Building a better Alphinaud

[TaleraRistain]

I think the most competent surviving leader would be Gaius, and I could easily picture a scenario in which he takes the throne.

I can't. After the Werlyt questline, I think he's got a very good reason to want to be done with all that nonsense. He still cares about his homeland, but I can't remotely see him wanting to be in charge. Especially because he's come to see that he did some pretty wrong actions thinking they were the right things. Plus he knows Maxima is there and working on helping to rebuild. He can stay doing his own things with his new companions, and his daughter, and be his own person for once in his life now.

One more point I just recalled, he's also part of Werlyt's provisional government and he was protecting that area from Blasphemies in Endwalker. So his focus seems to be on his new home now, and since he has Allie to look after, it makes sense he wouldn't want to put a target on the back of his only remaining child by trying to be in control of somewhere like Garlemald. Even if the truth about Varis came out, he would still have enemies in that sort of position. He probably has some even where he is with Werlyt.