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!
Except this time it’s in Theskyra House, at the bigger table, in the Map room. Deimos’s map has been pulled off the wall and placed in front of Wessex’s seat, but there should be plenty of room for whomever shows up. And if not, they can squeeze it, it’s not like they feel pain from stepping on toes.
The Wraith begins once everyone is there, remaining standing, for now, eyes drifting across the group as her hands clasp the front of her chair. “I know I said not everyone has to fight - and I hope to be able to keep that promise, but I think it’s better if we gather as a group to figure this out. I have some thoughts of my own about how to do this, but I’d like to hear from anyone else who has ideas, first. This is a group effort, and we’ll have a better chance at surviving if we can work together.” That’s the general theme of her life now; work as a group, get shit done, and put on a strong facade.
Let’s be real, she doesn’t believe everyone will make it through this LongNight. No one ever does. But if she can minimize the risk, if she can prepare them, then perhaps they’ll come through relatively unscathed, hahahaha..
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This will move on in 48 hours. You don’t need to post unless you have an idea/strategy, but your character will have knowledge of what’s been said. Except for Halo folk, sorryyyyy, Wessex will come your way ASAP.
there was a time that we were kind, but now don't write me, you're not fooling anyone
01-26-2021, 05:58 AM (This post was last modified: 01-26-2021, 06:01 AM by Nate.)
We could leave or stay and fight, no difference from the day to night
Nate is among the first to show up, something that seems to surprise him as much as it would anyone else. Even as he strides into Theskyra house, Pemota hovering on one side of him and a large, shaggy black dog on the other side, each of them with a hand on them. A wordless greeting, a grin and a nod, is offered towards Wessex as he settles in, makes himself at home, and waits for others to arrive.
And they come, more than he expects, though there are faces missing that surprise him, brows knitting together in worry, Nate’s fingers tapping an anxious song against the table and the dog. In another surprise, the doctor stands first when the floor opens up, clearing his throat to try and chase away the crushing strain of worry that threatens to invade his tone.
”Neron and I talked a little bit about this, we thought it would be best to barricade places as much as we can, and force the monsters into one place, so we’re not overwhelmed. We’ll have to pick a place, there’s a few options, and we can figure out the best way to organize the streets from there.” That’s the big one, though it’s far from the only idea he has. ”I thought we could set up defences too, spike to keep things from flying at us, wood to keep bonfires going.”
His last idea is much less fleshed out, fuelled by a vision that filled him with a quietly panicked dread whenever he let it sit in his mind to much. ”I think it would be worth having teams set up as well. So no one ends up alone when they shouldn’t be.”
There’s something else too, something that very nearly slips his mind, though whether that’s intentional or an accident will forever be a secret. ”Sunjata has also offered his shifts, if anyone would be interested.” Nate stops just short of growling with supervision, readjusting himself and pressing a little more firmly against the animal say at his side, while Pemota rises to cast starlight over the map.
hey young blood, doesn't it feel like our time is running out? I'm gonna change you like a remix, then i'll raise you like a phoenix
There is a black shaggy dog that accompanies Nate, settled at his side as if he’s an obedient creature as he pretends to be – because it’s easier this way than having to deal with the wing that’s still bound while he tries to let it heal. It’s easier to avoid questions and having to answer them all when the exhaustion that weighed on him despite his good amounts of sleep thanks to Isla have started to give him a rebound.
So he arrives as a pet in a sense, like a stray Nate had picked up along the way, blue eyes drifting to Wessex and the others as they arrive but he makes no move. If anything, he simply pulses a reminder to Nate as he offers out the options – wanting to ensure everyone was as prepared as they could be, to ensure that they made it home, to ensure that Nate made it back to him.
He’s flat against the floor, head between his paws, his tail wagging against Nate as he feels the tension within his husband, but he says nothing and does nothing, simply observes and watches.
wearing our vintage misery, no, i think it looked a little better on me
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.
Come sit right here and sleep while I slip poison in your ear
Reminiscent of last year – in some ways. Discussion of fighting. Promises that may or may not be upheld. This was a different course of action, seemingly nearly solely reliant on the Ascended lines, and Mabel knew she wasn’t strong enough. Not like some of their brethren. Dead and gone for too long, and now any impact she might have strived to maintain or ensure was solely lacking; plots of vengeance at the forefront, and this one sneaking up on them as the way all LongNights seemed to unravel.
So she listened from her seat. No Evelyn beside her. No twin to bounce ideas back and forth off of. Still, silent, her head tilted politely towards those speaking, or one brow arching at the dog in the corner. Nate proffered extensions of defenses, barricades, organization…and the only thing Mabel had to offer was the sunken-in farmhouse. “I have my family’s farm, if we need a place.” It sprung out of her mouth before she could truly quantify it, but it was there, in the ethers and fringes, if anyone cared to look. “It needs some fixing up, but can house many.” A shelter, a sanctuary, if given the proper measures.
And wouldn’t it be some delightful, just desserts, for her family’s Old God worshipping ways to be forgotten under the weight, guise, and spectacle of their Goddess’s kin?
He's not quite up to speed on what's going on here, and this is in spite of the combined efforts of Wessex and Mabel to get him a bit more educated on what's happened the past three hundred or so years. He's been told enough to understand the basics, and as an outsider, agrees that it's about time to do something about it.
It's a war council, and he's no stranger to those. Aamu leans against a wall, reading the mood, listening to the ideas, considering them. War preparations are familiar—his break from those is but a mere few weeks.
He considers Isla. He considers Azrael. Sets his gaze on Nate, first. "What shifts can Sunjata offer us?" he asks politely. Aamu remembers the names from the wedding reception. He knows what is being offered, and he is grateful.
"If we have the people to spare, we should set up a signaling system and a retrieval team, and a secure location where we can bring wounded to those with medical and bio-tech knowledge. Preferably as close to a Shrine as we can get."
liars and lovers combine tonight, we're gonna make a scene
"I was thinking Theskyra House would make a good place to centralise our efforts." Neron speaks as he meanders into the room, the collar of his coat turned up, his hands buried deeply in his pockets. "Teams sound like a good plan, regardless. I can also help to provide any barricades - Nate and I spoke about using ice to make such a thing possible."
It's a strange place to be in, when the laziest Launceleyn is contributing to tactic and strategy as soon as he enters the meeting. But there's no time to lose, not really, and with LongNight fast approaching, Neron is keen to... well. Survive, first and foremost. And win if possible.
and the sky was littered with the corpses of stars
They arrive a bit later than the others, though they don’t mind. It’s an easy trek from home toward the Theskyra house, and they settle in quickly off to the side after waving to all those they know (pleasantly, more of them than they’d originally thought). Their eyes linger on the dog sat at Nate’s side, wanting to pet the creature, but refraining as business, they assume, gets underway.
They remain quiet for a while, hands folded in front of them as their gaze bounces between all of those that speak. And while, they don’t have magic at their disposal, they do have their mind. They wait until things grow a bit silent in contemplation before their voice pipes up – quietly and rather small in comparison to everyone here that seems to be experienced with it (after all, Azrael was just a baby last LongNight. They don’t recall their mother’s death nor the monsters at the door). “I can build!” They chime, bouncing on their feet a bit before they settle and let the excess energy burn off.
Dark eyes look to Nate and Neron. “I can help make the… Barricades.” They pause, trying to remember which was which, they are still learning after all. “We need Luxeres, too, right? I can help with that too!” A wide fanged grin is given to everyone there, their eyes darting toward Wessex. “Oh. And I can heal too. Though I think most of you know that already… Anyway, if anyone’s hurt I can help them.” With their little mashed up offers and ideas spread out before them, they quiet down and duck their head a bit, dark curls falling into their face as they draw quiet again.
Wessex does her best to listen and take notes of all the things said, then go back to them, item by item.
“I agree, our best bet is to try to lure them all into an area and try to take them out. I’m thinking the Ruins, in an effort to minimize damage to everything else.” She points to the Ruins on the map, identifying two places that are close to each other that might work. “But I’m wary of any strict paths or blocking off our options. Barricades - yes. Blinds built for us to hide behind, and whatever kind of trap we decide on - houses maybe, that can easily burn - but we need to be careful not to trap ourselves.”
Drawing four lines through the map to the Grounds, she illustrates the proposed paths “My thoughts were to have three or four people lure them in - our fastest - with the goal of not necessarily engaging, but just leading the Monsters to the traps. One through the Sanctuary and Settlement, one from this south-eastern woodland area, one from the southern fields - they could come up either sides of the Labyrinth - and one from the western fields area.” In her mind, she’s taking the longest path, but that’s still to be determined, if they end up going that route.
Teams is a good idea, too. A buddy system. She’s already putting pairs together in her head: herself and Neron, so she can leech off his magic if need be. Someone strong with Sam, to keep him going. “Teams is a great idea. Bastien, I leave the decision about yourself and Azrael’s involvement during LongNight to you, but Azrael, if you and Mabel could spend some nights singing and feeding the luxere, that would be very helpful. Try to stay close to the Settlement so they come in closer. ” She flashes them a tight smile, not wanting to linger too much on the topic of a child participating in this kind of very dangerous thing.
Waiting for Nate to list Sunjata’s shifts, she can’t help but glance down at the dog - a dog she’s never seen with him, or Sunjata before. Is one of them a black dog? she asks with a cheeky quirk of her lips, clearly nonplussed at it. Morgan is there. Sunjata might as well be too.
Casting a glace at Mabel and her suggestion, the Wraith hesitates. “If we take the Ruins route, I think we need a place closer as a base, preferably in the Settlement. Maybe the Barracks or Monster Hunter’s guild building. Unfortunately, I don’t think the standard weapons at the Barracks are going to be very useful, since we can’t make the Monsters bleed. They do burn and they disappear when the SparkBird comes, but any sort of other light attracts them. That doesn’t make this easy, since… well, to state the obvious, we burn too.”
“And we’ll be without the Voice’s help, unless she gives us something beforehand, like she did a couple of years ago. It’s something I hope for, but we can’t rely on.” She pauses and glances at her list again. “There’s some good news, however - I believe Deimos is making us a weapon don’t ask me what I don’t know yet okay, and I’m hoping to borrow Loren’s unicorn horn for healing, and store Deimos’s fire in a crystal. And I think if we can summon Tanau via an Accepted’s channeling, we might have a good chance. But everyone needs to be topped up - both on abilities and energy. Make sure you visit a shrine before LongNight.”
“I’ve got some other pretty big tricks up my sleeve, but before we talk powers, let’s hammer out a basic plan. Thoughts on luring the Monsters to the Ruins?”
there was a time that we were kind, but now don't write me, you're not fooling anyone
We could leave or stay and fight, no difference from the day to night
”Fake hiding spots and traps, yes.” Nate is manically animated, the hand not woven into black dog fur gesturing wildly while he speaks. The farmhouse sounds like a good idea, until Nate thinks of the fire they’ll need, thinks of buildings in previous years going up in smoke. ”We should have someplace we can hide in in the ruins, if we need to. So we can still hide, if the worst comes to pass. Some place all stone.” Nate leans over the map, though nothing comes immediately to mind. ”Some kind of signalling system sounds like a good idea, and maybe... passwords, or something. The monsters can mimic voices, right?”
Lips tug into a thin, strained smile, Nate’s head tipping to the side. ”The most useful would be the dragon, more than likely. Though there’s the panther, the bat and the bird, the uh, the bull. Oh, and the snake.” He’s missing some, he just knows it, though that’s ignored in favour of glancing around the room, clearly unhappy to be passing along this offer. Wessex is offered a sharp grin though, as her silent question echoes in his mind. You think I’d do that? Faux hurt invades his mental voice. This is Skaduwee. We found him protecting a litter of kittens by the bar, decided to bring him home.
It’s clear Wessex has been thinking about their Arsenal, an impressive array of items listed, reminding Nate of the things he himself has procured. ”I’ll be able to bring a few weapons, magical and fiery and hopefully useful.”
”I think luring them is a good idea. It helps to keep us in control.” The moment they wavered, that they lost that upper hand, was the moment they bang to fall.
hey young blood, doesn't it feel like our time is running out? I'm gonna change you like a remix, then i'll raise you like a phoenix
He knows nothing of the private conversation that goes on, the governor letting himself delve into the canine shift nearly completely, handing over the reins to the animalistic behavior of his. But he still listens, even if he shifts a bit from laying with his head tucked between his front legs, to flop over onto his side where his back rests closer to Nate and his long dark legs stretch out.
In the meantime, pulses of encouragement are sent to Nate through the blood ring, before he tampers down and his ears swivel as conversation goes on and on. He tucks it all away to speak with Nate on later, to add ideas. For now, though, he settles, his tail sweeping along the floor still.
wearing our vintage misery, no, i think it looked a little better on me
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.
It swirls around him: ice barricades, passwords, Azrael, weapons. He licks his teeth behind his lips, nodding to the animated Nate again. "A phrase and a response, do you think that'd do the trick?" he muses. Working out the teams roster itself can be done afterwards.
"If we can set up a safehouse the monsters would shy away from perhaps Azrael and Isla could remain there, with Bastien and guards, of course. We need to remember there'll come a dawn, and we'd all like to see it."
It's not just about winning in the darkness—but surviving to see the light, too. They need to remember that. But, if Bastien were to outright refuse the involvement of his child, Aamu won't argue. Be annoyed, yes, but he thinks he'll accept it. Had it been the war against The Order, though...
What they're doing here doesn't strike him as necessity so much as mercy. A favor, paying back for what they've been given.
"What breath does the dragon have?" Please say fire. "I think it'd be a useful shift regardless, if they're drawn to regular light we can carry lanterns and try to lure them were we need them. Are we going for one big monster pen, and then hitting them there with all we've got?" He'd prefer that. Not spread themselves so thin.
"Oh, and anyone got an Accepted on hand, for that channeling ability?"
“We worked with passwords last year, and unless anyone has objections, we can easily do it again. Extra secure, delivered mentally.” Tapping the side of her head again, Wessex hopes the implication is clear; unless they go about shouting passwords into the darkness, they should theoretically be able to identify each other in the heat of it.
“I’m thinking a singular, big house for the trap. One way in, one way out. Wait until the last minute, to try and get them all in, then we spring the trap and light it up. That’s a kind of vague overview of the plan, semantics to be discussed with whomever is going to be in the immediate area. Morgan has graciously offered to help us prepare, she and Neron can help build a nearby stone-slash-ice structure nearby, and then let’s also prepare the Monster Hunter’s Guild - and the Barracks, just in case - the regular way - snowmoss, blocking the windows, etc.”
Having sketched out a loose idea of the plan and area they’ll (hopefully) be working in, the Queen turns her thoughts to the second part of planning - a division of powers.
“I really do think that the key to this will be speed and engaging only when we have an advantage. Which again, is vague, I know.” They will also need to know where everything is, be able to improvise, know when to fire and when to hold it… it’s a tactical nightmare in some regards. “As Aamu said, the goal is to get rid of the Monsters, yes, but also live to see Flowerbirth. Getting rid of them isn’t worth everyone dying. I want to make that very clear. You are all more important. If we fail, we simply clear out of the Grounds during LongNight from here on out.”
There are options. For those who were never given a chance to vote.
“So. I’ll be in it from the beginning and if worst comes to worst, you all take cover and leave me. I’ve got an upgrade that causes every bit of damage done to me to be reflected back twice as much on the Monsters.” How sweet would the irony be in using a Monster-given upgrade against them? Selfishness has its perks. “I also am pretty sure I can’t die-die anymore. Don’t really want to test how that manifests, but like I said, if there’s a choice between targets, I’d rather have them go for me.”
That’s blanket permission for them to run, if needed. Not that they needed permission, but she felt that it should be said.
“So who wants what? I don’t condone speaking of our friends and allies as objects, or even assume that they’ll say yes, but we should try to to make sure we have what’s most useful to us. If Nate has a dragon form -” she writes that down, along with her own, “and I’ve still got Eirachi’s magic - Goddess only knows what that does. And that invisibility chip from two LongNights ago. Does anyone else still have theirs?” Sparing a glance at, well, it was probably only Bastien or Nate at this point (when did Nate ascend? She can’t fucking remember).
She hems a little bit and then looks to the folks from Torchline, “We don’t really have any Accepted in the Grounds, does anyone know one in Torchline who might volunteer? Other than that… Telekinesis might be useful. Fire, obviously. Air, maybe. What am I missing?”
there was a time that we were kind, but now don't write me, you're not fooling anyone
liars and lovers combine tonight, we're gonna make a scene
There's a lot of information to take in, Neron glancing sidelong at Nate and mentally shredding the plans they had made when the Wraith was asleep. He leans against the wall and shrugs his shoulders. "I have already taken advantage of Sunjata's offer with a dragon form," he explains. "But I have a power reservoir - I can hold up to three abilities, these days, along with my own magic."
Spreading his hand, he glances around to the rest of the group. "I don't know any Accepted who will be able to help - but I do feel as though Tanau will our best shot, so... anyone have any ideas there?" As for where he'll be and what he'll do? That's not really his call. He's happy to do as instructed for now.
We could leave or stay and fight, no difference from the day to night
Nate’s lips curve just a touch as he catches Neron’s eye”I may have someone who would be willing to share some fire. It would be weak, but... somethings better than nothing, right?” Even if they’re scraping the bottom of the barrel, they’re getting something. ”Ill speak with her, and shuffle that around to someone else.” Easy.
As far as the rest of the tenuous plans, he has nothing else to add, even if he does have something else to say. ”There is uh, one more thing.” Perhaps he should say this to just Wessex before blurting it out, but Nate’s never been good at impulse control. ”I uh, I had a vision, about Longnight. It wasn’t anything good, so... we have to try to be as prepared as we can, and to stick together.” There, that’s all he has to say. From here on out it’s in everyone’s hands, not just his.
