Poll: [NIGHT COURT MEMBERS ONLY -- 1 vote per member -- READ BELOW POST FIRST] Who would you like to be Denocte's new Sovereign? You do not have permission to vote in this poll.
Night descends from the sky in the form of a goddess. One adopted into her great family, who stretches across all of Novus each night. She swallows the sky and string stars in the heavens for all the children of Novus. Caligo. Sebastien knows her well, and the stories of his own family. Her form surely has vanished from the temple upon the peak, because she now stands before all those of Denocte to announce they need yet another Sovereign. He is sore when he goes to rush from the Vogelstein estate and is reminded he is not fit to be a king. Not yet they tell him. Not yet. Sebastien feels his anger cool with the falling night as he arrives with the other denizens of his home. He will not be the pup that is licking his wounds. His magic drifts in waves around him, drawing others in.
He does not want them. He has eyes only for Caligo, and those that offer themselves up as her next set of victims. Sebastien wonders then if Caligo will discover the blasphemous son from the cursed house. The one that claims she is responsible for their suffering. Because they cannot look inward and blame themselves. Sebastien is no different, although he likes to think he is. Instead, he watches, allowing his magic to hungrily lap at whoever is close enough to notice his presence. "Well met, Caligo." Sebastien murmurs his lullabies to the wind. His words are meant only for one.
"May the next Sovereign serve us well. In your name, and the name of Tempus." It is as though he worships aloud. It is still a foreign taste upon his tongue. To devote himself to Caligo, who cursed his family. He believes these stories. The Solterran son feels blasphemous for the roots of his lineage, and the curse upon their house. Yet, he is here to witness history. He is here in place of the Head of House, to collect information for them. The political tides of the court are always the most important.
She is queen and night and all things, all-encompassing, and in her presence, Kassandra feels both held and swaddled and exposed, raw edges left out in the cold. She has seen where Caligo is supposed to rest-- she has seen the throne of the gods-- and it was empty. And this living embodiment of pitch-black and goddess of shrouds now dusts the paltry air they breathe with her stardust presence; her hooves touch the mortal ground upon which they tread.
And she speaks! To Kassandra! In real silken word, and not visions and tricks of the mind. Not scenes from the void pressed through too-small holes, unbendable material forced around corners. Not explosions of color, light, sound; and yet, when Caligo addresses her, Kassandra finds herself no less shaken, and small tremors run through her, across her pelt, making the stars dance.
All these people! All the faces, all the names, all the hearts and minds and ideas. They all stepped up to move Denocte forward. A cacophony of colors and voices; each one, whether they believed themselves chosen or not, willing to bear the burden of the kingdom on their backs. Each wanted the power but each knew the risks. If the story of powerful Morrighan, dread, damaged, deceased, did not put the fear of gods and the monsters they create in their hearts then they were fools beyond measure.
And what is Denocte at its core but a house, a home, a haven? Where did Caligo go when she was persecuted by the lords of Light? Where did Kassandra go, when her home burned behind her?
Oh, but she had so many questions. Please, just let me ask my questions; but the words turned to ash in her throat, and she turned her head away so the night-queen did not see her childlike tears. And when she does she sees the amaranthine form of a lovely, familiar face.
She smiles at Rivane and tries to pretend she isn’t crying (she’s only crying a little bit). Oculos is there, too, sniffing for his friends, nuzzling his black nose into soft little hands.
He knows this is a big moment for Denocte. He knows that they must choose someone to rule them next. Kibou knows his mother expects him to side with her because she has raised him and taught him all he needed to know. But was she the best fit for Denocte? He wasn’t sure. In fact, he wasn’t sure of anything anymore.
The colt steps forward, meandering through the crowd easily due to his small, but growing stature. He looks to Caligo and he offers her a smile as she addresses each of the ones who have stepped forward. Each time a name is called, he looks to that individual. In each of them, he sees hope for the future. Some of them he has seen before, some he knows by name. Others are new faces, but they speak true words. It’s so hard for the young colt to decide.
Once again, he looks to Caligo, his eyes resting on her as several come forward to make their selections. He’s still torn and he doesn’t like the way it makes him feel. “Give me the strength and courage to choose, Caligo.” He pleads with her, knowing she can grant him the strength to follow his heart and his mind.
Eyes look to his mother, her stands there watching him, waiting for him to say her name. Kibou has to look away. He cannot help but feel like he will hurt the woman who gave birth to him. He steps away from the crowd, heading towards the voting box where he casts his vote for Kassandra. Now he can only hope he has made the right decision.
Denocte has always been her home and it will always be her home. Nothing has changed that. But here, she wonders if Denocte is strong enough to make the right choice, to choose someone who will lead Denocte through the next troubling times. Katniss cannot help but feel as though a Denoctian should be the one to rule.
She listens to Caligo as she addressed those that have stepped forward. She has listened to all those who have put their name in the hat and most of them seem worthy enough. But when Caligo comes to her name, she pauses. She can see in the demi-goddess that she had not been alone the night Metaphor had been taken from her. She can see the pain in her eyes. But Katniss offers her a small smile, a way to tell her that it’s okay. While her heart will always ache for Metaphor, she knows she is a stronger person because of him. She has her son now, a spitting image of his father.
Eyes look over the crown and she spots her son coming forward. Despite what he thinks, she does not assume he will pick her. She knows that he will always follow his heart, always do what he thinks is right. So when he does not look at her, she knows she has done right by him. He has the courage to stand up against her and vote for who he thinks is the right one for the job. She smiles at him as he walks away, knowing that she has succeeded as his mother.
As Kibou’s form disappears, she looks back out over the crowd, her eyes touching each and every member gathered. Some say their votes aloud, some cast them in private. Katniss knows that deep in her soul that Denoctians are voting for their next leader. They are choosing which path they will follow. Even if they do not choose her, she is still happy to be a member of this court. She is proud to call herself a member of Denocte.
One by one, they had trickled in and stood before her and among themselves. Huddled – different yet similar, strangers yet family. Caligo’s eyes were often not kind or soft, hardened by years spent with half-siblings that saw her as little more than a step below them… but with her children, her court, her eyes softened.
As they pooled before her, she stepped among them. There were looks of awe and adoration, others of respect and revery, and even those of guarded sternness or disfavor. She did not longer long on any of their particular emotions, but rather their actions and words.
Gareth was the first to approach her, and they stood face to face in silence for a few mere moments. Although he expressed faith in all the candidates, he did proclaim who his vote was for. As he mentioned Ira, the demigoddess' diamond-studded gaze shifted over the inky stallion with gemstone horns and hooves, then back to the Medic.
A Random Event Has Occurred!
"Your vote is valued, @Gareth," the demigoddess nodded, a small void-black pouch materializing within her teke. The jet black color slowly dripped away to reveal a natural leather satchel with a waxed sinew string - it was nothing more than a few inches tall and wide. She extended her teke and the item to Gareth. "A satchel which bottomless capability for small items. Some say if you leave items in the pouch long enough, they will spontaneously show up at your home... Hopefully, it will help you in your studies and gathering journies." A small, coy smile before she moved on.
[ @Gareth has been gifted the Marauder's Satchel by Caligo, and has also been awarded +200 signos for encountering a Random Event! ]
And then, her eyes landed on the Vagabond, Willoughby. Eons with her brothers and sisters had hardened her heart, so while Caligo's heart was normally closed and only opened to those who she deemed her children - she did regard the vagabond with a kind, gentle eye. "Such an admission takes courage, young @Willoughby," she remarked as she walked through the crowd.
A Random Event Has Occurred!
The goddesses' steps paused as she came to stand beside the bard, and for a moment it was just silence. Eventually, the demigoddess - having been lost for a moment in thought - turns to Willoughby once more and gently drops a necklace over her head. It was delicate and pulsed softly with a gentle light... but despite its deceptively gentle light, it would be able to light someone's path several feet ahead of them. "For your travels, my dear bard. Come back to Denocte often; maybe we will cross paths again soon?" with a smile much softer, much less coy.
[ @Willoughby has been gifted the Moon-glow Necklace by Caligo, and has also been awarded +200 signos for encountering a Random Event! ]
@Cicatrix was nearly as tall as Caligo herself - and while the demigoddess was certainly imposing to many, she did not get the same aura from the Star Walker. They were just as beautiful as the night itself, though. "You may think you are, @Cicatrix... but maybe Denocte has always been your home?"
A Random Event Has Occurred!
As if from nothing, a small Mist Raven materialized from the void of Caligo's shoulder - its form intangible and fleeting as it glided in a lazy circle around both Caligo and Cicatrix. And just as quickly took to flight, it perched atop the demigoddes' statuesque withers - and a single Shadowfeather dropped from its wing. Now held within the gods powerful teke, she outstretched it to Cicatrix: "A shadowfeather from the Mist Raven. It may occasionally disappear completely into the shadows themselves, but it will always reform eventually. Although you may find it reforms not into a feather, but into various shapes and figures from your memory."
[ @Cicatrix has been gifted a Shadowfeather by Caligo, and has also been awarded +200 signos for encountering a Random Event! Feel free to NPC the Mist Raven if you reply! ]
Though @Salome did not approach Caligo (or much of anyone, really) - she did not go unnoticed. Caligo's void-dark eyes glanced over to her at the edge of the clearing briefly. The demigoddess could tell the Medic did not wish to be involved, so while the demigoddess herself did not approach...
A Random Event Has Occurred!
... the mist raven that had circled both Caligo and Cicatrix shifted the wind beneath its hazy wings, and ducked down to interweave between the crowd. It did not fly high but instead stayed hidden between the legs and bodies of the crowd as it flew, and eventually it happened upon Salome at the edge of the clearing. It hopped to land before her, its curious head cocked as it stared up at her.... eyes made of diamonds. And just as quickly as it came, it took off again - a single Shadowfeather dropping from its wing.
It may occasionally disappear completely into the shadows themselves, but it will always reform eventually. Although you may find it reforms not into a feather, but into various shapes and figures from your memory.
[ @Salome has been gifted a Shadowfeather by Caligo, and has also been awarded +200 signos for encountering a Random Event! Feel free to NPC the Mist Raven if you reply! ]
And then, there stood @Rivane and @Kassandra. Of Rivane, Caligo felt the waves of emanating distrust, of irritation and anger and emotion. The demigoddess did not call her out for these - for at our base, we are the sole owners of our own emotions, are we not? Caligo was different from her brothers and sisters in that she did not always expect devotion, although the rawness of Rivane pulled on a painful twine of her soul. Kassandra, on the other hand.. the demigoddess could tell her and Rivane were close, but oh how opposites they were in this very moment.
A Random Event Has Occurred!
The demigoddess does not feel that Rivane wants her gifts, for she may find them ingenuine... so instead, the purple-hued mare may later find she has a couple hundred extra signos in her hip bag. Where it came from... who knows.
But Caligo's heart aches and eyes soften even more with Kassandra's tears. She frowned and stepped gingerly towards the mare as she turned her head away, hiding those crystalline tears. The demigoddess' own muzzle dipped down and she nudged Kassandra's shoulder - her touch like a static, electric spark. "Please don't cry, @Kassandra," she whispered - a voice only Kassandra and Rivane, as well as their bondeds, could hear.
Her teke extended out a small, pristine, and semi-translucent sapphire amulet, set in bronze and affixed to a necklace of similar metal. "I know you have many questions," she murmured. "I cannot promise I will directly answer, but this gem will allow you clearer answers to your visions - but remember, not all questions have a clear answer."
And just like that, the void passed and continued on her trek through the crowd.
[ @Rivane has been gifted 400 signos by Caligo! Enjoy! ]
[ @"Kassandra" has been gifted the Seer's Amulet by Caligo, and has also been awarded +200 signos for encountering a Random Event! Enjoy! ]
As she passed by Rivane and Kassandra, and before her stood @Renwick. Her presence enveloped him, the inky mist that encompassed her wild mane and tail wrapping across his withers, back, and interweaving between his legs. "Quite an astute fellow you are," she dipped her head to him...
A Random Event Has Occurred!
"And you certainly enjoy know how to flatter, Renwick," a certain playful smirk toying across her lips. As she stepped away and the mist of her mane trailed away from his skin - in its place, the Shapeshifter's Outfit was left. Somehow, she seems to have known he had eye on a certain outfit... and this one could take whatever form he so wished and change once a season. Maybe a good first shape of this outfit would be a certain midnight and gold cloak, dotted with Caligo's own stars?
[ @Renwick has been gifted a Shapeshifter's Outfit by Caligo, and has also been awarded +200 signos for encountering a Random Event! Enjoy! ]
Passing through the crowd, she spotted @Luvena near the outskirts as she arrived. The mare may have been late arriving, but the demigoddess wasn't one to overlook people. She could tell there was a confliction in her heart... that it longed to be somewhere and everywhere. There would be no judgment from Caligo of this - even should Luvena leave, she would still be welcomed by the goddess.
A Random Event Has Occurred!
Even though the thin mare spoke nothing directly to her, she would hear a voice whisper in her ear. "In case your gathering travels take you farther than normal," and suddenly, Luv would feel a small additional weight sag onto the drawstring looped around her neck. A second satchel would be there - just as tiny as her own, impossibly feather-light, and yet... different. This one had a bottomless capability for small items; and some say if you leave items in the pouch long enough, they will spontaneously show up at your home..
[ @Luvena has been gifted a Marauder's Satchel by Caligo, and has also been awarded +200 signos for encountering a Random Event! Enjoy! ]
And she feels @Sebastien's eyes on her, on others around her. There is a stiffness that develops in the goddess' limbs as she stalls, her gaze of ice and void meeting his own of purple - something that normally reminded her of soft lavender flowers, but hardly so in this instance. She did not say anything to the stallion of House Vogelstein; she knew his secrets, but this was not her battle to meddle in.
A Random Event Has Occurred!
Instead, it appeared as if the demigoddess simply moved on through the crowd - but a soft whisper ran past the smoky stallion's ears. "May your cup always be full," a whisper that went just as quickly as it came. In the ghost of it, was a small golden goblet at the stallion's feet. A relatively ordinary (although still elegant) looking goblet with a rather extraordinary feature: it will never run dry of the drinker's choice beverage.
[ @Sebastien has been gifted a Golden Chalice by Caligo, and has also been awarded +200 signos for encountering a Random Event! Enjoy! ]
As Caligo continued, she heard @Kibou's plea. She stepped alongside him, leaned down to hear his vote while also telling him, "You are stronger and more courageous than you give yourself credit."
A Random Event Has Occurred!
And she heard his vote, admired the courage it took and as she glanced up, she saw Katniss smiling at her son. Denoctians were her children, but it was truly not the same - she felt the warmth of his mother's love and pride. She glanced back at the stallion and with her teke, tucked a small, white Moonflower - which a miniature, harmless flame rises from its center when it blooms - into his mane as she passed.
[ @Kibou has been gifted a Moonflower by Caligo, and has also been awarded +200 signos for encountering a Random Event! Enjoy! ]
As Kibou leaves the immediate crowd, Caligo's gaze drifts to @Katniss and her head dips. She knew that the Champion did not need to hear it, but she had raised a good man indeed.
A Random Event Has Occurred!
The mist raven that had taken perch on a nearby pillar once again took flight, and circled Katniss this time. A breathy caw as it once again took perch, this time on a stone wall right beside the Champion of Battle. It peered at her curiously, then turned to preen itself - its beak passing right through its ethereal form. Yet still, a feather dropped and the wind picked it up, where it hovered - caught in a curious teke - before the mare.
[ @Katniss has been gifted a Shadowfeather by Caligo, and has also been awarded +200 signos for encountering a Random Event! Feel free to NPC the Mist Raven if you reply! ]
It took some time for the goddess to make her way between all those who wish to cast their vote, but eventually she did so and then made her own way back to the head of the court. She passed by @Ira as she did, and her nose touched his shoulder - a curious, static feeling. She waited for him to look towards her and meet her gaze, to which she nodded for him to move forward.
A Random Event Has Occurred!
As they walked together forward, Caligo extended her teke and a gift to him: a map, bound shut with an iridescent black ribbon. "This will help you in this new walk of life you are beginning. It will reveal the location of every character in the capitals of each court at any given moment."
[ @Ira has been gifted an Enchanted Map by Caligo, and has also been awarded +200 signos for encountering a Random Event! Enjoy! ]
And after her last gift was transferred from her teke to his, they arrived at the front of the court together. She turned back towards her children, these Denoctians, and echoed their own decision back to them:
"Night Court, welcome your new Sovereign: Ira!"
01-24-2021, 03:40 PM - This post was last modified: 03-20-2021, 05:06 AM by inkbone
[ @"Kassandra" has been gifted the Seer's Amulet by Caligo, and has also been awarded +200 signos for encountering a Random Event! Enjoy! ]
