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!
The dogs and the sled waited a ways back in the snow, the hounds curled in the lee of a high snow drift and out of the wind while they ate a light snack after the run out to the Sea. The pale dragon, all washed out blues and greens of glacial ice, snuffled along the altar until Tal pushed her blunt, heavy jaws away affectionately so he could arrange his offerings in an unpracticed hand.
A hardy apple, large and fresh and gleaming red from the Citadel garden was set next to a carefully woven white woolen scarf. A thick white candle rendered from ursur fat was placed to the side and Tal lit it with a coal from the fire pot he carried in the sled. The items were simple but sturdy, much like the young man who took a deep breath and bowed his head awkwardly scowling down at his feet.
"Look. I know I don't do this as often as I probably should. An' I'm sorry for that. But I guess there's a war coming an'... I dunno. I need to... to do better. Be better, I guess. Even if it's just bein' a better messenger for Halo. So I've got somethin' in mind, if you're listening." Not knowing what else to say, he just thought really hard about the Old Gods and hoped - prayed - for the best.
Warm winds which would feel as though they'd come from another land entirely—not even during the height of Tallsun was such heat found this far out in Halo—would glide around Talyson. Warming the apples of his cheeks and the tips of his fingers, neither his dogs nor companion would feel the same, far more suited to the glacial chill as they were.
"Everyone can be better." A voice says as the fabric of the universe tears apart to reveal starry darkness from which Safrin slides through, like a dancer emerging from a velvet curtain. "But not everyone realizes it. It is a wise man indeed who strives to improve." The goddess adds with a smile, before turning her galactic stare towards the man's offerings. "Food. Fuel. Furs. Out here such things mean survival; the difference between life and death." Safrin's smile turns appreciative then, understanding the importance of such gifts.
"I am listening Talyson. Tell me what is on your mind."
Warmth, and a gentler wind than had touched the Sea in centuries caught Tal's breath with surprise and he held it as a woman's voice answered his clumsy prayer. Fingers knotted against the hem of his heavy parka as he stole a glance up, and his own eyes were filled with stars at the goddess who had answered.
"Whoa..." he breathed, utterly tongue-tied at first.
When she turned her divine attention on him his knees went a little weak and swallowed hard, ducking his head with a hard blush. "You're really... really her! Safrin..." Head empty of all thoughts but the goddess, it took a subdued croon from Boreal and a nudge of the dragon's head beneath his hand for Tal to remember that he'd been given a chance he'd almost given up on, and his blush managed to deepen.
"It's... it's just a small thing," he mumbled, reaching up to rub awkwardly at the back of his neck. He bit his lip and raised his head to meet her starry gaze, trying not to get lost in it. "But with the weather gettin' worse, and the sun goin' down earlier every day I was thinking... I mean, it would help a lot if I could see better, so I could travel longer an' not just rely on Bell's nose t'find the trail." He slipped his hand into a pocket and pulled out the set of goggles he used to cut the bite of the wind, holding them out on fingers that trembled slightly, though not from cold. "I was hopin' to get a blessing on 'em. Something that would let me see through... through snow or sleet or hail or... or dark of night, y'know?"
For all of Safrin’s poise and pomp, the courier’s rather blunt and genuine reaction has a smile spreading across her perfectly painted lips. “I really am. Though Ludo does like to impersonate me from time to time, I can assure you that it is not up to such tricks just now.”
Reaching out to accept the goggles, Safrin turns them over in her fingers as she listens to Tal’s request. “That would come in very handy for someone in your line of work.” She agrees. Though her lips have turned down in a frown-shape, her overall expression is one of approval. “Easily enough done, if you would bring me a few things to complete it? Snow from the Tundra, water from Torchline’s ocean, air bottled from where eagles fly, and mud from Feverlands.”
Handing back the goggles, a piece of raw meat appears between her fingers, which she offers in Boreal’s direction. “Of course I know how important your work is here in Halo, especially with all the political change. If others gather these items for you, I will not be bothered.”
Tal has a quest! He can have others help him collect the things he needs.
He must gather
1. Water from the arclight ocean
2. Snow from the Tundra
3. Mud from the Feverlands
4. Air from a significant height
04-04-2022, 05:22 PM (This post was last modified: 04-04-2022, 05:23 PM by Talyson.)
Pale sea-ice eyes shone at the goddess's approval, and Boreal's scaly tail wagged at her bonded's excitement. "I can do that!" he agreed eagerly, taking the goggles with reverent care from Safrin's hands. Water, snow, mud, and air... his brow furrowed a moment in concentration as he set the instructions to memory.
Boreal took the meat gently in her wide, blunt jaws, and when it hung freely from her fangs she flipped her head to toss the meat up and then opened her mouth to catch it and let it slide down her long throat; absolutely showing off for company. Tal rubbed his hand over her head distractedly, eyes all for Safrin as he bobbed his head in awkward gratitude. "Thank you! I'll do my best - we both will!" he promised, with a scratch behind Boreal's horns. She crooned her agreement, tail sweeping another smooth arc through the snow behind her.
Beaming at Boreal's display of predatory dexterity, Safrin nods her approval towards the pale creature. "I know you will, Talyson." The goddess says, flashing the courier the same look of amused approval she'd offered his companion. "You always do."
Whether he would take his quest as an opportunity to see more of the world, or use it to strengthen his connections elsewhere on the continent was for him to decide. "Stay warm." She mused in parting to the man with eyes like the colour of flowing arctic ice.
