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!
07-22-2020, 11:10 PM (This post was last modified: 08-03-2020, 01:24 AM by Zephyr.)
took back my heart but it's never been the same
Invitations have been given. Ki has assumed the position of guard. Glyphs have been written to guide those who know the way into the Trading Post, be they legged or finned.
For those who don't, well. There's a reason you've invited who you have.
You've got some supplies in your bag, and you pull it out as you wait. Rope, wire, spikes, bottles, shovels, picks, some jars of what you've been promised is an explosive powder- you know. Normal meeting supplies. You've also got a set of bracelets made of knotted fiber. Simple things, pretty straightforward, yet every knot purposefully placed to make a hidden code.
Yup, kiddos, you've deduced it right: thirty-five-year-old local hermit Zephyr Kawaianu is starting a secret club.
Eat your heart out, Armbiter.
PQ to establish a base of operations for the Smuggler's Guild!
07-23-2020, 07:29 AM (This post was last modified: 07-23-2020, 08:12 AM by Nerissa.)
In the blackened waters of conceit I saw my silhouette, pale and bleached
It's not often they receive invitations to things, and that's exactly the way Nerissa prefers it. Too much of the wrong kind of attention, and their whole operation could be ruined. This one is a little bit different though. Her interest was piqued, and so she ventured out, Olavi at her side, to slip through the submerged tunnels of the fingers, her own glow the only light guiding them. It was a path she could almost follow in her sleep though, the lower tunnels more untouched by the eruption of Apopo.
"Are we first?" Nerissa speaks just loud enough to keep her voice from echoing around the walls, eerie blue lights colouring the water around her. Olavi is somewhere behind her, as he so often is, a single tentacle outstretched towards him, keeping him close enough that either of them could reach out and be touching. "How exciting." It's nearly impossible to tell, but she is utterly sincere. This is the kind of thing she lives for, things moving, and the promise of yet more, if this gets off the ground the way she thinks it's supposed to.
For the moment, she merely turns to their unexpected host and leans as far out of the water as she can manage, smiling at him with pale eyes and a few too many teeth. "You look different." This is loud enough to echo, aimed specifically at Zeph, though she can't actually put her finger on whats changed. It wasn't as if she saw many mouth breathers up close and personal.
Elias had little issue with smuggling; in fact, his profession placed him at risk as well, hiding smuggled wares until it was safe to sell them, selling them to the right people. He'd have to set up a proper shop soon, but for now, he had received an invitation and wasn't going to turn it down.
Not when it was from an old friend and a co-worker.
The tunnels were vaguely familiar to the merchant, but the code that was written on the walls was extremely familiar, enough so that Elias hardly faltered, as he walked through them, humming a jaunty sailor's tune as he went.
"Brother," He called, a boyish grin on his lips, as he joined the small group. They certainly were not brothers by blood, but that hardly mattered. He flashed a smile to the mermaids, taking a moment to study them. He'd learned a lot about mermaids from Delta (though there was no telling how much was true).
Welcome to Wonderland, I'll be your guide.
Holding your hand under sapphire skies,
Let's go exploring or we could just go for a walk.
Olavi was immediately suspicious of this gathering, as he was of anything new. When he'd met Zephyr at the river, he had not picked up on the man being competent enough to run anything close to a smugglers circle, or whatever it was he was trying to run here. He stayed closed to Nerissa's back, occasionally making sure to brush the tentacle she held back to let her know he was there, as always.
"Looks like it." He said, though his sharp eyes were glancing around already, wondering if this was an ambush; he certainly wasn't thinking it was 'exciting'.
Nerissa went to lean up out of the water and for the moment Olavi stayed a few feet back, head and shoulders above the surface to watch and guard as always. If there was something for him to help with he would, but he was primarily here as a bodyguard - to that end, he was sure to give everyone around them threatening glares.
"He's been doin' those kegel exercises." James says in response to Nerissa's comment about Zeph looking different. Waggling his eyebrows in emphasis, the thief offers a pert and friendly squeeze of the smuggler's ass with unfettered zeal.
Shirtless, with a bit of fish-netting wrapped around his waist like a skirt (and don't you worry, his ball and tackle are well-taken care of, draped with a bit of silk I'll have you know), the snake shimmies his way to stand next to Zeph, glancing over at Elias and their mermaid duo. "D'you know what? It's a fine thing I've remembered to bring me rum today, because you lot look look like y'could do with some loose'n up. Talkin' to you big fella." Nodding his chin towards Olavi and shooting the others a knowing look, the thief produced a flask (from where, James? Do tell) and took a healthy drink before offering it around.
"HOLD THE FUCK UP" I say. I'm the fuck up. Please hold me.
What a motley fuckin' crew you've managed to assemble, though each of them has potential in their own way, you guess. The mer with her gorgeous glowing tentacles and eyes like pale skies ("An' you look gorgeous as ever," you reply, walking to the water and extending a hand, intending to kiss the back of hers if she lets you. Mostly to fuck with sharkboi behind her.). The brother-in-arms who you grew up alongside (a good public face as a legitimate merchant; you clasp his arm and nod a greeting, pleased to see he's come). The asshat sharkboi who seems to come part and parcel with Nerissa. And, of course, James. Despite knowing how bad an idea it may be you take the flask from the thief, rising it up in cheers. "To yer health, Princess," you toast, taking a drink and passing it on.
Woof. Alright, now to business.
"Thanks fer comin'. As y'all are prob'ly aware, shit's changin' fast. We gotta change with it if we want to survive." Your brown eyes cast between the assembled. It's surprising how much authority and competence you can muster, when you actually give a shit.
"Traders like us're the lifeblood of Torch. We keep money movin', an' we make the rules of the docks." You clasp your hands behind you back, beginning to pace. "But some'a our new friends seem't think we can't manage our own business. So here's what I propose. Instead's bein' fragmented we're gonna come together. This place has always been a neutral grounds for the crews'a Torch, so it'll be our base. No blood'll be shed inside - assumin' ya got the right to be inside. An' for outside we'll have rules for tradin' an' fightin' an' the like."
Stopping, you turn back to your audience. "Questions an' comments so far?"
Round 0.5. we'll move on in 24 hours or so, if your character has nothing to say you don't have to post, just lmk. Fun stuff starts after rules.
Elias shook his head as he took a drink from the flask, passing it off. He listened as Zephyr described what they were here for--rules--interesting stuff, really. Not too much to add, Elias stayed quiet, studying the small group gathered.
It'd be interesting to see how being one group would alter his work, and he was geniunely excited to find out. "Sounds good to me." He replied, with a lopsided grin. "We'll have meeting times? A schedule?" Ah, Elias was ever the man working on schedules, his legitimate business rarely closed as long as he paid the dock-workers that he'd found were loyal enough to him. And of course, the boy he'd adopted all those years ago, manned the legitimate business when Elias had things on the darker side of their business that needed to be dealt with.
Welcome to Wonderland, I'll be your guide.
Holding your hand under sapphire skies,
Let's go exploring or we could just go for a walk.
'How very formal this'all sounds." James notes with a bright grin, the sarcastic lilt of his voice in no way an actual criticism of the plan. It's a good one. Definitely makes sense. And, not that he'd ever say it, but actually being included in something warms the moldy cockles of the snake's heart. He might act like he doesn't give a shit about much (and for the most part it's true), but damnit if he doesn't love Zeph just a little bit for the invite.
"Shall we all have secret badges? Or better yet, tattoos." Suddenly very interested in this idea, James begins to look the attendees over, trying to decide what the most scandalous and euphemistic depiction of their little organization could be.
"HOLD THE FUCK UP" I say. I'm the fuck up. Please hold me.
Alright, well, so far so good. "Aye," you reply to Elias, the lack of protest leaving you feeling quite a bit relieved. "We'll bang out th' nitty gritty later." Right now just getting these people together into this discussion is a victory, and you aren't about to press your luck with boring shit like meeting times.
"I'd be open t'the idea. You gonna design us somethin'?" Something to tuck away for later, the idea of tattoos. It'd be a hard thing to fake, especially if you use the same artist and make sure the include a bit that only you know about. For now though you have simpler plans.
But first. Setting up a base. "Firs' thing. I've marked tunnels I want clear with A an' tunnels I want trapped with V." Indeed, the ones they came in by were all marked in chalk with the same designs. "For 'v' tunnels, we wanna booby trap 'em. For 'A' tunnels, make 'em safe. There's more supplied, grab what ya want. There's only one in the front, so you can grab that Elias. James, we'll get the ones in back. Mers, yer on water duty."
Round one! Please booby trap your assigned tunnels.
Nerissa and Olavi, please trap the underwater tunnels. There is one A tunnel and two V tunnels Elias, please trap the front tunnels. There is one A tunnel and one V tunnel Zephyr and James, please trap the back tunnels. There are four tunnels leading into TL and two leading into traps.
With a job given, Olavi set to the task, never far from Nerissa but focusing on what it was they had to do: trapping the tunnels. He supposed it was a good thing they were involved in this now, because it meant they would know where the traps were later and how to avoid them. Did Zephyr realise he was blocking off most Mers from accessing these tunnels? Well, Olavi supposed it was probably advantageous to their business, so he couldn't object too hard.
Using the traps given, he used his strength and practice with more shady ventures to quickly set up the dangers in the tunnels marked out for it. Silently he worked, feeling no need to talk to these other jokers.
In the blackened waters of conceit I saw my silhouette, pale and bleached
For the first moment, Nerissa wonders absently how Zeph had managed to mark underwater tunnels with anything longlasting enough for them to see it, but before she can put too much thought into it, she realizes she really doesn't care. As long as there is work to do, and there is, then she can focus on doing it.
Olavi stays close to her, as they moves through the tunnels, laying traps and ensuring the marked one is clear. Nerissa makes careful note of the safe path, and leaves a mark of her own, something for her own people to follow, if needed. As for any other mers who happened to be caught in the area? Well they'd learn very quickly this wasn't a place for them, wouldn't they?
And as long as they're successful, Nerissa returns to the pool in the main area stretching out of the water and leaning against Olavi, watching the rest of them go about their work.
"Y'know I've got an artists soul Zeph." The snake croons. Whether or not that's true, James is shit when it comes to drawing anything other than very stylized penises. Which, you know, could make a great brand anyway.
"A and V huh? What's that like, A for arsholes this way and V for very likely gonna fuck you up?" James shakes his head. "Bit obvious, don't y'think?" But anyway, you're not a leader type so you're fine followin' orders.
Making your way downtown, walking fast, faces pass and I'm homebound into one of the tunnels, Jame's looks longingly at his bottle of booze. "Y'know I wouldn't do this if there was any other way." He laments. "But really, it's for the good'a'tha' club. You understand? Oh now, don't be like that. Here, one last kiss." So saying, James raises the bottle to his lips downing the entirety of what is left. Some of the liquid drips down his chin onto his chest, and when he's done, he burps with tremendous force. "God i'll miss ya'." He says as he smashes the bottle on the wall of the cave. Glass goes flying everywhere of course. Picking up the pieces, James does an utterly shit job of arranging them in obvious places on the ground, kicking up a bit of sand to 'hide' them.
Hands on hips and a shit-eating-smile on his lips, the thief turns to Zeph with a grin. Mission fucking accomplished, mate.
James smashes some glass and leaves it laying around.
"HOLD THE FUCK UP" I say. I'm the fuck up. Please hold me.
Elias nodded and gathered supplies. He started off toward the front tunnels, noting tunnel A and tunnel V, before heading down tunnel V. He took his time setting traps. Whereas James smashed a bottle and called it a day, Elias placed traps carefully, hiding those that might be noticed by the naked eye.
It was better for him to put time into it, than to do a shoddy job and be the reason the operation was found out. Especially if this was base of operations. Once he felt that tunnel V was trapped, and had scribbled the traps down on a piece of paper, so he could share with the others where they were, he started back towards the rest.
Welcome to Wonderland, I'll be your guide.
Holding your hand under sapphire skies,
Let's go exploring or we could just go for a walk.
The mers are surprisingly successful at figuring out which tunnels need to be trapped and you know what? Don't @ me, Johnny and setting up said traps, cleverly hidden and subtly marked so as to prevent unexpected and uninvited sea-dwellers from finding their way in.
James' glass trap is met with a scoff, but you have to admit the cleverness of the simplicity. Most of the glass disappears beneath the dust as he kicks it - through sheer luck, no doubt - though a few pieces do glitter obviously in the scant torchlight. "Not bad, Princess," you murmur with clear complimentary pride, reaching out to grab one of the visible pieces... and immediately cutting your finger. "Fuck a tit."
Alas, Elias's slow and steady work does not pay off for him. Whether because of his legitimacy as a business man or a simple lack of luck, the merchant has a hard time managing his way around a trap. Eventually he does succeed in his work, but not before being struck by one of his own pieces of supplies, which will leave a welting bruise on his right cheek.
As for you? Aside from the cut on your palm you're able to lay your tripwires with some minor difficulties- probably should have taken James' lead. It doesn't help that your hand is slick with blood, but eventually you finish to your satisfaction, turning back to join the others in the Trading Post.
"Right. Good." Snatching a piece of cloth from your bag, you begin to wrap your hand. "Next up- Monsoon season's on the way. Last thing we want's all our hard work goin' t'shit. Mers- can ya secure th' boats well, inside one'a the more protected caves? Land crew, lets get supplies into crates an' barrels an' hammer 'em closed, then tie 'em off."
Mermaids! There's a few (3) row boats, please tie them off somewhere that you think they'll be safe from the monsoon storms. Be sure to let me know what makes that place safe.
Humans! Please do one of the following:
1. Put supplies into barrels/crates & hammer them shut
2. Waterproof barrels/crates with the oil Zeph has supplied
3. Tie down barrels/crates so they don't get washed away!
