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Post by Archon No'ki on Aug 3, 2005 22:09:16 GMT
Heres somthing abit diffrent for you to read and comment on. This is a small background piece for my charcter for roleplay server which is set in the Star Wars universe. Enjoy and please comment.
The Preacher squatted down to rest on his haunches as he scooped part of the ashen soil into his hand. What had happened here? He didn’t know why he asked, he already knew. He had felt it happen. Even whilst he was away from the temple he could always feel what happened there. It was part of being within the priesthood.
He raised himself up letting the soil fall from his hand. He gathered his grey robe about him to keep out the chill that had grown up around him and walked up the temple’s steps.
The Temple had been his home ever since he could remember. His early mentors had told him that his parents had seen a spark of the “World Spirit” within him, and had given him to the Priesthood who could nurture that spark. Later he’d learned that his mentors had told him this so that he knew his parents had not abandoned him, but did what was in his best interest.
Of course he hadn’t believed that at the time but after years of being trained in the ways of the Priesthood, and how to find a balance with the “World Spirit”, he had realised it was true. The Temple was the best place for him…that was until it had been destroyed.
He’d arrived at the top of the Temple’s ziggurat structure now and stood facing the entrance doors to the Temple. He could see where the doors had been blast open; the scoring on them was in line with that caused by Imperial weapons. The Empire. The Preacher had heard stories of the Empire in his lessons at the Temple, and seen their soldiers on few occasions in his travels away. Yes, a lesson. His mentor had tried to teach him what happened to those that failed to find balance with the “World Spirit”. He said how the Empire was ruled by one who had surrendered to his dreams of power and twisted the “World Spirit” around himself. And as one twisted the “World Spirit” it twisted the person also.
But why? That was the question Preacher couldn’t answer. Why? Why would this Emperor want to destroy the Priesthood?
Preacher reached out to the “World Spirit” in an attempt to find the members of the Priesthood. But he was replied only with a deathly silence. It couldn’t be. He reached out again, straining himself to his breaking point. There was only death. He fell to his knees with his face in his hands and wept. His tears made ripples in the ashen soil.
Presently Preacher stood up and wiped the few remaining tears from his eyes. Balance in all things. That was the Priesthoods way, even grief. Everything and everyone Preacher had ever cared for had been destroyed. And he was the last of the Priesthood. The last, but there was still so much he didn’t know. So much he needed to be taught, but now would never learn.
Preacher pulled the various adornments from his shoulder length black hair, raping them in a small piece of brown cloth before he left them on a ledge next to the entrance doors. He said a silent goodbye, turned, and walked down the steps to where he had landed his small craft. He would disappear forever. He had a contact within the criminal underworld from his trips away from the Temple; Leeroy Onasi. He’d visit Leeroy and see what happened after that.
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Post by Archon No'ki on Aug 13, 2005 1:57:04 GMT
Preacher jumped for the driver’s seat of the speeder as it slowly glided to a stop outside of his villa on Ylesia. His feet made a reassuring crunch as he landed on the gravelled path that led up to his main door. It had been some eight years since he had stood at the ruins of the Priesthood’s temple, much had happened since then.
He walked up the path to his door, first just taking in the soothing sounds of his own footsteps. The villa was now really the only place he felt at peace. He stopped and ran his hand across a particular plant, which released a sweet honey smell into the air. He breathed the smell into until it filled his senses and then carried on up the path. All the time he was away, either earning the vast sums of money that it took to buy this vila with his close friend Leeroy, or in the cockpit of one of his fighters flying for the Black Sun, he couldn’t find peace. The villa was his refuge from the galaxy. Few people knew how to contact him here, and that was how he liked it.
The entrance panel whistled happily as he pressed his hand against the print recognised lock and the door slide open for him. Almost immediately he was leapt upon by Malik. Preacher laughed as the large Kath Hound almost knocked him to floor, and he rubbed the beast’s head vigorously. Preacher had bought the Kath Hound many years ago as a pup from a hunter on Dantooine and had since raised it as a pet, using his knowledge of the “World Spirit” to help train and calm the animal. Preacher was now completely confident in his pet and trusted it with his life.
Setting off down the hall, with Malik at his heels, Preacher made for his library. He’d almost forgotten how exquisite some of the moulding was in the villa. The mosaic tiles that where in a number of rooms where another of favourite parts of the house. Even being brought up to accept balance in life, Preacher still knew to appreciate beauty in everything.
Beauty. As he entered the library he noticed an unopened parcel sitting on the desk where he did most of his reading. He crossed over to the desk, picked the parcel up and sank back into his favourite chair, pulling it in closer to the desk. Carefully he unwrapped the parcel and from it he pulled a picture. It was of Agary. There was note attached to the picture as well. He read slowly:
"Just a little something for you. Thought you might get lonely and miss me in that villa of yours. This way you can always see me, even if you can’t have me. See you again soon hun’. Agary"
Preacher smiled and closed his eyes as he sank into a deep sleep, the picture of Agary left on the table and Malik curled at his feet.
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Post by Archon No'ki on Aug 17, 2005 23:59:07 GMT
Part One The view screen lit up revealing a darkened room, the walls of the room that could made out seemed to be full of holo-disks. The image seemed to be being transmitted from atop a desk and pointed up to the figure sat behind it, although for the time the figures face was shrouded in darkness.
“Greetings my lord,” the figure leant forward into the light cast by the view screen, revealing a slender male face with a well defined jaw and shoulder length black hair. “I am The Preacher, although most merely call me Preacher, my true name was lost nearly eight years ago.”
Preacher slowly got up from his seat, the camera following him. He brushed a small crease out of his grey robes, the lights increased and he continued.
“I am the last of my Priesthood Lord Zechs. Eight years ago I returned to the Temple where I had been raised in the ways of the “World Sprit”, what many call “the force”, by the Priesthood. I had been sent on my first solo errand for the Priesthood, my master had remained at the Temple confident in my abilities,” Preacher paused and it was clear on his face that he battled with strong emotions while telling this story.
“Whilst I was away I felt a great movement within the World Spirit. Unsure as to the meaning of this movement at first, I returned to the Temple. What I saw, and felt, when I returned shook my very core. Nothing was left.” A small tear rolled down his cheek. “The Priesthood had been destroyed. I could find nothing and no one in the ruins. So I fled.
“I knew people within the underworld and so I disappeared. My training uncompleted, with much still to learn, the last of the Priesthood disappeared. For all intents and purposes the Priesthood was dead.”
Preacher walked over to one the walls and took a small holo-disk from its shelf. “For all intents and purposes Lord Zechs. But something within me still wanted to complete my training, to learn what the Priesthood could now never teach me. So whilst travelling the galaxy, ostensibly as a smuggler, I have gathered to me what knowledge I could learn. And that is what you see around me,” He made a wide gesture that took in the whole room.
“But I believe I have now come to the end of what I can learn alone, and it is not enough. That is why I have contacted you. I believe that your order could help me learn all that there is left for me to learn. It has become almost a craving that I must learn more of the “World Spirit, Force” whatever you call it. So now I beseech you, help me learn what must be learnt.”
The Preacher bowed low and ended the transmission.
Part Two A door opened within a room, Zechs Crysenside, Grand Master of the Priesthood of Krath, entered the large room after meditating. Deep in sweat he walked to a chest of drawers next to a small bed, he grabbed a towel and noticed a bleeping on the wall interface, he grabbed the remote off the bed and activated the viewing screen. "Incomming Visual Transmission" flashed on the screen for several seconds before a man appeared and began telling him his story (yours btw).
Zechs watched the transmission and learned of the mans story, on a second screen scrolled details of this mans past and his old priesthood. "8 years is a longtime, but i still sense the essense of Krath within you" Zechs paused and looked at details on the second screen showing maps and charts, "there is a Temple just outside the Bastion system, as a smuggler getting past the imperial patrols may be difficult, but im sure you can handle it. Inside this temple lies a shadowy fiend that has slain many Krath hopefulls who were not ready, once you slay this fiend you will gain much power through God Krath and re-assert your former rank as a Pontifax, a droid shall meet you outside the temple containing a variety of lightsabers for you to choose from." Zechs then stairs the man straight in the eyes, "8 years out of practice you may find this difficult, but if you were who you say you are then once this trial is completed you shall bring me the talisman from the temple, i shall be waiting on the Shadow Academy in bilbringi". Zechs picked up the remote "Good luck, and may you return a Pontifax". Before the transmission ended a map was sent showing the location of the temple. Zechs then picked up his lightsabers and walked into another small room...
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Post by Archon No'ki on Aug 17, 2005 23:59:41 GMT
Part Three
Preacher stood behind the desk in his library, various holo-disks were scattered across the top of the desk. They were all teachings of “the force” that Preacher had gathered in the last eight years, apart from one. He activated this holo-disk and it projected a 3D map above the desk. Using his finger to trace what he thought would be the best route Preacher found the location of the Temple where he would undergo his trail. He turned the disk off and placed it in his robes pocket before we swept out of the room, biding perhaps a last farewell to the kath hound Malik.
He walked swiftly across the grounds of his villa to the landing pad. Thoughts of what he was about to face, and memories of his training, careening through his mind as he walked. The Grand Master had been right of course, eight years was a long time, but Preacher had not been idle all those eight years. He would face this trail, this crucible, and he would emerge stronger than ever before.
At the landing pad Preacher climbed into his old X-Wing fighter, “The Coldaras”. While sitting in the cockpit he sent a message to his friend Leeroy, who was waiting on the Kessel Moon Garrison.
“Leeroy There is something I must do alone, I’m sure you understand. I may be gone some time old friend and so until my return The Outrider is yours. Preacher”
With a final glance over at his villa Preacher punched in the coordinates and The Coldaras leapt into the air streaking out into deep space.
The landing struts of the Coldaras sank into the platform with a metallic thud that echoed through the near empty hanger. Preacher undid his cockpit and cautiously climbed out onto the hanger floor. A thick layer of dust lay across the light strips casting a dull gloom through the whole the hanger. Preacher looked about, probing into the gloom for any sign of the droid Zechs said he would send. He spotted it slumped up against a pile of broken machinery near a small door leading off from the hanger. As he approached it the droid started to speak.
“Gr…Greetings young hope…hopeful” It was clear the droid had sustained much damage and the obvious years it had been dumped here had taken their toll on it as well. “Krath Grand Master bids you we…we…well in your trail ahead and off…offers a gift to a…assist you.” A tray shot out from the droid and on it laid a collection of Lightsabres. Preacher squatted down to examine the collection more closely and, after a while, lifted one from the tray. He stood up and ignited the sabre, a blood red blade leaping from the end of the hilt. He made a few sweeping arcs with the blade to get the fell and balance of the weapon, before turning it off and examining the hilt. It was a curved hilt, similar to that used by Darth Tyrannus during the Clone Wars. Preacher had been fascinated by Tyrannus during his studies and took this sabre for its similarities to the dark lord’s. He attached the sabre to the belt under his robes and passed through the door next to the droid.
The halls were dark, but strangely familiar, as Preacher worked his way deeper and deeper into the temple. The shade of the stone the walls were made from, the feel of each tile on the floor, the smell of the air. They all seemed so familiar, all apart from the feeling of where the Force flowed though the temple. Preacher thought he had felt this somewhere before, but there was something else, something almost…Preacher couldn’t put his finger on it. It was as if something within the Force added to the darkness of the hallways.
The deeper Preacher went into the temple the more it struck him with its familiarity. He turned a corner and came into an old training room. Just where he knew it would be. This couldn’t be. I didn’t make any sense. This was the temple he’d grown up in! But how? The Priesthood’s Temple had been far out into the Unknown regions. Suddenly Preacher heard foot steps behind. He span round igniting his lightsabre
“Show your self creature!” He shouted as he saw nothing there. Then a familiar voice floated across the room.
“I knew you would come in time. I knew, because I had planted the need within you.”
Preacher lowered his lightsabre, but did not turn it off. “Where are you? Who are you?” Preacher demanded.
“You do not remember me?” The voice came from behind this time and Preacher span to face it. “Perhaps you will now.” Slowly a figure materialised in front of Preacher, a ghostly apparition from his past.
“Master Odesseron?” Preacher’s face fell as he recognised his old master from the Priesthood.
“Yes, now you remember.” Odesseron’s ghostly form walked over and placed a hand on Preacher’s shoulder. “You will want answers no doubt.”
“Yes, I do…”
“Be still my apprentice, I shall explain all. This place,” Odesseron waved to encompass the whole temple, “Is familiar so that you may learn what you must. What you crave to learn. You see, many decades ago, when I had just become a Master within the Priesthood I was gifted with a vision. I saw what you no doubt saw those eight years ago. I saw our Priesthood destroyed, all that we had ever learnt lost. I despaired at this sight, but a voice came into my vision and soothed me. It was the voice of Krath, and he told me how I could save the Priesthood. I would accept an apprentice that Krath sent to me, and I would train him in all I knew. It would be this apprentice’s destiny to survive the destruction of the Priesthood, Krath would watch over him.”
“Me?” Preacher’s face showed he was struggling to take this in.
“Yes, you Preacher. You were chosen by Krath to be the repository for all the Priesthood had learned. And your destiny would be to use this knowledge in the service of Krath.”
“But I couldn’t learn all that the Priesthood could teach me. It was destroyed, I didn’t complete my training.”
“And that is why I am here now.” Odesseron pulled a lightsabre from his belt and charged at Preacher.
With lighting reflexes Preacher bought his own lightsabre up and knocked Odesseron’s blow aside. Something took over him and he found himself continuing to attack his old Master. “Why did you attack me?” he screamed Odesseron as he pushed forward.
“So that you would learn.” Odesseron concentrated on using his sabre defensively until he saw a gap in Preacher’s attack and thrust forward. The blade merely cut through a loose part of Preacher’s robe. The two fought on, the balance remaining equal neither gaining an advantage over the other. But the more he fought the more Preacher was filled with a wanting to strike his old master down.
“If you had seen the Priesthood would be destroyed, why did you not try and stop it?” Preacher asked as swung wide of Odesseron.
“Krath had seen how this would play out. He has seen this moment and he knows that this is our destiny. I merely played my part.”
Preacher lunged forward with a cry of anger and drove his blade deep into Odesseron’s chest. The old man merely smiled and spoke,
“It is done. As master Krath has seen it.” Suddenly the spirit surged forward, threw Preacher against the wall and was gone.
Preacher did not know how long he had laid there, slumped against the wall, but when he woke he felt different. He searched his mind for answers and found that he knew things he had not before. It was as if someone had unlocked part of his where all this knowledge was stored.
“This knowledge is yours now to do with as you will. You may continue your life as it was, but know this. Deep within you are now Kionloka,” The voice rose to an almost deafening level, “My servant!”
The voice died away and Preacher went to pick himself up. As he pushed himself up into a suitable position to actually try and stand from he caught a glint of something in the corner of his eye. There next to him in a pile of dust, no ash, lay a small golden talisman. It was the symbol of Krath. He had never before seen this symbol but he knew what it was, this was the talisman Zechs had told him to retrieve. As he picked it up and rose to his feet the voice returned to his head and whispered,
Kionloka
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