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Character of the Season
Once known as the Butcher of Whitebrim, he's now The Butcher of Dygra, stepping forward as the first created demigod of the Ancients. There is no question that Astaroth casts an intimidating silhouette. Tall, domineering and dangerous, if looks could kill you'd be dead already, but to get up close and personal with the Grounds' resident cannibal tells a much different story. Dripping with charm and clad in only the finest attire, Asta is a gentleman monster, as polite as they come and committed to his role as security for the Dusklight and those who have earned his loyalty. Be careful of that smile, though - those teeth are sharp.
Congratulations, Asta!
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!
01-18-2026, 05:46 AM (This post was last modified: 01-20-2026, 10:08 AM by Dantalion.)
you're livin' for the rush, for that royal flush, but you take what you can get
Transporting unicorns across regions might seem like a hellish task during Longheat for anyone else, but for a group of Ancients, where one of whom is chaotic and/or whimsical? Child's play.
That's how Danta has decided to see it anyway, which likely explains his attire (read: straight out of a western movie or, in his case, from last year's rodeo), the Maverick standing in one of the many endless fields in the Barrows with his thumbs hooked into his belt, the mist already starting to burn away with bright sunshine that promises another scorcher of a day.
He's corralled his best and brightest - which is Asta, and then bribing Kiada to come along too (and having her bribe her husband) - as well as asking around to hire some ranch-hands to assist. They are here too, and on horseback to boot, which is probably a good idea in general, but Danta has other plans. Ancients are predators after all, and what better way to get a herd moving than to herd them?
"We got eyes on a group of 'em just a field or two over," he says around the obnoxious sprig of wheat between his teeth, Danta flicking up the brim of his hat to grin at his companions. "When we get there, it's your choice how you wanna do this - in shift or out of it. No dragons though, OK?"
Welcome to the PQ! Round 1 - Post your characters arriving and decide whether you'll be herding on foot or in a shift!
This is for the following RQ requirement:
A PQ of 4 (or more) Grounders gathering a herd of unicorns to assist with #4. The PQ must start in The Barrows, move through the Outer Brambles and end in the Inner Quarter. The thread will be split each time they enter into a new land.
As good as Danta looks wearing his previous rodeo outfit, the butcher decides to personally play it safe. He’s dressed up in boots, dark pants – jeans, admittedly. It feels a bit more rugged than his usual preferences – and pairs it with a relatively breathable shirt with the sleeves rolled up. It isn’t as though the butcher needs to cool off in the heat, but it certainly does help the sun soak in easier to his skin.
“Fyrhund at the ready, darling.” He flashes a vibrant grin, too sharp and toothy but for those that don’t know the butcher as well as the Maverick does, it’s for an eagerness to run in his shift and what better to do than herd some unicorns with it? He might be able to give the ranch hands a run for their money.
The heat is certainly something, and while it definitely doesn’t bother her as it might have once done when she was Attuned, she’s thankful to have more feeling as an Ancient for it than when she was Ascended. Not that she’d be caught out in the sun back then – not inclined to burn to death a second time, mind you. Today, though, Kiada wears a wide brimmed hat and sunglasses, a flowy shirt that’s tucked into her pants and boots to join in. Its comfortable for the work they’ll be doing, at least she hopes it will be.
Her gaze flits to Asta once Danta’s done speaking, hearing that he’ll pick a fyrhund shift. And while Kiada doesn’t have many in her belt, either, she doesn’t particularly seem keen on doing this by foot either. So rather than pick the lial and its bursts of speed to intimidate the unicorns, she tilts her head as she thinks about it, a few stray hairs going rogue that she tucks behind her ear. “I think I’ll use my cinderscourge.” A flighted one could help, especially if she sticks behind and swoops in from the sides at a distance enough away that they won’t take her as a huge threat.
At least, that’s what she hopes.
Kiada picks her cinderscourge shift to herd with!
am i more than you bargained for yet?
Kiada has a large X scar on the right side of her neck.
No permission needed for power play!
Feel free to use magic/force on Kiada, without killing her <3
There's no denying that this isn't Fox's first, second or even third choice when it comes to spending his time off in Longheat, but a few persuasive words from Kiada and he's anyone's - so here he is. Dressed in a loose flannel shirt tucked into a pair of blue jeans already smudged with dust and smoke, he's shielding his eyes even over his sunglasses to try to spot the herd in question, just about able to make them out in the distance.
"I'll use my fyrhund as well," he decides, stepping a little closer to Kia and slipping an arm around her to give her a gentle squeeze. "I trust you'll keep me from getting gored by a unicorn?" he asks in a lower voice, smiling to her. Or being eaten by Asta? he might have added, but given the size of the herd and the work they'll be doing, he intends to keep away from the tall Ancient as best he can.
Fox will herd as a fyrhund!
astra inclinant, sed non obligant
Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!
Horns: Small, bone-like protrusions (aka your stereotypical devil horns) that are easy to miss in his hair.
"Two dogs, two birds, and a bunch of wranglers. I reckon we'll do great," Danta says once everyone has announced their intentions. His own, if the two birds didn't make it clear, will be to soar above as a gore crow, and after relaying the information to the ranch-hands, the plan is confirmed and it's time to set off across the Barrows to where the herd is.
The ranchers are right and the group of unicorns isn't far away, grazing on the sweet grass and ignoring them for the most part, though a couple of skittish mares to nicker warily at their arrival. "Let's try this out then!" Danta announces, beaming to the little group and promptly shifting into his feathers to wheel up and overhead as the hired help starts to encircle the herd and drive them forward.
Round 2, let's get herding!
1 fyrhund to flank the left side
1 fyrhund to flank the right
Kiada to hassle any stragglers at the back
Danta will be flying up front to keep everyone going in the right direction!
Dantalion
is just carvin' through the dark
Horns: Diamond - they look very similar to #2 in this image.
Greeting Kiada upon her arrival and then Fox – he can’t help but to indulge in a little bit of his theatrics. If his smile grows a bit brighter and sharper each time he lands on the monster hunter Ancient, he’d never tell. Hearing that he’d pick a fyrhund, too, the butcher’s attention flits to Danta once the tasks are laid out.
With the plan made, the butcher shifts swiftly from man to fiery canine – the plates of his armored hide reflecting the very scars of his own human form, only far more on display than usual. The cracks carve deeply into his back and his chest in the same streaks, caving in rather than sticking out as the thick scar tissue often does.
Grateful, as he alwsys is, for the charm on his wrist, there’s no fear when Danta shifts to his crow shift and Kiada presumably shifts to her cinderscourge, instead the canine!butcher aims for picking the right side of the herd upon their approach, taking the guidance and lead from the hired help.
Kiada is lucky it doesn’t take more convincing than sweet talking her husband into doing things she’s sure he’d have a billion other better options to do – so it’s with a saccharinely sweet smile that the harpy leans easily into his arm as he announces his intentions, peering up at him with her iceberg gaze and a playful bounce of her brows. “I’ll make sure nothing even tries to hurt you.” She promises him sweetly and quietly – code for I’ll keep you safe from the shadow man.
With the plan settled out, the harpy tugs Fox down for a parting kiss and steps away so she can shift into her flighted shift – joining Danta in the sky as a dark rust-colored hawk. She climbs into the sky, wings carrying her higher to take the rear – her keen gaze focused on the fyrhunds, hands, and any unicorns that could use a little extra convincing.
Kiada takes up the rear and makes sure there’s no stragglers!
Kiada
I am a fire that was set
Kiada has a large X scar on the right side of her neck.
No permission needed for power play!
Feel free to use magic/force on Kiada, without killing her <3
"I will hold you to that," Fox says with a crooked smile, leaning in to receive the offered kiss before he's finally parting from Kiada to get to work as well. As the herd comes into view and the ranchers take their positions, he can already see Asta peeling away to the right, which suits the hunter just fine. In the next few steps he's shifting as well, hot and rocky paws hitting the parched earth, but he's on the move too quickly to risk setting any new fires.
Opting not to glance across at Asta's (larger, craggier and more fetchingly scarred) fyrhund, Fox circles to the left to join those on horseback to begin corralling the unicorns forward, ensuring none try to go rogue. He also takes his direction from the hired help, and there's no denying the freedom that comes from being able to just run for a while.
Fox shifts into a fyrhund and banks to the left!
astra inclinant, sed non obligant
Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!
Horns: Small, bone-like protrusions (aka your stereotypical devil horns) that are easy to miss in his hair.
Danta's job is relatively easy in comparison to the others - at the front of the pack with the quickest ranchers, he's able to bank and scout ahead for any potential problems. The path forward seems clear, luckily enough, but he can spot a potential worry to the right that has him diving low enough for Astaroth to be able to hear his croak of warning.
Asta might hear the rough call of COWS, in fact, and if he glances around to the nearby fields, he'll spot a small herd of High Land Cows munching on fragrant grass - right where they're hoping to keep corralling the unicorns. He'd better do something about those unless they want a nasty collision!
As for Fox, despite being smaller than his fellow fyrhund, evidently his part of the herd are a lot more skittish, because a few of the unicorns rear and try to shy away from the sight of him, bumping their compatriots and risking changing their direction entirely. A softer approach might be needed!
Finally at the back Kiada will find her job relatively straightforward. A few stragglers are always going to be part of this, though, and she will see a couple of unicorns in need of some 'encouragement' as they continue.
Round 3!
Astaroth has some High Land Cows to worry about - does he try to steer the unicorns around the herd, or does he try to spook the cattle away?
Fox and his presence are spooking the unicorns on his side, so it might be worth changing tactics!
Kiada has found a couple of stragglers in need of some motivation. How she chooses to do this is up to her!
Dantalion
is just carvin' through the dark
Horns: Diamond - they look very similar to #2 in this image.
Unlike Fox, Asta has zero qualms eyeing the smaller fyrhund – content that nobody would dare to get them confused as they take up their positions and begin to herd the unicorns. It starts off well enough, at least until his orange eyes spot Danta as he lowers and banks toward him – the croaked out COWS giving him a moment to look and spy the cows that are definitely in the way of the drive they’re currently making. Ears twitch, glancing back at the hands to see if they’ll step in when he breaks away.
Once he’s sure they will, the butcher bolts up the grassy hill away from the unicorns, aiming snapping jaws and a smoky maw to threaten the cows off and away from the immediate trajectory of where they’re herding the unicorns. He keeps moving, too, a back and forth kind of motion to make sure he doesn’t start a fire as well, hot paws singing the grass beneath his feet.
Asta makes sure the hands will step in and he breaks away from the group to go and harass the cows to get them to move!
The world is new to you, and you to it. During PQ/PQ+/KQs/Drops, you roll with advantage on luck-based rolls and receive an extra name during drops. (In order to use this, make sure to note the ability at the bottom of each post)
Taking to the skies, the harpy lets her gaze linger momentarily on Fox as he shifts – admiring the fyrhund in the way a bird might be able to. A few more pumps of wingbeats has her settling in right behind the herd, though, her hawk-eyes taking in the unicorns as they start to move. It’s pretty easy so far, noting the fact that a couple of unicorns get antsy with Fox, but before she has a chance to shriek a little warning to him, the stragglers seem to hang back a little further, leaving an opening for her to encourage them.
She’s got no qualms with it, though. Swooping down with a cry that has her essentially diving down toward the unicorns that need the encouragement, she hopes it’s enough to get their asses in motion to get back in with the rest of the herd.
Kiada dives down toward the straggling unicorns and makes some noise and swoops toward them to try and get them to pick up the pace!
The world is new to you, and you to it. During PQ/PQ+/KQs/Drops, you roll with advantage on luck-based rolls and receive an extra name during drops. (In order to use this, make sure to note the ability at the bottom of each post)
Kiada
I am a fire that was set
Kiada has a large X scar on the right side of her neck.
No permission needed for power play!
Feel free to use magic/force on Kiada, without killing her <3
Fox notices the way the unicorns start to panic at his presence probably before anyone else does - he doesn't spend a lot of time around horses as it is, and it wouldn't surprise him if they can sense his apprehension to some extent. Either way, as the ranchers close in around him as if to try and coax the herd from trying to bunch together or bump each other, the hunter makes the logical decision to put some distance between himself and the left flank.
Peeling out and away from the unicorns, letting his legs carry him across the grassy fields with ease, he hopes to remain in view enough that they can see each other but far enough away that they relax. And if all goes well, it means that if any of them do try to take a stroll out by themselves, all it will take is him getting a little too close for comfort for them to retreat back to the safety of the herd.
Fox peels away from the herd a bit so he isn't so close, but remains in sight in case he needs to coax any of the unicorns back where they belong!
astra inclinant, sed non obligant
Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!
Horns: Small, bone-like protrusions (aka your stereotypical devil horns) that are easy to miss in his hair.
you're livin' for the rush, for that royal flush, but you take what you can get
There's nothing quite like a charging fyrhund to get you to haul ass, and Asta will find that his method of encouraging the High-Land Cows to move is predictably effective. Will they potentially tromp off to bother some other farmer in someone else's field? Maybe - but that's not a problem for the group of Ancients and hirelings to worry about.
Fox and Kiada will find themselves equally as successful in their endeavours, whether that's nipping and screeching at the stragglers to get them to keep up or wisely putting some distance between a rocky canine and some skittish horses. Soon enough the drive falls into an easy rhythm, and besides needing to make minor adjustments for straying unicorns or taking breaks, the journey across the Barrows passes without incident.
It's as they continue to the northeast and grow close to the shoreline between King's End and the Hollowed Grounds that the ranchers whistle for the birds and dogs both and advise that they ought to make camp for the night. Danta, already wing-tired and struggling to see in the growing shadows, happily swoops down to land and shift back onto two legs.
Sunset is well upon them now, but alas the work isn't yet over, and he yawns as he hears out their next set of chores.
Round 4! We've made it almost all the way across the Barrows, now it's time to make camp and get some rest! There are several chores that need to be done:
- 1 person to use the supplies and rations to set a campfire and cook a meal for the group!
- 2 people to assist in creating a makeshift fenceline to keep the unicorns from wandering off, using rope, stakes and the surrounding trees.
- 1 person to help put up tents
- Also decide if you want to be on 1st, 2nd 3rd or 4th watch!
Dantalion
you play your final ace for a pretty face, tastes like scotch and cigarettes
Horns: Diamond - they look very similar to #2 in this image.
He charges at the High Land Cows and watches as they begin to hop away. It curls the satisfaction in the butcher’s canine heart to chase after them a small amount until they’re for sure not going to get in the way before the fyrhund is returning to the group – taking up his duty at ensuring no unicorns get lost in the herding of them. Following along the flank until they’ve finally reached a spot to set up camp for the night.
Shifting back into himself, his limbs feel quite sore but in the way that he’s sure some sleep tonight might heal him from as he sidles up beside the Maverick while the chores are divvied out. “I will gladly build the campfire and cook.” He offers out, tail gliding over to brush affectionately against Danta’s leg before he’s stepping over to the supplies to snag everything they’ll need. The campfire is easy to put together and with the help of fire magic, the butcher gets a merry little flame going.
The rations themselves are spread out, and with Asta having the prior experience of many campfires in his past, he’s got this down to nearly a science, ensuring the food isn’t burnt and is cooked well for the group, mindful of everyone else’s preferences over his own.
Asta picks the campfire and cooking and gets to work! He’ll also take first watch.
