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!
There’s some commotion on the beach, and an Amalia that doesn’t quite resemble the Amalia Weaver had met yells that Ludo is in the ocean. The entire thing is already fishy, and made even fishier when Ludo appears on the beach, runs a few feet, and then jumps back into the waves.
Weaver is not about to go swimming, and she’s pretty sure Ludo is standing on the beach pretending to be Amalia anyway. Granted, she isn’t about to ruin his game or accidentally insult Amalia if she’s wrong.
So instead, Weaver gathers up the little toy in her hand, and carrying it tucked in her elbow, slides into the group near the Amalia that may not actually be Amalia to watch.
She’s terrible at games.
weaver
-- ask no questions, and you'll be told no lies --
He didn't really understand what was going on, but at least the game seemed to be light-hearted and fun. At hearing the shouting and pointing behind him Kellan turned away from the leaves and made his way down to the beach, peering out over the water. One of the Fair Ones - not Jiao, he saw with disappointment - and some birds were flying over a spot in the dark waves. Looking around he saw some people staying on shore and gathering around the woman who had called out their direction to search, but others were already wading or swimming out.
Uncertainly, still not sure who this 'Ludo' was, he bent down to pull off his boots and roll up his trousers. With his bow slung over his back and his boots in hand, he began to follow another young person out, looking back towards 'Amalia' for confirmation that he was going the right direction as the waves began to lap up his calves and knees.
A cry goes out from across the sand bar that Ludo’s been spotted - clearly nowhere near where I am, so I head back towards the sound, padding easily across the cool sand like someone who’s grown up in the rolling grains. I spot a girl dancing like her feet are on fucking fire, pointing into the water as if she’s spotted a chest full of gold coins.
I see a Saiden-looking figure dive in. And others - strangers. I don’t know if they can handle the ocean or not, so with a grumble in my throat, I wade out and then begin to swim towards the herald and the group in the water, privately wondering if the Ludo was trying to ‘play’ with us until we drown.
‘Amalia’ yells that Ludo is in the water and quite frankly, that’s enough for Wessex to give up the chase. With an exaggerated shrug in case anyone is watching, the Ascended meanders back towards the small crowd gathering around Amalia. Her eyes narrow, thinking perhaps that something may not be quite right, but unless the girl is bleeding or in danger, she’s going to keep her mouth shut. Deimos, she notes, isn’t with her - he’s in the water? Huh, that’s odd too. Coming in at the edge of the crowd, Wessex stands to one side, somewhere around Weaver’s vicinity.
"Mm, both," Ronin said, having carefully decided since they had discussed the nature of Ludo's tasks for Remi that he would do his best to feel absolutely nothing about it. He turned alongside the alchemist to watch 'Amalia' go springing across the beach, wrinkling his nose at the implication that Safrin might have affected his attendance. "She does not control where I go," he murmured, sounding perhaps a little sulky before tugging Remi closer.
"I came so I could be with you," he said simply, leaning in to kiss the other man's cheek. "And I suppose we should go find it," he agreed, though he made zero attempt to even stroll back towards the shore. Let them enjoy the playful deity while the mood lasted. Ronin was happy where he was.
It took them awhile, slow moving as spirits were, but eventually their whispers reached her ears. Even as 'Amalia' came running out of the water, her haunted gaze shifted to the baker. Well, well, well, what a tricky little disguise indeed. She grinned widely, very impressed by Ludo's little scheme that was dispelled by the watchful gaze of the realm human eyes normally could not perceive.
Delphia strolled up to the supposed baker, smile broad and eyes full of adoration and mischeviousness. "As you would say...boo." she said softly to Ludo-Amalia, repeating the phrase the raggedy god had used when lending their helping rag against the Cat Sith.
They divide, a group swimming out into the waves and another remaining on the sands with the herald. Chaos abounds, and Amalia's laughter coming from Ludo was likely a sound of joy and innocence that even the Shield herself would only recognise from her childhood. Glancing sidelong at the daughter of Mort as she arrives, the deity's grin only grows further. "Oh, I have been found," it sighs, and before the group on the beach the ragged god would erupt out all of a sudden, a writhing mass of rags and an amused porcelain mask.
Out in the water, those swimming for Amalia will be thoroughly disappointed to find the baker suddenly looking just like herself again - not that she had been particularly well disguised to begin with! But they will not go unrewarded.
Indeed, all those gathered, whether on the beach or in the water, will find the Hale Ka'aila suddenly aglow with figures. Sailors, cloud manta, ghost whales, merkfolk, all appear in and out of the waves, frolicking and playing, souls given form for one more moment.
And Ludo reaches out to Weaver, a rag plucking the toy boat from the crook of her elbow to wave it around, clearly pleased. "This has been fun!" it says. "Let us sail back now, yes?"
Throwing the toy, the little boat transforms as it hits the waves into a reasonably sized vessel indeed. With rope ladders and gangplanks leading on board, Ludo surges up to the deck, awaiting the rest of the group and their party of ghosts.
Ludo has been found again by Delphia!
It takes the disguise from Amalia, and allows the bobbing souls to take form that they might mingle with the group.
It also accepts Weaver's offering, transforming the toy boat into a ghostly vessel to take them all back to Kaiholo.
As Ludo revealed itself, Loren turned to face the god. He did his best to smile at its antics, but it was clearly forced. As the glowing figures, appeared, he gasped and spun to gaze at them swirling about, mouth agape.
When it spoke, though, he turned to face it again (making sure to close his mouth as he did). Nodding at its words, he watched as the toy boat was transformed into a full sized boat. Grinning now, for real, he followed Ludo and the spirits up onto the deck. Finding a quiet corner, he simply stood there and watched, a content expression on his features.
Saiden was a little disappointed when the Ludo he'd been chasing turned out to be a fake. However, he couldn't help but laugh at the god's cleverness. Swimming back towards the sand bar, he climbed out of the water just in time to see the ghosts practically explode all around them.
Laughing again, he started dancing and weaving through them, bending down to retrieve the gift he'd brought for Ludo. Then he grinned as the boat appeared in the water. Wasting no time, he clambored aboard the ghostly vessel. Making his way directly towards where it waited, he beamed at it. "It was an excellent game!" His voice was almost childlike with glee.
Delphia said the words, and Maea knew what it meant. She had been right, guessed correctly, and was content with seeing the guise of Amalia melt away into the familiar dark rags.
She laughed happily when she saw it accept Weaver's gift - knowing how much that must mean to her friend, to be acknowledged - and she eagerly boarded the ship as it grew, accommodating all the souls and the players of this game.
Maea went over to stand next to Loren, and draped a friendly arm about his waist. "See? I told you Ludo wasn't so bad," she said to him, with a smile. "I hope you believe me now."
Her gaze went out over the crowd, searching for familiar faces. It was a rare thing that so many of the people she loved and cared about was gathered in the same place, laughing and having fun. It was a sight she appreciated very much... She would make sure to remember it. Couldn't help but wonder how many that would do the same, and if any would recall her being there too.
It was only a small moment in time, after all. So very fleeting.
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Maea out <3
Nothing lasts forever, I thought you should know
BASE INSPIRED BY ODD <3
♦ Violence, magic, thievery is permitted with Maea at all times. DM me if you have any ideas ♦
Quanil was enjoying the little hide-and-seek game when, suddenly everything shifted. And it wasn't that they'd stopped enjoying things so much as they were now awestruck at all the... people around them. Glowing people and creatures and... they almost feared to breathe, as if their breath might disrupt the newly-revealed soul forms.
And, for a moment, their mind slowed to something like peace, as it had when they'd first seen the ocean in the sunlight, and all they could feel was the sheer wonderment of being alive in this place at this moment.
The peace was shattered by the sudden appearance of a large ship? boat? There was a difference between the two words, but Quanil couldn't remember now what it was and wasn't sure it mattered. Well, it mattered if there was a difference, or else there wouldn't be one, but it didn't matter right now because a God was bidding them all come aboard.
They hesitated a bit, then headed for a gangplank, leaving their boots around their neck for now. There wasn't a good place to put them back on without their feet getting sandy first, so might as well just enjoy being barefoot. They stayed where the sand where was wet and cool, where the waves lapped at their feet. They left wet footprints behind them on the gangplank, and tried to find a place aboard the ship where they wouldn't be in the way (or, hopefully, found out by the provost).
Maybe I should walk back? Too late now, unless they wanted to jump overboard, and that didn't look safe to their eyes. Plus, they'd get everything all wet. And heading back alone would possibly draw more attention to themselves, on top of potentially angering a God.
No, no, better to be on the boat.
Or ship. HERE, however you defined it.
But they leaned over the edge to look at the gathered and varied souls, to watch them play on and in the waves, and they smiled.
High up as she was, obviously didn't catch or find Ludo. However, as the dark figure she'd been following revealed itself as a trick, she immediately banked around to fly back towards the weird structure on the sand.
As she did, lights exploded as spirits started appearing below her. Circling above, she watched them cautiously, eyes narrowed. Then a boat appeared, and Ludo boarded it along with the ghosts. People began to climb aboard it as well.
Sighing, she started to descend. It didn't take her long to reach the mast. She perched on top of it, making no move to join the festivities below.
Seeing Amalia was never a disappointment, and the Attuned bond pulsed with surprise and laughter as she was revealed. The laughter cut off a moment later as all around them the water suddenly burst into otherworldly brilliance and Jigano got his first sight of merfolk in the flesh. Laughter shifted to wonder and amazement as he flapped around, nearly ending up swamped by a wave as he tried to see all the souls at once, and when the boat sprang to life-sized splendor he quickly flapped to the crow's nest at the top to look down upon the party of the dead and living below.
Thank you, Ludo, he sent to the god, bobbing his feathered head at the captain as he watched the joy of the departed and let it soothe his own soul.
"Oh no husband, looks like we weren't fast enough." Remi hums in a monotone voice clearly not bothered, his fingertips pressing in waves against Ronin's hip. Watching as Ludo creates a boat from seemingly nothing (he isn't close enough to see the trinket grabbed from Weaver), the alchemist pauses on the surface of the water.
"Oh. A ghost ship and the herald of death. Surely that won't end poorly." Remi chuckles under his breath. Unlike the masses throwing toys to Ludo and fawning over it, the alchemist has little desire to try and catch the eye of the raggedy god among so many. Perhaps that's why he got on with the herald. Like any cat, you couldn't act like you wanted them too much, or it took all the fun out.
"Race you back? Cloud vs. wing?"
REMI
I wish I could discover something that doesn't expire
Speaks with a thick Italian accent.
Force and magic can be used against Remi without permission.
