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Star Wars: Dark Prosperity.

Posted by NarratorFor group 0
Narrator
player, 1349 posts
For narrating
and convenience
Sat 9 Nov 2019
at 00:48
  • msg #1

Star Wars: Dark Prosperity

This thread is a re-writing of events that happened in Star Wars.

Thirty-two years ago, Senator Sheev Palpatine mysteriously vanished. While there was the usual concern of the disappearance of a senator, he was replaced all the same. Queen Padme Amidalla of Naboo took the senator seat to represent her homeworld. Life moved on and over the years, the fact a senator disappeared was mostly forgotten.

Galactic politics continued on as usual with the Jedi Council occasionally working to keep the peace. But the media was wise to them and knew that the Jedi Council knew something they weren't telling. Many were rumoring that these so-called mystics were worried about something.

It was about twenty-two years ago "The Dark Wave" began. Many people reported phantom pains, dejavu, and strange nightmares. These reports seemed to spread to more people until one day, three years after the incident began, the jedi council closed its doors, saying only that they needed to debate something of great importance. Many fearful rumors spread as months passed without a word from the jedi council, but after four months, their doors were reopened. They had nothing to say about their silence other than they were not at liberty to discuss it.

That was nineteen years ago and most have forgotten about that bit of silence. An entire generation of young people didn't even really live it and think it is just something the older folk like to be overly dramatic about. Today has been no different than any other day, after all. The past nineteen years... heck, the past thousand years have gone by without any real incident. Why should today be any different?

But there are still people from the previous generation who continue to be haunted by the Dark Wave, never having had an explanation for it...

OOC: For benefit as all of you will probably have at least met someone who experienced the dark wave anyway, I typed up a sample:

Sample Darkwave man: Age 40. Was 18 when the first people started experiencing it. He thought it was just some kind of new mental condition. Then around 19, he experienced it himself. He felt a sharp pain in his chest while walking home from grocery shopping. Felt short of breath for a bit and then back to normal. From then on, at random, he would either get a nightmare about watching his hometown become a war zone, or while awake, he would sometimes feel like he was a ghost even though he can't phase through things and was still very much not a ghost. These symptoms have stayed with him the rest of his life and by now he's used to them. Says it seems to make him more grateful to be alive than most, but a lot of people consider him either jaded  or somehow dark. (he doesn't see himself as jaded or dark)

This message was last edited by the GM at 07:48, Sat 09 Nov 2019.
Nathan
Sat 9 Nov 2019
at 05:58
  • msg #2

Star Wars: Dark Prosperity

Nathan's pretty boilerplate Jedi.  Into the whole hippy Zen and crystals "peace not war" thing.  Would rather create art than pay any attention to politics.  Buut Gangsters are still quite evil even in a Galaxy that didn't spiral into genocidal tyranny.  So there's that.

Like we were saying.  Boilerplate.  Stab villains with laser sword while preaching that life is sacred.  Master explained it away with metaphors that kinda made sense when not in an actual fight.  Now a long-time Knight with a student of his own, Nathan struggles to cross that last river needed to become a Master officially: forever turning a blind eye to just how much the philosophy he grew up on is a contradiction.

And it doesn't help that his student is constantly questioning the sacred Code.  So he's taken to distracting her with amusement so he has a moment to clear his thoughts.  Maybe even find inspiration for a satisfying work of art or music to pour himself into so he has an excuse to stop thinking on the hard questions.
Mittens
GM, 2537 posts
Sat 9 Nov 2019
at 06:22
  • msg #3

Star Wars: Dark Prosperity

(Turns out it's very important that Nathan be just shy of 22 years old.  So he's just shy of 22 and hasn't been a Knight all that long after all.)

Once upon a time there was a Jedi Master who's student went full-on Darkside.  And in his super evil McEvilface Tornado of MurderKill, he found himself a prodigy child whom he twisted to the Darkside and used for his evil purposes.  Then the inevitable confrontation with Master happened.  Master lost a limb or three in the confrontation, but managed to slay his former student.  And though the sorta kinda adopted grandkid was a prodigy, she was no match for Master's mind control suggestions.

Too ashamed to admit to the Order that his former student had gone so over-the-top Darkside, Master simply vanished with the child to try and heal her of the Darkside's influence.  Once he succeeded enough that it no longer registered in her chi and basically took from her most of her raw power, though she still carried a lot of those aggressive personality traits that lead to the Darkside, he came out of hiding to enroll her with the Achademy.  As he lay dying of old age and complications from his wounds, his final deathbed wishes were for her was that she remain with the Jedi Order and keep his secret shame hidden.

Heck of a thing for a young teen to carry with her.  But Mits has so far kept her promise to Master Grandpa who killed her savagely abusive Evil Dad.  Yay.

Today she's having fun playing in an X-Wing simulator at an arcade, unaware of her Teacher's own inner turmoil.
Blake
Sat 9 Nov 2019
at 08:43
  • msg #4

Star Wars: Dark Prosperity

  Really, by comparison a questionable dead father figure logic of 'I have cured my adopted son's tragic blindness, I don't know why people told me cybernetics wouldn't work... What do you mean he's an All Force Using Species that has evolved to have gross vestigial eye sockets rather than close them up like a sensible sci-fi evolution?' is pretty tame.

  Much like rumors of some guy going around getting a high score exactly one point higher than the top one when nobody is looking, that having anything to do with Blake would be crazy.  Craaaazy.

  Also crazy, Rancor attacks!  In spaaaace-wait, no. That's just a rancor plushie being tossed into the Simulator.

  "That was the last one in the claw machine. I've also told several small children that you have it. One of these facts is a lie."
Pyrus
Sat 9 Nov 2019
at 18:20
  • msg #5

Star Wars: Dark Prosperity

Flasback:
"You've gotten pretty big, Pyrus.  We need to come up with a strategy for when you want to come with me into places like this shopping mall.  Any ideas, Master Gramps?"

"We could put a brown rug on him and claim he's a Wookie?"

"LOL!  No one would be fooled by that."

"A Wookie Centaur, then!"

"..."

"..."

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-l9v4...chewbaca-centaur.jpg

"Um, that's cute and all, but..."

"No wait.  What if we were to claim he's a Devaronian Dragon?  When asked 'What's a Devornian Dragon,' we simply point to him.  No need for a disguise."

"What's a Devornian?"

"Here, I'll show you pictures.  Blip Bloop Bleep.  There.  See?"

"Nice horns.  My favorite is the one with drawings on his face.  Can I have drawings on me too?"

"Sure!  We'll get you some face paint."

"Yay!"

"Wow!  You're the best, Master Gramps!"


Today, Pyrus is engrossed in a virtual firefight against Mittens.  https://tinyurl.com/yxuxe3jj  He was losing right up until she was distracted with surprise plushy.  Now he's gained the upper hand!  "Yeah!"
Bethany Bright
Player, 1 post
Sat 9 Nov 2019
at 21:20
  • msg #6

Star Wars: Dark Prosperity

Off to the side, a girl walks in, looking around at the arcade in wonderment. Mittens would recognize this girl as someone who appears locally from time to time. Although she doesn't frequent the arcade, is fully willing and capable of playing videogames. But Mitts has also seen Bethany at the academy, though she isn't a jedi. She even saw Beth go into the chamber of the council once. Bethany always seems either happy or curious or both. This girl is an adult, but oft acts like a kid. She's fun, funny, and eccentric.

There are all kinds of people at this arcade. And for as often as Mittens comes here, she has some friends here, as is evidenced by the kind if eccentric Blake who freely gifts oddly specific plushies to certain kids.

Mittens' arcade buddies include:
 - Blake (duh)
 - Pyrus (also duh)
 - Meekla (a 14-year-old ewok girl who is considered the queen of the arcade)
 - Tanai (a 14-yr-old Zeltron boy who thinks Pyrus is cool)
 - Crystal (a 15-yr-old Arkanian Offshoot "bad" girl who is known to cheat to win)
 - Ulchi (a 15-yr-old Pantoran girl who is Crystal's bff)

Meekla is idly checking yet another mystery high-score she has to beat* when she spots Mittens and smiles, trotting over to see how well Pyrus does with the brief advantage he was given.

*as a fellow troll and videogame enthusiast, she appreciates the higher scores on two levels: First, as an obvious troll maneuver, but also as a challenge to beat it. Sure, she'd love to meet the person behind the troll scores, but at the same time, she likes the mystery...

Soon, the other three group over to the X-wing simulator. Tanai says, "Aww sweet! The rancor!" he doesn't mean to be a further distraction, but it is what it is.

Meekla says, "Don't distract her, Tanai! This game's intense!"

Bethany begins making her way to the small crowd that has formed at the X-wing simulator. She waves at Blake with a smile.
Mittens
GM, 2538 posts
Sun 10 Nov 2019
at 04:00
  • msg #7

Star Wars: Dark Prosperity

Nathan's pretty happy to have familiar adult present, especially one who doesn't speak Jedi-ese.  Unfortunate reality that most Jedi aren't very interesting to talk with.

"Good to see you, Blake.  How goes?"

Mits didn't sense any danger, so she's taken by complete surprise by plushy rancor attack!  "What the..?  OMG!  Eeeee!  So cuuute!"

Rancor gets glomped and cheek-rubbed.  Which means her X-wing is flies unpiloted for a short while, making it an easy target for Pyrus.  HP is lost.

But then the newcomers arrive, and between mention of THE rancor and Mittens' reaction, Pyrus' curiosity gets the better of him and he takes his eyes off the screen to see what the big fuss is about.

"Woah cool!  It's the last one!  Can I have it?  Pretty please?"

He crawls toward Mits to try and persuade her with puppy eyes and beggy paws ( https://fmlainsights.lexblogpl...-begging-208x300.jpg ), so his game is abandoned for whomever wants to sit on his tail to try and take over.  Mits surrenders to the temptation to fire a missile to finish off Pyrus' defenseless fighter.  Should anyone take his place they'll have a hard time of dodging.

(Pyrus begging kitten to play: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulCDeqLsrfk )
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:09, Sun 10 Nov 2019.
Blake
Sun 10 Nov 2019
at 04:34
  • msg #8

Star Wars: Dark Prosperity

  Blake does the minimum threshold of manners thing "Hi, Bethany."

  Less polite is the fact he has used a toy as a distraction, which has gone well beyond expectations.  Or is it still polite because it's free toys?  Honestly 'screw with the Jedi, it would be funny' looping around into being considered 'Kind if eccentric' is hardly a surprise from his player, if a change of pace for the Character last seen playing 'Bad cop, also bad cop' with a Mandalorian.

  "Pyrus, I know you're easily led but I did say one of my claims wasn't true.  And clearly you qualify as a small child told it was the last one."...  Well, TECHNICALLY Small, more of a principle of the matter small child really.
Bethany Bright
Player, 2 posts
Sun 10 Nov 2019
at 04:53
  • msg #9

Star Wars: Dark Prosperity

Bethany trots over.

Meekla flops on the seat the moment Pyrus leaves it, "What are you doing?!" and gets to the controls just in time to pull up and do a loop-de-loop maneuver to just BARELY dodge, but it's one of those things where the rest of what follows is a fight to regain control and she is half-sitting half-laying on the chair. If Mittens acts fast, she can easily take advantage of Meekla's desperate fight for survival to shoot her down anyway.

Crystal blows up on her hair, "It's just a game, Meekla. Calm down. And it's his game to give up if he wants."

Ulchi says, "Awww? Who can say no to a face like that?"

Tanai chuckles.

Bethany looks at Nathan and gives him a nod. "What's going on, Nathan? Blake?"
Mittens
GM, 2539 posts
Sun 10 Nov 2019
at 05:16
  • msg #10

Star Wars: Dark Prosperity

Mits laughs at Pyrus being adorable and gives him a pet while nuzzling him with the rancor toy.  "Don't worry, Pyrus, I'll share.  I shall name her Cuddles T. Rancor!  Thanks, Mr. Blake!  Hi, everyone!"

Hands occupied with loving her new toy and old pet dragon, Mittens has to resort to telekinetically controlling the game.  But that too also gets derailed when Bethany's name is mentioned.  Mits' ears wiggle in surprise, and Pyrus' tail wags, probably making Meekla's attempts at salvaging the game still challenging in spite of Mits' many distractions preventing her from taking full advantage of Meekla's plight.

"Imma gobble you up, Cuddles!  Rawr!"

Pyrus nomfs the toy, but gently enough to not do any damage.  His wings flap happily and he turns an impish glance at Ulchi.  The one dogs give when they want master to watch them play with the chew toy.

Nathan smiles at the playfulness of the kids and nods to Beth's approach.  "What you see is what's going on.  Taking a break for some fun times.  Yourself?"
Blake
Sun 10 Nov 2019
at 06:04
  • msg #11

Star Wars: Dark Prosperity

  What is the polite way to phrase 'a whole lot of pleasant nothing'?  Because someone not wasting arcade credits being the reason people are diving around is still preferable to most causes.

  "The same reasoning as Nathan, really." There we go, copy the people with more tact.
Bethany Bright
Player, 3 posts
Sun 10 Nov 2019
at 23:37
  • msg #12

Star Wars: Dark Prosperity

Meekla finally adjusts herself properly and thus, stabilizes her X-wing.

Ulchi pets Pyrus and indulges him with watching him play with the toy. If he'll let her, she'll scoop him out of the simulator so she can flop him on the floor and give belly rubs, etc.

Crystal says, "Sorry for the distractions, Mittens. May as well give up, though, now that Meekla has control of Pyrus's craft."

Meekla says, "Don't discourage her! You don't get better at games by quitting!"

Tanai says, "Finish the game, Mittens."

Bethany smiles from Nathan's response and Blake copying that, thus assuring her things are just spiffy! "Much the same for me too! I was between jobs, so figured I'd come check the arcade to see if you all were here and if you guys wanted to eat pizza together."

All the teens' attention is now on Bethany. Meekla's ear wiggles to indicate she too was enthralled by the talk of pizza, but has her eyes focused on the screen.

Tanai asks, "I'd love to have some pizza..."

Crystal says, "Me too!"

Ulchi calls out, "Me three!"

Meekla holds out for Mittens' response.
Mittens
GM, 2540 posts
Mon 11 Nov 2019
at 00:13
  • msg #13

Star Wars: Dark Prosperity

You would think teddy bear would be easier to take on than dragon.  Go figure.  Mits is now on the defensive, knowing full well she can't win against Meekla in a fair fight without a lot of luck.  But what better way to learn how to survive in a real dogfight than to pit yourself against a worthy simulator opponent?  So tempting though it may be to telekinetically pull Meekla's hair over her face at a crucial moment, Mits restrains herself to focus on the game...  and gets owned handily.  Oh well.  She shrugs sheepishly to Crystal.

"Mittens too stubborn to ever quit."

"Pizza?  Me infinity!  I want all the fish toppings on mine."

Pyrus is big enough for Mits to ride on his back, so it's easier to just tell him - oh he's already on his back ready for belly rubs.  "You're the best, Ulchi!"

Nathan smiles at Beth's generous offer.  "Thanks, Bethany!  How nice of you to offer."

He waves over the arcade's droid to take the order.
Blake
Mon 11 Nov 2019
at 01:31
  • msg #14

Star Wars: Dark Prosperity

  Blake is assuming they have at least enough time to eat pizza, otherwise Nathan and Mittens would be having official horrible doom premonitions already.  Rather than his own natural state of 'clearly pirates would attack in the next five minutes, if that meant no pizza' cynicism.

  "I'm fairly certain there are some movies where the moral is that the only winning move is not to play.  But that clearly does not apply in this case, as demonstrated by Meekla."
Bethany Bright
Player, 4 posts
Mon 11 Nov 2019
at 04:46
  • msg #15

Star Wars: Dark Prosperity

Meekla goes for a high-five on Mittens. "Stubbornness is a virtue! I didn't get as good as I am at games by giving up."

During pizza time, Bethany says, "I never did ask you guys about your families. What are they like?"

Tanai says, "Mom's really nice. Dad can be gruff at times, but he's dependable and strong."

Crystal says, "Mom left home when I was three. Dad likes drinking a lot. He has a job as a starship salesman."

Ulchi says, "Mom's an engineer and loves talking about racing. Dad's got a home business where he creates holonet sites and on the side, helps mom sell her services."

Meekla says, "My dad's a Togorian warrior. Don't have a mom. But I do have some wookies on Kashyyk who consider me kinda like family."

Beth looks expectantly at Nathan, Mittens, Pyrus and Blake.
Mittens
GM, 2541 posts
Mon 11 Nov 2019
at 05:30
  • msg #16

Star Wars: Dark Prosperity

Mittens immediately raspberries Nathan as soon as Meekla defends stubbornness.  Though the case could be made that proper Jedi are very very stubborn, Nathan has been trying to get Mits to understand that stubbornly resisting the teachings is not a good thing.

Pyrus playfully barks at Tanai.  "Grrruff!  Gruff gruff!"

Nathan's trying to think on how to tactfully answer Beth's question when Mits just blurts out, "Don't remember my birth parents.  My first adopted 'dad.' was a serial killer.  He liked to torture me and hated it when I called him 'daddy' in any way shape or form.  So I called him daddy a lot to torment him.  Then a super old Jedi Master killed him and adopted me.  He was much nicer, but died.  Now Nathan's my new 'dad' but he's kinda too young to really be my dad, so...  big brother?

"Couldn't find anything on Pyrus.  Not even a homeworld for his kind.  And Nathan...?  How have I never asked?  Always just assumed he was like all the other Jedi and taken from his real parents before he was two."


Mits makes her pizza talk, "No, Mommy!  Don't eat meee!"

"It'll all be over soon, my cheesy child, but scream all you like.  Your suffering adds flavor."  Nomf!

Nathan stares at Mittens in shock.  After collecting himself, figuring this to be more of her silliness, though strangely ringing true, he nods.  "Yes.  I was raised in the Achademy by several different teachers like most of the others.  It is considered wise for Jedi to avoid creating strong familial ties."
Blake
Mon 11 Nov 2019
at 06:23
  • msg #17

Star Wars: Dark Prosperity

  All this trusting exposition, so of course Blake ruins it by not providing any.  It's slightly considerate, because it means he is not following up Mittens's (probably) not made up revelations with 'oh, MY possibly insane adopted dad DIDN'T suck'.

  ...Wait, that means he can't take a verbal jab at Nathan how clearly 'weak' family ties worked out soooo much better for Mittens. Curse you, bare minimum of tact!

  "The important thing is that regardless of the cause, Nathan is not a huge asshole.  So try to follow them in that surprisingly difficult life goal Mittens, and it will... probably, turn out adequate."
Bethany Bright
Player, 5 posts
Tue 12 Nov 2019
at 22:29
  • msg #18

Star Wars: Dark Prosperity

Meekla is giggling from Mittens' nomf antics.

Crystal curls her lip in disgust and horror. Starting with Mittens' backstory, but mostly at Mittens' eating antics. To Meekla, her eyes go wide. "Woah... Togorian dad? Wookie extended family? Badass!"

Ulchi says, "How is that thing your child? It was made by someone else and you just met."

Tanai glances between Mittens and Crystal and asks, "I'm sorry about your being hurt in the past... but can you please *not* ever do that with your food again?"

Meekla says, "Lighten up! She's obviously making a reference to All You Can Eat Extreme." a LOT of video games are weird and some just go straight for the far realm at times.

Bethany says, "Ooooh..." in wonderment at each person's story. From the mundane to the drama-packed, all seem equally amazing to her. To Nathan she nods and says, "If Mittens' story is any indication, I can see why the jedi would be scared of families, especially adopted ones as jedi would almost certainly be. But Meekla seems to have no problem and she's adopted. Hmm... what's the take away? Is it a 50/50 chance of torture or bliss? I don't have any family that I know of, so should I get one or not? Oh well! Guess I'll let nature take its course..."

She looks at Blake. "What about you? What's your family like?"
This message was last edited by the player at 22:34, Tue 12 Nov 2019.
Mittens
GM, 2542 posts
Wed 13 Nov 2019
at 23:48
  • msg #19

Star Wars: Dark Prosperity

Blake is sooo right.  But Mits is not going to admit that she was gradually getting more like Evil Dad before Master Dentures took over raising her.

Flashback:
Evil Dad: "You were insulted and you merely gave him a bloody nose for it?!  What a failure!  What a wimp!  The fool should suffer dearly!"

Flashback:
Master Wrinkleface: "You gave him a bloody nose for merely insulting you?  Isn't that the sort of thing your former Master would want you to do?"
"Well actually he'd want me to torture the boy and cut off his arms and legs."
"I see.  Well good job for not doing that.  Let's work on getting even better still."


Mits quickly looks up what a Togorian is and widens her eyes.  "Woah.  Dang.  Yeah!  Hope to meet your awesome family some day, Meekla!"

Pyrus just busts out laughing from Ulchi's question.  "She's pretending, silly!"

Mits sweatdrops from Tanai and Meekla's comments on her food silliness.  "Um... no promises.

"Sounds like a fun game!

"Mittens wouldn't exactly call life with Master Ancient "bliss."  Only by comparison.  Nathan's adequate too.  So 2 for 3 is pretty good, I suppose."


Nathan chuckles.  "A ringing endorsement.  I doubt the risk is quite so severe as 50/50.  But considering how extreme the consequences are for a Jedi should you have poor luck with relationships, it's probably best to err on the side of caution whenever possible."
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