so about the Twelve

[MikkoAkure]

Actually, it doesn't. I checked this.

The section on Phoenix specifically says “summon the Twelve” twice, as does a section that you mentioned that’s earlier in the book, directly comparing it to primals. We also know that the aether from the failed summoning contributed to Phoenix, who is an actual primal.

It's only ever described as 'invoking', and an earlier page specifically calls it out as completely different to primal summoning, although it doesn't say how.

Louisoix’s claims do not match reality. He claims he was going to “entreat” the Twelve but everything else including the passage leading into it matches with primal summoning and we know from the raid that they don’t interfere.

I'm always willing to hear out onorthodox experts, but I would argue Gaius is not one in this case.

I wouldn’t be so quick to dismiss Gaius. He and Nero made/refurbished a whole machina devoted to the mechanics of primal summoning, and Gaius had conquered swaths of Ilsabard and seems to have prior experience with primals. He may be just as experienced as we are on the matter and at the time of his speech, he definitely has much more experience.

I double-checked and the Twelve themselves also said in-game that Louisoix summoned primals, which is as close to the real source that you can get.

But...what of the gods who were summoned during the Calamity?
The ones Master Louisoix called forth to protect the realm...

That was not us, but a primal born of your fervent prayers for salvation.