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The thread's pretty old and this post doesn't really have much information in it, especially since it's post-release, but have fun! [spoiler=Trailers] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYsqzT7Gilk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RIxzmN9EMI

Afternoon of 20th May 812 - Magonsaete, south of the Myrcian border The journey back to Magonsaete had been relatively uneventful, although Cass had ensured that a real drama had occurred after her departure. The south of Myrcia had remained free from Raewald or Deira's tyranny, an almost unfamiliar land of peace. However, the air of civility was soon lost after crossing the border. The wild winds of Magonsaete called out, representing the nation's dangerously free way of life. Whether she liked it or not she had company, and judging who by she was stuck with, it was likely a mixed back. Graham, her childhood "friend", his sly butler, Sebastian, and Alain, a fellow Belialist, had all joined her on her insane journey for peace. Could she truly find peace in such a savage land? Whilst there certainly fewer personal enemies out in its endless plains, there were likely far fewer friends also. The sun was starting to bear down on the group, the plains offering little protection from its harsh rays. Graham had even resorted to removing his armour for the travel, the bulky metal plate acting as little more than a personal incinerator. With but pair of horses to their name, much of the journey was by foot. Thankfully some clever navigation had helped them avoid the mountainous region that Captain Haddock had been imprisoned in, but it was by no means a pleasant journey. Graham let out a sigh, allowing Sebastian and Alain to separate him from Cass. It was almost like a dream come true, but it still didn't feel right. No matter how much he tried to think of the positives, attempting to make a move left a bitter taste at the back of his throat. Sebastian remained as content as possible, not having once complained or criticised Cass for her decision to escape. "Another week and we should be able to reach Magon, accounting for local hospitality of course." he mused, the breeze gently flapping the map in his hands. "There are a few sights along the way if you were interested, but I feel that Magon might be the sole destination on your list, Princess. We should have enough supplies to reach it... give or take a couple of days depending on how peckish our good friend Sir Duhamel feels. Unfortunately our planning had only accounted for three runaways, numeracy proves to be the enemy of all once again." The path ahead was as non-distinct as much of their journey inside Magonsaete. There were very few signs, if any, and most were crude and animalistic scrawls - the good people of Magonsaete were not exactly known for their penmanship. Cass and Alain are free to post! The other members of the Magonsaete route must wait for proper introduction!

11th May 812 - The Raewald/Myrcia border The announcement from Ethel had mobilised the forces of Raewald, the vast force moving to the border to begin the path through Myrcia. The hills and mountains of Raewald flattened out, the plains of Myrcia coming into view. The countryside wasn't too disimilar to that of Wyke, although there was a distinct foreign air to the atmosphere. The march across Raewald highlighted the size of the force Ethel had assembled, the number of fighters dwarfed Wyke's own army - perhaps highlighting how Deira had taken Wyke by storm. Many were faceless pawns, people who would probably die and never be thought of again. However, there were a few familiar faces from Raewald. The likes of Lilith and Steve were present among their ranks, and more disturbingly Feran - it appeared Ethel needed every man she could get. The days were full of marching and the camps weren't exactly homely... and the rough terrain made traversing the country difficult, but the desire to stop Deira was powerful through the army. Rumours of Olaf's ambition for continental conquest circled through the camps, the sentiment against Deira was commonplace - even bordering indiscriminate hatred against the Deiran people. Relations had never been great between the two nations, but many of the Raewaldean soldiers seemed to treat them as an inhuman species. Tarasque had showed herself to be a stoic woman, outside of giving orders and relaying information, she appeared to speak very little, keeping any small talk to a minimum. However, she became far more vocal once they approached a verge, looking down at a village in the distance. Smoke was wafting from the collection of houses, with golden banners surrounding the edges of it. It had only been a week, but Deira had managed to spread its forces right to the western border of Myrcia. Owen's group had gathered with Tarasque at the front of their forces, looking at the village under attack ahead. "Deira... taking even a village like this for themselves." she growled, crossing her arms as she scowled into the distance. "They've moved quicker than expected, our reports must have underestimated how far they'd spread. Time isn't on our side, but leaving this village to suffer doesn't sit well with me. Prince Owen, we'll need to make a call... this might be a good place to beat some information out of Deiran troops, as well as stop them spreading further. The defensive forces have the border behind us covered, they'll catch anyone who slips past us." Nelon stepped forward, looking at the sky above the village. "There are no signs of any flying squadrons... it appears that they have not fielded the Reliants here." he added, his eyes slipping down towards the village again. "I cannot see evidence of any camps in the area, it is quite likely that they have only recently arrived... this may be our chance to prevent any serious casualties in the village." "I agree, the last thing we want is for them to set up a new camp, especially one so close to our border." Tarasque replied, looking over at Owen. "I'm leaning towards stepping in. Your Baron Nelon appears to agree. Any thoughts from yourself, Prince Owen?" The party is free to post!

THE RP IS CURRENTLY FULL, I AM NOT ACTIVELY LOOKING FOR NEW PLAYERS Angelcynn is an RP that has been going strong for nearly two years now. Set in the continent of Angelcynn, a unique location with diverse countries and a long history, the focus is very much on allowing players to take control of how they would like the story to progress. Many player characters are vitally important to the main plot line, and even supporting characters have some sway over the events that happen. Combining freeform RP segments with FE style maps, the goal is to create an experience that encourages engagement and cooperation with both the setting and other players. All roles have already been assigned, so please ignore the roles that are crossed out! Instead, please have a look at both this thread and the IC ones to gain some idea of what would be feasible. If you have any questions, feel free to ask! Important Characters Prince Owen of Wyke - The "lord" of the story, a young man coming to terms with his responsibilities and the faith people have in him. Princess Cassandra of Wyke - Owen's younger sister, loud and bold, she struggles coping with her personal life and the cruelty of war Baron Angus Kearney - Owen's young advisor, unrefined and lacking manners, he is finding his feet in his new important position Lady Claire Bennett - A quiet mage fresh from the Wihtwar academy, looking to try and solve the mysteries surrounding Malaphar Sidney Faren - A thief revealed to be the daughter of a Raewaldean noble. Deals with her relationship with Owen and also her family after her escape from prison Sir Alain of Duhamel - A diplomat from Raewald, originally a street urchin and hides his close relationship with Belial Freya - A guard assigned to protect Cass, finding that her task is considerably more difficult because of her unusual antics. Suleiman - A bald guard on loan from Ethel to Owen. He combines both nationalities and talents, as his father was a blacksmith from Tolouse. Eric - An optimistic young man who fled from Deira after seeing its cruelty, he is now under the employ of Baron Esclabor. Queen Ethel - The Queen of Raewald, currently in discussions with Prince Owen on an alliance to stop Deira Malaphar - An enigmatic sorcerer intent on sculpting the continent to his liking, an enemy to the party and wields his terrifying magic known as "The World" Scuttle Thames - A troubled bard who struggles with her inner demons, currently apart from the party after she became unhinged Apellon and Arteria - A twisted pair of sibling swordfighters who have had many encounters with the party. Have cheated death, possibly with help from the vial. King Oswald - Owen and Cass' aging father, distant as a parent but a caring king. Was last heard to be on his deathbed before the invasion. The Vial - An elixir that appears to be able to revive the dead. Its source is unknown but it appears to have ties with Malaphar and the Fountain of Ages. Plot Summary In the humble country of Wyke, Prince Owen was alerted by his father than a rogue noble known as Dettard was conspiring with the bandit nation of Magonsaete. The king being too sickly to travel himself, Owen was sent in his place, taking along Lionel and his other men. His younger sister, Cassandra, then invited herself along, aiding Owen in his journey. Joined by the "charming" rogue, Sidney, Owen learned of skulduggery, vowing to get to the bottom of the issue. Meanwhile, Lady Adeltrudis of Herman met with her father, and was introduced to Jean the Red, a Toulese noble. After being attacked at their lakeside manor, she learned of Owen's quest, taking her brother, Graham, and their butler Jeeves. Joined by Niko and Doug, the group met up with Owen's and joined forces. Battling through the forest, Lionel's men arrived to assist Owen, following them to Dettard's castle. Once there, Dettard claimed that he was Owen's half brother, but was bested in a duel by the noble prince. Inside was the monstrous Baleros, a man-beast with strength beyond belief. With some quick thinking from Angus of Kearney, Baleros was eventually slain. However, part of the group had remained outside, with two of Lionel's men falling to enemy forces. Jeeves the butler also succumbed to his failing health, passing away shortly after the battle. With heavy hearts, Owen and friends return to Hull, the capital, looking to find some answers. The battle at Dettard's manor had been a cruel one. Despite besting the treacherous cur, Owen's group had received their own losses. Still, there were so many things left unexplained, so many questions behind Dettard's actions. However, those had waited until they returned to the capital, where they were quickly met by the King's men. Dettard was detained, taken away to the dungeon. After much debate with his father, Owen had chosen to execute his half-brother for his treachery. However, through a suspicious dungeon fire, Cass had managed to connect with Dettard, eventually convincing her brother to not take his life. In another strange situation, Angus and Doug were made nobles of Wyke for their efforts. However, as the party celebrated one evening, Cass was kidnapped by brutish thugs, as part of a scheme for her to bear the child of a minor noble, Talmot of Gorlois. Thwarted by Adele and Serge, the only clue the party was left with was "Mr. E". A castle guard, Freya, had been assigned to protect Cass by Earl Valter, although the threat of Mr. E was still very real - suggesting treachery within the nobility of the country. Meeting with Raewaldean diplomats, including Alain, to discuss the state of the continent, Owen decided to travel to Raewald to speak with Queen Ethel, worried about the reports of Deira mobilising to invade Myrcia. Deciding that he would travel through the lands of Magonsaete to save time, Owen had a strange young bard, Scuttle, join his group. Owen was forced to land on a bandit infested beach and made a mysterious ally in a sorcerer who also fought against them. After meeting the wizard, Malaphar, Owen and his group entered an uneasy alliance. However, after witnessing Malaphar's blatant disregard for human life and how he manipulated those around him, Owen finally demanded answers. However, this resulted in conflict, causing Malaphar to take Owen and some of his allies to his strange world. Escaping with only Baron Nelon injured, Owen had learned Malaphar's desire to see society fall, and the threat he posed to the continent. Stopping in a village called Magon, Owen's group took their time to rest and evaluate their choices. However, the loss of Javier had affect Scuttle too much, bringing out her darker side, Susan. Attempting to kill Claire and claim the vial, Susan was stopped by Cass and her allies. Meanwhile, Owen and Adele were able to talk to the ghost of Jeeves, learning that both he and Javier were one and the same. Owen also learned that Malaphar had opposed his father also. Later on, Cass and Owen were able to learn their father still lived... but for how much longer they could not tell. Leaving Magon, Scuttle had escaped the group, struggling with her own internal conflict. A new group of enemies attacked Owen's party, claiming to be under the command of Malaphar. With the help of a wyvern squad claiming to be the Reliants, Owen was able to repel the threat. However, upon learning that Ywein had been slain, Laudine, their leader, demanded retribution. Things were made more complicated as Marcus, a griffon rider from Toulouse, had come with the Rhongomiant and news of Deira's invasion of Wyke. After much heated debate, Laudine's group had left, although not before a member threw a spear intended for Serge... but had killed Emily instead. Cass had decided to use the vial to attempt to revive Emily, much to Emmet's disdain. With the appearance of Apellon and Arteria, Emmet attempted to betray the group in the search of immortality, but was met with a death sentence from Prince Owen. Owen and his friends... and Esclabor, reached Raewald, meeting with Queen Ethel and forming a tentative alliance to try and hold back Deira. However, Owen is unsure he has made the right choice, the decision seemed far more grey after he begins to fight through Myrcia... CURRENT CHARACTER CREATION

16th April 812 It had been nearly a week since their last battle, but thankfully Owen's group had not faced any more adversity in the remainder of their journey. Leaving the savage lands of Magonsaete behind them, the plains and hills of Raewald were almost a welcome sight. Without threats of bandit attacks, it was far easier to progress. However, Emily had not stirred, her body remaining cold and lifeless throughout their journey. However, there were no signs of death or decay otherwise, it was as if she had entered an incredibly deep sleep. The walls around Tytila were vast, easily fifty feet tall, made from a sturdy stone and complete with multiple guard towers. As they approached the city, Owen's group were immediately hailed by the guards, a group of men clad in a dark grey armour. "Prince Owen of Wyke! It is an honour to welcome you to Raewald! Please, allow us to assist you! Her Highness, Queen Ethel, has instructed us to guide you until she is free to meet with you." one called out, dropping down to one knee as he spoke. The other guards joined him in his gesture. "Open the gates, Prince Owen of Wyke has arrived!" The gates to the city were as large as the walls, although made from a dark iron rather than stone. Opening slowly, the gates revealed the bustling city of Tytila. Even after a first glance, it became very clear that the city was far larger than Hull. The stalls and buildings went on beyond the eye could see, and the grand tower of Tytila castle was very visible in the background. Packed with people, the crowd had a life of its own, the busy city life keeping everyone moving. One of the guards passed Owen a small piece of paper, depicting a map of the area. "Prince Owen, I hope that Tytila has all that you would wish for. If there is anything that you cannot acquire, Queen Ethel has requested that you ask at the castle, and she will see to it personally." he added, his men aiding Sebastian with unloading the group's supplies. "Queen Ethel should be available to meet with you in the afternoon at the castle. She has requested that you only take a handful of your most trusted advisers with you, she has said that she is not usually one for large gatherings. Otherwise, you and your subjects are free to explore Tytila as you wish until then. Mr Sebastian has said that he will be more than happy to deal with unpacking and moving your supplies, but we will do all we can to assist him." The entire party is free to post! Please explore Tytila as you see fit! Remember, this isn't Wyke, you need to behave! TYTILA SHEET

The Morning of 5th April 812 Only a day had passed since the group had split to tackle their various objectives. Owen had joined Malaphar to eliminate cultists controlling the region, Cass had rescued Esclabor whilst Angus had managed to retrieve their sea captain. Each task seemed so distinct, but eerily linked together through mentions of a wizard - and there was one wizard that everyone had become painfully aware of. The sun had been setting, there couldn't have been more than an hour left of daylight in the harsh land of Magonsaete. With so much information, much of which concerning, discussion had waited until the morning - giving all involved a chance to recover from their battles. Most of their injuries were rather superficial, even Esclabor only required minimal treatment. The presence of Malaphar hadn't aided things at all. Many had expressed their unease around him. However, with little explanation, the wizard had said he'd be absent for a few hours, leaving Owen's group to their own devices. Now joined by Baron Esclabor and Captain Haddock, they could finally begin to piece parts of the story together. As usual, the Reliants had found their own space to hold up, still feeling like outsiders to the whole host of nobility. The night was quiet, with so many battles in the area, it appeared the barbarian forces had been somewhat depleted. Not a single soul had been spotted or even heard as the hours progressed, the various people on watch having rather little to focus on. Morning had come quickly, and Malaphar was still gone. With no given time frame of his return, it left the group with decisions to make. The sun had just appeared over the horizon, the oranges and reds of the sunrise being replaced by an endless blue. It was difficult to believe that a massacre had occurred when they arrived. People had started to gather in the main meeting room, anxious to hear how Owen intended to proceed. All players may post!

25th December ??? (The contents of this thread are not considered canon to the main Angelcynn thread and thus does not occur within the timeline of the roleplay. Characters that never met physically will be present together. I implore you to have fun and be as SILLY as possible.) It was a fine Christmas afternoon, and all had gathered to celebrate the festivities. On top of a snowy hill in Magonsaete, the dastardly Malaphar had invited the entire cast to join his Christmas gathering. Nobody was excluded, from the noble Prince Owen to that old guy that made Serge paint his fence for some reason. With the halls decorated and the tables fully laid, Malaphar had cut no corners in preparing for the gathering. Standing at the front of his hall, he clapped his hands together to gain the attention of the room. "Thank you kindly for all being here. I, Malaphar, warmly welcome all of you to my Christmas gathering!" he announced, waving a searing flame through the air. "For some reason, it was felt that my world was deemed an unfitting venue for merriment, but this castle should be suitable! I wish you all the best and hope there are no hard feelings of the events that have transpired. I'm sure there are many of you that I had vapourised during the course of our tales... and I'm certain there are more of you yet to be burned to a crisp! May the festivities commence!" The audience applauded slowly, muttering to each other about who would actually survive into the later acts. However, which such a gathering, their host's oddity could be overlooked for the meantime. Every player may post! This thread is likely to remain active for a week!

The following morning The night had been unsettled, especially with their new companion. However, the air had eased as Malaphar departed with Owen, as if a great weight had been lifted from the air. Cass' party had gone straight south, Baron Nelon had sketched a crude map with Malaphar the night before, and combined with a compass, he was quietly directing the group. The sisters were chatty among themselves, but they hadn't quite gotten used to their companions, royalty was daunting even for them. Cass had ended up with a fair chunk of the Wykian nobility. Other than Freya, everyone else held some sort of title. The Valter sisters circled above, staying in sight of the party. Nelon appeared to be relieved by their relative distance somewhat, but it was clear the man was not exactly comfortable about his arrangements. He appeared to be a man of few words, and didn't appear to have any for some people. The sands of the beach turned into dry plains, but then rather quickly into grassy hills. The Magonsaete geography was incredibly variable, although it made sense - nobody would be able to survive in a wasteland that bad. If there were parts of Magonsaete to live in, it was territory that was heavily contested. The hills were relatively steep, especially on foot. Nelon's horse seemed rather adept at finding a path, but even then, it was a slow ascent. After perhaps half an hour, Nona landed near their group, offering a hand out to Cass. "Princess, my sisters and I were thinking that it might be quicker if some of you were to ride with us." she suggested, her hand still extended. "It wouldn't be scary or anything, we used to give daddy rides all the time. There's three of us and only your guard would be heavy! My Elizabeth could probably carry two people! We normally fly in formation, so you'd still be able to talk to everyone... except for Baron Nelon though." Cass, Sidney, Freya and Claire are free to post!

The following morning Angus, along with most of the Reliants had been tasked with rescuing Captain Haddock from the north. Malaphar had left a rather unusual impression, and it was safe to say that most of Serge's men were glad to be rid of him for a little. That raised another problem, Angus hadn't exactly made himself very popular with the Reliants, especially Hans and Lars. The terrain soon became uneven and treacherous as they group continued north. Agro seemed to have some idea of how to deal with it, most likely from its master's madness. Larissa was rather amused by the set up, there was no doubt Doug would be pleased with so many ladies around. It had only been a week or so since Serge had nearly gotten himself thrown out of the Codger, and there he was leading a band of mercenaries. Perhaps he wasn't quite as daft as Larissa had expected? Either way, the Reliants were pleased to be actively involved in a task, many of them had not fought alongside Serge before. Morganna looked over at Alain, still insistent there was more to him. "I heard that you cast a few spells last battle. I hope they were... effective." she mused, the tales of his prowess hadn't been too tall. "Maybe I'll get to see your magic for myself, I'm certainly looking forward to it." Hans approached Serge, pointing ahead towards the coast. "That's where we managed to get to, boss. They must have moved the boat, doesn't look like they sank it... no driftwood." he informed. "That wizard said that their hideout was a little north of here, I'm amazed he's got this entire country in his head." Angus, Serge, Doug and Alain are free to post!

The following morning Despite the unease the group collectively experienced, nobody seemed to question Malaphar's plans. As morning rose, the groups all head off in their various directions, deep into the lands of the barren Magonsaete. Heading west towards a camp, holding control of the area, as well as Malaphar's sought after prize, Owen and his companions continued their journey. The soil was dry and hard, each step was like that against gravel or stone. None of the plant life seemed particularly lively. Most were hardy shrubs, browned and dried from the barren conditions. The few trees they did see were dry and brittle, perhaps even climbing them would cause them to fall. The heat wasn't even that oppressive, although there was a dryness to the air unlike Wyke. Malaphar had said little for the first hour of their journey, leading the party left and right as he navigated what appeared to be a single bare plain. The wizard had glanced up at the sun a few times, only to adjust his path slightly as he returned his attention to their path. "The lands of Magonsaete are unforgiving, only the strongest may survive." Malaphar lectured, walking at the front of their group. "Territory control is vital for these savages, resources are spread far and thin... if a tribe is unable to maintain its grasp upon enough land, it will be only a matter of weeks before it perishes. Sooner considering their barbaric desire to eliminate one another. If they had not ventured beyond their borders, perhaps they would be extinct entirely." Malaphar let out an unsettling chuckle, most likely amused by the prospect of the idea. Sebastian shot a concerned look at Adele, he knew something wasn't right with this wizard, and was certain his lady felt the same way. Malaphar turned back to face Owen, his face still smug, but also rather curious. "Tell me, Prince Owen. How does your father fare nowadays?" he asked. "He must have passed sixty years by now, I can't imagine he is as... spry as he used to be." Owen, Adele, Scuttle and Emmet are free to post!

[spoiler=The story so far] In the humble country of Wyke, Prince Owen was alerted by his father than a rogue noble known as Dettard was conspiring with the bandit nation of Magonsaete. The king being too sickly to travel himself, Owen was sent in his place, taking along Lionel and his other men. His younger sister, Cassandra, then invited herself along, aiding Owen in his journey. Joined by the "charming" rogue, Sidney, Owen learned of skulduggery, vowing to get to the bottom of the issue. Meanwhile, Lady Adeltrudis of Herman met with her father, and was introduced to Jean the Red, a Toulese noble. After being attacked at their lakeside manor, she learned of Owen's quest, taking her brother, Graham, and their butler Jeeves. Joined by Niko and Doug, the group met up with Owen's and joined forces. Battling through the forest, Lionel's men arrived to assist Owen, following them to Dettard's castle. Once there, Dettard claimed that he was Owen's half brother, but was bested in a duel by the noble prince. Inside was the monstrous Baleros, a man-beast with strength beyond belief. With some quick thinking from Angus of Kearney, Baleros was eventually slain. However, part of the group had remained outside, with two of Lionel's men falling to enemy forces. Jeeves the butler also succumbed to his failing health, passing away shortly after the battle. With heavy hearts, Owen and friends return to Hull, the capital, looking to find some answers. The battle at Dettard's manor had been a cruel one. Despite besting the treacherous cur, Owen's group had received their own losses. Still, there were so many things left unexplained, so many questions behind Dettard's actions. However, those had waited until they returned to the capital, where they were quickly met by the King's men. Dettard was detained, taken away to the dungeon, whilst Owen, Cassandra, his vassals and Sidney were summoned before the King. Adele, her brother, Jean and her mercenaries were taken aside to speak to Duke Herman, who had rushed to the capital after Adele had not returned. Castle Gaffney's throne room It was very much a surprise to see the king seated on his throne, Owen hadn't seen him out of bed for several weeks now. Dressed formally, with his crown on his head, Oswald looked up Owen and his men, all stood at the base of his throne's steps. Smiling, Oswald let out a sigh of relief. Oddly enough, there were no guards in the throne room, only the king's own retainers had remained. "My dear children, I am relieved to see you return in good health, and proud that have succeeded in halting Dettard's foolish acts." he announced, his voice tainted with a hint of sickness. "Our kingdom will remain strong with you as its protectors, I could not be prouder as a king, nor could I be prouder as a father. Cassandra, you may have gone against my wishes, but I had received confirmation you were unharmed. I care for you dearly, please take that in mind next time you choose to act." Oswald coughed a few times, a trickle of blood visible on his lip. Wiping his mouth quickly, he looked upon Owen's men. "Noble vassals, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for supporting Prince Owen through the challenges he faced. You will be rewarded in due time, you have achieved a great deal for those of your age." Oswald stopped, looking at Sidney for a moment, as if he were choosing his words carefully. "Ah yes, you must be the other woman. I thank you dearly for your own efforts, you do the crown a great service." Owen's party are free to respond! Remember, you're talking in front of the King! Meeting with Duke Herman Having taken one of the smaller meeting rooms, Duke Herman had arranged to meet his own children in private. It was a far less formal setting than the throne room, Tobias had always preferred a more personal approach with his children. "Adeltrudis, Graham, Sir Jean." he spoke, watching as the others entered the room. "All of you, please do take a seat. You may not be of noble creed, but your assistance to my children is much appreciated. I feared that something had happened when you did not return after a few days... however, Jeeves had written to me multiple times, ensuring that I knew of your safety. I apologise, I knew of our King's task for Prince Owen but I feared you would put yourselves at risk if you knew of it." Tobias twirled his mustache, eyeing Niko and Doug. Doug's attire perplexed him, he wasn't entirely sure whether this were a rather uncharming young woman or a perverted young man. His manners were enough for him to shelf the thoughts for now, but he continued his speech. "I cannot say we are acquainted. I have been informed that you are both mercenaries, and that of fine quality. I am Duke Herman, father of Adeltrudis and Graham. Your service to my family is very much appreciated. If you were still looking for employment, I ask you to remain as our guests for a while, and for us to discuss once you have had time to rest." Adele and her group are free to respond!

Castle Gaffney Castle Gaffney was easily the largest and most heavily invested structure in the kingdom of Wyke. Residing on the outskirts of the capital of Hull, it was a symbol of both the presence and status of the royal family. The grounds were well guarded, easily sporting one hundred guards over its several acres. The winter had been relatively mild, a good sign for the following spring. It had been several days since King Oswald had appeared for meals, let alone the royal court. He had made few appearances over the winter, choosing instead to resign himself to his room. Questioning the servants had proved fruitless, they would only say that he was currently resting. Even Queen Eowa was reluctant to divulge much to her children, saying that their father was tackling a minor cold. Rumours began spreading among the nobles, possibly suggesting that Oswald was going to kick the bucket in the near future. At last, during the second week of spring, Owen and Cassandra, along with their loyal retainer, Lionel, were summoned to the King’s quarters, with little warning beforehand. As the trio entered the door, it was clear things were not as they should be. Oswald lay propped up in his bed, appearing rather worse for wear. His beard, usually trim and proper, had become unkempt and scraggly – and far whiter than it seemed before the winter. His eyes lacked their usual stoic gaze, the pair seeing their father vulnerable for the first time. With two servants at his side, he beckoned his visitors forward. “Owen, Cassandra, my children.” He called out weakly. “Forgive my secrecy, but I did not want to distract you from your courtly duties. I must face the cruelty of time, I am no longer a young man, and I am growing weaker and frailer with each year.” Oswald stopped to cough, the old man leaning forwards and barking harshly. The servants at Oswald’s sides approached him, but he raised a hand, denying their attempts. “I did not bring you hear to lament my poor health. I do not feel like departing from this world just yet, I must see you both grow and become adults. Instead, Owen, I have a task that you must perform for me. There have been tales from the western coast… Baron Gewaint Dettard has been making expeditions to Magonsaete… spending more time there than in Wyke of recent. I need you to speak to him, Owen. I would do so myself, but I am unable to leave the castle. Lionel, you shall accompany him. Bring some of the knights with you, I fear that there may be some treachery afoot.” Owen, Cassandra and Lionel are free to post! The House of Herman Whilst not quite as impressive as the royal palace, the status of the Herman family was enough to maintain a relatively luxurious abode. Duke Herman, as head of the royal guard was often absent from his home, attending to his duties. In a striking parallel to the Gaffneys, the Herman children had been summoned by their father, to his personal study. Duke Herman was a solid fellow, standing six feet tall and sporting a moustache of a true gentleman. Still in good health, despite having past his prime, he stood proud, awaiting his children. “Adeltrudis, Graham, thank you for coming.” He announced, offering the pair two chairs to sit on. “You know I have your best interests at heart, despite how it may seem to one of you at times. As you both know, you are the future of our duchy, it will be in your hands when I pass away. There will be a time that you will have families of your own to manage. Graham, your children will go on to continue our line. Adeltrudis… you may not succeed me directly, but you will still represent our family. We may have our disagreements, but I think I have found someone suitable for you. He is a noble from Toulouse, and has ties that will strengthen our family’s reputation. He should be arriving shortly, he is of good stock and quite the character.” Adele and Graham are free to post!

With the recent patch, it'd be an idea to see how people currently felt. It's essentially putting each character in a tier-esque category. Of course, there's an option to not comment on a given character if you don't feel you know them well enough. It's assuming 1vs1 play, stock with no items on EVO stages. Anyone can take part, but this is meant to represent how good each character is, not who your favourites are. I will delete any duplicate responses, I had to do so several times in the old list. Don't rank your favourites S and everyone else F, I'll be deleting those too. This list also assumes you're fully up to date, the current patch is 1.14! Here's the form. [spoiler=List for 1.13] [spoiler=List from 1.10] [spoiler=Lists from 1.08] [spoiler=FIRST LIST] [spoiler=Second List]

Greeting fellow human selves! I'm sure you all know and revere me already, but I am Shin! In today's episode, we see our mighty hero take on FE7! Fear the prologue! El Premiso: This consists of LHM + HHM I play them and kinda but not really take suggestions You guys watch as fate smites me Stats

After the disaster that was the FRLG nuzlocke, another one has appeared. Venturing into a remake of a sequel which had a prequel remade, our five bold heroes strive to blindly stumble through a game or something! In the LILAC corner, being called by pipes everywhere is Terrador! In the MAGENTA corner, with more mind tricks than that guy who sold you that set of knives you didn't need, Jedi! In the GOLDEN BROWN corner, the king of fast food and also no scoping noobs, Refa! In the SEPIA corner, a contemporary of Hippocrates, Shin! And sitting in the middle of the stage due to space constraints, is Horace! Dem rules; - If a mon dies, it's gone - First mon is catchable in the area, regardless if it's been caught or not before - Losing all your mons is only a game over if you have none in your box - Amazing names are mandatory - Trades between players will occur at given intervals permitting for hardware allowances - Starter Pokemon options have been selected by other players before start PROGRESS Terrador: Rocket Hideout - 0 Jedi: Bugsy - 0 Refa: Bug Catching Contest - 0 Shin: Rocket Hideout - 1 Horace: Rocket Hideout - 1 BUG CATCHING CONTEST 1. Terrador - Weedle 295 POINTS 2. Shin - Metapod - 259 POINTS 3. Refa - Metapod - ~245 POINTS 4. Horace - Metapod - ~240 POINTS 5. Jedi - DEAD

After losing the village, being persecuted by their own country, slaying General Seth and destroying a demonic lord, our heroes finally return to the capital of Grado. Tales of their exploits have been circulating through the army, and the higher ups certainly will show interest in hearing their account. The capital of Grado is perhaps the largest city on the continent, a centre of culture and commerce. With almost anything one could imagine, there is always something for one to occupy themselves with. Examples include; - The Great Library - Marketplace - Tavern - Barracks - Rumours on the streets - The Arena - Occult store - Farmer Ted's - Palace - Something else PC's have 3 in game days, split into morning, afternoon and evening. After enough people have done what they want to or enough real life time has passed, time will progress. The only restraint is that you are expected to be at the Palace on the afternoon of the second day. The format of the RP has swapped to in thread for the time being. You have also been granted 1200 each in wages. And for some reason, you all remember something about yourselves and what you have via the Spreadsheet.

In jolly old England, something was afoot! There was a most heinous plot, something that could change the country forever! No, it's not the gunpowder plot, you numpty! It's a game of mafia! Can Britain defend itself against the evil that approaches? Will the notion of crumpets and tea be no more? [spoiler=HER MAJESTY'S RULES] 1. Do your best to follow the rules, it makes the game more enjoyable for everyone! Also be nice! It's one thing to argue a point, but it's another if you're a jerk! 2. No outside communication unless your role specifically says you can! That's with players in the game, or people who aren't playing! If you have a question, PM a mod! 3. Keep mod messages to yourself! The same goes for your role PM! 4. Try to keep active! That means posting at least once every 24 hours! If you don't, I'll nag you, then replace you! I'll accept warnings in advance but don't go AWOL on me. 5. Post when you're allowed to! That means no posting if you're dead, and not at night unless your Role PM says you can! 6. Please don't edit your posts! Editting in/out information isn't fair! 7. Don't post after someone's been hammered! I'll do my best to keep to phase deadlines, so you're free to continue until I update unless someone's been hammered! 8. As mod, I reserve the right to decline sign ups! The main reason I'd do so is if your track record for activity is poor, i.e subbing out without giving reasons or posting like once a game. 9. Play fair! Cheating spoils the game for everyone! If you're unsure of something, ask a mod! 10. PR is not enforced but is rather amusing! Bonus points endgame for anyone who follows theirs! [spoiler=Mechanics] MECHANICS 1. This is a 16 player game, there are no hidden players, and everyone is in the faction that their PM says they are in. There is also no cult! 2. Day phases last 72 hours or until hammer. Night phases last 24 hours or until every action is submitted! Please tell me if you're idling! If you don't say anything, I assume you're idling! 3. The game starts on D1! There is no N0 phase! 4. To lynch at phase end, a player needs 1/3 of total votes rounded up. To hammer, it's 2/3 of votes rounded down! In the funky case of a tie, nothing happens! 5. No lynch is a viable option! In the case where no option has 1/3 of total votes, the result will be treated as a no lynch. If no option is reached two days in a row, the game will end in a universal loss. 6. You may not self-target unless your Role PM says you specifically can. Jolly Good Brits: - bladescape Boris Johnson, British Persuader, died N2 - Boron Stephen Hawking, British Mathematician, died N2 - BBM Prince Phillip, British Jailkeeper, died N1 - Cam - Darros - FFM Richard Dawkins, British Voyeur, lynched D3 - j00 kirsche Prince William, Independent Prince, lynched D5 - Junko Baldrick Richard Madeley, British Lover, died N4 - Kay eclipse - Makaze - Paper Mitt Romney, Rev. JoaT, lynched D1 - Poly Elieson Barry Scott, British Mailman, died N1 - Prims Judy Finnigan, British Lover, died N4 - Psych Justin Bieber, Rev Networker/BPVx1, lynched D2 - Shinori Prince Charles, Rev Godfather, lynched D4 - Walrein Eury

Post an answer and I will provide the appropriate question to what you've submitted.

In jolly old England, something was afoot! There was a most heinous plot, something that could change the country forever! No, it's not the gunpowder plot, you numpty! It's a game of mafia! Can Britain defend itself against the evil that approaches? Will the notion of crumpets and tea be no more? Join forces with the other Brits! Be warey of any infiltrators, some people aren't as British as they want you to think! Welcome to British Mafia! The first game hosted by Shin! This is a 16 player game, NOC and non-bastard! Sign ups end whenever the game fills and phase ends are to suit me! Days last 72 hours, Nights last 24 unless they end early! [spoiler=HER MAJESTY'S RULES] 1. Do your best to follow the rules, it makes the game more enjoyable for everyone! Also be nice! It's one thing to argue a point, but it's another if you're a jerk! 2. No outside communication unless your role specifically says you can! That's with players in the game, or people who aren't playing! If you have a question, PM a mod! 3. Keep mod messages to yourself! The same goes for your role PM! 4. Try to keep active! That means posting at least once every 24 hours! If you don't, I'll nag you, then replace you! I'll accept warnings in advance but don't go AWOL on me. 5. Post when you're allowed to! That means no posting if you're dead, and not at night unless your Role PM says you can! 6. Please don't edit your posts! Editting in/out information isn't fair! 7. Don't post after someone's been hammered! I'll do my best to keep to phase deadlines, so you're free to continue until I update unless someone's been hammered! 8. As mod, I reserve the right to decline sign ups! The main reason I'd do so is if your track record for activity is poor, i.e subbing out without giving reasons or posting like once a game. 9. Play fair! Cheating spoils the game for everyone! If you're unsure of something, ask a mod! 10. PR is not enforced but is rather amusing! Bonus points endgame for anyone who follows theirs! [spoiler=Mechanics] MECHANICS 1. This is a 16 player game, there are no hidden players, and everyone is in the faction that their PM says they are in. There is also no cult! 2. Day phases last 72 hours or until hammer. Night phases last 24 hours or until every action is submitted! Please tell me if you're idling! If you don't say anything, I assume you're idling! 3. The game starts on D1! There is no N0 phase! 4. To lynch at phase end, a player needs 1/3 of total votes rounded up. To hammer, it's 2/3 of votes rounded down! In the funky case of a tie, nothing happens! 5. No lynch is a viable option! In the case where no option has 1/3 of total votes, the result will be treated as a no lynch. If no option is reached two days in a row, the game will end in a universal loss. 6. You may not self-target unless your Role PM says you specifically can. Sign ups: - Boron - Junko - Poly - Shinori - Cam - BBM - FFM - Psych - Darros - bladescape - j00 - Makaze - Walrein - Kay - Prims - Paper (Probably) Other people: - Shin (Host) - SB (Co-host) S(cr)ubs: - Eli - Marth - Eclipse Cheese eating frog: - Naughx Dead to me: - Refa - Eury - Manix

I'm currently working on a series of short Fire Emblem Awakening stories (to help cure my writer's block), and FFN is dreadfully terrible at giving useful feedback. I figure that people on SF will be more critical and give me things I can actually USE, so fire away I guess. [spoiler=Robin: Frustrations]She was at it again. “Tharja. What do you want now?” “Oh, you’re talking to me, Robin? What a delight! How can I help you?” Robin was barely able to resist the urge to snap back at her and her innocent façade. “You’ve been following me around all day,” he stated matter-of-factly. He would have to be blind to have not noticed. “Even when you run off to fight a foe, you come straight back to me.” “Is it so strange for me to want to be by your side every moment?” she replied, with that infuriating giggle that made him want to punch something. Yes. And even more so, considering the fact that both he and Tharja were married – to other people. Admittedly, “married” may not have been the best word to use to describe either of their situations. But Tharja had a fiancé, Stahl, who had proposed to her not long ago. And more importantly, she had accepted his proposal, and therefore should be showering her husband-to-be with her attention instead. Robin, who merely treated most people with indifference, still struggled to comprehend that his best friend Miriel, whom he only had the most platonic of feelings for, would eventually be his wife and that they would have two children together. Children … time traveling children from the future. It was yet another matter that added to his recent stress and frustration. Robin had thought that the war against Plegia would be the end of their troubles. But then came word of Valm’s intent to invade and conquer Ylisse, along with Ferox and Plegia. And as if that hadn’t been enough to worry about, a messenger from the future, Chrom’s daughter Lucina who was not the baby Chrom and his wife had left behind in the castle but a warrior from more than ten years hence. She had jumped into the past with her companions to avert a disastrous future – two of those companions claiming to be his and Miriel’s son and daughter, and another the daughter of Stahl and Tharja. With the help of the children whom they had encountered on the way, Chrom and his Shepherds had defeated the mighty conqueror Walhart and brought his reign to an end. And yet … their troubles were still not over. Lucina’s warning about the awakening of the fell dragon Grima loomed heavily over their heads. They were not in the clear yet. He hadn’t asked for this. Robin hadn’t asked for any of this. He was grateful to Chrom for finding him in that field and giving him a job, make no mistake of that. But even with his memories gone, his personality was still intact. Keeping his distance from the others suited him well because it had always felt right. It was a struggle to merely approach and converse with the troops he was meant to lead and direct, anxiety always kicking in whenever he had to speak. Being the tactician of the Exalt did not provide a stress-free environment. The Shepherds themselves were a loud and boisterous bunch, often extremely informal with one another and too many of them all too willing to get in his business when he didn’t want them around. And Tharja was just the worst offender of them all. Unlike Vaike, who simply had no “inside voice” and barely any humility, or Nowi, who looked and acted like a child for her thousand years of being alive (not that they were the only Shepherds who drove him out of his mind), Tharja simply could not take “no” for an answer. She had been outright stalking him ever since Chrom had recruited her to fight for their cause back in Plegia – always following him around, always watching him when all he wanted was to be left alone. Even after he had asked her directly to stop. Even after Stahl had proposed to her and she had accepted. Even after Laurent had claimed his parents to be Miriel and Robin. Even after they had found Noire, who was unmistakably Stahl’s daughter. No one else had his hair color. Even after Morgan had all but confirmed that Robin would never get together with Tharja and that he would marry Miriel someday. Anyone else would’ve been able to see that the future was not going in a direction that Tharja had hoped it would. But still, none of it deterred her. And Robin was getting quite sick of it. “Robin?” Tharja’s voice pulled him from the solitude of his thoughts and back to their present situation. “Can I ask you a favor?” “… What?” He eyed her warily. A wrenching feeling in his stomach told him that he would not like whatever favor she wanted from him. “I want you to slather my body with oil,” she said. For a moment, he was at a complete loss for words. It felt like an eternity until he found his voice again. “What? You can’t – I don’t even – why would you even ask that?” he sputtered. “Well, you wouldn’t want my skin to dry out in this heat now, would you?” She giggled. “And I can’t reach my back and, you know … other places.” Robin almost snapped back at her that he couldn’t care less about her skin, but he caught himself in time. “Why don’t you ask one of the women to do it for you? Or even Stahl? He’s your fiancé.” Robin made sure to emphasize the word, hard. “No. I want you to do it,” she retorted, sounding very much like a petulant child. “Otherwise, what’s the point?” Again, Robin found himself speechless for quite some time. “I’m leaving,” he finally said and stormed off in a huff. He heard Tharja call out to him but he ignored her and continued to put distance between them. She had some nerve to make such a request of him. Robin felt the slightest of sympathies for Stahl, whom he rarely interacted with but was clearly a better person than he for putting up with Tharja’s nonsense. “Laurent, isn’t that Father headed this way?” “Father, has something befallen you –” Robin brushed past them both without a word or a sparing glance – and he immediately felt bad about it but couldn’t bring himself to stop. Even if the nature of his feelings for Miriel were conflicted, how he felt about Laurent and Morgan was not. Despite the shock and the doubts that had been his initial reaction (there was at least one another man in the Shepherds who shared his hair color and whom Miriel had been very interested in until the children showed up), Robin found that he cared very much for them both, to the point where he wouldn’t hesitate to trade his life for one of theirs. But he couldn’t deal with them now, not about this. Morgan and Laurent weren’t blind to Tharja’s attraction to their father, and he in turn was not blind to the tension this caused between his children and Noire. The afternoon sun was starting to take its toll on him. Robin made his way over to the grassy part of the beach and sat under a tree. By this time, the beach had been cleared of all but the strongest bandits. More than a few of the Shepherds had become distracted from the battle and had begun partaking in more leisurely activities. Gaius and Cordelia were busy collecting seashells, while Chrom was attempting (and failing) to devise activities to impress his wife. Said wife was also collecting seashells with her children. (What was it with the Shepherds and collecting seashells?) “Hee hee … There you are, Robin!” The sound of the woman’s voice was enough to put him in an unpleasant mood again. “Is this about the oil again?” he demanded. “You really are clever!” she tittered. “How did you know?” Like you really haven’t a clue. “Well then, please begin rubbing it in when you’re ready.” You just won’t take a hint, won’t you? “And don’t be afraid to put plenty on – you’ll hear no complaints from me.” “That’s enough.” Robin didn’t recognize the dark, angry voice as his. Not at first. He didn’t have to. All that he had kept to himself, all the stresses that had been building up since he had first become the Shepherds’ tactician, everything had finally reached a breaking point and he couldn’t have stopped it even if he wanted to. Tharja seemed to be taken aback. “Robin? Is something the matter?” “Don’t play dumb with me, Tharja, because I know you’re smarter than that.” The words spilled out of his mouth, what little tact was usually present in his manner of speaking gone. “Have I not made it absolutely clear to you that I do not appreciate you stalking me everywhere? What made you think that ignoring me on this was a good idea at all? What, that maybe one day I’d fall in love with you for some reason?” Robin paused for breath. “I don’t like the idea of you watching every little thing that I do, having to worry about whether you’re spying on me when I just want to be left alone … you creep me out to no end. But no, that’s not even the worst part. And you know what is?” His shouting was starting to attract the attention of the other Shepherds – including both of his kids, Chrom, Stahl, and Noire. But he didn’t care. He wasn’t finished. Oh, no, he was just getting started. “You have. A daughter. With someone. Who is very clearly not me.” He gestured briefly in Stahl and Noire’s general direction. “Have you not once considered how Stahl feels about all this? He proposed to you, and you accepted. You accepted his proposal. Clearly it was asking too much of you to be faithful to the guy you agreed to marry, right? And it’s not just them. You also knew that I had Laurent and Morgan with someone who was obviously not you. Is it too much to expect you to back off? That maybe, just maybe, it’s time to move on because clearly we’re never going to be together? I think you should really try it, and now would be a fine time to start!” Chrom and Stahl appeared to be in shock. They both knew that their aloof tactician was rather blunt and not the type to sugarcoat his words, but neither had ever seen him lose his cool the way he just did. Noire was hiding behind her father, as if her mere presence would get Robin started on another angry rant. Laurent was struck speechless – this was a side of his father he had not expected to exist. But then he was reminded of a near-forgotten memory, from before his and his companions’ excursion to the past, when he had blown up at Severa and how difficult she was being, and realized just how much of his father's temperament he'd actually inherited. Morgan, on the other hand, carefully hid a smile of glee. As terrible as she knew it sounded, and although Noire was a friend of hers, perhaps Noire’s crazy mother would stop harassing her father now and leave their family in peace. Robin didn’t pause to look at their expressions, or at Tharja’s. He merely pulled out his Arcthunder tome, stomped past his audience, and began shooting at the brigands that remained on the beach to vent out the rest of his frustration. No one wanted to approach him, a wise decision. Chrom elected to ask someone else for help in making a seashell necklace for Olivia – perhaps Lissa would be a safer option? Stahl and Noire approached Tharja carefully, making sure that she was all right. Morgan pulled Laurent away, challenging him to a sandcastle-building contest, and Laurent did not protest for once. - Later in the evening, after the sun had set and all the bandits chased away from the beach, the Shepherds built a campfire and continued to enjoy the rest of their day on vacation. Miriel had passed out briefly from heatstroke during the battle, but had quickly recovered and was back to her usual self. Sumia, who had been with her when she had passed out, continued to hover over her, asking her if she was certain she was all right until Cordelia and Cynthia dragged her away and showed her all the seashells they had collected, which Sumia had missed out on. Chrom, with the help of Lissa and Frederick, had successfully managed to create at least one seashell necklace that didn’t get pulverized. Olivia blushed a deep red upon receiving the gift and shyly presented Chrom with a seashell belt that she, Lucina, and Inigo had made together. (Lucina, who shared her father’s talent for smashing things, had crushed more than a few of the seashells her mother and brother had collected in frustration.) Sitting apart from the others were Tharja, Stahl, and Noire. Tharja hadn’t spoken at all since Robin had snapped at her earlier that day, but seemed to be listening to Stahl and Noire as they talked to her and attempted to lift her spirits. Robin had also separated himself from the rest of the army, but made sure to keep his distance from Tharja and was on the opposite side of the camp as her. Despite Morgan and Laurent’s attempts to get him to join them and Miriel, he had to decline. His exasperation had yet to abate. “Hey-o, Robin!” Henry’s cheerful voice pierced the tranquility of his thoughts. And yet, Robin was too tired to be annoyed about losing his solitude. The fact that Henry was one of his closest friends probably helped. “Whatcha doing here all by yourself?” he asked, plopping down on the ground next to Robin. “Good evening, Robin,” Libra greeted, seating himself on the side that Henry had not taken. “You seemed to be troubled. Is something the matter?” “Nya ha! Didn’t you hear? He blew up at Tharja today!” Henry laughed. “Laurent was telling Gerome about it, and I happened to overhear! Of course, Gerome got all flustered and dragged Laurent away with him once he saw that I was listening in! Nya ha ha, that boy …” Henry had a fond look on his face at the mention of his son. “Er, yes, I am aware of that …” Libra grimaced, his attempt at tactfully bringing up the incident ruined. His own son, Brady, who had first heard the news from Owain, had been the one to tell him. Maribelle had given him a brief lecture about how it was unbecoming of a nobleman and the son of her dear friend Lissa to be gossiping like commoners, but later confessed to Libra that she wasn’t surprised that Robin had finally snapped. “So I did. What of it?” Robin asked flatly. “I’m not sorry for what I said, so if you were hoping I’d apologize or … go talk things over with Tharja, you’re wasting your time.” “That is not why we’re here,” Libra quickly assured him, while Henry merely giggled. “I will not judge you for your actions. But what in Naga’s name could make you react as such? Forgive me if it is not my place to say so, but is everything all right?” “Yeah, nya ha! You’ve been more high-strung than you usually are, like you’re about to explode! Ooh, do you think I’d explode too if I did the same?” Henry seemed a little too ecstatic at that thought. Robin wisely decided not to comment on Henry’s desire to spontaneously combust. “Are either of you all too surprised?” he said quietly. “Ever since Chrom found me in that field two years ago – and don’t get me wrong, I am thankful that he took me in when I knew and remembered nothing. But it’s been one conflict after another from that point on. And everyone expects me to be able to pull out miraculous strategies from out of nowhere and come out on top of everything.” “Your strategies have saved us many times,” Libra replied. “Many of us may not be here without them. But at the same time, you feel pressured to always know what to do.” “I didn’t ask for this, you know?” Robin looked up at the darkening sky, at the first stars shining bright, and went on. “I’m just tired of everyone and everything. I get that I’m an important part of this army and all, but I can’t take it anymore. Sometimes, I find myself wishing that I’d never met Chrom that day.” “I remember the first time we talked!” Henry exclaimed. “I think you were hiding in the barracks, having a panic attack after getting out of a meeting! Nya ha ha, good times! You were always kind of like that!” Libra was better at expressing his sympathies than Henry was. “Your tactical skills are peerless, but you lack the ability to truly understand those you are leading,” he said. “That’s … exactly it.” Robin sighed. Libra had always been good at reading him. “I don't like a lot of the other Shepherds, and it's not as if I'm good at dealing with people anyway. It's just who I am. But my position as this army’s tactician makes it unavoidable. I get so annoyed and irritated by the smallest of things, unintentional things. Tharja just … she was just pushing all of my buttons. Invading my personal space, continuing to bother me after I told her I wasn't interested and even after she agreed to marry Stahl. And then all the kids started showing up … and this future they expect us to avert. It’s just …” Robin threw his hands up in the air. “Hey, hey! You don’t have to do this all by yourself!” Henry chimed in. “We’re here too, you know! I wouldn’t miss a second of this war. I’m gonna have lots of fun slinging spells at enemies!” “If you ever feel the pressures as this army’s tactician starting to overwhelm you, you can always talk to me,” Libra said, smiling. “I’m your friend and I’m here for you.” “… Thanks guys.” And Robin really meant it. Even the weird things that Henry said, he was just being comforting in his own odd way. “Great! Now that that’s settled, let’s go join the others around the campfire!” Henry said. “It’s starting to get chilly here! Brr!” And with those words, Libra, Robin, and Henry went to join the rest of their companions. Chrom waved them over and scooted over to make space for Robin to sit between him and Miriel. Henry and Libra sat with their families. Even Tharja, Stahl, and Noire were enjoying the warmth of the fire with the others, although both Robin and Tharja avoided each other’s eyes. “Oh, Father! Look at all these seashells Cynthia and I collected!” Morgan said, shoving several sharp, broken, and pointy shells into his hands without warning – one of the shells slicing into his right palm and leaving a bleeding gash. Chrom and most of the army burst into laughter as a horrified Laurent scolded his sister for being careless and immediately began fussing over the (obviously minor) wound. Miriel merely rolled her eyes at her children’s antics, carefully hiding an amused smile, while Morgan apologized sheepishly and Henry attempted to talk Gerome into slashing open his palm with a sharp seashell. Robin felt slightly annoyed at being the center of such a spectacle, but at the same time … it was kind of nice in a way to not have to worry about life-threatening battles and claiming victory in near-unwinnable situations. He had a feeling that such peace would be far in between. Might as well enjoy such times when he could. [spoiler=Luka: Decisions]Luka had been blessed with good luck for as long as he remembered. As impressive as that statement may have sounded, Luka’s memory up until nearly three years ago was but an empty void. Nearly three years since he had first met Chrom in that field and yet no hint, no sign, not even the faintest of clues about his past or the person he had once been. But he had always considered himself lucky despite the loss of his memories – lucky that Chrom had been the one to find him and to take him in, lucky to have become part of the Shepherds, lucky to have directed his companions through two great wars without suffering a single casualty … lucky to have found great friends and the woman who would become his wife to give his suddenly purposeless life meaning. It hadn’t been a smooth journey, however, finding acceptance with the ragtag group of vigilantes who were Ylisse’s only line of defense. The bonds between him and his closest friends – including his wife – had once been vitriolic on one or both ends. Luka could still remember his initial impressions of them clearly – he had thought Virion to be a fancy loudmouthed braggart, Frederick a high-strung control freak, Maribelle a condescending brat, and Chrom an idiot with no idea how to run a country. (Nobles … go figure.) He would never have believed them to be his staunchest allies of the Shepherds, and yet they were. He lost his composure more often than was appropriate for the army’s tactician. While Luka had never slipped into full-blown panic during either of the Shepherds’ campaigns, it was often Chrom or Frederick or Virion – even the shy and ever-fretting Olivia in one instance – who had to bring him to his senses. Considering the number of times he had panicked on the battlefield, it was nothing short of a miracle that he had managed to give sensible orders that kept all of the Shepherds alive. No, it wasn’t a miracle – it was luck, so fickle and unpredictable, never knowing which way it would turn and who it would favor – Luka was staring down the blade of his future daughter-in-law. It appeared as if his luck had finally run out. “Lucina,” he began, marveling at how calm his voice sounded even with a sword pointed at his face, “what is the meaning of this?” “Stay where you are, Luka!” she shouted. Her face was twisted into a grimace, her grip on Falchion unsteady as if it were weighing her down. “I have no choice. I must kill you.” It took a few seconds for her words to register in his mind – even less for him to come up with a response. “Have you gone mad?” Luka demanded. “In my future, you …” Lucina paused, struggling to speak the words that would make the truth all too real. “You are my father’s murderer.” Of all the things she could have said, of all the things she had said, this was the least expected, most unbelievable of all. “You’re insane,” Luka finally said, his tone flat and refusing to betray the uneasiness he was feeling. “Why would I kill Chrom?” “I didn’t want to believe it myself!” Lucina steadied her grip on Falchion. “I knew he had been killed by his closest friend, but having witnessed your bond with him, I … I wanted nothing more than to doubt it. But today’s events make it clear.” Her expression hardened. “You are at Validar’s mercy. I suspect it’s he who forces you to take my father’s life, and very soon …” Validar … he should have known. Everything was Validar’s fault. Luka did not dare to dwell upon what had happened earlier that day. It was hard enough to admit that he had ... betrayed Chrom, but once word of his actions had got out to the rest of the Shepherds, they had become wary of him. No one had confronted him directly, but their looks said all. They challenged his loyalty to them and their cause, reflected their fear that he would backstab them all in a matter of time. It was infuriating, how his so-called companions could believe that he would turn against them and everything he knew for the ramblings of a Plegian madman. Not even Maribelle or his children could face him. No, that wasn’t true. His daughter Morgan still believed in him, but she was the only one. She had been quick to reassure him of her continued belief in his tactics and devotion to Chrom, and then she had left to confront everyone else about their mistrust. Luka wished that she hadn’t, her absence and his solitude made it easier for the doubts to return. His son, Brady, despite the closeness that they shared, was not nearly as convinced as his sister. It was easier for him to have doubts because he hadn’t lost much of his memory during the passage through time like Morgan had and could still recall the bleak future he came from. Or maybe Brady was more like Luka than he had expected, a pessimist who spoke with more confidence than he actually felt. Morgan’s optimism was of a nature more akin to her mother’s, minus the dignity and noble pride that defined Maribelle. But even Maribelle didn’t appear to trust him. The look that she and Brady had given him was both indescribable and crushing. Or perhaps it was Lucina’s influence on his son that caused more distrust than there may have been otherwise. Lucina, who had the most single-minded determination of everyone to change the future of destruction that she had come from, who had been the last of the exalts in her timeline and took her duty to the world seriously and personally. What if Brady had to choose between his fiancée and his father? Who would he side with? Luka did not disapprove of Brady’s relationship with Lucina, but he resented the thought of Chrom’s daughter driving a wedge between him and his son. His son and daughter were of his blood, of Validar’s blood – the enemy of the exalted line of Ylisse. He and his family could not have been in an unluckier situation. “Listen to me, Lucina,” Luka said once he was able to find his voice. “Don’t do anything you will regret –” “If Father is right, then we can change our fates,” Lucina spoke fervently, the slightest bit of desperation in her eyes. “If this dark future is to be averted, sacrifices must be made. I am sorry, Luka! I know this is murder … but if you hold any love for Chrom, then let this be done …” Luka’s mind was reeling, but his face remained impassive and showed no indication of his inner turmoil. Lucina was absolutely serious. She would kill him right then and there without a second thought if she believed it would save the future. Maybe she was right. Maybe his death would mean that the horrible future his children had suffered would never exist. But the Brady and Morgan of the present would never be born. Could Chrom and the others win against Validar without him? Luka had his doubts. He couldn’t die yet. “I’m sorry, but I cannot just let you kill me, Lucina,” Luka replied as he unsheathed his own sword and pointed it at her. She nodded, her expression as blank as his as she stared down the blade of her future father-in-law. “I understand. Then we shall let battle have the final judgment!” And with those words, Lucina let out a loud cry and slammed Falchion against Luka’s sword to catch him off guard and disarm him. Luka nearly released his grip on the hilt, but quickly regained his equilibrium and pushed back until Lucina was on the defensive. He put more force behind his blade to deflect Falchion’s strike and send Lucina reeling back. The brief respite did not last long. Lucina was back on her feet and she charged at him with her sword at the ready. He was barely able to avoid having his stomach sliced open, the long slash in his cloak proof of his narrow escape. Luka swore and swiftly tore off his cloak, tossing it aside. Although he felt a significant loss of security without it, he knew that the garment would only slow him down. It was not something he could afford. He brought up his sword just in time to block a blow to his throat. Lucina withdrew Falchion and lunged forward with a thrust aimed for his sword arm. Luka sidestepped the attack and slammed the blunt edge of his blade against Lucina’s hand so that she would drop Falchion. She grimaced, but refused to relinquish her hold on her weapon. Spinning once to move her sword out of Luka’s reach, Lucina raised Falchion and swung down at his neck. He wasn’t fast enough to turn around, but Luka was able to maneuver his sword behind him to catch Lucina’s blade. Forcing her sword away from his body, Luka stepped away and turned to face her. “Lucina, I don’t want to kill you, but you are leaving me little choice,” Luka said. “Lower your weapon. Surely we can discuss this matter like civilized people instead of acting like a pair of barbarians.” He tried not to think of how much he had sounded like Maribelle. “No, I must do this, for the sake of the future … for my father.” Lucina’s voice wavered slightly. “There is no other way!” “You’re wrong, Lucina. There is more than one way to change the future. I have not led you or Chrom astray once. So why won’t you trust in me now –” “Enough!” Lucina had closed the gap between almost immediately – she was fast, much like her mother. Luka was laying on his back in the tall grass, Falchion pressed against his throat, the blade of his own sword - swiftly raised thanks to his automatic responses – the only thing standing between the sacred weapon and his flesh. “I won’t … I won’t allow myself to falter. I can’t!” The cool metal of Falchion’s blade suddenly became hot, and Luka was alarmed to see flames quickly spreading across the sword. Chrom was about as magical as a common iron sword, but his wife, Sumia, was gifted with latent magic – a talent she had passed on to both her daughters. Luka, on the other hand, had a debilitating weakness to magical attacks. While he could wield tomes and channel his magic like a master, even if he preferred the sword, he was incapable of withstanding magic used against him. It always left Luka with wounds far greater than those inflicted on anyone else. Lucina had overheard him discussing the matter with Chrom once, and now she was using it against him. Why had he thought that sharing his vulnerabilities was a good idea? Fueled by panic and a desire to survive, Luka kneed Lucina in the stomach. Winded, she fell on top of him as she gasped for air. Luka shoved her off, grabbed Falchion from where it had fallen, and stood up. The searing heat emitting from Falchion’s hilt burned his palm and Luka instantly dropped it. He kicked it out of Lucina’s reach and pointed his sword at her face to dissuade her from attacking him again. “This battle is over.” The iron in his voice dared her to disagree. “I understand that you only want to save the future, Lucina, but your perspective is narrow. You think that there is only one way to prevent destruction. Well, I’ll stop that future – with or without your support.” “Luka! Lucina!” Chrom’s voice was loud, angry, and seemed a lot closer than the prince actually was. He just had to show up at the worst possible time, didn’t he? “Darling?” Only one person in the entirety of the Shepherds, possibly the entirety of the world, could make a term of endearment sound like the greatest insult. Maribelle was clearly not happy with him. Lowering his sword and turning to his furious friend and wife, Luka attempted to explain. “Chrom, Maribelle, before you both murder me on the spot you should know –” He stopped midsentence, his words and body suddenly failing him. A sharp pain in his back that was rapidly spreading to the rest of him, his legs growing numb until they refused to support his weight … Luka collapsed to his knees, coughing up blood, and fell to the ground. The sound of Chrom’s shouting and Maribelle calling his name was so distant, his blurring vision barely able to make out the shape of Maribelle’s boots as she ran towards him. In a brief moment of carelessness, Luka had left his defenses open to the person who wanted him dead. Lucina had taken the opportunity to stab him in the back. I should have thrown Falchion down the hill when I had the chance, he thought as he slipped into unconsciousness. ! If anyone had ever had doubts about the keen hearing of the taguel people, that evening had swiftly put those doubts to rest. Yarne, who had been hiding from Laurent and Brady, had overheard everything – from the beginning of Lucina and Luka’s conversation to the part where she had stabbed him – and when Brady had finally cornered him Yarne could not keep quiet for more than a few seconds. Word had spread fast. The Shepherds were in an uproar and divided into two mutinous camps. Most of the time travelers believed that Lucina was right to take whatever action she thought would avert the future they had come from. Gerome and Laurent were especially insistent, arguing that the dark future must be avoided at all costs. Even cheerful Inigo had solemnly agreed that Lucina had only done what she had to do and refused to listen to any disagreements. Many others were angry that Lucina had tried to take Luka’s life, however, accusing her of being irrational and not considering the consequences of her actions. There was no guarantee that Luka’s death would deliver them from disaster. Morgan had to be held back and away from any weapons in the vicinity lest she try to strike Lucina down like she had done to her father. Brady and Lucina had fought bitterly and were no longer on speaking terms. Maribelle clenched her parasol tightly; her shoulders tense as if she were ready to strike down anyone who dared to so much as look at her husband funny. But the majority of the Shepherds were caught in between their loved ones, not wanting to take sides in such a divisive situation. Frederick did not know whether to support his prince’s daughter, who had only acted out of love for her father, or with his close friend and his wife (who still harbored a strong attraction to Luka despite their marriage). Sumia was horrified at her daughter’s actions yet understanding why she would do such a thing, but not wanting to anger Maribelle any further, while Cynthia had been asking everyone who would listen if a true hero would have had to kill someone to save the lives of others – because weren’t heroes supposed to be able to save everyone? Yarne, the instigator of mayhem, also couldn’t side with either faction. (“Lucina was only doing what we had all agreed to do! S-so there! But could we have won against Plegia without Luka? Oh, we’re doomed either way! I’m going to be extinct!” Then he had promptly fled the room when he noticed both Brady and Laurent looking ready to murder him.) It was a terrible situation wrought with enough infighting to bring their assault on Plegia to an end, and yet Luka found it all very amusing. His luck had not failed him yet, had seen him through his ordeal. The wound Lucina had inflicted on him was nowhere near as dire as it had first appeared to be, and would most likely heal sooner than the burns left by Falchion. But he felt weak and tired – and too vindictive to even try to defuse the thick air of tension that surrounded the camp – and so he pretended that he were still unconscious. Hours later, after everyone else had retired for the night, Luka lay awake staring up at the ceiling of his tent. Maribelle was curled up against him, clinging to his left arm. Morgan had claimed his other side, holding her father’s right arm in a death grip. Brady was sprawled out on the ground beside her, mumbling loudly and unintelligibly every once in a while. But Luka couldn’t sleep, troubled thoughts keeping him up. At the end of it all, what were they supposed to do now? Much as he wanted to deny it, Validar was a foe that Luka could not afford to underestimate. The vile sorcerer who claimed to be his father had a strange control over him, and he was a danger to everyone he cared about as long as Validar continued to bar their path. But he would have to face him sooner or later, couldn’t keep running away forever. What was he supposed to do? Luka shook his head and closed his eyes, refusing to dwell upon it any longer for the time being. He had always considered himself to be lucky, and he had yet to be disproved. He had to believe that his luck would hold up for a little longer, that Chrom would be able to stop Validar before Luka had a chance to harm his friend. It’ll work out, he assured himself as tried to force his restless mind to sleep. Everything will be fine. It’ll work out.