Where the Infinite ends, the Infernal begins...

A War of Three

An Empire of Contradictions and Contractions

The True Behind It All

A Fate Left Unspoken

A Final Play

A Forge

A Fleet

A Vault

A Key

These are a few...

... of the things that we do seek.

---

Welcome to the Infernal Flesh.

A game of the Dark Side.

Two millennia ago the Celestials left.

Their servants were abandoned.

There are no New Hopes, no Awakenings, no Last.

Only Menaces, Revenge, and Empires.

Choose one of two.

The Infinite; or the Stygian.

The Rakata at their height; or the Sith at their most primitive.

May the Inferno not take you.

---

Character Sheet

Name:
Species: Rakatan or Sith. (Unless you want to play a Rakatan slave).
Age:
Homeworld: Lehon or Korriban.
Personal Effects:
Bio: Please keep in mind that the Rakata run a 1,500 world Empire right now, and the Sith are kept to one world; Korriban. That's it.

 

GM Approved!

Name: Nubio
Species: Human
Age: Early 30s, though exact age unknown
Appearance:



Homeworld: Lehon
Personal Effects: A set of ratty clothes and any tools necessary to maintain the homestead grounds
Bio: Nubio is the name he had always known. Assigned to him at birth by the Rakatan slavers, it translated to 'gold' in the old language to indicate the prosperity of his family line. Unfortunately, years in the creche have wiped most memories of his kin from his mind. He has no true recollection of his parents or siblings except for the name Graal… or was it Graul? Nevertheless, he learned from a young age that they were strong workers and brought the Infinite Empire great success. And so, Nubio would continue that tradition and endure a life of perpetual servitude.

Aside from the essentials, including hunting, fishing, swimming, and other menial tasks, Nubio remained relatively uneducated. Since the Rakata had bred him specifically for manual labor, he spent much of his youth engaged in that activity. The goal was always to please his Masters, and Nubio did not disappoint in that regard. His compliance ultimately gained him favor and protection, and as he grew older, they transferred him from the labor camps to serve as a vassal in Soa's household.

It was under Soa’s care that he learned about aviation and flight, often serving as the Rakata’s personal valet or pilot when the occasion arose. Nubio also displayed a natural acumen to lead, which has allowed him to easily slip into his current role as the head groundskeeper and maintenance chief for the vast estate.

However, this more relaxed lifestyle brought about drastic changes for the young man; he developed his own free will. Nubio’s personality has evolved over the past few months to become bold and reckless. He is now mindful of his situation, but it’s still too early to tell how this newfound knowledge could potentially impact his relationship with his Master.

 

GM Approved


Name: Csilla Moor


Species: Human
Age: 25
Homeworld: Nouane
Personal Effects:
A set of durable knives that she earned as a trusted slave when promoted to cook.
Her clothing she arrived with, and a tiny pink infants dress.

Biography:
Csilla was a happy five year old until her city was raided by the Rakata. Adults were slaughtered or sold into slavery. The children were divided up, some were sold and the others were taken back to Lehon to be slaves.

She and a few other children from Nouane were working in the home of Soa, where they grew up while toiling for their master. Csilla was placed in the kitchen as a child and worked hard to be promoted to her current position as cook.

 

GM note: You can post as often or as little as you like in the month, but no less than once in the month, please.

 

The Infinite Empire​

The year is 27,700 BBY.

Or, it will be.

Presently it is 2,300 ATF

After the Fall


Two thousand three hundred years ago, the Celestials lost the Twilight Wars, a five thousand-odd year conflict began on the unassuming world of Nouane, when a group of locals inadvertently released Abeloth, the daughter of Tilotny, signalling the defeated masses that had waited since the Cosmic Wars for the opportune moment to strike.


With the Ones distracted, the remainder Old Ones - the Darknesses - could rally their forces; the Vagaari, Ssi-Ruuvi, Grysk, Sith, Harch, Esh-Ka, Waymancy, Hutts, and Anzati. The timing was prescient; the Rakata had just tricked the Kwa into granting them access to their Force-based hyperdrive, and though the Celestial's client species managed to keep the mysteries of the Hypergates and Stargates from their foes, what technology they did steal was sufficient to allow the allies of the Darkness to strike.

The Killiks, Gree and Kwa, servants of the Celestials, were routed, and the Killiks were seized by Daritha Soros, when a desparate attack on Korriban went awry. The Celestials were forced to remove the Killiks from the Twilight Wars, and abandon their vassal states, notwithstanding that the remainder Darknesses had their physical forms destroyed in the final battles.

The Rakata, chief among the species of the Darkness, and the sole owner of the gap in the Hyperspace Barrier between the Known and Unknowns, betrayed their allies and sealed the way. From Lehon, they prevented the Ssi-Ruuvi, Grysk and Vagaari from reaching their spoils, and waged genocidal war against the Gree and Kwa, seizing Coruscant, Corellia and other prizes.

The Hutts, Anzati, Sith, Esh-Ka, Harch and Waymancy species' retreated to their worlds or were enslaved.

The Rakatan Empire - the Infinite Empire - had dominion of the galaxy.

Or, rather, what they could access with the Force-based hyperdrive technology they had.

Fifteen hundred worlds in all, their Empire was replete; they harvested humans, Duros, Wookiees, Selkath, Hutts, Noghri, Givin and many other species, cannibalising them in the most literal sense.

The dark side of the Force was theirs.

And so, for two thousand three hundred years, they have ruled.

The Infinite Empire grows hungry.​

 

Korriban



There are tales of how the Sith once, millennia ago, formed part of a great kingdom, one which encompassed many stars and worlds.

No longer.

Those self-same millennia have seen the Sith tear at each other and reduce their state to primitivism.

They have lost what made them great and grand.

Or, rather, they had.

Three hundred years ago a mythical birth occurred; a charcoal skinned Sith.



Adas.

Ordained to rule, he rapidly seized control of his tribe, and then, his planet.

Three hundreds he has ruled as the worshipped Left Handed God of the Sith.

The Sith'ari.

Long may he reign.​

 

IC: Predor Soa
His keep, Byss



The Temple-Fortress of Predor Soa was within the turbulent region of space known as the Deep Core.

It had been a truly impressive find in the gravitic labyrinth, but that had been many years ago.

He was vexed because of that.

So too was the Over-Predor, Woe, who commanded the Star Forge and the homeworld.

He expected results, and none were forthcoming.

And so, he summoned his personal staff.

They were Rakatan and slaves, but Soa wasn't picky.

He was, in-fact, hungry.

"You have all failed me. The Infinite Empire has not expanded in a decade. This world was our last."

He seethed, and had they the Force, they would feel his anger.

Eye-stalks roved over them all.

Sub-Predor Al'na, the female who served as the administrator of his territories, as one of the fifteen Predors that served the Empire. She was a conniving woman, and Soa kept her close for that self-same reason.

There was his Hound, Sasa'ke, who had admittedly found this world, yes, and was famous for it, known across the fifteen hundred worlds of the Infinite, but Soa didn't rate past achievements, merely current.

Then there were the half a dozen slaves.

The Hutt, Kossok, who marshalled the rancors - pets that Soa had drawn from Dathomir, one of his holdings. The groundskeeper, Nubio, who commanded the droids that managed his gardens, enclosed within the Temple, for the mountainstead was not pleasant to plants. The current cook, Csilla, and her chief assistant, a Kubaz by the name of Kla, who could transform bugs into tasty asides from his main meal. The last two were his porters, the Gamorrean Lutz and the Wookiee Bacca, and they served as muscle when things needed moving.

Soa licked his lips.

"I need satisfaction. I am hungry, and that means one of you will serve as my dinner."

A grin, malicious as ever.

"Predor Soa commands that you do decide among yourselves."

At that, he sat back in his throne.

TAG: @Mitth_Fisto, @HanSolo29, @Lady Belligerent

 

IC: Adas
Throne Room of Korriban

The Sith clans were gathered.

All of them.

Tribes of infamy; many who had once been his enemies, before his ax took them down to their correct standing.

Kressh, Amalea, Sadow, Ragnos, Golg, Nakgru, Dakhan, Gal-Ram, Horak-Mul, Wroth.

The Ten.

And, of course, Adas mused, the one who antagonised them so.

Raspir, his court magician.

At present he was summoning up snakes to snap at their eyes, in a game of 'bluff or death', where by there was always the chance that Raspir would use an actual snake.

He regarded Amalea.

She was an unlovely thing, possessing small chin-tentacles that often made Sith so attractive.

But at the same time, was he not an aberration? The ultimate aberration.

His jester followed his Overlord's gaze, and twirled his hands, the illusionary vipers launching for her face -

And Adas, outside the range of such things, saw a real one, starved, jaws dripping with poison, flicked up at her!

Adas's brow beetled, but he did not intervene.

That would not do.

TAG: @Shadowsun

 

THE VISION

It struck Sasa'ke and Amalea.

It was, to the Rakata, a world of dust and bones, but a red-species replete.

It was, to the Sith, her world, and her kind.

It was, to him, a world he viewed as one emerging from his ship, peering at a red-skinned nonhuman.

It was, to her, a metal object that had descended from the heavens and released some kind of two-legged fish.

She reeked of the Dark.

He reeked of the Dark.

They shared this, and were the key to the beginning of such things.

TAG: @Shadowsun, @Mitth_Fisto

 

THE CALL

In the moment they were summoned, the Kubaz aide, had leaned over, looking nervous as they marched to the central area of the Temple, and passed to the humans each a datacube.

Such things were forbidden to be in the possession of slaves; entirely so.

What in the Nine Corellian Hells was he doing possessing this?

They would discover the items in their pockets as they came into the presence of Predor Soa.

One each.

Kossak's big beady eyes took in the interaction, behind them.

He was a young Hutt, only a thousand years old - his father had fought in the Twilight Wars, he said, and been betrayed by the Rakata. But he retained the carnivorous ways of his species, though he was as likely to be mauled by Bacca as he was eaten by Soa.

Their lives hung precariously in the balance.

In more ways than one.

TAG: @HanSolo29, @Lady Belligerent

 

Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it's thinking of yourself less. -C. S. Lewis


IC: Csilla Moor
Byss

There was one stone in the floor that was not quite perfect, its edges weren’t even, and one corner was slightly raised. That stone was directly in front of where Soa sat speaking to them. Csilla knew that stone well, it was where she had trained herself to focus, because you shouldn’t look at your owner unless he spoke directly to you. It took an invitation to look at him, or what’s what she’d conditioned herself to believe.

The same stone was where she’d knelt as a child, her tiny knees squeezed together to fit on the raised corner. She would later look for an intention in her skin from the corner, that told her she had done well and had been humbled by his presence.

Today she kept her eyes on the stone, even when Soa informed them they must decide who would be the next meal.

The names of the little crowd gathered ran through her mind quickly. Had they done something to cause the situation they were now in? She would have sighed, but that would have been disrespectful to do that in his presence, so Csilla stayed silent.

It was certainly a punishment, why else would she have to possibly prepare a friend for dinner. Please not, Nubio. She couldn’t bear the thought of that, Csilla would offer up herself because she would not be able to cook him.

The stone square was glossy from a recent cleaning, she had to focus on the stone. Bile had started to rise in the back of her throat from just thinking of what was coming.

Don’t think. Just admire the square, she told herself… and wait. Maybe Soa would change his mind! He could do that and she would prepare a very satisfying meal for him from supplies on hand.

Nubio was nearby, Csilla peeked over from the corners of her eyes with her head still down. She wanted to see his expression, maybe he had an idea of what they should do.

She really hoped someone stirred the broth she’d left simmering.

Tag: @Sinrebirth @HanSolo29

 

IC: Nubio
Soa’s Keep, Byss

The young man stood poised among his colleagues, his fists clenched behind his back and his chin tucked against his chest, seemingly showing reverence towards the Master. However, Nubio had never been clever about concealing his emotions, especially when he was angry or disagreed with a certain directive. It was very much a childish quirk that he hadn't quite grown out of. His expression had a tendency to convey the truth, and in this instance, it was hard to overlook his furrowed brow, stern gaze, and bunched jaw muscles.

Anyone familiar with Nubio's mannerisms would recognize the apparent disgust at Soa’s latest scheme.

The thought of selecting one of their own, killing them, and then consuming their flesh for their daily food allotment turned his stomach. While he wasn't the most adept at explaining himself or his reasoning, he knew that such an act was fundamentally wrong. It was an innate sense that he couldn’t ignore, and he quickly decided that he would rather go hungry than sacrifice one of his own.

Nevertheless, he knew that Soa was a stringent bastard who enjoyed playing mind games. He wouldn’t rest until they satisfied his desires. And if they failed in that task, he wouldn’t hesitate to punish them for their insolence. Death was a very real possibility; it hung over all of them like an ominous shadow.

And so, Nubio would obey. What other choice did he have?

But that didn’t mean that he had to go quietly. His main objective was to protect himself… and Csilla, and if that demanded that he cause a mild disturbance to ensure that they came out of his alive, he would do whatever seemed necessary.

As if on cue, Nubio lifted his chin and glanced across the chamber until he met Csilla’s gaze. He couldn’t deny the attraction he felt for her, nor the flutter of his heart whenever he was in her presence; it was something that was incomprehensible. It was why he was so protective of her… and why he now took a great risk to relay his intentions to her. He could only hope that she caught his understanding.

Stay calm.

Wait for the right opportunity.

I got this.

Nubio tentatively reached into the pocket of his tattered trousers to squeeze the datacube that rested there. He wasn’t sure why he had obtained it, only that the diminutive Kubaz, who served as Csilla's assistant in the kitchen, had offered it to him in passing. In truth, he wasn’t entirely sure what it was, and he came to view it more as a 'good luck' charm. He now pulled on it for strength as he pivoted to regard the others.

"Lutz!" he shouted suddenly, thrusting an accusing index finger toward the hapless Gamorrean. Nubio’s demeanor quickly became panicked and desperate, even though it was all part of the act. "When the gaunt herds came under attack by those bloodsniffers last month, you fled to the field house instead of offering a hand to save ‘em! We lost a week’s worth of meat from that incident! This is your fault! We shouldn’t have to pay the price for your cowardice! If anyone should suffer, it’s you!"

In the midst of his tirade, he began to circle around, slowly inching his way toward Csilla.

TAG: @Lady Belligerent; @Sinrebirth; @Mitth_Fisto ​

 

"Chaos is a friend of mine." -Bob Dylan

IC: Csilla Moor
Byss

Csilla’s eyes widened when Nubio looked at her. Oh, no. Nubio was up to something, she knew that expression too well.

Her eyes dropped back to the stone and she forced herself to remain still. The Hutt, Kossok, was still the obvious choice and all that fat would be useful, Soa would love it. She was making a mental list of how each part would be used, and where they would do the butchering. It had to be done outside, she thought, stifling a gag. It was all starting to make sense in her mind, and then Nubio spoke out.

”Lutz” Nubio had shouted.

‘Dash it’, Csilla thought, this would mean a whole new plan.

First they would need a larger, and sharper, bone saw. Nubio was really going over the top by backing up his selection, which was making it difficult not to sneak a peek of their Master, and of the others gathered.

‘Do something! She told herself, but what?

“Oh!” Csilla whispered remembering she had something in her apron. She put her hand into the deep pocket, and her fingers slid over the datacube, which was a puzzle she wasn’t inclined to deal with at the moment. No, she wanted the metal box she’d grabbed when they’d been summoned.

She took out the small tin and crept forward to where she placed it gingerly on the steps below Soa’s seat. Csilla bowed low and backed away quickly as she counted the stones back to her spot. The disruption had her a little addled though, which caused her to miscount, crashing into Nubio butt first. She staggered and fell to the floor.

“Sorry,” she whispered to Nubio, without looking and scrambled to stand.

“A new recipe for bladder bugs, Master,” Csilla said softly, hoping that Soa wasn’t paying her any attention. She needed to quickly figure out what parts of a Gamorrean would be edible for a Rakata. What was wrong with her? They will literally eat themselves, she remembered and rubbed her palms over her face.

There was certainly no chance she would be able to consume it, she would stick to plants from the garden, Kla would have to do any tasting for her.

She appeared to be in a trance staring at a stone into the floor as she spoke up.”

“Hmm. His liver could be quickly seared, Master likes rare flesh, with sautéed allium.
Marinated Gamorrean steak, flat iron Gamorrean strips with cream sauce, baked Gamorrean tenderloin with black mustard sauce, wine braised Gamorrean ribs, Gamorrean Bourguignon, citrus glazed Gamorrean hocks, fungus and cheese smothered Gamorrean testicles,” Csilla was practically chanting a list of what she could prepare, while oblivious to all else happening around her when she suddenly stopped speaking and froze, holding her breath.

Tag: @HanSolo29 @Sinrebirth

 

IC: Csilla Moor
Byss

Csilla froze and squeaked, “eeep.”

Did Sasa'ke just say her name? Her mouth opened and closed a couple of times as she frantically tried to recall what he’d said exactly. Was he asking for her choice, or did he choose her? Oh, no, she thought to herself, not me. I’m so small, there’s no useful fat or meat, surely he could see that for himself.

“I… erm,” she could smack herself for not paying attention, but this was very stressful and how could anyone expect any of them to be calm. Her heart was pounding hard enough that she was sure everyone could hear it. “I… uh,” she tried to speak again but it was coming out as a strangled dry sob.

She rubbed the toe of her boot against the square of stone while she thought of what to do. There was the possibility that once she answered they’d be dismissed, that would be a huge relief. Okay, she could do it, Csilla told herself. Her eyes on the floor she spoke up and clearly declared her pick, “Lutz!” Then she turned and gave Nubio a panicked look, “you’ll be doing the butchering for me,” she whispered. She could never get a saw through those thick bones.

Tag: @Mitth_Fisto @HanSolo29 @Sinrebirth

 

IC: Soa
Regarding them as if food

The Red Rakata found his Hunter's petulance offensive; his eye-stalks never left Soa's, and Soa found him focused upon his fellow Rakata.

But the Gamorreon, Lutz, squealed in offense, and waved a meaty hand in gesticulation. It smacked Bracca, as Nubio's accusation was hurled. Soa glanced back, licking his lips as he did so, amused as his precious servants turned on each other.

Csilla joined in too, also picking Lutz.

Lutz was already pointing at Nubio, naming him.

Bracca growled, naming Lutz; offended by the hit, but aware that more violence would invite Lord Soa's wrath.

Kossok laughed, a belly of one, pudgy hands pointing to Nubio, his tongue lapping. Al'na, her eyes feasting on Csilla's panic, indicated Nubio also.

Three for three.

But Sasa'ke had agreed with the cook - with Csilla... which left one vote that would spare Lutz... by forcing a tie.

Soa looked to his Kubaz servant, Kla, whose insectile eyes flicked back and forth from Lutz to Csilla. His eyes also darted to the pockets of the two, and Soa's lips curled into a growl. The Kubaz's actions were obvious before he even did so. "YOU!"

And he leapt at Soa; a sharp and jagged piece of metal in his bug-like hands.

The Red Rakata didn't move; he merely watched with amusement.

It was not his place to protect himself.

Instead he spoke, idly, as if other business was more relevant.

"You have found me a new world, Hound?"

TAG: @Mitth_Fisto, @Lady Belligerent, @HanSolo29 (singles), @Shadowsun (outstanding TAG)

 

IC: Csilla
Soa’s house, Byss

It was a cruel game the Master was playing, but she couldn’t voice her thoughts, or someone would be preparing her to be dinner.

Oh! What if Nubio had to cut her flesh from the bone? He wouldn’t know how rare Soa likes his meat. This could be bad.

No. No. No. Don’t think that way, she admonished herself. She and Nubio could be served as dinner if they didn’t figure out how to win this game.

This wasn’t fair. Csilla thought as she resisted moving around, her knees were trembling, which made her look like she needed the refresher.

Her breath caught when she realized the voting was tied. There was no way she’d allow Nubio to be dinner, they would have to kill her too.

Maybe she could speak up, and if she did Soa would yell at her and forget how close the vote was for Nubio to be served. She steadied herself and opened her mouth to speak… when Kla shouted, "YOU!"

Csilla screamed, “Nooooooooo!” She pulled her precious cleaver from the pocket of her apron and shoved it at Nubio. There wasn’t time to look and see if he understood what Csilla was doing, she just had to act.

Once the cleaver was out of her hand, she closed her eyes and launched herself at Kla. “No!” Csilla kept telling the rabid Kubaz. She had moved with breakneck speed to try and trip or push Kla aside, her faith was in Nubio. He had the cleaver, or she would have heard it clatter on the stone floor. Her hands flailed trying to grab anything, Kla’s snout, arms, legs… she thrashed without even opening her eyes.

Tag: @HanSolo29 @Sinrebirth @Mitth_Fisto

 

IC: Nubio
Soa’s Keep, Byss

Nubio sneered at Lutz, clearly enraged by the repulsive creature’s accusations. The taunting was all part of the game the Master forced them to play, and it would not end until either himself or the Gamorrean had met their end through a gruesome death. He had seen others in Soa’s care disemboweled, strangled, decapitated… or worse. Whatever happened, he vowed not to succumb to the same fate; he would rise as the victor.

Clenching his fists at his sides, Nubio stood poised to attack—

And then chaos ensued.

The Kubaz, the same one who had served loyally as Csilla’s assistant for the past few weeks, took advantage of the ongoing argument to physically attack the Master. It was a baffling decision; the fool had no chance. It took Nubio several seconds to actually comprehend what was happening, and while it could’ve been a fatal mistake, the Gamorrean and his allies were also distracted by the troubling scene.

Fortunately, Csilla was wise and far more perceptive than her male counterparts. Without hesitation, she quickly retrieved the meat cleaver from her smock, pivoted on her heel, and tossed the makeshift weapon into the air. The trajectory brought it directly into Nubio’s outstretched hand—almost as if he had willed it to land in his grip.

However, there was no time to ponder that notion. He only had a short window to act and potentially turn the tide of this fight. The most logical choice was to assist Csilla and save the Master by warding off Kla’s vicious attack…

And yet…

He hesitated.

The datacube.

The Kubaz had granted them that gift. That had to account for something. Perhaps it was enough to spare him... for now.

As if on instinct, Nubio suddenly whirled on Lutz with a feral yell, pouring his hate and frustration into his actions. He hoisted the cleaver above his head and brought it down with immense force, slicing through the fleshy tissue of the Gamorrean’s throat.

TAG: @Lady Belligerent; @Mitth_Fisto; @Sinrebirth​

 

IC: Soa
Chuckling

The Gamorrean bellowed, and then was dead, his neck cleaved, even as the Kubindi was caught up in the whirlwind -

Soa dispelled the breeze with a flicker, and the Kubindi's neck snapped.

Two dead slaves.

"Clean that up," he snarled at the Hutt, who slithered over. "And make sure his flesh lasts."

Maddened, he looked to Sasa'ke. "Muddies the water?" Soa clawed a hand, considered throttling the Hound.

Instead he grinned. "Slaves, prepare my household to depart. We shall follow after my Hound, and see what he has found..." The grin became a glower, his eyestalks leaning forward. "... or whether he shall become my next meal."

Failure was no longer an option.

An unfurled claw. "Go, and find my world. Make sure your tracker is active... and we shall be..."

His yellow-eyes cast over Csilla, Nubio, and his surviving retainers.

"... no more than an hour behind them."

He had essentially given them an order to be ready, or else.

TAG: @Mitth_Fisto, @HanSolo29, @Lady Belligerent

OOC: Apologies for my tardiness, if you reply before the 1st I'll flutter my eyelids at you a lot.

 

IC: Csilla
Soa’s house, Byss

She was crouched on her knees and was struggling to catch her breath, it was a miracle that both she and Nubio had survived. Would she ever get used to these gut wrenching trials that her master put them through? No, Csilla decided that she was destined to just suffer through them.

Her legs felt wobbly as she stood to retrieve her bloody cleaver from Nubio. The handle was sticky from the cooling blood, she gagged and quickly wiped off onto her apron.

Csilla took a deep breath through her mouth to calm her stomach, the stench of dead things made her sick. She just needed to find her internal switch that would numb her emotions, it would allow her to go through the motions without any feeling at all. It was a strange state where she fancied herself as undead, which was weird but when she considered her life she decided maybe it wasn’t so weird after all.

Tag: @Sinrebirth @HanSolo29 @Mitth_Fisto