Log:Preservation of Hope

Preservation of Hope

OOC Date: November 27, 2022
Location: Rishi
Participants: Pilha Aino, Hahtavi Kora, Tamsin Cas, Kaiya, Sienn Vida, Qutha Buvu Pah, Kohnner

__/< Western Jungle Expanse - Horizon Island, Rishi >__/~\____/~\____/~\____/~ The Western Jungle Expanse is the name given to the stretch of jungle on the western end of Horizon Island. Hills and canyons such as Skyline River Pass and Gorge Hollow River Pass form a barrier between the jungle and the nearby town of Raider's Cove to the east. Pirate gangs commonly make their headquarters in the crashed starships that lay in the western mountains of the island.

Shaclaws, known locally as shore crabs, are common along the beaches, and the jungles themselves are filled with tonitran lizards, jungle wampas, krak'jyas, and orobirds.

Trees clog this land with dirt roads of varying quality carving their way through them but mostly this area is natural and difficult to travel on foot. __/~\____/~\____/~\____/~\____/~\____/~\____/~\____/~\____/~\____/~\____/~\___

Pilha has sent information to the small team that has volunteered to provide a briefing. An academic, Varen Ghist, submitted a proposal to locate the long-lost temple of the Broxha religion that is believed to be located in the pirate-infested jungles of Rishi. However, Ghist was denied funding so asked a friend, Pilha, to pull a team together to do the work. The briefing tells the team that adherents of the Broxha religion were persecuted in the early days of the Empire for, as the adherents put it "refusing to weave the Emperor into the tapestry of creation." Chased through the galaxy, they withdrew to the remote jungles of Rishi to hide their knowledge until the dark reign of the evil Empire was over.

So, the team finds themselves in a rainforest clearing where Ghist believes the entrance to the temple to be located. The air is heavy with humidity and the earthy scent of the rainforst. Insects chirp while birds shriek and primates hoot to one another overhead.

In front, half covered by lianas with dark glossy leaves and large purple trumpet-like flowers with magenta stamen weeping a sticky substance, is what looks like a boulder.

It's a little strange perhaps that a Mandalorian in full battle dress shows up. Hahtavi has parked his sleek black aerospace speeder in the thick jungle where it is well hidden, then walked or jetpacked in as needed from that short distance. Now gathered up with the others, the Kora gives a polite greetings to several here and has come to stand near to Pilha herself. Ever since he arrived, he's been looking around and presumably on the alert for any pirates in the area.

<"Don't see any signs that anyone else is in the immediate area. Lots of wildlife."> Hahtavi doesn't mention anything else of interest. Instead, his baritone rumbles, <"Seems to be a boulder in the way...?">

Standing still among the lot searching the clearing clad in his robes for a change, save that his work belt and boots have been swapped for the more traditional, Qutha Pah's hands are clasped before him and his eyes are closed. Breathing steadily and turning his head one way, then the next, the Zelosian's brow corrugates momentarily and the faintest frown forms on his lips.

Head tilting slightly at comments of the area, one eye cracks open and the other shortly after before he lets out another breath and turns a small circle where he stands before attention returns to the boulder pointed out to by the mandalorian. "Reckon, might could see if'n I kin git that moved out the way."

Academic excursions and Archaeological digs usually didn't call for the sharpened steel of someone like CHON KOHNNER, aka Comrade Dogface, aka Pup the Space Ronin. Yet given the world they were on, bringing some extra muscle with you probably wasn't a bad investment. The Klatooinian was thankful for the set of VOID armor he currently wore, saving him from the uncomfortable humidity of Rishi's jungle and keeping him at least somewhat cool.

He kept on the outside of the group, watching the jungle line instead of the boulder and area where said artifacts might be found. The augmented reality system targeting various bits of wildlife as they moved around in their habitat. All clear, for the time being. Yet he kept his eyes on their six. A hand went to rest on the wrapped hilt of his curved blade, the rest of the sheathed weapon hiding under his gaunt off white hooded cloak. It's seen better days. Chon looked over his shoulder at the rest of the group, propping his robotic left leg up on a boulder. <<"Jungles pretty thick around here... don't think anyone's been here in some time.">>

Sienn smiles as she sees a few faces she knows and a few she hasn't met yet and looks about touch as she sees others start to shake out to start the proper investigations they all have come for. She watches a few moves to search out and check things about the boulder that looks to be blocking the way further. She takes a moment to listen to if there is any outflow - or inflow of air, seeing if perhaps there is another opening that can be exploited but coming up with nothing. She looks over and agrees with the comment that it looks like naught has been around. "Yeah, but I can't hear if there are any other openings that might have the wind blowing through it, so this might be the only way in, perhaps?"

Tamsin, allowing the others to explore the surround, made her way over to the boulder, but for a different reason. Rather than looking at the boulder as an obstacle to be overcome, she retrieved her scanner and began examining the plant life around the boulder, in the area most likely for the group to move through. "Anyone who has armor, keep it on. ANyone who needs additional protection, you can borrow gloves from me. The sap," here she lifted a hand to indicate the sap dripping from the flowers, "Is hallucinogenic. You do not want to ingest it or allow it to come in contact with your skin."

Kaiya has joined in on this archaeological dig more or less as added security. This is a planet known for Pirates and smugglers after all. There are quite a few faces, or armor in some cases, that she recognizes. She gives quick nods to those she knows. While people brake up and begin searching the area for clues, Kaiya takes a moment to search the boulder for signs of any kind of hidden traps. Not finding anything of immediate danger she backs away and frowns at all the sticky nectar that had gotten all over her gauntlets. <"The boulder looks clear of traps,"> she says to noone in particular but loud enough for everyone to hear. Hearing that the nectar was toxic, Kaiya's frown deepens. <"Any way to decon here"> she asks in general.

Pilha, having nodded to everyone in turn, and hangs back with Hahtavi. A slicer, her skills aren't incredibly useful here, but that's never stopped her. She glances up at the sun, bearing down on the little clearing, and then pulls her helmet on for its shade. She walks forwards to where Kaiya is examining the boulder, studying it through the black orbs of her helmet. Mindful of Tamsin's warning although she's wearing gloves, she still hangs back. "Cutting ir or burning it off would be helpful," she murmurs.

<"The obvious choice if we need to move it, would be Qutha."> Hahtavi looks to the jedi, <"If you can. If not, perhaps if several of us work together we may be able to tip it..."> Once Qutha yays or nays, the Kora steps up. The Mandalorian braces his body up against one side of the stone and waits to see if others will join him. <"When everyone is ready, we'll go on three...">

There is so much life here. So much that The Living Force is like static and attempting to immerse himself in the flow is akin to seeing still water only to be twisted about in a hidden whirlpool once submerged. Expression turning a blend of confusion and irritation the zelosian's stillness becomes a slight half step to one side.

As if caught in a heavy current by surprise.

Hands still folded his footing squares and a deep breath is drawn in, held. Qutha's eyes close again and his lips begin to move with his exhalation, expression smoothing back out and his posture relaxing once more.

Khonner looked towards Haht as he moves towards the boulder. There was a shrug from the Space Ronin before he meandered towards a free spot near the rock. He planted his feet against the ground, not realizing how slippery it might might be. Then, when it came time to shove, he did. Really putting his shoulder into it. That was until he lost his footing and slipped on the damp ground. His shoulder slid against the rock, the sound of his plasteel armor scraping against the hard surface loud. Then a thud as the rest of him fell.

Thankfully, the Klatooinian had good reflexes and caught himself on all fours before he hurt himself. <<"Sorry...">> With a grunt, he picked himself up and brushed off any leavings before he attempted to try again.

Sienn hears Hahtavi's suggestion, and while she doesn't think she is quite as strong as the armored people in the group, she isn't shy about lending a hand - or in her case, grabbing something to help her lever a bit at the boulder to let her match the others. At the suggestion of flames and the like, "Mmm, maybe I ought to look into bringing a flamethrower next time I go on one of these." She says with a grin as she puts her weight into the shove.

Tamsin, stepping back from the plantlife, tucked away has scanner as she got into position to assist with the moving of the rock. She had no armor, and was not a large woman, but she had spent years moving patients much larger than she was and in less condition to help themselves than this boulder. She simply put her back into it.

Kaiya nods to Haht and joins the effort to move the giant rock. She braces all four hands against the boulder and waits for the count of three to push with all her might. To her surprise, the combined efforts got the boulder moving. She grins to herself, and looks to Hahtavi, <"Many hands make light work,">

The boulder rolls to one side with a crash as the team push. The boulder rocks, and settles in place. Above, in the trees, monkeys howl and jump from branch to branch. Birds screech and wheel. The lianas still dangle down over the entrance that has been revealed, a pitch-black hole big enough to walk into, but the tallest members of the team will need to duck. A breeze moans eerily from the mouth of the tunnel.

Pilha turns on her helmet lamp. "Well, let's head in guys," she says in her hybrid Nar Shaddaa/Corellia accent as she pushes the lianas to one side with her glove and walks in.

The Mandalorian who is a Kora doesn't mind to step into the darkness first. Let Hahtavi get all the icky spider webs all over his helmet to clear the way for everyone else, right? He has a light on his helmet but doesn't bother to turn it on. Not right away. Instead his boots walk carefully a little distance in ere his helmet's vocoder can be heard, <"Things in here.. grub or lampray like. Maybe a dozen or more. About as long and as thick as my arm... but they are slithering away.">

Haht doesn't sound concerned about it but just in case he slips his rifle off of his back and clips it to his tactical rig while he waits off to one side for others to enter. <"Whatever they are, they don't like the light."> His high output helmet light is turned on, bathing the inside of the entrance...

Darkness. The next great obstacle of the day and Qutha finds himself the last to enter. There is no dim light to see by for a Zelosian. No obscured shapes; it's a black void and for a moment the color of his skin drains and his throat bobs. Fear gnaws and attempts to keep a primal, practically genetic, terror runs through him and he cannot find the strength to see beyond his normal levels of vision.

"Oh bother."

Shaking hands pulls a pair of goggles from his belt and over his eyes, a soft and brief mechanical whine following their being turned on. Another breath taken, a third, and he finally starts his way in, hood pulled up to aid in keeping the plant nectar off of his skin on the way in, adjustments are made for the brightness of the helmet lamp being used, to compensate if it turns his way.

"Reckon they'll be a tetch of'n issue..."

Kohnner could see in llow light situations. His species were gifted, like others here, with that specific predatory ability. It helped one to hunt in the waning light of a desert world like Klatooine. However, in caves where the light of the entrance would quickly vanish and make that buff useless. Why not use the 5000 lumin helmet lamp and annoy everyone else? With Hahts affirmation that the light was scarring away the creepy crawlies, he felt emboldened to use it.

The light flashed to life, illuminating the area in front of them. Those ahead would look back and have a hard time even seeing him behind the helmet lamp, their bodies blocking the light and causing shadows ahead. Others behind might have been saved from the inconvenience. Chon stopped for a moment, looking around, listening... yet his ears picked up only the echos of the groups movement.

Sienn scrunches her nose as she peers into the dark, "Eww, worms... or slugs or the like." She says, and then snickers. "About as expected, really, warm, wet, and dark. Perfect for them even." She says, and then as she sees Hahtavi take the lead, she grins. "Excellent, all that metal up front." She mummers, smiling as a few step up to lead the way. She pulls out her own light, though not as powerful as the ones on the helmets. It's enough to let her look around to see if there might be anything on the walls of the passage that might tell them something. However, she isn't about to head into the dark, even if it's halfway lit up, grub-infested passage without at least something at hand, and noting the number of people and how most passages are a bit on the tight side, pulls out her blade, which also serves as something to poke at things with instead of her hand.

Tamsin was no fool, and she kept close to Hahtavi as they moved into the tunnel, though she did raise a hand to shield her eyes from the glare of the light so that her dark-adjusted eyes could pick out what was on the ground around them. Her free hand stayed closer to her medical bag, so as not to allow anything to happen to it. "Those don't look like creatures that live off of vegetation. They may well have prey here, or a host from which they've become detached." Tamsin frowned, that thoughtful doctor expression as she tried to pierce the darkness.

Kaiya makes her way in and as she does, she cant help but hear all the things slithering around on the floor. The sounds make her shudder briefly but she shrugs it off and pushes on into the Dark. <"Could be worse,"> she states, <"At least they aren't very big. Though that sound is going to very disturbing very quickly..."> She pops her helmet up briefly, being careful to only touch the sides and takes a quick wiff of the air... <"Air is clean more or less..."> she says to everyone...

Pilha advances behind Hahtavi and Tamsin cautiously. Her helmet light strobes across the tunnel as she turns her head to look over the rest of the team, making sure they are all there and together. They are, the light bobs as Pilha nods to herself. The grubs hiss and slither away as the party advance, moving just enough to keep out of the light. As the grubs retreat, they leave a sticky residue that smells of foul rot. The earthen floor turns treacherous in the slime. Aside from being slippy, the slime doesn't appear to be dangerous.

Ahead, the tunnel widens out into a pitch-black void.

Pilha may be closest to him but she's doing just fine and proves herself even more nimble than he on the slimy wet footing. Hahtavi is less graceful. Particularly when he sees Doctor Cas loose her footing. His own movement is arrested and an armored gauntlet darts out to grab her upper arm and steady her. <"Easy there. Let's not have our doctor require medical assistance, shall we?"> There is a fondness and respect both in his tone.

The moment Tamsin has regained her balance, Hahtavi lets go of her. <"Please assist each other. The footing in here is treacherous."> He makes sure he gets himself and as many as he can watch out for through, <"Larger chamber dead ahead...">

The Kora is probably hoping there will be a rancor lurking up ahead in the darkness. Or anything else exciting and dangerous to present a challenge. Damn Mandos.

Breathing helps. The light from others helps.

Not having the cavern cast in stark chiaroscuro of illuminated areas and impenetrable blackness thanks to his goggles helps beyond reckoning. The darkness that is held in a nigh religious fervor of his species for the terrors it contains and the literal inability to see in it has been held at bay.

It does not keep him from speaking aloud to himself, faintly, in rhythm to his breaths, "I fear aught, for all is as T'Force wills it." bootsteps travel between fresh trails of slime, feet turning parallel to some and moving seemingly of their own accord. "I'm one wit T'Force ... n'The Force s'wit me."

Breath in. Breath out. Step. Despite their retreat, the air is thick with something unpalpable otherwise and his right arm lowers, turns, and looses a wooden cylinder from where it is cradled in his sleeve to drop down into his hand. Instinct and the feelings provided by The Force guiding his actions as much as his conscious self.

Chon ends up just behind Sienn as the passage-way they are traveling down becomes a bit more treacherous. His own ability to navigate the slippery rocky surface assisted by the armored boots he wears and his own species innate ability to use more muscles in their legs than perhaps others might. The robotic leg /probably/ helped a little too.

Though as the Twi'lek in front of him started to take a tumble, he reached out quickly and grabbed her by the wrist. He pulled and brought her back close to him and he steadied her so that she may regain her footing. There is a slight pause as he looks her over behind that helmet before asking, <<"Are you okay, Ma'am.">> His voice a monotone with a twinge of genuine concern.

Sienn looks as if she is about to land flat on her rear, but thankfully Chon is ready for such and manages to preserve her dignity with a quick grab. She shoots him a grin and nods, "Quite, thanks a bunch that would have been embarrassing." She says, and then looks about, seeing the slime that had caused her footing to go to pot, and makes a mental note to ensure that she no longer steps into the slick substance as she turns back to looking around. "Anyone see anything interesting yet?" She asks, glancing forward to look a the pool of blackness that is the deeper portions of the cave.

This was not the first time Tamsin had needed to be saved by the blonde Mandalorian, and she managed to grab onto his armor at his hip, so that her weight did not wrench his arm out of its socket. But she was a nimble sort and was soon back on her feet. "Thank you, Hahtavi. You have learned the knack of saving me from myself." Such was the doctor's life, as she soldiered on. "Let's hope we find these artifacts sooner, rather than later."

Kaiya finds herself suddenly landing on her backside with a 'umph' as her feet slip on the slim covered floor. She sighs to herself and mutters something about being the least graceful Mandalorian around. <"I meant to do that..."> she says trying to not be completely embarassed, <"Really, I did..."> She takes a moment to pick herself up and continues on with the group, this time avoiding the slime.

The party continue on...

The grubs slither away with small hisses into small tunnels in the lower part of the wall, leaving slimetrails in their wake.

The void ahead turns out to be a cavern 10metres wide by 20 metres long. The moan of the wind is louder. The air is cool, damp and musty. The ground beneath the party's feat turns from earth to rock. The sound of their footsteps echo around.

Pilha turns again, silently strobing her helmet lights over each of the team in turn. She stands back against the wall, letting the others past her.

Hahtavi has come along on this trip to show his support for Pilha's efforts, and to be backup if safety is an issue. The tall Mandalorian male likewise steps aside, turning his bucket so that the very bright illumination cast forth from his helmet can slowly sweep over and focus upon whatever in here seems to be of the most interest. He has his rifle out though it isn't likely to be needed.

<"Go ahead and explore around in here ... I'll watch people's shebs.">

The Kora posts himself on sentry duty.

Stone underfoot and the space that can be perceptible in the real, and artificially created, gloom gives Qutha the prompting he needs to begin a slow sweep of the cavern chamber. Letting his footsteps fall as they may until he stops.

Not of his own volition, like being glued down and able to only make a steady turn towards a wall, where he lifts a hand to touch something, "Got sommat here, reckon." touching something and following whatever his gaze has fallen on until he is upon shapes carved in the back of the cavern. Reaching into his belt to snap a chem-light to drop down at his feet.

"Reckon we aught have the method t'save all this... S'old. Damaged." another light snapped and placed where it can shed illumination on woven works, some thick like carpet and others that look like they'd crumble if one breathed too hard at them. "Less'n sommat brought theyselves some prop'r pres'vation 'quipment."

Chon gives a still nod to Sienn, watching her move off as they continue on before heading along the rest of the path himself. There is a nod to Haht as he posts himself at the entrance to the cavern, allowing him to step ahead and take point. However, he's a bit too distracted by the size of the opening and the formations towards the ceiling of the cavern which reflect off his light as he sweeps it around the area. <<"Herm... nothing too interesting.">>

Though, distracted by all the sparkling of the crystal like structures above them, he steps upon something. A loud click echos through the cavern causing the Klatooinian to stop in his tracks. Then there's a whirring sound... he looks down.

Sienn casts her light around, and then off in a corner, it looks like a collection of ropes or vines, and what makes it stand out is a quartet of mummified remains of four bodies of some sort looking like they have been there for quite the while. "Well, isn't that a cheerful sight?" She says, shaking her head slightly as she takes a half step in that direction, not enough to get right up close to them, not wanting to join them, but hopefully enough to get a better look. She hears a sound from where Chon stepped on something, "Oh that can't be good.." She starts.

Once they had the lay of the land, and there was more room to move, Tamsin began her own search of the area closest to her, moving with care, eyes dilated as she used her vision to the best of her abilities. As she headed off into a crevice in the rock, she took a knee, catching sight of something glinting there, and the sound of metal scraping on stone soon came from her direction as she pulled a storage box out from the darkness, thumbing the rusted open bolt away, "I've found some datapads!" getting her feet under her, she'd carry them back to the group. The sound of too familair clicking caught her attention. Too many years on the battlefield. "Stay there, Chon." The datapads box she let on the ground.

Kaiya moves close to Hahtavi and takes a similar guard post, keeping a close eye on everyone while they move about the area. She makes a point to stay focused on her job and not distract Hahtavi or the others while she waits to see what happens next. Who know what has made it's home down here, or what the passage of time has done to this cavern. The sound coming from whatever Chon stepped on immediately draws her attention and she moves in to disable whatever it was. <"Huh... odd..."> she says after looking at it, <"Not what I was expecting..."> She unplugs a cable from a switch under Chon's foot... <"What do you make of this?"> she asks Hahtavi, who might have more experiance with such things... After all he was far older then her.

The cavern slowly reveals its secrets, the back wall being covered in alcoves surrounded by frames of delicate geometric carvings that seem to have no beginning an end, in which the tapestries and weavings have been reverently laid. The bodies, the ropes, the datapads. Everyone's voices and footsteps have a curious echoing manner that overlap in a disorientating way, amplified by unseen carvings.

Pilha freezes when the click-whirr seems to drown out all other sounds, and relaxes when Kaiya disables whatever it is. She steps closer, then follows the small trench carved in the rock for the wire. To the wall of the cave.... a battery pack, and what look like dust and rust covered speakers. "Speakers!?" she says in confusion. "What the actual..."

Following Pilha's movements and where she shines her lights, the zelosian stands with brow furrowed and hands folding before him with the wooden cylinder held between them. Loosely readied but peaceful still while he puzzles out the sight of the speakers. Head tilting to one side and finally speaking aloud, positing wild theory for the lack of anything concrete coming to mind.

"Mayhap... as they's was a religion pursued back durin' the civ'l war f'not followin' what Palp'tine had wanted... they played canned sermons n'music for theys services?"

Qutha shrugs and turns to look at the woven works again, not daring to touch them for the time being.

Kohnner was about to say, 'Not Again...' Because this was not the first time he exploded. Nor would it likely be the last. He let go a breath he didn't know he was holding as he braced himself, relieved at the fact that he wasn't about to loose his other leg... not that it would be a bad thing. Just more scars to impress the girls at the Twi'lick with.

He stepped off the trigger and moved to inspect the speakers. <<"I don't believe I know this brand... or why they'd stick them in a cave like this. Maybe to scare off people like us.">>

Sienn gives a slight smile as the sound under Kohnner's foot isn't the worst case, so she turns to continue to look around, carefully poking here and there as she starts to find remarkably mundane things. Still, then that really isn't surprising as most things left behind are usually of the sorts of things that wouldn't be missed or are common as can be. In this case, tools and frames were used to produce the weavings they were known for. She grins back over to Kohnner and shakes her head, "Maybe they liked their music loud?"

Seeing as the datapads could look after themselves for a little while longer, and Kohnner did not appear to be in danger of exploding himself all over the group, Tamsin moved over to where Sienn had discovered the bodies, once again retrieving her scanner as she began a field examination of the corpses, gloves, of course. Because safety was, indeed, first. A sonic scalpel made it into her hand, as she began to peel away the dried slime covering the bodies, "It wasn't the lampreys that killed them. They were executed. From what I can see, blaster wounds, point blank, into their skulls." Beat, "Or the committed suicide when they found themselves trapped in here." She looked back at the group. "We should extract what we came for and leave as quickly as possible."

Kaiya looks puzzled by the speakers, not exactly your typical booby trap... She pauses for a moment, careful to not move around too much. She stops and listens again for the sounds of anything coming for them in the dark, but with everyone moving and talking, she cant make out anything useful. She frowns and returns to Hahtavi's side. Whatever that is going to happen will happen. She just has to wait and be ready.

A glance is shared with Kaiya, <"Maybe you should hook it back up, if it doesn't look like an explosive, and see what they had to say? What harm if it's just sound?" Hahtavi looks to Pilha and Tamsin, then the others to see what they think of his suggestion. <"Clearly there are strange acoustics in here. Must be a reason for it.">

Pilha takes a breath in and lets out a sigh. She looks round, the light on her helmet strobing round the alcoves with their geometric carving. The light picks out that the carvings were once painted in black or blue, faded now. She looks at the speaker. She looks at Tamsin and Sienn by the four mummified bodies - murdered or committed suicide. Light dances on each in turn. "You know what they say about curiosity... plug it in."

Kaiya forwns, <"Yeah, it killed the Codru-ji..."> she says as she sighs and plugs it back in, because she too was curious...

Noise. A blare of overlapping voices. Young, old, male, female. The rhythmic chant of the believers in a long-dead religion, long dead themselves. Persecuted until the few survivors built their own tomb to hide the weavings and teachings alongside them. Discordant and disorientating, the sound fills the cavern too loud to speak or even think. The music shifts, becomming syncopated and full of soaring notes and melodies, before dying again.

Whirr...

Click

Silence