Log:JEDI ORDER: Funeral for a Friend

Funeral for a Friend

OOC Date: March 11 2019
Location: Ahch-to
Participants: Rey, Zandra naMuriel, Elrych Cometburn, Yuun

[19:16:05|Rey The Millennium Falcon had departed from Naboo and aboard it were several members of the Jedi Order. The trip itself hadn't taken long. It was a hyperspace trip from the south eastern quadrant of the galaxy to the south western.

Once arrived the sparkling blue world of Ahch-to rested peacefully outside of the Falcon's main viewport while the ship soared through the otherwise serenely empty starfield of space.

As it so happened though, the island that the Falcon was traveling to on the planet's surface had been beneath a blanket of rain and thunder. So the ocean waters were tumultuous against the rocky cliffs of the Temple Island, the Falcon had set down on the smooth landing shelf above the sea and the crew aboard it disembarked into a full rain storm. Nothing overly violent, but chaotic and strong none the less.

Together they'd make the trek up the sprawling staircase set into the island's grassy hillsides, heaving their way up between the rocks and old trees toward what would eventually be revealed as a series of old stone huts with pathways inter-weaving between the mountain itself, leading to other sections of it.

The rain is beating down hard, the winds are blowing, but the sun is still shining as its off to the west, beneath the rain storm itself over their heads. This creates an odd sensation of light and dark mixing together around their environment.

Rey is leading them, Chewbacca is with her, carrying with him a small black box draped over in a black cloth.

Rey leads them finally out of the rain, her robes whipping about her body in the storm winds, and into a temple-like room crafted out of rocks and peaking with a steep rocky roof above their heads. The sun is shining in through the window, but the hard rains are still falling.

In the center of the temple room's floor is the logo of the Jedi Order, faded by time, but still visible. Rey stands off to the side of the room while Chewbacca moves to a pedestal where he sets the box down and starts to unfold the wrap from over it. The big hairy Wookiee is shedding water in pools beneath him.

[19:23:20|Zandra naMuriel~ Zandra still mostly feels she's an impostor, albeit the feeling is less and less over time. She certainly agreed to come, in an instant, as she usually does if she thinks there's something to learn or she might be of help. The ride in the Falcon was nice, a chance to relax and let someone else do the flying. And then the rain storm. It's marvellous. More so because Zan grew up on a ship - large amounts of water are still mind boggling to her, and water falling from the sky? Beautiful. She revels in it, as she winds her way up. Her hair gets drenched, but it's all up in that braid, so impossible to tell really. She pauses to watch the lightning show, whenver there is one, making her way up, robe blowing in the wind, and blaster at her side. Along with a stun baton - still no lightsaber. Once up to the temple like room, she stops to drip water in her own little puddle, pausing to inspect the logo in the center of the room.

[19:27:34|Elrych Cometburn

Elrych makes sure to take a glimpse out of the Falcon's cockpit view port at the world the decend towards. He takes a seat in one of the back chairs as planetfall comences, blue eyes seraching through the rain and looking to the instraments now and again to peak his interest in statistical data reguarding the storm they've entered. Once the Falcon lands, he keeps out of the way and Rey and Chewie gather the 'casket' of the elder and make their way down the boarding ramp. He puts up his hood and does the same, doing his best to stave off the rain with his dark green cloak. The corellian ocassionally glances towards the sunset now and again, finding the sight asthetically pleasing. The Beauty of nature was everywhere and he always enjoyed seeing a new bit of it. It was his first time here and he hoped to return now and again for study and meditation. His lightsaber hangs from his belt, harmless and unthreatning. Simply a symbol for now of who he is and what he is. Once inside the temple, Elrych removes his hood, the cloak drenched in water. He wrings out some of it, his own puddle forming. At least his perpetually messy hair was still dry.

[19:37:55|Rey

As Chewbacca moves about the room's walls, he ignites small fires in sconces set in the stone at stomach level to him. Each sconce he lights provides a little more illumination to the room and pushes back a little more of the shadows present here-in. As he moves, Rey spares a glance in his direction, she knows how sad he is by the passing of the elder porg, as she is herself.

Once the others gather inside and she gives them a moment or two experience this setting she looks out toward the setting sun, with the light glinting off her rain dampened face even beneath her hood. "A little over a year ago, I ascended that rather... taxing staircase all by myself." Rey starts, her brown eyes going back to those with her. "Now, today, we ascended it together. As a group, we've grown stronger in this past year. We've already faced some hardships, but... I have to say, I'm proud of everyone. All of you. We've asked... I've asked, for a lot out of you all. To trust me and believe in what I'm trying to do, for--well--the entire galaxy. I believe the Jedi Order can return, and I believe it should return."

Rey takes a step toward the black box sitting centered on the pedestal. She reaches her right hand out toward it. "This little fellow." She says, staring down at it as the rain continues to fall outside the window beyond the pedestal. "He spent a lot of time with me as I poured over the Jedi Texts, the scrolls and tomes that we've recovered. He would... rest beside me on whatever table I was reading at. He'd ruffle his feathers and often fall asleep well I read." Rey smiles, picturing those moments. "I'd never had a friend like that... a little companion who would share so much time with me." She looks back to the others, Zandra and Elrych. "Arguably boring time." She says then with a grin. "But he liked it, or seemed to."

Chewbacca joins the Jedi Initiates, standing beside them. He listens and he quietly makes a somber noise in his native language at Rey's words.

"Death is apart of Life." Rey continues then. "We all know this and now, the more all of you train with the connection you have to the Force... you'll be able to better feel it too. This is one thing that Master Luke taught me here, on this rather peculiar little island in the middle of no where."

[19:44:57|Zandra naMuriel~ Zan waits patiently, eyes following Chewbacca as he lights the sconces. Once Rey starts to talk though, her attention goes to the paragon. She listens quietly, her expression neutral mostly, though it warms with the information about the elder porg. That reaches Zan at least a little. She looks a bit puzzled, at the end of Rey's speech, gaze going to Chewbacca as though she might well understand him, and that brings a little quirk of her lips, as she listens. After a moment, she looks to Rey with a, "I'm not sure I understand what you mean, that we'll be able to better feel death?" Well, someone has to ask, and since she's lost, Zan figures she will. And does.

[19:49:22|Elrych Cometburn

Elrychs expression is somber. He gives a soft warm smile here and there as Rey speaks about the Elder Porg. There is a nod to her explination of the Force and how death is apart of it. He looks to Zandra and speaks with a bit of hesitation. "I have felt death before. Sometimes it's painful, like when I shoot down another pilot. Other times it's peaceful like an old man at the end of his years. It's like a bit of the Force within us all returns to it." That's the best way he can describe what he's felt in terms one might be able to visualize.

[19:58:31|Rey

The rain and ocean scented winds are continuing to sweep through the room, feeling as though they're coming from all directions inside this temple chamber. There's a chill of the coming nightfall riding those winds, but the sunset is still providing a warmth into the chamber as well.

At Zandra, Rey looks to when she speaks and then she glances to Elrych and she offers the Corellian a light dip of her chin before she looks back onto Zandra. "The Force, as a whole, expresses itself in two different ways. The Unifying Force... this is what we experience when we meditate, the sensations of the galaxy around us... with time its possible to even see glimpses of a possible future, or things that are happening to those we are connected to in the now."

Rey then glances to the wooden box with the black drape laying beside it on the pedestal in the orange glow of the setting sun. "And the second, is the Living Force. This is... as Elrych describes." She looks back to them all. "It is the side of the Force that allows us to feel the life and death around us. The growth of flora, the wind in the trees, and the passing of living creatures. The more you train with the Force as a whole, the more you'll tap into both types of the Force. The Living, and the Unifying." She offers a quick smile that comes--and fades--quickly.

[20:04:43|Zandra naMuriel~ Zan tilts her head a bit, listening to Elrych. It's a thoughtful expression that she sports, considering what she hears. "So much to learn," she says wryly. "thank you both." She leaves it there for now, perhaps intending to work out anything further later on. "I'm sorry, Rey. I did not mean to interrupt." Now she looks a little bit embarrassed, stepping back a bit. However, she takes a deep breath and then squares her shoulders, standing tall - ish - as she listens. Her gaze goes back over to Elrych and she offers him a smile and a nod. She's going to take some time to work that into her brain, and understand it, but she's at least got the basic idea. Nothing to see here, carry on.

[20:07:15|Elrych Cometburn

Elrych gives that famous sly grin of his to Zandra and chuckles, "I don't think she minds questions." He looks back to Rey, his features sombering again. "I think this is our first Traditional Funeral. We're all still learning and have far to go." He notices that Zan seems a bit embaressed and reaches a hand over to touch her elbow reashuringly before his attention returns to Rey and the pyre.

[20:18:46|Yuun

Yuun has been quiet during the trip to Ach-to, though with all the reading he's been doing and training, the Initiate has been meditating. With the completion of his first lightsaber. Yuun still knows he has a long ways to go before he is a true Jedi and there is more he must learn. Though this trip has allowed for him to bring a lot of things to mind, even the loss of his family. Though now as they walk up the spiral stairs, Yuun continues to watch, not many words are shared with him. He is there showing his support and as the procession starts, Yuun listens and gives a slow bow of his head as he watches.

[20:23:44|Rey

Rey shows a soft smile at Zandra and she nods in agreement with what Elrych says. "I encourage questions. In fact." She responds as she takes a step back from the pedestal then, the room they're in is well illuminated now by the fire holders on the walls and the sun's orange rays from outside creating a mixture of golds and purples that fade into the storm clouds above them over the temple building outside.

"We live in a special age in the Jedi's history." Rey continues then, her hands coming together, her right moving to grasp the back of her left in front of her lap. She looks to the box with the elder porg's remains inside it. "I think its safe to say its not a shining moment in the Order's long standing absence from the galaxy, but its one of extraordinary new teachings in what he Force can provide us..." She looks back to them now. "We stand here tonight, as Initiates--myself included. We have all the potential of becoming Knights, Masters, Grand Masters... and more." What more could there be?

"At the end of the Clone Wars, when the Jedi Order fell to Darth Sidious and his student Darth Vader, there was a single Jedi Master who uncovered something unique. A way to defy death, through the Force, and truly become 'one' with it." She pauses to let that sink in for a second.

"Master Skywalker wrote on this subject extensively, as he had first hand knowledge of interacting with Jedi who had passed from the world of the living, and could come to him in a spiritual form of their former selves. Unable to directly interact with our reality, in a physical sense, but still able to interact with Luke in the form of a spirit."

Thats when Rey reaches out toward the box again, her right hand's fingers spread apart, but in a relaxed way. "We are more than these physical bodies that we leave behind. We are luminous. We can survive past the death of our physical selves. This is something the Jedi Order of old, could only theorize on... but now, its within our grasp. The further we progress as Jedi, the more we learn, the closer we get toward ascending toward an plain of immortality." This would likely be pretty heavy news for anyone to learn is within their reach and Rey stares at all of them with a calm expectancy of it being a bit unsettling perhaps too.

[20:28:04|Zandra naMuriel~ Zan lets one hand touch Elrych's, glad for his support. She listens to Rey as she continues, and her eyes widen. plain of immor- "That sounds impossible," she says softly, and then she takes a breath, before she adds, "And yet I know you would not tell us this if it were not true." She's unsettled certainly, and that shows. She doesn't even try to hide it. "Luminous." It's a big word, and one that Zan finds herself stopping at, as sort of the door to the rest of what Rey said. "I - think I need to work on my telekinesis first."

[20:30:57|Elrych Cometburn

Elrych raises his brows. Somehow he's not surprised or even startled... more so curious towards the information he's just been told. "If our bodies are indeed just vessels... that could mean some pretty interesting things. It must take years and years of communing with the force to reach that level of seperation." He turns to Zandra as she quips reguarding her Telekinesis training. He can't help but laugh at the timing. "Yes... a good place to start." Then he looks back to Rey, clearing his throat. "Sorry... please continue."

[20:38:55|Yuun

Yuun sits quietly though as Rey speaks he perks up and his eyes divert to her taking in her words. He does offer a smile even during his somber time, the dark skinned Jedi Initiate seems to visibly relax, as if an unknown weight has been lifted off his shoulders and his spirit really. "I've thought about that, but a soul or spirit should never die. I like that thought, but also Master Yoda spoke of this as well." he says as he looks to Rey. "I do want to take this time to thank you all for accepting a new member. I know I seem not to do things right but thank you." he smiles.

[20:41:34|Rey

Rey looks to Zandra and shows her a light smile from beneath the shadows inside of her deep hood. "I don't wish to make anyone here feel uncomfortable with notions that seem unobtainable. I know that... in the grand scheme of the galaxy as we all know it, things like this seem... unrealistic, if not outright absurd." Rey glances toward the window again and once more toward the system's star that is shining down upon the world as it prepares to turn away from the shimmering star for the night. She looks back to Zandra then. "Its not easy to achieve either. Nothing about the Jedi life is easy though. Not if we mean to stick to it, to learn from it, to grow our abilities in the Force and keep ourselves safe from the Darkness that wishes to pull us down into its embrace."

At Elrych, Rey nods her head once to him as well. "You're right." She simply starts to him. "What it takes is also pure dedication to the Light Side of the Force. This is why groups--such as the Knights of Ren--or the Sith before them?" The young human girl shakes her head side to side within her hood. "This is why they'll never achieve this power, even though its the one most of them have always desperately desired. Their Orders have believed that through, rage, and anger comes faster powers--and that part may be true to some extent--but the end result is a death of full finality. Their spirits rejoin the Force in a more fluid way, mixing back into the cosmic energy field as a whole."

Rey then points to the box and the pedestal it sits upon. "This is why the tradition within the Jedi has always been to set the bodies we leave behind to fire, so that the fire may consume them and the energies of said body will rise into the atmosphere and similarly become more one with the Force." She then looks over to Yuun and just smiles softly at him.

"You're doing fine Yuun." Rey says to him. "Be confident in yourself, and in your training. Believe in yourself, and let the Force guide you."

[20:46:52|Zandra naMuriel~ Zan can't help but grin as she managed to make Elrych at least laugh. If Zan seems to be a little more confident than when Rey first met her in the force, it's true, she is. Though she does keenly feel what she sees as a lack of knowledge. She looks to Yuun and smiles. "You and me both, Yuun," is her comment there. "But I'm working on it too. Together we can do anything." She nods to Rey, another smile crossing her face. "It - I'm actually not uncomfortable with that as a concept, just I feel very much that it's hopefully a long way in our future. Not just being able to do it, but actually getting there. Don't be in a rush, please." She quiets again, still curious and willing to learn. Almost needing to.

[20:50:20|Elrych Cometburn

"I don't think anyone is in a rush. Not all Jedi obtained this goal and it's seemingly recent." Elrych says, thinking back on their trip to Tython and the Jedi Temple there and the 'hologram' or what ever it was they ran into who lead them to the vault. "Or at least consecutive Masters have been able to achieve in such a short period or even conciously before their deaths kind of recent." He scratches his head, confused even at his own words. He really didn't know much and all he could to was infere. He looks to both Zandra and Yuun, "I ant perfect either."

[20:58:52|Yuun

Yuun looks to Zan as Rey speaks to her than to Elrych. Taking in everything that is being said, he lets out a breath, "I do have confidence, though I seem to be going more of the martial path. Though I don't remember ever being mad about things. Coming from the lower levels of Coruscant, and to be here now. I'e always had to fight and keep hope high in my heart." he says as he looks to Rey. "I mean my parents did the best they could as mechanics, even dealing with the swoop gangs. I mean I've been frustrated about things in my life, but not felt anger because if you use it, your beating yourself up at the same time as using it." he says. "Though being here with you all have always been really heartening."

[21:03:48|Rey

Rey shows a light smile to Zandra then and she agrees with a dip of her chin in a nod inside of her hood. "I am in no rush myself. I feel I've only just begun, with all of this." She lightly grins then as she looks to Elrych and shows him a soft warm smile, an expression of understanding what he said there at the end. "None of us are perfect." She adds to him.

Chewbacca quietly chimes in with a little quip of his own which gets Rey to look over to the tall Wookiee and she grins softly to him, her friend. "Except you, yes, Chewbacca." She looks back to the others then while holding a little grin before her eyes drop down to the floor in front of her and she recollects herself for this otherwise somber moment, the loss of a friend...

With a deep inhale, Rey looks back up then to Yuun again. She shows him a small smile as well. "I believe you'll be a strong Jedi Knight some day, because of those little bits of wisdom that you drop, Yuun. You've a caring heart inside you, one that I think will serve you well into your future."

The young Jakkuan then looks once more onto the box resting on the pedestal. "A Jedi who achieves the immortality that I spoke of, is a Jedi who does not even leave their remains behind. They entirely fade into the Force, and leave nothing but the items they were wearing in their place." She looks back to those with her then. "This is what Master Luke did. When I returned here, after Crait... after he'd passed and I felt it through the Living Force, all that remained was his robes."

[21:14:09|Zandra naMuriel~ Zan blinks, glancing at Chewbacca at his comment, and her own grin is immediate. She stays quiet as she listens to the others and to Rey. "That seems to be somewhat troublesome. Couldn't he have just left or been kidnapped or anything?" she asks. There's a frown and worry for a moment, before she reaches instinctively for calm, relaxing her own stress one iota at a time. "I like your version better, Rey. Much." She's still absorbing it, the idea that Jedi can vanish completely, leaving not even a body behind. Just robes. Just clothing. "I would like to meet some of these Jedi one day," she offers after another moment.

[21:19:27|Yuun

Yuun grins a little when Rey smiles at him. HE can't help but just feel at ease right now. He doesn't know what Chewie has said, but he tries to listen, time to learn. Rubbing the back of his head, "Thanks." he says. "Like you said Rey, we aren't racing, though I would like for us to train together more often than we do. Do more together like we did on that mission to Tython. Even with the Resistance. I feel we need to become more intuned with one another."

[21:28:02|Rey

The storm outside continues to the east, the lightning is still visible on the horizon outside of the doorway that they entered through. While to the west is the setting sun, no longer fully visible on the horizon, now its just a half circle shape on the apex of where ocean meets sky. The rain is falling still, but its lighter and the winds are a bit softer than when they made their trek up the arduous island staircase.

"They're here now." Rey says to Zandra, she glances around with her eyes to emphasize it and then looks back to the other woman of nearly the same age. "They're always with us, in some capacity. No one ever truly dies, we always take pieces of those we know with us wherever we go, and the Jedi who've learned the power that I've spoken of? They're in a place now where they can oversee the flow of the Force through the galaxy and all those who interact with it. But... there seems to be limitations on whom they can show themselves to. Only those that they were connected with during their days in this reality. Seemingly through a bonded relationship through the Force."

Rey then looks to Chewbacca who opens his mouth and 'Rraawls' softly again, which makes Rey smile. "I'm sure Han is here too, in his own way." She says to the Wookiee who isn't a Jedi, but has witnessed a lot associated with them throughout his many years.

Rey nods once to Chewbacca and he steps forward to the pedestal. He takes a second to work with the area beneath it, and a moment later the pedestal grows hot with flame, its entire surface covered in small flickering fingers of fire... This makes the whole room become washed over in a comforting warmth. And it creates a growing spire of smoke that is being manipulated by this uniquely designed room...

The winds in the room are carrying the smoke from the pyre straight upward toward the ceiling where they're dispersed through small holes in the rocky roof.

[21:44:48|Elrych Cometburn

Elrych watches the fire come to life, the flames reflecting in his blue eyes. The orange flicker also spilling across his face. He contemplates and considers all that has been said as he quietly watches the pyre burn.

[21:48:40|Yuun

As the sun is setting and he looks to the approaching storm and Yuun walks closer to the fire. He sits down and stretches out fully until his muscles pop. Again he is quiet and just taking in things, "If they are here." he closes his eyes and focuses on the force, "Thank you all." he says as he opens his eyes. He smiles as he looks to Chewie, "All souls don't die Chewie." he says. "They are always here with us." he says as he places a hand on his heart. "They are always there. Thats what my mom has always told me." he smiles.

[21:54:49|Rey

Rey does much the same as the others, her hands together in front of her and her eyes on the fire as it burns hot. Its a special type of pyre designed specifically to heat something upon it to a degree that will turn it to ash and it doesn't take a terribly long amount of time to achieve that result, especially with something as small as the little porg box placed upon it. In fact the warmth of the pyre is likely more than a little refreshing after they'd all had to trek through the wind and rain to get up here.

Rey's eyes look to Yuun and she spares him a sly grin. "She sounds like a wise woman." She softly speaks back to him then before she looks once more to the Pyre, embers and ash carrying upon the cyclone of wind that is rising into the air toward the vents on the roof, creating an almost otherworldly display that seems to mimic the classical idea of a spirit ascending to the heavens.

When its all said and done, Rey looks to the others, the fire having died down on its own now like it knew its job was done. "I'd like us all to stay here for at least a day. There are a number of huts where we can sleep and the island itself?" She glances out the door as a rumble of thunder rolls across the horizon. "Its worth exploring, at least once."

She looks back toward them all. "There's a cemetery, the grave markers are all washed clean by age so there are no names left upon them... but based on what I've found, the graves themselves are the masters who founded this place. And.. mind the Caretakers, the little people overseeing this place. They have a village not far from here--They... they don't really like me that much. But they're peaceful and kind."