the way the Ishgard is handled is such a beautiful little snow globe of what a colonialism-driven Forever War does to a society's behavior even among those inclined towards goodwill and charity. the Holy See is obviously corrupt FROM THE OUTSIDE, but nobody inside sees it
they don't have a reason to question it, even as it turns the apparatus of the state's defense against actual attack on anyone it deems inconvenient; their promotion of isolationism and xenophobia is a calculated choice on the part of the government
more than that it alienates individuals from their own compassion. there's an early quest near Falcon's Nest where a guy has you bring a knight food, and she comments the man doesn't eat enough as is... but when you press her to give it back, she just goes 'but he's a commoner'
it's not that she lacks empathy; she clearly sees the way in which the poor suffer to elevate her position, and it pains her. but the rules of society say 'nobility does not deign to show favor to the serfs' and if she breaks that rule, her fellows will drag her from her perch
anyway this is all just LEAPS AND BOUNDS ahead of ARR in terms of depth and nuance and I'm so, so, SO glad I'm finally to the part of FF14 where it seriously ramps up the quality of writing both for the MSQ and just for the ambient questing
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