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⌈ PLAYER SECTION ⌉
Player: Chris
Contact: HurricaneChris or PM
Age: 31
Current Characters: 0


⌈ CHARACTER SECTION ⌉
Character: Xander
Age: 21-25
Canon: Fire Emblem: Fates
Canon Point: Revelation Chapter 21

Background: Wiki link

Personality: At first glance, Xander is a very stern and stoic man. He's very tall, very strict, and speaks less often than most of the people around him, especially his other siblings. With his clothing and armor, he cuts even more of an intimidating figure -- and that's without getting into his reputation as a peerless swordsman and skilled frontline commander.

And while it's not entirely accurate of his character, it's also not inaccurate, either. When Xander has serious matters to attend to, he is all business. He has a very serious personality -- as one might expect from someone groomed to take the throne of a kingdom -- even to the point where he can't tell a joke. In fact, when he tries during his supports with Selena, the rest of his siblings think he's taken ill.

And that's even without getting into the way Xander conducts himself on the battlefield. Despite being a prince, Xander leads his soldiers from the front lines, not the relative safety of the rear. He is a merciless warrior, and he won't hesitate to cut down any enemy soldier that stands between him and victory. And when he gives orders, he always does so with conviction. Even if it means that someone close to him, such as a beloved sibling (for example, Corrin should they not choose to join Nohr, or Camilla in Chapter 13 of Revelation) has become an enemy, he will carry out his duty.

And then there's the way he can get when he's angry. One of Xander's defining character traits is his absolute loyalty to Nohr, and anyone who breaks that loyalty will suffer the brunt of his wrath. Should Corrin refuse to return to Nohr, he grows angry to the point of vocal outrage, and throughout the Birthright route, whenever he appears, he zeroes in on Corrin, adamant on carrying out a one-on-one fight, and absolutely unwilling to even give them the chance to speak, to argue their side or explain why they made their choice. Even in Revelation, where rather than side with Hoshido, Corrin refuses to choose a side, Xander has little patience for them. At one point in the game, Corrin is trying to act on cryptic advice, and when they ask Xander if he knows anything that might help, he asks them why they think he'd ever help a traitor in response. Even that aside, he's shown to be very strict in less serious scenarios -- in his support conversations with one of his retainers, Laslow, he grows angry with what he perceives to be Laslow's indifference toward his duties to the point he punishes him by expressly forbidding him to leave his side. He's also very strict toward criminals -- his support conversations with Elise have him trying (and ultimately failing) to keep her away from a band of pirates locked up in a Nohrian jail because he doesn't want her to show them any mercy.

Xander's absolute loyalty to his kingdom is also presented as a tremendous, and in Birthright, fatal flaw in his character. Xander is part of what is known among the Fire Emblem fan community as a "Camus archetype" -- defined by a character in the very first game who was a good and honorable man, but the player was forced to fight and kill him regardless because his loyalty to his country trumped his own personal judgment. Most subsequent Fire Emblem games have featured such a character, with Xander filling that role in Fates. Even late in Birthright, it's Xander's loyalty to Nohr that drives him to fight Corrin, and it's shown to ultimately lead to Elise's death by his own hand (in an accident, but still). Ultimately, he loses himself to despair and forces Corrin to kill him in a duel, and only then does he consider himself free from his obligation to his homeland. It even presents a problem in Conquest, the route where Corrin chooses to fight with Nohr, as Xander's stubbornness and loyalty to his kingdom means he also follows the orders of his blatantly evil father, King Garon. It leads to Corrin and Azura deciding that their only recourse is to trick Garon into sitting on the Hoshidan throne -- which is enchanted to reveal the true self of whomever sits on it -- to reveal to Xander and his siblings that Garon was no longer their father, but a literal monster. It's only then that Xander accepts the truth of the matter and turns his sword on Garon. And in Revelation, Xander remains steadfastly devoted to Nohr longer than any of his siblings; it takes Garon ordering him to destroy both Hoshido and Nohr to seek out and join Corrin's army, and even then, he exploits a loophole in his own logic (that being that, to protect Nohr, he had to go behind his father's back, because his father had clearly gone mad).

However, despite all of this rigidness and sternness that surrounds Xander, deep down those traits fade away and reveal a man with a good heart and personal insecurities. One example is how Xander became the man he is today. In truth, Xander was a frail and shy boy, with no real talents to speak of. However, he was unhappy with the way he was, and improved himself through sheer willpower. An example of this can be seen in his supports with Sakura where, in an attempt to get over her own shyness, she seeks out the most intimidating man in Corrin's army -- that being Xander. Xander then recounts an experience from his own childhood where, disgusted with his own shyness, he did the exact same thing and sought out the most intimidating man in the castle -- his own father. And in his supports with his brother Leo, Leo laments how Xander always seemed to be good at everything, which made Leo feel insecure about his own capabilities. Xander told him that he wasn't born gifted, either, and only got good by applying himself over long periods of time. Additionally, some of these insecurities extend into his adult life. Xander often wonders if there's a way to atone for the people he has killed while fighting his father's war of conquest, and it's how he bonds with Nyx, who herself has done terrible things, in their supports.

As for his kindness, that becomes most evident in the way Xander interacts with the people he's close to. Once in Corrin's army, he will routinely tell Corrin that he will always be there for them if they need help whenever they invite Xander to their private quarters. He also recounts how he lost the retainers he had prior to Laslow and Peri, and expresses his wishes to never have to experience that kind of loss again. When the elder of his sisters, Camilla, expresses worry that he's keeping his siblings at arm's length, he assuages her fears by showing her just how well he knows his siblings, including herself. He goes out of his way to make Azura feel more at home and more comfortable around other members of the army in his supports with her. And whenever his supports turn to romance, he also proves himself to be a gentleman and a romantic. He'll pick out ideal spots to propose, come up with loving things to do for the woman he loves, and do his best to make them feel comfortable with and loved by him.

Ultimately, though, his kindness even extends to the people. When he becomes king, he implements a series of radical reforms to make Nohr a better place to live. Under the monster masquerading as Garon, the kingdom had gone down the toilet, with food, money, and material running low and violent crime on the rise. When Xander takes over, he implements a series of radical social reforms that stabilizes the kingdom, lowers crime, and establishes better diplomatic relations. History goes on to note that while his policies were contentious, they were also necessary for Nohr to heal. And ultimately, that's what Xander wants most -- what's best not just for Nohr, but for the people of Nohr. Without the people, there is no king.

Abilities: Swordsman: Xander is considered the greatest swordsman in Nohr. He's also able to go toe-to-toe with Ryoma, the greatest swordsman in Hoshido.

Cavalier: Xander is an expert at horseback riding, and typically rides his horse into battle.

Siegfried: This sword is one of the five divine weapons created by the Rainbow Sage. Siegfried is an immensely powerful sword, and is able to fire blasts of black magic at foes from mid-range. Xander is the only person capable of wielding it.

Dragon Vein: As a descendant of one of the First Dragons, Xander is able to handle draconic energy wherever he can find it within the earth. These Dragon Veins can be manipulated to alter terrain, weather, and even attack foes in some cases.

Cooking: Xander is an excellent cook. Unless he messes up in the kitchen, all of his dishes are loved by the army and grant some of the better stat boosts available to cooked food in the game.

Alignment: Thras. Fear and bravery both play large roles in Xander's life, since he began life as a timid boy who worked up the courage to improve himself. Fear is something he still struggles with from time to time, mostly in the form of self-doubt and guilt. But he continues to press onward and leads his men from the front, despite being the crown prince, and despite all of his doubts and fears. Ultimately, Xander is a brave man not because he feels no fear, but because he consistently faces his fears.

Other: I would like Xander to bring his horse into the game.


⌈ SAMPLE SECTION ⌉

General Sample: TDM Post

Emotion Sample: Here and here


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