Cindered Shadows timing in the story (spoilers)

[SatsumaFSoysoy]

Just finished CS earlier, and I enjoyed it. However, I couldn't help but feel that there was some wasted potential by setting CS after Ch. 4 (and probably ending somewhere around 5 or 6? If not just finished in the month of 4).

When confronted, Aelfric asked Byleth if they didn't want to see their mother, and all three choices you get indicate that Byleth doesn't really feel the need. But if CS was set between Ch. 8 and 9, or even 9 and 10 instead. I feel like this whole thing would ring differently. Byleth would have just recently lost Jeralt, a loved one and their only parental figure, and if it's post-Ch.9, Sothis wouldn't be there for Byleth either. The prospect of possibly being able to revive the dead would likely be more tempting for Byleth; even if it's to revive Sitri, whom Byleth had never even met, being able to see your dead mother again would beat being alone. But of course, it is probably morally wrong in the end, and as demonstrated the ritual doesn't work as intended, so Byleth has to accept that.

What do you think?

[WarriorAaron123]

22 minutes ago, SatsumaFSoysoy said:

Just finished CS earlier, and I enjoyed it. However, I couldn't help but feel that there was some wasted potential by setting CS after Ch. 4 (and probably ending somewhere around 5 or 6? If not just finished in the month of 4).

When confronted, Aelfric asked Byleth if they didn't want to see their mother, and all three choices you get indicate that Byleth doesn't really feel the need. But if CS was set between Ch. 8 and 9, or even 9 and 10 instead. I feel like this whole thing would ring differently. Byleth would have just recently lost Jeralt, a loved one and their only parental figure, and if it's post-Ch.9, Sothis wouldn't be there for Byleth either. The prospect of possibly being able to revive the dead would likely be more tempting for Byleth; even if it's to revive Sitri, whom Byleth had never even met, being able to see your dead mother again would beat being alone. But of course, it is probably morally wrong in the end, and as demonstrated the ritual doesn't work as intended, so Byleth has to accept that.

What do you think?

I could see Byleth potentially desiring more to bring back Sitri after Jeralt's passing. Personally, I could even see Byleth considering to use the Rite to bring Jeralt back instead. However, I was already a little peeved with how childish Byleth was acting after Jeralt's death. Sure, I believe everyone deserves time to mourn. But pouting for the whole month? No. In my opinion, making Byleth consider such actions would drop them dangerously close to the villainous level. We are talking Rhea at the end of Crimson Flower villainous. Although, I do enjoy alternate timelines. The whole Cindered Shadows sideline story is kind of a paradox itself. I even think it could potentially lead to a Golden Route like I mentioned in another post.

Overall, though, I like the placement of CS to avoid the complications that would probably occur from the later chapters of Part 1. Imagine how weird the situation would be if it took place in Part 2. I would definitely think they working on a Revelations-like route if they made the three lords work together in part 2.

When I first heard about the chalice, I was thinking they were going to give us something like the golden restoration fountains in Echoes, something along the lines of an item with a limited number of uses to revive fallen units in Classic. However, that would probably be too strong, considering we already have time pulse, too.

[Cysx]

Well it's complicated, since the more you advance in the story, the less the three lords are likely to cooperate. Dimitri starts to lose it, and Edelgard progressively enters the active phase of her plan. Byleth mourns, Byleth becomes superman and Rhea wants nothing else but to go to Sothis' throne, etc.

The timeframe you speak of would help in other ways for sure(also with the fact that Sothis doesn't show up once even though she speaks up all the time at that point in the story), but it's actually fairly difficult to find the perfect moment.

[SatsumaFSoysoy]

7 hours ago, WarriorAaron123 said:

I could see Byleth potentially desiring more to bring back Sitri after Jeralt's passing. Personally, I could even see Byleth considering to use the Rite to bring Jeralt back instead. However, I was already a little peeved with how childish Byleth was acting after Jeralt's death. Sure, I believe everyone deserves time to mourn. But pouting for the whole month? No. In my opinion, making Byleth consider such actions would drop them dangerously close to the villainous level. We are talking Rhea at the end of Crimson Flower villainous. Although, I do enjoy alternate timelines. The whole Cindered Shadows sideline story is kind of a paradox itself. I even think it could potentially lead to a Golden Route like I mentioned in another post.

Overall, though, I like the placement of CS to avoid the complications that would probably occur from the later chapters of Part 1. Imagine how weird the situation would be if it took place in Part 2. I would definitely think they working on a Revelations-like route if they made the three lords work together in part 2.

When I first heard about the chalice, I was thinking they were going to give us something like the golden restoration fountains in Echoes, something along the lines of an item with a limited number of uses to revive fallen units in Classic. However, that would probably be too strong, considering we already have time pulse, too.

To be fair, Byleth spends the whole month moping because... everyone only updates once per month in this game.

Well yeah, it'd definitely shouldn't be in Part 2.

7 hours ago, Cysx said:

Well it's complicated, since the more you advance in the story, the less the three lords are likely to cooperate. Dimitri starts to lose it, and Edelgard progressively enters the active phase of her plan. Byleth mourns, Byleth becomes superman and Rhea wants nothing else but to go to Sothis' throne, etc.

The timeframe you speak of would help in other ways for sure(also with the fact that Sothis doesn't show up once even though she speaks up all the time at that point in the story), but it's actually fairly difficult to find the perfect moment.

Dimitri would still be relatively sane, I think, if it's before Ch. 10? You're right about Edelgard, though, she wouldn't be present between Ch. 9 and 10, so it'd have to be between 8 and 9 if pushed back.