Gateway Lost [ TSE Dominion of Ziost ]

[Jairus Starvald]

​

Z I O S T​

.....
Gateway to the Empire​

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​

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We came to Ziost prepared for war.

Our Armada amassed to break any blockade.
Our Legions ready to destroy any obstacle.
Our Sith hungering for the death of our enemies.

We planned for the worst, but what we found was a mystery.

Volkorion Station slaughtered to the man. Strange symbols burned into the interior hulls, covered with crimson. The capital of New Adasta empty and devoid of life, yet, no structural damage or any sign of a fight. A mysterious storm brewing around Ajunta's ancient Citadel, the closer one comes, the louder the voices cry.

We put Volkorion Station under quarantine, we occupied Adasta and a research facility weathers the fringes of the storm while we listen to the Citadel's pleas.

Then it happened.

Someone discovered a hidden army under the stonework of Adasta's military base. They woke, a hundred if not more, crazed force warriors cloned and ready to destroy. One by one they fell and each whispered: we. are. endless. The last one fell and we thought we had peace, until more caches of these sleeping killers were discovered. Each one repeated the same phrase and each continued to erode our resolve.

Until someone discovered a connection between them and the cries of Ajunta's fortress. The more we killed, the louder the voices screamed. The more they screamed the stronger the symbols burned on Volkorion Station, attracting undesirable attention.

Our enemy hides and wants to destroy us from within, one piece at a time.

Do not let them.

​

OOC: This is not a DMed Dominion in the vein of Pho Ph'eah. It's merely an interesting set-piece and you are encouraged to fill in the blanks yourself. Have fun with it!

Objectives

• Protect New Adasta from the slumbering butchers.
• Brave the howling storm and discover the secrets of Ajunta's fortress.
• Cleanse Volkorion Station from the Force Wraiths.
• Make your own story.

 

[Flora Burn]

Location: Space

Flora was in space with rest of armada, she was in control of flotilla of ships. Her job was to make sure the boarding of space station was smooth, the station had something called force wraiths on it, nothing she need to worry about. As it be the sith who takne on such creatures, her job was to make sure they got on in one piece, and secure local space from any threats. She was in charge of an I.M.D. Tarantula MkI, with her was also a group of frigates and a couple of corvettes. She had two trojans, three boas and last but not least two fangs, this was the Serenno sith fleet. Yes it was small, but it was not one of main battle fleets. She sat in chair watching the orders given, and waiting for the higher ups. As she waited she gave order for her fighter squadrons to begin launching. She had total eight squadrons with her, she had them divided into four eagles, two hawks and two hellcats. The hawks job was to protect the hellcats while the eagles, had job of dogfighting any incoming interceptor.

She liked her job, it gave her a bit gap between her and now Queen Kotass, as she now answer to sith military first and her second.

 

[Natalie LaForte]

Objective 4: Make your own story
Equipment: N/A
Opposition: ???
Allies: ???

(OOC NB: I'm completing a major expansion as apart of my company's expansion into Tier IV, if you wish to interact with me private message me but I'll mostly be following my own story.)

Another planet another journey.

Following her excursions on Siskeen, where she was eventually forcibly removed by her sister after being drugged by a bartender, Natalie clearly decided on three mission objectives:

1. Don't drink from anything that comes from the locals.

2. No Carina.

3. Don't answer your communicator.

Rest assured, rule number 3 had already been broken as IMF's board of directors were interested in why Natalie was taking an all-expenses-paid holiday to Ziost, one of the most desolate and barren wastelands in the galaxy, which was even more desolate due to The Sith Empire's activities in the area. News had spread that Force Wraiths, beings of pure dark side energy, were beginning to appear, causing an entire space station to seemingly at random have all traces of life within it slaughtered.

The communicator beeped and shortly after, she felt obligated to answer to atone for her rudeness on her earlier operations. A light blue holoprojector image would appear, although greatly scaled down to size. 13 stockholders were gathered at IMF's headquarters and were demanding answers.

"Finally decided to pick up your pho-.. sorry, I don't even know what those devices are called. Wait, why am I saying sorry? Little Miss Entitled thinks she can waste our money on these stupid excursions onto war-torn planets in for-.. " He was cut off by Natalie's face displaying a furious array of emotions.

"We both know I'm not past killing people who disagree with me, let's not forget who those droids are loyal to after all?" Smiling and then laughing to herself, before waiting for some more criticism.

"Natalie, I think we both know what you're doing is foolish. So, we've sent your sister to ensure you don't go spending our money on frivolous adventures."

"And why would she do that? If you're not aware, we're related by blood. Not material bonds."

"Well I thought that as well, until we got a request from her to buy up 15% of the company's stock, so now she has a personal incentive to make sure your idiocy goes unchecked."

Oh well, there goes rule number. And given the way things are going, rule number one will be gone in just a few moments.

 

[Connor Harrison]

Location: En-route to Ziost
Obective: Serve the Dark Side
Allies In Proximity: TBC

--

Joon stood silent and still.

She waited.

The Sith Knight was bored. Bored with Empire’s rising and falling; claiming to be the one to destroy the Light and eradicate the sins of the Jedi in one fell swoop. The Galactic Empire had come so close, and failed.

The Imperial Remnant had failed.

The Resurgent Empire had failed.

The Sith Empire….in her head, a pre-determined outcome. Yet, she was here, serving only the Dark Side of the Force.

Her calling was nothing but the darkness.

Each day it corrupted her more, strengthening her muscles, flesh and bone to be nothing but an impenetrable wall of hate. She was a Jedi/Sith hybrid that had already destroyed the Light inside her, now driven by the want for power and glory over her sworn enemies.

The Sith Empire were the new figures in the endless war, and they served the Dark Side. Joon had heard their plight from the final few days before the Resurgent Empire collapsed, and knew her time had come to move on again. An expanding Empire was worth fighting for. The weak deserved to die.

Now, standing in her black and tan leathers and warm fur cowl, Joon stared ahead in the transport ship that escorted the new servants of the Empire to Ziost. Black and white hair was messy and pulled back tight. The blood-red lightsaber was heavy on her hip, and the sword forged from the darkness was strapped to her back.

Amber eyes gave those looking a glimpse at the monster inside.

The once naïve and peaceful girl was now an animal. A monster to be unleashed by a loyal owner to serve, who in turn served the call of the Dark Side. There was no room for compassion, for mercy or for understanding. There was nothing but destruction ahead and death to those in her way.

Joon stood silent and still.

She waited.

 

[Syss Rembala]

Location: En route.
Objective: 4. Cleanse Volkorion Station from the Force Wraiths
Allies: N/A
Foes: N/A

Zion, the Empire's next objective, a possible addition to the territory of the Faction, though in her eyes it was more of a hunt to turn this planet under the doctrines she upheld herself than of just another floating globe inside their borders. Yes, the influence gain that a successful arrogation of this world would entail would prove beneficial for the Faction, which meant more future invasions, expansion. And these results did serve the purpose that concerned the Umbaran as a priority: the spread of the most beautiful sickness in the Galaxy. It had been far too long since she had last stood in a war zone. Her white eyes fell upon the surface of Zion with a welcoming shine, a cold, calculated readiness that she somehow managed to infuse herself with no mater the situation at hand. She was unmistakably happy, just as if she had been returning home, to the warm embrace of familiarity and comfort.

Syss had not neglected her eavesdropping duties and while aboard the spaceship taking her and others to the surface, she had caught more specific details of the events that had unfolded on Zion. It was still quite feeble and vague information for her demanding standards, yet the intrigue awoke something within her that she loved to hate. She was curious, remarkably so, about what awaited her in this new, unknown planet. Of course, the Umbaran had a tight hold on her patience, or at least that was what she displayed outwardly, and knew the facts would come to her once she reached land and received her orders. That seething, anxious wave within her felt warming and enraging. Syss sucked on it like a leech, turning her blinded hate and fierceness into a frigid concentration and a settling calmness, drawing from the coldest, harder parts of the Dark rather than letting herself be fueled by the untamed nature of it so early.

She could see other ships surrounding hers, all with reinforcements for the failed first attempt that had been hindered by what others described as a murdering darkness, a curse, monsters. How she hated the lack of detail, the employment of such ample terms. Anything could be a monster, if you showed it to the right person. But the ship was already about to enter Zion's atmosphere, so the Umbaran pushed all of her annoyance away and focused on the brewing of animosity within her, ire and envy the main sources of her constant stream of fluid, dense darkness. How had she missed its company when in times of violence...

 

[Tabigarashu Madara]

Location: Outside the Storm around Ajunta's Fortress
Objective: Brave the Storm
[member="Vulgrim Blackwell"]

Hirou huddled, hunkered down behind the upcurved brim of Vulgrim's hat. Paws curled around the edge, nose just pushed over and quivering. The swirling sand and howling winds sent shivers up and down their whiskers, making them wrinkle their nose in discomfort. Ears laid back flat against their head.

"This. Is a horrible idea," Hirou stated, reaching up with their hind leg to scratch their belly.

The winds weren't howling figuratively. They were howling literally. Cries of a thousand voices, louder and louder as they closed in on the centralized maelstrom, and the whole thing set Hirou's fur rippling in discomfort.

On the other hand, and Vulgrim knew the Nezumi well enough to recognize the tension of excitement, it was also very, very interesting. Nezumi were curious by nature, and Hirou was curious even by Nezumi standards. This was a mystery of great proportions! They had never seen or heard of anything like this-

"DID YOU SEE THAT!"

Hirou jumped up, then crouched back down, before leaning all the way over the brim of the hat. Hanging upside down in front of Vulgrim's face.

"There was a face! In the sand! It was doing the ooooooooh booooooo thing! Then it was gone! Did you see it?!?"

 

[Jairus Starvald]

Location: Outside the Storm around Ajunta's Fortress
Objective: Brave the Storm
[member="Tabigarashu Madara"]

Every step took three time as long as it had any right to be.

Often did Vulgrim need to stop and shake his head just slightly, trying to literally shake the insistent voices out of his ears. He had enough of his own voices to contend with without having to add another few dozen to it, after all. "I did not, I am sorry." The loud rumble of his voice offered after a moment, while he squinted over at the sand and found nothing but... sand. This was not to say that it had not been there, he believed his brother, even if he was sometimes a touch too overenthusiastic.

"Try not to tremble yourself off the rim, please?" Soon after the Maelibus asked, while squinting even harder now. There was just too much sand flying around and it was getting in his eyes.

The burn had nothing to do with the gold liquid that made up his sight.

"Remember. We stay close together." The Nezumi had a very insistent need to run around and explore. That was okay, Vulgrim loved him anyway, even when he was mildly hyperactive and busy, but this time it was about safety. The one thing that the Sith-to-Be did not want was for Hirou to get lost in the Fortress.

All alone.

With those... whatever there would be.

"Perhaps we can request a different assignment from Lord Fa." Vulgrim suddenly said, hopefully.

 

[Darth Morbian]

Objective: 1 & 4
Location: Outside New Adasta
Allies: TBD
Enemies: The Swarm?


A soft sigh passed his lips, as yet another of these..... things.... fell before his blade. The sizzle of charred flesh still graced his ears, as the accompanying scent filled his nostrils. A chuckle was offered, as he looked down at his latest victim. They still drew breath. Calculated. The Knight knew this was the last one of the present wave of mindless beasts attacking this location, and as such, was loathe to pass up an opportunity..... for science....

Kneeling beside the gasping, mostly dismembered future corpse, Seth grabbed the individual by the hair. Visually, it was clearly physiologically male. But, it was part of the horde, therefore, did it still truly possess 'gender'? Had it maintained individual sentience, perhaps this would be a question that could be answered. For now, instead, Seth had other questions he needed answered.

"Tell me.... do you feel pain? Fear? Anything?" he inquired, head angling slightly towards one shoulder. The mindless drone grasped at Seth's arm with his lone remaining hand, as it labored to gasp it's response. "We. Are. Endless."

A heavy sigh, as a simple scalpel was drawn from a simple sheath he kept on his belt. "Perhaps.... but you failed to answer my question. I shall have to discern this my way..." His feigned disappointment was just that. Feigned. He relished the challenge. With that, he began the painstaking process of testing various wounds with that bladed device.

____________________________________________________

Thirty Minutes Later:

Seth chuckled, cleaning the blade of the scalpel, before returning it to it's sheath. "Nervous system responds appropriately to physical stimuli, but on a mental level, there is no response to pain. They feel it, but they aren't aware of it. Less than satisfactory...." He mused, before igniting his lightsaber and finishing off the corpse, as it no longer held any use to him. With the present distraction dealt with, the young Knight raised his burning gaze towards the horizon. It would only be a matter of time before his location would be assaulted again.

Perhaps this mission will bring me worth in father's eyes.... he pondered to himself, the crimson blade of his lightsaber retreating for the moment, the present calm before the next storm somewhat frustrating the Sith....

 

[Darth Carnifex]

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Z I O S T​

​

The Crestfallen emerged from the Blade of Fate's ventral hangar, followed shortly by three Vornskr-class Interceptors.

Before it loomed a world of barren tundras and dark forests, a planet wreathed in the energies of the Dark Side so strong that they could be felt even in the cold vacuum of space. This was Ziost, Gateway to the Empire, and was one of the most important worlds of the ancient Sith.

Eons ago it served as the capital of the Sith Empire during the Golden Age, but it has long since fallen from those lofty beginnings. Scourged by Vitiate and left to stagnate throughout the centuries, Ziost is nothing more that a shadow of its former self.

But it doesn't have to remain that way.

The New Sith Empire was on the rise, and with the return of stable Imperial power came the reacquisition of territories once held by the Old Empire. Hungry to reclaim old ground the new Dark Lord of the Sith, Darth Carnifex, travels to New Adasta alongside Khaisû to reaffirm the loyalties of those who had followed his son, Enoch. News of the city's mysterious abandonment spooked many of the Dark Lord's advisors and contemporaries, although Carnifex himself was unperturbed by this strange turn of events.

The shuttle landed in one of the deserted spaceports while the three interceptors continued on a patrol vector overhead, scanning the city and reporting back to the Dark Lord on anything mysterious and out of place. From there they would travel on foot, and make their way to the People's Tower, and discern what had befallen the city.

 

[Flora Burn]

Location: Space now approaching Space station
Allies: [member="Syss Rembala"] [member="Darth Carnifex"]

This is Commodore Burns, I will be escorting all ships to station. Please be ready to receive your escorts, individual ships shall be escorted by three Eagles. Her job was more or less a cake run, the station was already theirs, all she had to do was scan the ships. Then her crew would check their details, and make sure they where what they said they where. The station it self, was a just a clean up job, the corpse might be made use off and be fed to sithspawn. As the butchers where on planet, and they soon be dead as well. Her job was to make sure no reinforcements make it to them, as The Sith Empire wanted them dead, so no way was she letting any reinforcements or help. So every ship was scanned and escorted. So they did what they said they where going to do. As this all went on she kept an eye on all the different consoles to make sure each operator did the base checks required. Then she paused do she Emperor ship come in, that one was just waved through the blade fate was known ship, and she was not going to make it go through standard security checks, as she liked living.

 

[Darth Morbian]

Objective: 1 & 4
Location: Outside New Adasta
Allies: [member="Darth Carnifex"]
Enemies: The Swarm?


Father...... the young Knight felt the God-King arrive long before he landed planet-side. The thrill of having the Dark Lord so close ran like electricity through his entire being. The blood-lust grew within, as he began actively reaching through the Force, trying earnestly to find some new target. This stagnation brought no glory, no value to the God-King. Sethaius had much to prove, and with his father so close, the young Sith had to strive even more so to make himself known as worthy.

There.... a fair number of these Force-damned abominations were encroaching on his location. Stalking forth, Sethaius found an advantageous location to watch the swarm. Perhaps some landscaping is in order.... he thought to himself, as he willed the Force to channel through him, down the length of his outstretched arm, and to wrap around a massive stone outcropping over-head. With a grand gesture, the tethers of the Force wrapped tightly around the natural surface, and ripped it clean away, sending a minor shower of small stones and debris towards the Sith Knight, while the mass of stone careened into the charging mass of frenzied warriors.

They never saw it coming.

The impact wiped out easily half of their numbers, which weren't great to begin with, but were more than the lone Knight would have likely been able to handle alone before thinning them out. Before the dust even settled, Sethaius had landed among the remaining warriors, who were still gathering their meager senses. The igniting crimson blade announced his presence among them, followed by the surge of wrath, as several more of their number were wracked with bolts of pure rage in the form of Force Lightening. An expression akin to glee, if not verging on ecstasy, was upon Darth Morbian's visage as he began his bloody work, cleaving his way through their numbers.

The only thing that remotely detracted from his joy of the moment though.... was his knowledge that they couldn't feel it....

 

[Syss Rembala]

Location: New Adasta
Objectives: 1. Protect New Adasta.
Allies: [member="Darth Morbian"].

After what had been a copiously long wait, the shuttle landed on one of New Adasta's small, deserted space-ports. This time, the ice cold façade of the Umbaran did not hold for long. As soon as her feet abandoned the metallic ramp of the shuttle, exchanging it for the dark soil of Ziost a small, almost crazed smile tugged her lips ever so slightly.

No, she was not a savage baboon and did not have any intentions of becoming one. She had learnt to perceive darkness as her tool to serve the greater Darkness, the one that exceeded herself and every being capable of harnessing it. It was not to be mindlessly delved in, not to senselessly submerge in a pool of chaotic mess but rather to feed on it.

But of course, how could she be unmoved when the stream of nutrition ran so wide because of the anticipation? She couldn't help but feel empowered, eager, resolute. The Acolyte was wearing simple yet necessary armor, as good as she could afford or forge at the time being, accommodated to still suit the needs of her mobility as well as the protection of most critical areas of her far too thin composition. She had seen Acolytes plunge into battle without as much as a basic plating. Fools, all of them. There was no pride in bravery when it led to a young, useless death. Just an inflated ego and too much hope in Lady Luck.

The Umbaran made her way through the city, reaching one of the critic spots. There, her white eyes caught sight of a man. The fact that he had more experience than herself was evident in a second to the observant skills of the Acolyte. Probably a knight of the Sith. He fought with a fierceness and a murderous intent about him. Most Sith did.

Seeing as how the Knight seemed to fare well on this swarm of what she could now identify as short-minded, aggressive beings she did not intervene just yet, the sabers at her hips ready to ignite into action any other second. Once the carnage was over, the Umbaran dedicated a short, courteous and respectful nod to the Sith before locking her mind onto a mode that made that already lifeless eyes of her look al the more terrifying. Seething on the tides of the darkness within her as she prepared for the challenges to come.

 

[Natalie LaForte]

Objective 4: Make your own story
Equipment: N/A
Opposition: ???
Allies: ???

(OOC NB: I'm completing a major expansion as apart of my company's expansion into Tier IV, if you wish to interact with me private message me but I'll mostly be following my own story.)

"Oh and don't think of hanging up on us. I planted a chip on you when we were hugging."

What a lovely thing for a friend to do, Natalie spoke into herself.

"And on what authority was she even permitted to purchase said stock? Incase you're not aware-.. Forget it. You're just manipulative and don't wish to see other people succeed, and after all, since your lacking the mental capacity to hire someone who's not related to me, I guess you'll just need to trust me to know what I'm doing. Remember: I'm the one who started this project up and I'm the one who's going to send it burning down in ashes and cinder should it go wrong. You've been warned, Lunara."

Slamming the communicator down and letting out a childish scream wondering what she could do. Then, it hit her. A disguise. Perfect. After all, she was here to try and create new outfits, perhaps her directorate were inadvertently helping her while she was here. If they were, they should really just tell her next time rather than let her get frustrated with herself. Now what to wear on such a baron planet, and more importantly, where to find the ingredients to make her clothing cocktail. There were no vendors, not that she could see, perhaps she would have to go "black market", and in saying that, she set off into the wastes to find a boujie, up-market retailer selling couture for her to hide from her sister.

What has my life become? She asked herself, the oppressive cold making her shiver as she walked further and further away from the landing zone, and hopefully, further and further away from her sister. It was night time obviously, she would quite literally be dead if she was in the sun at this point.

 

[Taeli Raaf]

Objective: Make Your Own Story

Ziost, in ancient times it had been the gateway of the Vitiate's Sith Empire. It had also been the site where the same Sith Emperor had consumed most of the life on the planet, rendering it into its present day state of frozen tundras and conifer forests. The dark side had long since claimed the world, although the Jedi had tried to hold it from its rightful owners. She had been there for that assault, fighting against a little Jawa and his Hutt master, assisting the Jedi as she was expected to do.

In a way, it felt right coming to this world of ice to continue her search for forgotten knowledge. It felt like home, felt like Lorrd. She never liked visiting warm worlds, but this... it was just perfect. The others were dealing with those strange clones that kept spouting of they were endless. Well, the ones she had killed in her journey on the world had certainly ended. She wasn't interested in wraiths or crazed clones however. No, she was here to rediscover more of Vitiate's ancient knowledge. If she had some sort of lead on his holocron, but so far, her agents were failing her.

Perhaps the Monoliths that survived on the world would give her more clues into the ancient Sith's rituals? Or perhaps some remnant of his life-consuming ritual had survived that she could observe? Or maybe she would find some sort of description of what his holocron's puzzle box looked like so her agents would have a better idea of what to look for? The possibilities were endless.

 

[Darth Morbian]

Objective: 1 & 4
Location: Outside New Adasta
Allies: [member="Darth Carnifex"], [member="Syss Rembala"]
Enemies: The Swarm?


He felt her, before he saw her. As the last adversary fell, crimson blade retreated and hilt was returned to hip, even before the corpse made full contact with the ground. Turning and appraising eye upon the approaching woman, a slight smirk cut across his face. Her presence within the Force was not as developed as his own, but that was not to diminish her potential, just that she was not yet upon the plateau he presently resided upon. Physically, however, she was a more than adequate specimen. Fair skin, flawless features of face, and those eyes definitely intrigued the Sith Knight.

As he scanned her over, he couldn't help but wonder what scars that delicate body held, as no acolyte could find their way through apprenticeship without acquiring some..... souvenirs... of their time training under their master. What stories do you hide beneath those robes.... the Knight mused to himself, running a hand over his stubble covered jaw. A glance would be cast behind him, as it would likely be at least.... what.... ten? Fifteen minutes? At least that long until the next wave crashed upon their current location. Other points of contact had numerous soldiers, and other Sith to guard them... But the Hand of God managed this front sufficiently.

This momentary lull in the combat would be a fitting opportunity to introduce himself to the younger Sith who approached. Moving to her presently higher elevation, both to greet, and to gain a better vantage point over the next bout of impending combat, Sethaius would give a curt nod to the woman. "Darth Morbian. And yourself?" he inquired, his eyes lingering on hers for but a moment, before those cruel, burning, Sith eyes returned to scan the horizon for the next herd to cull.

 

[Syss Rembala]

Location: Outside New Adasta
Objective: 1. Protect New Adasta from the slumbering butchers.
Allies: [member="Darth Morbian"]
Enemies: Slumbering butchers

W​hite eyes traveled through her surroundings in a quick, deep scan of everything that in her range of view. To an untrained eye her subtle yet powerful efforts in registering the characteristics of the area in which she was to fight were unnoticeable. She soon found herself under the assessing sight of a Sith Knight, and she simply kept her previous stance. Straight, relaxed, respectful. Unmoved in general if not for that inkling of crazed intent in her eyes and the minute curve arching the corners of her lips upwards. She had been scrutinized by Sith Knights and Lords before and she welcomed it with an acquired naturalness that many others had to try hard to project.

The Umbaran placed her eyes softly yet confidently upon those of the Knight as he approached, letting them remain on the field before her once he had surpassed the range of her peripheral view and was standing to her side and not in front of her. He introduced himself, Darth Morbian. His title of Darth confirmed, even if she had already been well aware of it, his status as her superior and his introduction cued for her to do the same. No stranger to the dance of conversation and to show her respect for him who was above her, the Acolyte responded with a fluidity of language that could only pertain to that of a dangerously sharpened tongue, one skilled in the arts of dialogue. "Syss Rembala, sir." The politeness in her speech reaffirming that unnerving veil of sick control and measure that coiled around her.

​The silhouettes of the beasts that today would be their enemies had not yet penetrated on their horizon, she still could feel that battle was close one way or the other and that this state of supposed calmness would be broken soon enough. Patience was all that was required. The Umbaran felt intrigued by the Sith, her first interpretation had been that he would have been more than happy to bathe in the blood of their enemies did their sabers drew any from them. But she had corrected this assumption soon after being able to look more carefully. Darth Morbian was not excited by gore but by the effect of his actions on whichever were the things standing in front of him.

 

[Darth Morbian]

Objective: 1 & 4
Location: Outside New Adasta
Allies: [member="Darth Carnifex"], [member="Syss Rembala"]
Enemies: The Swarm?


There was something in the way she spoke. She wove words like his father wove spells. She was definitely one to keep keen awareness about, for sure. Sethaius quite liked that trait. He nodded in acknowledgement of her name, his tongue toying with the flavor with which her name flowed. "Syss...." he almost purred her name, before nodding to himself. "I must inquire, my dark vision of beauty.... Who claims you as their protege?" he inquired. It is always wise to be wary of who's play-thing you sought to entertain yourself with. Respect must be given to that which is another's. But, should she be conveniently unattached..... Well.... Darth Morbian was in the market for an apprentice himself....

While awaiting her response, the Knight would purse his lips slightly, observing through the Force the slowly growing numbers of the slumbering, shambling masses gathering just beyond the view of natural sight. Battle would soon fall upon the duo once again. Blood will be spilled, and lives will be cut asunder, but there would be little true joy in the act for Morbian. After all, what pleasure was there in harming those who did not feel?

Spoiler

Please forgive the meager post.

 

[Tabigarashu Madara]

Location: Outside the Storm around Ajunta's Fortress
Objective: Brave the Storm
[member="Vulgrim Blackwell"]

"What? Why?"

Hirou peered back over the edge after bobbing back up again. The little nezumi referred to the last comment, not the others.

"This is interesting!" They squeaked happily.

Oh, Hirou heard the voices too. But the Nezumi had been raised surrounded, tightly packed, by family and clan. They had seventeen brothers and sisters and they all lived in the same little cubby. So this? This was nothing as far as Hirou was concerned, just annoying background noise.

And really, this was an improvement after death cultists and zombies.

It was difficult, working for Lord Fa, to not grow slowly accustomed to this sort of thing. After the initial round of 'what is this, this is crazy!' individual members of the Tabigarashu clan either got used to it, or chose to focus their attentions elsewhere.

"I think I just saw the door! No, there! Left! No. My other left!"

 

[Jairus Starvald]

Location: Outside the Storm around Ajunta's Fortress
Objective: Brave the Storm
[member="Tabigarashu Madara"]

"That is one way of describing it, Hirou." Vulgrim responded dryly, but otherwise let it go. There was no real point in arguing about it anyway. It had been a suggestion born out of... feelings instead of rationale thought, which was that Lord Fa would certainly ask why they had retreated. Stating that Vulgrim had been concerned for Hirou would presumably not go over well.

"Left?" He reared his head and found only sand, then Hirou clarified and he tuned to the right, finding a large raising wall looking up into the sky.

"Was that always here?" Vulgrim asked curiously while taking a careful step towards the door. It was large, etched into the stone of the rockwall and possessed strange emblems. Even from here the Maelibus could sense a certain sense of darkness from it.

Even amidst the mad storm the door and the larger fortress felt even more corrupting.

"We should knock first. It is the polite thing to do." Already a claw the length of Hirou's body ticked against the marble door. Once, twice, three times, it carefully bounced against stonework before the Maelibus calmly stood back and waited patiently.

It would have been rude otherwise.

 

[Darth Carnifex]

Z I O S T​

A column of soldiers marched down the dark and desolate streets of New Adasta.

Their only company was the howling of the wind blowing through the deserted alleys and courtyards, and their enemy was the oppressive silence as they dutifully trudged onwards. At their front strode the Dark Lord of the Sith, his unbreakable will and indomitable form leading the charge as they pushed deeper into the 'abandoned' city.

Then, all at once, they descended upon them.

Wretches, monsters, beasts. They emerged from the darkness of the city from every angle, tearing apart those that subsided on the perimeter of the group. Those at the interior had more time to react, and locked together in a tight square formation with blast shields raised and blaster levied against the unthinking horde. Bodies were blasted into pieces by concentrated blaster fire, while the Dark Lord cut a bloody swath through the encroaching mob.

They all repeated the same words, "We. Are. Endless."

By the end of it the group was surrounded by mounds of corpses, yet the arrival of more fiends seemed imminent. The Dark Lord pointed towards the People's Tower with his lightsaber, "We take sanctuary at the Tower! Forward!"