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Solm is known as the queendom of freedom and at the start of the game is ruled by Queen Seforia. Princess Timerra is the next in line to her throne, her sibling is Prince Fogado and he is captain of the sentinels.

The inspiration for Solm is Sicily. Solm Palace is inspired by Palermo, the interior is based on Zisa Palace. The temple the Four Winds become trapped in and the Desert Stronghold are inspired by Agrigento’s Valle dei Templia and the Northern Fortress is inspired by Salemi Castle.

Solm's emblem is inspired by the eagle on The Kingdom of Sicily flag. As the King of the Skies, the eagle serves as a messenger bringing a message of power, courage, strength, cunning and immortality.

Solm is possibly named after the House of Solm peerage of Germany and the Kingdom of Sicily. The name is derived from the Old Norse for sun.

Pale Sands is an isolated kingdom with its own government in the borders of Solm.

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In Fogado's conversation with Celine we learn that Solm's economy is based upon trade relations. At the start of the game the conditions for trade are not ideal. Brodia is at war with Elusia which would make a land based trade route through Elusia to Brodia dangerous. Firene are a self sufficient country who can cater for their civilians needs and leisure, as well as being what Fogado describes as an anti social kingdom, which makes trade relations difficult. On the other hand the shape of Elyso creates trade routes by sea. Lythos is in the centre of the circle making them the ideal trading partner by sea. The ships can either go to Lythos and back or use Lythos as a halfway point to another country. Trade with Solm is evident via the Cafe Terrace menu on the Somniel.

At Givre Port, post battle, Bunet mentions that he is sad that he would never get to meet the traders of Elusia who have been turned into the Corrupted because he was always excited to sample their goods. This demonstrates a trade route from Solm to Elusia.

After the game has finished their trading economy would benefit from peace. A new country, Gradlon, is established which would create a new trade route. Elusia has suffered a great loss in the size of their population due to Sombron's thirst for blood. They would require trade to help supply the goods and services their people need where the lack of workers affects production. Firene has a new, open minded and social leader who is easy to negotiate with. Brodia becomes a mining economy who wish to open trade routes to export their minerals.

Solm is a desert land with conditions that do not suit certain crops, trade with other countries enables Solm to access goods and services that may not be available domestically or are expensive to produce. Trade can also result in a much more competitive market that could result in a much more competitive market, which customers could benefit from with cheaper prices. However trade of natural resources could exhaust a country's resources as well as make them dependent upon another country for certain good and services.

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The activities mentioned by the characters of Solm include:

Shopping
Cooking, barbecuing, outdoor eating and dining.
Camping
Singing and music
Wolf riding
Partying and dancing

At the Somniel Solm's recreation is represented by the flea market and the camping area. Characters can be seen singing (Timerra and Pandreo), playing the lute (Fogado and Pandreo), interacting with animals (Merrin) and dining (Bunet and Panette). The flea market represents Solm's economic interest in drafting trade deals, the market bazaars and the travelling merchants from their country. Timerra also enjoys a little retail therapy. The camp site represents the freedom to travel anywhere and do what they please as well as the outdoors theme of the queendom's recreation.

Outdoors Recreation

The importance of Solm's outdoor activity orientation is that it represents freedom and friendliness. In Solm you are free to go where you please, do whatever you please and speak with anyone. A royal could make friends with a rebel (Timerra and Panette), a humble priest (Fogado and Pandreo), a commoner from a family bistro (Fogado and Bunet), or a runaway from a tribe (Timerra and Merrin). Anyone could be friends with anyone, no matter the differences of class, interest or religion. The Solm royals create no boundaries between themselves and their people. This is represented quite literally by royals who are never in their castle, there are no walls or gates separating them from everyone else. They are out in the wild socialising and directly helping people. Fogado actively goes around helping people as mentioned in his ‘bucket brigade’ conversation with Hortensia. When it comes to her people Timerra is just as proactive as she locates and defeats bandits to protect her people as mentioned in her support conversations with Alear. When comparing methods of leadership with Diamant she states that:

‘Then we’re one and the same. I hang out with folks in town so I can protect them. After all, can’t keep someone safe if you don’t know who they are.’

The social activities relate to the style of leadership of the royals. They are literally one of the pack.

Wolves are an important symbol for the Solm leadership and way of life. In Japan, the wolf and wild animals were associated with the mountain spirit Yama -no-kami. The mountains were considered a dangerous and untameable place and the wolf was considered the territory's guardian and protector. The wolf riding royals and their retainers serve as guardians and protectors of Solm. The wolf also symbolise 匹狼(ippiki ohkami) which means ‘loneliness with pride’ which means that a person is proud to do their own thing without concern about what others think. The phrase can also refer to a person's independence and self sufficiency.

Food and dining as a recreational activity symbolises the Solm culture of building bonds, socialising, working together and having fun together. Partying and music is also used to symbolise the building of bonds, relaxed attitudes, shared joy and the creation of memories.

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Attitudes towards Solm.

‘Solm is an open minded country. They have always had good relations with Firene.’

That is how Alfred in Chapter 4 : A Land in Bloom, introduces Solm to Alear. The introduction is friendly and paints a positive picture of the queendom. It is mentioned that Queen Eve had no problem agreeing to sign a nonaggression pact with them which continues the friendly picture.

Céline is a little more cautious when she considers Solm. When Fogado invites her for tea in their support conversations

Fogado: ‘Being royals of Solm and Firene, I think it’s important we get to know each other. Talk about different values and whatnot. Could be beneficial for both of us.’
Céline: ‘Haha, spoken like the prince of a nation obsessed with trade.’
Fogado: ‘Nothing wrong with a little give and take.’
Céline: Forgive me, but I must decline for now. The Firenese lifestyle is more pastoral. We lack your taste for intrigue and risk.’
Fogado: ‘You make tea with me sound like some kind of big adventure.’
Céline: ‘Quite a dangerous one, yes. Good day, Prince Fogado.’'s

Céline's role as a princess and protector of Firene requires a certain amount of suspicion and caution. Two royals from different countries engaging in tea is not as simple as tea with friends. There are risks of secrets being leaked and offence being caused. Her attitude towards Fogado's invitation is not surprising considering these facts. In her mind Solm is a trading nation that keeps secrets and can engage in unconventional and risky political and diplomatic activity. She is also aware that Fogado uses his charisma to gather intelligence.

‘Such as the way you curry favour with foreign nobility to pry information out of them.’

Her view of Solm is as a nation engaging in secretive and risky activity and any engagement comes with hidden motives. I

Hortensia is equally as suspicious of Fogado's motives.

‘Act innocent if you want, but even in Elusia, we’ve heard what a flirt you are.’

She accuses Fogado of being a flirt and is surprised to learn that he is actually helping people and not just socialising for the sake of it.

There is a theme of ignorance about Solm's environment and culture. This is evidence through the various support conversations the Solm characters have with characters outside their kingdom.

Vander is surprised by the singing, howling and dancing at a religious gathering he attends with Pandreo
Framme selects an outfit for Timerra made of heavy fabric which does not suit the heat of Solm and limits movements which is important for her ability to fight at a moment's notice.
Boucheron teaches Panetta the etiquette of Firene and is surprised to learn that there are no etiquette requirements for nobles in Solm.
Alcryst is invited to parties by Pandreo. At first he fails to enjoy them because he is trying to apply British convention to them. He is surprised to learn that there are no rules or structure to a Solm party.
Anna asks Timerra what would sell well in Solm.
Diamant tried Timerra's style of leadership, intrigued by her concept of being able to protect her people if she knows them.

This ignorance is demonstrated in the main story as well. Alear and the royals of other nations are shocked by the casual nature of Solm's royalty. In Chapter 13: The Sentinels, Alear and the royals are surprised and stunned as Fogado shouts for his mother in a very normal, casual way. There are no airs or graces, not even when Sefonia and Fogado mention the potential location of their powerful and precious Emblem ring; ‘the doodad drawer'.

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Religion

Pandreo's church has a unique way of worshipping the Divine Dragon. Here are some of the ways his congregation worship;

Parties

‘You spoke of pious songs and dances. I was expecting something rather solemn._Instead, it was a circus! Everyone hopping about and yelping like rabid dogs.’ (Support B between Vander and Pandreo)

Parties give Pandreo's flock an opportunity to unwind and find comfort. It also serves as escapism from people's daily lives and the war.

Howling (English translation only)

‘That’s just a way members of my congregation express their fervor. A little crass, I know.’ (Support A between Alear and Pandreo)

This could be inspired by dogs howling at Azaan (the call for prayer in Islam).

Celebrity guests

Alear, Veyle and Vander feature as ‘celebrity guest's at Pandreo's church. People get to meet their deity, that is powerful, imagine how inspiring that could be. Veyle and Alear aren't distant, unrelatable deity, they are among the people, understanding and experiencing humanity while displaying how human they are. The problem of a distant deity is that followers can often feel unheard. When a person prays there is nothing but silence. People can see Veyle using the offerings of food to throw a party. They can talk to her and express their desires for peace. They can see her trying to help people. Alear is inspired by the people at the party to stay strong and bring peace, the party even lifts their spirits. Alear is inspired by getting to know her people and the people are inspired by the Divine Dragon being awake. Religion in Solm is about dragons and people mixing in the same way the royals interact with their people.

At a Vander is able to share stories about Lumera and inspire the congregation.

Offerings

Veyle is given food by the faithful.

Prayer

Prayer is the main way to express a wish and wish the soul of a dead person peace.

Confessions

Pandreo offers to listen to the confessions of his congregation.

Pandreo and Veyle

The Queendom of Solm tend to worship the Divine Dragon but they are open minded enough to allow worship of other deities. This is demonstrated by the conversation between Pandreo and Veyle. When Veyle expresses concern about Pandreo, a cleric of the Divine Dragon, offering a prayer to her, a Fell Dragon, Pandreo response with;

‘No. Solm is an open-minded queendom. When they see me praying to you, others will follow suit. Just you watch.’

If one person is able to start a religion, it is possible that Solm is full of sects with all kinds of different beliefs and traditions. Religion is not static in Solm, it is always adapting to new ideas. Some sects could be short lived whilst others may endure, and in some cases religion may not take the form of a group but could be connected to personal spirituality. This spiritual openness makes it possible for people to be duel dragon worshippers.

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The Dishes of Solm

The dishes of Solm reflect the Mediterranean and Arabian influences in the cuisine of Sicily, the country Solm is inspired by. These dishes fall into various categories:

Special occasion food eg; milk nut pie, tiramisu,
Cold food suitable for the hot climate eg; chilled vegetable soup, berry sauce panna cotta,
Sharing food eg; classic pizza, seafood paella,
Easy to create and preserve eg; salt pork, meatballs and beans, tomatoes in sweet vinegar
Street food/take away food eg; soft candies, churros

Milk Nut Pie - This dish seems to be inspired by baklava. The foundation of all baklava, whether it is Mediterranean or Arabia, is: nuts, dough, butter or oil and syrup. Traditionally baklava is served at special occasions and was considered an aphrodisiac because of the ingredients.

Rice Nut Pudding - This dish seems to be inspired by zarda. Zarda can be served as a celebratory dish. The simplicity of the recipe and small number of ingredients make this a meal that can be enjoyed by commonfolk and nobility.

Dome Bread - This dish seems to be inspired by Panettone. Panettone is served at special occasions because of the long time it takes to prepare.

Chilled Vegetable Soup - This dish seems to be inspired by gazpacho. The reason the soup is cold is to reflect the hot weather of Solm. It is a refreshing soup that can be made with any fruit and vegetables available, traditionally tomatoes are the star ingredient.

Prosciutto - These thin slices of ham can be enjoyed as a light meal by themselves, placed in a sandwich or panini, in salads or as an antipasto. The uncooked ham suits the hot climate.

Kebabs - This dish is inspired by chicken kebabs. From the amount of meat Timerra consumes and the different places she cooks her kebabs it is clear that meat is plentiful. Kebabs can be marinated in a variety of spices and sauces to maintain moisture. It can be simply made as well as being as complex as desired.

Seafood Paella - This dish can be with simple ingredients or with complex flavours. Paella is a Valencian word that means ‘frying pan’, it is named after the fact it can be cooked in just one pan. In the Mediterranean it is traditional to create huge paella to share at festivals or village gatherings.

Meatballs and beans - This dish seems to be inspired by Cannellini bean and meatball stew. Just like the paella in that it can be made and served in one pot. Large quantities can be made to share at festivals. Stews and paellas are great for using up leftovers and ingredients of less quality.

Tiramisu - The name comes from the Italian ‘tirami su’; 'pick me up'. One slice of this Italian dessert is meant to cheer you up. It is often eaten as a celebratory treat. The great is always meant to ‘pick you up’ in another way because it is considered an aphrodisiac.

Berry Sauce Panna Cotta - The name means ‘cooked cream’ in Italian. This dish represents culinary artistry and elegance. It can be served as a snack or as a dessert to finish a meal. It is served cold, perfect to refresh in the Solm weather.

Seafood medley with garlic - This dish seems to be inspired by Cioppino. The word “cioppino” comes from the Ligurian dialect “ciuppin” and means ‘chopped to pieces’. This stew is easy to make and is the ideal meal for mariners and port workers in Solm.

Fried Sardines - This dish seems to be inspired by ‘Sarde Fritte’, Fried Sardine Fritters. They can be served with a dip or with various sidedishes such as rice or salad. They are quick and easy to create.

Vegetable Stir Fry - This dish seems to be inspired by ‘sauted vegetables'. The dish can be made with any available or seasonal vegetables, it can also be a quick and simple method to use up leftover ingredients.

Tomatoes in Sweet Vinegar - This is a way to reconstitute tomatoes for easy use. The tomato is hydrated in vinegar or oil and can be used in antipasto, as a snack on crusty bread.

Crème Brûlée - In French ‘Crème Brûlée’ means ‘burnt cream'. This dish has a topping of a layer of hardened caramelized sugar with custard underneath. The top is slightly warm but the custard underneath is cold. It is traditionally a celebratory dish. In Solm's hot weather it is a refreshing dish.

Churros - Churro is onomatopoeic, it imitates the sound of frying. Churros are often sold by street vendors as a tasty treat. In so w reasons of Spain and Portugal they are eaten for breakfast with chocolate sauce.

Soft candies - This dish is inspired by ‘torrone'. It is a type of nougat made of honey, sugar, egg whites and nuts. They can be shaped into bars or a round cake. It can be eaten as a dessert good or a high energy snack.

Classic pizza - This dish is one that can be made in huge patches and stored. It can be eaten hot or cold to suit the climate of Solm. It is also traditionally a shared meal.

Risotto - Risotto means ‘young rice’ in Italian. Risotto is not the easiest meal to cook despite the few ingredients needed to make it. Risotto should be rich and creamy while al dente with distinct separation of the grains. The texture should be fluid and if spread there should be no watery pool. It should be eaten once it is ready. It can be eaten as a main course or as a side dish.

Rice croquettes - These are often sold as street food, served as a side dish or eaten as a tapas.

Rosetta Bread - This dish can also be known as michetta or rosette so ate. The bread is shaped into a rose shape and is expected to puff up. They take a couple of days to make but make for a versatile bread.

Acqua pazza - Acqua pazza means ‘crazy water’ in Italian. It is a recipe for poached white fish in a herb broth. This was traditionally eaten by fisherman but clever Italian peasants would make it with leftovers from wine making.

Veal rolls - Solm is based on Sicily so it would be appropriate to call this dish ‘veal involtini’. In the Middle Ages beef was considered a coarse, tough meat to eat. Veal was considered tender so many peasant farms would slaughter a cow for their meat once their milk had dried up.

Salt pork - This dish is inspired by pancetta which is often used to add depth to stews and soups. This meat can be preserved by curing.

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Solm is a semi-arid desert which has the following his ecological features and considerations:

Aridity - plants and animals have to adapt to survive in a very dry climate. The cactus has adapted by reducing Leaves to sounds to reduce water loss through transpiration, wide and deep roots, waxy skin and a short growing season. Camels have also adapted to the extreme environment and these include: wide hoofs, nostril flaps, long eyelashes, far storing hump and a long tail.
Less rainfall - This can cause problems such as the soil drying out and plants dying. Many herbs and spices can survive less rainfall such as rosemary, clives, oregano and thyme. The flow of streams and rivers can decline, water levels in lakes and reservoirs fall and the depth of water in wells increases. This could let to social and economic issues.
Velocity of wind - Wind is common because the air near the surface is heated and rises then cooler air replaces this hot rising air and this creates wind. In an arid desert the minerals have nothing to hold onto. Solm has housed built to withstand sciroccos which is a dry and hot Wind that can turn the sky red.
Low Humidity - temperatures can rise so high that people and wildlife are at risk of hydration and death. These areas of high temperatures cool quickly at night because of the lack of humidity and clouds.
Low soil quality - only specific crops can grow.
Low population density

Wild wolves are found in Solm and can be domesticated to become cavalry. Wolves are at the top of the food chain and the position as apex predators means that they have an important role within an ecosystem. They control the population of large herbivores which prevents overgrazing and protects vegetation.

Tartu Flamingos - The presence of these birds suggests that there are natural salt pans or salt flats for them to thrive. Just like the wolf, the flamingo is a keystone species in their ecosystem. Their movements, actions and behaviour helps to mould and shape their environment so other animals can thrive. The large feet are like giant spoons that stir the water and bring organisms and minerals to the surface. They are adapted for the climate by being able to perform short migrations to different food sources, large feet stop them sinking, they are limited in the amount of food they can digest and the bristles in their beak enable them to sieve organic matter in the water.

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Solm's architecture

The palace of Solm is based upon Palermo and the interior layout matches the floorplan of Zisa palace.

The palace features rounded archways, carved and painted muqarnas, vaulted niches, merlons and geometric interlaced arches. The Arabian and Norman features create a magnificent setting. Solm Palace has its own cooling system. The large sizes fornices in the first level capture The temperature winds that come from the direction of the ocean, and in the front of the building is a large pool which is connected to the main hall, (where the Battle for Solm takes place), by a highly ornate pool with flowing water. The water provides The necessary humidity to stop The air becoming dry. A system of vent ducts connected with the lower vestibule create a constant air flow through the entire building. Thick walls and small Windows stop the sunlight getting in, keeping the temperature stable. The thick walls also protect from the powerful desert winds.

The Northern Fortress

The fortress has a trapezoidal plan with a courtyard area and imposing towers that could have protected South western Solm. It is an example of Arab-Norman architecture.

The ruins of the DLC: The Fell Heir

The ruins are inspired by the Agrigento, the valley of temples in Sicily. It features a mixture of Doric and Corinthian columns, oval arches and ruined sculptures.

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Solm‘s defences

Solm was the only nation able to prepare when The Fell Dragon was awakened in Elusia. As Timerra explains in Chapter 13: The Heroes of the Desert,

“The palace has scouts all over Elyso keeping an eye on the three kingdoms. When Elusia brought back the Fell Dragon, we learnt about it early on.“

This early access to information meant that Solm was able to devise a strategy to defend themselves. Firene as a self sufficient nation with a peaceful and isolating foreign policy meant they weren't expecting or ready for the attacks by Elusia. Lythos suffered because of a similar philosophy, Lumera ran a peaceful nation and chose not to interfere in how humans govern themselves unless air was requested. This lack of knowledge and interaction meant that she was not prepared when Veyle, The Hounds and Elusia's military attacked, (the Corrupted couldn't enter the Ring Chamber). Brodia was unable to prepare because they were focused on wealth through war. This philosophy and Brodian arrogance and pride meant that Elusia was successful when they wanted to capture King Morion.

Solm's royal family knew that they could not defeat Sombron without the Divine Dragon and the Emblem Ring. They had to focus on defending the population from the Corrupted, protecting themselves from being captured for their royal blood and keeping their Emblem rings safe. Timerra explains the defence strategy to Alear in Chapter 13: The Heroes of the Desert.

“The Corrupted started arriving so we had to quickly lay out a plan. Mum would stay in the palace. She'd work with the royal guard to keep out intruders. And we'ld send out our militia, The Sentinels, to bolster soldiers’ efforts against the Corrupted.“

The Solm’s royal's policy of suspicion and caution meant that they also devised a plan to ensure that they weren't fooled by a fake Divine Dragon. Fogado travelled near the border with Elusia, sussing out people who crossed over into Solm. If anyone claimed to be the Divine Dragon, he would evaluate their claim and then take them to the palace if he believed them, all the while keeping his identity a secret. Timerra protected the ring by travelling around the desert. A second ring was protected in the same way Firene protected their second ring; both nations hid them in isolated ruins. Solm went a step further and made certain that the ruins were intimidating.

Solm‘s readiness probably saved the lives of many of their population and stopped Dungeon from gaining power and more Rings. Solm's two rings are the only ones to never be in his possession before Sombron drains them after Chapter 21: The Return.

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The first military units met in Engage are The Sentinel's led by Prince Fogado. Prince Fogado starts as a cavalry unit that wields a bow. His two retainers, Bunet and Pandreo, accompany him and they are already in the advanced classes of Great Knight and High Priest. Maneuverability is the key feature of the third three units that join Alear. As cavalry units Fogado and Bunet have the advantage of greater movement. Movement also features in Pandreo's introduction as a unit, he informs Alear that he is equipped with a warp staff. The manoeuvrability of the three units symbolises the nature of Solm's army. The Sentinels are not a static military that wait for trouble or the request for aid, they actively search for potential threats. There are static elements that are more reactionary such as the Royal Guard, but the main part is out, among the people.

The next three units from Solm are Princess Timerra and her retainers Panette and Merrin. Timerra‘s starting class is the same as her brother: sentinel, except she is an infantry unit who wields a lance rather than a bow wielding cavalry unit. The fact that a sentinel unit is tailored to an individual rather than having the same proficiencies demonstrates the freedom of choice the royals have. Panette and Merrin join Alear as the advanced classes of berserker and wolf knight. The classes represent the personality of the unit. Berserker represents Panette's inner rage and rebellion while wolf knight represents Merrin's love of animals.

The final Solm unit to join Alear is the dancer Seadall. Season's unique class fits in with the themes of Solm's military; freedom and movement. A dancer enables another unit to take another turn by inspiring them through dance. The class also represents his personality as someone dedicated to the art of their master.

Solm's units do not contain any flyers. I imagine that Solm's climate is responsible for that. Up in the sky the sun of a desert kingdom could be rather dazzling, affecting vision. The heat and potential dehydration could also be an issue away from the coast. Rosado's wyvern flies quite a distance to escape the Fell Dragon's forces but the wyvern has the aid of an up draft from the ocean to aid flight. The coastline and ocean tend to be cooler than inland.

We learn that Solm has an effective spy and intelligence network when Timerra reveals that the Solm royal knew about Sombron's awakening pretty early on. A country interested in trade relations would need to know what is happening in other kingdoms to ensure the safety of their merchants and to adjust to changes in the resources other kingdoms need and the resources other kingdoms could trade.

The Royal Guard are shown to be very capable. In Chapter 14, before Alfred and Diamant could draw their weapons, the Royal Guard had dealt with the intruders. In Chapter 13, Alear is surprised to learn that none of the Corrupted nor the Elusian forces have managed to breach the palace.

Timerra's advanced class is picket. In a military the role of a picket soldier is to stand on a defensive line, forward of a friendly position to scout for enemy advance. Timerra takes the role of picket and makes it more proactive than reactionary. She actively scouts and screens enemies before starting an offensive. This offensive can be a one lady attack.

Fogado's advanced class is cupido. Cupido is named after the god of desire, earthly attraction and affection in Roman mythology. He is often betrayed as a youth wielding a bow and arrow. The symbolism of his class plays on his reputation as a heartthrob. He has a flirtatious and confident charisma that could ‘pierce hearts’.

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Queen Sefonia

The localised version of her name takes away the theme of Solm names. Characters from Solm are named after Italian desserts, a nod to the Sicily inspiration. Sefonia‘s name in Japanese is Sfoglia. Sfoglia means ‘thin leaf’ in Italian, the name describes the texture of pastry which resembles stacked leaves. Sfoglia is often shell shaped and filled with fruit. A similar dessert is lobster’s tail pastry.

In her head she adorns a white coppola with feathers. In Sicily different colours of the coppola signified social class. Royalty and nobles wore a white coppola. The decorations on her coppola are two black feathers and one red and orange feather. The Black feathers are a reference to Saint Anthony, the patron saint of lost things. When Alear arrives in Solm (Chapter 12: The Sentinels) they find themselves lost in the desert. Queen Sefonia had sent her children to scout for the Divine Dragon. Her son Fogado is the one to find them and guide them back to the palace. The lost Dragon becomes found. In Sicily it is also a tradition to keep black feathers under your pillow to protect from death. To receive a black feather from Sicily is a bad omen. The orange and red colour could be inspired by the colours of Sicily which include, red, yellow, orange peach, brown and blue.

The patterning upon her shrawl or a sciallina and her sarong is a nod to majolica design. The shawl is worn for modesty as well as protecting from the elements. The sarong has an Arabian influence with the decoration and tassels akin to a balancer.

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Timerra's name in Japanese is Misutira which is an anagram of the desert tiramisu. Tiramisu comes from the Italian for ‘cheer me up'. Timerra's joyful personality is enough to cheer anyone up.

Her battle outfit is inspired by Sicily and Brazil . Mika Pikazo said that she got some inspiration from Passistas for Timerra's design. The bright and bold colour palette, the revealing nature of the top and skirt, the decorative balls around her ankles and the wrists and the body art are all evocative of the style. The Moor's inspiration is demonstrated by the headdress. In Sicily there are famous ceramic heads which are used as planters called ‘Moors Head’. They are brightly painted and often feature a decorative headdress with fruit and flowers. The heads symbolise impossible love, according to legend, a young girl fell in love with a Moors man. When the Moors man said that he was returning to his wife and children she became jealous, cut off his head and used the head to plant basil.

Timerra's outfit is designed for freedom of movement, so she can jump into battle or sing and dance at any moment. The balls may not be the most practical element in a battle but I imagine She has more balls to replace the ones she has lost.

As a royal she adorns herself with finery. Gold bangles and a gold choker are worn not only for aesthetic reasons but they are shiny items to attract magpie eyed bandits and thieves in the desert.

The flowers she adorns are Frangipani, in Sicily the flower was gifted from mother to daughter to decorate the new home after marriage. Her floral circlet could be a symbol of a strong mother and daughter relationship. In Buddhism they symbolise immortality because after they are uprooted they can still grow.

All the colours of her clothing are colours associated with Sicily.

When she is upgraded to picket, her unique class, she gains the same three feathers as her mother's coppolo and extra fabric and flourish to her dancer's skirt. She also gains a black and gold slash.

Timerra's Somniel Clothing

Timerra tones down the dramatic outfit for leisure at the Somniel. The giant colourful balls are removed and replaced with a golden gemstone set hairband. The pink, yellow, peach and turquiose colour theme that features on her ball decoration is referenced by the colour of the gemstones. Her too features similar colours and features the plumera flower. She keeps one bracelet of giant colourful balls but the bangles have been removed. Her jewellery consists of a gold choker, gold chain bracelets and anklets.

The style of her outfit is very similar to her battling ensemble. The materials are light, flowing and give freedom of movement. The tulip sleeves and frills upon her sarong are designed to accentuate her movements as though she was a dancer.

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In Japanese Fogado's name is ‘Fogato’ and he is named after the Italian desert affogato. Affogato is also known as ‘affogato al caffè, which is Italian for ‘drowned in coffee’ and is a simple treat made by pouring espresso over ice cream.

His outfit has an Italian Renaissance feeling with a hint of Arabian flare that emphasises individuality, opulence and artistic expression. The outfit flatters the contours of the body rather than being more conservative with a tailored shirt with feathery trimming and cropped near fitting trousers. Bright purple, green and orange are the colourful dyes used for his outfit to help him stand out in the desert sands. Fogado is not a shy guy, his bright clothing reflects his confident personality. Opulence is demonstrated with the use of gold jewellery and thread in his clothing. The individuality of his outfit is represented by the feathered sleeves and high collar.

Practicality is very important for the leader of the Sentinels, clothing has to be lightweight and cool while allowing him to ride and fire a bow. The clothing has to be hard wearing as well. Horse riding rubs the inner thigh, inadequate coverage would cause chaffing. Each garment has to withstand the desert winds.

I have mentioned the ability to freely move in the clothing for practical and battling reasons however there is another reason; celebrating and dancing. Fogado's sarong with frills and his feathery trimming all accentuate dance moves.

When he upgrades his class to Cupido, Fogado gains extra accents to his clothing. There is a family connection as he gains three feathers similar to his mother's coppola. Around his waist his belt gains added rings, tassels and a golden side shield. These add royal opulence and protection to his outfit. His shoulders and hands gain extra protection. Fogado has his bow pulling hand gloved. Finally extra fabric around his neckline and wrist jewellery complete the look.

When he is at the Somniel, Fogado tones down His outfit. He changes to black sirwal trousers and top with a shemagh scarf in Arabian diamond patterns around his neck. The scarf would cover his face in desert winds and harsh sunlight. His robes are the same rich colours of his battle outfit, his prefered colours.

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Bunet's name in Japanese is ‘Bonet’, both are the names of the same Italian dessert. Bunet is a creamy and rich custard dessert topped with a layer of golden brown caramel. The dessert was named after a rounded cap because traditionally bunet was made In a mould that resembled the accessory.

Bunet wears the traditional white chef's coat to show the world that he is the personal chef to Solm's prince. It would be made of cotton to protect from the heat and the splattering of liquids. The colour white is used to signify cleanliness. It is not completely white though, bright Solmic colours depicting popular silhouettes decorate the garment. Normally the buttons on a chef's white coat signifies the professional status of a chef, white buttons for professional chefs and black buttons for apprentices. Bunet's coat has gold button, possibly a nod to his service to royalty.

Around his neck he adorns a neckerchief, not only does it signify his profession but it has practical purposes. The material can help to keep Bunet cool as well as being used to mop up sweat, dirt and blood. The orange pattern on his neckerchief is a floral design, a nod to his love of gardening. This design is replicated on his cape in turquoise blue.

As a Great knight, he wears shoulder armour to protect his non offensive side and hardy boots to stop rubbing.

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Pandreo's name in Japanese is Pandoro and he is named after the Italian sweetbread of the same name. Pandoro cake is traditionally shaped like a frustum with an eight pointed star section. I wonder if his unique hairstyle was inspired by the shape of the desert. In Italian pandoro translates to golden bread, again I wonder if his golden eye colour was inspired by this.

His starting class is high priest and his outfit is inspired by his holy occupation. His religious vestments consist of his alb, in Western Christian Churches the garment symbolises the priest's role as a servant of Christ, it could represent Pandreo's role as a servant of the Divine Dragon. The stole over his shoulders could indicate his state of ordained office as well as serving practical purposes such as being wrapped over the face to protect from the desert conditions.

He wears a colour way of orange, navy and grey/white. In the Bible orange represents purification and fire while navy symbolises heaven and the word of God. Orange and blue are also colours associated with Sicily's navy.

There is a ‘badge’ with three rhombus shapes upon it. The shape resembles a diamond and could symbolise perfection, immortality and indestructibility. In the Bible there are passages around man being ‘a diamond in the rough’, which means that man has exceptional hidden potential. The rhombus has four straight, equal sides with each equal side being parallel. Symmetry is a very important theme in Engage with several character's journeys mirroring each other.

His outfit is designed to be the yin to the tang of his sister's outfit. At the front of his vestments are the symbols of crosses, a symbol of faith whereas Panette has bows, a non religious symbol, upon her dress. His vestments are light, symbolising the day and Panette’s dress is dark, symbolising the night. Pandreo wears symbols of life such as the cross, the rhombus and fire while Panette wears symbols associated with the day of the dead. Pandreo‘s vestments represent the establishment and Panette's dress represents rebellion.

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Panette's name in Japanese means Panettone, keeping with the Italian desert theme of Solm characters name. Panettone is an Italian sweet bread and fruit cake. The word panettone is derived from the Italian for a small loaf of bread; panetto and the augmentative suffix ‘one's changes the meaning to ‘a large load of bread'.

Panettone is traditionally made into a cupola, just like her brother, Panette's hairstyle is based on the shape of the desert they are named after.

Panette wears a fascinator in her hair which features two flowers. I believe these flowers to be marigolds. Panette's design has a Day of the Dead influence. Marigolds grow in an array of bright colours including yellow, orange and red, due to the intense colour and strong sense it is believed that these flowers help The deceased find their way home. Yellow and orange represent sun and light while red represents the blood that connects people to their loved ones. The dark purple of her dress represents grief and loss. The turquoise blue decoration of her dress skirt and boots represents water for the visiting souls to drink. The hot pink on her dress skirt and boots represents happiness. Finally black is used to represent the Land of the Dead.

It is interesting that Día de los Muertos is used as an inspiration. It is a celebration that is about healing, death is real and people are sad that their loved ones have passed on, however people can remember the dead and the lessons and love they imparted and celebrate that their spirits have returned during the festival. The ‘dead’ person in Panette's case could be her past wild self. She no longer wants to be the wild girl who is looking for fistfights and acting with immense anger, instead she has given birth to her image of what a lady retainer should be like. Her ‘dead’ self occasionally revisits, just like the deceased soul on Día de los Muertos, however she is not always happy about that.

The symbolism of her mouth stitches also hints at her ‘dead’ self. A mouth sewn shut is one that is keeping secrets and her secret is that she used to be a rebel searching for fights.

The bandages up her arms and over her hands serve the practical purpose of protecting her knuckles when she is engaging in a brawl. Another purpose could be to hide the scars she has gained during bare fist fights. Symbolically they could represent how she is healing after a childhood with lousy parents.

Around her neck is a choker, symbolically it could represent her individuality and her rebellion against her parent's religious upbringing. Historically many women in power adorned chokers so it could also symbolise her power and authority over her life. The choker collar could also symbolise imprisonment, the fact that she is bound to her past.

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Merrin shares the Italian dessert name trait with her fellow Solmians. She is named after meringue. There are three versions of this sweet treat; French, Italian and Swiss. The Italian version is different because the sugar and water are melted to create a syrup before adding the egg whites and whipping the mixture. Out of the three types it is the most stable.

Her battle outfit has to be lightweight and needs to enable movement. A wolf is not quite as sturdy or strong as a horse. Imagine that the wolf knight is a land based falcon knight, the ability to dodge and attack with speed are paramount. Only her shoulders, hands and knees are protected by metal armour. Why these places? These are areas prone to heavy wear and tear and the location of joints which would limit movement and flexibility if injured.

To symbolise that she is a wolf knight she wears fur around her neck and a fluffy tail. Fur may not seem an ideal fabric for the desert, especially when the sun is at its peak, however fur is hardy and can protect from desert winds and low humidity. Wolves have both positive and negative symbolic interpretations. In Sicily a wolf's head is said to symbolise courage and children wore wolf's fur boots to grow up strong. The wolf is not only associated with strength, it is a symbol of good luck. It is believed to be a positive sign if a wolf is seen before a battle. It was believed that the founders of Rome; Romulus and Remus, were raised by a she wolf after their mother smuggled them away for their protection. Her milk helped to give them the strength to rebuild Rome. Merrin is from a tribe where she was to become the next matriarch, the she wolf is a symbol of female strength and protection.

Her blue bodice and cravat are a nod to her vocation as a knight. Her jewellery could relate to her tribe. I believe they are cornicello, a golden horn shaped charm that protects from the evil eye.

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Seadall's name in Japanese is Seadas which is an Italian dessert with a sweet topping. It is essentially a large semolina which can be topped with cheese, lemon peel, honey, sugar or salt. The dessert keeps the Italian tradition of simplicity by using only a few basic ingredients and making them delicious. The sweet treat has pastoral origins in the centre of Sardinia where milk and honey were abundant. The English translation of his name could be a pub toying with his occupation as a fortune teller ‘See it all'.

Seadall's outfit is based upon the Camminanti Sicila who are a nomadic ethnic group that live almost entirely in Sicily. Caminanti derives from the Sicilian term camminatori, which means walkers and they have a tradition of selling balloons.

His head scarf is worn as a bandana and hair tie. It serves the purpose of keeping the hair out of his face. It could easily double as head protection. As a member of a travelling caravan a cape would be an essential garment. It would serve as protection from wind, rain and sunlight as well as doubling as a blanket, a bandage, a rope and a cushion. Harem pants are associated with dancers because they allow for freedom of movement and they provide ventilation. He wears very fine sandals as a nod to the Camminanti tradition of going barefoot so that they are connected to the earth. His colorway is a nod to traditional traveller colours. The red represents the earth, the purple the night's sky and orange the sun.

The golden disc belt could resemble the coins adorned by fortune tellers and dancers. The circular shape could be a reference to the Roma chakra, which is wheel shaped, representing the origin of Romani people and their life.

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Solm's Emblem Rings

Solm was entrusted with two Emblem Rings; The Emblem of the Radiant Hero and The Emblem of Fates, by Queen Lumera. The other nation to be given the responsibility of looking after two rings was Firene, the reason for this could be because the two nations were not engaging in war. As peaceful nations they could be trusted to not use the ring for political leverage. Solm's economy is dependent upon trade, war disrupts trade routes and affects access to resources, that is why peace is much more beneficial for them. As an open minded queendom they are less likely to find issues with other nations.

The Doodad Drawer and the Ruin

Solm's royalty treat everyone the same way and are often out and about exploring the queendom and interacting with people. Why would an Emblem Ring receive differential treatment? An Emblem Ring is treated like every other ring. It could be stored in a dusty drawer, worn for a coronation or worn while grilling some meat. The other Emblem Ring is hidden in a ruin because

Ruins can be scary, fear creates folklore about ghosts/monsters, which helps to deter people.
Ruins can be structurally unstable and uninhabitable
Ruins tend to be isolated because they have no practical use, unless the Ruin is a tourist attraction.

The way the two rings are treated reflects something about the Emblem within. The Emblem of the Radiant Hero is Ike, who treated everyone the same whether it was the laguz, someone with a brand that symbolises the taboo union between a laguz and a Beorc, a commoner or a noble. Ike's open minded attitude and his dislike of pomposity makes him the perfect Emblem to reflect Solm. Ike's ring is also seen on the finger of Timerra as she is cooking some meat. Ike is well known to enjoy his food, especially meat dishes, so the ring being worn while she is cooking is fitting.

The Ring hidden in the ruins was; The Emblem of Fates, Corrin, The isolated location of the ruins reflect her upbringing in an isolated tower in Nohr. Just like Ike, she is open minded, willing to accept everyone and treat everyone the same whether they are bestrial, commoners, Nohrian, Hoshidan or nobles. She appreciates and accepts both the Nohrians and Hoshidans as her family.

Ike's journey and Alear

When Ike's father was killed by the Black Knight, he took over as leader of his father's mercenary company; The Greil Mercenaries. Alear suffers from a similar tragedy, when Lumera died, the role of Divine Dragon was thrust upon them. Ike's leadership did not go smoothly, several mercenaries chose to leave the company, they refused to fight under someone they considered inferior to them. Ike was certainly less experienced than Gatrie and Shinon so their disbelief was understandable at the time. Thankfully he has the likes of Titania to advise him. It could be argued that she plays a similar role to Vander. At first Ike doubted his ability as a leader, with the help and support of his trusted allies and a gleaming sword he ended up defeating the main antagonist; Mad King Ashnard, and restoring the throne for Elincia.

When Alear attains Ike's Emblem Ring, the other Emblem Rings had been stolen by Sombron and his daughter. Alear had lost trusted friends and advisers, the vulnerability and doubts over their leadership began to emerge. Ike is ideal as a confidence builder and someone who experienced similar doubts.

Corrin and Alear

Corrin's Emblem Ring is attained at the same time the dancer; Seadall, is added to the cast. Corrin was never alone, no matter the path she took, she had a friend/sister who supported her unconditionally through it all; Azura. Azura was the dancer in fates and has a pivotal role in all three routes; in fact it is impossible to defeat the final bosses without her song.

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The Somniel theme; Camping in Solm, embraces Solm's Latin inspiration with the use of a Spanish guitar and the treatment of rhythm as the most important factor rather than just a harmony. It is a relaxed song composed to represent the relaxed nature of Solm. Latin music is designed to be danced to, the priority in rhythm makes the song easy to move to.

The battle map theme: Bright Sandstorm, is once again a catchy rhythmic composition which is easy to sing and dance to. The marimba and Spanish guitar are used to create a soft sound. The song is inviting you to chill and have fun. As the battle intensities so does the music, the soft rhythm remains but a sharper pitch is introduced with a violin. The fiery versions of Bright Sandstorm and Bright Bold Sandstorm add intensity and urgency by increasing tempo and Crescendo (playing the note louder)

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In Engage each nation surrounding Lythos represents one of the four seasons, Solm represents summer. Solm is a play on the Latin for sun which is ‘sol'. The emblem of Solm is the colour yellow which is a colour associated with the summer. Solm's biome is a sunny desert with creatures associated with the climate such as camels.

If Firene is spring (birth and childhood) where a newly awakened, naive Alear starts their journey then Solm represents the summer which is the time of growth into adulthood. Alear has just lost the Emblem at Destinea Cathedral when they first arrive in Solm, his father figure Sigurd and his rock Marth are gone, it is time for Alear to grow into the role of Divine Dragon. With allies by Alear's side he slowly regains confidence and the ability to inspire.

In the Bible summer is a time of harvest where after patience and nurture, the seeds nature and ripened, ready to be picked. It is a period where the faith in the seed grows into fruition. Alear is the seed nurtured, the one Alfred, Diamant, Ivy and Timerra put their faith in, who grows into the role of a deity.

In Tibetan Buddhism the symbol of the sun sits above the moon and this symbolises inseparable opposites: male/female and wisdom/emotion. Alear is the sun (divine) and Veyle is the moon (fell), in this chapter the enforced separation, manipulation and misunderstanding caused both pain and chaos.

Summer is also associated with rest, joy and exuberance in many cultures. Timerra is a joyful and exuberant princess who enjoys being out among the people, socialising and helping them. In Japan the song of the cicada is associated with summer, perhaps the racket made by Timerra and her retainers is a symbol of summer just like the ‘singing’ insect.

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Fogado - Charmer; During combat with a foe who was also unit’s most recent opponent, inflicts Crit-10 on that foe.
Pandreo - Party Animal; Grants a bonus to Hit and Avo equal to 3× the number of allies and foes within 2 spaces.
Bunet - Seconds; On eating a packed lunch, unit may obtain another of the same item. Trigger %=Lck.

Timerra - Racket of Solm; Inflicts Crit-5 on foes within 3 spaces.
Panette - Blood Fury; If unit’s HP is not at max after combat, grants Crit+10 as long as unit’s HP stays below max.
Merrin - Knightly Escort; When 2 or more female allies are within 2 spaces, grants Hit/Avo+5 to unit and those allies.

Seadall - Curious Dance; At start of turn, allies within 2 spaces of unit recover 10% of their max HP.

The personal skills of the characters from Solm relate to their interests, vocation or personality. Fogado's personal skill is ‘charmer’ which is inspired by his personal whereas Timerra's personal skill is inspired by her singing, both have an effect upon the critical rate of an enemy. Fogado charms a foe so that they less likely to critical on the next turn while Timerra nearly deafens the enemies surrounding her making them less likely to critical.

Pandreo's personal skill is inspired by his love of partying. He loves to be surrounded by people therefore his skill is based upon the number of allies and goes around him. Bunet is Fogado's personal chef and he loves to help people through his cooking ability, his personal skill is based upon these attributes.

Panette's personal skill is based upon her ordinal personality as an angry young rebel who went around looking for fights. As a royal retainer it isn't very ladylike going out looking to fight so her skull is triggered by someone attacking her and lowering her hp. Merrin always dreamt of being a knight and her personal skill relates to that dream.

Seadall's personal skill is based upon his role as a dancer. His dance inspires good health and healing.

Class skill for Picket - Sandstorm - While making a physical attack, may calculate damage with 150% of Def instead of Str. Trigger %=Dex.

Class skill for Cupido - Back at You - When countering, unit may deal extra damage = half of damage taken. Trigger %=Dex.

Timerra's unique promoted class is picket and Fogado's is cupido. The symbols for their skills are land and water, two opposite symbols. This theme is repeated for all the royal siblings in Engage. Both skills are triggered by dexterity which symbolises the freedom of movement the two royals have.

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Characters from Solm battle quotes

Timerra
"Let's have some fun!"
"Bye bye now!"
"I don't do mercy!"
"So gonna crush you!"
"Think whatever you like."
"That was fun! Thanks!"
"That's how a princess does it."
"Okay. Who's next?"

Fogado
"No escape for you!"
"Time to party!"
"Just how I like it!"
"Let's have some fun!"
"Talk about a good time!"
"What a pain."
"I'm sorry."
"Haha... ugh..."
"Glad we met."
"I'd rather be friends."

The battle quotes of the two siblings are meant to be more lighthearted in nature. Timerra references her outgoing personality and friendliness by mentioning fun in two of her quotes. Fogado also references fun in his quotes along with good time and party to express his personality. They both display confidence in their quotes and ruthlessness. Fogado shows a little more mercy and clearly would prefer not to fight, Timerra seems much more eager to get into the next battle.

Bunet
"Time to party!"
"Let's savor this moment."
"I will roast you!"
"Dinner is served!"
"The kitchen is closed."
"Hahaha!"
"A savory dish indeed."
"Quite the party."
"I'm ready for desert."
"Well done I'd say."
"Sublime.”

Pandreo
"Time to party!"
"Beg for forgiveness!"
"Repent!"
"Atone for your sins!"
"May their souls find peace."
"Now that was a party."
"Time to pray."
"Forgive us."
"May all find salvation."

To demonstrate the close friendship with their liege, Bunet and Pandreo serve the quote; “Time to party!” . The rest of their quotes reference the character's interests or vocation. Bunet references his interest in culinary exploration and his role as personal chef to Fogado by using a range of cooking puns. Pandreo references his role as a man of the cloth by using religious language.

Panette
"Let's have some fun."
"You lookin' down on me?!"
"I'll beat ya to a pulp."
"I don't play nice."
"My goodness. How awful!"
"Serves you right."
"I'm sorry you had to see that."
"That is that."
"That's how a lady does it."
"Were you raised by wolves?"
"Hell yeah!"

Merrin
"Now I'm mad."
"Farewell to you!"
"Let's have some fun!"
"I will strike you down."
"That's how a knight does it."
"I won my princess."
"Ohhh... I've spotted a rare bug."
"You were a worthy opponent."
"That was cool was it not?"

To demonstrate the friendship to their princess, Martin and Panetta share the line “Let's have some fun!” with her. The rest of their quotations reference interests and their vocations . Panette's quotes show the duality of her personality and how she struggles to keep acting ‘like a lady’ in the intense atmosphere of a battle. Merrin's quotes reference her role as a knight, her desire to be seen as cool and her interest in rare critters.

Seadall
"Death is in the cards."
"The stars have aligned."
"The Danse Macabre calls."
"Dance with me."
"Did you see that coming?"
"The stars and moon carry on."
"I'll look for you in the night sky."
"It was faith you see."
"It's like a mirage."
"It is done."

Seadall's battle quotes reference his role as a dancer and fortune teller.

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Before and during the war Solm's foreign policy was based on distrust, secrecy, security and a little give and take. Trade is essential in a desert country, Solm would have an abundance of goods suited to their climate while certain goods would have limited to no supply. Elusia, Lythos and Brodia are trading partners even if the war between Elusia and Brodia would make travel near or through the north of the two territories dangerous. Firene presents a different challenge for a trading country; self efficiency. Firene creates all the essentials and luxuries they feel they need which means they have no need to trade. Fogado in his conversation with Celine expresses the difficulty establishing trading deals with her kingdom.

“Firene’s farming industry is so robust, you don’t need to keep reserves, let alone import goods. And that’s a good thing, don’t get me wrong. But self-sufficiency has made you folks a bit unsociable, if you ask me. Your gates are shut so tight, they might as well be walls.“

Another barrier to trade with Firene is distrust and the dangers associated with change and ignorance. Celine believes any trade negotiations or even a simple cup of tea is an opportunity for Fogado to pry information and secrets from her. She also believes that people from Solm live a wilder, more thrill seeking lifestyle.

“Forgive me, but I must decline for now. The Firenese lifestyle is more pastoral. We lack your taste for intrigue and risk.“

“Such as the way you curry favour with foreign nobility to pry information out of them.“

Fogado does not deny the accusation, on the contrary, he believes it is important to learn about other nations. Secrets can be used in the negotiating table, as well as self defence.

Misunderstanding the royalty of Solm is not exclusive to Firene, Hortensia remarks about the rumours that circulate about Fogado.

“Act innocent if you want, but even in Elusia, we’ve heard what a flirt you are.“

She even accuses him of not helping his sister but flirting instead.

Fogado's reputation doesn't make foreign diplomacy easy, if someone thinks all you do is flirt them you are not going to be taken seriously, even if that reputation is based on gossip and not facts.

Distrust works both ways, the other nations do not know much about Solm and distrust them and in return Solm has misconceptions and distrust of other nations. Solm felt it necessary to have a spy network set up in every kingdom. They knew about Sombron awakening early on and worked upon protecting their own queendom. They did not help any other nation nor did they feel they could ask any other nation for assistance, the belief that if they received aid then they would have to reciprocate, was responsible for this policy. It is understandable, especially when the Sentinels and royal guard were stretched protecting the palace and the queendom from bandits and the Corrupted. However, by not sharing the information their spies had obtained, it meant that other nations did not have that knowledge to help them react and prepare for being attacked. Each of the four nations has at least one aspect of their foreign policy that needs changing to create bonds of trust, understanding and a spirit of cooperation.