"It's a modern name," says Kuylen. "The original name is lost." He brushes back a braid. "Avalar was a remote world, very cold, out on the edge of civilised space. About 11 centuries ago, a Sith faction set up their home there. They had an idea the rest of the Sith considered heretical. Before that point, the Sith only ever passed on their traditions verbally- Master to Apprentice. Only in the minds of the Sith were their secrets kept." Kuylen sips at a drink. "Which is why, when they all died, their secrets were lost forever.
"But at Avalar, they tried something different. They set up a Monastery- which, being a Sith building, was more like a fortress- and there, they set upon the task of Codifying the Lore of the Sith. Every piece of knowledge, every insight, every secret known to the Sith was written down upon sacred tablets like that one, and kept in their archive. Their aim? The Monastery was a school. They intended to train a whole new generation of Sith, far more efficiently than the old way. They would create a training centre for the Sith to rival the Jedi Temple itself."
"The other Sith took badly to it," explains Kuylen. "As I say, it was heretical. During the final Sith War, Darth Bane himself took an army and stormed the archive, killing all the Sith monks within. But the Archive was left intact- those tablets are sacred to the Sith and may not be willingly harmed.
"The Jedi only ever heard rumours of Avalar, and once it was destroyed, followed shortly after by the entirity of the Sith, it became more myth than fact, the fabled 'Sith School' that no-one ever saw." Kuylen finishes his drink.
"I found it," he says."
"With the Archive we could have learned the secrets of the Sith and taken their power," says Kuylen. "That is the power I offer you. I have no interest in re-founding an archaic and ridiculous organisation like the Sith, but their POWWR interests me gratly, Combined with military discipline, the Republic will fall before us.
"But, it wasn't as simple as that," says Kuylen. "Avalar was a poor choice for a base; the planet was in a decaying orbit towards its sun. It will take another millenium before it is swallowed, but the effect on the biosphere is already dramatic. The Archive was covered in a thick layer of mineral-encrusted ice. I could not get to it myself; I needed allies.
"Myself, and several of my fellows that you will join soon if you please me, made two alliances. One was with a man named Faylar. The planet Avalar was inside an area of space named the Damagran Confederacy, an aread with space with great independant sentiment. Faylar was a politician on Damagran itself who wanted to leave the Republic and lead the Confederacy. In return for me helping him achieve that goal, he gave me the equipment to mine on Avalar and the right to do so.
"My second alliance was with a pirate chief named Pelloran. We paid him in gold- which was, fortunately, the main mineral deposit trapped in the Avalar ice, desposited by its sun. We paid Pelloran to attack Damagran shipping constantly, and hasten its exit from the Republic.
"But Faylar and Pelloran betrayed us at an inconvenient time, just as the Archive was unearthed. And some of my agents made too much noise trying to keep the Republic at bay. The Jedi became involved, and it was rather a lot to fight Faylar, Pelloran AND the Jedi. The Jedi traced us to the Archive and in the fight it was destroyed by the mining laser. We escaped with only part of it, like that tablet you see there.
"Faylar we killed for his treachery, and Pelloran's pirates were nearly wiped out. But Pelloran has the gold now- and from that gold he sets the bounties that now exist on you as well as I.
"The Jedi may have hoped that was the end of it but there is more to do. We recovered one other vital thing from Avalar- a complete set of Sith star maps contemporary to their final period of existence.
"Those maps contain the location of another Sith site I have in mind, where we can go to re-found my plan based on what we have learned from the Archive. It is a long way out; our ships need adapting to reach it. One problem though- the maps are incomprehensible.
"Luckily I used to work in the Jedi Archives and I know why. Sith maps are useless without a correct navigational device- cumbersome devices known as Astrolabes. None were thought to still exist- the Jedi have two but they are irreperably damaged- but I knew where one was."
Kuylen has ordered another drink by now.
"There was a man on Malastare, a very rich businessman, names Kir Ascar, who owns the largest private collection of Jedi and Sith artifacts in the Galaxy. Now, virtually no-one knew that Ascar's real name is Mal Sannan, and that he was once a VERY powerful and talented Jedi Padawan. He left the Order aged 13, but his training in the Force was finished on a planet I have not been to and know little of. Ascar has some weird ideas about the Force, but he is highly intelligent and VERY powerful.
"He helped me find Avalar, his price being some artifacts from it- though he was surprised when I did actually FIND it. But I knew from looking at his collection that Ascar has a working Sith Astrolabe. We went to Malastare to negotiate for it, but Ascar refused to. I then had to go, and left three of my agents to either persuade or force him to hand it over." He knocks the drink back.
"My agents failed me. Somehow- I do not yet know how- the Jedi traced us to Malastare very fast. My agents panicked and struck a clumsy blow. A small bloodbath ensued."
You heard of this, Allor; it is all over the news, how the Jedi fought a pitched battle in the middle of the Malastarian capital, with many casualties- police, and at least two other illict armed groups.
"It was a three way fight," says Kuylen. "The police and Jedi. My agents, with some backup I sent them. The third side were led by Ascar's apprentices, two idiots named Persis and Majora, and their security force. The Jedi, who were trying to prevent my men getting the Astrolabe, were victorious. Majora was killed, but Persis escaped... WITH the Astrolabe.
"I understand Ascar had to flee as well, though he would not have been stupid enough to fight the Jedi. I also understand he became estranged from Persis before the fight. This is little concern of ours. I have sent my failed agents after Persis, with orders to kill him and take the Astrolabe. If they fail again I will kill them. I must admit I do not have great confidence in them.
"So, you may be wondering why I am here? The answer is simple. Ascar fled here, to hide from the Jedi, and me. You see, at one point Ascar had the Astrolabe AND the maps. He KNOWS where my target is. If we can get to him, he can force him to reveal the location, and make this whole Astrolabe business irrelevant.
"That is where you come in. As I say, two others of mine are here also, searching the understreets for clues. I intend to speak to some important friends of mine here. You will come with me and help.
"This will not be easy. Bounty Hunters will try and kill you. Even more once we start asking questions- people here do not like questions. And it is almost certain that the Jedi will pursue Ascar here also- more to stop us getting to him than anything else.
"That's the deal. Help me find Ascar. Understand?"
Kuylen is taking you along the narrow, bustling walkways of Nar Shadda, buildings looming up and down all around you.
"I used to do work with Shareth the Hutt shortly after I left the Order," says Kuylen. "Shareth is reasonable enough so long as you make money for her. Like all Hutts, though, she is arrogant and greedy. Treat her and her men with respect. But also look dangerous. Remember, she could try and get over a million credits by turning us in. If anyone stares at you, stare back. If any man tries it on with you, kick him between the legs. When it comes to Shareth herself, treat her like a Queen."
You are being led up and away from the commercial district now, towards a high row of lavish palaces.
"Watch and learn," says Kuylen, as you approach the entrance to the palace. There are two guards, one human and one Gran. They step in your way
"No entrance," the man says.
"We are couriers with an important message for your mistress," says Kuylen, waving his hand. "You must let us past."
"You must be let past," says the man, beckoning you forwards. Kuylen steps forwards, but then the Gran sticks his gun in Kuylen's face.
"Not so fast, sonny," says the Gran.
"You WILL let us past," says Kuylen.
"Don't try that crap with me..." says the man. Kuylen nods.
There is a brief purpule FLASH, and the Gran's gun lies in two places on the floor. The man is about to make a moce to pick up the pieces, but then notices Kuylen's sabre is at his neck.
"I have the money to compensate Shareth for the loss of a guard," says Kuylen. "I'd rather save it. Do you want to let us in?" The Gran nods, hurriedly.
When you step inside, you are met by a Zabrak.
"What the hell is all this... KUYLEN? Of ALL the places you could come to after that idiocy on Malastare... you had better have something we want to hear."
"Now now, Li," says Kuylen. "Don't make me mad. I am sure Shareth will be delighted to see me." The Zabrak is about to snap at Kuylen, but you sense his fear. He does not want to annoy you.
"Who is your... charming companion?" the Zabrak asks.
"She has a mouth," says Kuylen. Both men turn to you.
-
Dexx- almost nothing. it is like these people don't own ANYTHING unless it is food, drink or weaponry.
Except... there is a communicator on the floor. You are about to overlook it but your instincts tell you to take a closer look.
(OOC: Hey, now I'm sad. Allor gets powers and I don't? Can I have Arnian powers? (Which, strangely enough, are ice...))
I realize that this could get worse REAL quick. (I assume Wraith is helping?) With reptilian coolness, I leap over a thug, spinning and slashing at his head as I go.
OOC: P.S. Those powers would help right about now...