Is Laya an Esper?

She was referred to as a witch in the game. It would be likely to assume that she was quite adepth with techniques. Could this mean she is an Esper or in somehow related by blood or otherwise to Lutz in some fashion. Perhaps not a direct descendent but some kind of relative. What type of techniques or magic did she know and use I wonder. It would make sense that only the Layans could use techniques taught to them by Laya herself. What do you guys think?

I don't think there's any evidence to conclusively prove she was an Esper or related to any. It's possible, certainly. Her status as more of a legend than an actual person by the time PSIII takes place just means a lot of the details about her were never explored at all.

I would guess she probably would have been able to use the full range of techniques available in the game. At the very least, I'd expect her to have the healing and direct damage groups. When the game calls Laya a witch, that could just be a case of using the word as an insult to describe the unknown. I wouldn't take that as an indication of magic usage. Her pendant, the message in Mystoke, and the transport palaces do all hint at her possessing some ability beyond standard techniques, though. Those feats could have been accomplished using either technology or magic, I suppose.

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When the game calls Laya a witch, that could just be a case of using the word as an insult to describe the unknown.

It may also be a translation thing...

The term "Witch" may be a poor translation of something along the lines of "sorceress", or even "priestess", etc. We already know that PSIII had a relatively poor quality translation with various errors, so this is highly plausible.

That's a good point. There's a fan translation of the game's introduction, where "witch" was used, that calls Laya "goddess of darkness." If that's accurate, then this could certainly be another example of the localization team tweaking the content from the original.

It's also worth pointing out that "witch" first comes up in the opening narration, which addresses us as someone who grew up in Landen. It's a statement that is meant to be tainted by the cultural prejudices between Orakians and Layans.

For me, like Thoul have said, that's mainly because of the Orakian point of view of the story ! From the beginning, the adventure took place in Landen, an orakian world, and layans are viewed as beasts and monsters so...
The opening sequence is only the proof to that and witch seems to be a common term to describe someone who is known as the enemy.

I dont think she was an Esper. I think she is just labeled a witch because society had regressed to superstitious feudal times by the time of PS3.

Additionally, PSII and PSIV expositional materials establish that techniques are *not* magic, but rather, technology-based. Similar to how in the film "The Matrix," Neo can have Kung-Fu uploaded to his brain and performs as someone who studied it fo years would perform.

PSO also confirms this, you can even buy them from the shop, but that game isnt canon to the main 1-4 tetralogy, except in spirit.

Zio_Falz wrote:

I dont think she was an Esper. I think she is just labeled a witch because society had regressed to superstitious feudal times by the time of PS3.

I thinks it's an avaiable explanation here, about the regression in feudal times. Luckily, she wasn't burned to ashes in the game...

myau56 wrote:

Zio_Falz wrote:

I dont think she was an Esper. I think she is just labeled a witch because society had regressed to superstitious feudal times by the time of PS3.

I thinks it's an avaiable explanation here, about the regression in feudal times. Luckily, she wasn't burned to ashes in the game...

Yes but it makes you wonder if other Layans were. Something had to kick off the initial war 1000 years ago.

Zio_Falz wrote:

myau56 wrote:

Zio_Falz wrote:

I dont think she was an Esper. I think she is just labeled a witch because society had regressed to superstitious feudal times by the time of PS3.

I thinks it's an avaiable explanation here, about the regression in feudal times. Luckily, she wasn't burned to ashes in the game...

Yes but it makes you wonder if other Layans were. Something had to kick off the initial war 1000 years ago.

Ah ! Didn't think about this....but who kicked off the initial war in the first place ? Dark Falz ? Someone else ? I don't know...