From Attuned to Ascended to Ancient, Kiada Njovu-Reyes has been reborn several times throughout her short life, but her fighting spirit has never once been diminished. With beauty, grace and a quick wit, Kiada is the whole package wrapped in an infectious smile. Recent endeavours have found her in the heart of the Hollowed Grounds, aiding the region and bettering it for her new Ancient kin, and whatever she does next, we know it's sure to pack a punch.
Congratulations, Kiada!
Credits
Court of the Fallen was created in October of 2018 by Odd, Honey, and Crooked.
Skinning and hosting by the epically talented Kaons, and functionality fanciness by the coding magic of Neowulf. If you ever see either of them around, make sure to show them some love!
I've been very hopeful so far
Now for the first time I think we're going wrong
Hurry up and tell me this is all a dream
Or could we start again, please?
Her definition of efficient? She pondered for a moment as she unlocked the door to the clinic and let him and Pim in. "Achieving the best possible result with the least amount of effort and as quickly as possible" she said with a little shrug. Whether the practice would prove efficient was not something she could say though, having not experienced it and not knowing if the intended results were achieved. If he was clever though, he would note her definition lacked any implication of efficiency being good or bad - because in this case she didn't think it was likely good.
Phoebe moved to the kitchen at the back of the clinic to begin warming up a hearty helping of Shepherd's pie for him. "No not usually. But there was a plan that if the village was attacked by the other kingdom's armies that we were to run through the quarry, up into the mountain via some tunnel passages, and hide in certain spots in the forest until the quarrymen came to find us." she said softly, a slight deadpan in her tone as they touched on less than fond memories for her as well. "We weren't a particularly strategic place location wise but we produced resources for the capital so we were targeted often enough."
Seeing as Loren hadn’t actually asked Phoebe for her definition of efficient, he chose not to respond to her words. It was pretty accurate, but the question of whether or not the Launceleyns methods were efficient, well, he was not exactly unbiased about that. All he would admit was that they hadn’t been efficient for him. And he wouldn’t even admit that much to the healer.
As she recounted why she needed some wilderness skills, a haunted expression crossed his features. ”I see. And I understand.” He understood the necessities of war, the terrors it brought, the cruelty it fostered, and he understood how awful it was that she’d had to learn that at such a young age. While the Launceleyn compound had never been attacked—at least, not that he’d been ever told, not that anyone told him anything—war had driven his family to the extremes they’d gone to as well. Well, that and the oath. That fucking oath.
The one good thing about Caido was that he was beholden to no one but himself. And even then he constantly tried to do things for others, neglecting his own happiness. Well, that was not a topic he wanted to talk or think about either.
I've been very hopeful so far
Now for the first time I think we're going wrong
Hurry up and tell me this is all a dream
Or could we start again, please?
A comfortable silence fell over them as Loren acknowledged her words. Well…comfortable for Phoebe anyways, she couldn’t speak for Loren on that. It was what it was. War was uncomfortable to discuss but a reality that all from Northwind had grown up with – some hit more than others though. Oblivious to any possible tension in the room though was Pim, who went plodding about the room as if he owned the place (because he did). He sniffed at Frey’s shrine by the fireplace, roaring a small greeting at it, sniffed about Phoebe’s feet looking for any dropped goodies, then plopped himself down on an overstuffed chair, curled up in a very feline fashion. The pink dragonling lifted his head, staring at Loren with one, round, silvery pink eye before trilling at the Launceleyn.
Fortunately it wasn’t long before the food was thoroughly warmed, and Phoebe brought the large serving out for him, as well as a glass of cider. ”I made a blueberry cobbler too if you’re still hungry after that.” she said with a small smile, setting the plate of food down wherever it was Loren decided to sit.
As Pim finally settled down, Loren found himself watching the dragonling. The summoner was obviously uncomfortable: he was much more used to taking care of himself and others than he was to being taken care of, and he didn’t know how to take it. Surely this was yet another sign of his twisted upbringing that he couldn’t even accept some leftovers from Phoebe without feeling awkward about it. To break the tense silence, the Launceleyn nodded towards the shrine in the corner. ”Who’s that for?” From what Roana had mentioned, the healer was a devotee of Frey, so the Launceleyn assumed it was for them.
He accepted the food and the drink with a grateful, if stiff nod. ”Thank you.” Taking a bite, he chewed slowly and swallowed before looking over at Phoebe. ”This is good.” Although he really meant that, his voice still came out in that dull tone he’d been using for a while. To wash down the embarrassment, he took a sip of the cider.
I've been very hopeful so far
Now for the first time I think we're going wrong
Hurry up and tell me this is all a dream
Or could we start again, please?
Loren might not realize it, but the dragonling was sizing the Launceleyn up. He didn’t seem too tough, and his uneasy wafted off him in waves. So pitiful, these human males. Only the fellow with the lion face that Phoebe spent time with seemed capable. Why did all these stray little lumps end up following her around? Another question for daddy Frey.
Phoebe glanced at the shrine and smiled a bit. ”Oh that’s for Frey. It’s just a little personal one though, not like the larger ones around the Grounds.” she said. The androgynous figurine was wrapped in a bright silk cloth, a dried wreath of honeysuckle adorning its head. ”Do you know much about the gods here?” she asked him curiously, sitting on the far end of the couch near Pim, tossing the dragonling little pieces of scrap cooked meat. And while Loren’s tone might have been a little flat, she didn’t take it to heart. In what few encounters they had, he had a tendency to not be particularly expressive in his speech pattern, and so she didn’t think it anything to wonder after. ”You’re welcome, I’m glad you like it.” she said with a warm smile.
Loren hesitated when Phoebe brought up Frey. He’d had an incredible awkward encounter with the deity, and hadn’t really spoken to anyone about it. While the last thing he wanted to do with a near stranger was explain exactly what had happened, he figured it would be good to ask one of the god’s most fervent followers more about them. Then the healer asked her follow up question and the summoner didn’t really have a choice. ”Are there large shrines specific to Frey?” The Launceleyn didn’t know why he was asking, beyond a certain morbid curiosity. ”And not really. I’ve heard a bit about all of them, but nothing comprehensive. And…Frey’s the only one I’ve personally met.” Indeed, he’d only seen Ludo and Safrin, and certainly hadn’t encountered any of the bigger gods.
Or The Voice but he knew better than to bring her up around Phoebe.
Instead of answering, he just nodded at her statement. Then, because he knew she’d start nagging him if he didn’t eat, and might be offended if he didn’t—and yes, because it was good—he took another bite. It had been a while since he’d had anything but the simple dishes he’d been making for himself, and it was a nice contrast, if nothing else.
I've been very hopeful so far
Now for the first time I think we're going wrong
Hurry up and tell me this is all a dream
Or could we start again, please?
”To Frey? Not that I know of…though that would be a good thing to ask them I suppose. I wonder if they would like something like that.” she said, musing aloud. She could probably see where they might – perhaps something more like the temple shrine but decorated in a style more suiting the sorts of things they took pleasure in (which was pleasure in its various forms). But at the same time she could also see Frey not caring less about something like that. They could probably go either way, depending upon the day ”Though in the Greatwood, there is a shrine dedicated to Rae, for whom Frey is the herald. I suppose that is the closest thing to such a shrine. But I more meant that praying at this little one isn’t really imbued with anything to facilitate the divine. It’s just…comforting for me.” she said with a small smile.
But when he admitted to having met Frey, she raised a brow. ”You’ve met Frey and come out unscathed?” she said with a light laugh. ”Sorry, most I’ve met are rather afraid of them, because they can be intimidating and have been known to give consequences to those who insult them, even by mistake.” Like nature itself, Frey had a bit of a merciless streak in them. Though she hadn’t yet seen them give out a curse that they didn’t ultimately undo; rather like a parent briefly punishing an unruly child until they pulled their toes back in line.
”Well if you have questions, I’d be happy to answer if I can, though Frey is the one I know the most about.” And if he had met Frey, she doubted he had questions; the presumption being that he would take the deity at pure face value, like everyone else.
09-28-2019, 11:13 PM (This post was last modified: 09-28-2019, 11:14 PM by Loren.)
LOREN
”I imagine they would. Something with lots of cushions and incense and peaches and honey. And some spare clothes.” That way, no one else would have the incredibly awkward walk of shame Loren had been forced to endure, when he’d encountered Roana. As Phoebe explained that Frey was Rae’s herald, the Launceleyn frowned. While he knew that particular fact already, he didn’t know exactly what it entailed. As he was processing it he took another bite of the pie. ”I knew that, but I’m not sure what it means for one god to be the herald of another. Nor do I know what Rae is the god of.” Besides Ludo guiding souls to Mort, Loren didn't know much about this herald business. He filed away the bit of information about the shrine in the woods—the one he’d prayed at, he remembered that much at least—belonging to Rae.
At her surprised comment, the summoner gave her an equally surprised look. ”Uh...I mean, they stole my clothes, but other than that, pretty much. It was pleasant, even.” In fact, he’d gotten the best orgasm he’d ever had from it, not that he was going to explain that to the healer. Beyond that, the Launceleyn knew that Sunjata had also had a fairly pleasant experience with Frey, as had Rexanna; again, Loren really wasn’t going to talk about either of those people for quite a few reasons. The other man had hurt Phoebe and Rexanna had probably told the summoner in confidence.
As the healer asked the Launceleyn if he had any questions, he frowned again. ”What motivates them?” They had given Loren the best climax of his life, but that seemed far too small a domain for a higher power. Besides, it had seemed to the summoner that there had been more, far more to Frey than simple sex. And if he met them again, he wanted to be ready for it.
I've been very hopeful so far
Now for the first time I think we're going wrong
Hurry up and tell me this is all a dream
Or could we start again, please?
"I don't doubt they would like those things but...sometimes Frey is disinterested in anything additional like that. They might find it pointless or unnecessary - 'Why make all that fuss when any old patch of grass will do if I'm around; really you humans do make mountains out of molehills, honeybunch.'" She said, doing her very best to mimic Frey's tone of voice and speech pattern; which she knew by heart by now. Though to hear it in her, distinctly feminine tone made her giggle, and she shook her head. "I will ask though. It certainly wouldn't be the first time that they surprised me. Beside's Safrin has her own shrine. Ludo has a whole wood. Why can't Frey have something dedicated to just them?" she said thoughtfully, tapping her chin.
But she was soon distracted by his other questions, and she made a small 'oh' shape with her mouth as he revealed more of what he did and didn't know. "Well, there is sort of a hierarchy. Vi, Rae, and Mort are at the top, and Safrin, Frey, and Ludo are just below them." she said. "So the latter three, the heralds, help the former three with their work in some capacity, and they also seem to act rather as the gatekeepers of the higher gods. For example, I believe that Amalia, the baker, usually prays to Vi specifically, but Safrin is the one that has regularly revealed herself to her." she said. "Rae is the god of nature, or everything in between life and death."
When he revealed that Frey had stolen his clothes, she couldn't help but giggle a bit. "Oh I see, a very pleasant visit then, I take it?" she said with a smirk, though a blush took her own cheeks despite the joke not involving her. "Others have not been so lucky upon first meeting Frey. They can be a very...jarring deity to visit if you do not know what to expect. But I am glad to hear such was not the case for you."
"What motivates Frey?" she asked, just to clarify since they had discussed numerous gods. Phoebe considered the question for a moment, looking into the fireplace. "Frey is the god of passion and sex and fertility. People usually get hung up on the sex bit, since that is their rather overpowering attribute. Their favorite thing to do is to create life - and beautiful aspects of life in particular. They like to see things grow and develop and live fully - to feel deeply, to enjoy, and create, and blossom into the beauty of all they can be - and for those things to pass on that development to the next generation." she said smiling a bit as she looked back at Loren. "They like when we acknowledge our strongest emotions and either act on them or grow from them. Wallowing irritates them - but they aren't without compassion for moments of sadness and grief." she said softly, for a moment thinking back to when the god appeared to her, unasked for, and comforted her in her darkest of moments. "With these things, their patience is endless. Anything outside of that..." she shrugged a bit. "They can be offended. They don't like their time being wasted."
”Well, Frey might not want or need all that, but those who are praying might appreciate it. And I imagine the less work we make for everyone, especially the gods, the better.” Although Loren was specifically thinking about Frey, he figured it was true across the board. At the very least, he would endeavor to remain as little a problem in the eyes of the higher powers as possible.
Given how reckless and unlucky he was, he figured he’d fail in that too.
As Phoebe gave him quite a bit of useful information, most of which he didn’t know before, the Launceleyn just remained silent, every once in a while methodically taking bites of food and sips of the cider so the healer didn’t interrupt her. He still didn’t want to do so when she brought up his encounter with Frey (nor did he want to get into the details), so when she asked about his experience, the summoner just shrugged. When she finally finished speaking, he nodded thoughtfully, still saying quiet as he processed all the information.. ”That’s all incredibly helpful, thank you.” Biting his lip, he tried to figure out the best follow-up questions to ask Phoebe. ”So, the higher gods, Vi, Rae, and Mort, they exclusively speak through their heralds?” If that was the case, he was surprised how much everyone knew about the more powerful gods of Caido.
I've been very hopeful so far
Now for the first time I think we're going wrong
Hurry up and tell me this is all a dream
Or could we start again, please?
"I suppose that's true." she said, tapping her chin in thought. "I will still ask them, just to make sure it wouldn't offend them in any way, but otherwise, I would be happy to help arrange such a place." she said with a small smile. In reality it was sort of a holy sex den but that did seem the most likely thing to please Frey.
As he remained silent, she did nothing to prompt him to act more quickly. Instead, she stood to fetch him a piece of that cobbler she had mentioned. She was setting it infront of him, next to his other plate as he finally spoke up again. "Not exclusively, but mostly. A woman named Ashetta has seen Mort once. And I believe Amalia has met Vi at least once. But it is a very rare thing indeed." she said shrugging a little as she sat. "They are busy keeping the balance of the world in order or doing whatever else it is gods need attending to. I am sure oure problems seem quite small and insignificant to them."
That worked for Loren. ”Let me know what they say, or if you need help setting up a shrine for them.” While he didn’t know much about the gods, or religion, or devotion, or faith, he figured making a dedicated shrine to a higher power was a surefire way to at least not offend them, and maybe even score some points. That was doubly true if Frey didn’t have one already, like the other gods with their sacred spaces. Even to him, that seemed like an odd oversight. And if it was deliberate, well, probably a good reason and all that divine mumbo-jumbo.
Well, apparently the greater gods did sometimes deign to talk to mortals. ”I know Ashetta.” She had neglected to mention her encounter with Mort. However, they hadn’t really talked much during the few times he’d seen her since his return, nor was that something that would come up in normal conversation. ”Wouldn’t that be true of the lesser gods too? That we’d be seen as beneath them?” Then again, he could actually answer that one on his own. ”Not that they respond to my prayers anyway, what with being an Abandoned and all.” He sighed, then took another bite of the pie rather than let Phoebe ask him how he felt about all that. ”What does that mean, though? Keeping the world in balance, or whatever else you think they do?” She’d probably just rage against the unnatural nature of The Voice and the Ascended, but surely the elder gods couldn’t be wholly consumed by that battle.
I've been very hopeful so far
Now for the first time I think we're going wrong
Hurry up and tell me this is all a dream
Or could we start again, please?
She smiled a little and nodded. "I will be sure to do so. It's...nice knowing someone else that isn't entirely off put by Frey." she said. Off put, terrified, or completely misunderstanding Frey's purpose and meaning. Loren had actually thought to ask what motivated her friend, which was the first time she had ever heard any such questions. It was heartening that perhaps someone else might learn to appreciate them as much as she had.
"Well if you wish to know more of Mort, she would be the best one to speak to. All I know of Mort I have learned from Frey." she said with a small smile. "I think it depends. I don't believe Frey thinks of us as lesser, just different. They are a god doing godly things in a godly way, and we are humans doing human things in a human way. But hierarchies in nature can be a bit more fluid, so it makes sense that they are perhaps less influenced by that. As for Safrin and Ludo, that I cannot say." she said. But as he mentioned his status as Abandoned hindering him, she frowned a bit. "It is unfair that that hinders your ability to know them. But if you ever wish to visit a shrine, I would be happy to accompany you and perhaps help." she said with a small smile.
"And who knows, perhaps if you asked to become Attuned, they would see you in greater favor." she added with a smile.
"I don't know. I am not certain that is something we can even understand as humans." she said softly, shrugging a bit. "The gods made this world and everything in it as far as I have gathered, and there is much that our minds simply can't fathom. What I do know is that they do care about what happens in the world, even if not on as small of a level as with each individual person, and I have faith that whatever they are doing is for the broadest benefit." she said wistfully, then grinned playfully. "Though I am studying the basic structures of life which Frey says are beyond me, so I'm trying to understand some."
At Phoebe’s comment, Loren just shrugged. ”I’m too thick-headed to be afraid of things that should scare me.” He wasn’t brave or enlightened, just too stubborn for his own good. Still, it seemed that even his one question had given the healer quite a bit more to say. Although her comment about hierarchies in nature almost made him speak up—because hierarchies everywhere were fluid, a fact he knew better than most—he preferred to let her go on as long as she wished, seeing how she was providing such useful and intriguing information.
However, when she offered to pray with him, he flushed. ”Thank you. I appreciate the offer but...perhaps not with Frey.” The chance it might get messy was not one he was willing to take. As for becoming an Attuned, well, annoyance at the gods or not, the summoner was not willing to give up his magic. Falling silent, he let Phoebe speak about the greater mysteries of the gods and this world. However, it was the last comment of hers that piqued his interest. ”Basic structures of life? What do you mean by that.” Just because he wasn’t really a doctor or healer or scientist didn’t mean he wasn’t broadly interested in learning more about the world.
Besides, he was still processing everything Phoebe had said about the divinities of Caido. It was a lot of information and he wanted to sit with it for a while.
