New Year's Foreshadow 2021

[WhiteArchmage]

Once again, it's like the English is a completely different poem. At this point I think we can accept that they're doing it deliberately to give us twice as many pieces to puzzle over.

...

The Japanese specifically uses the word "stairway" in multiple places. I'm aware it's a metaphor, but I think the detail is relevant.

"To gain Knowldege, a stairway into the earth. To save Life, a stairway into the heavens."

The Antitower definitely fits as far as climbing down, anyway. But where has Sharlayan climbed up?


Continuing a line of thought from another thread: Sharlayan was founded by Salina. It's all Allag. Always has been. With the Arc Welding they've been doing lately, this one doesn't seem so crazy anymore...

Oh she's buuuying a Stairway to Heaven (couldn't resist, sorry).

So I'm REALLY hoping it means Sharlayan. The island (island-chain?) seems too small for a full expansion but even having it as a hub city and a central piece of the plot while we go fix their screw-ups elsewhere would be really interesting. Especially since we've gotten bits and pieces over the years: The Isle of Val/Eureka, The Forum, Sharlayan Astrology, Old Sharlayan, and who knows what OTHER secrets they're sitting in that HAVEN'T made it out of the Isle yet (Oracle? Rune Knight?).

Or it could be that we require a mixture of Sharlayan knowledge with Allagan technology and a little Garlond ingenuity to STEAL THE-sorry, CONQUER TH-nope, not that, go TO THE MOON!

[Fenral]

Oh she's buuuying a Stairway to Heaven (couldn't resist, sorry).

You have no idea how hard I was fighting making that joke myself.

[Lauront]

Yes, it does seem deliberate. To the point that you would need to read one of the other language versions to get the actual gist of it. It's becoming rather pervasive within the MSQ itself, too, where it helps to compare e.g. to the French version to get the full context.

[Erendis]

I feel that the poem is about Ancients and we will go to Sharlayan since it's been mentioned a lot lately.

[FrightfulNight]

Most of the poems have that our inaction vibe so I am highly betting Sharlayan is going to be involved in 6.0, in fact I imagine it will be the main hub city, I also feel the last zone mystery zone will be the moon i have felt that way for years and I still hold to it. The subsequent 5 zones I imagine will all take place in Islabard, there is to much going on there and I do not imagine another misdirect right after they pulled one in ShB, it would be to repetitive. I also imagine the sound will probably be saved for post Zodiark/Hydalyn story arch since 6.0 should be the conclusion to their arch, not dealing with something else entirely.

[MoofiaBossVal]

My understanding for the "below" is that it's referring to the Lifestream/Heart of the Star at the center of the planet, which was presumably corrupted and is where the Sound/sickness is coming from.

My understanding of the heavens/sky is the Moon, where Zodiark's power/essence is located at, which was created in an attempt to fix the Lifestream/Heart of the Star.

I think the speaker was supposed to be an Ancient Amuarotine?


I think the plot of 6.0 is us working with Sharlayan trying to figure out how to fix the Sound, and then we go down to the center of the earth, and are stopped by Zenos (like how Sephiroth was waiting for Cloud at the Lifestream), and then we beat Zenos and fix the sound.

[Veloran]

My understanding for the "below" is that it's referring to the Lifestream/Heart of the Star at the center of the planet, which was presumably corrupted and is where the Sound/sickness is coming from.

My understanding of the heavens/sky is the Moon, where Zodiark's power/essence is located at, which was created in an attempt to fix the Lifestream/Heart of the Star.

I think the speaker was supposed to be an Ancient Amuarotine?


I think the plot of 6.0 is us working with Sharlayan trying to figure out how to fix the Sound, and then we go down to the center of the earth, and are stopped by Zenos (like how Sephiroth was waiting for Cloud at the Lifestream), and then we beat Zenos and fix the sound.

It will need to be dealt with at some point, but I can currently only see the Sound as a threat once Hydaelyn and Zodiark are gone. It hasn't been a pressing issue for 12,000 years or even been apparent in any regard, so there's no reason for it to arise as a problem right at this juncture. It also has nothing to do with all the Garlemald stuff going on right now.

[RicaRuin]

It will need to be dealt with at some point, but I can currently only see the Sound as an issue once Hydaelyn and Zodiark are gone. It hasn't been a pressing issue for 12,000 years or even been apparent in any regard, so there's no reason for it to arise as a problem right at this juncture. It also has nothing to do with all the Garlemald stuff going on right now.

I'm still pondering that it might be an issue in 6.0. After all, why we don't know much about the Sound, we know it comes from the depths of the planet. Which are also hinted at.

Probably focussing on the depths so much because of how elaborate the german version is. They could've gone with a lot of simpler terms for deep earth, but they chose such a fancy way and even personified the Depth part which is something you usually only do when you really want to emphasize something. I'm really struggling to translate it as something simple as deep earth and not pay much attention to it.

Might also be wishful thinking on my part as I really wanna know more about the Sound.

[RyuDragnier]

It will need to be dealt with at some point, but I can currently only see the Sound as a threat once Hydaelyn and Zodiark are gone. It hasn't been a pressing issue for 12,000 years or even been apparent in any regard, so there's no reason for it to arise as a problem right at this juncture. It also has nothing to do with all the Garlemald stuff going on right now.

The Sound is going to be dealt with during this upcoming expansion. Why? Because it has already been stated by the final line of the final cutscene of 5.3 that, and I quote, "Into its domain shall the hero set forth, for the final chapter in the tale of this star." Meaning in terms of the world's fate, this is the finale, we will likely see no more "end of the world" scenarios after this. It's now or never for dealing with the Sound.

[Kesey]

The Sound is going to be dealt with during this upcoming expansion. Why? Because it has already been stated by the final line of the final cutscene of 5.3 that, and I quote, "Into its domain shall the hero set forth, for the final chapter in the tale of this star." Meaning in terms of the world's fate, this is the finale, we will likely see no more "end of the world" scenarios after this. It's now or never for dealing with the Sound.

"End of the world scenarios" are relative. Of course its the last one, until it is averted and then the next one comes along. There is no reason to think that the stakes won't ever reach that level in the story again.