Lightforged and lightbound are they the same?

Lore Story Forum
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I have been wondering if these two things are the exact same process, i personally am not sure. This mostly comes from the talk of the light bound bring a hive mind or mind controlled. The light firged seem to have more free will than a mind controlled person would even to the point of having at least somewhat diffrent views than the narru that firged them. It seems both processes can be forced though lightforging seems to be a more spiritual thing than mond control.

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Hard to say, we really do get much context for what the lightbound actually are.

All we got was from the Mag’har perspective and thats probably very skewed.

Lightforged seemed to retain they’re own motivations as they are playable PC’s Blizzard wouldn’t make them mind controlled. If its the same process I would expect they retain free will.

I think its more the Naruu who the Lightbound follow have a serve the light or die doctrine.

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We know hilariously little about the Lightbound.

But until they actually become a part of the story, I’m going to assume whatever differences between the two are negligible, beyond who they point their swords at.

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Forging a weapon of the light and binding someone to the light do sound like they would be different processes.

In the case of the Lightforged a certain autonomy to act against threats to the Light seems to be warranted for them to serve their purpose as weapons.

As to the Lightbound, it seems like they were initially a peaceful effort to convert and bind Draenor to the Light, creating something of a peaceful collective of like minded individuals. However, once resisted, the nature of the Lightbound as beings who were relentless and single minded in their drive to convert all or kill those who would not be converted underscores the insidious nature of what it means to be ‘bound’ to a greater elemental force - even one as usually benevolent as the Light.

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I don’t think so.

Lightforged are those Draenei, and one Human who obtained a connection to the light after being proven by a trial to destruction.

Lightbound are those whose wills seem to have been overridden and their bodies remade the way that Xera tried to do with Illidan.

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The Light isn’t benevolent
 any more than Shadow is inherently malicious. Both are motivated by their own purposes, and left to themselves see mortals as nothing more than chess pieces in their eternal conflict.

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I dont think the light itself has a will any more thsn the void they are simply opposing forces. Everything below pure light and pure void or shadow ect has a mind but the forces dont. That was genrally why if you have convinction and faith the light will answer anyone because it isnt truly aware.

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I think the only major difference is Xe’ra or whoever is the new light mother is calling the shots and still alive unlike the MU army of the light.

During the audio drama about Alleria and how she gain her void powers, the lightforged throwed her into a cell by orden of Xe’ra even after she saved Turalyon and fought with them for years, so the zealot thing was defanged when they joined the alliance.

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IMO that’s kind of the tragedy of Draenor. There was nobody like Velen or Turalyon who had their own experiences and conscience to tell the Naaru “No we aren’t doing this.” They just had some draenei girl who kept being in the right place at the right time, and probably never paid back that six copper to boot.

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Even Velen had to be tempered by Illidan and by sheer experience of exposure to the conflicts of Azeroth. If this were any Velen before Legion he would’ve fell in line with Xe’ra. It was by Illidan’s influence and actions that both Velen and Turalyon were essentially freed from the charming influence of the Light and to see that balance was very much so needed.

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I don’t know if Illidan had anything to do with it, at least as far as Velen goes. Even when Illidan breaks Xe’ra, Velen’s attitude more or less boils down to “play stupid games, win stupid prizes.” Past stuff like his meeting with Orgrim and Durotan or his acceptance of Nobundo shows he was pretty bro-tier even back then.

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I was going off of the quest text of An Offering of Shadow. It implied to me that Velen has changed over the course of time. Probably due to exposure to Azeroth’s struggles and conflicts up to now. Illidan’s influence was probably the final nail in a slowly built coffin to not have complete and unquestioned devotion to the Light. If this were Velen back on Dreanor, he’d fall right in line no questions asked.

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He did lose a son supposedly, and that seemed to affect him a lot at the time despite us just learning about it.

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i just hope they will be an killable faction in Shadowlands. i would love to see a fight between the Lightforged and Lightbound. clean light vs blinding light

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The idea of Lightforging being mind-control is so far nothing but fan theories.

In game;

  • The Lightforged didn’t intervene or attack when Illidan killed Xe’ra (apart from Turalyon by his own free will)
  • The Lightforged Draenei intro quest shows Lightforging as a spiritual vision journey. Plus the presence of non Lightforged Draenei among the Army of the Light and Fareeya’s words also shows it’s voluntary (that also makes Xe’ra look pretty moderate for a supposedly hardliner naaru).
  • We only get the Mag’har’s side of the story in that scenario with the “Lightbound” and their account is heavily biased (Geya’rah’s clearly got a grudge and none of the Mag’har mention the Iron Horde).
  • Lothraxion the Light Nathrezim is looking more like a Nathrezim who defected from Denathrius to the Light or he’s a mole for Denathrius against the Light.
  • As far as I can tell, it only looked like Xe’ra was trying to swap Illidan’s fel for Light, not mind-control him.

Plus we don’t even know if “Lightbound” is what Yrel’s faction on alt-Draenor call themselves; Geya’rah says Lightbound is a Mag’har term for Orcs who took the Light and joined Yrel (Geya’rah calls them “traitors”, which makes no sense if they’re mind controlled). Plus the ogres joined because they fight for the strongest side - which to them is Yrel’s group.

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https://media1.giphy.com/media/37nUOlOoYC5FPwthz6/giphy.gif

We’ve a necromancer in our midst.

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I just realized that; fitting that I play a Death Knight lol

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Pretty sure the in game book of “Sermon of the High Exarch” is not from the AU Mag’har perspective, and it least appears to reinforce their side of things for now.

“The Light Mother has blessed me with visions. I know that one day the Army of the Light will march across the Great Dark Beyond and bring ORDER to countless worlds. That bold future begins here. With us. We must make Draenor WHOLE again. I call upon you all to ensure the future promised by the Light Mother is fulfilled. Purge the infection that prevents Draenor’s heart from being whole. The Light will forge a new future for the orcs 
 but first we must save the Mag’har from themselves. No more division. No more defiance. In the Light, we shall become one.” Also, note, that the Crystallization of Draenor is not mentioned as a motive.

We also know that despite this being about opposition from the Mag’har (who could be seen as deserving of it due to the Iron Horde, though a 30 year gap “sins of the father” motive is pretty iffy) 
 they weren’t the only infections targeted by this purge. While we do not that some members of Draenor races did join willingly, those that did not were subjected and converted by force. Among them (based on who escaped with Eitrigg) were the Orcs; Ogres; Ogron; Gronn; Goren; Botani; and Saberon. I can only assume that the Shadow Worshipping Arrakoa in the south were not immune to this crusade, and likely did not fare well given their local and type of worship. It is possible they did not survive as a people.

In short, the LightBOUND seem to have committed a largely successful multicultural cultural genocide of the indigenous of Draenor. Can’t wait to see Blizz twist that into something positive and virtuous due to them being an Alliance race.

EDIT: Also, darnit 
 its a Necro lol! Did not notice that.

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I hope that the Alliance starts to Lightforge the Horde, causing their allegiance to suddenly flip to Alliance of their own “free will”

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Then have the leaders responsible betray the Alliance and us being forced to kill them? :smiley: That being said, I am all on board with a bit of exploration of the darkers side of the Light Cosmology.

If the extreme consequences of the Void is Insanity, then the extreme consequence of the Light should theoretically be fanaticism. And the funny thing about fanatics 
 its amazing how easy it is to not live up to their standards. Even if the Lightbound show up and “Ally” with the Alliance for a time, I would guess it is only a matter of time before they begin taking issue with both the varous “sects” of Light Worship practiced by them 
 and religious beliefs like Elune (or the Wildhammers reverence for the Earth Mother). And then they’ll start forcibly converting them as well (with an army of previous forced Azerothian converts at their beck and call to do it). They could be quite the fun if they learn from the Iron Horde’s mistakes.

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