Mission: It's a Nightmare [Silver Jedi]

[Kei Amadis]

Mission: It's a Nightmare [Silver Jedi]​

Location: Voss, Nightmare lands.​

Objective: Choose a crystal from the caves and Construct your lightsaber.​

Difficulty: Medium
Early Morning, Clear Skies.​

Spoiler

OOC Post

​

Rolling amber hills with grass up to the knee, stirring with wildlife. The Nightmare lands darkened as the forest area thickened around them. Tree canopy closing overhead, small animals could be seen scurrying around curiously, nothing too large yet. The further their steps took them, the more wild the area would look and feel in the force.

Pulling up to a halt, “check your gear and your packs before we go any further.” Kei instructed checking his own pack and utility gear. The padawans had been free to bring whatever they liked for a forest expedition and their lightsaber construction. His own was a small black tactical pack he kept readied with survival gear and other necessities, today it held lightsaber parts for the others if they were lacking any and a medkit.

Being the one leading this small expedition, it had been awhile since he’d taken people out, and back then they were trained combat veterans, here he had a pair of padawans to protect. So he was playing it safe, by the book. An ex soldier, he didn’t take reckless chances with other people’s safety, just perhaps his own when they were in trouble. He was working on keeping that instinct in check.

Forest green camouflaged Jedi robes on, cut short so not to hinder movement, he had thick black boots, and a thin line of stubble. Unity his saber was at his left hip, and his rifle Kira was slung over his right shoulder, with barely visible holotags under his robe.

“What do you know about the land?” Kei asked them both, he was learning about Voss himself, having done his homework best he was able.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLilmcIr0gg
Mood Music​

[member="Mark Sage"] | [member="To'pau Namman"]​

 

[OriginsoftheJedi]

Finally. After so many years of collecting parts and waiting, Mark Sage was about to have his own lightsaber. And now, he was on Voss in the Nightmare Lands to build his own lightsaber. Leading the small expedition into the woods was Jedi Knight, [member="Kei Amadis"], and they were accompanied by another padawan, @To'pau Namman.
The group approached the edge of the dense forest, Master Amadis told the two padawans to check their gear. Mark opened the leather satchel that rested against his dark brown tunic. Various lightsaber parts lay inside that he'd collected from archaeology digs, found in old parts shops, or made himself over the years: bits and bobs of metal, plastic, and wires, among other things. Among the parts was a small velvet bag, which held the most important component of all: the dark emerald hued crystal that Mark had discovered during the last crystal harvest of Llum. He had ricked life and limb to get it, and he wasn't about to loose it now. He rolled it around a bit in his hands, then placed it back in the bag which he put back into the satchel.
He felt at his belt to confirm that the lightsaber his mentor had let him use up to this point was there, and, of course, it was.
"Not for much longer it won't be." Mark thought to himself.
Now, he was ready.
"So, Master Amadis, are we ready?" he asked.

 

[To'pau Namman]

To'pau stopped as the Jedi Knight was attending him and his fellow padwan, instructed them to check their packs. His hand immediately fell to the apprentice Lightsaber he had been given. To'pau had practiced constructing the bare components for several Lightsabers during his time in the temple while he was learning Telekinesis and understanding the basic Lightsabers components. Yet he'd never actually constructed his own to be used for battle with a crystal and everything.

He then rifled through the pack that he carried at its side, and once he reaffirmed its contents he merely nodded a yes and stayed quiet. To'pau was dressed in his simple Jedi Padwan robes, and he had his ceremonial braid attached to his head. A gift it had been from his master. When she had told him of his task he had practically jumped up in excitement. Or at least, as close to jumping as a Hysalrian could get. Finally as Kei broke the awkward silence and asked them about the land, To'pau rifled through his mental stores of knowledge before finally finding an answer he deemed suitable.

To'pau Namman: "Well Master, Voss is a standard terrestrial planet with varying environments including forests, mountains, oceans, and plateaus. The caves on Voss had been used as a source of the precious lightsaber crystals for centuries, though our records of them were lost once the Gluag plague hit. They have just recently been discovered, only the very surface of the caves have been explored. Who knows what could be lurking deep down inside the depths of these mysterious caves? I for one am glad you are here to protect us from any danger that might happen to come up in this little of excursion of ours."

[member="Mark Sage"] [member="Kei Amadis"]

 

[Kei Amadis]

Pulling his pack to his back and giving them time to prepare, patient as he watched the surroundings. “Yes.” Kei nodded to [member="Mark Sage"], simple and direct, like he often was. “Stay close, keep me in sight. Do either of you know mind speak?” That would be helpful if they became separated, if not he had basic thin wrist communicators, offering the small communication devices over should one or both need them.

Kei grinned and nodded to [member="To'pau Namman"] as he relayed what Kei knew, and more. “As Jedi you have to protect each other, and those around you.” Protection was Kei’s cornerstone, so it was natural he thought like this, especially given his past life experience. “When we are in there,” Kei nodded to where they were headed, “everyone is watching out for each other. That means you stay together, and work together, no heroes.” Good advice for an Epicanthx too at times!

Giving people, Jedi or not, someone else to focus on, meant they often put aside their own insecurities or doubt, and did more for the other person than they sometimes could do for themselves. His army training had taught him that. He’d seen first-hand what happened sometimes when that family, the peer group, wasn’t there for an individual after leaving, without your friends. Much like a Jedi on his own after leaving the order could sometimes falter.

“Any questions?”

Picking up his pace, the Epicanthx’s strides were naturally quite long, though he was aware of those behind him and adjusted to make sure they were able to match him. Sometimes he would hold up his hand to signal to slow down, as some of the darker wildlife here passed by, sensing their surroundings. The wildlife here was tainted by the actions of those that used to live here, a very long time ago. It was sometimes in these areas of conflict you found both light and dark opposed on opposite sides, seeking a balance.

Shadows increased and light dimmed further. One small reptilian Nudj was on a branch nearby, little known was that the creature was force sensitive, not uncommon for what they’d see in this area.

[member="To'pau Namman"] | [member="Mark Sage"]​

 

[OriginsoftheJedi]

And so, they entered the forest. It was dark to say the least. And frankly, Mark thought it even a bit tainted. But by the dark side or the light side of the force, he really couldn't tell.
He kept his hand near the old lightsaber on his belt just in case he needed it one last time.
"Master Amadis," he said, "what happened here? I can sense that this place is sort of... Tainted. But I can't tell if it's even the dark side that makes it this way. It doesn't seem right. This place is brimming with life, but yet, it seems almost dead in a way."
[member="Kei Amadis"]

 

[To'pau Namman]

To'pau increased his pace to keep up with the long strides of the Epicanthix Jedi Knight. He merely shook his head no when Kei Amadis asked him if he had any questions. His hand would hover close to his training saber at all times, and his four eyes looked all around reflecting the weariness that was apparent in his face. He was definitely nervous, and To'pau had no problems admitting it. 'Come now. You have a Jedi Knight and a fellow Padawan accompanying you. What could possibly be on Voss to threaten you? You've lived here your whole life, and not once has anything bad happened to you. Why should that change now?'

Despite his minds attempts at trying to clam him down, To'pau still stayed on edge. 'You're crazy, stop being so nervous!'. The palpable tension in the air was only magnified as the caves where they were supposed to be finding their crystals came into view. To'pau looked uneasily towards Kei, hoping he would have some more words of wisdom to comfort them with before they had to enter the cave. It looked foreboding and unwelcoming even from the distance that they viewed it.

To'pau Namman: "I suppose this is where we go in now?"

[member="Mark Sage"] [member="Kei Amadis"]

 

[Kei Amadis]

“After a battle or an opposition of force energies, you feel uncertainty, it remains.” Kei said in summary, that much he’d seen in detail on his travels. He didn’t know what had happened, he wasn’t a scholar, but he thought it was promising [member="Mark Sage"] wanted to know these answers to prepare himself. In reality unknown to Kei the cave was a site where many had come to take their saber crystals, and now two more, many left their mark here, not all for the good.

“Patience. Know what’s ahead to prepare. Focus on the cave and tell me what you see.” Kei talking about patience, he even grinned himself. He looked toward [member="To'pau Namman"], giving a confident, assuring nod, whatever was inside he’d faced worse and would be with them every step.

Steadying his force senses to focus on the shadowy cave ahead, grounding himself to pushes those senses outward and make out the inside. Each would see their own representation of it, but here is what Kei saw:

A dark cave with intermittent light breaking through rocky crevices. Small crystals lay about each having their own light, each defining themselves as unique in their own way: Either by how they sat, how they were shaped, what energy lay around them, their color, feeling, texture, what small animals were drawn to them, or what plantlife lay nearby. Each crystal inside the cave had a personality of its own, and almost no two were alike unless twinned.

That was not all he sensed, through the shafts of light that managed to break the shadows, this cave was a strong emanation of the force, a grounding for those that had come before. Dark or Light? Both, all types and species had walked here for their crystals in times past, and the energy that could be felt coming off the cave.

He didn’t pick out the subtleties like other force users might, much more blunt, but he did sense something clearly. “Inside, what you take with you, is what you’ll see in the dark. So clear your mind, focus on what’s real and be guided by that.” Practical advice by a practical man to keep their heads.

And so they entered to face what each brought with them...

​

Spoiler

Images from your past, thoughts on the present, possibly futures, are all game here. Specters, visions, memories, emotions.

[member="Mark Sage"] | [member="To'pau Namman"]​

 

[OriginsoftheJedi]

Mark had seen something like this once before, but he doubted he would see anything like it again anytime soon so he took it all in.
The inside of the cave resembled that in which he'd collected to use in the lightsaber that he was preparing to build. He'd collect two or three more, even if only to have them in his mineral collection back on Yavin IV. Then, the group would go on to construct their lightsabers.
[member="Kei Amadis"]
@To'pau Namman

 

[To'pau Namman]

His eyes focused on the entrance of the cave, and he slowly entered. It seemed to beckon him, and for a moment he could see nothing as the darkness of the cave swallowed him. He could hear his heart beat as he continued on, fighting his natural instincts which shouted at him to turn back now. 'I must do this. I shall persevere!' He continued onwards. After what seemed like hours he saw something in the distance. He blinked several times, as he redoubled his pace.

Finally, he burst into a scene almost indescribable.

​

The cave was truly magnificent. It seemed to go farther then the eye could see. The walls sloped with stalactites and stalagmites everywhere. Crystals where everywhere. In the walls, the ceiling of the cave, even in the ground. They sparkled brightly, seemingly giving off a light of their own. He stood their, his mouth open as his eyes took in the beauty of the cave. After some more time passed, To'pau stirred. 'I need to focus on my task.'

He moved onwards, his eyes studying every crystal. He was looking for the one. The perfect crystal. He did not know exactly what he was looking for, but he knew that once he saw it his heart would be content. Multiple crystals were seen and though he stumbled upon a few that stuck out to him in their sheer beauty he was not satisfied. Just when To'pau felt as if he would be overcome by the sheer selection of crystals that was available to him. He saw it.

It was colored a brilliantly dark turquoise. Despite being surrounded by a host of other crystals that were bigger or seemed to sparkle brighter; it stood out. Bending down, To'pau studied the crystal. His eyes had already adjusted to the dim lighting long ago as he picked out many different details in it that were not apparent when he first laid eyes on it. 'I think...I think this might just be the one.'

[member="Mark Sage"] [member="Kei Amadis"]

 

[Kei Amadis]

Each might face their own personal demons or doubts inside the cave. For Kei it was a mother he’d never met that called to him, stretching out a hand, and brothers he didn’t know he had, confusing him because he didn’t recognize the voices, only the absence of them. So he shook his head.

He rubbed his temples and focused, breathing deep of the force, and keeping his head straight, keeping his mind on what was really here, two padawans, him, and a crystal cave. Blue Midnight, a cave which he thought was impressive, sparkling out ahead. He could feel something approaching, and turned to those around him.

“Whatever comes remember who you are, and what’s real. Stay close.”

The Crystal Shadow, a shadow creature was an energy based sentient, with no physical body.

Unknown to Kei these were drawn to places of power, or significance, like this one, to feed off the energy of the crystals. It drifted in front of them, piercing into them with its blue eyes, its form a cloak of black, highlighted in its expressions.

“Why do you come,” it challenged the padawans in a voice that each might find authoritative, A shadow creature, something they couldn’t effect easily being made of energy. Leeching off these surroundings it was only more powerful, it used what they gave them. Vaapad in a living form.

Floating before them, it tried to make itself seem huge, like a cloud over the top of their gathering.

[member="Mark Sage"] | [member="To'pau Namman"]​

 

[OriginsoftheJedi]

The shadowy form approached them. After a moment, Master Amadis hadn't replied.
"It must be a test. It's my job to say something." he thought.
Attempting to sound confident in his words, Mark replied. "Hello. We come only in peace. We have come to this cave, I assume your cave, to construct our lightsabers, as many have before us. Do you wish us to introduce ourselves?"
The figure seemed to grow larger every second. In all his studying he had done, Mark couldn't think of any creature that this could be. It was a menacing thing, but until it turned hostile, Mark would remain calm and polite with it and see what it wanted. Perhaps it only wanted to welcome them.
[member="Kei Amadis"]
@To'pau Namman

 

[To'pau Namman]

As To'pau straightened up with the crystal he wanted in hand, he felt something. A presence of sorts right behind him. Immediately whirling around, flattening himself down like a snake and his tail sweeping in a wide arc behind him; meant to trip up whoever happened to be there. Yet as he turned, he saw nothing. 'Odd. I swear I just felt a presence behind me. Perhaps I'm just imagining...' The thoughts in To'paus head slowly died down as he felt the same presence pop up once again in his mind.

Circling 360 degrees, his eyes probing the depths of the cave. 'Where are you.' Yet he saw nothing. His heartbeat slowly began to increase and his breathing increased in pace as well. Then as if someone was screaming right beside his ear, voices exploded into his mind. Shaking his head furiously as if wanting to shake free the thoughts that were plagued him. Yet this brought him no relief. His hands enclosed around his ears in a desperate attempt to stop them.

His mind raced at a million miles an hour. He couldn't hear himself think. Literally. Thousands of thoughts signifying his self doubt cropped up. Questioning him, putting him down, bringing back a torrent of bad memories that made him feel as if he wasn't good enough. 'No. Stop. This, this can't be real. What if I am? What to do...' Hours seemed to pass, though it was only seconds in real time. 'No. Relax. Remember what your Master taught you.'

Slowly the thoughts began to die down one by one. A familiar blanket of comfort and warmth surrounded him. His connection with the force which had been severed as the voices popped into his mind slowly returned and it felt stronger then ever. His eyes focused back in and standing or rather floating above them was a ghostly apparition. Drawing his Lightsaber with a shaky hand but not igniting it, he stayed quiet. He would wait and see what this creatures intent was.

[member="Mark Sage"] [member="Kei Amadis"]

 

[Kei Amadis]

To’pau calmed himself but his fear playing tricks on him had grown the creature slightly, only slightly, it seemed pleased! “Introductions, introductions, yes tell me who you are. Why do you want these… lightsabers,” The creature answered to [member="Mark Sage"], extending itself wide like a blanket over the ceiling.

With balanced even tones Kei stepped forward, “I am a guardian of the silver Jedi order. We mean you no harm” Kei added, “but don't scare the padawans.” He left his original name out, his rank didn't matter, that was becoming more instinctive the more he walked as a Jedi and shield for others, his role here.

The creature paid little attention to Kei, it was going to do as it liked anyway.

Nobody was much intimidated for long, gaining nothing, so it shrunk to a more man-sized form, “And what do I get out of this?” The shadow creature echoed its own desires, forming the image of an old man. Still a shade but older, perhaps to show them just how old it was, or frail, or playing on their own compassion! A few red crystals around them sparkled, such treasures they could just take, so easy... so quick.

"Don't be fooled by appearances." Kei advised the padawans, the quickest and brightest crystals were not always the right ones to take, just like the appearances of a creature were not always what they seemed. Often the unassuming crystals, like the quiet or unassuming Jedi that nobody ever saw, were the real gems in the rough.

The creature had no physical body, and couldn’t affect them directly, only energetically through the force, based on what they gave it, but this was its cave. At least it was making out that it was!

[member="Mark Sage"] | [member="To'pau Namman"]​

 

[OriginsoftheJedi]

"Building a lightsaber is sort of an unofficial part of the path that eventually leads to being a jedi knight. And that is what we wish to become, this other padawan and I." Mark replied to the ever extending shadow.
It covered nearly the entire ceiling at this point.
"Just like an animal." Mark mused in thought. "Making itself bigger to scare away danger."
Just as this had run through Mark's mind, the shadow collapsed into a tiny man, frail with age.
"I'm not sure what you get out of this. You should probably know by now, seeing as you seem determined to tell us that you are so old. You must have been here a very long time. Plenty of time to think what you get, or more precisely, what you want. Now, do you have a name, an identity?"
[member="Kei Amadis"]
@To'pau Namman

 

[Kei Amadis]

Spoiler

Going to keep us moving forward, please join back in when you can. [member="To'pau Namman"]

The Shadow Guardian seemed to consider what [member="Mark Sage"] had said, as if it seemed somewhat pleased, but still frail and old, meek it moved with a limp, and rested on a nearby ledge, shadowy palms resting on its knee. “Sometimes one stays behind to guard the old places.” The spirit said, whether this was true or not, wasn’t clear to Kei.

The spirit, this energy creature shifted to be that of a middle age women, its identity in flux, perhaps it didn’t remember who it was anymore?

“I want….” what did the guardian want, so many came through here but not one returned… it was alone, but didn’t it know it, sworn to guard this place and yet it couldn’t even remember why.

“You can tell us.” Kei said, beginning to feel brotherly again, as he often did when he sensed pain or discomfort. “There will be no judgement, whatever it is.” His tone was more considerate, less defensive.

“To know who I am.” The female shade said, becoming smaller in the corner. Was she telling the truth or was this another test? “Who am I? What is a Jedi?” [member="Mark Sage"] Maybe there were clues about? Kei scratched his chin in thought, leaving the padawans to respond to the question.

[member="Mark Sage"] | [member="To'pau Namman"]​

 

[OriginsoftheJedi]

'Who am I?'
Mark had asked himself this question so many times before. He'd never found an answer. Ever since he'd lost his memory, he'd never truly known who he was, or more, who he was meant to be. Heck, he didn't even know his real name. Mark Sage was simply the name bestowed upon him by the Order so that he had a name to be known by. He couldn't remember anything before Generis: his parents, friends, where he was born. He didn't really know anything about himself.
Mark cringed a little at this out of place thought and moved on. He answered the creature.
"I'm not sure who you are. Honestly, I don't fully know who I am. I don't really even know my own name, at least one from many years ago: my original one. I only know that I am me, and no one else..."
Then, he continued.
"But I do know what a jedi is. The Jedi Order is a group of individuals who are sensitive to the force, which binds our universe together. We, err, they are the gaurdians of peace and justice and have been for centuries untold. Coming here is a step in becoming one for me, and if is succeed in other tests, I can become a Jedi Knight."
[member="Kei Amadis"]

 

[Kei Amadis]

The woman seemed happy with Mark's answer, standing up from her perch, not as frail anymore, strong and confident. Bold you might say, feeding off the crystals enough to help sustain her approach, but not taking any more than she needed, like she was keenly aware of how much energy to expend and how, or when.

“Could I be a Jedi?” The shadow woman asked, taking those same confident steps ahead. She might be testing Mark Sage in her own way, or testing herself. These were her crystals she kept, and guarded, not just for anyone to take.

“We could check our archives.” Kei said directly,taking a practical solution to all of this, as he often would. “Can you tell us anything else about yourself?”

“No.” The shade said somewhat sadly, “I am just here.” The woman, it seemed it had settled on a woman, was looking longingly at what looked like an outline on the wall, a door. “How do we find out who we are?” She had forgotten just like he had. “Will becoming a Jedi Knight help you be more you, or me be more me?” Standing ahead of her doorway, the shade held her hands on what looked like a simple bump in the stone. She was wondering whether to turn it or not, and Mark's answers would help her decide.

[member="Mark Sage"]​

 

[OriginsoftheJedi]

Mood music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJqnGpkaqrM




"Again with the deep, cryptic questions." Mark thought. "This is definitely a test of some sort. Whether or not it was planned beforehand is definitely debatable, but I'll answer the best I can."
The being, now confident that it was feminine, strode more confidently now, coming closer to the three jedi. Then, she turned away toward what could have been a closed door.
“Will becoming a Jedi Knight help you be more you, or me be more me?”
Mark thought long and hard.
"You know what? Usually it's the older one to the younger one doing this, but I'm going to change that here." Mark decided. "Ok. That's what I'll do. I'll tell you a story. Centuries ago, there was a slave boy on a desert planet. He'd never known anything besides the life of a slave, so when two jedi knights came across him and were able to free him, he didn't hesitate to join them. He left his mother and went to follow his new dream of being a jedi knight and helping the galaxy. He grew up into a fine man: a great pilot, a powerful warrior, and a good friend to those who knew him. But then, he lost his mother whom he'd left so many years ago. He wanted to save those he loved from death and strayed from his path. That good man was gone.
In his place, emerged a cold, dark thing that cared for no one and no thing in the galaxy. He killed when and where he pleased, and the jedi were very nearly wiped from existence. But, after years of serving the dark, he realized that what he was doing was wrong. And so, he did what he could to right his wrongs. He defeated his dark side and returned to being the good man he once had been.
Even though this man who'd turned to darkness in fear killed hundreds, he still was able to find himself in the end."
"You don't have to be a jedi to find who you are." Mark said, his voice shaking slightly. "All you have to do is look. Look, and you will find what you're looking for."
He gazed up at the being for a moment, before turning to look at Master Amadis, wondering whether he'd done well.
[member="Kei Amadis"]

 

[Kei Amadis]

|

Silent thanks, if the shade could have had cried tears she would, perhaps she did by the way she looked down, and turned the rock in her hand, rotating. The rock pulled inward and the door began to unlock. She stepped through, and inside clear as day were several small crystals, untouched and bright, a statue of a mourning woman looking over them. While hanging up were several suits of identical armor, details of each on a nearby wall, they'd belonged to Jedi who used to visit Voss, caring for this cave.

A small tomb? In a way, more a place she had always said she would guard when she died, who knows what had made her into what she was now. They had passed her trials, the guardian of the cave, standing by her statue and touched it longingly. “Take our armor for your order, and a crystal for yourself, Jedi” She bowed her head, crying, perhaps.

“Look, act, speak, say and do.” Kei simply grinned broadly to [member="Mark Sage"] , patting his shoulder reassuringly, “that’s what makes you who you are, the rest comes and goes.” Few words but a clear gesture of respect, the knight held his hand out, to say after the padawan. This was his moment, not the Knights, he’d done it. “She wants you to pick what you want.” While the padawan did, Kei moved to the armors and looked over them, checking the details and the inscription.

Ever watchful in the dark places.
To guard those who walk in defense of others.
Finding them peace of mind where there is none.
Peaceful Journeys
-Myn Talus, loving mother and friend.

The armor had blueprints for its construction, as well as where to find deposits of the materials on the planet, all it needed was a builder or company to put it together. “Myn, I promise your gifts and you will not be forgotten.”

Myn, their shade smiled but briefly, and sat below her statue, sorrowful still but relieved someone had found her chamber.

Spoiler

Feel free to use this as a way to obtain any crystal within reason you want. I will do a dev sub for the armor at a later date for the order.

[member="Mark Sage"]​

 

[OriginsoftheJedi]

Mark entered the tomb cautiously, although reassured by a pat on the shoulder from Master Amadis. The shade, which Master Amadis had found to be named Myn, extended her arm to a cluster of crystals, telling Mark to take what he wished. Mark had been wanting to collect one more crystal to have on hand in addition the one he'd collected on Llum which now sat in his leather satchel, so he searched around. In the center of the cluster sat one that drew him nearer to it than the others, one that practically shouted at him to pick it up. He held it up to what light he could find in here. It shone a brilliant dark teal color that stained the partially transparent crystal. It's shape and color would be the perfect complement to the dark emerald one that rested in his bag. This was it. This was the one.
Picking it up, he turned to Master Amadis.
"Should we begin the construction process now master?"
[member="Kei Amadis"]