This Path We Tread

[Kainan Wolfe]

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Soundtrack: God of War​

Attn: [member="Ingrid L'lerim"]​

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• Fortress of Solitude
  Nelvaan, The Eternal Empire

The wind sliced viciously over the jagged peaks of the mountains, whipping up snow and hurling it at the valley below, each flake turned into a miniature projectile in the fierce gale. It was said that storms like these could strip skin and flesh from the bones of unwary travelers as swiftly as a pack of Tuk'ata Sith hounds would tear apart a Jedi. Such storms were frequent on Nelvaan, a harsh, icy world at the very heart of the Confederacy, constantly besieged by a wrathful climate which sought to erase all traces of life.

Yet, a few hardy things had managed to survive, clinging to the few oases of green pines that nestled amongst protective mountain chains around the equatorial belt. From that life, eventually emerged intelligence, although not civilization, at least nothing beyond a few small mining colonies and a scattering of primitive, impoverished villages. Not until about half a decade ago, that is.

It was during the Great Galactic War that Nelvaan was changed, drastically reshaped by that apocalyptic conflict. Few could have anticipated the transformation this forgotten planet would undergo and for which causes. For it was the collapse of the nation known as the Ancient Eye, thousands of light-years away, in Wild Space, that would lead to Nelvaan's rise. Millions upon millions died during the civil war and rebellions unleashed upon that region of space by power-hungry warlords and fanatical Lightside cults incited by several galactic powers which wished to see the budding Anubian empire destroyed.

It was then that the battered survivors of that nation embarked on the greatest exodus the galaxy had seen in centuries. Countless thousands of ships were gathered, from humble freighters, to massive engines of war. Within their cold, metallic hulls, they gathered up those who had stayed loyal and survive and then, the immense fleet made the long trek across space and into the resurgent Confederacy of Independent Systems.

An accord was struck and the survivors picked the icy world as their new home, a world befitting of their culture and beliefs, a harsh, cold world which showed no mercy to the weak. They brought with them technology, weapons and tools the likes of which the planet's natives had never been able of acquiring in vast quantities, before. But instead of subjugating the natives under their boot, the new colonists instead chose to mingle with them and out of this, a new civilization emerged. One unlike anything else the galaxy had ever seen before.

Tucked away between windswept mountains, stood a massive, icy fortress. Immense, crimson banners bearing the triskellion emblem of the Eternal Empire, hung from dagger-like towers which seemed to pierce the sky, the fabric engineered to withstand the planet's unforgiving weather. Blocky lettering adorned these banners, letters that were not Aurebesh, for the language they were written in was not Galactic Basic. The words and letters in which they were inscribed, were High Nelvaanian, an emergent language that was the result of a mixing of native Nelvaanian, with the languages brought in by the colonists. The words told stories of heroic battles, praising the virtues of loyalty, obedience and devotion to the state.

The fortress was called Solitude. It was the Eternal Empire's heart, holding the halls of government within its walls. It was a military stronghold, reflecting the values and beliefs of this new nation and it was said to be impregnable. It was also the seat of power of the planet's Emperor, a man named Kainan Malvern, who was better known as Darth Tacitus, a powerful, yet enigmatic Sith Lord who was known for his vicious cunning and his unwavering loyalty to his people.

It was here that the Emperor spent most of his days, carrying out the duties required of him by his station, bound in service to the nation as much as the lowliest of civilians. Usually, he allowed himself very little time for social visits and casual conversation, preferring to engross himself into his work, but occasionally he made exceptions for those he deemed capable and worthy, who's words and skills he deemed valuable above the rest. Today was one such exception, as the noble daughter of a Nelvaanian dynasty was visiting.

Upon arrival, the lady Ingrid would be escorted by a pair of armored soldiers, rifles held in parade positions, deadly longswords hanging from their belts. Hooded cloaks adorned their backs, the hoods fashioned out of the pelts of wolves, giving the eerily silent soldiers a feral, frightening appearance. Wolfguards, the Emperor's legendary personal guards, who were said to be fanatically loyal and devastating in combat. Such an escort was usually reserved for the highest officials of state. And for those whom Tacitus held in high regard.

They would guide the young woman through a vast network of corridors and turbolifts, not to the throne room, but to the Sith Lord's personal office, a large, yet sparsely ornamented room. Massive, wooden bookshelves lined the two walls perpendicular to the entrance, holding thousands upon thousands of real paper books. The only furniture was a massive, oaken desk, two chairs facing a third, high-backed one upon which the Emperor sat, his eyes reading through various reports on his desk, even as he wrote notes on his datapad. Behind him, there were massive, arched windows overlooking the snowy landscape beyond.

The ruler of the frozen world wore a military uniform adorned with nothing other than the insignia of rank. He wore no jewelry, or unnecessary decoration. Just a plain gray shirt, pants of the same color and knee-high, black leather boots. The thirty-or-so years of his life had not been kind to him. A jagged scar crossed the left side of his face, from cheek to eyebrow. Slitted, cat-like eyes scanned the various budged reports with a golden inner light, their intensity hinting at the cold, calculating intelligence which lay beyond. Shoulder-length hair was bound back, its color a metallic silver, as unnatural as his inhuman eyes. His fingers ended in long, deadly looking talons as hard as durasteel and sharp enough to shred someone to pieces. He had the look of a weathered veteran of a thousand wars.

Finishing his review of the report, he set it aside to look through the file of the woman whom he was expecting. A capable agent of the Confederacy, trained in the arts of intrigue and subtlety, with an impeccable lineage. This was bound to be an interesting meeting.

 

[Ingrid L'lerim]

Location: Fortress of Solitude, Nelvaan, The Eternal Empire
Equipment: Uniform, and one laser pistol, if the guard not take away from her
Actual look: Her real look, and she wears agent uniform.
Tag(s): [member="Darth Tacitus"]

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Nelvaan, Home. Maybe she don’t lives her anymore, since she went married, but still love this planet. This is where she was born and raised. She is not just citizen of the CIS, but the Eternal Empire too. Ingrid doesn’t know when she was here last time, but she missed her family and the planet too. She delight the planet and the city too. She liked the changes, the planet and the people who lives here deserves this. She was proud to be a citizen here. Ingrid thought the Nelvaan is the Jewel of the CIS. Maybe someone tell to her she is a completely idiot ‘cause these thoughts, but she doesn’t care.

This time – just as usual – she not came here as a noble woman, just visiting her parents. Her father still serve in the Eternal Empire’s army, and her mother retired from the field-agent office, now she doing a less stressful job. Every time when she comes home she is happy about the icy planet, just like her new home this is a frozen planet too. She likes the snow, the white mountains, frozen, snowy forest, frozen lakes and rivers. The cold planets make the people stronger than other planets, or moons.

Well she don’t want to be a noble this time, but she was not lucky. Somehow her arriving got into the emperor’s ear, and he wants to met her. She sighted when saw the soldiers at the airport. She don’t have a choice she needs to go with them. When she saw the banners, posters and advertisements with High Nelvaanian language, she smiled, she missed that too. Finally not the standard Aurebesh and galactic standard. She don’t remember when she used her native language last time. She taught it his husband, but they never use, just when they need to speak secretly among others. So she hopes now she can use it here.

This was the first time to her to see personally the Fortress of Solitude, not just holopictures. The fortress is impressed her, and she feel homelike warm under the soldiers lead her. The fortress reminds Ingrid to her husband’s castle. Tubrok likes too the wood architectural elements with steel, and paper books too. She admire the whole fortress. When they arrived the entrance of the office she wait until the soldiers notify the emperor about her arrive.

If she can go the emperor’s office, she will go, but after few steps later in the office she stopped. First, she bow before the emperor, after that she salute. She was a soldier too, so she picked up the most comfortable position. She took a soldier's 'at ease' position feet apart at shoulder width, arms folded behind his back. Ingrid was tall, thanks for her Valkyri ancestor, with ethereal presence. But because she is not hiding this times her moves tells about she is dangerous, deadly, trained for killing, seduce, or what she want. Her face just like a marble statue, her blue eyes are cold, just as Nelvaan’s coldest night. Ingrid wears an agent uniform now, not a noble dress. She was not except the Emperor’s inviting, but she was not embarrassed, just cold, martial and noble. Everything what the situation require from her.

< ”You want to see me, your highness! What can I do for you my lord?” > She asked, of course Ingrid use the High Nelvaanian not the galactic standard.

 

[Kainan Wolfe]

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Attn: [member="Ingrid L'lerim"]​

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• Fortress of Solitude
  Nelvaan, The Eternal Empire

The Emperor stood up as the woman was led into his office. Everything about her appearance and behavior, was that of a proper citizen of the Empire, from the uniform she wore, to her posture and salute. He nodded and returned her salute with one of his own, clenched fist over his heart, in the manner of the Nelvaanian military.

"//Welcome, Lady L'lerim,//" he answered her in High Nelvaanian. "//I thank you for accepting my invitation,//" the Emperor said as he removed a folder from a drawer in his desk, opening it with care, as if holding in his hand a precious object. Inside it, was a piece of parchment, of real paper, once again, instead of the datapads more commonly used throughout the galaxy. Paper documents were reserved for certain situations of great signifficance, almost exclusively.

"//I summoned you here because I wanted to talk to you about your family,//" he spoke to her as his eyes scanned through the document in his hands. "//Your House has stood by this nation and served it with loyalty and distinction for years. Your father is still an officer in the Eternal Army, recently promoted to the rank of general, I believe,//" he said as he looked up to regard her for a few moments. "//And you are following in his footsteps,//" the Sith Lord continued in an approving tone. "//I believe you have earned yourselves a just reward.//"

Setting the folder back onto the table, he made a beckoning gesture with his hand, summoning the attending protocol droid closer. In the machine's mechanical arms, was held a heavy longsword of Nelvaanian design, Tacitus' own. The Emperor reached out and drew the weapon from its scabbard, stepping around the desk to stand in front of his guest. "//Ingrid L'lerim, step forward and kneel,//" he instructed her. "//By my authority as Emperor of Nelvaan, I confer upon you the title of Baroness and with it, the city of Vengard and its castle. May your house rule it in the Empire's name for all eternity and may your service be long and honorable.//"

Tacitus was a hard man, ruler of a harsh nation, who demanded much of those who followed him. He punished those who deviated from the path laid out for them without mercy or hesitation. But he also rewarded those who dedicated themselves to their duty.

Of course, fate was not done with Ingrid that day. Deep beneath the office, in the vaults dug under the bedrock foundation of the icy fortress, the Emperor's dreaded sorcerers labored on their assigned task. At their Emperor's order, they had been experimenting with transferring the affinity to wield the Force from one individual to another. It was one of the most closely guarded secrets of the Wardens of the Shroud, part of theirs and Tacitus' secret plan to eventually strip the Jedi of their powers and ultimately remove the Lightside from the galaxy and extinguish it forever.

That, however, was still a very long way ahead. For now, what they had was a highly experimental and unstable spell that they were constantly tweaking and adjusting, trying again and again to obtain stable and predictable results. Once again, the sorcerers tried to channel the currents of the Darkside and alter the properties of the Force Drain that was being performed on the prisoner, a convicted criminal that had been using Mind Tricks to rob people of their valuables. They were supposed to transfer the criminal's powers onto a soldier who had volunteered for the risky procedure, but once again, the process became unstable, then flickered, then the sorcerers lost control. Then, disaster struck.

The currents of the Darkside were swept up in a maelstrom of energy. The prisoner died instantly, as did the volunteer and one of the sorcerers, recoiling from the uncontrollable mass of dark power and collapsing in a smoldering heap of ash. Now completely out of control, the built-up energy sought escape and surged upwards, through stone and metal, racing up and up, like a bolt of lightning.

Above the fortress, the sky darkened as the clouds were warped and twisted, pulled inward like a needle to a magnet. The cold fury of the Darkside grew more and more powerful, then slammed down, seeking to meet with the currents surging up from beneath the ground. Like a hammer, the Darkside slammed through the building's rooftop and through the floor, converging. And Ingrid was caught right in the middle.

 

[Ingrid L'lerim]

Location: Fortress of Solitude, Nelvaan, The Eternal Empire
Equipment: Uniform, and one laser pistol, if the guard not take away from her
Actual look: Her real look, and she wears agent uniform.
Tag(s): [member="Darth Tacitus"]

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That was the first time to Ingrid to met or saw his emperor face to face not just in the Holomedia, or propaganda posters, but she was pleased to find out the gossips are true. He looks and acting like a soldier. Diplomacy and shadow games, she was never can’t say no Darth Tacitus’s invitation. Moreover his ask were a demand. He stands over everyone else in the Empire.

< ”Nothing is more natural, your Majesty! “> she said.

Ingrid kept eye contact, when she can do this; she is not looks down what the emperor holds in his hand. She just wait and listening her sovereign’s words. When Darth Tacitus mentioned her family her heart missed one rhythm. On her face nothing looks because of this, but her hart beat faster. The family means everything to her. They were the most important thing in her life; even so she can sacrifice them, if the CIS or the Empire requires that.

But this time the Emperor surprised her. Promotion, to her father. She allowed yourself a very faint smiley just one heartbeat time. She was proud her father, he deserve this. Ingrid can’t wait to congratulation to him. But she still needs to wait, ‘because it seems the Emperor continues what he started. Ingrid surprised again, she followed her father’s footsteps? But how? Yes, she gained a military training, but she served the empire and the CIS other way.

But the Ministry of Secrets is still under establishing and they are under CIS’s authority not Eternal Empire. She can’t say anything why her Emperor’s said that, just one thing. He wants to her full loyalty. Maybe she needs to go back entirely to the Empire? Or maybe all of this happens because of her marriage? If the said she deserves this, who was Ingrid to say otherwise?

< ”You honored me and my family too, your Majesty! “> she bows.

She followed the instructions and step closer to the Emperor, and after that she kneel before the emperor and lowered her head. Baroness, on her own planet. She never thought that day will come. She was just an agent, an assassin, a killer, a ghost. That she become a noble was an accident, she thanks to her job. Vengard, the Jewel of the North, the most beautiful city on the planet. Ingrid was very thankful in this moment.

< ” - I'll serve you and the Empire with all my feat, strength and wisdom. I swear my lord, your trust was not misplaced! “> she said.

With all her feat, so if the Emperor needs a good assassin she will be there if Darth Tacitus needed Ingrid’s services not as a baroness, just a killer. After the promotion she stand up and she took a soldier's 'at ease' position again. Almost out of nowhere something happened at outside. She sense what's going on out there, at least what she can see. Nevertheless she was not force sensitive and not understand the Force, she not notice that this happening because of the Force. Ingrid thought it was just weather anomaly…

< ”Beside the lot of changing you try to terraforming the planet my lord? No… something is wrong… “> she said worriedly.

Ingrid has a bad feeling, she doesn’t know why, but she doesn’t like what she saw. When the Darkside slammed down and reach the office, if here this was invisible this energy hit Ingrid easily, because she doesn’t sense it. But if it was visible she try to avoid it, but she was too slow to his. The Darkside energy hit her, and flowing through her body. She never sense a pain like this before, just like this “thing” burned her body, but she not saw the flames.

She screaming painfully, Ingrid wants only one thing in this moment, to die. The pain is growing every single heartbeat. She looked the Emperor in panic. She doesn’t know he done this as a part of some test or everything was a lie and he just want to kill her, or just… That was her last thought before because of the pain and the shock she lost her consciousness…

 

[Kainan Wolfe]

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Attn: [member="Ingrid L'lerim"]​

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• Fortress of Solitude
  Nelvaan, The Eternal Empire

Such upheaval could occur at any moment, as to completely change the lives of mortals. It could happen any time, in the blink of an eye, chance, or perhaps the hand of fate, intervening to forever alter the course of events and change the course of the river of time. So had history twisted and turned, since the dawn of civilization in the galaxy and so it was now.

For several years, Tacitus and his sorcerers had been carrying out experiments to see if they could develop a means to transfer Force sensitivity from one individual to another. It had been a long, difficult project, the work carried out in secrecy, with many failures and no successes. Until now.

An accident, a random act of fate, had finally produced a breakthrough. It could have killed the one who was now lieing on a hospital bed, in Tacitus' private clinic within the Fortress of Solitude, or perhaps, it could have killed everyone who inhabited the isolated citadel. But it didn't. Instead, the experiments had finally bore fruit, managing to transfer the ability to touch and harness the Force, to one who did not have it, albeit unintentionally, as the red-haired woman had not been the intended recipient.

As the medical personnel had concluded that the woman had suffered no serious physical injury, the Emperor waited patiently for Ingrid to awaken, standing beside her bed. This never should have happened. In Tacitus' eyes, the ability to wield the Force was not a gift, but a burden, an unfair curse laid upon someone by the hand of fate.

These new abilities were something she would have to come to terms with and learn how to adapt to them. She would need to be trained to harness them and also to resist the subtle, manipulative pressure that the Force exerted upon all those who had the ability to wield them. The Force was a living thing and like all living things, it sought to dominate those it could influence. He would have to teach Ingrid how to resist that.

It would be a long, difficult road ahead. A journey that had to be followed through to its destination, otherwise the consequences would be impossible to predict.

 

[Ingrid L'lerim]

Location: Fortress of Solitude, Nelvaan, The Eternal Empire
Equipment: Uniform, and one laser pistol, if the guard not take away from her
Actual look: Her real look, and she wears agent uniform.
Tag(s): [member="Darth Tacitus"]

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It was the strangest thing she’d ever experienced. The Force; something happened with her, which might never have happened. This accident was unnatural. Ingrid never thought she’ll become a Force user one day. Actually she don’t know much about the Force, or Force users, only how to kill them. But the “tricks” are all strange to her. And she still not knows what happened to her; she just sleep, quietly and peacefully.

When Ingrid started waking up, the first thing what she sensed, it was her head, which wants to explode. When tried to open her eyes she only saw vaguely everything in the first moments. Needed to blink a couple to clear her vision. After that her first act was looking around in the room where she was. It was an infirmary and [member="Darth Tacitus"] was the last “thing” what she saw.

When it happens she “jumped one” in fright and she tried to wake up from the bed immediately. She was not feeling herself good, but she just can’t lay in her emperor’s presence. It doesn’t matter what happened with her; this was not appropriate. While she tried this, she get dizzy for the first time, caught nausea.

”My… my lord! I apologize for the most humble… I… I just…”

She bit the sentence, and the second try she finally stood out of bed. After that she tried to took a soldier's 'at ease' position, with not great success. She had to hold on to something what is near to her. Probably in the bed, or the wall. She felt huge shame ‘cause the situation. Her state and behavior was not worthy for a noble woman or a soldier, especially front of her liege.

”What happened? What happened with me, my lord? I feel so strange myself… I ask for permission to sit down my lord.”

If [member="Darth Tacitus"] grants his permission to the Witch, she sit down with relief. If not, she tried to stay on her feet with her all strengths. Whichever situation happened Ingrid hopes to get answers to her questions.