How many souls do you think a blessed sibling has?

[fulminating]

Hraesvelgr and elidibus also have taken on other souls with few side effects, especially if you disregard the whole mad primal thing. Hydaelyn as well, but that’s weirder with eating them for energy. I don’t know, there just seems to be something going on with soul assimilation and/or modification that I’m missing a key part of. I’m not expecting it to turn into the matrix 3 either, but that golden divot prophecy mentioned souls too I think? Maybe it’s just a reference to another game, it’s not like souls is an entirely novel territory for the series.

[Dikatis]

Hraesvelgr and elidibus also have taken on other souls with few side effects, especially if you disregard the whole mad primal thing. Hydaelyn as well, but that’s weirder with eating them for energy. I don’t know, there just seems to be something going on with soul assimilation and/or modification that I’m missing a key part of. I’m not expecting it to turn into the matrix 3 either, but that golden divot prophecy mentioned souls too I think? Maybe it’s just a reference to another game, it’s not like souls is an entirely novel territory for the series.

Hraesvelgr has done it with one soul who he was already in tune with. Elidibus possessed countless bodies over generations and suffered from dementia, memory loss, and a loss of identity and purpose beyond his role as Zodiark's vessel, to the point of neglecting to use the one thing that could keep his mind intact even when requested to by one of his closest friends. Lahabrea went from a stoic man of reason to a cackling madman who revels in sadism and acts of wanton destruction after absorbing Hephaistos, who was infused with Athena's memories and personality. Emet-Selch didn't suffer this level of degeneration because he didn't jump into as many bodies and took repeated rests.

We also know that devouring tons of souls can muddle your sense of identity, which is why Zero refuses to devour the souls of her fellow voidsent despite being more than capable of doing so. Even the sovereigns of the void risk being torn to pieces by the souls trying to escape their body if they are ever defeated, which is why we don't encounter the Cloud of Darkness in our second foray into the void after we pummeled her with the help of 23 other adventurers + Doga and Unei.

[fulminating]

Hraesvelgr has done it with one soul who he was already in tune with. Elidibus possessed countless bodies over generations and suffered from dementia, memory loss, and a loss of identity and purpose beyond his role as Zodiark's vessel, to the point of neglecting to use the one thing that could keep his mind intact even when requested to by one of his closest friends. Lahabrea went from a stoic man of reason to a cackling madman who revels in sadism and acts of wanton destruction after absorbing Hephaistos, who was infused with Athena's memories and personality. Emet-Selch didn't suffer this level of degeneration because he didn't jump into as many bodies and took repeated rests.

We also know that devouring tons of souls can muddle your sense of identity, which is why Zero refuses to devour the souls of her fellow voidsent despite being more than capable of doing so. Even the sovereigns of the void risk being torn to pieces by the souls trying to escape their body if they are ever defeated, which is why we don't encounter the Cloud of Darkness in our second foray into the void after we pummeled her with the help of 23 other adventurers + Doga and Unei.

I am relatively sure CoD had already mostly reformed by the time the WoD exit cutscene was over?
Elidibus also ate the partially summoned heroes from across the rift around the seat of sacrifice trial. As with hraesvelgr, these souls would be very attuned to him (salvation given form, summoning specifically the heroic bit).

Good shout about the body hopping and Athena+laha fusion dance, I completely forgot about that. Maybe ascian prime would fall under the same umbrella?

[Cleretic]

Elidibus also ate the partially summoned heroes from across the rift around the seat of sacrifice trial.

Citation needed.

A particularly good citation is needed, in fact, because we know that one of those 'partially summoned heroes' was in fact definitely not eaten. You've gone very far beyond both your own point and the original point of the thread, but I really want to see where you think you're leading.