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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!
12-03-2024, 06:28 PM (This post was last modified: 12-04-2024, 03:28 PM by Koa.)
you can turn off the sun, but I'm still gonna shine
Citizens of Stormbreak: the gourd infestation has gotten out of hand, and it is time to fight back. We will be increasing Dragoon patrols and sending contingents out to combat the growing problem. Please report any problematic gourd presence to the Dragon's Nest.
It's a brisk mid-fall morning and Koa's bundled up, copper eyes glittering above his grey scarf. He's sent requests for some of his best friends in the Dragoons to join him today; multiple squads are being dispatched to deal with the gourd crisis, but they will make up his, and he couldn't be more excited. He's taking this whole thing Very Seriously, his uniform pressed, his haircut sharp. Even Pip seems eager to go, the oft-disorderly dragonling perched on the table that Koa now leans upon, notes laid out in front of him as he maps out their plan of attack.
PQ+ to deal with gourds in SB! Post your character arriving.
We need to finish this PQ+ by Dec 31. Let's hustle, squad
Zavien hasn't had many opportunities to wear his uniform. He always seems to find himself doing Dragoon business on random outings. Or maybe it's that trouble always seems to find him when he's not appropriately dressed? Whatever the case, Koa made it very clear that this is OFFICIAL Dragoon business, which means full uniform, no matter how uncomfortable it may be.
Shifting the tight neckline, he swallows, looking to Sol. He has a dragon now, he's done plenty of Dragoon work, and there's no reason he should be feeling like an imposter compared to the other soldiers. Yet he can't ignore the feeling that lingers in his chest, like it's too tight, while his shoes somehow feel too big.
He fidgets with the hem of his jacket again and Sol gives a rumbling purr of encouragement from his shoulder. Zavien smiles to disguise the awkwardness, running a finger under the dragon's chin. Glancing at Lena next to him, the smile becomes more genuine. "Let's not keep Koa waiting. Otherwise, he just might go without us." He laughs lightly as he pulls open the door to let her in first.
Zavien arrives with Lena!
A flower cannot blossom without sunshine, and man cannot live without love.
a ship is safe in harbor but that's not what ships are for
Not one to ignore “official” business, but finding the formalities surrounding the vampire gourds slightly amusing, given their nature, temperaments, and lack of threatening prowess (other than some ankle bites), Lena took it as a research opportunity, especially with the newfound variant likely hovering and hobbling amongst them.
Making sure to give Zavien an appraising look for his uniform with a cheeky grin and roaming eyes, the Caretaker settled well into her role as medic, complete with healing staff at the ready, a variety of herbs, bandages, rope, water, and snacks within her bag, and an air of confidence in their mettle and grit. Not rushing to judge Koa on his excitement, but amused nonetheless, she followed along with her fellow Dragoons, stepping in through the door and ensuring Mittens had the space as well. “Here we are!” She announced, looking regal and refined rather than severe or too earnest.
Her gaze went to the map, then back to Koa. “What’s the plan?”
--
Lena arrived with Zavien, with Mittens in tow, healing staff, and a bag full of herbs, bandages, rope, water, and snacks.
you can turn off the sun, but I'm still gonna shine
"Glad you guys could make it!" Koa grins as the pair walks in, making no effort to conceal his raised eyebrows at their joint arrival and the implications therein. He's commandeered a back room in a local coffee shop; now he gestures to pastries and coffee on the table behind him, inviting his friends to partake. As they do he'll turn around, his own (second) cup of coffee grasped fully in hand.
"So reports have come in about gourd activity throughout the city. In the past, Dragoons have taken a kind of 'live and let live' stance on the things, but with the new ones this year we've been asked to step in." Turning back towards the map on the table, Koa offers Pip a scritch on the chin before shooing her out of the way. "We've got reports of especially troublesome hotspots at the Plaza-" he points to each spot, "-Main Street, Temple, and Eye.
"So," he grins, looking between Zavien and Lena, "Where should we begin?"
a ship is safe in harbor but that's not what ships are for
Koa could raise his eyebrows all he wanted; Lena smiled serenely, snagging a coffee and considering the pastries, before rounding back over. She placed her hands behind her back, perusing the locations – she was much the same as the rest of the citizens, considering the vampire gourds to simply be a thing of the seasons, and not much more than general nuisances. Only if they opted to roll through her zoo’s enclosures, or go after the tourists, did she ever get too uptight about them.
“Have there been any reports on the new ones? I’ve heard some interesting things,” at least her way – with quick notes and pondering over making additions to her journals. Glancing between the two, she offered her suggestions. “I think we should start at Main Street and work our way over.” That way they could track through towards the Temple, then the Eye.
Mittens is a common presence now, but Pipsqueak isn't someone he gets to see often. Sol jumps from Zavien shoulder and bounces up to the fellow dragon, chirping an excited greeting. His wings even flap up like the rambunctious waves of a toddler to a friend. The overt optimism is admirable, although his companion wonders whether the more 'mature' dragon will appreciate the energy level.
Sticking his tongue out at Koa's expression, Zavien clasps his friend on the shoulder as he makes his way to the arrangement of food and beverages. "You know we wouldn't have missed it!" He picks the largest mug he can find, filling it to the brim with black coffee. The aroma alone is enough to shock some sense into him, easing the tension, especially as Lena jumps right into business. It brings a smile to his face, similarly eager to get started.
Zavien gulps down nearly half the mug as he listens to Koa, inspecting the map with a keen eye. Lines of strategy and attacks lay over streets and buildings full of strengths and weaknesses. Placing his hands flat on the table, he nods along with the Caretaker's suggestion. "I think Main Street is the best place to start, then we can work out from the Tower, pushing them towards the edge of Stormbreak." He points along the route as he explains before looking to Koa again. "Is there a particular source?" It may influence their plan of engagement or primary objective.
A flower cannot blossom without sunshine, and man cannot live without love.
you can turn off the sun, but I'm still gonna shine
Pip responds to the other dragon's attention like an affronted cat, batting ineffectually against the air near Sol's face with playful indignation. Koa allows it to happen without remark - he's given up trying to understand dragon dynamics, but figures the odds of his overgrown pool noodle doing any real damage to the golden kit are slim to negative one.
"Main street it is, then." Koa gathers up his notes, flitting through them to find a relevant page. "Let's see - there's a report from a shop owner that a few have taken up residence in his stock room." Glancing back at his companions, he offers a one-shoulder shrug. "Not very glamorous, but that's the job. Shall we?"
Gesturing for them to lead the way, Koa whistles for Pip to hop to his shoulder before heading out the door. "So Lena, any insight on these new gourds that've been popping up? Do we think they're, like, possessed, or is there something more... purple, going on?"
The testy temperament doesn't bother Sol. He tilts his head, tail wagging as he takes the playful batting as an invitation for further games. The little dragon lifts up on his hind legs to spin his front paws like a rearing horse. He chirps happily, ready to play.
As Koa finishes off the plan, Zavien chugs the rest of his coffee, letting the caffeine hype up his anticipation for the mission. He gives his friend a large smile. "I don't recall 'glamor' ever being part of the job." Chuckling, he sets aside his empty mug, grabbing a pastry for the road before making his way to the door. While Pip rejoins Koa, Sol reluctantly does the same, landing heavily on his shoulders. He grunts softly but smiles nonetheless.
Holding the door open for the others, he follows them out into the street. His ears stay attentive as he listens for Lena's information on the new gourd appearances. Maybe it would give them some intel on weaknesses or ways to expel them from the city, especially if they are Void related.
A flower cannot blossom without sunshine, and man cannot live without love.
a ship is safe in harbor but that's not what ships are for
Nodding along, unbothered by the task ahead and having never afforded glamor anyway, she hummed softly as they began to stroll. Mittens remained hovering over her shoulder, either tempted to hiss at the dragons or stay sulking; Lena preferred the latter, given its antics for when it got upset – which was frequent in the mercurial platitudes.
The gourd variant was enough to keep her mind occupied anyway. “I haven’t seen any myself, but from what I’ve heard, they hover and can conjure illusions. You have to be fairly close for the tricks to take hold, but still, could be a cause for concern.” Especially if any less-than-observant bystanders happened to be in the mix.
you can turn off the sun, but I'm still gonna shine
"Illusions and flying." Koa shudders, unhappy with this unnatural advancement in the gourds' capabilities. Bad enough to have sentient plants causing mischief, without adding magic to the mix. "No wonder people are bothered by them. Alright, let's see what this is all about. Looks like our first stop is... Mr. Angelico's Hat Emporium."
"Well it's about time!" A short, stout man with an impressive grey moustache and a silver-capped cane stands with his hands upon his hips, looking rather harried. "I managed to corral them into the back room, but Vi knows what mischief they're up to in there!" He stabs his cane toward a door in the back of the shop, from which a suspicious thumping can be heard.
"That's why we're here, Mr. Angelico--" Koa begins to reassure, but the older man cuts him off. "Yes, yes, doing your job - took long enough! Now, I have expensive materials in there that I can't have getting damaged. So your companions-" he glares at the dragon on Koa's shoulder; Pip snorts a derisive reply. "-had best stay outside. I can't have any more mess than I already do."
Glancing at his friends, Koa quirks his lips before silently dismissing Pip. The little noodle snorts again, raising her nose imperiously and flitting out the door. Good luck without me, her posture (and thoughts, Lena will recognize) say.
Not until the other companions are gone will Mr. Angelico part with his keys, and even then he'll follow them to the door, barking instructions all the while. "Please don't get any guts on my materials! There are rare silks in there, and the hats - oh, I can't watch!" Throwing up his hands, he finally marches off, allowing the Dragoons to do their jobs.
Again Koa looks between his companions, tiredly bemused by the absurdity of it all. "Alright, you heard him - no mess. Let's try to get them outside without doing too much damage, Ready?"
a ship is safe in harbor but that's not what ships are for
Lena wasn’t overly familiar with Mr. Angelico – and based on his reactions, she wasn’t sure she wanted to be. Her eyes darted between the back room, to the short man, and back to Koa, striving to gauge the situation and where she might need to step in – but there wasn’t any opportunity to get a word in edgewise. On a long, withering breath, and she heard Pip loud and clear, she pushed her lips together in a stern line.
Behave she mentioned to her companion, and perhaps all of them at once. Mittens managed a huff, but then Lena was following. “Ready. I can try to compel them out if we have an open area for them to use as an exit.”
Mr. Angelico looks exactly how Zavien would imagine a hat shop owner would look, like a peanut with a top hat and a giant mustache. It makes him want to laugh, even as the man seems intent on yelling at the people there to help him. Luckily, Sol doesn't take offense to the request, content to play with his friends outside while their companions do all the hard work. His wings flap lightly as he glides out the door to cause mischief in the meantime.
Considering Lena's plan, he nods along. "We can prop the shop door open and I'll steer them that direction, away from the goods." He doesn't want Mr. Angelico to find any reason to be dissatisfied with their assistance. Taking a large boulder from outside, Zavien makes sure that it stays open before taking his place as a roadblock in front of the many hats. He gives Koa a big smile. "You want to do the honors of releasing them?" And with any luck, the gourds will find themselves funneled outside, into the waiting clutches of their companions.
A flower cannot blossom without sunshine, and man cannot live without love.
12-08-2024, 06:55 PM (This post was last modified: 12-08-2024, 06:55 PM by Koa.)
you can turn off the sun, but I'm still gonna shine
Compulsions and propped doors sounds like a plan, and Koa nods to Zavien with a grin of his own. "Alright, let's see what we're dealing with. Ready? One, two... go!"
The door swings open with a dramatic thud, revealing a surprisingly large room. Racks of fabric hang on the walls, glistening and fresh; a number of mannequins are set out, each adorned by a flamboyant hat at varying levels of completion. Except that some of the hats aren't on mannequins - some of them sit upon the tops of gourds, three of which are gathered around a central, floating fourth, who seems to be holding hat-based court in his own great green monstrosity.
"Like some sort of Mad Hatter," Koa whispers to Zavien, utterly transfixed by the comic scene.
Maybe it's Koa's voice, or the suddenly open door, but as one the gourds all turn their bizarre, hollow eyes to the group. There's a moment of silence - and then the Mad Hatter lets out a screech, and the three other gourds scatter like startled mice, toward the corners of the room. "Shit! Get 'em!" Koa cries, jumping forward and toward a retreating tiny gourd who's all but dwarfed by their massive, feathered cap.
Uh oh, the gourds have scattered! There are 4 in total
- A tiny gourd who is dwarfed by its feathered hat
- a green gourd in a checked newsie cap
- an orange gourd with a garish green turban
- The Mad Hatter, a possessed gourd in a remarkable white silk hat
Feel free to power play the gourds and how they respond to your actions! And be careful - you don't want to damage any of the hats!
Whatever Zavien is expecting when the door opens isn't the strange sight before him. His eyes go wide and mouth slack, utterly baffled by the interrupted tea party. Koa's comment definitely causes him to burst out into laughter because he can't argue that the hollow eyes and white silk hat fit with the label 'Mad Hatter;' although maybe they should have kept that to themselves as the sound of Zavien's amusement causes a seriously sinister synchronized turn that has him choking down the remainder with a mixture of hysteria and horror.
As the gourds jump into action, the Dragoons don't waste any time. Zavien lunges for the nearest floating beast, which happens to be the one in the green turban. His left hand grabs the end of the turban while the other catches one of its vines, making it screech loudly. Flinching from the sound, Zavien uses his weight to pull the mischievous gourd away from the other hats. The action begins to unravel the turban, tangling the Dragoon when his hold weakens. He tumbles head over heels backwards, pulling the gourd with him but somehow bringing him closer to the exit. Once they roll to a stop, Zavien has found himself in a strained twister of green fabric and thick plant vines, propped against the door like a bundle of trash ready to be taken out. Growling out some level of frustration for his uncomfortably contortionist position, he rocks back to roll them completely out to door, hoping the companions might be able to provide him some level of assistance or relief against the struggling orange monstrosity.
Zavien grabs the green turban gourd, but ends up tangled up outside!
A flower cannot blossom without sunshine, and man cannot live without love.
