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 old lady’s weird way of talking was as disconcerting as her unclear motives, but the howling spirits and their answer didn’t shed any new light on things, either, at least to Tal’s fear-muzzled mind. ”Dangerous?” he repeated in a mutter, frowning in puzzlement. ”What kind of name is—“
Then the swirling energies overhead began to tickle at the edges of his sight and Tal flinched down. He tried a weak grin as Amun looked up at him it wasn’t very convincing, and gave the not-a-ghost-man’s shoulder a reassuring pat. Tal was behind him all the way!
… or maybe just for a few more seconds.
”Uh. Miss Dangerous? How are we supposed to dispatch--” he started to ask the old woman plaintively.
Then Maeve chose violence and Tal swore briefly, ducking under the table for cover. Tal tries to ask the old lady a question, but ends up hiding under the table!
they should have checked the ashes of the women they burned alive
There was a choice being made here. Melita could feel the urgency in her bones, the beckoning in her pulse, the way her fingers struck and plucked at the strands of her already loaded weapon. Prone to impulse, to urges, to instincts, to a rash sort of recklessness with her powers and persistence, it probably shouldn’t have been a shock at all by what occurred next.
Maeve’s movements were a catalyst, and the honeybee followed suit. If anything, they might discover some measure of truth – who, or what, was supposed to be dispatched.
She took a breath, gazed at no one but her target, and fired the electrical arrow at the woman.
--
Melita tries to fire an electric arrow at the woman.
Type: Light | Style: Offensive | Level: Basic
Bowstring Bracelet | At first this bracelet appears only as a length of intricately braided bowstring. But with an arrow in hand, upon miming the action of knocking and drawing it, the user will feel a bow beneath their fingers, as if it was there all along.
Type: Dark | Style: Offensive | Level: Basic
Fire/Lightning/Ice Quiver | A magical quiver with two compartments. In one, it turns any arrow placed within into a flaming projectile when shot. In the other, the arrow becomes imbued with electricity. (Made by Remi)
because it takes a single wild ember to bring a whole wildfire to life
That's that, then. Whether Amun or Talyson decide to fight or not is irrelevant now - the ladies of the group have made their intentions clear, much to the crooning delight of the spirits and the shrieking anger? horror of the old woman.
Both whip and arrow connect, and although she still seems frail, she suddenly also seems much larger as well. Monstrous, though somehow never changing physically, the glare she levels at Maeve could sour milk and inflict a rash.
Smouldering at the collar and with an arrow protruding from the left shoulder, nonetheless the Nightshade will suddenly feel almost withered, as if the very energy of her soul is being leeched away.
"You are not the first to try and dispatch me," the woman snarls. "And you won't be the last.
Remember to include a summary at the bottom of your post with all action taken. If weapons/upgrades/abilities/items/shifts/etc are used, please include their desc. from your profile at the bottom of your post as well.
REMEMBER: KQs are rewarding but dangerous. They may cause death and/or permanent changes to your characters.
As Maeve and Melita attacked Amun's eyes widened. Shooting to his feet, he retreated to a corner. "MAEVE, MELITA STOP!" he snapped out, hoping he could end the conflict as swiftly as it had begun. "Whatever the old woman is, she's telling the truth about the spirits and is far too powerful for us to mess with."
Then, because he had zero faith in anyone in that room actually listening to him, he raised a palm. "Tal, get behind me." Leaving just a little bit of space in the corner, the potter fired off his flashbang upgrade, aiming for the other end of the room and hoping to catch Maeve, Melita, and the old woman monster in the blast.
Amun retreats to a corner, tries to reason with Maeve and Melita, and fires his flashbang to try and hit Maeve, Melita, and the old woman.
Type: Offensive | Level: Basic
Flashbang Upgrade | Once per thread the user can generate a flashbang from his right hand. The flashbang has a range of 15ft, and covers a 10ft radius once it goes off. Symptoms of disorientation are more severe closer to the detonation sight.
Citizenship Ability
The world is new to you, and you to it. During PQ/PQ+/KQs/Drops, you roll with advantage on luck-based rolls and receive an extra name during drops. (In order to use this, make sure to note the ability at the bottom of each post)
While Maeve might not be wrong in her assumption that the old woman is in fact dangerous, it's very clear that this isn't the fight to be picking right now as the monster? old lady focuses her gaze on her. It's not a physical hit, but the Nightshade feels it acutely. She staggers back, hissing out a breath as a searing pain assaults her nerves, causing her to wrench back her whip. Barely having a moment to register what Amun says, she turns just in time to see the bright pulse of light, fumbling to avoid the pulse.
Should she be successful, she backs away from the old woman and instead turns her attention to the spirits. If Amun says the spirits are the problem, then that's what she'll do instead. With the new information at her disposal, the Nightshade attempts to strike one of the spirits flying up above.
Maeve tries to shrug off the attack from the old woman and if she's able to attack the spirits with her whip she does.
Torchline has taught you to survive her weather and her terrain. Once per PQ/PQ+/KQ/Drop, you can 'shrug off' half the damage from ONE non-lethal attack. (In order to use this ability, you must put a clear note in the bottom of your post immediately following the attack you want to 'shrug off').
Type: Grey | Style: Defensive | Level: Basic
Starlight Bangle | When worn, gives the user +2 to a dexterity roll during a PQ+/KQ. One post cool-down.
Type: Light | Style: Defensive | Level: Basic
Fire Armor | Beautiful armor that when worn downgrades incoming upgraded fire magic, to basic-level.
Type: Light | Style: Offensive | Level: Upgraded
Phoenix Whip | A magical 15ft whip that creates a small sonic boom and ignites the phoenix feather on its tip when snapped to cause fire damage. When not in use, the feather on the end looks like smouldering embers but is not hot.
I'm undone about to burst at my seams 'Cause I am picturing you beside me So let me be everything that you need
Tal didn't understand what was going on, and he knew he was in way over his head. When Amun called out, the courier might have still been confused, but at least the other man seemed confident and Tal responded to that by listening. He scrambled out from under the table and dove across the floor to hunker down behind Amun.
He didn't have anything that could help with spirits on him... but maybe... in him? "Look, I don't ask for much, an' I'm sorry to bother you, but right now some help stoppin' the evil spooky shit in this room would be fuckin' amazing!" he prayed fervently to the gods.
Tal hides behind Amun again and Channels for assistance against the bad spirits!
they should have checked the ashes of the women they burned alive
Well, as has been said before, one could always count on Melita to do the impulsive thing.
But hey, look, another monster.
There was a potent sigh lodged in there somewhere, before some spitting nature turned in Amun’s direction, maneuvering quickly under the warning (hopefully dodging Amun’s ridiculous strike – could’ve just said something and left it at that, fuckwad) and opting to settle herself somewhere behind the armchair as a defensive notion. “Fucks sake,” was lodged at anyone and everyone in particular – emotions bristling and rising.
From there, she could attempt to fire the electrical arrow at the spirits – opting to change targets with a very obvious eyeroll.
--
Melita ducks down behind the armchair (hopefully avoiding Amun’s flashbang) and tries to fire an electric arrow at the spirits.
Type: Light | Style: Offensive | Level: Basic
Bowstring Bracelet | At first this bracelet appears only as a length of intricately braided bowstring. But with an arrow in hand, upon miming the action of knocking and drawing it, the user will feel a bow beneath their fingers, as if it was there all along.
Type: Dark | Style: Offensive | Level: Basic
Fire/Lightning/Ice Quiver | A magical quiver with two compartments. In one, it turns any arrow placed within into a flaming projectile when shot. In the other, the arrow becomes imbued with electricity. (Made by Remi)
because it takes a single wild ember to bring a whole wildfire to life
Well, we'll say this much for Amun, won't we? When he does something, he does it.
It's a combination of luck and skill (mostly luck, in that Amun rolled incredibly well and everyone else rolled terribly), but the flashbang hits true, and everyone caught in its vicinity (that's Maeve, Melita and the old woman) are overcome by a sense of disorientation which disables them from acting.
This is good, because the old woman can't really do much of anything. But it's also bad, because neither can the ladies.
Luckily there's Talyson to the rescue! The thing about spirits is they can only really affect our world in minor ways, but when it comes too other spirits? Hoo boy. Tal will feel a sense of lightness fill his body as something rushes behind and through him, and the giggling entities that have thus far been lingering around the ceiling are forced to manifest.
They appear as squat, tar like creatures still clinging to the ceiling, with smiles that seem to reach from ear to ear - if they appeared to have ears, which they don't.
The only thing is, the old woman still isn't sure about you. Best make a good/bad impression either way, this turn.
Remember to include a summary at the bottom of your post with all action taken. If weapons/upgrades/abilities/items/shifts/etc are used, please include their desc. from your profile at the bottom of your post as well.
REMEMBER: KQs are rewarding but dangerous. They may cause death and/or permanent changes to your characters.
As Talyson called out, Amun's eyes widened. He saw the women turning towards the spirits on the ceiling, but thankfully his flashbang managed to stall them from doing much of anything. As the creatures appeared on the ceiling, he grimaced. "For the record, the old lady said put the spirits to rest, not fight them. Or kill them. So I'm pretty sure there was a nonviolent solution here."
Uncoiling the chains he'd been carrying around he let the links pool on the ground for just a moment. Then he whipped them both at the nearest tar like creature, using his metal manipulation upgrade to try and make sure the chains hit their target. His goal was to entangle it and pull it off the ceiling to prevent it from moving and make it easier to hit.
Amun whips his chains at the nearest creature, using his metal manipulation upgrade to help try and entangle it and pull it off the ceiling.
Type: Other | Level: Basic
Metal Manipulation Upgrade | When in contact with metal, can conduct electricity through it making it malleable. Surfaces larger than 6ft by 6ft take considerable effort. The ability works best the higher the metal content, becoming unstable at anything below 50%.
Citizenship Ability
The world is new to you, and you to it. During PQ/PQ+/KQs/Drops, you roll with advantage on luck-based rolls and receive an extra name during drops. (In order to use this, make sure to note the ability at the bottom of each post)
There is a ringing in her ears and spots in her eyes as Amin’s flash bang hits her squarely. Making a note to snap at him for it later, the Nightshade stumbles backwards towards the opposite wall from Melita, pressing herself flat against it as the spirits start to coalesce into a physical form. The choice is clear and she turns her attention to them completely. ”Gods, this better work…” She mutters to herself, activating her Starlight Bangle as she draws back her hand to take a hit at one of the spirits, whip cracking quickly through the air, embers popping off of the feather in the process.
Even with the way her head spins, this is a practiced movement that she easily follows through, letting her body carry her through the motions. The one within fifteen feet of her is about to be incredibly unlucky if it hits. She can only hope they aren’t impervious to fire.
Maeve attacks the closest spirit with her whip and activated her starlight bangle before doing so.
Type: Grey | Style: Defensive | Level: Basic
Starlight Bangle | When worn, gives the user +2 to a dexterity roll during a PQ+/KQ. One post cool-down.
Type: Light | Style: Defensive | Level: Basic
Fire Armor | Beautiful armor that when worn downgrades incoming upgraded fire magic, to basic-level.
Type: Light | Style: Offensive | Level: Upgraded
Phoenix Whip | A magical 15ft whip that creates a small sonic boom and ignites the phoenix feather on its tip when snapped to cause fire damage. When not in use, the feather on the end looks like smouldering embers but is not hot.
I'm undone about to burst at my seams 'Cause I am picturing you beside me So let me be everything that you need
Well. Shit had just gotten real, as the saying went, and he'd played his one and only trump card. "Thanks, Amun. You've got this!" he encouraged the potter. "I'm gonna get out of your way so you can focus on them!" The other man's crazy magic chains were looking way more useful for the fight than having him stand around protecting a noodle-armed courier, and Tal was smart enough to know when to let the big guns go to town.
It was time to cut and run.
He flashed the old lady an apologetic look, and timed his dash for when the tar-creatures were focused on the people attacking them before he flung himself out from behind Amun and booked it for the doorway leading to the hall - and, hopefully, out of the house!
Tal gives the old lady a look of apology and attempts to run for the door and exit the KQ!
they should have checked the ashes of the women they burned alive
Well, well, well, what the fuck.
Incapable of doing anything at all (thanks Amun) and trying to ignore the blatantly hypocritical statement made by the Ascended (looking at you again, Amun), the seething maelstroms began to tug at her movements.
In a sickeningly sweet tone that probably still ensured she was annoyed and irritated, the youth began trading out weapons. “Any other insights to share?” With a pinpointed glare, she placed her bow away and snagged at the staff.
And, with any luck, she’d be able to utilize its range at any spirits tugged down, intending to hit and bombard, stun, rattle, and confuse.
--
Melita trades out her bow and quiver for her staff and tries to hit any spirits within reach.
Type: Dark | Style: Other | Level: Basic
Siabhran | A staff reinforced with the sap of a Wicker Woman. Black as pitch and veined with amber, this staff is nigh unbreakable. Those who are struck with it may experience mild hallucinations lasting up to ten minutes.
because it takes a single wild ember to bring a whole wildfire to life
05-02-2022, 03:32 PM (This post was last modified: 05-02-2022, 03:32 PM by Court Official.)
key quest
Well, a lot of bullshit goes down right here, doesn't it?
Let's deal with Talyson first. It's a pretty good idea to get the fuck outta dodge, but no one actually said or did anything to let the old woman know that you weren't, y'know, a threat. So as he dives by, apologetic look or not, she assumes he's on the attack. And she responds in kind.
Luckily (very luckily), it's by the skin of his teeth that he evades her withering power, and he manages to book it out of the house to freedom and safety.
Amun whips his hair back and forth and Maeve whips her whip, but only the latter connects, causing one of the tarlike entities to screech its annoyance at her - only to be bonked rightly by Melita's staff.
That really pisses it off, and the spirits take a swipe at her, but to no avail.
Seeing the efforts against the spirits, the old woman finally seems to accept that your intentions are (no longer) malicious towards her.
Amun attacks the spirits and misses.
Maeve and Melita attack the spirits and hit.
The old woman attacks Tal on his way out and misses (you lucky fuck).
Tal successfully leaves the KQ.
The spirits attack Melita and miss.
Your randomly chosen post order is as follows:
Spirits 344.5/401
Amun 260/270
Maeve 218.5/264
Melita 318/328
Remember to include a summary at the bottom of your post with all action taken. If weapons/upgrades/abilities/items/shifts/etc are used, please include their desc. from your profile at the bottom of your post as well.
REMEMBER: KQs are rewarding but dangerous. They may cause death and/or permanent changes to your characters.
As the chains missed the spirits, Amun growled. Eyes flicking to Melita for a moment, he arched an eyebrow. "Just one. Your sarcasm isn't helping." Talyson brushed past the potter, and he opened his mouth. However, the courier was out of sight before the Ascended could say anything.
Instead, he just gathered up his chains again. Picking the spirit that Melita and Maeve had hit, he swept his chains at it. using his metal manipulation upgrade to try and guide it. Again, his goal was to try and entangle it and lock it in place so the women could continue to strike it more easily.
Amun whips his chains at the spirit Maeve and Melita had hit, using his metal manipulation upgrade to help try and entangle it and lock it in place.
Type: Other | Level: Basic
Metal Manipulation Upgrade | When in contact with metal, can conduct electricity through it making it malleable. Surfaces larger than 6ft by 6ft take considerable effort. The ability works best the higher the metal content, becoming unstable at anything below 50%.
Citizenship Ability
The world is new to you, and you to it. During PQ/PQ+/KQs/Drops, you roll with advantage on luck-based rolls and receive an extra name during drops. (In order to use this, make sure to note the ability at the bottom of each post)
