A potential reading of The Dead Ends' story.

[Pofruin]

not the dead ends but the omikrons are a pretty interesting parallel to garleans. they started out as a weak civilization that was constantly victimized by others, and ended up becoming a massively destructive and powerful race that only lived to conquer others by the end

There is more than parallel. Omicron Omega was significant source of technology for Allagans who in turn where source for Garleans. Significant amount of "culture" can be transferred via taking on tools and therefore "problems" those tools are designed to solve. Allagans and Garleans both seem to inherit Omicron culture elements along with their technology.

I think it's really interesting that the people of Etherys are the only ones consistently shown to be able to cope with the existential despair inherent in the universe while simultaneously being the only known place in the universe that's literally incomplete and imperfect by design.

I disagree with this assessment somewhat. Perfection is a nonstarter design element as none of Dead ends nations (or Ancients) where perfect. What was done to Etherians is taken away their ability to push the troubles away. When you cant run from the issue you either deal with it or it crushes you. Putting them away with conveniences or excuses does not eliminate them but instead lets the issues grow to the point where they cannot be pushed aside anymore and are too big to deal with. Thus crushing the people.

[Zohar_Lahar]

I disagree with this assessment somewhat. Perfection is a nonstarter design element as none of Dead ends nations (or Ancients) where perfect. What was done to Etherians is taken away their ability to push the troubles away. When you cant run from the issue you either deal with it or it crushes you. Putting them away with conveniences or excuses does not eliminate them but instead lets the issues grow to the point where they cannot be pushed aside anymore and are too big to deal with. Thus crushing the people.

Yet it was neither claw nor flame, but our very sins, stacked to the heavens where they took root, corrupting its halls