Do the Scions or Hydealyn really care for the Warrior of Light?

[Berethos]

For the Scions, I think they are too in awe of us to realize that we have our limits and throwing us at the wall enough times may break us.

Yes and no. They do seem to take for granted that we keep doing the impossible, but several times during the story you're specifically told to take a break and get some rest, usually by Minfilia. It doesn't come through very well, since usually the next quest is right there to accept unless it was done during a patch gap, but it's there...so they at least recognize we have to take it easy from time to time.

[FeliAiko]

The straightforward, solo-orientated game/story design in 2.0 of 'go here, kill this, go back here' incidentally painted you as nothing more than a tool others take advantage of. Alphinaud is a prime example of this. In 2.0 he clearly sees you as a weapon but in 3.0, with the story direction being of you travelling with a party to try to end a war without fighting, it offers more opportunities for character development. Thus characters within the latter environment (e.g Alphinaud) come off as more caring of the WoL as a person, while those within the former (e.g. Minfilia) come off as uncaring.

So in short I'd say the Scions do care about the WoL as a person, but just wasn't explicitly expressed due to poor storytelling and character development. Thancred was a notable exception to the rule though, since I recall him being annoyed at himself for not making it in time to help you with Ifrit.

[HikariSavoir]

The straightforward, solo-orientated game/story design in 2.0 of 'go here, kill this, go back here' incidentally painted you as nothing more than a tool others take advantage of. Alphinaud is a prime example of this. In 2.0 he clearly sees you as a weapon but in 3.0, with the story direction being of you travelling with a party to try to end a war without fighting, it offers more opportunities for character development.

This. The scene in 3.0 where you stop and make camp and rest for the night is the first time we got that sort of cutscene, and it was a good bit of character development. It's the sort of thing that wasn't present in 2.0, and there needs to be more of it.

I'm on the fence about whether the Archons consider you a co-worker or a friend. It'd be nice to see more interpersonal character development though.

[ChazNatlo]

Just a quick recount of the Primals we are sent to go kick in the teeth of by Minfillia and the Scions core group. ((Not counting the Hard/EX versions, which surprisingly we can turn down.))

Ifrit: Sent to stop the theft of Crystals, discover kidnapping scheme, fail to stop it, Ifrit summoned and we kill it. Not sent to kill. Thancred feels incredibly guilty about how things turn out.

Titan: Sent to stop Summoning, but with the understanding that we likely won't. Totally still counts. Y'stola would have accompanied us, but couldn't due to needing to create our means of travel.

Garuda: Scions either dead or captured, Sent by Alphinaud. Either counts or doesn't depending on if we count Alphinaud.

Leviathan: Initially an exception, since again we are sent to Stop the Summoning, and would have pulled it of is not for those meddling Ascians and their Echo teaching the Head Shaman to body swap. Except we did have a break between that and the actual Fight. I was going to discount it, but yeah, totally fair. Sent to Kick some Teeth.

Ramuh: Sent to Negotiate, not fight. Ramuh turns it into a fight. We euthanize an old man at Swordpoint. Again, not sent to Kill Ramuh. Sent to Parley.

Shiva: Actually I can't remember the specifics. We assumed they were going to Summon Shiva, Correct? One more to the Teeth Kicking Tally on the same grounds as Titan, Technically sent to STOP the summoning, but we cut it so close we may as well have been sent for Teeth Kicking.

Ravana: Scions Missing presumed dead, Sent by Alphinaud. Again, Alphinaud sent us, so maybe maybe not counts.

Bismark: See Ravana Worth noting that in both these counts, Putting down the Primal was a secondary consideration. Doesn't effect the tally.

Throdan: See Ravana Technically Y'shtola was back with us by now, but We'd already Decided on our course of action before her return.

Ravana part II: Not sent by the Scions. Accompanied the Scions ((and Krile)). I'll count is as half marks, since they accepted the same risks as we did ((more depending on Tempering))

By my count, Of our ten MSQ missions to Kill Primals Either 3.5 or 7.5 depending on if we count Alphinaud sending us to off a God as a Scion initiated mission.

Edit: Yes, this doesn't take into account the times we went up against the Garleans or the Dragons.

[Kallera]

I fall on the more cynical marker on whether the Scions see us as friend or coworker, though I do see the difference in Alphinaud's character between his "OM12, you want to use sellswords!?" Version from 2.5 to the current Alphinaud.(I like the current one better.)

I think some of this can be explain by their actions towards us in story, and some of it of our own thoughts on them. Familiarity and relation plays a bit of a role in this. Some people trust the authority figures we deal with fully, others hold a bit of doubt just in case, feeling more at home with those we can "have a beer with.".

I do think a "no godslaying today, godslayer has the cough and chills." episode would be hilarious.

[DPZ2]

Plus I'm actually am curious if you think the Scions/Hydealyn (both planet and crystal) see the WoL is nothing more than a weapon to be pointed at their problems and make them dissapear or if you think they truly seem them as a dear friend or family. And if you think they would be willing to make sacrifices for us even if we were nothing more than a mere adventurer

I see the Scions as a dedicated group who, after discovering that I cannot be tempered by a Primal during the encounter witih Ifrit asked me to take on the task of ensuring Titan did not rise. It took a while (15 levels) to get to the point where Titan was defeated. Immediately thereafter the "hero high" was brought low by events that had me fleeing to safety in the desert.

At this point I had moved from being some new-and-upcoming adventurer, welcomed to be part of the Scions as someone with the Echo (a handy talent) to possible Primal Killer, but with lots of backup (Y'shtola, Urianger, etc) and training necessary.

I am, basically, an adventurer, and do adventurer things. I mean, it's not like I handle tax forms 40 hours a week.

I just ran through the later level 50 quests with Minfilia again, and found cut-scenes where she expresses her feelings of friendship. I've also gained a bit more respect for her as an administrator as well -- and am extremely happy I don't have two dozen quests helping her out with administration of the organization.

Hydaelyn, at least as I interpret my encounters, has chosen me - among all her Children - to represent the Light at this point in time. If some things are to be believed (see the airship ride to Garuda), I've been the Warrior of Light long before my current incarnation.

Being the Champion of the Mother Goddess appeals to me, whether it is her Will, or my own. The fact that whole thing with Midgardsomr and the Blessing of Light does not decrease my effectiveness, leads me to believe that I own the power I have, and can use it as I will. I happen to prefer the Light side of the Fo..... ummmm. yeah. Heh.

As far as kittens, etc. My nature, in game, is to aid others. It's how an adventurer gets paid for, um, adventuring. Some of the work is 'be my messenger', some is 'can you get me something off that shelf', some is 'let's play Scooby Doo without the dog!'. I like to think that an adventurer's reputation is enhanced more by the little things they do when it's not necessarily heroic, than by being Heroic, if you know what I mean.

One of these days, I'm going to have to get through the Dark Knight story-line. So far, I've failed to get through that initial challenge a number of times. It looks like some good times.

[Alisa180]

Never mind the fact everyone wants us to do all their daily chores, from harvesting kupo nuts to getting their cat off the roof.

I posted this in another thread, but its worth re-stating here. The reason we do so many 'odd jobs', as DPZ2 somewhat mentioned, is by the nature of our profession: To paraphrase the sky pirate leader from the Void Ark quest, 'Strip away the glory and the heroics, and I bet you're still an adventurer at heart.'

To quote from a Gridania sidequest:

"I know all about adventurers! You'll do anything for a reward, won't you?"

And another one:

"You there─adventurer! Yes, you will suffice. I have a job I need performed, and I'm willing to pay the going rate."

The first one, the quest giver has you try to make his friend laugh. The second one has you make some inquires on the questgiver's behalf (with a few involved characters making comments about the questgiver roping an adventurer into the task).

Point is, 'odd jobs' and 'sidequests' are part and parcel with being an adventurer. Pre-3.0, its implied Scion work barely takes up most of the WoL's time, if that. Several times, you get indications of time passing between quests.

So, what does the WoL do when the Scions don't have a job for them? Well, they naturally fall back on typical adventurer work. Sidequests, dungeon delving, crafting, gathering, ventures, guildhests, the list goes and on. They have to earn gil somehow, after all.

Incidentally, you should look at the Anima weapon quest. During the cutscene, the WoL gets 'volunteered' to help with the weapon by Rowena. The WoL steps back and shakes their head in a 'Oh, no, leave me out of this!' sort of way. Rowena then adds (paraphrasing), 'Oh come on, you can't say the weapon doesn't interest you.' The WoL then does the 'thinking/considering' emote, almost as if saying 'Well, you have a point...' The whole sequence is hilarious, and the WoL is implied to go along with it for the same reason us players do the quest: To get a powerful weapon.

And while the WoL is slowly becoming more of a distinct character, a lot of the reasons for 'why' they do something can often be interpreted through the lens of the why the player is doing it. They are an audience surrogate first and foremost after all. The Anima weapon is one example. Sidequests are another. (Experience, money, or just wanting to help out/see how something plays out *coughhildibrandcough*)