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!
12-21-2021, 05:31 PM (This post was last modified: 12-29-2021, 03:33 PM by Isla.)
Isla
Now that they are safely back from the weird, dragon-filled portal, Isla realises that she knows very little about her fellow Ascended and what they are all capable of. Which, in a pinch, is quite terrifying. So she's asked around, she's pasted notices, and she's requested that those who are interested - or who have any interesting upgrades - to join her at the Underground so they might have a little sharing session.
Why the Underground? It seems like the most logical option, given the darkness and the labyrinthine passageways. Far from any houses or businesses, it will hardly matter if there's collateral damage, especially if they decide to get serious with their showing off.
Isla is hosting an Upgrade-focused PQ for Ascended!
Nikola's upgrade was still so new, but he already loved it. The young Ascended had spent days at a time since going through the Atheneum and testing out his upgrade. Being able to read everything, anything, was incredible. He still needed to study if he wished to speak some of the language, he stumbled upon but being able to translate them was a blessing. The Ascended was so incredibly thankful to their Lady for helping him out and creating such an upgrade for him.
When Nikolai saw Isla's posting he grew excited. He'd been wondering what other upgrades were in the family and part of him wanted to show off his own. Being able to translate any written words was a highly specialized upgrade but he was sure it would still be useful in the coming war.
Arriving at the Underground, Nikolai gave Isla and the others arriving a shy wave. "Hi."
Nikolai arrives!
Type: Grey
Optical Upgrade: Can translate written words regardless of the language. Eyes glow blue when in use. (OOC: Will translate two plot-related text per season.)
// it's best you not speak of what you found please don't pass judgement on me now //
He doesn’t need to see one of the notices pasted around to show up at the upgrade tests. He’s heard about it from Isla and a lot of it does seem to fall into his wheelhouse. So he gathers a few things they might need before he also shows up shortly behind his girlfriend, but he isn’t the first to arrive. The Underground is familiar to him now, and he offers a slight glance in the direction of his old home before his attention is brought back to the gathering. “Hey Nikolai.” He greets, breezing past the young Ascended, the one Varus had brought to the Voice.
And he moves immediately toward Isla with a bright fanged grin, leaning in to press a kiss to her cheek, before he drops off some extra supplies just in case they’d need it. “Brought some extra stuff. Other than that, put me to work.” He flashes a grin and a wink toward her, settling in off to the side to not take the attention away. It’s her get together, after all.
Varus arrives and brings a few extra supplies just in case!
Isla doesn't think she's ever formally met Nikolai, as she gives him a warm smile and a nod as he steps into the Underground. "Hello," she greets. "Nice to meet you properly. I'm Isla," she introduces; she might be the Overseer, but it still never hurts to be polite. And when Varus arrives, her smile turns all the more crooked, Isla leaning into the kiss pressed to her cheek and gazing down gratefully at the supplies.
"Perfect," she murmurs. "Thanks for coming, both of you. I just wanted to get a better idea about what everyone can do in terms of their upgrades. First of all, maybe it would be useful just to give a demonstration? I can go first - I've got one that can give an Ascended a boost."
So saying, she doesn't ask permission before reaching out and, with a devilish grin thrown Varus's way, gives his arm a gentle squeeze and activates her upgrade.
First round! Give a demonstration/explanation of your upgrade!
Isla uses this:
Type: Grey
Static Boost Upgrade | The user's palms are capable of delivering a powerful shock to the system. When applied to fellow Ascended, the recipient gains +10 damage on their next attack. When used on non-Ascended, it is capable of delivering +10 lightning damage. Requires a 3 post cooldown.
passing by, you light up my darkest skies you take only seconds to draw me in
Nikolai returns Isla's smile shyly, "I'm Nikolai. It's nice to meet you." A complete opposite of his introduction to Varus but the situation had been vastly different as well. Still Nikolai does give Varus a nod in greeting, although grudgingly. He still hasn't forgotten that the man gave him a false name.
Watching Isla curiously, the youngest Ascended can't help the snicker that escapes him when he notices the look on Isla's face as she touches Varus. He doesn't know what she's up to, but he can guess it'll be amusing given her expression.
While Nikolai waits to see the fallout of her plan he goes ahead and activates his upgrade. The only visible change is that his eyes begin to glow blue. "I have one upgrade in my eyes. It allows me read and translate any writing. I've been using it to peruse the Atheneum thus far. I haven't really had an opportunity to use it elsewhere just yet." He hadn't stumbled upon any secret codes or writing in the runes or Wilds that is. At least not yet.
Nikolai uses this:
Type: Grey
Optical Upgrade: Can translate written words regardless of the language. Eyes glow blue when in use. (OOC: Will translate two plot-related text per season.)
// it's best you not speak of what you found please don't pass judgement on me now //
He stands beside Isla and somewhat close to Nikolai as Isla begins, arms folded across his chest as he waits, and he truthfully doesn’t expect her to just come out with it – using him as the explanation. The boost is something that he’s experienced before but… In other ways, so when her arm touches him and electrifies him, he can’t help the huff that leaves him as he loosens his arms and shakes them out – casting an oceanic gaze over toward Isla with a raise of his brow. “Consider me boosted.” He teases with a rumbled laugh.
His gaze shifts to Nikolai now, nodding with the mention of the upgrade of reading texts and translation. It would come in handy with the information they might need. He watches as Nikolai’s eyes glow blue and once the explanation is done, Varus steps away from the group just enough to pick a blank wall half crumbled off to the side of them. “Well, aside from the metal arm…” He lifts said arm, pointing a couple of fingers and squinting as his head tilts to the side while he aims. “I’ve got lasers. They’re pretty new still so I have to be close but it can definitely come in handy.” And without further ado, he activates his own upgrade and sends a stream of light into the wall that carves a line through it.
And once he’s done, he shakes out his hand a second before he looks up to the other two with a small fanged grin.
Varus uses his laser upgrade!
Type: Grey
Laser “Pointers” | (Basic) A bio-upgrade in the fingers on Varus' right hand that can shoot laser beams up to 10ft.
This is precisely why Isla wanted to get them together like this - only when they are aware of their upgrades and how they might help each other can they properly create strategies that will be useful in the coming war. Much as she doesn't like to think about it, war is still coming. And they still need to be ready.
Varus's lasers carve a powerful line across the stone, and the medic smiles at him, clearly impressed. "We've all got our strengths, it looks like," she murmurs. "I have a couple of other upgrades, but I think I saw something carved on the wall down there, Nikolai - maybe you could go and see if you can decipher it? The only trouble is it's behind a lot of rubble. Maybe Cal and I can move it out of the way for you?"
Isla suggests Nikolai try to translate some text that's been carved into the wall further into the underground. She also suggests she and Varus use their upgrades to get rid of some rubble that blocks the way!
// it's best you not speak of what you found please don't pass judgement on me now //
If Varus were a better artist, he might have considered trying to doodle a quick sketch into the stone with the lasers – but he isn’t and he quite unfortunately doesn’t, instead simply leaving a carved line in the stone behind. His oceanic gaze lifts to Isla as she speaks and then casts a glance toward Nikolai, nodding with the instruction she offers. His hand slips out to press into the small of her back, a gentle touch as they walk toward the rubble that blocks the text from view.
“Sure can.” He agrees easily and once they’re there, he stretches out the metal arm, letting the plates stretch and then fit back together, before he reaches over toward the big block, one that certainly is too heavy for the both of them to move, wondering (and attempting) to get the lasers in his fingers to break it down into smaller, more easily moved chunks, and then specifically focuses on the metal arm as his dominant hand to shove it out of the way.
Varus tries to break up the big blocks of rubble with his lasers so they’re easier to move with his metal arm!
Nikolai perks up at Isla's words. "You saw writing?" The idea of finally giving his upgrade a true test excites the younger Ascended. He does his job to wait patiently as Varus and Isla remove what they can. The Ruins were filled with potential secrets and there was a chance that any could be valuable.
Once enough of the writing is clear, Nikola steps up, "I'll do my best." Activating his upgrade, his eyes start to glow blue. The young Ascended falls silent as he gives it his best shot at reading what's been revealed. If he's lucky, it'll be something they can make use of. At worst, it'll still be good practice with his new upgrade.
~
Nikolai attempts to use his upgrade to read and translate what's written!
Type: Grey
Optical Upgrade: Can translate written words regardless of the language. Eyes glow blue when in use. (OOC: Will translate two plot-related text per season.)
Smiling fondly to Varus, Isla watches with near fascination as his metal arm braces and does its work - she doesn't think she'll ever get tired of watching him with it, honestly. And he manages to carve through the rocks with ease with his lasers, Isla helping to shift some of the debris, and using her scalpel tipped fingers to tear through some heavy canvas and other trash that also prevents them from going any further.
Once they're through, Nikolai is able to test his upgrade out. And he'll see the following words revealed in a language that seems to be from some Outlander who had previously been through the Underground, for it's not native at all to Caido:
Be careful. Unstable ground ahead.
Isla smiles to him hopefully. "What does it say?" she asks. Up ahead, there are a few more boulders that need to be broken down and moved.
Nikolai translates the text, and up ahead are large boulders for them to contend with!
Isla used her scalpel upgrade on some of the debris:
Type: Grey
Prosthetic Scalpel Blades | Three sharpened scalpel blades made of an unknown lightweight metal have been embedded in the pads of Isla's fingers. By flexing certain muscles in her arms and hands, the blades can extend and retract.
No post order!
passing by, you light up my darkest skies you take only seconds to draw me in
// it's best you not speak of what you found please don't pass judgement on me now //
A low rumble of a laugh leaves the Ascended’s lips as the lasers cut through the rubble, paired with Isla’s scalpel fingers. They get most of the debris moved to the side and he settles back slightly to let Isla continue to break things down. When the writing is revealed, he casts a glance back at Nikolai, waiting a second as he waits to hear what it might say.
But he starts stepping ahead, flashing a wink toward Isla, heading toward the rest of the debris that block more of the path, using his lasers again to start cutting them down the closer he gets, hoping that it cuts through the wood and the stone that have fallen across the path.
Varus works on cutting down the debris ahead!
Type: Grey
Laser “Pointers” | (Basic) A bio-upgrade in the fingers on Varus' right hand that can shoot laser beams up to 10ft.
Nikolai feels a burst of excitement as he watches the writing appear. Once enough is visible to read, his eyes glow blue with activation. Scanning the letters something clicks and the writing becomes decipherable words. Be careful. Unstable ground ahead. The blue fades and Nikolai turns back to Varus and Isla.
"Be careful while you move the debris. The writing says that the ground is unstable up ahead. I'm not sure how far that instability stretches." It was feasible that the removal of such a large portion of stone could trigger unstable ground nearby to collapse after all. Stepping back Nikolai then waits for the others to continue clearing the debris in the hopes that more words would appear.
Nikolai reads the words out loud and warns the others to be careful clearing the stone.
"Now that certainly sounds useful," Isla points out with a grin, looking impressed as she watches Nikolai's upgrade in action. But Varus is already shooting her a wink and sauntering on ahead, and before she can call so much as a be careful, his upgrade is making short work of the boulders.
As he proceeds, though, there's an ominous sort of rumble from beneath the ground - just as Nikolai had warned. And when it buckles, not only toes it send a few large pieces of rubble crunching onto Varus's fleshy shoulder - it shifts enough stone that the way ahead becomes completely blocked.
"...I... think maybe we might want to call it a day?" Isla says with a wince, stepping forward and reaching out a hand to let a pulse of energy - still strange and new to her, but effective nonetheless - to try to heal the scrapes and bumps along Varus's shoulder. "Let's make a marker or something, so we can warn people about it if they come this way? Then we ought to go, I think."
Last round! Isla suggests making some sort of marker to try and warn people about the unsteady ground. She also heals Varus's shoulder with her upgrade:
Type: Light
Healing Upgrade | Can heal ascended at basic level. The injured body part must be within arm's reach.
passing by, you light up my darkest skies you take only seconds to draw me in
Nikolai can't help but wince as well when part of the area collapses. He glances at Isla, "I think you're probably right." The area was too unstable to explore further with the tools at their disposal. Maybe if they came back with tools with more finesse, they'd have better luck. But for now, making a marker was a good plan.
Nikolai gathers some of the debris and tries to make a pile right before the unstable ground. Taking a larger stone, he attempts to carve the same message 'Unstable Ground Ahead' in the common tongue of Caido. Hopefully any passersby will heed the warning and be careful.
Nikolai agrees with making a marker. He tries to pile some stone right before the dangerous area and attempts to carve into one of the larger stones 'Unstable Ground Ahead' in the common tongue.
