secrets-of-aquaria

[secrets-of-aquaria]

Put together, because the screen isn't big enough to fit all of that, it says "within lie final thoughts, Marui the architect". This was somewhat difficult because the lettering is sideways.

Now, for the doozy...

Punctuation added by me for sanity purposes.

"I have angered the creator. The Erulian histories are true. For many years we worshipped Sun, we believed in reason. The pain is becoming unbearable, the transformation is almost done. Kill me and kill the Creator." I think this said by the Lumerian god.

I don't remember much of the end of the game, it's been months since I last played it, but I think the Erulians lived deep in the depths of the abyss, and they knew of the Creator. The Creator destroyed them. The Lumerians, who built the Sun Temple, originally lived deep in the water. They were smart, and scientific. They discovered the surface world, loved the sun with its warmth and light.

In a world where gods are proved to exist, it's rational to assume that something like the sun would be a god.

But the Lumerian's god grew jealous, they created them after all. Anger, and other things typically associated with beasts, can physically change a being of that power. The Lumerian god took on a worm like shape, at least according to the text and the assumption that the worm wrote it. One would assume changing shape like that would be excruciating.

I think the last line is plea. If you could feel your hatred transforming you, and felt the sheer agony of it, you would likely crave death. PLUS, the writing by the architect says "here lie final thoughts", these could've been the worms final thought before truly becoming a worm.

[secrets-of-aquaria]

The Sun Temple is a nightmare of translation. Here's the simplest bit.

"Infuse with light" to allow you to have a light source. Boom, self explanatory puzzle.

[secrets-of-aquaria]

The last of the Mithalas writing (unless I missed any, feel free to check if you want)

In the room with Mithala himself, "you have failed me, your hunger will consume you, feast on the flesh of your own children". I think the "me" in this statement is Creator. All of this came true. The failure is probably Mithala failing to stop his priests (the cultists I mention in earlier posts, I will keep referring to them as cultists because it's funny) from draining his soul to gain immortality. Thankfully, it seems as if Naija was able to kill them.

"Beyond death we hide" is probably the cultists. They did have the ability to slip between being corporeal and being a spirit.

"Rule Mithalas" is confusing.there's not much, if any, context for it. Maybe it's the cultists thinking they're the ones truly in charge? Mithalas supposedly spoke through them. Or maybe it refers to the Mithalan monarchy?

[secrets-of-aquaria]

Part two

"Save us" Mithala was forced too eat his creation and went mad. Partially from guilt, partially from power.

"Eternal heretics" is something that I love the execution of! I mean, using the R for both words? Genius! However the cultists were considered heretical because they couldn't accept that they'd die one day.

"His wrath" again, Mithala went med from eating what were basically his children.

And then we have the big one that took 3 screenshots. Punctuation added by me for sanity purposes.

"As he creates, so will he destroy. Watching us from every shadow, he is the abyss taken form. To new waves we must escape. -Sauguin". Well this is the most direct writing I've seen so far, AND it functions as foreshadowing?! I LOVE IT! Except strangely, the Mithalans were one of the few races the Creator didn't destroy. Though perhaps the "he" in this is referring to Mithala.

Okay heres a huge dump

Part one beca I'm on mobile and can only put 10 pics per post, here's the first 5

"Rainbow soup my only escape" rainbow soup is drugs. Self explanatory addiction.

"Eternal life ternal tera r r" in Mithalas Cathedral, there was a cult obsessed with gaining immortality. One of the cultists must've gone mad and wrote this.

The 3rd and 4th, and 5th pictures are just the labels for a library. Mithalans, or at least the cultists, must've been super religious because there's three whole sections for religion.

[secrets-of-aquaria]

Okay heres a huge dump

Part one beca I'm on mobile and can only put 10 pics per post, here's the first 5

"Rainbow soup my only escape" rainbow soup is drugs. Self explanatory addiction.

"Eternal life ternal tera r r" in Mithalas Cathedral, there was a cult obsessed with gaining immortality. One of the cultists must've gone mad and wrote this.

The 3rd and 4th, and 5th pictures are just the labels for a library. Mithalans, or at least the cultists, must've been super religious because there's three whole sections for religion.

[secrets-of-aquaria]

Right as I finally get around to entering Mithalas, I find writing. "Fear the lord". Lord as in king? Or lord as in a god?

Oh yeah, I also decided to get Nature form before this point because the Kelp Forest is a great place to get ingredients for healing!

[secrets-of-aquaria]

Here's a 4-in-1 post!

From top left to bottom right: "beware" "my dearest rest in peace" "krel and ylia forever" and "does absolution lie above the waves".

First thing, "beware". Obviously a warning, and it's right below the open waters leading to Mithalas.

"My dearest rest in peace" is tricky, because it's right next to a plant you need the Nature form to go through. I do not have Nature form yet. However, this is clearly the person who made the marker giving respect to the dead. Either a god lamenting the loss of their people, or someone who lost someone close.

There it is again, a mention of "krel"! Alongside a new name, "ylia". "Krel and ylia forever" is probably a declaration of friendship.

"Does absolution lie above the waves" is a question. However, if I recall correctly, the Veil is a screen transition above this message. At the Veil, Naija meets her love, Li. She also goes through a temple to earn the Sun form, which provides light no matter where she is. You can't walk on the land above the water, for obvious reasons. Mini fan theory to what this means below the cut for potential spoilers.

The Creator only made the world below the water, and deemed all the races he created to be 'wrong' or 'sinful', except for Naija. Anyway, absolution can mean forgiveness, or it can be a release from guilt, obligation, or punishment. Well, I think that being forced to live under the water and love the Creator or die could be considered an obligation (and/or a punishment depending on the moral compass of a creature).

When you go near the text the first time, a deep laugh can be heard, similar to Creator's voice. So there's a chance it's like a false message? To test devotion? Depending on how one views it, this kid could represent either side of the metaphorical ethical coin! But at the end of the game, he is merely a child who was giving power beyond what anyone should have.

But that's a theory for another day.

[secrets-of-aquaria]

I brightened up the image because this is a darker area.

"Krel will pay" atop "betrayal". The "krel" could either be the name of a species, or the name of the Energy God.

Assuming it's the first, then given the scene crystal lady gives the player has her race fighting the Krotites, I think the two may have had some form of alliance. Protection for knowledge, perhaps?

Otherwise, Naija killed the Energy God. So either way "krel" payed.

Surprise Double!

"Flesh is weak", and right at the foot of the pillar is the Krotite armour, worn by Naija. The Krotites looked canine, and desired power above all else.

[secrets-of-aquaria]

The text in front of Naija's home isn't worth a picture, it just says "home"

[secrets-of-aquaria]

"Light will guide her". Perhaps it's referring to the spirit in the crystal? It seems to be referring specifically to Naija, so it could also refer to one of her forms later on.

Crack theory: it refers to the map, because there has to be consistent light for it to work

[secrets-of-aquaria]

The horn reads "creator". Which, well, to say if it is or isn't would be a spoiler. If you don't care about that, I'm putting it under the cut for people that do.

No, none of his forms or phases look like that.

[secrets-of-aquaria]

This one was tricky! I didn't know which way to read it until I realised that only "H" can be read upside down just as well as right side up.

This stone says "the fallen", and it's also in the Song Cave. So far this place is a treasure trove of lore! These stones are probably graves from before the fall of this civilisation.

[secrets-of-aquaria]

Right above the notes to open the door, another piece of text is found. Put together, it says "for daughter", which could mean the Verse could only be used by the females of the species.

The species in question is shown on the left. I think the part coming out of the top ones mouth could be a visualisation of the Verse.

[secrets-of-aquaria]

The first bit of text noticed, in the room where you learn the Bind Song. The text on the left says "spirit", which makes sense because you learn the song from a spirit.

The text on the right says "remember", which I think could mean two things:

1. Naija has memories hidden throughout the game, which the player can collect.

2. The spirit you learn the Bind Song from is from a dead civilisation, and could be asking Naija to remember their culture after showing her flashes of the civilisation.

[secrets-of-aquaria]

Hi! I'm someone who loves the music in the game Aquaria, and I've beat the game 100% once. The number would be higher, but the final boss is extremely difficult, at least on mobile.

Not every word or phrase will make sense, but with the help of this alphabet:

I'm going to translate as much as I can. I'm going through the game with a fresh save file, and if you think I missed anything, feel free to ask about it!