Spelunking for Charity

[Parrots_Lover]

Spoiler: Mission Description

Although Dantooine has no official ties to the Jedi, rumors of kyber crystals had drawn them to the planet for a few decades. Some have claimed there are caves on the planet giving access deeper into the planet's crust where crystals form that are ideal for Lightsaber crafting. These lightsaber crystals are sought after by many Jedi who either fail their gathering at Ilum or wish for another blade. Locals on Dantooine are normally simple farmers, ranchers, or working people of another type. They cannot afford to put aside their work to create mines on the hope of finding wealth that may not be there. Your mission is to search any caves you can find in the area for solid proof of crystals. Help the locals establish a stable mining tunnel to benefit both us and them.

Spelunking for Charity
Jedi Mission

@Parrots_Lover (@Summer - Jedi Padawan), @jamessour (Tarnit - Jedi Knight), @Jabonicus (NPC'ing the Kinrath Hive)
​

Summer walked alert and ready along the trail through the woods. She and the Jedi Knight Tarnit were on their way to a cave entrance. In the cave they were supposed to see if the reports were true. They were there to find kyber crystals. The thought of it excited her greatly. She hadn't been in the Jedi Order for very long, but was learning quickly about the way things worked. She would someday soon be allowed to go into the crystal caves on Illum and face the first of many trials to becoming a Knight, and there she would get a crystal for her first lightsaber.

She wondered if she would be allowed to keep a crystal from this cave, if she found one, or if they would make her wait for an Illum crystal. The idea of crafting her own weapon highly appealed to Summer. After all, she had always made her own tools and weapons before coming to join the Jedi. Walking around with a borrowed weapon was a constant irritation, though she'd never actually complain about it.

The trail was thin, almost invisible, but Summer followed it with ease. She had been following animal trails through mountains and forests since she could walk. It wasn't long before the yawning mouth to the cave showed itself. She stopped and gazed in wonderment. The opening was large, but she could see that it took a sharp turn not far inside the mouth. There was no telling how narrow the passage might get in places, or when a dead end might pop up out of nowhere. It was beautiful, though, that much was certain. Caves had a quiet beauty to them, the kind that whispers deadly thoughts but never ceases to amaze.

She looked to Tarnit before making a move toward it. He was her teacher and she would follow his lead in this mission, though she had private thoughts that she was more suited to the terrain than he was. She understood enough about the Jedi Order hierarchy to know that she was subordinate to him regardless.

 

[jamessour]

Their first assignment as a pair. Tarnit knew he was being somewhat cliche, but he couldn't help but smile seeing his student excitedly lead them through the woods. She was a natural at this, better than Tarnit would be without the aid of the Force. Tarnit could almost feel the force reverberating through the trees around him, resounding with ever-clearer signals that they were getting close.

If he was honest with himself, he was nervous to have a student of his own. A mission like this - as run-of-the-mill as it seems - could be exceptionally dangerous for someone like Summer. For even himself, for that matter. They were sent to search for kyber crystals, and if they were present help the locals set up a more permanent mine. This relationship alone could start an incredible relationship between Dantooine and the Jedi for centuries to come.

However, talking to the locals before they started following the trail revealed that there could be hidden dangers within. There were rumors, no reports, of large poisonous spider-like creatures that made the caves their home. The locals called them Kinrath. Tarnit smirked. Of course what they were after, the crystals, were just a rumor, while the giant poisonous spiders were a guarantee.

Summer stopped with Tarnit close behind. The cave entrance was magnificent, yet such a natural and subtle part of the landscape. The girl's adventuress eyes looked to Tarnit, no doubt waiting instruction. He could feel her excitement. Tarnit looked back at her and smiled. "Good job getting us here, Summer." Tarnit knew how important it was to acknowledge hard work.

Looking back to the cave, he could feel the darkness contained within the stoney walls. "I'm going to suggest we go slow, and have our sabers ignited for light, and defense." He unclipped his saber and started to walk toward the cave. No doubt, she would want to lead. What little he had learned about her thus far was that she was very at home in nature. He made a clear motion with his hand indicating her to go ahead of him.

"Be careful, Summer, we really don't know what's in there."

@Parrots_Lover @Jabonicus

 

[Jabonicus]

The cave system was only partially natural. The rest was burned out of acid and venom into twisting complex of antichambers and hallways that bent unnaturally throughout the ground. Beings of foreign design scuttled their way through the systems, idly going about their daily routines of swiftly going out, killing wildlife, and dragging it back to feed their queen.

The creatures had no knowledge of what was coming. They had no knowledge of Sith, Jedi, or anything else. They only knew of one term in their language, that even remotely had the same meaning.

Intruder.

 

[Summer]

Summer nodded at her teacher's suggestion to use the sabers for light as well as defense. It was very true that these cave systems tended to be very unpredictable. During her time alone in the mountains of her home planet, she had often ventured into unknown caves and ended up running out of it not long afterwards.

She ignited her borrowed saber and held it in front of her with both hands before walking into the mouth of the cave. She was thrilled to be allowed to take the lead, but also knew that it was a dangerous position to be in if trouble haunted the cave. She stepped lightly and peered cautiously around every bend and into every crevice as they passed.

It wouldn't be an easy task to find the crystals, if there were any here. They would probably be hidden deep in the caves and it would likely take a while to find them. Still on full alert, Summer soon became accustomed to the strange glow the sabers cast on the glistening walls and the sound of her teacher's footsteps on the rock behind her.

 

[jamessour]

Tarnit could easily sense the creatures within. He could even use his physical sense to confirm. There were scratch marks, and debris from animals. There was also a distinctive smell of decomposing animals emanating from deep within the cave. Tarnit believed they would encounter some very soon.

Tarnit followed closely behind the padawan, slightly nervous for what they would encounter. His eyes struggled to adjust as they fully entered the mouth of the cave.

@Jabonicus

 

[Jabonicus]

The cave walls held many holes, that dug in twisting patterns, leading to different paths throughout the mountain and through the earth. Rumbling emanated through the cave systems, a deep, echoing sound that shook through practically everything as they walked through. As the two Jedi pushed deeper in, they would notice something odd; they could see movements, things swiftly moving through the small holes in the cave walls. It seemed that, as long as were fairly big, they couldn't reach them.

Then again, at that size, they would have bigger things to worry about.

 

[Summer]

Summer continued moving swiftly through the caves. Their objective would be deep within, after all. She did take note of the various signs of large predator activity throughout their path, though. There were marks on the walls and the smell of decaying flesh that often denoted the presence of carnivorous predators.

The thought of a fight thrilled her. Summer had only recently begun to discover the forms of proper lightsaber combat, but she found the weapon enchanting. It was virtually weightless, yet held more power than any other weapon she had ever held in hand before. It burned and melted almost any metal and sliced cleanly and easily through flesh and bone. It was truly marvelous.

She continued on with wary, but eager footsteps.

 

[jamessour]

They wandered further, and Tarnit could sense the impending danger. He drew closer to Summer as they rounded a corner. Perhaps the true danger would be trying to find an exit. They had perhaps walked for ten minutes, and progress was slow, as it was dark, and dangerous.

Tarnit spoke softly as he stopped, "Summer hold one second." Looking left and right, he noticed the movement. "Do you see them? Do you sense them?"

He gestured forward where the cave walls seemingly got bigger, allowing for more room. "We need to be careful ahead. We may find ourselves flanked when the cave opens more"


@Jabonicus

 

[Jabonicus]

Suddenly, ahead in the damp, deep interiors of the cave system, something began to move. Something big. A hideous screech filled the air, and a sound of something with many legs charging at them filled the air. They had two options, either duck into the smaller holes and passageways that littered the ground and walls, or face the oncoming threat head on.

To be honest, neither option seemed particularly beneficial to their health.

 

[Summer]

The hairs on the back of Summer's neck were standing on end. She was sure danger was about, but couldn't detect any specific evidence of the threat. When her teacher spoke, she halted immediately and tried to listen harder. She had actually been practicing using the Force and tried using it now, to sense the threat in a different way than she was used to.

They were there. She actually did sense their presence with the aid of the Force. Large and dangerous creatures. The knowledge came only an instant before a horrid screeching echoed through the cave system and something began charging at them.

Summer was eager to use her practiced lightsaber moves on a real enemy for once. She immediately moved a foot to the right, giving Tarnit more room on the left side of the cave tunnel to maneuver. She dropped into a defensive stance, still not sure what creature would emerge from the darkness.

 

[jamessour]

The screech confirmed Tarnit's suspicions. Summer stepped to her right, making room for Tarnit who quickly stepped forward to her left, and even slightly ahead of her, hoping to take take concentration onto himself.

Tarnit shifted his saber into a defensive stance and prepared himself for the oncoming assault. He focused and kept his senses searching for other creatures that may make their way behind them, or from the side during the engagement.

It was time to test the guardians the cave had protecting its treasures.

 

[Jabonicus]

Out of the darkness stumbled a creature of odd proportions. Four long, fleshy appendages bore into the ground, pushing back as muscles strained against themselves in the dull light, each appendage doing its part in sending the beast hurtling forward at an otherworldly, inconsistent speed. It took up practically the entire tunnel, and a fifth appendage reached forward, opening slightly as a foul, ear splitting screech emanated from the creature.

It echoed around them, and in turn drew out the echoing calls of its family. They did not draw near, or at least, didn't seem to, but it created a chorus of hideous noise that filled the air with the vulgar song of the beast.

As it came in sight, it did not waver, it did not readjust its path, it simply charged. No concern for its safety, no time taken to assess the threat, it simply charged, and it showed no desire to stop.

 

[Summer]

Summer stiffened as a huge, strange creature emerged from the darkness. It was some sort of animal she had never before encountered, but it ran on four legs and had a head. She set her jaw with grim determination and readied herself for the coming fight. As the beast neared, she took a step forward. She was ready to prove herself.

The creature was near and still charging full force. Summer swung her lightsaber across, aiming to slice off its forward protruding mouth or head. Immediately after the slice, she reversed her grip on the saber's hilt and thrust it forward, meaning to impale the beast in the chest.

 

[jamessour]

The creature stampeded at the duo, completely unflinching. Tarnit focused himself. Seeing Summer step forward he stepped back, preparing himself to defend any counter attack the creature would offer with a burst of the force.

Summer swiped across the beast and as she switched to stab the creature Tarnit took a step forward to defend her left side.

 

[Jabonicus]

The Kinrath, quite literally, lost its head. As Summer's attack decapitated it, it didn't stop running. That was, until, her blade pierced its chest. It let out a mighty screech, rearing back, cutting itself open along the lightsaber as it's legs started to scratch at the ceiling, pushing into small holes sunken from acid. A pale, yellow substance sprayed from its body, soaking both of the Jedi before it fell back to the ground, dead.

Suddenly, the ground rumbled as hundreds of Kilrath poured from the various sized holes. They ranged from the size of pebbles to the size that filled up the entire cave. They stepped over one another, squashing and stepping on one another, maiming and scratching their family as they tried to get closer to the intruders.

Then they stopped.

They all sat there, sniffing the air for a good solid minute, not moving as their heads twitched and twirled at the Jedi. If they looked closely, they would notice one thing, they had no eyes. They were smelling only the smell of the deceased Kilrath, nothing more. They began to disperse, the larger ones anyway. They vanished into holes as some of the smaller ones stayed in place, idly moving about the cave floors and walls.

 

[jamessour]

A gross yellow liquid spews onto Tarnit and Summer. Closing his eyes to avoid blindness from the blood, he focuses on the coming hoard of more spiders.

Falling into a defensive stance to defend his padawan, they stop. All of them stop. Tarnit quickly wipes his eyes to examine the threats. The beasts were sniffing them, so it appears to Tarnit. He watches as they slowly disperse, apparently not finding the pair a threat any longer.

Tarnit chuckles as he leans to Summer, "They hunt by smell. I hope you're ready to get covered."

Tarnit raises his hand and with the force, draws more of the blood and covers himself and Summer, masking their smell. "Make sure you rub it in." Tarnit says through a smile.

He then takes the lead, making sure not to touch the creatures, but to follow the path deeper and deeper.

The tunnels grow smaller as they venture deeper, and Tarnit can sense that there is significant force energy coming from the next cavern. Halting he speaks, "I think we are about to find what we are looking for. Be ready, incase there is another threat." Tarnit steps into the next opening and looks around.

@Jabonicus

 

[jamessour]

The force radiates from this room. Tarnit breaths deep... then coughs. The force may be strong here, but so is the spider feces. The Sentinel looks to the student and smiles, motioning to a rock formation several meters infront of them. The formation is made up of small spires, jutting up from the base, and the entire body gleams with a glowing green tint.

"That's what we are looking for." Tarnit whispers excitedly. "Can you sense the crystals?" Walking forward to spire, he looks to see the cavern was filled with perhaps dozens of these spires. "There could be thousands of crystals here..." He says kneeling and touching the formation. The crystals glow as he touches them, bringing a similar glow to his spirit.

Standing he turns to Summer. "So, we have confirmed the rumors. That was the first part of our mission." he motions to his blood-painted body, "Also, I think we figured out how to establish a safe mining operation. These beasts hunt by smell. If we can synthesize the pheromone into a spray, the locals and us Jedi can stroll in without any problem." Tarnit smiles warmly. "Time to head back to the village and explain ourselves."

The pair begins to navigate the tunnel backwards, the trail isn't terribly hard to them to find, especially with Summer who is an excellent tracker leading the way. They come upon the corpse of the dead creature and Tarnit stoops down, and taking a small container, fills it with the blood. They continue to weave out of the cave and come to the sunlight. It is evening, and with another hour to hike to the village, Tarnit regrets not bringing provisions. Clipping his saber to his belt, he starts off with Summer behind him.

They reach the village as the sun begins its decent below the horizon. "Let's stop in the police station and let them know what we found. Then we can send a report back to the Jedi." The pair walks into the station.

@Jabonicus