Hear me out: Papalymo was on usenet before eternal September

I've also seen enough people who want to insert themselves into the roles of the asshole-faction-for-racists because they think they're cool guys. This is not exclusive to FFXIV, btw. But I've definitely seen some people who liked playing an Ishgardian for the xenophobia, or a Garlean to be fashy.

I am certain that there's a non-zero number of people who look at the Garlean empire and see some other worldview.
"Ah yes, the communist Garlean Empire"

Some people are bad at understanding these things.

It's Fantasian! It's a game by Mistalkwer, which is the studio Hironobu Sakaguchi founded after leaving Square Enix. Square Enix published it's rerelease

Also I have some other nonsense that lives in my head but currently has no character to get attached to

I love just making shit up. Brandis is from an entirely different lance-fighting lineage than the dragoons. Lucas is multiclassing. Ayleth is learning an antiquated and largely forgotten discipline. Tektite is inventing his own bastardization of two other traditions.

I paused for a minute because I'm just reminded how people used to give alcohol to crying children.

100%. Even though I like Dawntrail, I have my criticisms. It's not perfect.

But regardless of I'm saying something good or something bad the most annoying people will fumble in and complain about Dawntrail in a way that's just a mask for transphobia and chuddy behavior.

I reflexively brace myself for bad faith nonsense whenever criticisms of Dawntrail come up

I need to pump my numbers