A modest proposal on the salvaging of Fate's story

[blah the Prussian]

So. The topic of how unbelievable shitty Fate's story is is, understandably, a rather large dead horse here. That's why I'm not going to rant about how shitty Fate's story is. Instead, I'll share how I think the story could be improved, thematically especially.

1. The World

So I think the biggest thing Fates did wrong was in having some absolutely shitty world building. As many have pointed out, this is the first FE continent without a name. That is inexcusable. So, I hereby christen the continent Valla. Why Valla? Because here, Valla as we know it doesn't exist. It was a shitty plot device, frankly. So: nations!

Nohr

Where the biggest changes should be. The Nohrian EMPIRE (because kingdoms suck) was once a great Empire, but it was devastated by a massive war as all of its subject peoples revolted. Although Emperor Garon was able to crush this rising, Nohr was hard pressed to recover. Particularly problematically, the war destroyed Nohr's farmland, leading to a massive famine that was only stopped with trade to Hoshido. That, though, is about to change.

On the northern border with Nohr is the Great Forest of the Wolfkin. In the far north is the lands of the Ice Tribe. Both the Wolfkin and the Ice Tribe pay tribute to Nohr. Resentment, however, still lingers; both of their rulers tried to break free of Nohr's grasp, and Emperor Garon only brought them back into the fold as part of a bitter campaign after he crushed rebellions within his own territories.

Nohr should be much more Roman inspired than before. Why? Because I like that aesthetic compared to the more generic Middle Ages stuff that was going on normally. That's all.

Hoshido

The Kingdom of Hoshido is also a different beast. Essentially, they were ruled by the Mokushu Dynasty for centuries, but when a King came to the throne who was a tyrant, the people of Hoshido, led by a noble named Sumeragi, rose up and liberated the country, although House Mokushu was permitted to keep their home province to become the Kingdom of Mokushu. Sumeragi then took the next step; he refused to pay Hoshido's food tribute to Garon. Sumeragi offered to sell food, but that was money Garon simply did not have. So it was a that Nohr and Hoshido went to war.

Hoshido is bordered to the south by the great jungle, home of the Kitsune. The Kitsune and Hoshido have generally been amiable neighbors, although the Kitsune will occasionally defend themselves from Hoshidan poachers. Hoshido is bordered to the north by the Great Plain. home of the Wind Tribe. The Wind Tribe are nomads, and generally act as a buffer between Hoshido and Nohr. That all changed when Emperor Garon attacked Hoshido to secure more food.

In the war that followed, Nohrian forces under Garon decisively defeated Sumeragi's army, and Sumeragi was killed. In the peace deal, Hoshido agreed to pay a small amount of food tribute, to be renegociated in 15 years. They also agreed to a hostage exchange: Prince Corrin of Hoshido to be exchanged for Princess Azura of Nohr. 15 years later, though, as Garon takes his children, including Corrin, to renegociate the treaty, Corrin is abducted by pirates, but rescued by the Hoshidans. Now, he must choose who to support, as negotiations break down and war seems more and more likely.

So how is it? Is this a good setup? I wanted to make both sides morally right to focus more on the family struggle, as well as making a point about wars. Let me know what you think!

[Hli Tshiab]

1. Hmm, I feel like the "Invisible Kingdom" can still exist if done right.

You can have the conflict happen because both side believed that the other did something unforgivable to them, so they had to retaliate to protect but now must also defeat the enemy leader so that they're is no more fighting. Of course, there would be someone who's making things happen behind the scenes so that both country fought each other to weaken them. Then near the end, the true enemy would have appeared in someway and you would have to defeat it and then it would give you an ending that does not require the third path. If there is a third path, then it could build upon the info that got both sides fighting, then it would go as fighting together to stop evil. The third path could also just have Corrin fight both kingdoms to unite them under his leadership.

2. For a war to happen and there is an exchange of prisoners, there might not be a strong enough conflict for one to choose between the family you were born to or the one that you were exchanged too.

If say, you have Garon finding Corrin alone as a young child and deciding to raise him without knowing that he was from Hoshido, then there would be that type of adoptive parent love.

You could then have it so Corrin reunites with his Hoshidan family, but learns information from both side and be loved by both sides, then the player would have the difficult moment in which he has to choose between both family that have raised him and loved him. It goes so that no matter which side you choose, you are choosing the right side.

3. Design and Geology(?) + Geography

The Original Nohr is a dark country, so the land should not be able to sustain life that needs life and thus then requires shipment from other nations.

Using Japan, Hoshido can be based near water because Japan is known for Fish.

If using Asians in General, for variety, you can build the land upon bugs as well.

Otherwise it's good. What I wrote are just things to consider.

Edit 1: Geology + Geography, not sure which is which or what is what because I am not really in school mod atm but I think you should understand.

Edited June 24, 2016 by Hli Tshiab

[TheWerdna]

Another thing that might not need to be changed is Garon being controled by a slime monster, if it was done properly. By which I mean his mental state would degrade as the game went on, with his actions becoming more and more eratic and extreem.

[blah the Prussian]

Another thing that might not need to be changed is Garon being controled by a slime monster, if it was done properly. By which I mean his mental state would degrade as the game went on, with his actions becoming more and more eratic and extreem.

I want this Garon to be a just ruler though; harsh, but just. I'd want this Garon to be hell if you disobeyed him, but benevolent if you obeyed; I think that could be an interesting character.

[maninbluejumpsuit]

Garon.

All that backstory, and no one spends significant time on it during the game. Instead, he looks like a stupid antagnoist that does mean things to the protagonist because it's natural to do that, and not for a real reason. I say this because keep in mind these things during conquest:

Garon considers executing Corrin.

Consults higher (or lower) power for guidance on Corrin's fate.

Implied this being wants Corrin to suffer before killing them, or maybe that's what Garondorf wants.

Iago questions what reason there is for this. Garon tells him it's not his place to question.

Garon veiws Corrin as much of a useful tool as the other siblings later.

Plan: 'kill Corrin after making them cry' seems to have hit the backburner.

Sooooo...:

-it wasn't divine decree that Garon was messing with Corrin, or else he woulda'be

-Garon clearly didn't have an answer for Iago's question

Edited June 24, 2016 by maninbluejumpsuit

[NekoKnight]

Some questions:

1. Why would Nohr send one of it's own royals as a hostage to Hoshido if they decisively defeated Hoshido in a war? Shouldn't it just be Hoshido sending a hostage? It seems unclear which nation holds greater power.

2. The Nohr paragraph says that Hoshido trades with Nohr but the Hoshido paragraph says they send tribute to Nohr. So what is their relationship with each other?

[blah the Prussian]

Some questions:

1. Why would Nohr send one of it's own royals as a hostage to Hoshido if they decisively defeated Hoshido in a war? Shouldn't it just be Hoshido sending a hostage? It seems unclear which nation holds greater power.

2. The Nohr paragraph says that Hoshido trades with Nohr but the Hoshido paragraph says they send tribute to Nohr. So what is their relationship with each other?

1. Exchanging of hostages was actually quite common in the Ancient world, as well as in the Middle Ages, and for the Roman Empire and Sengoku Japan in particular. It would be perfectly natural for both sides to exchange hostages. Also Nohr had won a decisive victory but they were still starving and so needed to secure a peace as soon as possible.

2. Pre Sumeragi, trading, post Sumeragi, tribute.

[Thane]

Here's my modest proposal for the writers:

1) Burn everything to the ground

2) Take a long, hard look in the mirror and then the Japanese entertainment industry and ask yourself if more fan service, player/reader worship is what's needed right now.

3) Keep the core concept and go from there with your newfound look on life.

[NekoKnight]

1. Exchanging of hostages was actually quite common in the Ancient world, as well as in the Middle Ages, and for the Roman Empire and Sengoku Japan in particular. It would be perfectly natural for both sides to exchange hostages. Also Nohr had won a decisive victory but they were still starving and so needed to secure a peace as soon as possible.

2. Pre Sumeragi, trading, post Sumeragi, tribute.

Sounds good. I think the two powers having a mixed relationship (not entirely one-sided, with one country dominating the other) is more interesting.

I know people like the kidnapping/hostage premise but I wonder if an alliance formed with a political marriage would have a place in the story. Maybe Azura was going to be married to Kamui but a rebel Hoshidan faction kidnaps her which provokes the wrath of Nohr.

Here's my modest proposal for the writers:

1) Burn everything to the ground

2) Take a long, hard look in the mirror and then the Japanese entertainment industry and ask yourself if more fan service, player/reader worship is what's needed right now.

3) Keep the core concept and go from there with your newfound look on life.

Remember Professor NekoKnight's words: There is a time and place for sardonic comments but not now!

[HF Makalov Fanboy Kai]

i wanna point out that i do like the idea of your ideas.

But when i saw 'a modest proposal" i was expecting something about eating babies.

[blah the Prussian]

i wanna point out that i do like the idea of your ideas.

But when i saw 'a modest proposal" i was expecting something about eating babies.

Pfft, no, that's for the villains of the actual story!

[HF Makalov Fanboy Kai]

Pfft, no, that's for the villains of the actual story!

Ofcourse!

did you get the joke i was going for tho?

[Raguna]

Here's my modest proposal for the writers:

1) Burn everything to the ground

2) Take a long, hard look in the mirror and then the Japanese entertainment industry and ask yourself if more fan service, player/reader worship is what's needed right now.

3) Keep the core concept and go from there with your newfound look on life.

As much as I want to agree there's the ever odd chance of an epic backfire if all that introspection into the Japanese industry will make them go like . "So we actually needed more fanservice!". Anyway, best to be optimistic if you burned everything and not just small amounts.

[Yunanuy]

I know people like the kidnapping/hostage premise but I wonder if an alliance formed with a political marriage would have a place in the story. Maybe Azura was going to be married to Kamui but a rebel Hoshidan faction kidnaps her which provokes the wrath of Nohr.

I like this a lot. A whole lot.

@the existence of Valla, I have a counter-proposal: it still exists, but is a dimension where solely the dragon gods/manaketes reside. The Dawn and Dusk Dragons are their own established characters and also "blood-givers" to their respective families. Both kingdoms rely on the dragons for their wisdom and guidance, but another dragon, Anankos, one day kills the Dusk Dragon in hopes of taking its place. Nohr loses their "god" and is thrown into chaos, which is why the massive war happened in the first place, because the Emperor/King didn't know what to do without their god. Garon, next in line, gets things back in control. Still a "just" ruler, but is corrupted over time by Anankos who pretends to be the Dusk Dragon, slowly pushing Garon down an unjust path once the "story" begins.

Valla is separated as well, one domain where Anankos rules, the other under the protection of the Dawn Dragon. The Dawn Dragon however eventually ends its 'contract' with Hoshido because of Anankos becoming stronger, and having to focus on protecting their own kin from him.

Lastly, Valla is a known plane and there is no curse regarding its knowledge, but mortals who enter vaporise into tiny little bubbles. Retcon this with the royals who have been given dragons blood can survive entering the realm, and voila, death to Anankos, and whoever has enough dragon blood takes Anankos' place as the new Dusk Dragon (rather than having a new ruler of Valla)...

Edited June 25, 2016 by Yunanuy

[blah the Prussian]

Ofcourse!

did you get the joke i was going for tho?

But of course! Good 'ol Swift.