Quote Originally Posted by Zaji_MuaDib View Post
If we take them as if this were a society that should function as a real society would, and people who act as real people would; The religious issue would be secondary. All societies, especially theocracies, are pragmatic about their faith in government. When the fake inquisitor was kicking around some country bumpkins were easily awed and terrified into doing what ever; but now we're talking about the central governing body of the capital.
The problem here is that the church is the government. Look into how much power the Catholic church held over governments in medieval times and you'll see how that works out.

That said; an alternative would have been to have your Patron throw your compatriots on the mercy of the court. After all; the charge was no actually heracy, and the court, aware of the scions actions and the politics of executing them, would have been disinclined to do so. It could have driven the player to learn more about the Ishgard conflict; by having the court enforce a kind of conversion.
It was a kangaroo court to begin with. The word of the knights of the Heavens' Ward is beyond reproach; a trial by combat was literally the only option, because it lays the outcome at the feet of Halone, who is beyond the knights. Lord Edmont pretty much spells it out.