Private Mouth of Madness

[Darth Solipsis]

DARK LORD OF THE SITH | GALACTIC EMPEROR
Tomb of Freedon Nadd

​

With a commanding gesture, Minister Janus Vipsanius signaled for Romi Jade 's blindfold to be removed, revealing the weakened and disoriented Jedi Master. No longer barraged by the bright light of the local sun, blasting against the canopy of the Demon Moon. Romi's eyes would easily be able to adjust to their new setting, a dimly lit, foreboding tomb made of Mandalorian Iron. The final resting place of an ancient Dark Lord of the Sith, the Tomb of Freedon Nadd.

Janus stepped forward, a cruel smile twisting his lips as he gestured toward the ancient tomb before them. "Welcome, Master Jade, to the resting place of Freedon..," he announced, his voice dripping with mockery before dropping off in a sudden silence. The Sith Cultist abruptly collapsed to the floor, kneeling with his head hung low. A sense of dread washed over the chamber, the weight of unbridled hatred and the unmistakable taint of the Dark Side pressed down upon both of them like a suffocating blanket.

Janus turned to face the source of the energy, his expression shifting from submission to awe. And there, emerging from the shadows like a specter of death itself, stood a lone figure shrouded in black robes that stretched on into the abyss. The air crackled with anticipation as the figure turned to face them, revealing features twisted by the ravages of time and the corruption of the dark side.

It was Darth Solipsis , the Sith'ari, returned from death itself.

"Welcome."

 

[Romi Jade]

MOUTH OF MADNESS
TOMB OF FREEDON NADD
HEADING TOWARDS THE DXUN REFLEX POINT

​

Suddenly she could feel ough knuckles digging into her temple -- the blindfold was snatched from her person. Her head lurched forward in the chaotic motion. Blurry at first, the disorientation faded as her vision came to. She had deduced that they had moved inside...the humidity of the air gradually changed, as did the surfaces they paced.

One would have thought this were some sort of ritual, to be bound and surrounded by the shadows of people who had only harm in mind for the Jedi Master -- or could she even call herself that anymore? Her grip on the Force had been weakened and in some senses part of her identity with it.

Her knees ached in pain as she found herself noticing it more as she tried to find comfort in comparison to when her vision was obscured.

Janus stepped forward, and immediately associated his voice as the one from earlier. She matched his fake pleasantries with a scowl, one that bore obvious tension in the structure of her jawline.

She gave him nothing, but when she did find the strength for words, she spoke out with the hopes that her target was in the room somewhere., "Valara please...you don't have to do this. This isn't worth it..these people--"

Janus had fell suddenly silent, as did the entire room...and so did she. They all had fell to the floor on their knees as in some form of worship. She didn't need to extremely in tune with the Force to sense that the heaviness of the room had increased.

"What?" her mind spoke before she could.

As she looked on, the final reveal...her face scrunched up in disbelief, shock, and many other genuine emotions.

"You?" it was like venom.

---

Darth Solipsis

 

[Darth Solipsis]

DARK LORD OF THE SITH | GALACTIC EMPEROR
Tomb of Freedon Nadd
Romi Jade
​

"Look how feeble you've become.. how OLD."

The words hung in the air like a sinister echo, each syllable cutting deeper than the last. But it was Solipsis's disappointment that sought to cut deepest, his sneer a cruel twist of the knife. Her Barash Vow, her weakened state and subsequent capture, had reduced her to a shadow of her former self in his eyes.

As Solipsis turned his attention back to the small pool at his rear, a font created when the Tomb was constructed, a Pool of Knowledge. It was said that the pool granted visions of the future and of prophecies to come—a power that now lay tantalizingly out of reach. It had only bequeathed a taste of what the Dark Lord sought, enough to warrant the real target of his sojourn to Dxun.

"A disappointment," Solipsis declared, his voice dripping with disdain as he turned back to face her. But beneath the mockery, there was a glimmer of something else—a hunger, a thirst for knowledge that burned like a fever in his eyes.

His lips twisted into his trademark predatory smile. "The Prophecy of the Four."

Solipsis's eyes bore into hers with a chilling intensity. "You hold the key to unlocking its secrets," he declared, his voice dripping with malice. "I will carve those secrets out from deep within your skull."

His hands revealed themselves from his long robes, slowly they reached forward to clasp the Jedi's dome so that the Dark Lord could begin his psychic assault, an invasion of the mind.

"Give it to me."

 

[Romi Jade]

MOUTH OF MADNESS
TOMB OF FREEDON NADD
HEADING TOWARDS THE DXUN REFLEX POINT

​

She curled her lip in disgust hearing his voice...it hit nerves within her. "Such is life...at least I was able to hold on to mine."

But she could not lie to herself, seeing him...hearing him...brought about a feeling of dread - she worried for the state of the galaxy now more than ever; they weren't ready. He was right to think such -- she was a shadow of her former self; she felt it.

She lowered her head in defeat at his declaration of disappointment.

Her thoughts ran back to her family...those of her blood and those who'd she come to call such. This could be her end...and who would know?

Her head snapped back up at the mention of the Prophecy of the Four.

"N-no." She snapped back. "I'll never tell...over my dead body." she growled.

He snatched her up by her dome, and she lurched back in quick response -- she fought. "N-n-noo." She struggled as she felt his cold fingers against her flesh and his presence pressing upon her.

In reality, what could she do? She could hardly harness any previous power she once possessed.

He was too powerful. Defeated, she could feel the her memories being torn from her skull -- "I'm sorry..." she whispered.

Images flashed back to back. Images of Briana Sal-Soren and Brandyn Sal-Soren two of the four that were named.

A single tear straddled her face as she fought to preserve their innocence, but she couldn't...The man who helped birth this prophecy wanted what was his.

---

Darth Solipsis