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!
May you be always heartbreaking Taking a little more than you give
The decision for the region had come relatively easily, but coordinating a day and time to visit Safrin together had been slightly more difficult given their contrasting schedules. Still, magical alcohol beckons, and so it is that the two men come together on the shoreline at dusk to call upon the herald they’ve devoted land and sea to.
Candles are relatively traditional and also provide a warm glow to light their surroundings, so Harper has already lit a few to place around them on the sand. Then his offering - a shell bracelet and a bottle of imported wine from Kings End. While not the type of liquor they seek, it felt fitting, and Safrin strikes him as the type of classy to enjoy high quality wine.
“Safrin, we have an idea for Torchline if you will spare us a moment of your time,” he murmurs as he drapes the bracelet over the neck of the bottle, heading the soft click of noise as shells meet glass. Smiling briefly at Hadama, Harper sits comfortably in the sand, awaiting his goddess wearing only swim trunks and the blessed morganite pendant she had given him.
I’ll see you all on the other side After I am a different man with different eyes
As Harper had arrived from the land, so Hadama arrived from the sea. His approach might have been silent beneath the waves but the small trail of lights in his wake made him anything but stealthy. As he emerged from the waters he pulled along the string of glass buoys filled with Arclight water and the bright, bioluminescent plankton that thrived in the tropical Longheat waters, glowing blue and green as they were jostled by the motion.
With Harper's help the glass globes were set amongst the candles, and Hadama's own offerings of a mother-of-pearl comb and a moonflower that he had carefully cut from where it overhung the water and placed into a jar to transport to Aumakua joined his co-ruler's. Though he wore little aside from his usual adornments, tonight he wore his crown - a circlet of gold embellished with pearls and green sea glass - and the ring Safrin had given him before the War.
He nodded solemnly to Harper in return, his eyes bright and the quiet joy of anticipation lapping gently within the Attuned bond like the waves upon the beach.
A rush of seafoam begins to solidify as it washes upon the shoreline. Bits of bioluminescent plankton meld together until constellations appear beneath the waves. In turn, those constellations rush toward the white foam, already beginning to look more and more like lace, until finally the darkness of the sky form Safrin's loose curls and the goddess becomes corporeal.
"My, my." She cooes fondly, gazing from Harper to Hadama and all the things brought between them. "What a treat." Safrin's smile is wide and appreciative as she accepts the bracelet, comb, and flower. Eyeing the bottle of wine, the deity tilts her head to the side in a gesture that's both playful and questioning. With a wave of her hand, three glasses appear near to Harper, that he might pour them each a glass of the imported wine.
May you be always heartbreaking Taking a little more than you give
Her arrival has Harper's attention shifting from Hadama to his goddess, and the questioning look on her face which only prompts a wink in return. Popping the cork with the use of a half-shifted talon, Harper begins to pour equal amounts into her conjured glasses as he simultaneously expands on their request.
"We've considered our first task for the region together and decided on a lucky rum fountain in the Port." With most of the bottle drained, he shoves the cork halfway back in and begins handing the glasses to their respective drinkers - Safrin first, then Hadama, then himself. "If you approve, of course." His smile is half-hidden by the glass that rises to touch his lips as he takes his first sip, allowing Hadama to speak next if he has anything to add.
I’ll see you all on the other side After I am a different man with different eyes
The Goddess brought the light with her, and Hadama's eyes reflected her glory as she joined them. He inclined his head in gratitude when she accepted their offerings and settled in to listen, and he accepted his glass of wine with a nod to Harper as Torchline's newest King outlined their desire to Safrin.
He raised his glass in toast to his lady before taking a sip of the exotic wine, considering his co-leader's words before adding: "To raise morale. And give our people an advantage." In whatever games of chance or risky business they found themselves in. It might not make the life-saving difference that the healing fountain did, but it could still be useful and fun.
Much like the mermanta found passage via the Bubblestream, though he was too stoic to admit it out loud.
'A lucky rum fountain.' Safrin repeats, her galactic gaze shifting from Harper to Hadama and then back again. "In the port, mmm?" Whatever the goddess thought of this request was carefully veiled behind her thick lashes, as she took a long sip of her wine.
'Very well then. Here is what you must do...'
Tasks. There is no time limit. There are currently 13 active Torchers. This means 7 unique characters have to participate. Characters can participate more than once. Hadama and Harper must participate in at least 2 threads each.
1. A PQ with at least 1 of the merfolk preparing an area for the fountain, keeping in mind the potential disturbances the fountain might have to the skyport and regular docks
2. A thread with at least 3 Torchers collecting sugar cane from the Oerwoud
3. A PQ with at least 1 of the merfolk collecting and purifying enough water to fill a fountain
4. A thread with at least 3 Torchers collecting volcanic rock from Apopo to build the fountain with.
5. An ME to decide what sort of rum the fountain should have! I.e., White, Dark, Spiced, etc.
May you be always heartbreaking Taking a little more than you give
It is difficult not to read into her neutral words given how desperately he always desires to please her, but she does not deny them their request so he attempts to move past it. Though war is behind them, it still feels against his nature to do something for morale instead of protection, no matter how true Hadama's points had rung.
The tasks are extensive as they always are with such large, complex creations, and Harper commits each to memory as they come. If anything is at risk of being forgotten he is sure Hadama is doing the same and can fill in.
Not wanting to waste her time when she has laid out her needs, Harper merely bows his head over his glass with a smile. Not in a rush to finish the alcohol nor make either of his companions do so. "Thank you, Safrin. We will make you proud."
- Fin!
I’ll see you all on the other side After I am a different man with different eyes
