Taldryan: Team 3

Rian Aslar
Quejo
Aeson Rhys
Lokasena Sena Corvinus
Malfrost Xeon
Vodo Biask Taldrya

IC: You are a member of an elite task force assigned to conduct a rapid entry raid in Xlopora City. Your team is tasked with recovering the the lost blade of Ferran, known as Revelation. Intelligence reporting indicates four distinct opposition Forces operating within Xlopora City.

1. One Sith Forces: The Sith Lord Esoteric has been identified by Taldyran reconnaissance teams. Esoteric is an unpredictable Sith Lord and has been connected to the death of multiple members of the Dark Jedi Brotherhood.

2. Unknown Imperial Forces: Arconan agents have reported multiple engagements with Storm Commandos and unidentified Imperial Storm Troopers. These unknown Imperial Forces appear to be coordinating their operation with the One Sith.

3. Sith Revenants and Ancient Sith Magic: Xlopora City is the seat of ancient Sith powers and is protected by unknown quantities of arcane wards and traps. Sith Zombies have been identified within the catacombs underneath the towered palace located in the center of the city. Shadow Academy Scholars have reported multiple deaths resulting from failed attempts to breach warded doorways and structures.

4. The Dark Brotherhood: The Dark Brotherhood is a fragmented organization designed to reward those who excel. Infighting, backstabbing, and treachery are acceptable tactics to achieve results. Dark Council reports indicate at least three skirmishes have occurred between opposition Clans and Houses.

The Sith Medium, Dantella Novae, has provided the Dark Council with a rough sketch of the chamber housing Revelation. She believes that a ritual, of some sort, will be required to gain access to the weapon. This ritual will require a significant cost from the team who discovers it.

This is a time sensitive operation that will conclude in 96 hours (16 real life days!) with the commencement of an orbital bombardment. Due to the short nature of the operation, your team will be limited to light infantry operations (no mechanized forces are to be deployed in Xlopora City). You may use any other equipment from your organization's order of battle.

OOC: The following links provide additional information.

Plot Update Link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0rPsJ1Xn54cZ1VFYjY3SElrMU0/edit?usp=sharing

Bosthirda Link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0rPsJ1Xn54cbmNOMURTM3R0R3M/edit?usp=sharing

Dantella Novae Link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0rPsJ1Xn54cY1piSHZJOHhlMEU/edit?usp=sharing

Competition Rules:

Welcome to the Dark Crusade Epilogue: Bosthirda, a Run-On Event.

The following rules are in effect:

This is a run-on event based on the most recent Dark Brotherhood Plot Update, Bosthirda Planet Document, and event hook placed at the beginning of each run on.

Sign-ups for the event will begin on 22 February 2014 and end at 2359 EST on 27 February 2014.

The Team Captain from each team will email their team name and team roster to Muz, Raken, and Sarin.

Teams will consist of no less than 5 members and no more than 7 members. Units may submit as many teams as they can field.

250 word minimum per post. No maximum word limit. A post under 250 words will not be considered in a participant’s 3 post total. If a player writes five entries, 3 over 250 words and 2 under, they will still be given credit for reaching the minimum post limit.

Each team member must post at least three times during the event. There is no maximum post limit, but members cannot post consecutively. A single member failing to post three times will result in their teams DQ and elimination from the top 3.

Edits may occur on a post until a follow on post has been made (follow on posts include "reserving" a space). Edits may only be made by the posts original author (as in, if you have Forum Administration Rights, you cannot edit another member’s work).

Members may reserve post, but no posts can occur until after the reserved post is written.

The event will be graded by Raken, Sarin, and Muz using a rubric that focuses on creativity, plot development, realism, and grammar.

The winning team will win the Run-On for their unit. A single Independent Unit can finish 1st, 2nd, and 3rd in this event. This is a nova producing event.

Event Timeline:

22-27 February Sign-Ups

28 February: Event Hook Published on all Team Threads (You can read the plot update and potentially divine your mission!)

28 February to 16 March: Members Post on the Forums! This event will be plugged into the Database, but will not conclude on the forums until 2359 EST on 16 March 2014!!!!!!!

Gazing at the blue-ocean and colorful landmarks rushing by far below, the Taldryan Consul turned back to where his attention was needed most. Gazing upon his assembled Strike-team, Rian was the closest to the sealed sliding door of their Assault Transport, rushing through Bosthirda's atmosphere, scurried by three of its sisters carrying similar Strike-teams of Taldryan as well as transports from the other Clans and Houses of the Brotherhood, all driven on by the order of the Iron Throne. Beside and around them stood a Circle, 25 Massassi Warriors, weapons cradled in their arms, talking among themselves in their native language, probably alleviating misgivings and inside jokes the way seasoned warriors all over the universe did. They spoke to each other via comlink so that their voices could be heard over the thunder of the passing wind and the roar of the aft engines.

"Lord Taldrya, can you tell us what exactly we are searching for on this world, or is this just another in the endless list of targets we have to conquer at the behest of Lord Ashen?", The former Dark Councilor screamed over the deafening noises, his lekku slung around his neck twitching in anticipation.

"I know just about as much as all you do. We’re here based on some Intelligence that claims to point to an artifact of immeasurable value, located on Bosthirda and that under no circumstances is this artifact to fall into the possession of the One Sith. The only thing I can add is that there will be only a tight window to retrieve the artifact before the Iron Throne will commence a full-scale orbital bombing. But you should know well the Grand Master and how much he reveals from your own experience." Rian replied with a smirk.

"As long as there will be enough prey to be sacrificed to the Scorekeeper,” a voice grunted. The menacing appearance of the newly appointed Ektrosian Aedile was standing in the second row, wavering not a millimeter during the fast descent, his face an expressionless mask of determination.

A sudden burst of light followed by a hard banking of their transport to the left drew the eyes of everyone close to a viewport to the sky outside. One of the other transports turned into a white-hot cloud of debris and burning fuselage. "Commander, Status Report!" the Consul yelled at the forward cockpit.

"We aren't under attack, enemy weapons should have us in target lock by now.”

"But what shot that transport from the sky?"

"I can't tell my Lord, but we’ve got specific orders to commence your drop as planned, Reaching jump site in 60 seconds."

Rian turned to his strike team, nicknamed Phoenix after the old Ektrosian Battleteam, “Alright boys! Drop in 60! Every do one last check, I don’t want any frek-ups out there! Arban!”

The Circle’s command soldier stepped forward and saluted, fist to his brow and then his chest, “Yes, my Lord?”

“Your warriors will create and secure our perimeter as we establish our LZ. May you find glory today,” the Arban saluted again and turned to his armored warriors to pass along his orders.



Arranged like the spokes of a wheel, the dilapidated structures of Xlopora City now filled all viewports. Rian caught a fleeting glimpse at the ringed walls protecting the ancient Stone palace that made up the center of the city before the transport banked again toward a landing platform in the outskirts of the city; Intelligence had predefined it as the landing zone for the Strike-team. Circular in shape the platform was supported on thick columns anchored in the ground and was slowly losing to the vegetation reclaiming the once glorious city. Access panels to both sides slid open and the sound of energy-weapons going hot filled the surrounding as polyplast cables dropped within reach.

"Secure to lines!" The co-pilot said.

"Secure to lines!” the Massassi Arban moved the Derriphan into position.

The Transport dumped its speed as it neared the platform and killed it forward momentum, repuslorlifts counteracting the pull of gravity on the armored LAAT/i. The lines dropped and tickled the landing area below.

The pilot’s voice cam over the comlink, "Be advised: Iron Throne reports third-parties engaging Brotherhood assets. Commence your drop, Consul."

Measuring the distance between the hovering Assault Transport and the ground below to not exceeding thirty feet, the Taldryan Dark Jedi smiled at each other. "No need for that,” The Consul said, rejecting the cable offered to him. “We'll see you below."

One by one they leaped out of the transport, their fall overseen by the Force, they landed in a crouch on the cracked ground. The Massassi followed, descending one-handed on the cables, their weapons at the ready as they slid to the platform, instantly securing a safety pattern around the Dark Jedi. When the last was on the ground the Assault Transports engines roared up again and it veered back into the sky.

*Here we go again. Yet another treasure hunt for the bloody Grand Master and the self sanctified Dark Council* Aeson thought to himself as he hit the platform and rolled.

“Do you think they could have picked a less obvious insertion point, Aslar” The Zeltron yelled. “We’re probably in the sights of some commando’s sniper rifle right now.”

Even as the words left his mouth, three of the Massassi warriors dropped, two with blaster burns to the chest and one was missing almost half his helmet and head.

Aeson dropped and rolled.

“Make that three snipers!” he continued sarcastically.

The Derriphan spread out in a circle, intending to protect the Dark Jedi while using their helmet scanners to locate the threat. The circle's diameter shrunk as the Massassi tightened their formation in a classic military defensive maneuver, interposing their bodies between the threat and their masters. Several more dropped as shots from high powered sniper blaster rifles blew right through the custom Taldryan armor. The only positive was now since they were aware of the snipers, the incoming blaster bolts quickly revealed the snipers' locations.

At least for now; they would soon move to new locations and new angles of attack to protect themselves, confuse attempts to calculate the snipers’ numbers and try to catch their targets by surprise again. Standard imperial commando tactics and quite effective against normal targets; however dark jedi were not normal targets and such actions while annoying were futile against the power of the Force.

Within moments, Aeson knew exactly where the snipers and it was obvious that the other Taldryan jedi did as well.

However, only a few of the Massassi warriors possessed blasters that could match the range of the snipers’ guns. With the range and cover advantage, the snipers were untouchable.

“Aslar, Quejo, I don’t care what rank or position you have, if either of you don’t come up with something quickly, I’m going to make my own path out of here.” The Zeltron yelled over the din.

“No Explosives!!” Rian responded with a curse.

Quejo glanced over to the Pantoran Consul quizzically.

“Aeson hates combat. Threaten him en mass and you’ll see grenades go flying faster than you can blink and he does not care where they land or who they take out.”

“Coward” the Trandoshan hissed.

The LAAT/i roared as its engines pushed to gain altitude. The beast was nearly fifty years old at this point, but the gunship that first saw action in the Clone Wars still worked as hard as anyone else. Vodo’s falciform talons crunched into the rubble underfoot. He stood tall, analyzing the surrounding terrain as the Derriphan and Dark Jedi began taking fire. Their actions were chaotic, untrained, and undisciplined. As the Consul took cover behind a ruined section of wall, batting the stray bolts off with his saber, Vodo remained calm and opened himself to the Dark Side.

The tingle of its power slowly spread across his body, warming itself into his veins and muscles, his cybernetics bits, and into his very self. It all became so very clear to him. There were two snipers, not the three. The third shots flew wide, every time, likely an automated turret to draw attention. He saw the thoughts and emotions of the Massassi, they each glowed with the power of the Dark Side as it permeated their being as well.
Vodo, open to the Dark Side, commanded it to cover his allies and as the Force settled upon the Taldryan Dark Jedi and Derriphan Warriors they became like one organism, unified in purpose and goal.

Sena: up the gut, go. Rian: move to the right, draw their fire. Aeson: cover Lokasena’s advance. Malfrost: stay on Sena’s tail, don’t you lose him. Massassi—Attack.

No words were necessary. Everyone knew what they needed to do; the Battle Meditation melded their minds. Vodo walked calmly, the shots fired at the strike team seemingly ignored him, as though he were unnoticed. Perhaps he was, the Dark Side had many uses. Consul Aslar leapt the wall and began his flank, protecting his off side with his azure saberstaff. Rian’s hand acted of their own accord, years of training replacing conscious thought, as he saw a red bolt of light strike out at him. The bolt was intersected and redirected at its source terminating in a distant and muffled scream.

Sena soared over the final obstacles, his amethyst light saber weaving as complex a pattern as Vodo had ever witnessed from the Krath Priest. He flowed first from Form III Soresu, deflecting the sniper’s desperate attempts to ward off the crazed Dark Jedi into a lunge straight out of the Form II Makashi hologuide. The armored trooper gazed down at the blade of light that had buried itself in his chest plate, then back up at the wild eyes of the man who had killed him. Sena drank in the man’s anguish as he collapsed dead to the ground.

The blaster fire fell silent as their ambushers were subdued. The Derriphan established their permitter and allowed the Dark Jedi to plot their next step. Consul Aslar took account of the lost Massassi, four in total, “Frekking Dark Council, frekking Iron Throne, frekking Intelligence! Does anyone up there know how to do their frelling job? Biask, what the hell did you do back there?”

The Twi’lek looked upon his Consul, now a Son of Taldrya, “Only what was necessary, my Lord Consul. Might I suggest we get moving? There’s no telling what lays ahead of us any longer.”

Rian nodded and looked to his other Dark Jedi, “Aeson, I swear to the Nine Corellian Hells, if you catch me with one of your grenades, I will pull you to pieces myself. Everyone, we’re moving.”

Imperial Basecamp, Central Xlopora City

Captain Rayes stood before the situation table, detailing the most latest events to the ghostly image produced by the portable holo-emitter.

"My Lord, your intelligence reports have been flawless. By now my troops have engaged every reported landing zone, effectively stopping the intruders from gaining ground toward the palace ruin."

"Excellent, Captain, you are serving your purpose well." the Image of Lord Esoteric snarled.

"I live to serve, my Lord." Rayes said with a slight bow. "But with your approval, my Lord, my men can not only drive these Dark Jedi back, but wipe them out, if you would just let me call for reinforments."

The Dark Lord hesitated, considering the offer from the Imperial. It was true Rayes and his men were from a more skilled kind than those the One Sith have worked earlier with, but soon other players will enter the scene, players much more capable to deal with the so called Dark Jedi Brotherhood.

Even while Rayes awaited the order from Esoteric to call for reinforcements eagerly, his eyes strode over his men and women in the camp, they were the best of the best, he knew it, and he was sure the Dark Lord knew it too.

Eventually his gaze recognized one of his younger men, barely twenty years old, the Corporal leaned against the remains of a wall, its outer surface cracked and collapsed, when suddenly ghastly white hands burst through a gap in it, jerking him into it. Following the hands came an evenly ghastly face, screaming, suctioning down on the Corporals' throat, teeth bared, gouging into the flesh.

The scream drew everyones attention toward the ghastly thing, watching in horror as it hauled the Corporal through the gap, where it could more easily devour the young man. Eruptions of blood and gore spurted from the ragged perforations where the thing had buried its teeth into the young man's body. Behind the gap, the thing lifted its face up, and Rayes saw its eyes – flat, dull balls, wearing not even the slightest spark of life – yet they somehow reminded him to be once being human.

The thing buried its mouth back down into the ragged body, slurping noisely. When it paused for a next time, it cocked its head back, making a high-pitched scream, and Rayes realized that there were other screams, countless screams, rising up from every direction at once.

Behind his faceplate, Esoteric grinned. "Fortunately Captain, your reinforcements have just arrived." Then with a flicker the image of Rayes in Esoteric’s hand went out, the last thing it showed, the Captain reaching for his blaster-pistole. It was time, and his attention was needed on another place, placing the holo-emitter back into his pocket he stepped out onto the plaza where the Imperials were currently engaged in a fierce firefight with some members of the Brotherhood, Arconans to tell from the insignia on their armor, though there was someone else, someone he has been waiting for.

Silence fell as Rian's voice brought everyone to attention, a single look was all that anyone needed to proceed with the invasion as the Massassi cheered. The Aedile delivered a nod as he followed his Consul, his sanguine eyes filled with hatred and a beast-like eagerness, a craving to hunt.

"This T'doshok is not impressed." Spat the Trandoshan in his native tongue, his words in correlation with the translation droid hovering at his side. "They kill these so called warriors and think of themselves as Gods."

"Be patient Quejo." Aslar snapped

"If I'm remembering it correctly, you did nothing while we were getting shot a....." Aeson interrupted, 'over-hearing' the conversation, his last word falling short as the Trandoshan snapped his head to the right. The attention of the Guardsman was now on the Priest in full. The rage within him beginning to bubble to the surface.

"Easy." Rian spoke. "You're an Aedile now." He reasoned. "You can't go around fighting the people you've sworn to protect. Besides, there will be plenty to hunt, I promise." He finished, the Force around him unusual, it was rampant and wild. Mindless in ways.

"What was that?" Sena stopped, his mind responding quickly to a faint shriek coming from behind a battered wall. Sena looked to Rian who, with two fingers, ordered a pair of Massassi warriors to investigate.

They moved, fanning out to cover the sharp angles of the crippled City, swallowed hole by vegetation and wildlife. Whatever was lurking in the darkness would soon be revealed as they rounded the corner of the wall and stopped dead in their tracks as the echo of distant blaster fire sent wild fowel into the air like plumes of smoke.

"Battle." Added Quejo as he re-directed his attention to the Massassi. "Sena, Aeson." The Aedile roared. "Go look." followed the translation droid.

As Sena and Aeson followed a similar route as the Massassi, they watched as a series of blood stained arms latched onto them, the Massassi frozen with fear as they were drug behind the wall.

Sena, motioned Aeson to cease movement with a flash of his hand.

"I'll take care of this." He added, rushing up to the wall, his back placed against it as he would call upon the Force for assistance.

"There is no life, no sense of being just a sense of awareness." He reached out further.
"They know we're here.." His eyes grew wide as an arm reached around the corner, gripping him at his chest.

The Priest growled as he shifted his weight, revealing the being once and for all as it was slung to the street.

A blood curdling scream burst forth from it's lips as it rolled and pushed itself back to it's feet, albeit sluggishly. As the vile creature got to it's feet, Sena latched onto it with the Force, his fingers creating tendrils which closed in on it's throat.
The Dark Jedi moved in to get a closer look.

"What kind of sorcery is this?" Asked the Obelisk Consul quizzically.

"I'm not sure.. It's dead in the Force." Vodo added, driving his mechanical foot into it's chest, knocking it to the ground.

"It's weak." The Trandoshan added, his translation droid flying in circles around the potential prisoner.

The brown hair of Malfrost slipped down over his face as he looked down at the being, his eyes scanning it quizzically. He had researched many unusual things in his life but had never come across something such as this.

He reached out with his hand and quickly pulled it away as the creature lashed out, it's teeth ground together so hard, blood poured from it's gums and filled it's mouth.

"It may be weak Q.. But how do they react in numbers?!" Aeson shouted as he unleashed another one of his grenades, the tiny device erupting into a beautiful display of orange and red as the combustion drove razor sharp pieces of metal through the flesh and fabric of the menacing horde now rounding the corner.

"Move!!" Shouted the Consul as he drew his lightsaber. "We need to follow that blaster fire. We may not find allies but I guarantee you we'll find someone sharing a common goal."

The Team crossed along the dilapidated streets between two featureless ruins, the inevitable darkness caused by the setting sun stretching out upon them. Up ahead – perhaps a kilometer or two – stood the towering bulwarks of the dark palace.

Despite the eagerness of some of his team to join the battle, the Consul knew they had to move more carefully now. Since they first heard the sound of blasterfire, the amount of screams had increased as well. No, they were not only increasing, they too grew more intense with every meter of distance they closed to the palace.

Rian had never seen anything like the abominations they had met, not even during that Rakghoul Crisis back when he was Tetrarch of the Phyle: living corpses, decaying bodies whose tissue and muscle still moved, even as they rotten before their eyes. The Obelisks mind faltered, as Aeson had proven, grenades could tear them to pieces, finishing them off ultimately, but what about a lightsaber? Could it dispatch such a creature, or would it rather cut it to pieces, that would continue to attack them?

Before him, Aeson raised his hand, forcing the group to freeze in their tracks. They were close now, the chilling air of the night now filled with a mixture of battlecries and blasterfire. Stretching out with his mind the Zeltron tapped into the Force, casting out a net of psychic energy in search of any signs of if there were other members of Taldryan engaged in the fierce battle in front of them or not, but it retrieved only the presence of another Strike team of the Brotherhood, a team whose heritage couldn't be more worse at all... Arcona.