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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!
Aithne looks up at the crimson water tumbling from above, her hands on her hips and her head tilted to one side. Her tail flicks behind her, lashing from side to side, and her horns glimmer in the low light. There's a metallic tang to the air that she's growing more and more familiar with, and she breathes deep, utterly unbothered. This place might not be as beautiful as Soulfire Reach or the Obsidian Cathedral, but it's a close third.
Besides, there are creatures scurrying about, and the Ancient is excited to hunt.
She has no training in any style of fighting as a human, but as a fyrhund, she doesn't need it. Her shift's animalistic instincts will help her to track her prey when she is ready. But for now, she takes a step towards the pool at the base of the falls. Will it be warm, she wonders, or is the water chilled? An underground spring doesn't seem like it would be hot, but then she thinks of Frey's Breath. Hesitantly, she dips a toe in the water, sighing happily when it isn't as cold as she expected. It's no hot spring, of course, but she can wander along in the shallows just to feel the rocks beneath her toes.
And once the water starts to rise and heaven's out of sight,
After her last few days, Thal's spent a decent amount of time avoiding conversations with people. Some might call it wallowing, she considered it a reassessment of her decisions, primarily around one: Why had she chosen to trust Maea? It wasn't a hard question, but she convinced herself that she needed an army of reasons to feel better about being made a fool of. She'd been a new Ancient looking desperately for a 'friend like her.' She'd been young, still trying to navigate Caido. She'd felt like Maea knew some of her struggles. She'd enjoyed their little adventures.
But for every reason, Thal was able to come up with two more of why she'd been wrong.
Her feet dangled over the top of the cliff, the crash of the waterfall drowning out the list she'd started in her head. It helped when she couldn't hear herself think for a moment, and she let out a soft sigh, tipping her head back as she closed her eyes. Her cascade of dark waves brushed against the back of her black blouse, parting around the dark igneous of her curving horns. She sat there, soaking in the scent of blood and the hum of water, losing track of time in the peacefulness, but it didn't last long before she grew restless, her body constantly begging to move.
Pushing her hands against the stone, she straightened to peer down at the pool below. She hadn't noticed the approach of another person, and she silently cursed herself for missing something in the midst of her mental break. Luckily, the woman didn't appear to be a threat, dipping her toes in the water without a care in the world. So Thal just narrowed her eyes, stilling any movements to a predatory calm as she waited to see what the newcomer might do.
The water laps against Aithne's ankles, and she kicks at the surface just to see it splash. A wide, fanged grin appears on her face. She'd never been allowed such freedom when she'd lived in Stormbreak; behavior like this would have been frowned upon, not proper for polite society. And as Aithne remembers the experiences that brought her here, she is tempted to shed her clothing, just because she can and just to be as wild as she can think to be at this moment in time.
But she doesn't, perhaps because old habits die hard, or perhaps because she has a better idea. And she steps out of the water and shifts.
She falls easily to all fours, her rocky hide lit from within by the lava that flows through her veins. She shakes herself, enjoying the feel of the warm air upon her skin, and then casts around for prey. A canine grin appears on her face even as she sniffs the air. If her parents could see her now, they'd be scandalized - and that, truly, brings her more joy than anything else.
And once the water starts to rise and heaven's out of sight,
There's something about the way the woman grins at the water, reveling in the feeling like someone who'd never walked barefoot through a pond before, that makes Thal relax. She doesn't seem like a threat, although it's still embarrassing that she'd gotten so close without her noticing. Maybe she needs to spend more time building her senses. After all, the ocean doesn't do much for anything other than sight, even if she can smell a storm on the horizon or feel the subtlest of shifts on the wind.
She catches the glint of horns buried in the girl's hair right before she shifts, the fyrhund taking her place. Even the canine looks delighted by its circumstances, its nose twitching and tail wagging like a harmless puppy despite the glow of lava beneath its stony fur. Thal raises an eyebrow in curiosity, wondering if such a fresh Ancient will have any chance at catching anything alone. More than willing to watch the show, she leans forward to prop her elbow on her knee, her chin resting against her fist. There's an amused glint in her blue eyes, even as her expression remains pleasantly neutral.
bones, bones, bones, bones, bones, bones, bones, bones, bones, bones, bones, bones, bones, bones.
You've encountered the OG random event! This allows you to skip one levelling requirement with the character in this thread. (Unfortunately does not count for characters over level 10, how sad.)
Oblivious to her silent watcher, Aithne continues to cast about for prey. Her nose to the ground, her ears flicker back and forth, keeping track of her surroundings as best she can. It's difficult, juggling her enhanced senses, but she's getting used to it. Now that she's an Ancient - now that she's free - she's determined to make the most of it. To be the best.
She catches a scent quickly enough, and though it's not the most exciting of prey, Aithne follows the smell of the ash ferret all the same. It gets stronger as she gets closer, and Aithne's stalking grows slower, her form slinking lower and lower to the floor. It's not long before her amber eyes focus on the creature in question - which, fortunately for her, has its back to her. She takes a step. Freezes. Her ears are focused on her prey now, every part of her on the alert. Another step.
And once the water starts to rise and heaven's out of sight,
It's almost comical to watch the hunt, the ash ferret completely unbothered by the fyrhund. The rodent goes about its merry way, rummaging around piles of stones in search of lava crawlers like it's any other Tuesday. Despite its obvious focus on its own lunch, its ears perk as the Ancient takes one more step too close and Thal can see the moment the hunt fails.
Sure enough, when the fyrhund pounces, the ash ferret makes a dart for a small tunnel to escape into, which would leave the young woman with no way to retrieve it. Trying not to laugh at the surprise that must be playing through her mind, Thal takes pity on the inexperienced stranger and decides she wants to give her a little more of a chance.
With a casual flick of her wrist, a small fire appears in the prey's path, blocking the exit and making it let out a small squeak of surprise as it spins to find another path.
Aithne misses, and slams into the ground where the ash ferret stood only mere seconds before, growling her frustration as the creature escapes into its burrow. She knows that she is not the most experienced huntress, just as she knows that she should expect some level of failure as a beginner, but it's challenging when she knows she can do better. She thinks she must have gotten into her own head, drowning out the instincts of the fyrhund, and she's just about to turn away to find new prey when she sees it.
Fire.
It comes from nowhere, so suddenly that Aithne barely has time to prepare before the ash ferret comes scurrying back out into the dim light of the caverns. It is well and truly panicked now, and if there is one thing that Aithne has already learned, it is that panicked prey makes for easy prey. Indeed, as the ash ferret pauses for the slightest of seconds, considering its options, Aithne makes use of its hesitation. She lunges, and this time, her sharp teeth clamp down on its neck.
It's dead in seconds, and Aithne's tail wags with canine glee. But that fire had to come from somewhere, and Aithne can't fully enjoy her kill knowing that she's no longer alone. She turns to survey the cavern, relying not just on sight but on smell, and attempts to find the interloper who saved her hunt.
And once the water starts to rise and heaven's out of sight,
When the Ancient finally clamps down on the ash ferret, Thal releases her magic, watching the fire wink out. She debates leaving the woman to her meal but decides it might be nice to have a little fun first. After all, she is the reason for the victory.
From her perch at the top of the waterfall, it's easy to see the path down, a few small ledges like steps leading to the floor of the cavern. As she hops gracefully, silently between each, her voice lilts teasingly through the crash of the water. "You waited too long to pounce, and your extra step cost you." Her last word is punctuated as she lands, her footfalls not making a single sound on the damp floor.
A fanged grin spreads across her face as she moves slightly closer - just within range. Darting forward, she snags the ash ferret from under the fyrhund's grasp and darts back, vanishing and reappearing in a matter of heartbeats. Her grin sharpens more as she dangles the fresh kill. "Don't hesitate."
Over the sound of the water, in the dimness of the cavern, it is difficult to pinpoint the source of the fire - that is, until a voice lilts teasingly through the crashing of the falls. Aithne turns, hackles raised, but by the time she sees the stranger, they've already darted forward to snatch her fresh kill from her jaws. The fyrhund snarls, as much instinct as anything, but tamps down quickly when she sees the stranger's horns and tail. Another Ancient, and clearly one with more experience hunting than Aithne.
The girl shifts. When she's back to her usual form, she dusts off her clothes and bares a fanged grin at the stranger. "Thanks," she said. "For the fire, and the advice. I'm new to hunting, so..." She shrugs, as though shoving aside any lingering bitterness over the loss of her kill. "It's not much, but do you want any of that?" she asked, pointing to the ash ferret. "I'll share."
And once the water starts to rise and heaven's out of sight,
She doesn't even flinch at the growls, tilting her head to see what the woman's reaction might be. Having your kill stolen from beneath your paws can be quite infuriating, and Thal wouldn't be surprised if she takes the advice of 'Don't hesitate' as a suggestion to lunge. But this Ancient seems to have enough self-control to choose humble diplomacy, shifting to thank her for the help.
Thal nearly scoffs, looking at the dead ash ferret with a nonchalance befitting her own experience. "Evidently so." It's not a criticism or judgement, but a blunt observation that she doesn't soften. Everyone has to start somewhere, although that doesn't mean she has any desire to teach this new Ancient how to hunt. And it definitely doesn't mean she wants to share.
Lifting the kill higher, her lips come up with undisguised distaste. "No. There's not much here to 'share,' and I prefer feeling the final beats of its heart as it pulses into my mouth." Her grin is sharp and wicked as she turns her eyes back to the woman, practically tasting the coppery tang of blood on her tongue. It's best felt when her lips are clamped around its aorta, pumping lifeblood into her waiting mouth as it slowly twitches in the throes of impending death. Something already dead doesn't give her quite the same thrill.
A soft thud sounds as she tosses the rodent back at the woman's feet. "All yours." Feeling like she was quite done here, Thal turns, preparing to leave.
Aithne might have forgiven the blunt observation - after all, it is true enough, and she can't fault her fellow Ancient for honesty. Nor is she particularly bothered by the description of how the stranger likes her kills. Aithne might be a new Ancient, but she has satisfied her bloodlust, and understands the desire to feel the life flee from her prey.
No, it is the toss of the ash ferret, thudding at her feet, and the clear dismissal as the stranger turns to leave - that is what irks Aithne. She might be new, but she isn't nothing, and that is how she perceives the stranger to see her.
And that, even in her eyes, is unforgivable.
Perhaps in future she would be in a better mood, but for now, she watches the stranger go, her lip curled with disgust. When the other Ancient is gone, Aithne nudges the dead ash ferret with a foot. It's cold now, the life fled from its body for too long, and she finds that she no longer has any appetite. She leaves the carcass where it lies - let it be something else's meal.
