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Tragedy of Duscur

From Fire Emblem Wiki, your source on Fire Emblem information. By fans, for fans.
A young Dimitri watches in horror as his family and the royal guard are massacred.
Avenge us! Those who killed us... Tear them apart! Destroy them all!
—  King Lambert's dying outcry to Dimitri in the Tragedy.

The Tragedy of Duscur was the regicidal assassination of the Faerghus royal family and guard while they on a diplomatic mission to Duscur, and also the retaliatory massacre of the Duscur people, the alleged perpetrators of the initial incident.

Overview

Background

When the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus suffered from a terrible plague in Imperial Year 1165, claiming a number of lives, including the a scholar from the Adrestian Empire named Cornelia Arnim cured the Kingdom's populace. As a reward, King Lambert appointed her the position of Court mage. Sometime before 1168 when she kidnapped and experimented on Hapi, she suffered a sharp change in personality, likely due to the fact she was killed and replaced by an imposter from those who slither in the dark.

Cornelia gave shelter to Imperial Queen Consort Anselma von Arundel in the Kingdom during the Insurrection of the Seven in 1171, at the same time as her brother, Volkhard von Arundel took Imperial Princess Edelgard von Hresvelg to live in Fhirdiad, the Kingdom Capital, for a short time. Soon, Cornelia introduced Anselma to King Lambert, who quickly fell in love with her. Anselma was privately wed to King Lambert, took up the name Patricia, and became the stepmother of Crown Prince Dimitri. Cornelia manipulated Anselma while she was married, for she told Anselma that her daughter Edelgard was staying in Fhirdiad, but Cornelia explained that Lambert was preventing her from seeing Edelgard. She also was a wedge in her marriage, for Anselma and Lambert were almost never allowed to see each other. Dimitri notes that his stepmother was caring, yet distant, for the only memory he has left of her is her staring longingly into the distance. In 1176, Cornelia convinced her to take part in the Tragedy, in exchange to be with Edelgard once again. Anselma's life in the Kingdom had become one of confinement, she would have done anything to see her daughter again. After the Tragedy, Anselma's whereabouts are unknown.

House Kleiman, a noble house from the western Kingdom, was promised by Cornelia to receive power and more land if they took part in the regicide of King Lambert along with those who slither in the dark. House Kleiman, and also Houses Gideon, Mateus, Rowe, and Gaspard assisted in the Tragedy and the massacre thereafter, seeing it as an act of justice, for they disagreed with King Lambert's ideologies.

The Incident

The Faerghus royal family, notably King Lambert, Queen Consort Patricia, Crown Prince Dimitri, along with the royal guard, including scion of House Fraldarius, Glenn, were attacked in their carriages while on a diplomatic trip to the Duscur Peninsula in Imperial Year 1176. Nearly everyone was killed in the incident, the sole survivor being Prince Dimitri. In the Azure Moon route, Duke Rodrigue Fraldarius explains that Lady Patricia's carriage was unharmed as well, and one of Viscount Kleiman's men explains that they were given direct orders to not harm it.

Following the incident, the people of Duscur were unquestionably blamed and slaughtered, with only a few survivors. One of them, Dedue, was personally saved by Prince Dimitri. The Prince attempted to prove that the Duscur people were innocent, for he witnessed the assassination himself, but he was simply ignored.

Aftermath

Immediately afterward, the Kingdom annexed the Duscur peninsula, which became the region now governed by House Kleiman, who were rewarded by Cornelia and those who slither in the dark for their participation in the assassination.

The Tragedy of Duscur is the primary catalyst for Dimitri's insanity seen in all routes except for Crimson Flower. The whispers of his lost family begging him to avenge them with the death of their killers, which drives him to kill anyone he thinks was a part of the incident, including his stepsister Edelgard.

However, contrary to his beliefs, Edelgard was not involved with the Tragedy in any form. Edelgard, as the Flame Emperor, tells Thales and Kronya that the Agarthans will never see their goals through because of both the Tragedy and the Insurrection of the Seven. Edelgard, in Crimson Flower, reveals that her uncle Volkhard von Arundel was behind the entire attack, and since he is secretly the leader of those who slither in the dark, Thales, the Tragedy of Duscur was likely committed in order to give Cornelia higher power within the Kingdom, to the point where she is becomes their ruler, as we see within the Faerghus Dukedom in Part II.

Trivia

Gallery

References

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
White Clouds
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 Black Eagles, if Byleth sides against EdelgardBlue LionsGolden Deer / Outset of a Power Struggle Black Eagles, if Byleth sides with Edelgard
Part II Silver Snow
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
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
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
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 Paralogues Part I Black Market SchemeDLCA Cursed RelicDLCDeath TollDividing the World Black Eagles, if Byleth sides against EdelgardBlue LionsGolden DeerFalling Short of HeavenThe ForgottenLand of the Golden DeerAn Ocean ViewOil and WaterRumored NuptialsThe Secret MerchantDLC Blue LionsGolden DeerSword and Shield of SeirosTales of the Red CanyonTrue ChivalryWar for the Weak Blue Lions
Part II Darkness Beneath the Earth Crimson FlowerDividing the World Silver SnowAzure MoonVerdant WindEternal Guardian Silver SnowAzure MoonVerdant WindThe Face Beneath Silver SnowAzure MoonVerdant WindForeign Land and SkyForgotten HeroInsurmountable Crimson FlowerLegend of the LakeRetribution Silver SnowAzure MoonVerdant WindThe Secret MerchantDLC Crimson FlowerThe Silver Maiden Azure MoonThe Sleeping Sand Legend Verdant WindWeathervanes of Fódlan Azure Moon
Cindered Shadows
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