Fire Emblem: Last of the Manakete
- Thread starter SoaringHawk218
- Start date
- Fantasy
- Location
- Earth
- Pronouns
- He/Him
"I have an acade...akkadian...I'm interested in dragons."
"...This scroll was clearly written by, and for, dragons."
"Yes, that's why it's interesting!"
The same could be said about all of our scrolls if Beyond your Stone is anything to go by.
- Location
- scrabbling
[X] Baron Rickman is sitting in one of the chairs as if he owns the place, his cold eyes fixed on you.
We need some good old fashioned menace to balance out the fluff.
We need some good old fashioned menace to balance out the fluff.
EternalObserver
eYe Gaze baCk
- Location
- The Void
[X] You… can't put your finger on it. There's just… something off. Didn't you put that scroll away?
MiracleGrow
Miracles for only $19.99 [They/Them]
- Location
- DOOR STUCK DOOR STUCK PLEASE I BEG U
[X] Countess Mantrae herself is standing at the window of your room, fiddling with something in her hands.
Finally caught up
Finally caught up
Vote closed
Alright, time to plan a conversation with the big lady herself.
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I'm pretty sure Ryza carries that with her at all times.
Yeah. Ryza never lets that out of her sight. It's like modern kids and their phones: they're all but part of a manakete's body.
- Pronouns
- They/Them
And, just like Ryza, modern kids have their phones able to make them perform wizardry beyond the imagination of the older generations, and also they can grow to be like 30 feet tall and smash buildings.
- Pronouns
- He
Honestly their size always seemed kinda ambiguous to me. Like how does one become that big yet struggle to carry a couple people on their backs.
- Location
- Earth
- Pronouns
- He/Him
I don't know why I find that comparison so funny, but I do. It has a certain...inverse "How do you do, fellow kids" energy?
Carrying people on your back has as much to do with the structure of your torso as it does your relative size. There's also the fact that flying is really hard, even before the square-cube law comes into play and people start sitting right at the base of your wings.
That said, most playable manaketes in the games probably aren't that much bigger than, say, horses when transformed. Tiki, Myrrh, etc don't take up extra tiles when they transform, even though some enemy dragons (e.g. in Blazing Blade or Three Houses) are big enough to do so.
- Pronouns
- He
You know what? This makes sense.
- Location
- Earth
Iirc Myrhh's combat sprite when transformed is pretty enormous, and just barely fits in the combat screen, whereas other Manakete like Nowi are relatively quite small. I think it really just depends on the type of dragon a lot.
Ryza's Dragon Size
I will admit, I don't have any exact numbers, but currently Ryza is on the smaller size for a dragon, being a child. I would say that wyverns grow to be 15-20 feet long, so a young dragon like Ryza would be around the same size, maybe even a little smaller. Older, stronger dragons would probably get up to 30 feet, maybe pushing 40 for particularly big ones.
Being a Yellow dragon, Ryza would be about mid-tier for bulk in dragon form. Reds were always the biggest and strongest physically, followed by Whites. Then come Yellows in the middle, with Blacks and Greens being much more slender and nimble.
Being a Yellow dragon, Ryza would be about mid-tier for bulk in dragon form. Reds were always the biggest and strongest physically, followed by Whites. Then come Yellows in the middle, with Blacks and Greens being much more slender and nimble.
There is also generally a little scale fudging in the combat screens. Like you have berserkers that are just as tall as cavaliers on horseback. Ninian from Blazing Sword is pretty big outside of the combat screens.
IIRC, there was something in Awakening about uprooting trees and being as big as a barn in dragon form.
EDIT: And then QM comes in to snipe me while I was looking for pictures.
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- Location
- MN
I'd find it amusing that if we ever come across a wyvern that it would recognize that something is off with Ryza and would be really curious about her and not leave her alone. Like a dog that has decided that you need a friend and he shall be that friend.
- Location
- Earth
- Pronouns
- He/Him
And then, like Nowi before her, Ryza will be promoted to Dragon Who Rides On Another Dragon!
Dance of Discussions
[X] Countess Mantrae herself is standing at the window of your room, fiddling with something in her hands.
"The only thing more dangerous than assuming a dowager is speaking without thought is assuming you know what her plan for her words is."
- Attributed to Emperor Thaddeus II, Year 972 after the Fall of the Fell Dragon
You cock your head as you notice that Countess Mantrae is standing by the window, gazing out with what you'd imagine is a pensive expression, though you can't see it. "Hello, my lady," you say, curtsying again. It still feels odd, and you're pretty sure you're not doing it right, but Artemis did it, so it must be the right thing to do.
The woman doesn't immediately turn, continuing to fiddle with whatever it is in her hands, though from the tilt of her head you're pretty sure she's not actually looking at it. Finally, however, she turns to look at you, slipping the object into her sleeve as she does. You briefly catch a glimpse of what looks like a length of light, goldish-colored rope with green woven through it before it vanishes. "I see you found our wayward child, Daria," she says mildly.
"Of course, my lady," Daria says. "She'd gone to the rooftop garden upstairs."
You nod. "It was really nice," you say. "I know I told Artemis that I'd stay here, but I wanted to look around, and Castor suggested that I'd like the garden. Sorry if-"
Countess Mantrae smiles slightly. "There is no need to apologize, child," she says, gliding over to settle herself in one of the chairs. "There is also no need to stand at attention like that; come, sit." You hurry to obey as Daria gives one last curtsy before stepping out, closing the door behind her.
The two of you sit in silence for a few moments as Countess Mantrae studies you. "Artemis was right," she says finally. "Your dress is quite lovely. Daria said that your mother made it for you, is that true?"
You nod. "Yes," you say. "She and Father made it, for when I needed to go visiting. I… I'm glad I'm getting the chance to use it."
The countess nods slowly. "So that was an expectation for you?" she asks, delicately picking up a small, tapered glass with some dark red liquid from the table beside her. Glancing over, you see that the magical container is back, and there is a cup of the white liquid sitting beside what looked like a collection of hard pieces of bread.
"It was, yes," you say. "But… well, things change."
Countess Mantrae nods again. "That they do," she says. "Your parents, might you tell me a little about them?"
You don't really want to talk about your parents much, especially not after you were inadvertently reminded by Daniella and the others that they were different than humans. Looking for a distraction, you point towards the white liquid. "Is that…" you start, hoping that she won't take offence.
"Yes, I had that brought for you," Countess Mantrae says. "After all, it is only polite to feed one's guests when speaking with them."
Carefully, you reach out and take the cup, noting that the runes seem to have been recharged, though they're still leaking energy. Someone should really do something about that: maybe if Countess Mantrae left it with you, you could use the Runewrighting scroll to try and clean up some of the errors. Shaking that thought out of your head, you refocus on the woman in front of you. "Is Artemis doing okay? Did your talk go well?" you ask.
From the slight raise of her eyebrow and faint upturn of her lip, you're pretty sure Countess Mantrae noticed your clumsy dodge of her question. However, she seems willing to play along with it, as she sits back in her chair. "Yes, our conversation was very productive," she says. "Artemis told me about some of your adventures. It is a miracle that you all made it here safely."
You nod. "It was," you say. "But… but I am glad that I got to meet Artemis and the others, even if things were hard sometimes. And I'm glad I got to see all this; the castle's really nice, and I look forward to seeing her home as well."
Countess Mantrae sips at her drink again, studying you. "Hmm…" she says, seeming to consider her words. "Would you be willing to discuss your account of what transpired these past few days?"
You cock your head. "Didn't Artemis tell you everything?" you ask. Well, hopefully not everything. Hopefully she left out your manaketeness (and the spider incident); but other than that wouldn't she have told her friend everything?
"I have found that children often see the world more clearly than adults," Countess Mantrae says. "I am interested in your thoughts on what transpired."
"…Okay, I guess," you say. Artemis had said that she trusts Countess Mantrae, so surely it couldn't be that bad. You wouldn't tell her any of the things Artemis had said to keep private, which meant you'd have to be a bit clever with some parts of the story, but it shouldn't be too bad. "Well, I first met Artemis when she found me in my home…"
You don't try to hide the fact that your parents were magical; if nothing else you'd told the girls in the garden about that, and from what Artemis had said in Miau humans like to gossip, so Countess Mantrae would probably hear about that anyways. However, you did downplay your own abilities significantly, since young humans were apparently not yet able to use magic well.
Instead, you play up your knowledge of your home as how you got Artemis safely off the mountain; leaving the fighting to her in the story. Once the tale took you off the mountain, you're forced to all but write yourself out of it, since without magic you wouldn't have been much use. You don't talk about the fight to save Ardan in Miau, and on the nighttime trip you simply have everyone working together to keep each other on track.
Countess Mantrae doesn't say a word throughout the entire story, simply sipping at her drink as she listens quietly. Several times, you falter, expecting her to have some question or comment, but she simply gestures you to continue, a faint frown on her face. You hope you aren't deviating too much from the version Artemis told; hopefully if you were, the countess will understand that Artemis told you to be careful with what you said and not be too upset with you.
Finally, after several minutes, one refill of your cup, and a few of the hard pieces of bread used to give you time to think without being obvious; you finish with your arrival at the castle. For almost a minute, Countess Mantrae continues to study you without a word.
Just when you're about to ask if there's anything else she wants to know, she finishes her drink. "Certainly an interesting story," she says softly. "However…" she pauses. "Are you… quiet certain, that it was only the five of you? Yourself, Artemis, her men, and the militiaman from Miau?"
You frown: why would she think there'd been someone else? "Yes, I'm sure," you say. "Artemis found me at home, and we saved Axton and Lancel, and then Kelton wanted to help after Artemis helped his sister. It was just the five of us." You pause. "Oh, and Actaeon. Artemis wouldn't want me to forget Actaeon: he was there too."
"She wouldn't, would she?" Countess Mantrae says, another faint smile flickering across her face before her face settles back to contemplative coolness. "However…" After a moment, she shakes her head. "However, you never did answer my question about your parents. I like to keep up with the current fashions; and even if she never became a major name, surely your mother's work would have garnered some reputation, with the obvious skill she possessed. Not to mention the fact that some of the magic you described is… exceptional." Her eyes turn piercing as she stares at you. "I do find myself very curious."
You squirm as you look away. "I…" you say. "I… don't know all the details. Father and Mother were… very talented. More than I'll ever be." Especially if Artemis is right, and all the other manakete are gone. You wouldn't have anyone to teach you. "But… to me, they were just Father and Mother. Mother made this for my birthday. Father… he just knew magic." You grip your cup more tightly. "I… I don't know what to say."
"Is there a reason you don't want to talk about them?" Countess Mantrae asks.
"I… I guess I'm still not completely used to the fact that they're gone…" you say. This was even true: even after a week, there's still a part of you that refuses to believe that you're alone now.
Countess Mantrae flinches slightly. "I see…" she says. "My apologies, I did not wish to force you to recall painful memories." She seems to consider for a moment before leaning back. "Are there any other interesting things that you recall from the journey?"
You shake your head. "Not that I can think of," you say.
"Hmmm…" Countess Mantrae says. "Very well."
The two of you sit in silence for another minute before you look around. "So… how is Artemis doing? I haven't seen her…"
"Artemis is very tired," Countess Mantrae says gently. "Although she tries to pretend otherwise, the journey took a great deal out of her, both physically and emotionally. She is resting now, and I would not expect to see much of her tonight. As for tomorrow… there is more that she and I need to discuss, so don't be concerned if you don't have a chance to speak until you leave."
You frown. "But… I want to talk to her…" you say.
"I understand, Ryza," Countess Mantrae says. "But please understand, that things are… different, down here in the lowlands. In fact, it would likely be best for everyone if you were to remain in these rooms for the duration of your stay. If there is anything you need, say the word and it will be provided."
As she gets to her feet and starts towards the door, you stand as well. "Countess Mantrae, may I ask a question?"
She pauses before turning fully to face you. "Of course, child," she says.
"…Why don't you want me to talk to anyone?" you ask finally. "When I went out, Castor tried to keep me going in circles, when all I really wanted was to go to the library and maybe see some people. Why don't you want that?"
Countess Mantrae studies you before stepping forward to gently run her hand through your hair. "There are many eyes and ears in this castle, child," she says. "And not all of them answer to me alone. Artemis told you about her father's man, did she not: the one who betrayed her? I do not wish for anything like that to happen here."
You slowly nod. "I suppose that makes sense," you say. "We met him, on the way over here. He seemed to want to talk, but Artemis wasn't interested in listening to him. Do you know why he did what he did?"
The countess pauses for a few seconds before shaking her head. "I never met the man," she says. "And Archduke Letoro is usually skilled at choosing trustworthy men. I do not know what could have caused this Robert to take the path he did." She turns back to the door. "Please, remain here; get some rest. You are quite tired yourself, after all. Anything you need will be sent to you tomorrow." Before you can formulate a response, she makes her way out of the room, closing the door behind her.
As you sink back into your chair, you hear Countess Mantrae saying something to someone outside. You could probably move closer to hear her, but you have a lot to think about. Idly picking up the scroll that was sitting on the table to fiddle with, you consider what to do next as the sun starts to sink below the horizon.
Night Action:
[] Figure out how to talk to Artemis. You know she's tired, you're tired to, but so much has happened, and you need her guidance. It won't be easy, Countess Mantrae will probably tell her guards to make sure you stay in your room and get some sleep, but you're sure there's a way.
-[] Be reasonable in your attempt.
-[] You will talk to Artemis tonight.
[] Figure out how to talk to the others. Countess Mantrae never said that you shouldn't talk to Axton, Lancel or Kelton. While you know this is loophole abuse, you do want to talk to someone, if you can only figure out how.
-[] Be reasonable in your attempt.
-[] You will talk to someone tonight.
[] Go exploring. There's still so much of the castle you haven't seen. If you can figure out how to slip out, you're pretty sure you'd be able to find something interesting as night falls.
-[] You just want a general idea of what things are like.
-[] You want to find something specific. (What do you want to find?)
[] Ask for some things. Countess Mantrae said that anything you needed would be sent to you; you might as well take advantage of that.
-[] Some more food. You're hungry.
-[] Some books from the library. (What topics interest you?)
-[] Write-in
[] Get some sleep. You're still tired, and a lot has happened today. The bed looks re-made and fluffier than ever: close your eyes and rest.
[] Write-in.
MiracleGrow
Miracles for only $19.99 [They/Them]
- Location
- DOOR STUCK DOOR STUCK PLEASE I BEG U
[X] Figure out how to talk to Artemis. You know she's tired, you're tired to, but so much has happened, and you need her guidance. It won't be easy, Countess Mantrae will probably tell her guards to make sure you stay in your room and get some sleep, but you're sure there's a way.
-[X] You will talk to Artemis tonight.
Nope, this lady is setting off all the bad alarms.
-[X] You will talk to Artemis tonight.
Nope, this lady is setting off all the bad alarms.
- Location
- Earth
- Pronouns
- He/Him
I'm sure that part of Ryza is worrying about whether she's let on that she's a magical thing and part of her is worrying about whether Artemis mentioned the spider incident.
The reasonable action would be to try and talk to one of our companions. But exploring sounds more fun (while still being fairly reasonable).
[X] Go exploring. There's still so much of the castle you haven't seen. If you can figure out how to slip out, you're pretty sure you'd be able to find something interesting as night falls.
-[X] You just want a general idea of what things are like.