Nikolaos Terrowyn
A slave turned student turned scholar.
General Information
Name: Nikolaos “Niko” Terrowyn
Alias(s): “Ilyas"Age: 16, 21 (Post-Time-skip)
Date of birth: 14, Garland Moon
Sign: GeminiSexuality: Bisexual, female lean
Sex: Male
Gender: Male
Pronouns: He/HimPersonal Skill: Stable Boy+ 4 Advantage to as adjacent Calvary unitsStatus: Adopted son of Matilda Terrowyn, Bishop of the Eastern Church.
House: Golden Deer House
Affiliation: Almyra (Formerly), Eastern Church, Leicester Alliance
Close Allies: Claude, Ignatz, Raphael
Personality
Nikolaos is an industrious, analytical young man whose mind rarely slows down. Haunted by his past, he often feels as though time is slipping through his fingers, pushing him to work harder, study longer, and shoulder more than he should. His diligence makes him a stellar academic: he excels in history, Reason, and magic, and his fascination with ancient cultures and forgotten stories drives him to read and write with almost obsessive devotion. As a storyteller and chronicler, he is eloquent and articulate—yet when the spotlight turns on him, his confidence falters. Large crowds unsettle him, and despite his gift for words, he prefers the quieter company of books, quills, and ideas.Though reserved, Nikolaos is deeply compassionate. He struggles to express affection openly, instead showing his care through quiet gestures, thoughtful gifts, or self-sacrificing actions. Protective of those close to him, he sometimes loves with such intensity that it borders on obsession—something he recognizes and tries to temper. His guarded nature makes forming bonds difficult, but once someone earns his trust, his loyalty is unwavering.People exhaust him as much as solitude frightens him, so he often finds solace among horses, whose steady presence offers him peace. His keen, judgmental eye for character—sharpened by years of hardship—can make him blunt or distrustful, even as he despises the prejudice he’s faced himself. Beneath his composed, academic exterior lies a young man torn between worlds: critical of Almyra’s cruelty and Fódlan’s xenophobia, yet wary of voicing those feelings too openly. Driven, intelligent, and quietly yearning for connection, Nikolaos hides a tender heart behind layers of caution and relentless work.
Likes, Dislikes, & Interests
Likes: Alternative-History novels, working hard, sitting next to the window while it's raining.Dislikes: Loud noises, large dogs, the cold, being stuck indoorsHobbies: Equestrian work, writing, story-telling, sketching, sleeping in the stablesInterests: History, common & noble literature, reading, horses
Relationships
Parent(s): Efrayim (Father, Deceased), Matilda Terrowyn (Adoptive Mother)
Siblings: Rukavina Terrowyn (Adoptive Sister)
Current S-supports: Dorothea (@lyricallibra)
Appearance
Hair color: Light Black
Eye color: MagentaHeight: 5 1”, 5 9”
Weight: 100, 160
Body Type: EctomorphDistinguishing features: Bright, vibrant eyes.
Piercings: Pierced ears
Tattoos: None
Scars: Permanent marks on his neck & wrists, lashing scars all across his back.
Pre-Timeskip Appearance
Post-Timeskip Appearance
Backstory
𝐖𝐡𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐂𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐝𝐬 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝟏:Nikolaos was born "Ilyas" in a quiet valley along the Leicester–Almyra border, known simply as the Pass. His mother died giving birth to him, leaving him in the care of his father, Efrayim—a kind, timeless man who raised horses and filled their home with books, stories, and lessons in magic. For eight years, Niko lived in peace, developing a love for horses and an even deeper obsession with reading.That peace ended when an Almyran warlord seized the Vale, enslaving its people. Efrayim, already growing frail, offered himself and his son as stable hands to keep them together. The work was brutal, and the years wore Efrayim down further. By the time Niko turned twelve, his father was slipping into illness and confusion. On his deathbed, Efrayim gave Niko one last embrace and a final wish: “I'm sorry Ilyas, I- I should have been better... please just run, run and never look back.”Niko’s chance came during the warlord’s failed assault on Fódlan’s Locket. Amidst the rout, he fled toward the fortress, only to be greeted by the Goneril Garrison. There, on account for his ability to read and write in Fodlan's language, he was turned over to a visiting Holy Woman, Lady Matilda Terrowyn. Rather than leaving him to be a servant for the Gonerils, Matilda saw promise in the boy. A learned Bishop without children of her own, she had begun adopting children of talent to preserve her line. Niko bonded quickly with her and her first adoptee, Rukavina, and on his thirteenth birthday he took Matilda’s name as her son.With a roof over his head and books at his fingertips, Niko flourished. He immersed himself in history and magic, determined to live and write freely and academically in honor of his father, and bygone people. By sixteen, his path led him to Garreg Mach Monastery, where he would take his place as the newest—and ninth—member of the Golden Deer, his scholarship paid in full by the Eastern Church.At first, Nikolaos keeps his distance from the Golden Deer. His guarded nature leaves him circling the class from afar, unsure how to bridge the gap. The nobles—Hilda and Lorenz—feel suffocating to be around, while the easy camaraderie between Raphael and Ignatz intimidates him. Even Claude earns his suspicion: an Almyran in Fódlan’s clothes is too familiar a reminder of wounds not yet healed. So Niko retreats into himself, spending his free time quietly chronicling the history of his scattered people. His studies center on equestrian arts and magic, pursuing the path of a Dark Knight who might one day serve an Alliance lord. Though his swordplay lags behind, his words grow keener with every stroke of his quill—his pen, sharper than any blade.Slowly, cracks form in his solitude. Small, tentative steps lead to friendships: sharing stories with Ignatz, finding gentle understanding in Marianne, and enjoying Raphael’s warmth despite his initial reservations. Caring for the monastery’s horses alongside Marianne and Leonie becomes his refuge, where he swaps legendary tales while brushing manes and mending tack. Most importantly, Niko begins a dialogue with Claude. Through long talks about their pasts, their dreams, and their visions for the future, Claude’s hope for a world without borders begins to soothe Niko’s vengeful heart. For the first time in years, he dares to imagine a future where the Pass—and all it represents—might not be erased. Amid this quiet renewal, Niko helps deliver a colt, a black foal he names Emir, whom he affectionately calls his “brother.”By the time chapter four arrives, fate offers him another piece of home: his sister Rukavina appears at Garreg Mach’s gates, a refugee of the Western Church’s destruction who has found a place among the monastery guard. Her arrival is a moment of pure joy for Niko. Between his growing circle of friends, the horses he cares for, his sister’s company, and the pages of his chronicle, the boy who once believed himself alone begins—at last—to feel part of something greater.𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐮𝐞 𝟏: 𝐁𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐋𝐞𝐟𝐭 𝐔𝐧𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐝By the time Chapter Six arrives, Nikolaos has settled into life with the Golden Deer far more than he ever expected. Though still soft-spoken and reserved, he’s diligent in his studies and has found a small but genuine circle of friends. Having become a visitor, his frequent stops at the Shadow Library have blossomed into a growing interest with the figure of Pan, a near-mythic figure from Faerghus.While researching, Nikolaos discovers an ancient map—a fragile vellum sheet denoting an unnamed site connected to Pan, hidden deep within the foothills of Charon territory. When the class receives a mission that takes them near the region, Nikolaos leaps at the chance. Before dawn breaks, he quietly saddles a borrowed horse and slips from camp, promising himself he’ll return before anyone notices.He doesn’t realize that what he seeks is better to be left unburied.The tomb he discovers far exceeds any expectation. The entrance opens into a vast, forgotten sanctum: interwoven architectural styles from eras long erased, all converging in a stunning, ancient-looking workshop at the deepest point—part library, part laboratory. Nikolaos is entranced... and then he touches the wrong book.Resting high on a shelf, preserved unnaturally well, is a tome unmistakably crafted in the style of a Hero’s Relic. When he lifts it, dormant wards snap awake. A shriek of ancient magic ripples through the ruins—and phantom soldiers, clad in black and faceless, appear across the tomb by the dozens.Luckily for him, his class has already realized he’s missing. They arrive at the entrance just as the tomb erupts into violence.The battle is a desperate breakout. Phantom warriors pour endlessly from the walls, pinning Nikolaos deeper inside as the Golden Deer punch a path toward him. Forced to fight for his life, the young scholar grabs what artifacts he can while retreating—three strange spellbooks: Stuttingar’s Mystery, the Ichor Scroll, and an unmarked, ornately bound tome later known as Pan’s Enchiridion. Despite the chaos, the Deer fight with brutal efficiency. No one is lost. Once Nikolaos reaches friendly lines, the command shifts to a full retreat out of the tomb, sealing the entrance behind them.Outside, Nikolaos immediately demands to know why they came after him—until Claude and Byleth shut him down hard.
“You have to accept that you’re not alone anymore,” Claude tells him. “Your choices affect the rest of us. We could’ve died because we care about you."Nikolaos apologizes, realizing how recklessly he acted. Still, when he presents the relics he recovered, even Claude can’t deny the historical value of the find. Together with Byleth, they agree to keep the tomb sealed for now—too dangerous to leave open, but too important to abandon forever.Upon returning to Garreg Mach, Nikolaos dutifully turns over the two relic-tomes to the Church. But the third book—the Enchiridion—he keeps. Something about it calls to him. And with a new, burning fascination for Fódlan’s forgotten past, he intends to uncover its secrets… whatever they may be.𝐖𝐡𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐂𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐝𝐬 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝟐:From that point on, Nikolaos remains diligent in his studies, but no longer isolates himself within them. He spends his free hours with friends, or walking the monastery grounds alongside his sister, choosing people over pages for once. Between classes, he continues his quiet struggle with Pan’s Enchiridion, poring over its unreadable script to no avail. The failure frustrates him—but it does not halt his growth. Slowly, deliberately, he begins to explore who he is beyond survival.By Chapter Ten, the nightmare at Remire Village and the murder of Jeralt harden something within him. As Byleth mourns, Nikolaos is quick to offer companionship—not platitudes, but the understanding of someone who has buried family and lived on regardless. In the wake of that loss, he redoubles his efforts to uncover the Enchiridion’s secrets, desperate to make sense of a world that increasingly refuses to. It is also then that he begins to notice something is wrong with Rukavina. Subtle at first—distance, silence—but unmistakable.In chapter 12, amidst the depths of the Holy Tomb, Rukavina Terrowyn stands beside the Flame Emperor, a lance in hand and vengeance burning in her eyes. For eight months, she has served as a silent agent of the Empire—a Western Church zealot working from within. Now, she faces the archbishop and the Golden Deer without hesitation.Amid the chaos, Nikolaos confronts her on the battlefield—his adoptive sister, his first friend, the person who taught him how to survive. Heartbroken and disoriented, he begs her to explain herself, to speak to him, to come home. She answers only with cold words and steel. Though he manages to defeat her and force a retreat, she leaves him with a deep wound across his cheek, a scar he'll wear for years to come.By the final chapter, To War, Nikolaos stands with the Golden Deer against the invading Imperial forces. Once more, he crosses blades with Rukavina. This time, his grief turns sharp. He accuses her of betraying not only him, but their adoptive mother as well—reminding her of the promise she once made, that nothing mattered more than family. His words are raw, unguarded, and born of a heart already breaking.History takes its course. Wounded in body and spirit alike, Nikolaos retreats with his class to the Alliance. He returns to Diarmuid Abbey, seeking refuge in the Eastern Church. But the halls feel a lot more empty without a familiar friend wandering them with him. Every corner echoes with what once was, and with the sister he could not save.
Extra Lore
Extra Info on characters, places, and other lore bits regarding Niko's backstory
𝐓𝐡𝐞 "𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧" 𝐏𝐚𝐬𝐬Tucked away in the mountains along the Fódlan–Almyra border lies a quiet river valley known as the Forgotten Pass—a name as fitting as it is poetic. For centuries, the Pass was overlooked by kings and lords alike, left to exist as a hidden crossroads between two continents and two cultures. Locals often say that beneath its forests and meadows, the old world still slumbers, waiting to be awakened.The valley itself is a picture of rustic beauty: wide meadows dotted with pine forests, small farms scattered across fertile soil, and a population barely numbering five thousand. Its people are hardy and welcoming, shaped by traditions drawn from both Fódlan and Almyra. Bilingual and egalitarian, they have fostered a unique micro-culture all their own.Yet the Pass is more than pastoral. Crumbling ruins stand half-buried among the trees, reminders that this place once held greater purpose. Whispers persist of an ancient city sleeping beneath the earth, a legend that lures adventurers and treasure-seekers. In the end, it was such whispers that drew ruin to the valley.In Imperial Year 1174, the discovery of rich gold veins in the surrounding mountains finally caught Almyra’s attention. The invasion was swift and merciless. Farms were burned, families scattered, and those not slaughtered were shackled and sold into bondage. Within months, the Pass was annexed and its people displaced, its once-quiet fields turned into an Almyran colony.Now, little remains of the Forgotten Pass but memory and myth. Its culture survives only in fragments—in the hearts of those few who remember their home not as a colony, but as a verdant land where two worlds once met in peace.
Mun Information
Writer Tag: Inis
Sex/Gender: Male, He/Him
Age: 22 years old
Time zone: Eastern Standard TimeI try to keep my TL clean, with lewd strictly kept to DMsDMs are always open for plotting, and I'd love to interact!
Shipping Info
Niko ships with chemistry, and is interested in both men and women, with a lean toward the latter.
