Alleyverse

The Alleyverse is free-form roleplay (FFRP) set in the titular alternate universe Alleyverse. Based on the Cosmere, the setting of the works of Brandon Sanderson, the Alleyverse contains numerous pre-existing magic systems and items.  How it came about is a mystery. Philosophers have suggested that its creation could have been by the hand of an Epic, a shard, or some other powerful being. The planet that the characters interact on resembles Earth. It has similar gravity, plate tectonics, and climate.

The official term for a denizen of the Alleyverse is a Homeless.

## Origins

The Alleyverse was the product of a collaboration of a number of existing guilds, primarily the Dark Alley. It began when they began roleplaying with each other, originally using a first-person format. By unspoken agreement, they all interacted within the same universe, a shared location built by their writing and interaction between themselves.

The community eventually built into a third-person roleplaying universe, using the pre-existing worldbuilding already established. This became Alleyverse.

## History

(This is copied almost verbatim from MacThorstenson’s post Chronicles of the Alleyverse.)

In the beginning, there were the universes. Every possible one existed separate and apart form the others. Nothing connected them except for the primordial vacuum that they floated in. This vacuum is known as the Void. It is impossible for mortals to understand the Void in its true essence. To attempt a description, I will use the metaphor that I was told once. The Void is like the alleyway between buildings, but on a inter-cosmic scale. The universes are like different buildings in a city, and the Void is like the Alleyway in between the two buildings.

There was a being who resided inside of the Void. His name is Voidus. similarly to the Void, it is impossible to understand his true form, but to try to understand him, I will use a quote from a very helpful member of the reptilian royalty. He stated that "A Voidus is pages upon pages of Epic profiles, It is a spike in the back in a dark alley. It is a slowpoke with a horriffic crab monster parasitically attached to its tail. It is, to put it simply... the void that is in all of us."

Voidus wanted one thing: to be able to push the bounds of knowledge, and sell cookies while he was at it. So he used his ability to maneuver around universes to found an organization that would accomplish these goals. They would push the bounds of the most complicated and elegant of sciences, Hemalugy, and sell the spikes in cookies. The trick was actually getting people to buy their products. The members of this organization were the People you wouldn't want to meet in a Dark Alley. The people who would stab you in the back with a spike. Those who were connected with Voidus. Who shared his purpose, his drive. They played to their advantages, selling cookies in the backs of dark alleys. This was the foundation of the organization modernly known as the Dark Alley, known as the DA for short.

To accomplish their second goal, Voidus realized that they would need a base of operations. To do this, he set up labs on the various worlds, because communication was impossible between the universes for anyone that wasn't a cosmic being. Unfortunately, these labs kept on rediscovering the wheel. They would make the same discoveries, once one on Earth discovered something, one on Nalthis would discover the same thing a week later. He realized that they needed a way to communicate, to share ideas for the progression of science. To accomplish this he founded the allies. He took some of the essence of every single universe, and wrapped around a single spike that he had stabbed through a random universe, to spike out its cosmic stability. He inserted the spike into the void, and stabbed it into it. This new found place, where bits of all the universe were connected, became the alleys. They became the  shortcuts between buildings in the cosmic city. This was to be the Head Quarters of the Dark Alley.

The Worldspike is the Hemalurgic spike that literally holds the alleyverse together. It was placed by Voidus in the beginning of the Alleyverse. There are security measures to protect it from attacks.

To cover his creation from the rest of the multiverse, Voidus created a more physical representation of the alleys. If the Alleys were the cognitive realm, subject to the perception of Voidus, or whoever needed to use them and was granted power by voidus, this was the physical realm. Subject to the physical laws of earth and the cosmere and randland (these were the universes closest to the alleyverse) it was what most would consider the normal part of the alleyverse. It was built using the alleys as a base, a foundation, which were built using the world spike.

People eventually found out about the alleyways. This physical plane was where they could safely reside. (for nondenizens, the alleyways posed a danger. Without cognitive manipulation it was nearly impossible to avoid the hordes of eldritch horrors that populated this plane.) On this physical plane, people gathered into guilds, each one with a goal. Many guilds rose to oppose the DA, but they eventually fell as they weren't strong enough. Other guilds survived for many years.

Then, the plague struck. This was known as the plague of inactivity. It destroyed many guilds, most of their members left, either to join the infected, or to escape its horrible effects. The DA was able to survive, because of the Allies, and the fact that it could always retreat to its original labs on various worlds. It was the only guild left in the wreckage.

Eventually, activity returned to the Alleyverse during the beginning of 2017, with new guilds such as the Canton of Combat, TUBA, the Ghostbloods, the Liebrary, and others. These guilds were soon embroiled in a great Guild War, and many duels and events were held during this time.

## Freeform Roleplay

As stated in Mraize's April 26 2018 post Calm Before the Storm:

* "The central defining characteristic of freeform roleplay is the lack of any central organizing body or power.
* In freeform roleplay, no one in particular calls the shots or even has the authority to call the shots.
* In freeform roleplay, all the power for shaping the fantasy world is in the hands of every individual player.
* No one person or group of people has the right or authority to decide the rules that will be followed in freeform roleplay.
* In "pure" freeform roleplay, no one can dictate what specific kind of character you play.
* The "genre" of your character will usually be determined by the nature of the community,
* However, the specifics of your character including race, personality, "alignment" and so forth are left entirely up to you.
* You aren't forced to cram your character into a specific class.
* There are still going to be restrictions on what you can do as dictated by the community standards of etiquette.
* In freeform roleplay, strong, well-developed characters are vital specifically because no central authority will be telling you what to do or where to go.
* The player will be making ALL decisions regarding your character's actions.
* Freeform roleplay no one person dictates the particulars of a setting.
* Typically, one person will start by describing the general setting and then others will pitch in, adding more and more detail.
* Plots are actually emergent phenomena that arise from IN CHARACTER interactions between different characters and different groups of characters.
* EVERYONE has a chance to contribute something to a plot.
* That is to say, everyone is allowed to make modest contributions to a story through their character.
* This isn't to say people cannot organize and 'combine their efforts' as it were into establishing a major new plot thread.
* The central concept of freeform roleplay is freedom.
* All players have equal control over events in the freeform world and in fact over the world itself.
* Everyone in freeform roleplay is both narrator and character at the same time."[1]

## Alleyvillage

The Alleyvillage is located in the Alleyverse. It is an urbanized area wherein the guilds of the Alleyverse are headquartered and their members spend their time in. It is an inexplicable city, as it is filled with a wealth of natural resources, a concentration of magic, and a lack of central governance. The city is reminiscent of Elendel in Mistborn Era 2, although remarkably modern buildings can be seen interspersed among the castles and warehouses. There are plenty of homes, filled with NPCs who live ordinary

   lives. The climate is similar to that of North America, hot in the summer and cold in the winter. The main area is similar to the national mall in Washington DC. (For more information, see Alleyvillage).

The Alleyvillage is oddly laid out, with no discernable structure. There are many alleys within the village, none of which intersect, and a Highway which connects all of them. Alleys have different levels of light, thus contributing to the names of various Guilds (most notably, Dark Alley). Some have attempted to describe the nature of the Alleyverse - however, none have succeeded.

Study of the Alleyvillage, and the Alleyverse in general, is known as Alleymatics.

## Characters

Participants in the Alleyverse (known as Homeless) create a character (usually one, known as the 'primary character'). However, it is not unusual for someone to add 'secondary characters' to back up their primary character, such as spren, companions, apprentices or heirs. NPC's, such as shopkeepers or military soldiers, may also be created.

The Alleyverse is largely dictated by common consensus, and based around the interactions of various characters. There is no official goal or end-result (although individual characters may have their own aims and ambitions). A player's aim is to develop their character. Characters determine what will happen next by how they interact with the setting an other characters, and participants rely on their writing talents and use of description to determine outcomes.

(See Joining the Alleyverse).

## Guilds

There are numerous guilds operating in the Alleyverse. Guilds are groups curated and run by Homeless, and may be joined by members. Some Guilds are completely open to new members, while others may require certain oaths or achievements from their members. Some guilds require you to only be a member of their organisation, while others allow double-guild membership.

Warring between guilds is not uncommon.

(This is not yet a complete list). In alphabetical order:

* The Canton of Combat

* The Craftsmen

* The Dark Alley

* The Ghostbloods

* The Guardians at the Gate

* Hall of Surges

* The Liebrary

* The Underground Baker's Association (TUBA)

* Sticknaughts

(A full list of guilds can be found here: Alleyverse Guilds)

## Combat

Combat in the Alleyverse is highly formalised to prevent unfairness. Characters can be killed, but it is considered rude to kill a character without the participant's permission. Similarly, 'godmodding', where a participant determines the actions of someone else's character, is completely forbidden.

As a result, most of the combat encounters in the Alleyverse take place through Duels. (See Dueling.) For each duel, the two opponents and a mediator create a separate thread and then take turns attacking each other. The mediator, an out-of-character participant, ensures the fairness of the competition and may intervene when disputes arise. Each character has a select amount of health, usually 100HP, and various attacks take off health at the mediator's discretion. The first opponent to reach 0HP or less loses.

Characters can still fight outside of duels, especially to advance the roleplay, but duels are considered the main way to settle disputes in or out of character.

## Death

Death has various consequences, depending on the discretion of both the participant in question and the consensus of community. No rules have yet been established around it, so death can be permanent, or temporary. Participants are allowed to continue to interact with the group, as long as they do so out of character.