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Saint Indech's Guide to Fodlan

An unofficial Guide to the world of Fodlan for 5e D&D

Version 1.0.2
Table Of Contents 4 Creating a Character
0 Saint Indech's Guide to Fodlan (p,36) Classes
(p,2) Table of Contents 4.1 Crests
(p,3) Disclaimers (p,37) Standard Crests
(p,4) Map of Fodlan (p,40) Special Crests
4.2 Races
1 Welcome To Fodlan (p,41) Languages
(p,5) Setting the Scene (p,42) Human
(p,6) A Continent in Turmoil (p,43) Homunculus
1.1 The Adrestian Empire (p,44) Agarthan
(p,7) History of the Empire (p,44) Lesser Nabatean
(p,7) Aspects of the Empire 4.3 Backgrounds
(p,8) Noble Houses of the Empire (p,45) Officer's Academy Student
(p,10) Abolished houses of the Empire (p,46) Knight
1.2 The Holy Kingdom of Faerghus (p,47) Those Who Slither in the Dark
(p,12) History of the Kingdom (p,48) Experiment Victim
(p,13) Aspects of the Kingdom 4.4 Feats
(p,14) Noble Houses of the Kingdom (p,49) New Feats
1.3 The Leicester Alliance 4.5 Spells
(p,17) History of the Alliance (p,50) Dark Magic
(p,18) Aspects of the Alliance (p,50) New Spells
(p,19) Noble Houses of the Alliance 4.6 Equipment
1.6 The Church of Seiros (p,54) New Equipment
(p,22) History of the Church 4.7 Magic Items
(p,23) Aspects of the Church (p,55) New Magic Items
(p,24) Dominion of the Church (p,56) Hero's Relics
(p,25) Notable Figures of the Church
5 Monsters
2 Beyond Fodlan (p,61) Reflavoring Monsters
(p,27) Brigid 5.1 New Monsters
(p,28) Almyra (p,63) Demonic Beasts
(p,29) Duscur (p,69) Soldiers
(p,30) Dagda
(p,30) Sreng Credits
(p,31) Morfis
(p,31) Albinea
3 The True History
3.1 Nabateans
(p,32) History of the Nabateans
(p,33) Aspects of the Nabateans
3.2 Agarthans
(p,34) History of the Agarthans
(p,35) Aspects of the Agarthans

Introduction
2
Disclaimers
Accuracy to the Original Work
Copyright While this guide generally presents the lore of the
Fire Emblem is the property of Intelligent Systems and world as it is told in Fire Emblem: Three Houses,
Nintendo. there has been a need to make some changes.
Dungeons and Dragons is the property of Wizards of the (a): The land of Fodlan is vast, and not every
Coast. location or concept was explored in the games. As
I do not claim to own any of these properties. This is a fan- such, it was necessary to create new ideas for
made work, and has no association with any of the locations, people, and more.
aforementioned companies. (b): The lore presented in the games and through
other official sources is incomplete and
This guide is not made to compete with any products occasionally contradictory. Some changes had to
owned by Intelligent Systems, Nintendo, or Wizards of the be made to make sense of and tie together certain
Coast. No money is made as a direct result of this guide. This plot points.
product was made entirely for entertainment. (c): Fire Emblem and Dungeons and Dragons are
two pretty different systems, even if they do share
Art Attribution some similarities. Some changes to both story and
mechanics had to be made in order to fit the
Only the map presented on page 4 belongs to this guide. All balance of the game and for varied gameplay
other art pieces are either official art owned by Intelligent mechanics.
Systems, art made by fans of the series, or unrelated art
owned by a completely separate company.
For art owned by Intelligent Systems, because of the
quantity used, it was not deemed worthwhile to credit each
individual piece. Instead, if you see any art piece without
credits, that piece belongs to Intelligent Systems and/or Follow the Creator
Nintendo and other third-party companies. No artists are If you want to show your support, give feedback, or get
credited in this manner due to the difficult nature of crediting
such works. updates, follow me on Twitter @JakkafangVO.
For art drawn by fans, each artist is credited in text below
or above the piece. This attribution is done to the best of my
ability. If you own the work and either want the credit
changed or the piece removed, my contact information can be
found later on this page and at the end of this guide.
For art owned by other companies, the companies in
question are credited along with the product the art was
mainly used for (such as a game or movie). Again, this is done
to the best of my ability, and if you want the credits changed
or art removed, my contacts are on this page and the final
page.
Many art pieces have a snippet of text below or above,
giving details on how the artwork pertains to the guide. This
may not accurately portray the original intent of the artwork,
and is for the purposes of storytelling only.

Introduction
3
Map of Fodlan
Seen above is the map of Fodlan made for this guide. You're
free to use your own map if you'd like, but this is what is
recommended.
The map shows most of the major locations, but there are
blanks to be filled in by whatever a DM wishes, and there are
assumed to be smaller villages scattered about.
You can find the map on Inkarnate at
https://inkarnate.com/m/YMX8Pw--fodlan/
Feel free to clone the map for any edits you want to make,
just don't pass it off as your own!

Map Credits
Map made by Jacob "Jakkafang" Pamplin using Inkarnate
Map Maker.
Based on the map by Intelligent Systems.

Introduction
4
Welcome To Fodlan

L
ong ago, the Goddess descended upon Fodlan Month
from the heavens. To guide the people of Moon Counterpart Notable Days
Fodlan, the Goddess gave the gift of Crests to Guardian January Saint Seiros Day
eleven individuals, these would be known as Moon (11th)
Nemesis and the 10 Elites, who would govern Pegasus Moon February
Fodlan for years to come.
Peace would not last long, and soon Nemesis Lone Moon March Saint Indech Day (2nd)
would be corrupted by his new power and gathered the 10
Elites to his side and began a rule of tyranny, setting up his Climate
kingdom in northern Fodlan. The climate of Fodlan is an odd thing. Due to the abundance
To combat the tyranny of the new "King of Liberation", the of magic in the world the climate can shift dramatically
Goddess gave new Crests to 5 chosen individuals, Saint between regions. The general climate of Fodlan is similar to
Seiros and the 4 Saints. Seiros assisted William Hresvelg in Western Europe, often cold and cloudy. Each region outside
creating the Adrestian Empire, and the War of Heroes began. Fodlan has its own climate as well, many of which break
After many years, Seiros and Nemesis faced off on the common sense due to magic.
Tailtean Plains, and ends with Nemesis' defeat. With peace
brought to Fodlan, the Church of Seiros was founded, and a
new age of prosperity began. Monsters
This is the origin of Fodlan. Monsters are not as big a part of stories in Fodlan as in other
At least, that's what we're told. settings. Most Combats are against soldiers, and most of the
monsters that would generally appear are the monsters
Setting the Scene shown in this guide. With that said, you can still reflavor most
monsters to fit the setting. You can find more info on
Fodlan is significantly different from most D&D settings, and reflavoring monsters in the "Monsters" section.
it's important to establish various aspects of the world before
going into the story. Magic Restrictions
Calendar To avoid conflicts in lore and to avoid trivializing certain
aspects, certain spells are not available for players to take.
Fodlan uses its own calendar system, similar to the They can still be found as spell scrolls however.
Gregorian Calendar that we use in modern days, but with Raise Dead
some key differences. Reincarnate
The calendar uses "Moons" instead of months, and starts Resurrection
the year with the equivalent of April. Each moon has the True Resurrection
same number of days as their real-life counterparts. Teleportation Circle
Month
Planeshift
Moon Counterpart Notable Days Scrying
In addition, the Goodberry spell now only sustains a
Great Tree April
Moon
Adrestian Empire Founding Day
(1st)
creature for 1 meal per berry instead of a day.
Harpstring May Saint Macuil Day (21st) Races
Moon
None of the typical fantasy races exist in Fodlan except
Garland
Moon
June Humans, and as far as most people are aware, humans are
the only race that exists, more info can be found in the
Blue Sea July Saint Cethleann Day (12th) "Races" section.
Moon
Verdant August Crests
Rain Moon
A magical ability innate to certain people that can be passed
Horsebow September Leicester Alliance Founding Day down between generations, and is a large part of religion and
Moon (8th) politics in Fodlan. More can be found about them in the
Wyvern October "Crests" section of this guide.
Moon
Red Wolf November Holy Kingdom of Faerghus
Moon Founding Day (21st)
Ethereal December Saint Cichol Day (27th)
Moon

Part 1 | Lore
5
A Continent in Turmoil What Route?
This campaign setting assumes that your campaign will start Fire Emblem: Three Houses is known for having
in Imperial Year 1183, approximately three years into the war four different routes, each of which affect the
between the Empire and its neighbors. As a DM, you can events of the story. As such, it's important to know
choose to start your campaign in a different time, but you what the "canonical" route is for this campaign
may have to adjust the lore to accommodate. setting.
It's assumed for this story that "Byleth" chose
not to teach any individual house, but instead
The War of Reunification taught each house equally. This leads to a "neutral
Started at the very end of Imperial Year 1180, this war has route" that takes aspects from each possible story.
forever changed Fodlan. The Adrestian Empire declared war However, it's worth noting that the closest
on the Entirety of Fodlan, promising to reunite the continent routes to this story are Azure Moon and Verdant
Wind, as such it is recommended that a DM play at
into one country. The declaration was followed by a swift least one of those routes.
deployment of soldiers to the Empire's borders, and many
battles were quickly won before the enemy had a chance to
prepare.
Now the war has slowed down, many lands have been Nobility
taken, but the rebel forces have backed themselves into
remote and easily-defended positions, leading to a temporary Nobles are a huge part of Fodlan, each country has its own
standstill. Players have the opportunity to push back the set of noble families, each with their own traditions and
Empire, or to assist them in taking new lands for the history. Some families place a heavy emphasis on crests,
reunification. while others see crests as a boon, not a necessity. Most are
patriarchal, but a few allow female heads of the house.
Religion in Fodlan Noble families are described individually alongside their
relevant country. While the families described are the main
The primary religion in Fodlan is the Church of Seiros, a important ones, there are still smaller lords who have control
monotheistic religion that worships a single goddess. The of less prominent areas, as a DM feel free to create such
church is incredibly prevalent, and is overwhelmingly the lords yourself.
dominant religion, with most others being practically
unheard of. More information can be found in the "Church of
Seiros" section.
Other religions exist outside of Fodlan as well, with each
one being described in the sections regarding their relevant
region.
The gods cannot be proven to exist, and as such the power
of Clerics and other wielders of divine magic comes from
faith, as opposed to a direct gift of power.

A mural depicting the Goddess of Fodlan (Which may or may


not be inaccurate).
Part 1 | Lore
6
The Adrestian Empire
The oldest of the three countries, the Adrestian Empire has
changed from the centerpoint of the church and into an anti-
religious land of scholars.
History of the Empire
Origins
The Empire was founded in Imperial Year 1, by Wilhelm I
and Saint Seiros. It initially claimed dominion of Fodlan's
southern half, but after the War of Heroes concluded the
northern regions were taken as well.
The First Brigid and Dagda War
In Imperial Year 721, the allied forces of Brigid and Dagda
attacked and annihilated the land of Mach, one of the
Empires allied neighbors. The Empire retaliated on behalf of
their ally, and Brigid was subjugated as a vassal.
The Empire attempted an attack on Dagda as well, but The War of Reunification
because of the great distance between the lands, the In 1180, the Princess Edelgard took control of the Empire
campaign was a failure. from the hands of her father Ionius IX, who was grateful for
Brigid was eventually released from its bonds (only to be the opportunity to hand it over, as he was old and sick. She
taken again in a few hundred years), but the land of Mach was then disposed of over half the nobles in power, either by
so badly damaged that it was decided it would become a part assassination or house arrest.
of the Empire. When all obstacles to her power were removed, Edelgard
declared war on Fodlan, and specifically the Church of
The War of the Eagle and Lion Seiros. The war continues to this day.
In 747, the leader of house Blaiddyd, Loog, incited a revolt in
the northwest corner of the Empire. In 751, the war ended Aspects of the Empire
with the Kingdom of Faerghus being officially recognized as The Empire is a diverse territory, but there are some fairly
an independent country. consistent themes throughout. This section describes what
Later, in 801, the Leicester region also decided to revolt, you can expect when visiting Empire territory.
and joined the Kingdom, though inheritance disputes would
later cause the region to rebel once more and become the Architecture
Leicester Alliance. Adrestian architecture takes inspiration from the Roman
Empire. Aqueducts and stoneworking give larger cities a
The Southern Church feeling of technological superiority compared to the rest of
In 1065, a branch of the Church of Seiros, the Southern Fodlan.
Church, formed an insurrection in Enbarr. It was put down as
quickly as it started, and house Varley was formed as the Respect and Nobility
ministry of religion to take the Southern Church's role. This Due to a prevalence of scholars and nobles, even the
would be the start of tense relations between the Church of common people try to keep an aura of professionalism and
Seiros and the Empire. respect. Outbursts of emotion are frowned upon, and art is
most appreciated when it is minimalistic and functional.
The Insurrection of the Seven
In 1167, after realizing that Emperor Ionius IX was Sages Versus Scholars
attempting to centralize power to the throne, house Hrym While the Empire may now be a secular nation, it was still
attempted to defect to the Leicester Alliance. House Hrym the center of religion for a long time. Nowadays those of faith
was completely wiped out by the Empire, with the whole face persecution, with some denoting them as "mindless
genetic line being executed drones" and others accusing them of plotting against the
After this event the other noble families grew worried, and Empire.
in 1171 Duke Ludwig von Aegir rallied all the other major However, there is no official stance against the religion
nobles into rebellion. The Emperor was stripped of his power itself. In fact, the Empire has enlisted the help of the Western
and made into a puppet leader, with the Duke Aegir Church and house Varley in order to gather supporters from
becoming the effective head of the Empire. within the Church.
The Second Brigid and Dagda War
In 1175, Brigid and Dagda once again attacked the Empire,
this time landing in the territories of Nuvelle and Ochs. The
invasion was suppressed, and Brigid was once more made
into a vassal state, this time with no intention of release.

Part 1 | Lore
7
Vestra
House Vestra serves as the Ministry of the Imperial
Household, the family is responsible for assisting with the
Emperor's responsibilities, such as preparing for rituals,
taking care of the Imperial consorts and children, and
maintaining the Imperial Guard.
The family does not have any members with crests, as
interweaving between other houses could cause a conflict of
interests.
The current Marquis is Hubert von Vestra, who took his
father's position after he personally conducted the
assassination.
House Vestra has no territory of its own, but is in charge of
Emperor Edelgard rallies her troops as she declares war. governing the territories of house Hresvelg
Cold, Not Cruel Aegir
In order to achieve victory in a war against two major foes, This house of the Imperial Prime Ministers, house Aegir
the empire decided it was acceptable to use tactics that many often enjoys a similar amount of power to the Imperial
would describe as unethical. The most controversial of these household, if not more. This was especially true after the
tactics is the use of Demonic Beasts; giant monsters made by Insurrection of the Seven, but has since fallen back to its
transforming a human subject. former place after Emperor Edelgard took the throne.
However, the Leadership of the Empire is careful not to House Aegir is known for having the Crest of Cichol within
lose all morality, and make careful effort to be sure that its bloodline.
anything they do is necessary for the Empire's survival. Abuse The current head of the house is technically Duke Ludwig
is not tolerated within the army, and most experiments use von Aegir, however he has been on house arrest since the
near-death volunteers. Not every corner of the Empire can be start of the war, and his son Ferdinand has been managing
monitored however, and as with any war, many take the the territory ever since.
opportunity to commit atrocities for pleasure or profit.
Locations in the Dukedom
Things To Consider The Dukedom of Aegir has expanded tremendously over the
If your character is from the Empire, here are some last few decades, after it has taken claim of lands whose
questions you should answer: noble families deteriorated.
"What do you think about the war? Do you support the The City of Aegir is the primary domain of house Aegir. It
Empire's cause?" is a shining territory with wealth displayed around every
"What are your opinions on the Church of Seiros?" corner. The city originally had problems with poor people
"Where did you get your education?" being cast into the shadows and brought to starvation, but
now the young lord has taken care that all peoples are
Noble Houses of the Empire given a chance to thrive in the domain.
Hresvelg Rusalka is a small territory to the south, filled with lakes
House Hresvelg is the Imperial Family. By tradition, the and a small village. The area is home to all sorts of
Emperor takes multiple consorts in order to produce as many wandering monsters, demonic or otherwise, making it a
heirs as possible. good place for hunters to find good (if dangerous) work.
The family received the blessing of Saint Seiros, and thus The area was originally ruled by house Martritz, but when
the family bears her Crest in their bloodline. the house was abolished it was taken in by Aegir, who
After the Insurrection of The Seven, a suspicious string of imposed taxes on the land and otherwise let it run itself.
misfortunes befell the Emperor's children, and only one
survived: the now-Emperor Edelgard. Boramis is another small territory even further south,
which was formerly ruled by house Bartels before the
Locations in the Territory: family's untimely demise. The area had a rich gem mine,
The territories of house Hresvelg encompass much of the but when it was depleted the town quickly become
southern tip of the Empire. Actual governance of the region is abandoned. The only purpose Boramis currently serves is
done by house Vestra. to harbor bandits and foolhardy prospectors, both looking
Enbarr is the Imperial capitol, with sprawling waterways to earn quick money.
said to be created by Saint Seiros herself through
miracles. The city is home to the Mittelfrank Opera
Company, which is well-regarded as the greatest colletion
of bards in Fodlan.
Mavric Is a small fishing village, which provides a simple
rest stop for those traveling to and from the capitol.

Part 1 | Lore
8
Arundel Hevring
After the sister of a minor lord was taken in as the queen House Hevring serves as the Empire's Ministry of Internal
consort, her brother was given the title of Lord Volkhard von Affairs, maintaining the judiciary, financing, and
Arundel. administration, among other tasks.
The house was only recently formed, and bears no crest in The family is descended from monks who worked
the bloodline. alongside Saint Cethleann, and therefor bear her Crest.
Locations in the Territory: Locations in the County
The territories of Arundel encompass the northern border of The territories of Hevring encompass the southern regions of
the Empire. They were instrumental in annexing the the mountains known as Fodlan's Fangs, as well as the areas
southern territories of the Kingdom. connecting the East and West sides of the Empire. The area
is warm and swampy, with plants that cannot be found
Arundel is the primary domain of the house, and is a well- anywhere else in Fodlan.
fortified military city. The city was formerly known as a
center of faith in the Empire, but in the past 9 years Town Hevring is house Hevring's main territory. The
support for the Church of Seiros has been slowly stamped town has a prosperous mining business, gathering coal,
out. silver, and copper from the Oghma Mountains.
Remire is a small village just west of Garreg Mach. While Lupin is a territory that Hevring inherited from house
technically under Arundel domain, the lord shows no Essar, a noble family that dissipated after its last heir
interest in the area, and it is often mistaken as being abandoned his title. The village gains its industry from
under the domain of the church. As such, more fishing and gathering the plants in the Hevring Swamps.
information can be found in the Church of Seiros section
of this guide. Varley
Timotheos is a hidden village in the forests south of House Varley serves as the Mistry of Religion, and maintains
Arundel. The village considers itself independent from the relations with the Church. However, with the Empire at war
Empire, and to many outside it is simply a local legend. with the Church, house Varley's role has changed somewhat,
The village was created by the Apostle Timotheos, and is and they now focus on keeping the loyalty of believers in the
protected by various spells that he left to defend the place. Empire. They also have taken on some aspects of the
judiciary, causing conflicts with house Hevring.
The family holds the Crest of Indech in their blood.
Bergliez The current Count Varley is placed under house arrest, his
House Bergliez serves as the Ministry of Military Affairs. The daughter has technically been granted his role temporarily,
family is well-respected for their might and strategy, though but she leaves the actual duties to her retainers.
often criticized for their emotional outbursts.
The family has the Crests of Cichol and Indech in their Locations in the County
bloodline, but it's rare for a member to actually bear either of The territory of Varley is small, only encompassing a small
the crests. region below Garreg Mach. The area is surprisingly dry and
The family of Bergliez is quite large, with many members arid, despite the proximity to various rivers. Territory disputes
competing for influence. Despite this, they all seem to get with Bergliez are common, due to their close proximity.
along well, and they serve as a model for other noble families.
The Town of Varley serves as house Varley's centerpoint,
Locations in the County and gains most of its industry from mining adamantine
The County of Bergliez encompasses the eastern plains of and iron from the nearby mountains.
the Empire. Holding the largest territory out of all the
families, though most of it remains empty and unused. Ochs
House Ochs serves to regulate trade between the other two
Fort Merceus is the largest citadel in the Empire, and nations of Fodlan. With the war, and loss of several leaders,
bears the nickname "The Stubborn Old General". It, and the house has struggled greatly in the past few years.
the surrounding town, serve as the seat of house Bergliez. The house members occasionally bear the Crest of
The area is known for its abundant agriculture and Cethleann, but such occurrences are rare.
fishing. The house has lost several Barons in the past few years.
Gronder Field is a large valley surrounded by small One Baron Ochs was lost in the second Brigid and Dadga
mountains. The various farms within produce much of the war. Another, the former Baron's brother, was turned into a
eastern Empire's food. It also serves as an easily demonic beast after a black-market-deal gone wrong. The
defendable location, and was the original site of the house is now led by the latter baron's widow.
decisive battle in the War of the Eagle and Lion, as well as Locations in the Barony
the mock battles that were held by the officer's academy. Ochs is a small town that gains its industry from trade
and fishing.

Part 1 | Lore
9
Gerth Abolished houses of the Empire
House Gerth serves as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. While In recent years, political turmoil has left certain houses
originally a minor noble family who occupied territory on the without the needed heirs, or with heirs unable or unwilling to
Brionac Plateau, they took their current position after house take over the family.
Nuvelle was wiped out. They're kept quite busy during the
war.
Despite the circumstances, Duke Gerth has been working House Nuvelle
with the last surviving member of house Nuvelle to restore This house served as the previous Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
her former power without having to sacrifice house Gerth's They benefited greatly from trade with other nations, and
influence. were one of the most important houses in the Empire.
The family of Gerth bears no crests. Officially, the house bore the Crest of Macuil, but in reality
it was the crest of Noa, disguised by magic.
Locations in the Dukedom The house fell in 1175 to the forces of Brigid and Almyra.
The Dukedom of Gerth encompasses the very western tip of The entire family was wiped out, with the exception of the
the Empire, as well as a small portion east of that, known as second child and first daughter, Constance. The young
the Brionac Plateau. heiress now works to reclaim her former house's power.
Gerth is a small town in the lower areas of the Brionac Locations in the Viscounty
Plateau. The area's main source of income is woodcutting Nuvelle once occupied the far west portion of the Empire.
and gathering from the Plateau. Nuvelle is a small city that was the seat of Nuvelle's
Nuvelle is a small city that previously belonged to the power. Now it has found itself in the domain of house
house of the same name. The town prospers from trade Gerth. The city has mostly recovered from the invasion,
with nations like Brigid and Dagda. but the scars can still be seen in some parts of the city.
The Brionac Plateau is a large set of hills and
mountains, with tower-like rock formations that can be
seen from miles. The area is lush with vegetation, and has
a number of fortifications built around the cliffs.
Hrym
The family of Hrym was executed after attempting to join the
Alliance and causing a rebellion. The current Viscount Hrym
is actually a general who was given both the title and name by
Duke Aegir, and serves only as a puppet ruler. His adopted
son, the young Lord Jeritza, serves in the Empire's army.
The old family of Hrym bore the Crest of Macuil, and was
actually the only house to do so, as Nuvelle only pretended to
bear the Crest. The house had a rule of not marrying into any
noble family, nor any family that bears a crest. Members of
the house claim that this is because of a deal the Saint made
with the original Hrym. Children of the family were told that
if they break the deal, the Saint will enact his punishment
onto them. Many outsiders believe this to be no more than a
scary story, but the family of Hrym took it extremely seriously.
While Hrym is officially controlled by Duke Aegir, it has
recently been governed by Arundel with the Duke on house
arrest. Yet the lord still signs in the name of the Duke,
diverting unwanted attention from himself.
Locations in the Viscounty
The viscounty extends to the Eastern tip of the Empire, just
south of the Airmid River.
Hrym is a small town overridden with crime. Harsh taxes
imposed onto the people have driven many to banditry.
Many attempt to flee past the Airmid River and into
Ordellia territory, only to find similar circumstances
awaiting them there.

The young heiress of Nuvelle, Constance, 1180.

Part 1 | Lore
10
House Bartels
The family of Bartels had a history of shady dealings and
immoral actions. They constantly sought out crest-bearing The Land of Mach
brides for their heirs, in order to add as many crests as Just south of Enbarr lies an island named Mach.
possible to their bloodline. Mach used to be an independent nation, but after
Due to their crest-obsessed nature, house Bartels had the the First Brigid and Dagdan War, Mach was almost
Crests of Cichol, Cethleann, Indech, Charon, and, most completely destroyed. Now, it serves as an
extension of the Empire.
recently, Lamine. Being so far south and having easy sea access
After their mines depleted, the family became stuck in a means that it serves as a haven for those seeking
power struggle. In 1176, most of the family was found dead in refuge from the war. While technically Empire
their home. The only survivor was the youngest son, Emile. territory, only a small number of Imperial soldiers
The young man was thought by many to have murdered his are stationed on the island. Bandits are also quite
family to win the power struggle, but after he left his common, though they have to keep just a low
inheritance behind, the rumors were seemingly proven false. enough profile to not provoke aggression from the
capitol.
Locations in the Barony There are two major settlements on Mach. Pirn is
Boramis was a small mining town that produced the larger of the two, serving as the point of travel
gemstones used in magic and jewlery. The mines were between Mach and Enbarr. Keld is a smaller fishing
depleted in 1175, leading to the power struggle that village that still gets some trade from the eastern
eventually brought the region to ruin. The town is now side of the Empire.
home only to bandits, smugglers, and treasure hunters.
House Martritz
House Martritz was a minor house with little influence, but a
sizable amount of territory. The last baron Martritz had no
sons, and his widow and daughter were prevented from
inheriting the house by political schemes.
The house was descended from Lamine, of the Ten Elites,
and thus bear her Crest. The Hero's relic known as the Rafail
Gem was owned by house Martritz, but its whereabouts are
unknown.
Locations in the Barony
The former Barony of Martritz is a large, but undeveloped
land full of hunters and wilderness.
Rusalka is a small territory filled with lakes and a small
village. The area does mostly fine without the noble
house, though they no longer have any official protection
from the bandits to the south. The people of the area are
tough and capable, so they don't worry too much.

Part 1 | Lore
11
The Holy Kingdom of
Faerghus
A kingdom of knights and warriors, the Holy Kingdom of
Faerghus now stands divided, as the Empire's forces have
annexed much of the land.
History of the Kingdom
Origins
The Kingdom was once a region of the Empire, but in
Imperial Year 747, Loog of House Blaiddyd declared war,
intending to separate from the Empire. He was assisted by
his allies Kyphon and Pan.
Four years later, in 751, he claimed victory over the
Empire, and the Church of Seiros negotiated peace between
the nations. The Kingdom of Faerghus was declared an
independent nation, with the condition that the Church of
Seiros be the official religion. The Tragedy of Duscur
In 1176, King Lambert went off on a diplomatic mission to
Acquisition and Loss of Leicester the lands of Duscur, along with a large escort, including the
In 801, the Leicester region followed the example of the queen consort and the young Prince. While on the way, they
Kingdom and started a rebellion against the Empire. The were beset upon by unidentified assailants. The King and his
Kingdom seized the opportunity, and decided to seize the guard were slaughtered, and the only survivor was the young
territory. prince Dimitri.
Years later, in 881, the Archduke of Leicester passed away. After the event, it was the people of Duscur who were
The people of Leicester decided they didn't want to be ruled blamed for the attack, despite the prince's insistence
by the Kingdom, and chose leadership under house Riegan. otherwise. The people were slaughtered indiscriminately,
The result was the Crescent Moon War, which lasted for reducing the population of southern Duscur to 1/10th of what
twenty years before Leicester finally was able to declare it was before.
independence, Creating the Leicester Alliance. With the prince too young to take the throne, his uncle,
Grand Duke Rufus of Itha, served as regent. He gave the
Plague of 1160 territory of Duscur to house Kleiman, giving them dominance
In the year 1160, due to poor irrigation, a deadly disease over its people. Under the Archduke's rule, the Kingdom
ravaged Fhirdiad and the other northern regions. Thousands slowly fell into turmoil.
dies, including the queen consort, who had just given birth to
the crown prince Dimitri. In 1163, the mage Cornelia was The Empire's Attack
granted the position of the Court Mage after her ingenious In late 1180/early 1181, Imperial forces quickly passed
engineering led to the eradication of the malady. through Kingdom territory and occupied the regions before
any countermeasures could be deployed. The region was
Invasion of Sreng quickly annexed, and the entire western half of the Kingdom
In 1168, King Lambert, along with Lord Rodrigue Fraldarius, came under Empire Control
launched an invasion of the southern regions of Sreng. The Now branded the Faerghus Dukedom, many of the noble
people of Sreng had long raided the Northern Kingdom, and houses only follow the Empire to avoid being destroyed. Not
it was decided that finishing them off would be the only way all are willing to accept the reunification, and houses
to maintain peace. The territory was given to house Gautier, Fraldarius, Gautier, and Daphnel spearhead the rebellion.
which previously only held territory within the domain of House Charon and the city of Fhirdiad remain neutral, but
Blaiddyd. have a high liklihood of joining the Empire's side very soon.
The Blaiddyd Incident
In 1181, Archduke Rufus was found dead in the halls of
Castle Blaiddyd. Lady Cornelia accused Prince Dimitri of
having murdered him due to rumors of the Duke's
involvement in the Tragedy of Duscur. The Prince was
sentenced to death before anyone had time to react, and was
swiftly executed.
Cornelia now serves as the new regent, but faces
significant opposition. She is unable to exert full authority
due to accusations about her blaming the prince for her own
crime.
In addition, rumors circulate that the prince may still be
alive and in hiding somewhere...

Part 1 | Lore
12
Aspects of the Kingdom The Dukedom
In the cold northern territories, each location has found its Over half the Kingdom has been taken as Empire territory.
own way of getting by, but still, there are some unified aspects Some nobles and other high-ranking officials were eager to
worth noting. take the opportunity for personal gain, but the common
people are not so easily willing to let go of their identities.
Rebellions are common, and much of the current stalemate is
Architecture due to the constant need to quell these uprisings.
The architecture of the kingdom is simplistic. Simple log
cabins make up most of the small villages. Southern regions A Hatred of Duscur
take after English construction, while more northern regions Bigotry towards the people of Duscur was not uncommon
take on a more Nordic theme. even before that fateful day, so when it was said that the
people of Duscur had killed the King, many did not give it a
Chivalry and Knighthood second thought. None questioned the scale of the conspiracy,
The land of Faerghus is well known for devoted knights and or thought to seek out the specific perpetrators. Instead, the
respected lords. Indeed, an official organization known as the guilt was placed on all the people, be they elderly, a child, or
Knights of Faerghus serve as both military and law disabled. The people of southern Duscur were nearly wiped
enforcement, and is overseen by the royal family. In addition, out.
knighthood grants more respect and authority in Faerghus While things have calmed down a bit, with the new threat
compared to the other nations. Children grow up idolizing the Kingdom faces, attacks against the people of Duscur are
the knights of the land. still common even in broad daylight. Those of Duscur origin
should always travel with a respected ally while in Kingdom
A Darker Truth territory.
Like the historical knights of our world, many of the Knights The Empire has started passing laws against persecution
of Faerghus are not the shining heroes that many believe. of Duscans, and many of the survivors have started to pledge
More often than not the knights were given their titles from their allegiance to the Empire in return.
an uncaring lord, in exchange for payments or services. Many
"Knights" are just bandits with a better reputation.
That's not to say there aren't more idealistic knights out
there, but they are often overshadowed by thugs looking to do
a lord's dirty work.
A Fight Against the Land Itself
Given the climate of Faerghus, survival is difficult for those
living outside of larger cities. Children need to learn to brave
the harsh world outside their homes early on, and so many
are taught to wield weaponry before they learn to read or
write.
Art and other displays of wealth are considered arrogant,
unless they are to honor prominent figures such as kings and
generals. A lord who wishes to show his power will instead
invest in fortifications around his territory, as well as a small
personal army.
A Pious People
With the Church having assisted in the recognition of the
Kingdom, and with the Kingdom in turn instating the Church
of Seiros as its official religion, the people of Faerghus are
devout followers. Before the southern regions were annexed, The late King Lambert (Credit: Tamafry)
followers fled to Faerghus at the start of the war. Numerous
holy sites reside in Faerghus as well, some abandoned for
years and currently attracting treasure hunters. Things to Consider
Currently, the Western Church is attempting to sway If your character is from the Kingdom, here are some
followers to the Empire's side. More about the Western questions you should answer:
Church can be found in the "Church of Seiros" section, but in "What side of Faerghus are they on, the old Kingdom,
short, the Western Church attempted to separate itself from or the new Dukedom? Does your character support that
the Central Church, and was almost eradicated. side?"
"How did your character learn to fight?"
"What does your character think of the knights? What
about the Royal family?"
"What does your character think of the Church of
Seiros, both the Central and Western branches?"
"What does your character think of Duscur and its
people?"
Part 1 | Lore
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Noble Houses of the Kingdom House Gautier
The house of Gautier has gained significant power within the
House Blaiddyd last fifteen years. The house was given control of the border
The royal family, which has ruled Faerghus for over 400 to the Sreng region, and are tasked with keeping out the war
years. Unfortunately, all members of the main family have bands that often attempt to raid the borderlands. They have
passed away, leaving only distant relatives who bear the often placed a large importance on Crests, even before
name. The house once commanded great respect, but after inheriting the region, as they want each heir to be capable of
the various tragedies the family has endured over the last few using their relic, the Lance of Ruin.
years, the family's influence has weakened. As descendants of the Hero Gautier, the family bears his
House Blaiddyd is descended from the Elite of the same Crest and holds his relic.
name, and thus bear his Crest. The family also held the relic The family's territory now serves as a stronghold for the
Areadbhar, but it went missing during the Blaiddyd incident. rebellion. Geutier's cavalry is unmatched within the
Locations in the Territory
Kingdom, and their new use of hit-and-run tactics have
proven effective, even if they are seen as cowardly by some
The territory of Blaiddyd is most of the northern areas of the (including the margrave himself).
Kingdom.
Locations in the Margravate
Fhirdiad is the kingdom's capitol. After the assistance of House Gautier was given territory in the border of Sreng, and
the mage Cornelia, the city gained impressive control the mountain range that separates the two regions.
infrastructure, including waterways, hospitals, and waste
disposal. The city is also home to the School of Sorcery Gautier is a fortress city built to withstand heavy assault
The School of Sorcery is the most influential magic- from either side. The mountainous regions provide
focused school. The Officer's Academy may be more natural defenses and abundant mines.
respected for its variety, but in pure magic and House Galatea
scholarship, the School of Sorcery is unparalleled. House Galatea was formed from a split within house
Itha is a small region east of the capitol. Archduke Rufus Daphnel. Several of Daphnel's members split off to join the
was given the domain of Itha, after he was passed in the Kingdom, and were granted a small county in exchange for
line of succession for not bearing a Crest. Now the their loyalty. Now, the house faces numerous struggles, and is
territory has passed to his administrator. The territory is on the verge of collapse.
mostly barren, but with a few profitable quarries. Due to being related to house Daphnel, they possess
Daphnel's Crest, and took with them the Hero's Relic Lúin.
The Tailtean Plains lies south of Fhirdiad. The plains Now the house supports the rebellion, though with their
serve as an agricultural center for the Northern Kingdom. limited resources they can barely defend their own territory,
It was the battlefield for the defeat of Nemesis in 91, and much less send troops out to fight. This puts the house in an
again for the defeat of the Adrestian Emperor in 751. extremely dangerous position.
Locations in the County
House Fraldarius Galatea territory is small and underdeveloped, but had the
House Fraldarius has served as the allies of the royal family advantage of easy access to the Alliance, as it resides right at
for generations. Kyphon, the friend of Loog, was of house the border.
Fraldarius. The house holds great respect and admiration
from the people of Faerghus. Galatea is a small town at the border of the Kingdom and
The house is descended from Fraldarius of the Ten Elites, Alliance. A blight struck in 1172, and the region has had a
and thus bear her Crest. They also possess the Aegis Shield, hard time recovering.
Fraldarius' Relic.
The current head of Fraldarius, Rodrigue, also known as
the "Shield of Faerghus" spearheads the rebellion against the
Empire.
Locations in the Dukedom
The dukedom of Fraldarius occupies the Northeastern edge
of Faerghus.
Fraldarius is a coastal city that serves as the seat of
power for house Fraldarius. The city gains much of its
profits from trade with the Alliance. The smiths of
Fraldarius are also known to be experts of the craft.
Conand Tower is a large tower that stands several
hundred feet above the plains. The fortification serves for Sun shines in the worn-down region of Galatea (Credit:
both defense and intel, allowing soldiers to see enemies Arcania: Gothic 4, by Spellbound Entertainment)
from miles away. The tower is the crux of the rebellion's
defenses.

Part 1 | Lore
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House Charon House Rowe
A house of counts near the Oghma Mountains, house Charon Originally part of the Empire, the fortress city of Arianrhod
served as the original mediator between the Church of Seiros was built along the border to protect the Empire from further
during the War of the Eagle and Lion. Since then the house attacks. House Rowe was given dominion over the fortress,
has performed a similar role, as well as hosting various and before anyone could process what was happening, they
ceremonial competitions. revolted and joined the Kingdom.
House Charon bears the aptly named Crest of Charon, and Now, house Rowe is regarded with mixed renown, some
are descended from that Elite. They once owned the believe them to be the new standard for knighthood and
legendary weapon Thunderbrand, but allowed the Church to nobility, and others believe them to be nothing more than
give it to a prominent member of the knights of Seiros. scoundrels. Whatever the case, house Rowe has been gaining
The house had a large scandal about 7 years ago, when power quickly.
their heir, Cassandra, was accused of having been a House Rowe has taken in many spouses and adoptees who
conspirator in the tragedy of Duscur. Luckily the family is bear Crests, but so far no child has yet been born into the
large, and there are more than enough potential heirs to take family that bears one.
her place. Count Rowe has pledged his allegiance to the Empire and
House Charon used much of its resources in helping with the Dukedom. Rowe serves as the centerpoint of the
the suppression of the Western Church just three years ago, Dukedom's forces.
and have little in the ways of soldiers. As such, they remain Locations in the County
neutral in the fight between the Empire and the Rebellion.
They are only left alone because the Empire has bigger The county of Rowe covers a large area on the border of the
threats to deal with. Empire and the former Kingdom.
Locations in the County Arianrhod is a fortress city that serves as Faerghus' main
Charon is a small town north of Garreg Mach. The town line of defense. It now serves as house Rowe's seat of
is known for hosting regular fighting tournaments for power. The city has received huge boons in trade from the
entertainment and religious purposes. While the prize Empire in recent years.
pools have decreased or been abandoned altogether due Rowe was once house Rowe's primary territory, and still
to the war, volunteers still perform to keep morale high holds great significance to the house. It gains much of its
and to get in some good training. industry from fishing in the nearby lakes and rivers.
Lake Teutates is a huge lake to north of the City of Rowe.
Cassandra In the dry seasons, the water recedes enough to reveal an
House Charon's heir, Cassandra, was forced to ancient temple beneath the water. It's also said that a
become a fugitive and flee to the Church. There, giant monster lurks beneath the waters, but no such
she took up arms as a Knight of Seiros. She now rumors have been proven.
fights as "Thunder Catherine", a renowned warrior.
Officially, house Charon is hunting Cassandra Rindeston was the base of operations for the Western
down, but in reality, they are aware of her position Church. The area has fallen into disrepair in recent years,
within the Church and are happy to let her do as and only a few faithful still remain, while the rest moved
she pleases. to various places in the Dukedom and west Empire.
House Gaspard
House Gaspard serves as the assistants to house Rowe. They
are one of the smaller noble houses, but they've recently had
a great impact. In 1180, Lord Lonato of Gaspard assisted in
the rebellion of the Western Church. He was killed in battle,
but his actions were known around the continent.
Now, his adoptive son Ashe is set to inherit the lands, along
with his siblings. The Gaspard line has been wiped out, but
their legacy continues. Neither bloodline ever contained a
Crest.
Gaspard territory sides with house Rowe, and therefor
sides with the Empire. The young lord has been known to
express his distaste of the Empire however, and rising
tensions may lead to conflict if nothing changes.

"Thunder Catherine", hero of the Knights of Seiros

Part 1 | Lore
15
Locations Within Gaspard
Gaspard territory lies south of Rowe, and next to the Church
of Seiros and the Adrestian border.
Gaspard is the main town within the territory. The quality
of life has decreased recently, as many of those capable of
fighting have been sent to aid in the war efforts.
Magdred Way is a forest path connecting castle Gaspard
to Garreg Mach. The area is known for its scenic views,
but can often find itself enshrouded in fog some times of
the year.
House Kleiman
House Kleiman is one of the more up-and-coming houses.
Having been given authority over Duscur about 7 years ago.
The people of Kleiman are especially cruel against the people
of Duscur, keeping many of them as slaves.
The house bears no Crest in its bloodline.
Now, house Kleiman has pledged its loyalty to the
Dukedom, though they feel threatened by the recent efforts to
protect the Duscans.
Locations in the Viscounty
Kleiman territory encompasses the lands formerly known as
southern Duscur.
Kleiman is the stronghold that stands at the border
between Duscur and the Kingdom. Its mountainous
terrain make it perfectly suited for preventing attack from
the north, but the territory is practically defenseless from
the south.
Duscur, or actually, south Duscur, has been subjugated by
house Kleiman. More information about Duscur can be
found in "Beyond Fodlan".
House Dominic
House Dominic quite possibly is the smallest of any house
descended directly from the 10 Elites. The house occupies
very little territory and holds very little influence compared to
most other houses. The house has served as the guards to
the royal family for generations.
House Dominic is descended from the Elite of the same
name, and bear his Crest. They also have possession of
Crusher, the Hero Relic of Dominic.
House Dominic's former Baron, Gustave, went into self-
imposed exile after the tragedy of Duscur. His brother now
serves as the new Baron Dominic, and takes care of the
former Baron's lands and family. The Empire has forced
house Dominic into subjugation, and the house has no choice
but to assist the Empire in order to defend themselves.
Locations in the Barony
Dominic is a small town that gains its industry from
farming and woodcutting. It's also the only significant
settlement in the territory, aside from individual farms.

Part 1 | Lore
16
The Leicester Alliance
The Alliance is composed of various noblemen who have
grouped together for their common interests, but now stand
on the verge of collapse.
History of the Alliance
Origin
Sixty years after the Leicester region joined the Kingdom of
Faerghus in 801, King Klaus I divided his territory between
his three sons. One son inherited the Leicester region, but
died twenty years later, and the nobles of the region refused
to acknowledge his heir. Instead, house Riegan led a rebellion
against the Kingdom, and secured independence for the
region in 901.
The Almyran Wars
In 961, the forces of Almyra launched their greatest assault
on Fodlan, starting in the Leicester Alliance. While it seemed
that the invaders would prevail, the Adrestian Empire came
to the Alliance's aid and drove back the threat.
It was decided that a fortification was need at the border,
for the sake of not only the Alliance, but all of Fodlan. The
Empire, the Kingdom, and the Alliance all came together to
construct Fodlan's Locket, an impenetrable fortress that lies
on the mountain range known as Fodlan's throat. The
fortress was completed in 1101, and given to house Goneril
due to their contributions in the war.
The Riegan Scandal
In 1174, house Riegan lost its only heir with the death of
Godfrey Von Riegan. With house Riegan being as powerful as
it is, the Alliance was set to experience a huge shift in power.
Duke Oswald Von Riegan set off to find his daughter Tiana,
who had run away from her homeland many years ago. When
he returned, it was not with his daughter, but with his
grandson, a young man named Claude. He was announced as
the new heir, quelling the original distress to introduce a new
one. Many questioned the young man and his credibility as
Riegan's legitimate heir.
The Empire's Attack Alliance Leader Claude, wielding the Hero's Relic
When the war began, most of the Empire's forces were Failnaught.
focused on the Church and the Kingdom, giving the nobles
time to discuss and prepare. While there were a few who The New Duke Riegan
thought it best to join the Empire peacefully, most of the Barely a few months before this setting takes place, Duke
nobles valued their independence, and gathered their Oswald Von Riegan stepped down from his position in order
defenses at the border. to live out the last year or two of his life in peace. Now his
While the Empire deemed the Alliance as non-threatening, grandson, Claude Von Riegan, has stepped in to lead the
they still attempt to take the main crossing between the two Alliance in his stead. This change has caused quite a
regions, the Bridge of Myrrdin, as their own. Taking control of commotion within the Alliance, and many are split in their
this bridge would put the Alliance at a huge disadvantage, opinions of the young Duke.
and so most of the Alliance's troops are deployed there. None can deny that his tactics for both the battlefield and
the roundtable are stunning to behold, and he has proven
willing to throw out old traditions in order to achieve his
goals. Many of the more conservative nobles, such as
Gloucester, see him as a threat, while many of the more free-
spirited nobles, such as Goneril, see him as a welcome
change.

Part 1 | Lore
17
An Unlikely Haven
Relations with the Church of Seiros were never especially
warm or cold in Leicester. There were still plenty of believers
of course, but it's always been a backdrop to the rest of the
region. This all changed when the war of Reunification
began, and many believers fled from the Empire to the
Eastern Church, which was previously little more than a seat
warmer in the region. Now the Eastern Church has found
itself unable to keep up with the refugees.
Invaders From the East
For hundreds of years, armies and brigands from Almyra
have invaded through the mountain range known as Fodlan's
The city of Derdriu, also known as "The Aquatic Capitol" throat. While Fodlan's Locket keeps them in check, they still
(Credit: Anno 1404, by Ubisoft) remain a persistent, though negligible, threat.
Hostilities between Almyra and Leicester have actually
Aspects of the Alliance calmed down since the start of the war, and even more since
Duke Claude came into power. Discrimination against
What the Alliance lacks in history, it makes up for in Almyrans is present in the Alliance, especially in the eastern
personality. Each territory has its own way of expressing side, but Almyrans can still make a living in Leicester, if they
itself, and the clash of aesthetics makes sure that there's so desire.
never a dull sight.
Architecture General Holst
The architecture of the Alliance is reminiscent of The current Duke Goneril is Holst, a mighty general
southwestern Europe, specifically Italy, Spain, and France. who defends from Almyran invaders. Before the
Waterways make commerce easy, as well as provide reveal of Claude Von Riegan, Holst was thought to
hydration to crops in otherwise infertile soil. Large, be the one to lead the Alliance in the future.
extravagant manors are common among the nobility, and Despite his position as defender against Almyra,
huge art pieces are put in public display as a show of wealth. Holst has advanced the rights of Almyran
prisoners, and has advocated for official diplomacy
The Roundtable between the Alliance and Almyra.
While each house serves its own interests, they do have to Originally, prisoners of war were simply kept in
the dungeons of Goneril, but after seeing the
come together to maintain peace. Five of the most prominent deplorable conditions they were kept in, a young
houses: Riegan, Gloucester, Goneril, Ordelia, and Edmund, all Holst convinced his father to allow more freedom
gather at the capitol of Derdriu to discuss important subjects. to the captured prisoners. Almyran captives were
Among them, Riegan is considered the semi-official leader of given the option to work for house Goneril, in
the Alliance, though their power is far from absolute. House exchange for decent housing and some pay.
Daphnel once held a seat at the roundtable, but after the After coming fully into power, Duke Holst
house split apart, it was given to Edmund. expanded on these ideas, and gave captives the
opportunity for full freedom, so long as they were
Land of Merchantry deemed to not be a threat. Surprisingly, a scarce
Due to lax laws and regulations, the Alliance has enjoyed a few actually returned to their old home, possibly
booming economy. Small businesses and large industries due to captivity being seen as abandonment to
alike thrive, so long as they're willing to make some back- many Almyrans.
alley deals, of course...
This freedom does come at the cost of having those who
abuse it. Scams are not at all uncommon, and regional Things to Consider
monopolies are fairly standard. If your character is from the Alliance, here are some
questions you should answer:
Expressive Freedom "What does your character think about the war?"
The people of Leicester highly value art and fashion, with "How does your character express themselves?"
each region having their own trends. Even commonfolk "What is/was your character's profession?"
spruce up their outfits with flowers, accessories, and cheap "What does your character think of Almyrans?"
dyes. While the war has made certain luxuries much more
difficult to obtain, the people of Leicester still express
themselves through their appearance in order to boost
morale.

Part 1 | Lore
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Noble Houses of the Alliance House Goneril
House Goneril is responsible for protecting the mountain
House Riegan range known as Fodlan's Throat from Almyran invaders.
Originally a cadet branch of house Blaiddyd, house Riegan While traditionally a very traditional house due to its military
led the rebellion against the Kingdom in order to form the history, it has recently taken on a more progressive stance
Leicester Alliance. They serve as the leaders of the Alliance, due to a change in leadership. The people of the region have
though their influence has slowly lessened as the Alliance become very artistic, and are well known for their
continues to establish its own identity. craftsmanship of all kinds of goods.
The house carries the blood of the Elite Riegan, and bear As descendants of the Hero Goneril, they bear the Crest of
his crest. They also possess the Hero's Relic Failnaught, the same name, and utilize the Hero's Relic Freikugel in their
which is passed down between Dukes. fight against Almyran bandits.
Locations in the Dukedom The current leader of the house is Duke Holst, more
The Dukedom of Riegan is a small but prosperous region in commonly known as the great General Holst. Unlike normal
the northwest region of Leicester. succession of noble houses, the former Duke and Duchess
The City of Derdriu is the capitol of Leicester, and the are still alive and well, and help with the governance of the
seat of house Riegan's power. The Alliance Roundtable holds territory, while still enjoying early retirement. In addition, his
its meetings in Derdriu. younger sister assists with improving morale among the
The city is known for its factories, allowing massive people of Fodlan's Locket, and occasionally helping out in
production of goods traded all throughout Fodlan. It's located battle, to surprising results.
in the perfect spot to trade with Faerghus from across the Locations in the Dukedom
sea, and the nearby rivers allow smaller ships to travel from The territory of house Goneril encompasses the
the northern seas to the Airmid River and down to the mountainous region known as Fodlan's Throat, save for the
Empire. northern edges.
Fodlan's Locket is a fortress city located at the border
House Gloucester between Fodlan and Almyra. Despite the constant raids and
House Gloucester is often considered the second most the newfound war, the people boast a strong morale thanks to
powerful house in the Alliance. Count Gloucester is known their leadership. The people are also known for exceptional
for his outstanding reputation among the commonfolk, and artisanry and aesthetics, with fashion being an important
his extraordinary wealth. Instead of focusing on the major aspect of the region.
centerpoint of the territory, house Gloucester has distributed
attention between the entire (quite large) region.
House Gloucester is descended from the Elite of the same
name, and bear his Crest. They also hold the Hero's Relic
Thyrsus in their possession.
While the house has an esteemed reputation, it is not
without its controversies. Territory disputes are common, and
rumors of foul schemes; some as serious as assassination,
have propagated in recent years.
Locations in the County
Gloucester territory encompasses most of the central
Alliance.
Gloucester is the largest town within the County, and is
known for its unmatched agricultural infrastructure. While
less extravagant than most other major cities, it boasts a
huge size and a thriving community.
Sauin is a small but prominent village at the edge of
Gloucester territory. The people there gain their livelihood
from hunting, both for natural fauna and rare monsters that
prowl the lands. The village suffered from poaching until
1174, when a group of mercenaries dealt with the issue
temporarily. Now that the war has made assembling any
defenses difficult, poachers have taken to the area once
again.
The Bridge of Myrddin spans the Airmid River,
connecting the Alliance to the Empire. While other bridges
span the river as well, Myrddin is the only one large enough to
support a full army. As a key position in the war, the bridge is
highly defended and fortified. Even so, Gloucester continues
to request more and more troops to defend the territory, and
may still find themselves at the precipice of defeat very soon. An artist's Interpretation of General Holst (Credit: Roman
Ankenbrandt)

Part 1 | Lore
19
House Edmund House Daphnel
House Edmund is one of the more up-and-coming houses in Once one of the five houses of the roundtable, house Daphnel
the Alliance. When house Daphnel split and lost its seat on fell from influence when the house split into two. Internal
the roundtable, that seat was given to Edmund. Now, with conflicts caused the western side of the territory to become
Edmund allowing fair use of its harbors, among other house Galatea. While house Daphnel has struggled since
revolutionary trade policies, Edmund has asserted itself as a then, it is currently on the rise again, thanks to its current
force to be reckoned with. leader.
According to official records, Edmund holds no Crest in its House Daphnel is descended from the Elite of the same
bloodline. The truth is however, that the family carries the name, and bear his Crest in their bloodline. They also
Crest of Maurice, also known as the Crest of the Beast. This possess the Crest of Riegan due to a previous marriage with
Crest does not manifest often, though when it does it brings house Riegan. Despite having these Crests in the bloodline,
great disaster with it. no one of house Daphnel has been born with a Crest since
The current Margrave Edmund is a renowned orator, and the split.
has secured a reputation as one of the most dangerous The current leader of House Daphnel, Judith, has earned a
nobles in the Alliance because of this. He is cold and reputation as a brilliant leader and powerful fighter. She's
calculating, but still fair and reasonable, and is admired by earned the nickname "The Hero of Daphnel", and has been
his people. fighting against Empire troops that sneak past the Faerghus
Rebellion.
Locations in the Margravate
Edmund controls the northernmost territories in the Alliance, Locations in the County
occupying most of the northern coast. The territories of Daphnel encompass most of the western
Edmund is the main town of the territory. In addition to edge of the Alliance. Most of the land is undeveloped, making
maritime trade, it also possesses a thriving logging industry. for prime hunting grounds.
Many of the best ships are made with wood from Edmund. Daphnel is a small town at the border between the
Kupala is a small village at the very north of Fodlan's Kingdom and the Alliance. Imperial troops sometimes sneak
Throat. While technically part of Edmund territory, the village past house Galatea in an attempt to take the Alliance by
considers itself independent, and Margrave Edmund respects surprise, so the people of Daphnel have to stay alert.
that. Only the occasional workers or merchants with the Ailell, also known as the valley of torment, is a large
Margrave's approval go up to the region. flaming crater in the north of Daphnel territory. The area was
once a lush forest, but 70 years ago a blinding light
House Ordelia descended onto the area, said to be the Goddess' wrath. The
The once prominent house of Ordelia has fallen into ruin valley now stands permanently aflame, with lava flows that
over the last decade and a half. When house Hrym decided to refuse to cool. The area is inhospitable, and those who
try and split off from the Empire, house Ordelia came to their remain there for too long fall ill. Despite this, it does serve as
aid, and was punished for it. The Empire began taking over a meeting place for those who want to avoid unwanted
the territory, with the other houses of Leicester not getting attention.
involved to avoid confrontation. The Empire ceased their
meddling after a few years, but the wounds they left may
never fully heal.
House Ordelia bears the Crests of Charon and Gloucester,
though they rarely manifest as their blood ties to the original
families are old and weak.
All but one of Ordelia's heirs have died, and the current
heiress has no intention of taking over the region. It is
expected the house will soon lose its spot on the roundtable,
if not its nobility entirely.
Locations in the County
Ordelia is the seat of power for the house, and is not a
particularly desirable place to visit. When the Empire took
control, the nefarious shadow organization known as Those
Who Slither in the Dark also set up outposts in the region.
While their cruel experiments have concluded, some
operatives still remain, and the technology they left behind is
no longer concealed as much as it once was. Ordelia is now
considered a "haunted town" with all of the strange Alliance Soldiers fight off Imperial troops at the western
happenings, and most folk stay far away when traveling the border.
region. (Credit: Game of Thrones: The Card Game - The Battle of
Ruby Ford, by Fantasy Flight Games)

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Albrecht
House Albrecht is a minor noble family at the east of the
Alliance. The house is known for its aggressive political
schemes, and obsessing over their noble power. While recent
Barons have attempted to reform the house's ways, the family
is large and the corruption runs deep.
The house holds the Crest of Riegan in its line due to
marriage with the Riegan family a long time ago. In addition,
the former heir to house Albrecht bore the Crest of Chevalier,
seemingly from his mother, who was from the village of
Kupala.
Locations in the Barony
House Albrecht holds very little territory, only a small region
in between Goneril and Ordelia territory.
Albrecht is a small town at the edge of Fodlan's Throat.
The area is known for producing hardened mercenaries,
which are hired off to other houses.
House Acheron
A minor noble family known for being a general nuisance to
the other lords. Not powerful enough to be of any
significance, but with enough of a hold that they can't be
removed entirely.
The house has no Crest in its bloodline.
The current Lord Acheron has earned the nickname
"Weathervane" due to him constantly spinning between
allegiances. He's recently been accused of selling valuable
information to the Empire.
Former heir to house Albrecht, Balthus, 1180
Locations in the Territory
Acheron is a town infamous for gambling and debauchery.
Crime rates are some of the highest in Leicester, and lax
regulations make it dangerous for workers.

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The Church of Seiros
Once the most powerful cultural and political force in Fodlan,
the Church of Seiros now stands fragmented.
History of the Church
The church's history is equal parts historical and
mythological, as such, take what you read with a grain of salt.
Arrival of the Goddess
In the beginning, the Goddess descended from her home in
the stars, bringing gifts to the people of Fodlan. She granted
the champion Nemesis and Ten of his allies the power of
their Crests, and made them the Hero's relics. They were
tasked with keeping peace throughout the lands.
However, Nemesis and his Elites would not stay loyal,
when the Goddess went to rest, they began a reign of tyranny.
The people of Fodlan cried out for help, and the Goddess Western Rebellion
answered... In early 1180, Lord Lonato Gaspard allied with the Western
Church in a rebellion against the Central Church. While this
Seiros and the Four Saints rebellion ultimately failed, it paved the way for the Empire's
In the city of Enbarr, five figures emerged, most prominent war later the same year.
among them being the Saint Seiros herself. Like the Ten
Elites, they were granted the power of Crests, but unlike the War Against the Empire
Elites, they were not granted Hero's Relics, but instead the At the end of year 1180, the Empire declared war against the
ability to share their Crests with those whom they trusted Church, and Garreg Mach was the first of the battles fought.
most. While the Church faught valiantly, it was no match for the
The Saint Seiros partnered with Wilhelm I to create the Imperial forces, and the Knights of Seiros had to fall back.
Adrestian Empire, as well as the Imperial Calendar. They Now, Archbishop Rhea has gone missing, and the
then set off to war against nemesis. Each of the four Saints; monastery lays almost abandoned. believers of the Church
Cichol, Cethlean, Indech, and Macuil, helped in their own have fled to the Kingdom or Alliance, leaving the Church
ways, and granted Crests to their loyal assistants. scattered and weak.
Eventually the war was won, and the Church of Seiros
brought peace to Fodlan.
Completion of Garreg Mach
In 185, Garreg Mach Monastery was officially completed.
This wonder of architecture would serve as the headquarters
of the Church of Seiros, and remains the most impressive
structure in Fodlan to this day.
The Officer's Academy
In 981, in response to growing conflicts with Almyra, the
church took it upon itself to raise the nobility of Fodlan to
ensure strong future leadership. The Officer's Academy was
created to serve this purpose, and ten years later began
accepting commoners who could pay the tuition fees.
The Fire of 1159
At the end of the year 1159, a great fire spread throughout
Garreg Mach. There was significant property damage, but the
only casualties were the Captain Jeralt and his young child.
Twenty years later, however, Jeralt was found to be alive,
and had an Adult child with him that he claimed was born
after he left the monastery, obvious rumors abounded, but
nothing substantial came of them.

Archbishop Rhea, of the Church of Seiros.

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Tolerance, to a Degree.
While the Church of Seiros do claim superiority over the
other religions of the world, that doesn't mean that they
outright deny other religions. They do not claim that their
Goddess is the only one in the world, and as such can coexist
with some other religions.
The standard rule of whether or not a belief is allowed is
whether or not it denies their Goddess. So long as a person is
willing to believe in the Goddess' existence, they need not
worship her. This applies to both natives of Fodlan and
outsiders. In Duscur for instance, they welcomed the
Goddess of Fodlan into their own Pantheon.
The Knights of Seiros
The Central Church of Seiros has an order of knights ready
to protect the Church from bandits and other threats. These
aptly-named "Knights of Seiros" come from all walks of life,
and swear their Alligiance to the Church over any nation they
may be from. The Knights are well-respected, and while they
do have some less virtuous members, their religious nature
A mural depicting the Saints, along with the Goddess. makes them slightly less prone to corruption.
Aspects of the Church
With the Church being as old and as powerful as it is, it's no
wonder that it has its own share of culture and tradition.
Worship of the Goddess
While the church is named after saint Seiros, their focus of
worship is on the Goddess of Fodlan. The Goddess does have
a name, that being "Sothis", but it is considered disrespectful
to say the name aloud without good reason.
The Goddess is seen as being omnipresent, but lacking a
physical form on earth. It is believed that the spirits of the
Goddess' followers will ascend into the sky after death, to join
the Goddess in the afterlife.
Peace Above All Else
In the Church of Seiros, conflict is highly despised. While the
Church does need to occasionally employ military force, they Banner of the Knights of Seiros.
do so swiftly and efficiently to reduce civilian casualties.
Everything they do is to ensure a lasting peace, even if that The Other Branches
requires taking away certain freedoms. Even on an individual While the Central Church is what most people think of first
scale, believers are asked to put aside their grievances. regarding the Church of Seiros, there are three other braches
as well.
Seclusion and Reservation The Western Church holds more extreme beliefs than the
The Church of Seiros encourages looking inward, and leaving others. They believe in greater separation of class and race,
other nations to their own devices. Open relation with other as well as put more emphasis on worshiping the Four Saints,
nations are discouraged, though not outright banned. especially Cichol. Residing in what was the Southern side of
The Church also states that uncontrolled technological the Kingdom, they now serve the Empire in an attempt to
progress would lead to disaster. As such, many technologies calm believers in the Church. Because the Empire's beliefs
are banned across Fodlan. Occasionally, a technology is are almost entirely opposite to the Western Church's,
approved for re-examination, and sometimes a ban or two is tensions are quickly rising.
lifted. The Eastern Church is far more easygoing, due to being
Dissenters of the Church state that these rules are meant located within the Alliance. Weak and complacent, they were
to prevent the people of Fodlan from reaching their true not prepared to take in the refugees from the Central Church.
potential, while supporters argue that these are needed to The Southern Church was wiped out after trying to take
keep peace between the nations so that none may overpower back the Empire in the name of Saint Seiros, with no
the others. retaliation from the other branches, who condemned their
actions.

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Abyss
Underneath Garreg Mach lies ruins and tunnels older than
the Monastery itself. The caverns of Abyss have been home to
fugitives and criminals for centuries. While the Church has
always been aware of its existence, it has tolerated their
prescience so that Abyss could serve to preserve the Church
in the event of a catastrophe. They were right to do so, as
Abyss is now home to many refugees from the Church and
other regions.
Abyss is something of an "open secret", talking about it
casually is taboo, but knowledge of it isn't anything special.
Entrances to Abyss, however, are more closely guarded.
Seemingly hundreds exist, but the few that are more
Garreg Mach Monastery in its prime. common knowledge are heavily guarded.
Abyss also serves as preservation of history. While the
Dominion of the Church Church commonly bans books with controversial topics, they
are against the destruction of knowledge, and thus keep the
Garreg Mach "Dark Library" within Abyss. Getting into the library is not
Sitting in the center of the Oghma mountains, Garreg Mach too difficult, but the most dangerous of the books are kept
watches over all of Fodlan. As the center of the Church of hidden behind dangerous traps, and books cannot be taken
Seiros, the Monastery is a beacon of hope for miles around, out.
even during the war. The current head of Abyss is a man named Yuri Leclerc,
Garreg Mach refers not only to the Monastary itself, but also referred to as "The Savage mockingbird", with a sharp
also of the surrounding town. Before the war, it was full of tongue and even sharper wit, he's one of the few people who
many of the best craftsmen, scholars, and bards from all can bring order to the ruffians of the criminal underworld
throughout Fodlan. Built on large, tiered platforms, with the that is Abyss. While a dangerous man to upset, the Lord of
upper levels housing many of the religious elite, and lowest Abyss is known to take care of his people, and he can be a
levels being home to farmers who worked the rivers between valuable ally.
the mountains. People from all walks of life could find a The recent overcrowding of Abyss has caused infighting
home in Garreg Mach. among those who wish to help the refugees and those who
Now, however, the place is nearly abandoned. As the want to take care of longstanding Abyssians. Supplies run
centerpoint of the Church, the Empire is careful to keep a scarce, and while Abyss may be huge, only small portions of
close eye on the area, lest the Knights of Seiros return. The it are safe to inhabit.
Empire's occasional patrols do little, if anything, to deter the
bandits looking for some quick loot. Now, what was once a Remire Village
town full of thousands of people, only holds a few hundred While technically a part of Empire territory, Remire village's
permanent residents. Nobody goes up to the Monestary proximity to the Church meant that it often fell to the Church
proper, as many are afraid the area is now cursed, and most to take care of them.
of the valuables have been taken. In 1180, a mysterious illness spread across Remire, while a
constant but manageable threat at first, causing nausea and
The Officer's Academy aggravation in its victims, one evening all the afflicted
Stationed in Garreg Mach Monastery, the Officer's Academy villagers started a mindless rampage. Fires caught all across
serves to cultivate generations of capable leaders. While town, and villagers started killing each other. While the threat
nobles and commoners alike can attend, nobles occupy a was eventually contained, the strange individuals who stood
large portion of the student body, as the tuition fees can be among the flames, seemingly responsible, were never
expensive. If you can graduate from the Academy, however, apprehended.
you are practically set for life, as few would refuse to hire Repairs to the village had only just started when the war
someone with that level of proven skills. broke out, and while the Empire has promised to aid the
The Officer's Academy focuses on life skills, as opposed to village at the war's end, it may come too late. The war has
subjects like math and history, which students are expected shown no signs of stopping soon, and Remire has had to fend
to already know. Students learn combat, leadership, tactics, for themselves the entire time. Many people of Remire
and governance at their time in the Academy, and the course consider themselves loyal to the Church, while others respect
is difficult but rewarding. the authority of the Empire.
The students are separated into three houses based on
where they're from. The Black Eagles for the Empire, the
Blue Lions for the Kingdom, and the Golden Deer for the
Alliance. Students can switch houses with the approval of
their house's homeroom teacher and the teacher of the house
they intend to join.

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Notable Figures of the Church Nemesis and the Ten Elites
While not worshiped, Nemesis and his Elites were still the
Saint Seiros chosen heroes of the Goddess, and still are respected.
The secondary focus of worship for the church, as well as its Blaiddyd: A mage knight who wielded the now-lost magic
namesake. Saint Seiros revitalized worship of the Goddess, of necromancy, as well as the Hero's Relic Areadbhar.
after faith had been dwindling. She appeared in the town of Riegan: An archer who wielded the relic Failnaught. It's
Enbarr, and assisted the first Adrestian Emperor in the said that saint Macuil convinced Riegan to sell information
creation of his Empire. on Nemesis' forces.
Seiros was said to have personally struck down Nemesis at Lamine: A witch who defected to the Church for unknown
the Tailtean plains, after which she oversaw the creation of reasons. Her relic was the Rafail Gem.
Garreg Mach. She was laid to rest in the holy mausoleum, Goneril: A violent and treacherous general of Nemesis'
but an incident during the rebellion of the Western Church army. he wielded the relic Freikugel.
revealed that the body was missing. Charon: The pupil of Blaiddyd and master of blade and
Seiros' Crest is quite common, with many high-ranking magic. He wielded the Relic Thunderbrand.
members of the church possessing it. Fraldarius: A pegasus rider and the scout for Nemesis'
armies. She used the Relic known as the Aegis Shield to
The Four Saints protect herself on her missions.
The allies of Saint Seiros, these warriors fought against Gloucester: A priest who began to worship an unknown
Nemesis and the Ten Elites, each with their own followers. god after his fall from grace. His son defected to the Church
They were said to have lived extraordinarily long lives and after he saw what his father was doing. He used the Hero's
granted their Crests to their followers. Relic Thyrsus.
Saint Macuil was an accomplished battlemage, proficient Dominic: A mighty tactician who was no stranger to battle.
in sword and spell. He served as the tactician for the early He rode atop a wyvern and used the Relic known as Crusher.
church, as well as the blacksmith for many of the sacred Gautier: An armored general who was immovable on the
weapons used in the war. He only gave his Crest to a select battlefield. He used the Lance of Ruin as his Relic of choice.
few individuals. Daphnel: A paladin who served Riegan as his right-hand
Saint Indech was a warrior of great strength and wisdom. man. He used the Relic Lúin.
Little is known about this saint, but it is said he was a great Maurice: a swordmaster and secret eleventh Elite. His
craftsman. He gave his Crest to the smiths and workmen he misuse of his relic Blutgang led to him becoming a demonic
admired. beast. To prevent knowledge of such events, the church
Saint Cichol was a formidable warrior and commander, as erased him from history.
well as the father of Saint Cethleann. He was said to be a Nemesis: Also known as "The King of Liberation". He was
kind but stern authority, and is one of the most commonly the only person in history to possess the "Crest of Flames"
revered of the Saints. He gave his Crest to some of his until 1180. He used the Sword of the Creator to strike down
lieutenants. entire armies at once.
Saint Cethleann was an empathetic healer and the
daughter of Saint Cichol. While the subject of many fables, The Archbishop
very little historical information regarding her life exists. She The Archbishop is the highest position of the Church of
gave her Crest to some of the medics who assisted her on the Seiros. The title has been held by the descendants of Seiros
field. herself. Each Bishop reigns until death, which can be over a
century for some. The daughter of the Bishop is then given
the position as her birthright.
Strangely, no daughter of the Archbishop has ever been
seen, as they are a closely guarded secret. Even stranger, no
Archbishop has ever been confirmed to be pregnant. many
wild conspiracy theories have arisen, but nothing has ever
held ground.
The current Archbishop is the lady Rhea, who went
missing after the battle of Garreg Mach. Many believe she
was captured by the Empire, but no ransom, execution, or
even threat has been made public.

The statue of Saint Cichol at Garreg Mach

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The Cardinals
The Cardinals are the heads of the Church, after the
Archbishop. They are chosen by the Archbishop, and their
identities are a secret. They pose as ordinary monks or
knights to protect their identities.
Each Cardinal has their own specialty, usually an element
of magic, that they have mastered.

Aelfric
A former Cardinal, Aelfric Dahlman, was involved in
a scandal in mid 1180. Aelfric, who served as the
Cardinal of Fire, had previously been known for his
involvement of the renovations of Abyss. He was
the one who put the current leader, Yuri, in power
as well as formed the Ashen Wolves in order to
give promising youths of Abyss the education of
the Officer's academy.
Aelfric used his authority in Abyss to retrieve the
body of a nun, Sitri, and a relic known as the
Chalice of Beginnings. He attempted to use the
relic to revive Sitri, but ended up transforming into
a hideous beast and had to be put down.
After this incident, the people of Abyss had to
contend with new opposition, as there was one
less figure to defend them.

Jeralt
Jeralt Eisner was the Captain of the knights of Seiros for
decades. He became known as "The Blade Breaker". He was
supposedly killed in the fire of 1159, but rumors of him
working as a mercenary abounded all across Fodlan. These
were proven true in 1180, When he was found alongside his
child and brought back to assist the new captain of the
Knights. He died later that year from an unidentified spy
posing as a student.
The Four Apostles
These four figures were tasked with creating a new body for
the goddess. They failed in their task, and decided to go into
self-exile, while asking the Church to remove their names
from history. Even basic knowledge of the Apostles is limited
to high-ranking members of the Church.
Like the saints, they possessed their own Crests, and could
grant them to others.
Aubon retreated to Abyss, but eventually left to wander
Fodlan.
Timotheos retreated to the forests of the Adrestian
Empire, where he founded the village that shares his name.
Noa retreated to the shores north of Fodlan's Fangs, where
she created house Nuvelle alongside her adopted children.
Chevalier retreated to the Eastern mountains, and created
the village of Kupala.

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Beyond Fodlan

F
or over a century, the Church of Seiros has Economy and Technology
discouraged interaction with other nations
unless neccesary. Because of this, information Brigid does not have the same level of metalworking skills or
regarding the other nations of the world is industrialization as Fodlan. Their only main exports are the
scarce. This section will attempt to fill in the exotic plants and animal pelts the area is known for.
blanks as best it can. While Brigid has a currency of its own, it's far less
important than simple bartering. Many deals are made simply
with the direct exchange of goods and services.
Brigid In terms of jobs, hunters are the most common profession,
A tropical Archipelago, Brigid is composed of three main as hostile wildlife makes the lands dangerous.
islands, each with their own subcultures, but they are all leatherworkers, potters, and weaponsmiths are also quite
unified under one king, currently the head of the Macneary common.
family. Now, Brigid is a vassal state of the Empire, and is in a
tense situation. Many rebellions are occuring simultaneously, People of Brigid
and Brigid stands on the brink of collapse. The people of Brigid are tough, but caring. centuries of
Brigid shares close relations with Dagda, which lead to fighting against nature have formed strong bonds among the
their combined effort to invade Fodlan. Many of the people of people. Nowadays, however, many have turned to rebelling
Brigid regard those of Fodlan as weak and spoiled. against the Empire, endangering their kinsmen. While many
despise the Empire, many more do not care what banner they
Culture live under.
Brigid's real-world inspirations are a mix of Irish and The princess of Brigid, Petra Macneary, seeks to end the
Polynesian cultures. The people of Brigid are tribal, but not internal conflict, one way or another. With her huge sway
primitive. They have an advanced society that uses advanced over her grandfather's decisions, her loyalty is a key goal for
"agricultural" techniques similar to those used by Native the Empire.
American tribes in our world.
Brigid culture has faced significant threats over the past
eight years, as involvement with the Empire has brought with
it the effects of colonization. Little has been done to prevent
this, and the way of life people have known for so long is
dying.
Religion
Brigid religion focuses less on gods and more on elemental
spirits. Each of the three islands represents one of the four
main elements: (from west to east) Earth, Wind, and Fire,
with the ocean representing Water. Brigid is one of the few
places that have learned the art of actually summoning
elementals. Many from outside of Brigid regard such stories
as mere myth, but it is indeed reality.
Each of the Elements has a main spirit, with Earth being
portrayed as a gentle giant, Wind a swift hunter, Water a
treacherous caregiver, and Fire a destructive warlord. While
some spirits may be portrayed as more positive or negative,
each is respected in their own way.
Ecology
The climate of Brigid is tropical, with many areas filled with
lush rainforest. Each island shares many common traits, but
each still have their own unique types of flora and fauna.
Strange plants and animals unknown to Fodlan inhabit the
lands.
Petra Macneary, princess of Brigid.

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Economy and Technology
Almyra is just as advanced as Fodlan in most areas, with the
exception of arcane magic. Almyra also exceeds Fodlan in
many areas, including the aforementioned fields of alchemy,
astronomy, and mathematics.
Almyran weaponry is quite advanced, especially their
bowcraft. In addition, the modern Riding Wyverns hailed
from Almyra, and have been exported to all over the world.
These two combined have caused a tradition of wyvern-riding
archers called Barbarossas.
Almyran commerce has suffered due to their reputation as
warmongers, but merchants can still find ample
opportunities if they are willing to persevere through the
discrimination.
People of Almyra
The Almyran coat of arms Almyran people are as varied as the landscape. Many
common folk serve as warriors, farmers, and craftsmen,
while those of noble birth are scientists and scholars.
Almyra While corruption runs deep in Almyra, there are those who
seek to oppose it. The crown prince, Khalid, who faced
Almyra is a massive nation to the east of Fodlan. Almyra's persecution and scrutiny due to his half-Fodlan birth, has left
size is slightly larger than Fodlan in its entirety. Almyra has a the country to gather allies to assist his future rule. In
king that rules over the entirety of the land, but in order to addition, the great general "Nader the Undefeated" has been
manage the territories, various regents control different sub- attempting to cool aggressions at the Fodlan border to make
territories on the king's behalf. negotiations easier.
Culture
Almryan culture has Persia and other middle-eastern Aggression at the border
cultures as its real-world inspiration. Almyra is an advanced The people of Fodlan regard the Almyrans as
warrior culture, and due to the nation's size, varies greatly savage, warmongering brutes. While this is mostly
based in ignorance and discrimination, it's not an
between the various lands. unreasonable thing for them to think, seeing as the
Weapons are a large part of Almyran society, and many majority of their experiences with Almyrans are
warriors carry a signature weapon from adulthood to death. violent.
in a similar vein, Almyrans have a great attachment to their Skirmishes at the border are common, and led to
mounts, and the death of a mount calls for the same level of the creation of Fodlan's Locket. It's common belief
grief as the loss of a comrade. that the encroaching forces are attempts at
Aside from militaristic culture, Almyrans are known for invasion, but that is completely untrue. The only
their knowledge of the sciences, namely alchemy, astronomy, true invasion attempt was in 961, over 200 years
and mathematics. They also have advanced agricultural ago. Nowadays, the only Almyran "invaders" are;
techniques that the people of Fodlan have yet to understand. bandits looking for plunder and glory, hired forces
Corruption and conspiracy among nobility of Almyra is from smaller nobles attempting to flaunt their
common. The king hold comparably little power compared to power, and Almyran forces attempting to deal with
the royalty of Fodlan, and is helpless to prevent infighting the previously mentioned foes, only to get caught
within his nation. up in the fighting.
Fodlan is not just a defender either, as retaliation
campaigns are not uncommon from the Alliance.
Religion Both sides of the conflict have done little to end
Almyran religion is similar to real-world Zoroastrianism in the aggression, and both sides see themselves as
terms of traditions, but focuses not on the worship of any justified in their actions.
gods, but rather the natural world itself. Almyran religion is
mostly for the upper class, with fewer followers in the
common folk.
Ecology
Being as big as it is, Almyra cannot be easily summed up, and
only the Western regions have been charted by Fodlan
mapmakers.
The Western regions of Almyra are dry and arid, with great,
expansive plains and towering mesas, as well as the great
redwoods to the north.

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Duscur People of Duscur
A peaceful nation to the north, Duscur is divided into two The people of Duscur are strong and patient, referred to by
parts: South Duscur, which is connected to Fodlan, and North some as "gentle giants". Many Duscan fighting styles focus on
Duscur, a peninsula that attaches to the northern wastelands. nonlethal takedowns and self-defense. As targets of
When most people in Fodlan talk about Duscur, they speak of oppression, however, many have turned bitter and violent
South Duscur. against the people of Fodlan.
North and South Duscur have very similar cultures, but Others seek to end the conflict, whether by appealing
South Duscur now lies in ruin. This section will mostly focus morally to the people of Faerghus, or by simply living their
on the north, and you can easily extrapolate information lives as always in order to give the invaders no satisfaction.
about the south from it. The people of Duscur are united in their desire for freedom,
but divided over how to obtain it.
Culture
Duscan culture can be considered a mix of Nordic and
Russian culture. The people of Duscur have traditionally
been a very friendly people despite their warrior culture, with
friendly competition being frequent.
Now, with the genocide of Duscur, the previous way of life
has been shattered. Those who try to live as they once did
now face oppression from house Kleiman, who has taken
over the region. Others rebel against their conquerors,
forsaking their pacifistic nature in order to exact vengeance
for their homeland.
Religion
Duscan religion is polytheistic, and takes inspiration from
real-world Roman mythos. Duscans have their own pantheon
of gods for many aspects, with their gods of earth and sky
being the twin chiefs of the pantheon.
They also accept the gods of other nations into their
pantheon, as they did with the Godess of Fodlan, and will
often pray to those gods when visiting their respective lands.
Ecology
Due to its harsh climate, Duscur plant life is sparse, but one
notable set of Flora are the flowers. Duscur flowers are
known for their simple but elegant beauty, and are difficult to
grow in more fertile soil.
Duscur wildlife is as tough as its plants. Boars, bears, and
badgers are common threats, while large elk make for a
valuable bounty to any hunter who can fell one.
Economy and Technology
Due to the harsh climate slowing technological advancement,
Duscur is slightly behind Fodlan in many regards, and relies
on trade for most luxury items. A Duscan soldier mourns his homeland (Credit: Laulaubi)
In Duscur, each village has its own specialty, and trade
between villages is frequent. Common professions include
blacksmithing, hunting, weaving, and leatherworking. Duscan
food is also renowned as exquisite, as the aforementioned
flowers produce outstanding spices.

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Dagda Sreng
Dagda is not actually a nation, but rather an entire continent A wasteland with a violent climate, Sreng is home to a
far to the west of Fodlan. There are no actual natives to number of warrior clans. In 1168, many of the southern clans
Dagda, or if there were, they were long gone by the time were wiped out in the annexation of the southern Sreng
settlers got there. region.
The first recorded settlers of Dagda arrived around
Imperial year 589, and progress in taming the wild continent Culture
has been extremely slow. Sreng has a warrior culture, focusing on strength and
Dagda's size puts Fodlan to shame, and some say it courage. Not much else has been documented about them, as
stretches from the southern tip of the world all the way to the the region and its inhabitants are both extremely hostile.
north. This great size has confused explorers, who all come
back with different accounts of the landscape based on where
they landed. Religion
Unlike gods of other religions, which are often humanoid and
Culture spiritual, the gods of Sreng are bestial and physical. One of
Dagda has no consistent culture. Though there is one the most worshipped gods is "The Wind Caller", a birdlike
element that stays throughout most of the continent: sleep. beast said to be responsible for Sreng's unusual climate, as
Due to the dangers of the wild beasts that prowl many of the well as the teacher of weaponsmithing.
lands, it's always good to have a sizable group of people
awake at all times. Dagdan daily life is centered around each Ecology
person having their own sleep schedule, and most Dagdans The climate of Sreng breaks many of the known laws of
have exceptional night vision as a result. nature. The valleys and plains of Sreng are hot, arid deserts,
abundant in salt. The mountains that dot the landscape are
Ecology frigid, even at their bases. Stranger still, the region is north of
As you have heard before, there's no consistent ecology Faerghus, a tundra.
throughout Dagda, but a common theme is that of dangerous, Most of the wildlife in the desert consists of small snakes
unknown beasts, some of them quite massive. and rodents. In the mountains, large mammals such as goats
Other than that, it's up to any DM whose party wants to roam the frigid peaks. plant life is sparse in Sreng, due to the
explore Dagda to come up with their own ideas for what inconsistent rain.
players will find on the continent. Speaking of rain, while the climate is usually dry, strong
winds sometimes blow from the desert into the mountains,
People of Dagda mixing the air and creating violent storms. The people of
Sreng make sure to take full advantage of these times.
Having lived in a harsh environment, and with many being
the descendants of less-than-friendly settlers, the people of Economy and Technology
Dagda are generally no-nonsense and to-the point. Dagdans Sreng is a bit behind on most technology, but their
are not untrustworthy however, and can usually be trusted to blacksmithing is the envy of Fodlan. Trade with Sreng is
keep their promises, for better or worse. difficult, due to tensions at the border and storms on the
surrounding seas.
People of Sreng
Not much is known about the people of Sreng, only one
prominent figure in Fodlan records was from Sreng, that
being the smith Zoltan.
If you wish to play a character from Sreng, use the Duscur
origin, replacing the Duscan language with Sreng.

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Morfis Albinea
Morfis is a city-state that covers a huge island south-east of A frozen wasteland northwest of Fodlan. Albinea is mostly
Fodlan. The land is home to many scholars and merchants, empty, save for a few small settlements.
who enjoy the safety of Morfis' isolation. Morfis has earned
the name of "City of illusion" due to the ways that the city is Culture
enhanced through various cosmetic illusions. Albinea isn't much of a nation, more of just a few isolated
Culture settlements on a shared landmass. Each has their own
customs and traditions.
The real-world inspiration for Morfis is Egypt. Morfis culture
focuses on the acquisition of knowledge. Information is as Ecology
valuable, if not more valuable than currency. Magical arts in Albinea is far too cold for agriculture, so inhabitants have to
Morfis surpass even Fodlan. resort to hunting and fishing.
Morfis is ruled by a council of the most prominent
members of the city, and they decide on all the major projects
that the government gets involved with. Economy and Technology
Morfis is similar to the Alliance in the way that freedom Abinea uses basic technology that can be found in most small
and expression are valued. Each citizen takes pride in their towns. The people are efficient and waste nothing. Albinea
own unique style. This does, however, lead to a trend of has no major exports, save a few kinds of meat from the
selfishness and greed. wildlife.
Ecology People of Albinea
The deserts surrounding Morfis is mostly barren, with water The people of Albinea mostly come from Fodlan, having left
being a scarce commodity. Inside the city, however, large for one reason or another. Due to their isolated location, they
waterways flowing throughout make water trivial. This is one don't get much contact with the main continent.
of the major reasons that very few other settlements exist in If you want to play someone from Albinia, use the Kingdom
the desert. lineage.
Economy and Technology
Morfis engages in trade with all the surrounding nations,
including the Empire, the Alliance, and Almyra. Not only is
their magic unparalleled, but they also have exotic fruits that
are sought out by the nobility.
Due to Morfis' advanced magic, there are plenty of people
who have used it for evil. Morfis is one of the few places in the
world where the art of necromancy is common. Earth-infused
undead, known as 'risen", or for the more powerful variant
"entombed", wander the wastes.
People of Morfis
Morfis is an extremely class-based society. Commoners
rarely, if ever have a chance to advance their position.
Education is also extremely controlled.
Morfans have a sense of superiority over the other nations.
They believe that Morfis is at the center of the world.
If you want to play a character from Morfis, use the Empire
lineage, taking Morfan as the extra language.

An entombed warrior from Morfis

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The True History

N
ot all the stories of Fodlan are entirely true. Slaughter
There are secrets that have been kept from As the Goddess was restoring Fodlan, the Agarthans waited
humanity for over a thousand years. With patiently. When she laid to rest, the Agarthans convinced a
the event currently unfolding, centuries-old bandit lord known as Nemesis to kill her in her sleep. He
secrets threaten to come to the surface. succeeded, and from her blood they gave him the Crest of
Flames. From her bones they made the Sword of the Creator.
Nemesis and the Agarthans weren't satisfied with this, and
they went to Zanado and slaughtered most of the Nabatean
SPOILER ALERT people. While the Agarthans stood little chance on their own,
the Sword of the Creator proved effective in taking out the
The following section contains information that only certain dragons before they could even fight back. The entire canyon
characters would know. If you haven't already learned this was drenched in blood, giving it the name it is now known by;
information from the games, you should probably skip to "The Red Canyon".
"Creating a Character". From the bones of the slaughtered Nabateans the Hero's
Relics were created. These, along with their respective
Crests, were given to 11 of Nemesis' allies, many of whom
Nabateans did not know the origins of the gifts.
When the Goddess Sothis descended onto Fodlan, she Out of the survivors, some of them left for other lands,
landed in Zanado, a canyon in the Oghma mountains. She retreating from Fodlan to start new lives. Only ten survivors
then creating the original Nabateans (also known as the remained; Seiros, the Four Saints, the Four Apostles, and the
children of the Goddess). The Nabateans are what are what wife of Saint Cichol.
we would refer to as dragons, and are varied in their abilities.
History of the Nabateans
Origins
As described above, the Nabateans were created by Sothis
after she arrived in Fodlan. They lived near and occasionally
alongside the native humans.
Sothis taught both the Humans and Nabateans how to use
advanced technology, and Fodlan became more advanced
than our own civilization, while the rest of the world were
still learning how to farm.
War
It wasn't long before the humans used their newfound power
to create weapons. They began dividing themselves into
factions and waging war for resources. By the time Sothis
and her children realized what was happening, it was already
too late.
The humans saw themselves as gods, and attempted to
revolt against Sothis. The battles were hard-fought, but
Sothis and the Nabateans triumphed, and the human
population was decimated. A few hundred humans retreated
underground, holding a grudge against Sothis and her
children, becoming the Agarthans.
Sothis spared the remaining humans and helped to rebuild
their civilization, this time only giving tools equivalent to
medievel technology. She then went to rest in her sanctuary
under the mountains, where the was to lay for hundreds of
years.
Nemesis, the fell King of Liberation, and slaughterer of the
Nabatean people.

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Retribution Rebirth
Not long after the slaughter, Seiros went to Enbarr and Seiros went on to create the Church of Seiros, dedicated to
started performing miracles, gaining the attention of their the worship of her mother. She ordered the construction of
leader. She helped him to create the Adrestian Empire, and Garreg Mach Monastery, and most of the rest is known to
convinced him to go to war with Nemesis, who had united history.
Northern Fodlan under his rule. The other survivors joined, Seiros was a great commander in times of war, but leading
though the Apostles were too old to be of much use, and a civilization was much more difficult. Seiros had no
Cethleann was too young to fight. intention of carrying out this task for very long, and set to
The war dragged on for about a century, with many work finding ways to revive her mother. Every order she gave
casualties on all sides. Cichol's wife was killed in battle, and was to keep peace in Fodlan until her mother was back, at
his daughter Cethleann gravely wounded. Nemesis was felled which point she could take over and lead Fodlan to its former
in the end, and the Nabateans had to figure out what to do glory. This was only intended to be a few hundred years, but
next. ended up going for over a millennium.
Cichol was only interested in saving his daughter, and left One experiment was with the Chalice of Beginnings. The
to watch over her while she slept for several centuries. Four Apostles were tasked with using the artifact to create a
Indech only joined the war for closure and to help his new body for the Goddess. Not only did the attempt fail, but it
brothers, Cichol and Macuil, and afterwards went to live in created a monster that took many lives before being felled.
Lake Teutates. The Apostles wished to leave the decisions to Out of regret for their recklessness, the Apostles went into
the younger generation, This leaved only Macuil and Seiros. self-exile, asking for their names to be removed from all
Seiros wished to deal with the Crest-bearing descendants records, and leaving Seiros all alone.
of the Elites by putting them in positions of power, making
them in the debt of the Nabateans and putting their power to Aspects of the Nabateans
good use. Macuil saw the descendants as abominations, and Draconic Forms
wished to annihilate them all before their numbers grew too Nabateans have two forms, one is a humanoid form, which is
great. The two argued for a long time, before finally coming used to communicate and do more precise work. The other is
to a compromise; the last few Elites would be hunted down, their true dragon form. "Dragon" is a loose term, and many of
regardless of their circumstances or any deals made them are more avian or mammalian than reptilian. There are
previously. In exchange, Seiros' plan would be enacted, many types of dragons, each with their own Crest. Most
creating peace treaties that would lead to many of the noble dragon types are not unique, and had multiple dragons of that
houses we now know. Macuil was still not happy with this type. Dragon types are passed down, but any dragon can be
arrangement, and left to the far north of the Sreng region. born as any type in their lineage, so it's hard to tell what type
dragon a later-generation child may be.
Crest Stones
Crest Stones are the artificial hearts that the Nabateans use.
While Nabateans are born with a Crest Stone as a heart, they
are replaceable as long as the surgery is done properly. They
can be created through alchemical rituals that are lost to
modern Fodlan. Used Crest Stones are imbued with the
memories of their previous owners, and are dangerous to be
used again.
Crests and Crest Stones are not meant for humans, and
abusing them can cause the user to be transformed into a
demonic beast. There's even evidence to suggest that Crests
are not even natural to Dragons, which has interesting
implications for the origin of the race.
Almost Immortal
Nabateans can live for thousands of years. They age
extremely slowly, and a Nabatean child may actually be older
than some nations. One drawback of this is that Nabateans
heal very slowly, and will sometimes have to go into
hibernation for decades or even centuries.

Seiros, the first and last Sky Dragon, in her humanoid form.
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Agarthans
After the war between humans and Nabateans, a few
hundred survivors fled underground. They become bitter and
obsessed with vengeance. They kept their technology and
plotted to destroy the Goddess and her children.
History
The Agarthans were once people of Fodlan, specifically what
would later become the Eastern side of the Empire. They
were some of the furthest geographically from Sothis and her
followers, and still worshipped their old gods. They were the
first to invoke war, and the last to be defeated. They had taken
precautions however, and some were able to retreat into a
bunker below the mountains.
A Grand Scheme
The Agarthans waited in secret, waiting for the world to
forget about them, while they created the underground city The Weakening of Fodlan
that would come to be known as Shambhala. Once the Once they knew they had a way to enact their final
Goddess laid her head in rest, the Agarthans used Nemesis vengeance, the Agarthans began to divide the people of
to assassinate her, and then used him to slaughter the rest of Fodlan in order to weaken them. They were responsible for
the Nabateans. After they granted power to his Elites, they convincing Count Rowe to enact the tragedy of Duscur, and
left him to his own devices so as not to draw Seiros' aided count Gloucester in Assassinating Godfrey von Riegan.
attention. More recently, they incited the Western Church's rebellion,
as well as the Remire Calamity. They've also aided the
The Splitting of Fodlan Empire in their creation of demonic beasts.
The next major event orchestrated by the Agarthans was the
War of the Eagle and Lion. Pan, the tactician behind Loog's
army, was secretly an Agarthan spy, who supplied Faerghus'
army with advanced weaponry. While the Church was aware
that someone was meddling in the war, they were never able
to pinpoint the culprit. The Church was forced to recognize
Faerghus as an independent nation, but caused an
unexpected problem for the Agarthans by having Loog make
the Church of Seiros the official religion of his new kingdom.
When King Klause 1 died, the Agarthans forged his will to
divide his territory into pieces. This led to the Leicester
Alliance forming, a region that was less religious than its
neighbors.
The Creation of the Flame Emperor
After the Insurrection of the Seven, the Empire was in a
prime position for spies to be planted. They placed mages and
scientists in the ranks of Imperial nobility, and convinced the
ruling class that they could create the perfect Emperor using
experimentation.
Experiments first began in Ordelia territory, using the
family's own heirs. While only one survived, the results were
promising enough to warrant starting work on the real deal.
All of Emperor Ionius' children were experimented on in
order to implant a second Crest. Out of all the subjects, only
one survived: Edelgard, who now held the Crest of Flames
alongside the Crest of Seiros.
The Agarthans then helped Edelgard to plan her takeover
of the Empire. The two have remained somewhat at odds
however, and both have plans for if the other betrays them.
32nd king of Agartha, Thales.

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Aspects of the Agarthans Those Who Slither in the Dark
The Agarthans have lived underground for millennia, and Those Who Slither in the Dark, or, TWSitD for short, is the
have developed a culture unlike anything else in the world. organization that works to destabilize Fodlan. While not
every Agarthan is a member of the group, most scientists,
mages, and leaders contribute to their goals. TWSitD works
Advanced Technology with the Adrestian Empire to defeat the Church, though the
The Agarthans never gave up their technological Agarthans keep a safe distance, never revealing their full
advancements, and are far beyond anything else in the world. hand.
They are unparalleled in both mechanical and magical TWSitD often use human captives from the surface as the
advancements. They create autonomous guardians to protect subjects for their experiments. This has let loose a number of
their key locations, and powerful weaponry for their scouts humans with extraordinary powers onto the surface.
and soldiers to use.
Despite their technological advancements, they've still Agarthan Religion
chosen to use traditional martial weaponry, as their lack of Agarthan religion has its similarities to Hinduism, but the
access to certain materials has prevented them from many centuries of isolation has corrupted its original
inventing gunpowder. traditions. Agarthans worship many gods, some of which they
claim were killed by the "Fell Star" Sothis. Agarthans also
A Hateful People worship the light itself, despite the fact that Agarthans have
Agarthans have developed a society almost entirely based on difficulty in sunlight.
hurting others. They despise Sothis, who they refer to as the
"Fell Star", and wish for nothing but death and destruction Morality
for her and her children. They also believe the humans of the It's unknown whether or not the original Agarthans were
surface to be little more than mindless beasts. justified in their attack on Sothis. The only people capable of
Even among themselves, Agarthans are separated by telling the story are incredibly biased. What is known
castes, and while it is possible to change one's ranks in these however, is that any moral high ground the Agarthans may
castes, it is very rare to do so. have had has been lost to their corruption.
Agarthans are not naturally evil, and are only how they are
Grim Imitations now because of the way they were raised (as well as magic-
One development that the Agarthans have used is the ability induced mutations). Some Agarthans have left Shambhala in
to steal the identity of another humanoid. Because Agarthans order to find ways of revitalizing the Agarthan civilization.
can easily be identified, they use this to blend in among
humans. While most Agarthans that travel to the surface only
take one identity, if even that, there are certain Agarthan
spies that "collect" identities in order to maximize their
effectiveness.
Because these disguises are perfect to normal senses, the
people of the surface have no reason to suspect Agarthans,
and the Agarthans have become careless as a result. Anyone
already aware of these deceptions can easily catch an
Agarthan spy off guard.

Some amazing fanmade Agarthan designs you can use as


inspiration (Credit: Oneirio).

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