Board Thread:The Last Sovereign Discussion/@comment-39332473-20190808194309/@comment-36170150-20190815163203

Alright, I understand your position better now. Can't say I agree with some of it, in particular regarding about how the elves aren't being "true" to their nature; even outside the mother's guard teachings most elven societies are just as reserved as humans, if not more. Most elves don't want to become "elf breeder sluts", even if their metaphysical-lust ratio is high. Most elves are not and don't want to be more alike succubi, Lynine is pretty much an outcast in that regard.

If you want to argue that the elves are wrong and that they are denying their "true nature" as a society, I can only think of Hilstara's reply to Yuanon, I don't have the exact quote but it is among the lines of "Seems to me that nature already took its course, you just don't like the results."

Regarding the Alonon conversation, I took his wording of "desire" to be closer in meaning to "enjoyment" rather than "urges", and so Riala was saying she thought Alonon had altered himself to not enjoy sex. But I admit I think so due to my own bias, your interpretation has just as much merit, if not more, based on his words. Worth mentioning that a couple lines after that point, Robin and Riala have this exchange:

Robin: "I'm not sure I follow, especially in how it relates to his essence."

Riala: "A range of sexual desire is normal. I'm not even surprised by the idea that there could be people who have none at all. But Alonon's work in the Tower has... solidified his nature. He doesn't just lack sexual desire, his being utterly denies it."

Before working in the Tower, Alonon did not have an innate desire for sex, but he also wasn't immune to it. My interpretation of this is that he was a human just like any other human for most of his life, only after working in the Tower did he change himself into being an "improved unperson". And so, unless Alonon's sister faked her death and is the final Arclentian Tower Walker or Ivala herself, I don't think she ever got to change her being into something inhuman and Tyna isn't a cursed mutant child of fate.

Regarding Vhala and the unpeople transformation, my point is that the transformation doesn't inherently grant more peace, while her process was botched, you just gotta look at Dari to realize losing one's sexuality doesn't inherently make them more peaceful. Vhala gained peace from the transformation because, overall, she did not enjoy her sexuality.

I agree that there was a practical element to it and I was dumb to neglect it, but I still think that when Vhala says she doesn't regret her transformation, it means that even without the practical advantages she's still more comfortable being an unperson because it is a body better attuned to her asexual orientation.