Fódlan is a land long scarred by war, but has at last achieved peace and harmony under the watchful eye of the goddess. It is the Imperial year 1179, and Fódlan's three powers—the Adrestian Empire, the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus, and the Leicester Alliance—exist in tenuous balance. Byleth, a wandering mercenary and the game's protagonist, chances upon three youths being pursued by bandits. As they rescue youths alongside their father, they discover that these are no ordinary teenagers, but are in fact students of the Officers Academy at Garreg Mach Monastery—and what's more, each is the heir to one of Fódlan's three great factions. This twist of fate leads Byleth to travel to Garreg Mach, at the center of the continent, and become appointed as a professor at the academy. There they take on a colorful class of students, and find fulfilling personal growth in guiding them to success. But these peaceful days are not to last, as a dreadful plot unfolds in the shadows and draws Fódlan ever closer toward an all-consuming conflict.