Update 28: Stuff Goes Down, as Predicted



♪ Gazing at Sirius ♪


To think that there was such a vast space beneath the monastery all this time...
It's hard to imagine that any of these enormous contraptions are of this world...








I do.


Sit upon the throne. I have no doubt you will be gifted a revelation from the goddess.




No response from Abby. Nothing happens.
It was supposed to be but a step away... What could possibly be missing?
Stop right there!

♪ The Leader's Path ♪


Thank you ever so much for guiding us this far. The Imperial army will now take possession of everything in the Holy Tomb!
What's the Imperial army doing here?!
Wait! Does he work for the Flame Emperor?
So the Flame Emperor is connected to the Empire... I never thought that possible.
Edelgard... Did you know about this?


I guess that's the end of play-at-school, Lady Edelgard... I mean Your Majesty.
Get to work, everyone! The Crest Stones belong to us now, and take those filthy bones too!
Insolence! You will atone for the sin of trampling on this holy resting place! Professor. Destroy these villainous traitors who dare dishonor our creator!
Wait! What's the meaning of this, Edelgard?
You...made use of us? Why?
I'm sorry, my teacher. I cut this path, and now I must follow it. My friends... I ask that all of you stay back! It is not my intention to fight you.


I command you to collect the Crest Stones! If anyone attempts to stop us...kill them.



♪ As Swift as Wind ♪


We were used... Edelgard was the Flame Emperor. Meaning she was working with the evil godsdamned body snatchers who, among other things, are responsible for the deaths of multiple people, including Jeralt. I don't care if she showed a reticence towards working with them in cutscenes, that's... That's beyond awful.

And she's the new emperor of Adrestia too, huh? Guess that's what she went to Enbarr for. Now we're enemies of the largest country in Fódlan, with presumably the greatest military might! Ha ha! Ha! Ha...

Is it too late to make friends with Dimitri or Claude?

Here's our group for this map. As you might have already guessed, Edelgard and Hubert have been permanently removed from our roster. If it seemed like I was deliberately de-emphasizing those two for EXP, support ranks, and skill training, well, that's because I was. I didn't check, but I think any inventory those two had is returned to you.

Now that Ingrid is in Wyvern Rider, I'm going to boost her initial class mastery experience gain by giving her the Knowledge Orb.

I didn't need much else in the way of battle preparations, so let's begin.
♪ No music ♪





♪ Dwellings of the Ancient Gods ♪


The Holy Tomb must not be desecrated! Protect as many of the Crest Stones as you can!
There's a bunch of enemies on the map whose only objective is to raid certain tiles for Crest Stones, and once they're full up, book it to the tile behind Edelgard, at which point they'll escape. Killing them and saving all the Crest Stones is trivial, and the rewards are very worth it.

Let's take a quick look at our bosses. Metodey is fast, and he's got reasonable Str and Swordfaire, though a pretty shitty weapon. He has no answer for being hit from range, though, and that will be his downfall.

Heartseeker: Adjacent foes suffer Avo -20 during combat.
Swordfaire: Grants Atk +5 when using a sword.
Poison Strike: If unit initiates combat and lands a hit, targeted foe loses up to 20% of max HP after combat.
Defiant Spd: Grants Spd +8 when HP is ≤ 25%.
Resistance +2: Increases Res by 2.

I don't know why he has Heartseeker for a personal skill.

...sigh. How did it come to this?

Edelgard would be a complete non-issue but for Counterattack. She's slow enough that literally any of our units can double her, even some with asburdly heavy weapons, she's extremely inaccurate, and she cannot avoid anything. Counterattack is there solely so you can't just send any of your magic users at her and be done with it—they need to kill her in one shot, or they will eat a counterattack that's liable to one-shot them.

Charm: Adjacent allies deal 3 extra damage during combat.
Axefaire: Grants Atk +5 when using an axe.
Commander: Nullifies instant death effects, status effects, and movement effects, and greatly reduces damage from enemy gambits.
Counterattack: Allows unit to counterattack regardless of distance to attacker.
Seal Strength: If unit damages foe during combat, foe suffers Str -6 for 1 turn after combat.
Seal Magic: If unit damages foe during combat, foe suffers Mag -6 for 1 turn after combat.

She's also immune to being rattled and takes almost no damage from gambits—not that you'd even be able to hit her, anyway, given her absurd 35 Cha.


The splendor of nobility!



Good combat start, atrocious level.


Always keep a bow on your physical heavy-hitters. Never know when you might need it!

If you wanna get faster, I won't stop you.


Using the Brave Sword was wholly unecessary there, but whatever.

Lysithea gives Abby a initial mobility jump, at the cost of being consigned to the back of the map herself.

She gets Spd from it. Despite her initial run of not great levels, she's turning out pretty well.





Sometimes I'm really happy to have Deadeye around.



Good level.







She's becoming too powerful.

Fucking Physic.



Ingrid and Petra are certified monsters by this point.







Whoops. He got hit both times.


Too slow!





It's over.


Sublime Heaven is pretty powerful.


An opening!


Well, that's one monster taken care of.


Fliers and cavalry are really good on this mission; I probably don't need to tell you that mobility is important when chasing down fleeing enemy units.







Jesus, Dorothea. Please get more Mag, though.






No hesitation.





This is a pretty powerful group.



Well, uh. I'd have liked Str, but getting every other relevant stat is nice. A bit.



Good level, Lin.











I don't have a lot to talk about this map. There's not a lot of tactics in it, I'm just getting towards the end. The objective isn't even really an objective.

Meh level.


You will be slashed down!





All of my speedy physical units are turning out really damn well.



















Pretty close to the end now.


If you come at Bernie, you'd best not miss.



Ugh.








♪ Wrath Strike ♪



lol






Yeah, you've improved a bit, Ingrid.





Pretty much just Edelgard, Metodey, and one thief left.





I will not hold back!



Toady.

Let's finish this.


This is going to hurt, okay?!
Small detail: when a heavily injured character gets a crit, their crit cut-in has them wincing.


Perfect, Caspar.


♪ The Verge of Death ♪


In truth...no. Let's leave it at that.
If Edelgard were to fight anyone else, she'd say this:
Despite what I said, I have no intention of killing you. So why not stand down and get out of my way? You could have had a peaceful life... Why did you have to come to Garreg Mach?

In truth...no. Let's leave it at that.


Well, that wasn't much of a fight.

And that sure is a level.
♪ No music ♪






For saving all the Crest Stones, we get a rusted bow that can be forged into a Silver Bow, an Advanced Seal, and a second Knowledge Gem. Trust me: you want that Gem. Having one already greatly accelerates the rate at which units master stuff, having two means you can augment even more people even more faster.


♪ Farewell ♪


To think that a descendant of House Hresvelg would dare betray the holy church...
So it is my teacher who stands in my way. I always knew it would come to this...
Professor. Kill Edelgard at once. She is a danger to all of Fódlan. Such a rebellious heart cannot be allowed to keep beating.


If we'd chosen to go with Edelgard to Enbarr, we'd have the choice to protect her here, locking us into her route. But since we didn't, well...
...
I will withdraw...for now. Come, Hubert!


You have defiled the Holy Tomb, dishonored the goddess, and humiliated your brethren. That crime will never be erased, even if you burn in the eternal flames and spill all of your blood into the goddess's soil.



♪ Anxiety ♪


The knights have been dispatched to search and investigate. If there is any movement, we will know. We cannot ignore the possibility that there will soon be open hostilities between us and the Imperial army. When that happens, are you prepared to fight your own? If you wish to return to the Empire...I will not stop you. That is your choice to make.
If Edelgard is acting afoul, then we have no choice but to strike her down.
It's up to us to stop them! We have a war on our hands!
I have no interest in fighting, not even for her. And yet...
How are we supposed to decide just like that?
Edie, Hubie, I'm sorry about this, but... I'm siding with the professor.
Her doings are wrong. It is our duty to make everything right.
I am sure you all have much on your mind. I encourage you to confer with your professor and make a decision. You have until the fighting commences. Professor... I am depending on your strength for the safety of Fódlan.



♪ The Leader's Path ♪


Long ago, they divided the Empire to create a Kingdom, and then...divided that Kingdom to create an Alliance. They did all of this to make the masses bicker amongst themselves. They caused instability in order to reinforce their own authority. They gathered gold and lived in extravagance. How? By preying on the devotion of those who wished for the goddess's salvation. Those corrupt hypocrites cannot lead Fódlan to true peace. Their foul belief system must be torn asunder so that true wisdom may finally prevail! And so, I have decided... By order of the Adrestian Emperor, Edelgard von Hresvelg...






Let us recount the situation as it stands, Professor. After you returned from the Holy Tomb...


Declared war?
Edelgard demanded her own father relinquish the throne, and then assumed the position of emperor. She has deemed the Church of Seiros to be an evil of this world, and is calling upon the people of Fódlan to help her tear it down. I must discuss our response to this declaration with the archbishop after the knights return from their investigation. Until then, watch over the students. See that they remain calm.



This update brought to you by the wonderful patrons of my LPs on Patreon:

Next Update
Previous Update
Table of Contents
Support the LPs on Patreon