Faction Story time! (NJO)

[Jobbi Chantin]

Pet (hair): Fuzzy (Sha'rellian toop)

Jobbi made a delighted noise that was something like a gurgle and a rumble as the first bite melted in her mouth. She didn’t even wait for a proper napkin—just picked up the burger and dove in like a girl possessed.

By the time Gem started talking about favors and volunteering, Jobbi was already halfway through her second Frog Burger, holding it gingerly in both hands like it might try to escape. Her cheeks puffed out full, she blinked wide-eyed and froze mid-chew, pupils dilating like a startled tooka caught in a flashlight beam.

She swallowed—loudly.

“A favor?” she asked, grease shimmering on her lips. “From me?”

She looked between Gem and Kuhbee, then back at Gem, then at the burger, then at Gem again.

“…Okay,” she said with a slow, bashful nod. “I mean. Yes. Yes! If you want help, I wanna help. Especially if it's fun and doesn’t involve running. Or—if it does, maybe a warning first?”

She tried to 'stand' taller—though given her shape, it mostly just involved a slow upward bounce. “Do I need gloves? A shovel? Acid buckets?”

Then, almost shyly: “Or… can I finish this first?”

She took another enormous bite. “’Thish’s sho good…”
She hummed absent-mindedly while chewing, tilting from side to side along with the indiscernable melody she hummed to.

Gem-in-Trash Kuhbee OPEN​

 

[A Wookie Cub]

TAGS
Interacting With Jobbi Chantin Gem-in-Trash

Kuhbee could sort of tell that Gem did not really understand his language, but that certainly did not keep her from talking! The young Cathar was zooming into speech, talking about things so quickly that Kuhbee's eyes went a bit wide as he tried to keep up. Soon they were joined by a young Hutt that Kuhbee had never met either. He waved and let out a growl of excitement, happy to see more people joining.

When the stories started his young cub eyes were wide with excitement, reflecting the campfire around them. It was a miracle that Kuhbee was even able to sit next to the campfire. He had an extreme fear of fire due to it being used to control him during his days as a slave. His friend Roman Vossari had helped Kuhbee work on the fear by giving Kuhbee a talisman. The youngling had it around his neck now, and was trying to concentrate on the stories rather than the flames.

Master Vanagor told a very deep story that made Kuhbee think. He felt so young and inexperienced compared to everyone else. He was dwelling on that when Gem's voice cut through to him. She was asking for help. He nodded, wondering what it was she needed.

 

[Tyron Khan]

Story Time..? Observing

Tyron had arrived on Tython to attend the gathering of fellow Jedi who were sharing stories about perhaps events they had been involved with or heard about in their journeys. This was perhaps a very great opportunity for the Besalisk to become familiar with fellow Jedi of all ranks and roles. A circle had been forming and quickly Tyron joined although albeit late to the party as he attempts to not disturb the Jedi Master and co.

"Sorry for being late master. I'm Tyron Khan, a Padawan Learner under Jedi Master Mak Manto ."

Tyron had gathered himself as he went to sit down by the campfire and listen to what information from Caltin Vanagor as the Jedi Master, Warden of Tython was telling his tales to the gathered group of Jedi. The Besalisk went to gather some refreshments before he fully sat down within the circle and was keen to learn about fellow Jedi that shared their stories and tales among the group. He had very little to say or tell to anyone. Other than meeting and being recruited by the Grandmaster Valery Noble and meeting his master.

"Mm, unsure if I have anything worth sharing..."

​

Outfit: Clothes
Weapons: Double-Bladed Lightsabers
Saber Hilts: Guardian Hilt | Vanquisher Hilt
Master: Mak Manto

 

[Caltin Vanagor]

CAMPFIRE CHATS
TYTHON
AKAR KESH - COURTYARD

The fire burned low. Caltin’s eyes were fixed not on the flames, but somewhere far behind them — into a memory older than the scars on his hands. He listened to the tale about Chodo Habat, one he knew, he listened to the tale Reina masked into a fable.

But no one else?

alright…

He spoke slowly. Not for dramatic effect — but because the words had to be measured. These weren’t stories. These were wounds.

I was nine when I met them. My parents. He didn’t look up, but let the words hang for a moment.

You see, unlike now, back when I was your age, things were “different”. You were found, soon after birth, and though the parents were allowed the choice whether to let you go, you were taken then. Not now. I was no different. The Jedi found me early. I was trained from the time I could hold a training saber. And like so many others, I was told not to look back. Family was a shadow we were taught to step past. Though there was a hint of bitterness in his voice, it was really a tale more of reality and acceptance than anything.

... then one day, they came to Coruscant. A visitation, rare, sanctioned. My birth records had survived, and the Council approved a meeting. I remember... I was afraid. Not of them. Afraid that seeing them would make me weak. He took a bite of his burger.

... they weren’t what I expected. No tears. No regret. Just warmth. My mother had a voice like soft rain. My father — he had these calloused hands, worn down from years piloting haulers, but when he touched my shoulder, it felt like the safest place in the galaxy. They owned a successful Merchant Shipping company… but they were very “homey”.

A rare smile crawled across his lips. Not one of an elder, or one reassuring another, but recollection of a good memory. I wanted to stay. To talk. To ask questions I’d never dared ask. Yet before I could…the security forces came.

He took another bite of his burger to curb the emotion. I watched them dragged away in binders — accused of some trumped up charges, but in reality they argued that this was resisting seizure of their shipping company. The Empire not yet a reality… but there were murmurs had only just formed. Their company was being nationalized, swallowed into the new machine.

Shaking his head, as if in embarrassment. I started forward. I didn’t even think. My lightsaber was half-raised—But my father… His voice caught, just slightly. He looked right at me… and he shook his head.

Letting out a deep exhale, even now the tale bothered him. He said: ‘Caltin... I need you to promise me… always do the right thing.’

Letting the words hang for a moment and looking down as if in shame, he continued: I watched them disappear down the corridor. I didn’t even know what that meant. Not then. Years passed. I survived the Purge. Buried too many. Fought too long and then I found them.

He shrugged. Well, it was the squad leader of the team that arrested them in the first place. He resigned that day. They were sent to Tatooine. A dust-blasted hole in the Outer Rim. A warlord — not Sith, not Imperial. Just a would-be king in a land without crowns, he wasn’t even a Hutt. He’d built a device — something unnatural, something that severed memories and chained minds. My parents were there. Blank-eyed. Working in silence. They didn’t know me.

Then came the bitterness again. I was in a bad place at the time. Angry, aggressive… wanting to take the fight to anyone who I thought was doing wrong. I fought my way in. Cut through his guards. Cornered him. He laughed — said if I shut the machines down, they’d die and all of the others. Said I could keep them breathing, but never get them back.

One last bite of the burger and he stood. I looked at my mother. She was staring through me. Empty. And I knew…This wasn’t living. So I turned it off, her device, wrecked it.

A faint smile came back to his face. She collapsed into my arms. At first, no recognition. Just confusion. Fear. And then... something came back. She recognized me, but as quickly as she did… it was as if her brain was not connected to her mouth as she was saying various words, but you knew she was meaning something else. She died in my arms right there, fearful for what was going on… but her eyes never left mine...

Then he told about doing the same to his father. My father, he was able to piece together a few more words. Said he was actually proud of me, of who I turned into, then reached up. Shaking. His hand found my face.

Another exhale. He whispered: ‘You did the right thing.’Then he was gone. My mother... before she passed she just smiled. Said my name. Said she loved me... and then she couldn’t speak anymore.

Caltin looked away from the fire. His jaw set. His breath steady.

I buried them in the Dune Sea. Side by side. The Order taught me to let go. But that moment? That memory? That’s not attachment. That’s a promise. One that I’ve kept every day since.

I don’t tell this story to make you feel bad, neither for yourselves, or for me, I tell you this to appreciate what you have, to appreciate those around you. Master Skywalker…Luke, he proved that our connections to each other can help us through the darkest times. It’s also important though to balance that. An old Padawan of mine one day came to me crying, said she had read up on my history, calling it “one personal hell after another” and wished she could change all of it for me…

He shook his head and sat back down. You should look at your past the same way as well, if you take nothing out of this story than what I am about to tell you… everything that has gotten you to this point has helped shape you. I see a group of strong individuals worthy of the highest levels of respect.…and I hope you can see yourselves the same way. Your past, no matter how difficult, has molded you into the person you are today. Embrace it, learn from it, and use it to propel you forward. That’s where true strength lies.

He then smirked ”Jedi Weakness”... yeah right… now… who’s next?

Kuhbee • Everest Vale • Reina Daival • Gem-in-Trash • Tigris Aphra • Tyron Khan • Azurine Varek
[Text in Brackets is spoken on Comm-link] ~Like this is through the Force~​

 

[Azurine Varek]

Time By Firelight

Outfit: Clothing/Armor | Glove | Right Arm | Talisman | Purple Bracelet
Weapons: Lightsaber 1 | Lightsaber 2 | Hook Swords

Azzie hadn't expected the warmth. The hug hit her like a sunrise, all sudden light and no warning. For a heartbeat she stiffened, then melted into it, arms circling Eve in return, holding on just a moment longer than she meant to. The tightness in her chest loosened—just a crack—and she gave a quiet breath of laughter that didn't quite reach her eyes. "As if I'd miss free food and firelight, you know me better than that."

She followed Eve back to the fire, settling onto the offered spot beside Tigris with a small, grateful nod. "Give it time. Someone always does something comedy-award-worthy around a campfire." Azzie glanced at Reina, catching the girl's gaze flick away sharply, and in that motion, Azzie saw it in her aura—shame. She made note of it for later, deciding instead to offer her a warm smile to try and ease her discomfort.

When the stories started, Azzie was quiet, her eyes shifting with different hues of lavender and violet along with the flickers of the flame. She and Vanagor came from the same age. She didn't need him to explain the weight of it. She already knew. It made her chest heavy with understanding. What it cost, all who would be lost. Reina's story struck her because she knew that feeling. The drifting. The not knowing. The wanting to be something, someone, and not being sure if that someone could ever exist. Silence settled again, and she took that time to add to the tales.

"I guess I should start with the fact that I grew up during the time of the Galactic Empire over 900 years ago." Azzie gave a shrug like it was no big deal, even if she knew she would get plenty of stares from anyone who didn't already know that. She'd given that little tidbit of information enough by now to know to expect some double takes. So, she added a flash of a grin and joked, "Carbonite really does wonders to keep you looking timeless, huh?"

After a pause for any chuckles or groans, she continued, "I'll spare you all the tragedy that was my early years. Long story short—my family was killed, Iridonia was suffering under the Empire, and I couldn't just stand by and do nothing forever while innocent people continued to suffer." Even if implied, she decided to conveniently leave out the fact that she was only a small child then. It was better to leave some things up to interpretation in times like this.

"I decided I was going to be a general thorn in the Empire's side, do everything in my power to push them back, and it took time before I found others that felt the same... well, felt the same in a way that didn't involve blowing up entire civilian caravans for a single Imperial officer..." Azzie bit back the shudder before it could show on her face, her violet eyes locking with the flames and watching the flickering of colors. "So yeah, I was a 'filthy piece of rebel scum' and wore it as a badge of honor.

"Oh boy, do I have enough stories I could tell. There was that time we got thrown into a gladiator combat ring and had to fight our way out. The time I convinced a ship full of pirates that it would be better to join us than let the Empire walk all over them when my whole team thought we'd have to kill them or get sold out. Or maybe the time I ran an Imperial blockade and staged a prison break on my homeworld." As difficult as the situation she lived in was, the only sadness that was in her eyes and her aura was a bittersweet one. "I've been beaten, shot, stabbed, and hit with Force lightning by some guy who called himself Starkiller."

She paused, lost in thought, like she was weighing which to go with before eventually settling on one. "We had found a map and schedule of a series of different Imperial supply convoys, taking resources from others to fund themselves. So we started to systematically go after and disable them and get the supplies to people who were suffering. We were on convoy number three at the time, masks on and going in under the radar. This one didn't really go as planned. We got caught early and had to fight our way out. What I didn't notice was an explosive getting slipped into my pocket when I had the captain almost pinned. Next thing I know, I'm on the ground covered in blood.

"I don't remember too much after that; it was pretty fuzzy, but I'd find out later the only reason I survived to fight another day was the Force..." Her voice trailed off, her smile fading before she could stop it. That was the day that set her on a path she'd never expected. Her prosthetic hand rose, absentmindedly running it through her raven black hair. "Kynn was only a few years older than me, hardly a master, but he sacrificed some of his life to keep me alive until the hospital. Baine used to tell me that the Force bound our paths together for a reason... and he was probably right. Because I had always known there was something off about me but never had the words to put to it until then. And despite the dangers of it in that time, Kynn decided to teach me then."

Azzie's hand rose to the right side of her chest. "Iridonians have two hearts. I lost one in that explosion, but hey, I'm still kicking. It'll take more than that to put me in the ground." Her voice cracked and shifted into a small fit of coughs, a small flash of grey uncertainty moving through her eyes. Shame shot through her as her mind wandered to how broken she'd been and if that was worse than if she'd just been killed...

"Well, that's enough yapping from me. The food smells way too good!"

Caltin Vanagor | Everest Vale | Reina Daival | Tigris Aphra | Aadihr Lidos (?)
Kuhbee | Gem-in-Trash | Jobbi Chantin | Tyron Khan​

 

[Tigris Aphra]

Equipment: Bracelet, Echo Stone, Lightsaber, Knife

Tag: Everest Vale Reina Daival Caltin Vanagor Azurine Varek Tyron Khan Kuhbee Jobbi Chantin Gem-in-Trash

The stories began to unfold, the last to arrive, Azzie, settled in. The mood was sobering, the tales deep, meaningful. Gem, Reina, Master Vanagor... and then Azzie.

Master Vanagor was one of the first to reach out to Tigris after arriving on Jakku for training. She knew some of his past, and was not surprised as he shared his tale from the time before the Galactic Empire. His story moved even the guarded heart of the Atrisian. She knew about the Jedi of old. They were her enemies. The Jedi hunted the Seyugi assassins nearly to extermination. Tigris and a few others were spared as they hid, frozen in their hidden temple.

But when Azurine began her tale, Tigris turned sharply to look at the Iridonian next to her. She too was from that distant past. How was it that three of them around the fire had such a unique history? The Force had its ways, she supposed. In typical Azurine style, her stories were full of adventure, but also of struggle and pain. Like the others, in the end, perseverance and hope prevailed.

Moved by what the other's shared. Tigris spoke up...

"I also know those days, I was born before the Clone Wars. I too was taken as a child to be raised by an order in the Force. But they were not of the Light..." She paused. Her tale would not harken back to that era, but to the time she awoke from it.

"I know all too well what carbonite is like." She glanced at Azurine with a small smile, nudging her with her shoulder. "I awoke from it only a few years ago. I was in a galaxy familiar but still strange. My people were gone, and all I had was the trade, the religion they gave me. We were killers." She paused, the orange firelight giving her bronzed skin a warm glow, the intricate tattoos that covered her arms, shoulders and legs more shadowy. "I went back to what I knew. I was good at it, assassination, espionage, infiltration. I was making good money, but I was empty. I had no one, in a place I didn't recognize. My nights became haunted, my dreams filled with the ghosts of my victims clawing at me, until I nearly went mad from night terrors."

Tigris dark eyes stared into the dancing fire, she felt withdrawn, even from Eve at hre side. "Until I met him."

"A Cathar Jedi, Taam Moghul. He had come to put an end to my work. I guess I should feel honored that the Jedi again found me worth hunting. He was as fierce as he looked. We fought, Dark versus Light. In the end, he bested me. He could have ended me, snuffed out another dark stain on the galaxy. But he didn't."

"Knight Moghul offered me another path. His words were direct, raw, but honest and even kind. It was as if he could see the emptiness, the torment. I found the Light that night. He found someone the NJO could change. He took me to the enclave on Jakku, where I began to learn how to be a Jedi Now, I have a place to belong."

She concluded, a small smile touching her lips, her eyes glancing to Eve. It was less a story and more a confession to her fellow Jedi, and she felt yet another weight lifted from her heart.

 

[Everest Vale]

Outfit: Robes
Equipment: Lightsaber, Bracelet, Earrings
Tag: Tigris Aphra Caltin Vanagor Reina Daival Azurine Varek OPEN

The fire cracked softly as Reina shared her story. She listened with abject attentiveness, paying attention to every word. It didn't take Eve much to put two and two together, and something panged in her heart as Reina spoke. She reached out at the end, and placed a hand on her knee. Her silver eye searched Reina's face, and she offered a gentle smile to her, a silent reassurance that she was there, regardless of how that story may end.

Azzie’s story came next, and Eve was equally attentive. She remained quiet. She didn’t speak, but her eye shimmered with quiet understanding. Azzie’s story had moved something deep in her, more than just admiration for the Iridonian’s resilience. It was the weight of it. The way she carried so much pain with grace and humour, and still chose to stand in the light. Eve’s gaze lingered on her a moment longer, then dipped toward the fire.

And when Tigris spoke next, Eve listened, silent still. She had heard the story before. Pieces of it. In quiet moments between breaths and battles. But hearing it here, spoken aloud to others under the open stars, felt different. Like a truth finally given shape.

She didn’t speak afterward. She didn’t need to.
Instead, she reached over as Tigris finished, her hand sliding gently into hers. Their fingers laced. She leaned her head to the side and brushed it lightly against her shoulder, just enough to say: I’m proud of you.

It was that moment — feeling the quiet strength of Tigris beside her, the honesty in her voice, the courage in her vulnerability — that gave Eve her own. She took a breath. Let the silence sit. And then, softly began.

"I don’t really have any stories..." Eve said, her voice hesitant and small against the hush. She offered a quiet, almost sheepish smile, eyes flickering toward the flames.

"I grew up on Eshan. It's... a peaceful place, expecially the area I'm from. I lived a very sheltered life." She gave a soft, slightly embarrassed chuckle, shrugging one shoulder. "No dramatic escapes or heroic last stands. I didn’t even leave my province until I was a teenager."

She paused, picking at a thread on the edge of her sleeve.

"But…" Her voice shifted. Softer now. Heavy with something else. "There was someone I met. On Woostri." She winced slightly, as if the very name of the planet invoked an old wound. Her eye stayed on the fire, the reflection of it dancing faintly in the silver.

"A Private by the name of Michael Tanners," she continued, as his face appeared before her. "He was from Dantooine. Young. Nervous. He seemed like someone who might’ve worked at a bakery, or taken care of animals. Someone who didn’t belong in a war. He was a gentle soul, had parents, and a love interest."

She swallowed, her fingers tightening slightly on Tigris’.

"I only spoke to him the one time. Just before... everything happened. He was scared. Really scared. I saw a lot of myself in him I guess. And I tried to help. I said whatever I could to make him feel calm. I don’t know if it worked. But he smiled, in the end. Just a little."

She closed her eye then for a moment, wincing again as the memory of his horrific death flashed on front of her. She swallowed it down. The fire cracked again. Eve’s voice grew quieter.

"I don’t have a story like yours. But I just... wanted to say his name. To remember that he was here. That he mattered."

She finally looked up, just for a moment, and her eye found the stars above them. This time, she didn't allow tears to fall.

"Rest in the Light, Mike."

Then she sat back, hands folded gently in her lap. And let the silence speak for her.

 

[Reina Daival]

Location: Tython
Tags: Caltin Vanagor Jobbi Chantin Gem-in-Trash Kuhbee Azurine Varek Everest Vale Tigris Aphra
Lightsaber - Pequod
Leg - Anchor

She felt small. That was the first thought that crossed over Reina's mind as she listened to the rest of the stories. She had felt like her tale was of some kind of significance. Some kind of importance. But the more she listened to Caltin, Azurine, Tigris and even Eve, the more she realised the thought of her story being important was...selfish of her. In the grand scheme of things, she was no-one. Everyone else had such rich history. Some had such impactful lives and Reina was...here. Feeling sorry for herself. It made her feel selfish. And angry at herself as her gaze fell upon the fire once more. Her voice was gone. She couldn't bring herself to speak as her thoughts turned and tumbled within her mind.

Reina had wanted to stare at Azurine when the Iridonian spoke. It wasn't every day you found out how old someone actually was...but at the same time she wasn't able to bring herself to look in the woman's direction. More of that feeling of shame came over her as Azurine spoke about her family. How she had lost them. Who was Reina to feel bad about being abandoned by a family she never knew, when others' had lost the family they knew? It was no surprise at the very least that Azurine had two hearts. She seemed caring enough to have two, or at least one big heart. What did that mean for Reina however? Did she have no heart? Was she starting to grow one? There was just so much thinking and Reina hated it. She wanted clear answers. Plain answers. She didn't want to struggle to figure things out yet all she seemed to do was struggle. Struggle and fight.

Slowly but surely, she pulled her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around her legs. She felt cold. It was ridiculous. She was in front of the fire. She was surrounded by people. But she felt colder than she had ever felt before. It was like she had finally clicked to the ice that had ran through her veins. The lack of her warmth she had in her life. Her anger...her frustrations...they finally made sense to her. The fiery rage that roared inside of her was always artificial. A way for her to feel warm. To not have to look inwards. Yet now that she was looking in to herself, and calming down...It meant that warmth was gone...

Even listening to Tigris made Reina reflect in on herself. Another Clone Wars Jedi. Someone who was taught how to kill. In a way, it was something familiar to Reina. She had been taught how to hunt sealife. She wasn't opposed to using that against people. Taking other life. But whereas Tigris had done in the past to survive, to earn credits...Reina had done it because the thrill of the fight felt good. Because it felt good knowing that it was either them or her. It felt that way at least. Now...she couldn't feel more disgusted at herself. Her skin crawled at the thought, the joy she felt in a fight. It wasn't something that would go away easily for her. No matter how much she wanted it to. And then came the end of Tigris' story. The redemption. It was something Reina sought to fulfil for someone else...yet as she stared into the fire, Reina...doubted she'd ever achieve it. Her anger. Her frustration. Her stubbornness to succeed and not give up...It was fading.

Then it was Eve's story. And it caused Reina to come to a terrible realisation. A strange sudden tightness filled her chest as her eyes dilated. They both had soldiers die in their arms. Everest's on Woostri, and Reina's on Zeffo when they went to rescue Azurine. That death had been the reason she had resented Azurine at first...But Everest knew who her soldier was. Reina still didn't know. She didn't know. The journal she was meant to give to his family. It was still laying in her dorm room. In her drawer. Covered in his blood. She hadn't been able to bring herself to look at it, but she only just realised how selfish, how cruel that was of her. She didn't want to relive that experience but because of that, the man's family didn't have the journal. The one thing he wanted her to give to his family. The one job he had given her. She still hadn't done it.

There were too many people around her. She couldn't cry. She couldn't scream in frustration. It felt like so many eyes were on her. She wanted to hide. She wanted to curl up. For now, the woman just buried her face into her legs. She couldn't hold back her tears but she could at least muffle them. Emotions were new to Reina. They had been easy to block. To lock away in a part of her that she'd never think about. But whether she liked it or not, she wasn't the only person with a key to that part of her. Caltin. Azurine. Tigris. Everest. They had all managed to bit by bit unlock that part of Reina...and it had unleashed the tsunami of emotions that Reina had tried to keep buried away.​

 

[Aadihr Lidos]

Outfit: Clothes, Earring, Bangle
Weapons: Walking stick / Lightsaber Pike

He arrived without much noise. No dramatic rustle of robes, no weighty greeting, just the quiet scuff of boots over ancient stone as he joined the perimeter of the gathering. One hand rested on his walking staff, the other hanging loose at his side. A threadbare blue scarf was wrapped loosely around his shoulders against the evening chill, the ends trailing like grass in the breeze.

The fire’s crackle was soft, stories already being shared by the time he settled onto the edge of a low stone bench.
He didn’t speak. Not yet. Just listened.

The voice of Azurine Varek cut through first — familiar, textured, sharp even in softness. She recounted what she remembered from the cell, the rhythm of guards’ boots, the flickering of a containment field. Aadihr didn’t move, but his hand curled around the haft of his staff a little tighter.

He’d felt helpless during those days — on the rescue team, yes, but never early enough. Never close enough. Never… enough.

She had found strength anyway. Of course she had.

He didn’t smile, but he breathed a little deeper at the end of her story, as if to remind himself she was really here. Alive. Free. Sitting close enough for her voice to settle in his bones like music.

Everest Vale story brought the sharp edges down a bit — the memory of collapsing stone and teamwork, of danger held at bay through trust. Aadihr felt a fondness rise in him, distant but warm. He remembered Everest’s steady presence in the field. The way she kept her balance even when others couldn’t.

They caught each other.

His thumb tapped the edge of the bench twice in quiet agreement.

And he noticed Reina Daival ’s presence
At first, he didn’t realize it was her — not until he saw the tumultuous aura of her wanting to implode.

He straightened, just slightly. Not enough to interrupt, but enough to see her, if not with eyes, then through her presence in the Force.

Keshi.

The memory hit like a slow wave — not violent, but cold and deep.

He’d drawn attention away from her and other citizens when the neo crusaders sacked the city. And in the aftermath, there’d been no words exchanged. No follow-up. No reunion — until he saw her presence on Jedha, only to bleed himself to unconsciousness before truly meeting.

Now she was here — alive, speaking clearly, firmly in conviction.

He didn’t know if she remembered him.
He wasn’t sure if it mattered. But he remembered her. And she looked troubled.

And that was enough to remind him of why he returned to the Order.

He sat quietly, chin tilted slightly downward. Listening. Letting their words settle over him.

There was, perhaps, a story he could contribute — but he was not quite ready to open himself to the group with such just yet.

Azurine Varek Reina Daival Everest Vale @OPEN​

 

[Caltin Vanagor]

CAMPFIRE CHATS
TYTHON
AKAR KESH - COURTYARD

Solemnly listening to some of the stories, one stood out.

I am actually glad that we are at this point. There was a time where I was training a Padawan, now a Knight in Niman who was worried that he was still a Padawan and his twin sister was Knighted. I remember telling him, after the lesson, that he is doing himself a disservice by trying to be the next… “This person”... and not the first “That person”... however I feel that I cannot address this better than someone else who is here. Looking up, and off, he smirked, glad he did not bring up Brandyn Sal-Soren and his competitiveness against his sister Briana Sal-Soren .

Come on out...

Kuhbee • Everest Vale • Reina Daival • Gem-in-Trash • Tigris Aphra • Tyron Khan • Azurine Varek
[Text in Brackets is spoken on Comm-link] ~Like this is through the Force~​

 

[Connel Vanagor]

SURPRISE!
AKAR KESH
COURTYARD

How do you DO that? His tone was light, but frustrated. He was there, in a well concealed place, his aura was completely masked, and Father knew? HOW? Maybe he saw Buster, who was of course happily running out and right to the old man.

It’s my job to… and I’m your father… Busssterr high Busterrr… While the old man was busy giving Buster all of the love he could take, Connel walked over, grabbed a bowl of stew, took a burger off the grill and loaded it up before sitting down. His mask was off, revealing the scars of a man who had seen too much in too short a time, but the outlook of someone who would have it no other way.

Hi. For those of you who do not know, I am Jedi Knight Connel Vanagor, Shadow, and this big man’s son. Putting the bowl down for Buster who WENT TO TOWN on it, he took a bite as one of the younglings told a story, re-emphasizing what father brought up. When the girl was done, he looked around raising his hand, but then of course Buster (who was long done with his stew treat, vegetables and, the bowl was licked CLEAN AND DRY) was hopping, looking back and forth between him and everyone. He knew what that meant and just chuckled. You want to say “Hi”?

This excited the dog even more. Well go ahead! (OOC Note - If you want to, feel free and write Buster getting love from you, lol he is basically “Dug” from “Up”)

As the pup made his rounds, Connel held his hand up again. Could I go next? Well, I will tell you that I grew up in a HUGE shadow… no pun or joke about my father’s enormous size intended. I mean, I only knew him as “Father” but once I was Knighted, I learned just how ridiculous he was… and I mean that in a good way. Though he smirked, the weight of his words were there to hang.

I took being “a Vanagor” so hard that I could not speak publicly… I mean I could but I was SO awkward. Buster came trotting up to him momentarily, concerned, Connel just smiled brightly and gave him a piece of his burger and a big head scratch which sent the pup away happily making his rounds some more. If it wasn’t for that little guy… I don’t know…

Twitching his neck, he went on a little bit more. I mean, I was trained well, but I was so overwhelmed that somehow those manifested into a separate personality. One so filled with fear, that the man you see before you, the personality, the real me… was viewed as “The Dark Side” hunting that person. I only knew this because when that personality slept, I woke up. Sucking on his gum for a moment with a scoff, he had more. Some of you know “The Lion King”, High King of Midvinter Thurion Heavenshield , well he is the oath-brother of Master Vanagor… I’ll let him tell you the story about that.

That brought out a playful glare and nudge from Caltin. Thanks alot.

Connel grinned. You’re welcome! Now where was I? Oh yeah, to me he was “Uncle Thurion”... still is of course… anyway, “I” went to him because I was so afraid of telling my father about what I was going through and disappoint him. I say “I” because while it was done by a personality based on fear, a huge part of me felt the same way, Afraid of ruining the Vanagor name. Well, he of course was the man he is, amazing, and reassured me, made me feel safe. Not that Father wasn’t capable, but again, “fear of failing him”.

I don’t know why, it might not have even been him, and he didn’t give details, but he must have been the one to figure things out because the next thing I knew, I was on ”The Prosperity” and all of the sudden I was talking to Master Valery Noble . I was talking to her about everything, and she suggested I learn how to become a Shadow, to use the skills I didn’t know I had. I haven’t looked back. I owe a lot to that conversation, that whole period. I learned to use every aspect of who I am. I learned that I am not "The Next Vanagor", I learned that I am "Another Vanagor", that I don’t have to try to get out of his shadow, but that I already walk beside it. Letting the story resonate for a few moments, taking a few more bites of his burger, and giving Buster another piece of Nerf bacon.

The point is. Each and every one of you have your own path to walk. A path that will make you “great” in someone’s eyes, or in some way shape or form. Whether you live nine hundred years and hand nine hundred stories to tell, whether you have stories you would not tell your worst enemy, heh, not that we should have “worst enemies”. It doesn’t matter, none of it. You are here, and you are you, that is what makes you admired, that is what makes you special, and that is what makes you all “Jedi”.

Buster of course saw the last bite on the plate which of course means is “his”, so he trotted up and patiently waited. Connel smirked at him and held it up. How did I do, buddy?

Kuhbee • Everest Vale • Reina Daival • Gem-in-Trash • Tigris Aphra • Tyron Khan • Azurine Varek



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[Valery Noble]

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Outfit: Combat Jumpsuit | Wedding Ring
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsabers

The wind was soft at Akar Kesh, curling through the courtyard like a whisper, stirring loose strands of hair against Valery's cheek as she stood beneath the shadow of an overhang, half-hidden by the trunk of an ancient tree. She hadn't made an entrance — not officially. No formal greeting. No need to announce herself. The fire crackled softly in the distance, casting flickering light against the gathered Jedi, their voices warm with laughter and stories shared under the open sky. It was a welcome sound.

Valery folded her arms loosely over her chest, eyes sweeping over the group. Some she knew well. Others, less so. But all of them were hers in some small way — her Order, her responsibility, and, more importantly, her people.

She didn't interrupt.

Instead, she watched for a moment, allowing herself to simply feel the peace in the moment. The kind of peace that couldn't be ordered or taught — only lived. Eventually, she'd join them. Maybe even tell a story of her own.

But for now, she remained in the quiet, watching the firelight dance, a faint smile tugging at her lips. Just a shadow in the periphery — calm, content, and present.

All​

 

[Thurion Heavenshield]

T Y T H O N
A K A R | K E S H​

Thurion sat some distance away from the others, nestled against a ruined column after a delicious nerf burger cooked to perfection, now enjoying a puff of pipeweed. Within earshot of the others, he'd chuckle to himself whenever Caltin opened his big mouth, or smile knowing Connel had learnt to accept himself, victories and failures alike. This was a nice distraction to him, getting a chance to overhear the new generation of Jedi swapping tales whilst appreciating the simple art of listening.

Oh, he surely had more grand tales to share than most. But, this night was for the young and the important life lessons they'd learnt. And Caltin.

No, he was content with his humble existence, idly huffing on his pipe whilst staring up at his handiwork. The Moon of Ashla was reborn, made whole anew and with it, his faith. It was not faith in the pantheon of his ancestors that had alluded him, or his faith in the Force. Through Ashla's mending did he rediscover his faith in himself. With such a devastating wound to his soul, he needed to put something right. He needed to heal.

Ashla shone bright with gratitude, reminding him of many nights spent stargazing after long hours of hard training. Lay on his back, he reached up towards the moon as if to pluck it from space.

"Take my hand... take my whole life too," he quietly sang the last few words to a song his wife loved dearly. "For I can't help..." He hummed the last few notes, knowing he would not make it through the entire chorus intact. Another huff on his pipe, smiling as he did. Waiting patiently for her to finish the lyric.

OPEN​

 

[Azurine Varek]

Time By Firelight

Outfit: Clothing/Armor | Glove | Right Arm | Talisman | Purple Bracelet
Weapons: Lightsaber 1 | Lightsaber 2 | Hook Swords

Azzie leaned back, letting the warmth of the fire touch her face as the last stories faded into thoughtful silence. The crackle of the flames filled the space between them, punctuated by a quiet breeze. She glanced around at the faces of her fellow Jedi—some contemplative, others visibly moved—and felt a familiar pull in her chest. She found herself getting up, moving to grab something to eat from the grill. A quick teasing grin moved across her lips. "I didn't realize you were a master at campfire meals too, Old Man." Her joke was meant to be nothing but endearing. There was still a bit of a grayish haze lost in the purples of her eyes that made them look older than she really was.

Grabbing a burger, her expression softened quite a bit, "Thanks." Whether she meant for the food, for bringing this whole thing together, or for just being there, she didn't specify. The flash in her eyes and her aura said it was likely a mix of all three. She made sure to grab a couple more of what was already cooked for those she was seated with as well before sitting back down just in time to see Aadihr join them as well. She made sure to grab his arm as she moved to sit him down on the other side of her.

"You know, an old friend of mine once told me that it's not your road that makes you, but the decisions you make as you travel." Azzie added to the quiet, wanting to acknowledge everyone who spoke, "I still don't always know what he meant by that or how to keep it in mind, but I want to think that how we approach what is thrown at us helps us in the end..."

Did it really, though...? She wouldn't let her internal questioning show on her face because she needed to believe that now more than ever.

Caltin Vanagor | Everest Vale | Reina Daival | Tigris Aphra | Aadihr Lidos | Kuhbee | Gem-in-Trash | Jobbi Chantin | Tyron Khan | Connel Vanagor | Valery Noble | Thurion Heavenshield​