This part of Dravania was called Sharlayan, but, as Y'shtola and Alphinaud said, 15 years ago, this place was abandoned when Garlemald started its advance into Eorzea. Later, in Endwalker, we find out that to the denizens of Eorzea, this place was Sharlayan, with the homeland across the seas to the northwest forcibly getting the moniker "Old Sharlayan." Since then, aside from the hermit Matoya, the only people that have occupied the region are goblins, as we will soon see. In fact, we'll be passing through their lands first.
The first major landmark you might be drawn to is the Architekton. I'm not sure of its purpose when this land was settled by Sharlayans, but now, it's the home base for a tribe of goblins calling themselves the Illuminati. Satznswys actually ran afoul of the Illuminati in an optional dungeon I never uploaded the video for, when Brayflox's Longstop was overrun by the Illuminati, seeking her cheese recipe. This will actually be massively important later, so don't forget that cheese is super-important.
To get one of the aether currents, Satznswys actually has to sneak inside the Architekton, and since she's a level beneath the enemies here on Paladin, at least for now, it can be kinda tricky to deal with. Thankfully, a random passer-by gives her a hand.
The nautilus motif is all over Sharlayan architecture, and even their machinery.
Most of the old Sharlayan bridges have crumbled, but one still seems to be standing, allowing passage across the Thaliak River, named for the goddess of knowledge, the patron deity of Sharlayan.
Further south, in the middle of the river is a very ominous bubble field. What could it possibly mean?
Across the river is a watchpost that more peaceful goblins in the region have named Bigwest Shortstop. They keep an eye out here for big monsters and the Illuminati.
You can also hop a chocobo porter from here back to Anyx Trine or Tailfeather.
Catching up with the others, Y'shtola is confident they'll find a way to fully cross the river. We're basically on a tall island in the middle of a delta in the Thaliak River before it goes over a cliff into the valleys to the north.
By the time you approach the tower, you should have found 5 aether currents. The other five in the open world are on the other side of the map, which won't have the delay in visiting sections that we got in the Sea of Clouds, thankfully.
Y'shtola kindly gives the player an Eorzean-to-English alphabet translation for Sharlayan's motto. During the Sixth Astral Era, Sharlayan explorers came to Eorzea to seek knowledge. Arriving here, they eventually came to settle these uninhabited lands, not even by dragons, as a second home for the scholars of Old Sharlayan.
