From being an Abandoned who had rarely left the Hollowed Grounds, to embracing the call of adventure, to dying and being reborn first as an Ascended and then as an Ancient, Maea has gone through quite the amount of changes in her life. One thing remains common, though, in her attempts to find out just where she belongs; she’s always had a craving for knowledge which has brought her to so many places and to meet so many people here in Caido. We can’t wait to see what else is in store for her!
Congratulations, Maea!
Credits
Court of the Fallen was created in October of 2018 by Odd, Honey, and Crooked.
Skinning and hosting by the epically talented Kaons, and functionality fanciness by the coding magic of Neowulf. If you ever see either of them around, make sure to show them some love!
"Canals? That's exciting." The chance to take their Mer friends into the lands, to show them the world; of course, some Mer could transform and gain legs, but Mildew had known very few over the years that were able to use that ability. "A shift? How exciting, darling. What can you become?"
Honestly, having quite so many Gods in one world sounded like it would cause stress; Mildew had seen mortals struggle to keep up with the three heralds, not even going higher up the hierarchy within Caido. The amount of prayers, offerings, offenses to avoid...even she might struggle with it. "So would you worship this Helios? Or was he just a servant of the other God and not worthy of followers?"
Safrin didn't bestow gifts to just anyone; Mildew smiled approvingly at the news that Arialla had been given her Attunement from the star Goddess. "That's good. You must have impressed her."
"The canals are beautiful, too, full of starlight." Arialla smiled at Mildew's compliment. "You saw my eagle already, but I can also become a dolphin, so I can spend time in the ocean."
For a moment Arialla considered Mildew's question, trying to think how to explain. "You would be more likely to pray to Apollo for things concerning the sun -- to make sure it shone on your crops, for example. But we would still give thanks to Helios for his work, as well. I worked in the temple of Apollo, but we had smaller shrines to lesser gods."
Arialla smiled again, and blushed a little. "I wonder how, sometimes, but of course I wouldn't dream of questioning her judgment. If she thinks me worthy, then I am most honored."
"A dolphin!" Mildew exclaimed, putting her hands together. "Wonderful creatures, though not without cruelty. Have you ever interacted with any in the sea?"
She waited patiently for an answer to her question about Helios; she knew Gods could be quite complicated, especially to mortals that hadn't had the lifetimes she'd had to experience them. Sipping at her tea, she scrunched up her nose, thinking that she'd have to try harvest from somewhere else next time, as it was more bitter than usual. Mildew looked up when Arialla spoke again. "I see...it would be interesting to meet these Gods, if they truly are different...maybe one day they might find themselves here too. Ha!"
Mildew laughed, knowing that the Outlanders had something to do with the Voice, who as far as she was concerned had nothing but some fancy metal and tricks. She doubted the 'new Goddess' could bring through deities.
"To honour her favour, you should accept your worth. A God's opinion is a dangerous thing to disagree with." With a soft smile, she tilted her cup towards Arialla. "You seem like a lovely, beautiful young lady, dear."
"Not yet," Arialla admitted. "I'm pretty new to the shift -- I haven't had a chance to use it much. Dolphins bring good fortune, though -- or so the sailors and fishermen at home believed. Like my father."
If this were a year ago, Arialla would have grown somber and even tearful at the mention of her father, whom she loved, whom she would never see again. But she'd gotten stronger since then, and now the mention brought her more comfort than pain. Speaking about her father, recalling things he'd taught her -- it felt like she was keeping his memory alive in this strange place.
Arialla laughed too, at the image of a god brought through by the Voice's magic. She didn't take the possibility seriously either, but the idea was amusing. "I think they'd be even more upset at the move than I was. No, Caido has enough gods -- meaning no disrespect, of course."
Then Arialla blushed at Mildew's compliment. "Thank you. You're right; I wouldn't dare disagreeing with her -- or you -- on the matter. I am honored, and proud, to hear such things from both of you."
"Then you must be sure to bring people good fortune yourself, hm?" Mildew asked with a smirk, setting down her cup and going to shuffle in a drawer nearby for something, continuing to listen and nod while she searched.
Taking no offence (in fact, she rather agreed - Mildew had learnt of the new swathes of Demi Gods, and maybe it was jealousy, but she thought there were too many) she just laughed in agreement. "None taken. The introduction of one New 'God' has already caused hundreds of years worth of problems." Quite what the Voice was, Mildew wasn't sure, but she certainly wasn't on the same level as the holy Deities that had been there at the creation of Caido.
"I am nowhere near the level of someone like Safrin, but I am honoured all the same. Now. If you did want to know more specifically just how your future will be shaped..." Bringing out a pack of cards and a candle from the drawer, Mildew set them down before her. "I can tell you."
"I will certainly try," Arialla said, a bit bashful, glancing down. Then she looked back up, curious about what Mildew might be looking for -- but not curious enough to ask.
Instead she nodded, unintentionally making a bit of a face at the mention of the Voice and the problems she'd caused. "I think I heard somewhere that she was once mortal, and seeks to make herself a god. I hope she fails."
And it wasn't just her personal dislike of the Voice that made Arialla say that, either. Back home, mortals could occasionally ascend to godhood, but only through the actions of other, greater gods, like the selection of demigods in Caido. If just anyone could pick up one day and decided they wanted to be a god -- could develop some kind of technology to make themself so -- it would be chaos. How would you know who to worship?
Arialla's eyes widened at Mildew's offer, and she hesitated. Oh, she didn't doubt that Mildew could tell her what the future held -- she had worshiped the god of prophecy, after all, and never questioned whether such a power existed. And if it existed anywhere, this mysterious woman in the depths of the swamp seemed perfectly likely to hold it. But did Arialla actually want to know what the future held? Her home was full of stories of people who caused prophecies to come true precisely by trying to avoid them. These stories were usually tragedies.
"Yes, something like that. She believed the ability to cast a few spells meant she should 'ascend' to Godhood...as if what makes our Gods is tricks." Mildew mirrored Arialla's distaste, bitterness in her voice clear, replacing the usual sweet patience. "She will fail. She already has - no matter what she calls herself, she is not a Goddess." Often shying away from even describing herself as a Demi-Goddess, Mildew would not bestow such a title on someone that refused to serve but instead took.
The surprise on Arialla's face, her clear conflict, was amusing to see. A very mortal fear of the future - Mildew had long ago dropped any worries about what was to be, happily and contentedly existing in the moment and able to see what would happen ahead if she needed to. "It is your choice, my dear." She said gently, gathering the cards up in a hand and knocking them into a flat pile against the wooden floor. "Just know that we are on the cusp of a chaotic age...and it could help to be prepared."
Mysterious advice given, she downed the last of her tea and put the mug on a shelf (where it sat surrounded by other mugs, books, papers, plants..the witch had never been a tidy spellcaster) and sat back. "If you intend to help in the fight, that is."
Arialla nodded, happy to agree with Mildew's assessment of the Voice and her divinity, or lack thereof. "I mourn for the people she's deceived, those whose lives she's torn apart and whose souls she's diverted from Mort's realm."
Really, Arialla could count her own among those torn-apart lives, but at least she wasn't Ascended, beholden to the false goddess, bereft of her immortal soul as well as her earthly freedom. Though "freedom" was not among the concepts Arialla valued most, honestly; she had always tied herself to one god or another, never questioning her need for allegiance to someone.
"You have a point," Arialla admitted, though her own home's folklore had always suggested that prophecies were more trap than aid. And then Mildew mentioned the fight, and Arialla almost flinched, barely holding back her reaction. She did frown deeply. "I've sworn myself to Safrin, and I will do whatever she asks of me -- I would gladly work against the Voice. But I'll freely admit that I don't look forward to open war. I have never been violent."
That said ... If it would help prepare her for the future, then: "I would appreciate your insights."
"Yes...I don't think there's anything we can do for them now but pray. There's always those that end up lost." Mildew sighed, knowing that from experience; every war, every turning point in history, the things people remembered - the stories were told by the survivors and often did not account for the hundreds of people cast to the wayside in the process. The Ascended were no different from causalities in her mind.
Violence was not the only thing of value in battle; Mildew herself was not a fighter, not really. She saw her role as one of advisor, of mentor: possibly for young promising faithful people like Arialla. Hearing her offer now accepted, the witch smiled and crossed her legs, spreading the cards down before her, face down, with one smooth motion of her hand.
"Choose three. Just breathe and let your instincts take you - don't touch the cards. I will turn them over. Just point to them, please." Instructions given, she leaned in to see which Arialla would select.
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Please go to this site, choose '3 card', pull 3 cards then DM me what they are : )
Arialla nodded. Maybe someday they would find a way to release the Ascended's souls ... There was a difference, in her mind, between those lost in battle and war, who would still find peace in the realm of death, and the Ascended, whose immortal souls had been subjugated. But then the Ascended had chosen their path, however misguided. There was little Arialla could do for them now.
Now, turning to the cards ... Arialla knew there was no point in agonizing over which to choose; she would choose the three she was meant to select. So she took little time over it, picking at random, following Mildew's instructions and silently pointing to the cards.
Oh, Arialla may have thought she was picking at random, but as Mildew's steady eyes followed her fingers to the cards, she felt the heavy weight of fate shifting over them. The first card she scooped up with glee, glancing at it then turning it out towards her guest. "Four of Cups." The card depicted a young fae sat under a tree in the Greatwood, eyes cast downward, not seeing the glamourous chalice being held out towards them. "This is a card for reflection and consideration. It's time to consider where you stand."
Of course, the full meaning wouldn't be clear until all the cards were out. Next, the second card: An intimidating blindfolded woman sat high, holding scales in one hand and a knife in the other. "Justice. You will come to the right choice after this time of reflection."
The third she paused before taking, letting the tension build just slightly before she snatched it up in two fingers and flicked it over. "Oh." Mildew's face clouded over for a moment as she considered the image, a figure carrying swords in it's arms, running away from some unknown threat. "Seven of Swords. A card to mean deception, theft, lies...you must be careful to stay sure in your convictions."
Laying the three cards out before her on the floor, Mildew leaned back to give her overall impression: "Well, it seems obvious to me. This is a warning about the coming times and what you need to keep true to your heart - your own truth. People will try to deceive you and pull you away from what is right...and you have to be sure you are doing what is right. If you allow your attention to slip, allow yourself to fall..." Her eyes became dark and she looked up at Arialla through curly masses of hair, for a moment looking all the Ancient Swamp Witch she was. "Terrible things wait."
Arialla listened carefully to Mildew's reading, taking it seriously. She thought she understood it well. War was coming; Arialla had placed herself on one side of that war, almost by accident. Staying loyal to that side would surely test her convictions, bring her loyalty to Safrin into question. What might the goddess ask her to do? How could Arialla serve in such a conflict -- and what would happen if Safrin asked her to serve in a way she believed to be wrong?
But Justice: that was comforting, honestly, to know that whatever happened, Arialla would succeed. Oh, the Seven of Swords didn't bode well, but as long as Arialla stayed true to herself, she would come clear in the end. That was good to know.
"Thank you," she told Mildew. Arialla wasn't foolish enough to ask further questions, like what danger she might face; she knew that Mildew had told her all she could. "I'll make sure to be careful."
Mildew had seen all kinds of reactions to her fortunes, from the wildly upset to the gleeful; Arialla was one of those inbetween cases, where it was hard to tell exactly how she felt about it. Still, she was polite, which Mildew always appreciated; she nodded and went to gather up the cards, idly shuffling them in her hands as she looked over the girl for a last time, as if assessing her for all she'd have to do ahead.
"If you feel like you need anything to help you on that journey...to keep you steady and on the right path.." Her eyes drifted up to the shelves, where herbs and pots of endless ingredients sat. "I can help with that too."
It was hard to contain her excitement about the chance of making a talisman again after all the years she had gone, but Mildew was careful to keep her face steady; not everyone wanted the help. In her many, many years she'd learnt not to take it as an offense. "A comfort, perhaps."
"I would appreciate that, if you're willing," Arialla said. The latter part of the sentence was just a courtesy: she assumed Mildew would not have offered were she not willing to give Arialla something. But: "I'm not sure how I could repay you."
After all, Arialla hadn't carried much on her flight across the Wilds -- and she rather doubted that Mildew would be interested in the kind of trinkets and pretty things Arialla usually bartered with in Torchline, anyway. Beachcombing still comprised a good portion of her livelihood, but she didn't have any of her usual shells and sea glass with her.
"I will take comfort where I can find it," she added, smiling: not bitter or angry about her future, simply receptive to whatever help she could find.
