Faction Of Swords and Beskad I New Mandalorians

[Jenn Kryze]

"Love makes us whole. It is our legacy as a people. It is why we live."

Although a world of the Galactic Alliance, Ukatis is a planet of proud traditions, defiant against the never-ending march of industrialization harkening the end of their ways. Reluctant to ask outsiders for help, these feudalists are much like ourselves in their noble qualities... and all too different in their worst excesses, their society based upon stratified social classes and enforced gender inequality.

All the same, you are to help these people. For today is a chance at glory and atonement.

The sight of Mandalorians on Ukatis is quick to inspire dread and wrath alike, for it was the Mandalorian Enclave that struck their capital of Axilla during the short, if brutal Crusade against the Galactic Alliance. But today is a chance for us to show these people that we are more than warmongers and destroyers. So too can we be saviors, champions of righteousness, equal to their knights and abiding by codes of chivalry of our own.


Objective 1: A Walk In The Woods​

For the brave, the chivalrous, and the bold.

A great and terrible beast preys upon isolated Ukatian settlements within the woods of Artois! Entire villages have been destroyed, and haggard survivors babble on in terror, speaking of a monster no knight has been able to defeat, no matter their mettle! With Duke Bohemond and his wife missing for months, it is the young Lady Mathilde Leyweald who has seen fit to call upon the aid of Mandalorians to slay the creature; ready to receive the hunting party at the gates of her family's castle, the young Dreamweaver expects much of you. Do not let the great tales of courage and heroism be for naught.



Objective 2: Diplomatic Complications​

For the silent shadows, those who never shall abandon a brother.

Calamity! An emergency distress signal relayed by Karrys speaks of dire news; Pollux , Alor'ad of the House of Kryze, has been taken prisoner by House Seiros during a clandestine visit to see his paramour, and the penalty they reserve for such a crime promises to be quite dire indeed. Deploy under the cover of night, infiltrate the House's estate through their water garden, and free Pollux before it is too late. But be mindful of your use of force, 'lest you start a new conflict altogether...​

 

[Mathilde Leyweald]

Mathilde Leyweald

With Lord Bohemond Leyweald and Lady Victoria missing for the past few months, all eyes within the keep had begun to turn towards their daughter. Though largely inexperienced in the fine art of leadership, the young Dreamweaver rose up to the occasion all the same, the aura of tranquility she projected soothing the humble, if competent court of her lord father. If any held objections as to her rule, they kept such thoughts to themselves, all too aware of the undying loyalty Bohemond inspired in his subjects. Even the most common of men-at-arms had seen the girl grow into a young woman over the years, and with such a bond, came the unmistakable protectiveness held by Ukatians for those of the so-called "fairer sex", as they chose to put it.

If such talk bothered the new Lady of the House, she certainly hid it well, her expression placid and her voice measured. There was no point in sending more knights to hunt after an elusive beast that kept decimating their ranks, after all; to do so would only waste their skill and throw away their lives. Although her first decision was met with some trepidation by the seneschal, the grovetender passed an edict calling for the populace of surrounding villages to take shelter within her keep for the duration of the crisis, escorted by contingents of men-at-arms; furthermore, all travel to and from the castle itself was to be heavily monitored.

A few voices had risen up in protest when she asked for Ser Gontran to ride out to Axilla and ask for aid from a Mandalorian she knew to be hiding there. These were the same people who had visited fire and death on their world, for no good reason! But her decision was final, and the legendary skill of these great hunters was not to be denied...

Which brought her to today.

The gate had been opened, and so did the young lady await the arrival of those who would deliver her people from fear. Castle Arden was located a day's travel by horse into the woods, and yet she hold no doubt in her heart. Mandalorians were a resourceful lot, and she expected them to make it to the castle by midday, traversing the forestry through the uneven trail.

"What if they are waylaid by the beast, my lady? Or- if they decided not to come at all?" came the Seneschal's voice, respectful in spite of his doubts.

"They will come", assured the brunette gently, regarding him with a kind smile. "I have dreamed it."

 

[Karrys]

Karrys be aliit Stohl was furious.​

Ukatis was a difficult world for her to return to on a good day. A planet she had spent a past life in, and almost found a reason to stay. To let herself be, to let herself feel truly enough to abandon the great pursuit, the endless journey. It had been so very dear to her. Leaving it required no small effort of will. Returning so many years later to bomb its capital under the command of the Mandalorian Enclave had been a way for her to leave behind that chapter of her life, to let her hate for its antiquated social structure subsume her love of some of its people. Under the rubble, she had left her dreams and her love.

That was before Jenn had them return to help in the reconstruction, even as the locals fixated them with hateful glares. Before Corazona von Ascania had befriended the Duchess, all but forcing Karrys to keep on flying her friend to a planet she both loathed and adored, something that should have been left in her past.

Maybe that was why she had agreed to start ferrying Pollux to and from Ukatis. Because he only had the one lifespan, the one chance at love, and through him, she could make amends. Though she knew the Kryz'alor suspected her involvement in the frequent and poorly-explained disappearances of the Alor'ad, Jenn had never pressed her on the topic, the unspoken code between them preventing such a confrontation. They left well enough alone when it mattered.

But now, her respect for her friend's secrecy had cost him dearly. And what did The Redeemer do in all this?

Remain undetected. Await the arrival of reinforcements. Do not shed blood. ​

Oh, the Duchess spoke as if it was their duty to be the shepherds, to guard the bleating sheep, but Karrys knew who and what she truly was. Throughout her lifetimes, throughout her identities, she had always been, and would always be, a wolf.

Waiting for the promised reinforcements by the rendezvous point she had communicated, the crimson warrior awaited by the river, only two kilometers from the imposing and well-guarded estate of House Seiros. If Jenn had sent her competent vode, then they could head upstream, slip into the water gardens, and free Pollux before anyone knew what hit them. The cover of night would allow them to remain undetected for a little longer.

That was the plan, anyway.

 

[Itzhal Volkihar]

Amidst the racket of the transport ship's engines, the ancient Mandalorian sat alone, his dark, sleek visor illuminated by the soft, flickering glow of the datapad cradled in one hand, the other scrolling along the face of the device, claw-like as he shifted from page to page.

In his quest for information on the planet Ukatis, Itzhal discovered the tale of a minor world previously trapped in its former attempts at an isolationist policy that its very own people had rebelled against. Since then, their feudal culture had faced a number of intriguing disputes as antiquated concepts of patriarchy clashed with more prevalent ideas on the galactic stage; at least, such had been the case during the planet's association with the Galactic Alliance.

It was a fascinating read, despite the information being essentially condensed into small snippets of dry text, with occasional factoids that often revealed their own biases, even to someone as uninformed as he was. Some of the more elaborate sections unfolded into grand ballads that seemed more suited for a fantasy epic than what appeared to be a disastrous wedding. He would have preferred a thousand such fantasies, with their blushing blossoms and hair that glittered like sunshine, over the sordid tales that followed.

Caught in the crossfire between their supposed benefactors and another faction of Mandalorians eager to emulate the Crusaders, the stark contrast of intrigue and hidden dangers clashed with the sudden arrival of war and suffering. His hands clenched firmly against the edge of the datapad, his index finger flicking harshly between points as his gaze travelled over lines of text describing a pointless conflict designed solely to punish those with only tangential links to their real target—bloodshed for the sake of suffering.

His head bowed in grim reading as they passed over the rest of the information; Itzhal remained silent in their displeasure and frustration as they finally landed upon the planet. The few restraints that held him in place took only a matter of moments; even with his attempts to slow down, he found his body moving sharply through the motions, shrugging off the straps as he stood and stamped his way outside.

By the time they approached the keep, his steps had softened, though he was aware he'd spoken little and was perhaps not the finest of company for such an endeavour as meeting with the locals. He hoped one of the others were in a better mood, though fate was rarely so accommodating. With a purposeful stride that carried his wandering boots further along the path, his gaze moved ahead towards those who awaited their arrival.

Tags: Mathilde Leyweald​

 

[Varys Amun]

Varys emerged from the river, having quietly waded the last few hundred paces. Rivulets of water streamed down her beskar'gam,and within seconds her sodden armourweave was steaming in the warm Ukatian night air. Varys fiddle with the settings on her helmet, tuning through view modes set for her by the Forgemistress, the Alor, her mother, until she could see the forest scene clearly. She looked around,and spotted Aunt Karrys not for away, clearly waiting for her. Varys placed her Javelin on the mag-plate on her back, ready to deploy, and hurried to join Karrys.

"Su cuy'gar, ba'vodu."

It had been months since Varys had seen Karrys. She was still walking the solitary path outlined in the Pillar of Sacrifice. Though she had almost completed that trial, until she was truly done, she still had to obey its tenets. That meant she had no family, no name, and no home to lean on. It had been a difficult adjustment for the teen, and she had stumbled at times, her resolve wavering. But, she was almost done, and soon she would be able to return to the fold and call the Onderon Highlands home again. All that stopped her was the need to make her final sacrifice.

"Munit ca'nara, naas haa'taylir. We'll have a family reunion once we have Pollux back. Save of course for Mother." The Alor was absent from this particular mission, and though Varys' wished she were here, she also understood her duties didn't always allow it, and Varys had her own road to walk that took her from her mother.

Varys knew what she had to do, knew the hurdle that remained in front of her to finally conquer the Pillar. But she didn't want to face it yet, didn't feel ready. Still, she knew her days to dilly dally were numbered. The Amuns plotted and planned while Varys' wheels spun. They could not be left unchecked and she had to face them.

But first, it was time to help her Aunt. Varys took her place at the much taller Mandalorians side, pausing to lean her weight slightly on her for a moment. When she stepped back she inclined her head deeply. Varys was not usually very forthcoming when it came to physical affection, but she had missed Karrys.

Karrys ​

 

[Drego Ruus]

Tag: Itzhal Volkihar Mathilde Leyweald​

Drego's ship, an old K-wing he had kept mostly out of sentimentality, landed just outside the ancient forest. Ukatis was a world unfamiliar to him in terrain, but a world he was acutely aware of in name.

The Enclave's invasion felt like forever ago now, yet his battle on Kiffu was still fresh in his mind's eye. The first time he had been push against his own kind since taking the oath of cin vhetin, and become a Mandalorian. The invasion had caused him to turn his back on his original clan, Bralor becoming a crusader clan that now served under the Neo Crusaders. Drego had no love for them anymore, a Ruus to his bones.

Drego could still see the scars as he came down from orbit. Small things, things your average person would miss. A small divot in the field he landed in, the result of a mortar strike. A patch of uneven grass, having been burned by a flamethrower. A dip in the skyline of the city on the horizon.

But he wasn't here to worry about any of that. They had a beast to hunt. Drego had only brought the essentials. His armor, his shovel, his backshield, and his shotgun. They wouldn't be needing his warpack today, nor his walker.

He say Itzhal as he entered the forest, nodding to the fellow Vode as he approached. "Nice to see you again, vode. How much you wanna bet on who finds this thing first?"

 

[Anna Carden]

Karrys Varys Amun
​

The timing of the distress signal couldn't be any better.

She didn't expect to be back on Ukatis this soon, but this time as the ones who extended their hands to help. The memory of her, along with the rest of the Enclave dropping in the middle of the night as chaos quickly erupted in the capital still haunted the young Mandalorian's head. Explosions, death, destruction.

Today is different.

Assigning herself to the mission, Anna quickly departed before it went dark around the region as soon as she received the necessary information. Information, as in general situation and an initial plan, with the addendum of "do not use force".

If there's anyone she could trust enough to hold their own in a non-violent operation, it'll be her own self. Setting off with her usual gear minus the sniper rifle, she still kept a small amount of explosives in her utility belt. Even when not used as a weapon, it has served many purposes throughout her bounty-hunting career, especially as a distraction. Her beskar doesn't reflect much of the night light, making it a plus for an infiltration mission.

Stealthily making her way to the designated rendezvous position, Anna's slim figure stepped out of the darkness of the night to greet both Karrys and Varys Amun . "Su cuy'gar." The Raven nodded slightly, inching closer to them. A slight whir noise emitted as she turned off the enhanced vision function of her visor, turning toward her fellow ex-Enclave vode who shared the same dark past toward this exact planet. "I have done a bit of scouting. The estate was indeed well guarded."

Set off any alarm, and they'll be quickly surrounded; not ideal with the fact that they need to avoid conflict at all costs. "Tell us when and how to proceed."

 

[Haliat Kryze]

Beskar'gam

​

Twice now had the opportunity arisen for Haliat to be of service to Corazana of Ukatis, and yet today would mark his first actual visit to her homeworld. Nevertheless, he knew he would be known on sight by reputation all the same. He couldn't say he was especially looking forward to that, but it was hardly novel. To describe the reception as something he'd grown used to in his travels would be technically accurate, but it had never truly come as a surprise. He'd been well aware of how the broader galaxy viewed the Mandalorian clans when his wandering began. That he found he largely shared that perception was why his wandering began. This time, his resignation at knowing the distrust and suspicion were unavoidable was at least tempered by curiosity. Knowing that they were invited anywhere, never mind a world which Mandalorians had wronged in recent living memory, was quite the novelty. Perhaps word of their good deeds had begun to reach much sought ears.

He hadn't been sure entirely what to expect, but ultimately, it was a small matter. They were heading into it regardless, so there was no point fretting over it. As such, he had busied himself on a task which he knew to be productive, and had slept through most of the final approach. That was not to say, of course, that he'd made no preparations. A beskad was a fine and fitting weapon against men and women alike, or stubborn foliage, but other tools better suited a hulking beast. Thus, in addition to his shoulder slung hunting rifle, he'd brought along a stout boar spear, its alloy haft broken down for transport but assembled for ready use upon disembarkation. And of course, he'd not come alone, but in the company of one of the finest hunters he knew. His time not sleeping has largely been spent sharing rations with Cya.

He'd noted, idly, that Itzhal seemed a bit off. Not that the man had been overly gregarious at their first meeting on Elom, but Hal's waking moments had been enough to notice a certain tension about the older man's movements. But he hadn't pressed; if his brother in arms and oath wished to discuss the matter, he would. Still, his demeanor had not seemed especially fitting for banter, and so when Drego approached, Haliat took it upon himself to speak up first.

"Perhaps it will be obliging, and seek us out. No Ukatian would ask Mandalorian aid if our opponent had not proven...ambitious." Pausing to cast his gaze about the trees, spear casually slung over one shoulder as his Vulptex companion sniffed the ground about his feet, Haliat saw no indications that this would come to pass in the immediate future. But life was full of possibilities, after all. "But I suggest we seek out our host first, and learn more about our quarry if you were planning to bet anything you might miss."

​

| Friendly | Drego Ruus Itzhal Volkihar Mathilde Leyweald
| Hostile | Apparently there's a monster! ​

 

[Kebii'kara Solus]

OBJECTIVE 2: DIPLOMATIC COMPLICATIONS

---

CURRENT MISSION - Perils Per Amour
Immediate Goals -
1: Rescue Pollux
1.1: And his beau, I guess?
1.2: Let's not get caught by House Seiros, yeah?

FRIEND(s) - Anna Carden || Karrys || Varys Amun

FOE(s) - Hopefully none

TARGETING ACTION(S) - FRIENDS || OPEN

---

She had hated painting her beskar'gam, for it meant hiding the symbols of what she chose - what she stood for. Yet still, she understood, and the normally stark-yellow trim with the bright white seal on her chest was covered, if only for tonight. The Lasat were an arboreal predator species, and she herself embodied the grace of her people, clad in night-dark cobalt near her Sanguinus comrade. Ahead, her sisters scouted by water and by land, while she had demonstrated her capabilities of scouting by sky.

Not by sen'tra, of course - but by more weirding ways. When they had begun their insertion, the strange, meter long drakeling that acted as a living mantle along with the Lasat's beskarweave cloak was loosed like a hunter's falcon. Along the way, the Lasat seemed noticeably absentminded, yet seeming to never walk into anything nor step on any twigs, despite her head tilted to the unseen upward angle.

When they had arrived at their location, and even now, the reasoning was clear - that creature was acting as her eyes, and she was relaying it through the crude outline of the watergarden. While not as detailed as the intel they had received, nor Karrys ' own personal memories of the place, but the flowing sands formed themselves into a crude but consistently updating schematic of the outer area, and any patrols they may encounter. The intel would be updated through the Force, the Lasat's hand hovering over the swirling designs as she saw through her companion's eyes.

Great was the artifice of House Solus, but greater still was their bond with their chosen creatures.

The Lasat spoke when the fellow azure clad peer spoke, inquiring about what best to proceed.

"We might not need to." the Lasat explained. "We're to "wait for reinforcements"..." that was the rub, the tension that could be felt. To sit and wait, while one of their own was imprisoned. On one hand, her mamas - all three of them - hadn't exactly been in a traditional relationship, and she herself was a sucker for the "forbidden romance", on the other, was there really no other way for the Alor'ad to visit his beau? What could have happened that two Houses of the Way could not court one another?

"However, if you wish me to, I can send Beviin to try and sneak further in." she offered. "Just to get eyes on the Alor'ad."

 

[Mathilde Leyweald]

Mathilde

The journey through the woodlands of House Leyweald would prove to be a rather uneventful one; the terrain would surely be impractical for advanced transports larger than a speeder bike, its nature as a simple and unassuming trail giving insight into the mindset of the rulers of such ancient and untouched lands; one could either walk, or come to the castle in the woods by way of horseback. Anything more was far beyond their means or consideration, matters best left in the hands of those Houses who embraced the technological advancements slowly trickling from Axilla by way of the Galactic Alliance.

Broken trees and the remains of destroyed convoys, however, spoke of an unseen danger yet lurking within the seemingly peaceful woods. The bodies had since been recovered by those brave enough to venture outside the bounds of their settlements, if only so that they may offer a proper burial to the poor souls caught within the bath of the terrible beast. Under the warming rays of the midday sun, filtering through the branches and leaves of the venerable trees, the small party of hunters would eventually reach the mighty fortress after a few hours.

Although the stonework seemed to be kissed by vines, as if nature itself sought to reclaim the castle (or embrace it as one would a tender lover), it stood strong, still - and from atop the battlements, men-at-arms peered down at the trio, their outdated shell of mail and durasteel plate doing little to diminish the sharpness of their hidden gaze.

How befuddling, to find such small, if significant similarities in so distant a culture.

"Hark! Three figures approach over yonder!" called one of the sentries from the battlements, keeping his hand closed to the crossbow propped up against a nearby crenellation.

The welcoming party at the gate was small, and carefully chosen at that. Young lady Leyweald, flanked by two knights, as well as her seneschal and master-at-arms. For all of the severity of her escort's expressions, Mathilde gave the Mandalorians a small, if kind smile. As if they had done nothing to wrong her, as so many of her peers seemed to believe.

"Good fortune be upon you, sons of Mandalore. I am Mathilde, scion of House Leyweald. I must thank you for answering our call for aid so promptly. Please, do come inside; we can talk within the keep whilst my palefrenier prepares your mounts for the hunt ahead."

Her gaze lingered on Haliat a little longer than it did Drego or Itzhal, curiosity etched on her youthful features, though she was quick to school her expression back into placid calm, her steps closely followed by her knights. The seneschal and master-at-arms simply stood aside to let the Mandalorians past them, ere following the trio inside the castle itself.

A pleasant and isolated place, by any measure, should one ; servants and men-at-arms busied themselves with their own existence within, although the fearful looks or stiffened stances following the passage of the three guests certainly painted a picture. Few who lived within had fought the raiders of the Mandalorian Enclave, but all had heard of the brutality of the strike, the uncaring spilling of blood from those strange invaders... and how its perpetrators yet drew breath.

It was within the throne room of the keep (doubling as its hall) that the party finally stopped, a map of the surrounding area pinned to the table beneath. As the master-at-arms busied himself with marking down locations with simple tokens, the young scion turned to her guests, a polite motion of her hand presenting the map.

"We know precious little of the beast's nature; it leaves but scarce survivors, and those who emerged alive often did so in a state of great terror. One of my knights lived long enough to tell us, clear-mindedly enough, that blasters seemed to be of little effectiveness against its tough hide; alas, his soul passed on before we could ask for more details."

Tapping a finger against a circular wooden token, she looked up to the hunting party. "This is my castle." Then, she added but a small red bead within smaller tokens nearby. "And these three villages were all but destroyed. Perhaps you can glean a pattern of sorts from this?"

Drego Ruus Haliat Kryze Itzhal Volkihar​

 

[Karrys]

A strike team comprised entirely of women to rescue Pollux? The universe has a good sense of humour, I think.​

What a hell of a squad the had assembled themselves.

Varys be aliit Amun, the little runt of the New Mandalorians, shunned by others for holding onto the name of a Clan of bastardous Sith-aligned traitors. Just about one of the most important girls in the whole Galaxy to Karrys; she had all but lost track of the amount of fingers and wrists she had broken after overhearing some disparaging comment or another. Nobody got to talk shit about her niece within hearing range. Although she could not quite embrace the girl effusively given the situation, she nonetheless brought a hand to rest on her shoulder, giving her a reassuring squeeze. The two shared no blood, but then again, neither did Jenn and Varys. Family went beyond such petty concerns in their culture.

"Su cuy'gar, senaar'ika. That it has been.", came the flippant pilot's voice in response, her usual warmth suffusing her words. "This is a good evening for us to reunite. Starting a diplomatic incident over some forbidden romance, now that's juicy. We can tell your mother all about our daring rescue when we drag Pollux's darling-in-distress self out of whatever cells House Seiros is keeping him in."

When Varys came to rest her weight against her, surprise was her initial response. Varys was never quite the type to enjoy such displays of affection, but the ever-reliable aunt took it all in stride, the claw-like ornaments of her gauntlets gently tapping against the young warrior's beskar in a soothing rhythm. "We are all so proud of you, verd'ika. More than you know."

It was when Varys stepped back that she turned to look upon... a figure she had never quite gotten herself personally acquainted with, but heard of nonetheless. The Red Raven, styling herself as the Blue Raven after joining with the New Mandalorians during the liberation of Onderon from the Dark Empire's short-lived, if brutal occupation. Her reluctance to take lives marked her as a soft-hearted fool in the eyes of some, but that mindset had won the respect and admiration of the Kryz'alor. Having her on the team would be no small boon indeed, if they were to get in and out without killing anyone, as Jenn had ordered them to.

Gods only knew that Karrys was certainly not the type to take prisoners.

"Nice of you to join us, Blue Raven. As far as the scouting goes - I'm familiar with the estate, I helped Pollux sneak in a fair few times, but a more comprehensive picture of the current situation never hurts."

A perfect time for their latest member to offer to do just that. Kebii'kara had not shared the name of her aliit when she had come to join them, and, Karrys respect her privacy - perhaps more so than anyone else in the New Mandalorians, perhaps, given the sheer amount of skeletons in her closet. A vod was a vod, to be judged by the deeds they performed from that point on, and the Lasat was yet to prove herself as anything but deserving of her consideration as a sister in arms. If anything, her unique bond with Bevin was to be admired, albeit quietly; some still looked upon the Force as an ill omen... though certainly not Karrys. Not when such gifts proved themselves used judiciously, and for the betterment of one's House.

"We wait any longer, and they might just move Pollux to Axilla itself. They do this, we will have no chance to get him out without cutting our way through Ukatian knights, and I know a thing or two about facing those, to say nothing of the ramifications. Send Bevin deeper in if you can, yes, but do not endanger him any more than you would us." There was respect, there. Consideration of the unique bond between Kebii'kara and the drakeling, though she could scarcely begin to understand it beyond a surface level. But then again, understanding was not required for respect.

"Varys, Anna, perimeter. Anyone comes, and I do mean anyone, guard or servant, you stun them; if you can, accompany their fall so that their bodies do not alert anyone as they hit the ground. Let our vod do her thing in peace. We need to know just where to go."

Anna Carden Kebii'kara Solus Varys Amun​

 

[Itzhal Volkihar]

The woodlands of House Leyweald were gifted with an ancient beauty that few planets across the Galaxy still possessed, with vibrant greenery that painted the landscape in a wild mix of rich colours, despite the towering trees that stretched towards the sky with sprawling branches filled with twirling leaves that swayed between shafts of sunlight. Picturesque, for all that his people had tried to destroy it. Even tainted by the signs of a roaming beast, which had left carnage in its wake, Itzhal could not deny that the planet of Ukatis was beautiful.

Although their stroll had been unhurried and uneventful, the older Mandalroian found himself hesitant as he noticed the approach of his fellow warrior, clad in the recognisable layers of their beskar'gam. Itzhal nodded as Drego spotted him, reluctant to ignore his allies despite his poor mood. Moments later, Haliat made their presence known, eager to step in before Itzhal could formulate a surely lackluster response. In truth, he cared little for who found the beast first, only that it was dealt with before further lives were lost.

"Allowing the beast to come to us is a dangerous folly, swift as it may make our work. I prefer to hunt," Itzhal proposed as his eyes scanned the shadows of the trees, his fingers close to the grip of his blaster. The gaps of sunlight from above became more frequent as they approached the edge of the woodlands. "Less chance of ending up in a beast's mouth."

Not that he expected it to be easy; the reputation of the Ukatis may not have been comparable to the Mandalorians, but underestimating the threat had never done him any good before. He'd rather stack the deck any way they could. Avoiding becoming prey to the creature was only the first step.

The second and arguably more achievable target was acquiring all they could from their client, the scion of House Leyweald.

Following in step with the others as their presence was noticed, Itzhal began to take a step to the side, placing Haliat in the group's centre as their most 'experienced' member, at least when it came to matters of the New Mandalorians.

On the way through the castle, he kept his visor trained ahead of him, his stride calm and unconcerned, visibly ignorant of the scared and fearful looks that haunted their presence even as the sensors in his helmet provided an unprecedented view of the unfortunate situation. He could not blame them either. Unlike on other planets, the shell of Beskar meant nothing more than danger. If they succeeded, perhaps that would change, but one success was unlikely to do little more than take the first steps upon a lengthy journey.

In the meantime, they had a job to do.

Investigating the board as they approached, Itzhal scanned the map, first taking in the terrain and environmental features, followed by the tokens that were quickly dotted around the area. His inquisitive gaze searched for an obvious path or even a route that might serve as a border between the different villages, while the others set the pace for any conversation before he finally asked, "These villages, what did they export?"

Tags: Drego Ruus Haliat Kryze Mathilde Leyweald​

 

[Drego Ruus]

Tag: Itzhal Volkihar Haliat Kryze Mathilde Leyweald​

As they walked, Drego was one to keep an eye on his surroundings. If they were to hunt in these woods, they'd need to familiarize themselves with the terrain.

"I'm with Itz here, I've spent too much time in the mouth of a Krayt dragon than I'd like to admit. if we can get the jump on this thing before it gets to jump on us, that'd be ideal."

As if by a sense of cosmic irony, as he said that, a Racyon kit fell from the branches, and right onto Drego's face.

"AH!" He yelled, as he grabbed at the rascal, pulling it up by the scuff. "See what I mean?!"

<It appears to be neutralized sir.>

The small kit stared back at Drego, the seasoned veteran looking up, and around for some sort of parent to return it to. He found none.

"...you think they'd be mad if I kept this one?"

Drego shrugged, and put the kit in his backpack for now. A question for later.

Then their contact approached, and Drego's posture straightened up. All business now. He let the woman speak, before offering his own question.

"Is there any chance we could see the bodies? I know it might be grim, but there's plenty to gleam from the fallen when hunting a beast. Bite marks, jaw strength, methods of attack. Knowledge of this could help. Do you have any recordings? Photographs? Something that can give us a frame of reference on the beast."

 

[Haliat Kryze]

Beskar'gam
​

| Location | Castle Arden and Environs
| Objective | Slay a Dire Beast
| Focus | Learn

"Hmmm."​

​

In truth, Haliat had only been half serious in his comment, though he could hardly fault his companions on missing that. Even among those few who knew him well, cracking jokes was not the habit with which he was most identified. Mainly, not knowing Drego well either, he'd sensed a potential round of posturing and spoke up to forestall it. Nevertheless, the response from both companions was interesting, and he wondered to himself about what their attitudes could suggest. After all, there were many ways to hunt, and whether your opponent walked on two legs, or four, or moved about by some other means altogether, it was always advantageous to fight on ground of your own choosing. That applied even if you had to bait your own trap in order to lure them in. Hopefully, neither impatience nor lust for the kill would get in the way of the party considering all the options at their disposal.​

​

Luckily, he didn't have long to ponder the matter before Drego came under assault. And a skillful ambush it was, executed as Drego stepped into the wily predator's carefully prepared kill zone! Luckily, the helmet hid his smirk while he exchanged a knowing glance with Cya, who allowed an ever so soft chime of her crystalline bristles to serve as her comment on the matter. Regarding his vod's question as to the proper course of action, and his subsequent decision, Haliat only had one further comment before he continued on their journey.​

​

"This is the way."​

​

Upon their final approach, Haliat allowed his pace to slacken just a bit, that he could properly inspect and appreciate the castle as he had done with everything else on their way there. Itzhal was by no means alone in his reflection of how obscene it was that his people (For lack of a better term.) had so brazenly visited misery and death on this world, but that was an old, old regret which he'd learned to push into the back of his mind when it was not useful. After all, injustices were many; opportunities to put them right were not. He knew where his focus belonged, and now it could afford to linger on the beauty of this place, including the admittedly more martial beauty of the structure up ahead. ​

​

This inspection did, of course, include a perusal of the marksmen watching from the battlements. A worthy fastness; that Mandalorians had been invited into such a place was a victory unto itself, and he allowed himself to focus on that as well. When, at last, they made it to the gate, Hal initially stopped at a slight bow of respect for their host. However, upon noticing the way her gaze seemed to linger upon him momentarily, accompanied by a look that passed too quickly for him to determine precisely what to make of it, he decided perhaps a bit more might be expected of him for the sake of diplomacy.​

​

"You do us honor, Lady Leyweald. How may we be of service?"​

​

As the combined group made their way to the interior that this question might be answered, he attempted to share a quick look with his companions, curious to see if either of them had noticed that reaction from the noblewoman, and made anything of it...and equally curious if either of them knew what in blazes a palefrenier was. Some sort of Beastmaster, he supposed? But when their briefing commenced, Haliat held his tongue the longest. In truth, he was not entirely confident in his ability to glean any pattern of use from this map without knowing something of their quarry. Any number of factors could potentially be the critical missing piece of the puzzle, from shifting weather patterns to the migration of local prey animals to...to seasonal clothing styles. Bright colors attracting unwanted attention was hardly unheard of. So long as the beast remained unknown, so too did its eccentricities. ​

​

He suspected their most useful information would be gleaned at the scene of the crime, as it were. As such, they would do well to be underway as soon as possible. But just because he didn't immediately see something critical didn't mean it wasn't there, and he was very interested in seeing where the insights of his fellow hunters may lead. Exports...fascinating. As for his own pressing question, however, that was clear.​

​

"Where was the most recent known attack?"​

​

| Friendly | Drego Ruus Itzhal Volkihar Mathilde Leyweald
| Hostile | Monster. Grr. Arrgh.​

 

[Varys Amun]

Varys cast her slightly wary gaze over the assembled team. She didn't really know any of them. A few she had seen around, Varys had not done so much as exchange polite words with any of them. That was no wonder, she had been away on her self-imposed exile for some time, and the House and its allies had grown considerably in her absence. Still, it made her nervous not to know anyone except Varys. She gave the Anna Carden , the Blue Raven, a friendly nod of her head in return to her greeting, but her hesitation was obvious.

It did not help that in her time in isolation, Varys had seemingly forgotten how to act like a regular person. Her cheeks burned at Karrys' comment about how proud they all were. The words meant a lot to her, even if she had trouble accepting them. Her throat grew a little too tight, eyes misting up just enough to make her very glad for her burc'ya.

"Vor entye, Karrys." Varys eventually managed, voice a little strangled. Varys sighed inwardly.

Thankfully, she had the mission to help distract her. While the prospect of Pollux being dragged off in chains to the capital was admittedly a little amusing, she didn't want to see her favorite stuck up uncle thrown further into harm's way.

"Varys, Anna, perimeter. Anyone comes, and I do mean anyone, guard or servant, you stun them; if you can, accompany their fall so that their bodies do not alert anyone as they hit the ground. Let our vod do her thing in peace. We need to know just where to go."

Varys gave a small nod and strode up beside Anna, smoothly deploying her javelin from its magplate. She had heard bits an pieces about the Mandalorian warrior who had aligned herself with the House. She was interested in seeing her in action.

"I'm stronger on my left, so I'll take that side, if that works for you." said Varys, moving off before Anna could really answer. As she moved further away from the group she began to relax a little more. Strange, that creeping through the brush along the river bank felt more natural than making conversation, but she supposed that was just her personality.

The vegetation began to thin out as they drew closer to the estate, and Varys' slowed and stopped just short of the edge of the treeline. Not far away, the glint of moonlight on metal revealed a sentry, just too far for a clear shot. Varys marked the enemy on her display and keyed her comm.

"Guard just ahead." Varys whispered. "Arasuumir shev'la."

Karrys | Anna Carden | Kebii'kara Solus ​

 

[Kebii'kara Solus]

OBJECTIVE 2: DIPLOMATIC COMPLICATIONS

---

CURRENT MISSION - Perils Per Amour
Immediate Goals -
1: Rescue Pollux
1.1: And his beau, I guess?
1.2: Let's not get caught by House Seiros, yeah?

FRIEND(s) - Anna Carden || Karrys || Varys Amun

FOE(s) - Hopefully none

TARGETING ACTION(S) - FRIENDS || Pollux || Jenn Kryze || OPEN

---

The Lasat exhaled, behind her visor, emerald eyes rolled back, and rosy red irises glinted with a second light. Like a winged specter, the foot-long drakeling, dove, weaved, and flew through the compound with barely a wind's breath heard. Mercifully, there weren't many security cameras, tripwires, and the more advanced means of security - but this didn't mean that Kebii could relax.

Back at the mustering ground of her current squadmates, Kebii moved the shifting sand-map to her right hand, her left a crude point-of-view "footage" of the drakeling's eyes. Courtyard. Hallways. Deeper in. These directions were echoed again, as Beviin gradually made her way into the depths of the castle.

"Dungeon's around... here." the Lasat reported, the sand shifting like those old first person dungeoneer games, complete with ancient jail-door. "About to have eyes on..."

 

[Anna Carden]

Karrys Varys Amun Kebii'kara Solus
​

Anna turned around as the Lasat joined them, completing the ideal sneaking team of four; and the addition of the drake would be really useful in this mission. "Glad to have you here." She said as Kebii expressed her opinion.

As she had guessed, they don't have much time; they have to move now before the chance to get Pollux out lessened. "Got it, stay in comms." She nodded sharply toward the young warrior, leaving the left side to her as Anna rotated to her position on the right, a few distances away from the rest of the group to maintain a wide perimeter. Perhaps today she would get a chance to see the Alor's daughter in action.

The Raven readied her modular blaster pistol and set it to stun mode. Both of her usual main weapons were too powerful for a non-confrontational mission, so she left them back on the ship. Moving with caution, the team soon neared the estate.

"Guard just ahead."

Stopping, she engaged the enhanced optics on her visor, scanning the immediate vicinity around the guard that Varys mentioned. Her sight caught something, "Another one just to their northeast." No guarantee that they'll be able to stun both of the guards at the same time from this distance, and without any possible third guard finding out. "Can't go around these ones; we'll need to get closer and put them to sleep." It doesn't seem to be impossible if they can slip through their sights.

"Signal on engage."