We All Thaw This Coming | ORC Invasion of Rhen Var

Darth Carnifex · May 11, 2019

Armored footfalls rung out through the corridor, heralding the Emperor's passing as he stormed through the fortress. Ten crimson-armored Crownguard marched behind him, silent and in perfect steplock synchronization. Each one held a lightsaber pike against their chest, angled at a left-facing forty-five degree angle and inert. As they marched through Dreypa's Peak, the Emperor passed by many Imperial Legionnaires and their commanding officers scrambling to contain the chaotic onset of unidentified vagrants that were converging on the fortress.

Prior to the discovery of the artifact buried beneath the ice some distance away, the fortress maintained a permanent garrison of around one thousand Legionnaires and their support troops. Yet, with the Emperor in temporary residence for the duration of the excavation, the garrison had swelled as a force of Blackblade Guard had descended upon the structure and maintained an omniscient presence.

Now those forces marshaled into action.

"Inform Lord General Scipio Alta to execute any trespassers, jam non-Imperial communications, and deploy the Legion." spoke the Emperor to a military adjutant, "I want all halls and entrances covered, and raise the shield!" The adjutant bowed deeply at the waist and turned away to begin relaying the Emperor's commands to all Imperial personnel of significant rank, which in turn would inform the subordinates under them, and so on and so forth. From the literal peak of Dreypa's Peak, a blue energy was ejected into the sky and began to descend across the landscape, a domed shield bubble encapsulating the entire fortress and surrounding mountain for about one hundred square kilometers. The sight of delayed drop ships and pods crashing against the shield wall gave the Emperor some measure of satisfaction.

Once that was done, the Emperor regarded his companions. "The shield traps the trespassers in with us, my friends. They have nowhere to scurry now." He then turned to continue on his determined march across the Fortress, his senses reaching out to grope whatever sensations he could latch onto.

Whoever fell into his sights, he would be upon them shortly.

[member="Rian Taske"] | [member="Ladro"] | [member="Arcanus Sunstrider"] | [member="Kingsley"]

[member="Celessa"]

Darth Voracitos · May 11, 2019

Enemies: [member="Argis Volmir"] (Dance Partner), [member="Coren Starchaser"], [member="Zak Amroth"], [member="Racket"], [Trash Family: [member="Yula Perl"], [member="Zef Halo"], [member="Mav Vohaloveer"]]
Allies: [member="Kyrel Ren"], [member="Taeli Raaf"], [member="Adenn Kyramud"], [member="Romi Jade"]
Followers: The Coven of Gluttony, including the Lady Envy, and the Savant Wrath

The mundane and mortally concerned coveted the use of the material plane's resources to transport them and protect them from harm, while also relying on the same resources to tear down their enemies, who also often protected themselves. It was a constant struggle, a constant evolution of arms and armor, offensives and stalwart defenses. At one time, Voracitos had similar concerns, allowing them to cloud his mind to the point of commissioning useless structures of such massive scale as to dwarf any other vehicle being constructed at its time. He once believed in the value of technology, the wealth of "reality".

Now, though? Reality was whatever Voracitos wanted it to be. The mundane and the mortal were beneath the concerns of the spiritual master of the dark side, he who commanded a thousand undead sith spirits, having wallowed in the wastes of the Netherworld for years in search of some missing piece of his soul. Allowing his hundreds of servants to embellish themselves with strength, by borrowing those spirits bound to the Sith Sorcerer, had proved useful in allowing the Dark Lord to collect various artifacts of the force across the galaxy. Thus, it should be no surprise the Sith Lord had come to Rhen Var with some of his best and brightest Hungered Vassals, and their varied Starved Subjects, to hunt for the Fell Star. Did he come by ship? Did his troupe of Nethermancers glide across the frozen wastelands by vehicle transport?

No, they were beyond the material, and the only vehicle Voracitos required was that of the force. A hundred tears in reality accumulated on the surface of the frozen planet, just outside the Lost Jedi City, before the Master of Gluttony apparated from the air, with the haunted screams of Chaos echoing out from the portals which he opened, before they promptly closed. Dozens of his servants surrounded him in a procession, tailing his approach to the Lost City.

In his way however, was a strange purple blight. The creature stood over the crumpled body of a Sith Imperial Legionnaire, in the middle of a scouting party. The soldiers where just as surprised by the enigmatic arrival of Voracitos and his kin, as they were by the sudden drop of [member="Argis Volmir"]. Obviously, without hesitation, they open fired on the creature which was not the Triumvir of Knowledge or his servants of the dark side. Though Voracitos sense they would be of little concern to the - Dashade, he was able to identify it now, though it was difficult to pin down - as the Sith Lord had begun to familiarize himself with the presence of beacons in the light side of the force, of which the Jedi stood for.

"Ignore the Jedi as best you can, Vassals, you know your mission. I will have a taste of this one..." Voracitos smiled, as his Coven attempted to charge past the battlefield into the Lost City, utilizing a variety of means in the force, from speed, stealth, to unrelenting brute force. The Coven was diverse lot with many skills...

Jend-Ro Quill · May 11, 2019

[SIZE=11pt]

[/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]Dreypa's Peak [/SIZE]
[SIZE=11pt]Operation Bangarang[/SIZE]
[SIZE=11pt]Allies: [member="Sol Stazi"] [member="Kyle Farnes"] [member="Arcanus Sunstrider"] [member="Tera Highwind"] [member="Janick Beauchamp"][/SIZE]
[SIZE=11pt]Enemies: [member="Darth Morbus"] [member="Darth Carnifex"] [member="Ao Xian"] [member="Kaine Australis"] [member="Ahani Zambrano"][/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]Quill blinked and looked up from the hardened Blackblade trooper he'd just given a new perspective on life. The air felt heavy, and motion at the corner of his eye turned out to be a bubble shield deploying around the fortress. “Radius eight or ten kilometres,” he mumbled. A stray drop pod smashed against the shield high overhead. He patted the sobbing trooper's helmet awkwardly and sighed. “Bad day today.” [/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]A turadium door slid shut and he winced at the noise. He shook snow off his coat and hair. The inside of the fortress, at least here by the outer walls, wasn't much warmer than the incipient storm. No windchill, though, so that was something. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]In the back of his mind he could feel a capital-P Presence searching for him or people like him. He kept his touch light in the Force, kept his presence comparable to how he entered a room: unassuming, uncomfortable with attention, easy to ignore. It wasn’t full-blown Force stealth but it ought to work reasonably well unless a real tracker came for him specifically - or unless someone serious bumped into him in the halls. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]Considering he had his lightsaber on, blue glow gleaming off turadium, the latter might be the more likely scenario. He couldn’t very well stay unnoticed, much as he’d like to. Half the point of bringing Jedi along was to draw and divide Sith attention while the specialists did their work. Sooner or later, he’d find someone or someone would find him, and then the day would probably entrench itself as a bad one. He didn’t look forward to hurting anyone, for one thing. Getting hurt, also not ideal.[/SIZE]

WolfMortum · May 11, 2019

Objective: Operation Bangarang.

Allies: Outer-Rim Coalition & The Jedi Alliance.

Opposition: The Sith Empire, [member="Strider Garon"] & Friends.

Inventory: Jedi Commander Battle-Armor, Lightsabers of Svivren, Defender of the Light, Promissium Annulos.

Together, the Jedi Master Veiere Arenais and the Antarian Rangers who had volunteered to join him for this assignment all stepped out into the cracked permacrete surface from which their drop-pod had impacted and caused a crater around in it's rather unsettling landing; the flare of green light and the hiss of his blades ignition signalling the entrance of the Silver Jedi into the frey, blaster-fire already zipping back and fourth between their group and those hostile imperial forces who sought to deter their further approach and infiltration.

Reaching out to throw several of the enemy troops back with a burst of telekinetic energy, Veiere's gaze was soon drawn skyward in the break, catching the activation and deployment of the defensive shield, a wall of powerful energy for which he assumed would detain any further coming and going from the facility. "That's going to be a problem, Master Arenais" came the wise and ever so obvious words from the commanding officer of the Antarian commitment; their greatest priority now in the battle over Rhen Var now requiring them and any allies capable of bringing it down.

"We know where we're needed then" Veiere acknowledged and nodded firmly to the soldier, moving in tow as the Rangers began to make their push into the facility. All around him the Darkside swelled with the presence of the Sith Empire; Veiere could almost visualize the presence of some very significant warriors on the ground with them. "Eye's on the prize, Commander" Veiere encouraged the CO as they moved to the entrance and paused, Ranger's ahead of them seeking to gauge the enemy presence before signing for them to continue; "We're in the thick of it now".

Darth Morbus · May 11, 2019

Allies: [member="Darth Carnifex"] [member="Ao Xian"]

Enemies: [member="Jend-Ro Quill"]

Approaching Fortress Exterior;

Being drawn by the dark side...

At the disgusted and pointed glare from the other Sith nearest Darth Carnifex, Lord Ao, it was all the pale Twi'lek could do not to laugh aloud. Instead, Morbus lowered his head, hunched somewhat from his full height, as he motioned with a hand in the Emperor's wake. Yet, he couldn't help himself, it was a moment too good to pass up, as he muttered in a coarse voice to the female.

"Ki'uk ar dan, cla, la'ak ea..." Morbus said, as his native Ryl was followed by hissing laughter, which prompted a small coughing fit. He raised one hand, using the tattered robe over his forearm to catch the spittle that escaped his cracked and chapped lips. "After you, after you."

The situation had developed, with the diseased Twi'lek listening as the Emperor commanded his troopers. Such forceful decision-making, carefully considered strategies considered and verbalized, with such a practiced ease. It was something to behold, a skill Morbus had never quite managed to attain, especially considering his present state. Apparently few respected a barely breathing corpse when power and authority were expected. Yet, few knew what he was truly capable of, so they would keep.

With his cane clacking, steps more shuffle than footfall, Morbus began to fall behind. Given Morbus' slower pace, he found that sight of his allies began faltering. Every so often the Sith Lord caught their passage as they rounded a corridor ahead, or felt a brush against his mind from the Sith Emperor, but soon enough the Crownguard and fellow Sith had continued onward, leaving the Twi'lek to follow in their wake.

Morbus clucked in annoyance. Still, it wasn't difficult to pinpoint the location of Carnifex. It wasn't as though the Emperor was hiding his presen-- Morbus froze, his pointed teeth chattering as he keened his head sideways, as though listening to something in the far distance. The normally yellow eyes glazed over, turning pale, as the Force filled the Sith's mind with a vision..

~ Blades clash. Blue on red. Gray hair meets gray skin. Pain, excitement, injury, exhilaration, all these things ahead, in the hallway of orange lights. ~

Suddenly, Morbus' head snapped upright from its tilt, his eyes clear. The Sith was familiar with the place. He had witnessed the number on the wall of the corridor, seeing the level. It seemed the mystical energy that surrounded all beings wished for the Twi'lek to meet a particular individual? Was it the dark side? Was it testing him, as he felt it did every day of his pain-wracked existence?

We shall see, we shall see, yes.

Now with a new path before him, Morbus gave up his futile pursuit of the Emperor and his guard. They were too far away to catch anyway. Instead, this direction provided through his vision seemed far more interesting, as if there was one thing Morbus thoroughly enjoyed it was a chance to duel another. In fact, the Sith's lekku began twitching in anticipation, the abnormally thin extensions from his skull stinging with the movement. Under developed and damaged from the gray rot he suffered, were the lekku not so vital to his life, Morbus supposed he might have removed them by now.

With a heavy lean on his walking cane, Morbus continued to make his way toward the corridor he had seen in his mind. Ahead, the orange lighting flickered, as the shielding activated and began drawing on more power from the facility. By the time the Sith had arrived, he was breathing sharply, his lungs wheezing. Still, the opportunity to engage another in a battle of lightsabers allowed the Twi'lek to push the pain and discomfort down into himself, to better fuel his power to come... and as Morbus came to a stop, cane planting firmly in the middle of the hallway, both hands resting on the twisted wooden handle, he saw it.

Blue light.

Morbus' head reared back, as he let out silent laughter, looking more like he was gagging. Then the Sith snapped his head down again, glaring at the individual that approached from around the corridor corner ahead.

"Yes, yes, come and introduce yourself, Jedi..."

Griet van Vliet · May 11, 2019

Objective: Scum and Villainy
Equipment: In signature
Allies: ORC [member="Cyran Vaas"] [member="Andan Solo"] [member="Kingsley"]
Enemies: Sith

Before departing for Rhen Var

A few days ago

Poodoo: even though the Aing-Tii emissary was much clearer than usual from them, the cold, hard truth was that it was a race against the clock, she thought, while expecting that it was a bad omen on their part. Apparently a treasure hunt on Rhen Var was important enough to call the Coalition to arms? I better hope there are sufficient finder fees to make up for the lost revenues in audit fees or tax return prep fees to make this trip worthwhile. Or perhaps it was a rare resource that the ORC needed that was found on that planet. But even if the FMV (fair market value) of what lies beneath Rhen Var's surface was lower than expected by faction leadership, success in this operation would mean a lot for getting potential Aing-Tii clients to the accounting firm. Until now, the firm has almost no market penetration with the Aing-Tii. In fact, these days, she seemed to engage in activities other than accounting only in support of major ORC operations. Before she could make landfall, she needed to make sure the adaptative camo was functional, and then she would be made to look like a snow drift or a wind gust. If it worked. She was more confident in her armor or weapons to be operational, especially her heavy repeater, Section 85. But she made sure her lightsaber worked, too, even though she preferred to fight at range than at point-blank. Because, in her mind, "the Sith Emperor and his agents", as alluded to by the Aing-Tii emissary, tended to operate at melee range, or perhaps within Force-lightning range, which amounted to point-blank range to her with the majority of those agents.

Rhen Var

Present time

When Griet arrived on Rhen Var, it appeared that the battle already began in the planet's orbit, and that a few additional operatives, including that one Force-signature she would be able to distinguish without fail - Janick - already made landfall elsewhere on the planet. But since she primarily practiced accounting on Talz worlds, the cold was not a big deal to her. Thus as soon as she entered a TT-48, chosen because it could carry a team of tomb raiders and any potential artifacts it can carry, Griet activated the adaptative camo on her armor. However, she could also sense that the Sith got busy to deal with the first wave of ORC forces, so maybe she could brave the snow drifts (and perhaps storm) to get to the vault that she suspected held the treasure the Aing-Tii alluded to. And yet she was led to think that perhaps using the assault as cover for entering the vault was not the best idea, plus she doesn't feel as if she could take the point just yet, not until she is forced to take them on at a rather short range. Almost there, she thought, while the shield was raised near her.

Jend-Ro Quill · May 11, 2019

Dreypa's Peak
Operation Bangarang
Allies: [member="Sol Stazi"] [member="Kyle Farnes"] [member="Arcanus Sunstrider"] [member="Tera Highwind"] [member="Janick Beauchamp"]
Enemies: [member="Darth Carnifex"] [member="Ao Xian"] [member="Kaine Australis"] [member="Ahani Zambrano"]
Engaging: [member="Darth Morbus"]

“...come and introduce yourself, Jedi.”

Quill turned the corner to a wide hallway filled with orange lights, each one a holo of some Sith or other. A skeletally thin Twi'lek with a cane was the source of the voice. The Twi’lek had no chin whatsoever. Those leathery, worm-like lekku twitched, and Quill twitched too.

“Quill,” he said, which was nearly as verbose as his introductions ever got. He hefted the lightsaber but didn't take a stance. Knowledge and defense, never attack.

He sniffed the air, trying to disentangle the smells in the corridor. A hint of gangrene, maybe? Unfamiliarity with dental care? Some people had the mutated gift for smelling certain kinds of illness diagnostically; Quill didn't, but even so, the place or the man smelled distinctly unwell. And though he'd probably come to fight, he was, first and foremost, someone in need.

Quill chewed on his words for a second. Jedi warriors like [member="Coren Starchaser"] might yell at him if they ever found out, but-

“You need a doctor?”

He refrained from adding ‘because you smell sick and your chin is missing,’ as people tended to take that kind of thing as an insult rather than a helpful observation.

Darth Morbus · May 11, 2019

Nearby Allies: [member="Darth Carnifex"] | [member="Ao Xian"]
Engaging: [member="Jend-Ro Quill"]

The Orange Corridor;

Facing the Jedi...

Morbus smiled, pointed teeth showing between dry lips. It was refreshing, finally encountering a Jedi - or at least someone of the light side persuasion - who was wiling to engage in conversation, such as it was. The past had usually involved being attacked outright, ironically showing a very non-Jedi mentality in the Sith Lord's humble opinion. Far too many Force users simply wanted to fight, with little-to-no relationship building. Short as it was.

"Ahh, Do dey, T'una," The Twi'lek chuckled, nodding his head slowly, his neck skin wobbling. "Apologies. T'una is Quill, in my native tongue... are you familiar with Ryl?"

Inclining his head, Morbus began to walk slowly forward. His footfalls were heavy, leather boots mostly dragging along the floor, as he moved the walking cane before him. The dark wood appeared as though something had taken a stick and continuously twisted it, before hooking the top into a handle. The other sentient, who looked almost as equally bedraggled as the Sith, at least in terms of clothing, raised a concern about Morbus' health.

"Hah, hah," The Sith chortled, wheezing. "No, no, no... a doctor will not cure what I suffer from, T'una. I am stricken with a disease of which there is no cure, one that rots the body on the outside, while putting strain on the inside. A ch'sei hus - a death sentence - as basic speakers would say."

Midway down the corridor, standing beneath one of the glowing orange panels overhead, Morbus' smile grew. He eyed the Jedi's weapon, casting a carefully trained eye of a purveyor of artifacts along the hilt. It seemed a functional weapon, one designed by a practical individual, a means to an end to have it should it be needed. Not necessarily simple, but certainly not as outlandishly flourished as some designs could be.

"You must excuse me, it is not often I get to bua'a - to duel," Morbus continued, his voice lowering into a coarse tone. He reached within his robes, producing a dark, curve-handled lightsaber hilt that rested comfortably in his long, spindly fingers. "Ji anticipation, ji onhtesaha, eti aan tlahnian cla su'si..."

With a simple press of the weapons activator, an uncommonly thin red blade spurted into existence. Morbus, by this time, was visibly shaking, his yellow eyes focused and staring at Quill like an unblinking statue. From his left hand, the walking cane was dropped, to clatter to the ground. A moment passed as the Sith Lord caught his balance, feet spreading outward to shoulder width, as he held the lightsaber in both hands before him. He adopted a stance of Form V, Djem So, focused on power attacks and counterattacks...

"Shall we, Jedi?"

Dax Perl · May 11, 2019

Location: Rhen Var, Orbit

Allies: [member="Kimiko Taiyo"], [member="Jerec Asyr"], [member="Racket"], ORC

Hostiles: [member="Vanessa Vantai"], TSE

Objective: Support ORC personnel

Even the filtered air aboard the Verdict was different now. Gone was the uneasy loneliness and foreboding presence of an unknown specter. No more careful steps through the darkened hallways, listening to every echoing step. No more calling into the darkness to see of someone else echoed the call back. No, the Verdict was completely different now. No longer the derelict vessel it once was, but now a proud flagship of the Coalition. And just like everything in the Rim, it carried a long and colorful history.

It had been many, many years since Dax had last step foot inside these halls. Back then? He'd still been an apprentice...or maybe he'd attained his knighthood by then, he could hardly remember now. It didn't really matter, one way or another, his entire life had changed that day. Back then, the Verdict was still the Ophidia, a One Sith ship and terrifying by all accounts. And now Dax stood in the same spot the last captain of the vessel had. The same spot he'd watched her draw life from himself and another. The same spot Dax had watched her take her own life, sealing her fate and his.

That was the past however, and in the present Dax commanded the massive ship. He should've been honored. Except for one issue...Dax had never commanded a vessel even remotely like this in his entire life. A small frigate was one thing, darting in and out of atmosphere providing ground-side support, but a fethin' Dar-Itah?! What in the stars was Drake thinking putting Dax in charge of a monster like this?! The Marshal was a ground-pounder, hell even a damn good fighter pilot when he wanted, but this...this was absolutely ludicrous.

"Dropping out of hyperspace now, Marshal," said one of the Duros piloting the vessel before one of the tactical officers cut in, "Fighting has already begun, Jerec Asyr, commanding a Nebula II Star destroy and several smaller craft have engaged a total of five XoXaan II Star Destroyers."

"Alrighty boys!" the Marshal turned around and said to his bridge crew, his voice carried over the comms system to the rest of the ship, "That's our tune, all hands to stations, let's give our friends a little helping hand here."

A chorus of cheers and affirmations echoed through the halls, Athena's howl cutting above them all as Dax turned back around to face the battle at hand just as the Dar-Itah reverted back to realspace. Under his breath, Dax murmured something quietly to himself, "I really hope I look more confident than I am..."

Taskforce Umbra
Class | Name | Length | Shields | Hull
Modified Dar Itah-class Grand Battlecruiser | Verdict | 3000 m | 100% | 100%
Modified Razer-class Frigate | Azalea | 186 m | 100% | 100%
MC70 Ackbar-class Star Cruiser | Rigor | 950 m | 100% | 100%
Arendal-class Heavy Cruiser | Erso | 800 m | 100% | 100%

OOC: First time fleeting, help....please....

Ardasz Verd · May 11, 2019

Allies: [member="Veiere Arenais"], ORC
Enemies: TSE and their pets

As he waited, more Coalition troops poured out onto the scene, and he started to wonder if they were a fringe group of smugglers and lowlives, or an actual military superpower. Fielding this level of an offensive all the way out in Sith space was a monstrously expensive undertaking. And the losses?

Well, that wasn't Ardasz's problem. His problem was the spike in energy readings his HUD picked up. Were the Sith about to rain hell? Osik, and me without proper cover, he lamented. A group of support troops, markedly not armored like your footsolider, attached to a Jedi were moving into the facility just ahead of him. "Energy shield," he snickered.

No, it wasn't a promise of imminent death, but he'd take it. Now the Sith had closed the door, and they had no idea what they had let in. Ardasz picked up his pace and jogged to catch up with Veiere Arenais as the man paused at the entrance.

"Good plan, Jetii," he praised as he peeled a thermal detenator from his bandolier. "Buir always told me to knock before entering." He armed the weapon, then slung it down the corridor. Five, four, three, two...

{Attn: people near entryway corridor, possibly [member="Jend-Ro Quill"] and [member="Darth Morbus"] }

The Mandalorian stepped back to one side and got clear as the immolating flames erupted from the small silver sphere, and anything caught in the immediate vicinity had the potential to disintegrate entirely.

He glanced back at the Jedi nearest him through his T-visor and nodded.

Itash Mecetti · May 11, 2019

Mission: Observe
Specific Location: Geothermal Basement
Person of Interest: [member="Rian Taske"]
Allies: TSE
Enemies: ORC

This was supposed to be a milk-run mission.

It was one of the few advantages to having a good working relationship with the Sith Empire. Didact Defense Solutions was one of their to-go-to, when something needed solving, while trust was involved. Then a simple upgrade operation turned into a full-out siege. Itash had offered a short-term contract. His men were competent. Especially as infiltrators and siege-breakers. Lucrative and hopefully it would mean this entire invasion would be over sooner.

Mecetti decided to investigate the lower levels personally.

Not likely that the invaders (Outer Rim?) would be able to hit this deep, but who knew? Who knew indeed. Because as Itash walked.... he caught the glimpse of folk...... climbing... down. One step back, pressing close to the wall, peeking out just a little bit.

Three individuals.

Armored, small, using a rope to climb down.

These were certainly not Sith soldiers.

He squinted there. Part of him knew that he should radio back to the garrison. That didn't prevent him from smirking. "Been a while..." Two fingers rose up, while Itash focused on the Force. The storm raging to be released and being rebuffed by a dam over and over again. Focus. Control. Which shifted into action. Something snapping loose in one of the intruder's climbing harnesses. About two-thirds through the climb? 'Shua suddenly dropped down.

Not death, no, but depending on how they fell the Bothan would become a burden rather than an asset.

Argis Volmir · May 11, 2019

Objective: Retrieve Fell Star
Enemies: Sith, [member="Darth Voracitos"] (Dinner), [member="Romi Jade"], [member="Taeli Raaf"]
Allies: [member="Mav Vohaloveer"], [member="Yula Perl"], [member="Coren Starchaser"], [member="Zak Amroth"], [member="Zef Halo"]
Equipment: Armor, Temperance & Serenity, Coyonite Rifle, Firewall Grenades

At Argis’ feet lay the spent Coyonite rifle, the Jedi having yet to find a chance to reload it. Most of the original scouting party that had been sent to chase him stood as nothing more than frozen statues the rifle having served its purpose. Those few remaining had managed to surround the Jedi their blaster fire dispersing across his armor or being completely reflected off the ultrachrome breastplate.

A deep breath filling his lungs Argis pulled in the force preparing to unleash it but then his concentration was broken. Air evacuated the Dashade’s lungs as reality itself seemed as if it were being torn apart. His vision broke out into a spiderweb of lines and fractures in reality, each one a hole torn leading into a dimension beyond the material. It chilled the Jedi’s blood. Time seemed to slow as blood-curdling screams pierced the air, and waves of dark energy covered the area.

From the tears the Dashade watched dozens of minions hop out, and perhaps one of the most repugnant Sith the Jedi had ever seen in his life. The figure would give a Hutt a run for their money in terms of rotund features. Both his arms lashing out, Argis seized two of the remaining legionnaires in his hands. The crushgaunts built into his armor increasing the Dashade’s already unnatural strength further. Bringing their helmets together, Argis let both the limp bodies fall to the ground.

The third and final trooper raised his blaster, training his aim on the Dashade and was awarded a brutal backhand for his trouble. The visor shattering on impact, the trooper sent tumbling to the snow, body limp snow leaking from the helmet and staining the snow beneath. Activating his coms Argis reached out to Coren. “You’re going to be having some company… A lot of it.”

While priding himself a warrior, Argis knew that stopping all the individuals was far beyond his capabilities while a Sith Lord also stood among them. Standing counter to the Sith, the wind whipping at the cape that hung from the Jedi’s shoulders Argis looked across the path at his target. Remove the head and the body itself dies. “Quite the entrance, are all Sith so keen to put on such an impressive display?”

Releasing the clasps of his cape Argis let it fall from his shoulders, the wind quickly snatching it up and carrying it away. All around the forces of the Sith Lord sped by, rushing deeper into the city and out of Argis’ reach.

Zark San Tekka · May 11, 2019

[member="Darth Prazutis"] | [member="Elani Zambrano"]

"This is not going to go the way you think."

There was no sudden flash or trembling of the earth. Supernal choirs did not precede his arrival. Braxus Zambrano was simply alone on his dark altar one moment, and a brown robed monk was standing before him the next. As a throne room the cavernous meditation chamber was beyond secure, this was a dark place which no light could reach. And yet, there could be no doubt that the figure standing before Prazutis was a Jedi. A Jedi who had materialized within the Sith Lord's inner sanctum as if it were no more simple than stepping through a door. He held out his sleeve, allowing a substance that resembled black sand to pass through his clenched fist. All that remained of one of the ethereal guardians that the Shadow Hand had ensnared to ward his sanctuary from threats beyond the veil.

"I've been watching you, Braxus," the intruder said, as casually as if he were addressing an old friend, "We should talk."

He pulled back his hood, and though there was a tinge of blue to his features the visage of Master Zark was unmistakable. To a mystic like Prazutis however, with a second sight that came as naturally as breathing, the Jedi spirit radiated empyrean splendor. Braxus Zambrano was one of the few sorcerors in the galaxy strong willed enough to look upon his true form and not be undone by it. Not a man, but a smoking cosmic being reflecting celestial patterns. He could already feel the Sith Lord's mental defenses adapt to his sudden presence and coil to strike.

In death, Zark had found himself drawn to places on the material plane concentrated with the Force. He had called them nexuses once as a living man. Believing it was the will of the Force that he should watch over these sacred places, for he could step from one to another as easily as moving through rooms in a house, the Goliath was well known to him already. Only ever had he watched it from afar until this moment, though the weeping pustule on the skein of the Mist-Beyond appalled him it had not been his place to interfere. Those were the 'rules', not so much a conscious will as natural laws which he found his immortal soul could not violate.

Prazutis had finally erred. On matters of the living, the Jedi spirit was forced to let go of all attachment. But on matters of the Balance....

He believed events spiraling toward an outcome even now on the planet below would have ramifications, not just for the mortals' religious war but for the fabric of existence itself. To Zark, the task was clear. The Parasite Lord must be confronted, and shown his folly. Whether that meant by word or violence, he felt compelled to intervene. If the Force 'disagreed', his visit wouldn't last very long. He would either be pulled back into the nether, or his connection would waver and Prazutis would obliterate him as easily as swatting a fly.

"Unless you fear what I might have to say."

Ladro · May 11, 2019

~ Ridge a hundred yards away from the Jedi. Struggling with the soldiers who landed farther from the entrance of the structure ~

Lasers pelted the snow bank the assassin currently used as cover. The shots were inches above his head. Comm channels in his ear flipped back and forth as he took in all the information he could for the moment at hand. The vast majority of information he grasped from the effectiveness of the soldier's attempts to push towards the main structure. A break in the fire spurred him on. Ladro's blasters unloaded on the unsuspecting enemies in the distance. The soldier beside Ladro reared back and launched a handful of grenades. Three flew into the air. The blaster in Ladro's hand twitched. Muscle memory work at it's finest. The assassin's arm snapped from one target to the next in unison. Too quick for most. The grenades exploded above the battle ground sending blinding light above followed by a thick layer of smoke. "MOVE!!" Ladro shouted out as his legs pushed into full sprint.

A blue light shot up through the spike at the center of the city into the sky before slowly cascading down. Ladro's soar legs pushed the pace. The snow under his boots crunched loudly. The footsteps and heavy breathes from the soldiers hot on his tail were inaudible to his ears. The tunnel vision driving him was to get into the boundary before it cut him off from any chance of getting into the structure. The smoke that had offered cover from the enemy blaster fire was quickly dissipating and the appearance of the shield would only buy them another few seconds before..... laser fire pelted the ground all around them. "AAAAAAHHHHHH" were the last words the soldier to Ladro's right would ever utter again. Instinct took over.

The soldier's limp corpse fell towards the ground. In one clean motion Ladro grabbed the shield attached to the soldiers arm before spinning viciously. The shield snapped off. The assassin's feet caught his momentum as he continued his sprint forward through the spray of blasters bolts whizzing past him. "GGGGAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!" more screams from the soldiers trying to keep up to his pace. He couldn't stop. The collapsing layer of blue shield was dropping rapidly towards the surface. A live sticky grenade from Ladro's belt stuck to the inside of the shield he now carried. He counted rapidly in his head before tossing the shield up and leaping high into the air. The weight of the shield connected with the bottom of his boots. Boom!

The force from the explosion shot his body forward into the air. He soared arms wide, legs closed, before tucking and rolling. The tingling blue shield swallowed the bodies of the remaining three soldiers behind him who had tried desperately to keep up. Ladro spared no time for fallen comrads as he slipped through a cracked door to his right. He moved rapidly through the structure before slipping into the shadows. "I'm in." he said calmly and softly into his com. Static replaced the frantic voices that once shouted into his ear. "Somewhere over here. This is the last place I saw him!" Shouted the commanding officer of the sith soldiers as the group ran quickly down the hallway passed where Ladro was. The bracer on Ladro's left forearm came to life under his masterful control. A map of the structure sprang to life. The assassin patiently crouched in the shadows picking his marks.

Undecided How I Feel: Janick Beauchamphttp://starwarsrp.net/user/15218-janick-beauchamp/http://starwarsrp.net/user/15218-janick-beauchamp/

Janick Beauchamp · May 11, 2019

Objective: Penetrate the Sith network
Location: Cave
Equipment: Scramble key, datapad, data spike, armor, lightsabers
Allies: ORC [member="Jend-Ro Quill"] [member="Sol Stazi"] [member="Arcanus Sunstrider"] [member="Kyle Farnes"] [member="Tera Highwind"] [member="Ladro"]
Enemies: Sith [member="Darth Carnifex"] [member="Kaine Australis"] [member="Valdus Bral"] [member="Adenn Kyramud"] [member="Aedan Miles"] [member="Strider Garon"] [member="Ao Xian"]
Engaging: [member="Sebastian Thel"] (eventually)

"This is Farnes to Twilight, and Coalition forces who survived the jump, where am I needed?" Kyle asked over comms.

"I'm inside an exhaust port: we may be able to use that cave to make an insertion but we need to be quick: alarms are already raised because of other elements" she answered on a secure ORC frequency, while sensing that others were starting to fight somewhere in the area.

Not only the slicing portion is all down to me now, but the cave is our best entrance point. The distraction caused by our Jedi friends seems to be working - for the time being, Janick thought, telepathically transmitting to the rest of the survivors, while the shield around Dreypa's Peak was raised. And she was trapped inside the shield by virtue of being near an exhaust port. In the commotion surrounding the attack taking place elsewhere, with Twilight Company poised to tie up a pretty big chunk of the enemy, it was a blessing that she came across that location. And she went into the cave under cloak, while remaining mindful of legionnaires and also Blackblade Guards patrolling in search of intruders. That she would need to stay out of, preferring not to antagonize, until she could get to a computer terminal. To people inside the hallways, her passage under Force-cloak would be akin to the passage of one of those air currents flowing into the cave, especially for those closest to the cave's mouth. She also needed to get as close as she could to a computer terminal, and hope that, even though it wasn't a BYOD environment, a wide enough variety of on-premise terminals would allow her to go where she needs to in the network.

Not that she couldn't handle Blackblades with a well-placed bolt of hatred or Force-lightning, it would distract her from her actual role in this operation. But tramping through a cave was just the beginning here, and the Sith, while still made to believe the attack's primary aim had to with VIPs, or otherwise nothing to do with computing, would likely be in for an unpleasant surprise. As much as the labyrinthine layout of what lies inside those caves was unfamiliar to her, it was something Janick intended to use to her advantage so that she can get to a computer terminal and get started on what the ORC sent her to this icy planet to do. And it was a double-edged sword: on the one hand, it was easy to get lost, but on the other hand, it made enemy patrol routes more complex. Going in guns blazing was not an option here... not for her at least: this was a Jedi's job in this context, and she began to suspect that Jedi may as well make up at least one of the elements that caused the alarm to go off. And maybe even divert enough troops to cause less problems down in the lower levels.

Sol Stazi · May 11, 2019

Location: Outer Walls
Equipment: Scout Armor, SSK-7 Heavy Blaster, Combat Vibroknife, Thermal Detonators (Bandolier of 6)
Allies: [member="Kyle Farnes"], [member="Jend-Ro Quill"], [member="Arcanus Sunstrider"], [member="Tera Highwind"], [member="Janick Beauchamp"]
Enemies: [member="Kaine Australis"], [member="Darth Carnifex"], [member="Darth Morbus"], [member="Ao Xian"], [member="Ahani Zambrano"]

"Push forward!"

They were starting to come together now, if only by sheer force of Captain Stazi's will. The duros yanked an outer rim peacekeeper off the ground as soon as he landed, then dropped the corpse in frustration when he saw the militia fighter had been peppered by las fire long before he touched solid dirt. A lot of these backwater troopers weren't going to last long, together the Alliance Remnant and Coalition powers had assembled an even greater ground force than had been at Terminus or Skor II. It was all smoke and mirrors, Sol just hoped they would be able to hold out long enough for the loth wolves among them to accomplish their true mission.

He smelled ozone, and knew the facility was raising its deflector shield before he saw it. Clearing his immediate vicinity of legionnaires with some precision pistol blasts, he shouted encouragement to the rebels around him over the roar of battle and crackle of fading comm signals.

"Stick to the plan! Keep moving!" Sol roughly shoved any troopers he came across to sort them into proper defilades from enemy fire. He was just going to have to trust [member="Rian Taske"] to get the job done on those generators. He hated trusting people, if they didn't cut off power to those shields a lot of the Underground's finest were gonna end up dead.

"Twilight Company!" he called down the line once he reached edge of the fortress wall, nodding to Trooper Farnes nearby, "Up up and away!"

Captain Stazi kicked on his rocket boots, and suddenly he was ascending towards the keep's battlements. All along the haphazardly joining battle lines, mobile infantry commandos propelled themselves up into the heavens. Sol caught a flashing glint of metal he knew could only be beskar, and for the first time today his heart began to race. How long he had waited to face one of the so called perfect warriors in battle. He had faced down Sith Knights, but the Mandalorians were supposedly famed Jedi killers. If the legends were even half true, then this armor clad titan of war was one of the most dangerous pieces on Zambrano's board.

Sol glanced down at his power pack. Still have charge in his SSK, that was good. He'd need every joule. Heavy blaster in one hand, vibroknife angled across it with his left in a guard position, the duros landed and used one last kick to propel himself toward the Clan Australis warlord, firing all the way.

"Twilight Survives!"

Darth Ledgermayne · May 11, 2019

Location: Jedi City
Objective: Find the artifact.
Equipment: Dual-phase Lightsaber, x2 Creeping Lignan crystals, rest in sig
NPC's: x12 Oblitus Bellatoria armed with Bowcasters, x24 Oblitus Mongrels
Tags: ORC. (Idk who is nearby)

With a crashing thud a late arriving dropship or shuttle opened its back bay door. Ice and snow seperated underneath its weight producing a crunching sound. Inside the pitch black dropship pairs of red orbs peered out at other sith troopers and forces nearby. The encampment was secure for the moment but it might not always be that way later. Closer and closer a specific pair of red eyes approached from out the the darkness and into the light of the icy storm. A red hued crystalline of humaniod shape adorned in a red and black hooded cloak with sith runes and text. Ledgermayne had arrived finally and he was not alone. Drawing his dagger from hits strapped sheath, The familiar rush and focus of battle mind entombed him. He had read the reports and studied the history of this rumored artifact. Such an object held great power and in the right hands could repel the infectious rebellions that the Sith faced... Or be used for selfish gain. Ledgermayne refused to lie to himself.

He too had the lingering temptation to take the artifact for his own. Surely the Sith had enough toys they horded? Crushing the thoughts with iron will Ledgermayne sudden resolve lazed like fire within his mental. Creatures of decaying flesh, stone and crystal lumbered out of the drop ship after the Sithlord in number. Their visages and facial expressions were equal only to the groans, shrieks and screams they all made. Jagged in appearance and bulky as well the first set of Sithspawn was armed with Bowcasters. These were the more intelligent of the batch dubbed Oblitus Bellatoria and their number was only 12 strong. The next batch was smaller in scale, unarmed but equal in terrifying appearance. Hunched over crystalline goblin like monsters that speedily scurried out of the dropship in a number that at first boggled the mind. In reality they were double in number from their bigger brothers.

Loyal to Darth Ledgermayne alone the monsters suddenly broke into a sprint toward the Jedi city.

They followed the lead of their master in front, spearheading the search and attack on the ruins.

" Infect the dead, living and find me that artifact."

Darth Voracitos · May 11, 2019

Enemies: [member="Argis Volmir"] (Happy Meal), [member="Coren Starchaser"], [member="Zak Amroth"], [member="Racket"], [Trash Family: [member="Yula Perl"], [member="Zef Halo"], [member="Mav Vohaloveer"]]
Allies: [member="Kyrel Ren"], [member="Taeli Raaf"], [member="Adenn Kyramud"], [member="Romi Jade"]
Followers: The Coven of Gluttony, including the Lady Envy, and the Savant Wrath

"We're a dramatic sort, yes, but you will find that for me that 'display', was merely a short stroll. Little more effort than a single one of your mortal breathes, really. I forget others lack the resolve to make reality theirs. Probably for the best, mortal thoughts are often disappointing." Voracitos openly lectured the Jedi with a warm-seeming smile, seemingly without the pretense of hostility. Where the Jedi was clearly a warrior, the sorcerer was of a different breed, the scholarly kind so confident in his knowledge he could not be intimidated by brute force. The sort of power the Sith Lord possessed harbored in him a certain comfort-ability regardless of the surrounding environment; there was very little that could bother Voracitos.

"If you want to witness a true display of power, perhaps you should attempt to test me?" With this, the demeanor of the Sith Lord changed, with a sneering smile and a goading voice. Outwardly, the Sith Lord did not appear to change. His rotundity still remained sitting atop his floating throne, its insectoid legs hoisted in the air, and the souls which made his garments billowed slightly from both the wind and his flaring presence in the force.

Meanwhile, the Lady Envy working with the Savant Wrath (tasked with covering her) and their servants began to make their way into the Lost City, tantalizingly sensing the aberrations that seemed to invest the ruins. The Coven would feast tonight, even if they should fail to recover the artifact. Besides, they held in their possession a potent failsafe... should their master choose to use it. Though using it, would be just as destructive to those Coven members still in the ruins should it be activated, but the Lady Envy confident in her abilities, did not think it would come to that.

Jend-Ro Quill · May 11, 2019

Dreypa's Peak
Operation Bangarang
Allies: [member="Sol Stazi"] [member="Kyle Farnes"] [member="Arcanus Sunstrider"] [member="Tera Highwind"] [member="Janick Beauchamp"] Ardasz Verd
Enemies: [member="Darth Carnifex"] [member="Ao Xian"] [member="Kaine Australis"] [member="Ahani Zambrano"]
Engaging: [member="Darth Morbus"]

Deep inside, he tried to move past the hurt: the dying Twi’lek had rejected his offer and would probably kill him if possible. Quill's own fault, of course, but it stung a bit regardless. Fortunately the situation offered plenty of details worth his focus. Analysing detail always helped with nerves. For starters, that saber looked... emblematic. Complicated. Built with an aesthetic message in mind. It was probably great for Makashi-

But that stance was pure Diem So, to Quill's eye. It emphasized commitment and strength and follow-through, totally at odds with the saber design and the Twi'lek's emaciated build. So why choose the power form? What did the Sith bring to the table?

Other than enough one-on-one conversation to make Quill profoundly uncomfortable, of course. He didn't answer, other than by shaking his head at the question about language; Quill and language weren't really on speaking terms. He found himself blinking a lot, even though the orange holodisplays made for a nice muted light.

He listened, though. At the invitation, he shifted into a mobile stance from Niman, the grab-bag style of diplomats, healers, and archivists.

Somewhere not too far away, a grenade went off ([member="Ardasz Verd"]). Quill felt it through the soles of his boots. For the time being, though, he and the Sith were alone. A quip about Jedi healing came to mind, but he'd sooner lose a limb than engage in banter. He'd probably botch the delivery anyway. Wordplay was for, well, other people: the kind of Jedi who enjoyed it.

He waited.

Argis Volmir · May 11, 2019

Objective: Retrieve Fell Star
Enemies: Sith, [member="Darth Voracitos"] (Snack Pack), [member="Romi Jade"], [member="Taeli Raaf"]
Allies: [member="Mav Vohaloveer"], [member="Yula Perl"], [member="Coren Starchaser"], [member="Zak Amroth"], [member="Zef Halo"]
Equipment: Armor, Temperance & Serenity, Coyonite Rifle, ~~Firewall Grenades~~

The way in which the Sith spoke was off-putting, the voice unsettling to even Argis. Unwilling to let his discomfort show the Dashade’s face stayed as still as stone, his violet eyes scanning Voracitos over. The darkside Voracitos radiated was so thick that the air itself felt as though it weighed upon the Dashades shoulders. “To believe oneself able to control reality, to bend it completely to their will is folly. It is but the self-grandiose nature of the Sith that has deluded you.” Not yet making his move Argis shrugged his shoulders loosening the muscles his hands moving towards the belt which held his lightsabers.

The open invitation not lost on Argis but he had no intentions of rushing directly in against the Sith like a rabid kath hound. No, it would require more than just brute strength to fell this Sith. It would take what the Sith considered apart of their arsenal. It would require cunning. “You speak as though you’re above mortals, I can only assume this will be a humbling experience for you.” Finally, emotion was allowed to show, it being a smile that the Jedi flashed Voracitos like one seeing an old friend for the first time in years. It had been a very long time since the Dashade had been able to let loose on a foe. The love of battle burned within Argis like an all-consuming inferno, his heart a nuclear furnace that longed for more fuel. This was the darkness he carried within, the burden that truly weighed on the Dashade's heart but he wielded it as a weapon for the Light.

With that Argis acted his right hand snatching up the hilt of Serenity in his right hand. The left seemingly going for the other lightsaber hilt but instead reached past it seizing all three of the firewall grenades he’d brought along. Flinging the weapons with preternatural strength Argis summoned his will the force reacting and pushing against the grenades. The firewall grenades had a impact trigger that would activate the moment the force pressed against them. Unfurling within the air a majority of the fuel due to the momentum of the throw was flung towards the rotund Sith Lord where the flames of the grenade followed falling to set fire to the fuel.

We All Thaw This Coming | ORC Invasion of Rhen Var

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Chaos-God of Gluttony

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Darth Morbus

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The Pilgrim

Darth Morbus

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The Reaper of Won Shasot

Ardasz Verd

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Reborn

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defy the tyrannous stars

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To boldly alchemize what no one alchemized before

Sol Stazi

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Quiet Fury

Chaos-God of Gluttony

The Pilgrim

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