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!
02-01-2022, 07:04 PM (This post was last modified: 02-01-2022, 07:05 PM by Odd.)
the lullaby
The way up and the way down are one in the same I'm calling an audible late in the game
It was perhaps an indication of the alchemist's current state of mind that with everything going on the world he'd decided to take some time out of his day to follow up about some plants. But then, he'd seen the decay numerous times now in the desert but not anywhere else in the world. That, and given Maeve's letter and Ronin's note, it seemed worth taking a more rigorous look.
Or maybe Remi was just finally losing the plot, it's hard to say.
Having waited until dusk that Maeve and whomever she decided to bring with her might not be forced to endure the heat (he and Ronin would be fine), Remi stands near one of the foul-smelling pools with his brow furrowed, lowered lip puckered, and his hand trying to stealth its way down the back of Ronin's pants.
PQ+ to try and find out whatever is leaving all the dead plants around Hak Etme!
there will be scrapes and sutures; viciousness and victory
Remi's hand will not need to stealth very much - Ronin isn't wearing a shirt, given that it's wrapped around the lower half of his face to try to keep out the rotten stink of this place, and his pants are undefended. One hand is pressed over the bridge of his nose, just in case any of the smell gets in, and the other is holding a small bag. Within it he has some bottled water, a few containers should they want to take any specimens back with them (plants, not sulphuric nightmares), some rope, and some rich soil from the Greatwood.
"Why does this place have to exist here?" he wonders, his voice muffled as he glances across at his husband. Whether or not Remi has lost the plot is irrelevant to the Huntsman; he isn't the only one who craves a bit of anything else with the latest happenings in the world. Maybe investigating this will turn up another relic, too. Who knows?
Ronin has everything in his profile. For once, he does bring extras!
He's got a bag with some bottled water, some containers for plant specimens, a length of rope and some rich soil from the Greatwood.
Maeve can't help the way her lip curls in distaste as the still stifling heat from the desert presses against her. She glances back at Locke, feeling a hint of trepidation tingling along their newly formed bond, but she pushes it away with a breath. The sight of Ronin and Remi has her smiling despite herself as she picks up speed in her approach, "Because, Ronin, it exists simply to make you unhappy." Maeve quips, drawing him into a quick hug and then doing the same to Remi, pressing a kiss to each or their cheeks.
"Do we have any idea where we need to be looking exactly?" She asks, drawing back to adjust her back on her shoulders, hand moving to the whip that rests at her hip.
Maeve has everything on her profile plus a pack with basic supplies (first aide, rope, water, knife) and the bow Remi made her.
I'm undone about to burst at my seams 'Cause I am picturing you beside me So let me be everything that you need
How Maeve managed to rope him into this is beyond him but that's just how things are. Plus, after the house fiasco, he's not sure he wants to be away from her. For his own sake. He's also not entirely sure where he stands with the other men. But, business is business. The trepidation Maeve feels gets comfort in response. There's little he can do right now but he'll try.
Annoyance bristles through him for a second as she greets them but it's pushed down and away. His face crinkles up with the smell and he wishes, for a moment, his nose didn't work. "Somethin' about plants right?" Maeve probably told him but it seems to have slipped his mind.
__
Locke has the stuff in his profile, plus a dagger and a canteen of water.
Something about plants is absolutely right, Locke...although, from where you're standing, there isn't a plant to be seen. Is that a good sign? A bad sign? Guess you'll find out, but as of right now, you basically just need to decide to do something.
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The way up and the way down are one in the same I'm calling an audible late in the game
Wrapping his arms around Maeve, it's with a chuckle of apology that he pulls away; godliness or not, Remi still sweat in the heat just like anyone else. "Thanks for coming." He murmurs, before raising his eyes to Locke and offering the other man a nod.
"Well..." Remi begins, ruffling a hand through his curls. "I have been through the desert a few times now, and we have always found dead plants. They litter the area the caravans are, and closer to the boneyard I have even seen some try to take significant root." He explains. "They have been around for at least a month now in various stages, which I think means that whatever—or whoever—is growing them, is still here." Flashing a smile towards Ronin accompanied by a warm pulse of affection, Remi adds: "My son thinks that it is a being from the clouds who is doing it."
And honestly? Maybe it was.
"Once this was not a desert, but somewhere more lush. Rae introduced a new species and..." Splaying his fingers, he shrugs and gestures vaguely around. "It did not go well. So maybe something is trying to get things back to the way it was. That might explain all the different species of plants around. Locke, can you fly in any of your shifts?" He asks the other man with a slight raise of his eyebrows. "Maeve, you can ride either Ronin or I. Flying will let us travel faster and hopefully means we can steer clear of landsharks."
Remi suggests they all shift into something flighted (if Locke can, Maeve can ride either Remi or Ronin), and follow the plants.
If love is everything, love is pain Certain spirits are too bright to be tamed
Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!
Speaks with a thick Italian accent.
Force and magic can be used against Remi without permission.
there exists a tipping point between gods and monsters
Smiling at Maeve in return (though it's only really visible in the crinkling of his eyes, given the shirt wrapped around the lower half of his face), Ronin nods, as well, at Locke, before standing by to listen to Remi. This is his rodeo after all - the Huntsman is just along for the ride. Literal ride, as it turns out, and he smiles between their potential passengers. "Whoever has the pleasure of it, would you take this bag with you?" he asks, setting it down before stepping back to get some space.
"The only shift I have that flies and allows passengers isn't a small one, sorry."
Without further ado, Ronin grows and warps and changes, black scales flecking the dragon's back, while his belly shone in lighter, starlit tones. Grumbling to them, he hunkers down to allow for a passenger or two, should it be required.
Ronin asks whoever is hitching a ride to please collect his bag, before shifting into a dragon.
He listens, grateful that someone has done their research. There don't seem to be many clouds but he shrugs, Edmund comes up with wily suggestions too. "I have one, yeah." Locke nods, handing his things over to Maeve. Sorry but she's likely the only one to have proper hands here. Luckily, he doesn't have much. Even if the idea of a gore crow wielding a dagger is amusing to him.
He watches Ronin shift with no small measure of jealousy. He must've missed the memo about getting a dragon shift of something. But he follows suit, even if he is much smaller. The sun makes having black feathers uncomfortable but it probably won't be so bad in flight.
--
Locke has given Maeve his dagger, canteen of water, and profile items to carry and shifted into a Gore Crow.
Maeve draws back from Remi, listening to all he's gathered over the course of his visits, tucking it away. "I didn't know that Rae had attempted to introduce something new here before " Could it be possible that this was further aftermath? She purses her lips, shifting her own pack so she can shoulder both Ronin's and Locke's, hoisting them on both of her shoulders. "I'll ride Ronin." It was an easy job for either of the demigods to do, but she thought it might be easier with all of the bags.
The Nightshade approaches the dragon, giving this shift of his a once over, trying to figure out the best way to do this. Ultimately she decides to hoist herself up, settling across the back of his shoulders and gripping one of the horned protrusions to keep herself steady. Maeve glances towards the gore crow shift Locke has taken, sending him a burst of reassurance before giving Ronin a pat, "Alright, I'm ready. I can communicate with Locke while he's shifted. So he can tell me if you spot anything."
Maeve takes Ronin's and Locke's stuff. She climbs onto the back of Ronin and informs them that she can communicate with Locke while shifted.
I'm undone about to burst at my seams 'Cause I am picturing you beside me So let me be everything that you need
Up and up and up you go. Being off the ground is a clever plan, but landsharks aren't the only beasties of note around. But you'll probably find that out soon enough.
So, you buddying horticulturists, which way do you go?
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"Mmmhmm. It was something the Voice told the ascended once. A way of showing that the Old Gods had either made mistakes in the past, or...that their actions had caused total destruction before." Remi shrugs. He couldn't quite remember the details Sam had included about what it was all supposed to mean.
Nodding as their decisions are made, Remi takes a step back that he might shift without crowding the others. If you find it hard to keep up, feel free to hitch a ride as well. The alchemist directs to Locke, only realizing now that a crow was going to have a hell of a time keeping pace with two mythical creatures who had the strength of demigods.
Once in the air, Remi will guide the group toward wherever the plants seem to be the most fertile and abundant (read: uses his INT 2 to tell him where to go).
Remi uses his INT 2 for a direction.
get out of my waters
Coding base by Sky!
Speaks with a thick Italian accent.
Force and magic can be used against Remi without permission.
there exists a tipping point between gods and monsters
With Remi offering Locke a ride should he need one and Maeve taking it upon herself to collect the remaining belongings, there's little more for Ronin to do other than wait for the Queen to get herself comfortable. And once she gives him the go ahead, the dragon gives a great beat of his wings and takes off from the ground, sending a gust of hot sand everywhere.
Whilst his husband keeps his focus on the plants, Ronin lets his own expand further; the lazy predator in him is cognizant of the fact that there are always others competing for for food or territory, even in a barren place like this. And so it's with sharp blue eyes and a low grumble that Maeve will likely feel rather than hear that he keeps his eyes peeled for any danger. (Naturally, he uses his INT 2 to do this).
Ronin uses his INT 2 to try and look out for any danger in the air or on the ground.
In theory, he shouldn't be offended. But he is because he's got a complex. The fact that they can all use the bond, presumably, doesn't help. But that's just another thing ignored and it vanishes easily enough. The crow caws softly, flittering up to land on the manticore's back. Yes, he's still a crow. It's fine, don't worry about it.
Is there an oasis maybe? That they are coming from? Maybe the stench is killing the plants. It's about to kill him after all. It's all he has to offer. He is neither plant savvy nor a demi-god.
__
Locke is chilling on Remi's back, still as a Gore Crow.
Maeve holds onto Ronin's horns, using them as anchors to lean out slightly so she might get a better look of the sands below. The plants are easy enough to spot in their various forms of decay. Her stomach is beginning to turn with the stench coming from the surrounding area, but she does her best to push that feeling aside. "None of the plants look like they're at the same stage of the cycle. Could they have been grown at different times? Maybe whatever is doing it has passed through more recently and left something fresher."
Maeve keeps a lookout at the plants on the ground and suggests that maybe there might be newer plants to follow.
I'm undone about to burst at my seams 'Cause I am picturing you beside me So let me be everything that you need
