main plot The Taste of Death

[+Ark1002]

A scientist stumbled away from Silva as she got close. Then he squealed.

He stumbled backwards, panicking.

AH THEY CAUGHT ME AH SHE SAW ME AGH SHE'S TALL

He squeeked, then dropped his papers on the ground in his haste.

He cursed, but continued going backward.

The first paper read:

....is finally working. I tried out so many designs, but here it is, my small little ball sucking up investiture and growing.
It even created a limb. I will have to dismantle it again, the risk to transport it through a perpendicularity is to high. I
expect it to cause a larger distortion in the cognitive realm. Sadly I have no means to determine how it will effect the
spritiual one. I decided to call it the Vortex.

It is the creation of a mastermind, only a genius could have come up with something like this. I am a genius. It will take
investiture and use it to grow, to create wonderful creatures. Some of the things it's spitting out are useless, but some 
are able to follow basic commands and that is, what my master wanted. A mass of terrifying creatures to defeat his enemies.

I need to talk to Lord Ajax, tell him that it is finally working, that he can start his plan. He will be pleased. Hopefully 
that means I can keep my remaining fingers.


Important: It is still slightly unstable. The more creatures it creates, the more likely it is to start grabbing every
investiture it can find an start growing in an uncontrolled way. I need to make sure I can shut it down if neccessary.

The top of it had been torn, and a couple of stains had been visible.

The second paper read:

Sir,

we've discovered a universe that might fit your pupose. It is rather small, but has lots of connections to many 
different places. From there our empire could spread easily. The rulers are guilds, that mostly fight each other,
while maintaining enough control over the population, that they stay quiet and can live rather good lives. compared
to some other places the living conditions are bad there, but I've already visited places, that would call this
universe a heaven.

The largest city is called Alleycity, after some guild that established its control there. Dark Alley. Everybody is 
afraid of them, but I still have to see their power. I suspect they are old enough to have created some reputation 
and now only appear now and then to make sure they keep it. The other forces we need to plan with are TUBA, who seem 
to be nothing but bakers and the Ghostbloods, who are unable to decide on a leader. There is a newer force, a church 
of some kinds, but their influence is marginal. They are trying to establish a government right now, but most of the 
time they are bickering and fighting amongst themselves. I doubt they will be able to form a usefull opposition of
your forces.

I suggest to contruct the headquarters in the city there and then try to sway some of the guilds to your side. If all
goes well, they will start a civil war while you can take over control.

O.K.

He panicked at the sight of the second one, tried to snatch it back up, but his hand shook and he dropped it.

He kneeled, almost crying.

"Please, please don't kill me."

@Darth Woodrack @Sorana @Anyone else who might be up at the Vortex

[Darth Woodrack he/him]

Silva ran over to him, belt down, and put her hand on husband shoulder saying, “Hey, it’s okay. We’re not going to hurt you, unless you do something stupid. Now, what isn’t that thing?”

@Ax's Boyfriend @Silva @I think I am here. @Sorana @xinoehp512(I think)

[+Ark1002]

He screamed. "Don't hurt me. They're just papers. I wrote one, found the other. It fell out of his pocket."

He cowered.

@Darth Woodrack

 

 

[AonEne he/him]

Quote

1 hour ago, Ax's Boyfriend said:

AGH SHE'S TALL

This is the best.

On 6/16/2019 at 4:04 PM, AonEne said:

She shoved her phone in her pocket and poked her head around the corner into the room Tena was in. "I'm heading to Didgeridoo to meet with a couple members of the DA. Want to come?"

Aaaaax

@Ark's Boyfriend

[Sherlock Holmes he/him]

Quote

Mention me when you want me. 

Tena nodded. "Sure. Ani, take care of the baby and don't die."

@AonEne @Ax's Boyfriend

[Voidus]

Voidus cut off as he saw the barrier waver and another figure began to approach. He rose quickly to his feet, back straightened and prepared to receive whoever it was, though there was only one likely candidate.

His thoughts were confirmed a moment later as Mac entered, walking silently past the guardian before approaching them. He quickly got to business, delivering the findings of his department and an update on the situation. There was a subtle pause as he shifted topics, Voidus saw a flicker of something indiscernible in his eyes as he continued to speak.

Mac wasn't the head of the department of counter intelligence for nothing, his expression barely shifted a millimetre as he spoke. But Voidus had known him for a long time, long enough to recognize the slight evaluation in his eyes as Mac watched for a reaction.

"Anyway" Mac continued without pause. "Any thoughts about how we should proceed? While my men tend to be on the ground the most you two control the muscle of the DA, so I decided to talk to you guys before making any decisions."

Well I suppose I haven't exactly been as subtle as possible about it. Voidus thought, reflecting on his recent actions.

He gave a soft sigh, letting his eyes close briefly for a moment of respite as the breath came out, then slowly opening them once again.

"She caught me a little off guard when I saw her." He said quietly, the shadow of a smile briefly flashing. "Not exactly something I was expecting at that meeting."

In hindsight Voidus realized that he may have tipped his hand a little in the time afterwards. He'd told a DA operative to stay safe, that was bound to raise a few eyebrows at the least. And Mac was the best there was at noticing discrepancies like that and piecing the picture together, hiding it would be a vain hope.

"Truth be told I wasn't expecting that I'd be able to see my daughter again until after Sudiov was dealt with."

Voidus continued smiling as he stepped forwards, closing what little distance remained between them.

"Nicely done." He said, congratulating Mac on the discovery and conceding his own defeat. "Oh, and I'm sure this almost goes without saying but just to be sure..."

The smile dropped from his face as he leaned in, his tone shifting from idle amusement to bitter cold.

"Should your curiosity carry you to her and cause problems, or put her in any danger whatsoever then I will finish what I started the last time I got out from this barrier."

A moment later the smile returned as Voidus leaned back and gave Mac a satisfied nod.

"So let's hope it doesn't come to that." He finished calmly.

[AonEne he/him]

Quote

4 minutes ago, Ark's Boyfriend said:

Mention me when you want me. 

Quote

Will do.

1 minute ago, Voidus said:

"Truth be told I wasn't expecting that I'd be able to see my daughter again until after Sudiov was dealt with."

Quote

ddjshvfdljaskgvsdvhbdsjhjghghghghghghgnfjdgwktjomireigjrgjifl//.n;'ml't

Was this something we were already supposed to know and I just missed it or

AHHHHHHHHHHHJDKAHVADJK

VOIDUS

let me go fangirl in my corner now

ahhh

Also oof poor Mac

@Ark's Boyfriend

Deteca nodded back. "Remind me, do you have a tunnel entrance in your house?"

[Voidus]

1 minute ago, AonEne said:

Was this something we were already supposed to know and I just missed it or

Quote

It's been split across multiple threads so barring people who read everything this would have been difficult for some people to pick up on, but it has been in the works for a while. A very long while.

 

[AonEne he/him]

Quote

It's official. I need to read everything.

 

[Sherlock Holmes he/him]

10 minutes ago, AonEne said:

@Ark's Boyfriend

Deteca nodded back. "Remind me, do you have a tunnel entrance in your house?"

"Nope."

[Voidus]

Quote

Little over a year now, so you can start your reading here:

 

 

 

[AonEne he/him]

8 minutes ago, Ark's Boyfriend said:

"Nope."

Quote

Hmm. How are we gonna do this.

Voidus, I intend to read THE ENTIRE SUBFORUM (except for the noncanon/inactive stuff).

 

[MacThorstenson he/him]

11 minutes ago, AonEne said:

Was this something we were already supposed to know and I just missed it or

Quote

This was not something that everyone knew, but could have been figured out.

Mac nodded carefully, displaying nothing of the turmoil of fear, curiosity, surprise, and joy that he felt on the inside. He had done it! It had been years since he had been able to weasle a secret out of Voidus. Absolutely amazing! While Voidus was in charge, there were several things that Mac was better at then he was. Chief among them was spywork. Nothing was better than having a subject reveal to you so much more than you already knew. It did raise several questions however. Namely, When did Voidus have a family? Did the timelines even work out? These were sadly questions that would have to wait for another time. More pressing was his own impending possible doom.

"Of course." He started slowly, "Though I have to ask, do you want her to get preferential treatment, or would secrecy be the priority? Excuse my questions but if I recall correctly this is completely uncharted territory, and to be honest I hadn't the slightest idea that you had a family. I am also slightly concerned about my own mortality at the moment, and the way you phrased that seemed to imply that if she encountered any danger I would be at fault, but knowing that you tend to be a rational person I would typically assume this wouldn't be the case, but again this isn't a typical situation..." He trailed off, hoping his rambling didn't portray his absolute terror. Though of course, it probably did.

@Voidus

[+ZincAboutIt she/her]

Quote

I FIGURED IT OUT  

 

[+Sorana she/her]

Zokora took the papers from him and read through them. Then she snapped some quick pictures and send them to Lusk as well.

"I will go, meet with Lusk, make sure this lands in the right hands. Please keep an eye on that growing ball thing and don't let him go."

She elsecalled away, back to the battleship. Hesitating she stared at his back for a moment, the wrote a quick mail to Tena and attached the video and the pictures she'd taken of the pieces of paper.

Althea told me you're our contact to TUBA. This might be interesting for all of us. Could you please hand it over? @Ark's Boyfriend

Then she took a deep breath and approached the councilman.

"Lusk."

Zokora was careful that her steps were loud enough that there was no chance he missed them and bowed deeply.

"You might want to take a look at this. It's in your inbox. And if you deem it neccessary hand it over to the other guilds."

@I think I am here.

[Sherlock Holmes he/him]

Tena nodded and handed her phone with the pictures on it to Deteca. 

@AonEne

[Voidus]

Quote

Kudos to both Zinc and Mac for figuring this out ahead of time. In particular Kudos to Zinc for figuring out that Voidus was a blonde even though I explicitly never mentioned it just so that I gave fewer hints to this.  (Though to be fair I believe Zinc has said this was due to guesswork rather than Holmesian intuition or blood magic prophecy, still not sure if I believe her though.)

Voidus blinked back in a moment of surprise as Mac asked a series of rapid-fire questions one after the other.

"Well." Voidus began, dealing with the last question first. "As long as she doesn't come into any danger then you won't have to find out, will you?"

He paused, giving Mac another grim look for a few moments. He found a little enjoyment as he saw Mac looking back at him with no small amount of concern until Voidus finally broke and gave a small smile.

"You know I'm not one for irrationality." He said finally. "Her ultimate safety is my responsibility, not yours. Be at ease. So long as you have no hand it it I wouldn't hold you responsible."

He gave Mac a smile to let him know that he'd been joking, but there was still a glimmer of that bitter cold in his eyes that promised the fate that would befall anyone who did have a hand in putting her in danger.

"As to whether or not we say anything... I still haven't really come to a conclusion yet." Voidus nervously ran a hand through his hair as his expression tensed.

It was a matter he'd been considering at some length now, ever since he'd seen her. Did he reveal the information so he could protect her? Or would that very act cause her to become a target? She was already working with the DA, which made him proud in a way, but it was also not exactly the safest profession in the world.

His mind flitted over the possibilities again but there still weren't any that stood out.

"Regardless." He said, shaking his head a little to clear it. "That's a discussion for another time. Perhaps when this is resolved we can grab an Alley somewhere and I'll explain it all."

He cleared his throat before proceeding back to the other topic that Mac had raised.

"So to business, if the building seems empty then perhaps this is the time for something a little less subtle. I did tell those from TUBA that we'd hold off on the abominations for a bit, and destroying the entire city would be somewhat sub optimal. So a small group then, but one capable of dealing with whatever they might find."

A grin stretched his lips as he regarded the two who were with him. Who better to infiltrate than the three of them? If there were any lingering dangers there then they should be able to handle it easily enough, and if there was any information there then they'd be able to gain that information more rapidly if they were there in person than waiting back in the Alleys.

"Care to take a stroll?" He asked the two others.

@MacThorstenson / @Fatebreaker

[I think I am here. he/him]

1 hour ago, Sorana said:

Then she took a deep breath and approached the councilman.

"Lusk."

Zokora was careful that her steps were loud enough that there was no chance he missed them and bowed deeply.

"You might want to take a look at this. It's in your inbox. And if you deem it neccessary hand it over to the other guilds."

Lusk turned, a frown on his face from the encounter with the intern. Back to bureaucracy. But, it was what the city needed, and Lusk would have no qualms in carrying it out if it meant AlleyCity could stand another day.

“Hello, Zokora,” he said, pressing a button, and checking his communication device. Indeed, there were photos of some sort of Investiture black hole, and photos of two letters. He grimaced hen the second letter touched on how the Ghostbloods could never organise a leader, and how the Alleyverse would be a good placement to invade.

Storms, it’s right. We were perfect targets.

“This information needs to be spread to other guilds,” Lusk said, turning and pressing more buttons, making more images of AlleyCity flash on the screen. “And more than that, the Allied Guilds need to organise what in the Almighty is going on with PlasmaCore.” He turned and looked back to Zokora.

“Do you think you could organise a meeting between the leaders of the Allied Guilds?”

—-

Wes gasped and ran forward. The Ghostblood woman had disappeared, and the large tall Marine lady was restaurant the sad man who’d just walked in.

“Yeah, we’re nice,” he said.

[+Sorana she/her]

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

“Do you think you could organise a meeting between the leaders of the Allied Guilds?”

Zokora supressed a sigh. She wasn't his secretary. If he wanted a meeting, he could do it himself.

"Of course."

She replied despite her thoughts and wrote another message to Tena. Althea would be less than amused if she complicated the situation because of her pride.

Do you think TUBA would be interested in a meeting? Lusk asked after a meeting will participants of all guilds, to plan and exchange information. And you don't happen to have some contacts in the DA as well?

@Ark's Boyfriend

Then she stepped over to someone on the bridge of the ship.

"Councilman Lusk suggested to hold a meeting to exchange information between the guilds. Could you please inform whoever you need to inform for that?"

@Grey Knight

[xinoehp512 he/him]

8 hours ago, Voidus said:

It's been split across multiple threads so barring people who read everything this would have been difficult for some people to pick up on, but it has been in the works for a while. A very long while.

Quote

Welp. I read everything, and I still didn't figure it out.

 

[Sherlock Holmes he/him]

Hm. I don't have any contacts in the DA. And I'll have to ask Deteca to reveal further information. But yes, I think a meeting would suit both TUBA and the Ghostbloods. She sent that to Zokora. @Sorana

Deteca, Zokora of the Ghostbloods is most likely planning to make a meeting with representatives from all the guilds in the AlleyCity. Also, can I tell her we're meeting with the DA? She sent that to Deteca. @AonEne

[I think I am here. he/him]

9 hours ago, Voidus said:

It's been split across multiple threads so barring people who read everything this would have been difficult for some people to pick up on, but it has been in the works for a while. A very long while.

Quote

Yeah, I only knew about it because I was following the Bar thread at the time, and Voidus mentioned a daughter.

 

5 hours ago, Sorana said:

Zokora supressed a sigh. She wasn't his secretary. If he wanted a meeting, he could do it himself.

"Of course."

She replied despite her thoughts and wrote another message to Tena. Althea would be less than amused if she complicated the situation because of her pride.

“Thank you,” Lusk said and turned back to the large screen that dominated the wall.

“Evacuations are going well,” he mentioned, gesturing vaguely ahead. “Our vehicles have moved to other districts.”

[MacThorstenson he/him]

9 hours ago, Voidus said:

Voidus blinked back in a moment of surprise as Mac asked a series of rapid-fire questions one after the other.

"Well." Voidus began, dealing with the last question first. "As long as she doesn't come into any danger then you won't have to find out, will you?"

He paused, giving Mac another grim look for a few moments. He found a little enjoyment as he saw Mac looking back at him with no small amount of concern until Voidus finally broke and gave a small smile.

"You know I'm not one for irrationality." He said finally. "Her ultimate safety is my responsibility, not yours. Be at ease. So long as you have no hand it it I wouldn't hold you responsible."

He gave Mac a smile to let him know that he'd been joking, but there was still a glimmer of that bitter cold in his eyes that promised the fate that would befall anyone who did have a hand in putting her in danger.

"As to whether or not we say anything... I still haven't really come to a conclusion yet." Voidus nervously ran a hand through his hair as his expression tensed.

It was a matter he'd been considering at some length now, ever since he'd seen her. Did he reveal the information so he could protect her? Or would that very act cause her to become a target? She was already working with the DA, which made him proud in a way, but it was also not exactly the safest profession in the world.

His mind flitted over the possibilities again but there still weren't any that stood out.

"Regardless." He said, shaking his head a little to clear it. "That's a discussion for another time. Perhaps when this is resolved we can grab an Alley somewhere and I'll explain it all."

He cleared his throat before proceeding back to the other topic that Mac had raised.

"So to business, if the building seems empty then perhaps this is the time for something a little less subtle. I did tell those from TUBA that we'd hold off on the abominations for a bit, and destroying the entire city would be somewhat sub optimal. So a small group then, but one capable of dealing with whatever they might find."

A grin stretched his lips as he regarded the two who were with him. Who better to infiltrate than the three of them? If there were any lingering dangers there then they should be able to handle it easily enough, and if there was any information there then they'd be able to gain that information more rapidly if they were there in person than waiting back in the Alleys.

"Care to take a stroll?" He asked the two others.

@MacThorstenson / @Fatebreaker

Mac's eyes widened. Did he hear the right? Voidus wanted them to go out to the front lines? 

His face broke out into a grin. "Of course!"

This was going to be interesting. It had been ages since they had all fought together.

"Poor plasmacore." He muttered, "Will we want to ask our field agents to join us? Or tell them to clear out? I feel we may break Lita by all showing up in the same spot at the same time, we nearly did at the group meeting." Huh, this has been a week of discoveries. The Stranger returning, the whole DA meeting, Voidus having a daughter. Wonder what else is in store? Imagine that, the current department heads all investigating plasmacore at the same time. They didn't stand a chance.

[Fatebreaker he/him]

The Stranger was still processing the fact that Voidus had a daughter, when Mac arrived at the  Worldspike. When Mac nonchalantly revealed the identity of said daughter, the Stranger just about fell over. How...

He shook his head. Mac was the Head of The DOCI, and this was the perfect demonstration of why that was the case. 

The Stranger listened as Voidus and Mac spoke briefly, still thinking about Voidus’ words. We have both lost much, but he may yet lose more. And that would either break him, or turn him into a true monster. The thought chilled him, for there were few things he feared more than the destruction of his last remaining friend. He filed this information away for further consideration and turned to the task at hand.

When Voidus suggested the three of them go on an outing, The Stranger grinned wolfishly. “I for one am very much in favor. I need to stretch my legs, visit the new neighbors, perhaps bring some welcome cookies.”

He thought for a moment, then asked, “To be clear, this is just a scouting mission? Cause I have some lovely little surprises for when we go full disciplinarian.”

@Voidus @MacThorstenson

Edited June 18, 2019 by Fatebreaker

[Darth Woodrack he/him]

Quote

Voidus, can I please rp your the Daughter? Please? Please?Please? Please?Please? Please?Please? Please?Please? Please?Please? Please?Please? Please?Please? Please?Please? Please?Please? Please?Please? Please?Please? Please?

@Voidus

“Hey, I already said we’re not going to hurt you. What is that thing? Fell out of who’s pocket? Who do you work for? What is plasma core, really?” Silva asked, leaving her hand on his shoulder so she could snap his spinal cord in an instant should he make a move.

@Ax's Boyfriend @I think I am here. @xinoehp512 @Silva @Sorana