What would readers prefer?

  • Pure narrative quest: no dice will be used, the author will have free reign to decide what happens.

    Votes: 25 59.5%
  • New dice system: the author will design a new, better dice system to add some randomness and risk.

    Votes: 17 40.5%

  • Total voters
    42
  • Poll closed .
Nice chapter.

First Blade is actually a pretty interesting character, and our dedicated Adversary (that we know of).

How likely is it Lenora Thundercrier used our mothers dragonstone? (We have our fathers, I'm not sure if our mothers has been accounted for.)

Thanks.

True, Ryza's mother hasn't been accounted for. As for her stone, Ryza doesn't like thinking about it, but from how relatively undisturbed her home's remains was, if her mother died and was left there it's possible her stone was as undisturbed as her father's.

If, for some reason, Aithusa didn't die at Kepesk-Okar, then who knows what happened to her stone.
 
I still suspect the Master was either the Guardian, or was Aithusa doing a salty runback on the calamity. Either is possible.
 
Ryza: You can have it, I don't—
Shyrlonay: Only! One!

"Ah, but did we demand that you destroy all of them?" Alejandro says. "Or did we say, and I quote, 'Those supplies and weapons are vital to the Imperial efforts. If they're destroyed, then they can't continue to fight. Destroy as many of them as you can, Ryza, would you?'"
"I can destroy more! I'm not tired!"

"But it is an Imperial weapon," you say, reaching out and trying to grab it. However, tired as you are, Belle is able to dance out of your reach. "I was tasked with destroying Imperial weapons."

Kelton chuckles. "What're you talking about, Ryza?" he says. "It's clearly Belle's weapon. She's holding it, after all, and I heard somewhere that possession's nine-tenths of the law or something."

The thief grins at him. "Yep. Yep, no Imperial weapons here, just Belle's new baby," she purrs, running her hand along the blade to dust off the ash.
Anything Belle grabs is now (il)legally hers.

"My brothers 'nd cousins were out at the mill on that mound over there chasing away rats, and they said a bunch of pegasuses started attacking them until they threw rocks at them and they flew away. Be sure to bring some rocks to throw at them if they attack you."
That's cute.
Not the rock-throwing, but the kid who thinks that the big scary Wyvern Lord needs to bring rocks to throw at pegasi.

"Some of the dumb brutes even turned on us!" another of the soldiers snarls, anger overwhelming fear. "Some of my buddies died to one of those-" A warning growl from Ignition shuts the axeman up.
Emblem, read the room! Sometimes that requires understanding subtleties of social dynamics in a group, sometimes it requires noticing that there is a deadly fire-breathing "dumb brute" right next to you.

"I am Sir Mordred, Champion of Count Keylik of the Duskline," he says.
I don't think I've heard a more trustworthy name in my life.

That draws an immediate outburst. So many voices start shouting that Salvador could not even begin to follow them all. Thankfully, he does not have to. The Fell Slayer roars in his hand, fire swirling around his body and causing the nearest men to instinctively stumble away from him.

"I am the Blade of the Emperor," Salvador says... "I bear Emperor Theodore the Third's Sword and speak with his Voice. You. Will. Listen."
Salvador comes off as the most sympathetic Imperial aristocrat, on account of his willingness to think of Ryza as a person and not a mindless monster, and also his disdain for pointless murder of subordinates, but he sure does resort to showing off his magic sword and throwing his title around whenever people aren't doing what he wants.
Which I guess is a net positive when what he wants is to convince an aristocratic officer not to pointlessly murder their subordinates or convince a room of other aristocratic officers not to hold a doomed position, but it's not a great precedent to establish.


Even if it ends up becoming a Belle-exclusive weapon—
Usually, exclusive weapons are exclusive because their wielders are the only ones who can effectively use them.
Sometimes, they're exclusive because their wielders refuse to share.
 
Salvador comes off as the most sympathetic Imperial aristocrat, on account of his willingness to think of Ryza as a person and not a mindless monster, and also his disdain for pointless murder of subordinates, but he sure does resort to showing off his magic sword and throwing his title around whenever people aren't doing what he wants.
Which I guess is a net positive when what he wants is to convince an aristocratic officer not to pointlessly murder their subordinates or convince a room of other aristocratic officers not to hold a doomed position, but it's not a great precedent to establish.
I'm seeing high rank officer pulling rank in a crisis to stop people running around like headless chickens, thats a correct use, since its not like its the time for measured debate
 
???: DC 10 -2+5=13: 3, 7, 16
As you start flaring your wings, wanting to get down to the ground before your well of emotion runs dry and Heart-You takes over again, you vaguely noticed that two of the healers are sticking pretty close together while others fan out solo, probably to help more wounded. Honestly, though, you don't really care. It isn't your mission, so it isn't your problem.
I'm a bit intrigued by this. At a glance it seems to me to simply be that Melissa is at least keeping to the chaperone policy... but that it was preceded by an unknown roll (that I think we had a weak failure on? Not sure what 1 out of 3 against the DC means again) that causes Ryza to go "not my problem" makes me a bit curious/nervous. I'd say it was just a perception roll but the ??? bugs me lol. Maybe worth following up on by talking to them with one of our actions?

As for that, I think we should definitely rest as one of them. Chatting seems like a good pick for another - and because of the above I'm inclined to have one of the sub-options be Melissa/Selinda. Fairly neutral on the other but it'd probably be more interesting to check with one of our newer friends like Elena, Alina, or Alejandro. Last one I'm a bit ambivalent on but may as well go full social so maybe chat with people in the camp? Magic search/Dragon-self research never a bad choice either.
 
Another human approaches, and you glance over Artemis's head to see Alejandro coming up to stand on the other side of your wing from her and gently pat your side (though honestly, with how much he irritates Artemis shocking him alone could count as a side objective rather than a barrier to launch…)
Missing punctuation after the parenthesis.

…You… suppose, that's true, thought it seems to be cheating to lean on technicalities like this.
"though"

Missing a space.

Another horn sounds to the easy, from the outside of the camp.
"east"

"…Ryza…" Kelton says, more loudly than he really needs to, and when you glance back at him he's clutching at his ears. "A little warning next time!" Belle moaned, shaking her head with a dazed expression.
Why did you switch to past tense here?

Finally, however, you fly over the Kingdom army as it begins to march away, carrying as many of their own wounded with them as they can. You see healers begin to swarm forwards from the force of Parvei armor knights to tend to those they could.
"armored"?

Salvador had been to every major city in the Empire in his time as a Wyrmguard, usually following Thaddeus around as the late and lamented Emperor worked to keep his ancestor's domain trundling along the path of history without letting the idiots of the realm upend things.
"ancestors's"?

The leadsoldier, the one with both lance and shield
Missing a space.

"It seemed like there rebels were everywhere, everything was on fire.
"the rebels were"? "there were rebels"?

It's clear the don't know enough to waste time questioning them when he should just go and find out more from the scene.
"they"

For the next twenty minutes, as Salvador flys he spots several more groups of routing soldiers making their way southwest,
Firstly, "flys" should be "flies". Secondly, there should be a comma after that word.

If only she hadn't revealed her presence by raising the bloody void amidst one of the main Imperial army formations in the area and wrecking spirits only knew how much destruction!
"wreaking"

From within Salvador can hear the raised voices of a meeting
There should be a comma after "within".

"Sir Salvador Wyrmguard, Blade of the Emperor, to see His Grace," the Gwenlynn says formally to the guards.
That "the" should not be there.

"With what supplies!"
This sentence should end in a question mark in addition to the exclamation point.

if we don't start send out foraging parties immediately,
"sending"

but just as Salvador is about to draw the Fell Slayer and shoot some fire into the air a massive voice roars from the other side of the blue-blooded mob.
There should be a comma after "air".

The Blade nods, it is a fair request, and even if it wasn't having this sort of argument in front of an audience would be bad for the already shaky morale of this army.
There should be a comma after "wasn't".

"Precocious heirs are a blessing and a curse," he grumbles as he walks to a table along the side of the tent and pours himself a goblet of wine before offering the another goblet towards Salvador.
That "the" should not be there.

"I know there'll be no indolent upon my throne when I'm gone, so long as the boy can survive that long."
"indolence"?

However, how can I claim to protect them if I let that monster lurks across the border
"lurk"

An annihilated army cannot"
Missing punctuation.

"If you have made your decision, Lord Blade, then it is will will be,"
Something went very wrong with this sentence.

Neither option is palatable to me, you understand that don't you?"
There should be a comma after "that".

"Is there anything that the Northlands Duchy can do to air your mission, my lord Blade?"
"aid"

Confusions, but not at Salvador's mission.
Pretty sure this should be "Confusion", singular, not "Confusions", plural.

Maybe eventually some of them will be able to think about last night logically eventually
One of these is redundant.

As Godric gave him a detailed map (drawn by his own hand, apparently) Salvador made up his mind.
There should be a comma after the parenthesis.

It would take some time to go to the Meridian army and bring them up to speed to make sure they didn't start another war.
"Meridiem"

"Well, hopefully you'll be able to take a nice long nap when we get to the camp," she says, pressing herself against the yeoman's back (and was it just a weird light, or did he flush slightly? Looking the other way, you spot Axton and Kelton, and all around you you can hear the sounds of the moving Kingdom army.
Missing the second parenthesis as well as the punctuation after said second parenthesis.

[] Plan Probably Not Going To Win
-[] Spend some time reading The Dragon Within and getting to know your dragon-self better. While this long-term transformation went relatively well, perhaps you can learn more to make next time go better.
-[] Spend some time with your various friends, making sure everyone's okay. (Choose 2)
--[] Melissa and Sister Selinda
-[] Spend some time studying magic. You won't have the time to schedule out what exactly to practice, but you'll pick up something useful.
--[] Continue learning Red Magic

I don't expect this plan to win because the general sentiment in the thread seems to be that we should rest, but here's my picks. Improve our ability to work with/as Dragon!Ryza, check on Melissa, and Red Magic primarily for the sake of Runewriting because I don't remember how much Red Magic we need for that, although improving our ability to counter Green Magic is also a good idea.

I still suspect the Master was either the Guardian, or was Aithusa doing a salty runback on the calamity. Either is possible.
I remember the Old Master being referred to as a man. Is that just me?
 
Corrections.

I remember the Old Master being referred to as a man. Is that just me?

Thank you kindly as always. A few were intentional: armor knight is another name for the FE knight class, and I'm pretty sure indolent can be used as a noun for someone who shows indolence, but the rest was just my dumb-dumb brain. And that's after I went through and weeded out most of the past-present tense splits since I always get those mixed up.

As for your question, yes, the Old Master has been consistently depicted as male in every iteration Ryza's heard.
 
I'm seeing high rank officer pulling rank in a crisis to stop people running around like headless chickens, thats a correct use, since its not like its the time for measured debate
That's a different way to phrase the "it's a net positive" sentence I wrote. Kind of a worse one, too. The problem isn't people panicking, it's the "pointless murder" and "hold[ing] a doomed position" stuff the panic is making them do.
Drawing a flaming sword just to "stop people running around like headless chickens" would actually be a very bad idea. Flame and swords make people more likely to panic, after all!
 
That's a different way to phrase the "it's a net positive" sentence I wrote. Kind of a worse one, too. The problem isn't people panicking, it's the "pointless murder" and "hold[ing] a doomed position" stuff the panic is making them do.
Drawing a flaming sword just to "stop people running around like headless chickens" would actually be a very bad idea. Flame and swords make people more likely to panic, after all!

Well, to be fair most flaming swords aren't a culture's version of Excalibur, held by a trusted paladin (culturally rather than FE class-wise) of the true-blood descendent of their King Arthur figure.

For Imperials, the Fell Slayer is a big deal.
 
Well, to be fair most flaming swords aren't a culture's version of Excalibur, held by a trusted paladin (culturally rather than FE class-wise) of the true-blood descendent of their King Arthur figure.

For Imperials, the Fell Slayer is a big deal.
So he's doing his culture's equivalent of Michael Carpenter (Dresden Files) in Small Favor in the Union Station fight where they save some mortals from some nasty supernatural folk. "He hears your prayers and answers. Usually not with a holy knight, but my house is in town, so..."
 
OK, OK, uh. I didn't notice that mystery check earlier. My thoughts are: we rest, we check up on Melissa and make sure she knows everything and maybe Ryza catches on and chastises her for ignoring her request earlier. If Melissa got up to some Melischief on the sly, as long as she's unharmed I say it's all OK, but this might lead to some fallout Ryza has to deal with later. We should definitely still check on her, though, and since we get to pick two, why not continue to help with Elena? (or any of the other people, not picky here. I just know Elena was on the ground with the infantry, which we didn't really see much of).

As for the rest, I say, pretty much as predicted. Duke is pissed because everyone died and the enemy has the equivalent of a demon from hell on their side, but people are still thoughtful about everything and Salvador is clearly not blinded by hatred. I am unsurprised the people Ryza and her crew rolled over hold a vicious grudge for it, feel oddly lucky the Duke's own son isn't exactly in line with his dad.

I actually think we do want to research more magic, specifically, Runewrigting. Many of Ryza's 'goals' unsubtly point towards the use of Runes. I think we can pass on reading more of The Dragon Within for now, in favor of that. If we want to go magic but not Runes, I actually say we pick White because we know Monsters could be afoot (disreagrding we're mostly fighting Imperials right now) and Ellight sounds like a fantastic remedy for things mostly immune to Anima, and Ellight was the other major option for White magic study earlier so it sounds likely Ryza would pick that up. (But who knows?)

(also, 'Runewrighting' is mispelled as 'Runewrighing' in the votes as labeled. I have opted to preserve this typo deliberately for now.)
(EDIT: Removed typo in conjunction with the below, also bolded b/c why not)

[ ] Plan: Learning with Ryza: Runewrighting
-[ ] Just rest and recover. That was a stressful night, and you want to make sure you're fully prepared for anything that might come up.
-[ ] Spend some time with your various friends, making sure everyone's okay. (Choose 2)
--[ ] Melissa and Sister Selinda
--[ ] Elena
-[ ] Spend some time studying magic. You won't have the time to schedule out what exactly to practice, but you'll pick up something useful.
--[ ] Continue studying Runewrighting.
 
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So even with how far this quest has gotten, none of our people have gotten promoted/used the 2? seals we've gotten yet? So they are gigantic class advancement/power boosts?
 
Yeah in an actual FE game, we'd probably be around... chapter 10, maybe 12? We're past the early-game missions of beating up bandits and proxies, and moving into the "time to face the massive war engine of the Evil Empire that is invading", while yet to hit the "time to counter-invade the Empire and accidentally conquer the entire continent, also discovering an ancient evil conspiracy in the process".

Basically around the point when promotions are available, but most players don't actually do any promoting yet because "bro I got 10 more levels of growth to get first".
 
Though I think given the difficulty of acquiring Seals, that Promoting at level 10 is the way to go in LotM? Because while Dragon Dice are great, taking 4 levels before you start increasing your number of dice is pretty rough (I think humans cap at 10 dice total though, even if Seals can let you convert to Dragon Dice.)
 
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[X] Plan Rest and Public Relations
-[X] Just rest and recover. That was a stressful night, and you want to make sure you're fully prepared for anything that might come up.
-[X] Spend some time with the people you don't know as well: Count Sobieski and Sir Rimpler, as well as more ordinary soldiers. Maybe you'll just soothe nerves that might be fraying slightly at some of your more over-the-top acts, and maybe you'll even meet new friends!
-[X] Spend some time with your various friends, making sure everyone's okay. (Choose 2)
--[X] Princess Alina
--[X] Lord Alejandro

Rest and get Ryza back to an even keel. Help silence any rumbling from what Dragon Ryza just did by getting the non-party member people used to Ryza, commoners and regular nobles alike. And then interact with the important noble names that will be useful to know better and vice versa.

I ignored training in my plan as part of the whole resting thing. Focusing on rest and social interaction will help Ryza feel more like she's living her life instead of being a scholar hermit 24/7. Maybe I could have fit a single study/training action in, but for this turn I'm really valuing Ryza managing her PR after such a major battle as a dragon.
 
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What are the current plans for promotion? Artemis as a Manakete Bow Lord? with us would be something, aka a absolute nightmare for just about anyone else short of monsters like the First Blade.

Though that depends on what exactly the Heavens Seal will do, and whenever she actually gets it.
 
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Artemis will eventually get her Heaven Seal equiviliant, but it's been implied that Ryza's Seal equiviliant will be plot gated and is probably the Arbiter's Stone.
 
Yeah in an actual FE game, we'd probably be around... chapter 10, maybe 12?
If you go by the side-story markers, we're actually only on chapter 7.
Although I suppose you could make the argument that the whole 'Battle of Dragon-Night' we just did was one battle split across two chapters, with one covering the approach to the Imperial camp and the other covering the actual raid, which would then put us as just having cleared chapter 8.

Considering the average length of the typical FE main story, we're probably around… I'm gonna say a fifth of the way to the final chapter?
 
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CURRENT PROMOTION AVAILABILITY
Though I think given the difficulty of acquiring Seals, that Promoting at level 10 is the way to go in LotM? Because while Dragon Dice are great, taking 4 levels before you start increasing your number of dice is pretty rough (I think humans cap at 10 dice total though, even if Seals can let you convert to Dragon Dice.)

Yep, humans only go to level 10 and can promote at level 5 or above.

Which, going back and checking, means that you could technically promote Phoebe if you wanted, since she just hit level 5 last battle and you have a Knight Seal (trumpets). Note, you don't have to, especially since Kelton's one fight away from level 5 himself, but it's an option and I believe in being transparent.

Promotions would be a free action: during any "downtime" chapter (thus, not in the middle of a fight or other tense situation) anyone can put promotions in as a write-in for the plan vote. If that plan wins, then congratulations, you have yourself a new Tier 2 unit!

Therefore, I'm going to leave this post up and use it as a place where viewers can tell who can currently promote and what they could promote into.

EDIT: A reminder of how promotions affect characters: first step is replacing existing strong dice with Dragon Dice, then alternate between adding a Strong Dice and replacing it with a Dragon Dice.

The way promotion works is that, after you promote, you start replacing your Strong Dice with Dragon Dice. If you promote before max level (which I'm considering having be 10, though right now it's still 20), then once you "run out" of Strong Dice, you will gain a new one, then turn it into a Dragon Dice on your next level.

So if you promoted Kelton (lvl 4) his first four promoted levels would leave him with 4 Dragon Dice, then he'd gain a Strong Dice, and so on.

So you don't lose out on anything, it just slows your growth a little.




CURRENT SEALS:
1 Knight Seal: Usable on Soldiers, Cavaliers, and Armor Knights

CURRENT PROMOTION CANDIDATES:
-Phoebe (Level 5 Cavalier). Can choose Paladin or Great Knight
>Paladin (Skill: Heroic Charger: Doubles the character's dice on the first round of combat when mounted. Weapons: Lances and Swords)
>Great Knight (Skill: Steel-clad Storm: Gains 2 defense on first round of combat when mounted. Weapons: Lance, Swords and Axes)​
 
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Ah, if that's the case, you want to Promote someone as soon as possible then.

That would only be the case if level doesn't reset on promotion. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe this follows standard Fire Emblem convention where level does reset and between base class and promotion we get 20 total levels.

Thus the idea that you should wait as long as feasible to promote, because growth has a very sharp cap of 10 dice. Promoting at 5 means 5 strong dice and 5 dragon dice. Promoting at 10 means 10 dragon dice.

Edit: I reread it, promoting at 5 would in fact be 7 dragon dice and one strong die, I think.
 
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