Kharlan - Tumblr Posts

Narsus: Daryun, when you see Kharlan, don’t kill him.

Daryun: Aye.

Narsus: -looking at Kharlan’s impaled body-

Narsus: I thought I told you not to kill him.

Daryun:

Daryun: Sorry?

Always so good to see both of your thoughts about a topic from the heroic legend of Arslan.

I am absolutely thankful that you shared your thoughts with us.

Thanks

Your Kharlan-centric reblogs have given me renewed feels about him, too! Is there really no Kharlan/Sam fanfiction out there? I have a need. Tbh it doesn't even need to feature them as a ship, I just want to know more about their relationship before Atropatene.

Oh there absolutely should be Kharlan/Saam fics. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a fic with that ship. I don’t ship them romantically… yet, but I’m pretty sure I could be convinced to ship it. I want!! To know!! More about them!!

First of all I wonder if they served under Osroes too, or if they were new appointments by Andragoras. I can’t see Andragoras picking anyone who he isn’t 100% sure would be loyal to him but maybe Kharlan faked it well enough… Do they bond over the memories of the past, memories of days before the fire? Or do they just not talk about it?

Kharlan must’ve been wanting Saam on his side since a long time ago, but couldn’t tell him or recruit him. Maybe he knew Saam wouldn’t approve of facilitating the Lusitanian invasion. Maybe he knew Saam had settled into being a marzban under Andragoras somewhat. But whatever the case, I cannot deny that there’s this sense of longing he had towards Saam that… he’s never displayed to any other marzban, to my memory. He couldn’t care less what happened to the rest of them at Atropatene. But Saam? Saam he cared about. Wanted on his side. The two must’ve been very close, or shared a special bond over anybody else. Or maybe they drifted apart, but Kharlan just… yearned. From a distance. But he can still long even if they’re close— Kharlan’s shouldering a heavy secret all alone, after all. How many times has he wished he could confide in Saam, only to shy away last-second because he’s afraid of potential rejection, from someone he admires and maybe has steadily depended upon?

I don’t quite know how to put this into words but… I feel like Saam was a steady, fixed, reliable and gentle existence in Kharlan’s life. Kharlan who surely must feel isolated, bearing a burden he can tell no one. Saam must’ve been a soothing presence that made it somewhat lighter even if he wasn’t in the know.

Sorry for the thought vomit, it seems I have more thoughts about them than I previously knew 😅

Kharlan (Arslan Senki) in color palette #98 for seystina <3

Kharlan's castle, in the anime (Episode 3) and the manga (Chapter 4).

It can be seen from where Daryun and Arslan have stopped so that Arslan can wash his face in the river and the horses can have a drink. At that time, Daryun casts a glance in its direction.

(Narsus realising that Daryun did this deliberately to involve him, lol)

I was mainly posting these images because I'm just 👀 at getting a glimpse of Kharlan's lands, but it does also raise some questions. In using the road that passed by the castle, Daryun and Arslan were spotted and Kharlan's men come calling the next morning. But who was it that saw them, and who gave the order to go and investigate Narsus's house? I can't believe I never thought about this before sdfhfgnhg

We can assume Zandeh was in the castle at the time, since he didn't participate in the Battle of Atropatene and later states that he's travelled from his family's lands to serve Hilmes after Kharlan's death. So, he could have been left in charge.

But actually, the evidence suggests that Kharlan himself returned to the castle after the battle, and he was the one who sent out his men. They do, after all, extend this offer:

That sounds like it's come straight from Kharlan himself.

(Incidentally, these men are probably Kharlan's own troops, who are attached to his lands, and so I guess they did not fight at Atropatene?)

Anyway this is all well and good but if Kharlan did in fact return to his castle after shit went down on the nearby plains, that TOTALLY FUCKS WITH SOME SCENES IN THE FIC I AM WRITING. (Well, since it's not confirmed one way or the other, there's ways around it, I could just go with him sending a messenger to the troops he held there in reserve, but ah, I don't know.)

(If he did return to his castle, he can't have stayed there long... but if he did... that was likely the last time Zandeh saw his father.)

'“… What a pity.” Silver Mask’s murmur, swept away by the night wind, could not have been heard by anyone present; perhaps, then, it was because he shared the same sentiment that Qaran responded with a nod of his own. Gazing upon the fallen body of his former comrade, his expression wavered ever so slightly, and he knelt, feeling for Saam’s pulse. “My word. Even like this, he still clings to life!”' (Book 1, Chapter Three, part v)

Kharlan checking on Sam after he collapses from his injuries. Arakawa opted not to show us this, presumably to avoid revealing Sam's survival at that point, but I liked this moment in the novels.

I finally thought to run this through Google Translate. It looks like Shingo Ogiso and I share the same sentiment. I wanted to see them appear together, too 🥲