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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!
Though he's well versed on Deimos' talents, Iskra hasn't really been out and about with the Sword much, especially in battle. He's seen the man clean and build many a thing, but this is the first shield he's watch take form under Deimos' guidance, no less practiced than the rest, just one he's all the more grateful for.
Jack's even less familiar, but the crack of lightning he unleashes is no less impressive, and in fact earns a broad grin from Iskra who has an affinity for the element himself. His just doesn't do that, not yet anyway. He ducks under the shield, bracing for the close approach of the beasts. He strikes a match, flame at the ready to be sent unfurling against any of the griffins that dodge the assaults uncleashed against them. He'll serve as the last defense for any that come in too close for comfort. Fire is his original abilitity, so his most comfortable one, and the easiet to produce on a whim. Perhaps not the best partner for an ice shield, but the frost seems thick enough to endure a little heat.
Iskra is ready to blast fire at any that get within range
Fire Manipulation (Abandoned/Hybrid): Can manipulate flames. Must be within a 5ft radius, control is weak and unstable and requires concentration.
Type: Dark | Rank: Basic
The sound of iron shots is stuck in my head The thunder of the drums dictates
The crackle and echo of Jack ’s lightning sharpened and harpooned through the sky; meshing neatly and nicely into a crackling, popping accord, directly into Griffin Two. All of its curious, keen aspects seemed null in void now, it only had half a moment to look appalled at the outcome, before diminishing and fading into nothing more than intangible air.
But then the swarm was indeed drawn into the onslaught – screeches and bellows orchestrated after their lost brethren. Griffin One seemed to be the dumbest of the remaining gang, immediately flying headlong into Deimos’s shield. The ice held sturdy and certain, and the ghost began to fall down it in comical style; easy pickings for Iskra. The burns wouldn’t be enough to kill the beast, but certainly kept it grounded for the moment.
Not to be outdone, the Sword altered portions of his shield to stab and lacerate, so as Griffin Three came into the picture, it soon found itself impaled – done in as well.
The remaining two, untouched for now, strived to get around the guard; either flinging their weight into the shield itself, or clawing at the icy barbs – but it held for now.
--
Two down, three to go!
Griffin One: 22/50
Griffin Two: 0/75 - dead
Griffin Three: 0/100 - dead
Griffin Four: 150/150
Griffin Five: 200/200
The rhythm of the falls, the number of dead The rising of the horns, ahead
How many mages does it take to change a lightbulb kill a daemon? They're getting solid answers right about now. Jack allows himself a smile as he watches two of the creatures fall and one of them seem very upset with the proceedings, and whilst he doesn't move, his mind unspools readily to take aim at the next available target.
Switching elements with the same ease as he'd shuffle a deck of cards, the ice that lances out from Deimos's shield might look like an extension of it, but it's all Jack. He zeroes in on Griffin Four, coalescing the frost fragments into a deadly spearhead, hoping to strike it head on.
Jack takes aim at Griffin Four with ice magic!
Water manipulation (Abandoned/Hybrid): Can create and control water. Must be within a 30ft radius.
Type: Light | Rank: Mastered
Type: Light | Style: Other | Level: Mastered
Mageglass Ring | A silver ring with an unrefined stone of mageglass. Will amplify the magical abilities (range and power) of Abandoned by one level. (Basic becomes upgraded, upgraded becomes mastered. Mastered range cannot be amplified, but mastered damage will add on +10 in KQs/PQ+s)
Type: Light | Style: Other | Level: Mastered
Mageglass Bracelet | A bracelet of leather and silver, decorated with a piece of polished mageglass. Will amplify the magical abilities (range and power) of Abandoned by one level. (Basic becomes upgraded, upgraded becomes mastered. Mastered cannot be amplified, but mastered damage will add on +10 in KQs/PQ+s)
Type: Dark | Rank: Mastered
Type: Light | Style: Other | Level: Mastered
Mageglass Ring | A band of silver crafted to look like waves, with an unrefined stone of mageglass. Will amplify the magical abilities (range and power) of Abandoned by one level. (Basic becomes upgraded, upgraded becomes mastered. Mastered cannot be amplified, but mastered damage will add on +10 in KQs/PQ+s).
Type: Dark | Style: Defensive | Level: Mastered
KingMaker Coat | A coat made from the elephant-portion of the mythical KingMaker. Blocks physical damage. Has a 2 post cooldown
The rumble of their outrage striking the ice shield overhead is worse than any storm. The sound is intermittent, due to different beasts and claws striking it, and there's a difference to knowing it's a vengeful body with intent to harm than just the uneasy howl of the wind and its hail. It doesn't instill fear in Iskra though, just sets his pulse skittering with anticipation, a rowdy grin creeping into his features as he seizes his chance for action.
With no intention of letting their last line of defense falter while lightning and ice tear apart the rest of the flock, the scrambling drag of Griffin One over the shield provides the perfect range of Iskra. He steps closest to it and the edge of the shield, his focus is sharp on the stumbling beast. Fire is drawn from his lit match with a snap of fingers and intention that sends its heat into the threat.
Iskra throws fire at Griffin One
Fire Manipulation (Abandoned/Hybrid): Can manipulate flames. Must be within a 5ft radius, control is weak and unstable and requires concentration.
Type: Dark | Rank: Basic
The sound of iron shots is stuck in my head The thunder of the drums dictates
Plunges of magic swarmed over the barrows; striking against trapped or marred, mired griffins. Deimos narrowed his eyes and watched the frenetic movements of the fifth and largest, especially as it continued to barrage and hurl itself into the shield; snorting, he used the opportunity to once again impale with extreme, icy prejudice, watching as the creature was skewered and tricked on its latest lunge – screeching for its brethren to assist.
Except help wouldn’t be coming its way - Jack had also begun to utilize the abilities of a griffin kebab. In a macabre display, something perhaps shrikes would enjoy, the lance pierced the daemon. As it shrieked and hissed, it still rang its claws down the length of the guard, as if to still bombard, strive, and try.
Iskra ‘s victim and target should’ve been easy. Already weakened, it would’ve been an easy kill. But fate had other plans. Along the edges of the shield, Iskra’s fire must’ve emblazoned some semblance of weakness, melting the ice near the fringes – and the weakened beast saw its opportunity. While the Abandoned missed, it lunged, a scratch coming across the mage’s forearm; a deadly sentiment if he didn’t get it healed soon.
At which Zuriel snorted and rolled her eyes, but still encouraging him to come near so she could do exactly that.
--
Deimos and Jack have orchestrated significant damage on Griffin Four and Five, but Iskra has been scratched by Griffin One and his fire has weakened the bottom of the shield.
Griffin One: 22/50
Griffin Two: 0/75 – dead
Griffin Three: 0/100 – dead
Griffin Four: 44/150
Griffin Five: 95/200
Jack's eyes narrow, just ever so slightly, as his lance of ice doesn't manage to destroy the griffin outright. He's still satisfied with the work, don't get him wrong, especially given that his last foray into any combat magic was in the bowels of Starfall where his chances of hitting anything were less than zero. But it's not ideal, especially as he watches Iskra get hit and the fire begin to melt the shield.
"Got any other elements you could switch in?" he asks Deimos, thinking of the earth magic that had awoken latently in his own veins. He's not strong enough yet to make a shield of his own out of it, but it might be friendlier towards their fire mage.
Either way, in case the Sword does opt to swap out ice for something else, Jack cycles back into lightning, refocusing his efforts on Griffin Four to take it, hopefully, out of the fight completely.
Jack suggests using a different element as a shield, and switches to lightning again to attack Griffin Four.
Regional Score bonus: +17 in all shrine visits, drops, PQ+s, KQs, etc. (You must post this at the bottom of any post where a +17 should be included). Residents cannot be cursed at shrines in this region.
Lightning manipulation (Abandoned/Hybrid): Can create and control Lightning. Must be within a 30ft radius.
Type: Light | Style: Other | Level: Mastered
Mageglass Ring | A silver ring with an unrefined stone of mageglass. Will amplify the magical abilities (range and power) of Abandoned by one level. (Basic becomes upgraded, upgraded becomes mastered. Mastered range cannot be amplified, but mastered damage will add on +10 in KQs/PQ+s)
Type: Light | Style: Other | Level: Mastered
Mageglass Bracelet | A bracelet of leather and silver, decorated with a piece of polished mageglass. Will amplify the magical abilities (range and power) of Abandoned by one level. (Basic becomes upgraded, upgraded becomes mastered. Mastered cannot be amplified, but mastered damage will add on +10 in KQs/PQ+s)
Type: Dark | Rank: Mastered
Type: Light | Style: Other | Level: Mastered
Mageglass Ring | A band of silver crafted to look like waves, with an unrefined stone of mageglass. Will amplify the magical abilities (range and power) of Abandoned by one level. (Basic becomes upgraded, upgraded becomes mastered. Mastered cannot be amplified, but mastered damage will add on +10 in KQs/PQ+s).
Type: Dark | Style: Defensive | Level: Mastered
KingMaker Coat | A coat made from the elephant-portion of the mythical KingMaker. Blocks physical damage. Has a 2 post cooldown
His excitement dims as the flame spins and arcs against the corner of the shield instead of the griffin, intent alone not enough to wield at his full potential, which is already a meager measurement. His lack of practice is all too apparent now, which is already problematic when struggling to start his hearth at home, but is an utter embarrassment here when he has a guard to help hold fast. He might have dwelled on this frustration if not for the pain that lances across his arm as his failure earns him a swipe of claws.
Iskra hisses at the sting, his match, burnt out anyway, drops from his finger tips as he claps his hand over the rising blood. He steps back deeper under the shield, closer to Zuriel, but his focus still honed in on Griffin One as it paws at where he'd been, the weakened edge of the shield at threat of splintering further with the beast's onslaught. Well, seems fire would be out of play with this ice, not nearly as thick as the tundra he's used to. Ampere remains a useful weight on his back, nearly humming with the discord of a storm in her sharpened edge, but he doesn't have the room to swing well here. It does suggest his other element though.
While Jack suggests another type of shield, one that might not melt, Iskra grabs for a branch of the lightning the captain wields and targets Griffin One again with his own, wimpy brand of electricity, the mastery of Jack's faltering under his unpracticed grasp on the magic into something with far less potency, but at least it's there.
Iskra attacks Griffin One with lightning that he grabs off Jack's
Lightning manipulation (Abandoned/Hybrid): Can manipulate lightning. Must be within a 5ft radius, control is weak and unstable and requires concentration.
Type: Dark | Rank: Basic
The sound of iron shots is stuck in my head The thunder of the drums dictates
Deimos’ concern over Iskra’s current status was briefly nullified as he saw the shield melted from the Abandoned’s prior attack – eyes narrowing in irritation before nodding his assent at Jack’s suggestion. The altering came quickly and efficiently; one moment ice performed as a guard for them, and the next, dissipated and gone, replaced with Mastered Earth configurations – rocks, dirt, soil, terrain lined up before the hunters.
On an additional notion, he pummeled at the fifth griffin, no longer impaled but weakened just the same, with large rocks, flinging them directly at the ghostly form. It screeched for a final time, to inevitably lay upon the ground, before dissipating entirely.
Jack ’s lightning conjured and flowed, flickering into mighty bridges of power and might – sizzling, simmering, and rectifying any anger he might’ve held for not desecrating it earlier. He’d have one moment to see it enlightened in a glorious, seizing triumph, before it too disappeared into ether – laid to rest…sort of.
While Zuriel tended to Iskra ’s wounds with the glow of her horn lowered towards his arm (and a glare segmented at him for his stupidity), he’d find his efforts were a little more forgiving on this round of melee and magic. The lightning snagged from Jack’s invocations did the trick – zapping at the first griffin as it spun and hissed, but still, not enough to maul it into Mort’s Realm.
On a wiser note, for the daemon anyway, it started to back away - not intent on being decimated like its kin.
--
Griffin Four and Griffin Five are down, Iskra has been healed, and only Griffin One remains.
Griffin One: 5/50
Griffin Two: 0/75 – dead
Griffin Three: 0/100 – dead
Griffin Four: 0/150 - dead
Griffin Five: 0/200 - dead
Deimos: 1320/1320
Jack: 150/150
Iskra: 30/30
The rhythm of the falls, the number of dead The rising of the horns, ahead
Through webs of lightning and towers of earth dragged from deep within the region's rocky core, one griffin stubbornly - or stupidly, depending on how you want to look at it - remains standing. And though it's already backing away, Jack steps forward with a sigh, drawing his hands from his pockets to absently twist at one of the many rings on his fingers. "It might be overkill, but I ain't keen for it to start clawin' at our ankles if we leave it standin'," he mutters, glancing pointedly to Deimos; he'd once witnessed the man yeet an innocent firesquid to death, so he doubts he'll mind.
Nevertheless, it's more of a zap than a flashy display of magic, and Jack unleashes a further lance of lightning to put the daemon out of its misery. He won't blame Iskra, either, if he wants to join in just to spite the thing, given how much trouble it's been giving him.
Jack says fuck you Griffin One and zaps it.
Regional Score bonus: +17 in all shrine visits, drops, PQ+s, KQs, etc. (You must post this at the bottom of any post where a +17 should be included). Residents cannot be cursed at shrines in this region.
Lightning manipulation (Abandoned/Hybrid): Can create and control Lightning. Must be within a 30ft radius.
Type: Light | Style: Other | Level: Mastered
Mageglass Ring | A silver ring with an unrefined stone of mageglass. Will amplify the magical abilities (range and power) of Abandoned by one level. (Basic becomes upgraded, upgraded becomes mastered. Mastered range cannot be amplified, but mastered damage will add on +10 in KQs/PQ+s)
Type: Light | Style: Other | Level: Mastered
Mageglass Bracelet | A bracelet of leather and silver, decorated with a piece of polished mageglass. Will amplify the magical abilities (range and power) of Abandoned by one level. (Basic becomes upgraded, upgraded becomes mastered. Mastered cannot be amplified, but mastered damage will add on +10 in KQs/PQ+s)
Type: Dark | Rank: Mastered
Type: Light | Style: Other | Level: Mastered
Mageglass Ring | A band of silver crafted to look like waves, with an unrefined stone of mageglass. Will amplify the magical abilities (range and power) of Abandoned by one level. (Basic becomes upgraded, upgraded becomes mastered. Mastered cannot be amplified, but mastered damage will add on +10 in KQs/PQ+s).
Type: Dark | Style: Defensive | Level: Mastered
KingMaker Coat | A coat made from the elephant-portion of the mythical KingMaker. Blocks physical damage. Has a 2 post cooldown
08-03-2025, 12:13 PM (This post was last modified: 08-03-2025, 12:14 PM by Iskra.)
ISKRA
The bodies around them dissolve into the ether, spirits finally cut free from their haunt. If Iskra had been keeping count—which he hadn't been, exactly, other than this one griffin that makes up for what it lacks in stupidity with fortitude—he'd find the rest of the threat had all vanished. Too narrowed in on his target, the desire to see it defeated, to find worth in his endeavors, Iskra steps forward as it retreats. The pain from his wound is no more under Zuriel's patient tending, to which he offers a "thanks," too focused for anything else. His skin is stitched anew and the risk of the nightmares from these beasts waylaid.
The new rise of the earth shield overhead grants an offering to his flame as Iskra moves, but with Jack's lightning back on display (and likely all the griffin needed to perish), Iskra siphons the spark of his magic off it once more. It's faster than reaching into his pocket for a new match, and it had proved effective the last time, so might as well go two for two here. "Better than under kill," Iskra mutters, concentration bending the electricity towards the remaining foe, striving for this one bit of accomplishment among so many failures in his wake.
Iskra says pls die Griffin One
Lightning manipulation (Abandoned/Hybrid): Can manipulate lightning. Must be within a 5ft radius, control is weak and unstable and requires concentration.
Type: Dark | Rank: Basic
The sound of iron shots is stuck in my head The thunder of the drums dictates
It was true; Deimos had no issue with things like overkill. They’d wanted the daemons desecrated, not left to forge onward and regain potency, and he figured the odds were far more in their favor with three layers of incantations pummeling directly into one being.
Which was exactly what happened.
Between Jack and Iskra ’s lightning, and Deimos unfurling another portion of rocks, the retreating griffin would find its wings and weakness were no match for the strength and prowess of the magic. Taken down immediately, it only quivered and sank for a moment, before it too followed the path of its predecessors, disappearing, and no longer haunting the barrows from which its families were buried below.
A long sigh filtered out of the Sword, watching as the shield lowered – dirt, rock, and soil filtering back down into the ground. “Well that takes care of them,” and he wrinkled his nose, before narrowing his eyes and looking back at Iskra. “You all right?” Zuriel fixed an imperceptible stare the younger man’s way, snorting, and then took her place alongside Deimos.
But even though they’d ensured this portion of land was well and fine, there’d been no sign of the supposed other daemon. Belial was still high in the sky, giving no sign of the beast, and there were routes that trailed off from there. Plots upon plots of family lineages still reigned across the horizon, whereas they had the remaining options from before. “We still need to find the dragon,” he mustered once they’d taken care of everything. “Do you want to look around these barrows, or head back and try one of the other paths?”
--
All the griffin daemons have been decimated – now to find the dragon!
The rhythm of the falls, the number of dead The rising of the horns, ahead
08-03-2025, 03:36 PM (This post was last modified: 08-03-2025, 03:36 PM by Iskra.)
ISKRA
There shouldn't be such victory in seeing the poor thing utterly pummeled beneath the three of them, but it rises all the same within Iskra, a fist pump chasing the vanishing beast as it finally falls to defeat. It does remind Iskra though, just how much training he stills need to accomplish, and how utterly vulnerable he still is, dashing any feelings of invincibility or pride he might have originally carted into this hunt. He'd be dead right now if he'd done this on his own. Only with the might of Deimos and Jack did he survive, and even then, he'd still been injured.
Seeming on the same train of thought, Iskra glances over as Deimos asks after him, forcing the reality deeper into place. "Ah, yeah, I'm all good now. Thanks to Zuriel." He offers the unicorn a more appropriate dip of his head in gratitude now that the heat of the moment is cooling.
With no better guess now to offer for their next attempt, Iskra shrugs a bit noncommittally. "Maybe the larger ones back that way. Could be hiding behind them." Convinced the coast is clear for the time being, Iskra pinches his lips with a shrill whistle, releasing Goose from fucking off, to which the husky bounds back happily.
There's no fist pumping from Jack - it's enough to know that they are all in agreement and that the griffins had absolutely deserved to be obliterated - but his shoulders do relax as they are left alone amongst the barrows of the dead once more. With relative calm descending over them, the captain releases those final strands of his magic and turns back to Deimos for the next set of instructions, because yeah - next is a fucking dragon.
"Seems like as good an idea as any," he says in response to Iskra's suggestion. "The guy I spoke to just said there were more further on, but that could be any direction." And if the leftmost path is clear, it's not as if the possibilities are endless. They can always just return later for another scope around.
Jack agrees with Iskra, having no reason to pick anywhere different.
The sound of iron shots is stuck in my head The thunder of the drums dictates
Zuriel gave a huff towards Iskra; difficult to determine if she was satisfied with his gratitude, or simply felt it was too little too late. Deimos didn’t bother discerning the mare’s commonly irritated mood – instead, nodding at the Abandoned’s assent, and listening to their decision. His gaze lingered upon the chosen path in the end, before sending another signal to Belial. “Fine by me.” The peryton screeched, and dipped lower, and the rest could proceed onward, towards the larger barrows.
The route was remarkably similar to the ones they’d already threaded their way through – family names pressed into stone, statue, or mound, some left unattended and sinking, others clearly visited frequently by the amount of flowers displayed. Only when they stumbled upon another smaller path, and the enormous barrows ahead, did he hear something in the distance.
A rumbling.
Within the next moment his companion signaled. Rather than granting an obnoxious yelp though, the carnivorous deer lowered himself – wings out in caution. If Belial seemed bothered, then they’d likely found their dragon. “Something is behind there,” he motioned with his jaw, so that they too could see the peryton’s outreach. “I can put a shield up again and we can move with it,” unless they had better ideas.
--
Something’s been spotted~
The rhythm of the falls, the number of dead The rising of the horns, ahead
