How many Warrior of Light exist in story?

[Anonymoose]

It's not necessary to have the Echo to face a Primal. What is a necessity a strong will and mind.

To clarify: the weak-willed fall to primal influence faster; we've yet to see anyone who can hold out indefinitely (without the Echo). Recall the Sahagin quest where Maelstrom soldiers were tied up on grounds tainted by Leviathan's energies (where I assume he'd tempered people in the past). By the time you get there, some have been enthralled, some have not - but all would have been had you not arrived.

Speaking of Zurvan, you'd recall that several of the troops present fell to his influence, but others did not.

This, this would likely still be a time thing - being too close to the primal's energies for too long. Krile and Unukalhai both say that the Imperial soldiers have no means of resisting Zurvan's will for long, and when you arrive, they marvel that even half-asleep his aura is corrupting some of the legionnaires.

Strong willed individuals such as this likely composed the Company of Heroes, who I doubt all had the Echo.

I don't recall having confirmation that any of the ones we know had the Echo, really. (Though, if 1.0 had continued on its trajectory, we would have allied with them.) The Company of Heroes went into battle knowing each one might be their last, knowing they might have to be killed by their own men. Tempering was so inevitable that it was sometimes worked into their strategies: the first wave would run in and many would be tempered, the second wave would fight those corrupted from the first wave, and the third wave would attack the primal with those who were able before it could temper more people.

Those are likely most of your companions. <...> I believe our party members receive protection from Hydaelyn by virtue of association with us.

Based on how often the game uses terms like "Echo-blessed" and "Godless Blessed", etc. to refer to our party, I think it's implied that we met them through the Scions of the Seventh Dawn, which has many Echo-blessed warriors in its ranks due to Minfilia's side of the operation. If it was as simple as the Mothercrystal actively shielding people in the moment, there'd be no reason not to bring, say, Thancred or Y'shtola, right?

[BillyKaplan]

there'd be no reason not to bring, say, Thancred or Y'shtola, right?

Other than the fact that the game seems to acknowledge you bring allies along for the sole reason that this is an MMORPG and most content you are forced to run in groups. If you truly acknowledge that other individuals were present, the story falls apart as so many others are rubbed of credit they rightly deserve as they fought alongside you. IIRC, Thordan doesn't look up at you and your comrades and marvels at your collective strength, you alone are present for him to fear.

As for the rest of what I said, yes, tempering would've been inevitable, but there're more than enough examples present to show that just because someone faced off against a Primal does not necessarily mean they have the Echo. That would sadly tie in with canonically yes acknowledging your nameless teammates - they're "acceptable losses", compared to any named NPC.

[Anonymoose]

If you truly acknowledge that other individuals were present, the story falls apart as so many others are rubbed of credit they rightly deserve as they fought alongside you. IIRC, Thordan doesn't look up at you and your comrades and marvels at your collective strength, you alone are present for him to fear.

Only if you acknowledge some quests referring to your allies to mean that your allies are present for every quest, no? Neither the Duty Finder nor the quest journal claim that the Singularity Reactor was attended by any more than you (not even when the Minstrel embellishes it.) While it's true that due to game mechanics you travel with friends into every instance, is there something inconsistent with the black and white line between alone and not alone being to accept what the game tells you? Contrast the Singularity Reactor to something like the Steps of Faith, where it specifies your allies.