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

[FrightfulNight]

To be more serious though, I do feel that Meracydia is a real contender. While the continent was devastated in the time of the Allagans the continent has since been healing and it has been mentioned a few times (like in the Encyclopedia Eorzea) that there are colonies or tribes or some form of inhabitants in areas. We are also still missing 2 sons of Midgardsormr and I personally would really like to continue the First Broods story. There are also so many races in reference to Meracydia that we learned about on Azys Lla that are not of the brood (i.e. Sephirot's tree people race and the race that revered Sophie) that I am dying to learn more lore about. Meracydia has ALOT of potential besides just being regarded as a spent continent. Sharlayan is also plausible, though less exciting for me personally and I do believe they are going to put Garlemald to bed, at least for now, before the next expac. I can see them coming back in the future in need of assistance kind of like Ishgard though. I dont know. Meracydia is what I am wanting but who knows whats going to happen.

There really has not been any hints at Meracydia even in the recent patch and it has no real significance in the current story arch, compared to say Garlemald or Sharlyan, so I think at this point we can rule it out as a possibility compared to these other two. That does not mean we wont one day go there I just highly doubt it will be for 6.0.

[Kesey]

There really has not been any hints at Meracydia even in the recent patch and it has no real significance in the current story arch, compared to say Garlemald or Sharlyan, so I think at this point we can rule it out as a possibility compared to these other two. That does not mean we wont one day go there I just highly doubt it will be for 6.0.

Idk, I would have agreed with you until the end of 5.4. Maybe this is a stretch, but if Estinien is coming back into the story and on the off chance that his unfinished business mentioned at the end of 5.1 pertains to the dragons and the dragon's promise to Hydaelyn to protect her star, I wouldn't rule Mercaydia off the table.

That being said, I think we're going to have pretty good idea where the expansion will be after the digital February Fanfest. This has been a pretty long discussion but I'm just as excited as all of you to see where the story takes us next.

[Mansion]

We are also still missing 2 sons of Midgardsormr and I personally would really like to continue the First Broods story.

That's not even a "loose thread", but I would love to learn more about them. Recently when Yoshi-P recommended to get a "refresher about Heavensward", that is the only thing that came to my mind. The First Brood has still some potential. But I don't really see it unfolding right now when there are more urgent matters around Zenos and Fandaniel currently. Unless it gets brought in clumsily that we need help to face Zenos so we should go get more brains in Sharlayan and more dragons in Meracydia, and get another Stormblood unbalanced dual narrative...

This could be a great one-expansion mini-storyline for 7.0 for instance. I don't think they will (nor should) replicate another great storyline that runs through 10 years of content once we are done with the Hydealyn/Zodiark storyline.

[MonochromeMadame]

I guess I also need to ask when we think this expac will be out. Im horrible at figuring out patch timelines anyway so since this one is messed up from delays I'm not sure when to expect it. If we didnt have delays we would be preordering by now.

[FrightfulNight]

I did just remember something, Yoshi P. Says that he usually likes to plan two expansions ahead for the story. Now I noticed a pattern, while we always knew the first expansion would be Ishgard, and the second would be Ala Mhigo, there were some other locations that begun to be hinted at two expansions prior.

For instance we were introduced to Yugirir and the ARR patch questlines or 2.X and two expansions later in SB or 4.0 we go to Doma.

We were introduced to the Warriors of Darkness and heard mentions of the First in HW or 3.x and two expansions later in ShB or 5.0 we went to the first and wrapped up thier storyline.

Now if we follow this pattern in SB, especially during the patch questlines we see intrigue and important events occur and unravel in Garlemald, more specifically the capitol, which is of course located in the Northern corner of Islabard, so if we follow this pattern, this is just further proof it is Islabard. in fact for two expansions now they have been having the situation heat up there, characters go there, and power shift there, so are we just to believe that this will occur for another full expansion before we have a chance to go there, no I believe we are going there as it has the most pressing issues in the story.

Also if we are comparing this to say a mainline game and the season 1 storyline to the full game, then it makes sense to end it in Islabard, it is controlled by one of the games main antagonist, and when the world map was revealed it was surrounded in foreboding mists, as if almost saying, yeah this area is important, we are waiting until the finale to take you here for a big confrontation.

[MonochromeMadame]

I'm worried about Garlemald even making it to a new expansion.
I just re-watched the trailer and remember the capital and major areas being destroyed. I don't know how that is going to play into everything.

[Rosenstrauch]

I'm worried about Garlemald even making it to a new expansion.
I just re-watched the trailer and remember the capital and major areas being destroyed. I don't know how that is going to play into everything.

I believe that moment in the trailer is meant to reference our encounter with Elidibus-Zenos in patch 4.55—the location is the Ghimlyt Dark, basically a cross between an active warzone and a magitek graveyard during our run through it. Of course, it could very well be foreshadowing for yet another encounter with Zenos in patch 5.5/5.55. But considering how much of the trailer stuff for Shadowbringers ended up being in-reference to things that already happened, I doubt it.

On a related note to another thread, if we do end up going into Garlemald for the 80-90 leveling experience, I can't help but wonder if we'll end up chewing through the remaining Legions over the course of several dungeons and trials.

EDIT: Oh, the 5.4 trailer. Yeah, that was just the offscreen civil war, yeah. Apparently that's over with, now. Honestly, it would've been more interesting to get to experience it, but eh.

[FrightfulNight]

I'm worried about Garlemald even making it to a new expansion.
I just re-watched the trailer and remember the capital and major areas being destroyed. I don't know how that is going to play into everything.

This was confirmed in the Patch 5.4 MQS to be about the civil war going on there, more specifically it was Lyse briefing the Scions on the current situation when they returned to their bodies on the Source from the First. It was not some ritual or because of the black towers, it was the war for the throne. this can be shown to some extent in a cutscene in 5.1.

[Kesey]

I'm worried about Garlemald even making it to a new expansion.
I just re-watched the trailer and remember the capital and major areas being destroyed. I don't know how that is going to play into everything.

I have to agree. This empire will fall off screen. They won't be able to stand as conquerers when we decisively win Bozja, and stop the mechs in Sorrows, and then stop Fandaniel and Zenos. In fact the only area in the empire that has any narrative potential because everything else is destroyed is the capitol.

[RyuDragnier]

I have to agree. This empire will fall off screen. They won't be able to stand as conquerers when we decisively win Bozja, and stop the mechs in Sorrows, and then stop Fandaniel and Zenos. In fact the only area in the empire that has any narrative potential because everything else is destroyed is the capitol.

At least it sets it up for a possible AR/Trial/Raid/Relic series next expansion where we help somebody who wants peace take control over Garlemald itself as its new ruler.