Star Wars OPEN Lords of the Empire: Episode I – TIDES OF DARKNESS

GMs Sinrebirth, Lady_Belligerent, & HanSolo29 Approved!

Name: Soliloquy
Sex: How crass...also yes.
Age: After 10,000 I seem to have lost track. Roughly 15 /16,000 standard years, if you want an exact century count we are gonna need a bigger abacus.
Species: Croke
Homeworld: Crakull

Height: Yay tall by yay wide.
Weight: Did you bring a scale?
Physical Attributes: As desired this can be changed, recently styled as a roguishly good looking green Mikkian Male
Clothing: Ceremonial attire for the position, functional attire, or fashion rogue with black leather and silks with red piping and accents.
Abilities: Abilities are the foundations by which we take the actions of our lives. There are not many that cannot be chosen from.
Weapons/Tools: Has his re-forged black holocron. Collection of poisons and fungal spores. Twin Yuuzhan Vong short staffs of power - amphistaff variants with Rainbow Gems instead of lambets. Lambet, Villip and Comlink. Set of code cylinders and dataspikes. A few soul shards. Couple sets of multitools. Occasional creature experiments.

Occupation/Title: High Lord - Retired Reluctant Emperor
Family: Shimmer, one supposes.
Associates: Some of column A, all of column B, and a variety of all following columns.
Biography:
Born allegedly under a dark star in remote and hidden world of galactic grid G-10, one you are unlikely to find on most maps this Croke strode forth into the cosmos at a young age. Unsatisfied or driven by need to be better, to know more, to understand the universe in a way that histories of generations of forebears just did not illuminate enough for this young Croke. So setting out they experienced the Unknown until it was known, living many lives as many races in plain sight on many many worlds.

With names like drops of rain the one that would come to be known as Soliloquy moved outward from the basics of sentient life and how things worked. Or perhaps moved inward would be a better phrasing? Anyway, they shifted their focus to the energy field most commonly known as the Force. Studied under groups in the unknown and eventually with the Jedi, and after a life lived there they moved on to study other groups which led to of course studying the Sith. Sadly this is where they seem to have gotten stuck. For they met someone during these studies that opened a realm of possibilities and new avenues for research that had previously been limited. A source of test subjects and willing patsies.

The one they met, as they flittered in orbit about the Sith Emperor of the time was one that also had several names. Only most would come to know him simply as Revan. This, with a strange gift they had tried to steal from a Black Robe, led them to create their own 'Holocron' and freeze their body inside with their mind free. The only problem encountered was that the traditional pyramid would not house everything discreetly. This led to their red and purple glowing hexagonal structure for the housing instead. Thus began their several thousand year - multi-universe spanning existence as a Holocron that was known for being of many minds. Devouring, testing and learning the Force through the most unethical means.

Until one day they were delivered to a library in the Sith Triumvir's Palace on Moraband. A Hammerheaded Ithorian pocketed them from the collection. That was the turning point though the tale of this form was not yet finished, it was the point that set them on the road to it's end. They served through trials, defied deific powers, and traveled through the gates of Mortis unpaired. Where they a single consciousness to single consciousness defeated Mnngl-Mnngl. They did all these things, these things and more. The universe ended, the new one was invaded, and a surviving Sith Emperor gave him a number and a droid body carrier that was imbued by a celestial holocron with the late Emperor Palpatine mentation.

Everything of course did not go smoothly and they bounced around until they stumbled into a Zakullian sphere, and accidentally triggered a process that saw themselves and the Emperor AI both being thrown into organic bodies. The Emperor's didn't last, but Soliloquy for a time got to experience life through the true form of an eight limbed woman. One that surprisingly seemed to have a type that was fulfilled by Sith-Spawn. They had this form until they traded it to Abeloth in exchange for her and her siblings betraying their big brother - something which actually worked but saw Soliloquy once more implanted back into his holocron and true body that was still on ice.

After this they had a few spats with the Emperor, went to Kamino whilst trapped in an illusory form as they began decanting their body. What follows next is largely blamed on hibernation sickness messing with their hormones. They took an apprentice clone, defeated a new reincarnation of Mnngl-Mnngl in part, and then fled. That apprentice he named Shimmer. A few missions later they went home. There they reported in all they had learned, but left it encrypted largely so that only their offspring could open all the files. They also had a clutch of said offspring as mother and another clutch of offspring as father, and laid a few eggs as both. Returning with a banishment upon them they took Shimmer more as a daughter and less an apprentice and was thrown into a battle on Kesh that saw their holocron body damaged. From this they spawned a few terrors that they let others deal with, but rebirths an old Nightsister into a flesh fresh body and crafted his pet Blightling the Blightwing with the soul and mind of a Jawa. This is also when Soliloquy took some time to redraft his damaged Holocron with the black glass surround of a larger sphere.

The Emperor got himself spiritually vaped on the return trip to Kamino and Soliloquy soon found themselves as Emperor due to some poor planning and travel schedules, as the others with higher numbers similarly got themselves disintegrated. Keeping the post and the Hapan Cluster together as best able he planned out a future for them in a reclusive status. This all went sideways of course as others could not leave well enough alone and those that should of been Emperor instead of him refused to return and take their rightful place. Luckily a version of the Emperor returned with those wayward souls and Soliloquy was once more just a member of court who was merely ruling two worlds with two mega labs that were birthing new species bred for peacekeeping or war.

Of course peace was destined to be short lived, lie that it is to these people and all of that. Whisked away to Corsucant by the Empress without consent they helped conquer the world. Now if only they could finished some of these projects they could perhaps take a vacation whilst awaiting cross species grandkids. That was sadly not to be. As the returned Emperor sent him investigating tombs and reclusive positions that allowed him to meet The Master and have an illuminating talk. He ran missions and helped the members of the Sith including that same Ithorian that was his thief in getting a new body on the opposite side of the gender divide.

Eventually it came to a head where Soliloquy's original employer that had placed him as a holocron in that library in a position to be stolen came calling. Darth Krayt. Soliloquy helped the Sith fight the One Sith and secretly helped keep the One Sith informed. Soliloquy keeping up the double agent façade that kept both sides guessing until the final conflict, where Soliloquy threw in fully against the One Sith. Suprisingly they won. As such to the victors go the spoils, and in this instance was running for their lives and eight Imperial sectors. Being now rebranded as a High Lord Soliloquy took charge of one of these small sectors in Rendili.

Also of note in that whole Krayt war thing on Nubia, Shimmer died. Her spirit though proved more viable than Soliloquy had hoped for at this stage of life and she was able to resist chaos and come to him. From this he had been able to secure her in a soul stone, and later before the celebrations of being Sith, alive, and not dancing with Jedi he was able to create for her a new body from the resources at his Hapan worlds. She of course had ideas about her new body and so he had crafted a half-breed form that was half Falleen so she would better match and be compatible with her chosen lover. Once more he would wait news of whether he was to sooner or later have grandkids as this new body was fully functional and better than her previous Kaminoan supplied form.

At Rendili he would refit his allocated vessels, and modify the other sector vessels as requested. All the while maintaining his contracts that the system had prior to his involvement with the New Republic or whatever they called themselves these days. ISD Vector was a personal test bed of integration, and his second ISD Saigok which patrolled and defended his tiny sector. Meanwhile he prepared and studied many little things.
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\/////////////////|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||

The Unexpected second sheet!

Name: K'zk Vrai
Age: Uncertain of Galactic conversion in counting the seasons of the tides.
Species: Qwohog (deepwater subspecies)
Appearance:



Bio: Born and raised in the deep waters K'zk Vrai's clan was unaware of the earliest meeting of the land trekker tribes with the off-worlders. Although he did, as most, learned and felt the armored feet and the heat of their weapons. It was not until after the Imperials were repelled that he left, unlike many he did not join the 'Rebels'. They were little better than the boot.

He had learned that clearly. For in his listening to his own people he learned the Rebels that came to their world and traded were outlaws to begin with. The Imperials had merely followed these outlaws trail and discovering something they also wanted had simply taken it. Forcefully.

Instead he traveled to the seas of Mon Cala, Iskalon, Dak, and many others. Meeting others that lived in waters as the most easy and comforting of aliens to learn and hone his understanding of war and how the galaxy worked. All the while he worked as a Mercenary, a Pirate Leader, and generally a thorn in anyone's side who had something he wanted.

So he lived gathering power, influence, and with a considerable space maritime comfort afforded by firepower until one day a land liver asked for Parlay and did not begin by begging for their life nor their property. Merely delivering an invitation. One K'zk Vrai did not refuse.

K'zk Vrai would live to regret that choice. During his short stay at the Princess Palpatine's villa K'zk survived two plausible assassination attempts in the form of an Emperor's Droid and then the Princess' own serving droid. All he got out of it was a datapad of proper etiquettes, dubious meetings of power hungry individuals, and of course a new job offer. Before faking his death he had accepted that offer, and was officially the Head of State for the Iskalonian committee for the preservation of aquatic species. Although that offer was not contingent nor link in any way to that situation that he was ever able to discover.

Still with that position Star Cruisers were added to his burgeoning fleet and the ability to operate with legitimacy. Although he kept his name and face out of it. After barely escaping with his life from the Princess Palpatine's villa, and his short recovery, he has strove strengthen his peoples and build a viable defense for the dark times ahead that he fears will be coming for him. . .for them all.

 

Name: Jwob Sebb or Darth Serapis

CHARACTER SHEET
Sex: Male Now Female.
Age: From original body 37 Standard Years. Current body is more in the early 20s.
Species: Originally Ithorian. Was Hapan for a while. Now back to Ithorian.
Height: Originally 2.1 Meters, now 1.5 meters.
Weight: Originally 85 KG, now 50 KG.
Occupation: Part of the modern Gig Work culture.
Physical description: Originally Brown/red skin, almost maroon, now much lighter, still tan.
Clothing: Hooded robes. I'm in hiding.
Weapons:
Lightsaber, blood-orange blade. Crystal speaks ancient Sith, though very quietly.


Associates: None

Biography:

The one known as Darth Serapis started out as an Ithorian named Jwob Sebb. He grew up in a traditional Ithorian household. He was prospected by the Jedi, but resisted, feeling he was destined for a different path. He was independent. Also, he didn't like the idea of the "light side" saying skills in the Force were off-limits. If you were fortunate enough to be a Force user, why restrict yourself?

Jwob became what many Force-sensitive Ithorians become: a trader. His connection to the Force served him well in negotiations. He became reasonably wealthy over the years of his trading career. He still felt he was missing something, though. After a few years of being a trader, he met and was recruited by Darth Bellorum. Since then his life has been chaotic. It's not the attempted abandonment of the Sith order and his imprisonment. It's not the mental instability he experienced after that. What really preciptated the chaos was when he acquired the ability to shift his consciousness between bodies.

At first he would jump uncontrollably from his Ithorian body into others nearby, then back to his Ithorian body. He even combined skills, once using his Force Healing while inside the brain of his fellow Sith, Darth Cocytus. As he gained greater control of it, he became more confident. Much too confident, though. So reckless that he tried to take on Typhojem, the Sith God. It was a noble endeavor. It was successful. It distracted Typhojem enough that he lost his advantage. But Serapis lost his life.

That would not be the end, though. After being plucked out of the emptiness by Insipid, he was shuffled between a facet of Soliloquy's Holocron, to a droid body, then back into a flesh-and-blood body of Renndar, a Hapan Queen's bodyguard. It was jarring, but healing, too. Each body he took over added something to him. Each one made him more grounded. Yet each one also took him a bit further from being Jwob Sebb.

It was time to go back. He still was Jwob Sebb. He always would be. But he needed to reaffirm that. And, to be honest, he needed an Ithorian body back. That's right. He wasn't an Ithorian any more. And, he wasn't male any more, either. That last one was a hard one. But, when you're in a society ruled by women, you take what they give you.

He went back to Ithor. His goal was to become Jwob Sebb again. He was mostly successful. He found an Ithorian who was Force-sensitive. Well, she's a female. Jwob Sebb was now Siri Sebb. The candidate was very strong in the Force at this young age. Serapis was quite happy with his choice. As with most of his conquests, she was inside the mind bouncing around, haunting him. He had enough practice with ignoring it that that should not be a major problem.

When he left the herdship, his plan was to rejoin "the Sith." Little did he know the galaxy had splintered since he'd gone on his mission. Now he simply needed to survive long enough to find his compatriots.

Spoiler: For my reference

Class: Lv9: High Lord

Tier I:
Force Push/Pull
Force Shock
Force Drain
Tutaminis
Force Choke
Force Meld
Affect Mind
Force Stealth
Force Rage
Fear
Chill
Meditate
Eye of Madness
Ignite

Tier II:
Force Wave
Dark Side Healing
Force Barrier
Inspire
Probe Mind
Conceal Essence
Consume Essence
Mind Shard
Force Sight
Touch of Chaos
Force Wound

Tier III:
Force Avalanche
Shatterpoint
Force Illusions
Dark Orbs
Hunger

Tier IV:
- Essence transfer

SHIP PROFILE

 

APPROVED BY THE GM's!

TIA


Name: Tia Graul
Sex: She/her/they/them
Age: 8
Species: Human
Homeworld: Coruscant

Height: 4.3
Weight: 3.9 stone
Physical Attributes: Long blonde hair, striking green eyes, pale skin



Clothing: Black leather cropped top with Middle Ages inspired back lacing. Fitted long sleeves with mesh shoulders and sleeves, black leather gauntlets and gloves. Two-tone (red and black), mid-rise tight-fitting latex leggings. Stiletto heeled boots,

Abilities: Basic force abilities, limited Telekinetic ability, force jump, force acrobatics, Her force gift is Telepathy which her former mentor paid special attention to developing.
other abilities include technical skills as in re-wiring droids, opening secure doors and safes etc

Weapons/Tools: Newly acquired lightsaber giving to her by her master Ike, an ancient pocket knife she is convinced belonged to Exar Kun. No-one can convince her other-wise

Occupation/Title: Sith Apprentice

Family: Aryan Graul (father) Bellorum Graul (stepmother)

Associates: High Lord Ike, Sith Master. Sith Empire

Biography:
Tia's past is shrouded in mystery, She believed her parents died in an explosion when she was just three years old. Her memory of this supposed event is foggy, and the only thing she remembers is walking the under-levels of Coruscant, bare-footed, alone, scared and hungry. This is where she Met Dalask, the half-Muun/Pau'un opportunist. He recognised that Tia was force sensitive immediately and being versed in the force himself began to train her for his own ends.

It was events that occurred on the pair's first visit to The Stardust that led to Dalask's downfall, After securing a trip to Nubia, Tia was abducted by Darth Talon along with her mentor. The abduction led to the introduction of Tia to Ike, who cleverly persuaded Tia to kill Dalask over a lightsaber, thus becoming Ike's first Sith apprentice.

It Wasn't until a few weeks later, when again she found herself among the rich and powerful on the Stardust when she found the truth, Aryan Graul was her biological father....

 

Triple GM Approved
-Darth Hekate-

Name: Cornelia Yaeldrin, Moff Hekate
Sex: Female
Age: 40, appears to be in her early 30's
Species: Human
Homeworld: Alsaka

Height: 5 ft. 6
Weight: 141 lbs
Physical Attributes: Long, dark brown hair that’s wavy, large dark grey eyes and a fair complexion.
Clothing:
Abilities: Uncanny abilities to understand and work with children, master shaper and manipulator of plants and animals
Weapons/Tools: Orange bladed lightsaber, and a datapad for collecting/recording information, a speeder and a Maeb class ship, specially ordered in honor of her ascension (the ship the Sith Mother uses in the SW Visions short "Screecher's Reach")


Occupation/Title: Sith Lord and Moff
Family: Lord Berneal (husband), twins Thanatos and Persephone (aged 3 years, currently offworld), and centaurantula El Muerte (currently with children)
Associates: Darth Bernael
Biography:
In her past, the Sith currently known as Cordelia Yaeldrin was first known as Istra Amelia Converse and later Anya Korikova. Her force powers relating to animal and plant manipulation manifested early and in such an unusual way, it was though she was somewhere on the autism spectrum. It was only after her parents met with the Nightsister known as Zeevah they learned their eldest child was Force sensitive. They agreed to have her trained, and it was away from Alsakan’s high society to the wild outback of Dathomir.

After mastering her powers, Cordelia joined up with the Sith Empire. Her expertise in ancient mythology made her helpful on missions, but her tendency to withdraw into her own thoughts a bit too much led to disaster. First, she fell into a pit during a relic hunt, and after she used the life force of the nearby plants to regenerate her body. She took on the new identity Anya Korikova, a Corellian ballerina. Even then, she was the subject of an experiment by Dr. Shadow.

Taking this as the last straw, she struck out on her own, crossing the galaxy in her own ship, before accidentally freezing herself in a stasis chamber for a year. Her ship crash landed on a small, contentious planet at the edge of the spiral arms of the galaxy.

Considering how quiet it was in the part of the universe, Hekate took on her current identity Cordelia Yaeldrin and set herself up as an educational consultant. Thrilled to no end that the locals considered the idea of a person possessing actual magical powers as nothing more than science fiction, she set herself up in one of the large old-style houses. It was during this time she began reconnecting with the Force, manipulating local politics and aggravating tensions between neighbors.

Of course, she made acquaintances and she was invited on more than one occasion she was invited to worship at the “sham gothic erection on the new housing estate”. During her time on-world, she came to realize how far out of the way she truly was - even for this world - and while she took her time to educate herself on her new homes literature, it did not surprise Hekate at all nobody there had read her C.S. Lewis outside of The Chronicles of Narnia.

During her meditations, she was able to purge her childish naiveté and was able to reconnect to the spiritual aspects of the Dark Side and was able to construct a new lightsaber, one with an orange blade. During the height of a world-wide crisis, Hekate began to hear the call of her fellow Sith and she looks forward to going home.

When she returned, Hekate had several adventures, among them running the secret Sith Academy on the Luxury Elite, with mixed results. Her care for younglings led to her ascension to the Thirteenth Throne, a high honor for someone on the cusp of becoming a full Lord. She was granted the rank of Lord upon Emperor Insipid's death at the gala celebrating Lady Bellorum's wedding to Aryan Graul.

It was in between these adventures, she began to remember a mission she shared with Darth Bernael, and the seeds of romance were planted. They were reunited at his ascension ball, and as the month passed, they pledged themselves to each other and consummated their relationship. It resulted in Hekate carrying twins, Thanatos and Persephone.

Under normal circumstances, it is impossible for an Anzat and a human to have children together, but around the time this was going on, Hekate was getting fertility treatments from a reclusive Kaminoan scientist (Hekate was going to pursue the single mom route), but the treatment took a little too well.

Hekate's twins arrived one month after the gala, and Hekate has settled into motherhood well. She fought alongside her husband during the battle against the One Sith some months later, and it was decided it was time for the twins to begin their traditional Anzati education back on Anzat, with El Muerte going with them to act as guardian.

She has settled into ruling Trellen and Humbarine rather well, taking great pride in reworking the planets PK-12 education systems and related curriculum.

 

Name: Bluth
Sex: Male
Age: 32
Species: Human
Homeworld: Yullion

Height: 6'
Weight: 180
Physical Attributes: Not much to look at
Clothing: Whatever is clean
Abilities: Average Force Skills
Weapons/Tools: A Darth Malgus replica lightsaber/lightsaber from 'past'

Occupation/Title: Apprentice
Family: Link
Associates: My Master, @HanSolo29
Biography: Orphaned and abandon, he was found and raised by simple people. His adopted mother, a sweet and nurturing woman; his adopted father a simple farmer. Once they died of old age he secluded himself as a shut in. A few years later, he felt himself becoming mad so he left one day, to go to the market where he met his future wife. After they dated for awhile she wanted him to reach his full potential. She pressured him to become a Jedi. So he worked through the ranks, becoming a knight. However, he was sent on false mission all the while there was an attack on his homeworld. The attack caused the death of his wife, and the Jedi stood down and allowed it to happen. Bluth sought out revenge. Now he won't rest until all Jedi are extinct.

Appointed to Grand General by The Emperor, and in the employment of Aryan Graul/Darth Bellorum.

 

OOC: Triple threat, triple GM approved

Name: High Lord Iudex (You-Dex), formerly known as Zurros Myrthic of Clan Chir-Dorna
Sex:M
Age: 145 (ish)
Species: Falleen
Homeworld: Falleen
Height: 7’1
Weight: 260 lbs
Physical Attributes:

Iudex is a massive, imposing man, with a permanent scowl of displeasure resting on his face. His skin tone is that of polished copper. Shoulder-length silver/white hair springs from a single point atop the back of his skull, which is usually left free-flowing. The rest of his skull is shaved bald, exposing prominent bony facial ridges. Falleen physiology includes twin livers, making him resistant to most poisons found throughout the galaxy. In addition to being able to change his skin pigmentation at will, Falleen also have the ability to exude pheromones at will which aids in their ability to subtly influence others.

Spoiler: Lightly Armored

Clothing:
Iudex prefers function over aesthetics, and his choice of clothing and armor accentuates this. When not in a social event, the Circle-Lord will almost always wear an unwieldy set of cortosis-alloyed durasteel plate armor. While ultimately unnecessary to keep him protected from harm, the armor and the racket it makes during movement has become more of a symbol of fear than anything else. On the rare occasion the Falleen Sith is forced into mingling socially, he will often wear an ornate purple robe with gold trim, emblematic of his Falleen heritage.

Spoiler: Full Battle Dress

Occupation/Title: High Lord of the Sith
Abilities: Complete mastery of Force Storm, Force Rage, and Force Speed. Iudex is able to tank an inordinate amount of damage and continue swinging, long after everyone else has fallen.
Weapons/Tools: Iudex's main weapon is a long-handled red bladed lightsaber. The added length of the hilt allows the user greater manipulation of the blade's trajectory in combat as well as a greater reach. His secondary is a standard-length red bladed lightsaber, a trophy claimed after he defeated Ren in single combat.
In combat, Iudex prefers to brutalize his foes into submission with an overwhelming barrage of lightsaber and fist, favoring displays of savage physicality over flashy displays of the Force. That being said, Iudex’s mastery of Force Lightning and Force Rage are not to be underestimated.

Family: The Falleen Clan of Chir-Dorna. An aristocratic House of xenophobic zealots even by Falleen standards, Iudex abandoned their ranks long ago to fight for the Separatists in the Clone Wars, yet their influence over his early decades of life still hold sway to this day.
Associates: Fellow Circle Lord/High Lords Bernael and Soliloquy. Shimmer, the love of his life and greatest weakness.

Spoiler: Biography

The life of the man that became Darth Iudex is one of disillusionment, of rebirth, and of revenge. He witnessed first-hand the rot that was the Republic in its twilight years, how the cancer that was the Clone Wars killed it far before its eventual demise. From afar, he watched as the Galactic Empire rose from its ashes and repeated the same mistakes. Iudex had a purpose then, during the reign of the Empire. Deep within the expanse of the Unknown Region, Iudex discovered a fledgling movement of self-taught Dark-siders who adopted him as one of their own. Like the Empire itself, it would not last. Iudex's newly found family, like the Republic, was corrupted from the inside. Day by day, week by week, month by month, the conclave of self-titled Sith changed, twisted by heretical beliefs, until they, like all others, turned on themselves.

It was on that day Zurros Myrthic died and was reborn as Darth Iudex. Christened in the blood of his former allies, Iudex retreated, stealing away in a freighter before jumping off world in search of refuge with another enclave following the Dark Side of the Force.

Weeks and then months passed, with Iudex bouncing from world to world, port to port, never finding those than he sought. But then, things began to change. The Force, whose voice had always a confounding mumble to his ears, began to speak clearly for the first time. Like the faintest whisper in the wind, the Falleen could hear a call, a murmur beckoning him onward. It was another Sith, he was sure of it, one whose presence Iudex had not perceived before. It was an aura of pure strength, and that was enough. Iudex changed his course, setting himself on a direct journey to the forgotten world of Kesh. After a full year of uninterrupted travel, it appeared as if Iudex's journey was finally reaching its conclusion. All that was left was to meet his guiding lighthouse in person.

Spoiler: Dark Reach I

After a rather dramatic crash-landing on the hidden world of Kesh, Iudex would come face-to-face with the Sith Emperor, Darth Insipid. The two would sign a contract, power for power, and blood for blood.

The bargain quickly bore fruit for both parties. His first job was to join a Sith kill team in their mission to overthrow and replace the leader of the Hapes Consortium with a member of Insipid’s Sith. It was a dramatic success, and for his efforts, Iudex was rewarded with the sole rule of the planet Sennex. Using his prior life’s contacts within the Black Sun crime syndicate, he jump started his own operation on the desert planet, ultimately reviving the previously extinct Sennex Pirates under a new, (more subtle) branding.

Iudex’s next post involved ensuring that the Sith’s replacement of the head of the Hapes Consortium, Darth Helinith, remained in power. Through a series of unusually adept political maneuvering, Iudex managed to discover and infiltrate a budding insurgency within a faction of Hapan nobility. Through his efforts, the greater Sith forces were able to mobilize their forces just in time before the rebel nobles began their attack.

During the opening salvos of the ensuing Battle of Hapes, Iudex found himself an unlikely comrade in the Anzati Sith Lord known as Lord Hunger, a figure whom he would later come to refer affectionately as his battle brother. After suffering numerous casualties among the Hapan loyalists, the Sith would ultimately emerge victorious over the Hapan rebels.

After the battle, the surviving Sith forces were ambushed by agents of Snoke, beginning a costly drawn-out war with their new enigmatic foe. The conflict was a boon to Iudex’s position within the Sith hierarchy, as became something of a rising star within the ranks of Insipid’s Sith.

On one occasion, whilst supporting the duo Sith Lords of Hate and Hunger, alongside the introduction of a new ally, Shimmer, the group managed to infiltrate and sabotage a plan by Snoke to drag the New Republic into a direct war against the Hapes Consortium. Within said operation, Iudex met and ultimately defeated a foe from his past, the leader of the enigmatic Knights of Ren. Afterward, Shimmer and Iudex were ambushed by a mysterious dark-side welding Chagrian female known only as IV. After a brief duel within the bridge of a self-destructing Star Destroyer, all three were forced to flee. After regrouping, Hate, Hunger, Shimmer, and Iudex fled the system, leaving the New Republic ultimately unaware of how close they had come to another galactic war.

The Sith’s war against Snoke culminated in the Battle of the Akkadese Maelstrom. After months of searching and constant setbacks, Snoke’s powerbase had been located within the Akkadese Maelstrom. The recently promoted Lord Iudex, along with what forces the rest of Inspid’s Sith and their allies could muster, all converged within the system for one final battle against Snoke.

Faced with a force drastically outnumbering their own, each Sith Lord was forced to partake in individual suicide missions against Snoke to achieve any hope of victory. Iudex, Shimmer, and an allied Chiss Admiral were tasked with infiltrating Snoke’s newly constructed Death Star. Within, the group were set upon by the remaining members of the Knights of Ren, which were unceremoniously defeated. Within the control room of the station, the surviving members of Iudex’s party were forced to battle a Yuuzhan Vong Yammosk. The battle was exceptionally brutal for the Sith, who only barely managed to defeat the creature with their minds and bodies intact. Gathering what little strength remained, the battered group moved to flee the Station, just as New Republic forces arrived in system to mop up the remaining First Order ships and put a final end to the Death Star.

With the New Republic occupied in the Maelstrom, Insipid’s Sith discovered the old galactic capital world of Coruscant relatively undefended. As a final victory lap, the Sith, Iudex included, descended upon the capital world, taking it for their own after a brief extermination of the local stormtrooper legions defending it. With Coruscant surrendered to the Sith, a grand celebration was called for, aboard the luxury yacht, The Stardust.

They mingled, they plotted, and they drank, as all good Sith do. For the first time in what felt like forever, there was a shared peace. They had survived a great ordeal together and were now stronger than ever. For their efforts they would be rewarded, Iudex perhaps more than the others. From seated twelfth in line, to a full Lord of the Circle Iudex would rise, considered equal to not only Lord Hunger, but the temporary Emperor Soliloquy themselves, who had also been named a Circle Lord.

Spoiler: Dark Reach II

With Snoke seemingly killed after the Battle of the Akadese Maelstrom, Inspid’s Sith were afforded a rare six months of relative peace. Iudex however, found the peace unnervingly worrisome. He was a warrior without a war, and found himself unsure with what to do with this unexpected free time. At first, he trained incessantly, dramatically improving his potency with the Force as well as general lightsaber combat, but it wasn’t fulfilling enough for his liking. Shimmer, his newfound love, was instrumental in calming his frayed nerves, but still, six months of sitting on his hands were driving Iudex up the wall.

Finally, he was given a new mission. He, along with Shimmer, fellow Circle Lord Hunger, and Lord Azathoth, were tasked in finding the hidden Dark Side world of Exegol. Inexplicably, before they were to set out, a full Order of long believed dead Sith appeared in the galaxy from another timeline, each harboring a bitter grudge against the longer serving members of Insipid’s Order. These so-called One Sith, as Iudex would later find they were identified as, would serve as the crux for the upcoming struggle.

The group’s first stop was the world of Nyssa, buried within the Unknown Regions. Rumors of a guild of assassins that had only been known to exist in the same timeline as the One Sith had been discovered, and it was judged too important of a clue to ignore. Arriving in the system, the group was gifted a chance visit with the ever confounding Arb, before ultimately being introduced to High Lord Bodé Leobund X of House Mecetti, the leader of Nyssa. House Mecetti had organized the meeting in the hopes of creating a formal alliance between themselves and the True Sith. Unfortunately, as with what had happened in the Hapes Consortium, House Mecetti was equally embroiled in inner conflict. Mere hours after Iudex arrived, the great House was embroiled in a coup staged by the High Lord’s nephew. Instead of picking a side, Iudex and the other Sith moved to conquer the House outright.

Their actions however were stymied by the untimely arrival of the same female Chagrian from the Akkadese Maelstrom event, who was now identifying herself as Darth Wyyrlok IV, lieutenant to Emperor Krayt of the invading One Sith. Before they could react, Krayt himself emerged, springing a trap upon Iudex and the group aboard a Mecetti Star Destroyer. After a fruitless battle with the Emperor which left both Azazoth and Shimmer critically injured, Iudex and Hunger surrendered, accepting Krayt’s offer of allegiance in order to learn more about the One Sith’s organization. As a reward for his new “loyalty”, Iudex was gifted the entirety of House Mecetti’s resources, men, and fleet to use as he saw fit. Shimmer would be held as a hostage to keep Iudex in line.

Iudex and Hunger, as a method to measure their new loyalty, were dispatched by Krayt to Pelagia to mop up a group of Imperial Knights still loyal to Insipid’s Sith. The pair played the part well, deceiving not only Wyyrlock IV and Darth Havok, but even the Imperial Knights as well, to both Circle Lords' chagrin. The farce was temporary, as before they could complete their ultimate deception, all loyal forces of Inspid were immediately recalled to defend Nubia.

Iudex mustered his forces, bringing to bear the combined fleets of House Mecetti, the surviving Pyke Syndicate, and the Sennex Pirates against those of the One Sith. Using his pirates to flank the invading One Sith fleets, Iudex and Hunger hijacked a One Sith Star Destroyer and used it as a battering ram to thrust straight up the middle of the enemy fleet. The pair wove a path of total destruction through the One Sith’s fleet, all in search of the enigmatic Krayt, who had hidden his presence on the far side of the system. Within, the pair found a hidden space station, which held a number of Krayt’s lieutenants, Darths Inexor and Havok, and more importantly to Iudex, Shimmer. Iudex and Hunger made short work of the station’s defenses and boarded without issue. Iudex, upon discovering how grievously Darth Inexor had wounded the love of his life, went ballistic. In a beautifully savage dance, the Circle Lords Iudex and Hunger utterly destroyed Darth Inexor before he could offer any token resistance. In response, Krayt forced the station to de-orbit, crashing it into Nubia’s crust in an attempt to kill the encroaching Circle Lords.

Rising injured from the wreckage, and joined by their fellow Circle Lord Soliloquy, the three Lords came face to face with the remaining One Sith lieutenants of Havok and Kroan. Both had taken hostages important to Hunger and Iudex. In the ensuing battle, Iudex was forced to watch Shimmer seemingly perish in the crossfire. Such an act broke the Falleen Sith, his rage going supernova. Kroan died by Iudex’s hands. Havok fell to Soliloquy and Hunger soon after. The act of brazen violence, possible compounding on some unseen mental damage he had suffered from the Yammosk within the Battle of the Akkadese Maelstrom, fractured Iudex’s mind. He lost control of himself, his rage transforming him into little more than a slavering beast.

He charged blindly into the One Sith’s reinforcements, brutalizing them with reckless abandon as he sought out his true foe. Krayt. So, the surviving members of Inspid’s Sith met Krayt in open battle within the ruins of the Graul estate. It took everything that they had to finally kill Krayt. None of the survivors came away without fresh wounds, yet some fared better than others.

Iudex emerged victorious in name alone. Something within had broken irreparably during the final battle with Krayt, leaving him feeling a broken man. He found his attention scattered, his personality soured. The light of his world had vanished, leaving him hollow in despair. Not even the discovery of Shimmer’s revival by Soliloquy woke him from his stupor. He was relieved, undoubtedly so, yet still he felt.. empty.

Just like after the Battle of the Akkadese Maelstrom, the survivors of the Battle of Nubia converged upon the luxury starcruiser Stardust. In which, the Lords of the Sith were awarded sectors of the new Empire to govern as they saw fit. Iudex, rechristened as a High Lord instead of a Circle Lord, chose the Exodeen sector, specifically to gain control over the Imperial Archives located within. Weeks had passed since the Battle of Nubia, yet his internal malaise remained. Both his own studies of the Force as well as modern medicine had failed to heal his fractured mind, now his only hope lay within the scrolls and tomes of the archives.

Spoiler: Interlude

A year passed. Then a second. The machinations of the greater galaxy were ignored by the hermit Faleen Sith, locked away in his archives like a dragon atop its horde. The governance of the sector was handled by intermediaries, with naught by a select group of trusted underlings gifted the knowledge of their ruling High Lord. So it went for Iudex’s holdings outside of the immediate sector as well.

His Sennex Pirates had reorganized themselves into the Sennex Lords after the Battle of Nubia. Money and supplies still flowed freely into his coffers, as was his right as patriarch of the organization, yet it had been years since any of the senior staff of the Lords had felt his hand actively coordinating their efforts. The Pykes, those few that remained, continued to send their required tributes, but they too were left to run themselves. House Mecetti had been all but exterminated during the war with the One Sith, the few members which had survived instead finding themselves absorbed into other Tapani royal houses through necessity.

=========

Name: Arthur Donvoy
Sex: Male
Age: Early 40s
Species: Human
Homeworld: Vardos
Height: 6’4
Weight: 210 lbs
Physical Attributes: Arthur is a pale-skinned human standing near six-and-a-half feet tall. His face is pockmarked by various scars, old and new, which criss-cross over his cheeks and forehead which accentuate his near permanent frown. He maintains a neatly trimmed reddish-brown beard.

Clothing/armor: Arthur continues to wear the standard crimson colored armor with black cape of the Imperial Knights. The only addition to his uniform is two golden lapel pins in the shape of starbursts, indicating his rank of Grand Master.

Spoiler: Arthur as a Royal Guardsman

Occupation/Title: Grand Master of the Office of the Imperial Knights
Abilities: Extensive combat experience with both the standard Stormtrooper’s E-11 Blaster Rifle and Controller FP Force Pike. Intermediate understanding of the Force.
Weapons/Tools:
Standard Royal Guard Robes/armor.
(x1) Force Pike modified to be deployed/collapsed in a telescoping manner.
(x1) Relby-K23 blaster pistol
(x1) Imperial Knight lightsaber
(x4) Imperial Code cylinders
Associates/Family: Arthur considers any and all surviving members of the original ten members of the Imperial Knights his adopted family. He’s worked the closest with Knights Sam Hhat and William Tyrell.

Spoiler: Ship

Spoiler: ISD Triumphant

Model: Imperial I-class Star Destroyer
Length: 1600 meters
Hyperdrive: Class 2 (primary), Class 8 (backup)
Crew: Approx. 6,230 Officers and 21,329 Enlisted Crew
Armament:
(x60) Heavy Turbolaster batteries (x30 fore, x30 port/starboard)
(x50) Heavy Ion cannon batteries (x20 fore, x30 port/starboard)
(x8) Octuple barbette turbolasers (x4 port, x4 starboard)
(x8) Dual concussion missile turrets (x4 underslung keel mounted, x4 center mounted along topside central ridge)
(x10) Heavy tractor beam projectors (x6 fore, x2 port, x2 starboard)
Complement:
(x48) TIE/In Fighters
(x12) TIE/IN Interceptors
(x12) TIE/sa Bombers
(x2) Theta-class AT-AT Barges
(x4) Lambda-classT-4a Shuttles
(x8) Sentinel-class landing craft
(x5) AT-ATs (x2 functional, x3 in various states of repair)
(x22) AT-STs
(x4,219) Imperial Army/Marines (Not Stormtroopers, we pinky promise)

Spoiler: Biography

Arthur Donroy is a cold, distant man, forged by the rampant poverty of his youth. Born in the often-forgotten slums of Vardos to a pair of destitute scavengers, Arthur would spend the majority of his childhood on the run, pilfering what little he could to feed himself through the nights. He was orphaned at a young age, with both of his parents passing from consumption. Yet he endured, adapting quickly to the harsh reality of his world.

During his formative years, far outside his own perspective, the Clone Wars raged. The world of Vardos managed to sneak away relatively unscathed in the grand scheme of things. Yet, as the years of war dragged on with no end in sight, things began to change. The tides of opinion were turning slowly but surely against the Republic. If the Republic was incapable of defending itself, surely then it was only reasonable to let it die and be reborn? Arthur Donroy was one of many reaching the same conclusion. The Republic had allowed people like him to live destitute among the core worlds, so who knew what other horrors it was inflicting on its people? When Palpatine announced the Republic’s demise, the proclamation was met with cheers. Finally, the former Chancellor could shake off the yoke of the bloated republic, and bring peace to the Galaxy!

At 17 years of age, Arthur joined the Stormtrooper Corps. Within three years, he had proven himself exceedingly dedicated to the new Empire. The Corps had quickly become a home, its Stormtroopers his family. For the first time, he not only had a reliable source of food, but purpose. Here he would excel, always striving to improve himself in a way to pay back all the Empire had done for him.

Arthur rose quickly through the ranks of the Stormtrooper Core, proving himself time and time again a dedicated servant of the Empire on numerous deployments across the Inner and Outer Rim. He slowly gained a reputation for getting the job done, no matter the cost. Compared to some of his other troopers, Arthur had no qualms with brutally suppressing those who dared rebel against the Empire. Recognized for his skill, Arthur was removed from his squad to receive special training that would make him a Royal Guard. Alongside forty-three other recruits, Arthur arrived on Yinchorr, the home of the Imperial Royal Guard Academy.

The training was beyond brutal, the original class of forty-three reducing quickly to a mere six. There was a lesson behind the madness, one that had already been beaten into Arthur by the slums of Vardos. One’s own life was irrelevant, inconsequential. All that mattered now was the Emperor, who demanded the best of the best. Arthur formally graduated as a Royal Guardsman from the Royal Academy in 2 ABY.

Arthur served with distinction for several years, but matters outside his control would eventually change his life forever. In 4 ABY, Arthur was transferred from his post aboard the second Death Star to guard the Emperor’s Palace on Coruscant. Not even a full month after his transfer, news filtered in about the outcome of the Battle of Endor. Robbed of time even to mourn for the loss of his Emperor, Arthur and the few other Royal Guardsmen were forced to organize a defense against a suddenly rebeling populace against Imperial rule. The riots lasted weeks before some semblance of order could be achieved. The damage though was done. Arthur, as with what few Guardsmen who survived, turned in their cloaks out of shame. The Emperor, their sole charge and leader, was dead. As a Guardsman, what greater failure could there be?

For several years, Arthur traveled the galaxy in self-exile, refusing to join the various warlords that made up the Imperial Remnants of the Galaxy. They were weak, little more than squabbling thugs, unfit to uphold the mantle of the Empire. After the Galactic Concordance was signed, Arthur would wage a one-man war against the New Republic, hoping more than anything to fall in battle against his most hated of foes.

By 7ABY, he had grown tired, poisoned by growing disillusionment in his righteous cause. How could the Empire have fallen so quickly, and why was it that only he seemed to be fighting back?

Finally, his prayers for change were answered. The squabbling warlords who had despoiled the capital world of Coruscant had been purged. A new Emperor, seemingly building off of the legal traditions of Palpatine himself had returned to the throneworld and had put out the call for all loyal sons and daughters of the Empire to return home. With everything else having failed, how could Arthur refuse such a call?

Spoiler: Dark Reach II

Arthur’s gut instinct had been correct. This new Empire, led in public by Emperor Graul and Empress Bellorum, was exactly what he had wished for. He, along with ten other suitable candidates, were immediately pressed into Imperial service as Imperial Knights. For Arthur, the distinction between new and old postings was negligible. Even the uniform was practically the same. Paired with Knight Tyrell, Arthur was first assigned the duty of the Emperor’s bodyguards.

The pair, along with the Imperial Knights as a whole, performed their duties exceptionally. An assassination plot targeting both Emperor and Empress was discovered and quickly defeated. Novel and robust security measures were then developed and adopted from the Knights’ experiences. Following the failed assassination attempt, Arthur was paired with Knight Hhat in order to investigate a senator who had been directly involved with the conspiracy. Their investigation ultimately pointed towards the CEO of Rendili Stardrives, Nayr Cooles.

After apprehended and then interrogating the slimy Nayr Cooles, the Knight’s investigation would lead them to the former Royal Guardsman training academy on Yinchorr. After arriving at the facility, the two would accidentally come into contact with Darth Kroan, a member of Krayt’s One Sith. Kroan was using the facility to hire and train new foot soldiers for the One Sith cause. After a brief struggle, the Knights were captured by Kroan and brought to his superior, another One Sith called Darth Maladi, along with the re-emergence of William Tyrell. The introductions were short, as immediately after the trio were brought to the One Sith aligned world of Fondor.

Immediately after their arrival planet-side, the Imperial Knights were separated from both each other as well as from their One Sith captors as the citizens of Fonder rose up in open rebellion. Using the confusion to their advantage, the Imperial Knights managed to escape off world. With the One Sith’s intentions clearly being to take over the newly formed Galactic Empire,the Knights decided to head to Nubia, homeworld of the Emperor, to try and stage a defense before the upcoming battle.

Arriving in orbit, the Knight’s shuttle was immediately set upon by a One Sith Interdiction SD and tractor beamed inside. Deciding that none of them were excited to be prisoners again, the surviving Imperial Knights executed a daring plan to storm the Bridge of the Interdictor and claim it for themselves. It was a hard fought battle, the success of which felt more earned due to luck rather than skill,but at the end of the day, the Interdictor was theirs for the taking.

Arthur immediately offered pardons to the surviving crew of the Interdictor, many of which jumped to proclaim their loyalties to the Galactic Empire. With crew and ship firmly under Imperial control, the ship was positioned in orbit over Nubia, just in time for The Battle of Nubia to begin.

The mustered forces of the One Sith and Galactic Empire clashed violently over the skies of Nubia. Arthur, having been promoted to the rank of Grand Admiral for his efforts thus far, took charge of the loyalist fleets above Nubia. Using his captured Interdictor-class SD as a command ship, Arthur managed to blunt the first assault of the One Sith onslaught. It was, however, a measure of futility. The loyalist forces were outnumbered and outgunned by a factor of three to one. No matter the cunning strategy or devilish ploy, the numbers were simply against them. After may days of constantly punching far above their weight, the Interdictor was eventually boarded by One Sith forces. Fearing a route, Arthur lured the One Sith’s admiral, Darth Talon’s command ship into knife-fighting range, before ultimately forcing both vessels into Nubia’s atmosphere.

Both vessels crashed hard into Nubia’s surface. It had been a costly choice, but the only one that made sense. Without Talon in orbit, the One Sith’s fleet were left leaderless to fend for themselves. On the ground however, Arthur and the remaining Knights would be forced to fight a brutal stalling retreat within the halls of the Interdictor as more and more enemy Sith breached their walls. But then, as abruptly as the battle had begun, it was over. The One Sith simply faded from existence mid-attack,a s if they had never existed to begin with. The Battle of Nubia was over, resulting in a pyrrhic victory for the Galactic Empire.

Licking their wounds, the survivors of the battle converged on the luxury yacht Stardust to receive their various honors and promotions, as well as to finally be shown the true hierarchy of the Galactic Empire. Under Emperor Insipid, Arthur was again promoted, now to the rank of Grand Master of the Imperial Knights, as well as given command of a Star Destroyer, which Arthur christened the Triumphant.

Spoiler: Interlude

Two years have passed since. Arthur has left the life of field work behind, transitioning into the role of an administrator well after being given a full staff of dedicated staff positioned all across the Galactic Empire’s remaining sectors. His first task was restarting the Imperial Knight program, beginning with opening a semi-secret Imperial Knight academy on the world of Quellor. Through necessity, his academy is far less brutal than he would have liked, preferring the harsh truths within the Royal Guardsman academy on Yinchorr, yet it is still undeniably harsh. There are no longer deaths amongst students within the academy, (save for freak accidents), yet the washout rate hovers at a comfortable 67%. In the two years since starting the academy, only 13 candidates have passed their training and become Imperial Knights.

Outside of creating and originally running the Quellor Academy, Arthur has also remained busy managing the existing Imperial Knight program. Unlike before, a clear set of policies and procedures have been created for the position, clearly stating what the responsibilities and jurisdictions of each Knight are. This is both to bring the office in line with New Republic demands as well as to make the day-to-day operations of an individual Knight easier to manage. But this is all set dressing. Arthur isn't a fool. He understands that the current state of the galaxy cannot last. Above all else, his main priority has been to strengthen what aspects of the Empire he could to prepare it for war. Supply lines have been hardened, new factories and assembly lines created and funded, training academies expanded to all species and genders. The Galactic Empire barely survived the Battle of Nubia, without change, it couldn't survive another war.

Arthur doubted that they would have a choice.

=========
OOC: The unexpected addition *shrug*

Name: Sulnerea Galrada Oolidu-Udee von Hytovin Voldumarr
Age: Physically appears to be in his mid to late 20s, by date of birth he would be in his 60s.
Species: Arkanian
Gender: Male (For the time being)

Spoiler: Appearance

Spoiler: Biography

Sulnerea was born on the frigid world of Arkania, the culmination of several generations of selective breeding from multiple noble houses (the Galrada's, the Oolidu-Udee, the von Hytovin's, and the Voldumarr's, respectively), and now stands alone as the inheritor to all of their collective riches.

Outwardly, Sulnerea has fostered an infamous persona as a fabulously wealthy hedonist, just as comfortable shooting up amongst the dregs of the galaxy as he is wining and dining with the upper echelons of high society. An every man for everyone, hopping from one party to the next, seemingly always chasing some new hobby or curiosity to regale his fellows with. He upholds the Arkanian tradition of self-modification to the highest degree, often undergoing extreme constructive surgeries for the most minor of excuses. Once simply to see "what all the fuss is with Twi'lekian lekku". He was not impressed.

Sulnerea is never satisfied with staying in one place, or as one person, for long, often changing genders or entire body shapes just to mix things up. The only constant that remains is Sulnerea's name. Which is generally the only warning party goers will get before their nights are changed forever.

Inwardly, Sulnerea is a far different beast. Over the course of twelve years, every blood relative of each of the great noble houses he belongs to, no matter how distant or polluted, met with some unforeseen accident or tragedy which lead to his direct benefit. At first, their deaths served to increase his wealth and political power. Soon, simply because he could, as no one was stopping him. Now, he has grown bored. The pleasures of the flesh do nothing for him. Stims and spice binges are but mere distractions. He believes he has seen every sight, sampled everything and everyone, and poured over every novel, poem and treatise worth reading.

The political state of the galaxy of late is mind-numbingly familiar. Everyone had grown far too comfortable with their lots in life. The emergence of a potential heir to the Palpatinian dynasty is an interesting wrinkle on the galactic stage. If handled appropriately, the affair could spawn some delectable chaos..

Spoiler: The Courtship of Princess Palpatine

Sulnerea, along with a host of other potential suitors, arrived on Naboo to partake in a grand game to win the hand of Princess Ederlathh Palpatine in political marriage. Through a handy combination of political skullduggery, luck, and unceasing flattery, Sulnerea managed to supplant the other suitors and claim the title of consort for himself. A surprise to him far more than anyone else. After being brought into the fold of Ederlathh’s grand schemes for the galaxy, the pair, along with Ederlathh’s allies, fled Naboo into the greater galaxy to begin their conquest..

Spoiler: Interlude

Becoming consort to Princess Ederlathh has made Sulnerea fabulously wealthy through a host of new binding contracts with Imperial companies. Not that the Arkanian noble needed any assistance on that front, but still, more the merrier. If nothing else, the added prestige has awarded Sulnerea with a far greater reach than he could have achieved previously on his own. Currently, the Galaxy sits upon the precipice of open war. It would only take the tiniest of sparks to set the galaxy ablaze..

Reneging on the terms of a negotiated peace accord, willingly or unwillingly.. A surprisingly wealthy separatist group coming to power.. There were so many new ways for the delicate peace to shatter. The threat of spiraling chaos had never felt so close. Sulnerea couldn’t wait to begin.

 

IC: Moff Soliloquy Arch-Provost Bengila Urlan
Rendili

In nearly three years, Urlan, the Arch-Provost of Rendili had avoided Soliloquy. There had been a hundred delays on the modifications of the Vector, but never quite enough to warrant attendance in person. In truth they had attended a few in person, you don't fashion something that has never existed before without inspecting it. Soliloquy had simply never done so in his own face nor sought an audience. The middle aged Croke didn't rule like that, not to mention what was a three year to him? The blink of a proverbial eye in the flow of things.

What he had insured and impressed in messages had been carried out, Republic-class Star Destroyers continued to roll off the assembly line. Some twenty-five had been constructed for the New Republic Fourth Fleet, and similarly Loronar, under the command of Insipid, had built fifty Belarus-class medium cruisers for the selfsame fleet. If they stayed ahead of schedule so any delays would put them merely on schedule he was sure their prompt and excellent service would earn them recognition from future orders or orderers. Future business greater than simply servicing their own little Empire's fleets would be needed with their current lack of deep mines.

But the contract was ended. Now Rendili didn’t have any orders from the New Republic, and so, the Arch-Provost had requested a meeting, and one which sent Will Tyrell to ensure attendance by the Emperor. He ordered Soliloquy and Will Tyrell to ensure the Arch-Provost was present.

And so, the meeting was due aboard a product of Rendili StarDrive. A Dreadnaught-class heavy cruiser known as the Mersil Kebir, holding position above the Core World. A silly old thing, but easily made more efficient with droids to lessen manning needs.

The hangar bay was prepared for them. Security droids, double-lined up. Eight on each side of the room, holding oversized rifles. A swarthy man with a monocle took a hover chair into the hangar.

“So I finally meet our Moff, and an Imperial Knight too?” A slight chuckle. “I hope the Vector is to your liking, Moff Soliloquy?”

Soliloquy's fronds tangled and danced above his head in unseen currents as he gave a small head bow to the man. "Now that the pieces have been done I have been busy installing and insuring what they were there for was ship shaped. I am pleased, may they never be needed nor used. Still my hired alien ship troopers and tenders seem to have adapted admirably to fill that vessels need."

Looking over at the Imperial Knight he shrugged. "State secrets for you." Before looking back the hover chair bound man.

"Sorry we haven't had time to meet before now. Would you like to me to fix you while I'm here after whatever this is is done? I thought not stepping on your efficient toes was a better way to rule, but I had no idea a subject was in such need. Hoverchairs should only be for affectations or compensation for small limbs in my sector - which means I will need to do a medical survey after this. Which means Blightling will have to keep entertaining himself on Vector. That scamp, if I come back to the hyperdrive reconfigured again to egg out another 3% efficiency or increase by 0.2 speed coefficient I don't know what I will do with him." with a frustrated shrug he looked back and forth between the two again. "Right, why are we supposed to be here?" he asked dubiously.

TAG: @Sinrebirth , @galactic-vagabond422 , @Lady_Belligerent , @HanSolo29

 

IC: Serapis
Commenor

Serapis had been busy.

She'd inherited a planetary systems of Commenor and Cato Neimoidia. She'd also received a substantial budget to make it "home." Cato Neimoidia was about as foreign as she was. She established a small homestead there, but that was secondary to Commenor.

On Commenor, she established what could only be taken to be an Embassy and Consulate. The campus she'd chosen was about five acres of land. On it, she'd established, first, housing. There are barracks for a small army, about 1000 soldiers and support personnel. Though it was purposely designed to be hidden. The base also had a modest sized airfield. Ships were here all the way from Serapis' purloined ship from Coruscant, to room for Admiral Walces ship. That was, of course, nearby Walce's Flag offices.

There Consulate offices were a smallish (three levels) building on the campus built to house and provide offices for the personnel for the campus.

Then there was Serapis' residence. It was a smaller building than the others. Certainly it looked more like a luxurious house than anything. But, what would one expect for the head representative for the Sith Empire on this world. It was more than Serapis had ever had for housing in her life, but it was all essential.



The campus also supported a small forest with plants obtained mainly from Ithor, though others were added for aesthetics. Serapis trusted the head groundskeeper, an Ithorian named Pedron Jonns. He had put in some nice areas where Serapis could conduct business while communing with nature. And she had exercised that ability quite a bit. Actually, if the weather was even remotely hospitable, Serapis' staff had come to expect it.

Serapis had hired Pedron mainly for the connection to Ithor. But, then, there were her own personal reasons. It seemed strange to have the possibility of a relationship with a male Ithorian when she had originally been male. But then the body Jwob Sebb occupied was female. Which won out? The body or the mind? Or both? This would take some more observation. On the other hand, Pedron did have a nice body.

Distraction. Back to business.

All this was surrounded by a three meter tall fence. Though, even that was designed to be unobtrusive. Mainly wrought iron with many design elements included. This nod toward beauty belied the security the campus provided. Within two meters of the fence line was a Force dead zone provided by a few ysalamiri on climbing frames. Guards patrolled the area regularly. Every millimeter of the campus was being watched with sensors and cameras. In addition to all of these elements, there were 75 mm guns just below the soil several places throughout the campus just waiting to pop up and take out any approaching enemy vessels.

All this was just being completed now, after a couple years on Commenor. She was quite proud of it, even if she had gone slightly over budget. It was to be expected when starting from scratch. And the sector Moff deserved nothing less.

Serapis had also been hard at work on her mission here. She'd had staff work up profiles for each of President Rodan's children. The youngest two would be points of pride for any parent. Good grades at school. Studies in military strategy and hand-to-hand combat were coming along nicely. The oldest of the three, though, had taken a bad turn. Though Rodan had done everything he could to bury stories of his son, he was definitely the black sheep of the family. He'd taken his mothers untimely death very hard a few years prior. He'd turned to the criminal underworld for solace, as can happen with disaffected youth. Serapis had moles keeping track of him. At the worst, Serapis could use him as a bargaining chip. She had hoped, though, to hire this youth. That would really make the President take notice, she was sure. It was all so private, though. Don't want to tip your hand.

Serapis was examining her closet. On the nearby nightstand sat the invitation that had been received earlier that day from President Rodan. It was about time. It's not like she hadn't been trying to get an audience since she got here. A few of her favorite dresses were with the cleaners. Some others weren't appropriate for a state visit. She finally decided on a white silk robe with gold trim. It looked appropriate for a state visit and for the weather. It could afford access for a lightsaber, too.

After she was dressed, she went downstairs. The maid had put out a cup of tea for her and some snack sandwiches of local cuisine. She took these out to the front porch as she waited for Walce. She'd radioed him to invite him to travel with her to Rodan's palace. As she sat down on the extra-large chair on the porch, she noted that their limousine was already parked in front of her residence. She sent a message to Walce to check his ETA, and relaxed a bit in the overstuffed chair.

Tags: @Sinrebirth, @Lady_Belligerent, @HanSolo29, @ConservativeJedi321

 

IC: TIA
Trellen


Tia Graul had liked Trellen enough, it had been an educational visit. Darth Hekate had made sure of that, she also made sure that during the trip the young Sith acolyte had not got up to any mischief. For the past two years or so, Her master Ike had put her through rigorous training, setting her up for some task or another so she could prove her worth, and more often than not he had forgotten her, often for days. After being reminded by the Graul's he had an apprentice, he'd go back to the location to retrieve her with an air of indifference, where, he was met time and time again with the child's distinctive scowl. Not that Ike cared, it meant a peaceful journey back. For when this happened, Tia would give the Sith Lord the silent treatment, sometimes lasting days.

Tia had become stronger in the force, though, and she could feel it. The truth of the matter was, she got more out of training from observing her step-mother, Lady Bellorum Graul, Empress. And the Lady of the Sith would encourage her in exploring the dark-side. Her father, on the other hand, had a more complicated relationship with her, for she was often bratty, and succumbed to her temper rather easily. Tia always wanted a father figure, but being Emperor he was often away, or busy, and the time she did spend with him had to be shared with that of her half siblings, who would sometimes follow their older sister about. Secretly though, Tia adored them and vowed nothing bad would happen to them under her watch.


The Sith child had also come accustomed to the habits of her Sith peers, and although she found all of them strange in their own way, had begun to think of them as family, though she'd often tease them to provoke a reaction.

Tia spotted Ike on the veranda of a modest little cafe, There he is...another 'headache' no doubt. Tia did not know what Ike did in his spare time, the extent was that he liked 'parties' which meant to her he liked party poppers and disco music.

"He's over there, look!" Tia grunts at Hekate, pointing at him before skipping over in a jolly manner "Hi MASTER IKE" she shouts knowing full well it might make his hangover worse.

TAG

@Sinrebirth @Nehru_Amidala

co-GM's @HanSolo29 @Lady_Belligerent

 

IC: Bluth

Bluth contemplated his decision, with the shields being up he decide that the next would be to fire upon the pirates. He ordered the men to fire upon one of the CR90 Corellian Corvettes.

Tags: @darthbernael, @Lady_Belligerent, @HanSolo29, @Sinrebirth

 

IC: High Lord Iudex
The Library World of Boudolayz

The passage of time had not been kind to Iudex, Lord of the Sith, within his self-exile upon the library world of Boudolayz. His exploration of the silent world had driven him morose, a solitary figure sequestered within a treasure trove of fantastical knowledge that he himself could not force himself to care about anymore. Shimmer was with him of course, the object of his obsession, and the reason for the solitude he had forced upon the once bustling archives to begin with. It was his inaction in the past which had driven her so close to death. Never again, he had promised her. Never again.

He allowed only seven others to step foot on his world, those being the other High Lords of Insipid’s gang of Sith. Even then, it had become a struggle for them to peruse the vast stores of the library world on a regular basis. For he was a jealous king, why should others be able to enjoy the fruits of his wealth if he himself could not? It was only under repeated requests that the doors to the archives opened, and only then it was just to quiet his incessantly beeping commlink.

Ultimately, Iudex was just exhausted. Exhausted from feeling exhausted all the time. Sleep, when he could quiet his mind, came in short, irregular bursts, which often left him feeling more tired than when he started. The issues he had identified directly after the Battle of Nubia hadn’t abated. In fact, the general malaise which had plagued his condition since had only become more pervasive. The pleasures of the flesh had faded to a dull ache. The fascination with the unknown transitioned to bitter apathy.

The Dark Side of the Force had betrayed him. That had been Iudex’s bitter revelation, perhaps a full year ago. The Sith Code, which he had always held so dear to his heart, was a lie, or at least this iteration of it. "The Force Shall Free Me", it said. So how had he found himself a slave to his own force-empowered rage? How was it that it now took every ounce of his willpower to resist dipping back into that inner wellspring of power? The Force was said to be a tool for the Sith, something to be bent to his or her own will. He felt more like an addict, desperate for his next hit.

And so the years passed. Day by day, week by week. Month by month. Trudging slowly between his world’s vast shelves, aimlessly handing ancient scrolls and treatises to an ever dutiful protocol droid which always followed in his wake. It didn’t matter. Nothing did. Once, he had hoped the ancient writings would fix his malaise. Now? His traipsing about the archive was merely habit.

Today, whenever or whatever that meant anymore, he found himself sequestered within one of the library’s many grand halls, alone, save for the half dozen or so attendant droids carrying his morning’s readings. He chose to start his day with a scroll recording the philosophies of a now ancient Sith Lord.

Iudex squinted at the header of the page, unable to fully make out the author. "Traya? Kraya? Kreia?" He sighed, skimming over the various ramblings before setting it aside. At the height of his depression, he might have fancied the ravings of a dead Sith’s attempt to kill the Force itself, payback for his own feelings, but now? He just found it trite. “Apathy is death” indeed.

He looked up from his desk, alerted to the presence of Shimmer. She had grown bored of her own text it seemed. Iudex was unable to meet her eyes. A deep part of him was ashamed for how sinisterly possessive he had become over her safety. It hurt to look at her. Hurt to see her happy. Why did she enable this? Why was she allowed to recover? Why..?

Iudex sighed again, before forcing an apologetic smile to his lips before he waved her implied offer away. Those thoughts had become all too common recently. He turned his attention to the next text in his pile, unwilling or unable to confront his twisting feelings for the love of his life. He just needed space right now. Space and sleep. Spirits he was tired..

Clearing his throat, Iudex opened the book before him and began to read. Just another day in paradise..

Tags: @Sinrebirth , @Lady_Belligerent , @HanSolo29

 

IC: Walce Quia-Vis
The Past

“You’re not being as subtle as you think.”
Walce’s father was crouched over his desk, his whiskers inches away from a cedar scented candle that lit his paperwork. Walce never knew what exactly the old man did.

“I wasn’t trying.” The boy argued defensively, but the grin on his fathers face revealed what little impact these words had on him. “You were tiptoeing and holding your breath.” He declared bluntly. Walce’s face fell. “What are you doing?”

“Charity work.” The man spoke quickly, giving the same answer he always did.

The term itself meant little to him at the time, the child had only seen Etern Quia-Vis leave the Governor's mansion two or three times in his whole ten years of life.
Still, the son knew something was changing. His parents had been arguing less than usual recently, and the servants were whispering behind closed doors.

Abandoning all pretense he ran up to his fathers Greel-Wood desk. “What can I do to be better.” This question brought a solemn expression to Etern’s face. “What do you mean?”
“Better with the force.” Walce quickly answered. “Better as a son.” He whispered afterwards.
At this stage in his life he viewed both answers as being one and the same. His father had been a member of the Church of the Force from a young age, and from the moment Walce’s talents with it had first manifested it had been the senior Quia-Vis’s life mission to teach him everything he knew.

There were two fundamental problems.
First: Etern may have known the force but he could never truly feel it.
Second: Walce never had the patience or care to learn what little his father had to teach.

This had left the man often frustrated to the point of fury, though he had never taken that anger out on his son it left Walce feeling disappointed in himself.

Etern drew the child onto his lap and gave him a long hug. “You are already a greater son than I ever deserved, Walce.” The man's chin rested on the boy's brown mop of hair.

Suddenly the door opened, and the graying man set his son down.
“I keep trying to show you the way as I know it, but that's not the galaxy anymore.” He sighed, looking at his wife Magti as she entered. The youthful looking woman had her hair tied back in a bun, and wore a gray imperial uniform that looked out of place to the child who was used to seeing her in multi-colored dresses that highlighted her beauty.

She had a strict, almost militaristic expression on her features that looked just as foreign to him.
“Walce, we would like you to meet someone.”
In walked a stout Zabrak in battered armor, he had a toothpick in his teeth and thin tattoos that looked like scars. Some of them may have been.
“This is Poka Lobhad.” She gave him a formal gesture. “He will oversee your training going forward.”

The Present
Commenor
The Imperial Blades lightsaber spun in a blinding fury, intercepting the one shot coming from the third of five remotes and immediately blocking the tip of the electronic staff his sparring droid had attempted to jab into his side. Another two shots whizzed past his head, and the heel of his foot wheeled around high, knocking one of the circling balls off its rotation.

It wasn’t every day he went through such a rigorous practice regime, half his success in life had come from luck rather than practice. Maybe the Force as his father would have said.

Improvisation usually worked better for him than strict adherence to the forms, he had learned that fact long ago, as much as it drove old Poka crazy.

A bead of sweat fell down the side of his face, and the Knight parried two more strikes before noticing the intruder in his quarters. “In most systems its polite to knock.” He gave a signal for the machines to shut down.

“Lieutenant Yahty.” The blond haired Byblosian officers maintained a stiff expression that was all too familiar to Walce. “You did not respond.” She had her answer prepped, but there was a clear forbearance in her disposition. No every day issue would cause her to break protocol so casually.

The Knight grabbed a towel to dab his brow, before pulling on his crimson chest plate, and throwing on the holster where he kept his lightsaber around his waist. “The report?” He almost yawned the question, as she handed him the daily datapad briefing.

As he thumbed through the mindless drivel Walce couldn’t help but wonder if this is how his mother felt every day during her time as Governor of Borosk.

“We still have five fighters in the repair bay from our last excursion.” The Lieutenant helpfully summarized the essentials for him. “Two new wings have rotated into our service, skilled pilots I’ve been told. They’re already on patrol.”

Walce took a swig of the flask he kept in his pocket as he listened, brushing past her into his bare bone's office. He was never one to really settle down, though it had occurred to him more than once he may as well, given his current career path.

“Military intelligence suggests there could be civilian protests during your meeting with the President of Commoner but these are unconfirmed.” Rolling his eyes the knight took his seat, and threw his legs on top of his plain plasteel desk. “They don’t cause us trouble and I’m not worried.”

One moment passed, and the young man sensed the cause of her interruption was at hand.

“Darth Serapis is also pressing for your arrival.”

Walce nearly spat out his drink. “That’s today?”

“About five minutes ago sir.”

The Knight hastily returned to his feet. “You are in command until I return.” Not that it was a big change, he left most of the day to day stuff to her anyways. “It may also be worth getting us an honor guard.”

“I will have our best men on it, sir.”

Walce couldn’t help but laugh.

“Don’t waste the manpower.” Any unscheduled interruptions and he was sure himself and Serapis could handle the situation. And If Serapis was the interruption, it likely wouldn’t matter either way.

“Sergeant Pakoot lost an eye at the Battle of Pelagan correct?”

She nodded tentatively. “That, half his face, and three fourths of his squad”

The Imperial Knight smirked. “Better to go for intimidation than professionalism when dealing with politicians. Leave the best for the area’s where they’re needed.”

At that, he immediately departed, already fashionably late and he didn't want to test his limits.

Tags: @Sinrebirth, @DarthIshyZ