From being an Abandoned who had rarely left the Hollowed Grounds, to embracing the call of adventure, to dying and being reborn first as an Ascended and then as an Ancient, Maea has gone through quite the amount of changes in her life. One thing remains common, though, in her attempts to find out just where she belongs; she’s always had a craving for knowledge which has brought her to so many places and to meet so many people here in Caido. We can’t wait to see what else is in store for her!
Congratulations, Maea!
Credits
Court of the Fallen was created in October of 2018 by Odd, Honey, and Crooked.
Skinning and hosting by the epically talented Kaons, and functionality fanciness by the coding magic of Neowulf. If you ever see either of them around, make sure to show them some love!
09-09-2019, 06:23 PM (This post was last modified: 09-09-2019, 06:24 PM by Loren.)
LOREN
For his first encounter with a god, Loren probably had gotten off pretty lightly, considering his status as an Abandoned. Sure, he was completely naked, alone in the middle of the woods in the heart of Deepfrost, with his chest coated with his own semen, but he still had all his bits and his mind was mostly intact. Though he had a lot of processing to do, first he had to reach shelter without freezing to death.
While there was nothing he could do about his lack of clothes, at least there was something he could do about the frigid air. He’d summoned a phoenix, and it was flying in the air beside him, the warmth and light from its feathers keeping him alive and allowing him to see the path. He was so intent on getting somewhere safe that he was barely paying attention to his surroundings. His scars and too-thin frame were on full display, and his body was covered in a myriad of small cuts and bruises from his trek and from his writhing around on the ground earlier. He ignored them easily, knowing he could heal himself once he didn’t need his summoning anymore.
Roana was on the prowl, for no particular reason other than practice. She needed to be able to move through the darkness easily with very little light. She held a glow stone in her hand, which offered very little in the way of illumination. As she walked, her heavy coat and hood keeping her warm, she squinted into the darkness, looking for any movement. The Ascended were most active at night. If she was to prove to Ludo she was serious about doing their bidding, she needed to train for it. But then, in the distance, her eyes caught sight of something that gave her pause.
Was…was that a naked man?
Immediately she picked up her pace, coming up behind him, glowering as she did so. There weren’t many reasons she could imagine a man walking around naked in the middle of the night in the woods, and none of them were good. ”What the hell are you doing?!” she huffed at him, flicking on the light ring on her finger to give more light. Her eyes scanned the nearby trees, looking for anyone else that might be around – a victim really.
At the approaching glow, Loren’s eyes narrowed. Even with the light from the phoenix flying in circles around his head, he could see that someone or something was approaching. Not particularly wanting to be caught out in the open in his state, he hesitated, looking for some escape route. Unfortunately, the only things around were the trees and he knew his firebird would give him away. Seeing as he was unwilling to freeze to death to conserve his modesty, the summoner just covered his important bits with both hands and hoped this wouldn't be too bad. He definitely did not pray.
At the sight of the familiar woman, however, the Launceleyn’s jaw dropped. He hadn’t seen her, since, well Northaven, though that wasn’t surprising given his long disappearance. ”Roana?” This was going to be humiliating. Still, there was nothing he could do but power through it. Weirdly enough, light was coming both from a ring on her finger and from a stone in her hand, making the forest bright as day between that and the phoenix. It exposed every single inch of his body. ”Going home. Frey took my clothes.” Loren’s voice was the perfect mix of chagrined and annoyed.
The voice took a moment to place, but its familiarity gave her pause as she blinked at him. ”Loren?!” she said after a moment, clearly shocked. She had thought he was dead! The former captain had been about to lay into him, a series of questions already building up when he noted that Frey had taken his clothes. Oh. She had never met Frey herself, but from what she knew of them, that sounded far more believable than the quiet librarian she knew committing a heinous crime.
Then of course it hit her that she was staring at him, butt-naked, in the snow.
”Can’t you summon clothes?” she huffed with a sigh, squeezing her eyes shut to give him privacy and from no small amount of embarrassment. More for him than anything. She’d accidentally walked in on naked men more than once while living in barracks and war camps. Sort of came with the territory. But she was already unfastening her coat to give to him. ”Here. Wrap this around your waist at the very least.” she said, holding it out to him.
Well, at least Roana recognized Loren. And unfortunately Roana recognized Loren. He wasn’t sure if that made it better or worse. On the one hand, this would’ve been the most awkward introduction of his life; on the other hand, she actually knew who he was, and this was hardly the way he wanted to reintroduce himself to her. Although, it was kind of funny, and he felt the corner of his mouth quirk up at the sheer absurdity of the situation. ”In the flesh, so to speak.” Perhaps the joke was entirely inappropriate, but he felt that he needed to do something to cut the awkward tension.
At her question, he huffed out an annoyed laugh. ”You really think that I’d be standing in the snow, naked, in the middle of the forest if I could summon clothes? No. Unfortunately I don’t possess that particular magic.” It would’ve been simple for him to do so back in Northaven, but he’d lost most of that talent when he came to Caido. However, when she unfastened her coat and handed it over—and closed her eyes, for which he was grateful—he took it quickly and wrapped it around his waist as she’d suggested. ”Thanks. And it’s safe to look.” He made sure to keep one hand on the coat at all times. She’d already seen more than enough of him tonight. Still, seeing as they were both inadequately dressed for the weather now, he kept his phoenix, still circling his head in lazy arcs.
Roana couldn't help it. She chuckled at the joke and shook her head. "Yes. I'd noticed that much." she said with a drawl. His irritation didn't bother her one bit though when he confirmed that he could not actually summon new clothing for himself. "Well I don't know, from what I've heard of Frey they could probably make you forget how to walk." she said with a snicker. Though she had never met the deity, she had heard plenty from Phoebe.
"Why did you come all the way out here to see them anyways? Pretty sure the Sanctuary is warmer. And more comfortable. And private." she said, unable to help the bit of laughter at his expense. To her it seemed clear why he would have gone to see Frey - as evidenced by his lack of clothing. She opened her eyes and shook her head at his sorry state. "This will make for a great story though. Come on, let's get you back before you freeze." she said, seemingly unaffected by the cold. If he came closer, he would feel the light ring also emanating warmth in the cold night air.
Well, at least Roana was laughing with Loren instead of at him, so that was good. He just grinned back at her, despite the lingering awkwardness. Or maybe because of the awkwardness: it was either laugh or cry, and he was trying to do much less of the latter these days. At the mention of the god, though, the summoner sighed. ”No, no they need me to walk so I can’t plant my last Rose. I just barely have the ability to conjure objects anymore, just beasts..” Subconsciously, at the thought of Frey, his free hand came up to try and rub away the stickiness coating his chest from his divine encounter, but he only succeeded in smearing it everywhere.
At her question he bit his lip. ”Well, I wasn’t expecting any of the gods to answer, for one. They never have before, what with me being an Abandoned and all.” And given that he hadn’t been in any state to pray until recently. ”But I’ve been coming out here since Leafchange and...I don’t know. Something about the solitude appeals to me.” The corner of his mouth quirked up. ”Maybe it’s because I know if the gods smite me for being who I am, I’m less likely to take anyone else with me. But I’ll probably pray in the temple from now on. And avoid calling on Frey again.” That left only one god for the Launceleyn to pray to, Ludo. Or maybe two if he got up the courage to pray to the Voice. At her suggestion, he nodded gratefully. ”Sure will. And thanks. I appreciate the escort.” Embarrassing as this was, he felt better not being naked and alone in the woods. He gestured for Roana to take the lead. The summoner and his phoenix would follow, even if her ring did give off a more pleasant heat than his firebird.
Sometimes you had to laugh along, and considering what she had originally thought she had stumbled upon, this was a much better situation. "Ah, I see. Yes, I would think they'd want that. One of their most ardent worshippers is ill with the blight." she said, her tone dropping a bit, tinged with melancholy as she thought of her sister in law. But there was only so much she could do for her, having to keep the safety of her children in mind. But as he tried to clean up the, uh, evidence of his encounter she just shook her head. From her pocket she produced a clean rag, holding it out to him. "Here. You can keep it." she said. Yeah, she wasn't going to want that back.
She listened quietly as he spoke, guiding them through the woods back towards town. "I might suggest you do your research on the gods before you go calling on them again. You know, so you have a better idea of what to expect from the deity you call on." she said with a light laugh, but the weight of real advice. "Why have you been calling on them anyways?" she asked.
"You're welcome." she said lightly, not thinking much of escorting him back. It was just the right thing to do.
When Roana mentioned one of Frey’s supporters was ill Loren gave her a curious look. ”Who?” He didn’t know much about the gods, so it wasn’t at all surprising that he was ignorant about their followers as well. As the woman handed him a cloth for his...condition, he blushed furiously; he hadn’t even realized what he’d been doing and hadn’t intended for her to see that. However, instead of taking her rag, he made one of his own to wipe off the worst of the mess. ”Thanks, but I got it. Wouldn’t want to impose on you any more than I already have. And before you ask, that’s about the largest and most complicated object I can create these days. Definitely not clothes.” He could maybe make a glove, or a sock, but that wasn’t super useful at the moment. Although maybe he could’ve covered his private area. Well, it was too late now.
Yeah, well, hindsight and all that: Loren had thought he’d been learning about the gods, but obviously there were areas he was ignorant in. Sighing, he gave Roana a considering look. ”Will do. Got any tips?” He thought she might be one of the favored few, one of the Accepted, though wasn’t quite sure about that. Biting his lip at her next statement, he thought about it for a moment before responding. ”Well. As I said, I didn’t expect a response. And...I don’t know. So many of the true believers are unable to worship for one reason or another.” Well, mostly the blight, actually. ”So, I guess I thought, though I am an imperfect substitute, it seemed important that those who are can still pray keep the faith.” It seemed silly when he said it aloud.
09-10-2019, 02:42 PM (This post was last modified: 09-10-2019, 03:27 PM by Roana.)
ROANA
”Phoebe. The midwife. She is my sister-in-law.” she said, smirking a bit at him. ”Though, she has more of a friendly working relationship with Frey, rather than an intimate one. The things Frey inspires lead to babies which is sort of her field of expertise after all. Makes sense that those two get on well.” she said with a bit of a shrug. Loren then managed to conjure his own rag, so she pocketed hers again. ”I’m sure you’ll get some of your power back with time. I think that’s been the case for most magic users that appeared here.” she said encouragingly, focusing forward while he dealt with his mess.
She heard out his reasons though and smiled a bit. ”I think that is a rather noble cause, though I am not certain is completely necessary. Before Phoebe became…well. What she is now…she made it clear that the gods are well aware of this illness and working towards solving it. Hence why Frey told you to plant the flowers from Vi. That is more helpful than worship at the moment.” Roana said. But as far as what she knew of them. ”I have only met Safrin and Ludo personally. Safrin is lovely but she and I don’t get along very well. Ludo is the soul guide for Mort. They are a bit of a trickster but they like toys and candies. I’m pretty sure they are actually a child at heart. But they are dangerous. I wouldn’t wholly let my guard down around them if I were you. And I wouldn’t call for a god unless you’ve something specific to ask of them. They don’t like their time wasted any more than anyone else does.” she explained.
”Ah, yes, I’ve met Phoebe. I'm sorry about her condition. Have you seen her recently?” Loren, for his part, hadn’t seen her since the snows came, and he could only hope that she wasn’t as bad as the rest of the blighted, or if she was that someone was taking care of her. Even though she’d said she’d always be alone, surely there were those in the Hollowed Grounds who would look out for her. ”I can see how that would be a mutually beneficial relationship.” The Frey the summoner had met didn’t seem like the type to care about the consequences of their actions, but he was wise enough not to say that. Blaspheming a god after narrowly escaping an encounter with them seemed like a very bad idea. As the discussion swung around to his magic, he shrugged, and made the phoenix give a cheerful chirp. ”I’ve got more magic than I used to, in many ways, so I’m content with that.” Still, it was heartening to think that he might grow stronger given time and practice.
Well, Roana at least thought his actions were noble. He noticed she didn’t say anything about the wisdom of them, however. ”I tried. I got interrupted planting the final one, but I’m going to do it first thing tomorrow.” He’d been thinking of the best place for it, but the urgency now driving him made him feel that he should just plant it where he could and hope the blighted didn’t get to it. At the mention of Safrin and Ludo, Loren’s curiosity reared its head. ”I don’t really know anything about those two, to be honest. Although Safrin is blighted, I heard, and I think it’s probably best that I don’t call upon her. What else can you tell me about Ludo?” As for not letting his guard down, well, he didn’t ever really let his guard down. However, the advice not to call upon them unless he needed something specific was genuinely useful, and he nodded gratefully to her.
Roana sighed and shook her head. ”The blight has gotten into her head. She ran off into the woods after trying to attack my boys. She is like a rabid animal at this point.” she said, her tone lowering. It was disconcerting, knowing how sweet the young woman usually was, and the disposition she was in now. ”I’d go after her but I can’t put my children at risk. At least she has Pim. I can’t imagine he will let harm come to her.” Her brows furrowed as she spoke, her frustration with the situation evident. Roana didn’t like when she couldn’t fix or solve for a safety issue. But this was all out of her hands.
She nodded when he mentioned that he could see the mutually beneficial relationship. ”She seems to have a way with that deity that no one else does. It’s a bit uncanny given how modest she is.” she said with a light laugh. ”I still have two roses to plant myself. One by the Spire and one…somewhere.” she said with a bit of a shrug. She still wasn’t sure where to put it. But when he noted he didn’t think he should call upon Safrin now, she nodded in agreement. ”If she has half the temper that the rest of the blighted do, I wouldn’t willingly put myself in her path.” she said with a small smile. As for Ludo though… ”I suppose that depends. What is it you want to know?” she asked him curiously.
It seemed that Phoebe was in much the same state as the rest of the blighted. Loren sighed and gave Roana a sympathetic look. ”I was afraid of that. None of them seem to have much of their former personality left, unless you get lucky with one of the Roses.” So far the summoner’s efforts on that front had been mixed. At the mention of Roana’s children the Launceleyn gave her an understanding look. Having recently acquired children of his own, he knew how she felt. ”Well, much as I trust Pim, I’ll keep an eye out for her.” It seemed like the least he could do for both women.
Yeah, Phoebe and Frey seemed like an odd couple, to say the least. Not really knowing either of them—and not really wanting to upset Roana or the god or Phoebe—Loren decided not to comment on that, however. ”Be careful around the Spire. The blighted seem to linger there.” At the very least, Ronin had attacked the Launceleyn in that area. As they continued to discuss the gods, Loren gave Roana a sheepish look. ”Uh. Well, for starters, what does it mean that they are the soul guide for Mort?” He would feel silly asking Roana who Mort was, but that seemed to be a good way to get at that information, at least tangentially.
”I just hope that if she lives through this she doesn’t remember what she did while like this. I am not certain she could take it.” Roana said with a frown, focusing on the path ahead. Phoebe was soft and sweet. To have to live with the reality of the sort of violence she committed while out of her mind might not be something she could ever reconcile with herself; even knowing it was caused by an illness she couldn’t control.”Thank you. I appreciate it.” Roana said, when he offered to keep an eye out for her.
Roana laughed a little at his warning but nodded. ”You needn’t worry about me, but thanks.” she assured, a grin on her lips. She was quite capable of fending for herself fortunately. Others perhaps not so much. But her expression melted into one of surprise as he asked after Ludo, and then she chuckled, whistling low as she shook her head. Here he was, praying to gods, and he didn’t even know the basics. ”Ludo guides the souls of the dead to the afterlife with Mort, who is the god of death. Mort, Rae, and Vi are the three head gods, so to speak, and Ludo, Frey, and Safrin are their heralds and help with their work in some capacity. Ludo’s task just happens to be quite specific.” she explained.
