Old Sharlayan and the Crystarium are linked

[DamianFatale]

Hear me out on this. In front of the Crystal Tower on the first; there is a structure that looks eerily similar to Sharlayan architecture. In fact, I can't find the exact source, but I remember Yoshi P making a comment about who that resembles during the previous fan fest cycle for Shadowbringers.

Now that we know we are getting Old Sharlayan in the latest expansion, I do wonder if that might have been the reason his lips were so quiet about who was involved.

Also take note that G'raha once studied at Old Sharlayan, and is even present in the Endwalker trailer. I think that in the alternate timeline he went there, and may have teleported the crystal Tower with not only the tower itself, but maybe just a portion of a Sharlayan structure for whatever reason. Perhaps in these ends of days Old Sharlayan volunteered to help.

[Yuella]

I prefer if Norvrandt is not involved in 6.0 MSQ. Continue the void quest storyline on its own but separate it from the MSQ

[Iscah]

Alternately, seeing as G'raha would have been involved in the construction of the Crystarium, he may have designed that part inspired by Sharlayan (inbetween building the rest of the city based on concept art ancient Allagan architecture).

Or Sharlayan took architectural cues from that style of Allagan architecture in the first place.

[MikkoAkure]

Alternately, seeing as G'raha would have been involved in the construction of the Crystarium, he may have designed that part inspired by Sharlayan (inbetween building the rest of the city based on concept art ancient Allagan architecture).

Or Sharlayan took architectural cues from that style of Allagan architecture in the first place.

More likely this. In the game, they mention that on the Source, the foundation of the Crystal Tower is still partially buried. Plus with how technologically advanced Sharlayan is, and how they have whole organized teams of people devoted to Allagan archaeology, it makes sense that they've been following Allag for awhile and have modeled at least part of their culture on theirs. There's a lot of Greece/Carthage inspiration too and it reminds me about how Rome copied a lot of Greek culture, architecture, and even language as they saw them as an ideal society. This would also make them a parallel to Garlemald, whose culture and names are inspired from Rome and they themselves also see their country as a successor to Allag.

[Rocl]

Or Sharlayan took architectural cues from that style of Allagan architecture in the first place.

While this is most likely the case, I think it's important to remember the Allagan Empire was regarded as a myth until roughly six hundred years ago, while Sharlayan society and the capital in the northern seas has existed for well over a millenia now. Sharlayan was established incredibly quickly after the Sixth Umbral Era while the later city-states took much longer. (The introduction of the Forum as a system for governing Sharlayan was introduced at 201 6AE which is approximately 190 years after its founding; King Thordan's betrayal wouldn't happen until roughly 550! Buildings in Old Sharlayan should predate the ruins in the Churning Mists!)

Coinach's discovery of actual Allagan ruins didn't happen until approximately 900 6AE—and while it's possible Sharlayan took inspiration from the legendary Allagan society, I think it's a bit like having people take inspiration from "Atlantean architecture" in the real world, lol

It could also very well be that they've just simply updated their architecture after the discovery of Allag and while it's "Old Sharlayan" and a city with a thousand years of history, the buildings are only a couple hundred years old.