Game Star Wars Judgment Day: Part III of the Prelude to Requiem

[Arach]

IC- Darth Arach
Onboard the Tsushima

This isn’t right, Arach thought as she shook her head. She felt the danger coming from both ways, but still she couldn’t pinpoint it more than that. And, now Vaer was splitting them up. This seemed like a bad idea.

Arach began tapping the flat of her blade against her forearm as she looked at the two women with her. “I think there’s something preventing me from getting anything specific. The only thing new that I’m sensing is that we’re in danger no matter the direction we choose. Just keep your eyes open.” She offered Zareel a reassuring smile in farewell before following Vaer.

As she moved closer to the door, the assassin narrowed her eyes in thought. Maybe if I concentrated on whatever is behind this door, I can achieve clearer results?

Arach focused her senses on the locked door. I hope this works.

Force Powers Used:
Force Sense- 5 (continued)

Tags: @Darth Kain, @Zareel Jhenan´doka, @Darth Voxyn, @skira, @Drakul_Xarxes, @Cardun Vrek

 

[Darth Cold]

IC: Samael
Location: Meeting Room, Jedi Temple, Tython

Kain began his tale, at the mention of Wutzek, Samael pondered if that was one of God’s other names. But he dismissed the thought. Upon the revelation that Tilotony went around declaring herself Goddess to everyone enraged him. Heretics! False Gods! They will all BURN!!! Then the revelation that she was the reason for that monstrous false God Typhojem, along with the new threat, was even more of a reason to hate the bitch.

As Lord Kain began to explain his son’s role in this, something began to not feel right. A dark feeling. The aura of flames grew brighter in an attempt to ward off that dark feeling, but on instinct his lightsaber was in his hand not activated, but ready to defend himself if he needed to. He could hear screams coming from the halls. “Not to interrupt my Lord, but something feels off. Master Durron, with your permission, may I roam the halls of the temple without supervision. I know I’m only a visitor, but I feel something is off and something that shouldn’t be here is here. And by God’s Will it will be eviscerated in fire before it hurts anyone.”

(Powers Used:
Flame Aura - 3)

Tag: @Darth Kain @Darth Nathemus

 

[Catalyst]

IC Catalyst
Verdanth

A sigh of relief escaped Catalyst's lips as Eva told him about her purpose on this planet. She wasn't here on Kain's orders, which made him relax. The fact that she was here to save him tickled his heart in a very strange way. While he had made it evident in the past that he cared about her on behalf of Kain, it bemused him to have that care reciprocated. Catalyst had to remind himself that she wasn't just the little Jedi girl that he had met on Kain's homestead all those years ago. Their pasts were intertwined in the chaos that was the Clone Wars. Eva was one of a very small few that knew of his past, of his former devotion to the very order that he helped take down after the war.

Catalyst was ready for Eva to lead the way to her ship, when she was suddenly snatched through the forest by a large, writhing tongue. He chased after her through the brush and found her in a clearing facing down a frog-like behemoth. Catalyst drew his saberstaff and assumed a defensive stance, igniting the bright orange blades above his head and readying himself to intercept a blow from the creature if it lashed out at him. With his offhand, Catalyst unleashed a sickening blast of dark side energy, hurling it at the toothy maw of the monster that threatened them.

TAG: @Darth Kain

Powers used:
Form III (5)
Sickening Blast (4)



IC Brooke
Jedi Temple, Tython

The Jedi that was overseeing the oasis of serenity that Apollo had led them to ignored the two of them in favor of conversation with Keldro. Brooke didn't really know what she was talking about, but the Twi'lek's aura radiated sadness that wasn't reflected in her voice. She did eventually respond to Brooke's question all the same, and placed her hand in the water to illustrate her permission.

Apollo didn't move though.

He stared ahead as the air around them shifted. Brooke couldn't see the color changing in the water, but she could see the malevolent magicks that permeated it. The Twi'lek cried out as her hand was grasped by a clawed appendage, animated by the dark side that was now overflowing from the pool. A gaunt, humanoid shape wrested itself from the depths of the pool. Keldro was quick to put himself between Apollo and the creature from the waters.

At Keldro's instruction, Brooke grasped Apollo's hand and pulled him away from the pool. "Where do we go?" Her voice almost caught in her throat. She was hardly familiar with the layout of the temple, having only been here a few days. She squeezed the boy's hand, almost instinctively hoping that she could see his memory. Keldro seemed to be under the impression that he knew the way, Apollo had led them to the meditation room after all. Still, she felt responsible for the boy and leading him away from the danger was her first priority.

TAG: @Darth Kain, @Undying Master Xiannarr

Powers Used:
Psychometry (2)

 

[Cardun Vrek]

IC: Cal Vastrom
The Howling Hawkbat, Nar Shaddaa

It was all falling apart. Everyone wanted to leave now. Hesper was the latest to announce her departure. Sho was getting…angry. Uncharacteristically so for a Jedi. Cal stood there, frozen, inactive lightsaber hilt still held tightly in his hand. Pandora continued the insinuation that Sho…wasn’t Sho. Sho continued to argue back. Cal needed a moment to think. But he knew he wasn’t going to get one.

And then the force sent him a warning of danger. It was obscured, and vague, but one thing stood out.

The greatest danger to Cal Vastrom in the next few moments would come from Sho Temm. Cal stiffened, and held his finger against the activation switch of his lightsaber.

“4C-2 scans your body temperature and your chemical layout. And it says that you’re ice cold.” Pandora said as the droid that had scanned the noble now scanned Sho. Cal waited for Sho to tell her she was mistaken, that this was all a trick...but no. He wasn’t going to be that lucky.

Instead, ‘Sho’ ignited his own lightsaber and cut down the droid.

And then, all hell broke loose. More and more people turned on their supposed allies. But Cal’s attention was fixed on what surely could not have been Sho Temm. His Viridian blade ignited with a snap hiss as he finally pressed his finger down on the button. ‘Sho’ snarled in a tone that was definitely not his own, before leveling his lightsaber towards Cal’s chest. Cal’s own green blade was held in a defensive posture. Cal took advantage of the fact that ‘Sho’ had not actually attempted to strike him. Did the thing inside Sho absorb his knowledge of lightsaber combat? If it did, this fight may not last long. Cal was an expert swordsman, proficient in six styles of lightsaber combat. But Sho Temm had been *the* battlemaster of the order. A finer warrior would’ve been harder to find.

Why didn’t he attack?

That was the odd part. ‘Sho’ was merely holding the lightsaber threateningly. Cal thought about striking first, but doing so may escalate everything. Instead, he held firm and stepped back from Sho, keeping his guard up with lightsaber, ready to counter any attack.

“I don’t know what this is…but whatever you are, you won’t harm anyone here. You’ll have to get through me first.”

Whilst he spoke, another possibility crept into his mind. Cal had experienced mental domination first hand. Sho could be one of these shadow beings, or he could be trapped in his own mind, crying out for help.

I have to know…

And so Cal stretched out with the force, trying to cleanse Sho’s mind of any foreign influences, if it was Sho’s mind any more.

Power Used: Cleanse Mind- 3

TAG @Darth Kain, @corinthia, @Dark Lady Makaria, @skira, @Voidwalker, @Helkosh, @Darth Voxyn

 

[Undying Master Xiannarr]

Ic: Keldro Unmar
Meditation chamber, Jedi Temple

‘Blast it’ Keldro swore to himself, he could hear the slight panic in Brookes voice, as she asked where they go.

The Jedi Knight hadn't engaged with the incoming forces yet, but he wasn't prepared to take his eyes off them either.
‘Trust the boy, he will find the way’ he thought, trying to push directions towards Brooke through the bond. He figured Apollo would find the way but they needed to run and if Brooke hesitated each step it could prove costly.

Keldro dropped into a defensive stance, eyes not wavering from the oncoming force, he knew Thala would be somewhere to his left,

“So do you want the Left half and ill taken the right? , or should we go one for one?”


Powers used

Soresu-2

Telepathy-1


Tags: @Catalyst, @Darth Kain, @Darth Nathemus , @Hadzuska_The Jester

 

[Darth Nathemus]

IC: Sedriss Nathemus
Location: The Harbinger, over Verdanth

Volacius was all too ready to orbitally bombard the True Sith Witch's position. This method was admittedly a bit extreme, but desperate times called for desperate measures. If anything, a bombardment could make the cave system she hid in more easily visible and accessible. "I agree, we shall bombard her position. She is in an underground cave system under this thick jungle. I've plotted the coordinates on the combat system. Battlestations! All crew to their assigned batteries! Fire on the surface as soon as the Angelus Mortis does!"

After he had said this, suddenly an entirely unexpected phrase came from what was supposedly the mouth of Captain Viskar.

"That is not dead which can Eternal lie, and with strange aeons, even death may die."

When "Viskar" said this, the Sedriss did not hesitate. This was not a phrase the Captain had ever heard before, but it meant more to Nathemus than to most Sith. Such words were the philosophy of the Great Deceiver: Darth Dreadwar. Without hesitation, the Supreme Malevolence's eyes glowed white hot with rage attempting to focus his full might on the being that was Captain Viskar in the hopes of incinerating him and only him.

With a roar in his voice, the Sedriss yelled and reached out with his mind in hopes that every single being, man or beast, on the Harbinger could hear him. "No one utters the black speech of Nilrebmah in my presence! If any of the rest of you Shadow Beings of Illathurion are here, face my blade and go back to the Chaos you were born from!"

Powers used:
Deadly Sight: 5
Telepathy: 5

TAG: @Darth Kain @Catalyst @Volacius



IC: Grand Master Kei Durron
Location: Jedi Temple, Tython

Kain's explanations of the Celestials and the Old Ones were met with appreciation. These histories were not something that the Jedi, even the Jedi Grand Master, had access to. Even if Kain were lying or embellishing the story a bit, the only thing Durron could do in this case was trust him. But amongst Kain's words, a growing sense of dread began towash over the old man. Something was coming.

"Thank you, Kain, for regaling me of their history and significance," Durron said in response. "Now that I know Apollo’s place in all this, we can all find a way to-- Wait. Yes, Samael, roam. We must all go. Something has trespassed sacred ground. The Temple is breached!" The look on his face was one of vigilant defense. He would not let the Temple fall under his watch.

The feeling of dread kept growing thicker by the moment, and after he spoke, he burst out the room and focused his mind, channeling all his effort into exponentially increasing his speed in hopes he could find the source of this breach. It would not take him long, but he truthfully didn't have long. If the beings Kain discussed were here, now was their most important hour.

Powers used:
Force Channel: 5
Force Speed: 5

TAG: @Darth Kain @Hadzuska_The Jester @Undying Master Xiannarr @Catalyst

 

[Zareel Jhenan´doka]

IC: Knight Zareel Jhenan’doka
Entrance Hallway, The Tsushima

Zareel bit the inside of her cheek trying to suppress her reaction to the idea of dividing the people to explore the ship. He couldn’t be so obtuse to… ‘Oh yes, because splitting the party has always worked so fine in the past. Yeah, Vaer, really brilliant on your part to agree with that. We all see why you’re in the council… ’ The Balosar was already regretting her decision to board that ship, but there was nothing she could do to change or object to their routes.

Her bitter grimace changed as she turned to pay attention to Lady Arach; her message wasn't precisely one of hope, but it at least confirmed that there was definitely something interfering with their readings. The assassin lady wasn’t weak by any means, that being one of the reasons why Zareel trusted her; if she couldn't see properly the other side of the doors… well, at least she was armed and felt the soft flow of the force running through her. “Be careful.” She muttered to the two women as they parted.

Softly humming the same melody she was singing on Kolasi’s ship, she unsheathed one of her sabers; while waiting for the lords to advance, she got closer to the assigned door after their designed canaries, straining her hearing for the moment.

The door being already open produced her a familiar feeling of dread; someone had surely entered not too long ago but seemingly, they didn't manage to get out or be in a condition to reply when contacted.

Power used: Feed on the Dark Side - 3 (cont)

Tags: @Darth Kain, @Arach, @Darth Voxyn, @Drakul_Xarxes, @Cardun Vrek, @skira

 

[Volacius]

IC: Lord Volacius, the Wrath of Kain
Location: Bridge of the Angelus Mortis, Verdanth Orbit

Nathemus’ response draped a smile across Volacius’ face, one that was quickly swept aside as soon as a voice entirely alien to Captain Teltif wrenched a cursed lyric from his mouth, wretched words directly related to him who should not be named, the Great Betrayer.

"What sorcery is this?!" Volacius exclaimed. "Foul creature, depart my ship!"

Fortunately, the baleful voice ceased, and Teltif shook his head in what appeared to be confusion. Unfortunately, when it came to matters of True Sith infiltration, such a reaction was hardly proof that the Captain was still himself.

“Security!” Volacius called. “Apprehend Captain Teltif immediately! Take him to the medical bay for testing. I must know if he is still who he appears to be.”

As he spoke, Volacius reached out with the Force, intent on probing the man who appeared to be Captain Teltif to see if he was compromised in any way. It would have been easier to kill the man, but Teltif was a fine officer who had served Volacius well since before he’d taken the title of Darth; Teltif was a fellow survivor of the True Sith War, and while Volacius wouldn’t hesitate to do what was necessary, to dispose of an officer as experienced as Teltif was a waste of resources that the Sith Admiral would prefer to avoid.

“Commander Verton!” Volacius barked to the comparatively young ship’s Executive Officer. “Assume command! Lord Nathemus has given us the coordinates. Get our fighters and bombers ready, and target all weapons on those coordinates.” Volacius paused, then stomped his way to the main bridge viewport. “Fire!”

Powers Used:
Force Sense — 4 (on Captain Teltif, to sense his thoughts and determine if he is still himself)

Tags: @Darth Kain, @Darth Nathemus, @Catalyst

 

[Jen'nu]

IC: Khatt Douw
Beyond Veeshas Tuwan , Arkania.

Khatt Douw's Theme:

https://soundcloud.com/squareenixost%2Fregal-ancestor-spirit-elden-ring-ost

—​

To Khatt, the words spoken by the Nightfather were of little concern. He was always with her, more now than ever. Even without Him, everyone else were right here within her, and she would not be in any danger. But she could see Him even now, within the great sphere. He was right in front of her, facing it with grand wings spread. There was nothing she couldn’t do.
She had completely different worries holding her tongue.
Why was she even here? Why had she been told to come here? She shouldn’t be here. She wasn’t fit to be here. She should be anywhere else.
She should be attending the summit with the Jedi.
She should be searching for the King’s daughter.
She should be protecting the King’s son.
Family was not to be abandoned.
She was sitting with no clarity, even her innermost thoughts a jumble. And so she was left with only a bitter seething. It had grown tumorous since Hastur, no since Kain’s ritual. She wanted, no needed to do something. She needed to do more.

All in due time darling.
​

All in due time. She would have all that she wanted. For Him.
‘I seek you.’
‘We seek you.’

His luminous wings sprouted, enveloping her smoldering form. They were made of… glass? No, each feather seemed to flap independently of the rest. They were… butterflies? And they mirrored her, the face of Khatt Douw staring back at her in a hundred fractured variations. It was filled with smoke, the pure blue eyes now luminous stars in the colorless surrounding ghostflame. The others…

All in due time darling.
All in due time. I’ll see you soon Shentha.​

‘I am not my mother, no matter how much the rest of the universe wishes it so.’
‘Tilotny has committed a great many crimes, crimes that not only I am blamed for, but crimes that all the universe suffers from. I will atone, no matter the cost.’
Family was a powerful thing indeed. Such would they join the God-King, and all would be One again. This Gatekeeper would be among them, one way or another.
‘O Guardian,’ she breathed with oh so many voices.
‘Your services are unnecessary. You may step aside.’

(Powers used: None)

(TAGS: @Darth Kain, @Drakul_Xarxes)​

 

[Cardun Vrek]

IC: Lord Mavros
On board the Tsushima

Whatever gods do actually exist, remind me to sacrifice someone in your name. I’m not going to have to deal with the oaf for much longer.

Vaer had agreed with Mavros’ suggestion to split their forces, and thankfully Mavros had been assigned to follow Lady Kolasi’s group, and not Vaer’s. He almost felt sorry for Arach and Vitani.

Almost. His glee at being rid of Vaer for the moment overtook that.

“Right, I want one of the squads with Lady Kolasi’s team on point, and one bringing up the rear. Keep your eyes peeled for any movement. Shoot first, ask questions later. Unless of course Lady Kolasi has any suggestions of her own before we move further into this clearly benign and definitely not infested with some sort of ancient, unspoken terror starship?” Mavros said, looking over to Lady Kolasi, the designated leader of their party. She hadn’t said a word since Vaer said they should split up as Mavros had suggested.

Can she sense something, I wonder?

Mavros’ own senses were playing tricks with him. It was like a fog had rolled in, making him unable to perceive anything clearly. Something was off, he knew it. Something was interfering with his powers, and he didn’t like it one bit.

Why couldn’t we just have blown this rustbucket up?

And then a thought occurred to him. His senses may have been clouded, but was his foresight? He couldn’t sense the threat now, but could he catch a glimpse into their immediate future, and solve the puzzle that way? Possibly. And so, he reached out again with the force, focusing not on the here and now, but on events that were to come in the immediate future.

Power Used: Precognition- 3

TAG:@Darth Kain, @Arach, @Darth Voxyn, @Drakul_Xarxes, @Zareel Jhenan´doka , @skira

 

[skira]

IC: Lady Kolasi
Aboard the Tsushima​

Her mind had played tricks on her before.

That was her first thought when the quick visions came to her. She hadn’t even been able to think of a quick remark to say to Vaer, her mind being too overwhelmed by the thoughts flooding into it. Her mind had played tricks on her. Recently, even. She could be wrong. The others would say she was insane, or worse. All of the things that had been whispered about the deranged girl over the years, she could hardly call them lies.

But she wasn’t a girl anymore, was she? And her mind was not playing tricks on her. This was true.

“It’s the crew,” Kolasi started, her eyes moving erratically back and forth as she stared at a wall, as if she were reading something that wasn’t actually there.

“The crew on board, wherever they come from. They’re what’s lurking, waiting for us,” She paused, contemplating her next words carefully. The crew would be a threat, but was it a threat they couldn’t overcome? She was one of the more powerful beings in the galaxy, at least compared to the masses. And she had others with her that were almost as powerful, others that had been through far worse than a crew aboard a ship.

“Keep your wits about you,” She muttered to all of them, and began walking. She didn’t like the idea of following Vaer’s orders, but she didn’t really have much of a choice. They shouldn’t split up, that much she was certain of. But they could cover more ground if they did, and that would be more useful.

“I don’t, Lord Mavros. I agree with your commands,” She said, watching as they moved into their own formation before they began moving deeper into the ship.

“Somethings wrong here. And something else is manipulating my use of the force. I can’t see what, exactly. But we need to figure out what it is, and quickly.”

Tags: @Darth Kain, @Arach, @Darth Voxyn, @Drakul_Xarxes, @Zareel Jhenan´doka , @Cardun Vrek

 

[Helkosh]

IC: Lord Huskac
The Howling Hawkbat, Nar Shaddaa

"They're obviously skilled at committing high treason. Perhaps Leader Snoke should consider using a clone army." - Kylo Ren​

The room began to devolve into chaos at the reveal of Sho Temm's treachery. Ever the Jedi, Master Vostrum leapt to defend the room from his fallen ally. The jig apparently now up, others began to break ranks and point their weapons where they shouldn't. Two of Huskac's own personal guard backed away from their posts. The guard's captain, a man named Tristane Vallie, the same man who'd previously translated his hand signal to the others, shouted to his Emperor to alert him and the non-Shadow guards.

"My Lord, they're behind you!", he cried while raising his blaster to point at one of the two who'd broken rank.

Huskac spun around to stand up and face his attackers, and the other guardsmen swarmed him to form a protective line, drawing their blasters as well. Anxiety climbed the back of Huskac's throat as he noticed from the corner of his metaphysical eye that another man was attempting to open the doors. Shadow Being or not, he was serving their aims. He wasn't sure what he should do, as dealing with the immediate threat might mean allowing someone to break out. If the Shadow Beings were allowed to leave, who knew how many more they'd replace before another meeting was called? And worse, after this debacle, would anyone come a second time at Kain's call?

The droid had been destroyed by the phony Sho Temm, but perhaps Kain's representatives had another method of detection squirreled away somewhere. For now, the focus was clearing this room of Shadow Beings, and allowing the 'peace summit', now perhaps more accurately defined as an 'emergency alliance summit' to continue. How many thousands, how many millions more had been replaced back in the Tapani Empire's territory? If nothing else, now he would need to learn to manufacture his astromechs to detect these beings when he returned home to exterminate the infestation. Grimacing with the realization that there was no perfect solution, he reluctantly relaxed his grip on the doors, and instead focused now on the three Shadow Beings who posed the greatest threat to him: the attempted door opener, and his own two home-grown traitors.

More specifically, he focused on their heads, seeking to crush them like emerald grapes. He focused his telekinetic energy into incredible, increasing pressure, focusing on each of his three targets. Sensing his Emperor's hesitation, Tristane gave the order to the others to "FIRE!" on the two Tapani impostors, and his remaining loyalists released a volley of energy blasts aimed at them.

Powers Used:
Telekinesis 5
Force Crush 4

TAGs: @corinthia, @Voidwalker, @Darth Voxyn, @Cardun Vrek, @Dark Lady Makaria, @skira, @Darth Kain

 

[Voidwalker]

IC: Voidwalker, Cursed Champion of the Stars
The Howling Hawkbat, Nar Shaddaa

The peace summit had turned into a scene of hell that most of the Galaxy would only see in fictional holovids. Guards, Noble's, Loyalists all turning on one another. The Imperatrix of the Sith had displayed her power of foresight and handled the first threat that fell upon her with ease, and Huscak's men seemed to be doing their job just fine. Yet the Jedi Master Cal Vastrom seemed to be hesitant to cut down the former Battlemaster. Was he scared of what Sho Temm now was or did he think he could save the already dead man?

"This is no time to be a Jedi! Vastrom, kill it!" Voidwalker shouted hoping the Jedi Master would hear and heed his words. Truthfully Voidwalker himself was hesitant to intervene. Whether he did or not there was still a chance that this would be turned back on him just as everything he'd said had been. It was a damning situation no matter the choice he made.

If both Jedi delegates are killed then that only makes the possibility of unity or Kain getting Apollo back even more difficult.

Voidwalker had quickly made his decision, he'd do what he could to save the Jedi, even if he'd been an annoying little prick up until now. He had one shot at this.

Master Temm, you said you'd give me the fight of my life, a shame we won't get to have that fight. Although you've already lost the fight, so I won't regret doing this...

Voidwalker reached out with both hands, the ethereal hands of the Force stretching out towards Sho Temm. The invisible claws of the Force digging into the side of Sho Temm 's head and his shoulder. Voidwalker rapidly pulled his arms and hands away from one another, attempting to split the meat suit of Sho Temm in half from the neck down.

Powers Used:
Force Rend - 5

TAG: @Darth Kain, @corinthia, @Helkosh, @Darth Voxyn, @Cardun Vrek, @Dark Lady Makaria, @skira

 

[Darth Voxyn]

IC: Darth Voxyn
The Howling Hawkbat, Nar Shaddaa

Sho Temm had sliced the droid in half with a snarl. From there, other beings in the summit began to turn on those around them. Hearing a sickening crunching sound Voxyn saw one of the Hesperian Guards fall to their knees. If the Empress didn’t kill him, one of her guards would likely kill him. Either way that one is likely dealt with so Voxyn turned, his lightsaber in hand and activating as he took in the room. Various guards and nobles were drawing their weapons, and Voxyns eyes fell back on what was Sho Temm. His lightsaber was activated, and the other Jedi was facing him, though he wasn’t attacking. Did these creatures have access to the abilities and skill the Battle Master had? Or was it just a disguise and memories it got? He decided it safer to treat it as a bigger threat just in case. Turning to the Hesperian Guard he had handed his spear to, he reached out and took the silver and emerald colored spear and then turned and threw it aimed at the fake Sho Temm.

TAG: @Darth Kain @Voidwalker @skira @corinthia @Cardun Vrek @Dark Lady Makaria @Helkosh


IC: Darth Vitani
The Tsushima

On Mavros’ suggestion, Vaer decided to split the group up with Vitani and Arach going with Vaer and everyone else going in the other group. Covering more ground makes sense, Vitani wasn’t sure what had happened here but whatever threats were lurking here hopefully wouldn’t be too dangerous to the Sith gathered onboard. Vitani took one of her lightfoils off of her belt and kept it ready in her hand should she need it as she followed Lord Vaer.

TAG: @Darth Kain @Arach @skira @Cardun Vrek @Drakul_Xarxes @Zareel Jhenan´doka

 

[Dark Lady Makaria]

Combo between Dark Lady Makaria and Imperatrix Hesper

IC: Imperatrix Hesper, Dark Lady Makaria
The Howling Hawkbat, Nar Shaddaa

The priestesses and guards closed ranks and Makaria knew even before the Imperatrix nodded that they intended to leave. It was too much with not enough answers, and her Imperatrix had never trusted others enough to wait on Kain’s dispensation of his own truths.

“Imperatrix, the doors,” Makaria said, indicating them with her chin where a guard was attempting to open them — and failing. Someone was holding the doors closed and there was no way to tell who without taking too much time. Her sleeves and skirts flared as she spun, her hand lashing out in an empty grip directed at the traitorous guard Hesper had already half-killed.

None of the others had turned to attack, and Makaria thought that that indicated only one of their number had been overtaken. Though now, of course, all things were suspect. Pandora had mentioned that the Master Jedi –very sad, she would send some sort of appropriately hilarious funerary arrangement– was ice cold, which they could have a droid scan for.

She clenched her fist tight, even though this thing that had overtaken one of their guards deserved worse for attempting to kill the Empress, there was no time for it at all. Only the satisfaction of a quick death.

Hesper nodded, and the ranks gathered around her moved: swiftly, they moved as a unit, Hesper at its center, towards the door, Makaria close behind. As they went, the guard holding Voxyn's spear offloaded the weapon to its rightful owner… as likely he would be needing it. "Step aside," Hesper commanded, her voice at once imperial and compelling to the one attempting to open the door.

Powers Used:

Makaria - Force Wound - 4
Hesper - Affect Mind - 5

TAGS: @corinthia, @Helkosh, @Voidwalker, @Darth Voxyn, @Cardun Vrek, @Darth Kain, @skira

 

[Mardinga]

IC: Mihi Gaudens
Location: Pyxis Med Center

Mihi had just finished having her shoulder treated. Her alabaster skin was as perfect as before. She knew it wouldn't stay that way long in the path she had chosen to follow down in life.

It never hurts to make sure you are at the top of your game as a Sith. She lived by this especially after the loss of her arm temporarily.

The smells of antiseptic and bacta commingled and reminded her of petrichor. It was odd to smell this inside. Rain? Dampness?

She looked over towards where her beloved handsome lover was being treated, giving him a quick once over and smiling pleased that he seemed well off now too. How long had they known each other? Maybe even in a past life.

The stark walls of the room had little decoration save for a few mirrors, it was a medical facility of sorts after all.

She tilted her head sideways at them as the surface of the mirrors appeared to ripple and distort.

She felt alarmed. Her reddish violet eyes widened

"What!?" She exclaimed aloud. She knew this wasn't a hallucination but was it real? Was it happening in her mind or?

She quickly unclipped her lightsaber from its resting position on her left hip and changed the setting from 'training' to 'lethal'.

"Mardinga do you see this?" From within the mirrors the undead had seemingly turned from a nightmare into a reality making their way through. The mirrors had become doorways of terror. She hoped this wasn't real and that she would wake up soon. Either way it was important to fight for your life even if it was in your mind.

She moved closer to Mardinga.

"Back to back."

She did everything possible to stay level headed.

"Don't let them touch you." She didn't know if the curse on these creatures was contagious but now wasn't the time to find out.

Taking a narrow stance she clicked her lightsaber on, both ends lit and ready to take on the adversary head on.

IC: Mardinga

A few lightsaber slashes were what brought Mardinga to the medcenter. He knew he wasn't the only one there but it still felt cold and isolated within the sterilized walls. Bacta was all around its smell stinging his nostrils. He felt better physically but it did little to alleviate the mental drain from the long day of training. His mind was on food and sleep.


He glanced at his pearly haired life partner for a moment and thought about how they had met. The thoughts helped ease his mind a bit. Mardinga hated being in these places but at least she was near. He smiled at her as he caught her looking at him as well.


Treatment was over for him and she looked like hers was as well. That was good, at least they could get out of there and maybe catch some food before everything was gone.


He heard her loudly say


"What"


This brought him out of his machinations instantly. He noticed the legions of undead flooding in the room from the mirrors around.


"Yes, I see it. We should get towards a more open area than this soon to be overrun from."


She moved closer to him and expressed an interest in covering each other's backs. A sentiment he did not have issue with being that he trusted her.


"OK, slide around behind me."


He heard the snap-hiss of her saberstaff ignition. Good, she was ready to fight. The Sorcerer pulled his own dual-phase saber and thumbed on the longest blade. He had already reset the device to its strongest settings.

He didn't like the idea of fighting in here but he felt like getting out was going to be a challenge regardless.


Mardinga aimed a blast of Pyrokinesis at the hoard forming in front of them. His attention was on damaging a few in the front to try to make traversing the room slower and more difficult for those filling in from behind them. After that he started trying to guide Mihi to walk vigilantly towards the door. He lowered his hand and touched her slightly pushing and spoke to her.


"Go quickly but cautiously. I'm right with you."

IC: Mihi Gaudens

Not a hallucination after all. Glad I still stay aware of my surroundings. This was a passing thought.

The mirror still seemed to be a gaping maw of impending doom.

She began a subconscious series of thoughts to guard her mind.

'The universe is mine to behold and behold it I will.' She left in on repeat like a mantra.

A well placed nudge in the behind showed just like herself he also knew this room wouldn't be a place they could hole up and survive in.

Was it day or night? She couldn't recall.

The smell of petrichor had turned in her nose into that of qet rotting fetid flesh now. She held back a gag.

Moving towards the door she attempted to do in tandem with Mardinga step for step.

Mental shield-1

IC: Mardinga

Mihi seemed to understand him and started moving towards the door. Step by step they went. He hoped they'd reach the exit before being overrun. He periodically pushed back with the force. He knew he wasn't as strong as was required to keep these things at bay for long but even a little bit would help.

As they reached the door he told her to run in the direction of the others. If they could all bunch up maybe they'd have a more fighting chance. Before he closed the door behind them Mardinga unleashed as much fire as he could into the room. If he was lucky maybe something would catch and help restrict the creatures within. If it killed them it would be even better.

Powers Used:
Pyrokinesis (free)
Force Push 1

Tags: @Sharkish’Ki @Darth Kain

 

[skira]

IC: Avery Sunka
Nar Shaddaa​

It all happened so fast.

The guards had already surrounded Avery, their King’s insistence on leaving quickly still fresh in their minds. Derrik had a feeling all of it would go south quickly, and that feeling had proven to be justified.

The beast riders all raised their weapons quickly, their King opting to grab the saber at his side instead of the Krath sword.

“We should’ve left when we had the chance,” Derrik muttered, his blaster aimed at the Guard nearest to him. Avery’s saber ignited into a burst of red light, and he looked to his left and right to decide what to do.

Avery’s saber leveled towards the nobleman he had been sitting near, whispering in his native tongue to the guard in front of him to move.

“And you thought we wouldn’t have much fun,” Avery joked to Derrik, who gave a half laugh in response.

“You and your wife have done a fine job at removing conflict from our home. The least you all could do was bring us to some,” He joked back, keeping his hold firm on his blaster.

“Keep your weapons readied. But we will not provoke them. Not yet, anyway,” He said in Onderonian once more, keeping his saber pointed towards the corrupted guards.

Tags: @corinthia, @Helkosh, @Voidwalker, @Darth Voxyn, @Cardun Vrek, @Darth Kain, @Dark Lady Makaria

 

[Darth Kain]

GM UPDATE

IC: Apollo
Meditation Chamber, Jedi Temple, Tython

​

Keldro had succeeded in putting a goal in Apollo’s little mind, but had certainly not calmed him in the slightest. Neither the Jedi nor even Brooke could feel what the boy felt when he looked into the lifeless eyes of the creeping husks that crawled out of the black waters. Nightmares from before his time had become his reality. There was nowhere to hide from these monsters.

But there was somewhere to run. Brooke witnessed it secondhand.

Weeks Earlier…​

Apollo felt safer with Eva around. His little hand was wrapped tightly inside hers. She gave a squeeze. He looked up at her. She was smiling.

The shuttle doors opened with a hiss. He didn’t like that sound. But he did enjoy the sunlight that came through now. He wanted to leap down the boarding ramp and sprint out into the hangar, to see how beautiful this temple truly was. But Eva was there to temper his excitement. They walked down the ramp together, followed by the Jedi Masters and Knights that had rescued them. Apollo hoped he could be as brave as Master Temm one day.

The Jedi Grandmaster was old and gray, but he seemed very nice. They left the hangar a few moments later. Apollo was in awe of a fountain they passed by, one with a statue that he swore he could have recognized. It was of an owl.

They followed the Grandmaster further into the temple, down a long hallway. Murals adorned the walls. He didn’t know what they meant, but that didn’t matter; they were pretty. They passed by an open door, which Apollo peeked inside as he walked past. There was a pond in there, and younglings were kneeling around it. He wanted to splash in the water someday.

The Present…​

The path to the hangar was clear in Brooke’s mind now, down the long hall of murals, past the fountain with the owl. Keldro also knew this path, and his precognitive senses made it clear that such a path may have been the only way they could all survive. But the uncertainty of their destiny was just as apparent. There was a good chance that not all of them would make it. But that might have been a chance they’d just have to take.

On the other hand, Thala was far too focused on the monsters in the room with them to even try to sense the right way out. She could barely even hear Keldro’s talking as her instincts took over. Niman was the form she had preferred in her training, and this would be treated just like any other spar. She dashed forward with a slash of her blade, cleaving through the zombie's rotting flesh and splitting it in two. Horror took her, however, when she saw the upper half of the fiend still moving, using its mangled arms to crawl toward her.

Two more zombies advanced toward Keldro, with another beginning to slink out of the darkened pond.

Apollo’s eyes widened further. Fear raced in his mind. He shook his head. “No, no, no, no,” he muttered. “He sees me.”

TAGS: @Catalyst, @Undying Master Xiannarr

OOC: Brooke’s attempt at Psychometry rolls a 19 + 10 + 5 totals out at 34 and definitely succeeds. An Effect Modifier of 13 + 4 allows her to see how Apollo got to the temple very well.

Keldro’s usage of Precognition rolls a natural 20, succeeding and allowing him to see that the hangar may be the safest route, though there’s no guarantee they will all make it there.

I will consider his attempt at putting the directions to the hangar as unnecessary since her Psychometry did well enough on its own.

Thala’s attack on the first zombie with her Niman slash rolls a natural 20, succeeding automatically. 3d10 are rolled for Plasma Damage, rolling 9 + 5 + 7. That zombie’s HP is reduced to 0, but it is still moving!

____________________

IC: Kain, the Beloved King of the Stars
Meeting Room, Jedi Temple, Tython

​

He had sensed it just as they had. And even if he hadn’t, the screams echoing from the halls would have been enough of an indicator. The Jedi were being attacked. But it wasn’t Kain’s forces doing it, he was sure. Could it have been the Final Sith Order? Had the peace summit gone so badly so quickly? Or was Hesper trying to attack her enemies while under the guise of a woman willing to reason? He wouldn’t doubt it after what she ordered her people to do back on Denova.

But something was different from her signature here. No, this felt too similar to what he remembered from Korriban, what he remembered from his last day in the galaxy. As he entered the hall, he watched as Kei Durron charged off at blinding speed. Samael and any other in this temple wouldn’t have even been able to perceive the Jedi Grandmaster at all, but Kain watched him go on, searching for the source of the invasion. But he wouldn’t have had to go far.

The undead were pouring out of the reflections throughout the temple. Mirrors, water, well-polished sections of the floor or walls. Kain had not been familiar with such sorcery, traversing through reflections, but he was familiar with that particular brand of undead. He let out a low growl at the sight of them.

“The True Sith,” he said. “Nephthys.”

The goal was clear now. Durron and Samael would handle the zombies, or at least, they’d provide enough of a distraction. Kain, meanwhile, would find his son. If the boy was unharmed, perhaps he would consider aiding Durron in repelling the invasion as a professional courtesy. But only after he had what he came here for.

He stretched his senses outward, looking only for his son. It took no effort to find the boy, hiding in some meditation chamber further in the temple. Kain began his steady march toward there, walking past Samael and Durron as they encountered the first of the undead they’d no doubt slay.

Samael would have first come across a zombie that had managed to squeeze itself out of the ground, the once-reflective marble now blackened with some sort of unholy ink. Its twisted, corrupted flesh would be but tinder.

The Jedi Grandmaster, on the other hand, would first encounter the invaders in a room on the left side of the grand hall. The door was open, with younglings flooding out as their teacher battled a trio of the undead, which had crawled out from a mirror in the corner of the room. Durron had arrived quickly enough that the Master, a Duros he’d recognize as Master Cadd, was still alive. Though it was clear that the Jedi Master was caught off guard, and worse yet, was terrified.

TAGS: @Darth Nathemus, @Hadzuska The_Jester

OOC: Kei Durron’s usage of Force Channel rolls 17 + 24 + 10, succeeding. An Effect Modifier of 15 + 8 grants him a +3 Bonus to his Force rolls in this turn and his next.

He then uses Force Speed, rolling 15 + 24 + 10 + 3, also succeeding. The Effect Modifier of 18 + 2 allows him to move at imperceptible speeds to all but Kain.

Kain’s usage of Force Sense rolls a 4 + 25 + 10, successfully surpassing Apollo’s DC and succeeding. An Effect Modifier of 15 allows him to sense where Apollo is within the temple.

____________________

IC: Damian Kento
Sith Temple Courtyard, Pyxis

​

Normally, Damian would have quipped something in return. No, certainly not, Apprentice. I wouldn’t learn how to raise the dead just for your benefit. But that would be a thought that’d come later. Right now, there was nothing in his mind but the empty void of fear and despair.

He’d watched these things tear apart friends and rivals alike as a child, mangling them with no remorse for their age or anything else. They were unfeeling, unthinking monsters. That terrified him. He was used to fighting the intelligent, outwitting them. And sure, even an idiot could outwit a zombie, but that had never saved them during the True Sith War. Would it save him now?

Instinct was all that allowed him to raise his hand, without a word, and send a torrent of golden Force Lightning at the first zombie to climb from the blackened puddle. The amber arcs cascaded through the undead fiend’s seizing body, charring flesh and causing smoke to rise into the air. But it did not cease its advance, moving ever closer to Sharkish’Ki, whose blade was at the ready. This was what prevented the creature from latching onto him and tearing out a chunk of his flesh with its teeth. Instead, it merely swiped at him, hitting his shoulder with a painful, albeit meddlesome blow.

As Sharkish’Ki no doubt retaliated, another zombie began to crawl its way out of that same black puddle, ready to feast on mortal flesh.

Meanwhile, in the medical bay, the pair of apprentices were not having much in the way of luck. Mardinga’s blast of fire seemed to fall just short of the creatures pursuing them, and his push of kinetic energy only just barely kept the zombies from blocking off their exit. But escape the medbay they did, and they now found themselves in a hall. Other apprentices were running in the corridor, making their way to escape, as Empress Hesper had planned for such events in the creation of her new temple. Mihi and Mardinga could follow that same path, or they could attempt to find the ones they’d left back in the courtyard: Master Kento and Sharkish’Ki. Who was to say that they could handle what came next without those two? Then again, perhaps leaving them behind was the only way they could escape at all.

TAGS: @Sharkish’Ki, @Mardinga, @Mihi Gaudens

OOC: Kento’s Sith Lightning rolls a 19 + 15 + 5, surpassing the zombie’s DC and hitting. 3d6 are rolled for Shock Damage, rolling 5 + 4 + 2. The zombie’s HP is reduced to 9.

The zombie in the courtyard attempts to attack Sharkish’Ki, rolling a natural 20 and successfully hitting him. 1d6 is rolled for Blunt Damage, rolling a 1. Sharkish’Ki’s HP is reduced to 11.

Mihi’s usage of Mental Shield does not need to be rolled for as there’s nothing attempting to breach her mind.

Mardinga’s usage of Pyrokinesis rolls a 4 + 7 + 2, failing to surpass the zombies’ DC of 20. His attack does not land.

He then attempts to Force Push them out of the way of the exit, rolling a 16 + 7 + 2, which succeeds. An Effect Modifier of 3 + 2 allows him to only barely knock them back, but it’s enough to prevent them from attacking this turn.

____________________

IC: Eva
The Jungle, Verdanth

​

Nathemus’ brutality against the enemy was unparalleled. His own captain, loyal to his master for all his life, had become subject to the mental manipulations of the True Sith, if even for the barest moment. That had been enough reason to end his life in the eyes of the Sedriss. And it was those eyes that disintegrated the poor captain, leaving nothing but a pile of ash in its wake. Such a power would take a small toll on Nathemus’ reserves, but he cared not, instead proceeding to broadcast a mental warning to everyone aboard his ship. None dared to protest.

Meanwhile, onboard his own ship, Volacius used his Force-enhanced senses to examine his captain before the man was brought to the medbay for holding. His senses could, obviously, not determine Teltif’s thoughts. But they did feel the captain’s increased heart rate and sickly cold sweat, like the man was falling ill. Perhaps it could have been from the fear of suffering the same fate as the Harbinger’s captain. Or perhaps it was something else.

Regardless, the rest of Volacius’ men did as commanded. They opened fire.

Eva sensed it a moment before it happened. Her danger senses flared, and not from the creature that’d just attacked them. No, after Catalyst unleashed some corrupted blast of Force energy at it, the Oggdo seemed to slow and nauseated. This danger she sensed came from above, with the turbolaser cannons of the capital ships aiming at the ground below, perhaps only a few hundred yards from where Eva and Catalyst now stood.

She acted before she thought. Eva spun on her heel, tackling into Catalyst and casting forth her teleportative abilities. The pair of them landed even further from the firing zone as the first volley of blasts hit the ground. The very earth rumbled as each resounding crash of turbolaser fire slammed into it, shaking all creatures on this side of the planet to their very cores, Eva and Catalyst most of all. The clearing they had just been in was getting peppered with debris, and thanks to Eva’s quick thinking, they were now just out of range of the blasts. And after what felt like hours, but had really been less than a minute, the bombardment ceased.

A crater rested where Nathemus’ coordinates had pointed, but apparently, it had not gone deep enough. Whatever cave system was beneath there was simply too far below ground to worry about bombardment, not unless the pair of ships was willing to spend much longer on this, and much more of their ammunition.

TAGS: @Darth Nathemus, @Volacius, @Catalyst

OOC: Catalyst’s usage of Sickening Blast rolls a 19 + 21 + 10, surpassing the Oggdo’s DC of 30. 4d8 are rolled for what I’ll arbitrate as Poison Damage, rolling 3 + 2 + 1 + 8. The Oggdo’s HP is now at 16.

Eva’s instinctive Precognition rolls again, this time rolling 9 + 16 + 5 and succeeding. An Effect Modifier of 14 + 2 gives her enough time to act before the bombardment hits.

Eva’s use of Teleport rolls 18 + 16 + 5, succeeding. An Effect Modifier of 12 + 4 allows her to teleport herself and Catalyst out of range of the flying debris from the bombardment.

Nathemus’ Deadly Sight rolls a 15 + 22 + 10, definitely surpassing Viskar’s DC. 5d10 are rolled for Heat Damage, rolling 9 + 9 + 7 + 5 + 10. Viskar’s HP is reduced to 0, and his body is reduced to ash.

His use of Telepathy then rolls a 5 + 22 + 10, successfully broadcasting his message into every mind aboard his ship. An Effect Modifier of 18 + 6 allows that message to be loud and clear.

Lord Volacius attempts to use Force Sense to determine Teltif’s thoughts. Unfortunately, Force Sense cannot be used in such a way. I will still roll, however, in case his senses can pick up on anything else. He rolls a 6 + 18 + 5, succeeding. An Effect Modifier of 13 + 2 allows him to sense that Teltif’s heart rate has spiked, and a cold sweat indicates that the captain is feeling ill.

____________________

IC: Darth Vaer
Entrance Hallway, The Tsushima

​

The soldiers in the accompaniment of Lady Kolasi obeyed the orders of Mavros, taking up their respective positions without contest. The leading squad moved ahead, squeezing through the open doorway. “All clear!” one trooper called out, signaling it as safe to pass through.

Meanwhile, Mavros’ redirection of his senses proved fruitful, if only a bit. His view of the future, however dim it was, only corroborated what Lady Kolasi had just said. The crew of this ship was certainly not going to be friendly. But he could not tell anything beyond that tidbit of information. Anything else would have to be learned the old-fashioned way.

Zareel continued to feed on the dark energies of this place, but she would begin to get a sense that doing so for much longer was not going to be pleasant. The darkness here was not the kind she was used to, just as the dark of the True Sith once wasn’t. But this was something different entirely. Not better, not worse. But alien all the same.

They all would only know more if they continued through the open door, into the corridor beyond.

On the other side of the entry hall, Arach focused her senses down to a tighter view, trying to only find out what awaited them on the opposite side of that locked door. All she could sense now was some movement in the distance. Something in the vents, perhaps. It could have been the size of a mouse droid or an elephant. She wouldn’t know until she explored the insides of this dead starship herself.

Looking around at his ragtag band of troopers, engineers, and two Sith Ladies, Vaer let out a slight chuckle. “Let’s not waste any more time.” His hands met in front of him, back to back. His fingers dug into the Force, using his telekinetic might to rend the door apart. And so it did, pulling apart like the durasteel was made of naught but tissue paper. The metal squealed in protest, but that was all the resistance there was. The red hologram indicating that it was locked fizzled out of existence, and now all that was left before them was a dark, empty hallway. None of the lights beyond the entry hall were on in this direction.

Vaer ignited his saber with a snap-hiss, the sapphire light acting as a guiding beacon as he stepped through the torn door, nodding to the others to follow.

TAGS: @Arach, @skira, @Drakul_Xarxes, @Cardun Vrek, @Darth Voxyn, @Zareel Jhenan’doka

OOC: Vaer’s Force Rend rolls 13 + 19 + 5 for a total of 37, succeeding. The Effect Modifier of 17 + 6 allows him to pull open the locked door with little effort.

Mavros’ Precognition rolls a 15 + 18 + 5, totaling 38 and succeeding. An Effect Modifier of 8 + 2 allows him to sense just enough to know that Kolasi is right in that the crew is a danger, but that’s really all.

Arach’s focused use of Force Sense rolls a 16 + 21 + 10, succeeding. The Effect Modifier of 18 + 3 senses distant movement in the vents.

Zareel’s continued usage of Feed on Dark Side extends her +1 bonus to Force power rolls for one more turn.

____________________

IC: Kain, the Beloved King of the Stars
Within the Eye of Typhojem

​

No matter their pleading or demands, the Gatekeeper would not step aside. Instead, it split, its form manipulating matter in this realm of its. Darkened shrouds enveloped each of the beings that came to the Eye, for each of them would need to be tested for their individual worth.

Xarxes would find himself in this darkened void, standing before his own wife. She was as gorgeous as she ever was, nearly as tall as he and bountiful in her splendor. Her smile was as it always was when she saw him in their home, when neither had anything else in the galaxy to worry for, save their child. He would know that this was not truly his wife. This was but the form that the Gatekeeper had chosen. For what purpose, it had not yet revealed.

Khatt experienced her own encounter with the darkness. But she did not see a kind lover waiting for her. No, she was being bathed in His glory. Her God landed before her, floating from the dark heavens above. This was a false god, she had to know. He would not appear before her like this. No, it was a trick. Or was it really a trick if she knew it was? If it had allowed her to know? She need only ask if she wanted an answer.

And Kain… he was not so quick to perceive the lie. Because it was a lie he already made himself believe.

In his own personal darkness stood the most enchanting woman in all the universe. The mother of his child, and the first creature he ever loved more than himself. Abaddon. With her dark, flowing hair, and her eyes glowing violet. He did not even give her the chance to speak before embracing her. It was instinct at that point. Anything to feel her again, to truly experience her warmth.

“Weakness,” she said.

He let her go, staring into her eyes. The flicker of emerald fire there reminded him of where he was, and what this was. The Beloved King stepped away, disturbed that he had given in so quickly. “You deceive me, Gatekeeper,” he said.

“No,” it answered. “You deceive yourself.”

TAGS: @Drakul_Xarxes, @Jen’nu

____________________

IC: Pandora
The Howling Hawkbat, Nar Shaddaa

​

The creature that now inhabited Sho Temm let out a cruel laugh at the Jedi’s brave words. It had heard many like them before, and it would hear many more before the universe was swallowed in entropy. “You are--”

It could not finish its maligned insult before Cal attempted to cleanse its mind. The sensation was peculiar, one that even in all its existence, it had never before known. Was this… disorientation? Nausea? Such mortal things. Why did it feel them now?

That had given the rest of the room the opportunity to explode.

Voxyn’s toss of the spear, while meaning well, did naught but send the pointy end sticking into the ground just past the false Sho’s feet. Voidwalker’s own attempt at maiming the imposter was far more successful, for as he attempted to tear the creature in twain, he was able to nearly tear off the Kel Dor’s arm. It hissed in rage, wildly swinging its blade for Cal Vastrom. It found nothing but air.

Makaria, meanwhile, exacted vengeance against the imposter that dared to attack the Empress. Her vile application of Telekinesis finished the job that Hesper began, tearing into the creature and forcing it to spew more of that green puss. The wound was what the Shadow Being seeped through, following its fellow brethren and disappearing into a portal of endless darkness in the ceiling.

Hesper had intended on forcing the guard at the door to let them pass, but she never had a chance to enter his feeble mind. Bloody viscera and gore exploded from his cranium, spattering on both the guards in front of her and even on the Empress herself. But this was not green blood like the others. This was red, human blood. This was a murder like any other.

The culprit was none other than Lord Huskac, who also applied the same power to the traitors that dared to aim their weapons at him. They each clutched the sides of their heads, feeling their skulls cave in, as their fellow, far more loyal guardsmen finished them off with a wave of blasterfire. The smoke-like ink filtered through the many holes in their corpses, one disappearing into the aether like the others. But the second one…

It lingered.

With a wave of its blackened claws, pure entropy took hold of Huskac and his soldiers. The Emperor of the Tapani sector would watch as his own people withered away into nothing but lifeless husks, all meat and water in their bodies dissolving in moments. They were all dead, and he was not doing so hot either. His already-malformed flesh grew worse with the rapid aging that’d been inflicted upon him. His bones ached with the pain of decades he’d never experienced, his joints wanting to buckle beneath his own weight. Agony enveloped him. This was awaited all mortalkind. A cruel reminder.

Pandora watched as chaos enveloped the room and knew that right now, she would risk harming her allies if she started swooping around and tearing limbs apart. No, she would have to do this more intelligently than that.

Rather than go on the offensive, she ensured that the most important members of this summit would survive. Shimmering barriers surrounded the bodies of Cal Vastrom, Avery Sunka, and Empress Hesper, protecting them from any further attacks.

And those attacks did come.

With more green blood spilled, the imposters began a killing spree. Nobles and guardsmen alike fell in droves, dropping to blade and blaster bolt.

One of the creatures tried to match a Hasturan warrior with its vibrosword, swinging for the much bigger man’s gut. It cleaved into the flesh, eliciting a grunt of frustration from the Hasturan before its axe sent the imposter flying across the room in retaliation.

Another one of the imposters, a supposed guard of the supposed Lord of the Hevvrol System, fired his blaster rifle at the King of Onderon. The bolt bounced off that shimmering wall that Pandora constructed, sending it flying up at the ceiling instead.

This was a bloodbath. But it was a battle that the living would have to win. Losing here meant an end to the galaxy, and that was not coming today.

TAGS: @corinthia, @Helkosh, @Voidwalker, @Darth Voxyn, @Cardun Vrek, @Dark Lady Makaria, @skira

OOC: Makaria’s usage of Force Wound rolls 19 + 16 + 5, totaling at 40 and surpassing the Shadowed Guard’s DC of 35, hitting him. 4d6 are rolled for Blunt Damage, rolling 6 + 5 + 3 + 3. His HP is reduced to 0 and the body that the Shadow Being was inhabiting has been destroyed. A coin is flipped to determine whether it escapes or retaliates against its attacker, with the former being heads and the latter being tails. It lands on heads. It escapes as the last one did.

Cal’s usage of Cleanse Mind rolls a natural 20. Unfortunately, there is no mind of Sho’s to cleanse. However, to reward this nat 20, I will allow this to have disoriented the Shadow Being inside of Sho, giving anyone else who attacks it in this turn advantage rolls.

Huskac’s attempt at using Force Crush rolls a 9 + 21 + 10, totaling at 40 and succeeding on all three of his intended targets. 4d8 are rolled for Blunt Damage, rolling 8 + 6 + 3 + 8. Each of his Shadowed Guards has their HP reduced to 5. The guard that was attempting to open the door, however, has his HP reduced to 0. His head explodes in bloody viscera, and he is dead.

Huskac’s loyal soldiers open fire on the traitors, rolling 16 + 13 + 5 and succeeding. 2d10 are rolled for Plasma Damage on each traitor, as there are four guards firing. They roll 2 + 7 on the first, and 3 + 2 on the other. Both Shadowed Guards have their HP reduced to 0, and the bodies that the Shadow Beings were inhabiting are destroyed. Two more coins are flipped to determine the revealed Shadow Beings’ courses of action. The first flips heads, making one escape. The second, however, flips tails. It decides to retaliate rather than run.

The freed Shadow Being attacks Huskac and his guards with Darkshear, rolling a 16 + 20 + 10. This surpasses the DC of Huskac and his guards. 5d8 are rolled for Necrotic Damage, rolling 1 + 8 + 4 + 5 + 7. Huskac’s HP is reduced to 16. His guards, however, all have their HP reduced to 0. They are dead.

Voxyn’s attempted throw of his spear at Sho incurs a STR roll with advantage, getting a 9 + 18 + 3. That totals 30 and fails to surpass Sho’s DC of 41. It misses.

Voidwalker’s attempt at Force Rend rolls with advantage as well, earning an 11 + 21 + 10, totaling at 42 and just barely passing Sho’s DC. It hits. 5d10 are rolled for Sharp Damage, rolling 7 + 2 + 6 + 2 + 5. Shadowed Sho’s HP is reduced to 19.

Shadowed Sho swings his lightsaber at Cal, though it’s just a basic Shii-Cho slash in the heat of the moment. It rolls a 3 + 21 + 10, totaling 34 and ending up just shy of Cal’s DC. It misses.

Hesper’s usage of Affect Mind no longer needs to be rolled for since there is no longer a mind to affect.

Pandora’s Force Barrier rolls 14 + 19 + 5, succeeding. An Effect Modifier of 10 + 2 allows her to increase the DC of all intended targets (Cal, Hesper, Avery) by 4.

A Shadowed Guard swings his vibrosword at a Hasturan Guard, rolling a natural 20 and succeeding. 2d8 are rolled for Sharp Damage, rolling 7 + 3. The Hasturan Guard’s HP is lowered to 15.

The Hasturan Guard retaliates with a swing of his axe, rolling a 10 + 13 + 10 and successfully hitting. 1d10 is rolled for Sharp Damage, and 1d6 is rolled for Blunt Damage, rolling out to 9 + 4. The Shadowed Guard’s HP is lowered to 12.

A Shadowed Guard fires his blaster rifle at Avery, rolling an 8 + 10 + 5. This totals 23 and would have surpassed Avery’s DC were it not for Pandora’s Barrier. The bolt bounces off of said barrier.

 

[Sharkish’Ki]

IC: Death Apprentice Sharkish’Ki
Sith Temple courtyard, Pyxis​

Sharkish’Ki’s eyes fluttered an involuntary reaction to the intense flashes of gold energy that poured from the Master’s hands. How he escaped injury himself, he could only be thankful for, as the creature before him swung with primal malice at the distracted apprentice. Irony, he thought, as he remembered the last comment he gave the young opponent.
He took the blow with a step back, using the energy to recoil into a slashing attack with his blade in an attempt to sever the creature’s head from its exposed neck. With the fate of the blow undecided, Sharkish’Ki put his faith in the Force and sent a charge of telekinetic energy toward the corpse, attempting to send it tumbling to the feet of the new arrival, or at least have it stumble backwards.
“What are these things!?” He exclaimed in something akin to an amalgamation of terror and disgust.
If master Kento’s lightning wasn’t going to slow them down, they needed to create distance, and retreat wasn’t in Sharkish’Ki’s nature, yet there was no telling how many would follow, and a dead apprentice is a useless apprentice. They needed to plug the portal somehow; perhaps bury them in their own filth.
“Can we bring down one of those statues?” He wondered for a second how long they’d loomed above Sith like him, doing nothing but reminding him of his wanting, as he readied himself in an aggressive forward stance to intercept another bout.

Powers used:
Djem So - 1
Stance Discipline - 1
Force Push - 1

Tags: @Darth Kain @Mihi Gaudens @Mardinga

 

[Catalyst]

IC: Catalyst
Verdanth

The great beast was staggered by Catalyst's barrage and looked like it could be finished off quickly by another blast, but the opportunity never came. As Catalyst pulled back his hand, readying himself to unleash another burst of Force power, he was suddenly tackled to the ground by Eva. The Oggdo certainly wasn't readying itself for a counterattack, so what was she trying to protect him from?

The answer came more quickly than he would have liked.

Emerald bolts of plasma rained down in a torrent from the ships above. In the blink of an eye, he suddenly found himself catapulted free of the blast zone. As the turbolasers pulverized the terrain, he and Eva were mercifully safe from the fallout. He waited, the thundering of his heart barely perceptible over the pounding orbital assault, until the last bolt pierced the ground, throwing up dirt and debris around them. After a merciful few seconds of deathly quiet, he realized he was clutched tightly to Eva. He cleared his throat and released her.

"Thank you," Catalyst smiled down at her. "I'm glad you saw that coming. I didn't think Volacius would be so trigger happy, especially after I told him that you were down here." He sighed, feeling around in his robes for his communicator. Dusting the device off, he keyed into the frequency that the three Sith Lords had been using earlier. Anger welled up inside him as he chose his words very carefully.

"You missed, Volacius." The venom in his voice could not be ignored, and he continued his tirade with barely contained contempt. "Count yourself lucky. Even in his current state of mind, I don't think Kain would have forgiven you for killing his daughter in the crossfire." He shot a sidelong glance at Eva, wondering if what he said was actually true. He knew that Eva and Kain weren't exactly seeing eye to eye at the moment, but wasn't clear on the depth of their disagreement. "You'd better get down here and inspect your work. There might be a piece of Oggdo you can hang above your bed to feel like a big, strong man." He clipped the communicator back to his belt and turned back to Eva. "Let's go. To hell with both of them. I don't feel like risking myself for someone who would act so carelessly."

TAG: @Darth Kain @Darth Nathemus @Volacius