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!
06-21-2021, 09:52 PM (This post was last modified: 06-21-2021, 09:56 PM by Locke.)
LOCKE
Parties are one of his favorite things. Or they normally are. Drinking, eating, fucking around. He loves all of it. Except he's here with his girlfriend and a kid he only kind of knows. Not that he's not stoked but it'll be a different experience anyway. Call it prep for if they ever have kids or something. Plus, he got to go on a boat which is pretty neat. He likes boats. Except he doesn't. Maeve hasn't noticed the pale tinge to his skin yet and that's all he can ask for. He'll feel better in a moment.
Suddenly Maeve is leading them through the people, pointing out Sunjata and his kid and Ronin and his kid. He looks down at Paige before nodding to her question. The thought of eating right now isn't high on his list but he is kinda curious about this kind of thing. Mystery food stalls are his favorite. "Hmm, let's see.. I think your Momma said you could have sweets so why not?" As long as he's not the one who has to put her to bed, right? Plus there's other kids she can play with. That'll wear out some of the sugar high.
He leans down to pick her up and heads over to one of the stalls that looks like it's got candy floss. It's not that common in Torchline because of the humidity and all so maybe she'll like it. "How about this? Ma called it Unicorn Hair." He had it a few times as a little kid.
Coming along on the Ark was weird enough, but at least in this instance it's serving as a mode of transportation for a lot of people from Torchline.
Not that she's gonna leave Jack all by his lonesome anyway. To hell with everything else. Honestly, the sidelines are where she prefers to be right now anyway. So she steps out from behind the tree he's settled beside and chirps at him. Her tail fluffs and curls upward in greeting. As she moves up beside him, her gaze hovers over his face and her head tilts as if... maybe asking permission to join him.
As long as there's no protest from the captain, she sits back on her haunches. Once comfortable, she nods at the cards he's shuffling and taps the ground expectantly with a wide, furry paw. Might as well have a bit of fun.
Food, drinks, people - lots of people. It was all very exciting! Kamaria was getting fired up about it long before they landed, having been able to see the party starting from up in the air. As they situate, Kamaria takes everything in with a thrilled expression, a wide smile lighting up her features. She chose a purple dress today, because why wouldn't she? The only disappointment is that Sunjata and Nate didn't.
As Sunjata crouches down beside her, he points out her sister. And her sister is talking, greeting other men, other kids. She looks awful busy. Kamaria looks up at Sunjata, straight in the face and - perhaps to his utter shock - shakes her head. "Nah, I wanna stay with you right now! But can we get something to eat?"
As for Paige waving to her, Kamaria stands on her tip-toes to return the wave before she goes back to keeping Sunjata and Nate's hands full.
Like many others who’ve lived through death and destruction at festivals, Wessex is wary. Could be a trap. Could be nothing. Could be the Old Gods up to some shit, or even the Voice, whose shown a predilection for public moves.
And maybe, just maybe, it could be a good way to gain some information. With Loki in tow as another set of eyes, Wessex teleports herself to Meadowreach and then finds a place between a couple of stalls that seems to be out of the public eye. There, the demigod goes to work on herself, wrinkling and mottling her skin with age marks, working diligently over the entirety of her body. Her hair goes grey and grows loose and lanky, oily. Her nails yellow and appear brittle, chipped, her feet absolutely filthy. There are a couple of ‘healing’ sores on her hand that hint at other problems, and maybe, just maybe, the reason for her to remain covered.
Which, she is. Covered in a dirtied shadow cloak, scarf wrapped around her head, coming up to cover her mouth and chapped lips. She is a part of festival life, hobbling along with a makeshift cane, listening and shaking a rattling can towards any who might appear to be in a generous mood.
------------------
Wessex has disguised herself as an old beggar for now and is wearing her Shadow cloak.
Eating fire is your ambition to swallow the flame down
Notices upon notices had fluttered around market squares and along beach strolls, until eventually even Melita had to stop and consider. The last one she’d gone to – the annual Festival of Lights, usually a somber but brightening affair, had brought out its own slew of surprises. A part of her felt the tension form yesteryears as well; Fiat Lux and its devastation, cutting through the swarth of contentment and happiness that came in celebrating Frey. She didn’t know what to think of this one.
So she packed up her belongings and followed into the Ark’s berth, taking her usual room with Fangorn in tow, not permitting the worry, the anguish, to sit into her stomach too long. The honeybee would go in armed, just in case.
Upon arrival the air of seasons long since past flickered in her heart, as her feet stepped down into Meadowreach, as the hustle and bustle of festivities enlightened the air. Sunset cast everything into beauty and wonder, enough to put her at ease for a moment – though her eyes caught the figments of her family, seemingly content and happy, and then she glanced away, tiptoeing bare foot into the fields. Like she’d be interrupting.
She did manage to see some she recognized, but they were otherwise engaged with antics or other conversation. So instead, she noted Sah standing along the outskirts, and she paraded over, Fangorn in her arms, weapons at her back. “Hello again!”
to be lit up from within, vein by vein to be the sun
The Sword was full of misgivings about the mysterious invitations. It sounded like the potential for ruin, for disaster, for all matter and manner of things that had occurred in past celebrations and feasts. One didn’t so easily forget dead brethren coming back to life, or utter devastation rampantly distorted across wide open fields; the sounds of screams, the blatant outcry of injustices and blood staining long blades of grass.
He opted for flight, taking his bag with him in between his talons, keeping close to shadows and darkness as the sun set, burning through the canvas of the horizon. He soared over the void and kept to himself, noting a few new noteworthy enemies and adversaries down below, friendly faces, and those of neutral boundaries. The companions were left behind; no need to drag them all the way from Halo and into King’s End for something that could wind up so perilously unknown.
So he settled himself into a tree along the outskirts, tucked well into the branches and brambles, and surveyed the scene: much like Fiat Lux had once been, with stalls and smells of sugar, of children running and screeching in between games, food, and drink, his head tilting to the music.
Sah glanced up from his corner of the party when he heard someone approaching. Lilly perked up, tail already wagging, giving assurance that this was a friend. As the person came into view, Sah recognized Melita. A playful grin spread across the Abandoned's face. "Hey! Long time no see. Tormented anyone new recently?" He teased, standing up to greet her.
Lilly padded over, giving an excited yip to see the woman and her companion. She hoped this time she could get Fangorn to play with her. Last time hide-and-seek had been fun but Lilly wanted to play a non-human game with her fellow companion. Maybe they could play chase?
The notice of a party intrigued Juniper, especially since she had no idea who was actually throwing it. She put that mystery out of her mind, though, once she arrived, instead gauging the crowd and the mood. There was tension, certainly -- she could feel wary eyes raking the people present, could tell that certain individuals weren't relaxed. But most of the people present seemed to be trying to have fun despite that, perhaps willing to set aside their worries for one day and simply enjoy themselves. Juniper noted the political leanings of the crowd, too: she didn't see anyone she knew to be Ascended, not yet, except Sunjata's husband. Of course, she was perfectly happy to set aside any such differences -- to live and let live -- at least for one day; she could only hope that others would feel the same.
Speaking of not relaxed, and Sunjata's husband, she made her way over to that trio. She'd heard of upheaval in Torchline recently, of fires and fighting, but she didn't know the details -- and she had heard only rumors of Sunjata's child. So Juniper approached with a pleasant smile and a cheerful wave: "Hello, Sunjata! It's nice to see you here."
Hoping that this wasn't a mistake -- that the Ascended would recognize her attempt to set aside their people's conflict and reciprocate -- she turned to Nate. "Hi, I'm Juniper. I don't think we've been properly introduced."
And then, to Kamaria: "And hello to you too! I know we haven't met."
Juniper
"art nouveau winged fairy" by e³°°° is licensed with CC BY-SA 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit here
Arialla could probably use a chance to relax; she'd been pretty grim and focused since her move to Stormbreak -- and especially since the attack that had preceded it. But, unfortunately, this was not that chance. After flying here from Stormbreak, she found herself a bit ill at ease in the crowd, which was mostly strangers. She'd had no problems with crowds when she'd lived in Torchline, but in Stormbreak she'd gotten used to the idea that everyone around her was a worshiper of the Old Gods like her, and she didn't have that assurance here.
To make things worse, she felt waves of nausea coming over her as she moved through the crowd, ebbing and flowing as people moved around her. (She carried the doll Mildew had given her in her pocket always now, hoping it would ward off another attack, but she hadn't yet realized how it worked.) Finally she moved to the edge of the crowd, leaning against a tree and taking deep breaths with a hand on her stomach.
Eating fire is your ambition to swallow the flame down
Fangorn grumbled his own form of salutations, mostly to the wolf, while Melita maintained her easygoing grin, the reign of mischief striving to remain above the surface, rather than the apprehension muddling through. She crouched towards the pup and laughed at the inquiry, reaching out to scratch Lilly behind the ears, as the gourd bumbled and rolled closer. Her eyes inclined up, towards Sah, rounding out with a light, merry ease. “No one new. The same people lately, I’m afraid.” Except that wasn’t the fear creeping in; but it was easier to justify being obnoxious, over the trepidation kindling, stoking. “Is this your first party?” Uncertain about the Outlander’s view and experiences on things of this nature – and then even more dubious if she should outline the possibilities of the past.
to be lit up from within, vein by vein to be the sun
Lilly happily accepted the attention as Sah chuckled slightly. "Shame. I'm sure you'll find new victims soon." He bantered. At the inquiry to his partying experience, Sah gave Melita a cynical grin. "That obvious, huh? I've been to parties in the past, but never human ones." The Outlander eyed the boisterous crowd with confusion before shaking his head. "It's a lot."
Lilly folded her ears back as she too glanced at the insanity going on around them. Sah reached over and gave the pup an ear ruffle before continuing. "But at least it's entertaining and the food is good." He gave a small laugh. "I think we'll survive."
06-23-2021, 11:19 PM (This post was last modified: 06-23-2021, 11:20 PM by Seren.)
Glitter in the sky, glitter in my eye, shining just the way I like
There were so many people around. Though largely distracted by her fathers and little brother, she saw many familiar faces in the crowd. Sunjata and Nate stood out, joined by a fair-haired little girl that made her heart beat faster in delighted surprise. There was Maeve and Locke too, and a flash of red hair passing through candle-light told her that Melita too was present. So many friends, and how she would ever have time to speak to all of them was beyond Seren.
One face in particular caught her eye, and she waved at Sah with a bright smile. A group of strangers pressed past, and she lost sight of him - but that was alright. She would have time to find some people during the evening, of that she was certain.
Seren
✰ Starlight (Passive) | Starfilled night billow around her like a veil as she moves. It is more noticeable in daytime and when she make sudden movements.
Eating fire is your ambition to swallow the flame down
“All in due time,” she laughed, regaining her standing position, ignoring the dust and dirt now clinging to the hem of her dress. She considered for half a moment, before reaching down to grab a few flowers with their stems attached, fingers automatically gliding and forming the outline of a crown. Her head tilted a fraction at his moment of human ones, uncertain if it meant there were parties hosted by animals, or something completely different (though she was suddenly very inclined to see the former). While she worked on the little diadem, ivory and gilded sprigs adorned, her eyes focused on the world around them – watching, waiting, for something to unfold. “Have you played any of the games?”
to be lit up from within, vein by vein to be the sun
It's been a while since Amalia went out. Between her studies and her depression, the Angel has spent the season within Stormbreak's walls, unwilling to face an increasingly tumultuous world until she feels ready. And even now as she skirts the edges of the growing gathering she's not sure ready really applies - but here she is nonetheless, barefoot and bare backed, her toes curling and uncurling in the cool summer grass. She remembers another gathering, not unlike this. The laughter of children, turned into screams.
The scent of earth turned acrid by blood.
Jyoti can sense her soulmate's uneasiness, and as such stays close, a soothing balm. Together they stand sentinel at the edges of the scene, their watching distracted only long enough to drop a coin in an old woman's rattling can.
