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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!
Compared to Halo this time of year, King's End was pretty balmy. Ravenna sweated in her ursur fur coat, wafting her beading nose with the hat and undoing buttons as she sauntered along the tables. There was So. Much. Food. Who had made it all? The visitors? Not likely; she hadn't brought a thing, hadn't even known she was supposed to, and there was just too many items out of season that she suspected magic at play. Interesting.
Popping a roly poly piece of rock candy into her mouth until she she could decide what to eat, her attention turned towards the people instead. It was like a sea of strangers. Thrilled by the music and the dancing, Venna allowed herself to be absorbed into the revelry. A trio of youngsters were also dancing nearby - older than her but younger than most - and she grinned at them, admiring the way they laughed, how confidently they moved, the beauty of their faces. She tried moving like the girls did, encouraged by how much better it felt, and looked - compared to her own initially awkward shuffle it was so much cooler.
Letting Calypso spin her around, she looks to find out who the mystery man is. Surprisingly, her eyes fall on a familiar face, a tall hybrid who'd taught her to hunt last season. A light laugh bubbles from her chest, and Nova contains the urge to wave - after all, he looks like he's in a conversation. Twirling around her sister, she asks, "Sah? What a coincidink! We met when I was in Halo." She leans in with a playful wink. "I think he would be a great tour guide."
Spinning away with a flutter of her dress, she lets her laughter mix in with the notes of the music. Between the glitters of her magic, she spots a young girl dancing near them, obviously new to the whole concept. Nova opens up their circle of boisterous movements to include Ravenna, flashing her a brilliant smile that stretches the star freckles over her cheeks. "Hi! I'm Nova and this is Caly!" Her feet continue to glide and move over the melted patch of grass with boundless energy. "I like your moves!" Despite their resemblance to a baby fawn with balance issues, Nova finds it endearing, sharing a look with Caly before giving the girl another friendly smile.
Sing to me, I am not doing well Getting tired of my own words
Falling in to walk beside her friends towards a table, Maea didn't blame Thalassa for the unspoken hesitation. She had some serious amends to make after disappearing for so long, and their run in had not really resolved anything. At least they were speaking; good enough, for not, and more than she deserved.
"Making up for past mistakes," she told Hadama, a lopsided smile appearing in response to his quip about the plate in her hand. Settling by the table, she made herself comfortable. "Mh, it's better than I expected." Being back around people wasn't as dreadful as the had thought. Overall, she felt much better; long and difficult conversations had done a world of good, and for the first time in a long while, Maea actually looked forward to the new year that waited on the other side of LongNight.
"I wanted to let you both know, I'll be moving next year. To Torchline. Been thinking about it for a while, and as I was talking to Ronin just now, I realized I've finally made up my mind. Likely I'll head that way after this." Packing up her few belongings and finding a place to stay could come later. For now, it was more important to finalize the decision, take action, embrace change – before she could talk herself out of it.
Raising her mig to the others, she offered a toast. "To fresh starts, and an end to running." It had the feel of a vow, or a promise.
Sing to me, cause I can't hear myself through the loudness of my own hurts
Oh, they let her join? A warm gratitude for being included turned her smile genuine as the girl grinned back at Nova and her sister. "Hi! I'm Venna. Ravenna," she clarified, rolling her eyes at how pretentiously long her name was.
"Thanks! I like your style! Are you making the stars?" Her freckles sort of suggested a connection but Venna didn't want to presume. It didn't actually matter; they were there and it was pretty, and she spun - occasionally slipping - across the ground whenever her feet found a patch of ice, thoroughly enjoying herself.
"Where are you from? I live in Halo right now, but I'm really from Torchline." It was a long story, complicated and frankly boring; she looked hopefully between Nova and Calypso, anticipating a more interesting story.
Snorting at her sister, Caly’s eyes widen a fraction as she informs her that she knows the hybrid the young attuned met. “Ugh, I didn’t know you knew him.” She comments, playfully offended that she hadn’t told her beforehand as they continue their dance. Her laughter of agreement that he’d make a great tour guide is the only precursor to their shift, toward inviting the young girl that’s joined them into their little circle.
One hand leaves her sister to reach for the young girls hand, dancing along with her as she’s introduced by her sister, flashing a bright smile toward Ravenna. “We live in Torchline!” She announces with a vibrant, sunny smile, helping the best she can to ensure the young girl has as much balance as possible on the patch of ice she finds occasionally. “But we’re really from the stars.” She doesn’t have the starry freckles her sister does right now, but she does flash a playful wink with the eye that has the star tattoo just below it toward Ravenna.
Sah chuckled as he followed Elizabeth's line of sight, "There always is." Flora's sudden appearance before those who had though she was dead certainly fell into the category of chaos. "The most memorable was a party held by Ludo a few years ago. There was a food fight and Ludo actually pantsed someone." Which, frankly, sounded bizarre in itself. No matter how mischievous it was, Ludo was still a deity.
Someone walked by with a plate full of sweets and the hybrid suppressed a sigh. He was still slightly suspicious of the food even as others seemed to be enjoying themselves. But maybe it'd be okay. He'd give it another few moments.
Given Thalassa's lack of surprise at Maea's reappearance, perhaps his news was outdated. Hadama selected a morsel from his plate and tried it, watching the two women test the waters of a strained relationship with an understanding gaze. He was not without his own reservations about the length of time that the pale Ancient had gone without letting them know that she was alive and well, but he had already made it clear that he was glad that she had returned.
'Better late than never' was a saying with more than a kernel of truth in it, after all.
Her unexpected news was more than welcome, however, and Hadama swallowed his tidbit as his expression relaxed and emerald eyes warmed. "That is excellent news," he rumbled. "If you would like company looking for a house I would be happy to help." He looked to Thal with a questioning tilt to his chin, seeking her thoughts on the matter, but at Maea's toast he raised his own glass. "To fresh starts," he agreed warmly.
