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

[Undying Master Xiannarr]

IC: Keldro Unmar

Hanger - Hastur

“Hello there! Contrary to what you believe, you are not welcome here. Unlike the others here, I don’t care for violence. That being said, leave now, or I will do what I must.”

Sadness filled the smile that touched Keldros lips. A rush to such violence is the hallmark of the Sith way. The fiery orange glow of the activated saber, seemingly contradictory to the apathy of violence claimed.

“I want nothing more or less than to protect the boy.” Keldros voice remained calm and collected, betraying the internal dismay that this may very well devolve into combat. The Jedi knight unclipped his saber, its green blade powering to life. “If I have to prove myself by going through you, then that’s what I shall do. However I am not your enemy, nor do I have a desire to be. Though be warned, I may not be a battle master of the Jedi order, I have trained with some of the best swordsmen we have. So if the force wills me to die here today then I have made my peace with that, and I join the hallowed halls of other Jedi who have fallen defying the Sith and defending those in need.“

Had the stranger been in direct eyesight of Keldro, the Jedi knight might have chuckled at the comic irony as he dropped into his favoured lightsaber stance, an almost perfect mirror of the man who stood now partially obscured ready to bar his righteous path.


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


Powers used:

• Soresu:3
• Force Potency: 3 - Continued
• Force bond: 3 - Still up

 

[Catalyst]

IC Brooke
Citadel of Fire, Hastur

A smile found its way onto Brooke's face. She could feel Apollo's excitement. It made his aura dance like a flare. "Well," she began, "it all started with Captain Jag Reyn. He was a fearless captain, flying through the stars in his huge freighter with a crew of misfits and family." She touched his hand gently, imparting an image of the Correllian man into his mind.

"Captain Jag was a fighter. A strong, courageous man who did the right thing, even when it was nearly impossible. He and his first mate, Zo, were the ones who owned the Tranquility." Images continued to pour into the boy's mind. "Zo was married to the pilot, Hobbie. He could make anyone smile. They also had a giant Besalisk named Cate. He was as strong as he was loud. And deep within the bowels of the Tranquility, their mechanic, K'win, bounced around fixing everything." She smiled, remembering her fond times playing with K'win around the hyperdrive.

"They kept me safe from bad people who were trying to take me away," Brooke continued, the images of shadowy figures flashing through her mind. "We were on Nar Shaddaa the last time I saw them all. The captain and Zo went out to negotiate with the bad people. Fighting started. The bad people had lightsabers and swords." She was projecting an image of the face-off between Captain Jag and the red-haired man that had killed him, when suddenly her senses flickered and shifted. Rather than her memory, she was witnessing a confrontation between the stranger that came with Kain to this citadel and..

Keldro!

Brooke paused for a second, her face contorted with worry. She stood up slowly, turning her head in the direction of the hanger. "I'll have to finish this story later, Apollo. Something is very wrong." She turned and ran out of the room, her heart racing already. Her steps seemed to be slowing down as adrenaline pumped through her system. She had to stop whatever was about to happen.

Dashing through the halls, Brooke finally entered the hanger just in time to hear Keldro igniting his lightsaber. She could see their auras flickering, the stranger's roaring like a bonfire compared to the gentle undulating of Keldro's own. No, not again. Her mind was taken back all those years, and suddenly she was a scared adolescent girl facing down the Sith while her protectors were being assaulted. She clutched the sides of her head, tears staining the wraps around her eye sockets. "Don't touch him!" She screeched at Samael, her mind lashing out in a storm of psychic energy.

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

Powers used:
Telepathy (3, non-aggressive)
Force Bond (3, passive in response to Keldro's usage)
Neural Storm (2)

 

[Darth Cold]

IC: Samael
Location: The Hangar, Citadel of Fire, Hastur

“I want nothing more or less than to protect the boy.” The newcomer said, right before activating their own lightsaber. “If I have to prove myself by going through you, then that’s what I shall do. However I am not your enemy, nor do I have a desire to be. Though be warned, I may not be a battle master of the Jedi order, I have trained with some of the best swordsmen we have. So if the force wills me to die here today then I have made my peace with that, and I join the hallowed halls of other Jedi who have fallen defying the Sith and defending those in need.“

God, I gave him the chance to leave, he refused, now I must do what your Avatar requested. Everything I do is truly in your honor. My faith is absolute. Guide me on this quest to grow a closer connection. If he won’t leave, then he doesn’t need the option anymore. Samael snapped his fingers that pointed towards the newcomers direction, intending for the ship Keldro flew into the hangar to explode.

"Don't touch him!" The words coming from God’s Avatar’s newest guest came too late. The Avatar had given his orders, and he would do what he must.


(Powers used:
Flamusfracta - 3)

Tag: @Darth Kain @Undying Master Xiannarr @Catalyst

 

[Darth Kain]

GM ROLLS FOR SAMAEL/BROOKE/KELDRO DUEL

@Hadzuska_The Jester, @Catalyst, @Undying Master Xiannarr ​

The uses of Force Bond and non-aggressive Telepathy I feel no need to roll for here, and the same applies to using Saber Stances and not Saber Attacks.

Keldro’s use of Force Potency to boost his Force abilities rolls 19 + 10 + 5, succeeding. An Effect Modifier of 16 + 2 gives him a +4 Bonus to his Force rolls so long as he continues its use, at the cost of draining his Force reserves faster the more he uses it.

Brooke’s use of Neural Storm on Samael rolls 13 + 10 + 5, successfully breaching Samael’s DC. Since it’s described as Neural Storm only causing disorientation, I will roll for an Effect Modifier rather than actual Psychic Damage. Thus, the Effect Modifier is 4 + 4. Samael’s ears will be ringing and he will feel a bit of dizziness, resulting in a -2 debuff on any Force Abilities or Effect Modifiers that utilize FPR, INT, MAN, or PER until the next GM update.

Samael’s use of Flamusfracta on Keldro’s starfighter rolls a natural 20, automatically succeeding. The ship explodes in a fiery blaze. Since Keldro has written that he is hidden beside the starfighter, he will take the same amount of damage that Ardee will: 3d10 of Heat Damage. Those rolls come out to 7 + 8 + 3. R5-D5’s HP has been reduced to 0, completely destroying the astromech beyond repair. Keldro Unmar’s HP is reduced to 2. Keldro is currently suffering the Burning Effect, as he is on fire, and will suffer 1d4 of Heat Damage for every turn he does not put out the flames.

​

 

[Catalyst]

IC Catalyst
Underground, Verdanth

The Force shifted around them once more, and the cave shifted to its previous, unclogged state. Catalyst looked around, wondering just how far back in time they had been taken, before realizing he could sense a very familiar presence: himself. It was a queer feeling, knowing that he was in two places at once. The curiosity was replaced by a sinking feeling in his stomach though. If he was already here before the cave in…

"Volacius, forget everything positive I said about your spaceship flexing. Dealing with it once was more than enough for me!" Catalyst grabbed Eva's hand and took off down the tunnel. "We have to move, now!" He desperately, almost instinctively tried to raise a protective barrier over the two of them with the Force while they ran. There was no telling what might happen if he tried while they were already transported through time, but the risk of being buried in stone was far greater in his mind.

TAG: @Darth Kain, @Darth Nathemus @Volacius

Powers used: Force Barrier (5)

 

[Cardun Vrek]

IC: Darth Mavros
Dark Atrium, The Tsushima


Yes…yes…YES.

The feeling of the power that was coursing through him turned the smile into a wide grin. He laughed cruelly as all the monsters around them dropped dead once his force lightning had consumed them.

Now this….

He looked at his left hand, smirking.

I could get used to this.

“My, my, you Sith are incredibly efficient. If only Captain Morrow had hired one of you. Perhaps we would have been fine.” The droid said, and Mavros deactivated his lightsaber as the lightning shield dissipated.

“Not all Sith are as efficient as I am.” He said, smirking. Just after he said the words, he couldn’t but be reminded of a preening, red haired Sith who had often boasted about his greatness. The fool had gotten himself killed during the war. As Mavros led the way further into the atrium, he puzzled over the Sith’s name. In the decade since the war, he had forgotten it.

Previum…no…was it Travum…no…it was definitely a P at the start...Petrum?..., no, there wasn't a T in there…oh well, he’s dead anyway, who cares. It's not like anyone else has asked about him in a decade.

“The Captain’s Quarters,” said the droid. “We are here.”
They had arrived at a locked door halfway down the hall. A red hologram in front of it signified the door was locked, much to Mavros’ frustration.

“Locked, bloody typical. Oh well, that’s why I have this ‘tool’ as the Jedi call it. Perfect for opening locked doors…and decapitating people. Cover me whilst I get us inside.” Mavros chuckled as he reactivated his lightsaber and plunged it into the door, intent on cutting a way through. As he did so, a thought crossed his mind, and he addressed the droid again.
“LE, I don’t suppose there’s an airlock nearby, or a hanger for the captain?” He asked innocently as he continued cutting. He didn’t have any intention of remaining on this ship a second longer than necessary, not after being confronted by those monsters. Hopefully he could get his droid to bring the Black Fury around to a closer airlock or hanger, and then, he could get off this deathtrap. If Zareel remained agreeable, he would offer her a ride off the ship. She hadn’t managed to annoy him yet.

It was close to becoming a record.

TAG: @Darth Kain, @Zareel Jhenan´doka

 

[Cardun Vrek]

IC: Cal Vastrom
The Howling Hawkbat, Nar Shaddaa

Cal received no response to his telepathic message to the Grandmaster, and it made him uneasy. He just wanted to go back to his room in the Temple on Tython and rest a little, and after that, think over what had happened here and allow his mind to process it. The thought of going to Kain’s world was one he did not find particularly pleasant to think about, especially when he was still running on adrenaline from the events of the conference.

Voidwalker and Voxyn- who Cal was certain had come with Hesper, but now had stayed with Kain, departed the room through a portal. Cal silently wondered where they were going, and what they were going to do. It must have been important if Kain was sending his ‘cursed champion’. But at the same time, it seemed rather abrupt. Perhaps not all was as well in Kain’s domain as the ‘Beloved King’ wished people to believe.

Kain himself had turned to ‘Emperor’ Huskac, and seemingly had decided the self-styled ruler of the Tapani sector was of no use to him. Suddenly, Huskac was frozen in a stasis field of Kain’s making. Cal waited for the portal to open through which Kain would send Huskac to meet his fate, but instead Kain turned to face the Jedi.

“I offer this as a peace offering,” Kain informed them. “This false Emperor is yours to arrest and put on trial. May he rot behind bars the rest of his days.”

I bet if he’d agreed to join you it would’ve been me trapped in a stasis field to be sent to the Tapani sector as a prize for Huskac…

The offer was too tempting, though. The coup in the Tapani sector that had led to Huskac’s rise to power had been disastrous for the Federation, forcing them to fight a war on two fronts and stretching their forces too thin. With their Emperor imprisoned, Huskac’s followers would vie for power amongst themselves, and likely destroy themselves in a bloody power struggle. That was, of course, if the pragmatic Tapani Nobles that had lent Huskac support didn’t turn on them first and protest their innocence to the Federation. Cal stepped forwards, as Grandmaster Durron was still seemingly deep in thought.

“Thank you, Lord Kain. The Federation will ensure he sees justice. All false Kings and Emperors have their time eventually. Seems this is his time.” Cal said to Kain, sounding respectful but consciously refusing to address Kain as anything but the Sith Lord he had been known to be before his death. After all, the Federation did not acknowledge his claims of Kingship. Cal took out his comm. “Troopers, if you could return to the cantina, we have a prisoner that needs an escort.” He said quickly, looking at Huskac, and thinking. He may have been placed in a stasis field, but he was still a danger, especially with his strong connection to the Dark Side.

“Only one thing for it…” Cal muttered, thinking out loud. He reached out with both hands directed towards Huskac and focused, allowing the power of the Light Side to focus itself through him, and then direct itself towards Huskac as a cleansing light, ready to dispel the darkness that surrounded the strange human.

Power Used: Force Light- 4

TAG: @Darth Kain, @Darth Nathemus

 

[Voidwalker]

IC: Vitani
The Tsushima

Vitani smirked when her shot found its mark on Vaer's side, placing him right in the path of the Shadow Demons attack. The demonic attack hit him hard, slamming him into the wall but still he got up.

'The bastard just won't stay down' she thought before aiming to fire again. Before she could pull the trigger though she found herself being lifted off the ground, pressure building around her neck, constricting her throat. As she dangled there suffocating she could see the glow of a portal opening behind Vaer and see gold reflecting the light as a familiar figure stepped through the portal.

IC: Voxyn and Voidwalker
The Howling Hawkbat Nar Shaddaa

It didn't take Kain long to give his Cursed Champion a response to his request. The Beloved King tore apart the threads of reality. The tear opened at the seam with a burning glow. Kain's face had betrayed him. The calm curtain of certainty and power, briefly, had been pulled back, showing a display of strain upon the Beloved King's face. After having spent time with Kain and training under the Beloved King's teachings, Voidwalker caught the slight slip of the facade. Kain had been a man of explanation, but now his only instructions were "Go."

A feeling of uncertainty crept over Voidwalker as he looked to Kain. Seeing him strain wasn't something he was used to seeing, but Voidwalker knew that Kain was doing much more simultaneously than just aiding him here. He'd trusted in Kain and pledged his allegiance to him, so he had to trust in him still that he could handle all that he was doing. More importantly though, he could still sense that Arach was in danger and there was no time to waste.

Voidwalker looked to Voxyn, not knowing if he'd ever traveled by means of a tear in reality. Voxyn would just have to trust in him and now Kain. "Come on, let's get moving."

The Cursed Champion and The Mad Scientist made their way to the hellfire portal that The Beloved King had willed into existence. Embers falling from the portal of fire, free falling like fireflies in the Onderon night time. They stepped through the portal, prepared to meet whatever awaited them on the other side.

IC: Voidwalker, Voxyn, & Vitani
The Tsushima

Stepping through the portal, the two found themselves aboard the ship that Voidwalker had seen in his vision. The first thing Voxyn saw was the corpses all over the place, the bodies of imperial military personnel and what looked like piles of body parts... He’d have to look into that later. Taking in the rest of the room Voxyn’s eyes found Vaer, the Lord that had led the expedition on Nysis where they had learned of Kain's resurrection, and following Vaer's outstretched hand found two figures hanging in the air choking.

Then Voidwalker saw firsthand what the Force was trying to show him. Arach and another woman were fighting for their lives. They were raised off the floor, their feet kicking midair, Voidwalker caught but a glimpse of Arach's bloodshot golden eyes. Then his eyes focused on who was behind this, who it was that dared to harm his wife, and his next victim. It was Darth Vaer, The Mind Thief, a member of Hesper's Dark Council.

Vaer, the scarred faced Sith Lord was all that Voidwalker saw as he felt it. Voidwalker could feel his rage overflowing from every pore, every cell, every fiber of his being. It was as if from deep within a fiend like voice was say "let me in."

Instantly recognizing Vitani as one of the ones choking, Voxyn immediately reached out with both hands, quickly trying to grab Vaer through the force and throw him to the left across the room and away from Vitani as hard as he could.

As if he responded out of instinct Voidwalker let out a thunderous screaming response. "ARAAAAACH!"

Again the fiend-like voice called out to him, this time full of rage, "LET ME IN!"

Voidwalker knew the two things were certain, scars only showed us where we've been, not where we're going. The second thing he knew was that this scarred faced bastard was going to hell. Voidwalker gave into the voice screaming from inside his head and completely gave into his hatred and anger. His skin grew hot, glowing and burning away, as if stepping out of the fabled fire storm of Kain. He now stood, with broken and burnt ashen red skin, four large horns upon his head, and his eyes seemed to glow with the fire of hell itself. His teeth were now sharp fangs, and the same hellfire that illuminated his eyes now seemed to burn from within him, light being cast from behind his bared teeth.



The Cursed Champion once again stood as the Demon Champion, and his sights were set on one goal, to kill Vaer. With a claw-like hand, Voidwalker stretched out the invisible hand of the Force to wrap around Vaer's throat and his left leg. There was no remorse or mercy flowing through Voidwalker, he aimed to rip Vaer's head from his shoulders. He was focused on throwing Vaer's soon to be broken carcass to the left side of the room, and his head to the right. At least far enough to squash this bastard under his boot like the insect that this boot licker was.

Powers Used:
Voxyn: Telekinesis - 4
Voidwalker: Force Rend - 5

Equipment Used:
Talisman of Self Appearance.

TAG: @Darth Kain, @Arach

 

[Undying Master Xiannarr]

IC: Keldro Unmar

Hanger - Hastur

Keldro was rocked, his body was blown sideways as he felt himself burn. He utilized the momentum of the blast to roll along the ground, his hands patting out any lingering flames that still licked hungrily at his flesh.

His body slumped, he forced it to roll to a stop in as unnatural and uncomfortable a position as he could. Keldro closed his eyes, focusing intently on the pain wracking through his body, flooding the nerve endings with the force, cooling the burns as best he could. Far to his left was the remains of his ship, wreathed in flames, the Jedi knight could still feel its heat even from here. Sadness washed over him, there was no possibility R5 could have survived that blast. The little droid had been so resilient, a staunch ally. Keldro would mourn the loss deeply for many years to come, wishing he had left him on Tython. But not right now, at this moment he couldn’t afford the distraction.

As the force worked to fix the toils of his body, he sought to protect himself further, protecting his body and fortifying his mind. Keldro didn't dare reach out his mind telepathically for he didn't want to give away that he had survived. Instead, he thought deeply focusing on the bond Forged so many hours ago on Tython.
‘Brooke I am okay, I will be fine, but I will need a moment or two. Keep him distracted.’



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



Powers used:

• Force Potency: 3 - Continued
• Force bond: 3 - Still linked
• Force heal: 3
• Mental shield:3
• Force resistance:3

Ic R5-D5
Hanger - Hastur

Ardee kept his receptors trained on the man at the other end of the hanger, the ship's targeting system was locked on, and ready. He had been told to fire at will on any hostilities, his thought processor twitched as a fiery orange lightsaber was ignited. Yet still he didn’t fire, aggression was not the Jedi way, Ardee would only fire in defence of his friend… ‘Keldro.’

**********

Keldro had found Ardee in the abandoned temple on Dantooine. He had been left behind during an evacuation, rusted and broken; he had eventually placed himself in stasis mode. As he did and his photoreceptors powered down and his world went dark, he was unsure if he would ever get to live again.

“Hey little guy, you’re finally awake” a kind voice spoke out to Ardee as he slowly felt his systems switching back on, A stranger with a gentle smile knelt before him. As the Astro mech took in the temple it was decimated, there was Ruble everywhere it had been razed. Ardee could begin to determine how long he had been out for.
“Looks like you should be able to move out of here now, I’ve replaced what I could with any spare parts I could find lying around. It’s not perfect but when we get you back to civilization I’ll get you fixed up sound good partner?”

Ardee whistled low in appreciation, and he rolled forward gingerly. It wasn’t a repair shop fixed but the kind stranger was right, it would be enough to get him out of here. What kind of life awaited him? What adventures would he go on?

********


The stand off plot thickened, as a third member joined them in the hanger. Distraught and screaming a woman ran in, R5 was a good droid and good droids followed orders, a quick jolt from his processor chip directed the ship's targeting system on the newcomer. Unfortunately, this would come at a cost. The man snapped his fingers, and though the little droid couldn't process ‘pain’ as the humanoids put it. At this moment he knew sorrow. He had been given an order, and as he was engulfed in flames and melted a final thought flicked through his mind before the world went dark.

‘Perhaps I wasnt a good droid after all’

 

[Darth Cold]

IC: Samael
Location: Hangar, Fortress, Hastur

Samael felt dizzy right after the explosion, but that couldn’t be the reason. Right? He needed to clear his mind of any outside influences.

Tears fell from his eyes, only to evaporate halfway down his face. “I’m sorry.” He said somberly. The Jedi were known to burn their dead, and that was what he was going to do. In honor of his heritage, this hangar would now burn with the Jedi corpse. “May you live on in the hearts of those you TOUCHED!!!” He screamed the last word attempting to summon a torrent of flames from both his mouth and hands to burn the hangar to the ground with the Jedi corpse, wherever it was. Rest in Peace.

(Powers Used:
Mental Shield - 3
Pyrokinesis - 3
Fireball Belch - 3)

TAG: @Darth Kain @Undying Master Xiannarr @Catalyst

 

[Catalyst]

IC Brooke
Citadel of Fire, Hastur

A long scream rang from Brooke's mouth. The starfighter was in pieces, Keldro was on the ground, his aura weakened, and the hellish servant of Kain was rearing back to finish the job. The bond between her and Keldro flickered, indicating that he wasn't gone yet, but she wasn't sure she could save him. However, her sorrow, her anger and her compassion pushed her to act.

The blind seer focused on Samael, and the fire within him. Such fire was destructive, dangerous, and uncontrollable. She couldn't allow it to be a danger to those she cared about, especially since there was nobody here to protect her. If the fire could not be controlled, it would have to be snuffed. She reached her hand out, grasping at the Force energy surrounding Samael and attempted to deny him that connection.

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

Powers used:
Force Suppression (2)

 

[Sharkish’Ki]

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

Sharkish’Ki stared at Mihi’s frail, writhing form with a frown that reignited the pity he’d felt for the other victims of this now cursed academy. Perhaps there would be a reprieve for her in the ranks of the damned.

He gripped the handrail that much tighter, looking towards the Teevan apprentice with equal apprehension. “You’d be wise to leave them! Your talents would not go unwasted in the upcoming battles.”
Something in the recesses of his mind spoke to him, reminding him of their past, and the strength of their enduring relationship. For anyone else, it might have been heartwarming. For Sharkish’Ki the ideal bothered him. There was too much at stake for such pointless sentiment; the very survival of those on board this ship might depend on the decision made in this moment.

He shot a mildly frustrated look toward the Sith master, and gave a brief, understanding bow of his head, before stepping further into the ship, and leaving Mardinga to their fate.

Tags: @Darth Kain @Mardinga

 

[Dark Lady Makaria]

IC: Dark Lady Makaria
Hesperian Sanctum, Bosthirda

Makaria watched Avery leave, a worried frown marring the porcelain mask of her face for a moment before it smoothed back out, before her attention swung back to the Empress. She mulled over the situation, and stepped a hair closer.

"Allow me to go, my Empress," Makaria asked, staring at the translucent form of Kento. "I'll take a contingent of guards and we'll go to Pyxis to provide aid." Whatever it might be. It didn't look good, it might be that she arrived in time to collect their bodies. Still. "How many are left, do you know? Have any escaped?"

TAGS: @skira, @corinthia, @Darth Kain

 

[Volacius]

IC: Lord Volacius, The Wrath of Kain
Location: Verdanth

​

The group traversed back in time together, and Volacius gulped down air as he recognized the peculiar vertigo from his previous unintentional trip. Regardless of how far, they’d managed to turn back the clock, and Volacius grinned as he saw the absence of the cave-in. Something was wrong, however, and his grin vanished as he realized that he could sense a presence unlike any other he’d sensed, all but one: his own. He could practically hear himself barking orders to his men on the bridge of the Angelus Mortis.

And if that’s happening now, Volacius puzzled out, then we don’t have much time!

Much to Volacius’ dismay, Catalyst spoke first. Really, Catalyst? Phallic humour at a time like this?

“It was a tactical strike, and you—” Volacius stopped himself as Catalyst rushed ahead with Eva. “Oh, blast it all!” Volacius muttered as he chased after them.

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

 

[skira]

IC: Avery Sunka
Hyperspace​

“You’ve got an incoming message from the Lady Lucia, Ave,” Rix, another one of the beast riders accompanying him, called out from across the small space they were currently sitting in. One of the Onderonian King’s eyes opened, looking across the space at him. He’d been trying to sleep a bit, though, none of them could really sleep after what had happened that day.

“Here,” He grunted, leaning over to take the small Holo from his hands. A small image of his sister-in-law appeared before him, with the accompaniment of his baby son in her arms. The sight managed to bring a smile to his face, reminding him of what this all was for. To protect their children, family, and home.

“Avery,” The message began, the image glitching a bit in the space but the sound still coming through clear.

“I’ve tried reaching Solisius, but from what you both told me, I believe this may reach you sooner than her. Our father died late last night. He’d traveled to see us, alongside Esta, knowing he’d soon succumb to his illness. By the time he arrived, he was only able to remain conscious for a few hours. His body is being taken to Onderon. No one else knows, we shall keep it that way until Sol wishes to announce his death. I’ll wait for your response to return home myself, so that I know what you wish to do. We’re all doing well. Take care, good-brother.”

So, that was it then. The former King of Onderon was dead. And the galaxy would be better for it.

He tossed the Holo back to Rix before leaning his head against his seat, his eyes shutting as he thought about what would happen next. The calm before the storm, he supposed.

Tags: @Darth Kain

IC: Lady Kolasi
Aboard the Tsushima​

Watching eyes.

Eschaton’s message sent a chill down her spine, her eyes scanning around her. His words were even more haunting, causing her mind to race for answers. But, now was not the time for her to wait. Now was the time for her to push forward. The sooner they figured out what was happening below them, the sooner she could go home.

“There are foul presences everywhere, Lord Eschaton. Some would say we’re a foul presence,” She commented, grabbing her saber from her waist holster and igniting the red blade. She stabbed the floor, attempting to draw a small circle with the blade to give them an opening into the elevator. With whatever Eschaton was attempting and her saber, hopefully they’d not be trapped in the elevator shaft for too long.

Tags: @Drakul_Xarxes @Hadzuska_The Jester @Darth Kain

 

[Mardinga]

IC: Mardinga
Location: Pyxis

Mardinga watched his love drop and weaken in the force. She was his motivation for years and now again in a different way.

'Anchor? No, she's my wings.'

He thought with disdain for the Master before him.

"Let's go."

The Teevan Apprentice stepped forward hoping that there was enough of Mihi remaining to follow along. He took each agonizing step with rage boiling more and more within him. He lamented his inability to repair her or truly having the strength to carry her in his current state of exhaustion from constant running.

Mardinga's face usually jovial and carefree shown an evil light. He was sinking further and further into the dark side fueled by the anguish of loss. He had decided that if he was to die or become incapacitated as she was then everything they'd worked so hard to endure would be absolutely pointless.

"I love you Mihi. Please pull yourself together. I cannot assist you this time. I don't have the ability."

He whispered to her as he walked slowly past.

Tags: @Darth Kain @Sharkish’Ki

 

[Darth Kain]

GM UPDATE

IC: Eva
Cave System, Verdanth

A sickening shudder reverberated through the very bedrock beneath their feet. Its intensity escalated, each successive tremor more vehement than the last, akin to the malevolent tantrum of some cosmic titan rattling the very foundations of the world. As they ran, the stony ceiling above their heads began to splinter and crack, a cascade of debris and earth raining down like a flood of rock. Then, with an irrevocable crescendo, the ceiling broke, the cavern consuming itself in an awe-inspiring feat of the technological terrors far above in the sky. Their ears rang from the explosion, their hearts galloping in tandem with the near-miss of entombment. Yet, by providence or some other enigma, they had survived. And in the next heartbeat, as if at the whim of reality's fickle weaver, the very tapestry of existence underwent another sudden shift.

Enveloping them like rushing waters, time itself spit them back into the same place they had been only moments ago. Only a single difference was immediately noticeable, and that was the lingering dust of the cave-in had long since settled. But it was enough.

“We made it,” Eva panted, hands on her thighs. “Sensing it through our bond was one thing, but experiencing it myself…”

The path that stretched before them was not nearly as narrow as it had been before the cave-in. A natural corridor stretched into a yawning chamber, one alight with enough green that one could think an emerald sun hung in the sky. This spectacle was no ordinary play of light—it bore the mark of Sith sorcery, an ember-like viridescent sphere hovering adjacent to the fractured ceiling. Luminous beams of sunlight breached the rent rock, their white brilliance contrasting starkly with the otherworldly green that held dominion here.

However, these visual wonders paled in comparison to the heart of the cavern.

At the epicenter stood a dwelling, a structure fashioned from timber and stone. Its modesty was evident, yet ample enough to comfortably accommodate a half-dozen inhabitants. Tents and verdant campfires lay in proximity to the abode, surely intended for those not graced with the privilege of four walls and a roof.

Silhouettes flickered from the crackling firelight inside those tents, shapes peering through the thin walls of canvas and leather. The house held no windows, but it would not take the Force to recognize that someone rested inside.

“I don’t like this,” said Eva, hand hovering over her lightsaber.

TAGS: @Catalyst, @Volacius, @Darth Nathemus

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IC: Kain, the Beloved King of the Stars (Combo w/ @Darth Nathemus)
The Howling Hawkbat, Nar Shaddaa

​

The Beloved King of the Stars peered down at the Jedi who had accepted his gracious gift. All false Kings and Emperors have their time eventually. Had he not mentioned Kings in his little quip, Kain would have been content to leave it be. But instead, his mind swarmed with feelings that he had been trying to suppress. Feelings implanted in his very DNA by the Bringer of Chaos, his own mother.

The Federation, a fleeting construct within the grand tapestry of the galactic continuum, undoubtedly harbored the delusion that they could administer the galaxy more effectively than he. Kain's lineage spanned across epochs and epochs! He was a scion of a throne that had been established long before the inception of humanity, long before his mother had cradled the burgeoning race in her arms. It was insolence! It was…

Words not his own echoed in his mind, from a voice that he had not ever heard before. But there was familiarity there, like he had once heard the voice in a dream.

“Neither the Celestials nor the Elder Races were intended to rule as mad kings or gods. We do not take away free will, nor force others to obey under pain of death.”

The little mover of a Jedi would be spared the wrath of Kain. Ignorance, however aggravating, was not a capital transgression—especially when the urgency demanded the contribution of every Jedi throughout the galaxy.

All except for those who dared to come for his family.

Kei Durron’s voice cut through Kain’s reverie. "Thank you for offering this 'Emperor' as our prisoner. Master Vastrom is right. He will be put on trial and brought to justice."

He turned to Cal and said, "If you wish, I can Sever his connection entirely."

But there was no need. For in a brilliant flash of holy light, a blinding beam that made even the Beloved King shield his eyes, the frozen Huskac was beset by the mighty power of the light side of the Force. His connection to the dark side was severed, his malformed body slumping into unconsciousness as the power Kain held over him ceased. The troopers, who had been instructed to return and escort the prisoner, stopped in awe of the spectacle before resuming their duties, shouldering the dead weight of Huskac and beginning their trek outside.

However, Kain did not avert his gaze from Cal Vastrom.

“You need not call me a Lord anymore, Master Jedi,” he said. “I’ve abandoned my life and titles as a member of the Sith Order. Their petty squabbles and pursuit of power for its own sake are beneath me, as they are for you and the Grandmaster.” He neglected to mention that the Jedi should call him King instead, refusing to give in to the vanity he felt boiling in his veins.

TAGS: @Cardun Vrek, @Darth Nathemus

OOC: Cal’s usage of Force Light rolls a natural 20, automatically succeeding. 4d8 of Light Damage is rolled for, rolling 2 + 1 + 7 + 6, dropping Huskac’s HP to 10 and temporarily cutting him off from the Force.

I will be creating a chat for us to combo the next update for this tagset, since it will largely be conversation until the next plot point here, and I don’t want to waste time going back and forth across individual posts.

____________________

IC: Sergeant Luceno
Elevator Shaft, The Tsushima

Watching a man duplicate himself was a feat that not even Luceno had seen before in his long career. But if anyone was going to do it, it would be this one. To him, Darth Eschaton remained a malignant puzzle, a callous emissary of Arkania's Nightfather. And now he watched the duplicates diverge, one teleporting to the bottom of the shaft with ease, while the other looked to attack something behind them.

It took little time to discern Eschaton's objective. A figure emerged into view, crouching low, intent on purloining some of the rappelling equipment. Whatever esoteric manipulation of the Force Eschaton endeavored to enact seemed to falter, but none of the men were quick to give this odd, silent stranger any of their equipment. They held fast to their gear, and turned their blasters on the madman. He must have been a survivor of the ship, but he’d made the mistake of immediately altercating with them. That would be paid for in blood.

Though several hesitated before unleashing a volley of blasterfire, including Sergeant Luceno, others hesitated not. Their blaster bolts erupted, yet found their target only in walls and flooring, the stranger seemingly either too swift, or perhaps they were simply living up to their reputation as stormtroopers. It mattered not.

“Stand down!” Luceno barked, both at his man and at this madman. “Identify yourself!”

Further down the hall, however, all eyes would turn toward the sudden snapping of three figures into the empty space, silhouetted with massively different frames against the fractured lights of the corridor beyond.

Meanwhile, below on the roof of the elevator, both Lady Kolasi and Lord Eschaton burrowed through durasteel, one utilizing superheated plasma, and the other the entropy of time made manifest. They dropped into the metal box, finding a headless corpse lying on the floor, shoulders slumped against the wall. Bloody viscera covered the walls and stained the ground, as if their head had exploded in a flash of crimson and fire.

The doors to the elevator were cracked open, offering them a view of the corridor beyond. But the walls did not seem to be made of the same material as the rest of the Tsushima that they had seen. No, not even close.

The walls were made of flesh. Bulbous and cancerous, pink and undulating. It had begun to creep into the elevator, as if reaching toward the corpse slumped in the corner. Only a small path along the floor of this hall was left untouched by the mass, leading further inside this level of the ship. A sign, partially obscured by the meaty growth, indicated that the cargo hold was at the end of this hallway. The doors to the massive hold, however, seemed to be hidden beneath this fleshy substance.

TAGS: @skira, @Darth Drakul Xarxes, @Hadzuska_The Jester

OOC: Kolasi’s attempt to cut through the roof of the elevator with her lightsaber incurs a DEX roll, rolling 11 + 20 + 2 and succeeding. She is able to cut a hole large enough for her to jump through.

Eschaton’s use of Darkshear on that same roof rolls 9 + 19 + 10, also succeeding. An Effect Modifier of 20 + 8 allows him to easily deteriorate the durasteel of the roof in a large enough radius to allow him to pass through.

His Phantom’s use of Telekinesis on this Stranger rolls with disadvantage due to the Stranger’s concealing of their essence right as the attack was about to go off. As such, it rolls 7 + 19 + 5, failing to overcome the Stranger’s DC.

The Stranger’s attempt to steal the rappelling gear will incur a DEX roll, but it will also roll with disadvantage due to his failed attempt at cloaking himself. As such, it rolls 4 + 18 + 5, failing.

Three of the six troopers open fire with their blasters on the Stranger, rolling 18 + 10 + 5, which fails to breach the Stranger’s DC. Their shots miss.

____________________

IC: Admiral Garston (Combo w/ @skira)
Loitering in the Gananth System

​

It had been radio silence since the Sith went aboard the Tsushima. No word from them, no word from the Empress. Was the peace conference on Nar Shaddaa still going on? It had been a good while. Perhaps things were going along so well that there had been no need for this fleet to sit here, waiting for an order to come wreak havoc and rescue their representatives.

It might have been a waste of time, but at least it was an easy waste of time. The admiral sat in his chair on the bridge of the Dark Vigil, a destroyer that had been equipped with enough turbolasers to light up an entire continent if they had the proper distance and ammunition. The comms being so quiet with that incessant Lord Vaer occupied made for a nice change of pace. One of the lower ranks had brought him a cup of caff, which he lazily sipped as he stared out into the vast expanse of space, waiting for the peace and quiet to be broken.

And inevitably, it was. One of the technicians on the bridge, a young man barely older than twenty, spun on his heel and snapped to attention. “Admiral sir, it appears we have a ship en route via hyperspace.”

“At ease,” said the Admiral, waving his hand. “It’s probably someone giving us the all-clear to go home.”

Moments later, that very ship warped into reality. It was a light freighter, hovering just before the massive destroyer. Once given the nod that communications had been established, and once made aware that this ship was meant to be one of the Empress’, the Admiral felt all the more certain that his assumption was correct.

“This is Admiral Garston of the Dark Vigil, awaiting orders from Empress Hesper. Who am I speaking to?”

A voice crackled over the intercom. “This is Avery Sunka, King Consort of Onderon. I’ve been sent by Empress Hesper to investigate what’s happening aboard the Tsushima. She’d like to know who gave the order to go aboard that ship.”

Garston cocked his head to the side. “She did, your Grace. We received messages from a source matching her codes telling us to loiter here in preparation for an attack at the summit, then to investigate this derelict ship that’s infiltrated our fleet. Has our Empress claimed otherwise?”

“She did not send any such message. Get them off that damned ship. Now.”

The implications would settle into the admiral’s mind later. Now required action, and his mind scrambled to keep up with his body. He set down the cup of caff with a flash, spilling some on the floor, before rushing to a communications terminal. Every commlink he tried to establish, from Lady Kolasi’s to Lord Vaer’s, to Knight Zareel’s to Sergeant Luceno’s, all answered with only muffled static. "None of their comms are working,” he told the King. “I'm trying every channel they have!"

Various curses came from the other end of the comm, along with the Onderonian King shouting “Get us docked on that ship!” Though, it was clear he wasn’t speaking to the Admiral. The line cut off, leaving the Admiral in the silence.

The vessel from Bosthirda weaved its way through the fleet with little resistance from the ships within it, the all-clear given by the Admiral just moments before the freighter settled beside the larger Tsushima, docking within its broken hangar alongside the ships left by the others that had boarded. Pressure suits allowed them to breach into the entrance hall of the ship, the Onderonian entourage given the same choice as those that came before. The doorway to the left was cracked open, while the doorway to the right was closed shut. Sounds of battle seemed to be barely audible coming from the right, though Avery’s innate bond with his wife would point him elsewhere.

TAG: @skira

____________________

IC: Kain, the Beloved King of the Stars (Combo w/ @Jen’nu and @Drakul_Xarxes)
Veeshas Tuwan, Arkania

​

The Lords’ voices were buzzing around her, but there was little to distinguish. Except…

They were… leaving?

"Wait,’’ she could hear in what bordered a shout. The Arkanian armoring passed her by completely, as her hand extended towards Kain. "We need to speak about this. Now. If… someone else… had a hand in your return from the dead, they must have a reason. Whatever Thargorograht may be scheming, there must be something she is planning for you to do. Whatever she is doing now, it may very well be a trap.’’

The Beloved King snapped his head in Khatt’s direction the moment she raised her voice. He had not known her long, and in fact, he knew her very little at all, but it did not take experience with her to know that such an exclamation was a rarity.

“She was one of my representatives at the peace summit on Nar Shaddaa. Despite everything else that went wrong there, she did not flee. I’ve trapped her away from the civilized galaxy. For now. I will be dealing with her after this business is done.”

Pieces of armor still hovered around Xarxes, affixing themselves to his body by his will, forming the impregnable shell he was known for. His intercession to Kain, at present, was seemingly ignored, though Khatt had brought up a relevant point in their ultimate mission.

“You refer to the woman from the temple, Helvara? Indeed, she might very well have ulterior motives as you describe, Khatt. However, if what Kain says is true, then we have time to deal with her, whereas our comrades aboard the Tsushima have frighteningly less time, if my vision serves me well, for our intervention.”

She shook her head rigorously. “No, no, no, no,” her mouth wheezed. “Splendid Ap and Horliss-Horliss.” She could only tug herself together to string the sentences out.

“Splendid Ap and Horliss-Horliss clearly had some sort of plan, a strategy that needs to work out in their favor. If Thargorograht… was involved in your return, she must have some plan of her own, and it must involve you. If she has a strategy, and Pandora has been deceiving you, there must be something that you specifically can do, or acquire, that they want. And if they are willing to deal with the risks involved, it has to be important. They must have some sort of trick, some sort of ploy, to take advantage of your resurrection.”

She was almost out of breath. “How could they know about your plans, and how could they subvert them?” It only now dawned on her that she herself did not know the details of Kain’s strategy against the invaders.

Kain cast a wary eye on both her and Lord Xarxes. Telling others of his plan to defeat Ooradryl, and now Thargorograht, was a last resort. It had been required to earn the loyalty—if only temporarily—of Lady Kolasi. But Khatt had been persistent, and now Xarxes was privy to more information than most already. He sighed.

“My son,” he said. “Apollo. He’s the key.” The Beloved King shook his head. "My son has a demonic plague locked within him, hidden beneath his subconscious. It was created by the demon that possessed my wife during our son's conception, the one that Xarxes has trapped within the Eye of Typhojem.” His eyes flitted to the tall Arkanian before resuming. “It is a disease that can kill all things, even that which has never known death. I have seen this in my visions of the future, the potential path where we watch Ooradryl rot inside his shell. And so I must train him to harness this power and unleash it in the realm of Dark Illathurion, so that the Old Ones can perish forever, along with those that follow them.”

His eyes found the ceiling. “I only hope he can control it fully. Because if there’s even a chance he could potentially unleash this plague on Skyriver, on our galaxy, I… I would be forced to trap him in Illathurion.”

Kain’s words fell upon Khatt like icicles.

“Of course,” the whisper escaped from her mouth, her head blanking for the first time. Of course that would be something a primordial entity could take advantage of. Of course that would be something he would keep secret. To sacrifice his own child…

She could only let her hands bury her head. If she revealed anything now, all their hopes might come undone. And so she could only sit there, as great hidden tears filled her palms.

The Arkanian lord shuddered at the words. The idea of losing a child for any reason, or weighing them against the fate of the galaxy, was a position no being should ever have to be in. What fortune he had, that he and his lineage were not quite so significant in the grand scheme of the cosmos.

Still, the potentiality to require a sacrifice was high, even if the consequent would destroy all in its unleashing against that which was good. Xarxes’ own fate was tied to this fight now, that was unavoidable, and standing neutral in the battle Kain was prepared to fight…completely out of the question. His role in this was to guide Kain’s actions, to keep him steady on the path to do what must be done, even if it was the most painful choice available. The hardest choices require the strongest wills, and the will of the Nightfather was beyond compare.

“Well,” Kain said, trying to snap himself out of his thoughts, “there’s no time to worry about it now. Lord Xarxes is right. Kolasi is in danger. And there is more.

“The Tsushima belongs to a smuggler named Morrow. He came recommended by allies I would normally consider reliable, but he’s stolen cargo that was meant to be taken to a secure facility away from galactic civilization. I won’t deny my suspicion that Morrow may be an agent of our enemy, sending his ship and my cargo directly into the firing line of the Final Sith Order. But there are others on that ship than just Kolasi and your steward. Voidwalker sensed his wife was in danger there, so I sent him and Lord Voxyn to save her and retrieve my cargo. And there will be others besides. Let’s save as many as we can.”

With that, the Beloved King of the Stars and the Ar’Adas combined their respective might together, the arts of the Aing-Tii warping around the three of them. Whatever impossible strain that would have befallen either man alone seemed to split between them, a manageable effort for two titans of the Force. Khatt, taken along for the ride, felt nothing but a sudden pop as the three of them were deposited elsewhere, far from the halls of Veeshas Tuwan, and now in a hall aboard the Tsushima.

Before them was a scene of disarray. Smoke still rose from the missed blasterfire on the floor and walls, obviously aimed at the man that the troopers were barking orders at. Lord Eschaton was there, his vile form intent on that very same stranger. Kain would not know the odd man, nor would Khatt. But Xarxes, as a Triumvir of the Final Dark Council, certainly would.

TAGS: @Drakul_Xarxes, @Jen'nu, @Hadzuska_The Jester

OOC: Kain and Xarxes combine their abilities in Fold Space in an attempt to travel across space with themselves and Khatt. This will require a DC of 75 to accomplish (to make it impossible for one person to do without a natural 20), though they thankfully have both of their rolls to combine toward this.

Xarxes’ use of Fold Space rolls 19 + 20 + 10, totaling up to 49. Kain’s use of Fold Space rolls 10 + 25 + 10, totaling up to 45. This brings their collective total to 94, which overcomes that DC and succeeds. An Effect Modifier of 37 + 8 + 10 gets them to the Tsushima safely without any hiccups whatsoever.

____________________

IC: Helvara
Hidden Hangar, Pyxis

It seemed both of the other apprentices had some sense about them after all. The colorful one seemed angry at the forcing of such a choice, but she paid him little heed. Sith had to learn to sacrifice what they wanted in order to obtain what they needed, and all Sith needed power. As the pair of apprentices boarded the last ticket off of Pyxis, leaving Mihi convulsing upon the blood-stained floor, there was little doubt that their needs had won the day.

Once everyone on board had settled into their seats, Helvara ignited the engines and prepared thrusters, lifting the starship out of the hangar and into the darkening sky of Pyxis. And then, before long, the all-too-familiar lurch of kinetic force signaled that they had made it to hyperspace. They were free.

Helvara approached the pair of apprentices after consoling the teens of their lost friends. “I apologize for not properly introducing myself back there. Things were… tense. We lost a lot of good students back there. I’m lucky I was able to save as many as I did.

“I am Helvara. If I remember correctly, you are Sharkish’Ki and Mardinga. You were both on Denova. Am I right?”

TAGS: @Sharkish’Ki, @Mardinga

____________________

IC: Damian Kento’s Hologram (Combo w/ @corinthia)
Hesperian Sanctum, Bosthirda

​

"Go," Hesper said to Makaria, waving a languid, permissory hand; she already seemed detached, as though this news had shocked her significantly. "Do what you must and use what you need. I will follow closely behind once I am prepared." She worried the crown in her hands, and as Makaria would take off to prepare for the journey to Pyxis, Empress Hesper would seem to be swallowed up by the deep shadows behind her bronzium cathedra and the black-veiled priestesses within them.

Makaria spoke to the hologram of Kento in the meanwhile, who had obviously opted to begin sitting against a wall. His situation looked more and more grim with each passing minute.

“I was able to…” he grunted, something causing him pain, “get a few of the apprentices out. Others probably made it out before they did.” An effortful chuckle escaped him. “The Empress’ tunnels were a lot more efficient. I guess that’s what happens when the designer doesn’t intend to kill the escapees.”

He let out a soft wheeze. “I don’t know if anyone else remains. I… I haven’t heard anything but the moans of the dead out there. If the survivors stuck to the plan, they should be heading for Bosthirda. Have any of them shown up?”

No other ships appeared in the sky above, descending to the hangar where they’d be saved. Either the survivors were still in hyperspace, or something had gone awry.

“No one, then,” he said, coughing. “There’s trackers on their ships. I can give you coordinates to their location. See if they’re on the way. Or if they got lost. They should be your priority. We… we’re all dead here already.”

A beep on Makaria’s personal unit would indicate the coordinates had been sent. She could opt to follow Damian’s word, to chase down the survivors of the attack. Or she could continue on to Pyxis, to save what few living beings remained.

TAG: @Dark Lady Makaria

____________________

IC: LE-14
Captain’s Quarters, The Tsushima​

The crimson plasma of Darth Mavros’ lightsaber made quick work of the door to the captain’s quarters, passing through the durasteel with the ease of a cleaver through flesh. The droid responded to the Sith Lord’s inquiry before the steel fell away, however.

“There are escape pods between here and the bridge,” she answered. “I see that four of the five have been ejected.”

As the door collapsed forward, giving the Sith and troopers a passage into this captain’s room, a blaster bolt cracked against the wall beside. Preternatural instinct would have Mavros and Zareel find the source of the blast immediately, coming from the smoking barrel of Captain Morrow’s pistol.

He had taken cover behind his bed, which he overturned onto its side. The rest of the room looked equally disheveled. A potted plant from an alien world sat in a pile of dirt and broken ceramic on the floor. Blood spattered across the wall and a nearby broken mirror. And a battered, severed body of one of these creatures lay by that very mirror.

Morrow looked just as mangled as the rest of the room. His salt-and-pepper hair was messy and flecked with blood. His eyes were wide, dark rings surrounding them. The shirt and trousers he wore had been stained with crimson viscera. The only thing about him that looked pristine was his blaster, which shook in his hands.

“Oh, thank the Force, it’s people,” he breathed. “I thought the damn monsters were getting smarter.”

TAGS: @Cardun Vrek, @Zareel Jhenan´doka

OOC: Mavros’ attempt to cut through the door to the Captain’s quarters incurs a DEX roll, rolling 12 + 18 and barely succeeding. He is able to cut through the door well enough.

Morrow attempts to blast at the intruding Mavros out of fear, rolling 7 + 15 + 5, and failing to hit him.

____________________

IC: Apollo
The Citadel of Fire, Hastur​

The boy had become enraptured by Brooke’s story. Bad people with lightsabers and swords? What could happen next? But she had cut off the tale rather abruptly, saying that something was wrong. What could have been so wrong that she had to cut off their storytime? It was just starting to get good!

A moment after she left, he endeavored to follow her. T1-FA had advised against it, but had no hold over the boy. The only thing she could do was follow him as he went, keeping him safe as the watchful eyes of the Hasturan guards looked down on the child from their massive heights.

For Apollo, it was perhaps the most he’d ever walked in his entire life. But he had the endurance of a young boy all the same, and to him, it felt like nothing to make it all the way here, to the hangar where all the cool ships would pull into.

But all he saw here was fire and destruction.

One of the ships here had blown up. The Jedi from Tython, Keldro, was hiding on the ground, putting out flames that had gotten onto his skin and clothes. Another man, the Devaronian from before, had his hands outstretched and mouth open wide, but nothing was happening. Brooke was there too, tears soaking the wraps around her face. Apollo had no idea what was going on.

What he did not know was that Brooke had just saved Keldro’s life. Samael, as he attempted to cremate Keldro and the entirety of this hangar, found himself at less than half his usual strength with God. The flames that normally would have bathed everything in his path came out as little more than sparks, flickering and dying. His mind would race with the horror of this failure, perhaps even wondering if God had abandoned him.

Keldro had been able to pat out the flames that were charring his maimed flesh just moments before mending that flesh to the best of his abilities. He was not perfectly healed by any means, but he was much less likely to die should this fight continue. And in his preparation to do so, to fight and prove himself to this crimson-skinned guardian of the child, he would also feel the Force abandon him.

It leaked out of him like a faucet, like the very midichlorians in his blood had vanished. Weakness would envelop him, a consequence of straining himself too hard in so short a time. His defenses had been raised, but that was the only saving grace he would have.

Apollo, desperate to know what was happening, did what he had rarely done on his own. He knew of the Force, and how it was this all-encompassing energy that surrounded him. But he did not know the entirety of its workings. He couldn’t. He was just a child.

But he opened himself to it all the same.

He watched as the scene unfolded before him. As the starfighter pulled into the hangar, a cute little droid sitting in it along with the Jedi Knight. The Devaronian was waiting for him, telling him that he was not welcome here. He’s nice. Why isn’t he allowed here? Then they ignited their lightsabers, and then the starship exploded. Apollo could hear the faint whine of the droid less than a second before it was scrapped in the flames, speaking in a language he had never known. And yet, he felt the sadness of the droid all the same. And the sadness of Brooke, the sadness of Keldro, and even the sadness of Samael.

Sorrow filled his mind. He wanted to be free of it. He wanted all this sadness to stop.

All he could do was scream.

A wail, pleading to them to stop this madness, shattered the eardrums of everyone in the hangar. The only thing that could stop the boy’s cry was the metallic hand of T1-FA, which covered his mouth to snuff out the noise. The very effort shaved off the paint on the droid’s hand, nearly causing more damage were it not for the little restraint that Apollo had.

TAGS: @Hadzuska_The Jester, @Catalyst, @Undying Master Xiannarr

OOC: Samael’s Mental Shield rolls 3 + 13 + 5, failing to manifest.

Brooke’s Force Suppression rolls 19 + 10 + 5, overcoming Samael’s DC and succeeding. An Effect Modifier of 11 + 4 incurs a 75% debuff on Samael’s Force Rolls (meaning he will only get a quarter of his roll totals until the effect ends by the next GM update).

Samael’s use of Pyrokinesis rolls 16 + 13 + 5, totaling 34 until it’s debuffed by the Force Suppression, which results in a total of 9. It fails.

His use of Fireball Belch rolls 3 + 13 + 5, and after the debuff, it totals 5. It also fails.

Keldro Unmar’s attempt to put out the flames on himself will incur a roll. I’d say a few different attributes would govern such an act, so I’m just going to give him the usual bonuses that come with his level rather than have a single attribute govern it. As such, he rolls 17 + 10 + 5 and successfully puts out the fire, getting rid of the BURNING EFFECT.

His continued use of Force Potency maintains the +4 bonus on his Force rolls, but at a cost…

Keldro’s use of Force Heal rolls 12 + 10 + 5 + 4, succeeding. He is healed for 3d8 of Healing, rolling 3 + 8 + 2. His HP is restored to 15.

His roll for a Mental Shield rolls 18 + 10 + 5 + 4, successfully creating one. An Effect Modifier of 13 + 2 adds +7 to his DC against opposing mental rolls.

His roll for Force Resistance rolls 16 + 10 + 5 + 4, succeeding. An Effect Modifier of 12 + 2 adds +7 to his DC against opposing Force rolls as well.

However, his continued use of Force Potency, and especially because of how many abilities he used in a single turn, completely drains Keldro of his Force Power. The previous effects still take place for this turn, but until the next GM update he will be completely unable to use any other Force abilities and will roll with disadvantage if he uses his lightsaber.

Apollo’s usage of Psychometry rolls 15 + 5 + 10, succeeding. An Effect Modifier of 20 + 5 allows him to see what just occurred in this hangar.

His Force Scream then rolls 17 + 5 + 10, successfully breaching the DC of everyone in the hangar. 5d4 of Sonic Damage is rolled for, rolling 2 + 1 + 4 + 3 + 2. Brooke’s HP is reduced to 8, Samael’s HP is reduced to 13, and Keldro’s HP is reduced to 3.

____________________

IC: Darth Vaer
Flight Lounge, The Tsushima

​

The fiends that had barged into Vaer’s next meal were quick to throw their telekinetic punches. Vaer had been given the split second necessary to brace himself for their assault, shielding himself as Voxyn attempted to toss him across the room, and the demonic Voidwalker tried to tear him apart. He’d survived the initial wave, but he had no intentions of sticking around long enough to endure a second.

Arach and Vitani collapsed to the floor, the former falling in a heap thanks to her brutal unconsciousness. Vaer, meanwhile, wasted no more time. Like a phantom or some deranged spirit, the Dark Lord fell through the floor, dissolving into nothing in a matter of seconds.

The triumphant heroes had saved their families from the wrath of Darth Vaer, for the moment. But there was little doubt now that he would relay their attack to the Empress. And as a member of the Dark Council, Arach, Voxyn, and Vitani would be labeled as traitors for attempting to end his life. They’d be executed, or worse.

And it seemed that worse was yet to come. Skittering legs and bones sounded throughout the metallic walls, a rushing of bodies heading their way.

TAGS: @Voidwalker, @Arach, @Darth Voxyn

OOC: Arach’s Telepathy rolls a 17 + 21 + 10, matching Vaer’s DC with the Mental Shield. An Effect Modifier of 19 + 5 allows the words to enter his mind as clearly as if she’d spoken aloud.

Bracing for an attack, Vaer hones his Force Resistance, rolling 10 + 19 + 5, succeeding. An Effect Modifier of 14 + 6 increases his DC by 10, bringing it up to 48.

Voxyn’s use of Telekinesis on Vaer rolls 12 + 18 + 5, failing to breach Vaer’s DC.

Voidwalker’s use of Force Rend on Vaer rolls 12 + 21 + 10, also failing to breach his DC.

Vaer’s use of Force Phase rolls 16 + 19 + 5, succeeding. An Effect Modifier of 16 + 6 allows him to pass through the floor with ease.

 

[Sharkish’Ki]

IC: Death Apprentice Sharkish’Ki
Shuttle transit​

Sharkish’Ki watched from his seat with mild admiration as the woman tended to the young Sith. Their faces told a story of despair, and their raw emotions told a tale of anger as the Force bled into the cabin like a leaking plasma conduit. With so many Force users in one place, it was almost impossible not to feel, as he closed his eyes and took a deep breath, centering his thoughts for a moment.

The brief encounter with the undead had taken so much, simply by the method of the attack. He had heard tales of Force user’s accomplishing incredible things, and his own masters were no exception. And yet he remained astonished that someone or something could send an unstoppable army through mirrored surfaces. His thoughts made him restless, as though they should have done more, and not have been so quick to give up ground, as the thud of that stone door reverberated in his mind with the groaning of the dead.

The woman’s voice snapped him back to the present, as she addressed the pair or them. “We were, for all the good it did,” he replied, with an air of concern, as he recalled the final moments in that odd place, and their lapse in judgment in regards to the girl they were meant to rescue. He rubbed his chest where the hole had been, wondering how he could have died that day. “Were you there? We weren’t prepared.” He gestured toward Mardinga with a nod, as he asked the woman yet more questions.

Tags: @Darth Kain @Mardinga

 

[skira]

IC: Avery Sunka
Aboard the Tsushima​

“We should go this way,” Rix stated as they quickly approached the hallway, but Avery’s movements had already been determined.

“Avery, we can hear them that way,” Derrik pointed out, but they all continued following their King in his pursuit.

“She’s not that way,” He called out over his shoulder, his quick pace turning into a quick jog as they made their way quickly through the ship. Avery pulled his saber hilt from his waist, though he kept it unlit.

“Keep your weapons ready, I’ve got a bad feeling about this.”

IC: Lady Kolasi
Aboard the Tsushima​

“Bloody hell,” Kolasi muttered as she took in the room around them, the stench of the flesh overtaking the room causing her to gag.

“The cargo hold is under whatever this is,” She pointed out, her still lit saber pointing up towards the sign. Her mind began to try to work around ways through this, unsure if she should try touching the flesh, lest she be taken over by whatever it was.

But if it was flesh, then perhaps…

Her mind had already been made up before she could think about it further. Perhaps it wouldn’t work, but it was worth a shot. She’d killed a dozen people doing it before, why wouldn’t she be able to kill one mass of…

A fire was burning deep within her, and her eyes reflected such. The deep, wicked crimson overtook their typical color, and that fire would burst from them, at least metaphorically. She kept them fixated on the flesh, trying to burn it away and leave nothing but ash.

She silently hoped if it didn’t work, her companion might have a plan.

Powers Used:
Deadly Sight - 5

Tags: @Darth Kain @Hadzuska_The Jester @Drakul_Xarxes

 

[Cardun Vrek]

IC: Darth Mavros & Knight Zareel
(Combo with @Darth Kain)
Captain’s Quarters, The Tsushima

Mavros suppressed an urge to kill the captain on the spot as the blaster bolt barely missed him. But, he supposed it was a natural reaction for someone trapped in a ship with mutated monstrosities to shoot first. Unless they were a Rodian. Rodians seemed to think they could talk people to death. Captain Morrow looked like he’d been through quite a time. Mavros subdued a chuckle.

This should be easy…

“Oh, thank the Force, it’s people,”the captain said. “I thought the damn monsters were getting smarter.”

“No, the monsters are not getting smarter, Captain. Your ship, and whatever hell you’ve unleashed on it, have floated right into the middle of a Sith Fleet.” Mavros stated bluntly, flourishing the crimson lightsaber in his right hand, as to emphasise the point.

“And now, you’re going to tell me what happened on this ship that led it being filled with mutants and floating dead amongst the Sith.” Mavros continued, waving his left hand and reaching out to the Captain’s mind to mentally force him to comply with the request.

Mavros had made quick work with the door as much as he had done with the creatures before. The blaster shot almost made her jump back; thankfully, the captain’s aim wasn’t as good as his survival instinct.

Zareel looked at the captain's quarters taking in the state of the place. No, the monsters weren’t getting smarter but the one who released what created them there could be worryingly so.

“Information about who sent that cargo would be nice and where it was supposed to go. Maybe it followed some route that could give more details.” She leaned speaking closer to the master after he had started questioning the captain; the more they could get to know, the faster they would be able to get out and as far as possible.

Captain Morrow looked at the Sith as the one obviously in charge waved his lightsaber and hands about. "No need for any of that," said the man, pointing to Mavros' extended hand. "All I need is a guarantee I'm getting off this ship alive and I'll tell you whatever you need to know. No lies, no bullpoodoo, none of that."

Mavros almost frowned, but did not show any sign that his attempt had failed. The Captain was obviously strong willed enough to resist the attempt. He nodded at Zareel’s suggestion, and then spoke again.

“There is an escape pod nearby. Tell me what I want to know, and we shall ensure you have a place on it. So, I shall ask again. What exactly happened onboard your ship, Captain?” Mavros asked, as politely as he could.

Morrow let out an exasperated breath and nodded. "I made a deal with a bad man, and now I'm paying for it." He holstered his blaster, leaning against the overturned bed. A cigarra found its way into his hand, igniting with the flick of a concealed lighter and puffing with smoke when he took a long drag.

"I got recommended a job by one of my old friends. Said the guy could be trusted. Some wackjob in the Outer Rim calling himself a King. Whoever he was, he paid me enough credits to buy a yacht for each of my ex-wives." Another hit of the cigarra. "Well, all but one of them, anyway. All I was supposed to do was take a giant-ass crate of Force-knows-what to Anaxes. Still can't believe the size of the freaks that carted it on board. Gotta wonder what their women look like, though."

“Kain.” Mavros said, instantly.

Mavros left hand balled into a fist. That kriffer called for peace and then sailed a ship full of mutants into the middle of a Sith fleet.

Oh, the Empress will want to hear about this. Most definitely.

“Captain, you’ve just become more important than I think you realise. Do you have logs of these transactions?” Mavros asked, mind now working fast.

Morrow nodded, leaving the cigarra in his mouth as he walked over to his dresser, pulling open a drawer and retrieving a datapad. "I have it all available here. Though you'll need my passcode to get it." He let off a sly smirk, as if knowing that there was a good chance the Sith would have just taken the datapad and killed him without that tidbit of information.

Mavros read the smug look on Morrow’s face. He knew it well. He’d worn it often enough.

“I have no intention of killing you, Captain. Your testimony regarding your dealings with the so called ‘Beloved King of the Stars’ will prove useful. I can make certain you’ll be well rewarded for being as honest as possible. The Sith appreciate honesty.” Mavros replied, smiling so wide that it was almost unnerving.

“Now, to the escape pod. I’ll contact my ship and tell my droid pilot to meet us when we disembark.” Mavros continued, in an unusually polite tone, pulling out his commlink.

“Droid, respond.” He said into the comm, in a lower voice.

All that Lord Mavros heard in return was a wave of static. Whatever was on this ship was playing havoc with his comms, and no doubt everyone else's.

“Damn it.” Mavros muttered. Oh well, once they were on the escape pod, and off the ship, then whatever was interfering with their comms would halt, hopefully.

“We should get moving. Knight Zareel, stay with the captain. He’s your responsibility. I will take point. Troopers, surround us and watch for anymore of those things.” Mavros ordered.

She wanted to ask if something was wrong with the ship, but also it was more important to not show any possible uncertainty to the captain, that could affect his disposition to help.

"You're my friend now." The knight said with a shrug as she placed one hand on the shoulder of Morrow; meanwhile, the other hand held tight her saber in case anything odd happened on the way to the pods.

TAG: @Darth Kain, @Zareel Jhenan´doka


OOC: Mavros' usage of Affect Mind rolls 8 + 18 + 5. It does not succeed.