Darth Vexatus/PartOne

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Biography

Early life (15 BBY – 1 ABY)

solation (15 BBY – 1 ABY)

Xanos Zorrixor was born during the height of the Galactic Empire on Falleen in 15 BBY. His father, Count Haxim Zorrixor, was a prominent noble in House Zorrixor and the lord of a sizable estate on Falleen. His mother, Maziel Izhiq, was a Jedi survivor of the Clone Wars who had lived in exile with her husband since the fall of the Old Republic. Xanos grew up alone on his father’s estate, forced to keep a low profile to shield his Force-sensitivity from the outside world.

In 8 BBY the Empire bombarded a city ruled by House Sizhran to contain a biohazard leak. The incident drove Xanos’s parents to hate the Empire more than they already did, but they stopped short of active protest to ensure their son’s safety. However, when the Death Star was destroyed, Xanos accompanied his parents when they attended the Conference of Uncommitted Worlds on Kabal. They became trapped when the Empire blockaded the planet and narrowly escaped the orbital bombardment of the capital city of Shoribus where the conference was taking place after its location was leaked to the Empire by one of the Rebellion’s own. After the incident on Kabal, Xanos’s parents became unwilling to trust the Rebellion and decided against offering any support.

The Aargau Incident (1 ABY)

In 1 ABY Xora, Xanos’s sister was born. The same year Xanos and his father were accosted by thieves while on a visit to Aargau. Acting out of pure instinct Xanos called on the power of the Force to defend himself. Panicked, the thieves ran away. Xanos had no idea what he had done but his father was shocked and urgently took his son back to Falleen. Weeks passed and nothing happened. Eventually Maziel and Haxim were satisfied the police had not believed the thieves, had they even reported the incident. Nevertheless, Xanos now knew his mother was a Jedi and so Maziel took it upon herself to train him.

Jedi training (1 ABY – 5 ABY)

Tragedy (1 ABY – 3 ABY)

"How is the Force any different to a lightsaber?"

―Xanos Zorrixor, questioning the Jedi Code

Xanos Zorrixor at the time of his family's death

Xanos was technically too old to begin the training but Maziel wanted her son to be able to protect himself even if he found it hard to embrace the Jedi Code at his age. Maziel hoped she could teach her son enough that he would not become seduced by the dark side. She gave Xanos one of her lightsabers which she had kept since the Clone Wars and trained him in Soresu.

In 3 ABY an Imperial Inquisitor named Arystul Deyal came looking for the child who had used the Force on Aargau. Maziel sacrificed herself to allow her family to escape but Xanos became separated from Haxim and Xora. Xanos was able to fight his way out and watched from a distance as the ship Haxim and Xora tried to escape on was shot down and exploded. Xanos fled Falleen never wanting to step foot on the planet again.

Revenge (5 ABY)

"If the Jedi had done something decades ago the rot would never have sunk so deep"

―Xanos Zorrixor, questioning why the Jedi had ever allowed the Republic to fall

Xanos spent the next two years moving from world to world rarely staying in one place for long. The threat of the Empire coming after him again forced him to change his name and he adopted his mother’s name, becoming Xanos Izhiq. Xanos discovered he could use the Force to influence others and became adept at using it to cheat at sabacc in order to get by. He became obsessed with revenge, blaming himself for what had happened, wishing he had only been strong enough.

Using his father’s old contacts, such as his associates in the Corellian Merchants’ Guild, he managed to track down the Inquisitor who had murdered his family. He eventually caught up with Arystul Deyal on Taanab, managing to defeat him in a duel by calling on the dark side out of survival instinct. The attack took the Inquisitor by surprise and Xanos crushed the life out of him.

However, before Deyal died he revealed that his arrival on Falleen had been no coincidence, and that Xanos father had in fact outed them to the Empire in exchange for leniency. Furthermore, Deyal claimed Haxim was still alive, and that only Xora had been on the doomed transport.

Galactic Civil War (5 ABY – 12 ABY)

New Republic Intelligence (5 ABY – 8 ABY)

"I long for the day I learn how to draw on the Force at will but until then a blaster will have to do."

―Xanos Zorrixor, shortly after joining NRI

Xanos Zorrixor during his time in NRI

Xanos had hoped killing his family’s murderer would bring peace but instead he was left wanting. He realized the only two times during his life he had felt truly alive had been during the incidents on Aargau and now Taanab. Xanos desperate wished to understand his talents but with his mother dead he resigned himself to accepting there would be no one to train him. At twenty, he ended up joining New Republic Intelligence believing he could at least put his talents to use.

One of Xanos’s first missions was to the planet Milagro. Xanos was part of a New Republic force there which battled the Imperial forces for three months. In the end, despite a New Republic victory, the Empire bombarded the planet from orbit, destroying anything of value. Xanos narrowly escaped, having had a sense of foreboding right before the attack. He joined the fleet during the second Battle of Milagro, helping to take back the planet. The following year would see the first Battle of Coruscant of the Galactic Civil War. Xanos was inserted onto Coruscant shortly after Milagro, helping one of several NRI cells prepare for the main attack. He was promoted to captain after the battle.

Xanos was involved in the attack on Thyferra during 7 ABY. His cell was inserted onto Thyferra early in the Bacta War, helping rally support from among the local population to rise up against the occupying Imperial forces. Following the planet’s capture, Xanos joined the New Republic forces in orbit to help during the ensuing space battle. The following year he was involved in the attack on Kuat to capture the shipyards. Xanos’s rapid rise, no doubt due to his Force abilities, had not gone unnoticed. However, Xanos also had a reputation for playing loose with the law, often cutting corners to get results. To his surprise, he was promoted to major and offered command of Specter Squadron, a clandestine intelligence cell which would operate under the radar.

Specter Squadron (8 ABY – 12 ABY)

Specter Squadron saw action the following year during the Thrawn Campaign at the third Battle of Coruscant and the Battle of Bilbringi. They were also part of the NRI force involved in the Battle of Liinade III, taking part in the space battle before joining the ground forces during the two week long struggle to secure control of the planet. Later the same year, the Specters saw action at the second Battle of Ciutric IV in the final part of the campaign against Delak Krennel.

Xanos and his squadron saw further action in 10 ABY during the campaign by the reborn emperor. They were deployed to Metellos shortly before the fourth Battle of Coruscant, urgently being recalled when the Imperial forces from the Deep Core struck out at the capital. Specter Squadron were stuck on Coruscant until the occupying Imperial forces were driven off in 11 ABY. Xanos was promoted to lieutenant colonel shortly after the battle to liberate the planet.

The Specters was caught up in the campaign against Admiral Daala when the Jedi Praxeum opened its doors to Force-sensitives. Xanos remained in NRI until 12 ABY, taking part in the Battle of the Jedi Praxeum which finally saw Daala defeated. He was there to witness the explosive display of power by the young Jedi Knights which threw Daala’s fleet out of the system. The feat caused Xanos’s deep longing to unlock his power to return and he resigned his commission shortly after to join the Jedi.

Trials of a Jedi Knight (12 ABY – 13 ABY)

The Jedi Praxeum (12 ABY)

"Why do the Jedi say the Sith are evil? Do the Sith not also seek to bring order? Anakin Skywalker was once a Jedi too... does that make all Jedi evil?"

―Vykan, Dark Jedi

Renko Yast

Xanos joined the Jedi Order hoping to at long last understand the brief moments of fulfilment he had experienced on Aargau and Taanab. He was taken as an apprentice by Renko Yast. Yast believed Xanos had received enough lightsaber instruction from Maziel but desperately needed to embrace the Jedi Code before becoming a Jedi. Xanos felt Yast was holding him back and fell into the arms of a wandering Dark Jedi named Vykan while on a mission to Nar Shaddaa. Xanos believed he could learn to use the dark side without becoming corrupted and agreed to become Vykan’s apprentice. Vykan trained Xanos in secret outside his lessons with Yast at the Jedi Praxeum. Xanos realized how much the Jedi did not teach their students and believed he could become stronger than all of them.

Later that year, Xanos took part in the battle when the Jedi Praxeum was attacked by Dessan and his legion of Reborn warriors. Drawing on Vykan’s training, Xanos was able to hold his own against the Reborn, helping to rescue several of the younglings with his Master. Xanos was made a Jedi Knight following the battle, as a sign he had completed the trials. However, Yast remained troubled by how quickly his apprentice had advanced and was worried about where he had come by some of his more exotic Force abilities.

The Eriadu Incident (13 ABY)

"The dark side ruined my life the same as it did yours. How can you have allowed it to seduce you?"

―Taraeis Alaviel, Jedi apprentice

Xanos was assigned a young Arkanian named Taraeis Alaviel to be his apprentice shortly after his advancement to Jedi Knight. Xanos split his time between training his apprentice, studying the transcripts of the Tedryn Holocron in the archives and his sessions away from the academy with Vykan. Tara was much like Xanos, having lost her parents at a young age too, but she had taken it as a reason to shun the dark side completely. She accompanied her Master on several missions during the year, such as to Adumar when the planet was attacked by the Imperial Remnant.

Taraeis Alaviel

Early the following year Tara accompanied Xanos on a mission to Eriadu to deal with a local trade dispute. When the meeting turned sour Xanos drew on the techniques he had learned from Vykan to protect the Eriaduan ambassador. Tara was shocked, recognizing what her Master had done as being of the dark side. Upon returning to the Jedi Praxeum Tara was forced to report what had happened and was reassigned to another Master. Xanos felt his apprentice had betrayed him after the Jedi demanded he relinquish his lightsaber until he learned to control his feelings. Rather than obey, Xanos resigned from the Jedi Order and left to join Vykan.

Dark Jedi (14 ABY – 17 ABY)

The Second Brotherhood of Darkness (14 ABY)

"Do not become lost to your visions, my apprentice. Visions are too easily misread."

―Vykan

Vykan

Xanos spent most of the subsequent year continuing his training with Vykan, venturing to such lost worlds as Jerlyn, to explore the forgotten Sith temples buried there. Vykan was not always forthcoming with information, believing it unwise to allow his apprentice to progress too quickly, but Xanos was satisfied to be learning new skills. As Xanos began to explore the dark side deeper he experienced his first glimpse of the future in the form of a nightmare of a world rendered dead to the Force itself. Vykan told his apprentice about the Prophecy of the Seven which had been perverted a decade earlier by followers loyal to Palpatine. He explained how he believed it spoke of the formation of the Prophets of the Dark Side by Darth Millennial centuries earlier and told Xanos how easy it was to misinterpret visions and that it was better to forget the dream than be lost to it.

When Vykan learned the existence of the Brotherhood in the Minos Cluster he was eager to head to Eos to join. However, Xanos had his reservations and still nursed deeply negative feelings towards the Empire, especially regarding his acceptance in Imperial circles due to being an alien. They arrived to find Astronicus Sadow recruiting followers. Vykan was intrigued by the man’s claims to be a descendant of the original Jedi Exiles and decided to join his cause in the Phare system which operated under the guise of the Dlarit Corporation.

Trevarus Caerick (15 ABY)

"The dark side offers power for power’s sake. You must covet it. Crave it. You must seek power above all else, with no reservation or hesitation."

―Trevarus Caerick, Krath sorcerer

Trevarus Caerick

Xanos came to know the sorcerer Trevarus Caerick recognizing him to be one of the rare few able to delve into the dark side itself and invoke ancient rituals and dark magics. Xanos became one of his acolytes and was intrigued by Caerick’s quest to break free of the Force's control. Vykan grew uncomfortable how much time his apprentice spent listening to the sorcerer and cautioned Xanos to avoid him. However, Xanos felt his Master wanted to hold him back the way the Jedi had and ignored him.

Vykan grew concerned Caerick was encouraging Xanos to progress faster than the other students and was fearful advancing too quickly would cause Xanos to become obsessed with his own power. Vykan also saw in Caerick a desire to take his apprentice as his own and resented it.

Antei and the Temple of Taimat (16 ABY)

"There can be no compromise. Mercy, compassion, loyalty: all these things will prevent you from claiming what is rightfully yours. Those who follow the dark side must cast aside these conceits. Those who do not—those who try to walk the path of moderation—will fail, dragged down by their own weakness."

―Trevarus Caerick

Xanos’s training with Trevarus Caerick involved research into the ancient Sith. Xanos helped research a Dark Jedi Master named Tio Azurd whom Caerick believed would lead him to the lost planet Antei. Caerick was also particularly interested in the knowledge Xanos had garnered from the transcripts of the Tedryn Holocron. In exchange the sorcerer allowed Xanos unrestricted access to the holocron he had recently recovered from Antar IV. From the holocron Xanos learned about wounds in the Force, however the sorcerer did not let on their importance to his research.

In 16 ABY Caerick finally discovered the location of the lost Antei system on the outskirts of Sith Space and took Xanos with him on an expedition to penetrate the Shroud. The pair plundered what tomes and holocrons they could find, the sorcerer being particularly pleased with the information he recovered from the Temple of Taimat. When they returned to the Brotherhood, Vykan was furious at Caerick for disappearing with his apprentice for weeks and forbade Xanos from training with him further.

Second Brotherhood Civil War (16 ABY)

Trevarus Caerick after returning with the Amulet of Orian

Trevarus Caerick fought off an assassination attempt during the machinations orchestrated by Archibald Zoraan. Caerick left the Brotherhood during the conflict to track down his old Master Kiln Tobasa who had sent the assassins after him. Vykan claimed it was proof the sorcerer was only interested in himself and didn’t care about the rest of the Brotherhood.

Caerick returned several weeks later bearing the Amulet of Orian on his arm. He devastated their opponents in the Coronada system with his newfound power, managing to wound Jac Cotelin in battle. In a few months Caerick had gone from being a common sorcerer to a gifted warlock and even Vykan could no longer deny his power.

The Zoraan Uprising (17 ABY)

"How can you side with him? He will ruin the Brotherhood the way Bane did. How can you not see this?"

―Vykan

The civil war was barely over when Archibald Zoraan attempted to subvert the power of the Imperial Remnant. Trevarus Caerick declared open rebellion fearing Zoraan would lead them to ruin and the rebels headed to Eos to depose the Grand Master by force. Vykan was deplored fearing the Brotherhood was going the way of the ancient Sith and going to tear itself apart through infighting. Xanos rejected his Master’s apathy and joined Caerick’s rebels in the Battle of Eos during which the Dark Hall was destroyed and the Grand Master consumed in a Force storm.

Caerick’s Apprentice (17 ABY)

"By its very nature the dark side invites rivalry and strife. This is our greatest strength: it culls the weak from our order. Yet this rivalry can also be our greatest weakness. The strong must be careful lest they be overwhelmed by the ambitions of those working beneath them in concert."

―Trevarus Caerick

Trevarus Caerick at the time of becoming Xanos Zorrixor's Master

Not long after the uprising Trevarus Caerick was forced to fight off a second assassination attempt by Kem-Shu Maeda. He spared the assassin’s life in exchange for training in the techniques used by Kiln Tobasa. After Caerick received the Mark on his forehead Xanos began to wonder whether he was the one spoken of in the Prophecy of the Seven. After witnessing the new talents at the sorcerer’s disposal, Xanos pledged himself to his service as his apprentice. Vykan was irate at Caerick’s willingness to manipulate the legacy of Darth Millennial to further his own goals. He concluded the Brotherhood was destined to go the same way as past ones and turned his back on it.

Free of Vykan’s influence Xanos ceased to concern himself with rules and began to see past the restrictions the Brotherhood placed on him. Caerick cared little for rules and sought to be free of all control. The sorcerer began to train Xanos in techniques Vykan and others in the Brotherhood would have deemed forbidden believing should he be driven insane it would be a sign of his unworthiness.

Rebellion (17 ABY – 19 ABY)

The Creed of Ruin (18 ABY)

"There is no passion . . . there is solely obsession.
There is no knowledge. There is solely conviction.
There is no purpose. There is solely will.
There is nothing...
Only me."

―The Creed of Ruin

Trevarus Caerick and Shan Long

Trevarus Caerick had been slipping into insanity since returning with the Amulet of Orian but the explosive release of his full potential in the form of the entity called Shan Long changed him. He became distant and left Xanos to continue his training alone. Xanos grew resentful and eventually challenged his Master in a spectacular lightsaber duel in the icy wastes of Loki. Despite a valiant effort the Falleen was defeated, losing his right eye and suffering a near fatal blow to his abdomen which left a scar that never healed.

Caerick had wanted to test his apprentice by pushing him to the very brink. By turning Xanos against him the sorcerer had demonstrated why the Brotherhood was inherently flawed. Caerick wanted his apprentice to be loyal to the dark side itself not some abstract organization. His plan was to one day free himself from all control and saw the Brotherhood as a roadblock the same as the Jedi Order. To achieve absolute power Caerick knew there must not be any others who could challenge him which required there to be only one Dark Lord. He taught his apprentice the Creed of Ruin in the belief it would eventually guide Xanos to true enlightenment.

Caerick left his apprentice to discover the truth of his words alone but revealed his ambitions to break away from the Imperial Remnant and forge a new empire on Antei. There Caerick believed he would find the key to discovering the answers he sought. Having no more love for the Empire than for the Jedi or the Republic, Xanos was quick to turn his back on it and support his Master’s plans.

The Aurora Crisis (18 ABY – 19 ABY)

Xanos took charge of the Dlarit Corporation and began to divert funds for the construction of a new base in the Orian system, overseeing the new development of the future mining colony on the planet Aeotheran from the Bastion, an ancient stronghold hidden deep in the jungle. Trevarus Caerick spent most of the next year on Eos, travelling the other worlds of the Aurora Sector as they began to position the pieces. Despite his Master's absolute faith in his visions, Xanos remained uncertain of their fate, so without his Master's knowledge secretly diverted some of the construction efforts into the Nifol Mountains, the Mountains of Mist.

The Aurora Sector descended into crisis in what became a shadow war when members of the Brotherhood were assassinated and important facilities sabotaged. The Imperial Remnant was aware the Brotherhood was planning something and hiring bounty hunters to deal with any individuals it perceived as a threat. The Remnant’s attempt to silence dissention backfired when the Clans united after Mairin Astoris was forced into exile following an assassination attempt.

The Mystery of Klindarith (19 ABY)

"I have seen the Force itself drained of life."

―Xanos Zorrixor

Xanos received disturbing visions of the nearby planet Klindarith in early 19 ABY in which he saw a faceless figure feeding on the Force itself. Trevarus Caerick was concerned by the news and returned from his work to help lead an expedition to Klindarith to investigate. While there the planet was blockaded by a pair of Star Destroyers and they were attacked by Imperial troops. Troubled by the unfolding events, Caerick abandoned the mission to return to the Minos Cluster fearing the worst. Xanos remained behind to discover the source of the echo to be a Force vampire named Kurien. Xanos slew Kurien and recovered the obtene crystal which had been the source of his powers.

The Battle of Phare (19 ABY)

Xanos Zorrixor at the time of the Battle of Phare

While the expedition had been on Klindarith the Imperial Remnant had moved to seize control of the Brotherhood following the Bastion Accords. Trevarus Caerick had evacuated most of the archives from Sadow Palace before the Remnant could blockade the Phare system. Xanos returned and led an assault on Sadow Palace to recapture it. The Remnant called in support from the Imperial Navy and Inquisitorius to prevent their escape. Caerick contacted Xanos and instructed him to commence the evacuation of the system. Xanos headed to Ullyr to recover the archives from the fortress there but was unable to arrive in time. He activated the facility’s self-destruct sequence to prevent the Remnant from recovering its secrets.

Xanos took command of the fleet in orbit and helped hold off the Imperial forces. The battle appeared lost when the Remnant called in an interdictor but Astronicus Sadow had one final ace up his sleeve when Sadow Palace tore from its foundations revealing the body of a cruiser buried beneath. The palace joined the battle and destroyed the interdictor in a suicidal run to secure their escape. Following the Battle of Phare they rendezvoused with Council forces under Caerick’s command before making their way to the Orian system and setting up temporary headquarters in Alabrek Castle until the new headquarters were completed.