[Rage of Rhelg] Mission Reports

[Sarias]

[ACOLYTE ACCESS PROHIBITED, RESTRICTION LOGGED BY SITH SUYNI; ACTING LOREKEEPER]
<--The image of a refined pureblood woman draped in robes marked by amulets and a house sigil, would appear before whoever accessed the file. Long hair captured in a series of loose and tied up braids, the calm yet lacking exspression carried enough weight to act as a warning in itself - and such was before a tone which demanding not just one's unwavering attention, but unrelenting focus sounded-->

"What is written within these files are not to be distributed, copied or otherwise be leaked to any members outside of the Horuset powerbase, as it risks the security and efforts of the initiatives in dealing with the threat pertaining to these reports. Any who are found in breach, or even entertains the notion of breaching these orders, shall find themselves in the pit with my creations". 
- Lord Sarias, Head Alchemist of the Horuset Powerbase

<--The visual image would cut out, leaving only the reports below for the eyes of the reader. Had someone just been listening to this via audio, the screen would flicker with the orders repeating three times before fading to the relevant documentation.-->

Relevant Documentation
Writings, information or other relevant documents that must be read by any partaking in the 'Rage of Rhelg' operations. 

'Rage of Rhelg' Condensed Sithspawn Profile

Report: The Rhelg Rebellion

'The Witness Below' Sithspawn Profile

Any mission reports or updates must include a summary of the relevant events, and have any writings, images or otherwise attached with it.

Any biological samples are to be forwarded to the Kaas Research Labs, or have the labs contacted for it to be picked up

[Rhysand Sekker]

UPDATE: APPRENTICE SEKKER

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The Rhelg Rebellion is a relatively minor territorial conflict, which despite taking place on one of the only agricultural planets within the Imperial Core, has not disrupted Rhelg’s economy, security, or influence. I assess that this conflict is not worth interfering in unless Sithspawn Q163 (also known as the Rage of Rhelg) interferes in it. In that situation, I will revise my assessment and provide a recommended course of action if necessary.

The rebellion began around a year ago and is fought between the Imperial garrison forces under the command of Lord Gret and the Rhelgian rebels, who do not have a central leader. It has as a result been largely unsuccessful in achieving its aims: independence for Rhelg from the Sith Empire. The Imperial forces are led by Lord Gret, who is a minor Sith Commander within the Ministry of Defence of the Empire. He appears politically moderate or uninvolved and is regarded as reliable, but nothing else.

Taking place primarily within the agricultural regions of the planet, the rebellion appears to be employing a mix of guerilla warfare and trench warfare to combat the Imperial forces and has as a result turned swathes of Rhelg’s countryside into muddy regions and torn-up roads, disrupting the local infrastructure as a result, although this has not disrupted its economic production.

Two things link the Rebellion to Sithspawn Q-163:

• The reports of Sithspawn Q-163 started around the same time as the emergence of the rebellion on Rhelg, both starting around a year ago.
  
• The rebellion uses the symbol of a red eye with a droplet of blood for a pupil, which is a known symbol of the Sithspawn and the cult. This symbol has also been seen on the sites of several ferocious battles.
  

Spoiler: Cult Symbol

[Rhysand Sekker]

UPDATE: APPRENTICE SEKKER

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Following is the report of an expedition to Rhelg to investigate the disappearance of an Imperial patrol in the swamps within the Garden District of the planet.

Attending:

• Sith Tutki (mission lead)
  
• Apprentice Rhysand Sekker
  
• Apprentice Naile Valzino
  
• Apprentice Emlar Racta
  
• Apprentice Charsette
  
• Apprentice Nivalis (with a Vornskr pup)
  

Gathering at the shuttles of the Horuset Estate, Sith Tutki gave several within the group specialised tasks. Apprentice Charsette was to use her Force Sight to assist in detecting any trace or warning of Sithspawn Q163 or other phenomena. Apprentice Nivalis was to handle the Vornskr pup, which acted as a bloodhound in the search. If contact was made with Sithspawn Q163, Apprentice Valzino was to implement a tracking device on the creature.

After arriving on Rhelg, we set out into the swamps and ventured inside, with the following formation:

• Front: Apprentices Nivalis and Sekker, with the Vornskr pup.
  
• Middle: Sith Tutki, with Apprentices Racta and Charsette
  
• Back: Apprentice Valzino
  

Venturing into the swamps, Apprentice Racta noticed that something had come through the treetops, though what was unclear. Apprentice Nivalis found a civilian-issue blaster pack on the route beneath the ruined treetops, which leads me to suspect that the patrol was ambushed by something.

Further on the route, we encountered a farmstead, long-abandoned, I estimate several decades at least. A sense of death pervaded the area around the homestead itself, which was ruined. Apprentice Nivalis explored it, finding "fresh-ish" blood, of which samples were taken and are now delivered to Lord Sarias. Heading south, we followed the Vornskr pup, which stopped at the edge of the water that covered the fields south of the farmstead. I sensed a Dark-Sided Presence at the bottom of the water, with a further sense of death around the area. It was not active, more a remnant, like from an Alchemical or Sorcerous ritual.

Sith Tutki used the Force to retrieve something that sat on top of the Dark-Sided Presence, which was a mix of body parts, some clad in Imperial reconnaissance armour, some in civilian outdoorsman garb. They sat on top of the remnants of a ritual site, which is the source of the Presence. The moment it left the water, a screech echoed in the distance, and all life between us and its source scattered, running away.  We began withdrawing back to the shuttle, while the forest went silent. While it approached, we were all capable of Sensing it.

Boarding the shuttle, we took off in time to see Sithspawn Q163 approach, tunnelling underneath the earth, tossing steel plates embedded into the earth into the air without difficulty, demonstrating significant strength. When it reached the shuttle's previous location, the ground exploded in a shower of dirt and mud, and it screeched again, likely in anger. It then thrust something up into the earth approximately the shape of a skull and the size of a human torso.

Conclusion:

We can conclude from this that Sithspawn Q163 indeed burrows, and upon returning to the Estate, Sith Tutki mentioned that it was capable of cutting through structural beams with sheer force. It is theorised that the bodies we uncovered were set at the location of a previous Dark-Side ritual, though it is no longer active. The bodies match the missing patrol. It is possible that:

• The bodies were not part of the ritual itself, but rather a 'stash' kept by Q163
  
• The ability to hide in the Force was a misconception
  
• The creature has some kind of affinity to the ritual site
  
• The bodies were used as some sort of sacrifice
  
• Any sort of Sorcerous energy being channelled will stir Q163
  

[whats1tsay]

ADDENDUM: SITH TUTKI

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In addition to the above report, we captured visual footage of the emergence of the creature with the shuttle's exterior cameras, appended to this entry.

The appended file shows a small clear area of swampland surrounded by water captured as the shuttle took off. After a few moments, the island appeared to explode into a column of dirt and debris, not striking the shuttle but obscuring view. As the shuttle proceeded to increase its altitude, a grey blob was visible in the middle of what once was the island. The camera zooms, and though the resolution was not particularly clear and the footage somewhat shaky from the shuttle's movement, the shape resolved somewhat to resemble a humanoid skull. An annotation added in post clarifies that the visible shape was in excess of three Imperial feet in diameter.

[Sarias]

Update: Lord Sarias - Rebel attack on the Garden District

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The sole survivor, named Amanda Telziran, is currently being treated at the Garden District Imperial Hospital. One of Lord Sarias' medics has been send to aid in the recovery of the girl, and take relevant samples.

[Rhysand Sekker]

UPDATE: APPRENTICE SEKKER

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While over Nicht-Ka, a squabble broke out on board a shuttle when the co-pilot attempted to overpower the rest of the crew to flee the system. He had been taken into custody by the others, and then transported to the care of Sith Leive. The prisoner went into a catatonic state shortly after arriving.

Attending:

• Sith Zevasa
  
• Sith Leive
  
• Apprentice Rhysand Sekker
  

The Interrogation
Arriving, Sith Leive departed for the observation room, while Sith Zevasa and I took care of the interrogation itself. Sith Zevasa was informed that the prisoner was recovering from a broken nose and had entered a catatonic state, as Sith Dutrosu had said. The prisoner was restrained in five-point restraints, and while Sith Zevasa dove into his mind, the man began wailing. It was unintelligible: through Force Sense, it appeared to be an expression of fear in the most primal way possible. At this point, Sith Zevasa started asking questions, which seemed to focus the man's mind somewhat.

The questions asked and the answers we received were - questions in blue and answers in red:

1. "What did this to you?" - "I realised."
   
2. "What did you witness?" - "I realised that Sith Vi’kas was right. The gods are real. But - what have we been praying to?"
   
3. "What did you see?" - "The Stillborn Prince."
   
4. "Is that the name of the entity that did this to you?" - "It did nothing."
   
5. "When did they get to you?" - "I don't know."
   
6. "What is the Stillborn Prince?" - "The tenth."
   

At this point, the man returned to his catatonic state and slipped beyond our grasp.

Conclusion:
Looking back through the Jaguada reports, it seems that Sithspawn Q162 played into the local religion in Jaguada, which identified the following deities (drawn from UPDATE: SITH TARIMRA #1), equated with the following Sith Gods, albeit twisted through the lense of culture and history:

• The Desert Mother: Marserha Jochor
  
• Zintha, Spear-Sister: Zyantha
  
• Ketham, Bow-Brother: Mekhath
  
• Zarkal, Blade-Brother: Hezarkal
  
• The Cold Night: Vorket
  
• Tyro’ga, Incense-Bearer: Typhojem
  
• Garvak, Chain-Bringer: Urgak-Val
  
• Falsir, Soft-Speaker: Hes’falda
  
• Themyr, Water-Prince: Slythmnr
  

Focusing on answer #6: "The Tenth." There are nine Sith Gods. It is possible that Q163, the Rage of Rhelg, is trying to depict itself as a tenth god (see the reference to "worship" in answer #1) under the moniker of the "Stillborn Prince." It would fit with the actions of Q162 on Jaguada and would indicate that Q163 has knowledge of Sith mythology. This would explain the reference to the "Tenth" in relation to what the entity of the "Stillborn Prince" is. This is, however, a personal theory, and more research and evidence must be gathered.

[Theprettiestorc]

UPDATE: NEOPHYTE VARRIXON, RECOVERY OF LORD VIPION

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There was an old frequency that came in - Lord Vipion making contact out in the woods of Dromund Kaas, kilometers away from both the Vipion Estate and the Horuset Estate.

Attending:

• Neophyte Varrixon
  
• Neophyte Charsette
  
• Apprentice Nivalis
  
• Apprentice Winter
  
• Apprentice Valzino
  
• Sgt. Haldeen
  

Investigation
Immediately commandeering a shuttle, there was another that arrived soon after. Lord Vipion was on a rock with her babe - she was in a haggard state, and there have been changes to her. We brought her back to Th'Asidra medbay, and security is tight, but there are several key details and several things she's said.

Details Below:

1. There were lingering traces of Sorcery on both, and Lord Vipion was very weary.
   
2. Their clothes smell of ammonia, and there is blood on her own - she states that she fought her way off, and that she was in water.
   
3. Her damaged eye is now black, with a red pupil shaped like a teardrop.
   
4. I did question her at the site, and she had the general gist right as far as memories... but didn't detect the trickery in it. I leave it to a tired mind.
   
5. She did start crackling with Lightning, to see us react. This is... within character for her, to put us on our toes, and she responds as well as I know her to.
   

Things she's said so far:

• "I will make myself clear and I will make myself clear once. I only remember parts, and I wasn't supposed to. I do not remember very important details. But I do remember some things."
  
• "I was in the water." (when I asked if she was where it was raining)
  
• "What the fuck is a -black fane-?"
  
• "I probably have their blood on me, and if you check my old holocom, there may be signs of a struggle."
  
• "... Gods, my head is killing me..."
  
• "... they called me the "mother". Nine thrones, a tenth empty. Creatures with eyes, a black oil slick..."
  
• "They cracked my mind. And it is a fortress."
  

Some of that may be elaborated on by herself soon.

[Emlar Racta]

UPDATE: Investigation into Baroness Gorez's appointments, and the Volden bookstore.


Report: Follow-up Investigation of Baroness Gorez's appointments

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Apprentice Vayek and myself took it upon ourselves to investigate the last two appointments that Laia Gorez had made. We paid a visit to the boutique at which she had made an appointment for a perm with her usual stylist, one mister Crenzo. He confirmed that the Baroness was in high spirtis and very excited to discuss the book in question with Sith Zevasa. The man also confirmed that she bore little interest in it herself, but she wished to keep procuring favour from a Sith. By all accounts - there is no evidence that her eagerness to cooperate with us ever wavered. The resident hostess at this boutique, one miss Verina, confirmed that the last booking was a little over a week ago. The Baroness came alone. Nothing out of the ordinary. Her father was raised once more as a more avid enthusiast of the esoteric arts and writings than her.

Next we followed the address to her one cancelled appointment - a bookstore in the olden part of Kaas City. Volden's Esoterics and Eccentrics.
There, we found the shop deserted, and we sensed a lingering, faint, dark sided presence beneath us. We moved down into the storage room beneath, only to find that the room had been turned into the site of an alchemical ritual. Tens of corpses literred the floor, their blood turned to ash. I am attaching to this report an image of a marking, of what I can only surmise to be a noble house's insignia. It depicts a tome crossed by twin rifles.
The runic markings on the floor have been partially erased by crude saber strikes.

Additionally I have retrieved a ledger from the main floor of the bookstore, whose contents I will attach as well should they prove to reference any writings of importance to this ongoing crisis.

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Report: Investigation of the Volden's Esoterics and Eccentrics bookstore's ties to the cult, and the district

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I have been continuing my investigation following our discovery of the ritual site beneath the bookstore, in its storage room.
The owner is one Neela Volden, she seems to be regarded as a mostly docile and typically bookish woman. The only notable find on her is that she permitted herself to get overly-familiar with the author of "Andzel the Krayt-Dragon Rider” during a meet-and-greet on Dromund Fels.

The residents are withdrawn and private, none but one have given us anything of note. An old man who claims he saw a truck speeder halt by the front of the store, out of which several people would have exited and gone inside the store. This was a week ago.

Crime rates indicate that while such displays would not be atypical, they are seemingly exclusively petty and motivated by avarice; carried out by struggling citizens.

I have personally covered the district on foot and have not found anything that has graced my senses out of the ordinary, apart from of course the ritual site inside the library as we already know. However, I have managed to procure surveillance footage from several shops and a couple of public surveillance cameras. Most seem to fail to capture anything of note, but one: a public surveillance hologram, has our next lead - a truck with a covered rear, removed license plates mark an otherwise generic vehicle as unusual. The hologram also depicts the person in the passenger seat as a cultist, countenance obscured by a black mask, adorned with a red eye sigil and the pupil depicted as a teardrop.

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- Signed, Apprentice Emlar Racta

NOTE: These reports pertain as to the developments following mine and Apprentice Vayek's investigations leading up to the broadcast and recovery of Lord Vipion. Future addendums will cover events and insights after that as they arise.

[Emlar Racta]

UPDATE: Investigation on Korriz

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Participants: Apprentice Emlar Racta, Neophyte Esme Roi, Apprentice Nivalis
Location: Korriz, District 13

After some inquiries and research, we set off to District 13, to rendezvous with an investigator at Section 6 - a woman by the name of Viiral. She shared what she knew of the case regarding one of the last missing persons from the area. A human man, Desmon Gival, working as a factory worker at Zercorp Steel Plant.  We followed his traces to an access tunnel not too far from the precinct. 71BA6 to be precise. As we neared, Apprentice Nivalis expressed he felt he was being watched, and a sense of dread. As we stepped into the access tunnel, nothing seemed out of the ordinary until the husk of the factory worker's body showed up. Standing, wobbling, on his feet. He had been possessed, or rather, the host of the Spawn as it turned to us. Mimicking first Apprentice Nivalis' voice, then that of Lord Vipion, my own, and the scream of Neophyte Daxze. It then began to transform, growing over ten feet tall. The attached image below from Apprentice Nivalis documents its appearance in the early stages of the transformation. At no point did the creature exude any kind of presence in the Force. As I ordered the retreat and the three of us vacated the tunnel, I hit the Spawn with a Shock jolt, which seemed to barely even cause it to flinch. It did however, -strike- it, for those that still harbour the peculiar doubt of it being a mere illusion.

Later, after we had all returned from our journey - myself, Nivalis and Roi; we were struck with a dream. The same tunnel we walked in, and our escape. The stench of death and words written in blood: "YOU. NEVER. LEFT." Notably, the last word appears to manifest only once the dream shifts to what each of us consider a home. For myself, it was my chambers. For Roi - Orsus. And for Nivalis - the Archives on the Estate.


I received a holo-text from Investigator Viiral a day later. Or so it was introduced: the same frequency, but the inquiries were odd. They were making assumptions and asking about matters I never disclosed or even viewed as hypothesis. Notably, the peculiar writing style struck me as odd. I immediately recognized the pattern from the messages Lord Vipion and Sith Zevasa had shared. It was the spawn. After its facade was torn apart, it merely said that I am "a witness too", when I inquired if it was the 'Witness' or 'The Lucky One' as the previous ones had introduced themselves. I asked if we were kindred, and the communication ended there.

As an addendum, Apprentice Sekker is working on his own report on the Steel City as his own investigation ramps up. As the Lower Reaches are considered waste and chemical dumps - and far more downtrodden than where we encountered the Spawn, my working thesis is that while we found the creature...we were looking in the wrong place. Up in the crown, scrambling for roots. Its lair, its womb, nest - a ritual site like the one we found in the Volden bookstore, is likely tucked away within the lower levels we are yet to search in person. It would also align with what the creature on Rhelg resided by and seemingly made as its domicile in the swamp.

ATTACHED IMAGES AND HOLO-TEXT CONVERSATION TRANSCRIPT:

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-Signed, Apprentice Emlar Racta.

[Rhysand Sekker]

UPDATE: APPRENTICE SEKKER

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Korriz Industrial District #13, better known as the Steel City, is a 'residential district' on Korriz, though it can be regarded as a city in its own right. It has a population of over 330,000, despite being capable of only housing 30,000, and originally designed for only a few thousand inhabitants. It has grown into towering metal spires that are crushingly dense and packed together. It has grown into this during Korriz's lack of contact with the Empire before its reconquest during the Great Galactic War, though it was originally founded as a residential district during the time of the Old Empire. As a result of its staggering height, it has been divided into three layers.

The Upper Reach

The safest and best-controlled part of the city, home to the most privileged inhabitants. It is likely the cleanest section of the city and deposits its waste down to the Lower Reach as of a few decades ago.

The Middle Reach

Also known as the Mid Reach, the Middle Reach is where most of the residents live: it is unsafe and dirty, and is ill-patrolled by what law enforcement there is. This area also holds most of Steel City's infrastructure, producing all manner of waste, from industrial byproducts to oil residue, et cetera.

The Lower Reach
This refers to the lowest levels of the City: the levels at ground level and those just above it. It is without oversight from any Imperial agency, and as a result, is lawless and dangerous. It acts as a massive dumping ground for all types of waste produced by the reaches above, particularly human and domestic waste, industrial chemicals, and other substances. This has been going on for decades from the Upper Reach and for centuries from the Middle. Its population has reverted to a form of feudality, though I've found little info on this yet. I expect gang warfare, as crime rates are high. Information about the Lower Reach is scarce: no firm evidence exists. Records do indicate that what infrastructure existed has been modified or has decayed beyond recognisability. Large amounts of waste are also flung off the megastructure into the void.

The Lower Reach and the bottom quarter of the Middle Reach are so built-up that they are inaccessible from the outside: to reach it, a shuttle would need to descend into Steel City itself and land in the Upper or Middle Reach before descending.