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!
The start of a voyage always puts Jack in a fantastic mood - he can feel the energy of the air currents vibrating through his bones, and the Ark cuts a beautiful figure as she slices through the water, heading out into the deep, deep blue.
There's a stop to make this time, though, before they head to the gods-know-where, and it takes them to the ever changing Kuali'i Isles. Jack has called for them to pull up short in the newly created shallows, setting down anchor.
"Got a deal with merfolk," he calls to the gathered crew. "They're leavin' us somethin' good out there on one of the Isles. Pretty sure I know which one, but be careful in case they break away from us."
Because that's the plan. Island hop, find the promised goods from the Mer, get back onto the Ark and head the fuck out of here before the islands move too much and she ends up stranded.
"Everyone who's comin', head down to the rowboat."
Said rowboat is waiting at the bottom of a rope ladder that's draped over the side of the ship.
PQ to pick up some goodies on the LeafChange voyageeee! Open to all Ark crew.
For this first task, get yourself in the rowboat! Someone needs to decide to row, another person needs to bring shovels and a third person is in charge of keeping an eye on the moving islands!
Jack being an Abandoned is common knowledge these days, however his Telepathy remains a well-kept secret:
Magic: Passive Telepathy | The user can read the surface thoughts and emotions of those within a 30ft radius. Control is excellent. Note: "Thoughts and emotions" include anything written in a character's narration in a post.
Type: Grey | Rank: Mastered
Also branded with a small star tattoo beneath his left eye.
Melita strived to not come in like a killjoy when she remembered Aurelia was no longer part of the crew. Instead, she bounded and leapt and pretended that nothing was amiss – another season spent out at sea couldn’t be bad, no matter which difficulty they conjured or found – placing aside all the other ruminations swirling around her head. Perhaps it’d give her time to think things through, to mull over the quandaries stirring in that reckless mind.
So her focus remained on Jack, on the Ark, on waving to Locke (had he taken a position?) and Milo (wondering if he’d been dragged here again, or come voluntarily), before gliding over, Fangorn in tow. Deals with the merfolk weren’t out of the ordinary, but island hopping could be. Humming her way down to the rowboat with little care, barefoot and content, she opted for the rowing proportions, seating Fangorn in her lap, and grabbing hold of the oars. “Ready!”
This isn’t entirely what Milo expects on the voyage. He expects to be back on the crows nest, tanning and sunburning until he manages to get home somehow in one piece. For now, though, the detour is still one of excitement and he waits a moment while Melita picks the rowing, quietly thankful he doesn’t have to do it.
He flashes the red haired girl a smile of thanks, almost, before he’s reaching over to grab a bunch of shovels and some other supplies, making his way to the row boat to toss them in along with his pack of supplies and himself, once he’s made it down the ladder of course. He thinks he’s grabbed enough of what they need and he reorganizes the shovels once he’s reached the inside, taking a seat near the back so that Locke and Jack would be able to board the row boat.
Milo picks shovels!
as long as we don't die, this is gonna be one hell of a story
He's spent most of his time in the kitchen and that's been swell but you know, sunshine and all of that shit. Plus, merfolk buried goodies is always enticing. He's too curious to stay in the little kitchen so when Jack calls for a little crew, he volunteers. After all, why not? Might as well make himself useful besides getting all the sailors fat.
With Melita rowing and Milo in charge of the shovels, that means he's on lookout. He even pockets a spyglass, to keep an eye on things. Carefully, he climbs down the rope ladder, seating himself in just behind Melita but in front of Milo. He should be able to see the islands pretty clearly from here. He gives Melita a little grin should she turn to look at him. It's been ages since he's seen her but she looks well enough.
07-04-2021, 10:05 AM (This post was last modified: 07-04-2021, 10:05 AM by Jack.)
JACK
And in they go. Jack joins them last, having given the orders to the crew to keep an eye out for any moving islands and to get the Ark into deeper water should that be the case. He remains standing as the little rowboat bobs away from the larger ship. And honestly? It all goes fucking wrong. (Never have I ever seen such terrible rolls, I am so sorry).
In Melita's hands, it's as though the oars are fucking alive, and they won't be wrangled no matter how hard she tries to make them behave themselves. It makes the going slow and clumsy, which is a perfect time to realise that, when Milo tossed in his pack of supplies, something must have smashed, because when he opens up the pack later it will be full of broken glass. Hopefully they don't need any of those supplies.
As for Locke? The man may as well be blind, and with a grumbling scrape, the boat runs aground on a freshly emerged island. It's only a few metres across, and larger islands are easily within wading distance, but the whole scenario has Jack rubbing at his eyes and muttering something about drinking himself under his desk when he gets back.
"A'right, everyone off. We'll walk from here - though I'm sure someone'll get that fuckin' wrong. Grab the shovels and follow me - you're lookin' for an island covered in yellow flowers."
That couldn't have gone worse - it was funny though!
Someone needs to grab the shovels and then it's time to island hop in whatever way you think is appropriate! The water will come up to your knees between these first few islands - unless you roll really fucking badly.
No post order!
Jack being an Abandoned is common knowledge these days, however his Telepathy remains a well-kept secret:
Magic: Passive Telepathy | The user can read the surface thoughts and emotions of those within a 30ft radius. Control is excellent. Note: "Thoughts and emotions" include anything written in a character's narration in a post.
Type: Grey | Rank: Mastered
Also branded with a small star tattoo beneath his left eye.
She didn’t let the notions get to her as the oars bound around in her hands, as if she’d never used them before in her entire life. Fangorn attempted to give her encouragement, but the honeybee managed to hasten off the potential frustration brewing in her brow. Instead, she breathed, she grit her teeth, and poured every ounce of resolve and determination into getting them into some proportions.
By then it didn’t really matter anyways, based on everyone else’s luck.
Rising out of the rowboat as if everything had gone tremendously well, she ignored the growls and lifted her chin into a lofty height. She grabbed hold of the shovels, ensuring those could stay in her hands, and with her bag bounding on her back, shielded her eyes from the sun, and stared across the wake – looking for those yellow flowers.
And then she also sidled up to Milo. “What broke?” was a very shallow, quiet whisper.
--
Melita grabs the shovels and looks for yellow flowers! She’ll follow whomever!
It was a glint off the water, he swears. Got him right in the eyes. Plus, it's not like he's ever been here before. He knew the islands moved but fuck. That one just kind of came up out of nowhere. It's fine. It's whatever. Shovels and flowers he can do. He stands there a moment before deciding to go North, for no particular reason other than someone has to decide which way to go, right?
The water isn't very deep at least. Not that it really matters. Locke can swim and swim pretty well. After all, Torcher and all of that. Plus, he thinks maybe he sees something in the distance. Hopefully it's not just something shining on the water again.
-----------
Locke goes North to look for the flowers!
Well, rest in peace to the supplies that were brought in, hoping that they don’t need them – and finding it unlikely, given much of it had been bandages and salves, all of which Milo imagines he can do with the magic running through him – which is a thought for later, given that he doesn’t quite realize it yet. He does wince, however, at the groaning of the boat as it runs across the emerged island, grimacing slightly as he waits for the instruction of what they’re to do next.
Once there, he stands and Melita’s got charge of the shovels, which leaves Milo time to fiddle with his bag and realize what’s broken – a frown crossing his face as he seals it back up and slips it around his shoulder – standing beside Melita as he also scans for an island of yellow flowers. “Salves ‘n bandages ‘n stuff.” He sighs, before he’s cutting Melita a soft smile. “S’okay, though. I’ve got healin’ magic. We should b’fine.” Unless of course, something absolutely terrible happens which he sincerely hopes it doesn’t.
Milo finds out about the broken glass in his bag but continues to look for the yellow flowers alongside Melita.
as long as we don't die, this is gonna be one hell of a story
The going is slow but it's pretty standard fare, all things considered - plodding through water, keeping eyes peeled, that sort of thing, and Jack emerges onto one of the larger islands without too much trouble. Melita and Locke are similarly successful, to varying extents, but there's still no sign of yellow flowers just yet. And then there's Milo. Milo spots the yellow blooms - hooray! - but he's also the least able to cross the water. Indeed, before he can point them out he ends up dripping and falling and splash!, off he goes into the water.
Jack tilts his head from his place back on dry land, doing - of course - absolutely nothing to help. "Aight, someone pull him out of the drink - I can see 'em over there." Has he lifted the location from Milo's mind? Obviously. "Whoever isn't teachin' Milo to walk, come with me. We'll take a shovel each and start diggin'."
Milo found the flowers but also fell over (lol).
Someone needs to help him out of the water, and the other person can join Jack and start digging in the area with the flowers.
Jack being an Abandoned is common knowledge these days, however his Telepathy remains a well-kept secret:
Magic: Passive Telepathy | The user can read the surface thoughts and emotions of those within a 30ft radius. Control is excellent. Note: "Thoughts and emotions" include anything written in a character's narration in a post.
Type: Grey | Rank: Mastered
Also branded with a small star tattoo beneath his left eye.
Salves and bandages; not inherently vital things, if Milo had healing endeavors, and so Melita nodded, hastening away the concern. Until, moments later of course, when they’d spotted the island, through water and tides and currents, but the inevitable splash beside her warned of Milo’s fate. “Honestly,” and the honeybee laughed, permitting Locke to take the shovels and whisk away to Jack’s commands and directions, while she offered a hand to the fellow smuggler. Might as well keep it lighthearted; as all of them seemed to be having some semblance of a time with this exploration. “Did you see anything?”
He’s got his eyes fucking peeled for those yellow flowers. And holy shit he sees them – lips parting to announce where they were, hand rising to point in the general direction of them, when he steps on something particularly slick and moving that takes him down – giving him a mouthful of seawater and sand as the crab he’d stepped on dives away into the deep again.
He manages to get up, whether with help or not (thankfully Melita's there) and he tries to make his way toward the island, spitting out the terrible taste of the sea water from his mouth. “’m okay. Stepped on somethin’.” He murmurs to Melita with a quiet huff of a laugh, trying to pretend as if it had mattered even if she hadn't asked. "Saw th'flowers 'n... Yeah." He gives her a small and slightly embarrassed grin before he's running a hand through his wet red hair.
Milo gets out of the water and tries to get to the island!
as long as we don't die, this is gonna be one hell of a story
He doesn't find the flowers but he at least doesn't wipe out like Milo does. He's about to go help him but Melita holds the shovels out instead. Alright then, he can go dig with Jack. Or for Jack. Frankly, he just wants to dig up whatever the mermaids left them. It's got to be something cool, right? Maybe some gemstones or magical shit. Gold maybe. Something shiny for sure. It's always something shiny. He follows after Jack and starts digging where he's told to dig. Working with his hands is much more his speed than trying to watch for moving islands. Why the fuck do they move anyway? Probably some bullshit magic or something.
______
Locke follows Jack and starts digging near the yellow flowers!
For Jack. It's definitely for Jack. As Melita and Milo get out of the water, Locke gets to work. And as it so happens, Locke is very good at getting to work when it comes to digging holes in the sand. By the time the other two approach, there's a satisfying clank and Locke will reveal a box. It's large enough that two will need to hoist it up, and so Jack goes ahead and nods for Milo to do just that.
Does he tell them what's in it? Absolutely not.
"Done and done," he says. "Melita, grab the shovels. You two, haul ass and we'll get back to the rowboat. If you're lucky, maybe you can have some of whatever's in there when we get back to the Ark."
Last round!
Melita to carry the shovels!
Milo and Locke to get the box!
No post order.
Jack being an Abandoned is common knowledge these days, however his Telepathy remains a well-kept secret:
Magic: Passive Telepathy | The user can read the surface thoughts and emotions of those within a 30ft radius. Control is excellent. Note: "Thoughts and emotions" include anything written in a character's narration in a post.
Type: Grey | Rank: Mastered
Also branded with a small star tattoo beneath his left eye.
Ah, so there was the treasure. As much as Melita would like to dive in, open, and reveal the contents with an avaricious glint to her eye, there seemed to be other parameters and particulars at foot. Patting the fellow smuggler on the shoulder, and abandoning Milo thereafter on orders (hiding her disappointment and inward grimace, and the multitudes of inquiries over what could be within), she hastened to grab the shovels. Hand wrapping tightly around the tools, and ensuring Fangorn was at her side as they snagged back towards the rowboat, and essentially the Ark, the honeybee’s main goal was to simply discover the container’s attributes.
