Faction In The Presence Of Another World | Sith Eternal

[Brunas Drace]

It was a decidedly ramshackled view which greeted them on the other side. A patchwork of buildings large and small dotted the immediate vicinity, wood and sheet-metal and pelts, some substances that were not even known to the realm of the living, made up the bulk of it, and one strong wind would no doubt send it all toppling down. Trapped between the walls of a great canyon, and in places climbing up and over it, the City of Living Dead stood in all its majesty. Misery... A fitting name, no doubt.​

​

The rift they had traversed on Korriban was not known for being consistent. One might find themselves on the edge of the Dreaming Dark, or deep within the Narrow Roads, or sitting serene beside the Chasm of Passing. Though there were not a great many reports to gloss over, for few willingly stepped across the threshold of Realspace and the Netherrealms, inconsistency was the only consistency.​

​

Brunas Drace had never traversed these realms before, though he had read every account he could get his hands on. Most were madness-ridden, written by fools who had become half-crazed by their ventures. Some were downright unintelligible. There was only so much one could prepare for when it came to the edge of forever, to a realm of insanity and decay.​

​

And yet here he was.​

​

And here they were.​

​

He turned to the gathered students and fellow Sith who had walked this path alongside him, checking that none had been left behind or found themselves separated from the main group upon entry. With any luck that was not the case, but who knew how quickly the whims of this realm would change, who knew if one among them had been spat out in the Garden of Thorns, or some other strange plain. They would deal with that as they could, if they could... But he didn't immediately notice anyone missing.​

​

"Dangers untold await us henceforth. You would be wise to venture alongside another should you veer off course, wiser still to remain with the group."​

​

The Sith preached freedom, away from binding chains, if they wished to do their own thing here then on their head be it.​

 

[Arcturus Dinn]

Although he had been informed that their destination on the other side would not be what it had been when last Arcturus had walked through the Korriban Rift, the boy still could not help but gawp in amazement as he stepped out into a pieced together city instead of the fields which housed the Spire of Destiny. No river flowed close by, or labyrinthine gardens, or great chasm... Well, the latter he supposed was something similar. They were within the bowl of a canyon, after all, he could see the rockfaces to each side.​

​

There were a few familiar faces present, and some he did not recognize. After many months away from this place it felt strange to be back, and he turned the ring on his finger several times to ease some of the anxiety he hadn't expected to pool forth. He had been romanticizing this place in his head ever since leaving it, but now that he was here... Well, all he could recall was the Dreaming Dark. The entities he'd witnessed therein, and the experiences he'd been exposed to both in and around.​

​

The one who headed this expedition was not a man Arcturus was familiar with. He'd never seen him before, never sat in on one of his lessons, a complete and utter stranger. He knew only his name, Lord Drace, the rest was a mystery.​

​

Thankfully he was rather used to meeting new tutors. From Arthos Vynea to Celeste Demici and all the others he'd come into contact with since first coming to Korriban, there was something about learning from a fresh face. New methods and beliefs and techniques to pick up on. It was exciting, despite all of the unknowns.​

​

As much as he wanted to explore this strange City, Arcturus decided against breaking away at least for now. It would do them no harm to do their initial exploration as a group, and from there? Well he supposed that would depend on how things went. Was this a hostile place? Or was it a little more calmer than much that the Netherworld had to offer?​

​

Kal had informed him of pockets of the Nether which were not so fearsome as the rest. These were the places that the Shades called home, or frequented, away from the trauma and torment. Had they wandered in to precisely that? Or was there more to this place than met the eye?​

 

[Ishani Dinn]

Here they were, on a field trip to hell.

Ishani had been drawn into this venture by Lord Drace. She’d already met the gentleman on a previous (mis)adventure, in which they had melted down a carnivorous cube of acid-drenched slime in a tomb on Korriban, among other things. An interesting fellow whose hobbies included gardening and necromancy.

She was admittedly far more happy to see Arcturus among the group—face it, nothing can compete with young love—and she was as eager to explore as the rest of them. Arc and a few others had told stories of past visits to the Nether, which she couldn’t help but be fascinated by.

“So, do you recognize this place?” she asked the boy, gesturing toward the city. It looked less than pleasant, even from this distance. Then again, she supposed the Netherworld wasn’t supposed to look pleasant. “I don’t know what I expected. Ballroom dancing but with ghosts, maybe?”

She had already applied Chthonic—the perfume clung to her now, its distinctly candylike scent noticeable to anyone with a nose who stood in close proximity to her. More vials of the stuff were packed away on her person, as vital as her other gear on this trip. She couldn’t exactly admit it openly, but she had a deep fear of the noncorporeal denizens of the Nether: spirits, demons, Shadows, and the like. It fueled a paranoia regarding possession which, rather than becoming hysteria, had crystallized into… well, if not hatred, certainly a deep dislike and distrust of their kind. Since she was walking right into their territory, better to be safe than sorry.

Brunas Drace Arcturus Dinn​

 

[Kalt Bruq]

A datapad hovered next to Kalt as he had followed the group. Kalt had it prepared just for this trip. Nothing on it's memory but notes he had specifically saved for it. Things he felt would be necessary or worth looking into for his traversal into the Netherrealms. As they entered the rift on Korriban leading to this place, the keys of the datapad flashed wildly and rapidly as Kalt used the force to take his notes. If he could consciously record every single bit of information, he'd do so. When Kalt had accepted the invitation to this trip, he spent the following night researching everything he could.

He couldn't find much, admittedly. Mostly because the important information was out of reach or were tainted by madness. A somewhat foreboding sign that he should keep his guard up, and his lightsaber at the ready. If he was careful enough though, maybe he can find something useful here. To use against others or perhaps escape from danger. Or perhaps there would be a resource or artifact he could find here. The possibilities excited him. Whoever this Lord Drace was, he would need to thank him for allowing him to join on this journey later...

Arcturus and Ishani were there as well. From what he could tell, Arc was already pretty familiar with the Nether. Ishani, on the other hand, seemed to dislike everything about it. She was using that perfume... It smelled nice but Kalt was concerned it might disrupt the experience... Then again, it might save their lives too. So he didn't mention anything. That wasn't to suggest that he wasn't glad that she and Arcturus came.

His attention returned to the city before them. Sandwiched between the walls of a canyon, made of hobbled together things. The people here seemed to be... strange. So this was the Ashen. A disease created by a dark lord. Now kept here so that the survivors won't face death at the hands of it. He made sure to keep his distance from those he could identify. "Is there a risk of catching their disease?" Kalt asked.

[ Brunas Drace Arcturus Dinn Ishani Dinn ]​

 

[Ana Malixar]

Ana had spent the past few days reading about Korriban when she had the time. Stories about Sorzus Syn and others who had come and gone long ago. Many seemed unfathomable, she suspected that they had morphed into more myths than truth at this point. She'd read about numerous landmarks and locations on the planet too, such as the Valley of the Sleeping Kings. Despite that, she had no idea what this place was. None of the codices she'd read had any mention of it. She questioned if it was even real to be honest. She'd never been through a rift and wondered if this was all just an illusion of some sort. It felt real though.

Her gaze wandered about, taking in their surroundings and all its majesty. This place was horrid really. The atmosphere was chilly and the people--well she wasn't sure if they were even people. They seemed so ghoulish and unintelligent. Living in a place like this? It was a pitiful existence. Their huts were constructed out of the most basic and scrappy materials. The bridges lining the canyon looked like they could give out at any second. The group leader warned that the environment was dangerous. She didn't really see what threat these creatures posed, but she heeded the warning nonetheless. This didn't look like a place one wanted to get trapped in.

As for the lord leading the mission, she'd never interacted with him before. Or anyone here for that matter. The energy of the group exuded a darkness as to be expected. She sensed a calmness from the lord, he lacked the volatility that she'd encountered in her limited experience with other Sith. Meanwhile, the Devaronian appeared to have an inquisitive aura about him. She appreciated that. She resolved to remain with the group for now and observe everything she could.

Brunas Drace | Arcturus Dinn | Ishani Dinn | Kalt Bruq

 

[Brunas Drace]

Brunas' mind was quick to make a connection between what his eyes saw and what his mind could relay of these realms. He pieced together their location as he glanced around them at the buildings and the canyon edges, yet it wasn't until Kalt Bruq spoke up with his query that everything fully slotted into place. Yes, he'd read about this place before...​

​

"This is Misery," he explained, taking a step forward toward one of the buildings and hoping that the students would keep pace, "It is said to attract those who are diseased because this City has the strange ability to slow such ailments down to a crawl. Individuals who would die in weeks find that they can live out their years here, long and full lives..."​

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He turned back toward Kalt after explaining this.​

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"I believe we're in no danger of contracting anything while we are here, Acolyte. But do be warned, the accounts I've read of this place state that its inhabitants can be rather hostile if provoked. Do any of you have anything with which to barter, perhaps?"​

​

There was so much of this realm that was ripe for exploration, that remaining in Misery for too long almost felt like they would be cheating themselves of a fuller experience. But a little time here couldn't hurt. Time seemed to move differently in this realm, after all. They were not in Realspace anymore.​

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Ishani Dinn Kalt Bruq Ana Malixar ​

 

[Ishani Dinn]

Still awaiting a response from Arcturus, Ishani’s attention was drawn to the Sith Master as he offered further explanation of the city of Misery and its inhabitants. A settlement full of plague-ridden people? Lovely. At least they couldn’t be infected by them.

As for bartering, she shrugged. “I have all my perfumes with all their different effects. Being a sickly lot, I suppose they may not smell all that great.”

Of course, there was more to her perfumes than a pleasant scent.

Brunas Drace Arcturus Dinn Kalt Bruq Ana Malixar​

 

[Arcturus Dinn]

Arcturus shook his head to her question.​

​

"No, I didn't see any of the settlements..." His eyes darted around, hungry to learn more but also a little more reserved than he had expected to be upon returning. Some of the glamour had been lost upon entering the rift, as though the rose tinted glasses had shattered and the reality of the situation had hit him all at once. ​

​

"Kal said there were nice pockets of the Nether, or at least less deadly and fearsome. I don't think this is what he meant..." If the Shade had been here perhaps they could have explored more of it, there was nothing quite like having a Netherworld resident to help you through the rough patches. But Kal wasn't here, at least not as far as Arcturus could tell. So for now Misery would have to do.​

​

"I have a few trinkets," he informed their instructor, reaching into his satchel to remove a handful of mundane objects he'd never had the time or cause to imbue. He offered some out to those who had brought nothing, in case they were caught off guard. Then he took Ishani's hand.​

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The group had moved further into Misery at this point, and among the ramshackled buildings were a handful of more interesting looking structures, squirreled away from immediate sight. What looked to be a vendor lay to their right, and Arcturus felt immediately drawn toward it.​

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Don't leave the group, that's what Lord Drace had suggested, but was it really leaving the group if you just took a few steps to the side?​

​

Arc did precisely that...​

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Ishani Dinn Kalt Bruq Ana Malixar ​

 

[Kalt Bruq]

Kalt was admittedly relieved to hear that they were unlikely to catch whatever was among the people here. He presumed it had something to do with the fact that they progress so slowly. He then considered what it might have been like for the denizens of this place. All around him, as he reached out to feel the strings of the force here. The various connections and the emotions and thoughts that flowed through them. He could feel the squalor and decay of the place. Many had hope that they might be able to continue living here, that they might see a cure for their disease eventually. But Kalt could feel the collective burden of these survivors. Their diseases had slowed but had not gone away and they suffered every symptom for every moment it remained. The price of this place was extracted by the very gift it gave. Or at least, that's how Kalt saw it.

Kalt didn't really have anything to offer. He usually didn't go around with much on him. Always preferring to rely on the force to get him through. Perhaps that was a little naive, especially considering he was still an Acolyte, but he liked to see himself as somewhat resourceful if needed. Nonetheless, when Arcturus offered some trinkets to offer as trade later, Kalt took one or two. "Thanks." He said.

Kalt continued taking notes aggressively on his datapad, as it floated next to him. Expanding his observations to what he felt in the force. The strangeness of the Nether, Misery, and some of it's denizens. Of particular interest was the affliction faced by the Ashen. While he still kept his distance, a part of him almost wanted to take a sample back with him. If only to cultivate it and use as a weapon. For now, however, the risk of contracting it himself prevented him from taking such a risk.

Kalt was so absorbed in the environment around him, he nearly bumped into Arcturus when his fellow Acolyte diverted to the vendor on their right. Kalt was about to say something about it but also felt drawn to the vendor. His curiosity overdriving any concern about getting lost or failing to keep up.

[ Brunas Drace Ana Malixar Ishani Dinn Arcturus Dinn ]​

 

[Zeno Dremati]

Dark was this land where bones withered but never faded, where flesh shriveled but never rotted and where time itself seemed to warp around you. Through the Gates of Misery wandered a faceless man draped in shadows, sapphire eyes piercing through the thin veil of mist hanging above the checkered cobbles and milky puddles of water. The faceless one's heavy boots echoed down the street and his gaze drifted from the tattered tarp rooftops to the sunken faces of the gaunt creatures crowding the streets. Like sheets of skin draped over a thin frame of bones these husks seemed to be carried by the wind as they passed by with short strides on long, skinny legs. Most gave the faceless man a wide birth, others passed him by as if he were never there.

Even still there were those that clung to the darkness, glowing eyes peering out from the darkness of alleys or the shade of a canvas roof. Like vultures they scanned the faceless man from the ornate, tendrilled mask adorning his head to the simple spacer's boots strapped to his feet. No gaze lingered long though - they all quickly averted when the wind caught the man's dark cloak and the handle of a blaster was bared for all to see.

"Curious" Zeno remarked, stopping abruptly in an ankle-high puddle that reflected the sickly miasma of chaos that passed for a sky in the nether. Turning over his shoulder, he looked to his companion Seit-Val as she made up the distance created with her usual distraction, "these beings want to attack us...I've not known a blaster to stop an attack from happening before."

Blasters were a common sight in the galaxy, especially now. In his experience the presence of a weapon was rarely enough to give pause to an attacker whose...drive was as high as these locals seemed to have. It was like being watched by a starving animal...they wanted what they had - or at least what he had - but they were hesitant.

"Stay close to my side. No more wandering off while we are in this place."

 

[Ana Malixar]

Ana listened to the Sith Lord's explanation. It only increased her disdain for the city's population. Who would want to live out such a sickly and hollow existence here? And what diseases did they have anyway? Galactic medicine had come a long way since the days of Naga Sadow, surely they could find a cure. She thought about inquiring more about the sicknesses that plagued the population, but ultimately decided to remain silent. Truth be told, she didn't care all that much. She wasn't particularly interested in interacting with these people unless she had to.

The lord asked if anyone had anything to barter with. Ana remained silent. She'd brought very few possessions with her to Korriban in the first place and hasn't thought to bring anything along to trade. Another acolyte, Arcturus Dinn offered her a small trinket and she took it. "Thanks," she murmured. She had no idea what the lavender-colored trinket was worth, but perhaps she could persuade someone to take it if it came to that.

She noticed that same acolyte and Kalt Bruq starting to wander over to one of the vendors. She watched them for a brief moment before returning her attention back to the Lord leading the group. He started to walk towards a building and she moved at a brisk pace to keep up. Her disdain kept her from wanting to interact with these people any more than necessary.

Brunas Drace
Ishani Dinn
Zeno Dremati

 

[Seit-Val]

As soon as he beckoned her closer Seit-Val was at his side, remaining decidedly outside of the puddle he'd decided to stop in and reaching out with one of her four arms to nudge him out from it before he ruined his boots. He could talk about her all he liked, but his mind was just as often elsewhere. That hunger for knowledge was perhaps the only true commonality they shared anymore, though this time she had to admit his choice of destination was rather peculiar, even to her. Proof, if anything, that her sentiments surrounding death were not unfounded.

Once again lost in her own thoughts, she caught the tail end of his warning as her eyes finally wandered in his direction. "Yes, I'm certain it's the blaster, and not the way you're dressed." She indicated the mask he insisted on wearing, despite that where they traveled none would know of or care about the Raskava. They both had their peculiarities, even though he liked to pretend his were somehow different.

After he spoke she suddenly became more aware of the numerous pairs of eyes that dwelled on them, some of them noticeable while others were obscured in the shadows. The weight of the two lightsabers beneath her patchwork cloak was some sort of comfort, and despite her distaste of using them she knew they could both defend themselves if it came to that. A single dagger was her only piece of visible weaponry, and she knew that meant less to those that lived here than the blaster likely did.

The Force worked in strange ways here, but the tension was still palpable. Beyond that, however, there was something else that nagged at her senses. A presence that was different than the dead-alive beings that wandered the streets, because this one was distinctly of their world. For everything Zeno had told her about this place, he'd never mentioned that it was a common destination for anyone else. "We aren't alone."

Zeno Dremati | Brunas Drace | Ishani Dinn | Kalt Bruq | Ana Malixar

 

[Ishani Dinn]

Before Ishani could do anything else, she felt Arc slip his hand into hers, which was always nice. But then he was pulling her away from the group, after Lord Drace just warned them to stay together—well, at least he didn’t go very far. Just a few steps away from the others, really. Kalt likewise followed them, the Devaronian presumably either curious or looking for trouble, given how much seemed to follow the pair of them.

Arc had led them to a vendor, though this was no lively and bustling marketplace. The vendor themself was a shriveled husk of a Twi’lek, appearing sexless in their near-death state (though the shortness of their height hinted they were female), skeletal hands resting limply on the counter like atrophied limbs. They didn’t look up when the trio approached, and it was unclear what they were selling—or indeed if they had anything to sell in the first place.

“Uh… hello?” Ishani greeted them uncertainly.

Arcturus Dinn Kalt Bruq Ana Malixar Zeno Dremati Seit-Val​

 

[Brunas Drace]

As items were procured and passed around, the older Sith nodded his head. He hoped, rather sincerely, that those who had not brought anything had at least remembered some sort of weapon, these were dangerous parts after all and he'd hate to return to Korriban with one less student on the Academy's roster. He found it unlikely that any of them went anywhere without some sort of protection, though, their kind were known for being treacherous and backstabby. Better safe than sorry.​

​

With no more questions posed he made to carry on through the cobbled streets, only to find a few of the students were distracted by a vendor wedged between some of the teetering buildings. Well he supposed they were in no rush, and had no specific place to be, so he turned and observed them from afar, not bothering to interfere. He would not hold their hands and walk them through things, such was not their way.​

​

On the merchant's part, Ashen he might have appeared but there was something a little different about him that could be picked up on by the more astute of them. Their physical state might have been degrading, but their presence in the Force shone brightly all the same. Delving deeper would reveal something more, though, a distinct oddity. As though the decrepit shell belonged to not one soul but two... Difficult to truly discern, unless one was already familiar with the concept of body-sharing shadows.​

​

Brunas' attention was soon stolen by the duo who also walked these streets, further anomalies in a dimension where living breathing sentients were few and far between. He altered his position upon the pathway, so that he stood between the travelers and his charges, but didn't seem particularly phased. He didn't reach for a weapon, he didn't draw upon the Force, and he didn't really look around to visually search for them.​

​

He just moved himself a little to one side, and continued to observe the students.​

​

Ishani Dinn Zeno Dremati Seit-Val Kalt Bruq Ana Malixar ​

 

[Arcturus Dinn]

Arcturus was made immediately aware of the fact that he had unintentionally held up their little group by approaching the vendor; most of them had stopped, including their instructor, grinding their netherventure to a screeching halt. It was almost enough to have him walk away, return to the others so that they could continue on.​

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Yet that would have made it all a waste of time. In for a penny, in for a pound. He stepped toward the vendor, Ishani and Kalt at his side, and opened his mouth to speak.​

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Ishani did so first.​

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"I bet you have a story to trade," the vendor responded, aged and croaking voice ringing out a little stronger than it ought to have. Seemingly from nowhere, and a jarring sight against a wash of greys and browns which made up the majority of the street, the vendor produced a vibrant blue flower and extended it toward Ishani.​

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To this Arcturus glowered.​

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"Don't take it," he warned the girl, keeping his steeled gaze upon the vendor, "Nothing in a place like this is free..."​

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If the vendor was at all offended by his words they didn't show it. In fact, they didn't seem to hear him at all.​

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For the others who had approached the stall, they'd see a handful of strange and unusual items stashed on the stall and some shelves beneath the main surface. A strange, swirling blue rod sat alongside a shirt made of feathers, and a small and rather plain looking lantern with a sickly green light flickering within. Plenty of other oddities lay therein also, none of which made inherent sense in the eyes of a traveler of Realspace.​

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Ishani Dinn Kalt Bruq Ana Malixar Seit-Val Zeno Dremati ​

 

[Ana Malixar]

Ana followed the group until they just stopped in the middle of the street. A few of the Acolytes had wandered across the muddy road to interact with a vendor lurking nearby. A few others walked by. They were unusual, she wasn't sure what to make of them. They didn't seem exactly like the weird residents of this place, but they also weren't normal. It was puzzling, but she just stood there for a moment waiting for something to happen. The Sith were so weird. She'd heard them called a cult of fanatics before and that sort of made sense, but wouldn't a cult try to teach you in their ways? Instead it seemed like their strategy was to just take a field trip to some weird location and let you roam around in the disgusting streets. She waited for a moment more before her irritation started to build up and she wandered away from the group.

She started walking in the opposite direction of the two mysterious figures that had just passed the group by. Considering she couldn't really tell what they were, she figured staying away from them was the smart move. Besides, she didn't plan to venture far. She would try to stay within vision of the lord overseeing the mission. She didn't want to get lost, but if they were just going to stand there and do nothing, exploring a little bit couldn't hurt, right? Plus he seemed to want them to barter, so maybe she'd find something to do with this weird lavender trinket. Plus, if she did get into trouble she was armed. She had both a pistol and a dagger someone had given her when she first showed up on Korriban. They'd offered her a vibroblade and said something about it being good practice for a lightsaber, but carrying around a clunky sword seemed like a hassle. Besides, it was so barbaric. It is perhaps worth noting that she hadn't bothered to use either weapon she carried before, but that would only be an issue if she got into trouble which she was not planning to do.

She trekked down the filthy road. Nothing stood out to her as she walked, but this place was weird. Who knew what she might find?

Brunas Drace | Kalt Bruq | Arcturus Dinn | Ishani Dinn | Seit-Val | Zeno Dremati

 

[Ishani Dinn]

“A story?” Ishani raised an eyebrow as the blue flower was proffered. It was pretty enough, she supposed, but was that all there was to it?

Her confusion was replaced by a bemused smirk as Arcturus interrupted with a warning before she could ask any further questions. Why had Arcturus led them over here if he didn’t intend to trade with this vendor? She gave him a funny look, head canted to one side like a puzzled dog, then leaned toward his ear and whispered, “Stop me if you think I’m putting myself in danger.”

Turning back to the vendor, she looked at the wares on display. Most of it was just weird, eccentric junk, while a few items seemed more unique, like the blue swirling rod. But her gaze was drawn back towards the flower. “What type of flower is that?”

“It is made out of Living Clay.”

“Clay? Well then, it isn’t actually a flower at all. Just a facsimile of one.”

The vendor folded their bony fingers around the stem and said nothing.

Frowning, Ishani reached into her pocket and held out a small vial of perfume. It was unlabeled—something she had only recently concocted, and couldn’t think of a name for yet. “This tells a story better than I ever could,” she said. “It’s a perfume that can make you remember things you had forgotten.”

The vendor reached for the vial with one hand, and the trade was made. Assuming Arcturus didn’t flip the table on them, of course.

Arcturus Dinn Kalt Bruq Ana Malixar Zeno Dremati Seit-Val​

 

[Zeno Dremati]

"This place doesn't seem unaccustomed to oddity..." Zeno remarked casually, his eyes dropping to Seit-Val 's level, "...they don't seem to pay you any mind, after all."

Beneath the writhing tendrils emblazoned upon his mask hid a smile, though Seit wouldn't be able to see or even sense it. The Artisan's Mask was a relic of an ancient past - an artifact that far surpassed anything snapped together by the claws of an automaton or crafted by the calloused hands of a master smith. The Demon Mask veiled Zeno's true nature behind a confused flurry of emotions that had no purpose - an endless, dense cloud of sentient experience that had no beginning, middle or end. Even the two orange eyes that beamed down at Seit, like the event horizons of hungering black holes, were just illusions concocted by the dark aura of the artifact. That was why he wore it here in this strange land where time itself seemed uneven - he had no way of knowing who or what may see him here.

He could not risk endangering The Work.

"We aren't alone" an obvious statement, but one that's unsaid meaning was instantly understood. Zeno turned back to the cobbles and tattered merchant stands to find himself facing a middle-aged shadow standing before him. He was human, at least from first glance, and the graying blonde of his hair was sharp in contrast to the darkness he oozed into the nether around him. The man was pretending to not notice them, his eyes glancing from stand to stand...but The Force did not lie. He had felt them and...yes. He wasn't alone.

There was a small gaggle of others not from this plane of existence, and they were just as easy to spot as Zeno and Seit must have been. Their skin did not hang loosely from bones nor did they reek of that strange aura that lied between life and death.

"Curiouser and curiouser" Zeno whispered to his companion, making no attempt to hide his gaze from the group, "that one there...the one that moved between us and the others. He is strong in the darkside - they all are in their own way"

After taking note of lancing back to Seit, Zeno tucked his arms into his cloak and folded the ends close so that he appeared to be only a hanging cloth with a protruding mask atop it. "A Sith and his apprentices, perhaps? They might have relation to the same Empire that has settled onto Felucia."

More importantly, they were an opportunity. Sith presented a unique obstacle to The Work. They were often distant, untrusting people who were far too paranoid to be easily infiltrated. To gain any knowledge from a Sith would be invaluable...that was if one could avoid being drawn into a web of the Sith's own making...or otherwise disposed of.

"Perhaps you should introduce yourself to your new neighbors."

 

[Seit-Val]

His initial comment earned a frown and a playful jab at his side as she looked at and through the mask he wore to the man she knew beneath. "You say that as if anything you've ever done has been normal." The pair often bickered back and forth like this, nothing taken personally and all of it coming so naturally that it fell into place even now. Well, that and the fact that seemingly distracted conversation made for good cover while the two oriented themselves with the newer arrivals.

Where he seemed to sink further into his cloak until he existed as nothing more than a mask and some loose fabric, Seit-Val straightened and watched the strangers alongside him, decidedly more forthright in her observation. Perhaps it was due in part to her disconnect from the larger galaxy, but she saw nothing to be wary of, Sith or not. Especially so if they were the ones that had intruded on what may as well have been her homeworld, a planet she had grown quite fond of over the years and wasn't content to see torn asunder by a strange, intrusive empire.

The frown that crossed her face then was of the perturbed sort, and she crossed all four of her arms. "If I was still there, they wouldn't be." Perhaps an altogether futile threat, considering her distinct lack of military might, but not an empty one. If any among them knew the flora and fauna of the beautifully deadly planet like an old friend, it was her, and the relationships she had forged with the locals were years in the making. She may not have been capable of driving them fully off-world, but she could make their time spent there a living hell.

Instead, he'd brought her here.

His suggestion of making introductions earned him a sharp glance in his direction and a sly smile that matched his from earlier. "No, I think you should go talk to him. It would help The Work, after all." Not giving him a chance, she nudged him along ahead of her, following along behind. They could speak if he wanted, but he'd be getting his in on her terms.

Zeno Dremati | Brunas Drace | Ishani Dinn | Kalt Bruq | Ana Malixar

 

[Ana Malixar]

Ana continued to make her way down the filthy street while the others were preoccupied with bartering and observing the area. She could feel the mud from the street latching on to her shoes--gross. She wondered if they were any creatures here. She'd read about Terentateks and Shyraks that roamed Korriban. Were there similar beasts in this place? She honestly had no idea. Granted, they probably wouldn't be roaming around this city even if they did exist. Plus the city's inhabits seemed animalistic enough themselves to make up for the lack of other monsters.

She continued inspecting the city's architecture that was in serious need of redintegration as she walked. She noticed a thin alleyway between the buildings and as soon as she did she heard someone call out to her in a raspy voice. She couldn't really make out who or even what they were. She glanced back at the group for a moment. She didn't really want to leave their field of vision, but she also wanted to investigate. She thought for a moment before walking forward into the dark alley. What was the harm in leaving their sight for a few minutes? They were right around the corner.

"Yes, come, come." The citizen said in its raspy voice.

As she approached, she still wasn't able to see much of it. It was hunched over and wore a cloak. She did notice she had been incorrect earlier though. She'd felt like these creatures were lifeless, but upon approaching, its energy was actually quite strong. It radiated the force. The creature pulled a blood red pendant out of its cloak and held it up. Ana could feel the force radiating from it. She went to take it, but the creature snapped it back from her. It gestured with its free hand that it wanted something in return. Ana reached into her pocket and presented the lavender trinket she had received moments earlier to the creature. The figure looked it over but clearly wasn't impressed. It held up the red pendant again.

"This. This is worth much more."

"They're literally the same." Ana responded sharply. She may have been out of sorts here, but she wasn't trying to get scammed by a back alley jeweler.

The creature made a noise as though it were trying to laugh but couldn't. "No, no." It responded.

"Well it's all I have," she responded and turned to leave.

"Wait," the figure rasped. "You can have it, but I need something else...a favor."

"What's the favor?" She asked, wary about where the conversation was headed.

"No, not now. Later." It paused and pointed towards its head, "when the time comes, you will know and you will answer."

Ana paused as the creature dangled the pendant in front of her. It was almost taunting her with it. She knew she should just turn around and leave. Pledging an unknown favor to somebody she had no knowledge about was a terrible idea. But she could feel the force radiating from the object, almost like it was calling to her. The offer was way more tempting than it should have been.

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