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

[MikkoAkure]

I'm not super keen on a split either, but neither of those places has enough going on individually to justify an entire expansion devoted to it. Garlemald certainly does it. There's only so much post-war clean-up we can do. A split with Sharlayan makes the most sense because of its proximity to Garlemald and its presence as both a base for the Scions, who are heavily involved in the plot right now, as well as a powerful nation relatively independent from the rest of Eorzea in the north. Whose to say Sharlayan isn't going to sweep across Garlean lands and expand themselves? We also don't really have much info on Sharlayan or most of what goes on there, but I can't imagine the islands are terribly large.

It wasn't the geographical split that hurt Stormblood's depth of storytelling. It was the magnitude of storylines in those two relatively disconnected places not being able to flesh things out. I don't think we'd run into that same narrative problem with a Sharlayan + Garlemald expansion because by the time we get to Garlemald, most of the conflict is over and done with (it already is, honestly).

Sharlayan is just an island far away from everything else and is roughly the same size or smaller than Vylbrand (where Limsa Lominsa is). They are nowhere near Garlemald, there's an entire Eorzea-sized ocean in between the island and Ilsabard. On top of that, they're extremely isolationist and want nothing at all to do with the rest of the world's politics. That's why Lousioux and the Circle of Knowing left to Eorzea. Considering they've been neutral for a millennium and a half, I don't see that suddenly changing or giving us any reason to go there and do adventures in the Sharlayan countryside unless something drastic happens in the next two patches.

Hopefully before the next expansion happens, we off Zenos and leave Ilsabard to the remaining legatii who are becoming warlords and we go and do something new and interesting that doesn't have anything to do with Ascians, Allagans, or Garleans. I want Shadowbringers to be our Chains of Promathia, where the story is (mostly) ended, the world is saved, and the next expansion is free to be it's own thing. Doubtful, but I can dream.

[Ceasaria]

Like Cristarium was our starting point, I think Sharlayan will be it for 6.0
And then if we want to end the saga Hydaelyn / Zordiarch without visiting this last, wouldn't be a bit odd ?
So, my bet is Sharlayan lands and the Moon.

We go to Sharlayan to reach the Moon and Zordiarch.
And if they are not enough zones, then furthermore it could be anything among Thavnair, Hingashi, Northern and Southern Islands (maybe for finding some kinds of artefacts which will allow us to go on the Moon)

[Zohar_Lahar]

For 6.x, my thinking is Ala Mhigo will be the main hub city, being a good staging point for expeditions into Ilsabard. The Imperial Capital of Garlemald will be like Eulmore, the place where you get tome gear and do collectable turn-ins.

[Kesey]

Not having Ala Mhigo as a proper city after an entire expansion devoted to liberating it always kinda felt like a let down.

I'd like to see it as a city in its own right.

[Garnix]

What if we actually go to....the Lifestream?
I just thought about it, and it is definitely a bit far-fetched, but Yoshida said that 6.0 might surprise us so...
Y'shtola, at the end of 5.3, says that if there is a way to travel between worlds, she will find it. I kinda take that as a reference to the fact that she was able to travel to the lifestream....twice! (even though I have to admit, I don't remember everything that was explained to us about those travels aside from the fact that she lost her sight)

Then I saw somebody on Twitter pointing out that the Sun on Azem's cristal is similar to the alchemy symbol for the Sun.
Based on Ivalice lore, Fandaniel is associated with Leo/Lion.
This person on Twitter then linked those facts to this image, of a Lion, eating the Sun.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suns_i...behind%20gold.


The 'final chapter of this star' at the end of 5.3, what if we are this star? The Sun is a star, and the WoL is now clearly associated with it. What if the WoL actually gets killed by Fandaniel/Zenos, and goes to the lifestream?
Or maybe Y'shtola sends us to the lifestream to find something/someone....

Also in 5.3, during the trial, Emet-Selkh saved us (maybe?probably?), even though he is technically dead. Elidibus seemed very confused about this, and so am I.
The same Emet-Selkh was also able to pull Y'shtola out of the lifestream in 5.0.
And Hades is basically the lord of the underworld/the lifestream in mythology.
All of this put together convinces me that we will see Hades again. Not to mention that we still did not get an explanation regarding the fact that he was not sundered.
Exploring the lifestream/underworld with Emet Selkh and then being sent back more powerful to kill Zenos and Fandaniel in 6.0? Maybe?

[KageTokage]

The way I took Emet-Selch's seeming post-mortem appearance was that he created Azem's stone specifically as a "just in case" measure to protect us from harm if he did actually end up finding us worthy. If he can create an entire city full of imitation Amaurotines, being able to create a short-lived replica of himself doesn't seem like much of a stretch.

The thing that's weighing on my mind most is how/why the stone reappeared at the Crystal Tower back on the Source. It makes me feel like there's someone/something else watching our backs now, though the only thing that comes to mind is perhaps one of the remaining Convocation members has decided to throw in their lot with us in the wake of their order effectively being dismantled with none of unsundered remaining (Which would be an interesting contrast from how Fandaniel seems to have chosen to back Zenos for whatever reason).

[MrThinker]

The thing that's weighing on my mind most is how/why the stone reappeared at the Crystal Tower back on the Source. It makes me feel like there's someone/something else watching our backs now, though the only thing that comes to mind is perhaps one of the remaining Convocation members has decided to throw in their lot with us in the wake of their order effectively being dismantled with none of unsundered remaining.

I just took that to mean it fell out of our pocket. We kept it with us the entire time, and the scene to me and others seemed to harken back to the end sequence of FFIX where Garnet drops the Alexander stone, except we went back to pick it up while Garnet did not.

[KageTokage]

I was under the impression the stone had ceased to exist after it did its thing like the stones we handed to Elidibus, but perhaps I was mistaken.

The WoL's hesitance coupled with the weird camera pan afterward further made me feel like they were trying to imply that someone/something had returned another copy of the stone to us, but I guess they'll probably clarify matters sooner or later.

[Naria]

I'm pretty sure that we gave Elidibus all of the stones except Azem's. I also got the impression that Emet made the stone well before meeting us, possibly soon after the Sundering. Although whatever he did have planned for us probably did involve the stone (I presume he was going to restore the player character to Azem, ala the sundered Ascians) and he did leave it and the other stones behind for us to find prior to our confrontation in 5.0.

[Cilia]

It's not clear when Emet-Selch made the Azem stone, but it was against the rules for him to do so in the first place due to Azem's defection. Rewatching the cutscene Hythlodaeus also suggests Emet-Selch knew the PC was a fragmented Azem.

Dropping the stone in the Crystal Tower's entryway and going back to pick it up, with lingering camera shots, is likely meant to be a bit of necessary symbolism due to the PC being a silent protagonist (for most intents and purposes). It's a sort of silent acknowledgement of the legacy they've inherited and the duty that comes with it... that's my interpretation of it, anyway.

As for the future, I'm still not sure on where things are going, but given the moon's importance as Zodiark's prison and Elidibus using an adaptation of IV's party during the showdown, I'm now anticipating a visit there. (DRGs are also prominent in Heavensward, the most famous of which is Kain Highwind, a IV character - so it fits the "Heavensward refresher" bit. Kind of.)