ONE thing You'd Change About the Game

[Veritas-Ancora]

I haven't finished EW yet, but the extremely underwhelming portion of the Garlemald arc is part of why I consider Stormblood the true end of the Garlemald Empire chapter thematically. I can’t remember who originally said it, and I might be butchering the phrasing, but the quote goes something like: “Fascism is imperialism turned inward.” I was really hoping the fall of Garlemald would give us a deep exploration of that idea: a once-expansionist empire turning its tools of violence and control inward as it collapses. But instead, we got a surface-level portrayal of Garlemald’s downfall totally lacking the sociopolitical nuance that the setting begged for.

Returning to Garlemald would be an amazing expansion. Working within its walls to prevent another imperialistic army would be such a great narrative.

[Illianaro]

Returning to Garlemald would be an amazing expansion. Working within its walls to prevent another imperialistic army would be such a great narrative.

I would fully support this.

Imagine if it were to turn out that the “defeat” of Garlemald in EW was a fake out or a false victory, and if it turned out that, because there wasn’t enough effort put into the reconstruction/recovery, it allowed for shadowy imperial seeds to take root and for the empire to rebuild.

[Mawlzy]

I would fully support this.

Imagine if it were to turn out that the “defeat” of Garlemald in EW was a fake out or a false victory, and if it turned out that, because there wasn’t enough effort put into the reconstruction/recovery, it allowed for shadowy imperial seeds to take root and for the empire to rebuild.

I can see this from a narrative point of view, but please no.

I understand Garlemald is supposed to be a cold, depressing, post-apocalyptic wasteland. And we spent more than enough time there already.

If there are to be shadowy imperial seeds sprouting, have them do so somewhere with a decent climate and flowers.

[Illianaro]

I can see this from a narrative point of view, but please no.

I understand Garlemald is supposed to be a cold, depressing, post-apocalyptic wasteland. And we spent more than enough time there already.

If there are to be shadowy imperial seeds sprouting, have them do so somewhere with a decent climate and flowers.

Actually, now that you mention it, what if it was on Othard that the seeds took hold, far away from the heart of the original Empire? I mean, I could theorycraft a potential post-imperial Garlemald storyline/expansion until I'm blue in the face. I'm open to all sorts of ideas! Maybe even having them take roots right in Eorzea, in some of the zones that have been unavailable, like the West Shroud and the Coerthas Lower Highlands (Coerthas Lowlands...?) and the like. Anything could happen!

[Mawlzy]

Actually, now that you mention it, what if it was on Othard that the seeds took hold, far away from the heart of the original Empire? I mean, I could theorycraft a potential post-imperial Garlemald storyline/expansion until I'm blue in the face. I'm open to all sorts of ideas! Maybe even having them take roots right in Eorzea, in some of the zones that have been unavailable, like the West Shroud and the Coerthas Lower Highlands (Coerthas Lowlands...?) and the like. Anything could happen!

Haha, go for it. I just have no desire to return to grey-on-grey hellscapes overwritten with white-noise snow.

[Veritas-Ancora]

Actually, now that you mention it, what if it was on Othard that the seeds took hold, far away from the heart of the original Empire? I mean, I could theorycraft a potential post-imperial Garlemald storyline/expansion until I'm blue in the face. I'm open to all sorts of ideas! Maybe even having them take roots right in Eorzea, in some of the zones that have been unavailable, like the West Shroud and the Coerthas Lower Highlands (Coerthas Lowlands...?) and the like. Anything could happen!

I do prefer areas that don't make me depressed.