From Attuned to Ascended to Ancient, Kiada Njovu-Reyes has been reborn several times throughout her short life, but her fighting spirit has never once been diminished. With beauty, grace and a quick wit, Kiada is the whole package wrapped in an infectious smile. Recent endeavours have found her in the heart of the Hollowed Grounds, aiding the region and bettering it for her new Ancient kin, and whatever she does next, we know it's sure to pack a punch.
Congratulations, Kiada!
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!
06-14-2024, 01:55 PM (This post was last modified: 06-15-2024, 10:05 AM by Honey.)
WELCOME BACK
You had such a strange dream last night.
You stood upon... nothing. A great, blank expanse of nothing. Even looking down, you could see no sign of your body, no limbs, no clothes. And gods, but when you tried to speak - again, nothing.
It's as if you - everything you were, everyone you knew, simply no longer existed.
But that's all it was. A dream. Thank the gods for that.
Parties have been thrown in Caido for much less than a little existential crisis - and so when news of a great, sprawling celebration in the Castaway Exchange reaches you, it's almost a relief to join the colour, the noise, the sweetness of tea and liquor and the warmth of another person's touch.
There is no order or rhythm to the festivities; the floating stalls on the exchange sell refreshments, snacks and trinkets, and music from varying sources and performers clashes in a way that ought to be discordant, but isn't. People mill and socialise, happy to be here - happy to still be here.
And at the centre of it all, two (un?)familiar figures have set up a large, brightly painted barrel, upon which has been hung a sign: LUCKY DIP.
"Come on up and reach on in," one of the figures trills, clad in a mask adorned with honeybees and wearing a pair of tartan pyjamas.
"It's free," the other adds, whacking the barrel with a cane adorned with a raven's skull. "And it won't bite, probably." Their odd looking mask might, though.
WELCOME BACK EVERYONE! <3 We're setting up this SWE (yes, it counts for levelling/MP as a SWE and as a magical encounter) so everyone's characters can dip in and celebrate having a site again. This is just for fun and has no bearing on the current plot or in-site happenings, but feel free to join to get back in the spirit of writing!
You can also, of course, have your character reach in and try for a Lucky Dip, and we'll let you know what you win! Just pop it in at the bottom of your post that you're doing this. (Each individual character can have a go, so feel free to let all your chaos children rummage in the barrel).
As nightmares went that one wasn't the worst, but it was up in the top two. Tal was more than happy to shake off the lingering sense of emptiness and anxious dread that had befallen him and head to the Castaway Exchange (on foot. Foot! Like some kind of nerd without an airship!) for a celebration to distract him from an existential crisis that he wasn't emotionally equipped to handle.
He should have gotten coffee. He liked coffee. But after the dream he'd had he needed something a little stronger. So he made straight for the big woman with the tattooed biceps selling espresso martinis and got a double before careening off to try and find his friends in the party.
And when he couldn't find them at first and the espresso was gone he went back and just got the vodka.
And then, halfway through a mug of liquid cheer, he saw...
The barrel.
"Free? I like free," he declared, weaving steadily over and trying to peer into the barrel with his nose scrunched up. "So all I gotta do is stick my hand in an' grab somethin'?" Sure, what could go wrong? He had enough vodka to dull the pain from a poor choice, so Tal rolled up his sleeve and stuck his hand in, groping around until he found something that felt interesting and pulling it out to squint at it suspiciously. Talyson participates in the Lucky Dip!
The nightmare had been horrible. For a moment, Sah had thought that he'd been yanked from Caido and thrust back into the remains of his old world. After years of dormancy, memories of the sky tearing open and the ground dissolving had rushed back. Waking up had been disorienting, and the Wild Thunder had spent quite some time grasping his shirt over his heart and trying to remember how to breathe again.
Sah heard about the party and made his way over with still slightly trembling hands. The whole thing felt just as bizarre as a collective dream. Yet, with the Family sending worldwide messages, who knew what else was possible? The Wild Thunder decided not to think about it too much. He downed a coffee negroni and was pleasantly surprised at the taste. It steadied him, as did the handful of cookies that he ate without regret.
The sight of two familiar but equally bizarre as the rest of the day caught his attention. The last time, it had been a wheel. Now a barrel? Tal walked past to try his luck, so with a shrug, Sah did the same.
"Alright. I'll give it a go." The Wild Thunder stuck his hand in and made his choice.
Kaiden hated today. A terrible dream that others had experienced? No thank you. They'd had half a mind to vanish once more into the deep ocean and avoid the inevitable fallout. But then word spread of a party and more importantly, free food. The shark swam back and forth with increasing frustration as they battled between safety and snacks. Their rumbling stomach won.
Popping their head out of the water, Kaiden surveyed the party and strange figures with narrowed eyes. The barrel was close enough that they just might be able to participate. But did they dare? Food came first however and the mershark swam behind the only table that was close enough to their watery position.
Reaching up, they smacked along the top of the table, unable to see what they were touching. When it felt like they'd found something, they grabbed a handful and shot their hands back to survey their prize. Pasta! Eagerly, Kaiden slurped their noodles, glaring at anyone who got too close.
When they had finished their snack, Kaiden finally approached the barrel. They had to half beach themselves to reach it, but they shoved their hand in, "Gimme."
in space the stars are no nearer; just glitters, like a morgue
Danta isn't here for stupid nightmares. He is here for parties, though, even if the journey via skyship from the Hollowed Grounds - in Deepfrost, of all times - has been a fairly considerable one.
"At least there's booze aplenty," he rumbles to Astaroth, having snagged a mulled cider from one of the stalls as he nestles down into his thick scarf. His old-new coat (upgraded courtesy of Deimos, thank you kindly) keeps the majority of the cold at bay, but all of the exposed parts - fingers, face, etc. - still need protecting from becoming stone.
Something the cider is working wonders at doing, might he add.
But there's other things to contend with, apparently, before the Maverick succumbs to booze and music and the chaos of the Castaway Exchange. A painted barrel; a lucky dip; two masked figures that do not at all seem to be what they appear.
"I'll have a go," he announces once the Mer has taken his turn, reaching into the barrel for a good old rummage.
Danta has a turn at the Lucky Dip!
Dantalion
Horns: Diamond - they look very similar to #2 in this image.
This was not the place that Hadama had expected to find himself, but after the dream of nothingness it had felt right to make the journey to be among others similarly affected. The waters were cold but he swam through them in his mer form, relying on his natural protections against cold and depth instead of bulky clothing.
He could no longer use water magic to lift himself high enough up to see the tops of the tables, but he was also far more comfortable asking for assistance in purchasing a cup of that most intriguing of drinks - cocoa, complete with whipped cream and a cookie on top - and sipping it as he swam along, exploring what the Exchange had to offer on this day of celebration.
Coming to the barrel and the pair of mysterious masked individuals who tended to it he paused to watch with interest as several people - including Kaiden - stuck their hands into it. He couldn't quite see what they drew out from its depths, but after Danta sauntered up for a bold attempt to fish out... a prize? a present? a handful of regrets? Hadama finished his drink and swam up as well. "Thank you," he spoke to the barrel's minders, pulling himself from the water to take on temporary legs. He reached into the barrel as well, fingers closing around the first thing he touched and retrieving it before heading back to the relative comfort of the water and his mer form.
Hadama gives the Lucky Dip a go!
“Splendid, is it not?” Astaroth hums thoughtfully, dark eyes taking in the party (having had a momentary panic thinking he’d returned to stone with just how numb and dull his dreams had been lately), it’s a wonderful little addition to the strangeness that had occurred to not just him, but everyone else he’d spoken to. The trek wasn’t terrible – and while he was jealous of the warmth the jacket Danta wears, he is glad that it protects him more than the alternative.
Astaroth’s fashion sense certainly helps to retain heat, naturally, as opposed to anything else. Danta’s? If the butcher hadn’t fussed so much it was far likelier that Danta would be the gargoyle he wakes in a role reversal of the century.
Either way, remaining the Maverick’s shadow and quite content to do so, Asta’s grin is sharp and wide as he takes in the music and dancing, the glimmer of the boats along the too cold water, and a sudden game that the other man seems somewhat interested in. And he watches with interest as Danta dips his hand in for the Lucky Dip, before Astaroth sighs a bit amused and steps up to follow suit. “Why not?” He asks, flashing Danta a sharp grin again.
Asta participates in the lucky dip!
Astaroth
i'm crazy, i'm crazy, i'm crazy, i'm crazy /// everybody in the world knows i'm a little twisted
I feel it in the wind, my dear The sun is gonna reappear
It wasn't like her to drown her woes in festivities. Nightmares were part of her reality, something she simply couldn't run from. But something about that awful nothingness lingered in her mind, threatening to take hold. If she didn't do something it might take hold, become reality -
Maea roamed the festival in a daze. Food and drink was pressed into her hands by eager vendors - "try this one, just a bite, have a sip, miss, would you like one to go?" - and little by little, bite by sip by bite, the numbness fell away. Sugary sweetness lingered on her tongue and the was licking the last of a candy apple off her fingers when she came upon the barrel.
"Sure, why not. I'll have a go," she smiled, and dunked her arm up to the shoulder. The skin on her back did crawl a bit from the unknown of what she might find - but that was part of the fun, wasn't it?
She noticed Hadama nearby and shot him a quick smile. Maybe they could compare their finds later.
Maea tries the Lucky Dip
Good days are gonna come along Hold on, hold on!
♦ Violence, magic, thievery is permitted with Maea at all times. DM me if you have any ideas ♦
06-14-2024, 07:21 PM (This post was last modified: 06-14-2024, 09:53 PM by Deimos.)
cover you when the sky comes crashing in
Haunting, vivid dreams were an unfortunate pastime of his; it wouldn’t be the first to rattle or alter his mood. By the time he awakened though, it had been another blunder in a sea of misgivings and regrets; absence in the way resurrections and bones and caves might’ve been.
King’s End had been a distance, and he’d hoped to not have to travel again anytime soon, but with other void tendencies and notes on the horizon, he snagged at them from other hunters and then scouted out the local exchange; brows furrowed when he saw multitudes of people again. Based on latest experiences, gatherings hadn’t been held in fondness, and he gave it more than a few side glances until others stepped forward. He avoided speaking and talking to a majority, nodding towards those he knew, before partaking in the fortune aspects.
“I will try. Thank you.” he noted to those…had he seen the merchants before…for why not at this point – reaching in to do just that.
Her arms were nearly full. Food and sweet treats were crushed against boxes of jewelry and bags of pretty clothes. Seren didn't strictly need any of it, but it was just so much fun that she couldn't help herself.
Spotting Sah in the crowd pressing around a barrel and some fun looking people, she angled over to join him with a bright smile. "Hi! Did you get anything good?" Eying the attraction curiously, the young woman eventually shrugged and went to get in line. When it was her turn she dug deep into the barrel, intrigued to find what might hide at the bottom.
Seren tries her luck at the Lucky Dip.
I've got to make room for this feeling
SEREN
✰ Starlight (Passive) | Starfilled night billow around her like a veil as she moves. It is more noticeable in daytime and when she make sudden movements.
The dream still lingered in his mind, making him shiver in horror. The black void of nothingness was enough to suggest that it had been a nightmare, however, it had felt so real. So when he woke with a startling breath in his own warm bed, he'd needed a way to reassure himself that he still lived. Luckily, rumor of a spontaneous festival in Castaway had him hopping on the closest airship.
He was relieved to spot a few familiar faces as he perused the stalls, shooting Talyson, Hadama, Maea, and Deimos waves and grins of excited greeting. Their presence helped to banish the uneasy worry that the nightmare might mean more. Zavien weaved through the crowd, letting himself get lost in the sights and sounds, relishing in the warmth of human contact and interaction.
Although he was content to drift amongst the people like a smiling wraith, the summoning of the two masked figures had him pausing to focus his attentions. Cocking his head curiously at the barrel, his eyes glowed with wonder. "Wow! Thank you!" Without a second thought in his pretty little head, Zavien shoved his hand into the darkness.
Zavien enthusiastically participates in the Lucky Dip!
While the food wasn't free, it was abundant. No one really noticed if a skewer of grilled meat or a tankard of ale went missing, and by the time they did, the thief would be long gone.
Isar was enjoying himself. He couldn't quite remember when that last happened in a situation that didn't involve bleeding, but it was nice.
He kept craning his head over the crowd in hope of spotting Thalassa. Failing that, he instead picked out a curious barrel with even curiouser merchants standing by. He would have ignored it if the word 'free' hadn't come drifting on the wind; of course that changed everything.
"My turn," he hummed, once a spot by the barrel opened up. Reaching in, he hoped anything that came out of it would be useful.
The dark dream had been forgotten the moment she opened her eyes. They resembled her memories so much that she barely noticed that she had been asleep during the experience. She had learned to embrace the darkness and make it a part of herself. If she couldn't illuminate the memories, she would just make the black nothingness her entire personality. Hence dark humor, violence, and avoidance.
She was, however, interested to hear in the commotion on the Castaway Exchange as her ship docked alongside the amalgamation of permanently anchored vessels. Her crew had nearly combusted at the permission to spend the night indulging in the wares and goods of the pop-up stalls. Thal just shook her head and threw on her cloak to skirt the edges of the crowd. The occasional sweet found its way into her clutches and she tapped her heeled boot to the music, but she otherwise stayed to herself.
Only the growing crowd of people around a seemingly insignificant barrel had her curiously approaching the others. Nodding her head to acknowledge Maea, she slipped under the hulking form of a familiar figure to try her luck at snagging a prize from the aptly labeled "Lucky Dip."
She remembered visiting this area with her parents years ago, but she didn't recall it being quite to lively. Elizabeth walked around, smiling at the abundance of different people and cultures that had randomly decided to converge on the docks. Even after years of travel and studying, she still found herself pleasantly surprised by people. Whether it was the hulking figure of a menacing man or the frail looking Ancient with white horns, their personalities, actions, and relationships astounded her.
Elizabeth spent most of her time sitting at a table nearby, enjoying a traditional fish kebob that melted in her mouth and watching the interactions of everyone. She took note of the way they greeted each other or avoided others. It made for an interesting observation and she had to restrain herself from reaching for a notebook.
Her scanning of the crowds and stalls had her eyes catching on the popular 'Lucky Dip.' The patrons appeared... trustworthy(?) based on the sheer number of customers and lack of screaming, so she let her curiosity bring her closer. The barrel didn't look menacing. Leaning to somebody next to her, she asked, "Any idea what's inside?" Although she waited for a response, when the path before her opened up, Elizabeth took the opportunity to slip her hand inside to grab something. Perhaps it would be an interesting book? Or a useless souvenir to add to her collection?
