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!
Juniper let out a long breath. She'd danced around the idea that the gods were wrong to promote the coming war, but she'd never stated it so plainly, in such insulting terms. But she agreed. This war was stupid. "Yes. This war has no popular support on either side. Only the gods are pushing for it -- almost everyone I've spoken to would prefer to coexist in peace."
She nodded quickly. "I didn't mean to imply you were. Rather, I believe Ludo is quite committed to the coming war, so consulting it might not interest you. In the end, no, I wouldn't say we really have a god of war -- such conflicts are rare here."
"I think we should stick together regardless. It's important to have someone who can cut you loose if you get stuck. As for the eagle ... " Juniper hesitated. The truth was, she wasn't sure the bird would make it even if they did get it clear. But she was not the woman to ignore -- or simply mercy kill -- a creature in pain. "Let's see what we can do for it. Do you have any abilities that might aid us against the wicker woman? I have only my wings and my knives."
Juniper
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02-21-2022, 12:59 PM (This post was last modified: 02-21-2022, 12:59 PM by Darkeye.)
Blackeye
Not the strongest win the battle —
"But not all I met a few people who think that this war is unavoidable. The gods pushed people to do unforgivable things. As hard as it sounds the people who think the war is unavoidable need to be killed so that peace can be made. But for that, you have to ignore the gods too. Not everyone will do that, I think. Ignoring gods will get them angry... Only if they are truly forgotten then they die." The war was more than stupid. This gods were selfish. They ignored many people and thought they could do what they want.
"I know that you don't want to imply that, it's all good. I have to start somewhere. Talking to a god is wise, I think. The problem is that this coming war will be very brutal. So you need a god of war if you want or not. And no god knows what is coming. I truly hope that I'm wrong, Juniper. Is there a priest of your gods that I can speak to about this?" Darkeye felt that he overstepped, but the whole situation made him uncomfortable. He knew too little.
Darkeye looked at the eagle and wished that he could save him. But there was no way.“I'm good with fighting but I think that is not what you ask for. I could try to make a fire but we need to control that. And that I can't ensure. Is there a weak point that you know of a heart of something like that?" Dakreye looked around to find something that could help them.
Juniper's eyes widened at Darkeye's sentiments. She'd never heard someone suggest something so blasphemous as the idea that the Old Gods should die -- except, perhaps, for the Voice and her followers, and even they usually stopped short of that, claiming that they just wanted to coexist in peace. Who, exactly, was this man whom she'd invited into the Greatwood? Carefully, Juniper said, "I can't imagine seeking the death of our gods. They're wrong about this war, yes, but they are our gods, who shape us before birth and care for us after death."
Nor did she think new gods could arise in Caido as easily as Darkeye seemed to think. Listening to him talk, Juniper began to suspect that the man came from a world with a very different divine framework than Caido. "We don't have a lot of priests here, but we do have demigods -- individuals chosen by the gods to do their will. Talking to one of them might help you. Ronin and Remi live here in the Greatwood, and I just recently met Mildew, a demigod of Frey -- she seemed very thoughtful, even if she couldn't give me the answers I sought." (Juniper had no idea that Mildew would be dead before Darkeye could seek her out.)
Shaking her head, Juniper said, "It would probably take fire or lightning to completely kill a wicker woman -- I've never tried to do that. Usually I just try to draw out a branch so that we can cut it off. That probably won't save the eagle, though." She looked at her bow, wondering if it wouldn't be safer for all of them to just shoot the poor bird.
Juniper
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"But before them, there were gods too, right? And they were destroyed or killed. I don't seek their death. But it's the fight of the gods. So they should fight it. But they do this on the back of men and women, and this is very wrong in my eyes."
Darkeye looked at Juniper after he heard the name of Remi. "Remi is a man that I need to talk to. I have many questions for him. If he is with the gods, one more reason. I want to know what he is thinking of the coming war. I'm a war priest so I try to travel to all leaders of the big cities and talk to them." Darkeye seemed to be filled with new enthusiasm.
Darkeye looked at the surroundings. "If we could cut the branch where the bird is held. Or we go to kill the tree. But we need a decision now, or the wicker woman makes it for us." Darkeye grabbed one of his axes and was ready to attack.
Juniper shook her head. "As far as we know, there was no 'before' our gods. When Caido created this world, he gave life to Vi, Mort, and Rae as well, setting them over the domains of life, death, and change. Then they crafted their heralds."
A nod for Darkeye's response about Remi. "Yes, I think that would be a good idea. Remi and myself lead the Greatwood. I believe Isla is the current Overseer of the Hollowed Ground, while Maeve is Queen in Torchline. Morgan is Warden of Halo." (At least, she was when this thread began ... )
"Yes," Juniper agreed, forcing herself to stop dithering. "Let's see if we can cut off the branch holding the bird -- then we can untangle it at our leisure." She hesitated, something in her wanting to volunteer for the more dangerous position, but Darkeye already had his axes out ... "If you want to take a first pass at it, I will stand by to cut you loose if you get entangled."
Juniper
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Darkeye looked curious "So Caido isn't just a name, it's also a god? I didn't know that. New gods like Voice what does Caido think about it? I didn't mean to offend or attack anyone here, I apologize if that was the case". Darkeye learned so many new things and was happy about it.
Darkeye wrote these names down. "I will send everyone a raven and ask for an audience. Thanks for the information Juniper."
"I'm counting on you."Darkeye would run towards the tree with the spear in one hand and the axe in the other. He tried to put all his strength and weight into the strike. He hoped he could sever the branch with one attack to free the bird.
"We don't really know what Caido thinks," Juniper replied. She felt a little relieved that they had moved on from the topic of divine death. "He lives at the top of the Draig Cordillera, according to legend, and speaks to no one."
Juniper nodded. "I'm happy to help."
Darkeye's spear strike almost severed the branch, though it also alarmed the eagle, which began flapping wildly, spinning in the air as it dangled from the half-cut branch. The wicker woman also started to curl around both Darkeye's spear and one of his ankles. Juniper stepped a little closer, hunting knife out, ready to cut him loose if need be. "One more strike like that and we should have it!"
Juniper
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"Then someone should go to him and ask him what he thinks about his children wanting to bash each other's heads in soon" Darkeye considered doing that but first he needed to understand this world better.
Darkeye now holed out with the axe and struck again, splitting the branch. The eagle was now free and tried to fly away, which was not a good idea in its condition. Darkeye saw how the branches tried to wrap around the spear but not the one on his ankle. He freed his spear and was about to pick up the branch when it was pulled off his legs.
Juniper chuckled a little. "We'd love to, but there are some very angry dragons between him and the rest of us. Seems like he really doesn't want to be found."
The eagle and the branch it was attached to fell to the ground, and Juniper started to move to grab it when Darkeye was swept off his feet. Leaving the bird as something to be dealt with later, she cried, "Watch out!" but it was too late. Well, that just meant that Juniper had to leap into action herself instead of expecting Darkeye to do everything.
Drawing her hunting knife, she fluttered forward to cut the vine that held Darkeye by the ankle. "Watch my back," she suggested as she sawed at the woody vine.
Juniper
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Darkeye pondered for a moment. "For me, it seems more like a test that has to be mastered. Only someone who really has an important question would take that risk."
Darkeye still heard Juniper's call and wanted to react. He hadn't expected so much speed from the branches with the spear in one hand and the axe in the other, he now looked down and tried to assess his situation head-on. But it was difficult for him to organize his thoughts.
Darkeye nodded and tried as best he could to keep the vines and branches from approaching Juniper. He was embarrassed to admit it, but he had fallen into the creature's trap.
Juniper's brows drew down as she considered Darkeye's assessment. "Maybe ..." Though as far as she'd seen recently, entering the Draig Cordillera was more of a fool's errand than a test. But perhaps under the right circumstances, Caido would communicate with his creations ...
As Juniper sawed through the branch on Darkeye's ankle, several more poked towards Juniper and Darkeye, deceptively slow, just feeling around to try to find anything to hang onto. As soon as Juniper finished cutting Darkeye free, she straightened, looking at the tendrils approaching them. "We'd better grab the bird and go!"
Juniper suited her actions to her words, pausing only to pick up the cut-off branch that still clung to the screeching, flapping eagle as she flew away. She prayed that Darkeye would be able to follow; if not, she'd have to come back for him.
Juniper
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Darkeye nodded curtly. As the branch was cut, Darkeye still swung forward to use the momentum to turn and land on her feet. He struck the branch Juniper would reach with the axe once more. Then he quickly put the axe away. Then quickly picked up the branch. Then he looked around for a moment and followed Juniper with quick steps so as not to cause any more damage.
When they were out of range, he called out to Juniper. "How does it look? Do we have what you need? How is the bird?" Darkeye looked around to secure the area.
As soon as they were out of range of the wicker woman's tendrils, Juniper dropped the branch -- the flapping eagle made it too awkward a package to carry for long. After checking to make sure Darkeye had made it out all right, she nodded. "I think this will do ... we just have to get the eagle loose."
She looked at the bird, uncertain where to begin without getting mauled by its flailing beak, even if its talons were currently bound. Perhaps now that the wicker woman's vines were cut off from their source, they would lose their grip and let the eagle go free. In that case, all Juniper and Darkeye should really have to do was separate the bird from the branch she needed. "Can you hold the eagle while I cut the branch free? Watch for its beak."
Juniper
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"I also have a branch for you fasl we need to destroy this one" Darkeye placed his branch on the ground next to her. He was just a little shaken up and the bruises on his ankle where he was grabbed would soon disappear.
Darkeye didn't hesitate and reached directly for the beak to hold it steady the other hand went to the eagle's neck. He should be able to move his head as little as possible. The claws should be able to move would hit the armor at most. The grip was hard and without mercy. The eagle had no choice but to endure the procedure.
