Legend of Zelda Roleplay!

Okay. I know this has probably been done before, but I thought I'd give it a shot anyways.

Now, I'm going to start off by saying that a roleplay based on the LoZ games (in which a mute, no-dimensional hero in green solves puzzles and slays monsters and saves fantasy kingdoms whilst accomplishing the bare minimum of relationship or character development) are in themselves not really the best basis for a roleplay. So it would probably be best to describe what I'm going to try and spearhead here as a roleplay set in the kingdom of Hyrule. I'm not going to lie, though. Scale aside, the plot that I'm currently planning doesn't deviate much from the standard Zelda storyline.

Secondly I'm going to make a point that may seem minor to some, but I feel is probably best to get out of the way early. I know nothing at all about the existing online community of those who wish to establish a comprehensive timeline for all of the Zelda games, nor do I know anything of their dark and arcane musings. (well, that's an exaggeration. I've read some stuff about the idea that OoT vaguely portrays the War of Imprisonment that they mention in LttP, and I found it pleasantly fitting, but beyond that I don't really feel like delving into the accrued masses of debate on the subject.) Anyway, the point is that I'm not going to try and place this Hyrule-based roleplay in any specific position in the myriad supposed Zelda chronologies. I'm not even going to pick a specific game for a precedent or antecedent, plot-wise.

I've not even finished deciding on a plot yet, tbh. I know who the antagonist is, and I know what kind of situation the roleplay is going to take place in, and I even have some ideas as to what kind of things will be occurring during the journey that our characters might undertake (and even a few possible conclusions.) I'm going to be conveying the full extent of my ideas, spoilers and all, to whatever willing participants meet my standards of writing ability and compatibility with myself for the sake of discussion, but the rest of the roleplayers will be kept in the proverbial dark. Speaking of which, rather than writing the background for a single epic quest and setting all of the participants out on it together, I'm going to basically write the background and allow people to come up with their own plotlines to follow. Whether they actually have any relevance to the overarching plot is your choice entirely.

Which brings us to the main point of interest, the plot! Basically, the Hyrule in which we begin our adventure(s) is not the peaceful, friendly place that one normally expects from the beginning of a Zelda game. It is a land at war. A dark figure has risen in the Southern lands, simply calling himself His Steward, and using his charisma and great power to bring together an army of criminals, beasts and undead ghouls. Blind to these advancements, the tribes of the light could offer little resistance as the newly formed Black Legion swept Northwards, overrunning numerous settlements belonging to the tribes of the Light. Even the major human city of Nirda was conquered, and within weeks fully purged of its original inhabitants and transformed into the dark and fetid Moblin Town. The Legion's march North towards Hyrule Castle Town was barely halted by a last ditch effort to destroy the few bridges crossing Cucco Canyon, suddenly the new border between Hyrule Field and the Forbidden Plains to the South. At the same time, the Legion's advance was slowed to a standstill in the Western forests and the mountain ranges to the East, giving Princess Zelda, acting ruler of Hyrule, time to make a rallying call to all of the tribes of the light, offering unity in the face of overwhelming adversity. Her call was answered, and soon the Sacred Army was formed to combat the threat of the Black Legion.

Meanwhile, Zelda waits for a sign of the return of the fabled Hero of Time, her friend Link, who vanished from the map soon after the two of them worked together to seal Ganon in the Sacred Realm. Although even she is not sure whether, if he ever returns, he alone will be enough to stand against an entire army of monstrous opponents united beneath a single flag. Even more disconcertingly, her prophetic dreams of late seem to be telling her that there is more to this mysterious dark lord, His Steward, than another mad sorceror seeking to free Ganon.

That's basically it in terms of background! I'm open to suggestions and questions on that as well as things like the progression of the plot, this particular version of Hyrule and what it contains (I've actually drawn up a rudimentary map) and anything about the characters that you'd like to play. Now, obviously the number of existing original characters is pretty limited. You've got Link, Zelda, Ganondorf and other recurring characters like... Tingle...?

Anyway, the point is that, to begin with at least, I would prefer it if everyone were to use characters of their own design. It's also worth pointing out that I'm not doing to tell anyone that all of our characters needs to be on the same side. Want to roleplay a Gerudo warrior, a moblin or even an undead being fighting on the side of chaos? Do so, with my blessing.

So yes, bring your queries, bring your issues, bring your suggestions for characters, storylines and plot points! All I ask is that you have a decent modicum of writing ability and awareness of roleplaying etiquette, and maybe even a little knowledge about the Zelda games for the sake of convenience. :P

As far as I've seen in Zelda roleplays, nothing like this has been done, and it's interesting in my opinion, anyway. Judging by what you said, I'm placing this as Hyrule during the time of Majora's Mask while Link is off in Termina, but I, for one, would most definitely be interested in a roleplay like this. I've been a Zelda fan for years, this looks brilliant :D but can I just ask, would you like a sample of writing? I've re-joined RPG on a new account, so I have nothing to hand, but I've found a writing sample is often the best way to sift through the good and the bad roleplayers, so to speak. Would you need one?

Neat, first reply! Glad to hear it's a relatively new idea, at least as far as you know!

Like I said, don't really want to get into the muddle that would likely occur if I tried to officially place this in the timeline. I think maybe the easiest way to think of it would be a whole different timeline, or an alternate dimension. I'm currently working on the backstory in terms of how Link and Zelda imprisoned Ganon in the Sacred Realm a decade or so ago, but I'm unsure to what degree it'll be relevant to the plot we'll be embarking on.

If you want to link me to an example of your writing, I'll gladly read it!

I know you weren't, I'm not too bothered about the timeline myself, but I'm a huge Majora's Mask geek, so it automatically jumped into my head. But the idea is fairly new, and fairly awesome in my own eyes. I'll PM you a sample of my writing as soon as I can, but it might have to wait until tomorrow after school, I'm getting off the internet in a few, and I'll need to dig up a piece. But I'll get back to you as soon as I can! Can't wait to see how this works out :D

This sounds awesome, I've been trying to find a good Zelda RP but I haven't found any that are recent. I'm wondering about a few things though, what are the limits to the races you can be?, like Ritos from Wind Waker. If its okay then I would love to be one, if not, I can make another race easily enough.

Should I also do an example of my writing? If so, I'm not sure what it would be.... anyways if its needed I will gladly get something up.

PS: when I read this, it also came to mind that it was during Majoras Mask, but that's one of my favorites as well.

I did have some ideas regarding the possible inclusion of the Rito tribe, but I wasn't sure about what other people would think to their inclusion as they've only ever featured in Wind Waker and some sources say they were direct descendants of the Zora. If no-one else objects, though, I'd be fine with you using a Rito character! My current idea for the race had them living in a flying city like the Oocca, in which they crossed the sea from some distant unknown land. I thought of calling it Valunis, and setting it in the skies above the mountains that separate Castle Town from the sea. (I need to upload this map at some point.) I also came up with a Guardian Deity for them called Erbalu, who is similar to Valoo from WW in that he's a classic Asian-style dragon who lives in a tower in the centre of their city and gifts the tribe with the power of flight when they reach adulthood.

Also, I had the idea of a splinter tribe of grey Rito, descended from outcasts of the flying city who followed it across the seas and settled on an island to the East of Hyrule called Thunder Point, where their leaders plot to take back Valunis using the powerfully magical Thunder Rocks located on the peak of the island's central mountain. I thought I'd make them somewhat duck-like (longer and narrower beaks than the main tribe, and webbed feet) and forced to use magic and technology to fly because they don't have access to Erbalu's blessings. In terms of culture, I just thought that whereas the Rito King in Valunis has a rather good relationship with the Hylian royal family and the earthbound tribes, the tribal leaders in Thunder Point are very arrogant and prejudiced against those of other races. Most of the Rito who live on Thunder Point aren't nearly as close-minded, though, and the main city is at least open to those of other races.

Um. Yeah, I think those are all of my ideas. I'm not going to be a control freak about every aspect of the world, though, so if there's anything you'd like to bring to the table, or any ideas you dislike, I'd be more than willing to adapt!

Like I said, I'll be happy to read anything that you do post, but as you've been here a while I might just creep your profile to see some of the stuff you've written before. :P

Holy mother of balls. This has to be the most well-thought out Zelda RP I've ever seen. I applaud your organization and your ideas, that is fantastic.

And apologies for not having sent you a sample yet - I can't PM until I have ten posts, I think, I've had final exams all week and I'm currently plotting out my own roleplay to get back into the swing of things :P But I'll have that to you as soon as possible, I'll pull something up during study tomorrow.

And as for other races, I know the Rito were only included in one game, but would any other one-off races feature, such as the Picori/Minish? Or even the Twili? And just to clear this up so I'm warned well in advance of mental scarring, will there be Great Fairies? And if there is, will they be WW style, or scary, Madona-esque MM/OOT style?

I've not thought as much about the other tribes, aside from some different cultural aspects based on the places they come from. F'rinstance, the Zora from the Corazora Citadel out in the Northern seas are very traditionalist, austere and militaristic compared to those from Seamaw Bay, which is a centre of artists, scientists and philosophers who are known for sitting around public places and loudly debating the nature of truth or reading poetry. Likewise, the Gerudo from the settlement surrounding the Desert Colossus are very spiritual, proud and secretive, whereas those from Canyon Town to the West of the desert are more simply a culture of thieves and bandits who spend a lot of time complaining that they can't travel North to find men since the beginning of the war.

As for the other tribes... I think the Rito would fit the world a little more easily than the Picori or the Twili, as those were very plot-relevant and semi-mythical races who didn't interact a great deal with the Hylians and other such tribes. If you wanted to create a character related to either of those tribes, go for it! But it might be awkward for me to write them into the universe we're creating, so I'd be leaving a lot of the backstory to you. :P But as long as you can explain their origins, I'd have no specific qualms with a Twili freed from their prison dimension or an enlarged Minish!

I'd not thought of Great Fairies, to be honest, apart from a feature of the Goron city Icefjord which is a grotto, supposedly inhabited by a Great Fairy, which people travel to in order to make wishes and ask for blessings of luck. I wasn't planning to dictate style in a way that might conflict with other people's preferences, so I'll just say... Imagine them any way you'd prefer. But if you prefer the scary OoT/MM version, don't feel the need to tell me about it. :P

For convenience, here are the tribes that I've given thought to so far:

Humans/Hylians (Not much point in distinguishing between the two too much. Originally humans mostly lived in the city of Nirda, until it was conquered by the Legion, at which point most of those who escaped moved to either Kakariko village or to live with the Hylians in Castle Town)
Gorons (Who live in Goron City within Death Mountain, as well as the icy Northern settlement of Icefjord)
Zora (Distinct from the tribe of Zola, who work for His Steward. They live in the places I mentioned before)
Dekukin (Scrubs, basically. :P They live in the large village up in the branches of the Great Deku Tree and the southern city of Marshplank, where their royal family live.)
Rito
Gerudo
Moblins (The pig-faced classic ones, not the generic orc/goblin Bulblins from TP. Also includes smaller varieties.)
Undead (Stalfos and Poes, mainly. The favoured troops of His Steward)
Zola (River Zoras, as opposed to the more friendly Ocean Zora.)
Lizardkin (Lizalfos, Dinolfos, whatever those flying ones from TP were... Lizard people, basically.)

Like I said, these are just the ones I've thought about. If you want your character to have some connection to another tribe of some sort, ask away! And also, with a few exceptions, I'm entirely okay with a character of one tribe defecting to the other side. This would make more sense with, say, a Gerudo than, say, a Stalfos.

(I need to cut down on these massive posts.)

I wasn't asking because I feel like creating a character, I was just wondering if there would be any other races coming into it and those were the first to pop into my head xD and that list is fairly epic, I'd say. But thanks for clearing that up :D

Also yetis!

Yeti's as in, the TP Yeti's, or as in, the Anouki and the Youks of Phantom Hourglass/Spirit Tracks? (again with the questions, but I like to know every aspect of an RP XD)

Whichever you like! The TP yetis and PH Yooks are pretty similar, I guess. So I will say an amalgamation of those! Call them whatever you like. We'll leave out the Anouki, they seemed silly.

I might upload the map in a second. It's what I've given the most thought to so far.

Here is a map! And here is a legend:

CT = Hyrule Castle Town
DM = Death Mountain (Home of Goron City and the Death Mines)
CC = Corazora Citadel (Seat of Zoran Royalty, Mostly deep underwater)
DT = Great Deku Tree (Home of the Deku tribe and a centre of commerce. Deku Tree itself is currently all but dormant.)
V = Valunis (Home of most of the Rito tribe. Rather difficult to get to.)
LO = Lost Outpost (A single bridge reaches over the misty chasm between the Deku Forest and the Lost Woods. This settlement was built around it.)
GM = Great Mountains
FC = Forbidden City (The hub of the Legion's forces. Based around Ganondorf's Castle, now inhabited by His Steward.)
GC = Gerudo Chasm Town (Town hidden inside the walls of a large chasm. Half natural caves, half wooden platforms.)
MT = Moblin Town (Formerly Nirda. Bad-smelling place.)
WC = White City (Formerly inhabited by pirates, now an island of the undead. Port of call for all ghost ships in the Black Legion.)
LS = Lake Swell (A large lake full of ancient ruins and inhabited by the Zola tribe.)
BV = Blackbark Village (A village in the centre of the fire-prone Blackened Woods. Lizardkin territory.)
KV = Kakariko Village (A somewhat haunting village of humans and Hylians, the entrance point to the Great Mountains.)
IF = Icefjord (A group of towns and small settlements surrounding an icy fjord. Home to many Goron farmers.)
SB = Seamaw Bay (The Bay is home to numerous zora and humans, from fisherman to philosophers.)
MP = Marshplank (The ancient home of the Deku royals is a vast wooden fort in the centre of a swamp.)
TP = Thunder Point (Home of the Grey Rito and the so-called Lightless Rito who shun all other tribes and conspire endlessly about reclaiming Valunis.)
DC = Desert Colossus (A huge temple in the shape of a goddess. A large settlement of Gerudo has been built around it, normally entering only to worship.)
ST = Skull Tower (A terrifying monument that overlooks almost all of Hyrule field and the Fallen Plains. An outpost of the undead.)
RF = Riverbind Fortress (A River Zora fortification in the Fang Range, using impassable rapids as a natural defence.)
NV = Necrovilla (A large and eerie mansion, built by the mysterious poe Barosso, general of the Legion.)

Thick lines are the coast, slightly narrower ones are rivers, that thin one to the right of the Deku Tree marks the edge of the Deku Forest. That red line is Death Mountain Path. Not sure why I coloured it as such.

This is amazing, your doing great with this. Thanks for all the answers, and the map is just... WOW. You missed a city though, what is LT right by Lake Hylia (I'm assuming thats what that is since it also doesn't have a key at the bottem)

If no one else becomes interested in this Roleplay could we do it with just us three? or would you like more people? and also, why is this page different from most RPs i have done, like it doesn't have the different tabs like Introduction, Characters, Places, OOC. Will it change once we start?

Oh yeah, I knew I'd miss one. That's... Well, I was just calling it Lake Town. I thought I might do the classy reference-y thing and name the towns after like characters from old games, but then I decided against it and just went with boring generic descriptive names. Whoo! I'll edit that into the key, anyway.

I'm somewhat new to this site (lurked around and read some stuff before I joined, but.) so I don't really know how everything works, but I think what you're talking about is a Roleplay Tab, which I'll make pretty soon I guess. That'll have different sections for information about characters and backstory and such, as well as an OOC thread. Also I think I'm going to make a thread in the Roleplayers Wanted section before I start starting anything.

Right now, let us discuss possible opening storylines! I was thinking something simple to begin with, like a group of hired swords tracking down Legion interlopers who have stolen plans for a new Zoran invention from its creator, or hunting a serial killer in the Deku Forest, or providing protection for a merchant's craft making its way from Thunder Point to Seamaw Bay. Mercenaries are going to feature quite heavily, as I've possibly failed to mention up to now. Alternatively if there are any other plot directions you guys would rather start out on, let me know!

Great balls of sack, I applaud you for that brilliant map. That is absolutely excellent. I'm sure other people will most definitely be interested in a roleplay like this (I know there are more Zelda fans lurking around the board), but don't give up on it if there isn't much more interest. I don't mean to say this as if there won't be, apologies in advance if it comes across like that (don't know what other way to word it :P), but even keep it to a small group, this idea is too epic to pass up.

And as for alternate plot directions, I can't think of any off the top of my own head. I quite like the idea of tracking a killer in the Deku Forest, I think it could get interesting because everyone knows plants in Zelda forests tend to have a mind of their own, it could get quite dramatic, I think :') but that's the one I'd say I like best at this moment in time.

Thanks! I'm certainly hoping for a couple more interested people before we kick off our first story. And I'm sure we can expect a few more active roleplayers on the site in general once the Summer holidays roll around! I've made a thread in the Roleplayers Wanted section, too. Might have the tab up sometime tonight! Main concern for me right now is working out the backstory with Zelda, Link and Ganon. I think it might be pretty important to everything after all.

Okay, here we go. I think I've got it. The tale of The Defeat and Imprisonment of the All-Powerful Ganon at the hands of The Young Princess Zelda and The Hero Chosen By The Gods. This is the version as known by the common man on the street in Castle Town, without the specifics that would be known to someone involved in the events that took place. (The only two people who truly know every aspect of what happened during the War of the Triforce are Princess Zelda and the Hero of Time himself.) Anyway.

*ahem*

"When the Gerudo Lord Ganondorf visited King Danton of Hyrule at Hyrule Castle in order to pay him tribute, he was received with kindness and grace, despite the ill reputation of his desert-dwelling people. King Danton wanted nothing more than to create another fine relationship between tribes, as he and his ancestors had with the Gorons, the Zora and the Deku people in the past. However, the treacherous Ganondorf had ulterior motivations for setting his sandy feet on the lush grass of Hyrule. The Thief King wished for the power of the Triforce, the Golden Treasure left in our lands to mark the passing of the Goddesses themselves, which would grant the wish of any man who laid their hands upon it. The soothsayers of his tribe told him that the Triforce lay in the Sacred Realm, an ethereal land that could not be easily reached. They had told him that the key to the Sacred Realm, and thus the Triforce itself, lay in the blood of the Royal Family of Hyrule. And it was for that reason that Ganondorf travelled to Hyrule Castle on that fell day.

"As the city slept on the night of Ganondorf's arrival, Gerudo thieves swept across the rooftops of the city, scaled the walls of Hyrule Castle and infiltrated the castle itself, slaying all who stood in their way. The trespassers made their way to the room of the sleeping princess, Zelda, and took her captive. King Danton and his trusted guards awoke and stood between the villains and their escape, but Ganondorf himself, who had slept within the castle walls on the invitation of the king, struck them down with a terrible curse and led his minions out of the castle with the Princess in hand.

"However, before they could leave the castle grounds, the group was set upon by an agile and mysterious figure. He ambushed the thieves, liberated Zelda before the group could gather their wits and then hastened with her into the town's sewers in an attempt to escape their pursuers. The figure was naught but a young man, not yet old enough to have taken up arms as a Hylian recruit, and yet his courage and instincts, as well as the cunning of young Zelda, meant that the two children all but outwitted the Gerudo thieves. They had almost reached sanctuary in the holy Temple of Time when Ganondorf himself appeared before them, knocking the boy aside with a hex and seizing Zelda once more. Amused by the youth's audacity, he spared his life, but nonetheless cruelly punished him by stealing away his emotions and his senses of sight and hearing. Satisfied, the Thief King swept away with the princess once more, nothing now standing between him and his return to the dark castle he had raised in the far South.

"The youth was not done for, though. A kind old man took him in, having witnessed his courage and skill, and seen in him a solution to the dark crisis that had befallen the land. The man took the youth across the land, seeking aid from healers, physicians, shamans and even the gods themselves, until he was fully restored in mind and body. Thanking the old man and those that had helped him, the youth set off towards the Southern lands, where great darkness was now brewing.

"All through this time Ganondorf had not been idle. While his armies fought to repel the troops sent by the Royal Family's retainers to retrieve the beloved princess, he and his witches sought the secret in Zelda's blood that would allow them to access the Sacred Realm and its great treasure of the Triforce. When the youth finally succeeded in fighting and sneaking his way through the thousands of criminals, beasts and demons in his path, and made his way within the castle, it was all but too late. As the youth fought against the Thief King's two sorcerous advisors, Ganondorf completed the ritual that would open the gateway to the Sacred Realm, and made his way through. Seeing that his foe had escaped, the youth took Zelda and fled the evil place.

"But Zelda would not let him return her to Hyrule Castle. Knowing that they had now only one hope of stopping Ganondorf, she did not wish to be taken back into the custody of the royal retainer. Instead, they snuck through Castle Town to the Temple of Time, where Zelda used her royal magic to allow the hero access to the Master Sword, legendary blade of evil's bane. The sword's magic alone would not be enough to stop the Thief King once he acquired the Triforce, though, as Zelda well knew. Thus, she and the hero then left Castle Town once more, and began on an adventure around the continent in search of great magicians to augment the power of the blade.

"When the young heroes returned to Castle Town once more, it was under the rule of Ganon, who had gained the power of the Triforce and corrupted the nation of Hyrule to his liking, the land and its cities now full of the beasts and scoundrels who served under him. Once more the princess and the hero entered the sewers where they had first been united; she made for the castle to find the royal Light Arrows that she would use to weaken the Dark Lord, he made for the Temple of Time where he sought to enter the Sacred Realm for the final showdown with Ganon.

"Sadly, Zelda was captured by Ganon's minions before she could escape the castle with the arrows, and she let slip to Ganon that the hero was waiting for her in the Temple of Time. Travelling to the Temple with the princess in tow in the hopes of finally vanquishing his two greatest foes, Ganon confronted the hero with the unconscious Zelda and challenged him to a final duel between light and darkness. Although what was once the man Ganondorf was now a huge beast, twisted with the dark powers at his disposal, the young hero succeeded in cutting these powers away with the Master Sword, until all that was left was the redheaded man who had bested him so long ago. Plunging the enchanted blade into Ganondorf's chest, the Hero of Time sealed the Dark Lord within the Sacred Realm that he had coveted for so long, cutting it off from the land of Hyrule for as long as the blade remained there in the Temple of Time.

"And thus the War of the Triforce was ended by the efforts of two youths. The beasts and criminals that had sullied the land of Hyrule were driven back into the South, and Princess Zelda took up the throne of Hyrule while her father recovered from the Dark Lord's curse. Meanwhile, the Hero of Time slipped away in silence, and has not been seen since. They say that he will return only when the sanctity of Hyrule is threatened once more."

Okay, so this is the story of what happened roughly a decade before our roleplay. Some aspects of it have either changed in the telling, or never were fully revealed to the general public, but the main gist of it is as it happened. For now, trust these words! As far as their relevance to the current storyline goes, obviously His Steward supposedly seeks to free Ganondorf from the Sacred Realm in order to restore the dark reign that he established in Hyrule before he was sealed there. This also covers the current status of Link, Zelda and Ganondorf himself.

With the opening storyline, I agree with Whatsername and the serial killer in the Deku Forest. I also think it may be cool if we are just traveling after helping someone, and now someone else is asking for our help, but in the end its one of His Stewards minions, and we end up helping His Steward in achieving his goal, which I have no idea what that is.... but anyways, something like that would be cool. It wouldn't be the best opening storyline though, so maybe that could happen later in the Roleplay. I don't know, that just came to my head as I was reading the new posts. All I know is that I would like to start the Roleplay knowing most of the players, because introductions are often what ends up taking forever and people leave and the RP dies, but thats just what I've seen in my experience here.

The background story was really cool and awesome and this is going to be so fun! Its really great how you have that whole background story ready for us, and now we have all we need to know. I really liked how the hero had been blind and deaf and not able to feel, that was an interesting twist and it seems kinda random, I'm wondering where you came up with that little bit. Just to make one thing clear, Light Arrows were not used to help defeat Ganon, since Zelda had them and she got captured right?

I like the idea of our characters being fooled into aiding a minion of His Steward! That would be a great way of getting them involved in the wider plot, especially if they're honorable mercenary types. I agree, though, that would probably be better as a later storyline. A simple introduction storyline of some kind would be better to begin with.

The blind/deaf/emotionless thing was sort of a random invention, one of the few things in the background story that I didn't pretty much take directly from a game in the series. Basically I thought I should include the way that Link often has three trials before beginning the main part of his quest, and that was how I decided to represent that! I thought it would be slightly more character-developmental than his usual adventures, too. :P

As for the light arrows thing... Well, let's just say that during the actual events Zelda wasn't quite the helpless victim that she often gets described in retellings of the story. I want to explore the idea of Zelda as a strategist, mastermind and occasionally even manipulator, engineering events as best she can to defend her kingdom and her people. After all, Link's really just a swashbuckler without a sense of danger. Zelda's the inheritor of the Triforce of Wisdom, and I think the best way to justify that is to make her... well, basically a very clever person. I'm going to make her a little ruthless, too, but not heartless. She's pragmatic, and she's not above making sacrifices or deceiving others for the greater good of her people. Even if the "other" in question is the Hero Chosen By the Gods...