Map of Valentia as seen in Fire Emblem Echoes
Valentia (バレンシア Barenshia, Valentia) is a continent situated to the west (erroneously drawn to the east in some materials) of Archanea, and is the setting of Fire Emblem Gaiden and its remake, Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia.
History[]
The Dark Age of Valentia[]
The long strife between the gods
Originally co-ruled by the sibling gods Mila and Duma, over three thousand years early in Valentia's history, they came into violent dispute over their ideologies, with Duma believing mankind should strive for power and Mila believing that mankind should be led towards peace and pleasure. This dispute eventually led to a pact that divided the continent between them: The lands of the north were to be ruled by Duma and the lands to the south would be ruled by Mila. This would be registered as a Divine Accord.
Founding[]
For the next two thousand years, the era of gods continued with small pockets of human civilization occasionally sprouting, only to disappear due to their influence, while temples were constructed as central places of worship for them, and the faiths began to spread. As time passed, their strength began to wane, and during this period of time, a pirate nation began to emerge that posed a threat to the Valentian mainland, along with Archanea's west coast, leading Duma and Mila to resist against the foreign threat. As the fighter Rigel from Duma's domain and the hero Zofia from Mila's domain kept leading the charge against the pirate nation, both were bequeathed holy blood from their respective gods, with the spell Ragnarok given to Zofia and the sword Falchion given to Rigel. The latter returned to Duma Temple after the war.
Eventually two kingdoms rose from the namesake heroes: Rigel in the north and Zofia in the south. At first, the kingdoms shared a harmonious relationship, as by operating the sluice gate, each country became more fertile, with Rigel in particular reaping the most benefits. However, the heavy involvement of the gods in the nations they came to rule led to a contrast between them with alarming consequences. Rigel, for all its military might and obsession with strength, became as cold and harsh as its landscape, losing its kindness and diplomacy as a result. Zofia, for all of its bounty and pleasure, was wrought with indulgence and slothfulness, severely weakening its defenses and vulnerable to insurrection.
Decline of Valentia[]
Centuries of decline between both nations lead to subsequent uprisings in both nations. Lost to indulgence, the Zofian King Lima IV had his throne usurped by Chancellor Desaix in the Valentian calendar year 400 due to his weakness and ineptitude. Years earlier, Desaix had set his Royal Villa ablaze, killing all of his family and children at that point, leaving no reported survivors. Meanwhile, the declining resources of Rigel forced the hand of its Emperor Rudolf to attack the Temple of Mila and subsequently launch a vicious assault upon Zofia for its resources in the Valentian calendar year 401. As Naga had feared, Duma's lust for strength were a result of his approaching degeneration and the fanatical cult of Duma, the Duma Faithful, to rise into power in Rigel, hellbent on preserving Duma in his degenerated state. Despite the looming war between nations, a prophecy was told of a Rigelian Prince born with the Brand of Duma and a Zofian Princess born with the Brand of Mila would one day come to save Valentia from the Divine Dragons and lead its people to a true era of peace and prosperity. However, Rudolf never sired children and all of the Zofian princesses were killed in the villa fire, leaving no possible chance for this prophecy to come true.
"Just a minute! The following section contains spoilers. Viewing it will cost a lot. Are you prepared to pay for it?"
|
Rudolf had actually sired a son in secret and when he discovered that his son was born with Duma's brand, he realized that his son would be destined to be Valentia's hero of prophecy. Confiding in his closest confidant, the legendary Zofian knight Mycen, he requested that Mycen take Alm to be raised in secret in the farthest reaches of Zofia to keep him safe from the eyes of the Duma Faithful. Knowing that his son would need to become the hero Valentia needed, Rudolf launched his invasion against Zofia in order to spur his son into their eventual conflict.
Meanwhile in Zofia, among the many women taken by Lima IV to become a part of his seraglio of brides was a Priestess of Mila, Liprica. Kidnapped in the middle of the night, Liprica was forced to bear a child, resulting in the birth of Anthiese. Despite being forced to bear her, Liprica loved her daughter, but died shortly after she was born. Anthiese lived her initial years in the Royal Villa until Chancellor Desaix staged a coup d'etat against Lima IV, resulting in his death and the Royal Villa was set ablaze. If not for the timely arrival of Mycen, there would have been no survivors. He had managed to find Anthiese and had taken her to Ram Village for her safety, giving her the new name Celica.
Due to these circumstances, Alm was raised as Mycen's grandson and Celica as a protected ward under his care. The two children noticed that they bore similar Brands, but had yet to know its true purpose. Despite his attempts to keep her hidden, a chance arrival by Slayde, an enforcer of Desaix, forced Mycen to send Celica away even further into hiding, much to the sadness of both children. The two vowed however to meet again one day. Alm continued to live in Ram Village and was honed in combat by his grandfather while Celica was raised in the Novis Priory.
Several years later, both eventually set off from their homes due to rising tensions in Valentia. Alm was recruited into the Deliverance in order to usurp Desaix of his rule due to his cruelty. Celica, having become a priestess of Mila herself, noticed that Zofia's blessing had begun to wane and had left on a pilgrimage to the Temple of Mila to see for herself. Their respective journeys lead to a reunion at Zofia Castle shortly after the Deliverance successfully liberated Zofia from Desaix. Alm and Celica were overjoyed by their reunion, but a schism quickly formed between their ideals as Alm wished to launch an assault against Rigel for their inherent transgressions against Zofia and to prevent the looming war from reaching their boarder. Celica attempted to dissuade him from doing so and to make him go home. Alm refused, stating that only if the Zofian princess of legend were to return, he would. Knowing that Alm is indirectly, and unknowingly, referring to her, Celica angrily leaves Alm on a bitter note as she proceeds on her journey to the Temple of Mila while Alm proceeds on his goal of attacking Rigel.
End of the Age of Gods[]
"Just a minute! The following section contains spoilers. Viewing it will cost a lot. Are you prepared to pay for it?"
|
Celica reaches the Temple of Mila where she discovered that Mila had been captured by Rudolf and imprisoned in Duma Tower alongside the Divine Sword Falchion. It is here that Celica finally accepts her destiny as Princess of Zofia after liberating the temple from a Duma Faithful, Mikhail. Along the way to the Tower, Celica continues to encounter more Duma Faithful, but eventually reaches it.
Alm in the meantime proceeds with his assault on Rigel, felling numerous Rigelian generals along the way. After rescuing the Duma Priestess Tatiana from the Witch Nuibaba, a Rigelian general Zeke joins Alm's forces and notices that Alm has a Brand that Emperor Rudolf had told him would mark the man destined to be Valentia's savior. Alm and the Deliverance reaches Rigel Castle for a final clash against Rudolf. Despite this, Alm attacks Rudolf but quickly realizes that Rudolf is putting up little resistance to his attacks. Alm mortally wounds him and Rudolf requests that Alm listen to his words. He reveals that Alm is Rudolf's son, raised in secret by his own request in order to fulfill the prophecy that would save Valentia from its gods. Distraught that he was forced to kill his father that he had only just met, Alm finds the resolve to fulfill his duty for his father and all of Valentia.
Inside Duma Tower, Celica eventually ascends to find the Duma Faithful leader Jedah, who forces her to surrender by threatening Mae. Celica is imprisoned in a cell in the basement of the Duma Tower to prepare her as a sacrifice to empower Duma. There she discovers that Mila had been slain with Falchion embedded in her forehead. Alm enters Duma Tower through a secret passage in Rigel Castle that leads to the basement of the Duma Tower. There he sees the imprisoned Celica and vows to release her. Alm eventually reaches a treasure vault where he finds Celica who had been sacrificed to Duma, becoming a Witch in the process. The two are forced to clash blades with Celica pleading in spirit for Alm to kill her. Her possessed body disarms Alm but Mila calls to him in spirit to take Falchion and trust in it. Alm is forced to thrust the blade into Celica, killing her. As he weeps in despair, Mila utilizes the remaining power she has to revive Celica, encouraging the two to end Duma's madness.
Reaching Duma's domain leads to the merge between both Alm and Celica's forces in a final clash against Duma and the Duma faithful. After a grueling battle, Alm takes Falchion and impales Duma in the head, killing him and ending his madness. In spirit, Duma and Mila relent that humanity is fit to live without their influence. They encourage Alm and Celica to lead Valentia with the strength of Duma and the benevolence of Mila, while keeping the results of their extremes as cautionary examples of what happens when both wholly devoted to either ideal.
Aftermath[]
Valentia is united into a single kingdom under the rule of its two saviors.
Alm and Celica unite Rigel and Zofia into a single kingdom and marry shortly before Alm's coronation as the first King of the One Kingdom of Valentia in 402. Tales of their heroism were heralded throughout the ages with Alm seen as the strong, yet wise king Saint Alm I while Queen Celica enriched Valentia through her benevolence and wisdom with many stating that she was the reincarnation of Mila herself.
Awakening[]
At some point, Valentia would be renamed into Valm in honor of its first Saint King and perhaps in homage to its original name. Though on a distant continent, the rise of the Fell Dragon Grima threatened Valm's shores. Though they survived the conflict thanks to the efforts of the First Exalt, the destruction left by the Fell Dragon lead to the reshaping of boarders between nations known as the Schism.
While the continent as a whole was still referred to as Valm, only a small bordered nation retained its name without much direct rule over its neighboring regions.
Calendar system[]
- See also: Seasons
Sage Matthaus, with knowledge of the celestial bodies' motions introduced the notion of a calendar system to Mila, who acknowledged it, as that year was chosen as the first year of the Valentian Calendar. The main differences from the Archanean calendar, aside from starting two centuries after it, is that it follows a seasonal division, divided between Flostym, Avistym, Pegastym, and Wyrmstym.
Countries[]
Rigel[]
The northern nation of Valentia, Rigel was founded by the War Father Duma. The nation is largely militaristic, valuing strength, valor, and order. The western half of Rigel is cold and mountainous with Rigel Castle stationed on the northern most point. Crop yields are low, making the people hardy and enduring but also cold and war-happy. The Eastern Half houses a slightly warmer climate and houses the Duma Tower.
Zofia[]
The southern nation of Valentia, Zofia was founded by the Earth Mother Mila. Zofia is known to be a peaceful nation blessed by the bounty of Mila. Its people are often overindulged with the luxuries the Earth Mother provides them, causing some to become slothful and rely heavily on her bounties to live.
Family Tree[]
 Zofia I
| Unknown
| Rigel I
| Unknown
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Lima III
| Unknown
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Unknown
| Unknown
| Unknown
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Locations[]
.svg)
Trivia[]
- While both Gaiden and Shadows of Valentia depict the people of Valentia as being strongly religious toward Duma and Mila, it is implied in Shadows of Valentia that the continent suffered a shift of traditions akin to the spread of early Christianity. The altars for the overclasses supposedly represent the "old gods" once worshiped in Valentia prior to the coming of Mila and Duma, as well as the legendary warriors who once followed them, with the director of Shadows of Valentia referring to them as "pagan gods".
- Valentia is the only continent in the Fire Emblem series that does not have a Fire Emblem mentioned or involved, though its proximity to Archanea and the events of Fire Emblem Awakening do lead to story beats involving the Archanean Fire Emblem taking place on Valm.
- In Gaiden, the opening prologue calls Valentia a "remote island".
Gallery[]
