History VideoGame / ValkyrieProfileCovenantOfThePlume

* AnAesop: No matter which path you take, vengeance doesn't really end well for anybody. How Wylfred hands his revenge depends on the route he chooses.
** Path A - [[spoiler:Vengeance is bad.]]
** Path B - [[spoiler:Vengeance can make ''others'' suffer, but a father's love can conquer all.]]
** Path C - [[spoiler:Vengeance can completely consume you.]]

A 2009 UsefulNotes/{{Nintendo DS}} TurnBasedStrategy prequel to ''VideoGame/ValkyrieProfile''. ''Covenant of the Plume'' stars Wylfred, an AntiHero (or ByronicHero or VillainProtagonist, [[KarmaMeter depending on your choices]]) whose father was killed in battle years before the story starts. He blames his father's death, which lead to his sister's death from hunger and his mother's descent into madness, on the Valkyrie, as she left a feather with the body, and has vowed to take his revenge by seeking her out on the battlefields.

* {{Bishonen}}: Darius, Fauxnel, and Kristoff.

* BloodKnight: Phiona, if her combat dialogue is anything to go by.
* BokeAndTsukkomiRoutine: Darius and Earnest, during their days as military students.

* CainAndAbel: Langrey and Kristoff, though neither are exactly evil.

* DeathSeeker: Heugoe and Darius.

* EvilWeapon: The Angel Slayer, go figure.

* HalfIdenticalTwins: Mireille and Mischka again.

* HeroicRROD: This is what happens to anyone you use the plume on.

* KillItWithFire: Lieselotte does this to [[spoiler:Rosea on path A and B.]]

* LargeHam: Goes hand in hand with CallingYourAttacks, but Langrey stands out...

* LoveableRogue: Lieselotte [[spoiler:on the B path.]]

* NoFourthWall: The whole [[BonusDungeon Seraphic Gate]] is like this.
* OneHandedZweihander - Most characters with 1 handed blades almost always use them with 1 hand, even with the other hand free. But the most prominent example is Kristoff, who holds a 2 handed sword with 1 hand.
* OneWingedAngel: [[spoiler:Ailyth did this in front of Wylfred]] near the end of path A.
* OnlySaneMan: Wylfred fulfills this role in the Seraphic Gate.

* ThePollyanna: Cheripha.
* ThePowerOfFriendship: [[strike:Horribly subverted]] ''Played dead straight'' in a [[DeconstructedTrope horrific way]]. "Guests" of the party and mere acquaintances are of no use to the plume. On the other hand, those who consider you a friend are practically in your mercy. And as the game states, the closer, the better.

* ReluctantWarrior: Darius, Valmur, Kristoff, and probably Roienbourg as well.

* SomethingAboutARose: Fauxnel and Phiona.

* SphereOfDestruction: Gravity Blessing and Maleficent Harm.
* SpinAttack: Natalia, Mireile, and Kristoff do this in their Soul Crush.
* SpiritAdvisor: Ailyth, servant of Hel.

* TheSoCalledCoward: Duwain and Valmur.

* TogetherInDeath: Auguste and Reinhilde [[spoiler:on the B path.]]

* VideoGameCrueltyPunishment: Read the NoFairCheating entry.
* VillainProtagonist: Wylfred (and by proxy, the player) on the C path.

* WellIntentionedExtremist: Darius and Fauxnel.

* AnAesop: The overarching theme of the 'A' path is 'Vengeance is bad'. The game is ''not'' going to let you forget that.
** It's the theme of the whole game, really. No matter which path you take, Wylfred's path of vengeance doesn't really end well for anybody. It also takes a different interpretation, [[spoiler: Path A - Vengeance is bad. Path B - Vengeance can make ''others'' suffer, but a father's love can conquer all. Path C - Vengeance can completely consume you.]]

** RapidFireFisticuffs: His appropriately named "Hundred Hands" Soul Crush, which could also be a ShoutOut to [[StreetFighter Edmond Honda]].

* FinalDeath: Anyone you use the plume on.

* SurplusDamageBonus: Attacking an enemy with zero HP will fill up the Sin gauge. Acquiring twice as much Sin as the game demands for that battle can unlock powerful weapons, armor, accessories, and abilities. Conversely, failing to overkill enemies will earn you the ire of your mysterious benefactor, generally meaning that she'll screw you over in your future battles by setting her goons on you in addition of fighting the enemy forces: they're basically impossible to beat without using one of the other main mechanics to [[HeroicRROD supercharge one of your allies, which also]] [[PermaDeath kills them after the battle]] as well as automatically fulfilling the basic Sin requirement. In short, she'll get her way no matter what you do.

* VideoGameCrueltyPotential: When you plume someone, you will receive a cutscene where you see them give up, and their loved one crying for them. You can also proceed to make Rosea's life a living hell by [[spoiler: Pluming Duwain in front of her]].

* InfantImmortality: Zig-zagged in a brutal way. The Bloody Twins, both twelve, ''only'' show up if you pick a certain path and, other than Gwendal, are the only chapter two party members who are not fought as a boss or implied killed on another path. But this is also averted, because you ''can'' use the plume on them after you recruit them. (Although, you can assume that [[spoiler:even if you use the plume on ''both'' of them, they live on as Einherjar, literally the youngest!)]]

* VideoGameCrueltyPotential: You can make Rosea's life a living hell...

* ActionGirl: Phiona, Cheripha, Lieselotte... there's a lot, really.

* BadassGrandpa: Roienbourg. Auguste and Reinhilde may count as well, even though they're "only" in their 50s or 60s (which is still very old by JRPG standards).
** Also somewhat played for comedy with Freya (the super hot immortal goddess) in the Seraphic Gate. Oh Fauxnel...
** Roienbourg is 55, and Auguste is 60, so both qualify despite having no grandchildren.

* ActionMom: Natalia, who is also a RebelLeader. No, Earnest isn't her husband. Reinhilde too, though she's already in her 50s.
* AFatherToHisMen: Heugoe.

* ApologeticAttacker: Rosea on one path.

* TheAtoner: Duwain and Roienbourg.
* AxCrazy: Gwendal, Mireille, and Mischka.

* BareYourMidriff: Lieselotte

* BlackMagicianGirl: Lieselotte.

* BoisterousBruiser: Gwendal.

* DistressedDamsel: Rosea.
* DoubleEntendre: Half the stuff out of Lieselotte's mouth.

* EverythingsBetterWithSamurai: Ushio.

* GenkiGirl: Cheripha and Lieselotte.

* HimeCut: Rosea.

* JerkAss: Gwendal.

* KatanasAreJustBetter: Ushio.

* TheLancer: Ancel, to Wyl.

* MultipleEndings: How many people did you sacrifice?
** BittersweetEnding: The ending on the A path. [[spoiler:Instead of being able to save either Rosea or Lieselott like in paths B or C, they '''BOTH''' die. Valmur gets killed, and the future of House Haughn comes into question. When Fauxnel's treachery is revealed, you end up joining with him and his WellIntentionedExtremist scheme because it's too late to undo what has been done. And even after subjugating both Kristoff & Langrey and preventing the war that occurs in paths B & C, Langrey commits suicide anyway. On the plus side, the war is averted before it destroys Artolia, and Wylfred's soul is saved and he gets closure, having given up on his revenge. We also see his mother recover from her mental illness.]]
** DownerEnding: The B ending, which sees [[spoiler:Wylfred's father sacrificing his soul to save Wylfred from eternal damnation, leaving the boy to consider what his quest for vengeance has truly cost.]]
** ShootTheShaggyDog: The C ending, where [[spoiler:Wylfred learns it's ''impossible'' to kill the Valkyrie, meaning his whole quest was meaningless from the start, and was just Hel [[ForTheEvulz having a bit of fun]]. Then Ailyth kills him and sends him to [[{{Hell}} Nifelheim]] for all eternity.]]

* ProfessionalKiller: Cheripha, Lockswell, and Lieselotte.

** Every character's GameBreaker skill that's used upon using the plume on them and which Wylfred learns after the battle also has an excerpt of a poem relating to the skill in question. Since you get to read them before you actually choose to sacrifice them, and the effects are as stated, they count more or less as prophecies.
* PyroManiac: Lieselotte. Hoo boy.

* RapunzelHair: Phiona's.

* RoaringRampageOfRevenge - A recurring theme in the chapters, which serve to mirror Wylfred's overall story, which is also an example, though whether it's played straight depends on which [[MultipleEndings plot path]] you're on.
* ShaggyDogStory - Every ending to some degree, since [[spoiler:as a mortal, Wylfred ''can't'' beat the setting's big guns like Lenneth and Hel.]] The straightest example is [[spoiler:the B path, where ''everything'' was in vain. The A path has Wylfred deciding on his own to give up his quest, and lets him beat up Garm even if he can't take on Hel.]] The C ending goes sailing into ShootTheShaggyDog territory.

A UsefulNotes/{{Nintendo DS}} TurnBasedStrategy prequel to ''VideoGame/ValkyrieProfile''. ''Covenant of the Plume'' stars Wylfred, an AntiHero (or ByronicHero or VillainProtagonist, [[KarmaMeter depending on your choices]]) whose father was killed in battle years before the story starts. He blames his father's death, which lead to his sister's death from hunger and his mother's descent into madness, on the Valkyrie, as she left a feather with the body, and has vowed to take his revenge by seeking her out on the battlefields.

Not to be confused with ''VideoGame/ValkyriaChronicles''.

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* OutOfFocus: Everyone you recruit does not get any dialogue after their events are over. Unless you kill them off.

* NoFairCheating: Using the Destiny Plume more than once a chapter while on the route to the worst ending will put you into a HopelessBossFight with Freya. Supposedly the fight can be won in a NewGamePlus with enough [[RareCandy Golden Eggs]] farming, but the game will still act as if you lost, leading to a NonStandardGameOver.

* NoFairCheating: Using the Destiny Plume more than once a chapter while already on the path to the worst ending (after Chapter 2, when you can use it twice) will put you into a HopelessBossFight with Freya. Supposedly the fight can be won in a NewGamePlus with enough [[RareCandy Golden Eggs]] farming, but the game will still act as if you lost, leading to a NonStandardGameOver.

* NoFairCheating: Using the Destiny Plume more than once a chapter (after Chapter 2, when you can use it twice) will put you into a HopelessBossFight with Freya. Supposedly the fight can be won in a NewGamePlus with enough [[RareCandy Golden Eggs]] farming, but the game will still act as if you lost, leading to a NonStandardGameOver.

** A form of GameplayAndStoryIntegration, though.

* NoFairCheating: Using the Destiny Plume more than three times will put you into a HopelessBossFight with Freya. Supposedly the fight can be won in a NewGamePlus with enough [[RareCandy Golden Eggs]] farming, but the game will still act as if you lost, leading to a NonStandardGameOver.

* MyRulesAreNotYourRules: [[=NPCs=]] who have finishing strikes get to use them on ''every attack'' without having to build up combo meters, presumably because the AI wouldn't be able to figure out how to do so reliably.

* MyRulesAreNotYourRules: NPCs who have finishing strikes get to use them on ''every attack'' without having to build up combo meters, presumably because the AI wouldn't be able to figure out how to do so reliably.

A UsefulNotes/{{Nintendo DS}} TurnBasedStrategy prequel to ''ValkyrieProfile''. ''Covenant of the Plume'' stars Wylfred, an AntiHero (or ByronicHero or VillainProtagonist, [[KarmaMeter depending on your choices]]) whose father was killed in battle years before the story starts. He blames his father's death, which lead to his sister's death from hunger and his mother's descent into madness, on the Valkyrie, as she left a feather with the body, and has vowed to take his revenge by seeking her out on the battlefields.

** Much of the music is from [[ValkyrieProfile the first game]]. For example, dungeon background music is re-purposed as BattleThemeMusic during the enemy phase. Other pieces, like the victory theme are put to their original uses. This is particularly noteworthy, because [[VideoGame/ValkyrieProfile2Silmeria Silmeria]] had a very different musical feel from the original, with the {{Musical Nod}}s much more subtle, so much so that you might not recognize them.

* WeaponOfXSlaying: While not as powerful as the Slayer weapons of the first two ''ValkyrieProfile'' games, there are still weapons with bonuses against specific types, e.g. Ravenbrand vs. birds.

* FourIsDeath: The game allows you to use the Destiny Plume up to 3 times during a single playthrough. Using it again will lead you to a NonStandard Game Over.

* NoFairCheating: Using the Destiny Plume more than three times will put you into a HopelessBossFight with Freya. Supposedly the fight can be won in a NewGame+ with enough [[RareCandy Golden Eggs]] farming, but the game will still act as if you lost, leading to a NonStandardGameOver.

* NoFairCheating: [[spoiler:If you use the plume more than a certain amount of times in a single chapter, [[HopelessBossFight Freya will come and kick your ass]].]] This leads to:
** NonStandardGameOver
*** It's plainly merciful from the game, as in most cases when this happens, Wyl would be on his own or with only one companion in the next battle, rendering it nigh impossible.

** Chapter 1 uses ''"Mighty Blow"'' as a boss battle theme, a song from ''VideoGame/StarOceanTheSecondStory'', another game develper by ''Creator/triAce''.

* FirstEpisodeResurrection

* TheLancer: Ancel.

* ParentalAbandonment

* RecurringRiff: Much of the music is from [[ValkyrieProfile the first game]]. For example, dungeon background music is re-purposed as BattleThemeMusic during the enemy phase. Other pieces, like the victory theme are put to their original uses. This is particularly noteworthy, because [[VideoGame/ValkyrieProfile2Silmeria Silmeria]] had a very different musical feel from the original, with the {{Musical Nod}}s much more subtle, so much so that you might not recognize them.

A {{Nintendo DS}} TurnBasedStrategy prequel to ''ValkyrieProfile''. ''Covenant of the Plume'' stars Wylfred, an AntiHero (or ByronicHero or VillainProtagonist, [[KarmaMeter depending on your choices]]) whose father was killed in battle years before the story starts. He blames his father's death, which lead to his sister's death from hunger and his mother's descent into madness, on the Valkyrie, as she left a feather with the body, and has vowed to take his revenge by seeking her out on the battlefields.