What's the point with that quite lackluster story in Endwalker?

[aveyond-dreams]

In case anyone is wondering, I am indeed trying to do my own little Garlemald expansion writeup. I'm doing a lot of worldbuilding though, just because I enjoy thinking of that kind of stuff. The zones will be sections of Werlyt, Thavnair (the southern shore and northern desert), Nhalmasque, the Magna Glacies (outer capitol), and the inner capitol. Market board city is, of course, Radz, and the end hub will be a large train station between the capitol and the Magna Glacies that offers loading zones between both areas. The station itself will be inspired by steampunk train station concepts as thus [lower level, outside view, upper level with airship landing] but obviously with a heavy magitek twist on the aesthetic. Less Victorian, more Soviet.

In case anyone is wondering why no Corvos or Dalmasca, I wanted Corvos to be used for exploratory content (unyielding blade and what have you) while Dalmasca I feel should be dignified with an expansion of its own along with Nagxia.

I'm still thinking about Werlyt, but so far for Nhalmasque I've decided I want it to be inspired by Romania, since Romania was historically conquered by Rome and targeted by the Slavs, both of which are obviously inspiration for the empire, and Nhalmasque was the first territory taken by the empire so it just makes sense to me.

The land of Nhalmasque was too militarily weak to go to war with the empire, so instead they settled for an agreement of sorts in which they retain their status as a Garlean annexed territory, but they're allowed to practice magic and religion (though still heavily watched in case they start showing signs of too strong a faith). The resulting culture is, aesthetically, more of a magical take on steampunk. Classical Eastern European architecture with traces of magitek throughout. The region itself is mountainous, as it's on the other side of the Magna Glacies, but a bit more temperate with pine forests and coursing rivers. The zone ingame would have a large sanctuary in the northwest, a city of that magical steampunk aesthetic nestled into the foothills of the mountains which serves as the capitol of the state of Nhalmasque. The sanctuary would be comparable in size to a place like the Steps of Thal, not actually the size of a hub city by any means but still serves its purpose well as showing that there is definitely prosperity "despite" being owned by the empire.

That's all I have so far for locales. I'm trying to gather my thoughts properly, but it'll take a bit. I just hope I can post it in time for people to still be seething about Aveyond's thread when they're faced with mine.

Love all that I've read so far, don't allow yourself to be restricted by lore police. Do what feels natural for your story. The zones you've described have peaked my interest and there is a good balance of biomes/cultures to visit and experience. I look forward to reading more of your worldbuilding and seeing more pictures that shed light on your vision for Ilsabard.

Radz-at-Han being the marketboard city makes a lot of sense given how large it is in game, and the train station serving as an endgame hub also would be the sort of area that I'd casually afk in or craft there. All you've written about Nhalmasque sounds solid, and your allocation of Corvos/Dalmasca+Nagxia to their respective other content and expansion is also a good use of the regions.

[anhaato]

Love all that I've read so far, don't allow yourself to be restricted by lore police. Do what feels natural for your story. The zones you've described have peaked my interest and there is a good balance of biomes/cultures to visit and experience. I look forward to reading more of your worldbuilding and seeing more pictures that shed light on your vision for Ilsabard.

Radz-at-Han being the marketboard city makes a lot of sense given how large it is in game, and the train station serving as an endgame hub also would be the sort of area that I'd casually afk in or craft there. All you've written about Nhalmasque sounds solid, and your allocation of Corvos/Dalmasca+Nagxia to their respective other content and expansion is also a good use of the regions.

Thanks, I liked the ideas you were putting for locations in your thread too and honestly I would like to riff off of some of those ideas, especially the airship zone, but I wanted to expand as much of terrestrial Ilsabard as possible. I think a dungeon set across that giant fleet of airships would be dope, and it could be an accessible minor zone like the Menagerie, serving a similar function as the end of the dungeon that leads into the final trial.