Apostle

Apostle is the title of a religious leader in both the Tellius Series and TearRing Saga: Berwick Saga. Both are descended from revered bloodlines and are said to be able to hear the voice of their goddess.

In the Fire Emblem Series

In Tellius, the Apostle (神使, Shinshi, lit. Divine Messenger) also usually holds the office of Empress and, together with the senate, decides how Begnion is ruled. During the time of Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance and Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn, Sanaki is the Empress of Begnion, but in time it is discovered that she is not the true Apostle.

The Apostle can hear the voice of the Goddess—originally believed to be that of Ashera but revealed in Radiant Dawn to be that of Yune—which is why she is Begnion's spiritual leader. Sanaki, who had never heard the Goddess's voice, had been led to believe she was simply too young to awaken to her powers, so she never doubted her identity as the true Apostle until Vice-Minister Lekain told her the truth: she was not the first-born granddaughter of the former Apostle Misaha, and she had an older sister who was the true Apostle.

It is revealed in a second playthrough of Radiant Dawn that the powers of the Apostle do not come from Altina, but rather her husband, Lehran. Altina's granddaughter, Yoram, was the first one confirmed to inherit Lehran's power to speak with the goddesses and the first recognized Apostle of Begnion. Since then, every true Apostle has been branded; members of the imperial line who did not inherit the brand, like Sanaki, have no power beyond that of an ordinary beorc.

Known Apostles of Begnion

• Yoram, the 1st Apostle, daughter of Meshua and granddaughter of Altina and Lehran
• Toremini, the 3rd Apostle, granddaughter of Yoram
• Misaha
• Micaiah, granddaughter of Misaha

In the TearRing Saga Series

In the Kingdom of Veria, the Apostle (巫女 Miko, lit. Shrine Maiden) is revered as the religious head of the Church of Veria. Ranking even above the Church's four Archbishops, she has absolute authority over the Church, and even the monarchs of the Kingdom of Veria nominally derive their authority from her office. The Apostle is said to be able to hear the voice of the Goddess Veria, allowing her to reveal hidden truths and see future events via oracle. She and the rest of the Church's higher-ups are defended by the Shining Knights.

The first Apostle, Valentia, was the granddaughter of High Priest Aramgraz, and all future Apostles are descended from her. Aramgraz specifically cursed his own bloodline so that men could never inherit the power of the Apostle; this was an attempt to divide temporal and religious power so that his descendants couldn't become like the god-kings of the old Lazberian Empire.

The powers of the Apostle can wax and wane over her lifetime. Apostle Silpha very rarely heard the voice of the Goddess, only hearing it in brief visions following the birth of her daughter Sanacia during the Berwick Civil War. In those visions, she saw that Crown Prince Arless had not killed his father King Harmel VII, but rather that the Church of Raze was responsible. Despite these revelations, however, Mordias IV continued the war, leading the Apostle to threaten him with excommunication for needless bloodshed. As this would jeopardize Mordias's claim to the throne, he went before the Apostle and begged at her feet for forgiveness, which she granted. However, Mordias's contrition was a ruse, and he had the Apostle assassinated soon after.

Apostle Silpha's daughter, the infant Sanacia, was rescued by Paramythis from the assassins and brought to Silpha's husband Denimund. Upon learning of Mordias's treachery, Denimund led the Shining Knights in rebellion against Mordias, but they were wiped out by Mordias, who denied their claims. During the time of Berwick Saga, only Sanacia remains of the line of the Apostle, and her identity is kept secret by Paramythis and Archbishop Lebough.

Known Apostles of Veria

• Valentia, 1st Apostle, granddaughter of Aramgraz
• Celentia, 2nd Apostle, granddaughter of Valentia
• Lily Bronte, 25th Apostle
• Silpha Veri Bronte, 26th Apostle
• Sanacia Fille Bronte, 27th Apostle, daughter of Silpha and Denimund

Trivia

• Due to the striking parallels between the Apostles (and other background information) in the Tellius Series and Berwick Saga, it is commonly believed by fans that both games drew from the same set of story notes written by Shouzou Kaga during his time at Intelligent Systems.
• In Berwick Saga, Mordias IV's journey to beg for forgiveness at the feet of Apostle Silpha strongly parallels the historical Walk to Canossa of Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV before Pope Gregory VII. Like Henry IV did to Gregory VII, Mordias IV later went back on his word and betrayed Silpha.