Kyriaki
Dark Phoenix
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
Intent: Sub a location for rp.
Image Credit: Here. Here.
Canon: N/A.
Permissions: N/A.
Links: Tephrike, The Valkyrie's Diary, Dominion of Light, Republican Guard, Into Darkness, After Darkness, Disciples of the Vader, Firemane Industries, Unchained, Inheritors of the Light Father, Grand Army of Light, Ashspawn/Reborn.
SETTING INFORMATION
Nexus Name: The Skullwrack Shore
Nexus Alignment: Dark
Location: Tephrike.
Affiliation: Tephrike.
Size: Large
Strength: Strong.
Accessibility: Very difficult to access. The coast is characterised by thick fogs, gale-force winds, a treacherous coastline and a strong current. These qualities make it very difficult to navigate safely. The thick fog the coast seems to be almost perpetually shrouded in has caused many ships to sink. The sandbars shift due to rough waves and unpredictable currents. Surface ships are often pushed onto the shores during storms. Sea monsters, some of which can grow to an enormous size, rule the depths of the ocean. The storms and the fog also make it very difficult to reach the nexus via aircraft or spaceship. Moreover, the nexus also interferes with sensors, even from dedicated sensor ships. The fog seems to have a preternatural quality, for it can cloud Force Senses, making it more difficult for Force-Users to benefit from the precognitive and extrasensory abilities that would normally give them an edge over their foes and warn them of dangers.
Description: The nexus lies in the northeast of Tephrike, on a peninsula not far from the northern frontier between the Dominion and the Vaderites. It is a desolate shore where many surface ships have washed up on over the centuries. Many were lost due to a great battle between Dominion and Vaderite fleets when a storm blew up and the wrecks and dead washed up on the shore. The Vaderites' vaunted, overengineered 'sea star destroyers' and the Dominion's proud aircraft carriers both sank into the depths of the ocean. The Republican Guard had leaked intel to both sides to force this battle, and then attacked themselves with submarines and small ships when both sides were worn down. However, they hadn't expected the storm, and thus suffered casualties, too.
On all sides, many sailors and marines drowned. Today, the sea coast is considered haunted by the natives, full of spirits and malicious entities. Nonetheless, the ship wrecks and rumours of treasures attract scavengers and salvagers. Two Jedi and Sith who clashed during the fleet battle are said to have wielded lightsabres of great power. This is particularly pertinent since lightsabres are incredibly rare on Tephrike, where most Force-Users use Force imbued and alchemised weapons. Their crystals are said to have been specially blessed by Ashla and Bogan respectively. As a result, treasure hunters, Sith and Jedi have sought to recover the lost sabres. But they find themselves assailed by sandstorms, malicious currents and spirits. The environment is foggy, cold and incredibly dry. There is a constant, heavy surf on the beaches.
The haunted coast is a testament to vanity and foiled ambitions. Some Tephriki sailors refer to it as the gate of hell. On the coast, the upwelling of a cold current causes dense ocean fogs for much of the year. The winds blow from land to sea, rainfall rarely exceeds ten millimetres annually and the climate is very inhospitable. Moreover, there is a permanent, heavy surf on the beaches. The shipwrecks number in the thousands. The coast is characterised by thick fogs, gale-force winds and a strong current. All these qualities make it very difficult to navigate safely. The thick fog the coast seems to be almost perpetually shrouded in has caused many ships to sink. Sometimes one sees bodies floating in the water.
The merciless winds beat down upon the coast. Indeed, the winds can be strong enough to grab people who are too close to the coast and carrying them for far at tremendous speed. The ocean is notorious for its dangerous underwater sandbanks. Ships grounded there have been swallowed by sand. The storms are tempestuous, and unpredictable. Moreover, a storm is inevitably followed by a fog so thick that one cannot even see two metres ahead. The highly aggressive current makes it unwise to swim.
Both the beach and the ocean are littered with shipwrecks. Moreover, one finds skeletons of whales and sentient beings. Bones upon bones seem to poke out of the sandy dunes, wherever one goes. Rumours abound of unnatural sea monsters rising from the depths of the Coral Deep ocean to drag down vessels that stray too far. There are also rumours of ghost ships crewed by the undead and phantoms, preying upon the careless or making devil's bargains with those eager for protection or treasure.
And yet, though the coast is haunted and inhospitable, small groups of exiles, outcasts and opportunists are drawn here in search of treasure. It is a hardy, dangerous life...but ironically far away from the war has wrought so much destruction on Tephrike and brought this cursed place into being. However, it is a forsaken place. Rumours abound of ruthless blood mages being drawn to this place, as well as Force-Dead corsairs who may be survivors of the ill-fated Republican Guard incursion. The latter are scattered rebel Yuuzhan Vong who have been effectively cut off from the rest of the rebel movement, and now commit acts of piracy. As Force-Dead sentients, they are void in the Force and thus cannot be affected by the nexus. At the same time, it makes it difficult for their foes to follow them. However, the high seas are very tempestuous.
The very conditions that make the place so dangerous so also seriously impede efforts to invade it. But it is a coast of skeletons, ghosts and broken dreams. Here and there, an Ashspawn infiltrator or merchant may show up, seeking refuge from the living or to explore the nexus. The Ashspawn hail from the similarly dangerous and treacherous Palmyra's Wail nexus, so they can withstand this forsaken place better than many other beings. But generally they rarely linger here for long.
More common zombies roam the land, though they are more traditional and less intelligent than Ashspawn. It is said that they may be reanimated and mutated sailors who perished during the grand seat battle. Ironically, while this place is very hazardous to sentient life, various animals seem to be faring better. Thanks to the nutrient rich waters, it has a diverse marine environment that is home to large bony fishes, sharks, seals, whales and numerous creatures mutated by the nexus. One must beware of kraken. Moreover, the deep waters are home to Force-mutated sea-life which has poisoned spines like corals. Unlike normal barnacles it has spines which stick into creatures and infects them with madness...if the nexus has not already done so.
NEXUS EFFECTS
Nexus effects include powerful undertows and riptides at odds times of the day, and unnaturally thick ocean fog. The tides are highly unpredictable. Another effect consists of sea water that is mildly poisonous. Its effects are initially akin to Sith poison, but mild after spending some time in the water. Travellers may find themselves assailed by sandstorms, malicious currents and ghosts. Not all ghosts are hostile though. Some will warn travellers of dangers or attempt to bargain with them. Sea monsters, altered by the nexus, rule the depths of the ocean. Sometimes the water is red with blood and one sees bodies floating in it. The nexus interferes with sensors and scanners, even from dedicated sensor starships. Comlinks, radios and other electronic communication devices inexplicably malfunction.
The thick fog seems to have a preternatural quality, for it can cloud Force Senses, making it difficult for Force-Users to benefit from their precognitive and extrasensory abilities. Force-Users trying to use such talents may have to contend with a lot of white noise. This is something Force-Users may be subjected to regardless of Force alignment. Moreover, siren songs seek to lure sailors into the depths of the ocean. There are derelict ships adrift in the ocean crewed by the damned...or seemingly with a mind of their own.
Nether Ghouls have manifested on the haunted coast, attracted by the tragedy, bloodshed and despair that birthed the nexus in the first place. Certain incidents elsewhere on the accursed planet involving the spread of nether energies have also contributed to this. The Nether Ghouls that can be found here range from the savage, primitive Flesh Eaters to the highly dangerous Soul Eaters. Fortunately, the latter are incredibly rare here. Finally, some of the sea-life and land animals have been mutated by the nexus, making them more aggressive.
POINTS OF INTEREST
Wreck of the Behemoth - a giant Vaderite 'Sea Star Destroyer'. Admiral Menadros Sophron was an old style commander who preferred 'gut instinct' to fancy technology...and so came to grief. His ship sailed ahead and had initial success with his heavy guns, but without escorts he was a target for an opportunistic Republican Guard sub which put in 2 torpedoes. Not so honourably, the Admiral tried to evacuate but a Dominion bomber blew him to pieces. His ship sunk but legends tell on misty nights of the shape of an admiral aboard his bridge, seeking the way to escape.
The Blighted Beach - a harsh and unforgiving beach covered in wrecks and bones. Zombies can be found here. The animals are doing fine, though they may have been mutated by the nexus.
The Divine Light of Ashla's Wrath - a Dominion aircraft carrier. Some way from the actual coast is a small reef and the wreckage of an aircraft carrier. It launched the planes which struck the Behemoth and ensured its destruction. However, a great storm came up and the Divine Light became grounded on the reef. From there it was a sitting duck from Vaderite missiles. Many were destroyed by flak but one got through. By luck, design or the Force is struck the deck just as air craft were refuelling causing a massive explosion. The entire ship detonated and settled on the reef, still visible.
The GNS (Guard Naval Ship) Scylla - This submarine which had been so effecting at dealing with the Behemoth and then sinking a Dominion frigate was brought to grief. Hit by depth charges and with engines destroyed it washed up on shore. Now it lays on the beach, cracked open like a clam. The rusted insides house creatures best not disturbed. The rebel junta bestowed the honorary title of 'Hero of the Republican Guard' on the ship and its crew.
Iron Row - On the outer edge is a savage sandbar where many ships came to grief before the battle but also during. Ships tend to be washed up by the tide and trapped in a lagoon where they cannot escape and are soon battered by rocks. During the battle a Dominion cruiser Exemplar of Glorious Justice became stuck and was pounded by Vaderite guns and bombs until it became a shattered, burning wreck. It still looks like it is burning due to the nexus. The flames seem to have never gone out. One can hear the screams of the burning crew.
Doom of the Leviathan - The second of the Sea Star Destroyers to be lost in the battle, the LVS (Lord Vader's Service) Leviathan was better commanded at least. Admiral Frans Hippias kept his ships back and operated in a more controlled method than Sophron's squadron. His firepower with air support were key in destroying several Dominion ships including the Exemplar of Glorious Justice when it became trapped. However, its doom came through bad luck and bad training. Shells were supposed to be kept in sealed compartments and few kept together, but in the heat of battle these rules were neglected. Thus, when fortune landed a direct hit on one of the turrets of the Leviathan the damage should have been contained...but wasn't. With a terrible blast which actually destroyed a sloop nearby, the Leviathan sunk.
HISTORICAL INFORMATION
The Battle of the Skullwrack Shore was one of the most devastating sea battles in Tephrike's history. It was fought between the Vaderite naval forces under Admirals Menadros Sophron and Frans Hippias on the one side and the Dominion surface fleet under Admiral Ioannes Psaras on the other. Thus far it has been the largest clash of battleships during the perennial war that has drowned Tephrike in a sea oof blood. The Vaderite High Seas Fleet intended to draw the northeastern squadron of the Grand Fleet out of the Viridian Gulf and destroy part of it. This was meant to pave the way for amphibious landings and coastal strikes in the northeast. The spies of the Republican Guard had leaked information to both sides in order to bait them into a destructive battle.
The battle unfolded in complicated manoeuvring and two main engagements. The fog interfered with sensors and reconnaissance, and thus the engagement reached a point where the ships were only a dozen miles away from each other. Two Vaderite squadrons were deployed. The first headed by Sophron on the Behemoth and the second by Hippias on the Leviathan.
The Dominion meanwhile had probed ahead with their lighter ships. They came across Hippias' sea star destroyer long before the Vaderites had expected an engagement. The Vaderites managed to pull the Dominion vanguard into the path of their large fleet. Two Dominion battlecruisers were destroyed. However, the Dominion managed to get word back and withdraw its vanguard. This has the effect of forcing the Vaderites to engage in pursuit, thereby leadhing to a clash with the Grand Fleet. The Dominion committed to the battle because a Jedi seer predicted a cataclysmic 'divine wind' vanquishing the darkness.
However, the Dominion fleet suffered heavy casualties. Dominion Admiral Psaras used his big ships to hold a line, relying more on his aircraft carriers. He had developed impractical Dominion Battlecruisers which were fast and strong but critically weak in armour. For several hours the two fleets clashed, even as the sun lowered and night fell upon the sea. Between them, each fleet had about two-hundred and fity ships.
As the battle unfolded, Jedi Master Kendoras and the Sith Lord Darth Tyrax challenged each other to single combat. Ignoring the advice of actual naval officers, both believed that the decisive engagement of the fleet battle would be an epic duel. Coincidentally, both were among the few Tephriki Jedi and Sith who wielded lightsabres. However, the two never got to fight each other. Kendonras commandeered a plane, but was shot down by flak, and Tyrax' boat was blown up by a torpedo. Their lightsabres sunk to the bottom of the sea.
Admiral Sophron was an old style commander who commanded from a 'sea star destroyer' and preferred 'gut instinct' to fancy technology...and so came to grief. His ship sailed ahead and had initial success with his heavy guns, using its massive firepower to blow holes through enemy forces. However, during the course of the battle the Republican Guard intervened with a squadron of submarines, accompanied by frogmen who used Trident Class Torpedoes. Without escorts, the Behemoth became a target for an opportunistic Republican Guard submarine, which struck it with two torpedoes. Not so honourably Admiral Sophron tried to evacuate, but he and his vessel were struck by Dominion bombers launched from the Divine Light of Ashla's Wrath.
Admiral Hippias' vessel was the second of the sea star destroyers to be lost in the battle, though the Leviathan was better commanded. Frans Hippias had kept his ships back and operated in a more controlled method than Sophron's squadron. His firepower with air support were key in destroying several Dominion ships including the Exemplar of Glorious Justice when it became trapped. However, its doom came through bad luck and bad training. Shells were supposed to be kept in sealed compartments and few kept together, but in the heat of battle these rules were neglected. Thus, when fortune landed a direct hit on one of the turrets of the Leviathan the damage should have been contained...but wasn't. With a terrible blast which actually destroyed a sloop nearby, the Leviathan sunk.
The battle was a Pyrrhic victory for the Dominion. Its ships stood bloodied, but having destroyed a substantial portion of Vaderite battleships. However, their own casualties were very high and the battle failed to be decisive. Moreover, the great storm that blew over the sea caused both sides to scatter. Modern warships could normally withstand a storm, but this one was preternatural, having been summoned by Vaderite sorcerers. The Divine Light was grounded on a reef, and thus became a sitting duck for Vaderite retaliation. The storm proved to be cataclysmic, destroying many ships on all sides. The mass deaths fundamentally altered the Skullwrack Shore, birthing a nexus steeped in the dark side.
When the Vaderites and the Dominion sent ships to search for survivors, they were assailed by storms and dangerous currents. Salvagers were attracted to the Skullwrack Shore by promises of loot, but they encountered malicious sandstorms and ghosts. The Republican Guard had a secret base nearby, but its task force had been badly decimated and it was ill-positioned to look for survivors. Nonetheless, some rescue attempts were made.
Zombies began to roam the shore. Dressed in the tattered uniforms of sailors who had perished in battle, they assaulted living foolish or brave enough to set foot here. The tragedy, bloodshed and despair also attracted Nether Ghouls. Bizarrely, animal life seemed to be doing just fine in this Force-forsaken place, though some animals were mutated by the nexus. Moreover, the deep waters became home to Force-mutated sea-life which had poisoned spines like corals.
The highly unpredictable currents and fog made traffic past the Skullwrack Shore into the Viridian Gulf incredibly difficult. What was left of the Dominion fleet in the Viridian Gulf was effectively bottled, but the Vaderites had been badly bloodied. What was supposed to be a decisive naval battle that could tip the balance in the northeast was just another brutal slaughter that achieved nothing...except produce more ghosts and misery.
