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!
Edy has already died once, though that was sudden. One moment she was out for a stroll and then SCHLORP, she was dissolving in the stomach acid of a Landshark. And now, just a hot fucking minute after being brought back from the dead, shit hits the fan all over again. The world grows icy and quiet as her vital systems are utterly decimated. Blue screen of death and all that. She wants to make a joke about her dick as she dies in Peter's arms, but the words won't come. And now, neither will she.
But then, to everyone's surprise, Neron pulls some hero bullshit and Edy is tugged back from the brink. The icy shrapnel from the Eirachi's magic is rejected by her system, leaving the Launceleyn to fuck another day.
Or, fucking run and hide as the case might be. She can't see Neron around her though she can feel him. Taking the hint, Edy too activates her last upgrade so that she vanishes. 'Come on, come on." She whispers as she shrugs out of Neron's arms, poking Peter in the hopes he'll activate both of his upgrades as well.
Regardless of what he does—Edy cares about her family to a fault, but she's invisible and still fairly fucking wounded, so dying on Peter all over again won't do shit—the Rapacious, invisible as she is, runs to hide behind a rock or tree, or whatever the fuck else might give her full cover.
Edy tries to nudge Peter, turns invisible using her upgrade, and fucks off to find full-cover somewhere.
Modular Invisibility Upgrade | When activated, this upgrade will allow the user to become temporarily invisible to the LongNight monsters for 2 rounds of combat. You are still visible to everyone else.
Instant damage rejection upgrade | When activated, this upgrade will allow the user to reject the last damage received. However monsters will have advantage against you for the next turn if you're targeted.
Peter had thought, at this point, that the circumstances of his last death had left him without scars, without the same kind of mental anguish Adam had seemed to have. As an icy blast wraps around him, cold enough that even his senses and internal pick it up, he finds that is objectively not true.
He is more afraid of the ice than he is the claws that follow, than he is of anything. Afraid enough that he can’t move, not until Edy does, upgrades and some kind of preternatural luck activating to send him moving, sprinting after the slight footfalls he can hear from what he can only assume are Edy and Neron.
He is not dying like this, not succumbing to the icy claws of freezing cold. Perhaps once upon a time, but Pet is done with living to serve anyone but himself.
Peter activates his upgrades/citizen ability and follows Edy to cover as best as he can
Modular Invisibility Upgrade | When activated, this upgrade will allow the user to become temporarily invisible to the LongNight monsters for 2 rounds of combat. You are still visible to everyone else.
Instant damage rejection upgrade | When activated, this upgrade will allow the user to reject the last damage received. However monsters will have advantage against you for the next turn if you're targeted.
Torchline: Torchline has taught you to survive her weather and her terrain. Once per PQ/PQ+/KQ/Drop, you can 'shrug off' half the damage from ONE non-lethal attack. (In order to use this ability, you must put a clear note in the bottom of your post immediately following the attack you want to 'shrug off').
I’m sorry lover, I’m sorry I bring you down Well these days I try, and these days I tend to lie
Wessex goes to Neron, but the only living Launceleyn (currently) seems to have other plans. Tearing out his own upgrade only to shove it into Edy, the Hailstorm suddenly disappears...quickly followed by both Edrei and Peter, snatched from the grave. Edy looks rough (or would, if she wasn't invisible), but shockingly Peter looks almost completely restored. (Good use of that regional feat, yo).
Hopefully everyone has learned their lesson about how quickly things can go wrong.
As Edrei and Peter try and find cover, they'll find that they're skating on ice and don't make it half as far away as they might otherwise have expected to.
Now that Wessex is the only visible target, it's fairly easy to guess what happens next: cluster 4 and the large monster both attack her. Though they too are influenced by their icy surroundings, and both attacks go wide.
Your randomly chosen initiative order is: Wessex, Neron, Edrei, Peter. You have 24 hours to respond, based on when the person before you posted.
Please keep your posts as concise and clear as possible. Remember, this is a KQ. You can spend words on introspection later. Keep things action-based, and refer to the KQ guide in the guidebook for information about our expectations.
If I don't specifically say how your character has evaded an attack, or where the damage is, feel free to add this flavour in yourself!
When Neron goes by without catching the boost, Wessex goes after it. Bit too valuable to be leaving around.
And then, all of a sudden, she is the only one ‘around,’ the only one they obviously see. Why go for her, dangerous as she is, when the others are better targets? Opting to stay in place for now as the ice seems to hinder both of them, she decides to try and heal again and that - that solidifies her inclinations.
Go. she urges the other three. The Ascended Safehouse is nearby. My house is prepped. Just stay alive. And though she can’t possibly know her health points, she feels okay, she has twice as much invisibility as they do, and whatever hits her will get that same punch back (and then some). She’ll be fine.
In theory. Another round of magic would be great, but it doesn’t feel right to ask Neron to stay.
Having bid the almost-twice-killed run away, Wessex starts to move away from her siblings trying to lure the monsters away and give them plenty of time to get away unnoticed. No attacks against them yet, just avoidance and retaliation should anything get close enough.
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Wessex tries to get the adrenaline booster back and heal herself. Tells the others to GTFO and then tries to lure the monsters away from the other three, focusing on avoiding and defending rather than attacking for this round.
Type: Dark
Prosthetic Claws | Three sharpened blades made of an unknown lightweight metal have been embedded in the skin of Wessex's hands. By flexing certain muscles in her arms and hands the blades can extend and retract.
Magic: Healing | Minor cuts/abrasions/bruising heal nearly instantly. More severe injuries (broken bones, muscle tears, etc) heal at 50% the speed. During PQ+/KQs, heals at basic levels, with a chance to heal at higher levels depending on injury/luck.
Type: Light | Rank: Basic
The world is new to you, and you to it. During PQ/PQ+/KQs/Drops, you roll with advantage on luck-based rolls and receive an extra name during drops. (In order to use this, make sure to note the ability at the bottom of each post)
liars and lovers combine tonight, we're gonna make a scene
They're all up and they're running, and the relief at seeing Edrei and Peter on their feet will have to wait. He scrambles up and follows them with as much speed as he can muster - at seeing them falter on the ice, Neron reaches deep with his magic to try and force it to either side of them, like he's parting the sea. Carving the path through might at least serve to get them out of there quicker, and he almost falters by Wessex before her words reach him.
Be careful. Show them what we're made of. We'll wait for you, he sends back, already trying hard to tail Pet and Edy. "You heard the queen," he says. And that's that - Neron doesn't look back and he doesn't try and further heroics. Stay alive. He plans on doing just that.
Neron follows Peter and Edy the fuck out of the fight (and the KQ), using his Mastered Water to carve a path through the ice so they can make haste.
Modular Invisibility Upgrade | When activated, this upgrade will allow the user to become temporarily invisible to the LongNight monsters for 2 rounds of combat. You are still visible to everyone else.
Water manipulation: Can create and control water. Must be within a 30ft radius.
Type: Light | Rank: Mastered
Listen, Edy is all out of sorts. If it weren't for Neron and Peter around her, she'd probably have died again just so that she could try and get a word in with Wessex. She's mad and relieved and horny and a bit fucking scared, and that doesn't make for a good combination.
She also doesn't know that Wessex is immortal now, and that any concerns she has for the queen are woefully misplaced.
You owe me an orgasm, so don't you fucking die. Edy yells out mentally, wanting to whisper questions to the invisible kin at her side but refraining. Instead, she hauls ass as fast and silently as is possible.
Edy also tries to ditch this fucking KQ of dooooom.
The world is new to you, and you to it. During PQ/PQ+/KQs/Drops, you roll with advantage on luck-based rolls and receive an extra name during drops. (In order to use this, make sure to note the ability at the bottom of each post)
As strange as the moment of cold had been, Pet finds he feels surprisingly fine, save for the false panic thumping through his chest. Despite everything, something in him eases as Wessex’s voice run through his head, makes him feel less like he was abandoning his duty, no matter how made up his mind had been.
It’s a mad dash away, Pet not entirely sure where’s Hes going, though between the three of them they must be able to figure it out. Out of some sense of duty, some misplaced guilt, he takes up the rear, throwing glances back now and then to ensure there’s nothing coming after them.
Pet absconds and tries to keep an eye out behind them just in case
I’m sorry lover, I’m sorry I bring you down Well these days I try, and these days I tend to lie
Here is how you know that Neron is not actually a hero, despite his heroic act: heroes ride off into the sunset on white ponies. But Neron? Neron slips and falls as he chases after his younger counterparts to try and escape the madness they find themselves in. See what selflessness gets you, Hailstorm? Edrei and Peter make it safely out of the conflict zone and are out of this KQ, however Neron remains.
Luckily for Neron, the monsters have their eyes (and other sensory organs) set upon Wessex as she was previously the only one visible. She is able to find her adrenaline booster and heal as well.
Having already seen the queen's abilities, the main monster is not keen to attack her directly. But that does not mean it won't attack at all. Striding forward, the monster will attempt to grapple Wessex. She evades it for now, but surely her luck will run out (or its will run..in?)
Cluster 3, running low on resources and knowing it has always been little more than spare parts, does something we might expect any machine-like device forged for combat to do near the end of its life cycle.
It runs toward its enemy, and it
explodes.
Shrapnel explodes outward as the monster cluster simply detonates, striking the queen with any number of penetrating items, including claws, old ascended-hands, the ends of rakes, and rusty nails.
Your randomly chosen initiative order is: Wessex, Neron. You have 24 hours to respond, based on when the person before you posted.
Please keep your posts as concise and clear as possible. Remember, this is a KQ. You can spend words on introspection later. Keep things action-based, and refer to the KQ guide in the guidebook for information about our expectations.
If I don't specifically say how your character has evaded an attack, or where the damage is, feel free to add this flavour in yourself!
Fucking hell. Just when she thought she’d be able to do what she does best and fly solo, Neron trips and as Wessex doubles over at the explosion of shrapnel, she sees him remaining (she missed the fall) out of the corner of her eye. Is it a sign? They’re better together and her original hesitancy to ask him to stay more or less goes out the door as her systems clock her damage. Fuck. Neron, wait -
She activates her original monster-hiding upgrade and takes a page out of his book, reaching for that other, newer cloaking upgrade. Wessex teleports and reappears at his side and she all but attempts to shove the upgrade into him.I’m invisible. Take this - bite me and heal. One more attack, (two if he can give her magic while retreating) and then you go. I’ve got an older upgrade, I’m fine for now.
It doesn’t quite sound like a command, but there’s little time to sit and think about it. Thrusting her forearm towards him, Wessex can only wait for his decision. If you go, give me something to use.
If he bites, she’ll focus on being quiet and trying to heal whatever strength he may take from her. If the Hailstorm doesn’t bite, she’ll try to aim any magic he might use towards the remaining monster.
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Wessex activates her older signal blocking upgrade and teleports to Neron to give him her modular invisibility one. If he sticks around to bite her, she will focus on healing to replace whatever he takes. If he leaves and gives her magic to use, she’ll use it to attack the monster by either life draining it or pulling ice up from the ground and freezing it in place.
Type: Grey
Signal Blocker | This chip blocks the biological signal from being sensed by the LongNight monsters once. While this chip is implanted the ascended is effectively invisible to the creature.
Magic: Teleportation | Can teleport to any board that Wessex has already visited, OR can teleport to an adjacent board that she's visited with someone else. If used within the same board, requires a 1-post cool down period between uses.
Type: Grey | Rank: Mastered
Magic: Healing | Minor cuts/abrasions/bruising heal nearly instantly. More severe injuries (broken bones, muscle tears, etc) heal at 50% the speed. During PQ+/KQs, heals at basic levels, with a chance to heal at higher levels depending on injury/luck.
Type: Light | Rank: Basic
Magic: Magic Re-Resonance | When abandoned magic is cast within 20ft of Wessex, she can duplicate the ability at its mastered level once.
Type: Grey | Rank: Mastered
The world is new to you, and you to it. During PQ/PQ+/KQs/Drops, you roll with advantage on luck-based rolls and receive an extra name during drops. (In order to use this, make sure to note the ability at the bottom of each post)
liars and lovers combine tonight, we're gonna make a scene
It's madness, and so Neron does what mad people do a time like this - he slips, falls, and laughs about it. "So this is how I die," he chuckles, scrabbling to his feet to prepare to leave again when Wessex is suddenly next to him. She thrusts out her arm, barks out commands, and the Launceleyn is left with a lot of decisions to make. Luckily, it's just the sort of situation he's used to being in.
"Fuck," he hisses (very elegant), turning to activate the upgrade she's given him with one hand. With his free hand, he doesn't choose to grasp her wrist and bite. No, he conjures a veritable wall of ice, jagged and rough and hopefully enough to act as a barrier between them. I've got a dragon shift. It breathes lightning, I'm told. Take it if you need it.
Neron obeys Wessex, uses the upgrade he's given and conjures a wall of ice as a barrier around them.
Modular Invisibility Upgrade | When activated, this upgrade will allow the user to become temporarily invisible to the LongNight monsters for 2 rounds of combat. You are still visible to everyone else.
Water manipulation: Can create and control water. Must be within a 30ft radius.
Type: Light | Rank: Mastered
Too much happens in too short a time. Wessex is only able to activate her chip, teleport, and hand off her new upgrade to Neron before the not-so-metaphorical clock runs out. Both Hailstorm and Wraith disappear, only...a wall of ice rises from the ground. It's a clear enough indication as anything else might be for the monster, for where its prey is. It doesn't have a clear lock on them of course, but it's more than it had before.
Shrapnel flies from the monster's jaws, striking the wall of ice and cutting it down into large chunks. With the ground as a pure sheet of ice, the monster doesn't dare try to near for now.
Your randomly chosen initiative order is: Wessex, Neron. You have 24 hours to respond, based on when the person before you posted.
Please keep your posts as concise and clear as possible. Remember, this is a KQ. You can spend words on introspection later. Keep things action-based, and refer to the KQ guide in the guidebook for information about our expectations.
If I don't specifically say how your character has evaded an attack, or where the damage is, feel free to add this flavour in yourself!
No, that - It’s why she had asked for magic if he was going to leave, because the ice barrier is a clear indication of where they now are.
Which defeats any purpose of invisibility. And now she’s semi-wasted an upgrade, as Neron advertises their location. Do they stay, do they go? Maybe they’ll be safe behind the ice shield? Shaking her head, she just looks at the Hailstorm, trying to hide... something akin to disappointment. Get behind me. Let’s stay here to start a double ice attack and then I’ll move to the left to make it look like we’re heading that way. They’ve got thirty feet to work with. Might do the trick.
You run in the opposite direction and get out.
Without really looking at him, Wessex gets herself into a position to do exactly what she’s just lain out.
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Wessex tries to keep Neron behind her while they're still at the ice shield. She asks for ice magic and will start at the shield then keep on arcing left with the magic until the radius runs out, hurling razor sharp shards at the Monster to draw its attention so Neron can get away.
Type: Grey
Signal Blocker | This chip blocks the biological signal from being sensed by the LongNight monsters once. While this chip is implanted the ascended is effectively invisible to the creature.
Magic: Magic Re-Resonance | When abandoned magic is cast within 20ft of Wessex, she can duplicate the ability at its mastered level once.
Type: Grey | Rank: Mastered
The world is new to you, and you to it. During PQ/PQ+/KQs/Drops, you roll with advantage on luck-based rolls and receive an extra name during drops. (In order to use this, make sure to note the ability at the bottom of each post)
liars and lovers combine tonight, we're gonna make a scene
Well, you know, there's a lot to take on board when you're on the edge of death amidst demigods and LongNight monsters and someone is asking for a dozen and a half decisions in about six seconds flat. They can argue about it later, providing they're alive. Okay, Neron says, keeping it clipped and short and to the point. No wasting time, just simple execution. A Launceleyn knows how to follow orders above all.
And so they launch into it, this dance, and Neron carries out Wessex's instructions. Hunkered behind the shield, he launches spears of ice over it and towards the lead monster (is that acceptable, Your Highness?) and then high-tails it the fuck out of there as quickly as he can. Whether he'll be successful is an entirely different matter, but honestly, the less he thinks about that the better.
Neron does as he's told. He starts an ice attack by launching icy spears over the shield wall at the monster, then tries to fuck off out of the KQ.
Modular Invisibility Upgrade | When activated, this upgrade will allow the user to become temporarily invisible to the LongNight monsters for 2 rounds of combat. You are still visible to everyone else.
Water manipulation: Can create and control water. Must be within a 30ft radius.
Type: Light | Rank: Mastered
Neron 's icy spears find their target, striking the monster in the shoulder and helping to partially dislocate the limb. The creature doesn't feel pain either, but hopefully, it makes things difficult for it in the future. Wessex goes right, throwing ice shards toward the monster. They strike it firmly in its chest cause fluid to leak out onto the slippery ground. Wessex will find she isn't able to flee quite as far as she intended though, making it only about 10ft from the ice wall before her traction on the slippery ground threatens to give out entirely.
Time ticks down, and without an opponent in sight, the monster can do little. It moves toward the icy barrier, smashing it to pieces with its fists.w
As for Neron? It takes more time than he has to try and fully make his escape. Combined with the icy terrain, he makes it about 10ft from the barrier and the monster, when he suddenly becomes visible again..
Your randomly chosen initiative order is: Wessex, Neron. You have 24 hours to respond, based on when the person before you posted.
Please keep your posts as concise and clear as possible. Remember, this is a KQ. You can spend words on introspection later. Keep things action-based, and refer to the KQ guide in the guidebook for information about our expectations.
If I don't specifically say how your character has evaded an attack, or where the damage is, feel free to add this flavour in yourself!
