Ask Moraband Endless Hunger

[Renfry]

Renfry felt like an entirely different person than the last time she had set foot on Moraband. She knew that what had happened on Dathomir had changed her fundamentally, and she'd decided she was okay with that. Change? Certainly, but she was stronger for it, she knew. She'd seen it firsthand and experienced things that had awoken a hunger for power in her that she'd never truly faced head on.

And yet, despite having taken over Dathomir, Renfry's interests were still on growing her knowledge. Malicia had offered up the library they had found on Moraband, and Renfry had been all over that. She wanted to learn about the magic and alchemy of the Sith in comparison to her own Shadow Magick. She wanted to learn their techniques and pry into the secrets of the old High Arcanists. She'd even found references to one of the High Arcanists of old who had traveled to Dathomir thousands of years ago and made war against the Nightsisters. It seemed to be a pattern.

And yet, Renfry, herself, had helped bring them under the wings of the Sith. She didn't regret it.

She pored over the book in front of her, drinking in every word as she searched for clues about the ruins of one Darth Pelagus who was High Arcanist shortly before the fall of the original Sith Empire. If there was anywhere she'd find what she was looking for, it would be in his tomb... if she could find it. @Dread

 

[Darth Malicia]

"Renfry," the woman's name traveled across the small library as Malicia entered it. One of her cultists alerted her that he'd seen the Nightsister here. Having eyes and ears throughout the temple in the.... living verity was important to her. For some reason, she felt connected to Moraband, in a way.

Her footsteps brought her near Renfry, though her eyes settled on a small pile of tomes on the table at first. Her hand brushed over the pile, pushing one tome to the side to see the title of the next. "Are you enjoying the library?" Malicia asked, tipping her head at the tomes.

When her eyes raised, they flicked forward but not to the tome in Renfry's hand. She was in the business of information, both gathering and delivering, but she didn't need to know everything. "You know you don't have to study here. You can take some tomes with you, if you wish," Malicia said plainly. Obviously some spirits might be unhappy, though a deal was a deal to her. Free access meant any type of access to the Darth.

@Phoenix

 

[Renfry]

Renfry had seen the looks she'd gotten from Malicia's people, but most of them didn't actually bother her beyond that. She was glad, the last thing she was looking for with these people was conflict. She wanted to study and go about her work in peace.

On the other hand, she didn't mind Malicia's company. The woman - now a Councilor and not just a Lord - was someone who she felt she had an unusual camaraderie with. Perhaps "friends" was a bit too strong - this was Sith after all - but something in that vein.

Quite, she said. She'd already been hammering through various books, figuring out which she wanted to devote extra time to and which she would study and read thoroughly.

She set the book she was reading - On Tombs and Tomes - down on the table, noting the way that Malicia's eyes caught the titles of some of the other books. In particular, the one she had pushed aside was titled Mystic Energies and Tribal Belief and beneath it was Darkness Without Balance.

Is that your subtle way of telling me you want me out of your hair? she asked, trying to suppress a smirk. She pushed her chair back and leaned back, stretching her arms out behind her, not realizing how stiff she'd become over the last several hours.

I was going to head out elsewhere anyway to run down a lead, she said. If she could find the tomb of Darth Pelagus, that would be a huge step forward in what she hoped to learn. @Dread

 

[Darth Malicia]

Though Malicia did not smile when Renfry answered her question, it was pleasing to hear that she'd delivered a satisfying enough payment. Of course, that was something she'd never vocalize.

Her eyes followed the Nightsisters movements, watching her place her tome down. It brought the Darth's attention back to one of the tomes on the table, mostly because of the word balance. Something she didn't believe but interested her. She ran her hand over the tomes cover in her thought, noting that the dust was mostly removed from it. It made her wonder how much, if any, Renfy read.

Though her attention was brought back to Renfry suddenly, and the Darth actually chuckled. When was the last time she laughed? At this point she'd forgotten what it was like until now. "You know the answer to that question," she answered unusually honestly.

"A lead?" Malicia asked after, genuinely interested despite her expression settling back into its mostly blank default.

@Phoenix

 

[Renfry]

Renfry smiled at the other woman's response, enjoying the fact that she was appreciated for her work. It was a simple thing and yet gave a sense of satisfaction.

Mhm, she said with a nod. I told you I wanted to found out about Sith magic and alchemy. I think I may have found a way, she said, holding up the book in her hand.

Tomb raiding I suppose you could say. One of the old High Arcanists, Darth Pelagus, she said. Likely a dangerous endeavor, but one worth looking into.

She slipped the On Tombs and Tomes into her bag since Malicia didn't mind her having some carryout, and it would likely prove useful for the actual exploration.

Congratulations on your ascension, she said after a moment. Were Sith supposed to congratulate each other? She supposed she didn't really care, she was doing it anyway.

 

[Darth Malicia]

Sith magic and alchemy? Malicia could not help but feel a small amount of interest stir. A stray thought rolled through her mind after the idea, and it amused her somewhat. Years ago when she gained her freedom, it wasn't possible for her to careless about Sith relics, magic, spirits, history and anything between. Now her interests were steadily inclining both due to Renfry and Darth Raze's knowledge.

In reality, Malicia would be lying to herself if she didn't admit that, in some capacity, she relied on the Nightsisters understanding of the other world and magic, and the more armed Renfry was with knowledge the better it was for her.

Her thoughts were interrupted however by Renfry's congratulation, causing Malicia to tip her head curiously. "Thank you," she answered in respect to the Nightsister, though she added, "It was time to move forward." She wasn't sure it deserved praise, really. It was necessary. Ascending opened more doors to feeding.

"I'll help you," Malicia said after. "If you educate me during the escapade." She thought it was a fair deal, and Renfry probably understood that Malicia did not need to know every little detail, only enough to understand what they were doing and dealing with.

@Phoenix

 

[Renfry]

Malicia seemed almost puzzled by Renfry's congratulations, stating that it was time to move forward. She supposed that may have been true. In the Sith, stagnation was failure, but endless need to advance also created the conflicts that tore the Sith apart. It was a double-edged sword.

Renfry's eyebrows - always expressive - rose slightly in surprise when Malicia said she would come with her. The Nightsister wasn't opposed to it, but she hadn't expected the response.

She nodded and added Okay.

Do you need to get anything before we head out? she asked, standing and preparing to head out, waiting for the other woman to gather whatever she might need. They'd need to take a speeder to get to the tomb, and Renfry headed out to get in one.

I'm not totally sure what to expect, she said as they headed out on their way. The book hadn't been particularly detailed about what they would find because no one had crossed the tomb's threshold before.

How have you been feeling? Has Moraband been affecting you? she asked. The two women hadn't spoken much recently, and Moraband was a world that was unusual. Much like Dathomir in its own way. @Dread

 

[Darth Malicia]

"I'm prepared to leave now," Malicia answered, causing the two cultist at the library door to stir. "Reading reports can wait," she added, hearing the two men begin to walk towards her, inviting themselves on the outing. Malicia half-turned, twisting her body to partly face the two men, growling loudly with very clear irritation in her tone. Both men backed up immediately into their guard positions in front of the library.

They devoted their lives to her because she was their God, but they could be extremely irritating. Sometimes she wanted to get around without their constant protection and noseiness. She'd recently found out that they often look into anyone close to her, without her asking. She hadn't put a stop to it, though she was clear now when she didn't want something looked at.

She looked back at Renfry and gave a slight nod when she spoke again. That was fine to her. The tomb was most certainly dangerous, but she had... not trust exactly, but something close to it, in the woman. Most certainly in her abilities and knowledge.

"Every time I am here, I feel a sense of belonging," she began, following beside Renfry, the two cultist by the doors straightening out as the two passed. Her eyes shifted as they walked through the throne room. Voids again, but there was a strange edge to them, and they drifted to the Nightsister for a few seconds before drifting away again. She didn't finish answering the woman's question, the stormy mist quietly curling around the two Sith's feet while they walked through.

Crossing the threshold into the hallway, and continuing to make their way outside, Malicia spoke, "But, what about yourself? I hear you've been up to a lot."

@Phoenix

 

[Renfry]

Renfry watched silently as Malicia dealt with the two men who were following her, struggling not to quirk an eyebrow at the clear displeasure that Malicia had for the fact that they were following her.

As they headed out, the men gave Renfry looks that told her they weren't thrilled about the Nightsister's... probably existence, but they could just get over it. Renfry wasn't going anywhere and she certainly wasn't apologizing to them. Renfry wasn't sure whether or not Malicia's answer to her question was reassuring or a negative. While she knew a great deal about what was going on inside the councilor's mind, there was still a great deal of questions that existed surrounding it.

Just don't belong too much, she said. She didn't know if there was some insidious interaction between the spirits and the hunger, but if Malicia hadn't noticed any issues with the spirit they'd come across on Felucia, then that was probably a good sign.

Yes, I finally returned home to unite the Clans under a single banner, she said. And with that, she'd felt comfortable enough with her advancement and power base to finally claim a position as one of the Darths within the Sith Order.

It's been an adjustment, she said. It was much like the answer she'd given when asked about how she felt having come to the Sith. To say it was an adjustment wasn't to say that it was bad, just very different.

But it's been very exciting, she said with a smirk that was more to herself than not. The truth was that adjustment or not, it was empowering and in many ways she'd never felt more alive. @Dread

 

[Darth Malicia]

Malicia allowed Renfry's advice to roll through her mind. Did she mean this feeling may be a venus flytrap? Could the temple swallow her whole? Probably not. Maybe she meant something else, though there was a clear warning in her words. Whatever it was, Malicia made note to try not to indulge. Already she'd allowed her mind to explore here, and now she was having a hard time sleeping. At times she wasn't sure if she was sleeping, having a vision or awake, but it lasted only short periods of times. She was probably sleeping each time, which was why she didn't mention it.

The halls echoed with their footsteps alone, because all her cultists stood straight when they saw her and the temple had less visitors than most. Renfry's voice carried over a breeze that crept in through a slit-like window on the temples wall. Against the tone of the temple, a smile cracked Malicia's cheeks when Renfry finished speaking. "I'm..." Malicia tipped her head, searching for a word that she added in another breath, "pleased to hear that."

She was surprised that it was genuinely true, but unsure why it was true. Perhaps it didn't matter. "You must be enjoying your time home," Malicia said. Tipping her head to regard her...somewhat of a confidante, she added, "If Dathomir ever needs support, you may contact me."

Outside the temple a few of her cultists were walking between stations, kicking up dust that swirled similarly to the mist in the throne room, albeit, less alive. Malicia assumed they'd need vehicles so she walked towards a medium-sized open shed of them. Though something caught the councilor's eye as the pair drew closer. A pure black mass seemed to slowly vanish behind the shed. Momentarily leaving behind small wisps of smoke that moved unnaturally until it too joined the mass in its hiding spot.

"Renfry... do you see things here sometimes?" Malicia asked with an unusual undertone of uncertainty.

@Phoenix

 

[Renfry]

Renfry couldn't help but smile and almost laugh as Malicia said she was pleased to hear what Renfry had to say.

That almost sounded painful, she said, looking back with a poorly suppressed smirk that indicated she was clearly joking. And yet, she sensed that Malicia's comment was genuine, which was nice. The next thing she said, though, stood out to Renfry.

Thank you, that's appreciated, she said sincerely at Malicia's offer of support. There were few things as important to her as Dathomir, and she would fight tooth and nail to protect it. Having the support of someone on the council would without doubt be of value if Dathomir were ever in danger.

As they walked on, Renfry's eyes swept over the variety of people here who worked for Malicia. It occurred to her that were the councilor to decide that Renfry knew too much and needed to "go" there was little the Nightsister could do to stop it apart from perhaps escaping into the desert. That was an unpleasant thought. She wondered if she overestimated her own value, and then promptly wondered where these paranoid thoughts had come from.

They headed toward the vehicles when Malicia asked a... strange question.

No, what are you seeing? she asked, taking the next logical step. On Dathomir, Renfry had been trained to utilize something called "second sight" as all shaman and shaman in training did, but that was a willful process, and not what she suspected the other Sith was talking about. @Dread

 

[Darth Malicia]

Unexpectedly, Malicia was surprised to hear Renfry's answer to seeing things. That was probably the answer she should've expected so why should she be surprised? Well, probably because seeing things.. sometimes wasn't normal. Her answer left the Darth staring towards the shed.

The Darth remained eerily quiet and walked to the shed. While she moved around the corner she placed her hand on the cold durasteel. Her eyes narrowed as she passed the corner and saw... nothing. Nothing. Her pale hand ran along the corner she saw the mass, feeling nothing off. She lowered to a knee after, grabbing a handful of dust. Fine grain slipped through her fingers, quietly escaping into the breeze, leaving Malicia with nothing still.

Malicia slowly stood to her full height, eyes pointed into the distance but she was not looking there. "Sometimes I see a mass of thick, black fog," she quietly answered, omitting the other various shadows she'd been seeing. "I think its watching me..." her voiced quieted further, almost as quiet as the breeze.

She turned, her eyes hardening. "Perhaps I'm just going insane," she said, half-joking though trying to brush off the uneasy feeling. She switched subjects abruptly, "I prefer speeder cars over speeder bikes" quickly moving back towards the front of the shed, hoping that Renfry wouldn't force her to admit she'd never driven a speeder bike before.

@Phoenix

 

[Renfry]

Renfry's eyes followed to the shed where Malicia was looking, wondering what it was that was luring her over there. Was there actually something there or was this a manifestation of her... condition?

The other woman headed over, looking around and acting... weird. Renfry watched closely, eyes prying into the world around her as she tried to figure out what may have been going on. Going insane? It was a possibility, though Renfry didn't say it, but she also wasn't convinced to write things off so simply.

There's a lot about the Shadow that's poorly understood, she said, and Renfry didn't know many people who had been willingly possessed in the long term. Perhaps it was giving Malicia... glimpses into the world beyond. Or perhaps there was a more nefarious explanation...

You just see a fog? Nothing else? No voices or things approaching you? Visions? she asked, her mind beginning to work. She almost didn't even notice that she'd already climbed into the speeder and waited to leave. She was entirely too wrapped up in her own train of thought. @Dread

 

[Darth Malicia]

Malicia got into the speeder after Renfry, obviously into the passenger seat since she wasn't sure which way they were going. Plus, what if she saw something and couldn't tell if it was real or not while she was driving? That'd probably end poorly.

She remained quiet until Renfry finished asking her questions. "Alright, I admit that it isn't just fog I've seen," she said. Maybe her sleeping issues actually mattered. "I've had visions, I think? I've had troubles sleeping and mediating here. Every time I feel myself nodding off, or sinking into my meditation, I'm jerked... awake?"

As the speeder moved, Malicia raised her hand and looked at it. "I don't know if I fall asleep, or if I'm having visions, or if I'm awake and actually seeing all these things." She paused, bringing a hand to the side of her chin and crossing her other arm under her elbow to support it. "At times I'll hear things, whispers that are almost clear enough for me to understand, even ear-piercing screams. Often I see this fog, a black moving mass. Sometimes its following me through the halls, sometimes its watching me from behind a cracked door... one time I "woke up" with it looming over me. But I've never seen it, until now, without attempting to sleep or mediate. Unless I'm sleeping now?"

Malicia shook her head. "No, I'm awake right now, I'm sure of it," she muttered to herself, looking up into the distance to see if they were approaching anything. She saw nothing over the long span of sand, though she was fairly confident that Renfry could find what she was looking for.

@Phoenix

 

[Renfry]

Renfry listened as she began to drive, heading in the general direction they needed to be headed. She could work out the precise details when they drew closer to make sure that they arrived without issue.

She thought about what Malicia said, thinking about the possibilities. Everything on this topic was relatively uncharted waters, and though Renfry knew a great deal, there was still a great deal that were simply her best, educated guesses.

She could take a guess at what was going on with Malicia, but it was just that... a guess. She wanted to prove it before she said anything, but she wasn't entirely sure how to go about proving the thought yet. She thought for a long moment.

Yes, you're awake, and this isn't a vision, she said, though whether that was any proof to the other Darth was of question.

She slowed the speeder and checked her datapad against coordinates from the tome.

Have you had any issues like these while off world? she asked, eyes not tearing away from the book as she split her attention between the two tasks. @Dread

 

[Darth Malicia]

Malicia wasn't entirely convinced she was awake. She was leaning towards being awake, at least. Usually she'd trust, as much as possible, Renfry in these matters but if it wasn't actually the Nightsister then that changed things.

The Darth's eyes wandered along the desert and shifting sand. They only stopped when the Nightsister spoke again. "No..." Malicia said, trailing off in a thought. "It only happens here. And I'm already aware that, if I want a good nights rest, I could sleep on my ship, off planet. I don't want to. I want to be here," she added, her body tensing when mentioning wanting to be here, as if someone was going to rip her off the planet.

At the edge of her hearing she heard whispering, and she turned to stare past Renfry at it. Though, she didn't say anything about it. She heard whispers on this planet all the time. "Are we close?" she asked after a second, trying to rip her attention away from the sound.

@Phoenix

 

[Renfry]

Renfry had quite mixed feelings on Malicia's condition. On the one hand, it might be a source of greater power of the Darth, but the reality was that it was a drug. Now it was true that the dark side was a drug the majority of the time, but in this case, Malicia's side effects were more severe by far.

Yes, she said, angling the speeder slightly to follow the curve of one of the canyons. It wasn't far now, and the sun was already beginning to shrink toward the horizon. She knew the temperature would drop when it did, but hopefully they would also be inside the tomb by then.

Being here will likely continue to accelerate your symptoms, she finally said. It was a somewhat obvious statement, but one that she thought Malicia may need to hear spoken aloud. Renfry wouldn't force her to do anything, but it would be wise if she removed herself from here.

The speeder came to a stop, and Renfry climbed out, her feet sinking slightly into the sand as she started walking toward the tomb. It was large and the door was closed. Runes were carved into the borders and she pulled out the book to try to make sense of them.

These look like protective runes, she said, thinking back to what Ender had told her about being possessed after crossing the threshold of a rune-protected door. That sounded unpleasant and like something she didn't want to deal with today. It would make sense, however, if this Lord had once been a High Arcanist that he would have... complex spells and the like to protect his tomb. Perhaps that was why it had never been plundered.

 

[Darth Malicia]

The Darth's frown deepened and her jaw tightened. She didn't want to hear that spoken aloud, from real or fake Renfry. It meant it wasn't just a thought that occurred to her that she could ignore. Though against the Darth's usual temper, she purposely avoided looking towards Renfry. No doubt the Nightsister could sense her displeasure, but Malicia didn't want to discourage the woman from speaking her mind. Even if she said something the council member didn't want to hear.

"I can handle them, " Malicia answered, referring to her symptoms. She took whatever she could head on even if it scared her, and while sometimes it wasn't to her benefit she was determined and stubborn enough to roll the dice. "But I do have something off planet I have to attend in person in the next few days," she added.

Sand engulfed her feet when she stepped off the speeder. It was still warm out, for now. There was a chance that the temptaure was about to drop very soon, however. She followed the Nightsister at first, passing her after she buried her gaze back in the tome. Malicia stepped closer to the door, close enough that it even made her uncomfortable, though she remained in place to flick her gaze over the carvings.

"Protective ruins?" Malicia echoed absentmindedly. Her yellow eyes returned to the other woman after, and her eyebrow raised. "Nothing the greatest practitioner of Magic in the Order can't handle?" she asked, in a very matter of fact way. Now, she wasn't entirely sure if it was true, but there was no master of the arcane on the council and she hadn't heard of any other skilled Sith practitioners.

@Phoenix

 

[Renfry]

There was an almost violent reaction in the Force to what Renfry had said. It was quite obvious that Malicia didn't like what she had said, but there was no outlash against it. She let it be, and Renfry didn't push the topic further. It was something Malicia would need to consider on her own.

And it sounded like she planned to spend some time off world, which was a good start. This world was simply going to continue to cause problems for the Darth, but it was her decision as always.

Renfry smiled and snickered slightly at the other woman's complement of her skill in magick.

Someday hopefully soon, she said. Perhaps it was true, but Renfry wasn't quite arrogant enough to believe it yet. That being said, it was her goal, and she would get there eventually.

She let her fingers glide over the ruins, trying to decipher them and taking a few minutes to do so before finally settling on something.

Mellon, she said, her eyes and fingers glowing green in the fading sunlight as she said it, a flare of magick empowering the word as the door began to grind and rumble. The door slid up into a recess above and for a moment there was empty blackness ahead of them.

And then torches spontaneously blazed to light to line a stone hallway straight ahead.

Oh, that's a good sign, she muttered sarcastically about the torches lighting on their own. She slipped the tome back into her pack and started heading forward.

I have a feeling we won't be alone in there, she warned, hoping it wouldn't cause Malicia... more issues. @Dread

 

[Darth Malicia]

Malicia stared at Renfry when she answered, smiling softly. Her eyes were brought to the tombs entrance when it started to rumble. She turned her attention to it and stepped back, observing as Renfry's magic interacted with the doors. A low rumbling shook the sand around their feet until the doors were all the way up.

There was something coming from the tomb. A feeling, and it washed away some of other thoughts Malicia had. The Darth heard Renfry's warning but didn't reply. The green glow of the torches engulfed her as she passed the rocky threshold. Though as she breached the tomb she finally understood what she had felt earlier.

"I don't think I'm welcome here," the Darth said. She heard several rumbling sounds in the not so far distance but, despite the noises and feeling, kept walking.

Not far in Malicia's small pale figure stopped. The rumbling was no longer just in the distance, she heard it at each of her sides. Her lighttsaber snapped to her hand instinctively and ignited as the walls around her seemed to move... up. They were doors? Several doors, or "panels" moved up, revealing three pathways on each side of the Darth. Six in total. Four pathways lit up while two reamined pitch black.

Malicia looked back at Renfry. "Is there a map...?"

@Phoenix