From Attuned to Ascended to Ancient, Kiada Njovu-Reyes has been reborn several times throughout her short life, but her fighting spirit has never once been diminished. With beauty, grace and a quick wit, Kiada is the whole package wrapped in an infectious smile. Recent endeavours have found her in the heart of the Hollowed Grounds, aiding the region and bettering it for her new Ancient kin, and whatever she does next, we know it's sure to pack a punch.
Congratulations, Kiada!
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!
Another curse rang from her mouth as her warning hadn’t come soon enough – Sunjata was still burnt by the piercing, burning, scalding magnitude of the vents. “You okay?” She prospered through the mix of darkness and gilded light, concern branching out. Maybe they should turn around –
Except there was the lava. And there was an opening, an aperture, close by. And Loren was trying to cool the water.
A chance. An opportunity for something to be salvaged. She didn’t want to shift, wander back, when they were so close -
But she had no means stored in her palms or along her quiver. Fire arrows would do nothing. A staff couldn’t conquer the vicious, molten flow.
So the youth breathed, summoned the dominion residing within her bones, not since touched or fragmented since the last winter. To no herald in particular, only those that were willing to listen, she closed her eyes and whispered. “Gods, could you please send something to block the lava?”
--
Melita attempts to channel a god to block the lava flow!
A ragged bit of cloth pats Melita on the top of the head in response to her call, and the deity's presence seems to fill the tunnel inside and out, even though its physical appearance seems very much smaller in order to squeeze into the space with them.
"Oh my, Rae has done some work here, haven't they?" It surges forward at the lava flow, examining it here and there, before glancing back at the group. "This will not do. You will surely die." Its porcelain mask smiles, and you're right - it's creepy.
But then it turns and waves a swathe of rags at the lava, and the molten rock seems to harden and solidify. To age, almost, until the torrent has stopped mid flow.
The group will have to wriggle past some interesting rock shapes made by the hardened magma, but otherwise the way is clear. Ludo winks at Melita (if such a thing can be imagined) and is gone again.
LUDO
Braved the forests, braved the stone
Braved the icy winds and fire
Braved and beat them on my own
With the water cool and the lava stopped you are able to traverse the remainder of the tunnel unimpeded. The sight that greets you is quite magnificent: a large cavern, streaked with sunlight from far-above holes and splashing with water as the rising tide laps against the stone. Half-submerged and half-dry, this is a meeting place for smugglers, and a place of frequent fights.
There are six tunnels that open into the far walls: three in the water, three without. These are old pathways, each one marked with glyphs. On the shore, two dark figures lay motionless, a boat tied up beside them. From deeper past the spiderweb of tunnels, a low rumble can be heard.
As Ludo showed up, Loren watched it carefully. Thankfully, all it did was cool off the lava as Melita had requested. Breathing a sigh of relief, he peered into the cavern beyond. As he noted the glyphs, as well as the figures, his brow furrowed. He also took a moment to lay a hand on Sunjata's shoulder and heal him of the damage from the steam.
That done, the healer compelled any birds in the area to go and try and fetch Raza in any way they could. Hopefully she'd get the message quickly enough. Other than that, he just waited to see how his companions wanted to proceed.
Loren tries to heal Sunjata. If possible, he also attempts to compel some birds to fetch Raza.
look at how a single candle can both
defy and define the darkness
i can't believe that you could just say that "the answers unlock this gate"
The sight of Ludo is a surprise, but a welcome one as it removes the steam. And he offers Melita a weak smile in response for her thinking, pausing only as Loren’s hand sits on his shoulder. A nod of thanks is given to the summoner before he looks into the opening beyond. He imagines someone would get word to Raza about coming with, and chooses to step forward into the opening, eyeing the figures and the boat.
So of course, he approaches them — watchful with the dagger at the ready just in case — going to investigate whether or not they’re still alive.
Sunjata goes to investigate the motionless figures to see if they’re still alive.
'cause if you knew his name, not a thing would change you'd still be wishing you were blessed
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.
Ludo’s presence was a balm, a lift in her frustrated, vexed spirits – a smile rising to her lips as the herald surged forward, as rags advanced and molten lava solidified, granting them some clemency in an otherwise irritating adventure “Thank you!” She extended, as it once more vanished out of sight.
There, now – what next?
Their advance harbored exactly what she’d hoped for, save for the prone figures nearby. Melita opted to start along the entryways of the tunnels, glancing at each one in turn, still incapable of snagging or deciphering the glyphs. That was Raza’s role. She slipped towards where they’d come from, an echoing holler rampaging down the tunnel. “Raza! Come see!” And while Sunjata investigated the other inhabitants, the youth eyed their boat – pondering a bit of piracy if need be. It looked a lot better than theirs.
--
Melita thanks Ludo, investigates the front of the tunnels, and calls for Raza. Also considers stealing the boat for later.
I’ve been watching the light at the tunnel as the others disappear down it and after a couple of minutes of actually feeling better, begin to pace. It was stupid, staying behind. I should have gone with them. In fact, I even go into the water and begin to wade towards it, then think better and go back to the boat. I
t isn’t until the light emanating from the tunnel changes color a bit and I see a bird flying through that I think it might be safe. Dashing through the water with my bag, I can hear the faintest voice calling as I begin to move through the tunnel at a jog, trying to avoid any remaining steam pockets or falling rocks. "I'm coming!" I call back.
-----------------
Raza is jogging through the tunnel! Bag and all. She tries to avoid any remaining steam pockets or falling rocks in the tunnel
Loren's healing leaves Sunjata looking quite a bit perkier than before. His investigation of the figures will show the motionless bodies of a man and a woman, each wearing singed dark cloaks, their faces down against the rocky ground.
Looking at the tunnels, Melita will see that each one is marked with old glyphic writing, though she cannot interpret it. The air that blows through them is warm and sulfuric, especially in caves three (water) and six (dry).
Without Loren's influence, the caves are again full of bubbling steam. Though she is cautious and wary, Raza 's speed is her undoing; as she makes her way through she missteps, causing a burst of steam to sear against her skin just as she clears the tunnel.
04-19-2020, 04:51 PM (This post was last modified: 04-19-2020, 04:52 PM by Loren.)
LOREN
As Loren spotted Raza making her way through the tunnel, he realized belatedly that the water was growing hot again. Sighing, he made his way over to the woman. Laying a hand on her shoulder, he laid a hand on her shoulder to heal any damage she might've incurred while rejoining the group.
Hopefully that would succeed. Regardless, seeing that nothing bad happened to Melita and Sunjata during their investigations of the cavern and the tunnels, the healer would join the other two. "Any idea which tunnel we should take?" He spoke quietly, as if worried about disturbing Rae's Fingers somehow if he raised his voice too much.
Loren heals Raza. He also asks which tunnel the group wants to take.
Base Healing: Can heal 30pts of injuries per post.
look at how a single candle can both
defy and define the darkness
i can't believe that you could just say that "the answers unlock this gate"
The figures do little to give Sunjata the information he seeks, and he crouches down between them to better investigate it while Loren and the rest of them view the tunnels. His gaze flickers along the motionless bodies, before his head lifts to listen to Loren’s question — gaze flickering to Melita and Raza then. “I’m good with whichever way you want to go.” He offers, a bit unhelpfully but too focused on the figures.
He reaches out then, trying to turn them over to check and see if they’re alive — though he very highly doubts it. Can’t be too careful, at the end of the day, can we?
Sunjata will go whichever way the party picks! He also tries to flip over one of the figures and see if they’re alive.
'cause if you knew his name, not a thing would change you'd still be wishing you were blessed
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.
She can’t read the symbols, that being Raza’s job, but she could sense the change in the air. “This one,” and she pointed to the third cave over, water trickling within it, “and this one,” finger gesturing along cave six, dry as a bone, “have warm and sulfuric-like air.” A few more sniffs of her nose indicated the same. Her eyes flicked to the bodies lying nearby, wondering if it was any cause for concern – notions of potential poison from the volcano’s eruption winding down in those sanctions. Sunjata appeared to be inspecting them though, their face-down forms granting more apprehension. “Maybe you could heal them?” Her features went to Loren, uncertain if he’d be willing. “They might have some information.” If worse came to worse (she hoped Raza recognized them), they could incapacitate them again.
Thereafter though, she gave free rein to Raza. “What do they say?” Perhaps they’d have a chance to find something successful – too many options available.
--
Melita informs the group of caves three and six being warm and sulfur-like. She asks Loren to heal the strangers, and asks Raza to pinpoint them in the right direction via the glyphs.
I’m too eager, I know; the steam that catches me unawares is on the verge of boiling - causing me to sidestep but not quickly enough. I clutch at the burn - but that, too, is painful, so I jerk away. Luckily, Loren is there again and under his hand, all is well. Except for my pride. Needing this much healing is just fucking embarrassing. I feel useless.
That is, until Melita beckons. With a small thank you to Loren, I bound over to where the redhead is standing to look at the glyphs on the walls, agreeing with her that the sulfur smell tunnels aren’t where we want to go. So that leaves four options.
------------
Raza lets Loren heal her and then heads over to Melita to read the glyphs.
Loren is able to help Raza, who is now as good as new. As she approaches Melita and the tunnels, the pair will discover the following:
Tunnel 1: deep in the water, it's impossible to see into. The glyphs on the wall are submerged beneath the rising tide.
Tunnel 2: Water fills it halfway. The glyphs are half-submerged, you can make out the word peril
Tunnel 3: water fills it 1/4 (3 feet). The smell of sulfur comes from inside. Written on the wall is to hualani
Tunnel 4: A foot of water at the bottom. A faint red glow comes from the end. Written on the wall is to Miana
Tunnel 5: This tunnel is dry, but the walls are covered in fresh scorch marks. Written on the wall is to Kaiholo
Tunnel 6: this tunnel is dry. The smell of sulfur comes from within, and the air is hot. Written on the wall is gov't house.
Sunjata turns over the first figure to reveal a face scorched black and blistered. Unfortunately you took too long, and the man is dead.
04-20-2020, 03:56 PM (This post was last modified: 04-20-2020, 03:56 PM by Loren.)
LOREN
Not liking the rumbling from earlier, or the way the water seemed to be rising, Loren walked over to Sunjata. Laying a hand on the other man's shoulder, the healer healed Sunjata in case he needed a bit more. As the Launceleyn did, he looked down at the scorched bodies and sighed. There was nothing they could do for them now.
Glancing at the six tunnels, he bit his lip. "Tide might be coming in. I say we either pick a tunnel and stick to it or turn back now." He didn't know which one would be best, so he'd just follow the other's lead.
Loren heals Sunjata. He will enter whichever tunnel the group decides is most viable (or turn back).
look at how a single candle can both
defy and define the darkness
