Private Two Little Shadows

[Dis]

Dis the Shadow(cat)
Shadowcat, explorer and wanderer​

Location: Unknown place
Equipment: N/A
Tag: Kal

Dis enthusiastically wagged the shadow tail and pointed its ear at the reassurance had received from Kal. It conveyed its gratitude to its peer because it was good for him that the other did not think it was stupid or similar because of its inexperience. In fact, the Shadowcat was also among the first Shadows to be created, so it too was “born” in the material world, although it was little there. And after the bad experience, mainly dealt with its shop or just collected all sorts of items. Kal could now see these “treasures” in the store as well.

Dis found what it was looking for and showed it to its Shadow peer. The Shadowcat had examined the find before, carefully; so as not to affect it. Knew it was a Sith object, and these kind of objects or other things, especially those were imbued with Dark side forces/energies, could have a special effect on others; not to pleasant ones. Now watched Kal with its curious white eyes as he examined the find. Nodded, realizing the Sith thing itself, but Kal didn't seem to know more than that, with more of his own experience. After the question, it conveyed a bit of confusion and again shame towards Kal.

~ Do you remember the Creator’s Chosen? Snow-white skin, red hair, blue eyes… but it was just an appearance because she’s more like us?~

Waited until Kal responded to this, however it didn’t really matter that much.

~ So… I followed her, the Chosen, as she went to the vault of an ancient Sith Lord in Zakuul with a man looking for something there. If I remember correctly, Vitiate had the vault when he was alive. There they found a room full of treasures, the man took a scroll, nothing else, and the Chosen called an archaeologists team to take out the other finds. This was there among others. But it was very strange… it was as if they hadn’t noticed this scroll was there with the other finds. They left this behind… After that I brought it here. Does this make sense? ~ asked with great curiosity, also conveyed this feeling to Kal.

 

[Kal]

Listening intently as the Shadowcat described the unusual way in which it was found, Kal eventually nodded.​

<I am aware of the one of which you speak, yes - and that is quite the unusual situation.> He could not claim to ever have been particularly interested in his creator's lovers, though he did know that particular one to have an above average interest in the mystical. He would have expected her to see to the cataloguing of items of power herself, though he supposed she might have been busy with whatever mortal rulers did all day.​

Yell at servants and order soldiers to die in their name, presumably.​

<It may very well have been altered to hide it from the eyes of the uninitiated.> Gliding around the thing, he peered at it intently, carefully reaching out with his other senses to study its mechanics. Surely there was something to learn, from how it accomplished such a feat. <True archaeologists love their documentation, I doubt they would leave this behind without some manner of trickery involved. Were any among them Force Sensitive?>​

Dis​

 

[Dis]

Dis the Shadow(cat)
Shadowcat, explorer and wanderer; Owner of the Cat’s Paw; Member of the Greystone Mercantile​

Location: Unknown place
Equipment: N/A
Tag: Kal

In fact, the Shadowcat did not intentionally follow the woman either, but heard from others that many artefacts are mentioned on that planet, special relics; Dis thought it might be worth following this. So it was just about to go when the Chosen and that other man showed up. It heard Adron Malvern talk about Vitiate's vault, there's something he's looking for, and then everything else can be kept by the Chosen or the Empress. Dis really stumbled into the company out of curiosity; there was nothing more to it. The Shadowcat didn't spy on anyone.

It pulled back a little so Kal could calmly examine the scroll, which the other Shadow apparently did. Dis also understood a few things, recognized things, it was not completely inexperienced, but this scroll showed beyond its science and knowledge. Nodded at what Kal had said, the shadows following its head movement. Tried to position itself so Kal could see it well because it wasn’t as big as an average Shadow in this Shadowcat form. It also had a humanoid form, and it was even the original, but Dis preferred this one.

~ I thought of something similar, but nowhere have I read or heard of such a thing. That’s why I was hoping you were on your travels. ~ also moved its ears and tail curiously. ~ But according to this, neither do you. So far, I didn’t even know that such a thing would be possible. ~

Dis nodded again, then had to think about Kal's question. After all, it watched them pretty much how they work, how they act. But no, didn't see a strange aura; something that has been talked about before. In the end, shook its head firmly, and the shadows became blurred for a few moments around the Shadowcat.

~ No, I didn’t sense it, I saw no one have such a bright aura. But like you said, they may have hidden this. If you want, I can show you the place, too, to see if I didn't notice something there. ~

 

[Kal]

<Hiding an item or being from the sight of others is doable, certainly, especially if they are not sensitive to the currents of the Force.>​

Listening to the Shadowcat's explanation in silence, Kal continued to study the item for a long while before arriving at some sort of conclusion. <Most Sith Scrolls have some sort of protection from the tampering of the "unworthy", this is no exception. It seems the creator opted for a subtler approach, for the most part, though I would not suggest making use of it until the incarnation has been analysed for any potential traps.>​

Turning towards his companion, Kal set out to explain his current hypothesis. <I believe it contains a modified Dwomutsiqsa incantation. A ritual to call forth a demon, traditionally to slay the summoner's enemies - the ancient Sith were ever-so-violent.>​

Not all that different from the modern Sith, in other words.​

Dis​

 

[Dis]

Dis the Shadow(cat)
Shadowcat, explorer and wanderer; Owner of the Cat’s Paw; Member of the Greystone Mercantile​

Location: Unknown place
Equipment: N/A
Tag: Kal

~ In the same way that we can be invisible? ~ asked with relayed curiosity.

The Shadowcat knew that they themselves could hide in the Force and from others, but not yet; that others are capable of this, it has not had so much experience to know this. But it really made sense for other people with a bright aura… the Force Users to be able to do it all. After some further investigation, Kal provided additional information. Dis had to agree that it really seemed like an elegant solution. Nodded at this and the shadows followed its movement but in the end, however, shook its head very firmly.

~ I don’t really try objects, artefacts. I’d rather just examine it, figure out what it was for, write this down before handing them over to Greystone. So I didn’t try the “all-seeing eye” amulets, nor the skull in which a demon is locked. You could talk to it though if you touch the crystal skull. I don’t have enough knowledge yet to dare to try to use these. ~

Confessed; Dis was not ashamed here; probably not many would try to use them. The Shadowcat was more careful, nodded to the next again, and then sent amused feelings to Kal. It had already seen a Smoke Demon up close, in exactly that vault, but it was probably not summoned based on this scroll.

~ There was a Smoke Demon in the vault, it was already there when the man and the Chosen arrived. The man may have been killed, but she easily sent the demon back here to the Netherworld. But I don’t think this scroll was used to summon it, because it seemed intact. ~

 

[Kal]

Tilting his head to his side, Kal seemed somewhat amused. <Not exactly, no. We're not quite physical, which makes some things easier and some things far harder; it is comparable to how a mortal Force User would turn themselves invisible, however. Unsurprisingly, it is more difficult for them.>​

Relaying his understanding, Kal seemed to acknowledge the Shadowcat's relationship while artefacts, very different from his own though it may be.​

<I see.> Examining the scroll with renewed curiosity, he eventually shook his head. <I still can't quite decipher its exact purpose - Sith incantations are known to me but hardly a speciality - but it is quite possible it's reusable. Or perhaps it is meant to summon something entirely different.> Goodness knew there were plenty of strange beings out there, in the infinite expanse of the Nether.​

Dis​

 

[Dis]

Dis the Shadow(cat)
Shadowcat, explorer and wanderer; Owner of the Cat’s Paw; Member of the Greystone Mercantile​

Location: Unknown place
Equipment: N/A
Tag: Kal

Dis continued to listen carefully to Kal's explanation. Actually saw the full meaning of what its Shadow peer told to the Shadowcat. For the Shadows, it really went easily, didn’t know how difficult it was for mortals, but since they weren’t immaterial, it was sure it was really harder.

~ I see, and it also seems logical based on your explanation. The immaterial is easier to hide than one that has a physical form. ~

Now it was like that, didn't even understand why it wasn't the one who realized it all, because it all seemed so logical. In any case, Kal proved to be a great teacher for Dis. Now it was the Shadowcat's turn to tilt its head to the side and keep an eye on Kal as he examined. Dis actually planned that if had more practice and experience, it would also catch trying the objects and artefacts to see what they were for. But the time has not yet come for this.

~ I hope that in time I will find someone who can help me develop in this field, then I will be able to examine the artefacts better than I am able to do now. ~ told me a little about its plans.

Nodded at the explanation, the Shadowcat thinking it might be hard to get an explanation for it all. And Kal didn't even know what the artefact might be; if they use it, it may be lost forever, but without it they will know nothing.

~ But you might even be doing something completely different… but I also came to the conclusion that you can summon something. But what, I don't know. Actually, I’m curious now and it would be nice to know before I hand it over to Greystone. What do you think you would help me to figure out what this might be? ~ asked enthusiastically and curiously at the same time as Dis conveyed this to Kal.

 

[Kal]

The Shadowcat had plans of its own, clearly; plans which Kal was interested in seeing carried to fruition. The more successful Shadows, the better.​

Remaining silent for a long moment as he considered Dis' request, he continued to eye the scroll thoughtfully. <I should be able to glean some insight into it, yes, though I cannot claim to be the equivalent of anything but the most novice of sorcerers.> It was an interesting field of study, certainly, but also a fiendishly complicated one. It was one thing to recognise the incantations of yore and another to bring them to bear.​

Summonings were particularly interesting to him, however, given that he himself had been the victim of one some time ago. Such an experience had provided plentiful motivation to read up on the subject, albeit with a focus on defensive uses. He knew how to draw forth a Shroud or two, however.​

<Let's see here... the first step should be translating the text, that will take a while, however - my Ur-Kittat is a bit rusty.>​

Dis​

 

[Dis]

Dis the Shadow(cat)
Shadowcat, explorer and wanderer; Owner of the Cat’s Paw; Member of the Greystone Mercantile​

Location: Unknown place
Equipment: N/A
Tag: Kal

When Kal offered the Shadowcat to help and try all this, it conveyed joy and gratitude to its companion. Didn’t have that much experience alone yet, but it might be later. In any case, it was always glad that if Dis could work with other Shadows,

~ I’m on that level for now too, and thank you! Maybe the two of us can get ahead as if we’re just trying alone. ~

Dis also loved teamwork, so it really had no objection to it. Especially since it hadn’t been involved in anything like this before. That’s why it was especially enthusiastic and curious. When Kal told them to start, Dis also went closer, by conveying curiosity and interest to its Shadow peer.

~ I didn’t speak the language perfectly either, but I have a dictionary like this somewhere, it might help us. ~

With this, Dis quickly found and brought tools on which they could record the translation. The translation took several hours to the two Shadows because it was not the easiest text, it was written in a strange dialect, and the text of the quote was most like a poem. The beginning of the scroll was not even a citation, but rather the story of how the demon was found - Kal was not mistaken - by the one who wrote the scroll. It seemed like a rather coloured, wildly romantic story about the release of a princess guarded by a dragon. During the incident, the princess died and her soul moved into the world of shadows, from which the brave knight later summoned her, but she had already returned as a shadow creature and she was not benevolent anymore. That is why the knight closed her and left this scroll as a warning. Of course, there was also magic text and instructions on how to summon the princess again and the two Shadows were able to translate that as well.

~ Strange and interesting! ~ also conveyed these feelings to Kal.

 

[Kal]

The translation was a lengthy affair, even working together, but not quite lengthy enough to justify bringing in an expert - he needed the practice, after all, especially in regards to the older, more obscure dialects. Modern ur-Kittat was all well and good, but he most frequently encountered the language in ancient ruins and dusty tomes and so that was where his specialisation ought to lie.​

<A princess of the Sith, then? How unusual, one can only assume she was quite fearsome even before her death.> That was the nature of the ancient (or, for that matter, modern) Sith, after all. A hard people shaped by hard worlds. Not that he could exclude the possibility that the Sith had simply been the ones to record this supposed event, or that it had been written by others in their language.​

Completing the summoning was one way to find out, certainly, but that sounded a bit too dangerous.

<This story seems a strange fit, for the ancient Sith, but I suppose it cannot all be conquests and betrayal.>

Dis​

 

[Dis]

Dis the Shadow(cat)
Shadowcat, explorer and wanderer; Owner of the Cat’s Paw; Member of the Greystone Mercantile​

Location: Unknown place
Equipment: N/A
Tag: Kal

Translation really wasn’t an easy task, but it was solved. However, the story was much more interesting and the Shadowcat was also found to be very fascinating. With the language, Dis was similar to Kal. The modern ur-Kittât went much better for it than the older one. Dis still used the modern age regularly, and the old was less well known. The story really wasn’t ordinary, but it was fun of its kind. Especially the fact that even it saw how coloured the story is.

~ In all, I heard of a “Sith” princess or empress who was very fearsome in her life. She even fits just that. ~

Dis didn't know why, but the Shadowcat thought Kal knew the story, too. But it really had no doubt that the princess could have been scary anyway. Also nodded that it really fits strangely into the ancient Sith history. But had to agree that not every tale, legend, or event could be about conspiracy and conquest. They also had to do something other than these at times.

~ I mentioned that I also found this in Vitiate, or Valkorion's vault. I read that he had a daughter with such tremendous force that even he was afraid of her. He closed her, experimenting on her so that the princess could not use her power. But I know she died differently and I've never heard of another princess. ~

This was not so surprising, there was too much time and there was little remaining knowledge. But it was certain that it would be dangerous to summon this princess. She is certainly not like the bureaucrats.

~ Do you think Vaylin could be the princess? ~

 

[Kal]

Bobbing his head thoughtfully, Kal seemed to consider the merits of the Shadowcat's suggestion. <I see. If so, it could certainly have to be an abstraction; while I cannot claim to know the details of Vitiate and his reign, I know him to have been a being of great power and cruelty. A devourer of worlds and dominator of men.>

Waving a shadowy hand, his amusement was visible. <It seems difficult to speculate without further information, really. What we translate as a princess could easily be another female noble of some rank - and even if it is correctly translated, it could be an abstraction or a reference to the kin of beings like Adas. The truly great conquerers Sith dub royalty.>

Without their near-constant telepathic exchange, he might have seemed dismissive or uncaring, but Dis would not that could not be further from the truth. More information was needed to extrapolate a concrete answer, but that did little to curtail Kal's famous curiosity.

<I wonder if it might be possible to learn more from the object itself...>

Psychometry was known to him, but hardly a speciality. Perhaps he could manage, or perhaps they ought to consult an expert.

Dis​

 

[Dis]

Dis the Shadow(cat)
Shadowcat, explorer and wanderer; Owner of the Cat’s Paw; Member of the Greystone Mercantile​

Location: Unknown place
Equipment: N/A
Tag: Kal

Dis nodded at Kal's words; in fact, after exactly that much time, they could not know exactly. There were ways to find out, but all of them were dangerous, so the Shadowcat didn’t even try them. There was plenty enough recently when excavation workers killed each other because they touched one of the objects. And, as they said earlier, Dis didn’t have enough experience yet to have that much courage.

~ That’s pretty much all I know about him, too, and that he had three kids. When I was in Zakuul… that is, afterwards, I read a few things about it that were available to me. ~ explained with great enthusiasm.

It may not have been a happy story, but it was intriguing and interesting nonetheless. Dis nodded again, the shadows following their movement. They even thought for a moment, they were thinking in a similar picture here as Kal.

~ It is possible… it would be good to know how old the scroll is. I know there were Sith kings long ago, right in the time of Adas for example. But I have not read or heard anything about princes, princesses, or the ruling class in the traditional sense. Only about the Sith Lords. Could it be that we translated it wrong? ~ inquired curiously and conveyed this feeling towards Kal.

Dis wasn’t a maximalist, so they wouldn’t have been bothered that they made a mistake. If they realize this, they can learn. The Shadowcat always tried to stay optimistic. If they had known, they would have swallowed a very big one for Kal's next idea. So they just froze and pulled their ears back like they were scared and worried. Dis knew exactly what their Shadow peer was thinking; also knew the psychometry.

~ Is that a good idea? At the last excavation, after touching the crystal skull, the workers killed each other… I don’t want you to get in trouble. ~ still conveyed concern to their companion.

 

[Kal]

<Could we have made a mistake? Definitely. We are, after all, dealing with an obscure dialect without the aid of a true expert.> Thoughtful as ever, he considered the prospect before nodding to himself. <It may be a princess, or a female of some rank, or one from a notable bloodline, or it may be an allegory for something else.>

The Sith were not famed for their honesty. The story may even be entirely made up; fiction applied to a functional or not incantation, perhaps so as to confuse thieves.

Noting the Shadowcat's hesitation, Kal remained quite unconcerned, drifting closer to the scroll. <Oh, not to worry, I am moderately experienced in handling artefacts. Besides, virtually all such countermeasures are made to ward off fellow organics.>

Reaching out, he let a shadowy hand drift along its edge, pinpricks of white light growing brighter in his mock sockets. For a long moment he said nothing before snapping back to attention. <It is old, certainly. Valuable too - blood has been spilled and lives claimed over it... or perhaps just near it. Hard to say, I'm no expert.>

Dis​

[

 

[Dis]

Dis the Shadow(cat)
Shadowcat, explorer and wanderer; Owner of the Cat’s Paw; Member of the Greystone Mercantile​

Location: Unknown place
Equipment: N/A
Tag: Kal

When Kal started talking, they thought for a moment that their Shadow peer would say they were certainly not mistaken, but in the end, the other Shadow was of the same opinion as Dis. That they probably made a mistake. The Shadowcat was glad to work with someone who was not arrogant, but, like them, admits that something is beyond their knowledge. In this way, it was possible to develop better.

~ I agree, even if they had a common fixed language. But that, too, would have changed a lot in that time. I mean, even though we speak the modern language well, possibly the contemporary version of Vitiate, there is still a lot to go back in time to this scroll. ~

This made this very difficult; they nodded to the next, and the shadows danced around them.

~ Yes, it can be much more accurate that way. Although, do I remember well that they used to live in tribes? It could have been the leader of one of the tribes, or one of the leader’s daughters… ~ thought about it and guessed.

They also knew that it could really be anything, a lie, a fairy tale, a colored story. Or the owner just didn’t want anyone other than him to command the demon. Kal's words still didn't reassure the Shadowcat but they just watched in silence as their Shadow companion or peer used the scroll. Luckily, he didn’t have any trouble, but they didn’t know much new information. Dis thought after a nod, then suddenly remembered something.

~ And… if we asked Zahra? Many kiffar have had this ability since birth. See if she can help us! ~ brought up the opportunity enthusiastically.

 

[Kal]

Head bobbing in affirmation, Kal was happy to revisit Red Sith history. It was quite a fascinating topic, after all. <Oh yes, there have been many times in their history in which all attempts at centralisation have fallen away for small-scale tribalism - a consequence of their militant nature, no doubt. A strong leader is usually needed to unite them.>

The same could be said of the modern Sith, truth be told.

Considering the Shadowcat's suggestion for only a moment, Kal was quickly swayed. <Very true! She's been helping me hone my own aptitudes in that field, you know. I have no doubt she would do a better job than I at gleaning its secrets.>

In that manner, anyway. Zahra was a very specialised being, after all - all about the material world, about shaping it and studying it. The deeper mysteries was not her forte.

Kal, on the other hand, could rarely be dragged away from mystical anomalies.

Dis​

 

[Dis]

Dis the Shadow(cat)
Shadowcat, explorer and wanderer; Owner of the Cat’s Paw; Member of the Greystone Mercantile​

Location: Unknown place
Equipment: N/A
Tag: Kal

Dis had already seen the scroll quite a bit, though not deciphered, but they stepped back a bit and let Kal investigate it further. And Kal confirmed what the Shadowcat knew was that the Sith had really been a tribal society in the past. They could agree perfectly with the strong leader, as far as they could see, it was really necessary. That's why they nodded at Kal's words.

~ They are combative and arrogant. At least the majority. I believe that because of their huge ego, they also need a strong leader who can control and lead them. ~ they thought “in loud” because they weren't entirely sure about it.

The Shadowcat became very enthusiastic when Kal agreed that they could ask Zahra if she would help them decipher this artefact. Unfortunately, Dis had no better idea than the woman, and even if the kiffar couldn’t help, maybe she knew someone who could. After all, the woman was better known in the material world than probably both Shadows. It was for this reason that they conveyed enthusiasm towards Kal.

~ If you allow me, I'll put it in a container so we can ship the scroll in it! ~ asked Kal.

Since this required the scroll, they put the scroll in a smooth energy field. If they had to go far, they would go to this one of the vehicles they made to go with it. If the woman was here nearby, they went on foot and put the energy storage in a bag. Because they had met Zahra many times, they knew where to go. When they arrived, Dis enthusiastically greeted the woman as they conveyed the same feeling to her.

~ Hello Zahra! Kal and I would need your help if you have time for us! This time, unfortunately, I didn’t bring you any interesting object, just one… ~ they explained.

 

[Kal]

Having learned all they could on their own, it was time to consult the experts.

Expressing his agreement, Kal simply drifted along as Dis ensured the safety of the scroll then loaded it into one of its strangely feline transportation-constructs; very different from the transports favoured by mortals, but quite useful in this realm.

Without too much of a delay, they found themselves in one of Zahra's workshops, a long, angular chamber whose walls were crowded with numerous instruments of the craft while the floorspace remained clear but for tidy tables.

"Ah. I was not expecting guests." Eyes hidden within a set of elaborate goggles though they were, her interest was quite apparent in her shifting pose.

"... your findings are usually quite worthwhile, of course. Very well."

It was not always easy to stir Greystone's Chief Artificier from her work, especially work she had chosen for herself, but the prospect of new discoveries tended to do the trick - as did the small list of individuals she considered tolerable.

Dis​

 

[Dis]

Dis the Shadow(cat)
Shadowcat, explorer and wanderer; Owner of the Cat’s Paw; Member of the Greystone Mercantile​

Location: Unknown place
Equipment: N/A
Tag: Kal

They soon found the person they were looking for, and thanks to the mount, they quickly got there. Since Zahra was here, Dis took the scroll out of storage and floated it close to the woman with telekinetics. Because the kiffar agreed to help, they conveyed joy and enthusiasm to the woman.

~ Not so long ago, I found this scroll in one of Vitiate’s vaults on the planet Zakuul. It’s special because non-Force Sensitive researchers didn’t notice it, so I brought it up. We’ve been trying to interpret with Kal for the last few hours, but we haven’t gotten much with it. ~

They began to explain to the woman, waited a few moments, then continued.

~ The text is difficult because it is very ancient. It was hard for us to translate, the inscription is like a fairy tale about a knight and a Sith princess who became a demon. This can summon her, we think. Kal and I are wondering what this object might actually be, but we have reached the limit of our abilities and are not coping with it. ~

Here, in the end, they conveyed sadness to the woman, then continued more enthusiastically.

~ Can you help us decipher the artefact?~ they finally asked.

 

[Kal]

It was difficult to get a read on Teph, not least due to her habit of wearing a strange set of seemingly opaque goggles around the workshop, runes glowing a soft red on their edge. Those very same goggles turned toward the scroll, eying it silently.

Only once the Shadowcat finished its explanation, she spoke.

"I see." Pausing only briefly to consider its question, she continued. "I should be able to, yes. Studying it is likely to take some time, but I can't deny that it's interesting. Hmm. Would probably want to check for traps or curses first..."

Without much further ado, the alchemist got to work, examining the artefact from multiple different angles and with various artefacts before giving it more personal attention, having apparently satisfied herself as to its safety.

All the while, she scribbled increasingly elaborate notes to herself.