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!
He ducked, dodged, dipped, dived - and, yes, dodged again - away from the wicked claws of the weeping women. That one of them didn't manage the same was immensely gratifying and Tal started to whoop a victory cry before the second Banshee started to scamper away.
"Yeah, you better r- oh, shit!" he swore, realizing a second too late that she wasn't running from him. "Evie, company's comin'!" he yelled his warning to the Warden, legs already pumping as he chased after the handmaid. "Get outta there!"
If he could catch up with the fleeing invader, Tal would be a proper gentleman and help her along - right over the side of the Wall, if he could knock her off it.
Tal chases after 2Banshee Handmaid and attempts to push her off the Wall. He's helping! :D
Type: Grey | Style: Defensive | Level: Basic
Rockhide Vest | An armoured vest flecked in black and white and lined with cool, fur-like material. This item blocks physical damage at Talyson's Basic level. Requires a 2 post cool-down between uses.
Grim, blackened satisfaction matches the tar-like blood that sprays across the snowy stones. The screech is nearly deafening, but Evie clings tight, and Talyson’s shout of warning has only the briefest glance over her shoulder. She weighs the options swiftly - the Queen can deal far more damage, and right now Evie has her pinned. Beneath the Evergreen, the Banshee can’t hurt anyone but her, and the handmaiden doesn’t seem nearly as powerful.
Fuck, it’ll hurt if she gets hit, but she can’t let the Queen go. She can’t.
“I almost have her!” she yells back at Talyson, and reaches for the roots beneath where the two of them are grappling. She has felled and uprooted trees before, and she aims that power now to try and summon roots from beneath to surge upward and Pierce the Queen’s chest and heart - if she even has one. If not, hopefully it will at least keep the Queen in place if Evie needs to dodge. She has to trust in Talyson - even if he can’t reach the handmaiden fast enough, Evie would rather take the Queen down with her. No matter the cost.
- - -
Evie yells back at Tal that she can’t afford to let the Queen go. Still trying to keep her pinned, she tries to use her upgraded Earth magic to spear roots through the Banshee’s chest from below - using her Regional effect in case the mist is still present.
Longtooth Shield | A fang-shaped shield crafted from the tooth of a gigantic landshark and mysterious shards of bone. It is adorned with ebony flecks of volcanic rock. This item blocks physical damage at Evie's Basic level and requires a 2 post cool-down between uses.
Earth Manipulation: Can manipulate the earth. Must be within a 30ft radius. Control is excellent.
Type: Grey | Rank: Upgraded
Halo has hardened you against her weather and her terrain. Once per PQ/PQ+/KQ/Drop, you can ignore an environmental effect that would otherwise hinder you (rough terrain, cold, wind, etc).
You're right, Talyson! You are helping! Which... well, he does absolutely shove the Handmaid over the top of the wall, but that's the thing with senseless monsters like this; it's what she was already aiming to do anyway. But uh... maybe you could jump over and join the fun, Tal?
As for Evie (sneaksy little hobbitses), yes the mist is still present, and yes the regional feat is still going to work! A lot of things happen almost simultaneously at this point.
Roots spear up and through the Banshee Queen, turning her deafening wail into a choking warble. Who knows if she has a heart under there - it's pinned by a shield and by roots regardless. But oh, she's quick too, and she's angry, and wicked claws swipe around the edge of Evie's shield this time to rake along the Evergreen's shoulder.
Then we have our Handmaid. Rushing forward, one might expect her to attack the one targeting her queen, and yet... she does not. No, instead her own talons rip across her chest and throat, spilling black, congealing ichor all over Queenie... oh, and all over you too, Evie.
But the Queen Banshee seems to revel in this death, as if her Handmaid has donated her very lifeforce to her majesty. (Which, of course, is exactly what has happened).
Welcome to this KQ. The Citadel has been enshrouded in a curious mist! Something in the mist is weeping.
The Solar Beam is ready to charge!
Banshee Queen 46/300
1Banshee Handmaid 0/45 (Killed by Talyson for levelling purposes)
2Banshee Handmaid 0/45 (Killed herself to heal Banshee Queen)
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.
Thanks to his Goggles, Tal could maybe probably see what happened below and he swore loudly and with deep sincerity as he considered the safe way down and then saw Evie get slashed.
Ah, fuck it. Not like Deimos could be any madder at him than he already was.
And besides, he wasn't here to see it.
His rope from earlier was still tied around a nearby crenelation and Tal grabbed it in hands gloved against Halo's chill, yanking it over to the other side of the Wall (the inside). "Evie, look out below!" he called, giving her fair warning. Getting a bit of a running start in case he needed to swing out to reach his intended target, the courier slid down with just enough friction in his hands to slow his descent from being too injurious, but he wanted enough momentum so that when he hit the Queen Banshee's head with his booted feet she'd be feeling it for the rest of her hopefully very short and nasty life.
Er, unlife.
Whatever.
Tal grabs his rope from round 2 and uses it to swing down to the fight. He tries to land on the Queen Banshee and curbstomp her!
Type: Grey | Style: Defensive | Level: Basic
Rockhide Vest | An armoured vest flecked in black and white and lined with cool, fur-like material. This item blocks physical damage at Talyson's Basic level. Requires a 2 post cool-down between uses.
It’s not exactly normal to witness, but Evie gets the gist as she has disgusting black ichor sprayed all over her and the Queen resumes her struggling. “Just die you bitch!” she can’t help but scream in frustration. Talyson’s scream is heard next, and Evie just acts, doesn’t think or check over her shoulder to find out why; such things are for people who weren’t born and raised in the Grounds, where such hesitations and doubts meant your death.
She rolls to the side, shield still tied to her arm, and prays that Talyson’s aim is true. She staggers to her feet, bloodied and soaked in ichor, and slips her arm out of her shield straps to hold it by the sides. “Beside you!” she calls, and - not convinced Talyson’s blow alone, if it lands, will be enough - slams down her shield towards the Queen’s neck in hopes of severing it for good.
- - -
With the Queen pinned by the roots, Evie rolls sideways at Talyson’s call, gets to her feet and removes her shield from her arm to hold by the sides. She tells Tal she’s beside him and once he is clear brings her shield down vertically to try and sever the Queen’s head with the bottom fang shaped portion.
Longtooth Shield | A fang-shaped shield crafted from the tooth of a gigantic landshark and mysterious shards of bone. It is adorned with ebony flecks of volcanic rock. This item blocks physical damage at Evie's Basic level and requires a 2 post cool-down between uses.
And here we enter the round of anything goes, apparently. Talyson swings magnificently from the ramparts, and anyone catching a glimpse of him might say he looked truly swashbuckling in the right light. Must be all those deliveries to Torchline. Either way, his feet connect brutally with the side of the Banshee Queen's head, and were it not for the fact that she were an ethereal monster, it might have snapped her skeletal neck.
As it stands, though, it merely puts her head in the perfect position both not to be hit by Evie's shield, and for her to rear up and take a very nasty bite out of the side of the Evergreen's neck. Flashy and fun might look the part, but it appears that this time it doesn't really get the job done.
Sorry, team.
Welcome to this KQ. The Citadel has been enshrouded in a curious mist! Something in the mist is weeping.
The Solar Beam is ready to charge!
Banshee Queen 36/300
1Banshee Handmaid 0/45 (Killed by Talyson for levelling purposes)
2Banshee Handmaid 0/45 (Killed herself to heal Banshee Queen)
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.
11-09-2022, 07:05 PM (This post was last modified: 11-09-2022, 07:07 PM by Odd.)
"Fuck ye--no!" Tal's adrenaline-fueled victory cry at his very dashing swing down and successful curbstomp turned to dismay as the Queen shook it off and rose up to continue the epic Battle of the Queens. Alright, maybe he wasn't royalty, but being ignored like that was just fuckin' rude, and Tal turned the full force of his scowl on the Banshee.
"Hey! Leave her alone ya ugly corpse!" It... wasn't the most inspired of insults, sadly, but Tal was a man of action, not words. "I'm over here, fucker!" And saying that, he used his knife to stab at the Banshee's eyes, hoping to get her to let go of Evie and hey, if he blinded an eye in the process, it wouldn't be the first time.
Tal tries to get the Banshee's attention away from Evie with insults and stabs at her eyes with his knife!
Type: Grey | Style: Offensive | Level: Basic
Special Delivery Dagger | A carefully crafted dagger, decorated with the foot of a blink hare. Upon making a stabbing motion in the air, the dagger may damage a target up to 10ft away from the user.
Type: Grey | Style: Defensive | Level: Basic
Rockhide Vest | An armoured vest flecked in black and white and lined with cool, fur-like material. This item blocks physical damage at Talyson's Basic level. Requires a 2 post cool-down between uses.
She screams in agony, but she feels it’s something she can allow herself given the situation. With Talyson yelling and charging, Evie hurries backwards, shield raised and reattached to her arm to defend against any further attacks.
Her magic is still useless. She can’t use the solar beam because it will surely hurt Talyson, and she’s unsure how stuck the Banshee remains by the roots if she was able to bite Evie’s neck. Frustrated and hurting, she aims her dagger at the Queen and lets it fly, hoping to aid Talyson in his efforts while still putting a bit of distance between them.
- - -
Evie puts her shield back on her arm and lifts it, and stumbles quickly backwards to try and get out of range, throwing the dagger she’d been using to try and hit the Banshee from a distance of 5ft depending on her speed going backwards.
Longtooth Shield | A fang-shaped shield crafted from the tooth of a gigantic landshark and mysterious shards of bone. It is adorned with ebony flecks of volcanic rock. This item blocks physical damage at Evie's Basic level and requires a 2 post cool-down between uses.
To look at the situation and the chaos all around - mist still cloying to every available surface, the keening of dragons, the broken gates, the blood and guts splattered along the ramparts - one would expect this to be the Grand Finale. Alas, the Banshee Queen clings onto life.
She manages to twist out of the way of Talyson's attack (surprising no one more than the Court Official account), but this does put her squarely in range of Evie's dagger. Buried to the hilt in Queenie's shoulder, she'll not be getting it back unless she wants to really put her hands close to her mouth.
On the plus side, Tal has managed to get the Banshee Queen's attention. (And she cannot still be bound by roots without magic to sustain them, to answer that particular query). Screeching loud and long into the night, she swipes hard at the courier - and misses.
Just.
Welcome to this KQ. The Citadel has been enshrouded in a curious mist! Something in the mist is weeping.
The Solar Beam is ready to charge!
Banshee Queen 18.5/300
1Banshee Handmaid 0/45 (Killed by Talyson for levelling purposes)
2Banshee Handmaid 0/45 (Killed herself to heal Banshee Queen)
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.
"Get t'the cannon!" he yelled at Evie as black claws swiped way too close to his throat. He gulped and danced back a few steps, making an obscene and very rude gesture at the Banshee to keep her attention focused on him. "I'll keep her busy!"
He tried to stay out of range of any more blood sprays - he'd seen how it had burned his battle partner - as he made a thrusting and twisting motion with his knife, attempting to pierce Queenie's throat with Frey's magic weapon. "C'mon, y'miserable sacka bones! Is that the best y'can do?"
Because taunting an enraged Banshee Queen was definitely a smart, healthy life choice. Tal backs up out of blood spray range (10ft) and stabs at the Queen with his magic knife, still taunting her to keep her attention on him.
Type: Grey | Style: Offensive | Level: Basic
Special Delivery Dagger | A carefully crafted dagger, decorated with the foot of a blink hare. Upon making a stabbing motion in the air, the dagger may damage a target up to 10ft away from the user.
Type: Grey | Style: Defensive | Level: Basic
Rockhide Vest | An armoured vest flecked in black and white and lined with cool, fur-like material. This item blocks physical damage at Talyson's Basic level. Requires a 2 post cool-down between uses.
The cannon? Evie’s heart lurches. “Not with you in range!” she denies vehemently, ichor-stained free hand reaching for her hip bag of throwing daggers. She’d used one as a main weapon to attack the Banshee Queen, but she should have a few more…
There. She wraps her hand around the handle of one of them, because she also can’t guarantee the Banshee will actually be distracted by Talyson. And…she can’t leave him. She can’t. There is only the two of them left, she can’t just leave him.
Waiting until after he has slashed at the Queen, Evie lets her dagger fly, trying to remember every moment of the numerous lessons Deimos had held with her on these very weapons.
- - -
Evie grabs for one of the remaining throwing daggers she brought and throws it at the Queen. Her other arm still has her shield up and armed.
Longtooth Shield | A fang-shaped shield crafted from the tooth of a gigantic landshark and mysterious shards of bone. It is adorned with ebony flecks of volcanic rock. This item blocks physical damage at Evie's Basic level and requires a 2 post cool-down between uses.
And so it ends, not with a bang, but with a long-distance knife to the throat (courtesy of Talyson). It isn't blood that sprays and arcs through the air, however; as before, the Banshee Queen oozes a black ichor that will likely stain skin and clothing for days.
She keels over and crumples to the ground, just as Evie's final throwing knife sails overhead. No cannons or potentially backfiring magics are needed here. The deed is done, and although the mist remains, the victors will be able to spot their spoils quite easily...
Congratulations - the Banshee Queen and her handmaids have been defeated, and Talyson and Evie will receive credit for the KQ for MP and levelling purposes!
Tal receives +2 DEX!
Evie receives +2 END!
The IC actions in the KQ have caused Cordelia's Legend Title to change! She will now be known as the One-Shot.
The Banshee Queen has dropped:
Weeping Diadem (Mastered) | Can compel one banshee within a 30ft radius. Banshee's stats are the same as those of the wearer (their HP = the wearer's END stat). Can be compelled for a maximum of three posts.
Fe-Fiada Jar | A sealed jar filled with mist. Upon smashing the jar, the Fe-Fiada will be released and all magic used during the next three posts may be subject to some very interesting effects. (Also makes the environment misty!)
** fight amongst yourselves and post in character-updates with which part your character has taken.
Banshee Queen 0/300 (Killed by Talyson for levelling purposes)
1Banshee Handmaid 0/45 (Killed by Talyson for levelling purposes)
2Banshee Handmaid 0/45 (Killed herself to heal Banshee Queen)
There wasn't time to process Evie's declaration in the moment, much less respond to it. There was only dodging, stabbing--
And, eventually, panting and staring down at the crumpled Queen while adrenaline continued to surge even though it had nowhere to go at the moment. Tal swallowed hard and then stepped cautiously towards the body, knife at the ready, but when he nudged her with his boot and she didn't try to bite it off he finally heaved a shuddering sigh and looked up at Evie with...
Was that respect reluctantly dawning in his eyes?
"Yeah, well... guess y'did okay," he admitted gruffly. "Thanks for not shootin' me with th'cannon or anythin'." He lightly kicked the Banshee Queen again as he was scuffing his foot through the snow and a jar rolled loose. He bent to pick it up, hefting it thoughtfully before slipping it into his Bag of Holding and heading over to Evie. There were dragons to deal with, but first...
"Need any help bandagin' up?" The question was accompanied by a scowl of discomfort, but the offer was, at least, sincere. Tal snags the Fe-Fiada Jar!
Admittedly, she’s pissed that the Queen falls to Tal’s blade and not her own. Not against Talyson of course but it feels as if the entire fight is unfinished, a failure on her part despite all she’d done, the personal injury she’d taken to ensure the Queen could hurt nobody else.
Cordelia had run. Evie stuffs any sourness down about that to focus on the fact that Talyson had stayed, and they had succeeded.
Gods, they’ve done it.
Shaking, ichor-stained hands reach for the cuff on her ear. “Deimos Ignatius,” she whispers, activating its pair attached to her lover’s ear. She has no way of knowing whether it will even work in the Draig, if he will hear her, but he is the first person she thinks of in that moment and she has to try. “Halo stands,” her voice cracks with relief as she says it, “Halo stands. Just come home safe to us.” To me.
Her hand falls away, and she turns to Talyson, refusing to stumble even as the adrenaline in her body begins to crash and die, leaving her shaken and unsteady. “I’m not willing to sacrifice you in any way, even if you could have taken it,” she assures through numb lips, biting back a hysterical laugh at Tal’s clumsy half-compliments. Evie has no such issues being frank.
She bends down with a wince to pick up the diadem, and flashes a grateful grimace of a smile towards Talyson. “Please. Something is still interfering with my magic. Just a rush job, though - we need to get any wounded inside where our magic will hopefully work, and get the gates standing.” Already her mind is five steps ahead, though she looks a right disaster, shoulder torn apart and stained with ichor that has coated her crimson hair and cheek as well. But she pauses as Talyson moves towards her, pinning him with the most sincere gaze she can, regardless of whether he will appreciate it. “You made Halo proud today, Talyson. Deimos too, I’m sure.” A riskier thing to say, but her own pride for him surely won’t mean anything. “Thank you. For being here with me, for helping me. I couldn’t have done it without you.” And then she turns her head away so she won’t potentially piss him off any further, awaiting the swift cinch of bandages before she heads into the Citadel to determine the damage and next steps.
