Glade of the Giant¶
This page is about the in-map location, which can also be referred to simply as the Primal Sapling. For the page about the tree that stands here itself, see Primal Sapling.
The Glade of the Giant is a jungle caldera in southeastern Merijool, a remnant of the region's climate from before the Frostfang Catastrophe. The Primal Sapling, a twisted and perverse remnant of or successor to the original Primal Tree, towers over the entire bowl.
The Parenchyma legendary chestplate, a Stone of Agony, and a unique artifact are found here.
Location
Approximate Coordinates: -1200, 64, -340
Entering the bowl for the first time grants the "Glade of the Giant" advancement, the only place that this name appears.
Pyramid¶
The main structure in the area is a stone pyramid in the northeastern corner of the glade, accented with colorful concrete, candles, and flowers. This pyramid is somewhat akin to a vanilla minecraft jungle temple, filled with tripwire-triggered traps and containing unique loot.
On the top floor, a tripwire over an ice floor triggers arrows and fire charges to shoot out from behind the nearby lava wall.
A narrow, cramped labyrinth is found beneath the pyramid. The Stone of Agony is found at the end of the maze, atop an obsidian platform. The chest activates a trap when opened, shooting lingering potions on the floor around the platform.
The Talisman of Endless Growth artifact is found in this structure, exposed by finding and flipping two levers in the correct order. The first lever is found at (-989, 72, -328), near the entrance to the labyrinth. The second lever is found deeper into the maze at (-1010, 72, -345). The chest is revealed back towards the top of the pyramid, at (-993, 80, -346).
Primal Sapling¶
At the western base of the Primal Sapling itself, a path leads into the interior of the tree. From here, a few branching paths above and to the sides lead to loot chests, but the main reward is found under the water.
Through the underwater tunnel to the southwest (surrounded by an oak wood ring), the player can follow a short passageway to a drop covered in vines. At the bottom of this hole is a chamber containing some of the roots of the Primal Sapling. A single chest sits in this room, holding the Parenchyma legendary chestplate.
Lore¶
The Glade is a dense rainforest/jungle, very distinct from the rest of Merijool's modern autumnal forest. This is what the entire region is said to have looked like prior to the Frostfang Catastrophe. It is unclear if the bowl was protected from the effects of the Catastrophe by the mountains physically blocking off the storm, some kind of magical protection tied to the tree, or a combination thereof.
The pyramid in the glade heavily draws on the symbolism of balance and opposing forces, especially heat and cold. This very closely parallels the historical worship of Lai, Aspect of Warmth, and Loe, Aspect of Cold, in Merijool. A small mural on the back of the pyramid makes use instead of a yin-yang style symbol of blue/red, distinct from the other warm/cold contrasts. It is not clear exactly what this represents.
A picture of the pyramid was uploaded as one of the Drehmal 2.2 teaser/spoiler images, with the following caption:
What could be more deserving of admiration or even worship than the predictable currents of heat and cooling, the ebb and flow of the tides, or the birth and death of every day?
This specific connection to multiple types of balances has led some to suggest that the pyramid is tied to Lahrs, Aspect of Resonance, whose domain encompasses the balance between these types of opposing forces.
The only explicit text references to the area and Primal Sapling are Parenchyma, the Talisman of Endless Growth, and the The Primal Sapling book in nearby Okeke. All of these sources contain some kind of allusion to cancer or malignant, unchecked growth. The Talisman suggests that the Sapling was somehow created by disciples of the Life Aspect, Vayniklah:
Chipped murals on ancient walls tell the story of the Great Revel. While Vayniklah's faithful hoped to revive the soul of the world, instead they opened the door to something far more sinister.
What exactly the Great Revel was is unclear, as these supposed murals do not appear to actually exist in the map.
Extras¶
Trivia¶
There are two clear references to the number 23 in the glade, which is the number of Aspects:
- There are 23 lily pads in the water surrounding the sapling.
- On the body of the tree itself, there are several blue and white flowers, which hold a golden apple in their centers. There are 21 such flowers, and there are 2 enchanted golden apples ("Fruit of the Primal Tree") found in item frames on the tree independent of a flower—one near the top, and one in its base above Parenchyma. Combined with the implication that Aspects were literally or figuratively born from flowers of the Primal Tree, as well as the family tree mural, these flowers have also been speculated to represent the Aspects. Specifically, the 21 flowers could represent the majority of the Aspects on the normal dark oak branches, while the 2 flower-less Fruits of the Primal Tree may represent or be tied to the spruce branch outliers, Verrhys and Lahrs.
