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!
She’s there as quickly as she can be, the panic and the pounding rising to her night-sharp ears. Wessex, personally, can’t open the door. It was designed that way. And few know how. Which is also intentional. The Queen stands on the other side of the door and asks calmly to the ‘person’ behind the door. She has to establish procedure here, precedence for usually not opening the damn door. Like they’d all been warned she would not do unless given good reason to.
“Password?”
It had been posted on the Notice board since the beginning of Deepfrost. There’s no reason for anyone not to know it.
As soon as Loren had seen Wessex take off, he’d known something was wrong. Though the Ascended was obviously much faster than him, he and Astra were hot on her heels. Indeed, they emerged into the Rathskellar in time to hear the queen's question. And in time to hear the hysterical man on the other side of the door. His heart clenched, all his instincts clamoring that it was a real person, but he’d been told time and time again that the monsters could mimic real people and that he shouldn't open the door.
And he’d also been told that Wessex was in charge and had a lot more experience than he had with LongNight. Still, as she requested the crossword, he closed his eyes and desperately tried to catch his breath. ”Remi said people hadn’t seen the notice about the password. Or at least that he hadn’t.” His voice came out in a pant. Whether it was just the alchemist who’d missed it or everyone, the Launceleyn couldn’t say, but he felt the queen needed to know. Already, he had a tight grip on his magic in case they decided to risk it. But he could already tell Wessex probably wouldn’t take that chance.
Of course it wasn’t going to be easy. That he likely wouldn’t be able to put himself into a drunken stupor to ignore what is happening around him. He hasn’t even gotten a drink yet before people are rushing, spotting Wessex and Loren dart off. A pounding can be heard, and in an effort to get there quicker, Sunjata shifts to his avian form, darting through the Rathskeller to where the queen and summoner stand.
He shifts back into himself in time to hear the end of the pounding, of Loren’s question, and his jaw clenches. He’s been in a similar situation before — deciding whether the (possible) life of one was worth the many. And while he doesn’t have much to offer like the queen or the summoner do in ways of magics and upgrades, Sunjata isn’t weak at the very least. He might be able to help out someway.
Still, he nods to Wessex in agreement of the password. Waiting to see if whomever is on the other side knows it or not.
SUNJATA
No permission needed for power play!
Feel free to use magic/force on Sunjata, without killing him <3
Sunjata speaks with an Australian accent and has a passive magic that makes him produce a subtle scent that matches exactly to whatever those around him most desire him to smell like.
Abasi walked into the situation halfway through, but he had seen enough to understand what was going on. What Loren said was a pity, but he had said some were going to die. If it was so inevitable, then not preparing yourself was a crime punishable by death.
"We cannot start letting down our defences so quickly. No password, no help." He declared from the back of the room, arms crossed.
10-17-2019, 09:37 PM (This post was last modified: 10-17-2019, 09:57 PM by Wessex.)
WESSEX
Go deep throat a cactus
Wessex nods in agreement. The safety of the many takes precedence over the few, and she had urged everyone to be in place and ready. She had posted notices. She had warned them. Nevertheless, she will continue down the path she outlined: Password, then personal questions, because even someone who is new must know someone else. Not only that, but everyone comes in at the same place. Unless they literally came in that day, in which case… well, no one would miss them.
“What did you see when you portalled in? And who have you met?” she asks, clearly and carefully.
Oh, he definitely doesn’t believe that answer. An apologetic look is sent toward Loren as he looks back to the door before Abasi approaches. He nods his head in quiet agreement to both him and Wessex, a muscle feathering in his jaw as he thinks about what the ‘newly portalled in person’ says. “I don’t trust it.” He offers, voice accented thickly but waiting to see what the answer might be. Even if they had just portalled in, they should know something but he isn’t sure that question is a good one. After all, these creatures supposedly roamed every year. Surely they’d know where the newcomers arrive, right?
SUNJATA
No permission needed for power play!
Feel free to use magic/force on Sunjata, without killing him <3
Sunjata speaks with an Australian accent and has a passive magic that makes him produce a subtle scent that matches exactly to whatever those around him most desire him to smell like.
As the others filed in to the Rathskellar, Loren’s eyes flicked to them in turn: Sunjata, Abasi, neither of whom were fighters, as far as the summoner was aware. So he placed himself between them and the door to the outside, just in case something tried to break through. At the declarative comments from the other two men, the Launceleyn bit his lip, unease growing in the pit of his stomach. They sounded heartless.
Maybe that’s what they needed during LongNight, but it didn’t have to sit well with him.
If he’d been alone, he might have risked it. However, this was Wessex’s show. As the queen asked more questions, he kept a strong and careful grip on his magic. Loren prayed that this was a monster, even though he knew the gods weren’t listening. Because he knew they wouldn’t open the door and to stumble upon the monsters and the darkness unawares was a terrible fate.
"Wh...what did I see? Lady, I saw that broken spire! As for people? I dunno? The healer lady!"
The voice rose in pitch, screams wicked and horrible. "THEY'RE COMING" He wailed, adrenaline and youthful terror breaking his voice as his fists slammed against the door one final time.
“No,” the Queen replies - both to the inquiring silences of the men and to the thing outside that asked her to open the door. The healer lady could be anybody. The ‘person’ never gave a name, never convinced them. She’s tried. He can’t answer the specifics. And she isn’t ready to give away the secret to their door. Not within hours of closing them all in.
Wessex delivers the death sentence - if indeed, it is a person - and waits, stone-faced. This week she is Judge, Jury, and Executioner. She cannot waver.
As he thought, the Spire was a solid choice. But if he could see it, he hadn’t just arrived. And this healer lady? He seems unconvinced. It was too plain of an answer, and he steps back as Loren takes point, a brief feathering of his lip at the act. Sure, Loren probably wanted to protect people. But Sunjata was a fighter. He’s still built like it too, and despite his not quite knack for repairing and reinforcing, he certainly could throw a punch. Perhaps later they could chat about it, once he got a drink of course.
Still, he approves as Wessex replies with her ‘no’, giving the queen a nod of agreement. There was time, time enough for this healer lady to have told him where to go. And if it’s true? Well, wouldn’t be the first time he’s done this. Perhaps in Caido, but he remembers it easily enough. And gods does he need a drink as the memories start their unfortunate return. He steps back a bit from the door, from Loren as well — watching and waiting for what might happen next.
SUNJATA
No permission needed for power play!
Feel free to use magic/force on Sunjata, without killing him <3
Sunjata speaks with an Australian accent and has a passive magic that makes him produce a subtle scent that matches exactly to whatever those around him most desire him to smell like.
That was it, then. As Loren had expected, feared, known, they would not open the door. All he could do was swallow back the lump of bile that threatened to rise in his throat. The queen’s ‘No’ settled into the room with a note of finality. A death sentence, maybe. Wessex had made the call, but the Launceleyn would not absolve himself of any responsibility from the consequences. Still, the summoner would reinforce her words, even if it was nearly impossible for him to do; standing idly by when there was even a chance that a real person might be on the other side of that door made his heart ache. Sure, he knew that it was the right decision. The smart decision. The one that minimized risk to all of them.
The pleas suddenly stop. There is a distinct mechanical sound, a metallic clunk as the exterior portion of the hand-scanner is touched, clearly rejecting whatever is there. Grating steel sings for just a fraction of a second before the shadow before the door grows still.
"A heart beat?" The man's voice from before asks, though now it is quite calm. "There are plenty of those." His—or its—smile is palpable.
