Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave serves as a prequel to the acclaimed Fire Emblem: Three Houses, weaving in numerous details and lore connections that enrich the established worldbuilding. While playable as a standalone experience, the game provides significant context for elements only hinted at in its predecessor, including the true nature of Crests, the origins of the Agarthans, and a different portrayal of the goddess Sothis.
Chronological Placement
Fortune's Weave is definitively a prequel, though its exact placement in the timeline is complex. In-game references, such as Dagda's past conflict with Brigid and the founding of Garreg Mach Monastery approximately 250 years prior to Three Houses, suggest the game occurs centuries before the events of Three Houses. Further evidence comes from character lineage; Dietrich's mention of Lamine as his great-grandmother, and Lamine's status as one of the Ten Elites, indicates Fortune's Weave takes place generations after the War of Heroes. Considering the War of Heroes occurred 1,000 years before Three Houses, and accounting for potential calendar differences, Fortune's Weave is estimated to be set around 800 years before the events of Three Houses.
The Nature of Crests and Godmarks
Crests, which appeared to be unique to Fodlan in Three Houses, are revealed to have a broader presence. They emerge in individuals descended from the Ten Elites, the Four Saints, or the Four Apostles. The latter group, previously only lore figures in Three Houses, played a role in arming the Ten Elites. The game also reveals that Crests are known as Godmarks in Dagda, where they do not automatically confer status and are sometimes viewed with suspicion or fear, as seen with the character Esmeralda.
In combat, these Crests function similarly to how they did in Three Houses, activating to grant special bonuses. Dietrich's Crest of Lamine, for instance, restores his HP upon activation. Esmeralda's Valor diadem is identified as a variant of the Crest of Blaiddyd, the same lineage that runs through Dimitri's veins in Three Houses.
Unveiling the Agarthans
The enigmatic group known in Three Houses as "Those Who Slither In the Dark" are identified in Fortune's Weave as the Agarthans. These beings arrived on the planet from elsewhere and opposed the Nabateans' influence over humanity. The Agarthans provided the Ten Elites with Crest weaponry, initiating their version of the War of Heroes against the Nabateans. Following perceived atrocities committed by humans and a concern about their transformation into demonic beasts, the Agarthans retreated beneath the surface.
Agartha serves a higher power called Vritra, described as a serpent wrapped around the world or a sentient computer. Vritra orchestrated the arrival of millions of people to the planet, ordering them to crash into a monstrous entity. A faction that defied this order, the People of the White Egg, went into hiding and became outcasts in Dagda. This conflict between underground Agarthans and surface dwellers like the Nabateans draws parallels to British folklore, particularly the concept of ancient underground civilizations like the Tuatha Dé Danann.
Sothis's Primal Power
Sothis appears significantly different in Fortune's Weave, depicted as more powerful and formidable than her often subdued persona in Three Houses. The prequel's timeline explains this shift: Sothis is shown at the height of her power, having previously "undone" the world in an apocalyptic event. Her defeat by humans in Fodlan, which occurred only a few centuries before Fortune's Weave, remains a fresh grievance. While capable of immense destruction, she also exhibits a capricious nature, allowing her creations to act as they see fit, contributing to the state of Dagda.
Furthermore, Fortune's Weave elaborates on Sothis's origins, hinting at her extraterrestrial background mentioned in Three Houses lore. This off-world nature is central to the game's plot, shedding light on her identity and her role in the ongoing conflicts that have plagued the world since her arrival.