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!
Colossal, imposing, and towering above most of the rest of the market, it was easy for Deimos to bombard his way through the crowd simply by way of mass. There was no need to be overt; the fellow passersby tended to divert around him like a stream, and so his stride remained calm and self-possessed, gaze landing upon familiar stalls and portions of the bazaar that might suit Darkeye’s needs. Belial had already taken flight, whisking over people’s heads with regular zest, while Zuriel trudged close behind the Sword.
Checking over his shoulder to ensure the older man was close at hand, he nodded and jutted his jaw towards a stall nearby – offering all sorts of alcohol, the seller exclaiming their wares in a loud, boisterous voice, thrumming and humming amidst the displays. “This one might be to your liking,” Deimos inclined, waiting for the inevitable depiction of choices, or the denial when nothing caught the man's eye. Then his gaze already locked further down the street, where they could snag a bite of food.
Darkeye was surprised at how big this market was. So many smells and goods. From time to time Darkeye stopped and watched until he got the feeling that he almost lost Deimos and started to walk again. It was good for Darkeye to see so much life in this world. It was very different from the Grounds where he landed. And he had never been one to like crowds, but he was glad to see it here. Because this way it didn't seem all was lost for Caido.
Darkeye was a little behind, but with a few steps he had caught up Deimos. He looked and smelled for the god ones but then he looked to Deimos. "You don't drink Deimos? If not then I won't drink alone. I won't drink either if you say you are fasting. I don't want to make this harder for you." Darkeye waited for a response.
He tilted his head at Darkeye’s consideration, and then snorted, allowing a small grin to manifest in the corners of his mouth. “Not at the moment.” Perhaps, in time, when he could trust his own instincts again, rather than conforming to hellish judgement, terrible influences, and accompanying rage, he’d pursue the endeavors to relax. His head shook at the insistence though. “It does not bother me. Pick what you want.”
Thereafter, he rifled through his bag of holding, opening the brim wide enough to snag at some items he had available to trade and parse away. If nothing suited the merchant, there was always the option of creating something, but he’d rather utilize what he already had. His hand came away with several Hel feathers he’d plucked from a decent hunt, considering their value on the edges of arrows, or in down-filled luxuries.
02-05-2022, 08:32 AM (This post was last modified: 02-05-2022, 08:33 AM by Darkeye.)
Blackeye
Not the strongest win the battle —
Darkeye looked at Deimos for a moment. "You are right maybe a diet will be good for me. You don't want to say it but all this fat makes me slow. So nothing for me either. I will drink a good tea with you." Darkeye started to walk to where Deimos pointed for the meal. While he walked he turned to Deimos. "What will be a good trade for the meal and the alcohol? Can you explain to me if you are so kind?" Hunting would be a good option thought Darkeye. Animal skin or teeth could help. Maybe just gold or silver if they exist in this world.
Deimos opened his mouth for a moment at the sudden proclamation – then closed it shut rapidly, trying not to laugh. It came out as a stifled snort through his nose and chest; uncertain if Darkeye was implementing some self-deprecating humor, or simply wading away from the other potentials. A colder, sweet-brewed drink might’ve been more of a luxury in the heat anyway, but worth the wandering in and amongst the market.
Finding the stall, he immediately began bartering with the merchant, offering a few feathers in exchange, permitting Darkeye to see the correspondence, how it worked and how it was implemented. Reasoning out the charge and payment, the Sword came away with the drinks in hand, offering one to the older man, before pressing onwards, following the smells of meat. He’d take anything over Hels. He tilted his head at the question, nodding along as he swallowed some of his iced tea. “I tend to use leftovers from my hunts. That way, nothing goes to waste, and everyone gets something they want.” Feathers for arrows and quivers. Bones for whittling new pieces. “Any particular finds from other lands work too.” Especially for the traders who didn’t have opportunities to venture outwards.
Darkeye looked Deimos in the face. He couldn't help laughing out loud. This joke was always a good one. And most people never understood it. Darkeye hit Deimos on the back and stood there for a moment to breathe normally. Then he followed Deimos.
Darkeye watched and listened closely to how to barter. A few questions here and there in between the haggling. Bartering was simple but effective. Darkeye smelled the sweet drink first. He never smelled tea that sweet. He started to drink it carefully. It tasted amazing and fresh. He needed more of that. Darkeye noded, that was good information. "Can you get a special request to bring something from traders? And with the portals are there still caravans?" Darkeye followed Deimos where the meat was.
Recovering from the reel of laughter, the Sword wound his way along the market square, stopping when some semblances of burgers seemed to be cooking over someone’s open grill. To no surprise, the line was long, but he wasn’t bothered. Patience was a fortitude well honed in his bones, as he stood to take a place in the queue.
As for the question, he tilted his head vaguely, considering. “Perhaps. There may be a note on the boards occasionally.” Information copied and passed around, eager for all eyes to see, for assistance to be granted. “I have heard of a caravan in the desert,” hadn’t there been some sort of document pinpointed on the same threads? “Though I have not been myself.” Too busy, with too many other things to do. The only thing that would make him embark that way was curiosity anyway – though he supposed with the guild in play, there could always be information to be snagged amongst the sand and dunes too.
The smell was amazing and Darkeye understood quickly why there were so many people. Darkeye still had some of his tea. This place was so full of life and happiness. So different to the Grounds. No one was interested in the war. They just had a nice day.
Darkeye stroked his beard. "I think I need to find a way to get some goods to trade. Maybe deliver something. The caravan? I will try to meet these people." Darkeye wondered about something since there was no money in this world. "What will you do with your guild then? Hunting monsters, making the world a better place, or just a good fight. What is the reason for doing it? Or just to survive?"
There were plenty of opportunities to find and gather materials for trade – sometimes it occurred by pure happenstance, other proportions offered favors, fortunes, and anything else that might favor the bold. “You will find the jungles have a lot of resources,” and his jaw jutted forward, an indication of the direction of the wild copse and the overgrown vines, well beyond the market square. “The Wilds in general, really,” and he shrugged his shoulders, offering a half-smile, before meandering forward along his place in line.
The question thereafter hadn’t been voiced to him before – and for a moment he wondered if he’d simply taken on the responsibility of the guild because that was his lifestyle. To place a multitude of burdens across his shoulders – used to bearing increasing weight and pressure. After a few moments of consideration, he broke apart their vague silence with a low rumble. “Perhaps all of that.” The grin returned, though not reaching his eyes – which pierced elsewhere, watching the shift and swirl of people. “But mostly protection. Survival. There are worse things heading our way than monsters, and this is a way to prepare others…” he shrugged his shoulders, ending the notions there.
The Sword had other plans, naturally. But they included mountains and rebellions, and weren’t about to be granted to someone he barely knew.
Darkeye looked in the direction Deimos indicated. "I think I will go in the jungle soon then. Hunting and maybe more. Thank you for that Deimos. Are there all kinds of beasts in this world, a Matikor maybe? A lion with wings of a dragon, sometimes feathers, sometimes a face of a human or a lion, and a tail of a scorpion, high like a bear, sometimes with horns of a goat or deer? Did you hear of such a beast? I need to find such an animal. Or a black panther?" Darkeye followed Deimos. The smell was amazing. Kor is with these animals, where they are there is Kor.
Darkeye took a small sip of the tea. Quietly he said to Deimos. " Danger? I'm in. What are these dangers that are worse than a monster? Do you mean the war or something else?" Darkeye wanted to put a hand on Deimos shoulder. But since Deimos was too big, he only managed to reach to his back, patting his back instead of his shoulder. Then Darkeye started to talk normally. "I like you. Maybe we can become friends. And then I will join you on your way. If you allow me to do so? Maybe my place in the world is to protect you. But for that, I need to find out more. After the meal we can talk more, I hope. But the smell is amazing." Darkeye was happy to talk like this with Deimos.
The mention of more beasts made him stand a little straighter, staring ahead for a moment as he realized he’d seen the kind of animal Darkeye described. “There are many kinds of creatures here. But the only manticore I have seen is Remi – he can shift into one.” Whether or not this meant there were others with the same ability, or animals roaming wildly, freely, in such a state, he wasn’t certain – he’d yet to encounter other hellhounds. “There are several different large cats. Molten tigers. Panthers, certainly. Some that even hail from the sea.”
Moving ahead in line, he snorted at the grasping possibilities. “War. And everything else in between.” The Sword arched a brow at the next set of movements and motions though, wondering why or how he’d earned the pat, or the semblances of protection. He almost laughed – that had always been his role, and couldn’t even recall the last time someone had sought to guard him. It had never worked that way. He’d been blade, shield, fortitude, might, and menace, for lifetimes. “I doubt I need protection, though I appreciate the sentiment.” Pondering over other measures, his brow furrowed slightly. “Or do you mean you want to join the guild?”
Darkeye looked surprised to hear that. "Where can I find this Remi? I need to talk to him. And I need to see it myself. It's not that I do not trust you, it has to do with Kor. The manticore is his creation. Can everyone shift into different beasts?" Could this Remi be Kor? He had to find out. "Can you help me find a black panther if possible, or tell me where I find one. I need to find it and fight it with only my hands to see if it is the same as in my world." Darkeye chewed the fingernail on his thumb. Was this possible? "What kind of person is this Remi?"
"It's not about the protection, it's more that I know that is hard to go that way. I know how it is to stand in your shoes. And if you ever want to talk, we can talk. You try to see the big picture in all of that bullshit around you that happens. This was a pat of commendation if you can accept it." Darkeye laughed a bit. He liked Deimos, Deimos was a man that tried to see more than only his problems. A man that was worth fighting for. "When I find out what I need to know about Caido then I might join your guild. But first I need to know more things. If it is allowed for me to join later." A guild that hunted creatures. Darkeye would like to join immediately but there was still work to do.
The reaction Darkeye gave hadn’t been expected, and for an instant Deimos grimaced – not intending to send the newcomer directly into Remi’s path, nor believing the latter would enjoy the notions of being inspected or scrutinized. “Remi is a busy man. He helps lead the Greatwood. Powerful, temperamental.” A warning, maybe, as much as one could lend into neutral lines. “Not everyone – those who are Attuned can shift into animals.” And Ascended, he supposed, if they drank from the same individuals.
The next question made him blink, then furrow his brows. “Why do you need to fight it with just your hands?” Or, alternatively, why couldn’t he just leave the predators alone?
The notions following though strung him back into his residual silence, moving along in line as the crowd in front of them began to thin. Perhaps the Sword had never seen it as the difficult path. It’d always been the one he’d tread, undaunted and unrelenting, sometimes ruthless, sometimes unyielding, sometimes erroring on the side of unforeseen consequences, but there just the same. He took a breath and let the thoughts meander, a quick smile of gratitude in regards to the older man. “Thank you. And yes, the guild will be available for any to join at any time.”
Darkeye thought for a moment. "A powerful leader. Sure, this will not be easy, but I need to talk to him. Where can I find him? This is very important for me." Darkeye stroked his beard again. "What am I then? I'm sure that I can't shift in something."
"A black panther is a very good fighter. Kor is in this animal. It's an old ritual for Kor where you fight the panter and keep the scars that this animal gives to you. You fight it with your hands to say I'm equal to you. Most of the time, the panther starts to flee after a good fight so both fighters have a good chance to survive. It's important to sweat and bleed. If you do this, you can get a vision from Kor." It happened that both died or one, but this was not the important part. "And this is why Kor is so special to me. He doesn't think that you are his servant and demands your prayers. He wants to see that you give your best. I need to find Kor Deimos. I served him for more than a hundred years."
Darkeye smiled at these words and was very happy to hear them. There were many questions he had about the guild but it wasn't the right time for that. Darkeye remembered when he had a little town under his command. Many mistakes were made. "I will think about this when I have all the information that I need."
