Zodiark's Codex entry what do we think about it?

[Kozh]

Why were the Amaurotines, a highly scientific people who viewed their Creations as a tools, suddenly describing Zodiark as their 'God' rather than just another Creation?

Because zodiark isn't a mere "creation". Not just because zodiark is born from "imbuing the star by its own will", but also because its heart use a living person, aka Elidibus.

Why were more sacrifices necessary - was it to fuel the aether required, or because Zodiark was hungry and demanded it in exchange for cooperation?

Weakest bait I've ever seen. Next

What are the limitations of Zodiark's powers - could He infinitely generate new life in exchange for sacrifices, or did equivalent exchange/conservation of mass/energy/souls apply? If it was the latter, what was the point in more sacrifices in the first place?

Yeah you totally right, they sacrifice more just because it's fun. Not because zodiark needs more aether. Yup.

Were the Convocation acting this way because this was their plan from the outset, or did the summoning aetherically corrupt them in a way that rendered them His devout servants?

The trio unsundered has confirmed that they will not abandon their people no matter what, so take that as you will.

Who was intended to be the next set of sacrifices - was it vegetables, as was frequently posited by part of this subforum, or were these the other human races that occupied the World Unsundered outside of Amaurot?

There's no single evidence of this "other human race", but okay.

What does it actually mean to Sunder someone or something? Is it murder or mitosis?

Please go back to high school if you think mitosis works this way.

[thegreatonemal]

Because zodiark isn't a mere "creation". Not just because zodiark is born from "imbuing the star by its own will", but also because its heart use a living person, aka Elidibus.



Weakest bait I've ever seen. Next



Yeah you totally right, they sacrifice more just because it's fun. Not because zodiark needs more aether. Yup.



The trio unsundered has confirmed that they will not abandon their people no matter what, so take that as you will.




There's no single evidence of this "other human race", but okay.




Please go back to high school if you think mitosis works this way.

The only differences between zodiark and other primals(not even all of them) is the amount of aether used and a person to serve as a vessel for the summoning. I'd imagine the people of the world were deeply traumatized by the final days and Zodiark, put an end to them. He was created with thoughts of salvation, of course they worship him, not unlike a god.

It's a valid question. The people that gave themselves did so willingly, sacrificing themselves so that others and the star itself might live. Did they do this under the assumption that they'd be brought back? Nothing in the game suggests that. Souls inside zodiark said "We are the will of the star, now and forevermore. That doesn't sound like people who are itching to return. So why the third sacrifice? The final days had been stopped, the planet made habitable again. There was no real reason for it. Maybe Zodiark did need more food.

[jameseoakes]

The only differences between zodiark and other primals(not even all of them) is the amount of aether used and a person to serve as a vessel for the summoning. I'd imagine the people of the world were deeply traumatized by the final days and Zodiark, put an end to them. He was created with thoughts of salvation, of course they worship him, not unlike a god.

It's a valid question. The people that gave themselves did so willingly, sacrificing themselves so that others and the star itself might live. Did they do this under the assumption that they'd be brought back? Nothing in the game suggests that. Souls inside zodiark said "We are the will of the star, now and forevermore. That doesn't sound like people who are itching to return. So why the third sacrifice? The final days had been stopped, the planet made habitable again. There was no real reason for it. Maybe Zodiark did need more food.

Because the survivors wanted there loved ones back and could see a way to do it, and the tone of the EW stuff was that would be done with the ather now rekindled and and flowing through the world again so they'd just be taking that (which is exactly what Venat does once she start parasiting the atheral sea).

[Cleretic]

For a while on these forums, I avoided the use of the term "genocide" for these exact reasons, and would say "mass-murder" or "exterminate" instead. Because I agree with you - using it about something that happened in a video game is really dumb and honestly pretty tasteless.

Personally, I try to use deliberately really ridiculous descriptions, to set the tone appropriately. Describing the Ascians as 'bashing planets together' and the like; it's hard to drag things to inappropriately real places when we're starting there. My one shortfall there is that I don't have one for the sundering, because I literally can't think of a succinct description that's more ridiculous than the actual event.

I do think fiction, even stuff 'aimed at teenagers', is a perfectly fine place to bring in heavier issues and take them seriously; I'm a big fan of Gundam, which is really good at approaching these sorts of subjects even with the 'Wow Cool Robot' element. I don't think they've broached the subject of genocide, but if they were going to I'd expect they'd do it well. But you absolutely have to handle that sort of thing delicately and sensitively, which these arguments... well, absolutely do not. I think the game's approach to this when it actually has done so has been generally quite good, although not perfect, and always really far in the sidelines to the point where it's hard to really point to and discuss.

And...

(which is exactly what Venat does once she start parasiting the atheral sea).

I'm sorry, but what? I'm used to seeing bad faith takes and misinterpretations, but I have absolutely no idea what you could've possibly misread to think this was happening at all.

Did you mistype and mean Athena, or have you misunderstood something so critically that I can't even recognize it? Because Venat never touched the aetherial sea, and deliberately abstained from taking in any aether of any form, even to the detriment of her own health.

[jameseoakes]

I'm sorry, but what? I'm used to seeing bad faith takes and misinterpretations, but I have absolutely no idea what you could've possibly misread to think this was happening at all.

Did you mistype and mean Athena, or have you misunderstood something so critically that I can't even recognize it? Because Venat never touched the aetherial sea, and deliberately abstained from taking in any aether of any form, even to the detriment of her own health.

No I meant Venat with her massive crystal of aether she's leached from the life stream after she sets up there after making herself a primal and entrenching herself in the aetherial sea

[MikkoAkure]

No I meant Venat with her massive crystal of aether she's leached from the life stream after she sets up there after making herself a primal and entrenching herself in the aetherial sea

She lives in the Aetherial Sea, but I don't remember dialogue about harvesting from it. I was under the impression that she IS the Mothercrystal and that it contained and was powered by the souls that were sacrificed for her summoning, with the souls being completely used up specifically because she didn't sip the aether of the world.

[Kozh]

She lives in the Aetherial Sea, but I don't remember dialogue about harvesting from it. I was under the impression that she IS the Mothercrystal and that it contained and was powered by the souls that were sacrificed for her summoning, with the souls being completely used up specifically because she didn't sip the aether of the world.

Nah, mothercrytal is aether from the aetherial sea she harnessed and crystalized over the years after she "became the will of the star". She probably did it little by little as to not damage the Star (that much). She hide behinds it every time she called people there, so people assume that hydaelyn = mothercrystal.

[Kozh]

The only differences between zodiark and other primals(not even all of them) is the amount of aether used and a person to serve as a vessel for the summoning. I'd imagine the people of the world were deeply traumatized by the final days and Zodiark, put an end to them. He was created with thoughts of salvation, of course they worship him, not unlike a god.

It's a valid question. The people that gave themselves did so willingly, sacrificing themselves so that others and the star itself might live. Did they do this under the assumption that they'd be brought back? Nothing in the game suggests that. Souls inside zodiark said "We are the will of the star, now and forevermore. That doesn't sound like people who are itching to return. So why the third sacrifice? The final days had been stopped, the planet made habitable again. There was no real reason for it. Maybe Zodiark did need more food.

No they did not expect to return, it’s clear in EW and was implied in shb. Third sacrifice is nothing more than the survivors of a broken world mourning their loved ones and then seeing a not-impossible way to bring them back.

[thegreatonemal]

No they did not expect to return, it’s clear in EW and was implied in shb. Third sacrifice is nothing more than the survivors of a broken world mourning their loved ones and then seeing a not-impossible way to bring them back.

A method that would cost souls. Because animals and trees weren't getting sacrificed. It would have been beings being created that were capable of getting souls. This caused a massive disagreement that came to blows and the zodiark faction lost said fight. Something I doubt those who gave their lives to save the planet would want.

[jameseoakes]

A method that would cost souls. Because animals and trees weren't getting sacrificed. It would have been beings being created that were capable of getting souls. This caused a massive disagreement that came to blows and the zodiark faction lost said fight. Something I doubt those who gave their lives to save the planet would want.

But who's getting sacrificed here, there were no other groups to sacrifice and the world was functionally dead and needed to be rebuilt when Venat struck so I do see who they're meant to be killing

Edit: Besides if Venat cared about about the sacrifices she would have said something about rather than passing judgement on them for believing in her idology as we see in the scene where she murders everyone we see no evidence that Venat in anyway cared about this before forsaking and damning her own world to remake it along her ideology