(https://ffxiv.consolegameswiki.com/w...rithold_Broken)

And we return to Galfrid in time to stop a crisis, or so we are told. A large shadow is scaring people inside a dungeon.

“Listen well, for we haven’t much time.” Galfrid
<groans> Me

At least, there’s a reason why us. Everyone else is off fighting an incursion.

Just because of how time doesn’t matter, I’m tempted to take hours before continuing the quest, but it just won’t matter.

Once we arrive, we are informed that 5 people are still stuck inside and we are needed to ‘see them out of harm’s way’. An interesting detail is that they say nothing of me saving the leader of the group. We rescue them, fight a golem, and our two author inserts show up. And we get a vision where we get a bit more back story through bad dialog.

When we’re back we find out the ritual to calm the wood’s protectors failed due to whoever interfered, but it doesn’t matter, the author inserts will send word and another group will come to do the ceremony. I won’t comment on the guard outside who knows far too much about what took place inside to be innocent.

Again, our unwarranted heroism is proclaimed, and then we are sent back to the town.

On returning to Mother Miounne our heroism is again proclaimed, and immediately sworn not to speak of it. As part of our reward (or you know, to bribe into silence) we can now get a room in the inn, and take on jobs from the Guildleve. There is talk of a festival I should attend, then we are done.

So, where to start? Unless they are incompetent, the guards should have been able to save everyone but the leader, and that is only because the golem would have been woken and they would have had to flee. Then, the reason my help becomes needed is to help take the golem down so a new ceremony could be performed.

that small of a change would have made the guard look competent while still creating a situation where I’m needed.

As with too many of the quests to date, my only purpose is to kill something so the story can happen around me. I don’t have an actual impact on the story.

I think that is the biggest flaw in Final Fantasy XIV. I as a player and main character, have no agency, or even the illusion of agency in how the game will progress.