The First Thread of the Witches Web

[Edison Bulkhead]

When spider webs unite, they can tie up a lion.
--Ethiopian proverb

The Redwing, Edison Bulkhead's modified Freefall-class ship, needed a good deal of space to touch down, rather than the tiny pad required of a shuttle or starfighter. So it was that she had spent a good deal of time in atmosphere, searching for a clearing large enough to put down.

"They'll find you." That's what her mother had told her as she helped her youngest daughter pack. "That's what your grandmother said about the Witches. You find Dathomir, and they'll find you, assuming you've got what they need." She smiled at her daughter's wide eyes and unasked question. "The Force. And you do, so don't worry." She leaned her forehead against her daughter's, as she always did to show affection. "The Force will show the way. It may not always make sense, the path it puts you on, but every step you take on the path will bring you that much closer to where you need to be."

"And where's that?" asked Edison, closing up her last bag.

"Well that's the question you'll need to answer for yourself, little Acklay." That was Cordray's term of endearment for her youngest, given when Edison was just cutting her teeth and had bit her older brother Etoh so hard that it had drawn blood.

So the ship touched down in a large field of flattened grass, surrounded on three sides by trees and the fourth by a large hill that grew into a mountain behind it. Exiting the Ruby, Edison streched her muscles and took a deep breath. It smelled everywhere of nature. Looking towards the hill, she saw that it was actually a cave entrance, ringed by gossamer lace. No, not lace at all.

Spider silk.

 

[Edison Bulkhead]

It was a time of moving. The darker clans were being brought under one roof. Better put it, they were going to be under one mountain. The Morte Clan had a massive stronghold when the planet had larger population. At the time, it was the most before a time of madness, plague, and darkness. Petra returned to clean up and return strength into the hands of witches.

A new wing in the stronghold was being made for the Spiderclan. That was what brought a few Nightsisters and Petra to the current clan’s stronghold. Comfort and familiarity was important for all. Petra came out of the entrance with a Spiderclan member. The two were talking about future modifications to their spiders like what was going on with the rancors. However their chat was stopped by Petra. The feeling of another in the force outside the normal feelings of those on the planet already was the cause of the pause. Then an outsider looking towards them was the large clue.

Petra went towards the newest guest on the planet. It was done with speed, but nothing unseen to the naked eye. It was clear she was coming to Edison even with the speed. A fun fact, anyone using the force to make their running faster does not move in the speed of light like some might do. Petra slowing down and came up to Edison with an approach similar to a light jog or power walking. Taking a moment for air, then she greeted the young woman. “I am Ma’tra Petra… Clan Mother if don’t know Paecen. So who are you and what brings you here, dear?”

 

[Edison Bulkhead]

Edison smiled at the older woman. "Pleased to meet you...Ma'tra!" she said, using the proper title. Might as well start now, she reasoned."I'm Edison Bulkhead, and I've come to be trained in the ways of the Witches of Dathomir. My grandmother, Teagan Blowbye, was a Witch. Or at least that's what my mother told me. I...well, I can speak with animals. Maybe not speak, but communicate. My mother said I was using the Force, but not like a Jedi does." Edison went on to briefly explain her upbringing on rugged Felucia*.

"My mother told me that when I arrived on Dathomir I should reach out with my emotions," Edison continued, "that it would lead me to the proper place." She looked around, focusing on the cave entrance. "I think this is where I'm meant to be. To learn, I mean."

*see her biography for details, link below signature.

 

[Edison Bulkhead]

Listening to the young woman’s words, it was interesting, and for one that communicated with beasts there could be job and lessons open. How the witches spoke and dealt with rancors and large spiders of Dathomir, this new one would have a blast. Well that was the thought Petra had before speaking to Edison. She gave a smile with her words, “Came to the right spot… this clan like the others do speak with the animals, but here there are large spiders too. A witch and their rancor or spider companions speak to each like dear friends. Once understanding and connection is formed you could speak to any beast here with little effort. You see, using the force and being exposed to abilities almost every moment of the day makes the feat second nature. This is how we hunt and live… spiders and rancors need us, and we need them. So you’ll feel more at home as you are trained.”

Petra gave a moment of silence before she let her question out. “What have you been told about the witches by your mother?”

 

[Edison Bulkhead]

"Let's see," replied Edison, looking up at the sky as she thought of an answer. "She said they -- I mean you -- are a matriarchal society, which is awesome by the way, and that you were divided into clans. I'm not sure why. Is it because of where you live on Dathomir, or do you follow different rules? I think I remember her saying that the Witches were all descended from a Jedi who came here thousands of years ago after being cast out of the Jedi Order, and that she devoted herself to learning the ways of the Force on her own, and that she created Laws and passed them down, but some of the Witches didn't like them and created their own which focused more on the Dark Side of the Force." She paused for a moment, trying to recall anything else her mother might have said. "It was mostly myths and stories, really, that my grandmother passed down. Like I said, she was a Witch too, although I think she's been dead for a long time. My mother never really talked about the Witches until she saw me with the animals." Edison didn't mention the pride in her mother's eyes when she recognized her daughter's potential; the potential of the child of a bought woman to rise above the hardships she'd lived.

"I'm probably missing a lot of details," she admitted. "Apparently my grandmother wasn't exactly forthcoming with what she'd learned; she just told little pieces of things. Fragments. I guess that when she got pregnant with my mother she left Dathomir and struck out on her own. I don't even know where she wound up."

 

[Edison Bulkhead]

"That's it in a nutshell," said the spacelane witch from nearby. She rose, dusting spiderweb off her coat. With a nod to Petra, she took charge.

"Allya, her name was Allya. A failed Jedi who was exiled to a prison camp here. All of us are her descendants. About nine hundred years ago, the first Nightsisters arose - Gethzerion, Talzin, Baritha, Kyrisa. Ever since then, either within the other clans or as their own clans, Nightsisters have formed their own traditions, even their own proprietary abilities.

"I won't sugar-coat it, kid." She tapped her cheek, where Nightsister power had burst blood vessels in a thin spiderweb of purple, and gestured to her yellow eyes. "All power has its price, and ours more than most. As someone said once, the only hot Nightsister is a weak Nightsister. I can do just about anything I put my mind to, I can teach you to do the same, but there's a cost to walk our way. I need to know you're ready for that.

 

[Edison Bulkhead]

Edison smirked. "Looks fade. And where I come from, working from dawn to night, outside, in all kinds of weather, they fade faster. The women of Felucia don't care much about physical beauty so long as they can work. It's just life on the frontier. I never much cared for fancy dresses and makeup and making sure my nails were clean anyway," she said with a shrug. "Always too many other things to do." She didn't add that she wouldn't mind wearing a fancy dress, putting on makeup, or making sure her nails were clean from time to time, just that she'd never found much reason for doing so.

Within the cave, she felt herself being watched, and reached out with the Force, the same way she'd done at home. She could feel the presence of the giant spiders; warm, comforting, waiting for her. How could people fear such amazing creatures? This one was getting hungry, and wanted to hunt. Edison wondered what such a creature fed on.

"She's watching me," she said to the assembled witches. "Can I go say hi?"

 

[Edison Bulkhead]

Edison Bulkhead got a nod of approval. Rave's background was, to put it bluntly, spacer trash, with a multitude of traveling companions and piecemeal jobs. Between that and long years hammering at a forge, Rave was sort of the definition of a blue-collar Master.

"Go right ahead," she said. "They'll recognize their own, but they respect strength of will. Affection, but not helplessness. Not fearlessness without foundation."

 

[Edison Bulkhead]

Edison had no fear of animals; she'd been raised around beasts of burden, combat, and riding all her life, but she did respect the ones she hadn't personally come into contact with yet. So the new witch moved slowly, calming her breathing and reaching out through the Force with thoughts of good will and companionship. Mixed with those, she added a dose of respect and a healthy push of self-confidence, because one thing she knew about animals was that they would get away with as much as you allowed them to, and first impressions counted for a lot.

As she approached the mouth of the cave, a massive blue spider, as tall as Edison's shoulder, stepped from the shadows. She could sense more behind this one, but this one was the one that came to greet her. Edison knew the thing was poisonous, could feel the energy and hunter's instinct coarsing through it, and felt her own blood rising. It wanted to go out there, it wanted to feed, and it wondered if this girl before it might not be a prime target.

"Beautiful lady," said Edison quietly. "You want to hunt? You should go. I've come to join you here, but I can't hunt right now. I've only just arrived, you see, and have much to learn. I hope I can learn from you, too."

The huge blue spider regarded the girl for several moments, then dipped its head until its mandibles touched the earth before turning and climbing up the outside of the cave wall, moving quietly into the trees.

Edison turned back to Rave. "She likes me," she said simply. "So what do you think? Am I ready?"

 

[Edison Bulkhead]

Edison felt the wind rushing through her hair as she rode atop the mighty rancor. She reached out her left hand, letting it slap through the leaves of a nearby tree, exulting in the freedom and the dangerous speed of the beast beneath her.

The past three months had been a revelation. She had always been good with animals on her family's ranch, but here, being trained to communicate directly with the creatures, to use her gifts with the Force to bend them to her trainer's will, had opened doors for her she never could have conceived of back on Felucia. This was power, pure and simple, and Edison liked it.

In addition to continuing to develop her skills with the monsters of Dathomir, she'd also begun studying the ways of the Witches; their history, their language, their craft. Kynan, Clan Mother of Spiderclan, drilled the girl for hours each day; sometimes sitting deep within a Spiderclan cave, staring into a fire or a cauldron, sometimes out here in the wild. She learned of the Book of Law and the Book of Shadows, and of how and why Dathomir Magic differed from the use of the Force. She channeled spirit ichor and learned how to make herself invisible to animals. She could now confuse lesser minds using her witchcraft, and stun another being with her magic as well.

Today, though, she rode.

 

[Petra Cavataio]

[member="Edison Bulkhead"]

As the leader of the Nightsisters Over-clan, Petra was visiting the clans under the rule of the Nightsisters. The Spiderclan was on the list of visits. Some of the reason why she was there had been given to Kynan, but Petra always kept the big picture to herself. The world had gone through so much and the big picture that Petra had declared the removal of the dead weight. Even if recent events had lessen the number, it was now time to step up and take their magick and the force to show all the true might of Dathomir.

Petra had summoned two witches before her. Both were initiates, non-Dathomirians by blood. She waited on Edison and Callie. The test of their knowledge would happen under her. This was also a test to see if the Clan Mother was doing right by Dathomirian law, Petra’s law.

 

[Edison Bulkhead]

Edison was in the process of currying one of the massive riding spiders of her new clan, enjoying the simple labor of brushing and checking the animal for injuries or parasites, when word came that Ma'tra Cavatalo had summoned her. Not wished to speak to her, not when you have a moment. Petra Cavatalo was the leader of all the Nightsisters, and by right of that office held the ability to summon. Edison put away her grooming tools, gave the spider a final skritch where it's head met its body, washed quickly, and presented herself to Petra.

"You wanted to see me, Ma'tra?"


[member="Petra Cavataio"]

 

[Petra Cavataio]

[member="Edison Bulkhead"]

((Not sure if the font is evil or something but Cavataio has an ‘i’))

“Yes I did… I also summoned another who seems to be late.” Petra stated before getting up. Walking over to the right of the room, a table sat there with two wooden boxes. It was slightly large than a briefcase. In them were trials both would have started if there on time. Petra just selected one and brought it back. Holding it in her hands, she asked the student. “After being here for some time, tell me what you have learned about Allyan Magic and Dathomirian Magick.”

 

[Edison Bulkhead]

[member="Petra Cavataio"]

"Well," began Edison, "Allyan magic is what the witches call the form of magic that doesn't follow the Book of Shadows. They think that the Nightsister's form of magic is a corrupted one. Dathomir magic is also called Shadow Magic. It comes from the Book of Shadows. It was started by..." she paused for a moment, trying to recall. "Mother Geth...sorry." She shook her head. "I can't remember. But she wrote it to differentiate us from the ones who were learning from the Book of Law."

 

[Petra Cavataio]

[member="Edison Bulkhead"]

“and which is of the force and which is of the world... Each book or a different arrangement?” Adding in the question to smoke out what she was looking for. While the question was asked, Petra turned the case in her hands. Then it was open to reveal five scrolls that were from the Book of Shadows that was of Allya’s teachings. However, Petra was going to correct it all after she got her next answer.

 

[Edison Bulkhead]

Edison shrugged. She didn't know, not really, but she did think she had learned enough to hazard a guess.

"I'm not exactly sure, to be honest. Witches don't believe in the Force, not the same way other people do. Our power comes from the spirits, not some midichlorian-based biology that someone can measure. So from that perspective I guess both the Book of Law and the Book of Shadows are from the world. But," she continued, scratching the back of her head, "If the clan witches like the Singing Mountain and Red Hills and others follow Allya and Allya was a Jedi, then the Book of Law is based on the Force, it's just a wrong interpretation."

She looked up at Petra to see if she was anywhere near the mark.

[member="Petra Cavataio"]

 

[Petra Cavataio]

[member="Edison Bulkhead"]

There were some reminders of a daughter Petra had because of Edison’s unsureness and roundabout way of getting almost on the mark with the answer. So her tone did not come off as upset or displeasing, it was leaning on motherly a bit. “Almost got there… But both are based on Allya’s teachings and how we access the force. Like the spirits through our older magick, the force is a spirit we ask or command to do a task we desire through the spells and rituals that evolved from use of spirit ichor.” There was a moment for a breath, quick pause before continuing, “As strong as we are with the gifts our world gives us, we only have potions and trinkets to use when on other worlds. The Dathomiran spirits are of this world only and why Allya’s teachings of the force have strengthened us in use of another source for our magic when off world. Making sense, sweetie?”

 

[Edison Bulkhead]

Edison nodded. "I think so. So on Dathomir we're more of the earth, and out there," she pointed to the sky and the stars beyond, "we're more of the Force because we can't summon spirit ichor. But ultimately they're just expressions of the same thing?" It made perfect sense when Petra explained it that way, and Edison felt a pride of place growing in her, as if the spirits of Dathomir were grounding her. "Are there any other planets where we can summon spirits, or is Dathomir the only one? I'm just wondering if there were Dathomiri somewhere else at some point, maybe their spirits are still there?"

[member="Petra Cavataio"]

 

[Petra Cavataio]

[member="Edison Bulkhead"]

“Well that is where it gets tricky… We might be able to summon spirits on Felucia but it wouldn’t be a strong bond like the shamans there have. At the same time, I wouldn’t try or allow others with me to summon spirits on Korriban. The spirits of the Sith are tricky people since some don’t go quietly into the night.” Petra knew first-hand how some Sith would take any form of living over permanent death. She was one of them that clung to anything to exist longer than what nature had planned. “It is just simpler and easier to summon up the force when away from Dathomir and not anger spirits on other worlds. As much as you might want to act on summoning up power of another world, remember it works two ways and opening yourself up for those spirits to do whatever they desire which could be as simple as hurting to possessing you or even worse… the destruction of your own spirit.”

Petra paused to take a moment to think about the last question that was asked. The only first-hand experiences were with killing her children that were not on Dathomir. Outside of that, she could not remember Dathomiri leaving the world and not returning. So the best answer one could give that never had researched such an idea before, “Those that die away from Dathomir are claimed by the force… that might be why no true child of Dathomir really leaves the world and why we all seem to be stuck in the old ways and stopped from progressing like the Mandos have progressed… tech wise.”

 

[Edison Bulkhead]

Edison nodded. "Got it." She looked around, taking in her surroundings, pausing to look back into the darkness of the spider's cave. "Well, I don't know that I'll be able to spend the rest of my life here, but if I do, I don't think it'd be that bad." She smiled. There were beasts to tame and there was witchcraft to learn.

"What's next?" she asked enthusiastically. "Can you show me how to summon some spirits?"

[member="Petra Cavataio"]