Chapter 1A: Operation Shadowknife

After Order 66, few Jedi dare to venture outside the shadows—rumors of the dark and terrible Darth Vader haunting even their waking moments. Yet, some Jedi find this life of fear unbearable. The Empire is always watching, and Vader himself is eager to confront any Jedi that might bring him closer to the whereabouts of his betrayer, Obi-Wan Kenobi.
User avatar
Shurijo
Admin
Admin
Posts: 13979
Title: Scourge of the Jedi
User Class: Sith Lord

Chapter 1A: Operation Shadowknife

Post by Shurijo » Thu Oct 01, 2020 4:24 pm

The Clone Pilots hurried to the hanger along to prepare for liftoff as the Clone Troopers headed to the armory to collect energy cells, explosives, and commlinks. Meanwhile, the two Jedi make small talk as they pack their gear and eventually head into the hanger.

Once they arrive in the hanger bay, they notice an unusually, for a day without an ongoing battle, active area. Flight crews are moving ships into positions used to store for hyperspace jumps. Shoshannah glances upwards and spots a yellow flashing light, used to indicate the ship was preparing for a hyperjump. Across the hanger bay, she notices Jedi Master Allie entering along with a contingent of Clone Troopers.

Once she arrives at the "Firebird" gunboat, the pilot called "Hazard" updates the Jedi on the situation. "Commanders, there's been a slight change of plan. The Defender has been requested at Coruscant. General Allie will stay planet-side to oversee the ground units."

The pilot goes on, "We're to continue as planned. Well, mostly as planned. We won't have orbital support, so they've provided a few bunker-busters. Once we land, Fuse here," He points to a Clone Trooper that wasn't part of the original briefing," will arm the warheads. Once we get a all clear sign, we'll fire them from the ship. After the mission, we're to report back to General Allie planet-side."

The Clone Sergeant then says, "Looks like another normal situation of plans changing at the last minute, Commanders."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

A few minutes later, the Firebird enters the atmosphere and maintains a low altitude in case of any lingering Separatists sensors. As the ship flies just meters above the jungle's canopy, the verdant planet becomes visible. With a standard landing, the doors open allowing the Clone Troopers to rush out and secure the perimeter of the landing zone.

"All clear, Commanders." The Sergeant shouts back, "Well boys, here's where the fun begins."

"Commanders, we'll need to cut a path through. Map says it's that way." The Corporal states as he points in the general direction of the facility.

Image

User avatar
Muskrat
Level 21 Elite
Level 21 Elite
Posts: 10511
Location: The Secret Places Beneath the Earth
Title: Keeper of the Hidden Word
User Class: Scholar

Chapter 1A: Operation Shadowknife

Post by Muskrat » Thu Oct 01, 2020 8:25 pm

Shoshannah steps and breaths deeply of the jungle air, enjoying the feeling of being out in nature again, even if it was on a military mission. "Alright," she says to the Clone troopers, "But let's try to disturb the jungle as little as possible. We're not at war with the animals here and, the less disturbance we create, the less likely the Separatists are to know we're coming. I'll see what kind of route I can find through here."

Once everyone is ready to move, she carefully moves through the jungle, looking for a safe way through. Doing so with a large group of soldiers was much different than doing it with a small group of researchers, but the basic principles were the same.
Cunning 2/ Survival 2

User avatar
Shurijo
Admin
Admin
Posts: 13979
Title: Scourge of the Jedi
User Class: Sith Lord

Chapter 1A: Operation Shadowknife

Post by Shurijo » Fri Oct 02, 2020 6:32 pm

The Jedi Shoshannah surveys the area and finds an opening, most likely created from an animal passing through. The path leads onwards towards their destination. As they walk, the Clone Troopers perform a commlink check to ensure their signal is received by the pilots. As their check clears, most of the soldiers groan as they try to swat away the various insects of the jungle.

Survival = 2 prof die, 0 ability
Difficulty Average = 2 Difficulty dice
Result = 1 failure, 1 advantage

DM call using 1 adv to spot tracks
Shoshannah surveys the area, but is unable to find a clear path forward. The group moves slow through the jungle as the insects begin to annoy most of the group.

As Shoshannah leads the group along the trail, she spots signs of recent sapient activity amidst the foliage—branches clearly hacked and pushed aside and a few footprints in the muck of the soil. Following the trail is a simple enough matter, and after perhaps fifteen minutes of careful tracking, they see the jungle begining to thin out into a small open clearing.

Raising her hand to signal to be silent and take cover, the Jedi uses her electrobinoculars to peer into the clearing and see a humanoid with a metal staff with a small plasma blade. The figure stands over a large, dead feline.

Xenology = 1 prof die, 3 ability, 2 difficulty
Result = 4 successes, 1 advantage

Identified the cat and species of humanoid
From her studies, Shoshannah recognizes the cat to be a Sludge Pather. These carnivorous feline predators live in jungles and swamplands. On average, they grow to two meters long and over a meter high at the shoulder. Their lean, muscular bodies are covered in motted brown and gray fur.

Image
While find a panther in the jungle doesn't exactly make the evening HoloNews broadcast, the Jedi also recognizes the humanoid species. It seems unusual for a Kajain'sa'Nikto, also known as Red Nikto, the most common subspecies of Nikto, to be found outside of a Hutt controlled space. However, it was the weapon and way he moved that reminded her of an ancient threat...

Lore = 1 prof die, 3 ability, 3 difficulty
Result = 2 successes, 1 advantage

Jedi Lore regarding the cult
During her travels, Shohannah in addition to agricultural journals, she read ancient Jedi stories. The figure reminded her of the Morgukai. The Morgukai was a secret society were renowned as Jedi killers, although they did not favor the Sith either. The Morgukai were always male and of the Kajain'sa'Nikto species. While it's impossible to tell wither the Red Nikto was a member of the Morgukai, she has a feeling something is off and possibly connected to their mission.

Minus the belt of lightsabers
Image

The group remains far enough away to remain unseen by the individual, but they would need to extend their jungle trek farther around the clearing to remain undetected.

User avatar
Muskrat
Level 21 Elite
Level 21 Elite
Posts: 10511
Location: The Secret Places Beneath the Earth
Title: Keeper of the Hidden Word
User Class: Scholar

Chapter 1A: Operation Shadowknife

Post by Muskrat » Mon Oct 05, 2020 7:10 pm

Shoshannah hunkers down next to the Clone sergeant and says, "There's a sapient ahead, probably hostile. We should find another route. But I'm worried about what we might find when we get there. If I'm right, the sapient belongs to an ancient order of Jedi killers. The Separatists must have brought them in. Who knows how many we'll find at the target site?" She thinks for a moment. "Can we send a signal back to command without it being intercepted? They should know the Morgukai seem to be working with the Separatists, even if our mission goes horribly wrong and we don't make it back."

User avatar
Shurijo
Admin
Admin
Posts: 13979
Title: Scourge of the Jedi
User Class: Sith Lord

Chapter 1A: Operation Shadowknife

Post by Shurijo » Tue Oct 06, 2020 2:26 pm

"Roger that Commander," The sergeant replies. "We'll relay it back to Firebird and they can forward it back to the Defender."

The Clone Sergeant steps back from the Jedi and returns to the center of the formation. "Firebird, this is Tango-5, we've encountered a potential hostile. Commander believes they may be a Morgukai. The Generals should know what that means. Over."

"Tango-five. Acknowledged. Will Relay. Over." Comes the response from Firebird crew.

Meanwhile, Shoshannah and Plaba continue to watch the figure. Noting something, Plaba says, "This Red Nikto moved strange. More primal--animal like--than I would expect." As Plaba talks, the Red Nikto finishes tearing into the beast's torso, seemingly ripping meat from the creature, and hastily departs the clearing heading back towards the same direction as the facility.

Joining the two Jedi once more, the sergeant informs them. "Commanders, message sent. What now, sirs?"

User avatar
Muskrat
Level 21 Elite
Level 21 Elite
Posts: 10511
Location: The Secret Places Beneath the Earth
Title: Keeper of the Hidden Word
User Class: Scholar

Chapter 1A: Operation Shadowknife

Post by Muskrat » Tue Oct 06, 2020 6:25 pm

Shoshannah grows visibly disturbed as she watches the bestial actions of the Red Nikto. "You're right," she whispers to Plaba. "That was ... troubling. We may dealing with something worse than Jedi killers." She shudders.

When the sergeant rejoins them, she tries to put on a more confident expression, so as not to unduly worry the clones. "Thank you, sergeant. We'll continue to proceed to the base, very cautiously." She thinks for a moment, then says, "Spread word to the men to expect more than droids as the base. Members of an ancient order opposed to the Jedi may be present. It could just be one person, or it could be many more. And they may act in ways that are ... unpredictable and irrational. Or just plain savage."

As an afterthought, she adds, "If we can somehow engage them peacefully and find out what they're doing here, great, but I wouldn't count on it." Shoshannah finds herself really hoping for a peaceful resolution, even though she knows she has no reason to expect it.

User avatar
Shurijo
Admin
Admin
Posts: 13979
Title: Scourge of the Jedi
User Class: Sith Lord

Chapter 1A: Operation Shadowknife

Post by Shurijo » Wed Oct 07, 2020 3:18 pm

"Roger that, Commander" The sergeant complies and passes word to the other troopers providing perimeter security.

Padawan Plaba suggests, "I think we should keep going, but cautiously. We don't want to run into a group of those."

With the potential encounter disappearing into the jungle, the Commanders decide to move forward keeping a wide berth around the clearing.

Survival with boost from padawan assistance
1 success, 2 advantages

The group continues onwards towards the facility without trouble. A few insects continue to bother the troopers who swat them away complaining about the bugs.

As they get closer to the facility, Shohannah finds more humanoid tracks. In an clearing with visible signs of activity, she notices tree branches and underbrush severed. The tips of the cut the branches appear to have been cut by a very hot instrument and have been sealed by the heat.

"Over here, Commanders." In the underbrush, they find a deceased Red Nikto. It's right leg and head is severed from it's torso. The head is found a few feet away, but the leg isn't readily visible. The cuts on the torso appear the same as the vegetation--clean cuts severing the body with the heat sealing the parts. Additionally, the torso has visible signs of creatures with claw marks and teeth marks in the torso.

results: 1 success, 1 threat

success = The cutting looks like the results of a lightsaber.
threat = the skill check took longer than usual, but you were still successful

Shohannah recognizes the weapon that made these cuts--a lightsaber.

results: all canceled out, so not a success

Padawan's roll: 2 success, 1 threat
success = see comment
threat = the skill check took longer than usual

"Shohannah," Padawan Plaba says as she pulls the senior Commander aside. "I... I may be wrong, but does this Red Nikto look exactly like the one we saw a while ago? But it can't be. This corpse has been dead for at least a few days. The clothing is different, but the face, skin tone, and even the horns and spikes are in the same pattern."

User avatar
Muskrat
Level 21 Elite
Level 21 Elite
Posts: 10511
Location: The Secret Places Beneath the Earth
Title: Keeper of the Hidden Word
User Class: Scholar

Chapter 1A: Operation Shadowknife

Post by Muskrat » Wed Oct 07, 2020 8:23 pm

Shoshannah stares at the corpse. "Well, they could be twins." She looks around at their troops. "Or it could be someone else is using cloning technology. But it looks like they were killed with a lightsaber. But what would other Jedi be doing here without our knowing about it?"
The continued existence of the Sith is still unknown to the Jedi at this time, right?

User avatar
Shurijo
Admin
Admin
Posts: 13979
Title: Scourge of the Jedi
User Class: Sith Lord

Chapter 1A: Operation Shadowknife

Post by Shurijo » Wed Oct 07, 2020 8:33 pm

Yes. The continued existence of Sith is unknown.

I'll follow up with a IC post probably tomorrow. Just wanted to respond in case you needed an response for IC decision/speaking.

User avatar
Shurijo
Admin
Admin
Posts: 13979
Title: Scourge of the Jedi
User Class: Sith Lord

Chapter 1A: Operation Shadowknife

Post by Shurijo » Thu Oct 08, 2020 3:29 pm

"Commanders, I found the missing leg..." Clone Trooper CT-7865, Lefty, calls out.

Turning around, they find a panther holding the deceased Red Nikto's leg in it's maw. The panther's growling grows louder as it stares down the Clone Trooper.

Shoshannah Cool: 3a = 1 success
Clones Cool: 2a = 2 success 1 adv
Padawan: 2a = 2 advantages
Panther Cool: 2a = 3 success

Initiative is: Panther, everyone else
Everybody is short range
Lefty starts to backstep when the panther drops the leg and lunges. Quickly dodging the panther's pounce, Lefty breathes a sigh of relief. Meanwhile, the other troopers raise their blasters and take aim.
(Incidental)
Drop leg from mouth

(Maneuver)
Panther move from short to engaged

(Action)
Panther Pounce: 3 yellow 1green
combat difficulty: 2 purple (melee attack)
Clones Defense: 1 setback for melee defense
results: All dice have cancelled out -- when all cancel that's a fail

Any ally can go now, I'll wait to let you go first in case you give orders or such

Panther and Lefty are "engaged". All others are "short range".

As a combat refresher;
Each turn you get:
1+ Incidentals - minor activities (similar to swift actions)
1 Maneuver
1 Action

The Rules thread in OOC forum gives examples and uses for each of these
Jedi Shoshannah and Plaba and the other Clone Trooper react ...

Post Reply