The problem with Deathfire is that the story is terribly short. From what I remember, there are only 3-4 main missions.
The rest is swimming around the islands.
They are about 5 unskippable nods between intro and outro. What I don't understand is why people insist on "swimming around the islands" to not being part of the story - it's quality is on par with unskippable mission, it's really well explores the conflict happening in the region, and sets up important story beats of the Eothas storyline. I have my issues with PoE2 story (mainly lack of development, payoff and potential lack of PC's motivation depending on character you concieve) but it being short is definitely ain't one. The fact that big chunk of it is skippable is something that doesn't offend me in any way.
I had the misfortune of playing a cleric of Eothas in PoE and it really became a detriment to my enjoying both stories considering how integral Eothas is to the setting, and in the second game. The story kind of encourages you to have a certain view of the gods that I had been earnestly roleplaying against (unwittingly), but without really giving the options to you to come around to it gradually, like what happens in your Magran companion's story.
Do you mean that you feel you are expected to stand in opposition to Gods? I found it to be a common sentiment though I personally never felt that way - it all depends whenever your PC believes that your Kith would be better off without overseers or not. Personally, I found Thaos' argument at the end of PoE1 to be a compelling one - no matter if at the end I agree with him or not. Similarly, Eothas actions in PoE2 don't have to reflect your PCs believes, just as Thaos' didn't have to allign with yours - both characters justify their actions in disturbringly similar way, both bringing destruction to Eora in name of their own greater good. I did a playthrough with a character who remained faithful to gods, and I didn't find it narratively jarring. I imagine, through, that cleric of Eithas might not have enough reactivity to make him feel natural - such perpective should be very unique. Lukcily for me, Durance is such a great character, I can't justify making my PC a cleric.
