Canthan-Elonian Architecture Connection?

[Barinthus]

My apologizes if this has been already noted - I did a search and couldn't find anything

This is the description of Sunspear Sanctuary in Elonia:


Carved as a shrine to Melandru in ancient times, this red-rocked vault was once used as cistern by the Kournans to contain the Elon's floodwaters. When that enterprise failed, the sanctuary was walled off and forgotten, inhabited only by things that like to live in the dark. Now it serves as a secret refuge for the Sunspears.

I noticed one structure inside that area which has this design:

http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/4589/sunspearsanturaywk7.th.jpg (http://img204.imageshack.us/my.php?image=sunspearsanturaywk7.jpg)

I've noted many similar arches throughout the Echovald Forest, Here's one sample:

http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/3692/echovaldforestarcheshs5.th.jpg (http://img215.imageshack.us/my.php?image=echovaldforestarcheshs5.jpg)

They sure look the exact same to me. What does this mean? There's a thread recently about similarities of certain arches in Ascalon and Cantha. Perhaps there was a great human civilization that once spanned the entire world? Or those arches were made by something else? Any thoughts?

[Quintus Antonius]

I'd like to also point out that Echovald Forest was probably a center for Melandru worship before the Jade Wind. The Kurzicks feel Melandru abandoned them after that.

[Barinthus]

Is it possible that the Five Gods may have specific requirements for their temples? Similar to the Old Testment where there is specific instructions regarding the Noah's Ark, the Ark, and the Temple?

During the quest "Hunted!" when you talk to Elder Jonah, he tell you


"So you are the Sunspears who challenged Varesh? I'm not surprised Zudah fobbed you off on me. He's been bitter about Sunspears for years. But I'm afraid you cannot stay here, either. I put my village at risk simply by talking to you. Unless... Yes. I think I know the perfect place. There are some caverns behind the village. They were part of a temple complex once and flowed with sweet water, but they've since become overrun with vile creatures. Cleanse that place of its current inhabitants, and it will serve as a sanctuary for your group. Talk to Guardsman Bahsi. He will direct you on your way."

[terakhan]

I imagine you could be right about that. As a goddess of nature, I doubt Mel is going to want a huge Notre Dame type cathedral built for her worship.

Though for this to work, we need to know more about the area you found the Echovald arches in (specifically if it happened to be in Melandru's Hope).

[Barinthus]

The arches in Cathna was from one of AB Forest locations. But I've seen them all over the Forest. For instance the Fort outpost area.

[Sir Jack]

Connection? Asura

Mursaat - Seer thing? Asura

Lost heir to Kournan rule? Asura

Drugs? Asura

Global Warming? Asura

Greedy compagnies? Capitalism. Invented by Asura.

Seriously, with the whole Asura = builders that hid underground, they'll probably be the cause of every building similarity. And given the early screenshots of GW:EN showing some dungeons looking like Kurzick architecture and the Catacombs, ANet will probably be solving it like that.
Kurzick architecture is based on an ancient vanished civilisation anyway, so yeah...

[Barinthus]

i have one problem with this - carved figures on arches are human or at least human-like.

[Quintus Antonius]

Agreed. Although criticised, at least we were always consistant on our Mursaat attributions.