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!
This is not what Danta signed up for. Deepfrost and the snow, sure, what the fuck ever. But this endless, pouring rain? Nah.
Having complained spoken to various regulars in the Dusklight, he's at least cognizant of the fact that this isn't regular Flowerbirth weather (hip-fucking-hooray), but that brings a whole new set of bulshit with it.
Namely, things are flooding, water is getting every which way, and people (including the Maverick) are miserable. So like any good leader, he decides something ought to be done about it.
Standing under the shelter of an empty market stall, the hood of his coat drawn up high and his hands jammed in his pockets, he waits for his requested reinforcements to arrive.
Welcome to this PQ+ to help protect the Grounds against the effects of the constant rainfall! Please post your character arriving and we'll begin! No post order.
Noah's heart weighed heavy as he traversed the treacherous once-roads of the Hollowed Grounds. The relentless terrestrial rain had transformed the landscape into a watery labyrinth, and the thought that gnawed at him was the impending flood. The signs were ominous—rivers swollen, mudslides cascading, and the ever-present threat of rising water levels. His worry wasn't just for his own safety but also for the land itself and the people that called it home. The Hollowed Grounds were at the mercy of unpredictable nature, and the encroaching floodwaters threatened not only his quest but the very existence of the fragile settlements scattered in this unforgiving terrain.
He was not surprised when Dantalion reached out for help; but, he was surprised he was one of the few called upon. He went on to meet the Maverick at the spot indicated, however, pushing passed all doubt and uncertainty. He let his desire to help the Hollowed Grounds spur him on in courage. Stepping under the ledged roof, Noah shook himself off.
Noah arrives with a few knives, some length of rope, all of his magical abilities. No companions or weapons.
i'd fashioned my own cross been crushed by its weight there's no stronger message than dirt in your face
There's no future left for you and me I was holding and I was searching endlessly
The rain is colder than Phi would normally like, but truly they’re having a blast. They wander toward the gathering group with shoes in hand, bare feet muddied and splashing carelessly through the muck as they swing their arms slightly, completely enraptured by the skies pouring down from overhead. They look mildly skeletal with their pale hair slicked to their skull and their horns on full display, but their expression offsets it, dreamlike and euphoric.
Noah is a surprise that Ophelia hadn’t expected, and they give a jaunty wave as they reluctantly slide on their shoes, heedless of the muck and lack of socks. “Noah! You’re still here?” It seems forever ago they’d met on the shores of the black lake, but Ophelia doesn’t often have a good grasp on the passage of time anyway. Maybe it’s a normal amount.
Turning to Danta, they curtsy with the hem of their coat before straightening in a rather sprightly fashion, eager and ready to work.
- - -
Phi comes with themself and little else unsurprisingly.
But now there's nothing left that I can do So don't be blue
Kiada, too, is miserable with the rain. So the second that the option is offered to try and help limit the damage the rain would cause (and spending the majority of the time wondering why it couldn’t just be snow or allergy inducing breezy winds with the flowers starting to pop up), the young woman finds herself there, a mostly empty bag slung over her shoulder.
She arrives in a rain jacket, hair already tied back to keep it from sticking to her face, and she huddles in beside the tallest figure there, facing Danta. Of course, curiosity gets the better of her and she glances up at who stands at her side, and has a momentary second of surprise (missing Ophelia’s comment given her lateness) – staring at him – before she tears her attention away to rumble a soft little “oh hey, Noah.” as if she could pretend that they hadn’t fought before the war on opposite sides where she was pretty sure his intention was to take her out.
Regardless, this was for the Grounds and the rain, and she turns her attention back to the Maverick and offers him a nod of greeting, awaiting instruction.
Kiada arrives with herself as well as a little bag that has a hand trowel and a knife.
pretend i'm free of consequences
totally sniped from odd ilu
Kiada has a large X scar on the right side of her neck.
No permission needed for power play!
Feel free to use magic/force on Kiada, without killing her <3
With the Hollowed Grounds’ alterations in landscape, some of the animals have grown a bit wilder. A bit bolder.
So while it may surprise some, and others not at all, a crow swoops down, snatching at clothing and bags with sharp, irritating, and annoying talons. Maybe you just lost a piece of bread, or a valuable keepsake!
Oh good gods damn it with the crows. Danta would have expected that the rainfall would have prevented their fuckery, but as it happens, he's completely wrong. This time, at least, it makes off with a bit of thatch and fabric from the stall and his bag, and it's with an irritated flap of his arm that he snaps for the creature to fucking keep it, then.
"Anyway," he says with a grumble, rolling his shoulders and smiling between them, even if it's a bit lacklustre. "Let's get started. I closed this stretch of market to keep it clear for us to work, and they've told us we're welcome to use whatever supplies are in the stalls. First things first - we need to redirect some of the water..."
He gestures behind the stall he's taking shelter in, where a good supply of sweeping brushes, shovels and picks stand. "There's a flat area at the end of the market. We can dig a basin to catch some of the extra rainfall - it's at the bottom of a hill, so it should flow naturally there."
Step 1! Let's dig a flood basin where Danta has directed so the extra water has somewhere to collect and go. Shovels and picks can be used to do this, and one person can use a brush to keep the pathway clear of mud and debris while the others work!
No post order!
'cause I'm selfish, I'm obscene
Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!
Horns: Diamond - they look very similar to #2 in this image.
Whether or not Noah says anything to the Ancient, Kiada’s too focused on watching a crow dive down onto Danta for the second time in this part of the Grounds and she can’t help the amusement that leaks through her face as she watches his frustration play out with the flap of his arm. “They really don’t like you, huh?” She asks, a hint teasing and innocent, before she nods at the instruction.
Now, just looking at Noah, Kiada assumes that he could handle the majority of the digging given his strength and the fact that he’s a demigod. But she doesn’t volunteer him, instead deciding to grab a pickaxe to start trying to break the ground to make the shoveling easier. Her bag is deposited somewhere high up, left on a cart nearby to make sure it doesn’t get too muddy, and with her sleeves rolled up enough to not get too in the way, she gets to work.
Kiada grabs a pickaxe and starts trying to break the ground to make the shoveling easier!
pretend i'm free of consequences
totally sniped from odd ilu
Kiada has a large X scar on the right side of her neck.
No permission needed for power play!
Feel free to use magic/force on Kiada, without killing her <3
To have two very different greetings within moments of each other made Noah feel like he was in a whirlwind. He smiled and greeted Ophelia warmly, commenting to them on how he “just couldn’t get enough” of this place, a joking tone in the lift of his voice. When Kiada sidled up next to him him, however, he straightened some and offered her a neutral greeting of, ”Kiada. I hope you’re well.”
The crow, thankfully, interrupted them and Noah did not have to sit in the awkwardness for long. Danta explained their first task and, not one to waste any time, Noah stepped forward to grab a shovel. He ventured back out into the rain and began to dig.
It was bitter work in even worse conditions, but it didn’t stop Noah. He kept his head down and worked hard, even as the rain soaked his clothes.
Noah grabs a shovel and starts to dig!
i'd fashioned my own cross been crushed by its weight there's no stronger message than dirt in your face
There's no future left for you and me I was holding and I was searching endlessly
Ophelia snickers to themself at Danta’s plight, all around pleased by the current group of people gathered together and Noah’s kindly jesting. It’s the closest illusion to friendship they’ve had in a while, and it’s positively delightful.
It’s a blessing that Noah and Kiada both pick up shovels and other manual tools, as Ophelia’s noodle arms likely would be hilariously inept in the face of digging out sodden earth. Instead they grab a push broom and keep the pathway clear, humming a string of ditties that certainly don’t go together and are likely not established songs at all.
Mud flecks up over their legs and the bottom of their obnoxiously bright yellow raincoat, but it seems to do absolutely nothing to impact Ophelia’s sunny mood.
- - -
Ophelia uses the broom to keep the pathway clear!
But now there's nothing left that I can do So don't be blue
It's slow going, especially with the rain continuing to fall steadily around them, but then that's what all of this is for, right? As Kiada and Noah take care of the bulk of the physical activity, they are joined by some other Grounders to help make the work a bit easier. Ophelia is a veritable angel in a yellow coat, ensuring that no one slips or falls as they ferry debris back and forth out of the basin.
As for Danta? He divides his time between keeping the growing basin from filling with water while it's still being formed, and soaring overhead as a gore crow to scout out their next few tasks. Once there's a suitable pit to collect the downpour rather than letting it gather, he shifts back next to Phi.
"This should buy us some time to shore up some of the houses and businesses." He wipes at his face. "A skyship has brought a delivery of sandbags and left them outside the Temple. Let's collect them and set them up in doorways."
The basin has been constructed! It should collect the rainwater and buy some time for the next steps. Next, everyone grab some sandbags and place them in doorways of your choosing! (Or, you know, don't.)
'cause I'm selfish, I'm obscene
Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!
Horns: Diamond - they look very similar to #2 in this image.
Stuffing all emotion away and focusing all of his energy on the tasks ahead, Noah worked. His shoulders rolled with the effort of getting the mud and stones and grime out of the way so that the path to the basin was sufficient. Then, he worked even harder still to make sure the basin would work as it was supposed to. When Danta redirected them to their next set of steps, Noah was ready, and his shoulders were too.
Leaving his shovel in a spot against the skyboat so that it could be easily utilized if necessary, the Forsaken hefted four sandbags, two over each shoulder, and moved towards the house that needed the most reinforcement. He deposed his first load and went for a second, repeated, and went for a third, and would continue on doing so until the boat was empty and the sandbags put to their use.
Noah puts his shovel against the skyboat and then starts hefting bags to and fro like a strong manly man!
i'd fashioned my own cross been crushed by its weight there's no stronger message than dirt in your face
There's no future left for you and me I was holding and I was searching endlessly
Ophelia sets the broom handle in the crook of their elbow and reaches a hand to swipe away a bit of mud still on Danta’s cheek, listening intently with a pleasant expression. The burn of muscles in use is still an exciting experience even when it has been this long after becoming an Ancient. Perhaps that’s why the rain on their skin is such a delight to feel - though the cold does make them feel sluggish.
Setting the broom aside, Ophelia goes to hunt for a wheelbarrow first because as formerly stated their noodle arms could likely only handle a single sandbag otherwise. Helping to ferry loads back and forth for any of the others who may need it. Placing sandbags as needed even if it’s a struggle to heft them out of the wheelbarrow; it’s certainly easier than waddling with one in hand all the way from the skyboat.
- - -
Phi finds a wheelbarrow first and helps ferry sandbags around to place them!
But now there's nothing left that I can do So don't be blue
They make a good team, working to break the ground and shovel it out, keeping the water from getting in until it was fully ready to handle the load that it would need to. It’s one of those times again where she focuses so intensely on the job at hand that it leaves for little to no small talk – glad that Noah feels the same way.
But they get it in working order and she rolls her shoulders as she feels the burn of the pickaxe work at the muscles there that she hasn’t used in quite some time. And when the job is done, Dantalion’s next instructions come with embracing the rain to grab the sandbags from the location they were deposited, helping Ophelia this time seeing as she has the wheelbarrow to make it easier. And she follows along with them to place in the doorways to help quicken up the process.
Kiada helps Ophelia with the sandbags in the wheelbarrow they have and helps place them in doors!
pretend i'm free of consequences
totally sniped from odd ilu
Kiada has a large X scar on the right side of her neck.
No permission needed for power play!
Feel free to use magic/force on Kiada, without killing her <3
Left gaping after Noah and his shoulders of steel, Danta can't help but snort audibly - because there's no way he's going to even try to top that. Indeed, as the ladies put their minds to use where Noah uses his muscles, the Maverick concentrates on any leftover bags around the temple. The larger doorways make it more difficult to shore up, but by the time the other buildings in the Inner Quarter are appropriately protected, it's serviceable.
"Thanks," Danta calls, huddling under the shelter of the Temple's main entranceway. "We can continue inside for a bit. Much as we try to stop flooding, it's probably still going to happen. In the stalls, the merchants have been kind enough to spare some supplies. We can make a shelter in the Temple for anyone left washed out of their home."
Next step is setting up a shelter inside the Temple for anyone whose homes might have gotten flooded. In the market stalls are:
1. Crates of tinned goods, water and fresh produce
2. Boxes of spare clothes and blankets
3. Herbs, bandages and other first aid supplies
No post order - each person choose one to ferry inside!
'cause I'm selfish, I'm obscene
Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!
Horns: Diamond - they look very similar to #2 in this image.
