Population of Stormveil castle...

[Sabaithal]

Something that occured to me recently, Stormveil castle is under the control of Godrick, right? For that matter pretty much all of limegrave is his jurisdiction. We see his soldiers patrolling everywhere outside the walls, but not within the castle itself.

In fact, 90% of the population inside the castle is exile warriors and banished knights. Not a small number of them either, a veritable army. Why are there no soldiers bearing the godrick standard within its walls, and instead hundreds (exaggerating) of soldiers whose main story is "they are outcasts" there instead?

For that matter, why is this castle so ridiculously well fortified? I mean there's a small army of exile warriors behind barricades, organized into small squads, all pointed squarely at the main entrance, 4 or 5 ballistas pointed right at the front gate, and a lion warrior which I don't even want to know how that got there. And that's just the first courtyard.

I get the feeling it definitely wasn't an accident that no soldiers bearing Godricks colors are present, yet they all definitely appear to be serving godrick in defending the castle. Anyone care to enlighten me?

[Daffy]

just going to tag along here to be able to find this again when answers comes in as this is interesting :)

[Karnarax]

I would love to respond to your thread lore wise but I think it's just a "good content is placed in the beginning and the rest is crap". They didn't think about the lore - just spill some new enemies on you. There are a lot of people praising Stormveil for its level design but not so much the other castles.

[Dollmaker]

Considering how much Godrick is hated in general, i guess those soldiers basically saw him has a last resort option since nobody accepted them either.

[Sabaithal]

Originally posted by Dollmaker:

Considering how much Godrick is hated in general, i guess those soldiers basically saw him has a last resort option since nobody accepted them either.

That doesn't explain why there are no godrick soldiers/knights within the castle itself though. I can understand the outcasts going to him, but they should be mixed in with the regulars instead of the regulars just being plain absent...

[Kain]

I'm curious too, possibly they are mercenaries and he doesn't trust his own men.

[Armameteus]

If I had to guess, I'd say Godrick's soldiers are more like enforcers/front-liners throughout his self-proclaimed kingdom. They prowl the lands expanding his territory, wearing his colours in proclamation of "THE LORD OF ALL THAT IS GOLDEN", while the troops actually in the castle, as defenders, don't necessarily need to. They're there to defend the castle, not push out into Limgrave, so there's little need to wear a standard to their lord, since they're not meant to be walking signposts for Godrick.

That's my assumption, at least.

[Sabaithal]

Originally posted by Kain:

I'm curious too, possibly they are mercenaries and he doesn't trust his own men.

So he trusts mercenaries more? Mercenaries in this area were basically slightly better armed bandits for hire.

Originally posted by Armameteus:

If I had to guess, I'd say Godrick's soldiers are more like enforcers/front-liners throughout his self-proclaimed kingdom. They prowl the lands expanding his territory, wearing his colours in proclamation of "THE LORD OF ALL THAT IS GOLDEN", while the troops actually in the castle, as defenders, don't necessarily need to. They're there to defend the castle, not push out into Limgrave, so there's little need to wear a standard to their lord, since they're not meant to be walking signposts for Godrick.

That's my assumption, at least.

Could be. I suppose consider his rep, he could be so low on manpower that he had to resort to hiring mercenaries to reinforce his army.

[HighLanderPony]

Now that you mention it, it's funny that the area where people would be outcast from is full of exiles.

[Sickerton]

IIRC, Godrick's original forces have wholly abandoned him in disgust after he turned to grafting. Patches touches on it if you talk to him a bit in the cave he's in nearby, and the armor pieces of actual Godrick Knights you can occasionally find wandering other areas go into more detail.

[I-Chi]

Originally posted by Sabaithal:

In fact, 90% of the population inside the castle is exile warriors and banished knights. Not a small number of them either, a veritable army. Why are there no soldiers bearing the godrick standard within its walls, and instead hundreds (exaggerating) of soldiers whose main story is "they are outcasts" there instead?

For that matter, why is this castle so ridiculously well fortified? I mean there's a small army of exile warriors behind barricades, organized into small squads, all pointed squarely at the main entrance, 4 or 5 ballistas pointed right at the front gate, and a lion warrior which I don't even want to know how that got there. And that's just the first courtyard.

I get the feeling it definitely wasn't an accident that no soldiers bearing Godricks colors are present, yet they all definitely appear to be serving godrick in defending the castle. Anyone care to enlighten me?

That's a good observation. I think there are two reasons:

1. Godrick's men ended up getting grafted. It's not perceived as a terrible thing, actually quite the opposite. From Rodericka's dialogue:

"Oh, you've come to be one with the spider?
Well, that makes us two peas in a pod. But I don't have your courage.
It's scary, you know. Having your arms cut off. Or legs. Or your head.
I want to be like everyone else, but I'm just too scared.
I'm nothing but a craven."

2. Godrick's uncle, Morgott, helped him defend the castle. This is in the form of Margit, a projection of Morgott. Morgott probably also brought along his own men. Since Morgott is/was shunned due to him being an Omen, it is likely that his men are also shunned, i.e. the exiled and banished knights.

[El Fuerte]

You killed them all at Storm hill lol

[Amereth]

Originally posted by Sickerton:

IIRC, Godrick's original forces have wholly abandoned him in disgust after he turned to grafting. Patches touches on it if you talk to him a bit in the cave he's in nearby, and the armor pieces of actual Godrick Knights you can occasionally find wandering other areas go into more detail.

this.

Most of his army probably became rebels and he lost control of his castle. Maybe Margit has something to do with that ?

[Sabaithal]

Margit/Morgot also being a character of interest now that its been mentioned a few times.

What we know of Morgott...well he's the King of Leydell, which is odd considering he is also an Omen, of which are heavily shunned when allowed to exist in an area at all. You wouldn't think an Omen would be able to become king...unless the reason Omen are shunned has to do with Morgott himself, perhapse something he did?

We do know he's obviously trying to crush those that would potentially arise to power, the tarnished as it were. Which means he and the Two fingers are opposed. Does that mean that he is standing against the Golden Order?

He regards all the demigods, the keepers of the runes, as traitors. Is that to imply perhaps that they stole the runes they have, took them by force? Or perhaps Morgott simply didn't agree with the decision and pulled a "I am the king, you will obey me!" and the demigods chose the opposite approach?

[Holografix]

Originally posted by Sabaithal:

What we know of Morgott...well he's the King of Leydell, which is odd considering he is also an Omen, of which are heavily shunned when allowed to exist in an area at all. You wouldn't think an Omen would be able to become king...unless the reason Omen are shunned has to do with Morgott himself, perhapse something he did?

Morgott is known as the Veiled Monarch, presumably because he keeps his Omen-ness hidden.

Originally posted by Sabaithal:

We do know he's obviously trying to crush those that would potentially arise to power, the tarnished as it were. Which means he and the Two fingers are opposed. Does that mean that he is standing against the Golden Order?

He regards all the demigods, the keepers of the runes, as traitors. Is that to imply perhaps that they stole the runes they have, took them by force? Or perhaps Morgott simply didn't agree with the decision and pulled a "I am the king, you will obey me!" and the demigods chose the opposite approach?

All of the shardbearers are fighting each other. There is no single authority, after the Shattering. This is why grace reaches the Tarnished, as there is a deadlock to power among the demigods. In other words, grace is extended to the Tarnished because the demigods are at a stalemate, and the Golden Order requires restoration through the substantiation that is the Elden Lord.

We play as the Tarnished, in a journey to become Elden Lord.

[I-Chi]

Originally posted by Sabaithal:

What we know of Morgott...well he's the King of Leydell, which is odd considering he is also an Omen, of which are heavily shunned when allowed to exist in an area at all. You wouldn't think an Omen would be able to become king...unless the reason Omen are shunned has to do with Morgott himself, perhapse something he did?

We do know he's obviously trying to crush those that would potentially arise to power, the tarnished as it were. Which means he and the Two fingers are opposed. Does that mean that he is standing against the Golden Order?

Morgott is born an Omen, but has privileges as he is also a demi-god. He is a Tyrion Lannister. In addition, Morgott has the ability to and did do more to shed his Omen-ness:
Morgott's cursed sword:
"Warped blade of shifting hue used by Morgott, the Omen King.
The accused blood that Morgott recanted and sealed away reformed into this blade."

Morgott loved the Erdtree:
"Though born one of the graceless Omen, Morgott took it upon himself to become the Erdtree's protector. He loved not in return, for he was never loved, but nevertheless, love it he did."

and came to its defense:
"The Second Defense of Leyndell. The Fell Omen stacks high the corpses of heroes. Yet the Erdtree remains unshaken."

Originally posted by Sabaithal:

He regards all the demigods, the keepers of the runes, as traitors. Is that to imply perhaps that they stole the runes they have, took them by force? Or perhaps Morgott simply didn't agree with the decision and pulled a "I am the king, you will obey me!" and the demigods chose the opposite approach?

The Great Runes were not stolen, but intentionally given away by Marika to the demi-gods right after the shattering. She even gave it to her enemies, the Carian family (Ranni, Radahn, Rykard), and her Omen children (Morgott, Mohg):
"In Marika's own words. Hear me, Demigods. My children beloved. Make of thyselves that which ye desire. Be it a Lord. Be it a God. But should ye fail to become aught at all, ye will be forsaken. Amounting only to sacrifices..."

Ranni then promptly threw hers away:
"Ranni is said to have cast aside her Great Rune, so here at the Hold, we seek the whereabouts of the remaining three shardbearers."

I theorize that Marika no longer agrees with her original approach of everyone falling in line behind her and the Golden Order.
"In Marika's own words. I declare mine intent, to search the depths of the Golden Order. Through understanding of the proper way, our faith, our grace, is increased. Those blissful early days of blind belief are long past. My comrades; why must ye falter?"

Rather, she decided on a more inclusive approach where everyone gets to choose their own destiny. There are people who aren't particularly happy with this new vision of the world, Morgott's one, Gideon's another.