SPOILER Fruma's Problem Theory

I'm not sure how to start this theory, if it can even be called that given what little lore and information we have on Fruma, but after making some observations around the Imperial Gate and with the release of the Espren teaser, I've finally been moved to make this post (about time lol)

Quick Disclaimer, I may not be the first person to post about this theory, currently I'm not aware if someone else has posted something similar to this and if I have at some point, trust me I have long since forgotten.

So far from what we have, the only indication of a 'problem' in Fruma is the alleged 'war' that is allegedly 'not happening' inside the Fruman walls. Now whilst this seems like it will be a big lore point when it comes to questline when we get to Fruma potentially, I personally reckon there is more going on in Fruma beneath the surface.

So what other issue could there possibly be?

The Fruman Imperial Gate​

Something I've noticed when looking at the Fruman Imperial Gate (FIG) and Espren, is the excess of flora growing in the area. The FIG from the outside appears to be more contained, with an abundance of trees, flowers and bushes bearing fruit akin to a garden.

Now, Fruma isn't in the business of getting people into the province as they seem to be getting people out. Presenting the rest of the realm with this picturesque, neatly trimmed, blossoming picture seems an odd thing to do if they are trying to discourage immigration to the province.

The only answer I can think, is that it's an attempt to flex power and beauty. About the abundance of life inside.

Now, to flex their power I get, but beauty? I don't think there is any reason whatsoever for Fruma to do this? Surely if they wanted to discourage people from coming inside, as the Imperial Guard tells the player, wouldn't a more threatening example be more effective than a bunch of neatly organised and well-trimmed bushels and trees?

Espren​

We see this strong presence of nature inside Espren as well. Throughout the sneak peak, we see many beautiful structures that the build team have incorporated with wildlife. At 0:17 in the video, we see different coloured tulips growing on the rooftops, and even more growing on the tallest building in the town at 1:18, throughout all of this we also see some kind of nether wart growing alongside them. This isn't even mentioning the autumnal trees bearing some kind of block-sized hanging blue fruit at 0:55 and in the title sequence through the blur.

Now, it is mentioned in the update post by Salted, that Espren is the among the poorest villages in Fruma, so perhaps there are simply no means to be rid of the encroaching wildlife around them and that it's just what normally happens to buildings irl over the years. However, the sheer abundance of it that makes up the town is striking, and it's aforementioned colours (large blue hanging fruits) and placement (tulips and bushes on rooftops) I feel indicate something supernatural at play.

Okay, here it is:
I think there is a magical problem growing in Fruma alongside the 'war'. And from what I have seen I don't think it's darkness, I don't think it's corruption, neither Decay nor even a brand new cosmic phenomena we haven't been introduced to.

I think the problem in Fruma, is Light.​

Something underscored in Wynncraft is that neither Light nor Dark are necessarily 'Good' and 'Evil' respectively. They are simply opposite points of a spectrum. With this in mind, surely then, the Light can be just as infectious as the Dark? Some may argue that Orphion would prevent the Light's nature from becoming infectious akin to Darkness and Corruption for the sake of preventing the balance of Light and Dark being disrupted. But we've seen Orphion in their weakened state, if they can no longer maintain a strong grip on controlling the Light to make it fight against the Decay in Gavel, who is to say that instead of slowing down, it's instead focusing it's infection elsewhere...

Why is the Light responsible?
​

My reasoning for this, is because when in the RoL, it is populated with remarkedly large wildlife. Flowers as tall as buildings and trees even higher so with leaves of a multitude of colours. Creatures, which possibly influenced by the parasites of other magic, which even turn hostile towards the player.

Now:

1. If the Corruption causes spikes to grow from the ground and netherrack to encroach on the soil, mirroring the Nether
2. If the Darkness causes eldritch abominations such as toxic sludge to fill the land, eyeball trees to sprout from the ground, and spikes swirling with darkness to mar the land, something which only gets increasingly present the closer we get to the Darkness Portal

If the Light were to infect the Overworld, what do you think it's physical symptoms would manifest as?...

TLDR: For whatever reason, whether due to the weakening of Orphion, or something else at play, I believe that we will encounter a Light Parasite, or some kind of Light influence, in Fruma.

I think with the rise in Corruption and Darkness in the realm, I think it would be a really interesting and exciting notion to explore. How pure Light in the world of Wynncraft can 'taint' the land and harm the inhabitants similar to the Corruption and Darkness.

My apologies if I am unclear in certain places, and thank you for reading this. I look forward to reading all of your responses!

 

Highly doubt. Just because its colorful doesn't mean its light. Orphion is at a disadvantage in the war of the realms mainly bc they were attacked by Dern and Dern had been ruining their turf on the physical plane. The most the light has done in retaliation is affect a tiny part of the Silent Expanse with Lutho's obelisk.

I myself really wish Fruma shys away from the War of the Realms in their main storyline. It'd be fine to have some elements of it, but I don't want it being Corruption 3.0.

 

The whole bit about there being a war was removed. That dialogue no longer exists and there is no mention of Fruma or any war. The whole "there is no war inside the Fruma walls" was cut from the game as it was just a silly reference to Avatar and Ba Sing Se.

The "tulips" and "nether wart" growing out of the rooftops are the leaves and plant matter used to create the thatch rooves, which is why the roof of each building is colored like the autumn trees.

"Nether" isn't a thing anymore in wynncraft.
You can also already see light affecting the Physical Plane in Gavel, with the Light Forest.

Theory is pretty ramshackle because a lot of it is countered by already existing things in game. It also doesn't make sense that there would be this place of highly concentrated light so far out of Orphion's reach.

 

also wanting to point out that Fruma no longer cartoonishly evil as some scene been change in recover the past. So I feel like direction of Fruma has change a bit long time ago.

With a lot of Asian asthetic and looks within Fruma, I like to think that war of the realm(light vs dark) will play some part as like yin and yang version of Wynncraft within Fruma if that make sense.

 

how many of these X doubt images have you posted

 

aside from the terrs in corruption portal being called nether plains

I put X doubt images wherever I start doubting the thread

 

YESSSSSS OH MY GODDDDDDDDD. Any writing that challenges its own status quo is just *chefs kiss*

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Although what I want to see instead is how the darkness tainting the land isn't "harming" life but rather just changing it into something different

 

I can't comment on the whole Light vs Dark thing, but I do want to talk about this:

There are several reasons as to why the Fruman monarchy would want to flex their beauty. First would be to make the homeland look more appealing and prosperous than any foreign land, or any depiction of foreign lands. It's functioning as propaganda both to keep people from leaving, and in the event that someone from the outside gets a peek, to hide all the poverty and famine and whatnot. Side note, I wouldn't be surprised if the Fruman monarchy has a hand in maintaining Espren's good image, as it's apparently the first main town you'll come across. (Even sider note: North Korea has a village called Kijong-dong near the border, which is like a ghost town intended to look happy and lively and clean as part of their propaganda. I also found a YT video zooming into the village, on which someone commented "When you kill all the villagers on Minecraft". I found that pretty funny. And it means there's a precedent!)
The second reason is to uphold the mythological image of the monarchy, to its subjects and likely to the royal family itself. All dicators are vain like that. From what we know, members of the royal family are the only legal and official users of magic in Fruma. Keeping magic from the general public is both one of the efforts to suppress any kind of revolution, and a justification for their (absolute) power, like a divine right of kings. You can't question their right to rule when A) they've clearly been blessed by a higher power and B) you may simply get fireballed into a pile of ash if you do. Justifying their power must also be done internally, for the royal family itself, as no monarch wants their descendants to muck up their legacy.
And the third reason is because everyone with too much power and money is a narcissistic asshole. The only way to get all that power and money is by being a narcissistic asshole. And because they are narcissistic (and assholes), and they have the resources, they commission big projects just because they can. We saw it in Versailles, we're seeing it in Neom, and we're going to see it in the capital city of Fruma.

 

Please tutor me in the art of making people happy I need it. I dream of being a dictator one day.

 

Multiple NPCs ingame as well as territories refer to the Roots as the "Nether."

 

Pretty sure those are texts that never get change, a lot of things in wynn province are pretty outdated in lore rn and still refer root as the nether from what I remember.

 

I believe that Fruma is the physical plane of darkness, so it looks all beutiful because darkness has more power over light hence the physical plane of darkness would also look much more beautiful and appealing

 

are you sure it not because the builders have more experience and more capable of making more impressive build due to the experience they gain from over the years of updating wynncraft?

 

We're talking about lore reasons here bud

 

yes and that not valid point to ame, since you comparing old built with newer built. I do not believe that can be alone can be evidence.

Beside there is never establish idea on the fact that influence make thing more beautiful and appealing by having more power.

 

dern is the gavel equivalent to the realm of darkness, not fruma, bud

 

Dern IS realm of darkness
it not equivalent, it's another name for realm of darkness

 

gotta love community retcons

 

it not even retcon
it been there for a long time