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

[FrightfulNight]

As long as Zenos does not survive till 6.0 I'm fine with anything really. Not too interested in Garlemald though since architecture is so dreadful...

That's why I refer to it as a hopeful Islabard expansion, keep in mind While controlled by the Garleans, Islabard is an entire continent with no doubt a variety of cultures, the way I honestly feel it will play will be four zones in Islabard with their own distinct and culture with some Garlean influence as is to be expected but still unique, the fifth zone as Garlamald proper, and the final zone as the moon which I have stood by for years i feel will be the final mystery zone

[Wolffriend]

I still think Sharlayan may be involved somewhere along the line. I can't help but think someone reported back to them what went on on the First, and more important, what was learning about Zodiark, Hydaelyn, and most especially us. And given the AST quests, I can't help but feel there are folks there who won't be happy about it.

[Veloran]

That's why I refer to it as a hopeful Islabard expansion, keep in mind While controlled by the Garleans, Islabard is an entire continent with no doubt a variety of cultures, the way I honestly feel it will play will be four zones in Islabard with their own distinct and culture with some Garlean influence as is to be expected but still unique, the fifth zone as Garlamald proper, and the final zone as the moon which I have stood by for years i feel will be the final mystery zone

All of Ilsabard being relegated to five zones would be absurdly disappointing. Even Ala Mhigo alone got three, and most areas on Eorzea have 4+, they may be smaller but them being distinct areas adds to the world. The most shafted place is probably Othard, but we're probably going back to Hingashi someday and Bozja is coming out soon. Ilsabard is supposed to be the largest continent with many nations comprising the empire, it would be so weak to have so few zones dedicated to it.

[FrightfulNight]

All of Ilsabard being relegated to five zones would be absurdly disappointing. Even Ala Mhigo alone got three, and most areas on Eorzea have 4+, they may be smaller but them being distinct areas adds to the world. The most shafted place is probably Othard, but we're probably going back to Hingashi someday and Bozja is coming out soon. Ilsabard is supposed to be the largest continent with many nations comprising the empire, it would be so weak to have so few zones dedicated to it.

All the more reason we should at least start to explore it in 6.0, some areas might be relegated to the raid series, trial series, and whatever the next iteration of Eureka is, maybe some of the Islabard zones we do get will be more urbanized giving them a more distinct look and development compared to other zones. I also imagine there will be a globe trotting expansion one day that adds of the areas around Hydalyn that we have been near but have not explored including hopefully the rest of Hingashi with a more mystical experience because I do agree it was disappointing we only got one city from the Nation based off of Japan.

[Kesey]

I also imagine there will be a globe trotting expansion one day that adds of the areas around Hydalyn that we have been near but have not explored including hopefully the rest of Hingashi with a more mystical experience because I do agree it was disappointing we only got one city from the Nation based off of Japan.

I'm pretty the reason Kugane as the only open city in Hingashi is to reflect the history of Japan that for the longest time had one port city open to the rest of the world. Plus it gives them a chance to have an expansion some time in the future that is a "Japan" expansion which I'm sure all of the devs would be culturally proud of.

[Kesey]

The Party doesnt even know about Fandango yet how can he possibly die so soon when we know so little except his VA got super lucky. Agreed if we have the means to kill the likes of Lahabrea its possible to do away with Zenos in theory it would feel blah killing him what the 4th time now? Sharlyan? Since we had a taste of their culture and architecture in HW i dont doubt well go to the motherland but in 6.0? Old Sharlyan if you glance at the ye old world map is WAYY north of Dravania beside the Northern Empty.

In 4.0 we only went to Kugane for a easier passage to Doma ya know logic, Theirs no logical reason to go so far off away from Ilsabard and this being the last expansion for the Zoidoark Arc, it would be super strange for it not to be in ilsabard. and every expansion having 2 hub towns if some sort of base of operations or refuge is in order why not Radz-at-Hans? its how Estinein got to the capital or just brave through the Ghimlyt Dark to Ilsabard. Everything is up in the air until 5.4 really

Well I expect Fandaniel to be the guy with the upper hand over Zenos. Maybe his plan is force our confrontation and have Zenos killed off? Maybe he just needs the empire to do something to set off the 8th calamity and has to placate Zenos because he's not an unsundered who founded the empire? Guess we need 5.4 and 5.5 for a clearer plan.

One thing sticks out in my mind, although we don't know much about Fandaniel, he approached Zenos--so obviously, he is the guy with the master plan.

[Cilia]

I'm pretty the reason Kugane as the only open city in Hingashi is to reflect the history of Japan that for the longest time had one port city open to the rest of the world. Plus it gives them a chance to have an expansion some time in the future that is a "Japan" expansion which I'm sure all of the devs would be culturally proud of.

Both Hingashi and Doma are heavily inspired by feudal Japan, and while the liberation of the latter is definitely portrayed as a good thing in Stormblood it doesn't shy away from pointing out the ugly side of Japanese culture as embodied in Yotsuyu.

[Kesey]

All of Ilsabard being relegated to five zones would be absurdly disappointing. Even Ala Mhigo alone got three, and most areas on Eorzea have 4+, they may be smaller but them being distinct areas adds to the world. The most shafted place is probably Othard, but we're probably going back to Hingashi someday and Bozja is coming out soon. Ilsabard is supposed to be the largest continent with many nations comprising the empire, it would be so weak to have so few zones dedicated to it.

I agree. I think we're at a juncture where we need an updated world map. This hasn't been done since 3.5 and I guess wasn't necessary because we were on the 1st, but in the meantime we've begun to flesh out new areas like Bozja and Terncliff. Although a map isn't a huge spoiler in and of itself, it will give us an idea of what lore has been more fleshed out and potentially give us an idea to where the plot could turn.

[Kesey]

Both Hingashi and Doma are heavily inspired by feudal Japan, and while the liberation of the latter is definitely portrayed as a good thing in Stormblood it doesn't shy away from pointing out the ugly side of Japanese culture as embodied in Yotsuyu.

Yes, most definitely. But sealing off the rest of Hingashi was probably deliberate so it could be revisited with the proper main story plot, allowing them to add more of the dev's native culture.

I don't speak for the community, but once Hydaelyn/Zodiark is resolved I'd be up for exploring Hingashi.

[ObsidianFire]

The lore book goes into Hingashi's political state which is... very, very complicated compared to Doma. Doma's situation is pretty simple: there's one king of it, he rules the people and what he says goes. Fortunately for Doma, the line of kings they have has been mostly decent as individuals and when they haven't been, that's when you get the Ninja getting developed and assassinating the king that was really bad for everyone. Hingash wasn't happy about this as Doma didn't have Ninja until a Hingan Ninja, Sasuke, showed them how the job worked and Hingashi views Sasuke as a traitor because of that.

Hingashi is... the result of a nation that has been at war with itself for around six centuries. While the past several centuries have been more peaceful, Hingashi really doesn't want to go back to war because it has a long memory of how bad it was. The real power in Hingashi is the bakufu, a military government. The Mitsurugi clan has the most power in it and basicly the only reason there is an "Emperor" in Hingashi is because the Mitsurugi clan says there can be... so long as he's not politically active.

Because of that, the Mitsurugi clan has declared Hingahi will be neutral in the Garlean conflict. Fortunately for it, Hingashi is an island nation, so Garlemald isn't even interested in it. But Hingashi does not want to be influenced by outside influence even though it does want to know what the other countries are doing. So there's one port everyone can go to, but nowhere else.

For the story to go to Hingashi, a lot would have to change about Hingashi's politics. And Hinashi's politics are... stable enough that I don't see that happening anytime soon. The Lvl. 60-70 SAM quests have some good info on the state of Hingashi politics.