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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!
the truth is what remains the truth is what you save from the fire
Torchline was hot.
Noah couldn't imagine going back on the skyship and being confined to its deck with the raging, burning, overbearing heat suffocating him. He had come in with them, where they entered the heat gradually as they descended towards the city. It hadn't been so bad then, but it only got worse the more time he spent under Torchline's relentless sun.
Once they were unloaded, and passengers transferred and goods exchanged, he told them to head out without him. He said he would compass home and be there before them, to which the captain laughed in agreement and clapped a hand over his shoulder. Noah gave him a parting smile, before pulling himself into his gyrfalcon shift and heading towards the water.
The hunter shifted again, boots hitting white sand. He stood there for a moment only before leaning down to undress down to what was necessary for swimming. He couldn't stand one more moment of the heat. Slowly he walked into the waves, settling in once he was waist deep to the salted waters.
you fight for what you love, don't matter if it hurts you find out what it's worth and you let the rest burn
This is a state of grace This is the worthwhile fight
Even for Torchline, this summer is hot.
Lyra has been rather taken with traveling - so much so that it's been weeks since she was home, and in her time away, she swears that it has become even warmer. She spends as much time as she can on the beach, attempting to enjoy the sea breezes that blow across the sand, but even those seem to be sweltering, providing little in the way of relief. Still, it's moderately cooler among the waves than it is in Haulani, so this is where she can be found, day in and day out, as she tries to decide where she might go next.
She walks barefoot down the beach, the sand blazing hot unless she walks in the surf. She wears a white bikini that shows off miles of tanned skin. Her hair is piled in a loose, curly topknot atop her head, and she is otherwise unadorned by clothing or jewelry. Her cover up and sandals are somewhere on the sand behind her; she'll find them later, she supposes, though if they disappear, it's too hot to bring herself to care.
A figure in the waves catches her attention; he's dangerously close to a rip current, and though he looks strong enough from what she can see, muscles will only do him so much good if he's swept out to sea. As she grows closer, intending to warn him, she realizes that he looks familiar - and a smile breaks out across her face. "Noah!" she calls, voice carrying over the crashing waves as she wades further into the shallows. The current drags at her ankles, and she walks carefully to ensure she remains upright. "Hey."
Love is a ruthless game Unless you play it good and right
the truth is what remains the truth is what you save from the fire
Noah had just let the water climb to his ribs when he heard his name carried over the surf.
He turned, lifting his hand to be a visor over his brow, eyes narrowing against the glare. Recognition came quickly, easing the line of tension in his shoulders. He shifted his footing as the current tugged sideways. “Hey,” he called back, a smile tugging at his features. Salt clung to his skin, streaks of water shining and glittering as the sun caught them. The water was blessedly cooler than the air, though even it felt warmed through by the relentless sun.
“I didn’t expect to run into anyone I knew.” he added. “Thought I’d be in and out.” A humorless huff of breath followed. “I was helping wtih some transport between Halo and Torchline. The skyship felt like an oven. Figured I’d rather risk the tide than roast on deck another hour.” He didn't have to add how he would get home if the skyhips were too miserable, Lyra knew he had wings.
Sweat and seawater blurred together along his shoulders, a wave coming up from behind him and splashing up his back with a ferocity that brought both relief and humor -- his hair went wild, wet strands splattering against his face and neck while dryer parts stood up straighter from the way he shook his head after the wave.
you fight for what you love, don't matter if it hurts you find out what it's worth and you let the rest burn
This is a state of grace This is the worthwhile fight
Lyra has seen half-naked men before - she lives in Torchline, after all - but even she is not immune to the effect of a shirtless Noah standing in the waves. Salt and water cling to his skin, shining and glimmering in the sun's harsh rays, somehow managing to highlight muscle in a way that Lyra is quite unprepared for. Still, she dutifully ignores it, careful not to let her eyes linger too long anywhere but his face, lest she be rude to someone she still only knows from one chance meeting.
"Oh, you don't have to tell me - the skyships are miserable this time of year, even when it's not ten thousand degrees out," Lyra says, making a face. "But it is good to see you, now that we can see each other properly."
A wave comes up behind Noah, and before Lyra can warn him, it's crashing over his back and splashing up his shoulders. His hair goes wild, and Lyra giggles as she whirls to face backward so that the wave doesn't blind her. It crests over her shoulders, and when she turns around again, she's in a similar state of disarray, half her hair drenched and the other half dry. She's sure she looks like a half-drowned rat, but that's the beach for you.
"Oh, I wanted to warn you - you might be okay, I guess, if you have a water shift, but there's a rip current nearby. Careful not to get dragged out."
Love is a ruthless game Unless you play it good and right
A broad shadow passes lazily across the sand, soft-edged and slow-moving, despite the absence of clouds overhead. Looking up reveals the source: a single Cloud Manta drifting through the air above, its vast, translucent body undulating as though swimming through an invisible sea.
It moves with an almost playful ease, banking gently as it catches unseen currents, its long fins trailing wisps of vapour behind them. Every so often it dips lower, close enough that the air stirs faintly beneath it, before rising again in a wide, looping arc. There is no urgency to its movements, only a quiet curiosity, as though it is enjoying the simple act of being seen.
After a time, the Cloud Manta begins to climb, its pale form thinning against the sky until it becomes little more than a suggestion of motion. Whether it lingers overhead or drifts on beyond sight is impossible to say, its presence as fleeting and gentle as a passing breeze.
Cloud Manta
Areas Found: Torchline, Maria Mundi — Common
These plantimals have flattened, ray-like bodies, narrow, delicate heads with two large dark eyes, and flowing-finned or leaf-like tails similar to bettas. They are equally comfortable underwater and flying through the air. Large green splotches across the upper surface of their bodies are filled with chlorophyll and photosynthesize both food and oxygen. They also make meals of mosses and lichens. As they age a colorful crystal grows in the middle of their foreheads, comprised of excess minerals that they purify out of their bodies. If worn pressed against the throat these crystals are rumoured to allow someone to breathe underwater.
Breathstone: a harvested forehead crystal worn against the throat may allow underwater breathing; Oxygen Bloom: in bright light they enrich nearby water/air with extra oxygen, easing exertion for companions; Buoyant Escort: can support a small creature beneath their fins, aiding calm passage across waves
TRAITS
Amphibious Drift: equally comfortable underwater and in open air; Photosynthetic Patches: chlorophyll-rich splotches produce food and oxygen in sunlight; Silent Glide: broad fins move with near-silent grace through water and sky; Moss & Lichen Grazer: gentle feeders that favour simple flora over live prey; Crystal Growth: a mineral crystal slowly forms at the forehead as impurities are purged
ACTIONS
Updraft Sweep: fans fins to raise a soft updraft or current, nudging companions and clearing mist; Shade Veil: spreads fins to cast a cool, drifting shade over travellers beneath; Mineral Purge: releases trace minerals that encourage reef growth and subtly purify the surrounding water
the truth is what remains the truth is what you save from the fire
The wave also took Lyra prisoner, bringing her to a near-disheveled state like he was in. Noah laughed bright and clean as she turned around, the wave crashing up and over her frame too. The lines of Lyra’s figure caught the sun and shadow in easy harmony, the curve of hip and waist, the strength in her legs as she braced against the tide, the lift of her shoulders when she laughed. It was not the bikini itself that held his attention so much as what wasn't covered by it.
He nearly snapped his own as he became conscious of his own thoughts.
He checked himself just as quickly. His gaze lifted back to the surface of the water until she turned back around, no trace of the passing assessment left but for the color in his ears easily discounted for anything beside the sun. guilt panged in his stomach with a twist. "We’ll uh, defer to your expertise." he said. "You pick the swimming spot. I’ll follow. I just need to cool off in the water, not drown in it."
He shifted closer toward her, waiting for her suggestion. Noah then looked towards the water's edge. "Well I’ll be." He cleared his throat, pushing away the guilt that had tightened his belly further. He lifted his hand to point towards the shore. "A cloud manta."
you fight for what you love, don't matter if it hurts you find out what it's worth and you let the rest burn
This is a state of grace This is the worthwhile fight
Unaware of Noah's silent assessment, Lyra turns back to warn him about the rip current, then gestures back along the beach. "Let's go a bit up this way. There's a little cove that's protected from some of the stronger currents, so as long as we stick to the shallows, we should be okay," she says. "They really should be flying the red flag today." There's disapproval clear on her face, and it's obvious that she worries about the implications of the currents for more than just herself.
But before they can make their way to her suggested spot, movement catches their eye; a cloud manta soars above the beach, floating lazily by without a care in the world. It brings an immediate smile to Lyra's face, and she turns to share her excitement with Noah. "Oh, I love the cloud mantas!" she says. "They're always so peaceful. I used to wish for one as a companion, when I was younger."
Love is a ruthless game Unless you play it good and right
the truth is what remains the truth is what you save from the fire
Noah followed the line of her gesture up the beach, nodding easily. He let the heat roll off from his face, but the salmon hue stayed stubbornly. He cleared his throat. "A cove sounds perfect." he said. He trusted her opinion and knowldege, knowing she worked to save people's lives on this shoreline.
As they waded, noah watched as the cloud manta drifted lower along the shoreline, vast and rippling like silk caught in slow motion. Noah watched it with open admiration, some of the earlier self-conscious tension easing out of his shoulders. Her confession drew another smile from him, warmer and softer. "Yeah?" He stepped with her toward the safer stretch, letting the water fall from rib-height to his waist. "When I was a kid, it was griffins for me. Not just the shift, the real ones. I used to leave out scraps and shiny things like that’d convince one to adopt me." A soft huff of laughter followed. "One finally did. Well, I found her, actually. An egg out on the Sea of Glass."
you fight for what you love, don't matter if it hurts you find out what it's worth and you let the rest burn
This is a state of grace This is the worthwhile fight
Cloud mantas are beautiful. Solitary, peaceful creatures, they tend to float along the less-populated swathes of beach, seemingly just for the joy of it. They don't have to leave the water, after all. It is a choice they make to see more of the world, to find a different perspective outside of their usual homes. Maybe that is what Lyra relates to most of all: the search for something beyond, something bigger. "Yeah," she says with a laugh. "As a kid, I always thought I could ride on the bigger ones. I also loved swimming, and the whole manta crystal thing really appealed to me."
But Noah manages to captivate her just as much as the drifting manta with the beginnings of a story about finding his own companion. Interest sparks in her bright eyes, and she doesn't bother to hide it as she turns her attention to him. "What in Caido was a griffin egg doing on the Sea of Glass?" she wonders aloud, hoping that he will elaborate on the bonding and its aftermath.
Love is a ruthless game Unless you play it good and right
the truth is what remains the truth is what you save from the fire
The water felt better with every step, merciful compared to the hammering heat above. It wrapped around his waist and ribs like a living salve, salt slick against his skin, drawing the worst of the fire out of his muscles. Each small wave that struck him felt like permission to breathe again.
"Out of place." Noah said, answering her question as they angled toward the curve of rock that promised shelter. His voice was calmer now, paced to the rhythm of the surf. "That’s what caught my attention first." In fact, he thought it was a dragon egg at first. He wasn't sure what he was going to do with it when he first picked it up, but he couldn't leave it out there. He was so glad the gods had ordained it to be his bondmate. Eira was a blessing to him. "I bet you could quest for one from Safrin." He said.
He watched the cloud manta drift once more before it was out of sight. Shifting and returning his focus to their path through the water. Instinct kept him half-turned to buffer the stronger surges from knocking into her, but as they moved the water started getting roughter and rougher. "Hey, I have an idea that will get us to the cove safer. You ever ridden a horse?" Noah asked, lifting a brow.
you fight for what you love, don't matter if it hurts you find out what it's worth and you let the rest burn
This is a state of grace This is the worthwhile fight
They continue to wade through the shallows, Lyra hanging on to every word even as she keeps an eye out for any dangers lurking beneath the waves. "I imagine I could," she agrees, pursing her lips in thought. "And perhaps I will, one day." For now, though, she was rather less lonely than she had been as an orphaned child, though no less prone to flights of fancy. Besides, she had other things she wished to quest for - items that could help her do her job better, that could strengthen her so that she could help more people.
The cloud manta drifts off into the distance, and Lyra watches it go. The water crashing around their legs grew rougher, and Lyra noted the way that Noah blocked the worst of the waves to lessen their impact on her. It was sweet, really, and she subtly moved closer to shore, hoping to get out of the worst of the rough surf.
Suddenly, Noah is asking about her horseback riding proficiency, and Lyra frowns in confusion as she says, "Only on rare occasion." She peers up at Noah curiously. "But I'm all ears."
Love is a ruthless game Unless you play it good and right
"I can keep us out of any more rip currents, and we can swim again once we get to the spot you pointed out." He smiled towards her, the way it wrinkled his eyes giving the impression that everything would be fine.
Then he shifted. Bone and muscle reshaped, scales shimmering like molten blue-silver with veins of gold crackling faintly along his flanks. His longma form surged from him with the power of a living storm. He had a sleek, muscular body rippling beneath iridescent scales, a flowing golden mane lifted by every breeze, and twin curved horns spiraling skyward from his head.
With a snort, Noah stomped a hoof on the surface of the water. It splashed towards Lyra, but if she looked down she would see that he stood upon the surf as if it were solid ground. Tossing his head some, Noah bent and lowered himself to give the woman the opportunity to mount. He went as low as he could, knowing she was even lower within the water.
This is a state of grace This is the worthwhile fight
Lyra might have pointed out that her cove isn't far now, but she's too enamored by the shift in front of her to give voice to any potential protest. Noah stands in the surf - no, that's not right, he's standing atop the surf, glistening blue-silver scales laced with gold shimmering in the sunlight. His flowing, golden mane and tail stir gracefully in the ever-present sea breezes, and twin horns twist skyward from atop his powerful head.
The woman stares, mouth forming a small 'o' as she takes this form in. It's beautiful, and after a moment of staring, she manages to shake herself out of her stupor. "That's amazing!" she tells him cheerfully. A stomp of a hoof sends a splash her way, and Lyra laughs, delighted. "And very handy. But how am I going to -"
But then Noah is lowering himself to the surface of the water, and Lyra realizes that he means for her to climb aboard. Shaking her head in disbelief, she steps closer, reaching up to place her hands on the smooth scales of Noah's back. Then, before she can think too much about what she's doing, she jumps lightly in place, then leaps, using her arms to lift herself out of the water and (rather gracelessly) settle on his back. "At least there's water to catch me if I fall," she jokes aloud, wrapping her hands tightly in his golden mane and doing her best to ignore the sudden nervous fluttering of her heart.
Love is a ruthless game Unless you play it good and right
The moment Lyra’s weight settled securely along his back, Noah felt the familiar shift in his posture. He waited, confirming her grip in the subtle tension along his mane, before lifting his head and stepping forward on the water’s surface. The sea welcomed him with rippling rings of gold and blue, each hoofstep pressing shallow dimples that shimmered beneath the sunset as if the ocean were merely a salted puddle on a boardwalk.
For a few strides he kept the pace slow, deliberate, letting her adjust to the strange sensation of walking atop the tide. But having enjoyed his time with the woman, he couldn't help the playfulness that rolled in his spirit. Noah huffed, a warm plume of breath scattering spray, and his ears flicked back in silent mischief. The longma lengthened his stride to a trot. His hooves skimmed faster across the surface, water splashing in glittering arcs as he curved them gently along the calmer edge of the cove. The motion felt effortless, buoyant, the sea turning into a living mirror beneath him.
He gave a small hop, more of a bounding lift than a jump, landing with precision so the impact dissolved into soft ripples instead of jarring force. His tail flicked spray behind them like scattered stardust, catching salt and sunlight alike. A low, pleased rumble vibrated through his chest, equal parts longma-laughter and exhilaration. He twisted some, his front end popping up from the water's surface fo a breath, without ever compromising her balance too much.
