Modders did it to themselves

[Carin-Eri]

I feel like many people don't really understand this isn't about SE being in the right.
There will be a new mare sooner or later, so taking it down has no other effect than getting more people mad at SE and Dawntrail, it's just a bad decision, doesn't change anything if it's against the TOS or not.

Why was it a bad decision? What prompted the Cease and Desist Order? What would've happened if SE had not acted upon whatever it was that prompted them to take this action?

I don't know the answers either - FACT is we, the players, don't really know what prompted this action; player response to what has occurred is being fuelled by emotion, not facts. But I would suggest there is a high probability that SE was attempting to avoid litigation that would result from doing nothing. And unhappy players complaining, leaving, and/or posting review-bombs was probably a softer hit to take than legal expenses.