It's been fun and I think you succeeded in the task you set out to do - you made it clear that some like The Emperor and are satisfied with his ending.

I'm not satisfied with it I really hope Larian changes it. The requirement for a mind flayer at the doesn't feel tragic, or interesting, or fun. It feels contrived, it feels like a Deux ex Machina. Brain big so you need mind flayer stuff. Nope the Gith Messiah won't do. Nope the god watching the wizard won't do. Gotta be a mind flayer

And as someone who only plays good characters, sitting by while a helpless prisoner has his brain devoured doesn't feel good. Neither does it feel good to sit side by side with a monster who is admiring the restraint and mental domination of said helpless prisoner. "beautiful, isn't it?"

I know you think much of the resistance come from the sex scene but that's not it for me. I'm upset at how poorly supported "distrust the emperor" is handled before and after that.

My experience:

* stabs emperor

* next dream "I trust you've come to your senses" I'm back on trust path for some reason! No, I've not "come to my senses"! No option to stab again, to yell at, spit in it's face. Just "okay I totally trust you after it became clear you were coming to me a false form, tell me truthworthy one what do I do next"?

* Brings emperor down to 7 hps - gets end game warning. Annnnd I'm back to trusting the emperor. "no: yes we need each other but we are not friends"

*next dream - sitting side by side with emperor while it admires its evil actions. The lines for a distrustful Tav are just awful. Tav sounds like a xenophobic idiot and not someone horrified by the emperor's actions.

Now I do think the supporting materials make it clear that the emperor was evil? Absolutely. But is that reflected in Tav dialogues? No. Is that reflected in the options available to good Tav? No. The good Tav has to choose between competing evils. The "you need a mindflayer" ending doesn't feel tragic, that moment holds no pathos - I just feel like the game cheated, like my actions didn't matter in the end.

Is Orpheus a good guy? No. But a Gith civil war is probably a good thing.

Before you go:

No, not trolling at all and I don't think it's a bug. Remember the previous dialogue? "I will be your shield, you must be the weapon" We are the emperor's sword. We, the adorable pet on the path to become something greater. Paternalistic does cover the tone, doesn't it? We are dealing with a member of a superior species.

Last bit on the Knights of the Shield - you can't invoke FR lore when it suits you and ignore it otherwise. I'm willing to go with apostolic souls - Greenwood is *the* loremaster - but the Knights *are* an evil organization. And there is nothing that suggests that the lore has been changed. If these are friendly thieves why use the name of the knights and not - say - some sub unit of the guild?

Also, I like Germans. I've spent lots of time reading German philosophers and I know some Germans who are very funny. Thanks for the exchange!

auf Wiedersehen