[IC] SWS/DnD5, Star Wars the Old Republic – A Gathering Darkness

[GreenKarl]

"I cannot travel beyond this chamber and my essence is fading. I have used the last of my remaining abilities to grant you this rest in hopes that you could proceed quickly" the ghost says. When mentioned, this Gand does notice that the ghost is 'dimmer' than before, more transparent.

"The rooms below... in ages pass the where focusing chambers where disciples would harness the powers of the Way to help charge the Star Chamber. There where other maintenance area and crafting chambers. The Star Chamber itself is at the of the great central hallway. But that was ages ago. When we sealed off the area and closed the Star Chamber routes there were great shifts in the earth and mountains around us. I am not sure what condition you might find below."

"The Star Chamber itself was a vast circular room, greater in size then even this chamber. A great blue pyramid crystal was at the heart of the room, surrounded by small basalt and granite step pyramids that acted as focuses for the Chamber's power. These smaller buildings where also living quarters for those masters that oversaw the Chamber's use. The Rakata used it in much the same way and stationed guardians of there own around it..."

Everyone then gets a mental flash of some vast image...


"At the height of our power" the voice continues, with a note of sorrow and despair "the whole of the chamber could rise to the surface to shin under the sunlight... "

 

[Forged Fury]

[IC] SWS/DnD5, Star Wars the Old Republic – A Gathering Darkness

"Uh, no," Cal replied to the Gand, "I figured it wouldn't hurt to have my own artificial exoskeleton to help me with blaster fire. But now that you mention it..."


The human doubted he could pull off any substantive subterfuge, but maybe it would give their Sith opponents pause.

 

[Sezarious]

Jihahna smiled at this Gand warmly as she worked, the emotions began to settle. But something inside her was stirring.

It was the healing that was running through her. The meditation. It was stirring up something in her mind.

These selfless beings she had surrounded herself with.... They made her feel nothing but shame. She began taking armour off one of the troopers and adjusting it as best as she could for herself, preparing to put it on.

She glanced up at the two jedi now a little angrily again. Why had they just ignored her. Say something! Be angry with her at least, or throw a mystical jedi mantra at her, but don't ignore her! She turns to the guardian and speaks.

"Ok then, if we can stop these, what we call Sith, who follow the darken way, then what? Is there anything else we will need to do? If they turn it on, can we turn it off? If so, how?"

The pain in her heart, rising up, she was becoming unable to hold back the tears. She just felt emotionally so inadequate.... So weak compared to the perfect Jedi.... With that came further shame.




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[GreenKarl]

The spirit shakes his head "No child of the light, we closed the Star Chamber's way long ago. Unless these disciples force it open it will remain closed. If they are allowed or succeed at opening the Way... I do not know how it could be closed again. If that happens... we have only one last recross. I will unleash the host of guardian Whuffa Worms to destabilize the core of the planet and destroy this world with everyone on it. I... we, cannot allow the Star Chamber to ever again be awakened. For the forces of darkness could use to to destroy a thousand suns."

"And so... I pray to the Way that you succeeded..."

 

[Forged Fury]

[IC] SWS/DnD5, Star Wars the Old Republic – A Gathering Darkness

Cal paused. Even his stoicism wouldn't let him past the fact that an entire world's fate rested on the success or failure of their mission. "Well, that explains the Kwi legends..." he said, "Time's wasting." Checking his ammo load, the medic stood up and prepared to move out, looking to the remainder of the group.

OOC: Not trying to short circuit the Jihahna/Kacela drama, but figured I'd post up Cal's response to that bombshell.

 

[Binder Fred]

"I cannot travel beyond this chamber and my essence is fading. I have used the last of my remaining abilities to grant you this rest in hopes that you could proceed quickly" the ghost says. When mentioned, this Gand does notice that the ghost is 'dimmer' than before, more transparent.

guttural clack clicketty clack "This humble one is grateful." She seems a bit taken aback, actually... guttural jumble clicketty long-hum "These ones will remember."

Compound eyes slowly looking about as she just breathes... To the presently-closed pyramid on the dais... Across the smoking debris from the battle, bodies strewn about under a shifting pall of thinning white smoke.... To the softly sparking wreck of the two battle droids... A tilt of his chitinous head, body perking up: drone jumble click clicketty drone hum whirr click "Could Jihahna Darut slice control of the battle droids?"

 

[Shayuri]

Jihahna stops at the stillness. Slowing her breathing, she listens intently to the being in front of her. Accepting this restful gift, she raises her eyes after it speaks to this Gand.

"You're not a shadow... Shadows don't help people."

Looking down at her feet, checking over her rifle and equipment, she continues speaking...

"All my life i've been focused on taking from people, all I received in return is two blown up limbs and a false name to live under for the rest of my life. If anyone's a shadow here, it's me!"

She looks up at Kacela, tears forming in her eyes.

"The truth is, I've never really feared the force or the Jedi, i've just feared what you and those who wield it represent... Because in my mind, people like you, like that Kwa here put me to shame! Because in a galaxy full of greed, full of pain, there's no room for compassion, yet, you've shown it!"

She grips her left hand into a shaking fist of metal, her jaw tensing as the memories of her past flow through her mind.
"But where was your compassion when 'WE'.... When.... I needed it most?"

She stops at her last comment, shame gripping her face at her outburst, she sits on the floor working again on her equipment, wiping away her tears as they well up in her eyes.

"Ahhh, you wouldn't understand....! I'm s- I'm jus-"

Lost for words, she goes silent as she works.

Jihahna feels a hand on her shoulder. When she turns around, Kacela's light blue face is there. There is sorrow in her eyes.

"Of course there's room for compassion in this galaxy," she says softly. "In a galaxy like you describe, that is where compassion is needed the most. But there are only a few of us, Jihahna. We cannot be everywhere. I am sorry that we were not there for you. There is a solution though. When next you need compassion...feel it yourself first. This is the great truth behind the Jedi, the reason that we teach what we do. We, each of us, in some measure, create the reality around us by our actions. When we are cruel, we invite cruelty into our lives."

"When we feel compassion and kindness...when we reach out with those things to others...it is like starting a tiny fire. It may not catch right away, but with persistence and perseverance, it will. That is what the Force is. It is the embodiment of the fact that we are not separate things. All life. All in the universe...we are connected deep down. That which is outside of us, and that which is inside of us...also connected. To know compassion, show compassion. That which you truly wish to have...you must first give away. Do you see?"

 

[Sezarious]

[IC] SWS/DnD5, Star Wars the Old Republic – A Gathering Darkness

Jihahna shakes herself out of her stupor in this moment as she looks over to the Gand. Her new scout-trooper armor adding only slight bulk to her appearance, she finds her movement in it to be satisfactory and so decides she is ready to try other tasks. She smiles at this Gand:

"I dunno bud', maybe we should find out."

She interweaves and cracks her fingers before preparing to head over to the droids. She stops a moment before turning to Kacela.

"Err, Kacela? Look, i'm... I'm sorry. It's just, I've got a lotta self doubt. I know that's not something you can have as a jedi but... I dunno, the thing is, I'm not sure of a lotta things.

She smiles at Kacela before continuing.

"I think I understand. The old man who stood in my way when I was about to fall further, he didn't have any weapons on him or anything. At that point, I had to make a choice. Whether to gun him down as a hostile and continue my pursuit, or to quit. Not gunning him down meant I was destined for execution from the cartel... But those eyes Kacela..... Those haunting eyes.... Even now they give me goosebumps. There was no fear there, only pity.... Only compassion, for ME of all people. I can't imagine how much worse I would have felt if i'd hurt him. For me, there was no other choice but to quit."

She surprises herself with her last comment. The shocked look on her face is followed by a smile.

"It was my choice? Wow... It WAS... He may have lit the fire but I made the choice. Kacela, that's what's important! I've been beating myself up, convinced i'm no better than a petty thug, but if it was MY choice to stop what I was doing, maybe that's where I need to show myself some compassion, give myself a break?

Maybe even the Sith deserve compassion. Maybe they've never known it before, or they believe themselves to be unworthy of it? Sure they'd probably claim it is a weakness they do not want, but... How can THEY be sure? Maybe that's the true weapon of the Jedi! Their code, their philosophy! It's not about having the strongest powers or the greatest skill with a lightsaber, it's about... Er, well, how do i sum up their code, philosophy and compassion in short.... Well, I guess it's as you've said. It's all about... The force! Not the literal boulder lifting powers you get from it, but everything it represents!"

 

[GreenKarl]

Jihahna and Thirteen are able to patch up one of the droids pretty well. It should remain working for at least the time being. As she is finishing the Kwa ghost starts fading away. A final message from it "I believe you have a few hours before they are able to awaken the Star Chamber but you must hurry. What little of me remains will wait here... for if you fail... I can not... Good Travel and Walk in the Light..."

The Kwa then fades completely and the central dais slights back in the middle of the maze, once again open to whatever lies beneath.

GM: You got a good roll but part of it is the time also. So you repair it for 14 +1d6 hit points. As it has 'Construct' levels and not hero or even non-hero levels it is kind of like a vehicle in that when it goes to 0 hit points it is destroyed and lots of its systems fail. You beat the DC good enough that you can restore its blaster rifles and movement. It loses its Targeting Sensor but that's about it. It will work otherwise for the next fight it is in. NOTE that I did mess up this Gand's demo-explosive last time. When I said two would do +2d weapon damage I also forgot that he/she has the Demolitions talent that with a Tools (Explosive) roll (DC 15+) s/he also gets to add another +2d weapon damage to explosives. So you have +1 additional explosive charge left. Actions? What is the groups plan...

 

[Forged Fury]

[IC] SWS/DnD5, Star Wars the Old Republic – A Gathering Darkness

Cal was impressed with Jihahna's capability with the droid. "That's going to be useful," he said unnecessarily. "So what's our approach to heading down? Assuming the signal can penetrate the rock below us, the soldiers that fled probably communicated with the rest of their group. If so, they're going to be aware we're heading down."