Cassandra Adama's Metallurgic Emporium

[Rushu42 she/her]

8 hours ago, Ashbringer said:

Aln it seemed could read lips just fine. So... no matter, Poller supposed. "I was... I was asking if you had a plan. Or a solution. Or... well, any idea what it is that we have here."

Aln's expression grew serious. "A plan? Unfortunately, not quite. As for what we have here...I'm beginning to see the shape of it. It's quite a lot."

With a deep breath, she began to explain. "I have memories of what appears to be an alternate reality. An reality in which the old myths of the Dark Alley are not myths, but truth. I don't believe that this is a hallucination on my part. Rather... well, there are several possibilities, but the leading theory at the moment is a large-scale Forgery. You know what that is, right?"

@mathiau

Edited January 13, 2021 by Rushu42

[Ashbringer he/him]

16 hours ago, Rushu42 said:

Aln's expression grew serious. "A plan? Unfortunately, not quite. As for what we have here...I'm beginning to see the shape of it. It's quite a lot."

With a deep breath, she began to explain. "I have memories of what appears to be an alternate reality. An reality in which the old myths of the Dark Alley are not myths, but truth. I don't believe that this is a hallucination on my part. Rather... well, there are several possibilities, but the leading theory at the moment is a large-scale Forgery. You know what that is, right?"

@mathiau

"Forgery... sort of? It's where people can make something pretend to be something else. Except it's not. So like Soulcasting but only... superfluous."

Poller shook his head. "No, not superfluous... superficial?" He tapped a bit of his bronze.

"I definitely have memories of the... the thing we talked about, that don't match, but besides that my recent memory seems to fit. Although to be honest there isn't much that I've notably done in recent memory, besides coming to work here. Mostly it just seems like... skills. Like I knew looking at that burning building that there wasn't much in there that we could save structurally, but it also wasn't going to collapse on anyone's head." Poller hesitated slightly. "I also... felt like I was useless. More than normal. Like I should have been doing something to help instead of just standing around... but there wasn't anything I could have done... but part of me thought there was."

[Rushu42 she/her]

4 hours ago, Ashbringer said:

"Forgery... sort of? It's where people can make something pretend to be something else. Except it's not. So like Soulcasting but only... superfluous."

Poller shook his head. "No, not superfluous... superficial?" He tapped a bit of his bronze.

"I definitely have memories of the... the thing we talked about, that don't match, but besides that my recent memory seems to fit. Although to be honest there isn't much that I've notably done in recent memory, besides coming to work here. Mostly it just seems like... skills. Like I knew looking at that burning building that there wasn't much in there that we could save structurally, but it also wasn't going to collapse on anyone's head." Poller hesitated slightly. "I also... felt like I was useless. More than normal. Like I should have been doing something to help instead of just standing around... but there wasn't anything I could have done... but part of me thought there was."

"This is exactly what I feared. Forgery isn't like soulcasting, nor is it really 'pretending'. Think of it instead as rewriting an object's history. Perhaps at some point in your life, there was a choice that would have resulted in you having combat skills, for example, but the Forgery rewrote that choice instead. But if the Forgery didn't fully take, as it were, the true memories may begin to bleed through."

Aln looked slightly frustrated. "This is only speculation, extrapolating from what I know of soulstamps. I don't have any of my books, and even if I did, this situation is surely unprecedented. But imagine, for a moment, a being with the knowledge and power of a god, and no particular concern for the inhabitants of this city. If they were to find some aspect of this world that they wished to be different, then it is not such a stretch to imagine that they would, having the power, rewrite the past of the entire planet to suit their whim. In the memories I've recalled, such beings did indeed exist."

@mathiau

[mathiau he/him]

6 minutes ago, Rushu42 said:

"This is exactly what I feared. Forgery isn't like soulcasting, nor is it really 'pretending'. Think of it instead as rewriting an object's history. Perhaps at some point in your life, there was a choice that would have resulted in you having combat skills, for example, but the Forgery rewrote that choice instead. But if the Forgery didn't fully take, as it were, the true memories may begin to bleed through."

Aln looked slightly frustrated. "This is only speculation, extrapolating from what I know of soulstamps. I don't have any of my books, and even if I did, this situation is surely unprecedented. But imagine, for a moment, a being with the knowledge and power of a god, and no particular concern for the inhabitants of this city. If they were to find some aspect of this world that they wished to be different, then it is not such a stretch to imagine that they would, having the power, rewrite the past of the entire planet to suit their whim. In the memories I've recalled, such beings did indeed exist."

@mathiau

Forgery? That's what she meant by another reality? Folorian almost felt bad for how excited he'd acted about the possibility of an additional Alleyverse.

I called it the discovery of the century... Well it'd still be but... Anyway. "I do have some information about Forgery on me, let me check...  So, from what we know of it a Forgery on all a population or even a world would be basically impossible. Firstly the absolute time record for creating a forgery on a single person is 100 days, for a full population people would be born faster than the seals are finished. Secondly, but the farther away the Forgery is from the original the shortest it hold, for a human more than one day is a miracle; there are some case that avoid that issue but they necessitate the forged object not to consider one of its previous forms as the original instead of the current one -a broken window still seeing itself as complete for exemple, also the forgery must make it closer to the original so it's not what happened. Lastly, like for soulcasting, if you want to affect an ensemble of objects they must see themself as one, so you'll either have to seal every single person or to seal something that's insanely co-" Folorian marked a pause as he realised something that made everything he said irrelevant "Insanely connected to everyone, like the Worldspike. If it was indeed an hemalugic spike that stole stability from another world, and someone managed to put a seal on it that change the spiked plane, or just the intent of the people doing it then... Preservation wings! it would have as much effect as what happened to Elantris or what happened to Threnody. With the right knowledge you might be able to change how each magic system works here, and make this theorically impossible Forgery of a whole world."

Folorian collapsed on his chair, except he hadn't taken a chair and fell on the ground.

@Ashbringer

[Rushu42 she/her]

2 minutes ago, mathiau said:

Forgery? That's what she meant by another reality? Folorian almost felt bad for how excited he'd acted about the possibility of an additional Alleyverse.

I called it the discovery of the century... Well it'd still be but... Anyway. "I do have some information about Forgery on me, let me check...  So, from what we know of it a Forgery on all a population or even a world would be basically impossible. Firstly the absolute time record for creating a forgery on a single person is 100 days, for a full population people would be born faster than the seals are finished. Secondly, but the farther away the Forgery is from the original the shortest it hold, for a human more than one day is a miracle; there are some case that avoid that issue but they necessitate the forged object not to consider one of its previous forms as the original instead of the current one -a broken window still seeing itself as complete for exemple, also the forgery must make it closer to the original so it's not what happened. Lastly, like for soulcasting, if you want to affect an ensemble of objects they must see themself as one, so you'll either have to seal every single person or to seal something that's insanely co-" Folorian marked a pause as he realised something that made everything he said irrelevant "Insanely connected to everyone, like the Worldspike. If it was indeed an hemalugic spike that stole stability from another world, and someone managed to put a seal on it that change the spiked plane, or just the intent of the people doing it then... Preservation wings! it would have as much effect as what happened to Elantris or what happened to Threnody. With the right knowledge you might be able to change how each magic system works here, and make this theorically impossible Forgery of a whole world."

Folorian collapsed on his chair, except he hadn't taken a chair and fell on the ground.

@Ashbringer

Aln looked shaken as well. A part of her hadn't really believed that a Forgery could affect an entire planet; it had been just a hypothetical. But with Folorian's point about the Worldspike...

"Storms," she breathed. "You're right, of course. I hadn't thought about how much of a vulnerable point the Worldspike is. It gives us a common language and allows us to use Investiture, but access to it would allow you to alter the Spirit Webs of every person on the Alleyplanet."

Aln suddenly noticed that Folorian was on the floor, and stood, extending a hand to help him up. "The Dark Alley were - are - hemalurgists. They'd certainly have access to the Worldspike, and the relevant knowledge to perform such a deed. Since the Forgery involved writing out all but the vaguest the knowledge of their own existence, once it was done no one would suspect a thing. All they'd have to do is...eliminate people who began to remember. Perhaps by sending hemalurgic constructs, like the attack at the Guild. That's why those beasts were so coordinated."

@Ashbringer

[mathiau he/him]

10 hours ago, Rushu42 said:

Aln looked shaken as well. A part of her hadn't really believed that a Forgery could affect an entire planet; it had been just a hypothetical. But with Folorian's point about the Worldspike...

"Storms," she breathed. "You're right, of course. I hadn't thought about how much of a vulnerable point the Worldspike is. It gives us a common language and allows us to use Investiture, but access to it would allow you to alter the Spirit Webs of every person on the Alleyplanet."

Aln suddenly noticed that Folorian was on the floor, and stood, extending a hand to help him up. "The Dark Alley were - are - hemalurgists. They'd certainly have access to the Worldspike, and the relevant knowledge to perform such a deed. Since the Forgery involved writing out all but the vaguest the knowledge of their own existence, once it was done no one would suspect a thing. All they'd have to do is...eliminate people who began to remember. Perhaps by sending hemalurgic constructs, like the attack at the Guild. That's why those beasts were so coordinated."

@Ashbringer

Folorian took Alanis's hand and got up. "So... what do we do now? The only possible way to test my hypothesis would be to go inspect the world spike, but guarded doesn't even begin to describe that zone. And you talked about the Dark Alley, I don't know anything beside fanciful rumour, do you have any information about them?" And should he really assume what Aln remembered was real without taking her to the hospital first?

Yes. Yes he should. Even if not all were true, she was not the only one who had these unmatching memories, and then there was the attack on the guild. There was something wrong and even if she ended up wrong, Folorian doubting her would not help her issue, and might even worsen it.

[Rushu42 she/her]

2 minutes ago, mathiau said:

Folorian took Alanis's hand and got up. "So... what do we do now? The only possible way to test my hypothesis would be to go inspect the world spike, but guarded doesn't even begin to describe that zone. And you talked about the Dark Alley, I don't know anything beside fanciful rumour, do you have any information about them?" And should he really assume what Aln remembered was real without taking her to the hospital first?

Yes. Yes he should. Even if not all were true, she was not the only one who had these unmatching memories, and then there was the attack on the guild. There was something wrong and even if she ended up wrong, Folorian doubting her would not help her issue, and might even worsen it.

What do we do now?

Aln found herself seized, unexpectedly, by an unforeseen conflict of interests. She looked at Folorian. He was a friend, a good one - possibly the first true friend she'd ever had. And she had Torenat, too, and the rest of the Scholar's Guild, and a purpose. She was happy. Whereas, in the other world - the "real" one - she had no one. Folorian was a stranger. The guild was new, still struggling to get off of its feet. Torenat was a world away. And the worst part was, Aln hadn't even known how much she was missing. Did she really want to keep investigating, to put herself in danger, all for the possibility of returning to that life?

"Do...do we need to do anything?" she found herself asking hesitantly. "We can't fight the Dark Alley; I remember that much. Is this reality so bad?"

To the side, Pel drifted from her pocket and hung in the air, looking at Aln.

@Ashbringer

[mathiau he/him]

15 minutes ago, Rushu42 said:

What do we do now?

Aln found herself seized, unexpectedly, by an unforeseen conflict of interests. She looked at Folorian. He was a friend, a good one - possibly the first true friend she'd ever had. And she had Torenat, too, and the rest of the Scholar's Guild, and a purpose. She was happy. Whereas, in the other world - the "real" one - she had no one. Folorian was a stranger. The guild was new, still struggling to get off of its feet. Torenat was a world away. And the worst part was, Aln hadn't even known how much she was missing. Did she really want to keep investigating, to put herself in danger, all for the possibility of returning to that life?

"Do...do we need to do anything?" she found herself asking hesitantly. "We can't fight the Dark Alley; I remember that much. Is this reality so bad?"

To the side, Pel drifted from her pocket and hung in the air, looking at Aln.

@Ashbringer

Not do anything? But!

"I don't know if this reality is better or worse than the other, I guess you'd know better than me about that. But we have at least to do something about the attack on the guild, otherwise it will happen again."

[Ashbringer he/him]

Poller's eyes darted back and forth. Aln alternated between flipping through books and scratching on paper and animatedly conversing. And then Folorian arched his back, delivered a resounding speech on how a Forging could take place, then collapsed on the floor, looking right past Poller. Then Aln helped him up and they continued talking.

Poller's brain hurt. Forgery, Worldspikes, the Dark Alley - oh God Beyond the Dark Alley - these things were children's tales, not dangers... and yet Poller knew that wasn't true, was it.

Still, there was something very strange about the two researchers.

"Can... gah," Poller said. "What is going on? With you two? Like how you occasionally just forget I'm standing here and then fall over and... I'm sorry," he breathed. "I just... can't make sense of anything that's happened."

@Rushu42 @mathiau

[Rushu42 she/her]

11 hours ago, mathiau said:

Not do anything? But!

"I don't know if this reality is better or worse than the other, I guess you'd know better than me about that. But we have at least to do something about the attack on the guild, otherwise it will happen again."

Aln could see the surprise in Folorian's eyes at her proposal. She knew, then, that doing nothing was not an option. It wasn't just the threat of future attacks, as Folorian had apltly pointed out. She was a Truthwatcher; she could not allow the rest of the world to live in a lie for the sake of her own personal convenience. A phrase drifted up from the depths of her mind and alighted on the tip of her tongue. Before she could speak, however, Poller's words flickered in the corner of her vision.

10 hours ago, Ashbringer said:

"Can... gah," Poller said. "What is going on? With you two? Like how you occasionally just forget I'm standing here and then fall over and... I'm sorry," he breathed. "I just... can't make sense of anything that's happened."

In her current state of mind, Aln nearly snapped something dismissive at him. Didn't they have more pressing issues than her and Folorian's individual quirks? She restrained herself instead, forcibly reminding herself that he had a right to know what was going on. "We've each visited the Nightwatcher," she explained, "and we've each been granted a .. unique way of seeing the world, as a result. Folorian has what you might call 'tunnel vision', but enhanced to the extreme by the Investiture of a Shard. In simple terms, he can only focus on one thing at a time. The falling over, I suspect, was due to the fact that he was concentrating on this conversation rather than the fact that there was no chair behind him. As for myself, I'm deaf. The gift that the Nightwatcher gave me nevertheless allows me to navigate conversations with relative ease, as I can see spoken words as illusory script floating in the air, provided I have a line of sight on the individual speaking. My bane also impacts this script, but it's rather complicated and mostly irrelevant here, so I see no need to get into it. Does that clarify things for you?"

[Ashbringer he/him]

16 hours ago, Rushu42 said:

In her current state of mind, Aln nearly snapped something dismissive at him. Didn't they have more pressing issues than her and Folorian's individual quirks? She restrained herself instead, forcibly reminding herself that he had a right to know what was going on. "We've each visited the Nightwatcher," she explained, "and we've each been granted a .. unique way of seeing the world, as a result. Folorian has what you might call 'tunnel vision', but enhanced to the extreme by the Investiture of a Shard. In simple terms, he can only focus on one thing at a time. The falling over, I suspect, was due to the fact that he was concentrating on this conversation rather than the fact that there was no chair behind him. As for myself, I'm deaf. The gift that the Nightwatcher gave me nevertheless allows me to navigate conversations with relative ease, as I can see spoken words as illusory script floating in the air, provided I have a line of sight on the individual speaking. My bane also impacts this script, but it's rather complicated and mostly irrelevant here, so I see no need to get into it. Does that clarify things for you?"

"Oh... alright?" Poller said. "Gotcha. We have some things to help out for... you don't need that. Um. Nevermind."

Great. Off to a great start Poller. How helpful. At least it explains a few things.

"Um... well, if we're trying to figure out if this is really a thing and not just... you... should we be looking for other people who might remember things? Or looking for Forgers? Or some discrepancy?"

He hesitated. "I can't remember anything concrete... but if you were around for the Seven Day War that's what seems most... wrong to me. I don't know if I can get specifics."

Although...

"If it would really, really help... I might be able to describe that... thing I was telling you about. But... I'd rather start somewhere else."

[Rushu42 she/her]

On 1/16/2021 at 2:39 AM, Ashbringer said:

"Oh... alright?" Poller said. "Gotcha. We have some things to help out for... you don't need that. Um. Nevermind."

Great. Off to a great start Poller. How helpful. At least it explains a few things.

"Um... well, if we're trying to figure out if this is really a thing and not just... you... should we be looking for other people who might remember things? Or looking for Forgers? Or some discrepancy?"

He hesitated. "I can't remember anything concrete... but if you were around for the Seven Day War that's what seems most... wrong to me. I don't know if I can get specifics."

Although...

"If it would really, really help... I might be able to describe that... thing I was telling you about. But... I'd rather start somewhere else."

"Any additional data point would be helpful, yes," Aln said, "although if the buried memories are traumatic you have no obligation to relive them." 

As she said this, her hand drifted to the table, picked up the sheaf of papers, and carefully tucked it into her pocket.

An idea was beginning to form in her mind, the inklings of a plan overcoming their reluctance. Could it really be possible to undo the Forgery? Should they try? Much like the papers, she tucked away that idea. Better to let Poller speak now, and bring it up again when they had more information.

@mathiau

Edited January 19, 2021 by Rushu42

[mathiau he/him]

On 19/01/2021 at 2:18 PM, Rushu42 said:

"Any additional data point would be helpful, yes," Aln said, "although if the buried memories are traumatic you have no obligation to relive them." 

As she said this, her hand drifted to the table, picked up the sheaf of papers, and carefully tucked it into her pocket.

An idea was beginning to form in her mind, the inklings of a plan overcoming their reluctance. Could it really be possible to undo the Forgery? Should they try? Much like the papers, she tucked away that idea. Better to let Poller speak now, and bring it up again when they had more information.

@mathiau

"I don't have any memory that don't fit with the rest, weird dreams but I doubt dream analysis would help us. Do you have an idea on where to find other people with these memories? Any organisation worth their copper trying to keep that secret would keep an eyes on the Einladung and expunged all their record on it so I suggest not going there."

@Ashbringer

Quote

As a side note, almost all Folorian's removed memory are almost indistinguishable from slightly older memory (imagine in the old world you'd have quit your boring job after 4 years and in the new world you did after 3) so even if he'd start remember the other world there's literally only one memory he'd recognize as such.

Edited January 21, 2021 by mathiau

[Rushu42 she/her]

Quote

Question: What's the Worldspike like this era? I assume it's guarded, but is it also hidden? I want to make sure I'm imagining the right thing before we move forward with planning.

@mathiau @Ashbringer @anyone else who may be able to answer the question

[Ashbringer he/him]

On 1/21/2021 at 10:57 AM, mathiau said:

"I don't have any memory that don't fit with the rest, weird dreams but I doubt dream analysis would help us. Do you have an idea on where to find other people with these memories? Any organisation worth their copper trying to keep that secret would keep an eyes on the Einladung and expunged all their record on it so I suggest not going there."

@Ashbringer

"Honestly... maybe the hospital would be a good place to start," Poller said, tensing up. Another bout. He tapped more bronze and continued. "If anyone starts getting memories back that they don't know why they have them, and they don't have someone they can talk to about it, they'd probably just go there. It's safer than trying to get to the rusting Worldspike at least... or would going there be too obvious? If whoever's doing this has ears around, they'd be sure to check there... although the hospital's pretty well protected so maybe they could repel whatever attacked you... I'm rambling again."

Poller took a deep breath. "Maybe you guys or Cassie or someone could check me in there for the memory thing. Phantom skills and images. Then we could look around at where they put me. Or something."

@Rushu42

[Rushu42 she/her]

On 1/22/2021 at 3:59 PM, Ashbringer said:

"Honestly... maybe the hospital would be a good place to start," Poller said, tensing up. Another bout. He tapped more bronze and continued. "If anyone starts getting memories back that they don't know why they have them, and they don't have someone they can talk to about it, they'd probably just go there. It's safer than trying to get to the rusting Worldspike at least... or would going there be too obvious? If whoever's doing this has ears around, they'd be sure to check there... although the hospital's pretty well protected so maybe they could repel whatever attacked you... I'm rambling again."

Poller took a deep breath. "Maybe you guys or Cassie or someone could check me in there for the memory thing. Phantom skills and images. Then we could look around at where they put me. Or something."

@Rushu42

Quote

Sorry for the delay. I was waiting to see if I got an answer on my question about the Worldspike, but I don't think any active people know at the moment.

Aln nodded. "That seems like the best plan that we have, if you're willing. With Lightweaving, Folorian and I should be able to sneak off without too much difficulty once we're through the doors. Perhaps we can find some actual conformation of our theories there."

"As for what we do after that... well, it will depend on what information we receive from the inhabitants of the hospital, of course. However, I do think that we should seriously consider attempting to end the Forgery. I don't know for what purpose it was created, but from what I remember of the Dark Alley, it's unlikely to be a positive one. Damaging the stamp itself is the most straightforward way to do that, but a frontal assault on the Worldspike will almost certainly end badly. If we could get back inside the Guild, I believe I have some old research about the factors that contribute to the gradual degradation of Soulstamps, which could provide some relevant information. Regardless -"

She broke off, looking at the other two. "It's going to be dangerous. No matter what we do, that is inevitable."

@mathiau

[Ashbringer he/him]

On 1/28/2021 at 7:46 AM, Rushu42 said:

"As for what we do after that... well, it will depend on what information we receive from the inhabitants of the hospital, of course. However, I do think that we should seriously consider attempting to end the Forgery. I don't know for what purpose it was created, but from what I remember of the Dark Alley, it's unlikely to be a positive one. Damaging the stamp itself is the most straightforward way to do that, but a frontal assault on the Worldspike will almost certainly end badly. If we could get back inside the Guild, I believe I have some old research about the factors that contribute to the gradual degradation of Soulstamps, which could provide some relevant information. Regardless -"

She broke off, looking at the other two. "It's going to be dangerous. No matter what we do, that is inevitable."

"Sounds like a good plan," Poller said. He didn't really have any idea about what it all... meant... but Aln sounded like she knew what she was talking about.

"Do you think we should go to the hospital now, or see if we can pick up some more... combative people? It doesn't sound like any of us really work well with "dangerous", and... I can't use Stormlight like you two."

If I get hit by a Shardblade, I'm dead.

Poller shuddered... and then something happened. Flashes. A bolter. Suits of armor. A silver blade swinging down... 

Oh, Rusts.

Had he died in the Seven Day War?

No. He had to believe... no.

"I'm more... if we need to do this and now, let's do it. But I think we're going to need all the help we can get. Preferably help that comes with a suit of Shardplate."

@mathiau

[mathiau he/him]

So apparently they were still going to the hospital despite the probability of finding anything there being abysmal. They thought an abysmal probability was better than nothing, he guessed.

"We cannot make illusions stick to Shardplates, too invested. As for picking up helpers, maybe we could ask the Ghostbloods? They're assassins so I guess sneaking in an hospital should not be above their abilities."

@Ashbringer@Rushu42

Edited February 2, 2021 by mathiau

[Rushu42 she/her]

On 2/1/2021 at 5:57 PM, mathiau said:

So apparently they were still going to the hospital despite the probability of finding anything there being abysmal. They thought an abysmal probability was better than nothing, he guessed.

"We cannot make illusions stick to Shardplates, too invested. As for picking up helpers, maybe we could ask the Ghostbloods? They're assassins so I guess sneaking in an hospital should not be above their abilities."

@Ashbringer@Rushu42

Quote

I don't think the existence of the Ghostbloods is common knowledge in this timeline.

"If you happen to know some willing warriors, I wouldn't be one to turn down help," she replied. "However, I believe that the success of our investigation will depend on avoiding fights, not winning them."

Her hand unconsciously slipped into her pocket as she elaborated, "If the DA isn't particularly concerned with us, and only sends a few operatives, then a Shardbearer would absolutely make a difference. The guild attack, for example, would likely have been repelled if we had had one or two skilled fighters there. But if we begin to draw close to something that they do not wish us to find, we will not be able to defeat their defenses. Do you remember PlasmaCore? In the other timeline, the leaders of the DA waited until the end, and then effectively defeated the entire Dark Horde with a wave of their hands."

Aln hadn't witnessed it herself, being ... otherwise occupied at the time. There was no need to get into that, though. She forced a weak smile. "Of course, there's still the possibility that none of this is really, and I am just crazy."

@mathiau @Ashbringer

[Ashbringer he/him]

10 hours ago, Rushu42 said:

"If you happen to know some willing warriors, I wouldn't be one to turn down help," she replied. "However, I believe that the success of our investigation will depend on avoiding fights, not winning them."

Her hand unconsciously slipped into her pocket as she elaborated, "If the DA isn't particularly concerned with us, and only sends a few operatives, then a Shardbearer would absolutely make a difference. The guild attack, for example, would likely have been repelled if we had had one or two skilled fighters there. But if we begin to draw close to something that they do not wish us to find, we will not be able to defeat their defenses. Do you remember PlasmaCore? In the other timeline, the leaders of the DA waited until the end, and then effectively defeated the entire Dark Horde with a wave of their hands."

Aln hadn't witnessed it herself, being ... otherwise occupied at the time. There was no need to get into that, though. She forced a weak smile. "Of course, there's still the possibility that none of this is really, and I am just crazy."

@mathiau @Ashbringer

"We're just crazy," Poller said. "I don't think I made this up. It's too... horrible. Either we're right about this, or someone's doing this to us." He tried very hard not to shoot a glance at Folorian, who was mostly standing still again.

"I... feel like I should know people. But I think most of them are dead or gone. Cassie can fight, but she's... well, she's not frail, but she can't heal like Radiants can. Neither can I, but I have my- neither can I," he stuttered. He'd reached for his staff. Strange.

"I feel like this probably isn't the best thing to post a notice about, either. Maybe we could get some of TUBA to help us out. Or we could just go. If they knew we were planning to go, I don't think we would get far with or without help. I don't think any Radiant can stand for long against a-"

"A-"

"A-"

His blood ran cold.

"Shoggoth."

He collapsed, dropping his staff, which rolled under the table. The sleeppiece was still on top of the table. No bronze. He hadn't had time to grab an earing.

Well, we have a reason to go to the hospital now...

And he blacked out.

@mathiau

Quote

If Cassie gets involved, she may rally some Ghostblood support... I just need to actually get her her tattoo first.

Poller just fainted, but then dropped his bronzemind. Without that he's liable to just stay asleep. 

[mathiau he/him]

So Shoggoths were reals too? This was getting more insane with every passing seconds.

16 hours ago, Ashbringer said:

He collapsed, dropping his staff, which rolled under the table. The sleeppiece was still on top of the table. No bronze. He hadn't had time to grab an earing.

Well, we have a reason to go to the hospital now...

Folorian checked if Poller was hurt, he only seemed to have a light bruise from falling.

"Aln, if you needed a proof you being mad was not the scariest option, here's one."

@Rushu42

[Rushu42 she/her]

6 minutes ago, mathiau said:

"Aln, if you needed a proof you being mad was not the scariest option, here's one."

Though startled, Aln quickly knelt as well. "You're absolutely correct, Folorian. As much as I value my own sanity, I would much rather be wrong about all of this." 

She started to inhale stormlight, then stopped, noticing the staff beneath the table. She had spotted his metalminds earlier - if he had been tapping bronze to stay up, it was unlikely that Progression would solve the problem. She carefully placed the metal in contact with his skin, then sat back. "I suspect he merely fainted, and should awake soon. Should that prove false, well, at least we'd have a legitimate reason to visit Eindalung."

Aln sat silently for a moment, then met Folorian's eyes. "Listen, what we're doing right now, getting involved in this sort of thing - it's not a research project. I know that now. It's more like stepping into a war. The last time... I've done this before, or something similar. It didn't end well. It ended very, very badly, actually. I don't know..." I don't know if I can do it again. She didn't say that, instead changing directions mid-sentence. "...I don't know what Poller here went through, either, but from his reaction it can't be good. I'm just letting you know - I think this is our last chance to back out."

@Ashbringer

[mathiau he/him]

14 minutes ago, Rushu42 said:

Though startled, Aln quickly knelt as well. "You're absolutely correct, Folorian. As much as I value my own sanity, I would much rather be wrong about all of this." 

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I actually said the opposite, since Aln is not the only one with memories either she's right or we have a probably magical madness spreading which is as scary as the alternative, but for the wrong dimension we have at least a lead.

19 minutes ago, Rushu42 said:

She started to inhale stormlight, then stopped, noticing the staff beneath the table. She had spotted his metalminds earlier - if he had been tapping bronze to stay up, it was unlikely that Progression would solve the problem. She carefully placed the metal in contact with his skin, then sat back. "I suspect he merely fainted, and should awake soon. Should that prove false, well, at least we'd have a legitimate reason to visit Eindalung."

Aln sat silently for a moment, then met Folorian's eyes. "Listen, what we're doing right now, getting involved in this sort of thing - it's not a research project. I know that now. It's more like stepping into a war. The last time... I've done this before, or something similar. It didn't end well. It ended very, very badly, actually. I don't know..." I don't know if I can do it again. She didn't say that, instead changing directions mid-sentence. "...I don't know what Poller here went through, either, but from his reaction it can't be good. I'm just letting you know - I think this is our last chance to back out."

@Ashbringer

Folorian knew Alanis well enough to recognize whether a pause was natural or not, and this one was not. She had been about to say something else, 'I don't know if we can do it' perhaps? Well she hadn't say it for a reason so he wasn't going to pry.

"We've already been attacked, we're part of this war whatever we do. And while I'm not completely against keeping the world depending on what was changed and why, but right now it is obviously not working properly so we have to do something, be it undo it of fix it."

[Ashbringer he/him]

1 hour ago, Rushu42 said:

Though startled, Aln quickly knelt as well. "You're absolutely correct, Folorian. As much as I value my own sanity, I would much rather be wrong about all of this." 

She started to inhale stormlight, then stopped, noticing the staff beneath the table. She had spotted his metalminds earlier - if he had been tapping bronze to stay up, it was unlikely that Progression would solve the problem. She carefully placed the metal in contact with his skin, then sat back. "I suspect he merely fainted, and should awake soon. Should that prove false, well, at least we'd have a legitimate reason to visit Eindalung."

Aln sat silently for a moment, then met Folorian's eyes. "Listen, what we're doing right now, getting involved in this sort of thing - it's not a research project. I know that now. It's more like stepping into a war. The last time... I've done this before, or something similar. It didn't end well. It ended very, very badly, actually. I don't know..." I don't know if I can do it again. She didn't say that, instead changing directions mid-sentence. "...I don't know what Poller here went through, either, but from his reaction it can't be good. I'm just letting you know - I think this is our last chance to back out."

@Ashbringer

41 minutes ago, mathiau said:

Folorian knew Alanis well enough to recognize whether a pause was natural or not, and this one was not. She had been about to say something else, 'I don't know if we can do it' perhaps? Well she hadn't say it for a reason so he wasn't going to pry.

"We've already been attacked, we're part of this war whatever we do. And while I'm not completely against keeping the world depending on what was changed and why, but right now it is obviously not working properly so we have to do something, be it undo it of fix it."

Poller tapped bronze.

"Did I... just..." he mumbled, eyes fluttering. Someone had given him his staff back. That was good. Aln and Folorian didn't seem that worried, but he did get a 

"Sorry, I... I don't even know. That's just something I do. Narcolepsy. Bronze helps, but it doesn't really solve the actual problem." He pointedly didn't mention what he'd said, and instead fumbled in his pocket for a ring. "Usually I have more bronze but I wasn't expecting that... reaction. Dropped it... this is all really obvious, isn't it... nevermind."

He tried to catch the tail end of whatever they had said. "Whatever happened to me... that was in the Seven Day War. I was almost a kid then. But... rust it, I can't just live knowing that I... that I... saw that."

That I saw myself...

"I'm in. I say we just go to the Eindalung. Check me in for a memory trigger or for a fainting spell that wasn't stopped by Progression, that's true enough. Then you can have a look around."

"I... I can't ignore this anymore."

And Poller knew, somehow, that he'd said that before.

[Rushu42 she/her]

Aln turned her gaze from Folorian to Poller, who was still on the floor. She could see pain and determination blended in his eyes as he spoke, echoing her friend's earlier conviction. It was then that Aln realized a simple, obvious truth. It wasn't just about her. It didn't matter if she was too afraid, or too weak, or if she didn't want to lose what she had. Doing nothing was not an option. The world was living in a lie, and she was a Truthwatcher.

Life before death. Strength before weakness. Journey before destination. The first Ideal, the most fundamental of them. She had thought she'd understood all it meant.

"You're right," she said, slowly. "We have to try. Because... because..."

I will seek knowledge wherever it can be found. Her second Ideal, sworn long before. It had become the foundation of her life, central to all she attempted. It had never been hard for her to follow. For years, though, the next set of Words had refused to come.

Aln took a deep breath. "Because I will use the knowledge that I have for the benefit of all."

A far-off rumbling resounded through her mind, like thunder at a great distance. The single, glorious phrase it spoke echoed in her thoughts. "These Words are accepted."

And she burst alight. Despite Folorian's presence, hampering with its familiarity, the Stormlight streamed into her from the gems in the room. It surged with greater strength than she'd ever before felt, and radiated from her skin in curling wisps. Like the storm that it was, it begged her to stand, to run, to fight. Instead, she stretched forth her hand, and Pel crystalized within it - not as a blade, but as a staff: long, elegant, and inscribed with intricate glyphs. Without looking, she knew that her brown eyes had just faded to a pale, luminescent green.

"I'm ready to go," Aln said, and finally meant it.

@mathiau @Ashbringer

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Whooo! I got permission to do this at the beginning of the era, and I've been waiting for a good opportunity - I'm really excited that it finally happened! I don't know that I pulled it off as well as I could have, but whatever. Hopefully all this character development doesn't get erased by the timeline switch.

 

Edited February 9, 2021 by Rushu42
Correcting an inaccuracy about mechanics