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

[Catalyst]

IC Brooke
Kain's Citadel, Hastur

Brooke remained silent as Kain spoke. Most of what he said didn't matter to her. Korriban, the summit, things that were in the past. She was more interested in what he hadn't said. Notably, he hadn't addressed why Apollo wasn't safe at the Jedi order. The zombies, of course, were a threat, but the Grandmaster was there to protect them. Did Kain simply not believe in the power Kei Durron possessed? It didn't matter any longer, she supposed.

T1-FA's appearance stirred her emotions briefly. The caretaker droid was one of the fonder memories she held from her time on Vitae, but it also brought memories back of her time playing with Eva. Her heart ached for her friend, and she hoped that where Eva went, she wasn't being accosted by the nightmares that faced them at the temple. She took Apollo's hand and followed T1-FA to the chamber that had been prepared for them. "It's OK, Apollo," she smiled down at the boy. "T1-FA will take good care of us. She's very nice."

The back of Brooke's mind stirred as they kept walking. She wanted to be sure that what Kain said was really true. Once they were comfortably placed, Brooke excused herself briefly. "I'm going to use the refresher, Apollo, can you keep T1-FA safe for me?" She flashed a playful smile, hoping the invitation to play pretend would appeal to the boy. She retreated to the commode and locked the door behind her. Sitting on the floor, she let the Force surround her. She concentrated on Tython, on the Jedi Order, on a Jedi Knight named Keldro Unmar, hoping to see through some glimpse of the aethereal miasma of space that he and the rest of the Jedi Order were safe.

TAG: @Darth Kain

Powers used:
Farsight (2)

 

[Mihi Gaudens]

Panting and sweating. A shower would be nice, she thought for the briefest of moments. Everything stank. She used that thought to only guard her mind in such a way that it took very little mental energy as every other ounce was on holding the crackling darkness in her hand.
The apprentice she had been dueling earlier was ahead of her and Mardinga. She had briefly forgotten his name but he shouted something about destroying a statue to save them.
Well it was as good of a place as any to release the spear, better if it would be one that would allow for some means of escape or even brief respite would do them all well. The undead are relentless afterall, not needing much in the same as her own flesh did for functioning.
She nodded at Mardinga and Sharkish'Ki. She made her way past the statue, careful to aim at the corner of it that if knocked just right would likely topple it into the path of the undead making an obstacle for them. As she faced it, the target would be the feont right corner to topple it into the path to the right of the statue of Apollyon.
She released the spear.

Before even turning to continue running she gave the information of where she knew the heat signatures of the others were to Mardinga using cardinal directions of a compass.
"They are northeast of us from what I can guess."

Spear of midnight black-1

@Sharkish’Ki @Mardinga @Darth Kain

 

[Darth Nathemus]

IC: Grand Master Kei Durron
Location: Howling Hawkbat, Nar Shaddaa

Durron smirked softly when the Imperatrix of the Sith was held in Stasis. Someone needed to knock everyone at this summit down a peg, and he hoped that his gesture would do that. It was in fact a display of power, as many among this group could not even touch the Sith Empress with their Force Powers. Of course, like any Sith, her lackey Makaria immediately lashed out and struck the Grand Master with a concentrated blast of Shadowstrike, but unfortunately her attempt to dip out of the Hawkbat blatantly failed.

If it were any other situation, he would have chuckled before retaliating in a severe way, perhaps even cutting the Sith off from the Force, but that was not his reaction today. The situation was already tense enough, and it seemed Makaria and Kain only wanted to mudsling at each other. None of this would solve anything, he knew. This was not why Durron agreed to come here.

He shifted his left index finger yet again, this time removing his hold on Hesper. If she chose to retaliate, that would be her undoing, but he hoped that would not be the case. "Hesper, Makaria, Kain, I did not come here to engage in your petty squabbles. Such is the way of the Dark Side you all serve, I understand, but we must all put our differences aside. I came to destroy the Shadow Beings that are here, and to further rid the galaxy of the influence of the Father of Shadows."

Kain froze the blaster bolts in place, but Durron took it further. With the Force flowing through him, he concentrated his blast of Lightning through each of the assailants, hopefully forcing the Shadow Beings out to be destroyed after.

Powers used:
Force Channel: 5
Chain Lightning: 5

TAG: @Darth Kain @corinthia @Dark Lady Makaria @skira @Voidwalker @Helkosh @Darth Voxyn @Cardun Vrek (Apologies if I missed anyone)




IC: Sedriss Nathemus
Location: The Cavern Opening, Verdanth

Nathemus was simultaneously pleased and disappointed. While Revan and Bastila could surely help them along their quest, it was true that they'd served their time and deserved to rest. The Bond, however, was indeed formed between the four of them. It was an immediate surge of swirling mental and physical feelings. Power, courage, but also fear and withheld feelings as well. It was curious. He'd had Bonds before, but never with multiple different people.

He forced himself to not think of his family back home. If Nephthys could perceive any of their thoughts, she could not be allowed to get to them.

Catalyst made the decision to go in first, as was his place being the stealthiest member of the group. Thankfully, through the power of their Bond, everyone could see through his eyes. "Catalyst," he spoke mentally to the whole group. "Tell us immediately if anything moves down there. We all have each other's backs."

Now that their Bond was formed, he hoped that he could see Eva and her future. Focusing on the flowing currents of the Living Force and its grand tapestry, his mind reached out and attempted to perceive the new future that the four of them hoped to create. He greatly hoped that this would be a better outcome, but that was yet to be seen.

Powers used:
Farsight: 5

TAG: @Darth Kain @Volacius @Catalyst

 

[Xarxes]

IC: Darth Drakul Xarxes
Beyond Shadows
​

Reality recoalesced into matter and form, the two principia colliding in the eyes of the Nightfather as his chanting ceased and the light of a million stars faded from his eyes. The dull gray of infinitely distant starlight gave birth to the whirling form of Horliss-Horliss and the monolithic Splendid Apothem, demigods both. Xarxes had seen them before, though he had been alone then, and their counsel had proven invaluable. Now, they refused to offer Kain assistance in his hour of need, or so it seemed.

The Patriarch had been endowed by the two remaining Architects to ensure the safety of the galaxy's future once before. They acted through heralds, not direct intervention, as doing so in the past had caused calamity. Save in the most dire of circumstances. Xarxes understood it well. If the two did not interfere themselves, it had been because Ap had seen the possible futures, and knew that a circumstance yet existed where the forces of Ooradryl and his ilk were defeated without direct aid from the Architects.

"Kain," spake the titan. "Apothem has spoken before of the unnecessity of their own intervention. Our cause seeks guidance, not allies on a cosmic battlefield. The ultimate end of this conflict -- and the universe -- has already been ordinated by the powers that be. It is our task simply to guide that ordinance to completion, even if we do not know what it is."

Xarxes paused, somewhat troubled by his own words, knowing it to be an affront to the ideas of opposing destiny the Sith had long perpetrated. However, he had reconciled before the reality that cosmic ordinances were known because they were to happen, and did not simply happen because the Highest Power willed it so. Kain, however...

"Apothem speaks truthfully. Your very existence is an affront to the determinable future. But you're here now, opposing on the ground that which the powers of above do not. There is nothing to be done but accept their guidance."

Do not let him rule...

The voice was familiar, as if coming from the psychic energies of a Bedlam Spirit, though it carried a tinge of alienness that even the cosmic demigods lacked. But for what reason, he could not tell.

TAGS: @Darth Kain @Jen'nu

 

[corinthia]

IC: Empress Hesper, the Butcher of Coruscant
"Peace Summit" - Howling Hawkbat - Nar Shaddaa​

When Durron's hold on her loosened, Hesper immediately drew herself away, her body language instantly shutting down and closing herself off from all others in the room. The smoldering rage in her chest still burned, bright as a brazier, even though she appeared pacified. She brought her arms about herself, and her eyes, flinty, red-rimmed, flicked between Kain and Durron as she stepped slowly towards Makaria. It was clear, she was digesting what had just occurred: a brazen overstep from the Grandmaster, a speech so loquacious and conceited as to be comical from Kain, and the mightiest of slaps from her compatriot, Makaria, who was rightfully livid with her former master. Hesper rolled her shoulders as if to shake off Durron's lingering touch.

Her jaw clenched and unclenched as she thought, until her upper lip pulled back in a sneer.

"I, I, I, I, I," she mocked, angling her face at Kain as his speech still echoed in her ears. She swept those piercing eyes of hers up and down his form, scrutinizing as if to dissect him top to toe. The sensation of her gaze was like knives. "Do you not hear yourself? You foolish, false messiah. Put down your megalomania for once and open your eyes to the truth. You'll find that the galaxy does not revolve around you." She took another step towards Makaria. "If you do not do as I advise, and continue to estrange those who would be your allies with your egoism, then I will keep my promise and you will find yourself with another powerful enemy in a time when it would behoove you to have but one."

She touched Makaria on the elbow, a signal. Then, she flourished her hand: an action to summon a portal. They would return to Bosthirda, Hesper's haven, and repose in its verdant canyons until their heads and hearts had cooled enough to stand the sight of Kain again. This apparent threat could wait. Those priestesses and Guardsmen that remained closed ranks around the Empress, closing her off even more than her posture had.

Hesper turned, and called across the room. "King Avery," she said, "Your Queen would be livid if you were to be left here. Come," she beckoned.

She turned her wicked, scarred eye on Kain one last time. The glimmer of prescience seemed alive in her gaze. Perhaps she knew his next move-- perhaps she did not. That knowledge was a secret to none but her, and the dark numen of the Force she worshipped.

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

Powers used:
Force Travel - 5​

 

[Darth Kain]

GM UPDATE

IC: Kain, the Beloved King of the Stars
Throne Room, Citadel of Fire, Hastur

​

The Beloved King's lips curved into a faint grin as he absorbed the words of the Devaronian, though it was not a smile born of admiration or pride. It bore the taint of something more ominous, an essence derived from cursed knowledge and unbridled power.

"Samael," he intoned, “you stand upon an isle of blissful ignorance amidst the vast black seas of infinity, content to not voyage far. But under my guidance, you will see that the cosmos is not as you presume it to be, nor as any mortal being perceives it. You worship the shadow on the wall, but it is time you saw what casts that shadow.”

Kain offered his hand to the Lightbringer.

“Let me show you the truth in the flames.”

TAG: @Hadzuska_The Jester

____________________

IC: T1-FA and Apollo
Citadel of Fire, Hastur/Jedi Temple, Tython

​

Apollo's young mind spun like a cyclone of thoughts, each of his father's words echoing within like blaster bolts ricocheting off chromium. Brooke's request to watch over T1-FA barely registered in the whirlwind of his consciousness. Offering her a fleeting, tender smile, he continued on, the nanny droid holding his tiny hand as they did.

He’s not the same man I knew.

I will not allow these dark forces to rob me of everything.

He’s dangerous.

… he knows that we are a threat, that I am a threat.

My father died on Korriban eleven years ago.

Grant me the chance to be the father fate has thus far denied me.

He didn’t know what to believe, who to believe.

I’ll explain everything. I promise.

Meanwhile, Brooke's visit to the refresher was proving fruitful. Her ethereal sight peered through the gossamer tapestry of the Force, glimpsing into the near future at the Jedi Temple of Tython. Her vision, while blurred in places, granted her a glimpse of the Jedi's state. They were recovering from the vicious assault, tending to their fallen comrades, and mourning their losses. But they persisted, still very much alive.

In contrast, Keldro was absent from the temple. She observed as a starfighter took flight, carrying him at the helm. The fire in his heart burned with an unquenchable thirst for justice. He was bound for Hastur; he was coming here.

​

But that future had not come to pass. Not just yet.

At the Jedi Temple of Tython, Keldro Unmar ventured into the hallowed halls of the Jedi Archives. It was a treasure trove of knowledge, though its wisdom could never match the ancient records lost during the tumultuous Clone Wars or the old Sith Wars. Nonetheless, fresh information found its way here, and details of Hastur had been updated recently thanks to the diligent work of the Sentinels in the Outer Rim. Contrary to their previous beliefs, Hastur was not a world trapped in nuclear winter; instead, it was a volcanic inferno, home to the fierce Hasturan warriors, a race of unparalleled fighters. The coordinates to this fiery realm were safely stored within the archives, and Keldro did not require a Master's approval to access them.

All that remained now was for Keldro to secure a ship and set course for the blazing world. Perhaps he held the last glimmer of hope for Apollo and Brooke, and this was his opportunity to find out.

TAGS: @Catalyst, @Undying Master Xiannarr

OOC: Brooke’s Farsight rolls 15 + 10 + 5, succeeding. An Effect Modifier of 11 + 4 allows her to see the current state of the Jedi Order on Tython and Keldro specifically.

____________________

IC: Damian Kento
Sith Temple, Nar Shaddaa​

Few things tasted as sour as misplaced hope. And that was what they would all taste upon their tongues, like ash, as Mihi lobbed nothing at the statue of Darth Apollyon. Though the fact that her even properly summoning a spear of dark energy was a miracle on its own, their luck had not propelled that miracle into true fortune, just as Mihi did not propel that spear. Instead, the spear fizzled in her inexperienced hands, the intricate machinations of such a power eluding her grasp. Though the potential for future mastery simmered within her, potential alone could not save them now.

The doorway into the concealed tunnels, once veiled by a heavy stone slab, now yawned open, beckoning the group of Sith to venture into its dark embrace. Damian urged the others to proceed first, his hands gesturing with urgency. Yet, the relentless advance of the undead pressed too closely for him to seal the passage properly, even with the toppling of the statue. If these young apprentices were to survive, Damian had no choice but to confront his deepest fears head-on.

He was no longer a child, ensnared in the clutches of Darth Quetzu, destined to be a mere vessel for some malevolent entity. Now, he stood as a man, bearing the weight of duty upon his shoulders. That was why he had survived.

Until now.

"Go!" he roared, activating his lightsaber and cleaving through the nearest zombies. Their lifeless forms fell to the ground, severed in a display of lethal prowess.

"I'll be right behind you!" he lied, unleashing torrents of lightning upon the unyielding horde. They writhed beneath the onslaught of his hatred, yet they did not falter.

One precious breath escaped him as he turned his back to the pursuing zombies, utilizing the Force to seal the path behind the apprentices with the same stone slab that had veiled the tunnel. Teeth sank into his flesh. But he didn’t care. They would follow the path. They would make it to the hidden hangar above. They would survive.

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

OOC: This next note is an admittance of fault from me. I had assumed players would only post Powers Used that are actually on their character sheet, and found no need to double check to make sure said Powers Used were actually there. Mihi, unfortunately, does not have Spear of Midnight Black on her character sheet, and wouldn’t be able to even if she did, since it requires the character to be level 15+. Thus, we will chalk her successful creation of one in her last post as her getting quite close to learning it, as she can summon one, but using it still escapes her. Her attempt to throw it at the statue of Apollyon automatically fails, and please do endeavor to only post powers that are actually on your sheet in the future.

____________________

IC: Darth Vaer
Flight Lounge, The Tsushima

​

The Dark Lord's eyebrow arched at Arach's unpleasant tone, and he retorted with a thunderous boom, "Oh yes, I planned on employing their labor for my lemonade stand down the street—Of course, the Order would use them as weapons! The last time we faced an enemy wielding Hunger, he slaughtered thousands of us. If we hurl these things at the next adversary capable of such horrors, we'd be better off. Now, don't waste my time with inane questions, Lady Arach. These matters are above your pay grade. Carry out the task you've been assigned, and you'll be rewarded fittingly; nothing else matters."

Vaer's fervent outburst, whether due to his shouting or some other reason, drowned out any further information Vitani's ears could catch. There were undoubtedly more of these creatures aboard the ship, but their proximity remained uncertain—something they might discover the hard way.

Arach's sinister demon hovered in the air, its malevolent gaze fixed upon Lord Vaer with pure hatred. Had it not been for its master's control, it would have massacred all the feeble beings in the room, starting with this Vaer and his arrogant boasting. But vengeance would have to wait. Vaer posed no immediate threat, at least not yet.

"Now then, Vitani," Vaer turned to her, "you've been kind enough to remain silent. Tell me, should we venture further into this madness on our own, or shall we rejoin the others on the eastern side of the ship? While I dread the prospect of dealing with them further, I prefer more bodies between us and these monstrosities. I leave the decision to you."

TAGS: @Arach, @Darth Voxyn

OOC: Vitani’s use of Theran Force Listening rolls 2 + 17 + 5, failing. She hears nothing of note.

____________________

IC: LE-14 and Sergeant Luceno
Eastern Hallway, The Tsushima​

The droid turned to Zareel as Lady Kolasi placed a hand upon it, either unaware or uncaring about the physical contact. “Unknown,” it said, regarding the percentage of crewmates turned, “If I am given access within the captain’s quarters, I may be able to access the crew’s remote vital signs and give an accurate assessment.”

As the droid answered Zareel’s inquiry, Kolasi was having some of her own questions answered.

The droid zipped through the corridor, scuttling as fast as its legs could carry it, as blasterfire exploded behind. A screech was the only response. Something brushed past LE’s shoulder plate. It was the Mirialan escorting the droid to safety, a young woman registered as Naomi Rahsi. Her yellow skin was mottled with her own blood.

“They won’t stop coming!” she said.

“I can distract them to provide you a window of escape,” said the droid.

“No!” She shook her head. “No one gets left behind, not even you, metalhead.”

“I do wish you would stop calling me that.”

“Not the time!” Rahsi fired more behind them, at what the droid could only reason to be the mutated crew. They turned a corner, heading for the eastern hall that led to the hangars. “Everything went wrong the moment we picked that stranger up. I should’ve known better than to advocate for him.”

“My scanners indicate that this began before when we--”

“Again, not the time!”

They made it into the hall, just outside one of the storage rooms. But there were more of those creatures on the other side, in between them and their one escape. Rahsi panicked, her eyes searching for any other way. But there was none. With a cry of fear, she pushed LE into the storage room, following her close behind. A swipe of her keycard sealed the door just as the beasts grew close, blocking them off and forcing the creatures to scratch and claw against durasteel rather than them.

LE’s sensors registered sixteen hours that it and Naomi were locked in this storage room, sealed from the horrors that awaited them outside. “It’s quiet out there now,” said the Mirialan. Her wounds had not gotten any better, and the lack of food, water, or sleep were certainly not helping. “Maybe I can find some bandages, maybe something to drink…”

“I would not advise that. Let me do it for you.”

“Those things tear up droids just as much as anything else. I move faster and quieter. I’ll be right back, don’t worry.”

“I can’t let you do that.”

Naomi smiled. “You’ll have to.”

LE-14 was unable to register the flick of the switch at the back of its headplate, forcing it to power down.

Kolasi’s eyes were focused on the present once more, and with her vision in mind, she’d notice the bloodstains on the wall where Naomi had been laying against. It’d been almost a week since LE’s deactivation. The Mirialan girl wasn’t coming back.

“If I may,” Sergeant Luceno’s voice cut through the reverie, “I wouldn’t recommend splitting up. If the captain will provide more information about what’s in the cargo hold, then we all need to find him first. Otherwise half of us will know what we’re getting into right as the other half gets into it."

TAGS: @skira, @Cardun Vrek, @Darth Drakul Xarxes, @Zareel Jhenan’doka

OOC: Kolasi’s Psychometry rolls 19 + 20 + 10, succeeding. The Effect Modifier of 11 + 5 allows her a fairly clear vision of the droid’s recent past.

____________________

IC: Eva
The Cave, Verdanth

​

The cavern echoed with the silent footfalls of the small team, each step a measured dance of stealth and caution. Catalyst led the way, his wit as sharp as his senses. Volacius moved in next, followed by Eva with Nathemus at the rear. The latter three seemed wise enough to give the stealthy Lord of Linguistics a wide berth as he began to conceal his presence in the Force, aptly closing off anyone’s perception of him within the all-seeing field of energy. It would also take a pair of supernaturally adept eyes to see him in the real world as well, as the darkness that enveloped all of them within this cavern was absolute. No sunlight reached here, and the further they descended, the further the light retreated. It was only their senses within the Force that made them able to survive the descent, allowing them to avoid jutting stalactites and stalagmites.

Though Volacius and Nathemus would surely have a harder time navigating their surroundings as they decided to each set their sights on the future instead.

Nathemus’ vision focused specifically on the fate of Eva, and his farsight would not fail him.

She was in a waking nightmare. Bodies were strewn about like discarded toys. Broken. Leaking blood into the dead earth surrounding them. But those were simply the unlucky, the ones that had not been turned to ash. Her gaze drifted upward. A shiver went down her spine.

The monstrous creature's grotesque appendages stretched across the heavens, casting an ominous shadow over the already bleak landscape below. It fed off of her anguish, and off of the deaths of the millions that surrounded her. This was what her doubt had wrought. This was the end of all things.​

While Nathemus focused on Eva's fate, Volacius employed his innate talent for precognition, seeking glimpses of the future that now included her. In a brief flash, he saw crimson splatters on the ground, illuminated by distant rays of sunlight. A pond, a grim tableau of lifeless forms. His gut churned with uncertainty, unable to determine if the fallen were their allies or the enemy.

And as they reached further down into the cavern, the less certain things became. The Force began to undulate and twist, writhing as something unnatural overcame it. Such a powerful sense of unease would dull the fact that light was emanating from up ahead, the flickering of an emerald-green torch on the wall. Catalyst would be the first to notice it, and though no life accompanied that torch, the team would get the sense that reality would not be the same this point forward. They would have to act with discretion, or risk something unforeseen. What that meant, there was no way of knowing.

TAGS: @Darth Nathemus, @Catalyst, @Volacius

OOC: Catalyst uses Conceal Essence, rolling 17 + 21 + 10 and successfully overcoming Nephthys’ DC. An Effect Modifier of 16 + 1 allows him to severely reduce anyone’s ability to sense him in the Force.

Nathemus’ use of Farsight rolls a natural 20, succeeding automatically. An Effect Modifier of 20 + 4 allows him to see Eva’s future with perfect clarity.

Volacius’ use of Mental Shield rolls 12 + 18 + 5, only successfully blocking his thoughts from Eva. An Effect Modifier of 16 + 2 increases his DC against Psychic Attacks from her by 8.

His Precognition then rolls 13 + 18 + 5, succeeding. An Effect Modifier of 18 + 2 allows him a crystal clear snapshot of their future.

____________________

IC: Kain, the Beloved King of the Stars
Beyond Shadows​

His eyes bore into the forms of his comrades, desperate for any aid to his cause. Khatt seemed eager to help all of them in any way she could, though her words seemed distorted and contorted, like a skipping record. Xarxes, on the other hand, only hoped to make Kain understand the position of the Architects, to make him see what they saw. And at first, he couldn’t.

There was no way they could see all that was coming to pass in this war. They had never seen such things before. Why would they have gone through with the inane birth of the Old Ones in the first place? Why would they do all of the horrible things they had done in the name of experimentation, of curiosity? If they knew all that would pass then, and they allowed it to happen, would that mean that they were not nearly as benevolent as they claimed to be? Did they wish nothing more than to watch mortalkind squirm beneath the thumb of mightier beings? Were they cruel? Or were they simply indifferent?

His thoughts projected themselves as waves of maligned power, a fiery energy that radiated from his concealing form in this vast cosmos. None need hear a word to know that the Beloved King of the Stars was enraged. He had grown more and more certain that his ancestors knew not and cared not for the struggles of mortal men and women. How could they? They had never experienced such a life. But he had. That was what made him a better ruler, a better man than any of them. He knew the torture of fragile mortality, and wanted nothing more than to rid the galaxy of such weakness.

But then a whisper echoed in his mind. Then it became whispers. A chorus of voices not his own.

We have not abandoned you. You have abandoned us!

Open your eyes to the truth.

My time is over.

Only for now.

He was wrong. Ever since he returned, he had been wrong. The universe rested not on his shoulders alone. It rested on the shoulders of no one. The Architects knew that. Horliss-Horliss was not as his mother was, not as Cold Danda Sine was. He returned and once destroyed Typhojem to save mortalkind, and if he knew now that his hand was not needed to destroy Ooradryl, then perhaps it was not. Kain, despite everything he had suffered, was but a larva before the eternity of his ancestors.

A larva that was beginning to grow, to change. But this was not the same transformation that Xarxes had once witnessed, into an abominable form of writhing tentacles and gnashing teeth. No, this was something more.

​

He was unyielding as a sea of fire, a dwarf star burning all manner of shades. Solar flares shot out from the star, forming radiant, mighty tentacles that whipped and crashed against one another like the wrath of a thousand mighty, blazing kraken beneath the depths. Even here, in this cold, dark space, Xarxes and Khatt would feel his warmth.

“I did not choose this,” he said, his voice reverberating across this vast expanse, “to be brought back from the dead. But I will make it right. I will protect the mortals. But I need not estrange my allies to do it. I… I am sorry.”

This was a message not only to his kin.

"What aid can you offer me?" he implored. "Anything. Allow me the chance to prove that not all twists of fate lead to darkness."

Silence was his answer for what felt like an eternity. But he forced patience.

And then, the true answer was revealed.

"You have been deceived," said Horliss-Horliss. "Your resurrection was not the work of Bubonis and Helvara alone."

"And the one behind it is not who you think she is," added Apothem.

The fiery flares stretched further, images of her flashing in Kain's mind, igniting the cosmos like bolts of lightning in thunderclouds. A woman of dark allure, towering over men with outstretched wings and reaching horns.

“Who is she, then?”

The shifting forms of the Architects grew rigid. Horliss-Horliss uttered the name with disgust.

“Thargorograht. The Queen of Perpetual Night.”

TAGS: @Darth Drakul Xarxes, @Jen’nu

____________________

IC: Kain, the Beloved King of the Stars & Pandora
The Howling Hawkbat, Nar Shaddaa

​

“I did not choose this,” he said, “to be brought back from the dead. But I will make it right. I… I am sorry.” He did not match the burning fury of Makaria or Hesper any longer. Rage would always be the way of the Sith, and the more you fed it, the more it would begin to eat itself.

The portal to Bosthirda opened with the ease that Kain opened his own portals around the galaxy, though the effort would earn the Empress of the Sith an acute, sharp headache. Whether or not she’d notice it from the migraine she was no doubt developing from this whole affair was anyone’s guess. And she offered her followers to leave, including King Avery and his men, who had just gunned down her maddened Priestess and Guard without a second thought.

As they neared the portal, Kain stepped to the side, his eyes finding the corpse of the man that had fallen in the defense of the King of Onderon. He had suffered a nasty head wound, but it was still fresh, the body still warm. His soul would not be far.

Kain said nothing more as he focused the light of his power into the broken, crimson cracks that enveloped Myn’s corpse. And in the moments it took to walk past the Beloved King of the Stars, the men carrying their fellow beastrider would be surprised to find the man stirring in that cloak, reaching and trying to uncover where he was and what exactly had just happened.

He needed no thanks for the effort, no acknowledgment. It didn’t matter. A dead man had been given a second chance. That was all that mattered.

Another second chance had been given on the other side of the room, and from the most unlikely of places. Huskac’s efforts to cleanse the addled mind of the woman that had lunged at him had not been for naught. Her frantic attempts to claw toward him ceased, and she lay there upon the table, murmuring about the pain wracking her skull. She was free of the darkness that tormented her.

But they were not safe just yet.

As a protective bubble of energy enshrouded the Jedi Master and his Federation wards, Voxyn was cleaving his attacker in half with a lightsaber. His violet saber left only charred, viridian remains of the creature’s home as it fled back to its realm in the shadows, disappearing forevermore. On the other side of the table, Voidwalker’s strength proved resolute even in the face of an absence of the Force. His arm wrapped tightly around the false noble’s neck, and his lightsaber tore through the creature’s heart. It screeched, the Shadow Being clawing its way out of the broken body it’d been left with. But it did not flee as its kin had. No, its ethereal eyes fell upon the Cursed Champion, hoping to end him for this transgression.

The Grandmaster of the Jedi Order had other plans. Lightning exploded from the fingertips of the Jedi, bolts of electric judgment cascading between the final two entities that beset upon the living. The one still sheltered in the form of a guard was disintegrated, forcing the Shadow Being within to flee into a portal of darkness. The other, which now hovered before Voidwalker, cried in lamentation as the arcs of energy drove into its back.

Pandora saw her opportunity to strike at the dark fiend, unleashing a blast of sickening energy that drove the Shadow Being back from the Cursed Champion. Rage filled the room as the fearful Shadow Being withdrew from this torment, finally escaping this battle and leaving the room full of naught but mortals.

Save for two.

Kain’s eyes watched the triumphant Pandora like a bird of prey. Then his gaze fell to those that remained. “I should have been here sooner,” he said. “Apologies will not be enough. But know that the enemy you’ve fought today is but a fraction of their number, and they are spread throughout all the galaxy. Whether you choose to aid in the salvation of the galaxy or not is your choice, but do monitor your people. The Shadow Beings cannot replicate body heat or the chemical makeup of mortalkind, so scan for those however often you can. We cannot let them take anything else from else. They’ve taken far too much already.”

His eyes fell upon his Cursed Champion. “Voidwalker, gather any survivors who are willing and get them to Hastur on the ship you arrived by. There we can provide them medical care away from the grime and scum of this planet, and we can talk further there. And Pandora…”

She looked upon him, and he looked upon her. There was recognition in her eyes, but not hatred. A sadness, there was.

“You and I have much to discuss.”

She nodded. “Yes, my king.”

A fiery portal opened behind her, enveloping her and driving her from sight. Kain nodded to the pair of Hasturan warriors that had been left behind, and they nodded in turn. Their heavy footfalls trailed Voidwalker, following and protecting him as he would speak to the others.

Kain turned to Kei Durron, his eyes finally softening. “You lost one of your own to the Shadow Beings. I am… I am sorry for your loss.”

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

OOC: Avery’s blasterfire against the maddened Hesperian Guard and Hesperian Priestess rolls 11 + 11 + 5, successfully hitting the Priestess but not the Guard. 3d10 is rolled for Plasma Damage, rolling 7 + 10 + 3. The Hesperian Priestess drops to the floor, dead.

Derrik’s blasterfire against the remaining maddened Hesperian Guard rolls 17 + 13 + 5, succeeding. 3d10 of Plasma Damage is also rolled, rolling 9 + 2 + 2. The Hesperian Guard drops to the floor, dead.

Cal’s Protection Bubble rolls 7 + 18 + 5, succeeding. An Effect Modifier of 11 + 3 boosts the DC of himself and the Federation troopers by 7.

Huskac’s usage of Cleanse Mind on the Maddened Noble rolls 5 + 21 + 10, succeeding. The HP she lost from Psychic Damage is restored to her, replenishing her health to 10.

Voxyn’s use of a Djem So strike on the Shadowed Guard nearest him rolls 5 + 18 + 5, successfully hitting. 4d10 of Plasma Damage is rolled, rolling 9 + 6 + 9 + 10. The Shadowed Guard’s HP is reduced to 0. The coin flip goes heads, forcing the creature to flee rather than retaliate.

Voidwalker’s attempt to grab the Shadowed Noble and ignite his saber in their back incurs a STR roll, which rolls 18 + 5 and succeeds. 3d10 of Plasma Damage is rolled for, rolling 8 + 7 + 8. The Shadowed Noble’s HP is reduced to 0, killing its host. A coin flip to determine the Shadow Being’s reaction flips tails, and it remains so it may retaliate.

Voidwalker’s connection to the Force returns to him, and simultaneously, his healing blood continues its work. 1d6 is rolled for Healing, rolling a 4 and restoring his HP to 24.

Kei Durron is still under the effects of his previous usage of Force Channel, so I will not be rolling for his use of Force Potency this round. I will, however, note that Durron should begin to feel some level of tiredness due to his use of a godlike earlier and his constant use of boosting abilities. Now, for his Chain Lightning, he rolls 9 + 24 + 10 + 4, successfully breaching the DCs of the remaining Shadow Beings. 5d6 are rolled for Shock Damage, rolling 6 + 5 + 5 + 6 + 3, totaling 25. This reduces the HP of the remaining Shadowed Guard to 0, and reduces the HP of the floating Shadow Being to 15. The coin flip for the Shadowed Guard’s response flips heads, forcing it to flee.

Hesper’s usage of Force Travel rolls 9 + 24 + 10, succeeding. An Effect Modifier of 16 + 9 creates a safe, stable portal to Bosthirda. It will, however, incur 1d4 of Psychic Damage as a result, rolling 2 and dropping Hesper’s HP to 42.

Kain’s usage of Dark Transfer rolls 16 + 25 + 10, succeeding. As this is being done to revive from the dead rather than simply heal, this will be done with an Effect Modifier, which rolls 38 + 10. Myn is resurrected from death and fully healed.

His Force Travel then rolls 12 + 25 + 10, succeeding. The Effect Modifier of 16 + 10 creates a safe, stable portal to elsewhere.

If any of you have dialogue that you wish to initiate with Kain, feel free to do so in this turn.

 

[Arach]

IC- Darth Arach
Flight Lounge, the Tsushima


Arach leaned on the counter, her lips quirked into a sarcastic smirk in response to Vaer’s outburst, though her eyes were hard as she held the Dark Lord’s gaze. She gave him a shallow bow. “As you wish, my lord.”

She turned her head to look at her demon as Vaer addressed Vitani. She looked into his fiery eyes and her smirk became more sinister. I would like to offer you a gift. A kind of peace offering, if you will. I know it’s not exactly what you want, but I hope it’s satisfactory. She ever so slightly inclined her head towards Vaer. Do what you will to him. Just don’t kill him or take his sanity. Yet.

Her gaze returned to the Dark Lord, a mask of amusement on her face. She waited for her demon to attack, then focused on Vaer, attempting to regain the health she had lost. At the same time, she reinforced her mental defenses, knowing the Council member wouldn’t give up without a fight.

Powers Used:
Drain Life- 4
Mental Shield- 5

Tags: @Darth Kain, @Darth Voxyn

 

[Catalyst]

IC Brooke
Citadel of Fire, Hastur

Brooke uttered a silent cheer to herself. He's coming! They didn't forget about us! But Kain… There was fear in her heart as she considered how her old friend would react to the knowledge that the Jedi were planning to retake his son. He's going to kill them. Even she couldn't stop that. She was sure even Eva wouldn't be able to. She could reach out to Eva, a desperate cry for help. She could have called Zo and K'win, though she had no way to direct them to the planet they were on.

An idea sparked in her head briefly. Maybe D-3PO could find them. The protocol droid had a good rapport with Kain, that much Brooke knew. She wasn’t certain T1-FA could manage to connect with him to chat, but it was better than sitting around, waiting to be rescued. She stood up, dusting her hands off on the skirts she wore. After a moment of building her resolve, she exited and searched out T1-FA and Apollo. His aura was easy to find, and she caught up to them quickly.

"Tifa, can I ask you a favor?" Brooke inquired softly. "Can you contact D-3PO for me? I'd like to let Zo and K'win know that I'm safe. They expect me to be on Tython, and I'm afraid they'll worry if they go there and don't find me." She smiled, sure that T1-FA would remember her friends, and hoping she would be kind enough to accommodate her request.

TAG: @Darth Kain

 

[Jen'nu]

IC: Khatt Douw.
The Realm Beyond Shadows.​

—

‘’The Queen of Perpetual Night.’’
The name was entirely unfamiliar to Khatt, yet something was amiss. The flame choking her throat was flickering with… something. The nature of it was indescribable.
Satisfaction? Wonder?
Frustration? Indignation?
Contemplation?
You have been deceived. They had to have been. If what Kain had told her was true… ‘’an apprentice of his own, a son that he had not yet had.’’
Your resurrection was not the work of Bubonis and Helvara alone.
Where was Helvara? They had been denied her. She needed to…

The arms cradled her as she stepped forward again.
There are…
‘’…clearly some things of which I am not aware in this conversation. Yet my question from earlier still stands.’’
Tharagorrogoraht…
‘’… is clearly your enemy. Then it is in your best interest to aid the fight against her and whatever she is mustering. It seems that Kain is… considered ineligible for this. But certainly there are others.’’ Their gleaming eyes drifted towards Xarxes.
‘’So I would like to ask again, what is it you desire? In exchange for your assistance.’’

(TAG: @Drakul_Xarxes, @Darth Kain)

(Powers used: None)​

 

[Darth Nathemus]

IC: Grand Master Kei Durron
Location: The Howling Hawkbat, Nar Shaddaa

Streams of golden lightning sprang forth from the hands of the Jedi Grand Master. They curled around each mortal in the room and arced through the two remaining Shadow Beings. After the giant Herald of Kain's strike against the second, both Shadow Beings chose to flee the Cantina and return to whatever hell they came from. It was a good choice, for the Grand Master could have elected to destroy them.

He was beginning to feel it though. He had been expending quite a bit of energy, and he hoped to rest his powers for a time now in order to replenish his Force reserves. He surveyed the room again, and it seemed people were beginning to disperse. The Sith Empress was making her exit and taking her people with her. Kain sent away his massive servant in a portal of his own, and was now commanding his Cursed Champion to gather up anyone who wished to come with them. It was all such a strange dynamic ever since they arrived.

"It pains me that Sho was overtaken by a Shadow Being, but it shows their immense power and why they must be driven from the galaxy. But at the same time, I rejoice for those who transform into the Force. I will neither mourn nor miss Battlemaster Temm. He deserves the rest. I will accompany you all to Hastur, and I request Master Vastrom to come along. Much needs to be done to take back this galaxy." Durron’s resolve had never been stronger. The time was now to overcome all the Forces of the Dark Side.

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

 

[Sharkish’Ki]

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

Sharkish’Ki was first into the tunnel, its cold darkness embracing him as he stopped to wait for the others. His face dropped with the light as he watched the spear evaporate as Mihi raised an empty hand to throw it. His exhaustion turned into a cocktail of despair and anger as he shouted back at the closing door.

“Master Kento!” He pushed his legs into another sprint, rushing past the slight apprentices, igniting his lightsaber as he ran, ready to dive into the fight with him, only to meet the rapidly diminishing aperture of the door as it sealed all their fates with the grinding of heavy stone. He skidded into it with a thump as he slammed his fist against it that generated nary a noise, the cortosis bone and muscle merely shaking loose dust.

The crimson of his blade hissed at the falling particles, emulating his anger and disappointment. He’d been forced into many corners over his years, but never had anyone sacrificed themselves in such a way. There could have been a better way. He may not have known the man, but he was worth fighting with, and fighting for. He shot Mihi a look with eyes as rageful as his blade, turning his stance to match. The need to crush the life out of her in retaliation was strong, but at some point, she’d be useful.

“Such a waste,” he spat. Turning his eyes to the tunnel ahead, he trudged on with arm outstretched, his lit blade illuminating the path. “Don’t let his sacrifice be a waste as well!” If Mihi and Mardinga didn’t move out of his way, they’d be cut by his raised blade.

Tags: @Darth Kain @Mihi Gaudens @Mardinga

 

[Cardun Vrek]

IC: Cal Vastrom
The Howling Hawkbat, Nar Shaddaa

Cal watched from behind the bubble of protection he had formed as the last of the shadow beings were defeated. He allowed himself to breathe a momentary sigh of relief before the realisation came to him: this was far from over. If these Shadow Beings had infiltrated the Jedi Order, who knew where else they had managed to slither into?

It was not a comforting thought.

Cal hung back with the Federation troopers as the Sith & Onderonians left through a portal, and Kain then spoke to the room at large, urging caution. Cal could not help but notice the fact that whilst Kain did not seem displeased with Voidwalker, it was impossible not to see the anger towards Pandora he was trying to conceal. But this conference had been led by both, and Pandora, to her credit, had not spent most of the battle hiding underneath a table, and had even been the one to first uncover the shadow beings amongst them.

So why is he angry with her? She did her job…unless she was meant to wait. Wait until Kain was ready to be the saviour. Maybe she jumped the gun, and people died who Kain wanted to save himself...

It was a theory, but not one of Cal’s best. But there was something there. Something more than just a master angry at a servant.

“Go back to the ship. Prep for launch. I shouldn’t be too far behind.” Cal said to the Federation troopers before walking towards the Grandmaster, who was now speaking with their ‘host’. Cal did his best not to even glance at Kain. He caught the tail end of their conversation as he reached them.

“-I rejoice for those who transform into the Force. I will neither mourn nor miss Battlemaster Temm. He deserves the rest. I will accompany you all to Hastur, and I request Master Vastrom to come along. Much needs to be done to take back this galaxy."

Cal froze at the mention of his own name. He had no wish to go to Hastur, even if the Grandmaster requested it. But…he also could not refuse. Nor let the Grandmaster go off alone. And so, he decided to voice his objection directly through telepathy. He reached out to the mind of Master Durron, hoping his telepathic voice would reach the Grandmaster.

“Grandmaster, is going to Hastur wise? You said yourself we aren’t allied with Kain. What if it’s a trap?”

Power Used- Telepathy- 4

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

 

[Darth Cold]

IC: Samael
Location: The Flaming Throne Room, Hastur

The Avatar smiled at him. Good he didn’t get upset with me for that.

"Samael," he intoned, “you stand upon an isle of blissful ignorance amidst the vast black seas of infinity, content to not voyage far. But under my guidance, you will see that the cosmos is not as you presume it to be, nor as any mortal being perceives it. You worship the shadow on the wall, but it is time you saw what casts that shadow.”

Once again he’s talking like he knows more than anyone about everything. But he did say he would guide me, which is what I said I was looking for.

The Avatar offered his hand out to him.

“Let me show you the truth in the flames.”

I want that connection to God. I NEED that connection to God. He says he can show me. He might not know as much as he thinks, but he has more of a connection. Even without knowing, he can still put me on the right path.

Samael accepted his hand. “Show me, please.”


TAG: @Darth Kain

 

[Xarxes]

IC: Darth Drakul Xarxes
Beyond Shadows

​

The swathe of heat roiling from Kain's new form masked the unforgiving cold of Illathurion. The calm lasted for but a moment before the foul name of a Queen of Darkness penetrated the air. Tharagorrogaraht…

It seemed impossible, but Xarxes was not familiar with celestial methods of resurrection, only that which mortals could accomplish. His hand subconsciously drew itself to the groove in his neck as his focus lingered on the form of the Beloved King. Why would the vile queen have taken interest in bringing him back? His mind turned swiftly, recalling all knowledge that had been dispensed to him on previous excursions Beyond Shadows, attempting to capture the thoughts of an evil goddess and reconstruct them in his own mind.

"Spirits, pray tell why the Foul Queen would take interest in resurrecting one of the few beings who could oppose her? Does she perhaps intend to remove Ooradryl from the equation, and thus prevent his hunger from threatening her? Typhojem and Mnggal-Mnggal have been wiped from the equation, and no Ooradryl would mean Tharagorrogaraht suffers no opponent among her siblings. Is this your suspicion?"

He waited for an answer.

TAGS: @Darth Kain @Jen'nu

IC: Darth Eschaton
The Tsushima
​

"Darth Kolasi" hissed the Black Steward, "I suggest we make for the ship's center and find a full cargo manifest and maintenance log. The presence on this ship could be the result of some untreated bio-weapon storage, or else some form of sabotage. I do not see why we need to waste time with this droid." There was no fear in his voice. Total confidence in his words and opinion emanated from the figure. This should've been moving by now. Why were they still here?

TAGS: @skira , @Cardun Vrek , @Zareel Jhenan´doka

 

[Zareel Jhenan´doka]

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

Well, after hearing the droid she felt a bit more secure about her suggestion; any information would be more precise with the assistance of the captain or the resources in his cabin. If not, at least she could postpone the visit to the mysterious whatever-might-be-in-the-cargo-hold thing Kolasi wanted to see, that same thing the Dark Lady didn’t seem to feel too attracted to share with the rest of the group.

After Mavros accepted the chance given by Kolasi about splitting, Zareel moved silently closer to him; the Sith master wasn’t among her favourite people, but at least wasn't being so secretive and so inside of his own head as Kolasi. She would prefer keeping the safety in numbers as the sergeant said, but from that to convince the rest…

‘The cargo manifest? Yeah, that would be as productive as asking the captain, but only if you want to know what was the lie they probably wrote there. We should be more worried about what is it actually and even more, how it affected the crew... and maybe us since we're kind of blind in here.’ Zareel wanted to keep her mouth shut after Darth Eschaton spoke; although she wasn't so sure that her face had received the memo and hid her disgusted grimace pretty well.

“If it's genuinely some type of bio-weapon, won't it be safer to get more information first, instead of going directly to the source of the potential infection?” She inevitably said aloud, easing a little her expression. The prospect of mutating into something that, as the droid phrased, “exceeds the bounds of the species' genetic makeup”, was not on her list of duties of that day.

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

 

[Voidwalker]

IC: Voxyn and Voidwalker
The Howling Hawkbat Nar Shaddaa

"Yes, Beloved King."

That was the only response that he needed to provide Kain at the initial moment. This entire summit had been a brewing storm of disaster before it had even started. Thinking back on how the events planned out, the Shadow Being's that had been hiding among them all didn't even have to say or do much, the mistrust had already been planted between the major players and factions. Now it seemed that Hesper and her Sith were further divided. Even King Avery and the Beast Riders seemed to be in Hesper's pocket. It was saddening that his home and family continued to divide.

Though it seemed the Jedi Grandmaster was at least willing to give this alliance a try. That or he was hoping to catch Kain and the rest of Hastur off guard. Kain's words towards Pandora seemed ominous, and his tone seemed to hold more than the conversation with one's consultant. There would be more time to explain his own actions to the King once they were back on Hastur, if he wanted an explanation. For now he just needed to get what survivors and followers remained and get them settled.

The number of Shadow Being's that had gathered here alone was enough to be alarming. Most of those invited had been replaced by Shadow Being's. Nonetheless, he had his orders and it was time to get moving on leaving this hell. Starting with the remaining guards of the false noble. He spoke to the individuals offering them aid and a way to Hastur. After speaking to the false noble's guards, Voidwalker made his way to the next group, and then the next and so on. Informing them all with the same information, those willing to unite would find aid and transport to Hastur. All of them were provided the hangar number where the ship that Voidwalker arrived on was docked.

Finally making his way back around, Voidwalker approached Voxyn. It was time to see if he'd made a decision on where he would stand. Would he accept the olive branch that had been extended to him or would he continue to stand with Hesper?

"I know I said you didn't have to answer right away, but it seems like that time has come. Just know that if you accept this offer you will be renouncing your position as a member of the Sith Order. You will become more, you will become an heir to the Stars themselves. Will you stand with us and join us on Hastur?"

Voxyn heard what Voidwalker was saying to him but his eyes were on Hesper, studying her. She had made a point to mock and then berate Kain but with how closed off her body language had been and how she had made her way towards Makaria step by spaced out step.. She seemed afraid.

She had opened a portal, to where Voxyn wasn't sure, but open it she did and she had called the King Consort of Onderon to join her. Even if she had called him he had no intention of following her, spending a fight getting your ass thrown across the room only for your leaders to spend it trying to flee doesn't inspire much faith in said leadership. He would accept Voidwalker's invitation but he had something to say to someone else first.

"King Avery, before you decide, I have a question for you." He said loud enough for Avery to hear him as he walked over and retrieved his spear from where it had landed when he threw it. "You stood your ground and fought when the odds were against you, you proved yourself a leader your people could be proud of here today. But who of the two before you would you align yourself and your people with? With Hesper? Who spent most of this fight trying to flee, trying to abandon us to fight for our lives? Or Kain who came and ended the threat that Hesper was content to leave her allies to fend off on their own? Kain's people did more to fight for you and help your people than Hesper did, Voidwalker's skill in the force alone is what saved one of your men in the battle. Just something to think about."

Finishing his question he glanced back at Voidwalker and gave him a nod.

Voidwalker simply grinned at Voxyn's words to King Avery. This was a new side of Voxyn that he hadn't seen before. Usually Voxyn was quiet and content to work on his experiments, but now he was burning with the fire of the Stars themselves. Voxyn wasn't wrong on what he said, but it was still surprising to see him speak such words.

"Very well then. We should head to the hangar and meet the others. Let's leave this planet behind us."

Voidwalker and Voxyn made their way out the doors of the Howling Hawkbat and proceeded on their way to the hangar. It was time to leave this place, and for Voxyn to take his first new s
teps as more than a Sith.

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

 

[Darth Voxyn]

IC: Darth Vitani

The Tsushima


Vitani listened to what Vaer said, but she kept Arach in her peripheral sights. She didn't seem to happy with Vaers choice of words to her if her sarcastic sounding 'As you wish my Lord' was anything to go off and now she was looking at her Shadow Demon. What are you doing? She wondered


Vaer had left it up to her if they went out on their own orif they should try to regroup with the others. She didn't see regrouping as a good idea right now.


"As much as I agree it would be good to have more people with us if we encounter more of those things, I don't think regrouping would be a good idea. I can see Mavros and Lady Kolasi wasting too much time trying to argue.." before she could finish her sentence Arachs Shadow Demon went for Vaer and Arach seemed to be attempting something with the force.


Is Arach attacking Vaer? Is she losing control of the Shadow Demon and it's going for him? Thoughts were racing through Vitani's mind. If Arach was attacking him and she failed she was going to be safe around Vaer herself, he could easily decide he'd be safer without either of them. If she was losing control she didn't think he'd believe she actually lost control and it wasn't an assassination attempt. If he survived and branded them both traitors her daughter could have a target on her back. She could try to save Vaer from Arach but what she had heard of Vaers reputation told her saving him wouldn't save herself and she needed to think of Astelie. Arach was the safer choice, even if this was her just losing control of the Shadow Demon, it's attacking Vaer and if he survived then they are dead.


"Damn both of you for putting me in this situation." Vitani swore to herself as she threw up her mental defenses and aiming her hand at Vaer she tried to unleash as much electric energy as she could from her hand, either it would hurt him or it could hopefully distract him from the other attacks coming for him.


Powers Used: Mental Shield 4, Sith Lightning 4


TAG: @Darth Kain @Arach

 

[Undying Master Xiannarr]

Ic: Keldro Unmar
Jedi Temple- Tython

Keldro stared at the screen before him, thankful for the due diligence of their Sentinel core. The details of Hastur displayed before him; Climate, coordinantes even it’s inhabitants. A race of unparalleled fighters.
“Well now, I guess I’ll need a little more help on this expedition”

Keldro ejected a data disk, logged out of the terminal and left the Archives. He made an immediate right, followed a memorized path he had walked countless times before. The Jedi knight knew he would need a ship, and what was a long haul flight without a little inflight entertainment. As he walked he sent off a message to Thala.

“I need to leave, it’s best not to say too much over an open communication source. Give me a day and then access the archives, look up The coordinates I’ve just found. Send a ship, nothing grand, fast as can be and big enough to carry 3-5 people”

The Temple kept a host of R units, crafty little droids who could repair a ship or send off a hollo in a pinch. But they were also resourceful, full of surprises and ways to get one out of any trouble they usually find themselves in.

Thankfully they were kept in the same hanger he needed to find a ship in. The heavy doors slid themselves open. Keldro began a series of inputs, hoping the droid he sought was here.

The little recess gate opened, and a black droid wheeled out.


It spun once, eliciting a series of low whistles and beeps. R5-D5s receptors fell on Keldro. It stopped almost frozen, then went ballistic whitling and beeping, before finally trying to ram him. Keldro reached a hand down to pat the psycho droid

“Ardee, relax, its me buddy. We have a lot to catch up on I know. But first, let's go find a ship, we want something small and fast, we need to get to these coordinates.”

And he inserted the data disk into the droid, glad to have a companion for the journey ahead of them, he settled into the ship Ardee had picked.


Tags: @Darth Kain

 

[Mardinga]

IC: Mardinga
Location: Pyxis

"Kriff!"

Mardinga shouted when he realized there wasn't a loud crash of the statue falling. He noticed that for whatever reason Sharkish'Ki had stopped ahead of them in the hallway.

"Coming through."

He shouted as he ran around the frozen apprentice.

"Come on!"

Mardinga hadn't even thought about the possibility of stopping until he was inside of a ship and on his way off this planet. He couldn’t fathom why anyone would.

'Don't let his sacrifice be a waste? Kriffing self sacrificing mentality. Makes no sense.'


Mardinga thought to himself as he ran down the hallway. Just because that door was closed didn't equal safety to him. He had witnessed these creatures enter a closed off room already.


Tags @Sharkish’Ki @Darth Kain @Mihi Gaudens

 

[Darth Kain]

GM UPDATE PT. 1

IC: Kain, the Beloved King of the Stars
Beyond Shadows

​

The Architects shifted their inscrutable gazes toward Kain's companions. Though they lacked physical eyes, the weight of their stare was palpable. It felt like drowning, yet there were no lungs to fill with water, or burning, though there was no flesh to char. It was an inexplicable discomfort, as if being in the presence of greater beings was inherently painful. Or perhaps, something far more sinister lurked beneath their regard.

“It is,” said Horliss-Horliss, answering the query of Xarxes. “She is an insidious threat.”

“Though what she will do as the last of the Old Ones… not even we know,” added Splendid Ap.

Before they could address Khatt Douw and her offer of aid, Kain intervened. "I am not illegible for anything," he asserted. "Hastur's armies are mine. The allies I've gathered are mine. She has nothing, nothing but a single opportunity to explain her actions. Then I will kill her."

“And we desire nothing,” said Horliss-Horliss to Khatt. “We have no interest in bargaining with your master, even if we could aid you any further.”

“The pieces on the board have already been set. The more we move the pieces, the more likely our stratagem will fail. And it must not fail.”

Kain’s brilliant form radiated a sense of understanding. “You took a great risk by telling me of Pandora’s deception, then. I am… thankful.”

“Do not waste it. This is your one chance to undo the damage done by your mother, our sister.”

Splendid Ap spun toward the floating essence of Xarxes. “Temper him, Lord of Arkania. Keep him to the path.”

And Horliss-Horliss towered above their strangest visitor. “Do not be blinded by your Lord’s light.”

Their eyes opened slowly, wearily, to find themselves before the pedestal that held the dreaded Eye of Typhojem. The place was cold, devoid of the warmth from Kain's truest form, which now rested within his recovering, mortal body. They had returned to Arkania, back to the realm of known reality. And there was much to be done.

TAGS: @Darth Drakul Xarxes, @Jen’nu

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IC: R5-D5
Jedi Temple, Tython

​

Ardee whirred with malevolent glee as it took the datadisc, reading its information in the span of an attosecond. They were headed to a volcanic world filled with powerful warriors and ruled by a mad king. It sounded a lot more exciting than this old temple, even if it had just been attacked by zombies less than an hour ago.

The starfighter chosen by the droid was of classic Jedi design, though modernized to not need a hyperspace ring to reach FTL speeds. It did not take long for Keldro to enter the cockpit of the fighter, nor did it take long for the engines to start roaring to life, lifting the spacecraft off of the hangar floor and sending it soaring into Tython’s clouds.

A few beeps and whistles were all that would warn the Jedi Knight before the ship was launched into hyperspace, sending him hurtling toward what very well could have been his final resting place.

TAG: @Undying Master Xiannarr

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IC: T1-FA and Apollo
Apollo’s Quarters, Citadel of Fire, Hastur​

The droid took a moment, as if processing Brooke's request, before straightening its posture with a mechanical precision. "Of course, Madame Brooke!" T1-FA chirped happily. "I simply had to search for D-3PO's signal. He is such the adventurer."

Apollo's memory faintly recollected the protocol droid, mostly associating it with his mother's frequent exasperation. As for the other two names Brooke mentioned, they remained elusive to him. Yet, his attention seemed to wander from their conversation, his mind swirling like boiling oil, lost in its own tumult.

His fingers rolled over the soft blanket of his bed, while his eyes drifted toward the barren walls of his room. It was a space meant for a boy of his size but not tailored specifically for him. The uncertainty stemmed from his father's lack of knowledge about his existence, but did Apollo himself know who he truly was? Despite others' belief in his significance, he struggled to see it. In his own eyes, he was just a boy, no different from any other youngling at the Jedi Temple. Such were his thoughts as his mismatched gaze settled on Brooke and T1-FA, displaying only mild interest in their conversation.

The nanny droid extended her palm toward the ceiling, projecting a small, six-inch hologram. The image flickered, revealing the unmistakable form of D-3PO. However, Brooke would only recognize the protocol droid in full when it finally spoke.

TAG: @Catalyst

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IC: Kain, the Beloved King of the Stars
Throne Room, The Citadel of Fire, Hastur​

The boy was desperate for knowledge. And Kain would oblige.

As Samael took his hand, the both of them would be enveloped in white-hot flame, disappearing from the throne room and the rest of the world entirely. It bore no pain, no warmth. This was a fire born from a place of cold indifference, of what is and not what is meant to be.

It was in these flames that Samael watched the unfolding of history.

Born from nothing he could perceive, the universe expanded from a single point, exploding forth in a blaze of light and sound. Gas compressed upon itself, superheating and forming the very first stars. Surrounding those stars were rocks of stone and dirt. And on a very select few, the Celestials bore life.

The Firstborn were comprised of the breathtaking Duinuogwuin, the remarkable Sephi, the brilliant Gree, the modest Sharu, the magnificent Alashan, the astonishing Killik, the patient Neti, the spiritual Aing-Tii, the vigorous Cathar, the spirited Osserians, the brilliant Muun, the enlightened Zeffonian, the mysterial Dranconian, and others besides—eighty in all who made up the Elder Races as the Celestials passed on to them wisdom, justice, power and love, and worlds in which to thrive. And it was one thing that kickstarted their thriving and ensured their survival.

Fire.

It was what kept them warm on the coldest of nights. It was what cooked their food and purified their water. It was what protected them from the beasts and monsters. It was what burned the fuel of their technological revolutions. It was everything.

But fire did not come from nothing.

It was a gift, given to the universe by those that constructed it. Wutzek was one part of a whole, yet the whole was not separable from its parts. They were one in the same, and the same could be said of anything the Celestials created.

Wutzek created the Architects, his children of Tilotny, Horliss-Horliss, Splendid Apothem, and Cold Danda Sine. They were his love and egoism, justice and frustration, wisdom and apathy, and his power and madness. They were him, and he was them. Then Tilotny created Abeloth, her most infamous child. She was Tilotny’s attachment and lust for power. She was her, and she was her. And then Abeloth created Kain, the Beloved King of the Stars. He was her love for family and her desire for destruction. He was her, and she was him.

Through a chain of celestial blood, Kain was no different from those that crafted the shadow on the wall, the fire that Samael deemed holier than all others. He had been born from it. He had used it to destroy his enemies, to protect his family. The only separation there could have been was time, but that mattered naught in the infinity of existence.

Fire was not God. God has no creator. He simply is.

But Kain was the heir to fire, the heir to the stars, the heir to all the universe. None opposed his claim but the Old Ones, the entities summoned by Tilotny in her foolish first bid for perfect children. But Kain was that perfect child, and he would smite his faux-siblings with the destructive power of the fire that he inherited.

And he wanted Samael by his side to watch them burn.

The white flames dissipated, their journey through time at an end. Kain stared down into the eyes of Samael, almost looking for some hint of recognition.

But there were pressing matters at hand.

“I sense an enemy has just entered our atmosphere,” said Kain. “Go to the hangar. Destroy him.”

TAG: @Hadzuska_The Jester

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IC: Darth Vaer, the Mind Thief
Flight Lounge, The Tsushima

​

“As you wish, my lord.”

The sinister smirk she directed at the harrowing eyes of her summoned demon served as a warning, but Vaer ignored it. She wouldn't dare strike against him; no one had ever displayed such audacity.

But when that smoke demon set its eyes on Vaer, changing its shape, the Mind Thief realized her gambit. The creature twisted and contorted, forming the more solid shape of a monster far more terrifying. It had eyes like starry pinpricks in black seas, teeth like razors, and fiery tentacles that lashed toward Vaer like streaks of blaster bolts. The false image of the Seed of Chaos did not have the same maddening effect on the others as the real thing would have, but the difference mattered not for Darth Vaer.

Those tentacles lashed him with writhing agony, burning his nervous system to its core. He screamed, convulsing as he stood amidst his undying pain. Arach and Vitani sought to take advantage of his weakness, but were beset with their own. Lady Arach’s previous failure at draining the essence of another had not left her subconscious mind, the uncertainty of its success preventing it altogether. And Vitani, try as she might, could not breach the passive defenses of Vaer’s resistance. All that broke him free of his torment was instinct, as the Force exploded from him in a wave of kinetic fury.

The blast tossed the troopers against the walls at the speed of lightning, snapping necks and shattering armor like they were made out of glass. The demon flew backward, as did Arach and Vitani, the force of the blast hitting them all in their chests like battering rams. This broke the demon’s concentration for the moment Vaer needed, freeing him from the agony that enveloped his body.

With one menacingly red eye and the other artificially amber, he fixed his gaze on the Sith women who had dared to assail him. "Embrace oblivion," he snarled.

His hand outstretched towards them, intent on erasing their memories of the knowledge acquired over their careers as Sith assassins. Arach's mental shield proved too resilient for now, but Vitani's defenses were not as robust. Vaer delved into her mind like a child exploring a trove of toys, extracting the knowledge of Force Resistance—the key to her survival. In a horrifying blink of an eye, she was rendered defenseless against any attack.

His lightsaber ignited with a violent snap-hiss, poised to eliminate the traitors who had foolishly accompanied him. The deadly dance of betrayal had begun, and only one outcome lay in sight.

TAGS: @Arach, @Darth Voxyn

OOC: The Smoke Demon’s use of Inflict Pain on Vaer rolls a natural 20, succeeding. An Effect Modifier of 16 causes Vaer to writhe in agony.

Arach’s use of Mental Shield rolls 4 + 21 + 10, successfully creating a defense for her mind. An Effect Modifier of 8 + 5 adds 6 to her DC against any Psychic Attacks.

Arach attempts Drain Life after failing in its use only a bit ago, and as such, she rolls with disadvantage. She rolls 6 + 21 + 10, failing to overcome Vaer’s DC.

Vitani’s use of Mental Shield rolls 14 + 17 + 5, successfully shielding her mind as well. An Effect Modifier of 6 + 4 adds 5 to her DC against Psychic Attacks.

Her use of Sith Lightning rolls 11 + 17 + 5, failing to overcome Vaer’s DC.

Vaer retaliates against his attackers with a Force Wave, rolling 17 + 19 + 5. This attack exceeds the DCs of everyone in the room, save Arach whose it still matches. 4d8 of Blunt Damage is rolled for everyone in the Flight Lounge, rolling 6 + 7 + 1 + 2. This reduces everyone’s HP to the following:
Arach - 12 HP
Vitani - 17 HP
Smoke Demon - 14 HP
Trooper #1 - 0 HP. He is dead.
Trooper #2 - 0 HP. He is dead.
Trooper #3 - 0 HP. He is dead.
Trooper #4 - 0 HP. He is dead.
Trooper #5 - 0 HP. He is dead.

He then attempts to Drain Knowledge from Arach and Vitani, rolling 14 + 19 + 5. This matches the DC of Vitani with her Mental Shield, but fails to match or exceed Arach’s. An Effect Modifier of 10 + 8 allows him to remove a single ability from Vitani’s character sheet, for which he chooses Force Resistance. For the duration of this game, Vitani is unable to use Force Resistance. It can be relearned between games (assuming she survives).