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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!
"'Plan?'" he echoes, laughter threading through his voice. "Koa, I was on a dragon last year. All you can do is hang on for dear life." Zavien shakes his head, promptly dismissing any delusions that there's more to it than that, and silently praying that Ronin isn't here to knock him in the dirt again.
The shift is palpable. Tension rises in his shoulders, thoughts and frustrations threatening to heat his blood with the arrival of Koa's younger cousin. The hold on his glass tightens, his features losing the lightness and laughter for something controlled and discretely restrained behind the expression he wears. "Kai." He says the name with a polite 'friendliness,' without anger or malice but lacking the warmth it once held. Rather than lean into the playful mood, he gives a reflexive smile and chooses to take a swig from his frozen lemonade, letting the other men convene while he subtly withdraws from Kaisel's abrasive presence and lack of remorse. Zavien silently wonders if it might be rude to ask Hawthorn if he wants to get another drink with him - even if it's obvious his glass is still half full.
I've done nothing wrong Except for all the atrocities
Being jump scared by one’s uncle while trying to flirt really didn’t help with the whole situation – but in the end Melita managed to recover and look as though she hadn’t been making suggestive remarks five seconds prior. Dashing a tear out of her eye from the welling circumstances, she merely grinned in both of their directions. “See, I would rig it.” What would provide the most amusement? Some small bean on a massive bull – and then everyone could watch it bounce off and into the ground? Someone fierce and strong paired with another light and indifferent?
Turning back to Iskra as if surprised by his statement, she gave a pretend scoff. “Well, yes. Here for some entertainment, you know,” which meant Melita would’ve been a suitable audience member for gladiator spectating. Then she grabbed another piece of chicken and pondered about visiting the vendors for another round of drinks – drunken rodeo viewing sounded even better. Tapping her chin at Sunjata, her enthusiasm for the pitched ideas grew. “Oooh, maybe you could be the end entertainment. Like all the previous riders have to try at the same time,” extending off Iskra’s notions. “And then they all fly off at once!” as her arms flailed outward to show the idea. “
When Kai swats her hand away, Flora gasps as though personally betrayed, fingers flying to her chest in theatrical offence before her mouth curves into something sly and devastating. "I am just making sure the prize is worth it," she says sweetly, eyes dragging down and back up again in a way that makes the assessment unmistakable. "Quality control."
His shadow-boxing demonstration earns a bright, indulgent laugh from her, and then he is gone in a streak of enthusiasm and denim, leaving Flora blinking after him with exaggerated disbelief before turning slowly back to Sohalia, one brow already arching in anticipation, and when her best friend emphatically hisses her name, Flora widens her eyes in perfect innocence. "Whaaaat?" she drawls, shoulders lifting in a helpless shrug.
Then she leans closer, lowering her voice just enough to make it delicious. "Either you buck him off," she says, as if outlining entirely reasonable options, "or maybe you finally get the sort of ride out of him you have been wanting." Her grin is merciless.
Soh’s nerves buzz like a live wire, and Flora softens just enough to bump her hip gently against her friend’s. "You will not get dizzy first," she assures her with complete confidence, as if she has already seen the outcome and approved it. Then she pauses, makes a show of wiping imaginary sweat from her brow with the back of her hand, and exhales dramatically. "It's so hot though," she sighs, glancing toward the arena and then toward where Kaisel has draped himself all over Koa before her eyes flick back to Soh, mischief returning full force.
"Maaaaaaaaaybe," she muses thoughtfully, tapping her chin, "as a tactic, we get your pegasus shift all sweaty and lathered up beforehand. so that Koa just slips right off."
Flora is standing with Soh at the drink stand
6/6 Clothes.
Flora
you can't be everything you wanna be before your time
Events have continued on in the arena, with the announcer using wind magic to amplify their voice and lead excitement through the crowd with eager explanations what what unfolds, good or bad, and final scores of runs. Cheers, hoots, and hollers raise up from the stands and behind scenes as cowboys and cowgirls show their mettle.
Everyone is really here for the finale though. The biggest and most dangerous challenge of all awaits, bull riding.
Regular bulls, to start, but upping the ante with those more powerful shifts here on he sheets. Leaning in to work out assignments with the others at the table, they finalize the matter and close the entries, posting the paperwork and sending gophers to fetch bulls and riders alike. They'll be getting started soon.
With her work done, Colt slips into the crowd, grabbing a beer and a corndog, and settling in beside Thalassa with a wide grin. "How're you enjoying it so far?" she wonders with a tilt of her head, hat giving way to the slide of her eyes to the blonde.
Entries are now closed!
300 MP in the pot | winning rider receives 225 MP + prize belt buckle | winning bull receives 75 MP
Please make breakaway threads for the bull riding and DM me the link so rolls and results can be posted. Anyone may start the thread, but the round and the rolling begins once the bull comes out of the chute and into the arena and the rider responds trying to hang on. If the bull creates the thread and wants to start right away, can assume your rider is on.
Rounds work as follows: the bull posts, the rider responds, I roll and post results. If the rider is still mounted, the thread continues into the next round.
1 round equates to 2 seconds of ride time.
If the rider survives 4 rounds (8 seconds) they win the ride and can then dismount and wrap up the thread.
You have 48 hours to respond once rounds start. If the rider does not reply within 48 hours, they are considered thrown and the ride ends.
The rider with the highest ride time wins. If multiple riders last the full 8 seconds, all of their roll totals will be added together and the highest total score wins.
Cowgirls don't cry Ride, baby, ride It's gonna hurt every now and then If you fall, get back on again
Received a Gilded Market wig from Remi that resembles her usual hair and is enchanted to stay on better than most wigs | has a reverse centaur tattoo on her left hand with the legs going down her pointer and middle fingers that looks like this.
"They sure as shit did," Jack says with a tilt of his head, the smile spreading across his lips half hidden by the next long pull he takes from his drink. Settling in the stand beside her, an arm thrown over the back of her seat around her shoulders and one boot propped on the seat in front, he can see the main arena buckling up for some bullshit. From last year he understands that a bunch of creatures who are also usually citizens of Caido are about to bolt out of the pen with riders on their backs - mostly not for very long.
Jack is just settling in for some schadenfreude when Calypso's mind brushes across his telepathy, gilded and cheerful and cunning all at once, and as she plops into the seat on his other side he raises his drink in greeting. "There are much worse places to sit," he agrees, glancing sidelong at The Ark as she looks the Marin girl over.
At her bold question, to avoid potential awkwardness, the Captain fills in the blanks just in case. "This is The Ark," he says, casual as you like. "The spirit of her, I should say. You've swabbed her deck and caulked her boards once or twice." He grins.
Jack is sitting with Caly and The Ark!
you wanted perfect, you got your perfect but now I'm too perfect for someone like you
Once he's finished his sign-up, Danta looks up just in time to catch Astaroth's wave, and he makes a beeline for him now that he's free until his time to ride is called. "I get to ride a hydra," he announces, having finished his drink and snagged another one as he slouches in to sit on Asta's other side, leaning in to obnoxiously smooch his stubbled cheek. What he doesn't mention is that said hydra is also Sunjata Wrenzaok - he figures the other man can live in blissful ignorance of that for as long as possible.
"I don't think I have long, I just wanted to check in," he adds, before noticing Nikandr at last and flashing a fanged grin at the young Abandoned. "And here I thought you were Asta's imaginary friend," he announces - he recognises Niki, of course, by the frail appearance, dark clothes and cane, but he has yet to set eyes on the boy in person.
Dantalion
it might be your wound but they're my sutures
Horns: Diamond - they look very similar to #2 in this image.
"...I see," Niki says, hiding his smile behind a sip of his iced tea and wisely not asking for further clarification on what Asta's fiance (and since when was that the case, he wonders distantly) has experience in riding. "No," he confirms about his experience horse-riding, gesturing to his knee brace. "I fear I would not have what it takes to get a horse to move, let alone to stop again." Not to mention the uneven ground the Greatwood often springs on travellers; Niki would be even more of an accident waiting to happen than he already is.
Dantalion appears then, a firecracker in a red hat and matching chaps, and the necromancer has been so involved in the conversation that he'd barely noticed him coming. "Ah, hello," he greets, laughing quietly at the prospect of being Asta's imaginary friend. "Alas no," he says. "I have been compared to a ghost previously though. I am sorry to say that is not true either."
Niki is sitting with Astaroth and Dantalion (until he's called away to ride).
my body's on the line now, I can't fight this time now I can feel the light shine on my face
Having picked a cozy spot to bask in the sunlight, Thal enjoys the various events. It's all a little showy for her, prancing and twisting and jumping. She'd much prefer a fight or something involving weapons, but the speed and precision are something she can appreciate, and she doesn't mind the distraction. At least the bruising on her face has dissipated enough to go unnoticed, and there are more than enough blondes in attendance to keep people from approaching her - except for one person.
When Colt sidles up next to her, Thal flashes a fanged grin, gesturing to her third empty plate with a flick of her tail. "Meat's not bad." Her fiery gaze slips back to the dusty arena, watching the crew prepare as she adds teasingly, "But the show could use some work." She'd be happy to give her opinions if Colt asks, but she accents the comment with a lazy draw from her beer, a smirk peeking around the rim.
When she lowers the bottle, she raises a curious brow when she looks to the rancher, the first true show of interest. "Did I hear Danta's name for the next event?" She hadn't realized the recently engaged couple was attending, but she's more than a little entertained by the thought of him participating.
is my value based only on your perception? or is your opinion of me… not my responsibility
there's an angel on your story and a demon in your bed feels a bit surreal, feeling bad, don't feel it yet
Almost as though he’d forgotten about the brace on the necromancer's leg, the butcher’s gaze drops down to it with an understanding dip of his head. “Ah, I see.” There’s little time for him to say anything else, because like chaos incarnate, Danta returns and settles in beside him and the butcher seems to open up a fraction more, warm and soft as he presses indulgently into the kiss on his cheek. “A hydra?” He hums curiously, a hint of mischief flooding through him. “Which head might you ride, I wonder.” He muses playfully, his dark gaze lingering on his fiancé with adoration and warmth as his arm slips around his middle (for however long before he’s called down to start).
A warm laugh leaves him to hear Danta’s playful banter with the Abandoned, his gaze skating over to Niki with amusement. “No, no ghost or imagination required. Danta darling, this is Niki, Niki, Danta.” He figures the official meeting couldn’t hurt, and it’s to Niki that the butcher’s gaze flits to next even as he talks to Danta. “He is someone who can appreciate our particular tastes in decór.” He flashes Niki a wink, thinking back to the interest in his bone chimes and their otherwise macabre choices.
Asta is sitting with Danta and Niki until Danta’s called away!
Astaroth
it's a roulette kinda deal, black and red is what you get
The announcement seems to come at the perfect time, the perfect excuse for Zavien to escape the discomfort of the situation.
He clears his throat, relief lining the polite smile he wears. His eyes pass quickly over Kaisel, lingering a little longer on Hawthorn, and longer still on Koa as he says, "That's our cue. I'm going to find my bull. See you all afterwards." Nodding his head, Zavien steps away, trying to make the motion look more natural, just eager to get his portion started.
He looks for Noah in the crowd, finding him beside Deimos and his son, Erebos. The young boy has grown so much, and if he weren't growing nervous for the round ahead, he might have stayed and gawked over the incredible passage of time. Instead, he throws them all a warm smile and a friendly wave, primarily addressing Noah when he gets close enough. "Looks like we're paired together. Ready for this thing?" His eyes are alight with excitement, disguising the other emotions bubbling deep in his gut.
"Oh my gods, Flora!" Soh exclaimed in a loud whisper, unsure whether to laugh or to cry. In the end, laughter won out, bubbling up in a nervous giggle that fell past upturned lips. "This is not the kind of ride that I might have preferred," she admitted, laughing freely now. "But I can't deny that it might be a teensy bit satisfying." After all, regardless of the outcome of our current thread there was a lot of history between them, and working it out like this might be more beneficial, in some ways, than talking.
Still, the nervous energy that hummed through Sohalia wasn't quite so easy to disperse. "I mean," she mused. "It's not like getting sweaty would take much effort in this weather." But getting "lathered up"? Now, that was another story. She sighed. "I'm just gonna -" But then they were calling out pairs, and Soh gasped as her name was called in conjunction with Koa's, because maybe a part of her hadn't thought that it was really rigged after all. "Oh!" she said. "I've gotta go - but, wait, Kai ran off. I don't want to leave you alone."
it's just a spark, but it's enough to keep me going
Minor powerplay allowed without permission.
Feel free to use force/magic on Sohalia.
No way you can deny, you feel the most alive when you are terrified
Kaisel might not be the brightest when comparing things that don’t shine, and being dense is a family trait, but he’s not oblivious. In fact, he’s usually less so than he lets on, preferring to run right through awkward moments or tension with enough speed and volume that his distraction drags everything along in the current he’s set. Noise and confetti do a lot more work a lot faster than bared teeth and veiled threats. So yeah, he catches the way Zavien straightens like he’s just discovered someone pissed in his Cheerios.
It doesn’t erase Kaisel’s smile, but it pulls at it, wrinkling against his eye with dissatisfaction. He thought when Flora had buried the hatchet with Zavien, that all was well and good, but seems the Risen Sun holds a grudge against the dark. ”What up Zavien,” he greets back, two fingers flipping out in a peace sign off Koa ’s shoulder.
Then the call comes, and the arena awaits, and Kaisel’s attention swivels over with the change. ”Oh shit, you’re riding too?” Kaisel says as Zavien begins to retreat, and though he’d like nothing more than to keep popping the party until Zavien yielded the stick up his ass, now doesn’t seem to be the time. ”Good luck man, that shit doesn’t look easy. Kill it out there, Stormbreak represent!”
He slides off his cousin with a gentle shove, affection forced into the motion. ”Good luck to you too cuh,” he says fond and bright. It’s then that something in the crowd catches his eye, and he sighs, the sound exceptionally dramatic. Without explanation, he kicks his boots off, hucking them under a bleacher for collection later. His dragon-pattern socks grip the dirt beneath, toes flexing under the fabric. ”Guess it’s just you and me watching them, huh?” he says to Hawthorn .
5/6 clothes
Kaisel
I'm a daredevil on the highway to hell
Wearing a watery blue, faded and stretched-out sparkling hair tie on his left wrist
Flora presses a hand dramatically to her heart as Soh half-laughs, half-panics, eyes sparkling with merciless delight. "If you hate it," she vows solemnly, though the corners of her mouth are already twitching, "if it is the worst experience of your life and you regret every second of it, I will take you out for dinner as a formal apology." Her brows bounce suggestively, absolutely doubting that would happen.
When Soh mutters about the sweat being inevitable in this weather, Flora has to bite down hard on the inside of her cheek to keep from dissolving into laughter, shoulders hitching faintly with the effort. Out of the corner of her eye she catches sight of Kaisel yanking off his boots, and a sharp little thrill zips through her like she has just won something already. She straightens subtly, smugness blooming warm in her chest, because gods if Sohalia isn't her absolute favourite person on the planet right now.
Reaching forward, she tucks a few rebellious strands back into Soh’s braid, smoothing them with gentle fingers, gold rings glinting in the sun. For all the teasing, her gaze when it settles on her friend is fond and steady. "I'm going to be fiiiiine," she insists, drawing the word out with playful conviction before her hands squeeze Soh’s arms once before dropping away. "I'll be cheering hella loud in the stands," she promises, chin lifting with confidence as her eyes flick toward the arena where names are being called. "Louder than anyone. Embarrassingly loud." A grin flashes, bright and fearless. "Now go. Make him work for it."
Flora is sitting alone in the stands
6/6 clothes
Flora
you can't be everything you wanna be before your time
“Nope.” Sunjata says with a crooked grin to Iskra at his question of saddles. Amusement flickers in his face long after the comment, but when it comes to whether or not Deimos is joining in on the rodeo fun, he can’t say he’s surprised to hear that the Sword just wants to enjoy the event. He tries to think whether or not he’d seen him last year here, but with everything going on his memory isn’t the best these days.
Laughing as Melita taps her chin and pitches an idea to him, he relaxes a little even as Melita’s hands flail out, used to the way his niece would gesture. “That’d be fun. Maybe I’ll suggest it to Colt.” He starts off, before Col’s calling them all to start. Nudging Melita and Iskra for a bit of good luck, he winks to them. “Well, wish me luck.” Something tells him Danta might handle it better than the others.
Sunjata slips away to start the rodeo round!
get a load of this trainwreck
No permission needed for power play!
Feel free to use magic/force on Sunjata, without killing him <3
Sunjata speaks with an Australian accent and has a passive magic that makes him produce a subtle scent that matches exactly to whatever those around him most desire him to smell like.
