Rewritten MSQ - Garlemald and EW

[aveyond-dreams]

It seems to be a bit out-of-character for the game's theme to have a "benevolent" Imperial character decide that the conquered territories are better off with the Garlean Empire considering a whole expansion was spent on their liberation. And then cartoonishly out-of-character to blame atrocities on the Senate just because OP doesn't like republics.

It also appears that the WoL basically does nothing in the first of the two expansions laid out. A story where we go back to being the mute do-nothing feels like a step back from Shadowbringers where a lot of the appeal was the fact that we were actually the main character. Instead, that spot has been replaced with yet another in the line of important MSQ blonde girls after Minfilia, Ysayle (ish), Lyse, and Minifilia, so yay for consistency at least?

That's changed in the 2nd half of the OP but the rest just feels like a rant post because they don't like Venat. We already see her at the very end of Shadowbringers and that characterization doesn't fit in with the post. Let alone our interactions with Hydaelyn elsewhere in the game.

I have already explained in the rewrite how disastrous and irresponsible it would be to turn over some of these territories to their respective Ilberds and potential Thordans. The Grand Duchess is not a blind idealogue and quite frankly I do not care for backwards rules regarding what rank women may or may not attain when half the men are either slain, tempered, or missing. She has a working and amicable relationship with the people of the conquered territories along with her native Garleans because of her charity – as in charitable actions like volunteering as a medic, spending time with them, etc. Given the choice, the majority of these people would entrust themselves over to her care instead of these rebel warlords.

I thought having a Celes type character would be more palatable than a Larsa for a playerbase that had to put up with 8 years of Alphinaud. Having this character with similarities to Celes allowed me to bring out the Locke in Thancred and give him a proper arc by extension. In any case I would also remind you that the Archadian Imperial Senate from FFXII quite literally murdered the emperor after having orchestrated the deaths of several of his other male heirs. Evil moves in packs. It takes a lot more courage to single-headedly take top control back of a country that has by this point lost its way. I’m sorry that my style of handling political writing was not to your liking, I fundamentally disagree on the point that Sharlayan democracy spreading would be a good thing for the world (especially when Sharlayan was up to several shady things before Endwalker further declawed the nation.) You probably would have disliked it even more if I had fleshed out Rozarria to the degree I originally wanted, given that it too is a former empire.

Addressing your statements regarding Venat, in this rewrite she effectively tempered the WoL and has done so many times throughout history to prevent him from potentially being tempered by Zodiark and obtaining the blessing of darkness that would shatter the Mothercrystal in which she has hid herself inside. I strongly feel that playing up the fallen angel and traitor angle makes for a more interesting and entertaining experience than the way in which Venat was handled in the MSQ. Again, agree to disagree. Venat in either case is still the greatest deceiver and manipulator in all of history, and unworthy of the mantle of goddess.

Lastly, yes I didn’t put too many words in the WoL’s mouth or too many actions in their hands because I was too focused on trying to make use of the cast’s strengths and applying them to appropriate situations. This is what felt natural, given that it’s an MMORPG, you’re supposed to fill in some of the blanks here. I don’t think this is an unreasonable expectation.