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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!
Vesper doesn’t flinch when Zenith’s thoughts scrape against his awareness, but he sure as hell doesn’t entertain them either. Whatever his brother’s opinions might be—tolerance, disdain, smug surprise—they slide right off the invisible edge of his interest. Like water off oiled leather. The only reaction he gives is a slow exhale through his nose as he rolls his shoulders back and moves to the next task without so much as a glance.
Thorn, though—he gets a grin. That sly, lopsided one that tugs at the corners of Vesper’s mouth when someone pokes at something and waits to see if it bruises. "That woman could get rid of a cloud if she put her mind to it," he drawls, brushing dirt from his hands as he rises. "So I’d wager she likes havin’ you around if you're still around." If Thorn’s fishing for a reaction to see if the demigod feels possessive over Colt or perhaps jealous, he'll have to be satisfied with the feather-light and decidedly unbothered grin he flashes before nodding in Colt's direction as new instructions are given.
His grimace is theatrical and unhidden as he approaches, long strides carrying him over to the corralled broncs. "Please tell me you can manage a latch without wreckin’ the rest of the fence," he mutters, eyeing the gates like they might detonate if his brother breathes too close to them. He slips between the bars to the waiting horse, low murmurs brushing from his lips as he extends a hand—not with magic, but just bare palms and steady fingers.
The horse tosses its head, muscles rippling, but Vesper moves slow. Calm. Confident. Shadows pool just behind his heels in case things get wild, but they stay dormant for now. His hands slide over the animal’s coat, tracing the lines of shoulder and spine before lifting the bucking rigging into place. He threads the front cinch and fastens it snug, pausing to glance back at his brother with a raised brow that very clearly says: don’t make me regret this.
The rear stays loose for now. No point getting launched into next week if Zenith decides to improvise again.
Vesp tells Zen not to fuck it up and puts the rigging on, waiting to tighten the back cinch when Zen is ready to open the gates.
☆ has a pale star tattoo beneath his left eye, and freckle-sized constellations move across his skin
☽ hair changes from bleached blonde to brown
☆ telepathic: Sunlit Shadows | The user can read the surface thoughts and emotions of those within a 60ft radius. Control is excellent. Note: "Thoughts and emotions" include anything written in a character's narration in a post.
Zen's eyes narrow as he listens to Colt's unrequested advice. He can acknowledge that there is theoretical wisdom in her words. But he doesn't think 'talking' will go over well with Vesper. Punching also doesn't seem fruitful either, given that they'll likely have to collaborate eventually. Tolerance will do for now.
He joins his brother by the horses, tapping his knuckles against the latch at the snarky comment. Zen watches Vesper tend to the horse with mild curiosity. The other Demi-god seems to be familiar with the animals, at least enough to keep the creature calm. Once Vesper is ready, Zen nods before carefully unlatching the first gate. Consecutive gates are opened one at a time as the duo makes their way through the horses.
~
Zen opens the gates one at a time as they work with the horses.
// You could be lonely, or heartbroken—Or hungover from the night before //
The ranch hands shout a warning to Vesper as he moves in with the broncs, closer than most would dare. They aren't tamed the way the other horses are, more like funneled from pasture to corral and back again, barely halter-broke. Straps usually go on in squeeze chutes, but sometimes, like today, it's all done in the bucking chute. Front rigging first, back strap just before the gate opens—the final signal that says it's bucking time.
He does alright, at first, but one of the more rank bay mares he approaches swings her ass into him, intent on pinning him against the paneling and setting all her weight against him. The hands yell for Zenith to open the gate immediately, giving the mare room to move out, her ire mainly due to close quarters and fear. Otherwise, Vesper and Zenith manage the practice runs without much excitement.
In the judge's booth, Colt laughs at Thorn and throws him a sly look. "I already knew that." The rest of what he has to say is also not the most helpful, though she can't blame him given the short time he had. Hell, she feels the same and she's had hours to try. "Feeling's mutual," she mutters. The shouting outside draws her attention and she pops up to stare out the window briefly, but everyone seems to have it under control so she settles back with the boards. "Guess we'll just have to wait and see then," she says with the resigned sigh of someone choosing to be patient when they'd prefer anything but.
They repair the floor quick enough, with her setting the planks into place and him hammering them down. Outside she can hear the jostle of metal and hoofbeats that tell her Vesper and Zen are getting on too. She wipes her 'brow where some sweat has gathered, getting up to her feet and wiping the dust and debris from her hands on her chaps. "Thanks for your help," she says with a smile, meaning both forms of it that he's provided today. She bumps his arm affectionately before leading them back down the stairs.
Back down in the arena, she watches the last bronc get pushes away by the outriders. "Nice work!" she calls out to Vesper and Zenith, flashing them both a satisfied smile. "Last but not least, Thorn and Zen, can you make sure all the vendor booths have the right signage?" She fishes a map that details the names and locations out of her back pocket and hands it to Thorn. "Ves," she turns to him, swallowing back anything that isn't business. "We're trialing the bulls." A thrill for the upcoming challenge flashes across her face just before she steps back towards the gates he was at previously.
While she talked, the ranch hands had begun to sort a bull into each of the six chutes, now adorned with a fuzzy front strap. "You're on gate duty this time," she informs him just before hoisting herself up the pipe corral. "These ones will have riders. Wait for their nod then open it up and get the fuck outta the way." She climbs around to the back of the chute, balancing overtop the bull with her feet set between two panels. She grabs the bucking rigging from one of the ranch hands and with their help they all get it fastened. She sweeps her leg back over the pipe, standing on a lower row of the corral panel with just her toes and her weight leaning in as she pats the rider's shoulder while he settles on the back of the bull. He steadies his hand in the strap, then glances over and tips his hat to Vesper.
Colt pauses to watch, grinning as the beast and rider unfurl in a whirl of muscle and dirt. She's on the move again though, clambering to the second chute to rinse and repeat.
Thorn and Colt repair the judge's booth! Zen and Vesper test out the broncs, but one does slam Vesper into the paneling.
Round 4: Last round! Finish up your round 3 tasks - new assignments are Hawthorn and Zenith to double check signage and layout of the vendor booths. Vesper and Colt to trial the bulls in the chutes, Vesper's on gate duty, Colt is doing the straps.
COLT
// Turn that frown into a smile real quick—There ain't nothin' that a beer can't fix //
Received a Gilded Market wig from Remi that resembles her usual hair and is enchanted to stay on better than most wigs | has a reverse centaur tattoo on her left hand with the legs going down her pointer and middle fingers that looks like this.
The mare swings hard, but she finds nothing but air. Vesper misty-steps out of her path with a ripple of shadow, reappearing just outside the danger zone with a sharp exhale and a low mutter that never quite becomes a curse. She slams into the panelling where he’d been seconds before, rattling the gate with fury and fear. A flick of his fingers calls the shadows back to him, coiling like smoke around the rigging as he tightens the bucking strap with precise, deliberate pulls—no rush, no tremble, just control.
By the time she’s cleared and the runs are done, he’s brushing dust from his sleeves as Colt calls him out.
He catches her thoughts like smoke on a breeze: unsettled, uncertain, flickering fast and faint. It’s not distrust exactly—just the kind of carefulness that only comes from someone who doesn’t like giving her reins to anyone, especially not someone like him. Vesper doesn’t press, doesn’t prod, just lets a slow grin rise to his lips as he meets her gaze with something amused and knowing. "Trailin’ bulls now, huh?" he drawls, one brow rising. "You really know how to ask the nicest shit of a man." Helping to birth unicorns, parading through the desert, trailing behind the angriest sons of bitches you could likely come across.
He doesn’t complain though, just steps into position as her instructions hit. His shadows reach first, curling around the gate’s latch like a second set of limbs, keeping him clear of the chute. He watches the rider settle, tips his chin in return to the hat nod, then—slam—throws the gate wide with a ripple of force that surges and dissipates like a wave. Bull and rider explode into the arena, and Vesper steps back as the outriders move in to corral the beast once the cowboy hits the dirt.
Without missing stride, he falls in beside Colt, shadow-trailing in his wake as they move to the next gate.
Vesper uses his shadows to open the gate to keep himself clear of the bulls!
☆ has a pale star tattoo beneath his left eye, and freckle-sized constellations move across his skin
☽ hair changes from bleached blonde to brown
☆ telepathic: Sunlit Shadows | The user can read the surface thoughts and emotions of those within a 60ft radius. Control is excellent. Note: "Thoughts and emotions" include anything written in a character's narration in a post.
“I’ll keep tryin’ to keep an eye out.” But gods, it’s tough when they didn’t know each other at all and Thorn has next to nothing to go off of aside from the news that Safrin is his mother. And possibly the other guys’ too. Nose wrinkling as they work and those thoughts settle, Thorn rakes his hands through his hair once the floor’s completed. Looking back up to Colt when she speaks next, a smile finding its place on his face. “’Course, Colt.” Always. He might have added if he didn’t want to sound cheesy.
Stepping out after her when she gives the rest instructions, the courtesan looks toward Zenith as the directions are given, raising a brow toward Colt (because obviously that would put her with Vesper), but he says nothing. Just nods and throws up a thumbs up, and with a pale grin aimed back at Vesper, the courtesan nearly trots over toward the vendor booths, straightening signage.”You wanna check out the layout? I’ll work on the signage.” He asks Zen and waits for his okay before he’s turning back to his task. “Alright, what’ve we got here..” He murmurs as he settles in to go down the row of signage checking.
Thorn checks the vendor signs!
thorn
— getting crucified, every time you cross my mind //
Zen notes Vesper's use of shadows, mildly wondering how the means of teleportation compares to his own. Easily pushing the thought aside, he listens to Colt as she gives out her next instructions. It's a seemingly easy ask and the Demi-god falls into step with Hawthorn as they make their way to the vendors. Nodding at the man's suggestion, Zen turns his focus on the layout.
He walks the layout, checking the logic behind the routes and ensuring that there is ample space for the crowd to move through. There are a few spots that seem tight, and he carefully adjusts those booths to make a bit more room.
// You could be lonely, or heartbroken—Or hungover from the night before //
The look Thorn gives her doesn't go unnoticed, and it's why she can barely address Vesper beyond instructions. For this task though, she trusts his skills to keep him the safest. Trusts him to have her back too, if need be. Besides, knowing what she should do is a lot easier than actually doing it. It's why she can't hold the grin back when he grumbles, her drawled retort out before she's even thought about it. "My, have we finally found your limit honey? After everything, it's gate duty that does you in?" She clicks her tongue with playful disapproval. It’s also why she keeps stealing glances as they move down the line of bulls, still wondering at the parts of him she hasn’t figured out yet.
The last bull thunders out and the rider's off at 6 seconds, earning applause all the same from the gathered group because getting on at all is worth some recognition. She releases a pleased sigh, finally content with what they managed to get done, and ready for the real thing now. Men and horses steadily disperse with dogs at their heels, out to push various stock to bed for the night before they themselves consider the same.
Colt jumps down from the railing as Zenith and Hawthorn make their way back from the vendor alley. "Well friends, looks like we’re all set." Her hands land on her hips, satisfied as she surveys the settling dust and fading hoofprints. "Appreciate the help. You’re welcome to stay for dinner—ranch hands are going full barbeque, and you’ve more than earned a seat." She glances at each of them with an easy, if tired smile. "Zenith, don't be a stranger now." She gives him a quick wink, still not sure about him but he's quiet and puts his head down to work so she can get along with that well enough. "Thorn, stop by my house before you leave?" She needs his eye for an outfit.
Her voice softens more than she means it to, gaze catching on blue just a little too long. "Ves... good to see you again." It’s not what she means to say, but anything more might crack something open, and she can't let him see everything she's trying to keep buried. So she leaves it at and turns to walk away with a wave, intending to see some men about some ribs.
Done, thanks everyone!
[FIN]
COLT
// Turn that frown into a smile real quick—There ain't nothin' that a beer can't fix //
Received a Gilded Market wig from Remi that resembles her usual hair and is enchanted to stay on better than most wigs | has a reverse centaur tattoo on her left hand with the legs going down her pointer and middle fingers that looks like this.
