Ark is an Echo user, but he's not a WoL. The way I understood Echo is, it isn't unique at all, and has variable things it can and can't do. We see a lot more of what it's capable of in the MSQ, and find that it's got some things we didn't originally know tied in to its existence. But barring that, I've always played this version of Ark as Echo-compatible because it makes sense for the character and ties in to his backstory. Keep in mind, even being a WoL is *not* a unique thing. In 1.0, there were several. And in the MSQ we find that someone who was once one of our enemies is also a WoL, though only has one crystal. [Not going to mention names for fear of spoilers, and the spoiler tags always go funny on me]. The funny thing is, being a WoL, ie, having Her blessing, does very little in the long run. It just means you put off a 'No Ascians Zone' around yourself and can 'assimilate' crystals from Primals, and make you stronger against them.
Interestingly enough, as 'powerful' as the BoL seems to get, that power only serves them against monsters and primals. I think being a WoL makes one in a sense, a 'reverse Ascian'. Like an antithesis to all the primals and things that are antithesis to the goddess and her world. It doesn't really seem to give you any special powers against mortals at all, as you still get messed up by them at every turn. (I know, I know, it's part of the plot and all.) The superior strength in combat is basically shown from what I've gathered, to just be the BoL's experience and natural ability. They're the hero, after all. The protagonist. The other WoL we see may be exception to this because that individual took on a different existence to a normal mortal, so I don't know if it counts.
However, in terms of being the 'Bringer of Light' and the MSQ savior, to me, that's Derplander, basically, and that's kind of how I play it out. Whenever Ark goes somewhere in the MSQ's reveal publically, Derplander has already been there. He's already fought the bad guys, already laid the smackdown, so that's how people can travel to some places where there'd normally be great opposition. Basically, I RP alongside the MSQ; 'these things have happened in the world, and people talk about them'. I basically have it so that the BoL exists, and the WoLs exist, and Ark learns about them through rumor, buying information, and gathering up what he knows. As far as Echo users, they're not ultra rare, but they don't go around talking about it, because not that many people understand it. It's kind of like being a psychic in the real world. Either people blow it off and don't believe, or you're viewed with awe or fear if you can actually prove it.
Interestingly enough, as 'powerful' as the BoL seems to get, that power only serves them against monsters and primals. I think being a WoL makes one in a sense, a 'reverse Ascian'. Like an antithesis to all the primals and things that are antithesis to the goddess and her world. It doesn't really seem to give you any special powers against mortals at all, as you still get messed up by them at every turn. (I know, I know, it's part of the plot and all.) The superior strength in combat is basically shown from what I've gathered, to just be the BoL's experience and natural ability. They're the hero, after all. The protagonist. The other WoL we see may be exception to this because that individual took on a different existence to a normal mortal, so I don't know if it counts.
However, in terms of being the 'Bringer of Light' and the MSQ savior, to me, that's Derplander, basically, and that's kind of how I play it out. Whenever Ark goes somewhere in the MSQ's reveal publically, Derplander has already been there. He's already fought the bad guys, already laid the smackdown, so that's how people can travel to some places where there'd normally be great opposition. Basically, I RP alongside the MSQ; 'these things have happened in the world, and people talk about them'. I basically have it so that the BoL exists, and the WoLs exist, and Ark learns about them through rumor, buying information, and gathering up what he knows. As far as Echo users, they're not ultra rare, but they don't go around talking about it, because not that many people understand it. It's kind of like being a psychic in the real world. Either people blow it off and don't believe, or you're viewed with awe or fear if you can actually prove it.
![[Image: ihatehim2.jpg]](http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc129/Inverse_Entropy/ihatehim2.jpg)
