The Dark Academy on Korriban

"I cannot sense anything," she admitted readily enough.

It was something that concerned her less than outright annoyed her. Sylvain's senses were, as always, on point when it came to people.

"Hm," Shai pursed her lips in thought. She wasn't the most in tune with the Force today, and opted against offering advice that probably wouldn't help.

"Guess we'll rely on good ol' senses today..."

Checking the balance and weight of the sword, Shaisha stepped up next to Kristal, while allowing Sylvain to provide them with the lighting.

The cave is more like a tunnel, a natural occurring one that opens up into oblong looking grotto like underground pool of water. Near the water is a small camp site, or remnants of what might have been a camp site. Now there is just a small fire pit.

A small creature is gnawing on a bone and then darts away, mixing the features of a scaled lizard and a rabbit with a whip like tail. It hides behind a pillar.

Sylvain walks with the others to the remains of the camp and begins to look around for anything of interest.

"Wonder how long ago someone was here."

She gives a look to the scared creature, but figures Kristal will probably remain on guard as she moves to inspect the abandoned camp... and whatever the beast had been gnawing on.

Kristal watched the creature as it darted behind the pillar. Glancing to the bone only after a few seconds, having confirmed it would remain there. Scavenger, perhaps. "I'm more concerned if that is one of their bones," Kristal added to the air of wonder.

Meanwhile she remained vigilant, keeping eyes toward the perimeter as she couldn't truly rely on her force abilities right now.

The bone is picked clean of meat, it could have been a humanoid bone but who knows.. bones are bones... right? Outside the wind picks up with a howl and a humanoid silhouette forms in the tunnel.

OOC: Medicine at Average difficulty.

Bringing the light over Sylvain inspected the bone, "What does this look like to you two?"

They very possibly could have been in over their heads with all these smart questions. Where was Leilani when you needed her?

(OOC: 2 failures, 2 advantage)

The bone is probably humanoid, and it has been here awhile it looks but other then... who knows.

Kristal, for her part, placed herself between the group and the forming silhouette. Not calling it out just yet, as she was unsure if it was merely a trick of the light. Still, she was prepared if it wasn't. Staring down the formation.

"... Whatever it is, it's long dead," she comments and takes a look around, and then notices the silhouette. Her hand takes a firmer grip on the sword as she tries to get a quick read on the newcomer.

Sensing the tension in his friends Slyvain slowly rose as well and looked toward the figure approaching them.

A man, well it looks like a man, draped in a long tattered robe with the hood up, forming a sinister cowl. He grumbled as he walked and paused at the threshold to the underground grotto. His gaze sweeps over each aspirant and then he sighed, “It seems someone has been sharing my secrets again, or maybe the Force guided you here out of the flesh scarring storm.”

“Well if you are going to be here, might as well eat something.”

He whistled and the little creature ran to his feet as he walked to the camp site, “You can try and kill me, it’s been done before. That is a typical response from those who don’t see as I do. Now where did I put my mushrooms?”

Well, that was something. The guy seemed like a lunatic, or a hermit. Or a combination of the two.

"... This is your secret hide-out then?" she asked, taking another look around, and at the lizard-like creature.

Kristal did not trust quickly, certainly not some lunatic whom appeared to live out in the wastes. Krista's weapon was not drawn, though her readiness could be felt. On the defense she watched the old mans movements, each one, even the slightest turn. However she got the sense that this was not where the potential threat would come from.

Seeing to their security Kristal allowed, as always, for one of the others to be the spokesperson for their little group.

Sylvain smiled as the man walked in. The fact that the old man didn't get immediate aggressive was a good sign.

"Afternoon Wanderer. While we appreciate the offer, I don't think we can accept your offer of a meal. The shelter of your cave, however, we'd love to borrow for a moment." He smiled warmly at the old man.

“Not much a secret and not mine, Korriban is far too jealous to allow me to have anything of value. But, it’s better than out there, and there is clean water.”

When Sylvain turned down the offer he shrugged and said, “Fine by me, you students must love that paste. She has been screaming at me for days, I wish I knew why. I could sooth her, she isn’t normally this loud.”

“Something has stirred her. Oh there they are,” he lifted a rock and pulled out some flattened dried mushrooms. He dusted them off and smiled a blackened toothy grin. He sat down rocks moving across the cave to form a makeshift stool. He sat down a pack and pulled out a dead creature and began the process of cleaning and gutting with a jagged primitive knife.

“You can share my cave, I may be Sith but I still have manners. Kristal, Shaisha, make yourselves useful and fill this pot with water.” A small pot floats out of the bag.

OOC: Move used to move rocks for a stool.

Force Die Roll - Spindral: 4eF 4 Light Side, 3 Dark Side

Sylvain smiled a bit at the mentioning of his friend's names. This old man was unique, and powerful as Sylvain had expected.

Sitting down he asked, "Excuse me sir, but who is 'she'? Korriban?"

She knew better than to ask how madmen knew her name. The Force had tricks that could reveal a person's thoughts, and she didn't rule out the possibility that he could've cleaned it from their own.

"... And why does she scream?" she kind of helped Kristal with the water, but she was mostly keeping her attention on the madman.

Kristal took the opportunity to fetch the water as was requested. As danger didn't seem to immediately be coming from Spindral, it gave the young woman a chance to scan their surroundings once again. Just in case.

Likewise, Kristal thought better than to question how the madman knew their names. Certainly it mainly went to prove her initial assessment. This man was powerful in the Force and the danger he could become was not something she was able to deflect with a blade.

“I have been trying to figure that out,” he said as he gutted the animal.

“Now that's a good one, put the pot here, any of you lot can start a fire?”

He turned to Sylvain, “Of course she is Korriban, she is the mother of the Sith. I hear her screams, her cries… the ghosts are stirring. The Dark Side swells, a change is coming. I wish I could see it clearly,” he added tersely.

Shaisha pursed her lips in thought. She had heard from soldiers how to start a fire, but never really given a proper attempt before. Might as well give it a shot. (Survival?)

"How can you hear her cries? I mean... do you mean the sandstorm?"

“I listen through the Force, it connects me to her like a child connected to his mother. She is not always merciful though she gives hard lessons,” the old hermit replied.

“Not everyone is ready to hear her.”

Sylvain thought upon the riddles of the old man.

What question to ask to get the proper results...?