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

[RyuDragnier]

What will come after if there's a "Garlean Restoration" in the future? Will they learn the dark history of their empire, that their founder lied and what they understood about eikons was to purposefully mislead them as a perfect puppet nation or will those in high places not take well to thwarted ambition and start up their conquering engine again to reclaim their old glory?

I think it'll depend on whether or not Gaius i alive by the end of 6.0. If he's not, I could picture them pulling a Qitari and asking us whether to tell the truth about parts, or make up lies. One such lie may be that several higher-ups in Garlemald, including Varis, consorted with demonic forces behind Emperor Solus's back, killed the Emperor when he found out too much, and proceeded to lead the empire and world down to ruin. If he's alive, he may just outright tell the truth.

[Kesey]

Perhaps the new storyline in 6.1 will start with Nerva taking the center stage as a character, assuming Nerva isn't killed off in 6.0.

Center stage of a destroyed nation whose only remaining citizens have been tempered?

I think if the "end" is as dangerous as we've been led to believe, we are looking at potential refugee crisis for the whatever-is-left-Garleans. Although conflicts arising from this post 6.0 would be an interesting jumping off point for continuing the story.

[Kesey]

I think it'll depend on whether or not Gaius i alive by the end of 6.0. If he's not, I could picture them pulling a Qitari and asking us whether to tell the truth about parts, or make up lies. One such lie may be that several higher-ups in Garlemald, including Varis, consorted with demonic forces behind Emperor Solus's back, killed the Emperor when he found out too much, and proceeded to lead the empire and world down to ruin. If he's alive, he may just outright tell the truth.

My headcannon says the former Empire citizen's are enslaved by the new beast tribe in the area based off polar bears? or walrus? Thus adding insult to injury where the Garleans have become the beasts of the their beast master slavers. I feel any other ending wouldn't be poetic enough.

[Theodric]

My headcannon says the former Empire citizen's are enslaved by the new beast tribe in the area based off polar bears? or walrus? Thus adding insult to injury where the Garleans have become the beasts of the their beast master slavers. I feel any other ending wouldn't be poetic enough.

That wouldn't strike me as poetic. It's the equivalent of saying that the Ishgardians should have been enslaved by Nidhogg and his companions if the Warrior of Light never arrived in Ishgard to help out.

The entire reason that Garlemald became a force to be reckoned with in the first place is due to its being pushed to near extinction in the past. It's also very likely that a lot of Garleans chose to escape the capital as the war of succession escalated, so I doubt very much that we'll see a situation where the race is nearly wiped out yet again.

We'll probably see some Garlean settlements throughout Ilsabard - and possibly the Moon if magitek is what brings us there. A world ending threat is the perfect thing to bring Garleans and non-Garleans together.

[Lauront]

While we're at it, let's have Ul'dah succumb to a horde of zombies. You know, for more poetic endings.

[Zohar_Lahar]

I thought the expansion taking us into Garlemald proper would have Ala Mhigo as the new hub. But as it is, Endwalker so far seems to be leaning into Sharlayan being the new hub (judging by Sage trailer and the twins casually bringing up their dad). Is Ala Mhigo going to remain off-screen like Rabanastre?

[GoldStarz]

I thought the expansion taking us into Garlemald proper would have Ala Mhigo as the new hub. But as it is, Endwalker so far seems to be leaning into Sharlayan being the new hub (judging by Sage trailer and the twins casually bringing up their dad). Is Ala Mhigo going to remain off-screen like Rabanastre?

I'm holding on to hope that 7.0 will be more mainland Ilsabard or Eorzea revisited and will finally give us city-state Ala Mhigo, but I definitely don't think it's coming for 6.0.

[Veloran]

In terms of the Garleans, it seems like their remaining military around the capitol is actively opposing Zenos. That airship going down in flames was probably not on his side. I'd imagine there's a huge number of tempered thralls along with Voidsent in conflict with the remnants of the legions stationed in the area who may themselves be at each other's throats, all with a bunch of displaced citizens just trying to survive.

[JeanneOrnitier]

What if the zones are all pretty disconnected and we use the Scions' new airship we got in 5.4 to travel between them? That way there could be Sharlayan, Thavnair, and several parts of Ilsabard all at once.

The problem with this though arises in how you would actually physically go between them in-game. Like there'd be no loading zone to walk your player character between Thavnair and Sharlayan, they're way too far for that.

[Rosenstrauch]

The problem with this though arises in how you would actually physically go between them in-game. Like there'd be no loading zone to walk your player character between Thavnair and Sharlayan, they're way too far for that.

They could just have you talk to an NPC who then sends you to the location you want. Like the boat ride from West Thanalan to Limsa Lominsa, the NPC who sends you from Limsa to Kugane (and back), or the Amaro Trainer in the Crystarium to Kholusia and the eastern half of Amh Araeng.