Thread: Revelations from Patch 4.5

Originally Posted by YianKutku

Thanks, that was what I was missing. And I was indeed not doing that, which explains the mechanic.

MSQ additional thoughts:

The more I think about the parley, the more annoyed I am with it. The only good point Varis had was against Merlwyb, and that was only because Merlwyb set it up for him so nicely. When she was going on about Lominsans peacefully settling La Noscea, I was going "NO YOU FOOL YOU'RE WALKING RIGHT INTO HIS TRAP".

Merlwyb should have known better, especially since Y'shtola already called her out on it.

The rest of the Alliance was hamstrung by the writers apparently not knowing how to write a proper negotiation. Even Raubahn's original idea of just using the parley as a stalling tactic didn't work, since Varis controlled the pace of the negotiations. And he only did so because he could essentially handle all the Alliance leaders blindfolded with both hands tied behind his back.

It was the NPC negotiation equivalent of Zenos narratively handing us our behinds in Rhalgr's Reach. He's not doing it through skill or tactics. He's just coded to be that much higher in stats, because the writers say so.

Especially disappointed in Aymeric. Where was the Aymeric who managed to get Hraesvelgr to at least listen to him, even if it was Midgardsormr who actually convinced Hraesvelgr?

This song is just ten words long:

Very much agreed that the Alliance leaders seemed to have gotten hold of the idiot ball in the parley. The only valid point Varis raised was with Merlwyb, and since she's been called out on that twice now by the Scions, her surprise seemed rather off. Varis had no answer to Hien, Lyse, and Raubhan, who all experienced Garlean oppression firsthand. Kan-E-Senna wasn't allowed to give the obvious response to his "You tried to summon the Twelve" remark, namely, "We wouldn't have had to if you guys hadn't dropped the freaking moon on Eorzea."

And then there was Aymeric. Varis' description of the end of the Dragonsong War was so very wrong: the WoL, Estinien, Ysayle, and Alphinaud trekked across the better part of Dravania in order to meet with Hraesvalgr to make peace. When we eventually killed Nidhogg, it was with help from his brood-brother, and the blessing of Big Dragon Daddy himself. That said, I did like Aymeric's response, because it was realistic and it fits nicely with my headcanon that Aym and his BFF the Warrior of Light make a point of not talking about the fact that the WoL killed Aymeric's father. I have no trouble believing that he's still conflicted about that, and having Varis bring it up caught him off-guard.