(05-08-2015, 01:51 PM)Goodfellow Wrote:(05-08-2015, 09:41 AM)Sounsyy Wrote:(05-08-2015, 08:51 AM)Goodfellow Wrote: Right. Â That's true and possibly confuses my question somewhat, but I'm not asking anything about the island nation of Sharlayan, just the timing of their defunct Eorzean colony.
The Sharlayan colony west of Dravania was abandoned 20 years ago after the fall of Ala Mhigo and peace negotiations between Sharlayan and Garlemald failed.
I thought I remembered that being the case. That's why reference to "ancient" Sharlayan ruins confuses me. I don't know when the colony was founded, but if it was only abandoned 20 years ago I'd hardly call that ancient. So, either the colony was founded very, very long ago and was riddled with older architecture that was already "ruined" before the Sharlayans decided to abandon it or that wasn't the first Sharlayan colony and other far older colonies preceded it.
Does that make sense? Is there something I'm missing?
It's difficult to say. We know Sharlayan existed during the Year 200 of the Sixth Astral Era, dating Sharlayan at at least 1400 years old. However, we don't know if Lewphon of Sharlayan hailed from northern island Sharlayan or Aldenardian Sharlayan. Sharlayan may even pre-date the Sixth Astral Era as a group of twelve Archons attempted to defeat the Ascians during the 5th Umbral Era's War of the Magi. While it never outright says these Archons were members of Sharlayan's council called the Circle of Knowing, there are parallels.
Alternatively, Roddard Ironheart, a Sharlayan cartographer, didn't complete the first (known) complete map of Eorzea until 1506 6AE, 71 years ago. It could be assumed that the mainland Sharlayan colony wasn't established until circa that time period? We don't yet know for sure. Sharlayan may have just built their colony on top of ruins of some more ancient civilization.