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!
Olavi was not someone that made the calls, and this was one of the times he was particularly glad about it. Delta was clearly hurt, her blood a dark red seeping in among the water around her, but they had been planning this expedition for some time now. Turning around hardly felt like an option, but he would let Nerissa weigh it up - she was known to sometimes have a heart.
She wanted to press on though, so Olavi swam to her side, ready to follow along in his shark form wherever they went next, ever the protector and guard. Knowing that there were unfriendly things in these waters he tried to keep his eyes alert and ready for threats.
--
Olavi keeps going with Nerissa.
Helping themselves figure out there's so much they can gain
Whale, unfortunately, Delta you've been outvoted. And by outvoted, I mean that it seems the group cares more about exploration than your booboo. Sorry about it.
So onward and oceanward you go, still slipping along the rocky jags and snarls of cliffs which are quickly rising and looming into the sky. Not that you know it, but you're straying dangerously close into Stormbreak territory. How lucky that there aren't any abandoned among you, or worse, any ascended. Though at least an abandoned might have been able to stop Delta's bleeding.
On your left as you hug the rocky mantle, the melody of the singing stones grows more frenzied indicating that a storm is on the horizon. Should you remain where you are you risk being battered against the rocks, though the merfolk will now that predators will have fled. To your right in the depths you'll notice a bright swaying glow, like mini shooting stars begin to flit through the murky waters.
Where do you go? (The group may split up between these paths).
Your randomly chosen order is: Delta, Nerissa, Sunjata, Olavi. Please post within 48 hours of the person before you. And to ensure that nothing is missed, please include a summary of your actions at the bottom of your post, including the description of any magic/items/feats that are being utilized!
A frown forms on Delta’s lips and her eyebrows crease, clearly deep in thought. She was terrified, so scared of being hurt more... but she was promised to go back. I guess... sure, we can go on then. I accept your deal. If Nerissa hadn’t offered her deal, Delta would’ve fought back far more, but that allowed her to calm down.
Becoming silent now, Delta tried to swim close to Sunjata, clearly comforted near him. The love fish seemed to stay near each other and no way was she going to drift away from the group.
Her eyes shift around at what’s ahead of them before looking at the glowing lights. Its so- beautiful. Biting on her lip, she turns to look towards Nerissa. Is it worth the risk? Going and seeing what that is?
Though Delta clearly wasn’t happy with the decision they came to, the arrangement at large, she fell quiet, and for Nerissa, that was just as good.
A storm brewing above, and the (most certainly literal) sirens call of lights below. Nerissa knows this trick, was born with it herself. Yet she’s still curious, still leaning into entranced.We dont know if there’s a risk at all. She points out, before reaching out to place a hand on Olavi’s rough side, letting him move ahead of her a little.
We’ll see what it is. If it’s dangerous, we’ll turn back. Once again, Nerissa shifts to her smaller form, her own light an easy beacon to follow. Governor, do you might taking the rear? She stays alert though, suspicious of what might lurk deep below the surface. Especially knowing what she does of the depths. They can’t be too careful.
Nerissa starts to guide them towards the lights, remaining wary the whole way. She lets Olavi take point, and asks Sunjata to bring up the rear
They move on, the sound of the cliffs setting Sunjata on edge – as if he wasn’t already somewhat leaning that way to begin with. But he follows, moving along the curve, the edge of the storm lingering on his senses with the electricity. They hug the side and his attention, despite reaching out to try and see if he can find anything, is immediately brought to the group when Delta and Nerissa speak. His steel gaze drifts toward Delta, offering her a hand should she need it as she swims closer to him.
Nerissa takes charge and Sunjata’s simply along for the ride, an arm still outstretched for Delta to rely on if worse comes to worse, before he nods to the octopi mer. Don’t mind at all. He rumbles through the attuned bond toward the mers, shuffling so that way he does take up the rear, and keeps his senses alert for any signs of trouble from the glimmering lights.
Sunjata offers a hand to Delta to help her should she need it, agrees to take the rear, and follows behind the group with his compelling senses reaching out to see if there's anything in the lights that might be a creature. (idk if it works like this but its worth a shot LOL)
(Beastmaster) can compel any sentient animals not marked with a ☆ for assistance (6 large, 12 medium, 20 small)
to those who are willing to drown
SUNJATA
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.
So they continued; finally the familiar water and sands gave way to something more interesting. Olavi had heard the songs of these cliffs once before long ago, but the sound was still chilling as it came through the air - he stayed as close as he could to Nerissa, knowing that no predators were nearby but finding himself on edge regardless.
The lights caught all of their attentions and he knew what the hand on his side meant; Olavi easily, without hesitation, swam to the front of the group and ahead to the lights, slowly but steadily getting closer to see if they indicated friend or foe. "I haven't seen lights like this before." He said quietly, one of the first things he'd said the whole time, a frown on his handsome face.
--
Olavi swims at the front of the group going towards the lights.
Helping themselves figure out there's so much they can gain
Sadly it doesn't work like that; Sunjata's senses reach out into the vast darkness but without anything for him to lock his mind intentionally on, he receives no information back. Is the absence of evidence, evidence of absence? Who knows, but now it's the time for such philosophical questions.
Into the dark you go, the water growing colder and colder as you stray away from the surface (not that this bothers any of you). The lights dazzle and shine, growing brighter as you near (growing brighter because you've neared?). Though the sound is far too low for the hairs in your ears to pick it up, your bones begin to itch as a very low-frequency melody begins to permeate through you.
Do you continue?
Your randomly chosen order is: Delta, Nerissa, Sunjata, Olavi. Please post within 48 hours of the person before you. And to ensure that nothing is missed, please include a summary of your actions at the bottom of your post, including the description of any magic/items/feats that are being utilized!
A small smile forms on Delta's face as she takes hold of Sunjata's hand, finding her shoulders relaxing. While she wasn't allowed to turn back, this certainly did help her to feel somewhat safer, having a connection to someone who was strong and clearly knew a lot about the world. It was nice and Delta was happy to have Sunjata here.
As they traveled, the water around them changed and she grew somewhat uneasy. Coming to a stop, she glanced up at Sunjata with a massive frown on her face, eyebrows lowered, before returning to look at Nerissa. "We need to go- I don't like it here... it's not safe." Then her eyes widen ever so slightly, realizing exactly what she said.
"Sorry- I mean... I don't think this is really safe? There's something off about it. I can hear something and I think it's bad."
They move deeper, Nerissa growing more and more comfortable in the shadows, the pressure, the chill. Do the lights spark some worry in the back of her mind? Of course, but it isn't until Olavi speaks up that she actually gives it any mind, suddenly recalculating. And she is not the only one, it seems.
Nerissa's head whips around quickly, fixing Delta with a pale, icy stare. The audacity, to try and give an order here. Her lips are a thin, unmoving line as she broadcasts her thoughts out, eyes never leaving the younger mer. I suppose we did have a deal, didn't we? With a long-suffering sigh, Nerissa turns her back to the pulsating lights, a tentacle reaching out to take a hold of Olavi and draw him closer to her. We'll return home, to soothe the princess' nerves.
Nerissa turns them around and gets started going home
The sound grows more intense for the attuned, the feeling akin to nails on a chalkboard, and as he helps Delta and they spy the glimmering lights and head toward it, he clenches his jaw tighter and tighter, only releasing when Delta makes her request again. Steel slips to Nerissa as she concedes for the time, and it’s all Sunjata can do to keep his relief to himself.
The orca tail he sports immediately gives pause in the water so they might head back, a low pulse of agreement from him and not much more. Still, he keeps his arm there for Delta just in case, but all things considered he’s thankful to be leaving now before anything else pops up, thankful to be leaving the sounds behind too.
Sunjata helps Delta and moves to leave!
to those who are willing to drown
SUNJATA
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.
The light brought with it a chilling feeling in his bones that Olavi couldn't quite identify; he just knew he didn't like it. Never one to complain when doing work for Nerissa though, he continued to swim towards the shining brightness until the decision was made to stop (and secretly, though he did not show it, tough face still flat, he was relieved). He turned and began to swim back with the rest, eyes darting side to side to make sure that their shark friend from earlier didn't make a reappearance.
Assuming it didn't, he would be where he always was, by his lovers side until they got home.
-
Olavi heads back with the rest.
Helping themselves figure out there's so much they can gain
