Era 8 Episode 2

[Hoid Slayer He/Him]

3 hours ago, Koloss17 said:

The manor looked ordinary, at first. It had the look of a typical post-Catacendre mansion, with cushioned chairs surrounding a long dead fireplace. The place smelled of mold and dust, as if it had been abandoned long ago. A grandfather clock ticked to the side of the room, a quiet yet persistent noise. Upon closer inspection, however, things were distinctly off. The clock, though ticking, had crooked clock hands. Bent, but with no indication of tampering or damage. The furniture legs were inconsistent, with some legs being much too short, and others being too long, yet the various furniture, impossibly, appeared entirely level. The bricks surrounding the hearth were weathered, but with too straight edges, making the weathering appear more like a paint job than an actual condition of the stones. Most concerningly, however, was the fact that the room was well lit, despite having no active light sources in sight. There were various lamps and chandeliers, but none of them were on. The room, however, seemed to be unaware of that fact. 

The rectangular room had four doors: one to the left, one to the right, and two on the back wall, at the very edges, perfectly mirroring each other. However, on going to open the leftmost door at the back wall, it opened into a wall, as if the door wasn't meant to even be there. The other doors, however, worked just fine.

Ebonaryle, Mistkeep, Wickwillow Manor
 

The manor looked nothing like what Ebon was expecting. Despite its supposed abandonment, it was in excellent shape, and that light… Ebon shook his head. By this point, he should have grown used to expecting the unexpected in this city.

He turned towards the doors. He gently shut the door behind him, then moved deeper into the room. Could he have made some mistake? This did not look like the type of place a crime lord would reside in…

3 hours ago, Koloss17 said:

Perses, Mistkeep, Wickwillow Manor

Perses, through the odd abilities granted to him while he was in the house, felt someone enter the manor. It was an odd sensation, like he was the house, and someone had entered his domain. "who's that?" He asked Belias. I have no idea, the being replied. Might as well take a look, Perses thought. While he wasn't too concerned, as if he needed to, he could dispose of the intruder, the mere fact that someone had found and entered the mansion deeply worried him. This was supposed to be his, not something that he simply let random people enter. What were they even doing here?

Perses walked, feeling the house shift to his will. Within an instant, he rounded the corner into the parlor, as if the two rooms were right next to each other. At least for a short time, they were. However, upon stepping out of the room's threshold, the heart of the manor quickly retreated, once more hidden in the deepest corners of the mansion. Perses opened the door to the parlor, appearing to the right of the fireplace.

"And who are you to be entering this place?" Perses asked the interloper.

Ebonaryle, Mistkeep, Wickwillow Manor

 

Ebon stood in the center of the room when the man walked in. He appeared to the left of the hearth, and the sudden sound of the door creaking startled Ebon. His hands instinctively flew to the knives at his belt, but he forced himself to stay calm. He didn’t want to appear too hostile.

The newcomer was wearing a tattered cloak and had a pair of spikes driven through his eye sockets. Hemmallurgist, Ebon recalled from his notes. The man seemed to match the description of Perses, with one discrepancy…

”You’re younger than I expected,” Ebon spoke, intentionally lowering his voice and making it more gravelly, a skill he had picked up over the years. That, together with his hulking physique, tended to create quite the imposing figure. “Perses, I take it?”

@Koloss17

Edited March 8, 2025 by Hoid_Slayer

[Koloss17 She/They]

1 hour ago, Hoid_Slayer said:

The newcomer was wearing a tattered cloak and had a pair of spikes driven through his eye sockets. Hemmallurgist, Ebon recalled from his notes. The man seemed to match the description of Perses, with one discrepancy…

”You’re younger than I expected,” Ebon spoke, intentionally lowering his voice and making it more gravelly, a skill he had picked up over the years. That, together with his hulking physique, tended to create quite the imposing figure. “Perses, I take it?”

@Koloss17

"At your service," Perses replied, doing a mock bow. He realized, with a grin, that this wasn't as bad as it seemed. Sure, someone had found his hideout, but they made one crucial mistake. They were foolish enough to enter it. 

In an unnecessarily showy way, Perses snapped his fingers, and the front door opened. However, instead of opening to the outside, it opened into a long hallway. "Why don't we talk while we walk. I don't like discussing while sitting down."

Without waiting to see if the man followed him, he walked into the hallway.

[Hoid Slayer He/Him]

2 hours ago, Koloss17 said:

"At your service," Perses replied, doing a mock bow. He realized, with a grin, that this wasn't as bad as it seemed. Sure, someone had found his hideout, but they made one crucial mistake. They were foolish enough to enter it. 

In an unnecessarily showy way, Perses snapped his fingers, and the front door opened. However, instead of opening to the outside, it opened into a long hallway. "Why don't we talk while we walk. I don't like discussing while sitting down."

Without waiting to see if the man followed him, he walked into the hallway.

Ebonaryle, Mistkeep, Wickwillow Manor

 

Ebon watched, confused. Shouldn’t Perses be more… intimidated? That said, he hesitated to complain after the warm - or at the very least, not ice cold - welcome. Perhaps striking a deal with this man would be easier than expected.

As Ebon followed Perses through the door, it enlarged to accommodate his larger figure and carapace. The casual use of magic worried him; this man was more powerful than he had thought. The deeper in he ventured, the more convinced Ebon became that he was dealing with forces unlike any he had encountered before.

@Koloss17

[Koloss17 She/They]

16 minutes ago, Hoid_Slayer said:

Ebonaryle, Mistkeep, Wickwillow Manor

 

Ebon watched, confused. Shouldn’t Perses be more… intimidated? That said, he hesitated to complain after the warm - or at the very least, not ice cold - welcome. Perhaps striking a deal with this man would be easier than expected.

As Ebon followed Perses through the door, it enlarged to accommodate his larger figure and carapace. The casual use of magic worried him; this man was more powerful than he had thought. The deeper in he ventured, the more convinced Ebon became that he was dealing with forces unlike any he had encountered before.

@Koloss17

The hallway was expansive, with desks and paintings dotting the otherwise dull area. He willed the hallway to extend, copying the hallway’s attributes again and again. As he passed each object, he remembered the many nights he spent walking down this very place. He knew the vase, and knew the insides of the desk drawer. He knew the feel of the insides of the paintings, as he tore them apart in frustration and despair. The room had reset itself, of course, like nothing had ever happened. It didn’t always fix itself, but once in a while, when he found himself stumbling back into the same corridor, the place was pristine. What was once a prison was now his to command. It felt good, right.

”So,” Perses said, after some time. “What brought you here?” 

He hadn’t paid too much attention to his guest, but that was partially because he didn’t know what to make of him. Large, clearly Parshendi, but also unlike anyone he had encountered. He knew some about the going ons of Roshar, in both his prior dealings in the Cosmere and his time in Alleycity, but he never really cared to learn more about them. Some could use surges, but even when they were radiant, Perses struggled to figure out which surges they used. It was something he was getting better at, but still struggled to identify it with bronzesense. 

In the Alleyverse, there was always more to learn.

Edited March 9, 2025 by Koloss17

[Hoid Slayer He/Him]

10 hours ago, Koloss17 said:

The hallway was expansive, with desks and paintings dotting the otherwise dull area. He willed the hallway to extend, copying the hallway’s attributes again and again. As he passed each object, he remembered the many nights he spent walking down this very place. He knew the vase, and knew the insides of the desk drawer. He knew the feel of the insides of the paintings, as he tore them apart in frustration and despair. The room had reset itself, of course, like nothing had ever happened. It didn’t always fix itself, but once in a while, when he found himself stumbling back into the same corridor, the place was pristine. What was once a prison was now his to command. It felt good, right.

”So,” Perses said, after some time. “What brought you here?” 

He hadn’t paid too much attention to his guest, but that was partially because he didn’t know what to make of him. Large, clearly Parshendi, but also unlike anyone he had encountered. He knew some about the going ons of Roshar, in both his prior dealings in the Cosmere and his time in Alleycity, but he never really cared to learn more about them. Some could use surges, but even when they were radiant, Perses struggled to figure out which surges they used. It was something he was getting better at, but still struggled to identify it with bronzesense. 

In the Alleyverse, there was always more to learn.

As they walked, the hallway seemed to expand into infinity, confusing Ebon’s brain. He chose to ignore it for now; one of the things he had learned many years ago was to never be intimidated by power. Those who wielded the most were the most likely to overestimate their abilities, and the easiest to manipulate.

”So. What brought you here?”

Interesting. The man didn’t seem too surprised to see him; clearly, this was a test of some sort. Well, this was a game two could play.

”Chance. A string of luck. And yet, I have reason to believe we can work together,” he said, inflicting into his voice a small measure of the rhythm of subservience. Unlike normal singers, he felt no need to attune rhythms except for special situations. It pained him to use the rhythm of subservience on an outsider, but he shoved his pride aside. The man likely wouldn’t even recognize it. “I have lost something of great value to me. Help me to get it back, and you will be rewarded.”

@Koloss17

[Koloss17 She/They]

8 hours ago, Hoid_Slayer said:

As they walked, the hallway seemed to expand into infinity, confusing Ebon’s brain. He chose to ignore it for now; one of the things he had learned many years ago was to never be intimidated by power. Those who wielded the most were the most likely to overestimate their abilities, and the easiest to manipulate.

”So. What brought you here?”

Interesting. The man didn’t seem too surprised to see him; clearly, this was a test of some sort. Well, this was a game two could play.

”Chance. A string of luck. And yet, I have reason to believe we can work together,” he said, inflicting into his voice a small measure of the rhythm of subservience. Unlike normal singers, he felt no need to attune rhythms except for special situations. It pained him to use the rhythm of subservience on an outsider, but he shoved his pride aside. The man likely wouldn’t even recognize it. “I have lost something of great value to me. Help me to get it back, and you will be rewarded.”

@Koloss17

Perses scoffed. “You think there’s something you can offer me?” He turned the corner, into the kitchen. It smelled oddly of citrus. He opened the  fridge, pulling out a misshapen orange. He set it carefully on the countertop, which was tilted towards the fridge. However, when he set it down, the orange rolled up the countertop. This house, Perses thought. There was a reason he didn’t stay here long. He pulled out a glass bottle of root beer, which felt, irritatingly, soft, like a piece of carpet. He stored his sense of touch in annoyance.

”I’m intrigued. What do you think you could reward me that I couldn’t just take for myself?” He asked, opening the bottle. It made a hissing noise, which was good. He had worried that the bottle had deformed enough to break the seal. “Want one?”

[Hoid Slayer He/Him]

3 minutes ago, Koloss17 said:

Perses scoffed. “You think there’s something you can offer me?” He turned the corner, into the kitchen. It smelled oddly of citrus. He opened the  fridge, pulling out a misshapen orange. He set it carefully on the countertop, which was tilted towards the fridge. However, when he set it down, the orange rolled up the countertop. This house, Perses thought. There was a reason he didn’t stay here long. He pulled out a glass bottle of root beer, which felt, irritatingly, soft, like a piece of carpet. He stored his sense of touch in annoyance.

”I’m intrigued. What do you think you could reward me that I couldn’t just take for myself?” He asked, opening the bottle. It made a hissing noise, which was good. He had worried that the bottle had deformed enough to break the seal. “Want one?”

Ebon grabbed the bottle from Perses and took a sniff. Ignoring the odd texture of what he could only assume was glass, it seemed… herbal, almost minty. Powerful scents, good for hiding poison. He set the bottle back on the counter, where the orange had oddly begun to reverse its roll, and turned to Perses’s previous question.

”You COULD take it for yourself. But then you wouldn’t know what it is,” he responded. He then cut straight to the point: men like Perses liked to feel in control of a conversation by subtly manipulating its subject; Ebon would have none of that. “I have reason to believe a group from this city is in possession of an important piece of information. Help me to identify them, and the containments will be yours.” He had no real intention of sharing the information; but that was a problem to deal with later.

@Koloss17

[Koloss17 She/They]

46 minutes ago, Hoid_Slayer said:

Ebon grabbed the bottle from Perses and took a sniff. Ignoring the odd texture of what he could only assume was glass, it seemed… herbal, almost minty. Powerful scents, good for hiding poison. He set the bottle back on the counter, where the orange had oddly begun to reverse its roll, and turned to Perses’s previous question.

”You COULD take it for yourself. But then you wouldn’t know what it is,” he responded. He then cut straight to the point: men like Perses liked to feel in control of a conversation by subtly manipulating its subject; Ebon would have none of that. “I have reason to believe a group from this city is in possession of an important piece of information. Help me to identify them, and the containments will be yours.” He had no real intention of sharing the information; but that was a problem to deal with later.

@Koloss17

Perses let out an audible sigh of frustration. “Can you cut to the chase already? I have no patience for games. “

He grabbed another glass of soda from the fridge, cracked it open, and took a sip. Tasted good enough. “Either give me a reason to care or get lost.” By get lost, he meant that quite literally. If he couldn’t find a benefit from keeping them around, he only saw drawbacks from letting this man leave this place.

[Steel Speedster ♂]

On 2/27/2025 at 10:14 PM, Lunamor said:

“We have a thing in common, so that makes us at least somewhat alike.”

Eza absentmindedly fished a small chunk of slag metal from one of her many bags and tossed it forwards. Before it sailed more than a foot away, she ironpulled it back, catching it in the hand she held in front of her chest. She continued to toss and pull her stringless yoyo as she talked.

”Sunwatcher seemed very on board with the idea of spiking people, so I don’t think he was spiked against his will. Three people died because of those spikes.”

She caught the piece of metal, then loosened her grip, letting it slip out of her fingers to hover pressed against her chest. She let her eyes tear up just a tad, allowing some of her fury to show.

”They died slowly and painfully. They could've been children, siblings, parents. Maybe they died begging for mercy. Maybe they died in the dark, never finding out where the pain had come from. Maybe they died screaming for their little girl to run away. Sunwatcher wears their suffering proudly. That’s evil.”

Eza canceled her pull, letting the slag fall into her waiting palm. Looking at it quieted the fire in her eyes and made her smile softly before the subject at hand quickly flattened it out. It was some really nice slag.

”You and Sunwatcher may be alike in other ways. I know you and I are unalike in many ways. I also know that we’re the sort of people he would gladly stab through the heart if it meant more power."

 

Fenna, New Hallandren, Abandoned Bar

"What if I don't care?" Fenna demanded. "It's those people who survive in this world, kid: the people who take what they need. I've tried being 'good', and it didn't work. I never helped anyone. In fact, I probably got a lot of people killed. So why should I care anymore?"

She stopped pacing and leaned against the bar, squeezing the edge tightly in one hand.

On 3/1/2025 at 9:23 PM, Karnatheon said:

Laonin, The Mistwarrens

Laonin was walking back to his home, after his meeting with Venser had proved unsuccessful. The dimly lit streets lay still in the night, the only sound he could make out was the sound of his own feet carrying him. He rubbed his arms briskly in the chill air, almost wishing he had brought a coat, when he heard a gunshot ring through the air. Then another. Pulling his revolver out of his coat, Laonin quickly dashed in the direction the sounds had come from. 

Rounding a corner into an alley, he stopped and saw several men who appeared to be attacking someone alone. Laonin watched as the young man managed to hold his own against his attackers, taking two of them down. With a start he realized it was the kid he had seen back at the Silver Dagger. Hoping that the person being ambushed was in the right, Laonin decided to help him out. 

Pulling his knife out and holding it in his other hand, he proceeded forward, watching the fight as he approached. He knew the element of surprise would be his only advantage, as he didn't have any offensive Investiture. Sneaking forward, Laonin saw as one of the thugs tackle the man to the ground hard. Rushing forward, Laonin aimed his gun at the thug's head and pulled the trigger, announcing his joining of the conflict. He then turned and fired his gun at one of the others, but that one Pushed his knife out of his other hand, which threw his aim off enough that the shot went wild. 

"You okay kid?" Laonin shouted as he ran for cover as shots rang out toward him. Laonin crouched down behind his cover as he watched the other thugs do the same now that there were multiple people to shoot and avoid being shot by.

Thav, The Mistwarrens

Thav rolled to the side as a gunshot sounded close by. Tapping zinc, he noted that another person had joined the fight and that a third attacker was down. That left two. One of them levelled his gun at Thav and fired. Thav Pushed against the bullet, managing to divert it just enough so that it missed, and scrambled to his feet.

The second attacker was still focused on the newcomer, so Thav fired at him. The bullet flew wide of its mark as the Coinshot Pushed it aside.

Rusts. Thav had dropped his aluminum-loaded gun after being tackled. It lay on the ground a few feet away. He made to dive for it, but the Coinshot fired again, forcing Thav to Push himself to the side. He landed on the street and fired once more, only for the bullet to be deflected once more.

On 3/6/2025 at 7:38 PM, Stormlightsong said:

Farenah, New Hallandren, IRS truck.

Quickly swapping places with a stunned Tulen, Farenah took the ween and slammed the brakes.

The truck suddenly stopped and as she had not rebuckled her seatbelt, Farenah did not. Thankfully she didn’t go flying through the window, but as she lifted her face from the wheel, she felt a bit of blood run down from her nose.

“Colors!” Farenah exclaimed as she noticed Tulen who, thank Austre didn’t seem too injured, had clearly been knocked unconscious. She checked his vitals before looking out the window for signs of the mysterious man.

@SpiritOfWrath @Steel Speedster

Palava, New Hallandren, IRS Truck

Palava slid towards the truck screeched to a halt. One of the unfortunate soldiers slammed into the wall ahead of her, cushioning her collision. She dropped to the floor, her gun flying out of her hand.

Shaking her head to clear the stars from her vision, Palava retrieved her weapon and climbed to her feet. One of the soldiers had been knocked unconscious. The other groaned as he struggled into a sitting position, hand on his head.

Palava cautiously made her way to the back of the vehicle and opened the door, gun ready.

On 3/6/2025 at 7:41 PM, TwinStorm said:

Leon hurled through the air, taken by surprise. He Pushed against a streetlamp, sending him back into the sky. These smugglers were smart, he thought. Peace? Perhaps I can take advantage of their resources.

So he did the natural thing. "I surrender!"

@SpiritOfWrath @Steel Speedster

Palava levelled her weapon at the man, eyes narrowed. "Don't move."

@TwinStorm @SpiritOfWrath @Stormlightsong

Quote

I apologize for the delay, everyone.

 

[Hoid Slayer He/Him]

On 3/9/2025 at 6:56 PM, Koloss17 said:

Perses let out an audible sigh of frustration. “Can you cut to the chase already? I have no patience for games. “

He grabbed another glass of soda from the fridge, cracked it open, and took a sip. Tasted good enough. “Either give me a reason to care or get lost.” By get lost, he meant that quite literally. If he couldn’t find a benefit from keeping them around, he only saw drawbacks from letting this man leave this place.

Ebonaryle, Mistkeep, Wickwillow Manor

 

Ebon revised his impressions. Perses wasn't cunning, he was... impulsive. Almost childish. Interesting. If he wanted Ebon to make himself clear, he was happy to oblige.

"Very well. I was stationed on Roshar, protecting a team of scientists, when a group of masked assailants attacked us. They slaughtered the scientists, dragged me through to here, and took the research." Technically, Odium's forces had killed the researchers, not the Alley group, but Perses didn't need to know that. "The information contained within that research has the potential for great weaponization. If you help me get it back, you will receive a copy of the information."

Quote

Sorry for the delay, life's been kind of crazy.

 

[Koloss17 She/They]

4 hours ago, Hoid_Slayer said:

Ebonaryle, Mistkeep, Wickwillow Manor

 

Ebon revised his impressions. Perses wasn't cunning, he was... impulsive. Almost childish. Interesting. If he wanted Ebon to make himself clear, he was happy to oblige.

"Very well. I was stationed on Roshar, protecting a team of scientists, when a group of masked assailants attacked us. They slaughtered the scientists, dragged me through to here, and took the research." Technically, Odium's forces had killed the researchers, not the Alley group, but Perses didn't need to know that. "The information contained within that research has the potential for great weaponization. If you help me get it back, you will receive a copy of the information."

 

Quote

no worries! life obviously comes first.

Perses stopped in his tracks and turned on the man, heartbeat rising. "Alright. Here's the deal. You come into my house, unannounced, looking for my aid, without any forewarning or other attempts to reach me, and you give out vague information about the so called 'use' this could be to me, while actively attempting to share as little as possible to keep the upper hand." He spat out the last words, venom coating his voice. There was little that he hated more than someone trying to manipulate him. 

"So here's what's going to happen. I am giving you one last chance, which I already feel is far too generous, to explain to me, in no uncertain terms, what you want from me and why I should care, or you will be stuck wandering these halls until the end of time. You're in my domain now. Don't try to trick me."

This was exactly the type of person that Perses hated the most. People that thought that they were better than him, without even knowing what he could do. Thinking that with the incomplete idea that they had of him, they could bully and abuse him for their own gain. For most of his life, he was powerless to do anything about it because of the position he was given. But now, he had the power to show them that he was not to be underestimated, and not to be pushed around. They played by his rules, or they wouldn't play at all.

[Lunamor she/her]

On 3/12/2025 at 9:04 AM, Steel Speedster said:

Fenna, New Hallandren, Abandoned Bar

"What if I don't care?" Fenna demanded. "It's those people who survive in this world, kid: the people who take what they need. I've tried being 'good', and it didn't work. I never helped anyone. In fact, I probably got a lot of people killed. So why should I care anymore?"

She stopped pacing and leaned against the bar, squeezing the edge tightly in one hand.

“Gotta say, stings a little that I don’t count as ‘anyone’.”

Despite her deadpan expression, a smile could be heard in her voice. She didn’t want Fenna to take that comment too seriously. The mirth quickly dissipated as she continued to speak, hopping off of the windowsill and taking a few steps closer.

”And I know exactly how you feel. I’m alone for a reason, Fenna. That man you saw fighting with a line of light and an Aviar? He died. He was my friend for all of 5 hours and he died. He wasn’t supposed to be in that constabulary. You wanna guess whose fault that was?”

Her voice started to shake ever so slightly.

”He wasn’t the only one. I lost another because I failed to protect her from hemalurgists. I got distracted by something stupid and they took her away. Probably made a spike out of her. Oh, and that person who made all of those undead abominations had been my friend too. I failed to save them from themself. I had an opportunity to stop them from being arrested in the first place, and I squandered it. They killed almost everyone in that building because I was weak. They killed someone specifically for me; I’m supposed to be dead, but some other soul was murdered to stop it.”

Eza stared at Fenna with an earnest, desperate anger.

”They called me their little raven. It means you’re bad luck. They were right. If you don’t wanna bother with saving anyone, can you at least let me do it? Normally I’d just not try, cause it’s not usually worth the risk of screwing everything up. But this I can’t make worse. This is one of the few things my bad luck can’t hurt. If you use those spikes, Fenna the person is gone. Fenna the monster would kill her. Refusing that power isn’t being a hero. It’s the bare minimum. It’s doing nothing. That’s what you want, right?”

Quote

Sorry for the delay, it was finals week. I’m not going to be nearly that busy again for a while.

 

[Hoid Slayer He/Him]

On 3/13/2025 at 3:34 PM, Koloss17 said:

Perses stopped in his tracks and turned on the man, heartbeat rising. "Alright. Here's the deal. You come into my house, unannounced, looking for my aid, without any forewarning or other attempts to reach me, and you give out vague information about the so called 'use' this could be to me, while actively attempting to share as little as possible to keep the upper hand." He spat out the last words, venom coating his voice. There was little that he hated more than someone trying to manipulate him. 

"So here's what's going to happen. I am giving you one last chance, which I already feel is far too generous, to explain to me, in no uncertain terms, what you want from me and why I should care, or you will be stuck wandering these halls until the end of time. You're in my domain now. Don't try to trick me."

This was exactly the type of person that Perses hated the most. People that thought that they were better than him, without even knowing what he could do. Thinking that with the incomplete idea that they had of him, they could bully and abuse him for their own gain. For most of his life, he was powerless to do anything about it because of the position he was given. But now, he had the power to show them that he was not to be underestimated, and not to be pushed around. They played by his rules, or they wouldn't play at all.

Ebonaryle, Mistkeep, Wickwillow Manor

 

Ebon took a step back, frightened. He had not expected Perses to react so harshly; if he wanted to rescue this, he needed to take a risk.

"You want the truth? I came to you because I'm lost," Ebon lashed out, then reeled back, surprised by his own words. He took a pause, then continued. "I'm lost, and I don't know what to do. I've been lost for as long as I can remember..." visions rose in Ebon's head. A place of fire. Of suffering. He took a deep breath, then regained his composure.

"Eleven days ago, I was on Roshar, carrying a manuscript of research, on the run from Odium's forces. Ten days ago, I was assaulted by a masked group. They overpowered me..." Ebon attuned to the Rhythm of Agony. "I awoke in an alley here. I came to you because you are the one with the power. Only you can help me. I need to get the manuscript back." The Rhythm of Command. "I don't know what it contains, only that it would give someone a great advantage in combat and must be delivered urgently." That was a bit of a lie. Ebon knew the research had something to do with negating the nahel bond, and that a breakthrough had been made. But he wasn't going to tell Perses that until he knew he had this man's support.

In a sudden moment of inspiration, he attuned the Rhythm of Destruction and took a step towards Perses. "Do you want your enemies with that information? Do you want to let them keep the power that will allow them to bring you down?" Ebon relaxed. "Please. Will you help me?" He once again attuned to the Rhythm of Subservience, stronger than before. If Perses was intelligent, he should accept Ebon's offer. If not... Ebon moved his hand to his side, prepared to grab one of his knives at a moment's notice.

Edited March 28, 2025 by Hoid_Slayer

[Steel Speedster ♂]

On 3/17/2025 at 8:58 PM, Lunamor said:

“Gotta say, stings a little that I don’t count as ‘anyone’.”

Despite her deadpan expression, a smile could be heard in her voice. She didn’t want Fenna to take that comment too seriously. The mirth quickly dissipated as she continued to speak, hopping off of the windowsill and taking a few steps closer.

”And I know exactly how you feel. I’m alone for a reason, Fenna. That man you saw fighting with a line of light and an Aviar? He died. He was my friend for all of 5 hours and he died. He wasn’t supposed to be in that constabulary. You wanna guess whose fault that was?”

Her voice started to shake ever so slightly.

”He wasn’t the only one. I lost another because I failed to protect her from hemalurgists. I got distracted by something stupid and they took her away. Probably made a spike out of her. Oh, and that person who made all of those undead abominations had been my friend too. I failed to save them from themself. I had an opportunity to stop them from being arrested in the first place, and I squandered it. They killed almost everyone in that building because I was weak. They killed someone specifically for me; I’m supposed to be dead, but some other soul was murdered to stop it.”

Eza stared at Fenna with an earnest, desperate anger.

”They called me their little raven. It means you’re bad luck. They were right. If you don’t wanna bother with saving anyone, can you at least let me do it? Normally I’d just not try, cause it’s not usually worth the risk of screwing everything up. But this I can’t make worse. This is one of the few things my bad luck can’t hurt. If you use those spikes, Fenna the person is gone. Fenna the monster would kill her. Refusing that power isn’t being a hero. It’s the bare minimum. It’s doing nothing. That’s what you want, right?”

 

Fenna, New Hallandren, Abandoned Bar

"I don't know what I want," said Fenna. "But once again, you're wrong about me. I'm not anything like you. You've failed to save people? I've actively hurt people. And I never cared, not until it had already gone way too far. This place was my second chance, and I messed it up again. I'm done. I don't know who I am now, but I can't go back."

Fenna twisted the edge of the bar in her hand, and it snapped off, splinters of wood spraying outward. She let the chunk of wood fall to the ground with a dull thud.

"So, to answer your question," Fenna said, turning her head towards Eza. "No. That's not what I want. I want to be someone different. Someone who doesn't hurt like this. Maybe that's the person you would call a monster, but I don't care."

[Koloss17 She/They]

On 3/28/2025 at 6:49 PM, Hoid_Slayer said:

Ebonaryle, Mistkeep, Wickwillow Manor

 

Ebon took a step back, frightened. He had not expected Perses to react so harshly; if he wanted to rescue this, he needed to take a risk.

"You want the truth? I came to you because I'm lost," Ebon lashed out, then reeled back, surprised by his own words. He took a pause, then continued. "I'm lost, and I don't know what to do. I've been lost for as long as I can remember..." visions rose in Ebon's head. A place of fire. Of suffering. He took a deep breath, then regained his composure.

"Eleven days ago, I was on Roshar, carrying a manuscript of research, on the run from Odium's forces. Ten days ago, I was assaulted by a masked group. They overpowered me..." Ebon attuned to the Rhythm of Agony. "I awoke in an alley here. I came to you because you are the one with the power. Only you can help me. I need to get the manuscript back." The Rhythm of Command. "I don't know what it contains, only that it would give someone a great advantage in combat and must be delivered urgently." That was a bit of a lie. Ebon knew the research had something to do with negating the nahel bond, and that a breakthrough had been made. But he wasn't going to tell Perses that until he knew he had this man's support.

In a sudden moment of inspiration, he attuned the Rhythm of Destruction and took a step towards Perses. "Do you want your enemies with that information? Do you want to let them keep the power that will allow them to bring you down?" Ebon relaxed. "Please. Will you help me?" He once again attuned to the Rhythm of Subservience, stronger than before. If Perses was intelligent, he should accept Ebon's offer. If not... Ebon moved his hand to his side, prepared to grab one of his knives at a moment's notice.

I can't believe I'm doing this, Perses thought. But I do need allies. Or...underlings.

"Alright," Perses said, taking a step back. "Lets say I helped you. What would that entail? Why do you need me?"

His heart still pounded in his chest, begging him to do something. This restraint was something that his very nature rebelled. He was done waiting, letting something happen before he stepped in. Waiting to see where the dominos fell was moments wasted. He didn't need this man's thoughts. He didn't need to know the fine details. Either it would work out, or it would be a waste of time. Every muscle in his body was telling him that the worst thing to do was to wait to see this interloper's response.

And yet, he waited anyway.

[Hoid Slayer He/Him]

1 hour ago, Koloss17 said:

I can't believe I'm doing this, Perses thought. But I do need allies. Or...underlings.

"Alright," Perses said, taking a step back. "Lets say I helped you. What would that entail? Why do you need me?"

His heart still pounded in his chest, begging him to do something. This restraint was something that his very nature rebelled. He was done waiting, letting something happen before he stepped in. Waiting to see where the dominos fell was moments wasted. He didn't need this man's thoughts. He didn't need to know the fine details. Either it would work out, or it would be a waste of time. Every muscle in his body was telling him that the worst thing to do was to wait to see this interloper's response.

And yet, he waited anyway.

Yes! Ebon exulted in his mind. Finally, Perses was beginning to come along. Ebon crossed his arms, abandoning his knives, attuning the Rhythm of Satisfaction.

”I need you because of your power.” Perhaps this man’s pride could be used against him. “There is no one in the area who is as capable for this as you are. If you were to help me, as I said, the weaponizable research will be in your hands, not those of another. You emerge in a position of greater power than before, and I get what I want. It’s perfect.”

He emphasized the last part, placing his large hands down on the table and leaning in to gauge Perses’ reaction.

@Koloss17

[Koloss17 She/They]

13 hours ago, Hoid_Slayer said:

Yes! Ebon exulted in his mind. Finally, Perses was beginning to come along. Ebon crossed his arms, abandoning his knives, attuning the Rhythm of Satisfaction.

”I need you because of your power.” Perhaps this man’s pride could be used against him. “There is no one in the area who is as capable for this as you are. If you were to help me, as I said, the weaponizable research will be in your hands, not those of another. You emerge in a position of greater power than before, and I get what I want. It’s perfect.”

He emphasized the last part, placing his large hands down on the table and leaning in to gauge Perses’ reaction.

@Koloss17

Perses was never against more power. The stronger he was, the more he was able to do what he wanted unimpeded. However, he still wasn't convinced this was the easiest way to do it. 

"Okay," Perses said, "What's my role in this? I can understand needing someone like me to do things you can't, but what does that entail? Surely it isn't just beating up some goons." He was, unfortunately, being won over, but he needed to know all the details before accepting the deal. Especially since he didn't really trust the singer.

[Hoid Slayer He/Him]

On 3/31/2025 at 11:17 AM, Koloss17 said:

Perses was never against more power. The stronger he was, the more he was able to do what he wanted unimpeded. However, he still wasn't convinced this was the easiest way to do it. 

"Okay," Perses said, "What's my role in this? I can understand needing someone like me to do things you can't, but what does that entail? Surely it isn't just beating up some goons." He was, unfortunately, being won over, but he needed to know all the details before accepting the deal. Especially since he didn't really trust the singer.

Ebon finally relaxed. He hadn't realized how tense he was; his palms had begun to sweat. For some reason, negotiations like this always excited him in a way he couldn't quite explain. But now, he had Perses right where he wanted him. And he had to admit, he did see this relationship working both ways.

Ebon let out a wide grin. "I'm glad to see we can agree. As you know, I'm completely new to Alleycity. I don't know about the factions, districts or power dynamics. I'm only now truly discovering the possibilities of the wider Cosmere. I need you not only for your influence, but also for your knowledge. Without you, I would struggle in Alleycity." 

Suddenly, Ebon felt a low rumble in his stomach. These last few days he had often spent hungry. "I'm willing to share a little more, but first... do you have anything to eat?"

@Koloss17

Edited April 2, 2025 by Hoid Slayer

[Lunamor she/her]

On 3/29/2025 at 5:29 AM, Steel Speedster said:

Fenna, New Hallandren, Abandoned Bar

"I don't know what I want," said Fenna. "But once again, you're wrong about me. I'm not anything like you. You've failed to save people? I've actively hurt people. And I never cared, not until it had already gone way too far. This place was my second chance, and I messed it up again. I'm done. I don't know who I am now, but I can't go back."

Fenna twisted the edge of the bar in her hand, and it snapped off, splinters of wood spraying outward. She let the chunk of wood fall to the ground with a dull thud.

"So, to answer your question," Fenna said, turning her head towards Eza. "No. That's not what I want. I want to be someone different. Someone who doesn't hurt like this. Maybe that's the person you would call a monster, but I don't care."

“You don’t want to feel like a bad person, so you wanna become the worst possible person instead. Great plan.”

Eza’s hand went to the handle of ones of her concealed knives when the bar shattered. This conversation didn’t seem to be going anywhere but an unpleasant end. Trying to argue further would probably just anger Fenna more.

”I’m surprised, honestly. I expected someone who risked their life to save others to be at least a halfway-decent person. Maybe you still are, maybe you’re a better person than you seem to think you are.”

She backed up to the open window, not taking her eyes off of Fenna.

“If you decide not to get spiked, I wish you the best of luck. If you do decide to get spiked, I sincerely hope things don’t work out for you.”

Eza then exited through the window, disappearing from view. She didn’t have plans to leave, however. It would be best to try and find out all she could about the strange hemalurgist. It’d also be good to know if he made another one.

Still taking care to not cross into eyesight of the crumbled building she’d just exited from, she slunk into an alleyway a few structures down and hid behind some crates. Eza intensified her now constant slow burn of iron to a higher level, aiming to detect the strange lines of the hemalurgist when he returned. She had to down another vial of iron soon after as the increased burn used up her current supply; she’d need to restock those soon.

@Lord Ruler Sylphrena

[Koloss17 She/They]

On 3/31/2025 at 5:58 PM, Hoid Slayer said:

Ebon finally relaxed. He hadn't realized how tense he was; his palms had begun to sweat. For some reason, negotiations like this always excited him in a way he couldn't quite explain. But now, he had Perses right where he wanted him. And he had to admit, he did see this relationship working both ways.

Ebon let out a wide grin. "I'm glad to see we can agree. As you know, I'm completely new to Alleycity. I don't know about the factions, districts or power dynamics. I'm only now truly discovering the possibilities of the wider Cosmere. I need you not only for your influence, but also for your knowledge. Without you, I would struggle in Alleycity." 

Suddenly, Ebon felt a low rumble in his stomach. These last few days he had often spent hungry. "I'm willing to share a little more, but first... do you have anything to eat?"

@Koloss17

Perses was irritated, but understood. "I don't have anything much here, so you'll have to go elsewhere."

Perses began walking, assuming the singer would follow him. He walked back to the parlor, and opened the front door. "How about we meet at the new Bendalloy Bar tomorrow morning to discuss things further. I have my own business to attend to in the meantime, and it is evident that you have your own. I trust that within the time we have between now and then that you will find your way to the bar? It's in the warrens."

[Hoid Slayer He/Him]

12 hours ago, Koloss17 said:

Perses was irritated, but understood. "I don't have anything much here, so you'll have to go elsewhere."

Perses began walking, assuming the singer would follow him. He walked back to the parlor, and opened the front door. "How about we meet at the new Bendalloy Bar tomorrow morning to discuss things further. I have my own business to attend to in the meantime, and it is evident that you have your own. I trust that within the time we have between now and then that you will find your way to the bar? It's in the warrens."

Ebon nodded. That would give him time to collect his things and make some plans. It seemed approaching Perses had been the right decision after all. Ebon followed the man into the parlor and took one last look before leaving the building.

"That sounds good. Until then." He nodded, then walked off as the doors shut themselves behind him with a final clang.

[Steel Speedster ♂]

On 3/31/2025 at 7:47 PM, Lunamor said:

“You don’t want to feel like a bad person, so you wanna become the worst possible person instead. Great plan.”

Eza’s hand went to the handle of ones of her concealed knives when the bar shattered. This conversation didn’t seem to be going anywhere but an unpleasant end. Trying to argue further would probably just anger Fenna more.

”I’m surprised, honestly. I expected someone who risked their life to save others to be at least a halfway-decent person. Maybe you still are, maybe you’re a better person than you seem to think you are.”

She backed up to the open window, not taking her eyes off of Fenna.

“If you decide not to get spiked, I wish you the best of luck. If you do decide to get spiked, I sincerely hope things don’t work out for you.”

Eza then exited through the window, disappearing from view. She didn’t have plans to leave, however. It would be best to try and find out all she could about the strange hemalurgist. It’d also be good to know if he made another one.

Still taking care to not cross into eyesight of the crumbled building she’d just exited from, she slunk into an alleyway a few structures down and hid behind some crates. Eza intensified her now constant slow burn of iron to a higher level, aiming to detect the strange lines of the hemalurgist when he returned. She had to down another vial of iron soon after as the increased burn used up her current supply; she’d need to restock those soon.

@Lord Ruler Sylphrena

Fenna, New Hallandren, Abandoned Bar

Before Fenna could make a retort, the girl was gone. She let out a huff of annoyance and slumped down on the bar stool. That conversation had put her right back where she started--she was as undecided as ever.

But maybe she didn't have to decide yet. She could push the decision off until later. Part of her knew that would only make things worse, but she immediately felt relieved that she could wait. Now she just had to figure out what to tell Sunwatcher.

@Lord Ruler Sylphrena

[Lord Ruler Sylphrena He/Him]

On 4/12/2025 at 8:00 AM, Steel Speedster said:

Fenna, New Hallandren, Abandoned Bar

Before Fenna could make a retort, the girl was gone. She let out a huff of annoyance and slumped down on the bar stool. That conversation had put her right back where she started--she was as undecided as ever.

But maybe she didn't have to decide yet. She could push the decision off until later. Part of her knew that would only make things worse, but she immediately felt relieved that she could wait. Now she just had to figure out what to tell Sunwatcher.

@Lord Ruler Sylphrena

Vane, New Hallandren

Vane had spent the last couple hours pacing. Window shopping and getting dinner had done nothing to relax him. He didn't like waiting around for things but if he returned too early he thought he might scare her off. Hopefully convincing her would be easier now that she has had sufficient time to consider the benefits of his proposal. Hopefully she hadn't run into anyone else before he came back, he hadn't actually bothered to learn her name so tracking her down would be near impossible.

It was beginning to get later in the day and Vane hoped to spend the night pursuing leads and tracking down some of his contacts. He had been planning on making some purchases of aluminum clothes and weapons to enhance his arsenal however most of the aluminum flowing into the district had been bought up. If someone was trying to acquire a lot of weaponry particularly aluminum weaponry tracking down some of their suppliers might be a start. If that didn't go anywhere he could always wait. People didn't buy so many weapons if they weren't planning on using them for something big.

Vane decided he would finish the chouta he was having on his way back to the bar. It probably still wasn't six hours since they last met but he doubted that either of them was keeping track of the time. He kept a brisk pace and was able to find his way back despite not entirely remembering where the bar was. Despite her initial refusal he felt a kind of kinship with the Metalborn. Having to hide out in abandoned buildings and not knowing who you could trust. It reminded Vane of himself when he was fleeing Nalthis. Hemalurgy had managed to provide him certainty and safety and he was sure it would do the same for her if she accepted. He drank a vial of zinc and reentered the bar this time he would get a definitive answer.

[Koloss17 She/They]

Perses, Mistwarrens, Bendalloy Bar

Perses sat in the newly rebuilt diner, comfortably sipping his tea. A few months ago, he would have entered a place like this disguised. However, times were changing, and he had no need to hide. His spikes on full display, he wore his awakened mistcoat, the daggers at the ends of its tassels absentmindedly waving in the nonexistent wind.

The bar was empty, save for the bartender. People had cleared out fairly quickly when Perses entered. It felt ironic, drinking tea at an empty bar, but Perses didn’t drink. He much preferred trusting his senses, and nowadays he already couldn’t trust his own thoughts. No need to muddy the waters further.

The bartender walked over to him, refilling his glass. Her hands were steady, with a composure that said she wasn’t scared of him. However, her heart indicated otherwise. he could smell the sweat beading off of her, and feel her heartbeat pounding in her chest.

Perses touched her arm, and she flinched. “That’s enough,” he said with a smile. “My friend should be here shortly. Until then, make yourself useful in the back.”

He didn’t worry about the woman overhearing their conversation. It was inevitable, really. But he liked having minimal distractions when meeting with someone.

Perses sipped his tea, gently tapping his foot on the bar stool. Any minute now.

@Hoid Slayer

[Steel Speedster ♂]

On 5/15/2025 at 2:25 PM, Lord Ruler Sylphrena said:

Vane, New Hallandren

Vane had spent the last couple hours pacing. Window shopping and getting dinner had done nothing to relax him. He didn't like waiting around for things but if he returned too early he thought he might scare her off. Hopefully convincing her would be easier now that she has had sufficient time to consider the benefits of his proposal. Hopefully she hadn't run into anyone else before he came back, he hadn't actually bothered to learn her name so tracking her down would be near impossible.

It was beginning to get later in the day and Vane hoped to spend the night pursuing leads and tracking down some of his contacts. He had been planning on making some purchases of aluminum clothes and weapons to enhance his arsenal however most of the aluminum flowing into the district had been bought up. If someone was trying to acquire a lot of weaponry particularly aluminum weaponry tracking down some of their suppliers might be a start. If that didn't go anywhere he could always wait. People didn't buy so many weapons if they weren't planning on using them for something big.

Vane decided he would finish the chouta he was having on his way back to the bar. It probably still wasn't six hours since they last met but he doubted that either of them was keeping track of the time. He kept a brisk pace and was able to find his way back despite not entirely remembering where the bar was. Despite her initial refusal he felt a kind of kinship with the Metalborn. Having to hide out in abandoned buildings and not knowing who you could trust. It reminded Vane of himself when he was fleeing Nalthis. Hemalurgy had managed to provide him certainty and safety and he was sure it would do the same for her if she accepted. He drank a vial of zinc and reentered the bar this time he would get a definitive answer.

Fenna, New Hallandren, Abandoned Bar

Fenna looked up as the Returned entered the room. "I've made my decision, as I promised," Fenna said, standing. "I will help you. But I have some terms. Firstly, I will not do what you say blindly--trusting a stranger is what got me into this scrape in the first place. If you don't keep secrets from me, I won't keep them from you. Secondly, I will choose my own payment when I am ready. Do you accept?"