Voidus

~Voidus; The Alleys~ A hint of the dangerous edge fell away from Voidus' eyes at Mac's words. The ghost of a smile passed across his expression for a moment before becoming altogether more somber at the question that had been asked of him. "Who did this?" Voidus repeated. "Who else Mac? Who else would know me, know the Alleys, know you, well enough to Forge us into another life and have any hope of succeeding?" The satisfaction Voidus had felt at the simple act of shaking his friends hand grew cold and stale. The momentary taste of victory turning to ash at the remembered betrayal. The Alleys seemed to creak around them for a moment as his anger, never put aside for long now, was rekindled with a newer bitter edge to it. Turning back into the darkness that he had just emerged from, Voidus' shoulders straightened as he peered ahead. The Alleys fell into place in an instant, forming a new path from their current location to that which he desired. Back to where everything would end. ~Whisper; The Alleys~ She moved through the Alleys cautiously, even moreso than usual. It was far too important that she succeed in her current tasks, she could not afford to die here. Not even if she knew that He might wish her to. Might seek to stop her from giving any more assistance to His enemies than she already had. But it seemed unlikely that He would, she was beneath His notice. Alleys 489j, 1134, the entire 800's corridor. All safe. A cascade of whispering voices advised her. Step quickly and you will arrive in time, with all that is needed. Her own voice, or the one she used most often in any case. Instructions that she had left in a Lightweaving, tied to her own ears to give the wisdom of the Chapel after she had forgotten it. The method was not a foolproof one, she knew. More secure were the whispers that would come later, those that would lead her to the correct answers without telling her outright. The idea that the Forgotten daughter had devised and already proved successful. But there was not time to waste on those now, her work was too important. Her gait was a strange mixture of predator and prey as her large eyes looked to every shadowed corner. She intended to take the path she had been provided, but caution was never a bad idea when performing work this important. And there was no work more important than the work she now performed. Even if her stomach twisted into knots, guilt and hunger clawing at her insides and weakening her limbs. She would not stop. She would do as requested. She would help them to kill one of her gods. Because the others who she served demanded it be so. @MacThorstenson

Lucien Esserethel (Voidus) (Will do approvals later tonight probably but focusing on writing so we can close out the era first)

~Voidus; The Alleys~ Voidus looked at the disheveled remnants of the man in front of him, taking in the tattered suit, the unkempt appearance, unwashed hair. It was a far sight from the man he had once relied on to help combat his own reflection, Sudiov, when he had first appeared. The fearful wariness and the lack of any recognition stung, though that sting quickly fed further into his anger. Just one more problem he could chalk up to the Forgery. "I." Voidus began, still speaking slowly but with an edge of danger now. "Am the one who made this place. With some assistance from a number of others. And I am the one who dwelt here before. I am the destroyer of worlds, first Lurker, the Lonely God, the head of the Dark Alleys. I am Voidus." Uttering the name aloud felt strange, a re-embracing of a name that he had once taken because it was the only one he could recall. But the name Lucien felt no less strange either, a name he had not used in so long he had forgotten it existed. A name for a different man, one who had died. Voidus was not that man any longer. And Mac, Mac was not this man. "And I once called you a friend Mac." Voidus continued somberly, the dark voids of his eyes holding onto Mac's. "I have precious few of those. And one who perhaps never really was. But I should like to gain one back again, if possible. And that means that you will need to remember. To remember who you really are, and what this place is. Have you never wondered why you were here? Why you could see this when others cannot? Are you curious Mac? Do you want to know?" It had been many, many years since Voidus had recruited someone to the DA for himself. But they were words he had spoken a countless number of times in years past. Never quite the same, each denizen was different after all, and wanted different things. But one thing was always constant. They were all curious. They all wanted to know the secrets of the world. And they were all willing to pay the price for those secrets. "Let me show you." Voidus said, extending a hand to Mac. "Let me welcome you to the Dark Alleys once again." @MacThorstenson

~Laurelai; The University~ They had travelled in near-silence. It was a concession that Laurelai found herself deeply grateful for. The piercing series of pains in her head removed quite a bit of her ability to be a practical conversationalist. And thoughts of the Chapel continued to intrude on her every few moments, rendering thinking about anything else very difficult. Storm it we don't care about difficult. A tiny part of her snarled in her mind, yanking her attention from her self-pity back towards her surroundings. She had arrived, with Lita, at the University. The one where her father worked. Laurelai had been here a number of times, notably when she was first studying out of school, but also to visit her father. For a moment she considered why they were here. Her mind, exhausted, struggled to trace back the reason. Someone had... asked to meet them? But that train of thought led all too quickly back to the gentle falling of rain and the sirens song that still echoed in her head. "I apologize." Laurelai said, composing her expression. "That was very unbecoming of me." Her words caused an intensification of her headache, but Laurelai was accustomed to hiding such things. Thankfully some of the pain was fading, the difficulty of resisting the Chapel was easier the further they had traveled. And now the compulsion, while insistent, was able to be pushed to the back of her mind without any further discomfort beyond occasionally increasing her desire for a cold shower. "It seems that your memories have returned." Laurelai noted matter-of-factly, she gave a small congratulatory smile to Lita with only a trace of her sadness that her own had not. "Congratulations." ~Voidus; The Alleys~ "Almost done." Voidus sighed. "Collect the remainder of what I need from Whisper and then... then it will be time to..." He trailed off, the updates he was given to Vivica fading away into the gloom of the Alleys as his head tilted. Voidus' eyes widened slightly as he stared, not at his surroundings, not at this Alley. But another, one far distant from here. It was safe enough, as Alleys went, but it was the occupant of this particular Alley who caught Voidus' attention. "That's what she meant." Voidus said, understanding widening his eyes. "About that part at least." He had asked Whisper what allies to expect and where, when she had told him that he would have a friend in the Alleys he had taken her literally at her word. Assuming that the Alleys themselves, thankfully, would not betray him. What he had not expected... "Hello." Voidus said in a quiet, polite voice as he appeared in the Alley. "It has been quite some time Mac." @ZincAboutIt @MacThorstenson

So a good way to think about flaws is to figure out motivations first. What does your character want? What are they doing in the plot? Then you just need to work out what is stopping them from achieving it, something that they may need to work to overcome. This is generally a good thing to include as a flaw. (Eg. Character wants to be president of the world, however they have a crippling fear of public speaking which is preventing them from campaigning.) Other good ideas are detriments of their powers, usually we wouldn't count those that are just inherent to the power like feruchemy needing to store the attribute, but something like a particular inability to use their entire powerset could be an idea for a flaw. I will also note a little trepidation around the idea of a megalomaniac/psychopath. Historically these kinds of characters tend to derail plots and get in the way of other characters' storytelling so we are somewhat discouraging them this coming era. But if you come up with a solid concept that has some way of easing those concerns then we can definitely take a look.

~Whisper; The Chapel of Rain~ She let her smile drop at Lita's icy tone, all too aware of how close the line to danger was just now. Instead, Whisper met Lita's eyes and gave a single respectful nod. It was near identical to the one which she had always given, at least in this life. As her head straightened from the nod she took a single step forwards, shuddering as the effects of the waters left her. Time sped up, compared to the eternity that she had been able to spend thinking her responses through moments ago the world now seemed almost to be moving faster than normal. A disorienting sensation overtook her, the strange notion that she must be in a cadmium bubble as everything accelerated around her. But rapidly her mind adjusted, filtering information and pulling the patterns out again, confirming that time was moving as it should. "Simply remember the favour you owe. That is all I ask. I do not intend to call it in myself." Whisper replied, words taking just a fraction longer to weave now, and consuming more Stormlight to do so. "I shall retrieve the ring. That will be more expedient and less noticeable. And I have a number of items to collect from R&D regardless. I shall meet you..." Almost Whisper suggested meeting again here, but a glance at the collapsed blonde on the cavern floor was enough to confirm that was probably inadvisable. Laurelai was staring fixedly at the waters, her eyes reflecting the glowing droplets with a burning desire. Now that the Chapel had no Seer it was clear enough that she was again considering taking them for herself. "I would advise against it, Forgotten Daughter." Whisper said, the tumultuous cascade of overlapping sounds that formed her voice softened slightly. "Step in and I do not think that you will be stepping out again." She held the Forger's eyes for just a moment, her own grays no longer contained the infinite wisdom of the waters. But they did contain experience. Something that Laurelai seemed to recognize as she slowly nodded and began somewhat inelegantly pulling herself back to her feet. One hand still pressed against her head in pain. "I will meet you at the university." Whisper said, head tilting suddenly and seeming almost confused by her own decision before realizing with a slight smile. "Ah, I imagine that is where he will be. Soon at least. A place of learning. A place for making bonds as well as unmaking them." Whisper gave a last, lingering look to the waters. Her delicate features did not shift, she kept the same neutral expression as always as she looked to them. Only her eyes gave a hint of remnant desire, an impulse to return. It had been difficult to step free, more difficult than she had expected. The waters did not let go of the prey they had captured so easily, and even with those that Whisper served still needing her, it had been painful to leave. Like ripping her heart from her chest. But then, if I was asked I would happily do that as well. She thought to herself, turning without a second glance to Alleytravel from the cavern. ~Voidus; Deep in the Alleys~ His every step brought up a small layer of dust from the floor as Voidus approached. It had been many long years since he had stepped in this Alley, only a single other set of footprints marred the otherwise undisturbed dust of decades and centuries. The faint light from the roiling sky of darkness overhead filtered between two towering walls of dark gray stone. Ahead, some distance away there was a slight depression in the floor. Barely noticeable given that the stone underneath the dust was even darker than the walls, but this was a section that contained no dust. Contained no light. Contained nothing. It was, perhaps, the most important location in the Alleys for Voidus. One where he had never brought another living soul, nor allowed any to learn of its existence. Not until now, at least. Vivica rested still in the garnet he held, looking about with infectious curiosity. But the little bubble of exuberant joy that she gave out could not quite combat the oppressive, somber air of this Alley. Of the hole in the ground that he approached at a stately pace. Even the rage he felt towards the Stranger was subdued here. Here, he felt like himself. The version of himself he had been before the Forgery. Ancient, tired, and so exhausted by life that he could summon little energy to feel anything strongly enough to matter. It was enough perhaps to have dissuaded him from his current course, to simply leave the Stranger to his experiment alone while Voidus departed for some other world. Some other life. But not today. Today even through the quieting air of this Alley, a haze that felt almost like an Allomancer soothing the edge off of everything he felt, Voidus was still angry. Angry as he could not remember being except for once. "I paid this price." Voidus said, glancing into the unreflective darkness that now lay before him. "Not him. None of those who now claim godhood over this world have paid for this power. And that means that it is still..." The darkness seethed and bubbled in front of him. It drank in the sound of his words, the faint whisps of Stormlight that drifted from his body, the aura of menace he gave off. It drank in everything, until there was nothing left. A void. "Still mine." Voidus concluded, the green faded from his eyes as they were consumed by darkness once again and then deepened further. Becoming two pits of inescapable nothing that stared out at the world.

Whisper stared unblinking at Lita's green eyes. The spymistress of the Dark Alley was ordinarily a difficult woman to read, but nothing could be hidden from the Chapel. The Chapel let her hear the pleading in her voice, the edge of desperation that even another tineye would struggle to catch. What Whisper had once referred to as 'whispers', incoherent and impossibly faint hints of some larger plan that she could never decipher, were as easy to read for her now as a book in her lap. She felt every recalled memory, saw every flash of an amicable conversation of tea at Laurelai's apartment, heard every peal of inebriated laughter at a wine bar, every friendly smile as the two passed by each other in the Alleys. "Knowledge." Whisper said. "Has a price. A price I pay happily for those I serve, and that which they have requested of me. But none have requested this but you Lita. This is your own request." Thin lips curled into a smile as she saw another series of memories flash past, this same phrase, how often had it been repeated? She saw the objections rising in Lita's mind, her her argument before she could even make it. "No." Whisper said, cutting off the redhead. "Her father did not request this of me. And indeed would it be in his best interests? A broken daughter who thinks him a stranger? And I certainly do not think that it is for his sake or his goals that you ask this. No, this question is yours Lita, meant to benefit only yourself. And Laurelai. So. Are you willing to pay the price?" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Laurelai dragged her bleary eyes towards the shadow in the azure light. The girl in the waters. She was saying something, talking to someone. Each word took a torturously long time to enter her mind, be understood, and then placed in the context of its fellows. But there were some words that she recognized. Her name for instance, repeated a few times both by the shadow, and another person had used it... moments ago. Called to her. Someone who was outside of her field of view. They were talking about her. That was... bad? She wasn't quite sure. Some inner instinct told her that it was. That people talking about her ended with problems. But the specifics wouldn't come to mind, every tim she tried it felt like ascending a staircase of air. She expected to feel solid footing only to enter a free fall. But her father... they had mentioned 'her' father. Laurelai's? But why were they talking about him? Lucien Esserethel was many things but relevant to the Dark Alley was not one that Laurelai had ever thought of. @ZincAboutIt

"Just relax." Voidus replied, a smile breaking through his calm veneer. "I'll draw you in and then... it should be comfortable enough. For a little while. Safe, at least." His smile weakened slightly as his eyes refocused on her patchwork form, pieces of her soul torn free and devoured by the winds. The gem would be enough to protect her from any further damage at least. But so much of her had already been taken. What shape would Vivica be in when her soul was returned to her body? The question was one that even Voidus with his extensive experience in this precise topic was not entirely sure of. "Just close your eyes for a moment." He said, voice lowering to a reassuring tone that he had often used to placate her in the hospital. Darkness flickered within the gem as he drew the void to it, devoured all the lingering light that it has absorbed already and left a complete and utter vacuum in its place before holding it up. As Vivica's eyes drew closed, Voidus leaned forwards. His forehead seemed almost to touch hers, though the Realms separated them from any sensation he might experience. His own eyes drifted closed as he pressed the gem to her chest and she was pulled, forcibly, into the gem with a shimmer of blood red light. He held the gem carefully in his palm, watching as the light coalesced into a small figure. She seemed fitting almost, dyed in red and seated happily, her face upturned and still smiling. "Ready to return to the Alleys?" Voidus asked Vivica. @ZincAboutIt

The void was a cold and lonely place, devoid of emotions. Somewhere that Voidus has spent the majority of his near-eternal existence. Little was left to him on most days, besides boredom and irritation. But the Stranger had changed that, in this new world of his Voidus had been able to re-experience the emotions of a mortal existence. He had ridden high joys and low sorrows, endured temptations and indulged in others. Those had, of course, all been fabricated emotions. Less real than simply employing a Soother to force them on him. But there had been a few real moments throughout. And now, Voidus felt another as Vivica's words rekindled the bonfire of rage that he had been barely suppressing to continue on his work. "He is here?" Voidus asked. "Inside the Forgery?" He kept his voice as calm as possible, excessive caution prompted by Vivica's current state would not allow an outburst. But the rapidly turning gears of his mind that had been speedily and efficiently working through a number of realmatic complications moments ago now ground to a near halt as he considered this newest information. Voidus had wondered what his friend had been thinking when he planned this Forgery. What had motivated the Stranger? Voidus could perhaps have forgiven him, if it had simply been a friend trying to do a favour. Or at least, he could have if that had not culminated in Vivica's death. But this... the Stranger, keeping his distance from the world, already planning something new if Whisper was to be believed. And a doppelganger in the Forgery, visiting Vivica and living out his own life. "No Viv." He said aloud, diverting himself from his thoughts. "I don't think it was your gift." His fingers had stopped, the continuous work of twining metal wires around gems, of passing Stormlight and spren into gemstones and Soulcasting new materials had all faltered. He had completed one of his projects but the next sat waiting idly for him to give it purpose. Voidus could feel something drained from him. His patience? The last dregs of affection that he held for the man he had once called a friend? He was not entirely sure what it was, but what he was now becoming increasingly sure of was that the Stranger's motives had been far from altruistic. No, instead it seemed that the Stranger's motivations had been something else. Selfish, and bored. He destroys the world. Merely because he is bored. Voidus confirmed to himself. The thought was accompanied with an echo, from a time so long ago that he could not even remember it. Another man who had called himself Voidus' friend only to destroy his life out of boredom. "That was very impolite of him." Voidus said in a voice of eerie calm and detachment. "I shall have to make sure to teach him not to be so rude in the future." He returned to his work, one hand delicately interweaving threads of Nicrosil wiring as the other completed the process of sketching out an Aonic formula. Bringing the two projects together a flow of Stormlight began to enter the Aon, taking the place of an Elantrian drawing on the Dor and powering its functions. He cut his palm precisely over the symbol to let a trickle of blood enter it, seeming to be sucked into the pattern greedily as quickly as he could shed it before finally bursting with red light. "There we are. Two jobs down, two more to go." He said, a faint touch of pride colouring the calm. He sealed his wound with another trickle of Stormlight and picked the result of the formula from the desk. A large garnet, perhaps as large as his thumb was. Sitting and glinting perfectly in the light. A Perfect Polestone. "I thought garnet would suit best." He said gently, tilting his head to look up towards Vivica. "Though I do apologise that I could not create a better accommodation. I need to make one more trip into the Alleys. To retrieve something. And then to meet up with the other person who has been helping me for the finishing touches. This seemed the best way to keep you safe." @ZincAboutIt

Approved!

Same sheet just without merit caps obviously, and currently we're just doing a vote amongst the mods to approve. Not sure if that will last or if we'll go back to community approval but for now it's quicker at least.

Congrats! It is a very different experience from writing, and I do enjoy it so. It's the same reason I enjoy Freeform RP here on the Shard, having people interact with your characters and worldbuilding is a very different experience.

Approved, with extra points for concept honesty Also approved And also approved.

Hey, took a look through this one and I think there's just a bit too many edge cases. For instance I'd probably typically put Blessings as a Normal merit, Awareness being effectively equivalent to tin which is far from useless for social characters/spies especially. And a Kandra would almost definitely be a major by itself just because it combines so many things (Ageless, healing, pain resistance, shapechanger), unless they had very serious and non-typical drawbacks for a Kandra. Think this one will need to be resubmitted as an OP character sheet with Kandra as a major and the Blessing as Normal.

The girl, Whisper, took no actions as Laurelai approached. She did not speak to dissuade her or move to defend herself. She only waited with an infuriating smile. Expectant. Laurelai scowled at her, reaching into one of the pockets of her dress her hand wrapped around something cool and hard. The hilt of the carving knife she used, it was sharpened to cause precise, neat cuts in stone. But it would cut skin and flesh just as easily if it needed to. Eyes like a winter blizzard locked with the glowing grays of Whisper in the waters. A silent storm of tension springing into existence between them. "Laurelai" A thin voice called out from behind her. Almost inaudible but for the echoes that carried it. “We’ll find the ring. Just…please. Don’t go in there again.” The voice was a distant thing. Barely even recognized as her vision constricted until all that she could see was blue. Faintly she recognized it as Lita's, calling to her. So different in tone than it had been earlier. Less confident, a plea rather than a command. But even if she was Laurelai's employer, that was simply a relationship of convenience. They both had things to offer one another and so they had exchanged. But these waters offered so very much more. Whatever could motivate her to abandon this simply because Lita had called her? The pressure in her mind spiked again, sending a lance of pain that caused her to fumble a step. But that was fine. All she needed was to keep moving, one step after another. Reach the waters, and when she got there... Laurelai collapsed on her next step, the smooth stone ground seeming almost to fly up to meet her as greedy claws tore her mind apart with gleeful malice. Her vision faded entirely it felt, all she was aware of was the light. And the pain. "What. Is this?" She asked, her own voice quickly losing its aggression as she stifled a whimper. "A conflict." The eerie voice retorted, seeming undisturbed and serene. "One Forgery with another. An Identity that cannot coalesce." Laurelai shook her head then winced as the motion produced another wracking pain. She squeezed her eyes tightly. The light dimmed, and she could feel the welcoming embrace of something that offered release. Not the waters, something simpler and more personal. Unconscious perhaps. Or maybe madness. She suspected that she would not know until she took that offer. Everything was so difficult now. The world was terrifying, filled with monsters and strangers who claimed to be friends. There was pain, everywhere. What choice did she have? She could not continue for long like this, sooner or later she would need to find respite. "You are broken, Laurelai Esserethel." The voice continued. "As are you, Lita Attar. Fitting creatures to reside in a world such as this. A beautiful lie. Only when examined closely can you see the flaws, the cracks beneath the surface." Every word was a dagger into her eyes. Every thought they provoked was a noose around Laurelai's neck, slowly constricting tighter and tighter. There was too much happening, all at once. She just needed... a rest. "But this world is now breaking. Step into these waters and you may break along with it, shattering into irrecoverable pieces. Or, you may return to the other world, the true world. And both of you will have a chance to receive that which you truly want." @ZincAboutIt

Just a reminder that the era is ending at the end of month so if anyone has anything lingering they may want to begin wrapping up.

"Yes." A polite voice called in reply, slightly restrained but joyous to hear. Voidus turned towards the voice slowly, as if in a dream. That thought terrified him more than anything else he could remember, that this might just be a dream, another nightmare that he would wake from, screaming. That when he turned around to her voice he would see an endless corridor, be too far to stop her when she- "Of course I am here, Professor." Vivica continued, smiling as she looked at him. "Vivica it-" Voidus' eyes opened wide as he looked at her, staring a moment before smiling "It is good to see you." He hoped that she would not see the pain in his eyes, the deep-rooted sadness and fear as he stared at her. He wished to spare her that at least, wished that the first thing she was subjected to when they met again was not simply his pity. But Vivica clung to the world of the living by the most tenuous of strands. His chest ached, pulsing with pain far more potent than any of his self-inflicted wounds. An inescapable, all-consuming pain at the fear of more loss. That even now, even with his memories returning he might be too late to save her. The ache pulsed in time with the beating of his heart, speeding up now at their reunion, and with each pulse it expanded, filling him until it seemed that pain was all he would ever know again. Or so he thought, at least. But in the wake of that pain, in the space between pulses that felt like they would rip open his heart and pour an eternity of grief into the world, he looked at her. He saw her, beautiful and joyous. So happy, just to see him again. Even in her fragile state, her face was mostly intact. A small hole appeared in her cheek, a piece of her neck was missing, revealing the shrouded alley behind her. But the rest was there. She was still smiling, even as her limbs were shredded by this wind. Even as the storm created by the one who built this false world pulled at her with greedy fingers and riddled her mind and soul with wounds that would not heal as easily as the cuts he had made to himself. In the wake of that pain a burning heat developed, following in the path of the grief. Where the pain had numbed, this new warmth invigorated, gave energy. It extinguished his exhaustion, both that caused by simple lack of sleep and the deeper exhaustion of his eternal life. It gave him purpose, feeling, and life. Voidus did not have all of his memories still, but he knew that he was rarely an angry man. Even in his many years he had only been truly angry a handful of times. And indeed, Voidus was not angry now. Now, he was livid. @ZincAboutIt

Thought I might also add a list of DA NPC characters in here, primarily intended for interaction with by other members of the DA but could potentially be run by people outside of the guild that need to interact with the DA for something as well. Credit to Zinc for about half of these.

New character drop. If another mod could please review when possible?

Laurelai bore through the pain that was now becoming her near-constant companion to stare at the wide-eyed girl beneath the waters. The girl who had just casually mentioned that not one but two of the city's ancient gods were involved with what they were investigating. Laurelai tried to look into those eyes, to determine some deception or exaggeration in the words she spoke. Some indication that the waters did not give all that they promised, that she was simply an eerie denizen that Lita knew who was making claims beyond her knowledge. Whispers eyes stared back into hers, meeting Laurelai's usually piercing insight and returning it a hundredfold in return. Glowing eyes of steel were looking deep into her and exposing every deception, every facade and digging out every hidden truth. Laurelai stood frozen in place, pinned for what felt like an endless moment before finally it seemed to relax and lessen. Eerily Whisper did not blink once during this exchange, but something about her eyes shifted subtly into a more patient glance. Waiting. "You can't mean... actual gods." Laurelai said. "That Lita knew a god." "You both did." Whisper replied, that strange echoing voice sending a shiver down Laurelai's spine. "To differing degrees. And you have met two now in this life. Or a pieces of them at least. As well as a former god." "Met... two?" Laurelai repeated, stunned. "Gods? Who could possibly... I would have noticed surely?" "One noticed." Whisper said. "And just as quickly forgotten. Memory placed for safekeeping so that the second would not steal them from you, a task they now abandon." "Memory placed for... a coppermind?" Laurelai ventured, stifling down a stab of pain at her temple. "Or some form of Fabrial? But where are they? If we left them for safekeeping..." Her mind ran through a list of possibilities. Her apartment, Lita's office. Somewhere in the Alleys? Or in the city? Maybe an establishment that they would visit again to remember? The wine bar, or her tailor, or... "Lita wears hers." The voice interrupted. "And yours was lost." "Lost?" Laurelai said incredulously. "But that's impossible why would I ever..." A glint of copper flashed in her memory, a ring that she had assumed was from the Alleys. One that she had placed... back with R&D where it had promptly been resorted back into their stocks. "That's... well I can just wait for the Forgery to crack then. For my memories to-" Whisper shook her head immediately in response, not even needing to speak for Laurelai to understand. That wouldn't work. From what she'd been told her memories had already been restored and she had simply stored them into a coppermind. The Forgery breaking would not restore anything that she had already given away. "Rusts." Laurelai hissed. Her teeth ground together as panic and pain both expanded until they consumed her thoughts. "Storming, rusting, Domi-cursed copper!" Anger flared up, another rush of emotions to add to the growing whirlpool she was holding. A dozen conflicting impulses, a dozen threads pulling her in different directions. All of them pulled taut and straining. She had struggled with just one thread before, and she only managed now by balancing each with the others, trying to control the amount of pull each exerted. But the pressure from the others was not disappearing, it was building. Building into white-hot lances of pain through her brain that were growing more frequent, more intense. It was too much, too many all at once. Only now did she realise that her vision had been fading into tunnels, she could no longer see Lita, no longer see the walls of the cave. All she could see were the waters and the girl who kept her from them. "Chapel." Laurelai spat. "Can help. Give it back. I remember that. Remember the waters." They had given her comfort, given her relief from the pain. Given her all the knowledge she could ever want. No need for a coppermind if she had that again, she could remember what had been lost, remember things that even the world itself had forgotten. She could know everything, if only she retook them. "Mine." Laurelai whispered, her eyes burning as she met Whisper's calm gaze. "They were mine. Are mine." @ZincAboutIt

Guild or Organization Name: The Dark Alley Members (3 minimum): Voidus, Zinc, Mac, Kenod, 18thShard, Fate, Ashbringer Purpose/Mission Statement: Scientific advancement and the acquisition of personal power for many of its members. It exists to be a dark and shadowy force in the world, present and terrifying but rarely interfering. Description: A shadowy guild that exists almost entirely on other dimensions from the city itself. In the winding, cross-dimensional alleyways of the city a number of residences, laboratories, offices and containment facilities exist. These house the denizens of the Dark Alley, scientists, spies, scholars and sadists. The Alleys are filled with all manner of interesting individuals, from all sorts of origins and walks of life. They are a home to the curious, to those who seek knowledge or power, ideally both. They are, surprisingly one of the better organised guilds in the city, with its sprawling membership allocated into individual departments which work together to serve the greater purpose of the DA as a whole, though there is no small degree of dysfunction within it either. How to contact: The easiest, and least safe, method of contacting the DA is simply to wander into one of the city's many darkened Alleys. However given that this usually results in the unfortunate demise of the one wandering our suggestion instead is to approach the front section of Thaumaturgy, a comfortable bar in the city. Rumour has it that the proprietor has some connections to the DA and there are regularly several DA denizens in attendance. What do you plan to do: The DA will be a little more self-focussed and insular this era, coping with the chaos of restoring functionality after the Forgery and the change amongst the DA leadership as a result of that. They may send some exploratory efforts into some of the cut-off Alleys to see what has become of them but otherwise do not have any active plans within the city itself.

Voidus gave another precise cut to the webbing between his fingers, steadying his hand before repeating the same motion over again to each gap. His tolerance was not quite what it once had been but that mattered little. The pain of each of these cuts, of the ribs that he had broken, the leg that had been crushed. Very little of it mattered. Temporary maladies at best, a means to an end. Another small orange hand seeped up from the ground beneath him, reaching to claw its way up his body and towards the blood that dripped from his hands. Looking down at it Voidus gave a satisfied nod. This would have to be enough for now. Ideally he would want to prepare the alleyway over multiple days to be safe but he lacked that time just now. Time, resources, power. He lacked everything but knowledge. But it was knowledge that had allowed him to gain all those others. And he could do so again. "Excuse me." Voidus said to the empty alley before frowning and clearing his throat. "Someone! Someone please!" He reviewed the sounds mentally, trying a few more times before finally seeming satisfied. Acting in this manner was difficult, particularly with no ability to alter his own mentality. But a quick mental recollection of the stakes were enough to inspire a little genuine fear in his voice. And just in time. He noted, looking at the Fabrial pocketwatch he had recharged since visiting the Chapel. Only two minutes to spare. Counting down the seconds, he replaced the watch, adopted a panicked second and just as his mental count reached zero he stepped out into the streets again, bumping immediately into a tall Alethi woman. He clutched her clothing with his bloodied hands and a wide-eyed look. "Please." Voidus said, intensity and fear sinking into his words. "Please you have to help, someone please. I... in that Alley my friend she's..." The Alethi woman appeared taken aback but she quickly regained her wits, glancing sharply over him and noting the blood and the broken leg before giving a suspicious glance into the alleyway. Few others were on the street this hour, it had been truly a stroke a fortune to have bumped into someone but she took it in stride giving an immediate nod. "There is danger?" She said quickly. "Please, show me. Osteous, be ready." She placed herself protectively in front of the bleeding figure of Voidus, an inkspren manifesting on her shoulder with suspicious eyes looking into the Alleyway. Both seemed ready to fight in an instant and the woman drew a preparatory breath of Stormlight. Her glowing eyes peered into the darkness of the Alleys as she stepped forward, the city itself seeming to shift and vanish as they entered the darkness. "Painspren?" She murmured as she arrived. "Careful Ost. We won't be able to jump to Shadesm- to the cognitive here." A piercing pain drew her attention downwards to her chest, the very tip of a slender piece of sharpened silvery metal was visible. A saber? Something rounded in any event. She swiveled in place to spot the man who had led her here, holding the other end of the metal that pierced her. "No, you won't." Voidus replied calmly. "Trap." The Alethi woman coughed in a spray of blood. She pulled herself free from the metal, she just needed some space, she and Ost were more than a match for someone who needed to resort to stabbing someone in the back. The Light would heal her, it would... "Why?" She coughed out a second time, sinking to the ground as her wound continued to bleed both red liquid and Stormlight. "Thank you very much for your assistance." Voidus said, turning the spike over in his hands. "I apologize that I won't be able to show you any further hospitality, you will have to forgive my rudeness. But I am late to meet a friend." Stepping back into the city streets with a bloodied smile, Voidus felt one more lance of pain as he pierced the spike just past his liver. There was a momentary disquieting sensation as his organs were forcibly rearranged and then a flooding of something else, a new power that pulsed within him, waiting. It was only when he took a deep breath in, drawing Stormlight into his lungs that it came alive. His wounds mended in an instant, and his eyes opened further as he peered at the world around him, and then through it, looking beyond. "Vivica?" Lucien asked, nervously. "Are you here?" @ZincAboutIt

Laurelai, tore her attention free from the cool blue light of the waters as a splash of red entered her peripheral. A steady trickle of blood dripped from Lita's ribs onto the stone below, painting a ghastly and vivid contrast with the azure of the Chapel. Her eyes slid immediately to the redheads face, a rush of concern momentarily overriding Laurelai's obsessive focus on the waters. "Lita you're... are you alright?" She asked, turning away from the girl beneath the waters and towards Lita. "We should..." She paused as a wave of confusion rushed through, overruling both concern and obsession as another piercing pain hit her temples. Lita could look after herself surely, Laurelai should be more worried about herself. Certainly Lita was unlikely to appreciate being fawned over by a Denizen she had only known for less than a month. But something within her chest ached a hollow counterpoint with the sharper pain in her head. It was duller, but deeper somehow, a reminder that something was not as it should be. ------------------------------------------------- "That depends." Whisper said, lips curling into an amused smile. "Upon what you wish my help with. Remembering your time serving wine in Elendel will help you with one task, for instance. Remembering a ring will help you reclaim a friend. Remembering that weapon will help you gain revenge. But if you wish to shake free from the shackles of your false life then you would be best put remembering the one who lingers now in your mind. The one who gave you that spike. The one whose shadow lingers in your dreams. The god they call the Stranger." A twinge of pain pierced Whispers chest, dulled immediately by the waters but her mind latched onto it immediately and flooded her with guilt. This was wrong, she knew it was. The Stranger was one of her gods just like these others, and here she sought to undo his work for others, to undermine him and even assist those seeking his doom. But two gods had come to visit her already, and now one more. She could disappoint them no more than she could the Stranger. It was her fault, that even within the waters she could find no better way, no more perfect solution. No way to appease them all. "The Forgery must be broken, the Lonely God restored." She intoned as the pain deepened. "You must reveal that which you conceal, and the one who is your greatest hope must be driven to despair. Two splintered gods, the first to be whole will prevail." Something other than the rain from above dripped to her cheek, but Whisper paid it little mind. Physical sensation was a distant thing just now. She needed to feel her guilt, and she needed to serve her gods. Nothing else mattered. @ZincAboutIt

Whisper took a sharp intake of breath, sucking the light in gratefully. The Light flooded into her, and she allowed it to heal some of the damage to her body, the penalty for remaining in these waters such a very long time. But the rest she kept, finally possessing enough to begin the work she had been planning. A dim glow in her eyes formed at the sudden rush of energy, and she turned the two eerily luminescent grey orbs at the blonde woman beside Lita. She was still not entirely sure how to regard Laurelai, the daughter of Voidus but from when he was a mortal man, not a god. Was she owed respect merely for her relationship? Whisper would protect her at the least, that would be pleasing to her gods, but she had decided for now to treat her similarly to Lita. "Three Broams. Sapphire." She uttered, voice emerging from all around them. --------------------------------------- Laurelai stared at the strange girl within the waters, initially curious but that was quickly overtaken by an increasing amount of envy. The calming effect of the waters was beginning to lessen as she simply waited near them, the flow of her tension beginning to reverse and pour back into her and require even more restraint than before not to simply rush into the pool and push the tiny little thing out from them. She flinched when she was addressed, pulling her eyes from the water to the two shining beacons of silvery light that stared into her. She gave a challenging glance back, trying not to show how unnerving it was to have the contents of her pockets already known. But she was met with utter impassivity, to an almost alarming degree. Reluctantly she reached into a concealed pocket of her dress and pulled the three broams she kept safely tucked in there, for emergencies as either a light source or as currency. Or on occasion simply to add some extra colour to an outfit. "Very well." She muttered, offering the gems as Lita had and staring as the light was pulled from them, just subtly different enough from the light above them. But similar enough to draw her attention back to the falling waters. "To your questions then." The figure, Whisper Lita had called them, replied. "Yes, this is the Chapel that you recall. You have been here before, together. An errant strand of fate brought me here and I stayed that I may be of use. The world has been remade and all of us here with it. Many have broken through this facade already, despite efforts to keep all ignorant, more and more have broken free. The Forgery will not last long." @ZincAboutIt