The watcher's past

[SaciDePatinete]

I apologize in advance twice: First, if this isn't the proper forum, but it's the closest one that allowed for spoilers. And second, if it becomes a double post, because I'm not sure if my last attempt went through, since I had yet to register. So, SPOILERS AHEAD.

 

This is a question about lore. I'm returning to PoE now and was wondering about pale elves after I read this entry on the official wiki: "Every pale elf was reborn intact as a pale elf, in an unbroken continuity of souls stretching back thousands of years". I never finished the story, but covered as much to know that

Spoiler

the Watcher is an old soul that lived many lives before, some of them being hinted throughout the game

 

That got me wondering... I don't recall if the game 

Spoiler

implies the Watcher belonged to any specific race when mentioning past lives

But if it does, wouldn't it make the pale elves the least lore-friendly race to play as the Watcher in the first game? I would appreciate very much if someone could enlighten me on this matter. Thank you for your attention.

Edited July 27, 2020 by SaciDePatinete
Mispelling

[Boeroer]

5 hours ago, SaciDePatinete said:

 

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the Watcher is an old soul that lived many lives before, some of them being hinted throughout the game

 

That is not a unique feature of watchers though. Many people in Eora have old souls (you can meet some of those in the Sanatorium or the White March for example), not only Pale Elves or Watchers. But Pale Elves seem to be special in that most (or all of them) get born with continued souls which won't get fractured by the Wheel/Rymrgand. Usually the process of rebirth takes away some essence to feed the gods.

Usually people with old souls don't remember their past lives (one exception: Thaos). Only if you become "Awakenend" you will remember (bits) of your past lives. If you manage to deal with it: maybe you can remember all of it. But that doesn't make you a Watcher, only awakened. A Watcher is able to fold/look into the In-Between. Being a Watcher, being born with an old soul and being Awakened are three different things.

It may be that Pale Elves enjoy a special treatment because nearly all of them are dedicated to Rymrgand? So that he leaves their souls untouched when they pass the Wheel? 

But yeah: according to the lore above a Pale Elf Watcher should have been a Pale Elf in the past as well. 

[SaciDePatinete]

Thank you very much for taking your time to respond, Boeroer! I'm going to ponder some more about which character to make so I can enjoy the lore to its fullest. I'll be ditching the pale elf idea then, since it is not very consistent with the game's plot, to avoid losing interest in yet another character. May you have a wonderful day and week!