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Character of the Season
Once known as the Butcher of Whitebrim, he's now The Butcher of Dygra, stepping forward as the first created demigod of the Ancients. There is no question that Astaroth casts an intimidating silhouette. Tall, domineering and dangerous, if looks could kill you'd be dead already, but to get up close and personal with the Grounds' resident cannibal tells a much different story. Dripping with charm and clad in only the finest attire, Asta is a gentleman monster, as polite as they come and committed to his role as security for the Dusklight and those who have earned his loyalty. Be careful of that smile, though - those teeth are sharp.
Congratulations, Asta!
Credits
Court of the Fallen was created in October of 2018 by Odd, Honey, and Crooked.
OG Skinning provided by Kaons, with functionality and many custom plugins made by Neowulf!
With her golden seed clutched tightly in one hand and a borrowed shovel in the other, Elizabeth made her way towards the lighthouse, staring with awe at the towering structure. It seemed to reach for the sky, unaware of the stars piled just beneath it. The sparkling sand was a crystalline contrast to the dark grey stones of the tower, refracted rainbows painting its side. Even the glistening ocean water didn't compare to their bright lights.
Elizabeth slowed her approach to admire the view but proceeded towards the edge of the cliff. It felt like she was on the edge of the world. Only a few other pieces of land were in sight, otherwise leaving the open expanse of water leading to the purple abomination that was Starfall. The thoughts of her vision and what it may represent still bothered her, yet she pushed aside the thoughts and focused on the seed that felt so important. This seemed like the perfect place to nurture the growth of such a magnificent tree.
So she placed the spade of her shovel against the ground and began struggling to push it into the resistant earth.
Aumakua was a place of particular devotion and quiet reverence for Safrin's newest demigod, and he swam to the island's shores regularly - both to remove any taint of the Void that tried to cling to the beaches of sand and stone at its perimeter and simply to refresh his spirit at the chamber atop the lighthouse, with its light that never went dark.
Today he came bearing a gift.
Not an offering for the altar, but a seed of hope against the growing violet violence of the Void that loomed on Torchline's horizen.
He was surprised, however, when he beached himself upon the shore in his Merform only to discover someone already there, and seemingly about the same task. The cries of Hels echoed over the water and a few wheeled overhead, but his attention was all for the unfamiliar young woman and her shovel - and the golden seed set nearby. "Hello," he called, not wanting to startle her as he pulled himself fully from the water and shifted his Mer-tail back into man-legs clad in black leather that had been stitched with silver stars. "I am Hadama." He lifted his own seed from a pouch attached the harness that criss-crossed his otherwise-bare chest, a flicker of humor in his eyes that belied the serene stoicism of his expression. "May I join you?"
The greeting didn't quite startle her, but Elizabeth still jolted upright and looked around for the source. Spotting the man shifting out of the water, her eyebrows raised in surprise. She hadn't been expecting company out here, especially not a shirtless merman that seemed to glisten with the essence of the ocean. However, ever the polite young lady, she smiled and gave a small wave. "Nice to meet you, Hadama. My name's Elizabeth."
When he removed his own seed from within a strange pouch, her brown eyes lit up. Apparently she hadn't been the only one looking to break the monotony of the cliff's edge with some greenery. Gesturing with a welcome sweep of her arm, she said, "Of course! Please!" Elizabeth then turned back to her task, pushing down futilely on the shovel. Despite putting her entire body weight into the tool, it barely made it past the firmer land's surface. Perhaps she should have just dug in the sparkling sand. Her struggle was obvious and she blushed. Chuckling, she said to Hadama, "Maybe it's a good thing you came along. I didn't realize how difficult it would be to dig a hole around here."
He inclined his head as she gave her name in greeting and only then moved to approach when her friendliness invited further conversation. His eyes rose momentarily to the Hels overhead, narrowing slightly to try and see them more clearly against the sky. There was something off about some of them...
But his attention returned to the young woman as she spoke again and he realized the difficulty she was having with the shovel and the stony ground. "May I?" he requested, holding out a hand for the tool. He did not have much experience in the use of such an implement, but he could make up for that with muscle and a little creative leverage as he worked the blade into the rocky soil and around the larger stones that impeded its descent. "Are you a resident of Torchline?" he asked while he worked, a courteous curiosity in his voice. He did not recognize her as one of his people, but there were a great many Torchers and he could not know them all.
Muscles flexed and bunched beneath brown skin criss-crossed with old scars that had been tattooed over in gold, and though his progress in the digging was slow it was also steady.
Grateful for the assistance, Elizabeth didn't hesitate to hand over the tool with an accompanying smile. She tried not to stare too closely at his exposed muscles working the blade into the soil, or the scars and tattoos lining them. Luckily, the sun helped disguise the slight blush she couldn't control. So instead, she focused on the cresting of the waves that crashed against the shore as it shifted the sparking sand. The breeze ruffled her hair across her shoulder blades which weren't covered by the simple sundress she wore.
Elizabeth shook her head politely. "I'm not. I live in Halo, but my parents just retired in Haulani so I'll be coming here more often." The beachfront city had been the perfect place to settle down after their extensive travels over the years. She also loved having an excuse to come visit the warm climate any time of year.
It was a dumb question to ask if he was a resident of Torchline, so she settled for being a little more specific. "Do you live in the Underwater City?" The city was one of the only places she hadn't visited and she absently wondered about what it must be like.
If he noticed her watching him he did not show it. Though one might surmise that a man who gilded his scars and then went around without a shirt was rather used to the stares. All the more so when he stood head and shoulders above most crowds and had hair and eyes in colors that were not usually found in the average run of human. Then again, the form he'd arrived in had been rather telling to anyone who had lived in Torchline previously; it was the legs that were unusual in that regard.
"You will be welcome," he assured her as he worked, digging down deeper than the seed pods might otherwise warrant. Anyone who brought sincere aid to the island nation was more than welcome in these Void-darkened days. "Your parents will be as safe as we can make them here." He finally paused to consider the hole - three feet deep, and by any arborist's estimate far too deep for a seed to successfully germinate, so far from the surface. But then, Elizabeth had struck on an important observation that might explain his unfamiliarity with planting things that weren't corals.
"I do," he agreed, eyes twinkling as he looked over at her. "Have you been there?" The City had only been open to humans in recent years; the Mer had been an isolationist people, disinclined to allow humans near their capital, for most of history. Only in the past five years had that begun to change, and only in the past two or three had active strides been made to welcome them.
She continued to watch him work, feeling slightly embarrassed that she wasn't more help, even as he seemed to have no qualms taking the majority entirety of the labor. So she tried to give him something else to focus on by doing what she does best. Talking.
"I appreciate that. They mean a lot to me. Do you have family of your own?" Elizabeth didn't know what she would do if she lost them. When she had left them for Halo, they'd assured her that they would be safe and happy. After seeing the community, she'd felt comfortable entrusting their wellbeing to the locals. Torchline may be a land of pirates and otherwise shady businesses, but they were the kind that took care of their own.
The Underwater City was completely unfamiliar to her though. "I actually haven't had the opportunity yet. My parents preferred the drier destinations." She gave him a playful smile. They hadn't liked the thought of being leagues under the sea. Even after people came back to report of its beauty and incredible culture, they hadn't been convinced. Instead, they gathered knowledge on the area from the Merfolk who came ashore in Torchline.
"Yes," he answered her question of family with a flicker of warmth in his eyes as he glanced over to her. He could certainly appreciate filial piety and someone else whose parents were alive and well; a somewhat uncommon state of affairs on Caido it sometimes seemed. "My parents. And a sister." Those members of his family who had passed to Mort's halls he left unspoken. It was too personal to bring up with a chance-met stranger, however pleasant to speak with Elizabeth was.
If he was disappointed that she had not visited his original home he did not show it, merely inclining his head in acceptance of her reasoning. "Mmh. It is worth the visit, if you are able," he recommended with the quiet pride of a local. But for the moment he looked down to the hole he had dug in mild perplexity. "...Do you know how deep these should be planted?"
Overhead a few more Hels joined the growing circle, swooping lower in curiosity as they eyed the seed pods with greedy black and amethyst eyes.
Similar to Hadama's own observations, Elizabeth had noticed a strange lack of parents in Caido. It was nice to meet another person with a healthy family dynamic. At least, she hoped it was a good relationship. "That's great to hear! Are you close with them?"
She smiled at the recommendation for visiting the Underwater City. "Thank you. I will have to keep that in mind." Considering she'd given Maea information on a possible rumor in the area, she might find it beneficial to visit herself to confirm it. She'd hate to have given the Ancient false hope for her investigation.
Elizabeth stepped forward at his question. Trying to recall what her mom had said about planting, she looked into the hole. "I think it might be a little too deep? But honestly? I'm not sure." She gave him a sheepish smile. Obviously, her mother's passion hadn't transferred to her despite hours of lectures and instructions on various flora habitats throughout Caido. Her mom had focused on nature, her dad on history, and she'd been drawn to the relationships between people. Hence, the teachings hadn't stuck in the slightest, just improving her ability to daydream.
"Yes," he confirmed with an inclination of his head and perhaps the slightest softening of his stoic expression. "My mother is a seasmith. My father is a historian." He took after his mother's side of the family in build and temperament. While there were some written records beneath the waves, oral histories were more common, making historians largely synonymous with bards.
Perhaps Elizabeth would have the opportunity to meet a member of his family if she chose to visit his home. Although all Torchers were his people to protect and lead, he took special care to represent the interests of the Merfolk in their joint government.
But at the moment their task was planting, and it quickly became apparent that neither of them was truly prepared for what that entailed. "Hmm," he rumbled thoughtfully at her opinion, then nodded and pushed some of the rocky, sandy soil back into the hole so it was only half as deep as he had originally dug it. "I do not think the loose earth beneath will hurt it." Perhaps it would make it easier for the young roots to anchor it?
As he waited for her to plant the seed he turned curious emerald eyes on the young woman. "What of your family?" If she came to visit them in Torchline then at least they were unlikely to be at odds with each other.
Elizabeth was happy to hear that his own family dynamics were good and immediately perked up at his description of them. "What a crazy coincidence! My father is also a historian of sorts. He had us traveling all over Caido to learn the histories, stories, and cultures of the different peoples. My mom was more interested in botany, studying the plant life of the areas. Obviously, I didn't pay very close attention to their work." Another sheepish smile emerged, but it was much more playful than embarrassed this time. It didn't bother her that she had a gap in her knowledge. People had their own strengths and passions. Hers didn't involve flora.
As he pushed a portion of the soil back into the hole, she nodded at his observation. It shouldn't make a difference if the ground below was softer. So when he paused, Elizabeth stepped forward to set the golden seed into the dirt, giving him a soft expression. "Thank you for the help. It would've taken me hours to do it myself and I have greatly enjoyed your company." With the seed in its proper place, Elizabeth stood again to let him plant his own or begin on another hole.
His returned question of her family let her look away to the distant waves again, also noting the hels circling overhead. "I couldn't imagine life without them. They gave me a chance to see the world and grow into my own person. I love them dearly." Her parents had been more than supportive of her striking out on her own, especially as they slowed their own lifestyle to that of leisure and retirement. They were of the mind that she needed to live her own life exploring, meeting people, and making a place for herself.
He paused in his shovelwork to tilt his head at her in curiosity when he heard that their fathers shared a vocation, and he silently invited her to continue as he finished replacing some of the dirt. He was pleased to learn more, nodding slowly as he straightened to rest the tip of the shovel on the ground beside him. At her smile his own eyes softened with warmth and he inclined his head in simple acceptance of her choice to diverge from the paths of her parents. "I trained in my mother's craft," he revealed. "But it is unlikely I will inherit it now." Even if he was deposed as King, being Safrin's demigod did not lend itself to pursuing the life of a simple artisan.
She placed her seed in one end of the large hold, and after a moment's thought he placed his own in the other end. If one did not sprout, hopefully the other would. And if both survived, perhaps they would grow together and be stronger for it. "And I, yours," he assured her warmly. As they both stood back and she shared her love for her own family, he reached for the shovel once more. Before he could grip it a trio of black-winged gulls dove down, shrieking their harsh cries. Two tried to peck at and steal one of the seed pods, while the third flapped towards Elizabeth, intent on landing on her shoulder and encompassing her in its dark aura.
Voidbound Hels (common - Torchline): The once friendly Hels now bear the taint of the void. If a Voidbound Hel chooses to land on you, a suffocating void aura envelops you instantly. It's no longer a matter of a leisurely stroll on the ocean; the void energy they bring becomes a relentless force, stealing your breath and plunging you into a desperate struggle for air.
"Ah! So you were a seasmith? That sounds very interesting. I'd love to observe the art some time." She'd heard of the fascinating skill through others, but she'd still like to see it for herself someday. Maybe it would be a good excuse to visit the Underwater City. Although it saddened her to think that he wouldn't continue the practice. Frowning lightly, she asked, "Is there not a chance you could keep doing it as a hobby?" The crown suggested he had plenty of responsibilities, but she hoped that he still took time for himself and his mental health.
As she watched Hadama place the seeds into the holes, her eyes noticed the diving hoard of purplish hels. Before she even had a chance to think about her actions, Elizabeth was rubbing her hands down the side of her dress, letting the friction grow from the tingling of her veins. Reaching her hands out, she released the magic. The strips of lightning arced through the air at the attacking birds, striking the one closest to her with a sizzling sound.
Lightning manipulation: Can manipulate lightning. Must be within a 30ft radius. Control is excellent
Type: Dark | Rank: Upgraded
Hadama simply tilted his head in acknowledgment of her wish. Many expressed interest in visiting the Underwater City, but fewer than he expected followed through with it. If Elizabeth followed through on her intention, however, there was no secret to the coldsmithing techniques that required only strength and the proper tools. "I would be happy to show you." His voice was the quiet courteous rumble that was his usual tone, and at her almost wistful question and the concern inherent in it he gave a reassuring nod. "I do. But my mother's forge deserves a master who is devoted to it." The family techniques would not be lost; he would pass them on someday, or perhaps his sister would have children who could inherit.
Their comfortable conversation was rudely interrupted by the Voidbound Hels and their penchant for malicious mischief. Hadama reacted with his own magic, gravity warping and spiking through the two birds that tried to steal the seeds so that only puffs of feathers remained. Elizabeth's attacker was transformed into fried chicken, though the smoke that rose from it as it hit the ground was greasy and corrupted. Hadama watched her with new respect even as he wielded the shovel to cover the seeds with a protective layer of dirt to hide them from prying amethyst eyes. "A useful ability," he murmured appreciatively.
