[Spoilers] I’m irrevocably Unimpressed

[Granyala]

Good post. The only thing I’d quibble over is ‘thralls’, as tempering in this case seems to manifest a bit differently to the usual mindless slavishness we’re accustomed to - I’d further add those who summoned Hydaelyn are also no doubt tempered by her and we’ve seen that Light aspecting alone is no proofing against corruption at all.

Well we have no data on that. I think it ultimately depends on the nature of the primal how the enthralled people turn out to be.
For all intents and purposes, we are thralls to Haydelyn right now. Whether she misused that power is the real question.

Does Zodiark actually hunger for more life energy? Would he instigate calamities in order to gain? Or are they merely giving him the energy he needs to do stuff they want with him feeling indifferent about it?

[Lersayil]

Well we have bo data on that. I think it ultimately depends on the nature of the primal how the enthralled people turn out to be.
For all intents and purposes, we are thralls to Haydelyn right now. Whether she misused that power is the real question.

Does Zodiark actually hunger for more life energy? Would he instigate calamities in order to gain? Or are they merely giving him the energy he needs to do stuff they want with him feeling indifferent about it?

All good questions. From the current notes it kind of seems implicated that there is something amiss with Zodiark. The first 2 of the 3 sacrifices seem... logical, perhaps even noble. But then the planned 3rd to resore the population seems strangely out of character compared to the previous ones (unless all 3 was pre-planned?).

I don't think its been mentioned what sort of life they would cultivate for the 3rd sacrifice. If its anything sentient, its back to the good ol' black and white story though (they didn't have the shard excuse back then). Which I would prefer they didn't...

[Granyala]

he Ascians are interesting precisely because of how human this all feels. Most people would deny it but if pushed into a similar situation they absolutely would at the very least entertain taking the same route. Let alone come to see it as just after eons of misery.

You do not need to go to these extremes.
How many lifeforms do we kill each year in order to maintain our decadent western lifestyle? How many habitats do we destroy? How much suffering do we cause to members of our OWN species?

If you look past the pretty curtain of consumerism you will see the cruel truth and it makes it difficult to enjoy the life.

All good questions. From the current notes it kind of seems implicated that there is something amiss with Zodiark. The first 2 of the 3 sacrifices seem... logical, perhaps even noble. But then the planned 3rd to resore the population seems strangely out of character compared to the previous ones (unless all 3 was pre-planned?).

I don't think its been mentioned what sort of life they would cultivate for the 3rd sacrifice. If its anything sentient, its back to the good ol' black and white story though (they didn't have the shard excuse back then). Which I would prefer they didn't...

Considerin that the Ascians in the Rhetoric-room argued in depth about whether they have the RIGHT to help another population in need or whether it would be playing god, yeah toasting a world of unwilling life seems VERY out of character, which is why I posed the question of whether they would still be the great Amaurothian society Emet remembers or whether they would start to do Zodiarks bidding w/o realizing it.

[Edax]

You do not need to go to these extremes.
How many lifeforms do we kill each year in order to maintain our decadent western lifestyle? How many habitats do we destroy? How much suffering do we cause to members of our OWN species?

If you look past the pretty curtain of consumerism you will see the cruel truth and it makes it difficult to enjoy the life.

At least our Decadent Western Lifestyle doesn't include necromancy and human sacrifice. We have to root for the small victories in life.