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Darkness Beneath the Earth

From Fire Emblem Wiki, your source on Fire Emblem information. By fans, for fans.

Darkness Beneath the Earth (Japanese: 地の底に広がる闇 Darkness Spreading Beneath the Earth) is a paralogue chapter in Fire Emblem: Three Houses. It is available from Chapter 15 to Chapter 17. In order to attempt this paralogue, the player must have recruited Hubert and he must not have fallen in battle previously; by extension, this paralogue is exclusive to the Crimson Flower route. In this chapter, Hubert, Byleth, and others reluctantly rescue some of those who slither in the dark from a horde of monsters.

Darkness Beneath the Earth

Cm fe16 darkness beneath the earth.png

Location

Sealed Forest

Boss(es)

None

Plot

Main article: Darkness Beneath the Earth/Script

During one of Byleth's visits to Hubert, the latter tells them how he had been researching those who slither in the dark. Just then, they receive a surprise visit from Lord Arundel, who requests the Imperial Army's help with saving some of his minions in the Sealed Forest from untamed Demonic Beasts.

Once the mission is successful and Lord Arundel leaves, Hubert comments how the whole situation was most likely a ploy from those who slither in the dark, trying to intimidate the Empire with their resources should they attempt to fight against them in future. Hubert then states how the mission's success most likely sent out the opposite message instead, and when both sides eventually clash in the shadows, he expects Byleth's help to be a great asset.

Beginning log

Hubert reveals some of his thoughts about the mysterious power aiding the Empire with strange technology. As fate would have it, a visitor chooses that moment to arrive...

Chapter data

Chapter Data
Conditions
Unit Data
Victory: Rout the enemy Player Partner Other Enemy
Defeat: Byleth or Edelgard dies*, or Hubert dies 2–10 {{{partner}}} 5 6
 
Map dimensions:
20 columns by 30 rows

Character data

Characters
New units

None

Required characters
  
Available characters
                             

Item data

Items
Name Obtainment Method
  Seraph Robe Open the chest
  Arrow of Indra Automatically at the end of the chapter if at least half of the NPC Dark Bishops survived

Enemy data

Normal Hard Maddening

Enemy Units
Name Class Lv # HP Str Mag Dex Spd Lck Prf Def Res Cha Lck Con Mov Inventory and Skills
  Winged Demonic Beast Flying Demonic Beast 29 3 30
30
43
18 4 14 20 0 6 9 0 5   Pointy Artificial Crest Stone
  Renewal  Barrier  Vital Defense  Giant Wings  Desperation    Darting Blow  
  Flame Breath
Immediately begins moving unprovoked.
  Demonic Beast Demonic Beast 29 1 46
46
69
24 4 15 8 0 18 7 0 4   Artificial Crest Stone S
  Renewal  Seal Strength  Barrier  Vital Defense  Vantage    Strength +2  
  Flame Breath
  Weak to Lances.
• Immediately begins moving unprovoked.
  Demonic Beast Demonic Beast 29 1 46
46
69
24 4 15 8 0 18 7 0 4   Artificial Crest Stone S
  Renewal  Seal Strength  Barrier  Vital Defense  Vantage    Strength +2  
  Flame Breath
  Weak to Axes.
• Immediately begins moving unprovoked.
  Demonic Beast Demonic Beast 29 1 46
46
69
24 4 15 8 0 18 7 0 4   Artificial Crest Stone S
  Renewal  Seal Strength  Barrier  Vital Defense  Vantage    Strength +2  
  Flame Breath
  Weak to Swords.
• Immediately begins moving unprovoked.

NPC data

Normal Hard Maddening

NPC Units
Name Class Lv # HP Str Mag Dex Spd Lck Prf Def Res Cha Lck Con Mov Inventory and Skills
  Mysterious Mage Dark Bishop 29 5 42+5 8 26 14 14 13 12+2 26 18+1 4   Banshee Θ  Silver Shield  Fire  Miasma Δ
  Miasma Δ  Fiendish Blow  Heartseeker  HP +5  Defense +2  Avo +10
  Mysterious Magic Users Lv 5:   Resonant Flames
--

Strategy

This section details unofficial strategies that may help with completion of the chapter. This may not work for everybody.

Keep your bows at the top, sword and bow users in the middle, and units that can use axes and swords at the bottom. Almost all of the Demonic Beasts seem to ignore your units until they've killed their closest slitherer. The only exceptions are for the Flying Demonic Beast in the top left and the Demonic Beast close to the chest, who will be engaged by the Dark Bishop to its right (the one on the left will just watch his friend die).

Each of the Dark Bishops have about 2 turns to live with no interference, pulling off a gambit on their first chance to attack, and with enough health to survive one round against the beasts on maddening. They aren't very smart however, and will suicide themselves against the Demonic Beasts given the chance. You can keep them alive longer by breaking all of a monster's barriers the turn they will attack them with tomes, preventing counterattacks. If you need to stall for time to collect the Seraph Robe, using Bernadetta to safely lock a Demonic Beast in place via Encloser works well.

Note that you only have to save half of those who slither in the dark to get the reward; the only punishment is that Lord Arundel whines at you after the battle. As a result, this might be the easiest paralogue in the game, with no special changes for maddening.

Trivia

  • The various spaces of "rock" terrain that can be seen on the map are actually the destroyed bodies of Golems.
  • If zoom view is used to observe the northern cliff, one can find a rock bearing the Crest of Flames.

Etymology and other languages

Names, etymology, and in other regions
Language Name Definition, etymology, and notes
English

Darkness Beneath the Earth

--

Japanese

地の底に広がる闇

Darkness Spreading Beneath the Earth

Spanish

La bestia desbocada

The runaway beast

French

Dans les entrailles de la terre

In the depths of the earth

German

Dunkelheit unter der Erde

Darkness under the Earth

Italian

Il buio sotto terra

The dark underground

Korean

땅속에 퍼지는 어둠

Darkness spreading underground

Simplified Chinese

于地底扩散的黑暗

Darkness spreading underground

Traditional Chinese

於地底擴散的黑暗

Darkness spreading underground

Gallery


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References

Darkness Beneath the Earth
Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Playable characters Black Eagles BernadettaCasparDorotheaEdelgardFerdinandHubertLinhardtPetra
Blue Lions AnnetteAsheDedueDimitriFelixIngridMercedesSylvain
Golden Deer ClaudeHildaIgnatzLeonieLorenzLysitheaMarianneRaphael
Other AloisAnnaDLCBylethCatherineCyrilFlaynGilbertHannemanJeritzaManuelaSetethShamir
Ashen WolvesDLC BalthusConstanceHapiYuri
Non-playable characters AbysskeeperDLCDuke AegirFlecheGatekeeperDuke GerthIonius IXJeraltJudithLadislavaNaderRandolphRheaRodrigueSothis
Bosses AcheronAelfricDLCAloisLord ArundelBiasBlaiddydCasparCatherineCharonChilonClaudeCorneliaDaphnelDedueDeath KnightDimitriDominicBaron DominicEdelgardFelixFerdinandFlame EmperorFlaynFraldariusGautierGloucesterGonerilGwendalHubertIngridThe Immaculate OneThe ImmovableJudithKostasKronyaLadislavaLamineLinhardtLonatoLorenzMercedesMetodeyMiklanMysonNaderNemesisBaron OchsDLCOdessePallardóPittacusRandolphRheaRieganRodrigueSetethShamirSolonSylvainThalesWandering BeastThe Wind Caller
Background characters Lord ArundelCount BergliezCorneliaMargrave GautierGlennCount GloucesterCount HevringHolstLambertMonicaPatriciaRufusSeirosSitriTomasTianaCount Varley
Personal weapons and regalia Aegis ShieldAreadbharAsclepiusAthameAxe of UkonvasaraAymrBlutgangCaduceus StaffCirce StaffCrusherFailnaughtFetters of DromiFreikugelThe InexhaustibleLance of RuinLúinOchain ShieldRafail GemScythe of SarielSeiros ShieldSpear of AssalSword of BegaltaSword of MoraltaSword of SeirosSword of the CreatorTathlum BowThunderbrandThyrsusVajra-Mushti
Chapters Part I
 
P: An Inevitable Encounter • 1: Three Houses • 2: Familiar Scenery • 3: Mutiny in the Mist • 4: The Goddess's Rite of Rebirth • 5: Tower of Black Winds • 6: Rumors of a Reaper • 7: Field of the Eagle and Lion • 8: The Flame in the Darkness • 9: The Cause of Sorrow • 10: Where the Goddess Dwells • 11: Throne of Knowledge • 12: To War     / Outset of a Power Struggle  
Part II Silver Snow
 
13: Reunion at Dawn • 14: A King Without a Kingdom • 15: Valley of Torment • 16: The Rose-Colored River • 17: The Impregnable Fortress • 18: The Chaos of War • 19: Conclusion of the Crossing Roads • 20: The City Without Light • 21: Following a Dream
Azure Moon
 
13: Reunion at Dawn • 14: The Delusional Prince • 15: Valley of Torment • 16: The Rose-Colored River • 17: Blood of the Eagle and Lion • 18: The King's Triumphant Return • 19: The Golden Deer's Plea • 20: The Impregnable Fortress • 21: Our Chosen Paths • 22: Oath of the Dagger
Verdant Wind
 
13: Reunion at Dawn • 14: The Alliance Leader's Ambitions • 15: Valley of Torment • 16: The Rose-Colored River • 17: Blood of the Eagle and Lion • 18: The Golden Scheme • 19: The Chaos of War • 20: Conclusion of the Crossing Roads • 21: The City Without Light • 22: Fódlan's New Dawn
Crimson Flower
 
13: Beyond Escape • 14: The Master Tactician • 15: Tempest of Swords and Shields • 16: Lady of Deceit • 17: Field of Revenge • 18: To the End of a Dream
Paralogues   Part I Black Market SchemeDLCA Cursed RelicDLCDeath TollDividing the World    Falling Short of HeavenThe ForgottenLand of the Golden DeerAn Ocean ViewOil and WaterRumored NuptialsThe Secret MerchantDLC   Sword and Shield of SeirosTales of the Red CanyonTrue ChivalryWar for the Weak  
Part II Darkness Beneath the Earth  Dividing the World    Eternal Guardian    The Face Beneath    Foreign Land and SkyForgotten HeroInsurmountable  Legend of the LakeRetribution    The Secret MerchantDLC  The Silver Maiden  The Sleeping Sand Legend  Weathervanes of Fódlan  
Cindered Shadows
 
1: The Fourth House • 2: What Lies Beneath • 3: The Rite of Rising • 4: Danger in the Dark • 5: Betrayal • 6: Return to Me • 7: Wolf Pack
Locations FódlanAdrestiaFaerghusGarreg Mach Monastery (Abyss) • LeicesterAlmyraBrigidDagdaSrengZahras
Groups, objects and concepts 10 ElitesAshen WolvesBlack Eagles (Black Eagle Strike Force) • Blue LionsChildren of the GoddessChurch of Seiros (Knights of Seiros) • Crests (Crest Stone) • Divine PulseGolden DeerHeroes' RelicsInsurrection of the SevenMonstersThose who slither in the darkTragedy of DuscurWar of Heroes
Lists AbilitiesChaptersCharactersClasses (Class change) • Hidden treasureItems (Monastery items) • QuestsScriptsSupportsWeapons
Related topics Music LibraryName chart • Other games (Warriors: Three Hopes) • Pre-release informationUnused contentDownloadable contentClass mastery