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I see the contestants are making their way out onto the starting grid. This article was originally created as an entry for a Dark Crusade competition and is not official DJB canon content. It is preserved here for historical purposes only.
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- "If the Sith have left anything on Krayiss II, we'll find it."
- ―Tor Siva to a Sith Acolyte upon her arrival on Krayiss II - (34 ABY)
Krayiss II is the second planet in the Krayiss System.
Once an outpost of the Sith before their extinction in 14,000 BBY, this planet is now little more than a barren and arid wasteland. Holding neither flora nor fauna of any native type, Krayiss II is also devoid of any useful material or minerals.
In ancient times this planet was a crowning jewel in the Sith's vast interstellar holdings. Along with Ziost, Khar Delba, Rhelg, Korriban, Ch'hodos, and Nicht Kar it was the very heart of their stronghold in the Outer Rim Territories.
Despite the aridity of the planet, the One Sith have established themselves on this ancient Sith colony, in large part as a result of its importance in ancient Sith culture.
History
An artist's impression of a Sith Pureblood
The Kymoodon Era (15,000 BBY - 11,987 BBY)
During the Kymoodon Era (15,000 BBY - 11,987 BBY), Krayiss II became one of the key Sith worlds of the Sith Empire, along with Ziost, Khar Delba, Rhelg, Korriban, Ch'hodos, and Nicht Kar.
Before colonisation early in the Pre-Republic Era (Early Hyperspace Age), the planet was barren, lifeless, and uninhabitable. Nestled in the Outer Rim Territories, and protected by the Stygian Caldera, Krayiss II was seemingly nondescript and uninteresting. It was only after expansion through the Esstran Sector began that Force-sensitives came to realise Krayiss II's distinctive Dark Side presence.
Colonial Sith Purebloods began to settle on Krayiss II from as early as 13,720 BBY as the Ancient Sith Empire began to conquer worlds near to their homeworld of Korriban, eventually becoming what was known as Sith Space. It was at this stage of accelerated Sith expansion, driven by the idelogy of the Sith'ari King Adas, that the Sith relocated their capital planet from Korriban to the neighbouring world of Ziost. As the Sith expanded, their colonies developed; on Krayiss II, the founding of the library-temple in the early years of the Kymoodon Era (14,000 BBY) made the planet a primary place of pilgrimage and worship. This library-temple, constructed to serve the colonial Sith of Krayiss II, soon became a sacred site, attracting magicians, Sith alchemists, and Kissai. A hub of Sith sorcery and meditation, the library-temple was a place to contain the knowledge of Sith Alchemy, Sorcery, and Sith Magic. It was for this reason that the library-temple was the defining feature of Krayiss II during the Kymoodon Era.
Little else is known of this time. For unknown reasons, the Sith populace vanished from Krayiss II in this period. Their spirits, however, lived on.
Over the next 10,000 years, the library-temple was a beacon for all Force-sensitives. Jedi and Sith alike travelled to the library-temple in the hopes of entering the ancient monument. Whilst many were successful in lifting the massive structure from its burial deep within the sand by reciting ancient texts and incantations, each attempt was met with failure as the guardian spirits deemed the prospectives students of ancient Sith Sorcery, Alchemy and Magic unworthy.
Old Sith War Era (4,015 BBY - 3,950 BBY)
In 4,009 BBY, the Dark Side was strong on Krayiss II, which attracted attention of Jev Sunrider, the Jedi Watchman of the Darada system who had sensed the dark presence during one of his meditative sessions. He travelled to the planet, alongside three Jedi Masters to combat this threat, but he, and the rest of the Jedi never returned.
The threat that the Jedi Master had sensed was the presence of Darth Malignous, a spirit that haunted the temple-library as its gatekeeper.
By 4,000 BBY however, the temple complex was completely buried, save for the massive obelisk that extended from the top of the structure.
The Jedi Knight, Vara Nreem arrived on Krayiss II during 4,000 BBY where she discovered this fact. She investigated the obelisk, the only remnant of the temple on display above the shifting sands. There, she recited a Sith incantation that awoke the dark spirits that had lain dormant within. The spirits raised the temple from the sands, the dark powers at their command allowing them to do so. Nreem’s eagerness to study the secrets hidden within the temple forced her to make a rash decision in beseeching the spirits to allow her access to the temple and hoping that her unusual view of the Force would confuse them. Alas, for Nreem, the dark spirits dwelling within were not fooled and attacked the Jedi. The Jedi Knight attempted to resist their assault, but she was killed with ease and her spirit was trapped forever in the temple and made to suffer for all eternity.
Dark Jedi Brotherhood Era (11 ABY - Present)
The surface of Krayiss II laid dormant until 34 ABY when elements of the One Sith, driven by a lust for power and knowledge, landed upon the planet and quickly established a small base camp and space port to allow further supply of the expedition as they explored the planet’s secrets.
During the two uninterrupted years of scouring the planet for its secrets, the One Sith expedition had uncovered many scrolls and artifacts from its depths. Tor Siva, the Nagai Acolyte of the Sith Lord, remained a constant fixture, leading many of the forays to further find more knowledge.
However, in 36 ABY, Dark Brotherhood forces, seeking to retaliate against the attack on their domain by Zoraan, the mad former Grand Master, who had been supported by elements of the One Sith, attacked the planet. The first of what would be many worlds that would fall into the grasp of the Dark Jedi of the Brotherhood.
Dark Jedi and ground troops drawn from Clan Arcona and the two Houses, Taldryan and Odan-Urr assaulted the planet, eager to exact revenge for the audacity of those pretenders who hid in the shadows. The One Sith expedition based there was quickly overwhelmed by the gathered might of the three units, showing the Sith upstarts that the power of the Dark Brotherhood was not to be underestimated.
Moons
A picture taken of the moons Hakagram and Nakgru orbiting Krayiss II.
Chained Sisters
Krayiss II is orbited by two satellites. The first, Hakagram, orbits the planet at a distance of 247,000km above the surface. Its sibling, called Nakgru, is 249,000km above the surface; both of these are roughly 3,150km in diameter. The moons appear to be leashed to each other, most likely due to tampering by the ancient Sith Master of the library-temple on Krayiss II, as Nakgru leads Hakagram across the sky by 28,350km. This apparent tethering is curious as it means that Nakgru travels at a slightly faster speed to maintain it’s exact distance from both Krayiss II and Hakagram. Both moons take a period of about 11¾ days to complete one orbit around the planet.
Both moons have entire regions covered in gigantic Sith runes carved into the surface. It is believed that this is what safely maintains the moon orbits. Further investigation has shown that at one time these engravings may have been large enough to be seen from the surface of Krayiss II under the right circumstances. Many of the runes correspond to some of the runes written on the obelisk atop the Sith library-temple.
Tidal Locking
Hakagram and Nakgru are, as with most moons, both kept tidally locked with Krayiss II due to the gravitational gradient that makes one side of an astronomical body always face another. A tidally locked body takes just as long to rotate around its own axis as it does to revolve around its partner. This causes one hemisphere to constantly face the partner body. Brotherhood scientists believe that the Dark Side runes carved on the moons’ surface have something to do with keeping them in a constant orbit, instead of decaying and moving closer to Krayiss II.
Geography and Climate
Mountains of Krayiss II
Formed approximately 4.8 billion years ago, during the collapse of a nebula into a thin layer of dust and gas. The protostar, which would eventually be named Krayiss Prime by explorers billions of years later, was surrounded by a rotating protoplanetary disc which would come to be known as the Krayiss system. About 3.2 billion years ago, the protostar had gained enough mass to ignite to become a star. The surviving protoplanetary disc was removed from the inside outward by photoevaporation, solar wind, Poynting-Roberston drag and other effects. However, evidence gathered shows that there may have been some protoplanetaries orbiting the newly formed star, which led to many of them colliding to form the planets of the Krayiss system.
An cartographer's impression of Krayiss II's surface
Krayiss II is a mountainous and barren planet. Evidence shows that this may not have always been the case, however, due to the many dried up river beds being found by survey crews. It is however, not a desert planet. Its surface is covered with exposed rock and while it has many sand dunes, they are mostly comprised of the large sandy waste areas typical of desert planets.
Brotherhood researchers are eagerly awaiting the opportunity to further explore the depths of the planet in the hopes of finding water supplies and discover more about the history of the planet. A planet that has great meaning to the Dark Jedi of the Galaxy.
The planet lacks a large enough axial tilt to create true seasons. Temperatures are instead divided into two extremes. During the daylight hours, temperatures can reach 47 degrees Celsius during the day; particularly around the equator. Temperatures as low as -5 degrees Celsius have been recorded during the night.
Landmarks
Sith Temple
Built before 14,000 BBY, the temple was used by Sorcerers of pure Sith blood for meditation and recording knowledge they had gained from experiments. The temple was abandoned circa 14,000 BBY, although the spirits of the Sith who once inhabited the place remained. These Sith ghosts would go on to trap the spirits of various Jedi who travelled to the temple, looking for the power and knowledge held within its walls. By 4,000 BBY, the entire temple had been completely buried, save from a towering obelisk which extended from the top of the complex. This obelisk also acted as a gateway for anyone to access the temple (if they were deemed worthy by the Sith spirits).
In 4,000 BBY, a Jedi Knight named Vara Nreem travelled to Krayiss II, searching for the knowledge that was stored within the temple. Nreem found her way to the obelisk where she recited an ancient Sith incantation, awaking the spirits within the temple. This prompted the ghosts to raise the entire Sith complex back to the surface, in front of the waiting Jedi. Nreem attempted to gain entry to the temple, hoping her unusual view of the Force would confuse the spirits into allowing her access. However, the spirits were not fooled and set themselves upon the Jedi Knight, who eventually fell to the Sith apparitions. The temple has stood silently ever since, waiting for yet more of the power-hungry to suffer within its walls.
Cave of Jev Sunrider
Ancient Sith Cave Painting found on the walls inside the Cave of Jev Sunrider - dated between 14,900 BBY - 14,500 BBY.
Deep within a complex of valleys, twisted upon itself like a labyrinth is a blackened structure that even the sands avoid. Within this cave is a resting place of bones, each victim lulled into madness by a dark entity formerly known as Jev Sunrider. He once served as a Jedi Master and was the Watchman of the Darada system, attracted by the treasure trove of information stored within the Temple. He simply found the wrong artifact and was completely drawn into the Dark, rotting away in his delirium. However, such was his strength of will that his spirit lingered on, inhabiting the cave for thousands of years until his presence was one that the Jedi could not ignore. Three Jedi quickly arrived, ready to dispatch a Sith monstrosity. Their attempts failed and they were defeated by the entity that Jev had become. Their last effort was one that succeeded as they bound their spirits unto him through the Force, enforcing his guardianship of the Sith library beneath the sands.
Any who have ventured into the valley have reported strange sightings, odd sounds, disappearances. Many have tried to flush out Sunrider’s spirit, but it has remained, tenacious in the face of darkness. The cave itself is somewhat of a challenge, filled with pitfalls, twists, and turns, all in pitch blackness, utterly disorientating one willing to plumb its depths. And, at the end of it all, Jev Sunrider, the vengeful spirit, guided by Jedi, endlessly seeking to protect the dark secrets of the Temple.
Darth Zash's Outpost
Darth Zash
The Outpost stands in plain sight, honestly displaying its deadly defense capabilities. With its team of maintenance droids keeping the plethora of defensive turrets running, only the bravest would dare to approach. Darth Zash herself felt confident enough to leave this gem of an outpost on a world so rough and rugged, confident in the knowledge that it would be safe. It is mediocre in appearance - four walls surrounding a pyramidal inner structure. The only access point is the roof which opens to a specific code, lost with the death of its mistress. There are four main turrets placed upon each corner of the wall, with a plethora of other hidden weaponry mainly consisting of particle technology. To combat the sand, but also achieve a form of adaptive camouflage force field technology is used to seal off the outpost from the surface. This also allows a certain degree of heat based camouflage, making it nearly undetectable through the day as the sand is heated by the sun.
The actual contents of the outpost are currently unknown. Historical information found on Darth Zash indicates that she spent a large part of her life seeking control over Sith artefacts. Therefore, it is suspected that there may be a large amount of these artefacts located at the outpost; especially owing to its relatively remote location.
One Sith Spaceport
FPC 6.7 Anti-Aircraft Battery
Built in the year 34 ABY, this spaceport was the original resupply point for the One Sith expedition that came to Krayiss II. It has since become the focal point for One Sith forces in the region, due in no small part to the fact that it still operates as the main resupply node for Krayiss II, as well as the fact that it handles all inbound and outbound One Sith traffic. The growth in its importance to the One Sith forces deployed to Krayiss II has also meant that the spaceport itself has expanded as well, growing from a simple landing field to encompass a larger area so as to provide more space for inbound spacecraft. At maximum capacity, the field can hold a single Corvette-class ship (up to roughly 200-225m length), as well as a squadron of starfighters, although if there were no capital ship present then a combination of shuttles and starfighters or other smaller craft could fill the space normally reserved for the One Sith Corvettes. In addition to any fighters or other craft that are present at the spaceport, there are also a pair of FPC 6.7 Anti-Aircraft Batteries which can offer protection to the site. These batteries are light defenses only however, and point to the One Sith’s belief that Krayiss II is a relatively safe world for them to hold without overly much protection being in place for such a crucial site.
Around what was the initial spaceport, smaller buildings have begun to sprout up as more permanent personnel were deployed to the spaceport in capacities other than simply operating the import and export of supplies. Mechanics were deployed to the world to provide the requisite support for the vehicles and machinery which was used planetside, while military troops and officers were stationed at the spaceport as both a ground-based defense force and as support for the One Sith expeditions deeper into the desolate wilderness of Krayiss II. However, more often than not the troops that were assigned to the spaceport ended up acting more like Military Police than as a fighting force, and as such the assignment was seen by many as a luxury one.
Notable Persons
Darth Malignous
Darth Malignous
Having learnt immortality, Darth Malignous is able to survive in a ghostly form. It is not known how he died but his incorporeal form returned to the temple-library. He acts as the Gatekeeper to the library, claiming revenge on any that would steal its secrets but only appears when the temple has risen from under the sand once more.
He appears in black robes and a thorny crown on his head, as time has passed over millennia his power have grown, his aim is to collect more souls to guard the secrets held in the library. He is unable to be defeated by physical means and has kept many of the skills he learnt in life. His skills in battle include:
Jev Sunrider
Jev Sunrider - (4,009 BBY).
- Main article: Jev Sunrider
- "What the karkin' hell is this thing? "
- ―An Iron Throne sergeant to one of his squadmates while executing the invasion of Krayiss II. - (36 ABY)
A former Human Jedi Master, Jev Sunrider was the Watchman for the Darada system. In 4,009 BBY he left his home with three other Jedi Masters and travelled to Krayiss Two in an attempt to quell the growing Dark Side Force on the planet.
Defeated and enslaved by Lord Malignous, Jev Sunrider's Force Spirit now guards the library-temple at Malignous' command. Ensuring that no one gains the knowledge that is kept there, he follows Lord Malignous, even preventing other Sith from gaining the knowledge stored there.
He is able to appear to others in ghostly apparitions and he is known for his skill with:
Darth Sinagar
Darth Sinagar - (30 ABY).
Originally known as Bog Hayden, a human born on Prakith . He was also a member of the Malevolence Cult based on his home world, however, in 30ABY he was confronted by the One Sith and relinquished his lightsaber to them, and prepared for death.
Instead of death he was given to the One Sith's Inquisitors who subjugated him to psychological and physical torture with the aim of re-indoctrinating him into the Sith ways. This was successful and he was reborn as Darth Sinagar.
As the newest member of the One Sith, he was completely obedient to Darth Krayt and his studies of the Dark Side of the Force. His black and white tattoos were the only reminder of his past connection with the cult, telling the journey he went through from beginning to end.
Darth Sinagar is an Elder combatant and during combat he uses:
Tor Siva
Tor Siva - (34 ABY).
- Main article: Tor Siva
- "They seem to be being led by a Sith Assassin. We know only that she is an adept Force-user, and that she is to be approached with extreme caution. "
- ―Muz Ashen to the Dark Council while executing the invasion of Krayiss II - (36 ABY)
Tor Siva is a forty-two year old female Nagai who participated in the Nagai’s invasion of the known galaxy.
Operating under the command of the Dark Lady of the Sith Lumiya, Tor conducted early reconnaissance operations on the planet of Kinooine and Zeltros. Identified as a Force-sensitive, Tor received rudimentary training from Lumiya until the conclusion of the Third Battle of Saijo. Left to her own devices following the Nagai treaty with the Alliance of Free Planets, Tor travelled the galaxy as a Bounty Hunter before being recruited in to the One Sith.
Tor is believed to be the only daughter of Den Siva, an unlikely ally of the Alliance of Free Planets. He and his partner Dani believed Tor dead after the Nagai operations on Saijo.
Sith Aspirants and Acolytes
- Main article: Sith Aspirants and Acolytes
Collected from across the galaxy, the One Sith needed a large number of support and security staff for their expedition to Krayiss II. These range from Force Sensitives to sycophants of the Sith cause. All of them trained to the standard of special forces teams across the galaxy.
Trivia
- All hand-drawn pictures were completed by Inarya Chan specifically for this event.
Contributors
Here is the list for the contributors of both/either of the Krayiss System - Team Arcownage and the Krayiss II - Team Arcownage pages.
(Note: All names will be preceded by an 'X'. It is the responsibility of the contributing member to remove the 'X' from beside their name to qualify them as a contributor)