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!
Frey’s tasks were feasible filaments – enough to mold a day around, in between their other duties, repairs, hunting, and scouting amidst the tundra. In another time, he wouldn’t even have the feeling of trepidation in his bones, a sort of repose, away from missives upon a desk or discussing politics. However, they’d long since lost their tranquility after the war, and in its place came all the consternation – more inquiries than answers.
But they could mine stone for the walls in this moment, tend to the matters at hand. He could live in instances rather than always looking around and ahead to dread, and flicking his gaze back to his constituents, allowed the barest hint of a smile. The sled dragged behind him, full of their tools and intentions to fill it; figuring he could create another one if necessary, if they were successful, if –
His eyes narrowed, before jutting his jawline towards the main entrance, and then down a narrower, but open path – away from the hot springs and more towards the opposite. Belial flew overhead before descending upon the cave floor, while Zuriel snorted, far more patient. “Figure we can start here,” gesturing towards the wall lined with rock and ore. “As long as we are careful,” nothing should come down – his incantations, and others, could ensure some stability.
--
This is a PQ/RQ to gather mine stone from the Fangs and bring it back to the Citadel. Your character may use any means necessary to snag at some rock, including magic, tools, etc.
Success may be measured via dice roll and IC actions. No post order!
02-14-2024, 12:24 AM (This post was last modified: 02-22-2024, 04:55 PM by Noah.)
Noah ventured into the Fangs with his friends at his side. The landscape was a frozen labyrinth of jagged rocks and glittering snow, each step a careful negotiation with the unforgiving elements. Even Vi'dore, as surefooted as he was, still slipped sometimes. The air was crisp, biting at cheeks with a reminder of the harshness of this northern realm. Yet, amidst the desolation, Noah felt the comfort of home.
Deimos herded them towards where they needed to go, and the Forsaken followed. As they delved deeper into the Fangs, the landscape seemed to grow even more hostile, with icy winds howling through the rocky crevices. Only once they were deep inside the cavern systems did the harsh winds stop hiwling in his ears.
From the sled he grabbed the tools he would need, including a pick axe. Then, he began working.
Noah has all his stuff except invisibility cloak. He grabs a pick axe from the sled and gets to work!
Evie is alone today, Micah absent from her side given his understandable distaste for caves and caverns, but she has Deimos at her side and a wealth of pleasant memories for this particular location to buoy her in the absence of her companion's presence.
Their collective footsteps echo, but it isn't long until they have reached a spot where stone harvesting is both safe and suitable. Evie touches a hand to the wall, using her magic to sense the layers of support and structure within and orienting herself to the sections safest for harvesting. There are no imminently dangerous sections immediately apparent, so she doesn't bother to point them out.
Foregoing the pickaxes for now, Evie rolls up her sleeves, the humidity in the caves uncommon for Halo and slightly taxing given her Academy blessing. Magic at the ready, she sets to work immediately, using her abilities to force neat lines to bisect through the weaker materials to begin excavating the stone directly.
- - -
Evie arrives with all her items and uses her magic to begin excavating surface level stone!
Don't look up, just let them think There's no place else you'd rather be
Mining was unfamiliar to Sah. He'd harvested plants, and animals and dug through the earth before to construct things. But actual mining was a new one. Trekking through the Fangs, the group soon found a place to begin. Running a hand along the wall of the cavern, Sah traced the cracks in the ice and rock.
Finding a place that felt weaker, he began to channel his magic. Earth to pry and break the walls apart to get to suitable stone. Telekinesis to prevent excess damage and to pile his harvest beside him. With four people working, he hoped that things would smoothly.
~
Sah arrives with everything on his profile (minus companions) and begins to excavate using mastered earth and telekinesis.
I think therefore I am, But what if all I do is bleed?
They were all meticulous, quiet, and focused; any other time Deimos might have incited mischief just to break up the monotony, but there was work to be done first – and with so many other things pervading and surrounding his mind and motivations, the juvenile tactics could wait. His own earth machinations picked at the surface, ensuring the rocks and stones were collecting quickly and without complaint.
Noah and his pickaxe made quick efforts along the chambers as well, snagging at pieces and portions. When trying to place them within the sled, however, they toppled down along the floor instead of directly into the vessel, and he had to spend a great deal of time retrieving them.
Thereafter though, would he notice something different in the wall?
Evie, careful and meticulous, wouldn’t find much issue either – certain about where she intended to reach, her enchantments hastened forth a collection, bundled and stored into the sled without further complaint.
Even with Sah lacking experience in this particular field, he’d find the same situation at hand – magic contorted tightly and controlled, ensuring a prevention of collapse and imminent damage.
The Sword, wary of taking too much, already began moving them onward. “We can keep going this way. I want to make sure we are not endangering anything.” Whether it be the walls, the surface, or the caves themselves; stability had never been high on the Fangs’ priority.
--
So far so good! ¼ of the stone has been collected!
And Noah has found something in the wall! Will he pick at it or move along with the others?
No post order!
it's not the waking, it's the rising It's the fire it ignites
Noah’s strength seemed to be aiding him well in the endeavor before them. He swung the axe with precision and was able to break quite a bit of stone free, but his haste may have caused him more time. The Forsaken grumbled as stones toppled. He hefted and lifted, bringing them back to the sled, over and over and over. They kept tumbling, and he kept groaning, until finally they didn’t, and he was able to get back to work.
He had only just stepped back into position when Deimos called out for them to move on. He went to obey the command of his warden, but stopped as something caught his eye in the wall. His heart fluttered for a moment and his first through was mageglass(even though his writer knows better) and he stopped. ”Hey, I found something. I’m not sure what it is, though. Should I try to get it out?”
Noah pauses and asks the group if they think he should try to get it (whatever it is) out of the wall!
02-22-2024, 07:15 PM (This post was last modified: 02-22-2024, 07:20 PM by Sah.)
Sah
"Moving is a good idea." Although this group could probably survive and escape a minor cave collapse, there was no point in risking it. Particularly since they were in the Fangs. Sah wouldn't be surprised if such a disturbance woke up a monster or other beast. If a white dragon showed up, all bets of avoiding destruction were off.
Noah brought their attention to an anomaly in the wall. Uncertain of what it was, Sah glanced at Deimos. "Can you sense anything from it?"
When they arrived at the next point of mining, Sah resumed with the same tactic. Tracing the cracks along the worn rock, he found a place that felt similarly suitable to mine. Channeling his magic once more, he began to carve out sections of stone to place in a pile for collection.
~
Sah asks Deimos if he can sense anything from what Noah found. He then keeps collecting in their new location with mastered earth and telekinesis!
I think therefore I am, But what if all I do is bleed?
With her own collection loaded into the sled, Evie turns her attention to Noah when he calls out to the group. Evie comes to peer around both him and Sah, and lends her magic to try and help free it a little further so he might extricate it on his own time if he so chooses. "It's worth a look at least, right?" Smiling encouragingly, Evie doesn't linger long, making her way further down the tunnels for another suitable spot to mine.
It's a repetitive course of action, but she sets to the task with a willing mind. Earth, telekinesis, a bit of elbow grease. Whatever it takes to load the sled higher and higher.
- - -
Evie helps clear out more space around whatever Noah has found with her magic and encourages taking a look at it. She then continues to use her earth and telekinesis for mining.
Don't look up, just let them think There's no place else you'd rather be
Already further along the hall, the echoes bounded and brought his attention briefly away from the wall he was about to maul – and between Noah’s announcement, Sah’s inquiry, and Evie’s measures, his attention was brought to the portions, though a little farther from the others. As far as sensing anything, like measures of creatures alive or incantations unfurling, he shook his head. “I do not. Perhaps it is some other kind of stone?” Could be worth something in the interim, and he cast a look the Forsaken’s way that indicated it was all the demigod’s choice, though he could see something darker amidst the crag once the Evergreen had peeled off proportions.
Then there were other matters – and the Sword began the same ritual and routine as before. As did Sah and Evie, leaving Noah to make his decision. More rocks and rubble maneuvered, and before long the pieces fell into place once more.
Though…Evieuld notice near her chosen spot were cracks forming upon edges, and perhaps they either shouldn’t be staying too much longer in this area, or they were going to need to restabilize…
--
Noah can make his choice about picking out the unknown thing or not – Evie has made the portions bigger for him, and Deimos cannot sense anything untoward.
They have collected about 2/4 of stone, but Evie will be able to notice that cracks are beginning to form in this area.
No post order. What will you do next?
it's not the waking, it's the rising It's the fire it ignites
Noah wasn’t sure what it was in the wall, and as Sah questioned whether anyone sensed anything or not the demigod could give no answer. He reached out over attuned bonds, but it was only with other attuned he could speak. The pull and touch of creatures he lost in gaining Vi’s blessings, and he had no ability to sense magic, nor did his accepted ring pulse with anything.
Evie helped release some more rock around it, and then Noah shrugged. ”It’s probably just some rock.” He said, and the moved on. He still hoped it was mageglass, and given the opportunity at the end of this endeavor, he might come back to it. But for now, his focus needed to be elsewhere.
Following Evie, Noah worked closely beside her, focused on harvesting the ore they needed for Frey.
Noah leaves whatever it was in the wall, and goes back to work near Evie.
Sah gave the rock one last glance over his shoulder before turning back to his work. His strategy seemed to be working so far, so the Wild Thunder kept it up. Telekinesis and Earth magic rose to his fingertips once more, and Sah started another pile of stone beside him. As he went, he kept an eye on the cave around them for any other anomalies. If multiple strange stones appeared, he'd be more inclined to investigate or even destroy them.
The Abandoned was unsure of how deep into the Fangs the group was intending to go, and the further they went, the more on edge he became. Who knew what had settled here now that corrupted creatures were appearing?
~
Sah keeps mining with telekinesis and earth while watching for any more strange things in the cave.
I think therefore I am, But what if all I do is bleed?
Evie does not hear anything positive or negative behind her from Noah regarding whatever had been stuck inside, so she assumes he has moved on, and does the same. Her own efforts are going rather well, but it doesn't distract her from keeping a careful eye on the structure surrounding them. The veins and cracks that tell stories that speak to both her own knowledge of the Grounds' old underground and her own magical awareness of the safety of the caverns around them.
Frowning slightly, Evie touches a hand to the fissures and turns over her shoulder to the others. "There's some unnatural cracks here. We should re-stabilize it and head a little deeper so we don't worsen it," she advises, already using her magic to fill in those empty areas to re-strengthen them before she heads further into the caverns, eyeing her options before she begins gathering again.
- - -
Evie points out the fissures, re-stabilizes them, and moves deeper before she begins gathering stone again.
Don't look up, just let them think There's no place else you'd rather be
Even amidst Evie’s warnings, some came just a little too late – in regards to Noah and Sah, at least. Despite the attempts at coordinated efforts of harvesting stone and glances towards anything suspicious, the cracks near the demigod and Abandoned began to form in earnest – quickly growing.
Deimos and Evie would be able to foster enough munitions and incantations to salvage the denizens, but only just - the Sword sighed as he gazed upon the aftermath, gaze pinpointing upon the wall. “I am going to stabilize this a little more, but I think it is best we move on.” There’d be no need to pursue these angles and continue to alter earthen wares until someone was in danger – not when there were more opportunities ahead.
The amount they’d gained here was minimal, but better than nothing at all.
Except for Noah – who probably thought he’d escaped from whatever, but he’d find, directly under his feet, something staring up at him – eyes wide and open from under the frozen, icy terrain.
--
Evie and Deimos have managed to stabilize the wall, but it’s time to move further ahead. Keep going through the caves and find the next spot!
Noah has found…eyes staring at him from under his feet. Neat!
They currently have about 5/8s of stone! No post order!
it's not the waking, it's the rising It's the fire it ignites
It was normal in this frozen world to become a target. Often hunters were hunted just as much as they own prey during their parties, and it seemed that even though the Forsaken was after rocks in this endeavor he had fallen into a similar trap.
As he gathered some rocks and ore, the hunter heeded the warnings and watched the cracks. He backed away from a wall as the mages set their magic to the test, and motion caught his eye. Shifting his gaze downward, Noah found eyes and locked right in to them, trying to figure out what was looking at him. ”Guys…” he said, in a warning tone.
Noah uses his INT 1 to try and figure out what the creature is!
Magic: Wise Hunter (FEAT) | Animals roll with disadvantage against Noah.
Type: Light | Rank: Basic
