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"The lesson will be taught in due time, Aloy. Until then, we wait."
This article contains heavy spoilers. Read ahead with caution.

"Sunfall is a house of clay. If you were to stamp your foot, it would all crumble."
Odund

Sunfall is one of the three main human cities in Horizon Zero Dawn along with Meridian and Mother's Heart. Historically the western edge of the Sundom, it served as the capital of the Shadow Carja, claimed by the followers of the Mad King Jiran.

Sunfall makes a brief appearance in Horizon Forbidden West.

History[]

Beginnings[]

The city of Sunfall was first established by the seventh Sun-King, Basadid. After his younger brother Iriv, the sixth Sun-King, vanished while exploring beyond the canyons of the Daunt, Basadid declared the west "forbidden" and became increasingly concerned about the potential dangers lying beyond the Sundom's border. He ordered the construction of a large military fortress on the western edge of the Sundom and named it "Sunfall." Despite Basadid's concern about enemies in the west, no great threat emerged and future Sun-Kings paid little mind to Sunfall, instead focusing on the homeland from the Carja capital of Meridian.

Revitalization[]

The western fortress fell from Carja memory until it was personally inspected by the eleventh Sun-King Marzid during the sixth year of his reign. Marzid was quickly struck with a vision of a grand Citadel in Sunfall and ordered the immediate construction of a large palace in the city. Once the Citadel was complete, Marzid began using it as a summer getaway from the Palace of the Sun. Many nobles of the Sun-Court joined Marzid and over time Sunfall became a bustling artisan city. Large artworks were commissioned and the Sun-Ring, once used for military training, was repurposed as a stage for pageantry and entertainment. Sunfall continued to evolve as the cultural hub of the Carja Sundom until Sun-King Marzid was succeeded by his brother, the twelfth Sun-King Hivas, whose primary focus was military strength.

The Reign of Jiran[]

During the reign of the Sun-King Jiran, the city became the training site for the newly-created Kestrels, as Jiran used the desert's harsh conditions to test the strength of his elite soldiers. Sunfall eventually became a key location in the Red Raids, as its Sun-Ring became a place of sacrifice. Initially serving to supplement the sacrifices in Meridian, which had been deemed insufficient, Sunfall's own Sun-Ring quickly became even more feared as a place where Carja dissenters were taken to be quietly killed. By the end of Jiran's reign, Sunfall was controlled directly by the High Priest and Kestrels, operating independently of the greater Sundom.

Carja in Shadow[]

During the Liberation of Meridian, Jiran's remaining loyalists fled to Sunfall, with Meridian having fallen to his son Avad. Seeing him as a usurper, the loyalists took prince Itamen and his mother to Sunfall, declaring the boy as the new Sun-King and holding him hostage by the high priests at Sunfall, who declared the loyalists to be Shadow Carja. This soon began a civil war with the Carja of Meridian.

As the Shadow Carja's capital, Sunfall struggled to provide for its citizens - its remote location made farming impossible, and trade was limited due to the Shadow Carja's hostile relations with all other tribes. An impoverished and sickly underclass grew on the outskirts of the palace, while available resources were dedicated to the military in the hopes of someday retaking Meridian.

End of the Civil War[]

After their loss at the Battle of the Alight, the Shadow Carja were left without a royal family or military leadership. The full collapse of Sunfall came when Sun-King Avad offered amnesty to all Shadow Carja commoners, not holding any of them responsible for the crimes of their superiors. The city's poor swiftly revolted against the crippled upper class, turning the city over to Avad's rule.

Sunfall now currently serves as a garrison for the Carja army. Uthid, a former Shadow Carja officer, was offered the command of Sunfall in light of his experiences, but he declined.

Notable Locations[]

Shadowside[]

The first section of the city is the slums, where the refugees who fled Meridian resided. With little available space, the people were forced to live in makeshift houses and tents outside the palace itself.

The Citadel[]

The second and most distinctive feature of the city is the King's palace, a large citadel consisting of balconies and alcoves with a view of the land and the rest of the city. The main room of the palace is the throne room, which is near the center and is distinct in having the Sun-King elevated above the rest of the room, with a commanding view of the arena.

Sun-Ring[]

The third and largest area of Sunfall is the arena, where great games were once held. The design was such that prisoners or criminals would be lowered to the arena without weapons and fight to the death against machines for the enjoyment of the crowd and the Sun-King. Helis often did this to remove people who were treasonous to the Shadow Carja.

Trivia[]

  • Sunfall is located in what the Old Ones called Bryce Canyon National Park, in the state of Utah.[1] Bryce Canyon is located much farther south in real life, even further south than Lake Powell which is not depicted in the game.
  • Banuk Wanderers, Carja and Oseram outlanders, and even some Utaru and Tenakth can be found within Sunfall.
  • If Aloy approaches Sunfall before Sylens makes his introduction at the Eclipse dig site, he interrupts over her Focus telling her to be careful around Sunfall. She is surprised, not knowing who he is. Later, at the dig site, Sylens introduces himself by saying, "it's me again." 
  • Should Aloy attempt to enter the Citadel before taking down the Eclipse's Focus network, Sylens will warn her in a cutscene to turn back as the guards will recognize her due to their Focuses.

Gallery[]

References[]

  1. Location of Bryce Orbital Vantage Point
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