6.1 MSQ showcases the narrative problems that continue to plague the game's story

[TaleraRistain]

Maintaining Zodiark in his position would have fended off Meteion seemingly indefinitely, and it is only logical for the Ancients to seek to restore their own people no matter the cost to the "new life" which then either went on to cause thousands of years of human strife, or as was implied by others in another thread, may have merely been just other plants and animals that are in no way equivalent to humans.

If what they were going to sacrifice to get everyone back wasn't equivalent to humans then why was their society torn on whether to sacrifice it all or not in Ere Our Curtain Falls? Why did they consider they should entrust the star to those "selfsame freshly minted souls"? Why is there any conflict if whatever was created was not equivalent to humans? Even if it was plants and animals, it was created by the star and not the Ancients. What gives them the right to hold their society superior to what the star created?

The cutscenes that don't advance the plot should be in side quests, keeping the main scenario very focused. After saving the world, the WoL's time should be considered quite valuable, so maybe they have helpers who can handle the errands and report back to you, freeing you up to do important things, unless of course you choose to investigate further personally in optional side quests.

The problem with this format is that now you end up with a very sparse MSQ. Assassin's Creed Origins did this. If you only play the main story in that game, it's sparse and missing a lot of context on *why* Bayek is targeting the people in these areas and how horrible they are. They shoved all that into side quests. I finished going through HW recently and if you only do the HW MSQ, you run into the same issues because the MSQ is focused over here and but the side quests give you context on just how the Dragonsong war is effecting everyday people and the society. Same with Stormblood. I'm glad they're including more of this in MSQ because it makes our WoL feel more connected to the world for me.

[Theodric]

What gives them the right to hold their society superior to what the star created?

The continued existence of their loved ones and society combined with reversing a situation that was inflcited upon them at the behest of a very unwell and deluded woman in the form of Venat. Let's not pretend as if she wasn't the one who forced the Ancients into the predicament in the first place by refusing to mention any of the information she had been entrusted with.

There's no benefit to criticising the actions of those seeking to do whatever is necessary in order to survive if they are deliberately forced into a corner. As if they have any need to just roll over and die for the sake of someone else.

[TaleraRistain]

The continued existence of their loved ones and society combined with reversing a situation that was inflcited upon them at the behest of a very unwell and deluded woman in the form of Venat. Let's not pretend as if she wasn't the one who forced the Ancients into the predicament in the first place by refusing to mention any of the information she had been entrusted with.

We don't know what she did and didn't do or say. We don't know that she didn't speak to someone. We don't even know if she didn't try to tell the Convocation or at least some members and they didn't believe her without proof. We can surmise she probably avoided it because Hermes was there but we don't know who she may have spoken to privately. For all we know, she told Azem and Azem said to stay mum because it's hinted we had future sight. We need more information the developers may or may not ever provide to know exactly what information the Convocation was going on.

And that still doesn't change the fact that the third sacrifice was controversial in the society and that raises the question of why if the new life wasn't equivalent to humans in some manner. We also saw in Elpis that everything they did was supposed to be for the good of the star. Is putting their own people above the star's creations doing that?

[Lauront]

If what they were going to sacrifice to get everyone back wasn't equivalent to humans then why was their society torn on whether to sacrifice it all or not in Ere Our Curtain Falls? Why did they consider they should entrust the star to those "selfsame freshly minted souls"? Why is there any conflict if whatever was created was not equivalent to humans? Even if it was plants and animals, it was created by the star and not the Ancients. What gives them the right to hold their society superior to what the star created?

Huh? The star supplies the souls, but that's it. May as well be asking "how dare anyone eat a cow! It has a soul!" (as far as the setting is concerned)... but more than this, we know that the Convocation used Zodiark to seed the star with lives, from this (may have to open in a new window to zoom in):



So what makes you think they're overriding some vague will of the star? If anything, the star owed its continued existence to Zodiark and by extension those ancients who sacrificed to form him.