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!
As the tower collapsed, Loren growled in frustration and outrage. Immediately, he moved towards it. Healing the civilians who'd been injured by the flying shards of ice and stone, he grimaced at the plight of those who hadn't managed to get out of the way in time.
It was probably too late for them, and they had the living to consider. So, though it broke his heart, he continued encouraging the survivors to make their way towards the Arcane Academy. His phoenix still circled overhead, doing what it could to blunt the cold and stave off the darkness.
As Weaver approached, he nodded at her question. "Fine. You?" Nodding again at her thanks, he just joined her in corralling the people deeper into the Palace and to the hopefully safe haven of the Academy.
Still encouraging the survivors to make their way towards the Arcane Academy, Loren heals those he can. His phoenix just chills overhead.
Well look at all of you, keeping the weak and defenceless in mind. Your efforts pay off tenfold, and the significant healing efforts and speedy corralling of the citizens into the Arcane Academy mean that all make it with only surface injuries. Weaver is also able to rally herself with her own magic, and she and Loren find themselves now at the doors of the Academy, a glowing phoenix illuminating overhead to see just what happens next. Because of course, where attention is paid in one place, it is lacking elsewhere.
Morgan will see exactly what is waiting outside the gates, but she may not believe it at first. Swathes of figures, all of them chanting, pale fingers held high, wrapped in cowls to hide their faces. And, between them, a monstrous pillar of ice, aimed at the gates as a battering ram. With a combination of water magic to sustain it and telekinesis to move it, they rally back for another mighty swing. Her guards may be ready to shoot, but they are not ready for this.
It is as though the hooded figures are guided by something supernatural (or a critical roll happened), such is the force of their assault against the gates. Hinges groan, wood splinters, and the pillar of ice shunts through (and through, and through some more), directly into the waiting cage of Zariah's lightning, and a few unwitting guards who are thrown back from its impact.
One of the figures towards the front of the shitshow group hisses something in a tongue that does not sound quite human, and they surge forward, ready to attack.
Citizens: 200/200 (safely inside the Academy) Gates: 0/250 HP (BROKEN)
Morgan's guards: 90/100 HP
Cultist Leader: 100/100 HP
Cultists: 300/300 HP
Post Order:
Morgan - 75/75 HP
Zariah - 204/210 HP
Weaver - 64/64 HP (It will take you one round to reach the gates)
Loren - 234/234 HP (It will take you one round to reach the gates)
Morgan held her breath unwillingly for a moment as she saw what foes lay before the gates. She wasn't sure what it was she had been expecting, but it had certainly not been this: before she'd even had a chance to consider how to continue, the gates were being broken open and things had to spring into action.
Without thinking (something she hated to go without, but the matter was urgent) she ran as quickly as she could down the stairs and once in front of the gate, aimed to use her water magic to expand the ice pillar the figures were using: the ice would grow out of the pillar in snaking tendrils, liquid-water wrapping around the figures it could reach and freezing them in place to create a wall. "Shoot now!"
--
Morgan uses her mastered water magic to try and freeze the figures (the ones in front), using the ice pillar as a base to expand from. She hopes to create a blockage out of the front figures. She tells her guards to shoot their arrows.
Or at least, close enough for government work (and she was part of the Halo government, now wasn't she?). Zariah's fingers flexed, the slightest of twitches really, and from the lightning cage shot forth multiple blasts of electricity, hoping to skewer or maim or even kill some of the horde that threatened to spill forth. The only way out after all was either back through the entrance or by running through lightning grates after all. Any who managed to sneak through any cracks left by the ice pillar would hopefully be taken care of by the volley of arrows shot by Morgan's guards.
Zariah shoots mastered lightning from the lightning cage inward at the cultists.
She wore her scars as her best attire. A stunning dress made of hellfire.
They get everyone into the Academy and she is left standing at the doors beside Loren. Damaged is the wrong word for what has happened to the area around the Palace. This is destruction, though not yet carnage. She has only a moment to breathe, and she takes the second to secure the unicorn in her belt, before the thundering at the gates becomes impossible to ignore. They can’t miss what happens. The gates explode inward, and Weaver’s eyes go wide as she turns to look at Loren for a split second before she takes off at a run.
The smart direction would be to run into the Academy, but she can’t do that. No, she runs to the gates, dodging debris as she goes. It takes longer with the wreckage around her, but still she runs. It isn’t until she gets close that she slows, hooking the lantern onto the belt of knives at her waist. It is awkward, but it will do, allowing her to pull the scythe from her back and wield it with both hands. A paltry weapon against the masses of them, but a weapon nonetheless. Between that, and the flickering flame at her hip, hopefully she can help.
Thankfully, they managed to corral all the civilians into the Academy. Taking the time to breath a sigh of relief, Loren turned to Weaver. However, the gates shattering managed to draw his attention, interrupting whatever he was about to say or do.
Breaking into a sprint, following on the huntress' heels, he dashed towards the gates, bringing the phoenix along with him. Having seen the wreckage smash into Morgan's guards, he called upon the magic that let him heal at a distance. Tossing it towards the injured soldiers, he prayed to any god that would listen to let it actually work.
Loren runs towards the gates and tries to heal the guards from a distance.
Magic: Healing at a Distance | When combined with mastered healing, the user can heal a character within the same region. It requires extreme focus. The person must be known to the healer; the more known the easier the healing is. If healing is applied during a PQ+ or KQ, there is only a 10% chance of success for any given round.
Type: Light | Rank: Mastered
For a climate so cold, things are certainly heating up. As Loren and Weaver rush to the broken gates (with Loren valiantly attempting to heal the guards from afar, but regrettably not succeeding), they will bear witness to all that happens in the meantime.
They will watch as, from the steep walls above, a minute figure (Morgan) tries to freeze out the intruders, only for the ice itself to seep into the figures, as if they are capable of absorbing the element, of taking it into themselves. Her attack does nothing. Well, that isn't entirely fair - it does no damage. But whatever distraction it caused means that the cultists are a little late on the attack against the captain's guards, unable to get a hit on them.
In equal measure, however, the guards' arrows sail harmlessly out into the snowy night, caught in cloaks or lost to the icy wind. It's a stalemate, this round.
The same cannot be said for Zariah. Lightning arcs out under her control, sizzling against the barrage of pale bodies, causing some to cry out in pain. They cannot proceed through the cage - but that does not mean they cannot get to her in return.
And it is the leader of the merry band that will show them how it's done, lifting his head beneath his cowl to reveal, for a second (if they're quick, and close, and think to observe it) a large and glittering pendant about his throat - mage glass. But then he's throwing out his hand, and power lances from it - quiet, insidious, and oh so terrible - and Zariah will recognise it as one of her own abilities. But she is unable to dodge it as the life drain works its fingers into her energy... and rips it mightily away.
The effect will feel devastating. And as a Launceleyn, perhaps she might even be impressed at the power the cultist wields. One thing is clear, however - they pack a punch. And if Zariah had not been as strong as she was, she might not have survived it.
Morgan's ice based attack is INEFFECTIVE against the cultists.
The guards fire at the cultists but MISS.
Zariah attacks the cultists and HITS.
The cult leader attacks Zariah and HITS.
Loren attempts to heal the guards but FAILS.
Citizens: 200/200 (safely inside the Academy)
Gates: 0/250 HP (BROKEN)
Morgan's guards: 90/100 HP
Morgan stopped and stared as the ice seeped into the bodies of the oncoming cultists, her hands still held up as they had been when she cast the spell. She had not been expecting this and didn't know for a moment how to move on: thankfully, at least she had kept them back as Zariah delivered a blow.
It seemed her magic wasn't going to be much use here. Taking a breath to steel herself, Morgan reached for the warhammer on her back. The tool that had taken her through many fights and skirmishes and so far had not let her down..it was time to try. At least she might be able to hold them off for a little longer, give citizens a chance to get to safety.
"Guards, follow me. Swords out." She said with a grave tone, walking forward. As soon as she reached the cultist leader she would be ready to swing, her warriors expertise being used to it's full potential.
--
Morgan begins to attack the cultist leader with her warhammer and her guards attack the rest of the cultists with their swords.
Zariah gasped as she felt her strength suddenly sapped from her, bringing her down to one knee. Hazel eyes lock onto the leader, a wicked grin curving her lips. A low, crazed sort of laugh builds against the wind - my but she hadn't expected such might to be found in the frozen wastelands of Halo, now did she? The shine of the mage glass around their throat does not escape her notice either.
"Target the leader! They use life drain! And try to get that pendant!" she shouts above the din, an order as she pulled herself back to her feet, running in a randomized pattern to make her a more difficult target. Two could play at the life drain game though. While maintaining the electric cage she reached out with her life drain magic to pull strength from the cultist leader.
Zariah gives and order and runs about to make herself less of a sitting duck, attacks the cult leader with life drain and keeps the cage up.
She wore her scars as her best attire. A stunning dress made of hellfire.
Morgan’s magic does nothing, and more importantly, the cultists seem to absorb it. Zariah hits the ground on one knee. Though Weaver is too far to see the mage glass, she isn’t a fool, and Zariah’s mention of the pendant leaves her able to guess. But Morgan is already aiming for the leader, and there’s little Weaver can do to help without risking hurting Morgan as well, so she makes a different plan.
She moves, ducking behind a snow drift, hoping that in all the chaos she hadn’t been spotted yet. She’s not hiding out of fear (though she is terrified, because only an idiot wouldn’t be terrified right about now), but rather because maybe she can use surprise to her advantage.
Weaver lets go of the scythe with one hand and grabs the unicorn horn in case she needs to heal herself. Staying low behind the snow drift, she peeks out just enough to see what’s happening. She pulls at the flame from the candle, using the source of fire she still has, knowing she can work with existing flames better than she can create from nothing.
She moves the tiny flame through the air until it dances above the horde, the flame small enough it should hopefully go unnoticed amidst everything else that is happening. She sends the flame as far back as she can manage, trying to steer clear of Morgan’s army. The little flame drops into the crowd, and Weaver tugs on it, trying to expand the fire into a small inferno, a sudden explosion in the midst of the cultists. Hopefully she can kill a few, burn some more, and send the others running into the waiting lightning. Though she has no idea if it’s only Morgan’s magic they can absorb. If the fire does nothing...well, best she doesn’t think about that.
****
Weaver attempts to surprise the cultists by hiding behind a snow drift and using her fire manipulation to try and explode fire into the middle of the cultists group. If necessary, she also attempts to use the unicorn horn to heal herself.
Fire Manipulation: Can create and control flames. Must be within a 30ft radius.
Type: Dark | Rank: Mastered
Type: Light
Unicorn Horn: Imbued with minor healing abilities (upgraded level)
05-14-2020, 03:08 PM (This post was last modified: 05-14-2020, 05:49 PM by Loren.)
They say blood makes you related but
loyalty makes you family
Shouting, trying to draw as much attention and fire to himself as possible, Loren didn't break his stride as he and Weaver arrived at the battle. Instead, he kept running forward, phoenix still overhead. Charging straight for the leader of the cultists, he tried to position himself between the main group and the leader. Hopefully he'd be able to reach both the leader and some of the followers
Then he tapped into the illusion magic stored within his magic crystal. He used to to try and bombard the leader and any of the cultists in range with loud noises, flashing lights, anything he could think of really to disorient them and hopefully disrupt their spell-casting and ruin their focus. He also tried to snatch the pendant from the leader's neck while the illusion magic proved a distraction, even shifting his fingertips to claws to rip it out if he has to.
Loren runs straight towards the leader and the rest of the cultists. If he manages to get in range, he will use the illusion magic in his crystal to try and distract and disorient the leader and any other cultists in range. If possible, he will also try to snatch the pendant from the leader, using partial shifting to turn his fingertips into claws.
Upgraded illusion magic taken from Remi in flew me to places I'd never been
Upgraded form: Can create illusions within a 5ft radius
Example: Illusions seem realistic and can be large (so long as they are within a 5ft radius), combining multiple sensory effects (a candle that appears to burn seems to give off heat, light, and sound).
Onlookers might look at this later and wonder, what the fuck were they thinking? It goes like this.
Morgan and her guards' attempts to attack, while valiant, do not take into account the cage of lightning currently draped across the perimeter of the open gates, placed there by the resident Archmage. They are hit, they sizzle, and they fall to the other side of the cage - in direct path of the cultists, and paralysed for the rest of the round.
Zariah's efforts do pay off, at least, and the game of kiss-chase with life drain works to her advantage; the cult leader hisses a curse and staggers a bit. The odds have been evened, it seems, and the energy is restored to its rightful place. (A wise decision, Zariah).
Then all hell breaks loose - thank you, Weaver - and fire detonates between the group of cultists, flinging them here and there and everywhere. It will take them until next round to get their feet back under them, which probably explains why their haphazard attempts to strike at Morgan and her guards fails.
And then we have Loren. By some miracle dodging around the lightning cage, he makes it out to the other side of the gates unscathed. But maybe it's because he tries to do so much at once, or maybe it's just a roll of the dice - either way, his attempts to befuddle and confuse with his illusions do not go far. The cultists are too intent, too focused.
Not focused enough to get a hit on him yet, however; the cult leader dances back from his attack, but is equally unable to strike him in return. Maybe next time.
Morgan and her guards are HIT by Z's lightning cage on the way out of the gates. They are now on the other side of the gates, but were unable to attack this round.
Zariah attacks the cult leader and HITS.
Weaver attacks the cultists and HITS.
Loren DODGES Z's lightning cage.
Loren attacks the cult leader & cultists and MISSES.
The cultists attack Morgan and her guards and MISS.
The cult leader attacks Loren and MISSES.
Citizens: 200/200 (safely inside the Academy)
Gates: 0/250 HP (BROKEN)
Morgan's guards: 68/100 HP
Admittedly, this was not Morgan's proudest moment (or Lam's, because apparently he can't visualise shit). She and her guards all fell with the painful jolts of electricity shooting through their veins, Morgan's fingers grinding hard into the snow as she grit her teeth and wrestled through the paralysing lightning. Her warhammer fell to the ground next to her and while her hands were unable to grasp it, she had another method.
Using her telekinesis magic, she swept the hammer across the cultists before her, hoping to strike them in the faces and clear the wave before them to give her and her guards time to jump up and grab their weapons again, attack with a new furore now they were close enough. Seeing Loren nearby, she shouted: "Keep us healed!"
--
Morgan uses her telekinesis to sweep her hammer across the cultists as she and her guards get up, then stands to attack again along with her guards. She asks Loren to heal them.
Zariah cackled - maniacal, crazed - living off the chaos of the moment. Feeling the power surge back into her bones only amplified her fervor, grinning wickedly as she rushed around on light feet, twisting and turning, too difficult to pin down for the cultists it seemed. With the leader's own power strengthening her, she unleashed a flury of attacks. The ball of fire shot towards the leader at the same time as she assaulted them with life drain again.
And the lightning cage? Even though it hindered her teammates she kept it raised. Better to keep the enemy in one spot after all.
Zariah keeps the electric barrier up and pelts the cult leader with her fire ball and mastered life drain, all while running about like the mad woman she is.
