N'Croth

*Into the Wendel's lair the young traveler went, his destiny soon to be realized.*

*Inside the abandoned mines were an unprecedented number of tunnels that led off in all directions. It was like a maze that one could become trapped in if not careful to leave a trail back to the outside. Further down into the mines, the snow and ice that marked the outside would have vanished. There was no moisture that deep in the mountain, only crudely dug out stone tunnels supported by the occasional durasteel slab. Further into the mines, one was likely to find old discarded bones picked clean. Not just animal bones either, these were bones that once belonged to human men. The mines were like some sort of tomb, filled with the remains of the Wendel's old meals.*



*A roaring screech echoed through the tunnels. If one listened close enough, they'd be able to follow it to the heart of the Wendel's lair. Deep within the mines, a large cavern existed. Within it was a hoard of crystals, thousands of them, left behind by the Empire when they fled M'haeli. For whatever reason, the creature had chosen that location with which to devour its meals. A human scream followed the roaring screech, echoing throughout the tunnel system.*

*Echoing human voice* "Somebody help me!!!"

*Deeper and deeper into the tunnels of the abandoned mine Scal'an ventured. He began to notice that the ice and snow had disappeared long ago. He began to see the odds and ends of an old mine. A ruined pick axe here and an old hammer there. What was more odd was the amount of bones littered about the passageways. He was surely on the right track. Suddenly, Scal'an heard the roar of a huge beast. Surely it was the Wendel he had heard so much, yet so little, about. Scal'an broke into a stiff jog to follow the sound. He also began to hear what sounded like a person yelling for help. In short time he found what he was looking for. A huge room bursting with crystals. But there was something else to deal with first. The Wendel stood in the room as well. It was massive, not much taller then Scal'an himself but well more then double the weight of him. Oddly enough, there was light in the room and it gave him enough room to swing his electrostaff. He took off his helmet and placed it on the ground beside him. Being careful not to make too much noise. Scal'an had the back of the creature right now and the element of surprise would be the only advantage he would have. That was if the Wendel didn't already hear him, it was a hunter after all. He couldn't quite make out the human behind the Wendel. Male of female, height or weight. The Wendel was just too massive to see around. Jumping in without some sort of a plan would be foolish, instead he readied himself taking up a defensive stance. His electrostaff was in his massive right hand and held horizontally behind him. His body was also turned to the right presenting the smallest target possible. His left side was the only thing pointed towards the Wendel, legs bent and ready to recoil at a moments notice should the Wendel decide to charge at him. He began to calculate the size and rough weight of the Wendel if it charged, he would have little time to react. He picked a spot on the ground that he figured would be the point when he would be able to either move away from or jump over the massive animal as it charged. The momentum of the animal would take the thing past him and into the wall that Scal'an had positioned himself in front of. If that happened, it might give him the chance he needed to hurt or kill the animal.*

*The truly was a creature of lethal ability. The first clue as to what exactly the creature was had been given to Scal'an by the old shopkeeper in the Eye's capital city of N'Croth. The old man had mentioned that the creature arrived on a shuttle that had come from Hoth, a place known for one type of creature in particular. Lots of teeth and razor sharp claws? Many creatures possessed these. But the ability to "melt" into the snow? Why, one would have to be coated in a thick white layer of fur to do such a thing. As it happened, the creature was. Though there was something different about this beast, something dark. One didn't need to be Force Sensitive to know that the Dark Side played a part in shaping the Wendel. It gave off an evil aura that even a droid would be hard pressed not to sense.*

*As Scal'an approached the Wendel from behind, the creature raised it's captured prey above its head with two long fur covered arms. The victim was a human male, middle aged and dressed as one would expect a miner to be. He was screaming at the top of his lungs, praying to some deity that clearly had no interest in sparing the man from certain death. Then in one powerful and surprisingly quick movement for one so large, the creature pulled its arms off to either side and tore the man in half. Blood splattered the beast as the man was ripped apart at the waist. The humans entrails spilled out onto the stone ground and laid there, steaming and stinking up the room with the scent of death and copper. In the Wendel's left hand was the mans upper body, and in his right was the lower half. As the mans insides spilled out, the screaming stopped and the light faded from his eyes. He died quite quickly once there was nothing to keep his organs inside of his body. The creature simply stood there, basking in the warmth of the crimson river that had poured onto its white fur, painting it a deep red. Fleshly bits of gore spattered its face, and a long tongue stuck out and licked at the life giving fluid that dripped into its tooth filled mouth. This beast was a carnivore, it relished the meal it had captured during the night while Scal'an slept.*

*Sniff!* *Sniff* *Sniff*

"Grawwwgraaa"

*A low growl rose from deep within the Wendel's belly. It had picked up on Scal'an's scent.*

*The creature released its grip on the dismembered human, allowing both pieces to fall to the ground in a wet squish. It spun around quickly, spotting the electrostaff wielding traveler with its two big eyes. They were so black and empty, almost soulless. Perhaps that was why this creature was considered so fearsome. Not only did it consume men, but their souls as well. Though that wasn't a proven fact, just an observation that one might have made upon seeing the Wendel with their own eyes. The creature wasted little time charging towards the warrior, its claws seeming to gleam in the darkness.*

*The beast had found itself another meal.*

*Scal'an watched as the creature ripped the poor person apart. The human didn't have a chance. Had he been of a weaker stomach, Scal'an might have emptied his stomach contents on the spot. Luckily, he had seen much in his time as a knight hunter. The Wendel turned on him and began to charge. Scal'an had already counted on this being the first thing the Wendel would do though. As the creature closed in on him at surprising speed for something so large, he flexed his legs and jumped just before the creature was upon him. The idea was to land behind the Wendel and let the creatures own momentum carry it into the think wall behind him. In mid flip Scal'an took a jab at the back of the head of the beast to keep it going in the direction he wanted it to go in.*

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Wampa - Ice Beasts

"One can not help but admire the ferocity of these creatures. In my line of work I have come across them only once, but it was an event I remember dearly. I threw everything in my Teras Kasi arsenal at them, yet it was all for naught. What one needs to realize is that these creatures are designed to be natures perfect arctic killing machines. If I hadn't been carrying my lightsaber with me that day, well, it would be a very different Expansion Region than it is today."

-Dragus
*Excerpt from the Book of Hate.*

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*Scal'an's ploy was a wise one indeed. As he jumped free of the creatures outstretched and claw covered hands, the sheer physical weight and bulk of the Wendel carried it into the thick wall of stone. Even more so, the strike to the creatures head during Scal'an's leap disoriented the beast.*

**

*The beast slammed into the wall with enough force to shake the very cavern they found themselves in. Yet it did not keel over or stop, there was too much hatred in the beast to let it simply bow out and give in to weakness. Like the Dark Lord of Famine himself, this creature was driven by hunger. Only instead of power, it sought simply its next meal. It couldn't be reasoned with, for it was not sentient, nor could its anger be quelled. The only way to stop this creature was by striking it down with a killing blow.*

*The cavern shaking has a second effect. One that was as mysterious as Scal'an's meeting with the Ewok Shaman. While the walls had seemed to shake, a silvery glinting object fell from the caverns ceiling.*

*Plunk!*

*There in the middle of the cavern, a long sword had fallen and embedded its blade into the cold dirt ground. Under closer inspection, the blade was not just any sword, but a Velmorian Energy Sword. The blade is slightly longer than a meter in length and pale silver, almost white, in colour. The metal is not chased, though delicate whorls and patterns are woven into it that almost seem to move, like oil on water. The hilt is made from Electrum, a rare fusion of silver and gold. Mounted in the guard are two small faceted crystals that scintillated even in relatively dim light. And what are these crystals you may ask yourself? Dragite.*

*The beast was momentarily subdued, but in seconds it would be ready to attack again.*

*Scal'an watched as the beast slammed into the wall. Surprisingly, the Wendel had been barely stunned. But the small fraction of a moment gave Scal'an enough time to plan his next attack. Before he could execute it though, he saw a glint in the snow that looked like a sword. It was strange for it to be here among all the bones and pieces of humans and animals alike that the Wendel had killed and consumed. He thought for a moment, then looked at his electrostaff. The blunt weapon was great for people and things smaller then him, but would surely prove to be just a hindrance against something as powerful as the Wendel. Scal'an quickly went for the weapon he saw sticking out of the ground. It felt strangely familiar in his hand, yet looked extremely awkward on the man. He had seen his master wield bladed weapons in the past and tried to remember what he had seen before the creature was upon him again. Getting out of the way of the lumbering creature would only work for so long. He was going to have to kill the thing. The old ewok had said so. He readied himself with the blade in both hands in front of him. His legs a shoulder length apart and wasn't sure what he was going to do when the beast charged at him again. He played over a few outcomes in his mind in a matter of split seconds. The beast would charge just as it had before, that was almost certain. Perhaps if he could get the blade close enough to a tendon in the legs, maybe he could incapacitate the Wendel thus making the kill that much easier. Take away the advantage, he had been taught that long ago.*

*The Wendel shook its large furry head from side to side, trying to rid itself of the daze like stupor it had suffered during its collision with the wall. Unhindered rage drove the creature, along with predatory instinct and a starving hunger. When it saw its prey ahead, it wasted little time in beginning its charge anew. The creature roared thunderously, then began to sprint forwards. Each step seemed to cause the ground to shake, a visible sign that there was a great amount of weight behind this large beast. Its hot rancid breath seemed to fill the cavern with the terrible stench of death, and its rotten flesh flecked fur only seemed to strengthen the horrid smell further. It roared and it charged, lunging at Scal'an in primal fashion as it attempting to sink its massive jaws into the mans upper chest. Its open maw was filled with what seemed like rows upon rows of dagger shaped teeth, dripping hot saliva down its chin and over its gore strewn chest. The mouth was opened at its widest when it moved in and attempted to bite the traveler. A mouth large enough to devour a grown mans head in one bite.*

*Scal'an stood his ground as the beast began to lunge towards him. The stench of the nasty beast filled his lungs and gave him resolve. He didn't want to become the latest meal for the Wendel. The huge beast was still in mid lunge when Scal'an dropped to his knee and swung the weapon that he had found in the ground towards the right leg of the beast. The strike was aimed to take out either the entire leg of the beast, or at the very least, destroy the tendons and ligaments that made the leg move. If successful, the beast would crash to the ground and be at the mercy of Scal'an despite its strength and size advantage. He rolled immediately out of the way and regained a defensive stance with the sword being held horizontally in front of him.*

The seriousness of his tone was a tiny bit disconcerting to Cassus, and he could do no more than nod quietly to his comrade's suggestion, and follow him. The two made their way back through the crowd, being careful to conceal themselves slightly, from the morass of people. None had yet encountered the horrible scene of the decimated shop, and the whirling bazaar continued uninterrupted, scents and sounds and sights of myriad wares assault the sense as they did daily. And if anyone had encountered it, they said nothing... which was a dangerous thought.

Cassus was careful to obscure their presence, and once again cast the aura to keep the weak minded away from the shop. Any Sith who tried to enter would be met with the field of mental and physical interference, and Cassus would detect the invading presence immediately, and the two could prepare. Standing near the now closed door, Cassus solemnly looked upon his friend to begin the ritual, and bring forth the crystals. Cassus had a design swimming in his mind...

*A TIE lands in a hanger bay an clocked figure in all black walks out. Gara starts thinking to himself, "Well I am here now its time to find out why." Then Gara starts to walk around.*