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!
05-29-2020, 07:30 PM (This post was last modified: 05-29-2020, 07:32 PM by Court Official.)
(Sorry for the delay, all <3 )
The man who'd led Halo has been locked away, forcing Weaver the Scythe to take his place. One day to the gates the new Warden did race, only to find a great ursur to slay.
Down the beast fell from the song of her steel, but before cries of joy could reach her ears, the white beast from before did suddenly appear, and thus Weaver was added to the dragon's meal.
The bardic song was rather...lacking in emotive weight or much of a tune, but it wasn't as though news of Weaver's death hadn't reached the ears of all within Halo. It hadn't taken long for Morgan and Loren to step forward and offer themselves to fill the shoes of the Scythe.
Gathered together by a roaring fire, with platforms for both the healer and soldier to stand and address their people from, it would be the words spoken now as much as past actions, that would serve to secure them the votes needed to assure their ascension to Warden.
Welcome to the Mini Event to decide Halo's future leadership!
Please allow Morgan and Loren to post first.
Morgan, Loren: In your posts please address the people of Halo and advise them how you would be best suited to lead the land. OOC beneath your post, please also post the list of what noteable things you have done to help the people of Halo in the past.
Everyone is welcome to respond after this, whether a resident of Halo or not! You will have 36 hours to post in this event before I address those who have Halo characters to see how they voted.
REMEMBER: If you haven't been in Halo since the beginning of the season, you may not post here :)
This would be the second time this week she had put herself forward as Warden, but this time Morgan wasn't going to step down to her opponent. As bizarre as the circumstances she found herself in were, she prepared her speech and practiced it over the couple of days she had before the day would come, trying to make sure she was ready to argue her case to the people once the moment arrived.
When it seemed the hall was full and Loren was not going to speak first, she stood up onto her platform and looked to the room; every face and eye she could meet at least once before she spoke.
"Citizens of Halo." She nodded. "I have lived my life in your service for all of it's years and I intend to do so for all the years I have left. Whether that is as Warden or Captain you can be sure I will not desert you: however, I believe I could serve well as Warden in this time." If she lost the vote, she would not hesitant to pick up her post and continue it. After all, she had dedicated her life to this place. No matter how she was working for it, she was contributing.
"I am a native to this land and my father was the Captain of our guard before me. He taught me how to respect our nature, to know our people and how to protect. I know some of you...many of you, may be mourning the loss of our Deepfrost Shields in this past week. I mourn with you. Each of them were brave and gave their life for this Citadel: the Gods chose to spare me, so I hope to honour them with refusing to give in. To continue fighting." Hopefully, the families of the guards lost did not resent her too much: she wasn't sure how she'd feel if she were one of them.
"If I were to be Warden, I would first focus on fortifying the Citadel. A double gate and more defence points along our walls, to protect against an attack like the last." Hopefully the value of this was evident enough in itself. "Secondly, I would rebuild a council building in the space where the palace was. A space for those in our cabinet but not any grander than the rest of you: how we used to govern. This space would hopefully double as a place for you all to enter and speak with those directly that affect your lives. Once a month, we could discuss what changes you all wish to see." She would do no hiding away in a Palace office, no governing from afar: Morgan wanted to be involved in her people's lives, one with them and one for them.
"Thirdly..." This was her most controversial point and she knew it, but the people deserved to know what a Citadel with her as Warden would look like. "..I would want to find out how many Ascended are entering and leaving our Citadel and potentially move forward defending our land from them and their Goddess. I have found evidence of several events and factors that lead me to believe they are a cause for concern for our Citadel's safety."
Only one last point to address: why she was a better choice than Loren. Glancing over to him, she took a breath and spoke: "My opponent in this is Loren. A fine healer and a good man, no doubt: he is the reason I am able to stand here today, after healing me at the gates. However." Morgan paused, knowing she might shatter whatever civility she had with Loren by saying this, but finding the stakes too high to not: "He has disowned himself from his family name of Launceleyn, but I am sure we all remember that only last week it was his brother that brought upon us Eirachi's rage. The Launceleyns are Outlanders and as such have not grown with our Citadel or developed with it; they do not have the same reasons to care. It is their play thing to build palaces in and let them fall, to bicker with each other in their high positions. I do not trust Loren, once he is in a place of power, to not use it for his own selfish means."
With that, she was done. Morgan gave one last look around the room, a rare smile on her face. "I believe in my people. Whatever you choose will be the right choice and I will always be in your service."
--- MORGANS POINTS (for those too lazy to read all of that ; D): If Warden, she would:
- Repair/improve the walls and gates to be better defensive
- Change palace area into a council building/house thats much more communal and open to the public
- Try to log Ascended entering/leaving the city and assess if they are a threat to Halo
- Take suggestions from Halo citizens in a seasonal council meeting
Loren shouldn't be Warden because:
- He's related to Neron, who just brought on Eirachi's rage
- He is an Outlander and not as attached to Halo as Morgan who was born there
- Launceleyns seem to tend to use their positions of power to bicker with each other (love y'all ;P)
05-30-2020, 01:57 AM (This post was last modified: 05-30-2020, 02:06 AM by Loren.)
whatever comes, let it come
what stays, let it stay
As Morgan said her piece, Loren waited patiently. Nodding at a few points, he took his own stage when she vacated hers. Turning, he regarded those gathered for a brief moment.
Then he took a deep breath, before speaking. "Morgan is right. About more than she knows." He paused to let that sink in. "I too mourn the Deepfrost Shields who perished. They are heroes who gave their lives as they lived them, defending the people of Halo. I also mourn Weaver, who did the same." His breath hitched a bit as he mentioned the late Warden. "May they all burn brightly."
He let the ceremonial and traditional words echo through the hall before he continued. "Like her, I also plan to make myself available to you all. Not to make myself your leader, but your humble servant, to always open my doors to you and to listen to your concerns, whenever they might arise. I would make myself as accessible to you all as possible. Many of you know me, and know that I have striven to do just that while serving as your Grand Healer" Certainty suffusing his voice, he gave them as confident a look as he could manage under the circumstance.
Expression still determined, he spread his hands a bit. "Where she is wrong is how much I care about Halo and its people. I know I am an outsider, but I like to think that I have proven my commitment to this land and its people to all gathered here." His genuine belief in that suffused his voice.
"If voting for Weaver over Neron is not proof of that, then let my other actions speak for themselves. I have defended you from every threat that Morgan has, at least while I've been here. But beyond defending you, I have also looked out for your best interests. Including Morgan, who I saved in the battle of the Citadel, as she herself acknowledged. I have healed you, I have listened to your troubles, I have advocated for you, and I have done my best not to impose my own vision on you all, but instead to help you achieve your own dreams."
Eyes narrowing, he clasped his hands behind his back. "And while many of you may doubt my sincerity on this matter, I am no longer a Launceleyn. Attempting to paint me with the same brush as Neron and Zariah is unfair and a cheap political move." There was almost a bitter edge to his words as he reiterated that. However, he wasn't above calling Morgan out for her underhanded behavior, even if it cost him points with her.
"But you all came here to hear what we would do as Warden. Well, for starters, before rebuilding our walls, I would focus on rebuilding the homes and business that were destroyed during the Eirachi's retaliation. And then, instead of waiting for threats to present themselves at our gates, I would actively seek them out, and prevent further violence from coming to our walls."
He spared a glance for the former and hopefully future Captain. "As for the Ascended, I believe the people of Halo have seen enough violence. I do not think they wish for another battle or war, especially against a people who have not brought harm to their gates." Then he smiled faintly. "Besides, the hospitality of Halovians is famous. We do not turn away any who come here with peaceful intentions, including the Ascended. Therefore, I would seek alliances with those beyond our borders, and trade that would benefit this land."
Much more quietly, he added, "I trust your judgment as well. All I have left to say is that Morgan already had an opportunity to advocate for herself as Warden, and she ultimately turned it down because she knew she was better suited as Captain than Warden. As I said before, I have not only fought for you, I have done my level best to ensure your health and well-being, as a Warden should." He bowed his head, the picture of humility. "But I will abide by whatever decision you make, and regardless will continue to serve you to the best of my ability." With that, he stepped down to await their judgment.
tl;dr
LOREN'S POINTS
-Has done everything Morgan has done and then some
-He will focus on rebuilding the homes and businesses destroyed before reinforcing the walls
-He will seek out threats before they arrive at the Citadel
-He will always make himself available to any citizen of Halo
-He won't start a war against the Ascended, as he believes they don't pose a threat
-He reiterated that he is not like his former family
-He has faced every threat that Morgan did
-Beyond facing threats, he has actually improved the lives of Halovians beyond just protecting them
-He's proven his commitment to Halo
-Morgan already had a chance to put herself up as Warden and ultimately withdrew herself
Lonely shadows following me
Lonely ghosts come a-calling
He was a shadow amidst the gathered crowd, standing mutely against a wall with hands shoved deep into the pockets of his long coat. With other people stepping up to become the center of attention, he was spared much of the oogling. Weaver's brother, the walking reminder of how shitty things could become. How quickly fortunes changed.
Korbin tried to listen to the speeches, but the words blurred together and became lost in the memory of another firelit night. Weaver hadn't needed speeches. The people had closed in behind her with a simple 'will you follow?' and everything else was but a pale imitation to his mind.
It didn't matter to him who got the title. They were both already inferior to the Scythe. Always would be.
Korbin closed his eyes, and waited for it all to be over.
Thousand voices dead at my feet
Now I'm gone, now I'm gone, now I'm gone
Without a vote, a true say in the matter, the only thing the Wraith can do is listen to the speeches. Gathered amongst the Halovians as they try to decide which person is best to lead them forward; Wessex knows the desire to have one of their own lead them, but when that woman spouts lies she feels it is equally her duty to speak up.
“Racist!” she cries loudly from amidst the group of people gathered, tossing out a voice of equal accusation. “There is no Ascended threat.” Turning to those behind, first, and then in front of her, Wessex briefly continues. “She would track us like animals and treat us like convicts when we’ve done nothing wrong!”
Putting the images out there, letting the people know the truth - that was the kind of thing worth sticking around for. She’s just made it personal, creating a ‘me’ and a ‘we,’ putting a normally quite helpful face to the list of accused. Do they really think the Wraith and her kin are a danger to them when she’s fed them and shopped amongst them and gotten rid of cannibals for them?
i think it's time that you call back home, son. fire's been scorching,
There were so many things that happened in such a short amount of time, rocking his world and everything he’d ever known. First, the strike against the Palace, falling rubble crashing into the fireplace of his home while he was more than blissfully unaware, catching fire and destroying everything that remained. Then there were his parents, stuck between some of the destruction, dying together yet alone, among it.
It left only him now. And with Weaver as Warden he had simply assumed things would get better, go back to whatever normalcy there was, before he’d heard the news of her too.
And now there was nothing but grief and rage, of moving his things into the workshop because that's the only thing of his that remained. He almost misses his parents telling him what he should do and how he should act, when the nights get cold and dark. Now? Now there’s nothing left for him other than the dark shadow that passes over him, that keeps him quiet and sullen, exhausted and forgetting to eat, attempting his best to keep his thoughts in line.
And now it’s him, alone, standing on the outskirts of the crowd, listening to the speeches but not really all there, listening to the rebuttal from someone he’s never seen before but assumes must be Ascended for how she speaks on it. But between them all, Morgan had been the one his family dealt with a decent amount. Loren had wished to make him feel better, had attempted to do so in the short time he’d crossed the Grand Healer. He doesn’t really care what she has to say. So he focuses on what those wishing to be Warden had to say instead.
But unlike before, the young crafter might have looked toward and followed his parents choices for him, for their lives. Now there was nothing left for that either. So his hands tighten in his pockets of his jacket, tired and hollow green eyes shifting between Loren and Morgan.
05-31-2020, 03:14 AM (This post was last modified: 05-31-2020, 03:15 AM by Court Official.)
Well, well, well and my, my, my.
Halovians, what say you then? Healer, or warrior? Natural, or Outlander? And you know, all the other things Morgan and Loren have offered up in support of themselves (and against their opponents...)
You may have your characters continue to arrive/be present/etc
Please DM your vote to ODD (over discord, preferably) to say who you are voting for. Remember, you must
1. Have Halo as your citizenship
2. Have been in Halo all season (remember the portals are closed, so as a Halovian if you decided to spend the season elsewhere, no voting for you!)
He came. Though he didn't feel like it was his right to. He wasn't sure if he even counted as a resident, a citizen, as one whose voice could contribute to this "democracy". But he attended, curious if nothing else, to what might come from it all - interested to watch history unfold.
And unfold it did.
The slouched and slumped forms of Korbin and Glad caught his eye for a moment, as they hung on seemingly opposite ends of the outskirts of the gathering, present in body but barely in mind. He couldn't blame them.
He listened to the words spoken by each of the "nominees". He knew them both, Loren probably slightly more familiar to him than Morgan. But Chuy was a scientist, able to look at situations with logic and impartiality, able to pick apart the colourful words and examine the meaning behind them.
He liked parts of what he heard from both parties. He disliked parts from both, too.
Wessex voiced her harsh and loud opinion, trying to rally a heated response from those around her. He heard and observed that too, with the same detached, logical mindset.
If he was honest, he thought that Morgan had the better resume for the job. She had history here, and she had a solid plan to rebuild the city, to fortify it against such dangers that had made themselves clearly evident in recent times. However, he didn't like the idea that they should focus on the Ascended, it felt too much like the beginning of a race war, a notion that he was glad to leave behind on his home world. Wessex's words twisted and sensationalised Morgan's, but he couldn't deny that he could see where she was coming from. He sighed.
Loren was a good man. Chuy knew this, he had experienced this. But his arguments felt weak compared to Morgan's, as if he was determined to simply say almost the exact opposite of the woman. He proposed rebuilding the city before the wall, and then he spoke of seeking out danger directly (who then, would the people actually have to look to, if their leader was always out chasing phantom dangers across the realm, how was he going to be present for his city?). Chuy had assumed that Loren would speak up against the idea of enforcing restrictions against the Ascended, and he did agree with that.
He didn't know if he got a vote, really. Didn't know if it would be registered. But he did want to try and help clarify and refine some of the proposals set forth.
He just… didn't know how to. So he stood back, letting the scene unfold, watching, waiting.
it is better to know some of the questions than all of the answers
”It’s an interesting turn of events, isn’t it.” Neron’s voice would echo somewhere next to Chulane, the ex-Warden escorted by the guard that Weaver had commissioned as perhaps one of her last orders as the leader of the Citadel. Steel blue eyes flickered over the proceedings; the two opposing parties, one of whom was his twin (and oho, who would have thought that little Loren not-Launceleyn would have the testicular fortitude for this?), the crowd gathered, Wessex’s outburst.
Neron sighed. He didn’t look good, drawn and weak and spending most of his time these days tucked away and watching the world go by. But at least he could show up for this. ”I can only hope that the next Warden has a more successful run than the last two.”
He was focused on the proceedings, barely noticing when Neron managed to appear by his side, until his words came and tugged at his attention. Chuy glanced at him, his features softening as he recognised him, voicing a soft murmur of agreement with a nod. But then his forehead pressed into a frown as he really took a moment to take in the other man's appearance.
"Shit Neron, you look like, well, shit." He meant the words with kindness even if they were blunt, true concern colouring his features. He reached a hand out to rest lightly on the other's shoulder, throwing a glance to Kia (who was somewhere nearby >_>) before speaking lowly and with a solemn note to his voice. "Walk with me afterwards? I'm sure we'll have plenty to discuss." He flashed a whisper of a smile at the man, before returning his hand to his side and refocusing on the goings-on before them.
it is better to know some of the questions than all of the answers
The gathered Halovians are given a piece of wood, and a piece of charcoal with which to cast their ballots. Speeches given, one by one they vote behind a wall of stone so that their choices are kept secret.
Who shall the victor be? The often brash captain of the Shields, who has devoted more than a decade of her life to protecting Halo in ways that she (but not others) judges to be in its best interest? Or the newer-comer, trailing in the wake of familial drama, dedicated to proving himself an asset to Halo despite rumours and gossip to the contrary.
As votes are counted, sticks and bits of blackened stone piled, one stack is notably larger than the other.
Halo has chosen.
"All hail Warden Morgan!" The officiator calls out, holding aloft a bit of wood.
After her speech was given she sat down, knowing that no matter what happened, she had spoken truthfully and that her people would judge her appropriately. At Wessex's shout she just stared blankly, hoping her silence at the heckling would show her attitude. If the woman was so determined to paint her wariness the way she wanted to, so be it.
Listening to Loren's speech, she was impressed by his words for the most part: he was eloquent and straightforward, certainly better than his brother. She had to stop a bitter laugh though, as he both said he would protect against outside threats then in the same breath said he would not investigate the Ascended. Did he not realise what was coming? Apparently not.
As for her turning down the position earlier, she hardly thought of that as a fault: she knew when she was the best option, was not blinded by her ego. Then she had not been, now she was.
...It seemed the people of Halo agreed as well. When the votes were counted she had already resigned herself to likely not having won: she was not a politician but a warrior, a soldier. Loren had more experience in talking than her and his family had already had this Citadel once.
All of that was why it was so shocking when she heard her name called out, the only way she could believe the decision the eyes which all landed on her at once. Almost in complete shock she stood, silent for just a moment as she tried to think of what to possibly say in this moment. "...Thank you. I promise to all of you, those of you who disagree with me, those of you who did not choose me as well...I will do my best by you. I believe in this Citadel and I believe in you." That said she stood down from the platform to talk to whoever approached her first, still overwhelmed by the result.
Lonely shadows following me
Lonely ghosts come a-calling
He had voted, in the end. Not because it truly mattered in the end who won - his preference was marginal at best - but because Weaver would have kicked his ass if he didn't, and then dared to complain about things.
Well, the result came out quickly enough. Halovians never dragged their feet about things, and there was other things to be done before the night was over. Korbin threw a quick glance at Loren, to see how the man reacted to losing. But when he pushed away from the wall, it was towards Morgan he walked, and paused in front of her.
For a moment he merely gazed down at her, hands in pockets, traces of grief in the hollows beneath his eyes and in the disheveled state of him. She looked shocked, and Korbin couldn't blame her. So many things had happened in too short a time, and who knew if this would be the last of it?
The young man sighed, and pulled a hand to place it briefly on the new Warden's shoulder. Whether from sympathy or in solidarity was hard to say. "Well. Good luck," he offered rustily. Then he turned to leave, quite fed up with the press of people who now clamored behind him to speak to the new leader.
Thousand voices dead at my feet
Now I'm gone, now I'm gone, now I'm gone
