Duelyst Forums

Life in the six factions

#21

Well, the codex mentions that the sandshield reduces or eliminates the need for water, but I’m not sure if it eliminates the need for food as well. I doubt it, but maybe I’ve missed something.

Another interesting fact is that one of Scioness Sajj’ pictures calls her "the first true scion in centuries (I think) despite the fact that she is essentially an intelligent magitek android created by Zirix Starstrider. I wonder what this means.

Let me know if I’m wrong about any of this, it’s been a while since I looked at those images.

#22

I think it was confirmed that Scioness is an android of some sort.

#23

Yup, she’s a sentient android built by Zirix

#24

I don’t really see the Vetruvians as necessarily more machine-like in their thinking than other peoples. The description of Atar’s invention of the Rite of Melding mentioned that it possibilited not only their prosperity despite lack of water, but also new aesthetic possibilities.

They are not cold and logical utilitarian cobquerors, they are artists that see all aspects of reality as a canvas to paint or raw stone to sculpt, including their own bodies.

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#25

I missed the aesthetic bit…hard to argue after you pointed that out…but I like the necron/Borg head cannon I had for them.

The fact that they, as far as I can tell, have a pharaonic government, and the fact that, excluding very rare gifts out of great gratitude, horde their nigh infinite resources and ancient yet advanced Necro-techmathurgy still lets me hang onto the “cold and logical utilitarian conquerors”.

But it is more likely they are just stuck in their ways and don’t like outsiders. They are after the monolith because it may hold potential for new “art.”

#26

well there was a mention of a first and seconded vetruvian war

#27

Really? Where is that? In a card’s lore?

#28

Yes citation please! It would help confirm my head cannon of their assimilated society even it is has only so far been assimilating their own lands, and are now seeking the Obylisk to start expanding to others!

I can chalk up the aesthetic bit to “Mechanical is better then biological. Order and symmetry is beauty and perfection!”

#29

all check it mentioned a second war so there had to be a first. On a different mater i don’t think the magmar are neutral considering they are taking part in the trial of champions which is a competition to win mana cores this is from the true strike lore.

#30

If you examine their motivations(or lack of) for doing so I think it puts them as neutral good.

#31

I refuse to believe my main faction is assimilatory, you’re trying too hard DA xD

#32

That because I love necrons and borg stuff…snobby, selfish, mechanical, artists just doesn’t have the same ring to it.

I think I have a reasonable case, I didn’t even bring up all the mondcontrol cards. The lore is still rather subjective and limited. What would you prefer them to be/think they are?

#33

I personally like the idea of the Vetruvians being like the British Empire.

It is very easy for me to picture that yellow coloring around one of Zirix’s eyes as a monocle, and Sajj looks like the very picture of a lady. A lady who can annihilate you in one hit but still, a lady.

They could be sort of pompous and high-minded, maybe a little condescending even when they genuinely want to help. The whole culture started off as the work of pioneers, in territory and in science and magic and art and in life as well, so I honestly can’t imagine them deciding to ever stop at one particular point in their development and going, “Yup, this is how we and everyone else should be”. They want to reach for the stars, where their power comes from, and also metaphorically.

But that’s just my impression honestly.

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#34

The way I see it, they do have an assimilation element (I mean, look at how many mind control cards they have), but it is not the core of their society, and most of its members retain individuality, and they prefer cultural domination instead of direct mind-coltrol outside of the battlefield.

I think the artisan element was pushed out of the spotlight and they started resorting to said darker techniques after the war(s), because in the times of Atar Starstrider they became used to peace, safety and a certain autonomy, because nothing in their land could pose a threat to them, and after being invaded they became more agressive and their leaders more authoritarian, creating a empire of former artisans applying their creativity to the art of war.

EDIT
But I don’t really see their faction as a whole based on controlling and converting everyone around them. Instead I think they see themselves as the ones in the defense, and I believe they would peacefully turn their attention back to art and science if they believed no one would attack them again.

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#35

well, i havent read the lore to its full extention but im pretty sure Lyonar are just a bunch of hipocriteses that say are good and honorable, but in reality they aren’t.

Specially Argeon, he always have that mean, hatred full, dictatorship look in his eyes. MAAAAYBE Zir’An is different, like she wants lyonar to take another path. Or maybe she started “good” and turned Lyonar way, you know? and started using her “power”, which is meant for good (healing), in the opposite way, and thats why you have cards that deal damage and heal, or damage because someone got healed. Martydrom follows kinda the same idea: the furthest way of damaging someone is by killing, but it also heals a lot.

#36

The Magmar are highly in tune with the ‘worldtree’. Their mother (the golden chrysalis) was destroyed ending their reproduction. This has been given. The 12 Magmar are spiritual and most spent many of their lives meditating on the universe and the world. They were left the fuck alone by the other factions, until there was a mana shortage. Then starhorn showed up, kicking ass and taking names as the 5th ‘Vanar’.

Starhorn is definitely friendly with a lot of the other factions, seeing as he gave (I think) Kaleos his sandshield among other things. Starhorn, however, is not completely subservient to the Worldtree. The location of the second tree should have been kept a secret but Starhorn wove it into the Magmari’s Dance of Dreams (the race’s collective subconscious). This goes against the Worldtree’s commands.

Afterwards the Magmar tried to advise the Emperor but were distrusted after the emperor felt like he could not trust the Magmar. Now whether this untrust is due to the Emperor becoming unhinged or actual truth. The Magmar spread out afterwards.

From there we know very little, Vaath went to the Magmar continent and gathered all the creatures there for safety, like some kind of lizard-Noah. Starhorn wandered into Vetruvia. The Magmar leader stayed with the emperor, trying to advise him.

My own speculation:
The Magmar are in tune with the tree, they seek for balance but also want to improve the world, otherwise they wouldn’t be trying to help the Emperor and the other Aestari. They were very spiritual but something later in the lore changes them. They are still protectors of the world but became a lot more brutal. I also think they turned against the Worldtree in later days, especially if the Eyos beeing evil speculation is correct (which it seems to be so far)

Very, very far-fetched speculation:
I believe the Magmar compete for the crystals because they have found a way to revive their mother and they need crystals for that, massive amounts of crystals. That or their immortality made them selfish.

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#37

i don’t think so read the end of taygete’s lore

#38

True, but the sisters are also servants of Eyos. So if the tree is evil it’s meaning of ‘Integrity’ might not be all that great for anything but itself. That being said, it’s clear both Vaath and Starhorn are not as spiritual as before. Vaath protects and domesticates the creatures of the Magmar homeland and Starhorn goes out on quests, clearly their ambition is greater than their spirituality currently. They are not complacent as the Magmar were before.

We also don’t know at which point the sisters emerged in the lore, is their arrival a recent thing? Is it something in the past? A lot could have changed.

But yes, I agree that it’s unlikely that they want to revive the dead queen (that is what you’re referring to right?). But it was the one thing I could imagine that would unite the Magmar together and combat former friends (see why Starhorn competes).

A more interesting question might be WHY the dead queen needs to be protected? It’s dead right, what else can happen to it?
why is their integrity needed, why are Magmar specifically requested to have integrity, whereas the other factions can have their hubris?

#39

lithe Mk 2 general skin in the armory also both abssian generals were from vetruvia

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#40

I am unsure if all the other factions can have their hubris. Eyos sent one sister to unite the the Abyssians under its banner to conquer the world, and another to feed the pride of someone from Songhai, but it also wanted to silence Argeon’s bloodlust and make sure the Vetruvians didn’t abandon their spirituality

So I think it is just Eyos trying to manipulate the whole planet into something, whatever that is.