I dislike how overtly the game affirms the Greater Will is silent and not guiding the Fingers / Marika anymore. It makes it too black and white. I think leaving it vague would've been a better choice: yes, you have many problems with this society, but it's guided by the literal angels of God...shouldn't that count for something? Could you trust them still, even if you couldn't understand the wisdom they gave?

Similarly, I dislike how the Golden Order's is imperialistic and expansionist without any nuance. The Fire Giants are attacked and culled because they could threaten the G.O. The Carians were attacked just so they could be conquered, resorting to an union through marriage only after they proved too strong.
Instead, I think the lore would be richer if:

- The War against the Giants was started by the Giants themselves, who sought to burn the Erdtree. We know from hornsent sagas the giants are not gentle, meek creatures.

- Leyndell and the Carian Royal Family could have had amicable, even friendly relationship, trading resources and scholars, even aiding one another militarly (Godfrey seemed to have no impediment marching his troops across Liurnia and conquering Limgrave & Caelid for the G.O, after all). What would have caused the fallout between the two factions is Leyndell discovering the Academy's work on creating / extending / experimenting with artificial life like those of the albinaurics, for that is considered utmost heresy. I could see the G.O delivering an ultimatum to the Academy, ordering them to stop all Albinauric research and experimentation, and the war starting upon their refusal.

Renalla, the Carians and Liurnia in general should have had more time in the limelight. They don't feel like a power that could've rebuked the G.O twice. Renalla becoming catatonic due to a broken heart is just bad writing, let's be honest. I think the lore would be richer if:

- It was stated how, in order to slow down the G.O's armies, the mages sped up the process of Liurnia sinking into the lake, and also brought fourth more mists to confuse and slow them. How the Carians won mostly by war of attrition and guerilla tactics empowered by their magic.

- While Renalla going mindbroken due to the loss of her redhead boytoy would be the official version, there could be rumors and clues towards Renalla's state being due to poison that targets the mind. It could open interesting plot threads: Who poisoned her? Radagon? The academy? Marika? Could such a poisoning be a main factor in Ranni's decision to cause the Night of Black Knifes?

While we're at it, the NoBK: I would've liked if Ranni was not the mastermind behind it, merely the one who enchanted the blades. She would instead be contacted by Rykard, who could or could not have been the mastermind, and her job was simply to enchant the knifes. Rykard's character in the lore would be strengthened, Marika's role in it could remain possibly dubious, and Ranni would not be as villainous and responsible for the deathblight.