What do you get when two ruthless assassins raise their daughter travelling through the wildest reaches of Caido? Take one look at Theea and you'll get a pretty good idea. Cheerful and tenacious in equal measure, and curious beyond all else, she began her journey on a mission to find those her mother once called family. And find them she did, soon rubbing elbows with demigods, leaders and even ghosts from the past. Her determination is resolute, her thirst for knowledge unmatched. We can't wait to see where her next adventure takes her!
Congratulations, Theea!
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!
The Silk Houses were a lovely section of Stormbreak, filled with color and light even in the darkening twilight. Music filled the street every time a door to one of the many establishments to pleasure and vice was opened, and whatever else was occurring in the heights of the Tower, here the citizens came to forget about their troubles and focus on the present moment. While there were women and men walking the streets who were clearly inviting business transactions of a certain sort, there were also buildings that served as bars, restaurants, alehouses, and teashops.
It was to one of the restaurants that the pair found their way, a stately and elegant edifice several stories tall from which delectable aromas wafted even before they had entered its doors. The dress code was, fortunately, relaxed, though quite a few of its customers had dressed up in more formal clothing for a night out at the Argent Bow. Enough wore regular clothes that Hadama and Lena did not stand out, though there were a few whispers of surprise and smiles of welcome and gratitude for the Celestine's Caretaker as some of the patrons recognized her.
The silver weapon that gave the restaurant its name hung behind the bar counter on the first floor, but the waiter led them upstairs to the second where they could sit overlooking the common area below with a little less noise to disturb their meal. A violinist played quiet accompaniment with a cello below them, tucked discretely into a corner, and the music was a pleasant counterpoint to the buzz of conversations around them.
"Do you have any recommendations?" Hadama asked Lena as the waiter handed them menus and then slipped discretely away until they were ready to make their orders. "What is Stormbreak known for?" As Torchline was known for its fresh seafood.
Mastered Item:
Type: Light | Style: Other | Level: Mastered
La Verbena | A personal skyboat (schooner) capable of travelling at 2x wagon speeds over most types of terrain. Can accommodate 2 people onboard during flight.
The stroll was pleasant, and she only had to pause several times to address and answer a few clients who often passed through the Celestine, looking for advice on animals and companions. By the time they arrived at the Argent Bow though, she was quite famished, and tried to ignore the grumbling in her stomach.
The menu made it rumble even more so, and she gave a light laugh. Perusing the options, fair prices and fairer displays, she could recall eating here once or twice, before dashing away to her occupation or another errand. “The drinks here are superb – anything will do. As for the food,” her finger ran down the sides and dishes, until she came to a few of her favorites. “The parmesan dream bird can be quite good – ignore the rumors about it – and the blink hares in the cider, cream, or mustard sauce.”
And for a world known for their sagacity and stone, local delicacies weren’t a huge thing. “We seem to have a little bit of everything. Lots more importing since the skyboats opened up,” which meant higher quality of goods (or those of the smuggling variety).
Hadama listened, intrigued, at the praise for the drinks. His gaze flickered briefly to the cocktail list before returning to the food menu to follow along with his friend's recommendations. "Hmm. I have had neither before," he admitted, pleased at the chance to try something new. "But I think I will try the blink hare tonight." And save the dream bird for a time when they were not already dealing with waking nightmares. "Do you have a favorite dish here?" Whether locally sourced or one of the imports she had mentioned.
With his entree sorted he turned his attention back to the drinks list, sliding his finger down the side as he read each one in turn. He paused at one, interest lighting up emerald eyes as he made his decision and then waited to be sure that Lena had been given ample time to make her own choices before he looked for the waiter.
The man was already moving smoothly back into place beside the table with a smile and his notepad at the ready. "Blink hare in mustard sauce. And the 'martinez,' please." Hadama's quiet rumble was quickly jotted down and then the man turned his alert attention to Lena for her own order.
Mastered Item:
Type: Light | Style: Other | Level: Mastered
La Verbena | A personal skyboat (schooner) capable of travelling at 2x wagon speeds over most types of terrain. Can accommodate 2 people onboard during flight.
“The blink hares,” she nodded and winked, but ensured her order wasn’t the same – preferring the cider sauce, before turning to the drinks and ordering something sweet rather than anything alcoholic; she had to return to the Celestine before too long.
Once the waiter took their orders and she gave her gratitude and thanks, another came around with fresh, warm rolls, and she immediately dispersed the plates, snagging at one of the offered butters – cinnamon, delightfully gliding over the knotted bread the moment she eased the knife amidst it. “Will you be staying in Stormbreak much longer?” He must’ve had some other things to attend to – depending on whatever mission still reeled.
Bread was one of those landfolk inventions which had captivated Hadama since he had first started visiting Haulani. Even now his eyes lit up as the basket of rolls was delivered and he nodded his thanks as Lena slid the plate to him. The knotted crescents were still hot, fresh from the oven, and their exteriors were a warm brown that glistened faintly in the light, crunchy and flaky. He choose and and pulled it carefully in half, releasing the steam from the fluffy white interior and the heavenly aroma that rose on it.
He looked over the spreads that had come with the bread and chose one that seemed promising, dipping his knife into the maple bacon butter and applying it to the hot, white interior of his roll. He watched it melt with satisfaction for a few seconds before taking a small bite and letting the flavorful combination roll over his tongue.
"Mm. Two more days," he revealed once his mouth was free again, though his stoic expression had relaxed into one of quiet bliss at the delicious food. "I will visit another friend tomorrow. See a few more sights." Stormbreak was too big to visit all in one day, so spreading out his tour had been necessary.
Their drinks arrived as he spoke and he inclined his head in gratitude as they were slid into place before the waiter whisked away once more. "I will try to visit the Celestine before I leave. Has it been busy this season?" A time of young creatures, adorable but not necessarily bright, might make for a busy few months if he had to guess.
Mastered Item:
Type: Light | Style: Other | Level: Mastered
La Verbena | A personal skyboat (schooner) capable of travelling at 2x wagon speeds over most types of terrain. Can accommodate 2 people onboard during flight.
Relishing in the bread as well, she was more than content, already beginning to consider taking more home – figuring Zavien, Sol, and Mittens alike would all dig in – and it’d be a nice snack after morning or evening chores for the next couple of days. All the while, she listened as Hadama unfurled his plans, smiling and swallowing down several more bites before answering. “It’s always busy,” she added with bright cheer – unbothered by the sentiments. “And I’ve been extending our gardens, so that has kept me plenty occupied.” And with Zavien’s quest – there’d been multitudes to concoct, in leagues and places.
Taking a sip of her drink and easing through her shoulders, she eyed the rolls again before opting out, not wanting to fill up too quickly. Realizing she hadn’t asked about his own region, she persisted in discourse rather than plucking any more bread into her clutches. “How has Torchline been?”
The bread alone was worth the visit, and Hadama selected a second roll after his first one had mysteriously vanished from his plate. This time he dipped a knife into the cinnamon butter, applying the sweet spread liberally to the fresh, soft roll as Lena shared the Celestine's routine and her own improvements besides. "I would like to see the gardens," he murmured, curiosity piqued though he was not particularly blessed with a green thumb. He still enjoyed the color and aroma of blooming flowers and took inspiration for his metalcraft from the patterns of nature in curling ferns and scalloped leaves.
Lena's self control was rewarded as their entrees appeared in the heels of her question, the blink hares arriving on warm plates in their respective sauces, with a colorful serving of lightly steamed vegetables on the side. Hadama gave a quiet thanks to their waiter before lifting his knife and fork to apply them to the savory meat, and for a long moment his friend's question went unanswered as he let the first bite melt in his mouth. He gave a sigh of quiet contentment after it was gone, and then smiled across the table at his friend, inclining his head in a half-bow of gratitude for her excellent recommendation. "Mmh. Torchline endures, though it is not without its... colorful moments. Last week a young monkey wandered out of the jungle and into the Port. A single small monkey is not a problem, though it stole some fruit from a merchant. The problem arose when its family came after it, and discovered the Rum Fountain..." An entire troop of drunken monkeys running amok was, in fact, something of a problem, although in hindsight it had been a rather humorous one and no one had gotten injured.
The meal passed in similar anecdotes and light gossip, stories shared between the Celestine and the Coast. A lantern against the shadows of the future, resolutely held as a reminder of the normalcy that they were fighting for. When the last bite of dessert had vanished and the check had been dealt with the two went their separate ways, but the Tidebreaker was lighter for the time spent with a friend.
