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!
Given Ronin's luck, the Dark Star had no reason not to continue working at the same pace as before. Having loaded up the cart once more with rubble, he wheeled it away so that it might be safely disposed of, only to return to find that Sunjata and Quanil seemed to be having trouble with a few larger, more troublesome pieces of stone.
"Do you need a hand?" he asked, crossing over to where Quanil was trying to push the stone. "Here, it might be easier with two." If they allowed, Ronin would join in the efforts to try and shove the rock away from the rest of their workspace.
Ronin continues to shovel the rubble, and goes to help Quanil if they accept it.
i'm drowning in all these voices in the sea and meeting all my vices in the ring
Sunjata’s stone is relatively easy to move, thanks to the ice marbles that Maea has created. It’s enough to lift the edge of it up to roll it out the door, and he offers her a brief smile with that. His gaze flits toward Quanil and their own struggle with a large chunk as well (though they do get it to shift a fairly decent amount), watches briefly as Ronin steps over to help them lift the stone to move toward the other one that’d already been removed. Things go well from there, the two of them making quick work of where they are. The Temple is starting to empty of the rest of the rubble, at least for now.
Unfortunately, the work that Libbs and Maea are doing with reinforcing the walls and ceiling start to come at some form of an impasse. Libbs’ support beams take shape as she constructs it, however one of the pieces of wood splinters with the impact of a hammer, breaking apart in a sea of slivers. Libbs gets the unfortunate feeling of them being within her shoes. Maea, however, will begin to notice that the ice she’s created to help shore the reinforcement, will begin to spread along the floor and create a slick surface.
Round 3, last one for removing the rubble before everyone works on reinforcing/rebuilding!
Sunjata’s stone is easy to move, Quanil gets theirs shifted a fair amount.
Ronin manages to help Quanil with the removal of that stone, and the three of them manage to take a good chunk of the rubble out this round!
One of the beams Libbs is working with splinters apart and showers her lower half in splinters!
Maea’s ice begins to make the floor slick!
No post order!
so step inside, i ain't afraid to bleed there ain't a casket strong enough for me
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.
Quanil noticed the ice marbles go rolling past, and their first thought was, I wish this block was so easily moved. Then the idea struck them to get the block up on the marbles, but... that would require lifting it. They sighed. And once again, I am useless for the task at hand. They were beginning to regret their curiosity in coming over here.
When someone came over to offer help, Quanil was more than glad to accept. "Yes, please! That'd be great, thank you so much!" They're much more able to help move stuff than to do it on their own. As soon as one block is moved, they're eager to get back to another.
I should try to be sociable, they thought. This isn't the Fields. Not everyone is gonna think I'm a weirdo... right away. It was worth a shot. Besides, they were a Loreseeker(-in-training) now! They should get to know people.
As they were walking back to get another stone block, they said, trying to sound normal (whatever that was) and... and Loreseeker-y, "I'm Quanil, thanks for the hellLLllL....!" as they begin to lose their balance. They flailed comically, trying desperately to find something to steady them, whether that be Ronin or something else.
Flailing Comedy Relief Quanil. Round and round their arms go, where they stop, no one knows!
Libbs whipped her head towards Quanil, distracted by the noises and the failing arms. She genuinely got so distracted by the act, that as she was smacking the head of the hammer against the beam, it shattered! D'oh! She swung too hard! The splinters scattered all over her pants, feet, into her shoes. Her toes! Not so much bothered by that, the mechanic stepped back, and started brushing off the splinters, ignoring the ones that had gotten caught in her hands. Splinters? What splinters? Those were just angry twigs.
Still, she looked down dismally at the beam. Damn it, she was working so hard on that! The bit of defeat deflated the woman. No! Taking a step back, she took a seat to the side, careful not to slide on the ice. Once there, she wiped her brow, and started to breathe. Gotta come down from that mighty level of dishonor she did herself there! So she sat, paused, thinking a bit about her actions and how to better approach them.
---
Libbs doesn't know what pain is. But she does feel like an idiot and is takin' a 5er.
Said, "If you won't save me, please don't waste my time."
Maea nodded back to Sunjata upon noticing his gratitude, but did not pause to chat. Maintaining her supports over such an extended period of time was taking quite the toll on her. Even though she seemed to only stand at the center of the room and stare, sweat was beading on her forehead and the fists were closed tight in quiet strain.
Noticing Quanil slip, her gaze dropped to the floor. Found it glistening with damp, or perhaps a thin sheet of ice. Sucking in a breath she made a useless gesture at it, prying off a sorely needed bit of focus to subtly alter the structure of the ice coating the floors. To give it more friction, grip - become the kind of ice that sucked the step in rather than send it skidding.
-------
Maea alters the structure of the ice on the floor, trying to offer better grip for those walking on it. She's starting to get tired from using so much mastered magic.
♦ Violence, magic, thievery is permitted with Maea at all times. DM me if you have any ideas ♦
01-30-2020, 06:43 AM (This post was last modified: 01-30-2020, 06:43 AM by Ronin.)
the things we hold are always the first to go
It was a little bit traitorous, this example of them all working together. It called back to times Ronin would rather forget - and in all seriousness, were it not for Sunjata and the fact that Safrin had all but whipped him into being here, he’d be drunk on a beach somewhere. (I mean, he planned to be after this, but at least that made him useful right now). Heaving the stone across the floor with Quanil, he offered a nod of greeting in reply.
”Ronin...” His introduction was cut off by the sudden flailing and slipping, and the hunter found himself an unlikely prop. Even more unlikely - Quanil’s antics drew a laugh from him, and he shook his head. ”Perhaps the rest of this task is better approached together,” he said, looking to Sunjata as if to ask what he would have them do next.
Ronin offers himself as a prop to keep Quanil standing and looks to Jata for further instruction.
i'm drowning in all these voices in the sea and meeting all my vices in the ring
Whatever it is that Libbs decides to do, works out flawlessly this time. The beam is put together and fairly strong, a perfect fit to settle along where the roof needs repairing. Maea’s ice holds well enough at first, the floor growing a bit grippier despite the slickness of them, but now it became an issue of how long it’ll last. The rubble is removed and now all that’s left is to repair and reinforce, and with it Maea should be able to relax the use of the magic.
The floor grows slick, and Sunjata finds himself struggling a small amount to find purchase with it until it becomes easier to work with. But the rubble is easily removed now, able to slide along the floor as well. Ronin’s laugh draws a somewhat crooked smile from him as he nods, shoveling the last bit of the rock and rubble outside of the temple. Surveying the rest of what’s happened, figuring out where to start next to answer Ronin’s question.
“Alright, so we need to help Libbs put those beams up, fix the roof, and continue to reinforce.” His gaze drifts from the ceiling to the companions that’ve come to help, ready to fill in wherever necessary.
Round 4! We need 3 people to put the beams up and fix the roof, and 2 to reinforce. Sunjata will help with the roof!
Sunjata, Quanil, and Ronin all succeed in removing all the rubble left behind.
Maea’s magic begins to waver but it worked well enough to keep the structure together.
Libbs succeeds in making the structures to support the ceiling.
No post order!
so step inside, i ain't afraid to bleed there ain't a casket strong enough for me
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.
Said, "If you won't save me, please don't waste my time."
No doubt she would pay for this excertion later, with coughing and fevers. Overwork had already left her weakened, and this added strain was doing her no favors. But Maea dug into her reserves of power and endurance anyway, too stubborn to give up. She wanted this Temple restored, and was determined to see the repairs through.
"Keep going, I will continue to reinforce while you work on the rest," she said, sparing a slight smile at the others. Being able to decrease the area of control did help her hold out, and she would be able to shore up beams while others fixed them in place.
Hopefully Sunjata would have drinks to offer after this. Maea felt that they all deserved them.
------
Maea continues to reinforce, holding up beams for the roof with the ice while others work to fix them in place.
♦ Violence, magic, thievery is permitted with Maea at all times. DM me if you have any ideas ♦
Waiting until the floor was secure enough to risk letting Quanil go, Ronin gave them a good natured nod before glancing back at Sunjata, following the path of the beams upwards. ”I can help to secure them while others reinforce it,” he said, nodding to Maea before lifting his fingers to his lips. A shrill whistle echoed out of the doors of the Temple and, a moment later, a fucking cloud sailed through to hover by Ronin’s feet.
It was not the only thing, however - a reptilian shriek (one that the hunter knew well) echoed from somewhere close by, tucked among the rubble, and a pale dragon the size of a small house cat swooped out to join them. Ronin’s eyes widened at the sight of Sugar, his companion making a beeline for his shoulders and biting (affectionately?) at his ears and hair.
”Oi, oi, do you mind?” he demanded, clearly delighted, before hopping aboard the nimbus to go and get the beams fixed in place. Sugar, meanwhile, offered her icy breath to help bolster Maea’s efforts.
Ronin hops on a cloud to go up and help put the beams in place. Sugar also appears, having been hiding in the temple, and uses ice breath to help reinforce the structure.
Quanil latched onto Ronin as if their life depended on it and was slow to release him. They frowned at the floor as if it had personally done this to betray them. So much for not looking like a weirdo. But once they were sure of their footing again, they let go immediately.
In trying to find something useful to do again - something less "flail like an idiot"-esque - they saw Libbs's splintery accident. "Ouch," they winced and called over, "You okay?"
But apparently everyone else was convinced she was fine, because now that the rubble was gone (and things somewhat... steadier), it was time to deal with the roof more directly. Quanil was considering which one they'd be more help with when Ronin summoned up a cloud.
A CLOUD.
And as if that wasn't enough, Frey's tit, is that a DRAGON?! They'd never seen one before, and they were suddenly overcome with the strong urge to pet it. Their widened eyes stared at Ronin and the CLOUD and the DRAGON and...
...and they were meant to be helping.
They cleared their throat, hoped no one had noticed them gawping instead of working, and went to help reinforce, because that seemed quickest, easiest, and the least likely to draw more attention to what a bumpkin they were.
Maybe if I can just lean against something and hold it up, it'll hold me up, too. No more almost-falling-on-my-ass. And I'll be looking at the beams and not everyone else, since they probably think I'm a dumb Fields kid who's never seen a dragon before... which I am and I haven't and... Yeah, reinforcing. Good idea.
Libbs nodded, staying on the ground. From that point, she could get a better idea of where the foundation was strong- or weak, being able to advise on where it may be wiser to put beams and supports down into. So she did, holding up the foundations, and using her hand to wave anyone who was paying attention, pointing at the various spots. Not actual commands mind you, more like.. helpful suggestions. "Hey, uh, this looks a tad weak.. maybe we should get somethin' up there?"
As she was holding up the foundations from the ground, the noise snapped her head in that direction, watching a cloud, and then a reptile fly through the air. Wait. Reptiles don't fly. She blinked, almost mirroring Quanil's expressions as she witnessed the dragon clutch to his owner, almost losing control of the beam she was holding up.
"Did you see that?!" she called to Quanil. "It's a DRAGON. A dragon!" she chirped excitedly. She held her breath for a moment, waiting for Ronin to reach a point where he wasn't too distracted, before meekly asking. "W.. when we are done, could.. I look at him..?"
i'm drowning in all these voices in the sea and meeting all my vices in the ring
Bringing the beams up to reinforce the ceiling begins to go according to plan. One beam goes up in place with everyone’s help, and Sunjata shifts to his avian form to fly up to begin patching up the roof and ensure there’s no leaks. It goes relatively according to plan, only some minor mishaps here and there that require an extra nail. But all in all, the roof gets put into place.
Maea, however, will begin to notice that her reinforcement begins to grow wobbly. Is it because of her control or her strain? Hard to say. The ice begins to wobble and there’s the threat of one of the beams begins to shift and slip against the ice as it begins to shatter.
Ronin runs into a similar problem as he begins to put the beams into place. He’ll find atop his cloud that something is off. The beam begins to slip and slide beneath the pressure and the ice, before crashing down into him if he doesn’t get out of the way quick enough – which leaves it to fall to the rest of those remaining on the ground.
Quanil will notice their work take shape quickly, distracted by a dragon or not – the reinforcement they do goes smoothly and everything works up to par. Libbs has plenty of success placing the beams for the rest of them to begin to nail into place.
All in all, a majority of the beams are in place aside from the one that collapsed / fell, and one more needs to be placed. The reinforcement just needs one more round as well to ensure it’ll stay up!
Round 5, last one fam <3 Two beams need to be put into place and the rest is reinforcing and ensuring it’s all safe! Sunjata will fill in wherever people don’t wanna be!
Sunjata and Quanil are successful with the beams and the roof fixing.
Ronin has a beam fall into him (unless he avoids it and lets it crash to the floor)
Maea’s ice begins to shatter, holding one of the beams up and reinforcing.
Libbs runs into no problems!
No post order!
so step inside, i ain't afraid to bleed there ain't a casket strong enough for me
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.
Uh oh. Well, shit. Ronin’s eyes widened as one of the beams began to slip, and before he could so much as let out a curse of surprise it had come crashing down. Two choices faced him, though in reality only the one counted. Of course he didn’t get out of the way - in what life had that ever been an option for Ronin. So he let the beam fall, reaching out to wrap an arm around it and hold it tightly, bracing his shoulder for the impact.
And it did impact, and it did fucking hurt, but that didn’t mean he was going to let it go. ”So if we could put this one up right quick that would be dandy,” he said, offering a wobbly smirk between Quanil and Libbs. ”Her name is Sugar,” he said of the dragon who was desperately trying to reinforce Maea’s ice. ”Of course you can. Sooner the better, in fact.” What with the beam and all.
Ronin tries to catch the beam and brace it against his shoulder so it doesn’t fall and can be fixed back in place. Sugar continues to try and reinforce the ice!
Libbs jumped, jarred by the beam falling. "EEP!" she squeaked, taking in sharp breaths of air to stabilize herself. After a brief moment, she flushed a bit. Whoops. Not the time for that. Ronin probably wasn't enjoying lifting that weight! So Libbs, logically, moved over to help him with that beam, helping take some of the weight off his shoulder, and started to try and angle it back right up into place.
"There ya go ya tricky fucker'.." she commented to the beam, as if the beam had a mind of it's own, taunting her with every silly insult that a piece of wood could come up with. "And stay up there.." she chastised, as the team moved it back into formation, and Sugar started to freeze it back into place.
From there, Libbs started to move onto the final set of beams, helping toss material up there and keeping them from coming out of place.
--
TLDR: Libbs helped Ronin out, insulted some wood, and is helping with the other beams.
