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!
Thal nodded at the words, understanding that she needed to keep her expectations low. "That's all I can ask." If Maea was able to find anything that would be better than what she knew now. And although the possibilities of what may be revealed caused a twisting in her gut, she refused to let fear of the unknown control her life. Especially something that was in the past. If it was in the past, it couldn't hurt her, right?
Although she held no sympathy for the injured abomination, her curiosity at Maea's actions and overall lack of excuses for helping, had her reluctantly complying with the request. Thal pulled a dagger from its sheath, handing it over the counter to the pale Ancient, watching intently at what might transpire next. However, she made sure to keep her distance from the eight-legged creature should it decide to leap from Maea's grasp.
And time it waits for no one It heals them when you die
Satisfied with the answer she received, Maea turned her focus fully onto the spider. Accepting the dagger in one hand, she braced herself against the pain and made a cut in the fleshy part of her thumb. As blood spilled and pain flared, a red glow rose up around her fingers. Guiding it into the arachnid, it pooled around the injured leg and began to mend it.
It took a while, but when it was done the animal had perked up considerably and scurried off the moment Maea set it down.
"It's not big on gratitude I see," she remarked casually, wiping the blade clean before handing it back to Thalassa. "You don't like spiders?" Noticing the way she had leaned back, she reached behind the counter and offered the woman a pastry on a plate along with a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, they usually don't show up when there's people around."
And soon you are forgotten A whisper within a sigh
The activities Maea used her blade for were not ones she would have expected. Thal would have preferred Maea point the knife at the spider instead of herself, but it was still fascinating to watch the blood transfer into magic, straightening out the bent leg. It didn't make sense to her why it mattered since it had seven others to spare, yet the pale Ancient appeared invested in the creature's wellbeing nonetheless.
As it skittered out of sight, Thal accepted her cleaned knife back from Maea with a scoff. "You mean the hell-spawn with eight legs? No. I don't like them." She settled her arms back on the counter and sheathed her dagger again, although her hand remained close in case it came scurrying back to show Maea some form of appreciation.
Her nerves were slightly soothed by the offered pastry and she gave a nod of appreciation even as her discomfort rose. It was embarrassing to show so much weakness in such a short amount of time. She suddenly missed her cloak.
Trying to push away the emotions, she lifted her head, giving Maea a confident smile. "Are you planning to do anything other than work?" Letting her think about an answer, Thal took a bite of the pastry, wondering immediately if there were more hiding somewhere.
And time it waits for no one It heals them when you die
Laughing at the firm distaste in the description, Maea found a clean cloth and pressed it against the small nick to stimy the bloodflow. "I didn't like them either for the longest time," she confessed. "But after seeing what the void does to them, I've gained a new appreciation for the healthy ones. It's why I fix them up when I can." Who knew if the spiders sheltered within this bar would turn out to be the last of their kind at some point. The idea was awful, yet also served as motivation to keep working towards a solution. Not that she could do much right now; Longnight put a halt to most endeavors and forced an unwanted break down her throat.
Cocking her head aside at Thalassa's question, the petite woman considered. "Something other? Like what?" There really wasn't much else to do here besides working, drinking and, uh, frolicking... suspecting that's what the woman was suggesting, Maea hastily shook her head and busied herself with wiping down the already spotless counter, cheeks turning scarlet despite her best attempt at remaining poised. "Erm, no. No I don't think so. Not my thing."
And soon you are forgotten A whisper within a sigh
Thal hated the 'healthy' spiders just as much as the void tainted ones and just shrugged her shoulders at the sentiment. "They could go extinct for all I care. The world would be better off without them." Deep down, she knew they most likely served a purpose in the 'circle of life,' but she couldn't find it in herself to care for the eight-legged freaks.
She laughed heartily at Maea's obvious discomfort on the topic of 'pastimes.' "I don't see why not. You're more than attractive enough and I'm sure the whole white-hair look would be quite a turn on for some." Thal winked suggestively, feeling better about the change in topic. Another bite of the pastry quickly finished it off and she tilted her head. "However, that wasn't the only activity I was referring to." She recalled the music in the square and the different games occupying the random corners of the Inner Quarter. There were plenty of things to do other than drink and have sex. Just because the Ancient carried guilt around this time of year, didn't mean she needed to punish herself. Where was the fun in that? "You don't want to go dancing or socialize with friends? I know this isn't the most enjoyable time for you, but you shouldn't overwork yourself." It wasn't necessarily concern prompting her words, even as she looked away to keep from seeing Maea's response to her words. Instead, she discreetly made sure the burly man still watched her.
And time it waits for no one It heals them when you die
It was more than guilt that haunted the pale woman, and the season carried far more dread than just memories. The very idea of stepping through a door into the starless night made her stiffen where she stood, shoulders coming up before she could stop it. Not to mention, the idea that her hair might draw that kind of attention made her feel deeply uncomfortable.
"Nah, I'm good. Wouldn't want to spoil the fun for someone else," she replied, making an effort to sound casual. It was a complete lie of course, but Thal wasn't looking her way anyhow, so what did it matter."You go ahead though! If you want another drink I'll be here."
The burly man was busy flashing the fetching young ancient a searching look. Judging by the way Thalassa's attention had wandered, Maea suspected she would ve returning to work soon enough.
And soon you are forgotten A whisper within a sigh
Tilting her head, unable to understand the reasoning, Thal shrugged her shoulders. "Suit yourself." It wasn't within her abilities to change the Ancient's mind. If she wanted to waste the time serving drinks, that was her prerogative.
At the offer of another drink, she smiled knowingly. "Thanks, but I think I'll let him quench my thirst." Just as expected, the man finally got the hint and approached, posturing himself against the counter next to her. She pointedly ignored him for a moment, waiting for him to make a move. "This place seems a little tame for someone like you." His voice was attractively deep and the muscles of his arm were even more attractive. With a conspiratorial wink to Maea, she kept her eyes forward, a bored lull to her tone. "That's an understatement." Placing her chin on her propped hand, she finally looked at him with blazing blue eyes. "Did you have another place in mind?"
The man's face split into a confident grin, apparently believing he'd been victorious through his own efforts. "Follow me and I'll show you." It was a little much, but Thal was content to let the man's ego go unchecked for now. Her shoulders shrugged in 'disbelief' before standing with a mischievous grin that gave him permission to proceed. She let him lead her away, glancing back to give Maea one last wink. "Try to loosen up a little." And with that, she let the pale Ancient return to her work while she participated in her own version of passing time.
