Ul'dah or Limsa Lominsa - most dangerous city state?

[TinyRedLeaf]

By the powers of necromancy, I hereby revive this thread!

Patch 2.4 spoilers below. You've been warned!






Having just finished the rogue quest-line (ie, the Rog30 duty; yes, I know some players are already rocking the Final Coil of Bahamut in full ninja relic gear, but I've got real-life work commitments, so there), I was reminded of this thread from a few months back.

And I think it has given us wonderful insight into the criminal underworld of Limsa Lominsa, the city of pirates and rogues. More specifically, we now know of the "Code", and the self-appointed "sheriffs" who uphold the unwritten law.

I love how it reinforces the dominant theme of power in Lominsan politics. Freedom exists in the city-state, only because the biggest strongman in town paradoxically chose to use her power to enforce law and order. Similarly, the rogues enforce "justice" in ways the Yellowjackets can't, because they are more willing to use brute power, the only language that hardened criminals understand.

So does this make Limsa Lominsa a more dangerous city than Ul'dah? I guess it depends which side of the "law" you happen to be on.

[Saikou]

I have to disagree. I would have thought it a tie earlier on. In fact I may have posted as much in the earlier pages of this thread. Merlwyb is the mythological Benevolent Dictator. The Yellowjackets are directly answerable to her. The Dictator believes that a certain order of fairness is required in order for a comfortable freedom to exist in Limsa Lominsa. If you are caught up on both the main scenario and Hildibrand quests, you know that the law enforcement in Ul'dah is prone to corruption - including up to the upper echelons of The Immortal Flames. And we are given a very good reason for why this is so. The ranks of the Brass Blades, Stone Torches, and Immortal Flames are filled with ex-mercenaries and poor folk who are desperate to trade up in life. Add to this the fact that the Blades and Torches are essentially paid men of The Monetarists, you end up with a situation where corruption and lawlessness are actually far more likely in the nation that was NOT founded by pirates and rogues. Of course, Limsa comes with a huge asterisk that things could change drastically with a new Admiral.

[Alenore]

By the powers of necromancy, I hereby revive this thread!

The answer is then Sil'dih because they can revive things?

[Morningstar1337]

The answer is then Sil'dih because they can revive things?

If that's the case, then they are the worst at being dangerous because they can;t revive their now dead city.

In which case I agree with Lyland, Limsa is less corrupt because they have enforcers willing to uphold the law and a check and balance via a code of honor and a group of vigilantes willing to enforce it

Ul'dah in contrast, is a plutocracy in all but name, with an possible oligopoly as a small group of elite businessmen are pulling the strings. And because it is a plutocracy, money is power and power corrupts. Add in the fact that anyone in Ul'dah is eager to rise above their station and very unfettered, unchecked corruption, collusion and crime runs rampant.

To make an anology: Limsa is a Gotham with multiple Batmen while Ul'dah is a Metropolus without a Superman and with Lex Luthor buying almost everything.

[Mishini_Dracoto]

I finished Page 2 and stopped reading to post m own comment.

I think both cities can be pretty dangerous. Tere seem to be more vagrants/refugee in Ul'Dah, and we know the Syndicate is corrupt. Everybody firmly stated these opinions already.

I think the real danger in Limsa is it is extremely volatile. This is also why it is peaceful. Everybody in that city has earned their stripes & has the Scars to show it.

If you were an average joe NPC, and you picked a fight in Ul'Dah, there's a very real chance that the other person is invovled in some organized crime, and if that gang cares then you are already dead. But in Limsa, the average Schmuk ou talk to, is a seasoned Pirate. He doesn't need a gang to bakc him up, he WILL JUST CUT YOU. our only advantage is that he knows how volatile the city could be, and he probabl knows that just cutting you down where you stand isn't the best decision for him, either.

[Torquil]

Both are dangerous in their own, unique ways. Limsa is dangerous in an in your face bar fight kind of way. As long as you stay away from the docks at night and are willing to do an honest day's work, I get the feeling you could stay relatively safe (for Eorzea). Ul'dah is more insidious. Even if you're willing to do an honest days work in Ul'Dah, I get the feeling you could still end up starving to death if your luck isn't great, or don't have connections. The fouler elements of the city have more power than in those in Limsa, and exert more control.

[Nonsensicles]

Absolutely, definitely Gridania. It's the only one where you can be banished and tormented for littering.

[Niwashi]

Similarly, the rogues enforce "justice" in ways the Yellowjackets can't, because they are more willing to use brute power, the only language that hardened criminals understand.

Though Jacke keeps telling us that's the case, it's something that never really made sense to me, largely because I've never actually seen the Yellowjackets themselves show any hesitation in that regard. Merlwyb is quite open about using force to establish and then maintain order amongst a city of former pirates. So Limsa doesn't seem like the sort of place that would have any need of the Rogues' Guild. It would have made more sense in either of the other two cities, which are more concerned with an outward appearance of civility, so might be more inclined to hide the darker underside of their law enforcement.

(It really feels like a Rogues' Guild story designed for Ul'dah got shoehorned into Limsa instead just because Limsa had one less guild from the original set of classes.)

[Alistaire]

Limsa. SE follows the Rick and Morty guidelines for pirates. "And we don't whitewash it either Morty. The pirates are real rapey."

[Riepah]

Limsa. SE follows the Rick and Morty guidelines for pirates. "And we don't whitewash it either Morty. The pirates are real rapey."

Considering the only actually attempted in-game case of rape during the storyline happened in Ul'dah, I'm not convinced that Limsa is worse in that regard at all.