Click here for a list of weather descriptions, seasonal festivals, and a real time:site time conversion.
Character of the Season
Frail in body but dangerously quick of mind, Nikandr is the sort of character who proves that curiosity can be just as perilous as any weapon. A necromancer, inventor, and problem-solver with more ambition than self-preservation, Niki approaches the world like a puzzle box begging to be opened, even when what’s inside has teeth. Blunt, dry-witted, fiercely independent, and carrying a history best left partially buried, he has a knack for making even failure feel fascinating. Whether he’s raising the dead, moving across Caido to King's End, or experiencing a hangover for the first time, Nikandr brings a wonderfully strange spark to Caido, and we can’t wait to see what trouble his brilliant mind wanders into next.
Congratulations, Niki!
Credits
Court of the Fallen was created in October of 2018 by Odd, Honey, and Crooked.
OG Skinning provided by Kaons, with functionality and many custom plugins made by Neowulf!
they should have checked the ashes of the women they burned alive
And then it was chaos - demigods coming back and forth, summoned, directions thrown, dragons flying in, some god damned bird –
Melita couldn’t help but wonder why she’d even been asked to come – if all they intended to do was summon nearly everyone else. Her eyes narrowed, mind trying to stuff all the frustration downwards. Her failures last time. Her uselessness. Pondering why she’d even bothered. What was the point, if they weren’t going to do it themselves?
But she clenched her jaw and gritted her teeth, figuring this would be a conversation for later. “Going invisible!” She hinted, doing just that – staying close to Remi’s designated area as she prepared her arrows. At the very least, this time she should be able to do some damage.
She didn’t have an answer for Hadama, but she did for the void beast. Snagging at her lightning infused arrow, she placed it on the quiver, drew back, and aimed for the creature, before letting the armament fly.
--
Melita goes invisible, stays in Remi’s range, and shoots a lightning arrow at the void dragon.
• Magic: You Didn't See Anything | Melita is rendered invisible, and doesn't leave footprints/fingerprints, but can still be detected via other senses.
Type: Grey | Rank: Upgraded
• Magic: Didn't see that coming (FEAT) | First attack after becoming invisible has advantage
Type: Light | Rank: Basic
Type: Light | Style: Offensive | Level: Mastered
Bowstring Bracelet | At first this bracelet appears only as a length of intricately braided bowstring, adorned with vinelike patterns and tiny, fanged charms. But with an arrow in hand, upon miming the action of knocking and drawing it, the user will feel a bow beneath their fingers, as if it was there all along.
Type: Dark | Style: Offensive | Level: Mastered
Fire/Lightning/Ice Quiver | A magical quiver with two compartments. In one, it turns any arrow placed within into a flaming projectile when shot. In the other, the arrow becomes imbued with electricity. (Made by Remi)
Regional Score bonus: +15 in all shrine visits, drops, PQ+s, KQs, etc. (You must post this at the bottom of any post where a +15 should be included). Residents cannot be cursed at shrines in this region.
because it takes a single wild ember to bring a whole wildfire to life
Demigods popped into existence left and right, Zavien offering them a sheepish smile. With each appearance of Hadama, Remi, and Ronin, he gives a muttered apology and a quick, "We thought you'd want a moment to prepare rather than getting thrown right into the fray." After all, it still feels strange to just rip people from whatever activities they'd been doing. Hadama doesn't look any different to indicate what activity he might have been doing, but Remi's and Ronin's flour/flowers show that they'd been in the middle of something and he gives another small wince before the beast makes its grand entrance.
He'd heard reports of Dahlia's dragon and the destruction it had wrecked on the city but seeing it with his own eyes... unfamiliar anger rips forward. Zavien watches as it rushes forward, bathing Koa and Sohalia in Void energy just as the Void Messenger begins pestering Melita. The Dragoon knows he can't reach the dragon - as much as he'd like to - so he does what he can to support the others.
Lunging forward, he taps his bracelet and steps before Sohalia, placing the gold ringed hand on her shoulder. "I'll stand guard and do what little healing I can! Let me know if you see anything else!" Meanwhile, Sol moves to avenge the poorly executed attack on Mel, keeping his distance as he launches fire at the avian on the ground.
Zavien uses his healing ring on Sohalia and activates his Dragon Shield Bracelet! Sol dives to help attack the Void Messenger with his fire breath from as far away as he can!
Type: Light | Style: Defensive | Level: Basic
Leather Armour | Leather armour capable of blocking physical damage. Can only be used 1x per thread.
---
Type: Grey | Style: Other | Level: Basic
Starlight Cuff | A leather cuff intertwined with threads of starlight that when activated, extend the movement of the user's hand to 5ft total. Includes effects from items/weapons.
Type: Light | Style: Offensive | Level: Upgraded
Starblade | A sword that glows with inner starlight and burns on contact.
Type: Light | Style: Other | Level: Basic
Golden Healing Ring | A golden ring capable of delivering healing via touch.
Type: Light | Style: Defensive | Level: Basic
Dragon Shield Bracelet | A shield contained within a golden bracelet shaped with a dragon's head clasp. Blocks magical damage at a Basic level. May be used 1x per thread.
---
Regional Score bonus: +1 in all shrine visits, drops, PQ+s, KQs, etc. (You must post this at the bottom of any post where a +1 should be included). Residents cannot be cursed at shrines in this region. (Every bit counts. XD)
I learned that in suffering, we find the true measure of our strength.
07-04-2025, 01:29 PM (This post was last modified: 07-04-2025, 01:40 PM by Court Official.)
As the dragon curls itself like liquid shadow in the air, there's an explosion of wings and feathers, talons and fire, and it's forced to take an unplanned detour as the hawks and griffin divebomb it. Small wounds open on its face, not quite close enough to wound its eyes directly, but enough to really fucking bother it. And it flinches, too, at the sudden blast of fire against its side - a gift from another tiny annoyance.
Screeching again - loud - it ignores its own speed and trajectory to thrash its serpentine head, snapping its jaws and whipping around with vicious agility--
And Tarak vanishes into its gaping maw with a quiet, lonely crunch.
Gone.
Sohalia will feel the abrupt snapping of the companion bond like it's a wound that has just opened directly inside her, cramping around her soul with thorny fingers. Enough to steal the air from her lungs, enough to bring her to her knees, this loss is not going to be one easily overcome.
Back on the ground, Koa rounds on the Void Messenger. His fist lances out, prepared to inflict utter devastation... Alas, the bird pretty much birds about it. Perhaps it's because it's flapping to get airborne again, making its movements unpredictable, but the dragoon misses.
It doesn't take the attempt kindly, though, trying to grab at him with void-dark talons, but in this, it's just as unsuccessful. A Mexican Stormbreak stand-off, ladies and gents.
Meanwhile, the dragon has just glanced off one of the region's nicer buildings, its balance and aim momentarily shot with the interruption of flying snacks around its face and side. Debris falls heavily and screams echo through the air, but luckily for the gang, the people getting injured are a few streets away, and they aren't at risk of falling architecture.
As it straightens in its flight path, it manages to focus on the ridiculous waving of a wooden spoon. But even as it zones in on Remi, here comes a Ronin from below.
The air magic hits like a razor against the soft scales of its underbelly, and it roars in sudden agony. Blood showers down onto the cobblestones (and the gang, yay!), and its focus, very suddenly, isn't on the Bastion at all.
Oh, but then Hadama turns back up and basically everything else that happens with the dragon is irrelevant. Eight gravity spikes appear, lancing down directly atop the creature, and it dies - quite instantly - with a high pitched croak before it's ever truly aware what has happened to it. Indeed, the force of the attack is so great that it spears the creature down. Right down, in fact, onto the party below - and no amount of magical shielding is going to redirect the raw crushing force of a dragon corpse.
On the plus side, the Void Messenger is also caught by the weight of the giant reptile, and then finds itself under attack again when Sol appears. With a wild flare of fire, the companion nicely toasts the creature's feathers. So you know, you can feel proud about that.
And clearly with the death of its back-up, the Void Messenger has neither the reason to stick around nor the sense to keep fighting, and it takes off like a dark, lopsided (and slightly singed) smudge against the sky.
So what did we learn today, folks? You can kill a dragon, but birds are immortal.
Very good.
Er... Congratulations on completing the KQ! This part of Stormbreak has now been cleansed entirely of the void! You may all post once more, no posting order. The thread will be fin'd in 48 hrs.
Your randomly assigned posting order is: Sohalia, Koa, Remi, Ronin, Hadama, Mel, Zavien
Void Dragon: 0/830 ** Killed by Hadama for levelling purposes
Void Messenger: 100/200 ** Fled like a bitch
You may also loot the Void Dragon for:
Void Dragon Scales | The iridescent scales of a Void Dragon which can be created into armour by a god. The scales provide mastered-level protection against attacks but makes the wearer attack whoever is closest to them while wearing it.
There was a keen sense of satisfaction as the hawks divebombed the dragon, tearing viciously at its face. But the victory was short-lived, for Tarak chose that moment to join in the fray. Sohalia shouted a command - but it was too late to call him back, and as the dragon's maw snapped shut around her beloved griffin, she felt the companion bond snap.
An animalistic screech left the Luminary as she fell to her knees, a hand going to her chest as though she'd been pierced through the heart by the dragon's claw. And for all she knew, she might as well have. She was barely aware of the following attacks, of the dragon falling, of the Void messenger departing - all she could feel was pain.
And when all fell quiet on the battlefield, that was where she would be found: frozen, stunned, and without any ability to move.
---
Soh does not loot the dragon.
Minor powerplay allowed without permission.
Feel free to use force/magic on Sohalia.
The dragon did not, it would seem, stand a chance against the combined might of those gathered. A number of attacks flared and struck as the beast careened about the city, it's bulk causing damage to structures as it voiced its ire - and devoured a gryphon. He did not intend to bring the creature down on top of them - indeed, given that it was a dragon, he had not expected to kill it quite so efficiently, but Tarak's death lent extra strength to his spikes of gravity. His mistake in judgment caused further damage and injury to his companions and he straightened as the dust settled and inclined his head deeply in apology.
"I am sorry," he rumbled, wiping dust and black blood from his face.
But one among them did not rise. And that one, Hadama moved towards with slow steps, careful to avoid the jagged scales and sharply broken stonework that now littered the street.
"Sohalia." He spoke her name quietly, gently, kneeling beside the young woman and reaching out, slowly, to rest his hand lightly upon her shoulder. And his voice dropped so that it was meant for her alone. "I am sorry."
Hadama does not loot the dragon.
they should have checked the ashes of the women they burned alive
And in the end, she hadn’t really mattered again.
She could feel that binding sentiment fill her chest the moment Hadama’s gravity spikes pierced their way into the dragon, as it fell and banged into buildings, fell into the streets, fell directly on top of them She ambled off to the side in a belligerent tuck and roll, ready to shoot something, anything, ignoring the sudden onslaught of bruises and aches to climb back to her feet.
She hadn’t even noticed Sohalia’s companion until her mind rewound the actions – that deep glowering emotion rankling through her veins again. Like Alys’s little bear – Sascha, back in Halo. It was why she didn’t even bring hers to these sorts of things – always willing to help, but far too fragile for the hardships they faced. Her eyes fell down to the ground, then to everyone else around, forging her anger for something else momentarily. “Sorry,” she murmured to the Attuned, uncertain how to even begin other than that regret.
Glancing at herself, covered in dragon blood, she scoffed quietly. The bird had taken off, so there was no way for her to exact some sort of misaligned justice or vengeance. There was just the carcass, the absence of another, and there overly large party. “Thanks for helping,” was extended to Remi, Ronin, and Hadama, even if it made her feel useless once more. On a whim, she snagged at one of the nearby scales, figuring she ought to get something out of this bizarre endeavor. “Good luck with this place,” she gestured to Stormbreak at large – before vacating entirely.
--
Mel takes a scale.
because it takes a single wild ember to bring a whole wildfire to life
Zavien isn't one to curse, but as the small griffin disappears into the dragon's maw and the world seems to crumble around them, a few choice words may have slipped. He hears Sohalia's scream - one that will haunt his dreams for weeks as he searches out his own companion bond. His hand is already on her shoulder, and he attempts to steady her while shielding against the onslaught of rubble. The shield on his arm does little against the rocks and dragon blood that crash down on their heads, but he does his best to catch what he can, uncertain she'd be able to move in the aftermath. They glance against his arms and shoulders, a thick layer of wet blood coating his hair before it all comes to a quiet, eerie end.
When he pulls away, his self-assessment indicates nothing more than a few scrapes and bruises, but as the information is taken in, he kneels to Soh's side, looking her over for injuries as well. He doesn't see anything major, but he can't see the psychological wound that he recognizes in her haunted eyes. "Soh..."
Looking up, he watches as Sol lets out a roar of grief and rage for his friend, leaving the Void Messenger to flee as he dives onto the Void dragon's corpse. The speck of glittering gold is a flurry of pain and rage as he attempts to serve his own vengeance on the monster, ripping into its scales with teeth and claws. Meanwhile, Zavien spots the others nearby, giving Melita a nod of his head as he finds his fellow Dragoon.
He indicates to Soh, his hand still soft against her shoulder. "Koa, let's get her back to King's End." And once the other Dragoon is ready, they'd guide her away, doing their best to comfort her in the devastating loss. But first, Zavien stands to acknowledge those who had answered the call: Hadama, Ronin, and Remi. "Thank you. I know we should have given you more warning, but we appreciate you, nonetheless." He gives a deeply grateful dip of his head, placing a hand over his heart. "We're one step closer to going home thanks to all of you, and there's no way to repay that, but please let me know if there's anything I can do, for any of you." Then he dips his head again, moving to join his fellow Breakers as they depart the ruin of their home, Sol trotting solenly behind with a piece of scales firmly clutched in his jaws.
Sol Zavien takes some of the scales.
I learned that in suffering, we find the true measure of our strength.
