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!
They are decided; heading to Stormbreak is what's best, so before the Wraith shifts to be able to fly the trio there, she offers her wrists in case they want to drink.
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It's dark by the time they arrive, which is all part of the plan. People are less recognizable in the shadows. They approach on foot, under the solemn stares of the guardian statues and into the city. Wessex has brought a headscarf with her and ages herself a bit more, tweaking the color of her hair and adding some more world-weary lines to her face and skin. Appearing to be no more than a non-descript, middle-aged woman, she actively tries to let the rest of the world's eyes pass her by. She is no one important. No one of interest.
Fur, however, coats some hidden parts of her so she can still access the Attuned mind-speech. In case she's challenged.
Other than that, she's just a pious woman in part of a group on their way to pay their respects to the Gods in the Temple.
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Wessex is using her Anyone magic to disguise herself as she approaches the Temple
Magic: Anyone | Can alter surface level appearances over her whole body, such as skin, hair, and eye color. Cannot change internal structures (bones, voice, etc.)
Type: Grey | Rank: Mastered
05-15-2022, 05:48 PM (This post was last modified: 05-15-2022, 05:52 PM by Isla.)
we're always running scared but holding knives
There's a letter on the way that will make what they are doing super illegal, but Isla isn't at home to open it just yet. As it stands, then, she makes sure not to cluster too closely to the others, not wanting to look quite so obviously as though they are a part of a group. She has altered her appearance as well using the cloth borrowed from Amun, darkening her hair and eyes, adding crows' feet and dressing in bulky layers.
The Prince is on her arm, though of course he likely looks more like her carer than her companion, and as they step into the Trinity Temple, she does feel a vague sense of unease. Is this how our Temple used to be, I wonder, she says to Wessex, even if she's a few paces behind the other woman.
Type: Grey | Style: Other | Level: Basic
Illusory Cloth | A 3x3 square of rubbery cloth. When used by an ascended onto ascended skin, it can mimic the texture or colour of whatever the applier is thinking of (changing eye colour over one eye, bits of hair, adding a scar, etc)
Glancing up at the Temple, Wessex considers the thought. Cal would know, she replies warmly. It certainly is somethin’.
Pausing for a moment to fish for the Knowtbook in her pocket, the Wraith takes it out and consults it for a moment. New information. Safrin said the relic is probably somewhere old, but I guess that could be anywhere... She has half a mind to go find the oldest part of the city and look there. I think this might be the Voice's relic. It'd make sense to keep it where she - and we are the least likely to go. Her Champion's name in the last war was Dianna Bright, which might be helpful. Or not. She might have been wiped from everything, if she was on the Voice's side. It’s all speculation, of course, but the old woman nods thoughtfully and then slowly tucks the book away, folding her hands into pockets and slouching a bit. Shall we take a look inside?
Gods, he would know. But if you start him talking about it, he might never stop, Isla all but drawls back to Wessex with a smirk on her lips. It's said affectionately, because she quite enjoys Cal's bubbly and talkative nature, but at the same time they kind of do need to focus here. On things like this.
Listening intently to the new information from the Knowtbook, Isla's eyes widen a touch and she pats the Prince's arm so they might step more officially into the Trinity Temple. Well, this place certainly looks old. But then again, all of Stormbreak is old. It could be the gates, the Celestine... And she can't stop the sigh that leaves her; so many places to look, so little time.
Yes, let's. I doubt we will find anything about Miss Bright unless it's a defamation piece, but even that might be helpful.
Lingering briefly on the topic of Cal as she heads into the Temple, Wessex adds her own praise to Isla’s, for she is, after all, fond of her oldest brother. Not long after we first met, he told me about the Theskyras he knew from his time. It was an incredible gift. Because as the Remedy may or may not remember, she is the last of her known line - there will be no more.
Crossing the threshold, she half expects something Bad with a capital B to happen, and if/when it doesn’t, the Wraith is still a bit on edge. Turning on her visual upgrade, Wessex starts to walk left along the perimeter of the Temple, scanning for anything to translate, or an area that seems to be different, or older than the rest of the building.
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Wessex activates this upgrade and uses her INT to look for anything that seems older/different in the Temple:
Optical Upgrade | Can translate written words regardless of the language. Eyes glow blue when in use. (OOC: Will translate two plot-related text per season.)
He did? Isla finds herself smiling, and has to direct it to the Prince at her side lest it look as though she is happy about seemingly nothing at all. That is wonderful. We will have to have wine evenings, and he can regale us with tales of the Hollowed Grounds in its prime. It's a very weird suggestion to make in the midst of a place like this, but Isla finds herself almost giddy about it. They're pulling a helluva heist here, after all, right? (If they succeed, anyway).
While Wessex trails along one side of the perimeter, Isla and the Prince take the other, though she declines to pause and light a candle for obvious reasons. Anything interesting? she asks Wessex, pausing to 'admire' the architecture of a nearby pillar.
It’s a date, she agrees, before chuckling to herself at the thought of showing up at a wine evening with Hotaru on her arm. What a group that might be. Slowly scanning the walls under the guise of staring up at the windows and marveling at the architecture, Wessex finally makes her way to the altar of the Temple and lingers in front of it. Not yet. Going to check around here and hope no one tries to smite me dead. Still more playfully optimistic than exasperated, the demigod finds that she has to joke about their potentially terribly reckless foray into the Old Gods' house. Slowly heading behind the altar to check for anything, she pulls the old ‘oops I dropped something’ in order to squat slowly down and check the base of the altar and the back wall for anything.
Sounds wonderful. I will have Cal make dinner as well, and we can all enjoy the look of it before we toss it out. Or give it away, Isla supposes. But then she doesn't actually know if Cal's cooking skills are any good (and wouldn't be able to tell regardless). I'd recommend trying very hard not to be smote, she says casually, even as she and the Prince move on from the pillar and around the perimeter of the temple.
All in all, this place looks pretty... ordinary. As grand, racist old places of worship go, anyway, she admits, subconsciously turning away and back towards the doors. Shall we get the heck out of dodge? I feel like if there is anything here, we'd have to look in more secretive places. Maybe when it's emptier...? Or never. That also works for Isla.
After you, the Wraith agrees readily, finding nothing at the altar of note. And though she would love to leave a big ‘ol wad of spit at the feet of the Gods, she resists the urge to leave any evidence that the pair of them were there. I’m going to ask someone and see if they can tell us where the oldest part of the city is. Maybe that will be more helpful.
Playing the friendly vulpine, Wessex partially shifts into her kitsune form as she makes her way back to the main entrance of the Temple. Once outside, she tries to find someone who looks like they’re working - a guard or a shopkeeper, perhaps - and waving a singular tail in a friendly manner, pitches her voice up to appear the old lady again. “Excuse me,” she asks quietly and politely. “Do you know which part of Stormbreak is oldest? I need to tell my grandson there is something that is indeed older than me in Caido.”
What is life? A madness What is life? An illusion, a shadow, a story
06-03-2022, 10:14 AM (This post was last modified: 06-05-2022, 10:06 AM by Isla.)
we're always running scared but holding knives
Good idea, Isla says, and though she doesn't glance around at the Wraith, she does head back out of the Trinity Temple after saying her own prayers (to the Voice, of course). Once outside again, she moves to linger and look at some of the architecture and some ice sculptures that someone has made, on the Prince's arm and looking for all intents and purposes as just another tourist.
Wessex manages to get the attention of a gruff merchant on his way towards the Pacifist Plaza, and he grumbles as the gears of his thoughts try to turn. "Reckon s'all pretty old, ma'am," he says, unhelpfully. "Would've said the Tower but it's gone now. Dunno when it was all built though, sorry. Yer grandson's got a sense of humour though, eh?" And off he goes.
Perhaps we should just keep looking? Isla suggests, hiding her smile, as she has of course been within earshot of this conversation. Nodding towards the pathway out and around the Temple, she and the Prince begin their leisurely advance. Still plenty of city to look at, luckily.
