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!
11-04-2023, 12:36 AM (This post was last modified: 11-06-2023, 07:22 PM by Noah.)
Noah
Noah's keen eyes surveyed the military barracks, a critical structure that stood as the first line of defense for the Hollowed Grounds. The imposing façade of the building, constructed from sturdy stone and adorned with wrought-iron embellishments, sent a clear message of strength and readiness to any potential threats. The barracks was a complex, its purpose multi-fold, and it had served its function well. However, with changing times and evolving needs, the importance of upgrading this vital institution was never a higher priority.
With so much disuse over the years since Deimos built this place, Noah recognized that these upgrades would require resources, time, and careful planning. He contemplated the importance of rallying the community and securing the support needed to bring his vision to life. The military barracks, as the backbone of the Hollowed Grounds' defense, had to be modernized to meet the ever-evolving challenges the community faced.
Noah's commitment his quest was unwavering, and he understood that he needed to focus on the Hollowed Grounds' survival in the strength and readiness of their military. The barracks, with its impending improvements, would stand as a symbol of Vi's strength and unwavering love for those he chose.
This is a PQ to help improve the Military Barracks!
1. Noah
2. Deimos
3. Fox
Am I a prisoner to instincts or do my thoughts just live as free
And detached as boats to the dock?
The sound of iron shots is stuck in my head The thunder of the drums dictates
Were it not for Noah or Kiada’s presence within the Hollowed Grounds, Deimos might have continued in his avoidance of it. Changes and alterations might have bent some of the nostalgic traces, but it was still difficult to ignore them all – same pathways, same worn out portions, same buildings interlocking and damaged. Others were gone, eradicated completely, and new ones had taken shape, but the Sword could still see outlines in the back of his mind – where they roamed, where they clustered, where they fought.
Now there were Sparkbird scorchmarks and Ancient dwellings, and Noah standing before a building the Warden had constructed years before. It had been converted and revised with the times too, and something bitter and rancorous within his blood bit a little at the thought of Ascended amends. It didn’t matter anymore; but he couldn’t help at the primordial grudge of warfare and dissent.
“Noah,” he approached on a rumble instead, without companions; saving them for future wanderings. I have other news for you too laden in between bonds, rather than sought out into the wake, but he kept his features neutral, battling the tides of ferocity, contentment, and trepidation in his skull. “What were you hoping to improve?”
The rhythm of the falls, the number of dead The rising of the horns, ahead
11-05-2023, 09:10 PM (This post was last modified: 11-05-2023, 09:22 PM by Fox.)
Fox is a monster hunter, not a soldier. But he's also never one to turn down someone in need of help, and so when he hears that Noah is cleaning up the barracks, he trudges through the downpour to lend a hand. The Ancient is bundled up in a coat with a wide hood, buttoned securely to keep him as dry as possible - not that he guesses it will do much in the long run.
"Hey," he greets the Forsaken upon seeing him, raising a hand in a wave and shifting to stand in the shelter of an awning. "Just tell me where you need me," he says. "The quicker the better, if you don't mind. This isn't as bad as the snow, but it's close."
The hood and the rain mean it's only as he turns his head that he spots Deimos as well - which is frankly hilarious given the size of the other man - and Fox almost chokes on his own breath. "Ah, sorry," he says, offering a respectful nod to the other man. "Good to see you, too."
when the lights fade out, all the sinners crawl
Horns: Small, bone-like protrusions (aka your stereotypical devil horns) that are easy to miss in his hair.
11-06-2023, 07:32 PM (This post was last modified: 11-06-2023, 07:50 PM by Noah.)
Noah
Once Deimos arrived, Noah let himself bend into the feeling of being lighter. He was glad that the original maker of the barracks had come, that the once-general would be able to fill them in with as much knowledge and skill as they needed, but even more so he was glad his friend was here. What is it? He asked, just as Fox arrived.
That same gladness transferred when Fox came. He nearly sighed in relief, but Fox's words gave him push towards a deeper resolve. He didn't need Fox falling into a stasis while they stood here and talked, that was certain. Nodding to his friends, Noah detailed their first task.
The armory, situated within the heart of the barracks, was the first focus of his evaluation. Its shelves were lined with weapons, armor, and supplies, but all were covered in a thick layer of dust and grime. He envisioned additional storage for ammunition, weaponry, and reinforced security measures to safeguard these vital assets. All of it made him pang for the home he knew in Halo and for Deimos' armaments.
"Deimos, can you create a storage place that locks while Fox and I clean up the area?
Round one! Fox and Noah clean, Deimos create a locking storage area for weapons and ammo and the like!
Am I a prisoner to instincts or do my thoughts just live as free
And detached as boats to the dock?
The sound of iron shots is stuck in my head The thunder of the drums dictates
He would’ve immediately tended to the Attuned measures between himself and Noah, had another - Fox - not arrived. And he couldn’t quite help the inward bout of amusement beginning to linger, head tilting vaguely in predacious facets. “Fox,” nodding in his polite stead, before pinpointing in his usual abrupt and concise manner. “Heard you were courting Kiada.” And while the matter didn’t bother him, he maintained a certain nonchalance, awaiting reactions.
Leaving it at that for the moment, he could finally address the Forsaken’s inquiry after tasks were delegated. Wedding plans, he gave with the lightest bout of a smile –
And all for it to come crashing down, smugness erased, the moment he set sights on the armory. It made his back straighten with trepidation, as if the entire matter might give him hives. It was understandable – given that the Hollowed Grounds had gone to near nothingness until recently – but if he ever saw his own armaments covered in such a way…
Shaking his head and trying not to imagine it, he nodded, working on the actual task instead of staring in despair at the state of the room. Within moments, his creation magic had spread through his veins and fingers, contorting and calculating the mental image of a locked storage unit.
--
Deimos uses his Mastered Creation magic to try and create a locking storage area.
The rhythm of the falls, the number of dead The rising of the horns, ahead
Fox is relieved by Noah's presence only to almost swallow his tongue as Deimos chips in, and the sigh he releases might very well double as a death rattle. "Uh, yeah," he murmurs, nodding to the other man. "I hope that's alright." Given that as intimidating as he might find the Sword, he has no intention of not courting Kiada despite his opinion. (Soz Deimos).
Luckily, the work to be done makes a good distraction and, wrinkling his nose at the layers of dust, Fox quickly seizes a broom and gets to work. Hopefully the damp from the weather outisde doesn't make things more difficult than necessary, because there's a lot to do.
Fox sweeps!
fox
i'm a pagan of the good times
Horns: Small, bone-like protrusions (aka your stereotypical devil horns) that are easy to miss in his hair.
Noah's interest was piqued to the highest point at both of his friends and for what they had to say. When do you plan to do it? Where? Man, that is so exciting. I can't wait. He let the sudden surge of excitement grow over the attuned bond for the Sword to feel. It was the first thing Noah had been excited about in weeks. The happiness fluttered in his chest even as Fox brought up Kiada, or, well, Deimos did, but Fox responded. Arching an interested brow, Noah made a note to bring that up later. For now, they set to work.
Deimos magic was unmatched, and the effort it took for him to work on the locking box for weapons and ammunitions did not take long. Fox must have seen a broom or two in his life, because he made quick work of the area. Noah focused his efforts on cleaning off the shelves and the weapons. "Kiada, huh?" Noah said to Fox as they cleaned. "She and I used to be in a guild together." He said, baiting to see if the two lovers had breeched the trauma of Noah and Kiada's relationship. While the room around them lifted with dust that eventually they all had to cough out of their lungs, there was no harm done and they were moving ahead smoothly.
The back fields, where training took place, required upgrades too. The existing training grounds had served their purpose, but Noah envisioned a comprehensive facility with varied terrain for realistic combat simulations, obstacle courses--basically, he couldn't wipe the image of the training grounds that Deimos had provided for them in Halo. But they didn't have the time or much of the resources to accomplish the replication of the Halovian grounds, so repairing what they had here would have to do. Either way, the soldiers needed to be prepared for any eventuality. Noah detailed what he wanted done from the two of his friends, and then they set on.
With decent rolls, we are moving on to round 2!
The training area needs some attention. Post what your character will be doing.
1. Working on grading and leveling the ground (2)
2. Repairing training dummies
Am I a prisoner to instincts or do my thoughts just live as free
And detached as boats to the dock?
The sound of iron shots is stuck in my head The thunder of the drums dictates
Noah’s excitement contorted over the framework of the Attuned bond quickly, and while Deimos might have been a more subdued individual, it still left him with a light bout of muffled laughter. Uncertain how the Forsaken would take the rest of the news, given the timeframe, he put it as concise as he normally would, as they maneuvered towards the back fields.
Which brought on another wave of nostalgia, and he had to work on smothering that down too. Middle of Flowerbirth, in the greenhouse. Perhaps that would galvanize Noah to move quickly on his quest, in order to attend. His eyes swept back to Fox briefly, the stammering enough to amuse him without being an overwhelming beast. “As long as you treat her well.” Any warnings contained within, either about himself or Kiada, would remain as the Ancient saw fit.
Ensuring his attention could land back upon the terrain, his gaze went over the grass. Where there’d once been flattened portions specifically designed to assist with training, it’d clearly gone to ruin, or permitted to let nature take its course. “I can help level,” and he nodded, proceeding further into the midst to use his Mastered Earth, intending to churn it over to success.
--
Deimos uses his Mastered Earth to try and level/grade the area.
The rhythm of the falls, the number of dead The rising of the horns, ahead
"I have no intention of treating her otherwise," Fox assures Deimos - and this, at least, he says with confidence. As he goes about cleaning and Noah brings up the woman he's courting, too, he raises his eyebrows. "Oh?" he murmurs. "She mentioned she was in the Monster Hunter's Guild. I didn't know you were in it as well." He's already known he's among good company, but this just seals the deal.
With the space clean and organised, they move out into the training grounds, Fox sweeping wet hair back from his face and squinting at the dummies. Deimos is more than capable, it appears, and so the Ancient lets him do what he does best. "I'll take the dummies," he says, gathering some materials together and moving to try and repair the sad looking structures.
Fox tries to repair the training dummies!
fox
i'm a pagan of the good times
Horns: Small, bone-like protrusions (aka your stereotypical devil horns) that are easy to miss in his hair.
Despite Deimos' control over the earth, today it roared in defiance. When he called it to level and bend at his will, it retaliated and groaned beneath his magical hand. Perhaps it was a distracted focus, or just the torrential downpour that made even the earth itself angry? Whatever it was, Deimos would need to press harder and truer for the ground to move at his will.
Noah, with his rake and shovel, had just as much effectiveness as Deimos' magic. Surprised, Noah lowered his head and continued to work, determined to help get this place ready for the soldiers to train. He wanted to continue both his mental conversation with Deimos and his aloud conversation with Fox, but the rain and having to focus made that difficult.
Fox, of all of them, was the most successful in his endeavor. Maybe it wasn't the first time he had done such a task. While he was sewing arms back on and repairing ripped leather, stuffing straw and loose bits of wool inside the dummies, putting them back on wheeled tripods, it was done well.
"Hey, why don't you grab that rake and give us a hand with this?" Noah called out, jutting with his chin towards the tools. With the motion a slop of water rushed off his hood.
Continue to work on leveling the training field, boys!
Am I a prisoner to instincts or do my thoughts just live as free
And detached as boats to the dock?
The sound of iron shots is stuck in my head The thunder of the drums dictates
Nodding at Fox’s response, and figuring the Ancient would say much the same anyway, his attentions were thwarted between mentions of the guild he led, and the spiraling mess that persisted in front of them. Unbothered by the pelting rain himself, for he’d been through far worse, the ground seemed to have other ideas, and squelched, labored, under his efforts.
So he remained nonchalant and reticent, with narrowed eyes to segment his focus upon the earth, but the command from within his soul was far more demanding. A sense and semblance of power, of might, of coercion in mastery and his own level of defiance, the Sword persisted – determination never diminished.
--
Deimos tries to level the ground again with his Mastered Earth magic.
The rhythm of the falls, the number of dead The rising of the horns, ahead
No one is more surprised than Fox that he's successful in managing to put the training dummies to rights, the Ancient stepping back and smiling through the rain to notice that he hasn't done a half bad job. And no, he hasn't done anything similar before, honestly - he's always been a hunter rather than a soldier, but it's good to know that his resourcefulness has been put to good use here.
"Hm? Oh, sure!" Nodding to Noah, he sweeps his wet hair out of his face and crosses the muddy terrain to pick up a rake and join in the efforts of levelling out the field. "I can't remember a Flowerbirth with more rain," he points out, wrinkling his nose out beyond the barracks.
Fox rakes!
fox
i'm a pagan of the good times
Horns: Small, bone-like protrusions (aka your stereotypical devil horns) that are easy to miss in his hair.
Whether it was because the force that Deimos truly was, or because he put more effort into the task at hand, the earth bent at his will--and seemed eager to do so. The muddy and ridged arena that had groaned beneath his magical touch before now smoothed into the most beautiful of working arenas, even with the rain still pattering down on it.
The other boys raking helped, but with Deimos' nat 20 mastery over the magic in his blood, they weren't needed.
Satisfied, Noah turned and placed his tools back where they came from. "Let's move inside and out of this rain. I've got one last room I want to focus on." He said, rolling his shoulder in a motion indicating he wanted his friends to follow him.
Outside of the elements, though they could still hear the wind and rain and thunder, Noah reached out to Deimos mentally. I'm working towards finishing this quest so I can be free to move about the world once more. He hadn't forgotten what his friend said when it came to the timeline of their wedding -- and Noah needed to be there.
"We can work in here." Noah said, shouldering open a door that certainly needed some work. The war room, where military strategies were devised, was the focal point. Noah contemplated the integration of advanced communication and coordination systems, as well as a dedicated briefing area for leaders to strategize effectively. In times of crisis, the ability to plan and coordinate swiftly was paramount. The pain pelted outside and, as Noah looked further, was now pouring inside through the broken windows.
Next round!
1. Fix the broken door
2. Make a table for planning
3. Fox the broken windows along the south wall (which is currently letting in all the elements!)
Am I a prisoner to instincts or do my thoughts just live as free
And detached as boats to the dock?
The sound of iron shots is stuck in my head The thunder of the drums dictates
Satisfied with how the earth maneuvered to his devices on this particular round, his eyes remained narrowed, regarding the grounds themselves coolly, striving to put distance between nostalgic waverings and the present. Keeping attention to the tasks helped alleviate a majority of the interlocking notions of things that once were – plaguing away the ghosts of the years gone by.
Heading back inside, he whisked away the moisture from his furs and hair with a simple flick of water magic, before diverting his attention back to Noah’s voice over the Attuned bond, and the list of things to be done. All right, he registered, wondering if the Forsaken would have committed enough to amend whatever wrongs and doings with Vi. They wouldn’t be altering their own timelines and set portions, but it would be nice for the man to be able to attend.
Gods – then his eyes set upon the war room and he muffled the gasp threatening his lungs. Where he once had massive maps of the Grounds, detailed layouts, plots, and plans, there seemed to be naught. Withholding another shudder, he simply shook his head. “I can create a table,” and set about to do exactly that with his mastered proponents – intending for darker oak fixtures and something with meaning again.
--
Deimos tries to create a table using his Mastered Creation.
The rhythm of the falls, the number of dead The rising of the horns, ahead
