Log:Sith Empire: Dathomir Darkly

A team is dispatched to determine the source of disappearances on Dathomir.

OOC Date: May 30, 2023
Location: Dathomir
Participants: Aoibhe, Darth Kuolo, Jask Tinton, Kol Goren, Merulia as Self/GM, Tamsin Cas, Zoka Kanas, Sith Empire

[Merulia]

Dathomir was a hidden world to most, spoken of in hushed whispers of children's tales. 'The world of the rancor', 'behave yourself of the Witches of Dathomir will take you away'...Most didn't know of its location, and of those that did very few would be willing to actually risk landing there.

Yet like everything forbidden, that which few dared to claim became all the more valuable to the right people. Even the Empire that was had once held a prison on the surface that now was little more than a tomb said to be haunted by the spirits of the troopers slain there! It wouldn't have been the first time that some ventured onto the death world to claim a Rancor as either an impressive trophy or a pet to sick on their enemies, or that an assassin might seek to harvest the potent venom of a kodashi viper, that much had been certain.

As a single YT-2000 freighter began its landing sequence, headed through the deep red atmosphere towards a grassy clearing, Merulia stood in the common area to offer the briefing in her accented tones. Odds are she'd insisted on flying the group herself to keep the coordinates less known to those that did not already know it.

"My sisters alerted me several nights ago. Our access to long range holocommunications is limited beyond what the Sith Empire has provided in their patronage, but they were able to send a message that several of the outlying settlements of Nightbrothers and Nightsisters have been found empty with traces of a struggle. Blaster fire, not one of the native beasts."

"We will investigate, track, and deal with those who have harmed our people."

[Aoibhe]

Her rough thumb brushes along the activator switch on her stunsaber as Aoibhe waits impatiently. Her fingers run along the grooves of the hilt, so like a real lightsaber's own. Still, it is not one, and that makes her quietly fume. The hood of her dark robe is pulled back to let her long, dark hair tumble around her pretty, pale face. A teenager. She's slender but tall, and does not look like she is able to commit the violence she is hoping she will be able to bring to bare today. She knows she is able, though. She knows.

"My skills will be a bit more useful when we find the idiots. I'll keep a bit to the back 'till then, a'right?" Her accent is pure lower-city Shaddaa. Street trash in a dark robe with a chip on her shoulder.

She shifts in her seat and casts a glance across the others assembled, her steel-toed boot tapping away at the hull beneath her with nervous energy.

[Jask Tinton]

Jask stood near the entrance of the common area, his large frame leaned casually against the door frame. The eerie crimson hue of Dathomir's atmosphere visible through the ship's viewport gave an uncanny backdrop to Merulia's briefing. His reptilian eyes, reflecting the ambient light, were focused on her as she relayed the grim situation back on her home planet. There was an unsettling tension in the air, an unease that went beyond the formidable reputation of Dathomir.

As a bounty hunter, Jask was no stranger to conflict, but the mention of abandoned settlements and blaster fire stirred an unnerving sense of urgency within him. Being drawn into an unknown conflict felt ill-omened. "Traces of struggle... blaster fire, not native beasts. Sounds like we're dealing with a deliberate attack," he mused aloud, his deep voice imbued with a thoughtful edge.

"We'll do what needs to be done," Jask replied, pushing away from the doorway to move closer to Merulia. His large, clawed hand clenched into a fist as he affirmed their mission. The Barabel's tone was resolut. As they descended towards the enigmatic world of Dathomir, Jask readied himself mentally and physically, cluching a clawed hand around his blaster rifle, offering a brief nod towards those gathered.

[Tamsin Cas]

Some knew the Sith Lord as Darth Achlys, the name they had acquired in the decade and a half since the rise of the Sith Empire in the galaxy, others, simply as The Councilor, a name which they had held for longer than most could remember, and the title by which they was referred to by the Empress. In any regard, the masked, helmed, and robed figure stood not far from the Nightsister, not one of their number, clearly, but sharing some aspect between them. The voice was distorted, removing any trace of identifying character. "We will locate your lost. A contingent of Sith ships are on their way to provide assistance and resources as we require."

[Zoka Kanas]

Dathomir was not a world that ET-6260 had ever set foot on before. But it was dangerous, she knew that much. However when the request had gone out for volunteers for a mission to the world, she had stepped up and shown up. Clad in her red Stormtrooper armor, she has been mostly quiet on the ride in, checking over gear again as they breach atmosphere.

<"So do we think were taken by slavers? Who would be dumb enough to try to take slaves on Dathomir."> That last statement isn't phrased as a question, because she knows that whoever is behind this has signed their death warrant. Maybe they'll get lucky and it'll be quick. Maybe one of the Sith will get a hold of them and it won't be quick at all, she muses to herself, taking a moment to glance between the group.

[Kol Goren]

DT-X10 lingers somewhere on the periphery of Darth Achlys and the Dathomiri that is Merulia. He stands tall and straight, sheathed in the black reflec-coated armor of a Death Trooper. A carbine gripped between both hands, angled down and aside while the ship makes its descent through the atmosphere of Dathomir. He sways slightly with the evidence of experience in such things on account of the inevitable turbulence of atmosphere. For the moment he adds nothing, aside from a simple resolute nod of X10's helmet to indicate reception of the mission goals.

[Merulia]

The reddish hue that filled the skyline was like a punctuation to the sinister reputation of the world as the humming of the ship's engine faded and Merulia decended the ramp of her new ship that had ironically been purchased already bearing the name 'Deathly Visage'. Her usual poncho having been replaced with the wrapping-formed attire of her own clan and the dark outer cloak of the Sith, the Nightsister lead the way out onto the ridge.

Zoka's comment earned a little soft half-huff of amusement as she walked. "Someone even more foolish than the first who decided abducting a rancor was well thought out."

For those with a connection to the force, the aura of the dark side was very much palpable on this world. The influence of the planet's 'Water of life' offering whispers of dark magicks and sorcery.

"Follow me, and stay close. Skilled as you are, Dathomir can be quite savage. We will head to the most recent abduction site and hope that the trail is still fresh."

The ship had of course landed at the edge of the trees, yet the path soon took the group into the shadows of wild growth where the alien sounds of creatures likely unknown to many would occasionally break the sound of one's own footsteps.

"You should understand," Meru speaks as they move, "Despite what some think. Not every Nightsister is skilled in Magicks to the same degree. One could compare it to force-sensitivity. Perhaps these abductors seek merely an 'exotic pet'," she muses, practically spitting those last two words like they were something vile. "Or perhaps they hope to learn some of our people's secrets."

A pause as she walks, Meru turns her head towards the treeline.

[Aoibhe]

The Sith Initiate has been glancing towards the Sith Lord every chance she gets. Of course, she tries not to SHOW she is doing so, but Aoibhe is not great at being subtle. She is good at a lot of things, but that is not one of them. "Whoever it is, they'll be in the ground a'fore long," the street kid grunts. The girl has ambitions, and it's probably the first time she's been near an actual Lord since training. She clears her throat a bit and sits up from her usual slouch. She rises to her feet when told to, and she pops her hilt of her stunsaber off of her belt loop to hold in hand.

Rolling a shoulder, the teenager moves to follow the others out of the ship to the wet planet surface beyond.

[Jask Tinton]

As the YT-2000 freighter made its descent through the moody red palette of Dathomir's atmosphere, Jask allowed his senses to wash over the eddying undercurrent of tension that thrummed through the vessel. Rain composed an unending, primeval rhythm against the hull, a stark prelude to the symphony of conflict that lay in wait. The restless tap of a steel-toed boot echoed the rhythm, as if the ship itself shared in the anticipatory cadence. A faint smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. They were all seasoned performers, each playing their part in this intricate dance of danger.

The resonant hum of a distorted voice snatched him from his musings. Darth Achlys's reassurances filled the cabin, the proverbial aria amidst the developing overture. His taciturn response came in the form of a simple nod, the recognition of a fellow warrior's promise. His dangerous red eyes flickered to ET-6260, the stormtrooper whose candid remark added a note of wry humor to the somber symphony, and her question lingered in the air, an unresolved melody awaiting the next measure.

Stepping down the ramp into the heart of Dathomir, the symphony of voices was replaced by the orchestra of the wilderness, an eerie nocturne crafted by unseen creatures and rustling vegetation. Merulia's voice threaded through the discordant harmony, a guiding melody to shepherd them into the alien heartland. Despite the warnings and the palpable sense of danger that clung to this land like a second skin, he couldn't help but find a strange beauty in it. A grim grin played on his lips, though he was apparently clueless to anything around him.

[Tamsin Cas]

As the team made their descent from the freighter, Achlys moved into position. As they always did, they moved at a matched pace and speed to the Death Trooper. One could ask if he was their shadow or they were his, but neither would be the right answer. Or perhaps it was somewhere in the middle, and the Sith and trooper worked often together. Though they drew no weapon, Achlys masked visage looked in each and all direction as they made their escape from the safety of the ship. A hand rose, the voice pitched towards the Nightsister. "I make a creature tracking us. At speed." A description followed, "Black eyes, blue and light brown skin covered in spikes, and a pair of tusks on either side of the mouth. Their an ability to climb and cover rough terrain. The taloned claws likely assist there. A pet of yours?" The uptick in tone to indicate that yours meant Merulia's culture, not the woman specifically.

[Zoka Kanas]

As they continue to push forward, the sounds of the forest start to get drowned out by silence. Silence in a place like this isn't good, <"I've got a bad feeling."> She raises her T-21 to her shoulder, keeping it at a low ready but the weapon humms louder as she switches to burst fire mode.

A quick glance from the trooper to the barabel, appreciating the fact that the saurian was on the same side. She keeps her weapon at the ready, her pace slowing just a bit and becoming more deliberate as she scans for the source of the lack of noise, as it were.

[Kol Goren]

DT-X10 takes not of a presence following in their wake. Whether that's out of simply glancing toward his shoulder or some feature of his armor; who knows. The fact is that they're being followed and for the moment it is by an unknown entity. While the nature of that entity is being discussed by others, DT-X10's thumb casually flips his fire selector from lethal to stun. While the group makes their way over and through the terrain, the black clad trooper soon breaks away once they pass by an appopriate amount of concealment.

DT-X10's footfalls are like a whisper and soon enough the Death Trooper has broken away from the group itself and tucked himself away to the side of the path. Still watchful of his surroundings, he now lies in wait. He waits for their tail to pass by, so that he may quietly begin his own tailing of the tail. The carbine gripped within his gloved hands is given a little familiar squeeze and his thumb blindly probes at his fire selector while he waits. Likely ensuring that he was in fact set for stun.

[Merulia]

Sharp eyes from Tamsin, Merulia was certainly impressed at the quick assessment. Faster than even the girl who'd grown up on this world. "A Nydak," she speaks softly, a frown crossing her lips. "Some sisters were known to keep some as familiers and pets but..." she trails off. Whatever agreement she might have shared with Aoibhe about the fate of the apparent poachers and people-snatchers, her attention was on the creature for the moment. "They are know to ambush...and they have almost no natural predators."

Kol's slipping away was impressive, the commando's training potent despite not knowing the world in which they walked...but common sense was enough to step over the strands of spider silk and attempt to circle around on the creature.

"We are close to the settlement," Merulia adds with a glance over her shoulder, "normally they wouldn't venture so close. Move smoothly, and as I do...perhaps it can be convinced not to attack."

Unlikely, but even a Nightsister could hope. After all, she wanted the party of allies intact to assist her in tracking down the missing Dathomiri.

[Aoibhe]

Aoibhe might talk like she has no social skills, but there is a natural intenseness about the kid that makes her damned intimidating. That doesn't really help right now, though. Specifically, it doesn't help in noticing big monsters trailing them. She tosses her hilt from hand to hand as she shifts her weight from one boot to the other in the mud.

The girl blinks at the information from the Death Trooper, and she turns to face the mentioned direction. With a *click-whirr* the baton extends from the hilt of her stunsdaber, and begins to glow and very lightly hum. Unlike a real saber, there is no colored hue, and the sound is dulled in comparison. "Oh, really now? I wonder what it wants? Dinner, maybe?"

The Sith Initiate is keeping pace with the others through the jungle. She squints at the treeline behind them, tring to pick up on the pursuer. She spots the others continuing the trek, though, so she huffs and turns to continue following.

[Jask Tinton]

Cloaked by the deceptive tranquility of the forest, Jask registered the warning from ET-6260, an uneasy stillness enshrouding the world around them. His searing crimson eyes, bright against the reptilian green of his skin, scanned the undergrowth, seeking signs of life amidst the eerie silence. His massive form poised like a coiled spring, a testament to the potent energy that lay beneath his placid exterior.

The voice of Darth Achlys then sliced through the silence, an ominous note amidst the peace. Their words were a stark reminder of the dangerous mission at hand, bringing Jask's focus sharply back to the present. With a curt nod, he acknowledged the Sith's warning, eyes narrowing as he processed the information about the creature stalking them. He was no stranger to adversarial conditions, his experience guiding his next move.

As Merulia, the apparent 'Nightsister', further expounded on the nature of their pursuer, the Nydak, and the ominous implications of its proximity to the settlement, Jask found his attention drawn to DT-X10. The Death Trooper was slipping away, disappearing into the undergrowth, presumably to flank the creature. Acknowledging the trooper's tactic with a brief nod, Jask steeled himself, focusing his senses on the path ahead. His grip on his weapon tightened, ready for the inevitable confrontation.

[Tamsin Cas]

Achlys moved as they always moved. With deliberation. In most cases, they moved at their own pace. Now, they moved as the Nightsister suggested. When one was not on their own world, the logical and pragmatic option was to follow the instructions of those who were from the world on which you walked. If there was one way in which they deviated from that form, it was to position themselves so that should the beast choose to attack, they would be the first target. There were a few moments, when they turned to walk backwards, head tilted oddly as they looked at the creature, that faint pulse of the force palpable to those for whom it was a gift. Perhaps they were attempting to communicate with the creature. "Initiate, remain in proximity to the group. ET-6260 is a capable escort."

[Zoka Kanas]

Following that path to stay out of the attack range is something that ET-6260 thought she would have had under control. Getting attacked by a beast for stumbling into it's territory doesn't sound like a great plan. Unfortunately it would seem that fate has a different idea in mind, as she's ducking under a vine and the barrel of her rifle snags it, pulling her off of her feet and crashing off of the path and down to a knee. It's about the opposite of the black armored Death Trooper slipping into the dark, with the red armored trooper making a ton of noise.

After a moment she mutters a few curses to herself, putting herself back up to her feet and then moving to get back onto the path. Immediately after getting a compliment from Achlys too.

[Kol Goren]

The creature continues to skulk after the contingent of Sith and DT-X10 remains in his position. Watching, waiting. Only when that creature has passed by does the Death Trooper step back onto the path proper and begin to trail after the creature trailing the rest of his team. He moves with careful steps. Each footfall almost seeming to coincide with some other, louder sound. He moves with his rifle up and at the ready, its barrel directed at the back of the nydak.

DT-X10 maintains distance though, as he's not trying to engage the creature in close quarters. Within his helmet a hushed tone is conveyed through his commlink to the rest of the party, his cold voice issuing directly into ear or helmet of those within the team appropriately equipped, <<"X10 in position behind our tail.">>

Then he goes quiet and focuses himself not only on watching the potential threat ahead of himself, but for other potential threats as yet unnoticed.

[Darth Kuolo]

Kuolo was an exceptionally accomplished assassin, and his methods for infiltrating and eliminating targets without a sound were reknown. But this was not a civilized place, or a worldly place. This was Dathomir. There was only one way to approach life on Dathomir: become the apex predator. So when Kuolo's form was revealed, it was revealed with speed, and noise.

As he ran, the wind broke against the carved bones that were strung together, lashed to his robes. They whistled as he moved swiftly. The day's adventure had already soiled his white robe, and his half-mask was covered in dried red-black 'paint(?)'. He couldnt tell who they were, he only sensed a mass of individuals approaching the camp. One moment he was far away, and suddenly he dropped down from a branch, crimson lightsaber humming as he turns to seek out those who had come here.

[Merulia]

Maybe it was the snap of a twig, the promise of venture into areas the creature wouldn't generally dare...or maybe the Sith and their Bounty Hunter allies buns just looked particularly tasty! Whatever the prompting, the roar that followed suggested that indeed it wanted dinner, and the creature was moving with a sudden violent rush of speed as it bounded like a primate on its front limbs before hurling itself into the air and towards the group and indeed seemingly having zeroed in on Zoka as its first soft prey.

That snap instant before it moved? Merulia was already cursing, the Nightsister reaching for a weapon on her back...that wasn't there. Amber eyes go wide and then narrow in annoyance at muscle memory's confusion before the hilt of her lightsaber leaps to her hand.

(Soundtrack time as combat begins! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vmQz_dTUQk)

[Aoibhe]

ZThe moment that large beast is in view and makes its intentions known, the Initiate is on the move. With a WHOOP the pale teenager sprints towards it. She twirls her stunsaber before ducking low and smacking it hard against the Rancor's thigh, before coming to a skidding stop at the beast's flank.The slap rings out with a hissing crack!

"HA! Let's do this!" The street kid is confident, that's for sure.

[Jask Tinton]

Despite the adrenaline-fueled calm that was usually Jask's companion in such scenarios, something unexpectedly threw him off stride this time. The Nydak, a monstrous aberration of spikes and fury, sprang from the underbrush, its intent focused solely on Zoka. The Barabel's every instinct screamed for him to protect his comrade, to bring down the beast. His hand tightened around the grip of his blaster, the weapon aligning with the lunging creature in the split second available to him.

However, the bolt of energy that leapt from his blaster whined harmlessly past the beast, searing a small patch of foliage into smoldering embers. A second shot, hastily squeezed off in response, also strayed wide, absorbed by the dense undergrowth. Uncharacteristic misses, provoked not by fear of the beast but rather by an unexpected sight: a Sith Lord who had joined their ranks, igniting his crimson lightsaber.

TA wave of awe swept over Jask, momentarily consuming his focus, Jedi and Sith were legendary to his people, drawing very little distinction between the two.

[Tamsin Cas]

Achlys, as soon as they heard movement from the creature that had been trailing them, spun on their heels, the hilt of their saber falling into their hands, the blade igniting with that distinctive firelight. Add to that the second sound of an enemy on approach, bones and bellows. But the robes and mask were familiar, despite the sheer disharmony between the attire she knew and the way it was approaching them. Still, Achlys moved to engage the creature first, wide swings of her saber meeting no flesh, but putting on, one would hope, enough of a show to ensure that she was the creature preferred target.

[Zoka Kanas]

The arrival of the beast gets Zoka to wheel around with her weapon. It's big, not the best for this kind of environment, the extra firepower is usually worth it.

When the beast closes in on her specifically, she backs up a few steps, firing her massive T-21 in a burst at the creature. One deflects off of the tough hide, as the others sail wide and into the jungle. The weapon needs a moment to cycle and the beast continues to close in, she is attempting to get into position to defend against those claws.

[Darth Kuolo]

Kuolo would have plenty to say about that, but, there wasn't time for that. Surprised to recognize more than a few of the individuals there, he paused for a brief second. But, before he could do much of anything, they were under attack. In an instant, flanking Alchys' attack, Kuolo slips in and plays off of her strikes, matching and complimenting them by striking to the creature's dodging movements.

[Merulia]

The beast surges and raws, bolts and stunsabers beating against its hide and offering minor burns that barely do more than fuel its rage. Achlys rush with her saber seems to trigger some instinctual evasiveness, the hulking monster throwing itself around with suprising speed as it avoids the roaring energy blade. It might not harm it, but it was certainly enough to ensure Zoka was no longer the focus.

And yet, as its claws surge down towards Tamsin the sudden explosion of movement from the treeline and sinister red glow announcing Darth Kuolo's own venture onto Dathomir was a moment of distraction. The rush of pain and sizzling flesh bringing a roar of pain when his saber strikes true and draws the feral raging rush of wicked claws towards the Sith lord.

Finding no purchase with its blows, the Nydak starts to move to circle, only to find another blade of plasma slashing at it and forcing it towards the other two (and a half with the stunsaber!) saber wielders. Sheparding it in, the Nightsister dives forwards and plunges her weapon hard into the underbelly of the creature where it shrieks and goes limp, only to be slid sideways and onto the dirt of Dathomir. An offering of food to scavengers and greater creatures.

Her saber deactivated, Merulia bows her head, offering a greeting in Dathomiri to Kuolo before switching to basic. "We are close. The settlement is just over that ridge."

Already she was turning, unable to hide her impatience.

[Jask Tinton]

In the aftermath of the beast's fall, Jask stood in a momentary stupor, his mind grappling to process the unexpected onslaught. The encounter was brief, a fierce flurry of chaos and primal rage, ended abruptly by the coordinated dance of lightsabers. He blinked, a small part of him numbed by the savage abruptness of the creature's end. He'd seen many things in his time, but the ferocity of this beast, the instinctual survival it exhibited in its last moments, was a spectacle. His fingertips still tingled with the residual adrenaline and the disappointment of his own missed shots.

However, as the barabel allowed his gaze to drift from the fallen beast to his companions, he was struck by a very different awe. There was a specific beauty, a deadly ballet, to the way the Sith Lord Darth Kuolo and the Nightsister had brought down the creature. It was a dance he was unfamiliar with, yet it was one he could appreciate in its pure, raw form. A newfound respect, not just for their power but their finesse, blossomed within him.. It stirred something deep within him, a sense of professional appreciation that reinforced his stoicism.

His blaster hung loose in his hand, its heat rapidly dissipating, matching the simmering heat of his own ignited passion. A wisp of smoke curled from the barrel, rising to disappear into the dense canopy overhead, its ephemeral journey a metaphor of the brief yet impactful encounter. "Lead the way, Merulia," Jask replied in a low growl, his eyes meeting the Nightsister's as he spoke, the usual frosty tone warmed by a hint of respect. He stowed his blaster, offering a nod to the Sith Lord. Despite the uncertainty of their mission, he was beginning to understand the volatile harmony of this group.

[Tamsin Cas]

As the creature was dealt with, there was a brief moment when Achlys studied the downed beast, though they did not approach. Instead, the saber's blade snapped out, the hilt held in hand this time, rather than slid back away into the many hidden places beneath their robes. A nod was given to Merulia, and some attention shifted that way, towards the camp towards which they had been travelling. But they tempered their steps, moving to join Kuolo, so that he no longer needed to flank them. Whatever the Son of Dathomir was doing, and whether he would reveal it or not, Achlys did not know. For the moment it was not important, "We have come in answer to reports that members of the clans have been disappearing. Killed or abducted, we don't know." And then they moved to follow, masked visage turning to study the team, assessing them for any sign of injury, most likely.

[Darth Kuolo]

"I guess something thought you were just dinner service," Ku says, tapping the side of his boot against the Nydak a moment as Alchys explains. Kuolo is quick to fall in line, though he says nothing about his own reasons for being here. Meanwhile, the rattle of bones as he walks keeps time.

[Merulia]

And so the venturing continues even as the soft sounds of arachnid legs creep from the shadows to claim the body of the Nydak for their feast once the party moves onwards.

Passing through the forest the last few moments of the path lead them into a collection of timber-made hutts built onto stone structures of what once might have been ancient ruins. Sinister as the reddish hue in the air might already make the place and the whispers of the darkside...it was the utter silence that was most disturbing.

Shattered ceramics that contained provisions, scorch marks, overturned rudimentry furniture and even small crude toys of this further settlement of one of the clans told the story plain.

"See what you can discover, that we might find a trail," Merulia speaks, moving to inspect one of the dwellings.

[Jask Tinton]

Underneath the towering jungle canopy, Jask found himself standing at the heart of a ghostly settlement. His practiced gaze, a direct byproduct of countless missions and recon assignments, carefully scanned the devastated site. Timber huts, hauntingly empty and abandoned, were scattered among ancient stone ruins, their eerie silence a stark testament to a village abruptly deserted.

Yet, despite his honed skills, the Saurian Hunter was struggling to piece together the disheartening tableau. The remnants of a once lively settlement now lay scattered; inverted furniture, forsaken trinkets of amusement, and the splintered remains of clay vessels. Each object was a grim echo of the lives that had once thrived here, and each held a silent secret that eluded his grasp. The traces of the missing clan seemed to have been swallowed by the very air of Dathomir, leaving Jask wrestling with a maddeningly elusive trail.

[Merulia]

Tamsin: In a swirl of sensation, voices and emotions you feel the anger, and terror, traces of a vision. From the eyes of a young girl clutching a small doll with silken hair. Figures in armor, very much not stormtrooper and more akin to bounty hunters or mercenaries perhaps seemed to have raided the move. With weapons trained on the 'Daughters', they force the compliance and surrender of the Nightsisters.

From the eyes of the child you see one of the raiders discover your hiding space, hauling you out from where you hid. In a panic you reach for something and fling a pet, a small green serpent at the man.

A flash of blue and the vision ends on the other side of a stun bolt.

Zoka moves about with the searching, but it was as the trooper rounds the corner they'd find the first trace of life...or rather the loss of it. An armored figure frozen in agony, having clearly fallen victim to some painful fate.

[Tamsin Cas]

As Achlys moved through the space, their footsteps became slow, almost restive, as though this were simply another day in her life. Though, considering her nature, and the wave of death and destruction that normally followed in their wake, perhaps. No. They were not rambling, they were seeking, and they took a knee, hands brushing away a pile of flotsam, to reveal a doll, a doll with hair as bright as Merulia's, though the dirt into which it had been flung had worked a muddy hew into the strands. When they spoke, the vocorded voice was slow, as if they were listening to something being spoken to them, and repeating it back for the group. "Raiders, mercenaries, wearing no mark or insignia that I am aware of. Not Sith. The Daughters were taken. And a young girl who whom this belonged. They did not kill her, only stunned, nd the Daughters were taken without incident." Beat, "Though not without protest."

[Darth Kuolo]

As soon as they returned to the structures, Kuolo returned to his private business. What purpose had drawn him here was still a mystery, but it became clear he had come to find the party while he was nearby. In fact, as he stalks away, he stops at a small structure and bends low, pulling free a small carved obsidian dagger and a fish, no doubt native to nearby waters. Kuolo went to work splitting the meat and skeleton of the fish quickly, creating two piles, atop a small ruck of canvas.

[Zoka Kanas]

<"I've got something."> ET-6260 says over local comms, her voice serious, as she looks over the armored corpse. She doesn't touch it, she knows far better than that, but she does try to get some sign of who it might be, "<I think it may be one of our attackers. Armor doesn't look like anything the Nightbrothers or Nightsisters would wear."

She takes a quick walk 360 degrees around the body, looking for any kind of identification or anything without getting too close yet.

[Jask Tinton]

The ruins of the village provided Jask with nothing, his diligent search yielding a disappointing emptiness. He found himself disconcerted, the stark reality of his fruitless endeavor sharply contrasting with his expectations.

His attention, however, was swiftly captivated by Achlys' discovery. As the Sith unfolded the grim narrative, every detail underscored by the disturbingly innocent doll, Jask found himself anchored in a silent introspection. He remained wordless, absorbing the harrowing tale of mercenaries and abducted Daughters, his gaze unflinchingly locked onto the corpse that they had passed, it's presence the least bit unsettling to the gargantuan Reptilian humanoid.

[Merulia]

Merulia herself seemed rather disturbed as she walks back out, catching Achlys's words with a nod. "Then we will find them."

Zoka's discovery was a lead, one the group could use. Their blaster remained by their side, their comlink on their belt...yet something had ended his life rather painfully in such a way the other raiders hadn't been brave enough to reclaim his body.

Merulia does pause in walk, spotting the mystery that was Kuolo's work before she moved towards the body and extended a hand.

From within the armor a small green serpent was coaxed, fondly slittering towards the nightsister where it coiled comfortably at her forearm. "We must track where they have taken them."

[Tamsin Cas]

Achlys kept the doll, tucking it away into her robes. It might well, if they were skilled enough, be returned to its owner. But the word from ET-6260 shifted their attention and they made their way in that direction. Seeing images from the past was one thing. Seeing the attacker in the flesh was something differently entirely. They too, did not touch the body yet, studying it, instead, on the off chance that they might recognize something without needing to delve into the force. Kuolo was studied in passing, but Achlys knew better than to interrupt his work. Though they did not look in Merulia's direction, the movement of the snake caught their attention out of the corner of their eye, "The girl's snake. She threw it at her attacker before she was taken. Perhaps we will return that to her as well." The datapad and comlink were considered, before Achlys rose to their feet, "These were not random raiders. Certainly an organized force. We may be able to access more information, or access their communications if we can slice into these."

[Zoka Kanas]

The stormtrooper takes a knee, picking up the comlink and turning it over in her hand, before she turns over her left arm and access the system there, working to break through the encryption on the comms.

<"I'm in. It looks like this is going back to a ship called the 'Apex'."> She says, scanning through the comm codes and hmming faintly, getting back up to her feet and putting the commlink in a pouch for safety. They should easily be able to track these comms back to their source.

[Jask Tinton]

With the bleak revelations of his short comings amongst the increasingly stacked findings of the Sith, Jask found himself needing to do something - anything - to distract from the heavy reality that had abruptly settled on them. Turning his attention to a sturdy-looking tree nearby, he decided to scale it, hoping to gain a better vantage point. Maybe he could spot some clue from above that had eluded them at ground level. A change of perspective could, after all, often lead to unexpected insights.

As he approached the tree, he reached for a solid-looking branch, his trained eyes analyzing its potential as a handhold. With a swift motion, he attempted to hoist himself up, but the branch snapped almost instantly, brittle from a lack of water, the arid climate of the region having left it deceivingly frail. He felt his footing slide, a rush of surprise shooting through him. But years of battle-hardened reflexes didn't fail him. With a deft maneuver, he twisted his body, a flex of his muscles allowing him to land steadily on his feet. For the first time since they left the ship, Jask lets out an annoyed hiss, a growl rumbling from his thinly pursed lips, his dagger like teeth peaking out of his mouth with venomous displeasure, "I've spent far too long off my homeworld." His words rumbling deeply in his chest.

[Merulia]

"Kodashi viper," Merulia offers as she gently rubs a fingertip under the small reptile's head, "Incredibly venomous, but beautiful...many of us kept them as pets. This little one is quite affectionate, but easily spooked."

Zoka's words give a name to their quary, but it is the slicing Sith lord that manages to crack the datapad and find something more: a manifest.

<QUOTA> 

Dathomiran male: 10 units. 
Dathomiran Female: 16 units. 
Dathomiran child of any gender: 12 units. 

Nydak: 3 units. 
Bane Spider: 20 units 

-Delivery to sector M-7 Sullust system- 

Status: Actioned.

[Darth Kuolo]

With his left hand, the fish meat is arranged on the canvas ruck, and Kuolo makes short work of the canvas. By focusing his will, the canvas lights aflame, and begins to cook. As moments pass, the fire rises, sending the smell of cooked meat into the air. Though he speaks, the words are lost to most, save Merulia. With the offering alight, Kuolo begins to arrange the bones. He takes the largest of them and begins to draw a sigil on the near wall. While it looked like a warning, something the Dathomiri enjoyed duplicitously, it was a petition for aid from the spirits of Dathomir. When it is at last carved, Kuolo begins to crush the bones in his hands, dropping them into the fire.

[Tamsin Cas]

Achlys, having unlocked the datapad, read the report, before they offered the pad to the Nightsister. Whatever position they held in the Empire, she was not the leader of this expedition, nor the most knowledgeable about the people who had been taken. "It's clear to me," and now, they nodded in the stormtroopers direction, "That the goal was to get these captives offworld as quickly as possible. We are unlikely to find them, nor any of the others here. We should make our departure and attempt to track this 'Apex'."

The grumbling from the Barabel did not go unnoticed, and Achlys took a moment, "Victories come in many shapes and forms. We have defeated a beast which sought to destroy us, and found the next step in our search." A beat, "many years ago, now, a teacher spoke these words to me. I have never forgotten them. -- 'Defeat of the body is pittance in comparison to defeat of the mind.' Do not allow your mind to defeat you."

As Kuolo's work came to fruition, and some aspect of what he was doing was revealed, Achlys fell silent, in respect to the offering that was being made.

[Jask Tinton]

Observing from the peripheral, his gaze narrowed, analyzing each movement with the cold objectivity of a seasoned predator. The raw fusion of arcane power and primitive ritual was a spectacle unlike any he'd seen. It held a wild, untamed energy that demanded respect, a layer of the unknown that piqued the soldier's innate curiosity. It wasn't fear that tightened his grip on his weapon, rather a practiced readiness. As the fire crackled and the aroma of roasting meat permeated the air, Jask's stoic exterior belied the calculating thoughts ticking within.

Drawn from his silent contemplation by the observations of Achlys, Jask turned his attention toward the Sith. There was a certain truth, a reality of conflict and endurance in the words echoed by Achlys that resonated with the soldier's own ethos. A brief moment of shared understanding seemed to bridge the gap between them before Jask's focus returned to Kuolo's intriguing performance, "Your words resonate with thissss one, Sith." A clawed hand retracts to his chest in a sign of respect and acknowledgement, though not innately Barabelin in nature.

[Zoka Kanas]

Lots of info, but the manifest says what they need to know most. Where the captives were taken. She hands the commlink over to Achlys after she rejoins her, standing quietly to watch as Darth Kuolo does his ritual. She simply observes, the fire reflecting off the dark lenses of her hlmet.

She wouldn't even pretend to begin to understand the Sith or how they do what they do, but it /does/ work and that's what matters. She doesn't understand how a hyperdrive works either.

[Merulia]

As the offering was made, all eyes turn its way. Words spoken might be only understood by Merulia and Kuolo...but there was one more entity that almost certainly understood.

The Winged Goddess, the Fanged God, the heart of Dathomir itself.

As Meru softly joined the words of invocation and the ritual was completed by the son of this world of witches, the flames surged, a flare of green and a scent like lightning filling the air. If could simply be chemical, or a trick...

Or perhaps Dathomir shared the anger of its children and would turn its magicks to word those that wronged them.

Very soon, the abductors were likely to find out!