➵ Character (Spoilers ver.) (wip!)

he speaks with everyone without saying a word he’s not with himself nor with others the way he should be. SPOILER WARNING This version of Claude comes in teeny bop flavor meaning he's from the academy phase of the game. For the most part, it's easy to avoid spoilers for the second half of the game since Claude has no idea to know what will really happen! But Claude is also an incredibly secretive character in game and it's very obvious that there's more to him than what meets the eye. Luckily, he keeps his cards close to his chest and won't reveal anything openly/easily. If you'd like to avoid spoilers, please go to my HMD and opt out for now. If you're fine with spoilers, you can read here for more information. If you'd prefer a spoiler free way to learn about Claude, you can refer to this post instead. HISTORY Claude's mother is Lady Tiana von Riegan from the Leicester Alliance in Fodlan. Many years ago, she fell in love with a man from another nation and ran away to be with him, leaving her life behind her. That man ended up being the King of Almyra. Almyra is a large and powerful nation known for its aggressive history with Fodlan. In the past, it had invaded the Leicester Alliance and and the armies of Fodlan were only barely able to fight them off. In response, the three nations of Fodlan established a great fortress along the border and the Officer's Academy in Garreg Mach was established to train soldiers in case of future invasions. The people of Almyra are known for being warriors. Traditionally, they are known for horsemanship, wyvern riders, and archery. Regardless of victory or defeat, they celebrate with feasts and honor their dead. They do not believe in the Goddess and instead, believe in the earth itself. In Almyra, strength and courage are valued above all and they look down on the people of Fodlan as weak and cowardly. Claude was born and raised in Almyra and despite being a prince, his life was not a luxurious one. From the moment he was born, he was hated because of his mixed blood and people looked down on him, considering him weak and cowardly. From a young age, Claude disagreed with those views and would yell, fight back, and try to explain himself to those who hated him. To him, his mother is the strongest person in the world because not everyone can leave their life behind them and move to a foreign country like Almyra. He respects and loves his mother. No one ever listened. In Almyra, where strength is everything and Claude was considered an outsider and a weakling, he was always proving himself. Claude explains that there were several attempts on his life. As a child, he understood that he didn't deserve to be treated like that but he had no control of his situation. While his parents were loving, they adopted a tough love approach to Claude's situation. When he was hurt, his parents encouraged him to grow strong to overcome his struggles. He dedicated himself to schemes to stay alive and tried to avoid trouble while plotting against his enemies. In the end, he became strong, independent, and self-reliant just like his parents wanted him to be... which resulted in him becoming a lonely, distrustful, and closed off person. Meanwhile, in Fodlan, Godfrey Riegan passed away suddenly in an accident. A report uncovered in the game largely hints that it wasn't an accident at all. "Someone" had been trying to topple House Riegan's control for some time and it's strongly implied to be the secret organization, Those Who Slither In the Dark who have been manipulating Fodlan since the beginning of time. With the current Duke's health declining, it looked like there would be a shift in power in the Alliance. The Duke's last hope was to track down his daughter who had gone missing many years ago. Oswald succeeded and found his daughter in Almyra. It was then that a young Claude learned the truth of his Fodlan heritage. His mother had no desire to return home but Claude was tempted by the chance to leave his less than fortunate life behind him and learn more about his Fodlan heritage. He promised his parents that he would keep his identity and their whereabouts a secret. In exchange, he was free to leave and do as he pleased. It was also at this time that Claude finally learned the truth about his Crest which he could use to prove he was a Riegan. Claude left Almyra and created a new identity for himself to keep his promise to his parents. In Almyra, his name had been Khalid but in Fodlan, he adopted the name "Claude"— a name so popular and generic, no one would think twice about it. What he found in Fodlan was not a better world. With his true identity a secret, he learned how the people of Fodlan truly regarded people from Almyra. In Almyra, he had been considered weak and cowardly due to his Fodlan blood. In Fodlan, he learned that Fodlanders looked down on anyone who wasn't like them and considered the people of Almyra to be rough, unreliable, boorish, and violent beasts. It was then that Claude realized that even if Fodlan and Almyra were different worlds, they shared the same prejudice and misunderstandings. As long as this was the case, he would never be accepted and would always be hated for who he was. Instead of giving into the despair of this realization, he resolved to create a new world where people like him could be accepted. The problem with the world was that it was divided by boundaries and walls which created an "inside" and "outside." Therefore, he would destroy the boundaries between the worlds. If there was no inside and outside, people would have to share their world and there would be no more reason to hate outsiders like him. He knew his goal wouldn't be easy but he knew if he succeeded, he would be able to cast aside his burdens. He refused to be defined by his burdens and strived to overcome them. Even if it meant embracing his false identity, keeping his secrets, and enduring the scrutiny of others, he would work towards his goal. Within the Leicester court, he also found that even without knowing who he truly was, he wouldn't be accepted by his peers. Suspicious of his origins, other nobles tried to look into his past to delegitimatize him. Some of them instructed their children— his classmates— to keep an eye on him. Unknown to the people of Fodlan, his childhood in Almyra had prepared him for a life of scrutiny and challenge. On the plus side, no one in Fodlan was trying to kill him. Since he was a child, Claude has dreamed of a world where he would be accepted. A part of him has probably always realized that he would have to work for it. It wasn't until he came to Fodlan that he truly realized what he would have to do to make his dreams come true. Upon coming to Fodlan and realizing that discrimination and hate were all over the world, he decided to tear down the walls and borders that divided the world and kept people apart. He decided to use his new status as future Duke Riegan to seize power and maybe even unite and rule Fodlan. This dream shifts some when he realizes he isn't the one meant to lead Fodlan after all. Accepting Byleth is the best leader, Claude resolves to return to Almyra at the end of the war to work in Almyra so he can help connect the two nations. At the end of the war, he dissolves the Alliance, establishes the new Kingdom of Fodlan with Byleth and leaves for Almyra. Claude - King of Unification Claude returned to his homeland of Almyra and assumed the role of a politically active prince. After inheriting the throne, he worked to improve relations with Fódlan. In addition to establishing new trade routes, he fostered trust by sending reinforcements into Fódlan to help quell revolts by the remnants of the Imperial loyalists. Under his guidance, the peoples of Fódlan and Almyra were finally able to set aside age-old prejudices, and over time, the fallacies of old were all but forgotten. CANON REFERENCES Not much is known about Almyra in canon but here are some canon references. The main characters that make references to Almyra are Claude and Cyril but it's important to note that between the two, Cyril has a very negative view of Almyra due to growing up a war orphan that was overlooked by Almyran society so one should be careful when reading into his thoughts and recollections. Cyril: Life was a whole lot harder for me there than it's ever been around here. My dad and mom both died in the war, and there was nobody there to look after me. The king, he didn't do anything to help. So I had to survive by being smart. I had to stop being a kid real quick. There was a war some years ago. After the war, the king did little to help the people who suffered during the war, leaving war orphans to fend for themselves. The king might not be a bad person and maybe he had other priorities but he was still negligent. Claude, likewise, was oblivious to the suffering of the common people. (Claude promises to talk to the king about this if they ever meet and resolves to broaden his dream to include helping others who are oppressed). Cyril is 14-15 during the events of the game and he was old enough to remember the war and have to fend for himself so we can take a guess at how long ago the war was. Claude: It's not as if the threat of Almyra to the east has proven all that threatening of late. Lorenz: Such negligence! What makes you so certain the Almyrans will not attack us tomorrow?! If certain dukes hold back their proper share of support, it will only serve to weaken House Goneril's hold of our eastern flank! Claude: Calm yourself. I am well aware that the financial situation of House Edmund is quite exceptional. However, what you fail to realize is that they are lacking in troops. They're not lying when they say they don't have that many to spare. As it were, the Almyrans have been nothing but peaceful since we refortified Fódlan's Locket. Are you aware that Margrave Edmund paid the majority of the costs for those repairs? Lorenz: Is that so? Claude: In fact, it's largely thanks to the skilled craftsmen he assembled that the fortress is now so impregnable. I, for one, wouldn't want to attack a fortress as formidable as that. Hilda: You can say that again. He must be rather bored too, now that the situation in Almyra has settled down. Claude: That's not far from the truth, you know. Why do you think the Almyrans have been so quiet lately? They're wary of your brother. If House Goneril of the border were a bunch of weaklings, the Almyrans would have invaded Fódlan a long time ago. Traditionally, Almyra has been antagonistic towards Fodlan but in recent years there haven't been many threats. The Almyrans have been peaceful since Fodlan's Locket was refortified. One of the reasons why Almyra has been so wary is because Holst Goneril who has managed to defeat Almyra's undefeated general. They're wary of attacking as long as Holst is in charge. Cyril: Huh... Maybe you're right. When I remember it, I think Almyra was a real dull and lonely place. Once you're outta the city, there's nothing but the plains and sky, and they stretch on forever. You can lose yourself out there. That's the kind of place it is. It's strange, when I remember it now, even thought it's lonely, it also seems real pretty too. Claude: I think that's enough for today. This might sound like an excuse, but we don't have a lot of tall trees where I grew up. This is all new to me. Claude: Between you and me, being able to ride a wyvern is kind of a rite of passage where I'm from. I'll need to brush up on my flying and axe skills to really excel, though. I can count on you to help me, right? Almyra is a vast land with prairies, deserts, and mountain ranges. Eastern Almyra contains pine forests but according to Claude, the country isn't known for having tall forests or trees. Claude and Nader also joke about prairies and meadows when they defend Myrddin. The people of Almyra are known for their horsemanship and love of battle, and elite warriors are known to wield bows from astride wyverns. To be able to ride a wyvern is considered a rite of passage. Claude: I bet you've figured this out, but I wasn't born in Fódlan. Where I come from, the people of Fódlan are looked down on as cowards. Technically, that cowardice runs in my veins. On my mother's side, anyway. That's why the people who were around me when I was growing up thought of me as an outsider. But I don't believe the people of Fódlan are cowards. That kind of perspective is just based on ignorance. [...] And what did I find? That the people here view anyone who's an outsider as a beast of sorts. I was shocked. Even though our cultures and beliefs are completely different, our two lands have that much in common. Claude: Just listen. Once upon a time, in a faraway place, there was a young boy. This boy came from a despised lineage. In short, his mother was a daughter of the enemy. So the young boy was treated horribly by everyone around him. He hadn't done anything wrong. Everyone hated him simply for existing. Yelling, fighting back, explaining himself... Nothing he did could change his situation. When he was finally old enough, he ran far away from home. He escaped. […] Thing is, after he ran away, he still found himself in the very same position. People in the outside world hated him for where he came from. Hilda: You're always so focused on the task at hand. Sometimes, I almost forget you're Almyran. I always thought they were a...rough and unreliable sort of people. Though you're not really like the rest of them. You seem normal for the most part. Cyril: Rough and unreliable, huh? Hilda: My family has to fight against Almyrans sometimes. Not that my father or brother ever clued me in on what the battles were like. But I do know that armies from Almyra will attack without reason, and break treaties, and tell lies... Everyone says they're a bunch of brutes. Claude: Ah, the Almyrans. The "eastern menace," as they're often called. Cyril: They just start fights like this sometimes. It's so they can show off how strong they are. I think it's pretty dumb. I mean, people are getting killed! And why? So some guy can think he's tough? After every fight, they do a big feast, and everybody eats and dances and there's music... It's supposed to honor the dead, but I figure they just like to make noise. I think they're all idiots, but if I'm real honest, it wasn't the worst way to live life. The people of Almyra embrace a warrior culture, regularly entering life or death battles with the goal of honoring the dead. Regardless of victory or defeat, they return home to celebrate the battle with a feast. Continuing the process again some time later. They look upon the people of Fodlan as cowards and show disdain for them. Like many outsiders, Almyrans are discriminated against in Fodlan. It's noted that it would be difficult for any Almyran to settle in Fodlan, especially close to the Church. People from Almyra are considered rough and unreliable. The Almyran army is said to attack without provocation and break treaties. Almyrans are liars and a bunch of brutes. Outsiders are considered beasts. Cyril: Before Lady Rhea took me in, I had a real hard time as a servant of House Goneril. Hilda: I'm sorry to hear that. But it's not like I'll go around snapping up Almyran children. House Goneril is known to capture Almyrans and force them into servitude. Hilda holds prejudice against Almyrans out of ignorance. Holst seems a little more open minded saying that he'll give anyone with good character a chance whether they're Almyran or not. Holst ends up agreeing to meet with Nader at Claude's discretion and the two hit it off. Claude: The earth nurtures the trees, and the trees bear fruit... It's the earth itself that gives us all life... Oh, Fódlan! Land of plenty! Bless us with the gift of delicious food. The people of Almyra don't worship the same goddess as Fodlan. Going off of Claude's personal comments and beliefs, it's possible that Almyra might have some gods/goddesses but the people also give their praises to the earth and nature. Claude prefers to do the latter. There are also very strong hints that the culture in Almyra borrows from Zoroastrianism given references to festivals based on Chaharshanbe Suri, references in the Almyran emblem, and a fire altar that can uniquely be found in his room. OUTSIDE REFERENCES A lot of aspects of Claude's character borrows from the Middle East and Central Asia. Claude himself is heavily Persian coded with some Turkic/Ottoman references. An interview with the creators suggests Claude might have multiple siblings from different mothers. His starting point would have been "bullied by everyone around him" and he would have had many rivals that he had to prove himself to. Claude is related to the Almyran royal family and eventually becomes king but he mentions that his connections, during the events of canon, are insignificant. This tweet explains a little about how succession might have worked for him. It also explains a bit about why he might have had to put up with as many threats as he did against his life and why he has such deep trust issues when you first meet him.