Why are there pixies, etc. on the First but not the Source?

[SannaR]

So, of all things, this got addressed out of nowhere! Or at least, a very closely related answer. Thanks, Anden.

Turns out that back when Voeburt was Voeburt, the fae hid with glamors and were only spoken of in fairytales. Chances are high the same is true of the Source's fae!

I wonder if that's why the Slyphs enjoyed making people dance and enjoy going around using glamors. Think they have the same language on the source?

[Iscah]

I have to wonder whether the moogles are actually a type of fae folk as well.

[SannaR]

This would just make the Shroud the most dangerous place. That is if the pixies really did interact with the Slyphs and are indeed hiding via glamors. As you have the elementals, Slyphs, pixies and moogles. As even though Slyphs and Moogles are normally harmless the antics both of them can get up to can become fairly dangerous. Now throw in two beings that can alter people's physical being that are also normally hidden and yikes.

[Cleretic]

I feel like trying to apply any level of scientific logic (even fictional science) to fae folk is at best an exercise in futility, and at worst completely missing the point of those characters.

I don't think Eo Tyr knows how to spell 'science', despite her playing a horrific game of god in her free time.

[Calysto]

dynamis couldnt get into the world enough to cause influence like that till after zod.

Wasn't the whole point of the sundering letting Dynamis have more influence by splitting aether info the shards (so we get more control over it ?)
Zod mainly protected from "external" Dynamis I think

I feel like trying to apply any level of scientific logic (even fictional science) to fae folk is at best an exercise in futility, and at worst completely missing the point of those characters.

I don't think Eo Tyr knows how to spell 'science', despite her playing a horrific game of god in her free time.

While you're not wrong about trying to apply logic to Fae, Eo Tyr is as scientific as pixies get : She knew the causes and outcomes of the change and act accordingly

[Shadygrove]

IIRC Moogles reproduce sexually.

[True-to-Caesar]

Idk if somebody said that but in ShB it was said that Pixies were actual children who went into some kind of transformation (I don’t remember the details). That’s why they act so silly.

So since it’s not the original race, you will not find them on the Source. Spriggan are different as they’re more in touch with nature and don’t use any illusion magic.

[YianKutku]

Idk if somebody said that but in ShB it was said that Pixies were actual children who went into some kind of transformation (I don’t remember the details). That’s why they act so silly.

So since it’s not the original race, you will not find them on the Source. Spriggan are different as they’re more in touch with nature and don’t use any illusion magic.

Souls of dead children, if I recall. I'd have to dig into my (very unwieldy) screenshots of ShB dialogue to be sure, though.

So they're not completely whimsical and illogical, but rather operate on a child's logic: fun things are fun, unfun things are unfun, and it's all a giant playground.

Personally, I'm leaning slightly towards the possibility that the pixies were once on the Source, but got wiped out during one of the Calamities, or perhaps just non-Calamity extinction. But their behaviour and way of thinking might have survived in some of the other races like the Sylphs, because they once interacted together, like how the Fairy Kingdom of Il Mheg consists of many races. I admit I have no evidence at all for this, though.

[Kakurady]

Souls of dead children, if I recall. I'd have to dig into my (very unwieldy) screenshots of ShB dialogue to be sure, though.

So they're not completely whimsical and illogical, but rather operate on a child's logic: fun things are fun, unfun things are unfun, and it's all a giant playground.

Pixies born from souls of the dead was mentioned as a tale, or a hypothesis:

Minfilia: Urianger once told me a story about the pixies.
Minfilia: They're born from the souls of those who died as children, or so it's believed.
Minfilia: Though they don't have memories of their previous lives, the desire to have fun remains, imprinted on their souls.
Minfilia: And so they live only to play, keeping hapless mortals for their pleasure for years on end. Sometimes even until death...
Alphinaud: Hmmm... In the past, when I sought to identify the true nature of ghosts, I came upon literature examining a similar subject.
Alphinaud: The soul was likened to a core that resides in the aether, and its presence is what differentiates us from such beings as sprites and arcane entities.
Alphinaud: Upon death, said core ordinarily dissipates alongside the aether that composed the flesh. However, it may be held together and bound to the corporeal realm, either by the will of its owner or by means of certain arts.
Alphinaud: In time, the soul may regather aether unto itself to assume another form, or find newly emerged life in which to abide. The pixies may be one such instance of this.

But Ardbert mentioned the creation of Fuath may be similar:

Ardbert: It's said that they are born from the souls of the drowned. Were it not for your little trick, you'd have joined them.

When I played the Pixie tribe quest yesterday the hypothesis was brought up again:

Lugg Aenc: To state a commonly held belief, 'tis said that a pixie is born when the soul of a mortal who died in childhood gathers new aether to itself. Are we following thus far?
Lugg Aenc: Having originated from a life ended too soon, such a soul is often unstable, and is defined by the needs that once drove its owner─needs that are highly susceptible to the influence of outside aether.

So it would appear this belief is commonly held, only that the First does not have advanced aetherology like that possessed by Sharlayan to examine the soul of the fae and verify it.

My personal thinking if this is true (and the game seem to imply it is) is that children's minds are not fully developed in time perception. So pixies have trouble telling the difference between a day, or four, or forever more. Having immortality certainly doesn't help. That leads to many pixies not recognizing men have things like deadlines or hunger or such.

Give undeveloped minds with a deficit in time perception a life everlasting and dominion over the material and aetheric. What could possibly go wrong?

[Kakurady]

So it would appear this belief is commonly held, only that the First does not have advanced aetherology like that possessed by Sharlayan to examine the soul of the fae and verify it.

It could also be the writers giving themselves and "out" to go back on the nature of pixie souls....