The Second Golden Age of the Sith [Pregame Roleplay]

[Rafe]

Gaimon

Gaimon sits, looking at the food with narrowed eyes. His thin, pale fingers drum on the table near a plate. He pulls his attention away from it - a difficulty when he can hear a trooper nearby eating, and Drupada and Renato both doing so. He looks at Salina.

"Control... it is a strange thing. -ksssk- A million may not be able to hold a single system, yet Darth Sidious controlled nearly this entire galaxy. Patience may be the key. Or guile. Strength of mind has shown itself to be of greater use to the Sith than strength in numbers."

Gaimon blinks when Renato mentions known presence. "I assure -kssssssk- you: we are known. The Sith are not hidden. Their bases of power are hidden, but we are not. The Jedi know of us, but their reputation is nothing of its former glory before their Dark Time." The pale man gazes through the table, his mind walking other paths. "Ossus is a fragile place, its environment meant to foster a sense of serenity. The -ksssk- Jedi focus their abilities in the wrong areas. They attempt so valiantly to not be us but we have no such worries. If a Jedi apprentice is found wanting, they spend time on the weakling. If they do not, the padawan flees in anger or resentment... perhaps causing problems for them down the road..."

Realizing how much he has said, his eyes refocus and he looks to the others nearby. Crossing his arms, he becomes quiet. My mind dwells too much on the past today, he thinks to himself. A wiser man would know better when to speak... and when to think.

[Raven T.]

Gaimon

"Control... it is a strange thing. -ksssk- A million may not be able to hold a single system, yet Darth Sidious controlled nearly this entire galaxy. Patience may be the key. Or guile. Strength of mind has shown itself to be of greater use to the Sith than strength in numbers."

Drupada Taipo

"Sidious also had billions of Clones, millions of Venator class ships, and thousands of supporters in the Senate before he achieved galactic control. Both guile and manpower is required for any plan of galactic domination to succeed.

"Besides, Sidious wasn't perfect. His fall is evidence enough of that. He underestimated the resilience of the Jedi and the equilibrium that the Force maintains. How much effort did he put into finding those most influential who escaped the Purge? Did he track Yoda to the ends of the galaxy? Did he send Vader out to exact vengeance on his former master...and the man who destroyed Vader's life?" This had been the first time Drupada had displayed any sense of inner fire and passion that would mark him a candidate for Sith training. Often times, he suppressed it so that it wouldn't cloud his judgment and cause him to act irrationally, but he could never resist a good debate.

[Rafe]

Gaimon

The pallid man watches Drupada cooly. "Yes, but -kssk- all those elements were extensions of his will. His lie had power over the minds of those who mattered. That lie, his will, gave rise to the Empire. Not military might. Also, they were tools and well used... for the most part. As you say, he fell and -kssk- it was not a quiet fall.

"You have proven my earlier comment about arrogance. It was Lord Sidious' undoing, perhaps. He -kssssssk- did not, as you have said, hunt down the last of the Jedi. Vader and the Emperor's Hands did not root out all agents of the old Republic." Gaimon leans forward meaningfully, his hands on the table. "Yet, was that through arrogance and delusion of impregnable power... or the will of the Force?" Gaimon shrugs, the tension leaving him. "Or is there such a thing?"

The lean man settles back in his chair and waves his own statements away dismissively. "This is academic. Words -kssk- can have power but actions yield results, my master says."

[Raven T.]

Drupada Taipo

Drupada had cooled some now that the conversation had moved in a slightly different direction. "While I do not place any doubt in the idea of the will of the Force, it is too convenient an excuse. Where does personal responsibility come into play? The Force moves as it may, but it is up to us, both those who consciously wield it and those who do not, to forge our own destinies. For good or ill, I believe it comes down to our choices.

"Yes, actions do speak louder than words, but we are not in a position today to do much more than speculate. The masters have given us the day to do as we please and I intend to use it as a day of recuperation in order to resume training fresh on the morrow."

[Rafe]

Gaimon

Gaimon nods to Drupada, then suddenly cackles mirthlessly, the sound like a droid coughing. "Could it be that this -ksssk- is their most merciless test yet? That we be forced into idleness and speculate, argue and force gaps between -kssssk- ourselves? Day of recuperation... I think this may be as arduous a day as any." His eyes gleam with cold humour.

[Raven T.]

Drupada Taipo

"It is entirely possible you are correct. However, at least, among those assembled here, I get the feeling their test may be backfiring some. From what I've read and experienced, Sith are not 'team players' and we're not at each other's throats...yet." He spoke the last word quietly and full of dread. Divisions bring about a swift demise, be it from outside sources or from within.

[Rafe]

Gaimon

The man stands and shrugs. "The day is still young." With a parting nod, Gaimon leaves the table, walking through the room to the kitchen mess.

[LongVin]

Renato Benso

"Or, perhaps the test is meant to make us work together. Even to a Sith it is difficult to discern what another Sith is thinking. It was the failings of the previous Sith Orders that infighting brought them down even when victory was virtually assured. Our current masters may want to prevent that." It was doubtful that, that was the true reason it would defeat the purpose of culling the weak from the ranks. But it might prove useful to have the others believe it.

[Caewil]

"And how do they intend to do that?" Csaba interjects. "We Sith do not seek a common goal, other than power. Infighting is natural, inevitable as long as there are more than two Sith. Eventually, we will all desire to be the Master."

[LongVin]

Renato Benso

Renato ponders the point for a momemt "It could be done in the way Drupada eluded to. Each Sith Lord can control a section of planets. In this way each Sith has the power he needs and desires and should help to atleast put a limit to infighting."

[Caewil]

Csaba Obscura

Csaba snorts condescendingly, "And what then? We meet on Coruscant every few years to debate policy? The problem with that plan is that it expects Sith to willingly limit their influence to their own sectors. Eventually, even control over a large sector will not be enough. The end result will be civil war. Again."

[LongVin]

Renato Benso

He nods conceding the point "But by that time we should have completely destroyed the last of the Jedi Order, and have made the populace averse to democracy and accustomed to Sith rule. It is not like we will have thousands of sith running around, it will be dozens or hundreds at most."

[Nowhere Girl]

Salina Jax


Salina continues to eat in silence as the debate rages on, the only change being that she now wears a small, amused smile.

[Caewil]

Csaba Obscura

Csaba shakes her head, disagreeing. "No, the Jedi have shown themselves to be suprisingly resilient. Even when their numbers were whittled down to a handful in Palpatine's time, they still managed to recover in less than half a decade."

[TheGreatJabu]

Antos Mereck

Antos scoops up the last shreds of his meal. Not a moment too soon, he thinks to himself. I hope I wasn't assigned to this place to protect a bunch of verbose academics. He abruptly stands and carries his scoured-clean tray to its proper place. With a bit of a clatter, he casually tosses the tray down and he marches directly out of the room in the same manner that he entered.

As he is walking away from the commons area, his pace slows. Antos begins to wonder what he should do with this 'free' day he's been given. Sure as hell don't want to go back to the commons, and it's still a few hours before my next set of exercises. He decides that his time would best be used in speaking with some of the other guards of this facility. Hopefully they'd be able to give him a better idea of what his expected duties would be in this cavern of a compound. Now with a purpose, he resumes his full pace in the direction of the turbolift. He pushes the "Up" button, and waits.

[Caewil]

Csaba Obscura

As Csaba speaks, she hears the clatter of a plate. Without turning her head, she opens herself to the Force, extending her senses to encompass the entire room. She 'sees' a broadly built looking man, one whom she had not perceived before. How did I not notice him? For a moment Csaba is puzzled, then she focuses her senses on him, allowing the other sounds and sights of the common room to fade away. Interestingly, the man was not Force sensitive. Through the Force, the Miraluka can sense his distain for the useless discussion. Her curiosity piqued, Csaba decides to follow him. Who knows, he could make a useful ally.

"May I be excused?" Csaba politely asks the other Sith. Not waiting for their assent, she stands up then strides out through the door after the soldier, following him to the turbolift.

[LongVin]

Renato Benso

Leaning across the table he continues "That was the folly of Palpatine he believed that all the Jedi were dead. He did not devote the proper time to hunting down the last aging remnants of the order of by the time of the Galactic Civil War. Nor did he devote the proper resources to destroying the traitorous children of the Lord Darth Vader."


EDIT: Just fixed a grammar error.

[TheGreatJabu]

Antos Mereck

Antos stands at attention facing the turbolift door, waiting for its arrival. He strains his ears to hear for any signs of its approach. He is distracted from his efforts by a sudden cold chill that runs down his spine - he turns to look over his shoulder to find (much to his surprise) that the blind Sith had come up behind him without a whisper of sound. He grudgingly felt a bit of respect for the woman. Heh. A lot of good my eyes did me when she was sneaking up.

Knowing the typical protocol of how a trooper is expected to treat an acolyte, he steps to the side of the turbolift controls and stands facing halfway between her and the door with ramrod posture and arms locked behind his back in a tighter version of parade-rest. "Up or down, ma'm?"

[Caewil]

Csaba Obscura

Csaba purses her lips, "You sat up there with the Sith Acolytes and ate. The Masters no doubt accord you some respect. I do not think they sent you here to open turbolift doors." Csaba turns and walks to the other side of the turbolift entrance. "Do you have a name, soldier?"

[TheGreatJabu]

Antos Mereck

Antos is a little surprised by the attention. Hmm. Not sure if this is a bad sign or a good one. He maintains the same stance, but looks over to make eye co...Oh, right; face-to-face viewing.

"Mereck, Antos. Sergeant. Truth be told, ma'm, I'm not sure what the Masters have me here for. I commanded a trooper squad until a week ago, when I was transferred." The next line gives him slight pause, and it seems the topic makes him uncomfortable. "I...haven't received new orders yet. Apart from my own personal training and getting oriented in this facility, my days have been unpleasantly idle." That's the understatement of the year. A man could go mad in this place without a task at hand. Assuming that a "regular joe from Coreillia" wouldn't be of interest for long, his gaze returns forward and he continues standing in parade-rest.

[Kaymeera]

"It's something elsewhere…elusive." - Obi-Wan Kenobi

Vykan Zendra

As Mereck and Obscura converse, the turbolift doors finally open, revealing a single Umbaran recruit, who seemed to have been struggling with the controls.

He displays a sign on relief as the doors part, and quickly steps out.

"Finally, I almost thought I was quite trapped in there. I don't think the instructors would have taken too kindly to me if I had cut my way through the walls."

He takes a moment to steady himself, rearranging the cloak he was wearing over a bare chest, which, unlike the robes of the other recruits, glimmered somewhat in the dim light. He then proceeds to examine the conversing pair, first Mereck, then Obscura. As his eyes meet her blindfold a look of grimace appears on his face.

"Ergh, Miraluka.."

[lawful_evil]

Jesara

The young Mon Calamari, having been bored for the last week, sleeps in to pass the time. The idleness is particularly painful for one with so keen a mind. Alas troopers were not given the same access as the acolytes or the masters, so Jesara was not permitted to linger in the Archive doing research.

She lies in bed for a bit longer stretching before finally bathing and getting dressed. Before she leave the room she turns off the humidifier and locks it up with the rest of her private belongings. The air on Hoth was so dry and Jesara's skin was sensitive enough without adding insult to injury.

After dressing and double checking that her uniform was perfect(perception test?), she heads out. She had a uniform custom made to fit her atypical body shape and size. She doesn't really care what her uniform looks like, but she doesn't want to attract the attention or the wrath of those who do care. Her deep brown skin is augmented with numerous narrow bands of auburn. Her large eyes are a yellow/green color, which matches the clothes she wears(when not forced into a uniform). Her bottom lip sports five 2-3 cm tendrils and the left two have a bit of red at the tip of the tendril, while the other 3 have black at the end.

Even for a Mon Calamari she isn't very pleasing on the eyes, her skin has lots of whitish splotches, which remained as scars after each of her numerous bouts with Quarren Shark Pox.

As she walks through the common area, she keeps her head down and walks a wide path around any of the other students that may be there. Heading the the mess hall, she is hopeful they'll have fish, but as she's learned, fish is a rare meal and thus far has never been served for breakfast.

With a sigh she accepts a bowl of some sort of whole grain gruel. The paste is the sort of thing people used to build living structures with 10000 years ago. At least we are beyond that. Of course, now we had to eat it. She eats as though she hasn't eaten in days, quickly buses her bowl and leaves the area before anyone notices her.

She heads down to the engineering area. This part of the facility reminds her most of home. She doesn't really understand the details of the much of the engineering that goes on, but it is all very familiar to her. The relative privacy of the unpopular area allows her to relax a bit. Most of the engineers are also somewhat socially awkward and certainly less overbearing than those found in most of the rest of the facility.

It was in this area that she practiced physical tasks, like cleaning a blaster. She knew what to do and how to do it, it was just a matter of actually doing it. Several of the connectors were often on so tight that she struggled to remove them. Sure, they needed to be tight so the weapon wouldn't fall apart in combat, but someone must someday design a better release clamp which held tight, but was very easy to release.

The only distraction was the occasional acolyte or master walking through and all she needed to do was stand up straight at attention, perhaps salute, perhaps say, "Sir". Nothing too extreme.

{{ DarkOrchid for Jesara. }}

[Caewil]

Csaba Obscura

Csaba turns her ire on the insulting Umbaran. "At least my kind don't go blind when someone shakes a glow-rod at us. Perhaps you had best leave, Umbaran. I was having a most enlightening conversation with Sergeant Merec before you interrupted."

Recalling some Galactic history, Csaba continues her tirade uninterrupted. "Go back to your hovel, or cave, or wherever it is your cowardly people slink away to hide."

Spoiler

Show

Adept Negociator.(1d20+10)[18] If the result equals or exceeds Zendra's Will defense, he moves 1 step down the condition track.

(Would you like an informal duel? It would give me an opportunity to get used to the forum's dice-roller.)

[Kaymeera]

"As my feet walk from the ashes of Katarr, I shall not fear, for in fear lies death" -Visas Marr"

Vykan Zendra

The Umbaran scowls, and leans forwards, talking slowly into the Miraluka's ear.

"You may see beyond sight in the Force, Miraluka, but you are truly blind if you wish to anger me. Mark my words, I can end you life here and now, and you will meet Death as your precious insight whispers it's final words of warning."

He raises his hand to her other ear, revealing a lightsabre, pointed away. He pushes a button, making sure the sharp whir of the saber's ignition flooded her other ear.

"Can you ... see, Miraluka? Will you tempt me? Will you shun your Force tricks and playful words and fight to your death? Or are you afraid...Miraluka?"

Spoiler

Show

Vykan Zendra falls 1 step down the condition track and he immediately spends 3 swift actions to shake it off.

[Rafe]

Gaimon

After picking at various foods, watchful of anyone who may be able to see his disfigurement, he walks towards the turbo-lift, having a desire to scan through the datavault terminals in the Archives. The day's idleness was beginning to gnaw at him. And it's still early... he thought discontentedly.

Seeing the three near the lift, an Umbaran apprentice with his activated lightsaber held near the Miraluka he'd seen in the common room, Gaimon narrows his eyes and pulls up short. He is reconsidering his decision - not wanting to share the lift with these others, or even approach it under these seemingly heightened circumstances.

Careful to avoid the bound cables snaking along the rough, frigid walls, he crosses his arms and leans into the corner of the corridor wall, watching, waiting for a more opportune time to ascend to the higher subfloors.

Spoiler

Show

Stealth check to avoid drawing too much attention to his presence.

Giving myself a +2 circumstance bonus for their involvement and using the corner of the corridor for some cover.

(1d20+6)[8]

Gaimon curses himself quietly as the section of wall he leans against crunches icily. Though pessimistic, he hopes he did not disrupt the goings-on ahead...


((I suppose I could have simply taken 10 on that, but this is more fun, even though the result was dismal... for me.))

[ShadowyFigure]

Spoiler

Show

OOC: Dibs on Navy. Beware: Major Kreia quotations ahead =D

Awaken.

Their it was the voice of the old sith. Only it was more a thought then a voice as was her way spreading rumour and messages through the young Keldor's mind. He had always found himself adept at gathering information and it was only now that he thought maybe... maybe this old womans spirit had always assited him in the arts of manipulation and information gathering. Still Danza's confidence held true and he always saw himself as a powerful manipulator not some pawn in the old ghosts plan. She had promised him insight into the 'true galaxy'. And no matter how much he meditated on these words he still found little meaning in them.

I must rest were the words that drifted through his head as he lay on his bed but to this he rescieved a laugh one of cruelty and malice.

It is only through interaction, through decision and choice, through confrontation, physical or mental, that the Force can grow within you. The choice to rest more then is needed is the choice to weaken ones self. Do not push my patcience you will awaken now or you will face my wrath, choose swiftly.

To this the young Keldor groaned rising from his cot he looks around finding himself in fact not in his own room. But that of one of the regular sith thugs. Who along with four other bodies lay bloody on the floor. In their hands were a mixture of lightsabers and sith blades and only the few blaster marks that lay on the back of the only survivor of the argument he had caused had been from his attacks.

It was in his nature he had found to spread distress amongst allies and so he had found easy to turn the thugs that had bullied him so much the past month against eachother willfully killing each other in a blood fury he enjoyed having little input in the murder they in acted upon each other.

Skill does not always draw from the Force, but it is a measure of power nonetheless. It can grant knowledge, help steady oneself when one's thoughts are in chaos, or grant enlightenment. And so here I give you your orders for today. Meditate on the teaching of the force. I hope that soon... soon you will be enlightened and unlock new powers. You are skillful my young aprentice in the arts of persuasion and deception and for that I compliment you... But leave now, leave these sleeping quaters and meditate on your knowledge somewhere in the academy where you choose... I care not. Finnaly the voice stopping Danza walks off out of the sleeping quaters heading towards the archive.

[lawful_evil]

Jesara

After several hours spent wandering Engineering lost in thought, Jesara decides she needs to shake off the cold. One of the few places in the academy to do that is Medical. With so much exposed flesh and delicate medical samples, the rooms there are kept much warmer than the rest of the facility.

Jesara navigates her way to medical avoiding the petty duels for supremacy and verbal debates, she takes all the often ignored routes. She was very familiar with them after spending most of her time at the academy looking to avoid confrontation. Being confined to a turbolift with other students for even 30 seconds was not an experience worth reliving.

Ah, the medical bay. I was so afraid the first time I was brought here. The beating I received for insulting a superior and disobeying orders was brutal enough. At least they delivered me to medical before I died. Medical was sterile, impersonal, and exposing. Jesara enjoyed the pain. Not just her own, but that of others. The pain exposed another side to the people here. A side not often seen. Pain and Suffering lead to Wisdom and Insight.

When engineering was too crowded Jesara would linger in medical. Watching the doctors and even the medical droids was very educational. Not just from a medicinal point of view, but from a gossip point of view. Jesara was able to observe the injuries sustained and the students who sustained them. She found the student's rhetoric during treatment was usually a play to increase their own morale and self-deceive regarding the true cause of their injury.

Today, medical was mostly empty. Jesara moves around the facility and nods in the friendly way to the personnel. Looks like they've been busy today. Lots of used supplies in the trash and the medical droids are in the self-cleaner. Based on the harse voices I heard from the turbolift, it sounds like it'll be busy again. Maybe I'll get lucky and they'll bring someone through.

[Caewil]

Csaba Obscura

Csaba ignites her lightsaber with a hiss. Her silver blade extends to meet the Umbaran's. "I am not afraid, Umbaran, but perhaps you should be." She stands ready, waiting for the Umbaran to make the first move.

Spoiler

Show

I withdraw and ignite my lightsaber as my move and swift actions, then I taunt Zendra as my standard action, using Adept Negociator as usual.

Persuasion/Intimidate: (1d20+10)[21] - on a success the same thing happens again.

BTW Kaymeera, withdrawing and igniting a lightsaber requires a move and swift action, so you can only spend one swift action recovering. Should we roll initiative?

Initiative: (1d20+3)[5]

If the result is 12 or lower, I use my Miraluka racial ability to reroll.

Initiative II: (1d20+3)[21]

[LongVin]

Renato Benso

With the conversations around the table mostly over, Renato finishes off his drink. Standing up he nods to those still remaining and heads towards the lift to return to the archives and his studies for the day. Maybe he should download a text on the Sith force techniques and put them to practice...hmmm...that could be both enlightening and enjoyable.

[Nowhere Girl]

Salina Jax


Unruffled and unhurried, as though shielded by an invisible bubble from all of the anxious goings-on of the world around her, Salina continues to eat quietly, letting the others talk.

Only when silence finally descends again, and a few of those present have left, does she finally lift her eyes once more from her now nearly empty plate.

"Even still," she says to no one in particular, "there are those who would say that to settle for less, to strive for less than everything ... is weakness."