Divine intervention

[Zaji_MuaDib]

It's a bad decision, to invoke trial by combat in a matter as sensitive as the scenario presented is.

Choosing to invoke trial by combat would inevitably embarrass a distinguished knight and potentially a high house. The political blow-back of such a thing would not be A small matter for House Forteps. A guile politician as the count is; would never have allowed such a thing; and there was a wasted opportunity for some narrative drama as well. A quest could have been had that simply had the player waiting and maybe reading a book or two, while the count fought the political battle; which you the player are not equipped for :O

"trades will be made" was a line from a previous quest and it could have,had one of its pay offs here. But as it is, we smash and grab.

[Zaji_MuaDib]

Also, I can't be the only kitty would bang Haurchefant; I keep getting the vibes that he and female P.C.s are banging anyways and the game just can't show it

[Frizze]

Also, I can't be the only kitty would bang Haurchefant; I keep getting the vibes that he and female P.C.s are banging anyways and the game just can't show it

He says the same dialogue to male warriors of light too. Haurchefant is into it, whatever it happens to be.

[Tlamila]

He says the same dialogue to male warriors of light too. Haurchefant is into it, whatever it happens to be.

This. Luckily most chararacters that hit on the protagonist are bi/pan or simply WoLsexual, so they behave the same indipendently of your character.

[Gula]

Also, I can't be the only kitty would bang Haurchefant; I keep getting the vibes that he and female P.C.s are banging anyways and the game just can't show it

*Calls the PG-13 police*

[Recon1o6]

something to bare in mind was a good chunk of the planned heavensward quests did not get added on account of 2 things, deadlines and the death of yugiri's voice actor (which led the ddevs to retire her while the court case did its thing). Quests that revolved around the heavensward nights and yugiri was supposed to be almost omnipresent throughout HW, and this was one such scenario that was a possible loser of one or both given how early it is in the msq

as for haurchefaunt...well the japanese is apparently more forthcoming than he is already which should tell you something XD
A lot of people shipped hauchefaunt and the Wol indeed.

[Zaji_MuaDib]

..... as for haurchefaunt...well the japanese is apparently more forthcoming than he is already which should tell you something XD
A lot of people shipped hauchefaunt and the Wol indeed.

This was sad... and I am sad now.

[TheMightyMollusk]

Bear in mind that Ishgard is heavily bound in traditions of the church. They believe that whoever wins a trial by combat was sanctioned by their goddess, and to go against that means going against the church itself. No one is willing to risk that. And defeating two members of the Heavens' Ward, the personal bodyguards of the Archbishop himself, in fair combat, is a hell of a sign to stay out of the way.

Also remember that the Scions, and the Warrior of Light in particular, had recently (in-story) gained considerable favor with Ishgard for defending the city from Vishap and the Dravanian Horde on the Steps of Faith. You're not just some random mercenary wandering in; you've already proven that you stand against the Horde and shown to be a capable warrior. And more recently than that, you've helped root out heretics in the Western Highlands and saved the son of a noble house from the Vanu Vanu. You've got a fair amount of cred beforehand. So there's no shame for the knights who lost the fight. (I mean, sure, Grinnaux wasn't happy, but he's an asshole anyway.)

[DPZ2]

It was either trial by combat (because Halone grants success to those in the right), or death as a heretic. No amount of 'favors' would alter those two outcomes. It is a logical extension of 'prove your innocence of this charge of heresy by jumping into this deep pit to your death'.

The Ishgardian church leaves Halone to sort out the guilty and the innocent after death.

[Zaji_MuaDib]

If we take them as if this were a society that should function as a real society would, and people who act as real people would; The religious issue would be secondary. All societies, especially theocracies, are pragmatic about their faith in government. When the fake inquisitor was kicking around some country bumpkins were easily awed and terrified into doing what ever; but now we're talking about the central governing body of the capital. That said; an alternative would have been to have your Patron throw your compatriots on the mercy of the court. After all; the charge was no actually heracy, and the court, aware of the scions actions and the politics of executing them, would have been disinclined to do so. It could have driven the player to learn more about the Ishgard conflict; by having the court enforce a kind of conversion.