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Prologue IV

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

Cm fe11 prologue 4.png

Location

Altea Outskirts

New units

Gordin, Draug, Norne

Boss(es)

Captain

Previous chapter(s)

Prologue III

Next chapter(s)

Marth Embarks

Prologue IV (Japanese: 序章 結 Prologue: Conclusion) is the fourth chapter in Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon on Normal difficulty, and the final chapter of the game's prologue.

Plot

Main article: Prologue IV/Script

Marth lays low in a forest on the Altean border, waiting for an opening to escape the kingdom. Eventually, the enemy watch begins to weaken, and Marth and company seize the opportunity to flee. Malledus explains that the plan is to escape to Talys, an island kingdom to the east which is allied with Altea. The group will cut through a prison to reach the northeast shore, where a boat will take them to safety. Malledus reminds Marth to be on the lookout for enemies who are fighting against their will or better judgement, who may be convinced to defect to Marth's side.

As Marth makes his way to the prison, the enemy captain decides to set a trap for Marth. The Gra forces dress up a captured Altean archer named Gordin in their uniform and leave him restrained and gagged in the prison, hoping for Marth to mistake him for an enemy soldier plotting an ambush. If Marth kills him, it will damage Altean morale by making Marth look like a tyrant who kills his own men.

If Marth sees through the ruse and frees Gordin, who promptly joins his group, King Jiol of Gra outflanks them with a retinue of Grust's elite Sable Order knights. Malledus realizes that their only hope of survival is to send a decoy dressed as Marth to lure the Sable Order away. Marth protests, realizing that the decoy would have almost no chance of survival, but Malledus insists. One of Marth's men dresses as Marth and flees, and Jiol and the Sable Order fall for the ruse and chase him. The Gra captain then unlocks the north door, allowing Marth to proceed. If Marth falls for the trick and kills Gordin, the captain mocks him for his foolishness before unlocking the door. The captain also unlocks the door if Marth's entire retinue is wiped out.

Marth overcomes the last of the enemy forces. An Altean knight named Draug arrives with a boat to flee Altea discreetly; if two or more of Marth's men have been killed during the escape, he is accompanied by a volunteer archer named Norne. If Marth recruited Gordin, Jiol and the Sable Knights realize their folly and prepare to kill the decoy, who bids Marth good luck before facing his fate. As Marth and his crew finally make for Talys, Marth laments the loss of his family and kingdom. He again vows to save Altea and defeat Gra and Dolhr.

Chapter data

Chapter Data
Conditions
Unit Data
Victory: Seize Player Partner Other Enemy
Defeat: Marth dies 5+1 {{{partner}}} {{{other}}} 9+15−1−10
Cm fe11 prologue 4.png
Map dimensions:
19 columns by 30 rows

Character data

Characters
New units
Gordin
Portrait gordin fe11.png
Archer
HP
18
Inventory
--
Level
1
Enemy, talk to with Marth
Draug
Portrait draug fe11.png
Knight
HP
20
Inventory
Iron Lance
Level
1
Automatically at the end of the chapter
Norne
Portrait norne fe11.png
Archer
HP
16
Inventory
Iron Bow
Level
1
Automatically at the end of the chapter, if two or more units died in the prologue
Required characters
Marth prologue ​
Available characters
Abel ​Frey ​Cain ​Jagen ​

Item data

Items
Name Obtainment Method
Is ds door key.png Door Key Automatically at the start of the chapter
Is ds iron bow.png Iron Bow Dropped by enemy Archer
Is ds steel bow.png Steel Bow Visit the village
Is ds vulnerary.png Vulnerary Dropped by the Captain

Enemy data

Stats with a decimal can vary randomly; the decimal represents the chance for the stat to increase to the nearest integer, or otherwise be truncated.
Enemy Units
Name Class Lv # HP Str Mag Skill Spd Lck Prf Def Res Cha Lck Con Mov Inventory and Skills
Ma ds01 cavalier enemy.gif Captain Cavalier 2 1 18.6 5.35 0 2.3 6.2 0.2 7.3 0.2 -- Javelin VulneraryThis item is dropped upon this unit's defeat.
Stands on the chapter's seize point.
Ma ds01 mage enemy.gif Gra Mage 1 1 16 0 3 1 3 0 2 3 6 Fire
Begins moving if the northern Soldier is provoked.
Ma ds01 soldier enemy.gif Gra Soldier 1 3 16 3 0 3 4 0 3 0 6 Iron Lance
• The northern one begins moving if the Mage is provoked.
• The southern two both begin moving if either of them or the nearby Archer is provoked.
Ma ds01 archer enemy.gif Gra Archer 1 1 16 5 0 3 4 0 6 0 5 Iron Bow
Begins moving if a southern Soldier is provoked.
Ma ds01 archer enemy.gif Gra Archer 1 1 16 5 0 3 4 0 4 0 5 Iron BowThis item is dropped upon this unit's defeat.
Begins moving if a nearby Fighter is provoked.
Ma ds01 fighter enemy.gif Gra Fighter 1 1 20 5 0 1 7 0 2 0 6 Hand Axe Vulnerary
Begins moving if the nearby Archer or Fighter is provoked.
Ma ds01 fighter enemy.gif Gra Fighter 1 1 20 5 0 1 7 0 2 0 6 Iron Axe
Begins moving if the nearby Archer or Fighter is provoked.
Reinforcements
Name Class Lv # HP Str Mag Skill Spd Lck Prf Def Res Cha Lck Con Mov Inventory and Skills
Ma ds01 archer enemy.gif Gordin Archer 1 1 18 5 0 3 4 4 6 0 5 --
--
Ma ds01 pegasus knight enemy.gif Gra Pegasus Knight 1 4 16 4 2 5 7 0 4 6 8 Iron Lance
--
Ma ds01 knight enemy.gif Gra Knight 11 10 35 11 0 5 2 0 17 1 5 Silver Lance
Leaves the map once a decoy is chosen.

Reinforcements

  • Enemy phase of turn 1
  • Turns 7 and 14
  • At the end of the turn Gordin is recruited
    • Ten Knights from the southwest corner of the map
      • These reinforcements leave the map once a decoy is chosen.

Boss data

Main article: Captain
Stats with a decimal can vary randomly; the decimal represents the chance for the stat to increase to the nearest integer, or otherwise be truncated.
Portrait captain fe11.png
Ma ds01 cavalier enemy.gif Cavalier
Level 2
Movement --
Stats
Max HP 18.6 Speed 6.2
Strength 5.35 Luck 0.2
Magic 0 Defense 7.3
Skill 2.3 Resistance 0.2
Inventory
Javelin
VulneraryThis item is dropped upon this unit's defeat.
Weapon Levels
Swords E Lances C Axes --
Bows -- Tomes -- Staves --

Strategy

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

New Unit:

  • Gordin: An archer with average base stats and growths, consistent with other starting bow units in the game.

Strategy:

  • Continue with the cautious approach.
  • Upon recruiting Gordin, invincible Knights attack. To proceed, you must sacrifice a unit. Best Option: Gordin, due to his lower stats. Alternative Options: Sacrificing Jagen alters some future scenes and brings Draug into the picture. However, Frey is the canonical sacrifice. Ensure you transfer the items of the sacrificed unit. Note: If Gordin is the sacrifice, consider having Marth kill him for added experience. This action will automatically open the north door.
  • If all units except Marth are defeated, the north door will open, although this isn't the recommended strategy.
  • Engage incoming Pegasus Knights for bonus experience. Gordin can benefit from this if you retain him.
  • The Captain is vulnerable to Marth's Rapier, which triples its might against cavalry.

Potential New Recruit:

  • Norne: If two or more units (including the decoy) are lost in the prologue, this archer joins. Norne is quicker but weaker than Gordin. Choosing between the two archers is subjective. Using both is feasible, but not recommended since recruiting Norne requires another Cavalier's loss and Castor joins in Chapter 2. Reclassing becomes available from Chapter 4, offering more strategic flexibility.

Etymology and other languages

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

Prologue IV

--

Japanese

序章 結

Prologue: Conclusion; "conclusion" here is the fourth of four phases of a narrative with the kishōtenketsu structure.

Spanish

Prólogo IV

Prologue IV

French

Prologue IV

As above.

German

Prolog IV

Prologue IV

Italian

Prologo IV

Prologue IV

Gallery


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References

← Prologue III • Prologue IV • Marth Embarks →
Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon
Playable characters AbelArranAstramAthenaBantuBarstBeckBoahBordCaedaCaesarCainCastorCatriaCordDarrosDolphDraugEliceEstEtzelFreyGordinGotohHardinHoraceJagenJakeJeorgeJulianLenaLindeLorenzMacellanMariaMarthMatthisMerricMidiaMinervaNagiNavarreNorneOgmaPallaRaddRickardRogerRosheaSamsonSedgarTikiTomasVylandWendellWolfWrysXaneYmir
Non-playable characters Aurelis KingMalledusNynaTalys King
Bosses BathysBentheonCamusCaptainDactylDejaniraEmereusGazzakGharnefGomerGrigasHarmeinHeimlerHollstadtHymanJiolKannivalKhozenLarissaMannuMedeusMerachMichalisMorzasOrridyonSternlinTikiVolzhinXemcelZharov
Background characters AdrahAnriArtemisCaldasIoteLizaLudwikMarlonMarcelusNagaOrdwin
Regalia and personal weapons AumFalchionFire EmblemGradivusImhulluHauteclereMercuriusParthiaRapierStarlightWing Spear
Chapters P: Prologue I • P: Prologue II • P: Prologue III • P: Prologue IV • 1: Marth Embarks • 2: The Pirates of Galder • 3: A Brush in the Teeth • 4: Battle in the Lea • 5: Champions of Aurelis • 6: Fire Emblem • 6x: In War's Grip • 7: Lefcandith Gauntlet • 8: Port Warren • 9: The Pyrathi Dragon • 10: Princess Minerva • 11: Knorda Market • 12: The Ageless Palace • 12x: A Traitor's Worth • 13: The Wooden Cavalry • 14: Land of Sorrow • 15: An Oasis of Magic • 16: The Battle for Altea • 17: Star and Savior • 17x: Helena Castle • 18: The Sable Order • 19: Manakete Princess • 20: Camus the Sable • 20x: The Lair of Fire • 21: Clash in Macedon • 22: A Knight-Filled Sky • 23: Dark Pontifex • 24: The Dragonkin Realm • 24x: The AlterspireE: Chosen by Fate
Locations ArchaneaAlteaAurelisDolhrGraGrustKhadeinKingdom of ArchaneaMacedonPyrathiTalysThabes
Groups, objects and concepts Archanean LeagueDragons (Divine DragonEarth DragonManakete) • DragoonsSable OrderWar of LiberationWar of ShadowsWhitewinged Order
Lists ChaptersCharactersClasses (Class change) • ConversationsItemsScriptsSupportsWeapons
Related topics List of version differences (Name chart) • Other games (Shadow Dragon & the Blade of LightGaidenNew Mystery of the EmblemAwakening) • Pre-release information (Unused content) • Sound RoomTimeline