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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!
Sing to me, I am not doing well Getting tired of my own words
Magic, but not. It was an intriguing notion, and Maea listened with keen interest as Alys tried to explain. Following the dance of cards in her hands, it seemed this was akin to an exercise in intuition rather than fortune telling. Using imagery and interpretation to find meaning and inspiration rather than attempting to diving a carved path. It was a relief to hear that there was no such thing as a future set in stone, though she wondered what could truly be said when they didn't know each other well.
Only one way to find out.
"Mmh, very interesting. Go ahead, I'm ready," Maea said, leaning in to watch the reading. Though she felt a certain flutter of anticipation, she still tried to curb any expectations. Like Alys was saying, this was only guidance, not a cure-all for her problems. At best she might get some inspiration for what to do next... and at worst, she'd waste some time in pleasant company. No harm done either way.
Sing to me, cause I can't hear myself through the loudness of my own hurts
Alys waited until Maea was ready, then drew the first card, setting it down before her so that the Ancient could clearly see it. The depiction on the card was of what appeared to be an angel blowing a trumpet from on high, with a crowd of people rejoicing below. ”Judgement,” Alys said, tracing a finger over the lettering on the card. ”This card advises that we examine our motivations and priorities. In this position, it speaks to the past. What drove you to this point? What can you learn from it?”
She paused for a moment, allowing Maea to ask questions or offer her own commentary, then drew the next card. ”The Devil,” she said of this card, which showed a demon upon a throne, two chained humans at its feet. ” The Devil dares you to break free of an addiction or unhealthy attachment, but you must be patient with yourself, as the Devil can feed on self-hatred. In your present, is there any obsession that you may wish to free yourself from? You don’t have to answer aloud - but consider what might benefit you to release.”
Again she paused before drawing the final card. This one held an image of a woman sitting upon a throne, a set of scales in one hand and a sword in the other. ”Justice informs you that now is the time to correct an injustice committed against you or a loved one, but in return you must begin to address your own unjust actions. Moving forward, this card advises you to consider what you may need to atone for, but be wary that you don’t lose sight of new adventures. It’s easy to get wrapped up in the past when we should be looking to the future.”
Alys tapped her chin thoughtfully, considering the reading as a whole. ”All in all, you seem to be at a crossroads. Your choices now may dictate how you fare well into the future.” She snuck a look at Maea, then fell silent, waiting to see if any of the reading resonated with her.
Alys
Minor powerplay allowed without permission.
Feel free to use force/magic on Alys.
Emotional Telepathy | The user can read deep emotions of those within a 5 foot radius at will. Control is excellent. Note: "Deep emotions" include anything written in a character's narration in a post.
Emotional Perception | The user can read surface level emotions of those within a 15 foot radius. Control is moderate. Note: "Surface level emotions" include anything written in a character's narration in a post.
Sing to me, I am not doing well Getting tired of my own words
Too absorbed with the imagery of the cards and the message Alys interpreted to ask questions, Maea felt a chill go down the spine. More than once she glanced up at the other woman, looking more startled for each card. Either this was an extraordinary case of coincidence or there really was some type of magic at play; how else could randomly selected cards paint such an accurate portrait over her current situation? It was uncanny. Even if the message was general enough to speak to anyone - who wasn't shaped by their past, entangled in poor habits and in need of adjusting their way of living? - it still fit too perfectly for her not to take notice.
Over and over she looked at the cards, turning over the message in her mind. Clinging to the past. Obsessing over mistakes and worries to the point where it consumed all other thought. A need to atone - Maea nearly laughed aloud. What didn't she need to make up for? Betraying her gods, endangering innocents, taking her troubles out on others, abandoning friends and causing them to worry - not to mention getting her head so inflated that she failed to consider any options or opinions but her own. It was a lot.
"That... tracks, I'd say," she murmured weakly. "Can you - or the cards, I guess - can it say anything about how I might atone?" Her shoulder and ribs ached with a phantom pain, a memory of arrows so clear she had ro rub the spot to reassure herself that the wounds were healed, without even a scar. One day she would have to confront Melita about it... but it was true, first she needed to clean out her own closet and bury all the skeletons. They had been piling high of late.
Sing to me, cause I can't hear myself through the loudness of my own hurts
Maea’s silence was telling, and Alys felt her heart go out to the Ancient who she thought might be becoming a friend. It was strange to consider this person against the Maea she’d met long before, but she supposed that time had a way of changing people, shaping them into new forms and figures that didn’t always align with the past.
The cards lay on the table between them, a glaring reminder of all that Maea had been through and enough of a story for Alys to imagine that life had been difficult for the Ancient. While she didn’t know details - and she didn’t need to, especially not with her magic that shared Maea’s emotions with her - she knew enough to know that Maea was deeply impacted by the reading.
Alys drew another card silently at Maea’s request, considering the depiction of a person sitting up in bed, nine swords poised overhead. ”The Nine of Swords,” Alys said. ”Suggests that if you are expecting terrible outcomes, they will follow you. Even though it’s hard, this card pushes us to consider what positive things may happen through our actions, letting go of our worries and anxieties and being brave enough to take the first step towards something good.”
Alys
Minor powerplay allowed without permission.
Feel free to use force/magic on Alys.
Emotional Telepathy | The user can read deep emotions of those within a 5 foot radius at will. Control is excellent. Note: "Deep emotions" include anything written in a character's narration in a post.
Emotional Perception | The user can read surface level emotions of those within a 15 foot radius. Control is moderate. Note: "Surface level emotions" include anything written in a character's narration in a post.
Sing to me, I am not doing well Getting tired of my own words
This time she did laugh. A short bark of a sound, equal parts bitter and surprised. The figure on the card looked like a different version of herself, like a snapshot of her early past. She had been stuck in a bed too, once, tormented by the dangers and darkness looming over her head. It seemed that although she had strength in her legs and could breathe freely, she still hadn't really moved at all.
"It seems... that I've been locking myself up in that bed for a while now," she admitted. It was a difficult thing to accept; objections and excuses already clamored against the notion, arguing about the circumstances, the harsh realities, the inescapable truths – Maea shook herself, as if to physically stave the thoughts off. "Suffering is a self fulfilling prophecy, is that a good summary? It sounds like I have some work to do, if I want anything to change."
Rubbing her lips with a thumb, the pale-skinned woman stared quietly at the cards for a time. Thoughts straying far afield, drawing connections, rearranging facts she'd thought stone-carved only to discover with surprise they had been domino bricks all along, simply turned the wrong way.
In the end, a flicker of hope began to emerge, like slivers of light illuminating dark stormclouds. A smile ghosted across her face, and she nodded, some decision clicking into place as Maea looked up.
"Thank you. That really helped. Admittedly I wasn't expecting much, but... I feel a lot better. Like I actually have a choice after all."
Sing to me, cause I can't hear myself through the loudness of my own hurts
Alys listened as Maea processed, some of it aloud, and some of it internal. Something about the shift in the Ancient, that flicker of hope that sparked, delicate and wavering, in her emotions, brought a semblance of peace to the seer. She might not have been able to protect Sascha, but she could, at least, still offer solace to those who fell into her path.
”We always have choices,” Alys said gently, beginning to gather the cards, tucking them into their silk pouch and putting them away in her pocket. ”We may not always like them, but they’re always there.” She offered a small smile - the first true smile that she’d been able to stomach since Sascha’s death. ”You control your destiny, Maea. You have the power to change the parts of your life that you don’t like.”
With that said, Alys glanced around at the dispersing crowd, many of whom had had their fill of food thanks to Maea. ”If you ever want another reading, I live nearby,” she said. ”Or - if you just want to talk.” It was a quiet offer, and one that she hoped she could live up to. In the days after Sascha’s death, she wasn’t ever quite sure where her emotions would be. If she’d be up for company. But having said it, she also knew that she would honor it, if Maea ever needed.
”Let me help you clean up,” she said then, and was content to do so in companionable silence before heading home.
fin
Alys
Minor powerplay allowed without permission.
Feel free to use force/magic on Alys.
Emotional Telepathy | The user can read deep emotions of those within a 5 foot radius at will. Control is excellent. Note: "Deep emotions" include anything written in a character's narration in a post.
Emotional Perception | The user can read surface level emotions of those within a 15 foot radius. Control is moderate. Note: "Surface level emotions" include anything written in a character's narration in a post.
