Fire Emblem: Seisen no Keifu

Fire Emblem: Seisen no Keifu (ファイアーエムブレム　聖戦の系譜 Faiā Emuburemu: Seisen no Keifu) Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War, is a Japanese Super Famicom tactical role-playing game developed by Intelligent Systems and published by Nintendo. It was released on May 14, 1996 in Japan. It is the fourth title in the Fire Emblem series, the second Fire Emblem title for the Super Famicom and was the last game produced by Gunpei Yokoi. The game has widely received recognition outside Japan through imports or console emulation. It was unofficially translated into English through emulation. It was released on the Japanese Virtual Console service on January 30, 2007.

Gameplay
Many of the gameplay mechanics in Fire Emblem: Seisen no Keifu differs from other Fire Emblem games in the series. The differences are:

Chapter format
Instead of conquering just one castle per chapter, the player must capture several. Also, the player must have a castle in their possession at the start of each chapter that must not be conquered by the enemy. In allied castles, the player can shop, fight in the arena, store items, and repair weapons (see below). The starting castle is the only place in which the player can promote characters.

There is no limit on how many player characters can be deployed; this is balanced by the player receiving fewer controllable units than in other games in the series. However, it should be noted that the Game Boy Advance installments allow fewer units to be deployed per chapter than the console installments.

Villages
Villages cannot be destroyed by enemy units in one turn. Enemies can only destroy a portion of a village each turn; however, the more the player allows an enemy to tear down a village, the less gold will be rewarded for rescuing it.

Arenas
Characters do not die when they have lost an arena battle; instead, they remain alive at 1 hit point. There are only seven arena opponents to fight for each character per chapter, as opposed to infinite opponents in other Fire Emblem games. Also, the arena opponents are predetermined for each level and are always the same. The exception is if the character is an archer.

Class change
Fire Emblem: Seisen no Keifu is the second Fire Emblem game where the player does not need items to promote a character. In Fire Emblem: Seisen no Keifu, the player character must reach Level 20 and then return to the home castle of the chapter in order to receive class promotion. Also, rather than being reverted to Level 1, the character will remain at his/her current level.

Death
It is possible to bring back dead units by using the Valkyrie Staff; however, it breaks after only one use, after which it must be repaired.

Money and items
Breaking a weapon by wearing out its durability is not an inevitability. By visiting repair shops in castles under the player's control, money can be spent to restore a used weapon before it breaks instead of having to keep a stockpile of spares.

Each individual character in this game has its own money. The only units who can give money to others are thieves and units who are in love (see below).

Characters cannot trade weapons and items or give them to each other. The only way to "give" something to another character is to sell the item or weapon and have another character buy it.

Relationship system
The characters in the first half of the game can fall in love. A pair of characters require a certain amount of Lover points to become Lovers. Characters will build Lover points automatically, but they will gain more if the player ends the turn with both characters adjacent to one another, and certain pairs have unique conversations at set points in the game, which give a large amount of Lover points. When two characters are paired, and if the mother survives until a point in Chapter 5, the two parents will pass their weapons and skills on to their children. However weapons will only be inherited if the child can use it in their first class, unless it is a Holy Weapon, which is always inherited, and only the parents' personal skills are inherited. The children then grow up to become playable units in the second half of the game. The parents also pass on their holy blood and their stat growths, giving the player some manner of control over their units' growth rates. If some of the female player characters in Sigurd's tale besides Ethlin or Diadora die or do not fall in love by the end of Chapter Five, substitute player characters appear in their children's place. The children can also fall in love, giving them random criticals when they stand next to their respective lovers (which is also possible in the first generation).

Weapon Triangle
Fire Emblem: Seisen no Keifu is the first installment of the Fire Emblem series to implement the weapon triangle, a rock-paper-scissors thing. The weapon triangle is that swords beat axes, axes beat lances, and lances beat swords.

Special skill system
Fire Emblem: Seisen no Keifu is the first installment of the Fire Emblem series to assign special skills to individual characters. Characters may also gain skills by belonging to a certain class. Skills may be activated by command on the field, activated automatically under certain conditions, or activated by chance. If characters in the first half of the game fall in love, they will pass on their individual skills to their children in the second half of Seisen no Keifu. This skill system is also used in Fire Emblem: Thracia 776, Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance, and Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn. A limited version of this system, where skill are assigned only by unit class, is found in Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones.

Setting
Fire Emblem: Seisen no Keifu takes place in the continent of Jugdral (pronounced YOOG-drahl and based on the Norse mythological name Yggdrasil). It is composed of eight kingdoms: the Kingdom of Grandbell, the Kingdom of Verdane, Miletos District, the Manster District, the Kingdom of Thracia, the Lords' Dominion of Agustria, the Kingdom of Silesia, Yied Desert, and the Kingdom of Isaac. They were founded by the 12 crusaders: Baldo, Ulir, Tordo, Fala, Neir, Edda, Narga, Noba, Dain, Hezul, Sety, and Odo.


 * Grandbell was founded by Saint Heim. Its royal family resides in Barhara castle. In addition to Barhara castle, Grandbell has six dukedoms: Chalphy, Jungby, Velthomer, Freege, Dozel, and Edda. This country also has the highest number of descendants of the crusaders, contributing to over half of the crusaders(Heim, Fala, Baldo, Blagi, Tordo, Ulir and Neir). The Fire Emblem does not appear in Fire Emblem: Seisen no Keifu, but it is mentioned as the family crest of the Velthomer house by the person succeeding it.


 * Verdane is the southwesternmost country in Jugdral. It is Jugdral's land of forests and wildlife. It has absolutely no ties with Grandbell. It is ruled by kings without Holy Crusader heritage. Before Gran 757, when Sandima took over, it was ruled by King Bantou. Jamka, a recruitable archer character in Sigurd's tale, is from Verdane. Edin is taken by Gandolf to Marpha Castle, Verdane, in the Prologue. Princess Ayra of Isaac fled with her nephew Shanan to Verdane to escape the Isaacian-Grandbellian war. She then had no choice but to work as a mercenary for Genoa Castle. Chapter 1 takes place here.


 * Miletos is the southernmost country of Jugdral. It is the country where trade routes to Jugdral meet. Chapter 10 takes place here. Chalphy dukedom of Grandbell is located near Miletos.


 * Occupying the northern half of the Thracian Peninsula, the Manster District is a confederation of several small holdings to withstand Thracia's invasions. It was founded by holy crusader Noba, the younger sister of Dain. Traditionally, most of the Manster District's military power has come from Lenster's lance knight brigade (Lanzenritter), though the other holdings have separate militaries. The Manster District consists of Melgen, Lenster, Alster, Conote, and Manster. At the onset of the game, the king of Lenster is Prince Cuan's father King Calf.


 * Thracia is a mountainous nation occupying the southern half of the Thracian Peninsula, south of the Manster District. It was founded by holy crusader Dain, the older brother of Noba. Because of the region's rocky soil and hilly terrain, food is scarce and the people are often hungry. However, Thracia is the nation that ridable-sized dragons are native to. Thracian knights who ride the dragons are famous as mercenaries throughout Jugdral, and contribute substantially to the country's income. Thracians have tried many times over Jugdral's history to conquer the fertile Manster District in order to provide food for their families, but all of the major assaults have been repelled by Lenster's lance knight brigade, colloquially known as the "Wall of Manster", especially by the Thracians. At the onset of the game, Trabant is king of Thracia.


 * Agustria is the home of Eltshan's family. Crusader Hezul helped found Agustria. Agustria is located in the west side of Jugdral and north of Verdane. It is the largest country in Jugdral. Chapters 2 and 3 of the game take place here. Celice was born here between these chapters.


 * Silesia is located north of Yied Desert and west of Isaac. It is the home of Levin and Fury. It was founded by Sety the Wind Crusader. It is the coldest country in Jugdral. Throughout Jugdral history, it has often been a neutral country.  It has five castles: Silesia, Sailane, Thove, Zaxon, and Lubeck. Chapter 4 and part of Chapter 5 take place here.


 * Yied Desert is the land of outcasts in Jugdral. It is also the center of the Loput sect. The heat in Yied Desert is dangerous, and the Dark Mages have unusual techniques to distract everyone trying to cross the desert. After the Isaacian-Grandbellian war, Isaac's Balmunk was taken to Yied Shrine. During Chapter 5, Cuan and Ethlin are killed by Trabant when marching across Yied Desert. Part of Chapter 5 and most of Chapter 7 take place here. During Chapter 7, Patty sneaks into Yied Shrine, snatches the Balmunk, and gives it to Shanan.


 * The Kingdom of Isaac is the northeasternmost country in Jugdral and was founded by Odo in Gran 648. It is the home of Ayra, Shanan, Lakche, and Skasaher. Grandbell invades Isaac around the beginning of the game. Isaac is known for being the land of Swordmasters. In Isaac, women are treated differently from other countries in Jugdral. Isaac is second to Manster in fertility, having many flowers and bushes and some animals. It has five castles: Isaac, Sophara, Tilnagogue, Ganeishire, and Rivough. At the onset of the game, Grandbell invades Isaac, blaming Isaacian royalty, who is not actually responsible, for the siege on Darna castle in Yied Desert. Mariccle is the king of Isaac. Mariccle dies at the time of Chapter 2 of the game. In the meantime of Chapter 5, after the Isaacian-Grandbellian war, Isaac is taken over by Dozel nobility. With the exception of Rivough Castle, Isaac is the only country in Jugdral that did not participate in child hunts in the days of Alvis's Grandbellian Empire. Chapter 6 takes place here. Celice was raised here. According to Celice, the Isaacians suffered under Dozel nobility rule.  The Isaacians detest the Grandbellian Empire for meddling in the affairs of Isaacian royalty and for having extreme political and military power.

Jugdral chronology

 * Gran Year 001: Gran Kingdom formed west of Yun River.
 * Gran Year 230: Shift to republican government.
 * Gran Year 310: Territory expansion: Era of prosperity.
 * Gran Year 440: Dark Lord descends to Archbishop Galle; Loput Sect religious order is formed.
 * Gran Year 447: War of the Twelve Dark Lords; fall of the Gran republic.
 * Gran Year 448: Archbishop Galle takes the throne, and the Loput Empire is formed.
 * Gran Year 449: The Great Purge: Casualties exceed one hundred thousand.
 * Gran Year 452: Sorrow of Miletos: Numerous human young are burned to death in sacrifice to the Dark Lord Loputousu.
 * Gran Year 453: Atrocity at Edda: Casualties are in tens of thousands.
 * Gran Year 535: Mutiny of Maira Imperial family.
 * Gran Year 611: Liberation army disseminates across the Jugdral continent.
 * Gran Year 632: Miracle at Darna Fortress: Gods descend to liberation army, and the Twelve Crusaders emerge.
 * Gran Year 633: Beginning of Holy War.
 * Gran Year 648: Fall of the Loput Empire: The Twelve Crusaders establish seven dukedoms in Grandbell and five regional kingdoms
 * Gran Year 649: Kingdom of Grandbell formed.
 * Gran Year 757: Grandbell invades Isaac.

Prologue: Seikishi Tanjou (Coming of the Holy Knights)
The prologue of Fire Emblem: Seisen no Keifu begins with Prince Kult, the son of King Azmur of Barhara Castle, making the decision for the Grandbellian army to subdue the Kingdom of Isaac, in response to an invasion of Darna by barbarians of Rivough, Isaac. This was an unforeseen occurrence because the kingdoms of Grandbell and Isaac were peacefully getting along with each other many, many years. Lord Sigurd (or Siglud) of Chalphy remains in Chalphy castle while his father Byron (or Vylon) was away. He believed he had nothing to fear, because there were no invasions or threats from the other countries in the continent of Jugdral; unfortunately, Sigurd's assumption was proved incorrect. Prince Gandolf of Marpha, Verdane, and his army invade Grandbell, seizing Jungby Castle, which is the closest castle to the Grandbell-Verdane boundary. Noblewoman Aideen (Adean), alongside only a few knights that stayed at the castle to protect her were at Jungby Castle. The Jungby knights were crushingly defeated by Gandolf and his army, except for Mideel (Midayle), the strongest of all Jungby archers, who (despite his skill) was defeated by Gandolf himself. Shortly thereafter, Gandolf left Grandbell for Verdane and took Aideen as his slave.

Sigurd was informed about what has just happened at Jungby and decided to gather the remaining Chalphy knights, who were Noish, Alec, and Arden, to travel to the Kingdom of Verdane to rescue Edin. While on the road to Jungby Castle, Sigurd is joined first by Azel of Velthomer, who snuck out of Barhara Castle and dragged Lex of Dozel into joining Sigurd, and then his sister Ethlin, her husband (Sigurd's brother-in-law and best friend) Cuan from Lenster, and their loyal and most valuable knight, Fin. Sigurd first met Cuan at the Royal Academy of Barhara, alongside Eltshan. Cuan says that he is always with Sigurd, especially in times of war. Noish and Alec go to where Azel and Lex are and help them save the villages north of Jungby. All together, they battle Demagio, who was left by Gandolf and was guarding Jungby Castle, and easily retake Jungby Castle.

In Jungby Castle, Sigurd finds Mideel alive and recuperating. He tries to make Mideel rest, but instead, Mideel joins Sigurd's conquest to rescue Edin. Alvis of Velthomer walks over to Sigurd, who is now on the road to Evans Castle, which is located in the Kingdom of Verdane, and gives him the Silver Sword from King Azmur. He also tells Sigurd to look after his half-brother Azel (Alvis and Azel have different mothers). In Evans Castle, Mideel defeats Gerald with his arrows, but no trace of Aideen was ever found in the castle. Lord Filat, King Azmur's messenger, arrives to Evans Castle to inform that Sigurd has been entitled "Holy Knight of Grandbell." With therefore strengthened pride and honour, Sigurd goes deeper into the Kingdom of Verdane.

Chapter One: Seirei no Mori no Shoujo (Maiden of the Spirit Forest)
Edin, whom Sigurd and Oifey failed to find in Jungby Castle, had already been taken by Gandolf of Marpha into the south of the Kingdom of Verdane, to Marpha Castle. King Bator was a pacifist, until Sandima arrived. Until he took the throne of Verdane, the Kingdom of Verdane was a nightmarish land, filled with chaos. He brought peace, order, and freedom to Verdane and it seemed likely to last for many years with his three sons: Gandolf, Kinbois, and Jamka. Matters degenrate after a mysterious magician, Sandima, shows up. Sandima's influence largely caused King Bator to order Grandbell's invasion of Verdane, and he grew more and more aggressive. Gandolf and Kinbois lost heart and did whatever Sandima wished, but Jamka, alone, did not give into Sandima's influence. The Verdanian people became aware of the loss of peace and the kingdom becoming engulfed in the flames of war and wished to have their pacifist king back. Sigurd and his forces resided in Evans Castle, the northeasternmost castle of Verdane, located on the border of the Kingdoms of Grandbell, Verdane, and Agustria the Lords' Dominion, but officially located in Verdane, with the border of Grandbell to the east and the border of Agustria to the west. King of Eltosian (Eltshan) of Nodion, the castle west of Evans, came to meet with Lord Sigurd to ask him why he was present in Verdane. Sigurd said that the Verdanian army took Aideen hostage with no signs of releasing her and that he was forced to take up arms. After Sigurd talked with Eltosian, Eltosian said that he will watch and protect Evans Castle from Agustrian raids. Therefore, Sigurd and his forces leave for Genoa Castle, which is located far to the south of Evans Castle, feeling that his back is under the Nodion army's protection.

Meanwhile, in Marpha Castle, located west of Genoa Castle, Gandolf and Jamka stayed in the castle with their abductee Aideen. However, Jamka fell in love with Aideen behind Gandolf's back and decided to free her, to Aideen's surprise. He sent her out of Marpha castle with Dew the thief, who he caught some days before this chapter of the game. Dew agreed with Jamka to convert him and protect Aideen until she reached safe haven. They fled from Marpha Castle and headed to Evan's Castle together through the deep Verdanian forests. Along the way, they met Sigurd and Mideel, and they decided to join Sigurd's army. But immediately after they fled Marpha Castle, Gandolf found out that Edin was missing from Marpha Castle and sent the Marpha army to hunt down her and Dew. A division of Sigurd's army that was not heading for Genoa easily crushed this army.

Meanwhile, in Genoa Castle, happening the approximately the same time, Kinbois felt threatened by Sigurd's army. He decided to attack Sigurd's army with his own. He was so afraid to leave his castle empty that he forced Ayra, a mercenary whom he just hired (after she fled from her native country, the Kingdom of Isaac, to escape Isaac's conflict with Grandbell) to guard Genoa Castle. Ayra was not too willing to do so, but Kinbois threatened to kill his prisoner and Ayra's young fraternal nephew, Shanan, if she shirks her duty. Therefore, she was forced to do as Kinbois wished and begins to fight against her will. Ayra said to Kinbois that if he double-crossed her, she would not take it lightly, and she would impale him on a stick. Then Kinbois and the Genoa army went after Sigurd's army.

After a reunion with Aideen, Sigurd's army crushed both the Marpha army and Kinbois and his Genoa army. Kinbois was killed by Lex, and Lex got the Hand Axe from him. They went south to Genoa, where they met Ayra, who fought Sigurd et al., alongside the remaining axefighters of Genoa army. While Cuan attempted to kill Ayra, Sigurd immediately entered Genoa Castle to rescue Shanan, being very much worried about her. He took Shanan with him and talked to Ayra. Ayra saw that Kinbois was in the grave and that there was no more to fear. She reciprocated Sigurd's trust, and said that such was the way of the Isaacian warrior. She still viewed Grandbell as her sworn enemy, and Sigurd prayed that Ayra would not turn against him. Thus, she decided to join Sigurd's army, Sigurd gaining Ayra's allegiance in return for rescuing Shanan. Shortly thereafter, Cuan apologized to Ayra and discussed with her the political situation between the Kingdoms of Isaac and Grandbell. Cuan's father King Lenster had a high opinion of Ayra's father King Mananan, who was assassinated by Lord Reptor on the Grandbellian fronts. At the time, Mananan was journeying to Barhara to explain to Prince Kult about the situation with Rivough.

Meanwhile, right as King Eltosian of Nodion has expected, Eliot of Heirhein and his army attempts to seize Evans Castle. The board guard informs Eltosian of Eliot's invasion. Eltosian argues with Heirhein, telling Eliot that he is running in direct violation of the Agustrian ruler's orders. He would not allow Eliot to sneak into Evans Castle like some petty thief. He and his army of powerful Cross Knights crushes Eliot's army, sending him back to Heirhein. Feeling like Nodion Castle may soon be in further danger, Eltosian and his army leave Evans and return to Nodion.

Sigurd continues to travel deep south into the Verdane and enters Marpha castle, where Aideen was held hostage. Gandolf was present at Marpha castle to fight Sigurd, but only a handful of soldiers were remaining at the castle. Therefore, it did not take very long to subjugate Marpha castle. Prince Jamka was not present at the time of the subjugation, and Aideen believes that he came to the city of Verdane to attempt to convince his father Bator for one last time and attempt to seek peace to Verdane. As Sigurd walked around Marpha city, he met a beautiful young maiden named Diadora, who knew his name. She says to him that she was held hostage by Gandolf and had spoken to Aideen. At first sight, Sigurd lost his heart to Diadora, but Diadora left before he was able to ask her name. An old man stepped in and informed Sigurd that she is a maiden of Seirei no Mori (Spirit Forest), and that she is actually forbidden to associate with anyone outside the forest. He also says that the villagers believe that any man from outside the forest comes too close to her will be greatly cursed. However, Sigurd says to the old man that he does not believe in the legends of the Spirit Forest and that he will attempt to reunite with that woman regardlessly.

Meanwhile, Prince Jamka was in Verdane Castle to speak with his father Bator about making a peace treaty with Grandbell. His father, still under Sandima's curse, refuses to listen to Prince Jamka. Sandima orders Jamka to depart from Verdane Castle immediately with the remainder of the castle's army and attack Sigurd's army. Jamka reluctantly accepts Sandima's orders. As soon as he exits Verdane Castle, Sandima assassinates King Bator, rendering him useless. Manfroy, Sandima's mystical leader and the head of the Loput Sect, shows up and tells Sandima to attempt to clean up the mess in the Kingdom of Verdane. He also asks Sandima if he has found Cigyun's daughter, whom he needs in order to resurrect the Dark Lord Loputousu. Sandima says that he is still searching for her, and this upsets Manfroy. Cigyun's son Alvis is already found, but they now need the daughter.

Prince Jamka is still unhappy about attacking Sigurd's army, because he knows that is not what his father really wants. However, at the battlefield in the forest, he reunites with Aideen, and Aideen tells him that Sigurd did not come to Verdane to invade the country, but that he merely came to rescue her. She convinces him that he should listen to his own emotions and do what he believes best. Shortly thereafter, Jamka joins Sigurd's army.

As Sigurd's army continues their way to Verdane Castle, they traverse a deep forest. Near the north end, Sigurd meets Diadora, whom he saw at Marpha Castle and who embraces him and says that she attempted to forget that they ever met each other, but that could only make her more miserable. Sigurd says he requites her love, and that he does not believe in the forest legends, and that he desires to marry her at Evans Castle. Diadora joins Sigurd's army as they continue to go northward to Verdane Castle. Meanwhile, Lex throws his iron axe into the sea, but he receives the Yuusha Axe (Brave Axe) in return.

Sandima can use a lethal dark spell called "Fenrir", which can attack at long range. Diadora says to Sigurd that she can use her staff called "Silence" to disable Sandima's ability to use "Fenrir." This is an aid to Sigurd's army to travel northward to defeat Sandima and subjugate Verdane Castle. As Sigurd subjugates the castle, they find King Bator, who is moribund. For his last words, King Bator says to Sigurd that the evil that is spreading across the continent of Jugdral is the work of the Loput Sect, a dark sect that is bent on destroy everything that is good and on accelerating the resurrection of the Dark Lord Loputousu. Then he dies in Sigurd's arms. Afterwards, Sigurd and his army go back to Evans Castle, and he marries Diadora.

Chapter Two: Agusutoria no Douran (Disturbance in Agustria)
King Imuka was mysteriously assassinated. Sigurd receives orders from Barhara to resume possession of Evans Castle. There, he marries Diadora. Some months later, Eltosian goes to Agusty Castle to tell King Chagall how cruel war is and how burdensome it is on the citzenry. Chagall shortly casts Eltosian into the Agusty dungeon, accusing him of making him the fool. Then Manfroy arrives, telling him what is needed to resurrect the Dark Lord Loputousu. He says that they need the children of Cigyun. They already have the son (Alvis), but they now need the daughter (Diadora), whom Manfroy would capture in the following chapter of the game. Chagall also has plans to invade Grandbell.

Meanwhile, in Nodion, Lachesis and her guardian Eve receive a word that Eltosian was incarcerated in Agusty. Eltshan leaves three cross paladins Eve, Eva, and Alva to protect his sister Lachesis. Also, Eve says that if Heirhein army finds out that Eltosian is apprehended, they would attack Nodion without moment's warning. If all of these paladins survive, Lachesis receives the Knight's ring, which most players hand over to Ayra, especially after Lachesis promotes to Master Knight. In Anphony Castle, Macbeth believes that they have a free reign now that Chagall has taken the throne. He is excited Heirhein army has taken up arms, and then he deploys thieves to strip the villages in the central Agustria forest near Mackilly Castle of all of their valuables and destroy them and have the valuables returned to him.

In Evans Castle, Sigurd receives a word that Eltosian is captured, and talks with Diadora that he is heading for Nodion, saying that he cannot turn his back on Eltosian. Diadora wants to fight alongside him, and promises that she does not leave his side. At the arena, Holyn joins Sigurd's army after being beaten by an earlier member of the army, most likely Ayra. Money was his motivator for being a gladiator, but after he got his only loss at the arena, it is no longer his motivator. He says that Ayra was not in the arena for the money. Immediately afterwards, he decides to join Sigurd's army saying that he wants to fight for a greater cause instead of money.

A division of Heirhein army, led by Boldor and his son Elliot, attacks Nodion and attempts to capture Lachesis. However, Sigurd and the mounted members of his army rescue and recruit Lachesis. Sigurd tells Lachesis that King Azmur approves of Grandbellian invasion of Agustria and that Azmur is aware of the assassination of King Imuka as well as Chagall's plans invade Grandbell. Cuan kills Elliot and wins the Silver Lance from him, and Elliot's last words are "Why do things always go Eltosian's way?". Then Sigurd's army moves on to kill the remainder of the Heirhein army including Boldor's henchman Phillip. The cavalry units of Sigurd's army attacks Phillip's army first as they head for Heirhein Castle. Afterward Sigurd conquers Heirhein, Chagall goes to Anphony and informs Macbeth about this, saying that Macbeth's avarice costs him Heirhein. Afterwards, Cuan talks to Fin and tells him that he is a valuable knight that Lenster Castle cannot afford to lose. Subsequently, Cuan gives Fin the Yuusha Spear (Brave Spear). Meanwhile, Levin and Sylvia receive word that Macbeth sent bandits to destroy the villages in the central villages. Levin intervenes against the bandits, saving the villages, as Sylvia dances to guide him in this mission. Then he saves the villages from the bandits and then fights against Macbeth.

Shortly after Sigurd conquers Anphony, Filat arrives to Anphony and tells Sigurd about the rumors going around in the Royal Court of Barhara. Rumors include that Sigurd, Cuan, and Eltosian are conspiring against Prince Kult of Barhara, and that explained that Sigurd hides Shanan the Prince of Isaac. Filat tells about the late Victor. Victor was the Duke of Velthomer and the father of Alvis and Azel. He was a reputed womanizer and had several lovers.

At Mackily Castle, a dark mage announces the assassination of Prince Kult. Then Manfroy says that it is starting to get interesting. They are still looking for Cigyun's daughter Diadora. Chagall deceives Ferry to seize Evans Castle. Ferry and her squad go en route to Evans Castle, but Levin arrives there. Levin talks with Ferry and convinces her to join Sigurd's army. Ferry was to come to Agustria to take Levin back to Silesia, but they want to stay with Sigurd instead. They go to Silesia later in the game. Then Sigurd's army heads to Mackily Castle and stops the army of mercenaries, archers, and mages. Clement casts Sleep spell on Alva, one of Lachesis's guards, and on Ayra, but Holyn and Rackesis kill him for doing that, afterwards Alva and Ayra wake up.

At Agusty Castle, after Sigurd subdues Mackily Castle, Chagall sends Zain and his army after Sigurd's army. Zain is equipped with Knight Killer (Horseslayer) lance. Alec has Mikiri (Awareness) skill, so that lance has no critical effect on him. Fin finished off Zain and won the Knight Killer lance from him. Lachesis then tells Chagall that he is not her king and then wounds him with her lances. However, Eltosian puts Chagall in medical attention and Chagall recovers, only to know that it comes out to be a mistake. Afterwards, Eve, Eva, and Alva return to Nodion Castle. They give Lachesis the Knight's Ring. Because she becomes mounted upon promotion, Lachesis sells the Knight's Ring to Ayra at the beginning of the next chapter. It would be six months before the next chapter begins.

Chapter Three: Shishi O Erutoshan (Lion King Eltosian)
Six months have passed since the previous chapter. The leadership that they have been trusted with was broken all too soon. According to the introductory narration, this chapter would well change the history of Jugdral. Eltosian and his crossknights are stationed in Silvail Castle. The Orgahil pirates start to raid the villages near Madino Castle. At Agusty Castle, Celice is born. This time, Diadora cannot leave the castle, and Shanan is with her and Celice. The Orgahill pirates start to raid the villages of northern Agustria. By the end of the battle, Sigurd seizes Madino, he meets Claud of Edda and Tiltyu of Freege. Claud suspects that Sigurd's father Byron is accused of assassinating Prince Kult. Meanwhile, Diadora leaves Agusty Castle, leaving Celice in Shanan's care, attempting to meet up with Sigurd. Before she could reach Sigurd at Madino Castle, Manfroy warps him before her eyes. Manfroy then wipes Diadora's mind, captures her, and leaves her for Alvis to find in order to resurrect the Dark Lord Loputousu. Eltosian is forced by Chagall to fight against his will and betray Sigurd. He leads the Silvail cross-knight army against Sigurd's army. Lachesis comes to Eltosian and convinces him that betrayal is not the way of a knight. He gives her the Earth Sword as a remembrance of him. Afterwards, Eltosian returns to Silvail, but he is publicly decapitated by the Silvail guardsmen under Chagall's orders, and Lachesis was devastated. Trabant arrives at Silvail, and Chagall hires the Thracian mercenary army in an attempt to wipe out Sigurd's army. However, the mercenaries fail and Trabant flees the country, leaving Chagall to be defeated once and for all, with Holyn finishing him off and winning the Silver Blade from him. Shortly after Sigurd conquers Silvail, Prince Shanan, carrying baby Celice, comes to Sigurd at Silvail and informs him of Diadora's fate. At Madino, Ethlin gives Cuan the Gaeborg. However, Cuan gets to use it only for a short time. Brigid joins Sigurd's army, and flees from pirates until a division of Sigurd's army fights them off. Aideen meets Brigid for the first time since childhood and gives Brigid the Holy Bow Ichaival. Claude talks with Sigurd and tells that King Mananan, father of Ayra and grandfather of her nephew Prince Shanan, was assassinated by none other than Tiltyu's father Duke Reptor when journeying to tell the truth about the siege on Darna, and hopes that Sigurd would clear his name at the time of Chapter 5. After Sigurd conquers Orgahil, Langobalt and his army march to Agusty Castle, and Sigurd is deemed a traitor to Grandbell. Ferry's sister Mahnya arrives at Orgahill and takes Sigurd and his army to Silesia.

Chapter Four: Sora ni Mau (Dance in the Sky)
Sigurd and his army arrive with Mahnya to Silesia, a country covered with snow. They arrive at Sailane Castle. Ferry and Levin are suspicious of the skirmish there, and Silesia is engulfed in the flames of warfare. Cuan, Ethlin, and Fin leave Sigurd and return to their home kingdom Manster. Aideen professes her love from someone at this point. Levin's uncles Maios and Daccar protest the idea of him ascending to the Silesian throne. Silesia then falls into civil war. A Loput sectarian marches with a wind mage brigade, while Deet'var travels with her pegasus knight brigade.

Soon after conquering Thove castle and killing Maios, Daccar, another one of Levin's uncles, summons Pamela to launch an attack onto Silesia Castle and hold its Queen as a hostage. However, Mahnya, the older sister of Ferry, gathers her brigade to counter-attack the upcoming attack from Pamela. However, Andorey, the brother of Aideen and Brigid and the father of Scorpio, comes with his army of archer knights, and kills off Mahnya and her pegasus knights. The player can do nothing to evite Mahnya's death. Silesia Castle is soon taken over by Daccar. Levin and Ferry then mourn Mahnya. Andorey and his army go back to Grandbell. Queen Rahna orders the people of Silesia Castle town to flee to the mountains near Sailane. These civilians are then rescued by a division of Sigurd's army. After Sigurd retakes Silesia Castle from Daccar, Levin talks with his mother Rahna and then obtains the holy scroll Holsety. Meanwhile, Daccar hires an all-female mercenary group led by Swordmaster Reimia.

Chapter Five: Unmei no Tobira (Door of Fate)
Things are getting worse and worse for Sigurd and his friends, so he decides that it is time to finish all. He and others, now in Zaxon castle, go stop Langobalt, Lex's father, and the other remaining Dukes. Vylon has travelled there too in order to give Sigurd the Holy weapon of Baldo, the Tyrfing. At the moment Langobalt falls, Sigurd conquers Lubeck Castle. Shanan and Oifey flee with Celice, along with several other children of the army, to Tilnanogue. Ayra informs Sigurd that she has finished fulfilling her promise to her late brother Mariccle, and she plans to stay with Sigurd (at least until the Battle of Barhara). Afterwards, Cuan and Ethlin return form Lenster. Unfortunately the Thracian Dragon Knights have followed them, and even with the Gaeborg in Cuan's hands, the player can do nothing to evite their deaths. Even if the player used cheat devices to spare them, as soon as the player takes the next castle, Cuan and Ethlin will be presumed dead and will disappear from the map. This event is mentioned in Fire Emblem: Thracia 776, including the in-game synopsis. After this event, Trabant takes Altenna and the Gaeborg and returns to Thracia. The other members of the Thracian army get slain by Sigurd's army. After he conquers Phinora, Sigurd hears news about the deaths of Cuan and Ethlin. Then his army ventures across the Yied Desert. Reptor's army stands still until Sigurd's army arrives to attack range. Once that happens, the Velthomer army turns against Reptor. The player may use Ferry as the bait to get Reptor's army to move early. Once Reptor is defeated, then the battle is over.

Alvis summons Sigurd and his army to perform an assumed victory celebration. However, the Battle of Barhara (aka the Barhara Massacre or the Barhara Incident) commences. Sigurd meets his destiny, falling into Alvis's trap. As he is incinerated by Alvis's Falaflame, the picture turns black and white, beginning the intermission. The casualties in the Barhara Incident are unclear. The event is discussed in Fire Emblem: Thracia 776, and that game confirms some of the survivors. Thracia 776 confirms that Aideen, Bridget, Fury, Lachesis, Tiltyu, and Sylvia survived. It does not say about Ayra's fate on the Battle of Barhara.

Aideen retired to Tilnagogue Castle sanctuary and conducted church services. It is rumored that Bridget became Eyvel. Fury returned to Silesia, but by the time of Celice's tale, she died of natural causes. Lachesis sent her daughter Nanna for Fin's care in Lenster. She was heading to Isaac in search of her son Delmud, but she could not stand the heat of Yied Desert and then she died there. Tiltyu fled to Silesia and gave birth to Tinny, Arthur's younger sister, and her children were given necklaces. She suffered post-traumatic stress from the Barhara Incident. She eventually returned to Freege and started crying everyday, unable to withstand the lost of her friends, losing contact with her son Arthur, and she endured abuses from Hilda. Her mind and body could no longer withstand it, and she died of an illness. Sylvia survived the Barhara Incident, but her whereabouts are unknown. Ayra's case involving the Barhara Incident is very unclear and highly debated. She is presumed dead during the game ending. However, many Japanese sources differ on her case, and many Fire Emblem fans believe that she is actually still alive and that she retired to the Isaacian countryside tilling her father's fields.

Intermission
With the death of Sigurd, Alvis remained as the sole power of Grandbell and was eventually crowned as Emperor. He successfully created a peaceful regime in Grandbell that lasted for 17 years. He was also blessed with two twin children, Julius (Yurius) and Julia (Yuria), from Diadora. However, after 17 years of peace, things started to change. The events of Fire Emblem: Thracia 776 begin 13 years after Chapter 5 of Fire Emblem: Seisen no Keifu. With the resurrection of Loputousu, the Grandbellian Empire became an authoritarian regime.

Chapter Six: Hikari no Tsugumono (Successor of Light)
This chapter begins seventeen years after the Battle of Barhara. Alvis is now emperor of Grandbell and the people live in total oppression. The ruler of Issac, King Danan, is talking to his general Harold about a group of rebels. Harold says that he has found the rebels hideout and has sent an army to capture and execute them. Meanwhile, at the rebel's hideout, Skasaher (Ayra's son) sees the army and rushes inside to tell his twin sister, Lakche. Lakche wants to fight the army but Skasaha is hesitant to fight. Celice comes in and says that Skasaher does want to fight; he's just worried about Celice. Celice says to not worry and the three prepare to go to battle. The priestess Rana wants to come too, but Celice tells her to stay here. However, he changes his mind when he sees how much she wants to come. At turn three, Oifey, Delmud, and Lester arrive and join Celice's cause.

Upon conquering Ganeishire, the group finds king Levin and Princess Julia. Levin leaves Julia with Celice and his companions to attend other matters while Kinga Danan orders his sons Johan and his younger brother Johalva to attack. Neither of them really wants to attack because Lackche fights alongside the rebels. Lackche can convince either one of them to join and have their soldiers as green allies, but the other will get jealous and attack without question. On turn two after conquering Ganeishire, Phee, a pegasus knight, daughter of Ferry, and Arthur, a mage and son of Tiltyu will arrive near Sophara. Phee set out looking for her brother, Sety and Arthur left to look for his sister Tinny. They both decide to join the rebels and help their cause. The group marches on and defeat King Danan in rivough. Danan was the son of Langobalt who inherited Major Neir blood. His first son, Brian, also holds this blood which gives him the ability to use the Holy Axe Swanchinka. The rebels march on to look for their leader, Prince Shanan.

Chapter Seven: Sabaku wo Koete (Crossing the Desert)
After Celice liberates the Kingdom of Isaac from Danan's reign, they begin to cross the Yied Desert from Rivough Castle. Meanwhile, Fin, Leaf, and Nanna begin to defend Lenster. Phee flies into Lenster to help them out, while Celice, Lakche, and Skasaher meet with Shanan. At second turn, Shanan and Patty join Celice's liberation army. Patty infiltrates Yied Shrine and seizes the Balmunk, which was transferred from Isaac Castle after the Isaacian-Grandbellian War, and gives it to Shanan.

Final Chapter: Saigo no Seisen (The Final Holy War)
After Celice reclaimed Chalphy, he had to face the other Dukedoms of Grandbell along with facing Price Julius and Archbishop Manfloy. Meanwhile Julius finds out that Alvis was killed and Manfloy explains that he would have turned against him anyway and that he was no use of them. Julius then talks to his sister Julia who says how she misses her brother and that he changed for the past 7 years when Manfloy brought in the dark tome of Loputous. Julius then gives Julia to Manfloy and he goes to each of the Dukedoms to tell them to get ready to face Celice's army while Celice gets prepared for the final battle. Levin explains to Celice that Julius is the reincarnation of the Dark Lord Loputousu and that he is planning on reviving the Loput Empire. He also gives background information of how the dark Empire had started and who Loputousu really is.

Celice prepares to take action on the Dukedom of Edda first and eventually facing all the other Dukedoms as well with each one being guarded by a Darkbishop. He faces the Grauen Ritter along with Brian of Dozel, the first son of Danan who swears to avenge his father and is eventually defeated while being equipped with the Swanchika to Celice's army. Brian was surpirsed that he was defeated with the Swanchika and questions if he was on the right side. When Celice captured Dozel, Levin tells him about who the gods are and how the 12 crusaders were created along with some information and history about the last Holy War. He also explains to Celice that Julia is his younger half-sister and that she was the one who inherited the blood of Narga from Empress Diadora.

After Celice conquered Dozel, he was caught in an ambush between the Gelben Ritter that was led by the sinister Queen Hilda of Freege and the Beigen Ritter that was being led by Andorey's son, Scorpio of Jungby. When Celice defeats Hilda's army, he meets someone by the name of Felipe who explains to him that he was an attendant of Emperor Alvis and that he was ordered to protect the children from the child hunts. He also explains that Princess Ishtar volunteered to help out with the children secretly. Celice was surprised because this and that he was told that Ishtar is a caring person and helped the children escape from the start. Celice then asks Levin where Julia is and Levin thinks that she is either in Velthomer or Barhara and that Celice will have to get her himself. After Celice had captured the House of Freege, Ishtar tells Julius to have her send the Weissen Ritter after Celice. Julius is not too pleased about Ishtar's idea however, she explains that she wants to do it for her pride of the Freege family and avenging their deaths. Although Julius is not really so sure to have Ishtar send her troops, he lets her go and tells her that he is not forcing her to do anything he tells her to do while at Velthomer, Manfloy sends a possessed Julia to go after Celice's army in which Celice would have to face the most powerful armies of Grandbell.

The time had come where the final battles had to begin when Celice had to deal with the Weissen Ritter, which was being led by Princess Ishtar, Bahara, which was being guarded by the Dark Prince Julius along with the 12 Dark Warlords and Velthomer, which was being guarded by the evil Archbishop Manfloy of the Loput. Sect. Not only did Celice have to deal with these 2 but he had to deal with Ishtar's army who swore vegeance on her family and a possessed Julia who had a spell put under her by Manfloy. Eventually a small army of the Thracian Dragon Knights who is being led by Prince Arion gets involved within the final battle. Altenna meets up with him and tries to convince him that what he is doing is not the right way to go and also explains to him to look around and what Celice does to succeed. She thinks that it is hopeless for him to change and that he should hust finsh her off right now, which eventually gets Arion to understand and that he will assist Celice's army not for Celice but for Altenna instead. Meanwhile, Ishtar sends the Weissen Ritter along with a trio of difficult-to-defeat Falcon Knights (Meng, Bregg, and Meibel) to attack Celice's army. After that has been taken care of, Celice then has to face Ishtar and Tinny is upset that she has to face Ishtar because she is a cousin who has been so kind to her. Ishtar explains that she has to avenge her family and she is eventually defeated Celices' army.

Celice then encounters a possed Julia along the way, seeing that she is placed under a spell by Manfloy. Levin explains that Celice that they should go and kill Manfloy first and then try to talk to Julia later on. When celice goes after Manfloy, he then encounters the 12 powerful Demon Warlords. These formidable foes were tough for Celice to take on however, he manages to defeat htem one by one and makes it to Velthomer. Celice finally encounters the wicked Archbishop Manfloy and explains that the spell he placed on Julia was the same as the one placed on Diadora and that everything was all part of his sinister plot to resurrect the Dark Lord Loputousu. Celice blames Manfloy for causing grief and sadness for his parents so that he could succeed in his evil ambitions in resurrecting the dark lord and that he will never be forgiven. Celice succeeds in killing Manfloy and succeeds in bringing Julia back to senses. When Celice captures Velthomer, he along with Levin learn from Felipe that Alvis had the light tome of Narga get locked up to keep Manfloy and the Loput. Sect. from getting their hands it. They learn that the only way for it to be unlocked is to use the Diadora's Circlet that Alvis gave to Julia to protect her from Julius. Levin tells Julia about how the Narga tome is locked up and that she must use the Circlet to unlock it. Julia feels so much power when using and feels that she has a strong relationship with her mother.

Celice and Julia rush back to Barhara to have the final showdown between the Prince of Light and the Prince of Darkness. Celice is unable to defeat Julius alone due to the effect of the dark tome of Loputousu however, with the help of the Narga tome that is being used by Julia, they are then able to defeat Julius and the evil within him. The battle between the dragon of darkness and the dragon of light seems to take forever, however Celice and Julia manage to defeat Julius and release Loputousu from his body. Loputousu's last words were that Narga has ruined everything for him and he appears after Julius is killed in the form of a black dragon and eventually disaapearing from this world, going back to where he came from. Celice then successfully takes the throne of Barhara along with the help of Julia and becomes the new Emperor of Grandbell along with Julia at his side.

Development
Fire Emblem: Seisen no Keifu was the first Fire Emblem game to be featured in the Fire Emblem Trading Card Game. Fire Emblem: Seisen no Keifu has the largest sound-track ever composed by Yuka Tsujiyoko, composed of one hundred and fourteen tracks. Some songs from the game were reused in the Game Boy Advance Fire Emblem games. Fire Emblem: Seisen no Keifu deviates from traditional Fire Emblem gameplay in some ways. Norse and Irish mythology are the main contributors to names in Fire Emblem: Seisen no Keifu. The battle animations in this game inspired those in Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance. Fire Emblem: Seisen no Keifu was discussed in Nintendo Power: Volume eighty-seven, published around the time of the game's release.

Non-Japanese versions
Fire Emblem: Seisen no Keifu was marketed exclusively in Japan during the early thirty-two-bit era, because Nintendo did not localize any games in the Fire Emblem series to North America or Europe until the sixth generation console era, beginning with Fire Emblem (known in Japan as Fire Emblem: Rekka no Ken). It is considered the "holy grail" among Japan-only Fire Emblem games.

Fire Emblem: Seisen no Keifu came out late in the life of the Super Famicom, being released on May 14, 1996. It has received recognition outside Japan since the 128-bit era, when Marth and Roy were introduced to foreign gamers as playable characters in Super Smash Bros. Melee. The exposure of Marth and Roy to foreign gamers indirectly led the Fire Emblem series as a whole to gain more attention.

Fire Emblem: Seisen no Keifu has had a significant following in North America and Europe through emulation. In the year 2000, J2E Translations started an unofficial English translation project on the game, although the project was discontinued before a patch was release. . The translation project was dormant until 2003, when it was picked up by the Fire Emblem forums staff. There are many versions of the fan' translation patch circulating across the Internet. The more recent versions of the patch have the main dialogue fully translated into English, and also the battle and death scripts translated, but the game's ending dialogue remains untranslated along with certain castle conversations. The versions of the patch since July 2006 use the dialogue font used in the Game Boy Advance Fire Emblem games.

Since the release of Super Smash Bros. Melee, being influenced by the appearance of Marth and Roy as playable characters during the GameCube days, Fire Emblem: Seisen no Keifu has received international recognition and a very positive reception by non-Japanese gamers and has been receiving a growing following in North America and Europe.

Fire Emblem: Seisen no Keifu was released to the Japanese Virtual Console on January 30, 2007, at a price of 900 Wii Points, but it is possible for it to be released to the North American and European Virtual Consoles. The first four instances of a Japan-only game being released to western Virtual Consoles required no localization. However, Fire Emblem: Seisen no Keifu and its predecessor Fire Emblem: Monshou no Nazo require localization. The possibility of the game being released to North America was tested on the Nintendo 64 game, Sin and Punishment, and that game required localization, thus that possibility came true.