Fire Emblem Tropera

Michel tried not to snicker as Astra snapped at him and Damien. Coming from such a tiny person, it was actually kinda cute. "Astra, you've got a good three dozen pastries in there. Do you really expect to eat them all yourself?" He took a bite out of his muffin, for emphasis.

Astra paused to swallow before sulkily replying, "I've done it before, I don't see why I wouldn't."

When Astra spotted Damien and Michel swiping the sugary delights, they quickly took the rest of them away. Oh, well. Guess Astra ain't the type to share. Damien shrugs after taking a bite out of his cupcake.

“Eh. You deserve those more than us. You did protect the prince, ya know.”

"I'm... actually doing alright," Malia said, giving Grendan a tired smile. "Better than I thought I'd be, anyway. Staying busy... it helps. I don't have as much time to think about it." With a sigh she slumped over, resting against him in a sisterly way. "I still think about her, though."

"It's strange though, isn't it," Diane said to the room at large, "that both the Crowned and the Skaldrs attacked this summit. It was supposed to be secret, wasn't it? It seems unlikely that they would both have found out in time to mount full assaults."

Ailes shrugged. "Our intelligence operatives learned about it weeks ago. It's not that surprising that they would have, too."

"Are you saying Calderian spies are no more effective than whatever passes for the intelligence of a pack of belligerent brutes?" Diane said with a smirk.

Ailes grumbled something to himself and turned to study a wall relief.

Grendan sighed, placing one arm around Malia's shoulders in a brotherly hug as he replied, "I know what you mean. I haven't had much time to grieve either, with all the fighting lately." He hesitated before quietly adding, "We're gonna have to find some time alone to just sit down and cry, though. Right, Sis?"

Astra, meanwhile, managed to pull themself away from their sugar binge to ask Diane, "Are you sure you aren't underestimating them? I don't know much about war, but I know that underestimating the enemy tends to get people killed."

Malia smiled and nodded, resting her head against Grendan's shoulder. "When all this is over," she agreed. "When we've finished her mission."

"I'm no warrior, but I do know that those enemies reminded me much more of the pirates and bandits we've faced than Vissan's soldiers," Diane said. "Those weren't armies, they were violent mobs. And 'intelligence' isn't something I really think of when it comes to mobs."

"'Intelligent' or not, they somehow managed to take the city by storm and, were it not for us being here, they would have taken out a staggering number of dignitaries," Gramps said to Diane.

"I take it that's a tale you're not comfortable sharing yet, is it?" Vera asked Kiri.

"I haven't hidden anything but I supposed I could explain if you're curious.." Kiri noted to Vera when she asked her question.

"I can't say I'm not intrigued," Vera replied.

"As much as I would not like to make a direct comparison think of it like....Xel here." she said gesturing to the Laguz. "My form is pliable and simply a reflection of my power. As I grow stronger you'll find that my form will change, though I wouldn't expect a large cosmetic change anytime soon." Kiri shrugged and her tail whipped about behind here to illustrate her point.

"As for just why I am in this state....Dragon's are eternal beings, so long as they aren't killed. But you see, that gives them the capacity to become eternally stale. Changes in Dragon society are very rare and slow to happen. Humans on the other hand why your lives are painfully short but you make the most of that life which results in changes happening with the wind. Some Dragons like myself found this fascinating and wished to live among you, but we couldn't in our true forms, too large, to alien to the humans. So we gave up that power, channeled it into enchanted stones so that we could have a form similar to humans. Those forms turned out to be quite...enticing for humans which lead to the obvious" she looked at Astra briefly before turning back to Vera

Kiri hesitated for a moment as her cheeks gained a dim reddish glow under her skin. "i....lost my stone. Many years ago, to a common thief. Now if I want my true form back I must work at it, like building a muscle. Fortunately these battles seem to be accelerating the process....But it's not nearly enough"

Even after all that fighting, Zeera wasn't really in the mood for sweets or cookies or whatever Astra had with her. She still wasn't sure what was going on, and she still wasn't sure why the enemies they had fought were attacking each other. The others seemed to be talking, and it sounded like Kiri and Vera were talking about something vaguely interesting, so Zeera scooched her way a bit towards where they were.

"Well, mobs and bandits can sometimes be intelligent when they want to be," Zeera said, even though she hadn't really encountered many examples of that sort of behavior. "And I don't think anyone really fights quite like the Vissans."

Aside from those bandits, and maybe those pirates, the Vissans seemed to be the only major group the company had fought so far, even though Zeera couldn't remember the names of their important people half the time.

"Where is this thief now?" Vera clenched her fists. "We're going to be traveling this world back and forth a dozen times over before we finally obtain every last shard off the Fire Emblem, I don't believe we'll lose too much time making a detour. Especially as we'll no doubt need every advantage we can get in the battles to come."

Kiri actually laughed a little. "Oh, Vera, people like you are why I adore Humans. But the theif is no doubt long dead and the stone circling some market or buried somewhere. Either way if I knew where it was I'd have it already."

Further conversation was interrupted by a wail from the conference chamber, and a moment later the doors flew open.

"Come quickly!" the Duke's attendant, Thorlief, called, waving them inside.

The Duke and the Chamurian councilors were standing with the guard, Kugiri, and a man who looked like a messenger when the company entered. The Duchess was slouched in a chair nearby, holding her head in her hands. The Duke turned toward the company, his stern features softened by an anxious twitch in his brow.

"We have just received word that... that our son, Roland, has been abducted from the safehouse in the village," the Duke said, trying to suppress the waver in his voice. "Due to the nature of this meeting, we, that is, myself, and the Council..."

The elder Chamurian councilor put a hand on the Duke's shoulder. "None of us brought anything more than an honor guard with us," he said. "The nearest reinforcements are two days away, and by then, the trail will have been lost to the elements."

"Please," said the Duke, offering the company a formal bow. "I... I..."

The Duchess looked up at last, tears having streaked her mascara like war paint to match the anguished fury in her face. "Find them," she said. "We will give you anything you want. Whatever aid your Prince requests, it is yours. Just find them, kill them, and bring my child back to me."

"Well, we'll just need to make sure to drop in at the jewelers and gem merchants in each town," Vera said. "One never knows what they may find if they hold onto hope."

"Why yes, of course, we'll do everything in our power to get your son back," Gramps said to the Duke and Duchess. "I know all too well how you must be feeling, as there is nothing I would not do for my own children."

"Except stay at home and tend to your responsibilities!" Vera called at the old man.

Kiri sort of gave Vera a melancholy smile, admiring her rather immediate conviction. Though her attention was caught by the frantic yelling and the Duke asking for his son to be rescued. "Yes well....we just happen to have a talent for escorting Royalty."

The company set out at first light, following the Crowned forces' tracks into the savannah. Already, the shallow prints in the hard, dry earth were becoming difficult to follow, and the company lost the trail several times, having to spend hours searching for the continuation. Night passed, accompanied by the strange, laughing howls of whatever passed for wolves in this foreign environment, and in the morning, they spent another hour picking the trail up once more.

At midday the trail disappeared for the last time, but the company had a feeling they no longer needed it. A low, rocky hill lay in the distance, and the tracks had been moving straight toward it for some time.

"I heard tell of this place from local sailors, methinks," Scherwiz said as they approached the gaping entrance of a cave at the base of the hill. "They be callin' it 'the Dragon's Maw.'"

"And why is that?" Ailes said, exasperated. The heat had not been agreeing with him since they first set foot in Sowtlund, and it very nearly disagreed with him permanently, as a gout of fire erupted from what had appeared to be a shallow crater in the cavern floor.

"That be why."

• Chapter 4.B: The Dragon's Maw
  • Objective: Defeat Tiamath
  • Round 0 Deadline: 9:00pm PST, 10/26.

edited 24th Oct '17 10:03:17 PM by Wryte

Railen rubbed a trickle of sweat off his forehead and proclaimed to the team, "Damn it is hot in here. Why, I'm sweating like a pig!" and then not wanting to be in lava filled cave any more than required, he went with throwing knives in hand further into the cave, crept alongside some Stalag-mites, and then tossed a series of knives at one of the guarding mages.

Move to Q22 and attack Crown 23 with Throwing Knives.

Zeera didn't really like the look of this place, but luckily there didn't seem to be many enemies about. Now that she figured out how to read one of Eridan's tomes, and switch stuff around on the fly, this would probably be even easier.

Move to P21. Use Fire Tome on Crown 21.

Kiri took in the cave for a moment as she continued in of course they'd be hiding in a place like this. Seeing one of the Crowned hidden near the fire vents she threw her Chakram at him.

Move to O21, attack Vissan 19(Chakram)

edited 27th Oct '17 9:37:28 AM by Azure

Grendan warily stroked his mustache for a moment before muttering, "Better get this over with so we can get out of here before we ignite..."

Move to N19, attack nearest enemy with Hand Axe.

"Sweat later, kill now," Vera muttered to Railen as she flew by.

Vera to M19. Attack Crown 22 with Iron Bow. If he is dead, attack Crown 21 with Longbow.

Michel glanced around the cavern with a look of disgust. "Ugh. I've never liked high temperatures. They make me look more hair than man." Distaste and frizzy hair notwithstanding, he moved forwards, into the cave.

Move to M20 and attack Crown 22 with the Iron Bow.

edited 27th Oct '17 2:38:37 PM by Tojin

While entering the hot cave, Damien watched as his teammates efficiently attacked the three Crowned rebel members while griping on how hot the cave is. To Damien, it isn't that bad. After all, the clan elders forced him to train under extreme conditions.

Still, Damien's teammates must have good teamwork if they were able to spot the threats coming from a mile away. In any case, Damien takes his time and observes how they fight in order to learn other combat styles.

Move to N22.

Round 1: Player Phase

• Railen moves to Q22 and attacks Crowned 23 (Throwing Knives)!
  • Railen's attack deals 14 damage to Crowned 23 (8/22).
• Zeera moves to P21 and attacks Crowned 21 (Fire Tome)!
  • Zeera's first attack deals 14 damage to Crowned 21 (14/28).
  • Zeera's second attack deals 14 damage to Crowned 21 (0/28).
  • Crowned 21 dies!
• Kiri moves to O21 and attacks Crowned 22 (Chakram)!
  • Kiri's attack deals 17 damage to Crowned 22 (7/24).
• Grendan moves to N19 and attacks Crowned 22 (Hand Axe)!
  • Grendan's attack misses.
• Vera moves to M19 and attacks Crowned 22 (Iron Bow)!
  • Vera's first attack deals 18 damage to Crowned 22 (-11/24).
  • Crowned 22 dies!
• Michel moves to M20.
• Damien moves to N22.
  • Damien takes 5 damage from the fire pit (19/24).
• Diane moves to O23 and defends.

______________________________

Round 1: Enemy Phase

• Crowned 23 moves to R23 and attacks Railen!
  • Crowned 23's attack deals 8 damage to Railen (25/33).

______________________________

Round 2 Deadline: 9:00pm PST, 10/30.