Artoirel is... (4.5 spoilers)

[LineageRazor]

To be honest, I could EASILY see this being the setup for a Count Emmanellain scenario. Emmanellain has gotten a lot more in the way of character development than Artoirel has - the latter has always been the "competent" brother to measure Emmanellain's incompetence against, with little in the way of development of his own. Emmanellain is comfortable in his lack of responsibility, as he knew he could depend on his brothers (now, brother) to handle important tasks. Emmanellain has also gotten some hard lessons on the consequences that can ensue when he IS given responsibility, and wields the power poorly.

If Artoirel is killed, his comfortable buffer is gone. There's no one else - he's the last and only choice to become the count. Emmanellain will likely be very distressed by this, as it is unlikely he considers himself to be qualified for the position. He'll have to grow up, and fast. The buffoon will have no choice but to overcome his buffoonery, for the sake of his family and out of respect for his fallen brothers.

To be frankly honest, from a storytelling perspective, Emmanellain becoming the final heir has a WHOLE lot more potential than the status quo, with boring ol' competent Artoriel taking over and Emmanellain living out his days in his safe, comfortable bubble. That said, given that Ishgard is no longer the storytelling focus, I could easily see the writers having too many other pies to attend to to bother spicing up the Fortemps drama. The status quo may well remain as-is.

[ObsidianFire]

Well, we know we are rebuilding Ishgard next expansion. Aymeric is going to be involved with that and I have a rather hard time seeing House Fortemps not be involved in it either. If Emmanellain does end up being Count, that'd be a great set of content to tell his story with.

[Iscah]

I don't feel like this is the right setup for Emmanellain to become count. Not at this time.

Storywise he's still just been appointed as commander at Dragonhead, and even though it's logically been some time since that happened, we've seen no development on how that's gone. (Prior to 4.5, I believe they were still giving the same dialogue since he first arrived in 3.5. I'd been hoping for ages we'd get some kind of updated remark on how he was coping with it - post-credits Stormblood would have been an excellent opportunity.)

The only 'new' thing from him since then was his cameo in the Lv60 weaver quest, and that might as well have been Lv50 for the way he was acting. Not that I'd expect him to be otherwise in that particular quest, but it's hardly an update on how he's going.

It was presented as a big deal to have finally appointed a new commander (and fair enough), so it seems a missed opportunity for it to give no sign of character-building or plot development before circumstances move him somewhere else.


Also, I've said before, I'm still hoping we'll get to see him interact with Francel. (Or failing that, anyone to interact with Francel. He's been holed up in that cabin for long enough without any ongoing plot involvement, despite us dealing with his friends and family throughout Heavensward and sidequests.)

[YianKutku]

Also, I've said before, I'm still hoping we'll get to see him interact with Francel. (Or failing that, anyone to interact with Francel. He's been holed up in that cabin for long enough without any ongoing plot involvement, despite us dealing with his friends and family throughout Heavensward and sidequests.)

Francel makes frequent and regular trips up to Haurchefant's grave, but is, as expected, uninteractable.

[Iscah]

Francel makes frequent and regular trips up to Haurchefant's grave, but is, as expected, uninteractable.

Yeah, I've seen him there - I think he might be there every time.

Finding the grave was actually the first thing I did as soon as I got out of the credits for Heavensward, and it was lovely to see him there. Set me crying all over again.

Still, when I brought it up with my FC afterwards, I was surprised to realise that some of them didn't even know who I was talking about - and when I thought about it, even though he'd been on my mind (and regularly visited) throughout Heavensward, and seemed like an important character to me, he is never actively involved in the plot. We never actually have to go speak to him at any time beyond the initial Lv35-40 quests in Coerthas. If people aren't actively thinking of him, there is no reminder that he exists, beyond an early mention or two from Laniaitte.

He doesn't even get to appear in the crowd at the "end of the Dragonsong War" ceremony, which seems like a massive oversight. He absolutely should have been there.

He deserves some more prominence, and I want an update on how he's going. I don't think his dialogue has changed since the end of the Dragonsong arc.

[AmemeAmeklin]

Yeah, poor Francel...I think he's like a mix of grieving and just flat out angry with either or both Haurchefant and us for what happened. Most recently he showed up in the short stories where he was murdering some defenseless flowers when he realized how Haurchefant had probably died.

Ishgard sorta got left behind a bit in terms of loose ends for the NPCs roaming around outside of the MSQ, alas.

[Iscah]

Yeah, poor Francel...I think he's like a mix of grieving and just flat out angry with either or both Haurchefant and us for what happened. Most recently he showed up in the short stories where he was murdering some defenseless flowers when he realized how Haurchefant had probably died.

I think that's not the fairest description of how that story went. That was the start of it, but even by the end he seemed a little more at peace.

His normal dialogue (at the cabin near Skyfire Locks) changes a few times, and it's also worth talking to his assistant Stephannot.

Immediately after Haurchefant's death:

FRANCEL
They said you were there with him. At the end. Tell me...tell me it was...
Forgive me, I haven't the words.

After the credits for Heavensward (during which we first see the grave, and the WoL places the shield there), he visits it regularly. (video)

The side story seems to be set around this point, and I would guess prior to the scene that plays out for us there: "Hello again, old friend," he says as he kneels at the grave - then turns to us and says "...it doesn't get any easier, does it."

At this point his normal dialogue has also changed:

FRANCEL
He was rather fond of those cliffs, you know. On a clear day, they offer a fantastic view of the city.
The way he would look at it, with a smile that wasn't quite, and eyes that held the whole of the world...
I would give anything to know what he felt in those moments.

And again post-Dragonsong (and up to now):

FRANCEL
The strength to carry on comes not from ourselves, but from that which we hold dear. From those we failed and those we will not.
And so, in that darkest hour, you won. The fates smiled on you. And, perhaps, so did he...
...I try, I truly do. It's what he would want. But sometimes it's just so damn hard...

STEPHANNOT
(You needn't worry. Though not often, he nevertheless smiles more frequently. The bitterness begins to fade, and he finds it easier to remember better times.)

[AmemeAmeklin]

I missed the in between dialogue from him but yeah, he was slowly coming to terms...but he's been stuck like that for a while

I hope he finds peace in the rebuilding ishgard storyline. We rescued him waaaaay back in ARR and he's clearly got his own personality but he was really left behind for the most part.

[Iscah]

I hope he finds peace in the rebuilding ishgard storyline. We rescued him waaaaay back in ARR and he's clearly got his own personality but he was really left behind for the most part.

That's my hope too. Have a plot running in Coerthas and involve both Francel and Emmanellain.

Would also be nice to directly talk about Francel's brother Chlodebaimt, who died at the Steel Vigil - we know from Laniaitte that it's the reason Francel took the post at Skyfire Locks in the first place, and he'd have to walk through the ruins every time he visits Haurchefant's grave.

[AmemeAmeklin]

That's my hope too. Have a plot running in Coerthas and involve both Francel and Emmanellain.

Would also be nice to directly talk about Francel's brother Chlodebaimt, who died at the Steel Vigil - we know from Laniaitte that it's the reason Francel took the post at Skyfire Locks in the first place, and he'd have to walk through the ruins every time he visits Haurchefant's grave.

He may visit both sites, but we only see him at Haurchefant's memorial (Haurchefant's actual body is interred elsewhere) because that scene is triggered upon our approach. He did also go up there to prove himself when the inquisitor was after them and Haurchefant had to send us after him. Hmm... of course he also casually strolls past the aevises roaming that section so I wonder if there's a discrepancy between what would be roaming that area in 'reality' vs what we see scripted in game.