"Ok, your conditions are acceptable."
[]
Dathomir.
'One might think, giving myself up and putting myself in potential harms way is dangerous, but it may be the only possible way to alleviate the worries of the Darksisters.'
'The Darksisters themselves are more aligned with the Dark side of the Force, and would be better to make sure my intentions are known from the start otherwise distrust will be present, and distrust will lead them into being cautious. There is also their own culture that works against me at the current moment.'
Their distaste of any male of their species, and it extends even past their species and onto others. That is their culture based around a matriarch, and the current matriarch is Talzin, who is considered both their spiritual leader otherwise culturally known as their 'Shaman' and serves as the general leader as well also known as the 'Mother.'
'Despite their view of males to be used as breeding stock, I should be able to reform them given enough time and transform them into reasonable subordinates. For now they would be acceptable allies until I start to turn them into my own army of Force-sensitive soldiers.'
Being led to another built in spire like structure that is also a supporting pillar for the caves roof. Talzin is walking in front of Anakin with multiple other female Dathomirian flanking Anakin on either side with a few more behind.
'What an escort, are they that afraid of a child? I shouldn't be that imposing but possibly it could be a multitude of things considering Talzin is supposed to be some kind of psychic that can see into the future.'
Deciding to speak up, Anakin starts to see if they would talk to him before any negotiations start. "What a nice place you girls live in."
Silence is given in reply as no one wants to speak to the outsider. Upon entering the building Anakin can see a few additions that he previously could not view before from a distance. The structure and the people.
The Nightsisters, also known as the 'Witches of Dathomir' or 'Daughters of Dathomir,' were a clan and order of magick-wielding females. These Dark side users were able to perform their arcane magicks by tapping into the magical ichor that flowed from the depths of their planet.
'From what I remember of the history for the Darksisters came to be...'
According to a commonly told story, the first Nightsisters were trained in the ways of the Force by Allya, a female Jedi whom the Jedi Council had sent into exile on the mysterious planet of Dathomir.
However, the Jedi Council had no records of an exile named Allya, and the Nightsisters themselves had other, contradicting tales about their origins. Even if she was not the founder of the sisters, Allya also wrote the Book of Law that taught the sisters to dislike the Jedi. The dislike for the Sith has only been developed very recently because of Sidious.
When the Fromprath, a sentient, snakelike, six-armed species that came to Dathomir, and exploited the natural resources of the planet. The Nightsisters opposed this technological invasion, forming a symbiotic alliance with the rancors, in order to drive out the colonizers. They mounted them in combat and succeeded in driving the colonizers out of the soil of Dathomir.
Knowing that technologically advanced aliens posed a threat to coven, the Nightsisters modernized some of their weapons, such as their energy bows.
This is why today even if the current Nightsisters aren't up to standards with the rest of the galaxy at large they have remnants of their own advancements when it comes to their culture. This can be seen in their weaponry, overall in their clothing and armor as well.
'I happened to overhear some stories that was being passed around, legends to be specific about the feats different members of the Nightsisters supposedly achieved. Most stories were told to some children, of course mostly female and the stories are based off of other female members.'
According to legend, the Nightsister Zeldin went after the Sith Darth Caldoth, after he stole a burial pod from Dathomir. Zeldin attempted to manipulate Caldoth into causing his own death out of revenge, but Caldoth was aware of Zeldin's presence, exploiting their connection before trapping her consciousness within his mind.
One of the Nightsisters weaponry, though a weapon used more commonly by Jedi, the Nightsisters had adopted lightwhips by the High Republic Era.
Another weakness of the clans was their over reliance on the planets abilities, as they do get their powers from the planet, at least that was mostly during height of the galactic republic right now. Since their power was at its most potent on their home planet, the Nightsisters rarely ventured off-world. However, this changed when a sister named Talzin became the clan's Mother.
'That is right, the very same Talzin leading me now to a location I am unsure of. Soon enough within a few years, Talzin would turn the Nightsisters here into a mercenary group to the galaxies wealthy citizens, and this would happen during the clone wars.'
Another instance or semi major event was when the clan was forced to give up the young Asajj Ventress to the Siniteen criminal Hal'Sted as insurance for protection, but it would seem just as a member could be stolen from them, they could others to make up for their loses.
A couple years before the Clone Wars, Talzin would come to tell the witch of no clan Falta to give up her daughter, Yenna. After Falta declined, Yenna slowly became frustrated with her mother's teachings, and one day left to join the Nightsisters in hopes of different teaching.
As one could see their culture has been influenced from the start from the person who supposedly created the Nightsisters, to the continued conflicts that reinforced their cultural development.
"This was..." Spoke Talzin breaking me from my thoughts.
"Of course." I responded, as we have now come across a room not to dissimilar to a negotiations table. 'It seems they would like to talk a little more first.'
"Please child, take a seat."
"Thank you, you have been most accommodating." 'Good manners should count for something, I do not want to lower my position in their eyes, but I also shouldn't speak as if I am some superior.'
"Good, now tell me again just so I know why you are here?"
'Well I too would be confused if a child starts a small cold war.' Anakin then starts to speak. "I am going to supply you with droids, whether they be used for protocols, combat or for educative reasons."
"We do not need droids." Talzin says.
"I doubt that considering these droids could be used to improve the quality of life for you people but I do have more things to offer."
"Like what?" Talzin questions curious.
"I am aware that here on this backwater planet that as powerful as you guys are, you lack the necessary technological advancements to help build yourselves up. The lack of a proper economy to the lack in population."
Talzin thinks on his words and agrees. "That is true."
"So I wish to exchange with you ships. Starships capable of transporting you and your people throughout the galaxy along with droids." Anakin then continues. "In exchange I would like to participate in the ritual you have but before that be briefed on what could happen. The advantages and possible disadvantages I could gain."
Anakin thinks. 'I do have a general idea but it is better to ask directly from the source.'
"I do like your conditions, but you take so little compared to what we gain."
"I also wish to use Dathomir as a planet to harbor my droid army."
Thinking it over, Talzin comes to a decision. "I agree."
[]
'After the lengthy discussion I was finally able to at least my primary goal of coming here. Well get them to at least come to an agreement with myself in allowing me to go through their ritual.'
'Immediately after that meeting took place, I was taken away and hurriedly shooed from the inside of the building. I guess they do not want me taking up too much of their time. They also informed me of when the ritual will take place, so I guess there is that and I have been told I am allowed to stay within, but I must allow surveillance on me for the entirety of my stay.'
'Information other then when the ritual would take place and the location was what would happen in general, and the consequences if I were to fail in completing or getting to the end of it. Of course there are also the projected benefits of partaking in the ritual.'
Death, death is the absolute worst thing that would happen, and considering that the population has experienced a massive increase despite the many years that has passed since the creation of the settlement, one could presume most of this can be attributed to the ritual.
In the end only the strongest of the strong survive, whether that be in the ritual which is quite unfortunate given most species do not just survive in through pure strength alone. Luck, mutations and adaptions for different environments.
From what I understand the ritual is conducted by the spiritual leader, their Shaman and the participants are those who are younger, preferably before the age of 5, as if the ritual is done later in life there are no benefits to be had other than it being a ceremony of sorts. This luxury would only be afforded to the females as well.
Most of the practices of what the Nightsisters do is recorded in the Book of Law, a tome of moral and ethical teachings kept and modified by each clan based on an original created by Allya for her daughters.
Then there was another form of magicks practiced originating from, Gethzerion, called 'Shadow Magic,' was the provenance of the Nightsisters that did not require chanting or other primitive rituals.
After the ritual is complete, it would be used to enhance ones features, increasing bodily capacity in areas like strength, speed, reaction and other things which would result in the increase of their height the rapidly development of their bodies and growth in prominence in features like hair, horns and larger, taller physiques.
This was specifically done by Talzin on Savage Opress at some point in the future, the downside to the ritual though was the increase in sensitivity and becoming much more influenced by the Dark side of the Force. Opress was especially transformed and made him into an avatar of primal anger.
'This is exactly what I was looking for. Why? Because I want to experience growth at an accelerated rate because I dislike being a child again, but also the power increase I would get.'
'Yes the potential downsides does bring my expectations down, but I believe I would be able to mitigate if not down right negate this negative through the use of my created mental defenses.'
'All of this along with my hypothesis that it also somehow increase the Force-sensitivity of an individual, which I think would lead to an increase in your midi-chlorians per cell.''
'Being able to grow faster with increased physical capabilities to speed up my progress will definitely help me.'
[]
A few days had passed and the time had come to participate in the grand ritual conducted by Talzin, with the use of Dark side magicks.
'Again being somewhat confined and heavily monitored us certainly annoying, it is a worthwhile sacrifice of freedom for what I will get in return. No doubt I am also of the same mind I could be misled but the feeling I get through the Force is definitely positive in I'll get what I want, so either way I win.'
'I would go to my backup plan and just try and learn the ritual myself by stealing the Book of Law.'
Interrupted by being led into a deeper part of the gave, the entrance gives way to a ceremonial center or podium and all around the center was Dathomirian children specifically the gender of male. Standing on the podium and all around the edges of the shallow glowing water the children have been put into is Talzin.
Anakin quickly hops into the special water along with the others, ages ranging around 3 to 5 years of age.
'Poor sods. There is barely anything I can do about, and I do not really want to help to much either given a ritual like this is something I have next to no experience with.'
"Children and my Sisters, we are gathered here today to help further strengthen the members of our people." Talzin does not have to speak very loud for her words to be heard.
"We will begin the ritual shortly..." Talzin starts to weird symbolic gestures, and the water slightly increases in brightness. The accompanying Nightsisters at the edges of the shallow pool also start to use weird chants in a language I have only briefly overheard the women doing in the epicenter of the fortress.
The little boys are otherwise terrified either because are aware enough of the situation they have been forced into or simply because they do not what is about to happen, and fear of the unknown is powerful.
'I am starting to feel something within this water. Similar to the Force, but unnaturally connected.'
The energy is converted from Talzin and the other participants into the water then started to fuse into the boys one by one. The process seems painful, painful enough for multiple to start falling unconscious.
"Argh!" Anakin lets out a gasp as he too starts to feel pain spread throughout his body, instinctively he passively and actively pulls up his control of the Force and tries to cut off, or at least ease the pain by dulling his senses.
'It was no lie when she told me it would be painful.'
Struggling for dear life, trying to make sure he not only survives the process but is also able to maintain consciousness but just like every other member he is thrown to his knees and passes out.
'Lets just hope nobody will do anything to me. At least I have survi-' Before he could finish that thought be head first falls into the water.