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War of Heroes (Fódlan)

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War of Heroes

Ss fe16 seiros vs nemesis.png
Seiros fighting Nemesis in Battle of Tailtean, as depicted in Fire Emblem: Three Houses.

World

Fódlan

Date(s)

Imperial years 32–98

Combatants
Adrestian Empire
The Four Saints
Liberation Army
10 Elites
Commanders
Seiros
Wilhelm I
Indech
Macuil
Cichol
Cethleann
Nemesis
Charon
Goneril
Daphnel
Blaiddyd
Gautier
Gloucester
Riegan
Fraldarius
Dominic
Lamine
Outcome
  • Adrestia's victory and the unification of Fódlan
  • Official foundation of the Crest Social System
Appearance(s)

Fire Emblem: Three Houses

The War of Heroes (Japanese: 英雄戦争 War of Heroes) was a war that lasted 66 years on the land of Fódlan, which happened prior to the events of Fire Emblem: Three Houses.

Overview

Early stage

Prior to the foundation of the Imperial Calendar, Nemesis became the King of Liberation and the ruler of Fódlan, having previously, with the aid of "Those who slither in the dark", empowered himself with the blood of Sothis, harvested her bones to acquire the Sword of the Creator and slaughtered the Nabateans residing in Zanado[1] so he could grant his allies, the 10 Elites, their blood and bones in the shape of the Hero's Relics to accomplish this, all while the 10 Elites (or at least a good number of them) were unaware of the true nature of their newly acquired power.[2]

Nemesis' previous slaughter left a survivor, however; a young Nabatean named Seiros, who traveled across the land looking for surviving Nabateans (who once recruited, later adopted the name of the Four Saints) and seeking revenge against him by fostering an army that could take him down.[3] 41 years before the Imperial Calendar, Seiros appeared one day in Enbarr where Wilhelm Paul Hresvelg (later known as Wilhelm I) found and gave her shelter, and while she appreciated his kindness and support,[4] it's implied Seiros never disclosed him the true reason behind her vendetta towards Nemesis, likely to hide the origin of his power and the Hero's Relics.[5]

Afterwards, Seiros traveled throughout the nearby lands performing miracles while preaching the faith of the Goddess Sothis, gaining enough followers to the point she would later go on to form the Church of Seiros. In year 1 of the recently established Imperial Calendar, Seiros co-founded the Adrestian Empire along with Wilhelm I, which would go on to rule the southern reaches of Fódlan. In imperial year 32, Wilhelm I, now Adrestia's first emperor, raised an army in pursuit of unifying Fódlan. Nemesis then noticed Adrestia's efforts and quickly rallied his forces in the north in order to confront his enemy, thus officially beginning the War of Heroes.

The war and its resolution

In imperial year 46, the Battle at Gronder occurred, where both the Adrestian Army, supported by Seiros and her Four Saints (Macuil, Indech, Cichol and Cethleann), and the Liberation Army (Nemesis's forces) clashed at Gronder Field. The Adrestian army eventually emerged victoriously and the Liberation Army was forced to retreat.

Afterwards, the Battle of Tailtean occurred in year 91, with both forces clashing in the Tailtean Plains. The Adrestian Empire achieved victory and Seiros managed to slay Nemesis, thus fulfilling her revenge. Cichol's wife died during the struggle, however, and his daughter Cethleann fell into hibernation after abusing her powers at his father's behest. Filled with grief, Cichol departed with his unconscious daughter to watch over her in Zanado. Macuil and Indech later departed as well to Sreng and Lake Teutates respectively, with many people speculating the Saints' eventual fates.

In year 98, the War of Heroes finally came to a close; 10 Elites were found and slain, their Houses were spared and recruited into the Empire,[6] and Lycaon I, Wilhelm’s successor, perished due to a sudden illness. With the Empire now ruling over all of Fódlan, Seiros recorded the events of the war as the construction of Garreg Mach Monastery began to take place, and established the Crest Social System which would determine Fódlan's hierarchy for the upcoming centuries.

In this new history crafted by Seiros and, in order to prevent prosecution and keep peace in Fódlan (as Nemesis was considered a hero by many),[7] the Nabatean claimed the King of Liberation had been previously gifted power by the Goddess Sothis in order to destroy evil forces from the north, was eventually corrupted by power and, in the end, was forced to be put down by Seiros. Unbeknown to her, Wilhelm I left to the imperial line his own accounts of the conflict as he knew it, claiming the War of Heroes was a conflict about which kind of species deserved to rule over Fódlan: the Children of the Goddess or the Humans.[8]

Etymology and other languages

Names, etymology, and in other regions
Language Name Definition, etymology, and notes
English

War of Heroes

--

Japanese

英雄戦争

War of Heroes; shares its name with the War of Heroes on Archanea, depicted in the events of Fire Emblem: Mystery of the Emblem Book 2 and Fire Emblem: New Mystery of the Emblem.

German

Krieg der Heroen

War of Heroes

Gallery

References

  1. "Seteth: Nemesis, the King of Liberation... The man who received the Sword of the Creator from the goddess and became a hero. However...
    Rhea: Nemesis was originally the leader of a group of bandits. He plundered the Holy Tomb and stole the remains of the progenitor god. When Nemesis appeared in Zanado sometime later, he already wielded the Sword of the Creator.
    Byleth: How did he get the Sword of the Creator?
    Rhea: The legend that the goddess gifted him the sword so that he could fight the wicked gods...is false. That story was created after the fact. I do not know how Nemesis obtained the sword, or why he appeared in Zanado. But he used that sword to massacre the people there. The children of the progenitor god. From their corpses he gained even more power, and brought war to Fódlan..." — Rhea in Silver Snow Chapter 20, Fire Emblem: Three Houses
  2. "Why does Seiros despise us so? What did King Nemesis do to incur her wrath? Perhaps it was a mistake to accept his offer. In any case, that is all in the distant past now..." — Fragments of a Forgotten Memoir in the Shadow Library of Abyss, Fire Emblem: Three Houses
  3. "I was the only survivor of Zanado, and all I could do was wander across Fódlan clinging to my desperate desire for revenge. I called myself Seiros, fostered the founding of the Empire, and prepared to oppose Nemesis and his followers. (...) I put Zanado behind me to gather the remaining children who were scattered across Fódlan..." — Rhea in Verdant Wind Chapter 22, Fire Emblem: Three Houses
  4. "An ancestor of the Hresvelgs, who became Adrestia's first emperor... He saved me. Supported me. Gave his all to the cause of defeating Nemesis." — Seiros, as an enemy fighting Edelgard in Crimson Flower Chapter 17, Fire Emblem: Three Houses
  5. ""I, a priest of _______ the findings of my investigation___When a Crest Stone was removed while its Relic was being wielded by ______ all movement within the Relic ceased. When the Stone was returned, the Relic once again ____ It is beyond question that Crest Stones supply their associated Relic with power of some kind. And the impetus of said power is clearly related to the Crests that certain humans possess...
    ...Based on the composition of ___ it can be summarized that _______ likely a massive creature akin to a wyvern. However ____ strength is beyond compare to that of wyvern bones. They are more durable than all materials other than crucible steel, making them ideal for crafting weaponry, and absolutely _______ inhabiting ____ difficult to conceive, but one theory ____ Is it possible that ______ the goddess's ___ have potentially...
    ... Heroes' Relics have been found that are not linked to the Ten Elites.______ the 10 Elites _______ Could it be that others were gifted this power by the goddess as well? Perhaps the disturbing ____ that the Relics were not gifts from the goddess ___ Additionally ______ the same Crest Stones ____ Many of my hypoteses _______ I am desperate to find the truth of it all.
    The time has come. I must discard_____ I daresay the goddess would not wish for me to learn more than I already have.
    (The pages are old and worn, so most of the text is illegible...)" — The Truth of the Heroes' Relics in the Shadow Library of Abyss, Fire Emblem: Three Houses
  6. "I somehow escaped with my life, but I fear the end is near. Most of my clan has already surrendered to the Empire. To my surprise, I am told their safety was guaranteed. I, however, am a different matter. My life, along with my sacred weapons, will unquestionably be forfeit." — Fragments of a Forgotten Memoir in the Shadow Library of Abyss, Fire Emblem: Three Houses
  7. "Kusakihara: From the human perspective/side, Nemesis and the Ten Elites were heroes. As a result, ruling above humans, she would be unable to completely fabricate points that would deny every aspect of their history, eh. As a result, she left them as heroes while changing other parts in order to suit her own needs. That said, Seiros and co. meddled with history, not in order to rule over humans, but to quell the flames of war and chaos as much as possible, and to also keep a steady balance about humanity."Nintendo Dream May 2020 Issue, translated by Serenes Forest, Published: March 21, 2020, Retrieved: March 25, 2020
  8. "Edelgard: Professor... Do you know the true story behind the legend? The Relics were created by the hands of mankind. Seiros collected them after killing the 10 Elites. Seiros manipulated the people of the world and defeated the all-powerful King Nemesis.
    Byleth: Why would she do that?
    Edelgard: The church maintains the false history that he was corrupted and turned evil. However, it was little more than a simple dispute.
    Edelgard: Should the one leading the people of the world be someone with humanity or a creature that can merely masquerade as a human at will? In the end, Seiros was victorious. The Immaculate One and her family then took control of Fódlan. I know this because that knowledge is passed down from emperor to emperor. And that is because the first emperor is the human who cooperated with Seiros, allowing humanity to be controlled in secret." — Edelgard in Crimson Flower Chapter 14, Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Playable characters Black Eagles BernadettaCasparDorotheaEdelgardFerdinandHubertLinhardtPetra
Blue Lions AnnetteAsheDedueDimitriFelixIngridMercedesSylvain
Golden Deer ClaudeHildaIgnatzLeonieLorenzLysitheaMarianneRaphael
Other AloisAnnaDLCBylethCatherineCyrilFlaynGilbertHannemanJeritzaManuelaSetethShamir
Ashen WolvesDLC BalthusConstanceHapiYuri
Non-playable characters AbysskeeperDLCDuke AegirFlecheGatekeeperDuke GerthIonius IXJeraltJudithLadislavaNaderRandolphRheaRodrigueSothis
Bosses AcheronAelfricDLCAloisLord ArundelBiasBlaiddydCasparCatherineCharonChilonClaudeCorneliaDaphnelDedueDeath KnightDimitriDominicBaron DominicEdelgardFelixFerdinandFlame EmperorFlaynFraldariusGautierGloucesterGonerilGwendalHubertIngridThe Immaculate OneThe ImmovableJudithKostasKronyaLadislavaLamineLinhardtLonatoLorenzMercedesMetodeyMiklanMysonNaderNemesisBaron OchsDLCOdessePallardóPittacusRandolphRheaRieganRodrigueSetethShamirSolonSylvainThalesWandering BeastThe Wind Caller
Background characters Lord ArundelCount BergliezCorneliaMargrave GautierGlennCount GloucesterCount HevringHolstLambertMonicaPatriciaRufusSeirosSitriTomasTianaCount Varley
Personal weapons and regalia Aegis ShieldAreadbharAsclepiusAthameAxe of UkonvasaraAymrBlutgangCaduceus StaffCirce StaffCrusherFailnaughtFetters of DromiFreikugelThe InexhaustibleLance of RuinLúinOchain ShieldRafail GemScythe of SarielSeiros ShieldSpear of AssalSword of BegaltaSword of MoraltaSword of SeirosSword of the CreatorTathlum BowThunderbrandThyrsusVajra-Mushti
Chapters Part I
White Clouds
P: An Inevitable Encounter • 1: Three Houses • 2: Familiar Scenery • 3: Mutiny in the Mist • 4: The Goddess's Rite of Rebirth • 5: Tower of Black Winds • 6: Rumors of a Reaper • 7: Field of the Eagle and Lion • 8: The Flame in the Darkness • 9: The Cause of Sorrow • 10: Where the Goddess Dwells • 11: Throne of Knowledge • 12: To War Black Eagles, if Byleth sides against EdelgardBlue LionsGolden Deer / Outset of a Power Struggle Black Eagles, if Byleth sides with Edelgard
Part II Silver Snow
Silver Snow
13: Reunion at Dawn • 14: A King Without a Kingdom • 15: Valley of Torment • 16: The Rose-Colored River • 17: The Impregnable Fortress • 18: The Chaos of War • 19: Conclusion of the Crossing Roads • 20: The City Without Light • 21: Following a Dream
Azure Moon
Azure Moon
13: Reunion at Dawn • 14: The Delusional Prince • 15: Valley of Torment • 16: The Rose-Colored River • 17: Blood of the Eagle and Lion • 18: The King's Triumphant Return • 19: The Golden Deer's Plea • 20: The Impregnable Fortress • 21: Our Chosen Paths • 22: Oath of the Dagger
Verdant Wind
Verdant Wind
13: Reunion at Dawn • 14: The Alliance Leader's Ambitions • 15: Valley of Torment • 16: The Rose-Colored River • 17: Blood of the Eagle and Lion • 18: The Golden Scheme • 19: The Chaos of War • 20: Conclusion of the Crossing Roads • 21: The City Without Light • 22: Fódlan's New Dawn
Crimson Flower
Crimson Flower
13: Beyond Escape • 14: The Master Tactician • 15: Tempest of Swords and Shields • 16: Lady of Deceit • 17: Field of Revenge • 18: To the End of a Dream
Paralogues Paralogues Part I Black Market SchemeDLCA Cursed RelicDLCDeath TollDividing the World Black Eagles, if Byleth sides against EdelgardBlue LionsGolden DeerFalling Short of HeavenThe ForgottenLand of the Golden DeerAn Ocean ViewOil and WaterRumored NuptialsThe Secret MerchantDLC Blue LionsGolden DeerSword and Shield of SeirosTales of the Red CanyonTrue ChivalryWar for the Weak Blue Lions
Part II Darkness Beneath the Earth Crimson FlowerDividing the World Silver SnowAzure MoonVerdant WindEternal Guardian Silver SnowAzure MoonVerdant WindThe Face Beneath Silver SnowAzure MoonVerdant WindForeign Land and SkyForgotten HeroInsurmountable Crimson FlowerLegend of the LakeRetribution Silver SnowAzure MoonVerdant WindThe Secret MerchantDLC Crimson FlowerThe Silver Maiden Azure MoonThe Sleeping Sand Legend Verdant WindWeathervanes of Fódlan Azure Moon
Cindered Shadows
Cindered Shadows
1: The Fourth House • 2: What Lies Beneath • 3: The Rite of Rising • 4: Danger in the Dark • 5: Betrayal • 6: Return to Me • 7: Wolf Pack
Locations FódlanAdrestiaFaerghusGarreg Mach Monastery (Abyss) • LeicesterAlmyraBrigidDagdaSrengZahras
Groups, objects and concepts 10 ElitesAshen WolvesBlack Eagles (Black Eagle Strike Force) • Blue LionsChildren of the GoddessChurch of Seiros (Knights of Seiros) • Crests (Crest Stone) • Divine PulseGolden DeerHeroes' RelicsInsurrection of the SevenMonstersThose who slither in the darkTragedy of DuscurWar of Heroes
Lists AbilitiesChaptersCharactersClasses (Class change) • Hidden treasureItems (Monastery items) • QuestsScriptsSupportsWeapons
Related topics Music LibraryName chart • Other games (Warriors: Three Hopes) • Pre-release informationUnused contentDownloadable contentClass mastery