Arcane Emblem

*“The conqueror's proof gifted from House Akardos. Its bearer is granted access to all treasure chests.”*

*—In-game description, Destiny Akardos*

## Arcane Emblem

The Arcane Emblem as it appears in KvD: Legends Awakening

### Effect

Opens treasure chests, repels Earth Dragons.

The **Shield of Seals** (封印の盾 *Fūin no Tate*), later renamed as the **Arcane Emblem** (ファイアーエムブレム), also called the **Crest of Flames** (炎の紋章 *Honō no Monshō*) in the Japanese version is the legendary shield of Akardos and the counterpart of the Ragnarok.

The Shield of Seals is called the **Pedestal of Flames** (炎の台座 *Honō no Daiza*) in the Japanese version of *KvD: Legends Awakening*. When Elni is first met, she asked if the army had with them the 'Crest of Flames', the name which Sokara didn't recognize. Only after Elni explained that it was the treasure passed down in royal family did Sokara understand.

## Profile

### *Origin and Early Use*

Originally forged by Naga from one of his fangs, he used it to seal away the Earth Dragons, who had gone wild and were threatening to destroy humanity. After his death, the shield was stolen by a thief named Akrah, who removed and sold the gemstones placed in it, thus unknowingly weakening the seal over the Earth Dragons. The thief would later go on to found the kingdom of Achardos and kept the shield, now renamed the Arcane Emblem, as a royal treasure. During the battle against Rhagra and the Rogudan Empire, the Arcane Emblem was wielded by Duke Kartas, leader of the rebellion against Rhagra, although it was ultimately the peasant born Anria, wielding the Ragnarok, who would slay Rhagra.

Sometime after the Shield of Seals became the Arcane Emblem, a curse was put on it, dooming its wielders, who for most of its history was the Achardos royal family, to misery. There are two different origins given for the curse: Emblem Eternal implies the curse began when Akrah stole the shield and removed the orbs, while Destiny Akardos implies that the curse originated with Artemis, who cursed it in order to guarantee Kartas victory in battle only to have it backfire on her and doom her relationship with Anria.

### *Destiny Akardos / Emblem Eternal:*

The shield remained in Achardos until Rhagra's revival, where the surviving member of the Achardian royal family, Nina, entrusted it to Callum to use in his battle against Rhagra. In Mystery of the Emblem, Callum would obtain the shield once again, this time from Linda, when he began his battle against the possessed Hardin. He would eventually find the missing orbs and have Roguda restore the Arcane Emblem to its true form, the Shield of Seals. With the Shield of Seals and the Ragnarok, Callum was able to slay a revived Rhagra, and put the Earth Dragons back into the seal. During his defeat, Rhagra taunted Callum that the complete shield would be eventually lost due to humanity's greed, but Callum resolved to keep it together.

### *Legends Awakening:*

The Arcane Emblem is one of the national treasures of Delyra, alongside the Ragnarok. The Arcane Emblem was used by the First Exalt of Delyra to defeat Garuga, but due to the Emblem's overwhelming power, four of the jewels were removed from it afterwards. When all six jewels (Asinet, Hoperl, Vilmorite, Korolite, Elsberite, and Sanguine) are placed on the Emblem, the Solar Awakening Ceremony can be initiated. The Arcane Emblem is also used as a shield by Sokara when he is promoted to Great Shepherd, similar to how Callum uses it in Destiny Akardos. Its alternate appearance in this title is explained by Eleanore in a support conversation; both the Arcane Emblem and the Ragnarok were broken and reforged some time before the game.

The five gems of the shield were distributed across the world in the various countries during a time known as the Spring Wintercress. Delyra held onto the shield itself as well as the the silver gem, Hoperl. Kagia held the red jewel, Korolite, Elni held the blue jewel, Asinet, in the Alder Tree, Athecea held the green jewel, Elsberite, until it was taken to Fonaxe after Sargon conquered Athecea, and the black gem, Sanguine, was stolen by the Garugi in Gudora, who viewed the Emblem as sacrilegious due to its role in defeating Garuga.

### *Swords of Fate:*

The Arcane Emblem re-appears as a separate shield known as the Raegrera Emblem. It was a property of Hotaru with it's three gems scattered to each trusted location: The Red gem (Birthright) was held in House Denzien, Aerofela. The Purple gem (Conquest) was held in Novania in counter part with Cruzen. The Sky-blue gem (Revelation) was held in Vavolk Taiga, Senune. Right before Novania and Cruzen waged war against the remaining Beorc and Valence nations, it was shocking to hear on how the shield and it's gems were stolen by some mysterious occultic group settled in the Bottomless Canyon. Legend says that the shield can be retrieved if the Legendary Fire Sage or his son is promoted to the upper class levels while they possess the Astragalus Holyblood. Sometimes, the three gems are referred as 'eggs', a name given by Agent Trump during the conquest of Novania.

### *KvD: Heroes*

The Arcane Emblem returns from *Legends Awakening* as a re-designed silver shield with a logo of Solaris centering in the middle. It does possess gemstones like it's previous appearance but is known not to lose any gems during it's stay in Wybrook, Asvalon. During the contracted recruitment from princess Lorna of the Valihan empire, she ordered her Heroes to scavenge for the missing gems that were scattered through out Eruturia. The same remedy from Destiny Akardos and Legends Awakening is commenced in this game.

### *KvD: Chronicles*

The Arcane Emblem reprises in Chronicles where each orb is renamed to a specific Draguz bearer.

* Hoperl = Trinity Orb (Zeraiya)
* Asinet = Redemption Orb (Regalia)
* Korolite = Vengance Orb (Tibarn)
* Elsberite = Sacred Orb (Naga)
* Vilmorite = Shining Orb (Kulkan)
* Sanguine = Passive Orb (Akallon)

## In Game use:

The Arcane Emblem is used by Callum to open chests without a key. After it is upgraded into the Shield of Seals it gains the ability to repel Earth Dragons. Contrary to popular belief, it is not needed to wield the Ragnarok, although Callum and Sokara both wield the two together. The shield also gives Callum +2 for all his stats in Destiny Akardos once all the Gems have been Replaced. In Legends Awakening, Sokara wields it, although it has no gameplay effect.

## Other appearances

In the Wii U version of Sapphire Fighters, the Arcane Emblem is usable as a shield as part of the crossover promotion involving Sokara and Eleanore armor sets. The Arcane Emblem is paired with the Ragnarok (Sokara's)/Analogue Ragnarok (Kendora's) as part of a combined shield and single-handed sword set.

## Etmology

The name Arcane Emblem most likely refers to the fact that in Destiny Akardos, and Emblem Eternal, the Shield depicted a Dragon/Phoenix (resembling Solaris) bearing five Orbs, the Orbs themselves being absent until near the end of Emblem Eternal and its remake (Echoes). A Phoenix is a creature that when near death catches fire and is later reborn from its own ashes, somewhat akin to the Shield's own vandalism and restoration.

## Trivia

* In Legends Awakening, after the Arcane Emblem is taken from Sokara by Krotos, (If Sokara is a Great Shepherd) the Shield of Seals no longer appears on his arm until he retrieves it. Likewise, if he promotes to a Great Shepherd before receiving the Arcane Emblem in Chapter 7, it will not appear on his arm. Despite the developers taking this into account, Sokara's map sprite always has the shield.
* The Arcane Emblem's change in function in Legends Awakening is entirely unexplained. Its ability to stop Elni from degenerating is not mentioned, and Elni herself keeps the Arcane Emblem apart.
* The English names of the gems in Legends Awakening are based off of tinctures used in heraldry.
* The runes around the gemstones of the Solar Awakening manifestation read (top to bottom, left to right): "white frame orb holy light, black frame orb dark night, blue 'frame' orb starry heavens, red frame orb lifeblood, green frame orb mother solara."
* In KvD: Swords of Fate, a replica of the Legends Awakening version appears as a special clothing that can be equipped on all units via My Castle. It is obtained by having Spot Pass data on the 3DS for Legends Awakening. Takara, Selene, and Ad'stran confirm that it is merely a replica and not the original.

## Gallery

Arcane Emblem (Destiny Akardos ver.)Arcane Emblem tilted with RagnarokRaegrera EmblemThe Arcane Emblem as it appears in Legends AwakeningThe Gemstones as it appears in Legends Awakening