Hoth: Blood and Ice

[Layne Hoshin]

She almost caught him when he fell, but the incline didn't seem to be too steep and he was fine on his own. Moments later she'd make her way down there herself, presumably with a little more poise.

"Sure, quick and easy way... like stumbling into shelter filled with crystals? If these are the kind that slot into a lightsaber, I'm going to be... well... not disappointed but calling banthapoodoo on your luck."

She took out a glowrod, turning it on to provide them with some light.

[Sylvain Torsin]

Sylvain brushed himself off and began looking around.

“In my experience there is no such thing…”

He stopped himself talking as he looked around.

[Layne Hoshin]

"Yeah well, in *my* experience, luck is at least fifty percent of what I do," she continued the conversation as the glowrod's light moved over the cave's interior.

"But, this wasn't in my dream, in any case."

[Dapper Dog]

The crystals are not fit for lightsabers or at least you think they would not be. But the cave network seems to split and go on for quite a ways one could get lost down here... so many directions to go.

[Sylvain Torsin]

“It’s a wonder you’re still alive…” He said as he began searching his surroundings with the Force.

————


Activate Farsight.

Can see as if in daylight for Medium range.


D1 Spirit Trip Farsight: 5eF 6 Light Side, 3 Dark Side

[Layne Hoshin]

"Well, I *have* died a few times," she said, letting her light continue to shine.

"Looks like there's multiple ways to go down here. Any ideas? Could've really used that cam droid right about now, I guess."

[Dapper Dog]

The cave system was rife with these crystal growths, and sometimes arthopod like creatures that seem to nibble at the crystals.

But then they come to a place… and it reeks of fear, and beyond there are no crystal growths, just jagged rocks and the smell of rot. But it was warmer here.

To the point that you feel beads of sweat forming.

OOC: Fear checks at Daunting. Destiny used by GM for both, so upgrade the roll once.

[Sylvain Torsin]

Sylvain steeled himself for the worst…


————

D1 Spirit Trip Fear Check Discipline: 3eP+1eA+3eD+1eC 4 successes, 2 threat, 1 Triumph, 1 Despair


Fun roll to decipher…

[Layne Hoshin]

Layne was plenty scary herself... but her emotions had been all over the place the past day or so. All the old memories flowing back in; the uncertainties. Not even reminding herself of all the things she'd done to cancel it all out could prevent the uncertainty from creeping back in again right now, in this moment.


Discipline (Queen's Commendation Talent used), DD upgrade: 2eP+1eA+3eD+1eC 2 failures, 1 advantage


(1 advantage used to heal strain I guess)

[Dapper Dog]

Layne was plenty scary herself... but her emotions had been all over the place the past day or so. All the old memories flowing back in; the uncertainties. Not even reminding herself of all the things she'd done to cancel it all out could prevent the uncertainty from creeping back in again right now, in this moment.


Discipline (Queen's Commendation Talent used), DD upgrade: 2eP+1eA+3eD+1eC 2 failures, 1 advantage


(1 advantage used to heal strain I guess)

The cave system opens up into a large barracks, the stone giving ground to cold plasti-steel flooring. The same benches and table… the same Imperial guards… the smell of nutrient paste.

A student, or their remnants, being cleaned up after angering an Overseer. The heat is oppressive, the sky a ruddy brown red, the windows looking down on a red dust covered courtyard where Sith aspirants trained.

The Wall of Peace, where the weak were pinned to it to bleed out as a warning.
The cave system opens up into a large barracks, the stone giving ground to cold plasti-steel flooring. The same benches and table… the same Imperial guards… the smell of nutrient paste.

A student, or their remnants, being cleaned up after angering an Overseer. The heat is oppressive, the sky a ruddy brown red, the windows looking down on a red dust covered courtyard where Sith aspirants trained.

The Wall of Peace, where the weak were pinned to it to bleed out as a warning.


She felt a shove, “Come on… if you don’t hurry up all the good paste will be gone.”

The cafeteria slave just stared and waited for her to raise her tray for delicious paste. The line was getting annoyed at the sudden stop.

[Layne Hoshin]

"I..." she stumbled forward from the impact of the shove; whether it was real or imagined.

"...you can't be here. No, *I* can't be here. This isn't real. Kriff... Syl? You seeing any of this?"

[Dapper Dog]

"I..." she stumbled forward from the impact of the shove; whether it was real or imagined.

"...you can't be here. No, *I* can't be here. This isn't real. Kriff... Syl? You seeing any of this?"

Just a long line of aspirants getting more and more angry.

The slave offers the paste again.

[Layne Hoshin]

"Fine, fine!" she moved forward to receive the paste; though she was pretty determined not to actually eat it. This *had* to be some kind of delusion, after all. For all she'd know, eating the paste would have her actually ingest poison in reality or something.

Still, she couldn't help but wonder. The Force *had* brought her to Hoth. Dreams of Korriban and the ghosts of family. And now here she was, facing one such ghost... maybe. Or a ghost of a ghost.

Layne looked back at her. "Is that you, Grandma? Or is it still Veers?"

[Dapper Dog]

"Veers is fine, grandma makes me feel... old," she admitted. "So we are in agreement, tonight after lights out we sneak out and murder Sylvain and take his holocron. Cant blame us if they can't prove it was us."

[Layne Hoshin]

"I never said anything about murdering him," she said with a frown. Truth was, back then? She *might* have. Maybe she just blocked that part out. Conveniently forgot about it?

"Well, kriff, anyway... this isn't actually happening. This was like fifteen years ago. And you... you're dead. I mean... *dead* twice over. You died on Ziost. Didn't you?"

[Luth Khalan]

Sylvain steeled himself for the worst…


————

D1 Spirit Trip Fear Check Discipline: 3eP+1eA+3eD+1eC 4 successes, 2 threat, 1 Triumph, 1 Despair


Fun roll to decipher…

[Screenwipe to action...]

The heat grows and soon he is walking through what he thinks is Echo Base, but the frames are twisted… the walkways warped from heat some unseen force twisting them into macabre slag.

He hears the sounds of lightsabers. The walkway gives way to the common area and he sees Darth Baras engaged in combat with someone; the figure had just disarmed him and then kicked his legs out from under him as they pulled the dark lord’s saber into their hand.

Luth raised the saber and spoke with another’s voice, “Pathetic, and you call yourself, Sith.” The voice was strong and deep, it was a man but a man he had never met but still he knew it. It was the Emperor.

The Sith Emperor.

The final strike came and she stepped over the corpse. The mask was cracked with the upper part revealing her eyes burning with hatred. She hissed in the Emperor’s voice, “Baras was disappointing, will you kneel before the Dragon?”

OOC: Despair and Triumph used. She is currently at Medium, Triumph used to spring forward in a mighty leap, she will be engaged on her action.

Cool Inits for Luth?: 5eP+8eF 4 successes, 2 advantage, 1 Triumph, 6 Light Side, 5 Dark Side

[Dapper Dog]

"I never said anything about murdering him," she said with a frown. Truth was, back then? She *might* have. Maybe she just blocked that part out. Conveniently forgot about it?

"Well, kriff, anyway... this isn't actually happening. This was like fifteen years ago. And you... you're dead. I mean... *dead* twice over. You died on Ziost. Didn't you?"

"Is this your way of saying you are backing out? I help you kill Sylvain, then you help me kill Baras," she responded.

"That was the deal."

[Layne Hoshin]

"Is this your way of saying you are backing out? I help you kill Sylvain, then you help me kill Baras," she responded.

"That was the deal."

Unaware of whatever was going on with Sylvain, she simply continued to pursue her own end of whatever this was.

"What? You never cared about Baras, did you? I don't recall *that* part of the deal either. Why do you want him dead?"

[Layne Hoshin]

Unaware of whatever was going on with Sylvain, she simply continued to pursue her own end of whatever this was.

"What? You never cared about Baras, did you? I don't recall *that* part of the deal either. Why do you want him dead?"

"Isn't that what you want?" Layne said.

[Layne Hoshin]

"I..."

What was *happening*? Now she was talking to *herself*? A good old fashioned journey of self-exploration, apparently. Was this the work of the Force, or something else?

She *had* talked to herself before, after all. Back on Bankor. But so far, this didn't feel quite the same. Maybe it was, maybe it wasn't, but for now it seemed like she could see where this was going a while longer.

"...I did. Back then. Now? Now I don't know. The galaxy would be better off without him, that's for sure. But, I'm different. I'm *supposed* to be *different*. Besides, Baras felt like such a small and petty threat next to the emperor. After dealing with *him*, I've barely even thought about my old master at all."

[Sylvain Torsin]

Sylvain placed his hand on his saber and took it from his hip.

“I serve the Empire… I know no Dragon.”


—————

D1 Spirit Trip Init v. Emperor: 2eP+1eA+1eB+5eF 3 successes, 3 advantage, 4 Light Side, 2 Dark Side


I’ll go ahead and use my talent that flips force points without destiny once per session for extra successes. And Rapid reaction for one more…

So 10 Successes 3 Advantage…

Strain 15/18

[Layne Hoshin]

"I..."

What was *happening*? Now she was talking to *herself*? A good old fashioned journey of self-exploration, apparently. Was this the work of the Force, or something else?

She *had* talked to herself before, after all. Back on Bankor. But so far, this didn't feel quite the same. Maybe it was, maybe it wasn't, but for now it seemed like she could see where this was going a while longer.

"...I did. Back then. Now? Now I don't know. The galaxy would be better off without him, that's for sure. But, I'm different. I'm *supposed* to be *different*. Besides, Baras felt like such a small and petty threat next to the emperor. After dealing with *him*, I've barely even thought about my old master at all."

Now every face was heres all of them turning to look at her as the woman next to her, that was herself stood and said, “You have always been defined by Baras, and you live in his shadow. We could end him here, on this world and do the galaxy a favor. We know that Baras is a threat, he will never redeem himself… so it only makes sense that you end him. It’s the most logical decision.”

“The Empire will never change, we told Sylvain that much. He corrupts everything he touches.”

[Luth Khalan]

Sylvain placed his hand on his saber and took it from his hip.

“I serve the Empire… I know no Dragon.”

The blades of light and energy clash, the air crackles, strike and counter strike. She or he is playing with him it seems as their weapons collide. Luth spoke in that same voice, “Your Empire is built on nothing, a flawed creation, I have long outgrown.”

“A relic of my misspent youth.”

[Layne Hoshin]

"Defined by him?" she raised a brow at the multitudes of herself, "For a while, sure. Always? I don't think so. But maybe me disagreeing is precisely what you want. Get my emotions to run wild, to give you some way in."

She had to admit that on some level, it was working.

"I had a conversation like this once before. Baras didn't really come up much then. Lots of promises of power though. Is that what you are? Just another dark side vergence offering up lies and corruption? A wound in the force doing the same? Or perhaps you're something more sentient than that? Trying to trick me into doing your dirty work for you?"

Layne closed her eyes, trying to focus.

"Tell me who you really are. What is this place?"

[Dapper Dog]

Gerald Hin.jpg (38.22 KiB) Viewed 2163 times

“Right now Sylvain is dying, you can save him… just go down that hall, and face your failures,” he said with a smile.

“Be the hero we both know you to be. You saved me, you can save him too.”