Tension

[Nixxe]

I kind of wish this was the default aesthetic of the Black Shroud. The fog element could perhaps be eliminated so it's normal visibility, but it just seems to fit the zone's name a lot better. For something called the Black Shroud, it sure does seem like the Always Bright and Cheerful Forest of Sunshine and Rainbows would be more fitting, given the environment in general. Unlike its current name, it's neither dark nor ominous.

It's not going to happen of course, but man, to think what could have been.

[Hitsuzen]

From my experience it is constantly raining.

[Korbash]

I don't know, but when I get in the Black Shroud it's rarely bright and cheerful, but dark, raining with a thunderstorm.

[Vanitas]

Odin approves of this thread.

[SaitoHikari]

They could probably do something like this if we ever venture into the utterly destroyed West Shroud. Obviously with an entirely new weather effect exclusive to the area though.

[Niqote]

The name likely would have made more sense to you in 1.0.

The forest itself is known to take the lives of anyone who does not heed the Elementals, a danger often referred to as the "woodwrath". This makes it a natural filter against those would would bear arms against Gridania, though that hasn't stopped the Ixal, Ala Mhigo, or Garlemald from trying.

We also had a lot of dangerous mobs and getting the aetherytes all over the shroud was a good challenge esp. Solo. The cutscenes from 1.0 showing the Elementals spiriting away wood wailers and the explanation of the significance of the masks they wear also didn't transition that well.

In the time of version 1.0, a sort of barrier called the Hedge once prevented outsiders from being subjected to violent elemental nature. Trespassing into the Twelveswood in 1.0 brought foreigners into contact with a pristine environment, and those foreigners carried "woodsin" or earned "greenwrath" as a result. The forest would perceive outsiders much like antibodies attack a virus. The Hedge could occasionally falter in 1.0. Now in A Realm Reborn and Heavensward, the Hedge itself is severely weakened because of the Calamity and there's no sign of it in the Shroud as you travel around save one location: the Ixali Logging Grounds and it is said that Ixal are attempting to hack through the Hedge while it's weakened.

And then there was the map:


And a bonus:

[ChiiSoSeriouz]

The weather name was changed in early 2.0 from Hopelessness to Tension, probably cause the latter better describes the presence of some nearby threat, and the feeling people sometimes get when something bad is about to happen. Maybe they could bring back hopelessness for you, but it would have to be visually different somehow, because tension as we know is the indicator for steel reign.

[Gemina]

Even after the calamity, with places like Tam-Tara-Deepcroft, Haukke Manor, Amdapor Keep, and the Lost City of Amdapor; an elder primal wandering around and slicing the unworthy in half, and the weather constantly gloomy, the Black Shroud earns its name.

The tension weather is very fitting for Odin, and just makes him out to be all the more badass that he has his own weather that lets everyone know he's around somewhere. It's very reminiscent of John Carpenter's 'The Fog'.

[Ultimatecalibur]

The weather name was changed in early 2.0 from Hopelessness to Tension, probably cause the latter better describes the presence of some nearby threat, and the feeling people sometimes get when something bad is about to happen. Maybe they could bring back hopelessness for you, but it would have to be visually different somehow, because tension as we know is the indicator for steel reign.

I believe Hopelessness was changed to Tension with the introduction of the Urth's Font trial. The Elementals of the black Shroud are no longer feeling "Hopeless" when Odin appears as the Warrior of Light now knows more of the truth of the being called Odin so now feel Tension as they await the next confrontation between the two.

[ZioSerpe]

And then there was the map:

Still gives me PTSD