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!
This is a state of grace This is the worthwhile fight
Having greeted Ronin and glanced curiously at Remi, Lyra turns her attention to Noe, who seems completely at ease. When the two men go about their business, Lyra links arms with Noe and tows her along the food table, stopping to gather a plate and begin to fill it with various goods. ”You seem to be enjoying yourself,” she says to Noe, smiling affectionately at the girl. ”Is this your kind of scene?”
There’s food everywhere, and Lyra’s plate is full before she knows it. She waits for Noe to gather her own smorgasbord and then makes her way over to a table with her young friend, listening to the girl chatter all the while.
Love is a ruthless game Unless you play it good and right
Draw the cat eye, sharp enough to kill a man You did some bad things, but I'm the worst of them
”It’s nice to meet you, Remi!” Noe said, happy to chat until Lyra pulled her away and towards the food. She offered a friendly wave to Remi and his husband before gathering a plate and beginning to pile food on top.
Noe looked around. ”I guess so,” she said to Lyra as she heaped food onto her plate. ”I mean, there’s good, and dancing, and lots of people - who wouldn’t like this?” she asked, clearly of the opinion that anyone who didn’t was mad. Of course, she was still young enough not to have any knowledge of such events going poorly in the past, and she was just naive enough to believe that all would turn out alright in the end. So she chatted with Lyra well into the evening, content to eat, drink, and be merry.
Sometimes I wonder which one will be your last lie They say looks can kill and I might try
02-21-2025, 06:39 PM (This post was last modified: 02-21-2025, 06:39 PM by Rhiannon.)
Rhiannon
Melita ’s furtive whisper had Rhiannon raising a brow before looking around and leaning forward conspiratorially. She wasn’t sure how much people knew about the yeti and the titan, but she remembered that Melita had been a part of the broadcast after the yeti was defeated. ”Fine, for now,” she murmured back. ”But who knows how long that will last.” It wasn’t pessimism, but Rhi was nothing if not realistic, and the Void seemed to have taken a noticeable interest in her home.
As the sky opens up and pulls me in I can see, I can breathe, I can feel again
Sohalia immediately regretted bringing it up when Alys looked down, seeming to close herself off from the conversation entirely for the moment it took for Zavien to sidle up to Talyson. She offered Zavien a small smile, hoping that he was faring better than he had been in Halo in the aftermath of the yeti battle. When he asked Tal for a word and Alys linked her arm through Soh’s, the Luminary nodded seriously. ”Of course,” she said to the seer. Then she shot Tal a look. ”We’ll be right here when you’re done.” I’ve got her, her gaze seemed to assure the courier.
As Tal and Zavien made their way into the crowd, Soh lingered at Alys’s side, struggling for anything to say to the seer. They’d shared a horrific experience and come out on the other side, though Soh had almost died and Alys’s companion had died. Perhaps, she decided, words were of no use, and they could simply stand together in silent understanding.
And I'll wave goodbye to the ones below As I float on by to the great unknown
Sohalia
Minor powerplay allowed without permission.
Feel free to use force/magic on Sohalia.
She listened quietly to Sah, agreeing with his opinions on the lack of response. There certainly seemed to be something brewing. Elizabeth just hoped they'd be ready for whatever it was. Until then, she let out a warm hum, like melting brown sugar. "Hmm. A distraction would be nice."
Her eyes scanned the crowds again, taking in the subtle cues and interactions. "Although I'm getting the feeling that there's some drama going on in the background." Between shifting glances amongst people and whispered words, there seemed to be plenty going on. The dancers in particular looked like they were either gossiping or trying to start their own gossip.
Elizabeth didn't want to pry into whatever personal altercations might be occurring, so she turned back to Sah, curiosity glittering in her eyes. "I haven't been to a lot of the bigger festivals before. What kind of chaos have you seen?"
Every adversity, every failure, every heartache carries with it the seed of equal or greater benefit.
As they reach the melted patch of grass, Nova pushes away the negativity, trusting in whatever Vespy has planned. If only to prove that the demigod (and the fear) can't control her, she lets out a burst of extra loud giggles. "I agree! Let's show everyone how fun we are!" Taking Calypso's hands, she spins them around, letting the music guide their movements. Her dress flutters up, catching the lights just as she'd planned, and just for some added umph, her illusion magic flares around them like subtle glittering starlight.
Bouncing and twirling through the melody, Nova spots people watching them with a bit of satisfaction. Whether they're in awe of their spectacular dance moves or wondering who the two gorgeous blondes are (three if you count Vespy), she couldn't care less. Right now, she just soaks it all in, her smile beaming brightly as a thought strikes her mind. On a particularly close spin, she asks Caly, "Do you see your Halo boy here?" Her blue eyes twinkle mischievously, wondering if she might get to see who this mystery boy is.
Alys wasn't the only one feeling overwhelmed, though at least Tal didn't have to deal with the emotions of those around them. For him it was just the crowds in general and the feeling of so many eyes on him. More eyes than usual this year, it felt like, and some of them real fucking unsettling. But at least there were friends here, too, and he turned a wan smile on Zavien as the other man approached.
A smile that faded as the Dragoon got near enough tor Tal to see the wrongness in his friend. The tired circles and mussed hair. The strain he was under in spite of the day's merriment and Lena's presence nearby. Never one to hold a good poker face, the courier looked anxiously from Zav to Alys, feeling his heart pulling in two directions but unwilling to leave his partner when she needed his support.
She knew him so well. Knew the shape of his prickly pear heart and his inability to leave well enough alone or abandon a friend in trouble. She offered him a brave smile and he knew what it cost her. So to hell with everyone watching, he squeezed her hand and lifted it to his lips to press a hard kiss to her knuckles and then leaned in to drift a gentler one over her forehead. "Thanks," he murmured gruffly before giving Sohalia a look of mingled gratitude and shy embarrassment.
Boreal pressed even more tightly to Alys's leg, a scaly cockleburr of a dragon who wouldn't leave the seer's side, and Tal dropped a hand to rub her head in gratitude before he followed Zavien a little distance away, throwing a glance over his shoulder every few steps, just to reassure himself that Alys was still okay.
Sing to me, I am not doing well Getting tired of my own words
Feeling much better after the chat with Ronin, the milling crowd felt less like a challenge to overcome and more like the festival it was supposed to be. Finding a plate for herself, she followed the Knight's example and filled it with anything that caught her eye. Buttered bread, sharp cheeses and fruits crowded alongside meat pies, sweet pastries and cookies, and after filling a mug with frothing apple cider she looked around for someplace to sit.
Passing by Talyson and Zavien, she smiled at the men, hoping she might have a chance to speak with the Messenger later, but as they seemed busy she didn't interrupt. She did pause upon finding Hadama and Thalassa standing together, and carefully nudged a shoulder against each of theirs. If her hands had not been full, she would have hugged them.
"It's good to see you two. Are you having a good time?"
Sing to me, cause I can't hear myself through the loudness of my own hurts
anyway, you say you're too busy saving everybody else to save yourself
I know, liefde. He hums quietly to Hotaru, keeping wholly to themselves despite seeing his niece and the variety of others out and about in the festival. His arm snakes around his fiancée tighter in equal measure to her own tightening touch, shifting to guide them toward the tables laden with food, plucking a warm cider for the both of them.
He flashes her a smile that doesn’t quite meet his eyes, but one that’s good enough for the public – a well worn and comfortable mask. Something easy to slip into as he sips from the cider and hums a curious note. “Not bad on the cider, though.” He raises a brow, a playfulness overcoming him that Hotaru would certainly see through, but one that Sunjata hopes the rest of those in attendance wouldn’t look too closely at to see the inner layers.
and you don't want no help, oh well that's the story to tell
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.
02-23-2025, 02:14 PM (This post was last modified: 02-23-2025, 02:14 PM by Astaroth.)
now i am the violence, i am the sickness won't accept your silence
“You might, darling.” Comes Astaroth’s playful hum – because the last time he’d seen that particular Ancient, Flora and he had been on that disastrous date. And perhaps there’s a part of him that think it might be fun to sell the idea further, though that would mean she cared enough to look and watch in the first place. So, with a small huff of a smile to settle the momentarily destructive thoughts, the butcher’s attention is back to moving with Flora across the dance floor like the perfect gentleman he is.
Rather than the one with blood dripping hands.
“His birthday is in Flowerbirth.. But I imagine he would enjoy a surprise party immensely.” He hums with a soft laugh and that traditional grin, though it is edged a touch too sharp. “But I am all ears if you have opinions or ideas, as always.” Bowing his horned head a smidge toward her but careful the tines that sprout from the front of his horns don’t go near harming her.
They spin and her sister’s dress flares out, the multicolored hues lighting up the surrounding area with the reflection from them at odds with the general warmth of cream and blues of the snow packed dance floor. She knows Nova has to be utilizing some of her magic, but she doesn’t mention it. If anything, the young attuned snickers lightly to see the glittering starlight that surrounds them.
Content to be watched as she moves along the dance floor with her sister, the question takes her off guard as she spins closer to her sister, huffing a laugh and rolling her eyes. “He’s not mine, Nova. He just offered.” She corrects before her smile melts into something playfully cunning. “He is, yeah.” Twisting her sister in a way that she could see where Sah is standing, the young attuned twirls her sister back. “That’s him.”
and sweetest in the gale is heard and sore must be the storm
Zavien immediately slipping away didn’t fill her with ease either, but she nodded, giving a regal smile that didn’t quite meet her eyes, no matter how refined she made it – out of practice, habitual, inherent now. “Of course.” She watched as he wandered off to meet Talyson, and suddenly feeling inextricably alone, despite the large, burgeoning crowd, she took a few long portions of air into her lungs, and maneuvered back towards the tables.
Waving to Sohalia, and Noe, but seeing they were busy in conversation, and having no inclination of interrupting, the Caretaker simply advanced upon the drinks and selected a few for when Zavien returned, and began filling up plates as well.
that could abash the little bird that kept so many warm
A familiar hum heralded the arrival of a friend, and Hadama looked down at Thalassa with warmth in his eyes. "Thank you," he intoned with all due solemnity, reaching for the cookie(?) to add it to his plate. "It is good to see you, Thalassa. I have news for you." But he spoke with his usual unhurried gravitas and he paused to take a sip of glühwein and eat another tidbit from the buffet before he continued.
And in that break he failed to let her know of what had transpired in the Climb in recent weeks. So it was that Maea made her approach without Hadama being able to pass the good tidings along to the pirate freebooter, though his lack of surprise at her appearance might speak volumes.
"Welcome," he assured the pale Ancient, accepting the nudge of her shoulder and making room for her to join them. "I am well. It is good to see you again." And using his height to advantage he spied a nearby table and chairs that had just been vacated and began to lead the way over to it if the ladies were inclined to follow. "It is good to see you eating well," he added over to his shoulder, a sparkle in his emerald eyes for Maea's full plate of goodies.
"Oh?" She wondered what kind of information Hadama might have for her. It hadn't been long since they'd last seen each other, but so much was changing constantly that there was always the possibility that something had happened. Thal would have asked more, but then Maea was approaching. Although not 'surprised' by her presence, the Captain's smile thinned somewhat. She was still processing her emotions around the pale Ancient's return.
Dipping her head in greeting to Maea, she snagged a few sweets from a table as she followed the Mer King. "I only just arrived, but the food and dancing look enjoyable." Thal popped a brownie into her mouth. It melted perfectly on her tongue while she sat down, surveying the feast. "And you?" Her eyes flit to Maea, curious if others had been surprised by her arrival.
