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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!
Zavien could barely keep himself from skipping as he made his way down the street, a smile splitting his face unimaginably wide. Yet he didn't care how dumb he looked, even as the golden dragon sat atop his head like a very expensive hat. It gripped his hair to stay on, it's eyes roaming the city curiously while it's wings fell down to his shoulders.
Glancing up, he said, "Let me know if you spot them." Not that he expected The creature to recognize Lena or Tal, but he'd told the baby dragon to keep a lookout for Boreal and Mittens. They would be much easier to spot in the crowded streets. It cooed in response, a high-pitched rumble that reverberated in his head, making Zavien laugh.
Stepping around to one of the side vendors, he purchased a bundle of jerky, replenishing his low stock. He had a feeling it would come in handy very soon and stowed the bag in his pocket before finding the meeting spot, shifting his feet as he looked around for his friends.
The courier had gone from a quiet Flowerbirth to a very busy Longheat, but he'd (metaphorically) dropped everything when he'd gotten Zavien's message. Grabbing all of the Stormbreak-bound packages from the Torchline depot, he'd fired up the Peregrine and caught a favorable headwind for the floating city.
Boreal, upon picking up the reason for their haste, was over the moon with excitement.
After dropping the packages off at the Pacifist Plaza Post Office for distribution, Tal headed for the meeting place. His dragon was far too excited to stay on the ground and instead flew from rooftop to rooftop high above, peering down from each perch to try and spot her Very Good Friend With Endless Jerky. Luckily for everyone, Zavien's new 'hat' fooled the big dragon's scan so it was Tal who found him first. The courier grinned with rare excitement, beaming at the new baby perched like a particularly stunning work of art on the dragoon's head as he trotted up to clasp his friend's hand. "Hey, Zavien! Congrats! What's their name?"
Tal arrives, and Boreal isn't far behind!
As promised, once word had reached Lena, the Caretaker arranged duties to be completed at a later time, and began her walk over, Mittens in tow. The excitement and enthusiasm for Zavien’s completed quest was a palatable, tangible thing, and leagues above wallowing; so upon her arrival, with a nod of her head towards Talyson, her eyes flickered about.
Landing precisely upon the new hat.
Delighted, her smile was an eager, whimsical thing, jovial, and rapturous. “Congratulations!” Mittens, for its part, didn’t even bother with either dragon, and instead stared incredulously at Talyson – likely deciding means of torment.
But the Caretaker rallied within her Attuned bond instead of delving into the snowball’s mischief, offering another sentiment to the fledgling. Hello.
Zavein spotted Tal first, grinning like a fool as he and Boreal made their way to him. Clasping the man's hand in his own, he laughed freely. "Hey Tal! Thank you! I'm thinking about 'Sol' for his name. Like 'Soldier'?" The little dragon on his head let out an approving chirp that made him glance up fondly at the golden snout peeking over his hair. Their bond was still fresh enough that he was confirming the visual clues with the feelings coursing through his mind, yet it was already stronger than it'd been initially.
Upon Lena's arrival, his green eyes lit up, his arm waving exuberantly as she approached. The movement shifted Sol's wing, like a mirrored wave of his own to the newcomer. "Hey Lena! Thank you!" Zavien wasn't aware of her quiet discussion with the hatchling, but he noticed the way his companion fluttered his wings excitedly, shifting his feet enough to further tangle the blonde locks. Chuckling at the reaction, he looked to the Caretaker. "I think Sol likes you." Another agreeing chirp sounded as it swished its tail, tempted to hop down and greet the woman.
Recognizing that they should probably get out of the crowded street (suggested by the annoyed glares shot their way), he said, "Thanks again for coming! I'm really excited for you guys to get to know him. But first, let's get some supplies together, then we can head to my place to get him settled." Pulling out a crumpled list, Zavien squinted at the illegible words. The originally terrible penmanship combined with the moisture of Longheat and the tight space of his pocket had left him with various smudges. He took another second of denial to try deciphering the shapes, but eventually looked sheepishly up at the others. "Well, I think it was just stuff for sleeping, playing, and eating. Meet back here in ten?"
Round 2: Collect supplies from nearby shops and vendors! Pick one and Zavien will take the last.
09-05-2024, 02:32 PM (This post was last modified: 09-05-2024, 03:43 PM by Talyson.
Edit Reason: typooos
)
"Hey, Lena!" Tal greeted the Caretaker with a little surprise but genuine warmth that turned to sheepishness as he tried to remember the last time they'd spoken outside of the usual Caido-wide festivals. "It's been a dragon's age!" Not since they'd gone to leave offerings for Ghilio in the Oerwoud, in fact. Practically a lifetime ago, by Caido reckoning. "An' hey, Mittens." He waved to the snowball, grinning up at its intent regard.
If only he knew what went through its crystalline mind... well, being bonded to Boreal, he probably wouldn't be all that surprised to find mischief and mayhem brewing at his expense.
The dragon herself finally made her appearance as she realized that Tal had gotten the jump on her. She earned a few dirty looks from passersby as she landed and promptly went up on her hind legs, stretching her head up to Zavien's elbow to croon a greeting to the new dragonet. "Sol is a great name," Tal assured his pal, watching with a little envy as the golden dragon seemed so taken with Lena. Then again, taking care of critters was literally what she did for a living, so Tal shook his head to stay focused on the tasks that were handed out.
"Boreal'n I can get some toys," he offered, rubbing his hand over his companion's head as she grumbled happily. "I need t'pick some new ones up for Sascha anyways."
He headed off to the shops with a wave, Boreal torn between staying to fuss over Sol and joining her human. In the end she huffed a long-suffering sigh and followed Tal as he perused the wares of several vendors.
In ten minutes he returned with a couple of options for Caido's newest companion: a red ball that was half her size, made of a tough, shiny material; a smaller green ball with a bell inside that chimed when it moved and that rolled unpredictably rather than in a straight line; and a soft stuffed bird toy that made a whistling noise when it was squeezed.
Tal fetches three new toys!
Lena gave Talyson a friendly wave once greetings were established – far friendlier than Mittens continuing to glare from its stony, unwavering gaze. “How have you been?” echoed from her own sentiments, but her attention was firmly upon Zavien and the dragon thereafter.
With an ebullient and lighthearted grin, she extended more warm notions and thoughts towards the newfound companion, permitting it to flow from Caretaker to winged creature. You’re quite lovely. And strong, I’m certain. Winking at the fledgling, she then directed her focus on the tasks at hand – tilting her head vaguely at the directions. “I can get some bedding.”
Then she and Mittens were off (it was safer that way for everyone with the latter at hand), and she knew exactly where to go. One of her favorite shops for anything the animals in the Celestine required, she snagged a few fleece blankets of various sizes, shapes, and colors (some of the patterns of little flames or baby dragons were too cute to resist; she thought they’d be a nice touch), along with a matching bed – likely large enough for when Sol grew a little more, and then began to make their way back.
09-05-2024, 07:36 PM (This post was last modified: 09-05-2024, 07:37 PM by Zavien.)
Zavien
Boreal's arrival drew the attention of both Dragoon and companion. Smiling warmly, Zavien pulled a few pieces of jerky out, handing one to the white dragon and offering another to the snowball eyeing Tal. "Nice to see that everyone made it for the party." The focus on the other creatures sent a pang of jealousy through the bond, but it didn't last long as Sol craned his neck to look down at Boreal. His head cocked to the side as his tail began to wag. Zavien had a feeling they'd get along great.
At Lena's compliments, Sol puffed his tiny chest out, his wings flapping gently against the side of Zavien's head like a cape in the wind. He even gave a purring snort that released a tiny puff of glowing smoke. Sol was so satisfied that Zavien could do nothing but laugh. He didn't need to look up, getting the mental image of a massive majestic golden dragon gleaming in the sunlight atop a snowy mountain peak, unrivaled in his comparison to a second sun or legendary knight of old. Zavien didn't have the heart to tell his companion that he had the size and intimidation factor of a puppy.
As the others filtered away to gather their supplies, he revisited the jerky shop before also obtaining some juicy racks of ribs and fatty chunks of beef from the butcher. Sol was starting to drip drool onto Zavien and he had to spare another piece of jerky to prevent the hatchling from deciding his hair looked tasty enough.
By the time he rejoined the others, he had bags upon bags of food (including human food) hanging from his arms. The wares his friends carried looked interesting, and Zavien found himself excited to get home. Smiling brightly, he resisted the urge to jerk his head for them to follow, so he said, "Follow me!" They made their way towards Pacifist Plaza, winding past streets and alleys bustling with people enjoying the sunny weather. It didn't take long for them to arrive at his humble home, the flaking paint and cracking frame doing nothing to diminish the warm feeling in his chest.
He made his way completely inside before he realized that the other had never been to his place. Spinning around energetically, he gave them a quick tour of the one bedroom townhouse. "This is the living area. It's not much, but you guys are always welcome to visit!" The small space had a few mismatched chairs, a fireplace, and a bucket in the corner to collect dripping rainwater. A single table stood off to the side, containing the entirety of his cooking supplies which all bore scars of his attempts.
Stepping off to the side, he quickly opened the only other door. "And this is the bedroom. Sol will probably sleep in here with me." He doubted the dragon would want to be away from him for long. The large single bed had two pillows and a couple blankets, the mattress being the only new item in the building (sleep was important to the Dragoon).
Considering the meager living situation, he gave them a blushing grin. "It's a little rundown, but it's home. Why don't we get started so we can enjoy the rest of our day?" Zavien turned to start organizing the food he'd brought while Sol hopped from his head to supervise from the table.
Round 3: Set up the supplies your character bought in Zavien's house!
Talyson: Find a place for the toys.
Lena: Arrange the bedding in Zavien's room.
Keep your face to the sunshine, And you cannot see a shadow.
While Mittens accepted the jerky in a quick show of rapacious and ice-fanged teeth, Lena concentrated on all the other efforts. Amused by Sol’s reaction, and sure the dragonling would probably grow into all that might and confidence, the next set of directions had her paying utmost attention. Strides swift and sure while her arms were full of bedding materials, she followed along, with a slight arch to her brow in the beckoning notions of alternating pathways away from the Plaza, and straight towards Zavien’s home.
She wasn’t certain what her expectations would’ve been on the abode – but the moment they all came to the threshold, it seemed quite fitting. Warmth, without the necessity and trimmings and fixings, just as the Dragoon never gave over any pretenses. “It’s lovely,” she hummed. Content, Lena grinned, blinking rapidly through the quick tour, gaze taking in everything with rapt curiosity and tugging on Mittens should the companion strive and try to make a menace of itself in any given room. It might’ve spurned the idea of getting her own home, rather than always inviting others to the Celestine. As long as she could find somewhere nowhere near the Tower…
But then the tasks were read out and she eventually found herself in Zavien’s room, hands still full of the blankets. Which kept her from nervously and restlessly twitching at her fingers. “Right,” she whispered to the abominable snowball, who was already gliding around as if it owned the place, sniffing at the pillows. “Where would a good place be…,” and then she had to urge her bonded away, before heaving a sigh.
Contemplating the necessities, and her notions of animal knowledge, the probabilities lingered at the foot of the bed, or nestled nearby. She figured the comfort would extend regardless as long as they were near one another, and began to make a nest of the materials off to the side, close enough for either to be untroubled and at peace.
09-07-2024, 12:51 PM (This post was last modified: 09-07-2024, 12:53 PM by Talyson.)
Lena's question had the courier's nose wrinkling in thought as he tried to find the balance of how he'd been since the last time they'd spoken. He tilted his head one way, then the other as Boreal sang the sang of her people to Sol, but he finally grinned a little sheepishly at the Caretaker for taking so long. "I think... I've been doin' mostly okay? Lotta stuff has happened, y'know? But I've got a great partner who puts up with me, an' th' delivery business is goin' well, an' I've even made some new friends!" His grin widened as he nudged Zavien with his elbow. "I've got a new least favorite color these days. Way too much purple goin' around, far as I'm concerned, but other'n that I'm pretty lucky."
They headed off on their tasks and the conversation was interrupted for a bit, but once they were reconvened and on their way to Zavien's house Tal cocked his head at Lena and got the chance to return the favor. "How about you? How've y'been? Stormbreak bein' all..." He hesitated and trailed off, clearing his throat as he glanced around uneasily before giving an awkward shrug. "Um. Under... new... management? an' all?" He was sure Zavien would have told him if there'd been anything really dangerous going on in the city, and he mentally kicked himself for putting his foot in his mouth.
The house they were invited to was definitely cozy, but hey, it was home and Tal grinned at the pride in his friend's voice. "Hey, thanks! We'll definitely take y'up on that!" Boreal would insist, in fact. And maybe he could get Zavien to let him help fix the leaky roof...? But that was an adventure for another time. Given a task of utmost importance, Tal gave up on dragging Boreal with him since the dragon was determined to cadge treats from Zavien and Lena and was far more interested in meeting Sol than hanging out with her boring old human. He snorted and shook his head with an exasperated huff of affection before heading into the main room to poke around. "So, d'you know if he's a fire or an ice type?" he asked his friend over his shoulder. He managed to scrounge up a sturdy little open-topped wooden box that might have once held milk bottles and dusted it clean before putting the toys in it and setting them in a corner on the far side of the room from the leak-bucket.
Tal catches up with Lena, admired Zavien's home, and finds a small open-topped box for the toys that he puts in the driest corner of the main room.
He accepted the compliments with a blushing nod before they all separated to complete their tasks. His job of organizing the food was fairly simple. Gathering some mismatched containers littering the table, he began the plan of storing the various meats while he glanced over his shoulder to answer Tal, "He's a fire breather!" Sol snorted a small puff of smoke in proud emphasis, making Zavien laugh sweetly, shifting the meats away from his reaching tongue. Despite the abundance of his selection, he didn't expect it to last long, especially as Sol was immediately nudging away his hand to shove him head inside the container. Zavien chuckled and gently chastised the hatchling before sealing it shut. "Later," he said, assuring the dragon that he'd eventually get to enjoy all the goodies. His response was to flop onto the table in a pout, his wings limp at his sides, waiting to see if his actions would persuade his companion. When they only earned him an amused smile, Sol hopped down to find Boreal. In the meantime, Zavien laid out the rest of his spoils: popcorn, cheeses, jerkies, fruits, and vegetables, all to share with his friends in celebration. By the time he was done, there was obviously too much food available, but he never did anything halfway!
Once the others had completed their tasks, Zavien joined them, clapping his hands together with a bright smile. "Well, thank you both again for coming to welcome Sol into his new home. This day wouldn't have come without the people in this room, and I wanted him to meet some of the most important people in our life." He took a moment to meet both their eyes, Lena's first with soft warmth and appreciation, and Tal's with an excited grin ready for adventure. Then he looked to Sol, who had found Boreal and insisted on including her in a game of tag. Shaking his head with mock exasperation, he gestured enthusiastically. "Please! Come get food! Let's enjoy our time together with our companions!"
Round 4: Final round! PARTY!! Grab some food, play with the companions, and have a good time!
Keep your face to the sunshine, And you cannot see a shadow.
In between tasks, she’d had enough time to extend conversation with Talyson, even if portions were haphazard and mildly distracted. Lots of things had happened, and the Caretaker was content to hear things had gone well for the courier; even after all the mess of the past years and seasons. “Congratulations on everything,” she murmured with an upbeat smile, allowing it to reach her eyes amidst the flourish and flurry of activity. “I’ve been all right. Busy, with the Celestine and everything else,” with a vague hand-gesture, not willing to impart how much she’d been impacted by their subsequent and looming failures.
The brief inquiry about their “management” left her glad they were within Zavien’s house, under some breadth of shelter, and perhaps out of earshot from several. “I …quit the council. I wasn’t willing to work alongside…some.” Not after Sohalia had been ousted and disappeared. Not while Anju bravely forged on and she sunk into terror. Not while Everest was brainwashed or infected. She’d trust Talyson to be capable of reading between the lines, and her gaze skirted around other portions – like the bucket in the corner, flickering upwards and pondering if it was something they could fix while they were here.
Then they were gathered before the threshold of food and company, and Lena unfurled a knot in her chest. She hadn’t expected any grandiose gestures, they’d been there to help after all, but a flush went over her cheeks just the same. “This is wonderful, and you’re very welcome,” to both Sol and Zavien – though she quickly noticed Mittens scowling from above, and she hoped it’d fight itself in the mood to play, rather than pout. Thereafter, she quickly snagged a plate of fruits, vegetables, and cheese, contemplating the popcorn.
Tal grinned under Lena's congratulations, straightening up a little under her regard as they worked to settle Sol into his new home. "I dunno how y'keep up with all th'critters," he admitted admiringly of her own job. If it was him in charge he was pretty sure he would have been eaten by one of the recovering patients by now! But his own big mouth slipped the conversation sideways and he paused in sorting the toys to rub the back of his neck at her next answer. He glanced up at her from under his dark brows, taking a deep breath and giving her a nod of solidarity. "That had t'take a lot o'courage, too," he said, an awkward but sincere mumble of support when he was reminded that they didn't know how much was safe to say out loud.
But it couldn't have been easy, standing up to the Reaper like that. He didn't envy anyone on the Stormbreak Council that decision. Being caught between a rock and a violet hard place...
The relief in the courier's face was palpable at the lightening of the mood when the dragons started their game, Boreal pleased as punch to romp gently with the littlest companion. Mittens wouldn't have to wait long to be invited into the game with a bounce from the pale dragon and a brief flap that had Tal scolding her about using her inside-wings. Then Zavien called them over to the table and the courier didn't hesitate to dive in for a scoop of popcorn and some fruit, his ears and the back of his neck turning decidedly pink under the barrage of gratitude and compliments. "Aw, hail Zavien, we're just glad t'help out," Tal assured him, grinning back at the playful critterss and toasting both of the humans with his apple. "T'good friends an' great companions!"
Zavien accepted all the warm comments with soft smiles. He had good friends and he wouldn't change it for the world. The only person missing would be Koa (sorry!), but he planned to make it up to the Dragoon during a private trip. However, for the moment, he had everyone that mattered right here, sharing in his joy and welcoming his companion to their circle of support.
Joining the others, he grabbed a platter of meats and fruit, turning to 'toast' with Tal using a bundle of grapes. Laughing he echoed the sentiment, "To good friends and great companions, and many adventures to come!" Zavien popped a few in his mouth before taking a seat with the others, passing the time talking, playing, laughing, and enjoying each other's company. He didn't even mind the loud flapping of wings and squeaking toys (or the occasional screech of a snowball). The time seemed to still. A moment of pure contentment that he committed to memory. A perfect day that he would cherish no matter what difficulties they may encounter in the coming years.
Thank you for welcoming Sol into Zavien's apartment! <3
[FIN]
Keep your face to the sunshine, And you cannot see a shadow.
