The Dark Academy on Korriban

Jo’ren has found the small shrine? It is a squat round domed structure with a single entrance that protrudes from the jungle floor under a thick canopy of trees. As he gets closer the jungle gets still… a bit disconcerting in the darkness with the large planet of Yavin dominating the sky.

It's really here...

He paused to study the structure and marvel at having found it. So all that research really had paid off. Gerry would have been happy for him. Well, it was that or Lord Savas was chuckling about sending another Aspirant off to his doom.

Jo'ren Rath looked up at the gas giant and breathed in deeply. With a nod he pulled on his goggles and set them to night vision so he could see where he was going. Then he extended his force Senses into the surrounding area. He was as ready as he was ever going to be.

OOC: Is it a vergence?

Jo’ren can sense another familiar presence inside, he does not sense a vergence but something lingers here.

Whatever was here was inside.

Something familiar? A presence I have not felt since...

He could not recall. Whatever it was though it was drawing him onwards. Without a second look back he pressed onwards and into the structure.

Jo’ren comes through the entrance and as he works his way down stone steps the entrance seals with a metallic door.



He hears a familiar voice and frantic foot steps, “Oh no no no no… damn it. Now we’re both trapped in here!”

“And… it’s you? This has to be a cosmic joke.”

Now that was not what he had been expecting. Some kind of evil force creature or droid perhaps, but not this.

"Thy Yulani? Yeah, I suppose I could ask what you're doing here but the force is clearly having fun with us."

He looked around the area using his goggles.

"You look well. Apart from being trapped in a pyramid on Yavin 4."

“It’s not how I intended for this day to go, and I just got here. Why are you here, got tired of Korriban? Is this like some twisted Sith vacation thing?” she says looking around.

“Are we fighting to the death?”

"Not right now no. You can tell that by the lack of fighting.". He sighed and joined her in looking around.

"If by vacation you mean being thrown out of a transport at high altitude with a 'chute and a wing. I guess so."

His goggles scanned the interior, looking for a way through the structure.

"Your turn. You couldn't have stayed on Nar Shadaa?"

“Top Secret Jedi business,” she says looking around.

“There is a larger chamber down these stairs, I was going to investigate when I heard the door open and came back up here only to find Darth Musclehead instead of freedom. Well maybe this is good, together we can figure this out.”

"Oh perhaps we can ask Darth Musclehead to help us then. No wait, I only see me and the Junior Jedi Alien-underwear Repair Team." He walked over and started heading down the steps.

"Not bad on the fly I thought. Alright, let's see if my head full of muscles and your elbow grease can see us through."

She rolls her eyes and says, “Fine, it’s good to see you.”

“This place has a Sith vibe, this isn’t some tomb or death house?” Thy dives forward to evade a gauntlet of energy beams narrowly evading harm as she lands in the central chamber.

OOC: Vigilance roll at Average.

Thy Yulani Vigilance: 1eP+2eA+1eB+2eD 3 successes, 1 threat

"That's better." He smiled winningly at her response.

While not as dexterous as Thy he was still able to get out of the path of the lasers, or whatever they were.

"It's neither of those. But yes, it has a Sith vibe."

Day 9. Kun. Lasers. Vigilance, average. Boost from sith armour: 3eA+2eD+1eB 2 successes, 2 threat

They are both a dark chamber with torches in sconces lighting up with green fire around the chamber. Thy glances to Jo’ren and says, “So what is this place?”

She draws her lightsaber, glowing a bright and brilliant blue. She adds, “This is a bad thing right?”

There are pillars, six in all, at even intervals around the perimeter of the circular chamber, stone walls with a metallic ceiling that provides a blue reflective glow from Thy’s lightsaber.

He raised an eyebrow as she lit her saber. "A place of hidden knowledge, and yes, probably; now."

He sighed and looked deeper into the chamber towards the centre. "Legends say that this place was the resting place of a certain item I came to find. Those legends say it has a guardian, but they are typically non-specific."

Since Thy was being so damn dramatic he readied his own lightsaber. "I've been busy." Two red blades extended out and he smiled. "Shall we?"

(OOC: Set Sense to defensive mode if allowed)

Thy nods and says, "Lead the way... but I got a bad feeling about this."

Jo'ren gave her a look that suggested he would have been considerably happier if she had not said that.

"Very well, follow me into..." Perhaps that was better left unsaid. "Just follow me."

He walked out of the entrance and towards whatever was present in the middle of the room.

The image of a tall sith woman, the same height as Jo’ren with a thick muscular build appears in the center of the chamber and says, “I am Dari Van, you tread in my sacred training hall. Why have you disturbed these sacred place.”

Thy is quiet and looks to Jo’ren to speak.

Jo'ren stepped forward and bowed his head before speaking.

"Greetings Dari Van. I am Jo'ren Rath. I have come to this sacred place following the footsteps of Exar Kun. I seek what he sought, though my path is my own."


(OOC: Was she mentioned in any of the books I read about Exar Kun and Yavin IV?)

“A seeker then.”

“I do not give knowledge. I deem you unworthy, leave this place worm,” she says dismissively.

“Hey he’s not a worm…” Thy adds, “a jerk maybe but not a worm.”

Dari is unmoved.

OOC: She was not mentioned.

Jo'ren held his head high and stepped forward.

"I will not, Dari Van. I am a child of Sek'nos Rath, and I will prove myself worthy."

She nods, “We shall see if you have the strength to be a Seeker. My students will test you, you die or they die. There is no quarter. Sith do not ask for mercy, nor should they expect it.”

The chamber grows cold and both are now standing in snow covered primitive village, it could be a hologram but if so it is very hyper realistic. Snow falls sizzling on their lightsabers, from opposite buildings two figures dressed in dark black robes ignite crimson lightsabers and approach.

OOC: Cool roll for initiative.

Jo'ren nodded. "As it should be."

The switch to a snow-covered village was unexpected. It was quite beautiful really, the snowflakes turning to steam on their sabers. He half turned to Thy.

"It seems our fates are intertwined then, Thy Yulani. I'll take the one on the left. Oh and do try not to die, you are the last friend I have left."

He stretched out his neck as the two crimson-bladed sith approached.

"Tell me your names."

Day 9. Kun you dig it. Initiative (Cool): 1eA 1 success, 1 advantage


(OOC:Sense was committed to defense earlier in the thread, but let me know if you're fine with that. Upgrades one die in the first attack each turn.)

-----
Wound threshold: 0/16
Strain threshold: 0/13
Defense 1 (+1eS to opponent)
Sense upgrade (+1eC to opponent)
Soak 5

The figure on the right says, “We are students of the Master…”

The one on the left picks up where the first left off and says, “We have left our names behind.”

Thy says, “What creepy weird Sith did you get me into now?”

The left one lowers their lightsaber and says to Jo’ren, “You believe yourself to be a match for our master, you will die here.”

OOC: Sith Student rolls 2 successes and 2 advantage, they go first. Sith Student has Adversary 1, Melee Defense 2, and Sense active for one more Upgrade against a single attack.

Order: Sith Student, Jo’ren

"Just fight."

There wasn't time for more of a response because the students moved first, but his improved senses would hopefully help at least.

The Sith student clashes with Jo’ren their energy blades slamming against each other. The student fights without flourish utilizing their lightsaber with both hands and very controlled movements Their blades crackling as they clash with the snow hissing off the crimson energy blades.

Then a break in the defenses and Jo’ren feels pain as the crimson lightsaber finds flesh, but the hurried advance sets them off balance.

OOC: 11 damage to Jo'ren but the Sith Student suffers a setback die on the next action. Sith Student has Adversary 1, Melee Defense 2, and Sense active for one more Upgrade against a single attack. Spend a Destiny to upgrade next attack for Jo'ren.

Order: Sith Student, Jo’ren

Sith Student: 3eP+1eA+1eD+1eC+1eB+1eS 4 successes, 1 threat