Why does Ysayle want to protect Nidhogg? (spoilers)

[Yaichiro]

Once you know about the origin of the war you just want to slaughter every existing Ishgardian.

[Daralii]

Once you know about the origin of the war you just want to slaughter every existing Ishgardian.

It was done 1,000 years ago by thirteen people. You'd really condone the slaughter of what must be millions of innocents for that?

[Kaiser-Ace]

It was done 1,000 years ago by thirteen people. You'd really condone the slaughter of what must be millions of innocents for that?

Yea seriously. A group of 13 knights killed 1 celestial dragon and maimed a second at the cost of at least half their numbers over 1000 years ago.

On the other hand, Nidhogg in that thousand years has killed tens of thousands of innocents at the cost of sending hundreds if not thousands of his own children to their death in the name of a thousand year old grudge.

It's hard not so see Nidhogg as Objectively wrong here. There is literally NO justification of any kind for his actions. I can see not taking out Hraesvelgr as he was merely saving his brother's life, despite knowing full well of his brother's murderous intent, Hraesvelgr was doing a good and merciful act on the surface. And when Nidhogg went on his killing spree all his brother was actually guilty of was not stopping him which is morally grey at worst. But Nidhogg can not be suffered to live. he MUST Die permanently in order for the ceaseless bloodshed of both man and Dragon kind to stop.

[Daralii]

he MUST Die permanently in order for the ceaseless bloodshed of both man and Dragon kind to stop.

And therein lies the problem. We were only able to kill him the first time because Estinien was using the Eye, and now he has both eyes and apparently possesses something like the Echo that lets him reincarnate infinitely.

Hraesvalgr fights him, kills him and dies in the process, we use his eye to destroy his essence?

[FJerome]

And therein lies the problem. We were only able to kill him the first time because Estinien was using the Eye, and now he has both eyes and apparently possesses something like the Echo that lets him reincarnate infinitely.

Hraesvalgr fights him, kills him and dies in the process, we use his eye to destroy his essence?

Well, the Dragonsong War has given us at least one method proven to work - Get an Alliance of 24 Culinarians together, we're eating Dragon tonight.

[Belhi]

And therein lies the problem. We were only able to kill him the first time because Estinien was using the Eye, and now he has both eyes and apparently possesses something like the Echo that lets him reincarnate infinitely.

Hraesvalgr fights him, kills him and dies in the process, we use his eye to destroy his essence?

There is three additional factors now in our conflict with Nidhogg.

Firstly, Estinien is in there somewhere and while he might now be host to Nidhogg I suspect there is something of him in there which Nidhogg will have to control. That's a distraction and a potential weakness.

Secondly, the fact its a possession and not his original form is potentially a fatal flaw, particularly against someone who can use the echo and transend the limits of souls. If we can interfere with his control of Estinien its not beyond possibility that Estinien could potentally be broken free.

Thirdly, while before when we fought him before he was crippled and limited in power by the Eye, we weren't at 100% either. He has both eyes back now but we have the Blessing of Light, stronger than it ever has been. Its not beyond reason that he can't simply oneshot us anymore because the Blessing now shields us from that stuff. If it could stop Ultima in the past when it was weaker than it is now, I recon it can probably handle any uber magical attack he can throw at us.

[Yaichiro]

It was done 1,000 years ago by thirteen people. You'd really condone the slaughter of what must be millions of innocents for that?

and those thirteen warriors are praised as heroes of Ishgard whose houses control the city. People of Ishgard kinda worship them and want to be like them otherwise how would you explain the ability to summon them as primals. Have you noticed that majority if not all are descendants of those thirteen warriors. Have you forgotten the young dragon and his injured siblings who was attacked for simply hunting for food.

Let me remind of the dragoon investigative unit in churning mists. What was the first assignment? Kill blood dragons! Why? Really why?

[Alleo]

and those thirteen warriors are praised as heroes of Ishgard whose houses control the city. People of Ishgard kinda worship them and want to be like them otherwise how would you explain the ability to summon them as primals. Have you noticed that majority if not all are descendants of those thirteen warriors. Have you forgotten the young dragon and his injured siblings who was attacked for simply hunting for food.

Let me remind of the dragoon investigative unit in churning mists. What was the first assignment? Kill blood dragons! Why? Really why?

They were praised because the remaining knights spread misinformation. Every person in Ishgard believed that the dragons started the war so for them Thordan and his knights were heroes. Destroying these lies was the first thing that Aymeric did after he found out the truth. You cant really blame them for that..especially since the dragons still attacked them all the time afterwards. Can you imagine being born in a place where you are always attacked by something, maybe even losing your family thanks to that and hearing the false story about the reason for it and not in a way start to hate the attackers for that? Especially if you have no way to even find out the truth? Both sides did something wrong..there is no true black or white. And yes dragons who did nothing wrong were attacked but at the same time dragons also attacked innocent people. Some of these dragons are also quite judgmental of human beings even if they are not from Ishgard. Ishgard may have started it all those many many years ago but the dragons did nothing to stop the war. Nobody should ever suffer for the mistake another person makes just because their are from the same place. We also found out that Nidhogg could have destroyed Ishgard all the time but choose not to do so, to keep them suffering all the time, even after he knew that the ones responsible for his sisters death were long death..that's not the right thing to do nor is it forgivable..

And please don't forget that these dragons in the investigation also attacked us..so its not like they came over to have a peace talk and the dragoons just killed them..no they would have killed us too. Not every dragon out there wants peace, especially not those that follow Nidhogg.

All of this was made pretty clear in the main story of Heavensward. They (imo) did a very good job to show us that no side was really better than the other and they allowed us (with side quests) to look into the life of both sides. In the end I will never understand people that want to kill off a whole city state or race just because some people did something wrong or because off some bad apples that they have...we saw that the city has quite the good people in it, like House Fortemps or even other NPCs..there are alot of children there too which are completely innocent. And yet you want them all to die..

Heck even Iceheart herself saw her mistakes and turned her back on some of the dragons. Exactly how some of the NPCs in Ishgard turned their back on the recent Thordan.

[Ashkendor]

and those thirteen warriors are praised as heroes of Ishgard whose houses control the city. People of Ishgard kinda worship them and want to be like them otherwise how would you explain the ability to summon them as primals. Have you noticed that majority if not all are descendants of those thirteen warriors. Have you forgotten the young dragon and his injured siblings who was attacked for simply hunting for food.

Let me remind of the dragoon investigative unit in churning mists. What was the first assignment? Kill blood dragons! Why? Really why?

They were decieved. The masses weren't told that the knights killed Ratatoskr out of greed for her power and were then set upon by Nidhogg. They painted the dragons as the traitors, thus covering up their sins and making themselves heroes in one fell swoop. The story passed into antiquity and then into legend, which makes it harder and harder to prove anything different. The Holy See's way of dealing with people that "spread dissent" by disagreeing with or questioning their teachings doesn't help, either.

I'm of the mind that the un-named NPC dragons that we see out in the world are of Nidhogg's brood and thus can't be reasoned with. Nidhogg and his children are far from innocent in this conflict; they've perpetuated a war for the last thousand years.

[Ayuhra]

A few thoughts.

REGARDING THE WAR: As others pointed out the Elezen were lied to over the course of generations. Some form of manipulation of the truth kicked in. Either the rulers were purposefully lying to maintain an iron grip on the barely organized chaos of Ishgard (likely) or something got purple monkey dishwashered over time. It is easy to see Nidhogg as wrong because his war on Ishgard has killed hundreds of thousands, as Yaichiro says, in revenge for one celestial dragon. But you need to keep time scales in mind. Nidhogg and Hraesvelgr are ageless. What was a thousand years to the Elezen was last week to the dragons. The loss of Ratatoskr is still a raw, emotional pain for them. It's hard for them to wrap their minds around the fact that not a single person alive was responsible for her death. Nidhogg has just decided that they need to pay for the "sins of their fathers" because he still hasn't worked this anger out of his system.

REGARDING NIDHOGG: Nidhogg lived on because his eyes, the source of his power, lived on and Estinien has dragon's blood (as many Elezen of Ishgard do, following the eating of Ratatoskr's eyes). He was able to eclipse Estinien because Estinien seized both eyes and was overwhelmed. I think in his moment of exultation he also dropped his guard. What will be interesting is to see if Nidhogg's wrath is at all different now or if it will be redirected. I noticed after he formed he looked at the Warrior of Light-a known enemy-and flew away without attacking. Could it be some of Estinien exists in Nidhogg's will? We know after Hraesvelgr consumed Shiva part of her merged into his spirit and quieted his wrath. I am interested in seeing where this story goes.