On Themis [6.4 SPOILER]

[Lurina]

While there's layers to it, I don't generally think the reason I like the Elpis and the Unsundered World overlaps with why I like Emet at all. If anything, it correlates more with why I liked the rest of Shadowbringers.

I prefer the Unsundered World and the First (at least before we solved all their problems) over the Source because they're very unique, tonally distinct settings where mankind is in a fundamentally different position to the real world in a way that provokes interesting questions about society and human nature. While the First had similar vibes to something like Children of Men where it's all about seeing the different ways people respond to having no future, Elpis provoked a lot of similar feelings to when I'm reading good sci-fi. I was filled with curiosity about what this world would be like because, with the fundamentals so different, I genuinely couldn't guess. Beyond just Amaurot, how have other societies developed different value systems in the context of having these powers? What are families like in a world where humans are still recognizably human (rather than falling into elf tropes) but live for thousands and thousands of years? How did this strange status quo come about - was it always so utopian and aggressively community-oriented, or was this something they arrived at after a disaster? How the hell does their economy even work? I could go on.

In contrast, the Source is so dull to me. It's a Forgotten Realms-ass fantasy kitchen sink with themes and motifs you can find anywhere, spread out without any underlying direction. I like some of the characters, but I don't give a damn about any of these factions and places - even the interesting ones like Gridania have had all their edges filed off since 1.0. When I hear people talk about how they hope the next several expansions get away from all this cross-dimensional stuff to focus on the Source, it makes me feel like I'm going insane. I don't wanna be here! It's so boring! Ahhhhh!!!!!!!!

edit: Whoops, sorry for sniping your high-effort post, Teraq.