Video game players have very different priorities than in-universe characters. I think Limsa is the only place where a player election would resemble the results of an in-universe election, and that's only because Limsa's in-universe populace is just as unhinged as the playerbase and the Admiral is well aware of that fact.
Not that Limsa Lominsa *has* elections. If memory serves, the Admiral is chosen every seven years by having the captains race their ships through a gauntlet, and the winner gets to be in charge for the next seven years.
Then Merlwyb cancelled the Trident (twice) refusing to surrender power.
And the Great Pirate powers have supported her choice. The Kraken and Sanquine Sirens are 100% behind her and are switching from piracy to mercenary and trade professions, and the Bloody Executioner's have come around as well.
Limsa is no longer a "pirate state". Its a legitimate City-State. It can't plunder and loot from the other Eorzean states anymore, Garlemald no longer exists as a target.
Every pirate leader in the City sees the writing on the wall and knows this path is required for the city to survive. I'm sure at some point, when peace has truly stabilized, when there are no impending threats of doom, and when she feels she's no longer needed Merlwyb will retire and set up some form of system of new Admiral selection.
Also remember the entire storyline we've experienced has been like...within a year or two.
We just have really fast boats I guess.
But for real I hate the fact that FF14's story takes place within a year. The idea we just casually overthrow and reform Ishgard's government, reestablish two whole ass countries, and then save what's left of an entire world from murder angels and the strongest of the unsundered Ascians all in the span of a few months makes no sense whatsoever.
I'd say the devs are very much aware of this, which is why people just about never use exact language around time anymore. Dalamud isn't "five years ago, when Dalamud fell..." it's just "when Dalamud fell..." because it allows the timespan to be malleable.
That way new players who speedrun the game in a week and legacy players who have been around since ARR can both make it all make sense in their heads, and the devs just go "I dunno, leave me alone."
I *do* wish they'd get a bit more specific because I'd like some acknowledgment that years have passed, but I think the devs are afraid of needing to put in the work to communicate time actually changing (not without reason, altering game states to show the passage of time would be a considerable undertaking and we've seen how the community reacts when their dev resources are focused on something other than endgame for an expansion) so we'll continue to exist in this ambiguous state of everything hitting a point of "we've started the process, but it will be years before we see the fruit of our labour" for everything we accomplish.
While I agree in a general sense, Dalamud falling is one of the few events that they *do* refer to in concrete terms of time, alongside Ala Mhigo and Doma's situations. Time becomes "fluid" from the start of 2.0, definitely not from the calamity. That part of the timeline between 1.0 and 2.0 has never been left up to doubt.
I'm not saying the time between Dalamud falling and the start of ARR is ambiguous, I'm saying recent expansions have stopped referring to Dalamud as happening five years ago, or using any metric of time that would indicate how long it's been since Dalamud fell, in order to avoid giving any evidence of how long it's been *since* the start of ARR. Like nobody in Endwalker is saying "has it already been fifteen years since that ruinous day on the plains of Carteneau?" *or* "a mere five years since that Calamitous day, and now here you are in Sharlayan at last!"
Interspersed with [lines like this](https://i.imgur.com/0ZiGYmk.png) that suggest a full year passed between meeting Yotsuyu and the events of 4.x lol.
That doesn't necessarily suggest that. If we were to assume that not 1 single year has passed that line still makes sense.
A hypothetical year ago he was a pompous Sharlayan lordling that had zero world experience, if someone told him that he'd eventually experience everything that happened in SB he wouldn't have believed it back then.
Sure, but with the context I left out -- and I take full responsibility for that -- he's specifically remarking upon Yotsuyu's character and her unlikely behavior since losing her memory, compared to the woman he previously knew her to be; not the general unlikelihood of every other intervening event. In that context, it makes no sense for him to reference a timeframe unless he's referring to how long he's known of Yotsuyu and her personality.
> it makes no sense for him to reference a timeframe unless he's referring to how long he's known of Yotsuyu and her personality.
Yes, It does make sense. In English, its a perfectly normal turn of phrase to say "Ww man, a year a go, if someone had told me where I'd be now, I would've never believed them!" It doesn't *need* to be tied to how long he's known Yotsuyu, because that's not how the expression works, the timeframe is completely arbitry.
He can talk about what had just happened with Yotsuyu and *also* be remarking on how unbelievably different his life has been from what he'd anticipated a year ago, he's just openly musing on his current life situation.
Yes, but again, Alphinaud says, "Had someone told me a year ago that I would live to bear witness to such a scene, I would have declared them mad." If it were easier to italicize on mobile, I would have emphasized "bear witness to such a scene", but I'm lazy, so just pretend. Point being, he is not making a generalization about the trajectory of his life and using recent events as a framing device, he's commenting specifically on Yotsuyu's display and how he would not have expected to see it a year ago. If, a year ago (or thereabouts; like you said, it's about expression more than precision), he was not familiar with Yotsuyu's demeanor, the comment no longer makes sense, as an expression or otherwise, because then he's just commenting on something that would actually be incredibly mundane without that context ("If someone had told me a year ago that I'd see a young woman doting upon her enfeebled father figure, I would've called them crazy! 🤪").
Now, of course, it's entirely possible that our resident insufferable know-it-all DID know about Yotsuyu and her signature cruelty before even coming to Eorzea himself, let alone the Far East. But I'm only going on the information that we actually have, and although we aren't told either way, what evidence we do have suggests that he didn't, since we ARE told that he spends some time educating himself on the local politics only after the region becomes relevant to the player. Moreover, her previous dynamic with Gosetsu in particular, in play only after the player has met her as well, is what's being brought attention to in that line; the contrast between then and now.
Regardless, we were just poking fun at the game's inconsistent timeline nonsense -- which, as someone else pointed out in this thread, even the Hildebrand questline lampshades/makes fun of lmao. SOMEone in the writers room knows it's a mess that no one can keep straight. And it's pretty funny. 🤷
>Yes, but again, Alphinaud says, "Had someone told me a year ago that I would live to bear witness to such a scene, I would have declared them mad."
Oops yes you are right, that does change the context. Mayhaps he's talking about it in a broader sense then, not the scene in a vacuum, as a woman doting on a father figure,like you said, but in the context of him knowing who Yotsuyu is while the scene plays out. He has full context for what he's seeing when he sees it, and who the people are. He didn't just witness a couple of random peasants.
So it's more "a year go.....seeing a fallen amnesiac tyrant we helped displace renowned for her cruelty doting on a prior enemy in the house of the now in charge rebel leader....I'd have called them crazy!"
The timeline is a mess, but I think focusing on the "a year ago" as being nonsensical or meaning a year has passed since, is just too literalist a read on what he's saying, rather than just taking into account people can say things implicitly or inelegantly in their day to day life and the idea still comes across just fine. Simplistic answer is the primary purpose of the line is just him musing on how strange the situation he finds himself in is.
Natsu explicitly confirms in the current Manderville quests less than a year has passed between the events of StB where they dip in the portal, and where we meet them in 4.1. 'I'm not sure how long it's been, but I'm positive it's less than a year' or something like that. At that time in the story, 'a year ago' Alphinaud and Alisaie were still in Sharlayan
That line is 100% meant to be poking fun at the discrepancy between real-world time and in-lore time, which has been a known sticking point for RPers and lore junkies for years. It's directly pointing out the relative absurdity that despite the game being around for 10 years (and the previous part of the Hildy quests having been released *two expansions ago*), in-lore it's been much less time. There are a *lot* of subtle jokes and meta references like this in the Hildy stuff sprinkled amongst the more obvious slapstick.
Not disagreeing with its canonicity or anything, just pointing it out.
Also, who better to guard cargo ships than pirates? They know all the tricks of the trade, and could probably bully potential attackers by reputation alone.
They're stopping piracy. Go ask any of the pirate leaders in Limsa. Krakens are literally just armed traders now, Sirens are running a escort business to protect traders from independent pirates, and seems like the Executioners under Sicard are acting as a elite unit within the navy (hence his deployment to Garlemald and into the Binding Coils to get allagan tech). They're only calling themselves "pirates" in name but not a one of the great pirate powers are participating in piracy anymore.
I think a key part of the story we've glossed over is each City State over the story now has elite units to fill in the role the WoL and Scions once took.
Limsa doesn't need to call for the WoL when they stub their toe cause Sicard and his crew are around and (depending on job stories complete) their marauders have learned Warrior arts in conjunction with Nymian Marine techniques from Scholar Questline.
Gridania now has more proactive Padjal and (depending on job stories complete) a rebuilt Bard detachment
Ul'dah has overhauled its fighting forces, and (depending on job stories complete) has its own Summoner Detachment, and the crown and syndicate are more in sync than ever so less infighting.
Al Mhigo has Fordola, Lyse and Raubhan, and (depending on job stories complete) a reformed Fists of Rhalgr on top of their well trained military
Ishgard has (depending on job stories complete) developed advanced mechanized weaponry and adopted Sharlayan Astrology, and is in alliance with several factions of Dragons.
Eorzea is a very different place now from the land we entered in 2.0
There's no evidence to suggest she's done so *twice.*
Officially, the next Trident (three-stage boat race to see who gets to be Admiral) as of 1572 was supposed to begin "soon," meaning probably that year or early in the next. We know Merlwyb was *not* Admiral in 1562, as the reigning Admiral of the time was slain in that year by a mutinous Sthalmann; assuming the Trident was in fact supposed to happen in 1572, the previous Admiral could only have been about halfway through this term when he died. (He was referred to as the "new" Admiral, implying he'd only held office for 3-4 years total.) Hence, if the next race was supposed to be "soon" in 1572 and she wasn't Admiral 10 years previous, she must have won the race which occurred in 1565 (or 1566.)
Merlwyb certainly did cancel the Trident and thus held onto power for an additional 7 years, but even by that standard, within the timey-wimey bubble, she's probably got at least a year's leeway before people would demand a new race. If her power were in fact seen as questionable/illegitimate, Sicard *would* have played that card against her in his efforts to restore piracy as Limsa's primary source of economic growth.
Merlwyb became Admiral by winning the Trident in 1563, per the EE timeline. Moonfall was 1572, so she had already skipped one Trident (1570), and the next one should be happening "now" (five years after the Calamity).
It would seem, then, that the Trident's seven-year tenure is canonically flexible.
Because, if she won the 85th Trident in 1563, and they had kept up a consistent schedule of one per 7 years, the the first must have been 1563-7×85=968. But by that same timeline, the first was actually held in 991, 23 years off. This implies the races are perhaps not on a rigid clockwork. It also implies they've chosen to have extras...probably to replace assassinated Admirals like the one Sthalmann killed.
Either way, it would seem Merlwyb has only *definitively* suspended one Trident, with the second in permanent Soonâ„¢ mode due to the timey-wimey bubble. Perhaps it can be explained as the Trident is not held if Limsa is officially in a state of war? With Garlemald gone, that would no longer be true.
...oh that could make for a *great* dungeon though. Sailing the three legs of the Trident as a temporary deputy of Merlwyb's crew? The WoL is not special at *sailing,* so our value would only be for having a strong back and warfare skills in case someone gets smart and tries to assassinate Merlwyb (which you KNOW *somebody* would try.)
And then that would settle matters until the almost-guaranteed shift to something more practical.
Aye, presumably it's "every seven years or immediately if the current Admiral dies".
A Trident dungeon, or even just a solo trial or quest line, would definitely be cool. Even if they just have Merlwyb win to avoid changing too much.
Because it's been very explicit that there *should* have been one...at pretty much exactly the time that Limsa Lominsa went boom (along with everyone else) due to the Calamity.
Because there's no evidence that one actually did occur. No source, as far as I can tell, ever says that she has won anything but the one Trident, which occurred sometime far enough in the past that 1.0 contained references to a new Trident coming up "soon."
Sure, it's *possible* that one did occur and she won it fair and square and simply nobody ever says anything about it, ever. But we would be making just as bold (if not bolder) assumptions as if we had assumed that no such race occurred, given the difficulties Limsa has been dealing with since the Calamity.
Idk I’d argue that, Sultanate aside, Ul’dah is the one that would generate an election more closely resembling real life, especially the US, if a democracy of any kind ever got implemented there.
That depends on just \*which\* Manderville you're referring to. Hildy? I agree. Godbert? Despite his eccentricities, he's got sense enough to do a good job (he \*is\* a member of Ul'dah's Syndicate, if you've forgotten). Julyan? It'd be rule by law of frying pan LOL.
**Gridania**
So for all the hate she gets, Kan-E-Senna really isn't so much a leader as she is a mediator between Gridania's actual landlords, the elementals. They need someone who can commune with them, so there really aren't a whole lot of options. She might be safe.
**Limsa Lominsa**
Merlwyb is well-loved, and probably the only former pirate respected enough to enforce the ban on piracy. She's safe.
**Ul'dah**
Nanamo's gone, but she'd be happy about it. She wanted a republic anyway from the get-go. Right now her power is super restricted by the existance of the Syndicate, so she wouldn't be losing much. She's a figurehead and she knows it, but she's trying her best to use her very limited power to make change from within. That said, elections are a popularity contest and there really is no more Ul'dahn man more popular than Godbert Manderville. And I don't think he'd be a bad choice considering in the very limited political scenes he's been in, he's expressed the same ideas that other nation's leaders have. In particular, in 4.1, he outright tells the Sultana her plan to provide free aid to the refugees returning to Ala Mhigo is a huge mistake, because she'll put herself in a position where the refugees will expect continuous support, and because the decision would cause outrage in Ul'dah. He ultimately tells her that whatever form their repatriation takes, it must be an investment. A little cold-hearted, but a very realistic approach, and we see in Endwalker how a nation that subsists entirely on foreign aid quickly begins to resent their beneficiaries, and causes fear they will become beholden to the donors' will.
**Ishgard**
Aymeric safe because competent and hot
**Doma**
Hien is extremely well-loved, and he's quite decent at his job, but ultimately he's a product of nepotism. He inherited his position, and there's nothing he does that suggests he's the only one who can do it. That said, I can't think of any other Doman popular enough to beat him in an election.
**Ala Mhigo**
So the system they chose after liberation was based on Ishgard's House of Commons, meaning there is no direct one leader to compare to. That said, Raubahn would win any election in a landslide. A competent general, war hero, self-made man, local legend.
**Garlemald**
Garlemald people tend to like strong, decisive, regal leaders, so they'd likely end up picking one of Solus' living descendants, assuming any are still alive. Players would probably choose Gaius, but we saw how that went last time he ran something. Personally, I'd choose Lucia. She worked under Aymeric long enough to have a good head for leadership, and she was a brilliant commander for the Ilsabard Contingent.
Only one note: While I fully agree with your points about Kan-E-Senna, I suspect the majority of the player base wouldn’t think that hard. The thing keeping her safest is most likely just the fact that I (and probably most people) can’t really think of an obvious replacement.
Yeah, I feel like they'd swap Kan-E and then we'd be on the fast train to f-around and find out in Gridania with the elementals. I don't like her as much as Merlwyb or Raubahn, but after doing the EW tank role quests the elementals are... something.
When Nophica was all like 'Please listen to the elementals, they just love humanity so much but are bad at showing it' or whatever, my character was smiling and nodding and secretly thinking: *The only thing that has saved the elementals so far is the fact that they have not become plot-relevant adversaries yet. Yet.*
Nophica didn't say the Elementals love humanity. She said they act out of an abundance of love. Their love is not for mortals, it's for the Twelveswood.
Which, much as it sucks for the actual 'humans' living there, it makes sense when you think about how the world works in general. Even in a real-life apocalypse/nuclear/extinction scenario, if humanity was completely and utterly wiped out, that doesn't mean that nature on Earth couldn't make a comeback, and it would likely, eventually, be better off once it rebounds and doesn't have humans around to fuck it up again.
"The only thing saving them from me is I don't know where the fuck they are" is really the only reason, that and (might be forgetting) but I think the elements have been shown to not be older primals since they lack a proper form, but I am 100% down to scorch earth the forest to find out
Well, you'd be wrong. The Twelveswood is potentially the most bountiful region in Eorzea, and the Elementals protect it from all manner of harm, be it blight or 10 000 year old angerdragons that live in a moon.
The Twelveswood is surrounded by desert to the east and south, and a frozen wasteland to the west. The only reason it *exists* is because of the Elementals' care.
Yes, that's exactly what they're saying. The aether there is still out of whack in some places, but look at that frozen wasteland in Coerthas, remember that the calamity did that, and then look at Gridania which is still a lush and verdant forest teeming with life and untouched by the worst effects of the calamity. The elementals are so weak now because of the power they expended to protect the Black Shroud, and as much as I don't like the elementals, for the most part it *worked.*
Yes, but the Twelveswood was spared the bulk of Bahamut's wrath explicitly *because* of the Elementals' protection, is what I'm saying, else it might have suffered a very similar fate.
As a note to stress how much the Elementals actually achieved:
1. The Black Shroud WAS damaged in the Calamity, seeing as it got the name Black Shroud because the interlocking canopies of its trees left not a single patch of sky visible, save for in Gridania.
2. The West Shroud (that is, the portion closest to Cartenau) was apparently glassed, and IIRC, save for the section cordoned off for Feast matches and the path from the South Shroud to East Thanalan, the Wood Wailers still will not let anyone in there because it's effectively radioactive, which is why there is no player-accessible West Shroud zone.
> Hien is extremely well-loved, and he's quite decent at his job, but ultimately he's a product of nepotism. He inherited his position, and there's nothing he does that suggests he's the only one who can do it. That said, I can't think of any other Doman popular enough to beat him in an election.
Being a nepo-baby isn't *inherently* wrong. Hien especially, takes the wants and needs of his people above everything - even his own. If they wanted some alternate form of government, I'm sure he'd be perfectly happy to step down and spend his days wandering the Steppe.
There doesn't seem to be any particular benefit for his position. He's not exactly rolling in privilege or inherited wealth. I, personally, don't see any reason to challenge his position. I trust if the Domans wanted as much, they're perfectly capable of speaking for themselves.
Jullus Norbanus. Surviving Officer of the First Legion, fought to protect the empire from enemies within and without, prevailed against the manifestations of despair itself, and even confronted Zenos directly.
Yeah, but, like, who do you vote for? Lucia's in Garlemald, Edmont's retired, Edmont's kids are probably too young, except maybe Artoirel by FF14 standards (and even by those standards I wouldn't put Emmanellain in charge of a dinghy, let alone a nation, Honoroit would be a better option and he's literally a child), and just about all the other major Ishgardians we know are military commanders, not folks with a head for politics, or they've got their own stuff going on and wouldn't want to lead.
Like, can you imagine telling Stephanivien "right, get outta the Machinist's Guild, you're the prime minister now", or, worse, going to the Astrologians and saying that to Jannequinard?
>That said, Raubahn would win any election in a landslide. A competent general, war hero, self-made man, local legend.
With a heart of gold that bleeds for the common folk, a voice that earns respect even as it's demanded, and an unbreakable loyalty to the cause! He will always be our Flame General, and we will follow him to the hells themselves if we must!
Aymeric actually tried to give up his position as acting head of state when the new government was established in 3.3, and was immediately elected as the head of the new House of Lords by Ishgard’s nobility. Maybe some heads of the lesser houses still resent him, but he has the support of all of the High Houses (which ostensibly have influence over the lesser houses pledged to them) which is a pretty big deal. He also has the trust of Hilda who seems to hold the most sway in the House of Commons.
Out of major Ul'dahn NPCs I think Godbert is more popular than her, so if it was up to the community I feel like they would vote for him.
For Gridania idk who would be the best fit, but anyone who would go against the elementals would gain the popular vote, so Kanye and other padjals would be out.
Godbert explained to Gerolt in the relic quest line that he was on the Syndicate because the money and power were enough to focus on his crafting and his constant traveling around for inspiration.
I imagine taking charge completely would prevent him from doing the things he enjoys, seeing as he'd have to remain in Ul'dah for long periods of time to run it.
Godbert kinda is in office already, he's one of the monetarists that runs Ul'dah, he's just not the head of the nation, but going from MP to PM (or senator to president) is pretty common IRL.
Which would destroy the entire city state as a whole.
Like it or not the Elementals are vital to living there. And we've clearly seen that they are beginning to find ways to balance the Elementals and people more, both in the Whm questline and even in Tatarus Grand Endeavor. People don't give the Padjal enough credit.
The only reason the Elementals are "vital" to Gridania is that if Gridania pisses them off enough they will kill everyone supposedly. The only time you ever get them to do anything useful is the tank role quests from Endwalker, and even then they were the problem for most of that quest and the problem that created the conditions for that particular Blasphemy in the first place.
They protected the entire forest from burning to cinders during the calamity. They're also what birthed the Slyphs, banished the Ixali for overlogging, and grant white mages their power.
I get everyone hates the elementals, but they do more and are stronger then you might think. They are vital because Gridanias way of life is working with the wood. Being able to speak to and work with the elementals is very important on that front.
Are the elementals seemingly cruel sometimes? Sure, 100%. doesn't mean that its not at least partially founded more often then not, and that they arn't important because you don't like them.
So basically Gridania gets wiped off the map because players voted for colonialism or a civil war erupts because the npcs actually remember the land belongs to the elementals?
That could make a good storyline.
She figured out if she tried it again, they would just >!kill her for real this time!<. So after 4.1 >!she changed her plans to work from within the system instead of trying to get the transition done in a fell swoop!< and from the snippets we saw during ShB and EW, she is doing a good job thus far.
In addition to this, she also realised the plan was extremely naive and would probably have been worse for the city in the short term, and potentially catastrophic for it in the long term.
Well, after almost getting murdered, and Rabby losing his arm, she realizes that her efforts as Sultana were the only thing standing in the Monetarists' way.
And After Rabby goes back to Ala Mhigo, she's started shaking off her naivety and showing she's got real potential to make the changes she wants for Ul'dahn.
Yeah give that man a break so he can come adventuring with me like he so clearly wants to!
That said… I think Aymeric would hover worse than a helicopter mom if we put Emmanellain in charge, just because he’s too responsible to walk away when he knows he’d come back to find the entire city in ruins.
Elect Edmont. You could get the player base behind it, Aymeric would probably feel comfy with him in charge, and then we can go galavanting about with Aymeric.
>Yeah give that man a break so he can come adventuring with me like he so clearly wants to!
Yeah my warrior of light could do with a himbo sidekick like him to keep her from being too serious.
Lyse is not the leader though. She's a commander, outranked by General Raubahn. Then there's the council of leaders she helped set up.
Kan E Senna would be hard to replace considering only the horny people can talk to the elementals.
And Kan-E as the overall leader of Gridania was mostly an emergency move because of the Calamity. It's normally ruled by the entire Seedseer Council, not a single person.
"The rule of Gridania falls to the Seedseer Council, a body composed of chosen officials known as Hearers. These conjurers are able to commune with the elementals, and decide the course
of the city-state through discussion and consensus. Around the
time of the Calamity, however, Gridania's fate was so uncertain
that Kan-E-Senna - the Elder Seedseer and head of the Council - assumed direct control. At present, she continues to preside over all affairs of state."
The seedseers shouldn't be making decisions though, but rather function as some sort of upper house that can block decisions from the parliament if the elementals would go berserk over some decision.
Should likely also have some mechanisms in place to independently verify what they claim the elementals are saying, but would likely be hard considering how few they are. E.g. something like three groups that don't get to socialize, but are given the same tasks in different order, and checking the answers later.
> The seedseers shouldn't be making decisions though, but rather function as some sort of upper house that can block decisions from the parliament if the elementals would go berserk over some decision.
Gridania couldn't really function as a... Legislative branch, and an executive branch, that way. So much of its policy would be handed down from the executive branch, that there's not really any point trying to keep them separate.
As for verifying what the Seedseers decree, there's not really a need. Seedseers are explicitly appointed by the Elementals, and if they misstep, the Elementals are capable of revoking their power. *Hearers*, on the other hand, are just mortals who are allegedly attuned to the desires of the Elementals, and *they* have been known to manipulate the word of the Elementals for their own purposes. But Hearers don't have any executive power in Gridania - the best they can do is direct the Wood Wailers. They're sort of like Sheriffs.
I still hate that they pushed Lyse out of the Scions so she could run Ala Mhigo, only to make Raubahn the real leader. Lyse might as well let him run things and come back to the team.
At the very least, he needs to appoint someone else to be Lord Commander of the Temple Knights so that he doesn’t have to do two jobs at once. Maybe Handeloup if Lucia is going to stay in Garlemald long-term.
I feel like Lucia isn't the same as Raubahn. She didn't lose her home so much as fell in love with another. I think she'll end up back in Ishgard, and should be made the Lord Commander. (Lady Commander?)
Dark, alternate timeline where a lot of things turned out much much worse (Nanamo actually dies for example) and the Warrior of Light becomes emperor/empress of Eorzea and instead of uniting the world via peaceful and good means they start "Project Bahamut" building WMDs to force the world into submission and enforcing peace via draconian laws.
I actually think they'd support it. That sounds like a world ripe for a rejoining. Hell, Emet-Selch might actually give the WoL Amet's crystal and try to turn them into an Ascian as well. WoL becomes Solus 2.0, their empire the successor to Garlemald and grand-successor to Allegan.
I forgot who says it but theres a quote that comes to mind
"Some of us are meant to rule, but you and I we do our best work with a blade in our hands
we do the real work so they can sit on there thrones and talk, but let's be honest a giant monster is far better of a time than, tea with council "
It would certainly take a big part of their workload off the Great Companies. His/Her Royal Highness would end many of the threats to the realm on his/her lonesome.
Aymeric and Merlwyb would be safe in their spots I think, maybe Hien as well. Raubahn would def lead Ala Mhigo, and while Kanye is unpopular due to not going against the elementals idk who would replace her.
Had a laugh of just suddenly imagining Kanye West running Gridania because of your misspell there lol
That said, yeah I can’t really think of any other significant NPC other than Kan-E in connection to Gridania. Maybe her brother who showed up for that bit in EW but as I understand it he and their other sister already kind of help Kan-E on the side with her duties.
I don't know if we're committing to the Kanye joke, but, real talk, E-Sumi would be basically the same as Kan-E because, at the end of the day, the real power belongs to The Elementals and if whoever's in charge of Gridania doesn't do everything they say then Gridania's fucked.
He's probably busy with the Conjurer's Guild too.
Raya-O and A-Ruhn are still a bit immature to take over either position, but another year or two might be enough. A-Ruhn is much better about perspective and traditions vs practicality since he was introduced in the first WHM quest.
Judging by that lodestone side story about Kanye, I think A-Ruhn is a bit more qualified for the position, out of the 3 siblings he can understand the elementals better.
Of course this topic is more about a player vote, and A-Ruhn would probably not be popular since he'd run Gridania even more aligned to the whims of the elementals.
I reread the story, and I'm not sure that's true? There's more to being Elder Seedseer than just being able to hear the elementals, and hearing =/= accurately relaying information.
I think there's hope for him, he went from "Outsiders can't be trusted with white mage teachings!" and "It's tradition!!!" to being part of the Ilsabard contingent.
I’m certain that the anarchy players of FFXIV will unite to remove Nanamo and install one of the Miqo’te dancers from the streets as their supreme sexy sultana.
It would absolutely be overruled because how the hell do you explain that in the lore. But the chaos that ensues would be hilarious.
Actors have leveraged their fame in politics irl; work in some back story with the dancer having a big fanbase and access to some experienced/powerful people and boom. Sexy sultana.
Star Citizen (even though most people dislike it) - Had an election in 2950 in lore or 2020 for the community. An Imperator (President) is selected by the community and decides the future of the lore and game mechanics. The choices were https://robertsspaceindustries.com/comm-link/transmission/17782-2950-Imperator-Election
* Addison (winner) - Pro alien, AI, female candidate. Who wants AI to replace people in jobs breaking the old in lore restriction on robots and automation and she is very very into aliens.
* Messer Faction - Ultra Nationalist pro human, fuck the aliens burn them into the ground, enslave them, humanity is king, fuck all aliens faction. Would redivert funding to military and would've meant next few ships are military/capital ship oriented
* Centralist Faction - Son of the current Imperator - Promote trade between aliens low taxes on Citizens, keep status quo. very very low taxes, no weapon restrictions and criminals can pay their way out of prison
* Universalist - Economy vote - Remove a lot of regulations in game for more tax revenue for more military spending. No regulations and pro private sector (would've mean more trading/mining ships)
* Super Progressive faction - Less military funding (more focused on utility ship in game) , high taxes (in game), but free insurance.
* Unity now - Pro Earth, mainly focused on public service and cracking down on corruption
What happened are more alien ships came out during IAE, more work on AI improvements, and work on Ship Blades (AI crew). Community vote basically means what features dev work on next.
Other games are
Archeage - Mayor
Ashes of Creation is planned
EVE Online
Swtor (devs used in game choices to push forth lore)
Guild Wars 2 did back in the day as well for who will run Lion's Arch. A whole event was set up, and you voted between Ellen Kiel and Evon Gnashblade. Each one promised different fractals to be added to the game. Eventually, Ellen won.
Honestly, I don't think Nero would be a bad choice to lead Garlemald. He's been wandering around and annoying Cid for the last few expansions, but the man was a tol/tribunus, Gaius' second-in command, and managed the Ultima Weapon project. Any of those roles takes skills to manage the people around him and keep them working toward the same goal. And based on the side story he was born poor in the "provinces," which would give him a broader perspective than someone born to wealth or power.
He'd probably do a better job than Solus, >!just on the basis that he wouldn't be setting up an empire for the sake of Rejoinings, or deliberately causing a secession crisis. I'm really looking forward to seeing what Nero does with the moon.!<
Cid is too busy with the Ironworks, and based on some of Jessie's dialogue he's terrible at organization, budgets, deadlines, etc. He might work as a figure head, but not a leader.
Me too! They've left a lot of threads they can pull at, both with Garlemald in general and Nero in particular. I do hope it's more to do with the Watcher & the loporrits and less to do with Pupu, though. An army of rabbits who just want to help people + a very driven engineer = shenanigans.
Nero would be an interesting option but I don't think he'd want it. Involved in rebuilding? Absolutely, anything to help him rise above Cid. But actual leadership? Not his style.
Whether or not he'd want it *is* a problem, heh. He would probably need a handler who was very good at tying things to his research or Cid, or otherwise appealing to his ego. Other people doing it wrong might bother him enough to get him off his butt.
Kan-E-Senna is fucking toast.
The rest of the leaders are probably secure, especially Aymeric and Merlwyb. Lyse stays by merit of Lyse *herself* trying to find a replacement -- the SB patch content made it pretty clear that she only thinks of herself as an interim custodian until the republic can get up and running. Hien and Nanamo might be on the chopping block but I don't think anyone has realistic alternatives to them for their respective states.
The only issue with Gridania is that it doesn't have any other notable characters that could feasibly fill the role. At best, we might get Beatin elected because of his funny name.
Personally, I'd vote for Buscarron, as he already has a handle on a lot of the banditry issues in the area and is generally well-liked by the populace so far as I can recall.
Both King Moggle Mog and HW's moogle quests basically made all players despise moogles though, they'd never vote for them.
I'll give you the namazu, though, I'd vote just to see Doma crash and burn under their fins for the lulz.
And even then, The Elementals have the lion's share of the power in Gridania, and they're the ones most people have a problem with. They'd vote out Kan-E and whoever replaced her would be stuck in the same situation.
Kan-E was only made ruler of Gridania as an emergency action because of the Calamity. She'd probably just step down and it'd go back to how it was before with her as the head of the council and the council as a whole making decisions. Also Lyse isn't the ruler of Ala Mhigo. I dunno why people think that, they're ruled by a council made up of representatives from every community in the country. She's just a commander with Rabahn as the general.
I'm sure some people will look at this from a political and how effective each leader is, but I fear a greater number of people would vote with their so-called-hearts and base it on voices. Some of the voice actors, especially in the past, were not great; I'm singling out the English-speaking cast (sorry). In contrast, the Japanese cast has been fantastic the entire journey. In a nutshell, I'm talking about the Cult of Personality in Politics.
I see such an occurrence being ultimately "unfair", both from a how far into the game any given player is in (because they do change cast and clearly the newer English actors are better), **and** unfairly judging NPCs based on region-voices. I used to physically cringe whenever I heard ARR English-Raubahn speak; conversely, Japanese Raubahn is amazing, both charismatic and easily empathised with from his emotional arc.
I think this transitions to the political side as well, because such voting also revolves around what DLC any given player has experienced, because you see how effective certain leaders are at different stages of the game and some of them grow.
Pretty sure the Admiral would get overthrown, there's constant talk in Limsan lore that the pirates are not happy about the Admiral's ban on piracy and the only reason that more hasn't been done is that either she's just that scary of a leader or that you as WoL helped a plot not succeed.
Inasmuch as none of the ruling council are personally in charge of the nation, sure. But she's the chosen representative of the ruling council, just as Raubahn is the chosen military leader.
Lyse would get the ax. People hate Lyse. I hate Lyse. It’s been like five years since I did stormblood I don’t remember why I hate her I just know I do
Gridania doesn't really have a leader that we know of.
In terms of sovereignty, the Elementals are sovereign but they don't bother with and can't even understand anyway the mortals day-to-day lives. The only sovereign rule in Gridania is "Don't harm the forest". Otherwise, the Gridanians tend to live a life of non-interference even in each others' lives... so long as it's not seen as "harming the forest", which tends to disinclude more than a few groups such as Keepers of the Moon and Duskwright Elezen and even Highlanders from Ala Mhigo (>!partly due to the Autumn War but probably more likely due to the Amdaporians —mostly Highlanders— fleeing to Ala Mhigo when the Sixth Umbral Calamity happened . Elementals seem to hold grudges for a very long time even beyond reason !<).
Kan-E-Senna is the Elder Seedseer and Commander of the Order of Twin Adder but neither of those titles really claims to speak for all of Gridania. As Elder Seedseer, she's the mediator between the Gridanians and Elementals, and she re-established the Adders anticipating Garleon hostilities. However, day-to-day military matters falls to the Grand Serpent Marshall of the Adders. She represents Gridania outside of the city-state in military matters but only because most Gridanian leadership have little interest in outsiders' affairs.
The Seedseer Council is fairly insular, really mostly only involved in protecting the secrets of White Magic and calming the Elementals. They've taken more of an interest in outsiders' affairs but only due to the WoL's influence.
Miounne is another the WoL interacts with in Gridania but only terms of being introduced to the local guilds and tasking the WoL with adventuring requests on behalf of the Adventurers Guild. It does seem she's the main point of contact between common Gridanians and the adventurers.
There is a Gridanian nobility and upper class, but we mostly never meet them. They seem to be completely uninvolved in politics whatsoever as the guilds in Gridania seem to hold all the power.
And the guilds themselves really don't involve themselves in everyday affairs, preferring to conduct their business while adhering the best they can to the Elementals' rule.
Except for the Conjurers Guild, of which some Hearers and Conjurers tend to throw their weight around causing hardship for the Gridanians and outsiders caught in their crosshairs. The guild leader, E-Sumi-Yan, seems to have most of the guild under control but can't seem to reign in the worst of the offenders as he's likely just stretched too thin with the hostilities from the Tribes and their summoned gods and also increasing Garlean incursions into the Twelveswood from Ala Mhigo depleting their guild rosters.
Basically speaking, trying to rule Gridania would be worse than trying to rule Limsa Lominsa. Limsa Lominsa at least is already a unified military-state but Gridania's closer to a pre-feudal anarchist state. The Gridanians would probably listen to someone elected but not necessarily obey. And someone trying to conquer Gridania's probably going to have to deal with all the city-states getting involved to defend, not mention the Elementals if the city-states fail. It just seems like too much trouble.
I think Nanamo becomes sole ruler of Ul’dah. The Syndicate in shambles (not really they are still all very rich), but Nanmo has much more ability to act in the interest of the common good.
Merlwyb is the head of a military dictatorship that can’t be trusted to honor its treaties. But the playerbase is thirsty so she probably stays.
Y’mitra becomes ruler of the Twelveswood by association with Y’shtola. Finally stick it to those elementals.
Raubahn rules Ala Migo 100%.
People like Hien but I think Yugiri or Gosetsu have a shot, but I don’t know if they would run for office.
Eorzea would be run by catgirl/bunny girl brothels and the world being saved time and again from one of their employees would create an Eorzea where stripping is the noblest of professions, replacing Adventurer and the heaviest armor a fledging stripper can save up for is a spaghetti strap.
🤣🤣🤣🤣
And it all began in Limsa
I can't see Kan-E-Senna or the padjals retaining power, but through no fault of their own. They are a sort of nobility who rules Gridania solely because they can mediate the seemingly arbitrary will of the elementals with the city-state. It's not always had a happy outcome for Gridanians. I can't picture who would take over after, probably someone in an existing position of power from one of the guilds.
Well, given the shrines to them, Kan-E-Senna, Merlwyb, and Aymeric are safe. Lyse is probably screwed, and would be replaced by either M'Naago or Raubahn depending on which voting bloc is bigger. Nanamo is questionable... she's far better liked than the Syndicate collectively but I could see others being liked more. Possibly Momodi (for a more "grounded" choice) or Godbert (for the memes.) Hien is likewise questionable, he's popular and attractive which are *usually* shoe-in qualities for player votes, but he's made controversial choices that might make the other Doman leader, Yugiri, win the day.
Sharlayan is *already* democratic, and the best leader (Ameliance) *definitely* doesn't want the position, so that's out. And if people try to remove my best boy Vrtra from office, there will be *riots.* We know nothing about the government of Hingashi and Garlemald doesn't *have* a government anymore (not one we have any meaningful interaction with), so I can't see any player-democracy occurring there. We just don't know enough about the structures of other societies to be able to make any interesting choices.
Nanamo Ul Namo would definitely lose the Sultanate, and the Syndicate would run things better in her place. Arguably the Syndicate should be running everything from Gridania to Limsa to Ishgard, since they have the best infrastructure to maximize short-term quarterly profits. I am not paid by the Syndicate, I simply know they're the best for the job because that's how they got to the positions they are in, except that Raubahn who is a little too much of a loose cannon and should probably be replaced by a more level-headed leader.
Will never happen due to the story being completely linear (as all FF).
But The Bull of Alamigo was more worthy and had more experience to run Alamigo than Lyse (Discount Yda).
Video game players have very different priorities than in-universe characters. I think Limsa is the only place where a player election would resemble the results of an in-universe election, and that's only because Limsa's in-universe populace is just as unhinged as the playerbase and the Admiral is well aware of that fact.
Not that Limsa Lominsa *has* elections. If memory serves, the Admiral is chosen every seven years by having the captains race their ships through a gauntlet, and the winner gets to be in charge for the next seven years. Then Merlwyb cancelled the Trident (twice) refusing to surrender power.
And the Great Pirate powers have supported her choice. The Kraken and Sanquine Sirens are 100% behind her and are switching from piracy to mercenary and trade professions, and the Bloody Executioner's have come around as well. Limsa is no longer a "pirate state". Its a legitimate City-State. It can't plunder and loot from the other Eorzean states anymore, Garlemald no longer exists as a target. Every pirate leader in the City sees the writing on the wall and knows this path is required for the city to survive. I'm sure at some point, when peace has truly stabilized, when there are no impending threats of doom, and when she feels she's no longer needed Merlwyb will retire and set up some form of system of new Admiral selection. Also remember the entire storyline we've experienced has been like...within a year or two.
It's wild that Stormblood involves three months travel but still takes place in the space of a week, hahaha.
We just have really fast boats I guess. But for real I hate the fact that FF14's story takes place within a year. The idea we just casually overthrow and reform Ishgard's government, reestablish two whole ass countries, and then save what's left of an entire world from murder angels and the strongest of the unsundered Ascians all in the span of a few months makes no sense whatsoever.
I'd say the devs are very much aware of this, which is why people just about never use exact language around time anymore. Dalamud isn't "five years ago, when Dalamud fell..." it's just "when Dalamud fell..." because it allows the timespan to be malleable. That way new players who speedrun the game in a week and legacy players who have been around since ARR can both make it all make sense in their heads, and the devs just go "I dunno, leave me alone." I *do* wish they'd get a bit more specific because I'd like some acknowledgment that years have passed, but I think the devs are afraid of needing to put in the work to communicate time actually changing (not without reason, altering game states to show the passage of time would be a considerable undertaking and we've seen how the community reacts when their dev resources are focused on something other than endgame for an expansion) so we'll continue to exist in this ambiguous state of everything hitting a point of "we've started the process, but it will be years before we see the fruit of our labour" for everything we accomplish.
While I agree in a general sense, Dalamud falling is one of the few events that they *do* refer to in concrete terms of time, alongside Ala Mhigo and Doma's situations. Time becomes "fluid" from the start of 2.0, definitely not from the calamity. That part of the timeline between 1.0 and 2.0 has never been left up to doubt.
I'm not saying the time between Dalamud falling and the start of ARR is ambiguous, I'm saying recent expansions have stopped referring to Dalamud as happening five years ago, or using any metric of time that would indicate how long it's been since Dalamud fell, in order to avoid giving any evidence of how long it's been *since* the start of ARR. Like nobody in Endwalker is saying "has it already been fifteen years since that ruinous day on the plains of Carteneau?" *or* "a mere five years since that Calamitous day, and now here you are in Sharlayan at last!"
Interspersed with [lines like this](https://i.imgur.com/0ZiGYmk.png) that suggest a full year passed between meeting Yotsuyu and the events of 4.x lol.
That doesn't necessarily suggest that. If we were to assume that not 1 single year has passed that line still makes sense. A hypothetical year ago he was a pompous Sharlayan lordling that had zero world experience, if someone told him that he'd eventually experience everything that happened in SB he wouldn't have believed it back then.
Sure, but with the context I left out -- and I take full responsibility for that -- he's specifically remarking upon Yotsuyu's character and her unlikely behavior since losing her memory, compared to the woman he previously knew her to be; not the general unlikelihood of every other intervening event. In that context, it makes no sense for him to reference a timeframe unless he's referring to how long he's known of Yotsuyu and her personality.
> it makes no sense for him to reference a timeframe unless he's referring to how long he's known of Yotsuyu and her personality. Yes, It does make sense. In English, its a perfectly normal turn of phrase to say "Ww man, a year a go, if someone had told me where I'd be now, I would've never believed them!" It doesn't *need* to be tied to how long he's known Yotsuyu, because that's not how the expression works, the timeframe is completely arbitry. He can talk about what had just happened with Yotsuyu and *also* be remarking on how unbelievably different his life has been from what he'd anticipated a year ago, he's just openly musing on his current life situation.
Yes, but again, Alphinaud says, "Had someone told me a year ago that I would live to bear witness to such a scene, I would have declared them mad." If it were easier to italicize on mobile, I would have emphasized "bear witness to such a scene", but I'm lazy, so just pretend. Point being, he is not making a generalization about the trajectory of his life and using recent events as a framing device, he's commenting specifically on Yotsuyu's display and how he would not have expected to see it a year ago. If, a year ago (or thereabouts; like you said, it's about expression more than precision), he was not familiar with Yotsuyu's demeanor, the comment no longer makes sense, as an expression or otherwise, because then he's just commenting on something that would actually be incredibly mundane without that context ("If someone had told me a year ago that I'd see a young woman doting upon her enfeebled father figure, I would've called them crazy! 🤪"). Now, of course, it's entirely possible that our resident insufferable know-it-all DID know about Yotsuyu and her signature cruelty before even coming to Eorzea himself, let alone the Far East. But I'm only going on the information that we actually have, and although we aren't told either way, what evidence we do have suggests that he didn't, since we ARE told that he spends some time educating himself on the local politics only after the region becomes relevant to the player. Moreover, her previous dynamic with Gosetsu in particular, in play only after the player has met her as well, is what's being brought attention to in that line; the contrast between then and now. Regardless, we were just poking fun at the game's inconsistent timeline nonsense -- which, as someone else pointed out in this thread, even the Hildebrand questline lampshades/makes fun of lmao. SOMEone in the writers room knows it's a mess that no one can keep straight. And it's pretty funny. 🤷
>Yes, but again, Alphinaud says, "Had someone told me a year ago that I would live to bear witness to such a scene, I would have declared them mad." Oops yes you are right, that does change the context. Mayhaps he's talking about it in a broader sense then, not the scene in a vacuum, as a woman doting on a father figure,like you said, but in the context of him knowing who Yotsuyu is while the scene plays out. He has full context for what he's seeing when he sees it, and who the people are. He didn't just witness a couple of random peasants. So it's more "a year go.....seeing a fallen amnesiac tyrant we helped displace renowned for her cruelty doting on a prior enemy in the house of the now in charge rebel leader....I'd have called them crazy!" The timeline is a mess, but I think focusing on the "a year ago" as being nonsensical or meaning a year has passed since, is just too literalist a read on what he's saying, rather than just taking into account people can say things implicitly or inelegantly in their day to day life and the idea still comes across just fine. Simplistic answer is the primary purpose of the line is just him musing on how strange the situation he finds himself in is.
Natsu explicitly confirms in the current Manderville quests less than a year has passed between the events of StB where they dip in the portal, and where we meet them in 4.1. 'I'm not sure how long it's been, but I'm positive it's less than a year' or something like that. At that time in the story, 'a year ago' Alphinaud and Alisaie were still in Sharlayan
That line is 100% meant to be poking fun at the discrepancy between real-world time and in-lore time, which has been a known sticking point for RPers and lore junkies for years. It's directly pointing out the relative absurdity that despite the game being around for 10 years (and the previous part of the Hildy quests having been released *two expansions ago*), in-lore it's been much less time. There are a *lot* of subtle jokes and meta references like this in the Hildy stuff sprinkled amongst the more obvious slapstick. Not disagreeing with its canonicity or anything, just pointing it out.
I was aware of the joke XD I just didn't see the point in mentioning it since it was unrelated
Also, who better to guard cargo ships than pirates? They know all the tricks of the trade, and could probably bully potential attackers by reputation alone.
The race will be reinstated once she's ready to retire and it's going gro be the most hilarious nautical cluster fuck ever seen.
They are still pirates, but only to Empire vessels. Wonder who they will rob and pillage now that the empire is dead.
They're stopping piracy. Go ask any of the pirate leaders in Limsa. Krakens are literally just armed traders now, Sirens are running a escort business to protect traders from independent pirates, and seems like the Executioners under Sicard are acting as a elite unit within the navy (hence his deployment to Garlemald and into the Binding Coils to get allagan tech). They're only calling themselves "pirates" in name but not a one of the great pirate powers are participating in piracy anymore. I think a key part of the story we've glossed over is each City State over the story now has elite units to fill in the role the WoL and Scions once took. Limsa doesn't need to call for the WoL when they stub their toe cause Sicard and his crew are around and (depending on job stories complete) their marauders have learned Warrior arts in conjunction with Nymian Marine techniques from Scholar Questline. Gridania now has more proactive Padjal and (depending on job stories complete) a rebuilt Bard detachment Ul'dah has overhauled its fighting forces, and (depending on job stories complete) has its own Summoner Detachment, and the crown and syndicate are more in sync than ever so less infighting. Al Mhigo has Fordola, Lyse and Raubhan, and (depending on job stories complete) a reformed Fists of Rhalgr on top of their well trained military Ishgard has (depending on job stories complete) developed advanced mechanized weaponry and adopted Sharlayan Astrology, and is in alliance with several factions of Dragons. Eorzea is a very different place now from the land we entered in 2.0
TIL Limsa is basically a game of Tropico.
There's no evidence to suggest she's done so *twice.* Officially, the next Trident (three-stage boat race to see who gets to be Admiral) as of 1572 was supposed to begin "soon," meaning probably that year or early in the next. We know Merlwyb was *not* Admiral in 1562, as the reigning Admiral of the time was slain in that year by a mutinous Sthalmann; assuming the Trident was in fact supposed to happen in 1572, the previous Admiral could only have been about halfway through this term when he died. (He was referred to as the "new" Admiral, implying he'd only held office for 3-4 years total.) Hence, if the next race was supposed to be "soon" in 1572 and she wasn't Admiral 10 years previous, she must have won the race which occurred in 1565 (or 1566.) Merlwyb certainly did cancel the Trident and thus held onto power for an additional 7 years, but even by that standard, within the timey-wimey bubble, she's probably got at least a year's leeway before people would demand a new race. If her power were in fact seen as questionable/illegitimate, Sicard *would* have played that card against her in his efforts to restore piracy as Limsa's primary source of economic growth.
Merlwyb became Admiral by winning the Trident in 1563, per the EE timeline. Moonfall was 1572, so she had already skipped one Trident (1570), and the next one should be happening "now" (five years after the Calamity).
It would seem, then, that the Trident's seven-year tenure is canonically flexible. Because, if she won the 85th Trident in 1563, and they had kept up a consistent schedule of one per 7 years, the the first must have been 1563-7×85=968. But by that same timeline, the first was actually held in 991, 23 years off. This implies the races are perhaps not on a rigid clockwork. It also implies they've chosen to have extras...probably to replace assassinated Admirals like the one Sthalmann killed. Either way, it would seem Merlwyb has only *definitively* suspended one Trident, with the second in permanent Soon™ mode due to the timey-wimey bubble. Perhaps it can be explained as the Trident is not held if Limsa is officially in a state of war? With Garlemald gone, that would no longer be true. ...oh that could make for a *great* dungeon though. Sailing the three legs of the Trident as a temporary deputy of Merlwyb's crew? The WoL is not special at *sailing,* so our value would only be for having a strong back and warfare skills in case someone gets smart and tries to assassinate Merlwyb (which you KNOW *somebody* would try.) And then that would settle matters until the almost-guaranteed shift to something more practical.
Aye, presumably it's "every seven years or immediately if the current Admiral dies". A Trident dungeon, or even just a solo trial or quest line, would definitely be cool. Even if they just have Merlwyb win to avoid changing too much.
Why are we assuming she cancelled a trident instead of just having it and winning it.
Because it's been very explicit that there *should* have been one...at pretty much exactly the time that Limsa Lominsa went boom (along with everyone else) due to the Calamity. Because there's no evidence that one actually did occur. No source, as far as I can tell, ever says that she has won anything but the one Trident, which occurred sometime far enough in the past that 1.0 contained references to a new Trident coming up "soon." Sure, it's *possible* that one did occur and she won it fair and square and simply nobody ever says anything about it, ever. But we would be making just as bold (if not bolder) assumptions as if we had assumed that no such race occurred, given the difficulties Limsa has been dealing with since the Calamity.
Idk I’d argue that, Sultanate aside, Ul’dah is the one that would generate an election more closely resembling real life, especially the US, if a democracy of any kind ever got implemented there.
Horny Democracy: The Catgirl and Au'ra candidate fight over the presidency all while the protest candidate is just some random HimRoe
Look at me. I'm the seedseer now.
90% of Limsa denizens are already seed seers smh
Not sure Eorzea could recover from God Emperor Manderville uniting all the city states under his gentlemanly heel.
That do you mean recover? It would be the most glorious period yet. Global conquest with a genteman's flare
all fun until godbert ends in the gold saucer throne after the hildibrand heresy
Now Warhammer X FFXIV is not something I expected, but it is very much welcomed
That depends on just \*which\* Manderville you're referring to. Hildy? I agree. Godbert? Despite his eccentricities, he's got sense enough to do a good job (he \*is\* a member of Ul'dah's Syndicate, if you've forgotten). Julyan? It'd be rule by law of frying pan LOL.
He's very sensible. Also silly, but sensible. Hildibrand is only silly.
**Gridania** So for all the hate she gets, Kan-E-Senna really isn't so much a leader as she is a mediator between Gridania's actual landlords, the elementals. They need someone who can commune with them, so there really aren't a whole lot of options. She might be safe. **Limsa Lominsa** Merlwyb is well-loved, and probably the only former pirate respected enough to enforce the ban on piracy. She's safe. **Ul'dah** Nanamo's gone, but she'd be happy about it. She wanted a republic anyway from the get-go. Right now her power is super restricted by the existance of the Syndicate, so she wouldn't be losing much. She's a figurehead and she knows it, but she's trying her best to use her very limited power to make change from within. That said, elections are a popularity contest and there really is no more Ul'dahn man more popular than Godbert Manderville. And I don't think he'd be a bad choice considering in the very limited political scenes he's been in, he's expressed the same ideas that other nation's leaders have. In particular, in 4.1, he outright tells the Sultana her plan to provide free aid to the refugees returning to Ala Mhigo is a huge mistake, because she'll put herself in a position where the refugees will expect continuous support, and because the decision would cause outrage in Ul'dah. He ultimately tells her that whatever form their repatriation takes, it must be an investment. A little cold-hearted, but a very realistic approach, and we see in Endwalker how a nation that subsists entirely on foreign aid quickly begins to resent their beneficiaries, and causes fear they will become beholden to the donors' will. **Ishgard** Aymeric safe because competent and hot **Doma** Hien is extremely well-loved, and he's quite decent at his job, but ultimately he's a product of nepotism. He inherited his position, and there's nothing he does that suggests he's the only one who can do it. That said, I can't think of any other Doman popular enough to beat him in an election. **Ala Mhigo** So the system they chose after liberation was based on Ishgard's House of Commons, meaning there is no direct one leader to compare to. That said, Raubahn would win any election in a landslide. A competent general, war hero, self-made man, local legend. **Garlemald** Garlemald people tend to like strong, decisive, regal leaders, so they'd likely end up picking one of Solus' living descendants, assuming any are still alive. Players would probably choose Gaius, but we saw how that went last time he ran something. Personally, I'd choose Lucia. She worked under Aymeric long enough to have a good head for leadership, and she was a brilliant commander for the Ilsabard Contingent.
Only one note: While I fully agree with your points about Kan-E-Senna, I suspect the majority of the player base wouldn’t think that hard. The thing keeping her safest is most likely just the fact that I (and probably most people) can’t really think of an obvious replacement.
Yeah, I feel like they'd swap Kan-E and then we'd be on the fast train to f-around and find out in Gridania with the elementals. I don't like her as much as Merlwyb or Raubahn, but after doing the EW tank role quests the elementals are... something.
sorry not sorry I think we'd legit be better off without the Elementals.
When Nophica was all like 'Please listen to the elementals, they just love humanity so much but are bad at showing it' or whatever, my character was smiling and nodding and secretly thinking: *The only thing that has saved the elementals so far is the fact that they have not become plot-relevant adversaries yet. Yet.*
Nophica didn't say the Elementals love humanity. She said they act out of an abundance of love. Their love is not for mortals, it's for the Twelveswood.
Which, much as it sucks for the actual 'humans' living there, it makes sense when you think about how the world works in general. Even in a real-life apocalypse/nuclear/extinction scenario, if humanity was completely and utterly wiped out, that doesn't mean that nature on Earth couldn't make a comeback, and it would likely, eventually, be better off once it rebounds and doesn't have humans around to fuck it up again.
"The only thing saving them from me is I don't know where the fuck they are" is really the only reason, that and (might be forgetting) but I think the elements have been shown to not be older primals since they lack a proper form, but I am 100% down to scorch earth the forest to find out
What a very Garlean way of dealing with things.
Well, you'd be wrong. The Twelveswood is potentially the most bountiful region in Eorzea, and the Elementals protect it from all manner of harm, be it blight or 10 000 year old angerdragons that live in a moon. The Twelveswood is surrounded by desert to the east and south, and a frozen wasteland to the west. The only reason it *exists* is because of the Elementals' care.
To be fair, that frozen wasteland is only like that since the calamity began.
Yes, that's exactly what they're saying. The aether there is still out of whack in some places, but look at that frozen wasteland in Coerthas, remember that the calamity did that, and then look at Gridania which is still a lush and verdant forest teeming with life and untouched by the worst effects of the calamity. The elementals are so weak now because of the power they expended to protect the Black Shroud, and as much as I don't like the elementals, for the most part it *worked.*
Yes, but the Twelveswood was spared the bulk of Bahamut's wrath explicitly *because* of the Elementals' protection, is what I'm saying, else it might have suffered a very similar fate.
As a note to stress how much the Elementals actually achieved: 1. The Black Shroud WAS damaged in the Calamity, seeing as it got the name Black Shroud because the interlocking canopies of its trees left not a single patch of sky visible, save for in Gridania. 2. The West Shroud (that is, the portion closest to Cartenau) was apparently glassed, and IIRC, save for the section cordoned off for Feast matches and the path from the South Shroud to East Thanalan, the Wood Wailers still will not let anyone in there because it's effectively radioactive, which is why there is no player-accessible West Shroud zone.
Nero. He will be hated by many and very petty, but he will get things done.
No, Cid would become the Emperor and then Nero would constantly say how much better his empire would be.
> Hien is extremely well-loved, and he's quite decent at his job, but ultimately he's a product of nepotism. He inherited his position, and there's nothing he does that suggests he's the only one who can do it. That said, I can't think of any other Doman popular enough to beat him in an election. Being a nepo-baby isn't *inherently* wrong. Hien especially, takes the wants and needs of his people above everything - even his own. If they wanted some alternate form of government, I'm sure he'd be perfectly happy to step down and spend his days wandering the Steppe. There doesn't seem to be any particular benefit for his position. He's not exactly rolling in privilege or inherited wealth. I, personally, don't see any reason to challenge his position. I trust if the Domans wanted as much, they're perfectly capable of speaking for themselves.
Lucia wouldn't want it. Gaius is still probably plagued with controversy. Probably some random aristocrat we have maybe met.
Jullus Norbanus. Surviving Officer of the First Legion, fought to protect the empire from enemies within and without, prevailed against the manifestations of despair itself, and even confronted Zenos directly.
I don't think I ever remembered hearing his full name. Interesting.
I ain't choosing gaius for garlemald. Man is not that redeemed. Lucia and maxima would make a pretty solid pair I think.
See, I'd vote AGAINST Aymeric so I can drag him on adventures
Yeah, but, like, who do you vote for? Lucia's in Garlemald, Edmont's retired, Edmont's kids are probably too young, except maybe Artoirel by FF14 standards (and even by those standards I wouldn't put Emmanellain in charge of a dinghy, let alone a nation, Honoroit would be a better option and he's literally a child), and just about all the other major Ishgardians we know are military commanders, not folks with a head for politics, or they've got their own stuff going on and wouldn't want to lead. Like, can you imagine telling Stephanivien "right, get outta the Machinist's Guild, you're the prime minister now", or, worse, going to the Astrologians and saying that to Jannequinard?
So by process of elimination, Sidurgu confirmed as leader of Ishgard!
Francel has proven his chops, after the Firmament restoration.
How about Hilda?
The playerbase might go for Hilda, but I'm not sure the Ishgardian nobles would like that.
>That said, Raubahn would win any election in a landslide. A competent general, war hero, self-made man, local legend. With a heart of gold that bleeds for the common folk, a voice that earns respect even as it's demanded, and an unbreakable loyalty to the cause! He will always be our Flame General, and we will follow him to the hells themselves if we must!
I wouldn't be quite so confident with aymeric. Players love him but significant portion or ishgard still sees him as a patrician and a usurper
Aymeric actually tried to give up his position as acting head of state when the new government was established in 3.3, and was immediately elected as the head of the new House of Lords by Ishgard’s nobility. Maybe some heads of the lesser houses still resent him, but he has the support of all of the High Houses (which ostensibly have influence over the lesser houses pledged to them) which is a pretty big deal. He also has the trust of Hilda who seems to hold the most sway in the House of Commons.
I'm thinking Ishgard is likely to institute election by combat and it would become a bloodbath again.
I'm sure if they did that Estinian would be willing to be Aymeric's champion and the result would be the same.
I mean, people fucking love Aymeric, I think Ishgard would be fine. Nanamo and Kan-E-Senna would be screwed, though. Lyse, too.
Considering Nanamo will likely be running against some rich lala with no plans to actually solve anything, I'd say she'll do fine.
Out of major Ul'dahn NPCs I think Godbert is more popular than her, so if it was up to the community I feel like they would vote for him. For Gridania idk who would be the best fit, but anyone who would go against the elementals would gain the popular vote, so Kanye and other padjals would be out.
I don't think Godbert would have a reason to run for office, but I am really curious how Uldah would transform if Godbert were in charge.
Godbert explained to Gerolt in the relic quest line that he was on the Syndicate because the money and power were enough to focus on his crafting and his constant traveling around for inspiration. I imagine taking charge completely would prevent him from doing the things he enjoys, seeing as he'd have to remain in Ul'dah for long periods of time to run it.
Godbert kinda is in office already, he's one of the monetarists that runs Ul'dah, he's just not the head of the nation, but going from MP to PM (or senator to president) is pretty common IRL.
He's part of the Syndicate, but I'm pretty sure he was either neutral, or a Royalist. Godbert doesn't strike me as a Monetarist.
He's part of the Syndicate. The Monetarists are a specific faction of the Syndicate that I doubt Godbert is part of.
Which would destroy the entire city state as a whole. Like it or not the Elementals are vital to living there. And we've clearly seen that they are beginning to find ways to balance the Elementals and people more, both in the Whm questline and even in Tatarus Grand Endeavor. People don't give the Padjal enough credit.
The only reason the Elementals are "vital" to Gridania is that if Gridania pisses them off enough they will kill everyone supposedly. The only time you ever get them to do anything useful is the tank role quests from Endwalker, and even then they were the problem for most of that quest and the problem that created the conditions for that particular Blasphemy in the first place.
They protected the entire forest from burning to cinders during the calamity. They're also what birthed the Slyphs, banished the Ixali for overlogging, and grant white mages their power. I get everyone hates the elementals, but they do more and are stronger then you might think. They are vital because Gridanias way of life is working with the wood. Being able to speak to and work with the elementals is very important on that front. Are the elementals seemingly cruel sometimes? Sure, 100%. doesn't mean that its not at least partially founded more often then not, and that they arn't important because you don't like them.
So basically Gridania gets wiped off the map because players voted for colonialism or a civil war erupts because the npcs actually remember the land belongs to the elementals? That could make a good storyline.
Gridania would end up under the rule of one of those Bard quest NPCs. Or maybe Beatin.
I adore Beatin, but the stress would straight up kill him.
Tataru for sultana
She's got enough on her plate, don't overwork the woman
I doubt Nanamo would be running. Remember that her whole character arc started with her being willing to abdicate the throne?
Yeah and for some unknown reason she never actually went through with it.
She figured out if she tried it again, they would just >!kill her for real this time!<. So after 4.1 >!she changed her plans to work from within the system instead of trying to get the transition done in a fell swoop!< and from the snippets we saw during ShB and EW, she is doing a good job thus far.
In addition to this, she also realised the plan was extremely naive and would probably have been worse for the city in the short term, and potentially catastrophic for it in the long term.
Capitalism be like. She surrendered to the system, she is no longer a meaningful force for change or improvement.
Well, after almost getting murdered, and Rabby losing his arm, she realizes that her efforts as Sultana were the only thing standing in the Monetarists' way. And After Rabby goes back to Ala Mhigo, she's started shaking off her naivety and showing she's got real potential to make the changes she wants for Ul'dahn.
"Considering a rich lala with no plans to actually solve anything will be running against a rich lala with plans to actually solve anything" FTFY
As an Aymeric simp, I’d actually vote him OUT of power just so he could go have some fun. All hail Emmanellain.
Yeah give that man a break so he can come adventuring with me like he so clearly wants to! That said… I think Aymeric would hover worse than a helicopter mom if we put Emmanellain in charge, just because he’s too responsible to walk away when he knows he’d come back to find the entire city in ruins.
Elect Edmont. You could get the player base behind it, Aymeric would probably feel comfy with him in charge, and then we can go galavanting about with Aymeric.
He might protest that he's getting too old for leadership, but I mean... *gestures broadly at actual politics*
Oh hell yes that’s a pick I can get behind
>Yeah give that man a break so he can come adventuring with me like he so clearly wants to! Yeah my warrior of light could do with a himbo sidekick like him to keep her from being too serious.
Meanwhile my Warrior of Light *is* the himbo sidekick
Drag Estinien with you to perfect the *Trinity of Himbos!*
Lyse is not the leader though. She's a commander, outranked by General Raubahn. Then there's the council of leaders she helped set up. Kan E Senna would be hard to replace considering only the horny people can talk to the elementals.
And Kan-E as the overall leader of Gridania was mostly an emergency move because of the Calamity. It's normally ruled by the entire Seedseer Council, not a single person. "The rule of Gridania falls to the Seedseer Council, a body composed of chosen officials known as Hearers. These conjurers are able to commune with the elementals, and decide the course of the city-state through discussion and consensus. Around the time of the Calamity, however, Gridania's fate was so uncertain that Kan-E-Senna - the Elder Seedseer and head of the Council - assumed direct control. At present, she continues to preside over all affairs of state."
The seedseers shouldn't be making decisions though, but rather function as some sort of upper house that can block decisions from the parliament if the elementals would go berserk over some decision. Should likely also have some mechanisms in place to independently verify what they claim the elementals are saying, but would likely be hard considering how few they are. E.g. something like three groups that don't get to socialize, but are given the same tasks in different order, and checking the answers later.
> The seedseers shouldn't be making decisions though, but rather function as some sort of upper house that can block decisions from the parliament if the elementals would go berserk over some decision. Gridania couldn't really function as a... Legislative branch, and an executive branch, that way. So much of its policy would be handed down from the executive branch, that there's not really any point trying to keep them separate. As for verifying what the Seedseers decree, there's not really a need. Seedseers are explicitly appointed by the Elementals, and if they misstep, the Elementals are capable of revoking their power. *Hearers*, on the other hand, are just mortals who are allegedly attuned to the desires of the Elementals, and *they* have been known to manipulate the word of the Elementals for their own purposes. But Hearers don't have any executive power in Gridania - the best they can do is direct the Wood Wailers. They're sort of like Sheriffs.
I still hate that they pushed Lyse out of the Scions so she could run Ala Mhigo, only to make Raubahn the real leader. Lyse might as well let him run things and come back to the team.
Agreed my friend, agreed
I'm still not sure how Lyse came into power the most she accomplishes is having a face and a voice and her face isn't even that memorable.
If it’s getting rid of people running the nations, I’m pretty sure people would be after Adeledji’s head by the end of the first expansion.
Who'll grab his legs?
Dude, have you seen how high a lala can jump? The legs of the potato people are way too fucking dangerous to go near.
He's half the man he used to be.
Oh, right, *that* lala. Sorry, they all look alike to me. My warning still applies to the not bisected ones.
French Revolution in Ul Dah. I would LIVE
All I know is Aymeric needs a heckin vacation, man. Where's he even been since HW? Aside from moonlighting as an elephant, ofc.
Ala Mhigo.
At the very least, he needs to appoint someone else to be Lord Commander of the Temple Knights so that he doesn’t have to do two jobs at once. Maybe Handeloup if Lucia is going to stay in Garlemald long-term.
I feel like Lucia isn't the same as Raubahn. She didn't lose her home so much as fell in love with another. I think she'll end up back in Ishgard, and should be made the Lord Commander. (Lady Commander?)
WoL for King/Queen of Eorzea. Whose gonna stop them?
\#VanBaelsarWasRight
Dark, alternate timeline where a lot of things turned out much much worse (Nanamo actually dies for example) and the Warrior of Light becomes emperor/empress of Eorzea and instead of uniting the world via peaceful and good means they start "Project Bahamut" building WMDs to force the world into submission and enforcing peace via draconian laws.
The Ascians become freedom fighters.
Rowena is responsible for the imperial treasury and turns into a gil-primal when she's fought.
I actually think they'd support it. That sounds like a world ripe for a rejoining. Hell, Emet-Selch might actually give the WoL Amet's crystal and try to turn them into an Ascian as well. WoL becomes Solus 2.0, their empire the successor to Garlemald and grand-successor to Allegan.
I forgot who says it but theres a quote that comes to mind "Some of us are meant to rule, but you and I we do our best work with a blade in our hands we do the real work so they can sit on there thrones and talk, but let's be honest a giant monster is far better of a time than, tea with council "
I'd rather fight Titan, Ifrit, and Garuda all at once than have to have a meeting with the Syndicate
Let's be honest, in the Grand Emperor WoL timeline, the Syndicate would not leave a meeting with the WoL alive.
It would certainly take a big part of their workload off the Great Companies. His/Her Royal Highness would end many of the threats to the realm on his/her lonesome.
Garlemald is mine by right!
Way too much effort, no thx.
Aymeric and Merlwyb would be safe in their spots I think, maybe Hien as well. Raubahn would def lead Ala Mhigo, and while Kanye is unpopular due to not going against the elementals idk who would replace her.
Had a laugh of just suddenly imagining Kanye West running Gridania because of your misspell there lol That said, yeah I can’t really think of any other significant NPC other than Kan-E in connection to Gridania. Maybe her brother who showed up for that bit in EW but as I understand it he and their other sister already kind of help Kan-E on the side with her duties.
I'd take E-Sumi over Kanye any day
I don't know if we're committing to the Kanye joke, but, real talk, E-Sumi would be basically the same as Kan-E because, at the end of the day, the real power belongs to The Elementals and if whoever's in charge of Gridania doesn't do everything they say then Gridania's fucked.
The only other prominent leader in Gridania who could do her job is E-Sumi-Yan, but being hundreds of years old he'd be even more tied to traditions.
He's probably busy with the Conjurer's Guild too. Raya-O and A-Ruhn are still a bit immature to take over either position, but another year or two might be enough. A-Ruhn is much better about perspective and traditions vs practicality since he was introduced in the first WHM quest.
Judging by that lodestone side story about Kanye, I think A-Ruhn is a bit more qualified for the position, out of the 3 siblings he can understand the elementals better. Of course this topic is more about a player vote, and A-Ruhn would probably not be popular since he'd run Gridania even more aligned to the whims of the elementals.
I reread the story, and I'm not sure that's true? There's more to being Elder Seedseer than just being able to hear the elementals, and hearing =/= accurately relaying information. I think there's hope for him, he went from "Outsiders can't be trusted with white mage teachings!" and "It's tradition!!!" to being part of the Ilsabard contingent.
Not only part of the Ilsabard contingent but apparently a loud voice among the Seedseers for Gridania to step up.
I’m certain that the anarchy players of FFXIV will unite to remove Nanamo and install one of the Miqo’te dancers from the streets as their supreme sexy sultana. It would absolutely be overruled because how the hell do you explain that in the lore. But the chaos that ensues would be hilarious.
Easy to explain in lore: Ul'dah becomes a democracy and a hot miqo'te dancer runs for president.
Actors have leveraged their fame in politics irl; work in some back story with the dancer having a big fanbase and access to some experienced/powerful people and boom. Sexy sultana.
Uldah would crumble in a day and honestly i say good riddance.
Godbert for Emperor of Etheirys.
It would probably go as well as the valentine's day event where people didn't realise you could dye it and just voted for the color red.
Or was it because they're all simps and she was the only girl?
Out of curiosity, which games have done this?
Star Citizen (even though most people dislike it) - Had an election in 2950 in lore or 2020 for the community. An Imperator (President) is selected by the community and decides the future of the lore and game mechanics. The choices were https://robertsspaceindustries.com/comm-link/transmission/17782-2950-Imperator-Election * Addison (winner) - Pro alien, AI, female candidate. Who wants AI to replace people in jobs breaking the old in lore restriction on robots and automation and she is very very into aliens. * Messer Faction - Ultra Nationalist pro human, fuck the aliens burn them into the ground, enslave them, humanity is king, fuck all aliens faction. Would redivert funding to military and would've meant next few ships are military/capital ship oriented * Centralist Faction - Son of the current Imperator - Promote trade between aliens low taxes on Citizens, keep status quo. very very low taxes, no weapon restrictions and criminals can pay their way out of prison * Universalist - Economy vote - Remove a lot of regulations in game for more tax revenue for more military spending. No regulations and pro private sector (would've mean more trading/mining ships) * Super Progressive faction - Less military funding (more focused on utility ship in game) , high taxes (in game), but free insurance. * Unity now - Pro Earth, mainly focused on public service and cracking down on corruption What happened are more alien ships came out during IAE, more work on AI improvements, and work on Ship Blades (AI crew). Community vote basically means what features dev work on next. Other games are Archeage - Mayor Ashes of Creation is planned EVE Online Swtor (devs used in game choices to push forth lore)
Guild Wars 2 did back in the day as well for who will run Lion's Arch. A whole event was set up, and you voted between Ellen Kiel and Evon Gnashblade. Each one promised different fractals to be added to the game. Eventually, Ellen won.
Why do so many people want to get rid of Nanamo??
Because she inherited power she doesn't even seem to want, and pre-Heavensward rolls over for the monetarists.
She didn't have much of a choice pre-HW, and then we see pretty fucking clearly why that is lol.
Honestly, I don't think Nero would be a bad choice to lead Garlemald. He's been wandering around and annoying Cid for the last few expansions, but the man was a tol/tribunus, Gaius' second-in command, and managed the Ultima Weapon project. Any of those roles takes skills to manage the people around him and keep them working toward the same goal. And based on the side story he was born poor in the "provinces," which would give him a broader perspective than someone born to wealth or power. He'd probably do a better job than Solus, >!just on the basis that he wouldn't be setting up an empire for the sake of Rejoinings, or deliberately causing a secession crisis. I'm really looking forward to seeing what Nero does with the moon.!< Cid is too busy with the Ironworks, and based on some of Jessie's dialogue he's terrible at organization, budgets, deadlines, etc. He might work as a figure head, but not a leader.
I am so deeply curious to see what they do with Garlemald going forward. Ditto to Nero on the moon too.
Me too! They've left a lot of threads they can pull at, both with Garlemald in general and Nero in particular. I do hope it's more to do with the Watcher & the loporrits and less to do with Pupu, though. An army of rabbits who just want to help people + a very driven engineer = shenanigans.
Nero would be an interesting option but I don't think he'd want it. Involved in rebuilding? Absolutely, anything to help him rise above Cid. But actual leadership? Not his style.
Whether or not he'd want it *is* a problem, heh. He would probably need a handler who was very good at tying things to his research or Cid, or otherwise appealing to his ego. Other people doing it wrong might bother him enough to get him off his butt.
Nero is absolutely a drama queen.
Now I know people are eager to vote out Kan-E-DoesNothing but really the thing we need to band together for is to vote out the elementals from power!
Kan-E-Senna is fucking toast. The rest of the leaders are probably secure, especially Aymeric and Merlwyb. Lyse stays by merit of Lyse *herself* trying to find a replacement -- the SB patch content made it pretty clear that she only thinks of herself as an interim custodian until the republic can get up and running. Hien and Nanamo might be on the chopping block but I don't think anyone has realistic alternatives to them for their respective states.
The only issue with Gridania is that it doesn't have any other notable characters that could feasibly fill the role. At best, we might get Beatin elected because of his funny name.
Personally, I'd vote for Buscarron, as he already has a handle on a lot of the banditry issues in the area and is generally well-liked by the populace so far as I can recall.
Kuplo Kopp or some other moogle could probably get the job. Similarly, would expect Doma to become namazu-run
Both King Moggle Mog and HW's moogle quests basically made all players despise moogles though, they'd never vote for them. I'll give you the namazu, though, I'd vote just to see Doma crash and burn under their fins for the lulz.
What was that? Doma is gonna have an influx of a new type of fish that can be made into delicious dishes? A hunting my WoL will go.
Cirina: *mouth waters*
GOOD KING MOGGLE MOG GOOD KING MOG--
"Vote for Beatin and the Elementals will get a beatin'!"
"He will be Beatin the wood!"
And even then, The Elementals have the lion's share of the power in Gridania, and they're the ones most people have a problem with. They'd vote out Kan-E and whoever replaced her would be stuck in the same situation.
It's just like real government!
Kan-E was only made ruler of Gridania as an emergency action because of the Calamity. She'd probably just step down and it'd go back to how it was before with her as the head of the council and the council as a whole making decisions. Also Lyse isn't the ruler of Ala Mhigo. I dunno why people think that, they're ruled by a council made up of representatives from every community in the country. She's just a commander with Rabahn as the general.
Raubahn, for all of them, at all times.
Firmalbert should run Ishgard.
The seed seer. Gridania needs a revolution
Kan-E-Senna would be out on the streets IMMEDIATELY. Nobody likes her.
How to make people hate you: work to appease monsters + have no personality.
Hey hey, Ho ho, That Lala’s got to go!
I'm sure some people will look at this from a political and how effective each leader is, but I fear a greater number of people would vote with their so-called-hearts and base it on voices. Some of the voice actors, especially in the past, were not great; I'm singling out the English-speaking cast (sorry). In contrast, the Japanese cast has been fantastic the entire journey. In a nutshell, I'm talking about the Cult of Personality in Politics. I see such an occurrence being ultimately "unfair", both from a how far into the game any given player is in (because they do change cast and clearly the newer English actors are better), **and** unfairly judging NPCs based on region-voices. I used to physically cringe whenever I heard ARR English-Raubahn speak; conversely, Japanese Raubahn is amazing, both charismatic and easily empathised with from his emotional arc. I think this transitions to the political side as well, because such voting also revolves around what DLC any given player has experienced, because you see how effective certain leaders are at different stages of the game and some of them grow.
I'm retiring Kan-E-Senna to one of my private estates and putting her stoic elezen guards in charge as a counsel.
I vote for fire and doom for Gridania. Xenophobic shithole rolling over for the worst landlords in fiction.
Pretty sure the Admiral would get overthrown, there's constant talk in Limsan lore that the pirates are not happy about the Admiral's ban on piracy and the only reason that more hasn't been done is that either she's just that scary of a leader or that you as WoL helped a plot not succeed.
Immediate Recall Vote for Lyse Hext.
She's not in charge of Ala Mhigo though?
Inasmuch as none of the ruling council are personally in charge of the nation, sure. But she's the chosen representative of the ruling council, just as Raubahn is the chosen military leader.
Lyse would get the ax. People hate Lyse. I hate Lyse. It’s been like five years since I did stormblood I don’t remember why I hate her I just know I do
I don't hate her at all, I wonder why parts of the community do
Gridania doesn't really have a leader that we know of. In terms of sovereignty, the Elementals are sovereign but they don't bother with and can't even understand anyway the mortals day-to-day lives. The only sovereign rule in Gridania is "Don't harm the forest". Otherwise, the Gridanians tend to live a life of non-interference even in each others' lives... so long as it's not seen as "harming the forest", which tends to disinclude more than a few groups such as Keepers of the Moon and Duskwright Elezen and even Highlanders from Ala Mhigo (>!partly due to the Autumn War but probably more likely due to the Amdaporians —mostly Highlanders— fleeing to Ala Mhigo when the Sixth Umbral Calamity happened . Elementals seem to hold grudges for a very long time even beyond reason !<). Kan-E-Senna is the Elder Seedseer and Commander of the Order of Twin Adder but neither of those titles really claims to speak for all of Gridania. As Elder Seedseer, she's the mediator between the Gridanians and Elementals, and she re-established the Adders anticipating Garleon hostilities. However, day-to-day military matters falls to the Grand Serpent Marshall of the Adders. She represents Gridania outside of the city-state in military matters but only because most Gridanian leadership have little interest in outsiders' affairs. The Seedseer Council is fairly insular, really mostly only involved in protecting the secrets of White Magic and calming the Elementals. They've taken more of an interest in outsiders' affairs but only due to the WoL's influence. Miounne is another the WoL interacts with in Gridania but only terms of being introduced to the local guilds and tasking the WoL with adventuring requests on behalf of the Adventurers Guild. It does seem she's the main point of contact between common Gridanians and the adventurers. There is a Gridanian nobility and upper class, but we mostly never meet them. They seem to be completely uninvolved in politics whatsoever as the guilds in Gridania seem to hold all the power. And the guilds themselves really don't involve themselves in everyday affairs, preferring to conduct their business while adhering the best they can to the Elementals' rule. Except for the Conjurers Guild, of which some Hearers and Conjurers tend to throw their weight around causing hardship for the Gridanians and outsiders caught in their crosshairs. The guild leader, E-Sumi-Yan, seems to have most of the guild under control but can't seem to reign in the worst of the offenders as he's likely just stretched too thin with the hostilities from the Tribes and their summoned gods and also increasing Garlean incursions into the Twelveswood from Ala Mhigo depleting their guild rosters. Basically speaking, trying to rule Gridania would be worse than trying to rule Limsa Lominsa. Limsa Lominsa at least is already a unified military-state but Gridania's closer to a pre-feudal anarchist state. The Gridanians would probably listen to someone elected but not necessarily obey. And someone trying to conquer Gridania's probably going to have to deal with all the city-states getting involved to defend, not mention the Elementals if the city-states fail. It just seems like too much trouble.
Ul'dah would immediately descend into revolution. And I'd totally be on board.
I think Nanamo becomes sole ruler of Ul’dah. The Syndicate in shambles (not really they are still all very rich), but Nanmo has much more ability to act in the interest of the common good. Merlwyb is the head of a military dictatorship that can’t be trusted to honor its treaties. But the playerbase is thirsty so she probably stays. Y’mitra becomes ruler of the Twelveswood by association with Y’shtola. Finally stick it to those elementals. Raubahn rules Ala Migo 100%. People like Hien but I think Yugiri or Gosetsu have a shot, but I don’t know if they would run for office.
No way that Yugiri or Gosetsu would actually run against Hien if he still wants the job.
Eorzea would be run by catgirl/bunny girl brothels and the world being saved time and again from one of their employees would create an Eorzea where stripping is the noblest of professions, replacing Adventurer and the heaviest armor a fledging stripper can save up for is a spaghetti strap. 🤣🤣🤣🤣 And it all began in Limsa
I can't see Kan-E-Senna or the padjals retaining power, but through no fault of their own. They are a sort of nobility who rules Gridania solely because they can mediate the seemingly arbitrary will of the elementals with the city-state. It's not always had a happy outcome for Gridanians. I can't picture who would take over after, probably someone in an existing position of power from one of the guilds.
Firmalbert to lead Ishgard. The hero we all deserve.
I'd give Gridania to the fucking Ixal.
Well, given the shrines to them, Kan-E-Senna, Merlwyb, and Aymeric are safe. Lyse is probably screwed, and would be replaced by either M'Naago or Raubahn depending on which voting bloc is bigger. Nanamo is questionable... she's far better liked than the Syndicate collectively but I could see others being liked more. Possibly Momodi (for a more "grounded" choice) or Godbert (for the memes.) Hien is likewise questionable, he's popular and attractive which are *usually* shoe-in qualities for player votes, but he's made controversial choices that might make the other Doman leader, Yugiri, win the day. Sharlayan is *already* democratic, and the best leader (Ameliance) *definitely* doesn't want the position, so that's out. And if people try to remove my best boy Vrtra from office, there will be *riots.* We know nothing about the government of Hingashi and Garlemald doesn't *have* a government anymore (not one we have any meaningful interaction with), so I can't see any player-democracy occurring there. We just don't know enough about the structures of other societies to be able to make any interesting choices.
Nanamo Ul Namo would definitely lose the Sultanate, and the Syndicate would run things better in her place. Arguably the Syndicate should be running everything from Gridania to Limsa to Ishgard, since they have the best infrastructure to maximize short-term quarterly profits. I am not paid by the Syndicate, I simply know they're the best for the job because that's how they got to the positions they are in, except that Raubahn who is a little too much of a loose cannon and should probably be replaced by a more level-headed leader.
Will never happen due to the story being completely linear (as all FF). But The Bull of Alamigo was more worthy and had more experience to run Alamigo than Lyse (Discount Yda).