Important update at the end of this chapter.


Walter's Roster: Volume 2

Hello, my name is Walter Dornez. I have recently joined a ragtag group of militia called the Shepherds. Despite being a Shepherd for only a grand total of 4 days, I have already learned much about my fellow Shepherds. I have decided to document my observations in a roster that shall be open to the entire militia. Please note, if you are not part of the Shepherds, or have not gained special permission from either Chrom or myself, I will not hesitate to kill you for peeking into this book. If you are a Shepherd, do not complain about the description I have for each of you. Deny it all you want, I am accurate.

~Walter Dornez, The Angel of Death

July 19, Age 2609

As of this moment, the Roster is closed to everyone but myself. This is in part due to the overwhelming amount of complaints I received from those less than pleased with their entries. This is also due to the privy information that has been written within this Roster.

I have also taken the time to fix any age disrepencies, as well adding the current year/age.

~Walter Dornez, The Angel of Death

August 26, Age 2609

No.000...Walter Dornez, The Angel of Death.

A butler with a natural talent for battle. He wields a special set of monofilament wires that emanate from his gloves. When not on the battlefield, he often speaks in a calm, and dignified, manner. He also acts as the butler to the Shepherds, often cooking, and serving food and drinks, as well as cleaning the barracks of the Shepherds. On the battlefield, however he is a merciless force to be reckoned with. His usage of the wires, along with his merciless nature, earned him the nickname "the Angel of Death", a title which he happily accepts, and often defends with much glee. Despite being well liked by his comrades, he feels guilty for his past actions.

...

As a result of his past dealings with the neo-nazi organization known as Millennium, Walter was temporarily converted into a monster known as a vampire. The power was sealed away by an unknown entity when Walter arrived in Ylisse and this is represented by a sealing sigil being placed on the back of his hand. This sigil is controlled by the amount of physical energy he currently has. This results in Walter having far less energy in battle, as the seal eats away at it. Unfortunately, the seal is also causing Walter to de-age. The butler has no idea whether the seal will stop de-aging as soon as he reaches his age after his prime (Late thirties to early forties) or will continue to de-age him until his body falls apart. Either way, Walter must choose between releasing the seal and becoming "Dark" Walter once more, or letting the seal slowly kill him. Either way, the future does not look bright for the Angel of Death.

(This is the only entry not written by Walter)

The one most likely to come to the rescue.

Birthday: unknown

Land of origin: England

Age: 69 (Physically 40 to 50)

Parents: unknown

Children: none

No.001...Chrom, Ylisse's Exalted Prince.

The prince of Ylisse, and descendent of the Hero-King: Marth. Noble of blood, he leads a militia known as the Shepherds. On the battlefield he wields the Legendary sword- The Falchion- with unparalleled skill. He often leads the Shepherds into battle with a demeanor fitting of a king; while off the battlefield, he cracks the odd joke now and then. Chrom holds a deep admiration for his sister, Emmeryn, due to her kind and benevolent style of rule. He cares immensely for his friends and family and will stop at nothing to ensure that they are safe. He also seems to have a soft spot for pies, as noted by both Sumia and I. His strong conviction makes him a fine leader, and the perfect man to be the exalt.

Chrom's sense of justice has gotten him in trouble on more then one occasion. The man will stop to save just about anyone in danger, baring those that have tried to kill him. It is admirable that he'd go through such lengths to ensure his people are happy, but there is the possibility that this sense of justice shall get him into trouble someday.

Further interactions with Chrom have revealed his great value of the lives under his command. This comes as no surprise, seeing as he is the self-sacrifice sort. However, he feels unworthy of others giving their lives to protect him. He feels that every single injury on the battlefield should have been dealt him, and not his comrades.

His emotions make him brash, and this could possibly get him in trouble someday.

Most likely to break things

Birthday: May 27, Age 2588

Land of origin: Ylisse

Age: 21

Parents: The Exalt before Emmeryn, Mother unnamed

Children: Lucina (In the future)

No.002...Lissa, The Noblest Healer.

Chrom's tomboyish little sister, and princess of Ylisse. Despite her noble blood, she often acts childish. Off the battlefield, she often plays pranks on others(minus myself, as I seem to either extremely frighten her, or she has too much respect for me. I personally think it's the former) On the battlefield, she acts as a healer, and understands the responsibility she has to shoulder to keep everyone alive. Her cheerful demeanor makes her one of the most likable Shepherds in the group. She had a huge crush on Frederick as a kid, and she often deliberately disobeyed him to get his attention. Though it is unlikely that she still carries this childish crush, there is evidence pointing otherwise.

...

Lissa is determined to prove herself to be more than a healer. Her determination to prove herself as someone who can take care of herself has led her to train extensively with Frederick. Training under Frederick has not only strengthened her physically, but has also strengthened her resolve.

She shares a similar self-sacrificial attitude that her brother has, though not as extreme. Her perceived fragility was a source of great contention for herself, and this led her to wishing to prove her usefulness. She is more than willing to put others before herself, and will stop at nothing to save the lives other comrades.

Most likely to snort.

Birthday: March 6, Age 2593

Land of origin: Ylisse

Age: 16

Parents: The Exalt before Emmeryn, Mother unnamed

Children: none

No.003...Frederick, The Stalwart Knight

Chrom's lieutenant. He acts as a bodyguard for both Chrom and Lissa, despite the fact they have no need for one. His sincerity is only matched by his skills with a lance or sword. On the battlefield, he is a calm and collected warrior without peer. He executes orders nearly flawlessly and usually never question orders. Off the battlefield, he acts basically the same way. Many of the Shepherds have been known to have stated that Frederick's training sessions are amongst the most brutal of training sessions ever known. Those who have survived his regime have commented that they did feel empowered...

...after several days of recovery.

The fondest of starting fires

Birthday: August 26, Age 2584

Land of origin: Ylisse

Age: 25

Parents: unknown

Children: none

No.004...Sully, The Women to End All Men

With a sword arm built for battle, and a mouth that would make brigands blush, Sully is one of the most capable knights in the Shepherds. With her skills with the sword and lance in mind, she is able to decimate her opponents with a style, and grace, that many women can only dream of. Though that comes with the cost that she is somewhat too self-confident at times, bordering recklessness at times. This often leads her to ignore her blind spots. Despite a confidence that many men wish they could have, she suffers from insecurity, due to her masculine personality.

Feminine is one word that is the polar opposite of what Sully is. She is normally quite keen to prove herself as unfeminine as humanly possible, but recent interactions with others have brought certain traits into light. For example, she's no problem with being complimented, so long as it's being given by a person whom she respects. A result of her focus on becoming a knight has caused her to neglect learning everyday skills.

The last one you want cooking

Birthday: December 5, Age 2588

Land of origin: Ylisse

Age: 20

Parents: unknown

Children: none

No.005...Virion, The Archest of Archer

A nobleman whose past is well hidden. His buffoonish, and overall idiotic, actions lead many to see him as a man with no skill whatsoever. His skills, however, often come out in battle in the form of an almost flawless accuracy with a bow. These skills make him the finest archer the Shepherds can provide. Virion, unfortunately, is a hopeless romantic. He will propose to almost anything that is female. This doesn't outshine the fact that he will defend anyone he likes to his last breath.

Virion's flirtatious nature is not absolute. When Virion has chosen someone to court, he will focus all attention on said person in hopes of winning them over. This is best seen in his relationship with Sully. Keen to prove himself as more than a braggart, he has stuck by the cavalier side for every battle they've been in.

On rare occasions, one can see the true nature of Virion's personality; which is one of great remorse. Whatever burden he carries on his shoulders is a mystery at this point, but it seems to fuel his desire to protect those around him.

The one who stares at the mirror the most

Birthday: December 10, Age 2586

Land of origin: Valm

Age: 22

Parents: unknown

Children: none

No.006...Sumia, The Graceful Rider

An absent minded, klutzy Shepherd with no self-confidence or self-worth whatsoever. With this in mind, she is eager to get better. In battle, she fights alongside her trusted Pegasus, often performing graceful maneuvers with her Pegasus.

These maneuvers are often combined with her skill with a lance. Both Frederick and I have noticed that she is a hard worker. Also noted, is the fact that she has an incredible amount of potential, and the things that she excels in, she REALLY excels in. One example is her natural affinity with working with animals.

Sumia loves reading books, mostly novels. Reading these novels helps Sumia escape her perceived weakness, as she often roleplays as the main heroines of the books she reads. She does this in hopes that it will help her gain the confidence she feels she needs in order to become successful.

Sumia is also adept at telling flower fortunes. While a useless skill on the surface, she often uses these fortunes to fuel pher resolve. Any bad fortunes she receives, she is determined to overturn. And good fortunes she receives, she is determined to make come true.

Best at tripping over nothing.

Birthday: November 24, Age 2588

Land of origin: Ylisse

Age: 20

Parents: unknown

Children: None

No.007...Stahl, The Oddly Normal Cavalier

An oddly normal Shepherd. Not much can be said about this member of the rag tag group of Shepherds, as he seems to be the most normal of the group. This sentiment follows him into battle, though it surprisingly doesn't hinder him. He seems to be just as an effective cavalier as Sully and Frederick but beyond that, my observations end there. Despite living in an age where war is waged on his country endlessly, he has a surprisingly trusting personality. It's unknown whether this should be classified as a strength or a weakness. There is one thing that has been noted by all the Shepherds as abnormal; his insane eating habits.

The most eager to clean a plate

Birthday: June 16, Age 2587

Land of origin: Ylisse

Age: 22

Parents: unknown

Children: None

No.007...Miriel, The Perfectionist with no Peer

A perfectionist and meticulous women with a pompous style of speech. As a perfectionist, she will grow irritated at the smallest flaw. In battle, she is skilled with magic to the point that she is deadly accurate with her tomes. It can be noted that she has the tendency to suddenly stop mid-battle

if so much as anything, whether it be lucky, divine or scientific, piques her interest. Her everyday life is filled with research, in a manner that can be considered obsessive. According to some Shepherds, she is willing to stalk a person until she divulges the secrets to some of their abilities (Examples include: Kellam's affinity for stealth, Stahl's odd normality, and Frederick's skill with a blade)

The most superfluous packer

Birthday: February 12, Age 2584

Land of origin: Ylisse

Age: 25

Parents: unknown

Children: None

No.008...Vaike, The Misplacer of many

A rough-hewn Shepherd best known for his loud mouth and habit of misplacing everything. While his ability is something that I would consider exceptional, his confidence boasts of being even better. His abilities with an axe is not something to underestimate, as he has managed to outmatch Chrom in some of their more intense sparring matches. His loudmouth has often pushed himself into danger as well. An odd quirk of Vaike, as observed by ALL of the Shepherds, is his tendency to refer to himself in the third person. According to Lissa, his personal nickname, Ol' Teach, is the latest in a long line of nicknames for himself.

His rough upbringing in the slums taught Vaike many of the harsh realities of life. It is possible that the ghetto environment he lived in had something to do with his need to prove himself as something more than the average warrior. Perhaps he is hiding some insecurities, many of them having to do with the troubled past.

It is feasible that Chrom, the prince of Ylisse, viewing him, a village rat, as an equal is the reason he pushes himself to such extremities.

The best at misplacing things

Birthday: December 26, Age 2588

Land of origin: Ylisse

Age: 20

Parents: unknown

Children: None

No.009...Kellam, No comment...

A soft spoken, blank-faced Shepherd who has a tendency to seemingly disappear, even when you're alone the room with him. Not much can be said about Kellam, as he is hardly ever spotted by anyone. As such, details about him are incredibly sparse. The same can be said about his skills in battle, as he tends to fade into the crowd at times. It can be noted that even I have a hard time tracking Kellam, even though I have an innate ability for tracking. Despite his protest to being unseen my everyone, he is proud of his stealthy nature.

The tallest when sitting down

Birthday: June 24, Age 2585

Age:24

Land of origin: Ylisse

Parents: unknown

Children: None

No.010...Lon'qu, The Gynophobic

A swordsman that hails from Reyna Ferox. Although Regina Ferox is not his home, as he was actually born in the country of Valm, which is across the sea to the west. It is unknown why he fled his country of Valm, but it is known that went to Regna Ferox and trained as a swordsman. There, he caught the attention of the West-Khan Basalio, who made him his champion.

In combat, he is a masterful swordsman. He specializes in the usage of the Feroxi style of swordplay, which emphasizes aggression in combat. This makes him a warrior that is comparable to Chrom. Off the battlefield, he is quite the introvert, very rarely socializing. Oddly, he seems to have a fear of women. It's unknown how this fear developed, or if it is even a fear. All that is known is that the mere presence of a woman turns him beet red.

The deftest potato peeler.

Birthday: October 10, Age 2584

Age: 24

Land of origin: Valm

Parents: unknown

Children: None

No.011...Donnel, the Tinhead Warrior

Hailing from a secluded corner of Ylisse's, young Donnel has very little experience beyond farming. However, after showcasing bravery beyond that of men many years his elder, he was given the chance to join the Shepherds. Despite his lack of training, he has truly stepped and shows a great deal of promise.

In combat situations, Donnel maintains a level head and deals with threats carefully, but effectively. Early on, due to being bogged down by his status as a villager, he required the aid of several Shepherds in order to be effective. After using a Secondary Seal, he has become incredibly powerful. Out of combat, he is a friendly young man that is down to earth and easy to get along with. Many of the Shepherds actually call him Donny instead of Donnel, but he doesn't seem to mind at all.

The one with the curliest hair

Birthday: June 4, Age 2594

Age: 16

Land of origin: Ylisse

Parents: Unnamed Mother and Deceased Father

Children: None

No.12…Ricken, the Young Mage

A relatively inexperienced Shepherd who's appearance is that of a child. His mannerisms are not that much better either, as he seems to behave like one as well. Ricken is one of the youngest Shepherds , alongside Lissa and Maribelle. He comes from a noble family that has fallen harsh times, this being his reason for joining the Shepherds. He hopes that he may bring back some semblance of honor to his family name. Whether or not this will work is entirely dependent on his actions.

In combat he is as effective as Miriel is when it comes to long range combat. As with Miriel, he is a rather poor close-quarters fighter. Of course, this is to be expected, as he is indeed a mage. Out of combat, his youthful appearance has endeared him to others. Of course, he dislikes being treated as anything less than an equal.

The most popular with cute animals

Birthday: May 23, Age 2594

Age: 16

Land of origin: Ylisse

Parents: unknown

Children: None

No.13…Maribelle, the Sharp-Tongued Noble

Lissa's best friend, Maribelle, is a proud noble who possesses quite the sharp tongue. She hails from one of Ylisse's older families. Her attitude is not particularly friendly, and she acts cold to those that do not meet her expectations. She is notably cold to commoners, although she is better than most other nobles. Of course, she also warms up to others quickly. Once you get to know her, she can be quite kind.

In combat, she serves as a healer like Lissa. Unlike Lissa, she travels on horseback and is technically classified as a Troubadour. Of course, this does not stop her from being an effective healer. Off the battlefield, she partakes in the normal everyday activities with others. She can be quite overbearing towards those that she views as obnoxious, but she's generally a well-meaning young woman.

The most likely to toss in her sleep

Born: April 14, Age 2594

Age: 16

Land of origin: Ylisse

Parents: The Duke and Duchess of Themis

Children: None

The Pair up System

As for anymore observations that I've made, they mostly revolve around the system of battle that I shall refer to as "The Pair Up System". As the system is relatively new, I have only tested this strategy in a single battle, that battle being yesterday's conflict. Even so, I see that this system boasts some very fine results.

When working with a partner, people tended to hold more of an advantage in battle. For some reason or another, the presence of another person seems to give people access to increased endurance, power, and speed. People that are closer to each other have bolstered effects. Chrom and Sumia being one such example. I noticed that they worked in brilliant unison with each other, almost to the point that they attacked as one unit. Another example of a strong bond comes in the form of Virion and Sully. Try as she might to act as disdainful towards the nobleman; together they are a formidable team.

There are also certain pair-ups that don't work at all. I have no idea if this is a general lack of care for certain members of the militia, or if they are pairings that have decided to be mutual friends only and nothing more. one such example is Vaike and Virion. They do not seem to bolster each other's abilities as significantly as the others. The mysteries to why they cannot support each other as well as other teams that I can think of is beyond me.

For me, the pair-up system seems to yield very interesting results. For the entirety of today, I partnered with everyone within the Shepherds for a bit of a sparring match and found myself with some peculiar results. I am able to be paired with anyone, and the results all conclude that I benefit from the morale boost. I do not understand why this is, but I must keep these results in mind during the next battle.

That makes me wonder of one thing. What were to happen if I were to pair-up a married couple together in battle? The result is nothing more than a dream at the moment, as I am sure that it is unlikely that any of my allies will marry in the future. As for me, I doubt that an old man such as myself has even a chance at finding love among these young people.

That concludes my observations on this subject, thus far. If I find out anything else, I'll be sure to catalog it here.

~Walter Dornez

July 20, Age 2609

As the bonds between fellow units grow, their strength increases exponentially. Since last time, I have continued to conduct research into this phenomenon. To my great delight, those that are consistently paired with one another tend to have greater coordination than those that are not.

As I said in the last entry, there are those that cannot seem to support each other, and I think I know why. My hypothesis is that the differing styles between the two people are what prevent them from gaining any substantial boosts when paired up.

As tactician, it is my duty to know everyone's ins and outs, so being able to coordinate with everyone is natural. Thus, I have explained exactly why I can pair-up with every unit.

Again, if anything happens, I'll be sure to catalogue my findings here.

~Walter Dornez

August 26, Age 2609

Odd Weaponry

During my years as the Hellsing family butler, I learned the art of smiting. I used this skill to my fullest advantage, creating devastating weaponry for the organization. Due to the renaissance, semi- medieval, nature of the land of Ylisse, I do not know where to find the materials to create something that is common in my world, guns.

As such, I am forced to experiment with swords, axes, and lances instead. This where I hit an odd snag in my creating of weapons. It seemed to me that the more deadly I made a weapon, the easier it broke. Metals such as bronze created oddly durable weapons, but a metal such as silver produces a more powerful blade at the cost of durability.

Bronze, unlike silver, is not an element, but an alloy made up of copper and tin. Something like bronze would be better for making armor, as it has higher resistance and a higher melting point.

Silver is an element. Silver should be the more durable of the two, as it does not corrode as easily, nor does it react to other elements, as it is a more un-reactive element.

That makes me wonder, "Can I somehow create a weapon that is both durable, and powerful?".

The answer is, it's certainly possible.

Chrom's sword, Falchion, is a weapon that is both powerful, and nigh unbreakable. The weapon has been enhanced by the divine power of Ylisse's deity, the Divine Dragon, yet Alexander Anderson's blessed bayonets, and the blessed silver bullets of Alucard's Casull, are all only as durable as normal bayonets and bullets. What does Falchion have that other weapons don't?

The answer eludes me, but I swear that I will find the answer soon enough.

~Walter Dornez

July 21, Age 2609

I have had little luck when it comes to forging custom weapons, but I have been able to modify existing weapons. An altered weapon tends to be more effective than normal weapons. I managed to produce a Silver Sword that was sharper. A good discovery, but not good enough. I must find a way to create a custom weapon.

For now, I've focused on creating a special altered weapon for one of the Shepherds. As to whom I will give this special weapon, I'll have to decide later.

For now, I will continue to research into the possibilities of forging a weapons.

~Walter Dornez

August 26, Age 2609

The Master Seal

This world never ceases to amaze me. Recently I have discovered the wonders of the Master Seal. The Master Seal is an amazing object that is used to unlock a person's latent potential. How this works is a mystery, but it is indeed a fascinating tool. Apparently anyone can use a Master Seal after reaching a certain level of strength.

I tried to see what a Master Seal would do to myself. The effect was catastrophic. I ended up detonating part of the Shepherds Garrison as a result of the experiment. My hypothesis is that the potential I possess is either too great to be unlocked by a Master Seal, or the seal on the back of my hand is interfering with it. Either way, I'll likely not tamper with a Master Seal again.

~Walter Dornez

August 26, Age 2609


Author's notes

Okay, this chapter is really only a buffer chapter to help me rest for a bit. So these roster chapter's will pop up from time to time whenever I need a really quick filler chapter.

Now, to address the elephant in the room...

I may or may not have to delay the next chapter for a bit. Now, I planned to release this chapter simultaneously with the next chapter, but something felt off about it, especially when compared to the chapters that will proceed it. For some reason or another, the next chapter that I've written just feels flat in comparison to what we have currently. It felt like a step back from the Loss of Humanity chapters, and maybe it's unfair to compare it to a two parter. However, even when compared to the earlier chapters- chapters written when I was still trying to figure out my writing style- it seemed weak.

So I'm going to take the time to rewrite the entire chapter. Again, this will possibly delay the next update for awhile. It's annoying for me to have to do that, but I refuse to release something that I know is not up to standard. It honestly bothers me that I wrote such a mess and deemed it passable for awhile.

Now, thankfully, after I get over this odd little speed bump, the story will recieve three or four updates within a small time period. The reason is, I've already prepared Chapter 17, Chapter 18, and Chapter 19. They are ready to go, and are far above standard. Chapter 20 was in the works, but I need to prioritize making sure the next chapter is a good one.

In terms of what I have planned, the War Against Plegia arc will end at either Chapter 25 or Chapter 26. I'm not going to spoil what happens, but things won't go exactly as you think they are. I expect those who played Fire Emblem Awakening will be thrown for a loop.

Anyway, that's all I've got for now. Thank you for all the support in the form of the favorites, follows, and espescially the reviews. Honestly, those reviews make my day. The interesting ideas some of you have, hearing your reactions to the story so far, and just the occasional praise does a lot in making this story what it is. 51 reviews, all of them responsible for keeping this story alive. Starting next chapter, I'm gonna start responding and acknowledging all of your reviews. I really want hear your guy's opinions and speculations.

So, I will see you guys in the next chapter!