Private Well of All Souls

[Ishani Dinn]

Kesh, Wild Space

“Excuse me, could you tell me where is the…” Ishani paused, having to look down at her datapad to read the Sith name. “... Duobé iv Visa Vele?”

Her pronunciation was awful, and the man just stared at her in bewilderment. Ishani sighed. “Never mind.”

She walked away from the man, passing numerous other refugees in the ramshackle settlement. As one of the numerous Scar Worlds, Kesh was still in the process of rebuilding after the fall of the Bryn’adul. Ishani was here to seek out various Sith sites from the time of the Lost Tribe, but even she felt a little guilty about imposing on such a beleaguered planet.

Trudging across the dusty ground, she went to the edge of the camp and beyond, venturing into the forest. Once she was far enough away to be immersed in the wilds, she knelt down and opened herself to the Force, hoping it would guide her…

Darth Strosius​

 

[Darth Strosius]

Delving into his holocron and other Sith texts had produced wondrous results thus far. Locations of relics, various ancient teachings, and most importantly the long history of the Sith that spanned the centuries. His information however, was still incomplete. Gaps in his literature and references to material that he didn't have or had even heard of kept cropping up to barr his search.

To that end, he needed to gather information from the historical sites themselves. Especially given that he had no access to whatever ancient Sith archive the higher up Sith did.

Alisteri had come to Kesh searching after a particular sect of the Sith, an apparent 'Lost Tribe.' They were decidedly lacking in mentions from his limited library, but he couldn't help but compare their situation to that of his cult's. Isolated from the greater Sith whole, free to develop as they and the Force desired. It was a terrifying yet enthralling concept.

"Yet all I can find..." The masked Acolyte mused as he stared at the random patch of grass that he had been led to by some ancient coordinates. Out in the forest. Alone and with no clear signs of any ancient Sith tribe. "...is a bunch of fething trees!" He idly rolled his eyes as he heard some flying creatures flap off, evidently in fear of his outburst.

As it should be, he had a tribe's remnants to find still.

Ishani Dinn

 

[Ishani Dinn]

Meditating... meditating...

"...is a bunch of fething trees!"

... Who's that yelling over there?

Ishani opened her eyes and turned to gaze in the direction of the voice. Damn it, she thought she was far enough away from any loud, obnoxious yelling people! Grumbling under her breath, she got to her feet and started walking in the opposite direction, determined to get away from whoever it was. She needed peace, and quiet, and solitude here among the "fething trees" if she was going to find the Duobé iv Visa Vele...

Darth Strosius​

 

[Darth Strosius]

Alisteri idly clicked his tongue as he glanced over the coordinates on his datapad, checking over them again and then checking his current coordinates. Sure enough he was in the right area...generally. Unfortunately they weren't too exact, given that they had pieced together from several different sources and some guesswork. He was assuming that there would be some form of ruin or even a dig site that he could spot.

Thus far all he'd seen was trees, the occasional animal, and a nearby refugee camp. He hadn't bothered to approach them, unfortunately he hadn't come prepared to help them. Not this time at least.

He shoved the datapad back into his pocket, resisting the urge to smash it against the nearest tree all the while, as he moved on from the little clearing that he thought would be the location he sought. Back through the trees and hunting for any signs of the Lost Tribe it was, he supposed. Thankfully for him though, there would always exist some things that wanted to be found.

The Duobé iv Visa Vele would send out its call as two potential heirs drew near...

Ishani Dinn

 

[Ishani Dinn]

Meditating, meditating… aha!

Ishani had picked up on something a little ways west of her current location. She got up and started walking that way, eventually reaching a rocky, overgrown structure. It looked natural, but she suspected the forces of time had crafted a realistic facade.

There was presumably a means of entering, a secret entrance perhaps. She circled around it, tapping her chin as her eyes scanned the surface. Eventually she stopped.

Facing the stone, she sat down, assuming the lotus position. She closed her eyes and channeled the Force. Her body lifted from the ground, still posed as her mind stretched out in all directions…

She found a mechanism embedded in the stone. After some fiddling, it gave up the goods. The earth rumbled as a hidden entrance slid open.

Lowering to the ground, she opened her eyes and stood, venturing into the darkness beyond.

Darth Strosius​

 

[Darth Strosius]

Leaping from tree to tree in search of some vague ancient Sith place was nothing too new for Alisteri, someone had to be the scout after all. The usually monolithic and sinister structures that heralded Sith presence was totally absent here however. Largely there was nothing visual to give away what he was hunting, but that was the key he was missing.

Nothing visual for him to rely on, but thankfully somethings want to be found.

He paused as he landed on another branch, tilting his head slightly as he felt something in the back of his mind. Meditation wasn't his strongest ability but with enough focus and concentration, he could feel it. A pull, a connection that was leading him somewhere.

His eyes snapped open and he leapt down from the branch and hit the ground running. He couldn't risk the trail going cold after all, not when he was so close to it. But unfortunately for him, he would not be the first to arrive.

By the time he broke through the foliage and stood before what seemed to be some overgrown rocky structure, the entrance was already wide open. Alisteri reflexively grasped the hilt of his lightsaber as he strode forth to enter the structure. Evidently he wasn't the only one hunting after the Lost Tribe, for now at least.

Ishani Dinn

 

[Ishani Dinn]

The doorway led to a narrow passageway carved into the rock. Ishani turned on her flashlight, dispelling the shadows around her immediate person, but it was otherwise pitch black. Surprisingly cool and clear air was blowing from somewhere further in. She followed its source to a more spacious cavern with an opening at the top, letting in a beam of natural light and fresh air.

After the briefest of perusals, she saw what appeared to be a carved stone altar covered in runes. The chamber felt both natural and unnatural. She was no expert, but she thought it had once been a volcano. It was hollow now, devoid of lava—perhaps it had been artificially cleared and turned into... whatever this was. A sacred site? A secret hideout? A hidden tomb?

She sensed a presence approaching. Someone was following her.

Summoning her sword, she flicked off her flashlight and drew her cloak around her. She lay in wait, obscured by the shadows and the presence-dampening effect of her cloak, watching to see who would enter the chamber after her.

Darth Strosius​

 

[Darth Strosius]

Traversing through the narrow passageway was of no real problem for Alisteri, given his ability to see in the dark and the numerous small and cramped areas that he had navigated before. All the while he kept his hand clasped around the lightsaber on his hip. There was admittedly a chance that the doorway had always been open and that he was alone, but he didn't take chances.

Nor did he think twice about approaching the altar when he spotted it.

He didn't waste time searching around for any other intruder or even checking for any traps as he rushed across the cavern. In his mind it mattered little if there was anything to stop him, he would have the information he sought regardless. He came to a stop before the altar and inspected it like an eager student inspecting a library, running his hands along the runes as if he were awed by them. They were nothing too new to him in all reality, but the carvings of the Sith never failed to amaze him.

"How fascinating..." The masked Acolyte finally glanced around the altar, kneeling down to look at the base of it like he was searching for something hidden in the stone.

Ishani Dinn

 

[Ishani Dinn]

Ishani observed as a masked man arrived. He didn’t bother to search the chamber, instead rushing straight to the altar. His gloved hands ran over the carvings, muttering something under his breath as he stooped to look at the base of the altar.

Her eyes drifted to the unactivated lightsaber he clutched in his hand. The all-black armor and mask certainly weren’t typical of a Jedi, and given that this area was known for its association with the Lost Tribe… Yeah, this guy was probably a Sith. Not someone she wanted to mess with.

Given the situation, her first instinct was to stay in hiding, then bail out of there at the first possible opportunity. But then the masked man touched a panel on the altar, and the floor slid open, revealing a hidden staircase. Her curiosity went to war against her fear and won the battle.

Pushing her hood back, she stepped out of the shadows. “Who are you, and what are you doing here?” she asked. Her tone wasn’t accusatory or demanding; she simply wanted to know.

Darth Strosius​

 

[Darth Strosius]

While the altar itself drew the attention to the top of it, Alisteri knew a rune pattern when he saw one and as such he knew where to look for the real secret. The runes guided his hand straight down to a panel at the base of the altar, one that he quickly pressed in to reveal a hidden passage in the floor. Not entirely what he expected in all honesty, but it worked.

What he definitely didn't expect however was the sound of a voice to follow after the sliding of the floor had subsided.

He spun around, hopping up from the kneel that he had taken whilst examining the altar, and his lightsaber was pulled off of his belt out of instinct. His gaze settled on the other figure in the room, his finger hovering over the switch for his weapon, and he cocked his head to the side slightly.

She wasn't pointing a weapon at him yet, how curious.

"I feel like I should be asking you that question." The masked man pointed at her accusingly, as if he had caught her in a lie. "This ruin is a place of the Sith, I am merely exploring my order's history. You however, are trespassing."

Ishani Dinn

 

[Ishani Dinn]

Ishani’s green eyes narrowed at being accused of trespassing. “I was a Sith too,” she said. “Before all their empires fell. Now being a Sith means being a Mawite.”

Taking a couple more steps into the light, she acted like she was trying to get a better view of the staircase. It led down into an impenetrable darkness. What she really wanted was to see whether the masked man proclaimed himself a member of the Brotherhood of the Maw as eagerly as he called himself a Sith.

“Unless you’re a member of the Lost Tribe, you’re just as much a trespasser as I am,” she muttered. Glancing at him, she decided she might as well introduce herself. “Ishani Sibwarra. I’m here to satisfy my curiosity.”

Darth Strosius​

 

[Darth Strosius]

The mere mention of the word 'Mawite' was enough to cause Alisteri to scoff and roll his eyes behind his mask, dropping his hand back to his side with a dismissive gesture. "As if the Maw have any claim to the title of Sith."

He took a reflexive step back as she took a couple forward, his grasp on his weapon tightening as he watched her warily. Sith didn't have the best history of peaceful interaction after all. Especially when alone in dark places. His gaze narrowed slightly at the introduction, but he still responded after a moment of pause.

"Alisteri Haxim. I would say it's a pleasure...but meeting someone in a dark ruin almost never works out for me, believe it or not."

Ishani Dinn

 

[Ishani Dinn]

"As if the Maw have any claim to the title of Sith."

I'll drink to that.

"Eh, I'm a beginner when it comes to exploring dark ruins, so I don't have much experience with finding other people in them. Er, other living people." She released her hold on her sword (hidden beneath her cloak) and it promptly vanished back into its pocket dimension. "So... what's the deal with this place? You want it all to yourself? Should I leave, or can I stay?"

Darth Strosius​

 

[Darth Strosius]

He almost chuckled at her remark, idly nodding in agreement. The dead were so often easier to find than the living when it came to ruins and tombs, a shame that they were often more abrasive than the living as well. Alisteri pondered her question for a moment, looking her up and down again as he debated her words and tapped a finger against the hilt of his lightsaber.

"I'm hoping that this place will fill a gap of knowledge in my library, something to make the Lost Tribe a bit less lost." The Acolyte reluctantly attached the weapon back onto his hip. "I suppose since you have yet to try and kill me, I have no issue with sharing what I find."

Ishani Dinn

 

[Ishani Dinn]

"Cool," she muttered. Gesturing down into the darkness of the stairwell, she asked, "What'll it be, gentlemen first...?" She assumed it was a guy under the mask, but then how could she know for certain?

Darth Strosius​

 

[Darth Strosius]

He glanced down at the stairwell, unable to see the bottom at the moment even with his superior vision. As ever, they would have to venture forward before they could know what exactly they were getting into. "A true gentleman would allow the lady to go first..." With that Alisteri stepped forward and down the first step. "But you already got inside before I did, so I'm calling first on this one."

Onward he went, idly keeping a hand on the wall to feel for any indentations or odd places as he went down the stairs. He had already found one secret panel after all.

Ishani Dinn

 

[Ishani Dinn]

"Heh."

Ishani's faint snort was the only reaction his words coaxed out of her. She followed along behind him, murmuring under her breath. "Alisteri Haxim. That's an interesting name. Sounds vaguely familiar..." She paused, thinking. "You wouldn't happen to know a guy named Arcturus Dinn , would you?"

At the bottom of the staircase, the glow of Ishani's flashlight revealed another underground cavern. This one was wide with a low ceiling. Rectangular hunks of stone lined the space. It didn't take long to put two-and-two together.

"Is it a mass burial site? These look like graves."

Darth Strosius​

 

[Darth Strosius]

"Hm?" The masked man paused for a moment to glance at her over his shoulder. "I do actually. You must have been in the Sith Eternal then, either that or I just missed you back when the Sith Empire was still around."

As they arrived at the bottom Alisteri looked over the lines of stone, letting out a small hum in agreement. "Could be. They do certainly resemble graves from this angle, but they may have another purpose as well. Sacrificial altars is always an option." He moved to the nearest hunk of stone and ran his hand along it, searching for a seam or gap in the stone that he could work his hand into.

"Let's see if they open up shall we?"

Ishani Dinn

 

[Ishani Dinn]

“The Sith Eternal,” she said, nodding her head. It was beginning to make sense now—she must’ve heard Arcturus mention Alisteri at some point. But she couldn’t remember the context of that half-remembered conversation, and Alisteri wasn’t very forthcoming about how they knew each other. Nor did Ishani feel any need to elaborate on her relationship with their mutual friend. Alisteri didn’t need to know.

Granted, Ishani didn’t even know where exactly she stood with Arc anymore. But that was besides the point.

“Sacrificial altars?” She grimaced. “Great. Just great.”

He stooped in front of the nearest stone and started feeling around for another panel he could press. Ishani watched him from afar for a few moments, then sighed and approached the stone from the opposite side. She wasn’t reluctant so much as hesitant. After all, they had no idea what they might find in the—

The stone suddenly slid open, and dark, fleshy tendrils thrust forth from the void within. Ishani choked down a panicked scream and leaped backwards, summoning her sword. She had no idea what the hell this thing was, but she wasn’t taking any chances.

Darth Strosius​

 

[Darth Strosius]

That was some solace at least, he was plundering into the dark with a friend of Arcturus. Delving into Sith ruins with former Sith Eternals seemed to be a more common occurrence than he had expected as of late. He idly made a mental note to mention that he met Ishani the next time that he saw Arcturus, whenever that would be.

For the moment though, trying to pry the lid of stone off of the rest of it was his main concern.

Thankfully the lid finally slid open after a few moments. Unfortunately, he hadn't been the one to open it. Alisteri fell back in surprise as dark tendrils emerged from the stone, blinking in surprise and awe.

"Huh. Well that's new-Ack!" Suddenly the tendrils lashed out at the pair, one of them wrapping around his neck before he could react. Were it not for him digging his heels into the ground, the tendril would've pulled him forward and slammed his head against the stone. He grabbed the tendril and nearly crushed it in his grasp, his other hand quick to pull his lightsaber from his belt and ignite it before another tendril could grab at him.

With a swift flick of his wrist the tendrils near him were severed and he threw the other half of the one still wrapped around his throat to the ground. "Feisty little things. Let's show them how Sith work eh?"

Ishani Dinn