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Quintessence

From Fire Emblem Wiki, your source on Fire Emblem information. By fans, for fans.
Nergal creating Kishuna through the power of quintessence.
The substance of the human spirit... Power. Energy. The essence of life itself.
— Nils

Quintessence (Japanese: エーギル Ægir) is the life force of all living things, which can be used for a variety of goals. Quintessence serves a central narrative role in Fire Emblem: The Blazing Blade, though references to this concept exist as early as Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War.

Overview

Characteristics

Quintessence is a fairly simple concept: it is the energy behind all living things. All living things possess quintessence.[1][2][3] The amount of quintessence a living being possesses seems to vary by a large margin, with Nils mentioning that strong-willed people have more,[4] though whether quintessence makes someone strong-willed, or being strong-willed makes someone produce a lot of quintessence is unspecified. Quintessence can be used for a variety of purposes; it can be used to fuel powerful magic like Ereshkigal, it can be used to create creatures like morphs, and—at least with Valkyrie—it is involved in properly reviving the dead.[1]

According to Shouzou Kaga, quintessence – at least in Genealogy of the Holy War – represents a "force of fate" which is tied to the pre-ordained destiny of individuals. The Valkyrie Staff can only be used to resurrect people who were not actually destined to die yet and thus presumably still possess their quintessence, or force of fate. Accordingly, the staff cannot save people who actually have met their pre-ordained death, such as the first-generation cast after the Battle of Belhalla, presumably because they no longer have a force of fate.[5]

In both games that it appears and is mentioned in, dragons appear to be the first ones to utilize quintessence. In Elibe, the dragon research in Arcadia mentions how to harness quintessence, and in Jugdral, the dragon-created Valkyrie Staff utilizes quintessence in some manner.

History

Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War

Unlike The Blazing Blade, quintessence serves more as a background world-building element than something of central plot importance. When Claud was traveling to Bragi Tower with Tailtiu he started explaining it to her, but she interrupted him. He states that the Valkyrie staff uses quintessence in some way or another, and it is involved with the ritual to revive someone from death, though he fails to elaborate as he is interrupted by Tailtiu.

Fire Emblem: The Blazing Blade

In The Blazing Blade quintessence takes a far more central role in the game's plot. The main antagonist, Nergal, had been experimenting with quintessence for roughly half a millennium to recover his wife since the Scouring. Along the way, his dabbling in the dark arts slowly erased his memories of his original goal, though he did not realize this until shortly before his death. Nergal's primary source of power was quintessence, which he took mostly from humans; he had plans for using dragon quintessence to further his goals, though he was unsuccessful. Nergal also used quintessence to create his army of morphs and to speak to, and control, dragons beyond the Dragon's Gate.[6]

In gameplay

Outside of the fact that the Valkyrie Staff uses quintessence in some way as well as quintessence being used to craft morphs, which the player has to fight, quintessence has no gameplay functions, and is purely a concept pertaining to living things in Elibe and Jugdral.

Trivia

Etymology and other languages

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

Quintessence

A word derived from Latin quinta essentia, or "fifth essence". Being the fifth element of the other fundamental elements, which are generally fire, water, earth, and air.[7]

English
(unofficial)

Aegir

Used in earlier Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War fan translations.

Japanese

エーギル

From Ægir, a jötunn in Norse mythology associated with the ocean.

Spanish

Quintaesencia

Quintessence

French

Quintessence

--

German

Quintessenz

Quintessence. Occasionally abbreviated to "Essenz" in certain dialogues.

Italian

Quintessenza

Quintessence

Gallery

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 "This is a legendary magical staff with the power to restore life to the deceased. [...] Valkyrie is limited in many particular ways, and so cannot be used on just any lost soul. You see, all of mankind is born bearing a life force called quintessence, which—" — Claud in Chapter 3, Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War
  2. "That's what Nergal called it. The substance of the human spirit... Power. Energy. The essence of life itself. ...Nergal, he stole this quintessence." — Nils explaining quintessence, Fire Emblem: The Blazing Blade
  3. "He learned the art of stealing the essence from living creatures and turning it into power. ...It was terrible. When we discovered what he was doing, the elders and I tried to persuade him to stop. But the power bewitched him, and he was deaf to our pleas. He started with small creatures and grew ever more confident. Then, he began draining the quintessence of humans." — Athos, Fire Emblem: The Blazing Blade
  4. "It seems the quintessence in each person varies in strength. A person of strong mind and body has hundreds of times more energy than the average person." — Nils, explaining quintessence, Fire Emblem: The Blazing Blade
  5. Kaga, S.; trans. Amielleon, Kaga Interviews (P6/Q9), Fire Emblem (according to Japan), Published: January, 1999 (trans. 22 February, 2013), Retrieved: 24 May, 2015
  6. "The dragon girl... Ninian's essence. Beautiful... Absolutely beautiful...... With this, I will be able to call dragons whenever I please." — Nergal, Fire Emblem: The Blazing Blade
  7. Quintessence (webpage), en.wiktionary.org, Published: 14 March, 2005, Retrieved: 3 October, 2015
Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War
Playable characters First gen. AlecArdenAyraAzelleBeowolfBrigidChulainnClaudDeirdreDewEdainErinysEthlynFinnJamkeLachesisLewynLexMidirNaoiseQuanSigurdSilviaTailtiu
Second gen. AltenaAresArthur/AmidCed/HawkCoirpre/CharlotDiarmuid/TristanFebail/AsaelloFee/HerminaFinnHannibalIucharIucharbaJuliaLana/MuirneLarcei/CreidneLeifLene/LayleaLester/DeimneNanna/JeanneOifeyPatty/DaisyScáthach/DalvinSeliphShannanTine/Linda
Non-playable characters First gen. AidaAlvaAnnandArvisAzmurBatuByronCalfCigyunEldiganEthniaEvaEveGrahnyeImcaKurthManananMariccleOifeyLahnaRingShannanTravantVictor
Second gen. AnnaFelipeJakeLewynPalmarch
Bosses First gen. AndreyBeowolfBordeauxChagallCimbaethClementCuvuliDaccarDiMaggioDíthorbaDonovanDuvallElliotEldiganErinysGerrardJacobiJamkeLamiaLombardMacbethMagornMyosMunnirPamelaPapilioPhilipPizareReptorSandimaSlayderVajaWaltzZane
Second gen. AltenaAnguillaArionArvisBanbaBaranBlegBloomBovisBoyceBramselBrianCanisCoulterDagonDanannDistlerDracoEquusEriuFisherFotlaGallusHannibalHaroldHildaIshtarIshtoreIucharIucharbaJavarroJudahJuliaJuliusJuphielKanatzKutuzovLizaMabelManfroyMaykovMengMorriganMuhammadMusMusarOvisOvoPorcusRiddellRobertoRodanSchmidtScipioSimiaTine/LindaTigrisTravantZagam
Background characters BaldrBragiCedDáinnFjalarGairHeimHoðrForsetiLoptousMaeraNagaNálNjörunOdSalamanderThrudUllr
Holy Weapons BalmungForsetiGáe BolgGungnirHelswathLoptousMjölnirMystletainnNagaTyrfingValflameValkyrieYewfelle
Chapters First gen. P: Birth of a Holy Knight • 1: Lady of the Forest • 2: Crisis in Agustria • 3: Eldigan, the Lionheart • 4: Dance in the Skies • 5: Doorway to Destiny
Second gen. 6: Heir of Light • 7: Beyond the Desert • 8: The Wyvern Knights of Thracia • 9: For Whose Sake • 10: Light and DarkE: End of the Holy War
Locations JugdralAed Desert (Dahna) • Agustria (Bragi TowerNordionOrgahil) • Grannvale (BelhallaChalphyDozelEddaFriegeVelthomerYngvi) • Isaach (Tirnanog) • Munster District (ConnachtLeonsterMunsterUlster) • MiletosSilesseThraciaVerdane
Groups, objects and events 12 crusadersAed MassacreBattle of BelhallaChild huntsCross KnightsFall of LeonsterFinal Holy WarHoly BloodHoly WarKnight brigades of GrannvaleLanceritterLoptr Church (DeadlordsLoptrian Empire) • Miracle of DahnaQuintessence
Lists ChaptersCharactersClasses (Class change) • Hidden map eventsItemsScriptsSkillsWeapons
Related topics TreasureGenealogy of the Holy War ExceedŌsawa manga adaptationFujimori manga adaptationSuzuki novelizationHeir of LightName chart • Other games (Mystery of the EmblemThracia 776Awakening) • Timeline
Fire Emblem: The Blazing Blade
Playable characters AthosBartreCanasDartDorcasEliwoodErkFarinaFioraFlorinaGeitzGuyHarkenHawkeyeHeathHectorIsadoraJaffarKarelKarlaKentLegaultLouiseLowenLuciusLynMarcusMatthewMerlinusNilsNinianNinoOswinPentPriscillaRathRavenRebeccaRenaultSainSerraVaidaWallaceWil
Non-playable characters BramimondDesmondElbertEleanoraEphidelFaeFargusGuinivereHannahHausenHelleneHelmanIgorJahnJakeJanKishunaLeilaLilinaMarkMurdockNatalieReissmannRoySophiaUtherZephiel
Bosses AionBattaBaukerBernardBeyardBoiesBoolBrendanBugCameronCarjigaDamianDarinDenningDragonEaglerErikEubansFargusGeorgGlassGroznyiHeintzJasmineJermeKaimKennethKishunaLimstellaLinusLloydLundgrenMaximeMigalNergalOlegPascalPaulPuzonSealenSoniaTeodorUhaiUrsulaVaidaWireYogiZaganZoldamZugu
Background characters AenirAeshaAthosBariganBramimondDurbanElimineHanonHartmutHassarKellesMadelynRoland
Regalia and personal weapons ArmadsAureolaBasilikosDurandalEreshkigalExcaliburForblazeGespenstLuceMani KattiRapierRegal BladeRex HastaRienflecheSol KattiWolf Beil
Chapters Lyn's Tale P: A Girl from the Plains • 1: Footsteps of Fate • 2: Sword of Spirits • 3: Band of Mercenaries • 4: In Occupation's Shadow • 5: Beyond the Borders • 6: Blood of Pride • 7: Siblings Abroad • 7x: The Black Shadow • 8: Vortex of Strategy • 9: A Grim Reunion • 10: The Distant Plains
Eliwood's Tale 11: Taking Leave • 12: Birds of a Feather • 13: In Search of Truth • 13x: The Peddler Merlinus • 14: False Friends • 15: Noble Lady of Caelin • 16: Whereabouts Unknown • 16x: The Port of Badon • 17: Pirate Ship • 18: The Dread Isle • 18x: Imprisoner of Magic • 19: Dragon's Gate • 20: New Resolve • 21: Kinship's Bond • 22: Living Legend • 22x: Genesis • 23: Four-Fanged Offense (Lloyd, Linus) • 24: Unfulfilled Heart • 25: Pale Flower of Darkness (Kenneth, Jerme) • 26: Battle before Dawn • 26x: Night of Farewells • 27: Cog of Destiny • 28: Valorous Roland • 29: Sands of Time • 29x: Battle Preparations • 30: Victory or DeathF: Light (part 1part 2)
Hector's Tale 11: Another Journey • 12: Birds of a Feather • 13: In Search of Truth • 13x: The Peddler Merlinus • 14: False Friends • 15: Talons Alight • 16: Noble Lady of Caelin • 17: Whereabouts Unknown • 17x: The Port of Badon • 18: Pirate Ship • 19: The Dread Isle • 19x: Imprisoner of Magic • 19x pt 2: A Glimpse in Time • 20: Dragon's Gate • 21: New Resolve • 22: Kinship's Bond • 23: Living Legend • 23x: Genesis • 24: Four-Fanged Offense (Lloyd, Linus) • 25: Crazed Beast • 26: Unfulfilled Heart • 27: Pale Flower of Darkness (Kenneth, Jerme) • 28: Battle before Dawn • 28x: Night of Farewells • 29: Cog of Destiny • 30: The Berserker • 31: Sands of Time • 31x: Battle Preparations • 32: Victory or Death • 32x: The Value of LifeF: Light (part 1part 2)
Locations ElibeBern (Shrine of Seals) • EtruriaIliaLycia (AraphenCaelinCornwellKhatheletLausOstiaPheraeSantaruz) • Nabata Desert (Arcadia) • Sacae (Bulgar) • Valor (Dragon's Gate) • Western Isles
Groups, objects and concepts Black Fang (Four Fangs) • Fire EmblemGenerals of EtruriaMorphsQuintessenceThe Scouring
Lists ChaptersCharactersClasses (Class change) • Hidden treasureItemsScriptsSupportsWeapons
Related topics List of version differencesMario Kart: Double Dash!! bonus discName chart • Other games (The Binding Blade) • Pre-release information (Pre-release build 0206Pre-release build 0219Unused content) • Sound RoomTimeline