All are playthings of Fate until they bond together |
The blog of an idealistic FE fan
All are playthings of Fate until they bond together |
Schall, the naive knight, enters the battlefield with the presence of a child, but the skill of a trained mage. His description: A NEWLY APPOINTED ROYAL GUARD, HE IS RENOWNED FOR HIS PROWESS IN MAGIC. HE IS KIND TO A FAULT, BUT EXTREMELY NAIVE AND IMMATURE. HIS MOOD ON THE BATTLEFIELD IS ALWAYS SCARED AND UNHAPPY, AS HE IS NOT ADJUSTED TO VIOLENCE, BUT HE HAS ALWAYS DREAMED OF BEING A KNIGHT. HIS PARENTS ARE VERY WEALTHY NOBLES, AND HE WAS RAISED AS A SHELTERED CHILD. HIS ADOPTIVE BROTHER, MICHAEL, IS JEALOUS OF HIS POSITION. Schall is the game's only troubadour. He is also the only character to start with light magic, because troubadours now have access to magic attacks from the get-go, as well as staves, like usual. This may make some prefer him over Annika, but Schall has his own quirks, good and bad, that make him serve a different role than Annika. Here's the good stuff:
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So, one of the plans I have had since I started this project was a 2nd generation campaign. I have always liked the idea of child units, especially in Awakening, but Genealogy of the Holy War had more than half of the game be dedicated to the children of the first part's units.
Taking from that, I decided that the children would have their own campaign, and that they would be affected, skill-wise, like Awakening. However, two of the main children I had an issue with: I could not see their mother and father not being two particular gen 1 units. So I decided that these two gen 1 characters would not be able to pair up romantically with any other gen 1 characters. But then I realized that some of these children act so much like their mother or father character that it doesn't seem like the other parent even mattered outside of stats. In Awakening, Laurent's supports with his father highlight this: the father doesn't understand what part he had in Laurent's upbringing, because the only thing that reflects that Laurent is related to his father is his hair color. To me, this kind of ruins some of the children, because (even though I understand completely why they can't customize conversations heavily because of different parents) the kids don't act like the player's chosen parent even matters. Wouldn't it be more interesting if the child was impacted by both parents' decisions in the child's upbringing? For example, let's say you got Lissa with Lon'qu. Owain should be at least a little bit more serious. Yet he still acts like a five-year old with a plastic lightsaber and a thesaurus. What about Miriel and Vaike? Why would Laurent be so frail and nerdy if his dad was a total meathead? Fates children are a little different, because they never really had much interaction with their parents, but that makes their conversations with their parents depressing. Look at Nina and Niles, Nina hates her father for leaving her in the Deeprealm. I don't want to make all the gen 2 units have terrible relationships with their parents. Would it be better, then, to have pairings be forced? It would dull the fun in headcanon and getting child units as a whole, but didn't Binding Blade do that in a way? And we got interesting child characters that weren't carbon copies of their father/mother, that didn't hate their parents, and were unique in that they weren't held back by the math that might mess up your child unit in Awakening. So what other option is there? Should pairing units be totally up to the FE game's creator, wouldn't that take some of the fun out of the game? It was partially what earned new fans of the series in Awakening, an inventive mechanic like that shouldn't be dropped, or should it? Here, I have work I have previously posted on Serenes Forest, but it may be new to some readers. There will be a few Weekly Country Spotlights that will be similar or identical to the Serenes Forest content I posted, but there are a few countries I have not written about, and I will toss them into the mix as well. The first country I will be writing on is "the good guys" country, Lyrouche.
Lyrouche is a monarchy, the current king is Lord Firos, who's daughter, Syllish, was to inherit the throne when she turned twenty, but at twelve she was put in a coma from the Empirion incident. The Empirion is the country's national treasure, a powerful crystal housed inside the castle and guarded by the royal sage. The culture in Lyrouche is simple, but they do hold a prejudice against shifters, because Lyrouche is not the native home of any type of shifter (laguz). Most shifters avoid government when they can, so anarchies and free regions like Tryst are preferred in comparison to more strict, government focused countries, such as Lyrouche. The country largely believes in Ancia, the goddess of control and light. Lyrouche isn't focused on religion, but again, most do believe in the goddess, and those who worship Larces are usually ignored, treated poorly, or in some serious cases, imprisoned. Lyrouche has a bit of a god complex, as it has the most power and believes itself to be the most morally sound, as well as the best generally, of the Seinaran governments, making negotiations with Lyrouche painful and long, as they demand too much and return too little simply because they believe they are superior to the other countries. This is why they don't really have allies, they have countries who deal with them, like Riese, Kestra, and Shurca, and countries that fight back or pick fights themselves, like Nykos and Nicholas. Royal knights of Lyrouche are considered the best in the continent, and because there is an abundance of troops due to common patriotism (or you could say egotism) and a rather large population, soldiers are occasionally rejected for not fitting the mold. The current captain of the royal guard, Gill, maintains strict control over these men and women, and demands only their best for the royal family. Hawkinson is a village near the capital that is small, humble, and most noteworthy, the home of Taren, Tenn, Tyken, and Annika. It tends to attract those who are lost or wandering, and it's homely and plain appearance also makes it a prime bandit target. Unfortunately, Hawkinson villagers must fend for themselves, as the capital doesn't really care what happens to poorer communities like Hawkinson, as they don't make the capital much money. Lyrouchi playable characters: Taren, Tenn, Tyken, Annika, Gill, Karti, Schall, Simon, Ramona, Shel, Michael, Pim, Gwenivere While the four villagers voiced their concerns, Firos was distracted by the notion that these kids had fought off bandits without any real combat experience. He ignored the rest of what they said and contemplated sending them to the Northern border with Gill and a small party. There were rumors that an entire army of beast men were marching down the Western coast of Seinara and leaving nothing but destruction in their wake. At first, he thought the idea of sending a small group was ludicrous, especially because Gill was a royal guard, and he would not be willing to leave his post to scout the border, but the more he thought about it, the more he decided it was the best course of action. The villagers were expendable, and it was only a scouting job, they would return after checking on the border guards.
After the villagers had finished their spiel, Firos crafted a proposal. In exchange for the kingdom's better protection over Hawkinson, and other villages like it, despite the minimal amount of tax money the kingdom received from these villages, the villagers would have to travel with Gill and Schall to the northern border and assure the safety of the guards. Taren agreed, to the awe of the others, who did not like the idea of leaving their village and putting themselves in danger. She reassured them that they most likely would not face too much danger, and that they had two guards to protect them, and they reluctantly allowed her to persuade them into agreement. Gill was not happy with the king's order, but had enough faith in the guards around the castle and the remaining royal guard to go and return without too much worry, although he always was anxious about the state of the princess, of whom Gill considered like his own daughter. Karti, a hunter raised by Gill, determined to be the best sniper on the continent, accompanies them with Gill's permission. Gill's other ally, Schall, is perceived by the villagers to be goofy and a little awkward, but they keep to themselves instead of questioning how he became a royal guard himself. The group exits the castle and proceeds down a dirt road, where quickly they are attacked by two teenagers, a boy and a girl, that attempt to rob them. The two robbers realize they are vastly outnumbered and that two of their opponents are royal guards, and then attempt to flee, but Gill knocks them down. The girl identifies herself and the boy, her brother, as orphans named Simon and Ramona, and that they are forced to steal due to their poverty. As they beg not to be sent to prison, Tyken suggests that they may be useful, as he notes Simon's Flux tome in his satchel, and states that the two of them may join their party or go straight to jail. The two of them oblige, as long as they have food and water, they don't care what they have to do, although Ramona has bigger plans for how to take care of herself and her brother. C
Gill: Karti. Karti: Yes, Sir Gill. Gill: I wanted to reaffirm your willingness to fight. Karti: By what do you mean? Gill: I raised you. I can sense hesitation. Karti: There is no hesitation. Gill: If you want to talk about it- Karti: I do not hesitate. I finish my opponents promptly and with precision. Gill: But- Karti: I will dismiss myself. Gill: Hmm. B Gill: Karti. Karti: Yes, Sir Gill. Gill: I wanted to reaffirm- Karti: I don't want to talk about this. I told you, there is no hesitation. Gill: You are lying to me. You never lie to me. Karti: I am not lying. Gill: Karti, tell me what is bothering you. Karti: It is nothing at all. I will be fine after some more time to myself. Gill: But when you keep things to yourself, you boil in it. You never get better by sitting in your frustration. What is going on? Karti: It is nothing. And as your comrade, I'm going to politely request that you cease your persistence. Gill: And as your superior and your- your friend, I'm going to have to ask you to stop hiding things from me. Karti: Are you going to order me? Gill: That isn't what I meant at all. Karti: Just stop prying. A Karti: Sir Gill. Gill: Karti! Oh, um, I mean, good day, miss Karti. Karti: I know you have been... concerned over my well-being. I apologize. Gill: So what is the issue? Karti: It is not an issue. It is a practice. Gill: Elaborate, please. Karti: I refuse to become a heartless murderer. My distance from my targets makes it easy for me to forget we're at war, because I don't see the life of my target leave their eyes, I can't imagine how fearful a novice feels after they kill. So I think before I fire each arrow. I think of the person I am about to dispatch. I think of their family, their friends, their allies and their loyalties. And then I shoot. Gill: So it wasn't hesitation. Karti: No. It is merely a flicker of my humanity speaking to me before I toss it aside and become the silver sniper everyone expects to see. Gill: That is... quite noble. Karti: It is not nobleness. It is decency, with which I will never part. Gill: I am glad you are not in distress. Karti: I am in distress. But I should be. All of us should be. War makes distress a necessity. Without distress, we become mechanical and cold. I won't let that happen. Now, may I be dismissed? Gill: You may, Karti. I just wanted to post a quick reminder that I love feedback of any kind. Comments, filling out the survey on the sidebar, emailing me, whatever, I like to know that not only is my content being read, but that people can help me fix mistakes. I don't really make grammar mistakes, but if you see any, tell me (that stuff drives me insane), honestly, I'm more concerned with story and writing elements that need to be patched up and just generally improved, but spelling and grammar are important too. And this includes supports, so please, if you have something to say, I am absolutely and totally okay with taking it and absorbing it to improve the quality of this blog's content.
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Annika: I want you to be more careful. Taren: Oh. Where is this coming from? Annika: Taren, I want you to be more careful because I don't think you realize how much you mean to me. Taren: Of course I do, Annika, but you can patch me up if I get too hurt, right? Annika: If that was always the case, then there would be no death on the battlefield. But there is. Taren: Why are you so tense? Annika: Because you don't listen to me! Taren: Annika, calm down- Annika: Don't tell me to calm down! You took a hit and you shrugged it off without getting me to help! Taren: That's what this is about? Annika, if I go to you every time I get a scratch, I'll never get anywhere on the battlefield, I'll be next to you like a forlorn puppy. Annika: It wasn't a scratch, and what's so wrong with being closer to my side? Taren: We'll talk about this later. Right now, I need to- be anywhere else doing anything else. Annika: We'd better talk about this later! B Annika: You ready to talk now? Taren: Now that you're not freaking out, I am perfectly okay with talking to you. Annika: I'm sorry, it's just, we were the only girls our age in Hawkinson. I grew up with you, and I don't want you to... die. Taren: I won't. I told you that I won't. Annika: That doesn't mean anything and you know it. Taren: So then what do you want from me? Annika: I want you to take this more seriously! I know you, so I can tell you from experience that you have a problem with comprehending the gravity of a situation. Taren: What? Annika: You don't get serious when everything around you does. Almost never is there a time where you understand that something could go wrong and most likely will. You just make dumb promises you might not be able to keep. Taren: Maybe you are taking things too seriously. Annika: You can't take war too seriously, Taren. Taren: I can be serious. I've been serious. Annika: I know, serious isn't the word I'm looking for. It's more like you're reckless. And that scares me. Taren: You know what? I don't need you to lecture me. Annika: That isn't what this is? Taren: Sure sounds like it. A Taren: I'm- Annika: I'm sorry. Taren: No, you shouldn't be sorry, cuz' I'm sorry. Annika: You are? Taren: I am totally sorry. I don't think enough about the consequences of my actions in combat. It's always the last thing on my mind. The first thing on my mind is keeping everyone I care about safe. That's always first. Annika: I know. And that's why I had to apologize. I keep saying I know you, and I do, but that's why I should have realized you keep strict priorities. You've always considered me more important than you, but to me- it's just the opposite. So don't get yourself killed. Please. Taren: I won't. I really won't. I pro- Annika: Just don't do it. Taren: Uh...right. Annika: And one more thing. Taren: Yes? Annika: Your braids are messy. Let me fix it, it's been bothering me since this morning. Taren: Sure, mom. Annika: Hardy har har. C
Tyken: That will never work! Taren: What will never work? You playing with nerd stuff? Tyken: Taren, you wouldn't understand this. Taren: Try me. Tyken: There's this huge lightning storm coming soon, and I want to rout the electricity away from the camp. To do that, I need a tall, metal object, like a rod, but we'd have to somehow stack all the metal in camp to reach high enough, and even then, the lightning could end up striking a nearby tree instead, which could light on fire and fall over and crush one of the tents, maybe even the convoy, and I can't let that happen- Taren: You're stressed. Tyken: What does that have to do with anything? Taren: I never see you stressed. Tyken: That's nice, really fascinating that you would notice my aggravated behavior. Taren: Why don't you just put a piece of metal on top of a tree? Tyken: What? Taren: Does that not work? Tyken: I guess... it could? But what if it doesn't?! Taren: We'll test it. When the storm comes, we know it'll go towards the highest target. We'll move our tents out of the way of the possibly toppling tree we put the rod on- Tyken: And then we can find out the fate of the tree without any casualties or loss of resources! Taren: Right. Tyken: Taren, you're a genius! Taren: I-I am? Tyken: I have to go get everything ready. Thank you so much! Taren: Wow. I guess I am. B Tyken: Taren, thanks to you, I've gotten to record valuable data. Taren: Mm-hm. Tyken: I'd love to see you try this puzzler next. Taren: zzz... Tyken: Taren? Taren: Snork! Hah, huh? Wha- Tyken: See, look, there's this cavern nearby I wanted to check out because- Taren: Is this a nerd thing? Because I'm not really a genius, you know that. Tyken: Maybe you are and you just don't apply it. Taren: Dude, I just don't think I was built for. I like chopping wood, beating up bandits, breaking things, not cavern exploration and tree-lightning rod-whatever it was we did. Tyken: I knew you would do this. Taren: Can I just sleep? Tyken: You just restrain yourself. You keep yourself in this little bubble of your personality, you don't explore, you don't learn, you don't experience the new, you just loaf around in your own laziness and pretend like what you have now is good enough. Taren: I'm good enough for myself, jerk. I don't have to constantly satisfy my need for inflating my ego by discovering things, I just exist. Tyken: I didn't save the camp from being crushed by a tree to inflate my ego. Taren: You're right, you didn't save the camp from being crushed by a tree. I did. Tyken: Look, can you just come to the east of the forest after dark tomorrow? Please. I'll show you what it's like to see new things. Taren: I won't like it- Tyken: But will you go? Taren: ...Fine. A Taren: So what did you want to show me? Tyken: The cavern here. Taren: And? Tyken: The flowers here blow up. Taren: What. Tyken: When they experience friction, they spread seeds by propulsing them into the air with a purple gas-like substance. Taren: Really? Tyken: Yeah, check it out. Taren: ...Wow. That's awesome. Tyken: But I don't know how the flower initiates the air burst. Like, what makes the mechanism in the flower work, I don't quite understand. Taren: I suppose I could try and help. Tyken: We'll work on it together. Taren: Right. Now... um- Tyken: What? Oh! Oh, I didn't- Taren: You sprayed purple all over me. Tyken: I can- hey! Taren: Hah! Got you back! Tyken: This means war, Taren! Taren: Bring it! Ha ha ha! Near the capital of the country Lyrouche, there is a village called Hawkinson. There are few residents, and many of them are the remains of families that await their missing members return from the military. Triplets Taren, Tenn, and Tyken have recently said goodbye to their father so that "he may serve the king in a time of dire need", as he put it. Their mother left them when they were very young, and so the three of them have no one but each other, their close family friend Reyanne, and Reyanne's daughter Annika. None of the other villagers have children left in their homes, they have also at one point or another decided to go to the capital and serve. Taren wonders what it would be like to serve in the army, while Tenn says it would be terrifying and Annika and Tyken agree that war is glorified so that people will throw their lives away instead of trying to work things out peacefully, Taren believes that war is necessary in a world so stuck on selfishness.
When the village is struck by bandits a few days later, the triplets and Annika defend their home to the best of their ability. Though they are successful in driving the bandits away, the damage to the village is substantial, and the four of them know they must ask the king for help in reparations and also reassurance that the government still tries to defends those outside the capital. When they arrive at the capital, Tyken notes how much more intimidating it is than he thought it would be. The walls around the capital are very high and clearly filled with guards. The doors open once the teens identify themselves, and the one who opens the gate recognizes them as children of Sir Turner, who is well respected by the king and is considered one of the military's strongest generals. He escorts them to the castle and tells the castle guards of their lineage, and they too recognize the name and allow the humble villagers passage. They are brought to Firos, and despite his disinterest, he hears their case. Tyken, the levelheaded one of the triplets, and a talented mage. His character description: The last-born of the triplets, he is very cool and collected. He dislikes studying, but loves to learn. He is often found observing or playing with things he finds outside of camp. He is quick to judge, and tends to put words in other’s mouths. Tyken is one of two mages you get in the story, but Gwenivere is not recruited for a long time, and being of the Est archetype, she is difficult to train, unlike Tyken, who is available from the start. Here are his pros:
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AuthorI am a recent high school grad who really should have better things to do. I have a passion for world building, video games (especially FE), and writing. I also enjoy music, doodling, and avoiding socializing :\ Archives
February 2018
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