Here is a short overview on the basics of Fire Emblem, starting with weaponry.
Weapon Triangle.
-The Weapon Triangle refers to Swords, Lances, and Axes. Basically Lance beats Sword, Sword beats Axe, and Axe beats Lance. This, however, does not mean that every time a Lance fights a Sword the Lance automatically wins. It depends on the skill of the wielder.
-There are exceptions to the Weapon Triangle. For example, Axes known as Swordreavers are designed to be good against Swords. Lancereavers are Swords that are good against Lances, and Axereavers are Lances good against Axes.
-Knives exist outside of the Weapon Triangle. They are only used by Thieves, Assassins, Rogues, or (rarely) Sages.
Long-Range Weaponry.
-Bows are the first that come to mind when thinking about long-range weaponry besides magic. Bow users cannot fight up close, but can shoot from afar. More often than not, a skilled archer will make consecutive hits (usually two) before the opponent reacts. A rare bow known as the Longbow can shoot from farther away.
-Crossbows, debuting in Fire Emblem 10, function the same as bows albeit a bit weaker. The main advantage to these is that they allow the user to fight at close-range as well (usually in defense). Absolutely devastating against fliers.
-Swords that can fight from the same range as Bows are rarities, but do exist. There is the Light Brand, which summons a beacon of light energy to smash into the foe. It is not as strong as a close strike, but is useful in many situations. A rarer blade known as the Rune Blade can suck the life out of an opponent from long range and add it to your own.
-Throwing Axes are simply known as Hand Axes. There's not much to say, except that they are woefully inaccurate. Pirates and Brigands love these.
-Javelins are Lances that can be used from the same range as Bows. Simple and inaccurate throwing weapons.
-Ballistae and catapults are both siege weaponry that are typically used to strike down faraway opponents. Any Archer or Sniper class can operate these weapons. There are normal Ballistae, steel Ballistae (slightly stronger), and Killer Ballistae (aims much better, therefore can deliver a critical hit). There is only one type of catapult - the kind that throws rocks. Pretty self-explanatory there, I'd imagine.
Magic.
-There are 3 forms of magic - Light, Anima, and Dark. There are also healing magics usable with the help of staves. [In Fire Emblem 10, there is also Wind Magic...but we'll lump that with Anima].
-Light magic, typically used by those who follow the holy path, is probably the weakest of the three in its basic state. Tomes such as the Lightning, Shine, and Divine are used to cast spells. High-level Light magic users are infamous for the use of the Purge spell, which has an enormous range and can nearly kill an opponent with a blast of heavenly judgement.
-Anima magic, used by scholarly mages and sometimes powerful healers, is the easiest form of magic to use as well as the most accurate. Fire and Thunder tomes are the basis of Anima. More powerful tomes include the Elfire (upgraded Fire tome), the Aircalibur (a wind magic used to cut down flyers), and the Bolting (Thunder magic similar to Purge but weaker).
-Elder magic, used by private scholars and readers of ancient rune, is the hardest to master and the most inaccurate. It is also incorrectly referred to as Dark magic by most. However, it can be the strongest of magics when used to the fullest. The basis of Dark magic is founded on the Flux tome, basically an orb of darkness thrown at an opponent. Other tomes include the Nosferatu (which saps life and adds it to the user's), the Luna (which is weaker than Flux but sometimes with a critical hit even stronger than most magic), and the Fenrir (a very powerful and rare Luna). High-level Dark magic users are infamous for the use of their Eclipse tomes, which strikes from very far range like the Bolting and Purge, but never kills. Instead, it halves the life force of the one struck.
Staves.
-Staves are generally used for healing and status-effecting. The Heal Staff is the most basic of these, but can be used the most. The Mend Staff is much more powerful but can be used only 2/3 of the time Heal Staffs can. Recover Staffs can be used even less, but fully heal an ally.
-The Restore Staff heals Status problems like Poison, Sleep, or Berserk.
-The Unlock Staff can be used for long-range unlocking of closed doors.
-Staves such as the Berserk Staff causes confusion in an enemy, meaning they can hurt their own allies or still keep hurting you. Others like the Sleep Staff puts enemies to sleep for a few minutes. The Rescue Staff can bring units from far away close to the Stave users side, but only 3 times each. The 3 times rule goes the same for the Berserk and Sleep Staff as well. There is one Stave in all of Fire Emblem that can bring the dead back to life once, but it will be ignored. Whenever a unit dies, it dies for good.
Rescue.
-A unit can sometimes 'rescue' another unit, meaning carry them in the case of a ground unit or allow them to ride with you in the case of a mounted unit. The rescued unit cannot get hurt, but the holder is even more prone to getting injured due to a loss of speed and defense. Pegasus knights are well-suited to rescuing, as are wyvern knights.
-Rescue staffs, used by high-level stave users, can bring an allied troop to the caster's side. It only can be used a few times, and the staves are rare.
Weapons.
Now for a few weapons to name. Basically, each Sword has a adjective before it that describes what type of Sword it is. The same goes for Axes, Lances, Bows, and knives. This does not apply to special weapons like the Lancereaver or Light Brand, nor does it apply to any magic. Here are the adjectives.
Slim - Weakest weapons with a slight chance of scoring criticals and high chance of attacking twice. For Bows, replace 'Slim' with 'Short'.
Iron - Weak weapons with no chance at a critical and high chance of attacking twice. If it is a sword and it says Blade instead of Sword, (and this goes for Steel and Silver as well), it basically means that the weapon has low chance of attacking twice, average at critical, but more often than not powerful in damage.
Steel - Average weapons with little chance at a critical and average chance of attacking twice.
Killer - Average weapons with enormous chance at a critical and high chance of attacking twice. Somewhat rare.
Brave - Average weapons with slight chance at a critical and high chance of attacking four times. Yes, four. Very rare.
Silver - Powerful weapons with average chance at a critical and average chance at attacking twice.
Divine Weapons
This only goes over the Divine Weapons in Fire Emblem 6 and 7, but here we go. Note that all of them were heavily guarded in ancient tombs and that all of them are only wieldable by those with a complete mastery ('S' rank ) in their weapon class. Also, they are especially effective against Dragons and Wyverns. You can incorporate them however you like if you have a reasonable way of doing it. Like in Fire Emblem 8, among the many countries of the central continent, there are Divine Weapons that serve as national treasures. Some are brother and sister sets, some are lone weapons, but all are important to the nation and are securely locked away.
[Note: These are just the generic types of Divine Weapons one might expect.]
Durandal - Ancient Sword.
Armads - Ancient Axe.
Malte - Ancient Lance.
Forblaze - Ancient Tome of Fire, Anima magic class.
Aurieola - Ancient Tome of Light.
Apocalypse - Ancient Tome of Darkness.
Miurgre - Ancient Bow.
Sealed Sword - Not really a Divine Weapon, but even more powerful than any of them. It won't be available for anyone.
Note: The use of the rarest staff, the Hammerne Staff, can repair Divine Weapons and basically extend their usage. The Hammerne Staff can be used on any weapon, but it only has 3 uses so it's important for powerful items like these.
Skills.
To read more about Skills, just go here.
http://fireemblem.wikia.com/wiki/Skills
However, due to the potential for godmodding, I'll assign skills (if any) based on characters in the RP. If you're familiar with Fire Emblem, feel free to apply simple skills like Adept, Cancel, Vantage, Shade, etc.
Weather.
Most of the time it is sunny - but sometimes there are rainfalls or snowstorms or sandstorms. Basically, rainfall affects all units movement. Sandstorms affect all non-flight units movement. Snowstorms affect all movement to a greater degree than rainfall.
Terrain.
I'm not going into specific terrain like Plain or Woods or whatever because those are self-explanatory. Here's the important stuff:
-Mountains are crossable by everyone except mounted units.
-Peaks, basically very high mountains, are not crossable by anyone except flyers.
-Forests are not crossable by anyone except flyers if too dense.
-Rivers are crossable by Nomads and ground units other than Lords and magic users. Of course, flyers can too.
-Lava pits cannot be crossed by anyone, even flyers.
-Lakes are crossable only by flyers and Pirates or Berserkers. Lakes are not Oceans, Lakes are typically large bodies of water.
-Gates are entrances to some large castle levels with occupants that refuse to surrender, or they're places to attain victory on the occasions the occupants inside get wise and give up before they die. Gates are usually guarded by a Boss unit, and the Gates offer huge bonuses like defense and regeneration.
-Thrones are just that. They are similar to Gates in the bonuses they offer.
-Walls cannot be crossed by anyone, including flyers. Walls often have cracks somewhere that can be exploited to make an entrance.
-Fences cannot be crossed by anyone except flyers.
Special items:
Vulnerary - Basic medicine for any unit, self-applicable.
Elixir - Advanced medicine for any unit, self-applicable. Heals all wounds minus status afflictions.
AntiToxin - Cures Poison.
Holy Water - When sprinkled on, it helps the user resist magic attacks for a time.
Mine - When planted, it explodes on whoever steps on it. Every Mine has one use, and they are rare. They don't kill who steps on it either, just hurts.
Light Seal - Whoever steps on a planted Light Seal is bound in place for a time.
Light Rune - Magic users can set up Light Runes to block progress by ground units. They do wear off, but it takes a while.
Units:
When discussing units, I will say what they can be promoted to first and then give an overview of the unit. Also, Fire Emblem 10 promotions will be somewhat disregarded (since it is three tiers as opposed to the traditional two).
Lord --> Knight Lord or Great Lord:
Every Fire Emblem has a Lord or two in it. The Lord is usually royalty or nobility of some sort, serving as the main character through and through. They take part in each operation although most are quite weak to start with. Lords typically use Swords, though few have been known to use Lances and even fewer have used Axes. There are a few that utilized magic, but thus far none who've been bowmen. Lords typically upgrade very late in the game with the use of a story-driven promotion item (such as a bracelet or a weapon that has been discussed at length before, but the object can be anything so long as it's important). For example, Roy of Fire Emblem 6 upgrades when he is given the Sword of Seals late in the game. In Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones, Eirika and Ephraim both upgrade from the power of special bracelets (which I won't bother explaining the significance of). Knight Lords are typically Lords that go from foot to horseback, and Great Lords are Lords that stay on foot but usually gain much armor.
(Recruit?) --> Fighter or Pirate --> Warrior/Berserker:
A Fighter is basically an axe wielder with a sturdy build and low resistance to magic. They are also fairly inaccurate, but have much HP and power. The Recruit is simply an even lower class than a Fighter or Pirate that can grow to be a Fighter, but are only seen in one case in Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones. More on Pirates later. When a strong Fighter is presented with an item known as the Hero's Crest, they can promote to a Warrior or Berserker. The Warrior is a powerful axe user who can begin to use Bows, has high movement, and substantial HP. The Berserker is similar except more powerful and without the Bow.
Archer --> Sniper
Archers are Bow-users who can attack from long-range. They are relatively slow and are helpless at close-quarters combat. They are also weak in the HP department. What makes them important is that they, in conjunction with a wooded or mountainous environment, can use those bonuses to boost some of their power. Perfect for castle defending as well. In addition, high-level Archers or Snipers are hard to hit even at close-range and attack multiple times from far-range. When presented with the Orion's Bolt promotion item, Archers can become Snipers. Snipers are improved Archers that still cannot defend at close-range and offer no bonuses but an HP boost and more power.
Myrmidon --> Swordmaster
Myrmidons are sword-users who are average all around. They have a good pace of movement, usually attack fast, and can be brought up to be Swordmasters with the help of the Hero's Crest promotion item. Swordmasters are the dominant sword users of all units, and have a natural tendency to score critical hits more than the usual. They are however ineffective versus armored units without the help of such items as the Armorslayer sword. Some Swordmasters have been known to dabble in Bows, but only very few.
Mercenary --> Hero
First of all, the Mercenary class is NOT always literally a mercenary. It's best to think of them as a different class of Myrmidon. Basically, they are stronger but slower. The fundamentals are still the same as the Myrmidon except for the size of the Mercenary's sword. With the help of the Hero's Crest, the Mercenary can become a Hero class. The Hero is an adept user of Swords and a beginner with Axes. The Hero also always carries a shield with him. The Hero is faster both in battle and in movement, and is incredibly sturdy even against magic. High HP as well.
(Recruit?) --> Cavalier/Armor Knight --> Paladin or Great Knight/ General or Great Knight
This is a bit more complicated. The Recruit again is a one-time case in Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones that in this situation was a grounded Lance user. By level 10, the Recruit can become a Cavalier or an Armor Knight. In most cases however, the Cavalier or Armor Knight is the base unit. The Cavalier is basically a horseback unit who can use Lances and Swords. They are also more suited for using Javelins, Spears, Short Spears, or Heavy Spears (all throwing Lance weapons) than the other Lance users. The Cavalier is good for rescuing others and is fast, but weak in most departments when in battle. Their strength is questionable, and often they cannot efficiently function while alternating Swords and Lances. The Armor Knight is a grounded Lance user who wears incredibly massive armor that covers the entire body. They are very slow and sometimes aren't even worth having because the armor is no good against Anima or Dark magic. It is mostly men who wear such armor, although there are some cases where women are able to deal with it. Both the Cavalier and Armor Knight can use the Knight Crest promotion item to promote themselves. The Cavalier can choose between being a Paladin and a Great Knight. The Armor Knight can become a General or a Great Knight. The Paladin is a powerful horseback unit with speed to match a Pegasus Knight and great power. They are masters of the Lance, adept at Swords, and beginners at Axes. The Great Knight is an armored and mounted knight that is slower than the Paladin but faster than a General. They can use Swords, Lances, and Axes the same as a Paladin can, but they are sturdier in HP and more powerful. The General is a grounded unit who can use Axes and Lances skillfully. With the use of a long chain, they attach the Axe to the end and strike from the same range as a melee unit, but with much more power. The Lance is used like normal, except it can move farther thanks to the chain extension at its base end. Generals are still susceptible to magic.
(Recruit?) --> Mage --> Sage
Same thing for the Recruit. The Mage is a user of anima magic. They have low HP, can move relatively fast, and can attack quickly as well. With the help of the Guiding Ring promotion item, they can become Sages. Sages are powered-up versions of Mages with the added bonus of being able to use staves. They can also move faster and sport a considerable upgrade in damage capabilities. Some Sages have trained themselves to be able to use knives as well.
Shaman --> Elder Shaman
The Shaman uses Dark magic. They are similar to Mages stat-wise, except they are much more inaccurate. Using the Guiding Ring, they can become Elder Shaman. Elder Shaman, or Druids, are masters of Dark magic and are able to use staves. They can move faster and are more accurate.
Monk --> Bishop
The Monk is a Light magic user. They are relatively fast in movement and in battle, and have low HP. They are unable to dodge as much as Mages can. With the help of the Guiding Ring, they can become Bishops. Bishops are able to use high-level Light magic as well as staves.
Cleric --> Bishop/Sword Valkyrie
Not to be confused with the Monk, the Cleric is a female stave user. They have a tendency to get killed more than any other unit because of their lack of defense. The Cleric can be a private studier or a member of Church. With the Guiding Ring, they can become Bishops and use Light magic as well. In Fire Emblem 9 and 10, the Sword Valkyrie is an exclusive class for one cleric. An Earth Seal, Master Seal, or even a Hero's Crest will do for this promotion. The Sword Valkyrie is a horseback unit who can use swords and staves.
Troubadour --> Anima Valkyrie
The Troubadour is a female stave user. The difference between her and the Cleric is that the Troubadour is mounted on a horse and more able to dodge attacks, as well as distribute healing. HP tends to be lower on the Troubadour. With the Guiding Ring, they can become Valkyries. The Valkyries are upgraded Troubadours that are able to use Anima magic. What makes them truly significant is that they are near-impossible to hit, as well as very high in movement speed. A Valkyrie using Anima can sometimes be more deadly than any other magic user because of their high accuracy and evasiveness. On top of that, the high-level staves that Bishops can also use can be used to greater effect with the Valkyrie. The Berserk Staff for one, an incredibly rare item that causes insanity in an opponent from a very far range, is most reliable with the Valkyrie because of their accuracy.
Soldier --> Halberdier
The Soldier is a bit of an odd case. In all the GBA Fire Emblems, the Soldier has never been able to promote and has never been usable by the player. They were grounded enemy-Lance users most of the time and wore standard armor. Come Fire Emblem 9 and 10, however, the Soldier class became usable. Let's say Soldiers are promoted with Earth Seals, Master Seals, or Hero's Crests to Halberdiers. Both the Soldier and Halberdier are grounded lance users with more mobility than the Armor Knight.
Pirate --> Berserker
The Pirate is a sea-faring bandit that utilizes two axes (though it counts as one item with them and with any other unit). Pirates are sturdy, inaccurate, and strong. Pretty much Fighters with a twist - they can swim. Pirates can also destroy Villages if placed on the entrance, which pretty much ends the chance of finding a character inside or getting an item from townsfolk. When given an Ocean Seal, the Pirate can become a Berserker (otherwise known as a Captain of a Pirate crew if not a strong member of an army unit).
Brigand --> Warrior
The Brigand is much like a Fighter, except with less HP and higher accuracy. The Brigand can also destroy Villages as well. Given the Hero's Crest, they can become Warriors. Very few Brigands actually join up - only one, in fact, in Fire Emblem: The Sword of Seals. It is important to note that some Brigands and Pirates simply do what they do to make money thanks to the lack of work. Some, like Garret of Fire Emblem: The Sword of Seals would like nothing better than to find other work, despite being a master of what he does.
Thief --> Assassin or Rogue
Thieves are easily the weakest class besides healers. They utilize knives and can attack twice before an enemy can react. However, they are weak in battle and aren't so good at evasion. Some, like Legault of Fire Emblem 7, can manage to be on their own and function as a battle unit, but this is rarely the case. They can also destroy Villages. What makes Thieves unique is that they can Steal items from enemy units (excluding equipped weapons), and also open doors and chests using an item known as the Lockpick. So if an opponent is holding a Hero's Crest or a Vulnerary (standard self-healing item, medicine basically), the thief can take it. With the help of a rare promotion item known as the Fell Contract, Thieves can become Assassins or Rogues. By becoming Assassins, Thieves lose the ability to Steal or open chests and doors. However, Assassins are probably one of the most deadly units out there. Sometimes, and when making a critical hit, their special ability known as the Silencer can instantly kill any enemy. Assassins use two daggers and are very hard to hit. They have average HP. The Rogue is simply an upgraded Thief with more HP. Rogues can dodge easier than the Thief and are able to open chests and doors without a Lockpick.
Wyvern Knight --> Wyvern Lord
The Wyvern Knights are highly trained wyvern riders that utilize Lances. Since childhood, they are raised alongside their chosen wyvern and train rigorously. They are fiercely loyal to their respective Lords and are usually the product of a militant nation that happens to contain wyverns. The Wyvern Knights are susceptible to magic, but not as much as Armor Knights. They and the Wyvern Lords have some of the highest movement speeds. With the Elysian Whip promotion item, Wyvern Knights can become Wyvern Lords, the airborne equivalent of a Great Knight with a ton of speed. Wyvern Lords can use Swords as well.
Pegasus Knight --> Falcon Knight
Pegasus Knights are all women atop winged horses, which are even rarer than wyverns. Pegasi usually live in cold regions. Pegasus Knights are typically in high demand as mercenaries. In the region of Ilia in Fire Emblem 6 and 7, mercenaries are the preferred job choice for people living there. Women become Pegasus Knights and men become Cavaliers. Even some Pegasus Knights in the military from that region have to operate under foreign conditions as mercenaries for a rite of initiation. This may not be the case in other Fire Emblems, but the most detail on them is explained in what they do in the particular nation of Ilia. Pegasus Knights can be from 14-40 and use Lances and Swords. They are the most suited to Rescue other units. With the help of the Elysian Whip promotion item, they can become Falcon Knights. No, Falcon Knights do not ride falcons. Falcon Knights are faster and more upgraded Pegasus Knights.
Nomad --> Nomadic Trooper
Exclusive to Fire Emblem 6 and 7, the Nomadic tribes of the region of Sacae are horseback bowmen. Simple as that. They move fast, strike rapidly, and have no defense close-quarters. However, when presented the Orion's Bolt promotion item, they become Nomadic Troopers that are able to use Swords as well.
Bard/Dancer
Whenever a male Bard or female Dancer unit joins, they have only one function which is also their one use. The Bard sings, the Dancer dances, and both of these things allow one unit who has just used his/her turn to move or attack again. That's pretty much it. They're both slow, only level-up by dodging enemy attacks, have no means of defense or offense, and only a few times have they been able to provide alternative functions. By alternative functions, I mean stat boosting dances or songs using special items. For example, in Fire Emblem 7, a Dancer can use an item known as Nini's Grace (in the form of a Dancer's arm ring) to boost defense. Another item can boost offense, etc. The effect lasts for one turn.
Mamkute
The Mamkute is typically a dragon in human form. Few Dragons exist in the world of men in the times which the story of the particular Fire Emblem takes place, but they are always of significance. Fire Emblem 6 and 7 tell of an ancient war that changed the very laws of nature millennia ago when 8 powerful heroes clashed with the evil dominating dragons of the period. Fire Emblem 8 had only two Mamkutes, peaceful guardians of a temple in a forbidden forest. Fire Emblem 9 and 10, however, introduced 'laguz', some of which are dragons. Those would not be referred to as Mamkutes.
King
Units such as the King are custom for a Fire Emblem, meaning that a King is like a leader of a class only unique in power and how they stand out. For example, Fire Emblem 9 and 10's Hawk Laguz are led by Tibarn. The average Hawk is labeled as a Hawk class while Tibarn is labeled as the Hawk King. This is typically only for the Laguz, but here's another example from Fire Emblem 9. Elincia, who is a unique unit that is a sword-wielding Pegasus Knight and a cleric in one, has the class 'Princess Elincia'. In this case, she's not a Lord unit and neither is the King class that I'm talking about.
Monsters
Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones dealt with a variety of monster enemies in addition to human opponents. Skeletons, floating eyeballs, trolls, centaurs, the generic stuff. Each have specialized items that only work for them, and none are recruitable units. The final boss of the game, Demon Lord, counts as a monster despite being a separate class.
Civilian
This class is pretty much just NPC's that cannot defend themselves or hold weaponry. They'll likely die from one or two shots. The Civilian can be man, woman, or child.
Tent --> Transporter
Merchants such as Merlinus of FE 6 and 7 aid the party not through battle but by carrying all surplus items and distributing them whenever necessary before and sometimes during battle. As a Tent, the merchant cannot move and is weak to attack. It can however be pitched in every battlefield and be accessed by anyone near it, though it is optional to pitch the Tent. After a certain amount of time, the merchant may gain a horse to make a mobile transport, which means the Tent is basically on wheels now. This is now the Transporter. The Transporter cannot move fast and cannot defend, however.
Tactician
In Fire Emblem 7, a separate class known as Tactician (which is pretty much YOU, the player) is used. He or she never appears on the battlefield and cannot be harmed, but still counts as a person. You may want to consider being or having a Tactician.
RP Stuff.
Placement of Regions. (Subject to change)
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxMalettaxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxGamasxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
ArthiusxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxFaneliaxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxxxxIzoratxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxLamayaxxxxxxxxxxx
Fire Emblem: Stone of Calamity
The continent of Sumaria enjoys an age of peace. It is a time of prosperity for many nations and their citizens. For many, this era is a time of happiness, perhaps an indication that man has learned much from the strife of their blood-stained past of war and conflict. For some, however, it is a time of waiting - waiting for opportunities to begin such conflict. All that is needed for the flames of calamity to be lit once more is a slight push...for man has learned nothing.
Maletta, Land of the Never-Ending Winter, ruled by the wise and beautiful Queen Isadora.
Gamas, Land of the Ever-Shifting Sands, ruled by the gruff but fair Emperor Demuth.
Lamaya, Land of the Endless Savannah, led by the honest and nomadic female Chief Veran.
Fanelia, Nation of Limitless Might, ruled by the stalwart and powerful Emperor Gradius.
Arthius, Nation of Infinite Knowledge, ruled by the scholarly and just King Kennon.
Izorat, Nation of Boundless Aspirations, ruled by the young and talented Queen Celestine.
Provinces in the countries can be made up as we go along. Suggestions for incorporating a Laguz Nation are welcome.
Dominant Units for each region:
Maletta - Pegasus Knights, Falcon Knights, Cavaliers, Paladins, Great Knights.
Gamas - Wyvern Knights, Wyvern Lords, Soldiers, Fighters, Warriors, Myrmidons, Swordmasters, Mercenaries, Heroes.
Lamaya - Nomads, Nomadic Troopers, Archers, Snipers, Myrmidons, Swordmasters.
Fanelia - Soldiers, Wyvern Knights, Wyvern Lords, Fighters, Warriors, Berserkers, Mages, Sages, Shaman, Elder Shaman, Monks, Bishops, Troubadours, Cavaliers, Paladins, Archers, Snipers, Armor Knights, Generals, Mercenaries, Heroes, Pegasus Knights (recruited from Maletta).
Arthius - Mages, Sages, Shaman, Elder Shaman, Monks, Bishops, Clerics, Troubadours, Valkryies, Archers, Snipers, Mercenaries, Heroes, Pegasus Knights (recruited from Maletta).
Izorat - Cavaliers, Paladins, Armor Knights, Generals, Myrmidons, Swordmasters, Mercenaries, Mages, Shaman, Clerics, Bishops, Troubadours, Pegasus Knights (recruited from Maletta).
Characters.
The classes of each can only use weapons that correspond with their class. All created units will start with Slim or Iron weapons if they are melee fighters, otherwise base weaponry like Fire for Mages. Prepromoted created characters, like Swordmasters, will be weaker than a trained Myrmidon about to become a Swordmaster with the help of a Hero's Crest, so it may not be worth having prepromotes. On the other hand, they get all the bonuses of their class, and the ability to wield any weapon of their specialty class (Anima for Sages) besides Divine Weapons right off the bat. Prepromotes also have the advantage of being sturdy reliable units when they're first encountered. Some have the potential to be powerful, but they are few and far between.
When creating a character, you may want to visualize existing ones in both character form and portrait form.
http://ui12.gamespot.com/427/franz_2.jpg
http://media.strategywiki.org/images/9/94/FE8_Franz.gif
You can suggest characters to be recruited on the battlefield, but once you make your initial team (which only requires one Lord), you're stuck with them until they meet said characters. On top of your suggestions for characters, I'll be making my own that you can potentially recruit. I will not say whether these named characters will be recruitable or which unit (or units) of yours will have the ability to do so. It's all about the RP aspect.
The RP portion is still in the planning stages.