Why are Sindar dying out?

[Mikain Clan King]

Why are/were the Sindar dying out? They had super hi-tech stuff didn't they? How is it that a civilization that advanced end up with a population almost all died out? Another question...Were they cursed before or after they came up with their technology?
(coudn't figure where to post this, it was either geography/history, character, or plot...I went for History)

[LanceHeart]

They likely were impossibly advanced in the first place before happening upon the Rune of Change. Since they leave behind things that are usually carved into the current geography, that's why some ruins are older than others and the size and complexity of some ruins are huge.

They're probably on the other side of the world and still thriving. They possibly evolved technologically to the point where they could either leave the planet or hide themselves from the rest of the world (it's happened in other series before, so I wouldn't rule it out).

Let's not forget one thing: Technology advances due to change. Change in mindsets, change in methods and a lack of complacency when a technological achievement is reached and applied fully.

It's probably why Harmonia is barely more technologically advanced than an equivalent Renaissance age despite being an extremely old country. Since the Circle Rune means stability and stagnation, it's no real stretch to see that the curses/effects of True Runes also affect the civilization their bearers are leading.

[Mikain Clan King]

Kind of confusing but seems likely.

[Vextor]

There's no indication that the Sindar are "dying out."
They may have disappeared from the world, but they can be elsewhere, such as in another dimension.
The single close encounter we have had with a Sindar is possibly the Fog Ship Captain.
Leknaat told him to return to "The Eternal City," which likely exists on some other "Million Worlds."

[Redheim]

Oh wow, I never really thought about the Fog Ship captain. That's really interesting. And my opinion on the Sindar dying out, I don't know as if they are, but if you look at every great civilization in history, and think of them now, the outcome is obvious. Rome, Greece, the Mongols. They all die out. And what's destroying us Earthlings right now is technology, and what are the Sindar known for?

[Vextor]

Civilizations can be destroyed, such as with the Roman Empire and ancient Greece, etc, but its people still exist. People who lived within the Roman Empire or within the various kingdoms in ancient the Peloponnesian peninsula still live in the same place (by that, I mean their descendants). In the case of the Sindars, the Sindars as a race has disappeared. At least, there are no known Sindar descendants roaming about within the Suikoden world.

They were forced by their rune to move around, but their technology may have allowed them to move to a completely different dimension altogether. Whevever this "Eternal City" is located, it should have properties that nullify the effects of the Rune of Change.

[Redheim]

In the case of the Sindars, the Sindars as a race has disappeared. At least, there are no known Sindar descendants roaming about within the Suikoden world.

It may be just another unjustified theory, but I thout the Falenan royal family was Sindar? I believe this because we can make the connection that the king or Queen of the ancient civilization once had the Sun rune, now the Queen of Falena has it. So whatever ancient civilization was once there is in my opinion, probably related to the Royal family of Falena.

Whevever this "Eternal City" is located, it should have properties that nullify the effects of the Rune of Change.

Do you think that the Big Hole Ruins may be the "Eternal City"? It's very misterious, it's obviously very old, it has something to do with the Sindar or Ancient Armenians. And also just another theory, do you think it's possible for the Fog Ship Captain to be related to Sheepska*I don't know how to spell it*, the one at the end of the Big hole in V?

[Vextor]

I thout the Falenan royal family was Sindar?

There's a number of unexplained stuff about Falena history, and there's no source that can outright say the royalty of Falena decends from Sindars. It's possible, but we don't really have a way to confirm this. All we know is that the first Queen emerged from the cave in Lunas with the Sun Rune, probably from that Sindar ruin. This could have been a Sindar being, or it could have been someone who went into the ruin, found the Sun Rune, and then became Queen.

Do you think that the Big Hole Ruins may be the "Eternal City"? It's very misterious, it's obviously very old, it has something to do with the Sindar or Ancient Armenians. And also just another theory, do you think it's possible for the Fog Ship Captain to be related to Sheepska*I don't know how to spell it*, the one at the end of the Big hole in V?

The Big Hole Ruins is the remnants of Ancient Armes, which existed before the Sindars came along to restore Falena. Thus, that ruin isn't the "Eternal City."

[Redheim]

The Big Hole Ruins is the remnants of Ancient Armes, which existed before the Sindars came along to restore Falena. Thus, that ruin isn't the "Eternal City."

Wait, what destroyed Falena in the first place? I thought it was the Sun Rune? And if the Sun rune did destroy it, it also governs the power to restore life, so I was under the impression that the Sun Rune restored the Falenan region(Ancient Armes), not the Sindar.

[Vextor]

It's probably both the Sun Rune and the Sindars restoring Falena, or the Sindars using the Sun Rune to restore Falena. For example, your main castle in Suikoden V is a Sindar Ruin which is related in some way to the Sun Rune, and the same is true with other the last dungeon, a Sindar Ruin used as a place to store the Sun Rune.

[JanusThePaladin]

There's no indication that the Sindar are "dying out."
They may have disappeared from the world, but they can be elsewhere, such as in another dimension.
The single close encounter we have had with a Sindar is possibly the Fog Ship Captain.
Leknaat told him to return to "The Eternal City," which likely exists on some other "Million Worlds."

I dont think they could be in another dimension, as Leknaat implies in S4 that the removal of a True Rune from the Suikoden world would result in the loss of balance the world needs the Runes to maintain. She had to step in to return the Soul Eater, and keep the Punishment Rune in their world after all.

[Redheim]

I dont think they could be in another dimension, as Leknaat implies in S4 that the removal of a True Rune from the Suikoden world would result in the loss of balance the world needs the Runes to maintain. She had to step in to return the Soul Eater, and keep the Punishment Rune in their world after all.

Yeah, I remember that. The same was true with the Soul Eater and the Fog Ship, right?

[LanceHeart]

That's what JanusThePaladin was referring to.

If leaving the dimension or the planet is out of the question, there are still four more options:

On the other side of the "planet"
We haven't seen much of the world as of yet. They could have secluded themselves for the time being in "uninhabited/uninhabitable areas" (to the regular Suikoden world folk)

Underground
They seem to like digging huge structures into the sides of mountains, under said mountains or just plain dig downward, so it's not impossible. That way they'd still be barely visible.

Underwater
Like the digging, they have a penchant for submerging things or controlling water flow. Since the HQ in Suikoden V was underwater for centuries without being damaged, it's a safe bet they know how to construct water resistant structures.

Airborne
The only iffy option compared to the other three. Since the Sindar are technological masters, it wouldn't be completely out of the question for them to have developed a floating and mobile continent/city. Depending on how picky the Rune of Change is, a mobile city could actually be the ultimate solution to their civilization's curse.

[Zozma]

hmm do you think maybe Viki is sindarian? the sindar are forced to move around right? well she sure does enough of that

(not to start another conversation about Viki, but to also suggest that there are a few out there amongst the SoD and others)

[Mikain Clan King]

She may be but for some reason I thought they were like ghosts/apparation things, maybe I just came up with that in my head when I was little.