At first it was like one of those never ending drops, an all encompassing blackness that seems to swallow up the light- “Then we brought in the big lights…” says Naru Slove, planetary researcher on the surface of the small planet in the Rheagent system; since the discovery of these caves by Colonel Emanci Ameer and his colleagues on board the Terin VII, Daylid has become the center of interest in the planetary research community. If theories hold true, Daylid’s caves, thought to be some milenia or older in age, could hold the key to understanding cultures and species from planets well before records were being kept, primarily in the Wild Space sector.

Slove and his team entered the massive cave system, thought to span fifty kilometers or more, two days ago; initial speculation that the caves are actually ancient irrigation channels was and still is difficult to discern, however. The light absorption of the atmosphere in the tunnels is especially high and the sides of the cave have yet to be seen from the ground level; the diameter of the tunnels was determined from estimates on board the Terin VII. “Once we have a strong enough light source we’ll be able to take much better images of the caverns…” While the initial images of the landings site have yet to be officially sent out, Slove describes the caves as, undoubtedly, massive, hemispherical ducts underneath what is now known as the “Ameer Steppe.” Not only are they estimated to be massive in diameter, he says, but they are also far taller than could have been anticipated; the exact measurements from the breakthrough point were at some fifteen hundred meters high. Furthermore, unlike the expectations set out by the researchers before entering the caves, the interior is far less arid than the exterior; the ground floor is actually a damp, clay-like substance. When mining exploration was considered in years gone past, initial digs had a difficult time breaking through the permafrost and evidence of strong mining had been weak at best; however, the damp interior suggest another possibility: current life on Daylid. “If this is true,” says Slove,” then we’ve got something bigger on our hands than we’d expected.” While no life of any kind has been seen, though bacteria is most certainly present in the moist interior of the tunnels, the researchers are curious to find if any life could have survived on the barren planet without being noticed.

As of yet, the researchers have been unable to travel beyond two hundred meters from their initial drop site below the massive hole in the tunnels; in fact, they have spent very little time inside the caves themselves for fear of cave collapse. However, specialized droids have been deployed and will return with soil from further into the caves as well as night-vision recording of its findings. Structural analysis will continue in the days to come before researchers can actually determine whether or not the caves are safe to enter. “The real research is when you can put your hand in the dirt and sense what the planet’s been up to for a milenia- I can’t wait…” The crews will have to be underway within the next two weeks; however, as the blizzard season is fast approaching and research could be delayed by another seven planetary months if a strong entrance can not be developed into the cave system. In the meantime, the researchers will set up camp and await their droid reconnaissance teams. Slove grins as he adds- “Now all we have to do is figure out what the natives must have done for fun around here. I certainly hope it wasn’t becoming extinct.”

–T’si Ryder

Knights of the Old Republic Campaign Guide is a hardcover supplement to the Wizards of the Coast Star Wars Roleplaying Game, written by Rodney Thompson, Sterling Hershey, John Jackson Miller, and Abel G. Peña.

Quote:

“Make the jump to lightspeed 4,000 years before the Battle of Yavin to a time when Jedi Knights and Sith Lords clashed in galactic conflict. This campaign guide offers both players and Gamemasters a wide array of new options that can be used to craft a unique roleplaying game experience. As the galaxy plunges into one war after another, the forces of the Republic, along with their Jedi allies, struggle to protect themselves from hordes of invading Mandalorians, tyrannical Sith lords, and traitorous allies on every front.

Featuring new game material drawn from a variety of sources, and including characters, weapons, vehicles, and droids, this book presents an entire campaign during violent days of the Old Republic. This book also contains new Force powers, Force techniques, and Force secrets for Jedi and Sith characters, as well as new options for characters of all classes. Players can take advantage of new talents, feats, and other options to play a Mandalorian neo-crusader, a Republic soldier battling against the forces of Darth Revan and Darth Malak, or a Jedi in exile on the run from the Sith.”

And unfortuanately that is about all the information I can gather for you at this time, but as soon as I can collect more details, you will be alerted immediately. You can check out the amazon.com listing for the book and advance order it here.

On a related note, Knights of the Old Republic Booster Pack for the Star Wars miniatures game will be released at about the same time (August 8, 2008) with 7 new figures per pack at $14.99 (USD) per pack, so keep an eye out for those as well!