Private The Last Starweaver

[Braze]

TAGS: Onrai

"Deeds are the measure of a person in the eyes of the galaxy, that's true. But isn't the intent behind those deeds just as important? Actions without the right intent can lead to outcomes that aren't truly beneficial in the long run. They can be subverted, twisted into something unintended, especially when intended by some one with malice in their design." Braze would then pause, considering her mention of Darth Drear. "I'm not familiar with the Ritual of Darth Drear. Is it connected to these issues? Does it offer a solution, or is it part of the problem?"

He'd glance at her curiously, adding, "It seems we're entrenched in battling shadows of the past, ancient threats that don't press upon us with the urgency of now. Why is that?" With a more personal note, he'd continue, "All these burdens you carry about ancient Sith and Mekal — do you have someone to share these concerns with, a friend, perhaps? Sometimes, a different perspective can shine a light on dark thoughts."

 

[Onrai]

"That depends on what they choose to do post-outcome. If you save a planet from destruction only to enslave it, that's a mistake and undermines the entire point of doing the deeds one has done. Mortals love to stumble over themselves. That's why the Sith always collapse to infighting, the Republic or Alliance collapses to existential threats, and the Jedi collapse when doctrinal differences grow too strong."

Via plucked a mushroom that she knew immediately was deadly poisonous and went ahead to take a bite of it, thankful it had no impact on her. "The ritual of Darth Drear was the reason the Odacer-Faustin Sith Academy was abandoned. An attempt to perform the ritual infected the entirety of the academy - teachers, students, everyone. They were turned into undying monstrosities with a taste for flesh and infecting others. The same thing has happened on Imperial warships, in witches' covens, and even to rancors and Wookiees. So yes, it is part of the problem whenever some uppity Sith thinks it would actually work."

His final inquisition was curious. "Because the things that occur in the past have a greater impact on the future than most people give them credit for. You ask if a god has someone to share their concerns with - I do not, but that is my burden to bear." She said.

Braze

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Onrai

​

Braze offered a thoughtful reply after brief consideration, "History is littered with the aftermath of good deeds twisted into chains," Braze trailed briefly as if his thoughts forming as he spoke. "Choices post-victory are just as crucial as the struggle to get there. It's the subsequent actions and after math that cement the true value of any deed."

He'd eye the mushroom Via had taken a bite of, his expression a blend of morbid curiosity and caution. "The ritual of Darth Drear sounds like a fool's dark echo reverberating through time, a warning that some powers come at too high a cost. If even the attempt at immortality can lead to such devastation, then it's a path best left untraveled. Some people only learn when they get burned. "

Reflecting on her point about the importance of history, he nodded understanding the weight of past events described. "The past does shape the future, that much is clear. And those who don't heed its lessons are indeed doomed to repeat them. As for bearing burdens alone," he'd add with a hint of empathy in his tone, "even gods shouldn't walk their path in solitude. Everyone needs an ally, a confidant, a friend... even if they're not a god."

 

[Onrai]

"There are worshippers I will talk with about this." She said, patting him on the head again. "You are quite the intellectual and adorable little mortal, aren't you, Braze?" She jested, smiling. "Have you ever thought about perhaps worshipping the deity your ancient primordial ancestors did? Not in the case of the Order of the Terrible Glare, since what they did was undoubtedly a mistake beyond mistakes, but still."

Braze

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Onrai

Braze might offered a wry smile at the head pat, not quite accustomed to such a gesture from a stranger. "I appreciate the chat and the compliment, though I'm not sure about 'adorable'," he offered.

"As for worship, I believe in respecting the Force and all its mysteries. But I tend to think worship should be about connection and understanding, not fear or seeking favors. If we're talking about ancient practices, maybe there's wisdom there to be learned; but not necessarily to be worshipped. After all, to worship something is to give it power over you, and power should be met with eyes wide open, not blind reverence. If I were to devote myself to someone or something, it would be out of deep respect and admiration—someone I'd willingly endure hardship for, even to the point of sacrificing my life. So, in short, no, I wouldn't just worship any deity or god, especially not one I consider false. That kind of commitment is reserved for something truly special, something or someone that profoundly resonates with me, intimately."

 

[Onrai]

"Ah, false gods... I take it you're referring to Kaine Zambrano, former Sith Emperor and scion of his old cult?" She said, sighing. "Probably the quintessential example of such a being, offering those who worship him nothing. When the world of Panatha - his homeworld - was threatened by the conflict between the Brotherhood of the Maw and the Eternal Empire, Kaine did nothing to save his worshippers. They prayed, cried, bled themselves - some even sacrificed their children, as young as you or younger, to him, in the hopes he would save them. He didn't. I did. There were a lot of new converts after that." She gave a pained look of rememberance, remembering the unfortunate waste of life Panatha had been.

"Would you like to know a secret about Kaine?" She said, looking down at Braze, having still patted his head.

Braze

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Onrai

Braze began, his tone contemplative, "Was he not a man once? Religion can mean many things to many people, but personally, I wouldn't consider such a being a god. My view of the world is shaped by my beliefs. If I don't regard or believe in an entity as a god, then in my reality, are they one? No, and they probably never will be. To be a god in my eyes is very different from someone else's view. Like I've said before, belief is powerful. There are no gods without followers; belief is intrinsic to the force."

He sighed, taking a deep breath, well aware that what he was about to say might be long-winded, "What even is a god? To answer that, we can look at several different perspectives based on belief and cultures. In many religions, a god is seen as a supreme being, creator, and overseer of the universe with attributes like omnipotence, omniscience, omnipresence, benevolence, and eternal existence.

Deism posits a god who created the universe but does not intervene, allowing it to operate according to natural laws.

Pantheism identifies god with the universe itself or regards the universe as a manifestation of god, where god is everything and everything is god.

In polytheistic beliefs, there are multiple gods, each with their own distinct personalities, roles, and domains.

Philosophically, 'god' can be considered as the ultimate principle of reality, the absolute, or the ground of being itself, which is more abstract and does not personalize god as a being.

Agnosticism holds that the existence of a god or gods is unknown or unknowable, while atheism is the belief that there are no gods."

He took a chance to pause and breath.

"The definition and role of a god or gods can deeply influence cultural, ethical, and personal norms and values," he continued, pausing momentarily before adding, "In my personal view, I often think religion is created by a few to control many. It forms to explain the unexplainable, to provide communal support, and to sow hope where needed for comfort. It allows people to relax their minds during times of dire need or stress. I am wary and skeptical of anything outside the realms of what I have learned to be true. Anything that isn't the Force is, to me, a false god."

"Whoever I place on my ideological throne will be the center of my universe, and they will be real and tangible; And they will have me... body, mind, and soul." Braze concluded, grounding his philosophical musings in his personal convictions and experiences.

 

[Onrai]

Via blinked for a moment. "Well, the Maker doesn't intervene in the universe He created, I know that much. The Celestials could tell you that if nothing else - in fact it was in part the reason why evil came into the galaxy. That said, there are lesser beings, deific in form and function, who are more deserving of worship. The universe is a creation of the Maker, but it is not the Maker himself, so pantheism would be incorrect. Polytheism may be applicable depending on how many deities yet remain, though there are many more malignant than beneficent to their worshippers. Agnosticism and atheism are foolish and petty ideologies that deny the reality of the Maker if nothing else."

She paused. "Right, I was going to ask if you wanted to know a secret about the former Sith Emperor."

Braze

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Onrai

Braze looked at her and just decided to agree to disagree. Shifting his focus to her intriguing offer, he'd add, "A secret about the former Sith Emperor? Now, that sounds like a tale worth hearing. What is it you'd like to share?"

 

[Onrai]

Via nodded and slid close. "His father and mother are his aunt and uncle."

The infamous Dark Harvest incident had more than told her such, when their cadavers had been resurrected. How fortunate that none of her own old skeletons had yet been reanimated to damn her.

Braze

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Onrai

Braze's expression clouded over, and he wrinkled his nose in dissatisfaction. "I was hoping you'd tell me something useful, something that might help bring about his downfall; that just tells me he might have had a weird childhood, which isn't surprising given how he's turned out," Braze responded. Not wanting to dwell on those implications, he quickly changed his thoughts and decided to move deeper into the wooded area in search of more mushrooms. It seemed this topic was not something he wanted to discuss further with the stranger.​

 

[Onrai]

“He becomes deathly afraid when this becomes evident. Seek out the spirits of the ones who bore him and they may yet send such terror into him that he may make a mistake. His soul is immured to whatever the Jedi can do, and he is both useless as a prisoner and nigh-impossible to slay lest you somehow bind his entire fractured spirit.” She said, observing the padawan’s dismissal.

“Do not be so quick as to dismiss this.”

Braze

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Onrai

​

"Chasing after spirits for aid seems more like folklore than a viable plan," Braze replied, his voice tinged with a clear edge of criticism. "To depend on spectral forces to instill fear in an enemy as formidable as him— is reckless. "

He shook his head slightly, reinforcing his stance. "Binding someone's fractured spirit? That's a massive undertaking, and a dark path, one that strays far from the principles of the Jedi Order. Engaging in such dubious methods is a path we should avoid. There need to be a method grounded solutions, ones that align with our values and proven practices."

 

[Onrai]

"That one's spirit was, for the longest time, broken, shattered so thoroughly between two bodies." She said. "Capturing him would be useless as he would always be seeking to free himself. Killing him would only see his spirit-shards resurrected in new flesh. The only means to subdue him would be to use a weapon or ritual that took his soul and bound it in a blade or object - then perhaps casting that into the void of space where none would ever find it. And you would have to have all of his spirit too, lest he find some way to undo everything. That, in truth, is how he can be defeated."

Granted it was how many Sith could be defeated, given their propensity for new plans and preprepared vessels to hold their spirit, but still, it was viable advice.

Braze

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Onrai

"His soul should be reunited, which means eliminating all the vessels simultaneously. It seems to highlight his fear of death, given the elaborate precautions he's taken to prevent his own demise, all while he delights in inflicting misery and death on others. Quite the hypocrite, if you ask me. But your hatred for him seems particularly intense. Why does a god despise him so deeply? Is there something about him that you cannot destroy? Are you not.... able to kill them? Are you stronger or are they?"

 

[Onrai]

"I have no reason to hate him, as he has done nothing to me. The worst I have ever seen from him was posturing." Of course, she chose not to mention the instance of said past posturing having been an attempt to order her to return to him something he had long given up ownership of. "I merely tell you this because you asked for more... pertinent knowledge than mere background information regarding how he may be defeated. But no, I neither despise him nor am too weak to kill him. He is simply far too low a fish on the cosmic scale of threats to care about when put next to the Immortal Gods of the Sith."

Via finished the mushroom in question. Nothing really seemed to have happened to her, though she found its taste to be odd - not something she would try again.

Braze

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Onrai

"Why'd you bring him up then?" Braze asked, squinting at the other. "Is he like your ex or something? Does he live rent-free in your headspace?" He plucked a few ripe mulberries from a nearby bush, popping one into his mouth. "Or are you just trying to stir up something for your own amusement?" he asked with a shrug.

"Not many people I've met claim to be 'gods'... I don't get it either. Wouldn't being a god be dreadfully dull and boring? There's no risk, no real reward to anything because you can probably already get whatever you want... it just seems so... pointless.

People like that tend to think they are above everything else and are self-loving narcissists who surround themselves with yes-men to act as echo chambers for their own words and thoughts. They don't want to be critiqued and feel they are infallible. Anything outside of their beliefs is dismissed.

They need that power and control to feel significant. Often, these people develop this way of thinking as a coping mechanism due to some intense traumatic experiences they may have been subjected to at a young age. They have a psychological need to be powerful and in control. Maybe they crave success or adulation and can't get praise the way normal people do, or it's not enough, so they manufacture it in twisted, warped ways.

Maybe they're so smart they just think it's pointless to hear anyone else out, dismissing the perspectives and contributions of others, fostering a belief in their unique insight or understanding," Braze speculated.

 

[Onrai]

"You're a Jedi. If you don't want me to tell you cosmic truths, the least I can do is offer some sage advice regarding the Sith Order, who you will inevitably come into conflict with at some point during your life." She said deadpan, listening to the rest of what the padawan was saying. "I mean, answering prayers does get boring on occasion, but it's part of the obligation. A god who doesn't give back to their worshippers is no god at all and deserves no worship. That said, what you've said would describe most Sith who think themselves gods, going all the way back to Darth Ruin."

She snagged a mulberry herself. It was quite juicy.

Braze

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Onrai

"Most Sith are loons. " Braze concurred. " Loons who don't know how to be normal people. Most of which are all wrapped up in some self made problem that's with in their head." Braze stated. "I'm not sure you can treat any one sith the same as the others they all have unique hangups. "

He moved to look up at the lady and paused with a small little yawn. " I need to go home soon. "

 

[Onrai]

"You'd be surprised." Via said, before barely stifling an 'aw' at Braze's yawn. "I suppose in that case, our talk is done and I should leave you be. Tomorrow, if you come back here to gather more, there will be a greater bounty of such for the picking. A small gift, from me to you, for this conversation." Once more she patted him on the head. "Hopefully our paths will yet cross again, little Padawan. I hope you learn more of the universe and prepare for the future to come."

With that, she walked away, growing more and more transparent with each step until she disappeared, as though she had never been there in the first place.

Braze