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.
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04-03-2020, 01:33 AM (This post was last modified: 04-03-2020, 01:33 AM by Delta.)
She had an immense curiosity about life
Interesting. What all did this man want to know? Delta wanted to tell him some, but not too much. Just enough to get the man a rough idea. "I am not the best person to talk to, but I can tell you a bit," She thought for a moment, figuring out what is important to share. "We are intelligent and believe that the oceans should be kept safe. We also enjoy diplomacy and respect, which we will show to you and to everyone else who wishes to speak with us." There was a clear shift in how Delta spoke, showing a different side of her. One that was less cheerful and aiming to be more mature.
Was this land boy flirting with her? Must think that something would come out of it. "Thank you," She responded like a truly lady. It was polite to thank others for compliments, even though she questioned his intentions.
That was a lot of magic. Some of it was seemingly useful, like healing, but what did telekinesis really help with? Lazy people? Okay... maybe it had its perks, but Delta realized she probably shouldn't ask for demonstrations. It could be the perfect opportunity to harm her. Then things got interesting. The mermaid's eyes widen and she lifts a hand out of the water, tempted to touch the creature before quickly retracting it. No. Don't trust the magic and fluff. "You can become a bird?" How peculiar. Did he choose to be a bird? It was large, but it could also float. It was... a weird choice, to say the least. "I have a friend that is... not really like you. But he is a Hel." That wasn't saying too much, right?
Listening to Delta explain about her people, Loren nodded slowly. "That is good to know. Thank you for sharing your knowledge with me." Hesitating, he studied her features for a moment. "Do you people have any rituals or customs you think I should know about? And other than protecting the oceans, what do you value?" His tone was polite and as charming as he could manage under the circumstances.
Shifting back to human, he smiled at her. "Is your friend a mermaid?" Then his smile deepened just a hair. "You can touch me if you'd like." There was absolutely nothing suggestive about it. And as he shifted back into a goose, hopefully it would become clear what he meant.
The man continues to ask questions. It seems she finally cracked him and got him interested in asking things. Why he would want to hear even more about this boring stuff, she wouldn't understand. Might as well try to get the dude to be happy. "Well, word of advice: be careful with your fishing stuff. Most people do a great job, but I know you aren't from around here. If you were, you would know more about us." Ah yes, she was onto something. She didn't sound angry, more like she was about to say something genuinely serious. "Don't abandon your nets if you choose to fish." She couldn't assume that he and his people were wise enough to not do that. "We do prefer to keep our customs to ourselves for the time being, I am sorry." Part of her wanted to share more, but she knew her father wouldn't like it.
Glancing back over to the beach, she tilted her head. "What did you bring with you? Anything interesting?"
There is a very clear squint of her eyes as the man quickly shifts back into a human. He wants her.... to pet him? To do what? To confirm that he's a bird? It's weird as heck, but fine. Fine. Reaching forward, she gives a gentle pet on his wing. "So when you shift into a bird, you really are the bird." Looks like it was the same thing with humans as it were with them. Interesting. Retracting her hand back, she watched him. "How did you get abilities like that?" Was this common among them to be able to do magic and shift?
Loren nodded at Delta's explanations, his brow furrowed in concentration. "Got it. Thanks. I will be careful when I fish." Given that he wasn't planning to fish at all, it was an easy promise to make.
Nodding again when she mentioned there were traditions she wasn't willing to share, he smiled as charmingly as he could at her. "I understand. I was just hoping to find out so I wouldn't offend you unintentionally." The more he spoke, the more his tone grew into the formal and polite posture he'd learned as a duke.
Following her gaze back to the beach, he bit his lip. "Just my clothes." It came out almost apologetically. "How about you? Do you have anything interesting on you?"
Paddling away from her, he shifted back to human. "I am." Raising his eyebrows, he shrugged. "I was born with magic, and kept it when I came to this world. The shifts are a blessing from Frey."
Ah. Either the human was a good actor or he genuinely didn't want to offend her. Whatever the two leg thought, Delta only partially cared. She wanted to ensure that she and her people were safe, meaning she'd try and make suggestions to avoid any...unnecessary incidents. "The best way to avoid offending us is to just treat us with respect. That's all I can say. We are living creatures too, not something to be toyed with or seen as lesser. I doubt you'd do such a thing as that, but I am not too sure about your fellow land-dwellers." She tried to speak calmly so not to offend the human, Loren. There was still a sense of doubt, though. The man was kind, but did he really think she was educated? Or did he see her as a dumb bimbo?
The man completely misunderstood her question. Go figure. "I was just curious to see what you had on you. I know you aren't from Torchline. I wanna know what things you guys have, since who knows. Maybe you guys have some unique things that people in Torchline don't have. Personally, I'm a major fan of handmade things. Paper products don't last, so I need things sturdy and capable of going underwater." Handmade could be anything, just so long as she could take it underwater with her. "I was going to offer you a trade, but seeing as you have nothing on you, it'll have to wait."
So, it looks like the gods did grant the humans similar abilities to them. How intriguing. "How common is this? The gods turning you from just a simple mage into something like this?" Her eyes were wide with wonder, now clearly far more interested in the human than she was in speaking about herself. Looks like she had priorities and talking about herself was absolutely not one of them.
Nodding, Loren smiled faintly at her. "I'll keep that in mind, and treat you and your people with the respect they so clearly deserve." He inclined his head to Delta, something weirdly formal about the motion.
As she went on to explain why she'd been asking, his forehead creased a little. "I see." He cleared his throat. "I'm from Halo. I'm afraid all we have to offer is meat, furs, and feathers, along with our magic. And some artwork made from the bones of the beasts we hunt." Smiling apologetically, he tilted his head to one side. "What sorts of things do you like to trade? And what do you like to get in exchange?"
Laughing a little nervously, he shrugged. "I don't know, honestly. I'm not from this world, so I imagine you would have a far better sense of the gods and their customs." He was clearly attempting to complement her again.
His response was good and Delta could only hope that he was an honest man. That did still leave a problem. "I'd also... possibly recommend being wary with who you tell this information to... we are peaceful creatures and I know not everyone is truly good natured. Information can spread like a fire, scorching each thing it touches. Even water will someday be impacted by it." It seemed as though a switch had been flicked, showing a new side of the girl... or one that she didn't really show. While she could be playful, she knew to respect her father's wishes and to be careful. She couldn't put her people in danger by being too curious.
A clear shift occurred on her face, which softened and she leaned forward slightly, one again relaxed and far more interested in other things. "What's Halo like? And I think artwork from bones sounds really interesting." Why would he mark that off as something she wouldn't like? It sounded super nice and could be really cool! Plus, something from a brand new world? Absolutely!
But oh- oh. The man wanted to know what she had to trade? Now that was something she could get behind. "I have lots of stuff. I have tons of rocks, broken shells, and some other oceanic things... but I also get things from shipwrecks. Things that were lost overboard. I probably have a ring in your size if that's what interests you." The salesman pitch had started and Delta was ready to get some cool things from a different world.
Raising an eyebrow, Delta tilted her head. "So this Halo is a different world from ours?"
As Delta asked Loren to keep quiet, he immediately nodded. "I have seen water burn before." Smiling faintly, he gave her as reassuring a response as he could muster. "Rest assured your secret is safe with me." And he had every intention of keeping that promise mostly because he figured the news would get out without his intervention.
"Halo is cold. And frozen." His voice still came out without much emotion, but he was telling the truth. "I'd be happy to bring you some of those carvings." Giving her a curious look as she listed off everything, he nodded at the end of it. "A ring seems like a good exchange to me." The carvings were mostly jewelry, so it was an equitable swap.
As she asked if Halo was another world, though she actually startled a nervous laugh. "No, sorry for the confusion." He had to take a moment to readjust his strokes, which had grown sloppy as he'd grown distracted by the conversation. "I am from another world, but Halo is in another part of Caido. It's..." His voice trailed off as his brow furrowed. "Actually I don't know where it is in relation to Torchline."
There is a playful roll of her eyes and a quirk of her lips. "I didn't mean it like that. We are impacted by the effects of a fire, different than the water catching fire." Looks like this boy was a smart one. Still, she was happy that he had promised to keep her life a secret. "Good." She seemed very satisfied with this and was happy to move on.
Once Loren started to spin the tale that is Halo, her eyes widened and she listened silently, wishing she had some way to record this. Hopefully her memories would serve her well and she could properly report of such things to the fellow mermaids when the time was right. But sadly, he didn't have anything to say. Just that it was cold, frozen, and didn't have a lot of stuff to offer. "Sounds like a perfect trade to me." She gave him a satisfied nod, showing that he best be bringing those artwork the next time they meet, even if they were both unsure of when that day would come.
Then things got more and more confusing. "Wait... how did you come here then? And another world? Such as.... one not from us? Not Caido?" She absolutely wanted to learn about Halo, but she was extremely hung up on this concept. A place that wasn't Halo? "Did you learn about mermaids in Caido? Or in this otherworld?"
"Ah. I understand. Apologies for my mistake." Loren nodded in acknowledgement of Delta's comment. However, he couldn't keep his forehead from creasing slightly from curiosity. "How does a fire affect your land and your people then?" His voice was still politely respectful.
Smiling faintly, he nodded again. "Me too." Although his arms and legs were now burning from treading water this long, he made no move to return to shore, knowing he hadn't reached his limits yet.
As she began to rattle off questions, he blinked, trying to keep track of and understand them all. "I came to Caido through a portal. We had tales of mermaids in my old world, but they were just that, stories." His tone grew complimentary. "And they could hardly do justice to the true thing."
Pausing, he smiled faintly before continuing. "I came to Torchline from Halo through a portal as well, albeit an entirely different kind than the one that brought me from Northaven. That's my old world. Well, one of them." Recognizing he was botching the explanation a bit, he gave her a sheepish look. "Sorry, that was confusing. I hope it answered your questions, though."
This man was asking wise questions, slowly. "So... think of it like this. Lets say.... a fire occurs on land. If that fire is not put out, there can be a massive amount of mud and debris that comes into the streams and our water. It hurts the fish sometimes and we cant help them as often, they are separate from us." It was simple and she clearly lacked some of the technical terms, but she knew a bit about what she was saying. "Fire also can happen on ships, which will then sink. Those people are then drowned often because they are so far from land. Their boat abandoned, in our waters, and the people..." She trailed off, her eyes growing soft. Quickly, she turned her gaze away. "Apologies... just be careful."
It wasn't hard to notice that he was struggling. Loren did say he wanted to tire himself out, but that didn't mean Delta would allow him to do something stupid. Rather than doing or saying anything immediately, Delta chose to instead watch the man carefully, looking for any signs of drowning or him...dying. Instead, she allowed him to continue talking, choosing to speak at a different moment. Her eyelashes flutter and she gives a light shrug of her shoulders, trying to distract away from the light blush on her cheeks. "Thank you, I'm glad I've been able to live up to and beyond your expectations. I can assure you, we are just as spectacular as you land-walkers, potentially more." She knew plenty of attractive and fantastic merpeople. Some could do super cool things that Delta didn't think anyone else could.
"Can you go back home? Through these portals? Or are all these portals merely one way?" She watched him with wide eyes, clearly very eager to have an answer. Slowly, her eyes return to normal and she said something super out of the blue. "Also, do you wish for assistance? With getting back to the water? Your strokes are growing weak." Ah yes. The best time she could've ever mentioned it. Delta knew she said it at just the right moment.
Shaking his head when Delta said sorry, Loren smiled faintly at her. "No need to apologize. I'm sorry that our issues on land radiate out to affect you in the sea."
As the conversation went on, he realized he wasn't going to tread water indefinitely. "I have no doubt you are as spectacular as you say. On the subject of us land dwellers and our difficulties, as well as your kind offer of assistance, do you mind if we continue this while I take a break on those rocks?" Without waiting for a response, he struck out for the rocks. His strokes were imperfect, but he made up for it in a brute strength that was still new to him.
Climbing on to the precarious and slippery perch, he turned to address her and her questions again. "The ones that take you to different points in Caido can travel to multiple locations, anywhere with an active portal. The ones that brought me and the rest of the Outlanders to this world are one way, though."
The man brushed away her apology, offering his own in return. With a soft sigh, Delta shook her head. "It's fine. I'm hoping that overtime, mouthbreathers will become more aware of our presence and therefore think a bit more on what their actions do to the ocean.... then again, it's not always you guys. Often, it's nature that causes things to happen." Things were often out of their control and Delta only wanted the moutbreathers to come together with her people. To work and repair the problems... if the mermaids ever did truly show themselves to these people.
Thankfully, the man was ready to take a break, which Delta would gladly accept. "Certainly, that's fine with me." Ducking her head back under the water, Delta swam towards the rocks, resurfacing once the man was safely on it. Part of the reason was to watch after the man to make sure he didn't start dying but she also was beginning to feel way too dry, a very uncomfortable thing to experience.
Popping back up above the water, she watched as he clambered onto the rocks. Then, he started to speak with her once more. These portals sounded intriguing, but also potentially dangerous. "How are these Outlanders chosen to come here? What ensures that the people who visit are acting properly and safely? I understand that Torchline has a government, yes, but that if someone not from Torchline comes... how do we know they are following the guidelines?" It was a genuine concern and may seem to come from nowhere. Delta was the daughter of the leader and therefore, she was concerned with the safety of her and her people. She could only wonder if her father knew about these portals.
Nodding in understanding at Delta's words, Loren smiled faintly. "I'll do my best to spread the word among my fellow mouth breathers." There was a polite tone to his voice, though he couldn't help but feel a bit of wry amusement at her term for them.
Now settled on the rocks, he frowned a bit at her next set of questions. "Do you know about the Voice?" He gave her a curious look. "It's not a visit. We're stuck here. As for how we're chosen, no one really knows. And every region has their own way of dealing with Outlanders, I suppose." Shrugging, he gave her an apologetic look, but there weren't good answers to what she was asking.
