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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!
06-22-2024, 04:33 PM (This post was last modified: 07-04-2024, 04:08 PM by Thalassa.)
She bows to no one.
Growing tired of the 'activities' offered by the Inner Quarter, Thal found herself drawn once again to water. The Black Lake didn't offer the same comforts of the ocean. It didn't pull against the shore or offer quite the same briny salt scent that gave her heart peace, but it would do for now. She gathered a pile of driftwood, lighting a fire to battle the biting cold that rippled across the water. Pulling a bottle of bourbon from her cloak, she settled into the pebbled bank of the lake to admire the reflection of the stars against the darkened water.
Although the silence was a nice break from the overcrowded bars, Thal found herself humming gently to the sky before letting the words take shape in a familiar tune,
"So I signed aboard of a whaling ship
And my first very day at sea
There I spied in the waves,
Reaching out for me
'Come live with me in the sea said she,
Down on the ocean floor
And I'll show you many's a wonderous thing
That you've never seen before'"
Her voice continued to echo out and she almost missed the shifting of stones behind her. Without turning around, she asked in annoyance at the interruption, "Enjoying the show?"
You could hear the slow smile spread across his lips. Lopsided and charming, the cheshire grin preceded him into the pool of light that spilled from the campfire, a lone beacon in a night that had been robbed of even moon and stars. "Oh, absolutely," Isar told her; like a wraith he slipped from the shadow to stand beside her, hands on his back and a curious cant to his head as he observed her. "You've a beautiful voice. Please, don't stop on my account."
The fire cast flickering light across a face that did not look quite as gaunt as before. While still lean and wiry in built, the hollows of cheeks and eyes were filling out, and somewhere he had found himself a new set of clothes. Well, new was debatable, but they were whole and clean and suitably warm for the frigid weather. He looked comfortable, perhaps even a bit smug at having been able to sneak up on her; but for all that his black eyes seemed to swallow any light that touched them, there was no malice within his gaze as he looked at her.
The smiling voice was familiar and Thal rolled her eyes in preparation for seeing the Ancient. She barely spared him a glance as Isar stepped into the firelight, even as she noticed the improved state of his appearance. He'd obviously taken the time to eat and replace his tattered clothing since the clean fabric didn't hang off his gaunt figure anymore. She still wore her own black leather attire from the Dusklight, equipped with her exposed daggers peaking from beneath her thick cloak. His new outfit still paled in comparison to the high quality of hers; however, it made her wonder if he'd taken Astaroth's offer of moving to the area or her suggestion of improving his image - not that she particularly cared either way.
Confident in her own singing, she ignored the compliment, flipping her dark hair over her shoulder in dismissal. "No. I don't perform for people who try to sneak up on me. I usually kill them instead." Unlike his, her gaze was laced with malice as she finally looked to him, indicating her dislike at being interrupted. It's not like her fire had been an invitation. If she wanted to be with people, she would have stayed in the Inner Quarter.
"Ah, that is unfortunate." With genuine regret Isar let the smile fade away and cocked his head, turning thoughtful in hus regard of her. "Looks like I stepped in it, didn't I? I'll admit I was happy to see a familiar face, but perhaps this was not the best way to show it. Can I make amends somehow?"
Extending his hands out with the palms up, he was not fool enough to disregard the threat she posed, but neither was he pushing for a fight. Of course, if that was the way to get on her good side, he was willing to do what it took. He could only hope it didn't lower her esteem if she came out on top. The nomad was keenly aware of the sorry state he was in, still.
Thal tilted her head with a scrutinizing, feline gaze. He appeared to be legitimate in his apology, but she wasn't about to let him off that easily. With a fanged grin that promised trouble, she came to her feet in a single graceful motion. Her stance could have easily been mistaken for relaxed.
Humming as if in consideration, Thal slowly took a few steps toward Isar. When she stood just before him, somehow appearing dominant despite her upward gaze, she placed a single finger on his chest. "Perhaps you could help me test out a new skill?" There was implication in her voice and fire glowing in her blue eyes, letting him get a good look at her.
After only a moment of suspense, Thal moved. In a heartbeat, her dagger had replaced her hand, sitting just below his jawline. "As long as you're offering?" The smile turned feral, excitement plain on her face.
The dagger at his throat came as a surprise, though in hindsight Isar realized it shouldn't have. Their first meeting had been ending at the tip of one, after all, and to his knowledge nothing had passed between now and then to earn a different response.
At least his reaction was different this time. Slowly raising both hands from his sides in a deliberate sign of surrender, his smile was a charming display of tolerance, complete with a lazy flick of his long tail.
"Will it leave me in one piece? If your answer is yes, then by all means, I shall be delighted to assist."
The point on his chest where she'd pressed her finger remembered the touch, brief as it had been, and it spoke to his degree of solitude that even the kiss of steel on his skin was preferable to none at all.
And just to make sure that she knew he was no pushover, in a lightning fast display of skill he plucked the dagger out of her hand, flipped it over in his palm and offered it back to her with the hilt first along with a polite bow.
The display of 'charming surrender' and agreement had her wanting to gag. Before she could lower the tip of her blade and end the fun, he surprised her by snatching the first dagger from her hand. The only visible indicator of her shock was a subtle lift of her brow. Meanwhile, her second dagger was immediately in her palm, poised to threaten something he might value more than his throat. It remained hidden in her cloak, not feeling the need to brandish it just yet. She wanted to see what his intentions were.
As he bowed low, Thal scoffed lightly, barely glancing at his bent form to do more than take her offered dagger. That was not the reaction she was expecting. She turned towards the flames, her silhouette daring him to strike her exposed back as she sheathed the blades, her decision made. A test had been passed, whether he knew it or not. So with a mischievous flash of glowing eyes over her shoulder, she gave Isar a fanged grin. "Take a seat." It was a saccharin sweet thing, delicate as a sword swallower's balanced blade coated in flames.
Not waiting for her command to be followed, Thal pulled a black strip of cloth from her nearby bag. Finally turning to face him fully, she dangled the fabric before his eyes. Her gaze promised danger while hinting at something more enticing. "Do you trust me?"
Seating himself on a craggy rock like it was the finest chair in some parlor - he'd rarely ever seen the inside of buildings, let alone mansions, so it was good acting on his part - Isar made himself comfortable. Resting his hands lightly folded in the lap, he turned his dark gaze between the strip of cloth and the wicked grin playing about her lips.
An eyebrow came up."Absolutely not," he told her frankly. "I fully expect to pay with my life here." That said, he still closed his eyes and allowed her to step in close to presumably tie the thing around his face. Was it suitable punishment for evesdropping on her song? Apparently so. Isar admitted that he'd never known any woman who wasn't unreasonable in one way or another - and frankly this wasn't even close to the strangest thing he'd ever done.
His response had her raising an eyebrow and letting a vicious smile spread across her face. Smart man. Contrary to his suspicions, she had no desire to kill him, yet. That would be boring. Instead, she gently wrapped the cloth around his eyes, being sure to let him feel the brush of her fingers across his cheeks then down the nape of his neck. With a sharp tug, she tied it securely before leaning forward to let her breath warm his ear. Her whisper came out raspy in the cold night air. "It's too late to back out now." The smile was evident in her tone, a light chuckle shifting his hair.
Thal leaned back, taking a moment to bask in her own excitement. As she knelt in front of Isar, she watched his reaction closely when she used her opposite hand to slowly open the top of his shirt, revealing his chest but making sure not to touch his skin again. She paused to let the icy breeze emphasize the vacancy. Then, without hesitation, she pulled a bundle of flames from her bonfire, letting it cover her hand like a glove. The heat obviously didn't harm her, but it tingled across her skin pleasantly, a sharp contrast to the chilly Deepfrost breeze. Grinning darkly, she placed her long fingernail against his chest, letting the nail push against his skin sharply as the fire licked against the contact of their skin. Thal then dragged it downwards at a slow, torturous speed.
