Ask An Unexpected Journey

[Xohhar K'liir]

"I murdered my first person when I was fifteen, I'm not arguing against being called a murderer- just that in this case I didn't actually intend to murder him... yet." When Arak and Connor turned to give him a look the Falleen pointed at Nash as she mentioned that it was normal for Champions to try and get their charges killed during Code Reds. "Having a plan to kill everyone you meet is just good sense - but how likely do you think it is that I had a plan accounting for Nash's rapping and the Champion requiring the Heimlich maneuver to pull off?"

Looking at the umbrella he'd picked up, Xoh carefully examined it with his eyes and the Force - trying to see if it had some sort of magical trap or enchantment before carefully opening it and holding it above his head as a shield against the falling rain. Following along the path the Compass was guiding them toward and listening to the others swap theories about what was going on the Falleen looked incredulously at Nash when the ground started getting soupy and she helpfully suggested he stick his head in the water and scope out whatever she'd seen move.

Deliberately raising his right arm and wiggling his shiny metal fingers at her, Xoh snorted and said "Yeah, I'm gonna pass on that, thanks. Arak buddy, can you feel anything big and hungry down there?"

Drawing his vibrosabre with one hand and holding the umbrella in the other, Xoh carefully followed Connor forward on the stones with his blade held at the ready to stab the shit out of anything that jumped out at him.

@Apollyon @Javier esschoolbus @Logan @Sreeya

 

[Arak Ragnos]

Arak having his poncho just hanging over his head and not on properly didn’t need to raise the hood as he had already covered his head. So when the rain came down harder he just grumbled in Ur-Kittat once again cursing the planets weather system. He looked at Connor as he out loud wondered what Santa would give them. “Whatever it is I hope it’s useful. Or at least interesting.” He mused aloud, thinking of what he’d define as interesting and useful.

Arak hadn’t stopped to think about there suddenly being a village on an empty world. So now he silently pondered it as they walked, didn’t the Santa say something about not waking up on Jagomir? “We might’ve went to the wrong planet. Santa did say he didn’t wake up on Jagomir earlier.” He finally added.

He looked between both Xo and Connor as both asked him to sense for anything in the water. He cracked his knuckles and looked intensely at the waters surface. He then looked over wide eyed at them, “I….SAW…..WATER!” He sarcastically shouted to the two, “That’s not how it works geniuses.” He said shaking his head.

He stood next to Nash as the other two began crossing the rocks leaning in close to her, “We could wait to see if something jumps out for them first. If it doesn’t it’s probably safe.” He whispered, “If something does we can be help them and be behind whatever it is.” He offered, he wasn’t going to abandon the other two but if they could give him and Nash a chance to attack any sea monsters when it was focused elsewhere why not use the advantage.

@Sreeya @Apollyon @Rom

 

[Nash]

Nash’s eyes glazed over as she looked at Xo. Only he could manage to talk about being 15 and killing someone and have it vaguely resemble a grandfather telling a story complaining about how far they had to walk for school. She rubbed her chin in thought, “You know, Xo, you’re really…the fuck is the word.. Pedal…poodoo..pedi…pedantic!” Nash said cheerfully, “Yes, pedantic,” She marveled at her own vocab use.

She was surprised when Connor and Xo started hopping across - normally she was the one first in line for dumb ideas. However, she waited on the edge, preparing to follow them. When Arak whispered to her, she quirked a brow. He usually had shady ideas, but she was surprised to hear one about their friends. He quickly added logic and she nodded in agreement, “Yeah true,” She mused, “Makes perfect sense,” Arak’s self preservation methods went right over her head.

“You’re so smart,” She said with a smile, leaning in to steal a kiss while she knew Connor nor Xo weren’t going to be looking.

The two others were almost entirely across when something abruptly jutted up from the water. From the looks of it, it was a mutant gator with rows upon rows of sharp teeth. Xo made it across perfectly safely and would be positioned to land a strike at the giant underbelly while the beast leapt into the air to snap its jaws. It missed the boys by a hair’s breadth.

Connor would also make it across unharmed, but the sudden wave in the water would cause him to lose his footing and splash into the edge of the water, his weapon slipping out of his grasp.

“GET OUT OF THE WATER!” Nash screamed towards Connor, using the Force to coil around the gator to harshly yank it away from the others. Her efforts worked (dice:14/20) as the beast was slammed into some nearby rocks. However, it wouldn’t be out of the game that easily.

@Apollyon @Rom @Javier esschoolbus

 

[Connor Vance]

Sephi ears were…sensitive. While Connor didn’t pick up on the conversation going on between Arak and Nash he did notice only one pair of footsteps behind him. That’s weird.

“Hey Xo.” He muttered. “I don’t hear anyone else behind us.” He continued. “You don’t think they used us as bai-“ Connor’s words were cut short when a massive form burst through the water. Xo made it across first (somehow) and landed safely on the other side.

Connor on the other hand? The sudden rush of the water mixed with the soggy earth made him slip and bust his ass. He slipped into the water’s edge and felt his carbine slip from his grasp and hit his foot. He felt a sudden shift in the water as Nash used the Force to grasp the gator and rip it away from him. She screamed for him to get out of the water.

He did just that, feeling the carbine’s strap slip from around his foot and vanish into the murky swamp. Great now he was actually useless. Connor forced himself onto the bank as the massive Gator recovered from being slammed against the rocks.

Connor drew out his Peacemaker as he backed away from the bank. The water broke again and Connor fired the heavy blaster pistol twice in the direction of whatever launched itself towards him. A mutated alligator about the size of a regular one was slumped at his feet.

“WHAT THE FUCK?” He shouted as he scrambled to his feet and looked out into the swamp water.

He spotted two additional sets of eyes dip below the surface as baby gators and momma gators likely set up another ambush. This was not good. Part of Connor wanted to yell across for using him as bait. He was annoyed but kept his mouth shut. It wouldn’t do them any good right now.

“THERE’S THREE OF THEM!” Connor yelled. “YOU NEED TO FIND ANOTHER WAY AROUND!” He shouted. “WE’LL MEET…THAT WAY I GUESS.” Connor shouted pointing off to his left.

He hoped they’d actually follow through but if not? Connor still had a blaster pistol in hand and would do his best to cover them.

@Sreeya @Rom @Javier esschoolbus

 

[Xohhar K'liir]

Xoh was moving cautiously on the raised stones when Connor spoke, his eyes fixed on the murky waters around them and the Force curling around him as he tried to sense anything through the morass of life and underlying decay that fed the bog. Flicking his eyes toward the Half-Sephi beside him and unwilling to look back to check the Falleen Acolyte muttered with an uneasy tone, "No, they wouldn't do tha-"before cursing up a storm in Huttese when the water suddenly exploded into activity as a massive mutated gator burst out of the swamp and threw itself toward the pair with it's fang-filled maw snapping hungrily. The sight of so many fangs rushing toward him triggered memories of the Leviathan on Glee Anselm and before Xoh knew what happened he had ducked beneath the leaping mutant, skittered across the stones toward the far bank and ripped open a long gash through it's soft underbelly with a swing of his vibrosabre. Body turning with the momentum of his cut the Falleen swung the umbrella around his side and was shielded from the spray of the mud and brackish water as the mutant gator landed and was ripped back away from himself and...

"Connor!!!" Xoh was moving before he realized it, tossing the umbrella and his sword toward the bank and leaping forward to grab Connor and help pull him back onto solid ground. The other slicer's pistol barked out twice and another one of the gators slumped at his feet while Xoh scooped up his own weapon and umbrella nervously. "Teeth, so many teeth, too many godsdamned teeth!" he cursed under his breath, watching the water warily incase the other mutants decided to chase their missed meal. Looking across the way at Nash and Arak, Xoh nodded shakily in agreement with Connor's words and called toward them, "There must be another crossing, who knows how many more of these things there are!"

He was grateful toward Nash for using the Force to pull the gator back from Connor and give them time to respond, but the half-sephi's words from before the attack echoed in his mind and he couldn't help but remember... shaking the errant thought away, Xoh took another step back from the water and looked to see what the other pair would decide to do - risk the crossing, or temporarily split and find another place to cross and meet up with them.

@Sreeya @Javier esschoolbus @Apollyon

 

[Arak Ragnos]

Arak eagerly retuned Nash’s kiss before turning his attention to Connor and Xo walking across the stones regardless of his warning he couldn’t see anything. He hoped there wasn’t anything but his gaze was scanning the water. Arak himself has not had a good track record of water and creatures hiding in it, first was on the code red where he met Nash and Voss and the sea serpent that randomly appeared, then the leviathan on glee. In his mind if he even wandered near the water a creature was guaranteed to be lurking below.

That’s when the water abruptly splashed outward and some kind of monster attacked the two just barely missing. His idea was fully justified at that point cause if they all were there it only further increased the chances of one of them being injured. And unlike Glee there wasn’t anyway for them to get proper medical treatment for any serious injuries.

Nash acted before he could yanking the creature away from the others and into some rocks. Before she did Xo had sliced open its stomach and caused the creature to be injured. Arak turned to Nash as he pulled out his Sith dagger, “I don’t plan on running away without them do you?” He asked before turning and throwing the dagger at the gator monster. He struck it in the head, (Rolled a 14/20) the dagger imbedding itself into it causing the creature to turn towards them. Its focus was now on the two of them and it made its way over.

Arak ignited his saber and called out to the other two, “TAKE TURNS DISTRACTING IT! WE’LL MAKE IT TURN CIRCLES WHILE WE ATTACK IT!” He looked over to Nash, “Ready to use that sword?” He asked as he prepared to potentially be left to deal with the gator by the other two. If that happened he’d get Nash out of the way with a force push if necessary.

@Sreeya @Apollyon @Rom

 

[Nash]

“What do you mean running away?!” Nash asked Arak, “They’re safe on the other side, we need to find another way around,” She said, “Now is when you wanna play hero, Ari, now?” Nash asked, exasperated. Nash looked back at Connor and Xo.

“YOU FUCKERS COULD’VE WAITED BEFORE JUMPING ACROSS LIKE DIPSHITS!” She screamed at them, actually pissed at their short-sightedness. Was that what she was like normally? Nash did some quick self reflection. However, one thing was for certain - she was pissed. She was still in her thoughts when Arak threw the dagger at the giant gator. Nash remained unmoving, still stewing in her rage. The gator rose up from the water in fury, slamming into the bank.

“Bitch I wasn’t done reflecting,” Nash hissed at the monster as she leapt into the air as the gator snapped its jaws trying to bite her. Her jump allowed her to clear its head, landing right on top of it and slamming its mouth closed under her weight. Her Sith blade was out and she jammed it through an eye, wedging it deep and twisting it so it traveled right through the head.

Nash yanked the blade out harshly along with the dagger Arak stabbed it with. She turned and walked down the length of the gator’s giant back towards the water, “I’m tired of these mother fuckin’ gators in this mother fuckin’ swamp!” She yelled as she hurled the knife with the aid of the Force to pin one of the baby’s tails against a tree while it started coming over to this side. Nash walked over while the beast was trapped and thrashing about, bringing the Sith blade down to chop its head clean off.

The last two - witnessing all of this - quickly submerged back into the water for now. Nash huffed as she retrieved the dagger again, walking back towards Arak and tossing it back to him. She took her own dagger out and carved off one of the teeth off the giant gator, stashing it away as a trophy.

“Let’s go,” She said curtly to Arak as she started walking. Nash shot a glare across the lake to Connor and Xo but said nothing for now. It would be an entirely different path around the lake, but she had no desire to try crossing it.


Dice: 15/20

@Apollyon @Rom @Javier esschoolbus

 

[Connor Vance]

Connor heard Nash shout over the lake to them. She was clearly pissed. Connor couldn’t really worry about that right now. She’d either sock them both in the face when she saw them or she’d be over it by the time they linked back up and giving them a hug. The duality of Nash. But right now it didn’t really matter.

Connor watched as Arak and Nash made short work of the Momma Gator before Nash shot them a glare. Connor didn’t flinch away from it, instead he gave a thumbs up at them. “Nice job! Thanks!” He shouted before turning to check in on Xo.

“You good man?” He asked as he patted him on the shoulder.

Connor would look to the direction he’d pointed and give a small sigh. There was a fog rolling in, it was thick and looked like it would obscure their vision slightly. Connor was a little more wary of his surroundings, he was largely unfamiliar with swamps and the one person that knew them was on the other bank. His caution only intensified when he heard movement and strange cawing coming from inside the mists.

Connor looked around for another way, unwilling to risk going blind through the mists while something was clearly in there. He spotted a series of vines that had been strung together and laid across the thickest branches of trees. It was like they had been deliberately set up to avoid something in the area.

“Right there.” Connor whispered as he pointed them out. “We’ll swing across until we clear the fog and then link back up on foot. Sound good?” Connor asked.

He didn’t wait around for an answer, instead he started doing his best to climb up the tree and get to the vines. Connor would stop to help Xo up if he followed and needed it. He’d grab ahold of the makeshift swing and then glance to Xo.

“Thanks for helping me out of the water back there. The gators probably would have gotten me.” He told Xo before swinging across.

Connor was lost in his thoughts as he swung across. He didn’t even notice the of energy cell that fell from a pouch on his backpack and into the fog below. (7/20) He wasn’t angry anymore and adrenaline had faded from his veins from the ambush. He was more just annoyed at the entire situation now. Especially when he glanced down and saw a pack of strange pale creatures moving in the mists below.

Connor would pause between trees to make sure Xo got across as well. If something happened, Connor would do his best to help him. He looked out from his vantage point and saw the mist as it hit the bank of the lake before it began to climb back where it had come from. Almost like it had a mind of its own.

“You seeing this?” Connor asked rhetorically. “Let’s link back up with Nash and Arak. I’m ready to get out of here.” Connor whispered. “Fuck this place.”

Hopefully, they’d reach the far side of the lake with no more issues.

@Logan @Sreeya @Rom @Javier esschoolbus

 

[Xohhar K'liir]

Xohhar stood on the bank well back from the brackish water with his sword held limply at his side and his possibly magic umbrella held over his head against the drizzling rain, watching as Nash took out her aggression on the mutated alligators. When she flipped into the air and landed on the large one's head before stabbing deep into it's brain he let the tip of his sword sink into the ground, tucked the curled handle of the umbrella into his arm pit, and clapped as if he were a spectator at a dueling tournament and not witnessing the Twi'lek girl vent a frankly worrying amount of violence onto the local wildlife.

Nodding at Connor, the Falleen lifted his hand in farewell to the others and pointed again in the direction they were heading before moving to follow the Half-Sephi after grabbing and sheathing his sword. The fog rolling in wasn't quite enough to set him on edge - the strange echoing call and sound of movement from within, however, did the job. Xoh followed Connor's finger toward the vines and then looked warily at the smooth bark of the tree; but before he could voice his doubts Connor was gone, scurrying up the tree and disappearing into the boughs like a Kowokian monkey lizard. Closing the umbrella and lashing it to his pack, Xoh rubbed his hands together and began climbing; his natural hand slipping on the trunk while his cybernetic one dug into the bark and crunched causing splinters to fly.

Halfway up the tree he felt a tug and then heard the riiiiiip sound of shredding plastic as his poncho caught on a branch (8/20) and fell into tatters off of his back. Cursing under his breath, he looked up to see Connor offering him a hand and took it, muttering all the while as he scrambled up the rest of the way into the tree. "See the Galaxy,' they said. 'Learn new skills,' they said. Nothing like the fucking brochure, how do I keep finding myself in these situ..." The Falleen acolyte fell silent as Connor thanked him for the save before swinging away on the first vine like some sort of jungle man from the holos.

"Of course, Conn-and he's gone. Alright then, nothing to it - just like the grappling lines back home. Just made of plant... instead of high tensile cord rated to hold multiple times your body weight. Fucking hells." Grasping the vine tightly, Xoh took a breath and swung toward the next tree and then the next, leaving enough time for Connor to move to the next limb. Between one tree and the next he spotted the strange white creatures moving through the fog with purpose, a primordial part of his mind tensing at the recognition of a pack of predators on the hunt. Grasping the trunk tightly, he ducked as one of them seemed to be lifting it's head and let out a sigh of relief as the pack moved off. (Coinflip, Tails. Creatures didn't spot them)

"Yeah... I believe I'm done with swamps and mutant alligators and strange fog hunters. Let's hope this village has a tavern with something decent to drink - or better yet, a holonet connection so we can get the fuck off this world."

@Sreeya @Javier esschoolbus @Apollyon

 

[Arak Ragnos]

Arak was slightly thrown off by Nash disagreeing with trying to distract the gator so the others could get collected. “I don’t want them to get eaten.” He said back to her. Even if they went across without thinking or trying to figure out what Nash saw rippling they were still his friends. He wouldn’t leave them to die.

Nash then screamed in agreeance to his internal thoughts about them not waiting. While she stewed he had lured the gator towards them. He was expecting it to go after the one that attacked it so his saber was out and ready. Instead it rose up and went for Nash, something Arak hadn’t quite calculated. He went to move in to attack it when Nash landed on it with a thud.

Arak watched in stunned amazement as she quickly took care of the threat. Not only that she pinned another and unceremoniously beheaded it. She even took one of its teeth as a trophy. That was sexy as hell. I think I might have fallen even more in love. Arak was partially zoned out until she tossed him the dagger and he struggled catching it.

“Alright.” He replied as he walked behind her waving to Xo and Connor as they continued on. He watched them move on for a bit until they disappeared into some form of mist. It made him feel a little uneasy but the duo would likely be fine. His gaze then turned to the swamp water. He was making sure there was little to know air bubbles or anything that showcased something lurking for them.

@Sreeya @Apollyon @Rom

 

[Nash]

Nash could see the mist, but neither Xo nor Connor freaked out which suggested they at least had some sort of plan. She started walking through the new path, her machete back out as they walked through the rain. She thought back to what Arak had said earlier, a streak of annoyance cutting through her, “I wasn’t suggesting that we let our friends get eaten,” She said moodily, “But we all need to know how to take care of ourselves,” Nash turned to look at him, “And you need to stop with your self sacrificing bullshit,” She hissed, recalling back to his suggestion back in the tunnels about staying behind to let she and Connor run, “They barged in without even talking to us and just expected us to have their back. Connor wandered off in the tunnels.. We can’t keep being left holding the bag or chasing after them every time,” Nash shook her head, “I won’t. We ain’t little kids, there needs to be some fucking accountability for our own actions.”

She couldn’t help but seethe, glaring at the ground thinking back to how Arak actively lured the giant gator to attack him, “It ain’t exactly special what you’re willing to do for me if you do the same for every fucking friend you got,” Nash said before she started hacking through the branches in her way to cut them a path. She hoped circling around this path would allow them to join up with the others.

Nash may have loved her friends, but she wasn’t going to throw herself into danger repeatedly after them when they made dumb choices. She didn't expect it in return either. She would be there to react to it and combat it, but she wouldn’t make herself equally helpless in a situation. She was no movie hero nor a Jedi that would lay her life down for every damn friend she had. And if her friends had issues with that, she didn’t need friends like that in her life.

@Javier esschoolbus @Rom @Apollyon @Logan

 

[Connor Vance]

Connor turned his head back to Xo as he talked about finding the others. Then finding a drink. Then finding a holonet connection. Then finding a way of this rock.

Connor’s face didn’t shift, it remained neutral but internally he knew that it wouldn’t be so simple.

“I don’t think we’ll be finding a holonet connect Xo.” Connor replied. “We got a quest to complete and I got a feeling runes to translate before we get out of here.” He continued, his ears dipped at the list.

Connor climbed down the tree first. His ears perked as he listened out for anything. Predators were still somewhere in the area and he wouldn’t prefer another close call. When Xo joined him Connor noticed his missing poncho for the first time. His blood ran cold.

“Xo…did your poncho get torn up and fall onto the ground back there?” Connor asked him warily, his eyes trailing back to where they had started their vine swinging escapade. “You don’t think they have good senses of smell, do you?” He asked, his ears flicked.

Connor looked out and didn’t see the mist rolling back. That made him feel a little more comfortable. Connor figured their scent wouldn’t be easy to find, they were a ways from where they started and they just climbed down. They should be okay.

“Leave that here and let’s go and find Nash and Arak.” He said finally, nodding in their direction before walking that way.

@Logan @Sreeya @Rom @Javier esschoolbus

 

[Xohhar K'liir]

Xoh sighed when Connor expressed his doubts about the Falleen's dream scenario of an easy trip off this godsforsaken rock and muttered, "I wasn't actually expecting to find any of it, but it'd be nice if we did," before scrambling down the tree behind the half-Sephi and let out a sigh of relief at being back on mostly solid ground. Drawing his vibrosabre, still mindful of the creatures they'd seen hunting through the mists, the Falleen acolyte turned and looked at Connor's ashen features.

"It got stuck in some branches on the first tree we climbed, I didn't look back to see if it fell to the grou..." His voice trailed off when Connor asked about the Hunters sense of smell, his eyes flicking back toward the rolling mists before meeting Connor's. "You know what, let's assume they do and leave before they find it... or us."

@Apollyon @Javier esschoolbus @Logan @Sreeya

 

[Arak Ragnos]

Arak was walking with Nash along the new path. He was scanning their surroundings being put on edge after the surprise gator attack. The rain was still coming down but he had gotten somewhat used to it at this point. There was silence for a bit while they walked, then Nash began to vent, “We do, but each of us has a strength.” He said having noted as much, he was the most knowledgeable in general force use, Nash was the most physically capable, Connor was best with blasters, Xo was a decent swordsman it seemed. “I…” He started to argue, “I will.” He said realizing that she was right.

Arak listened to her explanation on what seemed to be a big reason for her anger, “If it was reversed I would hope they’d had our backs, though I’m not sure they would now.” He said slightly solemn, “Connor did abandon us in the tunnels but he did come back. Though he never did tell me why he wandered off.” He mused aloud, listening to the next part about accountability. “I agree that there should be accountability for our actions.” He stated simply with a shrug.

She looked down as she mentioned her feelings about what he’s willing to do for her not being special if he’d do it for all his friends. Arak grabbed her hand and stopped her from continuing on, “I thought they would shoot at it like I suggested, instead they watched it come over to us.” He said to her, “I put more faith in them than I should.” He said as his gaze went to the floor, “I realized that no matter how good a friend you can’t trust people to watch your back.” He said his tone disappointed, “Now I know it’s just me and you, and I’d have thrown myself into the mouth of it if I needed to so you made it out, Nash.” He stated meeting her gaze. He let go of her hand so she could continue cutting the path and followed behind her continuing to scan.

@Sreeya

 

[The Storyteller]

Despite the likely high levels of swamp ass steaming between Connor and Xohhar given all of the things they'd gone through up until this point, they'd find themselves lucky in that the creatures lurking in the mist didn't seem to smell them. Or if they did, the pungent musk of two dudes wasn't their particular cup of tea. Which was good!

Mostly. Turns out, it wasn't due to a particular lack of interest so much as the creatures were distracted - their attention much more focused on getting away from something than finding something to eat.

If they listened closely, over the din of rain that still pattered around them, Connor and Xohhar would hear the unmistakable sound of something slithering and sklortching over the detritus. Eventually, as the cacophony akin to taking a plunger to a pot full of extra thick mac and cheese grew to a crescendo, XoCo would land eyes on a beast that seemed to be made of every vile part of the swamp you could think of.

A twisting mass of tentacles, eyes, teeth and sludge that moved with purpose, though whatever that purpose was entirely unknown. It spotted the two Sith as they stood near the base of the tree, many eyes blinking and each individual maw mouthing silent words they would only hear in their heads.

These swamps do not belong to you, It said, its voice odd and thick, each consonant sounded like boiling caramel. But you are different than the others, and you have the smell of the master's enemy on you. The little tentacles with mouths seemed to sniff at the air when the beast said it, its eyes looking at the umbrella that Xohhar had kept. Before I consume you, you will tell me where he is and why you are here.

---

The path around the lake would be much slower than the path across but it would have the added benefit of, at least so far, being a much safer alternative. Especially to the path their friends had taken, Nash and Arak would find a much more peaceful time hacking through the thick branches and brambles as they carved their way forward.

The natural peatbogs and obvious sinkholes of the swampland would take Nash and Arak on a wide birth around the lake, likely putting even more distance between them and their friends than initially intended. Eventually, they'd even stumble across another rather average looking path carved through the area, and notice that it even had even ruts running down its length like it saw semi frequent travel from some kind of wagon or cart.

As luck would have it, one of those wagons just happened to be coming down the lane, small lanterns hanging from its corners creating an almost enticing orange glow against the gloam of the rainy swamps. Nash and Arak would become suddenly aware that daylight would likely be waning soon, much sooner than they would hope.

The cart was being pulled by a rather mangy looking bantha, its fur matted and covered with mud and muck on the fringes. Sitting up in the driver's seat was a rather aged looking Lasat woman, a large cigar hanging from her mouth causing puffs of smoke to rise in odd intervals as the cart bumped and trudged along the uneven ground.

Whether it was from the rain or her age, the woman nearly drove the cart straight into Nash and Arak before yanking the reins and slowing to a stop, peering down from her perch at them like someone looking at starving kittens wallowing in the gutter.

What are two kids doing out here in the swamps at this hour? She asked them, a tinge of genuine concern in her sandpapery voice. You must not be from around here if you are gallivanting in the wilds at night. Are you lost? She paused for a moment, puffing on her cigar before chuckling slyly. Or did I accidentally interrupt yous twos bit of frolicking in the mud, eh? I didn't know this to be a lover's lane, but I'm old and don't keep up much with the kids these days.

The bantha huffed and hawed, as if telling the caravan driver they needed to get a move on before the sun truly set in the swamp. Animals could sense that kind of thing, after all. Or maybe it was just annoyed by standing still in the seemingly endless rain, who's to know.

Our caravan camp isn't too far from here if you need a hot meal and a place to dry off your clothes, the Lasat woman said with a shrug. I can take you, or you can find your own way. Up to you.

She smacked the reigns lightly which encouraged the bantha to get moving. Arak and Nash would have just a moment to decide whether they wanted to hop on and trust a stranger or try traversing the swamps in the dark to find Connor and Xohhar.

Guess it was time for Nash to decide if she was going to keep chasing after her friends or give them the accountability she claimed they needed to have.

@Javier esschoolbus @Rom @Sreeya @Apollyon

 

[Nash]

Nash stopped to look at him when he grabbed her hand and explained himself. She sighed after he spoke, “Ari, I don’t want you to get yourself killed for me either,” Nash said, “We ain’t movie heroes. If I’m in trouble, you focus on killing the thing logically without getting us both fucked up,” She said as she looked into his eyes, “I’m the dumb one, you’re the logical one,” Nash said as she smiled, “Can’t have you leading with feels too,” She winked at him before she started walking again.

She started hacking away again. After a few hacks, she realized she was doing it to a rhythm. She started to step to that rhythm. She started to rock to that beat. And then she started to beatbox a beat, “Uh..uhh. Aight check it,” She began before she started to freestyle.

"Stomping through the swamp, with my boy by my side,
In the murky waters, where gators hide.
Searching for our bros, lost in the fight,
Through the tangled vines, in the setting sun's dim light.

We battled tooth and claw, against the swamp's fierce might,
But our bond's unbroken, in the dark of night.
With determination strong, we press through the bog,
In this murky wilderness, we'll break the fog."

Nash’s rap started to die down when she saw the cart heading their way. She grimaced, “Yo, this planet is a whole ass party. Get the fuck outta here with this nO sEnTiEnTs shit, I fucking swear to god,” She huffed, keeping her machete out in case this was some fool cruisin for a bruisin. Nash yelped as the cart almost trucked them, splashing her legs with mud, “Ayo what the fuck, granny?!” She quipped with a glare. Arak would have to physically stop her from throwing herself at the granny with her machete in retaliation.

Nash dusted herself off, resting the machete on her shoulder as the woman addressed them. Her expression changed from annoyance to wonder, “Yo, are you a Hedge Witch by any chance?” Nash blurted out, “And naw, can you give us some directions? We’ll catch up,” She wrapped an arm around Arak’s waist and yanked him close, “Me an’ my boo thang gonna go do the soggy swamp samba, if you catch my drift,” She said with the jut of her chin and a grin with a wink. Nash had no desire to divulge that Connor and Xo were out there in case this lady tried to ambush them with her lackeys. It was better to have their friends free and on the lookout.

Unless the lady stopped them further, Nash would keep walking towards where she expected Xo and Connor would be.


@Javier esschoolbus @Apollyon @Rom @Logan

 

[Connor Vance]

Connor and Xo didn’t have the opportunity to move before his sensitive ears picked up movement. Something slithered and schlurped its way through the undergrowth. Eventually, a thing made of eyes, mouths, and fetid bog water made itself known to them.

“Great, another unknowable eldritch monstrosity that wants to murder me.” Connor muttered, his ears dipping. “Because of course this place would have those.” He muttered.

When the thing spoke, Connor heard its voice in his mind. He didn’t really like that but he listened. The thing explained whose swamps these were, who it’s master was, that it smelled the enemy on them, and lastly it asked what they were before it ate them.

“Listen mouth-y? Mouther? Multi-mouth!” That’d do. “If you’re talking about the quest giver, we don’t know him like that. He just appeared, offered us a quest without a reward, killed a crow, smoked up, and dipped.” Connor offered with a shrug. “And I get that possession is nine-tenths of the law, so what if we just move off the private property and you don’t eat us?” He offered.

As for the reason they smelled different…Connor was pretty sure he had deodorant on. So the thing must have meant something else. Then he had an idea, he remembered that telepathic links were two way, time to test this things resolve.

“Yeah, I bet we smell weird…because we’re Sith.”

At those words, Connor would shove only the images from what Occidius’ terminals had shoved into his mind through the connection. Images of the hungering dead, the sounds of beings being ripped apart, and the distant chanting of countless wet voices would be heard. It was the same visions that had overwhelmed him, hopefully it would have the same effect and give them an opening.

“QUICK GIVE IT A SMACK AND LETS RUN!” Connor shouted to Xo.

Connor seriously hoped this worked and that they’d make it back to Nash and Arak again.

@Logan @Sreeya @Rom @Javier esschoolbus

 

[Xohhar K'liir]

The sound of something slithering through the undergrowth cut off Xohhar's mental cursing at Connor for making him think of the ripped poncho acting as a dinner bell for the mist hunters, his hand gripping the hilt of his vibrosabre tightly as he looked around with narrowed eyes and tense shoulders. The... thing that emerged from the swamp was nightmarish in appearance, the Falleen acolyte looking between the many mouths and the eyes with disgust and growing horror that only heightened as the mouths began moving without sound despite the voice ringing through his mind.

Xo steeled himself as the creature spoke of the old Swamp Wizard, his free hand pulling the umbrella off his pack and holding it by the hooked handle like it was a sword in its own right. It had been left by the wizard so it had to be important, and the Falleen was not at all interested in crossing the being that had shown the depth of its power and let him off with a friendly warning.

"He left not long after dropping his umbrella, headed off south I think," Xoh lied through his teeth, shoring up his mental shields and projecting a sense of truthhonestguileless toward the mass of writhing sludge. He could feel Connor preparing, see the tenseness in his shoulders, so when the Half-Sephi called out he was ready to move, sweeping the blade and the umbrella forward to jab the monster in one of its larger eyes with the point of the umbrella and slash through a pair of eyes and mouth with the vibrating edge of his sword as he turned and ran to follow Connor West, hoping that they would find Nash and Arak before the creature recovered ans gave chase.

@Apollyon @Javier esschoolbus @Logan @Sreeya

 

[Arak Ragnos]

Arak listened as Nash gave her opinion on his speech. He couldn’t really argue against her points, they worked best when Arak acted in support of her more direct approach, there wasn’t a need to change that if it hadn’t failed them yet. “I don’t think you’re dumb.” He said to her, “That’s easier said than done.” He mumbled under his breath as she began hacking away again.

Arak was staying behind Nash as she cut a path through the thicket when he noticed she was doing it to a rhythm. She even began beatboxing before it became a rap. He listened to it as they walked, he wasn’t as big into rap music as Nash so he didn’t know if he should consider it good or bad, that being said he enjoyed it and wouldn’t mind if this was what he heard the remainder of the trip.

When Nash’s rap began to die down he was slightly disappointed, “There is a lot of people here.” He said in agreeance, as he watched the cart approach. Arak stepped back as Nash yelped, also trying to avoid getting hit by the cart. That’s when he heard her curse at the granny. He wrapped his arms around her, “No no no, it’s not worth it, Nash.” He pleaded trying to stop her from jumping the swamp granny, his feet getting dragged through the mud till Nash stopped.

Once Nash had calmed down he stepped to her side. He shot a quick glance to Nash as she openly asked if the granny was one of the witches they were looking for. Though he would’ve preferred the ride, he also wasn’t trusting of this camp and the swamp granny, “Yeah we’ll catchup.” He said in agreement, getting pulled close to Nash. He looked over to her as she spoke about some form of Samba, he hadn’t ever heard of the Soggy Swamp Samba before, “What’s that?” He whispered to Nash, once again taking something literally.

He would then walk with Nash along the path towards where the others should be, if they weren’t stopped by swamp granny.

@Logan @Sreeya @Apollyon @Rom

 

[The Storyteller]

The funny thing about mental bridges is that they always move both ways. Whenever you decide to touch the mind of another, you give them a chance to do the same, no matter how much of a surprise you might have hoped to have.

When Connor forced images into the Mouther’s mind, or whatever it was that it had that resembled one, he touched something that was completely and utterly foreign to him. A stain would paint Connor’s mind, though he wouldn’t be entirely aware of it, leaving something in him that would present itself in due time.

Xohhar’s sword slash would find purchase, slicing the creature in one of its larger eyes and sending a spray of dark-as-night blood into the air.

An otherworldly shriek would follow them as they beat feet and put distance between them and the monster, and after a minute or two it would seem like they were not being pursued.

The silence of the swamp would soon find them again, and as they slowed to catch their collective breaths, XoCo would hear something rustling through the brambles a little bit ahead of them.

–

The woman on the cart would turn to look at Nash when she asked her question about witches, an interesting look of amusement finding its way to her wrinkled face. She puffed on her cigar before flashing the Sith a wink and a smile before once again turning away from them as her cart continued down the road.

Could be, dear. She called to them as the bantha slowly but surely trudged down the road. Find my camp, we’ll talk more then.

After a few moments more, the subtle orange glow of the lanterns on the carriage would fade from sight as Nash and Arak moved further back into the wilds to find their friends.

–

Night had fully descended upon the swamp as XoCo’s attention was drawn to the rustling in the brambles, but before they could assume the worst the familiar sight of their friends would greet them as NaRak pushed through the undergrowth and nearly ran straight into them.

Time for a reunion would be cut somewhat short, though. Just as the group was whole once again, evil would fall upon them in the form of several ghastly creatures rising from the earth.

Interestingly, only Connor would be able to see the monsters distinctly, though he would be unsure why. His three friends would be oblivious to them outside of feeling a sudden and urgent chill of dread creeping up their spines.

There were three in total and they hovered a few inches off the ground in a triangle formation around the group. They did not move to attack, not yet, perhaps not knowing that Connor was able to see them.

How he went about warning his compatriots would define how this inevitable fight would commence, and he wouldn't have long to decide just how to do that.

@Rom @Apollyon @Sreeya @Javier esschoolbus