A thousand years ago, at the end of the Dragon War, you were put to sleep to save your life. Now, you are awoken to a world that has moved on without your species. Make your mark, Manakete.
Fire Emblem: Last of the Manakete
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Sleeping Dragon
"Beware the sleeping dragon, for it shall one day wake!"
-Quote from the famous Imperial play The First Emperor.
You do not know how long you have slumbered. At times you barely remember what it was like to be awake. What it felt like outside of this dark, formless state. What it was like to be aware, to truly feel. In rare moments of lucidity, you wonder if you were ever truly more than this; or if the flickers of self are nothing more than delusions.
However, whenever you start to feel yourself unraveling completely, unable to bear the weight of nothing; the dreams come to you. Most are strange things, things even your young wakeful mind would have considered ludicrous. Unfathomable twistings of past, present and future that have no rhyme or reason. However, even through the madness, these dreams remind you that you are, that you have a mind that can think and a will to be.
Then, however, there are the more meaningful dreams.
Sometimes, you dream of your birth, though this dream is scarcely more understandable than the usual nonsense. You remember only a feeling of warmth, safety and love, looking up at the forms, both heart-form and dragon-form, of the ones your mind knows only as Mother and Father. You remember contentedness, and you are happy.
Other dreams are of your childhood; growing up and learning your place in a world that seemed so bright. You remember running, laughing, climbing; be it alone, with Mother and Father, and with kin. You remember yourself.
[] You dream of fire and heat, but these dreams hold no fear for you. You remember riding your mother's titanic back as she puffs gouts of flame that curl into shapes and animals, grabbing at them with little hands that did not burn. You know you are of the Red tribe, the tribe of fire, courage and passion. You are larger, stronger and tougher than even other dragons.
[] You dream of lightning and thunder, which you revel in. You sit with your father, who speaks to you even as the sky lights up with bolts of power, for you both know these will not touch you. You know you are of the Yellow tribe, the tribe of lightning, magic and knowledge. Even in your heart-form, you can weave the arcane energies more easily than any other.
[] You dream of winds and howling gales that fill your soul with joy. You laugh as your mother's cold, careful breath lifts your tiny form into the air, knowing that she will never let you fall to the rough earth. You know that you are of the Green tribe, the tribe of wind, freedom and joy. Slender and graceful, you are fast of body and fast of thought.
[] You dream of basking under the sun, warm and content. You hear again and again the stories of the First Mother, the Great Divine who birthed the manakete at the dawn of time. You know that you are specially blessed by her, as you are of the White tribe; the tribe of light, truth and the divine. The blessings of the world are upon you, your feathery scales marking you as lucky by birth.
[] You dream of the moon and the shadows, for the darkness holds no terror for you. You are giggling as you play hide and seek with your father, who pretends he cannot see you until you leap upon him. Even the darkest of nights is your friend, for you are of the Black tribe, the tribe of shadow, mystery and cunning. You are equally at home on a moonless night as the blackest cave, and you can move silently at will.
However, these happy dreams always give way to fearful ones.
You dream of how the wonderful world of innocence changed around you. You dream of your father and mother whispering furiously to each other, whispers of a name that even in this eternal slumber makes your heart shiver: Shyrlonay. Even in these dreams, however, your parents try to protect you, to keep you in blissful ignorance, but you know that something has gone wrong in your perfect world. You remember kin leaving, never to return. A home of constant noise became quiet, too quiet, a blanket of sadness and fear settling over the halls.
You dream of strangers coming to speak with your parents, to demand that they swear fealty. You remember the haunted look in their eyes as they plead for an end to the misery, that all dragons unite to save themselves. You remember your mother's wrath as she hurls insults and accusations, not knowing that you were listening.
Then, inevitably, as you remember what once you were, your clearest dream is of that last day. The day you were put to sleep.
Everything was in chaos. Throughout the halls of your home, the place where you had always felt safe, all you could feel was the shaking of stone. All you could hear was the roars of rage and pain and hate.
"They're here!" your mother's voice echoes in your mind even as the image of her walks away, her dragonstone flaring in her hand. The dream is not even kind enough to show you her face.
"Go! Take our child and go!"
You could hear the smashing of ancient doors slamming to the ground as they are ripped from their hinges by titanic force.
"I'll hold them off!"
Then, in a flash of draconic magic, she's gone, and all that's left is your father, leading you deeper into your home.
"This way, my child, hurry!" he said, pulling you along.
"What is happening, Father?" you had asked, confused and frightened, trying to ignore the pained shrieking and the roars of elemental breaths.
"They are coming, my child. They are coming, and by the First Mother, we cannot stop them. They are mad, all of them mad!" He stopped in front of a wall, a wall carved with countless symbols and images that you knew were important, but whose meaning escaped your dreaming mind. He slapped his dragonstone against it, and the wall faded away as if it had never been, revealing a shrine. "We cannot stop them from taking us, but we can stop them from taking you."
"But-"
"Hush, there is no time for that!" your father said, pulling you in and pushing you towards an alter at the head of the long room. "Your mother cannot hold them for long! I need to get back to her, but first I need you to be safe!"
"I don't-"
"Please!" He drags you into a hug. "Please, my beautiful, wonderful child, not today. In this hour, please just obey your father. Do not argue."
With a lump in your throat and wrenching in your heart, you nod into his chest, unable to speak.
"Thank you, dearest," Father whispered, squeezing you tightly before lifting you up in his strong arms and laying you on the alter. "This shall be your bed; I know it is not the finest, but your sleep shall be so deep that you will not feel it. You shall sleep, safe and protected, and Mother willing, you will wake to a world without war."
As your father's dragonstone flares in his hands, you stare tearfully up at him. "Will you and Mother be there?"
He just smiles sadly down at you before bending and kissing you on the forehead. "We will always be with you, my child, should you keep the memory of us in your heart and soul." Then, before you could change your mind, he transforms before your eyes and breaths in deeply. As he exhales over you, he rumbles one last command.
"Sleep well, my-"
[] son.
[] daughter.
"Sleep well,"
[] Name.
There, just as the drowsiness overtakes you, magic forming a protective shell over your body, the dream ends. The last sight you remember is your father's tearful face.
You are in the void once more. Drained and heartsick, you settle back into formless and selfless sleep, and the cycle begins anew.
-Quote from the famous Imperial play The First Emperor.
You do not know how long you have slumbered. At times you barely remember what it was like to be awake. What it felt like outside of this dark, formless state. What it was like to be aware, to truly feel. In rare moments of lucidity, you wonder if you were ever truly more than this; or if the flickers of self are nothing more than delusions.
However, whenever you start to feel yourself unraveling completely, unable to bear the weight of nothing; the dreams come to you. Most are strange things, things even your young wakeful mind would have considered ludicrous. Unfathomable twistings of past, present and future that have no rhyme or reason. However, even through the madness, these dreams remind you that you are, that you have a mind that can think and a will to be.
Then, however, there are the more meaningful dreams.
Sometimes, you dream of your birth, though this dream is scarcely more understandable than the usual nonsense. You remember only a feeling of warmth, safety and love, looking up at the forms, both heart-form and dragon-form, of the ones your mind knows only as Mother and Father. You remember contentedness, and you are happy.
Other dreams are of your childhood; growing up and learning your place in a world that seemed so bright. You remember running, laughing, climbing; be it alone, with Mother and Father, and with kin. You remember yourself.
[] You dream of fire and heat, but these dreams hold no fear for you. You remember riding your mother's titanic back as she puffs gouts of flame that curl into shapes and animals, grabbing at them with little hands that did not burn. You know you are of the Red tribe, the tribe of fire, courage and passion. You are larger, stronger and tougher than even other dragons.
[] You dream of lightning and thunder, which you revel in. You sit with your father, who speaks to you even as the sky lights up with bolts of power, for you both know these will not touch you. You know you are of the Yellow tribe, the tribe of lightning, magic and knowledge. Even in your heart-form, you can weave the arcane energies more easily than any other.
[] You dream of winds and howling gales that fill your soul with joy. You laugh as your mother's cold, careful breath lifts your tiny form into the air, knowing that she will never let you fall to the rough earth. You know that you are of the Green tribe, the tribe of wind, freedom and joy. Slender and graceful, you are fast of body and fast of thought.
[] You dream of basking under the sun, warm and content. You hear again and again the stories of the First Mother, the Great Divine who birthed the manakete at the dawn of time. You know that you are specially blessed by her, as you are of the White tribe; the tribe of light, truth and the divine. The blessings of the world are upon you, your feathery scales marking you as lucky by birth.
[] You dream of the moon and the shadows, for the darkness holds no terror for you. You are giggling as you play hide and seek with your father, who pretends he cannot see you until you leap upon him. Even the darkest of nights is your friend, for you are of the Black tribe, the tribe of shadow, mystery and cunning. You are equally at home on a moonless night as the blackest cave, and you can move silently at will.
However, these happy dreams always give way to fearful ones.
You dream of how the wonderful world of innocence changed around you. You dream of your father and mother whispering furiously to each other, whispers of a name that even in this eternal slumber makes your heart shiver: Shyrlonay. Even in these dreams, however, your parents try to protect you, to keep you in blissful ignorance, but you know that something has gone wrong in your perfect world. You remember kin leaving, never to return. A home of constant noise became quiet, too quiet, a blanket of sadness and fear settling over the halls.
You dream of strangers coming to speak with your parents, to demand that they swear fealty. You remember the haunted look in their eyes as they plead for an end to the misery, that all dragons unite to save themselves. You remember your mother's wrath as she hurls insults and accusations, not knowing that you were listening.
Then, inevitably, as you remember what once you were, your clearest dream is of that last day. The day you were put to sleep.
Everything was in chaos. Throughout the halls of your home, the place where you had always felt safe, all you could feel was the shaking of stone. All you could hear was the roars of rage and pain and hate.
"They're here!" your mother's voice echoes in your mind even as the image of her walks away, her dragonstone flaring in her hand. The dream is not even kind enough to show you her face.
"Go! Take our child and go!"
You could hear the smashing of ancient doors slamming to the ground as they are ripped from their hinges by titanic force.
"I'll hold them off!"
Then, in a flash of draconic magic, she's gone, and all that's left is your father, leading you deeper into your home.
"This way, my child, hurry!" he said, pulling you along.
"What is happening, Father?" you had asked, confused and frightened, trying to ignore the pained shrieking and the roars of elemental breaths.
"They are coming, my child. They are coming, and by the First Mother, we cannot stop them. They are mad, all of them mad!" He stopped in front of a wall, a wall carved with countless symbols and images that you knew were important, but whose meaning escaped your dreaming mind. He slapped his dragonstone against it, and the wall faded away as if it had never been, revealing a shrine. "We cannot stop them from taking us, but we can stop them from taking you."
"But-"
"Hush, there is no time for that!" your father said, pulling you in and pushing you towards an alter at the head of the long room. "Your mother cannot hold them for long! I need to get back to her, but first I need you to be safe!"
"I don't-"
"Please!" He drags you into a hug. "Please, my beautiful, wonderful child, not today. In this hour, please just obey your father. Do not argue."
With a lump in your throat and wrenching in your heart, you nod into his chest, unable to speak.
"Thank you, dearest," Father whispered, squeezing you tightly before lifting you up in his strong arms and laying you on the alter. "This shall be your bed; I know it is not the finest, but your sleep shall be so deep that you will not feel it. You shall sleep, safe and protected, and Mother willing, you will wake to a world without war."
As your father's dragonstone flares in his hands, you stare tearfully up at him. "Will you and Mother be there?"
He just smiles sadly down at you before bending and kissing you on the forehead. "We will always be with you, my child, should you keep the memory of us in your heart and soul." Then, before you could change your mind, he transforms before your eyes and breaths in deeply. As he exhales over you, he rumbles one last command.
"Sleep well, my-"
[] son.
[] daughter.
"Sleep well,"
[] Name.
There, just as the drowsiness overtakes you, magic forming a protective shell over your body, the dream ends. The last sight you remember is your father's tearful face.
You are in the void once more. Drained and heartsick, you settle back into formless and selfless sleep, and the cycle begins anew.
Last edited:
Character Sheet
Ryza Levinheart: Yellow Manakete
Age: 93
Original found by Ryumancer, then yellowified by Emanyzal.
Traits:
Thoughtful: As much as your parents try to make time for you, you often found yourself with a lot of time alone. Therefore, you became very used to your own thoughts, often mulling over new ideas and coming to new conclusions.
Arcane: From what your parents told you, even among the magically-gifted Yellow tribe, your arcane abilities are remarkable, though you haven't been able to confirm that for yourself.
Cuddle-Drake: Greatly enjoys physical contact, both giving and receiving. This is especially useful when you are suffering from strong emotions.
Boon:
Sky-Blessed: While all manakete can manifest wings even in their heart-form, something that normally happens when they are stressed or angry, yours were particularly large for your size. To the both the pride and fear of parents who cannot follow, you've taken to they joy of flying in your frail heart-form.
Age: 93
Original found by Ryumancer, then yellowified by Emanyzal.
Traits:
Thoughtful: As much as your parents try to make time for you, you often found yourself with a lot of time alone. Therefore, you became very used to your own thoughts, often mulling over new ideas and coming to new conclusions.
Arcane: From what your parents told you, even among the magically-gifted Yellow tribe, your arcane abilities are remarkable, though you haven't been able to confirm that for yourself.
Cuddle-Drake: Greatly enjoys physical contact, both giving and receiving. This is especially useful when you are suffering from strong emotions.
Boon:
Sky-Blessed: While all manakete can manifest wings even in their heart-form, something that normally happens when they are stressed or angry, yours were particularly large for your size. To the both the pride and fear of parents who cannot follow, you've taken to they joy of flying in your frail heart-form.
Class: Level 6 Yellow Manakete [winged] (0/6)
Skills: (Heart)
Personal: Mantle of the Manakete: Gain 1 automatic success when fighting enemies that have no Dragon dice. Gain 2 automatic successes when fighting enemies that have no Strong dice.
Class: Winged Caster: Reroll all failed dice when casting Yellow magic. Bows deal Effective damage against you.
Support Ranks: Artemis B, Kelton B, Belle B, Elena C, Phoebe C
Skills: (Dragon)
Personal: Monster out of Myth: Double the bonuses from Mantle. Grants the original bonuses from Mantle to all allied combats.
Class: Tenfold Shields: Gain 1+ 1/2 your level in Defense and reroll up to your level in dice. Bows do not deal effective damage to you.
Leadership: 2 (Dragon-you says you need to be more confident)
Skills: (Heart)
Personal: Mantle of the Manakete: Gain 1 automatic success when fighting enemies that have no Dragon dice. Gain 2 automatic successes when fighting enemies that have no Strong dice.
Class: Winged Caster: Reroll all failed dice when casting Yellow magic. Bows deal Effective damage against you.
Support Ranks: Artemis B, Kelton B, Belle B, Elena C, Phoebe C
Skills: (Dragon)
Personal: Monster out of Myth: Double the bonuses from Mantle. Grants the original bonuses from Mantle to all allied combats.
Class: Tenfold Shields: Gain 1+ 1/2 your level in Defense and reroll up to your level in dice. Bows do not deal effective damage to you.
Leadership: 2 (Dragon-you says you need to be more confident)
Essential:
-Yellow Dragonstone (yours)
Held:
Worn:
-Casual Clothes
-Warm Cloak
-Backpack
-Gyra-Dregon's Stone
Reading Material
-Tablets:
>Thunder's Cry
>Mother's Hymn
Valuables:
-Agrithian Money
Other
-Many days of food and water
-Medicinal Herbs
External:
Worn:
-Casual Clothes
-Fancy Clothes x 1
Reading Material
-Scrolls:
>Beyond your Stone: A Guide to Practical Magic
>Runewrighting: Making Magical Masterpieces
>The Dragon Within: How to get along with yours
>On Humans: Cousins or Parasites?
>From Dragon to Manakete: A History of our People
> A Mother's Wisdom: Words from the First Mother
> Beast, Bird and Monster
>A Traveler's Guide to the Tribal Lands
Valuables:
-Gemstones, Gold and Silver for Runecrafting
-Tablets
>Firecall
>Hurricane
>Dark Shroud
Combat Items:
Shadow Elixir: Grants 2 Defense when used during a battle in darkness
Light Elixir: Gain 1 Defense for a Combat, or prevent a Death or Serious Injury
-Yellow Dragonstone (yours)
Held:
Worn:
-Casual Clothes
-Warm Cloak
-Backpack
-Gyra-Dregon's Stone
Reading Material
-Tablets:
>Thunder's Cry
>Mother's Hymn
Valuables:
-Agrithian Money
Other
-Many days of food and water
-Medicinal Herbs
External:
Worn:
-Casual Clothes
-Fancy Clothes x 1
Reading Material
-Scrolls:
>Beyond your Stone: A Guide to Practical Magic
>Runewrighting: Making Magical Masterpieces
>The Dragon Within: How to get along with yours
>On Humans: Cousins or Parasites?
>From Dragon to Manakete: A History of our People
> A Mother's Wisdom: Words from the First Mother
> Beast, Bird and Monster
>A Traveler's Guide to the Tribal Lands
Valuables:
-Gemstones, Gold and Silver for Runecrafting
-Tablets
>Firecall
>Hurricane
>Dark Shroud
Combat Items:
Shadow Elixir: Grants 2 Defense when used during a battle in darkness
Light Elixir: Gain 1 Defense for a Combat, or prevent a Death or Serious Injury
Yellow:
-Thunder
-Elthunder
-Arcthunder (Incomplete, usable with Thunder's Cry)
-Barrier (Support Spell, Grants 1 defense when fighting casters)
-Bolting (Siege Spell: Cannot be used when under direct threat, -1 dice but functionally immune from negative consequences of a lost combat.)
White:
-Heal (Support Spell, Ignores Minor Wounds)
-Light
-Mend (Support Spell, Allows the recipient to ignore Major Wounds, or grants 1 Defense to unwounded combatants)
Red:
-Fire (Incomplete, usable only with Firecall)
Draconic Weapons
-Standard Breath Weapon: Elthunder Level
-Fear: Terror All Around: Your strikes act as Brave weapons. More likely to retreat from a battle if possible.
-Anger: By Rage by Driven: Your strikes act as Killer weapons. More likely to try and kill the source of your anger, even if not tactically sound.
-Determination: Stand Your Ground!: Your strikes act as bonus Rune weapons. More likely to continue on a task even if situations change.
-Thunder
-Elthunder
-Arcthunder (Incomplete, usable with Thunder's Cry)
-Barrier (Support Spell, Grants 1 defense when fighting casters)
-Bolting (Siege Spell: Cannot be used when under direct threat, -1 dice but functionally immune from negative consequences of a lost combat.)
White:
-Heal (Support Spell, Ignores Minor Wounds)
-Light
-Mend (Support Spell, Allows the recipient to ignore Major Wounds, or grants 1 Defense to unwounded combatants)
Red:
-Fire (Incomplete, usable only with Firecall)
Draconic Weapons
-Standard Breath Weapon: Elthunder Level
-Fear: Terror All Around: Your strikes act as Brave weapons. More likely to retreat from a battle if possible.
-Anger: By Rage by Driven: Your strikes act as Killer weapons. More likely to try and kill the source of your anger, even if not tactically sound.
-Determination: Stand Your Ground!: Your strikes act as bonus Rune weapons. More likely to continue on a task even if situations change.
-Understanding of Emotions: Default
-Control of Emotions: During a Draconic Transformation (but not Draconic Feedback) Ryza can force an instant de-transformation. Will damage relationships with her dragon-self.
-Channeling of Emotions: Allows Ryza to choose which emotion she transforms with
-The Awakening: You have carried out the Awakening and introduced your dragon-self to the world.
-Twinning of Wills: (1/3) Can gain Dragon Dice for one round while in Heart Form
-Control of Emotions: During a Draconic Transformation (but not Draconic Feedback) Ryza can force an instant de-transformation. Will damage relationships with her dragon-self.
-Channeling of Emotions: Allows Ryza to choose which emotion she transforms with
-The Awakening: You have carried out the Awakening and introduced your dragon-self to the world.
-Twinning of Wills: (1/3) Can gain Dragon Dice for one round while in Heart Form
Last edited:
Dramatis Personae
Dramatis Personae:
Retainers:
Source: Pinterest
Class: Level 4 Soldier (3/4)
A militia member from the town of Miau, Kelton combines an easygoing demeanor towards his friends with a relentless determination towards his enemies.
Unlike everyone else you've met, he doesn't seem either afraid of your nature or condescension towards your youth. Instead he treats you with kindness, respect, and nice head-pats.
He's agreed to work for you permanently, meaning that you'll always have a friend on hand to help you.
Equipment: Steel Spear, Javalin
Support level: Ryza B, Claire B, Belle C
Skills:
Personal: Fearless Champion: Whenever facing an enemy with Strong dice, gain 1 automatic success.
Class: Shield Wall: Re-roll as many dice as you have allies in combat.
Leadership: 4
Class: Level 6 Thief (1/6)
A thief from Legerius who you met while saving Sypha. She's snarky, has a dry sense of humor, and pretends to be a far worse person than you think she really is.
She's agreed to work for you permanently, and since one of her rules is that she doesn't hurt children, you think you can trust her.
Equipment: Brave Sword, Iron Sword
Support level: Ryza B, Kelton C
Skills:
Personal: Deceptive Beauty: Gain 1 Defense whenever fighting male enemies
Class: Going Dark: Re-roll all dice when fighting at in darkness.
Leadership: 2
Other Party Members:
Class: Level 6 Bow Lord (0/6)
A strange human girl who woke you from your magical slumber. Is apparently on the run from people who want to hurt her. Very good at giving hugs.
She has shown an aversion to putting others in danger, and seeks to minimize any risks to you. Even knowing you're not human, she wants to keep you safe.
Currently In: Agrithe
Equipment: Steel Bow, Steel Knife, Vulnerary
Support Level: Ryza B, Phoebe B
Skills:
Personal: Noble Huntress: Gain 2 automatic successes against enemies on the first round of combat.
Class: Lord's Blessing: Never has Disadvantage in combat.
Leadership: 4
Class: Level 5 Cavalier (0/5)
The former squire of Dame Selena, Artemis's old bodyguard, Phoebe has been officially promoted to take her mentor's place after fighting with valor in Artemis's first march north.
Equipment: Steel Sword, Silver Lance,
Support Level: Artemis B
Skills:
Personal: Castle Guardian: Gain 1 Defense when fighting in a castle
Class: Thunderous Charge: Reroll all misses on first round of combat
Leadership: 2
Class: Level 5 Yeoman (0/5)
One of Artemis's yeomen. Seems to be the braver of the pair, and apparently lived in a forest.
Does seem somewhat suspicious of you, and apparently noticed some of your differences and mentioned them to Artemis. However, he seems willing to go along with her keeping you around.
Really needs to stop worrying so much and get some sleep.
Equipment: Iron Bow, Iron Knife
Support level: Lancel C
Skills:
Personal: Guardian: Whenever in the same combat as Artemis, gain 1 defense.
Class: Mounted Fighter: Re-roll failures when fighting from horseback.
Leadership: 3
Class: Level 5 Yeoman (0/5)
One of Artemis's yeomen. Less bold than his companion, he does clearly care for Artemis's safety, and attempted to take the blame for some trouble on himself to protect his comrade.
Has stared fearfully at you in the past, but seems to be warming up to you. Will now defend you to Axton.
Equipment: Iron Bow, Iron Knife
Support level: Axton C
Skills:
Personal: Redeemer: If Lancel rolls 0 successes on natural dice, gain 1 automatic success.
Class: Mounted Fighter: Re-roll failures when fighting from horseback.
Leadership: 2
Class: Level 5 Pegasus Knight (0/5)
A hot-headed Whitewing from Palla, Angela was hired along with the rest of her squadron to provide arial scouting and protection. Quick to pick a fight with someone she doesn't trust, underneath her temper is a genuinely kind person, one who seems to have taken a liking to you.
Equipment: Steel Lance, Javelin
Skills:
Personal: Get out of my sky!: Gains 1 automatic success when fighting a wyvern.
Class: Wingwoman: When fighting alongside two Pegasus Knight allies, reroll all failures
Leadership: 3
Class: Level 4 Myrmidon (3/4)
The second son of the lord of Rignali, Alejandro is a flirt and a jokester, but he is also dedicated to the protection of his home and the other Kingdoms. Seems to particularly enjoy teasing Artemis, to her mild irritation.
Equipment: Killing Edge
Skills:
Personal: Gallant Blade: Gains 1 automatic success when fighting alongside a female.
Class: Proud Duelist: Reroll as many failiurs as an enemy sword-wielder has successes
Leadership: 4
Class: Level 4 Fighter (0/4)
A former Talon of the Bloodhunter Chapter, defected after she could no longer stomach the thought of kidnapping innocent children. While many among the Southern Kingdoms are still suspicious of her, you know that she's a good girl, as well as a fellow not-worshipper of horses!
Equipment: Steel Axe, Hand Axe
Support level: Ryza C
Skills:
Personal: Heavy Blows: The first 10 rolled counts for an additional success
Class: Tough: Force opponents to reroll 1 success
Leadership: 4
Class: Level 5 Light Lord (1/5)
The Princess of the Kingdom of Hornglade and the youngest mage to graduate from the Marble Hall, a talented White caster.
Equipment: Ellight, Mend
Support Level:
Skills:
Personal: Light Prodigy: Ignores Triangle Disadvantage from Anima magic
Class: Sun's Chosen: Reroll all dice when fighting in sunlight
Leadership: 4
Allies Elsewhere:
Class: Level 3 Soldier (2/3)
A soldier from Castle Legerius. One of Countess Mantrae's apparently trusted guards, she's had a complicated relationship with you and Kelton, but right now she seems to be a friend.
Sypha likes her, so she's clearly decent.
Equipment: Steel Lance, Javalin
Support level: Kelton B
Skills:
Personal: Loyal Shield: Grants 1 Defense when in combat with someone she's been ordered to defend.
Class: Shield Wall: Re-roll as many dice as you have allies in combat.
Leadership: 3
Class: Level 4 Cavalier (2/4)
One of Countess Mantrae's cavaliers. He was nice enough when you met him first, and he didn't seem to be involved in the plan to give Artemis to the Talons, so he has that going for him. He was part of the group that went into your home, though, but you can't really hold that against him, can you?
Equipment: Steel Sword, Iron Lance
Support level: NA
Skills:
Personal: The Valiant: Grants 1 additional dice when fighting alongside a female character
Class: Thunderous Charge: Re-roll all dice in the first round of combat when mounted
Leadership: 3
Class: Level 10 Yeoman (2/10)
Artemis's teacher in archery and hunting, he was volunteered to go with you to rescue Sypha. Is remarkably mellow about your manakete nature.
However, is absolutely brutal in combat. He stabbed a guy in the eye with an arrow!?
Equipment: Silver Bow, Steel Sword, Elixir
Skills:
Personal: Treestrider: Gains 1 Defense when fighting in forest terrain.
Class: Mounted Fighter: Re-roll failures when fighting from horseback.
Leadership: 3
Other:
The Countess of Legerius, one of the Southern Kingdoms. Formerly an ally of Agrithe, she was forced to try and hand Artemis over to the bandits that want her in order to get her own daughter back. You don't think she's an evil person, just a person in a bad situation, even if she did make you use your dragon a lot.
Artemis's father. A slightly intimidating man who seems to have plans for you, though you don't think they're hostile. Artemis clearly loves and respects him, and he loves her in turn. Has asked you to go and save Sypha.
Artemis's (step) mother. A kind and gentle woman, she seems to be especially grateful that you brought her daughter home. You get the feeling that she would like for everyone to get along, and seems eager to welcome you into the home.
Retainers:
Source: PinterestClass: Level 4 Soldier (3/4)
A militia member from the town of Miau, Kelton combines an easygoing demeanor towards his friends with a relentless determination towards his enemies.
Unlike everyone else you've met, he doesn't seem either afraid of your nature or condescension towards your youth. Instead he treats you with kindness, respect, and nice head-pats.
He's agreed to work for you permanently, meaning that you'll always have a friend on hand to help you.
Equipment: Steel Spear, Javalin
Support level: Ryza B, Claire B, Belle C
Skills:
Personal: Fearless Champion: Whenever facing an enemy with Strong dice, gain 1 automatic success.
Class: Shield Wall: Re-roll as many dice as you have allies in combat.
Leadership: 4
Class: Level 6 Thief (1/6)
A thief from Legerius who you met while saving Sypha. She's snarky, has a dry sense of humor, and pretends to be a far worse person than you think she really is.
She's agreed to work for you permanently, and since one of her rules is that she doesn't hurt children, you think you can trust her.
Equipment: Brave Sword, Iron Sword
Support level: Ryza B, Kelton C
Skills:
Personal: Deceptive Beauty: Gain 1 Defense whenever fighting male enemies
Class: Going Dark: Re-roll all dice when fighting at in darkness.
Leadership: 2
Other Party Members:
Class: Level 6 Bow Lord (0/6)
A strange human girl who woke you from your magical slumber. Is apparently on the run from people who want to hurt her. Very good at giving hugs.
She has shown an aversion to putting others in danger, and seeks to minimize any risks to you. Even knowing you're not human, she wants to keep you safe.
Currently In: Agrithe
Equipment: Steel Bow, Steel Knife, Vulnerary
Support Level: Ryza B, Phoebe B
Skills:
Personal: Noble Huntress: Gain 2 automatic successes against enemies on the first round of combat.
Class: Lord's Blessing: Never has Disadvantage in combat.
Leadership: 4
Class: Level 5 Cavalier (0/5)
The former squire of Dame Selena, Artemis's old bodyguard, Phoebe has been officially promoted to take her mentor's place after fighting with valor in Artemis's first march north.
Equipment: Steel Sword, Silver Lance,
Support Level: Artemis B
Skills:
Personal: Castle Guardian: Gain 1 Defense when fighting in a castle
Class: Thunderous Charge: Reroll all misses on first round of combat
Leadership: 2
Class: Level 5 Yeoman (0/5)
One of Artemis's yeomen. Seems to be the braver of the pair, and apparently lived in a forest.
Does seem somewhat suspicious of you, and apparently noticed some of your differences and mentioned them to Artemis. However, he seems willing to go along with her keeping you around.
Really needs to stop worrying so much and get some sleep.
Equipment: Iron Bow, Iron Knife
Support level: Lancel C
Skills:
Personal: Guardian: Whenever in the same combat as Artemis, gain 1 defense.
Class: Mounted Fighter: Re-roll failures when fighting from horseback.
Leadership: 3
Class: Level 5 Yeoman (0/5)
One of Artemis's yeomen. Less bold than his companion, he does clearly care for Artemis's safety, and attempted to take the blame for some trouble on himself to protect his comrade.
Has stared fearfully at you in the past, but seems to be warming up to you. Will now defend you to Axton.
Equipment: Iron Bow, Iron Knife
Support level: Axton C
Skills:
Personal: Redeemer: If Lancel rolls 0 successes on natural dice, gain 1 automatic success.
Class: Mounted Fighter: Re-roll failures when fighting from horseback.
Leadership: 2
A hot-headed Whitewing from Palla, Angela was hired along with the rest of her squadron to provide arial scouting and protection. Quick to pick a fight with someone she doesn't trust, underneath her temper is a genuinely kind person, one who seems to have taken a liking to you.
Equipment: Steel Lance, Javelin
Skills:
Personal: Get out of my sky!: Gains 1 automatic success when fighting a wyvern.
Class: Wingwoman: When fighting alongside two Pegasus Knight allies, reroll all failures
Leadership: 3
The second son of the lord of Rignali, Alejandro is a flirt and a jokester, but he is also dedicated to the protection of his home and the other Kingdoms. Seems to particularly enjoy teasing Artemis, to her mild irritation.
Equipment: Killing Edge
Skills:
Personal: Gallant Blade: Gains 1 automatic success when fighting alongside a female.
Class: Proud Duelist: Reroll as many failiurs as an enemy sword-wielder has successes
Leadership: 4
Class: Level 4 Fighter (0/4)
A former Talon of the Bloodhunter Chapter, defected after she could no longer stomach the thought of kidnapping innocent children. While many among the Southern Kingdoms are still suspicious of her, you know that she's a good girl, as well as a fellow not-worshipper of horses!
Equipment: Steel Axe, Hand Axe
Support level: Ryza C
Skills:
Personal: Heavy Blows: The first 10 rolled counts for an additional success
Class: Tough: Force opponents to reroll 1 success
Leadership: 4
Class: Level 5 Light Lord (1/5)
The Princess of the Kingdom of Hornglade and the youngest mage to graduate from the Marble Hall, a talented White caster.
Equipment: Ellight, Mend
Support Level:
Skills:
Personal: Light Prodigy: Ignores Triangle Disadvantage from Anima magic
Class: Sun's Chosen: Reroll all dice when fighting in sunlight
Leadership: 4
Allies Elsewhere:
Class: Level 3 Soldier (2/3)
A soldier from Castle Legerius. One of Countess Mantrae's apparently trusted guards, she's had a complicated relationship with you and Kelton, but right now she seems to be a friend.
Sypha likes her, so she's clearly decent.
Equipment: Steel Lance, Javalin
Support level: Kelton B
Skills:
Personal: Loyal Shield: Grants 1 Defense when in combat with someone she's been ordered to defend.
Class: Shield Wall: Re-roll as many dice as you have allies in combat.
Leadership: 3
Class: Level 4 Cavalier (2/4)
One of Countess Mantrae's cavaliers. He was nice enough when you met him first, and he didn't seem to be involved in the plan to give Artemis to the Talons, so he has that going for him. He was part of the group that went into your home, though, but you can't really hold that against him, can you?
Equipment: Steel Sword, Iron Lance
Support level: NA
Skills:
Personal: The Valiant: Grants 1 additional dice when fighting alongside a female character
Class: Thunderous Charge: Re-roll all dice in the first round of combat when mounted
Leadership: 3
Class: Level 10 Yeoman (2/10)
Artemis's teacher in archery and hunting, he was volunteered to go with you to rescue Sypha. Is remarkably mellow about your manakete nature.
However, is absolutely brutal in combat. He stabbed a guy in the eye with an arrow!?
Equipment: Silver Bow, Steel Sword, Elixir
Skills:
Personal: Treestrider: Gains 1 Defense when fighting in forest terrain.
Class: Mounted Fighter: Re-roll failures when fighting from horseback.
Leadership: 3
Other:
Artemis's father. A slightly intimidating man who seems to have plans for you, though you don't think they're hostile. Artemis clearly loves and respects him, and he loves her in turn. Has asked you to go and save Sypha.
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Important Locations:
Important Locations:
Also known as Kepesk-Okar, this is where you grew up. Build into the largest mountain in your family's part of the Southern Mountains, this vast labyrinth of corridors, rooms and stairs could easily hold hundreds of manakete. However, for reasons Father and Mother never made clear, the majority of the halls were empty; it was just you, your parents, and the occasional guest.
A small village you visited, home to Kelton. You were given a strange piece of advice by the local shaman.
Before seeing Castle Legerius, it was the largest human settlement you'd seen.
Before seeing Castle Legerius, it was the largest human settlement you'd seen.
The home of Countess Mantrae, a friend of Artemis. It is massive, and has more people than you've ever seen before in your life.
You have since learned that this was a trap, and you were forced to flee with Artemis, leaving your other friends behind.
You have since learned that this was a trap, and you were forced to flee with Artemis, leaving your other friends behind.
Artemis's home. An even bigger castle than Legerius, you have met a few of the inhabitance. You like some of them more than others, but all in all you think you can be happy here.
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Combat Mechanics 2.0
COMBAT MECHANICS:
PLANNING:
Before combat begins, players will have a chance to vote on how they intend to use the resources at their disposal. This comes in two parts: Objectives and Strategy. All combat votes will be Plan Votes.
-Objectives: I will usually state the primary objective of the combat; most often the defeat of an enemy boss but occasionally something more complicated.
Players, meanwhile, will be able to vote for various secondary objectives. I will give ideas, but I encourage write-ins based on the post.
Starting from 1 (the most important secondary) and going down, players will decide how important they deem each secondary objectives. I will then use this when I am deciding the outcomes of various dice rolls.
-Strategy: This is where players decide how they are going to succeed in their objectives. Players will allocate their characters into groups and lay out what order they intend to do things it. This strategy may take several posts to execute, giving players a chance to modify if something unexpected happens, but in generally I will stick to it.
Once votes are made, I'll roll dice and determine the outcomes until the next major decision point.
DICE MECHANICS:
When in combat, D10s are used to determine combat outcomes, with the threshold for success dependent on who's rolling.
-Standard dice: A standard dice naturally succeeds on a roll of 9 or 10. These dice are typically used for minions and green units.
-Strong dice (s.) A strong dice naturally succeeds on a roll of 7, 8, 9 or 10. These dice are typically used for player units and bosses.
-Dragon dice (d.) A dragon dice is more rare, and naturally succeed on 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10. They are used when tapping directly into draconic power in some way, be it a manakete's dragon form or certain weapons that are more deeply tied to dragons.
-Auto Successes (a.s.): Not quite a dice, but I'll list any of these that come from skills/weapons.
Dice Numbers: Heroes and bosses will typically roll (1+(Level)) dice, while minions and green units will typically roll (Level) dice.
Additional dice can then be added based on tactics, circumstances, and Supports.
For example: in the recent bandit fight, there would be 2 groups, you, Kelton and the militia fighting outside of the camp and Artemis's group infiltration. Both groups would only be rolling against parts of the enemy force, making two smaller combats rather than one big one. You, Kelton and the green units would roll against the bandit boss and however many minions he was able to get to follow him, while Artemis, Axton, Lancel and Arden would face some of the others.
Supports: Although characters can have many supports, they can only benefit from one Support at a time in combat. When a pair of units with Support are in the same combat, they will each give each other 1 dice for C rank, 2 dice for B rank, and 3 dice for A rank (for a total of 2, 4 and 6 extra dice).
RUNNING COMBAT:
Enemies, rather than all being counted together, will start split up into groups, though as the battle goes on these groups can change.
Combat goes by rounds: in each round your groups will roll against any enemy groups they have been matched with. Whenever combat happens, I will roll the dice pools against each other 3 times, checking which side got more successes in each round. Which of these 3 sets get used depends on whether Ryza and company have Advantage, Parity or Disadvantage.
-Advantage: You're currently winning, or at least doing well. Whichever of the 3 rolls is better for you will be used.
-Parity: Both sides are roughly even. Most combats will start this way, unless clever tactics are employed. The middle result will be used.
-Disadvantage: You're on the back foot, and the result that is worst for you will be chosen.
Before rolling, I will have decided what the potential results of the combat, with outcomes becoming progressively better/worse the more you win/lose by. The typical results table will look like this (though I won't post it):
Win by more than 6: ???
Win by 5-6: ???
Win by 3-4: ???
Win by 1-2: ???
Tie : ???
Lose by 1-2: ???
Lose by 3-4: ???
Lose by 5-6: ???
Lose by more than 6: ???
After all combats in a round have been resolved, I will look at any unengaged enemy groups and determine what they would do in response to the events of the round. This could be moving to reinforce a nearby ally group, attempt to complete some objective, or perhaps even running away if they think things are going badly. I will then move onto the next round.
Should there be a radical change in circumstances, players will have a chance to vote for new/modified Strategy/Objectives, but otherwise I will keep rolling.
MODIFING DICE
There are several ways dice can be modified.
Battalions: Sometimes, a strong leader can push their troops to greater heights. This will be done through forming a Battalion. Weaker units can give their dice to a leader, upgrading them. This will typically cause their Standard dice to become Strong dice, though it could go all the way to Dragon if that's what the leader is using.
Weapons: Fire Emblem games encourage the use of strong weapons to tip the scales. To simulate this, having special weapons will improve dice. For example, in the bandit fight, I mentioned several times that the bandit boss's axe was shiner and sharper: it was a Steel axe rather than Iron. There are several types of weapons you are typically going to see.
-Steel Weapons/Tier 2 spells add an additional dice to the wielder's pool
-Silver Weapons/Tier 3 spells add two additional dice to the wielder's pool
-Rune Weapons/Tier 4 spells are very rare, but when used add two Dragon dice to the wielder's pool
-Killer Weapons: Crits are scary. When a character is wielding a Killer weapon, rolled 10s will count as 3 successes.
-Brave Weapons: The wielder of a Brave weapon rolls their attacks twice and takes the better outcome.
-Effective Weapons: Half the wielder's natural dice are automatically counted as successes when fighting an enemy their weapon is effective against, up to 6 (Example: Bows vs flyers).
-Slayer Weapons: In addition to their natural dice, wielder gains half their natural dice in automatic successes against the subject of their Slayer Weapon (Example: Wyrmbane lance vs manakete)
-Knives: Allows archer units to engage in melee, but lose one dice.
-Siege Weapons/Tomes: Always have Advantage unless fighting another Siege Weapon, and enemies do not get normal weapon bonuses. However, cannot target enemy groups engaged with friendly groups, for fear of hitting allies. Cannot be used if directly engaged yourself.
Weapon Triangle: When facing an opponent who has weapon triangle advantage (Sword beats axe, axe beats lance, lance beats spear), a character will lose one dice and their opponent will gain one. For groups of minions and green units, the most common weapon type in the group will be used.
Skills: All player characters, and certain powerful bosses will have skills that allows them to alter dice, re-roll dice, or gain automatic successes in certain circumstances. They will typically have two: a personal skill that is unique to the character, and a class skill based on their class.
Defense (d.f.): On occasion, strong defenses or a healer makes it so that fighters have a hard time wounding their opponents. This will be tracked by having Defense points, which counteract opposing hits.
Circumstance Bonuses: A catch-all term for various things that will give minor bonuses, usually to the tune of one strong dice, but are not enough to give advantage. The most common Circumstance Bonuses are Aerial Superiority, Ranged Superiority, Magical Superiority, Cover, and Heavily Outnumbering (four times the number of combatants).
Minor and Major Wounds: While a lost combat might not instantly kill the loser, it will often cause wounds. This will be tracked through the Minor and Major Wounded conditions: Minor wounds subtract one dice from a combatant's pool, while Major wounds subtract two.
Other Items: Sometimes, players can use other items they might have to tip the scales in their favor. Items that can have combat effects will be listed in the Inventory post at the beginning of the quest.
Assist Magic: A new thing I'm adding to make things like Heal more effective, each spellcaster in a combat that knows an Assist Spell can choose one ally to apply it to. For example, the Heal Assist Spell allows for the ignoring of the Wounded conditions.
I would like to thank Barondoctor and VagueZ for their invaluable help in designing this system, as well as the TreseBrothers (One of the best if not the best Indie game developers around IMHO) for providing the basis of the dice system.
Promotions:
Humans can only advance to level 10 rather than the 20 usual for Fire Emblem. Manakete, meanwhile, will be able to go to level 20. This is in part due to a comment made about how a promoted human would be more powerful than a manakete's dragon form, which goes against the ideas I've had for the story.
However, manakete can't promote in the same way as humans (IE, gaining permanent access to Dragon Dice.) Shifting into dragon form will act as a sort of on-the-fly promotion: giving them Dragon Dice, but coming with the drawback of letting their emotions dictate their actions. Humans (aside from a rare few such as Emperor Theodore) will never be as directly powerful as a dragon, but by a combination of numbers, cunning, and tools, they can even the odds.
When it comes to promoting, only a Level 5 or above character can use a Seal to promote.
PLANNING:
Before combat begins, players will have a chance to vote on how they intend to use the resources at their disposal. This comes in two parts: Objectives and Strategy. All combat votes will be Plan Votes.
-Objectives: I will usually state the primary objective of the combat; most often the defeat of an enemy boss but occasionally something more complicated.
Players, meanwhile, will be able to vote for various secondary objectives. I will give ideas, but I encourage write-ins based on the post.
Starting from 1 (the most important secondary) and going down, players will decide how important they deem each secondary objectives. I will then use this when I am deciding the outcomes of various dice rolls.
-Strategy: This is where players decide how they are going to succeed in their objectives. Players will allocate their characters into groups and lay out what order they intend to do things it. This strategy may take several posts to execute, giving players a chance to modify if something unexpected happens, but in generally I will stick to it.
Once votes are made, I'll roll dice and determine the outcomes until the next major decision point.
DICE MECHANICS:
When in combat, D10s are used to determine combat outcomes, with the threshold for success dependent on who's rolling.
-Standard dice: A standard dice naturally succeeds on a roll of 9 or 10. These dice are typically used for minions and green units.
-Strong dice (s.) A strong dice naturally succeeds on a roll of 7, 8, 9 or 10. These dice are typically used for player units and bosses.
-Dragon dice (d.) A dragon dice is more rare, and naturally succeed on 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10. They are used when tapping directly into draconic power in some way, be it a manakete's dragon form or certain weapons that are more deeply tied to dragons.
-Auto Successes (a.s.): Not quite a dice, but I'll list any of these that come from skills/weapons.
Dice Numbers: Heroes and bosses will typically roll (1+(Level)) dice, while minions and green units will typically roll (Level) dice.
Additional dice can then be added based on tactics, circumstances, and Supports.
For example: in the recent bandit fight, there would be 2 groups, you, Kelton and the militia fighting outside of the camp and Artemis's group infiltration. Both groups would only be rolling against parts of the enemy force, making two smaller combats rather than one big one. You, Kelton and the green units would roll against the bandit boss and however many minions he was able to get to follow him, while Artemis, Axton, Lancel and Arden would face some of the others.
Supports: Although characters can have many supports, they can only benefit from one Support at a time in combat. When a pair of units with Support are in the same combat, they will each give each other 1 dice for C rank, 2 dice for B rank, and 3 dice for A rank (for a total of 2, 4 and 6 extra dice).
RUNNING COMBAT:
Enemies, rather than all being counted together, will start split up into groups, though as the battle goes on these groups can change.
Combat goes by rounds: in each round your groups will roll against any enemy groups they have been matched with. Whenever combat happens, I will roll the dice pools against each other 3 times, checking which side got more successes in each round. Which of these 3 sets get used depends on whether Ryza and company have Advantage, Parity or Disadvantage.
-Advantage: You're currently winning, or at least doing well. Whichever of the 3 rolls is better for you will be used.
-Parity: Both sides are roughly even. Most combats will start this way, unless clever tactics are employed. The middle result will be used.
-Disadvantage: You're on the back foot, and the result that is worst for you will be chosen.
Before rolling, I will have decided what the potential results of the combat, with outcomes becoming progressively better/worse the more you win/lose by. The typical results table will look like this (though I won't post it):
Win by more than 6: ???
Win by 5-6: ???
Win by 3-4: ???
Win by 1-2: ???
Tie : ???
Lose by 1-2: ???
Lose by 3-4: ???
Lose by 5-6: ???
Lose by more than 6: ???
After all combats in a round have been resolved, I will look at any unengaged enemy groups and determine what they would do in response to the events of the round. This could be moving to reinforce a nearby ally group, attempt to complete some objective, or perhaps even running away if they think things are going badly. I will then move onto the next round.
Should there be a radical change in circumstances, players will have a chance to vote for new/modified Strategy/Objectives, but otherwise I will keep rolling.
MODIFING DICE
There are several ways dice can be modified.
Battalions: Sometimes, a strong leader can push their troops to greater heights. This will be done through forming a Battalion. Weaker units can give their dice to a leader, upgrading them. This will typically cause their Standard dice to become Strong dice, though it could go all the way to Dragon if that's what the leader is using.
Weapons: Fire Emblem games encourage the use of strong weapons to tip the scales. To simulate this, having special weapons will improve dice. For example, in the bandit fight, I mentioned several times that the bandit boss's axe was shiner and sharper: it was a Steel axe rather than Iron. There are several types of weapons you are typically going to see.
-Steel Weapons/Tier 2 spells add an additional dice to the wielder's pool
-Silver Weapons/Tier 3 spells add two additional dice to the wielder's pool
-Rune Weapons/Tier 4 spells are very rare, but when used add two Dragon dice to the wielder's pool
-Killer Weapons: Crits are scary. When a character is wielding a Killer weapon, rolled 10s will count as 3 successes.
-Brave Weapons: The wielder of a Brave weapon rolls their attacks twice and takes the better outcome.
-Effective Weapons: Half the wielder's natural dice are automatically counted as successes when fighting an enemy their weapon is effective against, up to 6 (Example: Bows vs flyers).
-Slayer Weapons: In addition to their natural dice, wielder gains half their natural dice in automatic successes against the subject of their Slayer Weapon (Example: Wyrmbane lance vs manakete)
-Knives: Allows archer units to engage in melee, but lose one dice.
-Siege Weapons/Tomes: Always have Advantage unless fighting another Siege Weapon, and enemies do not get normal weapon bonuses. However, cannot target enemy groups engaged with friendly groups, for fear of hitting allies. Cannot be used if directly engaged yourself.
Weapon Triangle: When facing an opponent who has weapon triangle advantage (Sword beats axe, axe beats lance, lance beats spear), a character will lose one dice and their opponent will gain one. For groups of minions and green units, the most common weapon type in the group will be used.
Skills: All player characters, and certain powerful bosses will have skills that allows them to alter dice, re-roll dice, or gain automatic successes in certain circumstances. They will typically have two: a personal skill that is unique to the character, and a class skill based on their class.
Defense (d.f.): On occasion, strong defenses or a healer makes it so that fighters have a hard time wounding their opponents. This will be tracked by having Defense points, which counteract opposing hits.
Circumstance Bonuses: A catch-all term for various things that will give minor bonuses, usually to the tune of one strong dice, but are not enough to give advantage. The most common Circumstance Bonuses are Aerial Superiority, Ranged Superiority, Magical Superiority, Cover, and Heavily Outnumbering (four times the number of combatants).
Minor and Major Wounds: While a lost combat might not instantly kill the loser, it will often cause wounds. This will be tracked through the Minor and Major Wounded conditions: Minor wounds subtract one dice from a combatant's pool, while Major wounds subtract two.
Other Items: Sometimes, players can use other items they might have to tip the scales in their favor. Items that can have combat effects will be listed in the Inventory post at the beginning of the quest.
Assist Magic: A new thing I'm adding to make things like Heal more effective, each spellcaster in a combat that knows an Assist Spell can choose one ally to apply it to. For example, the Heal Assist Spell allows for the ignoring of the Wounded conditions.
I would like to thank Barondoctor and VagueZ for their invaluable help in designing this system, as well as the TreseBrothers (One of the best if not the best Indie game developers around IMHO) for providing the basis of the dice system.
Promotions:
Humans can only advance to level 10 rather than the 20 usual for Fire Emblem. Manakete, meanwhile, will be able to go to level 20. This is in part due to a comment made about how a promoted human would be more powerful than a manakete's dragon form, which goes against the ideas I've had for the story.
However, manakete can't promote in the same way as humans (IE, gaining permanent access to Dragon Dice.) Shifting into dragon form will act as a sort of on-the-fly promotion: giving them Dragon Dice, but coming with the drawback of letting their emotions dictate their actions. Humans (aside from a rare few such as Emperor Theodore) will never be as directly powerful as a dragon, but by a combination of numbers, cunning, and tools, they can even the odds.
When it comes to promoting, only a Level 5 or above character can use a Seal to promote.
Soldier: Shield Wall: Re-roll as many dice as you have allies in combat.
Yeoman: Mounted Fighter: Re-roll all failures when fighting from horseback.
Bandit: Savage: Reroll 1 failure per 10 you roll.
Fighter: Tough: Force opponents to reroll 1/2 your level in Successes
Archer: The High Ground: Reroll all failures if attacking from above your enemy.
Myrmidon: Proud Duelist: Reroll 1 failure per enemy sword-wielding success.
Mercenary: Professional: Reroll 1 failure per point of Defense.
Thief: Night Fighter: Reroll all dice during night combat.
Cavalier: Charger: Reroll all failures on the first round of combat when mounted.
Wyvern Rider: Lesser Drake: Gain 1+ 1/5 your level in Defense. Gain half your level in additional Standard dice.
Revenant: Unending Tide: For every 5 revenants in a group, gain a defense dice (when under control of more powerful monster)
Mogall: Fell Mind: Awakens the Skills of lesser monsters.
Lich: Miasma of Death: All enemy creatures in combat with the Lich lose 1 dice.
Wraith: Born of Shadow: Enemy Anima casters grant a group of Wraiths 2 defense. Enemy Light casters gain 2 automatic successes
Yeoman: Mounted Fighter: Re-roll all failures when fighting from horseback.
Bandit: Savage: Reroll 1 failure per 10 you roll.
Fighter: Tough: Force opponents to reroll 1/2 your level in Successes
Archer: The High Ground: Reroll all failures if attacking from above your enemy.
Myrmidon: Proud Duelist: Reroll 1 failure per enemy sword-wielding success.
Mercenary: Professional: Reroll 1 failure per point of Defense.
Thief: Night Fighter: Reroll all dice during night combat.
Cavalier: Charger: Reroll all failures on the first round of combat when mounted.
Wyvern Rider: Lesser Drake: Gain 1+ 1/5 your level in Defense. Gain half your level in additional Standard dice.
Revenant: Unending Tide: For every 5 revenants in a group, gain a defense dice (when under control of more powerful monster)
Mogall: Fell Mind: Awakens the Skills of lesser monsters.
Lich: Miasma of Death: All enemy creatures in combat with the Lich lose 1 dice.
Wraith: Born of Shadow: Enemy Anima casters grant a group of Wraiths 2 defense. Enemy Light casters gain 2 automatic successes
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Vote closed
Vote closed
Night Terrors
[X] Plan: Magic? Magic is nice.
-[X] You dream of lightning and thunder, which you revel in. You sit with your father, who speaks to you even as the sky lights up with bolts of power, for you both know these will not touch you. You know you are of the Yellow tribe, the tribe of lightning, magic and knowledge. Even as a humanoid, you can weave the arcane energies more easily than any other.
-[X] Daughter
-[X] Ryza
-[X] You dream of lightning and thunder, which you revel in. You sit with your father, who speaks to you even as the sky lights up with bolts of power, for you both know these will not touch you. You know you are of the Yellow tribe, the tribe of lightning, magic and knowledge. Even as a humanoid, you can weave the arcane energies more easily than any other.
-[X] Daughter
-[X] Ryza
You do not know how long it has been since this newest cycle began, but you find yourself dreaming again.
"Father! Father, look what I did!"
You run up to your father, your hands cupped in front of you. Lightning crackles fitfully between your palms; created and maintained by your magic. You've been working on this all week, and you finally were able to make it from the balcony Father had first shown you this trick upon back to his chamber. You ignore the fact that this is your third run of today; all that mattered was that you'd done it!
Your father smiles warmly as he studies your handiwork. "Well done, my child," he says, reaching out and gently ruffling your hair. You giggle and lean into his hand, always happy for praise. "Our tribe may have a gift for the arcane arts, especially the gifts of the storm cloud, but it is still impressive that you are wielding it at such a young age." His hand paused for a moment before he chuckled. "Although, you do still have some ways to go."
You open your eyes, confused. Father's smile takes a teasing note as he nods to your hands. Looking down, you realize that there is no longer any lighting there: you were so busy being pleased with yourself that you'd forgotten to keep channeling your magic. You hadn't even noticed it go out.
As you slump in disappointment, your father pulls you into a hug. "Don't worry, child," he says. "You are still young. You will have many centuries to hone your concentration." He tapped the glittering gem sitting on the table next to him. "For now, might I suggest you make more use of your dragonstone to help you focus."
You frown. "But Mother always says that I shouldn't overuse my dragonstone, especially when neither of you are around," you say.
"And your mother is correct: drawing too deeply on the dragon within can have terrible consequences, especially for a young manakete." For a moment, a shadow crosses your father's face before he shakes his head and smiles again. "However, never forget that, while you are more than the dragon, the dragon is an essential part of you. Using its power to help you is not weakness; it is as natural as breathing. Just take care to listen to your instincts: you will know when the dragon is starting to overwhelm you." He shrugs. "Besides, this sort of thing would only be a very minor effort."
A dry voice came from the door. "Are you trying to corrupt our daughter with your carefree ways again, dear?" your mother says, but even without looking you can tell she's smiling.
"Mother!" you squeal, hurrying over to give her a hug before holding your hands out again. "Look what I can do!" After a minute of focus, during which your mother and father patiently wait, lighting finally lights up your hands, arcing against your palms with a gentle tickling sensation.
"Well done, Ryza!" Mother says, studying the magic. A moment later, you feel a bit of her own power starting to tie yours together. Instinctively, you follow her lead, and a few moments later the lightning stabilizes into a smaller, more contained sphere under your control. "Keep practicing, and you'll be throwing storms around in no time!"
"Now who's trying to corrupt our daughter?" Father asked, making his way over, putting a hand on both yours and your mother's shoulders. You hum contentedly as the three of you stand together for a moment.
After a few moments, you glance up to see your parents speaking to each other with their eyes. You huff: you always hate it when they did that as if you weren't right there!
Noticing your irritation, your mother smiles. "Ryza, I've always found that being outside helps me when I'm trying to cast magic. Why don't you head out; I'm sure you'll make even more progress there. Remember: the lightning is a part of you; it will obey your command."
Distracted, you nod happily. "Sure!" and trot out of the room, trying to keep the magic stable without your mother's help. It fluctuates a bit, but you're able keep it mostly under control. As you glance back, you see your parents putting their heads together, whispering to each other.
"-eird plac-"
Wait, that wasn't right… that wasn't what they said…
You blissfully continue on, still holding your magic steady-
You try to adapt to suddenly being separate from the dream. To being aware that things were not as they once were while still being convinced that all was normal. That you were still in that old memory.
It's starting to escape a-
"Thi- -an fin- -hiny-"
Those were words! Someone was speaking, and it wasn't you or either of your parents! Although, the words were strange… they sounded like Makashi, at least close, but there was something different about them…
"No, w- -go- -ob to d-"
The voices began to fade along with the dream, and you could feel your tenuous grasp on awareness fading with them…
No! No you don't want to go back to the darkness! You don't want to forget again! Focus, focus!
You are Ryza! You are ninety-three years old, you are manakete, you are Yellow and lighting and magic! You don't want to lose that again!
You don't want to be alone anymore.
Desperately, you claw at the edges of your own mind, your sleeping prison. A tiny part of you starts to remember that this is not the first time you have had this struggle, that there have been other times when you were so close to being aware, but those feelings always fade… fade… fade…
You struggle, you writhe, you fight to remember yourself, to combine the you-that-was with the you-that-is.
As you fight, you remember. You remember that you are…
(Pick 2)
[] Tough: Manakete are normally much weaker in their heart-form form even than humans. You, however, somewhat defy this convention: your heart-form may still be that of a human child, but you're stronger than you look. (Incompatible with Arcane)
[] Arcane: From what your parents told you, even among the magically-gifted Yellow tribe, your arcane abilities are remarkable, though you haven't been able to confirm that for yourself. (Incompatible with Tough)
[] Willful: In your more introspective moments, you recognize you were not the easiest child. When you decided something, no amount of reasoning or pleading could dissuade you from it. (Incompatible with Thoughtful)
[] Thoughtful: As much as your parents try to make time for you, you often found yourself with a lot of time alone. Therefore, you became very used to your own thoughts, often mulling over new ideas and coming to new conclusions. (Incompatible with Willful)
[] Energetic: You are a continuous bundle of energy. No matter the situation, you have a smile on your face and childish glee in your heart. You are determined to keep up the spirits of those around you. (Incompatible with Mature)
[] Mature: Being an only child, the youngest of the loose extended family centered around your mother, you never really had anyone to play with, so you worked to be more like the adults so you could get them to take you seriously. (Incompatible with Energetic)
[] Shy: Talking to new people was always hard. While you enjoy being with your parents and others you're used to, whenever a new manakete came to visit, you would find a reason to be somewhere else. (Incompatible with Vivacious)
[] Vivacious: You never got the chance to meet many new people: there were so few manakete that live nearby, though your parents spoke of a time when there were more. Those few newcomers you did meet, you were sure to talk to as often as you could! (Incompatible with Shy)
It works… somewhat. You still remember you, but both the dream and the strangeness are gone by the time you're able to stabilize your mind. As you ponder this, you realize that this means you are once again alone in the void of your own mind. Already, you can feel the infinite nothingness trying to pull you back down into your endless torpor.
You need more, you need something that truly makes you unique. Desperate, you search your fraying memories, trying, trying to find something to anchor you. You are Ryza, you are manakete, you are Yellow and lighting and magic. You are…
(Pick 1)
[] Sky-Blessed: While all manakete can manifest wings even in their heart form, something that normally happens when they are stressed or angry, yours were particularly large for your size. To the both the pride and fear of parents who cannot follow, you've taken to they joy of flying in your frail heart form.
[] Stone-Hearted: All manakete have dragonstones that appears soon after their birth, it is the conduit of their power. However, on rare occasions like your own, a newborn's dragonstone will appear inside their body. These rare manakete cannot share their stones with others, but neither can their stone be taken from them.
[] A Colored Hybrid: Manakete rarely interact with members of other tribes, and when they do it is even more rare for that to lead to anything more. Your parents, however, were among the exceptions: you are the child of two tribes. Though you are Yellow by nature, you are also (choose your mother's color).
[] Soul-Scenting: Some manakete develop a sixth sense that can give them insight into the nature of others around them. For as long as you can remember, you have been able to… smell, for lack of a better phrase, what others around you are feeling. Although you never had much practice, you think that you would be able to tell if someone near you carried ill intention towards you.
"-his wa-"
It's back! The strangeness is back! Maybe it's a way to wake up to the world Father promised you! Reaching out, straining with all your young might, you try to cling to this new otherness, trying to find your way out of the darkness. You reach and you reach, getting closer and closer until suddenly it's right there.
Then, before you can wonder if clutching for an unknown intrusion into your mind might not have been the best idea, you are pulled into a new dream, your sense of self falling away to be replaced by new, alien sensations.
(Pick 1)
[] You dream of a young bandit thief, realizing too late that he's in over his head.
[] You dream of a student of magic, who would really rather just curl up with a good book.
[] You dream of a proud hunter driven from his home by a dangerous rival.
[] You dream of a mercenary out to prove herself in the big world.
[] You dream of an old shepherd, in search of a flock to call his own.
[] You dream of a noble lady on the run after an ambush and a betrayal.
AN: To be clear, at this moment there is no plan to have Fire Emblem-esque combat. If anyone knows of a simple to use map maker that works on Macs, I could be convinced to give it a try. Otherwise, combat will be mostly narrative, with me perhaps rolling a few dice in the background for my own sake.
As for melee combat… I'm not going to say it's impossible, but you are a young manakete: i.e. your humanoid form is that of a child. Not exactly the best for wielding a sword.
Not impossible. Just hard.
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Vote closed
Thank you, @Ryumancer
Ryza. Awaken.
[X] Plan: Aerial Bombardment
-[X] Arcane
-[X] Thoughtful
-[X] Sky-Blessed
-[X] Of a Noble Lady
-[X] Arcane
-[X] Thoughtful
-[X] Sky-Blessed
-[X] Of a Noble Lady
"Kingdoms? Bah, give a dog an inch of leash and suddenly it thinks it's your equal! Only His Majesty's patience and generosity keeps us from crushing those rebels like the worms they are!"
-Lord Commander Gideon Skyhelm of the Wyrmguard, Year 793 since the Fall of the Fell Dragon
Panicked, you try to pull away, but it's already too late, and you find yourself dragged into a new dream.
You take a deep breath at the brisk mountain air; this extension of the Icewall Mountains may be rough terrain, but they mean that you are almost home. Just a few more days.
"I hope Father's well," you say, almost to yourself.
"I'm sure His Lordship is as vigorous as ever," a calm, warm voice comes from beside you. "He will certainly be glad to have his daughter back. And I'm sure he'll be happy to hear of his son as well."
Rolling your eyes, you glance over at Selena, the paladin who had acted as your bodyguard and confidant for as long as you could remember. "Hopefully he won't be too disappointed when he hears that school is making Apollo almost more Imp than Agrithian."
Selena tosses her head, her short, chestnut-brown curls bouncing slightly as she sighs. "The Marble Hall is the most prestigious school of magic in the world. People compete from all nations to have their children learn there. That it is connected to the Empire is a small price, and Lord Apollo seems to be taking to it well."
Smirking at the opening, you guide your horse a bit closer so you could whisper without the yeomen riding escort around you hearing. "You seem especially eager to praise my brother today. Reconsidering your feelings towards him."
"My lady, please, not this again," Selena sighs. "His infatuations were amusing when he was a child, but he's growing up, and it is not proper for him to have such feeling for one of his father's vassals."
You roll your eyes. "Selena, please don't sell yourself short that way. Father trusts you to protect me. Trusts you to lead his knights into battle. You have given our family years of loyal service. You're more than just a vassal to us."
The sound of a clearing throat from behind you causes both you and Selena to turn in your saddles. "As fascinating as this discussion is, it seems that Sir Robert is returning," Alexander Shadebringer, your father's magical advisor, says dryly. "Perhaps he will have found us a place to rest."
"Of course, Master Shadebringer," Selena said, nudging her horse away as her voice became strictly professional. "Let us see what he has to say."
A moment later, four more horses cantered to a stop in front of your party. The leader wore armor that was somewhat less well made than Selena's, but was still an honorable knightly suit. Father always made sure that even his landless cavaliers had the resources to equip themselves properly.
Sir Robert took off his helmet and bowed to you. "My lady, Dame Selena, my men and I have discovered a suitable camp site, just a few miles further into the mountains."
"Any sign of trouble?" Selena asked. "When we passed this way on our way to the Marble Hall, there were whispers of bandits in the region."
Sir Robert shook his head. "My men and I checked the area thoroughly, Dame Selena, and there were no signs of them. Perhaps they moved on. The important thing is that our path is clear."
Selena nods, but you notice the small frown on her face. "Very well; lead the way."
The terrain was rough, but thankfully Agrithian horses were among the best in the world: even after a day's march they were more than capable of some mountain pass. Well, most of them were. You frown as you see Sir Robert's yeomen lagging behind: their less expensive, thus less able horses seemingly exhausted. You suppose it made sense, after all they had been the ones scouting ahead all day, at Sir Robert's insistence. You suppose he just wanted to prove himself; he was new to his title, after all.
Still, you did make it to the spot Sir Robert had found. As Selena calls a halt, you dismount Actaeon and start to tend to him, rubbing the day's weariness from his muscles, causing the horse to nicker gratefully.
Just as your about to stand from checking his hooves, however, you frown as you notice something. Carefully reaching a finger out, you study the footprint. There was something odd about it…
"My lady?" Sir Robert says, coming up behind you.
"Look at this," you say, pointing at the print.
The knight frowns as he looks at it. "That must have been one of my men's," he said after a moment. "We dismounted here for a time; one of the yeomen must have wandered over here. I assure you, my lady, we are perfectly safe here."
The dream seems to… shudder, and for a moment you are Ryza again. What is going on? Why are you seeing this, this has nothing to do with you? You are manakete, and these people clearly aren't.
"Is this one satisfactory?"
Wait, what? What is this strange, empty voice?
"Is this one satisfactory?"
What- who's there?
"Irrelevant. Is this one satisfactory?"
You don't know what-
"Further investigation required."
The dream slams into you again.
Darkness finds you staring at your journal in your tent, the words swimming strangely so as to be illegible, though this does not trouble you. You are too busy mulling over what it was about those footprints that worried you so. Even if you were right, and it was someone other than one of Sir Robert's men; it would be much more likely to be some local mountain man or another traveler passing through than any threat. Even if there were some bandits around, the likelihood of them risking battle with twelve yeomen, two knights, a shaman and yourself was negligible.
So why were you nervous?
Frowning, you reach over and grab your bow, stringing it with practiced hands. Your father always told you to trust your instincts, and right now your instincts were telling you that something wasn't right.
Carefully peeking out of your tent, you counted the men on watch: Sir Robert and three yeomen. The same three yeomen who had ridden with him today. Ridden with him every time he went to scout ahead for the last three days of the trip.
Almost like they were the only ones he trusted.
Before you could step out to confront him, you saw Sir Robert look up into the shadows beyond the campfire. After a moment, he seemed to take a deep breath before standing and walking over, gesturing with one hand. All three of his yeomen stood from where they'd been sitting, drawing their short blades but making no further move.
An armed man stepped out of the darkness, nodding to Sir Robert in a friendly manner and saying something you didn't catch. The knight nodded back before gesturing towards your tent. His men, meanwhile, were turning towards the other yeomen's tents.
For a moment, you were too shocked to process what was happening. It was all so clear, but you simply could not believe that one of your father's cavaliers would do this. Only when Sir Robert turned towards your tent, pointing the newcomer and two more strangers towards Selena's did you final find your voice.
"Sir Robert!" you call, grabbing an arrow from your quiver as you step out of the tent. "What is the meaning of this?!"
Everyone froze for a moment, staring at you. Sir Robert blinked before running a hand through his hair with a sigh. "I suppose it was too much to hope you'd just let it go," he said.
"Explain yourself!" you snap. "What is going on here? Who are these men?!"
"Please, my lady, we both know what's going on here, though I was hoping that we'd be able to do this without any fuss. Please, for all of our sakes, make this easy for everyone and put the bow down. Nobody has to get hurt."
You stamp your foot, trying to draw everyone's attention back to you as you notice a few of the treacherous yeomen and other bandits are stating towards the other tents: you know Selena at least would have heard you, if you can keep them busy for just a little bit… "What I want to know is why! After everything my father has done for you, why would you betray him like this!?"
Robert starts to open his mouth, but the bandit leader shakes his head, gesturing for his men to keep going. "No games, girl. My boys and I are being paid a lot of money to grab you, and we get a bonus of you're unhurt, but don't think we won't rough you up if we have to. Drop the bow, now."
Before you can even think to respond, the air grows cold and the men who were heading towards Alexander's tent collapse as a shadowy rune draws itself beneath them before lunging upwards: you'd forgotten he was a light sleeper. "My lady! Go!" he calls, raising his tome as he steps out. "Save yourself!"
"But-"
Selena bursts out of her tent, only half armored or even dressed by still wielding her silver sword. "Do as he says! Run, we'll hold them off!"
"Kill them!" the bandit leader howls, dragging his blade out as Selena charges.
A glint from above and to the right causes you to turn, instinctively nocking and arrow and drawing it back. Five archers were lined up on a ridge above the camp, aiming for Alexander as he begins another casting. One falls as you put a shot into his torso, but the other four loose. Alexander stumbles and falls to his knees as two of them find their marks.
"I won't leave you!" you cry as Selena lunges forward, meeting two bandits and slaying them with practiced ease. Already, you're reaching for another arrow-
"RUN! My lady, please, RUN!"
You let out a wordless cry of fear as Selena spins and parries; proving herself once again the greatest knight in Agrithe. You watch as Alexander pushes himself up as much as he can, shadow magic spilling from his tome as he strikes down two of the archers above.
"GO!" they both shout together.
You want to stay. You want to fight. You want to save them, but even you can tell the battle is lost. Even as the loyal yeomen spill out of their tents to join the fray, there are just too many enemies. Even as the archers above continue to fall, their arrows tear into your people.
If you stay, they will have died for nothing.
Slowly, you back away. "I'm sorry," you whisper, your bow twanging in your hand to slay another of the enemy archers. "I'm so sorry."
Somehow, Selena turns to give you a reassuring smile. "Don't be!" she cries, blood flowing down an injured arm even as she strikes down another bandit. "Go! Climb"
You instantly understand what she means: you're cut off from the horses, and even if you weren't you'd surely be run down if you tried to ride out. However… Slinging your bow over your shoulders, you run towards the ridge where the archers are shooting from: you'd bet your skills against any man on foot in terrain this rough!
"After her! She's getting away!"
You jump, pain lancing through your fingers as they dig into the stone, but you won't stop, cannot stop. A good man falls behind you as you pull yourself up, the bandits fighting him leaping to try and grab your legs. You feel their fingers brushing the soles of your boots, but you're free to climb to the top.
Just before you reach it, a hand comes down and grabs your wrist. "Got you, brat!" the last of the archers crows, trying to yank you up. Snarling, you dig your other hand into its handhold, plant your feet, and yank. Unbalanced, the man topples past you, wailing briefly before hitting the stone with a wet thump and leaving you free to clamber over the edge, just as an arrow wizzes by your head.
"No, you fool, we need her alive!" the bandit leader yells, but as you turn only have eyes for your companions, your family. Alexander is lying frightfully still, three new arrows sticking out of his chest. He's gone.
Selena, meanwhile, is trying to hold the treacherous Robert off, spitting curses and insults at him. Bleeding from multiple wounds, barely on her feet, she still fights like a lion. However, she's just too outnumbered. As the last of the yeomen either fall or surrender, one of the bandits drives his axe into her back.
Everything seems to stop. "NO!" you hear someone scream, and it takes you a moment to realize that it's you. She can't be dead, she can't be dead, not Selena, not after everything… Your legs start to bend, to leap back, to cut through every one of these bastards and make them pay-
Selena turns. Somehow, with her last strength, she turns to look up at you.
"Artemis… run…"
The spell is broken and you stumble back from the edge. You can seem men dashing in both directions, there must be paths up here, you don't have much time. Sparing one last glare at the bandit leader and Robert, fixing their faces in your memory so you know who you need to kill, you turn and run.
Grief and pain fill you as you are knocked from the dream. That girl… that poor girl…
"Is this one satisfactory?"
What do you mean?
"Is this one satisfactory?"
You try to think what this strange voice is asking. Satisfactory for what? You like her well enough from what you've seen: and you certainly empathize with her loss, but what-
"Is this one satisfactory?"
… Yes?
"Summoning."
Oh now wha-
You slump to your knees. You don't know how long it has been since… since it happened, but you haven't stopped running or climbing since.
You can hear the men behind and around you. You can hear the bandits shouting taunts and threats, you can hear some of the yeomen trying to track you, you even hear Robert once, begging you to make things easy for yourself and just come out, that he promises he won't let them hurt you.
Like you would ever believe the words of a traitor. You stand and keep going.
You don't know what drives you on. All you know is that Selena told you to climb, and you figure that having the high ground would mean that, even if they are able to run you down, you'd be able to kill some of them before they took you.
As you climb, however, desperately using every trick you could think of to avoid being tracked and thanking the spirits that they hadn't brought dogs, something draws your attention. The ground here… it's more even than the rest of the path. Not completely, but it was clearly well-used at one point.
You should avoid that; it would make it easier for them to follow you and your only advantage is that you're in lighter armor than they are and can maneuver more easily… but surely that've thought of that too, and would expect you to take the harder way. You're also so tired, but you need to keep moving… surely a bit of time on the path wouldn't hurt?
Heading up the path, you find yourself at the entrance to a cave of some sort. Only… the cave seems remarkably even, just like the… wait a moment…
This wasn't a cave. It was a door. An ancient door, fallen to ruin and disrepair.
If you weren't currently running for your life, you'd probably be excited at the discovery. Apollo would probably be excited anyways, but he was always more of a scholar than you.
What was important, however, was that this was a place to hide and rest. Let the bandits search it; surely a ruin would have plenty of places to hide. With the sound of the bandits coming from further down the path, you slip into the ruins. It was dark inside, almost too dark to see, but even though you had a flint and steel in a pouch, you didn't risk making some light. Instead, you feel your way along; one hand on the wall while the other uses your bow as a makeshift cane.
Time quickly loses any meaning in the blackness as you make your way along, navigating more by instinct than any particular plan. Finally, however, you pause: the wall you had just touched seemed… important, somehow.
"Come and be welcome."
You yelp as the wall suddenly fades away, causing you to topple to the side with a pained gasp. Cursing under your breath, you sit up, looking to see if you'd injured your hand too badly.
Wait a minute… how could you see? It was dark a moment ago, but now there was a pale light filling the corridor you found yourself in, coming from where the wall had been before. Clambering to your feet, you try to figure out what was going on.
The first thing you realize is that there is a room past the wall, one that must have been hidden by magic. For this first time since this nightmare began, you wish Apollo was here; he probably would be able to explain what was going on. You force that thought away: if he was here, he'd be in danger too, and you couldn't bear the thought of him meeting the same fate as Selena.
The room looked like some sort of shrine, though where there should have been an altar, there is instead a massive, glowing crystal. Faintly, you can see… something, inside, but the light is too bright to get a good look. Frowning, you make your way inside: if the bandits come while this light is shining, you'll never be able to get away. You need to find some way to douse it.
You start to raise your hand to touch it before pausing: was that really the best idea? You have no idea what this thing is; the carvings on the wall are all illegible to you. This could be some sort of trap, designed by whatever ancient sage built this place to blow up intruders. Or it could suck you into it somehow, trapping you forever, or maybe…
"Be not afraid."
You shake your head: you need to find a place to rest, and if you can make the wall reappear, then you'd be perfectly safe. Reaching out, you lay a hand on the crystal. It's warm to your touch, and for a moment you simply bask in your first feeling of calm all night.
There's a massive crack.
"Ryza. Awaken."
You slowly sit up, yawning widely. Ow, ow, your back hurt. Your neck hurt. Really, your everything hurt. Why were you sleeping on a stone slab, that seemed like a really bad idea, and you weren't used to having many bad ideas. You crack your back, seriously, why had you done something this silly?
Stretching, you shuffle to the side of the slab/bed, blinking blearily. Why was everything so dark, normally Father's light runes would have activated by now. Maybe you'd had a bad dream and it was still night time. That would explain… explain…
There was someone staring at you.
A girl, older than you but still not an adult like Mother and Father. She's dressed in dirty but well-made clothes and holding a curved piece of wood with a string attached in one hand, her other outstretched as if to touch you. Her mouth is open slightly, as if she's about to speak but forgot what she was going to say, and other than the slight rise and fall of her breaths she isn't moving.
You stare at her.
She stares back.
You blink.
She blinks.
You both blink at the same time.
You…
[] Scream: Who is this person?! Why are they here!? Why are they staring at you?! Why do they smell like blood!?
[] Fly: You don't like this, you don't like this at all, too close too close you need space!
[] Speak: "Um… hello? My name is Ryza. What's your name?"
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Announcement
I'm going to be away from my computer with family until at least Saturday, so feel free to continue the discussion.
Quoted for truth: I'm not going to kill Ryza off without giving you multiple chances to correct course, so if you're worried screaming is going to lead to something terrible then don't worry, I've never liked of gotchas like that so I wouldn't inflict it on you.
It might not be the optimal choice, but since when have people under stress made optimal choices?
Quoted for truth: I'm not going to kill Ryza off without giving you multiple chances to correct course, so if you're worried screaming is going to lead to something terrible then don't worry, I've never liked of gotchas like that so I wouldn't inflict it on you.
It might not be the optimal choice, but since when have people under stress made optimal choices?