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!
06-11-2021, 11:36 PM (This post was last modified: 06-11-2021, 11:36 PM by Aurelia.)
Aurelia
It's perhaps in everyone's best interest if the jailhouse is repaired from the monsoons so that it might become operational again. That, and Aurelia will need an office space for her paperwork, her investigations - which have, thus far, been compiled in a grandiose mess of connected dots and notes at her and Milo's.
She put up a posting on the notice board, something small and with far less gravity than a few of the other things written there. Nonetheless, she hopes that a few willing citizens will come to give a helping hand. Although she doesn't know what or who to expect.
There are tools and materials compiled around the edges of the small house, both inside and outside, that should serve well for any kind of renovation or repair needed. She sets to work on prep while she waits, ensuring that things are generally where they'll need to be - or close to it.
As people filter in, she doesn't want waste too much time, but she's grateful for the help. It shows in the way her stress lines seem to relax. "Thank you for coming... I already have everything prepped and ready to get started. Take whatever tools you need, there's gloves..." She trails off. They've done this sort of thing before, surely.
"I'm thinking we can work our way from the outside in," she decides after a few moments, "The walls and windows are in rough shape..." Her gaze hovers over a few problem areas where water and wind have busted the walls and windows, and they've only seemed to degrade further with time.
"The roof has a big hole in it but I'd like to use this as an opportunity to put in a ventilation system," there's a paper she pulls out from her pocket with the blueprints on it, which will serve as a guide on how exactly that's done. "It's simple enough, I think. There's a ladder around the side of the house," she adds.
"And I've gotten a new front door since this one is looking... well, sad," She looks at the door with an arch of her brow, where the hinges are busted and it leans too far to one side to ignore.
Then, she shrugs and gives the others a glance, see what they're interested in helping with. She'll wait to let them choose, and will take up whatever task is left over.
PQ to repair/slightly renovate the jailhouse for Aurelia's profession check... and it's dusty, it needs some TLC.
Round 1:
2 people to repair/reinforce walls and windows.
2 people to patch the roof and install ventilation for it (comes with a blueprint plan! how nifty! :D)
1 person to replace the front door with the new one
No post order, just write your character arriving and starting on one of the tasks!
What is clear is what is gold You're only human after all
06-12-2021, 12:03 AM (This post was last modified: 06-12-2021, 12:03 AM by Maeve.)
I would fall from grace just to touch your face
Maeve arrives with Locke, both of them having decided to give the new arbiter a hand because it was simply the thing to do. There were repairs to be done and not a lot of free people to do them. There never was when they all had things of their own to fix up. Plus, labor here meant labor for the Halenani in return. It was a fair trade. While she might have been expecting Sunjata to be there, she wasn't expecting Nate and dread quickly settles in her stomach, stealing the smile that had so easily played on her lips only moments before.
She stays quiet, listening to Aurelia explain the plans for cleaning up the building, but making a note that no matter what she was going to stay as far away from Nate as possible. The Madame grabs a pair of gloves, pulling them over her still bandaged hands, pointedly keeping her eyes on the ground before slipping outside to work on the windows since it was one of the few things she was somewhat confident she could mange.
Maeve grabs some gloves and starts on the windows outside.
// i'll sing it one last time for you, then we really have to go, you've been the only thing that's right in all i've done. and i can barely look at you, but every single time i do //
Where one goes, the other follows. Or in this case? The other drapes, languidly yet still on edge, across Nate’s broad shoulders – a dark scaley black head peeking out from dark raven curls, hood flared for the sheer feeling of a fight and low thrum of anger that seems to never quite dissipate these days. At the very least, the cobra is intimidating enough when it comes to walking the streets from the house – though Sunjata imagines the quiet rage that seems permanent on Nate’s face is a deterrent enough.
He supposes either of them likely seem like they require quite the berth as they make their way to the jail. But Sunjata finds that he doesn’t care. It’s easier that way.
Even as he arrives and spies Maeve and Locke, the cobra curling around Nate’s neck as he moves to unwrap himself from the demigod’s shoulders. He slips from his arm, down to the ground where he can shift into himself, a sleeveless shirt that’s worn underneath it all that reveals all the bruising sustained from the quest to find the Prince. He lingers in Nate’s space, attention flickering to Aurelia and offering a silent nod.
But he says nothing, because his throat is still fucked up and burns when he speaks to much. So he keeps it at a minimum, steel eyes sharp and focused as he watches Aurelia, listening for the instruction. He doesn’t notice the way Maeve seems to ignore the presence of him and Nate. He doesn’t seem to care to begin with. He just knows that the jail needs to be done so it could be used, because the Flood absolutely intends to use it.
Maeve seems to step outside and he can see that she heads toward the windows, which leaves a plan for Sunjata. “We’ll take the roof and ventilation.” He says hoarsely, his arm slipping around Nate’s, grabbing the ladder on their way out so that Nate would be able to use it if he didn’t want to use a shift. And Sunjata shifts into his macaw shift, beginning to transport the items they’d need to start patching up the roof and placing the ventilation within it. What’s the blueprints say, Skatjie? He sends mentally while he flits about, bringing material after material.
A few things are handed to Nate, of course, the demigod having more than just a set of hands to make it a quick job after all, and when all the items are along the roof, Sunjata shifts back into himself to help Nate place the ventilation according to the blueprints.
Sunjata picks the roof and ventilation and tugs Nate along with him for it!
i know we'll make it anywhere away from here
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.
He's here because one, its funny and two, Maeve asked him. The amount of time he spent in this jail is probably almost as much as he's spent at home. At least in his youth. Might as well help fix up his old digs, right? And honestly he's in a pretty good mood. He notices the way Maeve tenses up when she notices Nate, notices Cobra!Jata too. (Neat!) But honestly, he's here for a good time. He'll just stay between Maeve and Nate and hope things work out. He gives Aurelia a little wave before following after Maeve.
But Locke doesn't go for the windows. Instead he starts working on the door, carefully undoing the hinges. He's still outside with Maeve but you know, kind of giving her space. Plus, maybe the girls want to work together or something.
Walking through Haulani and having people simply move for him feels like power. Feels like it should settle the tension in his jaw. Nothing seems to do that for Nate anymore, not even the weight of a cobra draped around him.
Even when he pretends, stepping into a mask as he steps into the jail, it's thin, flimsy, that thrum of anger leaking through his pores. "Locke. 'Relia." Something that's supposed to be a smile clings to his lips as he greets them, offering a nod to both. "Maeve." She doesn't get a nod, though burning eyes lock on her for a moment, before Nate is turning, leaning to help Sunjata down and focusing on Aurelia.
Nate follows after Sunjata like a well-trained dog, reaching out to take the blueprints from Aurelia before they step outside. As soon as the sun hits his face the dark scowl returns, Nate taking the ladder from the attuned, pressing a kiss to Sunjata's cheek as he does. He shimmies up to the roof with ease, then looks at the blueprints, squinting between them and the existing building. We'll need to reinforce a few places for the ventilation. Shouldn't be too hard. Hole first though.
So saying, Nate starts to get to work, pulling out anything too ruined to be usable and hammering in the new, directing Sunjata as needed.
06-12-2021, 10:52 PM (This post was last modified: 06-12-2021, 11:01 PM by Aurelia.)
Aurelia
Maeve will find that her past experience and her own glimmer of confidence lend themselves to her aid. Bandaged hands notwithstanding, the shattered windows and crumbling panes are replaced with expertise. Her work pays off and the windows look brand-spankin'-new. Stellar job!
Sunjata misses nothing he and Nate will need in order to start working on the roof, which proves its own merits. Can't get the job done right without the right tools, riiight? Since the blueprint has been laid out in terms that a caveman could understand, and they're certainly smarter than cavemen (we can only hope), it's easy for the two to follow along on a step-by-step basis.
The hole is patched, ventilation is installed, the shingles are placed and, well, it looks fantastic by the end of it. Way to go, boys! That ought to prevent damage to the roof from storms and keep the interior at a more comfortable temperature.
Locke has no trouble removing the old door, rickety and warped as it may be, and replacing it with the new one. With the care he gives to the task, he manages it just fine with nary a splinter or scratch. Both ways, he gets the job done nicely.
As for Aurelia, who's been left to work alongside Maeve, she works just as well as the rest of them. Whether it's a boost to her morale at receiving their help, or her desperation to focus through the weird tension that surrounds all of them, well.. who cares! They're here to work, and they can do that pretty well apparently. Soon, the walls are repaired in such a way that it's hard to tell they were ever damaged.
"This looks worlds better already," Aurelia comments once she's had a chance to look up from her and Maeve's finished work, offering the Madame a small smile.
As she leads the way inside, she does have to admire the guys' handiwork too. "Nicely done, everyone." Though, beneath their feet, they'll find there's a lot of old, rotted debris scattered throughout. And as they look around, they can easily see that the cell walls have a lot of missing or cracked stone pieces, too. "I think we're ready to start on the interior, yeah? Lots of work ahead of us," She cocks her head towards the others and begins to dish out the next tasks.
This part will require a bit more of a team effort on everyone's behalf.. At least everything they need is readily available, with a pair of push brooms leaning on a wall while stone bricks and mortar await near the cells. This time, Aurelia will be the first to choose among the tasks, already beginning to work on repairing the cell walls.
Everyone rolled extremely well this first round! Go team!
Round 2:
2 to help Aurelia replace/reinforce stone bricks on the cell walls
2 to clear all the debris
(no post order!)
What is clear is what is gold You're only human after all
Of course she doesn't get a nod. Big fucking surprise that one is. He doesn't get a real response back. None of them do as she focuses instead on her task, stealing little glances at Locke and Aurelia as they work, but other than that she focuses on the task at hand. It goes well too. Really well and that does a little to bolster her, but not enough to get her talking. They shift inside and the new tasks are laid out for them. Not overly confident in her bricklaying skills, Maeve chooses to pick up debris from inside and carry it out to the wheelbarrow that has been provided for such things.
She locks eyes with Locke, "We can do the trash?" Maeve arches a brow, not really waiting for his confirmation before she starts pickup up the various pieces of rotted wood, carrying the larger pieces out into the wheelbarrow, ignoring what the others are working on. It seems to be working in her favor to do so thus far.
Maeve asks Locke to help her with picking up the debris and starts carrying it out to the wheelbarrow.
06-12-2021, 11:57 PM (This post was last modified: 06-13-2021, 12:00 AM by Nate.)
you’ve been the only thing right in all I’ve done
Despite everything else going to shit, they do apparently have some luck left. The roof comes together easily, the blueprint more than easy to follow. It takes less time than Nate would have expected, if he's being honest, and before too long they're moving inside, out of the sun again. Thank gods he'd had the foresight to wear a jacket today.
Nate purses his lips as he watches Maeve drag Locke off to the brooms, irritation wafting through the bond. Masonry involves more splitting up than he's necessarily comfortable with, but he can manage. He pauses at the door of the cell Aurelia's working in, a mortar spreader twirling between his fingers while his extra arms grab a load of bricks and mortar. "You're more trusting than I thought." He hums, head tipping in the direction the Madame has set off in with a soft huff, before he's moving on to his own space.
So long as he can keep Sunjata in view, he's happy to work patching up holes and replacing bricks, rendering the cells once again whole. Hopefully.
// i'll sing it one last time for you, then we really have to go, you've been the only thing that's right in all i've done. and i can barely look at you, but every single time i do //
It goes quickly, despite the sheen of sweat from the warmth of Longheat that glimmers on his skin. Despite everything, he feels okay physically. A bit tired, but he supposes he’ll sleep well tonight at the very least. Nate and he, as per usual, make a pretty good team and when they slip back into the jail, Sunjata’s arm is slung around Nate’s shoulders, focusing on what Aurelia chooses the next task to be.
Maeve picks the debris and drags Locke along, which leaves Sunjata, Nate, and Aurelia to the laying of the stone. He doesn’t stray far from Nate, close enough to speak through the bond toward him and likely confuse the shit out of Aurelia, but it’s a thought that amuses him nonetheless, laying down the mortar and placing brick after brick, pausing occasionally to run a hand through his hair now that it manages to fall into his eyes. He only pauses to grab more mortar and a few more bricks, slipping by Nate’s space and brushing by him quite closely when he does. Renovating’s a good look on you. He murmurs mentally, sending an air of playfulness before he’s moving back into his space.
You know, Aurelia, last time I did this was with Zeph, Remi, and Ronin. He sends to her after as he lays more bricks down. Ronin blew out this wall to make it larger. Shouldn’t need too much reinforcing after he patched it up. It’s idle commentary, Sunjata trying to pull his mind away from the simmering anger that still lingers beneath his skin.
Sunjata lays some brick and mortar down, comments on Nate, and tells Aurelia how they built it last time!
i know we'll make it anywhere away from here
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 door comes off easily and Locke is thanking his lucky stars that this is going better than the last time he tried to fix something. Soon enough, Aurelia is shepherding them all inside to divvy out new tasks. He doesn't get a chance to comment on much as he's pulled along to pick up debris. Maeve's foul mood is frustrating but there's nothing he can do in the open with everyone else around. Or at least he won't. He doesn't know where things stand with Sunjata and Maeve and Nate. He's not sure it should matter.
He starts picking up the larger bits of debris, piling them into the wheelbarrow. He occasionally hip bumps Maeve as they pass or trails his fingers along the edge of her arm. Subtle to absolutely no one but he hasn't entirely felt the urge to stake his claim yet. For now he's just vibing, just cleaning stuff up.
Things move along at a bit of a weirder pace than before. Maybe the tension is starting to get to some of them, or they're distracted by the minute conversations going on... Anyway, everyone is overall successful in each of their endeavors!
Well, almost everyone.
Locke actually manages to perform one of those spectacular stunts of clumsiness, and it just. keeps. happening. ? He doesn't seem to be doing as well with this task, maybe he's more of a builder than a picker-upper, maybe he's more focused on Maeve than the trash (and who can really blame him?). But, with Maeve's help, the two of them manage.
Otherwise there's nothing really notable about any of their performances but, hey, at least these tasks don't require something special.
As Aurelia sets to work, she's not too concerned about who joins her or doesn't. But as Nate nears, her gaze does lift to meet his. Behind those green shallows of hers, there's something deeper and unreadable as she regards his comment with a straight face. "I'm just doing my job, Nate," she replies pointedly, some tension feathering in her jawline as she watches the look he gives Maeve.
"Mind passing me some more of those?" She nods towards the pile of bricks right outside the cell, hoping to redirect the flow and keep him focused on the task at hand.
Sunjata's voice is startling, still not quite used to this new Attuned capability, so she flinches a bit when he comments on renovating look good... on... her? A confused brow arches towards him and she immediately asks, "What? I mean, I-I guess...?" She looks down at what she's doing rather dumbfoundedly.
She nods at the rest of what he says, because at least that part makes more sense - and she's a lot more ready for talk about things that pertain to the building. "Sounds good, there shouldn't be too much left to do to the cells then, but I did get something for the more... difficult cases." She says the words carefully and gestures with the spreader in her hand towards a corner of the house, where a big pile of shackles lay. "I'm not sure what we can do to hold people with... more powerful abilities, but I'm hoping the mortar will prove resilient to damage from heat. And it helps that the building's made of stone. So there's that, at least."
Once they're all finished patching up the cell walls, Aurelia gives everything one last look-over and finds the things they've done pretty satisfactory. "Alright, let's start setting up those shackles. Locke, Maeve?" She turns to them with a tilt of her brows, "Do you two mind getting the new mattresses? There's one for each cell."
Near the entryway, a stack of straw-stuffed mattresses are piled. It certainly won't be comfy, but it'll be better than sleeping on stone and a jail isn't really meant to be that accommodating, is it?
We rolled just okay this time but overall successful!
Round 3:
- Aurelia, Sunjata, and Nate to set up the shackles, one for each cell
- Locke and Maeve to put in the fresh bedding, one for each cell
No post order.
Next round will be working on the office (probably? Mostly?)
You guys are great! Let's keep it up~
What is clear is what is gold You're only human after all
Locke is distracting enough that she misses any look that Nate gives her. Not that it matters. Maeve smiles softly each time he trails his fingers across her arm and growls playfully every time he hip checks her, pushing him back just a little bit because she can. However, it seems she's the distracting one despite the fact that Locke is the instigator this go round. Maeve has to bite down her giggles as he fumbles and flails, but they manage to get it done. Not without Locke looking a bit ridiculous in the process. They finish the task and Aurelia is happy to dish out more for them to do.
"Of course, 'Relia." Maeve replies easily, offering her a small smile before she sets off with Locke to retrieve the mattresses from outside. "You get one side and I'll get the other?" She asks Locke, waiting for his confirmation before she tries lifting one end and slowly walking back into the jail to place one mattress into the first cell, repeating the process until the task is done.
Maeve helps Locke carry the mattresses into each cell that needs one.
// i'll sing it one last time for you, then we really have to go, you've been the only thing that's right in all i've done. and i can barely look at you, but every single time i do //
Aurelia’s surprise and stuttered response to his comment that absolutely wasn’t directed at her, is met with an amused grin, huffing a small laugh – one of the first sounds he’s audibly made since arriving and greeting them all with his hoarse voice. Not you, Aurelia. He says, though he does make a look as if considering it. Though… I guess it’s not a bad look on you either. He shrugs, bypassing it with ease as the bricks and mortar come together.
It’s swift, and Sunjata finds himself slipping back in beside Nate, draping his arm around his husband’s shoulders idly, awaiting the next set of instruction. His gaze travels to the shackles that she points out in the corner and he moves to retrieve them, grabbing them to return to the cells with them, flashing a playful smirk Nate’s way as he swings one of the shackles in his hand before handing it to him and one to Aurelia.
Then he gets to work, moving to set the shackles into the wall, nailing them into place, and hoping that it doesn’t get torn out of the wall with a particularly unruly guest.
Sunjata goes to grab the shackles and hands them out, then moves to start putting his in place.
i know we'll make it anywhere away from here
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.
Nate holds Aurelia’s eyes for a long moment, considering what he sees there. Then, easy as anything, a smile breaks over his face. “Better’n me.” He mutters before depositing a load of bricks close enough for her to reach and moving on to his own work.
You think so Sunny? Nate strikes a pose for his husband, and just barely stifles a laugh as he catches only Sunjata’s side of Aurelia’s confusion, all of that mirth giggling through the ring.
Sunjata’s arm is a welcome guest stretching across his shoulders, though Nate lets his own hand wander a fair bit lower to curl around the attuned’s hip. Aurelia lays out the next task, shackles, and they part, Nate drifting back towards the cells. The shackles are accepted from Sunjata with a blown kiss and a wink, and then Nate sets to work as well, driving the anchors in as deeply and firmly as he can.
Nate banters, and gets to work installing the shackles
