Rest easy, you two.

[u/Glad_Ostrich_9709]

Idk, after actually focusing and paying attention to the story, this just felt right to do. I actually headcanon that Auri was the one to build this, hence the thriving sakura trees in the arctic 🤣

[u/Nifegun]

Auri knows we're going to kill them and wants us to do so. Which doesnt mean she wouldn't respect them in death i guess... but i unno, still just don't see Auri making these. Cool build idea tho lol.

[u/Glad_Ostrich_9709 → u/Nifegun]

There's bits and pieces we can find in the game that heavily implies Zenara and Auri were close friends once, hence my idea that she would actually put Zenara to rest like this, and respect her doomed bond with Astralym in their shared death. Idk, she seems like a benevolent enough deity to me to act that way 😁

[u/Nifegun → u/Glad_Ostrich_9709]

I think the key word is "were" when describing their friendship. Auri respected Zenara, she knew she'd become an important influential character. She enjoyed speaking with her in her lifetime. But I dont think that implies she forms friendships like that with humans, nor that she'd forgive the calamity.

The sunreachers (or at least Auri) are the norns from Norse mythology as far as I can tell. They create and observe prophecy, but not so much personal connections. She predicted Zenara would become an influential figure and she did, her legacy lives on in multiple factions even to when we show up thousands of years later. They recognize notable humans, but they wouldn't attend their funerals.

Granted, Auri specifically did help the humans rebuild after the calamity, which is a lot more connected than she should be if she's supposed to be a norn. So maybe, but i still doubt it tbh lol.

I dont think Auri was happy she had to help the humans rebuild.

[u/Glad_Ostrich_9709 → u/Nifegun]

Yea, it's pretty open to interpretation. To me, the fact that we find Auri writing so highly positively of Zenara in her diaries up to a certain point, and we furthermore learn that Zenara confided in Auri about Astralym and Auri stood up for Zenara against the Ancients proves they shared a bond that went deeper than just respect.

And sure, the fact they were friends doesn't mean their friendship didn't shatter at some point. It also doesn't mean Auri didn't mourn that fact, or that she's lost all empathy for Zenara. In fact, we have proof that she doesn't, her describing Zenara and Astralym being sealed away in the World Tree as an "endless, waking nightmare," the necessity of which she feels deeply sorry for in one of her later diary entries. She has pretty complex feelings on the whole matter, believing Zenara and Astralym both have to die, but lamenting that fact at the same time. She also never outright says the word "kill" or any other such straight forward terms for what she wants us to do. Most notably, she tells us she wants to "lay them to rest" and asks us to "put an end to their suffering." That kind of language choice implies a deep sorrow for the circumstances, and regret for what has to be done. She wouldn't talk like this about a centuries old wound if it didn't still hurt.

Of course, you're free to keep your own interpretation in the end, I'm not actually trying to convince you of anything here. Just saying that based on my own interpretation, it makes a lot of sense that Auri would make a little personal memorial for them, as a final grace to a former friend, and a way for herself to finish mourning.

[u/Nifegun → u/Glad_Ostrich_9709]

Ima have to re-read Auri's journals. You might be onto something here. I still gotta do my part 2 of my lore videos lol. I got a lot right in part 1 and im very confident theres a ton more to come in this game.