Knoll

Watcher of Darkness
Knoll
Species	Human
Class	Shaman
Promotion	Druid, Summoner
Affiliation	Grado
Hair color	Purple
Base	Grado
Debut	Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones

Knoll is a playable unit in Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones and the only recruitable shaman.

Background

Knoll was a practicer of dark magic who lived in Grado. He was somewhat mysterious but refined and tried to defy the stereotype that dark magic was evil. He studied alongside the young Prince Lyon and was impressed by Lyon's dreams of bringing happiness to Grado. Knoll eventually became one of Grado's top arcane researchers and was part of a research team that worked with Lyon in attempting to reproduce lost arcane techniques with the help of the Dark Stone. They eventually succeeded in forming a time shear which showed them a horrible earthquake that would ravage Grado five years in the future. All of them were reluctant to believe that they had actually seen the future, but they found themselves unable to disprove it and reluctantly had to accept that future. Emperor Vigarde died around that time, and Knoll was one of the very few to know of his death. Lyon suggested using the Stone of Grado to revive Vigarde, and the research group went into overtime trying to find a way to make this happen. Knoll was actually absent when Lyon performed the actual ceremony which split the stone into a Sacred Stone and the Dark Stone. When Knoll arrived at the castle, he was greeted by the new Lyon, who introduced Knoll to the revived Vigarde. He was then shocked when he witnessed Lyon breaking the Sacred Stone, leaving him with just the corrupt Dark Stone.

The transformed Lyon frightened Knoll. Likely because he was one of the few who knew the truth, Knoll was imprisoned within Grado Castle and scheduled for execution. Knoll's time in the dungeon caused him to regret their greedy hunger for knowledge and to consider their research to have been for nothing. He remained there for about a year until "Ephraim Chapter 14: Father and Son" when Ephraim freed him after liberating the castle, coincidentally a day before Knoll's scheduled execution. Knoll explained everything he knew about the Dark Stone and Lyon's transformation to Ephraim, and he then showed Ephraim to the hidden chamber where the Sacred Stone was once held, and the Sacred Twin weapons were still held there. Ephraim was puzzled by this, but Knoll seemed to think that it was Lyon's old self that had prevented him from destroying the weapons. He then joined with Ephraim's army and fought as part of it for the remainder of the War of the Stones. Knoll seemed to join in the same manner in Eirika's path, in which he was first seen and playable as part of Ephraim's group when he arrived in "Chapter 15: Scorched Sand". He returned to Grado after the war and did everything he could to help in restoring it to its former glory. After this task was completed, Knoll disappeared without a trace.

Support Conversation Summaries

Knoll is capable of having support conversations with only three other characters:

• Duessel - Duessel approaches Knoll, wanting to know about the fates of Lyon and Vigarde. Knoll makes a quick attempt to dissuade him but then begins to tell Duessel after he affirms himself. Knoll goes through the story of the time shear in the next conversation, and Duessel does not believe the claims of seeing the future. He then asks if this is what caused Lyon to start the war, but Knoll does not know. He says that only one person knows the truth behind that and that he only tells the truths that he knows for himself. In the final conversation, Duessel finds Knoll and notices how worn down he looks, warning him that looking like that on the battlefield could invite death. Knoll does not seem to mind the possibility, as he says that he has lost his way and probably should have been executed in the capital, no longer knowing his way through life. Knoll recalls how optimistic Lyon had been in the past and compares the loss of Lyon's old self to his losing everything. Duessel tells Knoll that he has also lost everything and that they are both dead men staying away from their grave, but he also tries to assure Knoll that they can start a new after looking back on the past what gave their lives meaning. Knoll tells Duessel that he is not as strong as the general, but he agrees to search for a new path that will guide him to realizing the dreams that Lyon once held so dearly.
• Lute - Knoll notices Lute stalking him and attempts to ask her for her reasons when she attacks him, but he dodges. After he dodges a second attack, she says that he is too dangerous and she cannot let him threaten her natural superiority. In the next conversation, Lute confronts Knoll to tell him that she has been researching him to find his Achilles' heel. Knoll questions her motives, and she says she cannot allow him to be superior to her because him using magic makes him competition, especially dark magic. Knoll attempts to rationally explain that they are allies and that they should not worry about who is better if they are on the same side, but Lute accuses him of trying to trick her and decides to momentarily retreat because it is no longer safe for her. In the final conversation, Lute apologizes to Knoll, but for the reason that she had observed him in combat and come to think that she had overestimated his abilities and that she was still the greater. Lute then is about to leave, but Knoll suggests she stay and chat because it was safe now that he was no longer considered a threat to her, and Lute agrees to this as long as they agree she is the superior one.
• Natasha - Natasha and Knoll formally introduce themselves to each other, having seen each other in passing at Grado in the past. They talk about the incompatibility of clerics with mages, and Natasha begins to ask about the Sacred Stone. Knoll avoids the question by instead presuming the prejudices which Natasha's mentor had against dark mentor. She denies this angrily, and Knoll is left to the conclusion that they cannot see eye-to-eye due to clerics relying on faith in the unknowable while mages rely on knowledge. In the next conversation, Knoll explains the Sacred Stone and the concept of the time shear to Natasha. She sees prediction of the future as blasphemous, but Knoll points out the advantage of such foresight and continues his explanation. In the final conversation, Natasha guesses the great disaster which Lyon saw in the future and begins to stress over what she should do with this knowledge after Knoll's silence confirms it is true. Knoll then tells her the details of the deadly earthquake and suggests that she leave the continent, but Natasha refuses due to the people who will need her, as she will gladly risk her live to rescue even a few others. Natasha promises to make the most of this knowledge, and Knoll is impressed. He points out the difference between clerics in mages also lies in knowledge vs. sacrifice, and he offers to join her when the time comes because he does not want anyone to die if he can save them by his action. So they decide to unite their strengths for the common good.