Also... I wonder why Vaysh didn't push about Ash... he "remembers" but he doesn't make an effort to seek Ash out or send him a messsage ("oh hei! Ash, I'm alive btw)

Eeeek. Yes, I'll need to get Vaysh's mindset firmly entrenched before I write too much, because that's just as valid a question. Or perhaps he demands that Thiede let him see Ashmael, and Thiede says no, or says that Ashmael has moved on. ::digs knife::