Follow the tale of Karl Weissman, the last scion of the noble House of Weissman in his struggle to avenge the persecution of his family and help save the last remnants of Eldia by trying to retake Wall Maria and gain revenge upon those who took everything from.
A Noble Son of Eldia: An Attack on Titan Story
- Thread starter BasileusKomnenos
- Start date
- Created
- Status
- Ongoing
- Watchers
- 14
- Recent readers
- 0
- Threadmarks
- 2
-
Statistics (2 threadmarks, 5k words)
User Total BasileusKomnenos 2 Threadmarks Reader mode
Prologue
BasileusKomnenos
Imperator Romanorum Βασιλεύς των Ρωμαίων
- Location
- Los Angeles, CA
Prologue
c.840
Paradis Island, The Kingdom of Eldia
Weissman Manor, The City of Mitras
Lord Rudolph Weissman POV
"Hurry, now load everything into the carriage quickly! We are running out of time before they get here and kill us all!" a frantic Lord Rudolph shouted.
Rudolph knew his position was precarious, but he never expected that it would come to this where he the head of the illustrious Weissman family was now in direct opposition to the King which his family had served for over two millennia since the birth of the Eldian Empire when Ymir Fritz first harnessed the power of the Titan. The Power through which the once great Eldian Empire that ruled over almost the entire known world was forged. But all that glory came crashing down with the ascension of King Karl Fritz the first King of the Walls.
Rudolph's face darkened when thought of the 145th King. In his cowardice and misbegotten sense of pacifism, brought the end of their once Great Empire during the Second Great Titan War. The King cowardly conspired with the treacherous Tyburs to deliberately undermine foundations of the Empire abandoning his people shirking away his responsibilities as a leader while their enemies pounced on those poor souls unfortunate enough to be left in the mainland where they were forced under a cruel regime that oppressed dominated them as chattel.
Of course his family like much of the old nobility stayed loyal to their King who they trusted to lead them in times of both prosperity and strife. The cowardly King of course rewarded that trust by erecting a walled City to trap his remaining subjects creating a sea of titans to prevent them from escaping to the outside world. The King then used the powers of the Founding Titans to wipe the memories and collective knowledge of his people feeding them the lie that the rest of mankind had been wiped out by the Titans outside the Walls. Of course he had among the cursed few that knew the truth.
The Weissman Family much like the Ackermans, the Oriental Clan, among a few others were immune to the effects of the Founding Titan's power to alter memory. Of course the Ackermans and the Oriental Clan were the first to turn their backs on the King for his cowardice and his vile act of stripping his people of their memories trapping them in this pen like cattle awaiting the slaughter. Of course the Ackermans and Orientals having such dangerous information that would jeopardize the peace within the walls.
As a result the persecutions of two formerly respected noble houses began underway. They Ackermans were mercilessly hunted down by the Military Police and the King's other lackeys until a few remained hiding in the shadows. The Oriental Clan of the nation of Hizuru which had once been a steadfast ally of Eldia, had some of its own royalty invited to settle within the walls as a fellow noble family. Now they were being persecuted. They've all been all but wiped out in the main cities with the few remaining survivors from what he heard likely fleeing to the outskirts of the walled city near the edge of Wall Maria. His family like the rest of its fellow Eldian Noble Houses simply looked on as the King trapped his people in his false and perverse idea of peace.
Rudolph laughed bitterly when he thought of the King's supposed vow of pacifism. After all he still had the blood on his hands from all the people he left behind to die in the mainland, and the many poor souls who grew too curious for their own good. He remembered the case of a simple school teacher being killed for mere speculation about the outside world. While his father and grandfather simply looked on as this false utopia the King had built carried on, he was a man of sterner convictions and couldn't stomach the thought of such a disgusting reality.
He had regained hope for the better when the current King of the Walls: Uri Reiss took the throne. He had held such high hopes for the King as he had known the King and his brother Rod Reiss in their youth. They had all initially wanted to reform the Kingdom to help liberate and free their people from the Titan Yoke that confined them within the walls. But Uri being a mere mortal was all but consumed by the accursed 145th King and his vile ideology.
As King Uri was someone he saw as a friend, and someone he respected, he deluded himself into thinking that there was some hope that a fragment of his old self that survived taking the Founding Titan. When the King had pardoned the Ackermans and ceased their persecutions welcoming the mongrel that was Kenny Ackerman or Kenny the Ripper who slit the throats of many MP's all throughout the capital, he held hope that a new paradigm had been set for their people. He was a fool. He had tried to dumbly negotiate with the King and petition him to build a true Paradise for his people by using his power to end the Titan threat once and for all. The King rejected him out of hand.
"Pacifism, what a disgusting word," he thought to himself.
"We...we left them behind to suffer a fate worse than death," Rudolph said to himself.
"The Titans: those monsters keeping us all hemmed in here were our own people that were forcefully transformed and left to terrorize and cannibalize their own kind," Rudolph thought, while the move to abandon the rest of the mainland to the Marleyans doomed the empire, I never could have imagined the scale of the retribution and violence toward our fellow Eldians."
Rudolph remembered how he had looked in his ancestors' archives to confirm what the truth was. He was utterly shocked and disgusted with himself and his family for standing by and doing nothing while all this went on.
Of course in his naivete he decided to confront the King in private regarding this. The King then shocked him with his intentions. Rudolph still remembered the King's words that the Eldians needed to die to atone for their past sins. Those words utterly ravaged him to his core. And it was there he truly understood the true horror of their world.
For opposing the King's plan his eldest son Johan and his other sons were murdered by the MP's. He knew that he and the rest of what remained of his family were next which was why he plotted to abandon everything and flee to the edge of the Walled City: in the Confines of Wall Maria far from the reach of his rivals and the King's cronies.
"Lord Weissman we've loaded the last of the luggage into the carriage," said one of his servants
"Good bring Lady Julia and my grandson Karl quickly," said Rudolph, "it's time we best get a move on before they get here."
"Yes my Lord," he said.
Lord Rudolph then gestured towards another one of his servants to come forward and looking more closely at him, he realized it was his trusted confidant and longtime friend Jahn.
Rudolph then said to him, "make sure to raze this accursed place to the ground removing all evidence that we had fled."
"Of course your Excellency, but what about the bodies of those other MP's who tried to kill you earlier?" he questioned Lord Rudolph.
"Disguise them as members of the household and as members of the Weissman family," said Rudolph. "Dress the female in one of Julia's dresses and the others in servants' clothing and some of my fine suits."
"Yes my Lord," his trusted servant said.
Lord Rudolph laughed bitterly saying, "after all it's not like any of us will have any use of such fine clothes and trinkets anymore."
"Lord Rudolph please do not say such things, despite how bad things look now, things will become better, and your family will return to reclaim this land." he said.
Lord Rudolph then smiled saying, "I do not expect to ever see this house again in my remaining years of life. But my grandson Karl will. He will be the future of this family reclaiming his birthright: legacy of my father and his father before him."
"Yes my Lord," Jahn said with deference.
Lord Rudolph then looked his most trusted servant and confidant in the eye saying, "Jahn you were the closest thing I had to a friend in my life. You served me with steadfast loyalty fulfilling your every duty to the utmost of your ability. I greatly admire you for that which is why when this is over I am releasing you from my service."
"B..but my Lord!" said Jahn, stunned at his Lord's statement.
"Go and live out your days in peace," said Lord Rudolph, "go find a new purpose to serve out your remaining years instead of dying in the name of this miserable failure of a man."
After what seemed like the longest few minutes in his life, his grandson and daughter in law were brought before him.
"Ah Julia..Karl," he said, "it is finally time for us to leave this place."
Rudolph's grandson approached him saying, "Grandfather where are we going? Why are we leaving so soon?"
Of course Rudolph couldn't bear to tell him the truth of their situation. Perhaps he would when he was old enough to handle it.
Instead he said, "My dear boy Karl we're going on a trip!"
Rudolph watched as his grandson's face lit up with childlike enthusiasm. He felt a pang of guilt in his chest as he knew this innocence of his grandson would never last and that he would have to eventually face the cruelty and injustices of this world just like he had to.
"Can I say goodbye to friends first Grandfather?" Karl asked.
"You can tell them later Karl after we come back here okay," Rudolph said, building on to the white lie he had told to protect his grandson's innocence.
"Now go on inside the carriage with your mother. If you're good I'll give you a special treat."
"Yes Grandfather," said Karl as he walked towards their carriage.
Rudolph took one last look at his ancient family manor: the house of his father and his father before him , the house he had lived in his entire life. So many memories were made here, and Rudolph knew he would never see this place again before he died. He shed a single tear as he stepped into the carriage upon seeing the fire and smoke begin to spread throughout his once beloved home slowly consuming it.
I. The Wall Has Fallen!
BasileusKomnenos
Imperator Romanorum Βασιλεύς των Ρωμαίων
- Location
- Los Angeles, CA
Chapter I: The Wall has Fallen!
Year 845
Shiganshina District, The Walled City
Lord Rudolph Weissman POV
The aging former Lord Rudolph was now sitting back, reclining in his chair. While it had taken him a while to adjust to living here among the commoners he nonetheless found that it had its own quiet dignity in it. He had at one point in his life, felt like most of his other fellow nobles, a quaint sense of condescension towards their subjects that he ruled. Rudolph being born into wealth and power here as supposedly the last of mankind had at one point made him feel superior to his fellow man. It was this ego of his and overestimation of himself that had caused him to try and confront the King which had only resulted in his family murdered and his House to fall to near ruin with it being left with a bitter and failed old man, and a ten year old child.
"I've brought you some tea father," said Julia, his daughter in law interrupting him from his thoughts.
"Thank you my dear," he said, receiving the cup from her.
Julia was the closest thing he had to a daughter with all his children being sons. Her kind and gentle nature made her always willing to go out of way to help others. It was one of the reasons why Rudolph greatly admired her, and understood why his son decided to marry her all those years ago.
"Where is Karl by the way?" Rudolph asked her, "Shouldn't he be up by now? It's well his time to eat breakfast and begin his day."
"He should be ready in a moment," she said.
Rudolph noticed how all of a sudden her face had darkened with her bright smile morphing into a dour frown.
"Is something the matter," Rudolph had asked her, concerned for her well being.
"It...it's just that Karl had expressed his desire to join the Scout Regiment yesterday," Julia said clearly on the verge of tears.
"I'll handle it Julia," said Rudolph trying to reassure her, "don't you worry I'll put such absurd notions out of his head soon enough."
"Thank you Father," Julia said with gratitude, "it's not that I don't want to force Karl to choose his path in life, but it's just that the Scouts are too dangerous. Most of those poor souls that set out on those accursed expeditions don't ever make it back. And some are in such a state that they don't even have a body to bring back to their families."
"I know," Rudolph said with his eyes looking downward to the floor.
"Promise me that it won't happen to my son!" Julia declared with tears streaming down her eyes. "I already lost my husband, all I want is to live in peace with my son."
Rudolph, seeing the tears running down her face, got up from his chair and hugged her and said reassuringly, "I promise that I won't let anything happen to Karl. He is the future of this family, and I'll make sure he'll have a long happy life that will make his father Ludwig proud."
Seeing Julia beginning to smile at his words, he said, "now go on and wipe away those tears. After all, you wouldn't want young Karl to see you like this do you?"
At that moment his grandson Karl came bursting into the room saying, "Good morning mother! Good morning grandfather!"
"Why hello Karl!" said Rudolph, elated to see his grandson, the apple in his eye.
"Hello grandfather!" said Karl as he rushed to hug his grandfather
"Now Karl, have you eaten your breakfast yet ?" Rudolph asked his grandson.
"No grandfather," I'm not really that hungry.
"Now now Karl, you and I both know that you'll get hungry later, and then you'll beg me to buy you something later on," Rudolph said scolding his grandson.
"Now Karl, go on and eat your breakfast," he said.
"Yes grandfather," said Karl.
Rudolph watched as Karl started walking to the kitchen only to pause, saying, "Mother are you crying? Is everything alright?"
"No dear I just had a bit of a runny nose," said Julia who then took her son by the arm saying to him, " let's go get you your breakfast."
While he waited for his grandson to eat his breakfast, he took the time to reflect on his life here. After all the transition to life here as a commoner was not the smoothest it could have been. He had to change his family name to Weiss and opted to grow out a beard, ceasing to dye his hair just so that no one would recognize him by his appearance. Having grown up with wealth and privilege all throughout his life, a life without these amenities and comforts he had grown used to was a bit arduous to say the least. There were no more servants to help out with tasks he had considered mundane or beneath him. Things like cooking and cleaning were things he had to learn quickly. Luckily his daughter-in-law's background as a being of the middle class with her being a daughter of a merchant meant that she had this knowledge that he had lacked. Her help had been instrumental in the survival of House Weissman so far. Had it not been for her, he likely would have been spotted by the Military Police a long time ago.
"The Weissman family was always special," Rudolph thought. After all they had once been the King's generals and strategists throughout the old war, and later the Civil Wars such as the Great Titan Wars. And their special ability much like the Ackermans' extreme agility and strength allowed them to see beyond their enemies designs and lead the Empire to victory many times in the various wars and rebellions it fought.
Though he wouldn't dare dream of telling anyone about it, as that would expose him to the military police. He only found out by chance after a particular incidence in his youth. All he felt was an imminent sense of danger, and suddenly everything was clear allowing him to plot out exactly what he needed to do to escape the situation. His own father kept this information secret from him to protect him and his siblings from unwarranted attention. He only learned the power of his bloodline when it came time to succeed his father, inheriting his Lordship and leading position within the Royal Government. And much like his father, he didn't dare tell his sons. After all impulsive youths would go about telling their friends.
His mind then shifted further to that incident that began it all: when he started questioning everything around him.
"That accursed day!" Rudolph thought to himself.
He remembered that report on his desk about how the military police uncovered a schoolteacher who had told his son about the outside world questioning the government's narratives about the Island's history. At that time he was naive he thought what he was doing was in service of the King, some sort of noble goal: to uphold order and peace within these walls.
"A false peace," Rudolph thought. "All the horrible things I did because of my stupidity and ignorance."
He had been forced to sign a simple schoolteacher's death warrant all for simply asking questions. Before this he only signed off on criminals who broke the King's laws and disturbed his peace. But killing an innocent school teacher for simply asking questions was something else, and it utterly rattled him to his core as his actions had left the man's son an orphan at a young age. Rudolph utterly hated himself for it and felt guilt for it.This combined with the rampant corruption within the Royal Government caused him to resign his post in disgust with himself and the whole system.
"Perhaps it's some form of divine justice that I had my sons ripped away from like how I took away that poor child," Rudolph said to himself.
"Grandfather I've finished breakfast, let's go now," said Karl interrupting him from his thoughts.
"Of course, Karl," he said smiling at his grandson. "Just let me get my coat and hat."
While his sons were dead, he still had his grandson left, and would work to make amends.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Rudolph now with his grandson stood by the main gate of Wall Maria, the gateway to the outside world. He was sorry about what he would be showing his grandson today, but he made a promise to Julia to put his ill conceived notions about joining the Scouts to rest. Today he would see the true horror of joining the Scout Regiment. While he felt sorry for ruining his grandson's innocence by exposing him to such horrors of the world, it was necessary for his own safety and well being.
"I will not see Karl rotting away as mere fodder for these Titans!" he thought to himself while grinding his teeth. "Over my dead body!"
The chatter of the crowd gathered near the Wall's main entrance increased as the gate was raised with the remnants of the Scouting Expedition sent beyond the wall began pouring into the city. Rudolph looked at his grandson whose eyes widened in anticipation of seeing the famed Scout Regiment. He noticed that the good Doctor Jaeger's son Eren and their adopted daughter Mikasa Ackerman were also present in the crowd standing on a bunch of wooden crates.
"Look grandfather, it's the Survey Corps!" Karl said excitedly.
However the voices in the crowd went silent upon seeing the state of the Scout Regiment. Many of those returning to Shiganshina were greatly wounded. Those who returned were visibly shaken by their experience with a large portion of them dying behind the walls. Rudolph watched as a cart brought the corpses of the large number of casualties from the failed expedition.
"Those poor souls," Rudolph thought to himself. "They ceaselessly throw their lives away in a futile attempt to learn about the outside world. If only they knew the ugly truth behind the cursed history of their world."
Rudolph looked at Karl who looked utterly horrified by the sight before him.
"Do you still want to join the Scout Regiment?" Rudolph asked his grandson.
Karl said nothing and looked down towards the floor.
"I'll take that as a no then."
Rudolph then took Karl's hand saying, "That's enough for one day. We best get back now before your mother gets worried."
"Yes grandfather," said Karl.
As they were walking back to their house Karl had suddenly stopped, and looked at his grandfather saying, "Mother was crying because I wanted to join the scouts right ?"
Rudolph had paused, observing his grandson, and said, "yes that's why she was crying." It seemed that his grandson was more observant than he had let on.
"You understand why I took you to see the Scouts this time right Karl?" he asked his grandson.
"Yes grandfather," he said, "you and mother wanted me to be safe from Titans beyond the Wall."
"They are too dangerous," said Rudolph, "most of the Scouts that end up going past the wall never make it back, and among those unfortunate enough to die, even fewer make it back as corpses. Most of them are likely rotting in a titan's belly. Do you understand what I'm telling you?"
"Yes, grandfather," said Karl with understanding..
"Besides if you were to die like that who would be there to protect your mother?" Rudolph asked him. "I myself am an old man with who knows how many years left. After I die, you are the head of our family, and if you're killed out there there'll be no one to avenge your father and uncles."
"I understand," Karl said with more conviction in his voice, "and I'm sorry for worrying you and mother so much."
"Nonsense Karl," said Rudolph, "it's just childish fantasies that everyone has. Most people eventually outgrow them."
Just as soon as he finished talking to Karl, Rudolph felt something strange in the air. He felt some sort of weird tingling sensation, the same one he felt all those years ago.
"Could it be that something was about to happen to them, or even Julia?" he asked grandfather.
Sensing his distress, Kar asked. "What is it grandfather?"
"Something bad," he said, "something bad is about to happen any moment."
Rudolph had felt this same sense of danger right before his sons were murdered. By the time he got to them he was too late.
"I'm not gonna let that happen again!" thought Karl.
He dropped his bags of groceries that he was holding in his hand, and scooped up Karl and began running as fast as he could to their house.
"I need to get to Julia," Karl thought, "I must make sure she's safe for Karl's sake."
"Grandfather!" Karl exclaimed, "please put me down!"
"Not now Karl!" Rudolph all but yelled.
While Rudolph was sorry for speaking to his grandson in such a manner, he didn't have time for trivial matters such as politeness as time was of the essence.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
As he reached the entrance of the House, he was met by an alarmed Julia who said "Father what's wrong? Why are you running all the way here? Have we been found out?"
"I don't know Julia?" Karl said with his voice raspy and hoarse from the long run. "All I know is that something bad is about to happen. It's the same feeling I had five years ago."
"Are we going to evacuate like we planned?" Julia asked him.
"Yes," he said, "gather the bags we had ready in case of an event like this."
"Yes Father," she said running with haste back into the house.
"Grandfather what is going on?" Karl asked, clearly confused and scared.
"I know things look scary and confusing right now Karl," he said trying to reassure him "but we need to flee right now as something bad is about to happen."
"They found us haven't they?!" Karl said with his voice shaking with terror. "They're going to kill us like they did father!"
Rudolph hugged his scared grandson, and said, "no, of course not. I will never let that happen. I will protect you and your mother at all costs. Now I need you to be brave and calm okay."
"Yes grandfather" said Karl, wiping away the tears from his face.
Just as he finished speaking, a golden flash of lightning pierced the sky, with a crack of thunder rippling through the air. As it struck, the ground quivered as if there was some sort of explosion.
"What the hell was that?!" Karl said. He soon found the answer to his question when he looked up and saw a massive Titan standing with its massive corpse-like head peering over the wall.
"G..G..Grandfather is that….a Titan!" Karl croaked in terror.
Rudolph was too stunned to respond. The massive Titan was anything he had seen before, lacking any skin, being made up of muscles and tendons as if it were flayed living.
"The Colossus of a Titan," Rudolph thought, "why was he here now of all times?"
Before he could really react, the Titan kicked the Wall's Gate sending a massive shockwave that rippled throughout the town, collapsing buildings and sending large chunks of debris flying in every direction.
Rudolph instinctively reached for his grandson intending to shield him with his body as the aerial bombardment rained down from the sky.
As Rudolph regained his bearings, he was greeted by a ghastly sight. Large swathes of the residential district were now smoldering ruins. And in the distance he could see large humanoid silhouettes which he recognized as being Titans, getting closer, and closer. Right now his only concern was getting Julia and Karl out alive from her where they would retreat to safety behind Wall Rose.
Rudolph began frantically searching for his grandson sifting through the pile of debris around him making his way to the ruins of what once was his home only to be greeted by the sight of his grandson crying over the twisted and bent form of his daughter in law Julia who had been crushed to death by the debris that landed on their house.
"She's dead....grandfather," Karl said while sobbing.
Hearing the noises of the approaching Titans growing louder as they neared the House, Rudolph said to his grandson, "Karl...It's time to go."
"B..But what about mother?" Karl asked in disbelief that she had died.
"You and I know that she is dead Karl," Rudolph said, putting his hand on his shoulder. "We have to leave now or else we'll be eaten by the Titans. Your mother would have wanted you to stay alive."
"Yes grandfather," Karl said flatly.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
After barely escaping the giant Armored Titan that destroyed the main portion of the wall Rudolph with Karl in his arms, had made it to the main river where a bunch of boats were being lined to depart to the safety of Wall Rose. And as they reached the docks, they were received by a bunch of soldiers directing the evacuation of civilians, who told them to run to the boats.
As Karl had lived relatively close to the river, he was one of the lucky few who managed to make it onto the boats before they reached capacity. All he could do was be thankful that he and his grandson weren't the unlucky souls left abandoned to be eaten by the Titans pouring through the walls.
While he sat on the boat in silence, he saw the child Eren Yeager declare that he would kill all Titans.
"Only the boy and his adoptive sister made it?" Rudolph had asked himself before remembering that their father the Good Doctor Grisha Jaeger said in a prior conversation that he had some business in the Capital.
The boy possessed a strong headstrong disposition unlike his mild-mannered father. While he found the boy's declaration to seek vengeance, a display of child-like anger, he couldn't help but resonate with that sentiment. After all it had been the King who abandoned his people to suffer such a cruel fate.
"I reject that!" Rudolph thought to himself as he seethed in rage. He vowed on that day to take his revenge on the Reiss family, and restore the Weissmans to their former glory, toppling that accursed tyrant once and for all.
Author's Note:
Here's the next chapter to A Noble Son of Eldia. I hope you guys enjoy reading this. Please feel free to comment below, as any form of feedback is welcome.
Dude, this is awesome, I just found this from reading your other fic, 'watch madness reign' and I'm livening where this is going, please continue!
BasileusKomnenos
Imperator Romanorum Βασιλεύς των Ρωμαίων
- Location
- Los Angeles, CA
I'm glad you're enjoying this! The new chapter is coming out soon. I was busy with exams and schoolwork which delayed the update. If you like my Aerys II SI Let Madness Reign, I have another Targaryen fic called I Viserys which is an SI fic into the brother of Daenerys.
@RobTheBunman
Any ideas/suggestions on the directions of this story?
Well, I think a slow rise to power of Karl would be awesome, perhaps as an innovator or through the fires of revolution perhaps, raising like a phoenix, such as Napoleon did from the instability of France, forging a empire from long decayed institution. It would fit with Grandfathers hate of the king and pacifism, the destruction of the walls, the exploitation of the lower/middle class, the technology being right, and the fact if the grandfather dies, it would give him the experience to become a Hero of the lower classes, rising to his call of the oppressed, not as a shamed and discarded lineage, but a man of the people, knowing the struggles of his people and become the will of their struggles.
whoof, Sorry for the long suggestion, what ever way you write it I'll read it though. Hope this will help the creative juice flow man! Again, awesome work!
BasileusKomnenos
Imperator Romanorum Βασιλεύς των Ρωμαίων
- Location
- Los Angeles, CA
Though in terms of innovation, the military police routinely suppresses technological development, but they also preserve said knowledge as well. Its one of the reasons why the people in the Walls have fallen behind technologically, and how the government maintains its control.
Karl might be more of an egalitarian man of the people, but his grandfather isn't. He's more of a traditional aristocrat in the vein of a Prussian Junker. While he generally has a greater respect/compassion for the people under him, Rudolph still wants his power back and revenge for his family. And because of his noble heritage, he wants Eldia restored to its greatness.
Nonsense. Thanks for the feedback! I know sometimes there might be long periods before an update is coming, but an update is nonetheless coming. I generally don't abandon my fics, and an update is coming in the future.
unique and a good start, I like it!
BasileusKomnenos
Imperator Romanorum Βασιλεύς των Ρωμαίων
- Location
- Los Angeles, CA
Glad you're enjoying it. I'm planning on publishing a new update sometime next week after my exams end.
Do you have any thoughts on the story so far? Any suggestions?
Will Karl become a soldier, or will he stay as a civilian and try to take back what his family lost that way? Is Rudolph trying to take over the throne, or does he just hate the king and want him replaced?
Wonder if he and historia will ever meet, they could probably relate in some ways considering Karl's family was chased out and historia was seen as a nuisance to her mother- if they find out about each others real lineage that is
BasileusKomnenos
Imperator Romanorum Βασιλεύς των Ρωμαίων
- Location
- Los Angeles, CA
Karl is aiming to try and join the cadet corps. Though since Rudolph views the Survey Corps with disdain he likely wants him to join the MP's and build a new powerbase from there. He also knows the secrets behind the walls so he could likely want to perhaps even steal the Founding Titan. This is of course if no unforeseen variables ruin these plans, and this being Attack on Titan, plans always encounter unexpected obstacles.
His goals are less concrete and more nebulous at the moment. Right now he wants vengeance, and is focused on surviving. 5 years prior to the current chapter, he saw his entire life ripped away with most of his immediate family killed. Then his daughter-in-law, Karl's mother, whom he had grown to see as his own daughter was then killed by debris after the Colossal Titan kicked down the wall.
I don't think Rudolph would seek the throne for himself since he would have questionable legitimacy. Though he could try and forge a claim by faking genealogical records that show a dubious blood connection to the Royal family. Though the problem with that is that the Fritz family has had an unbroken lineage for over 2,000 years. To put that in terms of scale the oldest royal family in our world, the Japanese Imperial Family is over 1,500 years old with them tracing their line back to 660 BC.
Yeah that would be a real interesting scenario. It would also work out perfectly for Rudolph since he would now have a perfect claimant whom he could back to take throne. Though he might try to end up being the power behind the throne here.
with the MP thing, he could probably get a lot of working-class support by helping families get out of the underground city and into the towns/villages that are along the large sections of land in between the walls. he could also get ahold of the gangs of wall sina, and prevent them from committing more heinous deeds and focus more on making money, which he could then get a cut of, or just make the crime lords put money into the development of the districts and towns. (he'd need to probably become a high rank before this can happen though)
this would all be reliant on his choice of planning to join the MP though, even after trost - as most cadets actually changed their opinions right before the battle occurred, or afterwards in jean's case.
BasileusKomnenos
Imperator Romanorum Βασιλεύς των Ρωμαίων
- Location
- Los Angeles, CA
The people within the Walls were already rife for revolution after the Wall fell. While it wouldn't be something akin to the French Revolution, it would be more of a popular riot expressing discontent with the ruling class not being able to save them from the Titans.
The problem with that is that most of the MP's senior officials in the chain of command are corrupt as well likely receiving kickbacks from these gangs and criminal elements. The problem with the MP's is that advancement would likely take a few years, time which Paradis doesn't have (the main events of Season 1-3 take place in the span of several months). People like Marlowe likely exist, but as he later saw, it was extremely difficult to work change from the bottom up with so much institutional pressure being against him.
Even if he somehow managed to make it to the top, there's also Kenny Ackerman and the First Interior Squad to deal with. Kenny will likely take notice and try to pre-emptively assassinate him to maintain stability within the walls while Rodd and the Royal Government focus on locating and recovering the Founding Titan.
Exactly! Jean ended up viewing the MP's as pathetic lamenting the fact that he had wanted to join them. While he starts off as kind of a pompous ass in the beginning of the story, he becomes more interesting as a character especially in the Manga which season 4 is covering.
Karl could very well come to the same conclusions. Though as for him joining the MP's I'm kinda split on whether he joins them or the Scouts. When planning out this story, I made two separate outlines based on whether he joins the MP's or the Scouts. I'll probably pick one depending on what I think would organically fit the story after I begin writing it more.
As for canon, I plan on having some things stay similar to the original timeline, but as things move forward, canon will kinda be thrown out the window (as what's the point of having a fic if you stick completely with the original story). Karl would essentially be split into a different division from the main trio that way the rankings for the original trio and the other class rankings of principle side characters like Jean, Annie, Reiner, Bertholt, etc aren't altered by Karl's presence.
What do you think?
BasileusKomnenos
Imperator Romanorum Βασιλεύς των Ρωμαίων
- Location
- Los Angeles, CA
I don't know about OP though especially in the beginning. He'd have no real control over it, or experience with it. In many ways he would kinda parallel Eren when he first discovered his Titan Shifting ability. Though I guess you could call it OP later on though. Though compared to the Ackermans the Weissmans wouldn't have their strength or insane reaction time/speed, so pre-cog is not very useful if you can't move fast enough to avoid incoming danger.
I feel like it depends on what you want to write. If you want to write something that is focusing on the canon story but with a new character that changes things, then have him go into the scouts. But if you want to write an OC-centric story, then have him join the MPs. Regardless of which branch he joins, he'll probably have contact with the main cast. Changing canon won't really be too possible until the Annie capturing operation occurs if he joins MP, then he could participate, and then it would be a while (in terms of episodes/chapters) before he could change more of canon, which brings me back to my point of 'it depends on if you want to change canon, or write an OC-centric story'.
BasileusKomnenos
Imperator Romanorum Βασιλεύς των Ρωμαίων
- Location
- Los Angeles, CA
These are all fair points. Though the one pitfall I see with going too far off the rails is that AoT is kinda linear in terms of story (not that this is a bad things, quite the opposite actually). There's a general linear framework to the plot that doesn't really leave much room for branching out especially in the beginning. This though obviously changes as the story becomes more complex with various plot-lines and characters gaining prominence starting from mid season 2 onwards.
I'll certainly take this into account when planning the next phase(s) of this story.
BasileusKomnenos
Imperator Romanorum Βασιλεύς των Ρωμαίων
- Location
- Los Angeles, CA
I'll try my best! But I can't make any promises at the moment.
- Pronouns
- Male
Wait, what ability does Karl have? Does his clan have a strong combat ability like the Ackerman's?
Last edited:
BasileusKomnenos
Imperator Romanorum Βασιλεύς των Ρωμαίων
- Location
- Los Angeles, CA
Its an ability that the Weissman Family much like the Ackermans have the Titan like speed, strength, and reflexes. I guess to best describe it, I would call it a "precognition" ability of sorts. Though precognition won't do a person much good if they can't react to the incoming danger fast enough, or properly interpret it. It has its own limitations and unique factors that would later make it a blessing and a boon for him.
The Weissman family were once the strategists of the Eldian Empire of the Old serving the Fritz family for many generations in both war and peace. This ability was one of the reasons why they were a danger to the Crown. This in concert with the fact that they were immune to the Founding Titan's memory wipe was why the Royal Government tried to snuff out the Weissmans as soon as they turned away from the Reiss family.
Though unlike the Ackermans, Rudolph was shrewd enough to have a proper escape plan that allowed him to retreat and save what remained of his family, staying right under the Royal Government's nose. He also faked their deaths which is why, in everyone's mind, the Weissman family is though to be extinct.
- Pronouns
- Male
Another question is that did Rudolph tell Karl everything he knew about Founding Titan and Ackerman's and all that backstory.
BasileusKomnenos
Imperator Romanorum Βασιλεύς των Ρωμαίων
- Location
- Los Angeles, CA
As of right now in terms of the story, no. Though Rudolph likely wouldn't tell Karl everything, as he'd want to protect him from the truly depressing reality of their situation. He'd likely tell him what he deems Karl needs to know, to embark on his duty as the Weissman heir to embark on his quest for vengeance and to restore the glory of their house. I'll go into more detail about this point in the next chapter(s) where I actually showcase Karl as the primary main character as the events of the story progress.
Also Rudolph wouldn't want to give Karl too much information as that could make him act rashly. After all, when Erwin's father told him his true feelings about what he thought of the government's narrative about the outside world, Erwin told his classmates which led to Erwin's father being murdered by Sannes, and him being made into an orphan.
Rudolph while a schemer, actually cares about his family and the people he rules. I guess the best way to describe him is as a more compassionate Tywin Lannister that actually took the time to be a good father and grandfather. Rudolph though ultimately wants to restore the power of his House and destroy those who conspired against him much like how Tywin unleashed his wroth upon those he deemed as threatening to his Family and position.
Theoretically wouldn't it be possible for him to predict what someone does prior to like just before they act? Like, in 5 seconds someone will punch you, but you have 5 seconds to prepare for the hit.
Or are you going for precognition in terms of being able to predict multiple outcomes before a choice is made ?
Maybe both in the long run? Dunno, just thoughts on it. If eren can work on being able to control his titan form, I'd assume karl would be able to (whether directly or indirectly) progress with his precognition. I feel like the latter is quite OP though, so it would need something to balance it unless you want an op mc.
Or are you going for precognition in terms of being able to predict multiple outcomes before a choice is made ?
Maybe both in the long run? Dunno, just thoughts on it. If eren can work on being able to control his titan form, I'd assume karl would be able to (whether directly or indirectly) progress with his precognition. I feel like the latter is quite OP though, so it would need something to balance it unless you want an op mc.
BasileusKomnenos
Imperator Romanorum Βασιλεύς των Ρωμαίων
- Location
- Los Angeles, CA
I haven't quite fleshed out all the details quite yet, but I can see it work something like that. What I was envisioning was essentially more like a feeling of imminent danger at least in the beginning which he has to try and react to and prevent.
I plan on there being some limits and constraints to his "powers" but he will eventually learn more about the nature of his families and thier abilities. While in some ways the OP might be considered "OP" there would be some drawbacks to his powers. This is largely done to avoid the MC being a Gary Stu, a trope which I dislike.
While families such as the Ackermans served as the KIng's bodyguards, the Weissmans served as the warlords of the old Eldian Empire utilizing its armies and hordes of Titans to conquer much of the known world. I plan on expanding into the lore of the Eldian Empire, and the history of the Eldian Empire in later chapters as well.
- Pronouns
- Male
Oh, so he basically starts out with Spidey Sense with possibility to improve it.