Hello there. You seem to have come a long way. Please, take a seat by the fire. Help yourself to some food, sparse though it is.
All comfortable? Then I will delay no further. You have come here for a story, yes? A tale of the past, passed down from generations lost. I have many such stories to tell. Would you like to hear of the ancient land of Valentia? Or perhaps a more recent tale, that of the great king Chrom and his genius tactician? No, I know the one to tell. You look the kind who needs a more enticing tale to hold your attention.
The tale began many, many years ago, before the first Exhalt ever sat on the throne of Yilesse. Before, even, the hero King Marth ruled these lands. Kingdoms so far lost to history, that the only evidence we have of their existence is legend and folklore. I am of course speaking of the ancient kingdoms, Nohr and Hoshido. They dominated the continent they shared, far outweighing other neighboring nations such as Cheve and Izumo. Although some details have fallen to history, those who know where to look can unearth the complex history of the two polarizing nations. I have searched across all the lands to try and assemble the full, complete story as best I could.
Nohr was the harsh and barren western kingdom, fraught with a bitterly cold climate and short daylight hours. A combination of the natural landscape, geological positioning and other factors had led to an inhospitable environment. Not blessed with many natural resources, Nohr endured many periods of hardship and starvation. But hard times create strong men, and soon Nohr forged itself into an empire, using the sweat and blood of those its kings deemed less important. Nohr spread across the West, assimilating other nations into its ranks so as to keep the infertile motherland fed with resources it lacked. The more people it had to feed, the more nations it conquered, the more people they had more people to feed. There wasn't much land left to take in the West, but a growing population cried out for more land, fertile land. Their gaze turned east, towards rumors of endless lands of plenty and wealth.
However, this abundance of fortune had already been claimed by another Kingdom- the ancient and traditional nation of Hoshido, supposedly descendants of the Dawn Dragon. Having developed in the plentiful countryside, their nation overflowed with more peaceable ventures such as arts, culture and traditions. With such plentiful resources right within their borders, Hoshido felt no need to engage in excessive trade with outside nations, even those smaller nations who shared the west with them. It did not make them popular, but they were respected for their rich culture and sciences, which they did share with their neighbors. Hoshido grew rich and bountiful, but at the same time, complacent. And as the old saying goes, good times create weak men. Weak men create hard times.
Nohr began to push on Hoshido's borders, asking for shares in land and resources. Hoshido, seeing no need to compromise their comfy way of life to supply a nation with a habit of aggressive expansion, refused. Nohr kept pushing. Tensions developed, and it seemed war was inevitable. In an effort to avoid such an outcome, the leaders of both countries gathered for peace talks. King Sumeragi of Hoshido and King Garon of Nohr traveled to the semi neutral nation of Cheve to decide the fate of both nations.
Legends vary wildly as to what occurred in these peace talks. I myself have heard many conflicting stories about who did what, and who instated the conflict. The only thing that is said with certainty is that on that day, King Sumeragi was cut down by Nohrian soldiers. Garon declared war on Hoshido, sparking a conflict that would drag on for more than a decade without significant change. The nation of Nohr had began its next conflict. Stay through my tale, and I can tell you what I believe happened on that fateful day. But first, you must hear of what happened after.
Sumeragi's beautiful wife, Queen Mikoto, became the new leader of Hoshido in his passing. She had been married to him for many years, and was well loved among the people for her beauty and kindness. The new Queen decided she would not allow Nohr to trample over their nation. Being a diviner of some skill, she used her powerful magical ability to craft an impenetrable barrier that no Nohrian of ill intent could pass through. In response, the Nohrian dark mages crafted a new, twisted life form that had no intent or reasoning of their own. The Faceless, primal beings of immense destructive power. They were frequently sent across the border to cause trouble in isolated villages, and their corrupting influence slowly began to degrade Queen Mikoto's barrier.
While Hoshido's defenses rose in strength, they still launched no counterattack to stop the strikes from Nohr, afraid that the losses in combat would leave them open to exploitation. It became a long waiting game, as Nohr became more and more starved of resources and the populace went through devastating food shortages, while Hoshido felt the walls closing in around them on all sides. Both became more and more desperate. Nations that still tried to remain neutral, such as Izumo, felt themselves being sucked into the conflict, forced to choose who they would support- or have the choice made for them. Though nobody in Hoshido wished to admit it, they all knew all out war was coming. And in Nohr, the starving populace waited anxiously for the chance to feed themselves.
But yet, deep in the Northern heart of Nohr, another descendant of the dragon blood lay dormant, having lived their life in isolation and dependency. He was the son of King Garon, raised from birth in the isolated Northern Fortress. His many other sons and daughters already fought for him, but had not achieved much progress. He hoped that his last, secluded son would be the linchpin he needed. However, the king didn't need just another prince, for he already had two other sons. No, he needed a true, powerful warrior. So King Garon saw fit to devise a test. Lord Corrin would have to best Xander, the eldest of the royal siblings and his own brother, before he would be permitted to leave the castle. His entire life was dominated by training and learning from the finest teachers Nohr had, crafting Corrin into the ideal Nohrian prince. Every year, Xander was sent to test Corrin and every year, the younger prince came closer to beating him. But, after another food crisis swept through Nohr, Garon could wait no longer. He dispatched Xander to test Corrin, for the final time, whether he was ready or not. The world needed Corrin to wake up from his life of comfort.
Nobody could have predicted the way Garon's gambit would play out, not even him. For Corrin's journey would change not only the course of Nohr, not only Hoshido, but would shake the entire world to its core. But he was not yet that man, not yet the legendary warrior who would end the endless conflict of Nohr and Hoshido. He was still just a boy, one who was unprepared for the world outside his small home. The story I will tell to you is the journey he took between those two people. It is a tale of war, betrayal, conquest and birthright. A tale for the ages, that I try to pass down whenever I am able.
It begins on a cold and dark morning, up in the tallest tower of the fortress. Corrin sleeps fitfully, for his dreams are filled with strange memories he can't seem to place...