Dominion Luxury and Usury (SO Dominion of Eliad)

[Darth Ophidia]

Darth Xyrah Darth Carnifex Saeth Zambrano Darth Strosius
Arcturus Dinn Ishani Dinn Rayden Helonus​

An eerie quiet stilled the halls outside the negotiation room, before being broken by the sound of clicking heels. The dark clad form of the Dark Lady of the Sith, Darth Ophidia, manifested from air and shadow. Her pace was brisk and her eyes focused entirely upon the chamber ahead. Guards, some serving the Sith, some not, tried to intercept the dark lady but were pushed back into the walls.

Where she walked, ruby droplets stained the tiles. In either hand she held two heads by the hair, from whose cauterised necks the droplets dripped.

Her presence bled into existence as well, spreading a cold chill through the castle and heralding her arrival well before any actual herald could speak her name. It did not matter if it was said.

They knew who she was.

Her brusque manner carried er well into the negotiating room before she tossed the heads ahead of her. The macabre sight set most anyone reeling as the heads thudded onto the table. It was a sight Carnifex would certainly recognise, as she had done the same thing during the founding of the One Sith's Dark Council. The heads she carried were also familiar.

Two of them were high ranking officers on the Sith's side. The other two no doubt sparked recognition in the Eliad diplomats. The four of them were involved in a conspiracy to undermine the Order's military advances and consolidate power.

"Thank you for your patience." "I had to go..."

Her eyes flicked down to the heads, then back up to the diplomats.

"-Shopping."

 

[Adeline Noctua]

Equipment | In Bio
Location | Objective IV
Tag | Darth Nito

Chaos, such as it is. In time the shields would fall and the masses of the Sith would flood this place in an unstoppable red tide.

And ohhh that timely urge, it made her throw her saber like a frisbee at a man, soon cutting them down. Her hand reaches out, moving the still powered up saber with one hand from a distance using the force while the other absorbed the energy from the incoming shots. This stolen energy would allow her magical grip on the floating saber to be firm, the blade carving a path for the both of them as they found the housing quarters.

With the path carved, the woman recalls her saber, it returns comfortably back into her pale hand as Nito took care of the ones within the hallway.​

"Bring them to me, Adeline."

"Of course, Sir. I will go look around and see who all I can find, should be easy enough."

As requested, she left the council room, steadily bringing in one prisoner after the other as her keen sense sniffed out those who were hiding with ease. In truth it was more of a chore to go around and collect all these rats, but she knew his request was not one to test ability... In fact she figured there was no real hidden meaning behind it, she was still an acolyte after all.

Within moments the Sith lord's eyes would see as his bloodhound quickly wrangled up a bigger and bigger group of captives, though her hubris got the better of her as she entered the last room... Simply expecting more defenseless people, her center chest was met with a hot bolt as one guard had been hiding and waiting. Her leather had protected her, yet the darkened stain from the blast did a number on the woman's pride.

By sheer instinct she quickdraws her own blaster, not even thinking to take out her saber... Any in the council room would hear several shots boom out from the room, the power behind the shots frying the last guard to a crisp. Gritting her teeth in anger she leaves the room, holstering her blaster.

"All rounded up, Sir. No sign of the Jedi yet, I only found these people and one guard.."

 

[Darth Carnifex]

He listened to Alisteri's answer to His question, and it was as He anticipated. Death was to be the price paid for disloyalty and treachery, and undoubtedly the nobles knew it as well. Their saving grace came as Saryn moved to speak, offering them riches and great privileges should they bend the knee to the Sith, to be placed under their suzerainty and subject to their edicts and dictates. Many had been offered this choice before, and more often than not they bent to the pressure and assented to the Sith's demands. It was easier to live enthralled than to suffer and die free, it seemed.

Then the doors opened, and Carnifex's eyes narrowed; the only sign that His expression had changed throughout this entire meeting. Hate broiled in His breast, but He kept Himself composed. Long had Darth Carnifex and Darth Ophidia worked side-by-side towards the same end, but that had all changed when she turned against Him; threatened His very existence with damnation and endless nothingness. That was unforgivable, unpardonable. Ever since, the Dark Lord had reserve a great deal of unending anger for the Pale Assassin, the Queen of Snakes, the Venomous Waif.

She lobbed two pairs of heads down onto the table, the objects bouncing misshapenly before rolling awkwardly to a stop. They looked up with blank glazed over eyes, mouths open in silent terror. They had died screaming. This was an old tactic of the Pale Assassin, one that Carnifex knew intimately. The threat of death was one thing, but to confront them with death in actuality was another; and far more potent. With all these displays out of the way, the nobles began to converse among themselves quietly.

The Dark Lord watched them carefully, His eyes seeing what many could not. He could hear the whispers of the nobles around Him, He could smell their breath with every hushed word. But that mattered little when He could not see into their minds, to know their hearts, for that was a power that had long been beyond His grasp. His mind was a fortress, utterly unbreakable, and so it was thus that while none could see into His mind, He could not see into others.

Fortunately, He'd endeavored to work around this flaw. The two red priests at His flanks stepped forward, no more than three paces, until they were abreast with the sitting Dark Lord. They reached out to touch the Dark Lord with their arms, gently laying ungloved hands upon the bare flesh of His arms. In that moment, all that the nobles desired and feared, their hopes and dreams, the uttermost depths of their soul, were laid bare before Him.

What He say amused Him greatly.

So when one of the nobles, obviously the most senior among them, stood to speak, Carnifex already knew what He was going to say. "Long has the families of Eliad sat as stewards of this world. We have seen many come and go, Imperials, Confederates, Mandalorians, Cultists, Brigands, Republicans. None have persisted, their glory faded and their power drained away. But we, the nobles of Eliad, have remained unbent and unbroken by the winds of change. The glory of the Sith is a fading light, already snuffed out in the Tingel Arm. Death does not frighten us, nor do your threats. The promises and rewards of the Sith are but ash."

From what the Dark Lord gleaned earlier, only just above two-thirds of the nobles in attendance had assented to this viewpoint. The others were suitable cowed by the Sith's display, and that was plenty enough. He'd also come to realize that the nobles had been stalling, trying to bide their time and keep the Sith occupied while they enacted a conspiracy to undermine the Sith before their control of Eliad was absolute. A cunning plan, perhaps it'd have worked on lesser Sith, but the Dark Lord was anything but lesser.

His eyes swiveled from one noble to another, watching their reactions as He slowly rose from His seat. He then fixed His gaze upon the lead noble, the one who had spoken just prior. "Indeed? Then, if that is the will of this council." From behind, the grotesque smiling priest stepped forward and handed the Dark Lord a small black box. It was about fifty centimeters in all dimensions, its glossy black exterior appearing to absorb rather than reflect light. Carnifex held it aloft for a few brief seconds before gingerly placing it down on the table in front of Him.

After another moment, the inverse became true and the box began to project light. It was near blinding to look upon, but not so intense as to render anyone at the assembly blind. Rather, because of where the nobles were sitting, their shadows were now displayed on the towering wall behind them. This was of the design of the Dark Lord, for now He could make an example of them as He saw fit.

From beneath the table, a new shadow emerged. It slithered up the wall, moving completely in contradiction with how light and shadow operated. It smiled with a great cheshire grin, a women's laughter echoing out through the chamber as the shadow moved. Then, with shadowy arm outstretched, it wrapped its incorporeal fingers around the neck of the lead noble's shadow and pulled with quick motion. The lead noble jerked forward in his seat, the front of his neck torn out in a geyser of blood before his head slammed down on the table and bounced up from the impact.

The shadow moved from noble to noble, killing with a stroke of its hand, leaving only those nobles that the Dark Lord had sensed were cowed unharmed. When it was done, most of the nobles at the meeting were slain, their bodies slumped against the table or thrown to the ground. The black box stopped emitting light at this point, returning to its previous state to be scooped up by Carnifex and returned to the priest.

Carnifex sat back down in His seat, dusting Himself off as the shadow on the wall slunk back to assume its rightful space beneath His feet. His eyes then fell on the remaining nobles.

"You were accepting Darth Xyrah's terms, were you not?"

Darth Xyrah | Darth Strosius | Darth Ophidia
Saeth Zambrano | Arcturus Dinn | Ishani Dinn
Rayden Helonus ​

 

[Lady Venge]

OBJECTIVE THREE: BUSINESS OR PLEASURE

A genuinely warm smile crosses Venge's face as the young man stepped into the light and asked who she was. She had heard snippets in her travels of nobility named House Marr, and of one member named Malum in particular. The random bits she had heard certainly only scratched the surface.

"Malum Of House Marr, hmm? Such a polite young man. Truly you are a credit to your house and to your Master," Venge said, still smiling. "I am Lady Venge, last of the Black Hssiss Order, of which you probably are unfamiliar with. The artifact I seek is a particular holocron containing the darkest secrets of my sect's founders. It shouldn't prove too difficult to locate."

Venge held out her holocommunicator and opened the file containing an image of the artifact housed somewhere within the museum.

​

"This is the artifact I seek. As I've said, the rest means nothing to me, and the Sith can do with them as they wish. I am willing to prove my claims once we've located the holocron. Do you find my proposal acceptable?"

Darth Malum of House Marr

 

[Arcturus Dinn]

Objective I: Noble Nuisances​

With: Ishani Dinn Darth Carnifex Darth Ophidia Darth Strosius Darth Xyrah ​

​

They were admittedly a little late to the convergence. Arcturus had made sure to begin his subjugation of House Dystra ahead of the scheduled meeting time, but things had not entirely gone to plan. Or... He supposed in a way they had gone better than planned. Still, it had caused a small stall in their timeframe. No matter, they were here now.​

​

The remaining troops who had not fallen to the scalding screams of the little Lordling remained with his ship, all save Rhiannon of course who was shadowing him as he led Pharus forward with a hand firmly set upon his shoulder. Arcturus hadn't even paused to clean up, or tend his wounds. The boy had put up a fight even beyond his scream, pulling a knife on the Sith, but he'd also drained himself significantly with his impromptu and potent screech. Easy to whittle down, the boy too was sporting injuries of his own.​

​

Those had not been cleaned up either.​

​

He thrust open the doors just in time to see the last of the insolent nobles' heads loll down onto the table. The air smelled of blood and the bodily wastes pulled forth on the wings of death, putrid to be sure. His nose wrinkled, but he lifted his head and pressed on all the same.​

​

"Apologies, My Lords, for our tardiness." He spoke distinctly to the Sith who were gathered, not the nobles, inclining his head toward each of the foreboding figures. He knew only one of them of course in any personal fashion, Alisteri, but he'd be a fool not to recognize the great Carnifex. It was he, after all, who had ordered the subjugation of his homeworld so many moons ago now. He who had set Arcturus on his path to Maliphant, and all that had come since.​

​

There was an odd mixture of emotions present upon finally seeing him in person. He should have hated him for all he had lost, but in the face of all that had been gained..? Well, it seemed to even itself out.​

​

"Young Dystra here would formally like to accede to our rule."​

Arcturus led the lad on, and seeing as there was no chair for him (after all, he hadn't initially intended to come) he flicked his wrist and pulled back one occupied with a treacherous corpse. The body fell to the wayside, and without care for the blood which stained it he pushed the boy into the seat and swiftly tucked it in. The boy was a little pale, his face and blonde hair splattered through with blood. The Sandman remained stood behind him, one hand hovering above his shoulder.​

​

"Isn't that right, Pharus?"​

​

"It is, My Lords" the boy meekly responded.​

​

Arcturus looked at the remaining nobles, who were no doubt shellshocked by the display Carnifex had inflicted upon them. "House Dystra has the wisdom and foresight to see what is in everyone's best interest... What say the rest of you?"​

 

[Ishani Dinn]

Objective 1: Noble Nuisances
Tags: Arcturus Dinn Darth Carnifex Darth Ophidia Darth Strosius Darth Xyrah

Suppressing the urge to pull Arcturus (and to a lesser extent Pharus) aside and tend to his wounds, Rhi trailed along beside the two of them as they headed for the meeting. Things had actually turned out rather well, she thought.

At least, until she stepped into the room and the stench of death instantly hit her nostrils. The smell was bad enough that she halted for a second, her nose wrinkling in disgust. Perhaps the others found it easier to endure, but her sense of smell was heightened. She tried to discreetly cover her nose, wishing she had left her helmet on.

The room was filled with the bodies of dead nobles, slain in a gruesome, unpleasant manner. Evidently the majority of the nobility had not agreed to acquiesce to their new Sith overlords' demands. Arcturus unceremoniously removed a headless corpse from a chair and deposited the young Lord Dystra in it. The boy looked like he was about to be sick, but spat out the words they needed him to say, pledging his fealty to the Sith.

Satisfied, Rhi finally gave in to her more nurturing instincts. Arc she wouldn't touch, at least not in the presence of the others, but she took a small handkerchief from her pocket and began to wipe the blood stains from Lord Dystra's face and hair. The boy's expression scrunched up as if he were trying very hard not to cry. If he were to openly weep, he would only humiliate himself further.

While she cleaned him up, she glanced briefly over the other Sith in the room. The only one she recognized was Alisteri. Her expression brightened upon seeing him. What an unexpected delight! Clearly he was on the up-and-up. She'd have to ask him how little Max was doing, once this was all over. As for the rest of them, Rhi had no idea who they were, but she could at least assume that they were powerful Sith not to be trifled with.

 

[Darth Nito]

Tag: Adeline Noctua​

​

Nito watched her closely as she brought the prisoners in, one by one. His sulphuric gaze burned on the skin, and it took a few moments before he pulled away his thoughtful finger from his lips and spoke;​

​

"And you shot him.", he said frowning.​

​

"I will not fault you for habit, but don't fall for the entrapment of lessers. Guns are a crutch for the weak."​

​

With that, he stood and looked over each one, eventually pulling up a data pad from his hip and looking it over. After a moment he nodded, lifting his sword - and sheathing it. He didn't strike them down like she might expect, instead reading off their fate.​

​

"Each of you will be charged with treason, conspiracy, rebellion, and jedi sympathies. Your executions will be broadcasted to the totality of Eliad, from the man to the children. Know your executions will be quick, but your Jedi Son's will not."​

​

The man protested with the briefest sound before Nito's gauntlet backhanded him - cutting his cheek open and knocking him unconcious. The wife gave out a vapid cry of sorrow and fear - the children followed suit. Nito offered them nothing and moved to the window to watch the carnage of the battle.​

​

"The fortress won't last much longer, Adeline. You've done well today - I shall let Darth Empyrean know. Join them if you wish, I will ensure the family remains."​

​

---​

​

Tag: Darth Atramentar​

​

The Jedi's reactions were quick, his blade work fine. He parried, stepped back from another blow, lowered himself beneath another, but bumped into a man behind him in his retreat. Panic overset him, his rythm ruined - and he rolled away. He crawled furiously before standing again, two handing the saber's grip before trying to calm himself. It was more than obvious the man had never been in true battle field duels - but had succeeded well in the training simulations and practices performed on Coruscant's Jedi temple.​

​

He lurched forward, but his confidence was shaken - and as his blade struck forward in a high stab, Atramentar bisected him in twine. The man fell, his expression falling from pain to frozen death. Those nearest saw and ran - the rest slowly falling in the same manner. The fortress was lost to panic, and now all that was left was clean up.​

​

Atramentar had won the day.​

 

[Darth Atramentar]

Objective 4
Inner Fortress
​

With a satisfying strike he bisected the Jedi. The fight didn't even rage on for a minute until the lightsider stumbled out of rhythm and crawled through mud, blood and other body fluids & parts before coming up to mount his desperate last defence. It mattered little. Once the Jedi was dead, the soldiers around started to break, the frenzy wore off and they understood the insignificance of their resistance. Foolishly, they decided to run.

The Mordant Legionaries pushed on, they did not hesitate to shoot the running maggots into the back, ram bayonets or knifes through spines. They continued until the fortress would be taken.

"Push on. Take the walls and herd them up. Crush any resistance. Bring me the leaders and nobles!"

Atramentar's voice echoed like the demand of a mythological beast across the battlefield. A deep roar of primordial authority.

The Sith himself set on to find the remaining leaders of the resistance, having passed on the corpse of the Jedi to a few of his men, who will put it up as high as possible for all defenders to witness their fate.

With large steps he started pacing towards the gate of the inner wall. It was thick and reinforced, but it was also old and not meant to withstand the fury of a Lord of the Sith. With quick cuts of his lightsaber he removed the major angles and hinges, before another burst of the Force opened it dramatically with troops pouring in beside him.

The final phase of the battle was about to begin.

Darth Nito
​

 

[Saeth Zambrano]

Well, Xyrah was quite the gifted diplomat wasn't he? A fine reflection of both Nussyn and Nereus... Nurturing compassion, and a calm wisdom not often found in such discussions. She almost anointed him a second time, under the eye of the Father, but held her hand in moderation. Best see how far the first stretched...​

​

It wasn't helped that his attempts at winning over the crowd were interrupted by the arrival of another. Heads tossed to the table silently revealed in no uncertain terms the treachery which had been afoot. It was fortified by the foolish tongue of one among the nobles, who all but spelled it out for those who had not yet caught up with the program. No doubt he hoped to stand as their saviour, a voice of light among the putrid darkness encapsulating the room. She wondered if he knew he'd martyred himself... Nay, a martyr held more strength in their pinkie than this one held in his whole existence.​

​

Sealed their fates, then.​

​

If the noble's initial expression was anything to go by he certainly didn't see the impeding threat which was looming overhead. Saeth did not need to see the box passed in order to know that her brother had something brewing up his sleeve. Such talks were dangerous, petulant and ill conceived. They had no place at such a table. Surely the heads had been evidence enough of that.​

​

Apparently not. She'd have almost felt bad for him if it had not been a bed of his own making he would soon be lay within. The others she had a little more empathy for, but by not renouncing the speaker's words they marked themselves too. A black spot lay unwashed upon each of their palms.​

​

As the light expelled and the shadows of those gathered danced across the wall, Saeth's previously neutral expression shifted into an almost gleeful smile beneath her veil. The Mother walked among them, bringing Nemeroth in her wake. Her head lifted some as the gruesome act began, both hands held aloft as she witnessed the display in all its splendor. Her lips moved soundlessly, prayers and rites mouthed to the chamber of death.​

​

Such beauty she had not seen in so very long... There were benefits to having no fixed home, she decided, in seeing all that the God-King brought to fruition first hand.​

​

Darth Carnifex Darth Xyrah Darth Ophidia Darth Strosius Ishani Dinn ​

 

[Darth Nito]

The combined strike had seen the fort fall in only a few minutes - with a few reinforced rooms serving as the last bastions to their assault. The Sith within the fortress had reconvened to Darth Nito, collecting the cousins and extended family in time. A few escaped them as the Mordancy entered the fortress - helping to establish Sith dominance over the unruly place.​

​

However, as Mordancy troops pulled Nobles away from Nito's grasp, he grew annoyed. Breaking from his place in the luxury palace serving command center, he exited to the courtyard to approach Darth Atramentar . His lips curled but faded as he approached, as he did with any he must consider a threat.​

​

"Darth Atramentar.", Nito said in his great gravely tone. They stood on par with one another in height and build - massive beings betraying the banality of average height.​

​

"I understand your soldiers have collected some of the nobility. The Dark Lord, Darth Empyrean, has already requested them for public execution. I assume you plan to hand them over as he has decreed?"​

​

Adeline Noctua​

 

[Adeline Noctua]

Equipment | In Bio
Location | Objective IV
Tag | Darth Nito

She lowered her head in shame as her hand put the blaster back into its holster, she was ordered to fetch them all, and her past instincts had taken over. She was no longer a gun-slinging mercenary for feths sake, now she was so much more, and was expected to fit into this new prestigious role. And so with a bitter taste in her mouth as her eyes took a good look at his frown of disapproval.
​

"I will not fault you for habit, but don't fall for the entrapment of lessers. Guns are a crutch for the weak."

"Y-Yes sir, it will not happen again."

Adeline gave the general a curtsy before watching as he spoke to the captured, a simple speech but it got the message across.

​

"The fortress won't last much longer, Adeline. You've done well today - I shall let Darth Empyrean know. Join them if you wish, I will ensure the family remains."

"Thank you, sir. I think I will just look around this place... I am rather confident that the troopers can clean up the rest of the rats that still linger around this place."

 

[Darth Strosius]

Objective: Noble Nuisances
Location: Anthonis Mountain Palace, Eliad
Equipment: Lightsaber, Dagger, Armor
Tags: Darth Carnifex / Saeth Zambrano / Darth Xyrah / Arcturus Dinn / Ishani Dinn / Darth Ophidia

​

He raised an eyebrow as the Golden Prince spoke, his gaze snapping back to the surprised but relieved nobles now that they were being offered kind words instead of threats and warnings. He saw little point in trying to get on their good side, they were little more than stuck-up children in rich houses. Besides this was a negotiation for their terms of subjugation, if anything they should be the ones trying to act charming and benevolent.

Alisteri glanced at the doors as they swung open to allow a procession of servants bearing gifts and bribes to flow into the room. He clicked his tongue in disgust at how such niceties and luxuries were handed over to the nobles, especially when they should be cowering in fear. Leave it to the Kainites to have plenty of ill-gotten gains he supposed. He had half a mind to protest such treatment until he felt something familiar yet very ominous, a presence of sheer dread accompanied by the clicking of heels.

Without further delay he rose from his seat and faced the doors, ordering his Legionnaires to do the same with a small gesture of his hand. As his master stepped into the room he offered her a bow which his guards quickly mimicked as she strode towards the table. He couldn't help but grin as the heads were thrown onto the table, snapping the nobles out of their gold-plated delusions. Now this was the negotiation that he wanted.

And then one of the nobles had the gall to speak, and to deny their generous deals and offers even. The audacity of noble blood never ceased to amaze him. Before he could draw his lightsaber or order his guards to gun down the speaker though, the tyrant himself stood. His head cocked to the side at the sight of some simple box but he didn't make a move against the nobles himself just in case. His caution was very much warranted. One moment it projected an almost blinding light and the next thing he knew nobles were dropping dead all around the meeting table until only a fraction of the initial group of them remained.

He was going to pretend that he was less unsettled than he was, but the worried glanced from his Legionnaires were very hard to mask even with none of their faces visible. Thankfully though the door once again was thrown open and surprisingly a pair of familiar faces entered the room. "Arcturus? Ishani?!" He muttered the names under his breath in surprise as they strode in accompanied by a young boy.

A young boy apparently swearing loyalty to the Sith. Alisteri chuckled and straightened up his posture, nodding to the pair of Sith before he turned back to look at the nobles. "There are the choices. Submission or execution. Now make yours." With all the dissenting nobility dead and the might of the Sith displayed the remaining nobles were all but clambering over one another to start signing their name and family crests onto whatever documents were being presented to them.

 

[Darth Xyrah]

Objective 1 - Noble Nuisances
Post: 3

Those nobles that had survived the gruesome display of the dark side's power upon their less than loyal peers were quick to supplicate themselves. They shamelessly quickly signed the treaties that Darth Xyrah had provided. A smirk formed upon his lips when they all moved to prostrate themselves before him and kneel. "Your wisdom in not siding with those traitors will be greatly rewarded, my friends. The gifts given to them will be redistributed to those of you still alive. With the treaties signed, the survival and continued prosperity of your houses is safely assured....under my benevolent rule, of course.", he said with an eager grin.

Unbeknownst to Alisteri and Ophidia, Carnifex and he had made a special addition to the treaty bringing Eliad into the fold. In return for the continued existance of the nobility and their status, they would accept the control of a Kainite appointed ruling monarch, the first of such in their history. One of the nobles arose, before proclaiming in official fashion, "Long live the House of Naberrie! Long live our highness, Saryn Naberrie, the....erm, Queen of Eliad!", much to Saryn's pleasure. His ancestors had been Queens of Naboo in times of yore. Saryn saw fit to carry on that title. Besides, King sounded like a strangely inappropriate title to him given Naboo had never had one. The other nobles were quick to join in proclaiming him their ruler. Saryn gently reached out to squeeze Carnifex's hand with joy. He'd finally sit upon the throne of a world of his own.

Darth Strosius
Darth Ophidia
Darth Carnifex
Arcturus Dinn
Saeth Zambrano
Ishani Dinn

 

[Darth Atramentar]

With crossed arms he oversaw how his red armoured Legionaries took care of the fortress after the last bit of major resistance was broken.

Since the inner gate fell, the fortress seemed to have exhausted all defensive options just as the defenders ran out of hope and will to fight. A desperate struggle started where the enemy competed in throwing down their weapons faster than their comrade and handing themselves in to the mercy of the Sith attackers. While his Mordant Legion spearheaded the assault, some of the other Sith forces now strolled around the place as well.

The Dark Lord did not bother to search for the nobles himself, nor did he waste a thought on the fifth brigade who tried to sneak in from the back. Though they came to his mind when their leader appeared while his men were leading members of the noble house into the courtyard.

And demanded to hand them over.

It caught the black armoured Sith definitely a bit by surprise that someone would walk up to him and demand the harvest of his battle for someone who did not even set foot near the battlefield. The surprise was quickly replaced by disgust towards the lapdog he was looking at.

"You assume too much, Darth Nito . You can keep whoever you captured for your master with your sneaking mission, everyone else are my spoils of war and I will do with them as I see fit."

Adeline Noctua ​

 

[Darth Nito]

Nito's snarl returned, a grimace of disgust laid heavy on his stony features. HIs arms uncrossed and fell to his side, notably near where his twin blades were sheathed. His sulphuric gaze seemed to intensify, but his stare was absolute in its focus.​

​

"You forget your place, bottom feeder.", he said with venom.​

​

"You've a single army to your name, a reputation of dirt, and the tongue of a fool. You are allowed here by the grace of the Dark Lord, nothing more. Pretend you are something to someone else, I have neither the time nor patience. Return what my armies and the Eternalists have fought for, or make an enemy of the Emperor."​

​

Darth Atramentar​

 

[Darth Atramentar]

"There is no Emperor yet. And your Dark Lord is not here to spoon-feed you."

He uncrossed his arms, the situation dangerous as he prepared for the dog to attack at any moment. It was a dangerous move, but with all his men around and the desired spoils in his hands, he would simply order their execution right here and now. Whatever the uncontrolled beast in front of him desired, he would go home to his master with empty hands.

"Anything else?"

Darth Nito
​

 

[Darth Nito]

Nito glanced around for a moment, seeing his own soldiers watch the conflict. The more concerning was those who had quickly grabbed their weapons and formed advantageous positions to cut down the Mordant soldiers. He wouldn't squander their success today with a battle over the lives of lesser captives - but this would not be forgotten.​

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"You've no fleets. No planets.", his voice offered with a low and contemptious vitriol.​

​

"I speak with the voice of what is to be. Know that when I speak, I am destiny manifest. You will bend the knee or you will break on strength you can't comprehend. That is the path you've chosen, over the lives of nobility you do not care for. Know that it is your pride that will see your ambition dead in the cradle - because your desperation led you to play the fool."​

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He stood back and rose his tone to normal speaking levels, letting his palm rest on the pommel of one of his swords.​

​

"No, there is nothing else. Not today, Darth Atramentar . Darth Empyrean will hear of your actions, and you will see me again. In whatever hovel you decide to call your home - but next, I will have a fleet to show you your inadequacies."​

​

He let out a sharp whistle beginning walk away from the conflict. The majority of the prisoners he had captured in his backwards assaults were loaded onto transports as they landed, and the Sith under his command did the same. In only a few hours, Atramentar and the Mordancy would be left with their destroyed fortress - rummaged and pilfered of its loot. He would have his minor nobility captives, a broken fortress on a world he didn't control, and a debt to a Dark Lord.​

​

Adeline Noctua​

 

[Darth Atramentar]

​

Behind his mask a slight smile formed. The dog barked with someone else's authority and knew little of what Atramentar had and not. It was blinding pride of an assumed position and authority he had which made him forget what it meant to be Sith. They could go sulking with their fleet and troops as much as they want.

Petty soul which would be crushed in the cogs of ongoing evolution. Just like every rat of the ship which was bound to sink.

You take what you earn and you keep it. Not through some pathetic lifeforms. The claim of higher mysteries and more important matters always a mere excuse for the higher ups to delegate and avoid to actually, continuously prove themselves to be stronger and more suited to lead.

"Commander Regis, let the Lord Commander know that we are to be picked up in a fortnight. Send the prisoners to Excaliban in the meantime."

With that the Dark Lord set off to go to the fortresses control center.

Darth Nito Adeline Noctua
​

 

[Darth Malum of House Marr]

Objective 3: Business or Pleasure

So the rumoured Holocron of the Museum did exist. That was very interesting, though if it was regarding the subject matter that the newly stated Lady Venge said it was, it indeed was not something that was presently of importance to Malum. Indeed, he was perfectly fine with surrendering the Holocron to the Lady, especially if it guaranteed the taking of all the other artefacts, relics and artwork that he had seen walking around the museum, indeed it seemed he could secure it before anyone else could strike the building, for as far as he knew no one else was here, and moreover the only ones he could not detect would be his fellow Tsis’Kaar and they would stand subordinate to their Mistresses apprentice.

As long as the graduated apprentice did not interfere that was. An idle thought passed to where Alisteri was, he did hope the man was safe. He found the man rather amiable, much more friendly than the woman who taught him.

“With such generous terms, I cannot do anything more but accept. Though, while we walk to where they hold such a relic, might you teach me about this Order?” She was quite right when she said that Malum had no idea who they were, but Malum was no fool, if she was a successor to them as she said, and she was looking for a Holocron of their make, it meant most likely that a resurgence of their kind would be coming, it would be best to be prepared for that, “And if I may be so bold, I have no problem surrendering the Holocron to its rightful owner, but may I too bask in the knowledge it shares?” A test to see how the Lady Venge would act regarding her inheritance, and indeed a test to see how the Lady Venge would act at all. Malum had long since realised that he was at an advantage looking upon on her, both in skill and experience, but too in knowledge, she seemed to know of him, while for Malum, he knew very little. There was the rumour of a self-proclaimed Dark Lady of the Sith, but Malum could only look towards his own Mistress to see one to inhabit the title, thus, he would need to learn more of this Lady Venge, for whatever may come in the future.

“I thank you for your kind words, my lady, I shall pass on the compliments to my kin and my mistress,” Malum said, hiding the flush, what he could definitely say was that the woman was far more pleasant and kind than most Sith he had encountered.

Perhaps she would make a good ally, for both himself and the Tsis’Kaar at large.

Securing such an alliance was not his objective here, but for such an advantage and boon, he was willing to bend the rules.

Malum smiled simply, as he offered his arm to the lady. A show of cooperation, that there would be no battle between them as they moved to secure what was theirs.

Lady Venge

 

[Lady Venge]

Venge took the arm Malum offered to her and walked side by side with the young man as they continued their search for the artifacts they sought.

"So, you wish to know of the Black Hssiss Order? Very well then. We were a sect of warriors, assassins, alchemists, sorcerers....scholars devoted to unlocking the deepest, most elusive secrets of the Dark Side. A secret society among the Sith, you might say. Our Order prospered until my Master made a terrible miscalculation that brought it all tumbling down. My late Master, Lord Jarin Retsinis, held a personal vendetta against a former Jedi who had settled upon Yanibar in an attempt to hide from him. It was there that this Jedi fell in love with one of locals, and settled down to raise a family. House StormWolf, they called themselves."

Venge paused for a moment to consider how to continue the story of her Order's downfall.

"Many years later, Jarin was successful in locating this Jedi, and decided to put an end to 'House StormWolf'....all of them except one. I don't suppose you're familiar with a Jedi named Alex StormWolf, are you? Anyhow...Lord Retsinis believed that Alex could become a powerful asset, if he were turned to the Dark Side. He succeeded, and Alex did indeed grow powerful in the Dark Side. I won't bore you with the sordid details of the love life of a Lady Of The Sith, other than to say that for a time, Alex and I were together. Gradually though, I sensed a change in Alex, as if he were beginning to recall his former life. I tried to warn my Master, but he refused to listen. Eventually, Alex rebelled against us, and single-handedly destroyed us. Truthfully, to this day, I have no explanation as to how I alone survived."

Venge's eyes widen as she catches sight of the display case containing the long lost holocron. At last! After so many years of searching!

"This holocron is all that remains of my Order, apart from me. It was created in days long past by Sith Lords the likes of which no longer roam the galaxy. The knowledge it contains, I am willing to share with you, provided that your own Master is agreeable to the idea."

Venge wasn't about to outright steal the apprentice of another Sith Lord, but there was still another way in which the young man could potentially aid her.

"I tire of the life of a vagabond, young Malum. I've been wandering from one end of the the galaxy to the other for years following the demise of my own order, and have no knowledge of the current power structure of the Sith Order, nor indeed do I have any rightful place in it. I am wondering if perhaps you would be able to tell me something of the Dark Lords, and help me obtain an audience with them, so that I may properly offer my allegiance."

Darth Malum of House Marr