Faction Gimme Danger | Sith Order

[Soldane Talon]

The final exam of the Jutrand Academy is upon you. You've spent years at the academy, building yourself into a weapon of the Sith, and now is your time to show the edge you have honed. Sixth months since it was announced, the Trial of the Sovereigns has proven to be the most hyped exam in the last few years. Partially due to the line up of students, partially from the trial in of itself.

You strode into the selection grounds, stood until the Proctors and their advisors spoke to you, studied you, asked questions. One by one, your peers were chosen to their teams, until finally you. Others had their house names pinned to their uniform, proud of their privilege to be chosen. Houses are called out as people walk to their assigned tables - Drazik, Varaxis, Thalyss, Korvane, Myrrik, Dravoss... Each powerful in their own right, represented by gilded statues. You, however, were chosen by House Veyr, your symbol an iron fang on a necklace. It's proctor, the woman that chose you, is Quinn Varanin - but you could only guess as to her reasons why.

This first night is one of celebration, as you are first served a fine meal. You have come far in your training, and the Proctors, Tutors, and Masters believe you earned a good meal. Fanciful foods fit for the Emperor's own table stand before you, and after only a moment of prodding, you and the others engorge yourselves. If there was a favorite food to be had, it was here. As the night carries on, music plays from a live orchestra, and eventually ships arrive to bring you to your final places.​

​

Others leave first, but you and a hundred students strap yourselves in for the half an hour ride towards the valley. The trip is quick for what it is, and comfortable, but the castle you walk into is nigh on barren. From the sky, you can tell however, that this spartan facility is massive - with walls upon walls leading down a valley with your great keep atop a treacherous and fortified path. The soil, however, is too rocky - something you notice even from height. A few others seem to notice too.​

​

When you step out into the frigid air of the mountains, you realize that this place holds a clear and present view over the valley. From your raised deus, you can see the distant synth-enviroments in their relative ecology. A sand dune stretches for miles, hiding the home of the Drazik. The badlands, who's canoyon hold the Varaxis. The ever distant ocean holding the island nation of Thalyss. An equally distant fortress built into a volcanic eruption stares you at almost eye level, but it is the swamps and forest that draw your gaze. Hidden among them is the final houses, Myrrik and Dravoss.​

​

You and your peers explore the castle for a few hours, but sleep begins to consume all of you. Before you know it, your eyes flutter shut in your room. You awake to the hefty pull of a black bag over your head. You're kicked, punched, beaten and stripped before you're dragged into compliance. Some are tazed, and the most brutal of the students to fight back were beaten within an inch of their life in the ambush. Eventually each was taken, you are no different.​

​

No matter how well you fought your ambushers or not, it doesn't matter. You awaken to another student, equally stripped, staring at you from the confines of their own black bag. You both have them removed now, as your proctor, Quinn Varanin looks down upon you. With judgement, scorn, or hope, it is hard to say - your eye feels like its swelling shut, hard to make sense of things right now. A single necklace is thrown into the center of the arena.

Another voice speaks up,

"House Veyr doesn't have enough beds for everyone to make it. Kill your peer, and ascend.", then you are abandoned. Only the two of your remain.

Some will bargain for their lives, some with fight first. Some will be brutal, some with mourn the death of a peer they may have known for a life time, or only just barely knew. Even still, all would be tithed - your innocence for entry to the exam. All will be bloodied in the Trial of the Sovreign. When you are done, when you come free of the arena, it will be a cadre of your peers. Some sit against the walls, shaken by their taste of first blood. Others are injured, some more severely than others, showing hints as to the carnage of their own blooding. Others are crying.

Some are proud.

---

OOC:
This is a general entry to the Trial of the Sovreigns for the academy students. You're free to start in the main area, but I'd love to see your characters trek through something that is (hopefully) somewhat tramatic for them. It is not everyday an 18 year old is asked to murder someone with their bare hands. Something more intimate than just killing with a weapon, that is.

If you have questions, feel free to DM me here or on Discord.​

 

[Soldane Talon]

Soldane awoke with blood mixing in his mouth. He wasn't sure if he bit his tongue, or his nose had simply bled into his mouth. All he could focus on in the darkness was that his entire body hurt - likely the dozen or so kicks he received for biting off the finger of one of the kidnappers. When it first came, he assumed it was the Eternalists looking to strike a blow to his father Darth Empyrean - but after he felt the subtle Force sensations of his attackers, he knew them to be some of the same guards that oversaw them at the banquet.

He had calmed down then, at least for a bit - which gave him a moment to consider his wounds. At least a broken rib, dislocated fingers... He thinks he might have a broken nose, if not a long set of cuts on his knuckles. One of his teeth might even be loose, he couldn't be sure if the give was the ivory in his mouth or the wound that nearly bisected his tongue.​

​

When the bag was ripped from his head, his first instinct was to spit what blood and clot he could onto the ground. It made him feel sick, but he had a bit more pride than to swallow it, or spit it on the inside of his mask. When he looked up however, he saw the idle gaze of a student who didn't know any better. Soldane remembered him, chosen 78th. He did not, however, remember as to why.

"House Veyr doesn't have enough beds for everyone to make it. Kill your peer, and ascend."

Soldane glanced up to the small balconey, where he saw a few men and women, but he only recongized one of them. Quinn Varanin - with a cold gaze down towards them. She knew this was to always be their fate, so this was not a surprise to her he imagined. For him, however, he could feel nothing but a cold contempt to be chosen like this.​

​

Kill your peer. ​

​

He clenched his jaw, working it as he looked to the other student. Standing slowly, he worked the kinks out of his elbow and thought about the situation. The Sith were unruly, merciless even, but Force Sensitives capable of entering this trial would not be so easily expended. There wasn't a reason to waste good stock. Could they really intend for them to kill eachother, or was there a way out?

Soldane didn't get the chance to consider it as the other student lurched forward. In his craze, he said something Soldane couldn't be sure of, but he could make guesses as to what it was. The kid was bigger than him, which made this worse. Soldane wasn't sure if he was faster either, so the quick jab to the chin of the student was met with a equally fast dip. He didn't dodge the punch, he just took it on the forehead. Soldane felt his knuckles snap before the arms of the bear wrapped around him and slammed him into the ground.

He felt the broken rib tear out of his skin, forcing tears in his eyes and he tried to recover. Too late. The other student mounted and began to drive heavy, crashing blow into him one after the other. He cringed back, trying to dodge what he could and block what he couldn't. This was a dangerous position, one he couldn't afford to stay in.

He drove his hips upwards, forcing the bigger kid to lurch forward. Soldane gripped him around the waist, leveraging quickly and violently to the side to upset their balance. When they landed on their sides, Soldane's elbow met his ribs. Again, and again he slammed his elbow into the bigger Sith until he groaned and let go of Soldane's neck. He pushed them apart, standing as soon as able.

His throat hurt, his trachea partially collapsed. His neck felt borderline broken. Soldane rushed forward to shove his foot directly into the other students chin. His head jerked back, toppling with equal crunch. Soldane stood there for a moment and just heaved - sucking in as much air as he could as he stared at the unconscious fool.

No doors opened. This wasn't enough.

Victory did not free him.

He glared at the balconey where the Proctors once stood. They wouldn't let him free until he murdered this man.

So he did. He straddled him, wrapped his hands around his throat, and squeezed until there was no life left. He knew when he was gone when the door opened in the far wall, where once only smooth stone was. His hands shook from the exertion, feeling dirtier than they looked. The stairs were long and winding, but when he entered the main hall of their Keep he couldn't help but glower before worry came over him.

Where was Lunaria Talon ? Did she pass the trial? Despite his wounds he trudged forward, trying to find her among the wounded and crying.​