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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!
Man, what a hell of a year it's been Keep on bluffin', but I just can't win Drowned my sorrows, but they learned to swim I need some good news Sittin' here, sippin' on cold truth
It started at her house—a dinner, some conversation, drinks. That's all it was meant to be, originally, a small little gathering, just the girls. She could have left it there, but when a lull came, Colt slid out the idea of going out in a way that was less option and more inevitability. They'd just moved here, and the vibe she got was that it wasn't exactly a celebratory change, which she figures your bar burning down to the ground tends to do. Doesn't help they chose the worst season to plop themselves into around here, so yeah, she gets it, times aren't exactly flying high right now. That's why you go out.
Two horses between the three of them—Caly and Nova placed together on ol' reliable Beans, while she's got Cheese, and some supplies in her saddlebag just in case. The House of Midnight is the closest option for them from her house, and she knows going too far will wear off the little buzz they already have and making turning in for the night sound better, so while she would have preferred more of a dive bar in town, Sunjata's fancy brothel with a bar attachment is their target destination.
"Whooooa," she says loudly, for effect on the siblings and Beans more than her own mount. Cheese comes to a lazy standstill and Colt slips off him with only the faintest stumble that betrays the liquor loosening her body. She laughs a bit at that, wobbling back to slouch against Cheese as she grabs for a rein to hitch him up. "We made it!" she announces, hands extending around her in grand display. Beneath the long fuzzy duster she's got on, Colt is decked out in an outfit Nova would approve of, the baby blue top sheer enough to let the color of her black bra show through, and the fabric shimmers a touch. She has on her nice, black jeans and clean boots, and a matching velvet black hat on over her hair. Silvery jewelry catches the evening light when she shifts, a grin worn like it's part of the entire assembly. She's ready to help retrieve Beans and steady him for their graceful dismount.
Wish someone told me Livin' this life would be lonely Tryna get away from the old me Still stuck singin' these blues Love keeps knockin', but I just stay home Still lookin' for the right at the end of my wrongs
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.
the sun inside of her rages like wildfire and she is gold, gold, gold
If she’s being honest, it sucked. But it didn’t suck as much as being back in Torchline did. At least this way she doesn’t have to run the risk of stepping outside to see Kaisel around, nor to see him possibly flaunting around with Flora on his arm. It was safer here, and those were all thoughts that escaped her when Caly’d let the buzz hit a little too long – thankful for Colt and Nova being there lest her thoughts turn sad.
Ew.
So the thought of venturing out for more of a distraction despite the cold is one she latches onto – happily put onto Beans and thankful for the warmth the equine has as they take the trek toward the brothel. Recognition glitters in her mind briefly, before she’s casting a side glance to Colt with a crooked smile and a nudge to her sister in amusement. “Nova an’ I can’t have too much fun here, y’know. Mom hates this place.” That and it reeked of Frey.
But she dismounts and huddles next to her sister, waiting for Colt to lead the way and listening to see if her sister had anything else to add to the thought she’d started.
Nova has ridden exactly one horse in her entire life (her brother) but that doesn't mean she's any less excited to hang out with Caly and Beans. The alcohol thrums in her veins, magic humming just beneath her skin as she rambles about whatever colorful topic comes to mind. She's practically a furnace to keep them warm and the white noise to block out any sadness that threatens to ruin their night, fully distracted by braiding the mane in front of her and listening to the crunching clop of hooves in snow.
She whoops at Colt's announcement, looking at the brothel with wide, curious eyes that are just slightly unfocused from the liquor working through her system. Her peach and blonde hair twirls around her head as she looks to her sister, nodding emphatically to the statement. "Ooooh, right right. We can't have too much fun - unless we also find a way to remind everyone that our mom's better than Frey." The mischievous glint in her eyes suggests she already has a few ideas.
Giggling, she hops down from the horse just as Colt has a chance to grab his reins, bouncing to regain her footing amongst the snow. She spins, grinning at the horse in her bedazzled pink and yellow jumpsuit with party sleeves. "Thanks, Beans! You're a great conf-coner-confler-" she pouts at the way the syllables catch on her glittered lip gloss, deciding to abandon the fancy word with a flick of her hair "talker!"
Man, what a hell of a year it's been Keep on bluffin', but I just can't win Drowned my sorrows, but they learned to swim I need some good news Sittin' here, sippin' on cold truth
An eyebrow arches up at Caly's warning, the thought not even having crossed Colt's mind, such that she spins back around, swaying in the process, to turn an accusing glance at the building. Recognition comes in with a small delay, as though finally remembering where she's at. "Oh," she says with a trill of a laugh and a shake of her head as she turns back around towards them. "Don't worry, that's not what we're here for, there's plenty more fun to be had here." She's more in the habit of using this place's attachments than it's founding purpose, whittling away time with familiar faces and conversation, people watching and setting boot heels to a dance floor before running on home. Certainly not their best customer.
"Although," and a knowing curl turns her innocent features up into a crease of shadow, hand stroking down the fuzzy coat of Beans, as though she's telling him and not the girls. "The best way to get distracted is definitely in some of these rooms. Nothing helps you get over the loss of something better than a night here." She forces a smooch to the velvet corner of Bean's nose as she departs from his side, having hitched him alongside Cheese. "Course, it doesn't last," and the glance she flashes them is one that threatens to kill the mood, so she blinks it away with a revived smile. "Sometimes all you need is a night though. But no, not this night."
She drifts to either side of them, leaning in with a sly glance that slips from Caly to Nova and back again. "This night we're doing something that's gonna stick. First," she holds up one finger between the three of them, her nail cutting through the night air as she waggles it. "We each assign each other a task we have to accomplish in there. For example," her cat's smile deepens as she turns her focus on Caly, her finger turning to point towards her. "You need to get a man to do push-ups. And you," her gaze and finger turn towards Nova now. "You need to get a man to give you a piggy back ride."
She leans back, tucking her hand under her chin in thought as she props her elbow on her chest. "You can't tell anyone what you're up to, the point is to naturally persuade them."
Wish someone told me Livin' this life would be lonely Tryna get away from the old me Still stuck singin' these blues Love keeps knockin', but I just stay home Still lookin' for the right at the end of my wrongs
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.
the sun inside of her rages like wildfire and she is gold, gold, gold
She doesn’t mean to be a downer here for her sister, but it’s helpful that Colt understands without Caly having to delve into the full reasoning behind it. As Nova thanks Beans, though, Caly hums a soft little drunk giggle, tugging her tassled black sweater around her a bit tighter. “Conversationalist?” Caly probes quietly to her sister when she’s already ended the sentence, choosing a different word.
Her attention returns to Colt, though, lips quirked curiously as the flush to her cheeks remains bright from the alcohol and the cold. “Yeah but it’s Frey.” Caly nearly whines, as if the thought of distraction at the blessing of Frey might burn her as much as Kaisel’s apology.
At any rate, she nods a touch excitedly, soaking in the task given to her with a chime of a laugh. “Oh easy. We’ve got this, don’t we Nova?” She nudges her sister with her elbow with a vibrant grin, before turning her attention back onto Colt. “What’ll you be doin'?” She leans in as if expecting something equally outlandish or perhaps more so given that it sounds like she’s done this before.
"That!" Nova snaps around to point at Caly, the word coming so easily to her sibling. She grins at Colt. "See?! My sister's the smartest! She knows all the big words!" There are plenty of other reasons she's the best, but the alcohol makes it a little hard to find that file amongst her shifting cabinet of glittery thoughts. Regardless, pride beams as she bumps their shoulders together like a punctuation of her awesomeness.
The chaotically aligned hybrid might be dense at times, but she knows exactly what the House of Midnight is famous for. Her lips raise in a hint of disgust at that idea, preferring other funner distractions like what Colt mentions next. She's already nodding so fast she might make herself sick, giggling when Caly prods her with conspiratorial laughter. "Yep! That's not even a challenge!" The big blue of her eyes suggests she's had lots of practice getting men to do what she wants, and a piggy back ride is almost too easy.
Flashing Colt a mischievous grin, she tilts her head all innocent and teasing. "You should get someone to buy a round for the whole bar! Or give you their shoes!"
Man, what a hell of a year it's been Keep on bluffin', but I just can't win Drowned my sorrows, but they learned to swim I need some good news Sittin' here, sippin' on cold truth
She waves off any pouting over Frey woth her hand since it isn't the point of the night, and because she certainly isn't stupid enough to debate gods with the children of one no matter how drunk she gets. Though, she has to hand it to Safrin, these triplets are one of her better choices. One in particular might take the lead in her opinion of that matter, but she's never had a bad time with any of them.
Grinning back at the sisterly completion of the garbled word Colt had chosen to pass by instead of burn smoke trying to register, she nods along in sage agreement of Caly's vocabulary IQ. "Careful with too many big words around the boys in there. We're looking for the slightly stupid ones tonight, and they get scared easily when you're smarter than them." She gives a wink to Caly at the warning, who she's positive has already figured that much out based on all of Vesper's moaning about how often she's hit on. It's actually Nova though that Colt thinks will manage the feats the easiest out of the three of them - something about her makes you wanna join right in with all her endless joy, like she's fun you can't help but catch.
A giggle rises from at Caly's question, and Colt's finger starts to swirl in the air, about to remind her that they're all supposed to be assigning each other tasks. At least, Colt thinks those are the rules she's laid out, but the thought is fleeting and easily veers away as Nova offers her a choice. Her finger instead taps her chin in serious consideration for a moment. "I could always do with some shoe shopping this evening," she decides with a smirk teasing up one corner of her face.
"Everyone set on their secret missions?" She glances between each of them for confirmation, sly as a fox in a henhouse. "Also, whoever does their's first wins. You'll get the honor of the using the end prize first." Here her gaze slides to the supplies still on Cheese, trusting him to guard them. Nodding between the pair of them she swaggers (read: stumbles a bit on the stairs, but sexily in her mind) towards the doors to the House of Midnight, parting them for her companions and revealing their playing field inside.
Wish someone told me Livin' this life would be lonely Tryna get away from the old me Still stuck singin' these blues Love keeps knockin', but I just stay home Still lookin' for the right at the end of my wrongs
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.
the sun inside of her rages like wildfire and she is gold, gold, gold
Flashing a bright grin and a giggle toward her sister for the compliment, she swans a little playfully before her amber gaze lands on Colt. “Oh, ‘m well aware.” She drawls, as if the boys that flirted with her were nothing compared to the one she’d actually dated. But that was in the past and she was here now, without the threat of seeing him nearby or within the confines of this house of Frey.
Leaving her gaze on Colt while Nova offers choices for which task she would do, the young attuned snickers when the woman decides on shoe shopping. Now, with their choices made and the prize perfectly protected, Caly follows Colt into the House of Midnight with her sister, squeezing her arm before she releases her to feel the heady heat of the brothel and bar.
Push ups. She repeats in her mind for a few times, cementing it, before she delves into the House of Midnight like she was born for it – flaunting and golden, vibrant and pretty, shooting warm and daring smiles at anyone that looked a little longer her way. Eventually, she settles beside someone that seems a bit stocky, not outwardly buying a drink for herself, sure that someone on either side of her might be willing to buy her one.
Not knowing many big words, Nova never has to worry about scaring guys off. If anything, her somewhat ditsy yet blinding personality draws them like moths to a flame - until they realize her fire is as dangerous as it is pretty to look at. Her sister is similarly skilled at luring men in with a bright smile and fluttering lashes, hiding her smarts and cunning like a secret blade hidden beneath her cloak, ready to strike when they least expect it. Nova's isn't nearly as planned.
That doesn't mean she's about to let anyone beat her at this game - even if she doesn't know what the prize is. "Yep! Let's GO!" Then she's bouncing forward into the House of Midnight, her finger pointed forward like a spear leading her into battle, straight past Colt and into the crowd.
An idea is already starting to formulate in her mind as she stumbles (intentionally and unintentionally) towards the bar, grasping at the countertop to peek over the top at the bottles beyond. A considering hum drifts playfully from her lips, "Hmmm... I don't know what I want..."
Man, what a hell of a year it's been Keep on bluffin', but I just can't win Drowned my sorrows, but they learned to swim I need some good news Sittin' here, sippin' on cold truth
Although this is no dive bar, it isn't without its own host of fools, attracting people from near and far in all manner of caliber, as dens of sin tend to do, even the fancy ones. Wiser men wouldn't push their luck after taking a look at the capable security, or run the risk of Sunjata himself being nearby. Many of those men aren't the ones that look their way when they enter though. The ones who's heads stay turned are the sort who feel a little too invincible, a bit too bold, chasing courage in a bottle just to work up the nerve to perform tonight, or might be looking for someone they think they don't have to pay for.
Colt does her best to avoid the attention of any of the staff she's familiar with, wandering away from the sisters to a table where three men are huddled around and laughing over cards. One kept his eyes lifted above his buddies heads since she walked in, and it's to him she winks and rounds towards to claim a seat near him, propping her feet up on the bench beside him. "Gods, these boots are killing me," she moans with a dramatic tilt of her head, sighing hard enough her chest sways with the effort. The buddy to the left leans away, scowling at the intrustion of her crossed ankles, but the one she's got a lock on twists a bit more in his seat to better face her, one of his hands conveniently needing to prop up on leg to grant him the motion. He smiles at her, and it takes effort for her to return the gesture when he's only got about three teeth left in his mouth.
Meanwhile Caly's arrival has certainly claimed the attention of someone, but not the muscled man on her one side, he's already been putting in work with the guy beside him. It's the tall and thin man on Caly's other side that leans in with open interest about why there's nothing in her hands.
Nova's stumbling approach to the bar keeps the attention of one shorter man nearby, who waddles to join her. He tells her what she wants with a confidence that suggests this is his go to move, his fingers tapping on the bar to order one for each of them.
Wish someone told me Livin' this life would be lonely Tryna get away from the old me Still stuck singin' these blues Love keeps knockin', but I just stay home Still lookin' for the right at the end of my wrongs
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.
the sun inside of her rages like wildfire and she is gold, gold, gold
It’s a shame that it isn’t the muscled guy at her side – but that doesn’t mean the lanky one to her other side isn’t capable of doing some push ups. Maybe he’d be able to surprise her – so as he leans in with interest about why her hands are empty and there’s no drink to be found, she flashes him her most gilded smile of innocence and debates what to get that might be good. "You got any ideas as to what's good? What d'you have?"
Of course, the question has her leaning into his space a bit, getting over the roar of voices from the packed house, though she imagines it’ll work better in her favor if things were a touch more intimate. So much so, that she goes so far as to tell him it’s her first time here so she really could use a guide. "It's my first time here, so..." And maybe, gods willing, it'll work in her favor to lift her spirits even more.
When it comes to competition, Nova doesn't much care for who responds to her summons, as long as they can get the job done; so when the short, swaggering man is suddenly ordering them two margheritas, she flashes him an appreciative smile that glitters and shines just as bright as her jumpsuit. He's not ugly, although she can't say where his confidence is coming from. Instead, she giggles, propping her arms on the bar as she looks admiringly up at him.
"Wow! You're so tall!" She doesn't mention how her brother is most definitely taller, figuring it's enough consolation that he's taller than her (who isn't?). Instead, her eyes shimmer, looking like a swirling galaxy in their slightly unfocused alcohol haze that she may be enhancing with some illusions. There's very little chance the man will mind when she's leaning forward with obvious interest, another girlish giggle on her lips. "The world must look so different from up there!"
Man, what a hell of a year it's been Keep on bluffin', but I just can't win Drowned my sorrows, but they learned to swim I need some good news Sittin' here, sippin' on cold truth
Ol' toothless offers her a foot rub in return for a rub of something else, but Colt's smile remains strong, if a bit tighter on the edges. "Oh no honey, I couldn't possibly take another step, and we wouldn't want you dropping your drawers out here in the open, now would we? So why don'tcha try a different offer hon, one that doesn't wanna make me limp on over to a different table." She wiggles her crossed feet for effect, although the man is sniggering as he cuts his buddies at the table a look, one that speaks of a conquest he hasn't actually won. Colt just rolls her head back and over to one shoulder, looking at him all crooked. "Whaddaya say we swap boots? If they fit, why then I'll be able to follow you anywhere." Hopefully he's not wise enough to string together a counter offer, like carrying her, although she doubts he's capable of it, likely trip over himself if he tried.
Caly's hooked a much more considerate sort, the man drawn in deeper and deeper to the warmth she puts on. He can't rightfully tell her what's good without knowing what she likes, he'll explain, not wanting to order anything she might hate. He does jingle the ice in his whiskey sour though, holding it up to her for a taste if she'd so like. At the idea of this being her virgin visit, his expression inclines higher, smile deepening. He promises he can show her a good night if she sticks by him, but only because he'd hate for her to spend it all alone and confused. It's a big, busy place after all.
Nova's margarita man is entirely brave and full of assumptions about how he'll be received, but the remark about him being tall stops him a bit dead. Her short stature had been part of his appeal, and she's all smiles as she insults him in the way only sarcasm can, so he's not immediately run off by it. He does clear his throat though, visibly bothered, and quickly drawn in by the sparkle of her gaze soon thereafter. She quickly does it again though, makes a backhanded remark about his short height, and this time his anger flares up a bit. He complains that she doesn't need to put him and his height down, that she can just tell him to go if she doesn't like him.
Wish someone told me Livin' this life would be lonely Tryna get away from the old me Still stuck singin' these blues Love keeps knockin', but I just stay home Still lookin' for the right at the end of my wrongs
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.
the sun inside of her rages like wildfire and she is gold, gold, gold
She can see the way the stranger draws into her – the way he thinks he’ll get something else out of the kindness of this trip. So at the question he offers, she flashes him an innocent grin for a not so innocent answer. “I like somethin’ with spice.” She pauses, considering, her head tilting as she lets her glittery personality flare further. “Somethin’ strong.” Raising her brow to him, it isn’t quite clear whether she’s talking about just the drinks or the person.
The golden attuned puts on quite the show, at least, scooting a smidge closer to him on the off chance she can get him to do the push up for her, leaning over to look at him with her head propped up on her elbow. “You strong enough to handle me for the night?” She asks, putting him on the spot with a sharp feline smile.
