#SOME OTHER THOUGHTS BUT those are very vague and spoilery so /shelves for now

[auncyen]

insertdisc5's comment about Sadnesses existing previously and being more prevalent during times of strife makes me wonder if Vaugardian culture is as welcoming as it is in part because of some troubled times in its history. Maybe war, maybe famine, either way just something generated a lot of Sadnesses that started causing more trouble and after getting the immediate danger under control they started trying to figure out procedures to deal with Sadnesses and prevent them from starting in the first place--taking note of mental health issues, being welcoming to people so they don't feel isolated, etc. The Change religion definitely also plays into the open nature (when you're encouraged to Change often, why sweat how other people personally identify?) but yeah just. the Sadnesses being a phenomenon that existed even before the King just tickles my brain about how that would affect the world's history, and Vaugarde is noted as being unusually welcoming...maybe they've seen there are unpleasant consequences when people feel they have no place to go.