"The Warden Works in Mysterious Ways"/Other ARR Quests That Shouldn't Have Been Axed

[glitteringcosmos]

In the great ARR culling of 5.3, the quest "The Warden Works in Mysterious Ways" got removed, along with dozens of others. From a technical standpoint, I get why they removed it--you travel to the far side of the map for no objective other than flavour text. But it was precisely that flavor text that should have stayed in the game. This was a very significant moment for the player, who'd just gone through a traumatic experience, and I think the symbolism of the gods being silent to your prayers hit in just the right way. Plus, it was removed in the very same patch that added another dimension to that scene, i.e. the revelation that Azeyma and the rest of the Twelve may not be gods at all, and that you are the reincarnation of Azem of the Convocation. Even now it remains one of the most memorable parts of my ARR experience.

I was so, so sad when I learned that this quest had gotten the axe. There were a handful of other quests that I believe wholeheartedly should have stayed (the scene with Yda and the sylphs come to mind) while others that stayed should have gotten the axe instead. I wish, at the very least, they would consider bringing this one quest back.

[glitteringcosmos]

Are there any you all think should have stayed/should be brought back (even though we know they won't)?

[Enkidoh]

I had to look back through my screenshots to recall that particular quest, which is ironic not just for the revelations about the WoL and Azem revealed in SHB and confirmed in EW, but that Azeyma was actually my character's guardian, even though my headcanon for her never had Enki as particularly devout, the scene with the WoL praying at Azeyma's deity stone and contemplating crisis of faith was actually quite poignant, especially what had just happened at the Waking Sands. Although it was probably a way of also paradoxically adding further weight to Gaius's big "reason you suck" speech much later in the Praetorium (with his typical Garlean aethism declaring the Twelve, and all subjects of religious devotion, to be false).

Either way, it was sad that particular quest was removed, but as you said, it really only added to playtime for what amounted to minor exposition about the Twelve which a lot of new players probably wouldn't be too concerned about sadly, so it's removal made sense from a technical perspective.