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!
Well, what would she do? It was a question circling in Lilliane's mind all the time. "I'm not really sure. I know I would defend myself when necessary. Because there are always people using every excuse to start a conflict. But I'd never initiate it." She paused for a moment, just looking at Lena. "What I'd do if I were born here, raised praying to these gods, I can't tell. Because no matter how many people I talk to and how many places I see, I will never truly understand how you would feel in such a situation. But the gods seem to truly care about the people. I think that if the majority of people would gather and all pray to the gods, telling them that they truly don't want this war, the gods might change their minds." Or at least, it was worth a try. Lilliane would be willing to defy the gods would they still urge for war. But for the people who have grown up here, it probably was different.
With the topic of Stormbreak, Lilliane gave Lena a slight smile. "That's exactly why I want to go to Stormbreak. And talk to a lot of people. Because without hearing the other side, I don't want to make a decision yet. It wouldn't be fair." Something which became even more evident with this conversation. So far, talking to Lena wasn't particularly different from talking to someone at the Hollowed Grounds. "If you don't mind me asking, what is your opinion on the matter? The war, the ascended, and the voice."
hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul
Lena’s gaze softened, glancing at Lilliane. There were multitudes and layers of histories buried into each rock, each ruin, each stone, that even some of the most dedicated scholars and priests could even begin to fathom. The gods had created this world, had molded it, had conjured it from their beings and permitted them to remain. And then the Voice came – and did so many other cruel, callous things, that Lena didn’t know where to start. “It may be too far gone for that,” she smiled, gingerly, before her eyes went to the horizon, as if she could see past the clarity and clouds.
As for the war? Her fingers clutched the wood, drumming slightly, as if to alleviate the tension and apprehension suddenly stirring in her heart. “The Ascended, and the Voice, have committed many cruelties against many people.” That was what she’d been taught, how she’d been educated, how the books were dictated and written. “I don’t want to see the world fall apart, but something is going to happen anyway.”
and sings the tune without the words and never stops at all
With a sigh, Lilliane looked out over the ocean as well. "It may be. That still won't stop me from trying." Of course, she didn't think that she would be able to stop a whole war on her own. But maybe she could help change some minds. To at least make things a little better. "And even if the war can't be stopped, I can at least do my part to keep those who are innocent and unable to protect themselves safe." Not like she was really able to protect herself from many of the things and people in Caido.
At the sound of fingers drumming on the wooden railing, Lilliane looked over at Lena again. Then she nodded. "Yes. Something is likely to happen." With the way people were talking, it seemed likely that the prophecy would turn out to be self-fulfilling. Simply because people expected a war to happen, it would happen.
Furrowing her brows, she gave a short hum. "What cruelties did they commit?" She paused for a second. "So far I've always heard of cruelties and bad deeds committed, but nobody has ever gone into details."
hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul
Maybe the newest Outlanders would have more pluck and determination, given they hadn’t been subjected to many torments yet. But it didn’t mean history was varnished with a fine new glaze, as if nothing had occurred simply because no one had told them. Ignorance wasn’t a saving grace or an indulgent balm. “A worthy goal,” she smiled; pondering what her role would be in things – saving animals still in her wake? An inquiry for Frey perhaps, when the opportunity was there.
Her head turned back to waves, watching for a peek of fins rising over the currents, perhaps a sighting of the elusive pink dolphins to stifle the sinking feeling in her stomach. Intriguing that many had noted the Voice’s fallacies, but hadn’t said what they were. “Maybe they didn’t want to relive them,” she made mention, shrugging one shoulder, for she couldn’t speak of other people’s traumas and torments. But she’d start somewhere. “Have you heard of LongNight?”
and sings the tune without the words and never stops at all
Upon Lena's remark, Lilliane tilted her head first to one side, then to the other. She wasn't sure whether she would call her goals 'worthy'. Necessary, maybe? Though that didn't fit either. It didn't feel like anything big. She just did what she thought was right with the little means she had. And most likely, the impact she would have would be minuscule.
"That may be," Lilliane said with a nod. "I don't want to press you into talking about it, if it is something you don't want to talk about either." She looked at Lena with concern. Of course, learning more about the reasons behind all of this would help her understand it better. But the last thing she wanted to do was to make Lena uncomfortable.
Lilliane thought about the question for a moment, then she shook her head. "I have heard the term in a conversation people had in the grounds. But I was just passing by and didn't want to listen in a private conversation, so I don't know what it's about."
hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul
Lena hadn’t been a part of Hollowed Grounds’ LongNights, merely the education portions of it. She shook her head, content and comfortable with at least imparting her wisdom. “Don’t fret,” and she smiled. “I haven’t experienced it, and I wouldn’t want to.”
Her eyes went ahead though, scanning the horizon once more, making out more flocks of Hels, and the occasional sweep and turn of a cloud wyrm’s tail. “In the past, before Ascended were created, the Voice had other experiments. When they didn’t work the way she wanted them to, she discarded them.” She shielded her eyes from the sun, then leaned farther along the planks of wood railing. “LongNight is the last week in Deepfrost – and it means just that. You can’t contact the gods. It is an endless evening. And those the Voice turned away would come out, as monsters, to attack, torment, and kill anyone outside.” She waited, of course, for these horrors to sink and settle in, turning to see if Lilliane had heard quite enough.
and sings the tune without the words and never stops at all
For a moment, Lilliane stayed silent, looking out over the ocean with a thoughtful expression. This was, indeed, a lot to swallow. Experiments and people turned into monsters. It didn't quite fit the way some others had described the Voice. Then again, Lilliane didn't feel like Lena was lying to her either. "But why is she just letting them roam around and harm people?" After all, doing so seemed pretty stupid. "Then again, if it's a time when the gods can't be contacted, maybe that's also why she can't keep them in check?"
And even when taking away the logistics of where to store ex-experiments turned monsters, there were more questions to ask. "Is she still experimenting on people and making new monsters?" After all, if this was a thing of the past - even gods deserved a second chance sometimes. If they worked on bettering themselves. But if the Voice was still doing this now...
"Sorry for all the questions. I guess you probably don't know all the answers either," Lilliane said apologetically. If everyone knew all sides of the story, there would be way fewer conflicts. Probably.
hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul
“A good question,” and one Lena had never understood in particular. “About two years ago, supposedly she allowed the Ascended to fight and destroy them, but from what I’ve heard, it may not have been entirely successful.” Hadn’t there been something about one breaching Halo? She glanced back at Lilliane, a slight furrow beginning at her brows. “Why would they be allowed to harm anyone at all?” Why, and how, was that okay? For hundreds of years? Until the people of the Hollowed Grounds simply accepted it?
The Caretaker couldn’t be certain about the second inquiry, and she hadn’t been an individual to consort with the Ascended very often to ask such things. “Well, she has created her own demigods.” Who was to say that those notions weren’t experiments? “And spread disease. Something called the Blight.” On reflex, she turned back to the railing, leaning against the wooden surface once more, wondering how they’d gotten to this point. “I don’t, and I can’t speak for her or why she would choose such things. Some of them seem beyond cruel.”
and sings the tune without the words and never stops at all
Now Lilliane raised both eyebrows in surprise before frowning. "The Ascended weren't allowed to fight back until two years ago?" It sounded almost unbelievable that the Voice would allow anyone - let alone her own followers - to be subjected to such horrors.
"The old gods have demigods as well, so I don't think that's something the Voice can be blamed for." It was, after all, only natural that the Voice would want to do the same as the old gods, in a way. Still, spreading disease, letting loose monsters? "But you are right. Those things seem beyond cruel."
Staring out towards the horizon, Lilliane stayed silent for a moment. What she had been told about the Voice by Wessex and other Ascended. And what she was told by Lena just now. It sounded like they were talking about entirely different people. But it was the same. Two sides of the same coin, seen from two different angles. "I guess I'll have to ask her demigods if I want to find out why she is doing what she is doing."
hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul
“I’m sure some tried. I’m sure many gave it an effort.” Or found ways to survive – but she couldn’t imagine huddled up in a temple, muffling the noise, and boarding up windows to ensure survival for an entire week. And to fight, likely early on, probably meant imminent death.
As for the mentions of demigods, she quirked a brow. “You asked what she’d been making.” A shrug and roll of her shoulders, contemplations reaching further, but in the depths of silence – at least Lilliane could remark and reflect that the Voice had been overtly cruel in her machinations. Her eyes narrowed as she watched another movement along the crest of a wave, likely a whale or dolphin breaching the surface, before diving back under. “My guess would be to fight back against the Old Gods.” To give her own a chance, an opportunity, for vengeance. “But I cannot speak for them.”
and sings the tune without the words and never stops at all
Lilliane nodded slowly. "I think I understand why so many dislike the Voice now." All of these things didn't put the Voice in a good light. No matter whether there were good reasons for it or not. Although her motives may be right - who was Lilliane to know - the methods certainly weren't. "Although I also understand the feeling of wanting to fight back against a fate which seems cruel. On both sides." Expression saddened, Lilliane shook her head. "I think that's what's the most heartbreaking to me. Both sides are suffering. And both sides feel the need to defend themselves. And in this need to defend themselves they are lashing out at one another."
Looking over at Lena, Lilliane stayed silent for a moment. "Though I guess we can talk about this all day without ever coming to a close, simply because neither of us knows enough about the Voice." And to be honest, Lilliane didn't want the first impression Lena had of her to be a sad one. "Since you know more about them than me, can you tell me a bit about the old gods? I barely know anything about them and I'd like to understand them more."
hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul
Lena could only agree with the sentiments Lilliane expressed. The vitriol, the vehemence, the vengeance, the back and forth between two sides pitted against one another – all for the sake of survival, in a way. Perhaps most of it was borne from desperation, but there were other parts, other portions, that still didn’t make sense to her – or maybe because she’d been defined by the Old God legions for so long, that the Caretaker couldn’t fathom why anyone would want to wander into the Voice’s reach.
Saying none of this, her eyes still on the horizon, she offered a nod at the Outlander’s musings. About the Old Gods, though, she could easily relay. “Vi is the God of life – righteous, just, and gracious. Mort is the God of Death, but gentle, caring, sweet, and loving. Rae is the God of Nature, though they are twins, and are more focused on the scientific end of change and evolution. Caido is the God of all, but I don’t know much more than that.” Not many of them did at all. She paused, considering. “Have you heard much of their heralds?”
and sings the tune without the words and never stops at all
Listening to Lena's explanations, Lilliane managed to shake off the somber mood at least slightly. Hearing it like this, the old gods seemed very friendly and compassionate as well. "People have told me which herald is connected to which god. And the aspects they represent. But not what they're like, like you did with the old gods just now. And that's what I want to know the most."
Then she shrugged. "Though to be fair, most times I talked to people who aren't Ascended, we were busy with other things, so I didn't get to ask them about things in detail."
hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul
Hearsay could only encompass so much, and Lena fully understood the means and measures people were going through. Some wouldn’t want to discuss heralds and gods, when they were busy striving to support themselves or their families. Some didn’t have time to occupy those thoughts save for the next meal on the table. So she obliged once more, nodding in comprehension, before continuing on. “Safrin is the herald of Vi, and while she’s known for being vain, and fickle, she can also be compassionate and devoted. I believe it all depends on how you interact with her – above all, she wants to be loved.” Eyes sweeping along the horizon, then watching the shoreline, Lena persisted. “Ludo is the herald to Mort, and it is quite a trickster. It collects the souls of the deceased, and shepherds them to Mort, so that they may have peace. It loves toys and games, should you ever want to discuss matters with it at a shrine.”
Humming under her breath, calm and composed in the notions and tales of those she cherished, the mellifluous vocals continued as they bound over her favored. “Then there is Frey, the herald of Rae, who has two aspects. One is sexuality, and will appear as whatever the viewer finds attractive. The other is nature, and they’ll thrive surrounded by the bounty of the earth.” Her smile deepened, content. “The nature portion of Frey gave me my position as Caretaker.”
and sings the tune without the words and never stops at all
