Quote Originally Posted by Anonymoose View Post
The only mitigating factor is that nigh all of the Empire believes that it's the Empire we believed it to be until now. What has "really" changed? One guy's impact. Except that guy was the founder, the leader, the identity of the Empire. To make HIM the simple, metaphysical "evil", in the eyes of the players meant to consume the fiction, tainted perception of the entire Garlean Empire and its entire history.

It feels like it was done in service to tidying up the plots and working the Garlean and Ascian arcs towards a conclusion, but was this really the best way?

I share the same concern, but I'm keeping an open mind.
I was ready to accept this "what has really changed?" angle until Varis came out also in favour of the Rejoining. I wanted Varis to be "the founding may have been a lie, but the Cause is still just and we need to remove the Ascians to resume our noble goal of curbing the Eikon threat". That could have redeemed in somewhat in my eyes - the Empire is based in a lie, but it has taken that lie and made it their truth. But with Varis at the parlay meeting we now know that's not the case.

I agree this feels contrived as a way to help resolve both threats at the same time. I am also trying to keep an open mind, but just disappointed for now as it's very fresh in my mind having just finished the MSQ yesterday.