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Characters / Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War - Lore Characters

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The fourth game in the Fire Emblem series, and the first part of the Jugdral canon. With dozens of characters across two generations, even the the NPC page had to be split have their own page, and any characters who are exclusive to Thracia 776 go on that game's character page. This page describes all the characters essential to the background of the Judgral canon.


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    The Twelve Crusaders 
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/12crusadersfe4.jpg
From the top left clockwise to center: Dáinn, Hoðr, Njörun, Od, Nál, Heim, Thrud, Ced, Baldur, Ullr, Fjalar, Bragi.

The twelve fighters that went through blood rites with the Dragon Tribe in what's known as the Miracle of Dahna, then fought and eventually overthrew the Loptrian Empire during the Gran Calendar Years 632-648. Each of them has a weapon infused with the power of a certain member of the Dragon Tribe, and only the crusader who wielded their weapon and their descendants with major holy blood can wield them. Also, each Crusader has a holy blood line named after them (Except Heim and Ced, whose holy bloodlines are called Naga and Forseti respectively).


In General
  • Ancestral Weapon: They passed down their respective Holy Weapons through their bloodlines.
  • Famous Ancestor: To various royals and nobility throughout Jugdral. Unfortunately, quite a few of the descendants aren't as heroic as their ancestors were.
  • Fountain of Expies: They started the franchise tradition of a group of Precursor Heroes wielding a set of legendary artifacts that has in some form been in most of the other subsequent games.
  • Superhuman Transfusion: They were given the blood of several dragons, empowering them to defeat Loptous.
  • Two Girls to a Team: Speculated for several years, but ultimately subverted with Heroes revealing Ullr to be a woman, bringing the number of girls in the Crusaders up to three.




Baldur the Holy Knight (Baldr, Baldo)

Likely class: Paladin

The founder of the House of Chalphy and the inheritor of the Tyrfing.


  • Inconsistent Dub: In Awakening, he was named Baldur. But in Heroes, he was Baldr.

Saint Heim

Likely class: Sage

Leader of the Twelve Crusaders and the founder of the Kingdom of Grannvale and its capital, Belhalla. Inheritor of the Book of Naga, his lineage founded the Royal Family of Grannvale. He allowed Naga to share her persona with him, which explains why his lineage is called Naga.


  • Church Militant: Him and Bragi, though he was even more proactive.
  • Facial Markings: One on his forehead. Deirdre has it too (and covers it with her circlet), which is what proves her Naga heritage in-story. It's quite possibly the same Mark of Naga found in the royal family of Ylisse many, many years later.
  • Light 'em Up: Naga, his tome.
  • Retcon: Despite the above description, Thracia 776 refers to his lineage as Blood of Heim.

Hoðr the Black Knight (Hezul)

Likely class: Paladin

The founder of the Kingdom of Agustria and the inheritor of the Demon Blade Mystletainn.


  • Big, Screwed-Up Family: His descendants, both the Royal House of Augustria and the Nordion family. More exactly: Hoðr's youngest daughter, the one who inherited the major Hoðr blood, married a Nordion nobleman. The Nordions are the ones with major Hoðr blood and not the Augustrians, who either only have minor blood or nothing at all (like in Chagall's case). This is the basis for many, many of Eldigan and Lachesis' troubles later.
  • Critical Status Buff: Mystletainn gives the skill Critical to its wielder and a +20 points to their Skill stat, increasing the critical rate.
  • Red Baron: "Black Knight".
  • Spell My Name With An S:
    • His sword has — in a similar case to Tyrfing — been spelled Mistoltin, Mistolteen, Mistilteinn, and Mystletainn. Awakening's English release used the name "Mystletainn".
    • His own name was subjected to this; it was "Hezul" in printed Japanese media for a long time. When Heroes launched, his name was suspiciously absent even from Eldigan and Lachesis' bios. It was eventually rendered as "Hoðr" starting with Nanna's two variants in that game.

Ullr the Bowmaster

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ullr_heroes.png
Likely class: Sniper
Voiced by: Houko Kuwashima (Japanese, Fire Emblem Heroes), Dawn M. Bennett (English, Fire Emblem Heroes)

The founder of the House of Yngvi and the inheritor of Yewfelle.


  • Adaptational Curves: Heroes gives her a larger bust than she has in her original artwork.
  • Ascended Extra: She goes from a Precursor Heroine who is long, long dead in Sigurd's era to a playable character in Heroes.
  • Born Lucky: People with Ullr blood tend to have the highest Luck growth bonuses in-game (a whopping case of 30%... alongside the character's natural growths). In-story, this is pretty much a legend in Jugdral, which is invoked by Edain in the Oosawa manga.
  • Curtains Match the Window: Blonde hair and golden eyes.
  • Fashionable Asymmetry: Only wears leggings and greaves on her right leg.
  • Light Is Good: Ullr is one of the Twelve Crusaders, and is a Mythic Hero of Light in Heroes.
  • Meaningful Name: She's named after the Norse god of archery and skiing Ullr, and is known as "The Bowmaster".
  • Promoted to Playable: She makes her playable debut, and her debut in general, in Heroes as a Mythic Hero of Light.
  • Red Baron: She was known as "The Bowmaster".
  • Samus Is a Girl: For the longest time, she was thought to be a male, since she was never referred to with female pronouns, and the picture of her on the top of the page is very ambiguous whether Ullr was a woman or merely a Long-Haired Pretty Boy. And then, her previous title was 'Bowman', which made people think that it depicted a guy. The reveal of Ullr as a woman in Heroes, complete with the big boobs to prove it, came as a shock to everyone.
  • Secret Art: In Heroes she has Yngvi Ascendant, which allows her to ignore any skills that deny any of her follow-up attacks, and if she initiates combat she has any of her follow-up attacks go before the foe can counterattack.
  • Spell My Name With An S: Ichival? Ichaival? Ichii-bal? The localization for Awakening called it Yewfelle, which sticks for Heroes.
  • Tomboyish Name: Named after Ullr, one of the deities of Norse Mythology who's male and the husband of Skadi. Ullr here is female, though she has a slightly lower voice.

Njörun the Lance Knight (Noba, Nova)

Likely class: Duke Knight

The founder of the Manster District and the inheritor of the Gáe Bolg. The Tragedy of the Gáe Bolg which results in her death caused much strife between Manster District and the Kingdom of Thracia.


  • Power at a Price: It is said that whoever wields the Gáe Bolg will be met with tragedy due to the curse.
  • Red Baron: "Lance Knight".

Dáinn the Dragon Knight (Dain)

Likely class: Dragon Master

The founder of the Kingdom of Thracia and the inheritor of the Gungnir. The Tragedy of the Gae Bolg, resulting in his sister's death and his mysterious death years later, caused much strife between the Manster District and Thracia.


  • Red Baron: He was known as the "Dragon Knight".

Ced the Wind User (Sety)

Likely class: Sage

The founder of the Kingdom of Silesse and the inheritor of Forseti. Like Heim, he allowed Forseti to take his persona, hence why his lineage is called Forseti.


Thrud the Mage Knight (Tordo)

Likely class: Mage Knight

The founder of the House of Friege and the inheritor of Mjolnir.


  • Gender-Blender Name: His English name is named after the daughter of Thor.
  • Generation Xerox: Subverted: Reinhardt is said to be like his second coming and to look a lot like him... but he's not of Thrud blood, since he only works as a high-ranked commander for the Frieges.
  • Red Baron: "Mage Knight".
  • Shock and Awe: Mjolnir is a tome of thunder magic.
  • White Hair, Black Heart: Averted, he has very light hair (inherited by almost all of his descendants) but is one of the good guys. (Played straight by some of his descendants, though.)

Fjalar the Mage Fighter (Fala)

Likely class: Mage Fighter

The founder of the House of Velthomer and the inheritor of the Valflame.


Nál the Axe Fighter (Neir)

Likely class: Warrior

The founder of the House of Dozel and the inheritor of Helswath.


  • Always Someone Better: All his in-game descendants are overshadowed by Thrud's: Lombard, by Reptor; Danan, by Bloom; Brian, by Ishtar, etc.
  • BFS: The aforementioned Helswath is the heaviest weapon in Fire Emblem history! And it hits from two spaces away! But it also shows the downside of this trope, as it heavily slows down its user, who will have little chance of landing a hit on speedy Balmung users. (This isn't helped by the complete lack of any stat to mitigate attack speed reduction due to weapon weight in Genealogy of the Holy War.)
  • Black Sheep: Subverted. In his life, Nál was always a solid friend for his fellow crusaders, but his descendants... not so much. Lewyn even singles out his descendants to be disgraces to House Dozel, probably because it has less Anti-Villains amongst the bunch and its only White Sheep (Lex) can die childless.
  • Red Baron: "Axe Knight".

Od the Sword Saint (Odo)

Likely class: Swordmaster

The founder of the Kingdom of Isaach and the inheritor of the Balmung.


  • Identical Grandson: His descendants, Mariccle and Shannan, look a lot like him.
  • Katanas Are Just Better: Balmung's design resembles a katana with its thin curved blade. It gives +10 to Skill and +20 to Speed to match the playstyle of Fire Emblem's Swordmasters, a class known for their high Speed and Skill.
  • Red Baron: "Sword Saint".

Bragi the Arch Bishop (Blaggi, Blagi)

Likely class: Bishop

The founder of the House of Edda and the inheritor of the Valkyrie Staff.


  • Back from the Dead: The Valkyrie Staff can revive a unit from death once before breaking down.
  • Heroes Prefer Swords: Whoever uses the Bragi Sword, blessed by him.
  • Red Baron: "Arch Bishop".
  • Sole Survivor: Of the Saint Maera priests, all slain after the sacred wars. He built the Tower of Bragi to honor them, but after his death its purpose was forgotten.

    Dragon Tribes 

Loptous (Loptyr, Loputousu)

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/loptous_fe4.png
"GHARRGH... SELIPH... HEAR ME WELL... SO LONG AS AVARICE LURKS STILL IN THE HEARTS OF MEN...I WILL RETURN... COUNT ON IT... THE HEARTS OF... GAAAAHHhhhh..."
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/800px_tcgcipher_julius_seliph.jpg
Fighting Seliph through his vessel.

The Earth Dragon of the old Loptrian Empire. He has since been defeated, but was resurrected by the Loptr Church through his vessel Julius.


  • 13 Is Unlucky: Combined with his status as a dark god worshiped only by heretics, he's considered to be Jugdral's 13th god. And while the other 12 bloodlines are represented normally on the Holy Blood chart, Loptous' Holy Blood is right in the centre.
  • Achilles' Heel: Due to encasing his will and powers into the Loptous tome and losing his physical body long ago due to dragon degeneration, he requires a vessel with enough pure blood in order to manifest in the physical world. If his vessel is slain, he can't do jackshit.
  • Ambiguous Species: He is stated to be an Earth Dragon, but his design and powers are more closely related to a Dark Dragon. It's worth noting that the description of his tome on the Fire Emblem Museum refers to him as a Dark Dragon. Though with Earth Dragon Medeus' ascension into a Dark Dragon in Mystery of the Emblem Book 2, such mutation is possible on Loptous as well.
  • As Long as There Is Evil: Gives this spiel if defeated by Seliph, just like Medeus' parting words towards Marth at the end of Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light. However, as there are no known living descendants that carry his blood, he is probably dead for good (it's worth noting that his soul leaves Julius' body after his defeat, making it even less likely that he will come back).
  • Blood Oath: Made one with the bishop Gair long time ago in order to allow him to keep on living and rule over humans- even after losing his body.
  • Cain and Abel: With the other Dragons, and especially Naga and Forseti.
  • Dark Is Evil: Fits the trope to a T , being an evil Dark Dragon.
  • Die Laughing: Does this in Suzuki's novel when finally slain in battle with Saint Heim's team. He succeeded in making his blood pact with Gair and even with his body's destruction would return through Gair and his descendants.
  • Dragons Are Demonic: Loptous, an Earth Dragon who escaped being sealed under the Dragon's Table through blood-bonding with the bishop Gair, is often described as less of a regular (albeit evil) dragon, and more something akin to an Enemy Within due to his heavy association with darkness, habit of Demonic Possession of those with major Loptous blood through his eponymous tome, and having a whole Religion of Evil based around him.
  • Dragons Are Divine: The Loptrian Empire worshiped him as a god.
  • Evil Old Folks: Was old by the standards of dragons when he was certainly still alive according to Genichiro Suzuki's novelization.
  • Final Boss: Played with. Although the player doesn't fight him directly, as the final boss is Julius (controlled by Loptous), he uses the Tome of Loptous, that has his powers and allows him to control any descendants with his blood. While he is not confronted in his physical form, in a sense, he is this.
  • God of Evil: Regarded as such by those who don't worship him.
  • Greater-Scope Villain: In the backstory, he conquered the entire continent through a human and for most of Generation 1, a cult seeks his resurrection. In the main game he possesses Julius, causing most of the events of the game.
  • Our Vampires Are Different: In the Suzuki novelization. There, the dragon tribes suffered multiplication of cancerous cells that ate away at their red blood cells. After the multiplication exceeded a certain level, the production rate of the dragons’ bone marrow becomes unable to keep up, causing them to become unable to absorb oxygen which doomed them to paralysis. Loptous sought to compensate for his red blood cell deficiency with the lifeblood of humans.
  • The Man Behind the Man: To Julius-It's stated by Julia during the final battle that Julius was once a very kind and loving brother before he was corrupted by the Tome of Loptous, implying that he either possessed him or manipulated Julius into doing his bidding.
  • Promoted to Playable: Not him himself, but his tome is a usable weapon in Heroes.
  • Spell My Name With An S: His name was rendered as "Loptyr" in Fire Emblem: Awakening, seemingly based on "Loptr", another name for Loki. Japanese material, and Fire Emblem Heroes instead use "Loptous", which is much closer to the katakana.
  • Suspiciously Similar Substitute: Of Medeus from the Archanea series as the evil Earth Dragon serving as the Greater-Scope Villain for their games. It was confirmed in the designer notes of the Genealogy of the Holy War player guide. Since the Jugdral games occur in the same universe as Archanea, but 1000 years prior to them, Medeus and Loptous are most likely of the same tribe. Much later on in the series, Fire Emblem: Awakening features the Fell Dragon Grima, who is extremely similar to Loptous, straight down to using a similar playbook of using a human vessel to reincarnate and anchor him to the world. The similarities were so prominent that some wondered if they were straight-up the same being, although this was ultimately disproven in later games.
  • Take a Third Option: While he still had a physical form, he refused to either become a Manakete or succumb to degeneration (interestingly, by the time he made his decision, he still hadn't succumbed to it, unlike the rest of his kind); he instead formed a blood pact with a human named Gair and encased his powers and will into the Tome of Loptous.
  • The Unreveal: Of all his body, only his head and part of his neck are shown.

Forseti (Holsety)

Class: Sage (shown as one in the attract mode)

One of the dragons who aided the Crusaders in overthrowing the Loptrian Empire. He gave his blood to the warrior Ced and the tome Forseti.


  • A Form You Are Comfortable With: If he just appears as a dragon, he'll have a hard time convincing others, so he took the form of Lewyn. Seliph found out his identity in the very end.
  • Big Good: Under Lewyn's guise, he helped Seliph in defeating the Grannvale Empire and Loptous.
  • Blow You Away: Forseti, the wind tome he created for Crusader Ced and his descendants use.
  • Dragons Are Divine: As a result of his blood-bonding with Ced, he was worshiped as the Wind God of Silesse.
  • Empathic Weapon: To a degree. Forseti himself was the youngest and most Hot-Blooded of the Dragons, so he put a lot of his own power and love for humanity in the tome, and this is not only why the spellbook is so powerful and has his name, but one of the reasons why the Forseti users "inherit Forseti's will as well as his power".
  • God Is Good: As said above, he genuinely loves humanity and is among the most sympathetic to their plight. That said, he's pretty unsympathetic to Ced and Fee when they find him as "Lewyn", so while he does have humanity's best interests at heart, he can be kind of a dick sometimes. (Then again, Forseti within Lewyn was quite gentler to Lene and Tine, so maybe his harshness to Ced and Fee can be seen him trying to Shoo the Dog so the two won't suffer any longer.)
  • Soul Jar: Uses Prince Lewyn as one. It's not clear for how long this has been going on: some sources say it happened as soon as Lahna gave Lewyn the Forseti tome, others say it happened after Belhalla. In the Oosawa manga, it's hinted that Forseti's spirit can speak to Lewyn through the tome itself and he does it for the first time when Erinys gives him the Forseti tome, which in turn was given to her by Lahna; it's not explained, though, if Forseti fully takes control of Lewyn's body in that moment or not. Nonetheless, Forseti takes full control of Lewyn after his death in Belhalla.
  • Voluntary Shapeshifter: Took a human form to contact the Twelve Crusaders, alongside his Dragon siblings.

Naga (Narga)

Divine dragon and the leader of the dragons who aided the Crusaders. Disguised as a young maiden, she gave her blood to Heim and much of her power through the Book of Naga.


For Naga's tropes, see her section here.

Salamander

One of the dragons who aided the Crusaders. He gave his blood to Fjalar.


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