Due to Reasons: a Shipping Chart

[lea_hazel]

Haven't done one of these since my Hamsteak days (a.k.a. the fandom that must not be named).

LI \ MC	Arland	Corval	Hise	Jiyel	Revaire	Wellin
Ana	Strained, but not impossible	IDK	Almost too easy	BEARS EXAMINING	hmmm...	Basically writes itself
Clarmont	...it could happen?	Pretty compatible, i guess	Pirate -> revolution (almost too easy)	I can work with this	As close to an OTP as I am likely to come	IDK, something seems off
Emmett	Childhood sweethearts, writes itself	...intriguing	Awww, weirdly cute	COMBAT BOTANISTS AHOY	Unlikely, but compelling	Sure, why not?
Gisette	WICKED PRINCESS GO GO GO!	Def. writes itself	I can definitely work with this	*headtilt* Yeah, that could work	Not sure if it's canon!possible yet	Seriously a stretch of the imagination
Hamin	Good dynamic, but not for me	Pretty sure I played this one, but no attachment here	Good for A/Us	Not sure how to approach this one	I guess?	Potential for hilarity
Jarrod *shudder*	Literally impossible	Seems like an obvious choice	Literally why	I could see this, I guess	It works, but it depresses me	Literally why
Lisle	I'm fond of this one	High credibility match	*squints* I could maybe sell this	Seems logical enough	From a certain POV, it's pretty heartwarming	I can't see this one
Lyon	Not impossible, but close to	Could be interesting	Potential, lots of potential	Too easy	I want to try this one out	They can be socially incompetent together (fun, but not healthy)
Zarad	Weird, but I'm oddly fond of it	They'd both get bored	Potential for hilariterriblosity	IDK	Makes almost too much sense	You'd have to sell me on it

Comments

[alias_sqbr]

My first game was Ana/Jiyel and it was the BEST.

[lea_hazel]

I did her date with the thing with the pressure points, and that was terribly amusing.

[ember_keelty]

Same! The pressure points scene was delightful, and I love their mutual earnestness and questionable social skills. Ana is actually an extremely rational person! Not formally logical, but rational. The Jiyel MC at one point calls the Skaltics "unsophisticated" but says that they still make more sense to her than the Arlish with their blind adherence to tradition, which jives well with my headcanon of my own scholar admiring Ana's steadfast adherence to behavior that actually makes sense in the midst of a quagmire of social niceties and roundabout scheming. And Aly's posts about Skalt have indicated that they honor intelligent and knowledgeable women as Wise Women, so she'll be able to take a more active and autonomous role as Ana's queen consort than she would if she married into royalty or nobility in a more "civilized" nation.

[alias_sqbr]

Yes! I was so charmed when she talked about building a library in Skalt :)

[lynnoconnacht]

I've done a Jarrod/Hise playthrough. I spent most of the time going "Whyyyyyyyy am I doing this again?" The promise of achievements can only accomplish so much.

[lea_hazel]

I will probably do a full romance for him eventually because achievement *fist shake* but for right now, I seem to have plenty else going on. Besides, his breakup scene at the third week gala is quite off-putting.

[lynnoconnacht]

Oh, so very off-putting, yes.

I have Jarrod achievements now. I shall happily never associate with him again in any playthrough. Or at least as little as humanly possible.

[lea_hazel]

:/ I may put it off until I have the alpha. Which is probably hopefully some time in winter? Plenty of time to write fanfic, at any rate.

[ember_keelty]

I think what's off with Clarmont/Countess is him cosseting her so much if he likes her. If his reaction to her being a generally awesome person was to be straightforward with her and go "Hey, wanna help me fight a revolution?" I could totally see them being one of the most delightful couples in the game. But I can't see the Countess appreciating being treated like a precious cinnamon roll.

Also, an evil Widow can romance Gisette, but not an ethical one. You just have to put at least twenty-five points into courage rather than manipulation and then come on as strong as possible when you first talk to her.

Can you explain the potential you see with Lyon/Pirate? I haven't played that one!

[lea_hazel]

I don't really see it as cosseting so much as him being extra cautious. He'd need to trust her not just personally, but politically. Which is especially fraught with a widow, whose family is affiliated with the current regime, and who frankly has a great deal to benefit from betraying him to the royals. It's not just his life on the line, either. I'd consider him a fool if he admitted outright to something so dangerous after such a short time.

After all, practically every delegate is up to something sketchy or another. We just know more about Clarmont because the story for him is laid out very clearly, once you have all the pieces. The historians (possibly including the general, Avalie and Jasper) and the weavers (possibly including Lyon and Woodly) are still pretty much unknown quantities. I'm not even sure what the weavers are trying to accomplish.

[ember_keelty]

Ah, sorry, I was talking about the whole chivalry thing — and also about the Countess, not the Widow? I mean, I don't blame him for being cautious, but I can see how the Countess would, especially since his way of doing it involves treating her like a lady! And after she caught his attention in the first place by being recklessly brave! I like Clarmont and will definitely romance him with someone, if only to see more of his story. I was just trying to put my finger on why him/Countess doesn't work.

[lea_hazel]

Sorry, I must be a little out of it because I completely misread your comment.