Log:Jedi Order: Echoes Through the Ages III

Jedi Order: Echoes Through the Ages III

OOC Date: October 12, 2019
Location: D'Qar, Ileenium System
Participants: Ban Iskender, Elrych Cometburn, Yuun, Aryn Cole, Lana Panteer (NPC), Kiko Alde (NPC)

The shuttle lowered from the cloud cover, angling toward the heart of the island continent below. It was the same continent the ruined city of Haven was located, and at its furthest point lay the key to all the defenses. The A.I. that was rescued gave limited details to this hidden armory, but Princess Lana Panteer knew of its true worth.

As the craft set down in the only clearing in view for miles, the door slid open and Lady Aryn jumped down to the ground. Immediately, her cloak caught the gusts of hot air vented from the ship, revealing the arrangement of tools and weapons clipped to her belt. Lady Kiko was the next to step off the transport, and she landed beside Aryn and moved out a bit, wading through the tall grass to scan.

Lana Panteer stayed in the co-pilot seat, watching as the back of the ship emptied. Her voice was heard over comms. <<"We are not far from the armor. It, like the rest of the city you have discovered, is underground and hidden from view. This armory, it .. it is not like a standard armory.">>

Aryn pulled her hood up to shield from the rain. It was not a downpour, but it was falling steadily. Around the landing zone, tall pine trees swayed, and in the distance, mountains loomed high in view, their chilly winds carrying the threat of snow should the temperature drop anymore.

Elrych Cometburn hops off the shuttle, wearing his usual Captain's Gear, which means no convinient hood or cloak. So when the rain hits his face it forms droplets over his shades and skin. He pulls up the callar on his jacket in hopes of keeping some of the water away. "Alright... so whats different than a normal armory. Depends what sector your in, aye?"

Ban Iskender joins the trio of Jedi in disembarking the craft. Attired in full dragoon armor, with a half cape drawn on over the left shoulder plate, he regards the swaying trees and chill wind with a faint smile. As Elrych voices the pertinent question, the young lord adds only, << Indeed, Highness: what ought we know on approach?>>

Yuun walks off the shuttle after Elyrch, he's wearing a pair of long baggy shorts which has a long black tunic on. A sports utility belt is about his waist as his weapon hangs from his hip. A thick hoodie of sorts is worn over him, he pulls up the hood as he walks down the ramp. He moves aside for Ban to come down in his armor, he looks at the armor and shaekes his head. He is quiet for the time being.

Lana unstraps from the seat, making a decision in that moment to join them. Being the last off the craft, the ancient royal lands firmly on the ground and brushes her red cape back. The gentlemens' questions remain unanswered until the craft has lifted off, and disappeared into the cover of the clouds. Low thunder rumbles and Lana looks to the group.

"This armory was intended to be a weapon for our greatest enemy. It is not a stockpile of actual weapons, but /a/ weapon. Unfortunately, we could not finish it in time." In time for what? The implication is that her people had not finished the weapon in time to save their kingdom.

Aryn walks into the group then, pausing. She seems distracted by the device she is holding in her hand. A holo-projection of the land around them is given. "The feed from the shuttle. We're here.." She points. Lady Kiko steps behind Aryn to look at the map, then adjusts slightly to fix her bearings.

Lana points at the map at a location roughly 500m from them. "The armory is here. It is marked by an outpost we called the furthest outpost. It had nothing to do with being a far out defense, it was a--" Aryn cut her off. "..metaphor. You wanted it to be a last resort. Clever." Lana smiles. "Lady Aryn has the right of it. It was our last resort. Come, my friends. Let us search for it."

Lady Kiko takes one last look at the map and steps off leading the entourage into the forest. Aryn moves after her only once the map has been tucked to safety on her belt. "Who were your enemies back then, your highness?" Aryn asked.

"We had many names for them. The shade; the shadow; Death; all were fitting monikers. Their true name, we did not know. Stopping them was like stopping the wind from blowing. The cataclysm was unavoidable."

Lana walks beside Elrych and Lord Ban. Her hands are free, and she does not appear to be armed. She wears only the cape and firm tunic that highlight the style of a royal princess. Her hair is dark, her skin an attractive tan, and her eyes are light brown, the color of an intoxicating whiskey.

Elrych Cometburn continues along, "Alright... I got you. This ancient evil, doom. Whatever we eant to call it? Was it like a parasite? Kind of oozy viscus looking. Perhaps smelled strange?" He pauses, "I only mention this because we have run into something similar on a few ocassions. Then again there is a lot of evil in this galaxy."

Lord Ban inquires quietly, "Is something amiss, master Yuun?" as the party moves into the weather. Regarding the ladies as maps and ancient history are revealed, the soldier gives a small nod. "We are close, then." As details of this ancient, unstoppable darkness emerge and Elrych ventures as to its nature, Ban's eyes draw into a thoughtful frown, his regard shifting to Aryn.

Yuun is bringing up the rear, seeing as everyone is circled nears the holo-map, and others moving to walk with others, Yuun dropped back a bit more just so that he can keep a better eye on everyone. Something that those who knows him have seen him do quite a bit. He does pay attention to whats going on. Though when Lord Ban speaks with him, he smiles. "No. Just keeping an eye out is all. I'm no Master, just call me Yuun." he smiles. He gives a bow of his head to Lord Ban.

"Yes." Lana replied softly. "It killed and reanimated, yet moved with purpose. On many occasions, it would speak with us.. tell us stories of more ancient treasures, people, and the downfall of empires. It belonged to the darkness though. All of it." Lana stepped easily through the wilderness, occasionally pausing for Ban's help to scale something.

Aryn stayed with Kiko near the front, listening. When Lana had finished her recollection of the parasite, Aryn spoke next. "You both," meaning Elrych and Princess Lana, "..speak of the Mnggal Mnggal. (pronounced Nal Nal) We have encountered its like in deep space, and places where the force is strong. I do not believe the force and the Mnggal Mnggal share any semblance or meaning. I suspect it just finds force senstives more tasty." Aryn accepts Kiko's help over a downed tree.

"An interesting name, Lady Aryn. Was it one you crafted?" Lana asks. Aryn shakes her head. "No, your highness. It was the name /they/ gave me. I believe the Mnggal Mnggal are linked to a central source. It is more than one conscience, but all its entities are interconnected."

"An interesting theory." Lana replies. Kiko holds up a fist to signal a halt. "Structure up ahead, through the trees." The structure could be seen once everyone reached Aryn and Kiko. A fenced in tower, concealed by a canopy of pine trees, and surrounded by a fence that had long begun to decay with age. A gateway was left open, its battlements in a chaotic arrangement. The tower was partially collapsed. The entire compound was resting against a mountain Lana had called the exile. A second gateway appeared to lead into the mountain, but was sealed.

Elrych Cometburn looks to Yuun, shaking his head, "He means master like a young unmarried male. You're not a noble or a Knight. He is attempting to be respectful." He smirks, "But if he wants to call me Jedi Master I ant guna stop him" He chuckles and winks before looking between lana and aryn, "Well thats just great. Either way the older Jedi seemed to think it was a manifestation odlf pure dark side of the force."

Ban notes dryly, "While I daresay a company of troopers on Cophrigin Four would take issue with your humility, it was intended as master Cometburn describes. Is there a more fitting form of address suitable to your station?" he asks of Yuun. A steadying hand is lent to Lana when it is needed in the course of approaching the fallen tower. Of the Mnggal Mnggal, he notes, "Some small comfort then, that such a foe no longer threatens this world." Then the details of open and sealed gateways take center stage.

He sighs a little, "Sorry." he says as he apologizes. He's not from a place where he has a title like this. He didn't care about it, but he wouldn't be disrespectful. "Master Yuun is fine." he says to Lord Ban. He was listening about the Mnggal Mnggal, "We still need to be aware of what more is out there." he says as he scans the area to make sure they aren't being watched.

The issue of the gate loomed ahead of them. Massive slats were placed between uprights, and slid into place using gravity as a means of keeping them from moving. Aryn looks to the large gateway, and Kiko turns, placing a gloved hand upon the gate's surface. "We would require a crane to move these, my Lady. There's no way through."

Lana smiles when she hears Lady Kiko. "There is always a path to take, Lady Kiko. The Force is our ally, now and always. Step back." The small Princess takes a spot before the group as Kiko and Aryn walk by to find a spot of safety. Lana stretches her hands out in front of her and closes her eyes. Nothing seems to happen at first until she begins to shake slightly, her brow beading with sweat. Without warning, the entire gateway explodes, and Lana holds her hands up.

Concussive forces create a gust of wind that kicks up capes, yet none of the debris finds the party. Dust, rock, fire, and dirt move around them as if they are encapsulated by something they cannot see. Those who can feel the force though, can suddenly feel Lana's presence through it. She is /powerful/. Despite successfully protecting the party, Lana is pushed back several inches maintaining this protective barrier. When the fire subsides, and the dust swirls in every direction, Lana's hands go wide and a gust is summoned, casting the smoke and dust away from them.

Aryn watches in awe, falling back against Ban slightly when it appeared that she might be mauled by a large rock that was moved away from them at the last second. "..gods.." She mumbled.

"The way is opened now, my friends. Welcome to the furthest outpost." Lana steps forward followed by Kiko. Ahead, a massive cave mouth that leads into the darkness.

Elrych Cometburn clears his throat, "Huh... I did that once. Never been able to replicate it. I only read about this in some of the books." He seems impressed at the least. "Fair show... now into a dark cave. Great." No wonder Vhe stayed on the ship this go around.

Ban sets a steady hand to Aryn's shoulder when the lady had recoiled into him. The way is opened. "So it is," the noble officer murmurs, with brows subtly raised at the display of power. He meets Aryn's eye for a moment before they too resume moving forward. As the band moves, Ban inquires discreetly of Elrych and Yuun after the former's impressed comment, "Is such power rare among the Jedi gentlemen?"

Feeling the stiring of the force around Lana, his eyes divert to her and he watches her as she does what she does. His eyes widen and he smiles, "Whoa." he says as he looks on in awe. Yuun sees Lord Ban move to help Aryn when she thought she might need it, still as he looks up, "Yeah dark caves are always fun to go through." he says as he shakes his head. "We better be on guard and make sure we cover one another." he says to them all.

"It was rare, even in the height of the ancient Order, Master Cometburn." Lana says, her breath taken in small, yet heavy, intervals. "There were many people within my mother's court who had the gift. We even had a Jedi Master who served as our guide. When he fell in the great battle, we thought all hope was lost. He was a great mentor; and a good friend."

Aryn did not answer Lord Ban's question when he asked it of the gentlemen. She had shared a brief glance with the young Lord, then moved ahead wary of Lana now but still willing to follow her.

Lady Kiko takes the lead. They go /down/ a steady, aged set of stone stairs and into the heart of the mountain. There is no light in these corridors of stone and dirt. It is oddly quiet as well, no outside interference. Kiko switches on her rifle's tac-light and shines it ahead. Meanwhile, Aryn activates a glow stick, passing one off to Yuun, Elrych, Princess Lana, and Lord Ban. Aryn's own torch was clipped to her vest and left to hang. With everyone together, they could see much of their immediate surroundings, but shadow still hid a great deal.

The path continued going down in intervals for a long while. It was not until they had been walking for the better part of thirty minutes that they came upon a MASSIVE cavern. There was water here, and natural light where water traveled to create a waterfall that led out of the cavern. It was eerie here, quiet, but something was off and those in tune with the Force knew they were being watched. Aryn states this obvious fact. "We are not alone here." She unclips her lightsaber from her belt and holds it to one side.

"I agree with your observation, Lady Aryn." Lana stands to one side holding her torch light up, but she does not brandish a weapon. Kiko remains at Aryn's side, suddenly nervous. "Visibility is low here, my lady. We will be at a disadvantage." Kiko states, but Lana chuckles. She would not repeat herself for those who had little faith in the Force. "Be at my side, Kiko, and we will be fine." Aryn says. "Yes, my Lady."

A high pitched screech sounds and echoes, followed by a chorus of others. It is so loud that Aryn and Kiko hold their hands against their ears and grimace. Lana seems unsurprised but effected by the chorus as well. "Cave Leechers!" She yells. "To arms and hold your ground."

Aryn had never heard of Cave Leechers. One of them lands nearby, turning to face the group. It is a four foot tall creature of pale skin and dark eyes. It seems sentient, but when it screeched, its mouth opened to reveal rows of teeth. Bipedal forms began to raise out of the water around them. Some were naked, some were not covered, all were dangerous. A spear of sharpened rock is hurled toward the group, but it is taken from its course when Lana summons it to her hand as a weapon. "They will take us alive, but you do not want to be their prisoner. Kill them. Kill all of them." The Princess orders.

Aryn lifts her chin slightly, looking uncertain but focused. Her gloved hand squeezes her Jedi weapon, her thumb pressing the activation stud that brings the brilliant sapphire blade from the confines of the hilt with a loud snap-hiss. Hold their ground? They were surrounded..

As Cave Leechers issue horrific screeches and assail them from all sides, Ban makes the bone-dry observation, "Charming," and extends his arm to fire his pistol at the nearest opponent. He fires with the form one might expect of a duelist, straight backed and straight armed rather than the more typical battlefield crouch, taking the first Leecher in the chest.

Elrych Cometburn reaches out with the force as a leecher moves pasy him, blasting away some of the cave wall and missing. His lightsaber flies from his belt and into his right hand, the brilliant blue blade ignighting, awashing the gave in its brilliance, glowing un his glasses

Yuun moves up to guard the group as the Cave Leechers move to attack, though he had been paying attention to what was being said about them. When they are told to attack, his eyes flashes why are they attacking, the Cave...."Shit." he says as blasters bolts begin going flying which prompts him to act, snapping his lightsaber from his belt and igniting that blade, the snap-hiss of his weapon comes alive and he quickly moves in to attack three of the cave leechers. There is nothing flashy, Yuun moves in quick precision as he attacks. Once he has taken out hsi enemies, "STOP!!" he calls out quickly and holds his weapon in a guard posiition. He looks between both groups if there is any Cave Leechers left. "Stop!" he calls out again hoping both sides stop.

They are suddenly swarmed by the leechers, an attack that is met with a stalwart defense. Blasters light up the cave with brilliant flashes, and lightsaber glare across the rippling water's surface. Aryn walks forward, her lightsaber held to her side as she met her first opponent. A single, graceful slash spills the being back into the water, and a subsequent stab ends a second. Aryn must step back to avoid the swing of a spear. The one holding the spear lunges despite missing its first attack, but its attempt to harm Lady Aryn end with it being shot mid-air by Kiko who puts a bolt in its head. The two ladies share a brief look, and Aryn turns away.

Kiko turns to cover Aryn's back when she's suddenly dropped by a Leecher that fell from the ceiling and pounced her. Kiko's rifle bounced out of her grip and she stares face to face with the creature as it tries to subdue her. Kiko takes a nasty blow to the side of her face, turning her head to spit out blood. She reaches for her knife.

Princess Lana holds one side of the friendly formation by herself. She is swarmed, but despite the overwhelming force of Leechers, she twirls the spear with the grace of a brilliant warrior. It whisps and whistles as she spins it. Three Leechers that draw too close to her are dropped in short order, and the ancient Royal motions the others closer. "Come Leechers, share the fate of your kin!"

Ban is tackled in a rush, one Cave Leecher seizing hold of his pistol arm, while another proves the truth of Lana's 'they'll take you alive' warning by bodily tackling the young officer around the midsection, driving him into the cavern floor hard enough to crack a rib and rattle his brains. Through the mental fog, he struggles for control of the pistol with one of the leechers, while another seeks to drag him toward the water. His first blast wears the flesh of the howling crawler on his arm, freeing the young lird to fire at the creature clutching his armored boot, leaving the besieged Iskender free, if only for an instant.

Yuun was trying to get things to stop and talk it out. Kriff! It wasn't going to work, neither side was working and maybe Princess Lana was correct to order them to attack. He didn't feel right about this, not at all, still he allows his mind to focus which he lets it do. Yuun is a blur of motion, his lightsaber spins around him in a smooth and effortlessly motion, a grace of precision as he slashes through one Cave Leecher who moved in on Lana. He then flips over another and as he is at the apex of his flip he swings his blade decapitating another and as he lands he slides along the ground spinning along his left knee bringing him around to Aryn and Kiko slashing along a Caver Leecher who was about to attack them both.

Aryn was not able to rescue Lady Kiko. Two leechers had landed between her and her protector, but Aryn made quick work of both after stepping aside to avoid being hit and cutting the offender down. Her second attack was yet another stab, where she drove her lightsaber blade through the center of her second attacker and kicked him into the water.

Kiko screamed while the creature above her tried to pommel her with its fist. When it leaned in close to bite at her face, she slammed her knife into its mouth with her gloved hand and drove it through the back of its head with a defiant scream. She left her knife in it, casting the body into the water and rising up. She saw her rifle, but there was no time for her to reach it. She drew her blaster pistol and looked for Lady Aryn and Lord Ban.

Princess Lana moved with a grace out of this time. Each effort made by the leechers to reach her ended in the death of yet another. Even with Yuun's help, the Princess required little attention from the party in holding her section of the formation. She cut down two, then cast her spear into a third that ran for Lord Ban, taking it off its feet. Before its body even hit the ground, the weapon that had struck the blow was recalled to Lana's hand, the blade withdrawn and dotting the young Lord's face with inky blue blood. "Ha!" Lana yelled. "Stay together, my friends. We will triumph!"

Aryn arrived at Lord Ban's side to offer him a hand up. "No time for laying down, my Lord." Aryn turned to look for the others, her gaze settling on Elrych who seemed to be holding his area just fine too.

Elrych is starting to 'feel the burn', as it were, the quickness of his movements getting the heart pumping and the muscles moving. The damnpness on his skin was nolonger that of the lingering rain, but now of sweat. He presses one dodgy little Leecher, it ebbing away from his strikes before he's able to impale it through the chest.

Lord Ban bares his teeth in a pained grimace as he rolls to one side to avoid a stone spear. Bringing himself up to one knee, half cape sodden with rain and dank cavern water, he brings his long barrelled pistol up once again, and fires, dropping a further pair of assailants with shots to the chest; one is slain instantly with a shot squarely to the heart. His free arm is held close to his side, against the pain in his torso.

"Moving back to my positon." he calls as Yuun quickly dances about the battlefield moving to a area where they needed someone. He wasn't goign to leave, he should've stayed wher ehe was. Now seeing what everyone is capable of, he steels himself in the Force allowing it to flow through him and he nearly closes his eyes as he allows the force to guide his strikes which in quick succession, Yuun steps in towards a group of three Leechers and as he ducks and weave keeping his areas protected, one strike cuts a leecher in half as another strike takes the head of one and the final leecher sees a flash and still moves to strike Yuun but finds itself falling toe the ground as his legs go one way and his body the other.

There was an end to this onslaught it seemed, and cutting down these nasty creatures was the only path to safety. Aryn moved away from Ban when he had not accepted her help to rise. He was a soldier afterall, and didn't require some uppity noble Jedi to remind him that his place was on his feet! Aryn cut through the weapon one Leecher used to block her and split his face horizontally. She stepped between the simultaneous attack of two, cutting one Leecher's leg off completely before spinning to cut down the other.

Lady Kiko rose to her feet again and took a hunched, experienced soldier's stance. Three shots taken in quick succession result in the deaths of three leechers who fall to the ground, steaming from the flash frozen flesh where the bolts had found home.

Princess Lana struck one Leecher down and put her heel through its face. A second was impaled upon the end of her spear then kicked off. She hefted the primitive weapon and hurled it as it was intended to be used, missing the final foe that set upon Lord Ban during the chaos. The spear was lost to the water after it skipped across the dirt floor and skimmed the depths of the cavern pool. "To Lord Ban!" She calls, pointing.

Ban Iskender had been making the effort to rise back to both feet when the last of the cave leechers had rushes him from behind; the young officer hadn't seen it coming and the blow of a stone club cracks the helm at the back of his head, dropping him limp to the cavern floor, insensate.

Elrych turns his head to see Lord Ban fall, but before he can make his way over to the downed noble, he must get through the one Leecher before him. There is a heavy swing across which the Leecher ducks out of the way. However, the Corellian Jedi brings the blades down and across, chopping the beast in twain. He looks around for any more foes and sees there isn't any. Exstinguishing his bade but leaving it in hand he hurries his way over towards Ban. "Aryn..." He calls for the doctor.

Yuun moves quickly having kept any of the Leechers from closing in from his side, though when the Noble goes down they didn't need all of them to help him up. Still Yuun moves into postion to flank with Lana until Lord Ban is up and once he is up, he gives them a quick nod of his head to the others. "We are clear." he calls out though not turning off his lightsaber. He keeps up his guard.

The fight is concluded by a decisive strike delivered by Elrych. Aryn had been searching for more foes when his call for her came out, and she turned to find Lord Ban on the ground and Elrych near him. She deactivated her weapon and passed Princess Lana by to reach Ban. Kneeling down beside Elrych, Aryn cast her cape to one side and moved her first aid satchel into an easier place for access.

Ban's helm is removed and she brushes his dark hair aside in search of injury at first before giving up to check his pulse. To do so, she has to remove her glove. "He is alive; just unconscious. I'll handle this, see to the Princess." Aryn bids the two Jedi with her, and nods in the direction the Princess has wandered.

Nearby, Kiko scoops up her rifle and checks it using the natural light coming in from the water fall. The sling is broken, the sight shattered, but the weapon appears to be functional. She slides her pistol home and returns the rifle to rest against her shoulder. It's at Aryn's beckoning that she follows after Princess Lana.

"Behold, my friends. The marvel of our age and the herald to the destruction of the Mnggal Mnggal.." Lana says, and lights beneath the water begin to switch on, revealing a chamber beneath the surface where some weapon resides. It is not clear, but it must be the armory they came to find. "It remains still. Gods, what a time to be alive."

Elrych nods to Aryn, standing and turning to make his way to catch up with Kiko and Lana. He takes a look around as the lights start to turn on and reveal the water covered weapon. He puts his Lightsaber back on his belt, jacket falling in place over it to conceal it from view. He's going to want to study what makes it tick, that's for sure. Not that he'll really understand it.

Yuun swithces off his lightsaber and he checks the area to make sure it's secured. He didn't want any surprises, as Aryn moves to help Lord Ban, he looks to the others. "Good, we can begin helping you get hte weapons and move out once Lord Ban is able to get back on his feet." he says to Lana. He moves and postions himself where he would be the first attacked.