Novus
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Novus closed 10/31/2022, after The Gentle Exodus

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Pavetta
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#1



p a v e t t a - - -


I request an audience with the king,” Pavetta told the guards at the door. “If he has returned from the Summit." One nodded and disappeared behind the door, elegant emerald dyed cloak swishing behind him. The other guard remained in position, silent and motionless as as a statue. Rather then engage a boring statue in dull conversation, she paced on the threshold, cloven hooves making a hollow, clipped sound on the cool marble and echoing throughout the hall. 

Pavetta wished she was here for other reasons--less serious--idle chat and companionship. It would be nice to watch the dawn turn from a blushing gray to dusty rose to sherbert melon from the balcony; talking about things that did not really matter but did because they had taken the time out their day to say it to each other, and that meant something. She had not seen Somnus since the herd meeting; did not know what details had been written into his life that she had missed. He was busy leading a kingdom, a regime, and the people--speaking to gods on mountaintops. 

She had climbed the peak that day herself in the hopes of finding answers but had descended with more questions, more riddles.

What went on behind that ancient door on the mountain?

There had been no meeting yet; no announcements. She had milled around aimlessly with the other lemmings on the cliffs—mindlessly and senselessly driven towards something they could not explain; though it could have very well meant their deaths. A mystery to all what may or may not have transpired. But that was neither here nor there. Pavetta paced the empty marble halls this gray dawn for a different matter; one that did not concern cryptic gods or towering peaks.

Rather, a petition of sorts.
 
a pearl in pigshit, a diamond on the finger of a rotting corpse,
creature in whom nothing, but nothing, remains of an elven woman ---

art by the epic odeen

@Somnus @ipomoea









Played by Offline Sparrow [PM] Posts: 196 — Threads: 34
Signos: 25
Dawn Court Scholar
Male [He/Him/His]  |  16 [Year 495 Spring]  |  15.2 hh  |  Hth: 22 — Atk: 18 — Exp: 48  |    Active Magic: Blood Manipulation  |    Bonded: Alba (Barn Owl)
#2



“… All I know is that we shall do what we can,” Somnus’ voice was soft-spoken and patient in the silence of the hall, as it always was when engaging his Regent in conversation. Ipomoea was a gentle soul, kind-hearted and beautiful, and Somnus would never use a tone with him that wasn’t full of respect. They had seen many things together, both terrible and wondrous, and the dunalino trusted few others like he knew he could trust this mottled fellow he called ‘brother’. Still, he could not completely shake the stress from his tone nor his features, but here among family, Somnus knew that he did not need to hide behind that perfected façade of nonchalance and aloofness.

As they were interrupted, the Dawn King’s verdant eyes, sharp and piercing, locked upon the cloaked guard that stood at attention. The guard did not waste time with formalities, for which Somnus was grateful, and instead cut straight to the point. ”The caretaker, Pavetta, wishes for an audience.”

Pavetta? Somnus’ gaze drifted until they met Ipomoea’s rosy eyes, and he could not help but wonder just what Pavetta might want. The fierce woman had been making quite a name for herself since her arrival in Novus; engaging both members of Delumine and the other nations, unafraid to speak up, to act, to take initiative… She had left a lasting impression on Somnus upon their first meeting all those months ago, and he could still recall the swift transition between desperate, fierce warrior and silver-tongued diplomat.

Coming to a decision, Somnus’ head dipped in a nod. “Let her in.” They could spare the time, especially if Pavetta had good reason. Which, due to her nature, Somnus knew that she would not interrupt them if it wasn’t a good reason, for she was the furthest thing from frivolous. The guard nodded to both he and Ipomoea before stepping away to do just that. Somnus spoke softly upon his departure, a fond smile gracing his lips and robbing the stress from his expression. “Seems our discussion will have to wait, little brother.”

Returning to the main hall with his compatriot, emerald cloak swirling about his legs as he took up position, the guard nodded to Pavetta. ”You may enter.” With that, the two guards focused on their tasks in mutual silence and let the striped woman pass undisturbed.

When the caretaker in question inevitably arrived, Somnus’ warm smile remained as he stood beside Ipomoea. “Pavetta,” he greeted fondly, so very grateful to see her, “I hope everything is well?”


tag: @Ipomoea @Pavetta





"There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self."



Please tag Somnus in all replies!





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Ipomoea
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#3

IPOMOEA

confess my love
-- --


W
e will do what we can.”

What does that even mean? Ipomoea, for the first time in his young life, wanted to scream his frustration out loud. Never before had he felt so helpless, so unsure of where to go—and that was saying something for the young stallion. His life so far had been filled to the brim with uncertainty, but he had always chosen to look at it as one big adventure.

This however, did not feel like an adventure. His usual optimism refused to shine, his smile hidden beneath a layer of doubt.

His eyebrows furrowed, cerise eyes looking at Somnus with a strange mixture of insecurity and dependence.

A pause followed, filled with heartbeat after heartbeat. Is this what it felt like to grow old?

“We will do what we must,” he agreed reluctantly. He knew not what their next step would be... but he trusted the dunalino, and he trusted in their patron god, despite the outcomes of the meeting.

His eyes followed Somnus’, unaware of the slight frown he wore as the guard spoke. He wracked his brain, trying to match the name to a face, struggling to make the puzzle pieces fit. Pavetta... He shook his head slightly at himself. Po was usually so good with names, but his mind felt like such a mess.

Perhaps revisiting their topic at a later time would be for the best; give the appaloosa time to collect his own haphazard thoughts.

He made sure to twist his lips back into a smile just in time for the striped woman’s entrance. Somnus spoke with such warmness, it was obvious he had met her before; it was reassuring for Po.

“Pavetta,” the syllables rolled loosely off of his tongue as he inclined his head respectfully in greeting. “What brings you here today?”

Hopefully it was some good news… Ipomoea could use a pick me up.




@Ipomoea | "speaks" | notes: text
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Pavetta
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#4



p a v e t t a - - -

The caretaker Pavetta

She heard the echo, but the rest was lost behind stone doors. The caretaker Pavetta. Had she ever been anything other than what the priestesses on that mountaintop had made her into? She had fought it, for a time, and then it simply seemed like the easiest path, the simplest, with the least resistance. They’d told her she could only be a healer and she had believed it in the end.

But she was no longer imprisoned on that secluded mountain temple. She was in Novus—a land of freedom, a land of choices. And she intended to explore the possibilities of her future; of who and what she might become.

Suddenly, the doors shifted, a cool draft following in their wake as they swung wide to welcome her in the private chamber. Her cloven hooves sounded abnormally loud; a sharp, confident clip as she crossed the marble tiles. Pavetta had not expected to be in the presence of Ipomoea in addition to that of the sovereign, but it did not falter her steps. Somnus possessed a regal, quiet aura as always—but she could sense that she had interrupted an important conversation. Ipomoea’s worried, doubtful expression confirmed her suspicions. The recent events, the meeting, everything. More than ever Dawn Court needed to be united in a fierce, undivided front. No Orion, she noted. She stopped before Somnus and Ipomoea and bowed her head in respect as Somnus addressed her with gentle concern lacing his pleasant greeting.

Pavetta had never met Orion or Ipomoea outside of the one Dawn meeting she had attended, but could that even count? She had stood among the mass; a commoner, an onlooker, a newcomer. A nobody. But now, she felt like she was on the cusp of becoming someone, something. She didn’t know who, or even what, but desperately wished to pursue what she felt like was just out of her grasp—a butterfly dancing just beyond her reach. He was polite—as she had imagined him to be, but beyond the slight hesitation in addressing her (she didn’t blame him for not knowing her name, it was only because of his rank that she should know his) she could not fathom anything else from his formal, reserved greeting.

Somnus, Ipomoea.” Again, she dipped her head, but her eyes did not leave them. “I’m glad you are both unharmed and home safe among your people.” Her eyes were knowing—she had been there on that summit, had seen the walls crumble and collapse, trapping the regimes inside. “Everything is well, Somnus,” she assured him, but the hesitance in her voice was perhaps not so convincing.

But.” Pavetta gathered her breath. “I am here today because I once spoke to be considered as Emissary. I understand why another was appointed and I passed over—I am young and inexperienced. Perhaps then, I would have not been ready.” She paused, sifting through her thoughts, collecting the words, lacing them together in her mind. She wanted to appear well-spoken, thoughtful, confident—but neither would she disguise her proud and impulsive nature in an effort to be something she was not.

But since then, I have travelled Novus in an effort to learn, to understand the world I now belong to. In my travels I have made many friends, all from different courts, of different backgrounds. Since it was you who took me in, Somnus, when I was alone and had no one—I want to make this promise to Delumine—to do more, to be more than Pavetta the caretaker.” Her voice was cool, collected, her expression calm with steely resolve. “ I wish to challenge Orion for the position of Emissary, and seek your permission to do so.”

a pearl in pigshit, a diamond on the finger of a rotting corpse,
creature in whom nothing, but nothing, remains of an elven woman ---

art by the lovely sid

@Ipomoea @Somnus @Orion









Played by Offline Sparrow [PM] Posts: 196 — Threads: 34
Signos: 25
Dawn Court Scholar
Male [He/Him/His]  |  16 [Year 495 Spring]  |  15.2 hh  |  Hth: 22 — Atk: 18 — Exp: 48  |    Active Magic: Blood Manipulation  |    Bonded: Alba (Barn Owl)
#5



An eye for an eye and the world goes blind.
It was relieving, to hear that everything was well. Still, Somnus’ verdant depths did not miss the brief moment of hesitation that marred the brindled woman’s confidence, a telling second that less experienced men may not have noticed. His eyes narrowed minutely, watching, careful and curious as to what thoughts were swimming about in Pavetta’s mind. What was this about? Still, he dipped his head in a polite nod at her confirmation, relieved that she truly seemed unharmed and unhindered.

“I’m relieved to hear it.” And he was. Pavetta was a blessing to Delumine, strong in body and spirit, and her name had been whispered rather fondly among the masses of their Court. News of her deeds had reached his ears, and the dunalino was grateful that he had been the one to find her at the Amare Creek and offer her a home, a chance.

Standing beside Ipomoea, the Dawn King held his tongue and listened to why Pavetta had so suddenly inquired an audience. It was definitely no social call, no friendly bout of banter, but instead something that would completely shift the Dawn Court’s Regime. Somnus’ gaze held considerable weight as he watched the way that Pavetta held herself as she admitted what, exactly, she wanted, and he catalogued and memorized every feature.

’I wish to challenge Orion for the position of Emissary, and seek your permission to do so.’

The dunalino’s eyes slid closed, letting the weight of the words wrap themselves around his shoulders like a heavy mantle. Of course.

To be a King was a heavy, cumbersome burden. He adored every soul who lived in his Court, from his fellow equines, the wild animals, and the spirits that danced within the forests. Everything he did, he did for their benefit, to broaden the touch of Oriens’ knowledge and broach the many mysteries in life and engage in understanding. Opening minds, opening opportunities… Somnus would never crush nor stand between the aspirations of one of his own, yet this? This… This was not just a dream. This was a shift. A desire. A chance to prove ones worth.

Could he truly say ‘no’?

Orion had been promoted rather quickly after arriving within Delumine’s borders. They got along amicably, he would admit, and the dunalino recalled Orion’s odd fondness and infatuation with him since their introduction. Somnus recalled the day of the meeting months back, and how Pavetta had brazenly offered herself as Emissary. He would admit that he had given her quite a bit of thought, but something had stopped him. Maybe it was her own juvenile experience to their homeland? Perhaps it was her age? Inexperience? It was so long ago, yet not… But since then, Pavetta had achieved what Orion had not. It was a sobering, bitter thought that set the typically steadfast and undaunted Sovereign at unease. Had he made the wrong choice? Had he made an error? His perfectionism could hardly stand it, yet this was not the time to question his own shortcomings.

Where Orion had remained in the confines of the Dawn Court, daydreaming of his new future and opportunities, Pavetta had come and gone repeatedly, leaving the safety of their borders and seeking out the world. She familiarized herself with the workings of the other Courts, integrating herself into their lives and their cultures, embracing their differences and offering diplomatic relations… She was, quite honestly, already acting as Emissary in Orion’s stead. The realization was a bitter taste on his tongue, and only then did Somnus’ wise emerald eyes slide open and focus upon the brindled woman with a piercing stare.

“… Words of your deeds have preceded you, Pavetta. I’ve already heard rumors of your exploits, how you’ve grown to know and familiarize yourself with other Courts. I also remember when I found you. You had no reason to trust me, injured and wronged as you were… And yet you did.” The stallion’s dark lips dared to twitch upwards into a fond smile, and it lightened the grievous darkness in his eyes. “Perhaps it is time that I offer you some of that trust in return. I believe you would do well for Delumine and our Court as Emissary. You’ve already proven yourself beyond capable and willing, and so I give you my blessing.”

There, Somnus turned his head to regard Ipomoea. He knew his little brother’s dislike for being put on the spot despite his position as Regent, and yet… Somnus valued the appaloosa’s words far more than any amount of Signos. “What do you think, Po?”


tag: @Ipomoea @Pavetta

I’m so, so sorry for the wait on this! <3 Somnus has given Pavetta his blessing to challenge Orion for his position as Emissary.




"There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self."



Please tag Somnus in all replies!





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Ipomoea
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#6

IPOMOEA

confess my love
-- --


A
s he stood there listening to first Pavetta and then Somnus have their say, he became uncomfortably aware of the world shifting its stance. How one minute, one sentence, one claim could change the course of not only one life, but of several. How it could change the course of the Court as he knew it, and by extension, all of Novus.

Life never did stop turning; it was up to him and every other man and woman to catch up to it.

“I wish to challenge Orion for the position of Emissary, and seek your permission to do so.” As if it were only yesterday, Ipomoea remembered when he had become Emissary. He had not had nearly the amount of confidence as Pavetta did, nor had he done anything to prove himself for the position. But Kasil had seen something in him that he had not realized existed; he had taken a chance, and months down the road had declared his hunch to be correct. Perhaps Po never would know what the ex-King had seen in him; perhaps it was the same thing Somnus had seen, when he had named him his Regent. Perhaps it was something else entirely, something he had yet to truly prove. But if his lasting time in these ranks proved anything at all, it was that Ipomoea was more styled to lead than he had ever imagined.

And as he stood here looking at the Caretaker and listening to her plea, he remembered each of his mentors. The blacksmith from Solterra; Grainne from Denocte; Odet, his own Bonded, who’d traveling with him from Terrastella; Kasil and Somnus, his kings. They had all taken a chance on him based on no more than what they saw when they looked upon him.

So now, Ipomoea strived to look upon Pavetta with the same wisdom and optimism that his teachers had shown him.

‘She’s young, like me,’ he thought. ‘But also scarred. She has seen more than her years would suggest.’

And she did not look away from them.

She stood her ground, her presence commanding attention and respect by example. She was bold, but not arrogant;

Her role as a Caretaker, the very one she had begun gaining notoriety for, demanded she put others’ wellbeing before her own. But when that title was replaced, would she still demonstrate the same humanitarianism?

Ipomoea had a feeling that she would. And unfounded though his hunch was, knowing little of this mare’s personality or history, he was inclined to trust his gut - the same way his King and the King before him had. ’And she’s here, putting forth her claim… she wants this,’ he realized, with a bit of a start. And in his experience, the people who wanted something most were more likely to receive it… and to do well with it.

His cerise eyes turn to Somnus, a quizzical mixture of apprehension and optimism. It was still so strange, being asked for his opinion when he had spent a good deal of his life overlooked. But he would give his opinion nonetheless, and try to be good and wise about it. “I think that if Pavetta wants to prove herself, we should let her.”

He turns from Somnus to address the striped mare herself, his eyes full of contemplation, interest - and hope. And when he spoke, his voice was just as honest and sincere as he had always been. "I wish you luck, Pavetta."





@Somnus @Pavetta | "speaks" | notes: text
rallidae










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