Latecomer's Sorrow (Japanese:後れてきた者One who arrived late) is the third chapter ofFire Emblem: The Binding Blade. In this chapter,Roy must retakeCastle Araphen, which was attacked and captured by two of Bern's elite generals,Brunnya andNarcian.

Plot

Main article:Latecomer's Sorrow/Script

On his way to Araphen to meet with Hector,Roy learns from a messenger that the Bernese generalsBrunnya andNarcian have decimated the Lycian army. This lowers the morale of his troops, but Roy continues toward the castle anyway, as he wants to assess the situation and find survivors.

Meanwhile, in Araphen, KingZephiel meets Hector, who was captured during the battle. He tells Hector that he plans to "liberate the world," then throws Hector into the dungeon and leaves him there to die. Afterwards, Brunnya tells Zephiel that she is heading to Sacae, but also brings up the fact that the soldiers fear the dark priestess Zephiel has aligned himself with. Zephiel dismisses Brunnya's concerns and she apologizes for bringing up the subject before leaving.

Roy arrives in Araphen and learns fromChad that Hector is alive, but being held prisoner in the castle. The lord wants to free Hector, and although Chad sees this as suicide, he joins Roy's army just to fight Bern.

The battle begins, and in the midst of it, a bishop of the Elimine Church visits the local village to take in some orphans.Lugh thanks the bishop for this act, but remains in the village himself. When Roy's forces visit that village, Lugh joins Roy's army. If Chad talks to Lugh, Chad is mortified to learn that Lugh wants to fight Bern and tries to dissuade the mage from joining Roy, but Lugh is not swayed and Chad gives in.

As the battle continues, King Zephiel takes note. He declares that he is returning to Bern and orders Narcian to kill anyone who opposes his troops. After Zephiel and Idunn leave, Narcian ordersSlater to take care of the Lycian remnants before leaving himself to meet an Etrurian noblewoman.

The fight eventually ends with Slater losing and Roy meeting Hector in the dungeon. Hector is almost dead and beyond saving, but before he dies, he tells Roy what happened and what he should do next. Lycia lost the battle at Araphen because Bern deployed dragons - the same dragons as the ones fromThe Scouring. Roy should now go toOstia, not only to protect it, but also to obtain a dragonslaying weapon that is in the area.

Chapter data

NormalHard

Chapter Data
Conditions	Unit Data
Victory: Seize	Player	Partner	Other	Enemy	Third
Defeat:Roy dies	13+1	{{{partner}}}	{{{other}}}	18+7	{{{third}}}
Map dimensions: 25 columns by 22 rows

Chapter Data
Conditions	Unit Data
Victory: Seize	Player	Partner	Other	Enemy	Third
Defeat:Roy dies	13+1	{{{partner}}}	{{{other}}}	18+13	{{{third}}}
Map dimensions: 25 columns by 22 rows

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Units are arranged based on their position in deployment order. If every unit is alive, the deployment order is:Marcus,Alen,Bors,Wolt,Lance,Merlinus,Elen,Ward,Lot,Dieck, andShanna.

Character data

Characters
New units
Chad Thief HP 16 Inventory Iron Sword Lockpick Level 1 Automatically from turn 1 Lugh Mage HP 16 Inventory Fire Vulnerary Level 1 Visit the northernvillage
Forcibly deployed characters
Available characters

Item data

Items

Name Obtainment Method Mend Visiting the southernvillage Vulnerary Steal from enemyKnight Poleax Open leftchest 3,000G Open rightchest

Enemy data

Stats with two figures separated by a ~ are presented as a range, representing stats that vary due to random growths. The figures to the left and right of the ~ are the stat's minimum and maximum possible values respectively.

NormalHard

Enemy Units

Name Class Lv # HP Str/Mag Mag Skill Spd Lck Prf Wlv Def Res Cha Lck Con Mov Inventory and Skills Bern Knight 2 1 17~18 5~6 2~3 0~1 0~1 9~10 0~1 13 4 Iron Lance Moves to attack units in range. Bern Knight 3 1 18~19 5~6 2~3 0~1 0~1 9~10 0~1 13 4 Iron Lance Moves to attack units in range. Bern Knight 3 1 18~19 5~6 2~3 0~1 0~1 9~10 0~1 13 4 Iron Lance •Javelin •Vulnerary Does not move, except to heal. Bern Soldier 5 3 22~24 4~6 1~2 1~2 0~2 0~1 0~1 6 5 Javelin -- Bern Soldier 5 9 22~24 4~6 1~2 1~2 0~2 0~1 0~1 6 5 Iron Lance The westernmost one within the castle and the one southwest of the throne and northwest of the chests move to attack units in range. Bern Soldier 3 1 21~22 3~5 0~1 1~2 0~1 0~1 0~1 6 5 Iron Lance -- Bern Archer 2 2 18~19 4~5 3~4 3~4 0~1 3~4 0~1 7 5 Iron Bow Moves to attack units in range.

Reinforcements

Name Class Lv # HP Str/Mag Mag Skill Spd Lck Prf Wlv Def Res Cha Lck Con Mov Inventory and Skills Slater Knight 7 1 26 10 3 3 1 11 0 13 4 Steel Lance •Javelin Does not move; stands on athrone, the chapter's seize point. Bern Fighter 4 1 22~23 6~7 2~4 4~6 0~1 2~3 0~1 11 5 Hand Axe Moves to attack units in range. Bern Fighter 4 1 22~23 6~7 2~4 4~6 0~1 2~3 0~1 11 5 Iron Axe Moves to attack units in range. Bern Cavalier 1 2 20 5 2 5 0 6 0 9 7 Iron Sword -- Bern Cavalier 1 2 20 5 2 5 0 6 0 9 7 Javelin --

Enemy Units

Name Class Lv # HP Str/Mag Mag Skill Spd Lck Prf Wlv Def Res Cha Lck Con Mov Inventory and Skills Bern Knight 2 1 23~28 7~12 4~7 0~3 2~5 11~14 0~3 13 4 Iron Lance Moves to attack units in range. Bern Knight 3 1 24~29 7~12 4~7 0~3 2~5 11~14 0~3 13 4 Iron Lance Moves to attack units in range. Bern Knight 3 1 24~29 7~12 4~7 0~3 2~5 11~14 0~3 13 4 Iron Lance •Javelin •Vulnerary Does not move, except to heal. Bern Soldier 5 3 28~34 8~12 3~6 1~6 2~6 0~3 0~3 6 5 Javelin -- Bern Soldier 5 9 28~34 8~12 3~6 1~6 2~6 0~3 0~3 6 5 Iron Lance The westernmost one within the castle and the one southwest of the throne and northwest of the chests move to attack units in range. Bern Soldier 3 1 27~32 7~11 2~5 1~6 2~5 0~3 0~3 6 5 Iron Lance -- Bern Archer 2 2 24~27 6~9 5~10 5~8 2~5 3~6 0~3 7 5 Iron Bow Moves to attack units in range.

Reinforcements

Name Class Lv # HP Str/Mag Mag Skill Spd Lck Prf Wlv Def Res Cha Lck Con Mov Inventory and Skills Slater Knight 7 1 29~31 11~13 4~5 3~4 2~3 12~13 0~1 13 4 Steel Lance •Javelin Does not move; stands on athrone, the chapter's seize point. Bern Fighter 4 1 25~28 8~11 3~6 5~8 0~2 2~4 0~2 11 5 Hand Axe Moves to attack units in range. Bern Fighter 4 1 25~28 8~11 3~6 5~8 0~2 2~4 0~2 11 5 Iron Axe Moves to attack units in range. Bern Cavalier 1 5 23~25 6~7 3~5 6~7 1~2 6~7 0~1 9 7 Iron Sword -- Bern Cavalier 1 5 23~25 6~7 3~5 6~7 1~2 6~7 0~1 9 7 Javelin --

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Reinforcements

All hard mode-exclusive reinforcements are halted whenSlater is defeated.

• On turn 3 enemy phase
  • Slater and 2Fighters from within the throne room
• Turn 3 enemy phase and enemy phase afterLugh is recruited; and turns 5, 10, and 15 enemy phases on Hard Mode
  • 2Cavaliers from southwest of the throne

Boss data

Main article:Slater

Stats with two figures separated by a ~ are presented as a range, representing stats that vary due to random growths. The figures to the left and right of the ~ are the stat's minimum and maximum possible values respectively.^[1]

NormalHard

Knight Level 7

Stats Max HP 26 Luck 1 Strength 10 Defense 11 Skill 3 Resistance 0 Speed 3 Constitution 13 Movement 4 Aid 12

Inventory Steel Lance Javelin Weapon Levels ✗ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗

Knight Level 7

Stats Max HP 29~31 Luck 2~3 Strength 11~13 Defense 12~13 Skill 4~5 Resistance 0~1 Speed 3~4 Constitution 13 Movement 4 Aid 12

Inventory Steel Lance Javelin Weapon Levels ✗ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗

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Strategy

This chapter presents two new units and two new classes:Chad, athief, andLugh, amage.Thieves can uselockpicks to openchests and doors, as well assteal items from enemies' inventories. However, unlikeThracia 776 andRadiant Dawn,thieves here cannotsteal weapons. The other new class,mage, is quite useful; most enemies in this game lackmagical defense, soLugh can wreak havoc even at his low starting level. Also,Lugh is the first new unit that can be missed (if the player does not visit the northernvillage).

The most difficult part of this chapter might be the beginning, as there are foursoldiers and anarcher near the starting point who will attack right away. One of thesesoldiers has ajavelin; units with less defense, such asElen orChad, should be kept away until the first wave of enemies has been defeated. The player should send any of thecavaliers,Marcus, orShanna to the northernvillage and recruitLugh.

Once the first wave has been dealt with, this chapter becomes quite straightforward. The castle's walls will help; given the few space, enemies cannot attack en masse. Units with the most defense in the front, ranged attackers behind - that's all there is to it.

Reinforcements will arrive after Turn 3 and on the turn afterLugh has been recruited. The only problem with them may be their good mobility, as all of them arecavaliers.

Slater is a bit stronger thanRuud, but if the player forces him to use hisjavelin, the fight will be easier.Elen can heal, but she must be rescued. Recommended weapons areRoy'srapier, thearmorslayer,Ward'shammer, andmagic as well. OnceSlater falls,Roy can seize the throne and the chapter will end.

Etymology and other languages

Gallery

• 
  Map of the chapter

References