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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 keep stars in my pockets wear daisies in my hair
Nova doesn't know if she's ever seen so many flowers! Every size and color dot the hills like a patchwork blanket of rainbow threads and sweet scents!
She doesn't know what to do with all her excitement as she makes her way through the fields, plucking handfuls of the beautiful flowers with giggles and twirls of orange hair strands. A collection quickly grows in her arms, slowly overflowing to catch in the knits of her dark blue sweater dress. By the time she can't hold any more, it looks almost like she's wearing a dress made entirely of flowers (a good idea actually), her face partially hidden behind the bundle - although people will still be able to hear the bubbly laughter that filters through the leaves and petals as she skips into the little town.
The first person to snag her glittering eyes is bombarded with her presence and exuberant attitude. "The fields are so beautiful! Here! Have a flower!" A single blue flower spins from the bundle to land in the woman's hair, but before she can say anything in return, Nova is flitting to the next person, offering forth a large pink cluster of petals. "For you! It'll go great with your outfit!"
And so it goes as she makes her way through the streets, throwing comments and flowers at people with all the infectious positivity that feels suspiciously like glitter.
Nova
but I tuck you tenderly in the folds of my heart and take you everywhere
The last thing the courtesan expects to see is one of the triplets from the party he’d just been to, practically skipping down the gold etched streets of New Haven with bundles of flowers in her arms. It’s sweet in the way he hadn’t expected - not because he didn’t think Nova capable of it - but because he wasn’t sure why she’d ventured all this way out from Torchline to do it.
But, Thorn drifts into her general space, the path of sparkly chaos she leaves behind as she offers him a flower and he takes it with a bright smile. “Hey, Nova, right?” He asks, not really expecting her to remember him from her birthday party, but perhaps there’s some familiarity there. "This's real nice."
I keep stars in my pockets wear daisies in my hair
Turning to her next victim recipient, Nova reaches out to offer a vibrant yellow flower with layers of petals to someone she immediately recognizes by the tattoos that peek out from beneath his sleeves. It isn't a surprise that he remembers her (who wouldn't?), but the excitement bubbles at a familiar face, her eyes glittering a deep blue as she leans forward onto her toes.
"Oh! Hi again! It's...." she pauses, trying to remember the whispered greetings as she'd been darting around the bar "Thorn? Right?" Fairly certain she is, she bounces with a sparkling grin that only brightens at his compliment. "I know! They're so pretty! Do you want to help me pass them out?" Her head tilts in the adorable manner of a cat hearing a bell, her arms already lifting to offer him part of the overflowing bundle.
Nova
but I tuck you tenderly in the folds of my heart and take you everywhere
Beaming a smile back at the hybrid with the equal recognition – and remaining very easily in his posture as she leans forward on her toes, having never minded close proximity of people whom were essentially strangers. “Yeah, that’s me.” He hums to her with a nod that sends his wild curls bouncing briefly, pleased to see the smile on her face brighten, dazzling, glittering.
“Sure, I got nothin’ goin’ on.” Not that she’d given him much of a choice in the matter either way, snagging a portion of the bundle that she offers, tucking it into his arms. “What’s it all for?” He asks curiously, because the courtesan can’t help himself, even as he goes to offer a reddish pink flower to a passing merchant that he’s sure he recognizes from the Boondocks.
I keep stars in my pockets wear daisies in my hair
She giggles, gesturing her head to his tattoos. "Fitting name. Which came first?" There's a genuine and naive curiosity glittering in her eyes, her head tilting to better hear his answer as he moves to take some of the flowers from her hands. Nova releases a good portion, quickly moving to pass a white daisy to a plainly dressed woman with a sparkle and a grin.
Her eyes flit back to him as Thorn asks his question, almost confused. "Because they're pretty! And people deserve to have pretty things." Whether it be cute clothes, glitter coated presents, or pretty flowers, she likes making the world a more interesting place; she also like it when they make people smile, although she's just as excited to see an exasperated roll of eyes. It means she did a good job.
Twirling to leave a bundle of flowers tucked under someone's doorstep, the lace of her dress is littered with fallen petals that fall as she walks backwards to look at Thorn, bubbly and full of childish delight. "Do I need another reason?"
Nova
but I tuck you tenderly in the folds of my heart and take you everywhere
The courtesan’s chuckle is soft but bright, because while he’s sure people had thought about it, no one has every come straight out to ask him. “The name.” He answers her confidently, flashing a bright smile as he returns to her after handing off the flower. “My full name’s Hawthorn. I just went by Thorn for short, ’n got the tattoos when I started workin’.” The answer is easy and a touch playful, even as he drifts away from her to go and hand another flower to another one of the residents of King’s End.
Nodding to her reasoning, the courtesan flits back to Nova as she hands off another flower, this time a delivery at the doorstep of a house, and when she asks him if she needs another reason, his brows lift and he laughs a little softly. “Nope. Sounds good t’me.” He admits, nodding his head to confirm it, before he’s twisting as another person passes by, handing a flower before he has a chance to see who it is he’s handing it to. When his gaze flits up and he spots her, she’s a short brunette who snags the flower with a lingering touch, recognition flaring in her gaze just as it hits him in return.
He snags her another flower with a wink and a murmured promise of tomorrow, before he’s flitting back to Nova’s side.
I keep stars in my pockets wear daisies in my hair
"That's cool! I don't know if I got my name or my freckles first. I guess I'd have to ask my mom." She tilts her head as she thinks about it, the sunlight making the white star shapes of her freckled cheeks more obvious for Thorn to notice. But she doesn't linger on the thought long, shrugging her shoulders as she snags on the other part of his answer, more curiosity freely flowing like a river polluted with glitter. "What do you do for work?"
Nova's completely oblivious to Thorn's familiarity with the woman, only catching the end of their conversation as she twirls past to hand an older gentleman a pink and white speckled flower. Despite his aged and hunched form, she doesn't have to lean down, tucking it into his hair with a playful giggle. He scowls and makes a grumbling comment about pestering kids but keeps the flower in place as he shuffles away.
When she spins back to Thorn's side, Nova has a proud grin on her face, skipping and bouncing along the street as she looks for who else she might have missed. "What's tomorrow?"
Nova
but I tuck you tenderly in the folds of my heart and take you everywhere
“Your mom…” Thorn trails off as he thinks, recalling the birthday party briefly before something else settles in. “Safrin, right?” He glances back over at her with curiosity - figuring that if Vesper’s mom was Safrin and both Calypso and Nova were his siblings, that it was likely to assume that it was all the same stock. Jack as their dad, Safrin as their mother.
Ah, but when she asks what he does, his smile remains just as bright even if it twists a touch playfully, lifting a brow. “I’m a courtesan.” He explains, unsure if it does it justice for her to figure out, but knowing her well enough to at least know she’d ask if she had any questions.
And that’s when he spots his client, parting from her after the promise of tomorrow, plucking a new flower from his bundle to hand to the next passing person. Her question earns a soft little laugh. “She’s got an appointment with me. One’ve my clients.” He rolls his shoulder casually, not thinking into it deeper than the fact the short brunette liked him.
I keep stars in my pockets wear daisies in my hair
Bouncing a little higher, she grins at him when he gets it right. "Yep!" Her chest puffs a little, her sparkles shining a little brighter with the pride that comes with everyone knowing her mom's name. After all, why shouldn't they? She's amazing!
Her lips purse as he says what he does, trying to recall where she's heard the word. Tilting her head, her orange and blonde curls perfectly frame her innocence as she asks, "Are those the ones who deliver packages?" She's heard of those before, traveling all over Caido to pick up and safely relocate items, although she'd never have guessed this pretty man would choose such a strange job, but then again, she's passing a pale blue flower to a little girl.
Still under the incorrect assumption of what Thorn does for work, Nova peers openly at the woman who walks down the street, trying to figure out what kind of package she might need and why it would require an appointment. "So what do you have to give her?" Pulling her eyes away, she looks up at Thorn, pausing in her antics to satiate her curiosity.
Nova
but I tuck you tenderly in the folds of my heart and take you everywhere
He’s never met Safrin, but maybe he’ll venture out and meet them all just to see which one suits him best. Currently, he follows Frey for obvious reasons, but it never hurt to branch out — especially being an abandoned, where the likelihood of gods answering were few and far between in the first place.
When she asks him if its the ones who deliver packages, his head snaps to her with a bright smile and a soft little laugh she bites back. “Oh, no.” He pauses, hesitating to see the innocence glinting in her gaze as he tries to figure out how to word it. It’s enough of a hesitation that she’s asking what he has to give her and he, uncharacteristically, flushes. His cheeks and the tips of his ears flare as he hands out a flower and regains some amount of composure to turn back to her. “I uh… I sleep with people for work. Make ‘em feel good. I work at the House of Midnight.” He explains, wondering if it does the job.
As for what he’s giving her, he’s trying hard not to say anything that might immediately have her recoiling. “I guess I’m givin’ her a good time?”
I keep stars in my pockets wear daisies in my hair
Nova blinks as Thorn flushes, a little confused that she'd been wrong, but even more confused by his answer. She's not one for sleeping or naps (what a waste of time), but she finds it strange that there's an entire job devoted to sleeping with people. Maybe they just want someone to cuddle with? Although why would they do that at -
The realization dawns like a shooting star across her features. "OH! You mean sex!" She says it loud enough that a few people nearby glance their way, obvious mixes of horror and amusement on their faces, but Nova doesn't pay them any mind, turning to the next person to offer the woman a red flower that goes with the flush of her cheeks.
Giggling, she moves away from the stunned individual like she has for every other, spinning again to look at Thorn as she clarifies, "So people pay you to have sex with them? You must be pretty good at it then."
Nova
but I tuck you tenderly in the folds of my heart and take you everywhere
The courtesan laughs when the realization blooms across her face - the outburst loud enough that it has people turning toward them. And Thorn nods, not sheepish or worried in the slightest now that he knows she’s gotten the gist of it. “Yeah, exactly.” Puffing out a soft sigh of relief, he turns to the next person to hand them a blue flower, its edges curling around the bud that hasn’t fully bloomed when her next question hits him and he barks out a laugh that he tries to stifle down.
“Yeah. Won’t say I’m the best at it, obviously, but I’m not too bad.” He could at least take that compliment, rather than the way everyone seems to pretend like he’s some kind of god for it.
I keep stars in my pockets wear daisies in my hair
Glad she's finally gotten it right, Nova grins a little brighter. Her laughter joins with his, twinkling as she sets a few flowers in the window of another house. "I can't imagine you're bad at it if people like that lady keep coming back." That part makes sense to her since people seem to like having sex, and if he's good at it, people would want to do it with him.
Adjusting the remaining flowers in her hands, she tilts her head. "Still, isn't it weird to have people pay for sex? I don't think my siblings do." Although her nose wrinkles at the thought, preferring not to think about how Vesper goes about having sex, and not particularly fond of thinking about Caly in that situation either.
She shrugs her shoulders, flippant as she offers a bright smile and a bundle of orange flowers to a group of young boys. "I'm just not sure I get the appeal. Doesn't sound all that fun to me." The boys gawk at her but take the flowers before glancing dumbfounded at each other and running off, making her giggle as she watches them.
Nova
but I tuck you tenderly in the folds of my heart and take you everywhere
She’s pretty good at hyping up an ego, so as she continues he snorts a little and nods, conceding the point to her as he departs to set a few more blooms from his dwindling stash on a window sill as they pass through. And when she continues, his head snaps over to her with a raise of his brow, his wild hair curling with the wind that breezes through. “S’not that weird.” He offers her easily with a shrug. “Some people are lonely an’ don't have anyone around to give ‘em attention. I provide a service ‘n people get paid for their services, yeah?” He doesn’t find it that different.
But when she continues, he glances at her sidelong, his seafoam gaze scanning her sparkling face before he hands another flower off and turns toward her a little. “It ain’t for everyone. But it can be a pretty good reliever of stress. Hell, some of my clients only come t’see me so they can sleep better that night.” He shrugs, trying to see how she takes the answer.
