Inconsistencies with the astrologian questline and the Durendaire family

[SannaR]

it's the whole if ur not heir thing then the noble family dun care what the younger ones do as long as the family name doesn't get dirt on it. Like the postmoogle quest with the hair cutting dude is actually like the one in line after his brother that looks just like him for their minor house. It's why Janne has been able to have fun with the ladies til now. Also why post vault Emmanellain feels the weight of his position more and strives to be more like a certain half brother. Up until then he could get away with slacking in his responsibilities.

[RobinMalvin]

House Durendaire is the one in charge of The Observatorium, so it is no wonder that their children will be inducted in the art of (Ishgardian) astrology since birth. I think by what Jann said that he's been studying astrology for "more than thirty summers" means that he's been studying astrology (not Sharlayan astrology exclusively) for as long as he remembers.

As for the succession line, I'm more inclined to believe that Jann is actually the third son of the family and originally third in line of succession. When the oldest son (Carvellain) dissappeared, he became second in line. When he started to promote Sharlayan astrology in earnest, I assume House Durendaire was none too happy for it (his uncle was certainly pissed enough) that they rearranged the succession order so Jann now is considerd third in line of succession, at least maybe by House Durendaire. We haven't seen a lot of members of the Four High Houses so I'm not at all surprised if the second son of House Durendaire will remain unseen.

[Iscah]

We haven't seen a lot of members of the Four High Houses so I'm not at all surprised if the second son of House Durendaire will remain unseen.

it's the whole if ur not heir thing then the noble family dun care what the younger ones do as long as the family name doesn't get dirt on it.

That certainly seems to be the case from what Jannequinard says - but the question I'm asking isn't whether it's happening, but who the older brother is. Not necessarily a name/appearance (although that makes it easier to think of him as a specific character) but what his circumstances are.

By the astrologian questline, he's the person that the family have put all their hopes on, while (by his account) ignoring Janne and basically not caring if he's a suitable future count or not.

It can't (or at least shouldn't) be Carvallain, if he vanished when Janne was twelve years old - so unless the family has been pinning all their hopes on the idea of him reappearing someday, it would have to be a different brother who's been present for the past twenty years to be considered the future count while Janne is still the 'younger son' and not required to take on responsibilities.

And yet, by the MSQ/lorebook, there's no clear successor to the current count... so where is this older brother now? Have the writers forgotten that he should exist, because he's not a defined character?



Having thought further over it, I don't think the 'mystery brother' could be an illegitimate son, at least not by the astrologian version of events if he's the favoured one - not having checked references, but it seemed to be an unusual case that Haurchefant was as accepted by his family as he was, and he still wasn't officially a family member (unable to use the Fortemps surname) and had to earn his knighthood. And the Durendaires seem to be shown as more old-fashioned and formal versus the 'progressive' Fortemps.

(Also it just seems odd, from a story design point, if both the Fortemps and Durendaire families have three sons and the second one is illegitimate...)



In Emmanellain's case, I don't think he's being held up to more responsibility as a noble - though he is right now first in line to the countship after Artoirel took up the title, it's unlikely he'll ever actually become count, as he'll still be second to any future children Artoirel has. (And I don't know, hypothetically if Artoirel died, could Edmont take up the title again instead of requiring it to pass forward?)

Rather, the recent events have made him want to be a better person - he's badly shaken by Haurchefant's death, of course, but it's the failed peace conference (and the consequences of his actions there) that are the real catalyst for him making a true effort to improve.

Looking through the Dragonsong quest scripts now - his turning point is the quest 'Choices' where he resolves to make his own decisions instead of standing back and letting others make them for him. (Some of what he says is quite similar to Jannequinard in 'Sharlayan Ascending'.)

In any case I'm looking forward to where his story goes from here. I like "checking in" on previous characters to see if they're saying anything new, and I'm a bit disappointed that they haven't updated any of the Ishgardian characters' scripts from the end of Dragonsong until now - it's still the same dialogue they had just after Emmanellain had taken up command at Dragonhead. It seems like it would be a good opportunity to update it at least when we have cleared Stormblood, and have some degree of story progression there - an indication that he's been in the position for a while now, and how he's coping with it.

All this also makes me think - not for the first time - that I'd like to see a plot thread of him becoming good friends with Francel. The opportunity is there, with them both stationed in/near Dragonhead, and presumably in contact. Would be something of a contrast, as (noted in the lorebook) Francel is the one held to higher standards despite being the youngest son, because his older brothers are more interested in their own projects - but more simply, I just want to see poor Francel get an ongoing story instead of being left with nothing to do but grieve for Haurchefant and stand watch over a defence against the dragon horde that's no longer a threat. (Edit to clarify: Not that he shouldn't be grieving - I think it's really beautiful that there's been, so far, an arc from his first reaction to gradual acceptance as you talk to him at different points, and I want to see that continue.)