Star Wars: The Shattered Realms (IC)

[Azecreth]

Korriban, home of the Ancient Sith Order.

Once Ventress had gone here at the behest of those within the holocrons she had found, Darth Malak and others. There she had been subjected to many trials, fighting for her life from those who would seek to steal her mortal form for their own ends as well as tearing knowledge from those who did not wish to part from it. It was perhaps the greatest challenge of her skill and abilities that she had ever been put through.

Yet to those who wished her downfall, it would be a disappointment. She had emerged stronger than ever, and used that newfound knowledge to plot her ascendancy in the shadows as the Clone Wars raged on.

Now she had come to Korriban again, but things were different. Both for her as well as the planet. For her part she had grown even more mature in her powers, and she now had an apprentice to look after. Perhaps it had been a mistake to bring him here. After all he was as versed in the Banite creed as she was. But she wished for him to see his legacy, and she hoped that he had the self preservation instinct to not betray her in a place where he himself might not make it back alive either.

More importantly, Korriban itself had changed. She did not know if this was recent or from before the transition that brought them all to this space. Tombs that she had once visited were now overturned and destroyed. Even the spirits themselves seemed afraid to venture to venture to certain parts of the planet, and what was it that could make a ghost scared?

Such questions were not the purpose for her visit here however, and she erred on the side of caution in avoiding those same areas for now. That left them to face the ghosts, their visions, and their Hssiss guardians. Though pushed to her limit at points, once again Ventress triumphed against the odds.

As they finished enough fight, Zak turned to face her. He was tired and breathing heavily from the fighting, worn down more than she by all of it. "What more are you hoping to find Master? Surely we have enough already."

Glancing back, Asajj did her best to look unbothered as she prepared to move on. "Ambition is one of the tenet of the Sith Code. I will not stop until I have everything I wish to take or the planet forces me-"

As if responding to her verbal challenge, she was abruptly struck by an outside force. Not like the visions of the ghosts that roamed this place. The presence felt different from that, as if the very fabric of the force itself was twisting and recoiling without being aimed at her in particular. Her eyes widened as the visions swept over her.

Great battles raged, titanic struggles that snuffed out the very stars as if they were but cosmic light bulbs as spaceships of unknown design clashed. Then IT appeared. A beast of unimaginable power, a darkness born of eons past that loomed over her like she was a gnat on the face of existence itself and whose length stretched between the very stars themselves. She was nothing in comparison. And she could feel a gnawing hunger radiating from it, the need to devour and consume all. The stars blinked out above her head as the beast drew near where she stood, the ground shaking and rising into the sky as its maw - large enough to swallow a planet - opened and engulfed her-

She gasped, her mind returning to the world as she awoke from the vision. Luckily she was still alive, her assumptions about her apprentice well founded. She had fallen whilst in the throes of the vision, and clutched at her head as he crouched next to her. "Master, are you alright?"

Of course there was no way that Asajj would admit to a weakened state. Brushing him away, after another moment to compose herself she got back up to a knee. "I'm fine," she replied curtly. "It was another vision, that's all."

Zak nodded, understanding of that. Once back to her feet Asajj turned. "Come on, we're leaving," she told him. "We can't do much with our power if we're dead."

More than that, it was the vision she had seen that troubled her. The beast, and whatever had called to her from across the depths of space She would find it, if such a thing truly existed. And when she did she would claim its power for her own or destroy it. For the Sith, there was no other way.

 

[Awetduck]

​

Bastion

The Book of Anger sat in front of him, floating gently in a cage of clear synthetic kyber. A terrible fury lurked behind it's bindings, and beneath that fury a Dark Side presence strong enough to bend the wills of a dozen generations of Jedi.


But he was no Jedi.


The Emperor of the Galactic Imperium gestured softly to the book and it's pages turned with precision and the deftness of old familiarity. Even through it's kyber prison he felt the terrible malice Emperor Palpatine had poured into his treatise.


There lay the target of his desire, On the Origin of Force Storms. He knew it's words by heart but seeing them on the page imparted a very different lesson than hearing them recited by rote.


"Come, My Knights, learn the secrets that will live at the core of your new commands."

Roan Fel was not a humble man, no Emperor could be. It took a certain arrogance to believe you best could guide a galaxy. In the case of the House of Fel that arrogance was a razor sharp hubris born of building and guiding a polity that outlived the miserable state of Darth Sideous by a hundred years and weathered betrayal, plague and extragalactic invasion with vigorous aplomb.

Nine masters of his order approached and began their final instruction and initiation in this, Palpatine's greatest secret power. Behind them eighteen lightsaber pikes ignited, clean white blades crackling in the silence of the hall. A reminder of the fate of those who fall to the dark side.


No, Roan Fel was not a humble man. But he was not a slave to his arrogance and fury like the dark lords of the Sith who's traditions and teachings lay exposed on the pages before him. Theirs was a cult of betrayal, constantly on the precipice of self mutilation. His was a religion of faithfulness, his knights to him, him to his oaths to this people. And through faithfulness and fraternity he would best old Shev.


He smiled slightly at his old friend Hogrum. Even now working through the last design features that would let his Imperial Knights wield the power of the Force Storm with more skill and agility than Darth Sideous could have dreamed.


This strange broken galaxy held a myriad of threats, but with Krayt's bastard empire gone and a dozen upstart powers scrambling over the stars the way was clear for the House of Fel. The galaxy needed the order he could provide, the security.


The Galaxy needed it's True Emperor

 

[Releca]

TURN 2​

It has now been a full year since the Force threw its paws across the stretched fabric of reality. But it appears as if the seamstress has lost its touch and as quickly as new threads are woven and spun, others are cut short, perhaps lost to the great beyond, perhaps in an inscrutable limbo.

The Great Hyperspace War

Chaos on the horizon! As the heroic troops of the new Republic fearlessly battle against the feral mobsters colloquially known as "Rakhgouls" they find themselves joined by a new ally: The Fel Imperium. Taken in a deadly pincer between the Republic's righteous anvil and the Imperium's unyielding hammer, planets by planets the horde is brought to heel and quarantined to key sectors. However, the war has changed and across the breadth of space, planets burn as Roan Fel heavy mechanized expeditionary corps cleanse lost world from orbit. Hundreds of thousands of innocents lose their lives as the leading officers decide to prevent the loss of precious stormtrooper. The Republic's more moderate forces can only stare in horror as planets are put to the metaphorical sword when reports come of the western reach where the CIS seems to have unleashed its casket of man made horrors upon the poor civilian standing between them and the Rakhgouls. A mesure abhorrent to all but undeniably useful in stopping the spread.


Under the gaze of twin suns

VICTORY! Across a thousand planets and as many systems, the people of the Protectorate rejoice in grand pomp as their heroes return from the front. The inhuman Pius Dea though they claimed to serve a holy purpose were nothing more than rabid dogs to be put to the sword and none will miss their departure. Already, efforts are made to destroy any remnants of their hateful ideology and uplift the downtimer to galactic standard (well modern ones). However, war seems to still be brewing near the Protectorate. A warlord by the name of Dagen Gera has assembled a mighty empire to your southern reaches composed of raiders and other low lives and they request your assistance to cleanse the galaxy of the Unity of Bilars and then reclaim Coruscant.

In the Grim darkness of the far past

Madness these are the only words that can properly resume what occured in the Unknown Regions. The Chiss-Rubicon-Empire seems to have abated but the alliances have only shifted and now new opponents dress upon the border ready to initiate the next round.

The Chiss finally free of their Grysk oppression cower under the banner of the mighty Dragon ready to face the Universe and reclaim their role of great power. Meanwhile, the scheming Grysk have initiated contact with the Commonwealth of Rubicon with an offer of shared prosperity in their coming fight against the Chiss and their overlord.

Not everything is as it seems. Nor will it remains as it is foreseen.

 

[Nikolaj1998]

Chiss Space, Planet Sharb

Wrurr'aditu'bushoqh, Radit to most, missed the time before these animal eared foreigners had come to his home. To a world that had once provided food and security across the outer parts of chiss space.
Ever since that black dust began to fall from the skies nothing had been right. soldiers died choking with medics finding that their lungs had started to crystalise, plants slowly being consumed by the same even animals.
And then that detestable mechanical bird had arrived. Always circling above whenever the 'horrors' emerged. the troops of the enemy crawling from their hiding spot, jagged black crystals growing, he even saw some of his own people among them...

In the last few days he had gotten to see how that was. He and his friend Tarn had been on patrol when that damn bird had begun to circle above once more except there had been no assault.. instead Tarn had begun to convulse. blood had begun to leak from his crimson eyes as he was begging Radit for help.. Then those black crystals had begun to violently tear their way from his body, his body moving to fire his weapon at Radit who had quickly fired a stunner at the thing that used to be his friend. It had taken almost 7 shots before the thing had been properly paralysed.
When he had returned to base he had discovered Tarn wasn't the only victim of this as the whole base was in chaos fighting these possessed soldiers.

now here he was. Days later and everyone was paranoid. No one knew when that damn bird would return or when someone would start to turn... and then as if clockwork he heard it. that damn birds screech. as he got up to rush to the anti air guns he however froze. His body refusing to do as he told it to. 'i need to go. the. anti air cannons' he thought. then the pain began. he screamed as he felt the black shards start to sprout from his spine, his arms, his very bones acting as the anchor point as these things pierced flesh and skin. 'p-please, kill me. kill me' he though in pain, eyes wide as he felt his body move. he tried to stop it, but it was as if he was a puppet on invisible strings 'KILL ME!!!'

In the skies of Sharb
Mephisto was laughing "Look Faust, the herd grows! oh the way they are tearing each other to shreds!" the young Libero proclaimed with a laugh over comms to his only friend. Normally Talulah never let Mephisto off the leash like this, but when they had learns how these blue skinned freaks had hurt Crownslayer and Skullshaterer during captivity Talulah had apparently decided to be a bit vengeful.

Not that Mephisto cared. He was having far too much fun watching the insignificant specs rip into each other. and should they bring up anti air armaments? Faust would keep him safe by destroying them.
"Oh maybe when we're done i can have the blue skinned ones fight each other for amusement!" he thought with glee, his puppets dancing on his strings, their wounds healing by his mercy, they would not die unless he permitted it.

 

[Magus Explorator]

A Frozen snow globe​

Travlar Warstar, a high-ranking officer in the service of the Eternal Empire, found himself thrust into a challenging assignment on the capital planet Csilla, the very heart of the Chiss Hegemony. Tasked by his superior, he spearheaded the Empire's foray into this unfamiliar territory, where his responsibilities diverged significantly from his peers.

As part of the initial wave of emissaries dispatched by the Glorious Eternal Empire, Warstar led a diverse team of bureaucrats, scientists, and strategists on a mission to survey the newly subjugated state. Unlike his colleagues, who were busy coordinating with local military forces, broke ground on droid foundries along with equipment manufacturing and laying the groundwork for conventional defense installations along with Star Fortresses, Warstar's role involved overseeing a group of Zakuulian experts.

These experts, with the explicit permission of Imperator Mitth'raw'nuruodo, were tasked with conducting a thorough analysis of Chiss technology, equipment, and various gadgets. Warstar's unique position required not only keen observation but also the critical evaluation of potential synergies between Chiss technology and the formidable might of the Eternal Empire.

Among the fascinating discoveries were the energy-absorbing uniforms of the Hegemony, ingeniously designed to shield wearers from blaster fire. Another notable find was the education implants utilized by the Chiss, surpassing the standard Flash training employed in the Empire. However, the eggheads faced challenges deciphering certain Chiss technologies, including Plasma spheres on Chiss starships, Nyix-alloys fortifying ship armor, Maser weapons, bioweapons, and a myriad of radiation-based weaponry.

Despite the promising preliminary results from the research, time constraints impeded an in-depth study to validate and replicate these technological marvels within the Empire. An essential exchange occurred when shielding experts from the Empire showcased ray and particle shields, eliciting Chiss interest in upgrading their comparatively inferior defenses.

While navigating the complexities of interstellar diplomacy and overseeing groundbreaking research, Warstar endured the frigid conditions of Csilla, engaging in meetings with local officials. His fervent hope was for a swift conclusion to this challenging mission, envisioning a well-deserved retirement in the warm embrace of a sun-kissed Villa on one of the Empire's newly colonized worlds.

 

[Azecreth]

Coruscant

Surveying the land below, Asajj's nose wrinkled in distaste. It was odd to see Coruscant like this, no different from one of the many backwater planets in the Outer Rim. Not that she particularly cared for Coruscant, but it remained a jarring contrast when she compared it with what she knew was a planet of trillions. Though from what she understood the cityscape was now underground, though it was unclear how many people were still there.

But there was one person they knew for sure remained, and that was why she was here.

Standing in the shuttle next to her was the familiar visage of General Grievous, fresh off his conquest of the planet from the primitives who had inhabited it. In the rear of the shuttle were his Magnaguards, standing at the ready to follow whatever command he might issue. She might have felt a bit more comfortable with the B-3 Cortosis Droids in this particular situation, but it was too late for such regrets now.

"We will need to be careful," Ventress warned as the shuttle moved towards the fissure that allowed access to the city below. "We don't know what reality this Darth Sidious may be from, and what abilities he has compared to our own."

Her comment earned a rasping laugh from the General as his gaze turned towards her. "What is the matter witch, scared?" He seemed to enjoy her discomfort, for there was no way that a warrior like he would be intimidated by an old man. No matter how strong in the Force they might be.

"Cautious," Asajj replied as she turned away from him. "Darth Sidious is not a foe to be trifled with, even for you General. I wouldn't want you to meet an untimely end."

Huffing, Grievous turned to the droid piloting the craft. "Take us in. Set a course for the Republica Building." They would have their answers soon enough.

As the shuttle dives trough the planet's mantle, it finds itself in a world of madness. Without any semblance of uniformity, logic or even the force damned laws of physics -though most would agree that they were at best unreliable as of now- layers on top of layers settled within the planet.

Wait There was a unifying element to the madness, the layers seemed to follow a chronological progression starting with what could have been luxury quarters, pristine and only kept in darkness by the sun's absence, following with residential layers, continuing with the infamous levels where the worst horrors remained and ending at the center of the planet's crust with it's gleaming jewel, the beating heart of the Galaxy, the shining castle upon the gleaming hill -or sinkhole in this case- The Senate.

The imposing building looked like it always did, big imposing, gaudy but there were new structures added to it, that were not there the last time they had seen it. Huge statues adorned it flanks, retelling Millennium of history, columns of both new and old style held up it's great body. Atop the mushroom, a great banner flew proudly flying the antique flag of Coruscant. It would have been magnificent if he landing pad wasn't currently occupied by one currently smiling Sheev Palpatine escorted by his elite guard, a mismatch of red armoured stormtroopers, senatorial guards in their deep blue, red garbed imperial guard and honest to the force Jedi masters.

"You came ? We're so relieved. Go with us there is much to discuss."

Landing, the duo shared glances at the sight that awaited them. It was an eclectic assortment to be sure, and one that threw into question just what they were dealing with. Not that it stopped Asajj from reaching out in the Force to try and get a read on him. Meanwhile the B3's squared off against their guard counterparts, waiting for the word.

"So you were," Asajj noted as she and Grievous began to follow after a moment. "If that's true then you must be very desperate." For even if Sidious was different, the Jedi Masters nearby could surely sense the darkness that radiated from her like a sickly aura.

The surrounding Jedi seemed to tense as they turned to the Chancellor. Lightsabers left on their hope but clearly at the ready.

"Your excellency, they might be our only way off this accursed rock, but the Great Darkness is deeply seeped into their beings. We've fought many like them during the Great Hyperspace War."

The old man waved them off and began walking with the duo. "Nonsense my Jedi friends, what could lead Republic hero Master Asaaj and the brave Qymaen Jai Sheelal to the "Darkside" ? The sith have been gone for milenias for all it is worth to your troubled mind."

Palpatine's comment earned another glance between the two of them. Ignoring the obvious irony in what he said, it seemed that this Palpatine was no Force User. Or if he was, he hid it well. Asajj wasn't quite ready to accept his appearance at face value just yet.

"How much do you know of what has happened," Grievous asked as the group continued walking to their destination.

The old man smiled in return striding with happiness towards the imposing structure's opening.

"Well surprisingly little... I was just elected Supreme Chancellor when we found ourselves here. The planet's all sorts of bizarre as you should have noted. The prevailing theory so far is that we're a mismatch of Coruscanti? The fine gentlemen following me are Jedi masters of the Hyperspace War, the Temple is filled with exotic fauna dead set on killing us, this isn't my Senate and half my senatorial entourage had to be convinced I wasn't a Sith Lord. Preposterous am I right ?"

"An accurate assessment," Asajj remarked as Palpatine commented on the state of Coruscant. "The entire galaxy is like this. Not just spaces from different times placed together, but different versions of time as well. We've already encountered people from a future with a history different from our own, Pius Dea Cultists, and more."

They had by now entered the building and were led to a great elevator from where they rejoined the Senator's private office. His guards stepped to the sides respecting his privacy but remaining a clear threat to the outsiders as he fully turned to them. All pretense of friendliness gone as the face of a real politician replaced his grandfatherly presence.

"Do you know about the Council ? You wouldn't have come so far without at least an inkling of knowledge. Unless your 'Force' guided you."

Inside they went, down vast hallways and to the private offices. That meant it was time to get down to business, though the duo weren't sure who he was trying to impress with that facade before. Of the many mysteries at hand, the phrasing of his next question was another. "You will need to be more specific Chancellor," Grievous intoned.

"Call it a fortuitous accident," Asajj added. "We were seeing what became of Coruscant and picked up your distress signal when we breached the planet's crust."

Palpatine faltered for a moment before leaning towards the duo. Was he trying to be mysterious? Force knows...

"There are others me. It might look like the ranting of a maddened old man but somewhere I can feel them calling upon me, whispering. At least until they realized I was no Force user; they've left me alone ever since."

He leaned back seemingly tired from the revelation.

"I feared you'd been sent to get rid of me, I hoped you had a hint on what currently happens, but it seems neither is the case."

Palpatine's comment earned a bout of laughter from Grievous in turn, no doubt amused at the Chancellor's misfortune. "A council? That is interesting, dear Chancellor."

"Unfortunately we do not," Asajj admitted, doing her best to hide her concern. A grouping of Darth Sidious was worrisome given how strong he was. A potential challenger for her own throne as Sith Lord, should they choose to be rid of her. "I suspect whatever it was involved some power that has yet to reveal itself." Of her visions, she did not say. This was not the place.

"Rest assured, you will be safe with us," Grievous added. Whether he was being truthful in that, only he knew.

Asajj had a different idea though. This Palpatine was no threat, and she was leery of having this many Jedi Masters around. Perhaps she could turn them, but that was a great risk. "We can give you a list of the polities we've found so you can decide which you would like to be brought to," she offered.

The old man seemed to relax for a moment as his immediate safety was somewhat assured.

"Yes, it would be most beneficial for us."

The day was still long and deep within Coruscant's breast, the unlikely trio chatted away as Ventress sought what information she could gain from the old man whilst they decided where to go next. In the Galaxy Far Far Away, sights of this strangeness would never be reached be it in the told past, the lived present or the foretold future.

 

[Cambyses]

Imperator II Class Star Destroyer Will of the Force
Atravis Orbit
One Year After Cataclysm
​

Anakin had forgotten how much paperwork victory could create. With the maddened crusaders of Pius Dea utterly defeated the Protectorate's territory had almost doubled. Thousands of worlds, worlds that his people knew well, but pulled forward from the ancient past, adding the need to modernise and uplift their inhabitants on top of the normal post war reconstruction efforts. Padme and the remnants of the Protectorate senate were handling most of the work, but it amazed Skywalker how many things still required his signature.

Religion had proven to be an additional complication. The newly liberated people were a deeply religious sort, but their reaction had been more nuanced than he had expected. Some still clung to their old religion of course, even with the trial and imprisonment of their Cardinals, but many seemed to be flocking to worship of the Chosen One, reasoning that he had outdone their Goddess at divinity. The lack of any formal doctrine for the faithful - something Anakin had always been uncomfortable with implementing - now meant that half a hundred cults had started up already, religion and dogma being the one area where the downtimers seemed far more experienced than those of his own time.

"Beep Boop Beep."

Anakin was jolted from his revrerie by Artoo, indicating that he was needed on the bridge. Their new ally, a Jedi of some sort by name of Dagan Gera, had arrived. Apparently in a Lucrehulk.

Anakin grimaced. A Lucrehulk. How was that for a blast from the past?