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!
Evie’s confirmation of her wellbeing, for the moment, left him still attentive and hovering, gaze flickering over their lanterns, before steeling himself, preparing for something else. What did surprise him, however, were the number of greetings and nuances, and for that he gave a small grin, a gesture of relief perhaps that while the occasion was somewhat somber, they didn’t have to be.
With his hand enveloping the Evergreen’s, he nodded towards those who also placed their structures – to Sah, Noah, and Marcus, letting them have their quiet moments or stretched adornments along the stream. Kiada and her approach with Fox earned a side look to Evie, before striving not to set along either a juvenile grin or an impassive stoic one; ultimately settling in for a modest grin. “Doing well?”
He recognized Hadama nearby, though from the way he slid easily out of the water told him everything he needed to know about any conversations and decisions with Safrin. Thereafter, the Sword offered Hotaru a wave, though with Sunjata nearby he strived to simply ignore the demigod.
Ronin, in all his social dominion, surprised him, but then he allowed a modest laugh, glancing over at Evie before shaking his head at the compliment extended his way too. “Thank you. Likewise,” he wrinkled his nose and snorted, unaware of the recent changes. Glancing around for Ronin’s other half, he offered a nod and wave to Remi too. Blinking for a moment, he noticed Seren nearby, but didn’t say a word, leaving those notions to silent bewilderment.
I've done nothing wrong Except for all the atrocities
There was an influx of people – a normal affair for the festival. The opportunity to see a loved one well after death was eternally snagged and understandably so. But the Honeybee stayed clenched and ready beside her own lanterns, not giving her attention away to many or the multitudes – save for Sunjata and Hotaru as they approached (had she seen Talyson, she would’ve snarled and threatened every ounce of her being simply for his existence, but he was allotted a free pass for the moment). Hadama would receive a wave in passing – if not a mildly confused state of her brows furrowing as he simply walked out of the water. Those questions could come later.
“Hey,” she murmured in return instead, tucked back into her uncle’s hug. Her eyes went to the gathered lanterns, recognizing all of them, giving a soft smile at each. “How are things?”
Tal blinked as Zavien approached, but he remembered the bright and energetic man from their road-building adventures and he gave him a welcoming bob of his head. "From your lips t'Mort's ears," he murmured automatically. The solemnity of the Festival kept his usual scowl subdued as he looked around at all the lanterns floating in the water so that his expression was merely glum. "So, uh... how've y'been?" As small talk went it was pretty weak, though for the courier it was practically court manners.
Luckily Boreal was on her best behavior, sensing the gravity of the evening as she hopped off the Peregrine and ambled over, her muscular shoulders easily cresting Tal's hip as she leaned against him briefly before beginning to snorfle Zavien, paying particular attention to any pockets that might contain treats. The courier just gave a long-suffering sigh and reached over to grab one of her horns, tugging her head back towards himself. "Sorry 'bout that. She's friendly, I promise." Indeed, she had plopped her burly haunches directly on one of Tal's feet in retaliation (a trick that had made the courier invest in steel-toed boots several years back) and was now giving Zavien the biggest, saddest dragon-eyes from her human's side.
Nobody look suspicious, Fox has been here the whole time.
Good? Good.
He has indeed been glued to Kiada's side for much of the trip here, his arm around her shoulders to share in her warmth, despite the reasonably kind temperatures out here in the Oerwood. The seasickness from the trip here has died down now, mostly, but he's still a somewhat quiet presence next to the social butterfly of the harpy.
He has no lanterns to hang, and so helps Kiada with her own, and when she suggests going to see Deimos and Evie, he offers a gentle nod. "Of course." He has no idea what the meeting might hold for him, but it can't be worse than the skyship. Of that he's reasonably certain.
Before they can make it to the two Wardens, however, he notes another familiar face - not that they've ever met in person, but one doesn't live in Caido without knowing who Remi Taliesin is. Giving a polite nod of greeting, he's aware that this meeting is more for Kia than himself, though he'll definitely have questions for her later about it. Questions like how many people do you actually know and are all of them powerful and scary.
As for Deimos, now he does manage a proper smile, shrugging his shoulders. "I'll be doing better once I know there are no more travels in my future," he admits. "And you?"
fox
i'm a pagan of the good times
Horns: Small, bone-like protrusions (aka your stereotypical devil horns) that are easy to miss in his hair.
so give me your prayers up on your feet and i'll give you a show, it helps fill the seats
He should have known better than to assume he’d be completely left alone, or have an opportunity to meet new company – because he can spot the shorter, familiar blonde strolling up to him equally on the sidelines, equally as empty handed in comparison to the rest of those gathered. Snorting lightly, he shakes his head, his dark gaze skating over toward Dantalion. “No, we didn’t.” He says of the Climb, but as for their own traditions before that? Seeing as he was the expert apparently in cannibal culture at least a few centuries ago, he supposes he can answer.
And surprisingly willingly at that. “I haven’t been to one either, but we did do something similar where I’m from.” He doesn’t need to elaborate where, Danta already knows thankfully. “Rather than lanterns we used candles, though. And only for those who had earned the right.” A tradition that had fallen when he’d scouted and returned to find them turning on one another – that once unspoken rule being broken carnally. And since then, he hasn’t found it in him to light one nor bring a lantern, he supposes.
It's better that way.
Astaroth
so give me your sins, give me your lies but whisper your love, and i'll whisper mine
Fox’s arm is a warm and very welcome feeling across her shoulders as they start to mesh into the gathering amongst the others – and she’s already starting that small trek over toward Deimos and Evie when he confirms, more than willing to follow her along. But a familiar face pauses in their way first and Kiada’s grin brightens tremendously as she reaches out with her free hand to clasp Remi’s forearm gently, spotting that lantern for her mother and truly finding happiness within her that others wanted to remember her mother as well. Even if they didn’t have the best relationship.
“Not at all.” She says at first to Remi, in response to whether or not he was interrupting. And yes Fox, she does know quite a few people and the majority of them are quite powerful. But between them, she’s positive her boyfriend has nothing to worry about. Regardless, Remi’s offer is a very wonderful and kind one, one that has her smile faltering slightly in how sweet and thoughtful it is and she nods her head lightly. “Thank you. That means so much.” She would certainly need to think about it, make sure she got everything she wanted to say down on paper so as to not forget it, especially if she were to see her mother again.
Mostly along the lines of, I’m sorry I was a huge asshole about everything you did. I get it now. Growth, and all that. “She would have loved that lantern.” She says, nodding to Rexanna’s lantern that Remi holds, her face beaming.
As Deimos and Evie approach, though, she flashes them an equally bright smile. “Quite well.” She responds, flashing Fox a bright grin of her own and nestling back in against his side, listening for the continuing of the conversation.
heaven knows i don't follow, but i believe in this
Kiada has a large X scar on the right side of her neck.
No permission needed for power play!
Feel free to use magic/force on Kiada, without killing her <3
04-22-2024, 02:12 AM (This post was last modified: 04-22-2024, 03:18 AM by Hawthorn.)
// the only heaven i'll be sent to —
Thorn is content to settle in after placing the lanterns he’s brought, but a familiar voice captures his attention right as he’s debating going over to grab a drink and some food from the tables that are laid out quite nicely. Turning toward the voice, he offers a bright smile in the face of Talyson’s awkward nod of greeting, shortly before Zavien joins them as well.
It’s been a while since Hawthorn had anyone close to him pass, so it wasn’t a large surprise that it didn’t seem to hurt as badly as others in the group seemed to. “Hey you two.” He says softly, drifting closer to settle in beside Tal and Zavien so that they can place their lanterns if they wanted to. Zavien's comments are met with a soft nod and an equally soft hum of "yours too." Nodding to the lantern that the other Accepted brings.
After a moment and a glimpse back toward the food table, he juts his thumb toward it. "I was just going to go grab something to eat. Do you guys want anything?" Or maybe they all could navigate toward it, Thorn isn't picky.
To the surprise of no one, Sunjata and Hotaru seemed to be one of the couples that folks were congregating around (tied with Deimos and Evie of course), and unsurprisingly it was to the former that the Doubletake also flocked.
"Okay show stopper." She purred, having pushed her way through those trying to talk to the demigod couple so that she could wrap one arm around her mother's shoulder. "As if your natural beauty wasn't enough." Kissing Hotaru 's cheek, Flora crinkled her nose in feigned jealousy (well, like 98% feigned), she flashed a smile up towards Sunjata. "As if you weren't a lucky man before."
With three lanterns hanging in her free hand, Flora took a step back in order to slyly spy the ones her mother had brought with her. Maybe this year, she thought to herself, of seeing Enzo again.
After taking a moment to dry himself with air magic, Sah approached the group of Halovians. Deimos and Evie were busy catching up with Kiada. But Noah and Marcus were speaking with Hadama, so the Wild Thunder approached. "It's good to see you all." He noted the former mer's legs but didn't comment, though he was certainly curious.
With a grin, Sah reached over and gently ruffled the twins' hair, "What do you think of the festival?" Even if the festival was for the fallen, it was still a festival, and the twins were young. If nothing else, the food was always good, and although it was possibly overwhelming at first, the crowd was often fascinating to watch.
Having successfully avoided an unpleasant conversation, Edmund made his way over to Dantalion and Astaroth. The other Ancients present were either occupied or seemed to be deliberately staying away from the crowd, and he didn't wish to disturb them. Perhaps he'd get a chance to speak to them later.
Danta and Astaroth also had the benefit of being some distance away from the Halovian group. "Hi. How have you two been?" He shot a quick glance at the crowd, "I'm a little surprised that everyone is being so civil so far." There were quite a few people here that he was aware of despising each other, but so far, they were sticking with their own.
Hadama abandoned them and Kaiden watched the King join the crowd. Their tail slapped the water grumpily before they got an idea. Oye, if anyone is bothering to pay attention, bring me food. Surely someone here with the bond had a good head on their shoulders and would bring some tasty-smelling food from the tables. Did they smell bacon? They could see sweets too. Ludo was an asshole for leaving the food out of reach of the water. Sadistic, cruel, and mean. How dare they?
The mer waited at the bank to see if anyone would get over their selfishness and help them. There were familiar faces in the crowd, too, and Kaiden glared daggers, trying to move them into action with their mind.
"Oh?" Danta tilts his head at that, always quietly delighted to hear a snippet about Astaroth's life before Dygra made him whole. "I can't say I object to that, honestly." Earning the right to be remembered, he means. It's certainly something he plans to do with the time he's got in Caido.
Glancing around at movement nearby, his blue eyes soon land on Edmund, and he greets the younger Ancient with an easy clap to the shoulder. "Don't be too disappointed," he tells him, assuming that the young man is sad that there's no in-fighting. "The night is young. Maybe an argument will strike yet."
if we're in love or if we're in pain?
Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!
Horns: Diamond - they look very similar to #2 in this image.
so give me your prayers up on your feet and i'll give you a show, it helps fill the seats
“It has always been what I’ve strove for.” Asta says toward Dantalion with an amused and knowing look – at least until they’re joined in the outskirts by the younger Ancient, one that Asta has just met, but he watches with a fanged grin of amusement as he joins them. He doesn’t reach out to touch the young man’s shoulder like Danta does, but he does bob his head in greeting, shifting over to allow space for the shorter man to settle. “Hello again, young man.” Asta drawls his greeting, ever polite in the face of such company.
Though he does snicker at the idea of there being civility tonight, something he finds quite boring to be sure, and he cuts an amused grin Danta’s way all the same before nodding again to Edmund. “I am truly looking forward to the potential. Shall we take bets?” There’s an eager gleam to his dark gaze at the ida.
Astaroth
so give me your sins, give me your lies but whisper your love, and i'll whisper mine
As years passed and you moved through life, it was quite normal to lose loved ones. Grief was as natural as sensations of heat and cold and the taste of salt on the tongue, yet it was perhaps the hardest of mortal emotions to accept.
Thalassa had been meaning to help, Maea had no doubt, but the woman's words had opened up a wound long thought closed none the less. Reasons notwithstanding, she felt the grief keenly tonight, and admittedly dragged her feet to the Festival. Alas, she still got there on time. The lantern she brought was singular but large, with space for many candles. Shaped like a paper prism, each facet was of a different color and design; representing a person she had known and lost.
Moving quietly through the gathered crowd with a dark shawl draped over her shoulders for warmth, she hung her lantern and lingered for a time to take in those that others had brought. Some were familiar; she could pick out @Sunjta's usual one for Lusea, and turned to scan the festival for him. There he was, towering over the rest, with Hotaru on his arm; Maea looked away.
She sought out Dantalion instead, and greeted him, Edmund and Astaroth with quiet nods. They seemed in high spirits despite the theme of the festival, but Maea found herself unable to smile like she normally would. There was an ache in her chest that wouldn't be ignored; she wrapped her arms about herself, feeling small and lonely even with people all around her.
