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!
07-22-2024, 08:39 PM (This post was last modified: 08-29-2024, 09:42 PM by Sah.)
yet my blood renders me a King
The Voidshade Ursur had been a beast while alive and its body would be a beast to clean up. After it was over, the necessary reports were made, and injuries were tended to, Sah quickly sent word for assistance. They needed to clean up the remains swiftly to prevent any possible chance of the infection spreading. He didn't think any hunter or predator would be reckless enough to eat the tainted meat, but it wasn't worth the risk. The spilled blood was also an issue but hopefully it had frozen quickly.
Arriving at the scene, Sah scowled at the monster that had so severely harmed his friends. Just as he'd hoped, the blood had frozen and didn't appear to be sinking into the ground. Help soon arrived, and the Wild Thunder gave out the first tasks. "Thank you for coming. I know this isn't a pretty task, but it's necessary. Please try not to touch it more than you have to and wash it up immediately. First things first, I need some people to start digging a large hole and another team to shovel all of the frozen blood and other debris into a pile."
~
Here's a PQ to clear up the Voidshade Ursur's remains. NPCs are here to help!
1. Sah
2. Hadama
3. Elizabeth
Round 1! Post your character's arrival and get started. No post order. Sah will take what's left.
1. One person to begin digging a large hole with NPCs.
2. Two people to shovel the frozen blood into one pile.
He had come to visit Noah and heard about the beast that had been stopped outside of the Citadel. It was a tale that was uncomfortably familiar after the Void Horror that had menaced Torchline's shores, and Hadama could not simply walk away from the aftermath. As Safrin's demigod as much as because of his own intrinsic nature he had followed the handful of other volunteers that were making the trek out into the Tundra to join the man organizing the clean-up party.
An increasingly familiar face, as it turned out, and Hadama's emerald eyes brightened from their somber mien as he nodded to the Wild Thunder in greeting. "We had a similar issue recently," he rumbled, reaching for a shovel and beginning to work on collecting the frozen purple blood-slushie into a single, contained pile. "In Torchline."
As others began to work on the hole he tilted his head curiously, continuing to collect the frozen blood and careful not to miss even a drop of purple. "Mmh. What is the hole for?"
Hadama arrives and starts shoveling frozen blood!
As Elizabeth came along the bloody mess, her nose wrinkled and she pulled her eyes away from the gore. It wasn't that she couldn't tolerate blood, but she definitely didn't like it. She usually worked with the mind and electrical functions of the body, which were all securely on the inside. The mixture of blood and guts turned her stomach enough to discourage her from lingering too long and she quickly made her way to the others.
Having now met Sah and Hadama, Elizabeth was pleased to see them and smiled warmly in greeting. She didn't want to waste time, so she quickly grabbed a shovel and joined the others. Although she wasn't especially strong, any hands were helpful in the process. Her shovel slammed into the hard, icy ground, crunching loudly across the space even as she listened to the others' conversations to pass the time.
---
Elizabeth arrives and joins the digging crew!
Every adversity, every failure, every heartache carries with it the seed of equal or greater benefit.
07-23-2024, 09:19 PM (This post was last modified: 07-24-2024, 05:44 AM by Sah.)
yet my blood renders me a King
Sah smiled when familiar faces arrived to help, nodding at them both. He still hardly knew Elizabeth, but her presence was appreciated, and it said a lot about her character. His brow furrowed quickly, however, when Hadama spoke. The King's news was concerning to say the least, "Is everyone alright?"
The work soon began, and thankfully, it went smoothly. With the NPCs, Elizabeth was able to dig a suitable-sized hole for their needs. At his question, The Wild Thunder nodded at Hadama, "Good question. Fires on the tundra are incredibly rare, but they are possible. The hole is for when we inevitably burn the thing to better contain the flames. It's likely an unnecessary precaution but I'd rather be safe than sorry." A stray spark causing a blaze across the sparse Flowerbirth vegetation was the last thing that Halo needed right now.
Sah and Hadama were able to shovel all of the frozen blood into one pile. A few spots required more elbow grease than others, but they were successful in the end.
When the group reconvened, Sah used his creation magic to form metal sheets. "Let's line the hole and fill it with timber. I'm hoping the sheets will be enough to stop anything from leaching into the ground." The issue with inevitably setting the bear ablaze would be the interim melting.
~
Round 2! No post order. Sah will take what's left.
1. One person to line the hole with the metal sheets.
2. Two people to work with the NPCs to gather and lay the timber.
It starts as fluffy, falling flakes. Slowly the wind picks up around you, the promise of more snow to come. As you lift your hood and think about heading for home, the tundra becomes bright white. The snowflakes shift and harden as the temperature plummets suddenly, the wind howling harshly. There is little time to prepare. The ice storm comes in with all of the fury the Eirachi has placed upon this land.
An ice storm has hit! For the next 3 posts of each participant in the thread, this ice storm will rage.
"No one was hurt," he assured their host. Indeed, they had somehow managed to keep their damage to a minimum, largely through the intercession of Frey. He recounted the story as they worked to shovel the bloody snow, his words measured out carefully but finishing the tale in the end.
He listened to Sah's explanation in turn, his expression courteously neutral as he considered the risks. The Ursur was thankfully much smaller than the Void Horror that had menaced Torchline's beaches, and burning it would hopefully pose much less of a threat in comparison. In the end he simply inclined his head in acknowledgment and did his best to ensure that all the violet-tinged snow was accounted for.
"I can work to line it," he offered after a few moments to consider their options. He had the widest reach and would theoretically have the easiest time wrestling the metal sheets into place. It had not seemed a difficult task, merely an unwieldy one as he lowered himself into the hole and began to place the metal. The snow that fell on him was barely noticed at first, and the hole protected him from the initial gusts of wind. He did not realize the ice storm was upon them until it was too late to do anything more than call out to the others.
"The pit is here. It cuts the wind." He did something he rarely did: he raised his deep, resonating voice to be heard over the storm, hoping to use it to guide the others back so they could take shelter and huddle together for warmth.
Hadama works to line the pit with metal, but when the storm hits he tries to use his voice to guide the timber team back!
Her ears perked at all the talk of Void creatures. That, in combination with her vision led her to believe that something sinister was brewing. She appreciated that Sah was being especially careful with the bear carcass. Without knowing the full depths of all the ways the Void could spread, they didn't know if letting a single drop remain could have devastating effects.
With the digging finished and Hadama taking the lining, Elizabeth was more than happy to assist the timber crew. She began helping the others gather large chunks of wood that could burn hot and long. They needed the fire to stay strong if they were going to eliminate all traces of the Void.
However, as she worked the temperature suddenly plummeted, causing her to shiver and pull her jacket tighter. That was the only warning before her vision went white with snow. It pelted around her aggressively and Elizabeth had to use her scarf to protect her face from the sharp ice shards. Luckily, Hadama's voice was able to make it through the storm, leading her towards the pit and its protective coverage.
---
Elizabeth chooses to help the timber crew!
Every adversity, every failure, every heartache carries with it the seed of equal or greater benefit.
Sah's brow furrowed as a storm rolled in. Using fire and air magic, he created a few floating beacons around the area as Hadama called out. It wasn't perfect, but it made their surroundings visible enough to continue. The dim light reflected off another one in the distance. A purple one that was rapidly growing brighter. Closer.
Sah snarled when he processed what he was seeing, "Fuck. Everyone out of the pit, we've got void luxere to deal with." The void luxere were coming in hot but there was still enough time for brief preparations. Once the pit was clear, the Abandoned used telekinesis to lift the tainted ursur and contaminated snow. After dropping them into the pit and out of the way, he flicked his wrist and created a low barrier of earth to block the worst of the storm. It wouldn't do much but at least it would help them see and keep any void luxere from getting the drop on them.
By then, the distant glow was now bright and harrowing. Three of the corrupted luxere were upon them.
~
Round 3! No post order! Deal with the void luxere!
Void Luxere (Common): Their once glowing antlers now emit an unsettling void-glow, repelling light magic and casting a shadow over the icy landscape. Extremely aggressive. If killed, they yield rotten meat.
Within the pit's protection from the storm Hadama finished lining it. As Elizabeth and the timber crew handed down the wood that they had gathered he helped a few Halovians down where they could shelter from the worst of the wind. It seemed like they could ride out the sudden storm there and finish disposing of the ursur afterwards, but Sah's voice cut through the howl of the blizzard and the crew began to scramble out. The moment Hadama was back to ground level he found himself blinded by the flying snow and had to shield his eyes, squinting against the stinging white until he found the purple glow that presaged the threat.
"I will take the one on the left," he rumbled to Elizabeth, standing beside her so that they could help each other against the charging threat. With his eyes narrowed to a squint it was hard to focus on the precise distance and speed, and not for the first time he missed his mastery over wind and water.
But he had something better for dealing with Void threats now. It only took a moment's concentration for his gravity spikes to lance down onto his chosen target, hopefully removing it from the herd - and Caido - entirely.
Hadama picks the luxere on the left and uses his Gravity Spike against it!
Magic: Gravity Spike: the user borrows a sliver of the moon's power to summon up to three gravity lances that appear above a target within 60ft. Control is excellent.
Type: Light | Rank: Mastered
Regional Score bonus: +7 in all shrine visits, drops, PQ+s, KQs, etc. (You must post this at the bottom of any post where a +7 should be included)
As she set down another stack of wood, Elizabeth glanced up at Sah's shout. She couldn't quite make out what he'd said, but she saw Hadama scrambling out of the pit with the others and figured it would probably be smart to follow.
Squinting her eyes against the flying snow, she could make out an eerie purple glow. It illuminated the silhouette of looming antlers that set her nerves roiling. She used a hand to shield against the snowstorm, noticing the fact that there were three figures. Her immediate instinct was to run, but as the Mer King claimed the left creature, Elizabeth determined to help the innocents helping them. "I'll take the right!" Rubbing her hands along her cloak, she generated the static necessary to fuel her lightning magic before letting the sparks grow. Then she lifted her hands towards the right Void luxere and released the attack.
---
Elizabeth uses her lightning against the Luxere on the right!
Lightning manipulation: Can manipulate lightning. Must be within a 30ft radius. Control is excellent
Type: Dark | Rank: Upgraded
Regional Score bonus: +7 in all shrine visits, drops, PQ+s, KQs, etc. (You must post this at the bottom of any post where a +7 should be included)
Every adversity, every failure, every heartache carries with it the seed of equal or greater benefit.
The luxere were on them but the group was ready. Hadama's gravity spikes came down and impaled his chosen target, pinning it to the frozen ground as it drew its last breath.
Elizabeth locked onto lightning sparking from the ice storm and called it down onto the luxere. It took a couple of strikes, but the raging creature collapsed before it could reach the group.
With the outer luxere being dealt with, Sah focused his efforts on the one in the center. With bared teeth, he sent a bolt of lightning at the charging creature. In its rage, it didn't even bother swerving, and it swiftly fell dead amongst its brethren. There was a moment of silence before it became apparent that the threat was over.
The Wild Thunder scanned the group carefully, "Well done. Is everyone alright?" Once it was clear that no one was harmed, he let out a relieved breath, "Good. Let's burn the remains and get back to the Citadel. The storm looks like it's beginning to calm down." The ice and snow were tapering down and the wind was shifting from a raging howl to a gentle hum. It'd likely pass by the time they got the bodies in the ditch.
~
Sorry for the delay! Last round! No post order.
Collect the bodies and all traces of void-tainted blood and put them in the hole. Sah will set them on fire.
His faith in the Abandoned therapist was well-founded as she held her ground and called down lightning on the corrupted creatures, just as she had done with the Voidbound Hels in Torchline. Though Hadama stood ready to defend or bolster the Halovians, his other abilities were thankfully unnecessary as their own powers proved equal to the moment.
"I am unhurt," he assured the Wild Thunder solemnly before waiting to make sure that Elizabeth had also avoided injury. But they had managed to end the Void Luxere before they could harm any of the working group, and it was with relief that Hadama returned to their task. Working through the diminishing ice storm was extremely unpleasant but it became easier as the winds faded and the snow lightened. He used his trident to help push the body of the Ursur into the pit with help from the others, and then worked with Elizabeth to lever the luxere carcasses in after it.
Hadama helps to shove the ursur in the pit and then dumps the luxere on top of it.
The Luxere fell with her third strike, and Elizabeth felt the adrenaline running through her body. At least Hadama and Sah had taken out the other two. She'd been so focused, anything could have snuck up on her. Luckily, the others had her back and she gave them an appreciative nod. "I'm good. Nice work." It was especially nice to see another person using lightning magic, someone for her to look to and learn from. Maybe she'd be able to convince Sah to give her a lesson some time.
Until then, they still had a mess to clean up. She shoveled in some of the remaining guts into the pit, thankful that the snow made it difficult to recognize the substance for what it was: purple-black blood and sinew. Pushing aside the instinct to look closer, Elizabeth let it fall in with the rest of the carcass before turning to help Hadama with the Luxeres. By the time it was done, she was trying to hold back the urge to gag. The relief was strong.
---
Elizabeth helps shovel in the excess and lever in the Luxeres.
Every adversity, every failure, every heartache carries with it the seed of equal or greater benefit.
09-01-2024, 01:27 PM (This post was last modified: 09-02-2024, 02:07 AM by Odd.)
yet my blood renders me a King
As Hadama and most of the crew took care of the ursur and one of the luxere, Sah helped Elizabet with the last two. It took some time and elbow grease, but they contain all the foul remains. Thankfully the hole was deep enough, even with the unexpected addition for the luxere.
Once everything was contained, Sah lit a fire in his palm and tossed it pit. He kept the fire burning long enough until all that was left was a pile of strangely covered ash. With a click of his wrist, he then created an earthen dome over the pit that was high enough not to touch the soot. There was no point in lining the pit only to have the earthen top to be infected.
The Wild Thunder let out a long sigh, "There we go." He smiled at the team, "Thank you all for your hard work.. Lunch is on me."
