Generically-Titled Fire Emblem Quest (Gen 2) Part 5 Summary

Part 5 Link: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/43546842/

Part 5 Summary

 -While Lloyd and Leigh were hanging out in that inn late the morning after the previous thread's conclusion. Ansi wound up finally showing up, and upon being sufficiently pestered for answers on where he disappeared to until now, he revealed that he was once a bounty hunter, and just happened to run into and catch up with an old partner. He immediately regretted this decision upon passingly seeing Jolie for the first time, becoming in a matter of moments a very passionate and loud person. He insists Lloyd and Leigh introduce them next time they see the soldier-class. He would apparently proceed to not shut the fuck up about it for several days. Calof says this is all news to him in a conversation on the way to Elza.
 -After possibly months of using the same tome and sword without sufficient chance to replace or maintain them, Leigh and Lloyd finally needed to go shopping for some new toys. Lloyd picked up a Vulnerary, replaced his old Flux with a new one, and picked up a Nosferatu tome to boot, from a particularly helpful Anna running a shop for tomes and the like. Shopping at that particular store also meant he got to run into none other than Mage General Yancy, who was apparently picking up a very powerful tome called Glower (apparently he collects such things). He exposited awhile about Spirit Charmers and mentioned a woman named Asra living in the mountains, totally not setting anything up whatsoever.
 -After finding that Leigh had bought a sword that allows her to survive what would otherwise be fatal damage from the very same Tomnus and Kneil that Welles mentioned, Lloyd warned her about depending on it too much... Which led into a rather big and embarrassing argument all-around. Both of them mutually realized that maybe backing down was a good move, Leigh walking inside while Lloyd took a moment out there... Catching Yancy (the female troubadour) storming outside and needing to vent after some more crap from Yone in the offscreen time. They vented about their respective problems for awhile, this in particular ending when Yulea dragged Yone out to apologize for whatever happened.
 -A few uneventful days later, Princess Shea's trio+Cargia turn up in Elza Oasis, seeking out Marrius' Group, around the same time and for similar purposes as a letter from someone named Jay in Northeastern Tarvos Valley, requesting escorts and protection during an annual event held by the survivors of an incident in Orsin Village and their families. But more importantly for Ansi, Jolie was there! Lloyd and Leigh mutually set aside their differences upon noticing they'd both gone to remind him of such, introducing the pair... And immediately regretting this decision when Ansi was creepy and overzealous. Then Leigh was pissed off at Lloyd again when he found the situation hilarious.
 -During their travels towards the potential dangerously deadly Dracozombies, Lloyd ran into Ansi chatting up Gonzo (who? Exactly.) about Jolie, leading him to interrupt the situation by asking Ansi to tone down his advances... And ultimately feeling threatened, backpedaling into giving him general if honest advice, and being asked how he and Leigh got together. Lloyd... Didn't remember, which kind of fucked him up.

Current party members

 -Lloyd (Dark Mage) A pragmatic young man whose home settlement was destroyed by an undead horde. Left with nothing, he convinced his girlfriend that the two of them needed to become bandits, and a series of coincidences from there led to him joining a noble group of mercenaries. Was a middle child, but both his older sister and younger brother are as dead as the rest of the people of his home settlement. He makes friends surprisingly fast, seeming to have a knack for getting people to open up to him, just talk about shit.
 -Leigh (Mercenary) A strong young woman whose home settlement was destroyed by an undead horde. She was convinced to become a bandit by her boyfriend, but she still has a valiant soul, being enthusiastic about chances to do the right thing. A series of coincidences led to her joining a noble group of mercenaries. While she's a hard-worker and ultimately good person, she's quick to complain about other people's moral failings and sensitive about how reliable she is. She wields a Miracle Sword (basically the Prayer Sword with the name changed to reflect the skill's official name) from Tomnus and Kneil.
 -Ansi (Summoner) An antisocial and pragmatic former bounty hunter, long-haired, "pretty," and of average height and build, the type who won't help others if there's nothing in it for him. That being said, however, he does have a surprisingly passionate side to him, believing firmly in love at first sight, as professed upon meeting Jolie... And still being an all-around creep, even if he has been filled with newfound belief that he can improve his life.
 -Marrius (Hero) A famous mercenary company leader and the son of two other prolific sellswords. Despite not being particularly old, he has a mature air about him, and is by all reports a very nice guy. His father apparently trained one of the most famous heroes in recent Teege history, Ellen.
 -Yulea (Cavalier) A green-armored, fair-haired mercenary with a heart as big as she is strong, preferring to wield lances upon her horse. Best friends with Yancy, who feels she's too nice for her own good. Can sometimes be slow on the uptake, but has an overall good, empathetic, protective head on her shoulders.
 -Yancy (Troubadour) A red-armored, brown-redheaded mercenary with a foul, boisterous demeanor, skilled with a sword and a staff alike. Best friends with Yulea, who insists she has a good heart (she's not a bad person by any stretch, but she isn't actively nice like her friend). An admirer of muscles, she's constantly striving to improve herself, and can be snappy. The niece of Mage General Yancy, named after him by her... Interesting father.
 -Lyeim (Myrmidon) Half-garou, half-human, this guy was the newest member of Marrius' company prior to the appearance of Lloyd and Leigh. Overall, he's a nice, unassuming fellow, though he does have a slight dark side and can be insecure at times. The son of a beloved public figure in Neir, Stefyn, and the current leader of the Garou, Dama.
 -Gonzo (Soldier) Ansi's roommate, a generally helpful, very nondescript man who dislikes small talk. Keeps a portrait of his family in his quarters, the only real hint to his life outside work.
 -Cargia (Axe-Lord) See Clients section below.
 -Shea (Wyvern Rider) See Clients section below.
 -Yvette (Paladin) An elderly retainer for King Garrus, now tasked with accompanying his daughter, Shea. While famous for her exploits and of relatively sound mind, she has become bitter in her Autumn years, but she still loyally serves Neir. Was dearly close with the late Empress Alexia, having known her for at least sixty years, and has a bit of a reputation for training heroes since Ellen. Probably planning on retiring soon, and not at all fond of people she deems predatory. Only travels with the party when they're traveling with Shea.
 -Jolie (Soldier) A green-haired bright young upstart in high spirits, honored to have earned the ability to work and travel directly alongside Shea and Yvette at her age. Generally excitable and ambitious, she sees herself and others as having endless learning and developing potential. Her mere visage could motivate a jaded bastard to act (poor thing). Only travels with the party when they're traveling with Shea.

Not-on-this-mission party members (given the nature of Marrius' Group, this can temporarily happen a lot)

 -Yone (Priest) A young man (he can't be older than 19) with short, dark hair and a fiery red heart. Overconfident in his nonexistent strength and charms, he ended up joining Marrius' Group after unsuccessfully confronting Lloyd over his criminal past. Harbors a crush on Yancy, much to her disgust.
 -Calof (Vautou Archer) A non-confrontational winged man with a bow. He's a pretty simple, curious guy, a good shot, and a better conversationalist than a few of his wingless coworkers. He's very good at following orders, but poor at making decisions on his own account unless they're glaringly obvious choices. More shy than he lets on.

Clients
 -Nicholas (Priest) See "Former Allies" below. Was only a client before Lloyd's time with Marrius' Group, but he ended up a part of the job he wanted done anyway.
 -Eyven (????, threads 3-4) The short and stocky son of the late Salia and Quidel, leaders of the Tarvosian nomads. Rather lazy, he still looks out for his brother Welles, and is able to teleport at will using a Witch's Pendant inherited from his mother, which only works on a single person due to its damages. Upon finding out that Neir was unable to spare an in-house escort to a funeral in Dain, he hired members of Marrius' group to accompany him the rest of the way.
 -Welles (Great Lord, threads 3-4) The tall and built son of the late Salia and Quidel, leaders of the Tarvosian nomads. An extremely friendly person with impeccable ability to bring out the best in all people, highlighted by his complete refusal to take a life with his immense swordsmanship skills. He managed to both subdue and befriend a group of bandits who attacked one night.
 -Cargia (Axe-Lord, threads 5-ongoing) The big and intimidating prince of Neir, good friends with his gentler cousin Welles. He enjoys scaring people with his sheer presence, as well as using it as a means to formulate his first impression. Pretty much exactly what you would expect him to be. He asked to be escorted to Tarvos Valley alongside Shea and her guards, presumably to help defend against potential threats where he should be living and serving anyway.
 -Shea (Wyvern Rider, threads 5-ongoing) The crown princess of Neir, who's been on some secret but important mission with Yvette and Jolie all over the continent. Heroic, but doesn't have a lot of hobbies. She, her own guards, and her brother requested to travel with Marrius' Group to Tarvos Valley to lend their aid against potential threats.
 -Jay (????, threads 5-ongoing) A man living in Dagda village and a survivor of a tragic massacre in Orsin Village. With the recent state of worldly affairs, he figured hiring some extra security in case of Dracozombies would be wise, since the survivors reunite there annually. That's where Marrius' Group comes in.

Former Allies

 -Nicholas (Priest, died in thread 1) A righteous-hearted healer who called for the aid of Marrius' company when his town was overrun by the Ymir Group. After mistaking Lloyd and Leigh for members of Marrius' Group, he was killed by one of Cane's lackeys, dying without learning the truth about his town's "saviors," but at least the real deal showed up soon after.

Defeated Bosses

 -Cane (Warrior, died in thread 1) A cruel woman hailing from far-off islands who apparently knows the pain of losing loved ones and drawn-out deaths, preferring to avert both when possible, albeit knowing it's sometimes unavoidable. She was the leader of the Ymir Group bandits, but apparently until recently was only its second-in-command. After a onesided-in-her-favor fight with Lloyd, she was stabbed in the nick of time by Leigh and finished off by Yulea.
 -Barry (Berserker, did not die in thread 3) A big guy whose name happened to be dropped in his attempts to raid the campsite of the members of Marrius' Group escorting Welles. Losing an arm to Leigh was enough to convince the rest of his companions that maybe continuing along this path was a poor choice, and Welles was even able to prod Ansi into reluctantly saving his life. Had Welles not spoken out as he did, he and his entire group would have died of the wounds they'd received fighting his escorts, and several were already as good as such by the time the dust cleared.

Noteworthy Non-party/non-client Characters

 -Gyo (Ice Dragon) Bearing a childlike, androgynous appearance, Gyo is, like most known manaketes, really several centuries old, but still considered an unworthy upstart by other Ice Authority representatives. Has only killed one Fire Dragon despite the authority's policy, and even that was in self-defense. All in all a pretty nice person, respected by settlers.
 -Valerie (Assassin) A reclusive master of the killing arts, living in the mountains of Tordo and only showing herself should she notice someone in danger of falling at the hands of monsters or undead. Has a youthful appearance, stoic but friendly demeanor, and long black hair.
 -Mage General Yancy (Spirit Charmer) The current leader of Heim, operating out of Elza Oasis, specifically its Tower of Longevity, like most Mage Generals before him. Decades ago, he lost his arm in a war, though he has since learned to maintain a replacement with magic. In his time as ruler, he improved Heim's infrastructure pretty nicely, though some of that has been undone by the random undead. He's currently looking for viable candidates to become spirit charmers ever since rediscovering the lost arts with the aid of his predecessor and her daughter, and has even expressed interest in letting Lloyd become one... When he's ready. Is also, coincidentally, the uncle of Yancy, his brother having named his daughter after him.
 -Irene (Witch) A pupil of a former Mage General with an extremely curious mind. In particular, she is currently studying ways to allow human beings to warp around safely without the use of some extremely rare apparatus, though there have been... Mishaps, which apparently aren't unique in her studies. Though some accuse her of only being in Marrius' Group because of her... Impressive physique, she's still quite clever, good with administrative work, money, record-keeping, and generally being pleasant. She's comparable to a secretary-accountant and very supportive.
 -Ellen (Hero) A champion of Neir who was sent into the mountains of Tordo to investigate the source of the undead menace who, by the reports of her surviving companions on the trip, resultantly fell through an Outrealm Gate and hasn't resurfaced since. Despite this, since she's apparently just that strong, people have faith that she'll return alive and well.
-Garrus (Wyvern Monarch) The king of Neir, a noble-hearted fellow who dislikes how much violence the state of this world necessitates. In general, he's rather sad, but appreciates his life and family.
 -Tomnus (Mercenary) The son of a swordsmith and enchanter in Neir, all-around friendly. Travels the continent on behalf of his parents' store, selling wares they produce.
 -Kneil (Mercenary) A close friend and companion of Tomnus, a musical soul with a lot of talent... Which he deliberately squanders so to be Tomnus' yes-man.
 -Paula (????) The youngest daughter of the late Empress Alexia. Apparently missed her funeral for some important offscreen business, sending a woman named Esmer on her behalf.
 -Bolse (Necromancer) Who's this guy? Lloyd's heard his name a couple times now, but hasn't asked. Presumably he's some kind of necromancer of importance.
 -Asra (Assassin) A woman who had the misfortune of a Deadlord entering her body, though her being alive at the time caused her soul to be at odds with it. Shortly after revealing to Mage General Yancy that a mark was left somewhere on her body by this action (which prompted his interest in reviving Spirit Charming), she took to a reclusive life in the mountains of Tordo, last seen years ago in regions of the nation closest to Heim.

Noteworthy factions

 -Ice Authority: Ruling the Tordo mountains with a frigid fist, this group of Ice Dragons led the nation mostly-undisturbed for years... Until recently, when zombies and the like have been raised in the past few years. Since then, their authority has weakened, and unsavory groups of humans have picked up the slack where they've been hit the hardest. They have a policy of exterminating Fire Dragons and Chameleons on sight, sentiments which most, but not all human settlers share.
 -Marrius' Group: A mercenary guild founded by the swordsman Marrius, quickly rising in fame. Typically only sending a few more members than deemed necessary on any given mission, they still have a very low mortality rate and generally report satisfaction. It's arguably more comparable to a mercenary's guild.
 -Ymir Group: A bunch of bandits who recently became led by Cane, though their former (and "real") leader has not been revealed. They were significantly weakened, cut up, and humiliated by their defeat in a settlement by members of Marrius' group.
 -Magical Senate: The governing body of the desert nation of Heim, headed by a Mage General approved by... Some means or another. Their actions are heavily responsible for the towns and cities of the harsh desert being surprisingly comfortable, secure places to live.
 -Undead: A type of monster that normally needs to be specifically summoned. Lately, however, they've been appearing literally at random throughout the nation, making travel a more dangerous thing once again. Despite the name, they do not appear to have ever truly been alive, only taking on forms resembling once-living things.
 -Garou Tribes: A race that is known for using beaststones to shift between a humanlike form and that of a large, menacing wolf in battle, currently led by a woman named Dama. People of mixed Garou ancestry sometimes can transform like this, but also sometimes can't. This integration, while surprisingly smooth, isn't necessarily as perfect as people like to pretend it is, since a centuries-long history of mutual animosity cannot truly be erased in a few decades.
 -Tarvosian Nomads: As a society, the caretakers of Tarvos Valley have been beloved and respected allies of the kingdom of Neir since its literal beginnings. Tarvos Valley alone is enough to qualify as the largest region of Neir, and it's also coupled with the valley in which the capital of Rakche is located to form the Johan region. Currently led by a man named Antiman, uncle of its recently-deceased former chief.
 -Kingdom of Neir: Founded by Queen Hauteclere centuries ago on the remains of the Gerxel empire, Neir is a mountainous nation on the Easternmost end of the continent of Teege, encompassing four massive valleys and their surrounding mountain ranges, officially designated as the Johan, Cord, and Darros regions, with Johan housing both the capital of Rakche and the aforementioned Tarvos Valley. Led by King Garrus and Queen Eva, all-around decent and respected rulers. The leading families make a tradition of sending at least one of their non-heir children to live among and serve the other, as a show of continued mutual trust, goodwill, and connection.
 -Dain Empire: Just a few years ago, this name would have struck awe and fear into people's hearts. However, the reforms of its recently-deceased Empress Alexia have... Made the nation not what it used to be, in terms of size and intimidation. For the most part, though, people have agreed that this is still better than the whims of the infamously incompetent Emperor Elias II, whose senility and all-around insistence on playing the part of some cliche villain led to the ire of many people, as well as leading him to be manipulated by a still-unidentified (but now thankfully deceased) Necromancer with Outrealm-spanning aspirations. The niece of Alexia, Empress Kia, is in control of the nation now.
 -Spirit Charmers: Long thought completely lost to the world, the art of spirit charming traditionally involves inviting a spirit into one's body, forming a pact with it to amplify one's magical potential and essence, though the ritual can be fatally taxing on the soul unless the person is young and inexperienced, very skilled, or extremely determined. The creation of Deadlords, apparently, is merely a modified version of this, to the point where attempting to bring a Deadlord's spirit into a living host will create a mark similar to those on the bodies of spirit charmers, though they don't give the same improvement to essence.