Ask Ossus Echoes of the Past

[Korsak Wulpez]

Ossus, 17:12 Local Time
Jedi Temple Ruins​

Part of Korsak's heart always broke when wandering through vast ruins such as those on Ossus. While he had no particular love for the Jedi, he had no real contempt for them either, and thinking of how much had been lost in the Temple's sack still touched a sensitive part of his soul. The loss of knowledge was always something to be mourned, no matter what the source.

But the young Amaran Sith Eternal had not come to the decrepit ruins of the Jedi stronghold simply to grieve and reminisce, he had come to probe the depths of the ancient temple in the hopes of finding something that had not been plundered by treasure hunters, sealed away by archeologists, or taken by the new order. While he was sure most if not all of the real artifacts had been taken from the temple, he had a way of turning even the most mundane looking objects into historical marvels, psychometry. Korsak was gifted in the art of reading the past in objects, and even faint impressions in the Force could be useful if one knew how to extrapolate information and search for further answers. To an inquisitive mind, knowledge always begat knowledge.

Unfortunately for Korsak, his journey through the cavernous halls of the old temple had begat Jack-diddly-kriff, and Jack was starting to lose his temper. It seemed that the relic hunters and the Jedi worshippers truly had stripped this temple down to the bones, it even appeared that sections of murals and wall carvings had been hacked away and carted off. This on its own had the Amaran's hackles up, but after nearly passing out from the sheer weight of the Force in the temple, he'd been forced to slip gloves on his hands and feet to avoid making contact with anything. He didn't want to fall into a vision-induced-coma right here on the floor because he'd tripped on a piece of rubble and landed square on his face. This was proving to be much harder than he first imagined...

@MatureContentWarningx

 

[Larana Basai]

Ossus was one of her favorite destinations for self-reflection and meditation. The temple ruins, reclaimed by nature, were serene and beautiful, despite the heaviness that could be felt within the force; echoes of the past left by the Jedi who had come before her. Larana could almost feel each of them individually, their whispers carried on the breeze that moved through the trees overhead, rustling the leaves ever so subtly and in the stream that moved steady in the distance. Even as a Padawan, still learning to communicate with the living force that surrounded her, Larana could feel the calm as it washed over her. The once brilliant temple that now had been taken over by thick foliage was a sight to behold, even though it had been damaged by those seeking hidden treasures and information. It remained a memory of what seemed to be an almost forgotten time, one she did not want to let go.

In the middle of what would have once been an atrium, she sat in meditation, her eyes closed and hands placed in her lap. It was the first time that she had actually lost herself in meditation, and for a while all she could feel was peace. It would have been easy to lose hours here, had another presence not made itself known to her; one darker and heavier than she had felt in the past. It moved closer, traversing through what little remained of the temple halls and suddenly her peace was replaced by a feeling of unease.

Her attention focused on the entryway where there once stood a door, but she did not move. Instead, she waited for the newcomer to make themselves known, poised and ready to defend herself at a moments notice. These ruins were sacred to her, nurturing her inner-peace, and she would not let any more of them be stolen away.

@The Captain

 

[Korsak Wulpez]

Korsak, so lost in trying to pick through the debris of the temple without succumbing to its mind-numbing influence, had completely missed the presence of another being further into the structure. So as he rounded a corner towards a large atrium, he was caught completely off guard by the young human woman standing in the ruined room, apparently waiting for a fight. He paused, ears perked up and tail bristling on end, he hadn't expected to see any living creature here let alone a person.

"You..." Now that he could see the stranger, he could focus his senses on her and now felt the waves of cold, rhythmic cool radiating off of her. Not calm, but not the twisting force of darkness that emanated from other Sith Eternals, was this child a Jedi? If she was, she couldn't rank higher than a Padawan learner, something he could use to his advantage.

"Are you, by chance, a Jedi?" He smiled at the girl, clasping his hands as he tried to ease his raised hackles. His attire might be dark, but his lightsaber was not in plain view so nothing on his body indicated his Sith affiliations.

@MatureContentWarningx

 

[Larana Basai]

Larana didn't move a muscle as the unfamiliar creature rounded the corner into view, her eyes focused cautiously upon him. He was smaller than her, but didn't feel small and the smile the stretched across his face sent her heart into the pits of her stomach. He wore dark robes and his presence in the force was heavy compared to the calm that surrounded them, but she wasn't entirely sure how to feel about him. She wasn't familiar with the Sith Eternal, their presence still hidden from much of the Jedi Order, but still she did not trust him for unknown reasons. Her eyes scanned him in an attempt to find any hint of who he was or who he may be affiliated with, but found no answers. Her heart raced in her chest, but she took a deep breath to try and calm herself.

"My name is Larana Basai." She hesitated a moment. "I am a student of the Jedi Order. Who are you?" Her tone was hushed, but not lacking in confidence entirely. It was best not to hint to the fact that she was nervous, though she was sure he could feel it.

 

[The Captain]

Oh, Korsak could feel the uncertainty radiating off of Larana even as she struck a confident pose for him. This child was not firm in her standing or her understanding of the situation, and he hoped to continue to keep her off balance. He took slow, careful steps into the room, stopping at an acceptable distance from Larana while keeping his hands up where she could see them. She might have been a child, but she was still a Jedi, and the Jedi trained their followers to use the Force and lightsabers with great proficiency.

"I am a student of history. I've come to study the remains of this magnificent place, not plunder them, I assure you." As he said this he began to slowly suppress his presence in the force, reducing the impression of his darkness gradually rather than plunging it into nothingness all at once. Hopefully the child had not noticed his presence, or at least would not notice its absence.

@MatureContentWarningx

 

[Larana Basai]

Larana still wasn't entirely sure that he could be trusted, but offered him no hints to her uncertainty and kept her confident pose, however false it might have been. She was unfamiliar with the situation in which she found herself and rather unsure of how to approach it. His presence in the force, once heavy, had faded almost entirely over the course of a few minutes, leaving little for her to read or interpret. This was quickly turning into a very unsettling situation, though she refused to give into her fears for Master Ris had taught her better. Instead, she took in a deep breath to calm her racing heart.

"These ruins are thousands of years old. There is little left to be plundered, I assure you." Larana watched as he approached her, cautious not to come to close so as not to come off as threatening in any way. "There is even less left to be studied, unless you are here to connect with their unmistakable imprint in the force." Her eyes were accusing, though her tone remained calm and collected. Larana, for reasons unknown, did not believe his story entirely, though had little to use against him.

 

[Korsak Wulpez]

"There is always something to be studied if you know where to look, or how to look." He attempted to dodge the question about the Force, which seemed unnervingly pointed to him. Korsak was fairly confident he could take this learner in a fight if it came down to it, but he had no desire to kill anyone today. Or rather, he did not want to risk destroying any more of the temple in a struggle.

"Places like Ossus echo with history, if you know how to listen. I could show you, if you like." He offered an open hand, not expecting her to take it but rather accept it as a gesture of goodwill. Maybe not sincere goodwill, but hopefully his gentle smile and soft appearance would take the edge off the Padawan's suspicions.

 

[Larana Basai]

Larana had spent far too much of her life sheltered from the outside to openly trust this unfamiliar individual, no matter how friendly he attempted to seem. Even so, he offered her little reason to shut him out and so, she opted merely to remain cautious until he proved to be either her friend or an enemy. It was still unusual to have stumbled across someone here, in the midst of meditation, and for that she remained apprehensive; she was sure that he could sense it, though she did her best to keep a friendlier disposition.

"I am familiar with the imprints that they leave, which I am able to feel through the force that surrounds us." She looked at his outstretched hand, but took it only as a gesture and made no move to reach out for it. "I can't say that I understand what you mean when you say that they 'echo with history'. Could you explain it to me?" Larana let her shoulders relax ever-so-slightly as she awaited his response, still stood near the center of what had once been an atrium of sorts.

 

[Korsak Wulpez]

"Imprints are easy, reading those imprints is another matter entirely." He scanned the room as quickly as he could, eyes darting from corner to corner as he looked for something that might give a psychometric impression. Larana really was right, this place had been plucked clean of anything even remotely valuable, but his powers could still work on objects besides pottery and bones. There was a mural on the far wall, as intact as any he'd found in this rubble, heap, although it was faded, cracked, and partially choked with ivy.

"You can follow imprints like animal tracks," An example from his kithood on Tanaab, the only metaphor he could think to make at the time. "And see where they lead you. If you know how to read an impression, to understand and comprehend it, history will come alive in every object you touch."

He shifted, at a respectable distance from Larana, around the room to the mural, where he removed one of his gloves, placed his bare hand on the material, and focused his senses. The impression he got was weak, faded, but even through the centuries of neglect he could still feel the careful, deliberate precision the artist put into the design.

 

[Larana Basai]

She turned to watch him as he approached what was left of a mural on the crumbled wall behind her, running one of his hands over the cracked surface. However, Larana wasn't quite sure that she understood his lesson. She could feel the history that had imprinted itself upon these ruins, but didn't see how that was any different from the history he seemed to read from one object. It must have been like a book without pages, but how could he read them simply by touching them if not through the Force? He had brushed off her earlier statement and, though she had originally thought she had felt his presence within the force, it had since faded and left her feeling rather uncertain about it all. Perhaps he wasn't connected in the same way that she was.

"I have spent a lot of time here, touched a lot of these ruins, but still haven't been able to feel or see the history beyond what I can feel through the Force." She looked confused for a moment, like she was trying to decipher some encrypted message inscribed upon the stones that surrounded them, but she was unable. "Is this something that can be taught?"

 

[Korsak Wulpez]

He had her attention, that he could leverage to his advantage. So long as he was the teacher and she was the student he could bend her naivety to serve his ends. Or he could end up clueing her into his true intentions and getting a lightsaber swung at his head, the proverbial jury was still out on that matter. Still, he had a golden opportunity here he did not want to waste.

"Partially. Some of it is innate, some of it is training. If you were capable of psychometry, as I've heard it called, I imagine you would have experienced it by now." He made a show of stroking his chin and pondering, even though he'd already formulated a plan. "Although, maybe you just haven't encountered an object with a strong enough impression."

With any luck she might know of some artifact or relic buried deeper in the temple that would give her a reading. Korsak doubted such a thing was possible for her at this point, as he understood psychometry was a natural ability rather than a technique in the Force, but it wasn't improbable.

 

[Larana Basai]

Larana watched him, where he stood in front of the faded mural. He stroked his chin in contemplation and she waited patiently for him to speak before answering him, her tone much softer and filled with curiosity. She had never heard of this 'Psychometry' but it sounded similar to the way in which she could feel the emotions and energy left behind in the Force. However, he was right to assume that she had never encountered an object with a strong enough energy for her to have been able to touch it, in the way that he had, and read its past. It seemed like a gift which was almost too good to be true.

"You're correct. It's unlikely that I have encountered such an object as I can't say I've experienced what you've described." Larana looked away from a moment, up at the skies, and thought quietly to herself. There was a silent pause before she looked back down at him and sighed in slight frustration. "I'm not sure I'd know where to find an object which such an impression either. If I must admit, my experience is rather limited."

OOC: I am sorry that this post took me so long to write. I didn't receive notification that you had responded.

 

[Korsak Wulpez]

Of course she didn't know where to find such an artifact, he was talking to a padawan after all. She probably knew less about Ossus and the temple here than he did. But after a few moments he came to realize that this could be a blessing in disguise, as it meant he could use her ignorance as a springboard to explore these ruins not only with impunity, but with an armed Jedi escort.

"Then there is a simple solution. You see now I can study the history of Ossus without removing a single stone, and we both desire to explore these ruins. I say we work together, you undoubtedly know more about this place than I do, and I can share what I learn through psychometry with you. Does that sound fair?" He smiled, the warmest, most sincerely faked smile he could muster, even brushing his tail a bit back and forth to play up his plush-like appeal. It was far from dignified, but discovery took precedence over dignity.

 

[Larana Basai]

Larana was silent for a moment, her eyes looking past him as she considered his offer. There was much still that she had to learn about the Jedi who had come before her, but she was weary to trust this stranger, even if his unique gifts were alluring. It wasn't her responsibility to protect the secrets that lay buried here, but it was her responsibility to protect the Jedi Order, and to so openly trust a man she hadn't known for more than a handful of minutes seemed reckless, even for her. She had felt his presence in the force before she'd seen him and, despite the fact that his appearance was less than intimidating, it had felt heavy and unsettling for that brief moment. Something told her that she shouldn't trust him; not yet.

"I don't think I like that idea." She looked down at him, his tail moving back and forth like a curious forest creature, but he wasn't. He was a sentient, capable of manipulating the secrets undiscovered here, and for some reason she felt responsible for protecting them, despite the fact that they had laid here for thousands of years unprotected. Laranas heart thumped in her chest and she shook her head, hiding her confused expression, her tone soft and calm. "I don't think they were meant to be discovered, if they haven't been already."

 

[Korsak Wulpez]

So perhaps he had underestimated her after all, as now that secrets were on the line the human started to dig in her heels. In hindsight it should have been obvious, even if he was offering her information and power she was still a Jedi and this was their sacred ground. If he was going to get any use out of her, without blowing his cover, he would have to work a bit harder.

"A lost secret is dead, my young friend, knowledge left buried can do nothing to better the galaxy. Perhaps the secrets buried here are meant to be uncovered now, by us. Destiny is woven of many small threads." He tried to sound calmer, a bit more sage in his suggestion.

@MatureContentWarningx

 

[Larana Basai]

Larana wasn't sure why she felt so conflicted about allowing him access to the temples ruins; they were not hers to protect. Larana was a Jedi, but this temple had long since been reclaimed by the forests of Ossus and she doubted there was a whole lot left to discover. It was a miracle any of it had survived until now and even then, most of it was either suffocated by foliage or buried beneath feet of dirt and moss. It didn't belong to anyone anymore, not even the Jedi Order. If it did, they surely wouldn't trust a single Padawan with its protection either and especially not Larana who still had much to learn about what it meant to be a Jedi.

She shook her head, frustrated with her conflicted emotions, and let out a deep breath to try and refocus. There was no point to getting so worked up over it and losing sight of the entire reason she'd come here in the first place; to seek peace. It was one of the things she struggled with the most, as her mind never rested, and the very reason Master Ris had sent her here.

"What do you want to know about this place?" Her tense posture relaxed a bit and she let her shoulders drop, letting her guard down ever so slightly in front of him, thought not entirely yet. There was still much she needed to know about him before she could trust him entirely, but this was a start.

 

[Korsak Wulpez]

Even without letting his senses in the Force, Korsak could tell that Larana was feeling conflicted about this situation. Understandable, a stranger was standing in the middle of these ancient ruins asking to feel around the place with a power she had only just discovered existed. In the same circumstances Korsak would be suspicious to say the least, but it appeared that his words were wearing on the young Padawan.

"I am interested in the philosophy of the ancient Jedi, my power is the only way to see how it was enacted in the daily life of the temple. But more importantly," He eased back his apparent happiness and appeared more sympathetic. "What do you want to know? Because you seem very...conflicted about something."

 

[Larana Basai]

Larana watched him in silence for a moment, contemplating how she wanted to address his questions. It wasn't her intention to sound so cautious or untrusting, but she had felt his presence in the force, and it had made her uneasy. It was heavy and then it was gone, almost as if he'd shut her out, but it had been there, she was certain of it. He was curious, small and yet his presence was overpowering, but did she have reason to fear him? He surely hadn't given her any reason to and he had offered to share with her his unique abilities to read the histories of places through touch. It was generous of him and she didn't want to seem ungrateful, and yet she couldn't help but share her thoughts.

"I want to know who you are." Her posture stiffened, tone calm but curious. "I felt your presence in the force when you first approached and now I cannot feel anything. I admit, it's perhaps made me a bit conflicted." It seemed brash to approach him in such a manner, but not knowing made it harder to trust him.

 

[Korsak Wulpez]

Korsak maintained his posture, but mentally was taken aback by her question. He'd hoped she hadn't caught on to his presence before now, and it had seemed like she had not noticed his aura but now it was undeniable. She had felt his weight in the Force. Or at least, she had felt something heavy in the Force.

"My name is Korsak." He offered that much at least, it wasn't like he was an infamous figure. "As for what you felt, I sensed it too but it did not come from me. Perhaps something in this old temple echoed when we crossed paths, some ripple of history or destiny caused by our meeting. Places like this reverberate in the Force, even across time."

"Believe me, I know." Now he was just blatantly lying, but he was very good at it and he hoped his explanation would be enough to dissuade the Padawan, or at the very least his insinuation might give her something else to think about.

@MatureContentWarningx