He is not a hypocrite, and he does decide who gets to keep Elves. He has put it into law that you can not abuse a slave, that was his decision. So if you abuse a slave, he/his program takes that Elf away.
To abuse an Elf, one or more of the following must be true. You have beaten her, caused her intentional pain (emotional or physical), or have forced yourself on her.
Well, that part was based on people saying that he obviously forced himself on his slave during the event. If it just looked like it, ignore that part.
That being said, while I'm not a huge fan of it happening, I recognize that the MC is technically his own person. I can try to self-insert, but he's his own defined character in some senses, more than Link I suppose in LoZ. Given this and the fact that it means Lin has a chance to improve her sister's life, I think that's how I really was able to get past it without too much thinking; its for Lin's good, and I feel like she verbalizes her desire to win more than some people are really recalling / letting on.
If I wanted to, I could make a
very long list of things I would have done differently to him. I won't, of course, because
most of them are minor things that don't really matter. But when something is bad enough, it demands mention. And that Lin says she wants to doesn't really make much of a difference; we don't get the option to even
try to talk her out of it.
People aren't going to hurt an Elf for disobeying, but they can make them do things they don't like, like cleaning the toilets and such.
I don't really understand that; if you can't hurt an elf for disobeying, how do you
make them do anything?
I didn't mean to attack you. Just as you, I was stating my opinion. I admit that little bit was probably unnecessary. I just felt like saying it, because I had feeling that the negative input on the events shifted from discussion to something like "I don't like the event and it's unacceptable that it's ingame".
At least for me, I don't like the event but it's not unacceptable that it's in the game; it's unacceptable that you have no choice. I don't think I've seen
anyone demanding that the event be stripped from the game entirely; we'd just like to see a different option.
A discussion about an alternative route is interesting, though. I don't know the least bit about storytelling, so my input on this might be limited, too. But any input could help Runey in creating an acceptable alternative route.
I would
love to see an alternative route, but it's hard to suggest anything without having seen the 0.6 scene that depends upon this.
From what I've gathered the people who have voiced their concerns about the event don't like
1) Submitting to Cornwall by accepting his challenges
2.)The feeling of degrading Lin (Lin stating that she wants it doesn't matter)
Add "3: it's
also degrading to the player, being forced to fuck for his amusement". Even if you
like the normal exhibitionism scenes, they are very different because nobody is being
forced to do anything; the MC suggests "Wouldn't it be hot to get your tits out in front of everyone" or whatever, and the girl says "Mmm, yes, let's try that", if not explicitly then implicitly. They can also say "no", and the MC accepts that.
I would classify this as a "hardcore" path. The alternative would have to be something more romantic. I haven't played the current beta, so I don't get the whole picture. There is basically a follow up on the orgy if I caught that correctly. Either both paths split only for a few events and then end up at the same spot, maybe with different dialogue or, but that would probably require more work, both paths stay separate and basically offer a romantic and a hardcore style for Lins story.
I should download the beta and increment Lin's friendship using the console, to see what the event is about. I'm loath to even do that, but if there's a prospect of getting a route that avoids him, it would be worth it. I just have to make sure to keep my save from before the letter in a safe place.
That event's purpose was to change Cornwall's mind and introduce some new Elves.
The "changing his mind" purpose is problematic, because you've indicated that it's possible to
lose the contest and
not change his mind; if the story works with you failing to change his mind by losing, surely it should work with you failing to change his mind by not engaging.
For introducing the elves, I'll have to get back after inspecting the 0.6 event, but surely a different way of introducing them could be contrived? Another day out with Lin, for example, where you run into Sylvia again and she gets to see you and Lin in a different context?
I hope this answers some of your quests, I'm really tired at the moment and have had a rough day.
I hope you feel better tomorrow and that whatever it is works out OK for you.