Sic transit gloria mundi
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
Intent: Expand on Vashyada.
Image Credit: Here. Here.
Role: Support unit. Illusionists. Druids.
Permission: They can use Abregado-Rae Guild of Hammers equipment due to Firemane gaining access to ARGH tech in this thread. Permission for all ArmaTech gear and all other subs made by Laira Darkhold's writer here.
Links: Vashyada, Four of a Kind, You're Grounded, Firemane Industries, White Current, The Dark Heart.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Unit Name: Gaea's Veil.
Affiliation: Vashyada, Tylania.
Classification: Infantry.
Description: Of all the Eldorai subraces, the Vashyada have the deepest connection to nature. Having dwelt in the vast, dangerous forests of Yarkul for centuries, they are a hardy, tough people. Unlike their cousins, they are the least inclined to bloodletting and warring amongst themselves, though they are not pacifists either. Their isolation prevented them from developing advanced technology and so they are fairly primitive. However, this does not make them savages. Far from it. Rather they adapted very well to their environment and learned to use it to their advantage. Both the Qadiri and the Xioquo as well as foreign slavers discovered to their peril that the Vashyada are far from helpless. For the wood elves have repelled many incursions into their territory and are excellent irregular fighters. In contrast to their cousins, the Vashyada revere the Light.
Though isolationist by nature, in some ways Vashyada are more pragmatic than their more 'developed' cousins, not the least due to the stabilising influence of the primeval elf Tylania, who has served as their guide throughout the centuries. She is the first of her race and considered a prophetess of sorts, to whom the Vashyada look to for guidance in times of distress. Many of their Force-users are skilled healers, illusionists and earth mages. Gaea's Veil is a small, exclusive sect of Vashyada druids who have been handpicked and personally trained by Tylania. It is named after a Vashyada nature goddess. Every member of the Veil is a very powerful Force wielder. One could broadly compare them to Jedi Consulars, albeit a lot more nature-based. While the Rangers hone their marksmanship and the terramancers their affinity with the earth, the Veil is composed of potent illusionists, who have attained mastery over the powers of the mind.
For this reason, each druid who is chosen for the Veil must undergo a thorough training process. Aside from honing their Force abilities, they may spend days in a state of meditation, communing with nature and the spirits. This is supposed to teach them that they are just part of a larger tapestry, for the Vashyada believe that they derive their power from the spirits. The Veil's members are carefully vetted in order to prevent the entrance of druids who might abuse their gifts and use them for evil purposes. The sages have a lot of power and prestige in Vashyad society, which makes it imperative to ensure that the group is not corrupted from within. Dark side use is strictly banned.
Each druid who joins this exclusive sect is expected to face the Dark Heart, a dark nexus that lies within the forests of Yarkul. This involves going on a perilous quest that will test their mind, body and soul. Those that succeed in their trials are honoured. Upon joining the sect, each new member receives a special tattoo. It marks her as a sister of the Veil. They use rare herbs and certain plants that have psychedelic properties to help facilitate vision quests and religious rituals, as the concoction gives them a psychic boost. However, the use of these herbs is ritualised rather than recreational.
The members of the Veil are expected to place their calling above the whims of chieftains and monarchs. Membership in the Veil is hereditary and passed on from mother to daughter. In times of crisis, they have not just been an important line of defence, but also spiritual guides and oracles for their people. This has especially been the case in those days when Tylania slumbered in her stasis pod and her people could not turn to her for guidance. Indeed, they have been responsible for caring for her 'tomb' and ensuring that it is not compromised by enemy incursions. This could involve using their abilities to hide it in times of serious crisis.
Whenever Tylania rises from her slumber after being awakened, the Veil has had the duty of filling her in events. This is accomplished via a mind meld. Since Tylania walks among her people once more and is not about to return to her pod any time soon, these duties no longer that relevant. However, it is an important part of their traditions. Each member of the Veil continues to maintain a telepathic link with the primordial Vashyada sage. Moreover, they still watch over her pod, in case she has to return to it some time in the future. The members of the Veil don robes outside of combat and for their ceremonial duties, such as the performance of religious rites. However, they may don some light armour in combat. Their use of tech is minimalistic, as they prefer to trust in the power of the spirits.
The Veil has about a dozen members and is led by Yvlayna. Unlike some of her fellow sisters of the Veil, she did not see Tylania as a true goddess. Indeed, she believed that the Paragon was a myth, and that the pod just contained an illusion or the body of an ancient Vashyada. However, the idea of Tylania was important. It gave the Vashyada a moral code and a set of teachings that were worth upholding. Thus she would not let anyone use them for their own personal gain.
When the leader of the Veil tried to seize control by masquerading as the true voice of Tylania, Yvlayna opposed her. She rallied Vashyada to oppose the despot and was able to overcome the spell the usurper had placed on the stasis pod to hide it. Subsequently she bested her in single combat, proving that the gods favoured her. It was Yvlayna who made the decision to awaken Tylania during the Netherworld Crisis, even though she privately doubted that the myths were real.
But the situation was desperate. Countless Vashyada had been raptured and the Force itself was out of balance. When the Paragon awakened, she was still a bit in awe of her. Yvlayna does not worship Tylania as a deity, but is respectful and devoted to her teachings. The druid is resolute in her belief that her sect should not rule. She is a very powerful illusionist and mentalist. Moreover, she is good with a staff in melee combat. The druid is flexible enough to work with outsiders, but still a bit sceptical of modern technology, and so she does not use much of it. She expects the other members of the Veil to follow her example. Her reasoning for this is more nuanced than simply being a luddite though. The Vashyada lack the means to reproduce a lot of the foreign innovations, so if they became reliant on them, they would be dependent on foreign succour.
Yaevis is another prominent member of Gae's Veil. She was a strong believer in Tylania's divinity, but took her idol's silence hard. This, among other things, allowed Qesethe to sway Yaevis to her side. After Qesethe was unmasked as an usurper and defeated by Yvlayna, Yaevis underwent a crisis of faith. She felt great remorse and exiled herself. She travelled to the Dark Heart to face the trials there and test herself. For a while she became a wanderer, protecting remote tribes. She was one of the Vashyada who were raptured during the Netherworld Event. The tribulations there drove her a little mad. But she stepped up as a leader for a group of wood elves who suddenly found themselves in hell and guided them through the wastes. They ran into many strange aliens, including their lost cousins from Kaeshana. Tylania, awoken from her long slumber, was able to guide them back to the homeland. Yaevis' connection to the Force was impaired by being trapped in the Netherworld. By the time she and her companions managed to escape, she was dead to it. However, over time Tylania was able to restore it, and Yaevis was proclaimed to have made amends. Meeting her 'goddess' was a profound spiritual experience for the druid. Yvlayna brought her back into the fold.
Yaevis is devout, but still feels guilty about her past actions. She is somewhat withdrawn and aloof, showing little emotion. This can cause some to see her as cold, though that is not quite true. The Netherworld has left her with mental scars and young acolytes may find her intensity unnerving. Yaevis is not very trusting of outsiders and very protective of the rights and traditions of the Vash. She has the strongest precognitive and telepathic abilities of the members of the group. Yaevis is a believer in redemption, but maintains that it must be earned. Sysva is the newest member of the sect. She is younger than the others, but is promising and strong. She is more accommodating to outsiders and has taken an interest in their 'sky-ships' and machines. Sysva wants to adopt more advanced technology, but put a Vashyada spin on it. Thus she has taken an interest in the Wookiee and Ithorians as well as more organic technology. Privately Sysva is a bit cynical about the concept of the sect and of Tylania.
In her view, the Paragon's apparent disinterest in ruling is a well-maintained facade, since Tylania clearly eclipses the High King and High Queen. After all, it was she who negotiated the alliance with the humans of Firemane, who have values that are at variance with those of the Vash. Similarly the Veil has more influence than it lets on, despite being conceived as being an apolitical body. However, she regards it as a useful means of advancement. Sysva speaks fluent Basic and Eldarai and supports the Vashyada playing a more active role instead of remaining in isolation.
Henrah is the oldest member of the Veil. Indeed, she is very old even by Vashyada standards. Though physically quite frail, her mind is sharp and she is very strong in the Force. Her centuries of experience also make her an asset to the sect. She has seen many monarchs come and go, fought in several wars in the defence of the Vashyada's freedom. The crone is a true believer in Tylania and takes a conservative stance on most issues. She and Sysva have a poor relationship, as she believes that the younger druid is too interested in filthy lucre. Henrah is compassionate and caring, but quick to judge those Vash who stray from the path. Compared to the others she is a bit of a hermit, but more than willing to throw down with the foes of the Vashyada if needed.
COMBAT INFORMATION:
Unit Size: Small
Unit Availability: Unique
Unit Experience: Elite.
Equipment:
Armour:
- Light robes. May wear a mask with rebreather and other equipment to protect themselves against chemicals. Generally add a plastoid or durasteel breastplate in combat.
- Force-focusing Visor
- Taozin Amulet
- Meditation Band
- Force Imbued Quarterstaff
- Vibrodagger.
Combat Function: Gaea's Veil is a support unit. Its members focus on the cerebral applications of the Force rather than brute force or martial prowess. The members of the unit are masters of mentalism and telepathy. Thus they can use create deceptively realistic illusions to confuse, terrify or deceive foes as well as attack them. This includes creating illusory units. By invading the minds of their foes, they can warp an enemy's perception of reality. This can sow chaos within the ranks of the enemy, throwing hostile forces in disarray or even causing them to see their own allies as foes and turn on them. Likewise, the druids can employ their powers to put others to sleep. They are very good at defending themselves from mental attacks and shielding allies from the same. Moreover, the illusionists are masters of stealth.
Thus they can use their powers turn themselves invisible to sight and conceal their Force auras. Vashyada are already good at blending into their environment without technology or preternatural powers, and these abilities enhance this further. They are very skilled in the application of Plant Surge. This power is useful for concealment, can create obstacles but also be used offensively. They have mental powers comparable to those of a White Current adept, enabling them to achieve full immersion to cloak themselves from sight and electronics. This also allows them to create illusions that shield objects or structures from detection or cloak them as something else. Their Force Sense abilities are very potent.
The druids are able to employ Force Weapon, an ability that allows the wielder to imbue a mundane weapon with the Force for a period of time. This allows something as simple as a wooden stick to become resistant to lightsabres. Force Stasis is part of their repertoire, allowing them to stun groups of enemies. This is in keeping with their Light Side ethics. The druids can utilise Force healing and enter a Force Meld to increase unit effectiveness, acting in unison. However, a sudden loss of the mind meld through say exposure to a Ysalamiri can be disorientating and even painful to them. The same applies if pain is transmitted through the bond due to a participant being injured. Similar to their mistress, the Veil favours staff weapons in melee combat.
However, Gaea's Veil is a support unit. Its members are not to be employed on the front lines. They forego heavy weapons and rifles. Moreover, they do not wear tanky armour, as this would compromise their mobility and stealthiness. This obviously leaves them more vulnerable to heavy fire if they are exposed. The sect has no integrated heavy support and will thus require protection from more assault-based units. They are not the type of unit to storm a trench with, but they make an excellent support for assault troops that do. They lack armour beyond the most basic and do not carry lightsabres.
Strengths:
- Incredibly powerful illusionists and stealth specialists. They are a potent support unit.
- Able to enter a Force Meld to boost themselves by drawing strength from another and act in unison.
- Force dependant. Being exposed to Ysalamiri will rob them of their main advantage over foes, gravely weakening them and leaving them more vulnerable in combat.
- Extremely small unit.
- Forego heavy armour and heavy weapons. They are a support unit, not assault troops.
- Lack technological sophistication. While not simple, their knowledge of galactic technology is rather limited.
The Gaea's Veil claims to have been around since the ancient times. While such claims are common, they actually contain more than a grain of truth in this case. Like the other Eldorai races, the Vashyada were created by the Rakata as a slave race. When the Infinite Empire self-destructed, they were set free. However, the elves warred amongst themselves. Their masters had created five Paragons to guide and control them. These Paragons had also served as templates for the respective races.
However, these five became rivals. Ashira, the eldest of them and queen of the Eldorai, was murdered by Ardarvia on Kaeshana. Eyrecae, Paragon of the Qadiri, had been put in stasis by her maker and was only awakened more than twenty millenia later. Mystra, first of the Xioquo, and Tylania, Paragon of the Vashyada, warred against one another. Mystra subjugated the Qadiri, adding them to her army. She was consumed by darkness and lust for power.
Leading a massive army, she covered all of the lands in a sorcerous darkness so the Xioquo could fight without the burning rays of the sun. However, the strength of Mystra and the Xioquo was undermined when Tylania tore the magical cloud asunder and shone light down upon the Xioquo. Combined with a change of heart among the Qadiri, the Xioquo were driven away to their northern realms. In the aftermath many of the Vashyada wanted Tylania to take over the Qadiri and found an empire spanning Tygara. However, the Paragon refused and led her people to the continent of Yarkul. She realised that most of her people would not endure further strife and did not wish to become a despot.
This is the truth, but only part of it. Though Tylania is now a paragon of the light, she was far less altruistic in those days. The Rakata had conditioned her to be an assassin. Ultimately she turned away from the dark path and decided to let her people govern themselves and be an advisor and guide, but not a queen. She turned to the light side after she saw what Mystra had become and realised what had befallen Ashira and Ardarvia. Similarly, the original purpose of the sect known as Gaea's Veil was more sinister. The group was founded when the Rakata still held sway. The sect was loyal to the Paragon and served as her minions. Thus they did the bidding of the Rakata. Their powers allowed them to spread terror, strike swiftly and eliminate specific targets at the behest of their masters. Their mental abilities also made them a potent tool of subjugation and deception.
After the Infinite Empire collapsed, their sole allegiance was to Tylania. They helped her keep control over her people and fought in the final battle with Tylania. They faced the disciples of Mystra, using their potent illusions against them. Casualties were high on both sides. While Tylania was able to seriously wound Mystra, her dark sister also inflicted an injury on her. The members of the Veil urged their mistress not to halt her campaign, but to subjugate all of Tygara. However, Tylania had had an epiphany. Knowing that her injury would require her to go into seclusion in order to recover, she spent what time she had to teach her disciples about the Light. Then she went into seclusion.
The Gaea's Veil became a crucial line of defence for the Vashyada. They played a vital role in thwarting Xioquo and Qadiri incursions. They could harass, terrify and sway foes, conceal structures and allied troops. Faithful to their oath, they protected their mistress' tomb when Xioquo witches tried to destroy it. Outside of combat, the Veil was also responsible for maintaining the pod and awakening their mistress when the Vashyada sought her aid. This happened in times of great emergency, such as after the extinction of the royal line or a natural disaster.
However, as time passed the Vashyada regressed technologically, descending into a dark age. Though the original members tried pass on their knowledge, over time many skills were lost. Tylania became a mythical figure to them, whom they reverred as a demigoddess. New sisters of the Veil were brought before Tylania's stasis pod to meditate and seek her guidance. They came to treat it like a mystical artefact, forgetting that it was simply a machine their mistress used to rest in and recover her strength. The sect evolved into a hereditary one.
During Tylania's time in stasis, the leader of Gaea's Veil tried to usurp power from the monarchs of the Vashyada. To this end, she claimed that she was the voice and true prophetess of Tylania, as the Paragon had spoken to her in her dreams. She placed a spell on the stasis pod Tylania was sleeping in order to hide it and used her mental powers to sway some Vashyada clans to her cause. However, Yvlayna, a disciple of the cult, saw through her deception and rallied those who did not wish to bend to a tyrant. It helped that the Vashyada are a freedom-loving type and not fond of dictators. After having succeeded in communing with the Paragon, she bested the pretender in single combat. However, this was not the end of their calamities. The Netherworld Event was a serious crisis for the Vashyada and the galaxy as a whole. Faced with the disappearance of so many of their people, the wood elves were at their wit's end. Two members of the Veil had been among the raptured.
Unfortunately, the druids no longer understood the device they were protecting, and lacked the technological know-how to activate it. Fortunately, a robotic explorer called Caerys Argente had stumbled upon the elves while searching for clues about the true origins of the Eldorai. Unlike her Archangel 'cousins', this HRD was not genocidal. With her help, the Vashyada were able to activate the stasis pod. Tylania was able to find several of her people in the Nether and guide them back. The Veil assisted her in this venture, boosting her abilities and using their own power of sight. During this quest they also found some of their lost cousins from Kaeshana. The Paragon took charge of the Veil's training, retraining its members personally. Darkness was rising, and the Vashyada needed to be prepared. The sect was reformed, and guidelines were imposed to prevent abuse. They would guide, protect and advise, but not rule.
The elves' long isolation came to an end with the arrival of the sky people. Force visions had told Tylania that one day outsiders would visit her people who could either great allies or terrible foes of her race. The Paragagon had taken steps to prepare the Vashyada and their dual monarchs for this day. Fortunately, the first contact was peaceful and the Lady Kerrigan and Tylania managed to establish a cordial working relationship. It helped that Siobhan was more interested in strong allies than unwilling servitors. In return for services, Firemane would help the Vashyada develop and advance. The Veil faced both new opportunities and challenges. They learned about advanced technology and spaceflight, but now also had to face threats from beyond their homeworld.
The Veil faced a foe equipped with modern weapons when Ser Grrowh, a Wookiee warlord and slaver, decided that Yarkul was ripe for the taking. Having heard that the Vashyada were a low tech race, he considered them easy prey. This was rather ironic since his own people were often misjudged as primitives, too. However, his attemptd incursion went poorly. Vashyada scouts shadowed him and his minions when they entered the forest. The wood elves resorted to guerrilla tactics. They laid traps and struck unexpectedly from the shadows, firing volleys of arrows and slug rounds at the enemy before retreating.
Many of their weapons lacked the punch to hurt the slavers' armour, but some were injured or killed. Boosted by other druids, the Veil used illusions to conceal Vashyada Rangers or traps. They also unleashed their mental powers to spread fear and confusion among the buccaneers or, conversely tempt them with siren calls that promised them easy booty. Some of the raiders wandered off. As the situation turned more and more serious, some opened fire wildly, shooting at phantoms. The Wookiee slaver lord had to resort to harsh measures to keep his troops in line.
When they reached their destination, they found the settlement deserted, even though they had been certain it was full of wood elves. But they had only seen a mirage. In this moment the Vashyada sprung their trap. Giant arachnids tore attackers apart and Rangers put the invaders under fire. Grrowh's Marauders had to stage a tactical retreat. Their heavier firepower kept the Vashyada at bay, extracting a toll of blood from them when the wood elves made the mistake of attempting a frontal assault. But the incursion had been a debacle. Fortunately, Enyo Typhos answered a distress call from Grrowh, saving him and his group from Eldorai pursuers. In time the Vashyada made the choice to move into space. This decision came to pass after Firemane hosted a summit for the major rulers of the four elf races. Tylania attended on behalf of the High King and High Queen. In addition to being allowed space on arkships, the wood elves received their own custom worldships, which were supposed to give them a habitat they would feel comfortable in. Thus a new chapter in the history of the Vashyada and the Veil began.
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