Approved Location [Netherworld] Balance

[Amelia von Sorenn]

OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION

Intent

Netherworld Codex Contest: Oblivion

	Image Credit:		[HERE]
	Canon:		Not Applicable
	Permissions:		Not Applicable
	Links:		Tower Karst
			Netherworld of the Force
			The Unifying Force
			The Force
			Force Ghost
			Light Side of the Force
			Dark Side of the Force
			Moonstone
			Obsidian
			Black Sand
			Basalt
			Augite
			Tourmaline

SETTING INFORMATION

Landmark Name:	Balance
Classification:	Tower Karst
Location:	The Netherworld of the Force
Affiliation:	The Unifying Force
Size:	Massive
Population:	Insignificant
Demographics:	Force Ghosts of Varying Species

Accessibility

Reaching Balance is a manner of first entering the Netherworld of the Force and navigating the treacherous and often ever-changing aspects of that realm until one finds themselves staring out across a vast windswept plain of nothingness. Secluded - almost as if the wastes around the pinnacles grows with each step forward - as though the mountain was protecting itself from those that sought out the landmark. Guarded by a variety of Force Ghosts of varying species - each of whom have found their own way or were called to the pinnacles - they are otherwise harmless until an individual either strays from the path that slips between the two pinnacles or if an individual purposely attempts to cause damage to the pinnacles or any part of the overall landmark.

Description

A windswept plain is lain out before your eyes - and at first, no feature is visible to the eye - nothing more than an ever-continuing nothingness of black sands and basalt marked by outcroppings of augite and tourmaline, all of which is shrouded in a supernatural, fine grey mist. It is not until you've walked for what seems to be days, perhaps months or even years does the first glimpse of the pinnacles slowly creep out of the mists and windswept dust of the plains. Then, as if they had always been there right before you, they tower over you - two large jagged mountains of obsidian - twisting and contorting into what one can call a sky, above where they stand. Suspended between the two peaks is a perfectly smooth sphere of moonstone, held aloft by some unknown means, and a simple path of what appears to be paved obsidian and basalt threads between the two pinnacles into the nothingness that takes an unknown form for each individual that approaches... ~ Excerpt from the journal of Jedi Knight Ryssa Sularen

NETHERWORLD INFORMATION

Lucidity

The path that leads to Balance experiences the same events of any such similar landscape or location that can become shrouded in mists or overtaken by dust storms without notice - and it is the path that leads between the two pinnacles that are the most ordered and following of the general laws of the galaxy as a whole outside of the Netherworld of the Force. This changes when an individual approaches a singular peak and steps off of the path - experiencing a vastly different feeling and landscape between the two opposite and often opposing sides. Those that step into the area of the Pinnacle of Light find a placid and calm serenity, one that often lulls individuals into a feeling of safety and of welcoming [provided they mean no harm to the pinnacle]. In stark contrast, the area around the Pinnacle of Dark is much more chaotic and destructive - turning the otherwise placid calmness of the obsidian and basalt path into a terrifying near hellscape like those vistas seen on Mustafar, and it is here that one must always be on guard as the Force Ghosts are much more hostile and protective of the pinnacle.

Hostility

A number of Force Ghosts call Balance home or reside among the jagged facade of the pinnacles - each with an ever-present vigil upon the massive sphere suspended between the two peaks. They are neither hostile nor are they welcoming, though their attention - all in presence - turns towards those that walk the path and carefully watch to judge their intentions. Those that quietly walk the path, making no effort to gain attention or cause a disruption to the Force Ghosts or the surrounding structures are left alone to their own devices to continue their journey. It is those that seek to harm a pinnacle, the sphere above, or the Force Ghosts themselves, that find their safety in jeopardy and are beset upon by the silent watchers of Balance.

In-Character Rules

There is little difference near Balance than what would otherwise affect an individual were they not within the Netherworld of the Force. Its most notable trait, however, is the feel of the pull that certain individuals may feel towards one pinnacle or the other - an effect that is also felt by the Dead or Force Ghosts present. Those that have sought to serve the Light Side of the Force, be it willingly or just out of general goodness in their lives, feel a pull and are often protective of the Pinnacle of Light. Likewise, those that shrouded themselves in the Dark Side of the Force, or having done great acts or deeds of evil, feel a pull, becoming protective of the Pinnacle of Dark. It is only those that are Force Dead or otherwise have found Balance within themselves that feel no pull towards either pinnacle - often walking the path freely and passing through the Nothingness at the center without a second thought, free to continue their travels among the Netherworld of the Force. Those that lean towards the Light Side or Dark Side of the Force that passes through the Nothingness often feel a pull or a calling seeking to bring them back to the pinnacles to serve as a silent guardian and - in these cases - it is only the living that is capable of overcoming this call and returning to the Galaxy.

POINTS OF INTEREST

The Windswept Wastes - Surrounding Balance for as far as the eye can see in all directions is a vast windswept plain of black sand, basalt, and various other minerals. In the early mornings [if time can exist in such a place] the wastes are covered in a thin mist, cooling to the touch and pleasing for the time that it hangs in the air. It is not until the afternoon, nearing dusk, that the wastes are commanded by the blistering dust and sand storms, making traveling in the region all that much more precarious.

Pinnacle of Light - A singular formation of Obsidian that juts up from the surrounding area below - from the outside it appears to be nothing more than a dark mountainous structure, though when one steps closer towards the pinnacle and enter its immediate area, its appearance shifts and take on a new form. Now appearing as a silvery spire covered in shimmering gems and trees covered in dew, verdant fountains and pools of water mark it as a place of the Light Side of the Force, and an individual is often greeted by the smiling faces of those loved ones thought long lost.

Sphere of Balance - Suspended between the two pinnacles in a singular massive sphere that is smooth to the touch, [according to those few that were capable of being close enough or to touch it at all], constructed entirely of Moonstone. The Sphere acts as a balance, preventing the two pinnacles from collapsing or otherwise touching one another.

Pinnacle of Dark - The opposite of its counterpart, though sharing a similar appearance from the outside, of a singular form of Obsidian clawing its way towards the skies above. Its surrounding area, however, when approached shifts drastically, revealing a blasted hellscape of molten rivers, burning terrain, and terrifying sights of nightmarish origins. Those that find themselves near the pinnacle are often beset upon by dangerous spirits, wraiths, and other vengeful force ghosts that seek to protect the pinnacle and horde its perceived power for themselves.

The Path - A simple path leads between the two pinnacles and beneath the ever-watchful presence of the Sphere above. It is constructed of pavers and bricks shaped from basalt and obsidian, the designs simple geometric shapes [though they apparently take on a variety of forms, figures, and shapes depending on the individual walking the path], and no two individuals see the same thing as they glance down upon the path as they walk.

The Nothingness - Between the two pinnacles, directly beneath the sphere above, is the Nothingness. A bleak ebbing sliver that shifts and changes depending wholely upon the individual that steps forward or into its form. It seems to judge those that step through, directing those of the Light or the Dark towards their corresponding pinnacles, whereas those that are balanced or force dead are permitted to continue forward unburdened with the need to return.

HISTORICAL INFORMATION

Balance - its exact creation and discovery are still unknown - and perhaps, it has always existed or only just recently came into existence as the Galaxy burned and the Balance of the Force was thrown out of position. Those few that have traveled through the Netherworld of the Force and come upon the monolith feel as though it is ancient, and others still claim that its feeling is that of a newly anointed structure. Perhaps there is no real answer beyond that Balance is both new and old, ancient and just born. Balance takes on the appearance of two obsidian pinnacles with a sphere of moonstone suspended between the two, and throughout the myriad of accounts, this description remains the same - save for when an individual reaches the pinnacles themselves and steps into their areas of influence. The history of Balance is tricky, as it apparently exists [or rather preceived] to exist in all states at a singular time - with its overall appearance always shifting and changing due to an individual's perception and senses. There are claims from those that survived the Netherworld Cataclysm of 844 ABY that state they had found Balance, and that it had appeared a crumbling ruin nearly vanished. Still other claims, newer claims, from those that have recently returned that contradict this, saying that it couldn't be older than five years or that it had just recently come into existence. For the moment, we must take everything that involves the Netherworld of the Force with a grain of salt - for it is a place that twists and shifts the perception of all individuals - and it is likely that Balance has always existed within the Netherworld of the Force, be it in the form in which I had seen it firsthand, that of two towering pinnacles that commanded the surrounding wastes, or as others have seen it, two weather-beaten mounds that have been aged. ~ Excerpt from the Journal of Jedi Knight Ryssa Sularen

 

[Ylla Caeli'runa]

Amelia von Sorenn Beautiful sub, can't wait to see how it's used.

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