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!
05-01-2020, 01:44 AM (This post was last modified: 05-08-2020, 02:40 PM by Odd.)
AMALIA
THE SHIELD OF SAFRIN
i think it's beautiful how a star's light
travels the universe long after it dies
It is time.
She has put it off for weeks and months, one disaster after another delaying this relatively minor task. But it has been in the back of her mind that whole time, weighing down against her thoughts. The books, the library, the promise to Safrin to get them back...
Running a hand through her hair, Amalia exhales a plume of frost into the chill morning air. It is nearly Deepfrost, and the chill that bites at her exposed cheeks carries promise of snow soon to come. Glancing back at those who accompany her - friends and allies old and new - the Shield nods her head. "Ready?" she asks, awaiting confirmation before leading them into the dark. And to Jigano specifically, holding out her shield and crystal pendant: "Load me up? Just in case." She'll let him choose the magic he loans her; she trusts him to know what they might need.
PQ/quest to go get the books from Safrin's library
"Always," the bard agreed, his smile first for their leader, and then for the friends at her side. He flashed Ronin a rueful grin for their heroing ways, even as he stretched his hands towards the items Amalia held out to him.
Into the pendant he poured Mastered Healing magic, imbuing it with his sincere desire that they all remain unscathed by the adventure. Squeezing it lightly, he pressed it back into Amalia's hand with a pulse of hope through the Attuned bond that they wouldn't need to use it.
After moment's consideration, he pressed his palm to the shield and let Mastered Earth fill the vessel, giving Amalia a warmer smile. "If I remember, there was a rockfall blocking the entrance when we left? I'm giving you my earth magic in case it's still unstable down there."
He carried Ludo's lantern, as always, but he reached into the breast of his tunic to pull out a mirror which he handed to Amalia as well, tapping his chest where the other one hung. "Two-way mirror," he explained. "What's reflected in one shows up in the other. If we get separated we can use them to communicate."
With that, he stepped back to give the others room to make any preparations they needed as well.
Being here brought back memories, ones that Ronin would rather forget.
So Ronin came, dressed in more layers than he had worn since the end of Flowerbirth, his hands buried in the pockets of his coat, his tan out of place in the chill wind and nipping cold of the approaching snows.
Sugar was draped about his shoulders, and Emmett's axe sat in its holster beneath the coat. He hoped he wouldn't need it. He hoped they wouldn't take any tunnels close to the ones where they had found the boy in the end.
They head down into the darkness and it is the anxiety that causes Ronin to start to shine softly with starlight, lending them something to see by if they don't have any lanterns. "Ready," he said softly.
you said it seems like forever since we've seen each other
I am the last one to arrive, the final piece of this motley crew bent on reparations and returning what has been lost for so long to its rightful home. There is so little I know about what we are doing, what to expect, so I have tried to come prepared, dressed in armour borrowed from my brother, and with a bow strapped to my back. I do not know what I will need to use it on, but I have been practicing.
There is only one stranger to me among the group, one who receives a curious stare instead of the warm greeting I offer to both Amalia and Jigano, my hands outstretched to takes theirs in turn, if they will let me. "I am ready." My voice is calm, and I face the hole before with an equal amount of excitement and nerves, the unknown gripping me.
They come as requested, her rather unusual group. A nod of appreciation is offered to Jigano for his gifts; the mirror she rubs her finger over before tucking into her pocket with a nod. To Ronin she flashes a somewhat sheepish grin, pulsing gratitude for his company through the newly-formed Attuned bond. She knows he cannot like being here, and appreciates her friend all the more for it... even if he is doing this for Safrin rather than her.
Tarasha comes last, the fae armored and wielding a bow. Amalia nods to them before taking their hand, then glances at the demi-god. "Tarasha, Ronin," she introduces simply, figuring they can take it from there.
She tries not to look back at Ronin's soft glow, tries to ignore the uneasiness it causes to rise in her stomach as memories press back. Jigano was right - the way is still closed in, the evidence of the rockslide present. Biting her lip, Amalia considers before looking back at her friends. "Jigano and I can use earth magic to move this... Tarasha and Ronin, you should stand back until it's safe."
And then, because they are the one she knows least and she cannot bear to see someone else die on her watch, Amalia adds silently to Ronin: Please don't let Tarasha get hurt. I don't know... how well, they can handle themselves. And I can't... lose someone. Again.
Giving them a moment to step back (or leave), Amalia raises up her shield and presses it into the fallen stone, willing the rock to open a passage for them while Jyoti contributes bright starlight.
Hi guys! Quick disclaimer, this PQ is gonna be dangerous! If you want to retreat now, you can lookin' at you Tarasha.
Amalia attempts to use Jigano's mastered earth magic from her shield to open a path through the cave-in
He flashed a warm smile to Ronin and Tarasha as they arrived, both friends he was glad to see. Isuma peeped a bright greeting to Sugar and Jigano let her flutter to greet her friend and try to cajole scritches from the demigod and the Fae until it was time to go. There would be time for conversation later, he hoped, and for the time being he followed Amalia and Ronin down, walking near Tarasha until they reached the cave-in that had collapsed in their wake before.
He had no magic then, beyond the wonder of his several shifts. It felt a lifetime ago and he paused a moment to fight through the memories that clashed and slivered through his mind. Mistakes and arrogance, too much trust and not enough; lessons he hoped he had learned and would not repeat as he sent the gryphlet to wait with Ronin and Tarasha, stepping forward to lend his Mastered Earth Magic to Amalia's shield to stabilize the ceiling and walls while she opened the path through.
Jigano attempts to use Mastered Earth magic to stabilize the ceiling and walls while Amalia uses her shield
Sugar trilled softly to Isuma and Ronin smiled at the little gryphlet, dutifully giving scritches until it was time to go, even if his own companion didn't deign to remove herself from around his shoulders. Glancing to Tarasha - the only one he didn't know personally - the hunter smiled and nodded a greeting after Amalia introduced them, glancing to the Shield as her words echoed in his mind.
I'll keep them safe, he assured her, sounding more serious than the situation perhaps needed. Because on the contrary, he was here entirely for Amalia rather than Safrin, and anything she asked of him he would attempt with the best of intentions.
"If you need a little firepower rather than the earth magic, just let me know," he said as both Jigano and Amalia moved forward to try and move the rockslide, the Star stepping back to wait a safe distance away.
you said it seems like forever since we've seen each other
The sole introduction is given quickly, the name Ronin familiar for a reason I can't quite put my finger on, though it doesn't keep me from offering a bright grin towards the man, my hand lifting in a friendlier greeting. It is not the time for small talk, though.
Isuma receives pets as long as she is within arms reach of me, but it is distracted, my focus on the cave mouth being excavated, my wings carrying me back away from it. I know where my strengths lie, and it is not in the magic they're using.
05-07-2020, 09:41 PM (This post was last modified: 05-07-2020, 09:45 PM by Amalia.)
AMALIA
THE SHIELD OF SAFRIN
i think it's beautiful how a star's light
travels the universe long after it dies
With the combination of mastered magics wielded by Amalia and Jigano, the rockslide is an easy thing to correct compared to their last venture down. Together they are able to shore up the tunnel quite competently, resulting in a stable pathway for the group to walk along.
With a pulse of relief through the Attuned bond to each of them, Amalia nods and turns towards the tunnel, leading them further in. In silence she leads them along the bank of the underground river, admiring the carvings in the wall while Jyoti casts light ahead. It's an easy trail to follow now, and soon it opens up into a familiar space.
"Careful," Amalia cautions, pausing before they enter the library proper and turning back to her companions. "The books... they were fine, until they were disturbed. Tarasha, do you know how to soothe them?"
Silently, looking back into the room, she adds through the attuned bond a questioning: Are you still there? Remembering the voice Jyoti heard, on their last adventure down.
Real good rolls, fam ;D Let's debrief before entering properly.
The bard would make a quiet offer to re-cast Earth magic back into the shield, just in case they needed to stabilize any other sections further on, and once that was done he would follow in Amalia's wake. Isuma happily stole pets from Ronin and Tarasha until she rejoined her companion's shoulder, peering wide-eyed ahead. She hadn't been along on the last venture down into the catacombs and though she didn't like the closed confines of the tunnels she was small enough that she didn't feel too claustrophobic.
Jigano was pleasantly surprised to reach their destination without further issues, eyes trailing over the story written on the walls once more as he tried to piece together what it meant. "We should stay away from the water for now... just in case," he cautioned Ronin and Tarasha as he gestured to the shark-fin-like sketchings on the wall. "These might just be referring to the Shark Book, but better safe than sorry."
That book already had a taste for his blood and he'd rather not give it anymore.
Staying behind Amalia and following her lead, he also glanced over the room to see if anything had changed since their last visit.
Has anything changed? I suppose that all depends on how astute you all were last time. Though given the haste with which you found yourselves swallowed by books and question-rooms, I'd say perhaps not astutebenough. But for those of you new to this underground world of physics-bending magic, do let me set the stage.
Mostly, the room is an organic sphere. The opening at the top reveals a cacophony of stars, but as Amalia and Jigano will tell you, to try and fly upwards will do you no good. Fly all you like and you shall never reach the opening. Like many things in this room, there are places with an endless sort of quality to them. The walls are moist, stone-lined, and covered with mosses and strains of ivy that seem to dampen sound. A vast waterfall flows from nowhere into a pool that when last you were here, seemed to hold a vast and thoughtful sentient presence. Behind said waterfall is a door to a room seen only by Amalia thus far. And of course there is the reason you've come: the bookcases.
Like crooked teeth they rise from the ground, entirely organic in composition and formation, all filled with books. Of course the ones of remaining interest are the Shark Book and the book with only a question mark on the front.
What shall you do?
Oop! PQ+ time! Currently this has a rating of easy-medium. If the difficulty/danger increases, I'll let you know.
you said it seems like forever since we've seen each other
The tunnel is opened again before long, and I cannot help the awed look on my face, the way I gape around at the walls as we descend into the earth. It's unlike anything I've seen before, and yet, so familiar. We stop just before the library itself though, a breath, enough that I am actually paying attention when Amalia asks me about the books. "There is a song, a lullaby, used to soothe them in the undercroft." I hum it to demonstrate, the notes slow, somehow ethereal. "I don't know if the books here will respond the same, but it can't hurt." Though I do turn to look at Jigano with some confusion on my face. "The shark book?"
While the tunnel alone had been awe inspiring, it was nothing compared to the majesty of the library itself. There is no one thing to focus on, my eyes moving quickly along shelves, the walls, the ceiling. My wings itch to open and reach out towards the stars that twinkle, but I keep myself on the ground, remembering the tales of danger. Once I have drunk my fill, I turn to Amalia, voice quieter, more rapturous now. "You said... There were some specific books that were being difficult?" I am going to trust in her lead, given her experience with the area.
05-09-2020, 05:37 PM (This post was last modified: 05-09-2020, 05:38 PM by Amalia.)
AMALIA
THE SHIELD OF SAFRIN
i think it's beautiful how a star's light
travels the universe long after it dies
The bookshelves rise from the ground like teeth, bearing two of the three tomes Amalia recalls. With baited breath she takes a step forward, following Tarasha's eyes and awe, fascinated and adoring of the room.
"Those two, and one of portals... which I don't see." Indicating the books of sharks and questions, Amalia takes another step closer, her fingers itching to open the tomes. She pauses at the question mark, reaching out gently before dropping her hands. "I have... a bag, we can carry them in."
And again, silently, the Shield calls out, her voice echoed by Jyoti's low song: Can anyone hear me?
Amalia suggests they put the books in Deimos' bag of holding which she brought with Heather's permission.
She and Jyoti call out to the voice they heard last time.
Bag of Holding | A bag that can hold an infinite number of items, so long as they fit within the bag's 3ft x 3ft opening. The bag always feels nearly weightless, but always looks about 75% full.
Jigano perked up at the mention of a lullaby, always interested in song. He listened intently to Tarasha's humming, half-closing his eyes as he sought to memorize the refrain, already wondering what he could harmonize with it if he had his flute, or if the panpipes would be better suited to the task...
But when conversation returned he smiled ruefully at his winged friend, the tale not one of his more heroic. "There was a book on sharks here - that one," he said, with a nod the book in question since it was out and visible. "I tried to bring it back for study at the Hall, but it had other ideas. It grew big and developed sharp teeth on its inner edges and it took a chunk out of my leg before I turned into a serpent and bound it shut with my body. It shrunk back down after that." Thankfully so, given how damnably hard the thing had been for his friends to hit. "We never opened the question mark book, so I don't know what to expect from it..."
Amalia answered the next question while Jigano looked around the room again, drinking in the strange, timeless beauty of it. The books were the Shield's quest now, but he remembered the pictures on the walls from their last trip. The river. The sharks. The face...
With a nod to Ronin, Jigano moved towards the pool, crouching down at the shore to peer within its depths while Isuma fluttered back to perch on Tarasha's shoulder, purring encouragement to the team. Reaching out a finger, the white-haired bard brushed the surface of the pool to test the temperature of the water.
Jigano tells Tarasha his shark tale, then goes to examine the pool while Isuma stays with the Fae.
