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 ocean does not apologize for its depth and the mountains do not seek forgiveness
It wasn’t often Deimos was mystified – the Sword had experienced many trials and tribulations in between multiple lives. He’d seen memory mud, rolling around with whales inside of it, bombarding into a festival. He’d seen memory snow, up and wandering around.
Just, not manifested quite this way.
Standing in front of the guildhall was, by all respects, a dinosaur. Ordinarily, given that it was made of ice crystals, this might not have even been an issue – the sheer scale of it, however, blocking the entryway entirely (was it staring into a window?) was utterly bizarre. And the teeth. The teeth were massive too.
So the General sighed, standing off to the side, not yet seen, not yet noticed by the creature, before readying the fire machinations beneath his pulse, pondering if others would arrive.
Or if they too, had been bombarded by the creatures. Ironic, really.
--
Hey neat – there’s a very large memory snow dinosaur (thinking around T-Rexish) blocking the guildhall! Maybe more are coming!
This would count towards guild reqs for levelling if you’d like to help take care of it!
Sah made his way to the guildhall, only to pause on multiple occasions. There were snow beasts of some kind. He wasn't sure what they were, but dodging their feet and tails made his walk far more precarious. Their massive sizes in particular were both awe inspiring and cumbersome. He'd have to patrol on Halo later to see if any buildings needed repairs.
Soon enough the Guildhall came into view, and Sah couldn't help but let out a chuckle. Seems one of the creatures was intrigued with the building. The Outlander was certainly no expert on the body language of such beasts, but it seemed almost curious to him. Sah spotted Deimos and silently made his way over.
"What is that?" Sah whispered incredulously, hoping his friend could at least identify the thing.
The memory snow beasts were cute, at first. Like big lizards or small dragons, lumbering around outside. A couple of the dogs had taken to herding some of them, much to Tal's bemusement as he sipped his coffee and watched out the window.
Then Boreal had trotted up to the house with three smallish bipedal ones in tow like ducklings, looking far too pleased with herself, and Tal had sighed and put his coat on.
Then, when he'd stepped outside, he'd realized a much larger snowbeast was standing at the end of the street, having just crushed the railing of Mrs. Norbit's porch, and he realized it might be a job for the Monster Hunters.
Except apparently his new Guild was having problems of its own.
Courier, dragon, and three snow-velociraptors showed up a few seconds behind Sah and Tal - barely - restrained himself from doing something Deimos would regret as he looked from the Guild leader to the T-Rex and back again. "Anyone know where they all came from?" he whispered.
Tal joins the party!
the ocean does not apologize for its depth and the mountains do not seek forgiveness
His eyes roamed very briefly to incoming individuals – Sah and Talyson – immediately wondering if he was required to give a warning upfront about their behavior, but either the courier refrained or they’d settled something. Regardless, his eyes narrowed in obvious, impending reprimands, before directing his attention upon the beast.
It was harmless for the moment, but only because the glass in the windowpanes had distracted it, and he could answer the baseline inquiries in his lingering rumble, a whisper so they weren’t overheard or noticed. Was it even a sentient being? “Memory snow, would be my guess,” considering the other instances of its potential he’d seen over the years – preferring this one to any angle of its kin (memory mud held a very lingering image of disaster and mayhem). Then there was a sudden crash as its claws plunged into the newfound aperture – and the General closed his eyes briefly, and sighed, already imagining repair work. Again.
With a roll of his shoulders though, his intentions were to put a stop to the ridiculousness now. “I am going to use fire,” as another ominous declaration to the others – permitting them to decide their next course of action.
The Sword made good on his promise, unleashing a torrent of flames made to engulf and swarm the creature.
--
The memory snow dino has broken one of the windows in the guildhall! What will you do?
There was a silent, wounded who, me? expression on Tal's face at the narrowed eyes, but he was smart enough to actually say anything incriminating.
The crash of breaking glass distracted him from further insincere protestations, and he nodded in understanding of Deimos's approach. "It'll buy us some time, at least," he agreed. "We'll help!"
And if he sent a smug glance at Sah, well, just looking wasn't causing trouble.
The courier tilted his head, sending an image of what he wanted to his companion. Boreal perked up immediately; the dragon wasn't usually allowed to use her native talent within the bounds of the Citadel, and she huffed an eager agreement. Chivvying her velociraptors over to Tal's side, she took off in a lumbering ascent and then wheeled to let a gout of fire shoot from her blunt muzzle down at the tyrannosaur from above.
Tal directs Boreal to assist Deimos in trying to melt the beast!
At the moment, Tal reminded Sah of a pup on their first hunt. Arrogant and idiotic. The Abandoned had thought they were around the same age, but perhaps the courier was younger than he'd initially guessed. Restricting himself to only rolling his eyes, Sah moved into position.
"I'll try and hit it with my lightning." Sah wasn't sure how effective it would be on the snow creature, having minimal experience with memory snow. But if fire melted it, perhaps lightning could too. And hopefully with the verbal warning, Tal wouldn't decide to jump in front. But Sah wouldn't put it past the brat to do something that reckless.
~
Sah tries to hit the dino with his lightning.
Lightning manipulation: Can create and control Lightning. Must be within a 30ft radius.
Type: Dark | Rank: Mastered
Also noting for this PQ in case the dino bites him:
Magic: Cold Resistance (Passive) | Can comfortably exist in temperatures as low as -30c. Will experience colder temperatures as if they were -30c cooler (i.e., -60 would feel like -30)
Type: Grey | Rank: Basic
the ocean does not apologize for its depth and the mountains do not seek forgiveness
Fire engulfed – and the Sword was given some semblance of satisfaction as the dinosaur began to melt, its upper features dwindling to moving liquid, turning its head, twisting around to spy them – but then losing its eyes, its face, its neck… in the process. There could’ve been a roar, had it not been muted by tandem flames of mastered infernos and dragon’s breath – and by that measure mostly all that was left was a torso and massive legs.
Coming in their direction, of course.
Sah’s lightning could’ve done some damage, but it was difficult to tell – sparking and shooting along the creature’s limbs as it began to rumble and move towards them.
The Sword blinked and shook his head, moving along one stretch of wall, attempting to be out of the way as it roamed closer and closer – perhaps by sheer memory alone, since sight wasn’t apparent. “Again,” he rumbled to both of them, starting the fire machinations anew.
--
Most of the snow dinosaur’s upper body has melted away, but it’s now turned and coming in their direction!
Sah tsked under his breath as the dinosaur turned. It was frustrating that he couldn't tell how effective his lighting was, but he figured he might as well try again. Deimos seemed to share the same sentiment, so the younger Abandoned called upon his magic once more. It surged beneath his skin, before manifesting in his hands as crackling lightning.
Letting out a breath, Sah sent his magic out. This time he aimed for the dino's lower body, hoping to either melt the legs or at the very least trip it. Despite being made of snow, he imaged that like all foes, it'd be easier to deal with if prone.
~
Sah uses his lighting on the dino again!
Lightning manipulation: Can create and control Lightning. Must be within a 30ft radius.
Type: Dark | Rank: Mastered
Also noting for this PQ in case the dino bites him:
Magic: Cold Resistance (Passive) | Can comfortably exist in temperatures as low as -30c. Will experience colder temperatures as if they were -30c cooler (i.e., -60 would feel like -30)
Type: Grey | Rank: Basic
Tal grinned as the fire worked as well as they'd hoped, removing the big lizard's oversized jaws and icicle teeth - along with eyes, ears, and all the rest of its head. The grin only lasted a few moments, however, before the beast was turning and beginning to lumber towards them, its lack of eyes not seeming to slow it down in any noticeable way.
An exasperated sigh escaped at the way Sah's lightning fizzled off the snow without much effect but he held his thoughts on the display firmly locked behind his teeth as he linked minds with Boreal again and sent the dragon on another strafing run.
This time the dragon targeted her fire on the big snow-dino's tail, seeking to unbalance it by melting the appendage off. Tal tells Boreal to target her fire on the T-rex's tail to try and melt it off.
the ocean does not apologize for its depth and the mountains do not seek forgiveness
Power and power and power – unfurling from fire, from lightning, from dragon’s breath, wicked and demonstrative, crackling and sizzling, tumbling and uncoiled as it reached, snapped, and consumed the snow. An impressive sight to behold, for the few who bore witness at all. In another time, it might’ve been pitiful to behold the way the dinosaur inevitably melted – something so potentially potent, rendered obsolete within an instant.
The remaining parts were inevitably diminished – no legs, no tail, no torso, nothing to speak of but a distant, dying roar.
Deimos snorted, allowing the fire to dissipate off and away. Glancing back at his companions, and stepping over the pool of water that had become the creature, he rounded back over to the guild, intending to survey the damage within. “Good work. I am going to see if anything else needs repairs,” pointing towards the broken window along the second floor.
--
Fabulous rolls ensured the snow t-rex has been destroyed. But is that the end of them? Head on into the guild to see if there’s any other damage.
As the dinosaur melted into harmless water, Tal beamed proudly at Deimos's praise. Boreal turned on a broad wing and glided back to the alley with clear intention, and the courier did his best to brace himself--
--but still got knocked backwards into the snow, laughing and tussling the dragon affectionately as he informed her what a good girl she was, scrubbing his gloved hands over her cheeks and neck while she grumbled happily and kneaded the snow on either side of his torso with talons that could have punched through ursur hide. The three velociraptors hopped around the pair excitedly, meeping to each other.
Tal only indulged his companion for a short time before scrambling out from beneath her and dusting himself off. With a bright whistle to let the animals know the games were over, he trotted towards the Guildhouse. He tossed a look over his shoulder at the other man when he reached the door and rolled his eyes at Sah's slowness, but headed in without saying anything that Deimos might overhear.
He began to check the rooms on the ground floor for wet clawprints that would indicate a snowbeast had been there recently.
Tal heads inside and begins looking for signs of wet snow-foot-prints.
Sah smirked with satisfaction as the dinosaur went down, a quiet but pleased rumble sound accompanying it. The smirk softened into something amused as he eyed Tal and Boreal's interaction. It reminded him of his bond with Lilly. Though he quickly glanced away before the courier noticed him looking even remotely fond. Though the Abandoned still had no fucking clue where the three velociraptors had come from.
Heading into the guildhall, Sah scanned his surroundings carefully. He looked for any sign of disturbance such as knocked over items, excess dirt, footprints, or even just missing things. the hunter hardly ever tried to track things indoors, but he tried to implement the same strategies he'd use out on the tundra.
Sah looks for any sign of disturbance in the guildhall.
the ocean does not apologize for its depth and the mountains do not seek forgiveness
On first glance, maybe nothing seemed amiss. Recently cleaned, sorted, and shelved, the Guildhouse itself appeared fine. Except there little tracks and footprints marked along the floor, and if any of them bothered to follow the trail, it’d lead to another broken window, but certainly smaller in stature.
The Sword’s eyes narrowed at the myriad, wandering path, permitting another feral sigh to hasten through. “Be careful. I doubt it is very large,” given the width and breadth of the prints, but he also hadn’t studied up on dinosaurs recently. “Follow some of the tracks and see where it leads?”
The trails diverged – the memory snow had clearly been busy in its mindless antics – and lo and behold, Talyson would be the one to endure its hidden wrath. Wandering into the midst of the main parlor, the chicken-sized beast would lash out, a swift bite, upon the courier’s ankle.
--
Tal has found the memory snow dino and suffered for it! What will you do next? No post order!
The broken window and the tracks were dead giveaways that something else was in the Hall with them, but the diminutive size of the prints made it easy to underestimate what had gotten in. The velociraptors that Boreal had adopted were small enough to be almost cute as long as there were only a few of them, for instance.
And Tal wasn't exactly the most humble man in Halo.
He relaxed as he followed one trail into the Parlor, whistling encouragingly to whatever memory snow beastie had wandered in. "C'mon out, little guy. We're not going to hur--OW! Fuck!" Little icy teeth didn't quite penetrate thick boot leather and two layers of heavy wool socks, but the frigid burn of frostbite sank into Tal's ankle regardless. All thought of gently relocating the creature was out the window as he kicked out ruthlessly in an attempt to get it to let go. Or smash it to pieces. That would also make it let go.
Tal attempts to kick the snow beastie and get it off him!
