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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!
Sing to me, I am not doing well Getting tired of my own words
One week flew by far too quickly. Before she had entirely wrapped her head around what happened, a pair of guards had showed up on the threshold to her room and politely but firmly escorted her to the port. With no intention of breaking her deal with Flora, it had seemed a bit excessive; but regardless of how she felt, she was told in no uncertain terms to pick a ship and be on her way.
The Climb had seemed the better choice, for now. While it was frustrating to be back where she started at the end of last year, there was a difference in the circumstances of her stay. This time she wasn't hiding; she was searching.
Days after reaching the volcanic island, Maea busied herself with washing up while taking a break. Stripped down to get shift, she dunked the black dress into the steaming water and worked blood and mud stains out of the fabric. It should have ruined any ordinary cloth, but the velvet didn't seem to be much affected by her ministrations. Once done, she laid it out to dry and began her own ablution. Wading out waist deep into the water, she began scrubbing herself down with a sliver of soap, not caring that her undergarments got soaked in the process. Occasionally a thoughtful glance was cast to the blood filled pool, only for her gaze to veer off, searching the cavern for a sign of unusual vegetation. What kind of lily was it that Rae had created? The watery kind, the bright flaring one with long stalk, or would it be more like a spider lily, ephemeral and fraught with meaning?
Whatever it looked like, Maea hoped it would be obvious once the laid eyes on it. It would take luck and patience to find one, but she had time. And no choice, really, if she wanted to build her new life in Torchline.
Sing to me, cause I can't hear myself through the loudness of my own hurts
After all the melancholy moods in Torchline, Nova thought it important to get out for a little while. Everyone was too depressed; it was dampening her own sparkly mood. She woke up that morning and immediately shifted into her tide jaguar form, deciding that she should probably run the opposite direction as before. Instead of running towards the Greatwood, she ran up, towards the ashy skies of the Climb. Her legs pumped as she followed the shoreline up, up, up. Eventually, she came to the lava rivers, but she didn't stop there. She kept moving, humming pleasantly as she wandered the area.
It wasn't until she made her way into a large cavern full of steaming water that she came to a trot. Her black and rainbow fur was glistening with exertion, making the hot space almost stifling. Nova shifted, letting out a deep sigh at the relief. Her clothes were damp with sweat as she began peeling them off at the water's edge. That's when she spotted the pale woman with curling horns wading through the water. She perked up at the prospect of a new friend, a beaming smile spreading across her face. "Oh! Hello! I'm Nova!" Her hand raised to wave, releasing the hold she'd had on her rainbow tie-dyed dress. It fell to the floor where her jean jacket with bleached star designs already lay.
Not bothered by her barrenness (she knows she's pretty), Nova bounced with excitement, her pink and blonde hair framing her glittering blue eyes. "Are you cleaning off too? I'm a little sticky after my run, and the water looks sooo relaxing." Sure enough, as she dipped her first toe in, she let out a soft groan. Eager to release the tension of her muscles, she stepped all the way in, dipping down so only her head peeks above the surface.
Sing to me, I am not doing well Getting tired of my own words
The soft footfall of the tide jaguar failed to register with the Ancient. Not expecting anyone to come this way, the cheerful greeting startled her enough to nearly jump out of her skin. Whirling around to see who it was - recalling a previous encounter with Flora with a sinking feeling of dread - she lost hold of the soap. Plopping into the water, soapy bubbles began to rise towards the surface, threatening to turn the clear, purifying pool into a bubblebath. Swearing under her breath, she flushed for the bar with her tail, and somehow managed a hasty smile at... a young woman? Girl? A naked young woman, even. Maea cleared her throat delicately and politely gazed at a cluster of stalagmites over the girl's head, hoping she wasn't blushing.
"Uh, hello. Nice to meet you?" Why was it a question? "I – yes. I am." Bemused by the bubbly stream of conversation, Maea wasn't entirely sure what to do. Small talk was not a strong suit, and the radiant confidence emanating from this person made her feel all the more awkward. "I find it pleasant," she tried. "Be careful not to stay in too long though. It might make you dizzy."
Between the steam and high temperature, it wasn't the safest of places, despite the beauty.
Sing to me, cause I can't hear myself through the loudness of my own hurts
Despite the woman's uncertainty, Nova hummed as she swam through the water, a natural swimmer thanks to her heritage. She spun through the water, using some of her magic to make bubbles around her. It made her giggle with childish delight as she said, "Okay! I won't be long anyways." The woman might be able to guess that from the way she couldn't seem to sit still, flitting through topics with ease.
She gasped. "Oh! Is that your dress? It's very pretty! What kind of material is it?" Nova swam a little closer, admiring the gown with a scrutinizing eye. It wasn't as colorful as she liked, but it was still beautifully made. She wondered if it was only a dress, or perhaps something more. One never knew in Caido.
Sing to me, I am not doing well Getting tired of my own words
What did it take to bring about a youth like this, Maea mused as she fumbled for the soap. The open cheerful nature, unabashed and bold, either stemmed from a mind of steel or utter innocense. Had she grown up so deep in the fray that she was numb to it? Or so safe, sheltered and protected that it had not yet occurred to distrust anything? Sighing with a kind of envy, she leaned down, reaching into the water until it swallowed her shoulder, and withdrew the soapy fugitive.
Following Nova's approach with a certain wariness, a faint smile bloomed across her lips at the compliment. "Yes it is. It was velvet when I bought it... Not quite sure if it's only velvet at this point." Annointed with blood and ash and the touch of a goddess, it was indeed more than it seemed. Maea didn't feel a need to explain, though. Part of why it was a dress and not outright armor was to make her look weak. Soft and careless, unprepared for any kind of defense.
"My name is Maea," she offered, hoping to distract the flighty mind off her secrets. "I wonder, did you see any odd or unusual flowers on your way here? I've been looking for one... but no luck so far."
Sing to me, cause I can't hear myself through the loudness of my own hurts
"Oooh. That's so cool! I wore a velvet dress the other day. It's such a soft material, but a little heavy for my tastes." Plus, it was black. She wasn't really into the drab color. The gems had certainly helped make it more appealing, but she still didn't like the way it made her feel; she had been weighed down, whether with the material of the presence of uncomfortable grief. Whatever the reason, she brushed it off with ease.
Just as intended, Maea's question stole her attention from the dress, making her look around at the springs for any signs of 'unusual' flowers. "No, I haven't. Why? What do you need them for?" Flipping in the water from her stomach to her back then over again, she hummed. "Are they pretty? Valuable?" She looked to Maea expectantly, wondering what might be so interesting about the flowers, and whether she might want some too.
Sing to me, I am not doing well Getting tired of my own words
Given the color of her gown, it wasn't too difficult to deduce Maea's own preference in color. Black soothed her, heavy coats and many layers helping to shield her from the world and unwelcome attention. Color and pastels and revealing cuts left her feeling vulnerable, off kilter; the opposite of grounded and secure. A good thing, perhaps; they would never be caught fighting over the same garments.
Laughing softly at the intense interest, the Ancient cocked her head aside. "Have you heard of Rae's Lilies? They're a very rare and powerful kind of flower, that's said to grow in the Climb. It can purify illness and other taints; it works on the Void too. Which is why I'm looking for one." Sort of. Nova didn't need to know about her situation, or how much rested on finding one of the miracle plants.
Rinsing off, she sank down into the blissfully warm water and began the process of washing her hair. It had grown long enough to be a bother, but she couldn't make herself cut it off. A rare source of pride, she had learned to love the salty color and silky texture.
"Once I'm done here, I'll keep looking for the flowers. Would you be interested in keeping me company?"
Sing to me, cause I can't hear myself through the loudness of my own hurts
Dipping her own hair into the water, she scrubbed at her scalp. Some of the pink leaked into the water, but she didn't notice, to distracted by the topic of 'Rae's Lilies.' "Oooh! Those sound very useful! Have you seen a lot of Void creatures?" She herself hadn't been exposed to many of the purple tainted creatures despite her extensive exploration. It was probably only a matter of time, and her eyes glowed with naive curiosity for the Void.
The offer made her jump up, unintentionally flashing Maea before she came back down with a splash. Her eyes glittered like the night sky, excitement making the water around her sparkle with illusion magic. "Sure! Where do you find them? Are they only in the Climb?" Or was she going to get the chance to visit other places? Laughing, she spun to look at the Ancient again with a blinding grin. "Maybe my sister could help too! She's really smart, and you can't have too many eyes!" (Vox would wholeheartedly agree.)
Sing to me, I am not doing well Getting tired of my own words
Scrunching her nose, Maea nodded with distaste. "Too many for comfort. If we come across any, be careful not to get bitten. They are contagious, you'll get very sick. Not a fun experience." She would know.
Having let her guard down about the overexcited puppy-like girl, Maea was thoroughly reminded that she wasn't actually talking to a child. It was an easy mistake to make, actually. Nova's enthusiasm was endearing, a bit contagious and rare in adults; Caido was too dangerous a place for Naivety, and times had been hard for the past decade, with crisis and war followed up by more crisis.
"Uh, sure. If you want to invite her, I don't mind. Is she nearby?" She cast a glance around the vast grotto, half expecting another person to emerge from the rock itself. It was the magic that drew her attention back; surprise widened Maea's eyes and a delighted grin overtook her expression. "Pretty! You're a mage?" Unless it was an item, or a godgiven gift... Reconsidering, Maea looked more closely at the girl. Demigod? Nah... surely not. Or..?
Sing to me, cause I can't hear myself through the loudness of my own hurts
Having never been 'sick' before, Nova wasn't too bothered by the warning. She shrugged her shoulders and gave a bright smile. "I'll keep that in mind, but I'm pretty strong. They'd have to catch me first." The confidence in her abilities was absolutely misplaced, but she didn't know that yet. After all, Maea's comparison of her to a child was pretty accurate. Growing up in the stars didn't exactly equate to experience on Caido.
Overjoyed to hear that her sister could join, Nova gave a light giggle and clap of her hands. "She'll be so excited! Caly's at home in Torchline, but I'm sure she'd love to come!" People usually liked her more even-keeled sunset triplet, her golden personality less intense than the blinding supernova she possessed, although equally as beautiful.
The compliment was received with a puffing of her chest and more sparkles. "Kind of! I'm a hybrid!" She suddenly shifted into her tide jaguar form just to prove it. The black fur sprouted from her skin along with the rainbow rosettes that glowed against the water's surface. Her tail flicked in satisfaction as she smacked her paws down, splashing the water around her. As it sprinkled down around her, she shifted back into the petite blonde, a proud grin on her face.
Sing to me, I am not doing well Getting tired of my own words
The girl's flippant attitude didn't inspire any confidence in Maea. Sucking on her teeth to keep quiet, she had a feeling that only painful experience would make any impact on this kind of person. Ah well; she had tried, and for the time being she would be able to keep an eye out for trouble.
"I see. It should take her a day or a few to get here, then. Unless she has some abilities towards fast travel? In the meantime, perhaps we can search around this area, until she catches up."
Her smile was duly impressed at the display. The sight of the jaguar impacted her more than expected; for an instant a look of painful regret crossed her face. Turning away, the Ancient began to gather up her belongings.
Sing to me, cause I can't hear myself through the loudness of my own hurts
Nova was having a difficult time focusing as she paddled around in the pool, buzzing with excitement of having her sister join them. "Hm? Okay! She also has a really pretty tide jaguar shift that makes her very fast!" Obviously not fast enough to appear at that moment, but fast enough to outrun someone walking there.
She was slightly disappointed when Maea didn't oooh and aaah at her own amazing display, but Nova shrugged her shoulders and moved to her own clothing, eager to explore the area. Being properly drenched at this point, she stood from the water (baring it all again) before using a mixture of water and air magic to pull the moisture from her body. It took some time and concentration, but after a few minutes, she was redressed in her rainbow gown and jean jacket. The pink in her hair had faded somewhat, and the air magic had tangled the beachy blonde waves. If she had a mirror, she would be horrified. Lucky for now, she was in ignorant bliss.
Skipping to Maea's side, she gave an excited bounce. "Which way first?" Her head whipped to scan the area, wondering if it might have secret tunnels like Rae's Fingers. Jack probably wouldn't be too happy to know she'd still never memorized those symbols.
Sing to me, I am not doing well Getting tired of my own words
"Sounds useful," Maea commented, approving of the usefulness of the shifts. "The only tide jaguar I've seen before is Sunjata's companion... admittedly I don't know a lot about them." Her own feline shift seemed somewhat unremarkable in comparison, and so she chose not to mention it.
Drying off her own clothes with careful application of fire, Maea's hair remained damp and curling at the ends by the time they were ready. "That's a good question," she murmured, gazing around the area. "Let's... explore this cave system as thoroughly as we can, and then find a path going north. I've been most places in this region, but never that way." Checking to see if Nova had any objections, she hoisted a beat-up traveling onto a shoulder and set off along the path.
The footing was good for the most part, reasonably flat if a bit slippery from the ever-present humidity. She led them on a winding path that serpentined around the pools, examining both the rims and the nooks and crannies for anything that might be a lily.
"Did you hear that last bit of bullshit Vox forced down our throats?" she asked after a while.
Sing to me, cause I can't hear myself through the loudness of my own hurts
"Well, now you know one! And you'll get to meet another!" Then she'd be able to learn all about them! Although it would be hard without the Attuned bond to speak through. Ancients were so strange in that way. But at least she'd get to chat with Caly, who'd hear all of her giggle and rambling about the matter.
Content to let Maea lead wherever she pleased, Nova just gave her heartfelt agreement, skipping along behind. They were quite a strange pair, the one that seemed leached of color and the one who overflowed with rainbows. If anyone were there to witness, they might be utterly perplexed by the two together, but it didn't even occur to her as the young hybrid flit between pools, looking for anything that caught her eye (mostly colorful bits of moss or rainbows in the mists).
Maea's question distracted her from a group of bubbles that had gathered at the water's edge. "Oh?! The part about the poem?" Having communicated telepathically with her siblings while in the stars, and now through the Attuned bond, Vox's form of communication didn't bother her as much. However, it was certainly a strange request, and Nova's head tilted in confusion. "I've never met him, so I wouldn't even know what to say. Have you met Vox?" With all the innocence of a child, she looked to the Ancient expectantly.
