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!
we need love, but all we want is danger. we team up, then switch sides like a record changer
"I wouldn't say out, puddin' pop." Mara chuckles, twining long fingers tipped with nails sharpened into points into his hair. "We damn soaked this place. Ain't no fire gonna get us."
And if the rest of the fucking idiots had stayed and sucked on curls like she'd fucking told them to, they could all be cozy inside as well. But that was on them, and Mara really wasn't the heroey-type to rush out and try and corral them back. She'd fucking told them what was best, and oh look, it worked. Who gave a shit about curls. Were they really going to let everyone die just because one random abandoned bitch wouldn't let them drink from her?
Hah.
"Now come're and lets see just how long we can make this LongNight last, huh?" Mara reaches to draw Ezra against her, her fangs already reaching for his neck.
Mara says you're all dumb and goes to fool around with Ezra.
the rumours are terrible and cruel, but, honey most of them are true
So far the youngest of you is doing the most as a bright wave of electricity flourishes outward, healing you. It's a lot of power for a young demigod with an endurance stat of 10, but this time at least, it's entirely successful.
Samuel will judge they'll make it to the jail shortly not this round, but next. It might be stone, but it hasn't been fortified at all. Hopefully it's the right choice. As they walk along, Sam will notice that Wordsworth books is beginning to catch on fire. The SparkBird's wing flaps have shot sparks nearly everywhere, and for those who remember from years past, will recall that its feathers can make nearly anything catch.
Aamu begins to run, now placing himself ahead of the group. Even if he reaches the jail, it won't provide him the safety he might think (You'll still be in the KQ. If you want to actually leave the KQ you need to say.) He is now much closer to the jail though, and will reach it in his next post.
Bastien and Mabel stroll along, with Bastien reaching over to protect his child and activating a shield of darkness around him. Morgan holds onto him, hovering a stream of water overhead. If only the Sparkbird was throwing fire though, and not electricity, Morgan's idea might have been really clever. As it is, the sparks dazzle in the water, electrifying it and doing minor area damage to everyone near morgan (@Bastienx2, Mabel, Samuel, Elide, and herself.)
Wessex appears inside the building. She sprints out just as one of the walls begins to buckle. Mara and Ezra might have made their section less flammable, but they hadn't taken into account the structural damage already done. The wall collapses dramatically behind Wessex, killing both Ezra and Mara.
Bastien's shield of darkness is a clever defense against enemies who are actively targeting you. The SparkBird on the other hand is merely trying to fuck absolutely everything up. Sparks rain down on you again, but it isn't so bad (except for you, Elide. You're clever, but weak.) Once again Bastien soaks the damage for his child.
@Azreal continues on as they have been, following behind Samuel and staying in the darkness cast by their father. Mabel activates her upgrade, shrugging off the damage done by Morgan. There's no room in Bastien's sphere for Aamu, given that it is already him, Az, Mabel, and part of Morgan. Isla appears, adding to the ragtag group consisting of a ball of darkness, Aamu, and Sam.
Wessex heals herself as Morgan dismisses her water.
The flames are primarily centered on the barracks, which you've now left behind. While there are still minor fires burning all around the path you're on, they are easy enough to avoid. The real dangers are the SparkBird overhead, and the monsters prowling around, looking both to kill you, but to hide from the creature as well. If you're going somewhere safe, perhaps it's in their best interest to follow?
Ironbolt Penitentiary is before you. Created by Zariah Launceleyn and her cohort, it's a cruel and intimidating place, made for torture more than it is for defense. There is a main office, several cells with bars on outward-facing windows, and three rooms downstairs used primarily for torture. You will reach the prison on this turn and can write your characters going inside/defending themselves. You will be safe inside from the SparkBird, thanks to the stone walls. But from the monsters? Less so.
The SparkBird screeches at you; You who are the reason it has been used all these years. You and the monsters that ripple in your wake. Flapping its wings more sparks rain down on you.
Here's hoping Azrael 's shoulders can take all the carrying they're doing this KQ.
Samuel and Mabel ready themselves, while someone calls out to @Aamu—"Just the one entrance."—But that isn't entirely correct. It's just the one entrance that anyone here knows about. There is in fact, another.
Morgan seals up the door with ice, while Wessex duplicates the ability against some of the windows. Because of how the jail is structured, the team will have to do this twice more to ensure that all the windows are secured.
Can the monsters get through the ice? Not easily, no. You know what can though? Sparks from the SparkBird. So it is that as the building is showered in an angry assault, the stones are able to withstand the heat where the ice blocks in the windows and at the door are not. It is perhaps wise to follow Aamu and Isla deeper into the jail. Down the stairs are the three torture rooms, and though it means there is no escape should anything get in, it also means there is no way out, either.
Azrael uses their monster spray on the door primarily, and then with Bastien in tow works on the windows (which are now mostly open, with only a thin layer of ice as protection).
Morgan begins to pull up the earth outside of the jail to try and cover the window. It will take three rounds in order to successfully seal everything in, especially with Wessex duplicating her efforts. It's a good thing the ascended don't need to breathe. Morgan does, but...you all probably won't be here long enough for her to run out of air...right?
Now, lets do a quick run through of things: During the year, where do the monsters go? Underground, you say? Why yes! They do, well done! So it is that as the SparkBird is decimating things above, a few monsters are beginning to tunnel. There is stone beneath you, but what sort of monsters would these be if they couldn't deal with a bit of stone? Those of you in the basement (Sam, Mable, Aamu, Isla, and Elide), will begin to see and feel the flooring begin to warble...
Is everyone having fun yet? I'm sure you're asking yourselves just how much longer this can go on for. Its been two weeks. Surey the badmin is done with this torture.
Who thought they'd every read about baby Azrael dragging their father into a torture room? Not me. Down the two go, spraying monster repellant in their wake, before being plucked onto Bastien 's hoverboard. Samuel 's plan, all things considered, is not actually that bad. Though he looks like he's about to take on a mouse scurrying around on the floor, as far as actions go, it's one of the better taken this round. Mabel takes aim, Aamu throws some furniture around, Isla readies her claws, and Elide raises her axe.
Wessex says a bunch of things to the downstairs crew before going back upstairs and readying her claws while Morgan continues to reinforce the windows and door.
Upstairs, Morgan and Wessex will have the easiest time of things. They'll feel the heat thrown by the stones as the SparkBird continues to decimate everything outside with its sparks. The bodies of monsters now litter the ground, not that anyone can really see them.
In the basement, a monster stabs through a table overthrown by Samuel, with an arm that looked like a sword soldered onto its shoulder-joint. It gets about half-way through the table before its blocky shoulders get caught. It swings toward Samuel, striking his shins with its sword-arm. Immediately though Elide 's axe comes down onto its head. Brand new demigod that she is, it doesn't do a ton of damage, however the monster goes scurrying back down the tunnel. Is it retreating, or gathering reinforcements?
Another monster bursts through by Aamu and Isla, taking a swing at the one without obvious defenses (Aamu). He's able to jump back, leaving the monster open to an attack from both Isla and Mabel. Both hit, and the monster's fluid drains out onto the floor and back into the tunnel from where it has just come. Dead.
03-01-2021, 05:38 PM (This post was last modified: 03-01-2021, 08:48 PM by Odd.)
key quest
Monster repellant is perhaps a bit misleading. Given to the Monster Hunter's Guild way back when, those who are clever might realize something. If doors that worked against Monsters also worked on Ascended, then surely a spray that would repel Monsters would also repel the Ascended? Something to ponder. However as Azrael goes to use their magic for the third time, the world grows fuzzy. A 10 END stat is not high enough to continue to wield magic this strong, so often. The world blurs with beautiful stars and grows dark. How lucky it is that daddy Bastien is there to hold onto his child.
Everyone seems to be in on Samuel 's game of whack-a-monster rather than Wessex 's game of hide and seek tag. So Samuel, Wessex, Mabel, Aamu, Isla, and Elide prepare for another round while Morgan shores things up on the top floor.
The upper level is now completely sealed off, making the interior completely pitch black. Don't fall down the stairs, Morgan. Also, don't run out of air. Or food.
Four monsters emerge from the floor, all in different places. It isn't terribly big in this room, with all of you, so make sure you take care not to take out your friends while playing round 2 of whack-a-monster.
(For ease I'm clumping you into the following groups, who I'm saying are 'near' one another. If you want to change this, just say so in your post).
Samuel aims for Monster 1 but misses. The monster tries to swipe at him, and opens the wound on his leg further. However Sam's forcefield shocks the creature, burning the flesh on its outstretched claw.
Isla and Aamu attack Monster 2, but neither are able to land a blow. The monster targets Isla and also misses.
Elide and Mabel attack Monster 3, both of whom hit. The pair aren't terribly strong, but hey, at least they hit. Monster 3 aims an attack toward Mabel, slashing at her hip with finger-talons that look like fused-together razers.
Wessex attacks Monster 4, destroying it instantly.
Is it blasphemous for Samuel to be the conduit through which another spirit might emerge? It might be, if it didn't have the effect it did. You see, during LongNight, monsters are the only things about. And given Mara and Ezra's recent deaths, their spirits are still lurking. So it is that Mara appears, dead-eyed and annoyed. YOU ARE ALL GOING TO DIE BECAUSE YOU WOULDN'T SACRIFICE THE BITCH UPSTAIRS? She screams, shrill and furious. They could have drained Morgan dry, sprinklered the fuck out of the barracks, and saved themselves all this hassle. HOW ABOUT I DO IT FOR YOU. She offers, her ethereal form already heading toward the ceiling where Morgan is above.
Morgan is upstairs and likely can't hear Mabel. Besides, Eunike is still outside (since no one made sure to bring her in. #oversight). She's successful hitting Monster 3 with two arrows, which is enough to reduce it to a pile of sparking circuits on the ground.
Aamu stabs toward Monster 2, but his swing goes wide, landing in the stone floor. Isla is more successful this round, leaving gashes along the monster's face.
Bastien cradles Azrael, hovering above the ground, which is probably good given that Morgan has turned the ground to ice.
Elide, given that Monster 3 has died, becomes part of team attack-monster-2, but she misses quite spectacularly.
With no more monsters joining the frey, for now, Wessex stands on guard around one of the tunnels.
With Samuel offering no further directions to spirit!Mara, she begins to ghost toward the ceiling where she might attack Morgan. Aamu however intercepts, and no sooner as he touched her with his blade than she whisps away to nothing.
Meanwhile, Samuel lashes out at the monster at his feet, reducing it to circuitry and rubble with a single blow. Mabel aims for the last remaining monster, however her arrow goes wide. Luckily Isla is there for the rebound, slashing at the creature with her claws and spilling its fluid onto the rocky floor.
There are no breaths that need to be held (save for Morgan's), and as silence descends, all you can do is wait.
And wait.
And wait.
Outside the Spark bird continues to rage. It's lucky Morgan took the time to shore up the building or surely something would have gotten in. Not that any of you will be able to see the rising of the sun, pitch-black as it is within the jail, when the sun does rise, you'll see the bodies of monsters burned utterly to a crisp. Unlike previous years there are none left to retrieve them. The SparkBird has killed them all. Where it has gone is anyone's guess, but you can be sure it is no longer a friendly ally, but a foe who will take this vendetta to its sparky grave.
But rise the sun does.
It's over.
You've survived.
Feel free to post again if you like. No posting order. Congratulations everyone! As soon as the sun rises you will all be restored/healed by the Voice.
Seconds and minutes, hours and days: an unwavering darkness as they wait for the light. Wait, for Azrael to wake up, for the oxygen to run out.
They owe their lives to Morgan, and he'd hate to be helpless in the face of saving her after what she's done for them.
But finally, dawn comes. How do they know? He's not sure. Perhaps it is instinct. Perhaps they have been keeping count. He unfolds from his corner, stiff and owlish, takes his halberd and waits as the rock crumbles. Outside is a mess: hesitant rays of pale sunlight peek through the smoky haze to illuminate the destruction.
Limbs stretch towards the sky.
Charred, broken, bits of wiring waving in the breeze. Loose, disconnected ends.
Aamu stares at the wasteland and the slaughter. He remembers the sensation of feeling cold, and still feels the dread. It sits like something swollen in his gut.
He knows what they've done.
He knows what he's done.
Saying nothing, Aamu retreats back into the darkness, to await the night again.
