A small request of SE

[Cilia]

My argument is not that the PC should have been allowed to kill everything in his/her path and bash a way to victory or that they could have in any case. Rahbaun needing a handicap sticker for his chocobo is proof enough that the situation bodes ill for heroism and reckless violence in this particular case. MY argument is that SE should have acted to maintain the players sense of control over the PC's persona. Remove the PC's ability to act in a meaningful way so we have a reason to play the observer no matter the temperament, as it is I am left with evidence that when it suits them SE will take away control of the simplest aspect of my characters persona when they feel like it which is very bad form in an MMO.

Oh boy, another "my character's persona" argument. Uggh...

... you don't have total control over your character's persona, like it or not. There have to be limitations to free will, as there often are in video games, to keep the story flowing. There are too many possibilities for the game designers to program everything in, such as refusing to take the vial, leaving it elsewhere, telling many citizens about it, not going to see the Sultana because suspicious stuff is going on, fighting back against Ilberd, not leaving the Scions behind, etc. Any one of those options could be or not be in any given PC's persona, and myriad other possibilities - there just isn't enough time to write or program for all of them.

I abandoned trying to create my own independent persona when I was charged with being "Eorzea's hope," as Minfilia put it. I never asked for this.

And not to sling mud, but before complaining about how your "character's persona" isn't under your total control, you might want to change your name to something that makes sense for a Seeker of the Sun miqo'te unless you have a plausible backstory as to how she came to get such a name or adopt it as a pseudonym... "Remedia Pancea" isn't a miqo'te name. Just sayin'.

True, but I think story wise the Sultansworn and flames where otherwise engaged at that moment. Otherwise the Blades/Braves wouldn't have had such free reign. Exactly WHAT the Paladins where doing I can't fathom, some bodyguards. /sigh

It's well-known that despite being a Royalist faction a number of the Sultansworn are being paid off by the Monetarists. The Immortal Flames had been moved out to assist with the defense of the Steps of Faith, hence the Brass Blades' increased authority in Ul'dah at the time of the incident.