Part 5: Collapse of the Alliance (feat. Cake Attack)
Chapter 4: Collapse of the Alliance (feat. Cake Attack)
On the way, he passed through Laus, a Lycian territory governed by Lord Eric, Marquess Laus. With calm meadows and clear streams, Laus seemed peaceful at first glance. However, Roy was to discover a dark conspiracy that would shake the very foundation of the Lycia Alliance...
Lord Eric. I have not yet praised your wise decision of allying with Bern.
There is no future in old, moldy tradition, sir. Our future lies with Bern. That, my friend, is a wise way of thinking. Now, where is the gift that you promised me? I don't see her anywhere... Ah, yes! I have prepared her in a separate room. She is a naive girl, you see. She came right along when I told her that her brother was with us. You, over there! Bring her here!
Welcome, Lady Clarine.
Who might you be? I am Narshen, one of the Dragon Lords of Bern. My lady, I shall play with you in place of your brother. Hehehe... Ahahaha! What is so amusing, Lady Clarine? You? In place of my brother? Take a good look in the mirror. Your dress, your hair, your speech... Everything about you is simply vulgar. V-Vulgar!? Me, vulgar!? Comparing you and my brother is like comparing a turkey to a peacock! You...you vermin! Calling me vulgar, of all things!
...recaptured by the enemy! What! What happened to Slater? Er...his whereabouts are unknown, sir. The enemy leader has been identified as Roy of Pherae. ... Damn! Lord Eric, lock the girl up. I shall have much 'fun' with her once I return! You, close down the highroad leading to Ostia. The enemy might pass by. Yes, sir!Oh my, Laus turning against the Lycian league? Surely no one saw that coming.
I like to imagine nobody is even surprised anymore when Laus rebels, they just laugh and go beat down Eric again. Hector only kept him around for something to do.
There’d be dedicated anti-Laus patrols and everything.
So welcome to Chapter 14, where we'll be fighting Eric and dealing with Laus betraying the Lycian Alliance and holding a young, Etrurian noblewoman looking for her brother hostage. ...Wait, that's not right. Welcome to Chapter 4, where we'll be fighting Eric and dealing with Laus betraying the Lycian Alliance and holding a young, Etrurian noblewoman looking for her brother hostage.
...Like father, like son, I guess.
Fire Emblem’s never had a problem recycling character types, recycling chapters seems to be the obvious next step.
And holy shit do they ever start choosing the worst fucking chapters to recycle. No, I am not at all bitter.
Eric has a mostly mounted force on his side, which makes things a tad annoying, but otherwise the chapter's not so bad. Just make sure you don't leave anyone squishy in range of too many cavs, and you'll be fine. Marcus starts heading south to the far village, but let's start with the village inside our camp.
...chests and doors. Only a thief can use Lockpicks, but I have a key to open doors that anyone can use. You should thank me.
...So what am I supposed to thank him for, again? That a door key does exactly what it says on the tin? That he gave me a free one, when they cost like 100 Gold?
I would suggest 100 Gold is a lot for the peasants of Lycia, but then I remember the first village in the game gives you 5000. We don’t have to save you from bandits you know, so you’d better make it worth our while
I guess now is as good a time as any to wonder aloud why every door in Fire Emblem can be opened by one key that breaks after one use. Possibly the world is in the grip of a locksmith/key-cutter conspiracy.
What a start!
The vanguard gets all up close and personal, so we're happy to oblige.
Wolt starts by taking a potshot at Alan's wounded cavalier, and the gods move to correct Wolt's luck streak. Roy finishes the job there and Alan moves toward the northwest village.
In the south, Ward kills the closest cavalier and Lot attacks the nomad setting up a kill for Thany.
It's an alright level, can't complain about defense.
Is it just me, or is 7 defense on a level 2 Pegasus Knight really high?
Not only that, but there’s more defence here than there is resistance...
Bors and Dieck kill the last cavalier.
???: ...Hey.
Is someone there!?
I refuse! I do not wish to meet with such repulsive men.
...Just get over here! Let go! You shall pay! Do you know who I am!? ... Let go, I say!
Once again, cavalier movement forces me to hold back and block off Ellen instead of pushing forward. Almost a wasted effort, considering most of them go after Roy anyway.
He could do far worse for a 2-stat level. Hell, he's almost looking competent.
Currently, Roy’s ahead in strength and skill, on par in speed and defence, and behind in luck and resistance. In other words, he’s average overall but not perfectly balanced. In other other words, he’s very definitely a Fire Emblem character, yes he is.
Shut up. You won't be able to escape with all the noise you're making. ...! Then you... I've prepared a horse for you by that tree. Get on it and leave while you can. ...Why are you helping me? I have a grudge against Bern. A grudge...? It's none of your business. Putting it that way makes me more curious. Time's running short. Now go! ...
A proper gentleman should escort the lady to her mansion! Sigh... I came all this way to see my brother, and now look at what I've gotten myself into... What should I do now?
So,
It's downright shocking that the game is programmed to not kill Clarine. Sometimes it's the bullshit that Intsys doesn't pull that's the most surprising.
I always got the impression that there’s one or two decent, compassionate human beings at IntSys who are sometimes able to intercept and correct some of the rest of the team’s atrocities before the game ships. The analogy explains a lot.
Bors helps out by attacking an archer near Clarine, and Alan hits the north village.
We're not about to abandon the land we were raised in and change sides. Please take this treasured sword; it was given to us generations ago as a gift from the king.
Very nice, though Dieck is probably the only person who can really use it right now. Marcus hits the lower one as well.
Under Bern's leadership, we will definitely wither. Here is something that will help you stand longer. Think carefully before using it.
People of nobility have so much to worry about. Well, we can't complain 'cause we make our living off of turmoil. Hehehe...You didn't really think those fortresses would be empty for long, did you? Since we've already saved the villages, they'll be training fodder for Chad and Dieck.
Me? Who else? You are the leader of this group, are you not? Yes. That is most convenient. Very well, I command you to protect me. Excuse me? Are you deaf? I said that you are going to protect me from harm.
Excuse me, was I addressing you? Please step back.
What!? Who do you think... Now, now, Merlinus... It looks like she's being pursued by the castle's soldiers. That's why she wants us to guard her. Right? Um, yes! Of course. What...what impudence! Our army isn't so lenient that we would just take along some useless girl! My name is Clarine, not 'girl.' And I am not useless! I can use these staves to heal wounded allies. So you'll fight with us? ...Y-Yes! Of course... I wouldn't dream of asking to be protected without doing anything in return!Uh-huh. Sure. Whatever you say, Clarine. That was not a bold-faced lie at all, no sir.
And she could have gotten away without having to help if she hadn't antagonized Merlinus. Karma's a bitch.
Thank you! We're going up against Bern, so we need all the people we can get! I'm Roy. Pleased to meet you, Clarine. I am also pleased...
Well someone's a little high and mighty. At any rate, she's recruited herself into the crew, so we pull her back out of harm's way.
...What do you want? Our forces seem to be having trouble out there. Take some more troops and assist them. ... Didn't you hear? I said, go help... I heard you. I'll go as soon as I'm ready.
Well, he's supposed to be one of the best swordsmen in the land.This conversation on turn 5 is your cue to get the hell out of the center of the map, because next turn will see Rutger and a few friends pop out just to the east of the castle.
While we deal with that, the pirates have finally made their way over. Chad and Dieck are happy to greet them.
There we are, it's showtime.
Let's deal with our stabby friend first.
What, you're still here? Still here!? You dump me in the middle of a battlefield and you have the nerve to say that!? I could have been killed! Then you're lucky to be alive. Is that all? Wait just a minute! Do you think you're simply going to walk away after abandoning me? I think not. A proper gentleman should take responsibility for his actions. Responsibility? What responsibility? When a gentleman rescues a lady, he is responsible for escorting her to her mansion! I've never heard any story where the man just abandons the lady.
Besides, did you not have a grudge against Bern? We are fighting Bern, you shouldn't be turning your blade toward us. Wait, what!? Is that true? Is what true? Is this army really fighting against Bern!? Y-Yes...the leader named Roy said something of the sort. ...All right. ...? I'll join your army. Happy now? Um... I suppose...
...that you are fighting Bern, but protecting me! Sigh...Man, I'm with you Rutger.
More proof Rutger is the best. He gives no fucks about Clarine and her self-importance/delusions.
So yeah. He's a myrmidon. You probably could have predicted this stat screen before bringing it up, and if I have to tell you he comes with a Killing Edge, you haven't played enough Fire Emblem games.
One of these days, they should give the obligatory Myrmidon an Armorslayer or something instead of a Killing Edge. You assume they have a Killing Edge, use a Knight to bait them out... then dead. Or just give them both. Maybe throw in a Longsword too. Man, if I could make a Fire Emblem it would make Thracia 776 look easy.
Don’t give IntSys ideas. Please. It’s the one thing they don’t need any more of right now.
With that out of the way, let's murder his entourage.
Goddammit, Lugh....There's a
smilie? This changes everything. Whole new ways to communicate being happy, upset or indifferent to a level.I said we were setting up for a fall earlier.
Aside from the pirates, that leaves us with Eric and his two archers.
In the past 15 years, Eric has managed to lose most of his resistance and luck, and traded a point of skill for speed. In other words, he's still not very good at anything. Lugh starts softening him up.
I shall teach you the ways of the world!
Okay, that's twice now. Moldy tradition is not as clever as you think it is Eric.Bors follows with another hit, though he and Eric trade 6 damage a piece.
Fuck yeah, Chad. Look at those growths in action.
Lot pulls an amazing level for killing the last archer. Bors misses Eric, so Lance pulls him out of the way and Roy cleans house.
Lot’s doing pretty well for himself. Ahead in strength and speed, and not behind in anything.
There is no future for you...who try and oppose absolute power...
Roy is turning out to be pretty combat viable. I'm not sure how I feel about this, it goes against everything I know about this game.
Don't worry. This is how the game gets to you, you see. They give you a good Roy, and then they take it all away from you, making him sit useless at level 20 for nearly the entire game. The game is playing the long-con.
Plot promotions are always a pain.
Chad knocks another one out of the park as we kill the last of the pirates, and we're done here.
Okay, good. Tell everyone to get some rest. Yes.
...I can't believe Lord Eric had betrayed us and turned to Bern... I always thought that the Lycia Alliance had a strong bond that would never falter in the face of danger... Damn Bern! Playing dirty like this!I don’t think Roy paid much attention in History.
...I apologize. Oh...I'm sorry! I wasn't thinking about your feelings... No...you are right. We will now head west towards Ostia. However, with traitors among us, there may no longer be a way to peacefully end this war. If only Lord Hector were alive... ...Princess, you may be better off returning home. If you need any help getting back... No... If I would not be a burden, please let me stay. It would never be a burden! But why do you wish to stay? ...My brother is wrong. He is dragging the Dragons into a human war. If this is the liberation that he talks about, then I must stop him. Liberation? Yes. Recently, my brother has been speaking of liberating the world. He says that that is the purpose of this war. What does he mean? I know not... However, my brother is not the kind of man who would simply think of taking over the world. He must have some very important reason... Still, that is no excuse to start a war and kill innocent people. Princess Guinevere...-----
Level 1 Troubadour
Staves - D, Affinity - Thunder
HP: 15 (40%)
Magic: 2 (30%)
Skill: 5 (40%)
Speed: 9 (50%)
Luck: 8 (65%)
Defense: 2 (10%)
Resistance: 5 (40%)
Con: 5
Clarine is our mounted healer, but unlike Priscilla, she's not nearly as clear-cut as the best healer in the game. Yes, she's mounted, and can immediately replace Ellen with her slightly better bases, but her magic is terrible (and won't be getting much better, since she apparently didn't inherit her father's magical aptitude) and she has serious survivability problems. Her base HP and defense are atrocious and her growths are terrible, though this is partially balanced out by her excellent speed and luck. Plus, having a Thunder affinity means any supports she gets in will boost her defense/avoid even more. All in all, she's not necessarily the best healer in the game, but she's still up there.
Beyond her good affinity, she also has fantastic support options. I've always really liked Clarine, although part of that is just luck on my part. Mounted healers aren't as good when they can't move after healing.
FE6 (and to an extent 7 and 8) represents an instance of that glorious time between when the developers think up a new mechanic (supports) and when they balance it.
Level 4 Myrmidon
Swords - C, Affinity - Dark
HP: 22 (80%)
Strength: 7 (30%)
Skill: 12 (60%)
Speed: 13 (50%)
Luck: 2 (30%)
Defense: 5 (20%)
Resistance: 0 (20%)
Con: 7
So take Guy, and imagine that he always gets his Hard Mode bonuses. That's basically Rutger. Myrmidons are pretty awesome for merely existing in this game, since accuracy and speed are the name of the game here, and they have both in spades. Add in that Swordmasters/Berserkers get a +30 Crit bonus, and there's very little reason to not use him. Probably my favorite unit in the game, but those of you who followed the FE7 thread probably saw that coming anyway.
Oh Rutger. You're truly a diamond in the rough. Now imagine you are playing Hard Mode
....26/9/14/15/4/6/1. Oh my god.
I have a good feeling about Rutger.