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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!
“I feel like I am barely home,” he admitted begrudgingly. It seemed to have gotten worse this season, hitting the ground running immediately after LongNight’s debacle. But that was how it was going to go with the Starfall machinations, it felt – maneuvering from place to place in order to find and achieve and plan to motion things forward. Rather than remain in stasis and complacency; and perhaps that was all a part of his constant rounds of self-sacrifice. He’d gotten better over the years, but especially now, on lines drawn in the muck and mire, it all seemed to be a bit for naught.
While Zuriel and Belial remained sentinels, he scooped more snow in the jars. Waiting, inevitably, for some inclination that he should be taking better care of his own entity – but with Remi and Ronin not participating, the mantle had been pressed more firmly into his and Sunjata’s shoulders than ever before. “But that is how things are.”
Alys felt it all, and her heart went out to her friend. To have a family and be unable to spend time with them, to be forever putting himself in harm's way for the greater good, and damn the consequences for himself - it was taking its toll, and yet he remained as stalwart as ever. And in seasons past, she might have gently suggested that he take better care of himself, if not for himself, then for those who cared for him.
But now she could feel the way he sought to reassure her before she could even get the words out, and she remained silent on that score. Instead, she merely said, "So it is." A pause, and then, because it might be easier for him to focus on others than on his own misgivings: "I've only been home once since LongNight." It was a quiet admission, for his ears alone. "Before, the region had met to see about protecting an area of King's End, but we didn't have a chance to start. Now I find that I don't want to return." It didn't feel safe anymore, not after being attacked in their own home, after what Tal had had to do to defend them.
The looking glass, so shiny and new How quickly the glamour fades
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.
The notions of shame rambled through him, quietly inward and entirely unaware that those walls didn’t much matter around Alys. In portions and pieces, he was abashed and remorseful to not be with his family all the time, and then on the other slate, being incapable of constantly being in Halo, and watching over it as he should. It was a discomfiting admission of being pulled in multitudes of directions and having no ground or stability except the carved portions of the snow beneath him – and then not being able of standing upon it day in and day out. Maybe later it would be better. Maybe those hours were behind them, and what they eventually had to face was something far greater and consuming.
He gave her a slight smile, as if to relieve the tension building in his own bones, shoving more snow into another jar and grabbing its brethren to repeat the process. That Alys was facing the same multitudes, but for different reasons, made the hints of his grin disappear into tighter lines, head tilting as he reached for something else. “That is understandable.” And difficult – to find she had no protection or means in her own world. “From what I have heard though, that is bound to change.” With Sunjata intending to do exactly as he said after they returned from Starfall.
They continued on in this manner, gathering snow into jars and sealing them, replacing them into the bag that Alys had brought, until finally they reached the last two. Alys handed over the final jar to Deimos and unstoppered her own. She hummed her agreement, though she couldn't help the unease that unfurled in her chest. Yes, Sunjata may have the best of intentions, but with everything that had happened, Alys couldn't help but have an I'll believe it when I see it mentality towards the protection of King's End.
As they finished up, Alys tucked away the final jars in her satchel, which was now full of snow in jars. She hoped that Mort wouldn't mind melted snow being returned to him; she was unlikely to manage to get this back to him still frozen. "Thank you for helping," Alys said softly, turning an affectionate smile to Deimos. "And I'm sorry about Belial. I hope he'll forgive me, one day."
The looking glass, so shiny and new How quickly the glamour fades
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.
They meandered back into silence, and he dutifully continued filling the jars until there were simply none left. Returning back to his full height, he surveyed the amount of containers, of snow collected from a once devastating scene – forgoing everything else for a long sigh and another day impending. “Of course. Good luck on your efforts.” Of companions returned, snagged from Mort’s realm.
Beginning to turn back towards his own – between bonded and the Citadel – he didn’t expect the apology again, but glancing back over his shoulder, he gave her a nod, a slight smile. “We will see. He is quick to forgive, for the most part.” Much swifter than the Sword, at least. With that, he gave the seer a wave, and began the trek towards walls and homes, where multitudes of other things needed to be secured.
