Open Dathomir Tome of the Eyeless One: The Horror

[Izel Thral]

​

Izel could feel the darkness in the tomb ahead, seeping out like some foul muck that threatened to suffocate her. It sent her antennae twitching uncomfortably. This whole place was unnaturally quiet, it seemed even the vicious wildlife of Dathomir knew to stay away from this wicked place. It reminded her entirely too much of Flood's lair on Nar Shaddaa. If this place was even remotely as dangerous, she and her allies would need to be on their toes.

She had to admit even with the obvious evil permeating the tomb she couldn't help but feel a twinge of curiosity. The Zeffo were a fascinating people, deserving of much greater investigation. And the Wayfinder Master Tionson had mentioned when briefing them on their mission? It sounded most promising. Promising enough at least to give some meaning to all that had transpired on this wretched planet.

If what they had been told was correct this chamber was one of three. Once they had found the key in both it and it's sister chamber, the third would be opened to them. If her Force sense was anything to go off of, it would be no simple task. There was something horrific dwelling within that dark tomb, more terrible and bestial then even the great Terentatek she and her apprentice had recently combated. The Vratix was glad she was not here alone. Looking over her shoulder she spotted Idyana Sati and her apprentice Felix. She had been on missions with the Pantoran Knight before and knew she could be relied upon. She expected the same from her Padawan. Then there was Eckaaso Shyn, a Kaleesh Knight she had never personally dealt with. Although she had heard from Fiach he was an accomplished duelist. She hoped he would live up to that reputation. Well, best they get going.

"No doubt the Sith will be interested in our Wayfinder as well," She spoke up to the others. "We should move quickly and stick close together. I can already sense another presence inside..." She just didn't have any idea what it was, and that concerned her greatly. The Zeffo weren't known for making simple challenges. Theirs were usually the more deadly variety.

@samdragon @Killa Ree @christhebarker

 

[Gram Van Alasdaire]

- Music -

”Alright boys. Blasters on full.”

“Cap’n, I thought we were supposed to take this one in alive?!”

“Eagan, if half the stuff I’ve heard about this guy is true, we’ll be lucky if we can take him at all.”

The small gang of mercenaries cautiously approached the underlying chamber - an obvious makeshift shelter. Two of them took the front while the rest cleared the exterior perimeter before closing the gap. Nobody moved, their breath shallow.

“Place seems empty.”

“And Palpatine’s my daddy. Check the door.”

The second mercenary began a slow and drawn out descent of the three steps to the small, circular copper-rusted doorframe. A quick jab at the control panel and the habitat’s entrance hissed to life. More than a small amount of dust and dirt rose with the hatch.

“See, I told you it was empty.”

An explosion tore the habitat and those surrounding it to bits, pocketing the Zeffo landscape with a burst of luminous flames. Black smoke cleared from the wreckage, with not a single mercenary alive to tell the tale. Only one other knew of the hideaway and it’s inhabitant, Gale himself. Hiding at the edge of the Galaxy, the lonely figure bides his time - awaiting his chance to be free once more.

...days later​

“Yes, but actually no. Hi. I’ve been watching this entrance for the last two hours. Nobody but your group has come.”

He didn’t bother to mention the obvious pit of Eldritch aura that creeped like seeping tentacles throughout the crypt. For a moment, Gale could have sworn that the shadows of the surrounding area got significantly darker. But only for the matter of milliseconds. It was obvious to see that Gale hadn’t exactly been in the best of shape. The Vahla was uncharacteristically somber, with dark rings marking his eyes.

Having been unable to sleep for the past two days tended to do that to you. But there was no point in telling the Vratix or her Jedi companions how long he had actually been on the surface of the planet itself. It served also as a point of hiding - any Sith coming here would be seeking tombs, treasures and knowledge - they would not think to expect him. The Mantis had been concealed miles from the location, with the Sorcerer’s HUD pinging its location. If desired the Vahla could also remotely command the ship to pilot itself to their location but the navigational systems were a little wonky, and attempting something like that without an Astromech or himself to correct it would cause issues. When he caught visual of a landing vessel, he had elected to investigate himself.

“I’m sorry. I don’t think I remember your name (@Reyn ). I have not met most of you - I am Gale Van Alasdaire. You may be acquainted with my cousin Eileen.”

 

[Eckaaso Shyn]

Dathomir. Ancient home of the Nightsisters, famous clan of Darksider witches, which though were thankfully not aligned with the Empire, when they still existed. Now, there were just ruins, and a very uncomfortable feeling for any Force user that visited them. And look at the bad luck, they had to visit one of such ruins, which though weren't related to the Witches of Dathomir, but another, even more ancient civilization: the Zeffo. The Kaleesh had heard about them while reading some historical archives, but he didn't know much. He wasn't a library mole like the Vratix who led their group.

As they approached the ruins, they had a rather unusual encounter with what looked like a human. Eckaaso scanned the man with his eyes, his bone mask hiding his expression, only his eyes visible. He had his hand on his lightsaber, more for safety than anything. "The name's Eckaaso Shyn, Jedi Knight. Who are you, stranger?"

 

[Gram Van Alasdaire]

”Please, put that away. Y’all will draw every mercenary in wavin’ that around...”

Gale paused for a solid second. His words were slurring. Maybe... maybe it wasn’t such a wise idea to aide them while he was so weak. But he would do what he was bid, hoping that the food, nic, herb and the Force might help. It was an odd mix and he himself felt all the odder for it. The mix of himself and Jedi however he’d come to accept and almost appreciate. He had deep introspection about certain aspects of their doctrines that would, in theory, nullify the Dark completely. It was a theory that the Vahlan Sorcerer... no... Vahlan Song-Magi knew he had to see through to the end.

“I was a navigations Officer in the Sorosub Corporation. Plotting charts in the unknown regions, our ship landed in the Perann Nebula, a location we didn’t know was called the Nihl Retreat...”

@samdragon @Killa Ree @christhebarker

 

[Alexandria Voran]

Darkness crept across the galaxy. A Darkness Alexandria had never felt before. She was troubled by the growing pulse fighting against the Light. The Sith were supposed to be legends, a cautionary tail of the hubris the Order once suffered. Sometimes legends did come to life. As the Darkness grew louder, the Sith made themselves known. The they were no longer a scary story long forgotten.

Alex had never put much faith in the histories of the Order. The mistakes of their forebears had not been repeated when the Order was re-forged. These Jedi were different...better. That was what she told herself. They would not fall prey to the failures of the past. They would not become consumed with a war against the Darkside. She prayed this was true and desperately wished to believe it. Alex wanted no part in a war. The common people suffered most when the cosmic forces clashed.

Yet, she was drawn to the Dark as it gathered, for she found the most vulnerable at the heart of it. The people who needed their help the most, were the ones slowly being surrounded. She would not let those peoples suffer. Alex had come to Dathomir as she was called by the Force. The ancient homeworld of the Nightsisters was not some pit of the Darkside. There were ordinary folks who inhabited the infamous world. She had come for the ordinary folks.

Alex wandered through the forests, her mind in silent contemplation. What was she doing here? Why had she been drawn this far out? She could sense pooling Darkness, pulling her closer. Well, no use ignoring it now. She turned to trudge off towards inevitable trouble. This was decidedly not what she had wanted to accomplish but here she was. The Morellian Jedi crested a small hill and found herself staring at strange assortment of characters. She recognized none of them but could feel the Force moving around the group. Alex assumed some of them were Jedi.

“Uh…hello?” She waved her hand in greeting. That was certainly a fun looking structure they stood before.

 

[Indy Sati]

Once again, Indyana Sati returned to this place.

First, there was the Madness. The deepest darkness, the definition of insanity. The type of evil that called, that clung to you like a second skin. And yet through the darkness hummed a subtle Light. At the presence of the others, she began to reveal herself, slowly.

"So you've all come. Good."

She smiled, hands on her hips. There was Knight Thral. An unknown Knight as well, a Dark Presence, and a face she hadn't seen in ages. Knight Shyn.

"The Temple won't wait; the next chamber awaits. It will be.. like nothing you've ever experienced before."

Her eyes switched between the strange male (@Aurius) and the new Light (@Marx Agar). Curious indeed. She was calm once more, golden eyes crinkled in a faint smile.

She hadn't missed the sound of the explosion, nor the dark Presence. But she had bided her time, waiting for the others to show. Surprising no one had attacked each other yet... yet they might need all of them to survive. The Force, especially in a Zeffo temple, could be vicious.

@Reyn @samdragon @Marx Agar @Aurius

 

[Izel Thral]

The Vratix stood still and silent at first as the Vahla appeared. She had sensed a familiar presence approaching, but she certainly wasn't expecting to see the conflicted Sith here of all places. "Izel Thral," She repeated her name for Gale's sake. She looked nervously at her companions before approaching the Vahla, speaking to him a bit more quietly. She had learned to trust him enough not to view him as an immediate threat, but his presence here was still somewhat suspect.

"You're slightly worse for ware." She observed as she looked the ragged Sith up and down. Glancing back at her fellow Jedi she noticed Eckaaso's hand on his saber. "Don't worry," She assured him. "He's with us." She looked back to Gale. "I think... What happened to you? And what in the galaxy are you doing here?" He appeared quite exhausted, and Dathomir wasn't exactly the ideal location for relaxing, nor turning away from the dark side he purported to be fighting against.

And things became stranger still. Another figure revealed herself, this one a Morellian. At least given her clothing and lightsaber, and the lack of any dark energy emanating from her, it could be assumed this one was a Jedi. The Vratix raised a hand and waved back to her awkwardly. "Hello..." She greeted her with slight bemusement. Since when did so many people just wander around this dark side infested planet?

Hearing Indy's words Izel nodded in agreement. They really should get started before any more distractions arose. She glanced at the entrance to the tomb once more, feeling the darkness within, and then looked back to Gale. "We're going inside, there's something we need." She explained their mission as vaguely as she could. "Are you sure you're up to it? It's likely to be quite dangerous." Izel certainly wouldn't mind having more help, and she wanted to believe Gale could be trusted. But regardless of his feelings towards the Sith he was still a dark sider, and he didn't look to be in the best condition for this sort of exploration either.

@samdragon @Killa Ree @christhebarker @Aurius @Marx Agar

 

[Gram Van Alasdaire]

”...Commander Thral. A pleasure to see you again. Yes, I’m ‘with you’, so to speak - I’m allied with the Jedi so long as they follow through on their part of the bargain.”

His eyebrow raised as the Vratix pulled him aside. She obviously hadn’t been made aware that Nykoria had been captured. But it was he keeping tabs on them, after all, most likely not the other way around. But this hushed discussion would only raise unnecessary suspicion - he had been as blunt and honest with the two Knights as he intended to be with the Council and all the rest. He no longer had any information worth hiding.

“It’s okay. They have the right to know - it would endanger them if they do not. They can’t answer questions they don’t have the answers to.

If you’re asked, answer fully and honestly - let them play into my hand.”

Gale turned curtly to the other with a small nod and a half smile. Despite himself, lack of sleep meant lack of precision, patience and memory. If he had thought ahead, perhaps the Vahla would have caught on that this may not have been the wisest announcement to make in the heart of Dathomir proper. But he digressed. His left hand began to tap at his waist as he holstered a ancient seven-string hallisket - rocking back and forth on the red plateau he say atop.

Its time to set the record straight. Living in Exile is no way for a Vahla, I risked everything and everyone I cared for to get to this point.

“I was a spy for your Order, originally however I was full blooded Sith... who hates other Sith. Recently a friend of yours and her Padawan were captured. In the rescues my identity and allegiance was revealed - I fully expect my treachery carries only one punishment. Luckily they don’t seem to know who I am working for - only that I don’t fall under their banner.”

This planet was once in alliance with the ancient Vahla. In times past, when our people needed refuge, the Nightsister clans would allow us sanctuary as we did them. Once, we were indistinguishable from one another in culture. I have come to honor that agreement, and it seems their hospitality is not yet lost.”

@samdragon @Killa Ree @christhebarker @Marx Agar

 

[Alexandria Voran]

“Have you all lost your minds…or just the Vratix?” Alexandria's jaw hung slightly open. Her mind simply unable to make sense of what she saw. Oh, she sensed the Darkness in the bearded man, but she had chalked that up to the aura of Dathomir. Alex had never encountered a Sith despite their recent shocking return. She supposed she didn’t know exactly what they felt like.

Now she did.

It was oil over water, poison in the veins. There was no mistaking the taint of the Darkness on the man’s soul. Alex felt the Light resonating in the other Jedi. That was nothing compared to what she felt from the interloper.

The Morellian Jedi Knight took a step back, putting herself about 10 meters from the others. The Force began to pool in her right hand. It was then she realized she knew absolutely no one’s names. Not a one. “Alexandria Voran, by the way.” Her free hand pointed at herself. The Kaleesh had the right idea. That saber shouldn’t have been put away. Alex’ eyes flashed back to the Sith.

“Everyone just believes what he says?” She resisted the urge to grab for her saber. That wasn’t who she was. “We are about to walk into a spooky pit of Darkness with a man whose entire culture preaches our very rapid extinction.” Her mind stretched out again as the Force continued to coalesce in her left hand. “There is not a shred of the Light in his soul…reach out…you can feel the Darkside worming through him.”

She was afraid. They should be afraid. This was not a ghost story or a child’s tale. This was a Sith standing before them. Alex had managed to avoid all the fighting. She was a healer…a caregiver. This was not who she was but what she felt could not be denied. Faced with the Darkness for the first time in her life, she was terrified.

@samdragon @Killa Ree @christhebarker @Aurius @Reyn

 

[Gram Van Alasdaire]

“...But the crewmen stood fast with their blasters raised to their shoulders, not knowing what to do with the contradicting orders. The Captain said he would do his own duty but he would extend it no further

They could go as they pleased. But not a man moved, their eyes gazed straight ahead.

Till nine but I stepped back and not a word was said, and the I was left with my own words echoing in my head. I drew my blade and prepared to fight - I said

‘I have seen the others, and I have discovered, That this fight is not worth fighting, no...

And I've have seen their mothers, and I will no other... To follow me where I'm going...”

His blade activated. As emerald as the day he got it, though beginning to slightly tint yellow - much to his annoyance. It had been a gift once, but now for all intensive purposes it was HIS lightsaber. A family heirloom passed down generations, since the beginnings of the orphanage on Vahla (The Covens), his family before his father married up into the House of Alasdaire. ‘Van’ simply meant ‘of’, meaning he was ‘Gram of the Alasdaire, Gale if Nothing’. Alasdaire was once said to be a Idealist province of Vahla proper, in contrast to the Dystopia of the capital, Othya. It was the only reason he was still alive. He didn’t need violence to people the Jedi was not only shortsighted, but lacked the sensory perception to pierce his exterior. Perhaps even prejudiced without need to be jaded. She’d heard stories at best - likely never seen a real Sith before, if she assumed his to be “a heart of darkness.”

“It’s all in the pages of the songbook Jedi Knight Eileen Van Alasdaire - my cousin (...however that works with you non-emotionals). There’s nothing but facts in those pages - it’s been in the family for generations, since the ancient days of your Order. You should really check it out, she’s more than glad to show it off. Even contains some ancestral lightsaber form... but I didn’t tell you that.”

He winked slightly while dropping his pretense. Literally. His cloak fell to the ground as the saber deactivated, and all at once, the aura surrounding him changed from moderately concealed light to barely concealed peace. Limited, yes, in the extreme. But prevalent, and obviously worked on for some time. Everything he did in the arts of deception had been done tactfully and with his full knowledge and control. Even being caught could be turned to his favor, perhaps even draw the Eternal himself out of hiding for the rematch of a the last few millennia. After all - legends told of one who wore the Eternal’s mask, an ancient Sith Lord responsible for the deaths of the first ever Vahlan Jedi’s family. Despite the risks associated, Gale could not help but wonder if he could accomplish what the legendary Son of The Wing and Hellfire did not?

“I am Gale Van Alasdaire, my young Jedi. Descendant of Aaliyus the Bold, and Alexadras the Mourned. Known as Aliyah Coven and Kathry Van Alasdaire to your Order. Rival to the ancient Vahlan Knight of the Sith, Hal’mode of House Torobah, Andraste’s Thorn. Ancient history is important. Learn it.”

 

[Izel Thral]

Izel just sighed at the Morellian Jedi's response. She reminded her very much of herself during her own first encounter with the Sith back on Ontotho. What a shameful display she had given then. Of course she had been a Padawan at the time, far more ignorant of the ways of the galaxy. This woman was a Jedi Knight, she should have known better. Of course Gale's decision to draw his lightsaber as an introduction was, once again, a poor way to show he wasn't a threat in the Vratix's mind. Once he was finished giving Alexandria a history lesson she stepped forward and cut in more calmly.

"I will vouch for this man Knight Voran." She replied. "He had the opportunity to ambush my colleague and I on Fondor and instead approached us openly, and was very forthcoming with who he was and what his intentions are. I have worked with his cousin as well, and she is a model Jedi. Your hesitation is understood but unfounded. You forget the mission of the New Order. We accept all those who wish to turn from the dark side. No matter where they come from. My name is Izel Thral, I have faced the Sith multiple times. So you can trust my word when I tell you this man is not to be feared. He can be of very great help to us."

She looked back at the Vahla and then her other companions. Time was wasting. If they stood around any longer they risked being waylaid by an actual threat. "Now please, our mission is of great importance and we cannot delay any longer." She looked towards Alexandria. "If you cannot trust him you are welcome to stay behind, but we must go about our business now." With that she turned and started to make her way towards the tomb entrance. Hopefully her comrades would leave their reservations behind and focus on the task at hand.

@samdragon @Killa Ree @christhebarker @Aurius @Marx Agar

 

[Eckaaso Shyn]

The Kaleesh nodded, putting his lightsaber back on his belt, and remained silent during the discussion the four had. Meanwhile, he approached the entrance of the room they had to enter in to retrieve the second key for the temple's inner sanctum, and observed its decorations, mumbling something in his native tongue. He may not have been a historian, but he still had a grasp of Zeffo history and carvings, given their great importance in the galaxy. He nodded at Izel's statement and stepped to the side to let her go first. "Good point, we'd better hurry. Even though, honestly, I have a bad feeling about this place" he said, taking his lightsaber back in his hand, keeping it switched off for the moment.

(Apologies for not responding earlier, real life has been hectic)

@Killa Ree @christhebarker @Aurius @Marx Agar @Reyn

 

[Indy Sati]

The Dark Side presence here began to work its' subtle influence; already there was tension in the air regarding the Dark Sider Vahla and the human Knight Voran. The Master still had her hands on her hips, listening to each side before speaking.

"I have worked with Knight Thral before; though I believe your concerns," she glanced to the other Knight levelly, "standing here debating isn't going to help us in our task. He has come without pretense," and now she glanced at Gale levelly, calmly, "and now we are all here. To linger would be more dangerous than to progress. So please, let us continue this talk some other time."

Then with that, the Jedi master turned, straight for the next temple room.

Straight for the Horror that resided within. They would all need their strengths if they were to survive the nightmare ahead.

@Aurius @Marx Agar @samdragon @Reyn

 

[Alexandria Voran]

Alex was a disciplined, stoic, Jedi Knight. She had served the Order faithfully for sixty years. She was a mature adult. Her eyes nearly rolled into the back of her head. So dramatic. The Sith were dark monsters conjured from the fears of the galaxy. At least that was what they were supposed to be. The man before her waiving his saber around was a melodramatic teenager. How spooky. “Oh…kirff…I didn’t know we were giving dramatic speeches.” What a delightful waste of time that had been. Alex shook her head slightly as she walked forward. The Force continued to pool in her offhand.

“It’s all our funerals if we’re wrong.” She didn’t trust the Sith and thought the rest of her brothers and sisters foolish. This was a cavalier attitude they could not afford to have, but she was outnumbered. The Light had called her here and she would not ignore that call. Alex would discover why she was pulled forward. Darkness pulsed from the opening. “This is probably going to kill us all anyways.” A light laugh escaped her lips. Her feet carried towards the opening. She gestured toward her new friends. “Shall we? Now that we all trust each other.”

There was no kriffing way she was walking in front of that Sith. Alex may have never encountered such a being, but she knew the histories. The pull of the Darkside would only become stronger the longer they lingered here. That Darkness was a corruption that stained the soul, it couldn’t simply be washed away. It poisoned good intentions and wounded the Force.

@Killa Ree @Aurius @samdragon @Reyn

 

[Gram Van Alasdaire]

“Listen, you kuakian monkey lizard - I’ve risked my life three times for your kind.”

If the girl wanted to see a Vahla in action, firsthand, Gale couldn’t blame her. He would be sure to put on quite the show. He was more one for words and actions in equal share. He’d spoken an awful lot. Now was the time to prove that even this place wasn’t strong enough to break him. Nothing was. He didn’t activate his saber again, to appease his agitated companions. His A-180 leveled instead, propping down the tactical grip. Marksman Rifle configuration, configuring the dual phase saber to shoto - attaching it to a bayonet clip.

“This will be the last time - unless you can follow through on your promise. I’ll take point - watch my back.”

Again, another appeasement. He hopes this wouldn’t become an ordinary thing. His finger off the trigger, his left hand left the grip and grabbed the walls of the entrance. Crouching, he dawned his helmet and activated the HUD, calibrating the thermal display and linking it with his rifle. Nodding, he turned back.

“Let’s move.”

@Killa Ree @samdragon @Reyn @Marx Agar

 

[Izel Thral]

Izel was grateful to finally be out of the gate on this mission, they had wasted enough time already. In a way she understood Alexandria's reservations, and Master Sati's as well. Gale was a dark sider after all. No matter one's intentions, allowing that kind of corruption inside oneself led to bad places. But Gale was making every effort to prove he wanted to change, and Izel wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt. That was what this Order was founded on after all.

As they made their way into the tomb the Vratix hurried forward to move alongside the Vahla, speaking a bit more quietly. "Well... For what it's worth, I trust you." She assured him. "I'll watch your back if you watch mine." She offered in a more cheery tone. Of course that cheer didn't last for long.

The further the group moved into the the tomb, the darker it became. There was no light in here, natural or otherwise. When Izel ignited her pike to give them some light even that didn't seem to have it's regular effect. It illuminated the halls somewhat, but the darkness seemed unnaturally persistent, like it was fighting against the light of her saber to keep them in darkness. And more then that it was silent, too silent. No animals, no wind, even their footsteps seemed practically silent. She wondered if this was a trick of the Force, like the Silent Desert she and Fiach had once visited on Tython. Whatever it was it made her think Eckaaso's bad feeling was well founded. Something was wrong with this place.

She knew something in here would unlock their path to the final chamber where their prize lied, but that still wasn't much to go off of. "Master Sati you're the expert with these ancient ruins yes?" She asked her Pantoran colleague as she continued examining the intricate carvings on the walls while they walked. "Do you have any idea what we need to do?" The Jedi master wouldn't have much time to answer. A few more steps and suddenly something pierced Izel's senses. Something dark and vicious but unfamiliar. It reminded her somewhat of the terentatek, bestial and starved for violence. But this was definitely some new creature sha had never encountered before.

The Vratix Knight swung around, taking up a defensive stance as she looked down another hallway. There was nothing there though. No sign of movement, no telltale sound of it's presence. There was just that lance of darkness shifting about out of sight. "Something's watching us..." Izel warned her companions, in case they had not sensed it themselves. She doubted that was possible though. The growing feeling of dread was almost overbearing.

@samdragon @Killa Ree @Aurius @Marx Agar

 

[Eckaaso Shyn]

The Kaleesh Jedi followed the others, switching on his lightsaber to give out some more light, but he was a bit perplexed by the fact that most of the light remained just around the saber, like if the darkness around them was sucking the light away. He muttered something in his native language, probably some prayer or something.

Then, Izel stopped as she felt something. Eckaaso narrowed his eyes as he looked around the room, swinging gently his lightsaber, trying to illuminate his surroundings. Indeed, he felt that something was watching them. Very likely the horror the room was dedicated to, but who knew. "Agreed... Did I say that I had a bad feeling about this?" he asked, half jokingly half seriously, eyes scanning the room. He took a defensive Shien stance, holding his lightsaber with a reversed grip.

 

[Gram Van Alasdaire]

“I feel it too. Could be the ambience of this place.”

Gale began to slowly advance further into the cavernous expanses of the crypt. Always one hand on a wall, propping himself forward as his blaster did the searching. He could feel a presence around him, but he couldn’t yet see a thing.

“...means something to me, Izel...”

For a moment, Gale hesitated. Raising his fist, closed and skyward to signal they should stop moving. Letting it extend flat to his side, he then motioned for them to spread out. The Vahla inched into the shadows before them, his heart slowing as his breath steadied. His finger twitched, but it wasn’t on the trigger. His left hand moved towards the grip of the A180 as he swallowed his fear and stepped forward another step. Now that he was a small distance away from the Jedi-

“...it means something to-

-Theme-​

...Stay back.

I thought you were supposed to be powerful!”

The blaster primed and raised with the familiar metallic click and energized hum. Even as his finger found it’s way to within the trigger guard. His supporting hand swooped beneath weapon to source a cig, keeping it leveled with the flat of his arm. Gale didn’t enjoy being treated like prey - but if nothing came of it, at least he could see his inverted watch from the left wrist.

He could smoke and tell the time.

@samdragon @Marx Agar @Killa Ree @Reyn

 

[Indy Sati]

From within the depths of the darkness, they would all feel it. Like a hot breath on the back of the neck, or a scrape of teeth. Hungry eyes watched from within, from what felt like many places. A Thing, sharp teeth and sharper claws waiting. It could be patient. It could wait for the Force users to come closer, within the dark. They were arrogant enough to want to pursue further. The seeking for answers always amused It.

Indy could feel it with a shiver of trepidation. A hand rested over her blade, frowning absently in thought.

She went to the left, fanning out with the rest of the group. Perhaps they could sense it as well; the predatory lurking in the deeper silences. Waiting for a chance to strike.

@samdragon @Marx Agar @Aurius @Reyn

 

[Izel Thral]

The Jedi stood ready to defend themselves, but what came for them next could not be stopped easily. Suddenly a terrible, piercing scream echoed throughout the pitch-black halls, threatening to rupture eardrums. Insectoids were highly sensitive to sound, leading Izel to reflexively drop her pike and cringe in pain as the sonic attack bombarded them, her entire body shuddering and a tortured cry escaping her. She felt an unnatural fear stab at her mind, trying to break her will and send her into a panic. It took all the Vratix's focus to resist this mental probe, leaving her motionless as the monster rushed forward.

In such complete darkness it was almost impossible to see with the naked eye. A vague humanoid shape, unsettling and gangly, like a skeleton with a suit of disease-ridden skin stretched over it. The only clear target it displayed was it's insidious glowing eyes, burning with an incomprehensible and all encompassing hatred. It moved fast too, faster than any sentient should be able to move, flying across the chamber like a diving raptor homing in on it's target. Any physical attacks the Jedi launched would pass through the creature harmlessly, not even slowing it's approach. As the beast grew near to Eckaaso it's long, clawed fingers would suddenly become corporeal, lashing out at the Kaleesh and attempting to rend his flesh.

Whether or not it's attack hit the monster would continue on it's course, swooping past the Jedi and disappearing back into the darkness down a separate hallway. That horrible scream would continue to echo on and on around them relentlessly, threatening to overwhelm the unprepared with Force fear.

@samdragon @Killa Ree @Aurius @Valen Pelora