It could be the case.

[Kesey]

Not too long ago I solo-ed Gubal Library and Saint Mocianne's Arboretum to check stuff because Sharlayan architecture and patterns are suspiciously similar to those we find in Amaurot. More simplified, aye, but similar. I found particularly interesting that one of the rooms in Gubal is called the "Convocation House". Not an unique term, but after ShB I am eyeing everything with suspicion.

So I am not alone thinking they do know about the true story of the world and they are purposefully keeping it from being known. We do know that many fervent Hydaelyn believers come from Sharlayan as well, like Louisoix Leveilleur. And the Scions before the First shenanigans. We might be onto something there. Old Sharlayan is an island if I recall correctly, so perhaps it is a bit small for an expansion, but for a surprise final zone? It could be the case.

I was leaning toward Sharlayan being the new Crystarium or Kugane and the last zone of the expansion will be either an Allagn ruin (much like Ayzs Lla) but have a means to go to the moon (unless the moon is that final area, but I guess it could swing either way) ultimately to the final showdown with Zodiark. But I like your idea too.

[ShadowMeowth]

I was leaning toward Sharlayan being the new Crystarium or Kugane and the last zone of the expansion will be either an Allagn ruin (much like Ayzs Lla) but have a means to go to the moon (unless the moon is that final area, but I guess it could swing either way) ultimately to the final showdown with Zodiark. But I like your idea too.

To be honest we have been hammered so much that our final battle will be with Zodiark that I am suspecting it would be too predictable. So now I am expecting a plot twist like Elidibus-aka-Heart-of-Zodiark being the true inspiration behind the concept of "Warrior of Light". Besides, with Elidibus inside the Crystal Tower of the First, Zodiark is... fragmented and core-less. With Zenos eating Him, aye, that could make Zodiark a real issue. But that too has been told to our faces too early. So consider me skeptical. :')

Whatever. I do want to see more Allagan stuff. Azys Lla was amazing, and there is never enough Allagan lore.

[tarifu]

I also think Sharlayan is going to play a big role in 6.0. Their nation seems to have many similarities to Amaurot and the Ancients, like the Greek terms mentioned. They also share many themes, both being isolationist nations made up of academics, debates being a pillar of their society, etc. Louisoix's departure to Eorzea is mirrored by Azem's departure from the Convcation (hell, maybe he was inspired by some remnants of Azem's writings). And when you're in Amaurot, I'm pretty sure the WoD could potentially quote Louisox when talking to the people arguing about whether Amaourot should help the other places fighting the Sound or stay isolationist. Maybe their nation was founded on some Ancient ruins but then you have to wonder why the Ascians would allow them to stay. Or maybe they've been collecting and hoarding Ancient info and lore; I think there's something like there's some knowledge that only people born on Old Sharlayan has access to, and they don't allow it to be shared with outsider academics.

And then there's the things like the Ancient dungeons having jazz music and Gubal Library being distorted jazz... The nautilus being on the Sharlayan flag and a big nautilus statue at the top of Akademia Anyder... I don't think we're done with the Ancient story, and Sharlayan just has too many connections, thematic and otherwise, to just be world flavor. IMO anway.

[ShadowMeowth]

And then there's the things like the Ancient dungeons having jazz music and Gubal Library being distorted jazz... The nautilus being on the Sharlayan flag and a big nautilus statue at the top of Akademia Anyder... I don't think we're done with the Ancient story, and Sharlayan just has too many connections, thematic and otherwise, to just be world flavor. IMO anway.

... I am feeling incredibly stupid for not having connected the jazzy themes that Amaurotine and Sharlayan dungeons share. (As one of my podcast companion mentioned, "elevator music".) But I have not even seen the nautilus statue in Akadaemia Anyder. I will check tomorrow because it is 3:24 AM but welp. If I was suspicious of Sharlayan before, now more than ever.

[Morningstar1337]

I kinda wonder if the Sharlayan dungeons and ruins have an art deco aestethic as I think that was prominent in Aumarot (one of the reasons I liked the place)

[ShadowMeowth]

I kinda wonder if the Sharlayan dungeons and ruins have an art deco aestethic as I think that was prominent in Aumarot (one of the reasons I liked the place)

I have gone through them solo not long ago to check, and my conclusion is that Sharlayan aesthetic is a very simplified version of art deco / Amaurotine aesthetic. This, besides the whole Sundering thing, might be due as well by the Sharlayans' practical mindset; while the Ancients probably richly decorated their constructions artistically because they /could/ and without hardly any effort, Sharlayans would not bother with details if they do not serve a purpose: see the infamous Archon loaf where what it matters is the nutritional value and flavor is considered a superfluous aspect.

[Hank_Hotspur]

If 6.0 is truly the end of the Garlemald/Zodiark vs. Hydaelyn story arc, I sincerely hope we'll actually be going to Garlemald and I think we probably will. I know a lot of people took Yoshida's comments of looking back at Heavensward to get an idea for what is coming next to mean we'll be dealing with more dragons and that Meracydia would be the next location, but I thought of it more as a continuation of theme of HW of not just defeating villains but also mending relations.

While killing Thordan and Nidhogg were integral to ending the Dragonsong War, convincing the citizens and noble houses of Ishgard that the thousand year war every level of society focused on was wrong and that change must come was another huge step and I think a similar sentiment would be carried in a hypothetical Garlemald campaign. Going into Garlemald means not just facing the military, but the civilians for the first time and so far we've only heard only some thoughts that they have toward the empire, such as truly believing that they are helping the "savages", they don't like the conquest but ending the eikon menace is truly a benevolent thing, and fear of speaking out against the empire in general. I think actually going through Garlean territory to stop whatever machinations Zenos and Fandaniel have planned will allow the Eorzean Alliance to actual make their case directly to the people and help stabilize the chaos the empire has been thrown in to.

I know there is some sentiment that Garlemald is too "obvious" of a next expansion and that there will be another curve ball like The First was for Shadowbringers, but now that we are in 5.3 I think of Shadowbringers as less of curveball and more as the long thought of "Ascian expansion" when all is said and done. For the immediate threat of Ascian machinations, the end of the Unsundered has pretty much tied up all the original plans they had for the rejoinings in restoring the world that was. With Fandaniel gleefully acknowledging their absence and freedom to do whatever he feels like, while there are still ascians around, I feel like the "Ascian" part of the "Ascian/Garlemald" storyline has concluded.

As for Sharlayan, I strongly suspect whatever caused the sound that ended the world of the Ancients will be the next "story arc" as the Ascian/Garlemald menace was for ARR (and before) to 6.0 and I think Sharlayan will probably have a role to play in discovering what that is all about. For all their reputation of collecting knowledge, they might have the greatest repository of information about the world of the Ancients since Amourot itself and they have seem to keep Ascian interference out of their society if Emmeroloth is any example. I wonder how interacting with them will turn out if they are truly hellbent on keeping all their secrets to themselves.

[Kesey]

Snip

I just worry if the empire is downed in the same patch expansion as Zodiark, we will create a power vacuum that will make the next narrative arc too slow to start.