Hoth: Blood and Ice

[Lord Draahg]

Lord Draahg approached, cut a neat line in his forearm. It bled for a bit before the skin started knitting back together. The Sith returned to his post.

[Darth Bellious]

Moyr nodded. And then her gaze rested on Aphr, expectant.

[Zeno Thul]

"You're a hypocrit, Zeno. Taking part in these dark games we play here, while also trying to counsel me as if you were saying you wanted to be a Jedi after all, despite continuing to cling to and embrace the darkness. You can not have it both ways. You either commit to one side, or you are nothing but a tourist to both."

He smiles softly and looks her directly in the eyes. "You probably don't get told this enough but, I love you my old friend. And if you don't believe that, try to remember any time I lied to you."

He then finishes his drink and goes to refill the cup.

[Layne Hoshin]

Ugh. Now she knew he was messing with her. Love her? *Him*? Of all her old classmates, *he* had been target of more of her hate than any of the others. Even Sylvain, whom through circumstances beyond the both of them had been forced into a violent and spiteful rivalry for their master's respect, even Sylvain hadn't merited the kind of hate she'd directed at Zeno back then.

He had been everything she was not. Born into privilege and reaping the benefits whilst pretending he deserved all the glory. He even got to be a fancy Sith Lord right out of the academy and enjoy everything that came with it, while *she*'d had to suffer through multiple assassination attempts from the overseers for being a filthy slave only to then be forced to murder and murder and murder for Baras like nothing more than an attack dog.

Why should *he* get to *still* have it all? He walked away from the Sith, never truly mended his ways, and simply traded being a noble of the Empire for being a noble of the Republic. And what did she do during that time? She still just found herself fighting all the time; all she was ever any good at.

..Sure, she'd mellowed toward him when her suspicions of his involvement with the conspiracies going on back then had proven to be false on Alderaan... Came to think that maybe he wasn't quite as terrible as she had always thought he was...

...But how did that give him the right to say these things to him now?

It was so unfair.

[Nudimsu]

[
The little Twi'lek had an amused smile at the joke, Aphr approving with a nod.

"They're combining their blood for the ritual, to allow them to...I guess link together and see deeper into the Force" Aphr clarified as she noticed Nudimsu watching the bowl. More than happy to play guide right now. "the dark side is drawn to rituals like this, as long as all are aligned and of one mind."

"Ahh, I see. Suppose it is less about the blood and more about the will of belief that it does something to activate the chaos of the Force."

He gives a respectful nod to Bellious as she was looking at his direction. "It seems it is now your turn to add to the pot."

[Aphr Ahaya]

"Ahh, I see. Suppose it is less about the blood and more about the will of belief that it does something to activate the chaos of the Force."

He gives a respectful nod to Bellious as she was looking at his direction. "It seems it is now your turn to add to the pot."

"It would depend who you ask. Some say the blood is important, drawing the blood focuses the mind. Others say the Force is within the blood and the ritual brings it out."

Then she felt the eyes on her. She turned, and she saw Moyr looking at her as Nudimsu commented. There was an unusual pause from Aphr, who would normally step forward immediately, before a shake of the head.

"My mind is not focused and that will disrupt the ritual. I'll remain here and explain to Nudimsu what is happening as he isn't one with the Force."

[Nudimsu]

"Very appreciative of that fact. And...uh...hello everyone." He gave a small wave, now that the spotlight was on him. "Sorry I can't participate in, uh, any of the activities, but I am honored to be invited."

[Darth Bellious]

Moyr betrayed nothing of how she'd received Aphr's excuse. She turned to those who did, then completed the incantation. She poured some vintage beverage into the bowl and rotated it slowly until it got smooth texture. Then, she carefully poured it into cups and redistributed among those willing to drink and experience whatever the Dark Side was willing to reveal.

[Does the effect, whatever it is, rely on Force Dice rolls, or are we good?]

[Dapper Dog]

OOC: Lore or Discipline check at Hard, I will flip a Destiny. Gain 2 boost die for player participation. You can ignore Power.

[Darth Bellious]

OOC: Lore or Discipline check at Hard, I will flip a Destiny. Gain 2 boost die for player participation. You can ignore Power.

[Can I add Force Dice to this?]

[Dapper Dog]

OOC: It's just the ritual, no need for the Force Die.

[Darth Bellious]

Another attempt, this time supported by collective darkness. Would that be a good vantage point? Moyr focused on how the brew would spread in her, letting it pour into her bloodstream...

LE3. Ritual. Flip. Using Dark Sermon bonus to cut difficulty.: 1eP+1eA+2eB+1eC 4 successes

[Vaylin]

The predator was already laying in wait, the beast attacked reaching into their minds with terrible ferocity.

They felt her presence and felt the words, "You deign to hunt me, savages."

OOC: Fear check versus rank 5 for all in the scene, if they the blood thing upgrade one of the dice so 1eP+4eD or 5eD if they did not drink the blood.

[Layne Hoshin]

Fear: 1eP+2eA+1eC+4eD 2 failures, 3 threat

[Lucinia Malveaux]

Breath hissed through Lucinia's teeth at the vision, a sharp inhalation at the rush of fear.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

D3LE Fear, Confidence-1eD CORRECT ROLL: 1eP+3eA+1eC+3eD 1 failure, 2 advantage

Advantage to avoid other negative effects?

[Dapper Dog]

OOC: Wait and See.

[Darth Bellious]

Moyr was frightened. She knew this feeling. Jadus had imprinted her with it. She was never beyond it. But in many cases, she'd managed to change it into something else. So she accepted the primal emotion she couldn't fight well enough, and bade her time to forge it into anger.

LE3. Fear. I spilled, I drank. I am cool.: 3eA+1eC+4eD 1 failure, 3 threat


[3 Strain from Threat]

[Nudimsu]

His natural Chiss abilities to remain calm were put to the test, and Nudimsu realized he should probably see the teacher for a redo.

~~
Fear is the Mind Killer (Cool Roll) Red Soiree [LE3]: 1eP+5eD 2 failures

[Vaylin]

Vaylin was not mad, she was disappointed that these savages thought they could do whatever savage thing they were doing. She reached out her hand and closed it and lifted each of them off the ground, choking as much of the life out of them.

Releasing it only when she chose to. She then dispersed the gathered Force energies ending the connection.

OOC: Vaylin will inflict 6 strain and 6 wounds, increase strain inflicted by threat rolled and reduce by Advantage. Since you suffer wounds roll a Critical at +20. I will handle any Despairs. This cannot be soaked.

Vaylin's Fury + Your Lack of Fear is Disturbing: 9eF 8 Light Side, 6 Dark Side

[Lucinia Malveaux]

As Lucinia was finally released, she staggered heavily. Breath that had hissed through her teeth now wheezed in her chest, as she strained against the choking. That turned into heavy coughing, muffled by a white cloth from her bag. When she finally recovered enough to put it away, it was stained red.

"Well." She said, her voice hoarse. She cleared her throat. "It seems we found something." Her lips quirked, but in the face of that power, she couldn't quite bring herself to laugh.

D3LE Crit: 1d100+20 33

[Layne Hoshin]

Getting lifted off the ground like this felt familiar. Gerald had done the same, in her vision back in the cave. Though maybe that was just a coincidence. Not exactly the time to be thinking about it, anyway. Too busy trying to breathe. And being slammed back into the ground afterwards by gravity.

"Gaghgh..." she coughed and sputtered, her head spinning.

"...the hell..."

Crit: 1d100+20 73 (reduced by 20 due to durable, resulting in Disoriented; setback caused gets ignored though)
9 strain taken, 6 wounds (+3 earlier from ritual meaning 9 wounds taken).

[stimpack used to heal herself for 5, then use another one unless someone offers up heals]

[Aphr Ahaya]

Aphr was just about to explain the next part when Vaylin made her incredible presence known.

Oh dear...

While everyone else in the room cowered, the little Twi'lek stood still. She winced slightly at the voice but otherwise didn't seem to be in any sort of pain or discomfort.

Sorry about this Vaylin. she mentally said, not that she was involved in the ritual itself but she was sure she'd hear about it if the powerful woman could sense her.


(ooc: D3LE fear 5 roll because of Vaylin. Cool being used. 1 Boost dice for sekret reasons, 2 boost from touch of fate. Destiny flip because why not: 1eA+2eP+3eB+5eD 2 successes, 2 threat, 1 Triumph


2 threat becomes 2 strain. Fear roll passed. Triumph to find out something about Vaylin from this that she wasn't intending to reveal? If not, then to impress her!

[Nudimsu]

He felt the weight of the Force thru his body and his fear in his body was a feeling of much familiarity. "It's Vaylin!" His voice was hoarce from the pressure of the weight on the throat. Once it was removed, he fell to the ground and that familar shake of his body pulsed thru him. It was what he feared. The net was cast on all fronts, it seems. The ships covered their exit thru space. Vaylin covered the Force.

It was a genius entrapment. He could only appreciate the brilliance of it as he jabbed a stimpack into his throat to help ease the pain, though it was hard to do with his body still shaking. He needed a minute before he could steady his hand to do it properly.

~~
Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration (Crit Roll: 1d100+20 55
Stunned: Staggered until end of next turn

[Aphr Ahaya]

Aphr reached out to try and catch the Chiss next to her, however she was neither quick nor strong. She did however crouch down, her hand going out to try and steady his while he stimmed himself.

"Easy now. Deep breaths. And this wasn't a common Sith ritual occurrence, usually it would be joined visions then lost in emotion and maybe an orgy" she tried to be reassuring and distract him from what he'd experienced.

So he knows about Vaylin also? That's interesting.

[Darth Bellious]

Moyr flopped to the ground, struggling to catch regular breath, but her body was used to pain.

LE3. Critical Injury.: 1d100+20 41 [Bowled Over]

[At 4 Strain, 9 Wounds, and 1 Crit]

"There we go." *cough* "Nothing like when an experiment confirms a hypothesis." She rose slowly, looking at how other Sith fared in all this. Her gaze lingered on Aphr, wordlessly.