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!
i was raised as a scorpion being pulled by the moon in a high tide
The party is well underway and Sunjata’s spent a majority of it wrapped up in a warm blanket just watching the festivities. People milling about, the smell of food drifting through the air and greeting them all. Music bounces from the musicians against the walls of the town creating a rather ethereal echo down the cleared pathways.
And without the sun or moon to try and guestimate any time, Sunjata isn’t sure how long he’s been out here watching the festivities. It’s about then that he realizes he hasn’t spotted a particularly familiar face, and with another look around it, he wraps himself in the navy blanket and slips down the main stretch to the alleys, as if he’s ensuring the fact that the paths have been cleared and Niki wasn’t there because he couldn’t get out of his home.
It’s open, though, curiously enough. Even if he’d still not seen the necromancer as he arrives to the door of the home he’d given the other man. So, with a moment of hesitating that has him wrapping the blanket around him tighter as if that would be a better boon to keep the heat in, and reaches up to knock on Niki’s door – leaning in to try and see if he can hear him approaching the door and prepping mentally what he’s going to say to try and get the abandoned out and about in the party.
the flood
that's why i'm broken, yeah, am i a villain or a saint?
No permission needed for power play!
Feel free to use magic/force on Sunjata, without killing him <3
Sunjata speaks with an Australian accent and has a passive magic that makes him produce a subtle scent that matches exactly to whatever those around him most desire him to smell like.
"Anything worth listening to in there?" Niki's voice trills from behind Sunjata rather than from behind the door, and it has the audacity to sound devilishly amused to boot. The necromancer stands on the pathway leading up to his front door as if he's only been a few steps behind the Heartless this whole time - which might well be true - bundled in his dark wool coat and scarf, his cane secure in one hand and a bag in the other, presumably from visiting a number of the stalls on offer.
"Did you think I would be holed up and away from the festivities?" he assumes, sounding quietly proud to have been caught outside instead. "The Greatwood was usually treacherous to walk around at Longnight so I would stay in until the sun rose again. But would you believe it - a party seemed to start itself right around my house."
Juggling his belongings to take his keys from his pocket, he gestures as if to ask whether the Heartless would like to step in out of the cold for a bit.
i was raised as a scorpion being pulled by the moon in a high tide
He’s trying his best to be snoopy and listen for any footfalls or the click of Niki’s cane on the wood floors inside, but all he gets is the anything worth listening to in there? from behind him that has him jumping. He’s startled so much that any portion of his body that isn’t covered with clothing lights up like a lightning strike as he turns toward Niki with an all too awkward laugh and a racing heartbeat.
“I was uh,” he starts off, reaching up to run a gloved hand through his hair before stepping back and conceding to let Niki open the door to some warmth. “I didn’t see you at the party, so I wanted to make sure you weren’t missing it.” He explains, deciding to go for honesty – that he had looked for Niki in the crowds and come up empty.
Exhaling a cloudy sigh that puffs up in front of him, he shoots the necromancer an easy smile. “Well, whattya think about it? Not a bad way to spend LongNight?” He asks, because obviously Niki had been out and about.
the flood
that's why i'm broken, yeah, am i a villain or a saint?
No permission needed for power play!
Feel free to use magic/force on Sunjata, without killing him <3
Sunjata speaks with an Australian accent and has a passive magic that makes him produce a subtle scent that matches exactly to whatever those around him most desire him to smell like.
Niki's laughter spills out before he can stop it, the sound boyish and light and swallowed up in the distant sound of the party nearby. "I did not mean to turn you into a firework," he apologises, stepping forward and slipping his key into the lock. With a twist and a click the door swings open, Niki leading the way inside where he has left a few lights on to ensure he doesn't trip and do something hilarious without anyone around to enjoy it.
"That is very kind of you. But no - I was not missing it. I just thought I would come home for a few hours before heading back out. It is always so difficult to figure out what time it is during Longnight, I end up ruining my sleep schedule." Not that he plans on napping now that he has a visitor, but the disorientation of Longnight is nevertheless true.
"Not bad at all. I assume you are the one who arranged all of it?" He grins, setting his bag down on the kitchen counter and beginning to unloop his scarf and unbutton his coat. The house is warm, the fire still smouldering in the hearth, and Niki will bring it back to life soon with just another log or two. "The stalls are a particularly nice touch. I think a lot of people must lose income at this time of year otherwise."
i was raised as a scorpion being pulled by the moon in a high tide
“Apparently you have a habit of doing it.” Sunjata drawls the tease back at Niki, his laugh soft and easy as Niki’s boyish laugh echoes in his mind. He follows him in to the house, though, closing it behind him to make sure no rogue breezes of snow find their way in to ruin the heat form within. “I usually spend it barely leaving my room. A habit picked up from the Grounds forever ago.” He shrugs a shoulder.
He smiles over at him, nodding. “Yeah. Thought it’d be nice to do something after the previous year of something always coming up and fucking up my plans.” He sighs a little, undoing the scarf around his neck, too, and tugging his gloves off. “I was surprised how many people wanted to run stalls, honestly? Though I think having the company of a party during the darkest time of the year probably helps.” He wouldn’t know, really. It’s his first time, after all.
“You should try the hot cider if you haven’t already. There’s some green apple cider that’s kinda tart you might like.” He points out, stretching a little as he unbuttons his coat, too.
the flood
that's why i'm broken, yeah, am i a villain or a saint?
No permission needed for power play!
Feel free to use magic/force on Sunjata, without killing him <3
Sunjata speaks with an Australian accent and has a passive magic that makes him produce a subtle scent that matches exactly to whatever those around him most desire him to smell like.
"Do I have a habit of doing it or do you have a habit of lighting up when I am around?" Niki wonders, his sly smile entirely private as he shrugs out of his coat to hang it on a nearby hook, tucking his gloves into one of the pockets and letting his scarf join it a second later. He's in a green cableknit sweater and a pair of dark pants beneath the layers, hair tousled by the chill and a few flakes of snow still melting in it. "Ah, yes. I remember reading about how Longnight used to be for the Hollowed Grounds. I hope yours have been peaceful since you came to King's End."
This one seems to have started well at least, though peaceful isn't the first word that springs to mind. Not yet, anyway. He gestures for Sunjata to also feel free to hang up his coat before going to retrieve his bag of goodies from said stalls, moving to start to take everything out. "I think you are probably right," he agrees. "And New Haven is still relatively... new, so I imagine people are more than happy to foster some community spirit. It is working as far as I can see."
At the mention of the cider, Niki brightens and nods. "I already tried some," he says, a touch proud for it. "But only one cup. I think I am still shaking off that hangover from the last time I saw you."
i was raised as a scorpion being pulled by the moon in a high tide
“A bit of both, I think.” He murmurs with a soft snort. He follows suit and puts his gloves in his coat pocket as he slips out of it, taking a second to admire the green cableknit sweater the other man wears. Sunjata, himself, has a charcoal grey v neck sweater that he promptly bunches the sleeves up on. “Eh, mostly? One year when the Family was around it was pretty bad, but other than that it’s been relatively easy.” He shoots a soft smile back over at Niki before he hangs his coat and leans against the counter, arms folding easily across his chest as he takes in the things Niki purchased at the stall.
Nodding at the idea of community and it working, there’s a small fraction of tension that loosens from his shoulders in agreement. If Niki could see it, then everyone else could too. But when it comes to the hot cider, Sunjata’s laugh is low and warm. “Yeah, true. I don’t blame you.” He winces a little at the end before shrugging it off. “What’d you pick up?” He’s nosy as can be, it seems, his gaze dropping from Niki’s face and pride that lingers there to the bag of goodies.
the flood
that's why i'm broken, yeah, am i a villain or a saint?
No permission needed for power play!
Feel free to use magic/force on Sunjata, without killing him <3
Sunjata speaks with an Australian accent and has a passive magic that makes him produce a subtle scent that matches exactly to whatever those around him most desire him to smell like.
"Mm, I think when the Family was around that was the case for a lot of the regions, especially towards the end," Niki agrees, letting his cane vanish back into the ring on his hand so he can rap his knuckles smartly across the wooden countertop. "Here is to many more easy Longnights from here," he says with a quick smile. He doesn't know if touching wood will actually make a difference, but every little bit of luck helps.
Chuckling at the wince he just about catches on Sunjata's face, Niki turns his attention back down to the treasures he's brought home. "There was a vendor selling roasted coffee beans, so I picked some up along with a coffee grinder," he explains, setting both before Sunjata so he can take a look if he'd like. "I also got some of this, in case of visitors," he adds, producing a small glass bottle of hazelnut syrup.
"Other than that, I got some dried herbs and cinnamon sticks for the fireplace to make it smell good." And the more of those little touches he adds, the more the house really does start to feel like home. "Have you had a chance to look around much yet?"
i was raised as a scorpion being pulled by the moon in a high tide
“Oh yeah.” Sunjata agrees with a small huff that’s soon replaced with an easy smile as he hears Niki’s knuckles rap against the wood countertop. “I’ll take that.” He’d be stupid not to, honestly. The easier it gets, the better Sunjata would feel about it in the long run, too.
As for Niki’s things, though, Sunjata and his snoopiness wins out as he watches Niki retrieve each item to explain it. “Smart.” He laughs lightly as the coffee grinder is lifted for him to see. But it’s the next item that lifts that has him smiling boyishly and dumbly, charmed in a way that he hadn’t expected to be. “Good choice, Niki.” He praises easily, letting his smile brighten more. “This is from the best syrup maker in King’s End.” Gods knew Sunjata used a lot of their syrups in the House of Midnight. He was a huge fan of them.
As for the dried herbs and cinnamon sticks for the hearth, Sunjata’s head tilts slightly. “I haven’t thought of that. I should try it.” He was of the mind to use simmer pots most of the time. But as for the party and looking around, Sunjata nods. “Yeah, once we got it into the full swing I listened to some music and watched the kids make the big bonfire pink and green.” His smile twists a touch nostalgic before he realizes it and shakes himself out of it. “I was thinking about getting one of those nice big puffy hand knitted blankets before it was over, too.”
the flood
that's why i'm broken, yeah, am i a villain or a saint?
No permission needed for power play!
Feel free to use magic/force on Sunjata, without killing him <3
Sunjata speaks with an Australian accent and has a passive magic that makes him produce a subtle scent that matches exactly to whatever those around him most desire him to smell like.
