What's the point with that quite lackluster story in Endwalker?

[MikkoAkure]

When did we get Elidibus' POV in the tales? Afaik he hasnt gotten anything of the sort. We're just told he exited Zodiark to help mediate, we arent actually shown his pov in any of this.

Ah, the scene from "Ere Our Curtain Falls" was another Emet-Selch one about Elidibus. I misremembered that as being from his point of view.

Also can i ask for a source on the convocation "rarely if ever leaving amaurot?" Because i dont recall that ever being mentioned and Lahabrea kind of contradicts that seeing as Pandaemonium exists. Seems like headcanon to me.

Hythlodaeus points out during Elpis that Emet-Selch travelled Etheirys as well, helping others without ever expecting gratitude or praise in return. So Venat certainly wasn't unique in terms of actually walking amongst her people - though she certainly seemed to delude herself into thinking as such. It was never explicitly stated whether the other members of the Convocation travelled as well and to the same extent but I daresay it's a safe bet that they did to a decent degree.

Hytholodeus said that the others sat in Amaurot while the seat of Azem's role was to wander the world as the traveler and help people. Even if the others visited, that wasn't their main purpose and didn't do it to the same extent. The people Emet-Selch helped were from when he was Hades and before he was on the Convocation and we have no further insight into it except that it was "people the world over" but mostly Azem.

Among all the offices, the Fourteenth was most unusual. For while the rest sat in Amaurot, its holder was charged with gaining an intimate knowledge of the wider world.
In the course of her duty, she traveled the length and breadth of every land, and befriended countless folk.
She encountered troubles too, of course. Matters which she could simply have referred to the Convocation. But that was not her way.

And Azem, traveler of the world and counselor to the people.

You travel often, then? It seems we have something in common.
Long ago, when I held the seat of Azem, I was forever trekking back and forth across the star in search of answers to people's problems.

'Tis a rest well deserved and long overdue, I should think. How greatly have we prospered for the wisdom you accumulated during your travels as Azem.

[Lunaxia]

snip

Ah, Hyth's quote was the one I was thinking of! I distinctly remembered it being said the Convocation more or less never ventured forth from Amaurot, but felt it was rather pointless to post without recalling where. I was wondering if Yoshi had dropped it in an interview.

I'm far from a fan of Venat, but it's grasping at straws trying to compare what at most would have been occasional work trips for the Convocation to what was essentially not only a job but a way of life to anyone in the seat of Azem.

[MikkoAkure]

Ah, Hyth's quote was the one I was thinking of! I distinctly remembered it being said the Convocation more or less never ventured forth from Amaurot, but felt it was rather pointless to post without recalling where. I was wondering if Yoshi had dropped it in an interview.

I'm far from a fan of Venat, but it's grasping at straws trying to compare what at most would have been occasional work trips for the Convocation to what was essentially not only a job but a way of life to anyone in the seat of Azem.

Ultimately I was under the impression the whole time that the reason Azem didn't support the summonings was because they were more in tune with the planet than the Convocation thought they were and seen more of the actual world and were more connected to the actual people living off the land. When it was revealed in EW that Venat was the previous Azem, I figured that extended to her too. Hythlodeus said that part of the purpose of Zodiark's summoning was to impart a will onto the planet, where there was none before. Stopping the Final Days and restoring life to the world is one thing, but spending time to cultivate it and then sacrifice a portion for their new god seemed to be the red line.

I wish they went more on that angle than any of the Dynamis nonsense but we got what we got.

I wish the dialogue going on here was more along the lines of "Hey writers, you've wanted to make her a sympathetic character from the beginning in ARR, I think you missed the mark here, can you fix this or make us understand better" instead of "Venat is evil and a terrible person and the writers are bad for trying to make us care for a villain" when the character herself and the intentions behind her existed for years longer than the current writing for her has.

[Carin-Eri]

Ultimately I was under the impression the whole time that the reason Azem didn't support the summonings was because they were more in tune with the planet than the Convocation thought they were and seen more of the actual world and were more connected to the actual people living off the land. When it was revealed in EW that Venat was the previous Azem, I figured that extended to her too. Hythlodeus said that part of the purpose of Zodiark's summoning was to impart a will onto the planet, where there was none before. Stopping the Final Days and restoring life to the world is one thing, but spending time to cultivate it and then sacrifice a portion for their new god seemed to be the red line.

I wish they went more on that angle than any of the Dynamis nonsense but we got what we got.

I wish the dialogue going on here was more along the lines of "Hey writers, you've wanted to make her a sympathetic character from the beginning in ARR, I think you missed the mark here, can you fix this or make us understand better" instead of "Venat is evil and a terrible person and the writers are bad for trying to make us care for a villain" when the character herself and the intentions behind her existed for years longer than the current writing for her has.

My knowledge of the game's lore isn't overly extensive, and haven't been a player for too long (eight months), and will acknowldge that this may have been addressed at some point in the past. Therefore am putting this as an honest question rather than anything else:
Was it always the intention for Hydaelyn's story to play out the way it did?

I mean, to be honest, it doesn't really feel as if it was.

[Lauront]

Hytholodeus said that the others sat in Amaurot while the seat of Azem's role was to wander the world as the traveler and help people. Even if the others visited, that wasn't their main purpose and didn't do it to the same extent. The people Emet-Selch helped were from when he was Hades and before he was on the Convocation and we have no further insight into it except that it was "people the world over" but mostly Azem.

Sure, but again, that's just from the point of view of the seat's duties. I agree with the rest but to me it's a big so what, especially since all Convocation members had lives that may have taken them all over the star before their ascent, and in some cases, they may well have done travelling in addition to their other duties. If anything, all the traits Emet is praising her for meant she had all the more to live up to and her inability or unwillingness to relay the truth to her people is all the worse for it.

I only hope at this point they keep the PC Azem distant from her and don't have them partake of her plans to sunder the world, as that will be the final nail in the coffin for me. I don't want them to have anything to do with it.

Uh, lets give people their choices shall we? 14's story is but one of many problems. The game's gameplay has been incredibly lacking and the healer role has been ignored for 6+ years. Personally i am excitingly waiting for Ashes as it seems to be offering everything ive ever wanted in an mmo. As for story or lore im going to assume you havent looked much into the game because its very rich in lore so far from what we can see. Its similar to the Souls franchise however where they dont seem to give you explicit answers on things, its up to you to search and put the puzzle pieces together yourself and come to lore conclusions.

Yeah, I don't get it either. Can't say the story direction of this game enthuses me much. I'm not sure what it is exactly I would be missing out on from hopping over to Ashes at this point.

[...]

Thank you for articulating in words my shared hatred of this particular headcanon.