Faction The Pilgrims 3: Progenitor's Call (open to Jedi and Lightsiders)

[Auraya Irath-Ur]

Auraya slipped into a steady rhythm within the Force, led by the gentle ripples and waves of the ocean and heightened by the great beast within.​

​

She did not move. To look at her it would barely seem as though she was breathing at all. She held her head high, her back straight, and let it all wash over her. Slow and methodical, but intent and precise, she kept her presence around the Progenitor and drew upon its own.​

​

And it remained that way for as long as the day drifted on, and would remain that way unless she was interrupted by another.​

​

Perhaps she ought to have gone into the water, thrown caution to the wind, but she hadn't. Not today, at least.​

 

[Thalia Senn]

Waveform
Dagon Kaze Viers Connory Kaska Arden Cotan Sar'andor Okkeus Dainlei Kaia Starchaser Violet Horne ​

Thalia shrugged and followed Dagon to the water's edge, giving V a reassuring smile. She still didn't like this calm water. Knight Arden looked like she was concentrating hard but if there was anyone who would be able to pull it off it would be her. Thalia had gained a grudging respect for the old broad despite her gruff attitude and flippancy with the Order. She still felt better with her around. But it was time for her to try. She'd seen and heard enough.

She took a deep breath and stood on the pier facing the buoys. She was trying to focus, the gentle lapping of the water lulling her into a deep meditation. It was difficult, what with the soft slapping sound of the water and her initial apprehension to the strangely calm waters. It only took a few seconds for the breaking surf on the pier to bring her onto her little boat. The sun shone brightly just like on Mananan, shimmering on the surface of the water. A cool breeze passed through her sails and the boat lurched forward.

The purpose of the exercise wasn't to just make a big wave. If that were the case she was sure Kaska would have done that by now. She had to look beyond the brute strength of the Force roiling within her like a storm. She needed to sense and feel the Force's waves, but...That's what she'd been doing all along, wasn't it?

Absently she reached up to her chest to grip a lightsaber that wasn't there. She frowned but it didn't ruin her concentration because on her boat coasting on that endless sea that was the Force she held both sabers, attached at the base into her saber staff. The green blades came to life with a soft snap-hiss that was drowned out by the sound of the waves rocking her boat. She exhaled breath she'd taken earlier and took the modified opening stance of Ataru and she began her kata.

Nothing happened at first. She just looked crazy, spinning and swinging as if she held a weapon but was really just gripping air. Thalia felt it though, a deep shift inside of her that came alive on her ocean as the waves around her boat began to rock the boat more and more. But it wasn't in a violent manner at all. In fact, the waves were moving her forward, towards her goal and without her interference. The surface of the water beneath the pier began to sway back and forth, back and forth, back and forth as she connected with and matched the ebb and flow of the Force around her. The strikes of her air kata moved with purpose as instinct took over. She didn't make any actual tidal waves, though there was something there. She was using a variant of projected fighting, sending sharp and focused bursts of telekinetic force over the surface of the water towards the buoys, causing minor waves to wash over them but...

"Thunk...Thonk....Bink....Thunk....Thonk....Thonk....Thunk...Bink..."

It wasn't the tidal wave that had wowed the group, but she'd managed to find the waves in the air to carry her strikes several dozen meters farther than she could have normally. When she opened her eyes she could feel the connection to those waves around her, but they threatened to overtake her and wash her away. She slumped to the ground and fell on her rump, gasping for air, the ordeal taking a physical toll on the young Padawan.

 

[Kaska Arden]

W A V E F O R M

Dagon Kaze | Violet Horne | Viers Connory | Thalia Senn | Aaran Tafo

Cotan Sar'andor | Kaia Starchaser

"That is the spirit." Kaska replied with a slap on the taller knight's arm. Hoping the confidence in the gesture completely belied the fact she had absolutely no idea if her plan was viable or not. Even calling a plan was a bit of stretch - it was more a rough concept that was still evolving by the second if anything. She gave his arm another slap for good measure as she took a step back, "Just focus on the waves. You got this."

As it turned out, he did not, in fact, got this.

Or at least not completely or in the way Kaska had initially intended. In stark contrast to the more refined and disciplined display Master Ebass has regaled them with, Okkeus was decidedly more wild and untamed in his approach. Unchecked and unfettered, the energy quickly started to spread itself out across a much wider area, the air itself becoming tinged with the faint scent of ozone as it became positively charged.

"Ashes, okay, maybe if I..." Kaska let out a slow, heavy breath between partially pursed lips as she brought both of her hands up in response. Using them as a guide, she swept them out to cast a wide web of finely layered telekinetic energy across the immediate area, gradually pulling them back in a few centimeters at a time as she attempted to rein the attempt in. The motion stop starting ever few seconds as she was forced to battle for even the smallest degree. A sharp pressure building behind her eyes as the strain grew worse each time.

Slowly, but surely, the messy semblance of an orban began to swirl and take shape at the edge of the bay. It bore only a passing resemblance to the one that Master Ebass had shown them. Errant sparks dancing erratically off the surface of the water as the waves appeared to pulse in an erratic fashion. Larger, yet weaker for it, as if the theory was shaky and the execution even more so.

'Go for it.'

The subtle probing intrusion caused her mind to flinch and recoil at first. The corresponding lapse in focus causing the fluctuations in the orb to spike angrily as the energy dangerously attempted to break free. A fine sheen of sweat beading on the Nyriaanan's brow as she was forced to redouble her efforts just to bring it back under some measure of control.

"Little warning next time?" Her voice sounded far harsher than she had intended. The strain of her task hanging on every word as she kept her gaze trained on the sphere that was forming in the water before them. "Maybe ask permission first."

Despite her words, she tentatively reached out towards the strange, dual-tone haired padawan and her pretty boytoy sidekick. Joining in the collective they had formed to help bridge the connection between her and Okkeus. The pressure lessening immensely as it was shared across four minds (why did it feel five?) that sought to unite behind one possibly futile endeavor. Now all they needed to do was...

Oh stang.

"Uh... Any ideas? This is as far as I thought it through."

 

[Tiland Kortun]

Julius Sedaire Taiia Mataan Kuxirra Tano-Bonteri Kisaku Oroken

"An excellent idea, Julius," Tiland said after a moment, kneeling before the ancient Selkath in imitation of the others who had gathered around, but with the arrival of a fifth person, he reconsidered, and shifted away so the newcomer could more easily fill in. "The others of you can move in and take the front."

He gestured to let them past him as he stepped aside.

Spoiler

Go ahead and keep going without me. Posts are hard to manage right now

 

[Kuxirra Tano-Bonteri]

Kuxirra nodded when Tiland Kortun decided to step aside, and raised an eye marking towards Kisaku Oroken . "Would you like to do this truth sense thing with me?" She asked. Maybe it'll help me with not liking eye contact, she thought. But truthfully, she wanted to work with someone, anyone. She wanted to learn more.

Zenda watched in amusement at Okkeus Dainlei as he once again focused on a different we've, a smile flashing across her face and disappearing as swiftly as the lightning he'd caused. She joined in on the effort, and when Kaska Arden asked for suggestions, she spoke up. "Just wait. Feel the waves, the tides. Feel the push and pull, the ebb and flow. Find the rhythm. Focus on it. Learn from it. Wait for the right moment to pull." She spoke softly, but she had immersed herself so much she knew her words would travel through the Force.

Leehak allowed himself to feel the shark, to understand it. He had read some about it, learned what he could, but it was nothing compared to being there in person.

 

[Jend-Ro Quill]

OOC/ Since this has slowed down, I think we're ready for the time jump.



THREE DAYS LATER

On previous expeditions, they'd gathered around a campfire for this meeting. Tonight was no different: a huge bonfire on a beach, with Ahto City gleaming far away. Jedi of all ranks sat on logs around the fire.

"Ground rules," Quill said drily. "The waveform crew should please not swamp this bonfire or us. The Progenitor's Call people - let's talk about it instead of hammering others' minds, shall we? Truth sense folks...well, just keep it in your collective and metaphorical pants.

"So tell me - what were your impressions of the Order of Shasa? Anyone here plan to come back and think you made a good enough impression?"

Kuxirra Tano-Bonteri
Dagon Kaze
Auraya Irath-Ur
Audren Sykes
Tiland Kortun
Violet Horne
Kaska Arden
Julius Sedaire
Auteme
Kisaku Oroken
Viera
Viers Connory
Aeris Lashiec
Kaia Starchaser
Cotan Sar'andor
Thalia Senn
Aaran Tafo
Okkeus Dainlei
Sargon Vynea
Taiia Mataan

 

[Okkeus Dainlei]

Working off of the time skip
​

The three days were...interesting to say the least.

As the training went by he only gained a little bit of experience controlling the huge waves within the ocean. Whatever he seemed to do, the ability would do the complete opposite. Sure, maybe he didn't have the best connection with the ocean, but it didn't seem that hard.

Well, in fact, it was.

He watched as his peers had success, while he still only got the waves to move in small amounts. Nothing noteworthy at all. But through all of this, he did learn something from Waveform.

At nights, while everyone was sleeping, he would go outside and practice. Not on the water though. Ever since he had some training all those years ago in force lightning, he had been obsessed with electricity. So obsessed that he even developed his own variation of the lightning itself. So he practiced controlling the electrical waves instead.

The first day was a complete accident with the lighting in the sky. Now though, he was able to somewhat control it. As the water sloshed around on the cold nights, bolts of electricity would shoot down from the sky. It was an amazing sight to see. He was surprised no one heard this happening.

So while others learned how to control the water, he was learning how to control lightning.

"I think the Order of Shasa is cool. Definitely got some good experience out of it. How about the rest of y'all?"

@too many of you

 

[Aeris Lashiec]

“They are a revered order. I’d argue their dedication to something so specific yet so gigantic as the Progenitor is something that can be held to their own benefit.” Aeris said and crossed her legs as she sat on the ground. “If they’d have me at some point in the future I’d love to come back, but I get the feeling that will depend on how I use the knowledge that they shared today. How we all use the knowledge that we were provided today.”

Aeris gave the rest of the group a solemn look of warmth. They were all beautiful minds, but minds were always in a constant state of flux. Darkness, doubts, they all clouded their minds at one point or the other. Maybe she was haunted by her own fears, but in the end maybe that was the point too. A lifetime on the move, no home ever seeming more permanent than the next. Ossus, Sullust, Coruscant, they were all wayshrines — or so it felt like.

But then, maybe that too was just Aeris’ own fears talking once more.

“It’s been a good exercise in respecting and understanding others.”

 

[Kuxirra Tano-Bonteri]

"They're a really cool order," Kuxirra said. "I think we made a good enough impression."
"I agree. There is much one can learn." Leehak said.
Zenda nodded in agreement with her husband and daughter. "I thought I understood the Force more than I do. This reminded me how little I actually know."

 

[Kaska Arden]

I N T R O S P E C T I O N

@All

"Loquacious to a fault." The Nyriaanan added to the discussion with a faint smirk, toasting her hands against the fire in an effort to ward off the evening chill that was settling in this close to the water's edge. The last few days seeming to have been just a blur of activity that had only been broken up by the odd ambiguous harrumph from Master Ebass. She wasn't sure if they had sounded approving towards the end or if that was simply wishful thinking. His heavily scarred features giving little away even as they parted company.

Mastery of Waveform was still far beyond her. Three days had been barely enough to scratch the surface, but she had come away with a better understanding of her own capabilities if nothing else.

As if to demonstrate to herself, Kaska twisted her fingers and curled her wrist. The motion causing an unseen hand to faintly manipulate the errant sparks and embers that danced at the height of the fire, gently swirling them in to a fleeting, yet pattern that vanished upwards into the sky. "They are a guarded Order to be sure, but I suppose Jedi have given them more than a few good reasons to be so."

She pursed her lips thoughtfully. "I think these last few days were less about teaching us, more about learning if we had changed. They will continue to invite us back until they have found the answer one way or another."

From what she had seen through learning even the basics of waveform, though clearly reserved and wary of looking to the outside for anything, the Order of Shasa seemed to understand just how interconnected everything was on a fundamental level. No one was an island apart. They needed each other if they were to progress.

The fire snapped and popped, the sound drawing the Jedi out of becoming lost in her thoughts. A faintly sheepish expression creasing her features before she covered it with faint nudge to the padawan on her left, "If nothing else, I am thankful Dagon here stopped trying to drown us by the end of day two."

 

[Kisaku Oroken]

OOC: Sorry to my truth sense folks. I didn't have much time to post during my work week.
Scene: Debriefing on the beach, campfire style
Starring: Literally everyone in this thread.

Kisaku remained quiet as others spoke up. It might have been interpreted that he was content to listen to others speak first, but the truth of the matter was that his mind was on his own experience with the Order of the Shasa. The question had spurred thought, but it wouldn't jar the words from him. What he was uncomfortable with was the teaching that the truth one wanted to find wasn't always the truth the universe had to offer them.

It was such a basic, elementary fact and yet it filled him with anxiety, for reasons that he dare not unpack.

In the course of the instruction they'd been guided to let go of their emotions, their pre-conceived judgements, their thoughts and feelings towards the subject of their attention. To not only listen to the words they spoke but what the Force said through them. He feared that if he did manage to silence his mind, he may hear what the Force had to say of him.

His time here wasn't all bad however. The peace here, away from the stresses that lay in the galaxy beyond seemed distant. As they sat there on the beach he felt some amount of regret at having to leave it all behind.​

 

[Viera]

Viera was seated by the fire like the rest of the Jedi, sitting on the same log as a couple of the other’s that learned from the Progenitor. She was staring into the fire, her vibrant green eyes practically glowing against the orange embers. A stray thought crossed her mind, desiring to reach into her own brain and pull the voices out into a malleable form, and toss them into the campfire.

They had nearly ruined the experience with the Progenitor. At least Viera felt she almost had…

“It’s also a credit to them, that they’ve been so open in letting us experience their culture and teachings. After the history they’ve been through with manipulators and murderers, and yet they still opened their doors to us.”

Kaska made a comment about drowning and Viera’s cheeks immediately reddened a little. A memory of what happened surfacing, although fortunately her hood concealed the sheepish/embarrassed expression.

The incident had been during the second day, when she had been guided by Master Kryll to move closer to the Progenitor. She had been hesitant to get any closer, but if the towering Selkath thought it was fine, then who was she to argue?

She should’ve argued.

Viera had managed to get comfortable again, floating still within the ocean depths as she resided a shorter distance away from the ancient being. But then they started to appear, coasting along quietly like calm waves.

Viera…

...Viera…​

Viera!​

The gradual drum beat of voices disrupted the young woman’s concentration, and she panicked. Mind clouded by the disembodied presences, she mistook herself to be drowning, unable to breathe. Limbs heavier than they should be, Viera struggled, arms and legs flailing until she had enough conscious sense to swim.

She breached the surface like a torpedo, using the Force to propel herself onto the platform. Again she felt like she couldn’t breathe, as though something was covering her mouth. Then the voices started to dim, and her mind turned rational, remembering the rebreather that was still securely over her mouth.

Enlightenment and embarrassment.

“Wait, wait hold on.” Viera spoke up, wanting to push that memory harshly to the side. What better way than turning attention elsewhere. “Whatcha mean, Dagon stopped drowning you?” Her eyes shifted between Kaska and Dagon. “What happened?”

 

[Auraya Irath-Ur]

Auraya had spent much of their three days deep in meditation. At first on the water's edge, upon the main structure, and later submerged upon the sunken platform. Wholly embraced by the waves, and with more of a contact to the Progenitor through the ocean, she felt as though she had made some progress. More than she usually would have, given the lack of time. But some progress did not necessarily amount to much in the grand scheme of things; even so, Raya did not let that sway her.​

​

"It's so peaceful here," she mused, as questions were raised around them in regards to their time on the world, "I should like to return, if permitted. I feel the call of the ocean, I'm not so sure I'm ready to give it up..." Of course, she had to. There were responsibilities beyond the waves, a life such as theirs was dedicated to the betterment of the Galaxy and its humble citizens. It held little room for selfish whims.​

​

She did not admit her shortcomings with the Progenitor's Call, she did not feel the need to bring such to light. These days had not been about mastering any of the abilities, she reckoned, but dipping ones toes in, embracing something new, and learning about a culture not their own. It was as much about holding out a branch of peace and restored faith with the Selkath, for her at least.​

​

And if she'd even remotely achieved that, then it was well worth it.​

​

Sat before the fire, and having said her small piece, she closed her eyes once more and returned her mind to the waters just beyond the sandy beach. Back to the Progenitor, wherever it roamed within the ocean. It was strange, here on Manaan it didn't feel quite so difficult to call upon the Force, she did not feel half as strained or stupid as she did elsewhere. The progress made in three days was insane compared to the years she'd struggled to grasp other, arguably simpler concepts.​

​

It made no sense; but then, she supposed it didn't have to.​

 

[Dagon Kaze]

Dagon had semi-disconnected himself from the conversation over the campfire. His mind had wandered away into the stars dotting the night sky above; the evening chill and the warmth of the fire in a perpetual struggle of dominance. The Jedi's collective efforts on learning waveform, an effort which had taught them more about the strength in unity than the actual telekinetic skill of the Order of Shasa, had been eye opening. Dagon wondered if that had been the idea right from the get-go; both Master Ebass and Master Quill were wiser beyond their age, and they had quite of age on them.

Like the erratic currents they had produced over the three days, Dagon's thoughts strayed from the pilgrimage and bonding on Manaan with the rest of his fellow Jedi to a call in the stars. A blurry vision, dithering noise, jittery images. Farsight. Destiny is all. ZIOST--

"If nothing else, I am thankful Dagon here stopped trying to drown us by the end of day two." a faint nudge from Kaska on his right dragged him back to reality. He blinked twice, assimilated the statement and huffed a smile. It had been her idea to channel together, a combined efforts with Okkeus to learn waveform, with the rest of the Jedi joining in to form an ad-hoc coterie. Dagon's venture into the ethereal, touching minds, had nearly collapsed the whole ordeal but they managed. It was good to feel that others had your back, it felt good not to be alone, even if question still lingered in his mind over the unknown presence following Violet Horne .

"You're welcom-" Dagon replied, the smirk curving his lips.

“Wait, wait hold on.” Viera, one of the Jedi devoted to learning the Progenitor's Call, interjected. “Whatcha mean, Dagon stopped drowning you?” Her eyes shifted between Kaska and Dagon. “What happened?”

"Was teaching Kaska to swim." he shrugged idiotically.

@ok i tag all

 

[Thalia Senn]

Jend-Ro Quill Viera Viers Connory Kaska Arden @all?

The soft sound of the surf washing over the bleached white sand and the crackling of the fire was soothing. She found it ironic that when she'd first come to this planet she had recoiled at the sound of such calm seas and now they brought such calm to her. She'd definitely tapped into the core of what Waveform was on the first day, the Master Ebass had made that clear to her. She hadn't spent much time with the group after that. A tidal wave wasn't her goal.

She'd spent the last few days channeling that same feeling of oneness with the waves of the planet. She'd spent a day out on the water doing what the locals called surfing to understand the oceans, a day on the wind in their boat pulled gliders to understand the waves of the wind and a final day on a boat to find the harmonies in those two forces of nature. Not once since the first day had the sea of the Force been rough, though at times she could see the storm of her own mind closing in on the horizon.

She was sure the others thought she was lounging and taking advantage of the great weather, and sure it was wonderfully fun. A total crash. But for the few here that knew her she'd also been incredibly withdrawn and contemplative, always with a serious look on her face. Whatever she had been doing these last few days she was taking it seriously. She wondered if how the Force presented itself to her had anything to do with how she was picking up Waveform, but she also thought it didn't matter. The fact was, she was, and she was good at it.

She poked a stick into the fire absently, barely listening to the conversation.

"I'll be back," she muttered to Quill, ignoring the din of conversation in the background. She was floating three small sea smoothed stones above her right hand, focused on them intently.

 

[Violet Horne]

Kuxirra Tano-Bonteri , Dagon Kaze , Auraya Irath-Ur, Audren Sykes , Tiland Kortun , Jend-Ro Quill , Kaska Arden , Julius Sedaire , Auteme , Kisaku Oroken , Viera , Viers Connory , Aeris Lashiec , Kaia Starchaser , Cotan Sar'andor , Thalia Senn , Aaran Tafo , Okkeus Dainlei , Sargon Vynea , Taiia Mataan

She sat closer to the fireplace.

Studying the fires while the others shared their thoughts with one another.

But she couldn't help but smile at the little exchange between Viera, Dagon and Kaska. It had been a frustrating 3 days. Constant failure, little progress and being egged on by it. All at the same time... and yet... there had also been fun in between. She almost had almost forgotten what it was like to be among other people for longer periods of time.

Not like being a scout in the Outer Rim was conductive to spending a lot of time with people. Much less her own condition.

Still, Violet didn't feel very comfortable butting in the middle of their conversation, but she did gently tap to that fragile connection that still hung between all of them. Something about constantly weaving together a connection during training maybe. Violet leaned back and send a brief telepathic message to Kaska specifically.

Yet the nature of the Force meant that some of them would presumably catch hints of it regardless.

At least now Dagon can say he has made some women wet in his life.

A wide grin, before stretching. real mature. you humans are disgusting you know that, right? That only made her grin wider for a moment, before coughing and trying to get serious.

"I think Kaska is right. They have been through so much, because of Jedi... Sith... they need to see that we have changed." Brows furrow there. "I am afraid that they are only setting themselves up for further heartbreak, if they open themselves up again. I don't think enough of us have changed. Not to matter in the long run anyway."

 

[Audren Sykes]

To put it simply, three days hadn't been enough time. There were some things the Sephi was a wizard at and picked up instantly...this wasn't one of them. He couldn't seem to get past the idea that physical size and age had something to do with the strength of the Call, though he was well aware that the Selkath had neither of the advantages - at least not to the degree of the Progenitor.

Still, he didn't count the trip as a failure. He'd learned some, and if he continued to practice had no doubt that he would eventually make a breakthrough. He'd met several other Jedi - he did consider that a good thing even if others might not - as well as the local Force order. Not to mention departing on assumedly good terms with said order, which was much better than being kicked out. They had effectively taken on the role of Jedi Watchman for the planet, maybe even the system, and that freed up Jedi elsewhere. While their understanding of the Force was limited in comparison, there were many of them and that could well make up the difference. If time allowed he would make it a point to travel back to this world and learn more if they would allow him, maybe even trade knowledge.

Time well spent.


(Sorry for the delay, busy week.)