Future leader of Apa Mhigo

[Theodric]

-snip-

This pretty much sums up my thoughts as well. I remember reading somewhere that the developers are heavily inspired by FFXII so hopefully they'll avoid making Garlemald as a whole into an antagonist and have us work alongside many Garleans that are still loyal to their people and homeland above all else.

It's hard to consider Cid or Lucia 'Garlean' when they've turned their backs upon their people and homeland only to offer information and tech that no doubt likely gets many innocent Garleans killed as a result. How I wish that particular aspect would be highlighted and explored...

[Fenral]

It's hard to consider Cid or Lucia 'Garlean' when they've turned their backs upon their people and homeland only to offer information and tech that no doubt likely gets many innocent Garleans killed as a result. How I wish that particular aspect would be highlighted and explored...

Garlemald desperately needs a Larsa, but it's probably not going to be Cid or Lucia. Nero, maybe?

[Theodric]

Garlemald desperately needs a Larsa, but it's probably not going to be Cid or Lucia. Nero, maybe?

A Larsa, a Gabranth and a Drace would be rather neat. Perhaps a Beatrix thrown in for good measure. Or a Rufus. Or a Reeve.

It's possible that they're building up Regula for such a role, I suppose. Though it's also possible he'll be getting the 'Kefka' treatment given his involved with a certain Triad.

[Nalien]

Assuming 4.0 is going to Ala Mhigo, I'd quite like;

3.3 - Fight with the Demon, introduction of some new Garleans. Have Nero show up under Regula, along with two new Garlean Rangers, just like with Gaius.
3.4 - Fight with the Goddess, Regulas mask begins to slip and the obvious Kefka references become obvious.
3.5 - Varis returns to Azys Lla (assuming he even left), Regula attempts to copy Kefka and kick him off Azys Lla. Fails, Varis escapes back to Garlemald. Regula eats the Warring Triad and needs to be stopped. In the process, we run into Nero and his two new friends who are also trying to stop Regula. We strike an unease alliance, stop Regula. The end.

4.0 - Garlemald invites us to Ala Mhigo in an attempt to settle internal conflicts there and dampen hostilities with the Eorzean Alliance, who lets face it, so far have been fighting pretty rogue elements from Garlemald... Nael got Tempered and Gaius went in on his own... Warring Triad storyline also gets mentioned if done. Nero returns as our guide to the city, 4.0 deals with us trying to subvert Garlean rule, while also trying to stop dangerous resistance elements, like Ilberd. 4.# ends Return of the King style, ready for 5.0 to push into Garlemald proper.

[Belhi]

Its going to have to take a pretty major change in foreign policy for us to be working with Garlemald. Up till know they have had their minds set on conquest or destruction. The other issue is remove Garlemald and you remove one of the most substantial enemies from the board. There aren't many enemies strong enough that would seriously pose a major threat with Garlemald at our back.

That said, I do see factions within Garlemald and political turmoil being a point. We might not exactly ally with Garlemald as much as one of the factions within Garlemald. God knows they need some more moderates. Part of the problem was the Meteor program was endorsed by the Garlemald leadership.

[Theodric]

Bear in mind a lot of what we've heard from Garlemald has been from biased sources. Refugees are prone to exaggerating the situation they were in if they feel it'll get them sympathy and/or wealth, food and a roof over their heads. Furthermore Ala Mhigo has been occupied for quite some time and is no doubt full of Garleans and Ala Mhigans - both of which may very well not want to be liberated. If they pull it off well then we'll be fighting the extremist elements of the Ala Mhigan Resistance simply because we shouldn't want to settle for kicking out Garleans simply for the fact that they're...well, Garlean.

Ala Mhigo hasn't been 'Ala Mhigo' for a while now. Therefore Ilberd's view is completely flawed. Then again we should be killing him for scheming against Nanamo and getting multiple Scions killed (including Wilred who was Ala Mhigan himself, incidentally).

I'm pretty confident that Garlemald is going to be much like Ishgard. Painted in a bad light when viewed by real world morality and biased accounts but...actually not all that bad for those who get to know and embrace it.

[Lauront]

I don't foresee 4.0 being anything other than a trek/escapade through Garlemald. If it is set in Othard, the live letter indicated one would have to get there through Ilsabard, which could mean a rush through. Also, I suspect Ala Mhigo will be an aspect of a future expansion but not the sole one, as it is a fairly small zone in and of itself. So perhaps we could see Ala Mhigo and Othard packed into one expansion, i.e. 4.0. After all, they have plenty of zones to get through. I foresee Garlemald proper being left until 5.0 or maybe 6.0, depending on whether they want to develop them as they have Ishgard and introduce new antagonists.

Ala Mhigo hasn't been 'Ala Mhigo' for a while now. Therefore Ilberd's view is completely flawed. Then again we should be killing him for scheming against Nanamo and getting multiple Scions killed (including Wilred who was Ala Mhigan himself, incidentally).

That, plus the fact that before being crushed by Garlemald, it had expansive plans of its own for Gridania. Hardly a sorry victim of circumstance.

[Rocl]

Ala Mhigo and Gyr Abania would be no smaller than Ishgard and Dravania imo, and I believe they've stated it's unlikely we'll ever get such a large expansion again? I'm no fan of Garlemald, but the rank-and-file does have potential for being pretty good characters. Think back on Ishgard: the archbishop and Heaven's Ward are pretty uniformly 'bad.' A little bad for the right reasons and a lot bad for the wrong reasons--I view Varis and most Legatus the same way. I have little love for the Halonic Orthodoxy and High Houses but things like Scholasticate quests and other sidequests help paint Ishgard in a much more complex and nuanced light. Garlemald deserves, at the very least, the same treatment.

Even the 'good guys' in XIV are presented as pretty flawed, though this has been lessened in our transition to "A Realm Reborn." Except Ul'dah. For some reason Ul'dah is allowed to stay flawed and corrupt while Limsa Lominsa's oathbreaking and Gridania's xenophobia is relegated to footnotes! And while on the subject of VIth Legion tribuni-- well, why not give us a Celes or a Leo? It fits the very strong nod toward Regula-Kefka and provides us with the beginnings of a sympathetic Garlemald.

Er.. right.. as for the leader of Ala Mhigo I oft assumed it would be Raubahn, especially after 2.55 when they introduced us to Pipin. Pipin Tarupin ran the Immortal Flames in Raubahn's absence, and I wholly expect should Raubahn ever leave his post as head of the Flames, Pipin would be the choice replacement.

[Mysterysword]

That said, I do see factions within Garlemald and political turmoil being a point. We might not exactly ally with Garlemald as much as one of the factions within Garlemald. God knows they need some more moderates.

At this point, it would take a hell of a lot to convince me that a character from Garlemald presenting themself as a moderate is being genuine about it. Garleans never seem like the type to do anything halfway -- Cid, Lucia, and even Nero all seem to have cut their ties completely, so it's difficult to imagine a character that could still be loyal to Garlemald, while disagreeing with part of its culture. Because on the other side of the coin, any and all Garleans we've seen, as well as most of the characters who've defected to the side of the Garleans (the final boss of the Ninja quest line is the first example that comes to mind) all seem to be fanatically subscribed to the ideals that the empire preaches.

Basically, asking for us to work with any moderates in Garlemald assumes a few things: That these Garleans are still loyal to their country but somehow still willing to work with us, and that in spite of their difference in opinion, they managed to rise to a position of power or influence, enough that their actions in working with us could affect things in Garlemald. And I don't think that's very likely, from what I've seen so far of the empire.

[Belhi]

That, plus the fact that before being crushed by Garlemald, it had expansive plans of its own for Gridania. Hardly a sorry victim of circumstance.

I haven't seen anything to indicate this is true and a lot to indicate Ala Mhigo had too much internal politics to even think about expansionism. The only time we have of Ala Mhigo attempting to take over Gridania was the Autumn war which was 100 years prior to the current time. Its hardly fair to hold people who weren't alive at the time for the actions of their forebears. We have nothing indicating that Ala Mhigo had any intention of attempting to annex Gridania since then.

At this point, it would take a hell of a lot to convince me that a character from Garlemald presenting themself as a moderate is being genuine about it. Garleans never seem like the type to do anything halfway -- Cid, Lucia, and even Nero all seem to have cut their ties completely, so it's difficult to imagine a character that could still be loyal to Garlemald, while disagreeing with part of its culture. Because on the other side of the coin, any and all Garleans we've seen, as well as most of the characters who've defected to the side of the Garleans (the final boss of the Ninja quest line is the first example that comes to mind) all seem to be fanatically subscribed to the ideals that the empire preaches.

Basically, asking for us to work with any moderates in Garlemald assumes a few things: That these Garleans are still loyal to their country but somehow still willing to work with us, and that in spite of their difference in opinion, they managed to rise to a position of power or influence, enough that their actions in working with us could affect things in Garlemald. And I don't think that's very likely, from what I've seen so far of the empire.

If you had met the wrong type of Ishgardian you could easily have the same view of Ishgard. However Ishgard isn't a single mind. It has more moderate elements that are still very loyal to their country. Infact the fact their country has these more hardline elements is often even more a reason for them to fight for their home and try and change things.

Garlemald isn't a hive mind. Its going to have a lot of people with differing ideas and there are many paths to power.