Speculation on the two landmasses to the southwest of the Maguuma Jungle and to the west of Cantha

[fiftysixpearo.1638]

Hello,

I don't know if there's a topic about this already, but if not now there is. Let me preface by saying I have only played the first game to a certain point (I was filtered by the difficulty, but i'm not very good at party management games to begin with), so if this is something I can figure out by playing the first game I'll get better at it for the sake of learning about these places.

Example 1, the large landmass to the southwest of the Maguuma jungle.

Example 2, the small landmass poking out to the west of Cantha.

I was wondering what everyone thinks the landmass to the southwest of Maguuma and the very small piece of land poking out to the west of Cantha might be? If we go off this map it shows an area known as 'Arid'. I feel like this is just a broad term for what kind of area it is. I'm wondering if any lore gurus know about this place as its been bugging me since the map was updated. ArenaNet could have easily cut them off the map but decided to include them for a reason. I am a big fan of speculation and would like to know more about these places if anyone else does knows as perhaps I'm missing something.

Thanks!

Edited March 5, 2022 by DranerFox.5348
typo

[ugrakarma.9416]

The landmass on east map is huge too, i wonder why they stretched it, a cancelled part of IB? future projects?

 

we are near to complete exploring all areas related to GW1. theses areas left have room to a lot of  new stuff.

[EdwinLi.1284]

38 minutes ago, ugrakarma.9416 said:

The landmass on east map is huge too, i wonder why they stretched it, a cancelled part of IB? future projects?

 

we are near to complete exploring all areas related to GW1. theses areas left have room to a lot of  new stuff.

I am on the side that those maybe our first two locations for the new storyline arriving after EoD.

We still have 70% of the entire planet left unexplored after all.

[Tamias.7059]

These areas were labelled in New Krytan on a texture pulled from the game files some time ago. Here's a high res version of the fan translation linked in the OP (I think Gwen Yeh and Kim Dahye are/were ANet staffers): https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/File:Tyria_world_fan_map.jpg

I don't think we know anything more about them, however the map we see in-game is slightly cropped. The data-mined map shows more: https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/File:Tyria_map_(unexplored).jpg

One think I think we can be reasonably confident about is that these areas aren't Xotecha; since that is an island in The Mists and not on the same physical plane as the other continents: https://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Xotecha

EDIT: Should also mention, we do have an NPC who is hinted to be from a human nation which isn't Kryta or Cantha: https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Doern_Velazquez

Edited March 5, 2022 by Tamias.7059

[Fenom.9457]

2 hours ago, Tamias.7059 said:

These areas were labelled in New Krytan on a texture pulled from the game files some time ago. Here's a high res version of the fan translation linked in the OP (I think Gwen Yeh and Kim Dahye are/were ANet staffers): https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/File:Tyria_world_fan_map.jpg

I don't think we know anything more about them, however the map we see in-game is slightly cropped. The data-mined map shows more: https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/File:Tyria_map_(unexplored).jpg

One think I think we can be reasonably confident about is that these areas aren't Xotecha; since that is an island in The Mists and not on the same physical plane as the other continents: https://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Xotecha

Firstly, I wanna have a whole other conversation about the even bigger map not in game cause WOW you can see so much more of those places and to the north! Also to the north above the two areas this post is about we can actually see the isle of dawn omg!!

 

Now about Xotecha I don’t think we can do quickly dismiss the idea that it doesn’t exist on Tyria. I swear I heard somewhere - maybe WP’s video on the place - that it was rumored to appear on Tyria and disappear again. Or maybe that was another island from an npc in GW1 but they could be related.  In any case, we have very little lore so they can add or change anything they want surrounding it.  If it does remain firmly within the mists I still think an expansion on that subject matter still needs a grounding on Tyria and actual new maps that add to the world, and furthermore we obviously need some place or method by which to enter Xotecha.  I’m fine with mists travel and exploration but I really *hate* the idea of an expansion or lots of content that doesn’t even add to the world map.  There’s no point in being GW2 or based on Tyria if you add jack squat to the actual world in a content release as massive as an expansion. I practically live for getting new lore in this game, getting new maps and exploring new places unfogging things on the map and getting new lore big and small about all kinds of places in the world.  It would be pretty crushing to see an expansion do none of that and just go ‘haha must travel lol all the maps are displaced and random’

[Laken.9018]

The island thing is foreshadowing and stems from Guild Wars 1.  Details here:
https://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Guild_Wars_Utopia

[The Greyhawk.9107]

1 hour ago, Laken.9018 said:

The island thing is foreshadowing and stems from Guild Wars 1.  Details here:
https://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Guild_Wars_Utopia

Nah, Utopia was going to take place in the Mists, not on any landmass in Tyria.

[Kossage.9072]

If you're curious and don't mind some map "spoilers", the full version of EoD's extended map (uploaded to the "Tyria (world)" page in GW2wiki) is even bigger than the bits of map currently shown in game, expanding farther north and west with some really curious map art. The same happened back when PoF and Season 4 extended the map and the datamined map back then contained a lot more areas to the east that we couldn't see then but can see now in the in-game EoD map. I don't know why the devs can't just reveal the whole map in game and instead choose to hide parts of it since it's not like we explored those far eastern areas during Season 4 or the Icebrood Saga anyway so releasing that map art in game wouldn't have been spoilery anyway.

With that said, I do also subscribe to the theory that the aforementioned enigma that is Doern Velazquez (one of the few humans with a Hispanic name) could potentially be hailing from this western "Sunrise Crest" region and that this might be a "lost" human nation where all the human refugee tribes originated from once gods took humans somewhere upon arriving at Orr's Artesian Waters.

While Cantha is the first known human nation with a date in recorded history (786 BE) on the three continents (Cantha, Elona, and Central Tyria), there are some clues that the gods didn't take all humans to Cantha and that they may have initially placed them in a currently unknown location from which they later expanded to the rest of the world.

The Priory's world map linked earlier in this thread notably depicted what appear to be naval routes between notable port cities. We can see Lion's Arch, Palawadan/Kamadan and Kaineng City there all leading to the port at the Battle Isles, but we also see naval routes leading to unknown ports at Sunken Islands and Sunrise Crest regions, which to me suggests potential trade between the four continents via the central hub of the Battle Isles.

We also have these curious tales and historical documentation:

Quote

Luxon children still hear stories of their people's original home, a nameless place far across the open ocean and lost now to the land-bound faction, seemingly forever. (Source)

Quote

"There are many legends among our people of the Saltspray dragons. One tells of a time ages ago when a dragon king made a pact with a shipwrecked captain. In exchange for wind and guidance, the captain guaranteed that no Luxon would cause harm to a Saltspray dragon. To do so would bring terrible luck. That was, of course, before the dragons were driven mad by the Jade Wind. These days, we use their crests as good luck charms, so it can still be said the luck of the dragon is with us." (Source)

Quote

Even in Tyria, we humans have forgotten where we came from...literally. All that is known of the origin of the Tyrian human race is that our species appeared more than 1,200 years ago on the northern continent. Humans settled Cantha even earlier, however, and appear to have done so on multiple occasions during what Canthans call the Late Pre-Imperial Era. Even less is known about the origin of the Luxon and Kurzick peoples, who arrived on the continent after the tribes that would become modern Canthans settled the northwest coast and Shing Jea Island. The humans of Cantha may have actually originated on Shing Jea, though this has never been proven. [...]
Though the news would not arrive in the Empire of the Dragon for several decades after the fact, the year 305 (205 BE) by Canthan reckoning saw the arrival of humans on the continent of Tyria. When news of these primitive barbarians did eventually reach Cantha, it was considered of little consequence. Perhaps, if the Canthans had seen fit to drive north and expand their empire, history would have played out very differently. But with the concerns and needs of an already sprawling realm, the emperors of Cantha chose to remain within their borders. And so the various Tyrian cultures developed, unhindered by—and for the most part, unaware of—their southern neighbors. [...]
But it was not until the Canthan year 509 (1 BE) that the gods granted humans—to the north, south, and parts beyond—the gift of true magic. Before this spectacular event, what Canthans called "magic" was actually power granted by their ancestor Spirits, a practice which continues to this day with the Ritualists. (Source)

What we can figure out from these texts is that Tyrians didn't originate from the Canthan people as the news of these "primitive barbarians" of the north came as a surprise to Canthans just like Tyrians were initially unaware (for the most part, as the text curiously states) of Canthans. So Cantha can't be the birthplace of all human ethnicities such as proto-Orrians/Krytans, proto-Ascalonians, proto-Elonians etc. Likewise, the Luxon and Kurzick origins are unknown, while Luxons have tales of a homeland across the ocean, which further points to another point of origin for humans.

Now for some fun speculation with no basis:

It would be fun if Sunrise Crest was Thyria's version of the Americas and Spain combined, a kind of extension of some of the already developed Utopia lore that was semicanonized as Xotecha folktales/legends in the anniversary art book. If Sunrise Crest is the home of all human ethnicities after gods transported them to Thyria and if various ethnicities sailed to other continents for reasons (ethnic, religious conflicts, or need for more living space?), it means the Crestians/Xotechans could claim to be the gods' chosen people in case the gods first lived among them for a time just like gods took some humans to Cantha and wandered among them later before deciding to settle in Arah. The whole Luxon legend of the Three Queens being supposed demigoddesses Alua, Elora, and Ione could even point to other potentially Grenth-like demigods (before his ascension) living among the Crestians/Xotechans and ruling them to this day. Imagine if we encountered Balthazar's half-god daughter who was revealed to be one of these Three Queens as the Triumvirate rules that fourth human continent, for example.

If the writers wanted to expand the idea and introduce a potential threat with this continent's reveal, it'd be quite easy too if Sunrise Crest (unlike the increasingly disillusioned and less religious Cantha, Elona, and Tyria) was still highly religious and even zealous with an army and navy of conquistadors who view themselves to be the Six's chosen ones who must carry out Balthazar's creed to subjugate the "savages" of the new world and bring enlightenment to them. Instead of being moustache-twirling villains, they could genuinely believe they're the good guys saving the other continents from themselves and that the poor ignorant savages can only thrive under the benevolent autocratic rule of the wise and "immortal" Three Queens.

Having such a zealous nation would present opportunities for manipulators to step in and "steer" the faithful in the "right" direction. Perhaps Menzies could make his return, posing as an oracle in the imperial court to manipulate the rulers to wage the war he's after for his ulterior motives, and/or perhaps Lyssa (or her chaotic half) returns and seeks revenge for Balthazar's death and sees that Sunrise Crest has an army still loyal to the gods ready to serve one of the Six who return to grace them with her presence after such a lengthy absence.

For all we know, Doern could've even been a spy sent to infiltrate Central Tyria and report their weaknesses to his masters so the conquistador armada can sail and "liberate" the new world from its ignorant and non-pious rulers. Perhaps Doern's wife also hailed from this continent, or she was born in Tyria, and Doern went native after falling in love and losing his wife on field duty, and he decided to abandon his masters' mission to no longer spy on the Order of Whispers but defect for real while keeping the existence of this potentially hostile nation a secret while he and the Order of Whispers brass decide what to do with that information. With End of Dragons ending the Dragon Cycle, that potentially opens up more naval passages in the Unending Ocean for the armada to finally sail east and make a dramatic entrance.

There's the whole plot point of Jennah being a direct descendant of King Doric and how the gods ordered Doric's line to guard the bloodstones so they could never be abused. Perhaps Jennah's blood is key to activating the Keystone (whether it's Jennah's throne or somewhere out there) and thus uniting the remaining bloodstones into one so a villain can try to unleash four bloodstones' worth of power (especially if each of those bloodstones is now supercharged from Elder Dragons' and Balthazar's deaths despite the deep sea dragon's attempts to contain it as we did see a major chunk of Mordremoth's magic going west across the ocean when the magic split into four cardinal directions in the HoT finale cinematic) that can even pose a threat to Aurene in the long run. 🙂

Edited March 7, 2022 by Kossage.9072

[Laken.9018]

 

9 hours ago, The Greyhawk.9107 said:

Nah, Utopia was going to take place in the Mists, not on any landmass in Tyria.

Yeah I know. Just saying the information the person is recalling is from Guild Wars 1 days and as per a direct quote from a member of the team at the time was intended to be Utopia foreshadowing.
As we know Arenanet has been somewhat  swingy in how much of Guild Wars 1 lore it wants to keep and this was never locked in so doubt its relevant anymore

[Teratus.2859]

Both of those landmasses belong to other continents that we have never seen on an in game map before nor have we ever been to in either Guildwars game.

Suffice to say there is no lore or information about them because of this.
At least to my knowledge anyway.

Where we go after End of Dragons though is anyone's guess.
I would love to explore those continents some day and we certainly know that we have the means to travel to them.

[maxwelgm.4315]

5 hours ago, Kossage.9072 said:

If you're curious and don't mind some map "spoilers", the datamined version of EoD's extended map (uploaded to the Tyria (world) page) is even bigger than shown in game, expanding farther north and west with some really curious map art. The same happened back when PoF and Season 4 extended the map and the datamined map back then contained a lot more areas to the east that we couldn't see then but can see now in the in-game EoD map. I don't know why the devs can't just reveal the whole map in game and instead choose to hide parts of it since it's not like we explored those far eastern areas during Season 4 or the Icebrood Saga anyway so releasing that map art in game wouldn't have been spoilery anyway.

With that said, I do also subscribe to the theory that the aforementioned enigma that is Doern Velazquez (one of the few humans with a Hispanic name) could potentially be hailing from this western "Sunrise Crest" region and that this might be a "lost" human nation where all the human refugee tribes originated from once gods took humans somewhere upon arriving at Orr's Artesian Waters.

While Cantha is the first known human nation with a date in recorded history (786 BE) on the three continents (Cantha, Elona, and Central Tyria), there are some clues that the gods didn't take all humans to Cantha and that they may have initially placed them in a currently unknown location from which they later expanded to the rest of the world.

The Priory's world map linked earlier in this thread notably depicted what appear to be naval routes between notable port cities. We can see Lion's Arch, Palawadan/Kamadan and Kaineng City there all leading to the port at the Battle Isles, but we also see naval routes leading to unknown ports at Sunken Islands and Sunrise Crest regions, which to me suggests potential trade between the four continents via the central hub of the Battle Isles.

We also have these curious tales and historical documentation:

What we can figure out from these texts is that Tyrians didn't originate from the Canthan people as the news of these "primitive barbarians" of the north came as a surprise to Canthans just like Tyrians were initially unaware (for the most part, as the text curiously states) of Canthans. So Cantha can't be the birthplace of all human ethnicities such as proto-Orrians/Krytans, proto-Ascalonians, proto-Elonians etc. Likewise, the Luxon and Kurzick origins are unknown, while Luxons have tales of a homeland across the ocean, which further points to another point of origin for humans.

Now for some fun speculation with no basis:

It would be fun if Sunrise Crest was Thyria's version of the Americas and Spain combined, a kind of extension of some of the already developed Utopia lore that was semicanonized as Xotecha folktales/legends in the anniversary art book. If Sunrise Crest is the home of all human ethnicities after gods transported them to Thyria and if various ethnicities sailed to other continents for reasons (ethnic, religious conflicts, or need for more living space?), it means the Crestians/Xotechans could claim to be the gods' chosen people in case the gods first lived among them for a time just like gods took some humans to Cantha and wandered among them later before deciding to settle in Arah. The whole Luxon legend of the Three Queens being supposed demigoddesses Alua, Elora, and Ione could even point to other potentially Grenth-like demigods (before his ascension) living among the Crestians/Xotechans and ruling them to this day. Imagine if we encountered Balthazar's half-god daughter who was revealed to be one of these Three Queens as the Triumvirate rules that fourth human continent, for example.

If the writers wanted to expand the idea and introduce a potential threat with this continent's reveal, it'd be quite easy too if Sunrise Crest (unlike the increasingly disillusioned and less religious Cantha, Elona, and Tyria) was still highly religious and even zealous with an army and navy of conquistadors who view themselves to be the Six's chosen ones who must carry out Balthazar's creed to subjugate the "savages" of the new world and bring enlightenment to them. Instead of being moustache-twirling villains, they could genuinely believe they're the good guys saving the other continents from themselves and that the poor ignorant savages can only thrive under the benevolent autocratic rule of the wise and "immortal" Three Queens.

Having such a zealous nation would present opportunities for manipulators to step in and "steer" the faithful in the "right" direction. Perhaps Menzies could make his return, posing as an oracle in the imperial court to manipulate the rulers to wage the war he's after for his ulterior motives, and/or perhaps Lyssa (or her chaotic half) returns and seeks revenge for Balthazar's death and sees that Sunrise Crest has an army still loyal to the gods ready to serve one of the Six who return to grace them with her presence after such a lengthy absence.

For all we know, Doern could've even been a spy sent to infiltrate Central Tyria and report their weaknesses to his masters so the conquistador armada can sail and "liberate" the new world from its ignorant and non-pious rulers. Perhaps Doern's wife also hailed from this continent, or she was born in Tyria, and Doern went native after falling in love and losing his wife on field duty, and he decided to abandon his masters' mission to no longer spy on the Order of Whispers but defect for real while keeping the existence of this potentially hostile nation a secret while he and the Order of Whispers brass decide what to do with that information. With End of Dragons ending the Dragon Cycle, that potentially opens up more naval passages in the Unending Ocean for the armada to finally sail east and make a dramatic entrance.

There's the whole plot point of Jennah being a direct descendant of King Doric and how the gods ordered Doric's line to guard the bloodstones so they could never be abused. Perhaps Jennah's blood is key to activating the Keystone (whether it's Jennah's throne or somewhereout there) and thus uniting the remaining bloodstones into one so a villain can try to unleash four bloodstones' worth of power (especially if each of those bloodstones is now supercharged from Elder Dragons' and Balthazar's deaths despite the deep sea dragon's attempts to contain it) that can even pose a threat to Aurene in the long run. 🙂

That is all very interesting speculation. This zealous nation would not even have to be initially seen as antagonists to Tyria because we now know that something else was limiting sea travel and not Soo-Won who doesn't even seem to have minions of her own - so Sunrise Crest could actually get in touch with Tyria to start an uneasy alliance to drive away the actual horrors of the deep sea that might be a problem to them and not to us because of our proximity to the Elder Dragons. After that they could then become antagonists with an interesting take even more subtle than Palawa Joko, as we navigate the balance in between overthrowing potentially tyrannical rulers threatening Tyria but not really seeking to entirely destroy the complex society they developed without influence from any Elder Dragon and more direct contact from the gods. Also, they could be openly worshiping Abbadon for all these years, maybe they are even proto-Margonites in a sense and knew him directly from before his fall, which would also be an interesting contrast.

[ugrakarma.9416]

On 3/5/2022 at 1:25 PM, Tamias.7059 said:

EDIT: Should also mention, we do have an NPC who is hinted to be from a human nation which isn't Kryta or Cantha: https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Doern_Velazquez

This is a room for a very good lore and new stuff.

On Dragon Age inquisition we have ppl from "navarra" even with a different accent, but im basic game we dont touch these lands.

We need/want more new things. 

can be built a lore where these human with spanish names npc are related to some forgotten/distant human kingdom;.

Edited March 7, 2022 by ugrakarma.9416

[Kossage.9072]

4 hours ago, maxwelgm.4315 said:

That is all very interesting speculation. This zealous nation would not even have to be initially seen as antagonists to Tyria because we now know that something else was limiting sea travel and not Soo-Won who doesn't even seem to have minions of her own - so Sunrise Crest could actually get in touch with Tyria to start an uneasy alliance to drive away the actual horrors of the deep sea that might be a problem to them and not to us because of our proximity to the Elder Dragons. After that they could then become antagonists with an interesting take even more subtle than Palawa Joko, as we navigate the balance in between overthrowing potentially tyrannical rulers threatening Tyria but not really seeking to entirely destroy the complex society they developed without influence from any Elder Dragon and more direct contact from the gods. Also, they could be openly worshiping Abbadon for all these years, maybe they are even proto-Margonites in a sense and knew him directly from before his fall, which would also be an interesting contrast.

Yeah, and there's even lore suggesting that the proto-druids may have appeared in Kryta and Maguuma and were eventually driven to the jungle by proto-Krytans (coming from Orr etc.) in the Prophecies manual if I recall. Whether the Aztec-y ruins that the asura found on the Tarnished Coast are remnants of druid civilization or even preceding the druids' arrival is unknown, but it could make sense if those ruins that the asura repurposed for their own use could've actually been been built by first settlers from Sunrise Crest before they vanished for whatever reason if the devs wanted to tie the Mesoamerican-inspired Utopia/Xotecha culture to deeper Tyrian lore and justify why asura are using the scrapped Utopia/Xotecha assets in their culture.

As for why Crestian culture would resemble Xotecha in any way (while containing elements from the other human cultural influences like Elonian, Canthan, Orrian, Ascalonian etc. styles), a plausible explanation could be that the first human refugees from their homeworld (or the gods if they instructed them what to build on their new homeland in Sunrise Crest) simply built in the style of the old homeland or the legendary home of the gods, hence replicating the Mesoamerican style of Xotecha on Tyrian shores. The devs could even retroactively reveal that the cultists trying to bind and possibly harvest the magic of the Cliffside Colossus in the Cliffside Fractal were the first human invaders from Sunrise Crest trying to subjugate the other races for the glory of Balthazar etc.

Depending on how thorough the gods were of erasing knowledge of preceding traitor gods, perhaps Sunrise Crest could indeed contain statues of not just Abaddon but Dhuum as well in some secluded corners if nothing else, assuming that Dhuum was well regarded enough and if he did enter Tyria with the other gods back in the day. Lyssa's origins are likely said to be unknown, curiously enough, so it's always possible that she first appeared on Sunrise Crest despite current lore suggesting Grenth to be the first demigod born in Tyria...but that could just be propaganda to hide the existence of other demigods.

Sunrise Crest could even have references to Balthazar's potentially divine mother; we know that the head of Balthy's father didn't disintegrate as he carried it with him for a time (whereas Balthy himself disintegrated immediately upon death as did Abaddon), which suggests to me that the father was in fact mortal or a demigod depending on what happens when a demigod dies vs. a real god and opens the possibility of the mother being the previous deity of conflict, a demigod, or another mortal. If so, it'd be fun if there was some grove of "lost gods" that some of the faithful barely remembered from their past in the homeworld before Lyssa helped "them" (whether the Six Gods, humans, or both) forget the past, and this alcove could have statues of some of these lost gods like Balthazar's potentially divine mother, Dwayna's father who was teased in Linsey Murdock's comments, and Abaddon's predecessor teased by the Apostate. It would certainly be a big "wham" moment of lore, especially if we found some hidden tales relating to these predecessors and what may have led to their replacement or if there could've been more than six gods active at any given time before the exodus to Thyria. 🙂

[Konig Des Todes.2086]

On 3/5/2022 at 12:53 AM, DranerFox.5348 said:

I'm wondering if any lore gurus know about this place as its been bugging me since the map was updated. ArenaNet could have easily cut them off the map but decided to include them for a reason. I am a big fan of speculation and would like to know more about these places if anyone else does knows as perhaps I'm missing something.

The world map you linked is pretty much the extent of what is known.
There is an apparent trade route going from the Battle Isles to the Sunken Isles / Sunrise Crest area (northern landmass), but there's no information further than that.

Some theorize that Doern Velazquez comes from there due to one dialogue where he implies he's not Kryta, Elonian, or Canthan. Personally the dialogue always came off as him pretending to be super aloof as due his nature as Preceptor.

On 3/5/2022 at 9:31 AM, ugrakarma.9416 said:

The landmass on east map is huge too, i wonder why they stretched it, a cancelled part of IB? future projects?

 

we are near to complete exploring all areas related to GW1. theses areas left have room to a lot of  new stuff.

For EoD, ANet didn't expand it east at all. All that was done for PoF/S4 development.

It is curious they extended it north though. They previously kept the world map a square, but with EoD - even the parts not visible in-game, it's no longer a square. Above that, they're showing a lot more than they need to by showcasing what they had done to the east before, and their extensions north and west.

Personally, I think it's all a reaction to the constant "End of Dragons is End of Guild Wars 2" stuff people needlessly keep spouting.

On 3/5/2022 at 2:07 PM, Fenom.9457 said:

Now about Xotecha I don’t think we can do quickly dismiss the idea that it doesn’t exist on Tyria. I swear I heard somewhere - maybe WP’s video on the place - that it was rumored to appear on Tyria and disappear again. Or maybe that was another island from an npc in GW1 but they could be related.

The "island that disappears" come from Nightfall:

I even have stone tablets that were found on an island far off the coast... an island that mysteriously disappeared thereafter. Ha! I see I have your attention. 

https://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Prince_Mehtu_the_Wise

This might have been a hint at Utopia, as devs did say that Nightfall contained a few hints but I don't think we ever heard what were the hints. But that said, Xotecha isn't strictly canon in the first place. The only lore about it comes from the Complete Art of Guild Wars 2 and some vague dev commentary on the scrapped Utopia. It would be neat to get it one day, but it's very unlikely (and if we do, I'd prefer it as GW1 content, not GW2 content, for many reasons).

Either way, as unlikely it is for Xotecha to be canon, its even less unlikely for Sunrise Crest to be Xotecha.

 

We do have one hint at what Sunrise Crest might be, however. We still do not know where the humans settled before Cantha. In Factions, there are numerous hints that humans arrived via boat from another land, most but not all being mentioned in An Empire Divided - and in the PoF timeline it's said that the gods led them there, but never from where. While we do know that humans were brought to the world at Orr, they didn't remain there and, more importantly, returned - separate from Cantha - later in 205 BE. In 2009, Jeff Grubb mentioned that the "human homeland" is somewhere we've not been yet. And lastly, the Cliffside Fractal takes place in humanity's earliest time on Tyria, and the colossus somehow made it to Dredgehaunt Cliffs later.

 

My theory is that Sunrise Crest is this mysterious place where humans were taken to after Orr, but before Cantha.

[ugrakarma.9416]

18 minutes ago, Konig Des Todes.2086 said:

My theory is that Sunrise Crest is this mysterious place where humans were taken to after Orr, but before Cantha.

if Anet writers take some energetic drinks, this have lots of potential to epic stuff.

Edited March 7, 2022 by ugrakarma.9416

[Laken.9018]

Honestly right now I really want ANET to use Living World Season 6 as an excuse to go to areas we missed from the old games to give themselves enough time to make somewhere entirely new and take us there.
The franchise and world needs to grow now and this is a prime opportunity to do so.

[Amanda Whitemoon.6173]

not only doern seem to indicate more lands, what about all the french food, but no france ingame?, where do all those food names come from

[Altonese.6542]

On 3/7/2022 at 10:29 AM, Kossage.9072 said:

Sunrise Crest could even have references to Balthazar's potentially divine mother; we know that the head of Balthy's father didn't disintegrate as he carried it with him for a time (whereas Balthy himself disintegrated immediately upon death as did Abaddon), which suggests to me that the father was in fact mortal or a demigod depending on what happens when a demigod dies vs. a real god and opens the possibility of the mother being the previous deity of conflict, a demigod, or another mortal. If so, it'd be fun if there was some grove of "lost gods" that some of the faithful barely remembered from their past in the homeworld before Lyssa helped "them" (whether the Six Gods, humans, or both) forget the past, and this alcove could have statues of some of these lost gods like Balthazar's potentially divine mother, Dwayna's father who was teased in Linsey Murdock's comments, and Abaddon's predecessor teased by the Apostate. It would certainly be a big "wham" moment of lore, especially if we found some hidden tales relating to these predecessors and what may have led to their replacement or if there could've been more than six gods active at any given time before the exodus to Thyria. 🙂

The Spider God Arachnia. Technically just data-mined lore, but she does have places in the Realm of Torment named after Her. Do it Anet.