(10-15-2014, 12:30 PM)OttoVann Wrote:(10-15-2014, 11:02 AM)Warren Castille Wrote: The Sultansworn exist specifically to protect the Sultana. The parallel to the Secret Service is reasonable, as is the doubt that bin Laden's/Castro's/Putin's/Hitler's/jung Il's family would be working for them. Dramatically interesting, sure, but likely straining suspension of disbelief.
Your not wrong but exactly how capable are Sworn in this game to investigate things like the Secret Service do? Its a decent analogy but from what I can tell Sworn are a mere fraction as capable and as...intelligence gathering (lack of words here) as the actual Secret Service.
I /could/ somewhat envision garleans breaking into Sworn ranks since I see or hear of no way that you could reliably sniff that out. We are in a medieval constrained fantasy world where background investigations seemingly are useless to non-existant.
Debatable. We also have access to linkshells and, depending on your personal canon, Fantasia draughts. The Sultansworn you see walking around in armor are akin to the guys in the suits with the earpieces. You're supposed to see those, but the Intelligence Community goes a lot deeper than that. I wouldn't be surprised if there was a section of the Sworn that specifically are off the record and exist simply to hang out in public places and make connections. Spycraft is an interesting angle but it's very difficult to do correctly because the people who know how to do it can't tell you they know how to do it.
Garlemald might have sleeper cells inside of the three main cities, but I would be surprised. Doesn't really seem their tactic, given their military and technological superiority. Wasting resources to infiltrate makes less sense than curbstomping your way across the land (which is what they'd done prior to being set back in Eorzea).
As far as how capable they are? Consider that seemingly majority of the Syndicate - professional conmen, backstabbers and power-hungry capitalists - have been unable to unseat her via diplomacy or skullduggery. I'd be willing to bet that assassination attempts are a dime a dozen, or at least approaching that. The Sultansworn Elite are in fact that (which is why I question Sworn fighting in the Grindstone, since it reveals that seemingly anyone can go toe to toe with them).
Personal biases aside, of course.
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