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Writer's pictureJoanna Dunlap

Jowy’s Story - 0. Foreword (Suikoden II Fan Fiction)

Suikoden II - Jowy's Story

A Fanfiction by Joanna Sherlyn Dunlap


"Suikoden" and all its characters therein are trademarks of Konami Co., Ltd. © 1995-1998.

English Translation © Konami of America, Inc.


Writer-Creator: Yoshitaka Murayama (Murayama-san, arigato!)


Be kind. I took some artistic liberties, as all fic writers do, but I tried to stick to the story of Suikoden II. In this work of fanfiction, I am trying to put across a story in the same vein as the game, and therefore a similar rating on a PG-13 level is used. (Or rating M) There is mild-moderate swearing occasionally, violence (it is a war story after all), and suggested sexual content, though never shown.


At first I wanted to use the original Japanese spelling of "Joei," but then I thought that as a rich Highland kid with a father named Marcell, he would have had a more western name, and the spelling used in the game: "Jowy" was more appropriate. Every time I play this game, I name the Hero "Erik." However, to avoid confusion, I decided to use the novelization's "Riou." for the name of the hero. Keeping in line with future Suikoden games, I've decided to call the army of the City-State the "Dunan Army," and the name of Dunan's castle is "New Wind Castle." I figured it was an appropriate nod to the life the castle had in the past, yet also accepting it's rebirth and new function. I like to think that Viktor would have smiled at the name.


Foreward


I decided to write this after playing Suikoden II again. How many times have I played it since it came out? I still remember staying awake Christmas Eve 1998 to finish Suikoden I with all 108 Stars before I opened the second game the next morning. I had heard that there was a secret for those that uploaded completed 108-Stars files from the first game, and I was determined to play the sequel to my all-time favorite game the right way the very first time I played it. And then how my face lit up when I first experienced the opening sequence. But enough reminiscing, I'm not the Chief of the Warrior's Village… As I played it again, now ten years later, I got to thinking how cool it would be if Konami came out with a game from Jowy's point of view (of course they'd probably only release it in Japan, those bastards). When I first played the game, I saw Jowy one-dimensionally, as a traitor. After replaying several times and growing more mature myself, I became a combination of Nanami and Shu (oh GOD, that's a ship I NEVER want to think of!) Like Nanami, I wanted nothing more than all the friends to be united, and couldn't understand why they had to be separated. Yet, like Shu, I understood all the details, and what had to be done in the face of this grand war they were all tangled in.


Then I started to realize how complex Jowy was as a person, and I wanted to know more. I wanted to know what fueled him, what drove him, and how he justified making the hard sacrifices he made. I wanted to know what he did in L'Renouille for fun. I wanted to know the kind of things he and Pilika did together, to keep him sane when he was king. I wanted to know who his Stars of Destiny were. And, of course, I was always intrigued by the complicated yet simple relationship he and Jillia shared.


So I searched for a fanfic from his point of view. I don't often read fanfic, or write it for that matter, but I was a woman possessed. I had to experience Suikoden II from Jowy's eyes. I never found the fanfic I was looking for. And I quickly became so passionate about seeing Jowy's story, I decided to write it myself.


Jowy is an incredibly wise and intelligent man. Far more so than Riou. Where Riou has the strength of heart to bring people together, like a Bright Shield quietly protecting all he cares about; Jowy has the strength of mind and a will of iron, tempered sharp like a great Black Sword that is not afraid to cut through anything to reach the greater good, no matter the pain. Neither Riou nor Jowy are better than the other. They are simply two different people, like two different weapons. Both important. We have seen Riou's story. So now here is Jowy's story. It is what it is, and I hope you'll enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it.


Thanks,


-Joanna



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