Curse

DarkDervish · Dec 09, 2006, 02:18 AM // 02:18

I have not got very far in Nightfall yet, just now trying to fight the battle of Gandara so do not want many spoilers but..

Istani History fascinates me, and apparently several Vabbi scholars as well.

Istan seems to be a place of light, but underneath there seems to be some lingering dark that has been around even before the Nightfall or Abaddon. I would love to hear speculation about Istani history, I read the thread on the Scarab Plague and wondered about that.

Architecturally on Istan there seems to be three or four main architectural styles. The most ancient, with the strange square buildings are scattered throughout Zehlon's Reach, and Lahtenda Bog as well as some in the Cliffs. This looks Babylonian in style, and is significantly different than the style of the First City or Kamadan, or the Sunspear Great Hall. These buildings or groupings of buildings are scattered around, some looking like ancient temples. The area in Zehlon's Reach interested me. Does this indicate there was a very ancient civilization here before Istan even? Perhaps this was part of the early rule of the Primeval Kings. Also I may have not got far enough, but the elongated heads are very interesting.

I wonder if the Sunspear Crypt in Lahtendi Bog was once the Sunspear Great Hall for the First City, or a ruined city itself. For a crypt, it is rather massive, and it looks more like a ruined city than a crypt. Architecturally compared to RL it looks like Babylon, or some hanging gardens. It almost looks more ancient than the First City. I have not yet ventured to the end of the river in the bog, did not feel like going all the way there, is there anything there?

(spoilers for the Lahtendi Bog quests)

In the ghosts quest , it seems that there were ghosts more ancient than the Sunspears that were awakened, that had to be brought back by the spirit torch. This quest was really interesting, and I wonder about more storyline behind it. If their even more ancient, then this may mean the Sunspear Crypt was once a city.

The Three Heads in Lahtendi Bog was of interest to a Vabbi scholar in one quest, and then toward the end of the Istan storyline it is called a Tomb of the Three something..and also named as a Sunspear Crypt. The Vabbi Scholar says this is the only arrangement of three heads he has seen anywhere. Unrelated in Zehlon's Reach there is a Cult of the Head, and Istani Cultist in other parts of Istan as well but it seems to just be a cult.

Also in Lahtendi Bog there is a ruined ship that is literally on land in the bog where the Corsairs roam, and I kept wondering if there is any explanation behind this other than being as a central part of this quest. I mean a ruined ship on land, there has to be some explanation unless it was just built as a small corsair camp but it seems to be the ruins of a ship the way it is laid in this ravine. It makes me think could the ravine had once been a river, and this bog not always a bog.

Some more speculation. So it seems there are many Sunspear ghosts, is this their reward for being Sunspears they roam the land for eternity?

DarkDervish · Dec 12, 2006, 11:49 PM // 23:49

Any one else interested?

mrmango · Dec 13, 2006, 12:39 AM // 00:39

I don't see your point. You summarized something any explorer would know.

DarkDervish · Dec 13, 2006, 02:59 AM // 02:59

I was speculating, what does everyone think the ruins of the city/fortress in Lahtendi Bog were before they were the Sunspear Crypt? They are obviously ruins of something older, with unique architecture. Do you think they were the original Sunspear Great Hall or a city? Maybe the Sunspear Guard? The ancient ghosts presence means that it is very ancient.

And why is there a ship in the middle of a ravine on land?

mrmango · Dec 13, 2006, 11:06 PM // 23:06

Ok, that is a bit of speculation, finally. I think it is the old Sunspear base or just an Istani homeland, as you can see that Lahtenda Bog is near Farhanfur.
Ship.... >_>