The Forge

[Silva]

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Getting caught could be quite fun. 

"I trust you on this," Eve said, gently handing the blue bag back to Lena. Based on what Alask had been told, it didn't seem like something she'd ever be willing to use. The other two she pocketed away. There was a slight bulge from where they sat in her jacket, but nothing too noticeable to anyone not looking for it.

She glanced back at the table on a whim.

Zyn was watching her through a mouthful of food. She avoided eye contact, looking at him only through peripheral vision. If Alask and Lena were fine with him, she would to. A staring contest would do no one any good, even if she knew she would win. Keeping her eyes fixated on a spot on the ceiling, she braided her hair back. It was by no means perfect while at the same time did exactly the job she needed it to--preventing most hair from falling in her face like usual. 

"I'll see you later, Mart," she told the boy, smiling. "Try not to cause too much trouble while we're out."

[+Sorana]

Mart shook his head and looked over at Lena. Lena knelt down next to him and hugged him. "Yerin will stay with you for a while, is that alright?" She asked him and he nodded, face brightening. "Can I continue to paint my wall?" He ask and she smiled. "Sure." She didn't really care how his wall looked, but he loved to play with the paint and Yerin usually managed that the result looked more or less alright. Quickly she texted the woman, asked her to come over and then stood up again, took her bag and was about to leave the Forge when she remembered something.

"We've got some wigs, makeup and all that." She offered and made a gesture towards a room. "If you want to, there is no need to, of course." But given that they were heading to a Great Guild it most likely couldn't hurt at all.

When she opened the door she looked through the different stacks, she had organized everything from cloths, over wigs, beards, fake scars to make up and picked a few small things to use herself. The guild most likely could track them once they had their faces, but if it came to running away it could be an advantage if you suddenly changed some prominent features like your hair colour. She pulled her red hair into a bun and covered it with a brown wig, used a mirror to make sure, that it sat correctly. A little make up to change her eyesbrows and lenses for her eyes and she was good. There was no need to cover her face completely, not if they wanted to harmlessly take a look around.

Carefully she stored them in her bag, made sure she kept everything organized, so that she could find her poisons quickly. And then walked over to the door, waited for the others.

@Voidus @Silva @I think I am here.

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I'm fine to change threads, forgot a little about the disguise part, sorry.

 

[Silva]

Disguising was a delicate art that Eve had never spent much time trying to learn as she didn't really care about being recognized.

She knew you had to balance between trying to hard not to be seen and trying too hard to be recognized as someone trying to be dismissed as a threat for being too obvious. There was also the matter of trying to look...average. Ordinary. Which meant nothing extraordinarily practical or impractical.

It was all a science. Unfortunately, it wasn't one she was amazing at. 

Eve looked at the piles, quickly sorting the items by usefulness. Wigs were out--her hair was already in a different state than normal--as was most clothing--she wouldn't know where to even start. Anything beyond black required too much fashion sense to figure out. She knew not to wear green-ish blacks with more red-ish blacks, but colors were beyond her. Could purple go with yellow? Could green? Or orange? 

It was too complicated, while at the same time she knew something had to be different beyond her hair. Color was necessary to not look extremely suspicious. She sighed and pulled out a red scarf from a pile. It was bright. The color made her wince the first few times she looked at it. Eve wrapped it around her neck loosely. Then she pulled on the weaves of her braid a little to let out some frizz. 

Glancing in a mirror, she knew it had worked. She looked almost normal despite not changing much. 

A feeling of deja vu set over her. Someone else had looked like that before. Worn something eerily similar. Unwanted, a memory of her mother resurfaced. She'd had to go out. Probably for a meeting to raise more money for one of her charities. 

No. It wasn't a meeting, Eve remembered. It was a dry fall day. She was taking her to her friend's house for a playdate. There was not a cloud in sight. Only strong fire-stoking winds. On that day.

Eve swallowed heavily, turned, and walked over to Lena by the door. It wouldn't do to dwell on the past. She was continuing her mother's legacy by helping the people of Alleycity, twelve years later. 

The Doves might have been gone, but they would never be forgotten.

Edited November 10, 2019 by Silva
Grammar. My to/too/two's and where/wear's were off.

[I think I am here.]

Alask accepted the poisons, finished his food. Then it was off to the disguise room. He didn’t pick up anything too fancy, just enough to obscure his features. A blonde wig, some fake matching facial hair, and some pair of fake spectacles. Taking a look at the side mirror Alask smiled, the disguise was good. If anyone was looking for it they could definitely see it was him, but for a first scout it would do well enough.

“I might be learning from you,” he joked to Lena about the disguises, though he knew she was much better at this than him. So good that couple who they’d poisoned when the Invasion has happened still hadn’t found them, despite Alask hearing they led some guilds?

[+Sorana]

Lena grinned at him, reached out and straightened his wig. "One day, you'll be really good at it. This will do for now."

She picked up some chocolate bars and stuffed them into her bag as well. You never knew. Tilting her head to the side she added some pancakes as well. Maybe she could had them out to some of the guards, or maybe she simply ate them herself. If she was honest with herself, she was excited. It was a great feeling to head out ot a heist, to do something more than just stroll the streets at night. She walked over to the door and then stepped outside and then closed the it behind them. They were doing it. They were finally back to where they started and it felt good. To leave all the pretending aside, to just be who she was. No ties, nothing to take care off. She could be bold and it would be the right thing.

"Let's go. We've got a guild to rob."

Edited November 15, 2019 by Sorana

[+Ark1002]

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Getting caught works for me as well.

Georgia-Grace walked up to Leta, face straight.

"I've heard the guild is performing another heist. Is it too late to join?"

@Sorana @I think I am here. @whoever else 

 

 

Edited November 18, 2019 by Ark1002
OOC

[+Sorana]

2 hours ago, Ark1002 said:

Georgia-Grace walked up to Leta, face straight.

"I've heard the guild is performing another heist. Is it too late to join?"

Lena shook her head, surprised by the addition to their team. She hadn't expected someone else to show up, but it was fine. She wouldn't send Georgia away, although she would need to keep an eye on her. She hadn't forgotten what had happened on the plane with Alask, in the middle of a heist. It had been dangerous for all of them, she would have to watch out to be able to stop Georgia should something like that happened as well. "It's not. We were about to get started."

She closed the door of the Forge and grinned at them all. "Let's rock this thing."

[I think I am here.]

~-~-~-~-~ Era 5 ~-~-~-~-

Post-Timeskip

The Northern Slums were a smattering of browns and blacks and greys, squat shacks and ramshackle buildings squeezed together with no heed for safety or comfort, and - in some places - extending as far as the eye could see. The streets stunk of cheap liquor and engine oil, and the main roads (if they could even be called 'main roads') ran in odd, twisted directions. The homes and shops here were cramped and unfurnished, hastily put together with as few materials as possible, and very few buildings exceeded one story, as if the architecture itself was afraid of reaching beyond its place. Like ghosts, the residents here clung to the shadows at night, hid behind closed doors and winding alleys, taking on odd, unsavory jobs. Adults took on dangerous levels of debt. Youth turned to vandalism and random acts of violence.

These were the abandoned people. The 'collateral damage' that politicians liked to talk so much about yet leave in the dust. Though slums existed all over the city, the North were where it was concentrated the most. Turned into ruins by the Seven Day War, then knocked down again when PlasmaCore decided to waltz in with an army of the Void - for those who lived here, poverty was all they'd known. The Slums were a dreary place, and to the rest of the city, almost forgotten altogether.

Almost forgotten.

In the darkness of midnight, a section of the slums - almost a third - had their lights on. The warm, electric glows were beacon of hope. In this section of the slums, the buildings were just a little bit higher, more fortified. The streets, they were just a little wider, less vandalized. And the people - well, the people, for the first time in their lives, they were just a little bit more hopeful. Clean water ran through their taps, and though crime was still higher than outside the slums, it was steadily decreasing. A tall, chain-link fence separated this section from the rest of the slums.

This was the Forge's territory, and over the course of the last three years, it had been expanding rapidly from its epicenter - a humble blacksmith's building that now stood taller than anything else in the slums. There were only a few entrances and exits to this territory. The main one was an old, brassy gate from a bygone era. It had been repurposed and shoddily fit into the chain-link fence.

A few men in brown clothes waited by the fence, using a cardboard box as a table for a game of cards. Their job was to sit and wait. They were expecting visitors soon.

@Emery the Windrunner @Thaidakar the Ghostblood

  @Stormblessed0421

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Hello! Despite this being a long post, this is actually the set up to a small sideplot/quest that I've discussed with Emery and Thaidakar so they can get some character interaction going/have something to do, though it's open to all players . I've also mentioned Stormblessed because they're a new player and this might be a good place to start. If you feel keen for an intro point, just pop a character in here .

Spoiler

 

 

Edited April 16, 2022 by I think I am here.

[mathiau]

2 hours ago, I think I am here. said:

Turned into ruins by the Seven Day War, then knocked down again when PlasmaCore decided to waltz in with an army of the Void - for those who lived here, poverty was all they'd known.

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Hadn't that been removed by the forgery? Or at least diminished

 

[I think I am here.]

21 minutes ago, mathiau said:

Hadn't that been removed by the forgery? Or at least diminished

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There was no nuke, but still destruction I think.

Going by this post:

(the spoiler tag in it)

 

[Thaidakar the Ghostblood]

14 hours ago, I think I am here. said:

~-~-~-~-~ Era 5 ~-~-~-~-

Post-Timeskip

The Northern Slums were a smattering of browns and blacks and greys, squat shacks and ramshackle buildings squeezed together with no heed for safety or comfort, and - in some places - extending as far as the eye could see. The streets stunk of cheap liquor and engine oil, and the main roads (if they could even be called 'main roads') ran in odd, twisted directions. The homes and shops here were cramped and unfurnished, hastily put together with as few materials as possible, and very few buildings exceeded one story, as if the architecture itself was afraid of reaching beyond its place. Like ghosts, the residents here clung to the shadows at night, hid behind closed doors and winding alleys, taking on odd, unsavory jobs. Adults took on dangerous levels of debt. Youth turned to vandalism and random acts of violence.

These were the abandoned people. The 'collateral damage' that politicians liked to talk so much about yet leave in the dust. Though slums existed all over the city, the North were where it was concentrated the most. Turned into ruins by the Seven Day War, then knocked down again when PlasmaCore decided to waltz in with an army of the Void - for those who lived here, poverty was all they'd known. The Slums were a dreary place, and to the rest of the city, almost forgotten altogether.

Almost forgotten.

In the darkness of midnight, a section of the slums - almost a third - had their lights on. The warm, electric glows were beacon of hope. In this section of the slums, the buildings were just a little bit higher, more fortified. The streets, they were just a little wider, less vandalized. And the people - well, the people, for the first time in their lives, they were just a little bit more hopeful. Clean water ran through their taps, and though crime was still higher than outside the slums, it was steadily decreasing. A tall, chain-link fence separated this section from the rest of the slums.

This was the Forge's territory, and over the course of the last three years, it had been expanding rapidly from its epicenter - a humble blacksmith's building that now stood taller than anything else in the slums. There were only a few entrances and exits to this territory. The main one was an old, brassy gate from a bygone era. It had been repurposed and shoddily fit into the chain-link fence.

A few men in brown clothes waited by the fence, using a cardboard box as a table for a game of cards. Their job was to sit and wait. They were expecting visitors soon.

@Emery the Windrunner @Thaidakar the Ghostblood

  @Stormblessed0421

 

Darien sighed as he walked around the slums, this place was a dump. he saw the men playing cards and he walked over, "I was told to meet people here are you these people? I'm Darien."

[Stormblessed0421]

One of the card-players paused, glancing suspiciously at the newcomer. He studied Darien for a few moments before replying.

“That depends on who sent you, friend. I’m Deckh.”

Deckh turned back to his card game, waiting on his companions to do the rest of the talking.

[I think I am here.]

2 hours ago, Thaidakar the Ghostblood said:

"I was told to meet people here are you these people? I'm Darien."

28 minutes ago, Stormblessed0421 said:

Deckh turned back to his card game, waiting on his companions to do the rest of the talking.

The men took their time, playing quietly in the misty night. The spheres they gambled with - clips and marks, no broams - glowed gently in the darkness, casting blue shadows against the box.

One of the men went bust. He cursed and leaned back in his seat, scratching his head. Only then did he turn to look at Darien.

“You saw the bulletin, eh? You’re here to offer help?”

He turned towards Deckh.

“Some ‘help-for-hire’ thing goin’ on. You didn’t hear? Alask’s orders. Needs people with ‘special skills’.” He nodded towards a shack beyond the gate that still had its lights on, before returning to gaze at his lost spheres with a forlorn expression.

Edited April 17, 2022 by I think I am here.

[Thaidakar the Ghostblood]

7 minutes ago, I think I am here. said:

The men took their time, playing quietly in the misty night. The spheres they gambled with - clips and marks, no broams - glowed gently in the darkness, casting blue shadows against the box.

One of the men went bust. He cursed and leaned back in his seat, scratching his head. Only then did he turn to look at Darien.

“You saw the bulletin, eh? You’re here to offer help?”

He turned towards Deckh.

“Some ‘help-for-hire’ thing goin’ on. You didn’t hear? Alask’s orders. Needs people with ‘special skills’.” He nodded towards a shack beyond the gate that still had its lights on, before returning to gaze at his lost spheres with a forlorn expression.

Darien nodded curtly, "yes, Alask, I've met him, I would like to talk to him."

[I think I am here.]

10 minutes ago, Thaidakar the Ghostblood said:

Darien nodded curtly, "yes, Alask, I've met him, I would like to talk to him."

The man nodded, then grabbed something wrapped in cloth beside the box. The other man looked at him, but otherwise didn’t comment.

“I’ll get him now,” the man said, revealing a chunky, rusting spanreed. The ruby attached to the pen glowed erratically and small bits of the fabrial seemed to be falling off, but the man wrote a message and pointed to a small flat beyond the gate, where a shadowy figure stepped out and began walking towards the group.

“That’s ‘im,” said the man fondly. He sighed. “I don’t know why he don’t just get the Night Protector to do it ‘stead of bringin’ in newcomers. Feels weird.”

Edited April 17, 2022 by I think I am here.

[Thaidakar the Ghostblood]

Just now, I think I am here. said:

The man nodded, then grabbed something wrapped in cloth beside the box. The other man looked at him, but otherwise didn’t comment.

“I’ll get him now,” the man said, revealing a chunky, rusting spanreed. The ruby attached to the pen glowed erratically and small bits of the fabrial seemed to be falling off, but the man wrote a message and pointed to a small flat beyond the gate, where a shadowy figure stepped out and walked towards the group.

“That’s ‘im,” said the man fondly. He sighed. “I don’t know why he don’t just get the Night Protector to do it ‘stead of bringin’ in newcomers. Feels weird.”

Darien smiled, he walked towards Alask and stretched his hand out in... welcome? what was the proper phrase? anyways, "I might smell better now then when you found me between the stools, drunk on terrible tasting alcohol."

[Stormblessed0421]

Deckh chuckled softly. "You must've smelled terrible then if how you smell now is 'good.'"

[I think I am here.]

4 hours ago, Thaidakar the Ghostblood said:

"I might smell better now then when you found me between the stools, drunk on terrible tasting alcohol."

43 minutes ago, Stormblessed0421 said:

Deckh chuckled softly. "You must've smelled terrible then if how you smell now is 'good.'"

The shadowy figure came closer and closer, until the glow of spheres illuminated the face of Alask. A deep frown was set into his face, and the dark circles under his eyes seemed more prominent. He wore different clothes tonight, a brownish-black cloth that covered most of his body. Only his right arm stuck out.

At the sight of the two men, he smiled wearily. Help had arrived.

“You,” he said to Darien, shaking the man’s hand with his right arm. He had hoped this man would arrive since their encounter at the tavern. “You certainly don’t look two sips from death anymore.”

At Deckh’s wisecrack he turned and waved, again with his right hand.

“You have no idea,” he said with a grin. This man also looked tough, strong. Exactly what he was looking for. “Are you also here to help? We need every hand we can get.”

Lastly, he turned to the man who’d activated the spanreed and his companions. He waved at them and they smiled and waved back. They all knew each other. Tough conditions built strong relationships, especially when you were the guy fixing up their homes and providing them light.

[Emery the Steelrunner]

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OOC: I’m sorry, I meant to jump in earlier, but I was a little busy, and now I’m stumped. It sounds like the meeting has started, and my character isn’t really the kind of person to barge in without a cause unless it is to save someone, but that doesn’t really work in this scenario. Any suggestions?

@I think I am here., @Stormblessed0421, @Thaidakar the Ghostblood.

[I think I am here.]

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No worries . If Alask mentions that “lives are at stake”, will that be enough motivation for Sam to join in?

@Emery the Windrunner

Edited April 17, 2022 by I think I am here.

[Emery the Steelrunner]

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Yeah, but I’m talking about an entrance. Sam doesn’t really eavesdrop or spy. He mostly wanders around until he finds someone who needs help, or something that looks sketchy and/or dangerous to someone close by. The poster would be interesting to him, but not visit in the dead of night interesting. 

 

Edited April 17, 2022 by Emery the Windrunner

[I think I am here.]

6 minutes ago, Emery the Windrunner said:

Yeah, but I’m talking about an entrance. Sam doesn’t really eavesdrop or spy. He mostly wanders around until he finds someone who needs help, or something that looks sketchy and/or dangerous to someone close by.

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The poster on the Bulletin Board has a splash of blood in the top-right corner  is it possible he saw that, realised that the ‘help’ the Forge wants is actually dire, then arrive here?

 

[Emery the Steelrunner]

Spoiler

Maybe. He isn’t a tineye, so he’ll probably show up near the end of his patrol, when he stops to get some chouta by the bulletin board.

 

[I think I am here.]

Quote

Hmm. Okay, I thought about it, and I think I know a way.  

Their conversation was interrupted by a scream from the darkness. Alask turned sharply towards the direction of sound before a figure came tumbling out of the shadows towards the group.

They were a woman, wrapped in a shawl and running faster than her legs could carry her. She tumbled over the ground in front of the group and Alask knelt down beside her.

Her clothes were stained unnaturally red. When she reached out for someone to help her, her hand dripped red, little drops landing on the stone in front of them.

“Shadows,” Alask muttered, kneeling down beside her.

“Help… me,” she groaned.

@Thaidakar the Ghostblood

@Emery the Steelrunner

@Stormblessed0421

Edited April 18, 2022 by I think I am here.

[Emery the Steelrunner]

Sam arced through the air jumping from rooftop to rooftop. He slowed down a little on the next roof, and paused his jumps to listen. 

The streets were silent “It’s getting late, and I should head back.” he thought to himself, “I couldn’t help anyone tonight; but, on the bright side, I got to see the city, and it was really peac…”

He was interrupted by a distant scream to the Northwest of him. He quickly twisted in that direction, and tried to look through the mist in that direction. He couldn’t see anything, and jumped from the building.

He sped up, and ran down the alleyways. He jumped over any buildings that snaked in front of him. He soon arrived at the Northern slums.

He dropped down to the ground, mist swirling around him, and the fluttering strips of his cloak.

A little ways down the cobbled road was a woman crumpled over, her clothes stained red. He also saw a group of about seven men rushing out of one of the walled off complexes towards her.

“Don’t move!” barked one of the men lowering a pistol at him. Sam turned his attention from the women to the man, and slowly raised his arms in surrender, and increased the steel bubble around him.

“I’m not here to do any harm.” Sam said calmly. “I’m a friend. I heard a scream, and came to check it out. Is everything alright?”

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Sorry this took so long, I’ve been busy with school.

@Thaidakar the Ghostblood

@Stormblessed0421

@I think I am here.

 

Edited April 19, 2022 by Emery the Steelrunner