Dantooine The Gathering... once again!

[Eckaaso Shyn]

Ah, Dantooine, a pretty planet with rolling plains, lush prairies and ancient temples, alongside an important historic event under its belt. Eckaaso had decided to return there after a few years to do once again, a Gathering for a small group of Padawans. Another Knight had joined him just in case, also due to the fact that the Kaleesh's ship wasn't big enough for all five of them. He had taken with him two Padawans ( @Nefertari Sovint and @Maura Starwalk ) while he left the third one (@Asena Zeev ) to the other Knight. The Knight hoped that decision wouldn't backfire at him given that the two girls he had brought were very young!

"Here we are, welcome to Dantooine" he said as the two ships jumped out of hyperspace and begun their descent towards the planet's surface. "Enjoy the view until you're in time, because it'll be the last time you see sunlight for a while" he said jokingly.

@DonBongo @TeddySamurai @lizziie @HoneyMagpie

 

[Asena Zeev]

Asena couldn't get off the ship fast enough. Though a little older than most padawans, she was no less eager. Finally! She would finally find a kyber crystal for her very own lightsaber. It was almost like a hunt, but this time, the prize was much more elusive. Not everyone was lucky enough to find a kyber crystal. It took time and much patience.

Not exactly Asena's strong suit...But, fortune favors the bold. So long as she had the force to guide her, she couldn't go wrong.

The planet really was beautiful, even from space. It was not too dissimilar from her own homeworld, though here there was much less water. No matter. Dantooine was lush and vibrant, alive with the force itself. No wonder it was so rich in crystals.

Hearing the Jedi knight's joke prompted Asena's own mischievous. “I hear some padawans never make it out..." She then chuckled, wondering if the younger of her companions could hear her. It couldn't be helped. Asena just loved to tease the younglings.

@DonBongo @TeddySamurai @lizziie @samdragon

 

[Nefertari Sovint]

Through the hyperspace jump, Nefertari held the stylus to her colorful datapad; eagerly sketching out a design for her own lightsaber, provided she found a crystal. Nefertari was excited, and could sense the other padawans were as well. Next to Nef was @Maura Starwalk, who she had heard was just as likely to prank you as she was to help you. She seemed friendly though.
"Do you have a design in mind?" she asked the other padawan.

when the ship dropped out of hyperspace, Nef rushed over to the viewport. Dantooine was beautiful, and had a beautiful air of the force around it. In a way, it reminded Nef of her homeworld of Chandrila.
"Enjoy the view until you're in time, because it'll be the last time you see sunlight for a while" the knight joked. Nef giggled a bit until she heard @Asena Zeev over the comlink.

“I hear some padawans never make it out..."

"Th-that's not true, is it?"

@DonBongo @lizziie @HoneyMagpie @samdragon

 

[Maura Starwalk]

Maura was so excited. Of course, she wished she could be here with Master Voran, but it was so exciting either way that she couldn't even care that her master wasn't the one to bring her here. On the ride there, @Eckaaso Shyn and @Nefertari Sovint would be subjected to hours of the girl's speculative ramblings. Maura did her best to get as much info as possible out of the Knight accompanying the two, though she was ultimately unsatisfied with her success.

"Hmm..." Did she have a design in mind? "I haven't even thought about it!" She would, of course, want something super cool looking but also like, super practical. "I hope I get a purple blade, though! That would be so cool!" Maura couldn't think of anyone who had a purple blade, which was a large part of the reason she wanted one. That, and purple was a great color.

When they finally got there, Maura followed Nefertari and Eckaaso off the ship where they would meet with the other padawan, @Asena Zeev, and the other knight, @Maru C'renic Tel Illo.

"I bet it's true!" Maura's black eyes widened to saucers and her ears flattened against her head, but her facial expression didn't portray fear. "I bet the kyber crystals can hypnotize you if you're not worthy, and you'll get trapped there forever!"

She was totally making that up, and her mischievousness was revealed when she broke down into a fit of giggles after.

tags: @DonBongo @HoneyMagpie @Samara Draven @TeddySamurai

 

[Maru C'renic Tel Illo]

Maru was delighted with the excitement of the padawans wanting to take the next step in their training, it made him recall his own adventures looking for crystals and then the many redesigns of his saber until he at last found one that worked for him. The ship he had borrowed was a bit small with him at in the front and the padawan behind him. He casually took the controls and began their descent giving the larger ship a bit more space. Landing was a simple and easy thing and soon he was shutting the ship down and flipping the switch to open the hatch and easing his way out of the ship.

He took a few seconds to breath the clean air and to stretch, he didn't like being squished into a seat for long periods but alas he didn't want to deal with extra paperwork to borrow a larger ship. He took a moment digging into his pockets and then opening a small container pulling out a small yellow leaf that he promptly stuffed into his mouth, a treat earned for acting a chaperone.

"We lost half my class when we went crystal hunting" he warned the Padawan's his voice a serious tone that didn't look right from the mischievous grin on his face. "In fairness they wandered off" he added with a chuckle as he went back to the ship pulling out a pack and his saber locking the long staff like weapon to a harness on his back.

Tags: @samdragon @HoneyMagpie @TeddySamurai @lizziie

 

[Eckaaso Shyn]

The Kaleesh laughed softly at the teasing between the young Padawans. "Now you exaggerate girls, there has never been Padawans that haven't survived the trial. But in any case, this is a pursuit that has to be taken seriously" he explained as they landed in front of an ancient temple's ruins. "There we are. This is one of the ancient temples the order resided in during the Old Republic era, so several millennia ago. This one in particular has a crystal cave underneath it, so we'll head down there" he said as he beckoned the group to follow him, his BG droid pulling out a bright spotlight to illuminate the way.

@DonBongo @HoneyMagpie @TeddySamurai @lizziie

 

[Asena Zeev]

Asena gazed upon the ruins with a mixture of thoughts. It wasn't as grand as the one on Yavin IV, nor did it even feature the same architectural structure. Still, this place had once been home to heroes. The time of the Old Republic was considered to be the golden age of the Jedi; everyone knew the tales of old, but none more so than Asena. She had devoured those legends and lore like nothing else, always hungry to discover a new tale or two.

Now, here she was, with her own fellow Jedi. Together, they would walk the same path as their predecessors. They would search for their kyber crystals and build sabers of their own. No more training sabers for them!

"Well, what are we waiting for? Last one in is a womp rat!" If left untold, Asena would, sure enough, race on ahead.

 

[Nefertari Sovint]

Nefertari stood in front of the temple, admiring the ruins and the stories that the stones could tell. She wondered just how many Jedi had been here before. She'd heard many stories of the Jedi of old, as had all the younglings, and now it was her turn to take this journey.

"I've got a good feeling about this. Let's go, girls!"

Nef followed the droid into the darkness, feeling the force, and giggled after a brief moment.
"Funny that I'm following the astromech to the temple this time." she said, referencing her R3 friend back on Yavin.

Nefertari wondered what each of them would experience. What was waiting for them in the cave?

@lizziie @DonBongo @samdragon @HoneyMagpie

 

[Maura Starwalk]

"...and laST ONE INTO THE CAVE IS A RUNYIP!"

Maura didn't need the light from the BG droid to see in the ever-growing darkness, so the padawan barreled ahead of the rest of the group without any hesitation. Her eyes adjusted quickly, and when she turned back to shout for everyone to hurry, they would see the reflection of the BG droid's flashlight in her eyes.

The pointy-eared kid didn't get all too far ahead though. Since she didn't know exactly where they were going, it wasn't like she could path herself right to the location. Instead, Maura just hung out several meters out from the group and poked her head into half the rooms they passed.

"Master Shyn, why'd they abandon this place?" Everything was covered in a good layer of dust.

tags: @TeddySamurai @DonBongo @Samara Draven @HoneyMagpie

 

[Maru C'renic Tel Illo]

It took a significant effort on his part not to chase after the Padawan who ran so far ahead, the playful challenge made him grin and he tensed for a moment debated giving chase but alas he was a Knight he was older he knew better and while he sometimes resented the role he needed to be mature....at least for now. So he walked in measured steps behind the groups arms clasped behind his back in a similar manner he remembered his old teachers would walk, something about the pose of it.

There shouldn't be any danger either, the old temple grounds had been safe when he visited years ago and so aside from the risk of them tripping on something there was nothing to worry about.

He had to admit he didn't remember why this place was left behind, he had only known the temple on Yavin as his home but locked within the mechanics of his saber was the same crystal he had pulled out of this place. Sure he had redesigned the weapon a few times but he kept that crystal with every variation.


"Mind the steps" he called out as they reached the passageways leading below. "There are ghosts of padawans who tumbled all the way down the stairs, legend has it they are still falling" he cautioned before he ruined his warnings with a chuckle "Ok, so thats just a myth but please its a long way down if you start falling"

tags: @lizziie @TeddySamurai @HoneyMagpie @samdragon

 

[Eckaaso Shyn]

"Now that's a good question Maura. I'm not a historian, but it's safe to assume that the various conflicts that have happened in the last few centuries may have something to do with that. After the last attack from the Empire, definitely I would avoid establishing a permanent base, at least in my humble opinion" he said while they slowly descended the stairs into the depths of the Temple. Despite the spotlight the droid used, the Kaleesh pulled out his yellow-bladed lightsaber and turned it on to illuminate the area further. As they went down, he begun singing to himself a tune in his native language, but the tone of it suggested it was something either mourning or solemn, adequate for the ancient place they were exploring.

After several minutes of going down several flights of stairs, they finally arrived in a large cave with a tall door on the opposite end. The walls were decorated with scenes from the Order's history, even some of its dark moments, like the battle of Malachor. "Wow... Honestly I didn't recall all those bas reliefs last time I visited" he said with awe, then shook his head and looked at the door. "Alright, I hope you are ready girls" he said, nodding at Maru and lifting his hands, using the Force to slowly open one of the two doors.

@DonBongo @HoneyMagpie @TeddySamurai @lizziie

 

[Asena Zeev]

Though dark, Asena's eyes adjusted well enough for her to take notice of the walls and their carvings. She absently traced them with her fingers as the Kaleesh Jedi lead them further and further into the depths of the caves. There were sporadic clusters of crystals already emerging from the hardened earth but these weren't kyber crystals. They didn't sing or hum with any force affinity. Before embarking on their journey to Dantooine, a temple instructor had given Asena some helpful advice; in order to find the right crystal, a Jedi needed to listen well. The force would speak to them through the crystal and reveal the perfect match. Jedi Knight Shyn's saber was a perfect example of that, given the blade's interesting yet unusual color. It suited the Kaleesg well.

I wonder what my crystal. Will it be blue? Or maybe green?

Barely able to contain her, the nautlon peered on her tiptoes over the shoulders of their Jedi chaperones; the sight before her almost stole her breath away. Before them stood a glittering kingdom, with a flow of energy unlike any other. Spires of rocks reached the height of the caverns with embedded crystals spanning every inch. Some glowed brightly, whilst others simply beamed. Asena didn't even know where to start looking?

Listen to the Force, right? Easier said than done...

The sound of water drew the padawan's attention. Running through the expansive space was a narrow, running river; in its depths also sparkled an untold wealth of crystals. When given leave, Asena would first go there in search.

 

[Maura Starwalk]

// OOC: Went ahead and posted since it's been several days and there's not really a posting order.

"Conflicts... There's been an awful lot of conflict lately, huh? It's a good thing we have the chance to be here then!" Maura thought back to her combat training classes back on Yavin IV and felt excitement course through her veins. She couldn't wait to have her very own lightsaber! Then she would be able to defend the people of the galaxy against the evil Sith!

Maura had fallen back in step with the group by the time they reached the door, and her eyes widened even further as it opened. The cave was beautiful! Even in the low light, the crystal formations were catching the light her group brought with them and refracting them across the room. Some of them even glowed on their own. The air was stale though, and it was clear this place had been on lockdown for a long time. Regardless, it was beautiful.

Click! Maura pulled out her datapad and took a picture, then quickly shoved it back in her pocket. Yes, they'd said no technology, but since they didn't find it...!

"My master told me that to find a crystal I have to concentrate and feel for it," Maura said out loud to no one in particular. Without waiting, she hurried into the cave, but rather than running off she knelt down and placed both of her plans squarely against the ground. For once in her life, the padawan squeezed her eyes shut, slowed her breathing, and concentrated.

The cave already had a strong aura of the Force, but not every crystal was a kyber crystal, and only one kyber crystal would call out to her. Maura stayed in the position for less than a minute before her ears suddenly perked up. "I hear something!" Without another word, the girl ran off in a seemingly arbitrary direction, away from her party into the darkness.

roll to find kyber crystal: 81/100, rousing success
tags: @samdragon @HoneyMagpie @TeddySamurai @DonBongo[/color]

 

[Nefertari Sovint]

//OOC: Finals are coming up. Sorry about delayed posting.

Nefertari ignited a glowrod, examining the carvings on the wall and the dusty rooms as the group walked further down still.
"This would be a nice place for a game of hide and seek sometime." She said to no one in particular
At last, they reached a cave with a door and several carvings of the order's history.
"The order has a lot of sad stories, doesn't it?"

"Alright, I hope you are ready girls"
Nefertari bounced excitedly as the two knights pulled the door open. The cave sparkled beautifully with all kinds of crystals in a variety of colors. Nef wondered what color her crystal would be. Perhaps a nice powder blue like several of the training sabers she'd used in classes? Maybe a bright green like several legendary masters had? Or would Nefertari find something unique?
Click!
The rainbow haired padawan whipped out a datapad and snapped a picture before putting it away as quickly as she'd gotten it out
Nef leaned in and whispered "Could you send me that picture?"

"My master told me that to find a crystal I have to concentrate and feel for it," While this may not have been directed at her, it did stir a thought or two in her mind. Something she'd been told when she was one of the newest younglings at the temple
"I have my friends, and I have the force. How can I fail?" The Runyip of the group, Nefertari ran off after her fellow padawans into the cave. Eventually, Nefertari came to a tunnel that branched off in several directions. Nef concentrated, closed her eyes, and reached out and could feel something calling her; perhaps in her mind, perhaps audibly, one phrase echoed to the young padawan.

"Trust in the force."

@lizziie @HoneyMagpie @samdragon @DonBongo ​

 

[Asena Zeev]

The Force carried Asena further and further astray from the established group; it was as if a tide were carrying her away and she did not fight it. Her people believed in the idea of a 'cosmic ocean'. Going with the flow, as fate intended, was the way to go. Besides, there wasn't any real danger in separating. After all, this was a quest in the name of personal discovery. They couldn't hold each other's hands now, could they? The little ones would be fine. Any trouble and the Jedi Knights would be there to help.

Excited with the prospect of finding her crystal first, the even competitive Asena readied to take the plunge. "Good luck!" She shouted, her voice bouncing from one crystal wall over to the other. With that last call, she quickly discarded her outer robes and dived into the waters of the river. In the water, Jedi robes were too heavy and thick; getting rid of them now would create less drag. Being a Nautolan, Asena was an exceptional swimmer. She had no problems swimming against the current of the river, in fact, it was rather leisurely. She inspected a crystal here and there but none really seemed to stand out to her. They hummed and chimed, but they didn't truly resonate with her, so Asena kept looking.

The river bottomed out into an underwater tunnel; there was no telling where in the depths it would take her. How exciting! Without hesitating, Asena dived deeper, unbothered by the waning of the light. Instead, she couldn't help but wonder if the Jedi of old had searched these waters too, but it was doubtful (unless they were amphibious like her...?)

She had gone to such depths now, it was almost pitch black! With no kyber crystals in sight. Was she mistaken earlier? No, her instincts were never wrong! It had to be here somewhere...

Trust in the Force... Trust in the Force...

Focusing once more, Asena quietened her mind and opened herself once more to the 'cosmic ocean'. At first, her mind's eye was shrouded in darkness, much like the waters that surrounded her but she didn't lose hope. She had to be patient now, and whilst not her greatest virtue, it was certainly paying off! A light could be seen in the distance. Greenish in tone, it began to shimmer, growing brighter and brighter before repelling the darkness and its great expanse.

Asena opened her eyes and low and behold, in that watery cave, glowed a lonely kyber crystal. Now she just had to collect it!

Dice roll

 

[Eckaaso Shyn]

The Kaleesh chuckled lightly as the kids ran away into the cave, following them after a while, observing them from the enreance of the cave. He had turned off his lightsaber after seeing that the light was more than enough to see. The caves were just as he remembered, beautiful and mysterious at the same time. He sat on a ledge, legs crossed, and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath, and projected his mind to watch the surroundings, to keep under control the Padawans and guide them in case they needed. They would feel the Kaleesh's presence in the back of their mind, ready to help if needed.

@DonBongo @TeddySamurai @lizziie @HoneyMagpie

 

[Maru C'renic Tel Illo]

"And off they go" Maru whispered softly watching them each follow the call of the force each seeking their treasure and it brought a smile to his face. He could feel the excitement the wonder and with it a wave of nostalgia over what they were doing. He paused as each one followed the call of a crystal. He wasn't as good at projecting his thoughts or feelings so decided he needed to be more physically present and after hearing a splash figure one direction and rapid footsteps in others he chuckled for a moment as he waited.

He dug into his pocket for a moment pulling out a little treat for himself nibbling on one of his sweet leaf treats when he paused looking at the walls again and his grin grew. He took a quick moment to glance to make sure the padwans were still off searching and hunting before moving to the wall and brushing away the dust found his initials that he had carved into the stone all those years ago. His fingers traced the etchings, dug in with a sharpened stone and he snickered. He had seen the datapad and the pictures taken but how could judge.

With his little trip down memory lane finished he stood up straight again and focused his own thoughts, he loved building sabers and as his mind reached he felt so many hidden crystals calling but he focused on the more erratic patterns of the padwans. He had his crystal, those waiting in the walls would simply have to wait to be chosen someday

@samdragon @HoneyMagpie @TeddySamurai @lizziie

 

[Maura Starwalk]

Maura could hear the ringing of the crystal, though whether the sound came from the air or through the Force, she couldn't tell. The faster she ran, the clearer it became, so Maura ran faster and faster and faster...

"It's beneath me!" The thought came so suddenly, and she reacted in part so quickly, that instead of just coming to a stop the girl tumbled forward. She recovered, then crawled her way back with her ear to the ground.

"How do I get down there? It's rock!" She began to look around, searching in the dark until she noticed a little divet in the ground. Upon making her way over there she saw that it was not a divet, but rather a hole just wide enough for her to squeeze through. Without another worry for her safety, the gremlin wedged herself inside, bent on spelunking her way to the crystal she could hear growing louder and louder.

tags: @samdragon @DonBongo @TeddySamurai @HoneyMagpie

 

[Asena Zeev]

This is it. This is her crystal. There was little doubt, given how easily it allowed itself to surrender. It was almost too easy! From what she had been told, Asena thought there'd be more of a challenge. Other Jedi spoke of obstacles and visions, the need to reflect in order to obtain that which they desired. Admittedly, Asena, though a little disappointed, was happy to have found her kyber crystal. It was a beautiful colour, with multicoloured facets shimmering in shades of blue. It almost reminded her of Glee Anselm, her beloved homeworld. The padawan took this as yet another sign and was now eager to show off her success. She wondered if there was a record for 'fastest crystal to be collected'.

I bet the others are still up there looking. Just wait till they see this...

Asena turned, ready to swim back. But then she stopped, finding herself face to face with some sort of colossal creature. It was enormous! How could something so large exist in such a confined space?! Better yet, why hadn't Asena sensed it? She grew up in the water, movements of any kind would have transmitted themselves like signals, especially given its size and shape. Yet there it was, with its gaping maw ready to swallow her. From its mouth spewed a red bioluminescence, the length of which coated the entire interior of its body. The rows of teeth caused further concern, suggesting this was some sort of predator. Unwilling to confirm such a theory, Asena dived deep, swimming underneath the monster before it had a chance to devour her whole.

It made a terrible sound, with vibrations strong enough to terrorise the otherwise calm currents. In the water, Asena was fast but nothing could shake off this aquatic beast. One moment it was there, and the next right beside her, its frilled tendrils flaring as if in warning.

What heck is this!? A vision? A hallucination? This can't be real! It can't!

It certainly felt real. It felt very real as the creature's jaws closed in on her. In one fell swoop, Asena was swallowed, her vision once more bathed in darkness.

@DonBongo @TeddySamurai @lizziie @samdragon

Spoiler

It's not real. She's just seeing things/hallucinations

 

[Nefertari Sovint]

"Good luck!" Asena called, sending an echo through the caves
"Thanks! You too!" Nefertari called back
Nef took a path that sloped downward, sensing the Kaleesh knight waiting for them. She wondered how far down these caves went. Suddenly, it sloped back up when she went around a bend. As she climbed, the air started getting warmer and more humid before letting out into a roughly round chamber. Larger kybers glowed on the walls, illuminating the area a bit. In the center of the chamber was a pool of water, heated by the planet's geothermal activity, which would explain the crystals growing in it.

So many kyber crystals are in there...which one is mine?

Something was calling Nefertari from somewhere at the bottom of the pool. A splash echoed through the cave as she dove in. She tried to sense and search til she had to go up for air. Nef tried a couple more times to no avail. She'd heard of trials or visions when Jedi came for their crystals, but she had a feeling there was more to her crystal hunt than diving over and over. When she came up a third time, the phrase that had guided her here stopped as a crystaline cube sitting on a rock closed up. Soon after, a pale blue figure appeared and motioned for Nefertari to come sit on the rock next to him.