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!
03-31-2020, 10:59 PM (This post was last modified: 03-31-2020, 11:01 PM by Delphia.)
DELPHiA
It had been a long time since this ritual had been done. But given the scary monsters that were due to come out in the Hollowed Ground in one season, perhaps it was time to pull out and dust off some of the old ways. Notices had been posted around the the various lands so any who wished to participate could. It was why she had chosen this specific spot - the border of the Greatwood and the Hollowed Ground, somewhere even the Ascended could go.
As the sun began to set, Delphia arrived, setting up a large bonfire for people to gather around and keep away the Leafchange evening chill. On her person she wore various relics and flowing fabrics - no doubt the seer was the child of a priestess of Mort. With the stage set, all that was left to do was wait for everyone to arrive.
This ME is a required prep thread for the trick or treat event (event link HERE)! Please post your participating characters arriving!
Loren wasn't much one for traditions or gift-giving or parties or gatherings. However, he found himself curious both about why Delphia might be bringing them together and in learning more about the culture of Caido. Having been called an outsider recently, he found himself more determined than ever to fit into this world as best he could.
So he showed up. However, he wore a cloak with the hood up in the hope it would disguise his identity. Nodding in acknowledgement and thanks at Delphia, he stood a decent distance away from her and the bonfire. His expression was sad, and he didn't bother hiding the sorrow he was feeling from any Attuned that might get close.
The notice posted had caught his attention almost immediately. Any opportunity to learn about the culture of Caido would be accepted by him and seeing as he had missed many of the old lessons, this one would absolutely have to be visited. He wasn't entirely sure what it entailed, but it sure sounded interesting and exciting. Besides, he needed to get out and see people and hopefully many others would be in attendance at the event.
Arriving, Oliver wore a very simple outfit. Some dark brown pants and a black jacket. One that would keep him warm against the growing cold that threatened to pierce into his skin. There seemed to be one other person off to the side, but Oliver chose to ignore them rather than try to investigate. He shoved away any thoughts or feelings towards the figure, deciding that they most likely wanted to keep their identity a secret. After all, why else would they be standing so far away or be dressed like that?
Now close to the bonfire, Oliver offered Delphia a smile and a nod as he relished in the warmth that the glowing entity provided.
Time is the substance from which I am made. Time is a river which carries me along, but I am the river;
There are not many here yet when Weaver arrives. The fire is lit though, and Weaver finds herself drawn to it like a moth to a candle. There is a tree somewhat near to the fire, and she comes to rest against it. She tries to make eye contact with Delphia first, offering the Seer a nod, before her gaze wanders to the others. Oliver and...Loren? Maybe. It’s near impossible to tell, for the man stands with a hood up and well away from the bonfire.
Instead she simply settles in against the tree. Her scythe is on her back, and she wears her usual black cloak, though the hood is down. Knives glimmer at her waist, and though she is outfitted for a fight as she always is, her posture is relaxed and calm. She is curious what Delphia has in store for them. Curious what the daughter of Mort might teach them, and so, she waits.
it is a tiger that devours me, but I am the tiger; it is a fire that consumes me, but I am the fire.
One of the best ways to learn about a new place was to participate in it's traditions and ceremonies; it was why Josh had temporarily joined so many cults in his life (not that they'd thought it was a temporary arrangement). When he'd heard there was to be an event that sounded so similar to his own Halloween back home, he had to come and check it out. Besides, Halloween had always been his favourite time of year, unsurprisingly.
Approaching the bonfire he stayed back from the crowd, though he did hold up his hands towards the heat. He'd started to get used to the chill here, but it was miles different from his tin can of a trailer in the desert back home. Taking note of the people there, which ones he knew, which ones he didn't, he waited for the event to begin.
The little spark and her vampire gourd companion followed after trails of bonfires, plumes of smoke, gathered beneath the setting sun – recalling the notice posted on the board. Traditions, especially considering and surrounding Ludo, would always intrigue the youth, and she leapt and bounded the rest of the way along the Outskirts, Fangorn tucked behind. Her eyes went to the priestess initially, granting a nod, and then to the others, Loren (whom she avoided), Oliver, Weaver (granting her a wave), and some other unknown individual. So she approached, leaning down to the ground to grab hold of Fangorn and ensure he stayed put in her arms, waiting for everything to begin.
don't make a shadow of yourself, always shutting out the light
The Shield comes around to the bonfire as the evening draws dark, her path lit by the crimson staff she holds within her hand. The gathered crowd is both familiar (smiles and nods for Melita and Loren, a less familiar tilt of her head to Weaver) and surprising (quirked lips for Oliver, and a blinking overt suspicion for Joshua).
Quietly she finds a place to stand not so far from the latter, being sure to keep an eye on him lest he do something bizarre and uncalled for. But most of her attention is turned to Delphia, fascination and curiosity bright in her dark eyes. This event is new and fascinating to her, as anything to do with the Old Gods is.
She’d heard about a something-something for Ludo, read the notices and didn’t initially have any intention of attending. But as the day comes and she sees some of her friends trickling into the Outskirts, Lily decides to follow - she doesn’t know much about Ludo anyway. Now that she’s Attuned, she supposes there’s no excuse for not learning more. Religion still makes her skeptical, but Frey’s enthusiastic acceptance of her has turned her opinion a bit.
Lily flounces towards the group, the redhead spies her younger friend and darts forward, claiming a spot next to Melita. She hasn’t seen the other in forever, so after looking around, she whispers “What’s with the person wearing all the weird stuff?”
She is, of course, referring to Delphia.
women are like tricks by sleight of hand which, to admire, we should not understand
Delphia waited patiently for all who wished to join to arrive, nodding in greating to those who did so. But when the sun had finally set behind the skyline, and the trickle of people ceased, she stepped closer to the bonfire, the upward glow casting eerie shadows on her features.
"Centuries ago, in a time now only remembered through spirits and gods and lore, the Soul Guide Ludo was brough to the world by Mort. It's purpose, to ensure the balance of life and death within the mortal realm, shepparding souls to the afterlife and calming spirits who would otherwise overwhelm the living." As Delphia spoke she cast a mixture of powders into the fire. Smoke erupted above the flames. As the smoke hung in the air, it briefly took recognizable shapes - that of the raggedy hod Ludo seeming to rise up from the flames, sparks surrounding it like soul lights. As the image began to naturally dissipate, Delphia waved a fan in one broad swing of her arm, cutting through the image and sending it away.
"People loved and revered Ludo, for it gave them security, knowing their souls would not be lost forever to Cat Sith or evil spirits. They bestowed upon it toys and candy, to elicit the sweetness of its blessings." Again powder was cast into the flames, this time showing the smoke created Ludo floating above a shrine, while silhouettes of humans knelt below, arms raised in praise. This image too was cast away as it began to fade, though was quickly followed by another smoke image, silhouettes cowaring as the smoke Ludo loomed over. "Those who did not give such payment for the Soul Guide's protection were punished - small reminders of Ludo's power." With this said, the image was cast away.
"In time, the people learned the mere image of the Soul Guide would ward off ill-intentioned spirits. And so, during the season of Ludo, just before Deepfrost when the greatest amount of death would come, humans took on the guise of their beloved Ludo. In so doing, evil spirits would grow wary, for they could not discern the difference between the real Ludo and the imposters." more powder was cast into the flames and arose a crowd of Ludo figures, each indiscernible from the rest.
Casting aside the image, Delphia cast more powder into the flames. The image of the silhouettes bowed in praise to a benevolent Ludo arose next to the image of Ludo looming over cowering people. "To prove to the spirits that many Ludos patrolled the lands, those in the guise of Ludo would visit homes, requesting a sweet. Those who gave these Ludo's payment were left in peace. Those who did not recieved a small trick as punishment."
The final image was cast aside. By now a smokey haze filled the area, casting eerie shadows and smelling heavy of ritual herbs. "It has been many long centuries since this ritual was performed in these lands, and in that time the spirits have grown bold. Go now, and prepare - for on the next night when Safrin's moon grows dark, we shall remind the spirits just how many Ludos there are!"
This concludes the main part of the ME! Feel free to ask questions or have your character leave! The Ludo Trick-or-Treat Event will begin on Monday, April 13! Make sure to get your trick/treat prep thread underway before then!
The honeybee girl waved to Amalia, and beckoned closer to Lily as she approached (content to see the woman again – what had they all been doing with their lives lately?), but didn’t have a clue as to what was going on, no justifiable answer. “I have no idea.” Before she could process or intrigue further, the show seemed to begin, and for once she rendered herself into silence, eyes widening to be captivated, enthralled, and ensorcelled with the process.
It was an eerie, enigmatic sort of show, but Melita was content to be granted and given some other accord of legends behind Ludo and Mort. The effects of the bonfire were intriguing too, and were she younger she might have clapped in the wonder of it all. Instead, she listened, as if this was like all of her mother’s stories of the Dragon’s Throat, a peek, a glimpse, into portions of the past, into rivulets of the present, into currents of the future. She hadn’t heard of taking on Ludo’s guise though, perhaps like the most recent event they had in Torchline, and her brows furrowed in concentration, in what all of this would mean.
Or what she would have to do. “Trick or treat, I suppose?” She whispered to Lily, uncertain, pulling her cloak tighter over her shoulders, shrugging, before disappearing, thoughts over what she’d prepare.
