What would you have done? (2.55 story related, SPOILER WARNING)

[Mahri]

Talk to Commander Swift after things wrap up. He pretty well sums up why a showing of extreme violence, however incredibly justified and satisfying, would really just have made the situation worse. Turning the Fragrant Chamber into an abattoir and the resulting shock and outrage would have destablized Ul'dah to the point of open warfare in the streets. As it is, let the Monetarists run damage control, and let them sweat while our allies in town keep a perfect poker face. They have damned themselves, we will be back, and there will be an absolute reckoning, in time.

[seekified]

Yeah, as satisfying as it would've been to bash Ilberd's smug face in (and we totally could - even if I'm a DRG there's no way I couldn't kick his ass unarmed) it probably wouldn't be the best way to tell people we're good guys.

I want to know what happens to Riol (blonde Crystal Brave with eyepatch-dude who is 100% more attentive than Alphinaud) - he's got a decent shot at infiltrating the Monetarist-run factions if he plays his cards right.

[Aile-Faelthea]

I can't get spoiler tag to work right. What am I doing wrong [Spoiler]text[/Spoiler] right?

[LLSmoothJ]

I can't get spoiler tag to work right. What am I doing wrong [spoiler]text[/spoiler] right?

You use the "HB" tag for spoiler text.

Anyways, I would play it smart and bide my time in order to maintain my innocence. Then when I'm in the clear and those jerks are revealed as the frauds that they are, I'll gladly put the Crystal Braves traitors to the sword.

[polyphonica]

Talk to Commander Swift after things wrap up. He pretty well sums up why a showing of extreme violence, however incredibly justified and satisfying, would really just have made the situation worse. Turning the Fragrant Chamber into an abattoir and the resulting shock and outrage would have destablized Ul'dah to the point of open warfare in the streets. As it is, let the Monetarists run damage control, and let them sweat while our allies in town keep a perfect poker face. They have damned themselves, we will be back, and there will be an absolute reckoning, in time.

Yeah, as satisfying as it would have been to fight, the time/opportunity isn't right in the midst of that political chaos. It's the same reason the other heads of state left. It's not at all because they either a) didn't understand what was going on, or b) didn't want to intervene, but any action at that time would have been perceived as a declaration of war against Ul'dah's Senate and (because of the framed 'murder') the Monarchy. So, as painful as it was, retreating was the right move, even if it feels cowardly. The other Scions can act in self-defense, but the Warrior of Light (having been personally framed for the murder) is better off remaining otherwise blameless and living to fight another day.

But aside all that, it's probably worth noting as well that the Warrior of Light being led around by circumstance and not acting of their own free will was actually a recurring plot point throughout the entire 2.x story, so for that to come to a head in the conclusion also makes sense. It would make perfect sense, for the 3.x story, to transition more into: "so what are you going to do about it?" With Alphinaud chastised and all the rest of the Scions nowhere to be found, it will probably fall on the Warrior of Light to make his/her own allies and take more of a hands-on role in saving the day.

[Eul]

I can't get spoiler tag to work right. What am I doing wrong [spoiler]text[/spoiler] right?

change spoiler to HB /10char

[Aile-Faelthea]

My god....T_T thanks I was getting annoyed as its [spoiler][/spoiler] on most boards.

However this what I / Selvaria would do. Going off the fact that we can summon our weapons Dissidia WOL style.

I probably would surrender still, then get brought to the banquet where things get heated. Selvaria is cut out of the rope by Raubahn and quickly summons Excalibur Zeta to kill the Brass Blades. She would probably do some 300ish Shield bashes, and become a kenshin caliber death machine.

Selvaria wouldn't leave Raubahn to fight by himself at a disadvantage of having his left arm severed. She would probably be like any "Knight/Paladin" and cover him. It would probably be some cool close quarters battle with Ilberd being overwhelmed until the point where I think Raubahn being prideful and rage ridden to tell Selvaria to leave so he can avenge Nanamo by himself.

During the battles however, Selvaria would defiantly tell the other scions to pull back and she will be close behind. There would be some cool job changes while switching from enemy to enemy. A flourish of PLD to Monk to War - to Dragoon ect.. With each one slowly losing Aether, until the point where all that is left are the base classes.

Being a pugilist first, Selvaria would end at that class until they reach the end. Everyone would see the brutality that enabled her to be part of a 1/8 killing machine that rekt the first and second coils and the enhanced primals. Everyone would survive, and make it to the exit. Being exhausted from carrying the others, Selvaria has Yda collapse the exit. Everyone escapes to Coerthas on wagon.

[luciferbelmont]

TC please pay attention to the story instead of acting like our characters should be able to save everyone. It should of been clear since Louisoix died in 1.0 and

Spoilers

when Moenbryda died that not everyone can be saved in this games story. It be dull if you could solve everyones problem. You can't punch someones face when your hands are tied up and lets not forget what Midgardsormr did to us he took away the warrior of lights crystal powers. Yes we might be op gear wise from past events but at the current time in this story our power has beens stripped. Hence why we needed everyone to help with Niddhogg and why he smash us with his feet and basically almost unstoppable. Some of you guys really need to pay attention to the story instead of coming here omg our characters are dumb herp derp instead of having the attention span of a 2 year old.

[Mahri]

I want to know what happens to Riol (blonde Crystal Brave with eyepatch-dude who is 100% more attentive than Alphinaud) - he's got a decent shot at infiltrating the Monetarist-run factions if he plays his cards right.

Same! I always had a liking for that guy anyway since he and my character are both good, honest Lominsans caught up in this disaster of politics, and I'm glad he of all people is still on the up-and-up with us. (These Ul'dahn, I tell you...at least we pirates, reavers, and general scallywags are honest in our dishonesty...)

There's another detail I'm fond of: There are other Crystal Braves, and even some Brass Blades, that haven't themselves turned on us even if their paymasters have. A Brave NPC in Ul'dah, hanging around at the Ruby Road Exchange, recognizes you and worriedly tells you to lay low. A Brass Blade keeping watch on the entrance to the Rising Stones says that while orders are orders, he knows better than to think of you as the villain here.

I have to say that I really like this. The writers for this game went out of their way not to paint in broad strokes. They also seem to imply that Lolorito and Ilberd might not in fact be acting out of pure malice and greed. The former is a stone-cold cynic but truly seems to value Ul'dah's stability and prosperity, and the latter had some shred of pathos in his venomous disdain for Raubahn's personal success in spite of the Ala Mhigans' suffering. I want to speculate further on where they may be going with this, but altogether I'm just very, very happy that we have villains that aren't ridiculous caricatures.

And on another note, there's actually something very satisfying as well about how the Ishgardians in general, and House Fortemps and Lord Aymeric in particular, are now openly embracing us and insisting we all but call Coerthas home. After the agonizing lengths we went to in order to earn their trust so very long ago when we were questing from level 35-40 or so in 2.0, it feels vindicating, reasurring, and right that people so difficult to befriend would be so true and loyal once we'd earned it.

[Mahri]

So...that is what my character would have done.

Raged and cursed, but when Raubahn said to go, S'anzu would still have gone, because this was not truly her fight, and because she as a person in that world would be wiser to the circumstances than a player of a game.

And when all was settled, after those who remained gathered at Dragonhead's hearth, armor and weapons away, tears shed and friends embraced, she would write letters of simple, honest thanks to Lords Haurchefant, Drillemont, and Aymeric for giving us what we truly needed then: A place to call home, if even for a short time, before we went to war again on fronts unknown.