In Grima's Domain

@ hitatus due to health Worldbuidling and ramblings for my Fire Emblem Awakening AUs, with a focus on Plegian culture and religion. AU List | AO3

[grimignis]

oh thank goodness i'm not the only one that felt compelled to start adapting the promare narrative to a chrobin au ;v; also it's great to see you again! The redraw is absolutely LOVELY ovo

Oh, I’m so glad! I haven’t seen anyone do an au yet so I thought I was alone.

Putting this under the cut for slight Promare spoilers?

It’s just so good. Lio’s strong connection to the Promare vs Robin’s connection to Grima. Galo and Chrom’s kind heart and desire to protect. The Burnish and the Grimleal being viewed as terrorists, when in actuality it’s only a small group causing the problems with the people as a whole just trying to live a normal life. 

Lio/Robin turning into a dragon???

There’s just way too many narrative parallels here. Not to mention in Galo and Lio/Robin and Chrom’s relationships as a whole.

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And ahhh thank you so much!!! ^^ I’m hoping to get at least one wip finished before school starts again, even if it’s just a drabble.

[grimignis]

Redraw of that one Plegia CG because I’m in love with this new Procreate brush

[grimignis]

A brief primer in Grimleal symbols of rank.

Hierarchy is extremely important in Plegian culture, despite the equal importance on community and equality. This is partially due to the corruption that has taken place over the years, leading to a sense of self-importance amongst those of the Grimleal court.

Many of these symbols act as a means of authorization. The Grimleal are very secretive about their various endeavours, especially matters related to the Heart.

Accessible/written version under the cut.

Crests of Divine Blood

While anyone may wear Grima’s Eyes, his Crest may only be donned by those of divine blood

Purity of blood/family lineage in general is very well documented in Plegia due to their efforts to birth the Heart

The number of “wings” on a crest symbolizes the purity of blood

Six wings is reserved only for the main line, directly descended from Grima himself. They have been the leaders of the Grimleal faith since its inception

Grima also entered into many blood pacts with humans, leading to a wider spread of his blood

3-5 wings represents those of secondary blood, with the placement of individual wings representing specific family lines

Similarly, 2 or less wings represents minor blood

These crests are often worn as tattoos and displayed as stylized versions on religious attire

Those of divine blood have special responsibilities within the Grimleal order due to their innate connection with Grima

They are some of the only people in Plegia to know anything about the Heart, but even then information is restricted to a select few

Grima’s Brand

The full mark of Grima can only be worn by Grima’s Heart

This is to insure the validity of such a mark when it appears

However, it can still be found on a large number of religious artifacts and artworks. It’s the most important symbol in the Grimleal faith

The Eyes of Grima

Worn by all of Grima’s faithful

It is believed that by donning his eyes, you allow him to see you and take you into his protection

They also play a large role in prayer for a similar reason

There are several different variations of his eyes, from the more menacing sort worn by warriors to softer versions found on religious robes

Cultist Symbol

This symbol belongs to a cult who sacrifices lives in an attempt to gain Grima’s favour

While most Grimleal believe in gifting their life force to Grima (only in small amounts, such as drops of blood), this cult takes it to the extreme, kidnapping villagers to use as their sacrifices

You can see this cult at work in Chalard—who tries to kidnap Nowi—and Ardri, who tries to kidnap Emmeryn. They both wear this crest on their head coverings

Lines of Rank

Marks like these are worn both as tattoos and on the clothing of Grimleal officials

You can see the first on Validar’s robes, and the latter on Robin’s coat

These are used as a means of authorization and a sign of status

Political Crests

Worn by council members, village leaders, etc.

Denotes power to lead

The symbol on the Regent’s crown denotes power to rule

It is worn exclusively by the Regent and the Heart of Grima, as he is the only one with the true right to rule in Grima’s place

Grimleal Crest

Worn by members of the Grimleal court, priests, hierophants, etc.

The symbol on the Archbishop’s headpiece denotes power to lead the religion

Again, the only other person who can don this crest is Grima’s Heart

Crest of Strength

Given to groups such as Dark Knights who display exceptional physical prowess

Often displayed on their uniforms

Diviner’s Crest

Worn by those in the Order of Diviners

Those accepted into the Order are thought to be able to divine Grima’s will. This is sometimes used for people’s own selfish purposes, however

In reality, they are most often just talented diviners with some sort of influence amongst the Grimleal court

They are most frequently worn on circlets like Tharja’s

Sorcerer’s Crest

Awarded to those who display exceptional magical abilities

These can be seen on both Henry and Validar’s clothing

[grimignis]

I’ve gone through several different designs of Robin’s tattoos in A Heart in Slumber, but I think I’ve finally settled on these.

While he’s in Ylisse, Robin takes great pains to hide them from prying eyes, as they could easily reveal his identity if seen. This leads to some problems when he requires medical attention, but fortunately, most Ylisseans are rather ignorant of Plegian culture and do not recognize the marks for what they are. That doesn’t stop Robin from stressing over it, and he often lets wounds go untreated due to his anxiety.

Some general notes about Grimleal tattoos:

They are not decorative, but rather serve a specific religious purpose

Some are used for authorization

These marks are created using a magic ritual which is a secret known only to a select few

This maintains the authenticity of such marks

If you see someone with a crest denoting rank on them, you can be sure it’s real

You will find that many of them resemble different parts of Grima’s body, such as His horns for strength, wings for freedom, eyes for guidance etc.

Aversa bares many of this type

[grimignis]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Summary

Robin has divine blood flowing through his veins. And not just a few drops like every Plegian claims to have. Every part of his being belongs to Grima. He is the perfect vessel for his god.

To most, this would be the highest blessing, a cause for celebration. But Robin? Robin recognizes it for what it is. Not a service to his god, but rather an insult to everything He stood for. He won’t let himself be used for such a means, will do whatever it takes to ensure that never comes to pass.

A certain prince’s habit of forgetting to knock destroys those plans.

Cw for (brief) suicidal thoughts, self harm, and mild blood