Formal Malachor II: Mysteries in the Dark

[Darth Traya]

CLOSED RP

Location: Enroute to Malachor II


With great reluctance Darth Illium commissioned a more traditional ship to her add to her fleet. This was the maiden voyage of The Ravager II, modeled after the Centurion class ship hijacked by Darth Nihilus and held together by his will. The Ravager II, she’d requested to be exact in its design and weaponry, but scaled down to the class of a mere battleship. She couldn’t possibly fathom how to command anything larger that wasn’t Vong tech. These trappings of machinery and steel were no place for a witch. The only solace she found within its corridors was that here the fragmented spirit clinging in symbiosis found calm and silence. As though the malevolent presence was satiated.

Those who knew Illium would be shocked by the lack of gizka within the ship. Than they might began to feel an oppressive weight pressing upon their shoulders, feel their minds clouding , and sense their life energy beginning to fade. They might notice the half dead mummified beings standing blankly at the control counsels, victims to the Dark Ladies increasing hunger. Darth Illium herself stood on the bridge of the Ravager II as the battleship dropped from the hyperspace tunnel. She looked out the vast window, although she couldn’t physically see the system sprawled before her.

But she could perceive it, two planets circling a malicious sun that rippled with dark energy. Another planet was fractured into three massive asteroids, which desperately pulled toward one another, as though trying to pull themselves back into a whole. This was the Malachor system, a system rife with mystery, misery and agony. She could hear the echo before she sensed it, a wail of shrieking agony...but it’s scream in the fabric of the Force was but a whimper in comparison to the Dread barracks of Nilrebmah XIII.

Without moving her face she motioned toward a man standing beside her, a Hapan member of the Royal Guard of the Hapes Queen Mother. The man was dressed completely in black, blonde hair falling to his waist, only his elegant beskar armor gave him the impression he was a Queen's Guard. He alone seemed unaffected by the draining presence of the Queen Mother of Hapes.

“Dhe, come hither, and tell me what your eyes see.” She asked of her guardian.

“Of course, my Lady.” Bid the Hapan, in a low and reserved voice. The voice of a man who rarely speaks unless given a command to speak. He didn’t outwardly exhibit that he was a Sith Master, nor brag of his chosen Darth title. “There is one sun of normal lumosity, the dark energy is not visible but anyone with any energy sensitivity can feel it. There are two terrestrial planets, Malachor II is the smaller planet, it’s a deep emerald color with light wisps of white clouds. It’s appears to be a jungle world. Malachor III is about a quarter larger, and a deep rusted red and tan, with deep fissures visible even from this distance. The remains of Malachor V are split into three large masses, green energy crackles between them, as though they are trying to pull each other back together. They are rocky, pitted and utterly barren. A ring of space debris and bodies from the Battle of Malachor V encircles it. And yes, my Queen Mother. I can hear the echo ...distantly, muted by the actions of the Exile, but the wound still weeps. Finally everywhere I see distortions in space time...bends in gravity. Shadows etched upon the fabric of space. I know from my talents these are not tricks to my sight. This phenomenon is the natural gravitational anomalies which the Malachor system is known for.”

Illium nods, comparing his description to what she felt within the Force. “Thank you, I will summon my apprentices and brief them on the mission. Please inform the crew to prepare our shuttles.”

The Hapan guard nodded, and typed into his datapad.

Illium clicked her holoprojector and sent a message to apprentices, Spade and Reganaye Dimir. They would likely be resting in their barracks a few halls down from the bridge. “My apprentices, come forth and meet me on the bridge. We have approached our destination, a place few Sith have dared to explore.” She said briefly, and shut off the communication.


IC: Spade

Spade slept uneasily in his barrack. He was on a new mission with his Master and her other apprentice, Reagnaye Dimir. He had only spoken with her a few times, but she seemed to be wise and strategic. He was excited to be doing a mission alongside her.

Spade’s uneasiness in his room was not because of nerves. Nor was it because of a dream he was having. It was the ship itself. It felt as though he was cutoff from his clear connection with the Force, almost like a shortness of oxygen was here. It was hard to breath, and he wished nothing more than to arrive at the destination.

But aside from this, he was also excited and happy in a way. He knew that his being here was to start a new mission where he could prove himself to his Master. He had grown very fond of her teachings. Lady Illium had a way with her lessons that made him learn the lesson on his own through the events that transpired as the quest carried on.

Spade finally gave up on sleeping and sat up. He looked to his side and frowned a bit. He was told he couldn’t bring his new gizka with him, which made him a little sad. Remy was his new companion, gifted to him by his Master herself. But he wasn’t too sad about leaving him behind, as for the pressure and Force-shortness wouldn’t be a fun environment for him.

Suddenly, his comlink activated and Lady Illium appeared on the screen. She stated that they had arrived and to meet her on the bridge. He nodded as the message cut off quickly.

Spade got up and pulled on his tunic and bottoms. He then fitted himself in his new Dark Void armor, and slipped on his boots and loaded belt. He attached his blaster and new curved saber to it, looking down at his bed.

His bag lay open, revealing two other lightsabers resting on extra clothes and few other electronics. His yellow-bladed one, that he had crafted himself, and his fathers blue one, the one Spade had only used in emergencies growing up as a Cartel Hunter. The sight of it now angered him a bit after the encounter with his father on Nar Shaddaa. He shook his head, and closed the bag, flinging it onto his back, exiting his chambers.

He arrived at the bridge soon after and saw Lady Illium standing there with a man he had not met before. He had very long blonde hair and very exquisite armor. He reached his Master and bowed deeply.

“Good day, Master Illium,” he said, as he rose back up. His eyes flickered at the window, as he noticed the small emerald planet, with a light ring surrounding it. His eyes quickly darted back to his Master, as he awaited her mission briefing.

IC: Dimir

Reagnaye had slept as peacefully as her fellow apprentice, not due to restless dreams but of visions..... visions of the past coming to haunt her, something that has always and might forever hover over the Sephi. Yet that is not the only thing that weighed on the young apprentice, her back still stung from the mark formation and the bandages were changed every so often.

Hearing a message that would request that they were needed at the bridge, the apprentice slowly sat up to groan from the sudden movement and sighed. The pain was there to remind her who was alive and who wasn't, thus she was grateful in some way. But to know that it wasn't just her needed was a bit of a surprise, she hadn't yet met her fellow apprentice and in all honesty, the Sephi was curious to get such a chance to work along side him.

So she began to get ready, tying up her silver locks into a soft curled bun and washed her face as to begin her process. A cleaned form equals a ready form and she desired to look presentable in some sense for her mistress and comrade in Illium's teachings. When that was all said and done, she went about to put on her dark robings that hugged her form well enough before heading over to the bridge as to stand next to Spade, bowed down for their mistress and stood back up. "Mistress.... Y-you beckoned us?"

GM Update

The apprentices would notice more and more of the half drained victims of the crew, as they progressed meet their Master at the bridge. The victims possed eyes either torn out from sockets or devoid of all life and vigor, their skin shriveled and dry. When the apprentices knelt before their master one half drained crew member reached out to grab Dimir’s shoulder, his shrunken hands digging into the Sephi’s slender shoulder “The Queen….She….she’s infected...she’ll….”

Illium didn’t allow the half consumed being to continue speaking and flung it from her apprentice with a telekinetic hurl. “The victim speaks truly, I just didn’t wish to hear his raving. My arrival here is not a mere coincidence, I have deep ties to the Malachor system, especially with Malachor V. To be fair the ties are not wholly mine, but belong to the infection the victim was raving about, but I think of it more as symbiosis. A fragment of Darth Nihilus spirit lives within me, forcing me to crave energy...and to uncover his story. I know his name...his area of origin...his motives...his legacy...and now I have come here in search for what my part is in this story. If I have one at all. Was it just a chance connection that I was infected, or was it predetermined? That is what I hope to uncover here. Malachor V cannot speak it’s secrets, but I have reason to believe Malachor II holds many forgotten secrets.” Illium explained moving to regard her apprentices.

She motioned for her royal guard, the Hapan in gleaming armor, with a black cape draping to the ground. “This is Dhe Ta’ Dlav, a Sith Master, and my most trusted royal guard, and overseer of Hapan - Dathomirian Intelligence. Dathomir and Hapes are within the same political Sphere, as I have taken the throne of Dathomir, I Am also Queen Mother of Hapes. Shortly after swearing his loyalty to me, Dhe sent a scouting team to Malachor II. They never returned but their reports before the anomaly held much promise.”

She nodded for her guardian to speak,
his tone was low and reserved. The voice of a man not accustomed to speaking unless he must speak. “ The scanner report there is a plethora of life forms on Malachor II, but no concentrated population. No star ports, no cities or known villages. There is but a singular antiquated communications tower...and it’s subject to….anomomies. A temple is located on the surface. No indication of it was built by Sith or Jedi...or something else. That temple is our ultimate destination. The knowledge the Queen Mother sees is something she glimpses within the Force. I don’t have that particular power, as I am not a sorcerer, nonetheless the Queen Mother desires exploration of the communications tower, and the temple. Do you feel your up to these tasks, young ones?” the Hapan guard propted.

Darth Illium turned back to the viewing window, sensing her ship sliding past the ruins of Malachor V and edging closer to Malachor II. She also sensed a wave of darkness stretching its tendrils across the vast reaches of space. She smiled bitterly, all was going according to plan.


GM update for new player:

In an abandoned sector of the ship, in which only mummified corpses remained of the helpless crew, sat one being still quite full of life. A copper skinned togrunta in dark robes, seemingly unfazed by the death that encircled her, encircled instead by piles of decaying books entrapping ancient lore beneath musty pages. Perhaps memories of her final task under Darth Illium’s apprenticeship danced across her mind, perhaps memories of the rigors is Kaggath, or the gauntlet of ascension dwelled within her thoughts, but none of these were privy to Illium.

The newly elected Dark Councillors eyes opened as she felt a presence approaching within the Force, but heard no footsteps and sensed no vibrations within her montrals. One eye was shouldering amber, typical of her species, the second was gleaming purple, due to a Lorridan precognitive crystal implanted within the eye. The Togrunta shifted her head to regard the illusion of her former Master, as it was clearly an illusion sense Illium didn’t bother to create the illusion of sound as she approached.

Her voice was hardly above a soft whisper although none lingered in these chambers that might have leaked information. “Perhaps you have sensed the nature of the mission I have asked of my apprentices, and my royal guardian. But what none of them know is that I have lied to them. I will not by accompanying them on the journey…my path diverts from theirs, as they will soon find out. I would ask, my most worthy of former apprentices...that you protect my new generation if you deem them worthy Sith. I am sending my guard Dhe Ta Dalv to spearhead the mission, but I do not trust him, with good reason. He was sent to assassinate me...a common occurrence to those on the Hapan throne. He came very close to killing me, only my prowess of the mind broke him. He swore an oath to protect me, and while I feel no lie within his mind as of now…when that oath is tested by the rigors of Malachor II, I don’t know where his true loyalty lies. This is my mission to you…protect my students from their leader. Do you wish you accept this duty?”


IC: Darth Noxia


Aalihya shifted her attention to the illusion of her former master. “Hail Lady Illium,” she said feeling the desire to properly greet even the illusion of a Dark Councilor. The togruta stood, her armorweave robes falling into place around her slender form. She folded her hands behind her back as she listened to the Dark Lady’s instructions.

A wry smirk graced her lips at Lady Illium’s deception. “I accept the mission, my lady. I will accompany your apprentices,” she said finding the mission an interesting endeavor. “And I will keep my eye on the Hapan.” Aalihya had no congeniality for one who would attempt to do Lady Illium harm. She would watch him closely, though she new that keeping her attitude civil would be important to the success of the mission.

As she made her vow, she stretched her fingers to the floor where her lightsaber lay, the sleek metal picking up small reflections in the dim light. The weapon flew up, resting itself in her hand before she placed it on her belt. She bowed to the Dark Lady.

IC: Spade


Spade watched as Reagnaye joined him at the bridge. He nodded as she arrived and turned back to his master. There was a lot more death and decay that he had previously realized. A lot of the crew were basically dead, only living through slavery to Master Illium and the Force itself it seemed.

Suddenly, one of the shipmates grabbed Dimir’s arm, which made Spade suddenly jump up. He didn’t like this “thing” grabbing on to his new partner. His hand quickly reached for his saber, but Lady Illium was much faster. She flung him across the area and into a wall with a loud “thud.” Spade watched it fly into the wall and smiled. He loved how his master was so quick-witted.

The focus came back to the mission as hand. Lady Illium explained the mission and her ties to Malachor and also Dathomir. Is the studying her had been doing on his master. He had read some about her upbringing there, and wished to someday visit the planet.

She spoke of her companion on this mission, Sith Master Dhe Ta’ Dlav, and his involvement in the mission. As he now described what the quest entailed, Spade realized something. After the Hapen man had finished, Spade spoke up.

“Wait, Master Illium? Are you not coming with us?” he asked, slightly disappointed. He was excited for her presence on the mission, so he had more chances to prove himself. He awaited her reply, quickly looking over at Dimir, who also seemed swept up in to the details of the mission.


Tags: @SpadeDecrescent @Reagnaye Dimir @DarthNoxia

 

[Darth Traya]

GM Update

Darth Illium tenses as her apprentice notes her will. “I have another matter to see to. My path diverges, but the mission remains the same. The Force has lead us here for many reasons….mine is manifesting ...now.” She states bluntly.

Illium is utterly calm when she feels the trappings of metal seize in the grips of an anomaly. A distortion of gravity, a ripple within the space time of the galaxy. The Malachor system is plagued with such anomalies, gravity wells, shadows, ripples, tears and and distortions strong enough to pull apart the fabric of the Universe. Many cultures forbid the system, erased it from the galactic maps. Only fools dared navigate the erratic space of Malachor, Illium was well aware of that. But she possessed something that one of the greatest of Sith to have emerged from this system possessed. Dark Sight; the talent to see destiny and bend it to her will. That fate wasn’t always exactly the outcome one hoped for, but with Shatterpoint, the results could topple more easily in her favor. If only she could find the fracture point.

Total darkness enclosed the ship. The Hapan tensed, clearly disoriented by the sudden blackness, but he wasn’t not as disabled in darkness as most of his species. In fact most of his powers stemmed from hiding in the shadows,
casting darkness. But this wasn’t no mere play of light and shadow, the darkness he felt was complete, undiluted. He could only think of it as Darkness, the crushing void between the stars.

Even the glow of the controls faded under the weight of the Darkness that swallowed the Ravager II. The shrieking siren of klaxons begin to blare. “Proximity alert! My Lady, we are in pull of...a gravity well?” cries a crew member feebly, unable to process the pressing crush of shadows that surrounded them.

“No ...no” Dhe’s low voice whispered below the screaming of the sirens. “This is something…different. A rift ...my Lady! Gravity distorts more than just a ship...it distorts the fabric of space-time…” Helplessly the Hapan’s guard’s hands fell to an elegant blaster at his hip, as if the use of weaponry was the answer to the problem facing them.

“Let it come….all is proceeding as I have
foreseen.” Illium whispered and allowed her mind to become immersed in the Force.

The Hapan guard pulls his blaster into his hands and aims it at the Miraluka witches head.

The Ravager II began groaning ominously, steel rivets burst from their moorings. Deep within the ship Illium’s illusion to her former apprentice began to flicker; the witches undivided attention was needed for the next task at hand. “Hurry to the bridge and meet the others….the next few moments are critical to this mission. I need absolute concentration.” the illusion bid the Torgrunta before fading into a shimmer that was also consumed by the darkness that enslaves the ship.

Ideal Response Date: Jan 2

Tag: @SpadeDecrescent @Reagnaye Dimir @DarthNoxia

 

[Reagnaye Dimir]

So much is happening in so little time, and she is to abide by all this. Reagnaye shall have faith that the souls withering away into a husk of their former selves is a matter that is needed, she shall have faith that it was to be and never question her mistress...... Right? In all matters of the subject, the Sephi was trying to keep herself in check, driving herself to be more than what she was and in that aspect, a better apprentice.

But the way the man grabbed her shoulder, she couldn't possibly show indifference and yelped in fright from both the suddenness and the sight before her. And what's worse was the fact that she couldn't do anything about their pained wailing or lifeless hopes. As the man was thrown away, Reagnaye gave in to a small gulp and bowed her head once more. The thought of her mistress being infected frightened her and was about to speak of seeking medical assistance, that is what you do when you're sick.... Right? There was much she didn't know about her mistress but never had she suspected to be a queen as well as infected in the manner of an older Sith. She was.... Connected to Darth Nihilus? Her heart began to beat faster, the force is strong and in many ways, incomprehensible and thr Sephi grew to only love it as well fear it. Can such a powerful master of old come back in such a haunting fashion? Too many questions and yet more matters to be done and worry about......

 

[SpadeDecrescent]

Spade was saddened hearing that his Master would be absent from the mission at hand. He wasn’t sure why, but he didn’t trust her guard, Dhe Ta’ Dlav. He had a look about him that made him feel like he had tried to kill people close to Lady Illium. Or maybe even her herself. Spade shook his head slightly, pushing out the thoughts. If his Master trusted him, he ought to as well. Spade listened on as his Master continued.

Suddenly, everything changes. At first, Spade is oblivious to what is happening, only thinking of ship turbulence due to rock fragments or gravitational pulls, but it’s much more. The ships groans, and the crew began to looked worried. He turns his attention back to his Master, who looks utterly calm in all of this. He closed his eyes for a moment and slows his breathing, which apparently had quickened a bit during the unease.

He opens his eyes again, only to find it the same. Darkness. It was as if space itself had spilt into the ship. He looked around, and could barely just make out the figures standing around him. He backed up a bit and bumped into Dimir. Startled, he reaches down quickly to grab his lightsaber, but miscalculates his motion and grabs her hand.

“Ah! Sorry!” he says, letting go immediately. Spade feels his face turn red, and quickly turns away, facing the direction of his Master again. His hand now rests on his belt, near his saber.

As if a tear through the ships panic, Lady Illium’s voice rings out, saying that all was happening as foreseen. Spade’s mind went back to the report he did on his Master. He had researched a power she possessed called Darksight. While he couldn’t find much, he knew that she was able to peak into the future at certain moments. She must have seen this coming and prepared herself for it.

Spade shuts his eyes again. This time, it as a way to cut off his vision, but more of a way to reach deep down inside. Maybe he too could sense what was happening if he just focused. Not soon after he began to concentrate, an image of Hezier formed in his mind.

“Oh great, you again,” Spade said internally. He wasn’t really in the mood to see this former Sith in his thoughts right now.

“Oh I missed you too, Spade. But enough pleasantries. You need to get out of there now. That ship is coming down fast,” replied Hezier, sounding a bit more worried than usual.

“No need. I trust my Master and her vision. If this is what she foresaw, than I have nothing to worry about. She wouldn’t have gone through with the mission if we were all just going to die.”

“Your ‘Master’ could be wrong, ya know. As someone who spent years trying to look into the future, I can assure you it is ever changing and almost impossible to foresee perfectly,” he replied, his image flickering. It almost seemed like there was interference, like on a holostream.

“What do you mean?”

“Well, take our situation for example. I foresaw you becoming a Sith under my reign. But as you can see, I am gone from the mortal world, and you are under the tutelage of someone else. And yet we are still connected somehow.”

Spade thought on this. Well, he wasn’t wrong. The situation did play out strangely, but in a way that didn’t make his vision completely wrong about him. But nevertheless, he trust his Master much more than some deceased Council traitor.

“Thanks for the concern, Hezier, but I think I’ll be going.”

Spade felt himself almost manifest in front of Hezier’s image. He reached a mental hand out, pushing Hezier away. He flew back and disappeared with a loud sigh, almost as if he was annoyed by the situation.

Spade came to, and opened his eyes. His vision had adjusted a bit from the closing and he could make out Lady Illium, the guard Dhe, and Dimir again. His hand still rested on his belt, near his hilt as he watched his Master, waiting for her next move.

 

[DarthNoxia]

The lights around the room flickered with a zap and a hum. Then, they went black. Noxia looked around above her, wondering about the possibility of electrical failure when the image of her former master began to flicker as well. Noxia’s eyes narrowed. Something was wrong. She allowed her montrals to take over, sensing the environment around her rather than relying on sight. She left the room to quickly make her way to the bridge at the beckoning of Lady Illium.

The Dark Lady found her way to the bridge not without a bit of difficulty. She walked towards the signature of Lady Illium surrounded by her apprentices and the Hapans.

“Greetings,” said the togruta. “It seems we have a situation.”

She watched the last bits of light fade as the ship was being pulled into the blackness of...whatever it was. She looked out the front window into the void. That was certainly not good. Noxia sensed tension coming from the two apprentices, Dimir moreso than Spade. She seemed outright nervous. She scanned the area noting the signatures of the lifeless crew, and...the Hapan. The togruta’s head spun towards him as her montrals sensed his arm come up and the low hum of a device in his hand. She breathed in sharply and her hand went for her lightsaber...

 

[Dhe Ta’ Dalv]

Character Sheet Resource

Name: Dhe Ta’ Dalv (Darth Xinnil)


Species: Hapan


Class: Assassin


Rank: Sith Master


Occupation: The Queen Mother’s Guard, formerly bounty hunter


Age: 27


Appearance: 6’3. 180 lbs, Stark pale skin that due to a genetic mutation burns easily in the sunlight. To counter this he wears dark clothing, and a wide brimmed hat to shield his skin. Long, white blonde hair. Grey eyes, chiseled facial features common to those of Hapan decent.


Weapons: Songsteel long sword, very slender, over 4 feet in length, worn strapped across his back. Edge coated with hemotoxic poison. Alchemed to absorb basic Force attacks and resist shattering.


Standard Red Lightsaber which he does not wield. Kept for sentimentality.


Throwing daggers


Gun of Command


Equipment: Beskar armor. Stealth generator belt. Smoke bombs. Flash Bombs. Thermal Detonators. Adhesive Grenades.


Enchanted Sapphire necklace which acts as an EMP scrambler.


Enchanted ruby ring which renders him immune to Force consuming powers below Hunger, a gift from Darth Illium, unknown to him this ring also keeps his mind loyal to Darth Illium.


History: Dhe was born not only in to the genoicide and murder that comes with being a noble family of Hapes, but with a crippling genetic mutilation that burns his skin when exposed to sunlight, in a world where there is constant light. However to compensate for this mutation he does possess better night vision than most Hapans, comparable to that of a human. He exhibited Force sensitivity early in life, his gifts being manipulation of shadow to shield his skin. To survive he had to learn how to kill at a young age, to live in the wilds, and how to escape the confines of Consortium by joining the raiders. After several years of studying the art of the kill among criminal raiders he turned to the Sith Empire to master his force power, and studied under the tutelage of a Master Assassin who taught him how to manipulate the darkness and twist space to his demands. He later killed the Sith Master, as per his request. After this training he withdrew largely from the Empire and took on bounty work. He did this not out of any distaste for the Sith, but rather to lay in wait for the correct targets that would threaten or expand the Empire. When word reached him that a new Queen mother sat the throne of Hapes he returned to the cluster he so loathed and swore to kill the new reging Queen Mother, but after a short confrontation with the Dark Lady of the Sith, Darth Illium, he was bested in battle and instead swore his loyalty to her, and took his place among the Queens guard.


Personality: Dhe outwardly portrays himself as the typical silent calculating assassin, however he possesses a strong sense of loyalty and honor. He speaks very little, and betrays little emotion to others, and thus is often seen as cold, detached and calculating. Only the Queen Mother of Hapes knows there is warmth and charm to him. He is known to use his beauty and charm to get closer to his targets but in all cases, it’s merely to manipulate them into becoming close and exposing a weakness. He is not a man to give into lusts of the flesh, money or substance, but his superior talents in bounty hunting have left him quite wealthy. He keeps his passions guarded, and his strength silent.


Abilities: Master manipulator of shadows and darkness, as well as talented in the manipulation of space time. He prefers jumping and surprise attacks, and is also masterful at hand to hand combat.

Skills:

Force Stealth: 3

Telekinesis: 3

Mind Trick: 3

Spear of Midnight Black: 3

Fold Space: 3

Force Defense: 3

Phase: 2

Force Speed: 2

Force Jump: 2

Umbrakinesis: 2

Waves of Darkness: 2

 

[Dhe Ta’ Dalv]

Darkness...the natural enemy of a Hapan. Even twilight on most planets outside the Consortium was said to render a Hapan helplessly blind. But Dhe’s birth granted him both gifts and curses. The gift allowed him the ability to see within the darkness about as well a human, as well as natural talent in bending it to his whim. The curse was that even a single ray of terrestrial sunlight caused his skin to blister and peel as if exposed too long to an open flame. As a result, he fled the eternal light of Hapes as soon as he could fend for himself, and made his home in the darkness of space; in cold ships,empty tombs, secluded cloisters. He could combat this hypersensitivity to light with layers of dark clothing, but he much preferred the emptiness of space for his comfort.


He knew darkness and shadow, as he twisted them to enshroud his form. The path of the assassin was only natural to him, he didn’t need to hide in shadow to strike, as he lived forever in the shadows. The shadows were his home.


But not this Darkness that consumed the Queens ship. This was something profane, something repulsive. He knew from his astronativiagtional studies that it was a gravitational rift, an anomaly within the fabric of the Universe that could not only rip even the mightiest of ships into scrap...but fling them into time...possibly into the future, intro a sliver of the past, or a hellish alternate dimension...if anyone lived. He’d heard only drunken Cantina tales of those who survived gravitational anomalies, mere fantasies. There was a reason Revan used these mass shadows and gravitational anomalies to crush the Mandalorians eons ago.


Dhe’s pale fingers tightened on the gleaming weapon with his hand; a gun of command, a precious treasure outside the Consortium but more common among the Hapan royal guard. The weapon wouldn’t fire a traditional

bolt, but rather would release an electromagnetic field that disabled the thought processes of the victim, and make them subsestable to any command. Dhe could not allow the Queen Mother to proceed with whatever arcane sorcery she was immersing herself in….


He heard the agile footsteps of another...a togrunta female obviously from what his senses felt of her , but her name he did not recall, as for several years he did not serve the Empire, and served only himself. He heard the brush of her fingers against her lightsaber. The Sith Master acted swiftly, he could not see the Togrunta, but he could hear her, feel her presence in the Force. Swiftly he stepped to the side to make himself less of a target should the lightsaber swing, from his left hand a slender throwing dagger flies toward Lady Illium’s left shoulder, while he turns the gun of command to the Togrunta and begins to pull the trigger, hoping the expected wave of electromagnetic energy would addle her brain and make her subject to his commands. He needed the Queen Mother distracted...and he needed no resistance from the apprentices or whatever else might break his efforts. It didn’t appear like it...but his actions could save them all.

Tags: @DarthNoxia and if the others wish to join in this fight you may indeed!

 

[DarthNoxia]

Name: Darth Noxia Dark Lady of the Sith (formerly Aalihya Savruu)

Age: 26

Sex: Female

Species: Togruta

Homeworld: Shili/Nothoiin

Rank: Dark Lady of the Sith

Class: Sorcerer

House: Dreadwar

Physical description: Aalihya is 5’6 with a slender build. She has copper skin with white body markings. One eye is amber, and the other is a luminescent violet due to the implantation of a lorrdian crystal shard. She is missing half of her right headtail and has scars covering her back and arms, as well as a series of small scars over her right eye. She also has a large scar on down a section of her leg where her slave transmitter was cut out.

Personality: When she first came to Korriban, Aalihya was quiet and reserved. Through her training and interactions with others, Aalihya is open and always ready for a challenge. She has a deep respect for the hierarchy of the Empire. As a product of her upbringing, Aalihya is quick to anger, but internalizes it most of the time. She has a natural curiosity and a desire for knowledge.

Abilities:
-“Echolocation/sonar,”increased ability to metabolize toxins, and reflective eyes to aid nocturnal vision (all are natural to the Togruta race).
-Basic piloting skills (from time with smugglers)
-Knowledge of ores and gems (from time as a slave in mines).
- Basic working knowledge of long-range weapons through sniper training with Lord Xxys.
- Precognition (can only be used when observing someone) via Lorrdian crystal shard placed in her right eye by Lord Cruor.

Clothing: Usually hooded robes of armorweave. (general style depicted in character image), cortosis bracers and pauldrons.

Weapons: Dual-phase lightsaber, lightwhip, wrist-mounted lanvarok, vibroblade.

Equipment: Datapad, wrist com, deathhammer blaster pistol, blaster repair kit, binder cuffs, syntherope, med kit, smoke grenades, miniature crate of raw diamonds, YT-1930 transport “Serpentine,”

Other Items:
Pentacle medallion- will counter and reflect a spell, allotted as 4 pts, back to the user (can be used once in this way) After the initial use, the medallion will counter and reflect spells with an allotment equal to the wearer’s force defense skill. It can be used once per duel or three times during a keggath-style duel. (given by Lord Xxys and Lady Illium)

Biography:
Aalihya’s family was murdered by slavers when she was five years old. She was abducted and taken to a labor processing facility where she spent the next two years of her life living in squalor, waiting to be purchased. She was finally sold to a diamond mining operation on Nothoiin where she was tasked with manual labor. Upon realizing Aalihya’s propensity to use the force, she was abused physically and psychologically. This coercion influenced her to use her force powers for the benefit of her owners.

When she was 20, Aalihya was stolen by pirates, who cut out her transmitter and used her to benefit their operation. Her ability to use the force grew as her anger and hatred of her captors and herself intensified. Aalihya’s continued to feel the lure of the dark side, and eventually killed her captors and took their YT-1930 back to Nothoiin to destroy her former masters and their mining operation. She then set off, gathering information until she learned of the Academy on Korriban. She spent the next year in study of the Sith, serving the ranks of the academy until finally joining herself.


Level 8
Skills:
Telekinesis 4
Force lightning: 3
Force defense 4
Mind trick 3
Force drain 2
Force slow 4
Shatterpoint 4
Tsaiwinokka Hyakut 4
Odojinya 2

 

[DarthNoxia]

Noxia's focus was on the Hapan. Her left eye shown a luminescent violet and she could see the wave of energy before it even left the barrel. She focused on the dark side of the Force and a field of transparent protective energy surrounded her.

Quickly, she thrust out her hand towards her former master, hoping the force would knock the Miraluka away from the dagger's path and alert her to the danger "Get down!" She called out.

Another assassination attempt? He clearly wouldn't stop until the Dark Lady was dead. Noxia still felt a strong sense of loyalty for Lady Illium and would destroy the Hapan for this offense.

With a hiss and crackle, the red-violet blade of Noxia's lightsaber extended and the togruta jumped into the air, bringing herself down directly in front of the Hapan. She swung the blade at his wrists.

"Hard to use a blaster with no hands," She said with a smirk as the blade made its way down.

She looked back for a brief moment to see the apprentices standing to the side. She extended her hand again to force push them to the side. If they wouldn't fight they would get killed, or worse, they would get in the way and risk everyone else.

The darkness was enough of a hinderance. For Noxia, her extrasensory abilities were sufficient and she knew that Lady Illium would have no problem as well However, she didn't want to risk the apprentices that she new she would need for the mission. She had given her word to protect them, after all.

 

[SpadeDecrescent]

Everything happened at once. Spade’s vision had indeed come to, but the darkness still played tricks. As if out of thin air, Darth Noxia, formerly known to him as Knight Aaliya, appeared out of nowhere! Spade audibly gasped, surprising himself. He wasn’t one to be startled, but it was literally as if she manifested.

Then he sensed it. Danger. The Hapan guard was doing something, but what? Suddenly, Darth Noxia yelled out towards Lady Illium.

“Get down!” her voice called out. Her blade crackled to life and glowed brightly through the darkness. She swung down at the Sith Master Dhe. Darth Noxia spoke as she did, but the words didn’t form in Spade’s mind. His vision began to cloud. What was going on?

Spade reached out, trying to find Dimir. He hands fanned at nothing but air. He turned his head and didn’t see her. He looked back and saw only Darth Noxia looking at him. He opened his mouth to talk, but no words came out. He felt drained, as if life was getting pulled out of him bit by bit. He then felt a hard push against him, and he fell back hard. He hit against the wall behind him, and slid down landing on his side, the wind knocked out of him. He sat up slowly, still feeling drained.

What was happening? Was this part of Lady Illium’s vision? He felt his mind clouding more, almost as if it was being torn away from him. Was this what madness felt like? Spade’s eyes danced around his sockets, looking around wildly. Vision growing blurry, his sight only picked up shapes in the darkness. The only thing that stood true in the shroud of black was Darth Noxia’s saber.

 

[Dhe Ta’ Dalv]

IC: Dhe

The Torgunta was unprecedentedly fast, and defending herself from the mind bending electromagnetic energy of his gun of command before he could finish pulling the trigger. The energy dissipated harmlessly, as it could be countered with the use of the Force and was better suited to those whose minds were caught off guard. He’d misjudged this one.

Her lightsaber ignited with a snap hiss and she leapt and swooped down toward his hand...perhaps for a second the Torgunta asslant might be granted with the image of her lightsaber meeting its mark...merely a brief illusion meant to confuse and distract her. The Hapan himself had immersed himself into the fabric of time space, grasped the edges within the clutches of his mind and twisted it. His physical form teleported some three feet away and behind from attacker. With a soft scrape of blade leaving the sheath; he pulled free his elegant long sword; a thin, flexible and valuable blade infused with enchantments that he’d committed vast sacrifices to enact. He replaced the gun of command at his hip and crouched as if about to spring. He kept his wits calm and collected; folding space was no easy task. He must be wary of exhausting himself. He relied on the help of the waves of shadows to help keep him concealed. He pulled them closer to his form, to mask his presence even further from the attacker.

He glanced at the last known location of the apprentices, the glow of the saber able cast the barest glow of light for him to make the faintest trace. The woman had hardly moved...the male confused and paralyzed within the shadow. Neither were instant threats but he knew better than to underestimate any threat.

Then he felt a curious sensation ...a dagger….one of his own piercing him in the shoulder . He was quite used to pain, and keeping his senses controlled even when in duress. What he did not understand was where the dagger had come from. He shifted his shoulder, and didn’t feel a blade physically there, nor did he smell blood, but the pain was radiant.

“What the kriff is going on?” he thought silently.

Powers Used: Mind Trick, Fold Space, Umbrakinis

(Update 1 of 2)

Tag: @DarthNoxia

 

[Darth Traya]

IC: Illium

Illium senses the commotion behind her...but they are but distant echoes of a world in which she is only connected to by a physical body. Her true consciousness is within the gravitational anomaly, the oppressive Darkness, a Phantom cast out into the emptiness of space.

“Get down!” she hears from lightyears away. Her body is unflinching, unable to command her physical form. Even when the tug of the Force upon the flying dagger fails to meet its target….even when the dagger finds its target and punctures her right shoulder….she doesn’t flinch. She cannot afford the slightest failure. Like the dagger, she had only one stab at this moment; one way to fulfill the outcome she’d Seen.

Distantly she sensed the Hapan flinch with the same pain he’d inflicted upon her. Well, that was curious, but nothing that demanded her attention. She would not break from the sea of darkness.

Illium waded through each rippling wave…its was an ocean...a tar pit… the vile clutches of Mnggal-Mnggal...she should have been screaming and writhing, but submission to such panic would make her a pathetic sorcerer of Rhand. She cast aside panic: she possesses to many unanswered questions...She searched the wave of shadow until the vibration she’d felt in her precogniation was laid bare.

A weakness within the gravitational wave, within the fabric of space time….

She chanted, and gathered Dark Energy within her palm...Entropy. The gift of the Darkness. She’d been consuming all she could until the rot began to appear on her flesh, until her bones began to ache and muscles started to wither. The drained bodies on her dead ship gave evidence to that, she’d been saving her energy for this singular moment.

Illium flung out her hand from the inky depths and hurled a wave of entropy at the shatterpoint.

Her physical form aboard the Ravager 2 remained utterly still, blood trickling down her shoulder. Unresponsive to the events surrounding her. Momentarily, all would be revealed. The flesh of her exposed face split down the right side of her cheek, crawled down to her neck and shoulder...a crack filled not with blood, but with decayed flesh. The flesh of her arms shrank as if mummified. The abysmal price one must pay for practicing the darkest arts of the Rhandites.

Powers Used: Force Phantom, Shatterpoint, Darkshear

(Update 2 of 2)
Ideal response date: February 17th
Tags: @DarthNoxia @SpadeDecrescent

 

[Darth Traya]

**Update for new player**

Location: Malachor II, bunker below the Corroded Angel communication tower.


Metus; ever the proactive acolyte signed up weeks ago for a mission to an uncharted planet posted across the holonet. Anyone from technicians,scientists, mechanics, scouts, troopers and even acolytes were welcome to join the crew gathering on Hapes,bound for a planet undisclosed to the eager sign ups.

Days before the mission departed Metus was chosen as an apprentice by Darth Illium; shown mind twisting visions in a cursed mirror on Hapes; and then bid to go and join the mission he’d signed up for; “It is, in truth my mission.My apprentice, I foresee many things at the destination. Go on and in the coming weeks, your training will commence there.” She’d spoken dreamily, as if not completely conscious.

Upon arrival at this remote system of legend, Metus might have been shocked to emerge from hyperspace so close to an ancient pivotal battle. A pair of quadnocs could even see the twisted remains of ships that orbited the shattered remains of Malachor V. There millions had died in a single battle, a crippling blow orchestrated by Revan. And three Siths of legend rose from the ruins.

The ship however were bound for Malachor II, a near uncharted jungle world with a thin dark ring system encircling it’s orb.

The first few days upon Malachor II were uneventful, apart from the crew setting up camp, scouting ahead and recording data. There wasn’t much for Metus to do, save for menial work in organizing a camp. The planet was a sprawling, untamed jungle; which teamed with life but none of the species could be identified save for the gizka that hopped off the ship. Yet the usual ecosystem of mammals, reptiles, birds, fish and insects were recognizable, even in alien forms. The swollen sun pressed its heat upon the explorers relentlessly; in the hundred scouted miles the only piece of technology found was a badly corroded electrical tower that pierced high into the sky, built around the structure was a rusted state of what appeared to be an angel, but it’s face was lowered with a hood veiling it’s features. The tower ran a weak power current down to bunker below, many complex machines were crammed into the bunker but each was utterly dead. Only a singular astro navigational map functioned, there wasn’t hope for enough power to install any lasting form of air conditioning. The days lasted approximately 15 hours...

The nights however were vastly different….the nights fell with a brutal frozen hand, and every single leaf, vine, frond, and flower appeared to have evolved mechanisms to curl up and hide from the relentless cold within their host plants.Ponds, rivers, and streams froze solid, the moisture of the daylight cycle froze into immense icicles which drapped from the countless trees barren of their canopies. There was no sound save for the cracking of ice, no packs of animals howling, no chirping of insects. The silence was as oppressive as the cold. It was a bleak, frigid world with only artificial light of the crew to pierce the inky blackness, as the planet possessed no moon. But when one looked up at the night sky, the world was granted with a gorgeous view of the stars; the glow of distant nebula, the dusty spiral arm of the galaxy painting the emptiness a light violet and blue. Even Malachor V, in its sundered form and ring of debris was beautiful. From this distance the shattered planet was visible only as three tiny sickly glowing fractures, glitters of ancient space debris sometimes catching the light of the sun.


The brutal nights lasted 24 hours, and there was no lasting artificial warmth to be found save for fires. It was then that the team began to disappear….at first just an acolyte or lowly tech….and then upwards of 20 would begin to disappear from the crew of 200 with the passing nights. The predator was as silent as the planet, a surge of shadow that emerged from the trees… from the Corroded Angel...and from anything that cast a shadow in the manufactured light. Shadows grasped their victims and pulled them off into the wilderness,
for a brief second only their screams of horror were heard, before they to were suffocated by silence

Metus learned to bear the cold nights, devoid of fire.

Distress signals were transmitted frantically to Hapes; pleading for rescue...but the Corroded Angel lacked the ability to transmit.

A handful of messages and information could be transmitted via personal communications, but with nightfall the crew would find In abject horror that their own datapads and comlinks were rusted as if exposed to the elements for decades.

And in groups, they vanished until Metus alone was left alive on the unforgiving alien world, where the days were a burden, and the nights lethal. A single generator was left untouched by the unnatural rust; weapons and rations were left discarded by the crew. Here, in solitude and wary of his own shadow, Metus would be forced to survive; his only solace the functioning astro navigational map within the bunker under the Corroded Angel.

In the dead of night four weeks from his departure ; he happened to find a new blip on the map. A battle cruiser of ancient design; but Metus did not need any further evidence that at last his Master was arriving.

It was a hope that lasted for ten minutes….ten minutes until the second anomaly that plagued Malachor II. The planet shuttered in a all consuming quake, and the atmosphere crackled and screeched, eerie glows of electric blue and emerald greens rippled through the sky. It was as if the planet itself were shrieking in agony.

They were gravitational anomalies; waves, wells and shadows that barraged the system. The origin was unknown but the team was certain the planet had to be artificially shielded to withstand such devastating assaults.

Metus, felt a measure of safety within the bunker; despite the planetary quakes and the sounds of countless sheets of ice splitting free; the tower and bunker never sustained damage.

The gravitational wave displayed on the screen, a primitive jumble of ancient pixels, that glanced Malachor II and headed directly for his Masters ship. Once the wave passed….his Master's ship was gone. Erased from the map as if removed from existence.


Tags: @Metus
Ideal Response Time : Feb 18

 

[DarthNoxia]

IC: Darth Noxia
Location: The Ravager II, Enroute to Malachor II

The red-violet glow of her lightsaber trailed through the air as Noxia brought it down upon the Hapan. It made contact, but then, he vanished. For a brief moment, the togruta was cought off guard. Was he an illusion? Her attention was drawn instantly to her former master as Lady Illium reached far into the void with her mind.

She was still, but her force presence felt...odd. Noxia quickly rushed to her side only to see the dagger in her shoulder by the light of her lightsaber. Blood was trailing from the wound down the Dark Lady's arm, yet she gave no sign that she even felt it. no reaction. What was going on?

Noxia reached out to shake her master out of her trance, but before her hand made contact, the skin of Illium's face began to slough off as if it was melting. The togruta staggered back. Then she saw her arms begin to wither. Entropy.

Immediately, Noxia began to look around. She could feel Spade's vibrations as he sat, dazed on the floor. She looked around again and began to move cautiosly around the bridge, allowing her senses to guide her as she slowly moved through the blacknees of the bridge.

 

[SpadeDecrescent]

Spade sat, waiting for clarity. His mind seemed to be slipping more and more. He felt like his eyes were being pulled from his head. Finally, Lady Traya came into view, but she was... melting? Her face was falling apart and her arms began to shrivel. It was horrifying, and Spade yelled out in terror. But when his mouth opened, no sound came out.

Suddenly, everything went black again. His Master disappeared, as well as Master Noxia. He closed his eyes, even tho darkness had already entered into him. He breathed in deeply, trying to ignore the stench of death and decay around him. Then he breathed out. If he was going to be rid of this feeling of insanity, he needed to do something. Sitting in a daze wasn’t really helping much.

He focused. He concentrated. He felt his energy and stamina slowly come back to him. He pressed his hands down on the floor, hoping his would have grazed against Dimir’s in an effort to know she was okay, but sadly, nothing. He couldn’t let this trouble him right now. He knew what he had to do. With every ounce of physical strength he could conjur, Spade rose to his feet. He then held out both hands and bowed his head, letting all of his energy pass into them.

“Lady Noxia. Please close your eyes! FORCE FLASH!” he yelled, this time producing words. But not only vocals, an intense ray of brightness shot out from his extended fingers, shrouding the area in a dazzling light. He wanted to open his eyes, but he didn’t want to be blinded by it. He hoped it would either extinguish the light, or help Master Noxia see what was happening to his master or their surroundings.

 

[Metus]

Metus watched the holomap intensely. The projection of his masters ship disappeared suddenly and then the map was empty. It’s green and blue light casting faint shadows across Metus’s face that slowly turned to a scowl. He slammed his fist down on the console. Turning his rage towards a ration crate he sent the container flying across the room.

The frigid nights fraught with danger, the solitude. If he were back on Corellia it’d be a different story, he’d done it for years. But this was some odd terror of a planet. His resolve had been ground down til now and at the sight of a glimpse of help and hope vanishing in am instant it was all but broken.

Reaching out in the force he felt no sign of his master. Be it by her demise or his power not being adequate he couldn’t tell. It was too late in the night for anything. Danger lurked in ever shadow and dark corner. He didn’t dare venture outside the bunker at night, not now he was totally alone. There was only one thing he could do, wait out the night.

So Metus did what he’d done every night; meditated. Dipping his mind into a half sleeping state though not truly asleep, it was far too cold... Aware of his surroundings but allowing his body and mind to rest what little they could he endured the night once more. When morning would come he would check the holomap again in the hope it had all been a cruel dream before stepping outside to begin a search. For what he didn’t know. Anything. Anyone.

 

[Darth Traya]

GM Update: Illium

"But it has always been timeless to you, this place, and words have always been inadequate for the horrors that took place here." ~ Kreia


Location: The Ravager II

She could feel the horrified reactions to the sacrifice of flesh she’d had to make; she traced a hand across the rot that bisected her face and upper shoulder. A sorcerer of Rhand once told her that to lose one’s flesh was considered sacred. The body merely a temporary shell, one she would need to discard the further she delved into the Darkness. In time Illium would either die, or learn to transfer her essence to cheat death. Still the hideous wounds she’d suffered where but a small price to pay, as she could feel the gravitational anomaly surrendering to entropy.

Spade instructed each of them to prepare themselves and cast out his signature power, Force Flash. His flash of light illuminated the bridge, found Darth Illium finally turning to face the madness in the physical word; the Hapan was revealed at least partially. He was still cloaked in shadows, laying in wait, but he winced as the flash of light seared his sensitive eyes.

Lady Noxia noted Illium’s wounds both in her shoulder and across her face, and apprentice Dimir appeared to have fainted in the crush of darkness.

“Save your power, apprentice, now you will see what I have brought. Take a good look at what you are about to witness. I have paid the ultimate price for but a two minute rend in the fabric of spacetime. It is my destination on this journey. And it’s where our paths divide.” began Illium, finally wincing at the knife in her shoulder, and hurling out of her flesh with a pull of telekinesis.

She pulled a health stim from her waist;and injected it into her skin. The stim would help her knife wound to repair, but couldn’t touch the rot.

White hot cracks appeared within the sullen darkness outside the window, the very fabric of space time crumbles. A burst of muilticolored light washed through space, making Spades flash a pinprick; Dhe shrieked in hellish agony. Then the calm void of space returned, only now the scene was quite different now. Malachor II still dwelled before them, still a gleaming pristine emerald…and Malachor V was whole.

Even whole...it was still a dead, near shattered orb;clouded with clouds of smoke and noxious gas, ringed with the debris of millions of dead ships, it’s surface cracking with constant flashes of green lighting. It was a pulsating, venomous heart of malevolent energy….and each and every one of them felt the collective chorus of millions of deaths in a single moment…Millions of souls severed from their lives as gravity crushed them.



Here; only hours before the Mandalorian Wars had come to a single decisive end. A genocidal slaughter to meet the same
brutality the Mandalorians brought to the galaxy in the past years. The Jedi Knight Revan lured them to Malachor V, a forbidden and dark planet; and using the mass shadows that encircled the Malachor stystem; a super weapon in which to create massive gravity vortex...a black void...erupted to life and crushed every ship...Mandalorian and New Republic.

There were many tales to tell about the one who ordered the activation of the Mass Shadow; of the one who designed it and of Revan that ordered the calculated slaughter of all who stood in his way. But they had long fled the slaughter, and their story is irrelevant now.

Now, the crew of the Ravager II was subjected directly to the Force Wounds left behind.

Dhe crippled in pain, lowering his sword and instead clawing at his chest; as if unable to breathe.

To deny the agony radiating from the planet would have been unfathomable. One could only sever themselves from the Force to mute it.

It wasn’t the first time Illium heard this echo….this infinite shrieking within the Force. It was something always clawing within her being; lingering within the caverns of her mind. But her reaction was different .... Rather than listen to the screaming directly from its source; she flung her hand out unfurled a dark, violet tendril of energy at apprentice Dimir. The apprentice was in no state to resist...her life energy drained to critical levels, but Illium found enough willpower to spare her life and satiate her hunger. Consuming energy muted the throbs of the Force Wound pulsating just outside their ship, if only for a moment.

Illium’s sighed; “I was afraid I would do that; it’s….not wholly my own action, but I also didn’t fight the urge. But she will survive, even weakened as she is, but must stay here. Spade and my companions ; I owe you an explanation. In about two minutes the entropy I created will mend and see you back to your time and your original mission. I won’t be there; I found a holocron that told me I am far older than I believed….and that the connections I have to what came from this place are deeper than I thought. I am going to the source of it all to answer the lingering questions….to Malachor V, just hours after it was subjected to the Mass Shadow Generator.

I may not return, but if I can; I suspect that Malachor II and Dhe hold the key to that possibility. While I am gone; Spade, follow the guidance of Lady Noxia and Dhe. And there is...another apprentice. He is already on the surface of Malachor II, waiting.”

She paused a moment longer to regard the form of Malachor V outside the view point, the Miraluka saw a malevolent storm that transformed a planet into a raw, throbbing wound; but she couldn’t see it like the others could. “Dhe, put your weapon away and tell me what you see.”

Tags: @DarthNoxia @SpadeDecrescent
Dimir has been removed from tag set, but character is alive.


Location: Malachor II, The Corrupted Angel

GM update for Metus

Hours passed without so much as an irregular pixel moving the ancient screen, nothing to indicate his Master’s return. Malachor II bore the oppressive weight of the grueling night in utter silence; shadow appeared to have no sway within in the ancient bunker thus silence became the secondary weapon.

As the apprentice mediated he would undoubtedly stretch his senses outward. And he would hear only the blood pounding in his veins...the rhythm of his own heart….at first perhaps they would be of comfort, but as the hours clawed onward Metus would begin to feel an invisible barrier being pressed against his senses. It was as if compressed air was holding him entrapped and immobile; unable to feel the frigid air around him; to smell the ice and rust; even denied the taste of the air was denied to him, and sight was of no avail against this unseen assault on his senses.

Then the formless attack halted momentarily, because something broke the oppressive silence. A factor which the assault could not predict; it was the sound of small claws scratching at the bunker door.

Tag: @Metus

 

[DarthNoxia]

IC: Darth Noxia
Location: The Ravager II

Noxia couldn’t help but glance back at her former master, the Miraluka’s flesh still melting from her body. She didn’t have a moment to put the pieces together. She had to find Dhe. She would rip the Happan’s head from his shoulders when she did; traitor.

Suddenly, she hear Spade call out to her, “force flash!” She closed her eyes. As the wave of white hot light burst forth from him, the togrua sensed a minute vibration of movement as the Hapan flinched. She stretched her hand out in the direction of the vibration, willing whatever gave it off towards her.

The Miraluka’s words seemed to ring throughout the bridge “...you will see what I have brought.” Noxia turned once again towards Illium, It was starting to make sense. A flash of blinding light broke the togruta’s concentration and she brought her arm up to shield her eyes. In an instant they floated before Malachor II. The planet pulsated with green electricity. She walked towards the windows on the bridge in awe of the destruction she saw.

At first she could hear the cries, the sounds of millions of deaths, it was intoxicating, but that moment of bliss quickly turned to agony. She knew what had occurred and quickly threw her hand out “Odojinya!” The spell backfired, cutting the togruta’s connection to the force. She felt an intense feeling of suffocation, one that she had felt before. She focused her mind to keep her sanity in check. She was stronger now than she had been then. She knew her skill with the spell was decent, but she was by no means a master of it. She hoped it would be enough to save her from the wound in the force that had occurred.

After a few moments, Noxia came too. She heard Illium’s voice, she took a deep breath as her connection to the force returned to her. “I am going to the source of it all to answer the lingering questions…” She said. Noxia nodded. She understood the miraluka’s need to find the truth.

“I will guide your apprentices as promised, Lady Illium.” She had purposefully left Dhe out of that equation. He may serve a purpose for the moment, but she would kill him the first chance she got.


(Powers used: Telekinesis, Odojinya)

 

[Dhe Ta’ Dalv]

OOC Note: Dhe is a secondary character of Darth Illium so the following actions don’t count as godmods or metagaming.

IC: Dhe
Location: The Ravager II

He couldn’t breathe...that was how the Wound manifested for him. He lost his reign on the shadows in which he veiled himself, and weakly returned his sword to its sheathe across his back. He could hear the horrific screams echoing within his head; each one pleading briefly for mercy before gravity decimated the surface.It was a moment...an echo trapped in an infinite loop. Such horror left gashes in the fabric of the Force. His breathing and heart suffered the most ill effects...and he could not think of any single power that could stop it. Those millions of agonized souls,
trapped in a storm ridden purgatory. He doubted any peace ever came to these souls crushed beneath the mass shadows. To those that lived through the activation, only a slow death waited for them.

For the first time in years, since the time he’d been an ignorant and prideful young apprentice trying to size up his Master...Dhe felt paralyzing fear. It wasn’t a passing fear that came with pride...it was a horrendous, oozing dread that clawed at his very heart. Dhe glanced helplessly out at the scene before him; Malachor V...as it had been more than 4,000 years ago.

Lady Illium clearly ripped apart space time to come here...it was evident on her face. She’d delved into the most destructive powers to bring this moment to manifest. “My Queen….I will not stand here and describe what I see. You know very well what is out there...what you’ve done! I tried to make you stop….do you have any idea what you’ve done!” he panted, his lips pulled into a snarl.

He pulled himself to stand, and moved toward Illium in a rush unnatural speed and grabbed her by her withered hand. “Why! Why the hell would you do such a thing? You...have everything; Hapes, Dathomir, power, authority, respect, legions, those little reptile horrors you adore so much….isn’t it enough, my Queen?”

Illium tried to wrest from his grasp; but she was weary, even after having just drained an apprentice. The hunger was going stronger, craving more and more . “Those are all but material things Dhe, things I could lose in a heartbeat. I have come here; to this exact moment for something far beyond power. Answers. That’s what I seek; and I shall go alone to seek them. You’ve felt the hollows of my mind….heard what lies in symbiosis there. I need the answers. I am going to Malachor to face him; to tear those answers from him as he tore the innocence from me.” The Queen sighed; her pale face glowing in the malevolent green flashes of light.

“No….stay.” he tried to command. His heart was still racing, breathing shallow as the echo tore as his psyche, but he found some measure of solace in holding Lady Illium’s cold hand. He didn’t seem to even truly acknowledge the rotted swath across her face. “Somethings aren’t meant to be answered. And what if there are no answers, no great revelation. What if there is only you?”

Her lips curved up slightly; “You cannot just quote Darth Traya. Not to me. I would counter by saying….that there is no truth in the Force. That it merely controls us to achieve some measure of balance. The Force allowed my presence here; so something needs to be balanced.”

The Hapan shook his head; “I don’t believe that my Queen, we control our destinies...and our actions.” Than passionately Dhe moved to kiss her lips, and encircled his arms round her frail shoulders. For to long he’d watched the Queen withering in despair; she had a brief lover that simply faded; the children that quickened in her womb miscarried when she was inaugurated; now when she had a rare free moment free of duties, she spent in solitude; refusing all visitors safe for her reptilian pets.

For a moment, the Queen reciprocated the kiss, curling her fingers in his thick blonde hair. Perhaps he’d reminded her of what it meant to be mostly humanoid; pulled her from the depths of emptiness and kindled a passion.

“Stay.” the Hapan Guardian whispered when he parted..only to feel his face explode in pain when a serpentine form collided with his ear, and cheek.

“Don’t try that again.” the Queen Mother hissed, her amphistaff curling back around her wrist. “There isn’t time to waste on you. You have your orders; protect and guide my apprentices. Explore Malachor II.”

 

[SpadeDecrescent]

Spade was about to open his eyes when an even brighter light flashed. It hurt his retinas even with his eyes shut from his attack. It only lasted a moment though, and when it dimmed, he opened his eyes. The view around them had changed. Everything was brighter with any natural light. He felt a strange out-of-body weightlessness about him. Then came the screams.

Spade covered his ears, but it was in vain, as the yells and cries seemed to be directly transmitting to his mind. He looked over at Lady Noxia, who had her hand outstretched, almost seeming to block out the sound. Was this a Force connection? He turned towards the noise and saw it. It was the planet he had seen just a moment ago but it seemed to be fine now? How? Did his master do this?

Spade conjured the best Force Defense he could make around himself. It didn’t silence the pained voices but it did quiet them down enough for him to hear Lady Traya who had just begun to speak. She spoke, explaining what was happening. She looked apologetic, almost as if it hadn’t gone as planned. Spade nodded along, but the voices kept growing more and more. His defense was slowly dwindling. Then Master Dhe grabbed her, but not in a violently way. Almost in a concerned manner. He told her to stop and that all of this wasn’t worth it. He then kissed her, causing Spade stomach to turn.

The voices then grew louder than he wanted as his master pushed away Master Dhe with her amphistaff, smacking it hard across his head. He keeled back, holding his face in agony. Spade dropped to his knees, pressing his hands hard against his head. The cries were too much, he couldn’t take much more of this. He gritted his teeth, using any Force power he had to push out the screams, but it was no use. He felt himself begin to slip into an unconscious state, from exhaustion and what seemed to be his energy draining away from him.