fe-bruary, post tíu: ranulf blather

[queenlua]

so I haven't figured out how to turn it into a fic yet

but I do have a vague headcanon about Ranulf having spent a substantial amount of time in one of the beorc nations (probably Crimea or Begnion) as some sort of undercover agent/spy

because like, Ranulf always seems far more perceptive of differences between beorc and laguz cultures than literally anyone else, and is always explaining those differences to everyone

and I also sort of think this may be where he gets a lot of his temperance/rationality/strategic thought—most of the other beast laguz we meet have either a shallow understanding of beorc culture or are just super-aggressive toward them—and there's that weird-ass thing we're given that laguz have a very hard time just abandoning a fight, even if that fight is strategically dumb, something which Ranulf tells us about but which he, himself, doesn't seem to be very affected by.

I mean part of this could obviously be just that he is a Naturally Cunning and Cautious Dude, but I like to imagine that the depth of his knowledge/experience/expertise comes from experience with beorc

and yeah something something interesting tensions between his obvious political savvy placed against Skrimir's bullheadedness and such.

Comments

[lyndis]

Oooh I really like this idea. It makes a lot of sense, I think.

[windy_castle]

You bring up some really good points - and it makes a lot of sense, given how comfortable Ranulf seemed about going out and about amongst beorc while he was with Ike and co. in Crimea during FE9.

I think the writers of FE9/10 did mention somewhere that Ranulf has a particularly high amount of balance within him for a beast laguz. That's probably why the chaos of battle doesn't affect him so much.

[queenlua]

ah, do you remember if that high amount of balance comment was in canon itself, or in one of the like, designer's notes or whatnot?

in either case that def. sounds like something that would fit, and helps explain stuff, thank you :)

[queenlua]

thanks! :D

[windy_castle]

Hm... amielleon's FE translation Tumblr mentions what it is specifically. But I believe it was from an interview with the designers that took place after the game was released, IIRC. So yeah, designer's notes.

[queenlua]

ah, I'll check that, danke!