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!
Amalia is indeed successful, her strange form lunging through the air and knocking the panther askew. As Sunjata is tossed away without retaliation, that leaves Deimos only to stew silently before stalking off to investigate.
Within the small spherical space carves out of the cave in which the cannibals were found, you notice that there are things buried into the icy-lining of the cave. Goblets, knives, a hunting bow...a random assortment of thingsd, though none look particularly valuable. The bodies reveal little to Peter; they show signs of a hard life, self-harm, perhaps even self or group cannibalism begun whilst alive. It's hard to know for sure.
Ahead the pathway suddenly dips low, the steep incline will make it incredibly difficult to walk down.
Your random posting order is: Amalia, Adam, Deimos, Peter, Sunjata. Please try and reply within 48 hours. If you're using weapons/magic please list them in your summary.
For a moment it seems Amalia might not relinquish her fury with Sunjata. Her ears say back, her fangs bared white; there is a clear threat in each line of her form. But then Adam is there, and Peter, and Jyoti worriedly sings again, and Deimos steps in with soothing reason, and the leopardess withdraws.
But damn if Sunjata's next stupid tirade doesn't make things worse. Snarling, a low growl leaves her lungs: We aren't here to murder, either. Oh, what a stupid man, this hot-headed Outlander who believes he has the right to determine who lives and who dies. So you get this straight- I was tasked by Vi to protect life, no matter whose it may be. The next time you decide to slaughter someone in cold blood, I will not hesitate in stopping you. Strong words from someone with no control over her hind legs, maybe, but damn if she's going to let that prevent her from executing her charge from Vi.
As Sunjata moves to leave them behind Amalia shifts again, taking once more to wing and keeping a keen eye on the jaguar, lest he pull anymore shit. Damn if she's letting him out of her sight; one hair out of place and she will happily demonstrate exactly why the Gods have named her Shield. Silently she reaches out to any more creatures who live within for information about the cave and what they might expect to find, ready to throw herself between Jata and his next potential victim.
Amalia closely follows Jata down the tunnel in owl form, and again reaches out to animals for information. Jyoti comes as well.
Between Amalia and Sunjata, Adam was very tuned in indeed to their conversation. As Sunjata spoke he rolled his eyes, glancing back. "We get it, you're a ruthless master of edgy darkness. Amalia having a conscience isn't a bad thing." Though with that said, he spoke to Amalia too: "And one braindead cannibal guy is not worth starting a whole fight over."
Thankfully, it seemed there was not going to be a fight now. Letting out a sigh Adam straightened up and brushed off his pants, tsk-ing where there was now a mark in the leather.
Going forwards, he glanced at the various trinkets around, but none of them seemed particularly useful or valuable; besides, taking treasure from the wall of a cave in the mountains seemed just destined to be a trap. Whistling for Coffee, Adam shifted into his snake form and curled around one of his dragons forms, riding him down the steep incline - easier to go in one piece than as two.
--
Adam shifts into his snake form and hops on Coffee for a ride down the incline flying.
The dramatics over for the moment, they could return to the actual mission. A massive, inaudible sigh curled and coiled through his chest, breathing along the tension, striving to impart some sort of calming, composed presence through the Attuned bond, but it might have been a worthless notion.
Rendered back into silence, the survey of the walls only displayed some knives, goblets, other weapons and wares he had no use for – only extending a look with Zuriel, who watched on, seemingly very bemused by the entire turn of events. One more haughty exchange, and she carried on, following the rest down the incline.
He did the same, shifting back into eagle form, grabbing hold of his bag within his talons, and winding, gliding, down the singular path. Hopefully there’d be less distractions, less murders, less schisms within their own group before they actually found what they were looking for.
--
Deimos shifts into his eagle form and carries his bag in his talons. He and Zuriel head down the path, and he attempts to send a calming, composed vibe through the Attuned bond to the rest of them.
- until you had blood glistening on your teeth
- until your suffering paled in comparison to their own
- until you learned to enjoy the sounds of screams
Peter let out a breath he didn’t know he’d been holding when things finally settled, and let himself move to the terrible and ultimately useless job of looking over the bodies. What had he even expected cannibals to have?
The way forward was clear, and the others had already begun descending, in various animal skins. Peter followed the trend, shifting back into a bat and swooping through the cave, trying to focus on Apricum so he could try to help if it slipped. The ground grew only more treacherous the further down they went.
Peter shifts into a bar to move on, but keeps an eye on Apricum, who is also descending
please don’t believe in me
please disagree with me
He doesn’t care what the rest of them say, too focused on the task at hand and accomplishing it to avoid whatever drama Amalia and the rest insist on sparking to save things as lowly as a cannibal, already half dead. So he says nothing, turning from the crowd as they search to follow Peter deeper down the pathway, acutely aware of Amalia at his neck already.
Great, one more to add to the mix of many.
His gaze flits along the walls, Haai follows behind him closely, sparking a small flame to give them light as they go deeper, eyes peeled for anything that might be a sign they’re heading in the right direction.
Sunjata and Haai follow Peter down the path and he tries to ignore Amalia while looking at the walls for anything to go by.
love will save you, but it won't save me
BASE INSPIRED BY ODD <3
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.
Luxere, griffen, and unicorn, all have a rather awkward time as they descend. Apricum and Zuriel obviously have it the worst, as at least Haai has claws to grip the sheer ice with. The other companions skate down unsteadily, their less than stealthy efforts echoing through the cavern below...
Sunjata will see nothing of real interest on the walls, except..
..are there things hidden in the walls? The light is low, but the more he looks with his predatory sight, the more he'll see the glimmer of yet more goblets, swords, and even—
—more faces.
The slide of ice flattens out again (can you hear the companions sighs of relief?) and there seems to be only one way to go. Forward. Presumably you do, you've come this far, you'll enter into a large chamber. It's nearly the size of a football field, arching upwards like a bowl, with a small hole in the ceiling that lets a dramatic beam of light fall...
..onto a slumbering white dragon.
The white dragon is not the largest, as far as dragons go, though it is far larger than any of you. With a body the size of a city-bus, it snoozes on a hoard of icy-treasures.
Amalia cannot help but sneak a glance at Coffee, thoroughly awed by the sheer difference in size between the pair of reptiles they've encountered. Gingerly she lands, her claws skidding awkwardly across the ice, maintaining a comfortable and safe distance and keeping Sunjata clearly in her sights.
It should be able to speak to us, she says to the assembled team, But we don't want to startle it. To which end Jyoti flies tentatively forward, casting bright and soothing starlight into the dragon's den. Hopefully it will help to keep the beast calm when it awakens, to avoid any potential conflict - and oh, she is ready to step in immediately should their intrepid leader do something stupid again.
Jyoti casts soothing starlight into the den to try and keep the dragon calm when it wakes up. Amalia suggests they avoid startling it, and will immediately tackle Sunjata should he attempt to attack the dragon >__>
As they came to the edge of the drop Adam slithered off of Coffee and shifted back to his human form, kneeling with a hand on his companions back to try and calm some of the little dragon's immediate excitement upon seeing another one of it's kind (but big this time!!).
It seemed Amalia was going for the peaceful route again; once again Adam would try it first - if it didn't work, plan B was to go in guns blazing. Stroking Coffee's back he leaned down, thinking that the sight of another one of it's species might help to set the larger Dragon at ease. "Alright buddy, you can go say hi, but be slow and careful, yeah? And I don't think this guy is gonna want any fire shit."
That said, he let Coffee inch forwards towards the larger dragon, watching carefully as he went to investigate his new pal.
---
Adam stays back and sends Coffee forwards with Jyoti to try and gently sniff at the Dragon
Deimos was all too aware of Zuriel’s complaints, the undertones and frustrations pummeling through their bond – as if the world dared to go against her intentions of walking down an incline. He fought off the notion of rolling his eyes, and simply ignored most of the whining.
By the time they made it down, the insults flying at him dying off, his attention was fully captivated and bewildered by the beams of light surrounding, hitting, upon the slumbering dragon. He’d only ever known the flying serpents the size of Coffee – familiar companions hastening around world after world. This was enormous, and his eyes widened on their own, a lack of reticence simply for the sake of standing there in awe for a moment.
But it slept, and he pondered just how they were going to accomplish their mission. The potential for irritating it simply by awakening the beast might send them all into a certain peril, much less Sunjata’s previous actions already something in the back of all their minds. He stood a fair ways off, while Zuriel marched forward, following after Coffee and Jyoti, gentle pulses of fellow, ethereal beasts pulsing through the void, soothing, assuaging overtures.
--
Deimos stands back while Zuriel follows after Coffee and Jyoti, sending calm, gentle pulses.
- until you had blood glistening on your teeth
- until your suffering paled in comparison to their own
- until you learned to enjoy the sounds of screams
Peter can feel the sense of discomfort that comes form Apricum as it tries to navigate the slick slope, and swoops low, doing his best to be a comforting presence. There isn't much else he can do after all. The ordeal is over with rather quickly though, Peter, still in bat form, alights gently on his companions back, wings outstretched as if in a hug as they press forwards.
The form of the dragon before them has something thats half panic and half awe thumping in Peter's chest, even as the other companions go on ahead. Apricum is not a creature that could be described as comforting, it doesn't even have the excuse of familiarity like Coffee does, but still it cautiously steps forward, hanging further back, with Peter still on its back. He is ready to fly away if he needs, or to shift and run the second anything go awry.
Apricum approaches the dragon, carefully and slowly, with Peter on its back, in bat shift
please don’t believe in me
please disagree with me
How strange it was to see treasure among the walls, within them, as though they were made with them. It’s only when he spies the faces in the wall that he knows Amalia shouldn’t be so worried about him in comparison to what it is they find.
But it’s no half dead cannibal, nor is it something Sunjata’s keen on fighting, not with the blood still stuck to his neck and maw. And so he shifts, into a less menacing form, the macaw perched along Haai’s shoulders as they stay somewhere near the entrance, debating whether to say hello or if Amalia’s companion might calm it enough to ask.
After a few moments, his dark gaze sweeps over the sleeping dragon, sending a friendly pulse of hello through the attuned bond — hoping not to enrage the slumbering beast.
Sunjata shifts to Macaw form and sits with Haai near the entrance. He tries to send a friendly hello toward the dragon through the attuned bond.
love will save you, but it won't save me
BASE INSPIRED BY ODD <3
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.
02-10-2020, 04:15 PM (This post was last modified: 02-10-2020, 04:16 PM by Random Event.)
RANDOM EVENT
Silly ducklings, the dragon is calm.
It might have stayed asleep too had you not all rudely bombarded it with thoughts and companions. I'm not sure about you, but I don't like being woken up, in my own home, by a group of strangers. And sadly that level of fury isn't something to be combatted by a single starwhale. Though, it might just save Jyoti's life.
A blast of ice-breath is suddenly sprayed outwards as the dragon seethes to life.
Coffee is struck immediately, being the closest and nearest. Sadly, because of his fiery-composition, the icy-blast is the most detrimental. There is little that the dragonling can do against such an assault. He dies instantly, his body frozen into a solid block of ice.
Jyoti, only slightly more used to the frigid temperatures of outer space, fairs only slightly better (read: is at about 10% health). She falls to the ground though, her ability to fly impeeded by the thick ice forming around her.
Apricum is swallowed entirely by the blast as well. With no skin or muscle to protect the strange companion from the chill, he is consumed instantly. He too dies upon impact. Peter is knocked unconscious and is thus thrown back into his regular body a few feet away.
Zuriel is struck as well, ice lacing her mane and tail and freezing her limbs. It chokes into her throat and lungs, making it hard for her to breathe.
Raising onto all four feet now, the ice dragon lifts her head and roars at the ceiling. Chunks of ice begin to fall and rain down all around you. Her message is clear: get the fuck out.
Peter: 60/112 *unconcious
Jyoti: 10% health
Coffee: 0
Apricum: 0
Zuriel: 30% health
Your random posting order is: Amalia, Adam, Deimos, Peter, Sunjata. Please try and reply within 48 hours. If you're using weapons/magic please list them in your summary.
The scream that leaves Amalia's throat is as much a feral note as a word, all the anguish of the falling whale encapsulated within the note. As the ice strikes Jyoti the Shield feels it all: the chilling cold, the wild surprise, the terror as she is trapped, entombed, and stricken to the ground. She feels it in her body, her soul, coursing like fire through their bond. It tears her apart in a way she did not know possible.
Without a thought to the other companions, to the other humans, to the threat of the dragon, Amalia lunges to her fallen friend. Her legs are still shaky as she lands around the whale, leopard-formed with qilin fire rising from her feet. Swiftly she shifts back to human form, trying to scoop up Jyo in her arms, to retreat away to safety and secure the whale's health.
As she does she calls to her pendant, willing the charm Deimos made to create a shield around them, willing the stone of Loren's healing magic to work its way into Jyoti's frozen form. To fix her, heal her, preserve the girl's soul. She would give herself to save Jyoti, give the world, the stars, the sky. As she retreats from the dragon the girl murmurs a desperate prayer: "Safrin, Vi, Mort, if you can hear me... please, please don't let her die. Please. I'll do anything."
Amalia attempts to scoop up Jyoti and retreat back up the tunnel. She uses her barrier charm to protect against the dragon, and her amulet with Loren's mastered healing magic to try and heal Jyoti. She also prays.
