The Forge

[I think I am here. he/him]

1 hour ago, Emery the Steelrunner said:

“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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That’s alright

“Obviously not,” Alask hissed at the newcomer, but gestured to his companions to lower their weapons.

“Hutch! Westan! Get this woman to a doctor,” Alask ordered two of the men who were gambling. They scrambled beside the woman. Alask looked up at Sam and the other two newcomers.

“Everything is not alright.” He looked exhausted. “That’s why I put those posters up. If we don’t do something, more innocents will end up like her.”

[Emery the Steelrunner he/him]

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

“Everything is not alright.” He looked exhausted. “That’s why I put those posters up. If we don’t do something, more innocents will end up like her.”

“What happened to her?” Sam asked walking closer to the group, “What do you mean more will end up like her?”

@I think I am here.

@Thaidakar the Ghostblood

@Stormblessed0421

[mathiau he/him]

Marie arrived at the meeting point and was greeted by the now familiar sight of Darien's unusual soul, it looked like a secondary soul was orbiting his.

She noticed the wounded woman and spoke in the most sarcastic she could muster.

"Darien, please tell me you didn't murder someone before I even got there."

Marie.

What? She's already being tended to. Obviously this isn't a problem it we could help with, nor is it one he caused.

She observed the other person in the group, still peering in the cognitive realm. One of them had a soul warped in a subtle way that reminded her of her brother, probably a savant of some kind then. More interestingly, the soul of the man who was giving order to the people carrying the wounded woman had the exact same weirdness as Darien's.

@Thaidakar the Ghostblood@Emery the Steelrunner

Edited April 20, 2022 by mathiau

[Thaidakar the Ghostblood he/him]

On 4/16/2022 at 9:36 PM, I think I am here. said:

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.

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I'm so sorry guys, I have not been able to get on for a while.

Darien smiled. he nodded, "yeah I definitely am better, last time we met you mentioned something about a-" he stopped himself, "a friend of some sort. I may need your help in finding my friend, Elek." he looked at the others warily.

[mathiau he/him]

2 minutes ago, Thaidakar the Ghostblood said:

Darien smiled. he nodded, "yeah I definitely am better, last time we met you mentioned something about a-" he stopped himself, "a friend of some sort. I may need your help in finding my friend, Elek." he looked at the others warily.

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Wait, I'm just realising now I mentioned I was considering doing a character that was a member of the STE but that I had not signalled you I had actually done it

Or even asked you if I could do it

 

[Stormblessed0421 he/him]

6 hours ago, Thaidakar the Ghostblood said:

Darien smiled. he nodded, "yeah I definitely am better, last time we met you mentioned something about a-" he stopped himself, "a friend of some sort. I may need your help in finding my friend, Elek." he looked at the others warily.

Deckh sat quietly, observing all these events with an unreadably calculating expression, beginning to lessen in suspicion at these newcomers. He turned to Darien. “What exactly is it you want us to do, Darien? Don’t know about my friends here, but I sure take a job more willingly if I’ve got all the info. Or if there’s something in it for me…”

[I think I am here. he/him]

12 hours ago, Stormblessed0421 said:

Deckh sat quietly, observing all these events with an unreadably calculating expression, beginning to lessen in suspicion at these newcomers. He turned to Darien. “What exactly is it you want us to do, Darien? Don’t know about my friends here, but I sure take a job more willingly if I’ve got all the info. Or if there’s something in it for me…

"You want info?" Alask asked, leaning against the gate. He ran a hand through his hair, then sighed. He hadn't put up those posters up so they could all sit around discussing. Behind him, the the two men who had been gambling carried the woman away, red staining their clothes. With them gone, it was only Alask and the four newcomers left.

He stood up straighter and addressed them all.

"You may be wondering what just happened, or why I put those 'help wanted' posters up," he said. He turned to gesture to where the woman had been carried off to. "She is why we need help. She is a victim, and not the first we've had."

Alask tried his best to sound impassioned. His left arm still remained hidden beneath the cloak.

"A week ago," he said. "We started experiencing attacks in the Forge area. Vandalism. Theft. Murder. We believe it's some sort of new gang, and that they've made a hideout in an abandoned warehouse deeper in the slums. we don't know their numbers or their Investiture, but we know they're deadly."

He paused for a moment, sighed, then met the eyes of each of the four.

"The Forge is a brilliancy," he said. "What I've – we've – been able to do for the first time is give these homeless people reliable, shelter, food and electricity. We've cleaned the water supply, provided them safety. These attacks threaten to undo all of that. Dealing with them will be dangerous. That being said..."

He turned to look at Sam.

"If you choose to help us, you will be saving innocent lives."

He turned towards Darien.

"If you choose to help, I will tell you what I know about my... friend."

He turned to Deckh, the calm-as-ice assassin who seemed to be smarter than he appeared. Then he looked to the latest arrival, a woman who knew Darien and stared at Alask in a way that made him uncomfortable. She, too, was more than what met the eye.

"And for the rest of you," he said. "If you choose to remove this threat for me, as a reward, I'll allow you to keep anything you raid off of the hideout. The Forge has no need for tools of destruction."

Alask stilled, having said his plea. He looked to each of the four again, tried to gauge their reactions. This was the critical moment.

"So," he said, shrugging with his right shoulder. "What do you say?"

@mathiau

@Emery the Steelrunner

@Thaidakar the Ghostblood

@Stormblessed0421

Edited April 22, 2022 by I think I am here.

[Emery the Steelrunner he/him]

 

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He turned to look at Sam.

"If you choose to help us, you will be saving innocent lives."

“I’m in,” Sam said, arms crossed. “but how do you know that I’m not in it for money? Are you one of those people who can see into the spiritual realm?”

 

 

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

Edited April 22, 2022 by Emery the Steelrunner

[Thaidakar the Ghostblood he/him]

22 hours ago, mathiau said:

 

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uh, sure, you can do a character in STE are they in the specific thread or what?

 

[I think I am here. he/him]

On 23/4/2022 at 3:21 AM, Emery the Steelrunner said:

“I’m in,” Sam said, arms crossed. “but how do you know that I’m not in it for money? Are you one of those people who can see into the spiritual realm?”

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

Alask laughed.

“Not at all, I don’t even have Investiture.”

He shook his head. “No, I could tell by the look on your face. The way you rushed in to help that woman. I can tell an idealist when I see one.”

He raised his one hand in the air.

“Don’t worry, though. You can keep whatever you find as well. It’s only fair.”

One of them was in. That was very good news. Alask looked at the other faces.

“And the rest of you?”

[Stormblessed0421 he/him]

Deckh inspected Alask’s hard yet hopeful expression and considered all this new information.

”I’m in,” he said, nodding.

[mathiau he/him]

"You had me at 'deadly' "

Marie, you're supposed to help people because you want to, thrill-seeking is not a healthy habit for Willshapers.

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

Alask laughed.

“Not at all, I don’t even have Investiture.”

Marie cocked an eyebrow

Edited April 25, 2022 by mathiau

[Emery the Steelrunner he/him]

“So… when do we start?” Sam asked.

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

Edited April 25, 2022 by Emery the Steelrunner

[Thaidakar the Ghostblood he/him]

Darien said, "yeah, when do we start?"

[EmulatonStromenkiin he/him]

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Can the Quarkbeast take up residence in the Forge area?

to whomever is in charge of the Forge area

[I think I am here. he/him]

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Sure thing

@EmulatonStromenkiin

Alask smiled, then nodded as all four agreed. This was good. Very good.

“I’ve arranged a rickshaw to take you to the heart of the territory,” he pointed to a silhouette of a driver just beyond the gate. Briefly, flashes of golden light could be seen and screams. Alask’s eyes widened.

“I think another attack is happening.”

@mathiau

@Thaidakar the Ghostblood

@Emery the Steelrunner

@Stormblessed0421

Edited May 2, 2022 by I think I am here.

[EmulatonStromenkiin he/him]

A strange purple walrus-like beast appeared in the Forge, and started to sniff at the scrap metal and dross on the ground.

 

@I think I am here.

[Stormblessed0421 he/him]

Deckh smoothly rose to his feet and covertly downed a vial of metal, then concealed the empty vial and fell into a loose crouch, daggers in hand. The set of actions was second-nature to him, drilled into his muscle memory after years of training. He scanned for danger and saw the strangest creature he’d ever laid eyes on appear as if it materialized.

[EmulatonStromenkiin he/him]

9 hours ago, Stormblessed0421 said:

Deckh smoothly rose to his feet and covertly downed a vial of metal, then concealed the empty vial and fell into a loose crouch, daggers in hand. The set of actions was second-nature to him, drilled into his muscle memory after years of training. He scanned for danger and saw the strangest creature he’d ever laid eyes on appear as if it materialized.

The Quarkbeast noticed him and wandered over, grinning in a friendly with its mouth full of blender-like teeth.

@Stormblessed0421

[Stormblessed0421 he/him]

Deck rose from his crouch slowly and froze standing straight up, knives still in hand. He organized his thoughts, planning two possibilities: reason with and befriend the beast, or kill it and escape. The smile started to grow on him, though, and he began to prefer the first choice.

[EmulatonStromenkiin he/him]

The Quarkbeast licked the galvanization off of a trash can, It's tongue seeming to stick out somewhat dangerously(for the tongue) through its teeth.

@Stormblessed0421

[mathiau he/him]

On 02/05/2022 at 9:12 AM, I think I am here. said:

Alask smiled, then nodded as all four agreed. This was good. Very good.

“I’ve arranged a rickshaw to take you to the heart of the territory,” he pointed to a silhouette of a driver just beyond the gate. Briefly, flashes of golden light could be seen and screams. Alask’s eyes widened.

“I think another attack is happening.”

Marie unsheathed her blade and breathed a mote of Stormlight in, not enough to glow but enough to move faster in a fight.

"Let's go help then" she said she ran ahead toward the flashes

[Emery the Steelrunner he/him]

On 5/2/2022 at 1:12 AM, I think I am here. said:

Alask’s eyes widened.

“I think another attack is happening.”

 

Sam turned to the noise and started taping his steel reserves.

1 hour ago, mathiau said:

"Let's go help then" she said she ran ahead toward the flashes

The world slowed down, and he pulled two aluminum daggers out of their scabbards, and ran after Marie.

@mathiau, and @I think I am here..

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@EmulatonStromenkiin, My character hasn’t noticed the Quarkbeast yet because he ran off in the other direction. He will once he gets back.

 

Edited May 9, 2022 by Emery the Steelrunner

[Stormblessed0421 he/him]

Deckh decided that this thing couldn’t be trusted and waited for it to get distracted, then smoothly walked towards the sounds of trouble. This monstrosity wasn’t something he could take on his own.

[EmulatonStromenkiin he/him]

The Quarkbeast crunched a piece of metal off the ground, then decided to lay down inside of a clean, tipped-over trash can.

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@Emery the Steelrunner, that's perfectly fine.