Arlin

The Forgery was the overarching plot of Era 5 the era directly before this one. Broad strokes the Stranger forged the entire planet effectively creating an alternate timeline where no knew of the DA's existence, erasing their overt involvement in previous eras and made it so Voidus was just a simple professor with no knowledge of the demigod he once was. Era 5 ended with Voidus regaining his memories and ripping apart the Forgery. Leaving almost the entire population of the planet grapple with what was essentially a near year long A-gold burn.

Something to keep in mind, as we begin hash things out, is that no matter how we decide to go forward. The Forgery was a setting shaking event that has happened very recently and as we prepare our characters, it would be beneficial to give some thought as to how our characters relate to its impact. Even if it’s just an outsider’s “What the heck happened here?” kind of a thing, as there was almost no one that The Forgery did not touch.

We should talk eventually about how Kalten’s PR activities and Bell’s column do or don’t interact, if we still end up doing the light info war thing.

You can absolutely have more than one character as long as they get approved, we have never had a limit on how many characters you can play. A in fact most people have at least two active during any era. Having multiple characters can help you stay active if a certain area of the rp gets slow.

Okay got a summary of the old plans for the Era. Era6 was going focus on the immediate consequences of the Forgery breaking and how the Guilds and people of the city rebuild and recover in the aftermath. Including the introduction people created during Forgery. With three major events planed ahead. 1. A citywide vigil two weeks after the Forgery while the Guilds hold a meeting to brief themselves on what just happened 2. The Cityspren denying the DA access to the Worldspike and 3. The city starting the construction of a subway system that inadvertently causes a rapid expansion of new Alleys that the DA doesn’t have control over. There was also a crime ring plot being talked about, another plot that involved a conflict over public opinion and new DA head that could have an effect on the Cityspren and also the idea thrown around of splinters of the Cityspren operating/playing a role in the public transportation system.

I have the old plans saved on my phone ill get them together later today

I’m still around as well and up to getting back into it. I’ve just been working on the one post since… last thanksgiving Almost done though.

Ah yes, an exploding tavern that's how you know that reality is back to the way it should be.

~Bell; Alleyverse Post, Last night~ Bell set his mug down on an olympic set of coffee rings. The headline was a dud. He reviewed his current draft and the materials Alanis had provided him again. And again, tried to conjure the image of this alternate Alleycity in his head. Tried to unlock whatever past in his head that this was supposed to be a key to. Still nothing. How many times had he tried this now? He kept bracing himself for that moment when this all became more than just another story to him, when the stains on his desk became less real to him than words he’d iterated on for near days now. Constantly he had gone back and fact-checked with Alanis on different details and aspects of her story. Constructing a presentation that would prepare, trigger memories, and assure people in the most tactful way possible. Still nothing. “So, What do you think Acacia, is it ready to print?” Maybe the guild leader really had just lost it. Then why didn’t his dread stop climbing?

Bell: took awhile but worth it.

“What you can do is prepare them. Explain what feels off, confirm their doubts. If your story triggers peoples memories as intended. At least have the curtsy of not letting them feel crazy and remind them that the danger your warning of is something they have already faced” @Rushu42 @mathiau

"Me?" Bell took a draw from the resended beverage "Oh, I hate this. I want to write everything I've heard in the past five minutes as off as inanity and go about my day. The problem is a deep part of me is screaming that something even worse is going to happen, and I can't deny that." "Plus, I don't think you're the only ones with memories. That look you two's eyes, its... disturbingly familiar." Bell fiddled with his pendant, filled with what is now gleaming white sand. "A tide is rising, the dam is breaking, and the ensuing flood will envelop the Worldspike itself. It's only a matter of how soon. There is no 'Minimizing damage'." "I know it's not yours anymore, and It won't be mine once when I begin remembering things myself. But for the moment, this city is my home, and I don't want to see it go just yet. @Rushu42 @mathiau

Bell placed a mug of hot brown liquid in each of their hands. "How about you both have some coffee, and take a break for a moment while I make another for myself. Afterward you can ask one of your 'innocents' take on the situation. Nothing worthwhile has ever been gained by Raidiants moralizing over what they think is right for other people." "The coffee has somthing a bit extra to it. You can have him figure out what while you wait" @Rushu42 @mathiau

"You want this pumped out 'ASAP' right? Well your in luck then I guess, because it turns out I won't be getting any sleep tonight." Opening the door, Bell's hand stilled on the handle. His face breaking into a self-deprecating smile. "This pich is your memories, your story; and I'm making coffee with brown-suger in it." "You want in?" @Rushu42

Bell watched the radiant mist breifly rase off the paper slowly shifting the black grains in his vial pendent to white. He began to reflexively store and tap his breath, calming himself. "Maybe folklore was a bit impersonal. I don't know why but something about letting this run terrifies me. These 'storeis' are what my parents used to scare me to sleep at night, scared themselves to put me in self defence classes." "I am not going to pretend that I'm arrogant enough to challenge you on this. If the guild leader says she needs this to be the Headline article, I will make it happen. Its just, and I'm sorry if I'm overstepping but I won't be able to sleep if I don't ask. If its true that you that you remember all this," Bell said, holding up the pitch. "can you honestly tell me the past you remember is better than the present we live in now?" @Rushu42

“Alright what is it, Did Little-Phantom finally make it back? Does she have anything for-“ Bell popped into the office and immediately stiffened with layered recognition of the woman standing opposite to Acacia’s desk. That coat, caked in gray concrete powder which he now realized was worn by a face he could quickly attach a name to. Scud. “Alanis Sheneth, people call me Bell I don’t think we’ve had the pleasure of meeting.” Bell shook himself “But clearly not what is important here, lets see what brings our guild leader down to the ground floor.” Bell began thumbing thru the pitch. “Right. Kay, can see why brought me in on this… Wait, is this a Headline! I mean, I’d be fine running this in my column but you’re sure you want a story based on folklore and doctored images as the front page article?…” Bell stoped, and a chill ran past him. There was a familiar cast to Alanis’s eyes a distance yet focus to them. As if what they saw wasn’t what they expected to see anymore. Like his mothers eyes the night after he had last seen this woman. “Spikes, you really believe this don’t you?” @Rushu42

Now sitting alone at the once crowded table. Bell gathered back onto the plate the discarded ‘game chips’ and left them back to bar. Where he traded introductions with the hardazian informant and host before giving Tashi his last thanks and finishing his violet. Bell called it a night and began to remove himself from the bar. Pausing a moment to stare at each of his lovingly made pastries a while. He recovered a blonde colored Macaron from off the stack, returning it to the battered Tupperware. “You get to stay” Finally making his way out of the boardinghouse.

"I'd say what I do isn't too far off from you actually. I'm a columnist for the Alleyverse Post, a storyteller that regals people with 'facts and logic' about to the city's favorite cryptids and boogiemen. Potential sightings as well as guides on how to spot and defend yourself from Denizens and Mistbeavers and all that. Beyond that there is not all that much to me I'm afraid. I'm Alleycity born and raised. I've never worldhopped nor have I ever cared to. All the most interesting aspects of other places tend to find there way here anyway. Spiked together in one place, Like the Lonely God created the Worldspike only so he could entertain himself and see it all and without ever leaving the house. "

“As well as your previous ones if recall. It’s a game that changes with every hand played” “Well it’s good to hear they at least came out ok,” Bell organized his share of the betting sweets and pulled his first draw “So a gleeman? I’m not familiar with that one. It doesn’t sound like a Cosmere or an earths term. Where did you come by it?”

Bell barely pulled a chair under himself before Therim's question washed over him. He immediately sighed before fully coming to rest. "... I guess that was unavoidable. Yeah. There was a disturbance, the ground underneath Einladung shook hard enough for the front half of the most storied hospital in the city to tear off. I got out just in time to see it simply buckle under its own weight and now here I am, coverd in the 'ash of my fathers'." Bell spread his arms to either side of him, allowing Therim full view of is dust caked form. "Now if you would let me. I'm going to go wash my hands so I don't ruin the macaroons, and then maybe you describe the rules to me? I haven't played breakneck since High school"

Bell took in the persons surrounding the table. His facade crumbled and his shoulders deflated. Hold on, I’d be scudding glad to honestly.” Bell breathed out and stopped the older man before bringing his attention back to the original three witnessing there shared tension. “Good, cause I don’t either Hood. We can use these for the game.” He set the macaroons on the table. “I get it if you all have things to attend to but Lonely God, we just had a building fall on our heads, don’t you want a break? If you decide not too please take a macaroon before you go. My name is Bell I work for the Alleyverse post, made the cookies for someone who was at the hospital and now -I’m just just trying to get rid of them.” @Kvothe the Bloodless @EmulatonStromenkiin @Rushu42 @mathiau

"I know how you types are. And I appreciate it." Bell offered back, adding a note to one of her piles "I'll come by again if I ever need help with an article I actually care about." Bell squared himself a bit and took a larger swallow of his violet. "That's one problem solved." he said showing her one last sad smile, "Maybe he just wants a cookie." and began to stride over to the roundtable discussion with the plate of pastel confections, leaving the liquid electrum at the bar. @ZincAboutIt@EmulatonStromenkiin@mathiau@Rushu42

Bell took a sip from his glass "I guess you can call it that. An 'earthquake' I think was the term being thrown around. I watched the entire front of the building crumble in front of me, Einladung just shook itself to the ground. I should probably call my editor about it in the morning. It's honestly kind of surreal, seeing the place where you got broken bones set as a kid, itself fracture." "I hope so." Bell replied "Giving away baked goods is the better part of making them most of the time and I," He stared at the plate for a moment. "Really don't what else I would have done with these anyway."

Bell accepted the glass and began slowly nursing the Rosharan vintage, digging out some crysts and setting them on the bar. "Thanks, just want to make sure I can be there for my mom when I see her later." Bell said, his eyes drifting over the tub of macarons. "I spent all evening making those. They... were, my father's favorite. If you want to take one or hand them out go ahead. Spikes know my mother and I aren't going to be eating them." Bell looked over his shoulder finally taking note of the rest of the establishment and the other patrons. Regarding the two that where also happened covered in concrete. "They come from the hospital as well?" @ZincAboutIt

Bell dropped his dusted and doused tupperware beside him at the bar. Then after setting himself down raised a hand to that was in a similar condition to his plastic container to the Hardazian woman. "Give me one of whatever you think is going to let me still get back home tonight." @ZincAboutIt