Mission The Frozen Ascent | RNR Vanguard

[Lorn Reingard]

Allies: Aiden Porte | Lily Decoria | Connel Vanagor | Rosalyn Dubois
Foes: Kasir Dorran | Darth Strosius Soah Ty’Jyn

Location: Enarc

Spoiler

Vanguard, prepare yourselves. This is a mission thread. You are heading into the Alarich Mountains to rescue Lorn. This mission will test your skills, teamwork, and resolve. You will be tested with an unforgiving mountain pass, predatory creatures, and determined sentinels. Kasir and Lorn are in the cave on top of the Mountains. Strosius will be running the NPC Enemies for you on the way up. Feel free to NPC any Vanguard as well.

​

The flickering gas lamps of the Amidala Naval Prefecture cast long, dancing shadows across the weary faces of the Vanguard. Days had passed since the Seeds of Rage had ripped through Enarc, leaving a gaping wound in the heart of their Republic and a profound scar on their souls. They were a broken force, clinging to life in this borrowed sanctuary. Yet, even in retreat, duty held strong.

Lorn, Commander of the Vanguard, patrolled the perimeter with his most trusted man, Alfie. The air was heavy with the ghosts of the fallen and the unspoken fears of what lay ahead. They walked in silence, a shared understanding passing between them with each measured step. It was during this grim vigil that they saw it, a flicker of movement in the darkness, a silhouette detached from the shadows, observing their makeshift base.

Instantly, a sense of dread washed over Lorn. This was no simple scout, this was something far more sinister. He and Alfie moved to intercept, but before they could even draw their weapons, a wave of psychic energy slammed into their minds. Visions of horror, fragments of forgotten nightmares, and whispers of impending doom flooded their consciousness.
Alfie staggered back, clutching his head, his eyes wide with terror. Lorn, however, seemed… different. The darkness swirling around them seemed to resonate with something within him, a dormant power he had long suppressed. The shadowy figure recognized it, too. A cruel smile twisted its lips as it reached for Lorn, its touch like a venomous ice. In a blink, Lorn was gone, whisked away with a handful of guards back into the oppressive darkness of the ruined city.

Alfie awoke on the cold stone, the chilling remnants of the psychic assault lingering in his mind. He scrambled to his feet, his heart pounding against his ribs. He dispatched scouts immediately, desperate for any sign of his commander.

The news they brought back the following morning was grim. The shadow, with Lorn in tow, had retreated high into the treacherous Alarich Mountains. Their makeshift lair was a cave nestled near the snowy peak, a fortress guarded by packs of savage icewolves and heavily armed sentinels. The mountain pass itself was a labyrinth of treacherous cliffs and icy ravines, a natural barrier designed to deter all but the most determined.

Alfie, his face etched with worry and resolve, gathered the remaining Vanguard and some possible warriors that expressed interest in joining their ranks. The exhaustion in their eyes was palpable, but beneath it burned a flicker of loyalty, a spark of defiance.

"We lost him." Alfie's voice was raw, but steady. "Last night, a creature of shadow infiltrated our perimeter and took Commander Lorn. Our scouts have located their hideout, a cave high in the Alarich Mountains. The pass is heavily guarded, and the weather is unforgiving."

He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in.

"This will be the most challenging mission we've faced yet. The mountains themselves are our enemy, and the enemy we face there is unknown. We will need to rely on each other, to fight as one. We will climb that mountain, overcome every obstacle, and bring our commander home."

The fire of determination began to spread through the ranks. The devastation of Enarc, the defeat at the hands of the Seeds of Rage, had left them reeling. But the abduction of Lorn was the final straw. They would not stand idly by while another comrade was taken from them.

 

[Connel Vanagor]

Cold Ascent
Enarc
Amidala Naval Prefecture

The wind howled a mournful dirge through the Enarch Alarich mountain pass, each gust a frigid caress that promised death. The snow, driven into a frenzy, obscured the already treacherous landscape, a swirling white veil draped over jagged cliffs and bottomless ravines. It was a realm of unforgiving beauty, a place where only the most hardened could survive. And tonight, a lone figure dared to challenge its dominion.

Connel Vanagor, a Jedi Shadow, moved with a purpose that defied the storm's fury. He was a storm himself, a tempest of righteous anger barely contained beneath a veneer of Jedi discipline. News had reached him hours ago – news that had pierced through his carefully constructed calm like a shard of ice. A fellow Jedi, Master Lyra, had been ambushed and kidnapped. And worse, a Vanguard unit, the elite guard sworn to protect the Republic, had been taken as well.

Vanagor's jaw tightened. The Vanguard. Their lives were paramount, their strategic knowledge invaluable. He knew the risks they undertook, but the thought of them falling into Sith hands… it was a strategic blow that could cripple Republic operations in the sector.

Keep up, or group up and follow. I’ll keep in comms.

He navigated the treacherous terrain with an uncanny grace, a predator attuned to the nuances of its surroundings. The Force flowed through him, guiding his steps, warning him of hidden dangers. He saw the tracks – the deep imprints of heavy boots, the telltale signs of dragged bodies, the distinctive paw prints of icewolves. They led higher, deeper into the heart of the Alarich Mountains.

Vanagor knew who he was hunting. A Sith Shadow, a master of deception and combat, a whisper in the dark, a phantom who left a trail of shattered lives in his wake. He was everything Vanagor despised – cruel, arrogant, and hungry for power.

The anger surged again, threatening to consume him. He pushed it down, forcing himself to focus. This wasn't about revenge. This was about rescuing the Vanguard, about saving “Lorn”, a Jedi he had yet to meet. It was about upholding the Jedi Code, even when his heart screamed for vengeance.

He reached the base of the final ascent, a sheer cliff face that seemed to claw at the sky. The wind howled louder here, a deafening roar that threatened to rip him from his precarious perch. He could sense the presence of the dark side, a palpable miasma that clung to the air like a shroud.

He closed his eyes, drawing strength from the Force. He visualized the terrain, the hidden pathways, the subtle weaknesses in the rock face. Then, with a burst of energy, he began to climb.

Aiden Porte • Lily Decoria • Rosalyn Dubois • @Kasir Dorran • Darth Strosius • Soah Ty’Jyn •​

 

[Kasir Dorran]

Darth Strosius Soah Ty’Jyn
Foes: Aiden Porte Lily Decoria Connel Vanagor Rosalyn Dubois

​

The air was heavy with the weight of his malice. Shadows writhed against the walls, born of anger and cruelty. Kasir stood from his position like a sentinel, watching as his captive lay bound in chains forged from Sith Alchemy. Under the light, the man’s battered form was a testament to what he endured during their short time in the fortress. Bruises marred the flesh, mere traces of the sangnir's cruel impulses from when it had only been the two of them.

With intense focus, he began the initial phase of Mind Probe. Currents of the dark energy began flowing through Kasir, and he would allow a tendril to begin probing deep into Lorn’s mind. It was an invasion–both painful and relentless–as the Sith delved into his past, searching for secrets, vulnerabilities, and fear with the same calculated precision as when engaged in the melee. Every breach would cut through his thoughts like the claws of a beast, as though he were determined to make the man's agony echo through the winds, all the way to his comrades.

It was a symphony of suffering, fueled by delight.

His target’s mind was no doubt a labyrinth of experience. Fear and longing, joy and regret, all laid bare, for his eyes only.

Then, Kasir felt the presence of his apprentice. He was so occupied with the Jedi that he lost track of time, unaware of how long she had truly been nearby. When he pulled back from what was akin to an open wound in the psyche, his piercing gaze carried an intensity like a blade cutting through durasteel. With a stoic demeanor, a moment was taken to assess the girl’s reaction. The Darkseeker searched for strength, and anything that might reveal potential or weakness.

Something else glimmered in the depths of his gaze, even if only for a beat-- an acknowledgement of the Felacatian’s importance to him, perhaps, before it was snatched away by the shadows that claimed him, and devoured by the dark chasm of his being.

Deliberate was the sangnir's silence, for he often reveled in the quiet. Time would stretch. "Tell me, Soah," he started, with a voice as smooth as the obsidian armor that adorned his body. “Should I tear him apart until I discover what his biggest fears are? Or.. would you think it better to learn his weaknesses?”

The questions were born of curiosity; for deep within, his intentions were already in motion.

He paused, allowing the words to settle before returning to the Jedi. “What would you give to save your friends, Commander? Your life in exchange for their.. loyalty?” He leaned closer, savoring the moment. “I'm just getting started with you, Lorn,” he murmured, “By the time your little Vanguard arrives, you will already be broken.”

Another aura made itself known, one exuding power that carried authority and commanded attention; thus, he knew the High Priest was close.

 

[Darth Strosius]

Kasir Dorran / Lorn Reingard / Connel Vanagor / Soah Ty’Jyn / Aiden Porte / Lily Decoria / Rosalyn Dubois​

A veritable blizzard swept over and through the peaks of the Alarich Mountains, cutting through all but the thickest of layers and setting in a deep chill on the bones of whoever dared to scale the difficult terrain that led up to them. Walls of rock and snow were concealed by sheer ferocious winds, dragging up clouds that not even the sharpest of eyes could peer through even when it was at its thinnest and weakest of gusts. There was nothing natural about it.

Each blow, each shift, each dip in temperature, even the sound of the winds themselves belied an unnatural and chilling symphony that was out of place. The orchestrator of the grand yet obscured display inhaled the thin air through His mask's rebreather and allowed it to swirl within Him for a moment as His hands curled and wove an unseen tapestry. Unseen as the winds themselves that He directed obscured the mountains and their few paths from sight, clogging trails with snow and making inclines into sleek ramps that would offer little in the way of ascendance.

There were pockets of relief from the storm, pockets that were currently occupied by the shivering yet undaunted Legionnaires of Kerstas. Normally such extreme conditions and terrain would be foreign for their operations but to drag their operations into less difficult terrain would endanger the mission as a whole.

Time was of the essence and as such discomfort would have to be ignored in favor of success. Their armor wasn't even particularly suited for the environment either, with simple insulation and low grade temperature modulation units being their only real source of protection against the chill. Well, that and the fact that the majority of the icey winds were being redirected away from them. While such respite did allow them some degree of relief from the cold and ability to maneuver without fear of being blown off the mountain their task was still far from easy.

In unsuitable terrain on an unfamiliar world with barely adequate protection and time running short before extraction forced them to concede their hastily prepared defenses. Caves and alcoves had become redoubts, laden with hidden Legionnaires and treacherously hidden natural traps that would force advances into narrow killzones. That was if the winds themselves didn't tear any unfortunate climbers off of the mountains first. Still, it wasn't ideal and aside from the order to activate thermal scopes there was one main command from Darth Strosius that trickled down through their commlinks.

:"Make sure our Darkseeker doesn't toy with his prey too much. We're here for results, not dinner entertainment.":

Darth Strosius knew little of the Mid-Rim worlds but He had heard well enough of an authority coming to prominence in them, one that would not only border the Sith Order but more importantly could prove an obstacle to His own ambitions and plans along the fringes of the Outer Rim. Information was key and He intended to have it, so long as Kasir didn't draw out the interrogation unnecessarily and force them into a proper skirmish over a single man.

 

[Rosalyn Dubois]

Lorn Reingard | Aiden Porte | Lily Decoria | Connel Vanagor
Kasir Dorran | Darth Strosius | Soah Ty’Jyn​

For as much as she butted heads with Lorn because of her stubbornness, Rosalyn hadn’t hesitated to answer the call when Alfie summoned them to rescue the Commander. When he described what he had experienced, Rosalyn felt a chill across her spine.

It reminded her too much of the feelings she experienced when the Cataclysm struck Naboo. Meaning that whatever, or whoever, took Lorn was likely a Force User. And she doubted they were dealing with a Jedi.

This is not going to be simple, and incredibly frustrating if we’re dealing with Sith or Dark Jedi.

And that wasn’t even going into how treacherous the terrain was going to be. Rosalyn was certainly no amateur when it came to navigating, but even she was wary of what they were going to end up encountering.

Between the mountains, the snow, the carnivorous wildlife, and not to mention whatever Lorn’s captors had out there waiting for them.

No matter what, he was their Commander, and it was their duty to rescue him.

“Icewolves were already mentioned, but do we know what other local fauna might be present?”

​

 

[Lily Decoria]

Location: Enarc - Heading to Alarich Mountains
Outfit: Jedi Attire
Equipment: Cross guard Lightsaber, Hydrangea Moonblade (concealed).
Tag: Connel Vanagor | Aiden Porte | Rosalyn Dubois | Lorn Reingard | Darth Strosius | Kasir Dorran | Soah Ty’Jyn

Lily had not yet gotten the chance to properly get involve the Vanguard side of the RNR. It was something that her Master had suggested to look into since the style of fighter and the approaches she had to combat, it fitted with what the Vanguard was meant to stand for. Apparently she was going to receive some training and study with Lorn Reingard since he was the one in charge of the Vanguard. It was a chance to see if she complimented the established group dynamic and if it was something for her to explore once she was no longer a Padawan. Something that Lily was realising was much closer on the horizon than she had assumed about it.

Then she heard the news that Lorn had gotten into trouble following the incident on Enarc. Something Lily was not thrilled to hear, she was wondering what could have happened since they had prevented things from escalating too much when the conflict with the Sith had finally concluded. Lily was then also concerned that she would not do well in the group since she was joining in as an outsider. Someone who hadn't done any previous work with the Vanguard and hadn't really gotten much combat experience in comparison to others.

The brisk snowy winds of the mountains, it was a harsh reminder that Lily enjoyed to fight in minimal attire, her exposed skin already holding goose bumps from the frigid air. However, she persevered through the cold. It was a weather condition that Lily was used to though these extremes were not as common and she was not used to wearing as little as she was while in these conditions. Something that Lily would have to look into as a way to keep herself warm if she found herself again in such frigid weather.

Looking at the group, there were faces and appearances that Lily knew from her time training and being around her Master, however, there were also newer faces. Pushing forward, the mention of ice wolves had Lily shivering. She knew that it would be best if they could avoid encountering beasts, unless any of them could use the Force to allow the beast to help them peacefully.

"Have you found something?!" Lily called out, wondering if the reasoning for the question on the local fauna was due to some clue.

 

[Aiden Porte]

Amidala Naval Prefecture
Allies: Connel Vanagor Lily Decoria Rosalyn Dubois
Enemies: Darth Strosius Kasir Dorran Soah Ty’Jyn

The moment he heard of Commander Lorn's abduction Aiden did not wait for a call to arms to rescue him. He was ready, as the rest of the Vanguard members gathere to rescue a true friend. Aiden had owed much of his new found resilience, strength and will to keep fighting from Lorn and the Vanguard. He wasn't going to balk even at the slightest mention of darkside or wolves. He knew this venture was going to be dangerous and of course he couldn't do it alone.

“Icewolves were already mentioned, but do we know what other local fauna might be present?”

"Nothing of any worth note, but regardless as instructed we need to be on guard." The Padawan spoke, it looked as though Knight Connel had just departed. "We must catch up with him."

"Are you all ready?" The Padawan inquired to Lily and Rosalyn?

 

[Soah Ty’Jyn]

Interacting with: Kasir Dorran Darth Strosius
Enemies: @Aiden Porte Lily Decoria Connel Vanagor Rosalyn Dubois

​

Soah's nostrils flared as she inhaled deeply, tasting the scent of blood on her tongue like iron and sweat. The Jedi reeked of it, though he tried to hide it beneath clenched teeth and ragged breath. Her tattoos rippled in interest, shifting like sentient ink beneath her skin, mirroring the restless energy that coiled tight in her core.

She had never seen Kasir work like this before. Not fully.

His precision fascinated her -- every word, every probe into the prisoner's mind was a blade, carving through flesh and thought alike. It wasn't reckless or impulsive, like so many Sith she had known. No, Kasir wielded pain the way a master duelist wielded a lightsaber. Efficient. Calculated.

But why?

Her gaze flicked back to him at his question, something cold and curious glinting in her hazel eyes at his query. The answer came easily.

"Weakness," she said, stepping closer, the dim light catching on the edges of her fangs as her smirk returned.

"Pain is useful in the moment, but fear...real fear, stays. It lingers." Her gaze dropped to the man, chin tilting. There was another question that floated in her mind.

"But why him? What is he good for?"still uncertain about what this was about. Were they trying to ransom the man? Or was there something more to it. Or was it just a plaything to have fun with?

She reached out but not to the prisoner, but to the Force, letting it slither around her, dark and alive, like a second skin. A test, in a way. Would Kasir allow her to reach? Would Darth Strosius?

That was another curious bit. There were other questions, but the imposing presence of Kasir's master managed to make the fur at the nape of her neck stand on end. This was her first time meeting him, and to be honest, Soah was trying to get a read-off on Darth Strosius herself. So this was Kasir's former master?

Soah wasn't afraid of the High Priest, not exactly. But she knew power when she saw it, and his was a weight that pressed against her like a hand at her throat. Still, she wouldn't lower her eyes. Wouldn't cower, her tattoos pulsing in agreement, shifting into something sharp and jagged across her forearms.

"Unless, of course," she mused, voice light with amusement, "you just wanted to get an easy midnight ship snack."