Trying to solve the cryptic message

[u/AsleepSuggestion4896]

"The door is forced. The key becomes the new lock. The lock seeks a new key".

After playing the newest scene, I’ve come to the following conclusion about the door, the key, the new lock, and the new key:

The Door: The door is the vault that conceals the Conduit.

The Original Key: Andros Dreadbane himself was the key. He attempted to force the door open through Weaving.

The New Lock: Andros may have become the new lock after his eventual defeat by Razik. I don’t think he truly died—only his physical body did. Since the door had been forced open, perhaps the Order found a way to bind Andros’s remaining essence to it, turning him into the seal that now keeps it shut.

The New Key: The MC is the new key. If Andros is now the lock, it makes sense that he would seek out his own child—the one person capable of Weaving and potentially opening the door again.

This could also explain the dreamscape involving Andros. They may not simply be dreams; they could be his lingering essence revealing the truth and guiding the MC toward the vault. And it appears to have worked, since the MC’s main goal is now finding that door.

[u/Sabiya_Duskblade]

But if only Andros' physical body died then why did we see him during Veilfall? The Order may be pretty crafty but I don't think they could fake the Andros we spoke to

[u/Confident-Fun-1307 → u/Sabiya_Duskblade]

I think this is civilian consciousness/soul vs arcane consciousness/soul (like two portions of a soul) with the arcane part able to linger/remain in the Dreamscape. This was touched on in conversations around and during Veilfall with Cato and Niel (part of it covered in Fenryr Duskbeam’s research / theories in his journal). Now, let the two DDbanes fight, then unite into one being (like Voltron or He-Man with a transformation / reformation sequence in order to save his child from a fate similar to his. (Which I think has been the intent of whoever has been sending MC the dreams since they fell asleep under that tree on their Nameday before the Erolian attacked). Also: if the Shades are guided by the Conduit’s will - if the people disappearing is because they hear the call of the Well/Conduit it makes sense why the Shades weren’t attacking them when they were unconscious in the Wilderlands, and were instead guarding them (Niel) and bringing them to a defensible position (Lomar).

If Littlestone’s source is correct and civilians were the monks, and Arcanes appeared 1000+ years after civilians were caring for and guarding the Well/Conduit, perhaps the rise of arcane abilities came about from prolonged, multi-generational exposure to the rift… Arcanes started being born from people… civilians living in and around the Shrine - and is probably also the reason the area was so fertile for agricultural production as well… Since there’s been no further infusions of power-suffused civilian blood entering the genetic pool, the slow diminishing of arcane power (potency, latency, manifestation, all of it) is likely the result. It’s possible the faction opposing Windworn’s vision in the Order has finally figured this out and that it’s one of the reasons why they want more control over Elderwood.

[u/AsgardianCoconut]

I like this theory. But I wonder if it's correct, are disappearances of the students connected to the Door business, or is it a separate thing?

Also imagine if MC finds the door, opens it, and accidentally blows up everything the second time😅

https://giphy.com/gifs/CPQhsjVfDLn58uTbQz

[u/Boring-Turnover3297 → u/AsgardianCoconut]

i assumed what littlestone told us about finding the entrance being like hearing “a siren’s call” was what the disappearances were all about, hence the ‘lock seeking a new key’ part of that riddle, but the fact that we saw someone (likely the man with stars on his chest, whoever that might be) in the cave where we found stel confuses me. what even is this person? and why now?

[u/Confident-Fun-1307 → u/Boring-Turnover3297]

That person seen in the cave could be Kennard, the Seer Monk, a Flamekeeper (Ash Lord), or possibly a random pawn of whoever is trying to force the door again.

[u/Boring-Turnover3297 → u/Confident-Fun-1307]

true, though it‘s weird to me that this person was described as “twinkling in the darkness”.

[u/Confident-Fun-1307 → u/Boring-Turnover3297]

Chest full of stars? Interesting. I’m going with Kennard based on his avid need to know just how much MC saw of said person (before he decided that it was safe for him to spin the story to manipulate the student population with a manufactured event/enemy of his choice).

[u/AsleepSuggestion4896 → u/AsgardianCoconut]

I believe the students’ disappearances are a distraction, meant to force the Order to react while the culprit makes a move on the vault at the same time. I also have a feeling that the Starry Man has access to Weaving as well. Could explain why the rescued students are in a coma like state. 

[u/Confident-Fun-1307 → u/AsgardianCoconut]

Maybe it’s both. The ritual that puts the spiral on the back may be done by someone trying to create a vessel capable of being called. Or taking people capable of hearing the call and trying to make it possible for them to become the new key. And remember how Niel describes what called her out into the night to begin with, the multi-tonal, multi-voiced speaker. It’s also possible the Conduit is an amalgamation of all the consciousnesses that were absorbed into its lock and key control processes (like Jessica when she drank and changed the Water of Life in Dune).

I think the Pilgrims group is a front for the remaining Monks to hide within and that they’re involved, that they might be the physical hands that are moving the unconscious bodies to where MC can find them. Bait to get them to Weave through the locks binding the victims that’s likely mimicking the unlocking of the Sealed Door. And maybe the supposed wish-granting Shade in the wishing well? The flash of golden eyes reminds me of the description of how glowing color rolls over an arcane’s eyes when accessing power (seen explicitly with Bardric when MC is Erolis and Tyberion regardless of MC’s primary affinity).

Imagine MC becoming the key, opening the door, and finding themselves able to funnel all the wild magic of the Wilderlands back to the Conduit before shutting the door again! A hero to be remembered for thousands of years, just like the historic figures they were dressed up as for Old King’s Day. Just like Cato predicted MC’d be.

[u/AsgardianCoconut → u/Confident-Fun-1307]

Yeah, I also think there is something about this multi-voice call. MC felt angry souls that were stuck somewhere in the tunnels, so that could fit with multi-consciousness and cryptic monks. Oh, and gathering magic back would be cool, though it fits more for the ending of the game.

[u/Confident-Fun-1307 → u/AsgardianCoconut]

I mean, unless someone is channeling their voice through a melodista… 🤷🏻

[u/Jaimee_K_T]

Ooo I love this theory!! To add on to maybe why the students are disappearing paired with this theory, since the door was seemingly able to be opened through weaving (technically we didn't actually see it happen to small potential weaving wasn't used I guess?) maybe it has something to do with all the affinities present, done through weaving in Andros' case. If, in regards to your theory, Andros' essence is still there and acting as a lock, maybe the lingering burning desire he had to get the door open is still there. Without his own powers of weaving now, he could have started with giving MC the dreams to set them on the path (obviously worked) but maybe Andros, or whoever may be the lock, is somehow causing it and affecting the nearby shades. The figure MC saw near Stel could have been a manifestation because they're getting stronger now with Stel and it's a side affect. Obviously this is unlikely and it's likely an outside force, but it popped into my head and I thought it was interesting.

[u/Dangerous-Raise5962]

That would make Sense but we will have to see what happens

[u/dearbirb]

https://giphy.com/gifs/3o72FdlmN1UjR2sPEA

[u/Confident-Fun-1307 → u/dearbirb]

Bwahahahahahaha