If I should die before I Weik

[Gryylarc]

Spoiler

(source)

WEIK
A REMOTE TOWN

With the Elder's errand drumming in the back of his mind, Gryylarc snugged a hateful cloak tighter around himself. This backward world had many species; Wookiees were not among them.

The people he'd come to find wouldn't stand out at all. The Lucite Astromancers had been hunted for centuries. If the Elder's file was correct...

Spoiler

Looking to the stars and other astral bodies to divine the future, they used chalk circles, fetishes, and incantations as they drew on the Force; these tools were simply focusing the energy, as their understanding of the Force was limited. Distrustful of each other, the group was highly disorganized and insular. A small sect of dark siders, known as Lucites, formed from among the Astromancers and grew to be reviled and hunted by their light side cousins.

A group of antisocial wizards that formed on the planet Weik, the Lucites were Astromancers that worshiped suffering and terror. Fiercely territorial, Lucites lived as hermits in small villas or towers where they presided over their arcane texts and studies. They believed that "the truth" had been unlocked when a star fell from the sky, teaching them that power came from the suffering of others. Hunted by the Astromancers for their cruel and vicious rituals the Lucites performed on other living beings, some Lucites masqueraded among the Astromancers so that they could attend the annual conclave at Skyholme.

...they'd be masters of keeping a low profile. But the Elder had noted that this particular town and tower bore certain hallmarks of the dark side. The small group of Astromancers who lived here might well be Lucites in secret. Their castle might have resources, useful knowledge, recruits, options.

A very tall 'man' in a very large cloak slunk through dark alleys and thought about those options with a hunger bordering on physical need.


OOC/ Open to [member="Jahn Kerloth"], [member="Keirra"], [member="Anaximander"], and/or [member="Archer Ludwig"] - whoever wants in.

 

[Jahn Kerloth]

Jahn strode into the castle town with no technology about him. He carried a walking stick, made of simple clothes, and wore a leather garment provided to him by [member="Gryylarc"] that the wookiee said "wouldn't hold the stench of factories". Part of him suspected the Wookiee had skinned and tanned the creature himself, but the other part of him suspected the Wookiee only wished to egg on his imagination.

"Hunh" Jahn exclaimed as he noticed a large sign board. Remarkably, the writing was in basic. The stylization was a bit different, but this was definitely evidence people crashed here rather than naturally grew on the planet. The sign advertised an invitation by the local Lady. She was willing to pay for parts of some sort of plant, he couldn't quite place the word.


"I'd bet the castle has what we're looking for. This could be a good way to get an audience." Jahn was careful with his words, cautious about any wandering ears. "Let's see if we can find an herbalist."

 

[Asher]

[member="Gryylarc"] // [member="Jahn Kerloth"]

The people on Weik were primitive, isolated, and weak, a society of followers more than a leader. Technological advancement had stagnated at such a stage that it gave off an impression of regression. Sticks and stones, mere toys meant to keep soldiers and civilians safe from the onslaught of a blaster rifle should the day ever arrive. These people were not trying hard enough, had grown too comfortable to retrace their history amongst the stars. The idea to set up base on Weik was not something Ludwig had thrown himself at, not completely, but there was potential here for something greater. He had no desire to lead, but to stand unopposed amongst the locals… Now that was a tempting offer.

He looked at the soldiers as he passed them by trying to assess them. Armed but in need of shaping up. The masked man behind Archer did much the same and from their bond it was all the clearer that they shared the same assessment. Although their desired purposes differed, he knew that the training was finally sinking into its right place. He had raised something to be proud of.

“We also need to assess the situation of the local peasants and nobles.” Archer said and looked around at the others. “Chances are we can put ourselves in the people’s good graces. Makes recruiting easier without a need to pay in blood.”

 

[Keirra]

Kierra had hung back, not by much, but enough to put some distance between her and the Knights. Without a direct master she could do whatever she liked. The elder may have been specific in his details on how to handle this...but he hadn’t verbally communicated them, nor had any of the others. So Kierra would do what Kierra did best.

Balthazar’s claws scraped along the ground as he ran below her, his tongue flicking out tasting the air as Kierra ran and jumped across the low roofs, showering those beneath the wooden ones with dust. She was looking for something specific...something that spoke to her...something that Balthazar liked the smell of.

Balthazar found it first, powerful muscles driving him ahead of her to flush it out.

‘It’ turned out to be a young zabrak male, and a young twi’lek female. Both who screamed and bolted out from the alley with Balthazar hot on their heels. Kierra pushed her own body, reaching into the force, seeking the anger that always bubbled beneath the surface and used it to fuel her own speed across the roof top and into the air. She landed on the zabraks shoulders hard, more than a few bones crunching beneath her before she they hit the ground together and she rolled, letting her knife fly forward slamming into the twi’leks thigh and dropping her.

They were not in a dark little alley now, but instead out in the open, a fact the left Kierra unperturbed as she skipped waltzed towards her victim who was attempting to crawl away, leaving the zabrak to Balthazar.

 

[Hard Luck Frank]

Sometimes...when you're down on your luck the galaxy looks down at you, pats you on the head, and helps you back up out of your slump. Unless you happen to be named Frank. Then it takes a bucket of suck and burries you in that hole you probably dug yourself into in the first place. It hadn't been the first time I had been kicked out an airlock...not even the second if I'm honest, but at least this time they had entered atmosphere first. That's what you call glass half full.

As planets went this one wasn't the worst I had been on. It had air, which I needed oddly enough. It also had trees, and not even the kind that eats you. However, after the first ten miles of walking my boots had torn off my feet, my pants had decided they preferred being shorts when I fell through the forest canopy and despite my reminders that clothing wasn't supposed to spontaneously enter into alternative lifestyles, they stayed shredded into shorts. His shirt, well, it has left him for a branch, which was completely unwilling to talk about a trade, and I was completely unwilling to climb. So, there I was shirtless, life changed pants, dead boots, and the worst possible situation...no sandwhich shop in the last ten miles.

The air was probably cold but my skin had gotten denser and hot or cold sensations weren't as big a deal as they used to be. Moving fast, that was another story altogether. As speeds went I had three. Slow, slower, and maybe I'm dead. But all things considered, I didn't know where here was, which wasn't uncommon but never encouraging, and I really needed to eat something. Even the trees were starting to look like viable alternatives to sandwhiches. Maybe if I put some seeds between leaves it would trick my mind into thinking I was eating health food. But if I know me, I'd be too dumb to have that kind of imagination. Self awareness was a curse sometimes.

Anyway, yeah I was hungry and decided the best way to make it to food was to follow my nose. Sadly a heavy, dense not fat, guy after walking in the woods for ten miles stunk and my nose decided I could find someone else to follow to food. Such a quiter.

 

[Jahn Kerloth]

Jahn made his way down the uneven, stone paved street until he spotted a wooden sign hanging off a building with leaves and something akin to a mortar and pestle. That seemed as good as any a place to start. Motioning over to the herb shop he signaled [member="Gryylarc"] and [member="Archer Ludwig"]. Perhaps they'd join him, perhaps they'd guard the door, or perhaps they'd even find other things to do. If they did come in the Duros shopkeeper would be taken aback by the wookiee's height, and begin speaking in a more cautious tone.

"What cannae do for you sir?" The duros asked as Jahn headed to the counter. In the back a Zabrack was stocking shelves, but Jahn noted the ax slung at his hip.

"Yes, I saw a notice about the Lady asking for a certain plant. I had hoped to purchase some tools to extract and carry them, and find out where I need to go." Jahn probed.

"If I would were you I'd find other means of work friend." The duros replied. "The Neragora plant may fetch a nice price, but it can only be found in the caves of the Crysifal Peak. Many lured by riches have died at the hands of the Trollbane."

"Hmm." Jahn pondered for a moment. "All the same, I'd like the equipment and a map. Nothing worth doing is ever without risk."

"I had hoped for a repeat customer, but if you insist." The Duro said, then wandered in the back and retrieved a kit of herbalist's tools. He didn't really need the equipment now that he had the information, but Jahn had a weakness for hand carved tools. They haggled for a moment, then Jahn traded him some coins they'd found on dead travelers before coming into town. He left the store with purpose, hoping that he had been quick enough that [member="Keirra"] hadn't caused an incident yet.




[member="Hard Luck Frank"]