The DRK storyline

[Theodric]

I think there's merit to the idea that there should be consequences for those who fail to protect the leaders that they are sworn to defend. I also believe that there should be consequences for the failures of leader figures, too. If they expect people to fight and die for them then they, too, need to show good judgement and not allow for naivety or misplaced trust to lead to situations where they are put at risk in the first place.

[Belhi]

It would be very strange to confront a monarch with armed guards in her own sanctum where there were no other guards. So many red flags would have been raised by even a semi-competent guard force. In the medieval ages it would be game over at that point unless the Sultana could rely on a successful rescue attempt.

Its not the middle ages and Nanamo doesn't have much more power than Teledji already had if she had more at all. Practically speaking, Nanamo almost a puppet ruler for the Syndicate already. She has had to work damn hard to grow her influence and the whole point of her plan was to depower the Syndicate as it was the only path she saw open to her.

Honestly it might have been a bit odd but it would have been moronic for Teledji to actually threaten or harm the Sultana. It would basically cost him his own position. Frankly, prior to this the Syndicate could already overrule anything Nanamo wanted to do so there would be little to no value in doing so. People wouldn't be worried about it because it would make no sense to do. Plus, Teledji always has his bodyguards with him and any breach of decorum would have been overlooked in the face of the WoL having murdered Nanamo.

There probably would have been consequences for the Sultansworn if the events ever went public. However, for the most part, the public was told she was just unwell. Lolorito wanted to maintain the status quo, not rock the boat even more.

[Kyran-Varlsen]

It's still Nanamo and the Sultansworn's fault it came to this. Even if the Syndicate had more political power, that does not mean they can walk all over Nanamo's private rights. The whole point of the Sultansworn is to defend the Sultana, and unless each of those thugs had proper itinerary for walking into her quarters unannounced then it was either corruption or incompetence on the Sultansworn's part that would see Teledji able to march in with his thugs. Nothing should ever be presumed, especially where security is an issue. I can't believe you would defend the Sultansworn on this matter - there is no defense.

[Belhi]

It's still Nanamo and the Sultansworn's fault it came to this. Even if the Syndicate had more political power, that does not mean they can walk all over Nanamo's private rights. The whole point of the Sultansworn is to defend the Sultana, and unless each of those thugs had proper itinerary for walking into her quarters unannounced then it was either corruption or incompetence on the Sultansworn's part that would see Teledji able to march in with his thugs. Nothing should ever be presumed, especially where security is an issue. I can't believe you would defend the Sultansworn on this matter - there is no defense.

There was corruption in the Sultansworn. We know this for a fact from levelling PLD to start with. Half the issue in the first part of the PLD story is that the Monetarists had gained influence and control over the Sultansworn, working to weaken them.

For to the point, I am not sure how stopping Teledji walking into Nanamo's chambers would change anything. It isn't like he walked in there and forced her to drink poison. Even if it was a breach of decorum, that detail would have been quickly overlooked by the fact that Nanamo wasn't breathing and the WoL was apparently responsible.

Remember, the whole point was that Teledji set this whole situation up to make the WoL look like the villain and him to look like the man bringing the murderer of the Sultana to justice. He would have planned to be able to walk in at the right time including having a justifiable reason to do so. He would have hardly set everything up but failed to arrange credible access. There is nothing to indicate he simply just barged in past the Sultansworn without a justifiable reason.

[Kyran-Varlsen]

Are you telling me that if you were the Queen of a nation, with limited power and many enemies, that you would consent to a guard force that would allow a powerful rival to walk into your bedchambers with several armed men? This is Square Enix basically skipping a few steps, at the price of a proper portrayal of how power works in an age of swords. Had the Sultansworn walked into the bedchamber first, secured Nanamo and had their own chosen chirurgeon examine her then the WoL would have been cleared of wrongdoing when she awoke. Instead we are seized by soldiers not loyal to the Sultana and then blamed for her infliction and then almost executed. Credible access would never have been available if the Sultansworn had been a credible defense force.

[Belhi]

You seem to be missing the fact that Teledji cant turn Nanamo into a puppet cause that is practically what she already is. The real power in Ul'dah lies with the Syndicate. She is a figurehead and she has managed to claw back influence but the main power in Ul'dah resides with the Syndicate, not her.

Teledji is, powerwise, close to Nanamo's equal. If he had important business, politically he would be very hard to deny. Further, since the Sultansworn failed he would be perfectly at rights to demand that the WoL be handed over to the Brass Blades since they are the policing force of Ul'dah. The Sultansworn may be Nanamo's personal guards but they aren't in a position to overrule the Syndicate unless they have proof of Nanamo's safety being at risk.

Seriously, what do you expect the Sultansworn to do? Deny one of the rulers of the city? They don't have that authority. Maybe if they had Nanamo to back them up but without her Teledji has authority. They don't have a legal basis for saying no unless they have some indication that Teledji was involved in the poisoning himself. The WoL was literally carrying the bottle the poison came from in their pocket. Its practically being caught red handed.

[Nuach]

The Encyclopedia Eorzea is actually pretty clear about this, the Sultansworn only have half of the force that they need, they're weakened enough that they've had to receive aid from the Brass Blades to secure the palace. So it isn't purely a case of an incompetence or corruption on the Sulatansworn's part, though those likely play a part, but that they have been systematically weakened by the Monetarists, so that they could have their muscle there to "protect" the Sultana.

[Kyran-Varlsen]

I don't think the Sultansworn should be taking orders from anyone but the Sultana or their own. To them, Teledji should be little more than another up-jumped noble (who may or may not be bribing them). What is the point of the Sultansworn if they can be ordered to step aside from their posts by someone who is not A) Their Captain or B) Their Sultana? Being in charge of the Brass Blades does not grant Teledji judicial authority anymore than being in charge of the Stone Torches would allow Chief Foreman Fyrgeiss of Amajina & Sons Mineral Concerns to turn Mines in the area into his own personal Kingdoms where he can make whatever laws he wants.

If Teledji was able to order the Sultansworn guarding Nanamo's chambers to step aside then they still failed because they did not seek clarification from Nanamo herself. It is entirely possible that they got permission from the Handmaiden who they could easily assume was speaking on behalf of the Sultana. If the trusted Handmaiden had told them that the Sultana demanded Teledji's presence along with his guards then they could almost be forgiven for mistakenly letting Teledji walk in. This is really the only redeeming scenario for the Sultansworn and it still calls for a security review.

The Encyclopedia Eorzea is actually pretty clear about this, the Sultansworn only have half of the force that they need, they're weakened enough that they've had to receive aid from the Brass Blades to secure the palace. So it isn't purely a case of an incompetence or corruption on the Sulatansworn's part, though those likely play a part, but that they have been systematically weakened by the Monetarists, so that they could have their muscle there to "protect" the Sultana.

Okay. If I had only 10 guards in the Sultansworn then 3-5 of them would be outside the Bedchamber and the others either resting or patrolling. Let the rest of the Palace be guarded by Brass Blades - the Sultana is more important than a hallway or a banquet room. This would be similar to the Kingsuard in GoT - prioritize protecting the Royal Family above all else.

[Belhi]

Teledji isn't just another up-jumped noble. He is one of the rulers and lawmakers of the city with power on par with that of the Sultana. There would be rules to what and what they could not deny Teledji. Further, as I stated earlier, Teledji almost certainly had a legitimate reason cooked up for being there. He had planed this carefully. Further, if they had stopped him or not would have made little difference in the long run. The WoL would still be arrested, Teledji would still be able to claim custody and events would have still pretty much played out the same.

[Cilia]

Fun fact: Lolorito donated half of his personal funds and all of Teledji Adeledji's leavings to the Sultana in a gesture of goodwill as some measure of recompense for the... unfortunate outcome of Teledji's machinations and his own (somewhat failed) attempts to mitigate them. This gives Nanamo some measure of control over the Syndicate, though Ul'dah remains a virtual plutocracy.