Faction Snowball Jedha [GA]

[Aadihr Lidos]

​

Outfit: Field Attire | Sigil Bead Earring
Weapons: Walking stick / Lightsaber Pike | Legion Long Range Precision Rifle Mark I

"We should bring the others here! Get all the survivors together so we can defend them easier."

"Gather as many as you can, guide them here" Aadihr replied, "protect them, avoid the streets if you can."

Aris's hearing was incredible from Aadihr's perspective, but then again, Aadihr's force-sight had perplexed Aris in the past.

There was one sizeable issue with this shelter - the hole created for their entrance. What was an isolated room now had warmth sapped away via the draft into the cold streets where magic-borne creatures pursued.

Aadihr shrugged off the rifle, sliding it to the oldest member of the family huddling around the fire. "Protect yourselves if something comes through and I haven't called out. Find blankets, sheets, anything you can use to pin and cover this hole. Keep the fire hot. Use trash, furniture, cooking oils if you have to, but keep it contained."

The witchspawn were already catching up.
Aadihr clapped a hand on Aris's shoulder as he prepared to step back out into the cold "I will stay behind to guard the entrance and buy the survivors time." At least time enough for the witch-hunters and spell-breakers to succeed - Or die buying every minute he could. The source of the ice and malice was being handled by others.

Aadihr re-lit his pike, stepping back out into the snow, wind whipping his hair, scarf, and robes violently alongside the passing flurries of the blizzard.
"May the Force be with you." Aadihr called behind him as his form faded into the pale.

The Padawan had a good heart and was capable of making a significant difference, moreso than he knew. Aris could save these people, more of them than Aadihr could alone.

The creatures rushed from the pale towards the entry hole; Aadihr met them with plasma and fist, severing and bashing, dodging and intercepting as the family cover the gap in the wall for warmth.

. . .​

The wind bit through the robes to chill Aadihr to the bone, even despite the exertion of maintaining his perimeter. His breath condensed into small clouds, chest heaving as he pierced another vaguely humanoid creation.

"Come on then, Is that all you've got?!" He shouted, voice ragged and hoarse - the noise lured more of the witchspawn away from the sanctuary, towards the Miraluka knight. "Come and meet your end!"

Aris Noble​

 

[Aris Noble]

Gather them up and bring them in. Aris nodded once as he watched Aadihr. That was something he could do. Would do, even. Though the idea of splitting off from his master didn't exactly fill him with excitement. Still, it was for the best. He gave a single nod before he rushed off, the staff in his hand a blur of movement to crack into another witchspawn and send them sailing. He was quick, strong. It made it easy to get to the next group.

Not so easy to bring them back.

Aris gritted his teeth as he guided people back towards the main fire, leaping about the group to keep the witchspawn away. Keep the people safe. He was running himself ragged to do so, btu he had no intention of stopping. "There, the fire! Go, now!" He shouted, bringing his staff around for yet another of the beasts as they leapt towards another civilian.

"This is everyone close by, master!"

Aadihr Lidos

 

[Uranax]

Objective Two: Stuck in the City
//open interactions\\

SAVING PEOPLE
HUNTING THINGS​

The hab-bloc unit’s door was frosted shut. Moisture had gathered between the hinges and cracks, binding together magnetic locking seals and frying circuits. His fingers traced along the edges of it, shaking his head as he did so. Subthermal temperatures and hate-fueled winds battered against his betaplast.

White upon white, he was a ghost in the storm.

He was lesser in the Force than the jedi and heroes that scattered through the city – a mite in comparison. He knew enough to understand that he still had a presence, and those things would find him eventually. It was a matter of time, less than a matter of chance.

His kit was unprepared for this excursion, he responded in expediency instead of quality. His vibro-knife did little to chip away the hoarfrost, deep set.

He couldn’t waste time, he was insulated inside of his sealed environment, a comfortable warmth only bit into by the fiercest winds – the civilians that called this world home had no such comforts.

Hope, that is what the Jedi preached from their pulpits.

That is what he chose to believe in today.

Screams whistled through the sandstone and durasteel structure, and unsettling dichotomy with the winter.

Beasts or torrents, he knew not.

<I’m here.> His speaker-grill reported.

<Get out of sightline of the door, I’m going to have to blast it down. We will connect with Alliance evac groups soon. It’s not safe here.>

The only knowing he had of survivors were weak, fading heat signatures.

He raised his blaster, spared a glance down the hallway again, and placed a finger on the trigger.

This would be loud.

 

[Rayia Si]

Azurine Varek Corazona von Ascania Thea Nyko
Objective One: Slay the Witch

---

Rayia took the proffered cream gratefully, even if she grimaced at how thick it was. The thought of it seeping into her fur had Rayia shuddering. The prospect of her fur sticking together was a true nightmare. It took long enough to comb it as it was. Still, a mussed up coat was something that the Felacatian could survive. The very real prospect of suffering from frostbite on the now frozen world less so.

——

It was indeed a very rough descent. A descent made worse by the fact that Rayia’s Felacatian gifts allowed her to sense movement in her vicinity. Meaning, that as the shuttle plunged and bucked, Rayia perceived the descent as a continuous, rapidly accelerating fall. Rayia fought to keep herself in her seat as an itch settled into the marrow of her bones. A sensation of wrongness that caused Rayia’s primal instincts to flare. Rayia’s blood turned to fire within her veins as the beast within stirred against its restraints in the wake of her panic.

Muscles and bones seemed to move beneath her skin, shearing and infusing her stout frame in undulating wriggles. Each shudder of the shuttle caused Rayia to squeeze her eyes shut and burrow her clawed fingers into the upholstery of the shuttle’s seat. The pealing squeal of crumpling metal indicating that those claws had found the durasteel frame beneath and carved jagged rents into the metal.

A feral growl hissed through Rayia’s fangs as she pitched forwards in her seat. Though incomprehensible, it carried a surefire tone of cursing. The shuttle had made contact with the surface, scraping and skidding across the ice. Rayia’s restraints had caught her, bruising her shoulders as they stopped her from being hurled through the viewport. Freezing air slipped in from the opening hatch, stealing Rayia’s breath away like plucking fingers. Ripping herself out of her seat, Rayia followed Cora and the others out onto the ice.

A question pressed its way to the forefront of her mind, as the snow and wind battered at the small group. Perhaps Rayia was assigning intent where there was none. But, based on the stories Rayia had heard of this witch, it wasn’t too far outside the realm of possibility this storm was intended to sap their strength. “Do you think she’s picked up on our presence?”

 

[Azurine Varek]

The Eye of the Storm

Outfit: Clothing/Armor | Glove | Right Arm | Talisman
Weapons: Lightsaber 1 | Lightsaber 2 | Hook Swords

The storm battered against them, a merciless onslaught of wind and ice that made every step a struggle. Azurine’s boots crunched against the frozen ground as she trudged forward. The chill bit at her skin, even through her heavy cloak, but her focus was fixed on the distant, dark aura of the witch’s lair. She could only barely see it through the whipping winds and battering snow. It loomed ahead like a jagged wound on the white horizon, a beacon of malice in the howling storm.

For a moment, her sharp laugh cut through the howling wind like a sharp blade, her voice full of amusement. "Profanity? From me? No, absolutely not!" She called back, her voice laced with mock indignation. Hell, half the galaxy was probably still reeling from the things she'd said in past encounters. "Force help you if you're ever around when I'm actually mad."

Azzie shrugged, still chuckling, as she turned her attention to Thea. "Let’s just say it’s not something you can explain without some graphic detail. You’d probably never look at me the same way again, and I don’t think anyone’s ready for that kind of commitment." Her laughter bubbled up again, the storm outside almost drowning it out.

Soon, she was assessing the terrain and their next steps. The storm wasn’t natural, clearly given the terrain this place should have had. The Force throbbed around them, heavy with warning, and every instinct in her screamed that they were possibly walking into a trap. Letting out a breath, she watched it curl and dissipate into the icy air, turning to the group. "Rayia’s got a point," she said, her voice cutting through the wind. "This storm isn’t just bad luck. The witch probably knows we’re here."

Azzie took a moment to steady herself, planting her feet against the icy ground and forcing her body to relax despite the storm’s attempts to rob her of warmth and resolve. She raised her voice to be above the howling of the storm, her tone firm and determined. "That doesn't mean we’re going to just walk into a trap blind." She gestured toward the jagged terrain to their left, where the ice rose and fell in uneven ridges, forming a natural path that led closer to the lair without exposing them to the open field. "We need a plan. A flank, maybe. Cora, can you and Rayia take the main path? Draw her attention. Thea and I will loop around through those ridges and come at her from the side."

Her fiery amethyst eyes flicked between them. "And we watch each other’s backs, okay? This witch isn’t invincible, but she’ll probably try to turn us against ourselves if she gets the chance. No matter what happens, we don’t give her that chance. We've got this." She gave a quick grin and nodded to the team, her presence being outwardly clear as to just why she was a padawan of the Grandmaster.

As Azzie moved forward, she glanced at the others, lips quirking in a wry grin despite the cold. "Any of you ever face down a Force-wielding storm witch before? Because I sure as hell haven't, but at least I'm great at improvising."

Corazona von Ascania | Thea Nyko | Rayia Si​

 

[Jonyna Si]

​

TAG: Open to Interactions

Seeing Corazona von Ascania 's team enter their ship was one of those moments that caused Jonyna to feel a lump in her throat.

Maybe it was just her overthinking things. Maybe she was just paranoid.

But the last time she fought that thing, it ended with her losing all of her friends. That night was seared into her mind, a night of so many mistakes. So many follies on her part, so many moments of regret.

But she had to trust them. Had to believe they could achieve what she hadn't been able to.

And she had a job of her own.

Reports were slowly coming in. Rocs and Ladybugs slowly making their way down to Jedha city, fighting the wicked storm. One thing she could take solace in was the fact that this time, she had the industrial might of the Alliance behind her. Of her company, of everything she had built since coming out of that damned ice.

And this time, she could fight the storm.

​

The ride down was anything but smooth. The Roc, loaded with three squads of the GADF's finest medics and frontline troopers, lived up to it's name. Every bit of turbulence caused the cargo speeder to shake like a roller coaster, one trooper having to be scolded for taking the luxury of a pre-flight meal which now was splattered across the floor.

Jonyna didn't pay it much mind. Her mind was meditatively focused on her datapad. 30 Squadrons of Rocs, and 7 Ladybugs, sent down in strict formation. She couldn't risk losing anyone to mid-air collisions or poor flying. She obsessively switched between radio frequencies, listening to each only a few seconds at a time, searching for any sign of trouble.

Nothing yet.

Yet.

And then they made landfall. The moment they touched down, the troopers' commanding officer began barking orders that Jonyna seemed to zone out. Instead, she climbed out and began looking to the situation around her. She could sense Aris Noble and Aadihr Lidos nearby, her heart racing at the thought of the boy getting hurt. She knew he was an extraordinary jedi, but that didn't calm her anxiety. Even if they had parted ways as master and padawan, she couldn't help but worry about the boy.

Her senses reached out. She couldn't rely on her normal abilities, controlling the wind was an impossibility with the Witch's spells still active. But she knew better than to rely on one trick. One skill. She reached out, focusing her senses on what came next.

"Ma'am?"

Her focus was broken by the sound of that same officer tapping her on the shoulder.

"Sorry, was just focusing. What's up?"

The trooper gave her a strange look at the blasé response. "We've got a family up in that building, fifteenth floor. Stairway is completely blocked off by ice. You mind giving us an assist?"

Jonyna looked over to the building, letting out a raspberry as her mind switched to that of the hero. The rebel.

"....yeah I can do that."

It had been a long time, but she was still the Firestarter.

 

[Kaga Wah-Shmah]

Tag: Azurine Varek Corazona von Ascania Thea Nyko Rayia Si Djikra Elnev​

The storm swirled. Kaga could feel it, another witch's influence pushing back against her own. A strong push, but one she could fight back against.

She had waited so long. She would not be denied her purpose. She would not be foiled by a single pretender.

But she couldn't focus for too long on that. She could feel them. The je'daii approaching. The last group that had dared defy her had been slain, wrapped in an eternal winter and laid to rest, as all things should be.

She could feel them. 4 more souls, waiting to be put down. Waiting to be frozen.

The storm swirled. As the team approached, they were met by a towering structure. Kaga had fortified herself, taken what had once been a butte of sandstone, and turned it into a towering structure of ice and stone. A hundred feet up, giving Kaga a towering view of what came next.

As they approached, the crawling death met them. Long dead creatures and those buried there rose from the ground, guarding the fortress. Covered in ice, covered in snow, frozen corpses rising to meet the Je'daii.

Kaga would not let her frozen paradise be denied. She would defeat these je'daii, and move on to the next world. Then the next, then the next.

Until all are returned to their natural state.

 

[Thea Nyko]

"Improvising, huh?" she said, the corners of her lips twitched upward. "And no, I haven't faced a storm witch before. But I've fought enough things trying to kill me to have a pretty good idea of how to deal with it."

Her gaze flicked to the ridges Azzie had pointed out, scanning the terrain with a sharp, calculating expression. "Splitting up might work, but let's not kid ourselves—it's going to make us vulnerable. If she's smart, and I'm guessing she is, she'll try to pick us off one by one. So, whatever signal we're using, it better be loud and clear."

Their planning might be pointless now as frozen corpses were rising up in defense of the fortress.

"Of course, it's walking corpses." Thea sighed, her tone laced with equal parts annoyance and defiance. "Because a fortress of normal stone wasn't ominous enough."

Her hand hovered over her lightsaber hilt, fingers twitching with anticipation as she stepped forward, boots crunching through the snow. Her fiery eyes scanned the field, taking in the grotesque figures shambling toward them.

Azurine Varek Corazona von Ascania Rayia Si

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit | Wedding Ring
Weapons: Lightsabers

The icy winds howled through the Holy City streets, carrying a bitter chill that cut through even the thickest layers of clothing. The frost-coated buildings seemed to groan under the weight of the unnatural cold, their surfaces glittering like jagged diamonds in the dim light. Valery pulled her hood tighter around her hair, the biting cold stinging her cheeks. Beside her, Everest strode with purposeful determination, her sharp eyes scanning the frozen streets for any signs of life — or danger.

They rounded a corner, boots crunching against snow and ice, and Valery's fiery gaze landed on the lone figure standing against the creeping darkness: a woman clad in mismatched layers of jackets and hats, her hands gripping a harpoon like it was her lifeline. She seemed ready, though the frozen air carried a sense of unease.

Valery slowed her pace, her presence in the Force radiating calm and assurance as she called out to the stranger, her voice cutting through the gale. "You're braver than most to be out here alone. Why don't you stay close to us?"

"I have a feeling a lot of trouble is coming our way."

Before any response could come, the unnatural cold deepened, and the air grew heavy with malice. The first shadow flickered against the frost-laden walls, and then another. Low, guttural growls rumbled through the icy streets as the Sithspawn emerged from the darkness. Hulking forms of jagged ice and sinewy shadow began to take shape, their glowing eyes burning with malevolence.

Valery's hand snapped to her lightsaber, and with a sharp hiss, the brilliant violet blade ignited, casting flickering light across the snowy street. "Everest," she said, her tone steady but commanding, "Stay close and watch my back. I'll have yours."

Reina Daival Everest Vale ​

 

[Everest Vale]

Location: Holy City, Jedha
Outfit: Padawan Robes, Winter Tunic
Equipment: Valery Noble's Lightsaber (1)

The wind was brutal like nothing else. The stubborn cold made Everest's nose numb and her cheeks sore. Wrapped in a thick tunic draped with the robes of a padawan, she clung to the fabric, burying as much of her face as she could into her collar and against the hood as they traipsed through the frozen cityscape. This was her first time off-world since joining the Order, and Eve's nerves were almost as fierce as the winds that attacked them both at every angle. Even Eshan's colder landscapes were a luxury compared to the deathly frost that had draped itself about Jedha.

Her soft, silver eyes - reddened and teary from the endless onslaught of cold - flitted watchfully between their surroundings and the Grandmaster herself, who had agreed to take her on this mission as field experience. She was to follow her lead closely, she had iterated to her more than once on their way here, and in such a serious tone she was smart enough not to ignore. Above all, she was grateful to have Master Noble trust her enough to bring her along, even though that pressure threatened to enflame her already on-edge nerves. Through the fabric of her robe, she clung to the Grandmaster's twin lightsaber she had entrusted to her for this mission, deathly afraid she might lose it along the way. The metal was cold against her touch even through the heavy cloth blend.

A figure emerged into the foreground. Friendly. Everest stared cautiously, but Master Noble seemed to understand there was no threat as she invited her to join their party. She nodded quickly to her, eyes still diligently looking about the area, but as the flickering of a threat seemed to suddenly materialise, she froze. As if materialised from the very cold itself, a savage and hulking beast melted into view. Even from a distance, she could hear the creature's unsavoury groans of hunger and malice, and her legs locked as her sight narrowed into tunnel vision. An echo of a familiar voice, muffled and distorted, struggled to break through to her as her eyes locked with that of the beast's, and even the cold itself seemed to disappear as she could no longer speak, no longer move, no longer think. A simple sound bounced about the caverns of her mind, nonsensical and chaotic, until it began to formulate into something... familiar.

Ev... Ev... Ever... Ever... Evere...

"Everest." She blinked heavy and the noise of the wind tore against her ears once more as she was snapped back to the city. Her body suddenly gasped itself into present focus, shivering in response to the remembered cold, and she looked at Master Noble. "Stay close and watch my back. I'll have yours." Her voice was sure and authoritative, and it gave her an immediate strength. Everest nodded with a newfound firm resolve.
"Yes, Master." She reached for the Grandmaster's lightsaber. Its blade screeched into life, illuminating her face in purple. She looked at the beast again, heart racing, threatening to explode through her chest, and she tightened her grip about the blade's hilt.

Valery Noble Reina Daival​

 

[Reina Daival]

Location: Jedha
Objective: 2
Tags: Valery Noble Everest Vale

So cold. So sharp. Reina could feel the aching in her skin and her bones as the wind nipped away at any skin exposed to the air. Even still, she kept her hands wrapped around the Harpoon. It was the main weapon she still had left. Her fillet knife had snapped back when she was on Keshi. But that was in the past. She needed to stay focused on the here. The now. Especially as the hairs on the back of her neck started to stand up on edge. She wasn't alone in this winter storm.

"You're braver than most to be out here alone. Why don't you stay close to us?"

"I have a feeling a lot of trouble is coming our way."

One might have expected for the voice to have soothed Reina's concerns. And whilst she was calm, Reina knew better than to let her guard down. The fisherwoman's eyes darted towards the glowing blades in the snow, narrowing her eyes to herself. She recognised those blades. They were there during the Keshi raid. What was the word the old man had told her? Jeedai? Jedi? She knew they used the Spirit. Or well...the "Force". It was still a concept she was trying to wrap her head. The Sea was a Force of nature after all.

"You don't need ta ask me twice."

Reina made her way over towards the pair of Jedi. She was no fool. When it came to fighting, she'd normally rely on the guidance from the Spirit. But it was hard to rely on it. Every one of her senses had been numbed from the cold, from the wind. The Jedi were clearly going to be more capable with detecting whatever was out in the darkness waiting for the,. She'd just have to make sure she stayed away from those glowing blades. Which was going to be a bit of a struggle either way. All of the snow around her was making it hard for her to keep her balance as she trudged through the snow, feeling the crunch beneath her feet.

She'd be lying if she said she wasn't afraid. Even with the Jedi's presence, Reina didn't feel truly safe. But this wasn't her first brush with danger. The growls and roars in the distance did little to shake her stance. The Harpoon held at the ready to throw, whilst her eyes scanned around them.

You aren't alone, Wee Wind. Focus. Don't overextend yourself.

The familiar voice of her ex-Skipper echoed in the back of her mind. Reina knew he wasn't actually talking to her. It was her own mind trying to comfort her. But her mind had a point. Her eyes darted towards the two Jedi, to try and memorise them. Nodding at the pair as she deemed them trustworthy enough to put her life in their hands.

"Remember to breathe. It's gonna be hard in the cold. But it makes it easier to ignore the fear."

Of course...the Jedi probably didn't need that advice. Reina was mostly saying it out loud to remind herself as she waited. And waited....

Just like hunting Aggrocrabs...Wait for the right moment and...throw!

And with that thought, Reina threw her harpoon into the wind, letting the pained howl echo through the sky...It was time for her to see if her own training in the Force was going to come in useful as she focused on pulling the Harpoon back to her. Time to rely on someone else to protect her.

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit | Wedding Ring
Weapons: Lightsabers

Valery scanned the icy streets, locking onto the hulking shapes forming in the snowstorm. The bitter cold bit at her exposed skin, but the chill didn't faze her — her mastery of Tapas kept her warm, the heat radiating from within her as though the Force itself burned in her veins. Without a word, she shrugged off her heavy outer robes, revealing the sleek black jumpsuit she wore beneath. It hugged her frame, offering freedom of movement that she would undoubtedly need.

The biting wind caught the edge of her discarded robe and carried it away, but Valery stood firm, her violet blade casting flickering shadows on the frost-laden walls.

She glanced at Everest, who stood with determination despite her earlier nerves, and at Reina, whose harpoon was now held steady and ready for the next strike. Valery's voice cut through the howling wind, steady and strong.

"Good throw," she said to Reina, nodding at the fisherwoman's harpoon embedded in the shadows ahead. Then her gaze swept toward Everest. "Stay sharp and remember your training. Watch my flank, and don't let them surround us."

The air grew heavier, the cold almost tangible as the Sithspawn materialized fully from the shadows. Their forms were twisted amalgamations of ice and darkness, their jagged edges gleaming in the light of Valery's blade. They moved with an unnatural, predatory grace, their glowing eyes fixed on the trio.

The lead creature let out a guttural roar, shattering the fragile silence, and lunged forward.

Without hesitation, Valery charged to meet it, her movements fluid and precise. Her blade arced through the air in a bright streak, colliding with the creature's icy claw with a hiss and crackle as it vaporized on contact. She twisted around, delivering a sharp kick to its midsection that sent it staggering back into the snow.

"Hold the line!" Valery shouted, her voice ringing with authority as she engaged the creature again. The Sithspawn snarled and swiped at her, but she weaved around its attacks, every motion deliberate and controlled.

Reina Daival Everest Vale ​

 

[Jack Wright]

​

(Objective: Exploration. Tags: OPEN)

One stab to the wall just above his right, futilely hindering the corrupt spread of ice, Jack dragged his reverse-grip lightsaber through frozen stone, traversing through the terrain as the cold roars of the blizzards slowly begun to quieten, the further he walked across those vacant caverns. Boots persisted against the sheet forming across the floor, the witch determined to blanket all in her long-awakened fury.

Well, a witch was still only a witch. His peers can handle her, but if they didn't... He had no cause to worry.

What best mattered, for Jack right now, were navigating these ancients walls to unbury the secrets of the caverns, and return them to the Order... After he had a peek, of course. Finder's privilege, and all, wouldn't it be fair? It was highly unlikely Jack would benefit from the knowledge of the Whills greatly.

But he'd at least like to make the trip worthwhile.

 

[Corazona von Ascania]

Thea Nyko Azurine Varek Rayia Si Kaga Wah-Shmah

The near-whiteout conditions made it difficult to see any structures around them, but the towering butte ahead helped to break the winds. Their visibly increased just enough to see the towering structure of ice covered stone, and the lumbering bodies of the undead rising from the snow. The knight tilted her head in consideration.

"I would not split up until we make it inside."

As she spoke, Cora's focus sharpened on the specters ahead. Cloaked in swirling white, it was difficult to make out any discerning characteristics. Still, she mirrored Thea's distaste.

"I've never faced a Force-wielding storm witch, no," Cora sighed. "But I am unfortunately accustomed to the undead." They seemed to be a favorite of the Sith, too, as glazed-over foot soldiers and vectors for infection. "Be careful not to let them touch you until we know more – whatever ichor they carry could be spread through-"

Blue eyes went wide, then snapped to the ground. A pale hand shot upward through the ice and would've wrapped around her ankle had she not leaped out of the way.

"Below us!" she shouted, saber flaring to life. Zombified hands emerged from beneath the four Jedi, attempting to drag the intruders down and claw their way to the surface. The blue blade hissed wildly in the snowfall as it bisected the torso of the ghoul as it tried to clamber for her through the cold crystals.

If any of them elected to swear in this moment, they would not receive a reprimand.

 

[Everest Vale]

Location: Holy City, Jedha
Outfit: Padawan Robes, Winter Tunic
Equipment: Valery Noble's Lightsaber (1)

The strange beasts were awful, snarling masses of cold shards and smoke. Everest watched as Master Noble expertly tangled with the abomination that heaved great strikes against her, as Eve herself held the lightsaber with over-prepared diligence. Her eyes flitted to the young lady who had joined them, who had hurled her harpoon into the darkness. Something screeched, and Everest watched with high alertness as she pulled the harpoon back to herself with vigour.

She noticed a refraction against the dull light shifting behind the girl, which transformed into sharp shadow. Another great beast had emerged behind the harpooner, hulking claws crunching down into the ice from which it seemed to grow. It eyed the young woman viciously.
"H-Hey, look out!" she screamed through the wind, but she knew it wouldn't be enough. Her mind was empty and still, and something compelled her forward without any sense of resistance or hesitation.

Her feet started moving without command. The brilliant purple blade was suddenly raised above her head, poised for a downward strike, as she leapt through the air beyond her own conscious volition, and a scream escaped her as she became drunk on the adrenaline. The blade cut through icy black flesh without remorse, a burst of black tar spewing against Everest's face and robe. The beast's roar of pain seemed to shake the ground itself, as it heaved itself into rotation and swiped a heavy claw at its attacker. Everest's eyes widened, entirely defenceless so close, and she raised an arm helplessly. The impact pushed her back further than she could perceive and, suddenly realising she was horizontal, she could feel the wet cold soaking through the back of her robe and tunic. Her whole body felt so cold.

But her left arm. She couldn't feel it at all.

Dizzy, she tried desperately to pull herself back to the present, and as the blur of her vision gradually returned she could see a hulking shadow looming above her. As the drip of tar-like drool stung her face, her rolling eyes could make out jagged yellow icicles within a gaping maw of endless black, and she knew it was over.

Valery Noble Reina Daival​

 

[Reina Daival]

Location: Jedha
Objective: 2

The Jedi were capable. Reina had never seen someone fight like this. Though she stayed focused on the harpoon. Willing it to come back to her. It was taking it's sweet time. Urgh. Why did she throw her only weapon? She needed something to make this more reliable. As she felt the pull of the Harpoon coming back through the dark, the hair on the back of her neck stood up once again.

"H-Hey, look out!"

Reina swung her head round, raising her arm ready to try and block a strike herself. It was foolish of her to expect to be able to take a strike from one of these creatures, but she stood her ground. Turning tail to run or dodging wasn't necessarily in her nature. Instead however, she saw the younger Jedi move through the air to deal with the beast...Though it wasn't a fatal blow. Evident by the fact that she saw Everest Vale be sent hurtling through the air by a set of claws. Come on...She needed her harpoon back faster...She could see the beast getting closer to the younger Jedi and her eyes darted towards the Master Jedi...

"I've got her!"

It was better in her eyes for Valery Noble to stay focused on their surroundings, instead of focusing on rescuing the silver haired Jedi. With a spin on the heel of her boots, Reina made her way towards the beast. Even with the fear in her heart, she wasn't going to freeze or hesitate. Her focus on bringing the harpoon back being broken as the red-headed lass threw herself on top of the beast. By the Spirit, she was an idiot. "I've got her". Yeah. Totally. That's why she was currently slamming her fist into the back of some horrendous beast...and it was also why she felt a set of claws digging into her shoulder, as the beast reached back to grab the irritant that was on its back...before slamming Reina down into the cold, hard ground.

If it wasn't for the fact that the ground was somewhat cushioned by the snow...Well, Reina probably wouldn't even be awake right now. The world was spinning. Everything was hazy and blurry whilst her ears were ringing. The pulse of her heartbeat sending a ripple of a headache through her head as she tried to focus. Reaching her hand out towards the beast as it raised its claws up into the air...before a harpoon came soaring through its back and pierced out the other side.

...Hey. It worked...No time to cheer. Need to get up to my feet.

 

[Ran Serys]

The frozen abominations bore down on the knight and padawan. Their number alone was alarming. The Jedi were beset on all sides and needed to relieve themselves of the icy threats. Ran spun and swung her blade. In the reverse grip she took the head off of one of the creatures. Its crystalline body went limp and burst into millions of snowflakes, then taken away by the wind as little more than falling snow.

Ran spinning through her initial strike, delivered another slash through another creature’s midsection before pivoting and lopping off the leg of another. Bisected bodies and limbs crashed against the ground becoming the remains of unanimated snow piles. Ran did this all in an instant. She was a blur, a green tornado not easily lost in the white of the snow, but difficult to catch. She moved with a blinding speed few could and when she stopped that’s when the creatures moved against her. Jumping out of the blinding white flurry, a creature transformed looking more monster than man, and brought its giant frozen maul of a hand down toward Ran’s shoulder. Colette’s warning put Ran into motion. It was enough as Ran escaped from the blow in a roll across the snow. The iron-like hand cracked the ground beneath it.

Her hair, her bare arms and feet covered in snow as she rolled back to a standing position. The cold white powder caked onto her tiny top and skirt changing their color from brown to white. Ran’s blood boiled in battle. She did not experience the cold, only the bite of a fight for survival. The monster aimed it’s giant jagged fist at Ran, almost as if it meant to taunt the woman.

Knowing Colette’s warning had saved her, Ran didn’t like to give the order she knew she had to. “Don’t worry about me! Focus on the enemy before you!” Ran shouted through the heavy winds of the snow storm as multiple ice creatures lept into an attack against the young Jedi. Ran threw herself at the larger monster, knowing she could not assist Colette until it was slain.

Colette​

 

[Aadihr Lidos]

Outfit: Field Attire | Sigil Bead Earring
Weapons: Walking stick / Lightsaber Pike | Legion Long Range Precision Rifle Mark I

"This is everyone close by, master!"

" Thank you, Aris." Aadihr slumped from exhaustion, the street nearby now a hosting piles of ice and twice-killed corpses. "I'll retreat myself, we can shore up the building and warm our bones."

Aris's voice had brought relief. The Miraluka had dropped to a knee in the snow amidst the blizzard. Even as he caught his breath, meat and ice began to slowly reform more witchspawn. So it would be until the conjurer was Thwarted.

The sound of distant blaster fire revealed more support forces within the city. Leaning on his staff, Aadihr stood and limped back to the blanket-covered hole of the domicile, announcing his arrival to the mother with his rifle. As soon as he had entered, a few of the survivors slid a bookshelf back into place, restoring the warm atmosphere. Dozens of people were packed into building, sitting on the furniture, floor, stairs, huddled for warmth. Aadihr was impressed that Aris had managed to rescue so many in the time he had bought.

A few of the survivors made room on the furniture for the two Jedi, the mother returning Aadihr's rifle to him. An elderly man began fussing over Aadihr's wounds - wounds he had barely noticed due to the numbing chill still leaving his bones. Frozen blood from his robes began melting and soaking into the fabric as the elder insisted Aadihr remove his thick, fur lined robes to bandage the various lacerations and punctures.

"You've done very well, Aris" Aadihr spoke earnestly. "Every single soul here is saved, thanks to you. Myself included."

The elderly man procured a pot of warm dark liquid heated over the fire, poured into mugs and offered to Aris, as well as a blanket to cover the large and lightly-dressed boy, evidently unaware of Aris's superior Tapas capability.

The gratitude of each of the survivors provided just as much warmth to the room as the fire. It was reflected in their aura as well as their faces, their words - most of them personally carried or guided by Aris. Aadihr himself felt pride for the boy, even if he had barely had time to mentor the boy. Pride shifted to guilt when he recalled the suspicion he had when first meeting Aris on Niv Hani.

Aadihr studies Aris's aura, trying to determine what the boy what feeling or thinking. The knight felt that he had been lax in bonding with the Padawan, doing a disservice to him. Some of the survivors were peeking through sheet-covered windows, keeping watch. Surely they had some time to rest.

Aadihr accepted a mug from the elder, and tried to break the ice with his new Padawan. "How are you faring? Anything on your mind?"

Aris Noble | OPEN to OBJ 2​

 

[Rayia Si]

Azurine Varek Corazona von Ascania Thea Nyko Jonyna Si
Objective One: Slay the Witch

---

Azzie’s support of her idea caused Rayia to smile faintly. She was glad to hear that the others believed there was some merit to the idea. “As such, we should foresee that the witch will have set up obstacles to further sap our strength. Do we know if the witch is alone?” Rayia asked.

Spire-like structures formed strange shapes beneath the blanket of snow and ice that led up to the frozen fortification where, presumably, the wItch had made her lair. If Rayia had to guess, these were the remnants of collapsed buildings straining against the weight of the ice that had settled over them. A desperate clawing towards the sky that caused a series of asymmetrical ridges and spires where the snow was thinnest. Just to the left for example, a sheared building top lay propped up against the mound of a hill of ice. Its three, broken windows staring forlornly at the group like the hollow eye sockets of some exotic beast.

A shadow passed over Rayia’s face as she heard Azzie’s next question. All traces of joy were wiped from her expression, as it settled instead into a stony mask. The set of gnarled, raking scars down her shoulders and back burned like fire. A memory surfaced unbidden as Rayia’s fingers twitched. They wrapped comfortingly around the metallic ring pommel affixing Light Fang to her belt. Rayia pressed the freezing metal into her fingers despite its bite. “Yes,” she growled but did not elaborate further.

Nor would she have had the chance if she had chosen to. Her tail bristled with the vibrations of movement as it picked up on the muted burrowing of individuals beneath the ice. Thus, Rayia was already jumping by the time Cora’s warning came and grasping, blue fingers were attempting to ensnare their ankles. But the figures hauling themselves up from the snow were not the only sources of movement. “To our left! They’re coming from the windows,” Rayia called.

Through her Felacatian tail, a highly sensitive sensory organ, Rayia could feel the thrumming of footsteps coming from the building to their left. She could see the three shambling individuals making their way to the lip of the bowed in opening. And then suddenly, three bodies were tumbling through the air.

Rayia could see that these were the corpses of a Rodian, Mon Calamari, and a human. The trio did not jump, but rather fell towards the group with outstretched fingers dripping black ichor. Two missed, slamming into the ground with enough force to shake Rayia’s footing. She grimaced, feeling their shattered bodies begin to crawl towards her at the behest of whatever foul Magik was animating them. The last one, the human, impaled itself upon an expectant, blazing flash of golden light as Rayia pulled Light Fang from her belt and thumbed it on. A bubble of heat, like a desert wind, bloomed around Rayia as her lightsaber ignited, boiling blood and ice in its vicinity to steam and filling the air with the scent of burning flesh.

 

[Aris Noble]

Aris nodded his head to Aadihr, even smiled a little, but he was quiet for the time being. He could hear them out in the distance, more of the Witchspawn hunting. Blindly, thankfully, so they weren't on track on finding them just yet, but they were out there. It was only a matter of time. He blinked though as he was offered a drink, glancing to the man then back to the cup. Hot cocoa? Maybe.

It wasn't Valery Noble 's though.

Still he drank it, giving a brief smile before he held back up the blanket. "Thank you for the drink, but I don't need the blanket. Give it to someone who does. I stay very warm." He raised a hand, letting his skin glow until it looked less like a hand and more like a vaguely hand shaped flame. He closed his hand shortly after, letting the flame snuff out.

"I'm fine, actually. Worried about the others. Do you think they'll get this summoner soon?"

Aadihr Lidos