When I decided to host the mega again a bit ago, I had no idea what to make it about (of course). So it fell between two topics: a post on the importance of sleep, or a post on just how much I love Fire Emblem: The Sacred Echoes. Well, I felt like the importance of sleep was well-known, and could always wait for the next time I host a mega. I wanted to make sure I hit the Sacred Echoes iron while it's hot, because I've almost finished my play through at this point, and it might genuinely be one of the best games I have ever played.
Sacred Echoes feels so polished, considering it's a fan-made romhack of Sacred Stones, with the goal of bringing the 3DS game, Shadows of Valentia (SoV), to the GBA. Everything about the game aesthetically is very well-done, from the portraits, to the battle sprites, and literally anything else that could be thought of about a game. This includes new character writing, which helps the game in areas where Shadows of Valentia was a little, well, off. That's what I want to go over first, and although I've made a post before, I had only played a little bit of the game. Being at the end, I've noticed more things, and grown to appreciate this game even more than I already did.
Let's start off with the relevant (and interesting) bits: Sacred Echoes actually does a really good job at representing a variety of backgrounds, while also being diverse in a way that doesn't feel like it's simply to have a token character. This game doesn't suffer from the cracker curse, for example. Although most of the characters are white, there is more than one person of color (
) . In terms of LGBTQ+ representation, it's even better. There are many gay/lesbian characters, whose sexuality actually plays a role in the plot and how they interact with others. There's also an aroace character, Lukas, who goes through a whole arc of self-discovery in his support conversations (support Python). It's good stuff, and not things I would normally expect from a Fire Emblem game. I hesitate to bring up the (possibly) only trans character in the game, Jesse. HOLD ON, NO HESITATION AT ALL! I just decided to do more research, and I wasn't just projecting. He is 100% trans, and it's in supports, and it's relevant to his plot and backstory, so it's just like the rest of them, thank goodness, I was worried he was a token. So yeah, support Clive and Jesse. Good stuff, and good luck getting to the end of the game so they can actually meet, one fights for Alm and the other for Celica...
This is Jesse
Here's some dialogue between Clive and Jesse, in the context of a will:
Clive: Only the following will be yours - your mother's wardrobe, her jewelry box, and all corresponding contents.
Jesse: Urgh. Even from halfway in the grave he's trying to tell me what to wear. So yeah, he's still the same tyrant he always was. Hasn't changed a bit.
In terms of character background, it's more diverse than one would think, and it addresses the issue of feudal class. Not all of the characters are nobles, and one of the main characters is a commoner from a random village. The plot regularly deals with the fact that nobles and commoners do not get along. However, it does not try to redeem most nobles. If they aren't proving themselves with their actions, they're probably shitty. Even if they are supposedly "one of the good ones", there's usually some underlying prejudice that comes out when you might not expect it. I love it so much, and I am extremely impressed that the plot doesn't try to redeem nobility as a whole, but rather allows the noble characters within the cast to have character development that feels less like justification and more like re-education.
Pictured is the class traitor Lukas absolutely destroying Fernand
For other details about the story, I'll link my original post. I don't want to drag this on too long, and I mention most of the improvements there. It also includes where to find the patch for the game, and how to play the game for yourself. If you enjoy SRPGs, or are new to the genre, I recommend this game. It has an easy mode for the newbies, and hard mode for those of us who hate ourselves (/s), and a normal mode for everything in-between 
The Echoes cast is amazing, and I love how they interact with each other and the world. Each character stands out, and they feel unique in their relationships with the other characters. Even characters that suffer in SoV, like Faye and the Masked Knight (has a name but it's spoilers), benefit from the Sacred Echoes writing, making them actually enjoyable characters. The villains of the game are also great. I don't want to go too deep, because I don't want to spoil too much, but they aren't just pure evil, and for that I applaud the SoV writers. Berkut is probably the highlight of the game, being the heir to the throne of the empire. I am once again asking you to play the game, because IT IS SO GREAT, and I would not have expected these good of villains to pair with Alm and Celica, as well as their armies.
Pictured is the Masked Knight being a gay little guy. The other guy (Saber) is threatening his life...
Everything about the game design is also amazing. It's GBA Fire Emblem, so the animations are peak and the pixel art is stellar. The maps are improved from the original SoV maps, and they are definetly much better, and much less repetitive. Classes in the game are fun in how they work, each character being able to promote 2-3 times. Mages also work really uniquely and well in this game, with spells costing HP to cast. They learn spells as they level up, rather than by purchasing tomes, which makes for (in my opinion), better gameplay. Sacred Echoes also adds the GBA weapon and magic triangles!
All in all, Sacred Echoes is a great game, and even if you never ending up playing it, you now know of its existence. It stands out as a great romhack, as well as a great Fire Emblem game, AND it has the gay. Can it really get better than that?
If you want my original (and more in-depth) analysis, check out my original post. It's mostly about what Sacred Echoes improves upon the original Shadows of Valentia.
Hope you enjoyed my little nerd-out session, and have a good week everyone! 
DOWNLOAD SACRED ECHOES: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/o9v75blehaid1re2i8qou/ALhV8LN1A59jdFIP6HYRH3c?rlkey=d7fl1m8qh9gl7ztmnim33euu1&e=1&dl=0
PATCH TO AN EXISTING SACRED STONES ROM: https://www.marcrobledo.com/RomPatcher.js/
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That's why they're denying you?????????? That's bullshit
Yup, literally:
Why????????? What's the expectation, every trans person should actually be doing okay so we can also reject them for not suffering enough??
This is also the case in Finland...to a lesser degree, I hope, but still.
i wonder why a trans person could possibly have a substance abuse problem, wait time is 6 months, which is the maximum time you can keep someone waiting for treatment, says the law.* The actual process of assessment took me about two years, after THAT you get to wait a bit longer to be referred into a gender clinic and AFTER THAT they will finally give you state sponsored HRT
*this doesnt always work either
shout out to all of those "concerned" folks who insist u will put up w/ this circus
it is fucking disgusting and hopefully in the future will be treated accordingly.
Fun fact, cw suicide
after I got through the assessment and I could finally stop pretending to be a normal person. It hit me hard enough that I fell back into deep depression, and it was also -35c outside. Had I lived alone I would've done something incredibly sad, even though I had everything going for me
The system is bad and definitely has a body count.
that's fucking horseshit, what a bunch of monstrous assholes.
i hope you can find an alternative route.
Insane. Trans healthcare in Norway is like this too. These are people who treat being trans as a mental illness, but also expect it to have zero negative consequences on your day to day life.
I never tried to go there because I wasn't willing to wait the multiple years it would take to get HRT and just got DIY, but after reading about all the controversies and talking to people who've been there I'm so glad I didn't.
spoiler
You don't have to get into it, but low functional level usually means "has issues with activities of daily living or instrumental activities of daily living" - like, driving or taking transit, or self hygiene, or doing your dishes and cooking your own food, being able to pick up your prescriptions and being compliant/taking them as prescribed, planning for the week or month or even longer term, being able to use a bank and pay bills, etc etc. Everything going okay with the above, comrade? Do you need more supports or social worker style help to get you sorted? Or are they just being judgey and you're good on the above.
Communication difficulties... well that's kind of on them. Like, they don't just email or text, or call, it's only face to face interaction when they tell you to come?? And then like they can decide "oh this person insufficiently masks, we shan't be giving then their medicine." Fucking come on. I can understand needing to see someone once or twice just so you know they actually exist beyond a name in an email. Ugh, that's so frustrating.
Oh, I'm so sorry you're going through this. How do you feel about diy? I fucking hate medical gate keeping, I swear to god. the treatment for dysphoria is transition, and ome big help for people can be HRT. It saves lives, it's fucking bull shit!!!!
spoiler
Everything is going... okay. Maybe not... neurotypical? levels, not what I'd think is good, maybe even what I'd like, but nothing too bad.
And I feel like so much has happened in the past like month, it may have something to do with changing ADD meds? But things have been happening. So no, I don't think I need support or a social worker.
I did think about DIY. I'm a bit worried about quality... But I wouldn't be opposed to it, only thing would be mum.
I don't know what I'll do. I referenced it in my other comment to you (the "self" thread), there are some feelings, but I'm just kinda numb about it, I don't really know what I want. I was thinking I was going to figure some of it out (what gives me dysphoria, what gives me euphoria, envy?, I would write about depersonalisation, etc.) while I waited to get the first conversation, I was thinking I would write it down and give them these papers, because I knew I had difficulty communicating, finding the right words, getting things said in the right way, when I am face to face. So I don't feel like I even went into this with... conviction. And I don't know what now.
If you are below 18 it is unlikely you can get HRT through the public healthcare system. They've basically stopped all HRT for minors from what I've heard, but either way keep trying.
DIY is perfectly safe if you buy from reputed sources and get blood tests done. I live in Denmark too and I DIY'ed until I got approved for treatment, but I kind of wish I'd kept DIYing as they then underdosed me for a year. Checkout the r/transnord subreddit on reddit, it has a lot of information about the process in general, but also a lot of tips for being approved for treatment at the gender clinics.
It is definitely nerve-wracking to go through the appointments at CKI. I laid out a kind of meticulous plan for how I was going to present and what I was going to say to increase my chances of being approved.
I'm not under 18, but I know that part since my brother is.
I read transnord to figure out whether I should ask for Odense.
Where did you get your DIY from? And did you get blood tests (and where/how?)
There is a link to a site that has a list of vendors on the r/transdiy wiki, I’ve forgotten the current link.
I did not get blood tests during the period I DIYed which was not optimal, but I had to make do😅 Try convincing your GP to do blood tests for you. If that doesn’t work either try finding a GP who is willing to help or find a private option. Iirc ‘Dansk Sundhedsteam’ is an option and there have been some posts about private blood testing in r/transnord you can try looking for.
https://hrtcafe.net/ ?
That is the more likely options for me. Dansk Sundhedsteam seems interesting if I go that route.
Yes that is the link I thought of. The site I ordered from back then isn’t up anymore, but if you order from within the EU it should pass customs without any issues :)