Would this count as "special blood"?

[Anacybele]

So, back in the topic about why people love Ike (yay for Ike love <3) one thing that came up was him not having "special blood." It was referring to how he isn't of noble or royal birth or anything like that.

It got me thinking about something that's kinda been baffling me. I created a new lord for a fan story, her name is Azura. She was named before Fates was probably even thought of (and even then Azura is only the English name of the Fates character, as it's Aqua in Japanese), so she has no relation to the Fates character of the same name.

Azura is loosely modeled after Ike (big surprise, huh? XD), probably in the same way Ike is said to be modeled after Hector. She's a mercenary that has no noble or royal blood and had humble beginnings being raised by a widow in a port town who found her on her door step when she was an infant. However, Azura does turn out to be the daughter of a tribal chief of sorts and the last remaining member of said tribe (sorta like Lyn's, this tribe was massacred, except this time it was during a war, not by bandits. I hadn't actually thought of Lyn when creating this character though, so any similarities are coincidental). The tribe was a village full of healers and people that used only magic, no physical weapons. She's also the descendant of one of the ancient heroes that helped save the continent from the same Great Flood that wiped out nearly everything besides Tellius. The entire tribe was descended from or related to these heroes in some form, actually, and those heroes were how the tribe started. But none of these heroes, nor the chief or his wife were ever nobles/royals at all. They just happened to become important or powerful figures to some degree, in the same sense that Greil became a powerful general.

Yet, being a descendant of powerful heroes could count as some kind of special blood, I suppose, since it grants Azura some magical ability (she has high magic and res despite being a sword wielder later turned lancer). Some magic is all she gets from her lineage, but I never thought of it this way. And now I suppose it makes this character a bit less original... I wonder if she'd still be loved because of her long red hair though lol

I wanted to create another lord who didn't have noble or royal blood and had to earn their way to lord status like Ike did, but needed to also come up with a good reason on why and how Azura gains lord status (the king makes her one in honor of her deceased people as well as due to some battles she'd won with some allies before that). I know Azura probably wouldn't "break the mold" and all the way Ike did since he's the original not-noble lord, but Azura would be the first female to do this at least, right? :P I did my best, and this was my first and only attempt at coming up with my own FE lord.

So would a relation to an ancient hero, despite no noble or royal lineage, be considered "special blood"?

[Vaximillian]

36 minutes ago, Anacybele said:

So would a relation to an ancient hero, despite no noble or royal lineage, be considered "special blood"?

Yes. Especially if you give her lineage special properties, which you do.

Edited February 17, 2017 by Vaximillian

[Anacybele]

3 minutes ago, Vaximillian said:

Yes.

Can you please explain why instead of just saying yes? Because as far as I've seen, the special blood is only associated with noble or royal lineage. These heroes had no special powers or anything, they were just very strong in the ways of magic. Like Greil was in swords. I admit it's special to a degree, but not special in the way people seem to say about other lords' lineage. And it isn't even unique to Azura, as I said, there were numerous people with her blood before they were wiped out.

Edited February 17, 2017 by Anacybele

[Jotari]

A special blood line is a special blood line. Whether they're called lords or chiefs is rather ancillary. 

[Extrasolar]

...So at first I thought you were referring to Azura from Fates and I was very confused. Sorry. I'm tired. Lol.

As for the whole royal/noble blood vs. a special bloodline, it doesn't explicitly have to be literally royal or noble to count as special. With this character, it's the same as Ike's case.

Ike may not be nobility, but he's not just descended from some average Joe off the street. Gawain was a rather important guy back in his pre-dead days, and when you're descended from famous heroes, I'd say that counts as pretty special, powers or not.

 

Edited February 17, 2017 by Extrasolar

[Anacybele]

...I literally said at the top of the OP that this is a different Azura and that having the same name was complete coincidence.

But I see. now I understand. It's just that some people in the thread about why people like Ike seemed to say that Ike was the only lord so far that didn't have special blood. But it seems that he kinda does in a way, being the son of a former Daein Rider and such.

Thanks, guys. I still hope this doesn't hurt Azura's character in any way though.

Edited February 17, 2017 by Anacybele

[Extrasolar]

The fact that he wasn't nobility was an interesting new point of view, since instead of country-governing, the right heir to the throne, and international politics being the main focus, there wasn't really a time in FE before where you were just a ragtag bunch of mercenaries trying to pay for their next meal, and getting embroiled in a conflict much larger than them. I think that's what people meant by it, not that Ike specifically wasn't descended from an important guy. That's why I think Ike is interesting...in POR. But that's a different topic, I'll shut up now.

I mean, I don't think it hurts anyone's character that they have a special bloodline. It's just one of their traits, and as long as you don't let it define their character I think you'll be good.

[Anacybele]

Ah, gotcha. Azura's bloodline definitely doesn't define her at all, lol. She doesn't even know of it until she's all grown up, and her personality is bit of a mix of Lyn and Sully. :P She doesn't take any bullcrap, she develops a bit of a potty mouth about a fourth of the way through the story, and she can't stand men babying her because she's a girl. Never believes she ever needs a man or anything in her life and that they're borderline useless beyond simple battle allies (until she realizes some aren't so bad to have around... she even falls in love with one and tries to deny it at first, but the feelings grow too strong). She's also got little traits here and there in her character too, like her crazy fear of spiders and dislike of meat. Her rather impulsive behavior gets her in trouble a few times over, much to some of her allies' irritation (she gets injured and knocked out cold after she ran AWAY from her group to chase after a bandit, she indirectly causes a general to lose his memory completely, and more).

Edited February 17, 2017 by Anacybele

[Jave]

Just look at FE4. Some characters in that game have blood that goes back to the original crusaders and wielders of the holy weapons. Several of them aren't of royal lineage.

[Anacybele]

Yeah, never played FE4, so I would've never known that. Huh.

[Augestein]

Quote

So would a relation to an ancient hero, despite no noble or royal lineage, be considered "special blood"?

It is if only because the blood is what results in her having skills and abilities that normally cannot be obtained. If one can merely train and obtain them? Then no, it's not. IE, Micaiah's blood is special because it's what gives her the heron skills, and someone like Sanaki is special blood because she can give birth to someone that can have Micaiah's special powers, but someone like Titania, despite being a beast in combat, does not have special blood, because all of her skills and powers are from her own effort. IE, could some guy/gal next to Azura train with her and be every bit as talented? 

[Sunwoo]

Yes, Azura has special blood. It will either hurt or help or not affect her character based on how you write her.

Edited February 18, 2017 by Sunwoo

[Jotari]

5 hours ago, Anacybele said:

...I literally said at the top of the OP that this is a different Azura and that having the same name was complete coincidence.

But I see. now I understand. It's just that some people in the thread about why people like Ike seemed to say that Ike was the only lord so far that didn't have special blood. But it seems that he kinda does in a way, being the son of a former Daein Rider and such.

Thanks, guys. I still hope this doesn't hurt Azura's character in any way though.

Greil's a cool guy and all but he's a little far flung from being the legends that other characters in the series decent from.

[NekoKnight]

Nobility is a very arbitrary trait. Lyn being decedent from a Lycian noble doesn't give her any special powers and any privilege she gets because of her "noble" blood is just because society says so. In other words, having a exotic lineage only makes one special if the story gives it focus, like Azura getting noble status because of her clan. Now, if one can use exclusive skills or weaponry as a result of their lineage, then they have "special blood". Azura might not be decedent from literal nobility but her special Mag/Res is genetic, so she has special blood. 

Edited February 18, 2017 by NekoKnight

[Anacybele]

36 minutes ago, Jotari said:

Greil's a cool guy and all but he's a little far flung from being the legends that other characters in the series decent from.

Yeah, I suppose.

Heh, Ike's an actual legend himself though, how ironic. XD He's called the legendary Radiant Hero, after all!

EDIT: But Lyn is the only person that can use the Mani Katti and Sol Katti... That makes her special in some way. Azura doesn't get anything like that. Sure, she does get to use a unique lance that contains light magic, but she's not the only person that can use it (it would be locked to her in-game though). It was used by people before her. And otherwise, Azura doesn't get any unique weapons or skills. Well, I suppose she'll get a unique skill for her unique class line, but it wouldn't be because of her bloodline. Ike doesn't get Aether because of his bloodline, so...

Also, if Azura has special blood simply because her lineage gives her magical talent, then by that logic, some of the Awakening kids and anyone else who got magic from their parents or something have special blood too. Which...kinda doesn't make sense.

Edited February 18, 2017 by Anacybele

[Acacia Sgt]

10 minutes ago, Anacybele said:

Also, if Azura has special blood simply because her lineage gives her magical talent, then by that logic, some of the Awakening kids and anyone else who got magic from their parents or something have special blood too. Which...kinda doesn't make sense.

Specialness is relative. There is a thing as being more special or less special than someone else. This Azura character is more special than others by default since she obtains power due to her blood(line), something that not everyone else has, apparently. But for anyone with more extraordinary things, she'd indeed not be special... compared to that other person.

[Anacybele]

Just now, Acacia Sgt said:

Specialness is relative. There is a thing as being more special or less special than someone else. This Azura character is more special than others by default since she obtains power due to her blood(line), something that not everyone else has, apparently. But for anyone with more extraordinary things, she'd indeed not be special... compared to that other person.

She isn't more powerful than other people because of her bloodline though, she simply inherited more magical genes than physical ones. It's just like how some Awakening kids can get a lot of magic from their parents.

[Acacia Sgt]

Just now, Anacybele said:

She isn't more powerful than other people because of her bloodline though, she simply inherited more magical genes than physical ones. It's just like how some Awakening kids can get a lot of magic from their parents.

Said magical prowess is power.

[Anacybele]

Just now, Acacia Sgt said:

Said magical prowess is power.

And having more physical strength isn't? Why does Ike become a pretty damn good fighter then? He had to have gotten something to be that good!

I'm saying that Azura having inherited more magical prowess than physical from her parents is no different from Ike having gotten his strength and swordsmanship from his dad and Mist probably getting her magic from Elena.

[Acacia Sgt]

Just now, Anacybele said:

And having more physical strength isn't? Why does Ike become a pretty damn good fighter then? He had to have gotten something to be that good!

I'm saying that Azura having inherited more magical prowess than physical from her parents is no different from Ike having gotten his strength and swordsmanship from his dad and Mist probably getting her magic from Elena.

No one typed that. Ike becoming who he is was a combination of hard work, and not receiving any hampering bad genetics. If he got something, it was good genetics, or at least nothing sufficiently hindering while developing/growing.

There is a difference, because magic is going to work differently from physical prowess. No matter the setting, since a system such as "magic" not being real in our world, is left to the whim of the author. Unlike physical prowess, which is quite real. It is up to you if in your work you make it special relative to the "common man", or not.

[Baldrick]

5 minutes ago, Anacybele said:

And having more physical strength isn't? Why does Ike become a pretty damn good fighter then? He had to have gotten something to be that good!

I'm saying that Azura having inherited more magical prowess than physical from her parents is no different from Ike having gotten his strength and swordsmanship from his dad and Mist probably getting her magic from Elena.

Ike trained to perfect his swordsmanship. In PoR, despite being Greil's kid he wasn't any match for the Black Knight. Genetics can help real-world athletic prowess, but it's not as important as training is.

You could make some magic analogue to training. Like studying, or something.

[Jotari]

Don't focus too much on the bloodline thing. The lack of special blood isn't want made Ike popular. It was the fact that he lacked any inherent notability when every other lord before him was a noble. If every other protagonist had been a commoner then it wouldn't have been something noteworthy about Ike. What people like is how he stands apart from the other lords in the series. The technicalities are just technicalities.

[Sunwoo]

Being descended from an ancient hero that helped save the continent would count as special blood. I also like the analogy other people have made about training vs. genetics. If any of Azura's magical prowess is because of her tribe's abilities, and if these powers are unique to Azura's tribe and no one else outside of it can do these things, then it does count as special. Also, one can have special blood without being noble or royal.

More importantly, don't focus too much on trivial details. Your character could have the most special of special bloods, but still come off as a unique character who is likable and does things on her own right. What is important is how you as the writer portray your character. How you write them. A character can have all the potential in the world and fall flat if they are not written well, and a character who has all the makings of a Mary Sue can still be the best written character ever -- as long as the writer is good.

[NekoKnight]

1 hour ago, Anacybele said:

EDIT: But Lyn is the only person that can use the Mani Katti and Sol Katti... That makes her special in some way. Azura doesn't get anything like that. Sure, she does get to use a unique lance that contains light magic, but she's not the only person that can use it (it would be locked to her in-game though). It was used by people before her. And otherwise, Azura doesn't get any unique weapons or skills. Well, I suppose she'll get a unique skill for her unique class line, but it wouldn't be because of her bloodline. Ike doesn't get Aether because of his bloodline, so...

Lyn is the only one who can use the Mani Katti because the sword found her worthy of drawing it. Special? To a degree, but it's not tied to her blood either. Presumably another pure hearted person could have drawn the blade. Even the legendary weapons (Durandel and Armads) are gifted because Eliwood and Hector proved themselves as opposed to being the natural heirs. All of those weapons are locked to one user in game but so are the un-noteworthy Rapier and Wolf Beil. 

[Acacia Sgt]

23 minutes ago, NekoKnight said:

Lyn is the only one who can use the Mani Katti because the sword found her worthy of drawing it. Special? To a degree, but it's not tied to her blood either. Presumably another pure hearted person could have drawn the blade. Even the legendary weapons (Durandel and Armads) are gifted because Eliwood and Hector proved themselves as opposed to being the natural heirs. All of those weapons are locked to one user in game but so are the un-noteworthy Rapier and Wolf Beil. 

To be fair, they didn't quite proved themselves to Roland or Durban. Roland was more than happy to help once hearing Eliwood was his descendant, and Durban hated the idea of Armads just resting in an altar without seeing battle again, so Hector only came asking (or more like demanding) and he accepted.

The Divine Weapons aren't actually restricted to something like bloodlines. Removing them from their altars is restricted (and not all of them in terms of bloodlines), but not using the weapons themselves.

Edited February 18, 2017 by Acacia Sgt