Poll: [DAWN COURT MEMBERS ONLY -- 1 vote per member -- READ BELOW POST FIRST] Who would you like to be Delumine's new Sovereign? You do not have permission to vote in this poll.
The radiance that emanated from Oriens illuminated the court of his children.
He felt the pain, the mourning, the loss, and the strife. It collected like a deep well, pooling in the vacant spot beneath his heart and between his lungs. It was not his place to meddle in the affairs of mortals, but he could not help but feel a choking sensation of guilt and sorrow building up at the crux of his jaw.
But he stood, steadfast. One by one, they approached.
First, it was @Atlas, one of the neighboring Terrastella's scholars. Just as Atlas felt the key click perfectly into place in the lock of his soul, Oriens watched the past as Atlas descended from the oasis and sand dunes that wreaked havoc upon his second life as he fled from his first, as he fled from Azimal... and the god of knowledge's gaze softened with the scholar's resolve. "You have come far from your past and who you were, Atlas."
And then... studious, stoic @Andras ‐ Oriens could not forget his emissary! A strong soul... strong in some ways more positive than others, with an almost reckless drive that was not overall common among Court emissaries. Oriens knew that Andras would be there in some sense or breadth of the word - if only to support those who stepped forward, but something inside him knew the emissary would step forward himself. "Dawn would be honored, Andras."
Oh, then there was @Entia.... a whiplash of attitude and tone, and the god acknowledged him with a firm but cool smile. He felt the scrutiny and felt the stallion's disdain, although it did not cause him to falter. "Is knowledge not brought forth by choice? I know you've passed through many lands, Entia. Your journey is surely a unique one."
Sweet, feral little @Eirene - the rosey peach of her hooves, horns, and nose a tender reminder of the good, empathetic things that resided within the Delumine, nestled between the rot and decay. "Tell me, young Eirene - what herbs do you grow? Some day, I will need to visit your garden." A day to sit among the flowers, herbs, and plants - to breathe in life.
But where Eirene grew the life that nourished the court in her own quaint garden, @Sol Bestiam and the flames of his hooves were everything you would not initially expect from Delumine. But despite the dark coal that swathed his coat, the gold that licked at his wings, hooves, hair, and eyes... Sol embodied more of knowledge and the Dawn court than one might realize. His past - angry and resolute - was something he learned, grew from; in his experiences and knowledge, he moved past who he once was. "You too have come so very far, Sol Bestiam," he smiled fondly.
And last but not least, @Seir. When he returned to Delumine, the masked man was not who he expected or had once known - the inky, jet black of his hide and the bone-white mask upon his face a testament to where life has taken him. He dropped his head so his gaze met the masked Deluminians, the pulsing light from the orb illuminating the crevices within the stallion's mask: "Seir, my friend. I am happy to see you once more; the plants, the forest leans towards you, do they not?" a tepid smile, before he lifted his head up once more to regard the rest of his children who had gathered.
"Atlas, Andras, Entia, Eirene, Sol Bestiam, and Seir - step forward to me," he instructed.
And when they did.... "Delumianias!" came his call and a hush fell over the court once more.
"It is time; who do you feel is the best fit to take up the mantle of Sovereign?"
Rules to Vote
Voting closes at 11:59P EST on 01/18/21
Before voting or if you are part of this nomination, please read all the below. If you have any questions/concerns, don't hesitate to ask!
Regarding this vote:
When voting, please read each characters audition - both IN CHARACTER and OUT OF CHARACTER portions!
Keep in mind when voting, we are looking for a character who embodies Deluminian ideals, will have substantial enough activity to help drive the court in a positive direction, and solid ideas to bring to the court in terms of events, planning, etc.
You must use your Dawn Court Court character account to cast your vote - ONLY Deluminians can vote here!
Do not use your OOC account to vote!
One vote total per member, even if you have multiple Dawn Court characters.
Those nominated may not vote for themselves. They are allowed to vote for a different character, if they wish.
Failure to follow the above rules will result in your vote being nullified.
You can freely post in this thread if you'd like to interact with Oriens or the nominees!
Character Requirements for those Nominated and/or who are chosen:
If you win the member vote and have another character in a Regime position (Sovereign, Regent, Emissary), that character must step down before your winning character can step up. This must be completed within 2 weeks.
If you have entered another one of your own characters into a different Court's Sovereign auditions, you may not win both. In the event both your characters are the number one pick, you will need to choose which character/court you prefer. The one that you pass up will be given to the runner-up.
General rules and requirements regarding Sovereigns:
Regarding Sovereign vulnerability: Sovereigns will be deemed Vulnerable if you make 10 IC posts or less per month (this means that it will be extremely easy for anyone to win a Challenge against you), and posted absences only make you immune for 2 weeks.
Sovereign activity requirements: To promote activity within their respective Courts, the Sovereign must setup 1 IC event every other season.
Once a Sovereign is selected and your profile approved, your first duty will be to create a Court Rules thread in your respective Court forum. Read this thread for things you can do as Sovereign.
01-13-2021, 01:51 AM - This post was last modified: 01-13-2021, 01:57 AM by inkbone
Any character - from any Court - may post in this thread to interact with Oriens and the nominees.
Once voting is over you will be able to immediately claim this thread as completed for signos and/or EXP - even if you don't meeting the post count requirement!
01-13-2021, 02:30 AM - This post was last modified: 01-17-2021, 06:55 PM by inkbone
This flaming guardian could be your worst nightmare...
Sol found himself in awe of the god, his gold eyes warm and welcoming. The words spoken to him made his heart swell, though he did his best to not showcase it. The massive stallion had been through hell and had walked away a better being thanks to it all... Not that he was the easiest to get to know. Sol was guarded at best with new faces and hesitant to trust easily.
"Thank you, Oriens. That means more than I can express." He answered, dipping his head again at the stallion before them all. Taking a moment, he composed himself and turned to the rest of the group.
"I wish you all luck in this. We all have the best for our court in mind and I cannot wait to see what our future holds." The ebony, gold, and white stallion stated, his words polite and warm as his golden gaze traveled over each of the assembled equines.
Gods were complicated. Unknowable souls who sometimes toyed with, were protective of or even completely disinterested in the mortal souls at their beck in call. If one were to guess the complicated nature of such deities, you were almost sure to get it wrong. Who could understand the desires and wants of those immune to time?
The summons drew her from the small room in which she currently resided. Dressed in moonlight finery, hood pulled over her ears, the silver doe entered the main court. The room was large enough to fit the entire Dawn Court in, the ceiling tall and windows large allowing sun to spill in across the stone floor. Silently she moved towards the side of the room, slipping into the back. Beside her Wynter flew in low and placed her hefty history book beside her. Im ceri- ú- heni- i thel-. The griffin’s words were sharp, judging the spectacle. The silver doe finished setting up and raised her head to observe the room. For a moment she allowed silence to fill the bond as she observed the god and his mannerisms. Of course this was not important for the records, but it did fulfil her own curiosity. Power radiated from the being, strength and a certain agelessness rolled off his body in waves. The presence of a god always demanded a certain level of respect but until she knew more about this...Oriens...the doe would reserve her reverence for a later date. Turning her gaze to Wynter the doe finally responded to her bonded. A siniath aran. Mín see i galas -o mín arnad. Hi na- gobennas. Chiding Wynter into silence she wondered how the griffin did not understand the importance of such an occasion. it was not everyday she arrived dressed in her finery and dignified disposition.
As the god began to speak, his voice filled even the far corners of the room. Soundwaves rolled off her pale flesh, rising bumps along the sensitive areas. The sheer power of his vocals resonated with her. Reminded her of other interactions she'd had with deities in the past. Their cold eyes, silky voices, massive bodies, unbidden power. Abilities that could bless and destroy. As he spoke of each candidate for sovereign, she made note of them. Though she reserved details of birth year, place, history and appearance for the winner, the new sovereign. History was selective and if you were not of singular importance, to the doe's mind at least, you would only be mentioned in passing. Just like how only a brief description was given to the court room, most would not care to know the whether on such a prominent occasion. Instead she focused on the words, summarising as unbiasedly as she could. Which, for a new comer with no true established bonds or loyalties yet, was incredibly easy. Keenly she focused on the facts, emotions or any personal opinions she kept to herself.
Observing the workings of the court as the vote took place, she was fascinated by the arrival so many new faces. None stood out as familiar from her past...though she did spot a few faces that she had met since her arrival. As her pools of gold rolled over the crowd, her gaze hovered on those whom she had spoken with. An odd feeling expanded through her chest, light. Warmth. It was the foundation, she thought, upon which she could start to rebuild her life.
Sloane had seen way too many Sovereigns elected for Dawn Court. None of them were any good, then again, it was insanely hard to please the mare. Each one had their flaws and each one made them so abundantly clear. Finding someone who didn’t annoy the shit out of Sloane had been difficult. Really, all of them were rather irritating and yet, all the Sovereigns that came before somehow tolerated Sloane and her antics, which she supposed meant something.
As the crowd gathers in the center of the court, it draws Sloane near. While she’s not entirely interested in the God (because truthfully, Sloane does not believe in gods or divine beings of any kind), she’s not really one to enjoy crowds either. She stands in the back, looking at all those gathered with a scowl upon her face. They all look like fresh meat, not yet even ready for slaughter. None of them really looked like Sovereign material, but she supposed she had to pick someone.
With a roll of her eyes, Sloane looked out over the crowd. When she spoke, her voice was soft, barely audible over the gathering crowd. "I guess I need to pick the least awful choice." Her eyes look up at Oriens, catching his gaze for only a moment before she looks at the ones gathered. This was going to be a harder decision than she thought.
Their collective voice was loud, that Oriens was sure of.
The god of knowledge, of Delumine, of Dawn and the sun cresting high after its slumber - he did not falter, as one by one his children stepped forward to cast their votes. Some proclaimed loudly - while others, their voice hushed for only the god himself to hear.
Seir comes from the forest, does he not? I feel he is best pick for he most likely knows Delumine more than most! — Atlas may be of a different court, but I have heard good things! — Andras is our emissary; he is strong and I trust his decisions.
Just some of the many things his children whispered to him or proclaimed loudly across the court for all their fellow Deluminians to hear, Oriens knew this and more. He knew that Eirene was kind, her knowledge of herbs and healing far surpassing what most would realize or expect. He knew Sol Bestiam was wise and had grown so much from those long years ago. Entia, despite all his attitude and snark, was stronger than many - both physically and mentally.
But the decision was not his to make. And so he did not.
The god stepped forward to walk among his people, and Sol was the first he moved towards.
Of the many that approached him, some stood out. Sol stepped forward to express his gratitude, and the god of knowledge smiled at him - a kind, comforting smile that was as warm as the light that illuminated his children. "You do not need to thank me, Sol," with a quiet chuckle. "Instead, I should thank you for stepping forward in such a time of need."
A Random Event Has Occurred!
As if from nothing, a small Mist Raven materialized and crested out of the illuminated orb atop the god's head - its form intangible and fleeting as it glided in a lazy circle around both Oriens and Sol. And just as quickly took to flight, it perched atop the god's statuesque shoulder - and a single Shadowfeather dropped from its wing. Now held within the gods powerful teke, he outstretched it to Sol: "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."
[ @Sol Bestiam has been gifted a Shadowfeather by Oriens, and has also been awarded +200 signos for encountering a Random Event! Feel free to NPC the Mist Raven if you reply! ]
The next he saw was Arah; a new face but still one he recognized. She cast her vote with few or no words, and as Oriens passed near, he stopped. His gaze drifted up towards Wynter as the Griffin flew overhead, and a knowing gaze took in the creature with piqued interest. When the god's gazed dropped away from Arah's bonded, it returned to her. He watched as she scanned the crowd, took in familiar and unfamiliar faces... more importantly, watched the light in her eyes strengthen ever so slightly when she saw someone she had met.
A Random Event Has Occurred!
In the god's teke, a moderately sized Moonflower bulb had also appeared. In a bud of fire that started from its stem and engulfed it in a small, quickly-burning flame - the flower bloomed. It was vividly off-white and smelled faintly sweet, and at its center a small, harmless lick of flame still remained. The light that emanated from it was surprisingly strong - enough to lead a short path through the darkness, should Arah ever find herself in such a situation.
The god smiled wordlessly as he passed alongside the quiet mare; the flower was left floating in front of her even after he had moved along, waiting for her to pluck it from the air. Maybe it would find a home, nestled behind her ear or kept grasped within her own teke?
[ @Arah has been gifted a Moonflower by Oriens, and has also been awarded +200 signos for encountering a Random Event! Enjoy! ]
And last but certainly not least was Sloane, her sharp gaze cutting into all those who surrounded her. There is no judgment in Oriens' gaze, for he knows that without scrutiny there is no true knowledge. Blindly accepting what is presented in front of you is hardly a wise path... and he knows he, as with Arah, does not need any words for her.
A Random Event Has Occurred!
But even though he does not need words, he does speak as he passes by her. "Maybe this will help, should you wish to be present but not seen..." A smile that was almost coy was thrown her way and extended in the god's teke was the Shapeshifter's Outfit.
"Perhaps it could turn into an invisibility cloak, hm?" he mused as he passed by... the shawl left hanging in mid-air by his powerful teke even long after he had walked past Sloane.
[ @Sloane has been gifted the Shapeshifter's Outfit by Oriens, and has also been awarded +200 signos for encountering a Random Event! Enjoy! ]
And after what felt like an eternity - with many slow, methodical steps among the children of the Court he so loved and called home - he knew their answer. It rang in his ears as they whispered and spoke their votes aloud, as they murmured and discussed even amongst themselves. He knew, and he knew it was time. So he returned to the place he first stood within the Court, and his voice as loud as thunder boomed.
A hoof struck the cobblestone — "
Deluminians!
" — and it rang a resonating note throughout the Court, hushing the crowd into a heavy silence. Oriens' golden eyes saw everyone all at once, yet settled on none.
"You have spoken and I, as well as your fellow neighbors, have heard what is in your hearts." The god's gaze swept briefly over the crowd, looking for a certain someone... a dark figure with glasses. He was not hard to find.
Oriens motioned for the man to step beside him. "@Andras, step forward. My emissary... your fellow Courtgoers have chosen you to be the one to step up and lead them." A glance back towards the crowd that had gathered.
"Dawn Court, welcome your new Sovereign: Andras!"
01-22-2021, 02:57 AM - This post was last modified: 01-22-2021, 03:11 AM by inkbone
No matter how venerated all eventually knelt to the toll of time. The world's end would not be heralded by the loss of king or queen. Time did not mourn. It did not try to make sense of the abandonment of the throne. Time; Tempus, ushered Oriens to Delumine.
Andras' name was a murmur in those gathered. A cry. A shout. A celebration for what would be made by the guiding of his hands. His rule would not be eternal but in this moment, when his name was made gilded on the tongue of a god, it felt as though it could be.
Lovis was still in a crowd that jostled against him. He was quiet in the clamor of cheers. "Long may he serve," a mere murmur sent to lose itself in the gathered bodies. Well wishes carried on the breath of a prayer.
