#nesteri

THE FIRST LOVE INTEREST - YOUR LOYAL PARTNER IN CRIME

Nesteri - The Childhood Friend (M/F/NB)

Nesteri has been in your life since you were rescued by your guardians. Regardless of how you feel, they will always have a crush on you at the beginning of the game, but it is your choice whether you will allow their affections to develop further or not. Sometimes they might act too nosy or dumb to your taste, but they always mean well.

Description: Supposedly has red hair, hazel eyes and freckles. Their skin also has a beautiful tan tonality but you don’t really have any way to know when it comes to them. The only thing in their appearance you can be 99,9% sure is real is their height, since they always have a comical comment about the height difference between the two of you.

Special mechanic: Being the only mage RO, their role is to help you throughout your journey. Even if you fail at finding out any secrets on your own, Nesteri will be there to ensure you know at least the bare minimum to reach the end game. Just be careful not to neglect or betray them. They may not feel too inclined to tell you the latest gossip they've heard if you are hurting their feelings. 

Remember: an alliance has to go both ways.

MAIN ROs - THE CROWN HEIRS

Rosalia - The Ice Princess (F)

Princess Rosalia (or Rosa, as you hear her family calling her) is a mystery in many ways. In general, she only speaks when directly addressed, and even then leaves most of her line of thought to the imagination. During the day, you might find her hiding in the most awkward places, with the most elusive explanations on the tip of her tongue. Is it possible to break her barriers and unlock her soft side, if she even has one?

Description: Her olive skin is a perfect mix of her parents’ skin tones. Long ebony waves are neatly kept together in braids that go until her shoulder blades. She's a very tall, slim woman, which might have contributed to her fame as someone who keeps her distance and slips away whenever possible. Also dresses with as little regality as a public figure such as the crown Princess can afford, so that she can blend in better with the background. Dark brown eyes complete the character.

Jasper - The Prince Charming (M)

The younger twin by a few seconds, Prince Jasper manages to simultaneously be the perfect gentleman and an unforgiving airhead. Don't take it too personally if he dismisses your advances (especially if you're romancing him as a nobleman) or makes one or two slightly off comments. He's just that oblivious. Since his youth, he's been cultivating the image of the knight in shining armor, dreaming of living a romance with his one true love just like the heroes in the novels. Now, that's quite a high standard to live up to, isn't it?

Description: The spitting image of his father (except for his eyes, which are light blue, like his mother's). Even his hairstyle reflects the late king's: straight brown hair side-parted at the widow's peak, in a brunette wave. Because of his fair skin, dirt and stubble get very visible, thus why he shaves and bathes too often. Despite his workout routine, he's not overly strong or tall. 

Special mechanic: The kingdom's succession hasn't been decided. During your stay at the palace, you can influence the court's opinion on who should be the next monarch. If suddenly the tables have turned in favor of the twin you are getting more familiar with… well, that's just a happy coincidence, right? 

Of course, that'd only work if the court had a positive view on you in the first place.

SECONDARY ROs - THE SIDE COMPANIONS

Johanne - The Carefree Spare (F)

Princess Johanne (or Hanne, as she asks to be called) is the late king's third child, which puts her just outside the succession debates. While the throne being inherited by a younger sibling is not unheard of, she has no interest in the position and doesn't bother to hide it. Actually, she doesn't seem to bother hiding anything, making her a possible easy source of secret information. However, Hanne doesn't have the greatest of attention spans, always jumping from one passing passion to another, as often as she changes clothes. Once you catch her interest, will you be able to hold it? Even more, what if you start to like her eyes on you, for real?

Description: Is very aware of her short stature and tries to make herself larger than life to make up for it, with ostentatious dresses, jewelry, and a flamboyant personality. She's got full curly dark hair that reaches her waist when wet, and dark brown skin. Her brown eyes are the color of coffee, but when she finds something she really likes, they almost look like golden honey.

Bernart - The Guard Captain (M)

Captain Bernart (you have heard the royals calling him Bernie, but if his hard stare is anything to go by, you have the feeling you shouldn't try your luck) is captain of the royal guard and the only son of Alganen's main general. Aside from being expected to inherit his father's position, his job seems to consist in watching the heirs' backs like a hunting hound. Whether you call it nepotism, bodyguarding or babysitting, he's very competent in what he does — so much he's starting to become a surprise nuisance in your plans. Will you be able to get his blessing in your seducing scheme, or will you accidentally find yourself being seduced instead?

Description: He has a strong constitution, with well-defined muscles, despite his height being only average at most. Very loose, black curls adorn his head, while his lower face is taken by a beard, whose state of neatness is an easy tell of how overworked he is, if you haven't noticed the dark circles under his brown eyes, contrasting with his beige skin tone. 

Special mechanic: Even if everything goes according to plan and you don't develop any feelings for your target's side companions, they can still find romance with someone else. That might not be your magic specialty, but Cupid's arrow is at your disposal, and if you get the right couples together, you could gain some unexpected allies — or produce some nice blackmail material.

If you can't find a secret on your own, just fabricate one.

Nesteri (M/F/NB)

Gift: Shapeshifting

I have already talked about them in the love interests post, but Nesteri is such a vital part of your mission that there's no way I can skip them now. After all, it's thanks to their gift that you two will be able to infiltrate the royal palace as a noble and their personal servant without arousing suspicion about your real identity.

Their position as your personal servant will allow them to daily brew you a shapeshifting potion to keep up your disguise while also mingling with the castle's working class, who are always very eager for new ears and mouths to gossip about their masters. And nobody would find it weird if you spent too much time together in your room… discussing your findings and strategies. Yes, sure. That is what you'll do. Discussing.

Of course, Nesteri has used their gift for either much more noble or much more frivolous reasons as well. To think that the one who is constantly brewing potions for everybody in the village who isn't comfortable in their bodies, without asking anything in return, is the same person who pretends to be other people just to listen in private conversations or pull silly pranks around town… You can't help but sigh, be it out of fondness, exasperation or annoyance.

Tenar (M) & Mertio (M)

Gifts: Teleportation & Empathy

Since your mother's death and your exile from court when you were only a little child, Tenar and Mertio have been your main caretakers. Tenar is your mom's cousin, the last family member who survived the invasion of your homeland, probably because of his teleportation gift. At the time, he also tried to rescue your mother and you from the palace using it, but she thought her presence there would be useful to get your land and people back. Unfortunately, that's not how the story went.

Mertio is his partner. If they were humans, with human traditions, they'd call each other "husband". Some think Mertio used his empathy gift to make Tenar fall in love with him. It is difficult for them to see how a distant, serious man like your cousin could enjoy being close to such a high-spirited individual who talks nonstop like your co-guardian. You, however, stand witness to the daily bits of their relationship and can guarantee it is surprisingly functional, if not cute.

In the prologue, you can choose your relationship with them and what you call them. Of course, said relationship can change during the game, and how they will react and treat you until the very end of your mission.

Casleren (F) & Demartion (NB)

Gifts: Mimicking and Super Strength

These are Nesteri's parents and your late mother's old friends. Your grandparents had been such good friends that they even named their daughters similarly, and said friendship has been passed down for each generation. They have also been part of your training for several reasons — the first being Casleren's gift and her role in the village for the last two decades.

Her gift is similar to her child's in the way that she can change her appearance, although she can only change based on real people she's met. On the other hand, mimicking also allows her to learn things by just observing someone else doing it once. That's how she was able to quickly learn the human's Common language and customs and then pass this knowledge down to you and her child. She has occasionally traveled to Alganen's capital to gather information for your village, but nothing close to what you and Nesteri are about to pull off.

Demartion is her ex-partner and has been helping you with your physical training due to how much practice they have with resistance and strength-related skills. They seem to still be on good terms with their child's mother, though you've heard their relationship has never been the same since your mom's passing and your subsequent arrival. Nesteri doesn't talk much about their status with their parents, despite how much they like to encourage you to open up.

Caslere (F)

Gift: Healing

Your mother. It's ironic how the one who healed everyone ended up being the one who got hurt the most.

She first met your father when she was deep in the woods, collecting some herbs for her concoctions. They were so different they couldn't understand what they were seeing, much less the other's words and behavior. Maybe that is why they felt so attracted to each other - the reasoning behind why your mother eventually showed him your homeland and how to get there. They say you were only a little baby when Alganen's soldiers invaded and captured all the mages they could, destroying everything in the way.