Follow TV Tropes

Following

Context Characters / AffairsOfTheCourt

Go To

1!! The PC
2
3The protagonist, a young noble who has just come-of-age and is sent to court to secure a spouse and the family's fortune. To proceed through the trilogy, they must win over the Monarch by the end of the first game, but ''how'' they do so, and what they do after, is up to them...
4
5* ADeadlyAffair: Has plenty of opportunities to get into one of these throughout the trilogy, and multiple flavours of them, too.
6** "Choice of Romance": The "killing your lover's spouse" variant is an option for improving your status in court, but it isn't a requirement.
7** "Choice of Intrigue": Regardless of whether you've married the Monarch or not, "killing your spouse's lover" is a possible way to get rid of Adelita.
8** "'Til Death Do Us Part": "Killing your spouse's lover" is again an option, this time for dealing with Lucí(o/a), but [[spoiler:you can also engage in "killing your spouse", both to protect yourself and to free yourself up for a relationship with de Mendosa or de Vega]].
9* TheCharmer / ManipulativeBastard: Will end up one of these, depending on your Charm and Subtlety scores. The game highly encourages you to flesh at least one of them out to survive, though maintaining both is difficult since improving one typically requires you to sacrifice the other.
10* ChickMagnet: Catches the eye of no less than three people the minute they set foot in court, not to mention [[spoiler:de Vega and the unwanted attention of Tomas de Reyes]] in "'Til Death Do Us Part".
11* CruelAndUnusualDeath:
12** There are ''quite'' a number of ways for the PC to die, especially in "'Til Death Do Us Part", where [[spoiler:the Monarch could have you [[KillItWithFire burned alive]] for a variety of reasons]].
13** The PC can inflict many of these on others, directly or indirectly, with special mentions going to:
14*** The BloodMagic Death curses a PC can use throughout the trilogy.
15*** Defending yourself against an assassination attempt by [[KillItWithFire Killing Them With Fire]] in "'Til Death Do Us Part".
16*** Again in "'Til Death Do Us Part", you can [[spoiler:throw de Mendosa or de Vega under the bus when rumours of you committing adultery spread, in which case they are subjected to ColdBloodedTorture]].
17* DroppedABridgeOnHim: [[spoiler:If you flee the country in the third game, you die of a random fever a year later. This doesn’t happen if you’re legitimately exiled, though.]]
18* EarnYourHappyEnding: If you manage to reach a BittersweetEnding—or the GoldenEnding—then you have ''earned'' it.
19* {{Expy}}: Is essentially Anne Boleyn—even if male! They may or may not be more successful.
20* GoldDigger: What your family wants you to be, and can be this in a romance with [[MealTicket Torres]] or the Monarch. Averted in a romance with de Mendosa.
21* HappilyMarried: Potentially to the Monarch. [[spoiler:The PC can also marry de Vega or de Mendosa at the end of the third game.]]
22* HenpeckedHusband: Played with in regards to the Monarch; the best way to avoid angering them is to never openly oppose them and agree with whatever they say, but you can work behind the scenes or subtly sway their opinions with flattery.
23* IDidWhatIHadToDo: How they justify their actions in Court, and they can do it ''a lot''.
24* ImpoverishedPatrician: Their noble family has fallen on hard times, and are relying on the PC to restore them to status.
25* IncorruptiblePurePureness: A very hard status to maintain—almost impossible, in fact, but a PC ''can'' be this, in which case they can get the GoldenEnding.
26* KickTheDog: You better believe this comes up. While certain actions are needed to improve your position, some of them—such as [[spoiler:''offering'' to ''murder your sibling'']]—are completely unnecessary.
27* MamaBear / PapaWolf: The PC can refuse to hide away while assassins try to kill their sons, running out to fight them off themselves.
28* TheMistress: If you aren't comfortable murdering the Monarch's consort and marrying them yourself, you can settle for being just this, though it ''is'' a less secure position.
29* MurderTheHypotenuse: An option in all three games; in the first it's to marry the Monarch yourself, in the other two it's to stop their eye from straying.
30* NotWithThemForTheMoney: It’s possible that the PC can marry the Monarch out of love, not a desire for money or status. With Torres, though, they’re definitely OnlyInItForTheMoney.
31* RagsToRoyalty: They do hail from a noble line, but theirs is very poor. If you want to continue the trilogy you thus have to do this.
32* TeenGenius: Canonically, they navigated court politics and won over the Monarch at sixteen. Additionally, if you have a high Booksmart or Magic skill, then they're quite the prodigy, particularly in the case of the latter, since being skilled in magic allows you to [[spoiler:murder the Consort with highly-advanced Death magic at ''sixteen''.]]
33* WellIntentionedExtremist: The PC can blackmail, sabotage, poison, and outright assassinate others all for the sake of keeping themselves and their families safe. In fact, it's a lot more difficult ''not'' to be one.
34* WhatBeautifulEyes: The Monarch compares them to brilliant gemstones at one point.
35* {{Yandere}}: Once a game, the PC gets a rival for the Monarch’s affection. If they murder all three of them, it’s not inconceivable to call them this.
36 
37!! King/Queen Agustin(a) de Iberia, the Monarch
38
39The Monarch, a hedonistic and selfish ruler who notices the PC when they first set foot in court and decides to pursue them. While naturally the PC takes advantage of this, the Monarch is also very temperamental, and navigating court politics while pleasing them is one of the series's challenges.
40
41* AwLookTheyReallyDoLoveEachOther: If Juanita [[spoiler:was killed]] in "Choice Of Intrigue", then the Monarch will mention missing her in "'Til Death Do Us Part". Thoroughly averted with [[spoiler:the Consort if they leave or are executed]], however.
42* BetrayalByOffspring [[spoiler:Their illegitimate son Tomas de Reyes tries to overthrow them in "'Til Death Do Us Part".]]
43* TheCaligula: [[spoiler:They were never a ''nice'' ruler, but they go off the deep end in "‘Til Death Do Us Part" thanks to sheer paranoia and manipulation from Tomas de Reyes.]]
44* TheCasanova: They are very smooth-talking and very good at winning people over.
45* CulturedBadass: They’re an incredibly potent Death Mage, but also well-versed in poetry and art.
46* DepravedBisexual: Attracted to both men and women, largely focused on their own desires, and [[spoiler:becomes [[TheCaligula very violent]] in the third game]].
47* {{Expy}}: Of King Henry VIII.
48* HappilyMarried: Potentially to the PC.
49* TheHedonist: '''The''' defining character trait for them. Their pleasure comes before all else, even the good of the country.
50* LadykillerInLove: Implied in "Choice of Romances". In "Choice of Intrigue", they’ll go back to their skirt-chasing ways. [[spoiler:If the PC manages to produce a Life Mage child, or otherwise suitably impress them, they’ll fall even deeper in love and give up their promiscuity for good.]]
51* MamaBear / PapaWolf: They get ''pissed'' when they learn of the assassination attempt on their sons in the third game, and order a bloody massacre of the people behind it.
52* MasculineGirlFeminineBoy: If she’s female and the PC is male, then Agustina is the blunt, hedonistic huntress, while he’s the clever, charming mage.
53* MoralityChain: The PC is acting as one for them by "'Til Death Do Us Part", [[spoiler:with limited success]].
54* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: They’ll be horrified if they accidentally kill their opponent during the tourney in the first game.
55* OffingTheOffspring: [[spoiler:Can execute Juanita on false accusations of treason in "Choice of Intrigue", and can execute their BastardBastard [[TheUsurper Tomas]] after learning about his plan to overthrow them.]]
56* RoyalWe: Refer to themselves as “we”, generally. They only use singular pronouns during serious situations.
57* SanitySlippage: [[spoiler:In the third game, thanks to their bastard son’s mind manipulation.]]
58* ShootTheDog: [[spoiler: They go off the deep end in the third game and, most likely, will have to be put down to protect your family and all of Iberia.]]
59* StalkerWithACrush: They are ''very'' persistent of the PC, but they will stop or lose interest if the PC doesn't reciprocate.
60* ThirdOptionLoveInterest: For the PC in "Choice of Romance" in contrast to [[BettyAndVeronica Torres and de Mendosa]]. Since continuing to the later games requires you to romance them, they also form an OfficialCouple with the PC. [[spoiler:They assume this role again in "'Til Death Do Us Part", this time with de Mendosa as Betty and de Vega as Veronica.]]
61* UnstoppableRage: Once they get mad, there's pretty much nothing you can do except get out of the line of fire.
62 
63!! Gabriel(a) de Mendosa
64
65One of the romance options in the first game, a young noble with rebellious ideas and dreams of revolutionizing court.
66
67* BettyAndVeronica: In "Choice of Romance", the poor, adventurous, and rebellious Veronica to Torres' Betty and the Monarch's ThirdOptionLoveInterest. [[spoiler:This gets reversed in "'Til Death Do Us Part", where the idealistic and passionate de Mendosa becomes the Betty to de Vega, who takes their place as the Veronica.]]
68* CovertPervert: They like sneaking risqué imagery into their poems.
69* HappilyMarried: Potentially with the PC in "Choice Of Romance". [[spoiler:It’s possible to marry them and set up a democracy in "'Til Death Do Us Part".]]
70* {{Magitek}}: [[spoiler:A major plot point in "'Til Death Do Us Part" is their invention of Death Rods, which [[DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything will allow commoners with the slightest bit of magic in their blood to cast Death spells.]] They meet a lot of pushback for this idea because of fears that it will cause massive social upheaval and destroy TheMagocracy.]]
71* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: [[spoiler:Will be horrified when their Death Rod backfires and kills de Vega’s wife.]]
72* NiceGuy: Is the nicest and most moral of all the romance options in "Choice of Romance". [[spoiler:Downplayed in "'Til Death Do Us Part", which is much more morally grey overall.]]
73* NiceGuysFinishLast: Given that the trilogy canonically has the PC pursuing the Monarch at the end of the first game, at the very ''best'' Mendosa will just be let down gently. [[spoiler:Though this can change in the third.]]
74* RebelliousSpirit: They hate the way society is, and make sure people know.
75* StalkerWithACrush: In the third game, if the PC isn’t interested in them, then de Mendosa becomes very pushy for a relationship. At one point, they’ll try to break into the PC’s room at night—the PC has to tell them five times to go away and threaten to call the guards; de Vega, in contrast, only needs to be told once to leave.
76* WideEyedIdealist: Espouses belief in (relative) social equality and rejects the social norms of the court.
77* WomanScorned: Dumping them for the Monarch causes them to write a scathing poem about you and distribute it across court, which tanks your Reputation.
78 
79!! Carlos/Carlotta Torres
80
81The third of the romance options in the first game, Torres is an aging, wealthy merchant hoping to marry into nobility through the PC.
82
83* AnguishedDeclarationOfLove: If they love the PC, and the PC pursues the Monarch, they’ll give one.
84* IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy: Only if they love you, though. If not, they give you a Reason You Suck Speech.
85* MealTicket: Your ticket out of poverty if you marry them, and they know it.
86* NobilityMarriesMoney: An extremely wealthy commoner looking to marry into the nobility, and PC is an impoverished aristocrat looking to marry someone rich.
87 
88!! Mateo/Magdalena
89
90The PC's younger sibling and one of the few people they trust unequivocally at court.
91
92* AnnoyingYoungerSibling: The PC can perceive and treat them like this, but they can also PetTheDog.
93* BewareTheNiceOnes: [[spoiler:If the PC kills their husband and stepdaughter and they find out about it, they become a CrusadingWidow and have you assassinated as retribution.]]
94* TheConfidant: For the PC, especially in the second and third games when the stress of keeping their position catches up with them. Shares this role with their uncle, acting as the idealist to his pragmatist when giving advice.
95* TheCutie: Two years younger than the PC and infectiously excited at all times.
96* GenkiGirl / {{Keet}}: Never loses their enthusiasm for life and the courts. Unless...
97* FoolishSiblingResponsibleSibling: Is the bubbly and somewhat superficial foolish sibling to the PC's scheming and ambitious responsible sibling.
98* HappilyMarried: To Don Felix in the second and third games. Played with since the two aren't in love, but they are very amicable with him and have a good relationship with their stepdaughter.
99* MoralityPet: Even the most amoral and selfish of [=PCs=] can be nice and loving to their younger sibling.
100* MotorMouth: Talks faster than any of the other characters, making it difficult to tell what they are saying.
101* ObliviousYoungerSibling: Is kept in the dark about some of the PC's more extreme actions, [[spoiler:though their level of success varies based on their Subtle, and there are [[BewareTheNiceOnes serious consequences]] if their sibling finds out about them murdering their husband and stepchild]].
102* ShipperOnDeck: They ship the PC with de Mendosa, sighing over the romanticism of it all.
103
104!! Luis de Vega
105
106The Monarch's right-hand man, Luis de Vega strives for the betterment of Iberia above all else. Depending on how it's played, he can become the PC's greatest ally, or their worst enemy.
107
108* AwesomeByAnalysis: Being an advisor, de Vega shows a great awareness of politics and court dynamics, which he, and potentially the PC, can use to great effect in dealing with their enemies.
109* TheConsigliere: Acts as one to the Monarch, and to a lesser extent to an allied PC.
110* CrusadingWidow: [[spoiler:If the PC still sides with de Mendosa in "'Til Death Do Us Part" after his wife's death by Death Rod, he becomes determined to take both of you down. If you maintain a good relationship with him, he reserves his ire for de Mendosa.]]
111* DrinkBasedCharacterization: Drinks [[LuxuriousLiquor brandy]], representing his formal and closed-off demeanour and his strong-willed pursuit of a secure future for Iberia.
112* DrowningMySorrows: [[spoiler:Can get spectacularly drunk in the PC's room after his wife's funeral, where he reveals who he is BeneathTheMask.]]
113* HappilyMarried:
114** To his wife Sofía. [[spoiler:Until "'Til Death Do Us Part", [[DroppedABridgeOnHim that is...]]]]
115** [[spoiler:...though he ''can'' marry the PC at the end of the game.]]
116* InVinoVeritas: [[spoiler:When he drinks with the PC in "'Til Death Do Us Part", he turns out to be quite a SentimentalDrunk, spending several hours talking about his wife. He also lets slip that he has feelings for the PC, which can lead to KissingUnderTheInfluence unless they [[AboveTheInfluence refuse to kiss or sleep with him while he's inebriated.]]]]
117* MyCountryRightOrWrong: Luis de Vega is driven by a desire to protect Iberia ''at any cost'', even after [[spoiler:the Monarch begins their descent into SanitySlippage. He can be convinced to plot against the Monarch on the basis that their downfall is necessary for the good of the nation.]]
118* NotSoStoic: Gets a few moments in "'Til Death Do Us Part":
119** [[spoiler:Completely unravels after Sofía dies. Gives a furious WhatTheHellHero speech to the PC if they didn't side with him during the debate, blaming them for her death. If the PC ''did'' side with him, he breaks down crying in front of them and gets drunk the night after her funeral.]]
120** [[spoiler:Shows a [[EndearinglyDorky surprisingly shy and awkward side if romanced]], and [[IUhYouToo has a lot of trouble proposing to the PC]] after they execute a successful coup.]]
121* PreviouslyOverlookedParamour: [[spoiler:Is explicitly stated to not be romantically attracted to the PC in "Choice of Romance" but gets PromotedToLoveInterest after the [[DeathOfTheHypotenuse death of his wife]] in "'Til Death Do Us Part".]]
122* SleepingWithTheBosssWife: [[spoiler:If romanced in "'Til Death Do Us Part", especially if the PC is a consort instead of TheMistress. Lampshades how dangerous this could be after the fact, and [[ItsNotYouItsMyEnemies asks to break up with the PC to protect them]]. It is possible to refuse, however, in which case de Vega continues his relationship with you while the Monarch is ''actively undergoing SanitySlippage''.]]
123* TheStoic: A quiet and serious man who keeps his focus squarely on his duties as an advisor.
124* TheStrategist: As advisor to the monarch, de Vega fills this role, and he can also serve as one for an allied PC.

Top