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.
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08-01-2021, 04:37 PM (This post was last modified: 08-01-2021, 04:38 PM by Morgan.)
MORGAN
Perhaps it was realism or inherent pessimism; Morgan did not expect to still be the Warden of Halo once the votes came in. She sat in the Hall patiently waiting for the count, in her mind working out what she'd do after her position was gone. The last season had broken any ideals or perceptions she had about her reputation as Warden and in her heart there was a sinking feeling that said Halo has changed.
When the count arrived and she found she was still Warden, there was a moment of major adjustment needed; She stared at Neron for a second, suspicious, as if considering if he could have somehow sneakily controlled this - but no, it had been out of his hands too.
Well then. There was work to be done. With the ice-cold precision and determination that had earned her her title, Morgan stood as the Warden, all thoughts of leaving gone. There was work to do. Firstly, addressing the people in the wake of this decision. It had been close - she knew that roughly half of the people in the Citadel had wanted her gone. Those were the ones she had to convince with her next actions.
Stood in the Council Hall, a little prouder and taller now than the last time she'd been there, Morgan spoke to whoever gathered: "Halo. The vote has been counted and...well. By my standing here, you can see the result has been to keep me in my position. The votes will be open and able to all to see if you wish to check the count." She gestured over to the table where they had been counted, guarded by a clerk. "I am humbled by this decision and I want to take this opportunity to apologise to those of you I have disappointed as your Warden. I can only hope that in the next seasons I can prove to all of you that I intend to see the Citadel thrive and grow. For all of us."
Clearing her throat, she looked over all of them - the old, the young, the sick and the well, those she knew and those she only saw as passing faces. "I believe that what God someone follows need not be anyone else's concern. Halo should be a place of refuge for any and all of us. Anyone - Ascended or otherwise - acting against another due to race or belief will be punished." Morgan cast her eyes towards Neron at this, any other Ascended in the room, hoping to communicate I mean you too.
She couldn't afford to be inconsistent.
"I welcome your opinions, thoughts and stories. The Council Hall is open for discussions as it always has been. Soon, we shall vote for the next improvement for our Citadel. As our last two developments were made possible through Frey, I am considering asking the Voice for the next." Morgan raised an eyebrow, waiting for a challenge to that. "Anyone with an objection is welcome to raise it. Halo, let's work together to make our Citadel somewhere full of acceptance and warmth."
Would you have it any other way? You couldn't have it any other way
Sah wasn't ecstatic over Morgan maintaining her position, but Halo had made the choice. As such, he'd respect it and hear the woman out. Perhaps he'd be proven wrong in his assumptions? He was open to the possibility at least. And at first her speech seemed promising. The Abandoned fully supported continuing Halo's place as a home for all races. It's what he wanted at least, and he found himself nodding in acknowledgment.
But then Morgan proposed her idea and the Outlander found himself shaking his head and stepping forward. "Warden Aristomache, I would advice against seeking out the Voice for this request." Sah stated clearly, his voice steady.
Letting out a sigh, he explained his thoughts. "I am in full support of keeping Halo a home for all races. But the recent events that have led us here today have implied Halo's alignment to the Voice in the coming war. If that isn't the goal, it might be a good idea to make this request to an Old God to set those rumors and worries at ease. I fear that if we give further support for those fears, an even greater target will be painted on Halo. One that we're not ready to deal with just yet." Many of Halo's strongest had been part of the coup and had fled. The region's capacity for defending itself was lower now than it had been in a while. It was too risky to do anything that could lead to an attack.
Eyeing Morgan, Sah hoped that she would at least consider the point. "I'd advise that we go to an Old God for this request, and then revisit the issue for the next. Perhaps by then the circumstances will be better for asking the Voice and we can do so without there being such a high risk for retaliation."
Aino had sidled in beside her adopted brother, and regarded him from the side with a faint smile of approval. He was not afraid of speaking up or speaking his mind, both traits she supported wholeheartedly. It was good to see him back home again, and in good health too.
"Coming for a drink when this is over?" she murmured quietly to Sah as his speech was rounded off, nudging his shoulder gently with her own.
For her own part, the woman had done enough by simply getting the election through. She had no more criticism to level at the Warden - they had talked around one another enough earlier.
"What are your plans for the council?" was all she asked this time, raising her voice enough to make herself heard. Hardly anyone was left to fill the seats anymore - and by far their strongest people had left in the aftermath of the coup. "And what are we going to do about Whitebrim?" It had always been the traditional place for exiles. A harsh place removed from society, but still Halo. Now that it was mostly destroyed, and the cannibals seemed to have been wiped out... would it finally be swallowed up by the Tundra?
Where once Neron had stood as Warden, before coups and elections and the unsettled nature of things became the norm, he now sits and listens, a shadow in the wake of Morgan's speech. And he does listen, to matters of gods and councils, and he finds himself smiling despite himself.
"I think he has the right of it," he says softly, nodding to Sah. "Whilst it would be beneficial, perhaps, to petition the Voice at some point, I believe one of the old gods would also be a better decision." It certainly wouldn't do to stir the pot so soon after all of this.
As for the council, he glances among them. "We are a little thin on the ground," he admits. "Though that might not be a terribly bad thing. What better way to make Halo stronger than from the ground up?" Is he suggesting Aino and Sah as part of the council? It certainly seems like it.
Cordelia has been quiet, lingering at the shoulders of both of her cousins, unwilling to voice much in the way of opinion. If anything, she's here for information and to find out where things stand. What the plans are moving forward. The woman shifts from foot to foot, her dark gaze flicking from one person to the next as they speak and she nods at Sah's suggestion as well as finally offering one of her own.
"Whitebrim has a chance to be rebuilt and I think we should use that to our advantage. Be it by constructing something that could function as a safehouse or bunkers or something else entirely. I'm not sure, but we need more than just the barracks to house people in the face of an attack. As well as a safe way for them all to get there." A way that didn't have them running out in the open and fleeing to safety, leaving them prone to attacks from those that were invading into their territory. While she might not be staying, she does have people here who are and she needs to ensure their safety.
Say something, something like you love me Less you want to move away from the noise of this place
It was good to see such a turn out of people willing to speak, and Morgan heard them all in turn. It seemed that the consensus was not to ask the Voice for the next boon for the Citadel - while Morgan felt that they should not bow to the preconception of others...she nodded. It was their decision, after all, and Neron's acceptance of it helped as a representation of the Ascended. It was the road of least offence for the time being. "Very well. I will bring the matter to the Old Gods. As for what it will be...I have two ideas. A road towards our portal and some way to keep it thawed during the Deepfrost, or more defense for the Citadel. Does anyone else have any ideas, or thoughts on mine?"
As for a council, she nodded towards Aino. "I have considered it, and I believe I will choose some people in the coming days to assist me. Those that wish to be considered can come to me. I welcome the assistance." As long as it is given in good faith. She added in her head, wondering how many of them resented her neutrality.
"I can assure you all that Whitebrim was entirely devoid of life when it was destroyed, and Neron and I went to investigate it not too long ago - there was nothing there worth saving. It was...a disturbing place." The blood, the sheer gore on the walls; it was a blemish on the white mountains and she was glad it was gone. "An effort to clean and rebuild something on the same site would be a good idea. Not our first priority perhaps, but...I agree it is something we should do."
Would you have it any other way? You couldn't have it any other way
Sah nodded, pleased that Morgan had taken his recommendation seriously. But it was surprising that Neron had agreed as well. Perhaps the man was more logical then the rumors had led him to believe? Most of the rumors about the hybrid were rather nasty regardless and it made the Outlander wary. The hinted suggestion of a council position had raised multiple alarms. It was flattering, but Sah wasn't sure if he wanted that kind of attention from the hybrid he'd heard so much about. But he carefully kept his racing thoughts out of his expression, maintaining a visage of calm.
Morgan's offered ideas weren't bad at all. Cordelia's plan for Whitebrim was also excellent, but Sah did agree that that plan could likely be pushed back. There were more pressing needs at the moment. "I think we should focus on defense. It's been made clear that Halo has very few means of defending itself besides the natural elements and the force of our people. We've proven to lack any means of defending from an aerial attack in particular." There was no judgment or scorn in his tone. The Outlander was simply stating a fact that had been made apparent in the recent days. "Perhaps we can come up with something in regards to that?"
Neron has an expert poker face, and it's very much in play here as he listens to the proposals put forward for their next entreaty to the gods. Settling in his seat, he nods gently once more as Sah speaks, finding himself in curious agreement for a second time with the young man. "If you had asked me even a season ago I would have recommended ensuring the route between here and the portal be a priority," he confesses. "But it works both ways as a defence. During Deepfrost we may not be able to reach it, but no one can come through to us either..."
It's already a self-made defence system, while they figure out their own. "It's true that we are more than capable of defending ourselves from the ground, but from the air not so much. I wonder if there might be a way to harness the power of all of the Abandoned here. We have enough magical power between us to be a force to be reckoned with - though I'm unsure if the gods would be open to that." They were called Abandoned for a reason, after all.
Morgan was well aware in this room she was contending against not only her people, but also their beliefs about her. There would be things they disagreed on, but also rumours and falsehoods that had run rampant in the last weeks about her, the Ascended and Neron.
"The Gods will not help us with a plan centred on the abilities of the Abandoned." Of that she was certain. "But we could ask for a solution for our aerial defense. It is true that it was remarkably easy to approach the Citadel from the air." No shame in her voice, just as there had been no judgement in Sah's. While Morgan wouldn't have planned the experimental assault, it had been in a way good information gathering. "Anyone with particular knowledge or connection to the Old Gods that could advise who to speak to and for what is welcome to speak up or come to me privately."
It seemed that the main climax of the meeting was winding down; their heated words had been said, misunderstandings (hopefully) put aside for the moment. "I hope you all believe me when I say I want the best for the Citadel and her people. I want you all to be able to choose your own fate, rather than have it taken by those wanting to implant their own ideologies."
Would you have it any other way? You couldn't have it any other way
Sah regarded Morgan was calculating eyes as she spoke once more on her goals for Halo. He still wasn't sure what to make of the Warden. Her actions and words didn't line up completely and he wondered if she even knew the implications of some of her choices. If she did, then she likely wasn't truly neutral. And if not, she was naïve. Neither option was ideal for a leader.
Still, they needed to decide on a way to protect Halo. "I vote for a means of defending Halo from the air. We should probably send an Attuned to request help. As for which God, perhaps whichever one our chosen representative is closest to would be our best bet." Halo had strong ties to Frey but Noah was gone. Sah hoped that if a request came from an Attuned to their patron God, they'd be answered. He was under no delusions that Morgan, Neuron, or even himself would get an answer. Abandoned and Ascended had no place asking anything of the Old Gods after all.
Sah's suggestion that they ask an Attuned to speak to the Gods was not a bad one, but...Morgan frowned, trying to think of who they had to ask. "Alright then - is anyone here an Attuned, that might volunteer for the position?" She asked out to the crowd, not knowing the race of each individual before her.
As for which God to ask...Morgan had been comfortable with Frey, with their reputation for being more easy going as far as politics than the other heralds, but perhaps it was time they branched out. "As long as the asker in question feels the God is suited to the request, then that seems best. Sah, was it? You seem to have plenty of ideas. Have you ever considered a place on the council?" She asked, looking directly at the young man.
Would you have it any other way? You couldn't have it any other way
She was the only Attuned here. Cordelia shifted on her feet, hands balling into fists at her sides as she struggled not to fidget, "I could possibly go see Frey... They haven't appeared to me before, but I haven't tried on a more formal level." The Attuned spoke up, raising her hand to announce herself, unsure if they even remembered she was here.
Cordelia drew her bottom lip between her teeth, glancing over to Sah, shifting closer to her cousin despite herself. The need for comfort while standing with the two who attacked them not long ago was strong. She didn't deny herself this. No matter how weak it might of made her seem.
Say something, something like you love me Less you want to move away from the noise of this place
Sah's eyes widened at Morgan's remark. Neron's words had made him suspicious of the possibility, but on some level the Abandoned hadn't expected to be given the opportunity to join Halo's new counsel. Eyes meeting the Warden's, Sah nodded. "I've considered it. I'll be frank when I say that I'm more for the Old Gods then the New, though I'm loyal to none. If given the opportunity however, I'll do anything in my power to protect Halo." A more solemn note came to his voice. "All of Halo." All of it's people, Ascended included. And perhaps those currently outside of the region. Maybe he'd be able to find a way for them to come home peacefully.
Perhaps admitting his bias towards the Old Gods was a poor choice. However given the history of where lies amongst leaders had led to, it seemed appropriate. Being clear on who he was, what he was, would be the only way that he could protect his loved ones. And as Cordelia stepped closer, Sah felt a surge of protectiveness. He found himself angling his shoulders to partially shield her from those around them. Yes, being blatant would be the means in which Sah could protect his family. If the attention was on him, it wouldn't be on them.
"Thank you. Your attempt would be appreciated, successful or no." Morgan said with a nod and smile to Cordelia. Another conversation with Frey was going to come, it seemed - while she was in many peoples eyes 'aligned' to the Voice, Morgan had now spoken to the God of nature and sex several times, and never once seen the Ascended goddess.
As for Sah, she was already well aware of his biases. "That opinion is why I think you may be good for our council. While I would consider myself neutral, I am not foolish enough to think my relationships might push me one way or another." Morgan let her eyes drift to Neron, knowing it had to be what they were all thinking. The Spymaster brought her no end of problems, yet she still couldn't hide the slight, quick smile as she met his eyes.
"Please all of you believe me when I say that I want your voices heard - with myself in the Warden position Halo will be run by the people, not Gods or their specific servants. That is my vision...I know I have made mistakes. But I believe there is a bright future."
Would you have it any other way? You couldn't have it any other way
