Sorana

Shana was quiet when she watched the news, wordlessly agreeing with James and Cassie. People came and people left. Only few of them stayed the same. It was weird feeling to see so many new faces, that had appeared at her home within a few hours, and she found herself smiling, mimicing Edwin's gesture and lifted a hand and waved at them. "Welcome." She greeted them warmly, "Are you already settled in, or is there anything we can do to make you comfortable?" Walking over to the counter she smiled at them, poured herself a glass of water, not noticing, that she left a thin bloody trail on the floor when she walked. Drowning the water she set the glass down again, took a deep breath and tried to sort her thoughts, pushed her regret, her fear far away. For now she would focus on those that had arrived, everything else could wait for now.

Sagitta followed him over to her horse, her eyes resting on the shadow-like figures waiting in the shadows. They made her skin crawl and she kept her weight on the balls of her feet, ready to react should one of them attack them. Tion took two or three tries to get on his horse, although she tried to politely ignore it. There had to be something about this place that weakened him. Or it was the thing Last had mentioned, that something was wrong with the gods, that something was happening. She reached out for her mare's reigns and walked her off the site. "South-West sounds as if it might be close to Ta'e'ilo?" She asked while starting to walk off the site, her sword still ready at hand. She could get back on the horse when they were farther away, when she didn't expect to be attacked every moment. One thing after the other. First they had to get away from this place in one piece and then, maybe she could ask a few careful questions.

Everybody who wants to play a GB character is welcome to do so! There is no need to join the guild, and it can be revised afterwards of course (but doesn't need to). Mostly it will affect people within the alleyverse, as we don't want to mess with the official Lore too much. Take you time! The next era won't start in a few days, and we will announce a fixed date once we get a better feeling for how many things need to be wrapped up. You idea should more or less be ready, but if it isn't don't worry, then we can find a good workaround.

I agree. Actually it would be interesting to have them experience it where they are. There is a little buildup spread through the recent threads, but it's mostly hidden. We agreed on Fatebreaker's idea to respike the world. So certain events won't have happened, and in general everything will look differently (very short version). If you want to, you could also edit your character, like change their power and things like that, but you don't have to. The main idea was, to find out what happened, and try to undo it. Other plot ideas, especially for sideplots are of course always welcome. This event can cause a lot of different things, so if you have any idea, feel free to post it.

I really look forward to this!

Sagitta nodded along to his words, although she had to admit, she had no idea what old magic was. She prefered matters to be more simple, like a battle line. Good guys standing next to her, bad guys across and you knew what you had to do. All this vague, magic stuff sent a cold shivver along her spine. How was she supposed to fight something she couldn't even see, couldn't even feel? She watched Tion sit down, his weakness obvious even to her, but she decided to gloss over it, pretend everything was alright. "There are two courses of action, we can take." she started, looking around the site again. "Either we try to trace and find whatever it was, that climbed out of the hole, try to gather intelligence about its species and its intent, or we try to close the hole." She gave a slight shrug. "I agree, that the damage is done, the earthquake happened weeks ago - no matter what we'll do, we need to be lucky to find anything." Pausing she turned to him, one hand still holding her sword. She could carry it on her back, but it was too long, she wouldn't be able to draw it, and it was too long to be carried on her side. That left her holding it, or slinging belt of the scabbard over her shoulder for a while. "You said, that they chose this spot deliberately. Can you find others like this one. Others where nothing happened? If we know where they will be, we can set them a trap." @Archer

Hello We are trying to determine a good time for the next era to start and would like to hear your throughts on the matter. Are there any plots/ interactions you would like to wrap up, and if yes, how long do you think you'll need? If you are ready for the start of the new era, please let us know as well, so that we can get a feeling for the current mood. Thank you!

Sagitta watched the god with growing discomfort, but when he assured her, that he was fine, she didn't question him. It wasn't her place to question a god, to doubt his words. Instead she climbed down from her mare and unceremoniously tied the reigns to Tion's horse's saddle. He was right, the place was perfect for an ambush, rubble casting weird shadows on the ground, and there were so many boulders lying around that even an untrained child would have an easy time hiding. She loosened the scabbard of her sword from her saddle, holding it with her left hand. There was no time to put on some armour, but hopefully she wouldn't need it. Carefully she shifted her feet on the uneven surface, noticed the way the little stones slid away from her feet. If she had to fight here, luck and balance would play as huge a role as their individual weapon skill. She loosened the sword, made sure she would be able to draw it quickly and then slowly neared the great black crater, that seemed to be the center of the destruction. It was deep, it's edge uneven and when she looked into it, there was nothing but darkness waiting for a her. A chill wind touched her face and she flinched back, couldn't help the picture of something crawling out of the hole, or waiting for her to be careless to drag her down. Bringing some distance between herself and the hole again, she checked the area around it, looking for signs of animals, or maybe humans who had been here after the earthquake. It was eerilie silent, and when there weren't any obvious signs, she gave up. It had been a try, but looking back at the part of the ground her own shoes had left vague imprints on the surface, she knew that she stood no chance. She could find a trail in a muddy wood, but not here, not on this stony surface. Picking up a stone she threw it in an arch into the hole, waited for the quiet, clattering noise that indicated that it had reached the bottom. Nothing. Frowning she picked up another one, walked closer, but still keeping an armlength distance. Again she waited for a sound, for anything, but instead only silence escaped the hole. An ueasy feeling crawled along her spine, but she grit her teeth against it. It was a hole in the ground. She wasn't afraid of a hole in the ground. Placing her sword on the ground, she used both hands to lift a larger stone, and dropped that one. She could hear it, bumping off a wall and then it vanished into the darkness as well. Going down on one knee she closed her hand around the scabbard again, concentrated on whatever sound might reach her ears. Nothing. But now that she was close again, she could feel the wind on her skin, cool and gently. Straightening she took a couple of steps back, keeping her eyes on the hole, forcing herself to keep her breathing calm and steady. It was a hole. Nothing but a hole. "It appears to be an endless hole. I couldn't find anything hinting if something crawled out of it." She reported curtly to Tion, never quite turning her back to the darkness. It looked like a maw, waiting for prey, luring it close and then swallowing it whole. @Archer

Shana followed Cassie's instructions, held on to her friends, to her family. "I'm ready." She announced and smiled at her. "I can't tell you, how much I look forward to a shower." @AonEne

Count me in. This sounds like a lot of fun!

"It's cute isn't it?" Shana reached out for the cat and patted it fondly. "We should have gotten a pet earlier." The fur was soft beneath her fingers and strangely calming. The cat meowed quietly, lifted a paw and touched her hand playfully. "I think we needed that. And we're good to go Cassie. Take us back and then we can see what the others say to the cat and what to do about this operation. If we want to do something about it, or not." Her face turned earnest when she grabbed her backpack and slung it over one shoulder. "Did I tell you, that I failed maths?" She asked suddenly and looked around the house again. "If I learned one thing, then that all these superhero movies lie. It's impossible to be good at school and fight evil. At least, when you are as dumb as I am." With a slight shrug she straightened. "Do you think Doc will be angry?" Immediatly she shook her head. "This has to wait. Let's get back hom first, then we can discuss the life-threatening things. And then I can try to solve my maths issue." @AonEne

Mike stumbled a step backwards when he saw the pitch black eyes, when the man whirled on him, ready to tear him apart. His hands starting shaking, and while he heard Xanas speaking, the words blended together while he felt his chest contrict and inhaling turned into a chore. Words, more words, an explanation maybe, but he couldn't grasp them, not while he was trying to breathe. Another step back, legs twitching as if they wanted to give up on him, eyes darting to the side, looking for a good place, a place where he could hide and vanish, disappear forever. Then finally the eyes were closed again, the words stopped and he found himself turning around, nearly stumbling into a tree and running, steps unsure, towards one of the sides of the room. Hide. Mike tried to swallow but his mouth was dry and it turned into a strange cough and he stopped, cowered next to a tree. His hands shook, shook so much that it took him several tries to remove the gloves, to pull them of his fingers and drop them to the ground. Finally he could press his hands again his face, his mouth, his skin slick from tears. Biting down on his arm, he muffled his sobs, his body shaking in silence, his heart beating so fast, it was nearly ripping his chest apart. Out of habit he reached out for Squid, wished that he could feel his little friend, holding on to his hand. But there was nothing. He couldn't return to the darkness, couldn't see them, dead, Squid was dead. He had forgotten, somehow it had been lost between the medallions and the motivtors and the kindness Xanas had shown him. Wolf was gone, Squid was gone, they were all gone, lost forever and there was nothing, nothing he could do about it. Mike pressed his forehead against his knees, curling up tightly, his body pressed against the tree, silently wishing for someone to find him, to pick him up. For all of this turning into a bad dream, something to forget about in the morning, to joke about and maybe even something to tell his friends about. But nobody came, and nobody would come. He was in the Alleys. And he was alone. @18th Shard

"My ancestors-" Sagitta started, completely overwhelmed by the fact, that not only had he been there, that not only were the stories true, but that he also implied that she was related to them. She touched her fist to her chest in a wordless salut, even more honored than before by the simple fact that Sensation was here, that he had singled her out. Be proud and fight for your country, stand up for Ta'e'ilo. She found herself smiling, this was what she had been doing ever since she joined the army. When you watched the enemy approach on their sturdy horses, you had to know why you were fighting, to continue to stand there, ready your weapon and face death. And maybe a touch of craziness helped as well. Unconciously she straightened even more and lowered her hand. "Thank you." Inclining her head deeply, respectfully, she then turned her eyes back on the path in front of him, going over his words again. Three had been chosen, and one of them might have been dating Entropy. And Tion had pushed them in the right direction, had inspired them to something greater, just as he wanted to do with her. Her hands tightened a bit around the reigns, uncomfortably when she pictured herself a hero. A hero, because a god signled her out, followed her on her path and watched her carefully. It felt different than the thought to die gloriously in battle, protecting her country even with her last breath. Being a hero of her own actions, because of her own determination. Although in the end, without a god's blessing she would have died on the battlefield years ago. Wondering how long he was already watching her, she loosened her grip on the reigns. If he had decided that this was her way, then this was her way. She certainly wouldn't start discussing something like that with a god. And additionally, she would like to be a hero, an inspriration to others, to younger people. Fighting for her country, or if she took Last's words into account, maybe for her world. Last. Silently cursing herself for agreeing to his offer she was glad, that she had excluded all actions that harmed Ta'e'ilo. And with Tion - since he had helped in its creation, she could count him into that exception as well. There was no way she would betray him, it just wasn't possible anymore. She was tempted to ask why he had chosen her, be kept quiet, the question not important compared to everything else. "Thank you." She repeated instead, "knowing what happened means a great deal to me." ========= @AonEne

Surprised Sagitta stared at Tion, remembered only after a while to close her mouth. He was a god, and yet, the words he spoke, made him appear more human than everything he had done before. Sensation. He was sensation. A part of her appeared to nod at the information, as if it was something she had known for years, but she knew that she hadn't. He was the sensation. A man, where she had been told tales of a woman, but he was god, gender most likely didn't mean the same to him, it did to her. "I don't want to start a religion." she replied slightly distracted and looked towards their destination again. Not far, maybe behind the enxt turn of the path, or the one after. The woman had described it as close. "And I certainly won't start noting your words down." She could read and write, but that didn't mean, that she liked to spend hours creating notes of some sorts. "I will remember what I need to remember." She said instead, meaning them literally. The important things, those that changed her and her path, they would be written in her heart, they would be engraved in her memory. "Although I am sure, that I'm not some hero, or even the reason you exist. I agree, that there has to be a reason we met, a reason we decided to travel here, but I doubt that I am the reason. I might be the sword you'll need at one point or the other, or I might be a shield." She fell silent, when the last part of her words registered, but meaning them nonetheless. Dying for a god would be a good way to die. Serving a god on his journey, she had done worse things in her life, worse and way more stupid ones. "I've got a question," she started slowly, trying to find the rights words to convey what she meant wihtout being impolite. "You certainly don't need to answer, but I would regret it, if I didn't take the chance." "Are you really the founder of Ta'e'ilo?" @Archer

Next Era will be 5, but as I mentioned above, I can't tell you how soon it will start.

Thanks for the tag @mathiau! @The_Archivist Rating see above in green, Character is approved. @Soulbinder Rating see above in green, character is approved. @SingingMosaic I updated you character sheet. If I missed one of the characters to rate, please tag me again, and in that case, I'm sorry!

You know how to soften the blow. Sagitta let him pass herself on the road, happy to have her mare follow his. It was easier that way as the horse usually followed others on the road easily. Lowering her head she mulled over his words, her anger drifting away on the wind, when she focused on something else. It was a strange feeling, to know that she was travelling with a god who assumed she knew what to do, when she was honestly completely clueless. Looking up she let her gaze move over the countryside, the yellow and brown colours, the plants with their hard leaves and thorns. The air was dry, so dry she sometimes had to pull a scarf over her mouth and nose to avoid breathing in nothing but dust. When she looked back to tion, she found him looking at her as well. "If my question disturbs you, feel free to ignore it, but, why are you here?" She asked hesitantly, politely lowered her glance. Hopefully he wouldn't be offended.

Honestly, I nearly completely forgot about this thread

@The_Archivist As @mathiau already mentioned this era's plot is basically over. @Fatebreaker and @Voidus want to finish a few interactions, and then we can start discussion about the next era. Regarding a timeline: I can't tell you, when everything is ready, irl a lot of things are pretty crazy right now. So if you want to start right now, please do it, we always announce a new era starting in the chat thread first and give everybody time to wrap things up. If you have an idea for a small plot, you can always start a new thread, although in the past it was usually better to pitch the idea here first and see who is interested to write it with you. But both ways work fine. Or you start with some fluff, and have your character meet someone else's in a tavern, get into writing them.

Sagitta gave a slight nod and touched her sword with her hand. "If they come in numbers, they can always overwhelm me, everybody can be defeated." Her eyes moved over the nomads doing their chores. "But it will take a lot of them to defeat me." She stated with quiet selfconfidence. She had spent so much time fighting this people, she knew how they acted, which weapons they wielded and vagabonds rarely were skilled soldiers. "We need to travel that way." She gestured in the general direction the woman had mentioned. Considering to keep quiet about her pouch she climbed on her mare, annoyed by the urge to tell him of her failure. It wasn't his business, not even in the slightest way. And yet, it had been his task after all. "I lost my money, gathering that information." She stated quickly without looking at him. It was embarressing enough without the disappointment on his face. "Maybe some vagabonds wouldn't be the worst thing to happen. At least they are bound, to have a little money, and maybe some food as well." Anger at herself made her close her hands tightly around the reins and she grit her teeth. It had only been a little bit of money, but the consequences, what it would lead to. She grit her teeth again and shook her head. It was no use. She could always work for something to eat, just as she had during the last weeks. A mercenary. Her face darkened. She was a soldier, not a mercenary, she was fighting for a greater cause, not for money. But right here and now, there was nothing she could do to change it.

Wita stumbled to a halt when she heard the two men fall to the ground, and she slowly turned around, stared at the bodies for a moment. Blood started to spread on the street and her eyes widened, her face distorted at the mass of blood, at the way the faces of them had changed, their limbs moving slightly. They were moving, they couldn't be dead, she swallowed, forced her eyes away from them and walked back to the corner, making a wide arch around the place where they were lying on the ground. "I guess the path is clear." She said, her voice sounding numb even to her own eyes. If they started like this, if they - they were here to stop them, to prevent them from doing something, and she knew it was right, knew it was important, but they were dead, they had to be dead, there was so much blood around. She pressed a hand against the wall of a nearby building, tried to steady herself. "Let's be quick. The sooner we are in that room, the better." And yet she hesitated to take the first step. "Does one of you want to go first?" @I think I am here. @Eluvianii

"It did last time." Shana replied, although she could unterstand what Edwin was aiming at. And yet, it had worked, when Rob had cleaned their yard. "Let's just hope it will work this time as well." She stayed where she was, didn't move away from Edwin for the moment. "Do it. I can get rid of what remains on the floor if that's neccessary." Her fingers touched the blood on her shirt and she frowned. "Edwin, or Cassie. Can one of you take us secretly to back to the house. I doubt that we should walk along the street looking as if we'd just killed several people." Which they had, but that wasn't the point. "I really don't want to have another encounter with the police at the moment." That was what counted. She had to be around, had to keep them save. Had to keep them all save. @Wyndlerunner @I think I am here. @Eluvianii