Lhyonnaes

It might be worth talking about later, after the 20th. I'm not well-versed in it, and I don't know if I can reasonably do the research and write it up while still covering what I want to cover and staying generally sane.

Manakete-ness doesn't just spontaneously happen. One of Kamui's parents has to be one of the dragonkin, which means that he/she is at best going to be a half brother of Ryouma and the like.

I dunno, I'm getting far too strong Emperor Gangrel zi Brittania vibes from him to give him that much credit, though it would be nice if everything wasn't all tea and cherry blossoms over in Glorious Nippon.

Hrmmm. Forgot about the Hadoka manga. At the same time, the cravat and the black collar is distinctly Sigurd-ian, and no other depiction of Marth has given him a cravat (nor does he have any reason for marking on his face, though those could easily be there for some other reason). The color scheme is a bit more blue that Sigurd usually is, yes, but honestly it's hard to tell. Sigurd's cloak is different colors depending on the depiction, after all. Overall, it just looks much more like Sigurd than Marth to me. It's not inconceivable that it is Marth, but it's certainly not what I first think of when I see that collar and cravat.

Yup, I've been beating the Sigurd drum since I first saw him. He's got Sigurd's cravat, the same white cloak, and the same black collar (down to the same silver detailing, I believe). He's even got odd markings on his face, which might be the brands from his Major Holy Blood. If he's not Sigurd, I'll eat my metaphorical hat.

Interesting. Six skill slots, eh? I'm really holding out for competetive multiplayer, in that case. Let's actually get a metagame going. And, you know, good to see that the dragon transformation suspicions were correct.

Well, all the manakete varieties tend to have different physical appearances, and there's some room for variation between games and individuals, anyways. Most interesting to me is the color. The only black dragons we've seen so far in FE are Earth Dragons (or Dark Dragons, but the precise distinction there is foggy at best)... EDIT: Unless the relation is to the black dragons of Tellius...

But the general setup of the kingdoms still feels quite similar. And I would be very surprised if the paths did not ultimately converge on a shared big bad.

Sorry, sorry. I thought that it would be clear, given the IF subforum. I'll clarify more in the future.

As the title says, there's clearly a shapeshifter at around 1:38. If you look closely, the armor of the person who transformes looks an awful lot like MU's armor, though we don't get a good look at their face... The implications could be quite interesting.

Blue haired sword guy looks like Sigurd. An awful lot like Sigurd. He's got a white cloak, a black collar, a white cravat, and what looks to be Holy Blood markings on his face.

I can't be the only one who is reminded of Rigel and Zofia...

The Miracle of Darna Thanks for coming to read the next installment of History of the Emblem. Today, we're discussing the Miracle of Darna. Honestly, if you're going to read any one entry in this series, you should read this one. The Miracle is not only an important event in its own right, but it sets an incredibly important precedent. I wouldn't be surprised if I wind up referring to the Miracle at some point in every subsequent post about events or speculation taking place in the larger Archanea/Valentia/Jugdral world. Hopefully I've made its importance sufficiently clear here. Also, in general, keep in mind that this more or less a work of history, albeit videogame history. And as with all history, it is not and cannot be perfectly objective. I should probably be citing my sources like a proper academic paper, but honestly I can't really be bothered, but if you have questions about where I'm getting a specific point, ask and I can provide. Regardless, there is and will always be some interpretation on my part, interpretation that others might not agree with. And, you know, that's just how history is. I'll note when I get into the more speculative side of things. ---------------------------------------------- Having covered the Dragon War and the Loptyrian Empire, we have laid all the necessary groundwork to discussing the Miracle of Darna, which is certainly one of the more important events in the history of Jugdral and Archanea – indeed, I would argue that it is the most important event. The Miracle of Darna not only directly lead to the overthrow of the Loptyrian Empire, it also represented a massive shift in relations between the humans and the dragonkin, which would set a long-lasting and enduring precedent. It was the first occasion in Jugdral and Archanea where humanity was no longer subject to the whims of powers greater than themselves, and it was a symbolic event that placed the power to chart the course of the world and the responsibility to do it well in the hands of humans. The precedent set by the Miracle, of manaketes entrusting in humans the power to triumph over the great evils of the world rather than confronting it themselves, would continue to be dominant for over three thousand years, and counting. At the end of the previous entry, we left the last resistance to the Loptyrian Empire in dire straits, huddled in the fortress of Darna at the end of a long siege at the close of the Jugdrali year 632. Their armies had been smashed, their allies once against subjugated by the fist of the Loptyrian Empire. But, despite what they thought, they were not alone. 632 had already been a momentous year in the world, for not long before the Miracle of Darna, the dragon queen Naga had crafted the Shield of Seals and ended the Dragon War. With peace have returned to Archanea, the manakete could finally survey the destruction to the continent, and turn their eyes to the rest of the world. Cloaked in a series of human bodies on a different continent, Loptyr had been so far unmolested by the followers of Naga. That anonymity would not last. A continent ruled by a god-emperor and the cult built around him which extolled the evident power and might of a god named Loptyr could not long escape manakete attention once the Dragon War was over. With the plight of humanity clear, an Ice Dragon1 by the name of Forseti began to advocate for intervention on their behalf. Once again, an Earth Dragon was clearly causing immeasurable harm to an effectively defenseless human population. The desire to protect the humans of Archeanea had been the beginning of the Dragon War, after all, so a call for a similar response was understandable. But Jugdral presented more complications. The humans of Jugdral were, after all, more advanced that the humans of Archanea. They were not powerless – quite the opposite, in fact, especially against the war-weary manaketes. Furthermore, Loptyr had a large quantity of loyal followers, and a larger pool of soldiers that had no choice but to serve him. A war against Loptyr would mean a war against the very humans that the manaketes wished to save. Furthermore, simply because the manaketes were interested in protecting the humans in the abstract did not mean that they were interested in actively engaging with them. Indeed, it is clear throughout the Dragon War that the manaketes of Archanea actively avoided all contact with humanity, if they could get away with it. The reasons for this are open to speculation,2 but it provided another obstacle to manakete intervention on Jugdral. Despite these challenges, Forseti persisted in advocating for manakete intervention to save the humans of Jugdral. His motives for taking such a stance are not clear – however, what we do know is that, among the most powerful manakete of the time, he was clearly the youngest, and had somehow developed a profound sympathy for the plight of humankind.3 If anyone else shared Forseti’s concern for the humans of Jugdral, it was Naga. But for the previously mentioned reasons, she was unwilling to lead the manakete for war. And more than just those concerns, Archanea had just reached the end of two and a half centuries of violence. Naga herself was planning to give up her physical body, and no doubt some of the other manakete elders thought the same. In light of all these factors, a new plan was devised, that would limit the problematic manakete interaction with the human world, while still enabling the downfall of Loptyr. In many respects, we can say with a good deal of certainty that the plan was primarily devised by Forseti, as he was the manakete most passionate about helping the humans and the one with the least reservations about interacting with them. The plan was still a concerning one to most the manaketes, yes, but Forseti managed to convince Naga of its wisdom, and Naga succeeded in convincing ten others to accompany them. So it was that, on that last night in Darna fortress, where the twelve young men and women who had found themselves the leaders of the last remnants of the resistance met for what was surely to be their last meeting, a miracle occurred. Naga, Forseti, a fire dragon by the name of Salamand, and the other nine manakete whose names we do not know, appeared suddenly in front of the twelve humans. The humans, somewhat unsurprisingly, saw them as gods. The manaketes disclosed their names, but remained in their untransformed form, and did not disclose their true nature. After a brief introduction, each of the Twelve4 approached one of the humans, and bestowed upon them two gifts. The first and most significant gift was a portion of their blood, transfused into the new host by quasi-magical means.5 These gifts of Major Holy Blood bestowed significant power upon its recipients, making them faster, stronger, more magically powerful, and so on. It did not, however, affect their lifespan. Though blessed with superhuman power, the bearers of this Holy Blood were still largely mortal humans. With the gift of the Holy Blood, the twelve humans – who would shortly be known as the Crusaders – gained physical manifestations of the non-human power within them, intricate brands that surfaced on their skin, much like those which were also borne by the Loptyrian emperors. And indeed, just like their enemy, the sacred blood that ran within their veins would be passed down to their descendants. As it eventually became clear, the brand would usually only be passed down to one child per generation, from a parent who also bore the brand – and those who were so marked inherited the full might of the sacred power bestowed upon the Crusaders. Unbranded children seemingly were lesser carriers of this divine might, and over generations some of their descendants would seem to lose the power entirely.6 But the Holy Blood was not the only blessing the Twelve bestowed upon the Crusaders. The Twelve bestowed one weapon upon each of the Crusaders. These arms were finely crafted weapons in their own right, but the Twelve each placed their dragonstones in their respective weapons, creating artifacts of immense power. For a common man, these dragonstones would do nothing, but for the Crusaders and their descendants who possessed sufficient quantities of the appropriate Holy Blood for them to bear that blood’s brand, the powers of the dragonstone would activate. The full draconic energy of one of the Twelve, the most powerful of the manakete alive, would empower the user and their weapon, giving them powers that seemed, to the humans, almost godlike. For the majority of the Twelve, such boons were enough. All of the Twelve imparted words of wisdom unto their chosen champions, and then departed Jugdral, hoping and believing that they had acted with wisdom, and that the humans could be trusted to use such power well, to defeat Loptyr and to rule justly. Naga and Forseti, however, did not simply imbue their Holy Weapons with their dragonstones. Much like Loptyr had done, they put a part of their very essence into the tomes that they bestowed, creating not only powerful magical spells but also receptacles for their very spirits. This did not mean that their spirits were bound inside those tomes, but rather that they provided a way that they could more closely interact with their associated Crusaders, and indeed a way that they could exert a sort of limited control or possession over the bearers of their Holy Weapons, should they chose to do so. Having thus accomplished their purpose, the Twelve returned to Archaea, and went their separate ways. Naga discarded her body to live on as a spirit, and likely provided direct guidance from the Book of Naga to Saint Heim, the leader of the Crusaders who bore her tome and her blood. Forseti, too, did not remain long in his mortal body, and continued to watch over Jugdral, where his spirit would later directly intervene to help mortals once again. As for the rest of the Twelve, we cannot say for certain. The manakete who bestowed the holy Yewfelle upon the crusader Ulir, perhaps swayed by the success of the Miracle or by Naga and Forseti’s arguments, was also to play a minor role in future events on the continent. Perhaps others among the Twelve, powerful manaketes who were now without their dragonstones, would play future roles in the world, but if that is the case, the truth of it is unknown to us. The Crusaders, for their part, ventured forth with their Holy Weapons and their Holy Blood, and broke the Loptyrian armies laying siege to Darna. Even so empowered, the odds arrayed against them were immense. Even for they who became known essentially as demigods throughout the continent, the Deadlords were a fearsome foe, and behind them was the military might of a unified continent. But the Crusaders were powerful, and with every victory, subjugated peoples of Jugdral broke free from Loptyrian control, and raised their banners for the Crusaders, for liberation. That great campaign against the Loptyrian Empire became known as the Holy War. From its beginnings in early 633, it stretched on fifteen long years, until Saint Heim, wielding Naga’s power, struck down Emperor Galle XVII on the very steps of Belhalla. From the shattered Loptyrian Empire, new kingdoms arose. The land was slowly rebuilt, and peace returned to Jugdral. But even though Loptyr’s vessels were destroyed and his descendants hunted down and killed, the dragon’s legacy lived on. His followers were cunning and resilient, and went into hiding. There they plotted their ultimate return to power, and the revival of their dark god. It would be more than a hundred years before their dreams began to come to fruition. A hundred years of peace in Jugdral before, in the year 757, war broke out between Granvalle and Issach. As the greatest knights in the kingdom rode to battle, the barbarians of Verdane launched an audacious raid on southern Granvalle. And Sigurd Chalphy, son of Duke Vylon and inheritor of the Holy Blood of the Crusader Baldur, would ride out against them, and into the pages of history. 1: The lore never explicitly states what type of dragon Forseti is. However, he has a very strong connection to wind magic, and the elements of wind and ice are consistently closely related throughout the Fire Emblem series (see such wind spells as Blizzard and Rexcalibur). Thus, it’s pretty safe to assume that Forseti is indeed an Ice Dragon. 2: Speculation that we will certainly get to, in time. 3: Just something to keep in mind for future speculation, but a comparatively young Ice Dragon who is uncommonly sympathetic towards humanity and has a thing against dark mages abusing children might seem a little bit familiar. 4: The Twelve is a shorthand term that I coined to refer to the “gods” at Darna, from the imagined perspective of Jugdrali theologians. It’s not a canonical term, but I find it useful to use in the absence of one. 5: Forseti recounts that the Twelve cut their fingers, and thus offered their Holy Blood to the Crusaders. He doesn’t go into any more detail than that, sadly. 6: We must assume that even the Major Holy Blood would die out eventually, but FE4 begins only around 120 years after the Mirale of Darna, presumably before we could see this outcome. Similarly, it’s unclear whether the fact that a descendant of two carriers of the same Minor Holy Blood could produce an offspring with Major Holy Blood became widely known throughout Jugdral (a certain old man in chapter 4 of FE4 implies that it became known at some point), though the Loptyrians were clearly aware of this functionality. And finally, we don’t know if the restriction of a maximum of two types of holy blood per individual is canonical or a limitation of the system in FE4 (and there were never enough potential crosses in the game to tell for sure), though it’s more clear that no person can have two different types of Major Holy Blood. ------------------------------------------------------- Once again, thanks for reading. Feel free to leave comments or questions or concerns or general feedback. I am currently not planning to discuss the events actually taking place within the main storylines of any FE game, which means that the next entry will be back on Archanea. We'll be talking about the rise of the Kingdom of Archanea, the formation of Dohlr, and, if we get that far, Anri and the Falchion. We'll come back to Jugdral later to talk about Mairism, other topic if people are curious about them, and of course, for speculation. Also, while I'm happy to keep making these, they're pretty long, and I don't have all the time in the world to write them. As a result, you shouldn't expect the next one tomorrow, but in two days.

Interesting, I was not aware of this adaptation. Sickness and blight could certainly be a side effect of the degeneration. Was it presented as anything other than that? However, I'm curious how they explain Loptyr's blood pact with Galle. If Loptyr was killed after the pact, that's not an issue - it could even be interpreted as part of his plan, to ensure that nobody would be looking for him. If he was killed before the pact, then it's obviously a bit more complicated.

We'll get to this in some further posts. I would suggest, though, that I think that the Ruins of Time, deep within the historic homelands of the Divine Dragons and where Naga's Tear can be found, is a much more likely endpoint to the Dragon's Gate than the Outrealm Gate.

The Loptyrian Empire This time, we're dealing with some of the most disturbing material that the Fire Emblem series has to offer, especially when we talk about the Child Hunts. Yes, it's the Loptyrian Empire, a necessary leadup to discussing the Miracle of Darna, which is a necessary leadup to... a whole lot of other stuff. I realize that the actual two hundred years of the Empire's rule doesn't get that much attention, but there's only so much you can say about terrible oppression. In a future installment we will cover Saint Maira, the Mairists, and talk a bit more about Jugdralian theology, but that's a topic for another time. Also, in general, keep in mind that this more or less a work of history, albeit videogame history. And as with all history, it is not and cannot be perfectly objective. I should probably be citing my sources like a proper academic paper, but honestly I can't really be bothered, but if you have questions about where I'm getting a specific point, ask and I can provide. Regardless, there is and will always be some interpretation on my part, interpretation that others might not agree with. And, you know, that's just how history is. I'll note when I get into the more speculative side of things. ------------------------------------------------ Last time, we discussed the causes and the immediate aftermath of the Dragon War on Archanea, a conflict that brought low the once-glorious draconic civilization on the continent and laid the framework for humanity’s eventual dominance. But Archanea was not the only place where humans lived – in fact, compared to the continent of Jugdral across the sea, the Archanean humans were positively primitive. And neither was Archanea the only continent that was profoundly touched by the degradation that afflicted the dragons. The recorded timeline of early Archanea seems to be based more on ballpark estimates of the years of events rather than precise recordings. However, by aligning the timelines of Archanea and Jugdral on a known shared event (The Miracle of Darna in Jugdral 632, which we will cover tomorrow), we can conclude that recorded human history on Jugdral began almost 400 years before the start of the Dragon War, with the foundation of the Kingdom of Gran in the year 1. Little is known about the Kingdom of Gran, other than the fact that 230 years after its founding the monarchy collapsed and it became a republic. Certainly, for around the last 100 years of its existence, it enjoyed great prosperity, advancing in magical knowledge and technology. There were likely formalized systems of magical instruction that arose alongside more sophisticated trade1, and even the construction of boats that could sail across the sea. But that final innovation would prove more problematic than expected. As far as we know, there were no great Jugdrali explorers that set off into the great unknown. Doubtless the boats that were constructed were primarily intended to be merchant ships, and were content to ply their trade along the coastlines. Records only tell of one man from Jugdral who set sail away from the continent and returned. His name was Galle. That Galle’s voyage across the open sea in the year 440 was a success is either astoundingly lucky or a testament to the skill of the shipbuilders and sailors of the Gran Republic. No doubt he was already quite the charismatic individual, to gather a crew for what would seem to be an insane mission into the unknown. We know at least a fragment of Galle's motivation - he seemingly was chasing a legend that drinking the blood of an ancient dragon granted one tremendous power and eternal life. How this legend came to Jugdral, or indeed how the Jugdrali came to know of the dragons (and from whence came the wyverns of Jugdral) might be later topics that we speculate on. But regardless, for whatever reason, Galle believed that beyond the great ocean, there was a land where he could find what he sought. Perhaps he had the unique combination of an inquisitive nature and the ardent belief that there was something to find. Perhaps, if the world on which Archanea and Jugdral and Valentia lie is indeed round, the mathematicians and philosophers of the Gran Republic had discerned this fact, and estimated its size in ways similar to the classical scholars of our world, adding to Galle's belief that there was indeed something out there to find. But regardless, Galle left on an unprecedented voyage, which was a terrible success. The histories record Galle as a bishop, though if he held that office before he left Jugdral we cannot know. Certainly, we have no records of there being any particularly organized religious structure in Jugdral at the time, only later references to heathens or pagans. But if Galle was truly a priest of one of these early faiths, he was not a particularly zealous one, for across the sea in Archanea he found a new god to serve. We cannot say for sure what Galle saw when he arrived on the shores of Archanea, whether he saw clear signs of the Dragon War which had erupted in the last fifty years or so, or even where he landed. Presumably, Jugdral lies somewhere to the east of Archanea, but in the absence of maps we cannot guess how far away they are or how the continents are oriented relative to one another. *(It could even be that “northern” parts of Jugdral occupy the opposite polar region as the “northern” parts of Archanea and the maps are effectively reversed… though admittedly if magnetism functions like it does in the real world, such an outcome is unlikely.)* Nor do we know how long Galle wandered Archanea before he was approached by the Earth Dragon known as Loptyr. Loptyr's precise motives are unknown, but we can perhaps guess on why he, of all dragons, approached Galle. As an Earth Dragon, no doubt he had seen the degradation begin to set in amidst his friends and cousins. In all likelihood, it had already begun to affect him, twisting his mind in subtle and terrible ways - though it is of course possible that Loptyr was always at heart the immeasurably cruel monster that he is known as. Regardless, Loptyr saw the doom that awaited his kind, if not from the war, from the seemingly inescapable degradation. And, uniquely, he saw in Galle not a human to terrorize and attack, but an opportunity. In coming to seek power and immortality from a dragon's blood, Galle's ambition had delivered to Loptyr the ideal that had long been sought unsuccessfully by the Earth Dragons. Galle was a way to escape the Divine Dragons. Galle was a way to escape the degradation. And perhaps, to the twisted, evil mind of Loptyr, Galle was also a way to rule over the lesser humans, to torture and subjugate them, and to revel in his unassailable supremacy. Galle would be his vengeance against the humans *(though what precisely he was avenging, be it a true event or an imagined slight, we know not2). Galle wished to drink the blood of a dragon, and Loptyr granted him his wish. Galle took in the blood, the physical essence, of a dragon. And, in an ironic way, he gained the power and the immortality that he had sought. Loptyr was nothing if not wise and cunning, and he knew that, just like the Manaketes, he could separate himself from his draconic power. And he did so, imbuing it in a dark tome, creating not only a weapon of great and terrible power, but also a vessel for his spirit, should he require it. But he did not, at that time, for there was a better vessel now in front of him. We do not know whether Galle willingly let Loptyr's spirit into him, or whether the dragon forcibly took control of the body. But by taking in Loptyr's blood, Galle had made himself into a human vessel for the dragon's immortal spirit. Without a draconic body, Loptyr would not suffer the degradation. As a "human" on Jugdral, he would be free from the Divine Dragons, at least for a time. And as seemingly one of them, but blessed with incredible power, Loptyr would do what no simple manakete could do. He could rule the lesser creatures, and he could subjugate them. Thus empowered, "Galle" returned to Jugdral. He had previously been charismatic, yes, but that was nothing compared to him now. As Loptyr's host, he was now possessed of a dark and almost hypnotic force, that drew men to his side, more as worshipers than followers. In secrecy and solitude, Loptyr built up a cult of followers, teaching them the darkest of magics and twisting their minds. Together, they took twelve deceased warriors of great skill and power, and, using Loptyr's teachings, raised them as unstoppable undead monstrosities known as the Deadlords. Galle unleashed his armies upon Jugdral in the year 447, and none could stand before him. The republic fell within the year. In 448, Galle proclaimed himself Emperor of the Loptyrian Empire, with his loyal priests forming the center of his new administrative power structure. All of Jugdrali civilization quickly fell underneath his dominion. Of course, Loptyr would accept no potential challenge to his power. The year 449 was year of the Great Purge, a massive cull of the population throughout Jugdral to ensure their loyalty and obedience. 100,000 were killed. Sacrifices, the Loptyrians said, to the god Loptyr, who shone down his mighty blessings upon Emperor Galle. But even Loptyr could not rule a continent by himself, and his loyal Loptyrians would live forever. Thus, to ensure the continued subjugation of the populace, and to replenish the ranks of his followers, Loptyr began the most notorious and insidious policy of the Loptyrian Empire, the feared "child hunts". The first such hunt took place in the year 452 in the southern Miletos District. The "Sorrow of Miletos" saw the forcible seizure of many young children from their parents - but not those that were too young. Young enough that they were vulnerable, that they could be shaped and remade. Old enough that they could fight, that the travel back to the capital at Belhalla would not kill them. The Loptyrians did not take all the children that fit their standards, but they took a great many. They preferred siblings and close friends, when they could find them. Such children were kept together. The children were not slaughtered on the spot, nor forced to match to death. Loptyr had more insidious and terrible plans for them. They were taken back to the capital with care, for it was only there that they could be sacrificed to their god. But these sacrifices would not be committed by the Loptyrians. Instead, the children were given weapons, and sent into a great arena, and forced to fight to the death. Close friend fought close friend. Sibling fought sibling.3 The weak were the sacrifices to Loptyr. The strong would be his next generation of servants. Loptyr, no doubt, took special pleasure in watching each and every one of the hideous battles. By all accounts, the first child hunt was a great success for the Loptyrians, though it was an atrocity almost beyond measure. The subjugated populace, of course, did not agree. Centered in the religious hub of Edda, rebellion began to brew, before the Imperial Army descended upon the city. The streets ran red, tens of thousands died, and the uprising did not manifest itself. The child hunts became standard procedure for the Loptyrians, whenever they were in need of more initiates into their order. It was perhaps the most terrible irony of the whole empire, that the children horribly torn from their families, forced to kill their friends, traumatized and twisted into servants for their abusers, would one day be those who gleefully lead the hunts that had turned them into nothing but living tools for Loptyr's hideous hatred. Of course, Galle I could not live forever, and Loptyr, in his arrogance and pride, was never satisfied with an aging host. Galle's son (also named Galle, as was every subsequent Loptyrian Emperor4) inherited the dragon blood from his father, and, when he came of age, was presented with the Book of Loptyr, as the dragon withdrew his spirit from his previous host and forced himself into the new vessel. This process would repeat itself fifteen more times over the course of the Loptyrian Empire, for it was the death of Galle XVII in the year 648 that would spell the end of the empire. But as the Dragon War raged on for over two centuries in Archanea, the Loptyrians maintained their absolute power over Jugdral, spreading their evil doctrine throughout the land. Resistance, when it arose, was brutally subjugated, though sometimes the lingering embers remained. In 611, a great liberation army arose throughout the continent, promising to lay low the Loptyrians and reclaim the past glory of Gran. As years of war passed by, they seemed to even threaten to live up to those promises. But at the crucial battle, the Emperor took the field, and the great and terrible power of Loptyr was seen in battle once again. The rebellion crumbled, Loptyrians and Deadlords sweeping over the land and returning all of Jugdral to Loptyrian oppression. By 632, the last remnants of the rebellion were under heavy siege in a fortress at the edge of the Yied Desert. With no hope of relief, and at an end to their supplies, they knew that they had mere days left to live, if that. So it was that the twelve remaining leaders of the rebellion came together for one last time at the fortress of Darna. 1: This is ultimately more speculative. Certainly there was no great magical sophistication in Jugral at the time, but several of the Crusaders were mages, and it seems hard to imagine that the Loptyrians would have permitted the dissemination of magical knowledge throughout Jugdral if it was not already known. 2: We'll touch upon this in later speculation, to be sure. 3: I'm dramatizing a bit here, I will admit. The whole pairing siblings and friends deal isn't explicitly mentioned in any sources, I don't think, but it seems entirely in character. 4: One assumes that Loptyr really liked the name, or at least got used to it and didn't want to adapt to be being called anything else. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Once again, thanks for reading. Feel free to leave comments or questions or concerns or general feedback - I know that the precise nature of Loptyr's possession of Galle might be a little hazy, and I might be glossing a bit over the specifics of Loptyrian theology (as best we know them, anyways), because it's really something that's best discussed when we have a whole post devoted to Mairism and Loptyrianism.

The Dragon War: The 25th Anniversary of the Fire Emblem series is rapidly approaching. To commemorate this momentous occasion, I have decided to write a series of pieces which analyze or speculate about the series lore. I have a few topics in mind that I'm sure I want to write about - if there are topics that you all want addressed, let me know and I will see what I can do. I can't promise any sort of consistent schedule for these - as you can see, I tend to be a bit... verbose, and I've got other things on my plate. But I will try to have one every couple of days for the next three weeks. Maybe less, if I'm feeling really excited (for example, when I get to more speculation). ---------------------------------------------------- Before we start with the rampant lore speculation, though, we need to review several important lore events, because we'll be referencing them and speculating on them later. It's likely that for many of you, I won't be presenting any information here that you're not already aware of, but it's important to get the basics out of the way. And perhaps the best starting point is the chronologically earliest major event in the Archanea/Jugdral/Valentian timeline - The Dragon War. There is, sadly, no official name for this conflict. I have previously sometimes referred to it as the Divine Dragon / Earth Dragon War, but that's a mouthful, not entirely accurate, and honestly there aren't any other wars fought between dragons. So we'll abbreviate things for now, and call it the Dragon War. The war ended around 1,100 years before the birth of Marth of Altea, and began at a nebulous point perhaps a couple centuries before its end. At the time, humans were not a large presence on the Archanean continent. They existed in scattered and disunited tribes, without a great deal of technological sophistication. They probably were not entirely ignorant of magic (after all, it was hardly an unknown quantity in Jugdral at the same time), but there was certainly no formalized instruction in the arcane arts that could be found. No, Archanea was dominated by the dragon "tribes,"1 whose civilization was approaching the close of a long golden age. For centuries, even millennia, the dragons had flourished in Archanea. They built great temples and cities, and gained a mastery over all sorts of magic. Yet, for all of their power and majesty, they avoided contact with humanity. Why? We cannot say without resorting to speculation. But there was an unspoken agreement amongst the dragons not to interfere with the humans. Certainly, the scattered human clans knew of the dragons of Archanea, but they did not have any sort of understanding of who these godly beings were. Alas, this golden age of draconic rule over Archanea came to a slow end from perhaps an unlikely source. You see, dragons, not unsurprisingly, are creatures with a very intimate relationship with the forces of magic. Not only are they able to breath elemental energy and the discover and manipulate the secrets of even life and time itself, but they also passively require magical energy to sustain their grand and powerful forms. Dragons need magic somewhat like humans need air - they do not consciously interact with it, their utilizing of it does not have an effect on its supply, but if there isn't enough of it in the environment, there are dire consequences. Lack of magic does not kill dragons, though. It drives them mad. What precisely caused the innate background magic in the world to fall in strength is not known (And it will be speculated on further in subsequent posts). Perhaps it was some great catastrophe elsewhere, or perhaps it was something that the dragons inadvertently brought upon themselves. But the effects quickly became clear, and the first signs of mental and physical degradation began to be seen. As a result, the elders among the dragon races assembled together and deliberated. They were faced with a grim paradox - by continuing to live as they were, they faced the seemingly unavoidable doom for their people. In the end, a sobering conclusion was reached - the dragons could survive, if they discarded their draconic identity. The essence of their innate elemental power, the part of them that drew upon the fading magic and empowered them, that power could be expelled from their bodies, externalized as dragonstones. In doing so, the dragons would change form, become akin to the humans. They would become manaketes, only able to tap into their dragonstones and transform into draconic form for short periods at a time. Though it represented their salvation, support for casting off their draconic bodies and living and something similar to humans was mixed among the dragons. Certainly, it was a decision made in full knowledge of the stakes and the challenges. Yet, the dragons of Archanea had achieved incredible advancement in magic. No doubt some of the dragons trusted that some other solution would be found, that through magic they could avoid the degradation without casting off their draconic identity. They were, sadly, mistaken. Of the dragon tribes, only the Divine Dragons, who were lead by the Dragon Queen Naga herself, were unanimous in support for this plan. Many of the other dragon tribes were divided, with some members becoming manaketes and some remaining dragons. The Earth Dragons, though, who primarily lived in the southern areas of the continent, were adamantly opposed to forsaking their draconic identity. Only a single Earth Dragon became a manakete - Medeus, Prince of the Earth Dragons. Undoubtedly, Medeus had been one of the dragons who met to discuss the crisis, and who had agreed upon the solution. Undoubtedly, his kinsmen saw him as a traitor. One wonders what the days were like on Archanea as the degradation continued to set it. For Naga, the Divine Dragons, and the rest of the Manaketes, it must have seemed a tragedy played in slow motion, to see former friends and allies slowly lose themselves. Perhaps Medeus suffered worse than they, looking at his people, whom me might have thought himself unable to save. One wonders what desperation the stubborn dragons felt, seeing their numbers dwindle every day from the madness, watching their friends degrade into something akin to beasts, trying incessantly to find some way to put a halt to the curse and failing at every turn, feeling the ever-present darkness slowly creep in at the edges of their mind. When they ultimately began to attack the scattered humans of Archanea, one wonders if it was because of bestial madness, or because they believed that it could be their salvation. Regardless, reckless violence towards the humans of Archanea put an end to the tearful peace between the Manaketes and the Dragons, and truly spelled the end of draconic rule over the continent. Seeking to prevent further slaughters, the Manaketes went to war with their cousins and former friends. It was a war that would rage on for several hundred years. We know little of the precise events of the war. We know of no specific battles, no great acts of heroism or stirring acts of sacrifice. The Manaketes learned to fight in their new forms, though, crafting weapons such as those which would one day become known by humans as the Regalia of Archanea. But if anything other than tools of war were crafted by the manaketes during this period, record of such is lost to time. When the dust of battle cleared after centuries of war, draconic civilization in Archanea was a shadow of its former self. Though the manakete armies were victorious, they had triumphed over an enemy who could no longer negotiate, could no longer surrender. Reluctant or unable to eradicate the Earth Dragons, Naga instead crafted a powerful artifact of sealing. With her power, she created - or acquired - the Five Orbs, draconic artifacts of significant power. Though each had its own abilities, when combined, they could be used as a powerful force that could effect the very spirits, the very souls, of the dragonkin. Naga crafted from a fang a pedestal for these five orbs, their combined power forming a powerful seal that imprisoned the Earth Dragons. They were locked away at the Dragon's Altar, an ancient Earth Dragon structure that laid at the heart of their territory. Perhaps the location was chosen for its significance, or perhaps the Earth Dragons had retreated to the Altar and were still resisting when they were sealed. Regardless, the sealing of the Earth Dragons ended the Dragon War, the remaining degenerated dragons scattered in the wild places of the continent. Peace was returned to Archanea, but the cost was dire. The glories of draconic civilization were forever lost. The Earth Dragons, too, were gone from the world. With them went the tribe of winged dragons who, fully lost to war and degeneration, became the famed and ferocious wyverns of Macedon. Many Fire Dragons and Ice Dragons came to dwell in the far wilderness, terrorizing or being subjugated by the barbarian clansmen who came to live in the same places. The manaketes dwindled in number, and other dragon tribes, if they existed, faded from the world, and into myth and legend. The Dragon War spelled the end of the age of the dragons. The humans, who had looked to the conflict in wonderment and awe, seeing the manaketes and the dragons as gods and demons that they scarcely understood, would slowly begin to grow and expand and develop, taming the wild continent of Archanea and learning its mysteries, piece by piece. Naga, for her part, enshrined the five orbs and their pedestal - together known as the Shield of Seals or the Pedestal of Flames - within the Fane of Raman. Along with them were placed some of the remaining treasure of the Dragon Tribe, and Naga's daughter Tiki, ensorcelled under an enchanted sleep so that she would not wake until of an age when her power could be controlled and the threat of degradation avoided. Alongside with the leaders of the remaining Manakete, Naga also ventured across the sea of Jugdral, where humanity was more advanced, and gave up her dragonstone in an event that would forever change the future of humanity and their relation with the dragonkin (we'll be hearing more about that soon). Then, her work done, Naga discarded her physical body. Like many of the dragonkin with her power, she would live on as a spirit, or something slightly more, with a limited ability to interact with the physical world, and even the ability to give of her blood and perhaps her fangs without a persistent physical form. Some of the other leading manakete followed her into the death of the body, but some remained, and would continue to live their lives or to carry out her wishes, and safeguard both humans and manaketes throughout the future. Medeus, Prince of the Earth Dragons, traitor to his people and last of his kind, remained in solitude in the ruins of their glory. In time, in his despair and his solitude, he would look upon the humans as they came to dominate the land, he would look upon how they mistreated the manaketes who fought a terrible war for their protection, how they plundered their treasures, and how, in their ignorance, they risked even ruining the peace that had been won for them. He would grow to hate the humans, and long for the past glory of the dragonkin. But that, as they say, is a story for another time. The tale of the Dragon War ends here. 1: A side note - this is an interesting quirk of translation. The "-zoku" suffix is commonly used in Japanese fantasy works to connote race/species and such, but due to real-world connotations of the same word it's often translated as "clan" or "tribe". Also, I'm basing this on something I saw on the Dark Souls 2 subreddit a good while ago, so if this is incorrect I apologize, I myself know basically nothing about Japanese. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- If you've read this whole thing, well, thanks for reading. I hope it was entertaining or educational or both. Of course, I'm not perfect, so feel free to call me out on any factual mistakes, presenting speculative material as absolute truth, or general poor writing. Also, feel free to ask questions, though I reserve the right to say "Hrmmm, interesting, wait and see". And finally, if you do have any bits of lore that you'd like me to write about, please let me know. Feedback is always appreciated.

Alright. As I said in the previous thread, I want to post all these up on SF as I write them but I don't want to spam up the boards, so from now on they will all live in this thread. If this should be moved to Written Works, let me know. I figured because it's supposed to be, well, general FE history, it makes sense for it to be here. But I could be wrong.

I dunno. Should it be? Further "installments" will have more lore speculation, I just felt that, if this is going to be a series, I should start by talking about facts so I have them to refer back to when the speculation rolls around. That being said, I suppose I should probably put them all in a single topic.

The 25th Anniversary of the Fire Emblem series is rapidly approaching. To commemorate this momentous occasion, I have decided to write a series of pieces which analyze or speculate about the series lore. I have a few topics in mind that I'm sure I want to write about - if there are topics that you all want addressed, let me know and I will see what I can do. I can't promise any sort of consistent schedule for these - as you can see, I tend to be a bit... verbose, and I've got other things on my plate. But I will try to have one every couple of days for the next three weeks. Maybe less, if I'm feeling really excited (for example, when I get to more speculation). ---------------------------------------------------- Before we start with the rampant lore speculation, though, we need to review several important lore events, because we'll be referencing them and speculating on them later. It's likely that for many of you, I won't be presenting any information here that you're not already aware of, but it's important to get the basics out of the way. And perhaps the best starting point is the chronologically earliest major event in the Archanea/Jugdral/Valentian timeline - The Dragon War. There is, sadly, no official name for this conflict. I have previously sometimes referred to it as the Divine Dragon / Earth Dragon War, but that's a mouthful, not entirely accurate, and honestly there aren't any other wars fought between dragons. So we'll abbreviate things for now, and call it the Dragon War. The war ended around 1,100 years before the birth of Marth of Altea, and began at a nebulous point perhaps a couple centuries before its end. At the time, humans were not a large presence on the Archanean continent. They existed in scattered and disunited tribes, without a great deal of technological sophistication. They probably were not entirely ignorant of magic (after all, it was hardly an unknown quantity in Jugdral at the same time), but there was certainly no formalized instruction in the arcane arts that could be found. No, Archanea was dominated by the dragon "tribes,"1 whose civilization was approaching the close of a long golden age. For centuries, even millennia, the dragons had flourished in Archanea. They built great temples and cities, and gained a mastery over all sorts of magic. Yet, for all of their power and majesty, they avoided contact with humanity. Why? We cannot say without resorting to speculation. But there was an unspoken agreement amongst the dragons not to interfere with the humans. Certainly, the scattered human clans knew of the dragons of Archanea, but they did not have any sort of understanding of who these godly beings were. Alas, this golden age of draconic rule over Archanea came to a slow end from perhaps an unlikely source. You see, dragons, not unsurprisingly, are creatures with a very intimate relationship with the forces of magic. Not only are they able to breath elemental energy and the discover and manipulate the secrets of even life and time itself, but they also passively require magical energy to sustain their grand and powerful forms. Dragons need magic somewhat like humans need air - they do not consciously interact with it, their utilizing of it does not have an effect on its supply, but if there isn't enough of it in the environment, there are dire consequences. Lack of magic does not kill dragons, though. It drives them mad. What precisely caused the innate background magic in the world to fall in strength is not known (And it will be speculated on further in subsequent posts). Perhaps it was some great catastrophe elsewhere, or perhaps it was something that the dragons inadvertently brought upon themselves. But the effects quickly became clear, and the first signs of mental and physical degradation began to be seen. As a result, the elders among the dragon races assembled together and deliberated. They were faced with a grim paradox - by continuing to live as they were, they faced the seemingly unavoidable doom for their people. In the end, a sobering conclusion was reached - the dragons could survive, if they discarded their draconic identity. The essence of their innate elemental power, the part of them that drew upon the fading magic and empowered them, that power could be expelled from their bodies, externalized as dragonstones. In doing so, the dragons would change form, become akin to the humans. They would become manaketes, only able to tap into their dragonstones and transform into draconic form for short periods at a time. Though it represented their salvation, support for casting off their draconic bodies and living and something similar to humans was mixed among the dragons. Certainly, it was a decision made in full knowledge of the stakes and the challenges. Yet, the dragons of Archanea had achieved incredible advancement in magic. No doubt some of the dragons trusted that some other solution would be found, that through magic they could avoid the degradation without casting off their draconic identity. They were, sadly, mistaken. Of the dragon tribes, only the Divine Dragons, who were lead by the Dragon Queen Naga herself, were unanimous in support for this plan. Many of the other dragon tribes were divided, with some members becoming manaketes and some remaining dragons. The Earth Dragons, though, who primarily lived in the southern areas of the continent, were adamantly opposed to forsaking their draconic identity. Only a single Earth Dragon became a manakete - Medeus, Prince of the Earth Dragons. Undoubtedly, Medeus had been one of the dragons who met to discuss the crisis, and who had agreed upon the solution. Undoubtedly, his kinsmen saw him as a traitor. One wonders what the days were like on Archanea as the degradation continued to set it. For Naga, the Divine Dragons, and the rest of the Manaketes, it must have seemed a tragedy played in slow motion, to see former friends and allies slowly lose themselves. Perhaps Medeus suffered worse than they, looking at his people, whom me might have thought himself unable to save. One wonders what desperation the stubborn dragons felt, seeing their numbers dwindle every day from the madness, watching their friends degrade into something akin to beasts, trying incessantly to find some way to put a halt to the curse and failing at every turn, feeling the ever-present darkness slowly creep in at the edges of their mind. When they ultimately began to attack the scattered humans of Archanea, one wonders if it was because of bestial madness, or because they believed that it could be their salvation. Regardless, reckless violence towards the humans of Archanea put an end to the tearful peace between the Manaketes and the Dragons, and truly spelled the end of draconic rule over the continent. Seeking to prevent further slaughters, the Manaketes went to war with their cousins and former friends. It was a war that would rage on for several hundred years. We know little of the precise events of the war. We know of no specific battles, no great acts of heroism or stirring acts of sacrifice. The Manaketes learned to fight in their new forms, though, crafting weapons such as those which would one day become known by humans as the Regalia of Archanea. But if anything other than tools of war were crafted by the manaketes during this period, record of such is lost to time. When the dust of battle cleared after centuries of war, draconic civilization in Archanea was a shadow of its former self. Though the manakete armies were victorious, they had triumphed over an enemy who could no longer negotiate, could no longer surrender. Reluctant or unable to eradicate the Earth Dragons, Naga instead crafted a powerful artifact of sealing. With her power, she created - or acquired - the Five Orbs, draconic artifacts of significant power. Though each had its own abilities, when combined, they could be used as a powerful force that could effect the very spirits, the very souls, of the dragonkin. Naga crafted from a fang a pedestal for these five orbs, their combined power forming a powerful seal that imprisoned the Earth Dragons. They were locked away at the Dragon's Altar, an ancient Earth Dragon structure that laid at the heart of their territory. Perhaps the location was chosen for its significance, or perhaps the Earth Dragons had retreated to the Altar and were still resisting when they were sealed. Regardless, the sealing of the Earth Dragons ended the Dragon War, the remaining degenerated dragons scattered in the wild places of the continent. Peace was returned to Archanea, but the cost was dire. The glories of draconic civilization were forever lost. The Earth Dragons, too, were gone from the world. With them went the tribe of winged dragons who, fully lost to war and degeneration, became the famed and ferocious wyverns of Macedon. Many Fire Dragons and Ice Dragons came to dwell in the far wilderness, terrorizing or being subjugated by the barbarian clansmen who came to live in the same places. The manaketes dwindled in number, and other dragon tribes, if they existed, faded from the world, and into myth and legend. The Dragon War spelled the end of the age of the dragons. The humans, who had looked to the conflict in wonderment and awe, seeing the manaketes and the dragons as gods and demons that they scarcely understood, would slowly begin to grow and expand and develop, taming the wild continent of Archanea and learning its mysteries, piece by piece. Naga, for her part, enshrined the five orbs and their pedestal - together known as the Shield of Seals or the Pedestal of Flames - within the Fane of Raman. Along with them were placed some of the remaining treasure of the Dragon Tribe, and Naga's daughter Tiki, ensorcelled under an enchanted sleep so that she would not wake until of an age when her power could be controlled and the threat of degradation avoided. Alongside with the leaders of the remaining Manakete, Naga also ventured across the sea of Jugdral, where humanity was more advanced, and gave up her dragonstone in an event that would forever change the future of humanity and their relation with the dragonkin (we'll be hearing more about that soon). Then, her work done, Naga discarded her physical body. Like many of the dragonkin with her power, she would live on as a spirit, or something slightly more, with a limited ability to interact with the physical world, and even the ability to give of her blood and perhaps her fangs without a persistent physical form. Some of the other leading manakete followed her into the death of the body, but some remained, and would continue to live their lives or to carry out her wishes, and safeguard both humans and manaketes throughout the future. Medeus, Prince of the Earth Dragons, traitor to his people and last of his kind, remained in solitude in the ruins of their glory. In time, in his despair and his solitude, he would look upon the humans as they came to dominate the land, he would look upon how they mistreated the manaketes who fought a terrible war for their protection, how they plundered their treasures, and how, in their ignorance, they risked even ruining the peace that had been won for them. He would grow to hate the humans, and long for the past glory of the dragonkin. But that, as they say, is a story for another time. The tale of the Dragon War ends here. 1: A side note - this is an interesting quirk of translation. The "-zoku" suffix is commonly used in Japanese fantasy works to connote race/species and such, but due to real-world connotations of the same word it's often translated as "clan" or "tribe". Also, I'm basing this on something I saw on the Dark Souls 2 subreddit a good while ago, so if this is incorrect I apologize, I myself know basically nothing about Japanese. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- If you've read this whole thing, well, thanks for reading. I hope it was entertaining or educational or both. Of course, I'm not perfect, so feel free to call me out on any factual mistakes, presenting speculative material as absolute truth, or general poor writing. Also, feel free to ask questions, though I reserve the right to say "Hrmmm, interesting, wait and see". And finally, if you do have any bits of lore that you'd like me to write about, please let me know. Feedback is always appreciated.

Hrmmm. Personally, I am doubtful. Certainly, Lyn does seem to believe that the Avatar is the Tactician from FE7. However, this is not information that can establish a timeline. Why? Because this Lyn is an Einherjar. We don't know exactly how they work (you can become on while you're still alive, given Tiki's appearance), but they seem to be in some way snapshots of historical characters preserved in the Outrealms. Thus, Lyn's adventures would have had to have taken place before FE13 for her to appear as an Einherjar (we are given no indication throughout Awakening that the Einherjar could somehow come from the future). While we ponder this, let's look at when FE7 might actually take place in the timeline. If we're looking to connect 7 (and 6) to the rest of the games, there are two primary schools of thought, which I will call the Precursor theory and the Concurrence theory. They both involve the relation of Scouring to the rise and fall of dragons in Archanea. The Precursor theory postulates that the Dragon's Gate connects the continents of Elibe and Archanea (under this theory, Elibe is possibly in another world). Following the Scouring, the dragons fled from Elibe to Archanea, where they settled and began the Golden Age of Dragonkind, which lasted until the Divine Dragon / Earth Dragon war. FE7 and FE6 thus take place before the FE4/5/1/2/3/13 sequence in Jugdral and Archanea. I personally prefer this theory, in part because it allows for my theory that Nils is Forseti, which itself makes FE7 relevant to the overall plot of the Jugdral/Archanea arc. The theory's main problem is that it does not explain the cataclysm that caused the onset of the Divine Dragon / Earth Dragon war. The Concurrence theory is centered around that explanation - it maintains that the Ending Winter in Elibe similarly effected Archanea, leading to the Divine Dragon / Earth Dragon war. Thus, the events of FE6 and 7 would take place between FE4/5 and 1/2/3, though in this case it is a largely irrelevant distinction. This theory offers no explanation to where the Dragon's Gate leads, and also runs into the problem of having very similar dragon populations existing simultaneously on two different continents, with each one have seemingly no knowledge of the other. Also worth noting is the rings appearing in FE7 - Filla's Might, Thor's Ire, Set's Litany, and Ninis's Grace. Part of their mystery is that the naming is inconsistent - While two of them (Filla and Set) are direct references to Crusaders from FE4, Thor's Ire is an indirect reference, and Ninis is an unknown character. They are also all stated to be named after spirits. We do know that the Crusaders were sometimes stated to be quasi-divine entities in FE4, but they were never referred to as spirits. Personally, I'm not sure what to make of the rings. Certainly, there are some items appearing in the Fire Emblem titles that should not be considered to be canonical - for example, just because I can find Ephraim's Lance in the middle of a volcano in Valm doesn't mean that once of Ephraim's lances ever actually got there. The names referencing spirits could be a distortion of Jugdrali history into something of a mythology, or it could be related to pre-Elimine religious practices in Elibe. There is some reason to believe that the rings predate the Scouring - Ninis's Grace certainly does, and based on similarities in naming, form, and function, it is not unreasonable to believe that all the rings were made at around the same time. Who knows - perhaps the crusaders Fala and Sety were named after characters from Jugdrali religious traditions before the rise of Loptyr's cult. If you do believe that the rings have canonical timeline significance, then the most reasonable explanation is that some travelers from Jugdral ventured to Elibe sometime between FE4 and FE7 (this is not unreasonable - there is evidence to suggest that the rise of humanity in Archanea was in part assisted by Jugdrali colonists), and brought Set's Litany, Filla's Might, and possibly Thor's Ire with them. I suppose i rambled on rather a lot there. The ultimate conclusion to draw is that there is little reason to believe that FE6/7 could ever occur after FE1/2/3, let alone after Awakening. As to the other titles, it seems likely to me that FE9/10 are the chronologically first titles (only appearance of legitimate divinity, possible originators of the dragon tribe / taguel, only creation narrative in the series) and, given events in Awakening, in the same physical world as Jugdral and Archanea. Furthermore, if FE8 is connected to the other games at all, then it takes place between FE3 and FE13 - a conclusion we can reach based on the well-concealed evidence of Archanean assistance in the Demon King's original defeat. So, in my opinion, FE9 -> 10 -> 7 -> 6 -> 4/5 -> 1 -> 2 -> 3 -> 8 -> 13, but 9 -> 10 -> 4/5 -> 7 -> 6 -> 1 -> 2 -> 3 -> 8 -> 13 is also a possibility that cannot be ruled out (though IMO it doesn't make for as good of an overall story).

I'm pretty sure Morgan never has a chance to actually do any conquering. And if you don't conquer, then you can't be a conqueror, can you? Just because Dad united a whole continent doesn't mean that you get to count his military achievements as yours. Come back in a few years and maybe Morgan will have expanded his class options.

Does the Walhart we ourselves see in game seem like someone who razes villages for fun and sport, or someone who razes villages because he thinks it's a necessary military tactic? The sources we hear from are likely to be rather biased against Walhart, after all. And from their perspective, his actions might seem to be unprovoked and thoughtlessly cruel. But the Walhart we actually see is a bit more intelligent than that. He doesn't seem the type to go raze villages just for fun. However, he probably knows that, if there is some dissent popping up, razing a village is a fast and effective way to scare the populace back into complacency. I'm not saying he's a good guy, and not saying that the game necessarily treats him in a consistent manner, but I don't think he's as cartoonish as you think. (Though it's an understandable opinion given that most of the Valmese sources we get like to paint him like he is).

Let's not sell Walhart short, here. Keep in mind that we mostly see Walhart from the viewpoint of his enemies - enemies for which he holds a special disdain due to their religious beliefs and for their optimistic hope for diplomatic peace (Keep in mind that a large part of Walhart's preference for conquest comes from the history of Valm, where Alm was able to unite the continent through warfare, and where there has never been any observed indication of diplomacy being particularly effective - the deterioration of the Empire into perpetually squabbling states points towards a primarily political downfall, not a powerful rebellion or other military takeover). From what we can tell, the Valmese (which in all likelihood includes a significant number of the conquered peoples) view Walhart as something akin to a god. He is said to be the reincarnation of the most celebrated hero in the continent's history. He has boosted Valm from a backwater collection of nations into what might be the most powerful state in the world. He is a dictator, to be sure, and a man with little respect for those he views as weak, but he is not a megalomaniac tyrant. His ambition to conquer Archanea comes foremost not from the desire to crush more peoples under the Valmese boot, but to prevent the resurrection of Grima and ensure the continued survival and dominance of humanity (indeed, if Walhart has one end goal, it is to boost humanity to the height of its potential, regardless of any opposition he runs into along the way.) That's why the parallels with Alm are so interesting. Sure, Alm is presented to us as ultimately benevolent - after all, his war against Rigel is justified by Rigel's actions. But what if, in a Celica-less alternate history, if Sofia would have refused to accept Alm's unification? What if they kept their Mila-centric beliefs, and still walked that path to quiet self-destruction? Is it so hard to believe that this alternate-universe Alm would decide that another war would be a sad necessity in order to better the world, to achieve the goal of lasting peace he had already fought so hard to bring about? When you think about it that way, I think, they aren't so different in a way that few other Fire Emblem characters can claim.

Well, from his perspective, of course he wouldn't say he is dead. As far as Walhart is concerned, here is probably the sequence of events... 1: "Killed" by Chrom and co. 2: Wakes up some time later, refusing to die. He determines that he has recently felt dead, but obviously is not dead. 3: Realizes that his heart is no longer beating, or something to that effect. Gets an idea of what happened to him. 4: Sees some Risen, and realizes that somehow he can now get them to follow him. 5: Defeated once again by Chrom and Co. I think that Walhart knows that he has physically been revived by risen-y magic. But he doesn't consider himself to be dead, as he is in full control of his mind and body. He recognizes that he could have been like a risen, but his final line makes reference to the key difference - he is simply too stubborn to lay down and accept death.