We should name Fate's Forked river

[Lynx]

A great many of us know that Fire Emblem Fates had some of the worst world building in the entire series.

This isn't even up for dispute, the continent isn't even named in this series.

However, what I find absolutely criminal in terms of story telling is that the forked river at which Kamui/Corrin makes their fateful decision isn't named either.

Not naming a continent is one thing, it could even be an issue of contention between Hoshido and Nohr as to the official name.

But not naming the river at which literally the entire fate of the world of Fates is decided, seems like a hole that we as fans cannot allow to stand.

If you agree with me, please help me name this River, and maybe start filling the void left by the Fates writers.

Maybe if this thread gets enough traction, we can even do a poll, and make whatever we vote on Pseudo-Official.

[MCProductions]

River of Fate

I always called it the "river of the plains" since the world map location is Plains of Hoshido personally.

[Lynx]

It just seems like such a wasted opportunity.

Especially when you consider the nature of how the map is set up in all three routes.

In Birthright, you're on the lower portion of the unified river on the 'right' side. In Conquest, you're on the left side of the unified river, but in Revelations, you're in the middle of the fork stuck between both sides.

There's a certain in built tragedy to it, almost like its a metaphorical River of time that you can't go upstream on.

I also could be looking waaaay too deeply into this, but I'm a sucker for symbolism.

[HylianTiki]

I completely undrstand what you mean. I love symbolism amd allegorical content as well. Not sure if you're a writer but that's just how writers think.

There is a possibility that they may have left the river unnamed because they didn't want to make it obvious. What I mean is that, in the event that you're right, and the fork in the river is a symbol of your choice, maybe they did not wish to be so obvious, and so they just included it as a "hidden" in plain sigh symbol.

I actually think that them not naming the continent is more atrocious than them not naming a landmark, but, the continent was not named in Awakening either, was it? I mean Valm was, but what continent were Ylisse, Plegia and Ferox in?

I like the older games naming their continent, even if I dislike the names (Yugdral i'm looking ar you)

I actually think River of the Plains is rather fitting but obviously uncreative.

What I would do to name this river, and this continent, is to go with my recipe for naming things,

I look at the refrences I want to make, so in this case, we'd look at references made in fates, to countries. So Nohr has aspects of different european countries and Hoshido is Japan's self insert. So anything from those would be fitting.

It could also be named after a person, or a dragon, something myrhical or holy within their universe.

Ir could be named after a character/place from an older game where an important decision like that was made. This a bad example but for instance in Radiant Dawn Micaiah has to decide whether ir not to fight against the Laguz army even though it makes no semse to her, so name the river something like Yewne, that sounds like Yune, but spelled differently.

I think that they just didn't think the names of locations to be important enough. I think world building was fine, world naming was not, and before you yell at me and say world naming is part of world buikding, what I mean is that the locations are good, exceot for Valla but that is something I'll address in my own thread lol.

I hope I didn't bore you.

[Lynx]

I completely undrstand what you mean. I love symbolism amd allegorical content as well. Not sure if you're a writer but that's just how writers think.

There is a possibility that they may have left the river unnamed because they didn't want to make it obvious. What I mean is that, in the event that you're right, and the fork in the river is a symbol of your choice, maybe they did not wish to be so obvious, and so they just included it as a "hidden" in plain sight symbol.

An interesting thought that I hadn't considered, and taken on it's own without additional context, its a strong argument.

I actually think that them not naming the continent is more atrocious than them not naming a landmark, but, the continent was not named in Awakening either, was it? I mean Valm was, but what continent were Ylisse, Plegia and Ferox in?

I like the older games naming their continent, even if I dislike the names (Yugdral i'm looking ar you)

It would have definitely improved the setting if they had added a few names here and there. I suppose what I failed to convey properly in my original post was my frustration not only with what was left unnamed, but moreover what was given the time to be named as well.

Specifically 'The Eternal Stairway' comes to mind for me, as in Hoshido and Revelations campaigns, you only walk through this place briefly to get lured into assault by mistake as a result of resident Evil Troll Iago. You never go back there, you never explore it, and yet the characters seem to refer to it with such reverence and in some cases awe, that it feels as though perhaps there was a cut chapter somewhere, especially since it almost seems like you're traveling through some sort of enormous cave formation or something.

I actually think River of the Plains is rather fitting but obviously uncreative.

What I would do to name this river, and this continent, is to go with my recipe for naming things,

I look at the refrences I want to make, so in this case, we'd look at references made in fates, to countries. So Nohr has aspects of different european countries and Hoshido is Japan's self insert. So anything from those would be fitting.

It could also be named after a person, or a dragon, something myrhical or holy within their universe.

Ir could be named after a character/place from an older game where an important decision like that was made. This a bad example but for instance in Radiant Dawn Micaiah has to decide whether ir not to fight against the Laguz army even though it makes no semse to her, so name the river something like Yewne, that sounds like Yune, but spelled differently.

I've tossed some ideas around in my head, and what you say makes sense. It's more a matter of what you wish to convey and how 'On the nose' you want to be about it. Given how overt the marketing was about the split route, it may be more effective for the river to have a more overt name along with it.

As for the example, you also have a point, but to fully elaborate on my thoughts, I'll have to address it in a moment.

I think that they just didn't think the names of locations to be important enough. I think world building was fine, world naming was not, and before you yell at me and say world naming is part of world buikding, what I mean is that the locations are good

My personal gripe with Fates has never been that one aspect or another has been bad. It has, and always will be that there was so much more potential that was wasted or squandered through ineptitude or laziness. Fates mechanics are fantastic, Fates characters are mostly fantastic with only a few bad apples. Fates story has so much potential and inherent drama woven into it that if it had been properly utilized it would have -- no, should have been unquestioningly the absolute best fire emblem game ever created.

Even going into the concept of naming, its more a point of discretion, as their complete lack of names for the Valla continent is actually a brilliant move (whether inspired by laziness or intent notwithstanding) as it's an unknown world with no names that should be attached. It gives the feel of a long lost world with names like 'Abandoned Town', as it's old name is long lost to the whispers of the dead.

Not everything needs a name, but it's a fully case by case basis. I'm simply of the opinion that such an important location should have an equally suitable name.

I won't yell at you for merely expressing an opinion, especially if you're going to take the time to give me a thought out and rational answer.

I like to see myself as a constructive force, not a destructive one. Even if you had told me my thoughts were stupid and to not bother with this idea of mine, I'd have simply ignored you.

And when someone is willing to spend their time to write a response to my thread as you have, I will always give them my time in return.

Not sure if you're a writer --

I'd be a dishonest person if I didn't spell out my intentions for this thread.

I'm in the process of trying to essentially 'expand' on Fates, and I suppose even to some point 'Rewrite' it's story in such a way that it would be something that I would enjoy, with alot of the inherent cringe of many of it's weaker moments rubbed out.

One the issues that I'd hoped to resolve with this thread is that given all the drama focused on the events at this river, I'd much prefer it have a name as opposed to having the characters reference it vaguely.

I'm hoping you'll help me find something suitable.