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IC Star Wars: The Hunted
Klivian
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
It's been three days since the attack. Three days since Republic troops assaulted the Jedi Temple and slaughtered Jedi by the hundreds. Three Jedi escaped, however, and fled into the labyrinthine lower levels of Coruscant. For three days and nights they've been pursued by Republic patrols, seeker droids, and Correllian hounds. Three days pursuit without rest through Corscant's crumbling infrastructure: stinking sewers, moldy air handlers, stagnant recycling ponds, abandoned service ways, and decaying duracrete. Weariness tore at their minds and bodies as their footsteps echoed down endless corridors.
The trio ducked into a dark alcove and paused to catch their breath. A young human girl dressed in the robes of a Jedi padawan slumps to the metal grated floor and spoke through gasps. "Did we lose them," Jeanida asked.
Blaster in hand, a human male leaned around the corner out of the alcove. "Looks like we managed to give them the slip at that last intersection," Sol said.
The third member of the party, the Gammorean nicknamed Klaggy, squealed and snorted in his native language. A miniature droid clipped to his belt translated in a tinny voice, "They'll figure out their mistake soon enough. Ten minutes rest and then we move." He sat on his haunches and dug in his pouch for a ration bar. This was his last one. He ripped it open and shoved the entire bar into his mouth and chewed.
Jeanida frowned as she watched morsels of food fall from Klaggy's slobbering maw. She turned away in disgust as Sol sat beside her. He took a long swig from a canteen and handed it to her. She took it and drank deeply before handing it back.
Jeanida sighed and subconsciously fingered a brooch pinned to her tunic. Master Nay'bek had given it to her in their last moments together in the temple after the attack.
"Jeanida, you must see these two to safety. Seek out a Verpine named Chissk in the mid-level docks," Nay'bek said. Despite the chaos surrounding them, Nay'bek's voice was calm and soothing. She unpinned the brooch, a large emerald gem held by golden dragonfly, and clasped it to Jeanida's tunic. "Give this to Chissk. He'll know what it means and he'll help you. Now, be brave my padawan." Nay'bek hugged Jeanida tight. Her Bothan fur tickled Jeanida's nose. Blaster fire smacked into the walls next to them and a least two dozen Republic troopers spilled into the corridor. "Into the sewers! I'll buy you time." Klaggy and Sol were already inside as Nay'bek pushed Jeanida through the hatch. Jeanida screamed in protest, but Nay'bek pushed her backwards gently with the Force and closed the hatch. A torrent of blaster bolts struck the closed hatch and the sound of a whirring lightsaber could be heard faintly. "C'mon, kid, we gotta go. Master know's what she's doing," Sol said laying a hand on Jeanida's shoulder. She shoved him away and clawed at the locked hatch. Sol looked pleadingly at Klaggy. "We don't have time for this." Klaggy grunted and lifted Jeanida into his huge arms and carried her down the corridor at a jog. She continued to scream until she was hoarse pounding at Klaggy's chest with her small fists.
Sol said casually, "You know who this Chissk person is?" Jeanida snapped back to the present and withdrew her hand from the brooch quickly. "Who? Oh, right. No, master never mentioned him before." Jeanida said quietly.
"Perfect," Sol said dryly. "A few more blocks and we'll be under the docks. Verpine aren't that common, even on Coruscant. With luck, we should be able to find him."
@Heir as Sol Koda
@Capfalcon as Jeanida Halb
@jdarksun as Klaggrakh "Klaggy" Groogrun
Ok guys, it's been three days without sleep under constant pursuit. To capture the effects of this sleep deprived state, I need a series of Endurance checks:
Check #1 - DC15
Check #2 - DC20
Check #3 - DC25
For each failed check,
- Move -1 steps down on the condition track. This condition is persistent and may not be removed until you get 8 hours sleep.
- Take 2d6 damage
Sol HP 56/56 TH 17
Jeanida HP 75/75 TH 17
Klaggy HP 75/75 TH 25
@Capfalcon as Jeanida Halb
@jdarksun as Klaggrakh "Klaggy" Groogrun
Ok guys, it's been three days without sleep under constant pursuit. To capture the effects of this sleep deprived state, I need a series of Endurance checks:
Check #1 - DC15
Check #2 - DC20
Check #3 - DC25
For each failed check,
- Move -1 steps down on the condition track. This condition is persistent and may not be removed until you get 8 hours sleep.
- Take 2d6 damage
Sol HP 56/56 TH 17
Jeanida HP 75/75 TH 17
Klaggy HP 75/75 TH 25
Klivian on
0
Posts
DC15: Endurance Check DC15: 1d20+2 5 Endurance Damage: 2d6 9
DC20: Endurance Check DC20: 1d20+1 2 2d6 10
DC25: Can't pass. Damage: Endurance Damage: 2d6 9
Sol HP 28/56 -3 Condition (-5 to defenses, attack rolls and ability/skill checks). I hate you @Klivian.
Hopefully.
DC 20: Endurance Check 2 (1d20+1=2, 2d6=7)
DC 25: Can't pass. Endurance Check 3 (2d6=6)
Jeanida HP 62/75 TH 15, -2 Condition, -2 on all defenses, attack rolls and ability/skill checks
Fared a little better, but Jeanida isn't used to forced marches.
Twitch Stream
After a few more hours of lateral movement, they began the ascent towards the mid-level docks. Klaggy set a brutal pace for Jeanida and Sol whose thighs burned with each incline, every ladder rung, and every stairway. As they neared the dock levels, the corridors began to show signs of life: empty crates, fresh garbage, partially functional droids, and occasional footsteps off in the distance.
At the top of a long flight of stairs, the trio entered a small warehouse, nothing more than a widened corridor, really, piled high with rusting crates of all sizes. Before they could exit, though, heavy blast doors slammed shut trapping them inside.
A human, an Arconan, a Rodian and a Devaronian quickly emerged from camouflaged crates and leveled blaster pistols at the three Jedi. All four wore black dusters emblazoned with red slashes across the shoulders.
"Well, well, you three have been quite difficult to catch," the Arconan said. "Quite difficult. Quite. Quite." His eyes glistened gold, the signs of salt addiction. "Did you know you've got no less than three squads of Republic troopers on your tail?" he asked rhetorically as he held up three long fingers. "Quite unusual to see troopers this far down below. Quite unusual. Quite. Quite."
"Now, you've been traveling through Reaver territory for several days and we're here to collect the toll for your safe passage." His eyes landed on the emerald and gold brooch on Jeanida's tunic. "I think that will do quite nicely. Quite nicely. Quite. Quite."
"Give me the brooch and you'll be quite safe through the rest of our territory. Quite safe. Quite. Quite."
The gang was hidden inside crates and camouflage netting which gave them a hefty boost to their Stealth. Even with that, Jeanida *almost* managed to spot them.
Sol - Perception: 1d20+1=6
Klaggy - Perception: 1d20+9=10
Jeanida - Perception: 1d20+8=20
Gang Leader Stealth: 1d20+15 34
Gang Member Stealth: 3#1d20+13 33 21 21
Sol glanced over his shoulder to see the Rodian behind him tighten his grip on his blaster and sneer.
"And Gammoreans are always hungry," the Arconan added casually.
Mind Trick (1d20+14=29)
Twitch Stream
The Arcona looked at Jeanida and blinked his enormous golden eyes. "You aren't worth the trouble. We should be on our quite separate ways. Quite separate. Quite. Quite." He reached into a crate and activated a switch hidden within. The blast doors hissed open.
The Jedi continued their climb to the docks and eventually emerged on the main promenade. The last few rays of the faint Coruscant sunset filtered through buildings that towered hundreds of meters overhead. As night fell, the bustling crowd of merchants, droids, and cargo speeders began to thin and was replaced with weary starship and maintenance crews looking to let off steam at any number of cantinas, bars and diners.
Klaggy stopped a passing Sullustan by standing squarely in his path. <"Looking for verpine. You seen verpine? Bug guy. Green like me. Thinner, though."> The Sullustan shook his head and scurried around the Gammorean's bulk, "No, not knowing any Verpine."
Sol sighed. "Let's try in here." He pointed towards a diner occupied primarily non-human clientele. Upon entering the aroma of exotic spices, meats and other unidentifiable items struck them. Jeanida's stomach growled involuntarily. They took a corner booth and a female bothan with pink stripes dyed into her fur and no less than a dozen rings piercing her long ears sauntered over.
"What'll you guys be having? Special's fried grub worm and chips," she said cheerily.
"Three specials," Sol said quickly. Klaggy squealed, "<Make that four>". "And some caf, please," Jeanida added.
"That it?" she inquired.
"Actually," Sol said, "I'm looking for a friend. He's a Verpine."
"A ver-what?" she said.
"Verpine? You know, looks like a walking bug."
"Oh you mean a Geonosian!"
"No, no. They're green, not brown!"
"Oh, the green guy! Skinny, long antennae, always tapping on a datapad... yeah yeah, he comes in here from time to time. How do you know him?"
Sol stammered, "We ummm went to the academy together."
"Oh yeah? You mean like the university? My sister is taking some classes at the local branch of the Coruscant Technical Institute," she said proudly.
Seeing Sol shift nervously, Jeanida quickly interjected, "Really, though, you can't miss him if you've seen him around. We were supposed to meet to get something to eat, but it looks like he got lost on the way to the diner. Probably forgot to look up from his datapad!" Jeanida laughed.
The Bothan chuckled, "That sounds about right! Well he's got a shop near the end of the promenade, just down the alley from the Drunken Bantha. Can't miss it!"
Jeanida smiled warmly, "Thank you so much! Actually, could we trouble you to make our order carry-out? We'll just go eat at his place."
"No sweat!" the Bothan said and scurried off.
A few moments later the Bothan returned carrying several containers of food and cups of caf. They paid their bill, thanked her again and headed out towards the Drunken Bantha. Sol and Jeanida sipped caf as they walked and were somewhat refreshed by its warmth. Klaggy, however, opened his box of grubs and happily shoveled handfuls into his mouth.
Right where it was promised was a small electronics repair shop. The trio pushed their way into a crowded shop covered in floor to ceiling shelves that were full of a dizzying array of droid, computer, ship and equipment parts. A green Verpine sat hunched over a workbench in the corner with his back turned. A small shower of sparks erupted as he touched a soldering tool to a circuit. There was an unusual tattoo at the base of his skull.
Without looking up he said, "Sorry, I'm closed for the evening. Come back in the morning." He attached another piece of test equipment to the circuit and sparks flew again.
Twitch Stream
The Verpine equivalent to grief filled his eyes and his voice lost all bravdo, "I feared the worst when I saw the holos about the temple and now that fear is realized. Only death would ever part Prisk from this gem." He sighed sadly and handed it back to Jeanida. "Come, Padawan of Prisk. You and your friends are safe here."
He unlocked a sealed door at the back of the shop with a code cylinder and motioned them along. Inside was a small but comfortably equipped apartment with a handful of rooms, a kitchenette, and a fresher. The clutter of the shop continued inside, however, and most flat surfaces were stacked with electronics of some fashion.
He looks to Chissk and bows. "I cannot thank you enough for sheltering us. My companions and I have been on the run for days now. If you do not mind, I very much would love to clean up and get some sleep."
"<Food is food!>" Klaggy proclaimed and began filling his plate. Jeanida laughed, "I think that's some sort of Gammorean proverb. What he means to say is thanks!"
The four sat down and ate together. Chissk treated them like long lost friends and never let the conversation lapse or veer towards unhappy topics. He was always quick to interject with an insightful observation, a funny story, or an honest question. Chissk was remarkably well traveled and charismatic for a Verpine. For a brief moment they forgot about the tragedy that had beset them days earlier and they were thankful to Chissk for that small gift.
After their third helpings, Sol and Jeanida admitted defeat and pushed away their plates. As Klaggy continued onto his fifth helping, Chissk cleared the empty dishes and brought back a small, nondescript wooden box from a shelf.
"This is something I've been helping Prisk build for many years. I was hoping to spend many more years, but I suppose it's now complete." He gingerly opened the box and removed a small metallic cube carved with swirling geometric patterns. He placed it on the table and with a deft touch of his fingers, the top of the cube hinged open. "Jeanida, may I see the brooch again, please?"
Jeanida stared at the cube in awe. "It's.... it's a holocron." Sol leaned in closer and Klaggy stopped chewing.
Chissk nodded.
"I saw Master Nay'bek consult one in the temple once," Jeanida said quietly.
Chissk smiled and held out his hand. Jeanida unclasped the brooch with trembling fingers and passed it to Chissk. He removed a small tool from his pocket and depressed a hidden latch that released the gem from the golden dragonfly. He handed the dragonfly back to Jeanida and then seated the gem inside the holocron. After a few adjustments, he closed the holocron, lifted it carefully and placed it in Jeanida hand.
"Now all it needs is a worthy student to activate it," Chissk said.
Mostly to herself, she whispered, "Well, here goes nothing."
Twitch Stream
"Greetings seekers," it said. "I am the gatekeeper for this holocron wherein lies the sum knowledge and wisdom of Jedi Master Prisk Nay'bek."
The hologram looked at Sol, Klaggy and Jeanida in turn and bowed courteously. Prisk smiled at Jeanida, "Hello again, padawan."
"<Is that thing safe?>" the gamorrean asked.
"Hello, Master. It is good to see you."
Glancing back to Klaggy, Jeanida admits, "In general, a holocron can be dangerous. Master taught me to never try and activate an unknown one, if for no other reason than there are a number of Sith holocrons masquerading as Jedi." She smiles at the image, continuing, "I think we can trust Master Prisk, though."
Twitch Stream
She folded her hands into her billowing sleeves and said serenely, "Speak your needs, padawans, and I will help if I can."
It'd been as he crossed one of the upper walkways that he heard shouting, then blaster shots, then screaming..finally silence. More yelling, lightsabers igniting, then all he felt was death...over and over he'd feel it wash over him. Even though he hadn't kept up with the typical jedi training regimens, his sensitivity to the Force was the same as always, and he felt every single life being winked out from existence...many of them wrapped in feelings of shock, betrayal, fear, and...pain. But beyond that, he felt something else...as if the oppressiveness he'd felt was getting stronger..becoming more focused on a specific spot...and it was entering the temple.
The sounds of battle increased in volume several stories down, and Sol eventually worked up the courage to peek over the ledge of the walkway. His eyes quickly scan the battle, wide with horror at the scene. He sees several jedi cut down by blaster fire, but what catches his eye is one jedi who appears to be...leading the troopers...his blade skillfully cutting down any who dare to stand up to him. Though Sol didn't want to believe it, as soon as he got a good look at the man's face, he knew the presence he felt was none other than Anakin Skywalker...that same presence he'd felt long ago when they had been boys...the "Chosen One" the Jedi had placed their hope in, was now their executioner.
Shaking his head clear of the memory, Sol shoves his way in front of Jeanida angrily. "Well, first off, let's stop with the pleasantries here. I'm pretty sure your...uh...original self...is dead. Your precious Chosen One was slaughtering everyone to a man before...uh...*you*...pushed us down into a sewer!" He heard Jeanida gasp behind him, and immediately Sol felt a pang of guilt, though he quickly felt a sharp jab in his ribs from Klaggy that overshadowed it, causing him to let out a loud "Oof!"
Sol sighed, and continued. "Sorry...it's been rough on us the past few days. We've been hunted by troopers, bounty hunters, and whatever else was in those blasted tunnels!" He shuddered. "I don't know why we're even still alive, but we need to get off this planet right away. Jedi are no longer welcome here, or probably anywhere else in civilized space at this point..."
"If you are outcast from both civilized and uncivilized space, all that remains is the unknown and the forgotten. There is a planet, Illum, on the edge of known space that does not appear on any star chart nor in any written record. It was discovered by the Jedi ages ago and we've gone to great lengths to keep it hidden. Only someone strong in the Force is capable of locating it and plotting a safe route through hyperspace.
It may serve as a sanctuary for you and other survivors. You..." Prisk pauses and looks at each Jedi in turn. "You you must gather the fragments of the Order and reassemble them on Illum."
Jerked out of her melencohlic thoughts, Jeanida's eyes go wide at the request Master...Master's holocron made. Jeanida's mind races as she tries to comprehend the magnitude of the task. How... where would they even start? Jeanida puts that aside for now. They need to get offworld, and Illum sounds safer than anywhere the three of them had come up during the brief breaks they'd taken during their flight from the temple.
"I don't think there's anything left for us here. How do we get to Illum?"
Twitch Stream
He propped his sharp elbows on the table steepled his long fingers. "I thought you might need transportation so I made some discrete inquiries while you rested. The local distribution arm of the spice cartel is a group of thugs known as the Blood Reavers. They've been bragging for weeks about how their new spice smuggler made the Kessel Run in 14 parsecs. Spice supply on the street has been slack of late, so my feeling is they're due to receive a shipment soon. If you want fast, that'd be your ship."
Twitch Stream
The hologram of Master Nay'bek held up a hand in caution. "Be on your guard, padawans. The Blood Reavers may not be exceedingly clever, but they have held their territory for many years by being ruthless and brutal."