National Leadership in Stormblood and Heavensward

[Vexander]

That line, in hindsight, sounded to me like a reference to the fact that Unu comes from another world. Nonetheless, if it was his Echo, it could just be his unique manifestation of it (though 'taking down wards' sounds like a really specific and useless superpower). Or it could also have been, very simply, that Unu is a child prodigy of a mage from the Void.

I'm trying to remember if the WoL ever did this, and the only times I can recall are in dungeons, and it's not made clear if it really was the Echo that allowed us to take down those wards or if it was just us murdering everything in our path.

Anyway, like I said, the Garleans had means of nullifying Sharlayan's defences before they ever developed the Resonance, so there's no reason for them to think they would need it for this. After all, why shelve what works?

When was the last time Garlemald nullified Sharlayan's defenses?

[Mysterysword]

When was the last time Garlemald nullified Sharlayan's defenses?

I said they had the means of doing so, not that they applied them yet.

Like I said: Ysayle and her followers infiltrating Ishgard to take down the wards from the inside. The Garleans could probably do that just as easily with Sharlayan.

As for collaborators, they've had Laurentius in Gridania, Elaine Roaille in Ul'dah, Yotsuya in Doma, and countless other spies disguised as adventurers, as mentioned in the quests where we infiltrate Castrum Centri. Hell, Lucia is a pureblooded Garlean, wholly incapable of using magic, who was still able to infiltrate Ishgard, and so good at espionage that she became Aymeric's second-in-command and went completely undetected until she willingly told Aymeric about herself.

If the Garleans had more spies of Lucia's calibre that they deployed elsewhere, they wouldn't need the Resonant to get past those defences.

[YianKutku]

If the Garleans had more spies of Lucia's calibre that they deployed elsewhere, they wouldn't need the Resonant to get past those defences.

Based on Lucia's title of "goe", she's a Primus Frumentarius according to the lorebook: senior intelligence officer, commanding other intelligence assets. Which does bring up the question of what happened to the assets under her command when she defected, or if she was simply sent in solo.

I'm still surprised that Lucia managed to be undetected for so long despite both having the Garlean third eye (she'd have to wear something over it at all times?) and the Garlean height. I don't even know if her being Garlean is common knowledge in Ishgard, after her defection. It's implied that it's still a secret, but on the other hand in Stormblood Lucia talks about instructing Ishgardian troops in whatever Garlean tactics and counters she still remembers.

Come to think of it, how did Cid manage to hide his Garlean ancestry for five years since the Calamity? While he's uncommonly short for a Garlean (and thus being average Midlander height), that third eye should have been a giveaway, goggles or not. Has he not woken up in the morning or after a bath and looked into a mirror and gone "hang on, that's odd..."

[Theodric]

Well, that's just one of the many reasons as to why I dislike most 'defector' characters and have spoken out against them in the past. Their heritage is largely just used as a convenient plot point that happens to give the protagonists access to whatever it is that the antagonists have that gives them an advantage...and predictably they somehow best their enemies at almost every turn. In Lucia's case, it's a mixture of magitek and tactics. In Cid's case, it's mostly magitek. In both cases, they've somehow managed to avoid being detected for significant amounts of time. It would be fairly easy for Cid, at least, to pass for a Midlander - but Lucia does not have that luxury and it doesn't account for the difficulties of hiding the most distinct Pureblood trait.

We know from Arenvald's own words that Garlean half-breeds are recognisable at a glance. I can't help but feel like it would be the same way with Garlean Purebloods - especially since many have distinct facial features. Accents, too, in some cases - though that can be disguised more easily.

I was glad for Arenvald's revelation as - once again - I found some of my headcanon confirmed. One of the characters that I role-play is a Garlean and I made it a point for it to be very difficult for him to disguise that fact. It's kind of jarring, then, for Cid and Lucia to have apparently fooled everyone around them for quite a long time. Surely there would be physical examinations in Ishgard? Wouldn't she have been injured in battle at some point and found herself in need of being patched up?

I guess you could handwave it off and say they were somehow disguised with a glamour but that feels a bit cheap, even if it would explain things.

[Mysterysword]

snip

Well, presumably Lucia still had her material assets with her after she defected (see: Magitek Armour), and as for blending in, she might have pretended to be a half-breed, like Hilda. Which would explain why she worked for Aymeric in the first place, since he would be sympathetic to that story.

As for hiding her third eye, if she didn't have anything to cover it (a helm isn't all that uncommon for a knight anyway), there's always the option of really good makeup.

[FJerome]

As for hiding her third eye, if she didn't have anything to cover it (a helm isn't all that uncommon for a knight anyway), there's always the option of really good makeup.

I thought the Garlean Third Eye really was an actual eye? Wouldn't that be rather painful?

[Theodric]

I thought the Garlean Third Eye really was an actual eye? Wouldn't that be rather painful?

It doesn't appear to be an actual eye. Not in the typical sense, anyway. It looks more solid - like a gem - but we don't fully understand how it works other than it potentially being what allows for Pureblood Garleans to have heightened spatial awareness. We've seen Purebloods cover them up with helmets, circlets and hair. I suppose makeup could work too but it could potentially irritate the area/cause damage.

[YianKutku]

Well, presumably Lucia still had her material assets with her after she defected (see: Magitek Armour)

Which raises even more questions, like what manual of engagement would provide a deep cover operative with, as standard equipment, a fully operational suit of Magitek Armour.

We can't even handwave it as captured armour, because at that point in time Ishgard was still stoutly ignoring the Empire, and focusing on the war with the Dravanians. So Lucia managed to bring a suit of Magitek Armour with her through her infiltration and defection, and mobilize it at short notice to rescue us.

Did she somehow pass it off as a peculiarly-shaped Starlight Celebration prop or something.

[Theodric]

Which raises even more questions, like what manual of engagement would provide a deep cover operative with, as standard equipment, a fully operational suit of Magitek Armour.

We can't even handwave it as captured armour, because at that point in time Ishgard was still stoutly ignoring the Empire, and focusing on the war with the Dravanians. So Lucia managed to bring a suit of Magitek Armour with her through her infiltration and defection, and mobilize it at short notice to rescue us.

Did she somehow pass it off as a peculiarly-shaped Starlight Celebration prop or something.

Again, doesn't that just come back to 'convenient plot device'? Cid is particularly guilty of it in general, though. How many times has he appeared at the last possible moment to carry someone to safety on his airship?

The sooner we get another 'Regula' who is capable of working with both sides, but is not willing to sacrifice or abandon his or her people and homeland the better, really. Maybe then we can learn more of Garlean culture such as the types of food they favour, how they disguise themselves when operating in distant lands and so on.

[Mysterysword]

Which raises even more questions, like what manual of engagement would provide a deep cover operative with, as standard equipment, a fully operational suit of Magitek Armour.

We can't even handwave it as captured armour, because at that point in time Ishgard was still stoutly ignoring the Empire, and focusing on the war with the Dravanians. So Lucia managed to bring a suit of Magitek Armour with her through her infiltration and defection, and mobilize it at short notice to rescue us.

Did she somehow pass it off as a peculiarly-shaped Starlight Celebration prop or something.

Eyup, I'd love to see the story she used to cover that one up. Ten to one it'd be a good one for the ages.