Voidus

Approved!

Well if he's not quite ready to give up that thief life @ZincAboutIt is going to be starting up a heist in a haunted house soon I believe. There were a few characters who have expressed interest already so may be a good jumping in point.

Ooh let me check. It has been quite some time. Blows dust off of Epic files

Hello! Welcome to the Alleyverse. Some nice creative stuff going on here which I like. Just for future awareness it's easiest if people try to sort their merits into groups, we may need to make this clearer in the sheet but you can have up to three minor merits, two normal and one major. (OP has some examples of what might classify as each) In this case I would say their Twinborn abilities + Synergy would count as the Major with their Awakening and shooting skills as Normal merits. Then on the minor end of the scale I'd have being clever, insightful, and an okay pickpocket. That being said I think we're good to approve this one. I'll leave a little while before adding to the list just in case one of the other mods spots something I missed but for now looks good to go. I'd suggest asking in the Chat or Collaboration threads if you're looking for someone to interact with or an idea of what's going on but just as an FYI the current main thread is the Vigil thread, which is a city-wide vigil occurring after the events of the last era. If Perses has been here for a few weeks he would have been around during the tail end of that era so would be aware that the entire city was basically Forged into an alternate version, which was broken at the end of the era leading to pretty widespread confusion. Could be simpler if you'd like to have arrived during the last few days instead to have been here only afterwards but the Forgery is an interesting chance for some interesting character stories. Some people had siblings, partners or friends during the Forgery who now no longer exist, or possibly the opposite. Let us know in the Chat Thread if you have any more questions or thoughts on that. Couple of things here that will need to be discussed with the wider mod team, firstly how we feel about a Singer who is an Occulator. I'll also probably need some help from one of the others on gauging where we'd put occulator abilities as it's not my specialty exactly. We're also trying to steer people away from the edgy loner types just because historically it is not particularly satisfying to RP. It's not a hard no but we would probably want to talk about it a little bit more. I think also that one of those lenses listed is from the newest book? That'll be under spoiler policy across the site for a few months so won't be able to approve that one for now.

Approved!

Temeria could hear about it at the SG I guess? But yeah wouldn't make a whole lot of sense to attend.

Collaboration thread available as well if anyone has anything they'd like to plan for it in advance. I'm mostly waiting for someone else to begin that plot though since Voidus is a reluctant participant at best

~Voidus; The cognitive realm~ Voidus stepped forwards. It was not a hurried step, nor the careful placement of feet that might be used by a war-hardened soldier looking for perfect footing. Instead it seemed simply to erode the space between them, ignoring such silly concepts as physics and distance and bringing Voidus directly into reach of the Stranger as the mad god hurled his final epilogue to a stunned audience. Voidus spared no attention for any of those the Stranger had called upon, trusting instead that Mac would do what needed to be done as Voidus focused solely on the task that lay before him. Deicide was not a task one could accomplish whilst distracted. The handle of the scythe of the void met the chains of pure light that the Stranger had fashioned. Stopping less than an inch from colliding with the Strangers body and consigning it to the endless nothing of the void. Where the light met the darkness a terrible cracking spread through the air, a pressure of two opposing forces that warped reality around them and left it shattered in their wake. Voidus looked into the Stranger's eyes one final time, at this close distance. Searching, looking for each trace of the man he'd though he had known. They were there, all of them, and the proof among them that this was no bout of madness, no strain from wielding too much power. The Stranger was not some newcomer, no Vessel of a Shard broken by its Intent. He knew exactly what he wished to do and did it. That was all. In a blurring motion of speed and darkness the weapons collided once again, shattering the air around them and the very nature of this place as Voidus wordlessly continued his assault. His gaze shifted from eyes to center mass, tracking every twitch of a muscle and every ripple of power as the two traded blows. There was no slow testing of defenses and capabilities here, neither were unfamiliar with their opponent nor inexperienced in the art of killing enough to warrant the careful measuring of capabilities. This was a quick and violent exchange of attacks, each with the ability and intent to kill.

~Laurelai; Mistkeep, Alleycity~ "Well" Laurelai began, the faintest of mischievous smiles present. "My first insight is that if there is indeed a 'shocking slush fund' then we had best put it to good use for other things this evening as well." She gave a quick glance over the lot that Lita had picked, observant blue eyes flashing over its size and then the buildings to either side before then travelling quickly up and down the entire street. It was well chosen, deep in one of the wealthier neighborhoods even by Mistkeep standards, but not nestled in amongst all the other high-profile restaurants and hotels that would draw too many people. A wonderful hidden gem. "Perfect location for it." She continued, a little more analytical than tricksterous this time. "Just the right degree of exposure. I wonder that nobody has ever had the idea before, hardly a wonder the types of people we have in R&D when we're reliant on recruiting the kinds of people who voluntarily step into what is almost certainly their death." It was an enjoyable distraction, both the analysis and the further musings that spread out from it. Small puzzles that she could devote attention to rather than worrying about anything else. There were plenty of reasons to be in favour of such a proposal, not the least of which was that if Lita was the one operating the place then that made one more location Laurelai could be guaranteed to find good wine or port when she was in need of it. The only problem would be... "Have you run it by... higher ups?" She asked, voice kept deliberately neutral. "And I suppose the only other concern is getting other departments on board. Some preferred the quiet anonymity we had during... the last few months." @ZincAboutIt ~Whisper, Ivenspark Cemetery~ The headaches were getting worse. Both in intensity and frequency they had been growing steadily for the past week. Whisper had been sure she could get them under control, simply tap some health or borrow some Regrowth and deal with it. But whatever caused the problem was not physical unfortunately. Nor was it the placement of her spikes, those had been made with precision and she had checked and rechecked them dozens of times. The young woman let one leg dangle over the edge of the tombstone, leaning on her other to keep her balance as she sat precariously atop it. It was quiet here, which was helpful if another headache began. She had on numerous occasions now had to abandon some work in the city due to the sudden pains, concentrating on a Lightweaving was difficult when it felt like a particularly insensitive denizen from R&D had decided you needed a new eye spike. Should come here more. She mused, watching a dark ethereal form float nearby. Not the most pleasant, but the quiet is nice. She smiled a moment before shaking her head. No, she could not stay here. Here she was not useful, just hiding from pain. The whispers from the Chapel had all faded by now, though she had devoted to memory all those that she had heard. But she would need to work twice as hard if she wanted to be half as useful. Need to plan even more than she had before. So many plans had been set in motion when she had used the Chapel, now she needed to somehow keep all of those balls in the air as a mortal. She slipped to the ground silently, bare feet making almost no noise at all as she landed and began walking slowly between the graves. She paused only to lay a single flower down, not at any of the graves as none marked the one she was mourning. But it felt like it was appropriate regardless, she had heard that it was a ritual common across many worlds. And the pain in her head did seem to ease slightly as she did so.

Stirges I would assume, or Chasme for the fiendish variety.

Temeria, The Scholar's Guild Ember had liked the idea of burning houses down. He hadn't tried that one before, usually the houses had people in them and though lots of them were terribly dull Ember didn't think that most people deserved to be burned in their houses. Even if they would definitely look interesting afterwards. Maybe if the people who were in the houses were already dead? Or if Temeria said it was okay. Ember was an excellent judge of character, but sometimes he didn't quite understand humans as well as Temeria did. Probably because he hadn't cut enough of them open. "Oooh I remember that now." He said aloud, flaring into a happy yellow. "Being a sword. Well not me, but others. We can do that I think? But Temeria has to... do something. Say something more." His figure lost some of its form as he spun in a slow corkscrew, thinking as he flew back to Temeria's shoulder and reforming there. Forming a little flaming blade of his own he took some practice swings in the air, copy some of the motions he had seen Temeria practice. It felt nice, felt like doing things. Though it would be nicer if there was something he could cut. When he could turn into a blade, Ember would cut everything. He was almost too excited about that thought, so deeply satisfied that he didn't notice as Temeria's mood suddenly dipped, her voice quieting. Some of the fight left her in that moment, the motivation to do. She was thinking about something else probably. A promise? Those were important at least. He just hoped she wasn't getting infected by the dullness of people who sat in places like this staring at books without even trying to take them apart. "Practice." He said authoritatively, sword vanishing as he stood straight-backed with his hands clasped behind him. "If we practice we can do it. Maybe practice on the houses where bad people live? It's okay to cut them isn't it?" ~Laurelai; Alleycity, 20 years ago~ The burning hot smell of rose-scented soap had never left her. Not after the other man had screamed a word at her and backed away. Not after she had confusedly followed him only to stop when he pulled out something long and pointed. Laurelai thought she remembered what those were, but she couldn't quite remember the name. Her parents hadn't liked her watching when people on the television used them. "Cultro?" She asked "Diligenter. Dilligenter." The man screamed something again back up and shaking the strange piece of sharp metal and then running back down the street, too fast for her to follow. She looked back to where the other man had been. Where now only ashes remained, and a wave of heat from the flames that had replaced the man. Had he... gone? Like her parents? Was this what had happened to them as well? She wiped at her face, the stains of ash and soot and that strange paint were everywhere now, and she wasn't sure if she could get rid of them just by wiping them. She wanted a bath. But usually when it was time for a bath, her mother or father would come pick her up and tell her. And now they weren't. Her eyes stung and something hurt inside her chest. This street wasn't like walking to the shops with her parents, this was scary and there were fires everywhere and people who yelled at her. Sitting down on the stone street, Laurelai cried. She cried for hours, the longest she ever remembered. Always, always before someone had come to collect her when she cried like this. Had hugged her and made it all better. Had given her a warm feeling and a comfortable bath. But now... now she was alone here, other cries only faintly heard in the distance. Nobody came. Her parents never arrived. But finally, just when it felt like it would all become too much, when she began to think that her parents had left forever, a flood of warmth hit her chest. Similar, but not quite the same as what she had felt before the man with the boots smelled like soap. It seemed somehow to start at her head, following the lines that her mother had drawn there just hours ago. It trickled into her and warmed her from the inside. Laurelai was smiling a little when the next group found her on the streets. They told her many things, though she didn't understand them and they didn't understand her. But they seemed happy to see her, they kept smiling and speaking gently and one very kind woman picked her up when they started walking so Laurelai didn't have to run to keep up. She didn't feel like her mother, but she did smell a little of roses like her sometimes did after bath time. Heat. Ashes and soot bursting outwards, covering her as the man disappeared into the flames and the smell seared itself into her. Tears welled up in Laurelai's eyes again. She wriggled uncomfortably but the woman kept patting her back, trying to reassure her. Laurelai continued to cry, hoping that maybe eventually it would bring back that warm feeling from her mother's drawing. But it did not, not until she was brought to a large building that was still in tact. This one had lots of people out the front, lots of children. They looked as scared as she felt, and she wondered where their parents were as well. An older girl with brown hair stared at Laurelai with big, wide blue eyes. Laurelai gave a shy little wave back as she was set down among the other children.

Heya, welcome! Depends on how they are soulcasting and what their limits are, if they've just got like one of those single-type transformation Fabrials I could possibly see this being a minor but it's probably a normal merit. I do understand discovery writing and would love to cater for that but not sure if we want to set a precedent of allowing backstoryless characters. I would suggest as an alternative something we were hoping to set up this era which is a kind of noncanonical thread where people could discover their characters a bit before jumping into the AV proper. Items could be merits but it depends on what kind of item, like complex or rare Fabrials certainly, anything too far out of the ordinary may need to be reflected as a merit but generally most items are kind of assumed accessible. Basic maintenance probably not, repairs however may be, again depends on the item. Like being an Artifabrian would be yes, or an inventor or something like that, but just sharpening a sword? No. Don't think any canonical art galleries but feel free to make one! I can add it to our worldbuilding doc. I don't think anyone has explicitly mentioned New Seran and we don't like to make much in the way of changes to canonical locations so assume it is as depicted in Era 2. And the listed merit numbers are limits, not mandatory. Though I would suggest trying to think of something for each, can be a good chance to flesh out characters. And I love to see unusual ones in there. Like someone with a Major merit that is just strong willed or something could be super fun.

Merged

Derit - Scholar's Court Derit had been the first to notice the smoke rising over the university's most popular coffeehouse. At first she had been terrified that it was the building itself on fire, as had other students nearby who cried immediately in shock. But it seemed too small, the smoke was from somewhere further into the city, near the edge of the Scholar's court it looked like. She gave only a quick cry for help to those students she recognize before pushing her way through the growing crowd waiting for the vigil. Apologizing to each person she bumped into, several of them also pointing at the smoke and letting out shocked gasps, it took some time for Derit to make her way to the university gates and onto the equally crowded city street. The smoke was still some blocks distant, but from its position... The ninth octant? She thought with shock. Oh poor Elias. It had better not have been another attack. Can the... the... the starring taverns of this city not have a moments respite? She cursed her broad shoulders as she tried to weave through people, accidentally knocking into far too many to be able to apologize to each now she simply called out apologies in advance. Most of the crowds here didn't see the smoke, or didn't care though she would have liked to think that was not true. She was just about to sprint across the street to get closer when she very nearly tripped over a man as he collapsed. "I'm so sorry." She called, stopping in her tracks and swiveling to try to help the man. "Are you alright?" another voice called from nearby "What happened to you?" It was only then that Derit realized there was a second individual beside the first, strangely armored, and that the man she had thought knocked over was in fact wounded and possibly unconscious. "Oh goodness." She whispered, dropping next to the man to try to help him up and ensure nobody else accidentally collided with the collapsed body. "We... we have to get you to the hospital." ~SeKaan, the Bindpoint~ "I heard it wouldn't be out of place for an Inquisitor to live here, and it was far enough away from Scadrial." The Inquisitor replied with a raspy voice. Lord Valiert was far too important to care what her hand had been reaching for, even if the sound of clinking metal reached SeKaans sensitive ears. Lord Valiert instead gave a nod so confidently agreeable it was almost patronizing, but then an Inquisitor was bound to make one nervous. The Ruin-cursed creatures had not been seen since the Catacendre. Survivor protect him what if this one still served Ruin? A highly unnerving thought that, and enough for him to take a small step back. "Not... no I suppose not so out of place here." He said, flashing a smile hopefully disarming enough not to show his unease. "And a long way from Scadrial indeed. Quite an interesting place, to be sure." He hesitated at that, not quite sure how to extricate himself from this conversation and return to his busy day, doubly busy now that he was without a carriage and had to get around on his feet like a commoner. But part way through a piece of carefully constructed smalltalk his eyes narrowed in a flash of calculating realization. An Inquisitor was unnerving, but they were influential as well. If... if he could perhaps get in one of their good graces what new doors would it open? "If you need any assistance becoming better acquainted with the city... my lady." Lord Valiert offered, giving a more genuine, if still shallow, bow. "I should be honored to assist you. There are a number of fine dining establishments in Mistkeep with chefs so skilled their meals almost taste like that of the House Valiert chef back in Elendel." @AonEne

~Laurelai; Lita's Apartment, the Alleys~ "Some juice would be lovely," Lita said with a smile. "I just need to get dressed again, and we can be off. Perfect placement, by the way. I never actually doubted you." Laurelai gave a proud smile in return, nodding in understanding as Lita left. She gave a tiny, subtle shake of the head in the silence afterwards, restoring her more sociable self and relaxing back into her seat as she waited. It took a little longer than it had for her to change in the robe, but then changing clothes took most people longer than it did for Laurelai. Well, unless she needed choose clothes, then it usually took her substantially longer. "I believe it's time for us to pay our respects to this fine City in her time of strife," Lita said, grinning as she returned, a vision in teal. "Like the fine, upstanding citizens we are." "Well I believe I owe you some juice." Laurelai said, smiling and letting her eyes linger a little long on Lita's outfit before being abruptly averted. "Perhaps some from grapes?" Gliding to the door she pulled it back with her, leaving the way for Lita to exit first. As her friend crossed the room Laurelai looked her over with a tiny frown, watching her gait. People were very careful with their face, and often with their arms, but very few people controlled the way they stepped. Lita did. It was perfectly neutral, but a practiced neutrality and one that Laurelai recognized. I'm sure it's just because we're going to the city. She thought to herself, trying to push down a growing knot of tension. It's for everyone else, not for me. Or.. called another, altogether more skeptical voice. Is it because she's keeping secrets. Just like everybody else? Lita is not everybody else. Laurelai practically hissed in reply. Lita Attar is my friend. "After you." She said, with a graceful smile to the door. @ZincAboutIt ~SeKaan, the Bindpoint~ They had been moving slowly out from Mistkeep, becoming more familiar with the rest of the city, shifting between a small handful of carefully prepared alternatives along the way. It was unlikely that anybody would be trying to follow SeKaan, but this was a city of secrets and it was best to be careful after all. And the different shapes let SeKaan hear different thing as they walked the streets, blending in with one group and then arguing with the next. They kept their sensitive hearing tuned for each voice they heard, storing little chunks of accents into a Coppermind for later review and practice. So many new cultures. They thought excitedly. New accents to learn, new languages, new history. Ahh, it's like being one of the new generations again. They walked out of an abandoned shop, that is to say Lord Valiert strode purposefully from the abandoned shop, huffing that he had not been able to find the merchant he had been told owned the place. Lord Valiert prowled along the streets in poor humour, barely even taking the time to smile charmingly at the noble ladies he passed, as he often did. A very lovely blonde and redhead emerging together from a nearby alleyway did however draw his attention and a smile, though he couldn't let that keep him from his business of course. It was ten minutes later that he stumbled across a sight that drew even more of his interest however. A woman he noticed not because of her attire, nor her hair colour, but her eyes. Or more specifically, the metallic spikes that had been driven through them. Ironeyes? SeKaan thought for an incredulous moment. No, of course not, no resemblance at all but for being an Inquisitor. But what in Harmony's name is she doing here? Is this why he asked me to look into those disappearances? SeKaan had been sent to investigate a number of strange incidents in Elendel. People who had wondered into alleyways and never wandered out again, their bodies never found. Now sometimes this was a simple enough case of a mugging victim and one of their Bretheren stealing the bones. But often it was not. And SeKaan had tried to discover what did happen to them. Well, now they knew. "Ooof- what do you think you're doing?" Lord Valiert huffed as he bumped into a figure. He was so distracted brushing himself off that it was not until he looked up again that he noticed who it was. "You've made a mess of my... of my... oh. Forgive me. Lady Inquisitor?" Lord Valiert had no idea what the correct ettiquette for an inquisitor was, as they had all died centuries ago, but he settled for something halfway between a nod and a bow. "Whatever has brought you to this strange corner of the cosmere?" @AonEne ~Ember, the Scholar's Guild~ Ember crackled happily, their tiny flaming body popping slightly as they were introduced. He gave an enthusiastic nod, slightly amorphous form snapping back to that of a flaming man, clothed identically to Temeria. His head tilted a moment as he wondered whether he should speak or not, but Temeria had used his name, and ordinary flamespren didn't have names. Only Ember did. "Yes. Temeria is fixing things." He agreed, eyes brightening with excitement. "And learning things. And I love learning about things too but humans usually don't do it the same way." That had frustrated Ember. Humans learned about things in the least interesting way. No wonder most of them were so boring. They would just stare for endless hours at ink splotches on a page. How did that help? If you wanted to learn about ink you should try setting it on fire, it taught Ember much more than just staring at dry ink on a page. He wondered if they had any spare. Books? That was what they were called. If you broke them right books were very interesting. They turned into hundreds of pages flying over the room. Or a pile of ash.

Yes, certainly you will. Now if you'll just follow me into this lovely Dark Alley we have a whole bakery full of cookies you can try.

He's said like five different things about it, I don't plan on taking his word on any of them til it gets canonized in a book

I often enjoy the opposite of this more If I have a player who I know won't metagame, just tell them outright exactly what it is that they missed and then watch them be infuriated when they have to walk away from it.

Ember- Hall of Legends Flittering through the air Ember alighted on the pile of dust that had once been a stone. Not it could be all sorts of things, even if it was currently deciding to be a remarkably uninteresting pile of dust. His face was split by a wide grin as a small puff of air picked some of the dust up to be carried elsewhere. Mixed with other things. Become something new and different. The second stone was even better, Temeria has split it precisely into two pieces, the cut so clean and fine that Ember could perfectly examine each striation and grove to its surface. Being broken in this way was very interesting, it almost looked the same but a little bit different. Humans did that didn't they? Split into two humans? One of them a little different than the other. "Now, how do I put them together again?" Temeria asked excitedly. Ember matched the excitement in an instant, so very happy to be doing things. And especially this sort of thing, it was so much more exciting than eating and sleeping and all the other things humans did. "Mmm... with your hands?" He suggested exuberantly. "Some things go back together easy and some don't. And some you need to change more. Rocks? Rocks rocks rocks..." He frowned with a depth of thought rarely experienced. Ember could remember rocks, he'd seen plenty. But a long time ago, there had been rocks that were different perhaps? Or so he had heard. He remembered seeing some of them, broken. How had they been put back together? How did rocks work? "Heat." He said, flaring with joy at the recollection. "Lots and lots of heat. Heat changes things." ~~Derit - Alleycity University~~ Derit Sylvette was only able to lay a few sprigs of lavender, tied together with ribbon, at the University's central square. She placed it delicately amongst the other arrangements of flowers, pictures, letters and candles that had been left for those who had been lost as a result of the Forgery. Either dead from the chaos when it was broken, or vanished from the world entirely with their lives tied to the magic the Dark Alley had laid over the city. Derit tried to think of all those who had been lost, to focus on each tragedy. All of these people had been important to someone. Were important themselves. All of them had deserved to live. But her mind drifted back to a Professor she had not seen in a week now. He was known for long absences and not leaving his office for days at a time, but only that morning Derit had seen a new Professor moving into the space, placing their own name card at the door. She wiped away the tears that she had begun to shed, not ashamed to be seen crying, but she knew what he would have wanted. Rather than sit here mourning what had happened, she should help make sure the city never again had to go through such a travesty. She stood, brushing some dust from her dark navy-blue trousers, and with one final look at the gathered sorrow, she left to gather her friends. This university, it was said, had been where the magic of the Forgery had been shattered. A number of people had begun to use it as a memorial site in the early days and today a vigil had been arranged, huge numbers of people from all districts of the city had arrived to pay respects. Derit hoped that while they were here she might be able to use this tragedy to finally incite some genuine good in this city.

I would suggest some more details about what it is you're looking for/what is likely to happen. Lots of characters already tied up with their own story arcs, etc. so may not be willing to just abandon it for generic meeting with someone.

~Laurelai; Lita's Apartment, the Alleys~ Laurelai gave a faux frown at Lita's skepticism, a small hint of actual hurt pride. True the memories were false, but then Laurelai was a Forger, she had plenty of memories and experience that were not precisely real as far as the rest of the world was concerned. It didn't mean they were somehow less trustworthy. Forged memories were clean, neat, exactly what they needed to be. "Would you like a juice afterwards?" She said, smiling slyly. "We used to give them to people at the hospital afterwards. Well, if they were well behaved anyway." Drawing the spike smoothly from its box, Laurelai looked to Lita's hip, cheeks faintly pink as she lined the spike up. Lita had, blessedly, not revealed anything more than necessary, and the situation was more clinical than anything else, enough that Laurelai could focus only at the point she needed to. She was moments from placing pressure onto the spike when she hesitated, eyes flickering uncertainly for an instant. Best to be certain. The lines shifted again, an instants focus to a well remembered pattern. The Researcher had never switched from Records to the DOCI, instead she had eventually moved to R&D. She was well experienced in most matters of scientific inquiry and research but especially Hemalurgy. Other Denizens might jam a spike into a bindpoint, but the Researcher performed art with metal and flesh. "L-712" She muttered to herself, repositioning the spike very slightly. "Minimal side effects. No interference with existing spikes. Appropriate for concealment and placement should not affect any nerves or sensation." She looked up to Lita's eyes, giving a reassuring but somewhat cold smile and only in the instant that Lita looked back and drew her focus did Laurelai lean onto the spike, using her body weight to expertly drive it through skin and flesh. A single motion, smooth entry with no deviation. Perfect placement, as always. The work drew a more genuine smile of satisfaction from her as she examined it. ~SeKaan; Mistkeep~ Lord Syril Valiert strode purposefully through the streets, his back straightened and chin raised with the pride of House Valiert. He had no time to listen to the common folks around him, even if the average passer by was significantly more affluent than they were in other parts of the city. He paused with a weighty sigh, leaning more heavily on his cane as he contemplated the state of affairs that had led him here. Walking the streets rather than riding in a carriage. He lit a cigar for himself, holding it between a set of too-white teeth that widened into a grin as he saw a pair of rather attractive Elendel nobleladies passing close by. He swept a genteel bow in their direction but unfortunately did not have the time to linger and chit chat, only making sure to slip the name of his hotel into the conversation in case either of them should ever wish to visit and socialize further when he had the time. Realizing he was running late he ducked through a small side street, glancing behind him for a moment and then sheltering in a small alcove between buildings as his flesh bubbled and warped. He pulled a nearby bag over and started pulling a number of items from within it, arranging them neatly even as his limbs contorted. A few moments later a small jewelry boxed seemed to surface from inside his chest and he pulled a number of items from it before pushing it back in. "By the Survivor." Miss Thyron said, wafting a hand in front of her nose. "Must these nobles always leave a trail of cigar smoke behind them? Horrid stuff." She was about to step onto Brass street on the opposite end of the sidestreet but paused a moment before coming into full visibility. Tapping a lacquered nail to her painted red lips before looking down at herself and frowning. Her eyelashes fluttered in thought before suddenly snapping wide. The suit. SeKaan remembered. They get all strange about women wearing suits. Ducking back into the alcove they pulled a simple grey dress from their chest cavity and switched clothing at lightning speeds. Lord Valiert had let them listen in to a number of people who assumed the Lord was both too distant to overhear and too preoccupied to care. But Miss Thyron would be able to mingle a little more easily. Syril was charming, certainly, but in a particularly standoffish fashion. Miss Thyron would be much more amicable. Approachable. @ZincAboutIt

~Voidus; Alley K-9-1077~ Moments kept flashing into memory as they both extended the gaze. Moments from the Forgery, a few even from before, and culminating in those few moments when they had both together been in her mind. The moment she had extended an offer to see everything that she was and offer it. A flicker in her eyes now mirrored what he had seen then, an unwavering belief, and one truly held. She did not wish to, but if he asked she would wait forever. For him. "Can I tell you a secret Vivica?" He asked, eyes darkening a little further as the light around them dimmed as if to hold the rest of the world at bay. She gave a slight nod, still trembling a little as he leaned in, his cheek grazing hers as his hand held her other. His lips just a quarter inch from her ears as he whispered to her with a building intensity. "I never much liked waiting." He said, with a grin. His hand slid from chin to cheek, the handkerchief vanishing somehow in the motion, and he tilted her head just a little as he pulled back just enough for her to see the smile as he approached again. Finally pressing his lips to hers, a kiss that he had waited an entire lifetime for. ~Laurelai; Lita's Apartment, the Alleys~ Just focus on the lines. Laurelai told herself, using the moment of Lita's absence to recollect herself once more. She was very practiced at this, needing only a moment to instill an almost unnatural calmness about her well before Lita returned in a silk dressing gown. "Right, well. Where should I lie down? I'm afraid I converted the lab in this place into another lounge room. Much more useful most of the time." Lita asked. Laurelai spared the office a satisfied nod. Much more useful than a lab, especially for this department in particular, but it did make things slightly more difficult. Or at least it would, ordinarily. "Just a moment." Laurelai said with a slightly teasing smile. She left for the same hallway, and on opening a door to the newly refurbished lounge room gave a second satisfied nod before sweeping over it with a coldly analytical gaze. She had been in the office enough times, under both of its owners, that she already knew most of what she needed, only one sweep to make sure. And then refocusing on the lines in her mind, she twisted them into a different alignment, a different history. The room warped into the old laboratory that had once occupied the space, its identity well known by the very stones themselves and not difficult at all to reintroduce. Fortunately, the lab also included a gurney. Pulling it back and then pushing it in front of her she re-entered Lita's sitting room, manifesting a lab coat for herself at the same moment. "It may have been somewhat fake but I do remember med school." Laurelai said, still wearing the same grin. "So don't worry, you're in very good hands." @ZincAboutIt

~Voidus; Alley K-9-1077~ "Nox, I...This is all so wonderful. I don't know how I could ever thank you, I - I... I couldn't possibly deserve such beautiful things." Vivica began, wiping tears from her eyes. "Please, please let me give you something too. Anything you want. You know there is nothing I wouldn't give you, Nox, if I could make it so. I'd give you a whole world of people who love you like -" Voidus' gaze traced the lines of her face, the lips curved into a smile, the scarring on one side of long-healed burns, and finally into the blues of her eyes. They were unchanged from the Forgery, and even from before that. A strange purity about them that was so very rare in the Alleys, a sincerity of expression that one did not expect amongst scientists and spies. "Like you do?" He supplied, voice quiet and even. "I don't wish to... I had not intended on examining your mind quite so closely. But when you opened yourself it was somewhat difficult not to notice." He gave a gentle smile, not quite apologetic but instead reassuring. Lifting a hand to her cheek he dabbed at the slight trail of tears with a handkerchief, moving slightly closer as he did so. "I regret that there hasn't been more time to discuss this until now." He said. "All that mess afterwards, needed quite some cleaning up. And I didn't wish to rush you, or overburden. You went through quite a trial there." ~Lita; Lita’s Apartment, the Alleys~ "Well the lovely ladies and gentlemen of R&D are not precisely the most concerned with post operative care." Laurelai said with a momentary rolling of her eyes. "Absolutely no respect for clothing there. No qualms whatsoever about staining a dress with blood." Laurelai herself had simply forged the garment clean afterwards, but not everybody was so fortunate. Aside from which if they took a detour to R&D there's no telling how long it would delay them. Some researchers there were simply efficient but there were a not insignificant number who simply loved to brag about their work and show it off to every set of available ears. ”A spike in the back is always a risk to be seen when one wears the cuts of dresses I occasionally do." Lita continued. "Hips seem most appropriate… I don’t suppose you want to do this now? Or later? I’d need to take this off obviously. It’s much too nice to go poking holes in.” Laurelai gave an admiring glance over the dress, going so far as to reach a hand out to brush along Lita's sleeve. She absolutely adored velvet. True there were many fabrics she adored, but it had such a unique texture to it and was so eminently soft and touchable. It was a very rare occasion when she entered a Tailors and did not come out with at least a little velvet. "Mmm, far far too nice." Laurelai hummed in agreement. "I could fix it of course but the thought of even momentary damage might be too painful for me." Her smile grew to a smirk at the claim, somewhat exaggerated though it was. But they would need something else, something less tragic to be damaged or stained for the moment it would take before Laurelai could repair such damage. "Do you have something to change into?" Laurelai asked. "Just for the moment. And then I can just... can..." Her brow furrowed slightly as she followed the chain of thoughts from Lita switching outfits to what Laurelai would need to do next. The moment of calm she had regained was shattered in an instant as she felt a blush creeping up once more, along with a knot of anxiety in her stomach. Then you can just pull up her hem and stab your friend. In the hips. Can't possibly see anything awkward occurring. @ZincAboutIt

~Ember; Hall of Legends~ Embers head tilted side to side as he listened to Temeria. These were not the Words, but they were still important words, he felt. But it was somewhat difficult for him to grasp the train of logic, of deliberate reasoning. Temeria wanted to make the city better? Why didn't she just do that? She doesn't know how. He realized eventually, body brightening from yellow to white with excitement that he had understood. Like I don't know how to do some things yet. She needs time to grow. He remembered that there were things that he needed to learn as well, he hated the waiting that was involved, but the growing was interesting. The breaking and healing and breaking again that formed a change. But Temeria didn't seem to know how to grow just yet, she didn't know what to break and what to heal. That was certainly an interesting question, though Ember of course wanted everything to do both. Break open so that he could see it and then heal so it changed, so that he could break it open and see it again. "You are special Temeria." Ember began, voice uncharacteristically and deliberately slow. "Special because you do things. Other people want to grow so they wait, or they let things break them and then they heal. Or... I think they do anyway. Hard to remember. But you do things. So now it's hard because you don't know how to do things?" He paused crackling quietly in thought as he mused on the question. He did not like this, musing and thinking instead of acting. But sometimes it had to be done. "You're trying to... fix things?" He asked, dimming a little with uncertainty. "Then you should break them. You can't fix things that aren't broken." @Sorana ~Laurelai; Lita's Apartment, the Alleys~ Laurelai took a slow breath in as Lita looked over the spike and vial, not so deep as to be noticeable but enough to calm her. Now she just needed something to calm her down. Her mind turned inwards, focussing on lines of light that fell into familiar patterns. She grinned as Lita's eyes immediately looked towards her after realising the nature of the spike. Laurelai let one of her eyebrows lift slightly as she looked back first at Lita and then to the small vial. Amusement deepening her grin with a little tilt at the corners of her lips. "Looking for your first victim already? I don't mind if you want to practice a bit." Laurelai said. "Not like you've ever needed brass to talk me into bad ideas before. And I've yet to meet a Soother whose influence I didn't notice anyway." She had met a few in fact, some terribly obvious and others much less so. But Forgers had enough sense of self to be abnormally aware of other influences on them, and as an occasional spy Laurelai was doubly aware of such. But then, Lita was already a practiced Allomancer even if it was a different metal, and much more subtle conversationally than most of those Soothers had been so perhaps she would surprise Laurelai. "And if you don't mind I can place the spike, clean up any blood that's leftover." She continued. "For placement... hmm, feruchemical mental metals are... your back I suppose if you want to be discreet? Would be through the ribs though, which is not entirely pleasant. Or... about the hips I suppose." @ZincAboutIt

The wind began to whip up around them, a faintly ominous keen in the distance the only sound it gave. The storm overhead began to open up and thin droplets began to soak the ground in the distance, encroaching the distance slowly, almost respectful of the conversation that was being had as it closed in a circle around them. The lightning flashed both overhead and underfoot. Storm and Forgery both flickering with barely suppressed power. And Voidus listened. He listened to the words of the man he had called a friend. The one who had, in all the many worlds, known Voidus the longest. The one who had helped him with so much, who had staved off the boredom for longer than anyone else. "So after all this." Voidus replied quietly. "You still don't understand at all." Another flash of illumination lit them from underfoot, throwing ghastly shadows over the Stranger's already horrific form. And it illuminated a man who now stood next to him, or the shadow of a man at least. Looking remarkably like Voidus but for the bearing and the eyes. Sudiov stared impassively back, simply allowing the conversation to unfold as it may. But it was clear that he had chosen a side. "What would I have you do?" Voidus said, his eyes glancing between the two. "If you had cared about what I actually wanted then I think he could have given you perfectly enough information to realize that, you are exceedingly clever after all. What I would have had you do is what I always wanted you to do. It is what I became friends with you for and the purpose I had always hoped you would fulfil only to be bitterly disappointed. I wanted you to kill me." The rain finally reached them, cool droplets that felt like they should sizzle as they touched his skin. The furnace that rested just beneath his skin was not quenched by the rains, only fueled further from it. And finally he let the anger enter his voice. "I was a monster. One nearly equal to the one that once took everything from me. I would have sacrificed this world or any other to simply... end. But I didn't. I prepared the contingencies, I tried to find somebody who could actually do the deed. But you were unwilling. And then when my chance finally came, my own desire for destruction manifesting into a shadow, I resisted it. And I was never quite sure why, until this world of yours. Until I met someone, one who didn't fit into your perfect world. And one who eventually broke the whole thing apart. With a copper paperclip. So thank you, my friend, for showing me a light by which to live once again even if it is not the one you expected. Thank you." The void tore from him as he fed his anger into it, without sound or light or sensation it destroyed all around him. All but the small area where those who had arrived with him now stood. The full force of the void began to devour the cognitive realm and the Forgery. An even deeper darkness settling into his hands to form an extended haft with one end turning into a curved and wicked blade. "And goodbye." Voidus said, with a note of finality.