I’m rolling up a lightforged mage and I had a question. What effect, if any, does lightforging have on their personalities? Do they remain unchanged or does lightforging have an effect like what fel has on it’s users?
Just look back on the LFD unlock quest where you helped T’paartos address and accept the root character of who he is. I don’t think Lightforging directly affects you, but it does give a sense of confidence in who you are after the trial.
Given the implications in Mag’har scenario, I would have to say it has a pretty big influence on the beings who undergo Lightforging.
In that scenario we learn that the Alternate Draenor we helped save, has been overrun by a crusade of the Light; forcing conversion or bringing death. All of the Orcs who refuse this Lightforging are killed. And all of those who undergo the Lightforging become slightly insane Light zealots.
Even though the Lightforged Draenei do this willingly, I can’t imagine that their personality remains entirely unchanged.
Those are the Lightbound. An entire different group than the Lightforged.
EDIT: Not saying they are 100% unique to each other. But as of yet there are no turbo zealot Lightforged people purifying Azeroth. At least not any that are supported by the rest of the Lightforged.
True, but still was forged by the Light. Bound by it too, but still a forging
All I’m saying is that it’s unlikely that the forging process (even undergone willingly) would leave you entirely unchanged.
Probably would have been if Illidan had gone along with Xe’ra.
Very true. Xe’ra def had the aura of zealotry and its prob for the best that she doesn’t lead the Lightforged or we might have had Lightbound V2. It was the direction of the naaru as I understand it, that had the Draenei on Draenor to go all Crusade.
Just looked it up to make sure, and the Lightbound were not just Orcs, and were not just those forced to convert.
Also, according to Yrel’s missive, these Lightbound are the Army of the Light in that Universe, and they follow the “Light Mother” who is probably that universes Xe’ra.
I keep her missive in my bags to creep myself out occasionally.
The Light itself doesn’t forge or bind anything. It’s all about who does the forging or the binding. If the Naaru X’era had completed the process she started on Illidan he probably would have wound up Lightbound with severe constraints on his free will. Lightforging however seems to be more of a ceremonial bestowal after completing a set of personal trials, and presumably involves less of a change.
I believe the biggest difference between the lightbound and lightforged is the being that grants the power and leads the factions. We saw how forceful Xe’ra can be in our universe. We saw how dramatic the alternate universe diverged from our own. It would be easy to say the Xe’ra there (or whomever it is), being referred to as the “Light Mother”, is an extremist. To call it “Lightbound” is like signing a contract to serve.
The initial followers did so willingly, blinded in their faith. That leads to examples that lead to more following, until that force is big enough to start purging and forcing people to join. Think along the lines of the Crusades here on earth. Willingly, people of faith followed their leader to force their faith on others or kill them. There are zealots in other faiths as well. But those zealots do not define the faith itself.
When I think of the light users, I think of them in branches, like many religions. The lightbound are the zealots and extremists, following a crazed Messiah towards what they view as a blessed future. The lightforged are AoL who proved their servitude and earnest in pursuit of their Light beliefs. They undergo trials to become better versions of themselves. For the Lightforged, it would be hard to say the process altered their personality, or made them more self realized. Most who undergo the trials are those who already have high faith in the light.
If I am not mistaken, Turalyon is the leader of the Lightforged here. The Light Mother is the leader of the Lightbound. This is a significant difference. Turalyon has a foil with Alleria, which would help keep him grounded. He has advisors and allies outside of the Light, so his view point is not solely molded by the Light. I do not believe the Lightbound have such a system.
We don’t know that. X’era was going to lightforge Illidan most specifically WITHOUT his consent. She continued to refuse to stop when he demanded she did so, leaving him the only choice of destroying her.
If Y’rel has gone to genocidal inquisitor mode, who’s to say that the entire Lightbound aren’t folks who’ve had their mind and body forcibly repatterned the way X’era tried to do?
I assume that your last comment you are actually talking about the Lightforged instead of the Lightbound and my response is again that there is no proof for or against. There are a number of variables (literally an entire timeline’s worth) between the Lightbound & Lightforged. Prehaps you are right and going super saiyan with the Light makes you loco. Prehaps the fact that the Lightforged are led by a lightforged human with a void wife is enough to prevent the crusades.
Right now all we have is that the Lightforged are sane and working with the Alliance and that there is no supporting evidence that Lightforging has altered their personalities.
Right, that is what I was trying to convey. But I was also saying without Xe’ra, and with willing conversion, the Lightforged are probably nowhere near as mentally impacted. They are choosing to serve after already going through training. They already have a light based belief system. Their personalities are most likely enhanced, not altered. But we have no lore saying yay or nay.
Archenon poros.
Sorry about being a little late to the party here, but I just visited and I happen to also be a Lightforged Draenei Mage.
I recall when I unlocked the Lightforged Draenei as an option, the quest chain mentioned that they were warriors without doubt in their cause or fear of death. So yes, I would argue that the process of becoming Lightforged does have an impression on the personality.
Lightforged embrace their path because they want to serve as the light’s judgment. By becoming a Lightforged, a draenei is gifted with the naaru seal of approval. They don’t want to sit and wait for enemies to attack; they want to attack those who are actively plotting to thwart their people and bring harm to the balance of the world. Their philosophy towards war is exactly the same as the Illidari. To become Lightforged is like the Draenei equivalent of becoming a Navy Seal.
As for it having a physiological effect, I would say that is a certain yes. Lightforged Draenei may be seen as a physically healthier, more mentally adept combat unit. They maintain the same agelessness as Velen except they don’t seem to be affected by age (such as Archmage Y’mera). This may be because the light also has restorative properties, making them able to endure more years of hardship on the body, but this indicates nothing as to what sort of mind-wracking, wisdom, or experience this could bring. This is the best quality of the Lightforged Draenei when it comes to enabling player creativity.