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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!
Zavien entered the Celestine, so familiar with it that he wasn't surprised by the group of cloud wyrms that fluttered over the stream or the glowing light being emitted from the tree he ducked under. Having spent the last few months helping Lena and hiding from his problems among the flora and fauna, it had become something like a second home, one of the only places he felt safe (deceptively) from the Family. It was why he chose to bring Maea there, allowing them the opportunity to speak more frankly - although he held no misconceptions that the Celestine was out of the Family's range of perception.
Sol flew ahead, gliding down to his favorite grassy clearing where he roared playfully at a grouping of mata matas. It sent them fleeing to the sky where he followed close behind, black feathers fluttering into the shoots of green grass. A few benches scattered the area, lit by the soft light of the garden, inviting and relaxing in its warmth, a quiet oasis within the dangerous city.
Picking one of the benches, Zavien set the bundled satchel at the edge, indicating for Maea to take a seat as he did a final check for any unfamiliar eyes. When he was comfortable with the assessment, he sat on the wooden planks and turned his attentions to the pale Ancient. His expression was open, floating between polite softness and gentle curiosity, prepared to shift depending on Maea's words. "We should be relatively safe talking here."
The real tragedy is men who are afraid of the light
A bit wide-eyed as she absorbed the beauty of the enchanted area, Maea followed Zavien with Shii riding in the shelter beneath her hood. It seemed a cross between a forest, a park and some kind of animal hospital, and it was entirely lovely in ways that felt a bit foreign to her. Whether stemming from the peace that emanated from the recovering creatures, or the presence of gods she didn't know well she couldn't say.
Taking a seat on the bench when Zavien stopped, she kept looking around, absorbing the surroundings with a keen interest even as she focused on the reason why they'd come.
"Thank you, for sparing me a moment," she murmured softly. "I suspect the original purpose for the cooperation we were talking about in the past is obsolete by now, yes? Well, I've been asking around for ideas on how to keep up with the resistance in case current plans don't pan out the way we hope. Do you know of any people who would be available to join me? Would you be interested?" Maea knew very little about Zavien and his abilities, or indeed about his friends, other dragoons or those ordinary folks that tended to get caught up in events. Yet those were the ones who had time to start preparing now, just in case - and Maea needed to find them, and find a way to reach out.
Maea
// I threw stones at the stars but the whole sky fell //
The topic was as he'd expected, and Zavien kept a neutral posture as he leaned back on the bench. "Correct. The circumstances have changed too much." There were too many people involved to have a streamlined system of information. As such, they'd resorted to sharing when they could and when it was relevant.
His eyes narrowed at her question, puzzled. "I'm not sure I know what you're asking." He crossed his arms, watching as Sol chased one of the lingering mata matas. "As a Dragoon, we've been doing what little we can to keep the people here safe despite everything. That includes precautions outside of the general 'plans' that people have been discussing."
Zavien did his best not to fidget, but his leg still bounced, nervous energy emerging with the curiosity. "What kind of resistance are you trying to coordinate?" Raising an eyebrow, he looked to Maea to see what ideas she may have.
The real tragedy is men who are afraid of the light
Fidgeting with the hem of a sleeve, picking at a lose thread she kept forgetting to fasten, Maea tried again, though it was as difficult to speak plainly as it was to consolidate her reaching thoughts.
"Suppose that the island is not conquered before it's too late," she explained, painting up the kind of scenario they were trying to prevent. "Suppose the Family gains the upper hand in the war, and we are forced to retreat behind the barriers. That we can't communicate freely, and the Wilds become inaccessible due to the void. How do we keep fighting from there?"
Following Shii with her eyes as the wisp slipped out of its hiding place to bob along in Sol's wake, Maea pushed her hood back from the face. "I know that's something that may not happen, but I'd feel better if there were some backup plans being made. I have been made to understand that there aren't any, currently. Just the 'gardening project'." As a survivor of the Hollowed Grounds and many a LongNight, that didn't sit well with her. Maea had been raised to hope for the best and prepare for the worst - and she couldn't imagine a more dreadful future than to be back in a cage with no way out.
Maea
// I threw stones at the stars but the whole sky fell //
In a small, dimly lit enclosure, you spot a cluster of ordinary-looking mushrooms. However, as you observe, one is plucked by an invisible hand and immediately begins to glow with a brilliant light. The Magic Mushroom's beacon-like glow illuminates the entire enclosure, casting eerie, dancing shadows on the walls. The air hums with latent energy, and you feel a strange pull towards the glowing fungus. The sight is both mesmerizing and unnerving, a stark reminder of the potent magic that pervades the Celestine.
You’ve encountered a Magic Mushrooms. This counts as a rare creature encounter for the purposes of levelling, but does not count as a Random Event for levelling or MP. There will be no further admin/re intervention.
Magic Mushroom (Rare): A mushroom that glows like a beacon once plucked, it appears like any other mushroom until its stem has been severed.
Off to the side, Sol welcomed Shii into his fun, divebombing into the under grove of the trees. Just at that moment, a mysterious source plucked a mushroom from the ground, emitting an enchanting glow that made the dragon chirp in surprise. Zavien glanced as his companion pursued the strange fungi, intrigued and cautious of danger as he watched. Sol landed in the midst of the mushrooms, his head perked curiously. Reaching out a paw, he swiped at the stem, jumping back as it began to glow ominously. Hopping and chirping with delight, he circled the area and called Shii to join him in investigating the plants.
Shaking his head, Zavien redirected his attention back to Maea with a contemplative tilt of his head. "So you want to make contingency plans? In case everything goes wrong? Like where to go and how to communicate? Or where to strike if the 'gardening project' is proving ineffective?" He furrowed his brows, still trying to understand exactly what it was she was trying to do, and how she expected him to help. It wasn't that he was against assisting an additional line of resistance, but he wanted to know what she had in mind, and who else might be involved.
The real tragedy is men who are afraid of the light
"Well, in a way. I – " Breaking off when the brilliant light flared up across the path, Maea grew rigid until her eyes adjusted enough to see what the source was. Blinking dazzling spots from her vision, she followed Sol with her gaze as the dragon bounced up to a cluster of mushrooms, broke off a stem and caused another flash - "Gods, that scared me," she sighed, chuckling weakly at her own skittishness. "Actually, yeah. At least I want to get people thinking about backup plans. I grew up in the Grounds, before the barrier fell - and I don't wish a life in a cage on anyone. I'm worried that that's what we're headed for, if Starfall fails." Watching Shii join in with the game of mushroom exploration, she shot a glance at Zavien to gague his reaction. "I've got some vague ideas on what might help prevent that, but I'm sure there's plenty of smart and capable people out there who could make them better. People who don't have the means to fight, who can't or haven't been able to gather flowers - I just don't know how to find them. I was hoping you might...?" Not only was he a dragoon, part of an organisation trained for these things, but he was a good guy. The kind who attracted other good people, and gained trust easily. If anyone knew where she might start, it should be him.
Maea
// I threw stones at the stars but the whole sky fell //
Totally unbothered that his antics may have startled Maea, Sol continued bouncing and swiping around the mushrooms, chirping loudly whenever the light flashed again. He upped the energy when Shii joined him, showing the will-o-whisp how fun it was to look at the magical fungi.
Zavien didn't have time to appreciate the childish wonder, too busy trying to puzzle through what Maea was saying. It was worse than any riddle or book he'd tried to read, contorting in all the wrong ways that made his brows furrow as a small frown appeared. "I'd be curious to know what those ideas are," he whispered, unsure what she may have thought of that the rest of them hadn't.
Turning to glance at her, the seriousness on his face wasn't from lack of kindness, but lack of comprehension. "I just want to make sure I'm understanding what your intentions are." He tilted his head, twisting her words into something he thought he grasped - although it still confused him. "You think that if the Starfall plan fails, all of Caido will be infected, and you want to know if there are any people - other than the big players - who might be willing to help brainstorm ways to prevent us from ending up stuck in the protected regions, right? Like a conference of sorts? Of likeminded people who have the time to spare for such efforts?" Still trying to figure it out - and earning himself a headache in the process - Zavien crossed his arms, leaning back to listen and hopefully uncover what the Ancient was trying to get at.
The real tragedy is men who are afraid of the light
He summarised it better than she could, and Maea nodded vigorously to assure him that he was spot on. "Yes, exactly. Either a conference or several smaller meetings - whatever feels safest to people." Growing animated as she felt her idea being received, her hands drew patterns in the air as she spoke to clarify even further. "From my experience, the most dangerous thing about the wards is how safe they really are. It's tempting to hide within them and shrug and say that's how it is, what can anyone do. But that kind of complacency... it leads to stagnation. Loss of agency. We'd go from 'can't' to 'won't' to 'who cares' so fast... and in time so many things become lost." In three hundred years, the Grounds had forgotten everything about the outside world. No one came, no one left, and those who tried to find a way out were seen as mad and dangerous. It had taken outside influence in form of Outlanders to see and do what the naturals had given up on - and even then the resistance had been immense.
"I've been thinking that it might be good to stockpile ingredients commonly used in quests, in case they become dangerous to collect. And maybe to gather two-way communication devices - like parchments or mirrors - to make sure the regions don't become isolated from one another. Maybe even portals between the capitols - though that would likely need leadership approval and quests. Just... small things to keep us connected and able to keep planning and fighting back."
Leaving the companions to their antics, she was only vaguely aware of how Shii began selecting mushrooms for Sol to pluck, in some sort of experiment to see if the flash was bigger if the fungi fruits were big too.
Maea
// I threw stones at the stars but the whole sky fell //
Zavien couldn't say he agree with Maea's belief of people getting complacent. The people he knew were too set on vengeance and retribution to ever sit on the sidelines, and the Dragoons would never give up on Stormbreak. However, brainstorming ways to stockpile quest supplies or set up communication means could prove beneficial. The only issues he found was in the variability of quests and their recent reliance on Void creatures, as well as the necessity for regional leaders to approve some of her ideas.
Still, he wouldn't discourage further preparations, and he thought it may produce further ideas during whatever meeting she arranged; so Zavien nodded his head, bouncing a foot as he watched Sol. "I suppose that might be helpful. I'll bring it up with the other Dragoons." They had their own objectives, but perhaps they could send a representative.
He turned his eyes to Maea again, tilting his head in thought. "Some other people you might reach out to... Talyson and Alys in King's End, and Hawthorn might be willing. I think you know Liam already. Sohalia in Torchline - along with Melita if you can convince her that there will be chaos involved. And then Noah in Halo. The rest of my contacts are leaders, and I don't think they'd have time for more meetings, but these should be a good start - although I can't promise any of them will be available. People are busy with their own quests and regions." And if anyone agreed to hear her out, Zavien wasn't sure they'd then agree to assist in whatever plans were discussed.
Sol snapped his teeth around the stem of a mushroom Shii landed on as the Dragoon asked, "Did you have a time or place in mind?"
The real tragedy is men who are afraid of the light
Committing the names to memory, Maea realized that she indeed knew all but one. "Yeah, I know him" she confirmed about being acquainted with Liam - her expression softened at hearing his name mentioned, a little smile lingering even as Zavien went on - and she pushed an escaped strand of hair behind an ear. "I don't think I've met Hawthorn... where can I find him?"
As to the availability or interests in participating in her meeting, that wasn't something Maea could really do much about, and so she shrugged lughtly in response. "I can't make anyone do anything, just invite them to come and talk." She felt she needed to try, at least, and if only one other person heard her concerns and spent a moment to consider what the worst case scenario might look like, then that was good enough for her.
"Haulani seems like the best place, given the wards," she replied in regards to location. "Setting a date is harder, as I don't know how far people will be traveling... Do you have any suggestions?"
Maea
// I threw stones at the stars but the whole sky fell //
"Thorn works at the House of Midnight in King's End. He's not one to get involved in things most of the time, but he's a good guy with similar views." He shrugged his shoulders, leaving it at that so Maea could ask for herself. Zavien wasn't sure whether the courtesan would be interested in assisting, but he trusted the man regardless. The same went for the other people and whether they would be interested in such a meeting, content to let them decide for themselves, although he wasn't sure he'd necessarily endorse it if they asked.
Having never coordinated anything more than a house party, Zavien hadn't the faintest idea what went into planning a conference. His brows furrowed, considering her intentions for using Haulani. It wasn't a bad idea, but he said, "I get that, but you might want to ask leadership before - just so you're not stepping on any toes. It might also feel less neutral within Torchline's borders, so be careful." And as for what he thought about a time, the question caught him off guard, making him laugh a little. "Soon enough to make a difference but not too soon that people don't have time to travel."
Beyond that, he gave her a more serious, sympathetic look. "But Maea, I don't want you to be disappointed if not many people show up. There's a lot going on, so few people have time to spare from their own efforts just to travel and have a conversation that might give them new ideas."
The real tragedy is men who are afraid of the light
"Noted, thank you for the suggestion."
Leaning forward to rest her elbows against the knees, she turned her palms up, as if to invite suggestions for what else to do, if not this. "There will always be a lot going on, and people always tend to their own houses first," she acknowledged, matter-of-fact. "If the consensus is that I worry about nothing then I will accept being paranoid and go back to searching for roses. I just... think that I'd be more disappointed in myself if I do nothing, than if I try and nothing comes of it." At least she would have done everything in her power to prevent a future she would suffer to live in.
"I appreciate your input," she went on, rising to her feet as she smoothed the dress over her hips, "and your help. I'll figure out the details of the meeting and make sure you get an invite. Thank you, for hearing me out."
Shii came bobbing towards her as she gathered up the parcel, and did a drive-by past Zavien's ear she the wisp could chime silvery tones of gratitude like an echo of Maea's.
Maea
// I threw stones at the stars but the whole sky fell //
Zavien couldn't tell if Maea was disappointed by his response, if she really understood his reasonings or if she only said she did. Whatever the case, he'd said his piece, and she could decide to do with it what she would. however, he still added softly, "I don't think roses are the only option, but I'm not sure a large, coordinated conference is the answer either. There are plenty of small ways to make a difference." He smiled, knowing that he had done plenty without making much of a true impact on anything: a rose, quests, battles. Zavien might not have been the biggest or the strongest or the smartest or the most of anything really, but he knew that he could help in little ways, and sometimes those little ways could tip the scales in the end.
Nodding his head, he stood from the bench, his shoulders tensing at the ball of light that buzzed past his ear. Sol followed the will-o-wisp shortly after, trotting proudly forward with a glowing mushroom in his mouth. Zavien chuckled, offering Maea another polite smile. "Of course, and I wish you luck on your conference."
[FIN]
The real tragedy is men who are afraid of the light
