Ztudiez in zhe Dark Artz [Day 4, Mid Evening]

[Jun-Tsu Farro]

Never had Jun-Tsu felt so busy, between court, the seating challenges, and the art gala, her entire day felt as though it had just slipped by. It had all been enjoyable in its own way, but so far from the life she lived on Korriz. She thought back to her homeworld as she sipped a bracing tea. Meant to give her energy for the rest of her meetings, she relaxed in one of the smaller chambers set off from the main hall. Nominally a study of some sort, what it truly was remained a receiving room, originally one of dozenz of anchorite cells that lined the hall.

Quietly she waited for her guest to arrive, a brazier at the center of the room, sending up a soft trail of smoke that seemed to dissipate once it had reached the ceiling.

[Lord Tenebrous]

Having changed to her ensemble for the art gala, with her hair still up in elaborate braids, Lord Tenebrous arrived once more at the estate of the Farro. This time she wasn't as surprised by the formal welcome by the witches, and after giving them a nod of approval, she was escorted in to meet with Jun-Tsu.

"A pleasure to be a guest in your home again," she spoke with a calm tone as she saw the familiar Farro witch, and she adjusted one of her gloves as she approached.

[Jun-Tsu Farro]

"Ve are alvayz happy to hawe you vith uz. Bozh a good friend, good ally, und azpirant to zhe Counzil." She smiled as she sipped her tea. "Zhough Houze Farro doez not back anyvone openly, ve vould greatly vizh to zee you zit upon zhe council. Yourz iz a balanced vill, und avare of zhe affairz vhich truly conzern zhe ztate."

"Vould you care vor tea? It iz bitter, but refrezhing."

[Lord Tenebrous]

"Tea will be fine, yes thank you... opportunities for stronger drink will be plentiful later tonight," she said in a pleased tone to the offer, and adjusted the other glove.

"And thank you... I understand that making open declarations of backing is a tricky business, seeing how uncertain the nature of the tests are. As well as their outcomes," her face twisted in a brief grimace of today's Test of Loyalty. "Such a pointless mess today, I feel. Seeing what happened to the other Aspirants, I feel relieved I followed my instincts in not subjecting myself to something called a test of loyalty."

[Jun-Tsu Farro]

A meaningful silence followed the comment as Jun-Tsu just nodded. "Zhey made zheir choicez, und I hope zhey are happy vizh zheir choicez, vor I am not."

She sighed, "Zhey did prowe zhe loyalty of zhe azpirant, zhat cannot be denied, but at vhat cozt to zhe empire. Zurely, zhere vere better vayz to zeek demonztrationz of loyalty zhat did not deztroy opportunity."

[Lord Tenebrous]

"The death of a mother who raised a loyal Sith, who probably was loyal herself..." not something she approved of at all, considering her own complicated emotions around the concept of family, and the death of the family. Judging by her tone it seemed to be a sore spot for her. "... The Mandalorian... they're of no interest to me, but it was pointless to remove an asset that could've been used by the Empire."

Shaisha breathed deeply through her nostrils, picking up the scents of the smoke here, and then exhaled slowly. "The Emperor doesn't care for loyalty to the Empire. Only slavish loyalty to him - a truth I know all too well."

It annoyed her that she was now behind in the race for the seat, but she would just have to make up for it otherwise.

[Jun-Tsu Farro]

A nod of agreement, "Ve are of v'one mind on the subject. Houze Farro beliewez in zacrifize, zometimez painvul zacrifize, in zhe name of pover. I zpoke about zuch at court juzt today. But zhiz iz not zacrifize."

She shook her head, "Zhiz iz juzt deztruction. Zhe irony, of courze, being zhat I vould hawe been vine vith zhe zlawe dying, but apparently zhere iz a great bond zhere between zhe two of zhem zhat, I convezz, I cannot understand. But zhen, underztanding iz not a prerequisite."

"But zhat azide, more und more I vear for zhe Empire. Perhapz zhere iz zome greater dezign, but I beliewe ve both know zhat zuch dezignz care nozhing for zhe vuture of zhe Empire. Zhe Empire, in hiz mind, haz likely become tangled vith himzelv, und to him zhey are v'one in zhe zame."

[Lord Tenebrous]

"It..." she paused, reconsidering her words and how to formulate her thoughts. "Were we immortal powerful beings, who had lived hundreds of years, I think we too would consider the galaxy our plaything more than anything else."

Her exasperated gesture to their surroundings said what she felt about the situation. "It's all just for his amusement. Not to actually find who is worthy to join the Council."

"But... well, we are in agreement. Thank you, for hosting me again once more. How is the situation treating you?"

[Jun-Tsu Farro]

She sipped her tea.

"Zhere iz great opportunity. Great pover awailable. Zo, it iz not zet in ztone, Darzh Baraz haz ovvered me zhe opportunity to become zhe Emperor's Woice." Her eyes were downcast. "I am to meet zhe Emperor tomorrow."

Her lips drew into a line, "Und mein zizterz und I enact a ritual of protection tonight. Ve vill vorge an amulet to keep me zafe vrom hiz pover....but I vear zhat iv he truly zhowz hiz vrath, it vill but delay him. Our zpellz und talizmenz are poverful, but he iz poverful beyond all meazure. I vear ewen zhe might of mein great-grandmuter vould not ewen be a match for hiz dark pover."

"But I go, vor in zhat place, I vould hawe more knovledge of zhe Dark Zide at mein vingertipz zhan any Farro in vive-hundred yearz." She was silent a moment, "But I rizk already being a pawn of Darzh Baraz or vorze by purzuing zhiz."

[Lord Tenebrous]

The ridged lines of her brows drew close as she listened to Jun-Tsu, a hint of concern showing in her eyes. "Be careful. Not only of Baras, but of the Emperor as well." A gloved hand reached up to stroke her ridged jawline, thinking.

"He must have something in mind to push you into that position... possibly he's realising that his future as the Emperor's Voice is short, and he's rearranging the position of the pieces on the board to suit his needs."

[Jun-Tsu Farro]

"Eweryvone knowz zhat now zhat zhe Emperor iz prezent, he iz no longer able to uze zhe pozition az he v'once did. He claimed, to me, zhat hiz vork reqvired lezz....light in vhich to excel. On zhat I beliewe him, hovewer, zhe vull truzh liez at leazt zewen layerz beneazh zhiz v'one. Uze zhe truzh to cower zhe turzh."

Another sip of tea. "Zhe real qveztion iz vhy mein name vas vhizpered in hiz ear to begin vith. Mein great-grandmuter haz not been zubtle in her dizucssionz vizh zhe vamily about her dezire for zuch pover in zhe Empire for uz. Perhapz zhiz iz her doing. Zhe haz had a wery long live, longer ewen zhen Darzh Arya. Who can zay vhat kind of invluence zhe haz here. Or perhapz zhe Emperor zuzpectz....und haz reqveted me."

She looked up to Shaisha, "All iz pozzible, und zhus, me und mein zizterz vill vork our alkhemy und pray to zhe Umbră-Ușoară for deliwerence."

[Lord Tenebrous]

"Alchemy... if my memory serves me right, you and Sinea both seemed to have aptitude for the more mystical arts of the Sith. Something that all too few know anymore, I feel." In a lot of ways, she envied Jun-Tsu, whose family traditions had been so well-kept and remembered - cared for like the prized heirloom it was.

Whereas her family's traditions had been eroded and washed away by the Emperor's machinations, when all of her family died a long time ago. All she had to go on now was fragments of her own memories, as well as what little survived in text.

"You will use alchemy to protect yourself against the Emperor?"

[Jun-Tsu Farro]

"In part. It iz a laboriouz and particular zcience, vith requirementz und zpecifications zhat muzt be met to produce zhe dezired creation. Often vith rare materialz conzumed vhether it vaz zuccezzful or not." She took a meditative breath, continuing to calm herself from the chaos of the day.

"But it can be efficazious, povervully zo. Charms to channel zhe Forze, inztill fear in all who approach, or protect vrom zhe elementz. Elixirz und poizonz to bozh heal und harm. But zhe truly great of zhem reqvire. Zhe great Naga Zhadow v'once zaid 'Azk me the zecretz of Zith alkhemy, und I vould azk you vor zhree measurez of blood: v'one vrom a person you lowe, v'one vrom a person you hate, und v'one vrom yourzelf."

[Lord Tenebrous]

"Getting the blood of people you hate sounds like a very time-consuming task," the lord said with a chuckle in her tone, not really lacking in such targets herself.

"Do you think the Emperor plans to do something against you tomorrow?"

[Jun-Tsu Farro]

"I beliewe zhat if he doez zhere iz little I can do to ztop it. But v'one muzt alvayz be ready for zhe game to turn. I can help you vizh zhat az vell, iv only zhrough mein zpellz und potionz. Nonzenzical vitchery I am zure to many, but let zhem deny mein aid."

[Lord Tenebrous]

"Only fools would call it nonsense when it clearly has power," she scoffed, having never been one to dismiss the old ways of her people. Though that was probably obvious to some as she still used the old Sith language.

"But please, I wish to know more of how this could help me. Alchemy has never been an art I was taught much of - my family line is one of warriors, not mystics." Shaisha gestured for Jun-Tsu to go on.

[Jun-Tsu Farro]

"Ov courze, I alvayz encourage ztudy of zhe old vayz. Now, mind you, zhere are higher truzh of Zith alchemy zhat I hawe not maztered yet. Manipulation of live, zhe creation of creaturez to carry out v'one's vill, true varping of zhe energiez of zhe liwing Forze. Zuch zhingz are vor true mazterz, like mein great-grandmuter."

"But I can zhow you zhe vayz. Come, I can zhow you now, iv you like."

[Lord Tenebrous]

She nodded with interest as Jun-Tsu spoke, wondering just how powerful one could be with these alchemical creations.

At Jun-Tsu's offer, she breathed deeply and gave a more firm and affirmitive nod. "Yes, I would like to see it."

[Jun-Tsu Farro]

She rose with grace and led the pair from the chamber. With soft rustling from her robes on the polished stone tile of the main hall, she made her way to the far end where a pair of large metal doors rested. As they approached the doors opened revealing an elevator tube nested in its shaft. Stepping in the doors closed after Shaisha and they descended. For what felt like a strangely long time for the size of the manse, the lift finally came to a soft landing and opened.



A grand orrery rested beyond in a cavernous hall lit through some source that almost mimicked daylight. But given the hour, that was impossible. The light, however, faded well before the floor into a dull illumination. Beneath the hovering stone planets rested a small alter or podium.

"Come," Jun-Tsu said and led the Sith out into the massive cavern.

[Lord Tenebrous]

It was hard to not be a little impressed by the sight, considering how it seemed more like a proper Sith temple than some luxurious estate of a Lord. Almost like something she could've seen on Korriban, and not on Ziost.

At least not this part of Ziost.

She made no show to hide her amazement, lifting her head up to see more. And at Jun-Tsu's beckoning, she continued to follow. "Never thought I'd see something like this in New Adasta..."