Disrupter and its implications

[Visions of Khas]

It's interesting. The original manual, and history of the Warp Gates, all suggest the Protoss had some measure of technological advancement before the Aeon of Strife.

The Xel’Naga marveled at how driven the Protoss were to plumb the mysteries of the universe around them. The Protoss harbored an insatiable lust for knowledge that led them to develop radical progressive strains of scientific and meta-neural study.

Also, why can't I find the Story section of SCLegacy? I reverted to this excerpt on BlizzLive.com instead.

[Turalyon]

That, and we have no way of determining what parts of the Khala Khas originated or learned from the Xel'Nagan writings.

Besides, how do you know the writings were only about the Khaydarin crystals? If the Xel'Naga wrote about the crystals, clearly they had at least a little idea as to their use. They saw the link the proto-Protoss had (because naturally they'd have to study them to change them into Protoss), and if the ancient 'Toss had that link, then the Xel'Naga had to have known that the crystals were involved somehow.

I'm not doubting that the Xel'Naga had general knowledge of the existence of the psychic link and the role of the Khaydarin crystals in getting the Protoss to their current state, I'm just doubting that the Xel'Naga had specific and ultimate knowledge about the primal link; like how it really works, how it really came about, how it can be accessed/used (the Xel'Naga had countless proto-genetic experiments in which they needed the Khaydarin Crystals - as Zoar's manual quote mention - and yet they could not predict their outcomes and only found "success" in only one instance: the Protoss). If they did have this intimate knowledge of the primal link, they wouldn't have abandoned the Protoss since they can guide them (which is what they were already trying to do by being amongst them) back on the right track.

It wouldn't have to be chaotic or random.

The Nerazim on Aiur never set off a psionic storm when they were living normal lives. Only when they were trying to use their powers in new ways.

I meant the effect of casting the Psi-storm will be chaotic and random, not that they'd be randomly occurring. Either way, they wouldn't be called "High Templar" at any rate given their lack of discipline.

Tal'Darim have been stated by WoG that they don't use the Void or the Khala, and yet, they have those funky green Archons in the campaign.

This seems to support my natural assumption that the nerve cords themselves provide the raw psionic energy. Only way to tell is to have the nerve cords cut off from a genuine Tal'darim Protoss and see if they can use psionic abilities shortly afterwards (and without resorting to void energy).

IIRC, they've stated that the Protoss have multiple industrial planets beyond just Aiur. So, that's likely where some of them come from.

Yeah, I understand that to be the case now but it was hard back then to fathom it when the universe was physically smaller (it was implied everything happened on Aiur) than what it is now and given the crushing blows the Protoss received.

...Psychic cave men?

Honestly, you could argue that the DTS did not retcon the past lore about them having tech pre-Aeon of Strife.

There's one scene that implies they don't have that sophistication in Firstborn, but it's only an implication.

Man, that's confusing. I've always thought they were fairly advanced to begin with anyway (as VoK has pointed out with the implications of his manual quote) and only thought it was changed to them being cavemen in the books because everyone who read them said so.

It would be pretty cheap in my opinion to do that.

Yeah, it would be but some would say that Arkships existing or that the Spear of Adun is the only one left would be "cheap" (moreso when both are taken together) and they'd have a point there, too.

Well, they would have to have somewhere to find the Spear in the first place, and explain why such a location was unknown/hidden as it didn't come to Aiur's aid in SC1 or in Brood War.

One also has to speculate why it wasn't around helping the Terran assault on Char in WoL if they already had it. I can only assume then that it just wasn't there during Sc1/BW and they only "found" it somewhat recently between the end of WoL and LotV.

[Shadow Archon]

I meant the effect of casting the Psi-storm will be chaotic and random, not that they'd be randomly occurring. Either way, they wouldn't be called "High Templar" at any rate given their lack of discipline.

True. True.

This seems to support my natural assumption that the nerve cords themselves provide the raw psionic energy. Only way to tell is to have the nerve cords cut off from a genuine Tal'darim Protoss and see if they can use psionic abilities shortly afterwards (and without resorting to void energy).

Eh, actually, I re-read the Twilight Archon story.

The teacher, Lekila, taught young Protoss all about the Khala, and when they are evacuating with the Zerg attacking, she tries to use a Psionic Storm.

A Hydralisk sneaks up behind her and cuts off her Nerve Chords.

Immediately, the storm cuts out...

For a few seconds.

After her shock and pain settles in, where she first thinks all of her students and the Protoss as a whole just died, it seems like she uses a Psi Storm anyways but does so in a suicidal way. She intended to kill herself and all the Zerg near her.





And she didn't even know how to use the Void there, so it couldn't be that. She uses the Void later after she learns to, but not there.

Also, interesting note that the Nerve Chords bleed energy from the Protoss brain it seems.

Yeah, I understand that to be the case now but it was hard back then to fathom it when the universe was physically smaller (it was implied everything happened on Aiur) than what it is now and given the crushing blows the Protoss received.

True.

I do like that we get to see the Protoss Star Forge in LotV. It allows us to see how the Protoss build things at last, and given how they construct a Stalker Shell, it looks like the Protoss use direct energy to matter construction.

This may be how they build everything of there's.

Man, that's confusing. I've always thought they were fairly advanced to begin with anyway (as VoK has pointed out with the implications of his manual quote) and only thought it was changed to them being cavemen in the books because everyone who read them said so.

I could argue that it isn't a retcon.

This is the only quote of what happens before the Aeon of Strife. The rest of the book's flashbacks takes place at the end.

UP IT WENT, THE HOME THAT FLEW, BEARING THE Ihan-rii, the Great Teachers, the Makers, the Guardians away, away, forever away. Dozens of lithe, purple-blue-gray shapes sprang into the air in futile pursuit, clinging to starkly beautiful crystals that had edges sharp as shikmas. The home that flew continued to ascend, its inhabitants unmoved by either the begging and pleading of those who adored them or the rage and fury of those who would see them slain. Hands now slicked with blood lost their grip and the panicked beings fell to the earth, fell too far to survive, striking the ground with a sickening thudding sound that was drowned out by the overwhelming noise of the departing vessel and the excruciating mental din that threatened to tear Jake’s head apart, just as the pain in his heart threatened to rip his mind apart.

No, no, they mustn’t go, they were everything, everything—

Overcome with despair, Jake fell to the ground as well, thrashing, his dark blue skin mottled and heated with blinding, smothering fear and fury. What would they do? How could they go on? Alone, alone, so alone—

“It is your fault, Shelak! “

Jake was clawing the soil, making gashes in it, churning it up with his anguish and torment. His head whipped up at the mental accusation. He crouched on the earth, shaking, hands and feet dug deep, and stared at the Furinax who had dared think such a thing.

“You are the reason they abandoned us! Now they are gone, gone—”

“Us? We ever served them!” It was Jake’s blood-kin Raamar, answering the filthy slander in a mental retort. Raamar drew himself up to his full height, the bones strung about his neck rattling with the gesture, his hands clenching and unclenching as if they wanted to close about the Furinax’s throat—

“Serve?” The Furinax bobbed its head, its nerve cords flying, a gesture of utter contempt. “You drove them away with your hounding, your pathetic pawing of them, your—”

Jake’s fingers closed on a rock. He rose, took aim, and hurled it hard toward the source of the raging other. Pure ecstasy shuddered through him as the stone cracked the skull. The Furinax toppled in mid-oath, blood and brains spattering.

Good, it was good, and Jake sprang and tore with sharp-clawed hands until the warm blood bathed his face—

While this does sound like primitive Protoss, it could fit with previous canon and the manual just fine since it doesn't outright say they are primitive cave men.

One has bones around his neck, but the Dark Templar have been doing that with Zerg bones rather recently.

They do speak about the Xel'naga's worldship with primitive terminology. They call it "Home that Flew" rather than a starship or spacecraft.

However, they do describe the crystals of the ship as sharp as Shikmas and they do call it a vessel.

Shikma's are swords, and the only Protoss sword we've ever seen is from the manual:



They have to have some technology beyond what they later show to even have Shikmas. They have to some understanding of how to work with metals and a forge to create the weapons.

The Protoss at the end of the Aeon of Strife still have Shikmas, but whether they actually built them during the Aeon of Strife, or kept using them through the time period is unclear.

Their language use is also important to note. The translation convention for Jake Ramsay means the Protoss have a word for brain, and a few other concepts that should be beyond cave men.

So, while the book is too vague here, it doesn't outright retcon the Protoss tech level before the Aeon of Strife.

Yeah, it would be but some would say that Arkships existing or that the Spear of Adun is the only one left would be "cheap" (moreso when both are taken together) and they'd have a point there, too.

I'll have to agree to disagree on that.

It has only been five years since they lost Aiur, so the idea of old Protoss weapons and WMDs still being gathered for the final push on Aiur isn't unbelievable or a bad narrative move to me.

Heck, maybe that's what happened to the other two Arkships. The Zerg found them and got rid of them.

Saying their gone and then bringing them back however, sounds so much worse.

One also has to speculate why it wasn't around helping the Terran assault on Char in WoL if they already had it.

None of the Protoss helped.

The Arkship not being there isn't a problem since the Protoss didn't help them at all.

I can only assume then that it just wasn't there during Sc1/BW and they only "found" it somewhat recently between the end of WoL and LotV.

Probably.

[Turalyon]

And she didn't even know how to use the Void there, so it couldn't be that. She uses the Void later after she learns to, but not there.

Ok then. Seems like the source of raw psionic energy is not in the nerve chords but somewhere else (maybe the brain itself?). This complicates things a great deal because if the nerve chords do not inherently generate the psionic energy and one can still summon energy to cast psionic storms without resorting to the void, then why is is said that the Nerazim have to draw from the void to use their psionic powers?

Then again, my initial assumption is not completely ruled out. Maybe the nerves actually do generate the raw psionic energy but that the body of a Protoss can store a certain amount of psionic energy in reserve for later use. It explains why she could exhibit psionics for that limited time after her chords were severed. If she wasn't taught to draw from the void in future so she could continue using psionics thereafter, maybe her psionics would've eventually fizzled out once the energy pool became depleted?

Also, interesting note that the Nerve Chords bleed energy from the Protoss brain it seems.

Well, "nerves" and "brains" are usually part of a nervous system, so it's not that unusual to have energy flowing between the two. However, the implication that the psionic energy seems to come from the brain makes it somewhat confusing as to why Nerazim need to use the void as a source of energy when they've already still got one (their brains).

I could argue that it isn't a retcon.

This is the only quote of what happens before the Aeon of Strife. The rest of the book's flashbacks takes place at the end.

No need. I've always assumed that the Protoss were not primitive cavemen and this passage does nothing to change it. If this is the passage that people use as evidence of the Protoss as actually being primitive cavemen back at the time of the Aeon of Strife, that'd be laughable. However, as I haven't the read books, I'm sure there's more to it than that though.

I'll have to agree to disagree on that.

It has only been five years since they lost Aiur, so the idea of old Protoss weapons and WMDs still being gathered for the final push on Aiur isn't unbelievable or a bad narrative move to me.

That's fine. Just trying to represent the flipped side of things.

The idea of gathering weapons up for a future assault is fine, it's just that re-discovering weapons that are more useful and powerful than what they initially had but were, in actuality, were already just lying there seems like a cheap way to go about it. It devalues the Protoss because it makes them seem like idiots for not using this technology beforehand and that their crushing defeats are really due as much to their own incompetence as it is to the Zerg. It also gives a bit of narrative whiplash since the status-quo was skewed so heavily in favour of the Zerg (mind you, that direction has it's fair share of problems, too), making the idea of Protoss becoming strong again somewhat incredulous to believe and gimmicky - which this development in LotV can be seen as. Lastly, it sets a sort of precedent that the Protoss can infinitely pull rabbits-out-the-hat by constantly discovering things they didn't know they had to overcome any future problems. Not is this gimmicky in a narrative sense, it's also somewhat at odds thematically with what the Protoss are about and stifles future development since it sort of tacitly makes retrogression (going or looking to an earlier state - usually implied as being worse) a good thing when really, most of the problems the Protoss culture have been sufferring are due to their inability to change/ being weighed down by their bad history.

Heck, maybe that's what happened to the other two Arkships. The Zerg found them and got rid of them.

Saying their gone and then bringing them back however, sounds so much worse.

The manner in which the other two are "gone" hasn't been explained yet, so we can only speculate really. With that context, having them actually still exist isn't so bad. It's no better or worse than saying that Arkships exist and that somehow, there's only one left (which is, incidentally, what we're getting). Even then, Blizz can still pull their well worn "many of the truths we cling to depend greatly on our point of view" excuse to change things if it suited their purposes later.

None of the Protoss helped.

The Arkship not being there isn't a problem since the Protoss didn't help them at all.

Sure, but if they did have such supreme power at their disposal then, wouldn't you think they have used that opportunity to kill their most hated enemy - an enemy who also happened to be at their most vulnerable what with the Swarm being all spread out like it was in WoL? If the reason for the Protoss' lack of involvement was because they were just biding time to retake Aiur, Raynor could've failed in what seemed like a suicidal attack on Char during WoL and then the Protoss would have to contend with Kerrigan harassing them whilst they tried to take back Aiur. As you can see, it raises too many unwanted and unnecessary questions if the Protoss already had the Arkship at their disposal since before WoL.

[Shadow Archon]

Ok then. Seems like the source of raw psionic energy is not in the nerve chords but somewhere else (maybe the brain itself?). This complicates things a great deal because if the nerve chords do not inherently generate the psionic energy and one can still summon energy to cast psionic storms without resorting to the void, then why is is said that the Nerazim have to draw from the void to use their psionic powers?

Because they lack the discipline that the Khala brings?

The Templar, led
by a young warrior named Adun, could not
bring themselves to slaughter their wayward
brethren. Instead, the idealistic Adun
attempted to hide the Rogue Tribes away from
the sight of the Conclave. Adun believed that
he could convince the Rogues of the Khala’s
truth by teaching them how to manipulate their
own latent psionic powers. Although their
powers equaled those of the mighty Templar,
the Rogues still refused to submit their
passionate, free spirits to the Khala. Without
the discipline of the Path of Ascension, the
powers of the Rogues spiraled out of control
and unleashed horrible, devastating storms
across the fields of Aiur.

“Impossible as it may seem, there are those among us who would destroy everything we have sought to build over the last millennium. They question the Khala. They maintain that the right of the individual takes priority over the good of the whole. Some have even resorted to the extreme measure of self-mutilation in order to sever their connection to the Khala.”
------------------
He nodded. “But when you are at the first … station, I suppose … I would come to you and teach you.”

Both Raszagal and Jake stared at the executor.

“What?” Jake managed.

“We can take all the precautions we like,” Adun said, “but there is still the chance they will be discovered. I cannot permit that to happen. The … the fugitives need to be able to cover themselves. To … hide.”

The word was enveloped with distaste.

The templar were noble. They fought well, and proudly, and openly. Falsifying deaths in the first place was bad enough. Hiding the dark templar was difficult to rationalize. But teaching them mental disciplines that they might better avoid detections …

“They could use such skills as weapons,” Jake pointed out, his thoughts directed solely at Adun. “They could become a great danger!”

“Vetraas, my old friend,” Adun replied, including both Vetraas and Raszagal in his thoughts, “if I believed for a moment that they would be a danger, Raszagal would be lying on the floor. If we would help them, we must trust them.”

Raszagal‟s eyes were wide with astonishment. Then, to Jake‟s surprise, she strode up to the tall, powerful executor and dropped gracefully to one knee. She lifted the hem of his robe and pressed it to her forehead.

“Such compassion—I will never, ever forget. I will be a diligent student. And I will do as you ask, noble executor, as I am certain we all will. We will put our knowledge toward keeping ourselves safe. To merging with the shadows, unseen. And when the time is right, we will joyfully reunite with our brethren, for it was never our will to be in opposition to them.”
-----------------
The work Adun, Jake, and all the other high templar were doing with the fugitives was focused on teaching them how to mask themselves with startling efficacy.

Just yesterday, Jake himself had watched, shocked, as Raszagal proudly showed off her ability to become almost invisible.

“You taught us about the concealing shadows,” she said to Adun. “We have studied hard, as I told you we would. Now we can bend light to hide ourselves.”

While Raszagal was the most visibly talented student, the others were not far behind her. Knowing that their lives depended upon learning these psionic abilities, and heartbreakingly grateful to the templar, especially the executor, for saving them, they progressed with astonishing speed.

It worried Jake, how swiftly they moved. “It took us decades simply to learn how to fully share our hearts with one another,” Jake told Adun. “You yourself are learning as much as teaching, for these abilities are hitherto foreign to us. Perhaps we should not push them so rapidly.”

“There is no other choice,” Adun replied. “The net closes in even now. And because they are utterly convinced that this is the right path, they will not relent.” Jake shared his worry. “Soon, we will not be able to hide what we are doing,” Adun continued. “Until I can persuade the Conclave that in this instance they have made the wrong choice, the only protection the dark templar will have is how well they can conceal themselves. It would be so much more efficient if I could link with them in the Khala—but of course, if I could do that, none of this would be necessary.”

Later, Jake would sorrowfully muse that the events that unfolded were inevitable. He and Adun were both right. The so-called dark templar indeed had no defense other than these psionic abilities. And, they were trying to learn too much too quickly.

Jake would never know exactly what the ill-fated dark templar who accidentally brought about catastrophe was attempting. For of course he was not linked with the Khala, and every one of his kinsmen, the beasts of the rain forests, and the jungle itself for miles around were destroyed in the dreadful psionic storm that was unleashed. What was certain was that he or she had tried to do too much, too soon, and had triggered a psionic backlash in which the summoned power raged out of control. This unfortunate soul was not the only one; other dark templar presumably panicked and more and more storms were created as the students, unable to handle such power without the comfort, control, and discipline of the Khala, became the first victims of their own inexperience.

“A psionic storm?”

“Dozens of them,” Zamara said gravely. “All across Aiur. All caused by inexperienced dark templar trying to wield too much power, too soon. Storms that were devastating in their scope; storms that were easily traceable back to their source by the Conclave. When they identified the bodies as those of dark templar they had been assured had been executed, they realized they had been duped by one they had trusted to do what they firmly believed was the right thing.”
----------------
As his templar guards fell back, the Conclave members, now convinced that their own lives as well as the protoss as a race were in danger, began to attack. Jake saw several dark templar fall and he saw the panic begin to spread through them. Their untrained mental powers were no match for the combined might of the Conclave. But they were still a very real danger. If in their defense, one or more lost control again, it would surely create a psionic storm.
------------
He thought of the psionic storms unleashed by the dark templar, the raging, out-of-control energies that had whirled across Aiur‟s surface so long ago, attracted by mental energy and destroying everything in their wake.

Dark Templar were using psionic energy that wasn't from the Void here, after members already started cutting their nerve chords.

It also can be argued that Adun was the first one to use the Void:

Adun said nothing, merely rushed forward, arms spread out, head thrown back, eyes closed. A radiant blue glow emanated from his wrists, and then moved to encase his entire body. Such Jake had seen before; such, he had even done. But what happened next—

The glow expanded like smoke, moving forward to encompass the now-panicky line of dark templar who, until the outbreak of violence, had been walking toward the ship. Now they were running full out, and the cloud of blue settled down upon them and embraced them. What was he doing? How was he doing it?

Jake tentatively inclined his thoughts to Adun's and was sent reeling backward. Not from an overt attack, but from the very power—and the very unfamiliarity—of what his friend was somehow managing to do.

Jake sensed the energies that were familiar to him through centuries of focusing his powerful mind. And there was something else, something strange—familiar yet completely alien to him.

“Both … he‟s using both types of energies—the familiar energy of the templar and the … shadow-stuff of the dark templar!”

“Precisely.”

“But—if a protoss had already used the dark templar energy—why is it so feared and shunned and—”

“Watch.”

Recovering, Jake could only stare at his friend in awe. What was Adun managing to do? What kind of breakthrough in psionic power had he just achieved? The dark templar were seemingly as confused as anyone, but they understood protection, and they moved forward into the vessel. When the last ones had nearly made it through—a party of elderly protoss and small children—the curving, graceful doors of the ancient xel‟naga vessel began to close.

Adun stood, back arched, hands up to the sky, eyes now open. He was swathed entirely in the radiant blue cloud, and as Jake watched, Adun‟s armor, too, began to glow. And his hands … and his face— Blue light everywhere, glorious, intense, too much to behold. Jake had to look away but he could not bear to, could only stare in stunned disbelief and wonder as Adun himself glowed like a star in the night sky, bright, magnificently bright; but stars that burned so brightly always— “

—burn themselves out,” Jake breathed.

Bright, too bright; Jake squinted, but he saw what happened. Saw, and for the rest of his life wondered at it. Tried to understand it, and failed.

Adun's form glowed as brightly, as truly, as a star falling to the ground, transient in its glory, but breathtaking. For a moment, the light came from him, but as Jake watched, it began to consume the executor. Before Jake‟s horrified gaze his friend began to disintegrate. And a moment later, he was gone.

A mental cry of shock and anguish went up among the assembled templar and Conclave. And although Jake did not feel it, he knew that the dark templar were stunned and confused and in pain as well.

The blue glow that had taken Adun with it when it departed was gone, and after a few moments, some of the appalled Conclave channeled their grief toward the beings that, Jake realized, they believed had caused his death.

“Go!” he shouted to the dark templar. “Hurry!”

They snapped out of their paralysis and the last few ducked quickly through the door before further harm could befall them. The door closed right before the first rush of angry Conclave had made it up the ramp, at once sealing the exiles safely away from the anger of their former brethren and entombing them. Their destiny lay in the hands of the gods now.

Nothing was left of Adun‟s body. Jake reached into the Khala, frantically searching for his old friend, trying to fathom what had happened. For the first time, there was no trace of Adun‟s bright and shining spirit in the Khala. He was—gone. Utterly, inexplicably gone, and already the stories were beginning to grow around him, mere moments after his—death? Ascension? What in the world could they even call it?

Jake bowed his head, even as the ship lifted off, bearing the dark templar away from the only home they had ever had and into the face of the unknown. Taking with them, Jake suspected, the truth and the true greatness of what Adun had done.

“Adun, my friend … will this world ever see your like again?”

Jake is living through the memories of Vetraas, the same guy who, with other High Templar, taught the Dark Templar how to use their psionic powers.

He only noted when Adun was using both Khala energy and Void energy that he was using an unusual unfamiliar form of energy. He did not note the same about the Dark Templar's ability to turn invisible or their psionic storms earlier.

Dark Templar can still use telepathy without their Nerve Chords or the Void, so some innate psionic power that is from neither source is at work there.

I'm guessing the innate psionics is the thing only humans have access to? Maybe?

The psionic cloaking without the Void makes sense when you take Ghosts into consideration, and you also have Nova's big psi-explosions from her novel Ghost and the Ghost Academy Manga being eerily familiar to these uncontrolled Psi Storms too.

Then again, my initial assumption is not completely ruled out. Maybe the nerves actually do generate the raw psionic energy but that the body of a Protoss can store a certain amount of psionic energy in reserve for later use. It explains why she could exhibit psionics for that limited time after her chords were severed. If she wasn't taught to draw from the void in future so she could continue using psionics thereafter, maybe her psionics would've eventually fizzled out once the energy pool became depleted?

Maybe?

A Dark Templar taught her to use the Void later on, and that's what she uses mainly from there on.

Well, "nerves" and "brains" are usually part of a nervous system, so it's not that unusual to have energy flowing between the two. However, the implication that the psionic energy seems to come from the brain makes it somewhat confusing as to why Nerazim need to use the void as a source of energy when they've already still got one (their brains).

I'm guessing since they lack the Khala's discipline, the Void is the only way for them to expand on their Psionic powers.

They could nearly cloak without the Void, both implied in the manual, SC2's website, and in the DTS it seems.

The manual doesn't bring up the Nerazim using Void until after the Dark Templar leave Aiur, and you have this statement from the website:

Prior to their banishment from Aiur, Executor Adun taught the Dark Templar how to bend light around them, and wear darkness as a cloak. The ability to merge with the shadows served the Nerazim well, allowing them to adapt and survive on Shakuras, a planet of eternal twilight. As their culture flourished, the Nerazim enhanced their formidable ability to hide in plain sight through the power of the Void.

So, they can do small things, like open telepathy, near-invisibility, and mind melding, but they can only do big things with the Void, or else they face the chance of an uncontrolled psychic boom if they don't use the Void's energies.

No need. I've always assumed that the Protoss were not primitive cavemen and this passage does nothing to change it. If this is the passage that people use as evidence of the Protoss as actually being primitive cavemen back at the time of the Aeon of Strife, that'd be laughable. However, as I haven't the read books, I'm sure there's more to it than that though.

Well, this is the excerpt from the start of the Aeon of Strife.

The rest of the book that has excerpts from the end of the Aeon of Strife does heavily imply a primitive Protoss society.

Huts made from different plants, written language being beyond them, and so on.

Of course, that's fine. The Aeon of Strife was that devastating.

The idea of gathering weapons up for a future assault is fine, it's just that re-discovering weapons that are more useful and powerful than what they initially had but were, in actuality, were already just lying there seems like a cheap way to go about it. It devalues the Protoss because it makes them seem like idiots for not using this technology beforehand and that their crushing defeats are really due as much to their own incompetence as it is to the Zerg. It also gives a bit of narrative whiplash since the status-quo was skewed so heavily in favour of the Zerg (mind you, that direction has it's fair share of problems, too), making the idea of Protoss becoming strong again somewhat incredulous to believe and gimmicky - which this development in LotV can be seen as. Lastly, it sets a sort of precedent that the Protoss can infinitely pull rabbits-out-the-hat by constantly discovering things they didn't know they had to overcome any future problems. Not is this gimmicky in a narrative sense, it's also somewhat at odds thematically with what the Protoss are about and stifles future development since it sort of tacitly makes retrogression (going or looking to an earlier state - usually implied as being worse) a good thing when really, most of the problems the Protoss culture have been sufferring are due to their inability to change/ being weighed down by their bad history.

Hm...

I can understand that point of view.

Ultimately, it will come up to how well LotV executes its use of the Arkship and explain how it was found.

The manner in which the other two are "gone" hasn't been explained yet, so we can only speculate really. With that context, having them actually still exist isn't so bad. It's no better or worse than saying that Arkships exist and that somehow, there's only one left (which is, incidentally, what we're getting). Even then, Blizz can still pull their well worn "many of the truths we cling to depend greatly on our point of view" excuse to change things if it suited their purposes later.

Hm. We're probably just going to have to wait until they actually expand on what the Arkships are. I can't fully judge it yet until I see where they go with it.

Maybe Blizzard can have a LotV short story on the website based on the construction of the Arkships, and the lost of two of them?

Sure, but if they did have such supreme power at their disposal then, wouldn't you think they have used that opportunity to kill their most hated enemy - an enemy who also happened to be at their most vulnerable what with the Swarm being all spread out like it was in WoL? If the reason for the Protoss' lack of involvement was because they were just biding time to retake Aiur, Raynor could've failed in what seemed like a suicidal attack on Char during WoL and then the Protoss would have to contend with Kerrigan harassing them whilst they tried to take back Aiur. As you can see, it raises too many unwanted and unnecessary questions if the Protoss already had the Arkship at their disposal since before WoL.

That does make sense.

Especially if the April Fool's joke wasn't lying about the Spear of Adun's destroy entire planets capability.

[Turalyon]

Because they lack the discipline that the Khala brings?

I can assume that drawing on the void will be required to match the power level of psionics to those generated with the help of the Khala but that still doesn't explain why the Nerazim have to use the void at all. It's not as if they have to rely on it if their primary source of psionic power (which we're speculating is their brains in this context).

Dark Templar were using psionic energy that wasn't from the Void here, after members already started cutting their nerve chords.

Once again, this supports the notion that Protoss have an inherent and internal primary source for their psionic energy which is not tied to their nerve chords or coming from external factors (like what the void is). This raises the question of why the Nerazim ever felt it necessary to draw energy from elsewhere since this implies they can't create the psionic energy internally... when they actually can, as demonstrated by your quote.

Dark Templar can still use telepathy without their Nerve Chords or the Void, so some innate psionic power that is from neither source is at work there.

The psionic cloaking without the Void makes sense when you take Ghosts into consideration, and you also have Nova's big psi-explosions from her novel Ghost and the Ghost Academy Manga being eerily familiar to these uncontrolled Psi Storms too.

Exactly. Makes you wonder why the Nerazim bothered to draw from the void (especially given that their condition was self-infliected and would've been tough starting out that way in the beginning when they just had to learn via trial and error) when the abilities that are assumed to be void-specific can be made up for in other ways.

So, they can do small things, like open telepathy, near-invisibility, and mind melding, but they can only do big things with the Void, or else they face the chance of an uncontrolled psychic boom if they don't use the Void's energies.

It's interesting you say this because unlike what the Khala entails, I've always thought of the void as just being an energy source and not about a specific way of life/philosophy. If Nerazim are prone to uncontrolled psychic booms when trying to use powerful psionic abilities like Psi storm, it shouldn't matter where the energy source is coming from, they'd still cause those uncontrolled psychic booms since the wielder, by nature, has psionic energy control problems.

The rest of the book that has excerpts from the end of the Aeon of Strife does heavily imply a primitive Protoss society.

Huts made from different plants, written language being beyond them, and so on.

Of course, that's fine. The Aeon of Strife was that devastating.

Yeah, there is some sense to them blowing themselves back to the stone age but this is different to them blowing up land-masses whilst being in the stone-age.

Hm. We're probably just going to have to wait until they actually expand on what the Arkships are. I can't fully judge it yet until I see where they go with it.

Maybe Blizzard can have a LotV short story on the website based on the construction of the Arkships, and the lost of two of them?

It's the least they can do. At the moment, it's a bit hard to say specific developments are too cheap when there's very little to go on and prone to change/expansion.

[Shadow Archon]

I can assume that drawing on the void will be required to match the power level of psionics to those generated with the help of the Khala but that still doesn't explain why the Nerazim have to use the void at all. It's not as if they have to rely on it if their primary source of psionic power (which we're speculating is their brains in this context).
------------------
Once again, this supports the notion that Protoss have an inherent and internal primary source for their psionic energy which is not tied to their nerve chords or coming from external factors (like what the void is). This raises the question of why the Nerazim ever felt it necessary to draw energy from elsewhere since this implies they can't create the psionic energy internally... when they actually can, as demonstrated by your quote.

Well, in Shadow of the Xel'naga (bleh), the Dark Templar use the Void for FTL.

She let her ship drift, allowing the currents of the Void to carry it wherever the vagaries of gravity and
solar wind and space might direct it.

We see this in SC2 with the Void Seeker, how it travels in realspace to other solar systems with a shade behind itself, instead of using Warp Space to jump to another location, as other Protoss and Terran vessels do. Since this is a psionic discipline, perhaps their ships require their involvement to navigate?

The Nerazim had only a Xel'naga worldship when they left, so their tech has to be based off what they themselves know, and that worldship. If the Xel'naga used the Void for FTL, maybe it stems form there and onward?

The Void has become the Dark Templar's religion and philosophy, just as the Khala is for the Khalai.

Given their nomadic nature, if the Void was their only method of FTL, then they each would have to learn it to travel.

Beyond that, the short story Lens of the Void has plenty of great tid-bits about the Void:

Feranon turned his attention to the young Nerazim. The commander spoke softly. "Althai, we need to bring a second flux field projector online."

Before the reclining protoss could answer, the telepathic voice of the elder at his side rang out. "My pupil is not ready. He does not have the discipline to handle a second projector."

Feranon focused on the older protoss. "I understand that students usually have more time to learn how to manipulate the void ray's power, but we are in a difficult situation. There are enough ultralisks down there to rout our ground forces. We were commanded to eliminate them, but a single projector cannot break through their armor."

Theromos fairly growled his frustration. "Your second projector may give you what you need to destroy the zerg, but you run the risk of killing your crewman."

Althai interrupted before Feranon could respond. "Commander, activate the second projector. I will try to keep it under control."

Even though the dark templar were not a part of the Khala, Feranon could sense the trepidation in the words of the young Nerazim.

Theromos was quiet for a moment and then spoke. "I have warned you."

Feranon swiveled his chair to face forward.

"Bring a second flux field projector online. Keep the beam trained on that ultralisk."

The tone that vibrated through the ship changed pitch as a second arc of energy sprung up, merging with the first at the main crystal. Once again the ultralisk staggered, but then the beam began to liquefy its tough skin, and the zerg was torn apart, consumed from the inside out.

"Target the remaining ultralisks."

The beam fired, tearing through zerg flesh and bone. What had begun as an army, almost two dozen of the towering beasts, was quickly reduced to ash. The Purity of Form scoured the battlefield until the last ultralisk fell still, its body a smoking ruin.

"Shut down the beam," commanded Feranon.

The vibration that shook the Purity of Form subsided, and the bridge dimmed with the loss of the arcing energy's glare. Feranon turned to congratulate the young dark templar, but stopped at what he saw. Althai lay unmoving.

Theromos bowed his head over the still form. "You have your victory, Commander. It only cost you one of your crew. I will need a new student."

The bridge was quiet as the old dark templar strode from the room
---------------------
"I do not argue against the need to fight the zerg. But Althai was not ready. I had trained him only for a couple of weeks, and he had yet to demonstrate the discipline required to control the Void energies produced by this ship."
---------------------
"There are other void rays in the fleet. Other dark templar acting as Void lenses. They manage. You yourself could fulfill this role for a ship, but you refuse."

"Yes, there are many experienced dark templar, although few with the discipline to manipulate the great forces used by this unhealthy creation of our scientists. As for my reasons for refusing to handle the Void energies, they are my own. I will teach. It is enough. Now leave me to my meditations."
-------------------------------
"The Void is not like the Khala. It does not draw us together and connect us in a blanket of warm feelings. The Void certainly does not offer itself willingly. A dark templar stalks the Void and, through will and discipline, forces it to give up its power."
------------
Theromos continued. "The void ray is one of the first ships designed by the scientists of Aiur and Shakuras working together. It gathers the psionic energies of the Khala, focused through phase crystals, and combines them with the might of the Void. They meet in the prismatic core and then are amplified by the flux field projectors. The energies arc from the projectors to the main crystal, the source of the prismatic beam. However, while our brethren's technologies can align and contain the Khala's powers, taming the Void's potency requires a dark templar to focus and funnel it into a useful form. Without a disciplined Nerazim mind, the forces generated by the void ray will become too wild and cascade beyond control. You must be a lens of the Void. You will need a greater understanding of its nature than you have ever had before, but if you wish to follow this path, I will lead you."
-----------------------
Sharas stood and bowed her head. At first Theromos saw no change, but then he noticed the moving shadows in the room beginning to take on a different rhythm, independent of the glowing reflections from the core. These umbras coiled, connecting to form a ring around Sharas. Cloudy tentacles flowed up from the floor and began to wind their way around her legs and arms, radiating from them like filaments of mist. Sharas brought one hand up, and the tendrils merged around her body, mimicking her movements. The hypnotizing dance ceased when the young Nerazim took a step backward. The Void swallowed her as if she had slipped into a cloak held behind her, the dark ceasing to be a mere absence of light and becoming a physical thing that enveloped and hid the dark templar from Theromos's eyes.

But the elderly protoss didn't use just his eyes. He waited in his seat, only lifting his hand at the last moment to catch Sharas attempting to tap him on the shoulder.

"Excellent, student. Control, subtlety, improvisation—these are but a few of the virtues of a well-trained dark templar. We must work on your discipline and your will."

Theromos released Sharas's hand, and she returned to her seat in front of him.

"I did not think you would sense me."

Her teacher nodded. "It was not easy, but when one has looked upon the Void itself, many things that are usually hidden become clear. Still, if you had been patient and had a stronger hold on the Void energies, you might have eluded even me."
---------------
"Void lens Sharas, we need to bring up the second flux field projector, or we must flee. Can you handle the added power?"
Before the student could answer, the teacher intervened. "You cannot keep doing this, Commander. You put my pupils in danger by rushing them to use this much Void energy so soon. Look at what happened to Althai."

Feranon tried to contain his annoyance. "I would not ask her to take such risks if others were not being threatened. When the zerg larvae below us hatch, they will attack not only this ship, but also our advancing warriors."

"Or it could be that the second projector will not be enough, and you will put Sharas's life in peril for naught," Theromos snapped back.

This was too much. Feranon shouted, "Elder Theromos, I am the commander, and I will judge the hazards and answer for the consequences!"

Before the ancient dark templar could reply, Sharas spoke, her telepathic voice sharp with anger. "Enough! Teacher, I appreciate your concern, but I believe I am ready. Commander, deploy the second projector. I will do what is needed."
--------------------
"You did very well today. I expected you to have more trouble handling the power of two projectors, but you rose to the challenge. However, do not think that this makes you a master. Few dark templar can control the full might of the void ray's weapon. Some have even died, their minds unable to focus the Void's raw energies."
----------------
Theromos shook his head. "You took control of the Void energies through your anger. I could see your fear fueling the strength you needed to keep them within your grasp. This will work for a while, but eventually your passion will falter."

Theromos inspected his student. "Let us try another exercise. Create a stream of Void energy between your hands."

Sharas brought up her arms, holding them apart at shoulder width. As she concentrated, wisps of shadow curled around the fingers of her left hand until the bunching threads reached a critical mass and leapt. The dark tendril flowed between her palms, left to right, appearing on one side and then dissipating on the other.

Theromos nodded. "Good. Now break it into smaller strands and weave them together like a rope."

Sharas's brow furrowed. The dark cord of energy split into a number of narrower tendrils, and after a moment, they pulsed in sync. The new band was wider than before, and individual strands moved in a braided stream.

"Adequate. Hold that in your mind. The rope is strong; it will not break, because your focus sustains it."

The braid tightened, the energy flowing more quickly from one hand to the other.

"Now, reverse the flow. Draw the energies from your right hand and dissipate them on your left."

Sharas struggled to comply. The threads slowly loosened. The motion of the energy stopped and reversed, but the movement was uneven and streams began to unravel.

Theromos pointed to her hands. "No, you must…" He broke off as understanding flashed across the young protoss's face. Immediately the rope tightened and the energy flowed more evenly. If anything, the stream was stronger than ever.

"Excellent." There was respect in Theromos's tone.

Sharas's skin flushed in pride as she let go of the Void and the tendrils disappeared.

"Once again, student, you show your ability to leap to understanding. I expected you to take much longer to grasp these concepts, but you have mastered them as quickly as any student I have known. I caution you, however. Sometimes this leap will be of help, but often epiphany will escape you. If you do not have discipline and will to fall back upon, the Void shall consume you."

The room was quiet as Theromos's student thought about the lesson.

Finally, Sharas spoke up. "If handling this much power is perilous, should we not have two dark templar manage the energies in tandem?"

"That creates its own dangers." Now Theromos looked uncomfortable.

He stood and turned to face the far wall. "I have not talked of this in centuries. But you remind me so much of her."

Theromos collected himself and then continued. "When I was young, the Nerazim were still experimenting with the Void energies, still discovering the various paths to their use and their hidden secrets. I spent many years deep in meditation, following the currents of the Void. But I was not alone.

"Naraza and I were close friends throughout our training; we even passed our Shadow Walks on the same day. She was my complete opposite. Where I plodded, she flew; where I was methodical, she was mercurial. She found her power instinctively, jumping ahead to the answer. In those days, we Nerazim were particularly independent, preferring solitary work and study, but Naraza and I complemented each other well. Together we accomplished much more than we could have individually. My studies were the rock to which she could anchor herself as she cast her mind farther into the Void.

"However, our investigations took us into dangerous territory. We discovered techniques that suggested we could merge to create a dark archon, one that could survive far beyond the usual brief lifespan. Back then, forming dark archons was forbidden due to the great forces they wielded. But we Nerazim have never shied away from breaking rules. Naraza became obsessed, pushing us to develop these techniques. Finally, she laid plans to enact the transformation ritual.

"I followed, inspired by her brilliance, hoping to solve any problems through logic and dedication, but in the end I failed her. As we began the ritual, I found I could not complete it. I was filled with the fear of losing myself or, worse yet, destroying us both. I tried to help Naraza recover, aborting the ritual, but in a fit of pique, she continued on. She would not let my pace slow her down. She reached for far more power than she could control, and it consumed her. In my grief and disappointment, I swore I would no longer embrace the Void energies and instead would teach others to handle them safely."

There was silence as Sharas digested Theromos's story.

It was Sharas who spoke first. "I do not believe you failed her, teacher. I think she failed you."

"It does not matter. She died and I could not save her. But I can teach you to avoid her folly."

Again, the room was quiet. The flickering reflections of the prismatic core swam across the walls in slow waves.
----------------
"We need to bring the third flux field projector online. I understand the danger, but it is the only way we can save the base. Without the extra power, we will not stop the zerg from consuming the nexus. All of our gains during the last offensive will be for nothing." Theromos didn't answer; he merely looked at Sharas. Sharas, brow furrowed in concentration, nodded tersely.

Feranon shouted out his command. "Bring up the third flux field projector!"

Everyone immediately felt the results. The tone that filled the ship changed to an even higher note, one that vibrated throughout the crew's bodies. The beam tore forth, devouring brood lords whole. What armor they had didn't slow their deaths as the void ray's weapon converted beast after beast into flaming debris.
Suddenly the beam began to stutter. A plaintive whine accompanied the ship's vibration. A shriek from behind him caused Feranon to swivel his chair.

Sharas no longer relaxed on her couch but writhed in pain. Dark purple tendrils of energy arced between the cables and her head, racing over the length of her body.

Theromos leaned over Sharas and shouted, "Hold the power; guide it with your will! You must control it, or it will consume you."

Feranon saw her attempt to relax, but a new torrent of what looked like concentrated shadows flowed around her, filled with bright flashes of lightning, and she screamed once more.

"I cannot hold it! It evades my grasp. Please, teacher, help me."

Theromos turned to Feranon, but the commander shook his head. "We need the beam until the attacking force is destroyed. Hold on."

Theromos returned his attention to his student and decisively placed his hands on her head. Immediately the writhing energy engulfed him as well. But where it touched Theromos, it followed a statelier pattern. The tendrils cascaded around and between the two dark templar, pulsing in measured swells, all in rhythm. The thundering tone of the prismatic beam steadied.

Feranon heard a crew member report, "All targets destroyed, Commander."

He swiveled forward at the announcement. "Quickly, shut off the projectors."

The lack of noise from the beam was a relief. But the bridge wasn't silent. A strange tone came from the focusing couch, and when the commander looked, he saw why.

Sharas had reached up to grasp Theromos's shoulder, their gazes locked together. The tendrils of shadow still played over teacher and student, but now the Void energies began to brighten. The Nerazim's eyes glowed more strongly, and wisps of red fire raced across their limbs.

Theromos yelled, "Resist! I know the power is upon us. I know the draw of the Void and the oblivion it promises, but you must resist."

Sharas shouted back, her psionic voice tinged with a deep new note. "The Void calls to me! It calls to us. We could become so much more. Together we could become one with the vast energies of the Void."

Theromos shook his head, trying to break the connection that was forming between the two dark templar. "And we would be lost. You would be lost. Let it go. Return to your merely physical form and be content."

His words must have had some effect upon Sharas, because slowly the tendrils dissipated and the shadows faded.

Soon only two exhausted Nerazim remained.

The fact that the Khala itself is a source of power here that can be drawn from artificially by machines is interesting. The original lore about the Warp Ray, before it became the Void Ray, was that it used the Void's energies and the Psionic Matrix's energies. This is either an interesting change or them stating the Psionic Matrix is the Khala...

And if that's the case, yeah, the word just became a lot more confusing.

Anyways, unlike the Khala, the Protoss can't draw from the Void artificially. That goes hand in hand with the idea that the Dark Templar need to guide their ships at FTL through the Void themselves.

The Dark Templar can channel the Void through themselves to a machine.

The Void also can consume the Dark Templar if they try and do too much. They have to have a discipline and will to control it properly. This seems similar to the normal psionics, but it seems as if the Void has a larger room for error. If they do fail, it won't create a psi-storm, but the Void Energy will burn out the Dark Templar to the point of death.

The Void discipline seems different from the Khala. With the Khala, you can share your burden and rely on others. With the Void, you have to have your own will and your own strength.

The Void, unlike the Khala, also seems to have a...siren call when you draw upon it. It feels good to draw energy from it, and you don't want to stop. While you may argue that the Khala does have an addictive quality, there is no threat of imminent physical death if you fully embrace the Khala.

The main thing, it seems as if the Dark Templar have created a working mental discipline to use the Void, but can not apply this discipline to use their innate psionic powers. The Khala allows a Protoss to share their burden and have the mental fortitude when using either their innate power or draw energy from the Link itself.

I'm guessing the Nerve Chords, beyond the Link, allow a Protoss to store additional power and acts as a capacitor. Without the Nerve Chords, a Protoss can only handle so much energy at one time before a fatal act occurs. With the innate powers, this creates a Psi Storm. With the Void, it simply kills the Protoss and dissipates back to where it came from.

The Void, from what I'm understanding, has more uses and is much more powerful than just their innate psionic power. Wince the discipline to control the Void benefits a strong-willed and independent mind-set, which is exactly what the Nerazim had when they left Shakuras, along with the Dark Templar witnessing the Twilight Messiah use the Void for the first time to protect them, and with it being integral to their method of FTL, I can understand why the Nerazim globally use it rather than just focusing on their innate powers.

The Void just has so many more benefits.

There's also the fact that the Void prevents Zerg infestation and assimilation.

Exactly. Makes you wonder why the Nerazim bothered to draw from the void (especially given that their condition was self-infliected and would've been tough starting out that way in the beginning when they just had to learn via trial and error) when the abilities that are assumed to be void-specific can be made up for in other ways.

Well, we've only seen a few non-Void, non-Khala psi-powers, and most of that is from the Terrans and Kerrigan.

It's not too clear if the Protoss could do all of the same things Terrans do without the Void or Khala.

Seeing as the Dark Templar also could use the Void to enhance their basic powers, as seen in the quote about their invisibility, it seems as if the benefits of the Void is just at the point where no Nerazim is not taught it when they are young.

Once we play the campaign, it will be interesting to see what the Tal'Darim can do since they use neither. They may have their Nerve Chords still, but it will be interesting what they can do just with the innate power they have.

It's interesting you say this because unlike what the Khala entails, I've always thought of the void as just being an energy source and not about a specific way of life/philosophy.

Nah. The Nerazim have created a way of life and philosophy around the Void.

Yeah, I mean, basically, any protoss that is a part of the Khala is going to have an enormous psionic energy to draw on and can create, you know, obviously, weapons and blades with it. The dark templar, you now, in all of the lore, they, because they chose to go their own way and they don’t have the power of the Khala behind them, but they have the power of enormously strong individual will. It's sort of, I’m giving a long-winded version of the answer, I think, that Chris just gave. One is pulling that power from within whereas the dark templar have to take what is around them, the void, and manifest it. It is a completely different philosophy, but both are really cool weapons.

If Nerazim are prone to uncontrolled psychic booms when trying to use powerful psionic abilities like Psi storm,

They weren't trying to use Psionic Storms. It was their lack of discipline about using their innate power for greater things than just telepathy and such.

it shouldn't matter where the energy source is coming from, they'd still cause those uncontrolled psychic booms since the wielder, by nature, has psionic energy control problems.

I just gave a quote that displays what happens if Nerazim channels too much Void energy.

There is no Psi-boom. Only when they try and use too much of the innate psi energy does that cause a problem.

The way they manipulate both seem to be different, as well as how the energies act.

[Turalyon]

The Nerazim had only a Xel'naga worldship when they left, so their tech has to be based off what they themselves know, and that worldship. If the Xel'naga used the Void for FTL, maybe it stems form there and onward?

Given their nomadic nature, if the Void was their only method of FTL, then they each would have to learn it to travel.

It's a pretty big "if" in regards to Xel'Naga ships being powered by void even though the rest logically flows from that assumption. The use of void in the Nerazim's current ships can't be seen as concrete evidence that they always and initially needed the void to begin with to power their ships since they could have just evolved and adapted their ships to use void after they mastered using it themselves first. Still, it is a possible reason.

The Void has become the Dark Templar's religion and philosophy, just as the Khala is for the Khalai.

This kinda makes the term "Void" even more ill-defined and messy than trying to understand what the term "Khala" denotes. Let's not go down that path again....

The fact that the Khala itself is a source of power here that can be drawn from artificially by machines is interesting. The original lore about the Warp Ray, before it became the Void Ray, was that it used the Void's energies and the Psionic Matrix's energies. This is either an interesting change or them stating the Psionic Matrix is the Khala...

And if that's the case, yeah, the word just became a lot more confusing.

Yeesh, the Psionic Matrix being called the Khala as well? Well, I'm assuming the current description of the Void Ray is more true given it being more current and it says it draws energy from the Khala and Void, so hopefully that avoid having to scratch our heads about the Psionic matrix.

As to the Khala being a psionic energy source, well, I guess that's a third thing (along with it being a psychic link and a philosophy) that's to be included in its description now? I see the Khala more as a catalyst for psionic powers but not the true source, especially since we've established Protoss without the Khala or void can still source psionic energy (we haven't established where ultimately though) to use psionic powers - like the Tal'Darim.

Also, machines drawing psionic energy from elsewhere isn't so much a new thing, I think, since the Zealot's forearm bands are essentially machines with which they collect, channel and emit the users psionic energy into psi-blades.

The Void, from what I'm understanding, has more uses and is much more powerful than just their innate psionic power. Wince the discipline to control the Void benefits a strong-willed and independent mind-set, which is exactly what the Nerazim had when they left Shakuras, along with the Dark Templar witnessing the Twilight Messiah use the Void for the first time to protect them, and with it being integral to their method of FTL, I can understand why the Nerazim globally use it rather than just focusing on their innate powers.

The Void just has so many more benefits.

Oh, I can understand the benefit as they are now but I wouldn't think the early Nerazim could have fathomed its true potential from the beginning given the perils of using it - it could kill you, was difficult to control (since they didn't have a system at first - they had to work on it) and that it was addictive - would've been identified fairly quickly for those very first practitioners and would have been a deterrent to using it. As such, since the Protoss still have innate psionic powers despite having their nerve chords cut-off, I still don't see a real need for the early Nerazim to draw from the void at that particular point in time other than the speculative need for it to fly their ships.

There's also the fact that the Void prevents Zerg infestation and assimilation.

I don't think that was a priority for the early Nerazim though.

Makes me wonder though. If the Khala and Void protect the Protoss from Zerg infestation and assimilation, wouldn't this make the Tal-Darim (who do not use the Khala or Void based on what you said) susceptible to such a thing? Hmmmmmmmmmmm.

It's not too clear if the Protoss could do all of the same things Terrans do without the Void or Khala.

Once we play the campaign, it will be interesting to see what the Tal'Darim can do since they use neither. They may have their Nerve Chords still, but it will be interesting what they can do just with the innate power they have.

I'm pretty sure that even a gimped average Protoss like the Tal-darim could still do more psionically than an average Terran ghost could since the former can at least form a psionic storm whilst the latter cannot. Kerrigan doesn't really count because she's technically not wholly human.

The Nerazim have created a way of life and philosophy around the Void.

Yeah, but this "way of life" is not also called "the Void" (like it is with the Khala) as well, is it? Man, this stuff is confusing...

They weren't trying to use Psionic Storms. It was their lack of discipline about using their innate power for greater things than just telepathy and such.

There is no Psi-boom. Only when they try and use too much of the innate psi energy does that cause a problem.

Isn't a Psi-storm something "greater thing than just telepathy and such" anyway? Besides, I said "powerful psionic abilities like Psi storm" not that they were trying to use that particular skill exclusively - though, if they did try to, I'd imagine in won't be pretty. Either way, the point was not specifically about Psi storms but "powerful psionic abilities"/ "greater things than just telepathy and such" in general still causing problems due to their inherent lack of control.

[Shadow Archon]

It's a pretty big "if" in regards to Xel'Naga ships being powered by void even though the rest logically flows from that assumption.

I wouldn't say the ship is powered by the Void.

I was just saying it could be using the Void as a form of FTL.

It's not the same thing.

We do know that the Xel'naga could manipulate the Void. They fought and imprisoned a Void entity, possibly used Void energies on Aiur to imprison the Kassia Crystal, created the Overmind which has similar energies to the Void, and so on and so forth.

I'm not saying the Xel'naga only used the Void, I'm just saying that if their vessel used real-space FTL, the only FTL method in the setting that has that characteristic is Void FTL.

The use of void in the Nerazim's current ships can't be seen as concrete evidence that they always and initially needed the void to begin with to power their ships since they could have just evolved and adapted their ships to use void after they mastered using it themselves first. Still, it is a possible reason.

Well, there is no way to prove what the first Nerazim ships used for FTL, since, we've never seen them.

I'll just say that the only Nerazim FTL method we've seen is Void based.

This kinda makes the term "Void" even more ill-defined and messy than trying to understand what the term "Khala" denotes. Let's not go down that path again....

Kind of hard not to.

These words have multiple definitions, and one of them is about the psychic energies and one is about the philosophy and religion around using the psychic energies.

Yeesh, the Psionic Matrix being called the Khala as well? Well, I'm assuming the current description of the Void Ray is more true given it being more current and it says it draws energy from the Khala and Void, so hopefully that avoid having to scratch our heads about the Psionic matrix.

Sure. Of course, the only things to have ever mentioned the Psionic Matrix is the old SC2 website and the Manual.

And the old SC2 website has kind of been retconned.

As to the Khala being a psionic energy source, well, I guess that's a third thing (along with it being a psychic link and a philosophy) that's to be included in its description now? I see the Khala more as a catalyst for psionic powers but not the true source, especially since we've established Protoss without the Khala or void can still source psionic energy (we haven't established where ultimately though) to use psionic powers - like the Tal'Darim.

Yeah, WoG has stated the Khala and the Void are both giant wells of psychic energy that can be drawn upon, beyond the sources like Lens stating it.

Also, machines drawing psionic energy from elsewhere isn't so much a new thing, I think, since the Zealot's forearm bands are essentially machines with which they collect, channel and emit the users psionic energy into psi-blades.

Well, it's odd to have something draw energy artificially from the Khala rather than it drawing energy from the Psionic Matrix.

I mean, what does one give you over the other?

Oh, I can understand the benefit as they are now but I wouldn't think the early Nerazim could have fathomed its true potential from the beginning given the perils of using it - it could kill you, was difficult to control (since they didn't have a system at first - they had to work on it) and that it was addictive - would've been identified fairly quickly for those very first practitioners and would have been a deterrent to using it.

Well, Adun did use the Void first going by the DTS.

And he learned how to manipulate the Void by trying to teach the Dark Templar to use their powers to hide themselves with the shadows.

"Zamara has the memories of the Discord. When the dark templar were rounded up like beasts, forced into an ancient ship, and expelled from the only world we had ever known. One among the protoss defended us. Adun. He disobeyed the Conclave‘s orders to have us executed, and instead tried to teach us to find new mental abilities and ways to control them, for our own protection. Ways that did not involve linking in the Khala, which we chose not to follow. His disobedience was discovered, but even then, he chose to do what he could to protect us. The Conclave would not consider integrating us into their society, but Adun mitigated their orders from death to banishment."

So, given all of the Dark Templar were learning from Adun, and all of them saw Adun use the Void, I can understand how they all sought after using the Void.

Raszagal was with the Dark Templar society for over a thousand years (indirectly telling us a Protoss reaches adolescence or adulthood at least by the age of 45) and Twilight states that the Dark Templar have used Void energies for more than a thousand years:

"You survived, after a fashion, by using extremely powerful energies from a xel‘naga temple. You were able to put your essence into Jacob. Adun was the first to wield both the mental energies traditional to the Aiur protoss, and the darker energies of the Void that we have wielded for over a thousand years. It is not illogical to assume that, for want of a better word, both you and Adun tapped into energies that had consequences far greater than anticipated."

So, yeah, the first Dark Templar aboard the Worldship used the Void right off the bat after witnessing what Adun did.

As such, since the Protoss still have innate psionic powers despite having their nerve chords cut-off, I still don't see a real need for the early Nerazim to draw from the void at that particular point in time other than the speculative need for it to fly their ships.

The Void allowed them to use their psychic powers more safely than normal.

Remember, psi storms occured from people just trying to hide without the Void originally.

Besides, the quote I shared showed the first hundreds of Dark Templar used the Void pretty much right after they left.

I don't think that was a priority for the early Nerazim though.

Well, yeah.

Makes me wonder though. If the Khala and Void protect the Protoss from Zerg infestation and assimilation, wouldn't this make the Tal-Darim (who do not use the Khala or Void based on what you said) susceptible to such a thing? Hmmmmmmmmmmm.

Possibly.

I'm pretty sure that even a gimped average Protoss like the Tal-darim could still do more psionically than an average Terran ghost could since the former can at least form a psionic storm whilst the latter cannot. Kerrigan doesn't really count because she's technically not wholly human.

Sure.

Yeah, but this "way of life" is not also called "the Void" (like it is with the Khala) as well, is it? Man, this stuff is confusing...

Eh, not like the Khala is.

They do refer to the Void as "death" or "afterlife" when they say "Embrace the Void." To corrupt or defile the Void is unholy, and they have used terms like blasphemer and such before when it relates to the Void as well.

I don't know if they call their religion the Void per say, but they do throw the Void term around a lot.

We'll just have to wait for more info to argue about it.

Because as it stands now...

There is no name for their religion other than to say "They have a religion about the Void."

Isn't a Psi-storm something "greater thing than just telepathy and such" anyway?

Sure, but I thought noting the difference was important.

They weren't trying to cast a Psi Storm, but ended up with one because of their control issues.

Besides, I said "powerful psionic abilities like Psi storm" not that they were trying to use that particular skill exclusively - though, if they did try to, I'd imagine in won't be pretty.

Not pretty at all.

Either way, the point was not specifically about Psi storms but "powerful psionic abilities"/ "greater things than just telepathy and such" in general still causing problems due to their inherent lack of control.

Well, the only abilities they were being taught was on how to hide.

I'm guessing some of the less capable students tried to either bend light around them or use the shadow meld technique that Zeratul does in the SC2 cinematic and Queen of Blades, but failed.

[Turalyon]

It's not the same thing.

Eh, it's hard to tell the difference given the pretense of the void being some kind of energy. As such, "using the void" and "powered by the void" have a similar connotation. Either way, you can chalk up the confusion to the "Void" being an ill-defined term.

These words have multiple definitions, and one of them is about the psychic energies and one is about the philosophy and religion around using the psychic energies.

Hence, the confusion. Even with appropriate context, it's hard to know whether using the word means all the definitions at once or one particular definition in any given appearance.

Well, it's odd to have something draw energy artificially from the Khala rather than it drawing energy from the Psionic Matrix.

I mean, what does one give you over the other?

Probably none. Maybe they wanted to have two separate energy sources to avoid overloading one energy source (if they had decided to use only one that is) and to provide more flexibility (reducing the downsides of having "all your eggs in one basket"). Besides, the Psionic Matrix seems to be more limited going by how it's used to power Protoss structures like needing a Nexus, etc. You wouldn't want that to affect your units in the field - it'd be more efficient if their tech can draw psionic energy from the user itself.

Well, Adun did use the Void first going by the DTS.

And he learned how to manipulate the Void by trying to teach the Dark Templar to use their powers to hide themselves with the shadows.

So, given all of the Dark Templar were learning from Adun, and all of them saw Adun use the Void, I can understand how they all sought after using the Void.

So, yeah, the first Dark Templar aboard the Worldship used the Void right off the bat after witnessing what Adun did.

The Void allowed them to use their psychic powers more safely than normal.

It's a pity this was never telegraphed initially. Here I am, thinking the early Nerazim had/needed to use the void because they crippled themselves by cutting their nerve chords when they really already knew how to use it and were wanting to use it well before they even cut their chords off.

As to the void helping them use psychic powers, would that mean Dark Templar can summon and control psi-storms then? If not, I wonder why since they already need "discipline" to "control" the void afterall. Can't be that hard to apply that "discipline" to psionic storms.