Hints of Wizard101's Next World

The latest producer's letter for Wizard101 is here, and it's hinting at some new places and new characters. Most people have assumed Empyrea would be the next world in the arc, but could KingsIsle surprise us this fall?

Beast Men

One of the images included in the newsletter is named Beast Men, and features two characters who are... quite unique.

Now those will be some enemies to watch! We know that they likely fit in with the location that's hinted at in the other piece of concept art. While this could be for a small, side update, it's more likely - given the time of year - that we're about to get the next world in Wizard101.

Sycorax Jungle

The other teaser image we got is saved as the Sycorax Jungle. Sycorax is a character in Shakespeare's "The Tempest," who's a witch with immense power. It's possible that this could be an NPC, an enemy, or maybe both in this area. 

A lot of "The Tempest," takes place on a remote island and it revolves around a major storm. It's possible that wherever we're headed has multiple references in that same vein. A quick comparison shows that the Sycorax Jungle sure looks like a place that Zander might hang out.

Hidden Lands

There's been plenty of debate as to the structure of this story arc. The general consensus is that there will be the usual five worlds hinted at by Old Cob (Grandfather Spider) - Polaris, Mirage, Empyrea, the Hidden Lands, and Broken Shores, with the last two being references to undisclosed worlds. 

I disagree. I think Empyrea will be the last world in the arc, not just because the most recent KI Live notes that they've been discussing the next arc, but also for reasons outlined here.If these are the hidden lands, they may come before Empyrea.

Empyrea: Not What We Expected?

I think the more likely scenario is that we're actually seeing Empyrea. Maybe not all of it or even the most important parts of it, but it's evident that at least some of Empyrea is going to be a jungle. 

There's more - check out the hair on these guys compared to Ione. Most people tend to think Ione is from Empyrea, though her bio is quite a mystery. She's the most suspicious of us when we first join the Arcanum. It's possible she's the contact for Empyrea and is extra cautious for that reason.

Take a look at those hairstyles. Not only are they very similar, they're both white. Beyond that, they're very abnormal - not resembling anything we know the origins of. My guess? These Beast Men are from Empyrea. Also, consider this. If the setting of this next world is "The Tempest," who better to deal with a storm than the Storm Scholar?

Where do you think we're headed next?

Thanks for reading and see you in the Spiral!