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* FlatEarthAtheist: Ketra is Regina's sister and loud in her belief that the deities of the World Between are social constructs designed to oppress the masses. She notably does this to Jacob Riverson, who is, in fact a PhysicalGod and made her cousin into the Goddess of Starlight.
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* SoapboxSadie: Ketra is a university-educated political radical that has numerous views that are completely wrong.
to:
* SoapboxSadie: Ketra is a university-educated political radical that has numerous views that are completely wrong.out of touch with mainstream ones. These include the overthrow of feudalism, the nonexistence of the gods, and the need for peace among the races. At least one of these is spoken to Jacob Riverson, who is a PhysicalGod and the King of the Shadowkind. Jacob notably finds her more amusing than offensive.
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* Precursors: The Terralan Dominion was a High Human civilization of wizards that served as the ruler of the Southern Kingdoms for a thousand years. It is also responsible for the majority of fantastic races and monsters on the planet due to their experiments. They ended up being destroyed by a volcano set off by Valance the Red.
to:
* Precursors: {{Precursors}}: The Terralan Dominion was a High Human civilization of wizards that served as the ruler of the Southern Kingdoms for a thousand years. It is also responsible for the majority of fantastic races and monsters on the planet due to their experiments. They ended up being destroyed by a volcano set off by Valance the Red.
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* {{Bowlderization}}: In-universe. The Milkmaid Fair was originally a lewd drinking song in Jacob's time but is now an upbeat children's song with changed lyrics.
to:
* {{Bowlderization}}: {{Bowdlerise}}: In-universe. The Milkmaid Fair was originally a lewd drinking song in Jacob's time but is now an upbeat children's song with changed lyrics.
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Changed line(s) 68 (click to see context) from:
* Bowlderization: In-universe. The Milkmaid Fair was originally a lewd drinking song in Jacob's time but is now an upbeat children's song with changed lyrics.
to:
* Bowlderization: {{Bowlderization}}: In-universe. The Milkmaid Fair was originally a lewd drinking song in Jacob's time but is now an upbeat children's song with changed lyrics.
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Added DiffLines:
* TheHeavy: Drol-Bethir is an Ice Demon (A Balrog {{Expy}}) and one of the most powerful greater demons in the World Below, which makes him close to a match for Jacob and his wives. Drol-Bethir is also quite happy to fight Jacob as he thinks he's unworthy of being the new King Below. However, their conflict is interrupted by Drol-Bethir has orders to slaughter the Fire Districts over settling their feud.
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* FinalSolution: [[spoiler: Fell Hellsword plans to use ancient High Human weapons to wipe out the entirety of the Northern Wastelands people.]]
to:
* FinalSolution: FinalSolution:
** [[spoiler: Fell Hellsword plans to use ancient High Human weapons to wipe out the entirety of the Northern Wastelands people.]]
** [[spoiler: Fell Hellsword plans to use ancient High Human weapons to wipe out the entirety of the Northern Wastelands people.]]
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* GenocideBackfire: Jacob is uninterested in starting a war with the entirety of the Southern Kingdoms due to the fact that he used to be a resident and knows how many thousands of people will die if he does. He also thinks its a waste of resources that could be better spent developing the Northern Wasteland into a proper society. Instead, the Nine Heroes, afraid of Jacob invading them, plot to kill everyone in the Northern Wasteland. This, of course, convinces Jacob they have to defeat them in war. Also counts as a SelfFulfillingProphecy.
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Changed line(s) 116 (click to see context) from:
* YourTerroristsAreOurFreedomFighters: The Army of Free Peasants and the Golden Horn straddle this line. Jacob is having none of it.
to:
* YourTerroristsAreOurFreedomFighters: The Army of Free Peasants and the all Fir Bolg Golden Horn straddle this line.line. Both of them have legitimate grievances with the former being oppressed workers held under the aristocracy for millennia while the latter have been subject to extreme fantastic racism. Both have demands that they're willing to kill indiscrinately to achieve. Jacob is having none of it.
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Changed line(s) 35 (click to see context) from:
* CycleOfRevenge: A CentralTheme of the books is the attempts to get justice for past crimes and greviances results in this. It is particular in Regina's case as her insistence on avenging Whitehold results in her dragging the rest of the world into war.
to:
* CycleOfRevenge: A CentralTheme of the books is the attempts to get justice for past crimes and greviances grievances results in this. It is particular in Regina's case as her insistence on avenging Whitehold results in her dragging the rest of the world into war.
Changed line(s) 39 (click to see context) from:
* Deathseeker: Implied with the Trickster.
to:
* Deathseeker: {{Deathseeker}}: Implied with the Trickster.
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Changed line(s) 45 (click to see context) from:
* DragonRider: The Shadowguard, Annessian Empire, and armies of the King Below breed clutches of dragons that they proceed to ride into battle as the settings version of WMDs.
to:
* DragonRider: The Shadowguard, Annessian Empire, and armies of the King Below breed clutches of dragons that they proceed to ride into battle as the settings version of WMDs.[=WMDs=].
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Changed line(s) 55 (click to see context) from:
* HorsemenOfTheApocalypse: The four Dark Lords (or Wraith Knights) deliberately invoke this. They are the four undead horsemen servants and wizard-knights of the King Below, who is the setting's god of evil.
to:
* HorsemenOfTheApocalypse: The four Dark Lords (or Wraith Knights) deliberately invoke this. They are the four undead horsemen servants and wizard-knights of the King Below, who is the setting's god of evil. They are the Wraith Knights of War, Despair, Lust, and Plague.
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Changed line(s) 45 (click to see context) from:
* DragonRider: The Shadowguard, Annessian Empire, and armies of the King Below
to:
* DragonRider: The Shadowguard, Annessian Empire, and armies of the King Below breed clutches of dragons that they proceed to ride into battle as the settings version of WMDs.
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* Bowlderization: In-universe. The Milkmaid Fair was originally a lewd drinking song in Jacob's time but is now an upbeat children's song with changed lyrics.
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* AncientPrecursors: The Terralan Dominion was a High Human civilization of wizards that served as the ruler of the Southern Kingdoms for a thousand years. It is also responsible for the majority of fantastic races and monsters on the planet due to their experiments. They ended up being destroyed by a volcano set off by Valance the Red.
Changed line(s) 30 (click to see context) from:
* TheAntiGod: The King Below is considered the equal and opposite to the King Above, representing chaos, madness, darkness, and evil to the King Above's order, logic, light, and good. This proves to be significantly more complicated than it appears as the Lawgiver proves to be a tyrant while the King Below seems more mischevious than actually evil. [[spoiler: Then we discover they were actually allies the entire time.]]
to:
* TheAntiGod: The King Below is considered the equal and opposite to the King Above, representing chaos, madness, darkness, and evil to the King Above's order, logic, light, and good. This proves to be significantly more complicated than it appears as the Lawgiver proves to be a tyrant while the King Below seems more mischevious mischievous than actually evil. [[spoiler: Then we discover they were actually allies the entire time.]]
Changed line(s) 33,34 (click to see context) from:
* BlackSmith: The forging of magical items is an important part of the setting with this trade being something that a lot of magicians have to learn. A handful of wizards have also ascended to become UltimateBlacksmith types like Co'Fannon, Tharadon the Black, and [[spoiler: Jacob Riverson]]
* ChaosVersusOrder: The primary conflict in the series is this rather than GoodVersusEvil.
* ChaosVersusOrder: The primary conflict in the series is this rather than GoodVersusEvil.
to:
* BlackSmith: TheBlackSmith: The forging of magical items is an important part of the setting with this trade being something that a lot of magicians have to learn. A handful of wizards have also ascended to become UltimateBlacksmith types like Co'Fannon, Tharadon the Black, and [[spoiler: Jacob Riverson]]
* ChaosVersusOrder: The primary conflict in the series is this rather than GoodVersusEvil.Riverson]]
* ChaosVersusOrder: The primary conflict in the series is this rather than GoodVersusEvil.
Changed line(s) 36 (click to see context) from:
* CrystalDragonJesus: The Church of the Lawgiver is a massive religion that embodies many styles and ethics of Christianity in the Middle Ages. It even has its own version of Marian worship with the Great Mother. It is a polytheistic religion, though, that has a GodOfEvil set up as the AntiGod to the Lawgiver.
to:
* CrystalDragonJesus: The Church of the Lawgiver is a massive religion that embodies many styles and ethics of Christianity in the Middle Ages. It even has its own version of Marian worship with the Great Mother. It is a polytheistic religion, though, that has a GodOfEvil set up as the AntiGod TheAntiGod to the Lawgiver.
* Precursors: The Terralan Dominion was a High Human civilization of wizards that served as the ruler of the Southern Kingdoms for a thousand years. It is also responsible for the majority of fantastic races and monsters on the planet due to their experiments. They ended up being destroyed by a volcano set off by Valance the Red.
* OrderVersusChaos: The primary conflict in the series is this rather than GoodVersusEvil. The Lawgiver represents order with its tyranny, expansionism, and religious control. The Trickster by contrast represents freedom, chaos, and resistance.
* OrderVersusChaos: The primary conflict in the series is this rather than GoodVersusEvil. The Lawgiver represents order with its tyranny, expansionism, and religious control. The Trickster by contrast represents freedom, chaos, and resistance.
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* TheTrickster: [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin The Trickster, natch.]]
to:
* TheTrickster: [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin The Trickster, natch.]]]] He is a conniving, sarcastic, and witty prankster in addition to being an EvilOverlord.
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Removed zero context examples, expanded other tropes.
Changed line(s) 19,20 (click to see context) from:
[[folder: The series]]
* ActionGirl: Regina is a dragonriding, dragonslaying, sword-swinging daredevil. Serah can kill a hundred people with a single spell. It's implied there's literally as many of these as men in the setting too.
* ActionGirl: Regina is a dragonriding, dragonslaying, sword-swinging daredevil. Serah can kill a hundred people with a single spell. It's implied there's literally as many of these as men in the setting too.
to:
[[folder: The series]]
Series]]
* ActionGirl: Regina is a dragonriding, dragonslaying, sword-swinging daredevil. Serah can kill a hundred people with a single spell. Half of the Nine Heroes are also women, including their leader, Morwen. It's implied there's literally as many of these as men in the setting too.
* ActionGirl: Regina is a dragonriding, dragonslaying, sword-swinging daredevil. Serah can kill a hundred people with a single spell. Half of the Nine Heroes are also women, including their leader, Morwen. It's implied there's literally as many of these as men in the setting too.
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* AlwaysChaoticEvil: Deconstructed, Reconstructed, and subverted. The Shadowkind races were created to be plagues on the Lightborn races but have their own moralities as well as cultures. Generally, though, they did all of their atrocities on the orders of the King Below and because their homeland was an icy hellhole compared to the Southerner's nicer climate.
* AncientTradition: The Shadowguard are basically the [[VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins Grey Wardens]] or [[Series/GameOfThrones Night's Watch]] of the setting.
* {{Antihero}}: Serah and Jacob both qualify.
** {{Antivillain}}: From the perspective of the rest of the world, Jacob, Serah, and Regina are reading from the wrong script.
* TheAntiChrist: How Jacob is viewed and his quest for the King Below's power. He's really the AntiAntiChrist, though, since he's a DarkIsNotEvil protagonist.
* AncientTradition: The Shadowguard are basically the [[VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins Grey Wardens]] or [[Series/GameOfThrones Night's Watch]] of the setting.
* {{Antihero}}: Serah and Jacob both qualify.
** {{Antivillain}}: From the perspective of the rest of the world, Jacob, Serah, and Regina are reading from the wrong script.
* TheAntiChrist: How Jacob is viewed and his quest for the King Below's power. He's really the AntiAntiChrist, though, since he's a DarkIsNotEvil protagonist.
to:
* AlwaysChaoticEvil: Deconstructed, Reconstructed, and subverted.Subverted. The Shadowkind races were created to be plagues on the Lightborn races but have their own moralities as well as cultures. Generally, though, they did all of their atrocities on the orders of the King Below and because their homeland was an icy hellhole compared to the Southerner's nicer climate.
* AmbiguouslyBrown:
** The physical description of the High Humans indicates that they are mostly this, being brown or black skinned with crystal blue eyes.
** The Riverfolk are also this as they are descendants of the Indras, G'Tay, and Gael countries plus various other refugee peoples. This includes Jacob in his mortal years.
* AncientPrecursors: The Terralan Dominion was a High Human civilization of wizards that served as the ruler of the Southern Kingdoms for a thousand years. It is also responsible for the majority of fantastic races and monsters on the planet due to their experiments. They ended up being destroyed by a volcano set off by Valance the Red.
* AncientTradition: The Shadowguard are basically the [[VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins Grey Wardens]] or [[Series/GameOfThrones Night's Watch]] of thesetting.
* {{Antihero}}: Serahsetting. They are a group of working class knights, wizards, and Jacob both qualify.
** {{Antivillain}}: Fromprofessional killers who include many criminals among them. They exist for the perspective purpose of destroying the rest of the world, Jacob, Serah, Shadowkind and Regina are reading from the wrong script.
* TheAntiChrist: How Jacob is viewed and his quest forfighting the King Below's power. He's really the AntiAntiChrist, though, since he's a DarkIsNotEvil protagonist.Below, no matter how many centuries it takes to ultimately defeat him.
* AmbiguouslyBrown:
** The physical description of the High Humans indicates that they are mostly this, being brown or black skinned with crystal blue eyes.
** The Riverfolk are also this as they are descendants of the Indras, G'Tay, and Gael countries plus various other refugee peoples. This includes Jacob in his mortal years.
* AncientPrecursors: The Terralan Dominion was a High Human civilization of wizards that served as the ruler of the Southern Kingdoms for a thousand years. It is also responsible for the majority of fantastic races and monsters on the planet due to their experiments. They ended up being destroyed by a volcano set off by Valance the Red.
* AncientTradition: The Shadowguard are basically the [[VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins Grey Wardens]] or [[Series/GameOfThrones Night's Watch]] of the
* {{Antihero}}: Serah
** {{Antivillain}}: From
* TheAntiChrist: How Jacob is viewed and his quest for
Changed line(s) 28,37 (click to see context) from:
* BadPowersGoodPeople: While antiheroes, both Jacob and Serah qualify for this status.
* BerserkButton: Jacob is TheStoic in almost all things. Try hurting a child in his presence.
** Regina goes AxCrazy around the Nine Heroes or their minions.
* BlackKnight: Jacob and the other Wraith Knights were this by nature. They were all undead MagicKnight warriors who served as the King Below's generals.
* TheBlackSmith: Jacob is one of these, being a magical artificer and creator of weapons in addition to his status as a MagicKnight. [[spoiler: Becomes TheUltimateBlacksmith when he creates Starlight as a gift for Regina.]]
** Tharadon and Co'Fannon were, apparently, this.
* BloodKnight: The Trickster says Jacob is secretly one of these. This seems somewhat of an InformedAttribute since he plays the role of TheStoic most of the book.
* BloodMagic: Jassamine practiced this in addition to her LightIsGood powers.
* BodyHorror: Jacob has one of these moments when he realizes ''he doesn't have a face." He gets better.
* CoolSword: Chill's Fury and Hopebringer. [[spoiler: Regina throws away Hopebringer when she finds out its origins.]]
* BerserkButton: Jacob is TheStoic in almost all things. Try hurting a child in his presence.
** Regina goes AxCrazy around the Nine Heroes or their minions.
* BlackKnight: Jacob and the other Wraith Knights were this by nature. They were all undead MagicKnight warriors who served as the King Below's generals.
* TheBlackSmith: Jacob is one of these, being a magical artificer and creator of weapons in addition to his status as a MagicKnight. [[spoiler: Becomes TheUltimateBlacksmith when he creates Starlight as a gift for Regina.]]
** Tharadon and Co'Fannon were, apparently, this.
* BloodKnight: The Trickster says Jacob is secretly one of these. This seems somewhat of an InformedAttribute since he plays the role of TheStoic most of the book.
* BloodMagic: Jassamine practiced this in addition to her LightIsGood powers.
* BodyHorror: Jacob has one of these moments when he realizes ''he doesn't have a face." He gets better.
* CoolSword: Chill's Fury and Hopebringer. [[spoiler: Regina throws away Hopebringer when she finds out its origins.]]
to:
* BadPowersGoodPeople: While antiheroes, both Jacob AristocratsAreEvil: The aristocracy is frequently changed for being corrupt, brutal, and Serah qualify for this status.
* BerserkButton: Jacobuseless. {{Subverted}} by Regina, who is TheStoic in almost all things. Try hurting a child in his presence.
** Regina goes AxCrazy aroundRoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething.
* TheAntiGod: The King Below is considered theNine Heroes or their minions.
* BlackKnight: Jacobequal and the other Wraith Knights were this by nature. They were all undead MagicKnight warriors who served as opposite to the King Below's generals.
* TheBlackSmith: Jacob is one of these, being a magical artificerAbove, representing chaos, madness, darkness, and creator of weapons in addition evil to his status the King Above's order, logic, light, and good. This proves to be significantly more complicated than it appears as the Lawgiver proves to be a MagicKnight. tyrant while the King Below seems more mischevious than actually evil. [[spoiler: Becomes TheUltimateBlacksmith when he creates Starlight as a gift for Regina.Then we discover they were actually allies the entire time.]]
** Tharadon and Co'Fannon were, apparently, this.
* BloodKnight: The Trickster says Jacob is secretly one of these. This seems somewhat of an InformedAttribute since he plays the role of TheStoic most BadPowersGoodPeople: A common FantasticRacism of the book.
setting. Anyone who displays a facility with shadow magic, is treated as a ticking time bomb at best or just murdered out of hand. Many of them actually end up in the King Below's service because it's better than the alternative.
*BloodMagic: BlackAndGrayMorality: The series subverts a lot of traditional high fantasy tropes as the good side of light and order isn't particularly nice. The Lawgiver is a tyrant, the Nine Heroes are ruthless conquerors, and even Saint Jassamine practiced is a religious fanatic. However, the Shadowkind AKA the forces of darkness and chaos aren't much better. Even protagonist has a DarkAndTroubledPast where he did some pretty awful stuff in the name of the greater good.
* BlackSmith: The forging of magical items is an important part of the setting with thisin addition to her LightIsGood powers.
* BodyHorror: Jacob has onetrade being something that a lot of these moments when he realizes ''he doesn't magicians have a face." He gets better.
* CoolSword: Chill's Furyto learn. A handful of wizards have also ascended to become UltimateBlacksmith types like Co'Fannon, Tharadon the Black, and Hopebringer. [[spoiler: Regina throws away Hopebringer when she finds out its origins.]]Jacob Riverson]]
* ChaosVersusOrder: The primary conflict in the series is this rather than GoodVersusEvil.
* BerserkButton: Jacob
** Regina goes AxCrazy around
* TheAntiGod: The King Below is considered the
* BlackKnight: Jacob
* TheBlackSmith: Jacob is one of these, being a magical artificer
*
* BlackSmith: The forging of magical items is an important part of the setting with this
* BodyHorror: Jacob has one
* CoolSword: Chill's Fury
* ChaosVersusOrder: The primary conflict in the series is this rather than GoodVersusEvil.
Changed line(s) 39,42 (click to see context) from:
* DarkIsNotEvil: Played straight with the King Below and all of his armies. Subverted with the fact Jacob, once free, is perfectly decent.
** Serah has struggled with this her entire life as the majority of people believe BadPowersBadPeople.
** Played with regarding the Formori, who are not AlwaysChaoticEvil but have been used as shock troopers by the King Below for millennium that their culture doesn't know much else but war.
* DarkMessiah: The Trickster has chosen Jacob to be one of these. [[spoiler: In fact, it better fits Jassamine.]]
** Serah has struggled with this her entire life as the majority of people believe BadPowersBadPeople.
** Played with regarding the Formori, who are not AlwaysChaoticEvil but have been used as shock troopers by the King Below for millennium that their culture doesn't know much else but war.
* DarkMessiah: The Trickster has chosen Jacob to be one of these. [[spoiler: In fact, it better fits Jassamine.]]
to:
* CrystalDragonJesus: The Church of the Lawgiver is a massive religion that embodies many styles and ethics of Christianity in the Middle Ages. It even has its own version of Marian worship with the Great Mother. It is a polytheistic religion, though, that has a GodOfEvil set up as the AntiGod to the Lawgiver.
* CycleOfRevenge: A CentralTheme of the books is the attempts to get justice for past crimes and greviances results in this. It is particular in Regina's case as her insistence on avenging Whitehold results in her dragging the rest of the world into war.
* DarkFantasy: A {{Deconstruction}} tale of a FallenHero turned HumanoidAbomination that attempts to deal with the heroes of the last war who have become [[FallenHero Fallen Heroes]] themselves. It questions traditional fantasy morality, FantasticRacism, and power structures with a lot of GrayAndGrayMorality.
* DarkIsEvil: What the majority of the Southern Kingdoms believe about the Shadowkind that threaten them every thousand years or so. The truth is a bit more complicated. It turns out to have been an InvokedTrope as the Trickster deliberately set himself up to be the GodOfEvil.
* DarkIsNotEvil:Played straight The CentralTheme of the books. Jacob is an undead monster formerly enslaved to the GodOfEvil with many evil powers related to cold, shadow, as well as darkness. He is also a NiceGuy who just wants to do what is right (and is terrible at it).
* Deathseeker: Implied with theKing Below and all of his armies. Subverted with Trickster.
-->''I’ll kill you!'' I screamed in my mind.
-->''Perhaps,'' thefact Jacob, once free, is perfectly decent.
** Serah has struggled with this her entire life as the majority of people believe BadPowersBadPeople.
** Played with regarding the Formori, who are not AlwaysChaoticEvil but have been used as shock troopers by the King Below for millenniumspirit replied lazily. ''Wouldn’t that their culture doesn't know much else but war.
* DarkMessiah: The Trickster has chosen Jacob tobe one of these. [[spoiler: In fact, it better fits Jassamine.]]wonderful?''
* CycleOfRevenge: A CentralTheme of the books is the attempts to get justice for past crimes and greviances results in this. It is particular in Regina's case as her insistence on avenging Whitehold results in her dragging the rest of the world into war.
* DarkFantasy: A {{Deconstruction}} tale of a FallenHero turned HumanoidAbomination that attempts to deal with the heroes of the last war who have become [[FallenHero Fallen Heroes]] themselves. It questions traditional fantasy morality, FantasticRacism, and power structures with a lot of GrayAndGrayMorality.
* DarkIsEvil: What the majority of the Southern Kingdoms believe about the Shadowkind that threaten them every thousand years or so. The truth is a bit more complicated. It turns out to have been an InvokedTrope as the Trickster deliberately set himself up to be the GodOfEvil.
* DarkIsNotEvil:
* Deathseeker: Implied with the
-->''I’ll kill you!'' I screamed in my mind.
-->''Perhaps,'' the
** Serah has struggled with this her entire life as the majority of people believe BadPowersBadPeople.
** Played with regarding the Formori, who are not AlwaysChaoticEvil but have been used as shock troopers by the King Below for millennium
* DarkMessiah: The Trickster has chosen Jacob to
Changed line(s) 44,45 (click to see context) from:
* {{Expy}}: Jacob is an {{Expy}} of both the Witch King of Angmar and Boromir. Some reviewers believe he's closer to Anakin Skywalker, though.
** Regina is a DistaffCounterpart of Aragorn and possibly Ciri of Cintra.
** Regina is a DistaffCounterpart of Aragorn and possibly Ciri of Cintra.
to:
* {{Expy}}: Jacob DivineConflict: The setting's history is an {{Expy}} of both defined by the Witch King of Angmar ForeverWar between the Lawgiver and Boromir. Some reviewers believe he's closer to Anakin Skywalker, though.
** Regina is a DistaffCounterpartthe Trickster as the two gods constantly war with each other. The series starts when one of Aragorn and possibly Ciri of Cintra.them finally triumphs over the other.
** Regina is a DistaffCounterpart
Changed line(s) 47,53 (click to see context) from:
* TheDragon: A rare double example for Jacob as he was first one for Jassamine/Prince Edward then one of these for the King Below while his spirit was enslaved. [[spoiler: He becomes the DragonAscendant when he assumes the mantle of the King Below.]]
** Jon Blackthorn serves as this for Empress Morwen. The Nine Heroes/Usurpers serve as this for [[spoiler: Jassamine.]]
* DragonRider: Regina is one of these and so are the majority of the Shadowguard now.
* TheEmpire: The Anessian Empire is a pretty stanard version of this.
* EvilOverlord: The King Below was this for the entire World Between. When he dies, there was much rejoicing.
** Jacob is a subversion of this as everyone expects him to be but he really doesn't have the temperment for it.
* FallenHero: Jacob Riverson was once the First Knight of the Shadowguard. He was then killed and his spirit transformed into that of a Dark Lord.
** Jon Blackthorn serves as this for Empress Morwen. The Nine Heroes/Usurpers serve as this for [[spoiler: Jassamine.]]
* DragonRider: Regina is one of these and so are the majority of the Shadowguard now.
* TheEmpire: The Anessian Empire is a pretty stanard version of this.
* EvilOverlord: The King Below was this for the entire World Between. When he dies, there was much rejoicing.
** Jacob is a subversion of this as everyone expects him to be but he really doesn't have the temperment for it.
* FallenHero: Jacob Riverson was once the First Knight of the Shadowguard. He was then killed and his spirit transformed into that of a Dark Lord.
to:
** Jon Blackthorn serves as this for Empress Morwen. The Nine Heroes/Usurpers serve as this for [[spoiler: Jassamine.]]
* TheEmpire: The Anessian Empire is
*
* EvilOverlord:
** The King Below was this for the entire World Between. When he dies, there was much rejoicing.
Changed line(s) 55,65 (click to see context) from:
* GenocideBackfire: Albeit, one the Nine Heroes/Usurpers couldn't really have imagined would happen. They destroy the Duchy of Whitehall and then lay siege to the city of Accadia, essentially getting TheAntiChrist involved with [[{{Revenge}} two very dangerous women who now have a reason to go after the Usurpers.]]
* GunsAreUseless: They exist but magic is so prevalent that they're not noticeably better than enhanced arrows or bolts which can be outfitted with runes to create explosions.
* HorsemenOfTheApocalypse: The four Dark Lords (or Wraith Knights) deliberately invoke this.
* IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy: Serah, Regina, and Jacob all suffer from this.
* LadyOfBlackMagic: Serah is this in every possible way. Oddly, also fits DarkMagicalGirl despite her age given her crippling fear of loneliness.
* LightIsNotGood: [[spoiler: Jassamine]] turns out to be this way. [[spoiler: As does the King Above.]]
** The Nine Heroes are the BigBadEnsemble of the series.
* MagicKnight: Jacob is one of these, possessing sorcery equal to his skill with a sword. It only gets more the case when he becomes a Wraith Knight.
* NecessarilyEvil: How Jon Blackthorn justifies his destruction of Whitehall and its inhabitants.
* PayEvilUntoEvil: Jacob and Serah's shared philosophy on how to deal with the wicked.
* RevengeBeforeReason: Regina struggles with this as she wants to be a LawfulGood servant of justice but ''really-really'' hates the Nine Heroes/Usurpers.
* GunsAreUseless: They exist but magic is so prevalent that they're not noticeably better than enhanced arrows or bolts which can be outfitted with runes to create explosions.
* HorsemenOfTheApocalypse: The four Dark Lords (or Wraith Knights) deliberately invoke this.
* IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy: Serah, Regina, and Jacob all suffer from this.
* LadyOfBlackMagic: Serah is this in every possible way. Oddly, also fits DarkMagicalGirl despite her age given her crippling fear of loneliness.
* LightIsNotGood: [[spoiler: Jassamine]] turns out to be this way. [[spoiler: As does the King Above.]]
** The Nine Heroes are the BigBadEnsemble of the series.
* MagicKnight: Jacob is one of these, possessing sorcery equal to his skill with a sword. It only gets more the case when he becomes a Wraith Knight.
* NecessarilyEvil: How Jon Blackthorn justifies his destruction of Whitehall and its inhabitants.
* PayEvilUntoEvil: Jacob and Serah's shared philosophy on how to deal with the wicked.
* RevengeBeforeReason: Regina struggles with this as she wants to be a LawfulGood servant of justice but ''really-really'' hates the Nine Heroes/Usurpers.
to:
* GunsAreUseless: They exist but magic is so prevalent that they're not noticeably better than enhanced arrows or bolts which
*
* IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy: Serah, Regina, and Jacob all suffer from this.
*
* LightIsNotGood: [[spoiler: Jassamine]] turns out to be this way. [[spoiler: As does the King Above.]]
**
* MagicKnight: Jacob
* NecessarilyEvil: How Jon Blackthorn justifies his destruction of Whitehall
* PayEvilUntoEvil: Jacob and Serah's shared philosophy on how
*
* HorsemenOfTheApocalypse: The four Dark Lords (or Wraith Knights) deliberately invoke this. They are the four undead horsemen servants and wizard-knights of
* ProudWarriorRace: Played with regarding the Formori, who are not AlwaysChaoticEvil but
* {{Pun}}: The World Between AKA Middle Earth.
* RunningBothSides: The Lawgiver and the Trickster are revealed to have been allied for the Great Shadow Wars, causing a conflict between "good and evil" so they could encourage more fantasticism in their worshipers.
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* {{Steampunk}}: The series is unusual example as it takes place in a HighFantasy setting but which has combined technology with magic after the last war between the DarkLord and TheAlliance. While the protagonist is effectively a Ringwraith, he has to deal with an enormous clockwork spider and the flying airship navy of the Empress.
* TheStoic: It takes an almost inhuman amount to get Jacob to get angry.
* TheStoic: It takes an almost inhuman amount to get Jacob to get angry.
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* WouldNotHurtAChild: Jacob and the Formor have this in common. It is one of their berserk buttons.
* VainSorceress: Serah uses magic to make herself look beautiful. Justified as she's noticed that while people are pretty hostile to wielders of black magic in general, they're somewhat more tolerant of good-looking ones.
* VillainWithGoodPublicity: The Nine Heroes/Nine Usurpers used their status as the heroes of the Fifth Shadow War to take over the Southern Kingdoms.[[/folder]]
* VainSorceress: Serah uses magic to make herself look beautiful. Justified as she's noticed that while people are pretty hostile to wielders of black magic in general, they're somewhat more tolerant of good-looking ones.
* VillainWithGoodPublicity: The Nine Heroes/Nine Usurpers used their status as the heroes of the Fifth Shadow War to take over the Southern Kingdoms.[[/folder]]
to:
* VainSorceress: Serah uses magic to make herself look beautiful. Justified as she's noticed that while people are pretty hostile to wielders of black magic in general, they're somewhat more tolerant of good-looking ones.
* VillainWithGoodPublicity: The Nine Heroes/Nine Usurpers used their status as the heroes of the Fifth Shadow War to take over the Southern Kingdoms.
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* DarthVaderClone: More like a Witch King of the Nazgul clone with WordOfGod backing it up. Still, Jacob is also a FallenHero of a monster-hunting organization who is also a MagicKnight and TheBlacksmith.
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.
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* BiTheWay: Regina and Serah are "lovers of men and women." They're also ex-lovers, which complicates their relationship with Jacob.
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* DoingInTheWizard: To a lesser extent as its discovered that [[spoiler: The World Between is a planet colonized by ancient humans after they AscendedToAHigherPlaneOfExistence. All the fantasy tropes and races are because the formerly physical humans found it amusing. It's essentially a giant MMO for themselves.]]
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The first novel, ''Wraith Knight'' was released on November 1st, 2016.
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* Wraith Knight (2016)
* Wraith Lord (2019)
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This series contains the following tropes:
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[[folder: The Novel]]
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[[folder: The Novel]]
Wraith Knight]]
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[[folder: Wraith Lord]]
* AllForNothing: [[spoiler: The quest for Gewain fails as he's been tortured beyond the ability to recover.]]
* AncientConspiracy: The Oghma are a group of wizards and witches who consider themselves an AncientTradition.
* BadIsGoodAndGoodIsBad: Jacob as the God of Evil is far more moral and decent than the Nine Heroes.
* BigBadDuumvirate: Fell Hellsword and Thermic Redhand are a TeethClenchedTeamwork example.
* BullyingADragon: Jacob has no interest in going to war with the Southern Continent despite many of his subjects (as well as Regina) pressuring him to do so. [[spoiler: He is eventually forced to when the Nine Heroes plan a genocidal strike against his homeland.]]
* CoolSword: Fell Hellsword wields one of the Dark Lords swords that he's turned into a soul-stealing weapon.
* CityOfAdventure: Kerifas is a city of deep social divisions, strategic importance, and a plot by the Nine Heroes.
* CompleteImmortality: Thermic Redhand believes he has this. [[spoiler: Jacob, as a god, proves him wrong.]]
* DatingCatwoman: Serah and Fell Hellsword used to have a relationship.
* EntertaininglyWrong: Ketra is a FlatEarthAtheist who doesn't believe in the gods while talking to Jacob (who is a god).
* {{Expy}}: Fell Hellsword is based on [[Literature/TheElricSaga Elric]] while Thermic Redhand is based on [[VideoGame/GodOfWar Kratos]].
** Ice Demons are frozen versions of Balrogs.
* FinalSolution: [[spoiler: Fell Hellsword plans to use ancient High Human weapons to wipe out the entirety of the Northern Wastelands people.]]
** Thermic Redhand is trying to incite a pogrom against the Fir-Bolg in the city.
* MagicKnight: Fell Hellsword joins Jacob as one while Regina gains these abilities as well.
* PhysicalGod: Jacob, Regina, and Serah are all now this after Jacob shared his powers with his wives.
** Thermic Redhand is between this and a {{Demigod}}.
* SelfFulfillingProphecy: The Nine Heroes believe Jacob will lead an invasion of their kingdom so they should strike him first.
* SoapboxSadie: Ketra is a university-educated political radical that has numerous views that are completely wrong.
* SixthRangerTraitor: [[spoiler: Multiple. Rose is actually an agent for the Nine Heroes and Kana is more loyal to the Golden Horn. Even Ketra is unwittingly part of Fell Hellsword's plan.]]
* StartOfDarkness: It is implied that Regina as begun hers by destroying every member of House Rogers.
* {{Steampunk}}: Kerifas and the Northen Wasteland are far more modernized than the rest of the world, even having electricity as well as gas street lamps.
* TokenEvilTeammate: Thermic Redhand is the only member of the Nine Heroes who isn't a WellIntentionedExtremist.
* VengeanceFeelsEmpty: Regina is clearly traumatized by the destruction of House Rogers.
* YourSoulIsMine: Fell Hellsword can take the souls of those killed with his blade.
* YourTerroristsAreOurFreedomFighters: The Army of Free Peasants and the Golden Horn straddle this line. Jacob is having none of it.
[[/folder]]
* AllForNothing: [[spoiler: The quest for Gewain fails as he's been tortured beyond the ability to recover.]]
* AncientConspiracy: The Oghma are a group of wizards and witches who consider themselves an AncientTradition.
* BadIsGoodAndGoodIsBad: Jacob as the God of Evil is far more moral and decent than the Nine Heroes.
* BigBadDuumvirate: Fell Hellsword and Thermic Redhand are a TeethClenchedTeamwork example.
* BullyingADragon: Jacob has no interest in going to war with the Southern Continent despite many of his subjects (as well as Regina) pressuring him to do so. [[spoiler: He is eventually forced to when the Nine Heroes plan a genocidal strike against his homeland.]]
* CoolSword: Fell Hellsword wields one of the Dark Lords swords that he's turned into a soul-stealing weapon.
* CityOfAdventure: Kerifas is a city of deep social divisions, strategic importance, and a plot by the Nine Heroes.
* CompleteImmortality: Thermic Redhand believes he has this. [[spoiler: Jacob, as a god, proves him wrong.]]
* DatingCatwoman: Serah and Fell Hellsword used to have a relationship.
* EntertaininglyWrong: Ketra is a FlatEarthAtheist who doesn't believe in the gods while talking to Jacob (who is a god).
* {{Expy}}: Fell Hellsword is based on [[Literature/TheElricSaga Elric]] while Thermic Redhand is based on [[VideoGame/GodOfWar Kratos]].
** Ice Demons are frozen versions of Balrogs.
* FinalSolution: [[spoiler: Fell Hellsword plans to use ancient High Human weapons to wipe out the entirety of the Northern Wastelands people.]]
** Thermic Redhand is trying to incite a pogrom against the Fir-Bolg in the city.
* MagicKnight: Fell Hellsword joins Jacob as one while Regina gains these abilities as well.
* PhysicalGod: Jacob, Regina, and Serah are all now this after Jacob shared his powers with his wives.
** Thermic Redhand is between this and a {{Demigod}}.
* SelfFulfillingProphecy: The Nine Heroes believe Jacob will lead an invasion of their kingdom so they should strike him first.
* SoapboxSadie: Ketra is a university-educated political radical that has numerous views that are completely wrong.
* SixthRangerTraitor: [[spoiler: Multiple. Rose is actually an agent for the Nine Heroes and Kana is more loyal to the Golden Horn. Even Ketra is unwittingly part of Fell Hellsword's plan.]]
* StartOfDarkness: It is implied that Regina as begun hers by destroying every member of House Rogers.
* {{Steampunk}}: Kerifas and the Northen Wasteland are far more modernized than the rest of the world, even having electricity as well as gas street lamps.
* TokenEvilTeammate: Thermic Redhand is the only member of the Nine Heroes who isn't a WellIntentionedExtremist.
* VengeanceFeelsEmpty: Regina is clearly traumatized by the destruction of House Rogers.
* YourSoulIsMine: Fell Hellsword can take the souls of those killed with his blade.
* YourTerroristsAreOurFreedomFighters: The Army of Free Peasants and the Golden Horn straddle this line. Jacob is having none of it.
[[/folder]]
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* AncientTradition: The Shadowguard are basically the Grey Wardens or Night's Watch of the setting.
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* AncientTradition: The Shadowguard are basically the [[VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins Grey Wardens Wardens]] or [[Series/GameOfThrones Night's Watch Watch]] of the setting.
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* {{Steampunk}}: The series is unusual example as it takes place in a HighFantasy setting but which has combined technology with magic after the last war between the DarkLord and TheAlliance. While the protagonist is effectively a Ringwraith, he has to deal with an enormous clockwork spider and the flying airship navy of the Empress.
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* VictoryIsBoring: The Trickster claims that this was why he eventually broke off his occupation of the human lands after winning the Third Shadow War. Once he realised that no great heroes were going to arise to lead a rebellion against him, he just went home and waited for the humans to recover enough to be worth invading again.
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* VainSorceress: Serah uses magic to make herself look beautiful. Justified as she's noticed that while people are pretty hostile to wielders of black magic in general, they're somewhat more tolerant of good-looking ones.
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* TricksterMentor: The Trickster, appropriately enough. Though how much he's manipulating Jacob to do his bidding and how much he's just having fun trolling him is very much up to interpretation.
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* AffectionateParody: A DownplayedTrope example as the story is entirely serious and really you need to know J.R.R Tolkien to get all the references but the entire book includes innumerable digs at the typical Tolkien pastiche as well as assumptions of the original work. These include AlwaysChaoticEvil races, the omnibenevolence of supernatural beings, the "Return of the King" being anything other than a usurption, CantArgueWithElves, and that smaller weaker races wouldn't get swept up in events.
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* TheUntwist: [[spoiler:Jassamine is alive! Subverted in that she's completely insane and the Lawgiver's chosen.]]
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[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/wraith_knight_2.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350: Evil is a matter of perspective.]]
[[caption-width-right:350: Evil is a matter of perspective.]]
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The King Below, Enemy of the World, is dead. Will his successor save the world...or rule it? Jacob Riverson was once the greatest hero of an age. Cut down during what should have been the final battle against the King Below, he was condemned to centuries of torment as a Wraith Knight in the service of said monster. With the destruction of his master, Jacob finds his free will returning and discovers he is in a world torn by civil war between the King Below's former slaves and the heroes who "saved" them. Joining forces with the overly-idealistic but brilliant warrior Regina Whitetremor, Jacob must determine whether he has any place in the new world and whether his destiny is as a hero or monster. Or both.
to:
[[EvilOverlord The King Below, Below]], Enemy of the World, [[PredecessorVillain is dead.dead]]. Will his successor save the world...or rule it? Jacob Riverson was once the greatest hero of an age. Cut down during what should have been the final battle against the King Below, he was condemned to centuries of torment as a Wraith Knight in the service of said monster.
With the destruction of his master, Jacob finds his free will returning and discovers he is in a world torn by civil war between the King Below's former slaves and the heroes who "saved" them. Joining forces with the overly-idealistic but brilliant warrior [[RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething ReginaWhitetremor, Whitetremor]] and sorceress [[LadyOfBlackMagic Serah Brightwaters]], Jacob must determine whether he has any place in the new world and whether his destiny is as a hero or monster. Or both.
both.
The first novel, ''Wraith Knight'' was released on November 1st, 2016.
With the destruction of his master, Jacob finds his free will returning and discovers he is in a world torn by civil war between the King Below's former slaves and the heroes who "saved" them. Joining forces with the overly-idealistic but brilliant warrior [[RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething Regina
The first novel, ''Wraith Knight'' was released on November 1st, 2016.
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''Wraith Knight'' is a {{Deconstruction}} HighFantasy series by Creator/CTPhipps which follows the adventures of Jacob Riverson, a FallenHero who was turned into a HumanoidAbomination by a PhysicalGod EvilOverlord called The King Below. Cursed with undeath, he was enslaved for centuries until freed by the death of his master.
Now freed, he discovers the side of "good" is planning to exterminate the side of "evil" despite the latter also being slaves of the King Below. Joining with a RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething ActionGirl named Regina Whitetremor and a BlackMagicianGirl named Serah Brightwaters, they proceed to seize the power of the King Below to save the world--possibly damning it.
Now freed, he discovers the side of "good" is planning to exterminate the side of "evil" despite the latter also being slaves of the King Below. Joining with a RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething ActionGirl named Regina Whitetremor and a BlackMagicianGirl named Serah Brightwaters, they proceed to seize the power of the King Below to save the world--possibly damning it.
to:
''Wraith Knight'' is a {{Deconstruction}} HighFantasy series by Creator/CTPhipps which follows the adventures of Jacob Riverson, a FallenHero who was turned into a HumanoidAbomination by a PhysicalGod EvilOverlord called Creator/CTPhipps.
The KingBelow. Cursed with undeath, Below, Enemy of the World, is dead. Will his successor save the world...or rule it? Jacob Riverson was once the greatest hero of an age. Cut down during what should have been the final battle against the King Below, he was enslaved for condemned to centuries until freed by of torment as a Wraith Knight in the death service of said monster. With the destruction of his master.
Now freed, hemaster, Jacob finds his free will returning and discovers the side of "good" he is planning to exterminate the side of "evil" despite the latter also being slaves of in a world torn by civil war between the King Below. Below's former slaves and the heroes who "saved" them. Joining forces with a RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething ActionGirl named the overly-idealistic but brilliant warrior Regina Whitetremor Whitetremor, Jacob must determine whether he has any place in the new world and whether his destiny is as a BlackMagicianGirl named Serah Brightwaters, they proceed to seize the power of the King Below to save the world--possibly damning it.hero or monster. Or both.
The King
Now freed, he
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''Wraith Knight'' is a {{Deconstruction}} HighFantasy series by Creator/CTPhipps which follows the adventures of Jacob Riverson, a FallenHero who was turned into a HumanoidAbomination by a PhysicalGod EvilOverlord called The King Below. Cursed with undeath, he was enslaved for centuries until freed by the death of his master.
Now freed, he discovers the side of "good" is planning to exterminate the side of "evil" despite the latter also being slaves of the King Below. Joining with a RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething ActionGirl named Regina Whitetremor and a BlackMagicianGirl named Serah Brightwaters, they proceed to seize the power of the King Below to save the world--possibly damning it.
----
This series contains the following tropes:
[[foldercontrol]]
[[folder: The series]]
* ActionGirl: Regina is a dragonriding, dragonslaying, sword-swinging daredevil. Serah can kill a hundred people with a single spell. It's implied there's literally as many of these as men in the setting too.
* AlwaysChaoticEvil: Deconstructed, Reconstructed, and subverted. The Shadowkind races were created to be plagues on the Lightborn races but have their own moralities as well as cultures. Generally, though, they did all of their atrocities on the orders of the King Below and because their homeland was an icy hellhole compared to the Southerner's nicer climate.
* AncientTradition: The Shadowguard are basically the Grey Wardens or Night's Watch of the setting.
* {{Antihero}}: Serah and Jacob both qualify.
** {{Antivillain}}: From the perspective of the rest of the world, Jacob, Serah, and Regina are reading from the wrong script.
* TheAntiChrist: How Jacob is viewed and his quest for the King Below's power. He's really the AntiAntiChrist, though, since he's a DarkIsNotEvil protagonist.
* ArcWords: Arcus Maeharl a.k.a "Shadow aid, my brother."
* BadPowersGoodPeople: While antiheroes, both Jacob and Serah qualify for this status.
* BerserkButton: Jacob is TheStoic in almost all things. Try hurting a child in his presence.
** Regina goes AxCrazy around the Nine Heroes or their minions.
* BlackKnight: Jacob and the other Wraith Knights were this by nature. They were all undead MagicKnight warriors who served as the King Below's generals.
* TheBlackSmith: Jacob is one of these, being a magical artificer and creator of weapons in addition to his status as a MagicKnight. [[spoiler: Becomes TheUltimateBlacksmith when he creates Starlight as a gift for Regina.]]
** Tharadon and Co'Fannon were, apparently, this.
* BloodKnight: The Trickster says Jacob is secretly one of these. This seems somewhat of an InformedAttribute since he plays the role of TheStoic most of the book.
* BloodMagic: Jassamine practiced this in addition to her LightIsGood powers.
* BodyHorror: Jacob has one of these moments when he realizes ''he doesn't have a face." He gets better.
* BiTheWay: Regina and Serah are "lovers of men and women." They're also ex-lovers, which complicates their relationship with Jacob.
* CoolSword: Chill's Fury and Hopebringer. [[spoiler: Regina throws away Hopebringer when she finds out its origins.]]
* CorruptChurch: The Grand Temple during the time of Jacob's mortal days is a grand guginol of corruption, excess, and hypocrisy. [[spoiler: Which is why Jacob lets its leaders be burned alive.]]
* DarkIsNotEvil: Played straight with the King Below and all of his armies. Subverted with the fact Jacob, once free, is perfectly decent.
** Serah has struggled with this her entire life as the majority of people believe BadPowersBadPeople.
** Played with regarding the Formori, who are not AlwaysChaoticEvil but have been used as shock troopers by the King Below for millennium that their culture doesn't know much else but war.
* DarkMessiah: The Trickster has chosen Jacob to be one of these. [[spoiler: In fact, it better fits Jassamine.]]
* DarthVaderClone: More like a Witch King of the Nazgul clone with WordOfGod backing it up. Still, Jacob is also a FallenHero of a monster-hunting organization who is also a MagicKnight and TheBlacksmith.
* {{Deconstruction}}: A lot of the book is, essentially, a DeconstructiveParody of the Lord of the Rings starting with the premise of, "What if a Ringwraith survived the death of Sauron and decided to go back to being a hero?"
* {{Expy}}: Jacob is an {{Expy}} of both the Witch King of Angmar and Boromir. Some reviewers believe he's closer to Anakin Skywalker, though.
** Regina is a DistaffCounterpart of Aragorn and possibly Ciri of Cintra.
* DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything: Jacob and Jassamine's bloody reforms of the Grand Temple have a resemblance to the Protestant Revolution.
* TheDragon: A rare double example for Jacob as he was first one for Jassamine/Prince Edward then one of these for the King Below while his spirit was enslaved. [[spoiler: He becomes the DragonAscendant when he assumes the mantle of the King Below.]]
** Jon Blackthorn serves as this for Empress Morwen. The Nine Heroes/Usurpers serve as this for [[spoiler: Jassamine.]]
* DragonRider: Regina is one of these and so are the majority of the Shadowguard now.
* TheEmpire: The Anessian Empire is a pretty stanard version of this.
* EvilOverlord: The King Below was this for the entire World Between. When he dies, there was much rejoicing.
** Jacob is a subversion of this as everyone expects him to be but he really doesn't have the temperment for it.
* FallenHero: Jacob Riverson was once the First Knight of the Shadowguard. He was then killed and his spirit transformed into that of a Dark Lord.
** The Nine Heroes/Nine Usurpers may also be an example of this. They saved the world, only to promptly take it over.
* GenocideBackfire: Albeit, one the Nine Heroes/Usurpers couldn't really have imagined would happen. They destroy the Duchy of Whitehall and then lay siege to the city of Accadia, essentially getting TheAntiChrist involved with [[{{Revenge}} two very dangerous women who now have a reason to go after the Usurpers.]]
* GunsAreUseless: They exist but magic is so prevalent that they're not noticeably better than enhanced arrows or bolts which can be outfitted with runes to create explosions.
* HorsemenOfTheApocalypse: The four Dark Lords (or Wraith Knights) deliberately invoke this.
* IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy: Serah, Regina, and Jacob all suffer from this.
* LadyOfBlackMagic: Serah is this in every possible way. Oddly, also fits DarkMagicalGirl despite her age given her crippling fear of loneliness.
* LightIsNotGood: [[spoiler: Jassamine]] turns out to be this way. [[spoiler: As does the King Above.]]
** The Nine Heroes are the BigBadEnsemble of the series.
* MagicKnight: Jacob is one of these, possessing sorcery equal to his skill with a sword. It only gets more the case when he becomes a Wraith Knight.
* NecessarilyEvil: How Jon Blackthorn justifies his destruction of Whitehall and its inhabitants.
* PayEvilUntoEvil: Jacob and Serah's shared philosophy on how to deal with the wicked.
* RevengeBeforeReason: Regina struggles with this as she wants to be a LawfulGood servant of justice but ''really-really'' hates the Nine Heroes/Usurpers.
* SchizoTech: A pretty big example of it as they still have bows, arrows, and mounted calvary despite having trains as well as electric lights. It's just the bows can shoot faster than guns, the arrows explode, [[DragonRider and the mounted calvary is dragons.]] Oh and giant building-sized golems are serving as bulldoers.
* TheStoic: It takes an almost inhuman amount to get Jacob to get angry.
* TheTrickster: [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin The Trickster, natch.]]
* WouldNotHurtAChild: Jacob and the Formor have this in common. It is one of their berserk buttons.
* VillainWithGoodPublicity: The Nine Heroes/Nine Usurpers used their status as the heroes of the Fifth Shadow War to take over the Southern Kingdoms.[[/folder]]
[[folder: The Novel]]
* AnguishedDeclarationOfLove: [[spoiler: Serah gives one to Regina. Jacob eventually gives one to both.]]
* BodyHorror: Jacob suffers a case of this when he realizes he's got no face. {{Subverted}} when he realizes he can conjure a new body for himself by draining the life force of others.
* TheFundamentalist: Both Jacob and Jassamine were this in their original times, being among the few to take the religion of the King Above seriously as the rest of their faith had become the CorruptChurch. They eventually led to a Protestant-style reformation [[spoiler: before Jassamine JumpedOffTheSlipperySlope and became a KnightTemplar. Sadly, it's implied their god approved of this.]]
* HistoricalHeroUpgrade: Jassamine was a ManipulativeBastard WellIntentionedExtremist who is remembered as "Saint Jassamine." Contrast to Jacob's HistoricalVillainUpgrade.
** Played straight with Eric the Great, who was a complete scumbag and ThePawn according to Jacob.
* HistoricalVillainUpgrade: Sort of. Jacob Riverson was a sober, puritanical religious reformer in love with a single woman his entire life. He's remembered by history as a rowdy drunk LovableRogue lecher.
* KilledOffForReal: [[spoiler: Thomas Brightwaters is the brother to Serah, a LovableRogue, and seemingly part of the main cast but dies unceremoniously in battle halfway through the book.]]
** [[spoiler: This also happens to Creature toward the end of the book, showing AnyoneCanDie.]]
* LovableRogue: Jacob is remembered as one of these but was anything but. Thomas Brightwaters is a more straight example.
* LoveTriangle: Serah loves Regina but is attracted to Jacob who is falling for Regina but attracted to Serah. [[spoiler: They all end up together in the end.]]
* OffscreenMomentOfAwesome: Regina takes down all of Jon Bloodthorn's sons and a small army to rescue Jacob's wounded form from the battlefield.
* RipVanWinkle: Jacob gets hit with this hard when he wakes up after two hundred and fifty years of mind-control.
* ScrewTheRulesIMakeThem: Jacob's solution to the [[spoiler: situation with the Formor's enslavement. Also, how he manages to resolve the love triangle between him, Serah, and Regina.]]
* SingleTargetSexuality: Jacob possesses this for Jassamine his entire living life. [[spoiler: It changes when meets Regina and Serah.]]
* SuicideByCop: More like Suicide By Evil God [[spoiler: Jacob is revealed to have done this when he discovered Jassamine, his one true love, murdered the royal heirs for their magical power.]]
* TakeAThirdOption: Jacob does this when presented with the choice of enslaving the Formor to fight for him or letting the Nine Heroes/Usurpers run wild with their armies. [[spoiler: He RECRUITS them to fight for him by breaking their magical enslavement.]]
* {{Polyamory}}: [[spoiler: Regina, Jacob, and Serah are all in love with one another to varying degrees by the end of the book. It requires Jacob becoming the God of Darkness to realize that they can just do what they want.]]
* TheUntwist: [[spoiler:Jassamine is alive! Subverted in that she's completely insane and the Lawgiver's chosen.]]
[[/folder]]
----
Now freed, he discovers the side of "good" is planning to exterminate the side of "evil" despite the latter also being slaves of the King Below. Joining with a RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething ActionGirl named Regina Whitetremor and a BlackMagicianGirl named Serah Brightwaters, they proceed to seize the power of the King Below to save the world--possibly damning it.
----
This series contains the following tropes:
[[foldercontrol]]
[[folder: The series]]
* ActionGirl: Regina is a dragonriding, dragonslaying, sword-swinging daredevil. Serah can kill a hundred people with a single spell. It's implied there's literally as many of these as men in the setting too.
* AlwaysChaoticEvil: Deconstructed, Reconstructed, and subverted. The Shadowkind races were created to be plagues on the Lightborn races but have their own moralities as well as cultures. Generally, though, they did all of their atrocities on the orders of the King Below and because their homeland was an icy hellhole compared to the Southerner's nicer climate.
* AncientTradition: The Shadowguard are basically the Grey Wardens or Night's Watch of the setting.
* {{Antihero}}: Serah and Jacob both qualify.
** {{Antivillain}}: From the perspective of the rest of the world, Jacob, Serah, and Regina are reading from the wrong script.
* TheAntiChrist: How Jacob is viewed and his quest for the King Below's power. He's really the AntiAntiChrist, though, since he's a DarkIsNotEvil protagonist.
* ArcWords: Arcus Maeharl a.k.a "Shadow aid, my brother."
* BadPowersGoodPeople: While antiheroes, both Jacob and Serah qualify for this status.
* BerserkButton: Jacob is TheStoic in almost all things. Try hurting a child in his presence.
** Regina goes AxCrazy around the Nine Heroes or their minions.
* BlackKnight: Jacob and the other Wraith Knights were this by nature. They were all undead MagicKnight warriors who served as the King Below's generals.
* TheBlackSmith: Jacob is one of these, being a magical artificer and creator of weapons in addition to his status as a MagicKnight. [[spoiler: Becomes TheUltimateBlacksmith when he creates Starlight as a gift for Regina.]]
** Tharadon and Co'Fannon were, apparently, this.
* BloodKnight: The Trickster says Jacob is secretly one of these. This seems somewhat of an InformedAttribute since he plays the role of TheStoic most of the book.
* BloodMagic: Jassamine practiced this in addition to her LightIsGood powers.
* BodyHorror: Jacob has one of these moments when he realizes ''he doesn't have a face." He gets better.
* BiTheWay: Regina and Serah are "lovers of men and women." They're also ex-lovers, which complicates their relationship with Jacob.
* CoolSword: Chill's Fury and Hopebringer. [[spoiler: Regina throws away Hopebringer when she finds out its origins.]]
* CorruptChurch: The Grand Temple during the time of Jacob's mortal days is a grand guginol of corruption, excess, and hypocrisy. [[spoiler: Which is why Jacob lets its leaders be burned alive.]]
* DarkIsNotEvil: Played straight with the King Below and all of his armies. Subverted with the fact Jacob, once free, is perfectly decent.
** Serah has struggled with this her entire life as the majority of people believe BadPowersBadPeople.
** Played with regarding the Formori, who are not AlwaysChaoticEvil but have been used as shock troopers by the King Below for millennium that their culture doesn't know much else but war.
* DarkMessiah: The Trickster has chosen Jacob to be one of these. [[spoiler: In fact, it better fits Jassamine.]]
* DarthVaderClone: More like a Witch King of the Nazgul clone with WordOfGod backing it up. Still, Jacob is also a FallenHero of a monster-hunting organization who is also a MagicKnight and TheBlacksmith.
* {{Deconstruction}}: A lot of the book is, essentially, a DeconstructiveParody of the Lord of the Rings starting with the premise of, "What if a Ringwraith survived the death of Sauron and decided to go back to being a hero?"
* {{Expy}}: Jacob is an {{Expy}} of both the Witch King of Angmar and Boromir. Some reviewers believe he's closer to Anakin Skywalker, though.
** Regina is a DistaffCounterpart of Aragorn and possibly Ciri of Cintra.
* DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything: Jacob and Jassamine's bloody reforms of the Grand Temple have a resemblance to the Protestant Revolution.
* TheDragon: A rare double example for Jacob as he was first one for Jassamine/Prince Edward then one of these for the King Below while his spirit was enslaved. [[spoiler: He becomes the DragonAscendant when he assumes the mantle of the King Below.]]
** Jon Blackthorn serves as this for Empress Morwen. The Nine Heroes/Usurpers serve as this for [[spoiler: Jassamine.]]
* DragonRider: Regina is one of these and so are the majority of the Shadowguard now.
* TheEmpire: The Anessian Empire is a pretty stanard version of this.
* EvilOverlord: The King Below was this for the entire World Between. When he dies, there was much rejoicing.
** Jacob is a subversion of this as everyone expects him to be but he really doesn't have the temperment for it.
* FallenHero: Jacob Riverson was once the First Knight of the Shadowguard. He was then killed and his spirit transformed into that of a Dark Lord.
** The Nine Heroes/Nine Usurpers may also be an example of this. They saved the world, only to promptly take it over.
* GenocideBackfire: Albeit, one the Nine Heroes/Usurpers couldn't really have imagined would happen. They destroy the Duchy of Whitehall and then lay siege to the city of Accadia, essentially getting TheAntiChrist involved with [[{{Revenge}} two very dangerous women who now have a reason to go after the Usurpers.]]
* GunsAreUseless: They exist but magic is so prevalent that they're not noticeably better than enhanced arrows or bolts which can be outfitted with runes to create explosions.
* HorsemenOfTheApocalypse: The four Dark Lords (or Wraith Knights) deliberately invoke this.
* IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy: Serah, Regina, and Jacob all suffer from this.
* LadyOfBlackMagic: Serah is this in every possible way. Oddly, also fits DarkMagicalGirl despite her age given her crippling fear of loneliness.
* LightIsNotGood: [[spoiler: Jassamine]] turns out to be this way. [[spoiler: As does the King Above.]]
** The Nine Heroes are the BigBadEnsemble of the series.
* MagicKnight: Jacob is one of these, possessing sorcery equal to his skill with a sword. It only gets more the case when he becomes a Wraith Knight.
* NecessarilyEvil: How Jon Blackthorn justifies his destruction of Whitehall and its inhabitants.
* PayEvilUntoEvil: Jacob and Serah's shared philosophy on how to deal with the wicked.
* RevengeBeforeReason: Regina struggles with this as she wants to be a LawfulGood servant of justice but ''really-really'' hates the Nine Heroes/Usurpers.
* SchizoTech: A pretty big example of it as they still have bows, arrows, and mounted calvary despite having trains as well as electric lights. It's just the bows can shoot faster than guns, the arrows explode, [[DragonRider and the mounted calvary is dragons.]] Oh and giant building-sized golems are serving as bulldoers.
* TheStoic: It takes an almost inhuman amount to get Jacob to get angry.
* TheTrickster: [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin The Trickster, natch.]]
* WouldNotHurtAChild: Jacob and the Formor have this in common. It is one of their berserk buttons.
* VillainWithGoodPublicity: The Nine Heroes/Nine Usurpers used their status as the heroes of the Fifth Shadow War to take over the Southern Kingdoms.[[/folder]]
[[folder: The Novel]]
* AnguishedDeclarationOfLove: [[spoiler: Serah gives one to Regina. Jacob eventually gives one to both.]]
* BodyHorror: Jacob suffers a case of this when he realizes he's got no face. {{Subverted}} when he realizes he can conjure a new body for himself by draining the life force of others.
* TheFundamentalist: Both Jacob and Jassamine were this in their original times, being among the few to take the religion of the King Above seriously as the rest of their faith had become the CorruptChurch. They eventually led to a Protestant-style reformation [[spoiler: before Jassamine JumpedOffTheSlipperySlope and became a KnightTemplar. Sadly, it's implied their god approved of this.]]
* HistoricalHeroUpgrade: Jassamine was a ManipulativeBastard WellIntentionedExtremist who is remembered as "Saint Jassamine." Contrast to Jacob's HistoricalVillainUpgrade.
** Played straight with Eric the Great, who was a complete scumbag and ThePawn according to Jacob.
* HistoricalVillainUpgrade: Sort of. Jacob Riverson was a sober, puritanical religious reformer in love with a single woman his entire life. He's remembered by history as a rowdy drunk LovableRogue lecher.
* KilledOffForReal: [[spoiler: Thomas Brightwaters is the brother to Serah, a LovableRogue, and seemingly part of the main cast but dies unceremoniously in battle halfway through the book.]]
** [[spoiler: This also happens to Creature toward the end of the book, showing AnyoneCanDie.]]
* LovableRogue: Jacob is remembered as one of these but was anything but. Thomas Brightwaters is a more straight example.
* LoveTriangle: Serah loves Regina but is attracted to Jacob who is falling for Regina but attracted to Serah. [[spoiler: They all end up together in the end.]]
* OffscreenMomentOfAwesome: Regina takes down all of Jon Bloodthorn's sons and a small army to rescue Jacob's wounded form from the battlefield.
* RipVanWinkle: Jacob gets hit with this hard when he wakes up after two hundred and fifty years of mind-control.
* ScrewTheRulesIMakeThem: Jacob's solution to the [[spoiler: situation with the Formor's enslavement. Also, how he manages to resolve the love triangle between him, Serah, and Regina.]]
* SingleTargetSexuality: Jacob possesses this for Jassamine his entire living life. [[spoiler: It changes when meets Regina and Serah.]]
* SuicideByCop: More like Suicide By Evil God [[spoiler: Jacob is revealed to have done this when he discovered Jassamine, his one true love, murdered the royal heirs for their magical power.]]
* TakeAThirdOption: Jacob does this when presented with the choice of enslaving the Formor to fight for him or letting the Nine Heroes/Usurpers run wild with their armies. [[spoiler: He RECRUITS them to fight for him by breaking their magical enslavement.]]
* {{Polyamory}}: [[spoiler: Regina, Jacob, and Serah are all in love with one another to varying degrees by the end of the book. It requires Jacob becoming the God of Darkness to realize that they can just do what they want.]]
* TheUntwist: [[spoiler:Jassamine is alive! Subverted in that she's completely insane and the Lawgiver's chosen.]]
[[/folder]]
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