STAR WARS: An Ill Wind
Session 16
[Note: Day-Lin was absent from this session, and was run as an NPC.]
EXT. MOUNTAIN - TWILIGHT
The Jedi are the first to emerge from the ship, twin hooded spectres descending into the gloom. The ground under their feet is bare rock with a light dusting of ash, the same hard grey as the sky above. Smaller stones and cinders are scattered across the pillowy surface of the old lava flow. No trees grow here. No birds sing. The mountain looms.
<OOC> Tekkel grins, listening to ominous swords-and-sorcery music while reading this.
<OOC> Pira mentally plays basso strings....
As the two Knights survey the forbidding landscape, Harukuk is the next to appear. His uniform vest, normally a deep Navy blue, looks midnight black under this world's overcast sky. He carries his bowcaster at the ready as he steps down onto the rock.
Day-Lin's brown and cream homespun robes, as well as the finer black and cream garments of Pira, are similarly washed-out by the constant twilight. Following her captain is Avirida, who blends into the landscape like a grey shadow. She looks around, a bit nervous at being on a planet again, especially one like this.
Bringing up the rear is the newest member of the unlikely group, Tekkel. He walks to the foot of the ramp with surprising confidence for one so small and apparently vulnerable, turns back and presses a button on a commlink-sized device he carries. The ramp lifts smoothly until it is again flush with the belly of his ship.
<OOC> Tekkel hrms, should think of clothing. Loose poncho, perhaps. And a backpack crammed with only-Lucas-knows-what. :)
Harukuk rumbles something interrogatory. [So we're here. Where are we going on this dump?]
<OOC> Kelly says, "And no, it does not double-chirp like a car alarm. :)"
<OOC> Tekkel /laughs/
<OOC> Avirida laughs!
Avirida asks, or translates, politely: "Which way?"
Day-Lin consults one of the many small devices in his own kit, an inertial compass, then lifts his head again. "This way." He sets off in the direction indicated.
Pira glides along beside him, watching the ominous horizon.
<OOC> Kelly says, "For a tradition as self-reliant as the Jedi, Qui-Gon sure seems to carry a lot of STUF(tm) in his utility belt. Breather. Commlink. Pocket holoprojector. Blood sampler."
<OOC> Pira says, "Yeah, but that fits in with the lightsaber."
<OOC> Tekkel heh. | "If you would only follow the [Jedi] code, Master, you would be on the council by now."
<OOC> Tekkel figures that Jedi were not averse to taking a small selection of practical items with them, so as not to rely too heavily on the force for everything.
Harukuk casually follows, though he keeps a close grip on his bowcaster.
Avirida stays in the vicinity of her captain.
In all directions save one, the rough grey land stretches away for many kilometers. Black bluffs are hazy in the distance. Ahead of you, however, the horizon slopes sharply upward toward the summit of the mountain whose lower face you are circling. Again lightning dances through the clouds, illuminating them from within, this time directly over that peak. The crash of thunder is simultaneous.
Pira leans over to observe the guide, trying to determine the kilometers to go.
Tekkel tucks the shipcall away into a pocket of the loose grey poncho he wears, makes sure the straps on his backpack are fitting comfortably after taking a holocamera out of it, and then catches up to stay close to Avirida and Harukuk.
While only about three or four kilometers as the Coruscant hawkbat flies, the distance around the base of the old volcano is somewhat greater - more like six.
Pira looks up again, and sets a quick pace as they move under the brow of the looming volcano, one quicker than perhaps comfortable for all except Harukuk.
Day-Lin matches Pira's pace without a word or even a glance to her.
<OOC> Kelly says, "mmm, Jedi macho games."
<OOC> Tekkel mumbles to himself about long-legged humans.
Avirida is... somewhat less good than Day-Lin at keeping up. Alas.
Pira glances up at the bleak cinder cone, and murmurs aside to Day-Lin, "I've got a bad feeling about this."
Day-Lin replies drily, "Tell me about it."
<OOC> Pira says, "Had to use the line, had to use the line."
Tekkel gradually finds himself falling behind, and scampers to keep up while clutching the holocamera in one hand. Hopefully the recording won't need too much editing afterwards.
Meanwhile...
EXT. SWAMP - TWILIGHT
A thin miasma hangs over the bog, collecting along the damp ground as a layer of mist. Mosses in hues of grayish green or sickly white hang from the branches of black trees, their shapes seeming twisted and skeletal. A yellowish flyer flaps through the dank air and vanishes into the murk.
Two figures in Mandalorean armor slog through the ankle-deep swamp water onto a ridge of more solid ground. The male is still identifiable by his red and grey armor, though the bright scarlet looks more like dried blood. The female's crest bobs slightly behind her helmeted head as she turns it this way and that, seeking threats.
As the Mandalorean warriors circle a pond, pushing plucking branches aside with the muzzles of their carbines, an eyestalk pops up through the thick mist. The single eye blinks once, then dips below the surface again. A ripple begins moving toward the shore...
A brown tentacle lashes out of the water with the speed of a striking snake, wrapping around the leg of the red Mandalorean, trying to drag him under. His cry of surprise is filtered through the helmet's speaker.
Immediately his purple-armored companion turns and begins pumping blaster bolts into the water at their feet. There is a burbling roar. The red one digs in his heels on the shore and tightens one gloved hand into a fist; a silvery blade springs forth from the back of his gauntlet. It blurs and hums as he slashes downward at the thick tentacle.
Black blood spurts from the cut as the vibroblade saws through the tentacle in less time than it takes to tell. There is another roar, louder, and the stump is yanked under the water. Then the dianoga heaves its whole body to the surface, waving several more tentacles like cobras as its maw opens vertically, revealing sharp teeth.
Almost casually, the female of the pair yanks a chrome sphere off her belt and lobs it into the dianoga's mouth. She and the male throw themselves to the ground as the creature explodes, spraying fleshy shrapnel through the trees.
Both Mandaloreans pick themselves up and brush themselves off. The male checks that his leg is okay, then taps his right fist against the female's in a comradely gesture. They turn and disappear around a tree.
<OOC> Pira says, "Mmm, fleshy shrapnel."
<OOC> Kelly appeases the Fett fanboys. Yes, these guys are badass. ;)
<OOC> Avirida cackles.
<OOC> Tekkel hehs.
And now, back on the other side of the mountain...
Moving quickly but carefully, Day-Lin picks his way over the rough slope.
Pira turns to look at the others of their crew, strung out in a line behind them.
<OOC> Kelly says, "Okay, you're moving at a quick walk. Let's make that Moderate terrain, with the full 15 difficulty. Roll your Running or DEX."
Harukuk rolls 3 dice: <1> 5 5
Tekkel rolls 3D+2 dice: <5> 2 2
Avirida rolls 2D+1 dice: <1> 2
<OOC> Avirida hides her face. :)
<OOC> Tekkel gets to find out what this planet's dirt tastes li - oh, ouch, Avirida.
<OOC> Avirida hates planets for a reason!
Pira rolls 3d dice: <1> 4 6
<OOC> Pira says, "Well. Maybe I'm NOT setting such a pace."
<OOC> Tekkel says, "Y'know, somehow I don't think we're cut out to be mountaineers...."
Suddenly the cindery slope gives way under the combined weight of the group, revealing itself as a thin crust. With a chorus of yelps, the hiking party falls a few meters to the floor of a (long-empty) lava tube.
Everyone except Tekkel, that is, who stands at the edge of the hole peering down as the others pick themselves up with a few bumps and scrapes, but no real injury except to their pride.
<OOC> Pira says, "See the advantages of trailing behind?"
<OOC> Tekkel grins, and nodnods.
<OOC> Tekkel promises not to send the tape to Funniest Home Videos, either.
<OOC> Pira says, "What do we roll to land well?"
<OOC> Kelly says, "Strength, basically. You had a 'tumble' - I roll damage."
<OOC> Pira says, "The Hutts would probably pay good money for shots of two Jedi falling through the crust."
<OOC> Kelly says, "Beat a six."
<OOC> Kelly says, "(That is, everyone roll your STR to soak six points of damage.)"
Pira rolls 2d dice: <5> 5
Avirida rolls 2D+2 dice: <2> 5
<OOC> Avirida beams. :)
The lava tube is roughly oval in cross-section, with dark rippled walls that are otherwise glassy smooth. It runs diagonally, not directly downslope, at this point.
Tekkel calls down softly, with a nervous edge, "Is everyone okay?"
Day-Lin's voice has an edge to it of a different sort, as he stands: "Oh, we're just fine."
Pira stands up in one smooth movement, trying to recapture her lost dignity. She looks around "I believe so."
Harukuk rumbles something to the same effect.
Pira says "I wonder how far this runs."
Day-Lin peers into the darkness. "No way of knowing. And this isn't a transport tube; it could get too narrow for us at any point."
Pira says "A pity, it would provide some cover for us. This land is very short of it."
Pira examines the broken edges of the hole above, looking for the most solid and thickest section.
<OOC> Kelly says, "Found it. (Or you could just have the Wookiee toss you out.)"
<OOC> Pira says, "Perhaps lift would be better? :)"
<OOC> Pira says, "How high is the top of the tube?"
<OOC> Kelly says, "Two or three meters. Closer to three."
Pira says "Captain, can you lift Avirida to the edge there?"
Harukuk frowns thoughtfully, and nods. He offers his hand to Avirida.
<OOC> Kelly watches the tape Tekkel made, and quotes Threepio: "Artoo, I'm not sure that's a good idea. It's a very long DROOOOP!"
<OOC> Pira cackles.
<OOC> Tekkel giggles.
Avirida peers up at it, and consigns her safety to a Wookiee. Wait, she does that on a regular basis.
Without too much effort, the mighty Harukuk is able to boost the slight figure of his engineer up to join Tekkel.
Pira frowns up again, and says "Day-Lin and I may be able to boost you up, Captain."
<OOC> Kelly says, "Harukuk can probably jump and chin himself."
<OOC> Kelly says, "If so, roll your 'climbing'. (5D, snicker)"
<OOC> Harukuk grins, and was about to ask what it was based on.
Harukuk rumbles something to the Jedi, and leaps up, claws extended to dig into the surface just outside the pit.
Avirida coughs, hiding a grin. "He says he can lend a hand if either of you need it."
Harukuk rolls 5 dice: <5> 1 2 1 5
<OOC> Kelly says, "Yeah, made it."
You paged Harukuk with 'Sucky roll, but lotsa dice and the two fives.'.
From afar, Harukuk nods. 14 on 5 dice isn't great, yeah. Just over the average for 4.
Harukuk pages: Wait, its dead on for 4.
Harukuk hauls himself out of the pit, and puts his shaggy arms down, palm out. The claws are, just as they are nearly all the time, retracted.
Day-Lin grins at his fellow Jedi, then gathers himself and makes a prodigious leap of his own, assisted by the Force. He alights on the side of the hole opposite Harukuk; no sense putting more weight on it, even if the crust is thicker there.
<OOC> Kelly says, "And yes, he managed to look somewhat graceful doing it."
<OOC> Pira says, "What do I roll for Jedi Leap?"
<OOC> Kelly holds up the cue card with Pira's next line: "Damn that man." ;)
<OOC> Pira snorks.
<OOC> Kelly says, "Control + Climbing/Jumping. (or STR)"
Pira eyes Day-Lin's now vacant spot. Grumbles, "damn that man." and leaps upward in a swirl of cloak.
Pira rolls 4d+2 dice: <4> 6 4 5
<OOC> Kelly says, "Okay, you're all out."
<OOC> Pira says, "Yay!"
Pira checks her chronometer, wincing at the time they have spent.
Pira says "Does anyone need to rest before we go on?"
Tekkel says "I would like a few minutes, please."
Avirida lifts a hand. "If possible." That is, 'if no one will carry her'.
Pira lifts a shoulder in acknowledgement, then drops to her knees in a pose of mediation.
Harukuk sits down.
Avirida walks a little... and sits down before she collapses.
<OOC> Pira says, "Pira is not very good at this group leadership thing."
<OOC> Pira . o O ( Morale? What's that? )
Tekkel finds a rock to sit on, and takes a drink bottle out of his backpack to sip from.
Day-Lin stands watch, looking off into the gloom.
Tekkel offers his bottle to the others.
A few minutes pass, during which time a patch of overcast thins enough to let one of those brief shafts of sunlight through. The natural spotlight wanders across the slope, almost reaching the group before it dims and goes out again.
Pira watches the gleaming patch of light with the suspiciousness of an enemy.
Avirida mutters, under her breath, "I hate weather."
<OOC> Kelly snickers.
Finally, the less hardy members of the party are ready to proceed.
Pira bounces to her feet, but she takes a less strenuous pace for this segment.
Avirida does not look (quite) pathetically grateful.
Tekkel's expression matches Avirida, for those who can read it.
MONTAGE of the group making their way across the slope, covered with loose cinders which sometimes slip out from under their feet; stepping over rocks and deep, narrow crevasses in the cooled lava; and so on. Finally, LONG SHOT (pulling back) of the line of hikers, tiny and insignificant against the dark mountain's side.
Eventually, Day-Lin makes his way to the top of a ridge that runs across the group's path. He stops.
Pira climbs up beside him, staring out to see what can be seen.
Tekkel follows some seconds later, camera ready.
At the foot of the mountain, perhaps another half-hour's hike, is a cluster of obelisks that seems carved from night itself. But that, along with the momentary chill, is an illusion; the towers are actually hewed from solid black stone, as both Jedi well know.
Day-Lin looks to Pira.
Pira bites her lip.
Pira says "Let's rest a little if they need it... should we go ahead alone?"
<OOC> Kelly says, "I probably shouldn't be making that decision."
<OOC> Pira hmms.
Day-Lin shrugs. "Up to you."
Pira tucks her hands inside her sleeves, meditating for a moment.
Pira says "They may well be attacked here if we leave them behind."
Pira says "I suppose we should stay together."
Day-Lin nods. "Together, then."
Pira turns back down the slope, crunching through the ash to ask the others "Do you need to rest?"
Tekkel turns from staring at the temple to staring at Pira and Day-Lin.
<OOC> Tekkel .oO (attacked?)
Tekkel says, after a moment of what might be wool-gathering, "Oh, no, I'm fine." He looks at Harukuk and Avirida.
Harukuk nods.
Pira says "Okay. Let's go."
Pira moves down the slope, her senses both physical and Force-based alert to danger.
EXT. SITH TEMPLE - TWILIGHT
It actually takes closer to an hour to reach the Sith temple, as the group moves more cautiously and takes what little cover it can find on this side of the mountain. A dark forest or swamp partially encircles the temple complex, which is on a broad patch of raised ground.
<OOC> Pira says, "O dear. The swamp."
Avirida regards the swamp with distaste. "Those things always seem so ... unsanitary," she murmurs.
Harukuk rumbles grumpily.
Pira tilts an eyebrow. "Ship-born?"
Avirida nods absently to Pira, as if given a compliment, and peers out at the temple.
Standing stones ring the temple proper, dragon's teeth planted in the earth. There is a main building perhaps two stories high from which the towers rise like shards of volcanic glass. From this angle, there doesn't seem to be any pattern to their arrangement. Some actually lean crookedly.
Pira frowns at the temple, and then drops into meditation at the last bit of shelter.
Tekkel is eyeing the swamp with mixed novelty and concern, which gives him a somewhat comical look. "So that's a swamp." He pans his camera across the view before focusing it on the temple.
<OOC> Pira loves the camera shtick :)
<OOC> Tekkel beams.
<OOC> Pira can just imagine an older Tekkel showing his home movies to the kids...
<OOC> Avirida says, "Tourist! :)"
<OOC> Pira says, "And here we are in the swamps of HP-277L..."
<OOC> Pira says, "That one there, with the angry expression and the vine around her leg, that was Knight Pira..."
<OOC> Tekkel laughs.
Pira pages: Can you use Force to see if a path is correct? Like Qui-Gon guiding them through the core of Naboo?
Pira pages: She's had the thought that if *she* was the Sith, there would be booby traps around the temple.
You paged Pira with 'Hm. Given that example, I suppose so. Roll half your PER plus *half* of your Sense. (It 'should' be your full Sense, but something's not right here.)'.
Pira rolls 3+1 dice: <3> 6 4
You paged Pira with 'You sense that what you seek is on the other side of the temple, facing the swamp. You'll have to circle around.'.
You paged Pira with 'Once you get down onto the grounds, that is.'.
You paged Pira with 'And there's something not right here, something that actually makes it hard to touch the Force.'.
Pira says abstractedly "We want to approach it from the other side." Without another word she strides forward into the temple desmenes.
Day-Lin gives Pira a strange look, but follows.
Pira begins to circle around, heedless of whether the others are following.
<OOC> Kelly says, "Walking speed now, Pira?"
<OOC> Pira says, "Yeah."
Tekkel takes one last wide-angle shot of the temple and swamp together, then walks after the two Jedi.
Harukuk follows, trying to keep his fur out of the mud.
On the mountain, the only sounds were of the crunching of the ground underneath and the faint moan of the wind. As one approaches the temple, however, the faint calls of -things- can be heard from within the swamp.
Pira seems unperturbed by the calls... as long as they do not stop.
<OOC> Kelly says, "Going around the circle of stones to the front, or through and then around?"
<OOC> Tekkel sends the thief forward to check for traps - oh, wait, wrong genre.
<OOC> Pira snickers.
<OOC> Pira says, "Where the Force leads her feet. If anywhere."
Day-Lin's pace is brisk, staying close to Pira but not so close as to hinder her draw. One hand rests on his belt next to his own lightsaber.
Each stele is a rough slab of the same black rock as the temple, sunk into the soft ground here. At close range, it can be seen that the stone has a slight purple tint. They are spaced several meters apart.
<OOC> Kelly says, "You get the feeling you should go around."
Pira circles around the dark stones, her attention half within, half without.
To all of Pira's senses, the temple registers only as brooding darkness.
Avirida peers at the tinge of color with interest as they pass.
<OOC> Pira says, "Mmm, pulsating puce."
<OOC> Kelly says, "No, more like violet so dark it's black."
Tekkel takes a closeup image of the tinted stone as he follows the others around.
Pira's face grows pale and strained as they edge closer to the dark stones, her steps slower and more careful.
<OOC> Kelly says, "PER rolls, please."
Tekkel rolls 3D+1 dice: <4> 6 5
Avirida rolls 2D+1 dice: <2> 3
Pira rolls 4d dice: <2> 5 1 5
<OOC> Pira says, "You know, I can't help but notice that the mouse is consistently rolling better than the rest of us :)"
<OOC> Avirida says, "It's mousey magic!"
<OOC> Pira giggles!
<OOC> Tekkel giggles. "You should've seen the number of 1s I rolled in last Tuesday's D&D game. Fumble fumble fumble. My opening roll was a 1! But I did manage to roll a few 20s too."
<OOC> Pira says, "Criticals around round!"
Over the various sounds of the swamp that now parallels your course, on the far side of a wide 'moat' of stagnant grey-brown water with a few aquatic plants floating on it, a flapping noise becomes louder. Two ochre birdlike shapes emerge from the tree cover, swooping down at their alien prey.
<OOC> Kelly says, "One seems to be heading for Pira and/or Day-Lin, the other for Tekkel."
<OOC> Pira says, "Where is Tekkel in relation to us?"
<OOC> Kelly says, "Behind you. Still single file, though not as strung out, I figured."
<OOC> Tekkel says, "How big are these birdlike shapes?"
Pira leaves the first bird to Day-lin, spinning and moving to interept the one that swoops at Tekkel.
Day-Lin brings his lightsaber up, its snap-hiss and emerald glow dispelling some of the gloom.
<OOC> Kelly says, "Let me put it this way. Anyone here played JEDI KNIGHT?"
<OOC> Avirida says, "Not me, alas :)"
<OOC> Tekkel hasn't in /ages/.
<OOC> Kelly says, "Remember mailocs, Tekkel?"
<OOC> Tekkel says, "Sorry, no."
<OOC> Kelly says, "They've got wingspans of about two meters. And dangling tails with scorpion stingers."
<OOC> Tekkel says, "Aha! They're SW stirges! *duck*"
<OOC> Kelly says, "Close enough."
<OOC> Kelly says, "Pira, roll... C or S, I forget, but they're both 2D+2, plus your 5D lightsaber."
Tekkel gives Pira a grateful look as he dives for whatever natural cover he can find or the ground behind Pira, whichever's more convenient.
Harukuk unslings his bowcaster in a motion, poised and ready to shoot.
Avirida draws her own pistol - like her captain, ready, but a touch unwilling to make their arrival *that* obvious. Or risk hitting the Jedi.
Pira rolls 7+2 dice: <5> 3 6 6 1 2 4
<OOC> Kelly says, "Good roll. That's a hit, roll damage."
Pira rolls 7d+2 dice: <2> 3 6 5 2 2 4
<OOC> Pira sulks.
<OOC> Kelly says, "Don't sulk too bad, that's still a kill."
Pira vaults into the air, slicing the bright violet beam of her 'saber down the dun-colored body in a vicious strike.
Purple light flares off the nearest standing stone as Pira's blade chops the attacking flyer into two uneven halves.
<OOC> Pira says, "ooh, nice sync on the lines :)"
Meanwhile, at the other end of the line, Day-Lin swings at the other bird-thing but only wings it - literally. The severed wing starts to flutter to the ground as the flyer itself tumbles past the Jedi, shrieking and flapping furiously with its remaining limb. Then its path carries it between two of the pillars.
Unnatural lightning arcs for an instant. A smoking, blackened body falls to the ground on the other side of the ring.
Day-Lin surveys the edge of the swamp for any more attackers, flying or otherwise. Then he considers the roasted corpse.
Day-Lin says, "I'm thinking we don't want to walk between the stones."
Avirida eyes the stones warily. "I'm thinking that's just about right."
Pira thumbs the switch of her saber, the bright bar of color vanishing from the gloom.
Tekkel picks himself up off the ground, cradling his holocamera, and peers nervously at the smoking remnants.
<OOC> Kelly says, "Force Lightning bug zapper."
<OOC> Tekkel could use one of those.
Day-Lin deactivates his saber likewise.
Pira says "Perhaps a safer path will reveal itself." She kicks the wing of her dead flyer, and starts off again on their circling path.
<OOC> Pira says, "Nice description, Kelly."
<OOC> Kelly says, "Thanks. Which?"
<OOC> Pira says, "Just the whole sequence."
<OOC> Pira liked the little saber reflection especially.
Shortly, and without further molestation by the local wildlife, the group arrives at what is obviously the temple entrance. To one side, a path that was once well-trod but now overgrown leads off into the swamp. To the other is a wider gap in the ring of stones. The path continues through the gap up to the temple itself. Two of the towers stand as sentinels on either side of a large doorway, with steps leading up to it. Rusted heaps that might have been braziers, once upon a time, flank the short stairway.
There are also another pair of heaps at the top of the ramp, much more recent: bodies. One Human, one Rodian.
Pira examines the ground carefully for marks, slowly working her way towards the stones, saber out and lit.
Day-Lin glances at Pira, then steels himself and marches up the path. His saber remains off for now.
<OOC> Kelly says, "PER, Pira?"
Pira rolls 4 dice: <6> 3 5 5
Pira rolls 1 die: <1>
<OOC> Kelly says, "Nice."
<OOC> Kelly says, "You detect no traps. :)"
<OOC> Pira snorks.
<OOC> Tekkel laughs.
Avirida peers up at the bodies instead, wary.
Tekkel stops outside the ring of stones, waiting for the Jedi to make their survey. The swamp gets some wary attention too.
Pira takes a deep breath, seeming to try to center herself, and moves forward on the path.
On further investigation, it can see that one of the huge double doors - easily high enough for a Wookiee - has been pushed partially open. The bodies lie where they have fallen, on either side of the doors, dressed in the well-worn clothes of spaceport riffraff. Their cause of death is rather more mundane than Sith lightning; both appear to have stopped a few blaster bolts.
Day-Lin nudges one of the bodies with his foot. "Guards," he suggests.
Pira says "In those clothes?"
Day-Lin shakes his head. "Not for the original inhabitants."
Pira says "Unless the Sith had fallen very far indeed."
Pira says "Then someone's ahead of us."
Day-Lin nods.
Pira drops to one knee, testing temperature and rigidity to see how long they might have been dead.
The body is cooling but still warmer than the surrounding air, and rigor has not yet set in.
<OOC> Kelly says, "They teach forensics at the temple? :)"
<OOC> Pira hmms. Well, I'd think something basic like that?
<OOC> Tekkel says, "And at least humans experience rigour mortis. Don't know about rodians though. :)"
<OOC> Kelly says, "Sure, just teasing, mostly."
Pira says "And well ahead. We may be too late." She strides for the doorway.