Shadow of the Dragon: An 8-Bit Dystopia Quest

Vocalist · Oct 24, 2024

A heavy tread echoes down the hall, and in this dim dungeon, it is long moments before the source is visible. Grustian 'Paladin' power armor is not loud, or at least not as loud as it seems it should be. Just as the matte finish absorbs light, an assemblage of dampeners and seals absorb the sound of its operation – assuming proper maintenance, one should note. But the General of the Sable Order would never be so derelict as to neglect his armor. Instead of a crashing, clanging, ambulatory pile of metal plates, he is a solidified shadow, his steps a weighty rhythm accompanied by the polite whine of assistive servos. The ugliness of power, of the tools of violence, can never be concealed perfectly – in the stress of battle, the Sable Order scream and their armor grinds and clangs and sputters. But here, in this dungeon? General Camus is as quiet and inevitable as the fall of night outside. If he were wearing his helmet, the prisoners would be forgiven for thinking him Death Itself.

He is not. He is here to talk, not to execute. The thieves which so boldly attempted to rob the Millenium Court have already been kept alive for longer than they expected. They stare at him as he stops in front of the communal cells, eyes gleaming with audacious hope.

"The inventory of the palace vaults is in progress," the general begins, as crisply as if he were briefing his subordinates. "It is already clear that someone has been there. A significant amount of gold, as well as certain magical items, are missing."

A low hubbub greets his pronouncement. "Well, it sure wasn't us!" someone is bold enough to shout. "You think we're hiding sacks of gold in here?"

"Not you in particular. Not here in particular. But someone has them, and I believe—"

"Look to the soldiers!" a woman calls out. "I bet they were at it, picking at the gold like takkuri, before we ever were here!" Cries of agreement sound from around her.

"It was not my soldiers—" Camus begins, but the emboldened thieves speak over him. Frowning, he looks to the men accompanying him. One steps forward and bangs an armored gauntlet against the bars until the prisoners quiet down. "It was not my soldiers. Do not presume to tell me my business." His voice only betrays the slightest hint of impatience, but all present know that the general, if he felt inclined, could have terrifying violence done to any of them. "I believe that someone here knows something. If any of your number went uncaptured, if any other groups were planning a similar misadventure – tell me. Useful information will not go unrewarded."

There are a few moments of uncertain silence.

"I will give you until tomorrow to think about it. Good day." He and his flanking guards turn away, their armored steps heading back the way they came.

"I saw someone!" a new voice calls. Yet more hubbub erupts. Camus turns and sees a woman, long hair hanging loose and uncombed. She has the look of someone who's known violence and survived despite the odds: lean limbs, patchwork armor, scars on every visible part of her body and a leather eyepatch covering one eye.

"Reiden," he addresses his subordinate, "convey her to the warden's office. I will be there shortly."
---

The two meet as promised. General Camus takes a few extra minutes; they can hardly have a civil conversation when the weight of his armor will shatter most chairs. With speed born of long experience, he arrives wearing a service dress uniform over his bodyglove. He brings a small cask of rice wine, and ladles it into a pair of drinking bowls. It is sweet, and freshly-brewed, and only mildly alcoholic. He's not trying to get her drunk, just put a bit of a velvet glove over the power-armored fist. The prisoner waits until he sips at his, then sucks at her bowl thirstily. "Okay," she says, wiping at her mouth with a hand. "You want to know what I saw?"

"Anything that could lead to recovering the missing treasure."

"And in exchange? What are you offering?"

Of course that's what she wants to establish first. "That depends on how useful you can be. How honest. I believe in fair compensation, miss. If your information leads me to what I seek…" He watches the disguised hunger in her eyes. "…I am willing to consider your crimes pardoned. You will go free."

"My dad's back there in the cell. He'll walk with me." Her confidence is impressive, to try haggling in a state like this.

"Can your father be useful to me?"

"I'm the only one who saw the other thieves – but I mentioned it to him later that night, I did, you can ask him about it and he'll prove I'm not making this up—" she speaks faster as she sees his unimpressed visage and her confidence starts to crumble, "Look, he's just one old man, harmless, and I've got to take care of him."

"I don't recall any of the members of your gang of cutthroats being 'harmless'. Or particularly old."

She scoffs, "Oh, come on, they're not our gang. My dad and I, we don't run with scumbags like Vaam normally, but times are lean and we needed money to get out of Pales. You let us go, I promise you'll never see our faces again!"

"Just because you won't be a problem for me doesn't mean you won't trouble others," he counters.

"I told you, we're not thieves! We're mercenaries! Damn it! I – I'm the one who agreed to this job, okay? I'll pay the price, if you just agree to let Dad go…" her voice is rough with emotion, and Camus is not entirely unaffected. He presses his fingers to his brow.

"…If your information is good," he says quietly. "You will both go free."

He serves both of them another bowl of rice wine.

"We were already in the palace," she begins her story. "Our job was to block off this one hallway, keep watch for guards. You know, as the best fighters of this sorry lot."

Camus resists the temptation to make a comment about the poor planning and general low skill of the people participating in this heist. His standards are high. He knows that.

"I watched the east end, Dad got the west. There was this, like, little door, and four people came out. They were dressed up like servants, but they were absolutely not servants. I know how to tell when people are hiding weapons." Without being asked, she began to list them on her fingers: "The first was this short guy, blue hair. He was leading the others. He had a route memorized, looks like. Second, a lady dressed up in a cleric's habit and carrying two staves. I think she might have been a real cleric, come to think about it. Wouldn't be carrying that much shit unless she could get some use out of it. Third, another guy with blue hair. Looked nervous. He was trying to string a bow as they went. Bringing up the rear, a guy with black hair. Pretty tall, pretty serious-looking…pretty. I think he was their version of me, you know. Hired for extra muscle. And good looks." She tries to smile. It bounces off him. Perhaps she would be pretty in healthier circumstances, but he hardly cares.

"Did they see you?"

"Oh, yeah. Hard not to. The lead guy kind of looked at me like, 'I'm not going to ask what you're doing here, you don't ask what I'm doing here.' And then the cleric lady made as if to go over and talk to me, but the others pulled her along."

"Interesting. And then?"

"And then Dad started shouting for help because a lot of guards were coming."

Camus remembers that detail. "Ah, so he was the one who alerted the men on their way to supper? If you leave this place, please stay away from thievery in the future. Moral considerations aside, you seem to be quite bad at it."

"Preaching to the choir, mister! So…I don't really have more to tell you. I was occupied. But it doesn't take a genius to figure out that those four took your missing treasure."

"So it would seem…if you are telling the truth, that is." She scowls fiercely, but he made it clear from the start that the prisoners wouldn't just be able to make up any old story and walk free. "Rest assured, I will be investigating the leads you've given me."

"So Dad and I are just going to rot here until you manage to find those four?"

"Yes. May I have your name, please?"

"…Malice," she spits.

"I beg your pardon?" Momentarily, he wonders if she's cursing him.

"The name's Malice! And my father's Dice! You better not forget about us!" Sensing that she's about to go back to the cell, she grabs her bowl and finishes the remaining wine.

"That can't be what your parents named you…" he mutters as 'Malice' is escorted away. He lets a small sigh escape his lips. Even if those people really were in the palace, finding them is going to be a job and a half. Will he really have to investigate every cleric and sellsword in Pales? Perhaps Sir Tomas knows a better approach. Then again, Princess Nyna would probably prefer it if the missing treasures stayed forever out of his hands, and as her knight, Tomas would follow her lead. The treasure might well never be found if he puts Tomas on the job. That's the trouble of relying on people from the government he deposed – their help is conditional and their loyalty is suspect. He would like to hire some nicely unbiased foreigners, loyal only to coin, but that is one of a thousand and one priorities vying for his budget and his time and he does not think it is in the top two hundred.

Screw it. He'll ask the princess for advice at their meeting tomorrow. The worst she can do is say nothing.

dreameater · Oct 24, 2024

Sooo, Camus seems to be continuing to be hyper competent, getting the thiefs will have to be rushed if we want them but regardless. Oh their part of archeanea saga hmm, also seems like Lena trail is the way to find them. Thought it was Julian but it seems to be Rickard there hmm, he possibly has Mercurius? The subject of this raid is the 3rd map of archenea saga tbh tho most people only know of this short spinoff from the 4th Camus map.

Amperstand · Oct 24, 2024

Intriguing. I suspect dreameater's right about the first two in the group being Rickard and Lena, and I think the last two may be Castor and Navarre. Not a bad group for a heist. Also I was apparently off abouto Ruben being involved. Putting that together with Vocalist's comments, it sounds like the "search for Lena" action, the "envoy to Camus" action, the "scout Aurelis" action, or some combination of the above led to us stumbling onto them. While they're being accosted by our deserters. A little embarrassing, in a way, but I certainly won't object to killing three birds with one stone.

Vocalist · Oct 25, 2024

Diplomacy: Allies, for the moment
Difficulty 35-10 = 25
76+21=97, Critical Success!

As soon as the winter storms subside, you send pegasus riders in every direction with your formal greetings. No king rejects your ambassadors or neglects to send you a reply, which is gratifying. King Jiol of Gra is polite but distant, and your agent reports that he has too much on his plate to pay you much heed – not only is there the territory of Altea to digest, but apparently some sort of discord is going on in his household, some kind of rivalry between his wife and his daughter. Oh, it's his third wife and his daughter by his first marriage. A classic succession dispute! You hope he expires at a time when you're not too busy to take advantage of the resulting chaos.

The letter from Khadein is not written by Gharnef – which is something of a relief; you're not sure if it's possible to poison a letter but if it is you're sure Gharnef knows how – but one Sage Wendell. Most of the work of running the city seems to be in his hands by dint of the fact that he capitulated immediately when the Dark Pontifex announced his coup. The rest of the Sage Council is either dead, fled, or recovering from very serious injuries. And Gharnef, of course, is too busy committing crimes against nature to bother with mundane concerns. As such, the Academy's normal activities have come to a temporary halt. Wendell apologizes, with seeming sincerity, that he cannot help Macedon with scholarly inquiries or talent searches at this time. He is, however, interested in purchasing pegasus feathers in bulk. Apparently they make the best quills for crafting spell tomes? Huh, you didn't know that.

[New action unlocked: Sell pegasus feathers. More actions will become available when the Academy becomes functional again. Wendell estimates this will not be until next year.]

King Ludwik of Grust makes his priorities clear, as he asks you many questions about Medeus, Dohlr, and dragonkind in general (he has cottoned on to the link between wyverns and true dragons, which is mildly impressive for someone who has no direct experience with either). Not seeing the harm in cooperating on this, you share a few of your observations and receive some of his own. Grust has quite a few Hylian ruins, and Ludwik suspects that the dragons co-existed with that species at some point before their disappearance. There's a word, extracted from the ancient carvings: "manakete"; Ludwik believes that it refers to Medeus and his ilk. One ruin, the Fane of Raman, looks particularly interesting, but it's sealed by magic, probably dangerous, and Ludwik doesn't want to go inside without sufficient preparation. He would welcome your aid in this – knowledge, after all, is a prize that can be split without diminishing.

[New Paralogue unlocked: The Fane of Raman!]

Aside from his justified paranoia about dragons, your ambassador reports that Ludwik seems focused on the so-called Holy Kingdom, hoping for a return on the men and material he has poured into its conquest and pacification. With wide eyes, you read that the Sable Order is entirely absent, gone to serve its general. So are, for some reason, Ludwik's twin children; they haven't been seen since late last year.

As for Camus himself, the man with the most powerful army on the continent, he seems to be doing precious little fighting these days. Instead, your ambassador reports tales of refortifying the palace and searching through records to calculate expected tax contributions. Seems Ludwik is eager to start profiting from his new realm. Hmph, wasn't Camus the one who told you off for looting the battlefield? Hypocrites!

You wonder if the General of the Sable Order, born and bred for battle, is entirely comfortable with the work of peace. One interesting thing you hear is that his inner circle is made up of a mix of Sable Knights (no other Grustians? Why?) and remnants from the old government, which he has been uncommonly successful at cajoling. Chief of these is Princess Nyna, who still has a great deal of influence despite being a prisoner. She is not permitted to leave her chambers, but General Camus sees her daily, and she is always under the guard of at least one Sable Knight and one Holy Knight, who seem to be just as prepared to kill each other as they are any hypothetical assailant. This is the tense and contradictory way people live in the Millenium Court these days.

Your first letter from General Camus is terse and perfunctory. Your second letter from General Camus is addressed to both you and Maria – wait, when did she write to him? Why does he seem so interested in Lena? Is this another case of foreigners misunderstanding how Macedon's society works, or does he have another reason? He's knowledgeable enough not to use the incorrect title 'Princess Lena' (she is not and has not been a princess since her father Iote died), so you suspect the latter.

Your third letter from Camus is obviously in someone else's handwriting, with his signature scrawled at the bottom. It is a flowery and verbose invitation to a summer gala celebrating 'newfound peace in the Holy Kingdom of Archanea'.

[New Paralogue unlocked: Pales Gala!]
[Camus has been made aware of Lena. Next season, he will look for her. If he succeeds in finding her before you do, what happens to her will be out of your hands.]

Martial: Scout Aurelis (Minerva)
Difficulty 80
68+29+39+3=139, Success

For some reason, you feel like Minerva was destined to do this.

Continued in "Vocalist Fangirls Over BSFE Some More"

Stewardship: Found new farms (Matthis)
Difficulty 35-20=15
60+10+15=85, Critical Success!

Continued in "A Short Nap of 30 Years"

Intrigue: Interrogate Gharnef's Gift
Difficulty ??
71+17=88, Level of Success Unknown

Continued in "Light under a Bushel"

Learning: A wise woman's legacy (Frost)
Difficulty 80-20=60
60+12+17+5(Kids These Days)=94, Success

The pages inherited from your mother are substantial. You did not realize just how close her project was to completion. Frost contributes his own insights, to be sure, and writes to herbalists of his acquaintance throughout the kingdoms of Archanea…but it all amounts to mere supplements and confirmation of the knowledge she wrote down. By the end of the season, you hold in your hands a weighty volume accounting for seventy-four herbs: their identification, habitat, preparation, and use.

Even a cursory scan sets your mind buzzing with possibilities: the bomb flowers and their explosive fruit; the sharp-toothed piranha plants; the healing mushrooms and the ways to tell them apart from the poisonous ones; the nethergranate and its visions…

[New national actions unlocked: Cultivate Dangerous Flora, Vulnerary Brewing, Gutenberg's Legacy]
[New personal actions unlocked: Study herbarium]

Occult: A Rainbow of Scales
Difficulty 60
56+5(Ambitious)+7+10(Sharing Research with Grust)=78, Success

Medeus's awakening was surprising, to be sure. But you are beginning to realize that dragons, or manaketes, have left their marks all over this land. Archanea was not uninhabited when Adrah declared his kingdom; rather, the inhabitants were either asleep, or wearing forms that could be mistaken for human. While none have seemed interested in explaining their history or nature, a picture can be painted by combining all the scraps of knowledge gleaned from observation and brief interactions.

…You still can't believe that Matthis, of all people, contributed to this.

Continued in "A Short Nap of 30 Years"

Maria: Inquire after Sister Lena

Continued in "Maiden of Macedon"

Whitewing Sisters: Present a gift to Commander Minerva
94!

The Whitewinged Knights have been pooling their funds in secret to commission a gift: a suit of magnificent wyvern-scale armor, red as a sunset, ornamented in gold. Dame Palla presented it to your sister publicly, making a speech about how every pegasus knight owes their new standing to her, the wise princess of Macedon who saw their worth. It is a debt that they have only just begun to repay. In her name, the white wings will block out the sky!

During the audience, Minerva stood there very stiffly in what you know was bashful embarrassment. The blush darkened her cheeks a similar color to her hair. For your part, you fought to hide your rising alarm. Perhaps you should take a more active interest in the Whitewings. There must be some way to remind them who their king is.

[Minerva has gained a new trait! Red Scale Armor: Your armor is magnificent, fit for a queen. +8 to all defensive rolls.]
[Minerva and the Whitewing Sisters now have a Rank C Support! Minerva has added 'The Whitewings' to her list of likes!]

Est: Go out and make some friends
59

To make matters worse, your other sister is subverting the pegasus knights, too! You've seen her, chatting away with the tiny one, the pink one…Est, that's her name! Perhaps you're being paranoid, but when you try to ask Maria what they're talking about, she only says, "Womanly things!" while giggling very hard.

…You're being irrational. You try, you try very hard, to convince yourself that it's nothing. You have more important things to worry about than Maria's choice of friends.

But, on the other hand, you should be concerned with Maria's choice of friends! That's your responsibility as her older brother.

In the end, you convince yourself that Maria is probably not plotting to depose you, and Est is probably harmless to her, but it takes so much of your mental energy to get there.

[Est and Maria now have a Rank C Support!]

Michalis: Preside over court
You make it clear that you will be available to those who have business with you. Nevertheless, the court is much less busy than last season. The only case of note has to do with the disputed inheritance of one of Ruben's men, now that it's become clear they're not returning to Macedon. [+1 Goods]

It's quiet because your people are throwing themselves into the work of planting and, in many cases, clearing their new land. The next Wyrmstym promises to be tight, and the future beyond that is uncertain. But at least you show a willingness to address the country's problems. Perhaps you will even succeed in your efforts? You see a tentative hope in some faces.

Michalis: Spend time with Lucrecia
60; New total 84/???

Court is tiring no matter how few real decisions there are to make. People come anyway, to ask about all the recent news, and make sure you remember that they exist, and share their opinions on all your actions, and report news both important and utterly trivial. Headman Orridyon had some actually interesting things to say about recent developments in Gra, mixed in with some nonsense about his daughter's latest failed relationship, and so on.

After such trials, it is genuinely refreshing to return to your chambers, saddle Lucrecia, and go for a flight. She never talks your ear off, nor does she expect performative praise for entirely normal accomplishments. Instead she shares her simple emotions: hunger and boredom, excitement and joy; satisfaction at the warming weather and, you think, the time you're spending by her side.

Michalis: Move into your father's room & Break bread with Maria
Continued in "Maiden of Macedon"

Kingster · Oct 25, 2024

Vocalist said:
Diplomacy: Allies, for the moment
Difficulty 35-10 = 25
76+21=97, Critical Success!

On one hand, the new paralogues are really cool and posibility to trade pegasus feathers is nice!

On the other hand...Damm, we are running out of time to find Lena, next turn we might need to focus full time on that.

Vocalist said:
Martial: Scout Aurelis (Minerva)
Difficulty 80
68+29+39+3=139, Success

For some reason, you feel like Minerva was destined to do this.

Continued in "Vocalist Fangirls Over BSFE Some More"

...Why does this come to mind when I see this: The Red Dragon Knight

I have so many questions...

Vocalist said:
Stewardship: Found new farms (Matthis)
Difficulty 35-20=15
60+10+15=85, Critical Success!

Continued in "A Short Nap of 30 Years"

Vocalist said:
Occult: A Rainbow of Scales
Difficulty 60
56+5(Ambitious)+7+10(Sharing Research with Grust)=78, Success

Medeus's awakening was surprising, to be sure. But you are beginning to realize that dragons, or manaketes, have left their marks all over this land. Archanea was not uninhabited when Adrah declared his kingdom; rather, the inhabitants were either asleep, or wearing forms that could be mistaken for human. While none have seemed interested in explaining their history or nature, a picture can be painted by combining all the scraps of knowledge gleaned from observation and brief interactions.

…You still can't believe that Matthis, of all people, contributed to this.

Continued in "A Short Nap of 30 Years"

Our Boy Matthis proving his worth! Hell yeah!!!

Vocalist said:
Intrigue: Interrogate Gharnef's Gift
Difficulty ??
71+17=88, Level of Success Unknown

Continued in "Light under a Bushel"

...I don't like that it deosnt tell how well we did... I'm worried.

Also was the prissioner Saias? Saias

I have so many questions.

Vocalist said:
Learning: A wise woman's legacy (Frost)
Difficulty 80-20=60
60+12+17+5(Kids These Days)=94, Success

OMG we have the Mario Bros Items! Yesssssss!!!!

Vocalist said:
Whitewing Sisters: Present a gift to Commander Minerva
94!

The Whitewinged Knights have been pooling their funds in secret to commission a gift: a suit of magnificent wyvern-scale armor, red as a sunset, ornamented in gold. Dame Palla presented it to your sister publicly, making a speech about how every pegasus knight owes their new standing to her, the wise princess of Macedon who saw their worth. It is a debt that they have only just begun to repay. In her name, the white wings will block out the sky!

During the audience, Minerva stood there very stiffly in what you know was bashful embarrassment. The blush darkened her cheeks a similar color to her hair. For your part, you fought to hide your rising alarm. Perhaps you should take a more active interest in the Whitewings. There must be some way to remind them who their king is.

[Minerva has gained a new trait! Red Scale Armor: Your armor is magnificent, fit for a queen. +8 to all defensive rolls.]
[Minerva and the Whitewing Sisters now have a Rank C Support! Minerva has added 'The Whitewings' to her list of likes!]

Est: Go out and make some friends
59

To make matters worse, your other sister is subverting the pegasus knights, too! You've seen her, chatting away with the tiny one, the pink one…Est, that's her name! Perhaps you're being paranoid, but when you try to ask Maria what they're talking about, she only says, "Womanly things!" while giggling very hard.

…You're being irrational. You try, you try very hard, to convince yourself that it's nothing. You have more important things to worry about than Maria's choice of friends.

But, on the other hand, you should be concerned with Maria's choice of friends! That's your responsibility as her older brother.

In the end, you convince yourself that Maria is probably not plotting to depose you, and Est is probably harmless to her, but it takes so much of your mental energy to get there.

[Est and Maria now have a Rank C Support!]

Ahhhh, It's funny to see him act all worried about his sisters. Thought also a bit worrying.

Vocalist said:
Maria: Inquire after Sister Lena

Continued in "Maiden of Macedon"

I hope Maria managed to find some good info about Lena...

Overall, a really nice update! Excited for the upcoming interludes

dreameater · Oct 25, 2024

If we get Saias gg qm games over 10 leadership star sweep.
The Fane of Raman paraloue should be our top priority next turn starlight material is sitting right there if we seize it we are halfway there to forging starlight(then we'd have to figure out the Gotoh problem). A spy on gharnef could be worthwhile tbh. Grust diplo would not hurt it would be hilarious if the gala get raided like doof quest, do we send Michalis to start the shipping lol. Although we also have time we'd want to spend time clearing the air with Medeus. Lots to do.

Amperstand · Oct 25, 2024

Vocalist said:
King Jiol of Gra is polite but distant, and your agent reports that he has too much on his plate to pay you much heed – not only is there the territory of Altea to digest, but apparently some sort of discord is going on in his household, some kind of rivalry between his wife and his daughter. Oh, it's his third wife and his daughter by his first marriage. A classic succession dispute! You hope he expires at a time when you're not too busy to take advantage of the resulting chaos.

Hm, I'm actually interested in getting closer to Gra. They could be useful allies, while being small enough fish to not be worried about them stabbing us in the back.

Vocalist said:
The letter from Khadein is not written by Gharnef – which is something of a relief; you're not sure if it's possible to poison a letter but if it is you're sure Gharnef knows how – but one Sage Wendell.

So Wendell's still in Khadein. Makes sense I suppose. I guess that means Merric is still there as well.

Vocalist said:
King Ludwik of Grust makes his priorities clear, as he asks you many questions about Medeus, Dohlr, and dragonkind in general

Smart man. Knows this is going to turn into a fight with the manaketes sooner or later. Definitely interested in working with him.

Vocalist said:
So are, for some reason, Ludwik's twin children; they haven't been seen since late last year.

A young man disappeared, you say? One who's well being is of interest to certain parties in the Kingdom of Archanea? Dearie me, what could have happened to him?

Vocalist said:
He's knowledgeable enough not to use the incorrect title 'Princess Lena' (she is not and has not been a princess since her father Iote died)

Interesting. That sure wasn't in canon, though it fits. That makes her, what, our cousin? Certainly puts a different complexion on her relationship with Michalis. Also has some interesting implications about Mathis' social standing.

Vocalist said:
Your third letter from Camus is obviously in someone else's handwriting, with his signature scrawled at the bottom. It is a flowery and verbose invitation to a summer gala celebrating 'newfound peace in the Holy Kingdom of Archanea'.

Why yes, Nyna, I'd be delighted to attend your party. Maybe I'll bring along my youngest sister, I suspect the two of you will get along famously.

Vocalist said:
[Camus has been made aware of Lena. Next season, he will look for her. If he succeeds in finding her before you do, what happens to her will be out of your hands.]

Whoops. Well if that isn't somehow resolved in the coming interludes we'll have to jump on that pronto.

Vocalist said:
Continued in "A Short Nap of 30 Years"

Matthis, did you find a dragon? It sounds to me like you found a dragon.

Vocalist said:
Even a cursory scan sets your mind buzzing with possibilities: the bomb flowers and their explosive fruit;

WYVERN BOMBERS

Vocalist said:
During the audience, Minerva stood there very stiffly in what you know was bashful embarrassment. The blush darkened her cheeks a similar color to her hair. For your part, you fought to hide your rising alarm. Perhaps you should take a more active interest in the Whitewings. There must be some way to remind them who their king is.

Vocalist said:
In the end, you convince yourself that Maria is probably not plotting to depose you, and Est is probably harmless to her, but it takes so much of your mental energy to get there.

Now Michalis, just because you're a ruthless, ambitious backstabber doesn't mean everyone else is. Even if your paranoia may be justified in this case, considering how things go in canon.

Vocalist · Oct 26, 2024

Amperstand said:
Interesting. That sure wasn't in canon, though it fits. That makes her, what, our cousin? Certainly puts a different complexion on her relationship with Michalis. Also has some interesting implications about Mathis' social standing.

This is one of the changes I've made to accommodate the 8BDD setting, but I've not succeeded in finding a way to make it clear through the text so far, because it's common knowledge to everyone in Macedon. The quick version: Succession 'law' in Macedon is more like a suggestion. Iote was the first king and chose his best bro Osmund as his successor (neither of his kids wanted the job). Osmund probably planned on Michalis succeeding him, but never made the issue clear before Michalis, well, succeeded him. Hierarchy in Macedon is extremely informal and Mathis and Lena get very little from being Iote's kids. Macedon is not a feudal society; it's a tribal one. Read on for an exhaustive breakdown of my reasoning for this:

See, one of the things to remember about the setting is that humans only arrived on the planet recently - in this case, about 40 years ago. The people who actually remember Old Earth are getting old, but there are still plenty of them around. All the kingdoms and countries scattered around are extremely new! The Holy Kingdom was founded by Nyna's granddad, 36 years ago. Macedon's war of independence started ten years after that. Michalis is ruling a country about as old as he is.

The backstory of Fire Emblem's grand fantasy need to be condensed. Now, what parts of Macedon's history could I cut out? We have three named kings: Iote the founder, Osmund the murdered dad, and Michalis the main character. Michalis needs to have a dad to murder, it's crucial to his character. I could just eliminate Osmund and have Michalis murder the kingdom's founder, Iote, but that presents a problem. In canon, Iote founded Macedon as the leader of a slave revolt against Dohlr, during Medeus's first reign. But there's no time for Medeus to have a first reign! I eliminated that! This story is set during first contact between dragons and humanity! So Iote needs to revolt against someone else, and the Holy Kingdom of Archanea is a natural choice. But, one of Michalis's canonical reasons for murdering his king is that he disagreed with said king's decision to ally with the Holy Kingdom. Would Iote, the guy who proudly achieved independence by kicking Archanean ass, really be willing to ally with them? It could be seen as a betrayal of Macedon's founding principles. Indeed, keeping a king in between Iote and Michalis lends itself to a certain narrative: Osmund went astray, forgot what he was supposed to be fighting for, and almost allowed Macedon to be used as a pawn by the Holy Kingdom. By usurping the throne, Michalis is restoring Iote's ideal of a strong, independent Macedon. That's what Michalis tells himself, anyway.

(Another theme I'm going for is that the Outlanders fight each other more than anyone else, and Michalis being willing to team up with an evil dragon overlord to get one over on those fucking Archaneans is a good example. So that's why I'm playing up the Macedon-Holy Kingdom rivalry in this history.)

So, we've established that there need to be three Macedonian kings in 25 years. Making them three generations of the same family makes the timing impossibly tight (If Iote started popping out kids as soon as he landed, it could work, but that's impossible because it conflicts with yet more plot points, you get the idea). What if they're not members of the same family? What if Iote passed the throne to someone else who was also born on Earth? For that matter, what about Matthis and Lena's family? They're always described as from Macedonian nobility, important enough that Lena was considered for a marriage to a prince, but see above point for why these countries don't quite have storied noble dynasties yet. Well, if Matthis and Lena are to be from an important family, why not the king's?

---

The Outlanders of Princeps Dominare are often described as 'techno-barbarians'. They may play at knightly virtue or ape the trappings of kingdoms long past, but there is no real weight of nobility or dynasty to the neo-feudal lords. Beneath those trappings, they are warlords scrabbling for resources.

The kingdom of Macedon rejects even those trappings. I want to make this explicitly clear: you're not ruling a feudal society, but a tribal one. They are the ones that the other people of Archanea sneer at for their barbarism. Forged in the fires of rebellion against a king claiming divine right to rule, they embraced the guiding principle that no one can make you do anything. They searched for safety and freedom and found them in violence. Laws are decided at the convenience of those in power, but those in power rule at the sufferance of the governed. Rank is largely informal, and built on observed merit. There is literally no formal rank between "head of an extended family of 20-30 people" and "king". Give them a couple more generations to intermarry and the bands will probably network into clans of a few hundred people, which will definitely be less of a headache for the king to keep track of.

Iote became king on the strength of being a wartime leader with some kind of vision for the future (also he invented wyvern riding, which was bitchin' cool). He was smart enough to know that Macedon would need to stay unified in order to stay independent, so he started thinking about succession early. He had two kids. Matthis...no one wanted Matthis as king, least of all Matthis. Lena, being smart, cool-headed, and strong-willed, could have been her father's successor if she'd pushed for it. But Lena rejected the offer, wanting to devote herself fully to the work of a holy woman.

So Iote called a grand council in the Aerie. Macedon was founded on principles of freedom and self-determination, so he offered the gathered people the chance to choose their next king. Many Macedonians of good reputation and proven worth stepped forward. However, Iote himself had a preferred candidate, that being his old war buddy and best friend Osmund. Being a fantastically popular king, Iote's recommendation held a lot of weight. When the final vote was counted, Osmund won.

It was agreed that the Aerie would stay as the king's seat, so when Iote eventually died, his family moved out. Matthis and Lena settled into lives elsewhere - Matthis started a farm, and Lena set out to help every suffering person she could lay her hands on. They're not considered to have any authority and they are no longer titled 'Prince' and 'Princess'. For being the children of the legendary Iote, they got some mild notoriety and a pretty fat inheritance. You'll notice that Matthis was not even allowed to move back into the Aerie until Michalis gave him permission.

Osmund held onto the throne for less than a decade, during which time Michalis made it very clear that he wanted and expected to be the next king. Osmund seemed to kind of waffle about it. He spoke of holding an election, as Iote did, and if that had ever come to pass Michalis would have been a likely candidate to win! Not certain, though - there are many more experienced, respected veterans in Macedon, and of course Minerva.

Anyway, then Medeus woke up and in the argument over what to do Osmund caught a terminal case of steel poisoning and oh no, look what the perfidious Archaneans have done to our king, anyway long live King Michalis, no time to question or debate we've got to invade Archanea now go go GO!

Was this illegal? Well, um, no. Nowhere in Macedon's extremely short legal code is the transfer of kingship defined. Did it contravene established precedent? Hell yes, but Michalis is charismatic and manipulative and he kicks ass atop a wyvern. There are Macedonians who would describe King Michalis as unjustly seizing power in a palace coup. If word gets out about the true circumstances of Osmund's death, their numbers will increase. If Michalis fails to rule competently, their numbers will increase. If someone - Princess Minerva, perhaps - steps forward as a viable alternative, their numbers will increase.

3-13 Sniper · Oct 26, 2024

Vocalist said:
their numbers will increase.

This has taggable energy. But not yet.

We must first train ourselves, our units, and grow our food stocks. Then their numbers will increase.

Amperstand · Oct 26, 2024

Thanks for the write up, it was very helpful. I think you've done a good job of showing how Macedonian society works, particularly that while Michalis may be king, this isn't an absolutist monarchy. He has some authority as a mediator and war leader, but pretty much all that authority is based in his popularity. The one thing that was missing was the clarification that in this quest, Michalis' relation to Iote isn't one of blood. This also helps explain just why Michalis is so paranoid about his sisters. Under the current system, any Macedonian could depose him, and all the justification they really need is "I have more people loyal to me than you do." And given that Michalis seems to have been ambitious his whole life, I imagine that while he knows intellectually that his sisters don't really want the throne, he has trouble believing that anyone could truly have no interest in power.

The reminder that all the kingdoms are actually really young adds context to what's happening in Gra right now. Jiol has had three wives and apparently no male heirs. They probably don't have any precedent for how succession is supposed to work in this case.

All this talk of neo-medieval society has reminded me. The into posts indicated that omakes are welcome, and I've had an idea for a sort of origin story for a possible Outlands faction (not FE related) that's been niggling at me. Maybe I'll try to write it up sooner rather than later.

---

On a separate note, I've been doing some pre-planning for next turn (dangerous when we still don't have all the information, but I can't help it) and a couple of questions for the QM have come up:

First, the Gala Paralogue has a clear date attached to it. It's a one time event happening next turn. We've also been explicitly warned that we're now on a time limit to resolve the Lena situation. The Fane of Raman paralogue, however, is more vague. We've been invited to get involved, but we're not told how long we have before Ludwig decides to move ahead with or without us. To we have any idea how long we have before the paralogue expires? Even if we don't have an exact time frame, do we know if we have longer than next turn?

Second, according to the rules, deploying to a paralogue counts as a personal action. Does this mean that heroes with multiple actions (like Michalis or the Whitewings) can deploy to multiple paralogues in the same turn?

Vocalist · Oct 26, 2024

Amperstand said:
All this talk of neo-medieval society has reminded me. The into posts indicated that omakes are welcome, and I've had an idea for a sort of origin story for a possible Outlands faction (not FE related) that's been niggling at me. Maybe I'll try to write it up sooner rather than later.

I would love to see it!

Amperstand said:
The Fane of Raman paralogue, however, is more vague. We've been invited to get involved, but we're not told how long we have before Ludwig decides to move ahead with or without us. To we have any idea how long we have before the paralogue expires? Even if we don't have an exact time frame, do we know if we have longer than next turn?

Ludwig seems willing to wait until you're ready. Other factions may be interested in the Fane, however. It can wait, but not forever.

Amperstand said:
Second, according to the rules, deploying to a paralogue counts as a personal action. Does this mean that heroes with multiple actions (like Michalis or the Whitewings) can deploy to multiple paralogues in the same turn?

No, they cannot. A hero can only deploy to one Paralogue per turn.

Chocobro Mamba · Oct 26, 2024

Vocalist said:
...See, one of the things to remember about the setting is that humans only arrived on the planet recently - in this case, about 40 years ago. The people who actually remember Old Earth are getting old, but there are still plenty of them around. All the kingdoms and countries scattered around are extremely new! The Holy Kingdom was founded by Nyna's granddad, 36 years ago. Macedon's war of independence started ten years after that. Michalis is ruling a country about as old as he is.

...The Outlanders of Princeps Dominare are often described as 'techno-barbarians'. They may play at knightly virtue or ape the trappings of kingdoms long past, but there is no real weight of nobility or dynasty to the neo-feudal lords. Beneath those trappings, they are warlords scrabbling for resources.

See, the neat thing about this too is that the second settlers* to this planet if we're going by the lore document were 'test subjects and criminals who wanted a fresh start ahead of the rest of the fleet', probably with a bunch of adventurous types and people who wanted first dibs as well. So yeah, there are absolutely a bunch of criminals around this place that wanted power and took over and we're seeing the end result of that, which is super fun. I'm not sure how much of this will be canon to this quest, especially since we're so far from the city, but I thought this was neat.

*The first settlers were actually a bunch of animals humanity uplifted into sapience and they accidentally ended up in the Lylat System instead. Then a war happened and which turned Lylat into a radioactive, bioweapon infested hellscape and caused most of the survivors to seek refuge towards The City.

Amperstand · Oct 27, 2024

Alright, here's that omake I talked about. This is based on a western PC game, rather than a console game like most of the setting, but there's some precedent and I think it fits the crossover's setting parameters nicely.

---
Across the Twisting Nether
---

"I'm sorry, but you must understand that Mr. Agahnim's time is very valuable, and we can't justify bothering him with-"

"Can't justify? Can't justify? What's more justifiable than the opportunity to explore other worlds?" The scientist could barely hold himself back from screaming at this narrow-minded middle manager.

The infuriating little man maintained the same placid, condescending expression. "Now, now, your multidimensional theory is very ingenious, I'm sure, but here at GD Tech we are dedicated to uncovering the ancient history and technology of this world. I'm afraid we can't spare resources entertaining every-"

"I have explained to you - in detail - how these other worlds may hold the key to solving the Hylian Question!"

"Ah, yes. Your 'evidence'. These dreams of yours. Do you actually believe that is compelling enough to trouble the CEO over?"

The scientist ground his teeth. He'd been having the dreams since he was a boy. Strange, horrifying dreams. So vivid, so all-consuming, that he'd broken out into violent seizures. He was administered medication, of course. And it had worked. For a while. But they had slowly returned, with ever increasing frequency and intensity. And as they grew in clarity and scope, so grew an unshakable conviction within him that they were real. The worlds he saw were out there, somewhere, as were those world's inhabitants. Inhabitants that sometimes reminded him of the creatures living in the Outlands.

Now, those other worlds felt more real to him than the office he was currently sitting in. "They're not dreams," he insisted, "they're visions!"

The manager finally allowed his impatience to show on his face. "I'm going to have to insist that you return to the lab and focus on the work that has been assigned to you. Put these delusions out of your head. This matter is no longer up for discussion."

The scientist - the visionary - managed to stifle a snarl as he left the room. Fine. If that short-sighted buffoon refused to see the truth, he'd just have to find someone who would.

—

"So if I understand you right, this other dimension-"

"The Twisting Nether," he corrected automatically.

"Right, right, right. You scientist types and your jargon," the UAC representative continued, "It would allow you to teleport anything? Anywhere?"

"Theoretically, yes. Instantaneous travel of any matter, organic or inorganic, between two points in space. Any space." It was an oversimplification, but the visionary had learned that small minds were simply incapable of seeing the big picture. Ironically, it was those same minds that always held the purse strings. He'd learned you had to give them something basic, something they could wrap their heads around. Something they could see profit in.

Sadly, by the time he'd learned that lesson, word had spread throughout GD that his "delusions" were not to be entertained. He'd had to look farther afield to find someone willing to sponsor his ideas. Which brought him here.

"Teleportation of organic matter," mused the representative, "Wouldn't that be a kick in the teeth for WilyCorp." His eyes shone with thinly veiled greed.

"And that's just the beginning," pressed the visionary. "We could revolutionize space travel. Imagine a future where starships are practically obsolete. Where whole galaxies are colonized in a matter of decades, rather than centuries."

"Yes," the UAC man's smile widened, but the greed in his eyes suddenly dimmed. Not gone, but restrained. "Yes, the Union Aerospace Corporation would be very interested in your project. That is, if you have proof you can deliver on what you promise."

"Naturally," the visionary replied, drawing a thick folder from his briefcase. Another hard lesson learned. "I have extensive documentation for all my theories, as well as sketches of an early blueprint for a prototype." The UAC man reached for the folder, only for it to be pulled away. "Of course, we would need to discuss terms before I could show you any of my research."

"Sure, sure," the representative said hastily, "I was thinking-" he cut himself off. There were sounds of a disturbance outside the room. Gunfire. Both men stood and reached under their suit coats.

One wall suddenly exploded inward. The men were thrown to the ground. Papers scattered across the room. The visionary shakily pushed himself off the floor, rapidly blinking to try to clear his blurry vision. In the gaping hole in the wall he could make out a silhouette. Something metallic. A shape he recognized.

An Armos unit. GD had found him. Somehow - he didn't know how, nor did it really matter - they had learned of his plan to sign on with another company. He was now a security liability, and would accordingly be eliminated. The robot's sensors swept the room, focused on him, and it started toward him.

He sprang to his feet and drew the zapper he'd purchased a few weeks ago. He was familiar with this Armos model. There was a spot where the heavy metal plates met where the armor was relatively thin. He aimed and fired. There was a burst of energy, and the robot staggered back, armor scorched, but it didn't go down, and resumed its forward march. He swore and fired again. And again. On the fourth shot the thing finally crashed to the ground, sensor lights fading. The visionary winced in pain and tossed his overheating weapon from one blistering hand to the other and back. He turned to look at the UAC man.

The man was kneeling on the floor, hurriedly snatching up the scattered papers, his research, as fast as he could. With an angry cry, the visionary forced himself to grip the still scorching-hot zapper and pointed it at the thief. The man realized his danger at the last moment and dove out of the way of the blast. Then, clutching what pages he had, the thief dashed to the door at the back of the room, narrowly avoided a second shot, and was gone.

The visionary dropped the zapper, furious. How dare the man steal his life's work! He moved to pursue him, but the sight of the fallen Armos brought him up short. In the distance, he could still faintly hear the sounds of combat. GD was after him, and he couldn't rely on UAC for protection. The City was no longer safe for him. He had but one option left. Quickly, he scooped up what remained of his research, grabbed his fallen weapon, and ran.

—

The visionary - now a wanderer - trudged wearily across the Outlands plain, cloak held close against the whipping wind. From his shoulders hung a heavy pack, filled to the brim with the tools he needed to unlock his future. Advanced tech from the City, scavenged machinery bartered from Outlands tribes, looted artifacts from the desolate wastes. More than the pack, his mind was overflowing. The visions had grown even more intense, in a way the man could scarcely describe. Where once he had merely observed, now he felt with senses that transcended those of the waking world. His naked mind touched the very fabric of countless worlds; brushed, however briefly, the minds of those who lived there.

It wasn't enough. It could never be enough. He needed to know it all, everything, in its totality.

He pressed forward, assisted by his metal walking staff. One of the first things he'd done when fleeing the City was upgrade his zapper. The customized weapon was more powerful, but awkward and bulky. He'd solved the issue by mounting it to the top of his staff. It had served him well these past months.

He was deep in the Outlands now, beyond the areas mapped by GD surveys. Before him the land spread out in wide, flat plains, broken up by rocky outcrops and, in the distance, patches of greenery. Land well suited to support human life, which experience taught him meant that someone had surely already laid claim to it.

As if on cue, he spotted figures moving toward him. Fast, but without the tell-tale roars of engines. He casually took his staff in both hands, waiting patiently, thumb on the firing stud. One never could be certain when meeting new people.

Details emerged as the figures came closer. Two men on horseback. Despite his months in the Outlands, it still felt like a novelty to see people using original Earth livestock. The men wore armor. Not the improvised, mismatched affairs usually seen on self-proclaimed "knights", he noted. They looked smithed. Professionally crafted. From their saddles hung spiked balls on chains. Primitive weapons, but quite deadly if brought to bear.

"Hail, stranger!" called one as they drew up near him. "What business have you in our lands?"

The wanderer remained on guard, but kept his voice friendly. "Just a humble explorer, in search of knowledge."

The horseman regarded him suspiciously. "Alone? These wilds are home to all manner of dangerous creatures. Hardly safe for a lone, unarmed traveler."

The wanderer smirked. Unarmed? He pointed with his staff toward a nearby rock formation. "Creatures like those, you mean?"

The horsemen followed his staff with their gaze. There in the shadow of the rocks crouched an alien primitive - a variant of Moblin, he thought - stone ax in hand. The horsemen reached for their weapons. The wanderer pressed the firing stud of his staff.

There was a thunderous crack, a blinding flash of light, and the creature collapsed in a smoking heap.

The second of the horsemen, looking quite shaken, made a gesture that vaguely reminded the wanderer of an old Earth religion. Curious, the things that thrived in the Outlands. The first horseman turned back to the wanderer with a markedly changed attitude. "Forgive me, sir, I should have realized from your garb that you are a powerful mage."

Mage. An archaic term, yet one the wanderer found strangely fitting. He smiled at the thought.

"Please, be welcome in Azeroth," the man continued. "Good King Llane would surely be honored to accept a man of your talents into his court. How are you called?"

The wanderer - the mage - leaned on his staff, smile widening. "You may call me Medivh." he said. "Lead on, sir knight."

—

Medivh, Archmage of Azeroth, stood on the precipice of greatness. His years in Azeroth had changed him. Here, he had found the final pieces of knowledge he had sought. Here, he found the beginnings of enlightenment.

Azeroth was an unusual place. Backwards, by some metrics, yet advanced by others. The settlers of this place had been of a rather different breed than most settlers of Princeps Dominaire. While others had looked to computers and machinery to build their lives for them, the settlers of Azeroth might be called romantics. Or Luddites. They dreamed of humanity's distant past, when men worked the fields and toiled in the smithies themselves, when a man could shape his future with his own hands. They brought from earth the knowledge of the old ways, knowledge others had thought they'd outgrown. And so while around them others fought over scraps of technology they barely understood, Azeroth prospered. And in time, that prosperity and the wisdom of their kings ushered in a time of peace. The perfect refuge for Medivh to conduct his experiments.

But it was in their scholarship where Medivh made his true breakthrough. The intelligentsia of Azeroth didn't shun science, per se, rather they attempted to follow the traditions of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. A time when learned men didn't see science, magic, and religion as contradictory, but as branches of the same tree. Medivh had scoffed at this at first, but then he looked closer, and was astonished. The magical formulae of their wizards and the fervent prayers of their priests held an undeniable power equal to any City gadget. Thus Medivh discovered the truth: that the arbitrary distinctions City scientists made between "real science" and superstition were themselves the true superstition.

Technology, magic, spirituality, it was all knowledge. All power. All reality. So Medivh took it all and made it his own.

Now, his masterpiece stood before him. The portal that would open the path to the worlds of his dreams. Soon he would have the full knowledge - the full power - of not just this, but of all worlds. And he would have his revenge on those who thought they could stand in his way.

He bent over the console, flipping switches and pressing buttons while chanting the incantation to make his will reality. Power sources sprang to life, the hum of scavenged mana crystals mingling with the roar of a diesel engine imported from the neighboring kingdom of Kul Tiras. Within the black stone frame of the portal door, energy flickered, illuminating carved runes and paths of circuitry. The light intensified, became a swirling vertical disc of the raw stuff of the Twisting Nether.

The rift was open. Euphoria coursing through him, Medivh stared into his console monitor, now a window through the barrier between worlds. He saw a humanoid figure, sitting on a floor in a meditative pose. If he looked closely enough, he could make out a green-skinned face beneath the heavy robe. Not a human, nor a Moblin, but something that might be related to either. Medivh knew the face. He'd felt its owner's mind countless times in his visions.

Medivh allowed himself to laugh. It felt good, after so long. "Hello there," he said, the light of the portal reflecting off his grinning face. "Such a pleasure to finally meet you, Gul'dan."

dreameater · Oct 27, 2024

Vocalist said:
This is one of the changes I've made to accommodate the 8BDD setting, but I've not succeeded in finding a way to make it clear through the text so far, because it's common knowledge to everyone in Macedon. The quick version: Succession 'law' in Macedon is more like a suggestion. Iote was the first king and chose his best bro Osmund as his successor (neither of his kids wanted the job). Osmund probably planned on Michalis succeeding him, but never made the issue clear before Michalis, well, succeeded him. Hierarchy in Macedon is extremely informal and Mathis and Lena get very little from being Iote's kids. Macedon is not a feudal society; it's a tribal one. Read on for an exhaustive breakdown of my reasoning for this:

See, one of the things to remember about the setting is that humans only arrived on the planet recently - in this case, about 40 years ago. The people who actually remember Old Earth are getting old, but there are still plenty of them around. All the kingdoms and countries scattered around are extremely new! The Holy Kingdom was founded by Nyna's granddad, 36 years ago. Macedon's war of independence started ten years after that. Michalis is ruling a country about as old as he is.

The backstory of Fire Emblem's grand fantasy need to be condensed. Now, what parts of Macedon's history could I cut out? We have three named kings: Iote the founder, Osmund the murdered dad, and Michalis the main character. Michalis needs to have a dad to murder, it's crucial to his character. I could just eliminate Osmund and have Michalis murder the kingdom's founder, Iote, but that presents a problem. In canon, Iote founded Macedon as the leader of a slave revolt against Dohlr, during Medeus's first reign. But there's no time for Medeus to have a first reign! I eliminated that! This story is set during first contact between dragons and humanity! So Iote needs to revolt against someone else, and the Holy Kingdom of Archanea is a natural choice. But, one of Michalis's canonical reasons for murdering his king is that he disagreed with said king's decision to ally with the Holy Kingdom. Would Iote, the guy who proudly achieved independence by kicking Archanean ass, really be willing to ally with them? It could be seen as a betrayal of Macedon's founding principles. Indeed, keeping a king in between Iote and Michalis lends itself to a certain narrative: Osmund went astray, forgot what he was supposed to be fighting for, and almost allowed Macedon to be used as a pawn by the Holy Kingdom. By usurping the throne, Michalis is restoring Iote's ideal of a strong, independent Macedon. That's what Michalis tells himself, anyway.

(Another theme I'm going for is that the Outlanders fight each other more than anyone else, and Michalis being willing to team up with an evil dragon overlord to get one over on those fucking Archaneans is a good example. So that's why I'm playing up the Macedon-Holy Kingdom rivalry in this history.)

So, we've established that there need to be three Macedonian kings in 25 years. Making them three generations of the same family makes the timing impossibly tight (If Iote started popping out kids as soon as he landed, it could work, but that's impossible because it conflicts with yet more plot points, you get the idea). What if they're not members of the same family? What if Iote passed the throne to someone else who was also born on Earth? For that matter, what about Matthis and Lena's family? They're always described as from Macedonian nobility, important enough that Lena was considered for a marriage to a prince, but see above point for why these countries don't quite have storied noble dynasties yet. Well, if Matthis and Lena are to be from an important family, why not the king's?

---

The Outlanders of Princeps Dominare are often described as 'techno-barbarians'. They may play at knightly virtue or ape the trappings of kingdoms long past, but there is no real weight of nobility or dynasty to the neo-feudal lords. Beneath those trappings, they are warlords scrabbling for resources.

The kingdom of Macedon rejects even those trappings. I want to make this explicitly clear: you're not ruling a feudal society, but a tribal one. They are the ones that the other people of Archanea sneer at for their barbarism. Forged in the fires of rebellion against a king claiming divine right to rule, they embraced the guiding principle that no one can make you do anything. They searched for safety and freedom and found them in violence. Laws are decided at the convenience of those in power, but those in power rule at the sufferance of the governed. Rank is largely informal, and built on observed merit. There is literally no formal rank between "head of an extended family of 20-30 people" and "king". Give them a couple more generations to intermarry and the bands will probably network into clans of a few hundred people, which will definitely be less of a headache for the king to keep track of.

Iote became king on the strength of being a wartime leader with some kind of vision for the future (also he invented wyvern riding, which was bitchin' cool). He was smart enough to know that Macedon would need to stay unified in order to stay independent, so he started thinking about succession early. He had two kids. Matthis...no one wanted Matthis as king, least of all Matthis. Lena, being smart, cool-headed, and strong-willed, could have been her father's successor if she'd pushed for it. But Lena rejected the offer, wanting to devote herself fully to the work of a holy woman.

So Iote called a grand council in the Aerie. Macedon was founded on principles of freedom and self-determination, so he offered the gathered people the chance to choose their next king. Many Macedonians of good reputation and proven worth stepped forward. However, Iote himself had a preferred candidate, that being his old war buddy and best friend Osmund. Being a fantastically popular king, Iote's recommendation held a lot of weight. When the final vote was counted, Osmund won.

It was agreed that the Aerie would stay as the king's seat, so when Iote eventually died, his family moved out. Matthis and Lena settled into lives elsewhere - Matthis started a farm, and Lena set out to help every suffering person she could lay her hands on. They're not considered to have any authority and they are no longer titled 'Prince' and 'Princess'. For being the children of the legendary Iote, they got some mild notoriety and a pretty fat inheritance. You'll notice that Matthis was not even allowed to move back into the Aerie until Michalis gave him permission.

Osmund held onto the throne for less than a decade, during which time Michalis made it very clear that he wanted and expected to be the next king. Osmund seemed to kind of waffle about it. He spoke of holding an election, as Iote did, and if that had ever come to pass Michalis would have been a likely candidate to win! Not certain, though - there are many more experienced, respected veterans in Macedon, and of course Minerva.

Anyway, then Medeus woke up and in the argument over what to do Osmund caught a terminal case of steel poisoning and oh no, look what the perfidious Archaneans have done to our king, anyway long live King Michalis, no time to question or debate we've got to invade Archanea now go go GO!

Was this illegal? Well, um, no. Nowhere in Macedon's extremely short legal code is the transfer of kingship defined. Did it contravene established precedent? Hell yes, but Michalis is charismatic and manipulative and he kicks ass atop a wyvern. There are Macedonians who would describe King Michalis as unjustly seizing power in a palace coup. If word gets out about the true circumstances of Osmund's death, their numbers will increase. If Michalis fails to rule competently, their numbers will increase. If someone - Princess Minerva, perhaps - steps forward as a viable alternative, their numbers will increase.

So whats the deal with the Hylians again in this setting?
Also how Anri work here given Medeus seems to have founded dholr for the first time here right now, does that mean he isn't licking his wounds like he was in shadow dragon(Medeus was still healing from his encounter with Anri in shadow dragon and couldn't go all out outside his personnel castle, which is why he's an ocrus on his throne in fe1). How does this affect Marth's lineage?
Also like Michalis is arguably way more restrained then canon given he has much more legitimate reasons to be paranoid here versus canon where he doesn't have the Archanea sucks excuse or the precedent of unstable succession. The weird thing with Archanea games is they and the judgral games have mythical pasts but the fact of the matter is most of the stuff bar dragon degeneration occur like 100 years before the events of each game, Anri is literally Marth's granduncle. Judgral is a little different in that it had a very advanced polity developments that where ended by loptyr(literally dragon satan) ensalving the continent(way worse the anything Medeus ever did). Nonetheless despite the neat prehistory the states of judgral are only around 100 years old by the time of genealogy. Its very different from latter titles where the past of mythical, you could theoretically have old men who have personally met Anri and the geneology crusader kicking around by the starts of their games if my math is right.

https://imgur.com/gallery/fire-emblem-family-tree-fe4-5-11-12-2-13-lU2SG

Edit: The geneloy one has some odd headcanon of pairings stuff, some mild speculation and retainers seems to be bundled in a odd way but it gives a good idea of the genealogies and the actual familial relations a lot of the nations have particularly the Archanea relations who lack a canon family tree like the spiffy Judgral one.

Vocalist · Oct 28, 2024

Chocobro Mamba said:
See, the neat thing about this too is that the second settlers* to this planet if we're going by the lore document were 'test subjects and criminals who wanted a fresh start ahead of the rest of the fleet', probably with a bunch of adventurous types and people who wanted first dibs as well. So yeah, there are absolutely a bunch of criminals around this place that wanted power and took over and we're seeing the end result of that, which is super fun. I'm not sure how much of this will be canon to this quest, especially since we're so far from the city, but I thought this was neat.

*The first settlers were actually a bunch of animals humanity uplifted into sapience and they accidentally ended up in the Lylat System instead. Then a war happened and which turned Lylat into a radioactive, bioweapon infested hellscape and caused most of the survivors to seek refuge towards The City.

Yes, I tried to make that clear in the setting document. The humans who acted as the first colonists, and therefore the people who shaped Archanea, were either the ones the colony fleet considered expendable, or the ones crazy enough to want to settle an unknown alien world. The people who poured into this land were ambitious, unstable, adventurous, nonconformist...and yes, a lot of them did have run-ins with the law back on Earth. Adrah is not called 'Thief-King' for no reason. Many of them would have been rejected by society, back on Earth, if they didn't manage to conform. But, in a mad world, only the mad can thrive. A certain brilliance emerged that allowed them to progress their budding societies by leaps and bounds. It also got most of them killed eventually. The still living ones, like Frost or Lorenz, are the ones who learned how to settle down.

This is one of the reasons why Cityfolk consider Outlanders to be crazy barbarians, to this day.

Amperstand said:
Alright, here's that omake I talked about. This is based on a western PC game, rather than a console game like most of the setting, but there's some precedent and I think it fits the crossover's setting parameters nicely.

Oh this is beautiful! Such atmosphere! Such a characterful point of view! I need to think on how I might or might not incorporate this into quest canon, but in the meantime have 1000 EXP.

dreameater said:
Also how Anri work here given Medeus seems to have founded dholr for the first time here right now, does that mean he isn't licking his wounds like he was in shadow dragon(Medeus was still healing from his encounter with Anri in shadow dragon and couldn't go all out outside his personnel castle, which is why he's an ocrus on his throne in fe1). How does this affect Marth's lineage?

Anri was a cool dude who did a lot of the unglamorous grunt work in keeping the early Kingdom of Archanea from falling apart from the force of so many clashing personalities. He is the reason that more people didn't make like General Ordwin and go, "Screw this, I'm taking all my followers and weapons and making my own kingdom". He made a bid for the throne when Adrah was ill, failed, and got a tiny kingdom of his own as a consolation prize. He was, by all accounts, super devout in his faith in Naga, so when Medeus awoke there was no doubt about which side he would choose. He never had kids, but he was a doting uncle. He was an okay fighter. He never even laid eyes on Medeus, being betrayed and slain by King Jiol as their two armies met.

The fates of his niece and nephew, Princess Elice and Prince Marth, are currently unknown.

dreameater said:
So whats the deal with the Hylians again in this setting?

The Zora, Goron, and Deku are known as intelligent species that inhabited this planet long before the arrival of humans. There was a fourth species, the Hylians, who left ruins all across the world. They seem to have been the dominant civilization at one point, advanced in art, magic, and science. However, some kind of disaster (a civil war? the wrath of an angry god? a horrible plague?) wiped them all out (please don't listen to the conspiracy theorists who believe that they're still hiding among us). Hylian ruins are known to yield all kinds of goodies (See: the regalia of the Holy Kingdom) and some outlanders do good business by selling Hylian artifacts to the City.

The average human's knowledge of Hylians is high on conspiracy theories and speculation, and low on evidence-based consensus, because their remains are usually 'investigated' by profit-hungry looters who pry out the shiny stuff and toss the rest in the garbage, then make up outageous lies to inflate the price of what they stole. What serious scholarship does occur is the domain of corporate-funded researchers, whose useful insights are jealously guarded from rivals. And, of course, the Lemmings broke down any pre-existing structures they came across, so researchers in the City are quite distant from the objects of their study. The corporation most interested in serious Hylian research is, of course, GD Tech, which ~~is led by a fragment of Ganon who wants to find all the pieces of the shattered Triforce so he can regain his power~~ is interested in the Hylian civilization as an overlooked source of new technology and past wisdom. GD Tech is known to pay top dollar for almost anything Hylian, especially the location of undisturbed ruins. Otherwise, most other corporate leaders consider the Hylian civilization little more than a curiosity, a primitive failure fit to be trampled and forgotten under the boots of progress, its treasures worthy perhaps to be framed as art pieces.

In Archanea, the situation is actually quite a bit better, mostly because of Gotoh and Khadein. The scholarly culture in Khadein is not as secretive and competetive as it is in the City and people are willing to collaborate and share their research. There's an entire department of the Academy dedicated to Hylian studies. So, if Michalis were to need an expert on this ancient civilization, he could get ahold of one by just writing a letter to Wendell saying 'I'm hiring', whereas a protagonist in the city would probably have to engage in some Shadowrun-tier espionage mission.

Amperstand said:
An Armos unit. GD had found him. Somehow - he didn't know how, nor did it really matter - they had learned of his plan to sign on with another company. He was now a security liability, and would accordingly be eliminated. The robot's sensors swept the room, focused on him, and it started toward him.

Case in point.

Vocalist · Oct 28, 2024

All things considered, Matthis's situation could be worse. He has a place by the new king's side, people are looking for Lena, and Macedon seems to be on the winning side of this continent-wide shakeup! Things are looking up, even if none of his troubles have been eliminated completely.

For instance, King Michalis has made it clear that his place in the royal household is contingent on his usefulness. As soon as the snows started melting, he strode to Matthis's room, his flaming hair streaming behind him like a war-banner, holding a folio in one hand, and began without preamble: "Matthis. You must be aware of the current land shortage, since it's the reason you came begging to my door."

"Um, ye—"

"You now get the honor of helping to fix it. Find arable land in the mountains. The Whitewings will be at your disposal. You will need to measure the size of each plot. Then you will assign plots of land to families in need, fairly and efficiently. This must be done before it's too late to plant."

Matthis stood still, trying to process the cascade of instructions. "Um, how will I know—"

The king handed him a stack of pages, bound in a leather cover. "This is the census I collected over the winter. It has the information on our people; you just need to match them to land." He pauses before letting it go, his crimson eyes boring into Matthis's own. "I scribed this myself. It's the only copy. It's not much, in comparison to the lives that weigh in the balance. But I do expect it back."

He stumbled back, clutching the folio for dear life. "I-I w-won't let you down! Michalis! I mean, your Majesty!"

When they were children, Michalis would have reacted to such weakness with a sneer, a cutting remark, perhaps worse if their parents weren't watching. But he seemed to take no pleasure in this at all, as he tapped the cover of the book with a long finger. "Oh, Matthis, this is not just about my displeasure. This is about everyone in Macedon – although, I admit that such scales can be hard to grasp, so I'll gladly serve as the representative of their ire, in your mind." Now, finally, he smiled, thin and cruel. Matthis recognized something of his boyhood bully, reforged to suit a higher purpose. "If you can't get this right, you will be leaving the Aerie again. Perhaps from one of the higher balconies."

---

Matthis works himself from dawn until dusk. He reads the maps drawn by pegasus knights, travelling to hundreds of sites himself. Every place where hardy snow lilies poke out from the melting white drifts will be, in Avistym and Pegastym, a meadow where pegasi can graze and tubers will grow. Every stretch of golden aspen marks a place where the ground is flat and the soil is thick enough to grow Hylian rice, even if the short growing season at this elevation means there will only be time for one harvest. The fear fades as he actually makes progress, as he estimates land area with pegs and string, calculates an expected yield, and sends a messenger off to the nearest settlement with a heavily annotated map. The work of making it across the mountains and planting their new land is up to them; Matthis is always gone to the next region by tomorrow.

It is a tiring rhythm, but he is doing well, doing good for the people, and when he falls asleep in his bedroll each night he is too tired to think anxious thoughts of Michalis's hands around his neck. (The precious book of census data is kept snug and dry in plastic, only unwrapped at safe moments.) There are, of course, downsides to such a ruthless pace. One becomes liable to forget small details and dangers. When, one day, a knight called Dimitria tells him that she's found a place that seems to be unusually thick with foliage, his only thought is, 'Wonderful, must be fertile.'

Matthis descends on pegasusback to the place, a secluded vale that would be very hard to access without flight. He's already making a mental note to give it to someone who can ride a pegasus. Dimitria gasps as she flies in closer, forcing him to pay attention: "Look, that's not a boulder!"

It could have been mistaken for a natural rock formation from high above, but from this view its regular angles are obvious. It's a small building with a stone dome, moss climbing up its eroded sides, tiny flowers growing from its crevices. Matthis and Dimitria unmount, kissed all around by an alpine meadow in full flower – the grass thick as bedding, blanketing the rocky ground, jeweled with blossoms of many colors. The pegasus, eager to be free of the unfamiliar male rider, steps away to crop at the herbage.

It's beautiful, but…it's not right. "It's blooming like it's Avistym already," he says, to Dimitria's nod. "Is this place…?"

"It doesn't feel any warmer here. Maybe it's magic?" she suggests. She points to the stone ruin, obviously much older than human habitation on this planet. "Something the vanished ones did? Or…you know." He looks at her blankly. "The earth dragons," she says, whispering now, as if there's someone here she ought not to wake.

Perhaps there is.

Matthis looks, again, at the little stone box and its dark entrance. Nothing can be seen of the interior, but there's no possible way a whole dragon could fit in there, right? An ordinary wyvern would have trouble. "Let's at least check it out. It might be something good." Maybe this is blessed land. Maybe someone would love to live here, and they would be failing Macedon – and King Michalis – by running away in fear.

They approach the building's entrance. Moss softens their tread on the approach. Cracks in its dome let in a little light, showing a dim silhouette of a stone table – an altar? Was this a shrine to some ancient god or goddess? Dimitria takes her hand off of her sword, then puts it back, then reconsiders again. Matthis starts wishing that he brought a weapon. The inside is, if anything, even more lush than the outside. Moss and pale fungus pattern like wallpaper, and the shape on the table is covered by delicate, creeping vines. Their tiny round leaves obscure it, but not by much.

"Is that…" Dimitria is whispering even more quietly now, "…a dead body?"

Matthis creeps closer. The woman on the slab seems ageless, preserved in time. Her skin is pale with dust and her pale hair sprawls over the stone like a colony of mycelium. She is clad in a simple shift, yellowed and mottled with decay, resting on her side like a sleeper. Something about her makes him think of must and depression, as if all the bright foliage outside could not reach through the darkness in this sanctum.

"I suppose it is." He stops whispering. It's not as if he can bother her, anymore. He turns around, shaking his head. "Dimitria, what's the procedure for this? I suppose we can bury her somewhere and get a priest to make sure her ghost doesn't cause any—"

"Matthis!" Dimitria is staring behind him, sword drawn, arm trembling. He hears a subtle rustling noise.

The corpse moves. Obligingly, the vines shift to let her free. They are thin and fragile, but she breaks not a one of them as they retreat to lie in coils at the base of the slab. They were never here to hold her prisoner, but rather a comforting embrace. Matthis stays frozen as the corpse-woman languidly sits up, stretching her arms behind her back and yawning. She gazes at the two of them with wide eyes, and her ears, revealed as she runs her hand through that thick curtain of hair, come to tapered points. Confused, she asks a question in a language Matthis has never heard.

"Uh…um…I'm…" He looks back at Dimitria for help, but she looks just as lost, and her sword is still out – "sheathe it, sheathe it," he whispers furiously. Then he turns back. "Good…morning. Actually it's almost noon, um, but that's not important. We're so sorry for disturbing you, ma'am. My lady. Your Holiness." He has no idea who or what she is, but waking up a sleeping god is not unheard of in the Outlands and he wants to play it safe.

She stares back, still muzzy from sleep. "Ah…? Ah!" She yelps, scrambling off of the slab where she laid. She backs away, keeping it as a barrier between her and the others.

Matthis turns around again. "I told you to sheathe it!" he berates her.

"I'm sheathing it, I'm sheathing it!" the knight says.

The woman calls out again, this time in English: "Humans! How did you find me? Did Kurth send you? I told that man to leave me alone!"

Matthis turns back. Trying to keep calm – trying to keep everyone calm – he switches to English, which is unfortunately not his best language, and says, "We're just, um, exploring this place. Very sorry to bother you. It was an accident. The, uh, King of Macedon sent us," he adds, hoping to divert some of her anger.

By the grace of Naga, it seems to be working. The woman still stares at him with suspicion, but she no longer crouches like a cornered beast. "Macedon, that's a new one. I came here because I wanted to be away from humans. Are you going to spread everywhere in Archanea?" She's whining a little.

"That's…uh, sorry?" If she's not human, she sure looks a lot more like one than any aliens he's heard of. He wonders, again, if she's some manner of spirit or god. "Is this meadow yours? We'll leave."

"You should leave. This is not a safe land for your kind. This island is the territory of the Earth Dragon Tribe, but not just the noble manaketes. The ones too proud to accept lessening sleep fitfully, and the degenerated ones, the wyverns, crouch in the mountains like beasts," she tells him gravely.

"Yes, uh, we know that already," Matthis explains. "We actually have a treaty with the Earth Dragon King that says we can live on this part of the island, though, so…"

She gasps, interrupting him. "The king? You mean Lord Loptous has returned?"

"Who?" Matthis asks. "No, I mean Medeus. He said his name was Medeus."

"Oh." She immediately seems much less tense. "Well, perhaps it is an ambiguity of the language. But Lord Medeus is not, properly speaking, a king. He is a prince. His sire, Loptous, the magnificent and terrible, will always be our king. Wherever he may be."

"That's…good to know," Matthis says, though internally he is screaming. There are dragons even worse than Medeus to worry about? "I will definitely remember that."

The woman thinks, and seems to make up her mind. "Well, if Prince Medeus has taken charge of things, I ought to see him and pay my respects." She begins to stride to the door. As Matthis and Dimitria shuffle out of the way, she pauses to look at them, some sadness in her eyes. "I do not think I will return to this place, if humans are to be settling nearby. It is not good for our kinds to mix – it only leads to tragedy."

Dimitria coughs. "So, you're giving us the meadow?"

"Yes." The earth dragon woman – what else could she be? – steps out into the sun, her bare feet sinking deeply into the grass. Her colors are fully illuminated for the first time in decades, and Matthis feels strangely blessed to see them. Her eyes are violet, so dark that he mistook them for black. Her hair is lavender, so pale it could be mistaken for white. Her lips are dark as summer fruits, and her skin is the rich brown of fallen leaves under the rain. She grasps at a pendant, a dark stone hanging round her neck, and glances back at the others. "Stand farther back, please."

Her form darkens to a silhouette and begins to blur. Matthis and Dimitria run for the pegasus, still cropping grass some distance away. When they reach it, he chances a look back, and gasps. "So this is a dragon…"

It really does look like a wyvern – in fact, Matthis thinks, she could probably pass herself off as one of the wild blacks. But she is as large as any wyvern he's ever seen, limbs thicker and tipped with broad digging-claws, head wider and blunter, her scales an inky violet instead of true black. Her wings snap out, broad as a house to carry her bulk, and with an enormous push the dragon is airborne. Matthis and Dimitria watch with undisguised awe as she vanishes into the northern sky.

By mutual agreement, they return to the camp for a rest. Dimitria leaves the next morning, carrying a report for the king.

[Many small parcels of new land are now under cultivation! This will add 10 to 15 Food to the harvest, come Pegastym! The people are profoundly relieved!]

[Matthis has gained 1 Learning from all the math he's had to do! Matthis has gained 1 Diplomacy from making friendly contact with a sleeping dragon!]

[Michalis has been forced to update his dossier on dragons with new information!]

---

After considering the available evidence, we can establish certain facts about the dragons with reasonable surety. Still more can be speculated upon, and I will mark that.

Travellers in the remote parts of Archanea have long reported large, dangerous creatures that may be dragons. Recent sightings around Dohlr, the most reliable, have identified five different types:
- Stocky, dark-colored, large and blunt head. Broadly similar to Medeus, though none so large.
- Medium weight, flame-red, crowned with many horns.
- Pale-colored. Feathery wings.
- Violet or royal purple, long, snakelike, spined. They appear to swim through the air without wings.
- Blue-green, plump and sleek. This one was observed swimming in the ocean.
These types correspond to the five breeds of wyvern (red, black, green, violet, and white), though wyverns do not vary so much in shape and size. What is the connection between them?
- The earth dragon Matthis encountered called wyverns 'degenerated ones'. This implies that somehow, the draconic people transformed into merely intelligent animals.
- Wyverns of any color may interbreed and produce a mixed clutch. By analogy, dragons may be similar.
Hylians referred to a tribe called 'manakete' who entered into treaty with them. Artistic depictions resemble dragons.
- The earth dragon Matthis encountered made a distinction between 'noble manaketes' and more dangerous, less civilized dragons.
- Are the manaketes a noble class? Or does this distinction correspond to some of the observed breeds?
- They definitely divide their society into tribes by some means.
Dragons have the ability to shapeshift between a draconic and a humanoid form.
- The humanoid form is eerily close to human, but not exactly. The most reliable way to tell them apart is the pointed ears.
- They may act 'strange' or have peculiar coloring, but that's hardly uncommon in the Outlands.
- They can spend years in humanoid form.
- They shapeshift by means of special stones that they keep on their person.
Politically speaking, Medeus is not a king. He is merely a prince of the Earth Dragon Tribe.
- Practically speaking, he seems to be the ranking authority of the earth dragons.
- Does he have any authority over the other tribes?
- The actual king of the earth dragons is 'Loptous, the magnificent and terrible', whose location is unknown.
  - He does not seem beloved. If Loptous returns, will Medeus give up power?
  - Naga is Divine Dragon King. A counterpart? An equal?
Dragons can sleep, in either form, for enormous lengths of time. Their lifespans last centuries.
- Beneath the earth or on top of it.
- Sleeping earth dragons encourage fertility and growth around them. Do they have the ability to do this consciously? If so, it would be a boon to Macedon's food supplies, but getting them to help might be difficult.
Naga fought and imprisoned the Shadow Dragon beneath the earth (according to Adrah). WHO is the real identity of the Shadow Dragon?
- Gharnef's sinister little cult ('the Heretics') worships Medeus as the Shadow Dragon. Their doctrine is probably self-aggrandizing propaganda, but still, infiltrating the cult could provide valuable information.
- Frankly, if Medeus isn't even the most important person in his own tribe, I doubt it's him. Loptous seems a more likely candidate.
Let's assume that Divine Dragon King Naga is literally a dragon.
- People see him in the Dreamlands relatively often, but I am given to understand that you can't just approach the gods and demand answers to your questions.
- Maria says that he takes the form of a white dragon, but is also seen in various human guises: Armored warrior-king, innocent child, wise seer. Gender varies. Personally, she saw a little girl with green hair.
- Allegedly, Naga was a material being before he ascended to godhood. Can other dragons do that?
- Is Lucrecia one of his descendants?
Dragons can effectively disguise themselves as human just by covering their ears.
- It's likely that some of them have been living among us for years.
- King Mannu of Pyrathi: almost definitely a dragon.
- Persistent rumors suggest that some of the Sages of Khadein are not human, but powerful mages tend to be peculiar. This may be a false positive.
- Valentia is ruled by sibling god-kings Mila and Duma. I heard a traveler call them 'divine dragons' at least once.
- The earth dragon Matthis encountered has lived among humans, but left before the founding of Macedon.
- Aside from these flamboyant characters, it's possible that some dragons are simply quietly integrated into our society. Where do their loyalties lie now that Medeus has declared his empire? Might one agree to serve a human king?
Deku, Goron, and Zora have always avoided this continent. Do they know about the dragons living here?
- We've always taken it as an unexplained blessing, but I believe we are beginning to pay the price for our incuriosity.
MORE INFORMATION IS NEEDED – possible sources:
- The Sages of Khadein (largely indisposed or in hiding)
- The Fane of Raman (investigate with Grust)
- The other natives? Sea Zora are most accessible, but getting them to talk is difficult.
- Pyrathi (isolationist)
- Valentia (a long and expensive journey)
- Gharnef (very dangerous, will not give anything for free, hard to get ahold of)
- Shadow Dragon Cult (involved with Gharnef)
- Dohlr (not friendly, but an ambassador could find out much simply by hanging around Medeus's vicinity and watching his habits)
- The Dreamlands (dangerous, information metaphorical)

[New action unlocked: Infiltrate the Heretics]
[For more information about how magic and the Dreamlands work, please see the Rules document, where I have added a section on Magic.]

3-13 Sniper · Oct 28, 2024

Vocalist said:
Her colors are fully illuminated for the first time in decades, and Matthis feels strangely blessed to see them. Her eyes are violet, so dark that he mistook them for black. Her hair is lavender, so pale it could be mistaken for white. Her lips are dark as summer fruits, and her skin is the rich brown of fallen leaves under the rain. She grasps at a pendant, a dark stone hanging round her neck, and glances back at the others. "Stand farther back, please."

…what in the fuuuuuuck…?

I have absolutely zero clue who this is. She's got Idunn's hair color, with Ena's skin tone, and violet eyes. That doesn't match any existing FE character that I know at all.

I'm stumped, bros.

Vocalist · Oct 28, 2024

3-13 Sniper said:
…what in the fuuuuuuck…?

I have absolutely zero clue who this is. She's got Idunn's hair color, with Ena's skin tone, and violet eyes. That doesn't match any existing FE character that I know at all.

I'm stumped, bros.

She is a background character who never appeared in a game. While she does have official art, I put my own spin on her appearance.

...I'll give you a hint: This is the turn where I experiment with material from Jugdral.

Kingster · Oct 28, 2024

Vocalist said:
She is a background character who never appeared in a game. While she does have official art, I put my own spin on her appearance.

...I'll give you a hint: This is the turn where I experiment with material from Jugdral.

...Is her a version of Cigyun?

Cigyun

Cigyun is a background character from Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War. She is the wife of Duke Victor of Velthomer and the lover of Prince Kurth of Grannvale. She is the mother of Arvis and Deirdre, and is also the grandmother of Seliph, Julia, Julius and Saias. Cigyun was a descendant of...

fireemblem.fandom.com

The mention of Kurth made me curious and began searching, I suppose she could fit?

Brightflame · Oct 28, 2024

Well, we know Loptous exists, that's...not good

dreameater · Oct 28, 2024

Brightflame said:
Well, we know Loptous exists, that's...not good

Yeah he's literally dragon satan, he makes Medeus look like a saint. Honestly worrysome if Gharnef's involved with him, but it doesn't matter excpt in long term given we need to kill Gharnef for the Falchion if we want to stick a sword into Medeus's skull. Eh its book 2 stuff to deal with after we've taken over Archanea.
The manakete here seems to be a uh wyvern dragon which is preety darn rare, their thought to be extinct, basicaly comparable to earth dragon populations in a pop of literally 2(loptyr and Medeus).
On the dragon descriptions is Medeus barney coloured yet, he only gets that in book 2?

WGDragoon · Oct 28, 2024

It might not be relevant to the quest, but I wonder if some combination of magic and city technology could un-degenerate a wyvern. City uplift technology is extremely impressive. Restoring sapience to a wyvern (or undoing genetic damage) should be a possibility technologically speaking, and there are lots of magical methods used in Fire Emblem to ward off the degeneration to prevent a magical cursed based relapse. Like a mentally uplifted wyvern sealing away their wyvern form in a knockoff Dragonstone.

Amperstand · Oct 29, 2024

Vocalist said:
Oh this is beautiful! Such atmosphere! Such a characterful point of view! I need to think on how I might or might not incorporate this into quest canon, but in the meantime have 1000 EXP.

Thank you for the kind words! I enjoyed writing it.

Vocalist said:
[Many small parcels of new land are now under cultivation! This will add 10 to 15 Food to the harvest, come Pegastym! The people are profoundly relieved!]

Very nice. If my count is correct, we just need eight more units of food to be secure for the year. One more action ought to do it.

Vocalist said:
[Matthis has gained 1 Learning from all the math he's had to do! Matthis has gained 1 Diplomacy from making friendly contact with a sleeping dragon!]

If you keep this up, Matthis, Michalis may be forced to admit that you're actually good for something.

Vocalist said:
These types correspond to the five breeds of wyvern (red, black, green, violet, and white), though wyverns do not vary so much in shape and size. What is the connection between them?

So it sounds like our wyvern might actually be related to the divine dragons somehow. Which is good, because they tend to be the best at killing other dragons.

Vocalist said:
Maria says that he takes the form of a white dragon, but is also seen in various human guises: Armored warrior-king, innocent child, wise seer. Gender varies. Personally, she saw a little girl with green hair.

Hmm. While Maria might think that was Naga, it sounds to me more like she somehow made contact with Tiki.

Vocalist · Nov 2, 2024

Aurelis is often spoken of as a harsh and forbidding land. Much the same as Macedon, it was not settled right away, and only then by outcasts and adventurers who found the hierarchy of the Holy Kingdom confining and yearned to reclaim the freedom enjoyed by the first colonists. Its vast plains are too arid to grow aught but dry grass, and so its inhabitants live nomadic lives, leading herds of hopping, hungry pols voices and porcine bulbos from field to field.

Villages that move from month to month are hard to find, and what's worse, the people tend to be poor. Aurelis is usually not considered worth the effort to raid, but it is considered worth the effort to conquer – by Medeus – and Michalis wishes to be prepared for the inevitable invasion. 'The goal is to spend as little and gain as much as possible,' was how he'd put it. Privately, Minerva thinks this all a bit…degrading. Sizing up the wealth of people who have little to begin with, scrabbling for scraps from the table of an emperor because he's barred them from their traditional hunting grounds, jumping at the chance to please him…She was never convinced by Gharnef's arguments. Macedonians have always fought against darkness and domination, and if that meant allying with the so-called Holy Kingdom, well, there is such a thing as a lesser evil.

But she is loyal and loving to her brother and king. This is the path he's chosen for Macedon and she will see that their kingdom reaches the end intact. Failure would be the real sin. As such, she takes three dozen Whitewings and half a dozen dracoknights with her to Aurelis. They split apart to cover the vast and empty prairie, pegasus knights in groups of three and dracoknights alone, navigating by the stars and filling in empty maps. Minerva does an equal share of the work. She flies past tent villages smoking with cookfires and cold empty forts – and some not-so-empty forts, which have her and Leonidas dodging arrows. It's bracing, really; they haven't had the chance to do some real flying in a while.

[Spending time with Leonidas: 98+15(Wings Obscuring the Sky). New total 113/???. Milestone reached! Minerva's wyvern rider trait has been upgraded.]

[Elite Red Dragoon: You chose to bond a red wyvern – swift and aggressive, but tiring easily. Through your strong bond, the two of you are able to combine a wyvern's ferocity with a human's wisdom. +7 Martial]

"Just a watchtower," she mutters, making a note on her map. "To give early warning of invaders. Couldn't have been more than two people shooting at me." Their density increases as she flies further north, and she is forced to spur Leonidas higher and higher, search longer into the night for a safe place to lay her bedroll, until one early morning she is awoken from uncomfortable sleep in a gully of scratchy bushes by the noise of an approaching patrol.

Wrapped in her blankets, she's terribly vulnerable. But any movement she might make would rustle the bushes and draw their attention. Leonidas is tensing – she can feel him scratching at her mind – and a vision unfolds, of him bursting from the gully to keep them occupied while she readies her weapon. They approach, and as she tries to steady her breathing, she hears their voices, catches the rhythm of their easy conversation. She makes a decision. She will hope that the sparse foliage is enough to hide his scarlet scales.

Stay completely still and quiet.

The command sparks through her implants, and the red wyvern obediently sinks back to the ground. She is used to holding back an over-aggressive wyvern (it is a common enough flaw in the species, especially the reds). She can control him regardless; her implants have never failed in that regard. It's just…there is something different about this time.

When she orders him to do something he doesn't really want to do, obedience is not instant. There's usually a shudder, a little hitch as his instincts struggle against her commands. She was worried, in fact, about the possibility of him making some noise in the process. But that didn't happen. Complete silence. Smooth responsiveness. She stares into a dark red eye.

…Understanding?

The voices draw close enough to be deciphered, accompanied by the tramp of hooves and what sounds like the snorting of pegasi. "…they're not from Macedon. Well, yes, they're from Macedon, but they're not for Macedon. They're rebels, that's what the rumors say."

"Well, why can't they do their rebelling somewhere else? It feels like we're the continent's armpit these days…"

"Coyote said something about an opportunity in disguise. He went to go meet them; can you imagine having all those wyverns on our side?"

"I don't know. Can you imagine him actually recruiting them?"

"Well, he brought Roshea with him."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"C'mon, it's Roshea! He's just the cutest little guy! I don't think anyone can say no to that face…" The voices fade away, continuing their friendly conversation none the wiser that one of the wyverns they are discussing is actually right there. Minerva scoffs quietly. She is certainly not a rebel! It should be clear to any competent military commander that her forces are scouting out Aurelis in preparation for a future strike. Her men have orders not to engage with the locals if possible, so this Coyote (and his cute little guy) are likely to return alive, but empty-handed. Possibly the best outcome; it will be a boon to Macedon if such an idiot remains in command.

Minerva waits a while just to be safe. They are mere dots, making their way back to the stone silhouette – the only true castle she's seen in this country – they emerged from, when the wyvern and rider take to the air.

She dares not get much closer to that castle, not without a substantial army. She is far enough north that the steppe is transitioning to mountains. Nestled in between two foothills, well-guarded by layered stone walls and firing platforms built into the natural rock, Minerva judges that it could hold more people than the Aerie, and be as hard to take as anything the Grustian military engineers have created. It seems likely that she's found Aurelis's capital. Satisfied, she turns back south.

She and Leonidas spend a few more days with only each other's company until, one bright day over the lea, she sees the silhouettes of a dracoknight and a pegasus knight. Well, even she is getting to the point where she'd appreciate some human company, so she takes this as a stroke of luck. She flies in closer and flashes a greeting sign.

Neither of them respond. Minerva takes in more of the scene: sunlight flashing on violet scales and drawn weapons. These riders are not flying together, she realizes; the wyvern is chasing the pegasus. What's more, of the knights she brought with her, only Audrey rides a violet and that rider is the wrong build to be them!

In a cold, breathless moment, Minerva thinks back to the nonsensical conversation she overhead back at the North Fort, and realizes that she and her scouts are not the only Macedonians in Aurelis.

…Ruben's wing is here. And, if the Aurelians have the right of it, they are trying to betray Michalis. She has not seen many pegasi among the Aurelians; they do not live wild here. That pegasus rider is very likely one of her Whitewings.

Dive. Aim for the wyvern.

[Minerva vs. Violet Dragoon, Martial: 25 + 41 + 15 (Wings Obscuring the Sky) = 81 vs. 98 + 16 = 114; Failure]

The other dracoknight has realized that they are not on the same side. Gripping onto their mount, they disengage from the Whitewing and roll out of the way with the violets' peculiar agility. Leonidas's outstretched claws do not so much as brush the whipping tail. Minerva makes a strangled noise of frustration; now she has wasted the twin advantages of surprise and altitude. She looks to the others as Leonidas begins the work of climbing again.

[??? vs. Violet Dragoon, Martial: 29 + 16 = 45 vs. 64 + 16 = 80; Failure]

[Violet Dragoon vs. Minerva: 35 + 16 = 51 vs. 43 + 41 + 15 (Wings Obscuring the Sky) + 8 (Red Scale Armor) = 107; Solid Failure]

The pegasus knight is throwing a javelin. It doesn't amount to much, but at least the work of dodging keeps the other dracoknight from taking advantage of her unbalanced state.

[Minerva vs. Violet Dragoon: 37 + 41 + 15 (Wings Obscuring the Sky) = 93 vs. 61 + 16 = 77; Success]

[??? vs. Violet Dragoon: 86 + 16 = 102 vs. 85 + 16 = 101; Bare Success]

Leonidas and the pegasus draw closer at the same time. Pinned in between them, the dracoknight is getting nervous. They decide to drop. The inexperienced Whitewing doesn't recognize the maneuver; her spear clangs off a tail spine that is suddenly where the leg muscles were. Minerva, however, knows every angle of a wyvern's wings and her thoughts are Leonidas's own. As her axe sweeps through thin air, the red wyvern's maw bites down, teeth catching on scales. The opponent slips free with gravity's help, lines of dark blood staining its flank. A shallow wound. Not enough to bring them down.

[Violet Dragoon vs. Minerva: 100 + 16 = 116 vs. 40 + 41 + 15 (Wings Obscuring the Sky) + 8 (Red Scale Armor) = 104; Critical Success]

But enough to make them desperate. Minerva hears faint words reach her through the howling of the wind, sees a mouth open wide like a void, and, for one very short moment, her hair stands on end.

Then she is struck by lightning. It is a hammerblow to all the senses at once. Day becomes brighter than day, air flees, every single muscle is squeezed by a burning hand, and the only blessing is that darkness falls quickly.

…Darkness rises quickly, too. The two of them regain consciousness before it is too late to avoid crashing into the ground. She fixes her gaze on the horizon to help Leonidas right himself and he arrests their fall. The Whitewing, keeping dangerously close, falls back a bit and flashes an inexpert hand sign. She's asking to land and treat the wounded. Minerva thinks she and Leonidas are fine to fly, but there's no telling what wounds the girl took before she got here.

The violet dracoknight is far above and far away. Minerva glares at them ruefully as she lands, and marks the direction they're fleeing in. Then she turns her attention to her Whitewing. "Are you injured?"

"Only a little frightened." The blue-haired maiden beams up at her with a babyish face. That's not one of her Whitewings. "That brute never caught me. I'm far more worried about you!" This is a complete stranger. "I had no idea he was a mage! He wasn't carrying a spell tome – I've heard that casting without is much harder, so that must be why he only pulled out that Thunder spell once he was really pressed." She has just jumped into a duel between two complete strangers. "How are you feeling? Can you walk?"

Minerva has not yet fully unstrapped herself from the saddle, too shocked at the revelation. The stranger seems to take this as a sign of her infirmity, and walks forward, still chattering away. "Let me help you. I don't have any experience with wyverns, so please let me know if I do anything wrong."

[Wyvern Charming, Diplomacy, Difficulty 75: 34 + 14 + 30 (Do you believe in love?) = 78; Bare Success]

Her deft little fingers settle on the saddle and begin picking at the straps. To Minerva's amazement, Leonidas lets her off with naught but a glare and a slow-building growl. "Oh?" She looks between the wyvern and Minerva, wondering what to do.

"Calm, boy," Minerva mutters. "He's picky about who approaches him. Most wyverns are," she lectures, back on familiar ground for a moment. She fumbles with her straps, hands still shaky from the lightning strike, and eventually gets herself free. Her knees shake, and might have given out if not for the other rider supporting her.

"Let's check you for burns," the pegasus rider suggests, and since Minerva doesn't see how this stranger could ambush and slay her with some bandages and a waterskin, she agrees. "Have I thanked you yet? Well, let me rectify that. I am so grateful to you for intervening when you did."

She has such a sweet air to her, and dabs at her raw skin so tenderly, that Minerva finds it hard to feel unhappy about taking her side, though she still finds it terrifically embarrassing. "Repay me by explaining the events that led up to this…situation."

"Let's start by introducing ourselves. I am Caeda," says the pegasus rider.

[Does Minerva think to hide her name?, Intrigue, Difficulty 40: 14 + 10 = 24; Failure]

"Minerva," she replies.

"Oh? Are you the same as the King of Macedon's sister?" Caeda's eyes glitter with interest.

Minerva hates the mortifying ordeal of being known. Her chest is already constricting.

"…Okay then. Well, my rescuer, you should know that the village I was staying at was just attacked by eleven – I counted – dracoknight bandits, who tore down houses looking for things they could steal. They struck down anyone who got in their way. They gathered up food, precious goods, and at least one woman to take back to their hideout." Eyes flashing with outrage, Caeda recounts, "There was no way we could stop them. So I saddled my pegasus, in order to fly to the Wolfguard and alert them to bring about a swift retribution. One of their number followed me to stop my message, and it was a close chase between us – until you arrived." She presses her lips together. All this time, her hands have not stopped working, if inexpertly.

[Healing Minerva, Learning, Difficulty 45: 75 + 12 = 87; Success]

Well, Minerva was not badly burned in the first place, so it's enough. The raw parts of her skin are wrapped in bandages, thick enough that they can take the weight of her armor once more. She slides the metal-reinforced scales back on, fingers working automatically (the shaking has stopped) as her mind grapples with the story she's been told. Its brutality is almost banal. Macedon's raiders have done such things countless times in the past and she is here in Aurelis so that they may do so again. Michalis would probably only be angry that these dracoknights were not doing so in his name. And yet Caeda shakes with anger, as if she truly believes that this should not happen.

"Princess Minerva," the girl pleads, "I have already seen that you are a true knight. You would not abide such men in Macedon, and so they left to wreak havoc elsewhere. You have come here to put an end to these deserters, is that not the case?"

"…I cannot tell you why I'm here," is all Minerva says.

"When I reach Lord Hardin and the Wolfguard, they will be outraged to hear my news. They will ride against the deserters at once. You would be welcome to ride with us." She says all this with such certainty, such faith. Here is someone who still believes in the essential goodness of the human spirit.

Standing before her, Minerva feels such anger and shame. It would be beyond perverse to take it out on young Caeda, so she'll go after Ruben instead. But it is still her decision how she goes about it.

[ ] With the Wolfguard Battle makes strange bedfellows, sometimes. Follow Caeda to these knights of Aurelis and lend Hauteclere to their crusade. Present the bandits with the justice that they deserve.

[ ] With the Whitewings She will not forget who is her enemy and who is her friend. Fly to the rendezvous point, gather up whoever's present, and present the traitor with the weight of Macedon's displeasure.

Behold, the first test of combat and the Paralogue system! Funny thing is, I was expecting Minerva to utterly trounce her opponent, but the dice had other ideas. Instead of a tense interrogation, the wyvern rider got away scot-free while Caeda bandaged Minerva's wounds. Which will, ironically, end up worse for that guy in the long run, because letting Caeda have an uninterrupted conversation with someone is a surefire way to bring out a buried conscience.

Vocalist · Nov 2, 2024

dreameater said:
On the dragon descriptions is Medeus barney coloured yet, he only gets that in book 2?

He's black. All the Earth Dragons are black or very very dark purple. It's a decision I've made to keep them distinct from the Mage Dragons.

Kingster said:
...Is her a version of Cigyun?

The mention of Kurth made me curious and began searching, I suppose she could fit?

...You're really good at this, but then again I did give hints. Have 100 EXP.

WGDragoon said:
It might not be relevant to the quest, but I wonder if some combination of magic and city technology could un-degenerate a wyvern. City uplift technology is extremely impressive. Restoring sapience to a wyvern (or undoing genetic damage) should be a possibility technologically speaking, and there are lots of magical methods used in Fire Emblem to ward off the degeneration to prevent a magical cursed based relapse. Like a mentally uplifted wyvern sealing away their wyvern form in a knockoff Dragonstone.

You, on the other hand, are just rifling through my notes. How dare you. Have 400 EXP.

(But seriously, did you all think I asked you to vote on the color of Michalis's wyvern for purely aesthetic reasons?)

Shadow of the Dragon: An 8-Bit Dystopia Quest

Verdant Maiden in Violet

Verdant Maiden in Violet

Verdant Maiden in Violet

Verdant Maiden in Violet

Verdant Maiden in Violet

Verdant Maiden in Violet

Verdant Maiden in Violet

Lord of the Dance

Verdant Maiden in Violet

Verdant Maiden in Violet