Tales from the Dawn #4: "A Question of Death" (Jullus)

[KariTheFox]

Kindly read the assertions again. There is no implication of modern day Garleans being on the verge of extinction. In fact, the opposite is stated.

As for the rest? If you want to disregard the multiple sources provided in this very thread on the subjects of Garlean history and resources, carry on.

I have read all the sources you are talking about - I have been citing them explicitly.

The following facts are not in dispute: The people who became the Garleans were displaced from thier original homes and fled to Garlemald, Garlemald is a inhospitable climate that does not support a high population, early on in the history of the Garlean Republic, they were subject to attacks by nomadic raiders until they were able to repel them with the help of mercenaries, the Garlean Republic existed for over 500 years as a minor nation in the region, the Garlean Republic had a standing military and was involved in some kind of conflict that Solus was able to turn in the Garlean's favor with magitech.

What is not confirmed is the assertion that Garlemald were in a state of constant warfare with other nations, or were being continually persecuted by them. The above facts do not actually add up to that assertion being true.

[Absimiliard]

Also, at their peak the Garlean Empire had all of Ilsabard, most of Othard and Ala Mhigo under their control. That's a lot of countries, and given the Empire's spread only lasted like 70-ish years tops (the first invasions were in 1515, Seventh Calamity in 1572, nebulously 5+ years after that to Endwalker), the Garlean people didn't have a huge chance to proliferate into the lands they were now able to occupy.

At the scale the Empire was at, in the time they had to get there, it would've been really hard (and probably fairly morally terrible) for them to not be the minority population in their own greater empire.

The EE tells us Garleans made up roughly 70% of the population of their capital during the time of the empire. In-game text informs us the majority of Garleans tend to simply stay there, meaning that 70% represents the lion's share of their population. There are some determinations we cannot make without exact figures, but it seems like a rather fair assumption their numbers were quite small compared to most sapient races on Etheirys.

Not sure where the idea of Garleans being some kind of critically endangered species in the current age came from, but they aren't... Well, they weren't. I don't believe we have any sort of confirmation as to their population levels post-EW.

What is not confirmed is the assertion that Garlemald were in a state of constant warfare with other nations, or were being continually persecuted by them. The above facts do not actually add up to that assertion being true.

Then we have a fundamental disagreement. We are both in part making conclusions based on whether or not Drusilla's comment about fighting tooth and nail refers to literal fighting. Having read through the quest text in multiple languages to see how it's been addressed, I firmly believe it is. You believe it is not.

Though, I will note I don't necessarily believe their republic was in constant conflict with other nations. It would have been destroyed in protracted open warfare with its neighbor nations if it did anything other than falling back so far into its ungodly hostile environment nobody would follow. Espionage was more their thing on the national front. Now raids by smaller groups, on the other hand.... Well, it's mighty difficult to defend settlements from people that can drop small meteors on you when all you have are swords, bows, and some pointy sticks.

Of course, one needn't be subjected to literal 24/7 attacks by other nations to be kept in a severely disadvantageous position by them.

[KariTheFox]

Then we have a fundamental disagreement. We are both in part making conclusions based on whether or not Drusilla's comment about fighting tooth and nail refers to literal fighting. Having read through the quest text in multiple languages to see how it's been addressed, I firmly believe it is. You believe it is not.

If another language has a line that directly cites a war or conflict that the Garlean Republic was involved in, I would love to see it.

But at least in English that line could just as equally refer to fighting off nomadic raiders, or simply trying to eke out an existance in a harsh enviroment. It can't really be taken as evidence of any particular conflict.

[Zero-ELEC]

Well, this thread started out nice for all of 3 pages before the usual things happened. I guess that's a record.

Touching story, nice to see more about the Galvus family tree.

[sidurgu-12]

Well, this thread started out nice for all of 3 pages before the usual things happened. I guess that's a record.

Touching story, nice to see more about the Galvus family tree.

Insert professor hulk meme here. (no idea how to link on a ps4.)

[Carin-Eri]

I'm rather hoping that they do one of these 'Tales from the Dawn' with a focus on Zenos.

There is quite a bit they could elaborate upon with him, and frankly I'd love to read of his journey to Sharlayan and how his conversation with Krile initially went (since it's almost a given that he wouldn't have been well received) and just what he said that convinced Krile and the others to trust him and cooperate.