Griffin Crossing

[Naraku_Diabolos]

It's been a long time we have even talked about ARR lore, but was it ever mentioned in Coerthas Central Highlands that where the gate for Griffin Crossing could possibly lead to? I forget if Anonymoose said that Coerthas Eastern Highlands was destroyed, but could Griffin Crossing lead to it? I was just leveling my Miner today and got reminded of that landmark in Coerthas Central.

[Kaiser-Ace]

It goes to the Eastern Low Lands if I remember my Courthan Geography correctly. Didn't get there in 1.0 myself but Moose Sensei did talk about the maps of 1.0 vs the maps of 2.0 where Courthas was mentioned.

If I'm right about the low Lands then Griffin Crossing eventually leads to Xelphatol which seperates Courthas from Gyr Abania and by extension Ala Mihgo.

[Anonymoose]

It should go to the Eastern Lowlands, when/if it's repaired; the old Camp Glory area that leads to Owl's Nest and, eventually, the West Shroud.

There's been no indication that it's making a return, but one day a screenshot Soken posted did seem to have a tab labeled COERTHAS EAST in the background... and you can see the West Shroud from the South Shroud...

Who knows?

If I'm right about the low Lands then Griffin Crossing eventually leads to Xelphatol which seperates Courthas from Gyr Abania and by extension Ala Mihgo.

If the Lowlands go back to the Shroud, I think the Eastern Highlands might to go back towards Xelphatol and Gyr Abania. There was no zone line considering that the area was never in the game, but there was a copy/paste of the tell-tale this area leads somewhere else border cluster near Raven's Call Canyon that I imagine went in that direction. It wasn't far from the Scarwing Fall ravine that Fernehawles mentioned at the Fan Fest lore panel.

[Kaiser-Ace]

Ah OK. That sounds most likly since Xelphatol is suppose to be primarily moutains and canyons. Being north, north west, and north east of The Shroud, Courthas, and Gyr Abania respectively it would seem more likly for The Highlands to connect directly.

[Nalien]

If I'm right about the low Lands then Griffin Crossing eventually leads to Xelphatol which seperates Courthas from Gyr Abania and by extension Ala Mihgo.

I think we're going to Gyr Abania through the Shroud though, there is a pathway in East Shroud that is currently blocked off that should take us that way. I believe Ala Mhigo refugees even fled through the Shroud (some staying in fact), so there's that too. IIRC there should be a place called Autumn Crossing (or something similar, to lazy to check :x) off to the east of Eash Shroud, where Ala Mhigo and Gridania once had a little falling out.

I do wonder how much stuff has just been completely scrapped at this point... There was meant to be an Ixali dungeon in the NE part of Central Highlands, heck early concept art of Central Highlands had it semi-frozen... Central Lowlands would appear to just be gone, given we completely skip over it on the way to Mor Dhona. Then there is that little Castrum off to the west that was lucky to even get a mention... No idea why Eastern Lowlands wasn't a part of this expansion, perhaps the biggest problem with this expansion (as an expansion, anyway) was how everything was locked behind 2.55. People picking up the game because Dark Knight looked so edgy were essentially screwed over... Slap Coerthas Eastern Lowlands back in, make it a Lv30+ zone, and have the new Jobs accessed there, problem solved...

I really hope 4.0 is actually a "fleshing out" expansion, rather than progressing us through to Ala Mhigo and Garlemald... I could make an entire thread on all the dead ends that clearly lead somewhere, there's certainly enough to build an entire expansion on... Who knows, Yoshida said 4.0 wouldn't be locked behind the story like 3.0 was, and with Ala Mhigo gaining relevance in the story...

[Theodric]

I do hope we get to see more of Eorzea. Especially the 'in-between' zones. I think the game would benefit immensely from adding them as additional questing zones for various level brackets. Or even with the 'level sync' that they used for the Vanu Vanu daily quests.

[Zohar_Lahar]

I think we're going to Gyr Abania through the Shroud though, there is a pathway in East Shroud that is currently blocked off that should take us that way. I believe Ala Mhigo refugees even fled through the Shroud (some staying in fact), so there's that too. IIRC there should be a place called Autumn Crossing (or something similar, to lazy to check :x) off to the east of Eash Shroud, where Ala Mhigo and Gridania once had a little falling out.

There is a large metal wall the Garleans set up on the border, which will make crossing difficult.

[Chewy2nd]

There is a large metal wall the Garleans set up on the border, which will make crossing difficult.

Castrum Oriens, I'm guessing it will be the final dungeon of Heavensward, our next 'Steps of Faith' or 'Keeper of the Lake'

[Anonymoose]

Castrum Oriens, I'm guessing it will be the final dungeon of Heavensward, our next 'Steps of Faith' or 'Keeper of the Lake'

I recently went on a Shroud exploration with a friend looking into this very wall. It looks way too high and way too long to just be Oriens, doesn't it? You can see bits and pieces of Oriens and it looks basically the same size as the other castrums, but that wall is gargantuan in comparison. Could it be the "Great Wall of Garlemald" between Eorzea and the Ala Mhigan Territory of the Garlean Empire?

[Chewy2nd]

I recently went on a Shroud exploration with a friend looking into this very wall. It looks way too high and way too long to just be Oriens, doesn't it? You can see bits and pieces of Oriens and it looks basically the same size as the other castrums, but that wall is gargantuan in comparison. Could it be the "Great Wall of Garlemald" between Eorzea and the Ala Mhigan Territory of the Garlean Empire?

I'd imagine so, the wall seems to run a long way, you can still see it in Larkscall, it does seem to be the big border between Garlean and Eorzean territory. Also, I seem to remember that The Ivy was planning on meeting some Imperial troops in East Shroud, who'd come from Castrum Oriens, hinting that Oriens, unlike the other Castrums across Eorzea was still in touch with Garlemald, also, are Oriens troopers XIVth leigon?