Private Libraries and Unwritten Traditions

[Brooke Waters]

Cold waters or warm, really, they were all home for Brooke. The Jedi-turned-Witch was born in the warmer seas of Pamarthe, but that was only warm relative to the rest of the world. Pamarthe was a harsh world, and she was in one of the more relaxed, and humid protected seas. She learned her vessel handling from there, and like the rest of her peers was very apt with handling of watercraft and consequently spacecraft. It took her a bit to catch up to the Cold Waters peoples. She was thinking of Tris of course.

But she left her homeworld and found other places to be herself. She returned every so often, for the high seasons, and the hunts. Still, Kattada, that was a world where she found herself. She knew she was part Jedi, and didn't want to give that life up, but the Force called to her in the way of the Witch. The Clan of the Blue Coral Divers. The blonde was helping her clan find their home here on Kattada, yet another clan established on a distant world from Dathomir. These ones were stewards of the land, of the seas of Kattada.

And their Elder was basically head librarian. She loved the world of Kattada and what the Starchasers had created here. It was part of the ExplorCorps, or Levantine Frontiers Corps, whatever they were calling it. So many beings from all walks of life and corners of the galaxy. While it was a Jedi centric organization, there were so many others who found solace in the darkness of space, in the new worlds they could find.

These people always showed up, to drop off tales, fill in datacrons, and provide other trinkets from their travels. It made Kattada another one of the repository worlds for the secret society of Selab. She was part of those ranks, though no one outside of the organization really knew of it. It didn't stop her from helping others. She welcomed those who were searching for knowledge and this day was walking through one of the upper halls of the library. The sun was in that golden hour before hitting the horizon and the small town that was created around the temple.

The Witch was walking through, checking on the students who needed it. Her blue and white cloaks were of a light material that, upon closer observation, was definitely water resistant. Brooke always had a welcoming and happy face on when dealing with most people. Today was no different.

Dreidi Xeraic

 

[Dreidi Xeraic]

Hunting around libraries for information and deciphering texts in order to learn and gleam any small of insight in how to perform spells and improve her Lightsaber combat had been a monstrous task. Dreidi started in the libraries on Naboo back when the CIS still existed, then attempted to find out more while in the Ascendancy as it was forming then shifted to travelling to Coruscant and reading texts in the library in that Jedi Temple to being here now. Coruscant archives was massive, seemingly endless but this was a refreshing change of pace that Dreidi needed. She wasn't against staying in Coruscant, she was starting to forge friendships and getting to know people there but moving around, it was nice and it meant that Dreidi could see more of the galaxy.

Her attire for the day was simple, comfort based since she wasn't bothered about appearing as a Jedi or looking like a witch, her favourite band's t-shirt with oversized plaid shirt and ripped jeans, it was a simple look and her hair was in a messy bun but Dreidi was too focused on figuring things out to really care about what others thought she looked like. Not that it mattered too much for her anyway, she had too little time to focus on anything other than studies, training and ensuring she got to become the best Jedi and Witch she could be. Balancing the Force and Magick, it was tough and she always knew it would be but she wouldn't trade her path for anything. It was what she was meant to do.

Tapping away at the screen, Dreidi was intently watching sparring matches recorded from past events, watching movements and calculating future strikes and movements. Watching sparring fights was a great way to learn how to people moved and fought, Dreidi surpassed simple instructional videos for individuals, that wasn't going to help her when she was duelling a Sith. No, she needed to watch two people fight each other, or multiple people fighting at the same time. See the forms in action and learn the improvisation that a Master of a form could demonstrate. On the side next to her was notes on pyromancy, her mentor was a master of fire and Dreidi's own skills in using fire and creating green, witch flames had been going up and down. She couldn't conjure fire from nothing but taking fire from a source and devastating others with green fiery death, that she could do.

Dreidi was chewing on her bottom lip, deep in thought and struggling with an issue. She knew there was more to Magick than pyromancy and teleportation but she wasn't able to use anything else at the moment. Her notes were a scrambled mess of attempting to warp incantations into new spells but that never worked. The sparring holovid was purely a distraction for now.

Brooke Waters

 

[Brooke Waters]

Never one to waste the time to make a statement in what she wore, the typical Jedi and Witch garbs found in most of the charismatic and focused beings of those two orders. She had no problem trying to blend in with that, and when she was off world, Brooke was dressed more like a fashionable Core Worlder, even if she by all points, was not. She wasn't even fully human.


But her homeworld and others she found did not have the library of many of the Core Worlds. And while Commenor and Coruscant were great… they were too developed, not as natural as what she preferred. That brought her to Kattada. That and a few other things, her connections to other Force families. She liked it here, her Clan had expanded, and the world was warm, and aquatic, she felt at home. The job she was given was also never a problem. The library was as much home as the local reef she would be diving on when she was dismissed here.

Seeing the one student, it wasn't that she had to know everyone, but Brooke did make it a part to recognize the regulars. And this girl had an air of frustration to her. "Something tells me you're having trouble finding what you're looking for…" That sort of a mystical thing worked on the tourists, but here, it was more Forcer-to-Forcer speaking as Brooke approached, her blonde hair contrasting with the teal-gold of the fair scale-like covering to her skin.

Dreidi Xeraic

 

[Dreidi Xeraic]

Dreidi was lost in her own thoughts, watching the holovid that she completely didn't notice the woman approaching her and when asked if she needed help, Dreidi jumped backward and nearly fell out of her chair. Not the most graceful or elegant moment in her life but Dreidi was never really known for either of those things. More causing trouble, making a mess and getting into fights. That was Dreidi's style. Looking up, it was clear that the young Padawan had not slept great as of late with heavy bags under her eyes and she shook her head to make sure that she was somewhat alert for the woman now standing before her. "Well... Hard to find what I am looking for when not really sure what I want. More, not sure what specifically I want and not even sure it is something that is recorded in archives since it comes from a people that have more an oral history?" Dreidi shrugged.

She wasn't sure that Dathomir was more oral history based but she had her suspicions from her visits there and attempts to find research on the history and practices. There were vague mentions in the Jedi texts but few were helpful and some were outright incorrect in assumptions and judgements that had her questioning a lot about allowing people to read such records. "I am trying to find incantations, spells, history on the Nightsisters and other covens of witches from Dathomir. Been studying Magick alongside my Jedi training, attempting to harness both and the research is limited to say the least." Dreidi explained with a sigh.

"So far, my mentor has taught me pyromancy and teleportation but that's about the limits of my powers there. I want to progress further with pyromancy of course since there is still so much I need to learn but I also want to expand outside that as well. Be able to use other powers." Dreidi shrugged, she was desperate, hungry for knowledge and to soak everything and anything about Magick.

Brooke Waters

 

[Brooke Waters]

She would always say this, the true challenge with the path of a Witch was the lack of written material. Most of the Clans she had contact with, they were lacking many a written language, or the means to create items like datacrons and holocrons. The information she had on her own clan was written in a Book of Tides, a collection of flimsiplast pages that were written in a script all specific to the Blue Coral Divers. It provided patterns for creating Magick, as well survival for life among the sea. Other reports from Witch Clans were found in second hand holocrons and datacrons, from explorers, fact finders, and archeologists.

Many of those documents were here and it appeared that the blonde before her had located them. That was good. She knew what she was looking for. Brooke took a second to tie her hair back so it wasn't falling into her face, or into anyone else's as she was listening.

"Like you said, many of the Clans have an oral history." She kept an eye on the blonde, she had a feel of a Jedi but there was something else that Brooke couldn't place. "Unfortunately, some of the Dathomir clans are a little more… lets say rustic, in the way their technology is. Some datacrons or holocrons may have some of their work collected, but it would be second hand. Or reinterpretation." She took a second, especially with the mention of the Nightsisters, to consider her next words.

"Pyromancy and teleportation. That is definitely not something my clan does. I represent the Blue Coral Divers, we're healers, and protectors, different than the way a Jedi is. As the way a Witch comes to Magick and the way a Jedi comes to the Force are different in many ways. Searching may be easier if you have an exact spell, or incantation you are looking for?" She was offering as she pulled a datapad from her cloaks.

Dreidi Xeraic

 

[Dreidi Xeraic]

Dreidi nodded, it seemed she was correct in thinking that many clans would maintain an oral history which was fair. It was no different to many other species out there in the galaxy and was totally different but acceptable way to approach historic records. Just made it difficult for an outsider to be informed about how to approach things. "Well, good to know that I wasn't missing something obvious then. That would have made me look really dumb if there was a load of texts and I had been completely blind when searching." Dreidi chuckled a little, relieved to know that things were as tricky to find as she was finding it.

It was clear that the mention of Nightsisters had triggered this stranger, Dreidi tilted her head curiously. Was it because she was a Jedi and some would look at a group based purely in the Dark Side as dangerous and something to be wiped out. Dreidi paused, unsure how she should mentioned more about her intentions and desires. Then the other woman broke the silence and mentioned they were from another clan, that their Magick was based in healing and protection, it was different side of Magick that Dreidi had learnt. She was offensive based, aggressive and a fighter.

"I... I wouldn't know an exact spell or incantation to look for, I am trying to learn as much as possible." Dreidi shrugged as she leaned back in her chair, "I am a fighter, I fight to protect others, fight to save. Anything that could help me with that?"

Brooke Waters

 

[Brooke Waters]

Many of the Clans of Dathomir were kept there by one thing or another. Connection to the world, lack of ability to grow with technology, the threat of the Sith or some other Force off shoot that wanted to keep the power of magick away from the greater galaxy… She would have to speak to the other Witches as to what happened with their clan, or specific little coven to make it so they found the greater galaxy. Her own clan was something she found, but travelers brought up the great black sea that was the stars, and the other worlds out there.

She was found after the death of her parents by the Jedi, and the Jedi lead her to Savareen where she found the Blue Coral Divers. Her clan moved from water world to water world, growing off shoots the same way corals are known to bud and divide. The clan was strong and everywhere. They were not normally the subject of any sort of hunt from the dark side. They were healers and typically liked by the worlds they were on.

This girl though, she wasn't asking for a history of her clan. This one was working with the Nightsisters, for better or for ill. Blue Coral Divers were more akin to the Allyan Witches, like the Singing Mountain Clan. "Nightsisters do tend to be more… offensive with their magick." She took a minute to think. "The Singing Mountain Clan is a clan that also focuses on offensive use of magick. They have had history with the Jedi before…" Brooke tapped on her datapad again. A few different files were loaded up to the datapad before her.

"Are you working only with Nightsister spells, or are you open to expanding?" At this, Brooke took a seat near the table she found the younger woman at.

Dreidi Xeraic

 

[Dreidi Xeraic]

"They are. It can be hard to learn from them, they tend to be very wary and uncomfortable around those that call themselves Jedi. But I am working hard to demonstrate that there is a balance of both." Dreidi shrugged. She had heard of Allyan Witches but a lot of them tended to be more focused on healing and defensive natures over the aggressiveness that Dreidi was able to connect with a lot easier. It was also through Magick that Dreidi actually felt control on the Dark Side powers that grew within her. She always felt that she was far too easy to sway if the right voice got in her head and being able to tap into Magick, utilise that to guide her anger and frustrations meant that she felt more in control of herself and a healthy outlet for powers that she did not want to have. She was meant to be a Jedi and using the Dark Side, or having that power suppressed within wasn't good. She needed a way to get it out.

Tilting her head, she had never really learnt much about clans and different covens that were out there. "I know plenty of nightsisters and other witches who have had interactions with Jedi, or supposed Jedi, they rarely have turned out well. It seems that Jedi and Witch were not two paths that could interlink before. Hopefully things can change since the more I learn about Magick and develop my connection with it, the more I feel grounded, as if this is the path I am meant the take. That I am meant to be both a Jedi and a Witch." Dreidi then chuckled slightly nervousness, "sorry, just not really gotten to talk about my Magick side all too often lately."

"I didn't realise there were spells only certain clans learned. If at all possible, would want to learn as much as I can. Offensive, protective barriers, maybe some basics in healing in case I get hurt. Everything and anything that gives me the best edge when fighting and defending others." Dreidi stated as she looked at the other woman with a seriousness in her eyes at the task she was willing to undertake.

Brooke Waters

 

[Brooke Waters]

There was a belief in those who followed Allya that magick which caused your body undue stress, bursting blood vessels and the like was magick that should not be performed. Those were spells of the Nightsisters. The Blue Coral Divers were not always one group who was involved in the conflict, but they did tend to lean towards the Singing Mountain.

There really were two different Dathomirs, Brooke realized at that moment.

Witches and their magick, yes, some of it came at a cost of their souls, with how addictive it could be. It was not unlike the Dark Side, but it could be seen the same way. "Magick and the Force can coexist. I was trained as a Jedi, and fell into the Witch life. Magick can call in many different ways, and it is much the same, and drastically different than the Force as the Jedi see it. But neither is more right, or more wrong…"

"And when I say only some learn it, remember, clans were from specific areas of the world. A spell to help you extend your breath, or protect you from the pressures of the sea wouldn't be as useful on the Singing Mountain, after all." The blonde Blubreen smiled. Speaking about the theory of magic was always interesting, always a good time. "Your mind though, it seems to be focused on a purpose rather than a place. Which is not anything bad, just an observation. Maybe it puts you on a different path than most..." More that of a warrior errant.

Dreidi Xeraic

 

[Dreidi Xeraic]

It was a relief to hear someone else say that the Force and Magick could coexist and have someone else go through similar experience as her. It was a change of pace instead of having the nightsisters judge her for being a Jedi, saying that a Jedi and a Nightsister could not exist inside her. She was a warrior, a fighter, someone that defended what was sacred and needed protection, Dathomir was one thing, peace in the galaxy was another. Dreidi could do both and she saw them as aligned, not separate. And she would fight to defend the Witches and their ways of life with her dying breath, even if Jedi came to the world and tried to destroy it. She would stop the Jedi over helping them.

"So, can you use both the Force and Magick? At the same time? I can use one or the other, switching between them but it isn't always the easiest." Dreidi admitted as she sighed and slumped a little into her chair. "So far, fire manipulation and teleportation are the only Magick I can do, which are definitely handy in fights, don't get me wrong. I just feel like there is more I can do, I can see others do more and feel their powers being stronger and dream of being stronger. I need to be stronger if I am going to protect others." Dreidi stated as she sighed a little defeated in her lack of strength.

Shrugging, "I tend to focus on what will help me fight. Perhaps that is the Jedi in me, not coming from a clan or coven, I am not thinking in the limited mindset of I can only learn powers that are traditional to my people. Maybe that is a bad thing, maybe not. I just know there is more I can do and I desperately want to be able to do it. Do you think you can help me?" Dreidi looked at the other woman curious to see if she could help her.

Brooke Waters

 

[Brooke Waters]

The Force and Magick as the Witches knew it were two sides of the same coin. Brooke didn't see much of a difference aside from the approach. Roll a die, or pull a card from a sabacc deck, and it was all part of the same entity, but a different aspect of it. That was how Brooke had learned to deal with the Force and Magick. Sometimes, certain effects came easier if she had one mind forward as opposed to the other. Something in a duel, something reflexive? That was the Force as a Jedi saw it. Something more long term, more granting of a gift, more requiring a ritual and complex thought patterns to attain? That was magick.

Someone who could use both with skill would become a threat to their opponents, and a boon to their cause.

This student before her, however, she was a warrior. That may be what the galaxy needed at times. It was beyond what Brooke cared to do. She was a healer, a teacher. The Blue Coral Divers and Jedi teachings of knowledge and exploration, that was what tied her to her path. She knew that the Jedi family that patroned her, the Starchasers, were much of the same mind.

"The way it works for me is what I want to attain. When I used to do more on the combat field, and needed to be reflexive? That was the Force. The Jedi call upon their gifts quickly and effortlessly. A spell of protection, or a song of charming… these have much stronger effect and need to be focused on. Its how it works for me. Preparation is magick, response is the Force.

"And yes, I definitely think I can help you. Think on what gaps you need to fill in from your Jedi teachings and lets see what we can turn up with."

Dreidi Xeraic

 

[Dreidi Xeraic]

Dreidi had never considered to limit herself to using the Force only in combat and then using Magick outside it, for her, it depended on the outcome she wanted. If she wished to use Magick to fight then she would, if she wished to change to the Force, then she would. Her skills were nothing miraculous or anything, just directions she had chosen. Perhaps thing was why she was struggling more with the use of Magick and her attempts to learn more since she was merging to mindsets and blurring the lines too much. At the same time, she couldn't think of any other way she would want to approach it. To not demonstrate her skills in Magick, to show that it could be a force that does good when fighting those that wished to harm innocent lives.

"I suppose the powers I have in Magick are not Force powers I have. So, I use Magick in dealings with fire and pyromancy in general but I cannot use the Force to create flames, or not seen the point in learning it since Magick fulfils that need. Same with teleportation, that is Magick based and useful to me. Might be the same with healing, something I never could do with the Force but maybe something that I could use with Magick?" Dreidi thought aloud, wondering if the mental blocks she had with some Force powers, she could access instead through Magick. "Where I am blind with Magick, the Force will help me see and what I cannot see through the Force, Magick will guide me." Dreidi shrugged, it was a nice mantra to have she thought.

Looking over to the woman, "I cannot heal myself, that has been detrimental on numerous occasions. I heard that some Witches could conjure weapons? That sounds really helpful... Hmmmm.... Raising the dead was another thing I heard but not sure that is something I personally need... So, I am learning how to manipulate flames from my Witch mentor but maybe using energy bolts as well, another way to attack that isn't reliant on fire probably be helpful." These weren't so much things lacking in her Jedi skills as much as they were things she imagined in her head being able to do. "What kinds of things can you do?" Dreidi asked, curious if that might spark an interest.

Brooke Waters

 

[Brooke Waters]

While she may not look like it, Brooke was the type of person who always questioned the Force. During her youth she and Dreidi would probably have been close friends, if just judging by the younger gal's whole demeanor. It was one of those things that mellowed out, but her core was still. She questioned the Force, always felt that she was on the edge of any group, or many groups, as the case really was with her. Brooke had a few places where she felt she fit. And actually, part of the Blue Coral Divers that she was part of.

It did tend to have people who weren't totally entrapped with the witch conflict, or the wars of the Jedi, and have been refugees from either. And well, it wasn't like she was one of the bigger street kids, like she played to be when she was younger. She was too soft for that. Still, the conversation here wasn't an expose on her life.

"Magick and the Force tend to be similar, but I've noticed some discrepancy. For one, with the way a Jedi does things, I cannot make an illusion to trick those who would come to do me harm. But when I think about it in the way of the Witch, with a spell and the focus that way? It makes it easier to come by." She took a second, making sure she heard correct. "Teleportation, that's a big one. I know a Jedi who does it, or a variation, learned from the Outer Rim, called Fold Space… How far can it take you?"

The way Brooke saw it, the Force in the way a Jedi used it was much more for simple tricks and centered-on-the-self powers. A Witch could very much bend reality.

"Me? I've been known to turn simple tree branches into weapons to deflect even a lightsaber. I've found ways to key into the vibrations of the world around us and manipulate sound and vibration to turn into a shield, or a weapon… I have even been known to affect weapon on a not-too-small basis…" She offered a smile. "Plus a few tricks from my coven..."

Dreidi Xeraic

 

[Dreidi Xeraic]

The differences in what Brooke could do and couldn't do was interesting to hear and meant that she could let out a sigh of relief. It was going be curious to see where she could work her Magick and where she would be able to work her powers with the Force. Looking down at her hands, Dreidi felt herself deep in thought about what she needed to learn or what limitations she might face even though she is learning two different schools of power. Rolling her neck, she sighed deeply and looked back over to Brooke. "Sounds like Force Imbuement... I never learnt how to do that with the Force but apparently through the Force you can turn a branch into a powerful weapon though it is only temporary. Though the ability to do stuff with vibrations and sound does not seem like any Force power I know. How do you tap into Magick like that? Sounds dangerous, difficult..."

Dreidi looked curious, as if there might be some answer on Brooke about how she can perform such Magick. "Do you think you could teach me some of these things? You mentioned healing before, and the ability to use sound and vibrations as a shield and as a weapon seems an important and useful skill." Dreidi rose to her feet as if they were going to go find somewhere to teach her about these skills now, well partly because that's what she wanted. The sooner they got going the better they could get on top of things and better Dreidi could be at fighting whoever threatens innocent lives, be it Sith, demonic people or whatever else was out there in the galaxy.

Brooke Waters

 

[Brooke Waters]

Learning oneself was really a trick she learned during her Jedi tutelage. She had to know herself before she could know anyone else, and especially the Force. The way Brooke saw the Force was the same way she learned, years later, to work with magic. It had currents, it ebbed and flowed. The Blue Coral Divers saw things very similarly, that they were merely learning to ride the waves created by the weave of Magick, the Force. They worked similarly, but one focused a different way than the other.

"It is similar. Force Imbuement though, I could never really work it the way I needed to. A spell though, once you're comfortable with how to bend magick, and grow and change, and becomes much more powerful." Jedi Sages did exist, but the majority of Jedi worked on their reactive Force use, not a constructive use, like a Witch could. Like most witches did. "It helps when you find the way magick and your spells work. For my clan? It tends to be in song." Almost like sirens of many worlds legends. "Singing the songs, adding the intention, adding the words… It can be done with the right practice."

She loved playing with Magick, and consequently the Force. Sharing what she knew? That was definitely in line with Brooke's ultimate goals. "I can teach, if you are willing to learn, but I do need to know what your foundation looks like. What am I building off of?"

Dreidi Xeraic

 

[Dreidi Xeraic]

Hearing about how Magick can evolve, become more powerful, there were Force powers that did that but it felt more significant as a Witch. As if your influences, life and intentions could guide the evolution of the spells instead of the Force being more structured evolution. Dreidi was already excited to see where her powers with teleportation and pyromancy would go, hopefully being able to use her skills to the most effective ways possible in the future. She was also curious to see how other spells could evolve or if she might create entirely new ways to use Magick since she was bringing in new and outside perspectives.

"Song?" Dreidi was curious at that, her mind instantly coming up with a simple melody and humming some of the incantations that she had learnt from Vanya. It could fit, she might want to adjust the melody and her mind was already coming up with a million different ways to approach singing incantations. "I sought out Magick as a controlled way to express the darkness that I felt in myself. Force Scream and Bellow were natural powers I have, powers I have much greater control over in comparison to my other Force powers and their inherit dark side connection had me worried. I felt having Magick being a way to control it, to express that darkness in a healthier way was important than risking myself slipping to darkness." Dreidi admitted.

Shrugging her shoulders, "my experiences come from my mentor, she taught me teleportation, pyromancy skills and gave me some limited history lessons. Otherwise I am pretty much a blank slate." Dreidi acknowledged that she was nowhere near as skilled as she wanted to be in Magick but what she did know, she was getting much better with.

Brooke Waters

 

[Brooke Waters]

For her, the way she reacted to the Force, and to Magick, to the galaxy around her, with a subtle optimism, despite all that had occurred, was very important to who Brooke was. A Jedi learned more ways to apply a standard basis of skills, while some rose from the ranks of the extraordinary skills that a Jedi had over common folk, to extreme levels. She saw it in the Sith, but rarely in the Jedi. Still, it was there. A Witch, well, a Witch researched and studied, learned, and grew.

"Yes, there are some clans of Witches which link their magick, in some part or another, to song. It allows you to put more thought than a simple muscle motion, and fully call upon a gift." She had a few songs that she used often, many times it was not in battle, but before, or in the case of a song of healing, after. "Its not as clean to use in the heat of a moment as it takes some time to grow, but a thought, a word, a phrase, a spell, as it were, has always been more expansive than a simple Force trick."

Not that she'd ever argue with the other half of her training. "A blank slate is never a bad thing… But those are two very expansive spells, and abilities. What is your Jedi background? How far did you progress on their teachings before falling into the life of a Witch?"

Dreidi Xeraic