Volke

"You there, in the bushes. You have until the count of five to show yourself before I start throwing sharp objects. One...two...four..."

- Volke, in an C support conversation with Bastian

Volke (フォルカ, Foruka in the Japanese version) is a playable character in Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance and Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn.

He is an assassin who has worked for multiple people, including Greil, Ike, Bastian, and Izuka. He demands gold for whatever job he takes on, regardless of how large or small, though his reasons for amassing so much gold are unknown. (Elincia goes so far as to ask him about this in an optional conversation in Radiant Dawn, but he demands an exorbitant amount of gold for an answer.) He even demands Ike to pay him when asked to show up to dinner with the group. He can apparently be reached by going to a bar and asking for a "fireman". As an assassin, Volke is willing to take any job, no matter how "dirty" it is, and once he takes a mission, he devotes himself to completing it, regardless of how long it would take. He only takes one job at a time, as shown in his support conversation with Bastian and attack conversation with Izuka in Radiant Dawn.

Personality
Volke is very much a secretive and slightly dubious character, and with a grand total of one support not much is known about him. He does not seem to have many visible morals, seeing as he will do anything and everything for money, even if it involves switching sides immediately after a contract is completed. However, he does show some modesty after Ike thanks him for working for him, although that could be just because Volke is not used to being thanked. He also claims to be uneasy in crowded places, preferring to be alone and in hiding. Due the meaning of his name and his personality, it is implied that he is a Branded of the Wolf Laguz that grew in Hatari. However his name only translates to Wolf in Russian. Making this simply a theory with zero facts but the simple translation of his name to truly support it.

He shows no open hostility to the beorc and laguz and why he is so hard to find, as he probably was never born in the eight well known nations of Tellius. For a unknown reason, he seems to hold grudge against Izuka, as he openly stated his dislike to Bastian. Furthermore he had Queen Elincia or Bastian only pay him 3000 Gold for his services, a personal discount to kill Izuka. Seeing his possible bond support in the game, it is implied that Bastian is the only person he fully trusts.

Path of Radiance
Volke is an assassin throughout the events of the game, but this is not revealed until late into the storyline, after he is paid the 50,000 gold that he demands of Ike upon their initial encounter. When this has happened, he reveals the truth about Ike's parents, Lehran's medallion, and the fact that he is an assassin hired by Greil to kill Greil if ever he was to go berserk again. Afterwards, Ike pays him from the 50,000 to renew Greil's contract with Ike. (But in the sequel, Radiant Dawn, he pays Ike back 20,000 of his 50,000 gold upon encountering him.) Upon hiring Volke (upon the second time the two options: Hire or Don't Hire) for renewing Greil's contract to Ike, if the player chooses "Hire", Volke automatically class changes into an assassin.

Radiant Dawn
Volke appears late in the events of the game, hired by Bastian to capture Izuka. You can recruit him with Bastian or Elincia, by paying him a certain amount of gold. Most of it can be reclaimed in his info conversation on the next chapter. As in the end of Path of Radiance, he is an assassin. In his battle conversation with Izuka, it is revealed Volke once worked for him. He also shows some slight modesty and humility when he flusters after Ike thanks him for his services. He is, unlike in the previous game, not an important part of the overall plot.

Recruitment

 * Chapter 10: Agree to hire him during a base conversation.

Base Stats
Thief Knife Shade Vulnerary
 * FE9 Volke Thief Sprite.png
 * FE9Wind.gif
 * 10
 * 25
 * 12
 * 0
 * 13
 * 13
 * 7
 * 7
 * 3
 * 11
 * 11
 * 7
 * FE9 Steal.gif Steal
 * FE9 Steal.gif Steal
 * FE9knife.gif Knife
 * }

Growth Rates

 * 65%
 * 50%
 * 5%
 * 55%
 * 65%
 * 35%
 * 20%
 * 10%
 * }

Support Conversations

 * Bastian

Promotional Gains
Promotion to Assassin
 * HP: +2
 * Strength: +2
 * Magic: +1
 * Skill: +3
 * Speed: +2
 * Defense: +2
 * Resistance: +2
 * Con: +1
 * Move: +0
 * Cap: +5

Death Quotes
Volke: My...apologies... It appears I can no longer accompany you. When my payment is ready, contact me. You know how to reach me, do you not?
 * Chapter 19 and before

Volke: .................. I cannot end my life in this war. It would be a useless end... My apologies... This is where our relationship ends.
 * Chapter 20 and after

Recruitment

 * Part 4: Chapter 5: Pay him 3,000G with Bastian or Elincia; Available in Chapter 5 and Endgame.

Base Stats
Assassin Critical +25 Shove Lethality Stiletto Silver Knife
 * FE10 Volke Assassin Sprite.png
 * FE10Wind.png
 * 13
 * 52
 * 30
 * 5
 * 36
 * 35
 * 19
 * 26
 * 22
 * 11
 * 11
 * 7
 * FE10 Knife.gif Knife - SS
 * Stillness.png Stillness
 * Peshkatz.png Peshkatz
 * }

Growth Rates

 * 50%
 * 50%
 * 5%
 * 60%
 * 65%
 * 20%
 * 45%
 * 15%
 * }

Overall
In Path of Radiance, Volke is a decent unit who is restricted mainly by the weak nature of knives. Because of this, even with capped strength, he isn't much of a force. He is similar to a frail swordmaster with weaker weapons, though his picking skills are still invaluable. He does however charge 50 gold per pick. However his capacity for combat and the abundance of gold in Path of Radiance makes him better than Sothe.

In Radiant Dawn, Volke is extremely powerful. Knives were buffed from the previous game, and with the introduction of Baselard, Volke now has a weapon to match his stats. He has good starting stats and growths where he needs them. This combined with his critical +25% and Lethality skills, will make him able to consistently kill enemies in one round unexpectantly. However, since there is only one Baselard and you are required to bring Sothe into the last Chapter, Volke often fails to secure a spot in the endgame, but if you haven't trained too many good units, or someone died in Part IV, Volke is here to fulfill his contract.

Recruit Quote
Bastian recruit

Bastian: Ah, my partner in crime. How shall I convince you to move those leaden feet of yours into action? How much "convincing" will it cost?

Volke: Three thousand.

Bastian: I thought I was the jester. Considering your usual schedule of services, three thousand is negligible!

Volke: I don't like that guy. Call it a personal discount. Do you want it or not?

Bastian: Of course I shall take your discount! Do as you wish when you see him. Now get to work.

Volke: Understood.

Bastian: I almost pity old Izuka...

Elincia recruit

Elincia: Excuse me... Volke?

Volke: ...

Elincia: Um... Sir Fireman?

Volke: ...What is it?

Elincia: You seem to have some time on your hands... Would you mind helping us?

Volke: Three thousand.

Elincia: Three thousand?

Volke: ...That's what the job will cost you in gold.

Elincia: Fine. I shall pay you that amount after the battle.

Volke: Agreed. I await your order.

Elincia: Thank you. And, if I may ask...

Volke: What?

Elincia: Why do you need so much money?

Volke: One hundred thousand.

Elincia: Excuse me?

Volke: That's what it will cost you for me to answer that question. Are you prepared to pay?

Elincia: ...No.

Volke: Then let's get to work. What shall I do first?

Death Quote
"...Stupid. I wouldn't be caught dead on a worthless battlefield like this. Sorry, but this is as far as I go..."

- Volke's death quote in Radiant Dawn.

Epilogue
Man of Many Mysteries

After finishing his contract, Volke went back to the shadows he knew so well. He was a man of mystery to the end.

Etymology
'Volk' means 'people' in both German and Dutch, and 'wolf' in Russian. Both meanings are possible references to his career as an assassin, as he is hired by individuals ("people"), and prefers to work alone, like a lone wolf. Volke could also be a misspelling of the German word "wolke" meaning "cloud", this making sense when compared to the mysterious cloud surrounding him. It is also likely that it could be from the French word 'voler,' meaning 'steal,' which is fitting to his starting class.