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!
Despite the wariness spurred by the strange new plants in Halo's borders, the morning dawns bright and early on the small crowd of workers gathered to construct the Rainbow Gate in the Citadel's streets. Evie - arguably one of the earliest birds in the group - has already ribboned off the sector they'll be working in and diverted foot traffic away from the perimeter.
As each individual arrives, Evie gives a short greeting and a warm smile but withholds any orders until all are present. All the faces gathered are familiar which is a relief, hopefully that means a prosperous future ahead of them for the construction of the gate.
"Thanks for coming so early everyone. It's going to be a long project, so I appreciate you rolling out of bed a little earlier," she laughs amiably, rolling up her sleeves which had fallen back down at some point during the setup. Gesturing to the site behind her, Evie blows a stray strand of crimson hair out of her face. "First things first; we need two people to level the ground, and another two to begin mixing the cement for the base of the pedestal." As for herself, she chooses to set about hauling the cement bags to the wheelbarrow designated for mixing, pouring in the dusty mixture in preparation for whomever decides to help her.
- - -
Welcome to the Rainbow Gate building PQ! We're jumping right in to round one! Have your character arrive with whatever they've brought (or nothing!) and pick a task!
Deimos, a frequent early riser as well, had long since already jogged on patrol with the rest of his soldiers, before turning towards the next assignment. Grateful for a morning spent outdoors, and not dictating letters or paperwork, the Sword was content to join their familiar group of Halovians. Strong, stalwart, and determined, this would be a formidable piece to their designs, and he followed the lines of Evie’s already established perimeter until he greeted the Evergreen with a Cheshire and juvenile grin and glint in his eye.
Then, as the rest joined, they could proceed.
Nodding towards Alys and Sah, he figured his strength and magic would be best suited for maneuvering the earth to his beck and call. “I can help level,” he announced, maneuvering towards the designated area, already beginning to snag at the Mastered portions of his incantations.
--
Deimos brings everything on his profile, except for companions, and begins to level the ground using his Mastered Earth.
Alys was not typically what one would call an early riser, but for her home and her friends, she would make an exception any time. She tumbled out of bed on this particular morning, bleary-eyed, and did her best to tame the wild snaggle of curls atop her head. Dressed lightly in spring clothing - or, well, spring for Halo - and with her hair settled in a messy bun, the seer and her ursur cub left the Academy and made their way to the appointed gathering place. Fortunately, the morning air and the brisk walk gave them time to wake up properly, and by the time they joined the ground, Alys was wide awake.
She greeted Evie and Deimos with a smile. Evie seemed to have taken charge, and Alys was content, for a moment, to simply listen to the instructions given. Sascha played nearby, chasing butterflies and whatnot, but never wandering too far from her bonded. As the work began, she would do her best to stay out of the way. "I'll help with the cement," Alys volunteered, then went to help Evie, gathering a bucket of water to mix in with the dust.
------
Alys has everything on her profile, and helps Evie with the cement!
Alys
Minor powerplay allowed without permission.
Feel free to use force/magic on Alys.
Sah arrives just after Alys and greets the others with a nod. His slight delay is fully blamed on Pad who refused to get out of bed this morning. Coaxing the wolf to cooperate with him so Sah could leave took time. It got to the point that Lilly quite literally dragged her brother off the bed and into motion.
The tasks are handed out and Sah focuses on the matter at hand. Alys moves to help Evie, so the Wild Thunder follows Deimos, "I'll join you." His magic isn't as powerful as the Sword's but his earth magic is strong enough to complete this task. Calling forth his magic, Sah gets to work.
~
Sah has everything on his profile and levels with his mastered earth magic!
They all fall upon their tasks with the energy of people who have yet to be worn down by the monotony of physical labor. It's a benefit too, especially given that she and Alys have plenty of mixing to do by hand. Evie helps it along with her own earth magic as best she can, though only half of the minerals inside bend to her will without a fight given the amount of stone in the mixture. Still, between two pairs of strong arms and a bit of magic, the cement is well-mixed and setting up properly by time they are done.
Deimos and Sah are equally successful given the mastery of their magic; stones are unearthed and set aside, filled in with dirt, and smoothed over to become a flat and level area for the pedestal to stand. Standing and brushing off some of the drying concrete on her hands, Evie gestures to the planks of wood in the supply area. "Okay, now we need to create an even square perimeter with the planks to pour the concrete." Confident that the men will be able to handle that, she gestures Alys over with a smile. "You and I will be pouring. I'll help lift it with my magic so it can begin to pour if you'll start spreading it?" There were shovels and rakes to facilitate that, and a screen board to place overtop once the square had been filled. Using her telekinesis to lift the bulk of the weight of the mixing bucket, Evie ferries it over to begin pouring it in the center of the area - giving Deimos and Sah time to set up the perimeter while also allowing Alys to work from the center outward so they wouldn't have to walk on wet cement.
- - -
Great start! Round two:
- Deimos and Sah need to create a square perimeter with wood planks (make sure they're secured!)
- Evie and Alys will be pouring and spreading the concrete from the center out to the wood planks
Deimos had always been content with physical labor; unbothered by the notions of it, and sometimes seeking it out in restless eaves. Satisfied with their progress, and the upending portions of stones to be utilized in the future, he stretched his long limbs and nodded at Evie’s next set of instructions. He’d take some other opportunities later to tease and taunt – some measure of focus was required at the moment.
Waiting for Sah, he went towards the wooden planks, snagging at the necessary materials and beginning to spread them out with his fellow Abandoned, striving to ensure they were even amidst the makeshift square. Only thereafter could they snag at ties and loose ends, and he tested them repeatedly, attempting a measure of reassurance that they would be secure enough for the job.
It's incredibly satisfying to see how far his magic has come. Just seasons ago Sah would never have dreamed of comparing his earth magic to the Sword's. And yet it seems like he's finally caught up to a degree when it came to basic usage. He isn't under the delusion that he's caught up in terms of combat applications.
Following Deimos, Sah joins in to secure the planks. Using a combination of manual labor and pinpoint telekinesis, he tried to make sure that they were straight and even. Each board is tested once secured to ensure that there aren't any weaknesses in the perimeter.
Alys worked side-by-side with Evie to mix the cement, and as the mixture came together, she found herself settling easily into the rhythm of physical labor. She wasn't the strongest of the bunch by far, but she had grown enough in recent months to be able to contribute well to the group. It was a satisfying feeling, and she was more than content to sit back and enjoy it - at least until the next round of instructions came along.
Then she helped Evie with the cement, starting in the center of the square and spreading, smoothing, and leveling the cement as her friend poured it out bit by bit. The rakes and shovels were particularly helpful, and she snagged an extra piece of wood to help with some of the leveling by resting the ends on either side of the perimeter that the men were building.
------
Alys works on the cement!
Alys
Minor powerplay allowed without permission.
Feel free to use force/magic on Alys.
The cement is slow, and the work is methodical, so the planks are secured in the proper shape long before Evie and Alys are done spreading the concrete. Luckily the men don't have to wait for long, as the Evergreen pours the concrete more readily - without overwhelming Alys - until the base is filled. Carefully using her magic to set the large mixing container aside, Evie holds out her hand to help Alys from where she is perched on the fringes having spread the cement to the edges.
"I'll put the screen on top to level it. We'll want to set the pillars in place after it's smoothed out, and then we'll need to work on the pedestal so we can install it while the cement is half-set." There are four pillars that will require two people if moved by hand (though magic could certainly change that!) so Evie sets about setting the screen and smoothing the top in circular motions before pinning it in place. Turning, she examines which pillars still need to be moved so she can lend a hand.
- - -
Round three!
There are four pillars that need to be installed. They are heavy and will need two people to move if done without magic (or unless you have good stats!) Pick a partner or go for it yourself, and Evie will help anyone who still needs a partner.
Smoothing the cement into place took longer than Alys would have expected, but Evie joined her after the wooden boundary was in place, making things go much more quickly. For not the first time, Alys wished for more magic than she had - with earth magic, or perhaps water magic, she might be able to coax the cement into place with more than just physical tools. But she had neither, and so she continued her work with shovel and rake until, finally, the two women stepped away from their work and on to the next task.
Alys had neither magic nor strength to help her as she moved towards one of the pillars, trying her best to pull it to where it needed to be. She would almost certainly need help to maneuver it into place, and she glanced over at Evie with a resigned sort of smile. When the Warden finished with her screen, perhaps she could help Alys tackle the pillar.
------
Alys tries to move a pillar!
Alys
Minor powerplay allowed without permission.
Feel free to use force/magic on Alys.
Ever the methodical beast, he waited until the next set of directions were given, watching as the concrete was poured, leveled, and pedestals now required. Despite his other inclinations towards mischief, he resigned himself to the inevitable swing and turn of strength, saving whatever juvenile proportions revolving around his head for another opportunity.
“I can help if you need it,” he noted to Alys as he walked by, fully intending to snag a column entirely on his own. Lifting the portions over his shoulder, he remained thoroughly unbothered by the motions, used to utilizing those portions of muscles day in and day out in an array of means, methods, and measures.
--
Deimos grabs one of the pillars on his own and moves to install it.
Perhaps it's the weather or some other reason, but Sah is in a particularly good mood. A mischievous mood. The pause in work as the cement is smoothed out only lowers his inhibitions. As the girls work, Sah slyly channels his air magic. Using it as an invisible pen, he doodles a small wolf into the cement. It's only about half the size of his palm and won't cause any issues with their task, but it makes him smirk with satisfaction.
Soon enough it's time to continue and Deimos offers Alys aid before Sah can. Leaving the Seer in capable hands, he turns to his pillar. Using physical strength and a boost of telekinesis for stability, the Wild Thunder lifts the pillar. Carrying it over to its designated home, he sets about installing it as securely as he can.
~
Sah doodles in the cement and uses magic and strength to move and install a pillar.
Evie isn’t surprised in the least when Sah - why had he been crouched over there? Curious…- is able to move a pillar on his own. Deimos is practically a given. So when Alys looks to Evie for help, the Evergreen hustles over with a smile so the two women can tag-team one. “Can you get that last one love?” she directs at Deimos when he offers the seer his assistance.
With the pillars sinking slightly into the cement to create solid adhesion between the two surfaces, they have a base and some vertical movement to show for their work, which is impressive progress for the amount of time they’ve put in. Such were the benefits of talented hands and well-trained magic!
“Will you two speed along the drying of the cement?” Evie asks of Deimos and Sah, aware of the fact that fire has yet to fall under her domain. Turning to Alys, the Evergreen gestures her over to a waterproofed, thin sheet of wood. “You and I can get this set up on top to keep the snow off for the roofers.” They both have telekinesis, so the lightweight plywood should be relatively easy to levitate into place, and whatever Alys’ magic can’t handle, Evie is happy to supplement with her own.
- - -
Last round!
Deimos and Sah, use your fire magic to dry the cement fully!
Alys and Evie, shelter the top to protect all our work from the elements until a roof can be installed!
Nodding at moving the other pillar, before long they had everything in place. He studied their newly-constructed ramparts carefully, considering with a tilt of his head and a satisfied, content, and small smile, he paid attention to the next round of tasks.
Which, since it utilized fire, he was more than happy to respond.
With a Cheshire grin, he glanced back at Sah as if this was some provoked menace, and unfurled one of his favored enchantments rapidly. It wasn’t without control – powerful, potent, and draped above the cement in order to dry it, but he also took the time to maneuver it into shapes and figures for amusement.
