Nintendo had previously focused on the four heroes competing in the Heroic Games, with each character following their own story path. However, the latest Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave Direct revealed that the tournament is only the beginning of a much larger story.
The biggest reveal came near the end of the presentation, when Nintendo introduced Eshmel, the game’s true protagonist.
What Eshmel’s role means for the story
Five years after the Heroic Games, the world of Dagda is threatened by a demon god named Balor. The four heroes who competed in the tournament have disappeared, leaving the kingdom without its main defenders.
To prevent the destruction of Dagda, Sothis summons Eshmel, a new hero chosen to change the fate of the world. With the help of the goddess Fortuna, Eshmel can travel back in time and return to the Heroic Games.
Players will then have a choice: face Balor alone or use Fortuna’s powers to change the fates of the four heroes and have them join the final battle.
Fortune’s Weave lets players follow all four heroes in one playthrough
The game follows four main heroes during the Heroic Games: Cai, Dietrich, Leda, and Theodora, each with their own story and reason for entering the competition.
Cai is a young farm boy searching for a way to save his imprisoned father. Dietrich is a warrior from a foreign land looking for his next challenge. Theodora fights to honour her goddess, defend the faith of her people, and protect the peace of her kingdom, and Leda enters the competition seeking revenge after her father’s murder.
Unlike Fire Emblem: Three Houses, where players had to begin a new save file to experience different routes, Fortune’s Weave allows you to follow all four stories during a single playthrough by switching between the protagonists, with progress saved separately for each hero.
New classes and combat abilities
Cai Blaze Art
The class system and progression in Fortune’s Weave will work similarly to previous Fire Emblem games, but the Direct revealed several new classes, including charioteers, who fight from a moving chariot, powerful elephant riders, and Guardians that combine the use of spears with white magic.
The four main protagonists will also have access to unique Blaze Arts, powerful abilities that consume their own health in exchange for stronger attacks. Cai unleashes fireballs from his palm to deal area-of-effect damage, Dietrich teleports after moving, Leda uses her instrument to buff allies and summon powerful monsters, and Theodora launches large rocks across massive distances.
Explore Dagsion and travel across Dagda
Between matches, players can explore the city of Dagsion to recruit new characters, buy items, complete quests, and spend time with their companions, similar to Fire Emblem: Three Houses. The game also allows for exploration across the continent. Travel with your allies to gather information, collect resources, visit other towns, fight enemies, and explore dungeons. However, travelling causes time to pass, meaning players will need to plan their journeys carefully.
