"The Astonishing" World = Greater New York area (+theory about topic of album)

[rumborak]

Don't know how much this has been discussed, but l think with the second map snippet it's now rather obvious.



- "New Pavonya" is a reference to the original name of New Jersey (Pavonia, New Netherlands)
- The left map snippet starts with "YO", which very likely also spells "Yorke", just like the "Yorke Bay" in the right snippet => New York state
- "Endless Isleland" is a long sliver of land reaching into Yorke Bay from the Northeast => Long Island

Educated guesses:
- "Silver Head Mountains" => Appalachians (maybe Catskills in particular)
- Top-left island on right map snippet => Manhattan?
- "Victory Island" => Staten Island?
- Ravenskill => Catskill?

EDIT: Part 2 of my theory:
The Astonishing is an allegory to DT themselves. The Empire is the music industry based in NYC that creates a mechanized drone of artificial music, lulling in people.
The rebels (aka DT) are from Long/Endless Island who play Forbidden Music.


I'm calling dibs on this theory.

[Bertielee]

Rumby, I admire you for being able to make such educated guesses. All this makes perfect sense! So, do you think that what we have here is the rebel area?

B.Lee

[Madman Shepherd]

Interesting observation.  In fact, this is one of the only interesting speculations I've read thus far. 

[The Stray Seed]

Very nice catch, Rumbo!

[rumborak]

*put into OP*

[Ben_Jamin]

Thats a really thought out map, it even has a Yellow Dragon, and Blue Sea Monster in the bottom right of the recent section of the map.

[Bertielee]

Thats a really thought out map, it even has a Yellow Dragon, and Blue Sea Monster in the bottom right of the recent section of the map.

I hadn't seen them Good catch, Ben! Yeah, there is work in all this.

B.Lee

[j]

Good stuff, rumbo.  I'm impressed.

-J

[chego_voice]

 

[Pragmaticcircus]

  nice theory

[Luis W]

Also, "2285" Entr'acte. 300 years after 1985, the year DT formed. No one caught that one yet?

[Kotowboy]

Also, "2285" Entr'acte. 300 years after 1985, the year DT formed. No one caught that one yet?

Other people have worked out that it's also somehow 100 years after 1928... ?

In Astonishing world.

[wizard of Thought]

Also, "2285" Entr'acte. 300 years after 1985, the year DT formed. No one caught that one yet?

Other people have worked out that it's also somehow 100 years after 1928... ?

In Astonishing world.

Yes this was hinted in the e-mails. It said 2285 AD and 257 AC which would conclude that, whatever "C" is, is happening in 2285-257=2028 which is 100 years after 1928 (obviously).

[Luis W]

An album mixing Metropolis and DT history altogether...

In 2310, The Ravenskill Rebel Militia will suffer a great loss. JP was the hipnoterapist. Portnoy was Nicholas, troubled by his past (Victoria = booze; let her go!). Then JP (Hypnot.) fired MP (Nicholas). MM is MP brother (Mike and Mike doh), he enters the rebellion and save the world, because he is simply astonishing!

[Train of Naught]

Also, "2285" Entr'acte. 300 years after 1985, the year DT formed. No one caught that one yet?

Coincidentally, it's also 270 years after our current year, no one has mentioned that either.

[CoT67]

New update, so far it seems to confirm OP's theory:

[Train of Naught]

Wow the pace of these small updates! I'm liking it.

EDIT: Borderlands concept album confirmed

[Enigmachine]

New update, so far it seems to confirm OP's theory:

*snip*

omg two updates in a day

[noxon]

It's not that much of a connection to make though, "Great Northern Empire of the Americas" -- and all of DT lives there... (toronto, boston, ny, ny, pennsylvania).

[CDrice]

Nice catch! Although, like noxon said, when you think about it it makes sense 

So I guess that means the Northern Highlands is what Canada will be called in a few hundred years.

[King Postwhore]

You smart SOB!

[rumborak]

Actually, if Ravenskill = Catskill, the rebels would live in the Northwest, in th mountains.

[rumborak]

Also, right over the "Yorke Bay", it seems to spell " Hell's Gutexay" or something. Probably Manhattan's Hell's Kitchen then.

[The Presence of Frenemies]

Also, right over the "Yorke Bay", it seems to spell " Hell's Gutexay" or something. Probably Manhattan's Hell's Kitchen then.

Has to be "Gateway" right? I zoomed in to try to confirm but it's hard to tell.

[jsbru]

I noticed the "Yorke" in the name of the bay, and the "Endless Isleand" maybe might be Long Island, and thought it might be connected to NYC somehow, but didn't think much of it afterward.  After all, there's a York area on just about every continent...it's a pretty common name.  But if NJ was really originally called New Pavonia, I'd say that pretty much seals the deal.  This is more than just a wild theory, and the names are intentional and meant to be a legit part of DT's story.

[rumborak]

Also, right over the "Yorke Bay", it seems to spell " Hell's Gutexay" or something. Probably Manhattan's Hell's Kitchen then.

Has to be "Gateway" right? I zoomed in to try to confirm but it's hard to tell.

You might be right. The jpg artifacts make it hard to discern.

BTW, pretty sure the "...neland" above it will be the "New Maineland" mentioned in the emails that is the seat of power of the Empire. That would play nicely into my theory again, with New Maineland being NYC essentially.

[Madman Shepherd]

rumborak, your theory is pretty awesome and has gotten me excited again.  When you figured out it had something to do with New York, I assumed it would have some hidden meaning with DT but I stopped short of putting any of the other stuff together because thus far I can't get into the idea that is some sci-fi video game. 

Well, now knowing (er...hoping) that it is an allegory for the band?  I can get behind this concept if it has some real world meaning. 

I hope to god you are right. 

[?]

Interesting observation.  In fact, this is one of the only interesting speculations I've read thus far.

[vazquez]

Rumborak - great theory. If it´s right, I believe this will be one of the boldest albums ever made. 

[MirrorMask]

Well, it could be logical as well, they create a story, they get influenced and inspired by their surroundings and stuff they know, why would they want to come up with an alternate version of Australia and New Zealand?

Still this doesn't take away anything from rumborak's nice idea - and to the credit he deserves for having pointed it out - , I wouldn't mind at all if he was right and the underlying theme of the album was that music, one of the most beautiful arts, is important to the point that in a fictional world it helps to destroy tyranny.

[Illegalastronaught]

 Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmnnnnnnnnnn...

[Train of Naught]

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmnnnnnnnnnn...

You've got a point there but I just can't imagine it.

[Prog Snob]

I'm wondering if Victory Isleland is a reference to Staten Island. Victory Boulevard is one of the longest and most well known streets here.

[rumborak]

I'm wondering if Victory Isleland is a reference to Staten Island. Victory Boulevard is one of the longest and most well known streets here.

I mentioned my suspicion in the OP, but I only surmised based on location. Yeah, that ties it in further.

[RMGadelha]

I really like part I of the theory, but dislike part II, even if it makes sense. Idk, if they are going all out crazy with a futuristic theme, I really don't want it to have that much relation to the real world, and I think a story/allusion between music rebels vs the industry is as silly as SFAM's regression (even though it's still an amazing album).