Taldryan-Week1

I see the contestants are making their way out onto the starting grid. This article was originally created as an entry for a Tenth Great Jedi War competition and is not official DJB canon content. It is preserved here for historical purposes only.

The Nephilim
Unit Information
Active:	31 ABY to Present
Allegiance:	Iron Throne Dark Jedi Brotherhood
Branch:	Army of the Iron Throne
Role:	Special Operations
Size:	Squad (13)
Patron:	Grand Master Muz Ashen
Commander(s)
Commanders:	Squad Leader Sergeant Altaris Fireteam Leaders Corporal Vance Corporal Lunelle Corporal Trenor
[ Source ]

"Not quite gods..."

―Muz Ashen

The Nephilim were an elite cadre of soldiers specifically chosen by the Grand Master each year out of the top twenty recruits of the Brotherhood's military academy. Selected for advanced training, these recruits were eventually bestowed power from the hands of the reigning Grand Master and trained with full members of the Royal Guard. Against normal opponents the Nephilim were nearly invincible, easily overcoming odds of two or even three to one. Against Force-sensitive opponents, their unique conditioning and training put them on nearly equal ground, allowing the unit to take on a handful of Jedi adversaries and survive.

Organization and training

"There is but one test remaining... if you survive, you will become more powerful than you can imagine."

―Disciples of the Grand Master to Nephilim potentials

Members of the Nephilim were specially selected members of the Army of the Iron Throne. The instructors at the training facilities had standing orders to watch out for recruits with real potential, and those selected were then sequestered from their units, and given further disciplinary training and eventually force imprinted by the Grand Master. Following that, the newly enabled soldiers were transferred to Atrophos to train with the Grand Master's Royal Guard.

The Nephilim received some of their conditioning at the hands of the Grand Master, which ensured an intense loyalty between them and the Iron Throne. Though they received and obeyed orders from the Grand Master and his Shadow Hand, they were otherwise autonomous, given the freedom to complete their tasks in any way deemed necessary by the team's leader.

The overall commander of the unit was the Sergeant, the strongest and most loyal of Grand Master's super soldiers, but the unit was divided into three fireteams each led by a Corporal. In this way, the Sergeant could send each fireteam on a specific mission when overwhelming force was deemed unnecessary. Otherwise, the Nephilim would work together as a perfect strike team, utilizing each members' skill to take down adversaries with unfathomable powers.

Due to the unique nature of the team, they were also able to seamlessly integrate with the larger units of the Army of the Iron Throne, often taking command as the Grand Master's direct military authority. This meant that each member was also an exceptional officer in his or her own right.

History

Formation

"Conquer the temptation to create specimens that are superior in every way. The danger of such monstrosities being turned against you is too great."

―Darth Sidious

Nephilim was formed in 31 ABY, as a result of the enemy the Brotherhood faced during the Reclamation of Antei. That battle saw the Jedi turn many Brotherhood members from the path of darkness and pitted them against their former allies.

Battle to Reclaim Antei

Though victory was achieved, the corruption of the Light Side left deep scars on the Clans and left the newly appointed Grand Master with severe trust issues.

After succeeding the fallen Dark Lord, Sarin, Muz Ashen came to believe he needed a cadre of warriors equipped to deal with Force-sensitive adversaries that were not loyal to any House, Clan, or Order. Wary of trusting the recovering Clans, Ashen instead opted to train the most gifted soldiers at his disposal to resist Force-based mental and physical attacks. For this he requested his generals give him information on all current and future trainees to keep on eye out for those that were especially gifted.

The first iteration of the Nephilim involved a group of decorated soldiers that had performed beyond exceptionally during the war with Omancor Crask and his droids. Ashen took these decorated men and began a new phase of their training. However, he knew he could not expect normal soldiers to be able to combat Jedi in smaller numbers, so he would have to take a personal hand in their conditioning. This, Ashen knew, would allow him to permanently bind these soldiers to his will.

Reconnaissance

"They're being overrun down here. We have to inform the Grand Master."

―Former Sergeant Jaxin, reporting the situation on Salas V

Though the Clans had recovered from their losses since Antei, they were more alienated and distrustful than ever. Having severed nearly all ties from one another, the growing threat on Salas V went almost completely unnoticed, but for the keen senses of the Grand Master. Calling on his armed forces, Lord Ashen sent his soldiers to the Killik-infested world to eradicate the pests and establish Brotherhood dominion over the planet.

Killik mounds on Salas V

To offer his Nepilim a chance to test their skills, he sent them to perform reconnaissance and lead the operation. Sergeant Jaxin, the first leader of the Nephilim, wielding the team with surgical precision, easily defeating several nests of the creatures with ease. Unfortunately, the rest of the Armed Forces were not fairing as well. The situation quickly escalated and the army was forced into defensive positions to keep from being ovverun. Intel on the Killik infestation had been woefully inept, underestimating both the numbers and the strength of the creatures.

Exercising his position, Jaxin called for the army to retreat and sent word to the Grand Master that the situation could not be dealt with by mere men and blasters. The Clans would be necessary to properly cleanse Salas V. After setting up the defenses of the army and requesting backup, Jaxin led his team back into the midst of the Killiks in order to obtain any information they could for the Clans to use. The intelligence they recovered proved instrumental in helping to defeat the Killik infestation. Their first mission, though not perfect, had proved the Nephilim a wise creation.

A New Era

"A new phase of their training will commence. My Royal Guard and my loyal Nephilim."

―Muz Ashen

Despite the effectiveness of the Nephilim, Grand Master Ashen decided to reinstate the old Grand Master's Royal Guard to train Dark Jedi from each House and Clan to serve as bodyguards to the Dark Council. However, he knew that their loyalty would always remain with their own units and so decided to keep his super soldiers around.

Nephilim

The return of the Guard also gave him a chance to further fine-tune his soldiers by pitting them against the strongest Jedi warriors he had in mock combat, further preparing them to take on Force-sensitives. This transition was more difficult for the Nephilim, as they were scored by the Dark Jedi as inferior beings. Though they had power above normal soldiers, they had still been created by the Grand Master.

Mock combat between certain members of the Nephilim and the Royal Guard were hardly mock. Training matches often ended with broken bones or missing limbs, but the Nephilim continued improving. In a matter of months, they were far stronger and more effective a force than they had been before training with the Guard. A handful of members were even able to spar one-on-one with Knights and low-level Equites and emerge victorious.

Assault on Temple Boyna

"Neither Orders, nor Houses, nor Clans... we are loyal only to one."

―Nephilim

In 33 ABY, the Grand Master faced a new threat in the form of insurrection between the three Orders of the Brotherhood. As the Orders and those who led them went to war, Lord Ashen joined with his Krath brethren in an effort to capture the Obelisk Temple of Boyna. Loyal to no Order, the Nephilim obeyed their master and began working to undermine the Obelisk warriors and bring victory to the Krath.

The fighting was brutal and was the first time the Nephilim truly fought against Dark Jedi opponents. In the confusion of the clashing forces, members of the unit were scattered and forced to fight as one with the Krath Jedi to survive. One of the members, Coryn Vance, became separated from the unit and found himself alone, face-to-face with a powerful member of the Sith Order. Conditioned to follow his master's bidding, Vance blindly assaulted his adversary, but was stopped cold. The man forced Vance to listen to reason, revealing himself to be none other than former Grand Master Jac Cotelin, who was working to protect both Lord Ashen and the Brotherhood as a whole.

Working off a hunch, Cotelin allied himself with the Nephilim Coryn Vance, who was not infected with the madness that the Dark Jedi had been exposed to. Together, they ventured deep into the heart of the Shadow Academy where Cotelin delved deep into the Force leaving his body vulnerable to attack. Vance served as a body guard to keep the Grand Master undisturbed, fighting off any Dark Jedi that attacked long enough for the Sith to awaken. With the aid of the Nephilim, the former Grand Master discovered the truth behind the Order War and was able to bring the fighting to a close before the Brotherhood could tear itself apart completely.

Subjugation of New Tython

"I was created for this purpose. My Lord has given me strength to strike down the Jedi and I shall gladly repay Him with their blood."

―Coryn Vance

City of Menat Ombo

The true threat revealed, Lord Ashen gathered his Brotherhood to assault the world of New Tython, home of the Jedi House Odan-Urr. Though the House was weak and would offer little resistance against the whole of the Brotherhood, Ashen was wary of what traps the traitor Michael Halcyon could have in store for them. Once again he turned to his faithful Nephilim, sending them in before the true invasion began. Their goal was two-fold: To gather what intelligence they could on the workings of the Jedi and to sow insurrection amongst the natives of the planet.

This was to be the first mission that would pit the Nephilim against the enemy they were trained to destroy—the Jedi.

Notable Members

Brant Altaris

Brant Altaris

"Listen to me, it ain't over, you just gotta give me something to drink!"

―Altaris after a bar fight

Biography

Even from a young age, all Brant Altaris ever wanted to be was a soldier. Born in Haverling to two Zeltron, who were business partners in a pleasure house, Brant lacked the strong family unit that most humans would expect from a steady household. One of his earliest memories was being evacuated from his home planet during the Imperial Remnant's annexation of the Pentastar Alignment. Ever since he saw the strong, and honorable men lead his family to safety, Brant knew what he wanted to be in life. Shunning the hedonistic lifestyle that comes so easily to his species, he focused all of his energies on finding a post within an army that would match his unique skills.

After his family settled on Muunilist, Brant sought to exploit the new openness of the Imperial Remnant Forces, were he received Imperial Navy Special Intelligence training, specializing in sniper and reconnaissance and infiltration techniques. Having fought through much of the rear guard and delaying actions that were the hallmark of the Remnant's decline in power, Brant was bounced from the Imperial Service in 26 ABY after having been found guilty of carrying out an inappropriate relationship with his Unit Commander's wife.

After a year earning a living as a private bodyguard, Brant was approached by a shadowy figure who was recruiting for a new special army. After doing some research, and having received a death mark for yet another illicit affair, Brant accepted the posting in the Army of the Iron Throne, and was shipped to Antei for special training in the 13th Starborne Division, where he earned glowing reports, and learned the most valuable lesson about the Iron Throne's army—as long as you can defend yourself, it doesn't matter whose wife you sleep with.

After a particularly eventful shore leave, where in a drunken bar fight Brant managed to subdue and defeat two (drunk) Jedi from the infamous Old Folks' Home, Brant was approached by an agent of the Grand Master about joining and leading an elite unit. His orders would come exclusively from the Grand Master himself, meaning he would no longer have to worry about officers above him in the chain-of-command. Though not without some trepidation, Brant realized the great opportunity ahead of him, and accepted the task of leading the Nephilim.

Physical Characteristics

Brant was a member of the Zeltron species, with a dark reddish skin tone, a shaved head and a roguish mustache. He was a larger male, heavily muscled from his years of military service. Like all members of his species he was physically beautiful, morally liberal, and possessed a latent telepathic ability to project emotions onto others, an ability which was helpful on the battlefield and in the bedroom. Zeltron were often considered to be excellent sources for intelligence gathering, as it is said that most Zeltron tend to look familiar to people, even when they do not know them.

Specialties

With the latent telepathic ability of his species, Brant was adept at leading his troops, inspiring calm and loyalty in them, as well as being the team's primary infiltration and reconnaissance asset. In combat, Brant preferred to command from the rear, in a position with good sight lines and the ability to exercise judgment with his Karpaki 50 Sniper Rifle, as well as maintain communications and intercepts command, giving the best possible intel to his team in the field.

Coryn Vance

Coryn Vance

"Sure you want to fight? Because in about ten seconds this place gets blown to hell."

―Coryn Vance

Biography

Coryn Vance was born in 22 BBY on the planet of Bunduki, following its fall to the Epicanthix during the Clone Wars. His parents were members of the military that conquered the planet and chose to settle as colonists. At a young age, Vance joined the Followers of Palawa, an ancient sect of Teras Kasi users that had, since ancient times, been opposed to the Jedi Order. Though the Followers were nothing more than hermits at that point in time, he learned from them the deadly art of Teras Kasi as well as a fundamental hatred for the Jedi.

After the end of the Clone Wars and the execution of Order 66, Bunduki was visited by emissaries of the Emperor who were searching for any Jedi Knights that had survived. While they were there, Vance learned to have a greater contempt for the Jedi, who the emissaries described as traitors to the Republic. In the years following, Vance grew up with little knowledge of the Galaxy outside of his homeplanet. However, after the death of Palpatine, word of a New Jedi Order managed to reach even this distant civilization. Incensed by the return of the Jedi, Vance tried to convince the elders that now was the time to take the fight to them.

Unfortunately, few paid heed to his words, brushing them off as the fancies of a young, angry man. For Vance, that could have been the end of things, but chance came when again they were visited by outsiders. These, members of the Dark Brotherhood, were seeking soldiers to fight against the Light, the Jedi, the enemies of all beings. Eager to put his skills to use, Vance enlisted into the Army of the Iron Throne as a simple soldier. In the battle to reclaim Antei, he got his first taste of fighting alongside Dark Jedi against Light, his mastery of Teras Kasi making him a deadly force on the battleground, for which he was well-decorated afterwards.

This skill and single-minded hatred brought Vance to the attention of the Grand Master's disciples, who were seeking to increase the ranks of the Nephilim. When approached, they found Vance was far more intelligent than they expected of a backwater near-Human. He was enrolled in officer training and eventually inducted into the Nephilim.

Physical Characteristics

Coryn Vance was an Epicanthix, a near-Human species with a lifespan of up to 130 years. At 6'2", Vance was an incredibly powerful individual, due to his lifetime spent training in the martial art of Teras Kasi. He had dark brown hair, a roguish beard, and dark eyes. In fact, his entire countenance was dark, fueled by an inner rage that had been nurtured over the years. After the years spent wearing the hermit robes of his people, Vance enjoyed dressing stylishly in black, wearing tight-fitting shirts and long, flowing trench coats. Even when off-duty, Vance seemed tense and ready for action, a tightly-wound weapon of destruction.

Specialties

Vance was an expert at close quarters combat and a master of the art of Teras Kasi. At hand-to-hand combat, he could easily hold his own against even Equite Dark Jedi, often dispatching those who heavily relied on their Force abilities to win in battle. After joining up with the Brotherhood, Vance also took to learning about demolitions. He had sure, steady hands and a sharp mind. He advanced quickly at anything he was taught and he enjoyed the power explosives gave him. However, despite his predilection for unarmed combat Vance, like all Nephilim, was an expert marksman, preferring the deadly firepower of the Kelvarek Consolidated Arms Dissuader KD-30 slugthrower pistol, which he used to weaken enemies at distance before closing in to kill.

Vanessa Lunelle

Vanessa Lunelle

"You touch my ass, I'll shoot yours."

―Vanessa Lunelle, discouraging sexual harassment in the work place

Biography

Born on the Core World of Corellia in 13 ABY, Vanessa was the scion of hotel moguls in the lavish, riverside city of Tyrena. Raised as a princess among adventuring tourists, this spoiled girl quickly grew tired of her monotonous life and rebelled during her early teen years. She joined up with the various thrill-seekers who visited the city to take part in its many exciting attractions. Whenever she could escape from her maids and guards, Vanessa would be with roguish scoundrels who imparted their worldly knowledge on her, though most of their knowledge involved either bedroom antics or shooting things.

These adventures eventually led to Vanessa joining up with some of the local gangs, eager to make use of her fledgling marksman skills. Having been trained in gymnastics from a young age, Vanessa had incredible coordination and, after training in life-or-death situations, developed incredible accuracy with blaster weapons. She lived an exciting life, though her restless nature meant she wandered from planet to planet, often joining up with different gangs purely at whim. Unfortunately, this reckless attitude found her working for a dangerous man who uncovered her past and decided she made a better ransom than member.

Her parents were quick to hire a group of, what they thought were bounty hunters to track down and save their daughter. These bounty hunters, however, were actually members of the Dark Brotherhood who, having been driven from their own systems, were looking for any work they could do. After finding the gang and Vanessa, they recognized her potential as a warrior and decided to draft her into the burgeoning Armed Forces of the Iron Throne.

Though she lacked the discipline required for the Brotherhood's Armed Forces, the training officers felt with a bit of conditioning, she would be an excellent candidate for the advanced training of the Nephilim. The mental conditioning she underwent ensured her loyalty to the Iron Throne, without breaking the thrill-seeking will of hers. Only two years after joining the elite unit, Vanessa was promoted to fireteam leader becoming both the youngest member and the only female to earn the rank of Corporal in the unit's history.

Physical Characteristics

Vanessa was a beautiful and deadly human female with shoulder-length, straight red hair, angular features, and an incredible ass. She had soft, angular features, dark eyes, and caramel-colored skin. Having spent her early years in gymnastics, and maintaining a rigorous aerobic exercise regiment since then, Vanessa was lithe and graceful, with a light build and well-toned muscles in her arms, legs, and backside. When she spoke she betrayed her origins with a sharp Corellian accent and the vulgar vocabulary Corellian smugglers are known for.

Specialties

Despite her lithe appearance, Vanessa was the Nephilim's expert in assault weaponry, with top marks for accuracy with both pistols and rifles. Because she lacked the physical build for serious hand-to-hand combat, Vanessa was always heavily equipped with weapons—pistols, shotguns, rifles—having a weapon ready for whatever the situation called for. Her quick hands and sharp eyes made her a deadly marksman. As the only female on the team, Vanessa was also the perfect "bait", as few would expect a team of elite military soldiers to employ such a stunningly attractive woman. This camouflage, along with her seduction techniques, allowed her to easily infiltrate enemy organizations and extract information useful to the team.

Dietrich Trenor

Dietrich Trenor

"I wanted lemon-lime, but it gave me orange. The maintenance man is toying with me...he knows that's the only flavor I buy!"

― Dietrich, complaining about vending machines

Biography

Dietrich Trenor had not lived an easy life. Recruited at a young age into the Imperial Military at the height of the Galactic Civil War, he flunked out of basic training for an inability to follow commands. Determined to fight in some war, somewhere, he headed away from the Core joining up with whatever small-time group would take him. In these earlier years, he never stayed very long in one place—inevitably, his aggression and paranoia lead to killing the wrong man at the wrong time, and he'd end up having to head further into the Outer Rim to find work.

Eventually, he signed on with the Army of the Iron Throne around the time of the Reclamation of Antei. His berserker attitude against Crask's droid army earned him the recognition of his superiors, and was later chosen to be one of the earliest members of the Nephilim. His status in the elite unit later afforded him the opportunity to enhance his body with cybernetics. He once joked with one of his squadmates that he wished to "become an iron golem, used to scare the children".

Physical Characteristics

Dietrich had a very imposing figure for a human. He was over 6 feet tall, white hair, and a muscular build. Much of Dietrich's body had been replaced by cybernetic replacements; most of which concealed illegal modifications that pushed him far beyond the physical limits of a normal human. His left eye was completely cybernetic, with an intimidating red iris and the ability to see into wavelengths beyond visible. He normally wore large, bulky jackets to conceal his robotic arms.

Specialties

Dietrich was not a subtle man - if a weapon had the word "heavy" in its name, he likely knew how to use it well. On any given mission, he was the Nephilim most likely to be carrying the biggest weapon. His personal favorite appeared to be the LS-150 Heavy Accelerated Charged Particle Repeater Gun, but depending on the mission, he also showed some preference towards the BT X-42 flamethrower. With his large build, Dietrich was also the go-to member for anything involving intimidation or being the "bad cop" in interrogations.

Equipment

"Be prepared for anything."

―Sergeant Altaris

Nephilim combat armor

Nephilim combat armor recalls the Sith Troopers of old, their black-faced masks inspiring a sense of dread, as if one was being gazed on from an endless abyss. The armor itself was designed and manufactured by the Herald's office, which was tasked with constructing an agile suit of body armor that could withstand glancing blows from a lightsaber. With a combination of Phrik, specifically authorized by the Grand Master, and the ancient art of Sith Alchemy, the Herald created something akin to "Dark Armor", though somewhat limited compared to the suit of Darth Vader.

The helmet contained a HUD system similar to that of the re-emerging Mandalorians, with a 360° field of vision as well as various optical enhancements and active threat assessment. The design of the system was cutting edge, with special attention paid to AI software that could track and predict enemy movements. This enabled the Nephilim to counter Jedi using the Force to enhance their physical capabilities.

Nephilim were expected to be proficient in all forms of melee and ranged weaponry, however, much of their training involved the standard armament utilized by each fireteam. As the fireteams were often required to act autonomously, they were well-equipped with all manner of blaster, slugthrower, and explosive weaponry. Each member was required to carry two sidearms, a Merr-Sonn Munitions Model 434 blaster pistol and Model MSD-32 disruptor pistol as back-up. The SoroSuub Corporation

Merr-Sonn Model 434 blaster pistol

Kylan-15 blaster rifle served as the team's assault rifle, capable of supporting various loadouts including sniper scope and silencer, which made it a versatile weapon, while the BlasTech Industries A280 blaster rifle provided heavy firepower when necessary.

Rounding out the arsenal were a multitude of grenades (LX-1 laser-flechette mine, LXR-6 concussion grenade, WW-47 CryoBan grenade), a custom-manufactured Stun net capable of subduing even Force-sensitive opponents, and a heavy Merr-Sonn Devastator combat knife.

Powers and abilities

"Their power is at its peak, but they are still mine to control."

―Muz Ashen, commenting on his Nephilim overcoming Royal Guardsmen

Nephilim vs Dark Jedi

The Nephilim were merely soldiers of the Brotherhood Armed Forced before undergoing extensive physical and mental conditioning to give them the ability to combat Force using opponents. This conditioning made them resistant to both mental and physical Force-based attacks, though not completely immune. However, when coupled with their unique armor, their ability to withstand the Force was nearly perfect. Only the unyielding power of those ranked Elder or higher could penetrate their defense.

Their most powerful ability, however, came from the Grand Master's use of the Force to alter how the Force perceived the Nephilim. By affecting their Force imprint, the Dark Lord made it impossible for Jedi to predict or read their movements when using the Force. This put Jedi opponents at a severe disadvantage as it was akin to battling a Yuuzhan Vong. Only those few warriors who relied solely on their physical abilities would not be put off when fighting a fully-trained Nephilim.

Physically, the Nephilim were all perfect specimens. Strengthened by intense training and conditioning, they had endurance far greater than the limits of their individual species. They were also excellent marksmen, intelligence gatherers, and leaders. Due to the unique nature of the unit, members were often called to lead normal sections of the Armed Forces in battle, at the discretion of their lord and master.

Trivia

• The squad name "Nephilim" comes from the biblical Nephilim, beings that were known as either the offspring of demigods, or giants.
• Ranks and organization are based of the United States Marine Corps squad unit.
• The character of Dietrich is based off the Deus Ex character Gunther Hermann