The Blackguard Holocron & Artifact Auction

[Darth Metus]

Isley was known for many things. Most notably of these were two distinct, yet completely different traits. He was an Alchemist...and...a shameless skirt chaser.

Lot AA: 1.1 million credits.

Previous bids maintained.

 

[Ashin Varanin]

Selka eyed [member="Ostanes"] . They'd never met, so far as she knew, but the man who'd spearheaded AEI since Rave Merrill left had her attention.

Lot W: Force Drain Holocron - 260,000cr

 

[Seydon of Arda]

“I'm doing this as encouragement. Just follow what I've attached to the message packet and for goodness sake, keep your steel sheathed. If you're fortunate, you'll come away with something. If not, you certainly won't be any poorer for it. And trust me, hardly a soul will care if you're there. Good luck.” - RM



It was mercifully dim but smelled like any odiously private and exclusive salon: oiled leather upholstery and cigarra aromatics, distilled scotches and liquours, wet ice, faint vapours of gland colognes and skin-applied perfumes. There were faces backlit by low, emerald glass lamp shades and the glow of flickering, updating dataslates. A low voice would converse every so often and break the pregnant quiet: speaking either to confidants or to themselves.

He occupied a lowly table that was frequently converted for pazaak matches. The fading cloth was scabbed in places with tape stitching, stained from rigorous nights of taught plays where bad hands resulted in drink being dropped and spilled. The Dunaan kept a long duffel-sack leaning against his hip, one hand on the zipper tie, the other managing to quickly thumb and type on a battered, sparking datapad. That contact had not been wrong: no one looked up when he sidled quietly in to sit.

The bidding attached to each auction lot scaled up every few moments. Seydon's credit purse felt almost emaciated, compared to tripple-zero sums that were rising in increments of almost a hundred thousand every time one well-greased party felt annoyed and decided to outdo their opponent. His tongue felt dry; this was a rarefied atmosphere that didn't operate to forces that couldn't account for themselves in terms of extreme wealth, favor, or sheer item bartering. The auction catered to skills-ets so outside his preferred abilities. Credit totals were being calculated in relation to attractive artefacts, technological resources, and company shares.

Seydon consulted the auction write-up for Lot C: Holocron, Xoxaan. Allegedly. Mistress in flesh smithing, learning her transmutative crafts in the damnation-hallowed dungeons of the old, old Korriban cult dungeons. The definitive voice in her generation wherever it had to do with bodily alchemy. Sithspawn. The entirety of his guild and craft was centred around making good coin plying hunting grounds and putting a killing stroke to the beasts wherever they roamed, fed, and destroyed. Xoxaan's legacy itself was probably a tainted well-spring. But 'spawn were a mutative breed, and if old ghosts could be dredged for their secrets, it could give aid in undoing their damages. He still hesitated... and then penned in his bid for the day.

[ Lot C: “XoXaan” Holocron ] Bid: Entropy, Sword of Rave Merrill / Comprehensive journal set detailing Sithspawn, from anthrozoological to biological, across scores of encountered specimens / Map guides leading over Dromund Kaas, post-Larraq glassing / Mapped substructures below the Dromund Kaas 'Dark Temple' / Location of the Shrine of Krul, containing further artefacts / A copy of Rave Merrill's Farwalker Armour

[member="Dissero"]

 

[Ellie Mors]

There was something downright heart-crushing when one felt themselves get so close to their intended goal, only for someone with access to far more resources reach just a little bit higher. For many of the same reasons that [member="Seydon of Arda"] sought after the XoXaan holocron, Braith wanted - needed - it too. Her own reason, however, wasn't for something as unimportant to her as credits or infamy, the latter of which she had lived with during the years prior to her own incarceration in an oubliette lasting over ten thousand years. What she wanted was to live longer than her genetically destabilized species - the Alunrovaan. Over the course of thousands upon thousands of years, dwarfing Braith's own lifespan by more than tenfold, the Alua'an species evolved on an entirely hostile and almost unlivable planet, the species completely non-human in all but appearance, eventually leading to a very survival-of-the-fittest mentality until the dawn of civilized era, a time that hadn't occurred yet even after a handful of the species had managed to escape their homeworld's harsh grasp prior to their discovery by members of the galaxy at large, thousands of years after her own birth.

Survival meant mating became largely important, not just for the sake of keeping the species alive, but to preserve wanted strengths, and while knowledge of her species had remained obscured from her until more recently, the horrible truth of why she had such great physical strength and quick healing abilities quickly came full circle with it. The entirety of her species had practiced selective breeding - of the internal variety. Simply put, she was a disgusting product of inbreeding, as was the entirety of her species in some varying concentration of closeness in gene pool diversity. Though she wasn't born with the trademark platinum-blonde, almost ashen, hair and bleach-white skin, she was most certainly victim to what would soon become a fast-approaching, early, death. The resources of the holocrons of Naga Sadow and Darth Andeddu, which she had observed and made use of while she had possessed the body of the former Sith Lord, Silara Kuhn, only made her aware of methods of altering her physical form and a method of ridding herself of her current body and obtaining a new one - and though the latter was tempting, considering her desire to live rather than die, it was that damnable feeling, love, which kept her from pursuing such an act.

So imagine, for a moment, the sort of luck she felt when she looked on to the auction and saw the sparkling name of XoXaan, famous for her owning of the Yoke of Seeming, which was also on the auction floor, and her mastery of biological alchemy in the manner that Sorzus Syn was famed for her own use of the art in other fields. Where Karness Muur was a master of the sword and saber, as well as his mind-dominating strengths, XoXaan was someone who had almost perfected alchemy in a way that hadn't seen replication until the time of Plagueis and Sidious, and of her abilities the knowledge of extending her own life, even if it meant sacrificing portions of her species' great strengths, such as her physical strength or regenerative abilities, obtaining that holocron was certainly more than a necessary addition to her own life, but also to save her lover from knowing just how little they would spend together in the coming years.

She had no personal grudge with anyone in the auction, much less anything against the beast-slayer, but to her this was absolutely categorized as a 'need' for the Alua'an, even if it meant that much of her worldly possessions, and even more than that, would pass from her to the person running the auction - especially with the large list of incredible artifacts and locations bid for it by this newcomer. So on Lot C, that of XoXaan's holocron, Braith made a gamble that she was certain would likely set her back even if she were to obtain the holocron.

"On Lot C, one specimen of the Alunrovaan Species, nearly extinct, to be examined - possessing superior physical strength, enhanced cellular regenerative abilities, and the breathing of nitrogen rather than oxygen - as well as the location and guiding through the lost civilization of Pax Insul, the explanation of their religious and cultural life from ten thousand plus years ago, one and a half million credits, the freedom to use Mastercraft Alloys's mining and refining facilities, including for personally commissioned metals altered through alchemy for desired traits, a collection (18) of wild force shards that are imbued with the souls of human sacrifices, the Great Divide - my personal, handcrafted, sword treated by alchemy - and Plates of Scorn, the formula for simmersilk fabric, which reflects blaster bolts, and secrets of the One Sith obtained via possession of a former Voice of the Dark Lord in the waning days of her life."

It was a lengthy bid, and she wasn't sure if it would garner anywhere near as much attention as the other bid, but she had to try - and try harder failing that.

She wasn't going to let someone else take what could be holding the secret to a normal lifespan for her.

Even if she had to bid herself on it.

[member="Dissero"]

 

[Matreya]

Damien spent the duration of the auction checking other bids, on items he felt he should bid on, but chose not to. Each held useful tech, or other such bids; until one he noticed that mentioned a weapon he recognized: Entropy. It was Rave's blade, an item he would kill for, if ever the chance arose...

"Amp, track that bid. I wish to know where it came from, who sent it, any information you can give." Damien murmured from his place in the rear. Instantly a voice replied the affirmative from his computer - his AIM program being uploaded the moment he sat before it. The AI was programmed with some of the greatest living slicer intellects, and was obviously a program: some things like this came easily. It would take time, but hopefully soom enough it could reveal the person who held the blade.

He ignored the other portions of the bid, knowing they each were worth his own weight in any form of currency, they simply were not his goal at the moment. It would be interesting to look into a suit of armor made by Rave Merrill, but it to was not - he believed - as drawing as the blade.

"Also, Amp, if that bid wins, track it. Once the bidder is located, do everything in your arsenal to keep an eye on them. If that involves taking any number of nearby droids under control, do so. I want to know where that weapon goes." He murmured.

Xoxaan's Holocron was a worthy item, one he had read into for a brief time, but nothing compared to a masterwork made by potentially the greatest Alchemist of all time.

[member="Seydon of Arda"] [member="Dissero"]

 

[Not Ordo]

[member="Coren Starchaser"]

The old gentleman pressed his lips into a thin line as he pondered the value of an old paperweight. The Holocron was something nice to look at obviously but in the end it was likely going to simply keep sheets of flimsi in place while he read reports.

He ran an aging yet still strong hand along the side of his head to smooth the short grey hairs. The smells of alcohol, perfumes and various levels of personal hygiene danced across his mind. His finger slid across the smooth touch screen of his data pad and he made a decision.

"Lot R remains 50,000 credits." He paused for a moment and checked his chrono, "Lot U increased to 57,000 credits."

 

[Julius Sedaire]

[member="Selka Ventus"] | [member="Dissero"]

• Lot W: Force Drain Holocron - c300,000

 

[Coren Starchaser]

Getting a bit rich for him. Sending a message off to the Alliance, he was hoping to get a message from the GADF and NJO, if he could get a little bit of a boost, they could start a Dark Side Artifact Collection Department. And… ok, so there were some funds being released. He upped his bid for Lot U to 60k.

@Decimus Meridus
[member="Decimus Meridius"]

 

[Seydon of Arda]

The breadth of Lot C's incremental bid additions jolted the auction read out screens; a fat, scrolling paragraph that looked weighty enough, bogged thick by their refined and accrued resources. Bidding for the 'cron was entrenched now. Seydon doubted he could muster up enough credit vouchers to win against the growing attrition rate, and there was just so much that he could afford to barter away. If the next increment for the Lot went up to include a kitchen sink and free bathroom renovations, he'd quit the exercise and ask 'RM' to forward hunting notices instead of noetic artefact wealth-games. Eyes were on the spectacle now. An evident din of low, murmured conversation swept back and forth to the salon walls, ebbing at the stage. Seydon, quietly running through a simultaneous combination of breathing, mental, and muscle exercises to stave off lethargy while keeping seated, made a check in his memory: he'd owe another party if his his raise worked. He swiftly thumbed at his datapad:

[ Lot C: “XoXaan” Holocron ] Bid: Including all previously bid items, with the addition of: Velok Emblem, a powerful statuette. A hand-held 'godsmasher'.

[member="Dissero"] | [member="Braith Achlys"]

 

[Tmoxin Temi]

[member="Lucien Cordel"] had helped Tmoxin financially with both Morpho Pharmaceuticals and starting up her R & D offshoot Monarch Research which had yet to get off of the ground.

Paying it forward, the Hapan CEO bid on Lot T: 8 Million credits, %5 of profits from the Morpho Sports Complex and free advertising indefinitely on the stadium jumbotron for the owner of the Soul Saber.

 

[Julius Sedaire]

[member="Seydon of Arda"] | [member=Dissero] | [member="Braith Achlys"]

Ostanes smiled a bit at the bidding... He could recognize Seydon easily from the records of his company.... This holocron was undoubtedly valuable to anyone, especially valuable to a Dark Side adept and even acutely more worthwhile to an Alchemist. But if it was worth such that he, Seydon, was offering up the things he was, then there was something of acute personal interest to the long time contractor of Akure in this item. While Ostanes could hardly be called sentimental, reaching out and rebuilding the connections of his former mentor were paramount at this time. Both in his own quest for restoring his abilities and power, and in pushing forward the company. So, with that, he took a gamble, and adjusted his bid.

In support of their long-time business associate, Akure Executive Interstellar would augment [member="Seydon of Arda"] and their bid for the XoXaan Holocron. The bid stands as follows, with possession of the holocron to go to Seydon as a thanks for his long history and bright future with our company.

• Lot C: XoXaan Holocron: Entropy, Sword of Rave Merrill / Comprehensive journal set detailing Sithspawn, from anthrozoological to biological, across scores of encountered specimens / Map guides leading over Dromund Kaas, post-Larraq glassing / Mapped substructures below the Dromund Kaas 'Dark Temple' / Location of the Shrine of Krul, containing further artefacts / A copy of Rave Merrill's Farwalker Armour / c15,000,000 / Choice of ANY out of Stock Akure Executive Interstellar Item / 1 Custom Commissioned Product by Akure Executive Interstellar / Velok Emblem

 

[Laira Darkhold]

Lot T- Soul Saber: Three Hugs of the type of recipient's Choice (Transferable) one night stand (Transferable), 10 Million Credits, 12.5% Stock in ArmaTech Combat Systems, one ACS-503 Mythosaur Mobile Fortress, One Set of Mythosaur Orbital Insertion Pods, three Sets of the Executive Suit, Billionaire Edition made to fit owner (Nexu fur Coat available), and One Firestorm Isotope-5 Reactor.

[member="Lucien Cordel"]
[member="Tmoxin Temi"]
[member="Reverance"]
[member="Isley Verd"]

 

[Dissero]

"Ladies and gentlemen, another short announcement," the whiphid rapped on the podium, "at the request of the Lot Owners this auction has been extended for another 48 hours."


OOC -
The auction has been extended until 10PM EST, Tuesday 11/24/2015
Winners will be announced Wednesday, 11/25.

[member="Darth Pikiran"] [member="Lord Mythos"] [member="Ostanes"] [member="Coren Starchaser"] [member="Draco Vereen"] [member="Popo"] [member="Reverance"] [member="Selka Ventus"] [member="Lord Ajihad"] [member="Arrbi Betna"] [member="Lucien Cordel"] [member="Decimus Meridius"] [member="Braith Achlys"] [member="Julius Sedaire"] [member="Xhexania"] [member="Mara D'Lessio Merrill"] [member="Isley Verd"] [member="Alec Rekali"] [member="Ultimatum"] [member="Saran Drast"]

 

[Mythos]

Lot- R: 100,000 credits.

 

[Jaxton Ravos]

[member="Dissero"] [member="Ostanes"]

Lot J:

The first of a luxury chronometer series to be made alchemically-resistant to a lightsaber blade, as well as boasting a minor force-effect.

 

[Not Ordo]

[member="Coren Starchaser"] [member="Lord Mythos"]

The corner of his lip twitched as his only sign of any emotion before he hid it with another sip of his drink. Again and aging finger tapped on his data pad.

"67,000 for lot U and 101,000 for lot R"

 

[Ellie Mors]

Defeat sank in as soon as she saw the combined bid of two parties - the latter of the duo having bid more credits than she could pull a loan for, much less consider overtaking. In the grand scheme of things, she was the owner of a small business - able to barely scrounge up the one and a half million she had bid prior - and the creator of several unique and somewhat powerful objects, but she was nothing but an ant to the corporate elite. She'd hoped the hunter would have backed out, that he'd notice the slight desperation in her bid that included the study of her own body for the sake of documenting such a rare species, numbering lower than the total population of Hoth. But he had pressed on and bid something she wasn't quite familiar with - but the added note of it being a 'godsmasher' led her to believe that the item placed with the rest of his bid was significantly more important and valuable than the rest of his bid combined, and presumably more than her own.

The added options given by the C.E.O of AEI, though? It completely crushed any iota of a notion that she could have made one last bid. Nothing she owned could amount to the combined value of the twosome's bid now, and while she had some other, more rare, artifacts on hand, she had a sinking feeling that they were less valuable to the auctioneer here than even more mundane things, like credits. Retiring, disappointed, to the backrest of her seat, Braith pondered the reaction she would receive from Corvus when she had to explain what would happen to "them" as a couple in the coming years, maybe months if the issue of her species' regenerative abilities proved more dangerous that she presumed. It was one thing to have hid the mourning of a passed rival, it was a completely different story to shove the fact that her life was slowly slipping away under the rug with the face of denial on and efforts to reverse those concerns hastily made. If the pain in her abdominal region for the last month was anything to go by, she wasn't going to have a very happy life leading up to that inevitable end.

With the hesitant tap of her fingers she removed her bid for Lot C, retaining her previous bid for Lot Q. Life might be short for her, but she wasn't going to give up trying with what resources she had available, or soon to be available.
[member="Dissero"] [member="Ostanes"] [member="Seydon of Arda"]

 

[Coren Starchaser]

Hmm... A bit rich for Coren. But he was working on a few different projects that needed that holocron. He tossed his bid up to 70K on Lot U.

[member="Decimus Meridius"]

 

[Laira Darkhold]

Lot J- 100,000 Credits
[member="Xelor Brandt"]

Lot K- 2,500,000 Credits, 1 Executive Suit, Billionaire Edition or 1 ACS-004 Immortal-class Battle Armor, 12 Avenger-class Stealth Fighters
[member="Ostanes"]

Lot T- Bid withdrawn ( [member="Reverance"] , give her a good home)

Lot U- 100,000 Credits
[member="Coren Starchaser"]
[member="Decimus Meridius"]

Lot AA- 500,000 Credits and the Services of One Draco Vereen for 168 Hours (Consecutive or Broken up, your choice).
[member="Isley Verd"]

 

[Julius Sedaire]

[member="Draco Vereen"] | [member="Dissero"] | [member="Coren Starchaser"] | [member="Decimus Meridius"]

• Lot U- The Dark Holocron: cr200,000 - Possession to go to the fine nobleman of Crina upon close of auction, with understanding AEI reserves rights to first study, but a promise of no modification of content. Akure Executive does what it can to promote stability and order in the Galaxy, for it is good for business.
• Lot K - Crystallurgy Holocron: Bid is withdrawn in support of the cunning man from ArmaTech, with an even augment of cr2,500,000 to his bid, and preliminary test version of the 'Eau De Darkside' Male Cosmetic line (warning, do not use near active Volcanoes or female Hutts). A singular note is attached: Your tenacity is noted... We should talk, there are ventures we could do quite well at together.