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!
When Bastien had received his gift recipient, read what it was she had wanted...he had to laugh. How ironic, that he would get Phoebe, the one person on the list he had any kind of negative history with; more than that she wanted something for her Frey shrine (he had no idea what a medical college would require, so this seemed the better option). Was it blasphemy of some kind for an Ascended to prepare a shrine object for the Old Gods?
That was for Phoebe to decide, he supposed. She'd either use it or she wouldn't. Either way, he was still going to make sure it was beautiful: he had a reputation to uphold.
Thinking about shrines and Frey, a few things came to mind: flowers, sumptuous feasts, warm-toned colours. After an hour or so, he had drawn a sketch of a sculpted ornament that could hold incense or candles, shaped like a flower, with a bed of beautiful stones beneath. Something ornate, special. Not too dissimilar from the sorts of things he had seen his mother lay on her shrine to their Hindu Gods back home, though he had only the faintest memory of it.
He had the clay to sculpt and the paint to colour it; he needed the stones. Carrying a satchel around his shoulder he walked around the edge of the Oasis, looking just within the shore for any pieces of worn-down glass or especially attractive stones, picking them up as he came across them and holding them against the sample of his painted sculpture he had brought.
Amun had been unsuccessfully trying to track down clay deposits in the Hollowed Grounds for a while now. The latest foray had taken him to the Oasis, which seemed like a likely spot. He was pleasantly surprised to see Bastien already there. Approaching the other man, the potter grinned. ”Hello handsome. Fancy seeing you here.” Amun winked at the head of the Artist’s Sanctuary, though it was definitely more friendly than flirtatious.
Walking closer to the other man, the potter peered at the glass and stones, as well as the sample the other man was holding. "Working on a project?" Honestly, Amun was genuinely curious to know the answer.
Amun was a surprising sight but not an unwelcome one; Bastien smiled as he approached. "Hello! You are too kind." He put a hand to his chest as if greatly flattered that Amun had called him handsome (though he already knew that, of course).
It seemed he had interested the man in his held items, which were admittedly rather shiny and colourful. "Yes, of sorts. Do you know of the gift exchange happening for Fiat Lux...? I received my request - someone I know wants an item for her shrine to Frey. Given I am both Ascended and...hardly her friend, it is ironic it is me who will make it, but make it I will." He put the sample to one the stones to make sure the colour matched - finding it did, he placed the stone in his bag.
"Did you join the exchange? I was delighted to see it. A wonderful opportunity for one of the Artist's Sanctuary." He winked.
Winking at Bastien, Amun grinned at the other man’s antics. The grin gained a mischievous edge as Bastien mentioned the gift. ”Huh. And you’re not worried about our lady The Voice getting upset over you making idols for another god?" The potter's tone was breezy, as if they were discussing the weather.
At the other man's question, Amun chuckled the sound dark and low. "I did, handsome. Already know what I'm going to get, too. Just gotta get the right supplies." Kneeling down, the potter examined the ground with a critical eye. Strangely, he looked far more serious than he had, certainly around Bastien. He placed one hand on the ground by the water's edge, then lifted it. However, he frowned when it came up with just mud.
Amun's question had not occured to Bastien and he paused, thinking it over. Ultimately however he just shook his head and waved his hand dismissively. "I do not think our Lady Voice is so easily threatened. It is hardly like I am swearing loyalty to the Old Gods. Phoebe wishes for something to put on her shrine, I am providing that - I know others that use artworks I have made in their worship...ultimately, it is not my concern. They would worship them anyway." He shrugged; from what he knew of The Voice, she did not seem like she would mind too much. Such concerns were petty, worries of old Gods that needed to cling onto images.
"And the supply is....mud?" Bastien asked, following Amun's hand with his eyes down to the edge of the water, where it did not seem to bring up much of worth from the ground. "What is it you asked for? Will you share the secret?"
Amun grinned at Bastien’s analysis of the situation. ”Sounds about right to me. You probably have more experience with The Voice then I do.” Pausing for a moment, the potter gaze the other man a curious look. ”What do you think of our goddess?”
Chuckling, the sound dark and low, the potter shook his head. ”You mean you didn’t hear about my studio opening? I’m hurt, handsome.” There was a slightly mocking tone to his voice, though no real animosity. Much more seriously, he pointed at the muddy ground on the water’s edge. ”Clay, not mud. I heard there were deposits here. Hoping to find some for my pottery studio.” He grinned at Bastien to let the other man know there were no hard feelings.
The potter smirked. ”What, not a fan of surprises?” Then he tilted his head. ”I’ll tell you mine if you tell me yours.” There was a wicked amount of heat in Amun’s voice and a mischievous light in his eyes.
"What do I think of her? I find her very impressive, very compassionate; certainly kinder than the Old Gods I have had dealings with." Bastien shrugged, though thought to continue after a moment, thinking that it was not the best show for his Goddess to only speak of her in comparison to other Gods. "She has lofty goals and seems to know how to achieve them, once she has the resources. I admire that. Do you think differently?"
He raised his eyebrows at the news of Amun's studio - actually, he thought he vaguely remembered hearing of it, but with the flurry of life in Caido it had gotten lost in the way. "I must come and see it soon. I would love to buy some of your work to display in the sanctuary; do you have a specific design or motivation in your pottery?"
As for what he'd asked for, he had no problems sharing it, though he did laugh at the way Amun asked. "My God, I used to think I was sex-crazed, but you are beyond me. Yes, I will tell you mine. I asked for something to hang above my door, something attractive that might catch the eyes of passers-by, so they would come into the guild. And yourself...?"
Amun grinned at Bastien’s observations. ”Interactions with the old gods, hm? When did that happen, handsome?” At the other man’s question, the potter chuckled, the sound dark and low, and shook his head. ”No, I agree. Was just curious what you thought.”.
Smirking, he winked at Bastien. ”You’re welcome to stop by any time, handsome.” Despite the words, the tone was more friendly than flirtatious. However, the potter shrugged. ”Whatever strikes my fancy, really. How about you, Mr. head of the Artist’s Sanctuary.” Now his voice was lightly teasing.
A mischievous light sparkled in Amun's eyes. ”Nothing wrong with being sex-crazed. And why not make something yourself, if it's supposed to showcase the Sanctuary?” However, he chuckled and winked again, fully amused at the question. ”Well, if you thought I was sex-crazed before, handsome, I shudder to think what you’ll think of me when you find out I asked for a dildo.” It was clear he wasn’t actually bothered by his request. ”Not all of us can luck out with Ascended partners, after all.”
"Oh, I...have rather the history with the Old Gods. Or at least...one of them." Bastien cringed a little; with the benefit of hindsight, he'd seen how poorly thought out his church had been. "I ah...at the beginning of my life here, I met Safrin and was rather taken aback by meeting a Goddess and one so beautiful, at that. I made...ahh..a church might be a strong name for it, really. But something in her honour - it did not end well." He laughed, though it was a little less joyful than normal.
It was a miracle he hadn't been smote in his sleep, really.
'Whatever strikes my fancy' was something Bastien could respect, but it didn't really tell him much about Amun's pottery. "Tell me of the last piece you made then. As for myself...I paint what I want to bring out into the light. Whether that is something important and ugly that the world needs to see, or to amplify and honour something beautiful depends on the subject."
As Amun revealed his gift request he rolled his eyes with an amused scoff. "Any special requests for this dildo, or are you letting them choose the specifics?"
As Bastien explained his history, Amun listened along, a grin lurking on his lips all the while. ”What happened, handsome? You see behind the goddess’ glitter?” There was a slightly mocking tone in the potter’s voice, but he meant no harm by it.
The question caught him off guard though. His eyes grew a bit distant as he considered the response. "I haven't actually made anything in Caido yet. Well, besides the mural" There wasn't any sorrow in that, just a statement of fact. "It was an urn. It depicted the god of the moon in my old world, of whom I was a devotee." His eyes settled on the other man, and Amun smirked. "So you paint what strikes your fancy too, handsome?"
Bastien's response elicited a chuckle from the potter. ”Nope.” He winked. ”I like surprises, handsome.”
"If that is a euphemism, I did not see any parts of her that were not already known to the public." Bastien responded, equally as teasing, though he slipped into a more serious, contemplative tone as he continued: "Truthfully, I think I just was not a good fit as her disciple. I probably would have been better suited to Frey, but alas, I did not meet Frey until I was far too deep into my Safrin devotion to see it." Now he had The Voice though, who was at least a much kinder Goddess, even if he doubted she would share his enthusiasm for aesthetics and hedonism.
To hear that the light-hearted, flirty man had last made an urn was a bit of a surprise. Bastien paused, his thumb running over a smooth, light pink stone he had just picked up. "And this urn...was it for a specific person?" Perhaps that was too much to ask, but he had always loved a story, found it hard to resist the temptation to find out more.
As for what he painted... "Primarily, yes. Though I would argue that is true for anyone. We all do whatever strikes our fancy, given the chance...such as you asking for a boring dildo for Fiat Lux."
Chuckling, Amun shook his head. ”Not a euphemism, handsome.” However, he fell silent as Bastien continued speaking. When the other man finished, the potter grinned. "So. Not that I'm complaining, but what made you switch to our lady The Voice instead of Frey?" Though the tone was light and breezy, his eyes searched Bastien's features for some explanation.
Amun shook his head again at the other man's question. "Nope. I made it for a temple." Winking, the potter gave Bastien a lazy smile. "Why so curious? Not that I mind, handsome. I'm open to anything." Unsurprisingly, the potter's tone was salacious.
The smile morphed into a wicked grin. "Fair enough. Though are you saying that dildos are boring, or that I should've asked for a special dildo?" Waggling his eyebrows, he dropped his voice to a heated whisper. "If the latter, I'm dying to know what you had in mind.
Why had he chosen The Voice over Frey? Bastien was aware it seemed an odd choice; after all he was a man of hedonism, of drink and sex and art - The Voice was cold metal, systems, order; Frey's blooming and vivacious lifestyle seemed by far the better fit for him. But there had been one thing that had decided it: "Ascension. The chance to be something more than human. To be ageless, immortal. To be almost like a God. It means more to me than anything else the Old Gods could offer. Or at least, at the time I thought so - I did not know of Demi Gods then. Though it seems The Voice can do the same, so I stay by my choice. Besides, I appreciate that she is not fickle. You know where you stand, with the Voice." She didn't dress up her speech or lie, at least not as much as the Old Gods.
He was almost a little disappointed to find Amun had made the urn for someone else; he had hoped to hear something deeper, a little more substantial than the screen of sex jokes and lightness that the man seemed to put up. "I am interested in all creatives. Regardless of what it is they make - I want to know how, why, where, what...all of it. It is the reason for living."
If there was one thing Bastien did have a decent amount of experience with, it was sex toys. After all, Venice had been a city of innovators and he had been well accquainted with the seedier parts of town. "You could have asked for a specific material. Say glass, or marble - any smooth stone. Temperature becomes an element, then. Or perhaps you could ask for a specific shape or hell, we live in a place of magic. Ask for one that fucks for you." He shrugged. "Why stick with a normal cazzo when more exciting ones are available?"
Amun couldn’t help the happy smile from spreading across his lips as Bastien spoke. It was different from the potter’s usual expression, more joyful and reverent. ”I agree. I couldn’t have said it better myself.” His voice came out cheerfully.
Then, however, he chuckled at the other man's next statement. "Oh, I can think of a few other things worth living for, handsome." Amun winked at Bastien, though the meaning of the potter's words should be apparent.
Smirking, he stood up and placed his hands on his hips. "Well. I'm sorry to hear that you need help in that department. But some of us know what we're doing with what we've been given." Although his tone was teasing, there was no aggression or malice behind it, just amusement.
