Ninian

"I don’t think I’m really all that good at talking to people either..."

- Ninian in a support conversation with Florina

Ninian (ニニアン, Ninian?) is a quiet, sweet, beautiful, and polite dancer and the older sister of Nils, a teenage bard.

History
Ninian was born in Ilia, her lineage half-human, half-dragon. Her father is speculated to be, ironically, the antagonist Nergal, and her mother an ice dragon known as Aenir, kidnapped during the Scouring. Nergal decided to search for her, but left explicit instructions to the infant Ninian and Nils to return to pass through the Dragon's Gate after a period of time, should he not return. Ninian and Nils waited, but Nergal never returned, and they passed through the Dragon's gate in their dragon forms, losing most of their memories, excluding some, like their missing mother, which Ninian kept a silver ring as a memento. They eventually settled in Paradise, but longed for Elibe, their birthplace. Thus, when they received an opportunity to return through the Dragon's Gate and back to the human realm, they quickly cooperated and passed through the gate, losing most of their quintessence and being forced to revert to their human forms.

However, this was after Nergal was corrupted by the dark magic that had, ironically, been used to open the gate to reunite with his children. Forgetting his children and his motivation to open the gate, he was deluded into thinking that the purpose of opening the Dragon's Gate was to gain power beyond belief and rule over Elibe. He succeeded, and he and Limstella were confronted by the two siblings. Ninian and Nils were held captive by the Dark Druid, but they eventually escaped from Valor and were chased across Elibe by Nergal's morphs and Black Fang agents fooled by Nergal's morph, Sonia. Eventually, they sought refuge in an inn in Khathelet, but Ninian was ambushed by a group of Black Fang assassins and kidnapped. While being escorted to the Black Fang hideout, however, the assassins were attacked by the Pherae noble, Eliwood, who was meeting up with Hector for their yearly spar. Eliwood escorted the girl back to Nils, who had already defeated the Black Fang agents pursuing them with help from a wandering Sacae lord and her group: Lyn.

While the two lords made acquaintances with each other, Ninian learned that her keepsake from her mother had been stolen from her by the assassins, and informed the group. Lyn quickly pursued the Black Fang agents and, along with her group and the tactician, defeated Ursula's assistant, Beyard, and acquired the ring. Ninian, however, was unable to assist the group since she twisted her ankle while in the company of the Black Fang, but was still able to accompany the group as they defeated Lundgren and the Caelin throne. During the celebrations, they slipped quietly out of Caelin.

She was seen again when the three lords were sailing to the Dread Isle by way of Fargus's pirate ship, found in a flimsy ship adrift. She was pulled aboard by Dart and the rest of Fargus's pirates, but was quickly discovered and attacked by a detachment of Black Fang assassins. Ninian was hidden from site while the group fended off the invaders, and the skirmish was ended after Fargus and his men killed the commander of the Black Fang assassins.

During the journey, they learned that Ninian had, for some reason, suffered amnesia. She only remembered that she couldn't be on Valor, but, as the group had no choice as they were also searching for the missing Marquess Pherae, she journeyed with them to the Dragon's Gate.

When they arrived, though, she was captured by Ephidel, who smugly commented that she and her brother had escaped earlier, but fortunately, the group had brought her back and saved them the trouble. While the group fought their way through Black Fang agents and Darin, Marquess of Laus, Ninian was brought before Nergal and he quickly took control of her mind, forcing her to open the Dragon's Gate. When the group arrived, they found themselves too late, gazing at the summoning of a dragon. Before the dragon had fully emerged, however, Nils arrives out of nowhere and breaks Ninian out of her trance, and the group quickly escapes from Dragon's Gate and Valor, leaving Nergal with a grave wound dealt by the deceased Marquess Pherae and Ephidel consumed along with the dragon.

In Badon, however, the group was still confronted by Black Fang assailants, who were apparently still ordered to capture the siblings at all cost. Nils transfers whatever power he had left to Ninian and allows her to fight alongside Eliwood. During their journey across Elibe to stop Nergal's ploy to resurrect dragons, she gains a small attraction to Eliwood that can returned to the dancer through support conversations.

After visiting Athos, gaining his assistance, resolving the conflicts between the Bern family, and recovering the Fire Emblem from Bern's Shrine of Seals, Nils and Ninian are confronted by a fully revitalized Nergal, replenished after feeding on the quintessence of the deceased Four Fangs. Ninian nobly gives herself up to Nils after transferring her power to him, and once again become Nergal's captive.

Back on Valor, Nergal attempts to get Ninian to cooperate, but when he fails, preys on her newfound love of Eliwood, asking her what the lord would think when he learned of her true identity. Plagued by these thoughts, Ninian reverted to her dragon form, effectively losing her memories of the journey except for a desire to see Eliwood, and flies after the group.

However, she arrives just after Eliwood retrieves the Blazing Sword, Durandal, and is slain by the noble. Dying, she uses the remaining quintessence and reverts to her human form, revealing the secret of the two siblings. She dies in Eliwood's arms, begging him to protect the land of Elibe, as Nergal laughs over his victory.

Nergal's supposed victory only spurred the group further in their conquest, and they eventually confronted and killed the druid for his atrocities. In his final hours, he seemingly remembers his purpose for opening the Dragon's Gate, but dies anyway and three dragons emerge from the newly open portal. Bramimond takes action, however, and revives Ninian with the last of his strength. In her dragon form, she seals two of the three and leaves the last gravely wounded, allowing the group to kill it.

With Nergal and his morphs killed, along with the leading powers of the Black Fang, the siblings no longer had any fear to live in the human world. Nils, however, informed his sister that the air would not sustain them much longer, and, if they remained in the human world, they would die soon after. Accepting this fact, Ninian and Nils depart from the human realm, sealing the Dragon's Gate permanently.

In an alternative ending, Nils recognizes his sister's feelings for Eliwood, and departs for Paradise alone, leaving the two to marry back in Pherae. Ninian becomes the mother of Roy, but dies of illness shortly after, as warned by Nils. This is the ending in the official novel of the game.

Personality
Ninian is a gentle, polite, and courteous girl, treating all of the people she can support with lots of recognition, respect, and courtesy. However, it is shown that she can also be very brave to protect those she loves and protects, shown when she gives herself up to Nergal to protect Nils. Her speech patterns are also very slow, meaning that she pauses and thinks a lot before she speaks, most likely out of shyness since she's re-adapting to her old home in Elibe.

Despite this, she retains an enigmatic aura for fear of any learning of her heritage causing some people to seeks to use it for their advantage, prime example of this being Nergal. While they attempt to defeat Nergal, she develops feelings for Eliwood, and this can be returned by the lord, giving her incentive to remain in the human world and marry the lord.

In-Game
Due to her dragon heritage, her dances, as well as Nils's music, invigorates her allies and allows them to move again. Ninian and Nils have the same stats, stat growths, and as they level up, their gains transfer between them, including stat boosting items. Though they have different classes, they are interchangable. They both may refresh an allied unit so that it may move again, or use one of four magic rings to provide a temporary stat bonus. Due to plot developments that remove one or the other from action, you may only control one at any time; the only aspect of these characters that does not transfer between them is their support bonuses.

Since Nils nor Ninian can attack or retaliate, and they have a poor physical defense, it's wise to keep them defended behind other characters. To offset this, they come with high growths in Speed, Luck, and Resistance, making them likely to avoid enemies, and resilient against magic attacks. They gain 10 experience every time they Dance or Play for an allied unit. With the use of hacks and/or codes she can attack, but double attacks makes the game freeze. Set's Litany is unavailable to Ninian, as you may only find it after the last time she is replaced by Nils for the game's duration.

Base Stats
|Dancer |Ice |1 |14 |0 |0 |12 |10 |5 |4 |4 |5 | -- |Ninis's Grace, Elixir

Growth Rates
|85% |5% |5% |70% |80% |30% |70% (Same as Nils's growth rates)
 * Note: Nils and Ninian have stats that are similar, but Nils has 1 Con smaller.

Rings

 * Ninis' Grace: Boosts target's effective defence and resistance by 10 for one turn.
 * Filla's Might: Boosts target's effective magic or strength by 10 for one turn.
 * Set's Litany: Boosts target's effective avoid chance by 10% for one turn.
 * Thor's Ire: Boosts targets effective critical strike chance by 10% for one turn.

If Eliwood was present in the battle
Ninian: Ah...

Eliwood: Ninian!

Ninian: I'm so sorry, Lord Eliwood... I...cannot...stand much longer...

Eliwood: You needn't try. I'll take care of everything. Retreat to a safe place. Can you do that?

Ninian: Yes...

If Eliwood was not present in the battle (only possible in Hector's story)
Ninian: Ah...

Nils: Ninian! Are you well?

Ninian: I'm sorry... I can... stand no longer...

Nils: There's nothing else we can do here. Come, let us retreat to the rear. We don't want to become a burden on you.

(End of chapter)

Eliwood: Nils! How is Ninian?

Nils: I think she'll be fine with a little rest.

Eliwood: I asked too much of her. It was not right... From now on, the two of you will stay out of combat. Is that understood?

Nils: Yes. I'm sorry.

Possible Endings
Nils & Ninian - Children of Destiny

After these dragonkin bid farewell to the land of their birth, they returned to their new world. Meeting Eliwood warmed the hearts of these ice dragons with the hope that man and dragon could live in peace.

Ninian and Eliwood

Eliwood and Ninian were wed after the conflict. Ninian gave up her old life and her people to enjoy a brief life with Eliwood. They have a son named Roy, who will one day take up arms to defend his nation.

Other Supports
Florina

Hawkeye

Etymology
This name is one of several variations for the Lady of the Lake who gives King Arthur Excalibur. Other variants include 'Nimue' and 'Vivian.'