Searchers After Horror Haunt Strange, Far Places - TSE Netherworld Exploration

[Darth Carnifex]

​

​

Dathomir

Ever since the world of Dathomir and surrounding systems had been handed over to the Sith Empire, the Sith have taken a keen interest in the spiritual locations dotting Dathomir's surface. No other location had intrigued them as the Warlock Gate, a tangible gateway to the realms beyond the veil. It had been guarded for many years by the Mandalorians, access restricted to anyone looking to thoroughly study the phenomenon.

Restrictions torn aside, the Sith have set up several structures opposite the demilitarized TMDK Tower to serve as bases for scientists and occultists in the service of the Sith Emperor. Spurred by a scientific curiosity that was unburdened by ethics and morality, they moved about the grassy field uninhibited by now-defunct laws.

"We've received transmissions from orbit, the shuttle will be arriving shortly, Supreme Excellency."

"Is the gateway prepared?"

"Yes, Supreme Excellency."

The Sith Emperor stood on an elevated platform overlooking the grassy field in which sat the Warlock Gate, his muscular body covered in protective armor with a cloak of scarlet silk affixed over his broad shoulders. He stood there awaiting the arrival of the aforementioned shuttle, which would be harboring several prospective Sith and Imperial officials that had been vetted and determined to be worthy enough to partake on a voyage beyond the realms of life and death alongside the Emperor himself; the first of any such expedition that the Emperor had planned.

It wasn't, however, the first time the Emperor had gone through this particular gate by himself, but never before with such a large group of people. It would be undoubtedly dangerous, and some may not survive the journey or even the transition.

Carnifex was willing to wager that risk.

 

[Kyrel Ren]

Kyrel Ren was one of those invited to take part in the expedition. An honor only a few are granted with those who have worked to gain the Sith Emperor's favor. Although coming from a different ideology entirely. He was honored to take part in the journey to some say would be the afterlife, others said it was only nothing but a dark abyss. For Kyrel he did not know what it was, he had first encountered such things relating to the Netherworld when he struck down the Jedi Master known as Zark at the start of the Great War. When he did so the man had all but disappear as soon as his blade struck him in two. He found himself confused and utterly for the first time afraid as he recalled stomping on his robes, only to get visited by the ghost of his dead Jedi Mother.

He thought that such things were tricks. That they were nothing but the stuff of legend, but on that day he learned that with the Force anything was possible. He swore not to underestimate it's power ever again, and as he sat in the shuttle. He contemplated if his armor alone would be enough to protect him from what was beyond this world. Perhaps he would see things he had never thought was possible. But after all one could only hope.

He waited impatiently as the shuttle exited Hyperspace, and was now approaching the planet. He himself could say he had been to Dathomir only once shortly after the Alliance was destroyed and the War was at an end. Now here he was back at it again, waiting to reach the surface and explored what lied beyond.

[member="Darth Carnifex"]

 

[Darth Voracitos]

The natural tendency of any living creature is to find a pattern of behavior conducive to continued existence, and wellbeing.

Far away, deep beneath the bowels of Lorrd City and the Palatial Bastion of an old Sith Governor, a network of vaults existed. A truly marvelous sequence of chambers containing unimaginable wealth and artifacts of knowledge or power, collectively known as the Vaults of Gluttony. It was nexus of the dark side potent enough to alter the behavior of its denizens above and below, to give in to their most inherent traits until those traits are all the encompassed their personality. Even its maker and master is not immune to the nexus, though, in large part his own personality had long since been consumed by the facets of gluttony and depravity before the nexus technically existed.

Within the Final Vault, though, the master of these chambers resided. Reclusive and studious, the machinations of a dark master were performed daily, the fabric of the Netherworld of the force being pulled and warped within the hands of an old sorcerer well versed in the nature of death and the undying. The first self-proclaimed "nethermancer" worked tirelessly in his secretive dungeon, unaware or uncaring of the political landscape that surrounded him. The concerns of the mortal world have long since left him, only their artifacts and monstrosities concerned him now. That was not to say, however, that he was completely unaware or entirely severed from his mortal connections.

As such, under peculiar circumstances, the rituals of the Lord of Gluttony himself, Darth Voracitos, could be temporarily suspended for a little field trip from time to time. Which would explain his sudden departure from Lorrd, and sudden appearance on the grassy plains where an Imperial entourage was likely waiting. A swirling vortex of wailing misery briefly opened, before the maw of the Dark side dislodged the large physical obstruction that was the Sith Lord onto the material plane of existence. A shadowy floating throne suddenly existed upon Dathomir with spider legs that softly pierced into the soil, supporting the weight of a gargantuan pile of decrepit flesh, holding within it various cybernetic components. A beady red eye analyzed the environment he found himself in, while his natural eye took in the mundane vista and the unnatural obstruction the Warlock Gate presented itself as, filled with intricate runes that piqued his interest.

He knew that he was likely unwelcome, as few had heard from the Stih Lord in a great deal of time. Regardless, the lord of lard awaited the final arrival of the Imperial Shuttle with all of the usual psychophants the Sith Emperor [member="Darth Carnifex"] was likely to keep with him on endeavors he took personally. It would be rude of the Sith Lord to arrive uninvited to a party and start the party before the other guests arrived, so, Voracitos was patient and waited for the full entourage's arrival in force.

 

[Darth Bellum]

K o r _ V e x e n

---

---

Finalize Preparations for Expedition
On-Site | Warlock Gate, Dathomir

The Lord General was overseeing preparations for the initial expedition into the Netherworld via the Warlock Gate on Dathomir, his troops who had moved in and set up the area hard at work securing a perimeter, making use of the demilitarized TMDK towers. The speed and efficiency of the Legion made these preparations come to pass surprisingly quickly as members of the Empire began to arrive for the expedition.

Ever since the Mandalorians had surrendered the planet of Dathomir over to the Sith Empire, he viewed the people in lesser regard than he had remembered them centuries past. He recalled a time long ago when they were a people who strived in conflict, filled with pride in their honor and heritage as warriors. Yet the Mandalorians he seemed to recall were long dead, instead replaced by a pacifistic nation that would grovel at the feet of the Sith Empire for protection rather than fight any who dared challenge them by their own might. It puzzled the Sith Lord to a great degree; apart from their surrender of the planet Dathomir to their control, they failed to prove themselves of any strategic worth; instead, Vexen saw them more as a liability that would waste precious time and resources should the Sith come to their aid. For what purpose they would prove useful in this state of what could be perceived as cowardice and pacifism seemed to elude his mind. He paid little heed to the thought for a while as he resumed his duties prior to the Sith Emperor's arrival.

Dathomir was a planet that exuded much in the ways of the dark side. Even as Vexen gazed upon the Warlock gate amidst a peaceful plain, the atmosphere around it carried dark winds of wicked and malicious intent. While the Lord General cared little in the ways of the exploration of the Netherrealm, he still had his duties to fulfill and protect the Emperor to whatever degree it required. He would raise his hand up, opening it to reveal a small pendant in his palm. A gift following the failed attempt at disrupting the Sith Empire by rebel elements in the Gree sector. The small artifact did not make much of a statement, but its capabilities to manipulate rifts would likely prove useful. He put it away, letting the pendant dangle at his belt as it was secured in place. His trusted aide, the recently promoted Captain Saryn would quickly step over to Vexen's side as she lowered her head and spoke, " The Sith Emperor has arrived sir. "

Vexen had long sensed the arrival of the Emperor through the Force, so it came as little surprise to him when the Captain made her report. He would look back towards the elevated area to see [member="Darth Carnifex"] standing, clad in his armor before nodding and turning back to observe the Warlock Gate as he spoke, " Thank you for the update Captain. I will leave the Ravager battalion under your capable command in keeping the Gate secure once we've departed. Captain Dalgas will be your second in command. That will be all... " Vexen would make a dismissive wave of his hand as his Captain saluted before walking back to her post, his hand coming down as he clasped them behind his back.

 

[Tehkyram]

Sitting further towards the back of the shuttle, a robed Tehkyram kept his head down, averting his gaze from any of the other lords aboard the shuttle.

Of course it was normal for Tehkyram to feel uncomfortable. This was above and beyond his ranking and he knew it. To peer beyond the veil of death and witness the great outside, especially at the side of the Emperor, this was quite the honor, certainly a greater honor than someone as lowly as he deserved. He had only been permitted to attend the expedition through the Overseer of the Great Library's personal advocacy. She had taken a shine to his poetry, it had seemed. Tehkyram was not under any delusions of grandeur: the Emperor did not permit his presence for any reason other than indifference. Certainly the other lords may have objected, but the matter was simply beneath the Emperor's notice. So here he was among his superiors in a place he did not belong.

And yet, he relished it. Here he would confront death in its entirety, he would understand what lay beyond, scarring his retinas with knowledge forbidden by life. This was the fountain of wisdom, the source of all truth. Here Tehkyram would know death with a much greater intimacy than ever before. That mattered far more than any sort of material status.

Tehkyram raised his head with confidence. This was a matter much greater than any mere mortal concerns.

 

[Kaine O'Doran]

|

|​

Location: Shuttle over Dathomir​

Allies: [member="Darth Carnifex"] | [member="Darth Voracitos"] | [member="Kor Vexen"] | [member="Kyrel Ren"] | [member="Tehkyram"]​

Status: Neutral​

​

To be here felt wrong, it didn't feel right. Ever since his 'battle' with the man whom he now knew was called Kor Vexen, Kaine had become cautious around such a figure. The fight had left an imprint on his mind, one which fractured the ego and pride that usually swelled within his bosom wherever he walked. That swelling of pride and honor had wanned now considerably after he had witnessed first hand the dangerous capabilities of the Sith Empire's Lord General. When he had first left Qiilura, he had thought himself superior to everyone else because he was an outsider, because he didn't use such trivial contraptions and inventions that came with all of this modern technology. And yet now, he had been muffled, his boastful pride washed away from his form and in its place stood forced humility and a reserved pride, something which upset the male Gurlanin. Though, it also made him realize that everything was not how it seemed, that there was still so much more that he needed to know, to understand, in this Galaxy. He had been humbled from his duel with Kor Vexen and had even grown to respect the man despite his reserved anger at the man, and he had been humbled and even astonished by the actions and abilities of Darth Carnifex and his fellow compatriot, Taeli Raff, back on Theta Kai. O'Doran's view of the force had changed and he had even grown to fall to its predatory seductive nature, though he held himself back now...pride still stubbornly clinging to his soul.

It felt weird to be here next to a place which the Dark Lord Carnifex had called 'Warlock's Gate,' a place which was, according to the Emperor, 'a gateway to the Netherworld.' Such a place was foreign to the Gurlanin though he didn't allow such a thing to hamper his curiosity and wonder. He still found it strange how he had been called out of all people within the Sith Empire to this place. The reason alluded Kaine, though he thought on it no further. Such was not his nature.

He sat there on the shuttle, his hands lying limply in his lap with orange eyes staring forwards, thoughts of what was to come crossing his mind...thoughts of what he would see, a world of death and decay...a world mortal eyes never should see...

 

[Adenn Kyramud]

Location: Dathomir, near the gate
Tags: [member="Darth Carnifex"] [member="Kyrel Ren"] [member="Darth Voracitos"] [member="Kor Vexen"] [member="Kaine O'Doran"] [member="Kaine O'Doran"]
I asked beforehand if I could join this expedition, possibly with a plus 1. I received permission from Vexter Bennington on discord. If I should not be here, apologies, I shall remove this and you can ignore this. Simply DM or PM me that please. Thanks if I can stay!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hell, it was an interesting concept, one filled with superstition and death. Since the dawn of civilization, people have feared what comes after death, and one of those fears is that one ends in Hell. Usually it’s a horrid landscape, filled with fire and death, those that are lost and damned for all eternity. In other places, it’s simply another plane of existence where one must prove themselves. There are more of course, there always are.

However, the reality of the situation is that Hell is a very real place, and the place where the dead are sent. At least those that aren’t Mandalorians; everyone knows that Mandalorians go to Manda when they die. Back to reality, the Netherworld is Hell, but not just for the damned, no it’s for everyone who dies. Sure, there are good places and bad places, but it’s all basically the same in Adenns eyes.

However, the Netherworld was also a special place, one that had been the home of Aditya for some time, and for the Mand’alor. Now, usually at least, Adenn would leave things be and go his own way. However, the Sith wouldn’t leave the gate alone and had decided to make an expedition to the place. Adenn didn’t know whether the Mando’ade had been informed or not, he assumed yes, but truly didn’t care. He had heard of it and decided he wished to join this expedition.

Of course, since it was a Sith expedition and they were allies, Adenn asked permission to join the expedition. He had received permission to join it miraculously, for which Adenn was thankful. It meant he’d be able to boldly go where no one had gone before. At least no one that Adenn knew, and willingly at that. He also knew that he should inform the Mand’alor of this expedition, which he did, and no doubt Aditya also heard of this. Oh well, if she came along with Adenn, he’d be happy for it.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Hellgate, a powerful gate that led to hell, and it was here on Dathomir. Near it were the bases of the Mandalorians and the Sith, both there to monitor and keep track of the gate. Both for different reasons of course, but that mattered little to Adenn. The same Adenn who currently sat in a tree near the Sith landing site. He was somewhat high in a tree, sitting with his back against the tree trunk, one leg stretched out and the other bent close to his chest. In his hands he held his trusty Westar carbine, a weapon that he was currently idly cleaning. Along side that, he had all his usual weapons with him (see BIO).

Adenn didn’t know if the Sith had spotted him, nor did he care. If things came down to it, he could escape if need be. He had the proper weapons for that, and the proper weapons to enter Hell itself. The prospect was a thrilling one to Adenn, to enter Hell and be able to leave at the end of it. How many other Mandalorians could claim to have done the same. At least none that Adenn knew of. Smirking behind his helmet, Adenn turned his head to observe the Sith looking to the Hellgate. They’d be the ones he’d be working with soon enough.

That time wasn’t now though, Adenn would wait until before they enter the gate until he showed up to them “officially.” For now, Adenn was content to sit in the tree, cleaning his weapon and not caring about many things. Should they confront him, he’d explain his presence then, for now, he’d leave them be.

 

[Darth Carnifex]

They began to arrive, slowly and ill-coordinated at first.

The Emperor could sense them all, servants and allies alike, as they approached. Alongside them came other disciples of the Sith, those whose minds and spirits had a predisposition to the energies of the Netherworld of the Force. They would be instrumental in helping solidify the bridge between the physical world and the realm of the cosmic Force, and in guiding their way through the labyrinthine and maddening hellscape that lied beyond.

Once most of the arrivals had made their way onto the field, the Emperor turned to face them and address what was all lingering on the forefronts of their minds.

What did the Emperor assemble them here for? What was his ultimate goal?

"Friends and comrades, twelve years ago the galaxy was terrorized by the empyreal entity known as Akala during the Netherworld Crisis. By the machinations of this entity, half of the galaxy was pulled beyond the metaphysical borders of our galaxy into the Netherworld of the Force; an aspect of the Cosmic Force built out of the collective conscious energy of all Force Sensitives who have ever died in galactic history and beyond. The trauma of such an act ripped holes in the fabric of space and time, opening gateways between our world and the Netherworld. Before you stands one such gateway, known by the locals as the Warlock Gate."

He gestured down towards the four-meter high stone slab, which pulsated with eldritch energy. "There is much we do not understand about this newfound relationship between our reality and the Netherworld, most of the portals have been either quarantined or hidden by those who fear the unknown. But we are different, we are Sith. We will not cower. All of you assembled here today will accompany me as we journey into the beyond to explore and analyze the scientific properties of the Netherworld of the Force. But be warned, the Netherworld is chaotic and turbulent at best, and Akala's meddling has created violent manifestations of the Dark Side that we have termed as Nether Predators. They are metaphysical manifestations of hate and anger, rogue consciousnesses that have created a gestalt physical form. Metaphors given form and substance."

"If you have anything you wish to speak, then do so now. If not, then follow me into the Realm of the Dead."

[member="Kyrel Ren"] | [member="Darth Voracitos"] | [member="Kor Vexen"]
[member="Tehkyram"] | [member="Kaine O'Doran"] | [member="Adenn Kyramud"]​

 

[Lark]

As Lark emerged from the shuttle and joined the mass of Sith preparing to embark on the journey to Netherworld, a slight smile crept onto his pale face. His whole purpose in becoming a student of the Sith was to uncover hidden truths and long forgotten mysteries, to know all that one could know. So far his mission had been fruitful. Chained to his hip was a wicked tome of immense power, a Necronomicon discovered in an ancient Sith tomb on Korriban. The primordial calligraphy whispered horrible secrets, quiets hums that Lark was slowly learning to comprehend. Lately he found himself flipping through it's pages whenever he had a spare moment, but instead he listened intently to The Dark Lord's speech.

Lark was familiar with what happened during the Netherworld Crisis, although he was only a child when it happened he had studied the event a great deal since joining the Empire. He had long desired to see with his own eyes what abhorrent secrets lay waiting within, and Lark was delighted when he was chosen to join the expedition alongside [member="Darth Carnifex"] and several other powerful members of the Empire. But Lark also understood that he stood at the bottom of the rung. No amenities would be made for him. That was fine. As the Emperor himself said, Sith do not cower.

Still as stone, Lark listened to the conclusionary admonitions the Emperor gave. Of course, he would be cautious throughout the excursion. It would be foolish not to, when venturing into an unknown realm. But in truth, Lark thrived in chaos. He had been reborn amidst a raging inferno of his own creation, since his awakening Lark and chaos were as close as brothers.

Lark knew he was walking into hell, and that he might not return. Having no questions, he silently hummed a sweet song to himself, and followed behind the Sith Emperor into the Realm of the Dead.

[member="Kyrel Ren"] [member="Darth Voracitos"] [member="Kor Vexen"] [member="Tehkyram"] [member="Kaine O'Doran"][member="Adenn Kyramud"]

 

[Adenn Kyramud]

Location: Dathomir, near the gate
Tags: @Lark [member="Darth Carnifex"] [member="Kaine O'Doran"] @Tehkyram @Kor Vexen [member="Darth Voracitos"] [member="Kyrel Ren"]

When [member="Darth Carnifex"] began to talk, Adenn stopped cleaning his rifle. Putting it back together, he listened intently as the man spoke. While Adenn hadn't directly worked within the cataclysm that was known as the Netherworld Crisis, he had heard of it and read up on it. He knew that this gate was the Warlock Gate, but didn't know where it went, or what it would lead to. But that was the fun of it all now wasn't it, exploring the unknown and finding new things.

As Carnifex spoke, Adenn decided to drop down from his tree, near the Sith. He landed in a light crouch, barely feeling the landing. Standing up slowly, Adenn looked the group over from a semi distance. He wasn't a Sith, but he was a Mandalorian. Thankfully he'd been allowed to join, a fact that he was glad for. It meant that he'd be able to go into Hell itself, and then come back out.

Adenn didn't have anything to say, so instead he turned his focus towards the Warlock Gate, observing it. This little trip would certainly be interesting, more so than anything else he'd participated in. Eventually, whenever the time came, Adenn would follow the group into the void. Walking straight into Hell with a smile.

 

[Darth Voracitos]

Restless spirits, angry ghosts, malignance turned sentient, and more lays in wait beyond the Warlock Gate. This much Voracitos knew patently, as he used to be one of these sorts of apparitions. In fact, in all technicality, he might still be classified as one. No one really knew exactly how the dead became the living once more after passing through the Akala rifts as he had done. Bodies spontaneously generated directly from the force, giving physical form to that which was formless. The disruption of life and death during the Netherworld Crisis was tumultuous and chaotic, and the ripples of its consequences continued to ring to this day, like the sound of a bell suspended in time. Some of these ripples manifested in the forms now dubbed "Nether Predators", and while Voracitos's command over the Netherworld and the material plane was impressive, he had never been subsumed by the Netherworld long enough for these fleeting images of hellish unthinkable creatures from affecting him.

The rituals conducted over Gree likely did nothing to improve the tenuous barriers that separated from the gestalt consciousness of death and the physical world. For decades, perhaps even centuries, the accumulated energy of over ten thousand generations of force users shaping the cosmic energy of the living force was becoming so overbearing, it has begun to shape the whole of reality around it. At some point in time, perhaps in this lifetime or in the next thousand years, the Netherworld would likely reach a critical mass and spill into reality as like never before; making the Akala Crisis's as little more than the splashes of puddles compared to the ocean of the dead that was inevitably coming for them.

Voracitos continued to inspect the runes of the Warlock Gate as his Imperial contemporary gave a rousing speech to the naive followers who believed their expedition would reveal anything of note to them. Voracitos had wandered the planes of Chaos for a thousand years, chaining ten thousand and more ruinous souls to his heart before returning to the mortal world, exhausted by his journey which passed by the galaxy in only a handful of years. Was he any closer to understanding the mysteries of death and the nature of the dark side in the afterlife?

No, of course not. The vastness of Chaos and its diversity would forever prevent a single individual, even one as prodigious and powerful as himself, from fully benefiting from the knowledge of madness after death. Despite this though, Voracitos made the best of the situation in gaining a power greater than any Sorceror before him; total and complete command of the dead and the power they possess, to be used and distributed as he saw fit. The realm of the soul was now entirely within the domain of Voracitos to command, to feast upon as he pleased, to control, warp, and destroy as he desired.

For this reason, the mortal concerns Voracitos once possessed had long since vanished, in favor of an all-consuming pursuit of knowledge in the undeath. Which is why, despite past misgivings, Voracitos came not to gloat or measure up against the present Sith Emperor [member="Darth Carnifex"] but to assist him in his little foray into the dark recesses of Chaos. For the first time in at least one lifetime, the pair shared a common interest...

 

[Kyrel Ren]

With the shuttle making it's way to the world of witches and jungle-covered in red mist. Kyrel grew impatient by the second but would have been lying to say that he did not feel dread on what could be on the other side. He had encountered Force Ghosts of both the Jedi and the Sith, but what lied beyond powers that even he could not control. There were already many things about the force that he did not know, despite the countless knowledge he went through. He was afraid of what lied beyond the veil of life and death. He even wondered if he would come back as something else.

Most of all he had even wondered if he would encounter his Mother again. She had appeared to him several times urging him to take on a new path as a Jedi, but even he knew that such things he was too far gone at that. He had chosen his path long ago and all that he knew is that when he died he was now damned. He was going to hell and he knew it, which was why he wanted to stave off death for as long as possible at least.

With the shuttle arriving down to the planet, the craft making its way through the thick jungle a landing site was crafted for the group, as soon as the shuttle departed, Kyrel swiftly made his way from the ramp to meet with the expedition that was traveling beyond the gate.

 

[Darth Bellum]

K o r _ V e x e n

---

---

Finalize Preparations for Expedition
On-Site | Warlock Gate, Dathomir

Vexen would have his arms crossed in front of his chest as he watched the Sith Emperor make his speech. The Netherworld was a large unknown in Vexen's vast expanse of knowledge. He had heard of it through distant memories of those he had consumed and made one with his own conscience, but never experienced it for himself or through the eyes of one he had assimilated into his own mind. He did not know what to expect once they passed into the other realm, merely that he should expect the worst. If anything he would take this as an opportunity to strengthen himself. He would turn to a small group of Legionnaires that had volunteered themselves as escort, though they would likely be little more than fodder to whatever creatures they may encounter. He gave them a nod as they would split themselves amongst those that were exploring the Netherworld, more or less as escorts.

Once the Emperor's speech had concluded he would lower his arms from his chest as he unsheathed his lightsaber and held it in one hand, ready for whatever they might encounter as soon as they had passed through the Warlock Gate. He was curious what the Netherworld had to offer, and even more curious if it could be weaponized. With the amulet he had on him, he knew the ability to create portals was possible, even if they were temporary. If the beasts in the Netherworld were as nightmarish as their reputation was, they would make for potential beasts of war to be unleashed upon the enemies of the Sith Empire.

[member="Darth Carnifex"] | [member="Darth Voracitos"] | [member="Tehkyram"] | [member="Kaine O'Doran"] | [member="Adenn Kyramud"] | [member="Kyrel Ren"] | [member="Lark"]

 

[Darth Carnifex]

"Voracitos, old friend." spoke the Emperor, emphasis placed on the word 'friend'. "I am surprised that you would abandon your den to join us, but then again you always did have a curious fascination with the Other Side. Regardless, I may have use for your powers. Watch now as I bridge the gap."

He reached out, lightning leaped from his fingertips to strike the Warlock Gate. The edifice reacted, its runes glowing brightly as strands of otherworldly energy arced through the air. In the space between the Gate and the assembled crowd manifested a circular portal, shaped and maintained by his will. In studying the gate, the Emperor had discovered a means to manipulate the energies of the Netherworld from this side of the Gate, allowing him to conjure a distinct portal through which he and his entourage could venture through.

And the Emperor, true to his word, was the first to pass through the stabilized gateway.

Though he had passed through the gate many times before, the sensation was still altogether unpleasant and distressing. A sense of imbalance and unease as the barrier was trespassed, the gloomy setting of Dathomir immediately fading away into a hellish landscape of gravity-defying stone and the incessant howl of the Dark Side of the Force. The ground beneath their feet was ever shifting, an incandescent landscape that seemed to undulate and writhe as if it were a living creature; though nothing could be further from the truth. Distant visions of aimlessly wandering consciousnesses could be seen converging on the horizon, curious inhabitants of the Netherworld congregating to bear witness to these new arrivals.

To the Emperor's knowledge, never had such a crossing been attempted. There was a portion of himself that felt pride for perhaps being the first to do such a thing, but the rest of him was determined to press forward. "You will notice that some of our group did not make it through the Gate. That was to be expected, the Netherworld exacts retribution for trespassing. But we will not mourn them, their death had a purpose, and the Netherworld awaits us."

He urged them to press onward, through the hellish landscape before them.

[member="Kyrel Ren"] | [member="Darth Voracitos"] | [member="Kor Vexen"] ​

[member="Tehkyram"] | [member="Kaine O'Doran"] | [member="Adenn Kyramud"]​

[member="Lark"]​

 

[Darth Voracitos]

"When the abyss that claims us all spits one out, they often foster a curiosity as to why. I am pleased that even you have fostered such interest in the Netherworld. Not that I need or even crave the validation of an Emperor perusing a field of study I am quite knowledgeable in, it is good to posses well educated peers. Wouldn't you agree, Kaine?" Voracitos replied to [member="Darth Carnifex"]. Noticing the strained emphasis on the Emperor's use of the word friend. The enormous fiend waited passively as Kaine electrocuted the runes of the Warlock Gate with impressive power, and he studied his techniques, looking perhaps of how his power fared compared to their last encounter. Though he knew much about the Dark Lord and at least a couple of his secrets, a first hand assessment was always preferable over the hearsay of potentially duplicitous servants who are not strong enough to tell on their own the relative power between Voracitos and the Emperor.

This was not to say that the Lord of Lorrd was assessing the Emperor for another round of combat, such would be a foolish mortal sort of concern. No, his assessment was of a purely analytical sort, the cataloging of information which may be useful to have. Information had largely become the "food for thought", so to speak, for the Master of Gluttony. Knowing everything had become his passion, and the Emperor was just one iota of information kept in the massive vaults of his mind.

The Emperor spoke briefly of the missing individuals, absorbed into the Netherworld.

"Their deaths indeed serve a purpose, and that purpose is to feed the monstrosities of the void. It would be foolish to mourn them, and perhaps more wise to rue them for the complications they shall cause us, for they were too weak to resist the pull of the Netherworld..." Voracitos snarled as he effortless slipped into their shared reality, the various souls he wore as garments becoming faint voices in the void, restless in their old home.

[member="Kor Vexen"], [member="Kyrel Ren"], [member="Adenn Kyramud"], [member="Lark"], [member="Kaine O'Doran"], [member="Tehkyram"]​

 

[Kaine O'Doran]

|

|
Location: Shuttle over Dathomir
Allies: [member="Darth Carnifex"] | [member="Darth Voracitos"] | [member="Kor Vexen"]
[member="Kyrel Ren"] | [member="Adenn Kyramund"] | [member="Tehkyram"] | [member="Lark"]
Status: Neutral

The journey to this 'gate' had been short and uneventful, those whom he had traveled with spoke little and looked to be absorbed within their own worlds as was Kaine himself now. Despite his own self telling him not to worry and wonder, his wondering got the better of his mind. To come to a place such as this where so many proficient members of the Sith religion were felt wrong, he felt unworthy to be in their presence. Which, to the male gurlanin, was in of itself a strange notion. He had only be impressed by two members of the fanatical religion thus far, Carnifex whom he respected with gravitas he gave off from his presence alone, and this 'Kor Vexen' who has bested him in combat and left him scarred afterward and to this very day still. Despite the scarring, he respected the man, despite the xenophobia and bigoted comments, he respected he man who was called Kor Vexen...it was warrior's code of respect from his tribal home of Qiilura, one which Kaine followed adventatly.

Kaine cared little for the speech which the Dark Lord gave, it wasn't because he was trying to be disrespectful, but because he cared knew little of what the man was talking of. The gurlanin was trying to become more educated of the way's of the Galaxy and all that it entangled whether that be language, literature, mythical stories, and so forth. Though from what little had had listened to from Lord Carnifex, this gate acted as a bridge of the world of the dead and the world of the living. It was an unholy alignment of two worlds which never should have been made. O'Doran should have been disgusted at such a thing, such an unholy and hellish bridging and binding of these two places. And yet, he was not disgusted...he was intrigued and curious.

The gurlanin's armored boots carried him through the hazy green vortex, transporting him across the veil into a place of hellish appearance that he understood not. Instead of keeping his eyes pointed forwards as a warrior would, he bowed his head in religious reverence of this 'Netherworld.' If this truly was a world of the dead, then it needed his respect.

As he bowed his head, his blazing orange eyes caught sight of the armored form of Kor Vexen, watching him for a few moments before turning away and looking to the ground for a few seconds, and then he looked up.

 

[Emberlyn Rekali]

An eerie silence would befall upon the area where the gate was stabilized. as each individual passed through, they would notice the silence, and the conglomerate of souls collecting in groups – observing them. A stir in the Force would ripple in a heavy resonance that would make even the strongest grimace, and then a flash of light across the hellish terrain of the Fire’s Embrace. The surge of Force energy would be of Light concentrated, no doubt causing those who felt it to stir with curiosity as why such a light would be able to withstand the onslaught of darkness from this area.

A breach would open on the horizon, the elements around it shifting and cascading into a blinding purple-white glow. A landscape would appear in the breach, fields of purple grass waved gently back and forth amongst glowing white-hot trees. A figure stood in the middle of the breach, blackened by the harshness of the light behind the silhouette. The figure stood there, motionless only for a moment before moving forward through the breach and out onto the terrain of fire and brimstone. The breach would close behind the figure, sending a crisp wind outward, no doubt towards the group of new arrivals. Harmless in its intent, it would merely ruffle feathers, cloaks and loose objects upon their person. The figure would come into focus as the wind died down, it would be someone that the Emperor recognized from days past – someone who had perished many ages ago. She stood there, violet eyes staring forward, fixated on the ominous figure of Carnifex. Her hair seemed to defy gravity, weaving back and forth, as if there was more to her than the deep connection to the Force. Aaralyn would sigh, gesturing towards the Emperor and his entourage.

“From what I can tell, you aren’t dead.” She raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms over her chest, cocking her head to the side.

“Why are you here?” She asked inquisitively.

[member="Kaine O'Doran"] | [member="Darth Voracitos"] | [member="Darth Carnifex"] | [member="Kor Vexen"] | [member="Kyrel Ren"] | [member="Adenn Kyramud"]​

 

[Tabigarashu Madara]

There was a small presence. Easy to miss, as they weren't a Force User. But there all along.

Tabigarashu Madara, better known as Hirou within the Sith Empire, was riding in someone's pack. Who's? They couldn't quite remember. It didn't matter much at that moment, they were simply too busy peering out and taking notes.

Line after line. Page after page. The pen and flimsy pad were tiny, sized down to Nezumi hands, but the words spilled out in waves as they made the passage into the Nether.

Hirou had a library, all of their own. Mostly volumes of Sith Lore, written by [member="Velok the Younger"], but a few other odds and ends as well. One of the books contained a section they themselves had written, and ever since then, the Nezumi had wondered.....

Could they write something of their own? Not simply a commentary of things gone before, but something truly insightful, something explored that had not been before? This trip was, perhaps, the beginnings of that. While not a Force User or a Sith by anything but courtesy, as the Nezumi had gotten older they had devoted themselves to the study of both. If not the hands on application, the theory and the history. Now perhaps, they had a chance of contributing to that greater body of knowledge.

"Fascinating," they muttered to themselves, shifting slightly and sending something they were sitting on in the pack shifting as well.

 

[Darth Carnifex]

The Emperor's gaze was drawn upwards, towards the new spectral arrival to the Sith's intrusions upon the Realm of the Dead. Though there was recognition, none of it crossed the Emperor's eternally placid face save for a slight twinkle in his dark eyes.

"An unexpected surprise. I did not expect to see the once revered Aaralyn Rekali gracing our humble procession, nor did I expect to see your face ever again after your fellow Jedi vented you into space."

That incident on Roche was a well-known historical fact, repeated over and over again in the academies of the Sith Empire to serve as a reminder to the hypocritical nature of the Jedi; the Sith's eternal enemy. Though little sympathy was given towards Master Rekali for the circumstances of her demise; in fact, the Sith celebrated her death like any other Jedi, she was nonetheless toted as a victim of the Jedi's self-serving nature. Just another name and face laid at the feet of the Jedi in spite of their creed to protect all life.

"As to why we are here, we are here because we can be. The barrier between the living and dead is a tenuous fabric, torn in many places. Energies from both realms bleed into one another, allowing those of cunning mind and iron will to exploit such opportunities."

[member="Kyrel Ren"] | [member="Darth Voracitos"] | [member="Kor Vexen"] ​

[member="Tehkyram"] | [member="Kaine O'Doran"] | [member="Adenn Kyramud"]​

[member="Lark"] | [member="Aaralyn Rekali"] | [member="Tabigarashu Madara"]​

 

[Darth Voracitos]

"Kaine, this wisp was a Jedi? You are familiar with it? I must say I am impressed with its ability to retain its identity, I did not know such a thing was possible for Jedi." Voracitos smiled in a rare show of mirth in these boring times. It was strange that Voracitos felt the most alive when entering the world of the dead. Perhaps the mortal realm exuded so much mundane effuse of little substance, that the Sith Lord renowned for his hunger felt starved by its contributions to him.

The netherworld though? It felt endless in its primal ancient energies, a feast of which he could never tire of. The expanse of his exploration spanned across a period of time unimaginable to ordinary mortals, and this even this newest venture into the dwelling of the spiritual dark side presented to him something he has never seen before.

Such was the experience of a mortal in the infinite expanse of reality. Voracitos sensed something on the horizon, as they entered into the Netherworld proper. They were eyes, eyes of which that Voracitos was familiar with...

[member="Darth Carnifex"], [member="Aaralyn Rekali"]