Public Masquerade of Shadows

[Jocelyn]

Jocelyn stood at the edge of the tranquil lake, their silhouette framed by the gentle rise of the surrounding hills. The lake’s surface was like a mirror, reflecting the canopy of stars that stretched endlessly above. Each star twinkled with a soft brilliance, while the occasional shooting star left a fleeting trail of light across the inky sky. The moon cast a soft, glow over the landscape, its light glistening on the water and creating a mesmerizing interplay of shadows and reflections.

The air was crisp and cool, carrying the faint scent of blooming night jasmine and the rich, earthy aroma of damp soil. Jocelyn took a deep breath, letting the fresh, invigorating scents calm their restless mind. They could hear the gentle lapping of the water against the shore, a soothing rhythm that seemed to sync with the steady beating of their heart. The distant call of a nightbird echoed through the valley, a lonely but beautiful sound that added to the night’s tranquil psalm.

As they gazed out over the water, Jocelyn’s eyes were drawn to the ancient ruins partially visible among the hills. Moss-covered stones and crumbling walls stood as silent witnesses of a bygone era. The ruins seemed to whisper tales of old, of times when peace and harmony reigned before the galaxy was torn apart by endless wars.

Jocelyn’s thoughts drifted to the state of the galaxy. The scars of recent conflicts were fresh and deep, etched into the very fabric of the universe. Each had left their mark. Entire worlds had been reduced to ash, families torn apart, and the fragile hope for lasting peace had been all but snuffed out. Here, in this serene corner of Chandrila, it was easy to forget the turmoil, but the weight of it all pressed heavily on their shoulders.

"The stillness of this place is deceptive; I find... a moment of peace, yet my heart is anything but calm.

The wars have taken so much from us. Friends, family, entire worlds—lost to the senseless violence. Are we damned to repeat the same mistakes, over and over?

The teachings of the Jedi speak of balance, yet all I see is chaos, fueled by fear and hatred. Can we truly make a difference, or are we just small players in a much larger game?

How has everything been turned against us? How did suffering become so endless?

A soft rustling in the underbrush drew their attention. They turned to see a few figures moving quietly along the shore, their murmured conversations blending with the natural sounds of the night. The figures were dressed in elegant attire, their faces obscured by intricate masks that glinted in the moonlight. They were on their way to a masquerade ball, a grand celebration hosted by the locals near the ancient ruins.

The soft music of strings and flutes drifted across the lake, mingling with the laughter and chatter of the gathering guests. Small boats, adorned with lanterns, gently bobbed on the water, ferrying more attendees to the festivities. The flickering flames of the lanterns and campfires created a warm, inviting glow, casting long, dancing shadows that added to the atmosphere.

Jocelyn walked closer to the water, feeling the cool, smooth grass beneath their feet. The night air brushed against their skin, refreshing and almost cleansing. They knelt by the lake, dipping their fingers into the cool, clear water. The touch was grounding, connecting them to the planet.

As they pondered these questions, the allure of the masquerade ball tugged at them. With a final glance at the ancient ruins and the star-filled sky, Jocelyn stood up and made their way towards the gathering.

 

[Laphisto]

laphisto wasn't one for gatherings, parties, or anything that wasn't involved in a war to some degree. After all, that's all he had come to know as his time being used as a weapon by the Jedi for thousands of years. Though he masked it effortlessly, the burden was thick and heavy on his shoulders. But something was drawing him to this planet, perhaps an inkling of his past. A glance into the history of his people. A clue as to where they might be at.

For all he knew, he was the last Kiev'arian. Some wanted that false; surely he couldn't be the last? His people were strong and prideful, a species fully connected to the force they relied on for survival. But perhaps that was their downfall. After all, an over-reliance on something so crucial for one's survival is a weakness. He had heard tales of echos in the force. Phenomena that every force user could feel. Like a ripple rolling over the surface of calm water, crashing into everything within its touch.

Perhaps something happened, and his people were affected like a sickness. Their connection to the force was severed; without it, they died, whereas with him in carbonite, he was unaffected by this 'plague' and protected by his prison. The very thought made him scoff with a small tinge of frustration. The idea that the Jedi may have inadvertently spared his life disgusted him to a degree. He should have been out. He should have died with his people. And yet, instead, here he is wandering the galaxy. Leader of a small band of warriors.

as Laphisto approached the ruins, he felt the familiar presence of another force user. At first, he scolded himself for being so in his thoughts that he didn't notice till now. With a slight frown, he shot his gaze around the area, his eyes flashing a teal blue as he used his force sight and peered forward, eventually finding the all-too-familiar feeling of a force signature. And so he prodded and prayed at them. He stared into their very being and tried to understand their alignment.

Jocelyn

 

[Asani Windsong]

After escaping from captivity and spending what felt like a few years drifting around the galaxy as a stowaway on various ships and scraping by on whatever she could find, Asani was eventually dumped on Chandrila. She's been stuck here for a while now but all things considered, she had to admit that there are certainly far worse places she could have ended up.

Hearing about a masquerade ball piqued her curiosity and she decided to check it out, and as she got closer her worries that it would be too loud for her thankfully seemed to be unfounded, or at least as she neared the lake the music didn't sound overly loud. For a long moment, she gazes toward the Kiev'arian, most interested in his eyes being different colors from each other, as she's never seen anyone like that before. Eventually, it occurs to her that she's staring at him and some might find it rude, so she looks away.

Her curious gaze then turns toward the ruins for a time while listening to the music drifting over the lake from the ball, her inquisitive mind wondering how long it has been since these ruins were inhabited and who used them. Perhaps there is someone around that would know. For now, she finds she likes the music so much that she pulls a small clay flute from a silk pouch she has tied to a cord around her waist, and begins to play along as she walks towards the gathering.

 

[Jocelyn]

Laphisto Asani Windsong
Jocelyn's Force signature was hard to read. It was faint and subdued but most definitely there. There was an odd fuzziness to it, and it would come across as frustratingly... neutral?

Jocelyn moved across the party and stepped up to a table, fussing with the punch bowl. They stirred the bowl and poured themselves a cup. They swirled the ladle once more, watching the sparkling liquid whirl before sipping from the cup and moving over to a column. Pausing, they settled down, leaning against it and observing the various partygoers.

The gentle sound of a flute filled the air, its melody weaving through the chatter and laughter like a delicate thread. Jocelyn's dark, glossy lipstick caught the dim light, contrasting with their shimmery dark grey eyeshadow.

A figure across the room suddenly drop to the floor. At first, it seemed like a strange prank, an odd moment of drunken folly. The flute's haunting notes continued, undeterred by the unfolding scene.

Then, another guest fell. This time, a wave of confusion rippled through the crowd. The flute music took on a discordant note, as if the instrument itself sensed the shift in the room's energy. Someone bent down to check on the fallen, their voice ringing out in the sudden hush, "They're dead!"

A murmur of terror and concern spread quickly. Faces turned pale, eyes widened in disbelief and fear. There was a creeping horror settle in, a chilling realization that something was terribly, unnervingly wrong. The party had transformed from a lively gathering into a scene of unfolding dread, as one by one, the guests began to panic, and one by one people started to drop.

 

[Laphisto]

Laphisto approached the ruins, a soft rumble escaping his throat as he identified Jocelyn - or at least he believed he did so - neutral force users were not common in the galaxy. So it was a bit refreshing to see one. But he wasn't here to mingle. He was here to find clues of his past, and he intended to do just that. With his force sight still active, he glanced over the partygoers. Scanning them over. a few were more force-sensitive than others, but only to a minor degree. least surface level they were.

It wasn't until he got closer that he felt the eyes of Asani Windsong staring at him, causing him to stop in his tracks and stare directly back at her. he met her eyes briefly before they pulled away. And he scanned her just like he did everyone he looked at. poking prying, and pushing at their alignment. It was a natural thing, not something he tried to control. Much akin to blinking or breathing.

His attention was pulled from her when she began to play her flute, so he moved on, walking up towards the ruins and amongst them, his eyes having that teal blue sheen to them. He was effectively blind and relied on the force to see when he needed it. Years of carbonite freezing and unfreezing had blurred his vision beyond repair. As his attention was beginning to spiral into his thoughts, a single cry rang out.

"They're dead!"

looking over laphisto pulled himself into a small sprint rushing to the sound and perking his lone ear in confusion at the sight before him " what in the name of the gods?"

 

[Asani Windsong]

Asani's Force signature was strong, but also raw and unrefined due to her lack of any training in making use of it, and the alignment lay on the light side of neutral. She shuddered slightly at the long stare from Laphisto , and her tail flicked a bit, as she felt like his gaze was boring right through her.

After he looked away, Asani continued to move towards the gathering, following the sound of the music. Soon she got so into it that she closed her eyes and seemed to lose herself in the song as she continued to play on her flute, relying on her other senses to avoid bumping into anyone.

She heard the sound of the first guest falling, but it wasn't near her and she paid it little mind, but at the second, and the change in the tone of the music, she suddenly stopped playing and opened her eyes. She blinked in surprise and nearly dropped her flute at the cry of 'They're dead!' meeting her ears. Then the panic started to build and more guests started to drop. Asani quickly looked for an escape while her fur slowly began to change color, pale gold starting to shift to blue. For one of her size, it wasn't just the fear off the people dropping dead, and that she could be next, but also that she could be trampled by the panicked crowd. "No no no.... this isn't happening!" She cried as she stuffed her flute into her cloth pouch and began to make her way away from the gathering while looking for higher ground or anything else that might help her avoid getting stomped by more people fleeing the scene.

 

[Kebii'kara Solus]

CURRENT MISSION - A Masquerade In Ruins
Immediate Goals -
1: Stand there and look pretty-
1: Protect Laphisto !
1.1: Investigate the chaos
1.2: Protect the innocents

FRIEND(s) - Laphisto

FOE(s) - Unknown

TARGETING ACTION(S) - OPEN MIC || Jocelyn || Laphisto || Asani Windsong

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Just once - just once the Lasat thought to herself, beseeching the Manda and Duality themselves, Let me enjoy a formal occasion!
The alliance between the Lilaste Order and her native Mandalorian Protectorates, the Lasat Scioness of House Solus now felt less conflicted in her proxy allegiance to the Empire of the Lost. As such, she no longer viewed her time in the Order as a mere mercenary - or a temporary student to find a balance between the dogmatism of the Jetii or Dar'Jetti - and when it's a more formal occasion, one without blaster-fire overhead?

She enjoyed the more "dainty" activities, as opposed to her commander. Or she would have, if somebody hadn't gotten murdered!

Why does this always happen?! She had been a few stone-throws away from Laphisto, not wanting to overstep her boundaries as the unofficial bodyguard and occasional plus one. She had been in a conversation regarding the delicate arts of podrace maintenance when she had taken off at a breakneck pace just behind Laphisto, skidding to a halt just in his shadow. Before her was the familiar aura of the Grandmaster of the Lilaste Order... and a small mammalian member, a musician, and terrified.

"Rescue the lady, I'll help with civilians." she addressed her "boss" before turning to the smaller creature. "Hey... deep breaths. Deep breaths. I'm not here to hurt you, I just want to know..." the Lasat looked about the scene before her, allowing the Force to ebb and flow about the crowd. "My name is Kebii'kara Solus, what's yours?"