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!
Darling, you take the high horse and I'll take the high road
Eloise was absolutely not prepared for the cold. Were it not for the kindness of strangers (and by kindness, I mean heavily bribed), Eloise would not have made it to the palace. After all, the warmest clothing in Torchline was no match for the elements here, and Eloise' sunkissed skin felt as though it might never be smooth again give the relentless goosebumps.
But eventually, she had made it, mascara running from lashes turned to ice and then warmed within the walls of the Palace. Told to sit and wait like some commoner, Eloise tried to make herself more or less presentable. She knew of Zariah Launceleyn of course, the pair having dabbled in the same circles back in Northaven. While this was a brave new world they found themselves in, even Eloise knew it would do her no good to treat the Merciless as if she were anything but.
If you're too good for us, you'll be good riding solo
Be dangerous darling, for the world rises and falls at your feet.
If there was one thing Zariah had maintained since coming to Caido, it was her appearance - so Eloise had every reason to fuss over her own. The Merciless recalled Eloise from their days in Northaven. A duchess. A governess. A magic user. More than that she didn't quickly recall. They'd only dabbled in the same circles so only the basic if information was necessary.
The sound of her heels in the hall would announce her well before she arrived. While her footwear was slightly more suitable to the weather outside, while inside Zariah still opted for her towering heels which she glided in down the palace corridors. As she rounded the corner, the long tails of her black dyed Ursur fur cloak flared and flicked, wild mane of curls bouncing in time. Despite the time and place, nothing seemed to have changed with the Launceleyn certainly. "Ms. Teralux, what a lovely surprise. I was unaware more Northaveners had arrived in Caido." she said, tone low and velvety. "And all the way from Torchline. Whatever brings you here?"
Darling, you take the high horse and I'll take the high road
At the decisive clicking of heels, Eloise straightened. If she'd successfully removed the mascara from beneath her eyes and tamed her hair, she had no way of knowing. Standing at the sight of Zariah, Eloise stood. She had no skirts with which to curtsey, but the fur-lined poncho she wore would do in a pinch.
"Had I a reliable way of announcing my presence to you before hand, I'd have done so. Alas, the ravens in Torchline are often...shot down for sport before they can set off on their missions." Eloise replied by way of explanation, before nodding her head. "Indeed, I found myself on a ship far out at sea at the same time I take it the majority of you found yourselves in the Hollowed Grounds. I've been in Torchline ever since."
Eloise would have thought it might have been hard to slip into her old duchess ways, but standing before Zariah now, it was like a second skin. "Word of your impressive new school here has reached our humble shores. They might call us the abandoned here and frown at magic, but we know that isn't the case."
If you're too good for us, you'll be good riding solo
04-05-2020, 10:42 PM (This post was last modified: 04-05-2020, 10:42 PM by Zariah.)
Zariah
Be dangerous darling, for the world rises and falls at your feet.
"A pity. It sounds it would be particularly tragic should there be an attuned with a raven shift then." she said, a ghost of a smirk curving her lips. As Eloise spoke, Zariah lifted a hand and with a flick of her wrist a maid appeared from seemingly nowhere and the Archmage whispered in the young woman's ear. Despite the quiet exchange, from which the maid departed quickly, Zariah's hazel gaze never left Eloise. She was the guest after all, the maid merely a tool to maintain proper hospitality of course.
"I hear Torchline is rather rough around the edges, though it has Halo beat in terms of climate." she said, head tilting, feeling out where this conversation was headed. "Indeed, we do know better than that, don't we? It is music to my ears to hear some still keep our people's ways in mind." she said, lips curving into a small smile. "Is that why you have come then? The Academy?"
Darling, you take the high horse and I'll take the high road
Eloise laughed at that, nodding her agreement however grim. "I always did vaguely wondered how they managed that. At least in Northaven there were cuffs to tell them apart." Even shifted, it was always clear. Here though? They were all fair game, it seemed.
"Rough is an understatement." The illusionist says, her eyes trained not to leave Zariah's despite her interest in the maid and the subtle exchange. "Had I a home suitable to someone of your stature, I'd invite you to vacation with us. Sadly...I happen to live in a ship now." Eloise rather enjoyed her new life, but in times like this the downsides were crystal clear.
It was a lucky thing Zariah didn't possess the same magic Jack did, for as the Merciless mentioned the old ways, Eloise could only smirk and nod, thoughts of Loren Launceleyn filling her mind. The man was a drunk and a manwhore, not that Eloise had minded all that much when she'd tought him to swim.
"It is, if you'll have me. Unfortunately my abilities...aren't quite what they were. But I'm looking to change that as I'm sure you can imagine."
If you're too good for us, you'll be good riding solo
Be dangerous darling, for the world rises and falls at your feet.
Zariah laughed low, shaking her head slowly. "From what I have heard of Torchline, I believe shooting down one with a cuff just might mean bonus points." she said in dry humor. But as Eloise continued, it became clear that finally, finally someone of worth had come to her doorstep. Her head tilted slightly to the side. Eloise Teralux. Duchess. Well-mannered, thoughtful, respectful, highly unlikely to cause embarrassment. Governess. Intelligent, learned, clever. Abandoned. Superior, full of potential, ideal.
No one could ever replace Edrei. But Eloise could be close.
"If you had seen where I lived in the Hollowed Ground, you would feel need to worry about that." she said, stepping forward. "I hope you don't mind, you've just a bit of mascara on your cheek, my dear." she said, placing two fingers under Eloise's chin, gently wiping her cheek with the fingers on her other hand. And as she did so, magic seeped into Eloise, unnoticeable, silent, but gripping at her senses. "Us ladies must stay together these days you know. You and I could accomplish much together, don't you think?" she said in dulcet tones.
"Of course the Academy is open to you, and you needn't worry of your skill. We have all had to adjust. All the more reason to come together...wouldn't you agree?"
Darling, you take the high horse and I'll take the high road
"You aren't wrong. Just means extra jewelry to sell, when all is said and done." Eloise chuckled in return, her lips twitching with a dark sort of amusement.
Eloise was no stranger to physical touches these days, not with the company she surrounded herself with, but of course Zariah wasn't just some random on the street. Not a drunken woman in a bar trying to cop a feel. It was Zariah fucking Launceleyn, who'd noticed Eloise' smudged mascara. With an apologetic smile as her chin was raised, magic sifting against her skin without notice, Eloise found herself agreeing wholeheartedly. "I couldn't agree more." The illusionist whispered as if awestruck.
"Indeed. And there seems to be...so much more potential here than Northaven."
If you're too good for us, you'll be good riding solo
Be dangerous darling, for the world rises and falls at your feet.
"And sailors are oh so fond of their accouterments, aren't they?" Zariah said with a low laugh.
Her lips curled into a smirk as Eloise breathlessly agreed. It was oh so nice when people followed along like they ought, rather than resisting at every turn. "I am so glad you think so." Zariah near cooed. She released Eloise's face but offered her an arm. Perhaps a bit odd but Eloise was a guest in the palace and it would only be polite for Zariah to show her around like a good host. If she accepted, she would continue to weave her spell, coaxing Eloise down the path she wished her to take. "Indeed there is, for there are no false pretenses of equality. Everyone is wholly unequal, in fact...though I do think it time for a bit of a shakeup." Zariah said.
As they walked, Zariah continued. "Tell me, Ms. Teralux, what improvements do you think we are capable of here?" she asked. Not that Zariah didn't have her own ideas, but the best way to manipulate another's mind was to know where they stood already.
Darling, you take the high horse and I'll take the high road
"Acoutrements?" Eloise repeated with a smile. "Gods it's nice to speak with someone who has an actual vocabulary."
More than happy to accept, the illusionist took the offered arm and fell into an easy step at Zariah's side. Despite her own abilities when it came to magic, the former duchess was far outmatched when it came to the Grand Sorceress, making her enchantments go entirely unnoticed. "Unequal to be sure, but there seems to be no objective acknowledgement of who is at the top. The ascended believe it them...the accepted make their own claims. The hybrids, the demi-gods." Eloise rolled her eyes a touch at that, the whole idea seeming ludicrous to her.
Hearing Zariah's question and perhaps wisely interpreting it as a bit of a challenge, she took a moment to collect her thoughts. "Not unlike the Voice...I think a slow build would be best. Grooming and training magic users, as you're doing here. By the time any might think it worth calling your efforts to a halt, it would be too late." She shrugged against Zariah. "There will always be beasts that magic can best...ways of living we can improve. Where would the world be without our magic? And yet we are called abandoned. I wonder how quickly that name might change if we were to...withdraw all of our offerings."
If you're too good for us, you'll be good riding solo
Be dangerous darling, for the world rises and falls at your feet.
Zariah chuckled low, lips curved in a near smirk. "You can take the woman from court, but not the court from the woman." she said. Manners, vocabulary, order - all of these things from their homeland could be easily craved and maintained despite the general lawlessness of Caido. At least, it could if one had vision.
The Merciless listened in silence, nodding slowly as Eloise went on at length. It seemed the preference for magic remained ingrained within her psyche, and Zariah would certainly use it to her advantage. "Withdraw all of our offerings..." she hummed. A curious notion, one she hadn't fully considered but one she most certainly liked. "I like the way you think, Ms. Teralux. It seems are of the same mind on these matters, and you know...I could use such a mind at my side." she said, smiling at her warmly, magic coursing through her fingertips into her newest victim. "Would you consider leaving Torchline for Halo, if promise of power to enact such monumental change was laid before you?"
Darling, you take the high horse and I'll take the high road
Eloise nodded at that, and had she a drink in her hand she'd have cheersed Zariah and all that the Launceleyn stood for.
With magic warming her bones, suddenly the chill of Halo seemed bearable. And why shouldn't she stand by someone like Zariah, rather than the men of the Ark, with hardly a mouthful of teeth between them?
And yet... Well. Zariah was late to the party when it came to Eloise: there was already someone else in her head.
"I would consider any proposition, but currently the man I am associated with in Torchline is...more of a ruler than our current Governor, if you catch my meaning. Might be better to have like-minds spread out where more such minds can be found."
If you're too good for us, you'll be good riding solo
