Ask Two Sith And A Politician

[Drane T'keen]

Spoiler: Music OOC

A simple question, a simple answer, one that Drane could appreciate from his partner. Instead of attempting to deflect it, Caerllion had answered directly. The pair of helmeted men were no less than Sith, not Jedi, and that alone was to back up their statement of services offered for the artifact and the election.

Vare measured the answer. “Fair enough.” He raised his glass in the manner that Drane had back at the bar; a toast alone, not shared by another hand, but the gesture was no less offered to everyone present. “Then let us begin with the artifact.”


On the way to their destination, after finishing his rally, Atelwick explained that his election campaign was delayed in part by his competitor, Delayn Truell. The actual selection date, however, would take place as scheduled further away from today.

If Vare was to win this election? He needed to find a way to turn Delayn into a non-factor, as one Sith had offered. Till then, he had plenty of time to plan out a defamation strategy, while his treasure hunt could not wait.

Others beside himself, even these two Sith, might have gotten wind of his discovery. He didn’t want anyone else getting it before he did. So their shared adventure took them to the planet Adando in the Mid Rim.

A world of rock and not much else, blasted into a molten surface, there was a cave system in one region where Vare’s information may yet lead them to this ancient relic or whatever.

Descending a ramp, stepping onto land, Drane kept his helmet over his face, especially in this environment. “Beneath the earth, waiting to be discovered,” he offered to no one in particular, gesturing toward a mesa that beckoned two Sith and a politician. “Our treasure.”

@LouJoVi

 

[Caerllion of Cyfnos]

Caerllion was surprised that Vare had agreed with the cooperation without showing any concern for them being Sith. His fellow Champion was right, he really didn’t care for the side that was going to help him. The only thing that he cared about were the results that would be achieved.

“Excellent!” Caerllion said, genuinely happy for the first time since they had accepted this mission. With their agreement sealed, the Sith would leave with Vare. The Politician would show them where the artifact was. Meanwhile, the Annfyn thought about ways that they could deal with Truell.

Under Vare’s guidance, they traveled to Adando, an unimpressive planet in the Mid Rim. According to the politician, somewhere below its rocky surface were tunnels and by following them, their intrepid group would find the artifact. Caerllion wasn’t even a bit happy about going underground.

“Well, then we should go now.” he said, not feeling in the mood to hear Drane’s theatrical speech for more time. The Annfyn walked forward, with Vare following him.

@Die Shize

 

[Drane T'keen]

Spoiler: Ambience IC

A moment at the ramp, all Drane had done was make a passing remark at the mesa but apparently Caerllion was an impatient politician without much appreciation for natural architecture.

The least that his companion could have done was actually take them into the cavernous system instead of walking or better yet lollygagging but whatever.

“Guess that means I’ll be watching our back,” Drane added. Then again, it seemed apt. Even without creatures, there was a presence here that felt…strange. Force-sensitive? Maybe. It remained to be seen.

Into the entrance, into the deep, a dark pathway was lit in part by a flashlight in Drane’s grip. Lightsabers were effective but so were things rather rudimentary.

“Left or right?” He gestured a little past the entrance where the path junctioned.

“How should I know?” Vare mentioned.

“A map would have been nice.”

“These ruins are uncharted. In fact they— Wait… Do you hear that?”

@LouJoVi

 

[Caerllion of Cyfnos]

”I trust you to it, more than that Politician.” Caerllion said telepathically to Drane. If something attacked them, or Vane tried to attack them, the Annfyn expected that his fellow Champion would be capable of helping. “Stay with your eyes open and in contact with the Force. I feel something strange.”

Indeed, there was a strange presence down the tunnels. Caerllion wasn’t sure of what it was, but he could feel that it had an evil purpose. This presence seemed to make the darkness around them become stronger, to the point of Drane’s flashlight barely illuminating their path.

When they reached a junction in their path, Drane and Vane started to bicker like an old married couple. Taking a deep breath, Caerllion turned to look at them. “Can you two stop? We need to decide where we should go.” the mention of the sound made him immediately turn toward it. “Yes, it seems like something walking.”

A loud roar alerted them that something was really coming.

@Die Shize

 

[Drane T'keen]

A map really would have been nice but at least Vare had some semblance of a description for these ruins if not a sense of direction, while all Caerllion had was a child’s temperament and a knack for stating the obvious.

Whatever was walking toward them, Drane focused, eyes open. His flashlight proved to be a bit fruitless but he had his senses and he had his weapon.

Torch set on the floor, lightsaber ignited, crimson blade illuminating his presence in the cave, gaze trained down its length where the tip stared into the darkness.

“Mr. Atelwick, please get behind us and, Mayhem, try not to die.” Time for Chaos to see if this other Sith had utility beyond babysitting a politician.

Another roar and the creature tore forward. In a flash of its appearance, it was both large and gross, yet it was no less quick.

Whatever his partner did, Drane raised his free hand and sent the thing flying into the wall. It was maybe halfway to the group when it fell, only to rise and leap at them again unless otherwise put out of its misery.

The Thyrsian stood tall, ready to cleave the beast in two, but just as curious as to the other Sith’s tactics. May as well get some entertainment out of this and see more of those magic tricks.

@LouJoVi

 

[Caerllion of Cyfnos]

”You should be the one being careful not to die.” Caerllion barked at Drane, before turning his attention to the creature that was approaching them. The Annfyn had no idea of what that thing was, but he was sure that it didn’t have any good intention toward the three.

Even before Drane used the Force to make the creature fly away, Caerllion had already opened his hand against it. He immediately released a blast of red energy toward it. It burst into flames after colliding against the thing’s skin. The creature screamed in pain, while trying to move away.

While it tried to escape, Caerllion would use his rage to increase the intensity of the flames. If Drane didn’t kill the creature, the Annfyn would burn it alive.

@Die Shize

 

[Drane T'keen]

Nice. Bright firelight. It illuminated the cave, making the shadows dance, as the beast burst into flames. Pyrokinesis was nothing unusual for a Sith.

Drane had played with it before, the bladesman that he was, but there was such a hint of rage from his companion that made the display all the better.

Perfect. He couldn’t help but grin. Yet, as much as Drane might get his kicks from pain, he was no sadist by nature. It was time to finish this and he would make it quick.

With Caerllion’s efforts, Drane closed the distance toward the creature and swung his lightsaber. Its head rolled from its shoulders an instant later. “Impressive.” He looked from the floor to the corridor. “And, eh, not bad.”

“Force. Lightswords.” Vare looked dumbfounded. “I’ve never seen either in action until now.”

“You’ve never seen Sith.” Vare fell silent. Then came distant roars. “Surprise, surprise,” Drane offered dryly. “More of them.”

Spoiler: Dice Roll Result

Ending the threat: 3/20

@LouJoVi

 

[Caerllion of Cyfnos]

The flames that Caerllion unleashed over the creature made the creature contort itself in pain. With this distraction, Drane rushed toward it with his lightsaber and cut off the thing's head. “Good job.” the Annfyn said, while looking at the body falling in the floor. His fellow Champion wasn’t incompetent as he had expected.

With the creature laying headless, Caerllion approached it. Pulling a small kit from his pocket, the Annfyn used a sharp forceps to remove a piece of the thing's skin. He stored it in a tiny flask. He wanted to discover what it was and perhaps there would be ways of using its genetic material for the Order.

“We can do many things beyond that.” Caerllion said to Vane, while putting his kit back in his pocket. The roars in the distance meant that more creatures were approaching. The Annfyn smiled, but it was hidden by his helmet. More samples were coming for him.

Caerllion stretched his arms and opened his hands at the approaching creatures. More blasts of energy were released and collided against them. Screams and roars filled the tunnels. “Do you want to participate, Chaos?” he said to his fellow Sith, expecting that he would want to kill some more beasts.

@Die Shize

 

[Drane T'keen]

Spoiler: Music OOC

More beasts. More enemies to slay, really. A question came Drane’s way. “I will wait.” He was content to watch his partner’s display for the moment. “You’re doing great, by the way.”

With a twirl of Drane's blade, a red light whirling in the cave, a wave of monsters leapt over their fallen brethren and stormed forth amid his flourish. A whole horde across the floor, more on the walls, screeching across the ceiling

“Okay then.” Chaos told Mayhem. “Time to play.” Another hilt fills his grip, ignites its crimson light, as the Champion tore forward.

A blur of movement, lightsabers dancing and illuminating their wielder as Drane became a whirlwind. Two swords, one purpose, his turn to twirl as he soared through the air like a boomerang.

He slashed, cleaving through arms and legs, necks and torsos, on the offense as much as defense, keeping away from the other Sith's blasts.

He landed, fanned his blades as a tongue lashed at him. It got caught in the rotor, the creature squealing. Drane slayed it and did the same to its brothers and sisters.

“Glad to have Sith watching your back, Mr. Atelwick?” Drane called across the carnage.

“...” Appropriately speechless. Bless.

@LouJoVi

 

[Caerllion of Cyfnos]

Caerllion rolled his eyes with Drane's answer. His fellow Sith had passed the vibe of being lazy since they had met. “Feel free to join when you are in the mood.” the Annfyn blasted another of the creatures. Now it wasn’t being used to spread flames, but to literally take off pieces of their bodies.

Unfortunately, there were too many of them and Caerllion’s energy blasts weren’t enough to kill all of them. In the end, he stopped using his magick and picked his lightsaber to cut them off. The red blade would move through the air, cutting throw the creatures and leaving pieces of them on the floor.

At least now Drane was helping him. The Thyrsian was fast with his blade, killing more creatures than Caerllion. The number of body parts littering in the floor increases, while the number of monsters coming toward them decreases. Soon, there weren't any more of these things coming toward them.

The Annfyn let Drane brag about their success to Vane, while he approached to look at the creatures. There was a strong Dark Side presence coming from them. Caerllion wondered if their presence was related to the artifact. “We need to continue.” he said, while pointing at the tunnel in front of them.

@Die Shize

 

[Drane T'keen]

The beasts were dead and a Sith pointed ahead. “Ever one for pointing out the obvious.” Pun intended? Mattered little and less as Drane beckoned to their resident politician who suddenly looked hesitant.

“I may not be Force-sensitive but I’ve got a bad feeling about this.”

Amid the fireworks of lightsabers and burning creatures, it did make sense. “Have no fear. That’s why we’re here.”

Those corrupted creatures and that dark presence gave credit to whatever this artifact was. The tunnel led the group through one tunnel and another before they came to a great chasm.

The pit was surrounded by a steep edge that a person would have to carefully step around, but Drane’s attention was on the hole in the center, big as a crater worth its name and as black as his armor.

“I don’t see any stairs. Or a door.” Vare sounded more annoyed than scared at this point but Drane had no doubt that this was the way even with the limited light of his torch.

“I sense a disturbance in the Force.” He stated the obvious. “Glowstick.” He lit the translucent luminescent, tossed it over the edge, and waited for it to hit the bottom. Assuming this wasn’t some bottomless pit, of course.

@LouJoVi

 

[Caerllion of Cyfnos]

Caerllion turned to look at Drane with a ‘really, bitch?’ face that unfortunately was hidden by his helmet. By this point, the Annfyn was sure that his fellow Champion was one of the most annoying individuals that he had the pleasure of interacting with. He hoped that whatever was hidden down these tunnels would be worth dealing with the Thyrsian during all this time.

“Yes, we are going to protect you.” Caerllion said, supporting what Drane had told the Politician. He couldn’t avoid thinking how ironic the situation was. They were trying to tell a person that he was safe being around two Sith. It was something that the Annfyn never thought that he would see.

They followed the tunnel until reaching a great chasm. Caerllion looked at it, but wasn’t able to see anything besides the darkness. There was a disturbance in the Force around it, leaving the Annfyn sure that there was something behind this pit that their eyes weren’t able to see.

When Drane threw the glow stick, the object simply vanished in the darkness. It didn’t descend the pit as they would expect, but disappeared. With his keen hearing, Caerllion was able to hear it hitting against the floor mere seconds after it was thrown.

Frowning, the Annfyn stretched his right hand and muttered words in ur-kittât. The darkness opened, revealing a hole and what was below it. The chasm was less than two meters. “It was covered by an illusion.”

@Die Shize

 

[Drane T'keen]

Spoiler: Music OOC

As Drane liked to say, don’t dish it out if you can’t take it, but meaningless jabs aside he quite liked his ally. It was a myth to think that Sith couldn’t get along and he had tried. It just wasn’t reciprocated so so be it.

Caerllion, a politician of his own making, was just as good at blazing, and hopefully wouldn’t screw this mission up by assuming Sith had to measure dicks every footstep.

They needed the other politician, Vare Atelwick, not so much for the promise of this artifact as their own campaign with his politics.

Glowstick tossed into the darkness. No response. Vanished. Like a whisper in the mist. Then a hit. Drane recognized the old tongue of the Sith but not enough to understand the other Sith’s expression.

Once again, the Annfyn had proven his abilities. The Thyrsian wouldn’t argue with it. “It was indeed.” Drane agreed with the apparent statement of an illusion from his plain-as-day companion.

It was no less obvious as to what kind of presence waited for them within that pit. Magic this or Force Alter that, it was no coincidence.

“Vare,” Drane beckoned. “How about you go first and make sure it is safe, eh?”

“...”

“Fair enough. But that makes you Mayhem’s burden.” At that, Drane stepped from the edge of the cliff and descended, spying his helmeted eyes toward a pair of doors that grew brighter as much as darker.

Arriving on the floor, breaking his fall with the Force, he might ignite his lightsaber, for the handles proved to be rather fruitless. “Thoughts, Mayhem?” Chaos beckoned. “Got another fancy incantation?”

@LouJoVi

 

[Caerllion of Cyfnos]

Caerllion rolled his eyes, being grateful for his helmet hiding it. He was annoyed by the fact that Drane wanted to send Vane down there first, which could be dangerous. He didn’t go all this distance to have the politician dying because his partner was being careless.

“I’ll go first, then you can jump and I'll catch you.” Caerllion said to the Politician, who opened his mouth to say something. However, the Annfyn had already jumped, using the Force to slow down his fall. He turned to look at Vane, who was afraid of following them. After some minutes, the man finally mustered enough courage to go down. Once he jumped, the Champion used the Force to help him land without hurting himself.

With all of them down there, they could proceed. He heard Drane talking, while studying the door. Caerllion couldn’t feel any defensive spell or tap. There wasn’t anything special about it, being a simple and ordinary door.

“Yes.” he said, before activating his own lightsaber and starting to cut a hole in it. “It would be faster if you helped.” even if it was ordinary, the metal of the door was still thick.

@Die Shize

 

[Drane T'keen]

Spoiler: Music OOC (Recurring)

Having been the first to cross the distance, Drane had actually expected his companion to send the politician to him. It made sense to levitate their friend in with one Sith already in the pit. Drane certainly didn’t expect Vare to jump in and land flat on his face despite playing with him.

In minutes (too long, in hindsight), with both Sith standing side by side, Drane had wondered whether Vare would turn and flee. But maybe he was already a burden to begin with? That remained to be seen. He was brave enough to trust the Annfyn at least.

Drane certainly trusted Caerllion’s judgment in the Force more than parlor tricks. So the pyromaniac began to open the entrance with— Oh. Nope. Turned out that this was less incantation and more swordsmanship. Perfect.

“You have my blade,” Drane proclaimed. It wasn’t sarcastic. Two lightsabers proved true, as promised. They did the trick in cutting a hole through the thick entrance. The circumference ended with a metallic clang as the door’s remnant crashed on the floor, revealing darkness.

“I’ve got a bad feeling—” Vare began.

“Please don’t finish that sentence.” Drane beckoned.

Two Sith and a politician open the door just then, pushing forward, revealing a corridor.
No, too plain in definition. A great hallway gave way to the light cast from Drane’s torch.
A chasm but one of construction, with clean crete rather than jagged edges. Mm. Pretty.
The air was thick, no wind but the notion of something stirring. “Let’s see where it leads.”

Drane’s turn to state the obvious not that he actually had anything against pointing it out.
“Wait,” Vare spoke. “I think I remember this.” Oh. So he isn’t as useless as a strangled cow.
“When I first learned of an artifact on this planet it was with rumor of a Hall of the Abyss.”
“Sublime.” Drane responded dryly. This sounded not terribly promising even for these Sith.
His light shone on ornaments along the walls, of hollowed eye sockets and open mouths.
“This means we are getting closer to our quarry.” Wait. Did that face just turn Drane’s way?

@LouJoVi