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!
Tal had perforce learned woodworking as a prelude to maintaining and eventually making his own sleds. In more recent seasons his experience and skills had expanded to include the basics of larger scale construction projects as well, and he rolled up his metaphorical sleeves at the next step.
First, he took some quick measurements of the window-turned-doorway. Haiden took a second set and they put their heads together to compare numbers. Once they matched to their satisfaction the pair headed down to where the construction timber was and borrowed some tools to cut framing. Carrying the fresh-cut timbers back up as a team, they engaged Obadiah to help held the lengths steady while Tal worked around Evie to nail the new framing into position to create a more stable and more finished-looking portal to the outside where the dock was coming together.
Tal and Haidan cut sturdy timber to frame the new portal and stabilize it within the wall, while Obadiah helps hold the new frame in place until Tal can nail it together.
09-29-2022, 06:43 PM (This post was last modified: 09-29-2022, 06:43 PM by Ronin.)
RONIN
Again, it's a very good day's work! (Well done, folks!) Tal, Evie and their buddies are successful, with a combination of magical force and skilled hands, and the entrance way is looking very sleek and tidy given that it's all raw timber at the moment. As for the group out at the makeshift dock, Ronin takes up a similar position beneath the work on his nimbus, more than happy to continue his role and building up the platform outwards while Deimos, Noah and company do their thing above. By the time the sun begins to set (and it starts to get really chilly), things are looking mighty positive.
"That'll do for today," Ronin says with a smile, brushing his hands off and heading back through the entrance. "I'll see you guys back here tomorrow?" And after saying hearty farewells and making conversation, he'll head away to find a place for some good food and better rest.
And come morning, the Huntsman is absolutely ready, bright and early, and there's plenty to do...
- 2 people need to go and collect some metal struts to reinforce all the woodwork that's been done so far! Ronin has a list with the order on it, along with the name and the address of the merchant. Be prepared for some heavy lifting!
- Ronin has gotten hold of some thick, weatherproof paint to coat the wooden posts around the doorway. 1 person will be enough to get this task done!
- Work on the docks now needs to continue, but there's a bit of a snag. Some ningos have decided that the new platform is a very nice place to make a nest! Those not tied up with other tasks... how are you going to handle it?
soft spoken with a broken jaw we step outside, but not to brawl
With a break for the evening, Deimos said his thank yous and acknowledgments, ensuring as they split off to inform Evie of early fragments of Abandoned conversation, before they snagged at dinner.
When morning arrived, after jogs and early dawn trainings, the Sword arrived much in the same regard as before, though dragging his usual sled behind him, with various tools this time. Granting Ronin a singular nod, and perusing over the contents, he figured the vessel would come in handy for the impending muscle work. “I can collect the metal struts,” figuring with his strength, and anyone else’s in addition, the task could go fairly successfully.
Deimos would wait for whomever intended to join, before dragging the sled towards the merchant’s.
--
Deimos offers to take his sled with whomever else to the merchants to collect the struts.
it's not the waking, it's the rising It's the fire it ignites
We all want something to hold in the night
We don't care if it hurts or we're holding too tight
As they wrapped up their day, their muscles and bones ached with cold and strain. The townsfolk that had helped them stood by Noah at the end of their tasks and he thanked them each for their work. The blacksmith rumbled about returning to his normal work tomorrow, and the soldier sadly relayed that he was on border patrol for most of the day tomorrow and wouldn't be able to help. Noah reassured them each that their work was a blessing and help, shook their hands, and sent them on their way.
The next morning, the hunter returned to the scene of construction quite early. "Ronin," He said, trotting over to the other demigod, "some pesky bastards took over our platform. But I'll get them out so we can keep moving forward." Noah pointed at the bumbling, squaking white birds before he shifted and cantered his massive, lumbering body towards them and growled, jaws open with massive teeth aiming to snap towards the birds, as well as his massive paws swiping at their nests.
---
Bear!Noah attempts to scare off the ningos and swipe their nests down.
A good hot soak, a big meal, and a heavy sleep has Evie returning bright-eyed and focused the next morning. Vibrant hair tied into a ponytail and geared up for the day’s work. They set to work relatively quickly, none of them the type to dawdle. Glancing at the two foremost jobs ahead of her, Evie follows after Deimos this time. While her magic cannot hold a grand amount of weight, the Evergreen is no spindly armed woman. Years of gardening and hauling around patients would surely help with getting some struts loaded.
“I’ll come with you,” she assures, and grins to hear Noah behind them, shifting to scare the birds away from their improper roosting. It’s tempting to stay just to watch it happen, but they have much ahead of them.
Tal arrived without fanfare, sipping the last of his coffee from an insulated mug as he looked over the tasks and wrinkled his nose at what was left over. Painting wasn't exactly his strong suit, but it still needed to be done.
And besides, practice made perfect, right?
"Hey Ronin," Tal greeted his baking buddy with a grin as he went to collect the paint. "How are you holdin' up with th'cold today?" Grabbing the brushes that had been provided Tal headed to the posts and began to swipe the paint into place, the corner of his tongue sticking out of his mouth in concentration as he tried to get it on just right.
Tal paints!
"Doing as good as can be expected," Ronin says with a grin to Tal - he isn't from Halo, so even with demigodly endurance, to say that he is chilly is an understatement. But that's exactly why he's going to be helping to paint, and he takes up another brush to help the courier with his work. And it's... passable, at least. Ronin is an artist and he does have a lot of experience with painting, so when compared to Talyson's work, there's a noticeable difference. But no one will care if their doorway looks a bit rough and ready, right?
As for Noah, well... he said it himself. Massive. And lumbering. So on the one hand, he's very, very successful in destroying both the ningo nests and scaring off the fluffy and delicious birds. But on the other, without those aforementioned metal struts, one of his giant paws has splintered straight through a weaker area of the platform. That'll need some fixing...
Meanwhile, Deimos and Evie reach the merchant's place with the sort of ease that can only be achieved with an uncanny (79) amount of luck. And the struts are there, ready and waiting. It looks as though you might need to take two trips, though, unless you have some ingenious way of making the sled bigger!
- Ronin and Tal can let their paint dry! Unfortunately, it looks as though Noah has gotten himself into a predicament out on the platform. He could probably do with some help...
- Deimos and Evie need to decide whether to spend an extra round going back and forth to get the struts, or if they want to try to carry the entire load at once!
soft spoken with a broken jaw we step outside, but not to brawl
Between teasing the Evergreen over a variety of subjects and the ease of their journey, arriving at the merchants to find another conundrum didn’t bother him in the slightest. Gazing back and forth, between their sled and the amount of struts necessary, the machinations were already turning. Within a moment, he’d shrugged his shoulders, the calculations confirmed. If it didn’t work, they could always try something else. “Give me a moment to make this larger,” already kneeling and crouching beside the vessel, beginning extensions via his creation enchantments, brandishing the gilded contortions with ease. “Then we should be able to take one trip,” if everything else worked out.
--
Deimos attempts to enlarge the sled with his Mastered Creation, so they can transport all the struts within one round.
Creation: When combined with Mastered Air, Mastered Earth, Mastered Water, and Mastered fire, can create 2 magical items per season (with admin approval). Without mastering the four elements, can create well-made complex machines, and an unlimited number of regular items per thread limited by endurance stat. Small items last their natural lifespan. Medium and large items degrade after a season. Complex machines (a telescope, music box, etc) must be created with the knowledge of the character (i.e., cannot create a machine you don't understand/wouldn't be able to build with relevant tools)
Type: Light | Rank: Mastered
it's not the waking, it's the rising It's the fire it ignites
The polar bear was ready to huff out his success when his back paw, and leg, and damn near whole rear end cracked and fell through the broken platform. A growl of frustration rolled off his tongue as he shifted, the sound twisting from bear to man as he did.
"Shit." He whispered out, lifting his eyes towards Ronin and Talyson. "I'm gonna need a hand up here, unfortunately." The hunter called out to them before crouching down and beginning to remove parts of the platform that were splintered and broken beyond repair. "I'll need a few more boards, and lost of nails." He called through gritted teeth, his cheeks hot and red with both frustration and embarrassment.
Perhaps he was better off on the tundra, equipped with bow and arrow, than he was building anything.
---
noah asks for help then starts pulling away broken boards that can no longer be used.
I wait and tell myself "life ain't chess," But no one comes in and yes, you're alone
She gives as good as she gets, which whiles away the time until it’s nearly a surprise to see the merchant’s waiting load next she looks at the road. Already at a glance she can tell that the load is far more plentiful than they can reasonably take in one load, but Deimos seems to notice it at the same time, and is already working on a solution.
“My telekinesis is still rather weak, but I’ll try to lighten the load as well as we walk,” she offers, wanting to feel as if she was helping somehow. It may well amount to nothing, but at least it helps as she lifts each strut onto the newly enlarged sled - lightening the weight of the metal as she huffs and puffs with each load.
- - -
Evie uses her telekinesis to minorly lighten the struts as she loads them, and offers to do the same while they walk to ease the weight on the sled.
The coating was applied without any major mishaps and Tal breathed a silent prayer to the Old Gods for that, but as he and Ronin sat guard to make sure no wandering ningos bumbled into the wet paint he cleared his throat and reached up to rub the back of his neck. "Mm. Well. While you're here an' helpin' us with all this... y'can borrow this for a few days?"
The courier let go of his neck to fiddle with the Frostbite Cuff on his wrist, then hesitantly took it off and offered it to the demigod without meeting his eyes. "It's just... the skyport means a lot to m--us. To us. An' no reason for you t'be cold while you're doin' so much heavy liftin'. So, until it's done, this might help." He'd want the god's gift back when Ronin headed back to warmer climes, but for now, well, it was Longheat in Halo, and Tal was used to wearing at least three layers even under the sparkling sun. Tal guards the wet paint so it doesn't get smeared, and offers to let Ronin borrow his Frostbite Cuff.
Type: Grey | Style: Defensive | Level: Basic
Frostbite Cuff | Light | Defensive A fur-lined cuff which protects the user from sub-zero temperatures. Does not affect the environment or any environmental issues associated with the cold (e.g. deep snow, icy ground)
"Oh," Ronin says softly, smiling across at Talyson and accepting the Frostbite Cuff from him. "Thank you very much, that's very kind of you."
And he's just fastened the item around his wrist when he hears the cronch of splintering boards, and Noah's voice echoes through to them. Scrabbling to his feet, Ronin peers through the doorway and winces to see the results of the Sentinel's ningo-spooking exercise.
"It's alright," he says with a small smile, "we've all done... well. Not that in particular, but probably something similar." And by we he does mean me.
"There are enough boards and nails here for the repair work, but we'll need more to extend the skyport out. Would you be able to help repair, Tal? I can go out and get what we need."
As for Deimos and Evie, it's almost like they're in a relationship or something, what with how well they work together. Combining creation and telekinesis makes it a very simple job to get all of the struts back to the Palace in no time at all, but there is one thing left unaccounted for...
This oversized sled and its substantial cargo will no longer fit through any of the doorways. Unless someone has a clever idea, you'll be ferrying it back and forth to the working area!
- Deimos and Evie have been very clever, but now the sled is too big to fit through any of the Palace doorways. They'll need to sort that out.
- Noah and Talyson have enough supplies to repair the damage caused, and Ronin has gone out to fetch more lumber and nails so they can keep working in general.
soft spoken with a broken jaw we step outside, but not to brawl
Content with hauling the sled back with the load safely ensconced, there was more teasing and taunting until they arrived back at the site – to find, despite the lack of intention, the vessel would be far too large to go much further. There was a joke embedded in there somewhere, and with a wry grin he turned his head over his shoulder, back to his counterpart. “I could likely make something to solve this one too,” gesturing towards the current state of affairs. “What do you think?” There was always brute force and strength, but they were better suited for some other tactics, given time. And with incantations at the ready, creation enchantments building once more beneath his hands, he’d only need a recommendation.
--
Deimos asks Evie if they should make something, and can use his Mastered Creation magic at her suggestion.
Creation: When combined with Mastered Air, Mastered Earth, Mastered Water, and Mastered fire, can create 2 magical items per season (with admin approval). Without mastering the four elements, can create well-made complex machines, and an unlimited number of regular items per thread limited by endurance stat. Small items last their natural lifespan. Medium and large items degrade after a season. Complex machines (a telescope, music box, etc) must be created with the knowledge of the character (i.e., cannot create a machine you don't understand/wouldn't be able to build with relevant tools)
Type: Light | Rank: Mastered
it's not the waking, it's the rising It's the fire it ignites
Still riddled with embarrassment despite Ronin's words, Noah set to finishing removing all of the shattered pieces of wood. Once he finished, he went to their stockpile of wood and got as many boards as his body would allow him to carry. Taking them back to the hole he left, Noah plopped them down and then crouched to measure the hole. He used a piece of charcoal to indicate on the boards where they would need to be cut. Once he had what he needed measured, he began working away at them with a saw. Jutting his chin towards Tal, Noah held a board in place over the hole. "I'll keep them steady for you. Promise not to take off one of my fingers." He said, chuckling slightly.
--
Noah measures and cuts new boards and holds them in place for Tal to nail in!
I wait and tell myself "life ain't chess," But no one comes in and yes, you're alone
