Fort Magrad

Fort Magrad is a location within Snowfield in Gloriano, on the third disc of The Legend of Dragoon. The area is optional and can be missed: players on the Snowfield path who want to know what is written on the yellow sign will fall into a timing puzzle map and then down again to the entrance of the Fort. Others might simply continue on to Vellweb and never know. Rose's memories of the past are invoked here, telling more of the story of the Dragon Campaign. There are also some good items and an optional boss with Dart's strongest (but cursed) weapon.

Geographic[]

This fort is now but standing ruins completely and eternally frozen over. Many large stone structures, infact the whole fort was built by the humans from the liberation during the Dragon Campaign. Assumably, this fort was to protect Vellweb as some sort of second line of defence. Now uninhabited by people, wild animals and creatures have taken to the area as a home. There are still malevolent spirits that reside deep within this location. Its former glory has forever been lost

Story[]

Prologue[]

11,000 years ago the leader of the Dragon Campaign, emperor Diaz, declared war upon the Winglies with "tens of thousands" of soldiers and the seven dragoons at this very location. Here you get to experience a flashback from Rose of the freedom speech delivered by Diaz by the liberation army, and another about the wedding her and Zieg had planned after the war and the support of Diaz.

Chapter 3: Fate and Soul[]

This location is optional and can be missed. You must traverse Snowfield on your journey towards Vellweb, however, you must take the left towards the sign rather than north to the exit. Once you approach the side of the cliff near the sign you will slip and end up falling off the screen. From here, you will fall down a series of slopes with multiple chests on each. You can climb back to the top to try solving the trial and error positioning puzzle to get the treasures. Once down, you will notice a stairway back to the road to Vellweb. A pass is visible in the distance with ruins occupying the area. Beside where you land is a stone with glowing writing in the languages of Human, Wingly, Giganto, and possibly others too. Meru Dart and Kongol each recognize the script of their respective races, and Dart asks Rose for help reading it. "The cursed land where the decline of the Winglies began", she reads. Evidently the stone has been transported to Fort Magrad from the Law city of Zenebatos somehow, possibly as a trophy of war. Rose suggests hurrying on to Vellweb.

Each time you continue towards the Fort, on the next screen there is a dialogue, with Rose urging Dart to turn back. Rose says to Dart, "I thought we had no business here." Meru runs ahead and plays in the snow; Dart advocates for Meru having "a little break", then gets hit in the face by a snowball courtesy of Meru.

At to the point where you can see the arena from the hill top, Rose has a memory of Emperor Diaz rallying the tens of thousands of troops for the Dragon Campaign. "What we desire is freedom. Or give us death."

Upon entering the arena, you can see a Save point. Saving before going onward is highly recommended: just past the steps, a little closer to the center of the round dais, triggers a cutscene sequence that ends in an optional yet difficult boss fight with Polter Armor. The Armor of Yore and the Panic Bell cannot be obtained before the fight, nor obviously the Soul Eater drop.

Rose walks towards a stone and kneels before it, remembering Emperor Diaz speaking with Zieg about her engagement to be married to Zieg after the war of liberation. Diaz: "There is no guarantee of coming back alive." Zieg: "Even if one of us dies, our bonds of affection are forever." Diaz: "Your eyes are already looking at our future. I will realize the future for you."

As she stays kneeling there, all of Dart's doubts about Rose pile up behind her odd behavior at the Fort, and he is moved to remark: "Sometimes..I wonder if you are the same Rose I know." Rose replies, "I am just me" as ancient forces left over from the Dragon Campaign manifest: a sword that had been pierced into a stone levitates hovers above the ground in front of them. Unsurprised, Rose says the spirits of those who died long ago have awakened, and the fight begins.

Monsters[]

Boss[]

Situated in the furthest reaches of this area is an obtional boss known as Polter Armor. This boss is very difficult and can even kill the player in a turn or two if unlucky. It is comprised of three parts: Polter sword, Polter Helm, and Polter armor. The Polter Spirit that is contained within this set of armor is the malice and rancor of those humans who died during the Dragon Campaign, all into a single spirit. Polter Armor is a Darkness based enemy composed of three parts, each with their own Hit Points and special attacks: Polter Helm (Command and Magic Block), Polter Armor (Dark and Light magic), and Polter Sword (damage/Can't Combat) attacks.

The Soul Eater and Repeat Item Smoke Ball are rewarded for the battle; and an Armor of Yore and Panic Bell are found in treasures behind the Armor.