#valentia translations

[sacredechoes]

Fire Emblem: Battle of Revolution Translation

For April Fools' 2017, Nintendo of Japan put up a joke page announcing a Fire Emblem game starring Valbar, Leon, and Kamui set in the Meiji era. The page is archived and some in the English fandom have heard of it, but I don't know if the page ever got a full translation.

Below the cut is my attempt at localizing the text of this page.

Fire Emblem: 維新大乱 ~Battle of Revolution~

(see note 1)

A return to where it all started…

"For 15 years since taking on the role of Fire Emblem series producer, I have been thinking about how to make the game more accessible to a wider audience. I have been thinking of new challenges to attract more customers, such as creating TMS#FE based on the idea of what would happen if we tried to make it a modern drama, or creating Fire Emblem Fates based on the idea of allowing people to enjoy multiple stories in parallel. In that sense, you could say that 'I want to increase the number of customers' is the starting point of my approach to Fire Emblem. And now, the theme I have decided on for further leaps forward for the Fire Emblem series is 'Jidai-geki' (historical drama). I have been working with Intelligent Systems to create a Fire Emblem game that takes place in the late Edo period and vividly depicts the activities of talented local warriors as they work to create a new world. Experience a passionate story of men in the late Edo period while maintaining the fun of playing with swords, bows, and sickles, bow effectiveness against flying ninjas, and other interesting aspects of the Fire Emblem series. Please look forward to Fire Emblem: Battle of Revolution!" - Hitoshi Yamakami, Nintendo Co.

STORY

Some things are more precious than life itself...

In a time called "Bakumatsu", the sun has begun to set on Edo and the Tokugawa Shogunate. A great famine stretches on, and many communities near their breaking points. The world of Edo is burdened by a state of terrible unrest. Though the land of Hi-no-moto has observed a long period of isolationism, the waves of distant nations have begun to break on its shores regardless.

In a distant corner in the countryside of the fiefdom of Barenshia lives a man named Barubou. Our tale begins when he is unexpectedly appointed to the Sofia Security Corps, the bodyguards to the fiefdom's daimyo Seirika.

To bend the knee to the shogunate, or to advocate its overthrow? For either path this land might take, men clash fiercely with their beliefs held high and proud as banners.

Meeting a sworn ally, and then, farewell. With the nefarious conspiracies of the shogunate's underbelly unfolding before his eyes, Barubou is shaken to his very core.

When all is said and done, which belief will he commit his faith to? The stage is set for this decisive battle in the port town of Toba...

GAME SYSTEM

Command your comrades to win the battle!

Playing the role of Barubou, you will work with your comrades to achieve each map's victory condition.

A profound and moving tale

Catch a glimpse into each major character's rich past through Imperial Orders ("sub-episodes"), as well as through Public Service ("sub-quests") packed throughout the region.

The permadeath feature that defines the Fire Emblem series persists in this instalment, and a unique new system using elements of hanafuda cards debuts in Battle of Revolution. Powerful animations breathe life into battles.

SPECIAL EDITION: Barenshia Emaki (Picture Scroll)

Scroll One: One Hundred Flowers Blooming (see note 2)

Scroll Two: A Friendship like Fish and Water

Scroll 1, which depicts the everyday lives, traditions, and culture of the people of Barenshia, and Scroll 2, which details the specifics of Barubou, Ren'o and Kamucho's lives not told in the main story, will be distributed as a set.

DLC

Running Marusu - Cost: Free

This epic quest follows Marusu, a young courier from Akaneia Fiefdom, which neighbors Barenshia Fiefdom. The boy's star-crossed fate compels Marusu to single-mindedly run around to every corner of Akaneia Fiefdom, and how all of his travels weave together to earn him the title of Daimyo of Akaneia Fiefdom.

※Delivery date yet to be announced.

CAST

馬流暴 Barubou (Valbar) (see note 3)

Despite his humble origins in a farming family, his natural talent together with his compassionate, sincere, and heroic personality led him to be selected as the head of the Sofia Security Corps. His hearty laugh is so powerful that it can even be heard at a distance of 1 ri away. Since entering his thirties, his few worries are mostly consumed these days by the size of his belly.

恋男 Ren'o (Leon) (see note 4)

A runaway ninja of the Iga school. His intense admiration for Barubou drove him to join the Sofia Security Corps to stay close to the object of his affections. Every day, he applies rouge to his eyelids a little differently in relentless pursuit of being the most fashionable man in the Security Corps. He is incredibly precise with his makeup brush, among other fine motor skills, and is often asked for help by the village girls.

暇武猪 Kamucho (Kamui) (see note 5)

Formerly a ronin. He once crossed blades with Barubou in the past, but was touched by the man's personality and joined the Sofia Security Corps. While he hates feeling constrained and lives an idle and carefree life, he has considerable skill with a sword. Although the pretty girl who advertises for the general store has caught his attention, he's never bothered to actually speak to her.

-----

Translation notes

(Ishin Tairan - lit. Revolution Uprising - "Ishin" often refers to "Meiji-Ishin" or Meiji Restoration). The game is set in Mie prefecture in historic Japan, in the Bakumatsu era. (between 1853-1867)

(T/N: simultaneous emergence of many talents and achievements; lit. hundred flowers blooming in profusion)

(T/N: written with kanji meaning lit. "Force of a Rushing Horse". The kanji on-reading give "Barubou", but could be kun-read as the name "Managashi Sueo")

(T/N: written with kanji for "love" and "man". Kanji on-reading give "Ren'o".)

(T/N: written with kanji for "leisure", "martial arts" and "boar". Kanji on-reading give "Kamucho".)

Kanji names are given for all characters and locations. As such I have romanized them very loosely rather than using official names (usually given in kana). As noted with the main cast's names, these kanji names are some degree of pun and not chosen solely for the sound. Celica's, for example, includes the kanji 聖 which means "holy" and 里 which can mean "place of origin", fitting as she grew up in a priory.

-----

Barenshia = 刃蓮死亜 = Valentia

Sofia = 素風亜 = Zofia

Seirika = 聖里香 = Celica

Marusu = 真瑠澄 = Marth

Akaneia = 茜亥亜 = Archanea

[naoreco]

Localizers' Dance in Purgatory

Happy anniversary. We're doing this again.

FE15's localization has been a hot button topic on twitter for the past couple of days, which made me want to examine some more localization changes - and what better for me to use for this experiment than my other favorite scenes in the game? Having noticed that the anniversary of when I posted about that scene with Alm and Mycen was coming up, I figured the timing was just too good to pass up.

We'll be going over Alm and Berkut's encounter up until the battle officially starts, Berkut's battle dialogue, and the scene after with Rinea's spirit. So rather than having one big moment that changes the tone of the scene like last time, this one has a few of these changes along with MANY smaller expansions on dialogue that just make it too much of a pain to go through one by one. Some of these are more contentious than others!

Luckily I have a solution for this: Pour everything into a spreadsheet and throw in commentary as I see fit.

I had to write out a lot of things by hand even if I was able to copy the scripts from elsewhere so I'm so sorry for any typos 🙏 Enjoy!

[bomb0some0dodongos]

Because Alm's birthmark is depicted on his hand in Echoes, at first, I instinctively translated the novel to match. ...However, Ozaki-sensei very clearly uses the word "arm" when describing its location on his body. And it didn't click that I was doing something wrong until I got to book 2, and there's a whole piece of art that was made to show exactly where it is on his arm.

One of the tricky parts of translation is to not let your brain turn on auto-fill!! You're never too good or experienced not to do it.

(I'm mostly making this post so I can remember later to go back and fix book 1's translation.)

...I also just learned that the localization translates aza to "Brand." That might be something I go back and change, too. I really should have read the localized Echoes script and taken detailed notes before I started translating the novel, lol.

[four-loose-screws]

FE2 Novelization Translation - Cover and Book Intro Pages

If you would like to start from the beginning, read a missed part, etc., click here!

FE Game Script Translations - FE Novel Translations - Original FE Support Conversations

If you are interested in donating to support my work, please check out my Ko-fi here. Thank you!

———————————

New year, time for another new FE novelization translation!

2024's novel of focus is that of FE2, the original game Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia was a remake of. Enjoy reading this take on the same exact plot, ~25 years prior!

Cover

Fire Emblem Gaiden

The Zofian Liberation War

Book 1

STORY

The continent of Valentia is divided between the north and the south, as well as their beliefs in War Father Duma and Earth Mother Mila. While the Kingdom of Zofia is ruled with kindness and compassion, the Rigelian Empire believes in raising its citizens to be prepared for war. Their hostility towards each other has finally pulled them into a vicious war. Units from both sides spill each other’s blood, fighting for their god and loyalty to their homeland each and every day, with no end in sight…

The protagonists of this tale are Alm, Celica, and countless other young units. They all wish for Valentia to be unified, but differ in how they want that outcome to be reached. And so, a grand tale of love and hate is about to unfold!

-

Written by Katsuyuki Ozaki

Cover Illustration by Ichiro ?*

Cover Design by Kazuo Hiroi (WIDE)**

*T/N: I cannot find the Kanji character in this person’s last name anywhere to confirm its reading.

**T/N: First name could also be ‘Ichio’ or ‘Itsuo.’ I cannot find any record of this person online, so I cannot confirm the correct reading of their name. Their nickname is ‘WIDE’ because their last name, ‘hiroi,’ is the Japanese word for wide.

Published by Futabasha

Author’s Profile

Katsuyuki Ozaki

An up-and-coming author also working as a copywriter. His major works include “Valkyrie no Densetsu,” “F-Zero,” “Zelda II: The Adventure of Link,” and many more, all published by Futabasha. He has also written for other strategy guide series. His hobbies include golf, cars, and computer games. He is of course also passionate about Fire Emblem, and has completed all of the games so far. He poured all of his love for the series into writing these two books without rest!

Front:

Alm and Celica each set out on their own journey to forge!

This is the epic adventure of this young man and woman!!

The stage unfolds on a Valentia in chaos in this epic tale of love, blood, and war!

-

Back:

Ad for Book 2.

Ad for a Shin Megami Tensei novelization.

Color Art

A necrodragon was here. In Zofia. When she realized exactly what that meant, Celica was petrified in horror. Earth Mother Mila had lost all power over Zofia.

Title Page

Table of Contents

Prologue

Chapter 1: The Deliverance

The Six Resurrection Pills

Alm’s Awakening

The Mysterious Girl Silque

Chapter 2: Mila’s Restoration Army

Celica Embarks on Her Journey

The Ruffian Saber

The Necrodragon’s Trial

Chapter 3: To Zofia Castle

Rescuing Clair

The Night Before Storming Zofia Castle

Cliff’s Gambit

Chapter 4: The Red Haired Woman

The Port Town Tavern

Differing Paths

Chapter 5: To Mila’s Shrine

The Sisters from Archanea

Blake, Wielder of the Shadow Sword

Royal Bloodline

Desert Army

Princess Anthiese

Chapter 6: The Newly Reborn Kingdom of Zofia

His name is Zeke

Cross-Shaped Birthmark

Collapse and Liberation

The Throne Bathed in Light

Epilogue

-

Illustrations: Ichiro ?* & Kazuo Hiroi (WIDE)**

*T/N: I cannot find the Kanji character in this person’s last name anywhere to confirm its reading.

**T/N: First name could also be ‘Ichio’ or ‘Itsuo.’ I cannot find any record of this person online, so I cannot confirm the correct reading of their name. Their nickname is ‘WIDE’ because their last name, ‘hiroi,’ is the Japanese word for wide.

Book design: Yusuke Matsuoka (NEXT)

Editing & printing: Rekkasha

Character Introductions

Alm’s Army

Robin: A Villager who grew up with Alm in Ram Village. He later transcends to become an Archer.

Silque / Shilk: A Cleric in service to the goddess Mila. She specializes in healing magic.

Cliff / Klihs: A Villager from Ram Village. He later transcends to become a Mage, specializing in long range combat magic.

Delthea: A female Mage who has fallen into Rigel’s hands by Tatarrah’s magic. She wields the Aura tome.

Luthier: He decides to join forces with Alm to lead his younger sister Delthea’s fate down a righteous path. A mage with a tragic past.

Mycen: A former unit of the Knights of Zofia, transcended to one of the highest level classes, Gold Knight.

Python: An Archer prodigy whose short-temper is as great as his skills with a bow.

Clair: A Pegasus Knight who was granted the ability to fly a pegasus by the two gods. Clive’s younger sister.

Forsyth: A soldier who’s greatest skill is his ability to calmly make decisions in the heat of battle.

Mathilda: An exceptionally talented female Cavalier. She possesses both a brave soul and bewitching beauty.

Tatiana: A Saint captured by Nuibaba. Zeke’s beloved.

Clive: A Cavalier and the leader of the young surviving units of the Knights of Zofia.

Zeke: A mysterious Gold Knight who has lost his memory. He serves Alm under Emperor Rudolf’s orders.

Lukas: A hot-blooded soldier who wields his lance like lightning.

Alm: A fighter raised by Zofia’s hero Mycen, and the protagonist of this story. He is a boy with a grand fate!

Gray: A Villager from Ram Village. He later transcends into a Cavalier.

[randomnameless]

why don't you want jurgdral remakes? are you afraid they will be localised like fodlan games or modified like shadows of valentia?

Mmh...

Lolcalisation aside, I'd say the biggest thing I'm dreading with those remakes is IS' (if FEH is any indication) willingness to retcon those older games to, I suppose, make them more "trendy" or approchable for a "modern audience".

Sure, FEH might goof here and there, but take the "Miccy founded the DB" take - it's present at least in more than one unit so imo, it's no goof at all, what is it supposed to mean? That a Miccy who is only a person who joins an existing group because she embraces their ideals and thus puts them above her own "need" to hide her existence, as a Branded, is not as... bankable as a Miccy who forms her own ragtag group of randoms to fight against Daein, giving hints at her later role as the leader of the Daein army?

I've ranted enough about IS retconning Lyon and Magvel in general (tfw Eph was caught by Grado lel) but it follows the same pattern, OG!Lyon (and FE8 in general) falls because of his very human and earthly desires - he might have ideals and all, but at the end of the day, he falls because of his love and adoration/obsession for the twins and that is something he cannot fight against - FEH!Lyon sassing Fomortiis is just, no. Fomortiis always has the last laugh in FE8 (at least with Lyon and even, I'd say with the playable cast because, again, his soul isn't erased, he is stuck again in a shiny rock, just like what happened in the lore, and led to Lyon's possession. Who can be sure that in 800 years after Ephraim's adventures, L'Arachel's descendant won't be seduced by Fomortiis' power and free him from his shiny rock, like Lyon did?).

FE15 is its own thing lol - but there is a possibility for Jugdral to be pissed on like Magvel and Tellius were in FEH, and I guess, for any Jugdral fan that's terrible.

Sure, FEH seems to treat Jugdral verse with, uh, careful consideration but hey - if the Ayra wanking is any indication, even Jugdral isn't immune to retcons to make a popular character even more #badass, plot be damned.

Add some eggtivation here'n'there, and I wouldn't be surprised if we had some NPCs or even characters in support dialogues explaining how major holy blooded people aren't always better in the domain corresponding to their holy blood than non HB people because non HB people can bypass their lack of dragon blood with hard work - completely pissing on this core Jugdralian mechanic that was translated in FE4's gameplay by weapon rank.

Is it gatekeeping? idk.

For me, it's just that I fell in Jugdral Hell some years ago (nearly a decade!) and despite its defaults, I still like this verse very much so I'd like a remake that is as faithful as possible to that thing I came to know all those years ago, maybe to exchange with new (and non new lol) fans about that verse!

But if we get, idk, a very #badass Deedee who doesn't, idk, mind killing a kid or two to show how #girlboss she is, well, for me, that wouldn't be Jugdral at all, but some sort of adaptation using those characters but writing them OOC.

Of course I can't say I have a better reading and take on those characters as IS themselves, but after seeing A!Mareeta's FB where she is supposed to be at her best/peak performance, and IS still wrote her to be "below" Ayra in terms of ability when Mareeta's Major Holy Blood means her skills with the blade are naturally superior to her "great aunt" 's skills I still think there's something that's missing.

It's as if we had Reinhardt throw better spells/be stronger at Thunder Magic than Peak!Ishtar, or worse, Azelle on a pony teaching FE5!Saias how to throw fire spells.

It's just, not possible in the Jugdral verse, because Jugdral verse is pretty inequitable and major HB people are cheat codes compared to minor HB people or non HB people. Now with that being said, the story is about what those people with magic blood that are cheat codes do and if they use their powers for good or stupid things. It's not about Midayle finally showing Aidean that his skills with a bow are superior to her sister's so now, he is finally strong enough to protect her from Verdane ruffians.

But after Fodlan's false "yeah but crests aren't the alpha and omega and yet i'm never going to tell you what they do because otherwise my excuse for worldbuildling falls apart", I wouldn't be surprised if Jamke, in a support, would teach Bridget how to use a bow.

:/

So yeah, it's better not to have any remakes.

[fevotinggauntletreal]

Year of the Dragon Semifinals - Match 2

(pictured: various mounted wyvern sprites from Genealogy of the Holy War; concept art of a transformed black dragon laguz from Radiant Dawn; and Grima in Echoes: Shadows of Valentia)

associated lore under the cut

wyverns are a staple of Fire Emblem worlds, almost always figuring as the war mounts of the renowned Wyvern Riders. sometimes, there's substantial lore behind it; other times, yeah, there are just huge flying lizards that people ride into battle, what are you gonna do about it?

a point of note is that modern fantasy tends to distinguish "wyverns" from true dragons, characterizing them specifically as two-legged, broad-winged, pointy-tailed, serpentine beasts. this distinction is first of all ahistorical, but in the context of Fire Emblem it's also the subject of some translation oddity. in the japanese text, wyverns are usually referred to as "flying dragons", and are not otherwise radically distinguished from other dragons in most settings where they appear. this also accounts for them having largely appeared as regular four-legged dragons in older titles, although newer titles have increasingly designed them to look more like the ideal "wyvern" form. it's likely that the "wyvern" terminology stems from Blazing Blade being the first internationalized Fire Emblem game, and Treehouse not quite wrapping their heads around the apparent contradiction of "flying dragons" still appearing in Elibe after the Scouring was supposed to have driven away all the dragons.

jugdrali wyverns inhabit the rocky wastelands at the southern side of the Thracian peninsula, and have become the feared steeds of the Thracian mercenaries. their existance is odd when considering that the Jugdral games take place in the same universe as Archanea, but before the degeneration of dragonkind earnestly kicked in, and the fact that dragonkind doesn't generally dwell in Jugdral is an important factor in its backstory. it is thusly hard to tell if Jugdral's wyverns are at all supposed to be of a kind with Archanea's.

the laguz are denizens of Tellius with the ability to shift between a humanoid form, and an animal form. they can be grouped broadly as beast tribe laguz, bird tribe laguz, or dragon tribe laguz. the latter, naturally, have the ability to transform into dragons.

the dragon tribe laguz are typically native of the kingdom of Goldoa, one of the two eldest nations in Tellius; it's found in a rocky, isolated peninsula, and thusly a remote place, wherein outside contact is usually shunned. dragon laguz are extremly long-lived, as well as large and powerful; however, their births are few and slow, so their population lags behind that of other peoples.

black dragon laguz are the strongest, longest-lived and rarest of the dragon tribe. it's out of their kind that the royal family of Goldoa emerges.

the fell dragon of ylisse is Grima, a monster borne by evil experiments undertaken many thousand years ago in the since then ruined city of Thabes. it sought to destroy humanity, leading a cadre of his own human worshippers -- but it was sealed away. about 1000 years later, however, its remaining human worshippers managed to bring it back to life, and the destruction it wrought was bleak enough to warrant time travel to prevent. as well as a hefty dose of... bonds?

[real-fire-emblem-takes]

Je ne peux pas continuer Echoes of Valentia car j'ai finit le côté de Celica, il me reste seulement celui de Alm et ça me fait chier. Je suis désolée, mais du côté de Celica j'aime les personnages et la moitié de mes unités sont des dread fighter donc je roule sur le jeu. Mais du côté de Alm? Entre les gars qui mettent un malaise avec leur flirt, la meuf qui sers juste pour le preu chevalier, et random healer/chevalier sans personnalité... Y'a que Python/Alm/Clair qui m'intéresse mais c'est pas assez motivant pour aller plus loin, surtout que Alm est le seul qui est bon niveau combat :')

Translation:

I can't continue Echoes of Valentia because I finished Celica's side, I only have Alm's side left and that pisses me off. I'm sorry, but on Celica's side I like the characters and half of my units are dread fighters so I'm enjoying the game. But on Alm's side? Between the guys who make people uncomfortable with their flirting, the girl who is just for the first knight, and random healer/knight without personality... It's only Python/Alm/Clair that interests me but that's not enough motivating to go further, especially since Alm is the only one who is good at combat level

[crookedorel]

zinnia : how has the loss of fallen comrades and/or loved ones affected your muse ? has it taught them anything or given them any new perspectives ? >:)

Okay let's talk about loss, actually. Loss is such an important theme in Shadows of Valentia, and in the character arcs of its entire cast. If I were feeling ambitious I'd argue that loss and the way that it's handled is The Theme, which shaped the forming of the nations, to kicking off the plot, and the negative space of each of the cast's loss is so visible and apparent in every action they take, like an embrace of those they don't want to or can't forget. 

But that's an essay for another time. 

Berkut being one of the major antagonists, and foil to the two protagonists, his losses affect the plot just as heavily. There is of course the obvious, and we'll discuss those in a minute, but I actually want to discuss a loss that doesn't get brought up in-game but has such clear and disastrous ramifications for Valentia as a whole. 

Because you see, when Berkut was a boy, his father died. 

(Cut for length. You know how it goes. SOV spoilers as well)

Now, I know what you're thinking. "Oh, boo hoo, this is Dead Father the Series, and you don't see anyone else letting themselves get possessed by a war god and sacrificing their loved ones' souls for greater power." And you're right! But bear with me, because there's more to it than that. 

To start putting this into context, I'm going to pull from Valentia Accordion (the Berkut entry in which was translated by our very own Ree, here's your crown regent 👑). We learn from Berkut's section that before his father's passing, Berkut was a timid boy, to the point that even riding horseback made him cry - and after his father's passing, his mother raised him quite strictly, to harden him up so that none could tease him for growing up without a father. 

As with most things Valentia, this is such a dense sentence, so let's unpack it a bit.  

Obviously that's a fucked up thing to expect, that your child will be harassed for having lost a parent, but kids are cruel, and from this sentence we learn that Rigel values patrilineal lines, and to an extreme extent. Since they're the imperial family with very few heirs, it seems incredibly unlikely that Berkut's father married below his station (bordering on impossible – this is no Meghan Markle situation) - and since Berkut obviously ended up the crown prince, the heir to the empire barring any usurpers, his mother clearly retained influence within the imperial court during her time there, as noble and mother to the future Emperor. 

And yet, a single mother, even widowed, still casts a shameful shadow in Rigel. We do not learn how Berkut's father died, but I'm of the opinion it was illness, for a couple of reasons: first, we have historical precedent. Generally in monarchical families that have multiple sons, the first (the heir) learns military affairs and politics, the better to ascend the throne or position when the time comes – the second (the spare) would then learn ecclesiastical affairs and gain a position in the religious affairs of the state, the better to support his brother further down the line. 

Secondly, his death is implied to be something to be ashamed of, something that children would tease Berkut for. Though misogyny runs strong in many cultures, it doesn't seem enough that his mother would be concerned that his father dying on its own would be enough that Berkut would need to toughen up. Given that Rigel has such a strong martial culture, and the hard turn that Berkut's mother imposed upon him after her husband's death, it would follow that for men, there is one acceptable death: battle. 

As we know, I don't put a lot of stock into Heroes' characterization, but occasionally they give us nice little nuggets, such as this one, from A Splendid Soiree level 40: 

Unlike his older brother the emperor, my father was a kind, gentle man. He passed ere I was 10 years old. My mother smiled often when I was small.  

If nothing else, it seemed, Berkut's mother was determined to ensure that, for better or worse, Berkut did not end up like his father. 

And he didn't. Kind and gentle are not words that I would associate with Berkut, except specifically when he's interacting with Rinea – but even with that influence, we see that he is definitely a young man shaped by his upbringing, and by the culture around him. He's eager to fight, even to the point of what I would consider emotional immaturity – he's unable to see human lives for what they are, and when he first meets Alm he refers to the battle as practice, as sport, as exercise, like it's just a game that he's playing. 

I think it's this disconnect that he has, this inability or the inexperience to actively practice empathy (decidedly not a value in Rigel), that makes him so susceptible to outside influences: be that Rigelian people or culture as a whole, or Rudolf's or his mother's, Duma's or Nuibaba's, or even Fernand's. 

Yes, Fernand's. Despite the fact that Fernand is a political prisoner, it is undeniable that he has more worldly experience (in and out of wartime) than Berkut by the simple fact of his age. We don't have an official age for him, but we can get a good guestimate based on Clive and Mathilda's ages – 27 and 28, respectively. A full decade, at the very least, older than Berkut.  

Now, this is not to say, of course, that Fernand knowingly exerted any influence over Berkut, or manipulated him – but it is to say that teenagers of Berkut's general disposition are eager to show off, and will adjust the behaviors they display in order to impress the people around them, especially those who are older or more experienced. And with Fernand himself leaning so idealistic, wanting to see something specific, it seems clear to me that natural showman Berkut was eager to mold himself into that, and to show it off at any opportunity. 

Which, by the way, is something that Berkut is shown doing throughout the game, in each of his appearances – mirroring the expectations presented to him, molding himself to fit into whatever those opposite him have decided he should be, and being so proud that he gets a good grade in being manipulated. 

Now, I know it seems like we're getting off topic, and that I'm trying to avoid the elephant in the room, but I promise I'm not – this is all incredibly important context for what comes next, which of course that he, under the influence of Duma's possession, sacrifices Rinea. 

 By this point, he has lost to Alm multiple times – with an audience, no less – he has called upon the magic pushed on him by breaking the mirror Nuibaba gave him, and he has learned that this stranger who has been defeating him all over the country is actually the one who is supposed to be the emperor's heir. Not only has Alm beaten him in battle in front of someone Berkut wanted to impress, but he has, seemingly without any of the effort Berkut has been putting in over the last several years to gain Rudolf's favor, jumped the line of succession, and is coming to take not just Rigel, but Berkut's father figure. 

The second father he has lost. 

Watching the scene wherein Duma fully possesses Berkut, or even just reading the script, you can feel that the ground ready to open under his feet, and his grip over his own mental autonomy is tenuous at best. He is paranoid, he lashes out, and most importantly, he's confused. The scene begins by explicitly telling us that he does not know how he arrived at Duma Temple, and he is immediately beset by Duma's presence, the voice of a god offering the power that Berkut has felt slipping from his fingers. 

Whether he explicitly accepted Duma, or whether Duma forced his way in, we do not know. What we do know, however, is that the change in his personality is immediate and obvious. Both Rinea and Fernand clock that whoever is speaking, it isn't the Berkut they know – by this point, though, it's too late, and he attacks and heavily injures both of them, with Fernand making it far enough to warn Alm, and with Rinea being sacrificed to Duma. 

However much of Berkut remained during his battle of Alm, it's clear from his battle quote that all of these losses, one right after another, lined up in a perfect queue of dominoes, and gripped him until his death: 

You… You took…everything from me. You will SUFFER for what you’ve done! 

Then, after his defeat: 

Alm: Why, Berkut? To have finally found family after all this time… Why did it come to this?!  Berkut: Heh… I have no family…nor do I want for one. 

To put a bow on the series of tragedies that shaped Berkut into a man he didn't want to be, the family and companionship that he so desperately needed had arrived, had knocked the sense back into him just in time for him to die. 

But not before one final chastisement, from the one person who had never asked him to be anything except himself: 

Rinea: Dear, proud Berkut… Even without crown or throne or castle… You were ever my emperor. A just, right, and noble man…  Berkut: Rinea…  Rinea: You were born to lead… This just wasn’t your empire. So come with me now. Let us find our empire together. If you’ll still take me for your empress?  Berkut: You’re right… You were always right. The moment I turned to a power beyond myself, the man you loved was dead. Rinea, forgive me… If you’ll have me, I’d be honored to…set out with you… 

For better or worse, from his mother's influence, Berkut had not ended up like his father in his death – but, in the matter of the woman he loved, perhaps he wasn't so different. 

[imustbenuts]

Connections

there might be a small connection between Grima, Robin, and Kiran which on its own seems insignificant but is surprisingly strong when examined closer. i'm also going to assume Kiran is the player in this case bc things becomes funky af from that perspective.

how funky?

meta levels of fucking funky.

Robin, Grima, Kiran. in japanese, their names are ルフレ, ギムレー, and エクラ respectively (rufure, gimure, ekura). translating these literally yields Reflet, Gimlé, and Eclat.

Reflet refers to metallic brilliance, such as on an object like metal or ceramics, i.e reflectivity of the surface (i think). it's straight up reflection in french.

Gimlé is said to be a place where the worthy survivors of Ragnarok are foretold to live, the most beautiful place in Asgard, a place more beautiful than the sun.

Eclat. Luster, brilliance, glory etc. The clap of a thunder, something akin to a burst. it's also a french word it seems.

so it can be said that robin is an avatar (a reflection), for both the player and grima depending on which is in control. when grima is in control, the world teeters on the brink of annihilation due to how grima in lore is seen by his cult to be the god of death and ruin. if we're in control instead, we beat grima out of existence either temporarily or permanently, then leaving robin to live their life.

which is fitting if you think of Eclat as something which is transient, and Gimlé as something more enduring.

on the other hand if we talk about norse mythos, Breidablik, (Kiran's divine weapon) is a place said to belong to Baldr. it's the cleanest hall in Asgard. it's weakly linked to Gimlé, but not much can be said otherwise. (unless the whole killing baldr kickstarts ragnarok thing. kind of indirect but... still pretty strong depending on how you look at it.)

additional bonus comes when we take into equation the existence of Mark from Fire Emblem: The Blazing Blade, the avatar of the player in that installment. their name is written as マーク (Mark). robin's children (EN: morgan) are also given the name マーク (Mark/Marc, never confirmed) in japanese sort of as either a joke or a throwback or a meta jab towards the players.

all of this is to say it's all very intentional. and yes, kiran or the player is potentially a divinity.

oh oh and if you think im doing an asspull, there is actually one common factor in all the games mentioned here. i present you this gentleman. Mr. Kouhei Maeda.

gaze upon this madman and quake in awe

notice how in FE echoes shadows of valentia he's listed as special thanks? remember, there is one specific thing that was added to the remake which wasn't present in the og game.

im talking about the post game dungeon, Thebes labyrinth, where u can find grima's creation lore... i'm linking another ramble below posted back in 2018. its more in depth stuff of what grima seems to be.

i am 99% sure he's trying to say something or building something up for the past 10 years!

and STILL there's more to be said about Kris from Fire Emblem: New Mystery of the Emblem! which i wont get into too much, but pay attention to how they're portrayed in FEH and in the plegian banner, and suddenly more pieces fall into place. (also: tharja, rhajat, anankos, lyn's reaction, robin's v suspect lines and a lot more i might have missed)

seems like he's given an extremely big role for FEH, having what seems to be the ultimate control over the story of that game. kouhei maeda is a damn mastermind.

the link is strong... once you see it you cant unsee it... thanks for reading...

[sacredechoes]

Sacred Echoes - v1.1 Release

The Valentia demake returns, with new features, a host of bugfixes, and a full Spanish translation!

Added in this update are:

All 46 fully playable chapters, 8 dungeons, and 1 side chapter in both English and Spanish patches

Options to customize your playstyle with growths configuration and RNG settings

Pitchforks to customize your team and max out your favorite units

New CG graphics

Better UX for equipping and unequipping rings, shields, and accessories

Several new music tracks

Turn count tracking across your entire run

The game is now available on FEUniverse!

[naoreco]

And what of my adaptational bitterness?!

Not long ago, I decided to look at some of my favorite FE15 scenes with Japanese voice acting, given how fantastic the English dub is-- and something I picked up in the process is that the scene between Alm and Mycen in Rigel Castle has a couple of interesting changes that I wanted to lay out! Particularly with its most... iconic lines. Major spoilers ahead!

(Note: I'm not a native Japanese speaker, and I'm not entirely fluent, but I took two years of college classes and damn if I'm not putting that all to use here!!)

While I put together a document going through the whole conversation in Japanese and loosely translating it, most of it is generally the same, aside from two bits. You're also not going to get the whole picture just by reading the lines, as the voice acting does a great deal for both sides of this conversation, so I highly recommend you pull up the scene in video form as well.

Now, the first change is pretty brief! Specifically, when Mycen brings up Alm's birth during his whole spiel about how the gods are deteriorating.

Mycen: しかし、そこにアルム。お前が生まれた。(Shikashi, soko ni Arumu. Omae ga umareta.) But then there's you, Alm. You were born. But then you were born, Alm.

Alm: ！！ (*gasp*) ...! What does that have to do with any of this?

The second, more important one, is Alm's reaction to being Rudolf's mercy, and how Mycen responds to that. The exchange goes like this:

Mycen: それが愛するわが子であればこれ以上の喜びはない…… (Sore ga aisuru waga ko de areba koreijou no yorokobi wa nai…) So for it to be his beloved child, he could feel no greater joy… So for that death to come at the hand of his beloved son was… a mercy.

Mycen: ルドルフは、そう言っておった。(Rudorufu wa, sou itte otta.) Rudolf told me so himself. He told me himself that he could imagine no more peaceful end.

Alm: そんな…… 父さん、父さんっ……！！(Sonna… Tou-san, Tou-san…!!) That's... Father, father...!! And what of my peace?!

"Sonna..." on its own is a pain to translate, but the specific meaning isn't as relevant as how Natsuki Hanae says this line. Rather than reacting with even more bitterness because Rudolf's convoluted plan made no room for Alm's own say on the matter - him yelling at Mycen earlier for sending him to kill his own father is about the same already - JP Alm just... breaks down and cries for his father, essentially. And it's this difference in reaction that makes Mycen respond in turn!

Mycen: 泣くな、アルムよ。(Naku na, Arumu yo.) Don't cry, Alm. This is not the time for mourning or self-pity, boy.

Compared to something like "nakanaide" (please don't cry), "naku na" is more direct in just. You know. Telling someone not to cry instead of asking them. So perhaps there's a weight behind those words that I'm missing, but with his quieter and more even tone of voice, and the way he addresses Alm by name, it comes off as a lot gentler than how he scolds Alm in the localization.

Now, why were these changes made? Are they better or worse? I don't know! Sure, I'd like Mycen not to be kind of a dick to his grandson while he's feeling so vulnerable, but I can tolerate it because that's how I first experienced the scene, and their supports say a great deal more about how they feel about each other than a scene where they're both freshly grieving. More than that, though, I think Alm breaking down and sobbing and Alm sticking it to the man both get to something very important about his position here, something that Natsuki Hanae and Kyle McCarley also portray amazingly:

He's way too young for this shit.

[bomb0some0dodongos]

Started reading chapter 2 of the FE2 novelization book 2, and I am NOT okay.

Details are under the cut, if you want to avoid being spoiled about exactly how the FE2 novel depicts the game's events.

So this chapter starts, all gas no breaks, with the introduction of Luthier and Delthea.

Luthier meets Clive and Clair, and quickly becomes jealous of the close older brother / younger sister bond they have, because he is on Zofia's side, and Delthea is on Rigel's side, forcing them to be enemies.

Before I know it, the two are fighting 1-on-1 to the death. With Delthea's raw magic talent greater than Luthier's, it's almost no contest, and she quickly kills him.

Soon after, she snaps out of Tatarrah's control, only to see her brother's lifeless body in front of her. She vows to avenge him, and demands to know the name of his killer. No one in Alm's army has the heart to tell her the truth.

...I don't think Luthier knew Delthea was possessed. (I skimmed some chunks of the text a little too quickly, won't confirm this for sure until I translate these pages fully.)

Meanwhile, Clair is also having an existential crisis, wondering if she is a lucky one in a million to have a close bond with Clive. Thinking maybe siblings hating each other is the norm and not the exception. She also feels that she will feel guilty her entire life, for not being able to do more to stop Luthier and Delthea's fight before it ended in tragedy.

When Silque learns what happened, as one of the few people who knows Alm and Rudolf's true connection, she suffers in her own way that she must keep secret, knowing that this is not the last time she will witness two people of the same family fight to the death. This also conveys why Ozaki-sensei chose a tragic telling of Delthea and Luthier's story - it is a parallel of events to come.

...My heart can't take any more, and we aren't even anywhere near close to the climax... Ozaki-sensei is too good of a writer. He knew how to even further heighten the emotional impacts of this tragic story.

[four-loose-screws]

Blog Update 2024.3.13

I started my new job last week, and they are being super nice, training me up nice and slowly. I'm currently using the time to catch up on FE2 - I got a week behind when I finished up my last job.

I'm also reorienting myself on my exact FE novelization translation schedule through 2024 - 2025, as well as my basic schedule for 2026-2030.

I thought I might as well share my thoughts so far!

Here's the long-term plan, as detailed as I currently have it:

2nd half 2024 - September 2025: Alternating FE2 Book 2 and FE6.

September 2025 - December 2025: A secret non-FE novel translation project!

1st half 2026: FE1 (1 book.)

2nd half 2026, all of 2027, 1st half 2028: FE3. (4 books)

2nd half 2028 - all of 2029: Tearring Saga (3 books)

2030: Berwick Saga (2 books)

The 2nd novelizations of the games that have them, as well as the game books (choose-your-own-adventures), have yet to be scheduled. But will be 2031 and beyond, as is easy to deduce!

As I have mentioned previously, I am alternating FE2 Book 2 and FE6, because FE2 was written at a higher, denser reading level than the other FE novelizations I have tackled so far; whereas FE6 is at an easier reading level for me. This system allows me to take much-needed breaks from FE2, without slowing down my overall translations output. The upload schedule will be chapter-by-chapter. (1 chapter of FE6, then 1 chapter of FE2, then 1 chapter of FE6, etc.)

I'm taking a break from FE in the last quarter of 2025 because FE6 is very awkward in length. At 381 pages, it is far too long to squish into 6 months, but also too short to drag out over 1 year. I also don't have any other FE books that are short enough to be reasonably translated in 3-4 months. And I would hate to break this "always start a new book in January and July" momentum that I have going.

So, I decided to pull something short and sweet from the other video game franchises I have on my novelization shelf. It was written for children, at a 3-4th grade reading level to be exact, so even at its 200 page length, it should be easily doable in 3 1/2 months.

I do have other video game franchises near and dear to my heart other than FE (shocking, I know), so I do want to show at least one of them some love sometime. And this seemed like a good opportunity to do so, without taking too long of a break from FE!

-

As for getting caught up on asks, and starting to reconsider non-novel translations, I'm going to put thought into that after I get caught up on the missed week of FE2.

Thanks for sticking with me through the IRL crazy!!

[craneswings]

Yuzu Stats Meta 01 - SoV Numbers + Cipher Analysis

Time to take a look at Yuzu's actual stats and how they fare toward her progression toward being the strongest! However, with her origin being from Cipher and not Shadows of Valentia, I want to also take reference from her cards and how they would translate to a normal FE setting.

Part 1: The In-Game Stats on her D&D Resume (SoV Appearance)

As always, I used Serenes Forest to collect image references for Yuzu's base stats and growth rates. They are also posted in that order below.

Before breaking down how each stat fares in comparison to the rest of the cast, it is important to note that Yuzu is a DLC unit in SoV, meaning that she can be recruited practically anytime in the game and on either route. The latter isn't that concerning, but for the former I usually prefer to compare Yuzu's "optimal" recruitment to a midgame pre-promote unit in other FEs, supported by Yuzu's class of Priestess (or promoted mage).

HP: OKAY BASE, AVERAGE GROWTH

Now, Yuzu's base HP of 26 isn't actually low when comparing it to the rest of SoV's cast, but considering her position as a pre-promote and in comparison to her Cipher friends, she actually is pretty behind in the HP department. It can be difficult to specifically define what HP means in context (Bulky? Durable? High endurance?), but for Yuzu I would interpret it as her prioritizing a high offense rather than a defensive front. Her future defensive stats will further prove this.

On the other hand, her HP growth is fine enough at 40%. It's still the lowest compared to her friends (by just 5%, to be fair), but is on the same level as the average of the other Valentians at a glance. To be honest, at times the DLC units' growths feel like they were approached differently compared to the base game (which...fair. You're paying for these units so you wouldn't want them to falter too much.), which makes them hard to fairly analyze at times.

ATK: GREAT BASE, GREAT GROWTH

Base 15 ATK is insane. Only Zeke and Mycen beat her (who are Tier 3 units who join much later into the game) and Conrad tie her (who by my recruitment assumption, would still join later than Yuzu). There's really not much else to say on a comparison level, girl can swing hard. A great way to portray her training paying off, as I headcanon SoV to occur close to the end of her Cipher mishaps.

Additionally, I know I just said Yuzu gets carried by DLC growths, but a 55% in ATK is pretty ridiculous as well. Barring Delthea's Est-nature of a 70% ATK growth, 60% is the highest in the game that ties with fellow Cipher Randal along with Celica, Mae, and...Genny, of all people. Magic gang? All in all, even if she is right behind them, the high growth is a great showing of where her priorities lie.

SKL: GOOD BASE, GREAT GROWTH

Yuzu is above-average in SKL with a base stat of 13, although there are a fair amount of units who surpass her, mainly veteran warriors such as Deen and Mycen. Still, she beats out a lot of the cast to represent her expertise in her weapon of choice during this adventure: her Warrior's Sword. Unless you decide to use a Pitchfork and reclass her, for some reason.

The growth is a very similar story to ATK growth, with a 60% growth tying her for second with Conrad while the top SKL growth of 75% belongs to Luthier. (Those magical villagers really want to act like they're on top, huh.) This again shows Yuzu emphasizing her willingness to improve her martial arts prowess above all else.

SPD: GREAT BASE, GREAT GROWTH

She starts with 16 base SPD, literally outrunning any playable unit other than Deen who has 17 SPD. It really is a similar story to the last 2 categories, given her 60% SPD growth is only challenged by Kliff, who ties her, and Clair, who wins with a 70% growth. Given how SoV has units double one another based on smaller speed differences unlike other FE games, I can easily imagine Yuzu being incredibly swift, fitting for one sometimes described as a ninja as well as samurai.

LCK: GOOD BASE, OKAY GROWTH

LCK is where Yuzu is somewhat brought back to reality, with a base stat of 9 being good, just not outpacing the majority of the cast by a wide margin. Yuzu does not strike me as a particurally lucky nor unlucky person, yet she would rely more on her own merits to win a fight rather than pure chance. This also explains her decent 35% LCK growth, which is still above-average for playable units, just not incredible.

DEF: OKAY BASE, LOW GROWTH

This is a very similar instance to HP, where technically Yuzu's 7 base DEF is not low, but it is important to comapre her to the competition here. She notably trails behind the rest of the DLC units, along with being on a similar playing field to other promoted units. With the assumption that she'd be a midgame unit, her defense would be quite low. Not frail by any means, but Yuzu is a frontline, offensive force. She trains to trade hits, not excel at tanking them.

30% DEF growth also slightly trails behind the Cipher DLCs, and this time even ties or goes behind a lot more Valentian residents. This serves as further evidence that Yuzu is not attempting to minimize damage, preferring to hone her attacking traits.

RES: GOOD BASE, OKAY GROWTH

RES is usually a low stat in SoV (ignore Emma, she's cheating), but Yuzu's base of 9 RES and even 2% growth is better than a fair amount of the cast. Still, if you try comparing Yuzu's RES while considering her class of Priestess, a mix of physical and magical damage, she is fairly behind the other mages, sages, and even clerics of SoV. I think this fits her desire to prioritize the martial arts rather than magical arts. Otherwise, this is another showing of a priority of offense over defense.

TOL: HIGH

0.6 is the highest Tolerance of the game, meaning Yuzu takes the longest to tire while traveling in dungeons. This is pretty fitting for someone who likely travels often, either to find new opponents or in the pursuit of intense training.

That is the end of Yuzu's SoV stats, but before summarizing I thought it would be nice to pay homage to her source material.

Part 2: The Cooler Way to Calculate Stats

Now this section will definitely be more brief, as Cipher doesn't serve as great material to transition to traditional JRPG stats, given how your attack stat is also technically your defense stat in Cipher. I am also lacking general knowledge of each card's power, so there will be no comparisons. Furthermore, I don't want to speak much about Yuzu's class choices here, as I plan to cover them in a future stats meta.

This time around, this wiki entry assisted in collecting Yuzu's card stats. No images will be used, but instead I will highlight cards via their series and skill names.

SERIES 3 - ATTACK EMBLEM (Cranewinged Swordswoman)

A support skill that provides the main attacking card 20 extra attack. It can easily be seen as a flex of strength, but it also highlights that Yuzu is still a team player when it comes to the battlefield!

SERIES 3 - INDOMITABLE WILL (Flightflash Bravecrane)

Another attack-buffing skill, this time for herself when you are down to your last orb. A sense of desperation, possibly, yet I also see it as Yuzu holding a strong enough will during battles to provide comeback factor.

SERIES 4 - MIXED MARTIAL ARTS (Crane Warrior)

A conditional where Yuzu gains 10 attack when supported by a sword, lance, or axe unit. It's another showing of being a team player, this time thanks to her high weapon experience.

SERIES 7 - NINJA WARRIOR'S TECHNIQUE (Shinobi of the Violet Shadows) 

Yet another +10 attack buff, surprise surprise, but this time being shared with an ally when that ally is a shuriken unit. More cooperative play, which serves well in a TCG setting.

SERIES 9 - SHIELD OF THE POWERLESS (Purple-Gleaming Protector)

A skill that "defends" your weaker allies during the opponent's phase by raising their attack by 10. This is an instance where arguably the attack stat is more of a defense one, but it still shows Yuzu's capability of support.

SERIES 16 - MASTERY OF MOUNTED ARCHERY (Master of Plains Warfare)

This skill gives Yuzu 30 extra attack after she moves in a turn. It's pretty unconventional for her weapon of choice, being a bow in this case, yet I believe this highlights her williness to experiment with unusual strategy and, considering the +30 boost, succeed.

These are only a few out of many skills Yuzu has in Cipher (I ignored ones that are either difficult to explain or more standard for main characters or the rest of the cast), but they definitely paint an interesting image for her. She still boasts high strength and prefers to apply it on the frontline, but she additionally shares her strength with others or builds it off of the weaponry of others, which also requires her allies' aid. It really shows a more supportive role that I feel like the mainline games can lack at times when it comes to physical units, outside of perhaps the 3DS games' pair-up mechanics.

Summary

SoV presents Yuzu as a Priestess who focuses on the physical side to dish out powerful, skillful, and fast sword strikes. However, she sacrifices a fair bit of defensive prowess in doing so, preferring to outright win fights before having to endure multiple hits. Even as a DLC unit, SoV's portrayal of Yuzu matches her nature of being battle-ready very well.

Cipher continues this trend, having many abilities that increase her power. However, not only does she buff herself to make it through fights, she also strengthens those around her with a focus on adapting to and using their varied weaponry, a support she sees value in due to her goals to master any martial art.

Hopefully this analysis goes to show Yuzu isn't just power-hungry, as her journey to be the best requires her to learn from others and support them rather than steamroll every enemy in sight. In that sense, I somewhat prefer Cipher's gameplay portrayal of Yuzu, but that doesn't mean SoV isn't fun or interesting in its own right!

[hosannan]

TOA Anniversary Munday!

Celebrating TOA and the people who contribute to make our group what it is.

Repost, don't reblog. Only fill in what you feel comfortable sharing!

Happy anniversary, TOA! Here's to many more years spent together.

tagging: you!

Name: Annie

Pronouns: she/her or he/him

Birthday (no year): January 12

Where are you from? What is your time zone? California! PST normally! I go to school in the AST timezone

Roleplay experience: 11 years :softsmile: been RPing since I was 15!! Fun fact: I used to have adverse feelings to RP because I used to have friends on youtube before when people used to have personal profiles and talk to each other on there. Then all my friends became Mario RP blogs. (clenches fist) WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU’RE LUIGI NOW

Got any pets? Nope! I shouldn’t have a pet for their sake

Favorite time of year: Winter! Absolutely love it

Some interests and things you like: Farming games! Otomes! Arting once every couple of months. Medicine. I have a fascination of learning just about anything, so one week I could be crocheting, the next week I could be learning about how to respectfully taxidermy a friend’s pet. I also really like punk rock 

Some funfacts & trivia about you: 

I’m quite shy IRL, and I tend to enjoy isolation! Lots of friends have noted the difference between my online self and my IRL self

I picked up metalsmithing (lost-wax casting specifically) and have made some really gaudy, big jewelry pieces. 

I enjoy sparring/physical combat/wrestling. It translates into my combat writing

I used to perform! Played the violin for more than a decade. (am not good at it but love it all the same)

What non-Fire Emblem games do you play? Story of Seasons, Rune Factory, Jack Jeanne, Fata Morgana

Favorite Pokemon type & Pokemon: Psychic, Espeon

How did you get into Fire Emblem? My best friend asked me to buy him Awakening for his birthday! In exchange he bought me Awakening a little later :)

What Fire Emblem games have you played? Just Awakening, actually! Hahaha, whoops. 

First Fire Emblem game: Awakening!

Favorite Fire Emblem game: To be completely fair, none? But from a writing point of view, I love Shadows of Valentia the most 

Any Fire Emblem crushes? 😳 Stahl! Thank god for our initally loveless marriage

If you’ve played the following games, who was your first S support? Who would you S support nowadays? - Awakening: Chrom, then immediately Stahl (x4) - Fates: I’ve never played passed the introduction, but Silas or Takumi if I had to make that choice. - Three Houses: Haven’t played, but Shamir! - Engage: TBD

Favorite Fire Emblem class: Dark Flier/Mage/Pegasus Knight

If you were a Fire Emblem character, what would be your class? Villager! Or (friend assigned) sage, most likely?

If you were a Three Houses character, what would be your affiliation? Black Eagles

If you were an Engage character, which Emblem would you Engage with? Celica! :soft smile: I think Soren (strategy conversations) and Leif (fighting affinity) would also be plausible

How did you find TOA? Chuu!

Current TOA muses: Nanna, Quan, Henry

Who was your first TOA muse? If you don’t have them anymore, could you see yourself picking them up again? Lukas :softsmile: He’s in good hands! I do love him as a muse very much too

Have you had any other TOA muses? Lukas, Gerome, Frederick

Do you think you have a type of character you gravitate towards? No type preference. More than anything, I like three specific voices that completely contrast each other. I also like difficult characters to work with :) (i.e. few lines, strange personalities, discontentment with character’s in-game choices, not many personal bonds)

What do you believe you enjoy writing the most? Motion! Fighting, dancing, moving around. I also, and this is a very silly thing to say, have a tendency to absolutely love my partners’ writing in general. I get very engrossed with how to gel with my partner, and make the writing mesh together. I like referencing old threads, old dialogue lines, completing sentences or thoughts that were left in the cursory. I also enjoy personalizing a character’s narration or writing style based on their mind set. 

Favorite TOA-related memory: Unlocked 2021, my beloved! That event mentally sent me on a loop

How do you pronounce TOA? T-O-A (cheerleader vc)

Got any delusions that didn’t see the light of day that you’d like to share? Alm, Gerome, Conrad, Dwyer, Tsubaki, Ishtar, Kellam, Donnel etc etc August. Manfroy. God I want NPC slots. That said I'm happy with my selection thus so far :)