emblematicemblazer

[emblematicemblazer]

Persona style portraits

The persona art style features bold lines and shading of shadow and dark clothing on a single colour background. The facial features are simply drawn; a line with expression points for the lips, a line to indicate the length and size of the nose with nostrils holes and eyes with filled pupil, lashes and a little line for the lid.

#fire emblem engage #fe engage #fe alfred #fe ivy #fe timerra #fe diamant #my art #digital art #disabled artist

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World building and theories of Engage

Possessed Veyle's attire.

When Possessed Veyle is first encountered in Lythos Castle she is wearing a black cloak with hot pink patterning. The cloak is designed to conceal her identity. In the early part of Engage's storyline it is important that the player does not know that there are two Veyles. It makes the reveal in Chapter 11:The Fell Dragon, Sombron, much more dramatic. The colour black is used because it is a colour associated with mystery, darkness and villainy. The bright splashes of a pink verging on neon is to symbolise the unnatural. The shapes formed by the pink splashes are fire-like sprays and fang like triangles. The hood has symmetry but the main body doesn't. All around the hem is ragged which could symbolise that the cloak is old and uncared for, similar to the perfect for is wearing it. The cloak could also be ragged because of violent activities and war. 

Alear does not know that Veyle is housing another personality in her consciousness and neither does Veyle herself. The cloak symbolises her lack of knowledge about her other self. 

The black dress that accompanies the enchanted helmet is designed to resemble a beast. The dress is sectioned into triangular scales in random formations, defining the laws of symmetry. Dragon horns protrude from the helmet and her gloves to symbolise that she is closer to what Sombron considered the true nature of a Fell dragon rather than her true nature. The feathers of her headdress and her dress are confined in black, a symbol of her loss of free will. 

The horned design could be a reference to the hannya mask worn on Noh theatre which is used to portray the souls of women who have become demons due to obsession or jealousy. Possessed Veyle is the creation of Sombron‘s obsession with his Emblem and Zephia's obsession with having a child of her own. In the West, horns are associated with evil. 

#fire emblem engage #fe engage #Fe ve #fe veyle

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World building and theories of Engage

Veyle's Attire - battle

Veyle's name in Japanese is ‘veyre'. It seems that the localisation translator decided to focus on her ability to transcend the veil between life and death, an ability she displays when The Corrupted are created. The Japanese version of her name comes from the Provençal French for ‘to see'. The word ‘veyre’ is often used in the names of places with a beautiful view, an example is the Marseilleveyre calanques which is 432m above the sea and offers a stunning panorama over Marseille and its harbour. There are several reasons she has been given this name:

Sombron’s name in Japanese is ‘Sombre’ which refers to a state where the eyes cannot see; the dark. In the shadows he is unable to see people's different colours, their beauty and their love. whilst residing in the shadows he is unable to see the people closest to him. In order ‘to see’ Veyle has her eyes open to the beauty around her. She tried to see the beauty in everyone, even the father who had forsaken her. She can see everyone's colourful personalities and the bonds she can make with them. The Four Hounds are named after colours and she could eventually see each member's true colours. 

The real Veyle has a beautiful heart that desires peace and kindness. When her eyes are closed, when she is her possessed self, she can only see violence, loneliness and manipulation, just like Sombron, her eyes are unable to see the beauty of bonds, people are merely tools. 

From the tip of her toe to her feathery crown, every detail has a meaning. The chains around her feet and the lack of footwear symbolise her as a slave to Sombron. Sombron and Zephia have chained up her real personality and control her with intimidation and punishment. In the game she has her foot bandaged by Alear. The bandage is a temporary covering of her slave status, the symbol of a brief moment where the real Veyle was able to be herself and start to create a bond with Alear. The bandage cannot heal, only by fighting her father can she free herself. In the Somniel she is freed from her chains. Her Somniel outfit does not have any. Around the necklace, the belt buckle neckline is another symbol of slavery. A lead or chain could be attached to drag the wearer around like a dog. Once again, her Somniel outfit does not contain any accessories symbolising restraint.  

The main colour of her two outfits is white. White is often considered as  a symbol of unity because it is created by the combination of all colours. The Four Hounds are named after colours; each of them have contributed to her life in either a positive or negative way and technically she is the leader of them. White is an indicator of light, Veyle is the light that shines her benevolent light all around Elyso with her kind deeds and eventually restores Gradlon to a lush land, in a way she is like sunlight to the barren lands. Life and death are both associated with the colour white, Veyle is able to create life from the dead when she creates The Corrupted. In many Asian cultures the necessities of life are the colour White such as: rice, bread, salt and sugar. It could also be argued that both her outfits resemble baptism dresses and wedding dresses. Veyle undergoes a baptism when she returns to her body in Chapter 22: The Fell and the Divine, and cleanses her possessed counterpart and regains control of her body. The resemblance to a wedding dress is perfect for someone full of love and kindness. 

Purity, innocence and holiness are symbolised by the colour white. Veyle may not consider herself either innocent or pure because she is a Fell Dragon who has the power to resurrect the dead and her possessed counterpart murdered many people. Her purity and innocence relate to her true nature; a girl who is a little naive about the world but still tries to be benevolent. 

In Buddhism white represents self mastery. As mentioned earlier, Veyle cleansing her possessed self from her body could be considered as self mastery. The White Tārā is known for compassion, longevity, healing and serenity. 

White is not the only colour on her outfit, black, blue and red also feature. Black and white represents opposites, harmony and balance. The Fell and the Divine Dragon may have been considered opposites but both are necessary to create harmony in Elyso. Black and white, good and evil and light and dark; the duality of Veyle's outfit represents that all things exist as inseparable and contradictory opposites and that opposites attract and complement each other; Her as the Fell and Alear as the Divine. Red and blue have similar symbolism on her outfit. Many opposites are represented by the two colours: fire/water, sun/moon, hot/cold, anger/calm, sea/sand and lust/purity. Red and blue also create the colour of Real Veyle‘s eyes. Veyle's a product of many of these inseparable opposites and wouldn't be the same person without experiencing both suffering and joy. Purple is also considered a royal or a colour symbolising high status in different cultures around the world. 

The feathers upon her head and the feathery effect of her dress symbolise a few different qualities. Firstly feathers are fragile, they are easily crushed beneath the foot. Veyle's heart is just as fragile. Feathers also symbolise holiness, e.g. angels, and peace. There are different superstitions about feather crowns around the world. In America and Italy when found in a dead loved one’s pillow, they’re taken as a sign that the loved one has been accepted into heaven. However, they become an omen of death when the feathery crown belongs to the living. 

#fire emblem engage #fe engage #fe sombron #fe veyle

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World building and theories of Engage

Sombron's Dragon Form

Sombron‘s Dragon form seems to be inspired by the loong, or Chinese Dragon. He has four limbs, two to stand on and two combined with large batlike wings attached to a snake-like body. His face is similar to a snake with a forked tongue to sense his surroundings and red eyes, like a demon. The tail serves as an additional claw, he uses it to grab people, for example, in Chapter 11, The Fell Dragon Sombron, the tail was used to hold Hyacinth before he was eaten, and it seems to be where he gathers magical energy, for example in Chapter 21, The Return, the Emblem rings are drained of energy whilst in his claw like tail. 

Chinese Dragons symbolise:

Imperial power - historically the Emperor of China used the dragon as a symbol of their power.

Prosperity and good luck -in Chinese mythology the Four Dragon Kings created lakes and rivers to end drought.

Dominion over the seasons and water - Mythological dragons controlled the weather and water.

Destruction - Buddhists introduced the idea that some dragons use their power over water and the weather to destroy things. 

Wealth and royalty.

Mourning and death  

Transition/liminal space - in Taoism, purple is the colour of the marker of the transition between active (Yang) and passive (Yin) aspects, a purple dragon symbolises a transitional or liminal creature.

Sombron's design relates to the idea of power and royalty. In Elyso, dragons are powerful creatures, worshipped like gods, who have world changing powers. As he gains powers through blood rituals and draining the Emblem rings, he is able to raise Gradlon from beneath the waves, create vast numbers of the Corrupted and increasingly lifelike creations and travel to different dimensions. The power of a God is also demonstrated through his ability to awaken Emblems via invocations and control them against their will. 

Destruction is definitely a quality Sombron symbolises. In the game most of the destruction is caused by his military and the Corrupted. The destruction of a village with the power of fire is mentioned in Chapter 26, The Final Engage, after he arrived in Elyso, Sombron was found by villagers and looked after by them. The contact with the villagers meant that his Emblem left him. As revenge for the loss of his Emblem, he burnt the village. 

Sombron's relationship to mourning and death is quite obvious, in pursuit of his goals he causes death. The two instances where death and mourning are witnessed on a personal level are the deaths of King Morion and King Hyacinth. 

Elyso is a liminal space for Sombron. He has no plans nor any desires to stay. Once he has finished searching for his Emblem he plans to transition to the next world. If left to his own devices, he would transition to another world, search for his Emblem and then move on to the next. The people who he devours and turns into the Corrupted symbolise the continued transition from death to life. 

Sombron does not resemble prosperity or good luck. I believe Lady Veyle represents these qualities instead. She is the one who turns the volcanic and snowy land of Gradlon into a fertile and prosperous land, much like the Four Dragon of the four seas in Chinese mythology who emerge from the Eastern Sea and provide water for the people of China.

#fire emblem engage #fe engage #fe sombron

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World building and theories of Engage

Sombron's Attire

Sombron's name in Japanese is Sombre, which means dark or shadowy. His name is a reference to his ability to operate from the shadows to obtain what he requires. In the dark and dim light he cannot see the beauty of those around him, he cannot see the rewards having genuine bonds could yield. Elements of his personality could be described as sombre as well. He is serious and humourless with very little emotional expression. His name is the opposite of the Divine Dragon Monarch Lumera, whose name references light.

Sombron has several features to make him appear more unnatural, supernatural and inhuman:

Third Eye in the centre of the forehead

Long pointed eyes - his ears are the longest in Engage which symbolises he has the least human emotion of the cast. 

Sharp pointed mouthful of teeth.

Purple skin

Neon shades in his outfit

Lack of clothing 

Cape with lizard/Dragon scale patterning

Modernised/unnatural wings

The eye located in his forehead is similar to the third eye. The third Eye is believed to provide perception beyond ordinary sight. In Buddhism the third eye or ‘eye of wisdom ‘ is discerned on the deity Buddha. Sombron is like the Buddha in that he has transcended beyond the desire for the material world and the desire to connect with everyone else. Further links to Buddhism come from his main colour; purple. In Buddhism, purple represents spiritual awakening and inner transformation, in other words the main goal of Buddhists; enlightenment. Purple is also associated with royalty and in Christianity a period of depriving yourself something earthly you desire; lent.

His eyes are a large black pupil covering a fiery circle, similar to a solar or annular eclipse. The dark of the moon is blocking out the light of the sun. From his eyes he can only see darkness.

His lack of clothing is to show that he has a higher body temperature and has no need of them. He is not affected by weather, he has transcended beyond the need for things from the material world. The naked torso, bulging with muscles, symbolises his entire focus upon himself, his Emblem and the devotion to strength to show Emblem Zero how far he had come. 

The neon lights in his attire symbolise his underprivileged, neon light is associated with places removed from nature such as cities and futuristic worlds. Neon lights also serve as the colour of warning sights, Sombron is definitely a dangerous dragon. Sombron is associated with the dark and the dim, neon lights are associated with nightlife. 

His hair curves into his futuristic and mechanical looking wings. The straight lines, pointed corners and simplistic design are the opposite to how wings are in nature.

6 angular feathers v a wing covered in feathers

Modern design with simple lines v soft curves

Neon pink v natural colours such as white.The

Hair does not flow but is bound into his unnatural wings.

#fire emblem engage #fe engage #fe sombron

[emblematicemblazer]

World building and theories of Engage

Veyle's Mother

Veyle's mother is arguably the most important character not shown in Engage. Her love and affection helped to shape Veyle's personality which stayed strong throughout the game despite the persecution and manipulation she suffered at the hands of humanity, Zephia and Sombron. 

The story of Veyle's mother is explained in Veyle's support conversation with Hortensia. Veyle asked Hortensia to listen to a story about the suffering being born a Fell Dragon has cause her:

“It’s about my mother. You see, she was just a regular dragon, but…

She was also the Fell Dragon’s mate. Humans hated her for it and persecuted her. She died.”

“When I didn’t age, the humans knew what I was, and they persecuted me too. It was…terrible. So, being a Fell Dragon has given me nothing, and it has taken everything.”

We learn that Veyle's mother lived a life of persecution. Even though her life was hard she still fulfilled her role as a parent. In Chapter 25: The Final Guardian, Corrupted Lumera offers to be a mother figure, Veyle rejects because she does not need a mother, she had one who loved her very much.

“Thank you for the kind offer. But I don't need a second mother in my life, I had one.“

“She was kind and affectionate. And there was so much love within her. But she died before I could truly appreciate what I had. She always did her best to keep me safe. She told me if Papa ever broke free, if he did, and started doing terrible things. As his family, I had to find a way to stop him.“

Veyle's mother's most important role in the story is the kindness, love and affection she showed her child. When someone is given kindness, love and affection they learn how to be a person/dragon with those qualities. Veyle's mother plays a similar role to Lumera in Alear's life. Without the kindness, love and affection shown by their adopted mother, Alear would have been a cold and frightened being focussed on their survival. Zephia is an example of what happens when the love of a parental figure cannot be remembered. 

 “How did my mother and father regard me? With this… love? If only I could travel to the past.“

Zephia could not remember her parents because she accidentally killed them with her immense power. Without the example of the love of her parents, her idea of family is distorted by Sombron's example. In Chapter 24: Recollections, Sombron explains to Zephia his ideas about the role of children. 

Zephia: “Your children are endlessly impressive. What I wouldn't do for such loyal subordinates. What would that be like? To possess fully such unconditional love?“

 Sombron: “If you require some of those, do what I do; make children.”

To Sombron, his children were not as important as him and his desires. They were his slaves. 

 “Family is function and utility. You put blood in. You get loyalty out. My children owe me their life, their love, their absolute dedication.“

Sombron believed children were tools to be used, a means to an end. He did not owe them love nor his affection, but they owed him everything. Zephia learnt from him that a family is about obedience, punishment and discipline. If a family member disobeyed then they can be disposed of. Zephia considered the Four Hounds her family. She punished Mauvier and Marni with powerful magic when they lost two Emblem Rings in Chapter 19: The Dead Town. She disposed of Marni after she disobeyed and tried to break Veyle's magical helmet in Chapter 21: The Return. In Chapter 19: The Dead Town, she even stated that:

 “The Four Hounds are my family. I will always love Mauvier. Always. As long as he obeys. “

Veyle's mother is not only a role model for her daughter but she also gave her daughter an important responsibility; to stop Sombron. Lumera gave Alear the important responsibility to stop Sombron, this is mirrored by Veyle's mother. Veyle’s inability to stop him killing so many people and stealing the power of the Emblem Rings burdened her with feelings of guilt and worthlessness. She felt that she had failed to fulfil the responsibility given to her by her mother. She believed she was weak because Zephia and Sombron were able to manipulate and control her. It wasn't her fault but a kind person like Veyle would place the blame upon herself and torment herself with her perceived inadequacies. 

#fire emblem engage #fe engage #fe veyle

[emblematicemblazer]

World building and theories of Engage

Gradlon's military in the first war.

Sombron's motive for the first war was revenge. When he arrived in Elyso, he was found by some villagers who felt sorry for him and took after him. That was the lost contact with Emblem Zero. He wanted revenge on the people who cared for him for separating him from Emblem Zero, as well as revenge on those who sent him to Elyso in the first place. Sombron wanted to be like his Emblem, a solo warrior who gained power without the need for bonds. Any bond was considered a weakness, this mentality meant that he saw everyone under his command as pawns to be used and discarded, these pawns included his children, his mates, his attendants, his followers and Zephia. 

 “I fought alone, confided in no one, preparing to return to my world, to exact revenge. I needed pawns for my plan, and territory. I spent years amassing it all. Then I attacked.“ (Sombron, Chapter 26: The Last Engage).

He also wished to search for Emblem Zero. The greatest desire was a reunion and he planned to search every world. 

In the first Divine Dragon V Fell Dragon War between Lumera and Sombron, Gradlon's military consisted of:

Sombron's children

The Corrupted

Human worshippers

Zephia

Sombron wasn't a dragon who did the grunt work. In his military he was the supreme commander who used intimidation and manipulation to control the actions and thoughts of his subordinates. Once he amassed followers, mates and territory, he disengaged from the wider world. Past Zephia mentioned that it was unusual to see Sombron outside of his temple. He sent his children to collect Emblem Rings, that is what Fell Alear was doing when the Divine Dragon bumped into in Chapter 24: Recollections. Zephia was his general who oversaw the progress of his children and assisted them if needed. The Corrupted were his grunts, sent as soldiers under the command of someone with the ability to control them. Fell Alear was seen with Corrupted Soldiers in Chapter 24. 

The power of the shards served as a weapon that could be used against enemies. Fell Alear is seen using the shard to cause avalanches. Another facility used are ballista which are used by the Corrupted. 

Some of the Corrupted used legendary weapons such as ukonsvasara and lendabair. These weapons are obtained when they are defeated. 

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World building and theories of Engage

 Opinions of Gradlon

Not much is spoken about Gradlon until Mauvier revealed that Sombron planned to restore it in Chapter 21: The Return. We learn that after Sombron was defeated in the war over 1000 years ago, Gradlon was banished beneath the waves and held there by powerful shards. Vander's thoughts about it being restored are of horror and shock.

“To restore that unholy land, my word.”

When Alear asked about Gradlon, Vander gave a negative description.

 “Gradlon was a wicked place, one as much as Lythos is holy.”

Why is Lythos holy  and Gradlon unholy? I believe the reason is the ruler of the country. Lumera is a benevolent Dragon Monarch who ruled with love, she was kind, tolerant and desired peace.  Under her rule the land was loved and nurtured which resulted in greenery and an abundance of food. Sombron ruled his children with a totalitarian dictatorship of fear. If one of his children failed in their duty or dates to rebel, they were given a horrible death. This death would serve as a reminder about what happens to the weak and deviant. The weak and deviant were branded ‘defects‘. When the land is not nurtured, life cannot sprout, instead of greenery Gradlon had uninhabitable fire and ice. 

In the short story about Alear's first anniversary as the Dragon Monarch, featured in the booklet of the official soundtrack, Veyle spoke of her dream to restore Gradlon to a land full of greenery. She believed that the land itself was not guilty of the sins committed upon it; despite this belief she questioned whether it would be right for her to return to a place people considered cursed. Eventually Veyle returned to Gradlon and became the monarch. In time people's hatred of the Fell Dragon and Gradlon changed as they learnt more about Alear and Veyle.

It is unclear what Sombron thought of Gradlon. He seemed to only want to raise it in order to search for Emblem Zero, the land and his leadership of it was of little interest in the grand scheme of things. The land, like the people he surrounded himself with, were a means to an end. In Chapter 24: Recollections, Zephia was surprised when Sombron ventured out of his temple because it was a rare occurrence.  He only ventured outside because he sensed an emblem. It was a land he used to kill his children, nothing more. 

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World building and theories of Engage

Gradlon’s resources

Gradlon map prizes: 

Chapter 23: The Four Hounds - 100 Iron, 6 steel, 2 silver

Chapter 24: Recollections - 100 Iron, 6 steel

Chapter 25: The Final Guardian - 100 Iron, 6 steel, 2 silver

The Gradlon maps are late in the game so it is understandable that the resources would be higher than earlier maps. Lythos and Gradlon's resources increase with the combined donation levels of all four countries. This demonstrates how pivotal Lythos and Gradlon are to the surrounding world and how all the countries working together yields greater rewards. The Lythos and Gradlon maps also have the highest bond fragment scaling out of all areas. This symbolises Alear's friendship with their allies and the acceptance of them as the Divine Dragon despite their Fell heritage. Veyle and Alear's increasing bond is also reflected by the amount of bond fragments that can be obtained. 

Adorable animals:

White hop rabbit,

Rutile marmot

Northern Freecat

Lythos and Gradlon have no unique animals to adopt, instead common animals appear in the exploration phase of the maps.  The reason that Lythos and Gradlon do not have any unique animals associated with them could be because Alear and Veyle are unique and special creatures.

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World building and theories of Engage

The Environment of Gradlon

The environment of Gradlon consists of the two extremes where life struggles to flourish; fire and ice. 

The lava and rocky half of Gradlon represents fire and brimstone. In the Old Testament of the Bible, fire and brimstone was God's method of destroying sinners.  The cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed by the rain of fire and brimstone because of the overt sun taking place (Genesis 19:24). Another place in the Bible that The fiery half of Gradlon could represent is Gehenna. In one of the Jews greatest apostasies they sacrificed their children by passing them through the fire to the God Moloch. Eventually this place was considered unclean and it was further defiled by throwing The bodies of criminals upon it. Sombron similarly defiled Gradlon by throwing the bodies of his weak children upon the flames. In Chapter 24: Recollections, Fell Alear tells the Divine Dragon what happens when Sombron's children fail to fulfil their duty.

 “One brother was drowned. One older sister was burnt alive.“

Fire is mentioned as a method of killing but so is water, in the Bible water is a symbol of life, death and resurrection, a symbol of cleansing as well as a symbol of destruction, (e.g. the flood that caused Noah to build the ark). I believe it is the will of the ruler that determined the purpose of water in Gradlon. With Sombron, water is death and destruction, it is used to drown his children. It is possible that with the kindness of Veyle that water will cleanse the land, extinguish the fires of torment and life will be able to flourish. In the Soundtrack‘s Short Story about the first anniversary of Alear's coronation, Veyle speaks of the desire to turn Gradlon into a land full of greenery because the land itself is not guilty of Sombron's crimes. 

The snowy climate represents the cold narakas of Buddhist belief. The stay in Narakes is not eternal but lasts an incredibly long time. These Narakes are similar to the Diyu of Chinese mythology. Diyu is typically depicted as a subterranean maze with various levels and chambers, to which souls are taken after death to atone for the sins they committed when they were alive. There are also hot Narakes where the dead can be either revived or sent to suffer torment. 

The imagery of the lake that is drained symbolises Alear's  rebirth. Once the lake is drained in Chapter 24 by sending Alear back into the past, they meet Fell Alear, their past self. Once Fell Alear is defeated, Lumera finds their body and shows kindness. This meeting is the start of Alear's rebirth as the Divine Dragon. 

There is life in Gradlon. It is possible to adopt animals such as rabbits. This life shows that Gradlon is not beyond redemption and rebirth under Veyle’s rule. 

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World building and theories of Engage

Gradlon

Gradlon is based upon the mythical city of Ys, that was believed to have been swallowed up by the sea. The King of Ys was Gradlon the Great, who the kingdom in Engage us named after. At the start of the game, Gradlon is sunk beneath the ocean, one of Sombron's aims is to make Gradlon rise again. 

The characters born and associated with Gradlon have names based on colours. 

Sombron is the king of the sunken kingdom. Veyle and Alear are two of his many children. The Four Hounds are a sect of devout followers who work to awaken and protect Sombron and his daughter, Veyle. Mauvier serves as Veyle's personal knight. Zephia serves as leader of The Four Hounds.

The inspiration for The Four Hounds could come from Mongol warlord; Genghis Khan’s, most trusted generals; the dogs of war: Jebe, and Kublai, Jelme, and Subotai.

Gradlon Temple is inspired by Quimper Cathedral.

The symbol of Gradlon resembles a full moon designed to cover the sun of Lythos's symbol. The moon in the middle is much smaller than the sun in the middle of Lythos's symbol but because Gradlon is nearer the four nations, just like the real moon is closer to the earth, it causes a solar eclipse. Lythos is white and Gradlon is purple to symbolise light and dark as well as day and night. 

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World building and theories of Engage

Lumera's dragon form

Lumera's dragon form is In the European style. In the early Middle Ages and heraldry, the European Dragon was depicted as a giant creature covered with lizard-like scales, two leathery bat wings, four legs, a prehensile tail and the ability to breathe fire. In folklore it was believed that the unique powers of a dragon, and their blood, gave them the ability to live a long time. Lumera has a similar lifespan.  Another quality of the European style Dragon was that it was normally depicted protecting a cavern or a castle filled with treasure. Lumera has a treasure to protect In Lythos Castle; The Emblem Rings. A good dragon in the European tradition was believed to be wise whereas a bad dragon was associated with a hero who is destined to slay it. 

In Heraldry, the dragon was a symbol of power and sovereignty. King Arthur's father, Uther Pendragon, used the Dragon as his royal insignia.  Staying with the Arthurian tradition, the wizard Merlin had a version of two dragons fighting; one red and one white. The red symbolised the Britons and the White Dragon symbolises the Saxons. He foresaw that the Britons would emerge victorious. How is this relevant to Lumera? She is the sovereign of Lythos and the head deity of a religion with great supernatural powers. In Elyso dragons are seen as royal and mighty. 

The white dragon is associated with Saint Edmund. Not much is known about Saint Edmund because the kingdom of East Anglia was devastated by the Vikings. There is a legend about him defending East Anglia from an attack of the heathen Vikings before he was captured. He died in captivity after he refused to renounce Christ. In this case the white dragon symbolises his holiness. The white of Lumera's Dragon form could also symbolise her holiness. In China the white dragon symbolises something rather different; death. If you are a white dragon, it is a bad omen or a warning of death. Not long after transforming into a white dragon, Lumera dies. She could be the omen of her own passing.

The colour white has many associations relevant for Lumera:

Light

Sun

Air

Holiness

Perfection

Innocence

Purity

Death and rebirth

The sun, air and light are all relevant because the symbol of Lythos is the sun. The symbol of the sun is often associated with divinity. Lythos Castle is located up upon a mountain range while the Somniel is high up in the air, almost like they are the heavens where deities watch over the human race. Lythos is depicted as a place full of light and sunlight.

Purity is important because technically Lumera does not have a child through carnal means, instead she adopts Alear and pours her power into them so that they can be her successor. 

Lumera could be considered a symbol of death and rebirth. She dies and is reborn as Corrupted Lumera. Alear dies and is reborn as Corrupted Alear before they did again and is reborn as an Emblem. 

#fire emblem engage #fe engage #fe lumera

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World building and theories of Engage

Solm's Emblem Rings

Solm was entrusted with two Emblem Rings; The Emblem of the Radiant Hero and The Emblem of Fates, by Queen Lumera. The other nation to be given the responsibility of looking after two rings was Firene, the reason for this could be because the two nations were not engaging in war. As peaceful nations they could be trusted to not use the ring for political leverage. Solm's economy is dependent upon trade, war disrupts trade routes and affects access to resources, that is why peace is much more beneficial for them. As an open minded queendom they are less likely to find issues with other nations.

The Doodad Drawer and the Ruin

Solm's royalty treat everyone the same way and are often out and about exploring the queendom and interacting with people. Why would an Emblem Ring receive differential treatment? An Emblem Ring is treated like every other ring. It could be stored in a dusty drawer, worn for a coronation or worn while grilling some meat. The other Emblem Ring is hidden in a ruin because

Ruins can be scary, fear creates folklore about ghosts/monsters, which helps to deter people.

Ruins can be structurally unstable and uninhabitable

Ruins tend to be isolated because they have no practical use, unless the Ruin is a tourist attraction. 

The way the two rings are treated reflects something about the Emblem within. The Emblem of the Radiant Hero is Ike, who treated everyone the same whether it was the laguz, someone with a brand that symbolises the taboo union between a laguz and a Beorc, a commoner or a noble. Ike's open minded attitude and his dislike of pomposity makes him the perfect Emblem to reflect Solm. Ike's ring is also seen on the finger of Timerra as she is cooking some meat. Ike is well known to enjoy his food, especially meat dishes, so the ring being worn while she is cooking is fitting. 

The Ring hidden in the ruins was; The Emblem of Fates, Corrin, The isolated location of the ruins reflect her upbringing in an isolated tower in Nohr. Just like Ike, she is open minded, willing to accept everyone and treat everyone the same whether they are bestrial, commoners, Nohrian, Hoshidan or nobles. She appreciates and accepts both the Nohrians and Hoshidans as her family. 

Ike's journey and Alear

When Ike's father was killed by the Black Knight, he took over as leader of his father's mercenary company; The Greil Mercenaries. Alear suffers from a similar tragedy, when Lumera died, the role of Divine Dragon was thrust upon them. Ike's leadership did not go smoothly, several mercenaries chose to leave the company, they refused to fight under someone they considered inferior to them. Ike was certainly less experienced than Gatrie and Shinon so their disbelief was understandable at the time. Thankfully he has the likes of Titania to advise him. It could be argued that she plays a similar role to Vander. At first Ike doubted his ability as a leader, with the help and support of his trusted allies and a gleaming sword he ended up defeating the main antagonist; Mad King Ashnard, and restoring the throne for Elincia.

When Alear attains Ike's Emblem Ring, the other Emblem Rings had been stolen by Sombron and his daughter. Alear had lost trusted friends and advisers, the vulnerability and doubts over their leadership began to emerge. Ike is ideal as a confidence builder and someone who experienced similar doubts. 

Corrin and Alear

Corrin's Emblem Ring is attained at the same time the dancer; Seadall, is added to the cast. Corrin was never alone, no matter the path she took, she had a friend/sister who supported her unconditionally through it all; Azura. Azura was the dancer in fates and has a pivotal role in all three routes; in fact it is impossible to defeat the final bosses without her song. 

#fire emblem engage #fe engage #fe ike #fe corrin

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World building and theories of Engage

Solm‘s defences

Solm was the only nation able to prepare when The Fell Dragon was awakened in Elusia. As Timerra explains in Chapter 13: The Heroes of the Desert, 

“The palace has scouts all over Elyso keeping an eye on the three kingdoms. When Elusia brought back the Fell Dragon, we learnt about it early on.“

This early access to information meant that Solm was able to devise a strategy to defend themselves. Firene as a self sufficient nation with a peaceful and isolating foreign policy meant they weren't expecting or ready for the attacks by Elusia. Lythos suffered because of a similar philosophy, Lumera ran a peaceful nation and chose not to interfere in how humans govern themselves unless air was requested. This lack of knowledge and interaction meant that she was not prepared when Veyle, The Hounds and Elusia's military attacked, (the Corrupted couldn't enter the Ring Chamber). Brodia was unable to prepare because they were focused on wealth through war. This philosophy and Brodian arrogance and pride meant that Elusia was successful when they wanted to capture King Morion. 

Solm's royal family knew that they could not defeat Sombron without the Divine Dragon and the Emblem Ring. They had to focus on defending the population from the Corrupted, protecting themselves from being captured for their royal blood and keeping their Emblem rings safe. Timerra explains the defence strategy to Alear in Chapter 13: The Heroes of the Desert.

“The Corrupted started arriving so we had to quickly lay out a plan. Mum would stay in the palace. She'd work with the royal guard to keep out intruders. And we'ld send out our militia, The Sentinels, to bolster soldiers’ efforts against the Corrupted.“ 

The Solm’s royal's policy of suspicion and caution meant that they also devised a plan to ensure that they weren't fooled by a fake Divine Dragon. Fogado travelled near the border with Elusia, sussing out people who crossed over into Solm. If anyone claimed to be the Divine Dragon, he would evaluate their claim and then take them to the palace if he believed them, all the while keeping his identity a secret. Timerra protected the ring by travelling around the desert. A second ring was protected in the same way Firene protected their second ring; both nations hid them in isolated ruins. Solm went a step further and made certain that the ruins were intimidating. 

Solm‘s readiness probably saved the lives of many of their population and stopped Dungeon from gaining power and more Rings. Solm's two rings are the only ones to never be in his possession before Sombron drains them after Chapter 21: The Return. 

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World building and theories of Engage

Solm’s Music

The Somniel theme; Camping in Solm, embraces Solm's Latin inspiration with the use of a Spanish guitar and the treatment of rhythm as the most important factor rather than just a harmony. It is a relaxed song composed to represent the relaxed nature of Solm. Latin music is designed to be danced to, the priority in rhythm makes the song easy to move to.

The battle map theme: Bright Sandstorm, is once again a catchy rhythmic composition which is easy to sing and dance to. The marimba and Spanish guitar are used to create a soft sound. The song is inviting you to chill and have fun. As the battle intensities so does the music, the soft rhythm remains but a sharper pitch is introduced with a violin. The fiery versions of Bright Sandstorm and Bright Bold Sandstorm add intensity and urgency by increasing tempo and Crescendo (playing the note louder) 

#fire emblem engage #fe engage

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World building and theories of Engage

Solm's foreign policy 

Before and during the war Solm's foreign policy was based on distrust, secrecy, security and a little give and take. Trade is essential in a desert country, Solm would have an abundance of goods suited to their climate while certain goods would have limited to no supply. Elusia, Lythos and Brodia are trading partners even if the war between Elusia and Brodia would make travel near or through the north of the two territories dangerous. Firene presents a different challenge for a trading country; self efficiency. Firene creates all the essentials and luxuries they feel they need which means they have no need to trade. Fogado in his conversation with Celine expresses the difficulty establishing trading deals with her kingdom. 

“Firene’s farming industry is so robust, you don’t need to keep reserves, let alone import goods. And that’s a good thing, don’t get me wrong. But self-sufficiency has made you folks a bit unsociable, if you ask me. Your gates are shut so tight, they might as well be walls.“

Another barrier to trade with Firene is distrust and the dangers associated with change and ignorance. Celine believes any trade negotiations or even a simple cup of tea is an opportunity for Fogado to pry information and secrets from her. She also believes that people from Solm live a wilder, more thrill seeking lifestyle.

 “Forgive me, but I must decline for now. The Firenese lifestyle is more pastoral. We lack your taste for intrigue and risk.“

 “Such as the way you curry favour with foreign nobility to pry information out of them.“

Fogado does not deny the accusation, on the contrary, he believes it is important to learn about other nations. Secrets can be used in the negotiating table, as well as self defence. 

Misunderstanding the royalty of Solm is not exclusive to Firene, Hortensia remarks about the rumours that circulate about Fogado. 

 “Act innocent if you want, but even in Elusia, we’ve heard what a flirt you are.“

She even accuses him of not helping his sister but flirting instead. 

Fogado's reputation doesn't make foreign diplomacy easy, if someone thinks all you do is flirt them you are not going to be taken seriously, even if that reputation is based on gossip and not facts. 

Distrust works both ways, the other nations do not know much about Solm and distrust them and in return Solm has misconceptions and distrust of other nations. Solm felt it necessary to have a spy network set up in every kingdom. They knew about Sombron awakening early on and worked upon protecting their own queendom. They did not help any other nation nor did they feel they could ask any other nation for assistance, the belief that if they received aid then they would have to reciprocate, was responsible for this policy. It is understandable, especially when the Sentinels and royal guard were stretched protecting the palace and the queendom from bandits and the Corrupted. However, by not sharing the information their spies had obtained, it meant that other nations did not have that knowledge to help them react and prepare for being attacked. Each of the four nations has at least one aspect of their foreign policy that needs changing to create bonds of trust, understanding and a spirit of cooperation. 

#fire emblem engage #fe engage

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Fire Emblem Echoes Shadows of Valentia: Easter

#fe berkut #fe silque #fire emblem echoes #Fire Emblem Echoes Shadows of Valentia