A Familiar Familiar (CIS, Pact of Doashim)

[Muad Dib]

The Floating Rock Gardens​

The man stood looking into the sky. Around, for as far as the eye could see, the rocks, stones, and crystals of the famed Rock Gardens hovered due to the unique effects of the wind through the tunnels nearby. It was a place the natives came for introspection and one that many tourists came to view, though the majority of the tourism became enthralled by the other , more provocative distractions, the planet had to offer.

Today the gardens were closed thanks to a generous offer made by the Shaman of Doashim. This was to be a special occasion for the Pact of Doashim, and the man wanted no distractions nor interruptions from wandering souls. Reaching out he plucked a stone from the circulating wind currents and examined it, noticing the mineral veins adorning the multi facets of the rock. A slight smile crossed his face as he released it to join it's brethren in the sky once more.

Settling down upon the ground he rested on his knees and breathed in, slowing his mind and body as he communed with the Patron. Dressed in his usual attire of brown trousers, tan tunic, and boots the Mad Master carried only his kal upon his belt for a weapon. He worried not about an attack here in the center of Confederate space ringed by Mandragora and the force. Though he was not armed as typical, neither was he devoid of means of actionable violence.

But today was not a day for war, or death. Today was something special. A gift for the Pact of Doashim. Today they would be delving into the spirit realm and finding an ur-spirit unique for them all.

Spoiler

[member="Akabane"] I [member="Anya Malvern"] I [member="Darth Metus"] I [member="Daxton Bane"] I [member="Maple Harte"] I [member="Damien Van-Derveld"] I [member="Katrine Van-Derveld"]

 

[Damien Van-Derveld]

Damien seemed first to answer the call. He was not one to be left behind or late to things. His grandmother did not like absence nor tardiness. He was like Razielle in that sense, perhaps because she had made him to be that way. This was important to him. Damien had chosen this clan, and had been claimed by Doashim himself. His cousin had been the only true member of the Mandagora he had interacted with until this point. He had to branch out. The Van-Dervelds needed each other to survive, but they also needed outsiders as well. As much as the cousin wanted to be selfish for a time, he could not. His name must be upheld, and the family legacy must continue. His belonging was as much about them as it was the clan itself.

His attire was simple. A light gray long sleeved henely style shirt, with the buttons undone, left untucked over a pair of brown work pants was what he typically wore. On Dathomir he had been required to wear much less, so even what he wore now made him feel overdressed. However, he wished to hind the ink which covered his skin, ink that marked him to another clan, and another kind of witches. Katrine was familiar with them, but this was a new road for him, a road that he had to walk.

When Damien left his grandmother, he left her prophecy behind. She was a seer, yes, but the future was not certain. Everything was simply a shadow of what could be rather than what would be. It was for this purpose that he was among the Mandagora, to find his own destiny. Whatever path he traveled would be his, even if it was what Razielle predicted it would be. If that were the case, this only served the purpose to get him there, if not, then this was the path he had chosen.

"I have come..." he stated simply as his steps stopped just short of the Shaman who was meditating. His aura had been felt, there would have been no need for Damien to announce his arrival, but still he had. There was no reason to walk up on a man without the courtesy of announcing his intention. Damien had answered the summons, and there he was. There he stood.

[member="Muad Dib"]

 

[Daxton Bane]

Today was a special day, Daxton knew quite well for he had been fasting and purging himself for the last seven days to preparing himself for the trials ahead. Today he wore but a simple brown tunic, devoid of any weapons or armor, one would easily mistake him for an apprentice save for the unmistakeable aura of power that seemed to pulse from his core.

Nodding to those present, he remained silent unless someone addressed him directly, he gazed at the rock formations above as if reading the answer to puzzling riddle, a smile threatning to escape from his lips as he waited for the ceremony to start,

[member="Muad Dib"] [member="Damien Van-Derveld"]

 

[Anya Malvern]

[member="Daxton Bane"] [member="Damien Van-Derveld"] [member="Muad Dib"]

This new body was a bit difficult to get used to, she found herself thinking things over or not being used to well...doing so much stuff easier. Just the other day while lifting something she tossed it by accident. Using the force was a bit wierf felt foreign almost but however she knew that was because the body was used to focusing the force

Either way she had to get used to many thing, memories that fleeted and passed dreams of different people she had never met or places she hadnt been to at all...ans a reiccuring nughtmare of s explosion before suddenly nothing

Arriving at the gardens she awed, his place looked amazing! So beautiful! She couldn't believe this place existed and all do to a natural occurrence....stopping she bowed her head to the others before she cleared her throat and spoke

I'm here father

 

[Daxton Bane]

Daxton glanced at the other who was addressed as Father, with an eyebrow raised in amused curiosity. Now there was a story worth pursuing, perhaps he would corner him in the bar after the ceremony and get the whole story, perhaps not. Who could ever know for certain what the future would bring after all.

Still there was lot of space left should the others arrive, and he expected they would soon. After all this was an invitation very few could or would decline.

 

[Anastasia Verd]

She remembered the day Doashim had offered his hand to her. It was, by far, the most vivid of her memories from the time of her captivity. Everything else still seemed so jumbled that she was worked through them, making her wonder more each time she tried to come into it. That day had been her awakening, the loss of fear she'd lived with for the past ten years. He'd been the one to give her strength the girl hadn't had before.

Today, Doashim had called away from the Sinner's Well and despite her hesitation, the Verd had gone, her hands fidgeting against the sleeves of her jacket. She hadn't been going too far from her home since her liberation from the ghost that had been haunting her for so long. Dad had left her to her own devices which had been strangely good for her mind.

As she'd moved, she'd paused, realizing the rocks in the air. In an instant, Anastasia connected to the Force, trying to find cause for the floating objects yet it didn't seem like anyone was holding them up. Her head tried to find reason or logic to it before she searched for a word to describe them. A wonder? The Verd wondered, more questioning the word and its meaning as she did than anything else. Was it? No other word seemed to make sense, she realized as she moved forward, dark gaze studying the rock above her as she stepped inside.

Slowly, she'd approached the group present. At first glance, she recognized none of them. And yet, through the fog of her mind, she knew she had seen the face of the red-skinned man. A Zabrak, her mind, filled with endless knowledge filled the gap. What is a Zabrak? she questioned herself, unaware of the meaning of the word. The monster knew the meaning yet she didn't. Even the Force told her she knew him, the memories still vague and confusing, she couldn't tell him. The Force also told her of another familiar signature. He'd sat at the table at her house which meant something of importance yet the monster cared very little for the Mandalorian ways that Anastasia was left to learn all of it on her own. That wasn't his purpose today, was it? No, it was something else. Whatever it was, she'd learn today, no doubt.

Rather than speaking, the Verd remained completely quiet, waiting for whatever was meant to begin to begin.

[member="Muad Dib"] [member="Damien Van-Derveld"] [member="Daxton Bane"] [member="Anya Malvern"]​

 

[Maple Harte]

Maple Harte felt her new plus-one Doashim tug her from her ship as she woke up to morning on Ryloth. Since you could not exactly say no to the spirit, Maple had gotten dressed in her freshly laundered desert wear. She showed up dressed in a white, loose fitting shirt and slacks with black boots. At first, when she saw the gigantic floating rocks, Maple had pinched herself, even though if it was a delusion she would not truly have a way to tell. More reflex, tradition than anything at this point.

"Ryloth is strange..." Maple thought as she approached the gathering group. All the others Doashim had chosen where gathered here.

She mused at the situation. Not even six years ago she was the sworn enemy of at least a quarter of the types she now mingled with. What a joke that stance had turned out to be. There was the Sith Lord who offered cakes, and a few others she recognized from the choosing. Oh if Ursula could see her now...

She'd be disappointed, Maple thought sadly as she drew closer to the group. There was her fellow head case [member="Muad Dib"].

Troublingly, at least to Maple, she sometimes harbored a difficult to ignore discomfort that the true difference between her and him, more than even motive itself for the actions they had taken, was primarily one of scale. And this was just from that one meeting where he instructed her in magic.

It frightened her to think her madness could drive her to go anywhere near what the Shaman said he had been. She was scared of that indeed.

Maple's hair was close to her shoulders, and there was a breeze. She felt the dark signatures in the Force. The old assassin in her that had never gone away had to remind itself not to go into a defensive stance and kill anything that came near. Its what the snakes would want. The snakes she had beers and cooked bowls of bone marrow with atop her own cerebrum. Skip. She was alone in a steel cell, the acid seconds from flooding. Skip. Monkeys! She commanded armies of them! Huh?

Skip. The gardens. The Sith. The Shaman.

And Doashim.

 

[Muad Dib]

His eyes opened slowly and glowing, blue orbs peered at those approaching. A slight nod to [member="Damien Van-Derveld"] who was more then just the youth he was on the exterior. The tattoos seen on his form at the Call of Patrons revealed a history of a night brother of Dathomir. Relative of the Nightmother. One worth watching.

Next was the zabrak [member="Daxton Bane"]. Sith Lord and a man who enjoyed a certain amount of violence and chaos. Bit beneath the veneer was more. The Mad Man felt a certain affinity to the enigma that was Dax. Amusingly Dax noticed Anya as she approached and greeted the shaman. Arching an eye he wasn't sure if he should feel a measure of discomfort at the attention given her.

"Any'ika."

Rising smoothly he also gave [member="Anastasia Verd"] a nod. Another relation of the Verd House. He had seen her at the gathering in Sinner's Well. Lastly, right behind Anastasia, came [member="Maple Harte"] . A ghost of a smile skirted his lips at the young woman who didn't just taste madness but had in dwelling within her.

Folding his arms across his chest he looked at the interesting group the Patron had chosen. They were diverse and disparate. Yet even as the Patron felt protective of the group, so too did Muad. These were his chosen as well.

"You all know me. Or know of me. But this isn't about just me. And it's not about any single one of you. This is about our Pact. We are Doashim. We are strength. We are power. We are might. That is who we are as individuals. And that is why we were chosen. This isn't a fraternity, sorority. This isn't the Confederacy. This isn't a sordid assortment of friends. We are Doashim. We are marked, bound together. We are linked one to another."

Motioning to the stones the wove intricately around them he continued.

"People come here and find peace in the rock gardens. It's not a single stone that is come to be seen, for the beauty is in their unison. The same goes for us. We are stronger together. And today we will become even stronger."

Reaching out he plucked a stone shot through with gold veins that accented it's black surface. Closing his have around it he motioned at the floating stones.

"Choose one. Not a random one, but one that speaks to you. For when we are done it will stay with you."

Spoiler

[member="Akabane"] I [member="Anya Malvern"] I [member="Darth Metus"] I [member="Daxton Bane"] I [member="Maple Harte"] I [member="Damien Van-Derveld"] I [member="Katrine Van-Derveld"]

 

[Damien Van-Derveld]

Damien looked at those who gathered. Most of them he had seen that night his hand went on the grimoire. Until recently most only knew him as Kat's pet wolf, but those who had attended the parade knew that Damien and the wolf were one on the same. He was cautious to trust, simply because the only world he knew was one where trust was a weakness. The only loyalty which he exhibited that inspired trust was for family only, and even that had been shaken recently. One of their own had been part of that ambush. Damien knew it, had smelled it, and so had [member="Katrine Van-Derveld"]. Damien didn't know what to do about it, but one thing he did know was that he belonged to Doashim now. He also belonged to Kat's Mandagora. She was his cousin and Nightmother.

The floating rocks were a sight to be seen. Though it seemed as the Shaman spoke, they were there to disturb the peace and tranquility such a place could offer. This exercise was a familiar one to Damien. They were their to make a bond of sorts. A nod was given with no words. He did not see the need to speak, only to follow instructions. His upbringing as a man among witches had taught him obedience was the best course of action. Perhaps among the Mandagora he would learn a bit more independence.

A red stone with gold flecks passed near him. There were others about as well, but this one had drawn his attention. He could hear his name coming from the stone as if it were whispering to him. A small smirk stretched across his face as he reached out for the stone and wrapped it up inside the palm of his hand. A jolt shot through him at the moment of contact. This was unexpected, but not unwelcome. Dark eyes looked over to [member="Muad Dib"] with a quizzical expression. There was something going on, and it was deeper than the claiming of a mere stone.

"What is this," he questioned and grew silent for the answer.

[member="Akabane"] I [member="Anya Malvern"] I [member="Darth Metus"] I [member="Daxton Bane"] I [member="Maple Harte"]

 

[Anya Malvern]

[member="Damien Van-Derveld"] [member="Muad Dib"] [member="Maple Harte"] [member="Daxton Bane"]
[member="Anastasia Verd"]

She saw daxton glance at her, she looked toward him and offered a respectful nod before she glanced to the others that joined them. Maple she recognized from the grimoire, along with Damien as well. She gave a small smile to them and then towards her buir as he started speaking

She glanced around at the floating rocks a bit, at first she saw them as a beauty but now after focusing she could feel...some of the rocks pulling at her. She blinked a but and glanced to the group as she listened...not a random one at all...she closed her eyes and focused. She felt a certain one calling but it was far away....She held a hand up and let a few bump off her hand

Finally she could feel it growing closer and closer to her before finally on instinct she closed her hand, she slowly moved her hand from the rocks and looked over the rock....red like fire and orange and blue bits sprinkling it's surfaces...She blinked wondering just what it meant as she looked it over

 

[Daxton Bane]

So many options to choose from, but none were a true option. Reaching out to the Force, Daxton closed his eyes and made his selection. At first glance the stone was rough, pitted, hardly worth a second glance. Only a fellow practitioner versed in the earth elements would understand the rough outer surface protected a shard of amber within which lay a petrified insect. While this may seem inconsequential to some, Daxton could use his knowledge of genetics to make use of the dna in its veins.

As in all things that involved the Sith Lord, nothing is truly what it appears like on the surface.

 

[Maple Harte]

Maple stepped past the others among the floating stones, the breeze flowing through her hair.

She stretched out her senses as she walked, Doashim silently watching from within.

As she walked through the stones, she felt one call out to her, silently. She opened her eyes, wondering where she had stopped and spotted a strange obsidian, faceted stone with a glimmer of red that seemed to come from within. Skip. She had never left the order, and was currently on mission with Ursula. Skip. Back to Ryloth.

She felt something strange connecting her to the rock. It was the size of her thumb.

Okay Doashy, what is this?

Let the Shaman explain it

Maple felt the tingle from within the stone.

She turned to [member="Muad Dib"], waiting for him to say what the stone was.

 

[Katrine Van-Derveld]

Doashim had taken her hand and led her to a place she had once before been. That time, it hadn't been the spirits that had sent her there but instead, the heartbeat of a pebble hidden in plain sight. That pebble had turned out to be Pebble, slumbering peacefully through the centuries as babe before Katrine had found her. Today had nothing to do with Pebble. On the contrary, the demon had led her there, invisible to all as he dictated her movements. By the time she had arrived, she spotted a gathering of familiar faces. They were all Doashim, children of the demon.

Once she had seen them, the spirit released her hand and vanished, leaving her to her own devices. Katrine immediately leaped into the air, propelling herself up high until she landed on a floating rock. It stood in the air as it had as if something was holding it there. Last time she'd been here, she had wandered. Now, though she felt like something else was more important. Leaping a second time, she arrived at the second rock, slightly lower than the first one just as the Shaman had instructed the chosen to select a single stone. Katrine settled down over the bolder, quietly observing. Doashim quietly growled into her ear, giving her a tiny clue into the purpose of the task given and went quiet, letting Muad run his own show. So would she.

[member="Muad Dib"]