Faction Recognition

[Darth Solipsis]

The audience chamber lay near silent as the hushed voices of the Heathen Priests lingered in ritualistic chant. The Voice of the Maw stood before the assembled clergy, fully adorned in his dark garb in wait for the summoned parties. His wretched gaze fixated upon the obsidian set of double doors as they parted. Led by the Palatine Guard, the spacer known as Gren Blidh was led into the chamber alongside the warlord Maestus , and the leader of the Rune-Cult within the Brotherhood Ssloak-Goa.

It had been brought to the dark clergy attention that this new brother, awakened Child of the Maw, had unleashed a swath of dark power upon the Gundanbard that by all rights should of been out of his reach. The power he held had to be recognized, honed, tempered and eventually directed.

The Voice recognized this connection to the Dark Side of the Force, he felt the call of Bogan resonate strongly within the man. He could be a great asset.

Then there was the valiant offensive that had been laid down by Ssloak-Goa, without his aid the battle may have gone south and the Heathen Priests owed the being their lives. Such power was not offered without reward, and the Voice had already proclaimed the Hidden Maw's favor over the Witch Elder. The clergy would have to obey, they would have to give recognition.

Then last but certainly not least. Maestus, the secret apprentice of Darth Solipsis, the Dark Voice. Her presence was a formality, it was always good to have a warlord witness preceedings with the unholy clergy. Less they forget who truly ruled over the Brotherhood.

"Come closer."

 

[Gren Blidh]

The trenchcoat collar encased the smuggler's stony face as the doors to the inner chambers opened, his silhouette standing between the doorframe, light leaking in behind him and casting his long shadow across the room. The shadow grew shorter as he approached, the only sound in the expanse at the moment being his lone footsteps toward the Voice of the Maw. Amidst this assembly of Dark Side cultists, was the spacer out of place? Perhaps. Gren had no formal training in the Force and had lived his life up to this point outside its mystical bounds, much more likely to be found in the dark corners of his favorite nightclub than steeped in ritual at altar. But Gren was no stranger to the arcane, and he had felt the first callings of the Force as its power emanated from his fingertips from the first time. When the Force revealed itself to him, wrapping him in its dark mysteries, Gren felt a the first taste of the power that lay beyond, waiting to be tapped into. Limitless power, that was merely waiting for him to reach out and grab it.

For the first time, amidst this dark congress, Gren felt alive.

He did as he was instructed, moving forward. No doubt the Maw would have questions about the powers he had displayed, as well as his ability to access the Paths. The latter was something he could understand well; the Force however, was still mostly a mystery. His understanding of the mysticism of the Force was still young, and there was still much he could be taught. A mutually beneficial relationship could be forged here.

"Lord Voice of the Maw," Gren addressed the leader with a bow of his head, his lone eye locking onto the Voice's visage. "I am Gren Blidh."

Darth Solipsis

 

[Maestus]

Maestus strode into the chamber. She was not a big fan of pomp and ceremony, but she understood why it was happening. Some things required public viewing. There are several reasons for that. Primarily, to ensure you firmly sway the audience to your point. But also to hold the subject of the ceremony wholly committed to what he says.

As they neared the Voice, Maestus adopted a more humble affect. She lowered her eyes a touch and bowed her head. Then glanced to Gren Blidh curious about the newly found acolyte. She had no doubts that Darth Solipsis already had a plan laid out for the new man. She was merely curious now as to what would be Gren's fate.

 

[Darth Solipsis]

"Yessss."

The Dark Voice hissed, his veiled glare hung over the spacer with a dark aura cast around them as the air thickened. "I felt your presence on Mar'Zambul." The prophet stepped forward and to the right as he began to circle Gren Blidh slowly in study as if dissecting a cadaver, "Where have you been child? The Maw has granted you such prowess, such ability yet.." His vision shifted away toward the Heathen Priests and then unto Maestus , the only Warlord in attendance. "..it has been squandered so. I sense a darkness in you." The hand of the Elder rose, gliding across the air toward the shoulder of the Dark Side Adept, "You must be trained."

His grip landed onto that of Gren Blidh , with a squeeze he chuckled under his breath. "It is the will of the Hidden Maw itself, the Avatar of War demands it. The Heathen Priests, the Warlords, even I.. will teach you the ways of the darkness."

"In recognition of your talents, you will be given a place here on the Holy City and another on Alkonost where you will learn under the feet of Warlord Maestus . When we call.. you come. There will be no mercy in the trials ahead, your latent talents are remarkable yet unrefined, if you fail you will die. Yet.." The hands of the Dark Voice released their grasp and extended outward, "...the rewards of such power are endless."

 

[Ssloak-Goa]

Ssloak-Goa would be in the rear of the group, his two yellow eyes staring at the proceedings. His left arm would be tucked neatly into his bent over chest, the green skin darkened and scarred with a dozen or so Sith runes which had been recently branded into the Witch Thing's flesh. His other hand would gently trace the eldest of these runes, feeling its jagged edges and remembering the pain he had used to imbue into one of the many artifacts that the Brotherhood would make use of. He knew why he was here, not that he particularly enjoyed the pomp and circumstance of the occasion. He served the Brotherhood not for the recognition or fame, but for the cause, the carnage. The galaxy had known prosperity for too long.

He quietly listened as the Voice would mutter promises to the acolyte, promises that Ssloak-Goa had made to his own apprentices. Whether the voice meant it or not was not for the toad to decide, yet he found it almost trite. His scarred arm would jitter as his two independent eyes would twitch and jolt back and forth across the room, taking it all in as if expecting there to be some creature waiting in the shadows to devour them all whole. A healthy paranoia had kept him alive this long, and he expected it to keep serving him well.

Darth Solipsis Maestus Gren Blidh

 

[Maestus]

Maestus remained silent. Silence was golden, and she held that near and dear to her. She learned so much more by listening to the intonation in The Voice's voice. The choice of words spoken and unspoken. Facial expressions and body language. Simply by being observant and paying attention to details, she picked up on things.

She was utterly blown away when Gren Blidh was addressed. And told Maestus would train him. She looked at The Voice for a moment, then bowed her head in acceptance of this responsibility.

It will be done.

Then she turned and brazenly studied Gren Blidh . She was personally unfamiliar with him, having not made his acquaintance until now. She locked eyes with him, unblinking. Seeing where his resolve and inner will were at the moment. he seemed confident enough, but that could just be controlled arrogance. No matter, she would learn him soon enough.


Tell me who you are.

 

[Gren Blidh]

Sparse light danced off the bones of Gren Blidh's face as he stood before Darth Solipsis . The master's voice cut through the expanse as a sharp, low hiss, and the heretofore smuggler said nothing, only meeting the dark one's gaze with his own stoic stare. His lone eye could be seen piercing through, behind the blue iris burned a fiery soul; behind the abilities that Gren had displayed, even. Burning beneath all that unrefined, clumsy strength in the Force was a caustic willpower, biting at Gren's every move. Perhaps this is what Solipsis sensed.

He felt the master's hand on him, dark energy radiating outward as tendrilled extensions of his fingertips upon the leather of Gren's trenchcoat. The promise of power was made, and that was enough for him. That was what drove the wandering smuggler into the arms of the Maw in the first place. Was it sheer will, or implacable Fate out of his control?

"Then I pledge myself to your dark teachings," Gren affirmed, and lowered his head to Solipsis.

At once, he was coupled to Maestus , as if nothing more needed to be said. Was he her Apprentice now? It seemed so, but perhaps this question didn't need to be answered right now. Gren was promised what he sought and he would seize upon the opportunity. This pairing with a Master happened suddenly, as if out of his control. But it felt like a pure extension of Gren's will - and that was all that mattered. He turned to Maestus.

"I made my way as a smuggler for years," He answered her. "But unlike many of my profession, the mysteries of the Force were not lost on me. So I sought out training to unlock this gift. Which first led me to a Jedi, of all things."

 

[Darth Solipsis]

The Dark Voice smiled wickedly, an aura of darkness washed over them as he removed his hand away from the smuggler. "Excellent. You will do well here my friend. Child of the Maw." He stepped away and moved for the throne as Maestus and Gren began to speak. His ever vigilant gaze fell onto Ssloak-Goa, "Come, let us speak."

The Voice of the Maw rested down within his throne, the audience chamber filled with whispers between the Heathen Priests as they studied the smuggler and found his power wanting. "Silence."

The Dark Voice leaned forward, his fiery gaze hidden behind the veil of his crownpiece. Nonetheless, his dark aura and contempt for life hung over the room even as his eyes moved to the new addition to the Maw's strength. "Your first lesson begins tomorrow. Meet me here, we shall see you contend with my champion and test you, push you, temper your soul in the dark fires of trivilation."


Gren Blidh

 

[Maestus]

She stood silently as Gren Blidh gave her a brief synopsis of himself. Her Lekku shifted and shimmied while she listened. A smuggler, how interesting. And useful.

She bowed her head as The Voice gave his instructions to Gren. There would be no grace period for the new acolyte. He would be thrown into the fire, and his survival would be his own doing. She would not coddle him. The Voice would be even harsher than she. Still, she would teach him as best she could. Or he would die trying.

Interesting, a smuggler. I happen to know a thing or two about the smuggling lifestyle. But I am more interested in your time amongst the Jedi. Tell me more.

She paused, began considering something. THen shook her head to herself and studied Gren as he spoke.

 

[Gren Blidh]

The Maw would waste no time to spare pleasantries for Gren. The dark threat of death loomed throughout these blackened corridors, haunting the smuggler like an ever-present shadow. Yet, the eyepatched adventurer felt strangely fearless amidst this vicious assembly. His spirit alone propelled him forward, determined to taste power at any cost imaginable. If he were to die in his search for it, then his wasn't a life worth living anyway.

"As you wish, my Lord," Was Gren's only reply to Darth Solipsis , given in a low, stoic voice. He was ready.

He turned to his new Master, Maestus .

She was a curious sort, a Twi'lek that sported what appeared to be Sith tattoos, yet apparently had experience in the smuggling scene. He hadn't seen her before, but it was a large galaxy after all.

"Yes, a Jedi was the first to show me how to tap into the Force," He answered her. "I crossed the galaxy in search of a teacher of Force illusions, and that led me to a Jedi known as Jairdain . Despite me not being part of her order, she was oddly forthright and generous with her knowledge. To be honest, she did not seem like a Jedi at all. But she opened my eyes to the power of the Force. I learned what I could from her and simply went on my way."

 

[Maestus]

She listened carefully to Gren Blidh as he spoke of his Jedi friend Jairdain .

I would like to hear about the teachings she exposed you to. What you have learned of the Force, and what control you have over it. As well, your beliefs on the Sith, and Jedi, Light and Dark. We have much to discuss my friend, and as Darth Solipsis has said, your training begins tomorrow. See me when he releases you.

She studied the Smuggler turned acolyte intently. Slowly, she walked a circle around him, taking him in from all angles. Strong, or sop he appeared. But it was not his physicality she was interested in. Physical strength waxes and wanes. But the mind can stay strong and sharp forever. And that was where he would live or die, by teh strength of his mind and will. ​

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