1. Mena's kids are much better trained than she was at their age, thanks to being trained by their noble father whose marriage with Mena is 100% political and barely 20% emotionally motivated at this point. She loves them, and she spends a lot more time around them now, but overall, there is a hard distance there between her and the rest of her family. Plus, as ya'll know, she's technically been ramping up her training and experience in that arena.
2. Hohenzollern Kids are weirdos, this is definitely true, but not actually that crazy in a Mallus Old World noble family in certain respects. For instance, in Carcassonne, they have the Birth-Sword thing, where every single noble boy is made to touch a specially made sword just for them that hangs there above them in their cots until they become old enough to wield it. Which, if they are a noble son of Carcassone, they will or otherwise will become great shames to their families. As shown in multiple posts, the Hohenzollerns started around age 5-6, but with an assortment of weapons in an opposite sort of approach to certain IRL reincarnation signifier tests i.e. 'time to pick whatever weapon you feel the most resonance for' and immediately begin weapons training and physical conditioning.
Other families of the majority Ulrican northern Empire do similar things, just...a couple of years later than that.
As it is, the Hohenzollern Herd majority lived/grew up in areas that are well sound-proofed against the cannonry stuff, but some - like Tasha - literally grew up in the School so are more than used to it. Like the stories of that baby that chills out with heavy metal/rock or whatever instead of calming classical music because the mom was pregnant while being around such noises or whatever. When they get to a certain age, however, they are more used to cannons as fun 'booms' and spooky-sounds-that-are-also-giggle-makers sorta thing. Like distant peek-a-boos or whatever.
Then again, you also have Ori born in 2333 IC who's immediate reaction to seeing how badly Karola was doing when it came to violence as a concept at all immediately went 'ah, okay, I must inure myself to pain as quickly as possible like my grandparents' and stabbed herself with a knife to make sure she wouldn't get wobbly at the smell/sight of her own blood and opened skin.
Mmm, sorta mix of them. The whole 'thing' of the Forest Dragons is that they become symbiotically connected on a deep, deep level to the forests they're a part of. Literally slumbering whenever not required to be 'active' by the forests, with periods of periodic consumption/hunting to keep their strength up outside of those periods, plus breeding at times as well. They're largely roused when the forest is in danger for the most part, as guardians, yeah? In truth, the whole 'stronger the forest' thing which Bloodglade is working on affects them as well, because they're partially 'made' of forest as well at this point. But no, Bloodglade is not the main person who can wake them up, who knows the songs and words and rituals and what not. The one partially chosen by the Forest, partially by the Dragons, with the correct aptitude and attitude.
That'd be someone known as the Sky-Mistress or Sky-Master of Laurelorn.
Last known holder of that position in Laurelorn was someone named Morai-Wen.
2. Hohenzollern Kids are weirdos, this is definitely true, but not actually that crazy in a Mallus Old World noble family in certain respects. For instance, in Carcassonne, they have the Birth-Sword thing, where every single noble boy is made to touch a specially made sword just for them that hangs there above them in their cots until they become old enough to wield it. Which, if they are a noble son of Carcassone, they will or otherwise will become great shames to their families. As shown in multiple posts, the Hohenzollerns started around age 5-6, but with an assortment of weapons in an opposite sort of approach to certain IRL reincarnation signifier tests i.e. 'time to pick whatever weapon you feel the most resonance for' and immediately begin weapons training and physical conditioning.
Other families of the majority Ulrican northern Empire do similar things, just...a couple of years later than that.
As it is, the Hohenzollern Herd majority lived/grew up in areas that are well sound-proofed against the cannonry stuff, but some - like Tasha - literally grew up in the School so are more than used to it. Like the stories of that baby that chills out with heavy metal/rock or whatever instead of calming classical music because the mom was pregnant while being around such noises or whatever. When they get to a certain age, however, they are more used to cannons as fun 'booms' and spooky-sounds-that-are-also-giggle-makers sorta thing. Like distant peek-a-boos or whatever.
Then again, you also have Ori born in 2333 IC who's immediate reaction to seeing how badly Karola was doing when it came to violence as a concept at all immediately went 'ah, okay, I must inure myself to pain as quickly as possible like my grandparents' and stabbed herself with a knife to make sure she wouldn't get wobbly at the smell/sight of her own blood and opened skin.
Mmm, sorta mix of them. The whole 'thing' of the Forest Dragons is that they become symbiotically connected on a deep, deep level to the forests they're a part of. Literally slumbering whenever not required to be 'active' by the forests, with periods of periodic consumption/hunting to keep their strength up outside of those periods, plus breeding at times as well. They're largely roused when the forest is in danger for the most part, as guardians, yeah? In truth, the whole 'stronger the forest' thing which Bloodglade is working on affects them as well, because they're partially 'made' of forest as well at this point. But no, Bloodglade is not the main person who can wake them up, who knows the songs and words and rituals and what not. The one partially chosen by the Forest, partially by the Dragons, with the correct aptitude and attitude.
That'd be someone known as the Sky-Mistress or Sky-Master of Laurelorn.
Last known holder of that position in Laurelorn was someone named Morai-Wen.
.
