Purifier Origins

[UrunOfTheAuriga]

"I noticed no real discussion about the Purifiers."

Because probably none is thrilled about the prospect of out of freaking nowhere hamfisted faction, not even with their stupid sexy alien-gynoids.

[UrunOfTheAuriga]

To make it worse, Blizzard is going the not only the cliche route of rebel robots, but the cliche route of "it's all the Conclave's fault." Newsflash, Blizz: the dumber you make the Conclave look, the dumber everyone else is for following it. Besides, wouldn't Templar prejudice make more sense? They'd be working with the cybernetics on a closer level, so their feelings would have more of an affect. .

AMEN!

[Visions of Khas]

wouldn't Templar prejudice make more sense? They'd be working with the cybernetics on a closer level, so their feelings would have more of an affect. .

I'd say they'd have the exact opposite reaction. Working alongside the Purifiers would allow the Templar the chance to see them as more than servants, much like Artanis and the crew of the Spear.

The Conclave are a class unto themselves, clearly out of touch with the world the rest of their race inhabits. Having never worked with the Purifiers or genuine AI, they'd naturally pass legislation demoting the Purifier's "social class."

[ragnarok]

AMEN!

Let's just say this is one of the reasons the Conclave have to impose draconian measures at times. And this is why people are afraid to rebel

- - - Updated - - -

I'd say they'd have the exact opposite reaction. Working alongside the Purifiers would allow the Templar the chance to see them as more than servants, much like Artanis and the crew of the Spear.

The Conclave are a class unto themselves, clearly out of touch with the world the rest of their race inhabits. Having never worked with the Purifiers or genuine AI, they'd naturally pass legislation demoting the Purifier's "social class."

That's how it works with evil regimes all the time even in real life. They always tend to be out of touch with the people, have no grasp on reality

[Visions of Khas]

That's how it works with evil regimes all the time even in real life. They always tend to be out of touch with the people, have no grasp on reality

It's impossible for you and me to understand the rationale behind the Conclave's judgments. But we've never lived through war, either.

This is how I imagine it:

I put myself in the shoes of a refugee in Syria, then I modify it. (I've spoken to Syrian refugees, and things are totally fucked up over there.) In a war that's been raging. For decades. The entire technological might of humanity has rendered the earth a barren wasteland. There is so much history written in blood and violence that nothing else matters. My parents were killed, leaving me in the care of my half-mad uncle who's taught me the basics of living, shooting a gun, and that's it. Through some miracle, I find out about literature. Maybe some propaganda poster. I ask Mad Uncle Henry, "What's this?", and he reads it to me.

Reading? Symbols can mean things? My mind is blown.

I slowly eek out small tidbits about reading and writing from my Uncle. And I start writing a book. No reason, it just provides something for me to do in the dying light of the campfire each night. I don't know the word, "Journal." I'm just writing. About everything I've seen, heard, and done. I don't write down any plans, though. I don't know what "planning" is. Why would I, when I'm not sure I'll be alive to see tomorrow's sun?

He also tells me rumors of someone ending the war. Ending the war? What does that mean? This is just every-day life, after all. Isn't it?

***

Some day, down the line, after the war has died, someone might read that journal. Then they'll get their hands on another from a soldier. Then another from a dictator. More journals are found: orphans and doctors and refugees and scavengers and rapists and murderers and hermits -- they all add their voices to a growing conversation. The students of tomorrow read of the horrors humanity is capable of creating, and instate laws to not only restrict the populace and liberties, but also restrict technological capacity. All in the name of saving us from our selves. It makes sense, doesn't it?


Now imagine you're a protoss. All these acts of horror, desperation, and destruction are magnified. And they span not just this world, but scores of worlds. In centuries of war and strife. You're taught to access your race's communal history, and experience it all first hand. You are filled with fear and disgust. You HAVE to prevent ANY of this from ever happening again.

At any cost.




This is how I imagine the Conclave.

A small group of elders, a class unto themselves forming an echo chamber. Each day they turn to Preservers, individuals that can tell us everything from the dawn of our species with absolute and flawless precision. And these individuals -- a score of them, at most, guiding an entire species living across the stars -- are paralyzed by fear.

Wouldn't you be, too?

[ragnarok]

This is how I imagine the Conclave.

A small group of elders, a class unto themselves forming an echo chamber. Each day they turn to Preservers, individuals that can tell us everything from the dawn of our species with absolute and flawless precision. And these individuals -- a score of them, at most, guiding an entire species living across the stars -- are paralyzed by fear.

Wouldn't you be, too?

Possibly. However I always felt Nissa had a point about the whole Conclave matter for making the Protoss somewhat stupid in following them. Sure there's the fear factor, but that alone isn't enough. I think overall the problem is that the Protoss Templar and Khalai caste kept using the "out of sight, out of mind" mentality. It was only by the time of the swarm invasion of Aiur that this finally changed.

[Turalyon]

The Conclave are a class unto themselves, clearly out of touch with the world the rest of their race inhabits. Having never worked with the Purifiers or genuine AI, they'd naturally pass legislation demoting the Purifier's "social class."

How "out of touch with the world the rest of their race inhabits" could the Conclave be when the Aiuran Protoss have a psionic communal link that connects them to every other individual of their race? Unlike humans who can't read/feel/understand the thoughts of the leaders who represent them, the Protoss can. The wider Protoss population must've been agreeable and/or complicit to some degree with how the Conclave acted otherwise they would have been removed long ago due to this very communal link. Therefore, the Conclave cannot take full responsibility alone for their supposed misjudgement since the link actually makes them more representative of the Protoss as a whole compared to any other species. Pigeon-holing the Conclave as being some sort of specific and separate aberration to Protoss society that must be be expunged because they are clearly evil and wrong seems like a typical reductionist perspective to take in regards to aliens who have greater capabilities than humans.

Having said that though, it would make sense for them denounce anything that is outside of their communal link. The Nerazim being the primary example what with how the Aeon of Strife came about due to Protoss who wilfully disconnected from this communal link. It would naturally make sense for Protoss to think even lesser of other races, like Terrans. AI wouldn't even stand a chance.

[Visions of Khas]

I agree that the Khalai were partly to blame, being complicit in the Conclave's decisions. How much did Khalai society manifest underlying psychological issues? How much of the individual's psyche was influenced/repressed/magnified by the emotional feedback loop of the Khala?

What I'm really interested in is the FUTURE of the Khala. Some protoss will not want to let it go, but the only ones who can adopt it now are converted Tal'darim. Will the High Templar teach it to them? What kind of bad asses will they become?!

[ragnarok]

I agree that the Khalai were partly to blame, being complicit in the Conclave's decisions. How much did Khalai society manifest underlying psychological issues? How much of the individual's psyche was influenced/repressed/magnified by the emotional feedback loop of the Khala?

What I'm really interested in is the FUTURE of the Khala. Some protoss will not want to let it go, but the only ones who can adopt it now are converted Tal'darim. Will the High Templar teach it to them? What kind of bad asses will they become?!

No, the newer generations of Protoss born can still have the Khala because they're born with the nerve chords. I can imagine it's something hard to let go, since it's something they've had for the last 3000 years. Karax mused that all this time, the Nerazim endured without it, meaning for the Khalai who cut off their chords, it's going to be hell in the days ahead.

[KaiserStratosTygo]

Blizzard games are asshole.

Muspelli, get sad, mate.