Mac's Boarding House

[Shining Silhouette]

Orodal reached back to unsheathe his sword and set it on the table. It was long and wide, perhaps six feet long, complete with an elegant hilt adorned with the same strange symbol as the one on his shoulder. Its silvery gray blade glistened in the warm light of the room. "It came at a price," he said softly. "Pure aluminium isn't easy to come by." He looked back at Sarian with a stonelike gaze, yet somewhere in his face there was a hint of pain. "Vengeance isn't the right word," he said, eye twitching. "I'm looking for justice."

@SymphonianBookworm 

[SymphonianBookworm]

She nodded, surveying the blade with appreciation, but not with any selfish intent. He'd probably had many people try to steal it over time, and she wasn't interested in all that. What she collected was---instead of blades---stories. She was interested in the sword's history, along with Orodal's. She casually slipped out her notebook and traced a small outline of the symbol on his shoulder. As her breath quickened, she tried to dispel any fear. It's fine. I'm not writing. I'm not writing. I'm just.... drawing. When she was done, she slipped her notebook back into her pocket. "Justice. That's what many out for vengeance say. Lie to yourself all you want... but something happened to you, or someone or something you love, and you want to destroy the thing that caused it. Right?" Her bright violet eyes flickered with an untraceable emotion, and then her facade of a smiling, uncaring, questioning lighteyed lady came back.

@Shining Silhouette

[Shining Silhouette]

Orodal watched Sarian closely. She seemed to far know more than she let on. She was skilled in subterfuge. Though...that wasn't necessarily a bad thing. Perhaps she could be useful to him. He spoke solemnly, opening up.

"When I was young, I believed the world was just." He sat up straight. "I remember learning about the rule of law, how leaders could keep the peace with honor and virtue." He picked up his sword, looking at his distorted reflection in its blade. "I studied the rules. I learned how each kingdom fit together, how the most disciplined earned their place at the glory's table. I believed that those who broke the rules were punished, and those who kept them were rewarded." He gripped the handle of his aluminum sword with force. " I was a fool."

Orodal glanced off into the distance. "The world doesn't give its own justice. Murderers kill the innocent in every planet and go unpunished. That is why..." He trailed off, peering at the corner of the room, turning his head as if he were listening to something. "Yes.." he said. "That is why I make my own justice. Call it what you will, vengeance, revenge, retaliation... but it is the same. I give people what they deserve and establishing order best as I can in this broken, cursed world."

He suddenly turned back towards her. "Have there been any Shardbearers in these parts recently?" he asked. "I had heard one had passed through this area not too long ago."

@SymphonianBookworm

Edited July 20, 2022 by Shining Silhouette

[SymphonianBookworm]

Sarian felt a tiny smile flit onto her face. She knew that... she knew those feelings. She still felt them, tucked away, pushed deeper and deeper into her, pushed into the murky depths of the waters in her heart, and she hoped they'd never surface. But she knew they were there. Lurking. "When does one know what's right and wrong? Why were you, specifically you, Orodal, given the power? Do you think you can tell what's right or what's wrong? The smartest people know that they don't know. They don't have the right." Sarian stood up. "We don't have the right, Orodal. We don't have the right. And we'll never know if what we did is right or wrong. And it'll never be just right or just wrong. I've spent my entire life on an ideal--a goal--of revenge. Where have I gone? My parents are dead. They aren't coming back. How will killing the storming lighteyes who did it help? I did. Kill, him, that is. He... didn't know who I was. And then I was empty. Completely, completely empty. Right now, you're still how I was before. Rage. It doesn't help." Sarian shook her head and fell into her seat. "Trust me, Orodal."
She paused.
"Yeah, I also don't know about any Shardbearers." She scratched the back of her neck.

@Shining Silhouette

[Shining Silhouette]

11 minutes ago, SymphonianBookworm said:

Sarian felt a tiny smile flit onto her face. She knew that... she knew those feelings. She still felt them, tucked away, pushed deeper and deeper into her, pushed into the murky depths of the waters in her heart, and she hoped they'd never surface. But she knew they were there. Lurking. "When does one know what's right and wrong? Why were you, specifically you, Orodal, given the power? Do you think you can tell what's right or what's wrong? The smartest people know that they don't know. They don't have the right." Sarian stood up. "We don't have the right, Orodal. We don't have the right. And we'll never know if what we did is right or wrong. And it'll never be just right or just wrong. I've spent my entire life on an ideal--a goal--of revenge. Where have I gone? My parents are dead. They aren't coming back. How will killing the storming lighteyes who did it help? I did. Kill, him, that is. He... didn't know who I was. And then I was empty. Completely, completely empty. Right now, you're still how I was before. Rage. It doesn't help." Sarian shook her head and fell into her seat. "Trust me, Orodal."
She paused.
"Yeah, I also don't know about any Shardbearers." She scratched the back of her neck.

@Shining Silhouette

Orodal stood up. "The world needs people who don't give up on justice. I might not know if I am right, but I can try my storming best. And I swore-" he broke off, sheepish. "I made a promise," he started again "that I would not let this evil go unpunished. My family was massacred, Sarian! And you want me to give up everything I've trained for- my life's work! I can't do that!" Orodal looked down. "I need this. I need to find that Shardbearer"

[SymphonianBookworm]

33 minutes ago, Shining Silhouette said:

Orodal stood up. "The world needs people who don't give up on justice. I might not know if I am right, but I can try my storming best. And I swore-" he broke off, sheepish. "I made a promise," he started again "that I would not let this evil go unpunished. My family was massacred, Sarian! And you want me to give up everything I've trained for- my life's work! I can't do that!" Orodal looked down. "I need this. I need to find that Shardbearer"

Sarian stared savagely at Orodal, with a strange mix of calmness and ferocity. "You think you're the only one here who's got their family killed? I watched my father and mother slowly go insane in front of me and then die from depression, lack of sleep and food, beatings, and overwork. You think you're the only one who's got troubles?" She gestured to the door and to the rooms in the inn. "Every single person here has had something absolutely horrible happen to them. Every single storming person. People won't give up on justice. I'm not asking you to give up on justice, or on your life's work. What i'm asking is for you to take a deep breath, look at where you are, the sword you carry, and ask yourself how far you'd go to kill the Shardbearer. Would you murder innocents? Do to someone what they did to you, in order to find and kill them? It's all a horrible, bloodthirsty loop that I myself have continued. AND I REGRET IT. I regret it, Orodal. Do you know some of the things i've done? And I told myself..." Her voice lowered solemnly. "I told myself I was doing justice."

@Shining Silhouette

Quote

This is getting very heated. #Iloveallofthesemoraldilemas
Also I keep on mispelling single as singly... :')

 

[Shining Silhouette]

Orodal sighed. "I've already decided. This is my revenge." He gestured vaguely at the left side of his body, at the scars on his face, his limp left arm, and his slightly misshapen leg. "I won't hurt people who get in my way. But I will find justice. It's the only way I'll find peace." He looked at his sword. "I've spent years training. And I'm not about to let that all go to waste because a silly lighteyed woman told me my ideals were wrong." He shakily stood. "After years, I'm closer than I've ever been. I've tracked the Shardbearer here, to the Alleyverse. And if you can't help me, then I'll go find someone who will."

@SymphonianBookworm

Spoiler

#Thesemoraldilemmasareinsanealsototallyawesomealsohashtagsarecooliwonderifanyonehaseverhashtaggedinsideahashtagwellilldoit#first

 

Edited July 20, 2022 by Shining Silhouette

[Rushu42]

On 7/11/2022 at 4:05 PM, mathiau said:

A song to give peace to the weary hearts. Somehow this felt fitting at the moment, as if the universe itself was mourning someone and couldn't let go.

"Thanks you again, Balance" Folorian said as he went to Aln's room

"Aln? Are you awake? I have something for you" he said as he knocked on her door

@Rushu42

 

On 7/9/2022 at 1:00 PM, EmulatonStromenkiin said:

Balance woke as a small tremor rippled through the city. Most of what he saw was in his Framesight, which he had gotten used to in the mornings. However, the lines were twisting violently in the faint tremor that he had felt. And he felt a ... twisting, like the twist in the lines was trying to bend him, too. He rushed to get dressed, then ran to Aln's room, and knocked on the door. By the time she opened the door, the twisting was like a fire burning through him, making it hard for him to see. 

"The Lines ... they BURN!" he managed to rasp out in a strangled voice, then collapsed on the floor in front of her room door.

@Rushu42, @mathiau

 

Quote

Whoops! It's been a bit, hasn't it. These two posts contradict each other, though, so I'm not sure how to respond? @mathiau I think there was discussion of moving some RP to the discord, so if you want we could do our character interactions there and move forward with the plot stuff here.

 

[mathiau]

20 hours ago, Rushu42 said:

Whoops! It's been a bit, hasn't it. These two posts contradict each other, though, so I'm not sure how to respond? @mathiau I think there was discussion of moving some RP to the discord, so if you want we could do our character interactions there and move forward with the plot stuff here.

Quote

Rust, I knew this would happen

The posts don't really contradict each other, with Folorian's bane he could easily knock on a door someone is already knocking. Or he could have arrived at Rushu's door right after she let Balance in.

As for the discord RP idea, I'm not sure it's a good idea since Discord's backlog does not make looking at what happened in the past easy (especially if we stay at just one RP channel like we have now) but if you want to try I'll follow.

Btw, in case anyone here didn't have an invite https://discord.gg/zVV7fKAR

 

[SymphonianBookworm]

On 7/19/2022 at 10:18 PM, Shining Silhouette said:

Orodal sighed. "I've already decided. This is my revenge." He gestured vaguely at the left side of his body, at the scars on his face, his limp left arm, and his slightly misshapen leg. "I won't hurt people who get in my way. But I will find justice. It's the only way I'll find peace." He looked at his sword. "I've spent years training. And I'm not about to let that all go to waste because a silly lighteyed woman told me my ideals were wrong." He shakily stood. "After years, I'm closer than I've ever been. I've tracked the Shardbearer here, to the Alleyverse. And if you can't help me, then I'll go find someone who will."

@SymphonianBookworm

  Reveal hidden contents

#Thesemoraldilemmasareinsanealsototallyawesomealsohashtagsarecooliwonderifanyonehaseverhashtaggedinsideahashtagwellilldoit#first

 

"That's what they always say... that's what they always say... until they cross the Line." She turned to look at him with her sharp-as-knives eyes. "Silly? I've been called many things. *****. Savior. Murderer. Evil. Good. Horrible. Ingenious. Kind. Rude. Mean. But no one.... no one has ever dared to call me 'silly'. A silly, lighteyed woman. That's all I am to you. A young lady who couldn't possibly know the things you've went through, the work and time you've spent, for this one goal. Someone spouting nonsense, a paranoid, ignorant, stupid nobody. You... In my years, I've noticed people like you. Main characters in their own story, impossible to see out of the little box you put yourself in." She scoffed. "There are bigger things than what you've been through. Bigger things than what I've been through. You have your talents. Use them to help people. Don't waste your life away---like you've been doing---searching for something that you'll never be able to find." 

@Shining Silhouette

[Rushu42]

5 hours ago, mathiau said:

Rust, I knew this would happen

The posts don't really contradict each other, with Folorian's bane he could easily knock on a door someone is already knocking. Or he could have arrived at Rushu's door right after she let Balance in.

As for the discord RP idea, I'm not sure it's a good idea since Discord's backlog does not make looking at what happened in the past easy (especially if we stay at just one RP channel like we have now) but if you want to try I'll follow.

Btw, in case anyone here didn't have an invite https://discord.gg/zVV7fKAR

Quote

I think we can find ways to make the Discord RP work - I don't think the plan was to stick with one text channel, plus we can use threads. I think there are advantages to both methods. For something that's a larger stakes plot-driven post, I agree that putting it in the forums will make it easier to go back to later. But for things that are more about individual conversations between characters, Discord allows for faster/easier response time (at least for me) and a more fluid way to chat.

I'd rather have these posts be at different times, also? I want to do the Folorian and Aln scene justice, and I don't think it makes much sense to try and do both at once.

I propose trying Discord for the character interactions. If it doesn't work, we can just switch back.

 

 

[Voidus]

Quote

Yeah the intention would very much be for Discord to mostly be just for character building scenes and some more casual interactions, major story elements should ideally be kept in the Forum. And yeah Threads are a handy way to keep things somewhat findable.

 

[EmulatonStromenkiin]

15 hours ago, Rushu42 said:

I think we can find ways to make the Discord RP work - I don't think the plan was to stick with one text channel, plus we can use threads. I think there are advantages to both methods. For something that's a larger stakes plot-driven post, I agree that putting it in the forums will make it easier to go back to later. But for things that are more about individual conversations between characters, Discord allows for faster/easier response time (at least for me) and a more fluid way to chat.

I'd rather have these posts be at different times, also? I want to do the Folorian and Aln scene justice, and I don't think it makes much sense to try and do both at once.

I propose trying Discord for the character interactions. If it doesn't work, we can just switch back.

Quote

Sorry for the confusion, my intention was to have the Balance scene after Folorian gave Aln the music and stuff, maybe like a day later. It may have some plot-relevant stuff, but I may just have to put him out of commission until IRL stuff calms down. I can probably do some stuff on the Discord, but it would have to wait.

 

[Shining Silhouette]

Orodal stared, mind whirling. The audacity of this woman shocked him; his very ideals had been quaked by her words. But he was a man who stood for his principles, and he refused to let them go."I-" he started, then paused to collect his words. "Let me tell you, young woman, I've been places. I've done things. My life hasn't been easy, but I've used every single storming resource that I've been given. I've built up myself, worked hard to make myself strong, and yes, I do see myself as the main character in my own story. Who else would I be?" he let out an uproarious laugh. "A sidekick in my own story? Impossible!" he bellowed. "Maybe it is all in vain to do these things, but it's my decision. Maybe there is a higher purpose out there somewhere, but I haven't found it yet"

Quote

Hint hint give him a purpose

@SymphonianBookworm

[SymphonianBookworm]

6 hours ago, Shining Silhouette said:

Orodal stared, mind whirling. The audacity of this woman shocked him; his very ideals had been quaked by her words. But he was a man who stood for his principles, and he refused to let them go."I-" he started, then paused to collect his words. "Let me tell you, young woman, I've been places. I've done things. My life hasn't been easy, but I've used every single storming resource that I've been given. I've built up myself, worked hard to make myself strong, and yes, I do see myself as the main character in my own story. Who else would I be?" he let out an uproarious laugh. "A sidekick in my own story? Impossible!" he bellowed. "Maybe it is all in vain to do these things, but it's my decision. Maybe there is a higher purpose out there somewhere, but I haven't found it yet"

@SymphonianBookworm

Sarian coughed. "'Young woman'? Really?" More seriously, she added, "What i'm trying to say is..." she paused. She had always been one to choose her words carefully, to convey the utmost of her message. "Okay. Obviously one would be the main character in their own story, but what about in everyone's stories? You always think of yourself as the main character, but everyone does. It's not fair to think of yourself as the only one that matters, so your actions affect others and you have to take that into account. There's no such things as collateral damage. There is only damage. As a main character, you... forget things." She shivered. "Like... who you are. Why you are, if that makes sense. So... after all i've been through..." her voice softened and quieted. For the first time, she seemed almost... vulnerable. "I'm trying---present tense---to find out why I am, and... what in the Stormfather's name i'm going to do with my life. I wouldn't say i'm... completely sane. Maybe sanity isn't the question here, but... i'm not as... whole as others, even Radiants. I understand that. I understood that, for a while, but I didn't care. But know that all's been done... I wish I had thought, just for a single second, that... maybe I'm wrong. Maybe killing someone, destroying something, isn't the way my entire life should be. Maybe things would be different, then." She turned and stared straight at Orodal with her clear, bright purple eyes. "In my opinion, your purpose should be to figure out not only who you are, but why you are. And... to figure out who and why everyone else is, too. Do what you think will add, instead of subtract. Some things you forget. Some things you remember. But the most important thing to know, consciously or subconsciously, is that... everything in any planet, world, universe, everything, is... important. Don't go down the path you're going down, Orodal. Step away. Turn back. Leave before it's too late to... reverse your actions. And you will make actions. And after it's over, the only thing left is regret. So CHANGE! FIND A NEW PURPOSE! DON'T FOLLOW SOMETHING YOU KNOW, DEEP DOWN, IS WRONG!

"Have you forgotten, Orodal? Life before death. Strength before weakness. Journey before destination."

[EmulatonStromenkiin]

Balance woke with a gasp, and surged upwards to his feet. He was at the door to Aln’s room, and he could see Folorian nearby as well. He consciously slowed  his ragged breathing and sank into a chair in the hallway. He started speaking before Aln and Folorian had a chance to ask anything.

“You know how my framesight works. I’ve explained it. I see everything as the wireframes, everything and everyone except me. I see myself as a normal person. But now…” he shuddered. “Now I see another wireframe when I look at myself. I saw it change, saw my flesh fade into these lines.” He made a frame ball and dismissed it. “Then, whatever or whomever twisted this place out of joint recognized me. Tried to bend me and my lines. I fought back, but it hurt, the lines burning and twisting. That’s when I arrived at your door, Aln, and collapsed. I…” Balance froze, then clutched his chest. A soft keening sound emanated from him. Blue lines streamed from his heart, pointing down the hallway. His golden eyes glowed with a soft blue light. A mixture of fear and rage washed across his face, distorting his features. A moment later, the light and lines faded, the sound stopped, his features went slack, and he slumped in the chair with his head down.

“This is not good. Someone in this realm has a device, a-a-a motivator based on my powers. That is unsafe on so many levels for them and me. Especially if they have a way to hook it up to a generator.” He stood abruptly and turned to Aln and Folorian. 

“I am not safe to be around right now.” He grimaced. “Well, even less so than normally. I’m going to go find that motivator. Whether you come or you stay, thank you for the time together, and the knowledge.” He grimaced again. “I’m not sure which option, staying or coming, would be worse for us all.” With that, he turned and walked slowly and carefully down the hallway towards the front room.

@Rushu42

@mathiau

Edited August 16, 2022 by EmulatonStromenkiin

[Shining Silhouette]

Orodal gasped. A fellow Radiant. He'd wondered if he would find any in the Alleyverse. He decided he'd humor Sarian, that way he could learn more about her Radiant powers.. "Okay, you've got it. Maybe I haven't been as smart as I could've been. Maybe I haven't looked for the right kinds of things in life. But it's shaped me into who I am in this moment. Maybe you're right, and it is time to move on" he sighed, pretending to be distraught. "You have any tips? Any people that need saving? Any missions that need to be completed?" He twisted his face into what he hoped was a cheerful smile. "Journey before destination"

@SymphonianBookworm

[SymphonianBookworm]

Sarian studied his face skeptically before sighing. “I don’t think I’ve convinced you. But, for a second, let’s pretend I have. You want to help people? Go out there-“ she pointed out the door, “-and look. You’ll see them, soon enough. The ones that need saving. Maybe if you help them, you’ll save yourself, too...” She gave a grin. “When you try to fake a smile, remember that you need to smile with your eyes, too.” She nodded, this time with a real smile on her face. 

@Shining Silhouette

[Shining Silhouette]

Orodal sighed. He'd never been good at this people thing. "First off, you mean my eye," he said with a light chuckle. "But anyway" he tried, "I might as well take a look outside. See what's going on in the neighborhood and the like." He started walking towards the door, left foot limping noticeably now. 

@SymphonianBookworm

[SymphonianBookworm]

Sarian looked at him, slightly concerned. “Do you need help?... I can see you’re limping. There’s a hospital and a technotic shop that you could probably go to to help you leg. Well... for now, I’ll go with you. Does it hurt?”

@Shining Silhouette

Edited August 18, 2022 by SymphonianBookworm

[Shining Silhouette]

Orodal laughed. "It's been hurting for a dozen years now. I don't think a hospital can do much. But might as well see what this technotic shop has to offer."

[Rushu42]

Aln opened the door abrputly, and looked startled to see Folorian standing just outside it. "Oh, Folorian! Excellent, I was just about to come find you."

She had the disheveled look of someone who didn't sleep very much the night before, but her eyes were lit with excitement as she gestured him inside. "I think I've figured out a way to weaken the Forgery. Obviously, there's no precedent for anything so grand-scale as this, but I found some detailed records of what one experiences when an individual SoulForgery doesn't take. Essentially, they become unable to reconcile their present with their remembered past. It's that sense of incongruity that we need to increase."

She stepped to her desk and picked up the files from the hospital. "The most interesting thing that I found in these was an account of a nurse who, when treating a patient with false memories and hallucinations, began to experience the same 'symptoms'. It suggests that being exposed to the memories of others can accelerate the process of breaking free from the forgery. All we need to do is show our memories to as many people as possible, and the Forgery will start breaking down at an exponential rate - theoretically, faster than the DA can suppress. If only we had a way to spread information quickly..." 

Then she held up an edition of the Alleyverse Post and grinned. "Oh right, we do!"

Quote

For the sake of speed, I'm going to go put a post in the Alleyverse Post thread to get that started, but feel free to respond here anyway. Otherwise we can accelerate through the process of creating, printing, and distributing the paper.

@mathiau