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!
01-09-2022, 05:48 PM (This post was last modified: 03-01-2022, 04:51 PM by Odd.)
I get them all worked up and down on their knees, you see
It's just before dusk when they cross into the Feverlands. Maeve brings her horse to a halt, jade eyes narrowing as she looks out ahead of them, checking for any obvious danger. "Alright, let's find a relatively clear place to camp. We'll need to get ourselves a fire going and setup a perimeter." The Nightshade instructs, looking back at the others to be sure they heard her.
"We'll hopefully be left alone, but keep your eyes peeled for anything out of the ordinary." Maeve clicks her tongue, setting off again with her unicorn in tow.
1. Two people find somewhere clear to set up camp.
2. One person get firewood.
3. One person set up a perimeter.
4. One person keep watch.
Into the Feverlands they went, and on her placid mount the youth felt more secure. Her unicorn somehow remained with her, and the rest of the group was marching along. She listened for the round of tasks, pondering over which would be easier with two horses now – but considering her own abilities, the honeybee readily volunteered. “I can go get firewood.” She’d been in the Feverlands enough to hopefully avoid any boggy spots, and would be able to find some drier portions.
So she dismounted, ensuring she had both animals with her, and began to pick around their designated camp area, hoping to find some old logs they could use. Once she found some, she’d attempt to tie them off to her bigger beast’s saddlebags.
Ray settles her horse and unicorn as much as she can before choosing a role, "I can keep watch from above." The sharp eyes of her avian form should be able to spot even slightest movement in the nearby area. That and the shangyang was less likely to scare the equines then if Ray were to shift into her panther form.
Giving her horse one last pat, the Attuned shifts and takes off. Once she's high enough off the ground, Ray starts flying in a circuit around the group, keeping her eyes peeled for any threat. It's rather peaceful to coast in a circuit and she finds that the act of keeping watch is surprisingly enjoyable.
~
Ray shifts into her shangyang form and keeps watch from above.
They came to their resting point for the night, Adam balancing his parasol in one arm and holding the rope for his Unicorn in the other. As they began to stop, he tied off the rope to a nearby branch, making sure there was grass and a decent amount of space around it, then listened to Maeve's instructions.
Well, the last time they'd done this, he'd proven himself to be a master craftsman of fences. Hopefully lightning could strike twice. Walking around the edge of the campsite he carefully selected sticks and pressed them upright into the earth, then balanced reeds and roots between them, forming a barrier that at the very least would get underfoot of anything trying to break in. At it's highest points, it would block the view of several animals - Adam tied the roots around trees to gain some height.
"S'not beautiful, but it'll do." He said, rolling his shoulders and leaning back on a tree once he'd finished.
--
Once a location is chosen, Adam builds a fence out of sticks as a perimeter.
The first stretch of riding is relatively peaceful. His unicorn and horse alike are both docile and content to plod along, and Harper’s ever-spinning mind is just as content to entertain him in silence as they do so. But the sky darkens in time, even as they begin to watch the foliage turn and the lands shift into a different territory. Maeve calls for a stop soon enough, and Harper settles back and waits for a few people to claim their own tasks before deciding on his own.
Swinging gracefully off his horse, he lifts the reins over its neck and holds onto them, the steed and connected unicorn still safely within grasp as he begins to look for the best dry, clear bit of land for them to set up bedrolls on.
- - -
Harper keeps hold of his horses reins and walks around on foot to find a clear space.
the light is coming to return everything the darkness stole
Oh man, Bart just knows he’s going to have saddle sores all over his ass and thighs. And while he’s not exactly out and proud, he can still be upset that one of his better assets is at risk. Because everyone knows you only get the chance to flaunt it when you inevitably are struck by some awful curse or inconvenience that would prevent you from doing so.
Still, the motion of horseback riding itself is familiar, and he spends most of the ride chatting and sniping sarcastically with Melita. By time the sun is beginning to set he’s ready to call it a literal day though, and though he wishes he’d picked a different task at least he can slack a bit (by that he means walking slowly to ease out the aches in his legs instead of stomping around eagerly) as he scouts out a good piece of land. Tying up his mount to a tree and letting it graze with the unicorn still tied to it.
- - -
Bart scouts for a dry spot after tying up his horse to graze.
Even if I do a little just to get me through the night Always getting me in trouble, smoking like I wanna die
01-18-2022, 10:43 PM (This post was last modified: 01-18-2022, 10:43 PM by Maeve.)
I get them all worked up and down on their knees, you see
Off they go. Each has a task and each tries their best to do said task. Melita sets off with intent to find firewood. Something the Honeybee is very capable of doing. There is a downed tree that is plenty dry enough and would work perfectly. All she has to do is break it down enough to transport it and she'll be good as gold! Ray has a fairly easy time with her chosen work. It's not too hard to keep an eye on things here even with the thick trees obscuring most of the air space. Her shift is agile and able to easily maneuver through it all.
Adam struggles a bit, but that's just the way of things, isn't it? At least he looks hot while doing it. His hair falls in his eyes and his pants cling to his ass and his shirt billows slightly in what little breeze there is. He looks like he should be on the cover of some kind of romance novel as he puts together a little makeshift corral. It takes a few tries and things fall over, but eventually he manages it.
Harper and Bartholomew have the hardest time. Mainly Bart, the poor dear. He meanders his way around and while he's scouting for a nice dry patch for them to set up in his foot sinks into a rather deceptive bit of mud up to his ankle. It trips him up and he's soon sprawling onto the damp ground in front of him as he loses his balance. Harper on the other hand only has to look for a little bit before he finds a good spot for them to set up on. Overall it's fairly painless.
Set up camp!
Melita can gather wood
One person to build the fire
Two people to tie up and tend to the horses
One person to take first watch
It was a damn shame she missed Bart’s failure, but Melita had other things to tend to. The downed tree in her sights would do well for the camp and its imminent fire, and so she dragged the unicorn and horse in tow, getting to work in snapping away twigs, and branches, until she had enough to present as kindling. The rest could be pieced and cordoned off, and by the time she was done, her mount was a pleasant enough beast to sidle along with the timber nestled along his sides, still unbothered by the whole scene.
Then they were off again, heading back towards the rest of the group.
--
Melita breaks off pieces of wood, loads them onto her horse, and heads back to the camp!
Hell yeah. Adam, of course, always looked the most sexy it was possible to during any activity he participated in, but it was always nice to be confident he'd managed it. Maybe the fence wasn't perfect, but goddamn, he was.
Anyway, sexy fence making done, he stretched and looked around idly with his arms in the air for another job to do. There was no point taking first watch. That was better given to someone that would actually need to sleep later. As for the fire...he didn't fancy being the fire, so that was out too. Luckily, he'd always been good with horses, so the final task left was perfect.
Going over to the unicorns, stopping on the way to pick up some dandelions, he petted their noses and fed them as he tied them up, whispering little encouragements and making sure they were comfy.
Harper can't hide his grin in time as he watches Bart go down, though he's able to stifle his chuckle. Luckily he doesn't have the same issue, the only delays he experiences being more of the meandering sort. Still, they only have so much land readily available nearby, so it's not long before he chances upon the driest and flattest patch. It's certainly no fancy hotel or down-filled bed, but it'll do for the night.
"I'll take first watch Maeve," he volunteers, smiling slightly. He was a vigilante before Caido after all, he's more than used to being alert and attentive, and running on barely more than a few hours of sleep. Deciding the fence is best put to use at the opposite end of the clearing, Harper swoops up into the nearest tree with barren branches to perch and take watch. Using the sharper hearing and eyesight of the crow to lend him an edge if possible.
- - -
Harper takes first watch!
the light is coming to return everything the darkness stole
Bart goes down cursing loudly, and comes back up with a few new bruises and a couple centimeters of mud intent on lovingly accompanying him in his endeavor. Harper's grin is not missed, and he flips the man off, earning a muffled laugh. Luckily two pairs of eyes seem to do the job (though his own clearly need to get checked) and he immediately rolls out his bedroll so that he can slough off his coat to avoid feeling the clinging dampness. Good thing he didn't wear the leather one.
But of course they aren't done. Damn, camping was way more fun as a tiny tot - and even as a gangly teen - and suddenly he's grateful to his grandparents for dealing with his energetic bullshit every time he'd roped them into this.
As penance or something, he waits for Melita to come back with her load and starts setting up a fire. It's honestly mostly for himself, wanting to warm back up from the mud and dry it off enough to let it flake away from his pants and socks, but at least it's pretty familiar even after all these years.
- - -
Bart starts on a fire!
Even if I do a little just to get me through the night Always getting me in trouble, smoking like I wanna die
Seeing the others get to work, Ray shifts back to tends to the horses. She feeds, grooms, and ties up the horses. Each gets a nice rub down and nose scratches as well. They've worked hard today and the herbalist makes sure they know it as she croons to them.
Ray then turns to the unicorns. She follows Adam's lead in gently coaxing the equines to relax and let her secure them. The Ascended seems to have their snacks covered so the Attuned settles on grooming them. Using her fingers, she gently detangles the manes of whichever unicorns allow it, and plucks leaves off of silken coats.
A little pampering can go a long way after all. Ray hopes it'll help soothe the unicorns and keep them cooperative. If she's lucky maybe, she'll make a friend. Though the Attuned would be satisfied with simply making the creatures happy and not being bit.
I get them all worked up and down on their knees, you see
It all seems to be going well. Really, it does. The night should be an easy one. Except that Melita is having terrible luck and keeps rolling ones. It shouldn't have been so hard to gather some wood. It's just wood. Except she has issues. So many issues. The wood breaks off, but not without a fight. She almost loses her footing, but just barely manages to catch herself. Then there is loading it up on her horse. That goes well too, but the knot she uses to tie the branches onto the back of her mount is just not right. They all come falling down.
Which would be why Bartholomew can't start the fire. There is no wood. Absolutely none. Maybe he should help poor Melita and put an end to her suffering.
Adam and Ray have the horses and unicorns covered. They all settle nicely in the place they're tied, heads hanging low and lazy as they're allowed a chance to rest. Harper takes to the trees as a crow and it helps him keep an eye on things. The swamp is quiet around them except for the bugs buzzing and the occasional gurgle from the mud.
Maeve moves towards where the fire is meant to be, jade eyes still scanning the surrounding area even though Harper is keeping an eye out, but just as her ears pick up on some rustling so will Harper's eyes sense a bit of movement in the underbrush.
Round three!!
1. Bart and Mel need to get the fire going.
2. Adam and Ray have the equines covered.
3. Harper and Maeve can go investigate the noise.
Might as well keep up the pattern of being absolute shit – and Melita tripped, stumbled, and bumbled around as if she’d never touched a piece of timber in her life. Then there was the knot, as if she hadn’t even learned a god damned sailor’s trade, and the wood came tumbling down into the dirt.
Her mount looked at her, unimpressed. Might’ve even kicked a twig away.
With a very large sigh and huff of air, the youth sneered at anything and everything in her path, stomping about, and grabbing hold of the materials all over again. “Won’t get me this time, fuckers,” she growled towards the inanimate objects, and Fangorn rolled his eyes. Then, she strived to once more, attach the wood to saddle bags, and make her way back to the camp. Ridiculous.
--
Melita tries to bring the wood back to the camp again.
