IC: Empress Hesper, Imperatrix of the Sith
Nyriaan – The Empress' Tower
As was typical, a storm was raging on the tempest-world of Nyriaan—rain lashed at the sides of the gleaming tower in which the Empress was waiting, and great claps of thunder and lightning split the sky and shook the ground. Any within the storm's path would feel its oppressiveness in the Force… it would even seem to choke out a Force user's powers.
Within, in a luxurious suite not quite at the tower's pinnacle, the Empress sat at the head of a long table laid with the victory feast for her guests of honor, who would likely be arriving at any moment. The room featured a broad floor-to-ceiling window on three of its four walls which looked out over the stormy landscape, and the polished steel-colored floor boasted the coziest, largest emerald shag rug anyone had likely ever seen. Guards and servants flanked every window and the grand door leading into the room, waiting at the ready to serve or defend, and just behind the Empress' right shoulder stood one particularly unusual-looking body guard: a woman almost as petite as the Empress, with a serious visage and long polearm clenched in one tiny hand. Her black hair was tied back in a tight knot, and she wore the elegant green robes of the Empress' personal guard. Below her gaze, the Empress sat languorously in her chair, legs crossed, golden hair slicked back from her scarred face, swirling pale violet gin and bitters in a glass in her right hand. Seemingly unruffled by the storm or the seriousness of her guard, she waited patiently for her guests.
They would be ferried down from the planet's orbital station via gondola, so as to avoid a tussle with the planet's nasty weather (which had been known to bring down even the bravest and most skilled pilots), and from the gondola they would be afforded a luxury ground shuttle to take them to the polished Empress' Tower. There would be six attendees in total: Dark Lord Kain, a formidable heavy-hitter of the Dark Council, and Knight Bril'Kairn of Lord Kain's newly-formed House; and of House Cruor, Lady Invadator, Knight Rayge, Apprentice Karros, and Acolyte Duraanir would be in attendance.
Shortly, the guests arrived at the tower and entered in through the main entry, which was flanked by rain-soaked tapestries bearing the golden sigil of the Order and brightly burning braziers. They were led in by a pair of green-clad guards, and were escorted down a hallway and onto a spacious turbolift which whisked them towards the top of the tower with such alarming speed that they would certainly feel the altitude crinkling or popping in their ears. When they reached the correct floor, the lift chimed and the doors parted to reveal a lobby, furnished with stylish chaises, side tables with golden candlesticks and potted plants, with bronzium sculptures standing proudly all throughout the room like a gallery. Passing through the lobby, the guests were then led through a drawing room furnished with clusters of seating areas for quiet conversation and decorated with sumptuous tapestries and framed paintings, before entering into an empty foyer. The grand doors to the room where the Empress waited stood proudly in this foyer, being nearly as tall as the vaulted ceiling and quite wide— and on either side stood a guard dressed in that ubiquitous green garment of the Empress' guard.
From within, a muffled voice said: "Let them in."
The guards beside the grand doorway turned to face inward and pounded their polearms on the polished floor as the doors noiselessly slid open, revealing a long dark table set for seven, the Empress lounging at its head, with golden cloches covering what certainly smelled to be a grand feast all down the table's length. Behind the tall chair the Empress sat in and the guard standing behind, the tall picture window flashed with lightning, casting all in momentary, eerie brightness. As the blinding light faded from the guests' visions, they would feel it: the oppressive, foreign sensation of the absence of the Force.
Setting down her glass, the Empress stood, revealing the lustrous loose satin gown and long velvet jacket, both of black onyx, she wore. She held wide her arms, as if to present the feast before them.
"Please," she said, "Sit. This feast is for you, our most diligent and loyal citizens of the Final Sith Order. This is in thanks for your service in helping our Empire grow." She returned to her seat and re-crossed her legs, and summoned a servant with a beckoning gesture of one slender finger. "Drinks all around for our guests," she said to him before he bowed and vanished towards a discreet door, then smiled around the table.
The feast had begun.
TAG: @Darth Kain, @Reiis Invadator, @Bril'Kairn, @Rayge, @Karros Zaruiel, @Evis Dharkar’ta
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Greetings, winners of this month's House vs. House Recruitment Competition! This is the aforementioned "mystery event" from the prize descriptions; please settle in and enjoy yourselves! Though please do be punctual with your responses, as there may be more here than meets the eye...
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Greetings, winners of this month's House vs. House Recruitment Competition! This is the aforementioned "mystery event" from the prize descriptions; please settle in and enjoy yourselves! Though please do be punctual with your responses, as there may be more here than meets the eye...