"Like a stagnant sea, the dunes stretch before you. But, do not be deceived, my apprentices, for its' stillness can be broken at any moment with a misplaced step or an errant wind. The sand may teach you many things--of time, of movement, of control--but, in the end, the true test will be whether or not you are alive when I return on the fifth day.
So, is your will greater than the Dune Sea? We shall see.
For now, take your first step with a sweep of your saber up and before you, then take the second with an extension down and to your side, and then, again, a third step with a movement in balance as if you would span the distance between you and an opponent. When you can master these steps amongst the shifting sand, you will know, and I will know, you are ready to proceed further." --Lord Sio'rin
Part A of this lesson is participation in game:
- Step and bring the saber into a salute (DC 10).
- Step and extend the saber down and to the side (DC 10).
- Step and remain balanced (DC 10).
- Each Apprentice will post once per day (maximum of the five days) emoting the movements while keeping in mind the results you experienced during the game play session.
- A bonus will be applied to participants who not only complete this assignment, but who also interact with one another in roleplay herein. Note: The best way to conduct this roleplay is to treat it as "forum" roleplay, meaning that one participant posts, then the second, thus engaging in a post and reply scenario.
- Roleplay of the Lord returning to find the apprentices.
- Roleplay of the state of the apprentices.
- Part A of the lesson repeated (DC 5 for all steps).
- Conclusion and advancement to Apprentice Tier Two.
In the beginning, it all seemed a little tedious to Fet. Constant motion of bringing the saber up and down. Up and down. Up and down. After just a few hours he felt in control of the movement and yearned for more. But his master told him to do this, to continue on with this move until she returned five days later. Day three was now in full swing and he felt his body failing. Tatooine was a very unforgiving planet and his body was evidence of that. His entire upper body was sun burnt, his lips were dry and chapped, his joints aches, the sand in his boots had rubbed the skin raw; but he continued on. Not only for his own pride, but to maybe make his master proud and show her that his rival did not stand on the same level as him. He laughs out loud to himself, but realizes no one is around to hear him. The apprentices have moved a distance apart from each other and now he is just a spec in Fetreck's eye. He spys a Syck roaming around the distance and his mind goes to food. "Must concentrate." Fet tells himself, hoping that maybe the force will cure his hunger pains. He shakes off the distraction and goes back to his practice.
ReplyDeleteSevermus March 4, 2016
ReplyDeleteFaced many difficulties with this form. First being it was not suited for a saberstaff. Severmus was also not use to standing in an ocean of sand. He always wanted to be in settings conducive to the upper echelon of the Sith Empire. He was not a happy camper, but Severmus has faced disappointment before. Now was no different. For food he sneaked into the Sand people's camp that was nearby. When he did not need to rest he spent the rest of the time training. determined to overcome this trial. He would not know defeat here...
On the fifth day, the seemingly endless pace of the trial is interrupted by the beeping signal of a holotransmitter. The message, this time, is not of coordinates, but, instead, it is of an incoming ETA.
ReplyDeleteThe heralded transport shuttle arrives, hovering and producing the first shade the apprentices had known in the Dune Sea before landing adjacent to them. The side hatch opens, revealing medical equipment and a young woman in the pilot seat.
Her ash blonde hair, boyishlt short, seems to float about her head in a messy fop of curls, and her brown eyes seem calculating as she takes in the apprentices' status. She smiles and gestures with her head the open hatch, and the inviting stretch of medical cots.
"Get in," she says.
Severmus looks at the young lady. "hmmm..." He thinks he remembers her from the visions at Lord Sigourne's stronghold on Yavin IV. He gets in. "So what is your relation to Lord Sigourne?"
ReplyDeleteThe young woman grins and punches the accelerator, taking them up into the air on her way to pick up the second apprentice.
ReplyDelete"A relation, yes," she says impishly.
"Well it was obvious from your good looks. May I inquire as to the exact relation?" Severmus replies with a devious grin.
DeleteWithout a second thought, Fetrecks walks on to the shuttle to get out of the heat. Get looks at the blonde woman, wondering if he knows her, and gives her a slight nod as he slumps down on to the floor...
ReplyDeleteThe young woman closes the hatch, and she eyes the new one with worry as he slumps to the floor of the shuttle. Her impish demeanor seems wiped clean as a professional mien takes over.
ReplyDelete"You call her Lord, and, well, I call her Mom," she answers Severmus in an aside as she maneuvers the shuttle out of Tattooine's atmosphere. The beeping sound of an alarm, and the strident tones of security are quickly silenced as she touches a few buttons on the console. And the dark sky of space can soon be seen from the viewport.
The young woman sets the shuttle to auto pilot, and she quickly moves to the back. She side steps the flirting Severmus to kneel by the slumped form of Fetrecks. She moves with practiced ease as she lifts his prone form into a nearby medcot. With deft fingers she hooks him up with fluids and oxygen and then presses a button with a relieved sigh which descends the cot a few inches so that a clear capsule can slide into place. It locks and quickly begins to fill with kolto.
"He'll be fine," she says, and looks to an activating med prode, continuing, "Severe dehydration, sun poisoning, and a sprained ankle, I believe," she reports to the droid. It whistles back a few notes as it sets itself over the tank, slowly beginning to rotate over it, it's light sending green reflections through the interior.
She turns to evaluate Severmus, noting that he was in better shape, but she indicates the medcot nonetheless.
Severmus grudgingly gets on the medcot. He tries to hide the smirk at his rival's pitiful state. The thought to "take" care of his fellow apprentice crossed his mind. Though he decided to bask in the climate controlled shuttle.
ReplyDeleteFet's eyes open slightly as he realizes he's no longer on the floor. His body feels cold and weak but he sits up and looks around. Fet's eyes cross over to the blonde girl. He again looks at her, trying to figure out who she is. Then, a moment of clarity. "You're the daughter." He says, voice strained and raspy. "You were in my vision."
ReplyDeleteSevermus is getting way too much enjoyment from the sight of Fetrecks. He lets out a boisterous laugh "HAHAHA".
ReplyDeleteFet glances over at Severmus as he laughs. It hurts too much to move, but through the kolto tank glass he gives Severmus a less than friendly hand gesture and lays back down.
ReplyDeleteThe weakened gesture only makes Severmus laugh even harder.
DeleteThe young woman sighs and rolls her eyes at the both of them as she begins to hook Severmus up to fluids. Considering that he was able to laugh so boisterously, she refrains from setting up the full medtank, but she does activate the medic probe. It hovers over the laughing man, setting the cabin in deeper shades of green.
ReplyDeleteFinished with her duties in the back, she moved back to the pilot seat. With a flip of a switch, she takes over control of the ship, her movements fluid and in control.
After Severmus has had his fill of laughter. He calms himself, trying to sense out everything on the ship. He remembers the vision with the woman up front and another standing over him and Fetrecks.
ReplyDelete