#i hate iokath so much

[commander-krios]

So I finally worked on Cora and got her through Iokath.

#i hate iokath so much #swtor #star wars: the old republic #star wars the old republic #swtor bounty hunter #cora evnairis #theron shan #lana beniko #empress acina #malavai quinn #my favorite armor for cora tbh

[tempestswing]

Ranking the Dark Council:

hi! I was writing some notes for a piece of SWTOR fiction I am working on, and decided to create this list as a fun way to share that information.

Dark Council Pre-Shadow of Revan:

12. Darth Aruk - we know nothing about this character, other than that they were head of the Sphere of Sith Philosophy. According to the Wiki, rooting out Revanites was supposed to be their job. What a failure, hopefully they still have a job after Shadow of Revan?

11. Darth Rictus - Also kind of a mystery, which is ironic since he was head of the Sphere of Mysteries. Rictus does appear in a novel called 'Annihilation', but that book is mostly about Theron Shan. All we really know about Rictus is that he's (A) old, (B) dislikes aliens, unless they're murderous enough, and (C) founded the Dread Executioners to take down the Dread Masters. Not enough information to rank any higher.

10. Darth Acharon - at least this guy appears in the game. He's kind of a nothing character though. He defended the imperial occupation of Corellia unsuccessfully. He was head of the Sphere of Biotics. Since he died on Corellia, he would presumably have been replaced by Shadow of Revan, but we don't know who by.

9. Darth Arkous - hate this guy, but he's still technically head of the Sphere of Military Offense after the Hutt Cartel plotline. God, what a bag of dicks he is though. The one good thing about this character is that he's technically Lana Beniko's master? Although she's an advisor rather than an apprentice, so he gets no credit for the existence of awesome Sith wife.

8. Darth Decimus - Also found in game on Corellia! Decimus is actually present in the imperial quests, so you get a lot more interaction with him than Acharon. Canonically, he also trained Krovos! Krovos is really cool, so decimus should get a few points by association. Not enough to bump him up the list though. For the head of Military Strategy, he's not a very good commander.

7. Darth Ravage - You can meet Ravage at the end of the Inquisitor and Warrior storylines, and for all imperials he is present during the cutscenes preceding the Emperor Malgus flashpoints (although does nothing to help?). The main reason I'm putting Ravage so low is that he's a little bit inconsistently written. He'll gladly say "good riddance" to Darth Thanaton's death in the inquisitor plotline, but if you kill Baras in the Warrior plotline, he'll show up at Nathema and be all offended that you claimed power by murdering your master... does he know what a Sith is?

6. Darth Mortis - I have a bit of a soft spot for Mortis. He's got a no-nonsense demeanour which is rare amongst Sith, and he's clearly serious enough about their philosophy to join a secret conspiracy against the alliance if you "squander" the power of the Eternal Throne - a petty move, this man is a bitch after my own heart. He also is the one who snaps Darth Thanaton's silly little neck, which definitely earns him a few points in my eyes. As a point, he's involved in the Macrobinocular missions, which I did not enjoy, but he was a highlight of the questline.

5. Darth Acina - WOMEN IN POWER!!! Empress Acina is better than Emperor Vitiate. Unfortunately Acina is kind of bland, I really don't feel strongly about her either way. I've killed her on Iokath in most of my playthroughs, even if I don't intend to defect to the republic later. I might be lesbian but I just don't like her that much. Her reforms to the Empire are interesting though, I do have to give her credit for making the Empire slightly less racist and Sith dominated.

4. Darth Vowrawn - Silly guy!! This man is genuinely quite funny. He's a blast to spend time with at the end of the Warrior story, after dealing with Baras' grumpy ass for close to fifty levels. His choice to help the Wrath with the Hand on Rishi says... something. He's genuinely an interesting character to me, especially since he maintains that joviality when he becomes Emperor. It's tempered, to be sure, but I think it does show it wasn't entirely an act. Vowrawn could be a genuine friend to the Wrath.

3. Darth Jadus - Sue me, I like unapologetically evil characters. Jadus is not just an evil clown, he's an evil circus. Schemer to the core and melodramatic as fuck. I chose to serve him without a second thought in my agent playthrough. I appreciated the name drop on Iokath and I have 1% chance 99% cope that he will return at some point in the story.

2. Darth Occlus/Nox/Imperius - OCs are fun. No further notes. I should probably drop the lore for my verison of this character, huh... maybe in another post.

Darth Marr - Everyone's favourite tired Dad just trying to keep his society from collapsing as his colleagues bicker about inane bullshit. I reckon he drinks coffee straight outta the pot in the Dark Council's break room. I really wish he hadn't died, but his force ghost shenanigans were neat and I liked seeing him find a measure of redemption. Again, I am on a high dose of copium but if Malgus can return after being killed and abandonded on an exploding space station why can't someone scrape Marr off the floor of Zakuul and rebuild him. I do also low-key ship Marr with Satele Shan?

anyway, that's my totally subjective ranking of Dark Council members.

#swtor #Dark Council #Sith #sith warrior #sith inquisitor #darth mortis #darth Marr #darth acharon #darth acina #darth decimus #darth arkous #darth jadus #darth ravage

[vihola]

What are your Top 3 controversial Swtor opinions?

1) War on Iokath was the biggest mistake story-wise. The game is basically like “What does the galaxy need immediately after a war that devastated entire planets and exhausted galactic resources? Another war!” The plot becomes too repetitive at this point, the conflict is meaningless, so it made me lose interest in what comes after Iokath.

2) I hate that swtor introduced canon Revan and Exile. I get that they wanted to strengthen the connection between kotor and swtor, but why did they have to use player characters? I have my own Revan and Exile, thank you very much. 

3) I don’t like that the game constantly pushes LS Jedi Knight as a default player character in the expansions. This favoritism is less obvious if you’re playing as a force user, but oh man, non-force users get really terrible treatment and rarely feel like they belong outside of their class stories.

#swtor #I love swtor but I hate swtor you know

[sullustangin]

Fluff Prompt 1: The News

This had been slightly delayed from Friday.  @frutepye stated they needed some cheering up around this time of year, so they sent in some prompts that I’m happy to fulfill.  (If you’re reading the Ziost fic, BOY HOWDY, you know why.)

So here’s the first one:  Jace finds out he’ll be a grandfather.  I wrote a snippet of this a few years ago, but this is considerably expanded. CW for mention of pregnant person (Eva). 

~~

Marcus Trant watched the steadily flashing light on Jace Malcom’s desk.  Someone was waiting on hold.

Specifically, it was the light used to indicate that the Alliance’s representative wanted to speak to Malcom. That varied, according to Malcom. In the days between the end of the Eternal Empire and the Iokath operation, it had been Aygo, and most days, it continued to be.  

After Iokath, once in a while, Theron Shan would call in.  Most of the time it was all business.  Jace was happy to acknowledge that there had been more personal lines of communication established, especially since the miracle that had been Theron getting married.

Trant had met and worked with Eva Corolastor a few times.  As a person, Trant could see how she suited Theron.  What didn’t track was the fact that, at the same time, she was the Voidhound, the leader of a third major faction in the galaxy, while still running the Voidfleet Cartel.

Trant supposed Theron had finally stopped running from those issues, a topic of contention between them… twenty years ago now.  The galaxy had changed since Theron had tracked down Ngani Zho and discovered the existence of the Sun Razer.  

Trant didn’t know if the galaxy was better, for all that it had endured.  He did know that Theron had finally permitted himself to have something that didn’t directly contribute to ‘the greater good.’

But apparently, ‘the greater good’ manifested in stranger ways that anyone could have anticipated: the Voidhound, her Alliance, the current status quo of the galaxy.

That explained pretty much all of Trant’s interest in that flashing light on Malcom’s desk.  It was his business to know about other governments in the galaxy. Theron’s life was absolutely none of his business, but that didn’t stop Trant from trying to follow it like one of the holodramas Mrs. Trant #4 liked to watch.

(Trant hated the fact that both Jace and Theron – completely independently of each other, at least a decade apart – had privately nicknamed his wives the exact same way so they could keep track of them.)

(And Trant really hated that he’d started to number them the same way as they did.  So maybe he had issues too.)

“Trying to follow” was the operative phrase here.  The pair were pretty slick in obscuring their whereabouts and activities.  Nothing personal; Theron was still her spymaster, active in the field.  His face was still unknown to the galaxy.  Trant knew that Theron had raced under an alias at Manaan recently, mostly through Jace who was conveniently there at the time on Republic business. Beyond that, Theron had lived in the shadows, and Eva had glided along the line of being famous and infamous, as usual.

Thus, Marcus Trant was very pleased to see Theron’s image flicker to life on the holocomm.  

The former SIS agent noticed his ex-boss immediately.  “You in the middle of something?”

“No, son,” Jace answered far too quickly to let Trant say otherwise.

Theron caught that.  “Right.”  He frowned slightly, looking down at a datapad.  “Well, I have no doubt you’d hear about this anyway, so I guess this saves us all time.”  

Trant saw the smile pass like a ghost across Theron’s face before he resumed his usual briefing style: brisk, slightly irreverent, unerringly accurate.

Trant noticed that the comm was suddenly secured at highest decryption levels, both ways.  

Malcom picked upon that too.

“The Captain wanted me to inform you…” Theron stopped, as if reconsidering the words and how he wanted to convey the message.  “We’ve --- ”  Again, that smile that didn’t linger, this time with the slightest worry.  “It’s still very early, but she wanted someone to know, regardless –”  

Malcom frowned.  “Theron, is Eva all right?”

The transit smile finally stopped and remained, even as Theron’s eyes dropped to his datapad.  

Trant knew that smile.  He’d worn it himself, twice, and he saw it after the fact in holos.  “I think she’s more than all right, currently.  Theron?” He wanted to get that confirmation…because he wanted to know he still had that investigator’s knack.  Being out of the field was hard for Trant – always had been.

Jace Malcom was a smart guy, but he could be utterly dense sometimes.  His gaze bounced between Theron and Trant, slightly irritated that he hadn’t been let in on the news yet.  Then again, Marcus Trant was not the Director of SIS just because he was cute and did the paperwork.  

“Yeah.”  Then, faintly, as if still absorbing the shock, yet undeniably happy: “She’s pregnant.”

Jace Malcom rose to his feet from behind his desk, staring at Theron’s image.  His expression was unreadable.

And then the world lurched.

So this is how I die, thought Trant as he watched the Supreme Commander spike his caf mug into his office desk, breaking both into pieces.  Then Jace let out a whoop still worthy of Havoc Squad.  Jace is going to bounce me off the desk next.  Or break all my ribs in a hug.

(Jace could still benchpress a speeder, probably.)

Then security burst through the door and swarmed the entry way.  The point men stared first at Trant, then at Malcom, then at the office furniture, then back at Malcom.

“I’m going to have a grandbaby!” he bellowed joyously. Security collectively blinked and backed out of the office, with all due haste.

The holo image flickered from its newfound position on the floor.  “Please don’t give yourself another heart attack or break anything….anything else.”  Theron ran a hand back through his hair as he amended the sentence.  “And don’t convert anything into a nursery – you’re not allowed to kidnap it.”

It seemed to finally register on Jace that he’d effectively trashed his office like some junior officer on a bender.  His hands flexed a few times as he shuffled around the debris to pick up the holo unit.  Once he had it in his hands, Jace’s words failed him as he looked at Theron. “I –it’s – such --  good job, son.”

All three men facepalmed at the same time at that one.  

“Congratulations, Theron,” Trant finally offered the obvious, saner alternative.

Theron nodded as his hand came away from his face.  “She – she still wants to celebrate it, but –”

“Risky.”  Jace seemed to gathered enough of his wits to analyze the situation; some people might have thought that Theron had received his analytical skills from Satele, but as far as Marcus Trant knew, that was not the case. It was public knowledge that Eva had spent considerable time in carbonite.  “But you two never were fully opposed to risk-tasking.”

Again, Theron’s smile flickered.  “No.  Never.”

~~

Hope this fit the bill, @frutepye!  More to come in the near future

#swtor #swtor fan fiction #theron shan #jace malcom #marcus trant #theron shan x smuggler #oc: eva corolastor

[bardic-tales]

pardon me if I misremembering, did you pair your SW oc with Vette and/or Quinn? If so, would you like to share your headcanons about them? 🙂

Hi, Seren. I hope you're having a wonderful day, and thank you so much for the question.

You did remember right. My Dhehaynn Darkrose. In my verse for swtor, Auron -- my husband's warrior -- is the player character for the Wraith that you see in the game, and he becomes Noktis' Wraith during the events of KOTFE. Dhehaynn is Noktis' executioner and could be considered to be a Darth Vader like character in the way Vader serves the Emperor.

She also had a romantic relationship with both Quinn and Vette. I'll separate the head canon for the two. This all can change as I flesh out Noktis' empire more.

As always, these are canon divergent. Almost all of my SWTOR characters are as the characters usually are members of Noktis' noncanon Empire.

Malavai Quinn

Dhehaynn and Quinn's relationship was mostly a purely physical one. She would arrange for a rendezvous when they both were on Dromund Kaas at the same time. They have a dom and sub relationship where she dominates him.

Some of the common interests for both of them are devising new tactics, studying military history and battles, as well as discussing and reading holo-books and military doctrines. Their known to discuss military strategies in bed.

As he is an Imperial Officer and she is a Darth, their goals often align. They are deeply committed to the Sith Empire’s cause and to its success. They both seek advancement in rank and authority. These desires will often influence their actions and decisions. He would betray the Sith named Lord Auron; she, follow Noktis when he decides not to return to the Empire during the game events of Onslaught and Legacy of the Sith.

As Quinn is used to kissing ass to Sith, he is usually the one who gives in and compromises. Dhehaynn can be a bit prideful and will never admit that she can be wrong. She is very use to getting her way. This leads to their BDSM relationship. It was a natural step in their relationship.

While she is allosexual with a high sex drive, Dhehaynn is extremely loyal to him. She never has any other lovers during her travels to exert Noktis' will. In fact, she will often communicate with him through a holoterminal she has in her personal quarters on her ship.

When Auron cut down Quinn on Iokath, Dhehaynn felt his passing through the Force. She did not avenge him, but she regularly uses her anger and grief to fuel the Dark Side.

Vette

They both have a fascination for history and lore. They each share stories, learn about significant events, and delving into the rich lore of the galaxy.

When their relationship was developing into lovers, Vette was often scared that Dhehaynn will see her as a weakness and will end her life. Dheyann is Noktis' apprentice, and as such, Noktis has shared a unique belief with her. Hate will end when the target of the hatred dies. Love fuels passion and can be consider eternal.

Vette is fearful of any angry outbursts that Dhehaynn may have, and as a Sith, Dhehaynn typically revels in those negative emotions. During those times, Dhehaynn tries to remember Notkis’ training. An unhinged Sith is no better than a beast, and as Sith, they are better than beasts. During KOTET, Dhehaynn actually murdered a Sith for using a shock collar on a slave — as the slave reminded her of Vette.

I was inspired by Rosa Diaz and Jocelyn from Brooklyn Nine-Nine when I was crafting Dhette. I’m trying to show a sweet and supportive bond between Dhehaynn and Vette. Vette serves as a pillar of support for Dhehaynn. She could be considered her safe space. Like Cynthia and Noktis, their relationship demonstrates that love can flourish even in the face of adversity.

Dhehaynn, Vette, and two Imperials found themselves in a perilous situation as they explored Rafa V for a valuable artifact for Noktis. Separated from their allies, Dhehaynn and Vette relied on each other. She led the fight with her lightsaber skills, while Vette provided range support with her blasters. Amid the chaos, they share vulnerabilities: Dhehaynn’s grief over Quinn and Vette’s fears of being placed back into slavery. In sync, they counter the enemy, emerge victorious, and secure the artifact for their master. They also found love.

They validate each other through their actions, words, and Vette’s emotional support. Dhehaynn validates Vette by recognizing and appreciating her intelligence, resourcesfulness, and unique skills. Vette, in turn, validates Dhehaynn by acknowledging her power, competence, and leadership. She respects Dhehaynn’s abilities and judgment.

#nl answers #oc: dhehaynn darkrose #malavai quinn #vette #swtor character #swtor fanfiction #swtor #fd: star wars #fd: the old republic

[tiredassmage]

10, 11, and 29 from the SWTOR questions

10. An NPC you love to hate?

MY TIME IS COME. Moff Regus! Lol, okay, so there's a story here. Kind of two stories, buT. First of all, Regus is the officer you meet on the Imperial side of Ilum and. the gall of this man.

First of all, his audacity to blatantly disrespect Savosta because he was Chiss while knowing full well that he was also the Emperor's Wrath was ballsy. Savosta was very... displeased to say the least, lol.

And then also it turned into a whole thing between @captainderyn when we did Ilum for Era and Tyr tagged along because Ilum is like the first of a really long conga line of Imperials and Sith both preening their feathers that the dissolution of Imperial Intelligence isn't their problem, but also bemoaning it five minutes later and Era and Tyr were not having it, lol. I sadly don't have it, but I think he straight up to their faces told them something like "Intelligence isn't my PROBLEM" and it turned into these two standing there all salty like "oh but we're the SOLUTION, huh. bastard >: ("

Tyr would like to punch him and I think I'd support him. I think he should be allowed.

11. An NPC you hate to love?

Hmmm... In a way, Empress Acina? She's a badass, she's beautiful, I do actually believe there might have been something to her offer to collaborate with the Alliance without the usual backstabbings and as much of the manipulation that has characterized Imperial alliances in the past (or at least less of those things). My main being an Agent though, it's hard to entirely forget those early impressions of her as a member of the Dark Council with the Dread Seed quests (that are sitting unfinished in my quest log - granted - because oh my god what do you mean I need a group at the end of this largely soloable chain) and then also see her flip a switch so vehemently on Iokath when you side with the Republic.

"Intelligence should have retired you when they had the chance!" is quite a vicious bite, given everything Nine goes through, lol, so... it does feed the impression that Acina never entirely saw you as an equal power as Commander in that context - which doesn't surprise my agent, exactly, but having your trust issues manifest and basically reinforced in that way is... still an ouch, lol.

I forget if it was here or on YouTube or... somewhere else that I saw someone muse that Iokath and the superweapon debacle didn't really fit Acina or Malcolm in their eyes and I more or less agree. Iokath's an... odd one like that in that I don't... necessarily mind the concept that something big sets off tensions again, but it... doesn't feel like the right players were involved in the right places or times. Something different might have stuck a little better for me, but it's what we have and ALL of that is wildly off-topic, lol.

Anyway, so... I have complicated feelings on behalf of my main boy, lol. I think Acina is cunning and beautiful and I love to see that, but it's definitely a bit difficult not to approach her with some wariness after my agent's run.

29. Companion you wish you could've romanced?

Largely my desires are just... unrestricted romances rather than romances that don't exist at all. Quinn and Vector's class story romances I'd love to be able to do on my males. In general, I want more ladies for my ladies to kiss and romance.

I think the only one that doesn't exist at all that I feel almost robbed of is someone has a post about how Talos should have been an option for the Inquisitor and that post hit me like a truck because they are so right. That's another romance that, if done, I'd like to see available to a male and female Inquisitor.

I also think a few cross-class romances would have been interesting, though I'm blanking on particular examples, but since they brought back certain companions in a way that everyone has them in the Alliance... why not? But that'd... also imply they did a lot with the returner romances from class stories to begin with though, which they really haven't, so I'd probably like to see that more, really.

#answered #swtor #swtor asks #dot talk

[starwers]

If there a Commemorative Statue were released of them, what pose would they be in?

Hands clasped loosely behind her back, gazing slightly upwards off into the horizon; think a decent Photoshop edit of the Valkorian statue that already exists.

Post KOTXX we know there's an apocalyptic upheaval on Zakuul because all of the following happens in something like 2 months. Their god emperor is dead. Their religious caste pretty much immediately goes to Iokath to summon their gods. Their military superiority goes from absolute to zero basically overnight. Their droids turn on them and commit massive planetary destruction.

We don't have a lot of detail about what that looks like, but, there are some throwaway lines that there's regional infighting between cities after the eternal fleet starts bombing the planet -- so honestly, there's probably not any person, or group, that could speak for (or speak to) the entire planet.

With what resources are left, I think some of them would be spent on creating a new mythology / cultural identity. You'd see this more in more populous areas (and especially anywhere that hadn't had their spaceports destroyed) but given the scope and scale of how badly things went planet side, repurposing / redesigning existing infrastructure would make up a large part of this.

For example: you'd probably see a mass market version of the Zakuualian knight armor made from lower quality materials applied to the entire (non-droid) security force. Among that sort of adaptation, I think a lot of the monuments to Valkorian / Arcann / Vaylin would get cheapish makeovers into "heroes of the Alliance" style characters.

Furthermore, given that the commander ostensibly maintains some sort of meeting space planetside, the biggest most elaborate statues of Valkorian would be the obvious target for transformation; and then the basic methodology of how to turn your Valkorion statues into statues of the commander spreads widely.

That said, some places planetside probably keep their Valkorian aesthetic and largely wrote off the deaths of their god-emperor as rumors or exaggeration. Even with the holonet and space travel, the farther out you go from direct involvement in the overthrow of Valkorian and the devastation of the bombardment by the fleet the more resistance to change you'd see.

My Trooper hates the pageantry of it all but, it vaguely becomes a point of pride among Alliance members to hear that they've gotten a statue somewhere planetside.

There's also a line of action figures of Alliance Heroes that gets developed using the same model Valkorian inspired pose that makes an appearance in one of my current WIP fics about her defection to the Empire so I uh, just happened to have thought about this.

Also, there's a nicer version that Acina has commissioned using the same pose for Official Imperial Press Usage and even given the weird time frame going on in game right now, the design spreads widely fairly fast to the point where there's at least one monumental sized one on Drommund Kaas.

#swtor #oc ask prompts #republic trooper

[vespertine-legacy]

Zhorrid: And then you’ll betray me and claim it for yourself.

Empress Acina: Ambition was the downfall of many great Sith. I will not let it be mine.

And then, what, like a YEAR later on Iokath????? ACINA YOU DUMB SLUT

So I went back to Kaas City and stole her goddamn chair, and damn it feels good to be a gangster Zhorrid looks good as an Empress

#swtor #swtor kotet #swtor kotet spoilers #swtor fractured alliances spoilers #god i hate every goddamn thing about the fucking iokath story #acina had so much potential #WE WERE ALL ROOTING FOR YOU

[badviolets]

what do you MEAN i have to play through all of the expansions with every character and cant just instantly be up to date with all 16 toons

#swtor #badviolets plays swtor #i hate replaying kotfe so muchhh #only two of my sixteen girls r totally up to date #and of the next closest three only one of thems made it to iokath #suffering.jpeg #also considering rerolling my juggernaut :( #hes my marauder's brother but liiike i hate playing as men so. #but i hate the warrior story and quinn so much!!!!!!!!!!! agh!! #but i like making new characters!!!!!!!!!!!!

[rainofaugustsith]

SWTOR: It's. About. Story.

After weeks of complaints about the new Galactic Seasons program, the devs posted a response today. Unfortunately they managed to neatly sidestep almost all of the complaints players have been making en masse: 

1. The PVE objectives funnel a lot of players into areas where the instances are too large for the map to accommodate, such as 30 players on CZ-198. It's thus making those areas miserable to play, and woe to anyone actually trying to complete story (such as Rishi and Yavin 4).

Solutions to this issue would be a) lower the number of players in each instance; b) distribute the objectives more broadly so players don't all converge on a few specific areas. EA/BW said nothing about the former and doubled down on making the objectives narrow for the latter, at least for the first season of GS.

2.  The "RNG" for objectives is very heavily skewed toward PVP and GSF, which are activities many players dislike and do not want to do. It's not uncommon to have both GSF and Warzones come up as the day's POs, and there's only one re-roll.  

3. Re-rolling any objective often results in GSF or PVP coming up again. There's only one, so that often means a player cannot complete their PO (s) for the day. 

As solutions to #2 and #3, players have been asking for a) more re-rolls; b) a way to toggle mission preference between PVE, solo PVE and PVP objectives so they avoid the ones they hate and won't do. 

4. There are no solo weekly POs. 

It seems as though EA/BW is making a conscious effort to ignore all the feedback on what many players actually want from the game and the issues they've expressed both on the PTS and live, to try to push the play styles they - and a small clique of fans - personally favor. It feels to me that they are trying to force the game and the player base to be something they're not. 

SWTOR was marketed as a story based game. Its core demographic comes largely from two single-player, story-based games: KOTOR and KOTOR II. When it was released it was praised for the richness of its storytelling, and the strength of its voiceover artists. 

Not PVP. 

Not raids. 

Not GSF. 

Story. Good, substantial story. 

The writing on the wall is there with other EA/BW games, too. The next Dragon Age was changed from a MMO to a single-player game. Anthem, a game involving group play, failed. Fallen Order, a single-player story based game, did well. 

Mass Effect and Dragon Age are a decade old. KOTOR is an older game, too. People still play them, and want more of them, because of the story. 

Of course, EA/BW would love it if the SWTOR playerbase en masse learned to love PVPing and GSF. It's low-cost content for them. They don't have to do much; just provide the maps and let players kill each other. But that isn't why people play this game, overall. There are far better games for PVP, first-person shooters and space battles, if that is what one actually wants. Heck, there's an entire space battle Star Wars game, Battlefront II, if that is what one wants. 

In SWTOR, it's about the story. It's about the characters. 

Sometimes I feel like there are devs at EA/BW who are trying to do this with the resources they have, and I'm grateful for that effort. The swoop rally had short storylines and characters to talk with. Echoes of Oblivion brought us the best writing since KOTFE. They had a Mandalorian themed flashpoint that brought in a storyline for non-Force users. None of it was IMPS VS PUBS 4EVA!!! which was great. Even the Secrets of the Enclave was pretty good. While I dread what it may be setting up, and it's back to the IMPS VS PUBS 4EVA!!! treadmill which is boring and tedious as fuck, it was designed well and had some really excellent moments. 

But...Spirit of Vengeance was designed initially at a level much more tedious, and requiring better gear, than usual story/solo flashpoints. GSF objectives get way more conquest points that anything else. Some mats are only available through ranked PVP or NiM Ops. And now, Galactic Seasons, which could have been brilliant but seems to be garnering more resentment, anger and lost subscriptions than anything else. 

When is there engagement and interest in SWTOR? When does one see more people posting on the official forums? When do the planets seem busier? When there's new story or event that can be soloed. 

What do people constantly ask for? New stories, new engagement with companions, new strongholds, new world building. 

It's interesting that EA/BW never has to beg or bribe people to play the story. Players do it because they want to. Even KOTFE/KOTET, which are not super popular, do not require player bribes.  The only story content people seem to avoid or revile en masse are the walker missions; Oricon, which needs two ops to be completed; and Makeb, which tellingly has no characters with which the player can bond and engage long-term. 

The class stories? Still being played. I've been through the Sith Warrior story four times, with several clones at various points in the class story working their way through. I've been through the Sith Inquisitor story three times, again, with more clones coming up. Bounty Hunter? Three times, so far.. Smuggler? Twice, so far. Imperial Agent? Twice. I've repeated every class story at least once, and I still keep coming back to do the class stories and planetary stories and side quests, because they are good. Because I like the characters I meet. Because the planets are engaging. 

Shadow of Revan? Still being played. 

I still see people on Ilum. I see people on Onderon and Ossus. Even Zakuul and Iokath. The story content gets played, and played again. One of the things people have requested again and again, in fact, is a way to repeat the story content.  

Voiceover artists are expensive, especially when three languages are being recorded, but players have offered ways to add engagement with companions without speech, such as emails from them. Silent missions. You don't need to have a voiceover artist to animate a short scene of Lana Beniko or Theron Shan dancing on the beach with a PC they've romanced. Even if they cannot keep up every romance, if they just kept up with Lana and Theron it would make players happy. Add in, let's say, four or six selected from the class stories - let's say Scourge, Kira, Quinn, Jorgan, Vette, Risha - and a lot of people would be overjoyed. Four men, four women; equal number from each faction + KOTFE. That does leave an uneven number of mlm/wlw possibilities but there are two of each, as well. And those companions can certainly have platonic friendly conversations with the PC, too. I personally really miss Vette, Talos, Xalek, Blizz, Ashara and Jaesa being in my story. And many others, too.

The things being offered by GS are things that story players enjoy - decos, new strongholds, companions with side story missions - and this makes it even more frustrating that story players are being expected to PVP, GSF and use Group Finder, unless they want to buy their way through, to get them. Don't get me wrong - the fact that it's all optional makes me less angry at EA/BW than Iokath and Oricon did, by a long shot. All the same, it's a shame they're setting it up this way, because if they gave story/solo players objectives that were not PVP and group based, I think they'd be seeing a lot more excitement and engagement right about now. 

Right now, it seems EA/BW is far more interested in catering to a smaller player group who enjoys side content that the rest of the player base has to be actively bribed and coerced to play. Should PVP and GSF get development? Sure, if people enjoy it. Should the game try to funnel the rest of us into it? No. The fact that players don't want to be there, and have expressed that sentiment again and again, and constantly need to be bribed and coerced into it, should be a wakeup call. But EA/BW is still sleeping and hitting the snooze button. 

SWTOR is a story-based game. Raids, PVP, GSF are all wonderful for those who enjoy them but they are not for everyone. Players in a story based game need story. 

#swtor #rain talks swtor #swtor critical #ea/bw critical #galactic seasons critical

[ipreferfiction]

Alliance asks 12 13 14

12. Favorite mission in KotFE? Why?

visions in the dark for sure. it's fun, it's terrifying for the commander, and the lore, the visions, Satele and Marr - it's got a whole bunch of flavor that i adore. it's also a Very Bad Time for Lia in start a war canon, but i do not own Lia and can't go into much detail on that mess lol

13. Favorite mission in KotET? Why?

iokath, honestly. or nathema. i don't hate kotet, but i think there's a lot of wasted potential and it's the more mediocre of the knights expansions, especially with Vaylin's death rather than any chance to redeem her. Iokath has some fun lore and is very... futuristic horror? in feel? everything's overgrown, but there's nothing alive besides vegetation, and then there are the millions upon millions of tombs for a lost species, guarded by the droids who helped to destroy them. Nathema is just full of lore. it's horrific and visceral and i love it, i love the setup, i love exploring a place like that.

14. Least favorite mission in either? Why?

god. the walker missions on Odessen and Voss hands down. they go so SLOW it's so boring i hate them so much, they just fill me with rage. also killing Vaylin, because that's some bullshit and redeeming her would be so much more interesting (you can offer!! you can offer and she FUCKING REFUSES i'm so bitter).

#answered asks #swtor

[sullustangin]

Fictober Prompt #28:  I don’t have to explain myself

Fandom: SWTOR

Time:  Post Nathema; 25 ATC. this happens at the same time as #10: It’s So Quiet/Pillow Talk.  It also involves memories of the Iokath op over a year before.

**

Jace Malcom noted the highly encrypted, high-priority message from the Alliance Commander in his inbox.  It was marked for his eyes only. 

~~

Malcom had wanted to hate her.  She had taken his son away from the Republic.  He remembered when Theron told him he was going to resign for a dead girl.  Malcom was beside himself both in fury and in worry over Theron’s mental state.  He’d built this woman – this one-night woman from what Malcom could tell – into some sort of saint. She was pretty, but she was a criminal.  She had conspired with a Sith, willingly, in Wild Space.  

And then the Outlander had been victorious against the Eternal Empire.  Jace Malcom was profoundly conflicted. The Republic hadn’t won.  It had knuckled under.  But it hadn’t lost as much as the Sith Empire either. 

Malcom had decided after the Iokath campaign that he liked Corolastor.  The Voidhound was a criminal, but she had never failed a contract. She kept her word.  She was sharp. She was brave.  Even as he fumbled with Theron (apparently, complimenting him on how good he was in a war wasn’t appreciated), Corolastor was a cool, calm customer.  

She also slugged Saresh, which appealed to Jace in the same way that Satele dropping a mountain on Malgus had.  He liked strong women.  

And then he saw them together.  They’d thought they were alone.   Jace Malcom had appreciated how professional they had been.  He almost thought that Theron’s romantic feelings had been quashed entirely.  But then, while he was getting a cup of caf about halfway through the campaign, he heard a “hey” from around the corner, by the door that led out to one of many overviews that looked over the planet.  

There were fishbowl mirrors in the corridors at Iokath, to give people clear warning of what lay around the corner – be it robot or sentient.  Corolastor and Theron sat with their backs to wall, looking out over the planet, cups of caf at their side.  Jace could see it from his vantage point near the caf machine.  Silently, he sipped his caf while standing up, watching. This is what Theron did for a living, right?

“How you doing?”

“All right.  It’s clear he hasn’t forgotten I’m not a Pub anymore.”

Jace didn’t need to be an SIS agent to figure out who they were talking about.

“This the first time you’ve seen him since --?”

“Yeah.”

A silence.

“He’s proud, you know.”

Finally, someone got the point!

“Of all the wrong things. Combat does not suit me.”

Eva was quiet, and Jace heard a sip of caf.

“He never thinks of peace. He never thinks of a future where there isn’t war,” Theron continued.  “I work for a future he doesn’t believe in.”  

That struck Jace. Theron was so very much his son, and yet he was also Satele’s.  Jace’s memory wandered back to a conversation that had taken place over 35 years before. The last he’d had with Satele as her lover.  I don’t have to explain myself.

Jace snapped back to the present when the Voidhound responded. “But that’s the future.  What about today?”  Theron didn’t immediately response, so Corolastor continued to speak. “What do you want to do today, besides sit here and have caf with me?”

“Not a thing.”  The way Theron’s voice dropped through the floor and how the pair turned toward each other told Jace that Theron’s romantic feelings had not been quashed in the least.  They were discreet.  

Except for now, when they were being very affectionate.  

A kiss ended.  “Can you put off the inevitable fights with Jace for us to get through today?  If we wake up tomorrow, see if you can do the same thing.”  

Theron sighed.  “You never worry about the long-term.”  Jace could see Theron’s arm looped around her.

“When did I ever? This whole Outlander thing has been a trip, but I’m still a smuggler captain at heart – take everything you can every day, regret nothing.  Tomorrow isn’t promised.”  Another kiss, and Jace heard that one – youth was a wonderful thing.  “So get through today with me.  With Malcom.  Just today.”

Jace had left the mess hall at this point with his caf in hand.  At least he knew that the Alliance Commander was not averse to working with the Republic or him.  On a personal level, he’d appreciated the subtle hand she used with Theron.  He started to understand what Theron saw in the dead girl.

Corolastor looked more dead than alive when he had visited Odessen.  The light in the eyes had been smothered out, the cheeks sunken, the skin dull and growing more sallow.  The Wookiee had served three-cup mugs of hot tea, excessively sweetened.  Jace had idly asked why the tea was prepared this way, if the Alliance Commander had a taste for it.  Bowdaar had explained it was 48 fewer calories he had to fight to get into her.

Corolastor was the Voidhound at that point, constantly.  It wasn’t just an on-duty act, as Theron had explained during the Iokath op.  The identity had consumed her. She’s spoken dispassionately about where she had last tracked Theron.  She provided intel holos of Copero.

What a kriffing stupid haircut.  

That was the last time he’d seen Corolastor or Theron.

Corolastor had been kind enough to send him word that Theron had been recovered alive and that he was still an agent of the Alliance.  She had not terminated him or his service to her organization.  Malcom had been torn about this.  On the one hand, he was relieved beyond words that his son was not dead or disgraced.  

On the other hand, Malcom wanted Theron to come home to the Republic.  Hell, he’d even thought of clearing out a corner of his home office to set up a cot.  Other than a “yeah, I’m alive” message from Theron, that was all he had heard. 

~~

One could have forgiven Jace Malcom for his first observation, then, when he opened the heavily encrypted message.  She filled out nicely.

It was then that he realized that Corolastor was wearing nothing but a dancing girl outfit, and he sprayed his mouthful of caf all over his monitor.

He dropped the datapad he was holding and grabbed tissues from the box on his desk in order to try to mop the mess up.  

So, moving on from ogling his son’s (ex?) girlfriend inappropriately.  Jace looked at everything in the holo except Corolastor’s state of undress.

Theron was wearing that other stupid haircut of his (not as stupid as the one he had worn in exile, thank the stars), but his jacket and shirt were acceptable, minus the fact it seemed that the shirt had been torn in half in order to bandage the arm of Corolastor (the one part of that Jace permitted himself to look at).  It appeared that the entirety of Corolastor’s crew was also in the photo.

Wait a second.  There was the planetary governor of Aargonar.  And there were noticeable glints of gold on critical fingers…

Oh Great Original Light, this was a wedding holo still.

Jace gave up on his 0900 caf and switched immediately to Corellian brandy out of a flask he kept in his lower right desk drawer.  Hot damn.

He decided to read the text of the message – that was probably a good idea.

Caught up with each other on mission.  

I don’t think I have to explain myself.

Your daughter-in-law,

--EC

He finally was able to look at the holo still as a cohesive whole.  Theron looked like he had soaked up a lot of sun and recovered well from his injuries. The Supreme Commander allowed himself a brief moment to remember how much Theron looked like Kal Malcom, his brother, long dead.   Corolastor seemed to be in pristine condition (stars above), minus the wound on her arm. She was somehow still spacer-pale, despite their bright desert environs.  Theron had a protective arm about her waist, and both beamed radiantly.  The rest of the smuggler crew seemed overjoyed at this development.  

Holy kark.  They’d done it.

Nobody dared approach the Supreme Commander’s office for the rest of the day, as the foreign sound of joyful laughter periodically erupted from behind its doors.

#fictober21 #swtor #swtor fan fiction #theron shan #oc: eva corolastor #jace malcom #theron shan x smuggler

[lavampira]

hey! 4 & 7 for the negative swtor ask!

thank youuu! 🖤

[x]

4. least favorite expansion?

kotet. I absolutely despise many of the writing decisions throughout it; characters being tortured or killed for shock value, vaylin’s abuse getting framed and justified as another reason to villainize her, arcann’s magical redemption arc sans the character development, that whole chapter with saresh that makes No Sense and sets her up for potential violence from the player, the iokath droid gods lore backpedaling over the zakuulan pantheon, etc. I could go on and on about how much I hate actually it lmfao.

7. least favorite planet?

makeb. it’s pretty!! I love the aesthetic of it!! I don’t even mind playing that expac. however the map makes me want to bang my head into the wall with all the mesas and how easy it is to fall, get lost, or run into mobs, the dailies/weekly are so buggy, and That One Datacron made me scream for 2 hours.

#asked and answered #roamingmend #star wars #game: the old republic

[tiredassmage]

🌙 Moon, 🪤 mousetrap, 🔫 pistol for Tyr!

These are literally SO delicious, I LOVED these ones even if they made my head run like a motor trying to shake answers out of him. Shakes him up like the Scrabble dice.

OC Emoji Asks

Moon - What is your oc's greatest wish? How far are they willing to go for it?

There was a time where I would’ve been inclined to say it’d be officially working for the SIS. No more double agent, just straight up “you can leave! If it sucks, hit da bricks!” [kazoo noise] Anyway, meme for my emotional distress aside, why I was “was” is because that has been… complicated by having the Alliance to consider.

Probably now more than ever before, Tyr can’t help but weigh that his actions reflect on the entire group rather than just himself, and risking taking out the Alliance for his “vengeance” isn’t a gamble he’s willing to make. He’s willing to put himself up on those stakes, no hesitation, but… the fate of the entire Alliance? Filled with people that maybe weren’t disloyal a second of their lives, but would be branded traitor by association? He’d rather not, thanks.

I can’t even say he has an escapism dream because he… largely does not think too hard or too long about getting out, fucking off to some remote edge of space and settling down. It didn’t strike him as realistic, so he put it aside. It’s one area where he falls far short of being an idealist.

Nebulously, he hopes it’ll just be worth it. That something will come out of all of this. That whatever he manages to do will be enough, even for a second. Genuinely entertaining ideas of slipping quietly into the abyss of time is something only just perhaps slipping in - if only because he’s starting to get too bloody fucking old for this bullshit. It’s been what, twenty some years with all the expacs now? Man’s going into his late forties. All this spy shit is probably wearing on the joints, lol.

But, that said, he hates to leave a job unfinished. And I think we've established that "how far" is ah... pretty damn far, depending on just what the objective is.

Mousetrap - What will always lure them into certain danger? A loved one in danger? A promise of something they are always searching for?

I sort of got into this in Deryn’s ask, but Tyr seems almost incapable of sticking his nose anywhere but in immediate danger if it spares a comrade, collegaue, particularly someone he cares about. For as much as he plays Twister to dodge me calling him even a little bit selfless, most of his steps where he puts aside “better judgement” to speak up is to intercede on someone else’s behalf.

And he just cannot leave well enough alone when it comes to fighting back against the Empire. The biggest balk he had with Jonas asking him to turn on the heel and go back to the Empire to report double agent style was siding with the Republic on Iokath. Sure, additionally, he’d rather never see the place again, but it’s first and foremost because he hears that, hisses a breath through his teeth, and can’t help but at least mentally point out isn’t that a bridge we sorta burned? Is that really the most effective cover? But then he gets back into the thick of covert work and it’s all old hat. There’s almost a comfort to how old hat it is. It cropped up again to me on Ruhnuk that he thrives when he’s out of that spotlight, when he’s allowed work as an operative more than Commander. There’s at least a part of him that did genuinely enjoy the work. It’s what he’s good at.

But he’s not a thrill-seeker. It’s not about the adrenaline. I think it’s conviction. Tyr commits to what he believes is the most effective and right course of action. He’d still more than likely walk into something even if he knew full-well it was a setup because he doesn’t leave people he cares for behind. He doesn’t throw those people to the wolves. And it’s almost that he’s loyal to that ideal more than any specific person, which kinda takes me to part of the next question.

Pistol - Do they trust people easily? How easily will they turn their back on someone? Have they been backstabbed before? Will they betray someone given an ultimatum?

Starting with what’s related to where I left off - it’s actually an absolute yes. Perhaps no surprise for an actual saboteur, but I think what hooks me on this being such a delicious question is Tyr will do this with people he loves if he thinks it will protect them in the long run. So, would it be a full technical betrayal? Maybe not, but that’s sort of the other half of this question-

Tyr doesn’t consider for even a second to hold Nathema against Theron. They’re agents. It’s what they do. Stars, if anybody in the Alliance could understand Theron’s motivations and reasons, it’s Tyr. Was it still reckless and kind of stupid and did he want to smack him upside his head a little? Yeah. Tyr doesn’t say ‘I understand because I would be willing to do the same,’ but he knows it. I don’t think anyone else really does. It doesn’t exactly come up for him to hint towards and he wouldn’t want to if it did. Tyr does not see Theron in that scenario as a traitor, in the end. He did what he had to do. Tyr respects that. He gets it. He was more worried about getting everyone back home in the aftermath.

That all stabbing me in the feelings again, Tyr did trust easier than I might have expected - before the Castellan Restraints. That doesn’t just break whatever tinted image he may have been trying to hold onto about working to better the Empire where they could, it makes it incredibly difficult to trust for… a very long time after. He even gets hesitant about trust he already established. Nothing changes with Vector, but Tyr’s changed. In accepting Ardun Kothe’s offer to go double agent, Tyr knows he’s… really playing. He doesn’t believe the vast majority of his crew would ever agree with it. Hell, he’d half expect some of them to turn him over or save the Empire the trouble and do the deed themselves. Vector’s the strongest exception, but it’s still difficult. In that sense, Hunter really did keep the promise to take everything from him. He’s in a precarious position with the Empire and a lack of Imperial Intelligence backing his movements. His trust in himself and his own operatives is tested. It’s hell on the nerves, even though he rarely - if ever - admits it or lingers on it.

Theron Shan is the first new person that he feels any measure of relief from those burdens with. It’s a bit nerve-wracking at first on Manaan, but the time spent on Rishi… Tyr sees him as more an equal than he’ll see Lana for… ever, actually. Because while they eventually repair what missteps they have early on and become friends, their dynamic is inherently different. She’s eventually his sort of brutally honest friend, but she’s tough love and Tyr has already been masking and moving on for literal years, so… It’s not exactly the answer to actually processing anything he’s been through, lol.

Tyr still doesn’t trust all that easily - not wholly. He still keeps most people out at certain distances, different layers, only keeps a small inner circle. Theron, Lana, Vector… They’ve all been through some of his lowest damn lows with him as well as the highs. They’ve been there for the fallout and stayed. He does not give up on people he lets that close that easily - the Minister and Ardun Kothe as examples. Both people that absolutely tried his trust that, ultimately, he still respects greatly. His loyalty is certainly not a commodity. It’s hard-won and he fights tooth and nail for it in return. Even if that means making sacrifices. Even if he’d have to go behind their back to do it.

#answered #swtor ocs #ch: tyr #this bitch is out here makin me think up essays about him #imperial agent

[queen-scribbles]

Ours

Here we go, only three years overdue, canon version of Tel finding out he’s a dad. :D

---

Elara was fidgeting.

It was an unusual enough sight it almost stopped Tel in his tracks. Elara Dorne--well, Airen--didn’t fidget. No matter how pleasant or unpleasant or boring the circumstances, she was the model of poise and professionalism. And she definitely. Did not. Fidget.

Except, apparently, for now. Her fingers picked at the small metallic object she held as she sat on the couch in their quarters, and she looked a hairsbreadth from bouncing her knee as well. Which meant whatever was on her mind was likely something beyond serious and should be treated accordingly.

So he swallowed any jokes he been planning and plopped down on the couch  next to her. “You wanted to talk, Els?”

“I did.” She nodded, her attention still on the object in her hands. She turned it over and over, picking at the edges.

“Must be important,” Tel hinted gently when she didn’t continue.

A wry smile pulled at one side of her mouth. “It is. Dearest...” Elara bit her lip as the words petered out, then shook her head slightly and started over. “I have... something important to discuss with you; a topic I’ve been wanting to broach since... since Iokath. With our schedules it’s proven difficult to find a good time, so I’m doing it now, whether or not it’s good, and I apologize for any meetings you may miss as a result.”

“I’m all ears,” Tel promised, reaching over to give her knee a comforting squeeze. “You’re way more important to me than any meeting.”

She mustered a smile at that, then leaned forward and placed the object she’d been fiddling with on the low table in front of the couch. It was a small holoprojector, etched with a simple design, the type made to be portable and store images long term. A brush of Elara’s thumb over the controls brought it to life.

Tel examined the pale blue image when it appeared. It was a young girl--maybe seven?--with dark hair that hung almost to her waist. She was smiling impishly, and even as a holo there was no hiding the twinkle of mischievous charm in her eyes. Her hands were clasped behind her back as if trying to keep something secret just a few moments longer.

“Cute kid,” Tel said, glancing at Elara and wondering which potential direction this was going to go.

“She is,” Elara confirmed with a faint smile. “Her name is Kaira.” She reached over and laced her fingers between his. “She’s ours.”

It took half a second for her meaning to hit, and Tel flinched, grip tightening around her hand, when it did. The air seemed to freeze in his lungs for a moment as he stared at the holo.

“She...” he finally managed through the punched-in-the-gut feeling. “...Yours-and-mine ours?”

She nodded and squeezed his hand. “Are you alright, Tel?”

“Sweetheart, I’m...” A dad. I’m a dad. He gave a breathless laugh. “I’m great. A little stunned, but elated.” He freed his hand to drag her into a hug, still staring at the holo of his daughter. He had a daughter. “Weighing the pros and cons of punching Arcann in the teeth for making me miss... her, but otherwise...” A thought occurred and he frowned ever so slightly. “Did Jorgan know?”

He might be having words with the man if he had and didn’t say anything.

Elara shook her head and sat back to meet his eyes, her posture noticeably less tense. “She must have been conceived just before the Expedition was... lost” --her voice faltered for just a moment-- “and I didn’t discover I was pregnant until after the Supreme Chancellor had relieved me of my Havoc command. Jorgan and I didn’t keep in touch much past the first month or two, while he was helping me attempt to get the position back.” She smiled. “He probably wondered why I wasn’t fighting for it harder, truth be told. But between my condition and Chancellor Saresh’s obvious obstinance, it quickly became evident that was not a worthwhile fight.”

“So working for Malcolm...”

“Was actually rather perfect,” Elara confirmed the unfinished question with a nod. “I was still involved, still doing my part, but in a more administrative capacity than field work. It allowed me to... look for you and prepare for raising a child alone.”

He winced. “Sorry I wasn’t there.”

“Considering you were frozen in carbonite half a galaxy away at that point, I think I can safely say it wasn’t your fault, dearest,” she said lightly.

“And we’re back to me punching Arcann in the face,” Tel muttered, tugging her in for another hug.

“That wouldn’t really help anything at this point, darling,” Elara remonstrated, though her lips quirked toward a smile.

“Would make me feel a hell of a lot better,” he grumbled. “But I guess it wouldn’t set the best example, would it? For... Kaira.” It made him grin a little just saying her name.

She giggled faintly, the sound muffled by his shirt. “No, it wouldn’t.”

Tel rested his chin against the top of her head and gave an exaggerated huff of resignation. “Oh, fine, I won’t punch the reformed tyrant for makin’ me miss my daughter growin’ up.” He hesitated a beat, gaze back on the holo. “Els? What’s she like?”

Elara was quiet for a moment, her fingers curling into his shirt, but he could hear the smile in her voice when she spoke. “She’s... wonderful. Challenging at times, but worth every moment she’s made me want to pull my hair out. She has your smile, a fact I’ve both loved and hated depending on the day.”

He hugged her closer wordlessly, shifting so the corner of the couch would offer some support.

Elara took a deep breath. “She was a good baby, for which I’m grateful. Could likely sleep through a bombing run.”

“Els.” He didn’t want to dwell on the odds that theory had been tested, knowing what the Eternal Empire had done to Coruscant.

“We’re fine. Nothing ever came close enough,” she promised, before carrying on. “She’s extremely curious, very smart-”

“She gets that from you,” Tel muttered, which earned a quiet chuckle from his wife.

“I wouldn’t sell yourself so short, dearest. You’re not a stupid man,” she said teasingly, her fingers tracing light patterns against his collarbone. 

“I was smart enough to marry you,” Tel conceded. “So I guess I’m not a total lost cause.”

“There you go, Kaira gets her smarts from both of us,” Elara laughed softly.

But more from you. Tel kept the thought to himself. “If anyone could raise a smart, amazing kid by themselves, it would be you,” he said instead.

“There you go putting me on a pedestal again,” Elara said, playful chiding in her tone.

“Again implies a point where you came down from the pedestal,” Tel rejoined.He kissed the top of her head. “You’re there for life, sweetheart.”

“Ah.” There was a smile in her voice. “Well, before you go counting up more honors for me,Tel; I did not raise her entirely on my own. I had friends who helped, and Aleksei did as well, when he could.”

“Okay, that one’s a bit of a surprise,” Tel admitted. “I thought your brother was in Republic custody?”

“He was. A ‘person of concern’, I believe was the classification; same as I once was. And then he made some valuable contributions at great personal risk in fighting the second Zakuulan assault on Coruscant, which earned him some greater freedoms. Such as lending the Republic his technical expertise and assisting me with Kaira.”

“‘Great personal risk’?” Tel repeated, having noticed how her voice caught on the phrase.

Elara gave a shaky sigh. “Let’s just say you are no longer the only person I care about who has gotten himself blown up in the course of being noble. It wasn’t quite bad enough to require cybernetics, but there was scarring. And a limp.”

Tel blew out a breath and rubbed her back. “I’m glad he’s okay, Els.”

“As am I. After recovering, he was tasked with something computer-related that kept him on Coruscant, so he could help sometimes with Kaira. A lot, actually.” She smiled again. “They’ve grown quite close. She calls him Uncle Lesky, even now that she can say his name correctly.”

Tel smiled, his brow furrowing slightly in thought. “Oh, yeah, she must be, what, six or seven by now?”

Elara stilled for a moment, then reluctantly slid from their hug so she could look at him. “That’s part of why I felt it so urgent to tell you; she’ll be six next week. I assumed you would want to meet her before then. So we could celebrate as a family.”

Yes. “I dunno Els,” he deadpanned with a faint smirk. “Depends on what you’ve told her about me.”

Elara matched his smirk. “Oh, you know, as we discussed; you’re brave, handsome, charming. How you took the stuffy Imperial no one liked and made me the happiest woman in the galaxy, every day we were together. That you always stood up for those who couldn’t protect themselves, and helped those who could stand their ground. That you have a ridiculous sweet tooth she apparently inherited along with your kindness. That you like to steal the blankets,” she continued playfully, leaning in to steal a kiss. “And that you always know how to make me laugh.” She paused, sighed. “How much you would love her.”

“And the fact I was declared KIA? That come up yet?” he asked dryly.

Her brow furrowed briefly, and Tel caught the flicker of pain that danced through her brown eyes. “It did, when she was three. I told her some people believed you died fighting something very dangerous to protect the galaxy, but they were wrong. You were still alive, fighting to keep us safe.” She looked him in the eye. “Because that’s what I believed, with all my heart. She accepted it--what’s the saying about mother knows best?--and it didn’t come up again. Then the Republic learned of your Alliance, and I could show her you were alive and” --she smiled drolly-- “fighting bad guys to keep us safe. I suspect she’d be very excited to hear she can finally meet you.”

“Feeling’s mutual,” Tel grinned, kissing the tip of Elara’s nose. “She with your brother right now?”

Elara nodded. “She is. Whenever I’m off-planet.”

“Then hell yes, see how fast you can get ‘em out here.” He kissed her again. “I know Aleksei might not be able to stay long if he has a job to get back to, but I’d like the chance to ‘meet’ him without transparisteel and a Republic watchdog in the picture.”

A soft, giddy laugh escaped her. “I’ll get right on that. As soon as I steal you for myself just a bit longer,” she amended, leaning back into his space and bracing a hand against the arm of the couch to kiss him.

Tel grinned slyly, cupping her face with one hand and running his thumb along her cheekbone. “Seventy three minutes?”

Elara smiled back mischievously and carded her fingers through his hair until her hand rested at the back of his head. “If you think we can manage that long...”

He closed the distance to capture her lips in a kiss. “Sweetheart, I’d like to see them try and stop us.”

----

They got forty seven minutes, which was frankly longer than either of them had really expected, before Tel’s comm started trilling. And so, with much grumbling about “no rest for the wicked”, he got himself together and headed off to see what the Alliance needed, leaving Elara to work out getting their daughter to Odessen.

She slipped the holo in his pocket as he headed out the door. “In case you want to show her off.”

And show her off he did; to Theron, Lana, Vette, Senya--anyone at all  who commented on the grin he couldn’t seem to wipe off his face. He did his best not to be distracted from the Important Alliance Business that required his attention, but a man had his limits.

He slipped a hand in his pocket to curl around the cool metal as he tried to focus on Aygo’s briefing about ship deployments rather than what was (hopefully) coming soon, and smiled to himself. 

I can’t wait to meet you, Kaira.

--------------------------------

(I was originally gonna take this through Tel actually getting to meet Kaira, but that part’s getting crazy long and I need to work on other stuff that has actual deadlines, so it’ll have to wait.)

#queens fic #telcontar airen #elara dorne #telara #otp: 73 minutes #i love them i love them I LOVE THEM

[rangerslayer-97]

Swtor OC ask thingy time again huh? These seem to resurface every now and then. I choose Violcrik for question numbers 10, 15, and 25. Answer if you wish. :)

Qs here

Sorry for the wait. I was procrastinating. Lmao

~~~~~

10) What is their specialization class? Was there a reason they picked that discipline?

Ans: Violcrik is a Jedi Knight Guardian, who specialises in Vigilance discipline. Vigilance mechanics wise was probably the easiest for me to master as a pretty much still a rookie to the SWTOR community and the game. Suffice to say, vigilance was very easy to master and I was pretty hooked on its single target DPS mechanics. While I tend to hum and haw about the limited AOEs, Violcrik shines in her displine when she focuses on a single target and heavily relying on Vigilance Thrust (formerly Force Sweep) to stun weaker enemies when she is surrounded. Since Violcrik can get overwhelmed in unfortunate and unlucky circumstances, especially if she generates more threat according to the game's algorithm, she needs to defeat an enemy fast. By fast in at least 20-60s minimum. Satele in KOTFE Chapter 2 was a record 17s, but on Story, so I need to time it for Veteran. Otherwise, being a half tank means she can take a few hits. Following that, her rotation relies on her heavy hitting attacks such as Overhead Slash, Blade Barrage and Blade Storm. Plasma Brand is useful for ticking fire DMG and most importantly for some who use Vigilance, need it to complete the cooldown of Blade Barrage. If needing filler attacks, Strike, Slash, Sundering Strike and Riposte are the go-to, if there's time, the finisher is Whirling Blade.

Otherwise, Violcrik likes to dish as much pain as possible with maximum DMG she can inflict and take down an enemy fast. With that style, she pours passion into it. Mechanics wise, it's easy for a beginner like me to grasp and even my SF server Knight is the same discipline. So it's my favourite.

15) Who is/are their least favorite companion(s)?

Ans: Least favourite companion? That's a hard one. For knight class alone, between Kira, T7, Doc, Rusk and Scourge? Violcrik is very attached to her crew, she really say one of them is her least favourite. They're her family, a family she never really had. If she were to admit her least favourite, it's Doc. As Kira says, he's a "walking hormone", even before Violcrik realised she is more gay than bisexual, Doc was not her cup of tea. Sure, she flirted with him, once, before threatening to turn him into Colicoid dinner. He kinda just grated her nerves with his not so subtle advances, when she probably would rather kriff the same sex and probably in front of him to make it clear she's gay. Otherwise, she and the others would be lost without a resident medic to patch them up on a daily basis. Violcrik being most accident prone out of all of them.

KOTFE/KOTET, was a different ball game. Of all companions who joined her, she HATED SCORPIO. From the get-go of KOTFE Chapter 6, Violcrik did not trust the droid. She could tell SCORPIO had her agenda and wanted her deactivated as quickly as possible when she served her purpose. However, Violcrik was willing to give SCORPIO the benefit of the doubt, until the tail end of 21 ATC at the end of Chapter 15 & 16. Violcrik already had Koth to deal with if he showed his face (ans he does by hijacking the Gravestone!) and SCORPIO pulls her little stunt. From there, SCORPIO also joined Violcrik's "Must Kill" list. Yes, she got her revenge in the most satisfying kill on Iokath in KOTET Chapter 5.

Two least favourite companions: Doc and SCORPIO.

25) Do they have any deep dark secrets?

Ans: Another hard one, when it really shouldn't. Violcrik has always been dark for a Jedi until she completely fell during the expansions. Her well known dark secret, kept by Lana herself, is her status as a Republic saboteur. Violcrik has made it clear she lost her love for both the Jedi and the Republic. Would they expect her to completely turn on them and offer her servitude to the Sith Empire? Probably not, she's the Hero of the Republic and that still stands for those who still look up to her and no doubt, even young, new Jedi.

Another one, unknown to T7 and Doc, she has lied to them. Back during the Prologue, when the Twi'lek Matriarch and her bodyguards betrayed her, T7 was temporarily out of commission due to a stun bolt. Violcrik killed them all, including the Matriarch out of anger and feeling hurt by her betrayal. Violcrik lied to T7 that Flesh Raiders killed them and T7 believed her. During Knight class Chapter 2 on Balmorra, Violcrik slaughtered the injured Imperials when the Colicoid swarm attacked. She told Doc to run ahead and she'll administer the medpacs after dealing with the swarm. Doc believed her and to this day, 16yrs later, he still doesn't know she actually slaughtered them like animals.

So yeah, those are a couple of dark secrets Violcrik kept hidden. Plus, she's a liar, she'll lie when it's necessary.

~~~~~

Hope those answers are suffice! Sorry for the delay again. Lmao

#star wars #swtor #swtor oc #jedi knight #violcrik #rangerslayer 97 answers