ACT V - hints already in game!

What: wild, rambling, pointless speculation on how the "Rise of Innocence" art relates to Act 5

Why: for my own amusement and, to a lesser extent, that of others

"

kamil1210 wrote:

This was mentioned in reddit post (https://redd.it/4tvswn) by UMPB, but there appear to be some fairly direct corollaries within the Origins comics (https://www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/1703254).

a) In Part 1, the helmet skins: Lioneye's mask has blue eye, Kaom's mask red eyes

b) In Part 3, the title: Death to Sin

In the comics "Sin" seems to refer to the thaumatocracy of Chitus, and perhaps more generally to any use of Virtue gems. They are opposed by the Purity Rebellion, which appears to be more theocratic (e.g., lead by Voll, the High Templar).

Interestingly, Part 2 of the comic is titled "Sons of Virtue," which may refer to Maligaro's creations specifically or perhaps more generally to all gemlings (those created using the power of virtue gems).

So in the stained glass art, maybe the two children (apparently, but not necessarily, sons) represent Thaumaturgy (Sin) and Theology (Innocence)...and the mother represents Virtue gems?

Perhaps it is too much of a stretch to think that virtue gems "gave birth" to theology. Certainly the symbolism gets a bit messy, with Geofri and the Army of Purity (and perhaps the Templars in general?) using the descry symbol with the line through it, which appears on both the shoulder of Sin and the Mother's amulet in the 5th pane. But maybe the last pane represents Dominus turning from pure theocracy to experimentation with thaumaturgy...in which case perhaps the mother would be the Beast/Nightmare! And the fifth pane would have little to do with Act 5.

Working backwards, the 4th pane seems more straightforward, apparently showing Innocence defeating Sin. The imagery is very reminiscent of Act 4, so could represent the player battling Malachai inside the Beast...although perhaps also consistent with Voll's Purity Rebellion overcoming Chitus' thaumatocracy but being ultimately unable to escape the jaws of the Beast (as Malachai subsequently unleashed the Cataclysm). It is interesting that this is the only pane that does not show the mother...which would make sense if she was in fact the Beast they are inside.

The 3rd pane appears to show the mother feeding Sin, but perhaps is a little less clear on whether Innocence is feeding/befriending the rat (as some have suggested) or if he is simply relegated to scrounging for scraps of food--like a rat. In either case there are some strong ties to Act 3, which has the character crawling through sewers much of the time. But this might (also) be seen to represent the time of the Purity Rebellion, where the wealthy elites were voluntarily implanted with the power of virtue gems and the poor were (as usual) neglected.

The 2nd panel has some ties to Act 2 (e.g., the tree around the border). Innocence has what might be blood on his right hand, which may implicate him in the death of the black bird--perhaps representing the Vaal Oversoul? And it seems like the "dark being" sealed by Alano Phrecia ~1500 years prior (The Ancients, Book 7) could have also been the Vaal Oversoul. The mother and Sin seem sympathetic to the bird, so if it does represent the Oversoul perhaps that supports the idea that the mother represents a greater malevolent power, such as the Beast/Nightmare.

The first panel might have a few links to Act 1 (e.g., the crystals on the border may represent Merveil's ice, as some have suggested), but otherwise just appears to show a mother with her two babies--and the apparently backwards association of Sin with light and life, and Innocence with darkness and death. It is also interesting that the amulet she holds here looks different than the one in the 5th panel (no line through circle), and that she is holding it in the same hand that she holds Innocence. But the association between Innocence and the player's experience in Act 1 seems a little weak here...as does that between the mother and Virtue gems or Nightmare, to be honest.

So who is birthing what?

From the lore, these two historical events jump out as somewhat reminiscent of birth:

a) "Doryani's Cradle" (Siosa's translation of Golden Page 1); and

b) "Imperialus Conceptus" (the founding of the Eternal Empire, ~400 years after Fall of Vaal)

In the latter case the birth would refer to the Eternal Empire, while in the former it would seem to relate to whatever led to the fall of the Vaal civilization--perhaps the birth of Nightmare (or at least the Vaal Oversoul) as a result of Doryani's communion?

When the Azmeri founded the Eternal Empire they outlawed thaumaturgy and (presumably) established the Templars (i.e., theocracy), which may be consistent with the apparently inconsistent symbolism (Thaumaturgists create/enhance life, Theocrats destroy them as abominations). However, this still doesn't seem to explain the second child.

The Vaal were described as "Raising the Azmeri" (title of The Ancients, Book 4), helping them develop from primitive to cultured--but withholding their knowledge of the Virtue gems. And, according to Eramir, the Vaal were the first to use Virtue gems, which would make them the founders of thaumaturgy. This could be consistent with the Vaal being symbolized as the mother of the "innocent" Azmeri line (including the "Pure" theists, including Voll and his Rebellion) as well as the "sinful" line of thaumaturgists (Doryani through Malachai).

However, the text under the stained glass art begins with, "On that day..." which implies a more discrete event than cultural exchange/mentorship. Continuing to follow the Azmeri thread back a little further though, we have Cadiro Perandus' reference to Prospero, the Azmerian "god of lost souls and found treasures." If Innocence represented Prospero that would explain what appears to be two coins in the baby's left hand in panel 1, and the generally underworldly symbolism associated with this child. This would also mean that Sin might represent an (unknown?) sibling god, born from the womb of the same (also unknown) god-mother...

So in conclusion, I have no idea who Sin, Innocence, and the Mother represent; or what Act 5 is going to be about.

You're welcome in advance.

Well, so far my speculations involve some exploration of the Vaal and Azmerian civilizations in act 5. Considering we should go east of Highgate because of that path added some time ago, that would make sense to go to places such as Lira Vaal, the Vastiri plains and maybe the Mount Vastiri ?

Edit: I just realised there are 2 different temples in the Xbox trailer, one devoted to Innocence where Dominus pronounces the exiles sentences (with the crossed descry symbol), and another one devoted to Sin that we see at the middle of the trailer (with snow falling on the ground and the normal descry symbol). It makes me believe there are 2 clans in Wraeclast that believe in Sin or Innocence, and Sin believers got the upper hand (since the half destroyed Temple of Innocence). I still don't know where these temples are located though, but something tells me Sin's in Oriath.

my bet os act 5 is about going back to oriath to fix what made you an exile (read: killing the ppl in charge)