Findings in the Catacombs *Image Heavy*

[Shinryu]

After some research with guildies of mine, there are new ideas of what the Catacombs actually were.

Written by - Shinryu

Well, to make it more dramatic, I will use italics; and lets begin with some images.

This is a small, ruined temple of Balthazar I found in Green Hills Country. See the pillars around it? Those same pillars have been found elsewhere in Green Hills, and many in the Catacombs.

This is in Green Hills, these are more of the Pillar Structures.

During a field trip to The Secret Garden, I find a statue perched on top of a ruined Doorway. See it? Thats a Stone Reaper, from the Arborstone.

These are more pictures of the Stone Reaper.

This is an image taken in the Circular room in the Catacombs, where the Prized Moa Bird quest takes place. Notice that there are more Stone Reapers.

This is a close-up picture of the Reaper.

This is the room where the allegged bottomless pit is located, but take note that there are at least 20 Large Stone Reapers in there, spewing water into the pit. If you take a look at the pit, you will notice the pit is flooding.

This is a larger picture, with more Stone Reapers in it.

In the area where the bridge is, next to the Gargoyle Skull collector, is this Giganticus Lupicus (spelling mistake) skeleton.

This is the entrance to the 'back room' of the catacombs, where all the Coffins and seemingly the leaders of the Gargoyles reside.

This is a look down the room, as you can see there are more of the Stone Reapers.

Here is a closer look inside of the room, but what is that at the top of the screen? Heads? It appears to be 2 of the 'statue of the female warrior' heads, and one male one.

I will update this page with more images later, especially of the 'back room'.

It has been suggested that this may have been the Home of Grenth when he was human, or could have been an ascension point for humans (look at the faces, that light is not the sun.)
In the room where the heads are, the light casts down on many coffins on stands in the room; all the coffins are opened, this could be the cause of the undead.
Discuss.

[aptaleonII]

Interesting. The catacombs always has had a strange mysterious feeling to it. I always thought the empty coffins were linked to the undead roaming around, as well. I never noticed the pit was flooding before, by the way-- great observation.

I don't agree that those statues are Stone Reapers, however. The Arborstone statues such as the Reapers were created as a defence by members of the Zu Heltzer family, specifically for the cathedral- it makes no sense that there would be Stone Reapers in the catacombs. They only look similar.

Plus, the skeleton = giganticus lupicus theory remains unproven.

[Konig Des Todes]

Sorry to tell you, those are not Stone Reapers. They are simple gargoyles. They can be found, as you noted, all over the Catacombs and the tunnels in The Flight North.

In the Flight North, you can get right up to a Gargoyle easily. Here are some pictures I took a while back of it.



Here is a picture of a Stone Reaper(courtesy of wik):


Notice any differences? No? Ok. Well, one, the face is different, the gargoyle doesn't have any teeth. Two, the size are way off. The Stone Reaper has a much longer (and larger) body. The proportion is off if you simply just extend the body. There are also spikes on the gargoyle where there are none on the Stone Reaper. Not to mention, the back of the gargoyle makes it seem very implausible for it to be able to become a moving creature the size of the Stone Reaper. The back legs seem to be deformed.



This is the stone reaper when on the pillar. Notice how it looks the same as when it's on the ground *I even got a pic of one falling* Size doesn't increase. Texture doesn't change. Point Proven. :)

As for the Pit flooding. That cannot be told by looking. It just turned black, preventing sight. The only support for a flooding would be the water falling down. But if it was flooding, wouldn't they do something to stop what would become a rise in the water?

I think the "bottomless pit" in the catacombs is a sewer system.

As for your heads in the coffen area. Well, it's obvious that that area was a tomb, the heads were probably just decoration. The coffins are where the undead came from, and the light can either be explained via opening above or a light source right there (probably caused by a magical flame).

[Gmr Leon]

Originally Posted by aptaleonII

Plus, the skeleton = giganticus lupicus theory remains unproven.

That is why it's called a theory. I think I see your reason for posting that, though. Aside from that..I don't the coffins accurately represent the number of Undead there, as there are 186 coffins total. Actually..It may..I'm not about to go counting Undead though.

How can you tell that the pit is flooding? From your image I just see even more darkness..Otherwise a cut-off point where they didn't add any textures or anything.

[Barinthus]

Devils' advocate... staute replica of something alive doesn't necessarily looks exactly same.

Lets compare actual gargoyle to those statues if u want.

[Karn the Betrayer]

Originally Posted by Barinthus

Devils' advocate... staute replica of something alive doesn't necessarily looks exactly same. want.

thats why statues of people don't always look like their living counterparts.. things are exaggerated

[Age]

I been where the top picture is and it is more closer to Rin being past The Barradins estate south.I always though those reapers were dragons atleast the skeleton in south end of The Catacombs.

[Konig Des Todes]

Originally Posted by Barinthus

Devils' advocate... staute replica of something alive doesn't necessarily looks exactly same.

Lets compare actual gargoyle to those statues if u want.

If you are referring to my post, they are far from the same. Yes, the "living" gargoyles don't look like the statues, but that's because they are not meant to copy each other. the statues have a more draconic look. And technically, the Stone Reapers are not living, they are just moving stone. And I showed how the reapers look when they are not moving, nothing like what is in Ascalon.

And why would a statue that is only in Ascalon copy something that is only in the Echovald Forest something that is hundreds of miles away.

Oh, and Shinryu, what suggests that the building in your first picture is a temple to Balthazar? I think I see a mural of Balthazar (something I didn't spot in pre, ever) but that could simply be a barracks or something that had that mural in there because, well, Balthazar is the god of War.

That building seems to be way to small for a temple. Shrine as the most religious building, imo.

[Silver Knight II]

Those heads on your last picture...
In Arid Sea(Crystal Desert) is a big female warrior statue with exactly same head.That female warrior statue can be seen from Crystal Overlook(Elona).

Maybe catacombs lead to the Crystal desert,or maybe to Orr...There are few blocked passages.

[Gmr Leon]

Let's not go down that route again..There are closed off passages, but if I remember correctly none of them are leading to the south.