#tales of zestiria r

[meltifye]

requests i took a while back from some mutuals :D

[familyromantic]

First prize art for our main winner, @maulester, by lu.art! There were sadly some troubles with this one, but I hope it will still bring joy for shippers of this couple. 💖

[ecargmura]

Japanese Tales Fans Vote Their Favorite Tales Games In Recent Survey

Japanese website Net Lab has made another Tales related survey for fans to vote; the topic this time is favorite Tales games. The poll ran from June 27, 2023 to July 4, 2023 and has a total of 10, 344 votes overall.

Before I reveal the results, there are three things I want to let you know:

This is a Japan-only poll because the admins did not want overseas fans to vote due to possible illegal voting.

Fans can vote up to three games.

Please do not be vocal about the games/titles you hate or don’t particularly; if you don’t have anything nice to say, keep it to yourself.

Here are the results from 1st to 24th (I’ll add in the number of votes the game has received and a comment that pertain to the respective game translated via Google Translate and me trying to make it as cohesive in English):

Abyss - 1176 votes

Comment: Bamco, are you seeing this? I’m forever waiting on a full remake of Abyss.

2. Vesperia - 1035 votes

Comment: My favorite is Tales of Vesperia. My first Tales game was Legendia, but Vesperia is the first one I’ve cleared. The Switch version is super packed and I have beaten the secret boss. I had a super hard time with that boss battle. I love Yuri so much.

3. Zestiria - 983 votes

Comment: It’s been a long time since I graduated from the Tales series, but Zestiria made me want to come back. There may be times where I feel unreasonable, but I’ve come to like this work, including that “do-it-yourself” thing. I really like it.

4. Symphonia - 962 votes

Comment: Before I played the first 3D game, I was a little worried, but when I opened the lid, I was hooked on the perfection that surpassed the previous work. I love the characters, the story, the music and the system.

5. Phantasia - 701 votes

Comment: For me, it’s Phantasia, which I played for the first time and became the most memorable. I want it to have a remake like Destiny.

6. Eternia - 693 votes

Comment: One vote for Eternia with a smooth battle system!

7. Destiny - 601 votes

Comment: Just remembering that scene with Leon breaks my heart. My favorite work of all time. I want to play again, so I’ll be waiting for a port!

8. Berseria - 529 votes

Comment: Because the first game I played was Tales of Berseria, I got hooked onto Velvet.

9. Graces F - 528 votes

10. Xillia 2 — 508 votes

11. Destiny 2 -  456 votes

12. Arise - 367 votes

13. Rebirth - 311 votes

Comment: I love Rebirth’s battle system and characters so much!

14. Legendia - 294 votes

Comment: Legendia, when will you get a remake or a port? I’ve been waiting…

15. Xillia - 176 votes

16. Luminaria - 171 votes

Comment: Luminaria is the best! I want to see the continuation someday!

17. Innocence R - 168 votes (tied)

Comment: Tales of Innocence (DS version) makes me want to play regularly. A work that I love and value so much that I lose my vocabulary.

17. Dawn of the New World - 168 votes (tied)

19. Crestoria - 148 votes

20. Hearts R - 134 votes

Comment: Tales of Hearts for DS is my favorite work, not the remake version of Hearts R.

21. Narikiri Dungeon - 91 votes

22. Others - 68 votes

I’ve seen people say “Radiant Mythology series”, “Asteria”, “Versus” “Link”, “The Rays” and “Warheit”.

23. Tempest - 56 votes

Comment: I will always love Tempest. Please remake it.

24 - Summoner’s Lineage - 20 votes

What are your thoughts about the results?

What is your favorite Tales game? Let us know in the comments below!

[orcelito]

ykno i was wondering if Dohalim would be promoted to the same level as Yuri Lowell in my mind. bc ive been in love with Yuri Lowell for yeaaars now.

and you know what. i think he already has been lmaooo

sorry Yuri, u got a rival in my heart

[nelfes]

7, 14, 16 for the ask meme thing (Tales)

tales asks (open)

7. favorite main character

I've talked and will talk again about how Shirley is not only my favorite heroine in Tales of, but character in anything. Period. The fact she's a young, female character who deals with suicidal ideation, jealousy, and true anger and is told by the narrative "yes, you should not ignore those feelings" is something truly important to me. I love her most for her mistakes but also her growth <3

If I had to pick a main guy it would be Senel (Legendia bias lol) but Luke is very close. Similar journeys.

BUT!!! Because I wanna ramble, and because she's also very close to my heart. I may be one of the only people who enjoyed Zestiria's anime but think Alisha's arc and character are far better expressed in the game (and dlc). I think she's an amazing hero, and one day will post the fic where she takes center stage because I think she really has what it takes to make that journey.

As things are I am actually quite satisfied with the journey they gave her. In many way it is what I wanted for Estelle in Vesperia. Her learning to navigate politics and acknowledging the darkness in people's hearts while still remaining staunchly pacifist is amazing and she's my favorite knight character in Tales of by far.

14.

I feel liking having Legendia as my favorite game is already an unpopular opinion? And liking Dawn of the New World. (cry laugh emoji goes here) Don't want to be too negative so since it ties into next ask i notp d*zel and rose, so we can go with that. Only positive vibes now~

16 any ships? I am a notorious ship omnivore. If there is a ship tag for a character i like with another chara, I click. All the more so bc I go to shipping for 1. interesting development and psychological stuff 2. not necessarily healthy relationships, laughs

I def have otps tho! My one for Legendia is Chloe/Shirley, but it's faster to type out the characters I DONT ship Shirley with. Shout out to her and Jay <3

I love Colette/Lloyd and Zelos/Sheena from Symphonia and always will.

Abyss has been awhile so it's like uhhh -Natalia/Tear -Guy/Van and Guy/Jade -Anise/Ion but u know. u kno...

For Zestiria Rose/Alisha is my otp but I ship Alisha with Edna and Mikleo as well. For crossovers I also ship her with Chloe, and Jude, and Luke (saw u do the latter as well. tips hat.) Yes many of these r are rp influenced hehe.

14.

[satoshi-mochida]

Some games on the PSN New Year Sale. Ends February 1st.

13 Sentinels

Actraiser: Renaissance

Afterimage

AI: The Somnuim Files

ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos

Anima: Gate of Memories

ANONYMOUS;CODE

Arcade Spirits

Ary and the Secret of Seasons

A Space for the Unbound

Assault Suit Lynos

Bayonetta and Vanquish

Buried Stars

Castlevania Anniversary Collection

Chaos;Child

Coffee Talk

Coffee Talk 2

Control

Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy

Cris Tales

Cross Code

Cult of the Lamb

Cyber Citizen Shockman

Cyberdimension Neptunia

Danganronpa 1-2 Reload

Danganronpa V3

Darkwood

Death end reQuest

Death end reQuest 2

Devil May Cry HD Collection

Digimon Survive

Dissidia Final Fantasy NT

DJ Max Respect

Double Dragon Gaiden

Dragon Ball FighterZ

Dragon Ball Xenoverse

Dragon Ball Xenoverse/Xenoverse 2 Bundle

Dusk Diver

Earth Defense Force 5

Earth Defense Force: Iron Rain

Exoprimal

Fallen Legion: Sins of an Empire

Final Fantasy XV: Royal Edition

Final Fantasy XV: Comrades

Freedom Planet

Ghost n Goblins Resurection

Ghost Trick

Giga Wrecker Alt.

Ginga Force

Goat Simulator

Goat Simulator 3

God Eater Resurection

God Eater 3

Gravity Rush Remastered

Grim Fandango Remastered

Gungrave G.O.R.E.

Harvest Moon: The Winds of Anthos

Hatsune Miku: Project Diva X

Horizon: Zero Dawn

I Am Setsuna

In Nightmare

Jak and Daxter

Jak II

Jak 3

Jak x: Combat Racing

Kaze and the Wild Masks

Kerbal Space Program

Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 + 2.5 Remix

Kingdom Hearts 2.8

Labyrinth of Zangetsu

Laika: Aged Through Blood

Legend of Mana

Light Fairytale Episode 1

Light Fairytale Episode 2

Like a Dragon: Ishin

Little Nightmares

Little Nightmares 2

Little Witch Academia: Chamber of TIme

Lock's Quest

Lost in Random

Lost Judgment

Made in Abyss; Binary Star Falling Into Darkness

Maglam Lord

Mary Skelter Finale

MediEvil

Metal Gear Solid 5

Metal Max Zeno Reborn

Mirror's Edge Catalyst

Monster Hunter Rise

Mr. Driller DrillLand

My Aunt is a Witch

My Hero: One's Justice

Several Naruto games

Neverending Nightmares

Ni no Kuni 2

Obliteracers

Omega Quintet

Several One Piece games

Oninaki

Our World is Ended.

Owlboy

Persona 4 Ultimax

Persona 5 Royal

Potion Permit

Praey for the Gods

Pumpkin Jack

Raging Loop

Relayer

Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- The Prophecy of the Throne

Several Resident Evil games

River City: Rival Showdown

Romancing SaGa 2

Romancing SaGa 3

Root Film

Root Letter

SaGa Fronter Remastered

SaGa Scarlet Grace

Sakura Wars(PS4)

Samurai Shodown

Scribblenauts Mega Pack

Secret of Mana

Sega Gensis Classics

Simulacra

Skul: The Hero Slayer

Slender: The Arrival

Song of Memories

Sonic Frontiers

Sonic Superstars

Steins; Gate

Steins; Gate 0

Steins; Gate: My Darling's Embrace

Super Bobmerman R

Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz HD

Super Night Riders

Sword of the Vagrant

Taiko no Tetsujin: Drum Session

Tales of Zestiria

Tembo the Badass Elephant

The Evil Within

Several King of Fighters games

Valkyria Chronicles 4

Valthirian Arc: Hero School Story

Valthirian Arc: Hero School Story 2

Various Daylife

Warborn

When the Past was Around

Yakuza 3 Remastered

Yakuza 4 Remastered

Yakuza 5 Remastered

Zanki Zero

[corvuscorona]

SHADOW MONSTER - an Astos playlist

...for when you need to spend about an hour rotating that guy in your mind at top speed, or at least a little faster than chillout speed.

(YouTube playlist here) • (tracklist etc. below the cut)

Needed a playlist I could Think About Astos To while doing chores or whatever & it turned out I had the ammunition I needed to be kinda picky, so I'm sharing it here with all my comrades-in-Astos-scholarship, too! You know, in case you also need some music to Think About Astos To. Which seems possible-to-likely, I think.

I have only included tracks that are reasonably well balanced for Normal Listening (just please forgive me for the PS2 synth horns in "finish the promise" if you can find it in your heart). Also, if you use the YT playlist, Man Human is shorter than it should be, so listen to it twice if you want.

ACT I: IMPETUS

Creep City • Jake Shears I said I'd hang on for the ride / now I'm hanging on for dear life / …is that a real knife? バケモノ信者 (Bakemono Shinja / Monster Believer) • MAIKI-P 人の顔した　バケモノさ / 気づけば僕も　バケモノさ • hito no kao shita bakemono sa / kizukeba boku mo bakemono sa it's a monster with a human face / and now that I think about it, I'm a monster, too 心臓 (Shinzō / Heart[1]) • TOOBOE 蘇ってしまうよ　貴方の為なら幾らでも / 間違いも愛せるよ　馬鹿なもんでさ / 生き返ってしまうよ　貴方がくれた命だから • yomigaette shimau yo anata no tame nara ikura demo / machigai mo aiseru yo baka na monde sa / ikikaette shimau yo anata ga kureta inochidakara for you, I'd revive again and again / loving even the mistakes, fool that I am / I'll come back to life because it's the life you gave me

ACT II: THE PROCESS

Bleed it Out • Linkin Park half the words don't mean a thing / and I know that I won't be satisfied Man Human • Denki Groove for Devilman Crybaby Just One Yesterday • Fall Out Boy I want to teach you a lesson in the worst kind of way / still, I'd trade all my tomorrows…

ACT III: MADNESS

Décolleté • Kenshi Yonezu 兎角疲れました / 数え���から直ぐに消えて • tokaku tsukaremashita / kazoeru kara sugu ni kiete at any rate, I'm exhausted / I'll count, so hurry up and disappear [2] うみなおし (Uminaoshi / Rebirth[3]) • Maretu 君は何も悪くないぜ / (多分) • kimi wa nani mo warukunai ze / (tabun) you've done nothing wrong / (probably) 空想メソロギヰ (Kuusou Mesorogiwi / Fantastical Mesology) • Yousei Teikoku for Future Diary (See [4] below.)

ACT IV: FOR WHAT

A Good Song Never Dies • Saint Motel it just reminds you of where you were / the first time it made you cry / the first time you felt alive… SHADOW MONSTER • Toki Asako 探しものは踊らなきゃ見つからない • sagashimono wa odoranakya mitsukaranai if we don't dance, we won't find what we're looking for.

ACT V: RESOLVE

JUMPER • CAPSULE anger stress and secrets they won't break you wake up put aside you(')r(e) feeling nothing freely speed up landing stepping jumping jump Leave The Light On • Overcoats what if I don't make it home / you're not there, and the light's not on

ACT VI: THE END

still feel. • half•alive when it's hopeless, I start to notice / that I still feel alive finish the promise • MOTOO FUJIWARA for Tales of the Abyss White Light • Superfly for Tales of Zestiria 正解なんてない 間違いなんてない / 塗り替えてゆけ 在るべき���界へ • seikai nante nai machigai nante nai / nurikaete yuke arubeki sekai e there's no such thing as right; there's no such thing as wrong / remake this world into what it should have been

( NOTES )

[1] - Specifically the anatomical term. Metaphorical uses of this word do seem to be a thing, but skew more towards meaning something like "courage" (think "guts" or "spine") as opposed to 心 (kokoro) on its own, which is used for something more like "essence", "spirit", "soul". Incidentally, I highly… HIGHLY recommend watching the MV for this one (Check the YT link before the readmore)! [2] - Eternal plug for vgperson, who has been my source for Kenshi Yonezu lyrics since something like 2010, and is the backbone of society. Check out the full translation there (ctrl+F the title!) to get a feel for this song's whole... vibe (which I'd describe as a very specific flavor of "fuck. god damn it. whatever; leave me alone," which of course is why it's here). [3] - There's a footnote on the Vocaloid Lyrics Wiki page for this song that conveys something interesting about the title; it says: "'Uminaoshi' isn’t a word that’s typically used to mean 'rebirth'; rather, it is a compound made up of a word meaning 'to give birth' and a word that carries the sense of doing something over to fix mistakes, because you messed it up the last time," which is fun, I think. [4] - This song's lyrics are poetic in a way that makes them difficult to interpret as-written, let alone translate in a way that makes literally any sense at all. The official MV does have English subtitles that are NOT auto-translated, though. Those are the most coherent piece of information I can give you (check the YT link before the readmore!) re: why the Future Diary OP is even in this playlist, except for this statement: it's about breaking free of a time loop that's being treated like a game in some way by The Entity In Charge Of It. (And also, it sounds like... you know, like the way that it sounds.)

[tvaccaro]

My Personal Ranking Of The Tales Series

From Best to Worst...

Berseria

Abyss

Vesperia

Xillia 1 & 2 (I must slot them together)

Zestiria

Arise

Hearts R

This is largely based on characters, story, and theming. Gameplay is largely just a vector for me to enjoy the story through.

Note: These are just the games I've played. I attempted Graces f, but I just was not enjoying the story or characters at all and dropped it less than halfway through. If I had to place it, it'd be towards the bottom of the list.

[jessjustplay]

I finished Tales of Zestiria and it was amazing!

December 13, 2023

Game: Tales of Zestiria First Time/Replaying: First Time Game Time: 54 hours Console: PC/Steam Started: September 22, 2023 (initially), picked it back up November 7, 2023 Finished: December 13, 2023

My playthrough of Tales of Zestiria has been interesting. I started the game in September, then dropped it because I wasn’t “enjoying” it. While it's true that the battle system was confusing at first, I just wasn’t in the right mindset to play this game. I was “forcing” myself to play it because I wanted to scratch it off my list. Deep down, what I really wanted to play was Kena: Bridge of Spirits. (That one has an interesting story, too!)

So I put pause on Zestiria and I ended up playing Kena: Bridge of Spirits. I also finished my replay of Final Fantasy X, AND ALSO finished replaying Star Ocean: First Departure R. *phew* After that, I finally thought, “Okay, let’s give Zestiria another chance.” I bought it for my PS4 since I was really enjoying playing on my TV and sitting on my couch. 

However, turns out that Zestiria isn’t exactly PS4-friendly. I couldn’t take screenshots of anything, and my game time wasn’t showing up on my profile. It was all so strange. I decided to go back to my PC/Steam playthrough (where I had already spent 14 hours on it) and just picked up where I left off. 

I am SO glad I did. This time, I was in a better headspace and was able to read the tutorials and actually tried to learn the battle system. Once I got into the rhythm of it, the battles were a lot of fun! Attacking with Sorey, then merging with a Seraphim became an easier thing to do. (I admit though, the Fusing and slots thing is still confusing lol)

Anyways, I ended up really loving this game. I enjoyed the story and the characters from the very beginning , and once I got past the learning curve of the battles, they were so much fun.

The story is fascinating and all about good and evil, our weakness and corruption as humans, while still recognizing humanity’s strengths. It’s heavily focused on ancient history, faith, and religion, which was so cool.

The characters are the best. Seriously, the best cast! Their conversations and banter were funny and relatable. You got to know everyone so well and I loved that.

Overall, a very fun game. It was my first “Tales of” game and I’m excited to play more in the series!

Here are my endgame stats!

[pclitesse]

hello, everyone!

as of 4/10/24 pclitesse has evolved from an affiliated alisha diphda blog to an indie tales of multi muse!!! i'm super excited for this, as i think it's just what my creative side needs - and ofc, it's still me, nel, helming the ship so to speak. please do be patient as i get my layout changed and everything ready! muses from aevum ur always welcome, and i'm happy to plot non island threads with u. thanks for all the love ❤️ feel free to plot in dms here or on my discord nelfes. here's a preview of the muses hosted here once things r set up!!!

Phantasia: -Klarth F. Lester Eternia: -Farah -Meredy -Shiezel Symphonia: -Presea Combatir

Legendia: -Shirley Fennes -Walter Delques -Senel Coolidge -Fenimore Xelhes

Vesperia: -Judith of Kritya Zestiria: -Alisha Diphda -Maltran aaaand depending on how the muse comes back possibly rose too :3 if anyone wants t o claim a starter for one of the above by all means <3

[talesofourworlds]

[ *DASH : SPELL OUT YOUR URL USING SONG TITLES. THEN, TAG AS MANY PEOPLE AS THERE ARE LETTERS IN YOUR URL. ]

All righty, let's do this >:D

t - Time of Happiness - Motoi Sakuraba, Tales of Arise a - A Firefly's Light - Go Shiina, Tales of Legendia l - Let's Go! - Go Shiina, Tales of Legendia e - Endless Fabrication: Fate - Motoi Sakuraba, Tales of Arise s - Sketchy Strategy - Motoi Sakuraba, Tales of Arise o - Overcome This Crisis - Go Shiina, Tales of Zestiria f - Floral Ornament - Motoi Sakuraba, Tales of Arise o - Obstinate Loneliness - Motoi Sakuraba, Tales of Arise u - Unrequited Feelings - Motoi Sakuraba, Tales of Vesperia r - Run in the Middle of the Storm - Go Shiina, Tales of Legendia e - Elle is Elle - Motoi Sakuraba, Tales of Xillia 2 w - Whisper of the Crystal - Go Shiina, Tales of Legendia o - Overcoming the Crisis - Motoi Sakuraba, Tales of Arise r - Ring a Bell - Bonnie Pink l - Leap the Precipice - Motoi Sakuraba, Eternal Sonata d - Dissonance - Motoi Sakuraba, Tales of Arise s - Sun Filtering Through the Trees - Go Shiina, Tales of Legendia

Is it cheating to use just tracks from various Tales games plus Eternal Sonata? Maybe. xD

Tagged by: @ofstarsandskies

Tagging: Whoever wants to!

[familyromantic]

(Submission)

"I promise — I promise that I'll show you a smile."

"Then I promise too — to be the one who'll make you smile."

Brother and Sister’s Promise – Tales of the Rays

Pairing name: Edna/Eizen or Earthcest (also アイエド or エドアイ)

Series: "Tales of"

Canon: No.

Spoilers: Lategame spoilers for Tales of Zestiria and Tales of Berseria, as well as up to the very last chapter of Zestiria the Cross.

Eizen: “Other malakhim were born there, but I never felt like they were my family. But something—I don’t know what—was different with her. If she was sad, I’d feel sad. And if I was happy, she’d be happy, too. She can be... abrasive, but when she smiles, it’s like nothing else. I swore to myself that whatever happened, I would protect her.”

1. Introduction

Tales of Zestiria was a J-RPG released for the 20th anniversary of the Tales of series on PS3, PS4, and Steam (international exclusive). It followed the story of a fantasy world called Glenwood, which had been plunged into a nigh-incomprehensible state of chaos. The high level of malevolence was ravaging the world with mysterious illnesses and abnormal climate changes, making humanity struggle with crop deaths, famine, and starvation. This was the context in which Sorey, the protagonist of the story, found himself in. He then had the final task, as the new Shepherd, of quelling the very source of malevolence: the Lord of Calamity.

This release was later followed by Tales of Berseria a year later, signaling the end of the 20th anniversary’s celebrations and also available for PS3 (Japan exclusive), PS4, and Steam (international exclusive). The land of Desolation—the same Glenwood but with a different name��a thousand years prior to Zestiria showed to be just as chaotic. And, if Zestiria accompanied the Shepherd in his journey against the Lord of Calamity of his era, Berseria accompanied the Lord of Calamity against the Shepherd of her time: Velvet Crowe set off on a personal journey of revenge, while (not very willingly sometimes) picking up a few companions on the way.

2. The characters

2.1. Edna

Edna: “If you really wanted to take me with you, you should have just dragged me kicking and screaming. ‘Let’s go hunt legends, my lady?’ ‘My noble heart would not deceive thee?’ That went out of fashion a few hundred years ago.” – Mounting Terror (Main Story) - Tales of Zestiria

The choice of entering the world for the sake of saving her brother

If you play the games in release order, you get to meet Edna in Tales of Zestiria first, an earth seraph living by herself in Rayfalke Spiritcrest, a mountain surrounded by legends about dragons. Seraphim (also called malakhim) are beings akin to fantastic spirits with elemental affinities whose forms are determined by their souls. They can live for thousands of years and are invisible to most of the population, which means humanity has stopped believing in their existence.

During his journey, Sorey finds himself with no way to access his next destination, Marlind: the bridge has been washed away. Advised by his Prime Lord Lailah, he decides to find an earth seraph that lives close to help with its restoration.

Sorey soon realizes that Edna’s very different from other seraphim he knows: she’s not like Mikleo, who dreams of human and seraphim coexistence like he does; she’s not like Lailah, who’s been the Prime Lord of other Shepherds before him; she’s not like Uno either, who's accepted to become Ladylake’s Lord of the Land and keeps malevolence at bay with his blessing. If anything, Edna’s feelings towards humans are similar to those of the Elysian seraphim you talk to at the start of the game, when their homeland is suddenly visited by the princess knight Alisha.

Edna: “I despise earth-dwellers. Self-centered, emotional... But when they need something, it’s ‘Oh dear seraphim, heed my prayer!’ Heed this, morons.”

Edna: “And besides... I can’t leave my brother as he is right now.” – Mounting Terror (Main Story) - Tales of Zestiria

Edna has a sharp tongue and doesn’t hesitate to speak her mind, shocking people thanks to the contrast with her small and cute appearance. Bitterly, she informs them that the famous dragon from the mountain is actually her big brother and only family Eizen. This is the form that seraphim take after absorbing too much malevolence, which reduces them to mindless monsters.

Edna refuses to move away despite the danger Eizen means to her now. Sorey and Mikleo ask her about her plans, and Edna’s voice soon falters, stuttering: she wants to save her brother, but hasn’t found a way to do that yet. Hearing that, and despite being told this is impossible, Sorey promises Edna to turn Eizen back to normal with the Shepherd’s powers of purification. Edna is reluctant to believe him, asking them to leave her alone.

Eventually, and moved by Sorey’s words and actions, Edna accepts to become his Sub Lord with the condition that they find a way to cure her brother’s condition.

Edna: “Promise me something. Promise me that we’ll find some way to save Eizen. (...) Now then, take me with you. To the outside world.” – Mounting Terror (Main Story) - Tales of Zestiria

2.2. Eizen

Eizen: “Who cares? If I gave a damn about other peoples’ feelings, I wouldn’t be a pirate.” – An Angry Letter (Skit) - Tales of Berseria

To live and die as your own self

At one point in her journey, Velvet’s group is intercepted in the middle of the sea by the Van Eltia, a famous pirate ship belonging to none other than the Aifread crew.

Stopping on land and ready for battle, the group is surprised: it’s rare to see a free malak roaming around, but even more to see a malak that is also a pirate. And yet, their opponent is clearly one: he can cast malak artes.

Having taken the leadership of the Van Eltia in the absence of the captain, the malak Eizen offers Velvet and her group a deal: only by joining forces do they have a chance to pass through the Gate of Vortigern, the Sea Gate Fortress that controls the passage up ahead.

After weighing all possibilities, albeit distrustful for several reasons, Velvet accepts.

Eizen: “There’s something I should tell you first. I bring ill fortune to all those around me. The ‘Reaper’s Curse’. (...) If you join up with me, I can’t guarantee your safety.” – Sailing With The Reaper (Main Story) - Tales of Berseria

Edna’s dislike of humans is more than clear since the very moment you meet her in Zestiria, but she never makes an actual statement as to why: whether this attitude is related to Eizen leaving her behind to travel around with humans, to his transformation into a dragon, to a general dissatisfaction born out of having watched humanity’s wrongdoings for centuries, or to something else entirely, is unclear.

Eizen, on the other hand, openly enjoys his life among humans. By the point you meet him, he has accepted the threat they possess to his life (malakhim don’t produce the malevolence that eventually will turn him into a dragon, but humans do), as well as their differences. He navigates the seas alongside his crew with the goal of finding and rescuing their captain, who was captured by the Abbey, and creating a map of the whole world that includes the mysterious far continent.

3. Edna and Eizen’s relationship through the story

Tales of the Rays: Edna’s third skit, Time Spent Together (translation by justlol)

Velvet: “Weird sister you’ve got.”

Eizen: “You don’t know the half of it. A girl weird enough to want to live alongside the reaper... No matter the cost.” – I Am Calamity (Main Story) - Tales of Berseria

Due to Eizen’s transformation into a dragon, most of their relationship in Zestiria and the references to it are left to whatever Edna is willing to share, as well as a few non-verbal cues.

Certainty, at Last (Main Story) - Tales of Zestiria

According to her words, Eizen would try to bribe her and make up for his absence with souvenirs: old artifacts, ribbons, strange charms, sweets, and other various things. She’s however not always willing to speak about him, sometimes cutting the conversation short and hiding under her umbrella so no one can see her being vulnerable. At one point, another character (Zaveid) reveals to her that her brother knew he had little left and asked him to kill him once he turned into a dragon, making Edna lose her characteristic cool and stoic composure.

Edna: “Huh?”

Edna: “What does that even mean?! That’s so selfish of him!”

Edna: “Leaving on a journey without me! Becoming a dragon without telling me! Didn’t he even think about how lonely I’d be without him?!” – Siblings (Sub-Event) - Tales of Zestiria

Edna routinely leaves flowers at the small wayside shrine in the base of the mountain she lives in, a gesture in memory for those humans her brother keeps eating, though she tries to take importance off this fact. She also took on an oath sometime before the game, a type of arte that allows you to expand your powers so long as you can pay the costs, to prevent Eizen from leaving the mountain and hurting even more people.

The situation is less bleak however when it comes to Eizen’s side in Berseria, though the relationship is not without its troubles.

Edna’s existence is revealed for the first time when a major antagonist uses her illusion* against Eizen, sparking the party’s curiosity.

The Dissonance of the Wind and the Waves (Main Story) - Tales of Berseria

*It didn’t make it into the final product, but this illusion of Edna would have also approached Eizen by saying “You finally broke your curse. Now we can finally be together.”

Velvet: “The umbrella girl... That illusion made Eizen hesitate.”

Velvet: “She must be really important to him.”

Magilou: “Indeed. It must be a deep, knotty relationship!”

Rokurou: “Come on, now.”

Eleanor: “Like... A wife he wants to leave but he can never let go? Or a lover from whom he can’t move on?” – The Girl With The Umbrella (skit) - Tales of Berseria

Sometime after this incident, the party finds a fancy letter written in cute stationery. Perplexed about it and not recognizing the name that signed it, they leave to find Eizen and ask him about it, who seems to be busy about something.

White Turtlez: “Nowz about getting’ that pot wrapped, I’z gotz this new sunflower print. How’z that sound?”

Eizen: “Hmm... Yeah, that one’s cute enough. Let’s go with that.”

Rokurou: “Did... Did he just say ‘cute’?” – Eizen’s Letter (skit) - Tales of Berseria

Eizen, who recognizes the letter and only then realizes he has dropped it, quickly snatches it away. With a suspicious look, he asks them time and time again if they really, really, didn’t read it.

After this exchange, part of the group remembers the mysterious girl with the umbrella and once again assume that, due to the way Eizen is acting and his secretiveness, the recipient must be his lover.

Laphicet: “Was he sending a gift to someone? And with a letter, too...”

Rokurou: “Gotta be a ladyfriend, that’s for sure.”

Laphicet: “You think...? Either way, that letter was really polite... And did you see that penmanship?”

Rokurou: “Yeah, I didn’t know ol’ Reeps had it in him.”

Eizen: “I can hear you two, you know.” – Eizen’s Letter (skit) - Tales of Berseria

Eizen doesn’t take kindly to being gossiped about, giving both Rokurou and Laphicet a small sample of his fists. This, however, doesn’t seem to deter any of them.

Rokurou: “It was serious stuff. Whoever it is must be important to him. A lover, maybe?”

Laphicet: “Eizen’s lover?”

Rokurou: “A child wouldn’t be happy with that pot, and a man wouldn’t want it wrapped up so pretty.”

Rokurou: “A young woman with Eizen’s tastes, then... He’d be bound to fall for a miraculous match like that, right?”

Laphicet: “I don’t know. I bet she’s that girl with the umbrella.” – Who Was The Letter For? (skit) - Tales of Berseria

It’s not until later that Eizen overhears them again and finally clears their misunderstanding up: he’s exchanging letters with his sister in a mostly one-sided conversation due to, according to him, Edna wanting to show she disapproves of his actions. It turns out that the curse he has warned the party several times in the past about is also the main reason they live apart.

Eleanor: “That insect daemon was a bit of a surprise, but I still think this ‘curse’ business is overblown.”

Eizen: “I can count on one hand how many have survived more than three years at my side. If you’re not careful, you might wind up as Corpse Number 50.” – The Dissonance of the Wind and the Waves (Main Story) - Tales of Berseria

Eizen left Edna behind to travel around the world in search of a cure for his curse. However, meeting Van Aifread and the rest of the Van Eltia crew made him realize he had found his way of life instead: even if one day he happened to find a way to break the curse, he couldn’t simply return to his former secluded life in the mountain.

This ‘Reaper’s curse’ is actually Eizen’s innate blessing as a malak, much like the Lords of the Land granted their blessings to cities in Tales of Zestiria. The blessings of earth malakhim are usually about growth, life, and support; In Eizen’s case, its intended effect is supposed to be that of providing acceptable trials to incite said growth.

Unfortunately, his sister was the one who bore the brunt of it, much to Eizen’s dismay who couldn’t understand why so many unlucky things happened: terrible accidents, daemons that attacked them, dragons that tried to kidnap her,…

Eizen: “But one time when I was baking them, the oven suddenly spewed fire out and badly burned my sister.”

Eizen: “It was all my fault, and stupid, clueless me didn’t even know why at the time.”

Eizen: “Crazy thing is... after I did what I could for her burns and put her to bed, she told me she wanted to eat the palmiers I’d made.”

Eizen: “They were burned to a crisp, but she ate those pastries like nothing was wrong, then she smiled and told me to keep on making them.” – Palmier Memories (skit) - Tales of Berseria

At one point in the past Eizen finally realized that his sister wasn’t just prone to illness and injury: the cause behind her suffering had been him all along.

Velvet: “He just wanted to do something for his sister, only to be confronted by how bad his curse is...”

Laphicet: “That’d be really hard to deal with...”

Eleanor: “She must realize by now what’s going on with Eizen, right?”

Magilou: “Maybe she thought that he’d leave if she ever let on that she knew...”

Rokurou: “And he left because he thought he could spare her from learning the truth...” – Palmier Memories (skit) - Tales of Berseria

Edna: “I suppose my blessing would be ‘perfect health’”.

Rose: “You? Really? That’d be odd.”

Edna: “Not really. I've been hit by lightning on multiple occasions...”

Edna: “Tumbled off the peak of Rayfalke, gotten caught in an enormous landslide...”

Edna: “Stubbed my pinky toe on the edge of the dresser, gotten a tiny fish bone stuck in my throat...”

Edna: “And yet, here I am. Safe and sound.”

Rose: “Holy crap! Well, okay, some of that was just regular crap, but still, whoa!”

Sorey: “You really are lucky, Edna.”

Edna: “To a bizarre extent, even.”

Edna: “But it’s how I survived being near my brother even after he had turned into a dragon.” – Edna The Invincible (skit) - Tales of Zestiria

At one point during Berseria, Eizen starts receiving unsigned and quite aggressive letters: the owner of the letters, the normin Phoenix, eventually reveals himself and confronts Eizen on the prison island Titania about his relationship with Edna. After spying on her and watching what was happening, he could not help himself: he had to do something about it.

Eleanor: “A brother writing letters knowing he’ll never get a reply. And a sister waiting for a brother she knows will never come home...”

Velvet: “You two make it so damn complicated. Just talk it out face to face and make up already. It’s not that hard.”

Eizen: “......”

Velvet: “At least the person you care about is still alive!” – No Reply (skit) - Tales of Berseria

Eizen previously claimed that Edna wouldn’t answer his letters as a way to show her disapproval, but it turns out that Edna has been sitting on mountains of unsent letters that she often cries over. It’s hinted but not confirmed that this is related to back when, shortly after Eizen left her, she sent him a letter saying that she wanted to be with him no matter how dangerous it could get that she didn’t get a favorable response to.

Phoenix: “Just what is it that you’re communicating with the superficial scrawlings and shoddy baubles you send her?”

Laphicet: “He’s trying to atone—”

Phoenix: “Don’t be absurd!”

Phoenix: “Which is the real you? The considerate brother who worries for his sister? Or the man who consorts with lowlife scum and pirates?!” –Joyful Nor Doll (Sub-Event) - Tales of Berseria

After their fight, Eizen finally sends Edna a letter with his real thoughts and feelings. He actually had written it before this event, but never could bring himself to send it.

Edna’s answer, proof of them starting to mend their relationship, quickly threatens to bring Eizen to tears.

Eizen: “Ungh...”

Rokurou: “Hey, are you okay? What does it say?”

Eizen: “I can’t read it right now... One of you do it.”

Laphicet: “O-Okay...”

Laphicet: “‘Dear brother, I got your letter. Not sure why it was so tattered.”

Laphicet: “I’m glad that you were able to tell me how you really feel, even though it was beyond obvious by now.”

Laphicet: “Your clear descriptions of the self-defense malak artes allowed me to master them quickly, despite your terrible grammar.”

Laphicet: “As weird as it feels writing this to a pirate... Good luck with your work. And I know how to keep a secret.”

Laphicet: “So please keep writing me letters. My life doesn’t revolve around them, but I do enjoy hearing from you.”

Laphicet: “I can’t see the oceans you sail from my perch here on the mountain, but I’m thinking of you and praying for your safety. And I want you to know I’m doing fine.’”

Eizen: “Ungh...”

Magilou: “Aaah, looks like she’s just as roundabout and stubborn as her brother! It must run in the family.” – Dear Brother (skit) - Tales of Berseria

4. The ship

Tales of the Rays: Joyful Nor Dolls (Event)

4.1. Trivia and Tropes

“Sibling relationships outlast marriages, survive the death of parents, resurface after quarrels that would sink any friendship. They flourish in a thousand incarnations of closeness and distance, warmth, loyalty and distrust.” –Erica E. Goode

Edna and Eizen live apart, so they don’t get to interact much directly in either Berseria or Zestiria. However, the print they have left on each other is indelible, a love and devotion expanding through space and time for centuries and even thousands of years. It’s implied that Sorey reminding Edna of her brother influences their relationship, and the same thing seems to happen with Kamoana and Laphicet for Eizen.

“No. Humans don’t have true names.”

“Hey, that’s not fair! Malakhim are so lucky.”

“Your name came into your mother’s mind the same way. ‘Kamoana’ is already your true name.”

Kamoana frowned and fell silent for a while. Eizen looked at her kindly, as if she was his own sister, and finally spoke.

“Don’t think too hard about it. As long as you remember your name ‘Kamoana,’ your mom is always with you.” –Tales of Berseria Official World Guidance Book: 'True Name' (translation by Caphi)

Rose: “Didn’t you guys live together?”

Edna: “My brother’s adventure-crazy, like a certain someone I know. He’s always been traveling around.” (...)

Rose: “I see. Was your brother like Sorey?”

Edna: “Maybe.” –Edna Talks About Her Brother (skit) - Tales of Zestiria

The most obvious argument in favor of Edna/Eizen is the context in which they are introduced. Malakhim aren’t humans, and therefore they don’t have blood families. The vast majority of them, including Edna and Eizen, are born from earthpulse points, flows of natural force that ordinary humans can’t see. But even for the very few seraphim that happen to be reincarnations from living beings, they usually don’t keep any memories of their past lives, and having been related in a past life doesn’t grant them any kind of innate and special connection in their next one.

No other pair of malakhim gets what Edna and Eizen experienced upon meeting each other. In Berseria, a mother and son with tragic deaths were reincarnated into malakhim, and neither of them felt their souls pulling towards each other, nor were their moods synchronized, nor experienced anything like what Edna and Eizen do exhibit. Even though they were reincarnated at the same time and appear side by side, they do not recognize each other.

Edna and Eizen’s meeting is an scenario often written as romantically charged in media. If Eizen didn’t say that all of these signs were telling him that Edna was his little sister, including that they somehow gifted each other hand-made matching pendants in the very same day without having said a word to the other before, it’d be very easy to interpret it as the fated meeting between two soulmates instead.

My Sister Is Off-Limits:

Edna: “Don’t try and weasel your way out of this. You said there was something you had to settle with my brother.”

Zaveid: “That’s all there is to it, really. There’s just something between us we need to settle.”

Edna: “And that ‘something’ is?”

Zaveid: “I told him ‘Please let me marry your little sister!’ and he punched me.”

Edna: “Don’t lie.”

Zaveid: “Oh come on. He’d totally do something like that!”

Edna: “Fine. Don’t tell me then.”

Zaveid: *now left alone* “No wonder he’s worried about her all the time.” – A Promise Between Men (Skit) - Tales of Zestiria

Overprotectiveness, jealousy, possessiveness,... Eizen not only keeps his relationship with Edna hidden from the party through a good part of the game, while banning the pirate crew from speaking about it: he also hates the idea of other people meeting her. Of other men meeting her, to be more exact.

Benwick: “‘Touch my sister, and I’ll kill you.’ Right? Sheesh, you say that to EVERY guy you meet.”

Velvet: “Awfully protective.”

Eizen: “Nah, just obsessed.”

Benwick: “That’s even worse!” – I Am Calamity (Main Story) - Tales of Berseria

No man is spared, including Aifread whom Eizen holds in high regards, and the very young malak that accompanies them.

Finally, Benwick spoke up.

“I-I’ve just only joined the crew.” His eyes were locked on Eizen, and his voice trembled as it worked into a shout. “I want to have more adventures! So please…”

“Leave it to me.”

A flame sparked to life in the malak’s breast.

“Trust in Eizen,” Aifread said. “His only faults are an annoying attention to detail, and the fact that he won’t let me meet his cute sister.” –Tales of Berseria Special Collector’s Edition Novella: A Witch’s Tale, A World Full Of Daemons

His “awful overprotection” (or self-admitted obsession) is also sometimes used by other characters to tease him.

Eleanor: “Are you suggesting that Eizen’s sister wrote these letters? I mean, they’re certainly unusual, but...”

Eizen: “My sister wouldn’t write something like this.”

Magilou: “Then maybe it’s someone who’s spending a lot of time around her... Like, oh, a man whose shoulder she cries on?”

Eizen: “Damnation, Magilou! My sister doesn’t have any guy clinging onto her! Do you know something I don’t? Prove it! Bring him here right now!”

Eleanor: “Calm down, Eizen! No one’s saying that! – A Very Angry Letter (skit) - Tales of Berseria

Laphicet: “Is that her in the picture?”

Eizen: “Yeah... It’s a self-portrait she drew for me on the day I left home.”

Velvet: “Did you draw her a picture of yourself?”

Eizen: “No... I don’t exactly have an artistic side.”

Eleanor: “Well, I’m sure that if you looked inside her pendant, you’d find a portrait of the person who matters most to her.”

Eizen: “I hope so...”

Magilou: “Yeah, and it would be nice if it was you.”

Eizen: *staring with eyes that could kill* – Matching Charms (skit) - Tales of Berseria

Brother Complex:

Edna’s whole motivation and goal in the Zestiria game was always her brother; the Zestiria anime, however, goes a bit further with it.

The anime is a reimagination of the game’s events rather than an actual adaptation, hence why it’s not recommendable to start with it. But, for much needed context, this anime ends with Eizen’s slow recovery, being able to understand what’s happening around him and even speaking short sentences. The implication is that he will eventually return to his normal form.

With the first of the BD boxes for the anime came a Drama CD consisting of a small retelling of it, with the girls of the party having a fun time together as they talk about what has happened. At one point, Lailah asks Edna who is the one in the party that she likes. Edna answers that said person is actually her brother.

Theme Naming:

In Zestiria, if you interact with a particular Discovery Point in Aifread’s Hunting Grounds, you can trigger a skit in which Edna mentions Eizen named her after the red orchids you just saw (Edna Stamperland).

“And then, our door just swung open. A spring wind was blowing in, a warm and gentle wind.”

It was like it was calling him. He took her and walked and walked, not knowing where or how far, until finally, they emerged from a dark forest into a shimmering clearing.

“She stopped crying and smiled the sweetest, most innocent smile, and just like that, all at once, the entire field was covered in bright red flowers.”

Kamoana was smiling too. “Wow!”

Eizen nodded. “The flowers vanished soon after, but I still remember how strong and vivid their color looked, and I thought that when she grew up, she needed to wear one. And then I heard her voice in my mind. ‘I want to grow up fast.’ I thought, what a precocious little squirt. But that’s just what she was.

Hephsin Yulind — “Edna, the early bloomer.” But that name was only for Eizen to know. –Tales of Berseria Official World Guidance Book: 'True Name' (translation by Caphi)

Red orchids can be gifted as a confession of love and, in Japanese flower language, can also be read as “happiness that comes in flying” 「幸せが飛んでくる」and “true love” 「純粋な愛」; Coincidentally, when in a Zestiria the Cross bonus skit Lailah asks everyone to pick a flower, Edna chooses lily of the valley, a flower whose meaning is also “happiness will come again” 「再び幸せが訪れる」. All of them instantly understand that this happiness means that Edna will be reunited with Eizen.

Incest Subtext

Most of what Edna wears are Eizen’s gifts: the pendant hanging from her neck is handmade (the matching one she made for Eizen can be seen attached to his waistcoat), the boots and glove are hand-me-downs, the ribbons she uses are part of his souvenirs,... Even the headband seems to be his.

Tales of Zestiria - Menu

But that’s not all of it: In the Tales of Berseria Illustrations artbook, Minoru Iwamoto speaks about how he came up with the characters’ designs.

For Eizen he mentions that, for his clothes, the underlying theme is that of a wedding suit, because he had already drawn Edna’s to take on the appearance of a wedding dress and he wanted them to match. The dagger on the lapel of Eizen’s coat is thus inspired by the handkerchief grooms wear in the same place, and the ore bracelet is also inspired by a wedding ring.

Later, for the 25th anniversary of Tales of, a set of memory rings for several Tales characters were released, with Edna and Eizen being included. The rings are meant to represent the characters and their personal journeys, as well as their relationships and feelings.

Edna’s ring has motifs from her clothes such as her characteristic ribbons; Eizen’s ring has a small chain hanging from it that symbolizes the pendant Edna gifted him with once. The inner side of Edna’s ring has Rayfalke Spiritcrest engraved on it, while Eizen’s has the Van Eltia ship. Stacking Edna’s ring on top of Eizen’s forms the shape of a letter. As a small side note, the rings are also mentioned to go well as pair rings.

Relative Error

See the explanations above in the third point about the unknown woman Eizen was sending letters and gifts to, and the insistence of several characters that she and the illusion were the same woman and also Eizen’s secret lover.

Translation Mistakes

Even though Eizen was an important figure in Edna’s character arc in Zestiria, little was known about him outside of their relationship. It wasn’t until Berseria that more details about him started to get shared. That, eventually, included the reveal of his true name.

Besides the name they usually go with, all malakhim are bestowed a “true name” in the Ancient Tongue. These names are not to be shared lightly outside of pacts: in some circumstances it’s an expression of intimacy and vulnerability, a sign of trusting the other with their very lives; in others, it’s akin to a love confession. This name shows the seraphim’s raison d’être or that what makes them most themselves.

Before the American and European releases, a mistranslation of this true name was shared in social media that happened to mistake Eizen’s true name “Explorer Eizen” for “In Love Eizen”. Before it was corrected, fans quickly reacted to the news while assuming it could only be about Edna.

Roughly five years after this the next mainline entry in the series, Tales of Arise, was released. Ironically, and with Eizen available in said game as a cameo battle, a mistake in the English version that happened to turn this relationship official was again reported in different social media by several fans. It seemed to get fixed with a patch that was issued shortly after.

4.2 The appealing of the ship

Putting two fictional siblings together into an idealized, consensual romantic relationship can look strange, but the charm itself resides in that the relationship is indeed atypical from that of a classic romance.

Tales of Arise: Edna and Eizen’s cameo battle.

Though Eizen had already lived for roughly seven centuries before Edna was born, his life seems to have been unremarkable until then, having not even moved away from the place he was born; for Edna, Eizen has been a constant in her life, and she doesn’t know what it is to live without him. This is not a case of getting to know each other and going on dates, there is no classy “boy meets girl” type of story, and there’s no clean slate: they carry their previous relationship with them, knowing each other better than anyone else in the world for sometimes better and sometimes worse.

“Blood relationships are the only relationships we have where people want us exactly as we are. To a child, the daddy who affirms everything about her is her prince and the world itself. So the words, ‘When I grow up, I’m going to marry Daddy’ mean the same thing as ‘I’m going to make the whole world mine.’” –Kunihiko Ikuhara

It might not be in their blood, but it’s still seared deep within them. They don’t ever stop (can’t stop) being brother and sister, they can’t just walk away from each other and move on with their lives. Even if they happened to cut all contact, they would still be family, and this is actually quite proved through their relationship: even though Edna and Eizen spent so much of their lives physically separated, their hearts stayed together.

Tales of Crestoria, Eizen and Edna’s SSR Units.

“I learned love as taxidermy, the careful art of keeping alive a dead thing.” –Blythe Baird

Edna dedicates several centuries of her life to watch over Eizen, trying to reduce the harm he causes and never leaving the mountain until Sorey appears. Her love is unconditional, holding on and enduring despite the pain and sorrow. At one point of Berseria Eizen compares her to a cat because of how spoiled they can act, but the way Edna acts after he has become a mindless dragon is more akin to a dog: she remains loyal until the very end, waiting for him for endless centuries.

Edna: “A monster who’s devoured countless humans and seraphim alike. He’s so far gone he doesn’t even recognize me anymore.”

Edna: “But I kept holding on. I just couldn’t give up on the possibility of him turning back to the way he was.” – Siblings (Sub-Event) - Tales of Zestiria

Going by the way Edna appears in Melchior’s illusion, being pulled from Eizen’s memories, she doesn’t change a bit in over a thousand years except by her choice to wear Eizen’s boots and one of his gloves after fitting them. Seraphim can change their appearances as they desire to an extent, and this is also tied to their peak of strength, yet Edna refuses change as if wanting to hold onto her place in the world as “Eizen’s little sister”.

Working under the belief that there was nothing else he could realistically do against his fate, and as if knowing how far his sister could go, Eizen uses the remainder of his life to mitigate the effects his death will have on Edna. He asks Phoenix to watch over Edna and protect her from all kinds of danger, including himself as a dragon; He also asks Zaveid to kill him once he becomes a dragon so she won’t hurt for him.

Rose: “Oh, I get it. Edna’s brother gave Phoenix to her as a memento.”

Mikleo: “So then Eizen asked him to use his normin powers to protect Edna from all threats.”

Sorey: “Including Eizen himself.” – Phoenix (Sub-Event) - Tales of Zestiria

Zaveid: “‘When I become a dragon, kill me.’”

Zaveid: “‘I don’t want Edna to suffer for it.’” – Siblings (Sub-Event) - Tales of Zestiria

It’s also very telling that the one successful illusion against Eizen is the one made to Edna’s likeness. Eizen has an inkling that Aifread isn’t real, putting him at test and then confirming it so; He also recognizes something isn’t quite right in the fake Aball Velvet is enveloped with in a different part of the game. And yet, it’s Edna appearing in front of him what actually affects him, and it’s also only when Zaveid shoots the illusion down that he can break out of the spell.

Velvet: “Magilou… Are there artes that let the caster manipulate dreams?”

Eleanor: “Huh? Dreams? Why?”

Magilou: “There is, yes. An arte that requires a certain type of malak. It envelops you in a fog and reads your regrets, then traps you in a happy dream.” – A Fragment Of Heaven (Main Story) - Tales of Berseria

Magilou: “Let’s say you know your target’s innermost desires. You simply conjure the right illusion. Show them what would push their buttons in just the right way.”

Laphicet: “Ahh… If you can create an illusion of something someone really wants, you can control them.”

Magilou: “Exactly. You can force a powerful burden upon your target’s psyche… Until their spirit breaks, that is.”

Laphicet: “What happens when they break?”

Magilou: “Depends on the target. They might become an empty shell; They might go wild with desire… Eeny, teeny, spiny, crow…” – An Arte to Control Daemons (skit) - Tales of Berseria

Though they are not humans and therefore not bound to their rules, Edna and Eizen’s relationship is still incredibly star-crossed, making the small time they get to have together especially precious. In the hypothetical case that Eizen found a cure for the curse, an acceptable one that didn’t trample on his morals like eating the heart of a white-horned dragon was (or he came to understand and accept Edna staying by his side despite the danger), the world they live in can be cruel and unforgiving. If they happened to travel together rather than stay safe in the clean and free of malevolence Rayfalke, they would still be risking turning into dragons.

5. Ending thoughts

Tales of Arise: Edna and Eizen’s cameo battle

5.1. Guilt, malevolence, and will

Eizen: “As far as I’m concerned, my earth affinity and my Reaper’s Curse aren’t much different, in that they’ve both shackled me since I came into being.” – Eizen And The Sea (skit) - Tales of Berseria

Eizen already carries a lot of guilt just about physically existing close to Edna, due to hurting her with his curse whenever she’s within his domain. With guilt and shame being often the bread and butter of sibling ships, that is something that is at least guaranteed.

It’s well documented in both Zestiria and Berseria that malevolence influences not only malakhim’s bodies, but also the state of their minds and their emotions. With Eizen progressively turning into a dragon, it’s not difficult to imagine his feelings for Edna getting twisted the more malevolence gets to him.

Eizen: “My wheel is mine to hold. If I’m not the one steering the ship, then I’m not truly alive.” – Fortress Under Fire (Main Story) - Tales of Berseria

Eizen’s distaste towards the Abbey goes back, long before Aifread is kidnapped, because the way they subjugate the malakhim’s wills goes against his principles. He believes that you should always be grasping the wheel of your life, otherwise you might as well be dead. For obvious reasons, this belief is also tied to his later downfall as a dragon.

Tales of Asteria’s Fifth Arc

Eizen spends all his life and later impending death trying to gain control to compensate for his helplessness, the grief the curse has caused him and all the consequences it has had in his life. Even if in the present day he’s come to accept the curse as a part of himself that cannot be erased, a deep scarring was left by what he lost in the past: his life with his sister.

Magilou: “Physical wounds can heal. Emotional wounds never fully fade.” – Melchior’s Illussions (skit) - Tales of Berseria

You can’t help what you feel: you can only help what you do. Eizen’s self-loathing often makes itself apparent; holding very much non-familiar feelings for Edna, within this entire context, would not help matters. Even if, as mentioned earlier, by virtue of not being humans they might also not be bound to their taboos (though it is to note that Eizen spends a lot of time among humans, and might have picked up on things from them), it’s easy to see how Eizen would see it as a corruption of their bond and hate himself for it, pulling away further from Edna.

5.2. Sibling Complex

It has already been brought up earlier, but both Edna and Eizen clearly have a brother complex and a sister complex respectively. Often, characters like these get into romantic relationships yet end up finding the suitor lacking an unexplainable something, having idealized their sibling to an extent that can never be reached, which is another angle that would be interesting. That, or the partner not accepting that they have to be so close.

5.3. Perspectives

Much like back when the party discovers the self-called (and often pointed at by people as intimidating) Reaper writes letters in pretty stationery and wraps up his presents in flowery prints for his sister, or the way his voice softens when he talks about her, Edna also shows a sweeter side when she speaks to Eizen that she usually wouldn’t. There is a special vulnerability in their interactions, and it’s clear they let their guards down with each other, showing a part of them that nobody else will get to see.

Tales of Zestiria: The Cross (Finale)

It soon becomes apparent in Zestiria how miserable Edna feels because of what has happened to her brother, being extremely rare that she gets to smile and laugh from the bottom of her heart. With everything these two went through, you can’t help but cheer for them to be happily reunited, whatever form it might take.

5.4. What-ifs

Eizen: “Soon after I left, my sister wrote me a letter. She said, ‘I don’t care if it’s dangerous. I want to be with you.’”

Eizen: “Maybe the old me, once I realized there was no fixing this curse, would have gone home prepared to do everything in my power to protect her.”

Eizen: “But I’m not the old me. Haven’t been since I met Aifread and his crew.”

Eleanor: “I understand. You found your place on that ship. Even if you lifted the curse, you wouldn’t move back home...” – No Reply (skit) - Tales of Berseria

It was almost by accident that Eizen found his place in the world and the meaning of his true name. Had he never taken the Van Eltia as his vessel, he would have never met Aifread and the others, and thus would have eventually returned to Edna’s side.

In Zestiria, and before the war reaches its climax, you can find a seraphim couple in Aifread’s Hunting Grounds that asks you to leave them alone. This is the couple from the “The Lovers” Sub-Event, with one of them being a very recognizable character for Zestiria players: Tiamat.

A choice like this, rejecting everyone and everything while favoring a world for only the two of them, would mean a return to a past Edna is shown to mourn.

There’s more ship potential to talk about, some relevant information to themes in both games that I have omitted, and talk related to their appearances in crossover games. However, this is already long as it is, so it’s only right to end it here.

That said, if you got this far, thank you for reading! I hope I could catch your interest, even if it was only a little.

My thanks to @familyromantic as well, for giving me an excuse to ramble at length about these two. I have been meaning to sit down and make a decent write-up for years, but I never actually brought myself to do it. Now I did!

[chibi-sunrise]

Asobistore is accepting preorders for Tales of Festival 2023 merch from March 31, 2023 to April 9, 2023 (JST) Orders will be shipped in late May 2023! There’s a huge selection of merch from 24 Tales of Series titles, and this is Toto’s first official merch too!

Check out the readmore for how to buy, links to Luminaria’s merch, and some notes about the merch currently offered.

Buyee works with Asobistore no problem, and I’ve also received confirmation that Zenmarket also works! I was also advised that Zenmarket is cheaper and faster to use, so I’ll be trying it out for the first time. If Buyee and Zenmarket both work, then I’m sure other proxies won’t run into issues other.

Links to Luminaria’s currently offered merch, so you don’t have to scroll through everything just to find them:

TOF2023 Official T-Shirt with the names of all 24 titles printed on the back. If anyone still wants to argue that Luminaria “isn’t a Tales game,” then this official merch tells them they’re wrong. Comes in sizes S-XL

TOF2023 Official Tales of Luminaria bracelet. It has a charm that almost resembles an Embleo?

TOF2023 Official Tales of Luminaria Medal Plate. Looking at the measurements, I think it’s like a pressed penny?

TOF2023 Official Tales of Luminaria Scarf. The coloring is Luminaria’s official hexcode used for official merch, so it looks very similar to Phantasia, Hearts R, and Xillia’s scarves

TOF2023 Official Mascot Toto T-Shirt. Comes in sizes S-L.

TOF2023 Official Toto Acrylic Stick. According to the item description, you can take pictures with the lil Toto on top of this stick without worrying about your hand appearing in the photo.

TOF2023 Official Mascot Masking Tape Type A. This type includes Toto along with other Tales of Series mascots.

TOF2023 Official Toto Acrylic Clip.

And that’s everything Luminaria-related...for now!

If you scroll down to the bottom the of the page, you’ll find a notice about the merch that’s currently offered. In addition to the general event merch like penlights, booklets, bags, etc., there’s a large variety of character merch available.

The character merch that’s currently available is based on the voice actors who were invited to participate in the event. Currently there were two waves of voice actors announced to participate in the event, and we have yet to see the third wave of voice actors announced to participate in the event. There’s also a chance that “secret guests” may be invited to the event.

When more voice actors are invited to the event, there is a possibility that more character merch will be added to the lineup in the future. Phanatsia, Destiny, Eternia, Xillia, Zestiria, Luminaria, and other titles have not had voice actors announced for them yet, so we may see some character merch for those games later!

Because the characters wear a T-shirt of their game’s mascot in the merch illustration, a lot of JP fans are speculating that Yelsy’s voice actor might be invited to the event. I’m unsure about this since the mascot for Berseria is Bienfu, and Magilou or Eleanor would be the closest associated character with Bienfu, but neither of their voice actors have been invited to attend (...yet?)

I also think it’s too early to assume that all main protagonists will have their voice actors invited. And just because Leo and Hugo are the characters you’d normally associate with Tales of Luminaria’s “main” characters, I don’t think that necessarily means their voice actors have a higher chance than anyone else. I’d say Celia has the same odds as anyone else too.

If anything is consistent, it’s that Bamco will invite voice actors for popular characters whose merch is bound to sell, so I think Ed or Lucien actually have better odds of getting those merch slots. Bamco also seems to invite voice actors who are good at presentation and bounce well off other voice actors, like Zelos’ voice actor, so that’s another thing I’d consider. But it’s anyone’s guess!

Oh yeah, and I’d be careful about the inventory that’s displayed!

I’ve found multiple JP fans who’ve already ordered Luminaria merch, and I’ve also already ordered Luminaria merch myself, but the current stock of merch has remained unchanged since the sale started. The website says that they have 20 of everything stocked, but I think it’s more likely that they have less than that based on what I’ve observed and what I’ve bought myself...

I think they might cancel your order in the event that they run out of their limited stock? That’s probably what happened to me the last time I ordered Luminaria merch...and it might happen to me again if I was slow enough this time too? Honestly, if Luminaria merch sells that well, then I won’t have any hard feelings about it!

And if you aren’t able to make a pre-order for the item you want within this period, it’s not the end of the world! They’ll be selling this merch during the actual event’s sales period, and some merch may be resold at Asobistore or other stores in the future!

[kitkatt0430]

C, J, R and S for the fandom ask game!!

C - A ship you have never liked and probably never will (be nice)

I attempted to like Cisco/Caitlin, but their platonic besties game was too good and I got too invested in their friendship to be comfortable shipping them. Which is a shame since there are a lot of good fics for that ship, I have no doubt. I just... have no interest in reading them.

Then there's more recently Chester/Allegra. Relationships with big age gaps have to do more to convince me there's chemistry there and since Allegra is 24 and Chester is a few months away from 32, they've got an approximately eight year gap. I've shipped bigger age gaps than that (Harrisco... and also ColdFlash) but those ships typically have so much chemistry on screen that it's difficult to unsee once I've noticed. But Chester and Allegra just don't have that. I mean, I am less drawn to canon ships in general since non-canon ships give more room to play by being divergent by default... but this really isn't that issue for me. They're just... bland.

But I do think that's a hallmark of the Flash's current cache of writers who apparently thought KillerBlaine was a good idea. Mark Blaine's only real impression on me is that he doesn't know how to keep his shirt on and he lacks the charisma, personality, and badass leitmotif of Zaveid (Tales of Zestiria/Berseria) needed to pull that off. ... this said be nice so I should probably stop here.

J - Name a fandom you didn’t care/think about until you saw it all over tumblr

Glee. I'm never going to be able to get into the show itself. I tried but i didn't care about high school based drama shows while in high school, so not even the music could make me enjoy the utter slog it was otherwise. But despite the drastic divide over whether Blaine is a good person or terrible and somewhat emotionally abusive boyfriend (which... he does canonically assault his boyfriend in a parking lot so you can imagine where I am on that divide), there's a lot of interesting fics (prose is so much more accessible to me than tv for high school and college type dramas) and fandom meta.

That said, since I'm never going to actually watch the show all the way through or even halfway through, I have no intention of ever contributing to the fandom beyond commenting, liking/kudos-ing, or reblogging. But there's fun to be had in fandom without necessarily having to enjoy the canon its built off of as long as people can be nice to each other... while also liberally blocking those who can't.

R - A pairing you ship that you don’t think anyone else ships

Well, Hartley/Roderick is certainly a pair so rare that I wrote the first fics about them on Ao3. But though they're canon, Roderick is basically a clean slate upon which any personality may be placed. So he's less interesting than basically any character on the show with a defined personality of their own beyond 'loyal minion'. Which is probably why I can only think of one other person, off the top of my head, who also writes for that ship. I think there's more than that now, but not by much. That was a definitely a ship where when I first wrote for it I was hoping that even if there didn't wind up being much interest for the ship itself, people who enjoyed my writing would consider reading the fics anyway.

It was definitely Hartley's devotion to Roderick that drew me to the ship in the first place. It's still what I like most about them.

S - Show us an example of your personal headcanon (prompts optional but encouraged)

So I've got two contradictory headcanons about E2 Oliver.

1.) E2 Oliver drowned in what was a tragic accident. We know that the E2 version of the Hood was Robert Queen thanks to a brief news clip seen on the Flash and, in the final season of the Arrow, Oliver was able to briefly take E2 Oliver's place by pretending to be him, rescued and returned home after all these years so that means E2 Oliver at the very least never made it home himself.

But since E2 Malcolm wasn't evil that means he never orchestrated the undertaking which means he would have no reason to put a bomb on the Queen family yacht. So in order for it to have been lost at sea, the ship must have run afoul an actual accident of some sort and sunk. Assuming E1 and E2 Robert Queen were similarly preferential to Oliver's survival over their own, then E2 Robert must not have managed to find Oliver in the aftermath of the ship's sinking or he might have killed himself to ensure Oliver had enough rations, similar to how E1 Robert killed himself and his bodyguard.

All of which tells me that odds are Oliver died and it was probably that grief which fueled Robert's time as the Arrow.

Admittedly, this is what everyone in E2 thinks happened, no doubt, but canon never actually confirms one way or another that E2 Oliver is 100% dead as a doornail dropped into the ocean, so I say it counts.

2.) While it doesn't change Robert's motivations or belief that Oliver's dead... Oliver did not drown when the yacht sunk. Instead he was rescued by a member of the League of Assassins and was given no real choice about joining. We don't know that E2 Sara was on that boat - or even exists? do we know if E2 Laurel has a sister named Sara? - but E2 Oliver has taken the slot that was E1 Sara's and become an assassin. Only he never tried to leave and remained an assassin up until the universe got red sky-ed to death.

I have no idea if I'll ever use these headcanons in anything, but they're there waiting should I ever need them.

[soulbeastdragon]

Ignore this post!

Alekon

Alice Madness Return

Amber Isle

Baldur's Gate 3

Cat Cafe Manager

Cat Quest

Chrono Trigger

CINERIS SOMNIA

Cloud Meadow

Cozy Grove

Dark Souls: Remastered

Darkest Dungeon

Disgaea 4 Complete+

The Elder Scrolls: Arena+Daggerfall

Epic Chef

Fable - The Lost Chapters

Fallout

Fallout 3 GOTY

Final Fantasy IV (3D Remake)

Final Fantasy XIII

GRIS

GUILTY GEAR XX ACCENT CORE PLUS R

Hades

A Hat in Time

Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice

Hollow Knight

Horizon Zero Dawn Complete Edition

I Am Setsuna

Inner Space

Jet Set Radio

Journey

Katamari Damacy REROLL

Kingdoms of Amur: Reckoning

Labyrinth of Refrain: Coven of Dusk

Legend of Mana

Legrand Legacy

Monster Hunter (WorldBorne and RiseBreak)

Monster Hunter Stories 2

Moonlighter

My Time at Portia

Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom

NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139

NieR:Automata

NiGHTS into Dreams...

OCTOPATH TRAVELLER

Okami HD

Omensight

Ori and the Blind Forest: Definitive Edition

Ori and the Will of the Wisps

Oure

The Outer Worlds

Outward

Paleo Pines

Path of Exile

Pathfinder: Kingmaker

Pathologic Classic HD

Phantom Brave PC

Pillars of Eternity

Pyre

Rain World

Remnant: From the Ashes

RiME

Risen

Sandwalkers: The Fourteenth Caravan

Scamp: High Hat Havoc

Scrapnaut

Seasons after Fall

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

The Serpent Rogue

Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne HD Remaster

The Sinking City

Slime Rancher (1+2)

Spyro Reignited Trilogy

Summoner

Sun Haven

Sunless Sea

Sunless Skies

Tales of Berseria

Tales of Symphonia

Tales of Vesperia: Definitive Edition

Tales of Zestiria

Terra Memoria

Thief

Timespinner

Toren

Transistor

Trials of Mana

Undertale

Vampyr

Varenje

Warframe

Vermintide (1+2)

The Witcher: Enhanced Edition

The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings Enhanced Edition

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

Yakuza 0

Yonder: The Cloud Catcher Chronicles

Yooka-Laylee