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M4 WG: The Tree.

Posted by The ForceFor group archive 1
Xyklo Voozul
Verpine Soldier, 225 posts
ST 7/15, WT 5/12
Wed 4 Apr 2018
at 06:32
  • msg #4

M4 WG: The Tree

Exhaustion was beginning to take its toll, Xyklo pulled the blindfold up but kept both the cloth and his hand across his brow to shield his eyes. He stumbled after the others, eager to get to the shade.
The Force
GM, 1158 posts
Binds all life together
May the Force be with you
Wed 4 Apr 2018
at 17:06
  • msg #5

M4 WG: The Tree

Your host leads you towards the shady area and you see that it is, indeed, a tremendous tree. Not nearly as tall as the mighty bastions of Kashyyyk, but still impressive in that a tree of this size is growing, apparently, inside a mountain. The tree's leaves are vibrant green. The tree's trunk and boughs are a dark, healthy brown.

The ground is a soft, loamy earth that is neither wet nor dry. This makes a pleasant change from the wetlands and badlands you have been walking through for days.

You pass under the boughs and the leafy canopy provides shade. Your eyes ease a bit from the bright light they have been straining under. Once they have adjusted, you see another person. It is an older man of the same species as the Aki-Varshi. He slowly stands up from his seat by the mighty trunk. He walks towards you, his robes swishing as he moves. He is wearing a bandage around his eyes too, but it appears to be holding in place a much thicker cloth over his eyes. You are fairly sure that you wouldn't be able to see through the blindfold he is wearing. Nevertheless, he approaches you steadily.

The man reaches Forim and stops. He reaches up with his right hand and gently places it on the side of Forim's head. For a few moments, Forim's large eyes seem to dilate.

Suddenly you are far away, in a place you can barely remember. Your hands and feet move randomly, without your guidance, as an enormous Duro leans down towards you. She babbles some strange noises that you are unable to parse. She smiles and touches you kindly, and keeps babbling. You try to imitate the babble, and she coos in delight.

The scene changes, and you find yourself in a much more familiar place. It is the creche of a starship, where you played and learned with other children. You all sing songs together, ancient nursery rhymes of your people.

You are seated in a classroom. On your desk are books, paper, and a stylus. All around you, youths carefully scratch their letters. They copy out words they do not know from their reading, then look the words up to increase their vocabulary.

You are seated at the dinner table on your first starship. Your crewmates laugh and talk, telling stories and jokes. They switch between Durese and Basic freely as they casually chat.


The man withdraws his hand. "Thank you for sharing your memories with me," he says in Basic.
Forim Luk
GM, 833 posts
Flight Officer
12/12w 10/14s stims:0
Wed 4 Apr 2018
at 17:16
  • msg #6

M4 WG: The Tree

Forim, speechless for a few moments before wiping a year and saying in a harsh voice "thank you for showing me my mother once more"
The Force
GM, 1159 posts
Binds all life together
May the Force be with you
Wed 4 Apr 2018
at 22:34
  • msg #7

M4 WG: The Tree

The old man looks around to all of you. "This language I have learned; do all of you speak it? Good. Very well, then. I am Jevery, the Custodian of the Tree. This is Vies, my Guardian." He gestures to the younger man who escorted you to this room. He bows.

"You must have many questions," says Jevery as he folds his hands into his sleeves.
Anders Flown
player, 169 posts
I can't drown my demons
they know how to swim.
Wed 4 Apr 2018
at 23:14
  • msg #8

M4 WG: The Tree


Anders returns the Guardians bow before asking "So what is the purpose of this place ?" He is somewhat lost for words now they have actually made it to their destination.

-
The Force
GM, 1160 posts
Binds all life together
May the Force be with you
Wed 4 Apr 2018
at 23:22
  • msg #9

M4 WG: The Tree

Jevery, his eyes still concealed by his thick eye-bandage, smiles. He points up at one of the tree's many, many branches. "Look among the branches. You see leaves, yes? Do you also see the fruits?"

As it happens, you do. Nestled in the crook of a branch, you see a brown, fist-sized fruit. Now that you know what you are looking for, you can see several more growing.

"This tree is a special tree. It does not lightly drop its fruit. Throughout its life, it provides them only to..." he pauses.

A fruit drops down out of the tree and lands in front of Anders with a quiet thud.

Jevery bends down, picks up the fruit, and hands it to Anders. "It seems you have been selected for a great honour."

Now that you get a closer look at the fruit, you can see a few more details. It is hard, and has a sort of seam down the middle.
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:24, Wed 04 Apr 2018.
Anders Flown
player, 170 posts
I can't drown my demons
they know how to swim.
Wed 4 Apr 2018
at 23:35
  • msg #10

M4 WG: The Tree

In reply to The Force (msg # 9):

Anders takes the fruit and holds it in front of him on his flat palm. He looks to Jevery unsure what he would like him to do.

-
Forim Luk
GM, 834 posts
Flight Officer
12/12w 10/14s stims:0
Thu 5 Apr 2018
at 00:47
  • msg #11

M4 WG: The Tree

Forim hears his Owen accent, at least a close as it can be given the different mouth structure, coming from Jevery and Is a bit weirded out.

He is slightly skeptical about the honor of a fruit dropping But He remains quiet to watch.
The Force
GM, 1161 posts
Binds all life together
May the Force be with you
Thu 5 Apr 2018
at 00:57
  • msg #12

M4 WG: The Tree

Jevery reaches out with his own hands. He takes Anders' hands in his own and wraps them around the fruit's hard skin. They pull together, and the fruit comes open with a snap.

Inside is a glittering crystal.

"This is your blessing. The Tree has seen your heart, and has read your destiny. With this fruit..." he pauses at another soft 'thud.'

Forim looks down. Another fruit has landed on the ground in front of him.

"My goodness," says Jevery. Vies also makes a sound of soft surprise.

"Ahem. As I was saying, the fruits are the means to the blessings of the Tree. Once in a great while, the Tree chooses to bestow one on a worthy individual. When you met Master Warden Lum, did he show you his crystal? He chose to fashion his blessing into a device. Now he uses it to keep our lands safe."

Jevery coughs. "When I received mine, I brewed it in a pot of tea. After I drank, I received a powerful awakening. Now I have a second sight. It renders my living eyes unnecessary for most things." He gently tugs on his blindfold.
Anders Flown
player, 171 posts
I can't drown my demons
they know how to swim.
Thu 5 Apr 2018
at 01:02
  • msg #13

M4 WG: The Tree


Picking up the crystal from the interior of the fruit he looks at it, moving it this way and that. Anders then places the crystal in his pocket and he also keeps the parts of fruit placing it into a secure container. "So the tree has something to do with the force ? Like a physical embodiment of the power ?"
Zeic Plirr
Sullustian Commando, 75 posts
1 strain
Thu 5 Apr 2018
at 01:31
  • msg #14

M4 WG: The Tree

Zeic moves with the others near the tree, his hands folded behind him.  He shows keen interest in this new development and is very curious to hear the answer to the question posed by Anders.
Xyklo Voozul
Verpine Soldier, 226 posts
ST 7/15, WT 5/12
Thu 5 Apr 2018
at 14:08
  • msg #15

M4 WG: The Tree

Xyklo stares around in surprise and bewilderment. He notes the emotions on Forims face. This was clearly a power beyond that which he understood, something far greater than he, or Forim, or any of them.

"We can't let the Empire get to this...   tree." the word tree didn't do it justice, but he didn't have a better word.
He knew for certain that the woman out there somewhere must be stopped from finding it.
His tired legs finally gave out, Xyklo sat down with a bump.
Forim Luk
GM, 835 posts
Flight Officer
12/12w 10/14s stims:0
Thu 5 Apr 2018
at 14:19
  • msg #16

M4 WG: The Tree

Forim jumps as the fruit lands in front of him and then stares at the fruit in bewilderment.  Twice could be a coincidence, but there time... he says as he looks up at the branches of the tree...

This doesn't make sense...  Crystals don't grow in fruit, they are rocks.  They grow in caves.

Exhaustion has caused Forims mind to run in circles.
The Force
GM, 1162 posts
Binds all life together
May the Force be with you
Thu 5 Apr 2018
at 15:00
  • msg #17

M4 WG: The Tree

Two more fruits drop. Zeic turns to find Vies picking one up and handing it to him reverently, while Xyklo finds one sitting next to his foot.

"The Force, yes, we have heard this term before. Many years ago, scholars from a group called 'The Republic' came to study the Tree. They passed the tests and asked many questions. They said that the 'Jedi Knights' would be very interested in their findings. The Custodian of the time had a blessing and let them inspect it. They claimed it was something called a 'catalyst,' and would be very powerful in a machine."
Anders Flown
player, 172 posts
I can't drown my demons
they know how to swim.
Thu 5 Apr 2018
at 22:54
  • msg #18

M4 WG: The Tree

In reply to The Force (msg # 17):

"Have you had dealings with the Imperial forces on the surface at the moment ? Those forces attacking your people ?"
The Force
GM, 1165 posts
Binds all life together
May the Force be with you
Fri 6 Apr 2018
at 03:16
  • msg #19

M4 WG: The Tree

"They have been present on our world for some years. The Aki-Varshi observed them as they set up their camp. At first we were concerned that they meant to attack the mountain and seek the Tree, but they had their own designs. They created a kind of prison here, bringing others from off-world to keep them incarcerated in buildings in the great marshlands to the south. Why they would do any of this is beyond me. In any case, they kept to themselves for most of the time, unaware of our tribes."

"Now, it seems that they have come in pursuit of you. You came for the Tree, yes? Tell me, do they know of your quest?" He asks this last question in a tone of casual curiosity.
Anders Flown
player, 173 posts
I can't drown my demons
they know how to swim.
Fri 6 Apr 2018
at 03:29
  • msg #20

M4 WG: The Tree

In reply to The Force (msg # 19):

Anders look at the others before answering "I don't believe so. What more can you tell us about this prison ?"
Xyklo Voozul
Verpine Soldier, 228 posts
ST 7/15, WT 5/12
Fri 6 Apr 2018
at 13:32
  • msg #21

M4 WG: The Tree

Xyklo was more than a little surprised to find the fruit next to his foot. He had found his thoughts drifting already to the importance of stopping the Empire getting their dirty hands on this magical place.
Carefully he picked it up, holding it up to Vies.
“I..  I found another one.” He mumbled. Jedi Knights? They were a myth weren’t they?..  yet the tree, crystal fruit, and the light...
Zeic Plirr
Sullustian Commando, 77 posts
1 strain
Fri 6 Apr 2018
at 21:10
  • msg #22

M4 WG: The Tree

Zeic picks up the fruit and ponders it a bit.  Turning it over in his hands, he takes in the feel and weight of it.  He then consumes it slowly and deliberately not quite understanding the sudden new awareness he has but he definitely feels more connected to the cosmos now.

Coming out of it now, he nods in agreement with Ander's assessment.
The Force
GM, 1167 posts
Binds all life together
May the Force be with you
Sat 7 Apr 2018
at 13:32
  • msg #23

M4 WG: The Tree

"I'm afraid I cannot tell you much. The Master Warden will know more than I. When you see the Aki-Varshi again on your way out, ask him to tell you about the prison. I think he may be more helpful to you if you tell him you are trying to get off-world."

Zeic takes the crystal-fruit into his mouth. It is much too hard to chew, but just as he is about to take it out again, he feels strange.

You are surrounded by countless millions of bright lights. They glow, and move, and pulse, and some are slowly splitting into two. It's dizzying.

Then you realize that the lights you saw are combined into larger forms, themselves the sources of more light. These towering, mighty glow-forms fill your vision as you look at them.

You look around and see more lights. Lights so large, so immense, that they contain entire ecosystems of lights within them. They move of their own accord, like titans among insects.

Then, at last, you see a light so great that it fills the entire world. It towers above you, covering the sky with bright, brilliant light.


The rest of the team watches Zeic taking an eye-watering interest in the soil, insects, tiny plants, themselves, and finally the tree. The Custodian smiles indulgently.
Forim Luk
GM, 837 posts
Flight Officer
12/12w 10/14s stims:0
Sat 7 Apr 2018
at 16:58
  • msg #24

M4 WG: The Tree

Forim cannot help but chuckle at the outrageousness of consuming a crystal.  "That looks like some powerful spice" he quips before his brain can stop him.
Xyklo Voozul
Verpine Soldier, 229 posts
ST 7/15, WT 5/12
Sun 8 Apr 2018
at 17:11
  • msg #25

M4 WG: The Tree

Xyklo smiles at Forims joke, but he was very hungry...    and the fruit did look really good...   and Zeic seemed really zoned out on it...

Better than jam even?

Figuring no one had said the fruit wasn't specifically his, he tentatively took a bite, then another. His Hunger overriding his sense and etiquette pretty soon he was stuffing it into his snout, antenna perked up and twitching in excitement.
The Force
GM, 1168 posts
Binds all life together
May the Force be with you
Sun 8 Apr 2018
at 18:44
  • msg #26

M4 WG: The Tree

Xyklo feels his awareness expand. For a moment, he can sense every cell, every tiny plant, every insect, and every leaf on the enormous tree. When the sensation clears, he feels a strange energy seeping through him. It's something that he has always had, but only just now become aware of.
Anders Flown
player, 174 posts
I can't drown my demons
they know how to swim.
Sun 8 Apr 2018
at 20:45
  • msg #27

M4 WG: The Tree

In reply to The Force (msg # 23):

"Yes.. of course.. the back of us and all that." Anders watches as some consume their fruit, he takes a more cautious approach and just waits.

-
Xyklo Voozul
Verpine Soldier, 230 posts
ST 7/15, WT 5/12
Sun 8 Apr 2018
at 21:14
  • msg #28

M4 WG: The Tree

Antenna twitching and whirling, Xyklo stands, his feet tingling. Slowly he walks towards the tree, and ever so gently puts his hands onto the trunk. He might have thought himself crazy a minute ago, now all that mattered was exploring these new sensations, understanding life...
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