#wb;

Grasslands:

Tai Rignis: This blog's Canon Flame Champion. A Chisha Clan man whose life changed when the Harmonians invaded the Grasslands and led to his inheritance of the True Fire Rune changed the course of history for Harmonia and the Grasslands ever since. The Fire Bringer, his followers, started off as bandits targeting Harmonian caravans and turned in an effective resistance organization in time. After losing control of the Rune's power and causing a hellish blaze that burned for three days straight, killing countless Harmonians and Fire Bringer both, and tired of the war, Tai made the controversial decision. He would seal the rune away, using a Sindar technique only he knew of and live in obscurity as a mortal man with the woman he loved. He died sometime before the events of Suikoden III.

Captain Ivo: the older brother of Georg's mother, a Safir Clan man through and through. His mercenary company was mildly successful, granting some financial comfort to his family-- a clan that still mostly subsisted on what the mountains and woods provided. He joined the Fire Bringer like the rest of the family and seems to have been acquainted with Geddoe. It was by some chance he was elsewhere when the great blaze occurred, leaving him the only direct relative of Georg's to survive. He left the boy among colleagues in his early years because of his youth, but by age 10, he had fully taken Georg in as his apprentice of sorts. He died in battle when Georg was 19, leaving the young man to inherit his command.

Obel:

Lino en Kuldes V: The Crown Prince of Obel and childhood friend of Kar. He was a slightly privileged boy who was on occasion the target of Kar's mischief and censure. Born a few days after Kar's brother, also called Lino, unbeknownst to either mother until after the fact. Sometimes the two would switch to see how many would notice. There were a few weeks of awkwardness in their friendship when his father mentioned a possible arranged marriage, which the two emphatically shot down. In the time between that and her being taken to Harmonia the friendship seemed to be mended. As an adult he is a more level headed and kind man, taking more and more of his eventual duties from his aging father, as sort of co-king/regent.

Emi: A Nay-Kobold girl adopted by a human family. Her family ran one of the island's bakeries. When not adventuring with the gang, she'd help out with her parents in the bakery, keen on inheriting the business when she's fully grown.

Falena:

Mirei: Kar's personal secretary and attendant. Allegedly a former Nether Gate assassin herself, she's never confirmed nor denied the allegations. Regardless, she has enough trust from Kar to know even her deepest secrets. She is a stoic woman, her training of course forced her to mask or seem devoid of motion, but is a capable assistant in Kar's day to day in the palace. She is also the only person outside of the family that Kar will trust in making her tea. During the war, she used her skills to remain mostly out of the Godwin's sights, protecting the princess and providing intel for the Loyalists. She remains as an aide to Lymsleia after the war.

Zaya: An Armes woman who joined her circle after befriending Kar while she was abroad in Armes on a diplomatic visit. Zaya is primarily her personal stylist. She tends to her hair and outfits, and is the co-creator of some of her iconic looks. She tries to blend Kar's Islander heritage in with an Armes touch -- leaving Kar's style to sometimes go against the Falenan sensibilities. She fled during the coup, fearing what the Godwins might do to her as an Armes woman with all her protectors gone, and settled in Estrise at Lady Wilde's assurance for her safety. After the war, she started her own atelier and boutique -- the flagship in Estrise and eventually a sister location in Sol-Falena proper. It is rumored some of Queen Lymsleia's outfits are some of hers.

Nora & Ino: Twins from the Island of Na-Nal, they were captured by slavers for the gladiatorial slave market. After Ferid and Kar raided the market, the two girls were freed. In gratitude, they offered their loyalty, and in turn they had a rather pleasant life of being Kar's companions and confidants as her personal attendants. They remained in the palace during the war, attending the princess after she insisted they remain. They remained in the royal household for a few years after, but finally followed their friend's steps and returned to a quiet life on Na-Nal.

Sen & Glaive: Sen, Vice Commander of the Feitas Dragon Calvary under Commander Laden and his Dragon Horse companion. Kar's late fiancé. After a very long courtship in the background of the sucession crisis, they planned to wed, only for Arshtat finally come to power. They had postponed their marriage in light of the coronation, and had to extended it further when war broke out. Officially he was killed in action during the Armes invasion; in reality he was assassinated by Nether Gate in exile at the behest of Takefute (the head of the organization) in retaliation to Kar's contributions to the dissolution of the organization. Kar later inherits Glaive and is her companion/mount until his death sometime after the Dunan Unification.

I will say neither Skald nor Mora are perfect parents. A naval family where Skald is frequently deployed on patrol and Mora, the Navy Wife, is left with the kids at any time. That's not to say she wasn't alone; Obel is very much a "it takes a village" culture so she had help from neighbors and relatives-- even the King! When there are many other children that need your attention, it's no surprise to lose track of a kid or two, particularly the older ones once they're independent enough. (Or you're very wriggly and prone to giving people the slip like Kar.)

Much to Mora's exasperation, Skald also did instill the "you're only in trouble if you get caught" mentality—at least with the harmless things— leading to some interpersonal chaos when it came to the children. Not to mention his little "mind games", of which all of his children have experienced, clever (but not harmful) manipulations to get what he wants or for situations to have outcomes he prefers, often in a manner of framing it like it was their idea originally, or redirecting certain behaviors so that they are productive. A child could speak their mind, and encouraged them to critically think, investigate, and draw to their own conclusions.

It is also a house where everyone was frequently on top on one another-- while relatively large for a noble's house, and the simpleness suited them. (Skald was the eldest of serval siblings himself but not the size of his own brood.) Nestled on one of Obel's many hills, it had a view of the sea and world below. The honest truth was it was not meant for eleven people to cohabit, so often they would have to share bedrooms, etc. (Skald was exceptionally successful when it came to fatherhood; few families in Obel can attest to having nine children and all living to adulthood.) The walls marked with the growing heights of nine children, various attempts of mural art kept as a time capsule of a youth that so quickly fades. Clean, not not pristine, the sort of clean that clearly shows eleven different people living in it. However, that was a house of love, a love that tried its best in an often chaotic household.

As adults the house serves as a sort of anchor point to the globetrotting Egans, stopping whenever to catch up on their way to one part of the world to the other. Considering the oldest living is nearing mid 30s and Bern is just 20, needless to say it's that part of growing up where everyone has their own lives to live and occasionally the stars align for all of them to get together.

The Children in Order of Birth (And Current Status as of 450):

Ferid (413) Late Commander of the Queen's Knight of Falena; died in 449

Lino (415) Captain of the Princess Flare, another patrol ship in the Federation Navy

Kar (Early 417) Retired Queen's Knight and later Wandering Scholar-Adventurer. Assumed dead briefly in 449-450.

Koa (Mid 417) Chief Navigator of the Princess Flare

Zofi (420) Merchant for the Ramada Shipping Fleet

Ezra (422) Journeyman Shipwright for the Federation Navy

Nissa (425) Knight of Razril, currently Liaison for the Federation Navy

Oram (425) Fisherman and Part-time Innkeeper

Bernadette (429) Vice-Captain of the Lino En Kuldes, flagship of the Federation Navy

The children seemed to have split into groups. The eldest four (Ferid, Lino, Kar and Koa) and the youngest four (Zofi, Ezra, Nissa, and Oram) were often found around each other the most. Bernadette, being the surprise baby born much later than the rest had a bit of a disadvantage with sibling bonding as the twins were nearly 5 by the time she was born. (Of course all of them bonded and interacted, just they formed into little social packs.)

Ferid being the oldest, while being a bit of his father's son, hot-blooded and eager for action, he was also at a young age was a mix of self-sufficient and slightly parentified, having to watch over many of his siblings very often. While his younger brother Lino tended to be mediator, sometimes Ferid was the one to pull, "I'm the oldest, do as I say" in times when there were no guardians around and the conflict was dragging out. Most of the time he was the Kar whisperer when his father wasn't around, as he seemed to be the one who read her mercurial nature the most. And while he could have easily harbored jealousy over her nature, he didn't. She's the one sibling he was closest to and vice versa. They were the best of friends and closet confidants until the end.

While he didn't regret leaving home at 16 instead of joining the naval academy, he of course always cared for his family and was often in his thoughts. It was painful to effectively hide them when he married into the Falenan Royal Family; equally protecting them as much of himself. Even more so keeping the truth from his children for the sake of their safety. Few rare exchanges passed through nasel birds on both ends so neither was fully in the dark, just on drip feed of information as a matter of national security. But it was understood by the family even if they didn't like it.

His death was a great emotional blow to the family. Having spent years abroad, only briefly meeting some of them on his way back escorting Georg to Falena. His son and daughter are only just aware of their paternal family very recently-- however as Queen and Knight Commander, stabilizing Falena takes a bit of priority over a family reunion, though both have voiced interest to visit one day.

Lino had the unfortunate curse of sharing his name with fair part of the male population of the island, having been named for the king who saved Obel from subjugation 150 years earlier. This also included his "cousin" (their fathers being childhood friends), the crown prince. Unbeknownst to Mora and the Queen, they had their sons a week apart and named them the same name. Needless to say, playdates were rather interesting when both were together. Sometimes for fun, the prince and the admiral's son would switch places to see how long their parents noticed--with Ferid, Kar, and Koa eager to be involved in the prank.

He had the nice balance of practicality and adventurous spirit, being as much of a conspirator as he was a target to his sister's mischief. He tended to be the sibling mediator despite being the second eldest. And did more of the "parenting" than Ferid. (To be fair, Ferid was often focused on dragging his wayward sister home from the other side of the Island, so it wasn't that he wasn't watching them; just splitting tasks.) Despite his occasionally need to be a gremlin, he was generally seen as responsible young man.

Lino was preparing for enrollment in the naval academy by the time Ferid left and Kar was sent to Harmonia, and was still able to be close to home while doing his training (though he had to live in the barracks as a recruit). As an adult he has his own family living not far from the family home, and is a career officer serving on another ship in the Navy, respected by his command-- and with a reputation outside of his father's massive shadow. His command of the Princess Flare was clearly by his own merit, though there has always been whispers of nepotism (an unfortunate side effect of being Skald Egan's child).

Kar was found after the Lino en Kuldes discovered a shipwreck after a powerful storm, the sole survivor. On the voyage back to Obel, she endeared herself to the Admiral, who adopted the girl shortly after. He would soon learn that she had been on the way to Obel to be placed in the the care of reclusive Lazlo, a distant relative of the royal family with a mysterious past. From the man he'd learn the truth— the mark on her hand was no birthmark, but rather a True Rune—that she was intended to be raised in his care to protect her from forces that desired that power. After some discussion, it was decided she would stay, the risk of being found was worth not being raised in relative isolation.

A feisty child, prone to mischief, she was soon smarter than her siblings, and then smarter than her parents. Mora claimed she was at once the easiest and most difficult of her children to raise. While Kar is fully capable to do things on her own; it's getting her to do them or catching her before she disappears to do her own thing that's the trouble. The weird one, not entirely understood (save for her father, Ferid, and Koa), but no less loved.

Learning anything and everything through experience (and devouring every book she got her hands on; she'd read nearly the entire royal library by the age of ten) she practically raised herself in the backdrop of the household. Which perhaps is why she tended to spend most days as a mischievous truant, or tailing someone for a day asking and learning about their work (the King once joked to her parents "that child understood matters of the kingdom better than most of his advisors"). As well as her pervasive and insatiable curiosity, the large household she lived in being overstimulating at times that often when she had her fill of her family, she dipped. She tried her best to help her mother, do her chores, but the moment the urge and opportunity to slip off presented itself...she was gone to who knows where until she was dragged home by Ferid/Lazlo/Skald/Random Constable on Patrol. And some rare cases, the King. Nights were spent in the courtyard garden, or slipping out to the shore with Koa to practice their reading of the stars. It was not surprising to find her asleep in or under the large tree in the family's courtyard instead of her bed.

Given the traumatic experience Skald saved her from, it's no surprise she's a daddy's girl, even attempting to even stow away on his ship several times to have more time together. Skald won't openly admit he sees himself in her the most, and that he is slightly more indulgent towards her. Out of all his children, Kar is the least one to fall into his little mind games seeing through is manipulation, and he can admit there's a few times he's fallen for hers-- he'll be the first to admit she's far more smarter and craftier than he could ever be and he loves her for it.

Her departure to Harmonia hit the most. The family knowing they were helpless in the face of it all— having to sacrifice their daughter to the terrible machine of diplomacy. While it was couched in words of opportunity and praise, Mora and Skald knew the truth. Harmonia wanted the prodigious child with the unique rune and they were willing to do anything—-even go to war over it. Her parents had not choice and reluctantly giving up their daughter for the sake of peace and keeping the island safe.

When news of her (alleged) and her brother's (actual) death in the Sun Palace coup reached Obel, the island keenly mourned them both. And were overjoyed months later when learning that she had truly survived, having briefly visited her family after the war before heading north in search of a certain someone...

Koa was born a few months after Kar was adopted, and in their earliest years they tended to be treated like twins. He could be best described as a dreamer. Given the stronger personalities of the older three, he was more passive. More go-with-the-flow, but no less clever than his siblings. He took Kar's mischief in stride, even finding the humor each time he found crabs in his bed. If Ferid was Kar's shadow and vice versa, Koa was often Lino's. Very middle child, if it makes sense, while no less special than the others, his mild personality meant he sometimes just blended in. His quiet nature tended to make him least suspected when it came to the mischief making, but he was as much of a gremlin as the other three.

His passion for stargazing (a point of bonding with his "twin") and being taught astronavigation by his father at a young age, his special interest was astronomy and navigation. He followed Lino to the academy when he was of age and by good fortune was posted on the Princess Flare with Lino as Chief Navigator. Kar and Koa co-created the sibling pidgin code language that had been originally used between each other, but later adopted by the elder two to sometimes coordinate things without their mother's knowledge.

Zofi may have been influenced by her older sister just a little bit. While less chaotic and prone to following her own whims as Kar, Zofi was sharp, keen, a savvy negotiator, and took no shit from those that didn't earn her respect. She led the younger group with a decisiveness that mirrored her mother at times. You could say Lino and Zofi were the "ambassadors" of each respective sibling group, managing inter-sibling affairs at times. Having a great head for numbers, when she old enough, she aided her mother in their household affairs. And even sometimes minded the books of her maternal family's fishing operations.

The third child to go abroad; Zofi was the only one to return. Having worked hard to get there on her own, Zofi spent time to study trade and business in Vinay del Zexay, the capital of the Zexen Confederation to understand the finer parts of trade in the nation that prided itself and was founded by trade. After returning home, she was hired to work with the Ramada merchant fleet-- with the intention of eventually starting a trade fleet of her own. (Given her massive family, Zofi is likely going to be more of a childfree career woman, fine with being auntie than anything.)

Ezra was the family's artiste. Both artistic and logical, his cleverness manifested into the skill of draftsmanship and engineering. The family home--particularly the courtyard garden-- is home to his early explorations into murals. Some of his prototypes remains on permanent display, curated by his mother. Intelligent enough to have sometimes stood on his own against the wits of Kar and Zofi, he was slated for a regular academy education, even though he had potential enough at least admission to a institution as celebrated as Greenhill, if not Crystal Valley (sadly, his lack of true rune and machinations larger than him did not lead him abroad).

He flourished enough in the naval academy, finding his true calling not as a crewman serving on ships, but rather building, repairing, and improving on them. As such he's traveled all across the Island Nations Federation to their many naval bases to work-- and sometimes even on a few civilian merchant ships. As of 450 he's a Journeyman, preparing for creating his own masterwork for his promotion to Master Shipwright. Because of the naval connection, he has grown closer to Lino, Koa, and Bernadette as they matured into adults. He's been rather busy with his work to think about family at the moment, perhaps once he is established as a Master.

Nissa had dreams tailing her elder siblings towards adventure one day. The exuberant sunshine optimist, she had a fixation on the Knights of Razril ( something that hasn't exactly changed much when she got older). A tomboyish girl who often found herself as the brawn to Zofi's brains, she had the Egan fire to throw down when the opurtunity presented itself. She bested all the local boys that challenged her much to the local mothers' collective dismay. (Not in the sexist way. More in exasperation at needing to tend to more bumps and bruises than average because some people don't know when they're beat, Caleb!).

While her her determination and raw talent was considered the most; it was her father's diplomatic ties that helped to give her a chance to go to Razril and become a squire. While Skald always preferred his children succeed on his own merit, it was different than the other situations. Razril was its own nation, and the two islands were due for some goodwill.

Nissa thrived in the Marines Base, was well-liked by her fellow trainees for her optimism and upbeat personality, always trying to see the best in everything. Her superior officers commended her for skill with a blade and that Egan-brand quick wit and fearlessness. As a fully fledged Knight, she was chosen to serve as a liaison between the Knights and the Federation Navy proper, even developing a goodwill joining training operation for the Knights and the Navy crewman to learn from one another. Rumor has it she's quite taken with a fellow knight, but nothing official yet.

Oram was named after the current King of Obel, a longtime friend of his father's. He is the younger twin to Nissa, born only a few minutes after. They are a case of when twins are opposite or near opposite personality. Oram loved adventure as much as any of his siblings; followed along with Zofi and Nissa around the island. But unlike his other siblings, he was content keeping the adventure within the range of his home. None of that wanderlust so many of his other siblings seemed to have. One could liken him most to his brother Koa with mellowness, but he had a similar optimism in him as Nissa. Handling each challenge with a quiet grace, good nature, and good ol' fashioned Obel grit.

Oram tried the naval academy like most of his other siblings, but truly found his place with his maternal family's fishery. He is one with the ebb and flow of quiet island Obel life, living vicariously through his siblings' letters and stories whenever they stop by. A man of simple wants and ambitions: to come home with a good catch, the health of his loved ones, and the heart of the the love of his life. After marrying said love— the local innkeeper's daughter— he shares some duties there when not out on the fishing boat. He does also take time to visit home often as well, and the people on the island regard him with the same kindness and respect he often gives in double. As of 450, he and the missus are expecting their first child.

Bernadette is the baby of the family, and an unexpected surprise. By the time she was born, Ferid was roaming the world, Kar was studying in Harmonia, and Lino was preparing for the academy-- so her most consistent "eldest" sibling was Koa. Five years the junior of the twins, needless to say growing up she didn't have that "pack" like the older eight did. Only when she was older she was able to bond more with her older siblings.

Compared to her more rambunctious siblings, Bern is often notable for her more grounded and serious nature, no doubt taking the lessons of siblings' past to learn and improve her behavior. But also being the youngest, she seemingly had to work hardest to climb out of not only her father's but also her older siblings' shadows.

If there was one thing the Egan brood was known for, it was for their cleverness, and Bernadette is just a quick-witted as any of her eight siblings. A credit to the fleet, her quick thinking and learning to work with her siblings' (and father's) improvisation, has made her a very capable crewman in the Federation Navy. At 20, Bernadette is also one of the youngest Vice-Captains in the fleet (an achievement even her brother Lino couldn't claim; having gained it a few years older than she), and of their flagship no less. However, this means she serves alongside her father, and even he has sympathies for her trying to come into her own whilst in his proverbial shadow. After a brief stint in Falena helping her (know known to her) nephew, she is back on the Lino En Kuldes, a constant victim of her father's mind games.

History/Folklore tells of the last King of Armes (what is now modern Falena) had been shipwrecked on an island (modern Nirva), the sole occupant of the island was a powerful mage of great skill and beauty that while she tended the wounded and saw to the dead, the king fell in love and once returning to his kingdom he set about to making her his queen. He would make a pilgrimage with gifts and court her, and she would leave her island for Armes and became a queen beloved by the people and they lived happily ever after until the Sun Rune drove him mad and scorched the continent.

Kar would tell you she would have been content to remain in her solitude, and basically had been beaten and worn down to accept. The reality of the matter was that love was a secondary motivation; he believed her Rune could stabilize the Sun Rune and keep him sane as long as she was close. She was more often playing regent to a madman, seen as a devoted wife. (The love of people was also true too, as she's always had a common touch.) And that she also killed the king with her own hands, but too little too late.

As she left the ruins of the southern kingdom, she would eventually find herself in the orbit of a charismatic young man named Hikusaak, who had found himself in possession of the Circle Rune, dreamed of uniting the north into what would become the Holy Kingdom of Harmonia, where he placed himself as Priest-King. His ambition grew to wanting to possess all 27 True Runes by any means necessary. While he could not bear all himself, he was intending to pass them to those loyal to him-- and later creating his own clone vessels in Luc and Sasarai. Kar was kept close, restricted, and his near constant surveillance and attempt to keep her close was couched again under the guise of love. Perhaps it was genuine once, but the ambition and desire to control everything poisoned it. She co-founded the Howling Voice Guild as an intelligence network for Harmonia and it eventually became her saving grace from Hikusaak. As much as possible at least. In the end he was as immortal as her, and he'd scour the edges of the world for her no matter how far she ran.

In the Kar Aster timeline, she was "captured", by the Fire Bringer (she allowed it as a means to escape). The Flame Champion eventually let ger free once she proves she has no intention of selling them out and was using the war as a smokescreen to escape south. But she didn't escape and joined them as their strategist/intel officer (no doubt a certain scruffy and disagreeable member of their cohort caught her attention...) And basically the Kar/Geddoe relationship has equal tension as being both True Rune bearers, meaning they'd always have targets on their back and staying together for too long is dangerous, so their time together is never too long as they both are in the move. Frankly both Fire Bringer Wars are probably the longest they've been together.

Kar Egan timeline is a little more lucky, dodging until the regeneration, then basically lured back through that subtle political manipulation. Getting her memories back though makes her very similar -- mistrustful and wary of Harmonia.