Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia Part 5: The Modern Deliverance

A short update in which All reaches the Deliverance hideout.

Last time I finished playing through the prequel DLC maps, which were great for getting to know the members of the Deliverance, and left as they were forced out of Zofia Castle. I'm not sure how much time has passed between that and where we picked up originally with Alm meeting Lukas in the village.

So to recap the last time I played Alm's story, as best as I remember it; Alm knew Celica as a child, and they knight Slayde found her, and she had to be moved away because it turns out she's a princess. Alm's grandfather Mycen who used to be a great knight sent her somewhere else, but stayed behind with Alm. Alm and his village friends grew up with lessons in combat from Mycen. Some years later, rumors got to the village that the chancellor Desaix had killed the king and taken over. In the background Zofia was suffering from a massive drought, leading to much starvation and banditry among the lower classes, so nobody was much put out by the usurpation of the throne. However, Alm and the others learn there is a resistance movement opposed to Desaix called the Deliverance when a knight named Lukas shows up at the village looking for Mycen. Mycen turns Lukas down when Lukas asks Mycen to return to the Deliverance with him, but Alm and his friends decide to go in Mycen's stead. We've now fought a few battles against bandits, met a traveling healer named Silque, and rescued Clair from Desiax's forces in a fallen outpost. Clair is the sister of the Deliverance Leader Clive.

We pick up at what the game titles "The Second Battle of Southern Zofia". And... there are six enemies on the map. Our party consists of Alm, Faye, Gray, Kliff, Tobin, Lukas, Clair, and Silque. We outnumber them, even if I hadn't spent time grinding earlier while I decided what classes to send the villagers into. And while the enemy is entirely mounted cavaliers, they're split up, four on the north side of a river, the other two on the south near my group. Welp, to the slaughter I guess.

The first two go down fast, and then I move Gray to block the bridge across the river. The other four cavaliers get log jammed trying to get across, and I kill them with Tobin's archery, Kliff's magic, Clair's flying ability... it really doesn't take long. It was more of a skirmish? Clair got two kills, and gets a voice over for the victory screen: "A stunning victory for a stunning lady." Ah, I already remember why Clair was my favorite.

After the fight, Lukas says we're very close to the Deliverance hideout, and Clive is looking forward to meeting Alm. Lukas will send a messenger ahead... what messenger Lukas? It's just the eight of us. Do you have a messenger hidden in your armor?

On the world map we move to the next location; the Deliverance Hideout. The map information informs me that it is located in ancient catacombs. So... the resistance are hiding out in a burial chamber? Must have gone very downhill for them after the loss of the castle.

We enter and are greeted by Python. Hi Python! I remember you from the prequels! Python starts trying to pretend Alm is trespassing, until Lukas chides him not to play tricks on the new recruits. Python's reaction to Alm: "So the sack of guts here must be Sir Grandson". Should I refer to Alm as "Sir Grandson" the rest of the game? I won't, Alm is much easier to type, but it is still tempting.

Oh lovely. Python explains that Terrors are in the hideout.

Alm's reaction is similar to mine. Python goes into detail; the Terrors (I remember them from one of the prequels, they're the undead of this game) spawn in greater numbers the closer you get to Mila's power. Wait, isn't Mila the benevolent goddess of Zofia? Basically the Deliverance is "borrowing" the catacombs from the Terrors, and killing existing Terror only leaves room for new ones to spawn so the Deliverance mostly leaves them alone.

Wait, this is a dungeon? I enjoy the dungeon mechanic of this game, where Alm runs around breaking crates and slamming into enemies to initiate the tactical combat maps that are the staple of Fire Emblem games. I explore the dungeons, and several people get some level ups. I realized recently I hadn't posted pictures of my party, so I took pictures of everyone as they leveled up.

Tobin and Gray are pretty close, they both like to joke around a lot. 

Clair got hit by a zombie in one fight and said "The fool will stop that!" She's great.

Silque is defined for me in her love of travel and her attempts to be friends with Faye.

Faye did not get a great level up. My favorite thing is when she gets a critical hit and shouts "This one's for Alm!" before utterly destroying her foe.

Our hero.

Kliff is currently my mage. He throws fire at people.

During one of the fights I get support conversations between Clair and Alm and between Clair and Gray. I was particularly amused by the Clair - Gray conversation. Gray sort of tries to flirt, mentioning flowers with thorns are his favorite to tend to. Clair responds "And does the budding gardener thing cajolery makes the flowers grow?"

Gray: "Cajol... Cajoke... I don't know that word."

Finally, we reach the Deliverance hideout inside the catacombs. Clive is grateful for our presence, though he is wistful at Mycen's absence. Alm jumps in to defend his grandfather's courage. Clive is understanding. "I'm sure Sir Mycen had his reasons."

Clive was worried when his sister was captured. 

Gray is star struck to be meeting Sir Clive, leader of the Knights of Zofia. Tobin is less enthusiastic. 

A little hero worship. To be fair, Clive was amazing in the prequels.

Tobin will rain on Gray's parade.

And then Clive drops the bombshell; he wants Alm to lead the Deliverance. He had hoped to offer the position to Mycen, but Alm has his connection to Mycen to lend him weight.

Alm: WHAAAT?! I mean, um, what?

Fernand is also angry at this decision.

Clive explains that the bulk of the Deliverance's army is made up of commoners now, and he does not have the right connection to properly lead them. He hopes that Alm can bridge that gap, although Clive and his lieutenants will continue to handle the regular duties of keeping things going, Alm can basically be a figurehead to help inspire people. He had hoped for Sir Mycen because Mycen was a commoner who rose through prowess in battle to a knighthood and eventually a title as a count, and the common people look up to him. Alm being Mycen's grandson should be almost as good. Alm reluctantly agrees, stipulating that nobody should expect too much from him. Basically think Luke Skywalker in A New Hope.

Fernand refuses to accept this decision. He joined the Deliverance only because Clive was leading it.

This went bad fast.

It was supposed to be a band of noble knights fighting the usurpers. He was already really upset that they were letting commoners join their ranks. Clive is practical; how did Fernand think they would win the war by themselves? Lukas and Clair back Clive, and Fernand storms out, promising we'll never see him again.

But Clive joins us!

I get to talk to some of the Deliverance soldiers. I learn that the Rigelian emperor's nephew, next in line to the throne, is visiting Zofia. Another soldier tells me that Mathilda, Clive's love, was captured recently by Desaix and is being held at Desaix's fortress. Desaix has tried to use Mathilda as a bargaining chip to get Clive to surrender, but Clive has refused so far, although he has grown less bold in his actions.

A third soldier tells me that Fernand once held a piece of land, but when the drought struck the peasants on his land blamed him for the situation, and stormed his manor. His family were killed in the attack, and Fernand has held a grudge against all commoners ever since. Oh Fernand. On the one hand, I understand how terrible this grief must be, but... this whole anti-commoner bias is bad. Probably bad prediction? We'll end up fighting Fernand.

Finally, I am able to talk to Forsyth. Hi Forsyth! He was also in the prequels, with Python and Lukas. Fernand was denigrating towards Python and Forsyth as commoners Clive had allowed ranks and positions in the army. Fernand obviously thought this was bad, but Clive pointed out "you would not have me reward them for their service? They are good soldiers, you've seen that yourself!" Yeah, the prequels did a tiny bit to make Fernand a bit sympathetic, but really he's a total jerk right now. The kind that makes me wish slapping him could bring some sense into him... too bad nothing is ever so simple.

There is more to the dungeon now, past where I am, but I'm going to call it here. I do enjoy this game! I'd like to do some short posts once or maybe twice a week for it, I've just been distracted by Fire Emblem: Three Houses (I'm playing a game with Aproustian, and a second game with both Aproustian and Hatstand), the Final Fantasy XIV expansion from a few months ago, and the brand new Destiny 2 expansion. Hopefully I'll be able to make some time for this game too though.