MSQ Questions (MAJOR Spoilers)

[Cilia]

... why, why, WHY do the leaders insist on continuing to have all of their major meetings in Ul'Dah? It's like they're saying "Hey! People plotting against us! Here are our plans, take them please!"

...And if the meetings were taking place in another locale, it would have made the Monetarists' plot at the end at least a little harder to pull off.

No exact reason is ever given. I'd like to think it's because Limsa and Gridania just don't have a facility for something like the victory feast, but as to why Ul'dah is the seat of most 2.x meetings I couldn't say. I guess the Bismarck or Mih Khetto's Ampitheatre would work, but it was intended to be a sort of private event. (Also I'm making waffles if they ever hold such an event at the Bismarck - I'm sure Lynsgath would understand.)

That said, the victory feast was planned by Nanamo as her "abdicating the throne" event, so it makes more sense to hold it in Ul'dah. Makes more sense to do things that way, no?

From a non-story perspective, the Fragrant Chamber is just very easy to use for meetings and other official events. It already exists, so it doesn't require time and effort to put in the game (like a private dining hall in Limsa) and is large enough to accommodate groups of people; Merlwyb's office is rather small, and while the Lotus Stand is spacious it doesn't really have the facilities for something like a party.

[Syfer22]

That said, the victory feast was planned by Nanamo as her "abdicating the throne" event, so it makes more sense to hold it in Ul'dah. Makes more sense to do things that way, no?

Party aside, however, they did also have a few leader meetings in Ul'Dah as well which are among some of the ones I didn't understand since they knew Ul'Dah was compromised. I do see what you mean about the victory feast, though, and that's a good point.

[Cilia]

Party aside, however, they did also have a few leader meetings in Ul'Dah as well which are among some of the ones I didn't understand since they knew Ul'Dah was compromised. I do see what you mean about the victory feast, though, and that's a good point.

Well, 5 minutes on the Ul'dahn streets will tell you the place is corrupt as all hell - but nobody, unless you were incredibly savvy or paranoid, was expecting the power play at the victory feast.

As to why they tend to use the Fragrant Chamber for meetings, well, it's the only facility that can comfortably accommodate the delegates necessary for a proper "Alliance" meeting. For one of those we need at least half a dozen seats or so (three for the Grand Company leaders, one for maybe Nanamo, and two or three for the Scions including us). Merlwyb's office has only one seat - hers - and the Lotus Stand doesn't seem to have any, so the only place available for extended discussion and planning is the Fragrant Chamber. Also makes sense since aside from the episodic Primal uprising, 2.1-2.5.5's overarching story was heavily invested in Ul'dahn politics.

... and as Moose pointed out, Ul'dah is roughly equidistant from Gridania and Limsa, so it makes the most logistical sense.