Dominion Blow Ye Winds Fringeward | TSO Dominion of Challenge Hex Beta

[Lirka Ka]

Taul

The world of Taul is no stranger to dangerous weather, acid storms have ensured that not even simple plants can live on its surface as the only refuge from corrosive rains and melting winds is either tucked away underground or through the use of environmental shields. Still, the Sith Order has established many facilities meant to harvest the world's natural assets and some urban centers alongside them despite the difficulty of settling on the world.

A call for aid from the planet's governor initially raised alarms for a potential invasion however those were quickly silenced as the threat was explicitly detailed not as an incursion from enemies of the Sith or even an uprising from some disenchanted populace, but rather from the planet itself.

A massive storm has formed on the world, a hurricane of wind and acid that threatens to scour flesh and structure alike. Evacuations are being considered but for the moment most of the planet's population is being withdrawn into a handful of the largest settlements in order to focus more power into a few shields rather than spreading it around to several smaller ones. This should hopefully hold off the great storm, however alternate means of combating the conditions such as evacuation are being considered as a precaution.

With war on several fronts igniting once more, the Glitterstim that Taul provides will prove essential in keeping our war machine properly funded. Secure the resources and income sources before the storm corrodes them away, concern for the populace is secondary.

Objective 1: Corrosive Hearts

The planetary governor as well as some of the world's key administrators and other officials have decided to hold up in the capital city in some show of solace with their populace, transmitting their calls for aid and rescue all across the Sith Order as they bunker down and prepare to face the great storm.

What form that aid comes in is up for debate however, debate that the governor cannot take part in and as such has been left up to the arriving powers to decide. A meeting has been arranged at a trade station in orbit of the world, with all options being considered for perusal. Should evacuations take place? Should the shields of the remaining urban centers be supercharged somehow in order to better fend off the weather? Is there some technological marvel which can beat back the storm before it has a chance to do much damage?

Objective 2: Bug Hunt

While normally fauna conservation efforts are hardly a concern for Sith worlds, the Spice Spiders of Taul and their Glitterstim webs have been essential to the planet's economy and as such have been corralled into several major caves and nests across the planet. While normally these nests are fairly secure, the acidic storm has hit one of the major corrals hard and as such the spiders have been let loose.Casualties among the miners have already occurred, with the remaining survivors cowering away in what few bulkheads and bunkers remain intact, however their survival is not a priority.

Instead the objects of interest are the containers of Glitterstim that have been harvested from the nest have been scattered across the facility by the storm, not to mention the spiders themselves are in mating season and have been dragging their eggs out of the nest and into the wider facility. Recovering the containers to ensure their valuable product isn't lost for the war funding is important enough to warrant a mission into the storm-wracked nesting facility. The spiders will not take kindly to interlopers in their nest, slay all that you must and retrieve what you can before the storm melts it all away.

 

[Darth Empyrean]

Objective 1:

The Emperor did not arrive as the corpse, he was a star sector distance from Taul as it was, preoccupied with graver matters. However, the importance of his world's safety was paramount, so he would deign them with his presence. A man had been delivered to the station under guard, carrying with him a chained box. Some might remember him as the Jedi Master Ordan Tel - but he stooped to where he once strode. Buckled inwards, he was carved with Sith ritual markings and a box chained to his wrist. He carried it with care, like all that ever mattered was in that box, but the strength he once posessed seemed only barely able to hold its importance.​

​

This Avatar would sit, or be forced to sit by the guards that moved with him. His gaze was afraid, never meeting anothers in the room as his lip quivered and his hands shook. Gaunt fingers carefully pried open the box and revealed a black orb that failed to shine, or even reflect light at all. It was a black void that the Jedi Master picked up, then cradled in his hand. He whispered something, a prayer perhaps, to the orb then went silent.​

​

He shook for a moment, jerking as he let the orb fall to his lap. His eyes shone now as the orb, black voids in the shadow of his their once bright blue spark. The Emperor's voice did not leave the man, it was his own - aged and ragged, but carrying the presence of he who led the Sith.​

​

"I have not come to make your decision, I have simply come to observe how you make it. Carry on - I want to know my Empire is in good hands."​

​

Tag | Open​

 

[Lysander von Ascania]

Objective 2: Bug Hunt
Tag: Skye Mertaal | Open
Taral-type Sith Trooper Armor Mk. II
SD-R1 Standard Blaster Rifle

​

Lysander's keen gaze narrowed like a predator's, taking in the battered landscape sprawled before them. The planet they had stumbled upon, a network of mining facilities, bunkers, and a few outposts, was unexpectedly intriguing to the Acolyte. He couldn't help but wonder if there had ever been a time when this forsaken place was prosperous, before it was driven to its knees by the thirst for the spice known as Glitterstim.

The storm was relentless, whipping the corrosive rain against the hull of a maintenance vault they'd sought temporary refuge in.

A door slid shut behind him, and the sizzle against his armor ceased at last, even if not for long. Leaning back against a wall, he allowed himself a moment to just breathe, feeling the weight of his rifle settle across his knees. His mind was drawn to the faint glow deeper within the vault, where traces of cracked vials of Glitterstim littered the ground.

If he were honest, curiosity tugged at him. He recalled the thrill after smoking a cigarillo laced with Carsunum alongside Ms. Dangeruese, moments after near death upon Ruusan.

The temptation was there, even if dangerous.

Before further contemplation, he was interrupted by the cold reminder of their surroundings, for chittering echoed through the vast corridors, a sound that easily confirmed this strange forsaken place was far from empty.

Fatigued carved itself deep into his bones, weighed down by nonstop exertion since the battle on Brosi. There had been no respite since; each trial simply bled into the next. The teen's stance sagged under that exhaustion while shifting, before finally gathering himself and raising the rifle back into position.

Unfortunately, the shield was waning in strength.

If he had to guess, only a few minutes remained before having to deal with Taul's harsh elements again.

Despite the surreal uncertainty of this whole ordeal, despite weariness and the risk involved, he still felt calm wash over him. That very warmth was planted firmly in his chest, and he embraced it. Lysander glanced sideways toward Skye, assuming she wasn't much for idle talk, so he simply offered a nod to signal readiness. He was ready to hunt, ready to survive, ready to claim whatever they needed to be theirs on this odd planet.

 

[Darth Strosius]

Objective: Ensure Taul's Survival and Recovery
Equipment: Lightsaber - Sword - Dagger - Robes
Tags: Darth Empyrean / Open!
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The world of Taul was under a very dire and unique threat when it came to ecological devastation, it was under threat of dissolving. Or the material and manpower investments into it were under threat of dissolving rather. A storm of epic proportions had cropped up on the planet, a hurricane of acid and wind that the planet's inhabitants were underprepared to handle. Their environmental shields could very well fail against the unrelenting storm despite having provided steady protection thus far.

As such the world's population, and more importantly the spider nests which supplied the wider Sith Order with valuable Glitterstim, were at risk of being washed away or otherwise irreparably corroded. Not an ideal situation at all but a small part of Darth Strosius did find the fate a somewhat fitting one given the horrid Spice Spiders that were being used as simple livestock. Greed always bit back. Still, letting the entire planet fall into disrepair and devastation for some karmic catharsis wasn't an option.

Sitting in silence for a few moments after the odd display from the prisoner which had been shuffled into the meeting room was however. Initially He was wondering why someone had bothered to bring in some mangled and trembling aide to stand by their side but the guards that shoved the box-clutching man forward didn't belong to any particular Sith that He recognized. The convulsion resulting in what appeared to be some sort of possession or transmission from the corpse himself made Him raise an eyebrow but bite His tongue before it got Him into trouble.

That the corpse hadn't bothered to solve one of the Order's problems himself was no surprise, it was a common theme by this point, but that he had bothered to appear in some form or another at all was odd. Still, hopefully he would keep to his word for once and sit quiet while the real Sith handled Taul's issue. As per usual.

Darth Strosius sat up in His seat and nodded to the holoprojection of Taul, the storm being tracked in real time and displayed in a sickening green current across the surface. "First and foremost we need to ensure the major population centers are protected. The locals have grouped into a handful of worlds to concentrate their shielding power, but will that be enough? And more importantly, do we have any immediate methods of improving them if they aren't?"

 

[Quinn Varanin]

//: Objective 1 //:
//: Darth Strosius //: Darth Empyrean //:
//: OPEN //:
//: Attire //:

Standing outside the chamber where the others had gathered to discuss Taul and its crisis, Quinn leaned against the wall. She waited quietly as the rest filed inside. Once the hall was clear, she lifted a hand to the discreet earpiece tucked in her ear. The HUD flickered to life, and she keyed in a message to DeathDrop:

[ INCOMING MSG: Quinn to CT-312 ]
[ Taul ]
[ Mission: Secure spiders, eggs & containers ]
[ Coordinates: XX, XX | Extraction: XX, XX ]

The eggs and spiders would be invaluable. In her hands, they weren't just resources—they were bargaining chips. With DeathDrop, she could trust the job would be done discreetly, outside the eyes of the Empire, loyal to her rather than the institution. CT-312 in particular. Quinn trusted her.

Drawing her cloak tighter, she entered the chamber. Darth Strosius was already addressing the group, and Quinn's attention followed his gaze to the orb that carried the Emperor's voice. Knowing he was listening only steeled her spine. Shoulders squared, she stood taller, every inch the Princess she was born to be.

"I understand your concern for the locals, Darth Strosius," she said evenly, inclining her head toward him. His compassion for the displaced surprised her, but it was not unwelcome.

"While they gather and barricade themselves, we should supply food and water. In the wake of disaster, scarcity breeds riots." Her brow furrowed briefly before she continued.

"At the same time, we must account for our own interests. I suggest we split our efforts — corral and secure the spiders, house them until the storm passes, and assign other forces to aid the locals. Barricades, support, even evacuation if it comes to it."

 

[Skye Mertaal]

Bounty Hunter Name: Skye Mertaal
Bounty Hunter License: Link
Seeking Bounties on: Spice Spiders
Toggle on: NPC Not applicable

Objective 2: Bug Hunt
Lysander von Ascania | Open

The underground stank of rot and ozone, every breath filtered through the rebreather clipped tight under Skye's helm. The storm outside still raged, acid rain hissing against the bulkheads, but down here the air was thick, damp, crawling with the faint scrape of chitin legs.

She hated jobs like this. Crawling around in spider warrens. Only reason she was here was because that sleemo Rodian thought he was clever with her credits. Turns out they ended up in the hands of a local dealer here deep in the warrens. Which meant she had to go digging to get them back.

Her T-visor tilted toward the blonde kid at her side, voice gruff through the modulator.

[ Breathing filter. On. Do not take it off. ]

A stab of annoying consciousness filled her, and then she added.

[ Pure energy makes the webs to react. Bright light will attract the spiders. ] She then handed him goggles with a Nightvision setting.

[ Wear them. Do not trust the Force to get you out of everything. ] She then saw his blaster riftle and gave an annoyed curse. The kid would learn quick enough. Spiders didn't like the light, but they'd sure as hell come running at the first whiff of energy.

[ Do not use that blaster rifle. Won't work on them. Use this. ] she shoved a small Ion Deactivator Hold-out blaster at him. It was so diminutive it looked almost like a derringer. A tiny little thing.

But that tiny little thing could pack a punch.

She activated the night vision on her HUD and everything washed into tints shades of green, the flare of her cybernetic ocular patch blazing crimson briefly before shuttering out.

Skye's gauntlet flexed over the grip of her ion carbine. She was tired, hurting, and in no mood to play games. If the webs didn't tangle them up, the spiders might. Either way, she'd get her credits back.

One way or another.

And off in the distance, the sound of distant chittering echoed.