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.
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05-05-2025, 09:53 AM (This post was last modified: 05-07-2025, 05:07 PM by Koa.)
idealism sits in prison, chivalry fell on his sword
(Set before the KQ!)
After spending way too much energy on his failing love life, is far overdue for some good old fashioned bro time.
So he'd written to some of said bros - Kaisel, Talyson, and Zavien - asking them to meet him and to bring their favorite gear, the goal being that they'd all get some practice in with weapons they weren't familiar using, and then try them out on a real target. That part will come at the end, though - for now Koa has a collection of practice options for them to try, the better to hone their skills and determine what works best in what situation.
And break shit, of course.
Some of the targets are already set up - a practice dummy he'd propped together, some clay pots Pip had secured to the higher boughs. But that can wait for the initial swag swap, and Koa has put his own contributions proudly on display. On a blanket spread in the clearing rest his most prized possessions: the bracers from Safrin, his sparky ring, and the chakram he's kept on indefinite loan. There's also some snacks, mostly jerky and cheese, as well as a healthy collection of beers - one of which Koa's already opened, and sips as he leans against a tree. As his friends arrive he'll greet them warmly, making the necessary introductions and instructing them to leave whatever they'd brought on the Mat of Swag and Shiny Shit.
Welcome to Koa's bro-out item-focused PQ, where we drink beer and play with each others' toys and maybe fight a void beastie later on!
Round 1, have your character arrive and share their toys! Koa has brought:
Type: Dark | Style: Offensive | Level: Upgraded
Leviathan Chakram | An unbreakable chakram created from the scale of a leviathan by the Voice. With razor-sharp edges, this discus will always return to the hand of whoever throws it, and will always do so without injuring the hands of the thrower.
Type: Light | Style: Offensive | Level: Basic
Static Electricity | A ring that when worn adds lightning damage to whatever item is held in that hand (or to an unarmed strike).
Type: Grey | Style: Other | Level: Upgraded
Taijitu Boxing Wraps | When landing an attack on an enemy (via an unarmed strike), may EITHER cause Upgraded Damage to the enemy, OR may give Upgraded Healing to the user.
Type: Grey | Style: Defensive | Level: Mastered
Starlit Bracers | Bracers that when activated extend the movement of the user's hand to 15ft total. Includes effects from items/weapons.
So maybe Ludo's Woods wasn't Tal's favorite place to be, but it wasn't the worst, either. He'd had some good memories here, give or take all the quests that required stabbing himself, and Boreal was positively delighted to be back as she sniffed around after stray will o wisps and old traces of cait sith.
But even if it had been the middle of Hak Etme he would have shown up for Koa. He owed his wingman and personal stylist plenty for helping a buddy out, and the Messenger was happy to swing by and bring some goodies to play with.
And some good Halovian vodka for those who didn't have to fly a skyboat after this.
"Hey Koa!" the courier called out cheerfully to his friend as he sauntered into the clearing. He was wearing a simple, dark cloak over his usual dapper, silver-striped vest, and fur-lined cuff on his right wrist, and gold glinted from the ring on his finger and the earring in his left lobe. His Goggles hung around his neck, ready to pull up at a moment's notice if shit got weird. "Oh hey! Snacks!" And with that the race was on as Tal realized just in time that the smell of jerky was irresistible to a certain dragon. He managed to tackle Boreal roughly two feet from the blanket and a brief wrestling match ensued which ended with the human bodily hauling his companion back out of the clearing with strict instructions to go find somewhere else to play for a little while. She huffed and ambled vaguely away, but as soon as Tal's back was turned she sank her muscled bulk down and stalked back, wriggling under a bush to watch the blanket with bright, pale eyes.
Tal gave Koa a sheepish grin and offered up his Dagger with something akin to relief, dropping it next to the other weapons on display. "I'm workin' on gettin' a second blade," he admitted. "One that'll do air damage. But between one thing an' th'next I've barely had time t'start th'tasks."
Tal brings:
Type: Grey | Style: Offensive | Level: Mastered
Special Delivery Dagger | A carefully crafted dagger veined with crimson markings, decorated with the foot of a blink hare. Upon making a stabbing motion in the air, the dagger may damage a target up to 30ft away from the user.
Type: Dark | Style: Offensive | Level: Mastered
Honed by Nightmares | A curious silvery coating covers the Special Delivery Dagger. Causes extra physical damage at an Mastered level.
Can't touch me, like Gojo—Look good in all my photos
Kaisel isn't sure why the fuck Koa selected such creepy woods, so when he finally trounces through them to the designated space, his eyes immediately light on the provided beers. He'd need something to steady him after crawling over dead-body tree roots and watching lanterns flicker like a heartbeat. He nods his head at his cousin, offering him a fist bump before leaning down to grab a beer and a bite of cheese.
He pops it open and glances at the spread with a hungry eye, taking a swig. He himself had nothing to offer, yet—YET, ok, he's working on it get of his back. Safrin isn't someone you displease, he has to be cautious with fulfilling her wishes. Can't make the star mommy mad.
He glances over at Talyson, lifting up a beer in greeting. "Hey! I'm Kaisel, Dragoon" he offers, glancing back down at the treasures as Tal adds another one, a dagger. Kaisel looks back up at him, nodding in understanding, until he isn't. Getting a second dagger, one with air damage—check, makes sense, and Kaisel fully supports it with two thumbs up and is about to talk about his own air-blade mission. Except then, huh, what? Kaisel pulls the beer away and squints at it, as if there's a secret message scrawled along the side of the can. No, yeah, that just said beer, like normal, not hey I'll fuck up you're hearing beverage. "What was the last bit you said?" Kaisel asks Tal, tilting his head like maybe that's the problem.
Kaisel brings...NOTHING sorry he's just a baby. He brings himself though, which is enough.
Kaisel
Sexy jutsu, I feel like Naruto—Fightin' demons in my head like I'm Itadori
Lucky for everyone in attendance, Sol has returned, otherwise, Zavien probably would have found himself hopelessly lost. But with his trusty compass back in the lead, he finds the meeting place with ease, especially when the little golden dragon scents the display of jerky. The Dragoon is close on his tail, a laugh echoing as he joined the others. He looks happier than he has in months, the darkness that had come then gone then come again now being firmly suppressed by the proximity of his companion. To those who know him, he almost looks like himself again, the pre-death ray of sunshine incarnate. There are still faint shadows under his eyes and a lingering tension in his movements, but he feels better, and the laughter that precedes his interception of Sol's bottomless pit is bright.
Waving his hand, he greets the others as he restricts his companion. "Okay okay. You get three." The little dragon looks very pleased with himself - just like he had for the last few days, beaming with pride at having finished his first Solo mission. He snags the pieces with lightning speed then goes to enjoy them near Boreal, telling her animatedly about his recent adventure with small chirps, flapping wings, and shuffling feet. Zavien can't help but smile at the purity of the moment.
He then grabs a beer for himself, popping the top as he lays out his shimmering starlight sword and dragon bracelet. Nodding to the sword, he adds, "Careful touching the blade. It burns." And since the other isn't obvious, he touches the top of the gold dragon head, letting the glowing light of a shield appear. Zavien takes a sip of the alcohol, grinning at the others. "So, what's first?"
Zavien lays out his weapons!
Type: Light | Style: Defensive | Level: Basic
Dragon Shield Bracelet | A shield contained within a golden bracelet shaped with a dragon's head clasp. Blocks magical damage at a Basic level. May be used 1x per thread.
Type: Light | Style: Offensive | Level: Upgraded
Starblade | A sword that glows with inner starlight and burns on contact.
idealism sits in prison, chivalry fell on his sword
Ahh, little do Sol and Boreal know, but Pipsqueak has already secured a full bag of jerky and run off into the trees. Now as the other companions revel around their meager ill-gotten gains, she leaps from the underbrush like a deranged jack-in-the-box, prize secured surely between needle-sharp teeth. With a huff of smoke she deposits the bag, crooning her superior hunting skills (Koa left it for her intentionally, but she'd never admit that). She even deigns to share among her subjects, nosing the package toward the other dragons and huffing for them to partake.
Koa is a far more gracious host, offering his friends smiles and beers and sharing like the best of kindergarten grads. Once everyone's situated with their swag laid out (and yeah, I see you Kai, dw we'll get you there), he raises his beer to get the attention of the boys. "Okay! So, I thought it'd be fun for us to try out different items and fighting styles. 'Cus you never know when you'll have to improvise, y'know?"
He jerks his chin toward the items on the mat, then points at the makeshift training dummy and hanging copper spheres. "First off, let's show off our own shit. And if you didn't bring anything, Kai, don't worry - I have enough to spare." Is he bragging? Yes, 100%. And he'd do it again.
Koa picks up the chakram and tosses it to the younger boy ("Head's up, cuz!"), then straps his bracers on. "Alright, first off y'all have probably already seen my bracers, but they can extend the reach of any weapon I have - or my fists - up to like fifteen feet. Watch!" Stepping forward, Koa launches a punch upward toward one of the balls, which bursts into a cataclysm of colorful powder, bright orange among the trees.
Turning back to his friends, he raises up his hand. "And then I also have two rings. One makes whatever I'm holding electric-" Koa snaps, causing static to arc from his fingers "- and the other one does gravity damage." He curls his fingers, leaving only a playful middle finger and the onyx band it holds. "But I promised Safrin I'd never remove it, so that one's not for shares." #SorryNotSorry, his goddess comes first.
Demonstration complete, Koa returns his objects to the Swag Mat, then looks over his friends. "Alright, who's up next?"
Round 2, show off your swag!
Kai, you can use the chakram so you don't feel left out. What a good cousin you have.
Sol isn't shy about sharing in Pip's goods, praising her with a grumble of approval before enjoying the spoils. As he does so, he again recounts his story of heroism in exuberant movements. Even if they couldn't communicate in their own language, they'd be able to tell exactly what kind of important and exciting tasks he'd been honored with and how the griffin made it home safely. His chest puffs with pride, his head high as he anticipates the impressed reactions of his fellow dragons.
Meanwhile, Zavien watches Koa display his items as he sips his beer. He's familiar with most of them, but he still takes mental notes, trying to figure out what his next request might be of the gods. He'd been so consumed with his quest for the Rose and his own struggles that he hadn't really thought about it. Now, he considered the benefits of extending the range of his own weapons, tapping the glass of his beer as he does so.
When his fellow Dragoon is finished, Zavien pushes off from the table he'd propped up on, grabbing his own god-blessed items while he sets aside his drink. "I guess I can go." He flashes them all a smile, starting first with his sword. Raising it, he twists and flicks the blade with all the ease of someone who rarely goes without their weapon. "As most of you know, my sword can burn on contact." With a quick movement, he lays the flat of the blade against one of the dummies, the smell of burnt fabric immediately raising into the air. Lowering the sword, he reveals a blackened shape on the target.
The only other item he raises to present (sorry, only Koa gets to know about the ring) is the scaled bracelet in the shape of a dragon. "And this one is a magic shield." Tapping the head of the golden dragon, a glimmering shield of sunlight appears. Another tap collapses the light, and Zavien sets it on the table with his sword, retrieving his beer again as he waits for the next person to go.
05-10-2025, 08:41 AM (This post was last modified: 05-12-2025, 10:30 AM by Kaisel.)
Can't touch me, like Gojo—Look good in all my photos
Everyone has dragons too. Fuck man, he's truly got nothing.
The beasts wind and twist into their own flurry of displays and guarded items, namely jerky, and Kaisel glances at them with fondness. His attention drifts from the trio as Sol joins in, swinging to Zavien with a nod in greeting as the man sets down his glowing sword (cool af) and bracelet.
Sipping his beer Kaisel listens to Koa, nearly choking when his damn cousin calls him out by name for lacking. Okay, that's how it is huh? Guess he might need to tell an embarrassing story, or maybe dig out some naked baby pictures to get even. Coughing through the beer burning in his windpipe, Kaisel can't get a word in before the chakram is tossed his way. He grabs it, surprised, still squinting and wheezing against the tracheal assault. The ciruclar device feels powerful in his hands and he glances down at it, hungry.
He lifts his attention back to his cousin as he speaks to each of his remaining tools and demonstrates like a grade a badass. Kaisel still feels like a boy under Koa's accomplished shadow, though it doesn't daunt him, quite the opposite. All that his kickass cousin can do inspires the young Dragoon, and he grins with the anticipation of one day standing here with an equal amount of armaments and talents. 'Brows lift a bit at the new gravity ring, a low whistle of appreciation cutting through the attentive silence. "Hell yeah bro," Kaisel appraises with a grin and an air high-five.
Focus shifts to Zavien as he steps up, his items deadly and so very shiny. "Whoa!" Kaisel calls out with an impressed nod of his head as Zavien brands the dummy. "Ever hurt yourself on that thing?" Kaisel asks, glancing at the deadly blade with a healthy dose of respect. Any blade can be turned on its owner, but that one in particular seems especially bitey.
Clearing his throat Kaisel steps forward next, his beer left where he'd been standing. "So uh, I'm still questing for my knuckle knives that'll do air damage, but this Chakram here is made out of Leviathan and it'll always return to whoever throws it without injuring them. It takes some getting used to with it's shape, but it's all about the wrists," he says easily about a weapon that isn't his, having learned a lot from watching and practicing with Koa all this time.
Kaisel sweeps one foot a bit behind the other in fighting stance, his free hand tucking near his face in a protective block, his other drawing the chakram level to the side of his chest. He swings the arm free, snapping the toss with his wrist near the end and sends the most deadly frisbee ever towards a clay pot that splinters with a chime. The chakram spins back around and snaps to Kaisel's hand, and he rises from the stance with an accomplished smile before stepping back to his spot and beer, glancing over at Tal.
Kai demonstrates Koa's chakram!
Kaisel
Sexy jutsu, I feel like Naruto—Fightin' demons in my head like I'm Itadori
Boreal had not managed to grab any jerky stupid Tal so Pipsqueak's arrival - while always met with enthusiasm - was this time greeted with a particularly joyful bass carol of approval. Sol, of course, was equally missed and the big, burly bulldog of a dragon crooned and wiggled with excitement as she nosed between both her small friends and the offered jerky like she was about to burst from happiness. She listened to Sol's tale with all the admiration of a proud mother, and nosed the golden ray of sunshine to give him a little lick of affection at the end of his heroic tale.
Her joy was infectious and Tal had to duck his head against the smile that twitched past his guard. Not that he had much of one up. Koa and Zavien were true buddies and he stopped fighting the grin at Zav's arrival, reaching out to clap him on the shoulder and admire his sword. As for Kaisel? Well, maybe not every friend of Koa's was a friend of his, but with Koa vouching for him it sure went a long way! Tal nodded at the younger man and lifted his vodka flask in cheers. "Tal Seawright, o'Seawright's Delivery Service," he introduced back. Though he wrinkled his nose in confusion at the question that followed. "Whaddya mean? Th'bit about questin' for a new weapon?"
He noted that Kaisel hadn't brought anything to share, but then when Zav brought them back on target and Koa started explaining a soft ooooh escaped as he looked between the two - cousins? - at Koa's pointed ribbing. But when Koa started showing off his toys the courier's pale eyes got reaaaaal focused, especially on the rings, and he sucked in a breath of pure envy "Hail," he murmured in admiration before going to lift his own Dagger with a faint flash of discomfort. He stood back, content to watch the others and sip at his hard liquor until everyone else had gone.
Not because he wanted to show off, but because he wasn't exactly on great terms with his own weapon at the moment.
When Kai turned to him Tal gave an awkward little shrug. "Well, uh, most o' my stuff ain't really for fightin'," he admitted. "I'm a courier, not a soldier like all o' you. But my armor'll give anythin' that hits me a nasty shock." One corner of his mouth did lift wryly as he tapped the flat of his blade against the silver striped black Vest he wore. "An' I've got stuff that'll let me see through darkness an' protect me from extreme temperatures. An' I can Heal if anyone gets hurt today," he added after a moment of thinking through what else he was willing to share. "But if y'want weapons t'play with, well... guess it's just my Special Delivery Dagger." He shrugged, the shadow of a grimace returning as he turned to the practice dummies... and then shifted his attention to a simple archery-style target towards the back of the assembled Shit to Hit that he took a stab at without moving from where he stood. The target was nearly thirty feet away, but Tal made a half-hearted stabbing motion in its direction and hole appeared in the target, cracking completely through the wood and seeping a silvery darkness that ate its way deeper and to either side, slowly devouring the target from within. "Mostly it just hits things that're up t'thirty feet away. Oh, an' it's coated in Ludo's nightmares so it's kinda... poisoned." He shrugged again, taking a hefty swig of his flask and looking uncomfortable as he returned the deadly knife to the pile and then glanced at Koa to see what was next.
Tal demonstrates his Special Delivery Dagger and the Honed by Nightmares poison on its blade! And takes a drink.
05-12-2025, 10:27 AM (This post was last modified: 05-12-2025, 12:12 PM by Koa.)
idealism sits in prison, chivalry fell on his sword
Everyone shows off their stuff with great aplomb, even Kai, who handles Koa's actually Sunjata's but he hasn't asked for it back so yolo chakram with practiced ease. The young commander sips his beer, offering approving nods and impressed whistles at appropriate interludes. Tal's the only one who seems uncomfortable flaunting his wares, though Koa supposes that's fairly on brand. "Your dagger's what inspired me to get my bracers!" he tells his friend encouragingly, as though having been imitated might instill the confidence in the weapon that the courier seems to so sorely lack.
Demonstrations complete, it's time to swap. Pushing off of the tree trunk, Koa strides back to his position before the assembled men. "Alright, now that we know what toys we have on offer, time to play around. Everyone grab something you've never tried before and give it a swing - either against a target or each other. I," he grins, snatching up the bracelet and strapping it on his wrist, "Wanna give this bad boy a go. Who wants to try and hit me with something magic, huh?"
Too bad his exes are missing this opportunity, eh?
Round 3, try each others' items! Koa has grabbed the dragon bracelet and invited someone to hit him with magic (so the spark ring, probably)
ALSO WE ARE NOW IN MOURN AND WE'VE BEEN HERE THE WHOLE TIME, SHHH
He tried a weak smile at his friend's support, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. Still, he seemed to appreciate the effort, and as he let go of his Dagger he seemed to lighten up a little. He looked almost relieved, actually, to have set it down. Even more of his discomfort faded as they moved on to the next step, and his pale eyes dipped straight for one of those rings he'd been admiring earlier.
"Dibs!" he called out with a flicker of a grin trying to break past his frown. He slipped the ring onto his finger, opposite of the hand that held his Ring of Mending, and then made a fist. After taking a moment to appreciate how good it looked against his tanned and weathered skin he turned his attention to Koa with brows raised. "If you're sure about this, pal..."
And then he stepped in with a pretty decent punch aimed at the Dragoon's shoulder
Tal punches Koa with the Static Electricity ring!
Type: Light | Style: Offensive | Level: Basic
Static Electricity | A ring that when worn adds lightning damage to whatever item is held in that hand (or to an unarmed strike).
Kai's question is met with an obvious grimace. "Yeah. It was one of the requirements for Safrin to strengthen it." Luckily, he'd been with Alys, who'd immediately heeled him, but just the thought has Sol whining softly amongst the other dragons. Smiling playfully through the discomfort, he returns the sword to the table. "I don't recommend it."
Zavien watches the others present from his perch, sipping casually at his beer. Ideas were running through his mind, although he was more than a little excited when the time to 'play around' arrived. He keeps some of his attention on Koa and Tal as they test out the shield and ring while he peruses the other options.
Having already tried a few of Koa's items throughout their many adventures, Zavien gravitates towards Tal's equipment. He lifts the dagger carefully, unsure how much of a movement would cause an attack. It's with extreme caution that he moves to point it at the target - the one farthest away from the others. Once he's sure no one is in the line of fire, he swipes the blade, letting out a whistle when he sees another patch of black ooze from the middle of the target. "Dang, Tal. This thing's pretty sweet. Glad all that pain was worth it." Not that the courier might agree with him.
Can't touch me, like Gojo—Look good in all my photos
Kaisel practically has to lean in to understand the way Tal smashes words together into some new conglomerate phrase, like his speech is a Wal-mart mowing down mom and pop letters left and right. Fuck this vowel, why the fuck do we need this consonant?
Kaisel just flashes him a smile, pretending he heard and understood the second time even though he's just as clueless.
As Koa instructs them to swap weapons and test out something new, Kaisel immediately goes for Zavien's badass star sword. The warning Zavien gave, and the truth about it burning him, only seal the deal. Kaisel has to play with it. He reaches down for the general safety of the handle, grinning like a kid in a toy store, and takes a few practice swings at the air before launching into a pattern of strike and block against one of the dummies. He's mostly handled knives and the chakram, so he's slow, even clumsy at times, especially as he pauses to admire the scorching damage it does against the unfortunate dummy.
"W sword," he shouts over to Zavien.
Kaisel tries Zavien's star sword on a dummy.
Kaisel
Sexy jutsu, I feel like Naruto—Fightin' demons in my head like I'm Itadori
idealism sits in prison, chivalry fell on his sword
Things continue to be fun and easy, with beer sipped and punches thrown and pointy toys exchanged. The bracelet blocks the jolt of electricity that might have otherwise left Koa's hair standing on end, but does nothing against the punch itself. Even with his experience taking blows, this one stands above, causing Koa's teeth to rattle as he holds his ground against the Courier. "Damn, Tal, you're strong as fuck!" Koa exclaims, impressed.
And then, from behind them, a shriek.
Koa spins around like a top, eyes widening as he takes in the scene. At the other side of the valley of flowers a literally nightmare stands, glowering at the boys. Previously hidden behind the sloping hill, the corrupted unicorn now towers against the skyline, its body a mass of fluid grace that glitters in the sunlight like an oil slick. It's a thicc boi, with a crown of obsidian horns and eyes that even from this distance shine with malevolent, violet fire. It shakes its head, snorting loudly and pawing once, twice upon the ground.
"Fuck," Koa hisses, snatching up his bracers before stepping out in front of his friends. The thing is a good fifty feet away, but that's a distance it can close with ease given those long legs. Strapping his bracers on hurriedly, he calls back to the other men: "Alright, boys, time to pony up." Hopefully they've gotten enough practice with their weapons, because the unicorn isn't going to give them time to swap.
With a final snort it charges toward them, deadly horns glinting in the sun.
UH OH A CORRUPTED UNICORN IS CHARGING US! Time to show you know how to use your borrowed playthings. Koa has put on his bracers, the the chakram and wraps are still up for grabs!
Can't touch me, like Gojo—Look good in all my photos
Kaisel goes rigid at the creepy as fuck noise. He KNEW this place was a terrible location, damnit Koa!
He turns stiffly, sword still held firmly between his hands, drawn up defensively before him as he peers over at the void monstrosity. Just the sight of it sends a roil of sickness in his gut, utter disgust for these foul infections that have crept and crawled into their home. Beneath that though, there's a certain satisfaction, a glimmering thread of silver glee at the opportunity to purge one of them from this world. He'd cut them all down if he had the ability.
Koa moves with the ease he'd expect of his well-practiced cousin, but he trusts in Zavien's skills too, and given that Tal is here and seems known by the others, he'll trust that smooth talker too. It's not much time, just enough for them to assemble, and the foul unicorn is charging.
"Let me sword fight with it," Kaisel calls out as he steps near the front, shimmering sword ready to swing from his hip to crash with the violet lances. "You guys target the body!" His weapon has a longer reach, and the stretch to match that thrust, maybe even cut clean through the crown. Time to find out, he grins, his battle stance set and fingers gripping the pommel in preparation of the clash. He'll need to move into it and sweep, side-step to avoid the pummel of hooves, but he can do it.
Kaisel strategizes a bit and prepares to clash his sword with the horns
Kaisel
Sexy jutsu, I feel like Naruto—Fightin' demons in my head like I'm Itadori
