Antithesis Campaign - Homeworld (Domination of the Aing Tii Hex)

[Jorus Merrill]

[member="Bryce Bantam"] [member="Thane Drexel"] [member="Vorhi Alestrani"] [member="Chip"]

The crystal-flecked suit fit oddly, and Jorus found himself speculating about its origin. He added it to the list of 'why' that his conscious and subconscious selves were accumulating by the moment. As Bryce spoke, he nodded, then went back over the pertinent details in his mind. Walk into light, expect cold, meet dubious ally, learn more. Straightforward enough.

"Now this," he said, slapping Bryce's shoulder, "is gonna be an experience. Thanks for this."

Sometimes the Force suggested he not walk through a door; he felt nothing this time but a firm course through the light. Therefore he walked in.

 

[Janick Beauchamp]

Location: Kal'Shebbal Northern Outskirts
Allies: [member="Dorsca Waverunner"] [member="Jim Pehico"]
Enemies: Unknown
Post: 8/37

"Usually plans where alchemized lum would be useful to catch pirates or slavers rely on infiltration. You're thus asking for similar precautions to take in infiltration missions in general, although, if you wish to take on such a mission, then I would have to play along as a sex slave or valet. You once said that I had the best boobs you ever saw, so I can be the distraction, using dirty dancing, while you go around and serve alchemized alcohol" she told [member="Jim Pehico"]. "Pirates are hoarding treasure in the main temple"

After Jim drank what lum he could from the bottle of ancient lum, Janick found a much larger bottle of Ottegan mead that she wasted no time alchemizing. Equally old, equally well-preserved. Nine liters of mead, or the content of an entire mead case in a single bottle, are being infused with one small vial of blood and what remaining dark side energy there is in her, made it so that they would have some premature alcohol withdrawal and alcoholic allergies. But this time around the pirates aren't around to notice that there are dark tendrils entering the bottle of ancient mead while she alchemizes the drink. Once that is finished, she realizes that a bottle of alchemized mead is a little heavy, although not quite as much as a sixth-barrel keg of alchemized lum; she also thought that making the pirates nested inside the temple believe that they captured loot belonging to rival bandits would be a good idea to make their headway inside the pirate-held great temple. Slowed down by the bottle of alchemized lum, Janick arrived at the great temple well after [member="Dorsca Waverunner"] did.

"We have come to join the pirates: with us you will get all the alchemized equipment you can even hope to get"

 

[NightSister]

You guys tend to leave death in ruin behind.

She smirked.
"Yeah, I'll give you that," she agreed, evidently amused at his judgement. "Sith do like to give off that vibe." Aria wasn't at that stage, admittedly - she was still tentative in even calling herself Sith, and with more than one reason - but she could recall having met very few Sith without a degree of malevolence to their outlook and perhaps none at all without the aura of one who liked to destroy.

Regardless, as fun as it could be, Aria was rather too preoccupied with working out what she was doing on the planet (and how to leave it) to worry about causing death and ruin.

She whirled around, feeling the kick brush her and only half stepping out of its way as she refocused her attentions. No need to attack either - she hadn't yet decided she had a reason to play the offensive, and for now it interested her more to know who she was fighting.

"I take it you're not a Jedi?" she decided, trying again to get the man to put a name to his alignment.

[member="Dax Fyre"]

 

[The Great Narrator]

Air was returning to the northern poles of the dead world. As the sun they orbited began to melt the flash frozen atmosphere the barren icy world was slowing coming back to life. Icy wind howled around the frail blond who stood by the broken gate of Homeworld. Once the hub of the great northern city it now lay in ruin consumed by time in other space. She would feel the nexus she had helps create some eight centuries ago. Its' power growing but unfocused. She needed to guide it, or more correctly have others complete the rituals her followers had begun so may years ago.

The first to come through was a handsome black haired man, his eyes being much older then his body. He demeanor and poise was very similar to the one she had send through to get help and the force was strong with him. Bryce had chosen well...

[member="Jorus Merrill"] when he got through the gate would see a blond woman in a flowing white gown. The wind would whip as his yellow tresses and ruffle her silken dress but she did not look cold at all. Her skin would be a radiant white and eyes would glow white as if the were two small comforting stars.

"Welcome young traveler, I am Theresa, and I am grateful you came."

 

[Vorhi Alestrani]

[member="Jorus Merrill"] [member="Theresa Lod"] [member="Thane Drexel"] [member="Chip"] [member="Bryce Bantam"]



The blind monk moved towards the spiraling light. He saw....a tunnel, no, a ribbon, no, a tunnel made of ribbons, ribbons and tendrils of force and time and space, he felt...blinded. This was what it must be like to have one's sight overwhelmed. It was intense. Painful, yet empowering in a way. He stepped through the gate, breathing deeply as the blue loop around his neck seemed to grow and fade and blossom and feather. To those around him, he would appear to be in resplendent robes that looked pulled from the very ice around them. He look at his own hands as the green gem flickered. Then, it hurt. A lot.


As Vorhi landed on the other side, appearing in front of a woman, and Jorus, he sank to his knees, breathing heavily. Oh, ouch. Hell, Feth! Damn, he hadn't felt this much pain in years. Not since...not since he'd crawled into a bottle. He slowly stood up. Gasping. The green gem had just accelerated him. All the pain of detox in a matter of minutes. He held up a hand, shaking slightly. "Hell of a gift," he grumbled, his tone completely calm, almost intense in its focus. It appeared that whomever wanted him here, they wanted him sober and aware of everything. He frowned. It would have been nice for them to at least warn him first. Then again, he probably wouldn't have gone if he knew he'd have to face things this way. He nodded to the women before them. "I think there are more to follow. We are here to help. I think that's true. Also, I am suffering a what can be described as the cumulative hangover of at least half a decade, so, I'll follow his lead--" he pointed at Jorus non-chalantly, who looked...off. His aura looked the same, but the facial features seemed out of sync. Weird.

 

[Thane Drexel]

As it appeared the others were more willing than he to walk into the portal, Thane swallowed his doubts and followed. The feeling of the expansive universe flowed through his mind, pulling him everywhich way, yet he could tell he was moving forward. A strange sense of calm, yet fear washed over Thane. Over the years, he'd faced the abyss numerous times but who walk through it was humbling.

Feeling his nerves burn as his senses were overwhelmed as he exited the tunnel of light, Thane fell to a knee on the other side. There before him, [member="Vorhi Alestrani"] was in a similar stance as he, obviously feeling some adverse effects from the strange mode of transportation. [member="Jorus Merrill"] seemed all but untouched by the experience. Upon rising to his feet, the cold could be felt against his skin, even through his heavy coat. A woman stood before him, frail and pale as the snow around them. She was welcoming Jorus and Vorhi gave his own testimony on the matter. Hungover, amateur. Thane chuckled.

"Well sister, this may be the strangest way to get my attention, but you have. Bryce seemed convinced we may be able to help you, or at least this world. What do you need? Thane's confidence was unshakable, even in such a strange place. His fear drove him to do wild things, this was no different.

[member="Theresa Lod"] [member="Bryce Bantam"]

 

[Jim Pehico]

Location: Kal'Shebbal Northern Outskirts
Allies: [member="Dorsca Waverunner"] [member="Janick Beauchamp"]
Enemies: Unknown

The pirates drew their blasters at the two while Dorsca stayed back. He would've been too much of a threatening presence to the pirates for the plan to work. So that left the beautiful alchemist and the mustachioed charmer. the pirates looked at the two ready to fire at any movement.

Jim slowly pointed to the alcohol. "We brought booze!" Jim yelled excitedly.

Silence fell before the crowd of bloodthirsty pirates. They looked at each other slightly confused and then looked at the booze and cheered. Jim began pouring the pirates drinks.

 

[Janick Beauchamp]

Location: Kal'Shebbal Northern Outskirts
Allies: [member="Dorsca Waverunner"] [member="Jim Pehico"]
Enemies: Unknown
Post: 9/37

Within moments of the pirates being served their alchemized mead, several of them began to exhibit delirium tremens symptoms, such as hallucinations causing disorientation and even pirates shooting at each other, while the other pirates began vomiting, and others still began to have seizures as well as nausea. Pretty wildly, of course, given their disorientation and tremors, but it was a given that they started believing each other to be out to kill everyone else; the pirates so afflicted left a bloody mess, that close to the portal and somehow showing up there only after most of the others with visions tied to this place entered said portal. So why did they show up just now? Why did they hide from the other adventurers? Janick thought, while some stray blaster shots narrowly missed her, leaving dents in the wall. A few more pirates just crossed the portal, ostensibly to avoid being shot to pieces by their peers; however, at the other end of the portal they may not find any more solace than they had at the beginning. But because the two were among the last to arrive on-site, they were the ones to see the carnage to themselves, and the alchemized mead as a means to help capture the pirates.

"Now, quick, into the portal: left to their own devices, with little to no alcohol left in the city, and them aimlessly wandering about the city, with the trail of vomit allowing the other residents to catch the survivors"

 

[Dax Perl]

The cease of clashes from [member="Vaylin"] and [member="Kytra Odran"]'s battle had escaped the man's notice. For the moment, he was completely unaware of the other Dark Sider sneaking up behind him.

"You won't find any Jedi on Kal Shebbal." the man answered her as he gave his sabers a spin, one after the other, each excitedly buzzing in turn. The man waited patiently for the next move to be made. From who though, the Sith in front or behind him remained to be seen.

"I'll ask again. Why are you here."

[member="Aria Vale"]

 

[NightSister]

Not a Jedi, wary of Sith. It was the best answer she expected to get, and truthfully it gave her a good sense of the man. If her mind hadn't been elsewhere it would've easily set to work reading between lines, filling in blanks, but her brain was caught on the question.

Why are you here?

There were two ways, as far as Aria was concerned, that she could play this. There was truth. And there was whatever she decided to put in truth's place. The truth was hazy memories of having been at home - resting, reading a book - before blackness before waking with a sense of unease and the force tugging her in one direction.
It was flimsy. Easily dismissed, easily twisted. Utterly unhelpful.

Lying, though . . .
Aria was by all standards quite an honest person, only warping truth for the sake of evading trouble or saving face. But she was smart, and she was creative. Fabricating an answer that appeased him and could perhaps be used to her advantage would be the easiest thing in the world.

"Got curious," she replied coolly after a perfectly calculated pause.

- [member="Dax Fyre"] -

 

[Vaylin]

Vaylin stalked like a Maalraas as she crept towards Dax Fyre's back. She wasn't sure whether her Master had noticed her approach, kept the talking going to keep the man distracted because of it if they were simply having a little chat in-between their fighting. If it had been the latter, then the Zabrak would be confused at the concept; why would you bother talking with your opponent when you could be trying to kill them.

Nonetheless it was still a distraction, one she was going to take advantage of.

Still keeping her Force presence as low as possible, Vaylin moved in.

Her lightsaber had remained deactivated since getting rid of Kytra, the constant buzz of the blade would've alerted Dax of her approach. So she angled it ready to strike, and the moment she got within distance she attacked.

The Zabrak's red blade snapped to life as she stabbed it towards Dax's lower back.

[member="Dax Fyre"] | [member="Aria Vale"]​

 

[Dax Perl]

'Got curious.'

That was rich. Yeah, Dax totally believed that. The Rogue would have pushed for more, but he could tell he wasn't going to get anymore out of her. Not like this at least. If he could, he'd take her in. But the man guessed she wouldn't come quietly. He'd have to defeat her in battle first.

Before Dax could even make his next move, the man heard the distinctive snap-hiss of a lightsaber from behind him. Instinct took over as the man do e forward, trying to avoid the attack. A loud huss filled the air as the saber made contact, the only thing protecting him, the thin sheet of armorweave. The man sprang to his feet, right inbetween the crimson wielding Forcers. chit

[member="Aria Vale"] | [member="Vaylin"]

 

[Jorus Merrill]

[member="Thane Drexel"] [member="Vorhi Alestrani"] [member="Theresa Lod"]

The crystal-studded gear offered respectable protection from the cold, and he was grateful for it. The blonde woman didn't appear to need shelter from the elements. That, plus her words, strongly suggested she was more than she seemed. He'd had enough experiences with beings along these lines that he tended to go for straightforward.

"Yeah, what they said. What kind of help you need - and of you don't mind me asking, what are you? Ghost, telepathic projection, or just real good at tapas?"

 

[Jorus Merrill]

[member="Janick Beauchamp"] and [member="Jim Pehico"] certainly had creative tactics, so far as Dorsca was concerned. Still only catching one word in three, he tagged along. When the brunette drugged the revelers, he opted to split off from her and the man with the mustache. They jumped through a portal of some kind; Dorsca did not. Instead, no stranger to tending the drunken, he set about helping the drugged or poisoned people. They all displayed symptoms of borderline alcohol poisoning, in an unusually rapid and uniform way. Though Dorsca had limited options, he did his best.

 

[Janick Beauchamp]

Location: Kal'Shebbal Northern Outskirts
Allies: [member="Dorsca Waverunner"] [member="Jim Pehico"]
Enemies: Unknown
Post: 10/37

With the surviving pirates having stopped shooting, [member="Dorsca Waverunner"] could tend to them until the ORC Navy or other law enforcement authorities could take the drunken pirates away, while Janick entered the portal, whose embrace was pretty great. Then again, it was kind of the reason she even was here in the first place, and these visions came regularly. Some Force-vision was telling her to jump in, even though the pirates that already did it were probably stumbling all over the place and that she will find them again, reeling in from the effects of alcohol poisoning. She began to herd the pirates while realizing that there is a chance that the drunk pirates may jeopardize the relationship between the realspace world and that place that looks more like Otherspace. While she herds the pirates suffering from delirium tremens, she calls out what Force-users are on that side of the portal in the Force: Is there anyone else here? How can I be of help in this strange new world? she thought, using telepathy to reach out to the other FUs that crossed the portal, including [member="Bryce Bantam"], [member="Vorhi Alestrani"] and others.

 

[Velok the Younger]

​

PITANN​

The heavy-gravity mining world of Pitann, deep in the Kathol Outback, began to experience a little bitty problem with their droid gladiator matches. Distress calls went out on all frequencies. These distress calls -- so sad -- comprised panicking humans and Sullustans in the throes of dismemberment by said droid gladiators. The droids, heavily modified mining bots, had carved through the walls of the Grand Arena and begun to lay waste to the capital.

Oh, the humanity. Oh, the horror. Clearly, someone either wanted to cause some grief to a remote Kathol world...or wanted to create a sizeable distraction. Not that it mattered for those who needed to stop the gladiator droids before thousands of dead became millions...

 

[Farah]

A junky old freighter that was about to shift course from the Rimma Trade Route picked up the distress signal coming from Pitann. The vessel was heading for Pergitor, carrying a few dozen crates of some sort of perishable fruit. The Wookie in the pilot seat had begun to slump over as he wavered in and out of sleep, jolting awake with a startled yelp as he noticed one of the dashboard monitors blip rhythmically to indicate an incoming transmission. With a wide eyed look, a clawed finger reached out to press the ‘activate’ button on the message.

What ensued was a horrible chorus of panicked creatures that sounded as if they were being slaughtered. Grru listened for a few startled seconds before he hurriedly cut the transmission, sitting there in shock as his heart raced away in his chest. What should he do? That sounded horrible! He hated when people were in pain or being attacked, but oh, if he went to help would the same thing happen to him? Would the attackers be afraid of his size and build or would they run? Would they have blasters? Or maybe flamethrowers? Those things were awful, he’d roast alive with his thick fur coat!

Swallowing his fear and wild thoughts, Grru changed course and set for Pitann. The people of Pergitor would have to wait just a bit longer for their sweetmelons.

[member="Velok the Younger"]

 

[The Great Narrator]

"I think there are more to follow. We are here to help. I think that's true. Also, I am suffering a what can be described as the cumulative hangover of at least half a decade, so, I'll follow his lead--"

The first to speak to her was a monk of sorts, he seems wise enough for a young one but his altered state of being was perplexing to her.

"Well sister, this may be the strangest way to get my attention, but you have. Bryce seemed convinced we may be able to help you, or at least this world. What do you need?

The next to speak to her was a man if rugged dress but a confident tone. She looked him up and down before speaking. As she did the first man who had come though showed a wisdom she found refreshing in the younger races.

"Yeah, what they said. What kind of help you need - and of you don't mind me asking, what are you? Ghost, telepathic projection, or just real good at tapas?"

"I am not a ghost as you put it young one, I simply exist on a plane that need not the form of flesh. This form does have its' disadvantages which is why I am so grateful for your help."

Slowly she turned and pointed to a fallen structure not 30 meters from them. It seemed to once be a gleaming tower of white marble, but now was a scattered structure of broken stone pitted as if stained by some great dark force. Those attuned to the force would feel a strong presence from it, as if watching a yin - Yang the force around it was swirling between the light and the dark. As if a battle raged within it.

"That is all the remains of the heart of hope, the last chance for my children. I need you to enter, and remove the blight stone that now taints it. It will be difficult and the Charon that remain will try to stop you. I know this is a dangerous thing I ask but if you save this world I will reward you all with gifts that this galaxy has not seen in 800 years..."

OOC: The caves within the heart of hope would resemble the tunnels beneath the temple on Kal'shebbal. These tunnels would be guarded by the Charon, as many as twenty, armed with bio-weapons similar in power to Voung design.

 

[Jorus Merrill]

[member="Vorhi Alestrani"] [member="Thane Drexel"] [member="Theresa Lod"]

Jorus' skin prickled, and that was about as far as he'd ever gotten toward proper Force-senses. Based on her words, his eyes, and general instinct, though, the fallen tower was clearly worth taking seriously in a Force-like sense. He eyed the tower's ruins, looking for the best entrances.

"Don't know a thing about blight stone, or hearts of hope, or what plane you're from, or who your children are...but I know Charon. Extradimensional genocidal death cultists flying undead bioships they stole off some species they massacred. Charon are a real problem." He eyed the blonde, rubbing his thumb along the bristles on his lower lip. He scratched at his stubble thoughtfully with a thumbnail. "Don't worry about the gifts, at least on my account. You've gone to a lotta trouble to get good help and bring it here, so help's what you get. Go in, remove blight stone, get out un-Charonned. Can do."

His one and only Force talent lay in instinctive navigation. Without further ado, he shifted his crystal-studded suit around for comfort and headed into one of the tower's breaches.

 

[NightSister]

Vaylin's presence hadn't slipped her, hadn't been lost on her for even a moment - but she had let keeping track of her apprentice stay at the back of her mind, far more focused on the man in front of her. Watching for his next move, planning her own.

But nonetheless, it hadn't occurred to her to distract while Vaylin went after her target.

The snap-hiss of a crimson blade was the easiest thing in the world to recognise, but she couldn't help avert her eyes to its origin. Landing her gaze on Vaylin faintly surprised her (although not because of the other woman's nature - in that perspective the opposite would've been stranger); that wasn't to say that Aria couldn't think fast enough to move without it.

She'd had her moves lain out neatly, every word (reluctance, reluctance, another lie when he kept on pushing, lies and more lies). She was one for planning, thought, the careful precision of the long game - that wasn't, as she was starting to recall, how her apprentice preferred to operate. Aria killed as a last resort. Vaylin very much didn't.

Not that the latter way of thinking couldn't sometimes prove more useful.

Aria elected not to signal any connection to or knowledge of the Zabrak, staying silent as her apprentice moved in, staying silent as she took advantage of the moment with a swipe of her saber, horizontal and aimed for his side.

There would be time for more chatter later.

| [member="Dax Fyre"] | [member="Vaylin"] |​