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Complete Article: Sith Bloodfyre
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The Boy
- "It is a wise father that knows his own child."
- ―William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616 AD)
So much of what I was, and what I have done has been forgotten. Time is a river, and it moves swiftly. Without others along for the ride to help you remember, you will forget. Without taking snapshots of victory as well as defeat, so that you might live to be greater, you are doomed to repeat your past mistakes. Become more, or be doomed to relive your failures. So it is with others. So it is with me.
My first life, as I choose to remember it, was a lie.
Shaevalis Prime is nothing more than a falsehood. Though my people choose to interpret their reality buried in ignorance and apathy, the truth is they are in the grip of a lie that is thousands of years old. We worship an ancient god, through his son's avatar, who stands as a glorious ruler among us. That ruler, our living representation of god, is an idiot. He is a fool who lives in a monastery that is guarded by those loyal to the true rulers of Shaevalis, my family.
The Seventh Son; the First Prisoner is what I would call him. He plays with instruments of music, practices with weapons of war, all the while being secluded and controlled by the Soreihan, the mystical warriors of my people, and those who serve my family.
You do not understand; you do not have to. You will never visit Shaevalis, so there is no purpose. My people, we have such a hatred of outsiders, that we shun all that we do not recognize. I wonder -- is it caused by hatred, or perhaps fear? In any event, though it is not likely, perhaps you might find yourself lost in the galaxy, and make your way there. If they do not recognize you for an outsider and kill you, you may be able to blend in on looks alone, since our races do look alike. But they would discover you. And then they would put you before the executioner. If, by chance, you ever see my father on such an occasion, spit in his face for me. And then smile brightly before he has you executed.
Everything of Shaevalis is gone behind me. I have no need of it, unless I should decide to assume my rightful place among my kind. And should that day come, I will likely lead them to glorious doom and destruction, so much do I hate all that they are. They are why I sought out true power. They are the reason I was brought to the Brotherhood. They are the reason I am not what I once was. They are the reason I never speak of that life. Never ask of it again.
Early Childhood
Born to the Grand General and shogunate ruler of the Shaevalians, Shemus Bloodfyre, Sith proved to be the cause of his own mother's death. The woman, Mareeta, wife of the Grand General and daughter of important nobility, died during labor. Throughout his childhood, Sith would often be reminded of the cost he had been to his father, a fact that was used to provoke the boy to seek to repay the man by giving him the best son that could be offered.
While other children of noble families could live lives of leisure and tranquility, and even of opulence, the only offspring of Shemus Bloodfyre was anything but a trophy child and spoiled heir. Sith was often left in the charge of a caretaker, Menh the Master -- one of the Soreihan, a cult of mystics and Force-users among the Shaevalians. Menh was a notable warrior and mystic among his kind, and was requested personally by the Grand General to oversee the care and initial tutelage of his young son. Menh was not unkind to the boy, but had been requested because he was skilled as a warrior, intelligent as a mentor, and perceptive as a seer. Shemus desired his son to be the best his kind had to offer, and Menh was perhaps one of the few who could see that it would be so.
Even while but a few years old, Sith's tutelage and training would begin before dawn had ever touched the skies of Shaevalis Prime. Early exercise and mental training precipitated every morning's chores, even though the Bloodfyre family had many servants and other staff to see to the functions of their estate. The stable hands were generally given one day off a week while the boy completed their tasks, much as the gardeners, cleaning staff and others were, as well. The boy knew each region of the estate intuitively, knew how to administrate every affair, and how to manage the upkeep of the entirety of his family's holdings before puberty had set in. Sith's afternoons were filled with reading, writing, mathematics, sciences, and all manners of study pertaining to higher thought. These were eventually joined by refined physical activities as well, as befitted such an aristocratic Shaevalian male. Swordplay, archery, and manual combat were all pushed upon him as much as he would tolerate, and then beyond to stretch his limits, until he was a true student of many fighting arts.
While Menh was exacting, the Soreihan Master became something more akin to a father figure to Sith than Shemus ever would be. The Grand General kept apprised of his son's education and training, and would infrequently gift the boy with various weapons and other trinkets to reward him for his dedication, but interaction between father and son was very limited; Shemus simply could not forgive his young son for the death of his beloved Mareeta, and Sith was always keenly aware of the fact. And so the boy turned his attention and affections towards his overseer and tutor, and worked exceptionally hard to attain the favor of Menh the Master, a feat that Sith never attained. While Menh was often proud of the boy's accomplishments, the Soreihan had no connection, no attachment to the lad, and as such, could never truly offer the favor and affection that Sith desired. It never stopped the boy from seeking after it, however.
It is worth noting that Sith began to exhibit traits that, among the Shaevalians, were specific to the Soreihan. Menh noticed what would, among Jedi or Sith, be called Force-sensitivity, and began to train the boy in the rudimentary use of such powers. Sith underwent trials of the Soreihan that were kept secret from the boy's father and all outsiders. One such trial, undertaken when the boy was near six years old, involved being exiled into a deep, lightless pit for several weeks. At the end of the period, testing the boy's ability to sustain himself through his powers alone, Menh entered the pit with a simple torch. The child that had been sent in was now a brooding beast, one that cried out at the very presence of even a ray of firelight. Sith grasped out with the unseen hands of power and doused the flame in Menh's hand, removing the very torch itself from existence with a touch of inner godliness. The change in the boy had begun.
Teen Years
As Sith grew in years, his powers rumbled beneath the surface like some sort of cosmic quake waiting to rock the heavens and the earth in turn. By the boy's twelfth birthday, the Soreihan were prepared to initiate him fully into the order and hone the raw talent he possessed; an unexpected arrival on the same day cut those plans short.
Shemus Bloodfyre arrived with an armed escort of nearly 100 men, all of his personal guard. The Grand General had decided it was finally time for his son to return to the life that he had been exiled from, and time for the Bloodfyre heir to prepare to inherit all that was expected of him. Sith resisted, but the will of his father was too great, and Menh was, above all else, a servant of Shaevalis. He had no choice but to accept Shemus' wishes, and return Sith to his rightful place.
For weeks, the boy plotted to kill the Grand General after returning to the Bloodfyre's estate. For unknown reasons, Menh showed himself in the Bloodfyre household before Sith could enact such plans. Perhaps the Master had sensed his student's torment, or perhaps Shemus himself had decided to try and bridge the gap between himself and his son. Whatever the case, Menh was now a member of the Bloodfyre household as Sith's guardian, but also as Shemus' contact to his son.
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By the young Bloodfyre's thirteenth birthday, father and son had at least a civil relationship with each other, still mostly through Menh's work. It was enough to provide Shemus with a route to open up Sith's mind to new prospects. Near the galactic standard age of eighteen years, Sith was just reaching puberty by Shaevalian reckoning. The boy's time with Menh the Master was drawing to a close at the order of Shemus Bloodfyre, who now saw that he might have a more suitable son if Sith were to attend a military academy and prepare to serve within the Shaevalian forces, a place that would truly honor and bring recognition to the Grand General himself, of course.
Due to his father's connections, Sith was granted entrance into the Tohran Military Academy, one of the finest training institutions the armies of Shaevalis had to offer. At the Academy, the other students initially despised the young Bloodfyre, who seemed disinterested in the entire affair, where other boys would have to work incredibly hard to attain such an admission. Sith and the others often engaged in contests and disputes to challenge Bloodfyre's place within the academy, and sought on many occasions to create incidents in which Sith would have been expelled from the academy.
As it grew increasingly clearer that Sith was now being targeted due to his father, his initial reaction was to buy into the idea of gaining revenge on his father through being expelled. However, as time passed, Sith began to see his father less as an enemy, and turned those attentions to the other students of the academy. It would be his ultimate pride and reward to see graduation with top honors despite all efforts from his peers. The fighting between Sith and the other students halted after such an epiphany, even though the other students still attempted to goad him into any kind of altercation worthy of expulsion. With passing time, however, some of the students began to admire the tenacity and drive that Bloodfyre possessed, and eventually, Sith won over some of his peers as truest of allies and friends.
Eventually, Sith became one of the more respected and social members of the academy, and indeed graduated with top honors in his class of graduates. He was commissioned upon graduation, and served in a number of positions that culminated in a very distinguished, but short-lived career as the Commander of the Shaevani Battalion, a portion of the Shaevalian military that his father had commanded himself at one point many years before. During his final battle with the Battalion, Sith's left arm was hacked off, and the man was nearly killed except for an outburst of rage that called upon the true Force, the Dark Side to be exact, which obliterated his foes and even some of his own. Sith was removed from active duty immediately following the closure of the battle, under the pretense of allowing his wounds to heal, but Menh had sensed something in the boy, and had warned the elder Bloodfyre about it, as well.
Following a surgery which replaced Sith's lost arm with a cybernetic one, the young man left the home of his father and the world of his people. The reasons for the departure were never known outside of the Bloodfyre home, if even Shemus knew the reason. Menh left the Grand General's home and returned to the Soreihan with the disappearance of the boy he had trained, and Shemus himself reacted to the situation as though his son had died of his battle wounds. The name of Sith Bloodfyre was not spoken on the world of Shaevalis Prime again.
The Man
- "There are two mistakes one can make along the road to truth...not going all the way, and not starting."
- ―Buddha (563 - 483 BC)
Within the realms of Eos, I found tutelage and experience. Kumba, the last of the Dark Prophets of the bygone age, was Headmaster. Kumba had been of Tarentum, though I was not aware of this initially. Perhaps it was merely a connection of the Force. With my initial training in the Brotherhood commencing, I was forced to make a choice, to find a place I would call home. That choice was defined by the Order I chose to reside within, the Krath. With such a choice, I found Tarentum awaiting, and House Gladius became my abode.
It was short work to move through the ranks for me. I quickly became a Protector at the direction of my Quaestor, Kodiak Tonaloc. The rewards for my efforts? I was able to join with the others, and help to form the newly-dubbed Mystics of the Black Arts, a phyle of Krath dedicated to power and knowledge. Ciara Tearnan, Aari Nikus, Jaya Cypher, Kryndath Del'Chanar, Kidouses, Deathlord, Sith Bloodfyre and Telona Murrage. For a time, those names existed in infamy. Our stories defined Gladius, in some respect. Others came and went, names that will always be remembered, if only by me. Tom Gilbert, Kartena, Knight Camile, Jade Avius, Obscurus, my first apprentice. The Wizards and those who sought to rival the Mystics. Hades, my first Aedile. Corde Aghasett. Cirith Rogenshar, the pretender.
Time seemed to pass quickly for me in those days. The Mystics were a dominant force within the Clan. Ciara, our group-named Queen, had been pulled from above, leaving behind the position of Tetrarch, and assuming the place of Aedile to Kartena. After a time, Ciara left to be the Proconsul of Tarentum. Aari eventually took the reigns of Gladius. I was elevated to the status of Dark Jedi Knight upon taking the position as her Aedile. Within short weeks, I had basically assumed her role, and was elevated to the position of Quaestor, and raised up to the status of Krath Priest.
Yes, the time flows within this recollection. I assure you, it seemed to flow just as quickly as I lived through it. Time seemed to swirl around me, and did not stop for some time. Ciara became Consul. I, as Quaestor of Gladius; Ziguarath, as Quaestor of Cestus; and Wil Striker, as Quaestor of Tridens; we three seemed to have a stand-off with Ciara and Proton, our glorious Clan Summit. Ciara blamed me, as betrayer, since she and I had been such close allies. The result of the tension between us was that I left Tarentum for a time to wander, and the Clan continued on. Whatever became of Wil Striker, I know not. Some call him a coward. Others call him a fool. I simply call him a memory.
My friendship with Ziguarath would last for a time, but it would change form many times, before it simply became a memory as well. My only friend that remains from the past truly is Kidouses. Hades has returned to us in Tarentum, but the bond between he and I was one of allies. Truly, Kidouses was the last of those I held closest left from that age. And even he is mostly departed.
The Dark Brotherhood
Sith Bloodfyre first came to the attention of the Brotherhood several years ago, around 14 or 15 ABY. Though he appeared to be somewhat young, Bloodfyre's cold intellect suggested that he had lived years beyond what his physical appearance suggested. The Shaevalian quickly made his way through the initial training of the Shadow Academy under Headmaster Kumba, the last of the Dark Prophets of Old. After beginning his training at the Shadow Academy, Sith joined House Gladius of Clan Tarentum, and was numbered among the Krath Order. After short months of additional training both back at the Shadow Academy and within Gladius itself, Sith joined with several others of Gladius in forming the once-infamous Phyle, the Mystics of the Black Arts.
In those days, the Phyle was feared and respected among the Krath Order. First among the Phyle were Ciara Tearnan, the Phyle-dubbed "Queen of the Mystics"; Aari Nikus; Jaya Cypher; Kryndath Del'Chanar; Kidouses; Deathlord; Sith Bloodfyre, himself; and finally, Telona Murrage. The reputation following the Mystics was one of insanity, a reputation that spread both within Tarentum at first, and eventually throughout the rest of the Brotherhood. The Mystics were not inane and juvenile, but instead, were thought to be profoundly and incurably mad, that brought with it a misunderstood and dreaded darkness. Despite such madness, however, the Phyle was known to be insightful in regards to the Force, and a powerful detachment bearing some of the Order's finest.
Advancement within the Krath Order and Tarentum itself came fast for Sith; in relatively little time, he was proceeded through the Journeyman ranks to be elevated to the standing of Dark Jedi Knight, and Aedile of Gladius under Aari Nikus, and then shortly after to the rank of Krath Priest and Quaestor of Gladius upon Aari's departure. Sith made a name for himself as a dedicated leader, and as one of the respected members of the Krath. During one particular conflict involving the Krath, Sith proved himself to the Krath High Priestess at the time, and he was elevated to the rank of Archpriest. For more than a year, Sith Bloodfyre led House Gladius, and the House helped to maintain the reputation of Tarentum that it had enjoyed throughout the ages.
At the time, Tarentum was led by Ciara Tearnan, an ally of Bloodfyre's from the Mystics, and a respected veteran of Clan Tarentum. With her Proconsul, Proton, the Clan continued to do well for itself. During this time, the Quaestors of the three Houses of Tarentum -- Ziguarath of Cestus, Sith Bloodfyre of Gladius, and Wil Striker of Tridens -- began to form a bond of loyalty among themselves and their respective Houses. The three worked well together, but rumors were bound to circulate that the three were the true rulers of Tarentum, and that the Clan Summit was effectively nothing more than a figurehead Summit. As had happened within Tarentum several times during its history, rumors and hearsay caused strife, and eventually led to a conflict between the Consul, Ciara Tearnan, and the Quaestors, particularly between Ciara and Bloodfyre, who were rumored to have been more than simply allies for a time. Eventually, the conflict came to a climax that ended with Sith Bloodfyre leaving the Clan to wander in solitude away from Yridia.
Time passed. Following the rift between Ciara and Sith (though not truly linked), a rift formed and became violent revolution between the leadership of the Brotherhood, and the leadership of their Imperial allies. Firefox, Grand Master of the Brotherhood, declared a separation between the Brotherhood and the Imperials, and all loyal to the Brotherhood itself left Imperial space. Some of the Dark Jedi remained behind, claiming loyalty to the Empire, and not to the Dark Side of the Force. Just prior to the Split from the Imperials, Sith began to get in contact with some of his allies from Tarentum. Bloodfyre had felt a call from the Force, and knew his friends and allies needed him. As the Brotherhood Split and moved away from Eos, Sith Bloodfyre returned to Tarentum, and soon helped bring home several former sons of Tarentum, as well.
The God
- "Character may almost be called the most effective means of persuasion."
- ―Aristotle (384 - 322 BC)
Perhaps the second stage of my existence within the Brotherhood cane at a time that we refer to as "The Split." The Brotherhood had decided to cut all ties with the Emperor's Hammer, a remnant of the Imperial Fleet, and Tarentum had suffered a rift. Leaders were called by both factions, those who stayed with the Hammer, and those who remained true to the Brotherhood itself. I returned from my wanderings to Tarentum, an ally of the Brotherhood, and a true son of the Clan. We claimed Yridia, the system we had always dominated, and the others found a home in Imperial space.
Ziguarath eventually returned from a period of his own wanderings, and with some of my own encouragement, he was raised to the status of Proconsul to Ciara, and then Consul himself once Ciara had decided to adventure away from Tarentum on her own. Ziguarath, however, was very frequently absent from Yridia. I was tapped to serve as Proconsul. In truth, I was already the head of the Clan, and that fact was quickly recognized. I stood as Consul of Tarentum in an impressive time, in an age when we saw the return of Master Zero and the warlord Maxamillian von Oberst, hound of the Sith King. The trio of Tarentum's ancients, so to speak, was finalized when Master Zero and Oberst were joined by their fellow, Sirrus, the Mad One.
Wars. Rumors of wars. Tarentum nearly ascendant. We had been edged out of victory in the conflict of Firefox by our long-time rival sibling, Taldryan. I became Sith High Warrior. I fell into madness. I rose to glory, and I fell. I became so much more than I had been, and found myself in a pit of true chaos. The line of Sith High Warriors lay broken, in pieces, after my fall. The Order Leaders wiped away, at the behest of Grand Master Cotelin. A curious move to some. A smart move in the annals of time. Foresight is often gifted to those on high. We may not always understand, or agree, but it is often rewarded by growth.
Tarentum had lived through a so-called "Golden Age" during my leadership as Consul, it was said. Some still would say. I tried my hand at it a second time in later years after my fall from grace. There would be no repeat of such a golden era.
Ascending The Ranks
Just after the Split, Sith initially returned to lead Gladius, serving again under his friend and Consul, Ciara Tearnan. Ciara had grown weary of the conflicts, and felt the Dark Side had other pursuits for her. Ciara stepped down as Consul and named Ziguarath, former Quaestor of Cestus, as her successor. Sith was honored to serve as Quaestor of his old House, but was soon tapped to be the Proconsul of Tarentum, serving as second-in-command for the often-absent Ziguarath. Though Ziguarath was a willing leader, forces transpired to end his reign; Ziguarath was called away into the Unknown Regions, a journey from which he would not return as the same man he once had been.
Sith Bloodfyre became Consul of Tarentum upon Ziguarath's departure. Though Sith had returned as an Epis among the Krath, it was not long before he was elevated to the status of Pontifex, due to clear and concise leadership, as well as through dedicated vision that enhanced Tarentum as a whole. Some refer to the first term of Sith Bloodfyre as Consul to be one of the "golden ages" of Tarentum. It was during this time that Tarentum's dominance re-emerged, and much of the new became rejoined with the old. Sith helped to bring about the return of figures such as Maxamillian von Oberst and Sirrus, as well as the revered Master Zero to the Clan.
Sith remained among the Krath for a small time, but soon joined his banner with that of the Obelisk, feeling the call of the warrior Order at a time when it was led by the infamous Khobai Wrathraven. While the Shaevalian had felt drawn away from the Krath for some time, his stay among the so-called "Blue Order" of the Brotherhood was short-lived. Eventually, Bloodfyre recognized that his true calling lay among the heirs to the ancient Sith, and the man claimed position as a Warlord among the Order and continued to direct Tarentum towards its full potential.
War eventually came upon the entire Brotherhood. During this War, a "Consciousness" began to infect the Brotherhood on every level with the absence of Grand Master Firefox; even the Deputy Grand Master, Jac Cotelin, was tainted. During this period, Bloodfyre served as Jac's Praetor, and it was in the midst of this troubled situation that Tarentum gained the status and position of Guardians of the Shroud of Antei. Jac called upon Bloodfyre and Tarentum's forces to seal off the Shroud, and Antei itself from the rest of the Brotherhood. The conflict continued to rise, and eventually, even Tarentum's forces could not keep the rest of the Clans away from Antei. The War came to a climax on Antei's surface, but was eventually resolved by the return of Firefox to his throne and the defeat of the Consciousness, which was actually a collection of beings including the ancient Sith Lord Okemi.
At the conclusion of the War, Taldryan was named the supreme victors and greatest warriors of the Brotherhood, but had only managed to edge out Tarentum of this victory by the narrowest of margins. No one could doubt the prowess of Tarentum, and the position of Guardians of the Shroud was given fully to the Clan of Life and Death in honor of their actions and strength. Bloodfyre and his leadership were hailed throughout Tarentum, but the Dark Council had taken notice of the Shaevalian, as well. Though Jac's actions were not entirely his own, Lord Cotelin had been impressed by the obedience of his Praetor, and the determination of the man to defend both Lord Cotelin and the throne world of Antei with all his power, and the entirety of Tarentum's resources.
The Dark Council
With the end of the War against the so-called "Consciousness," the Dark Council called upon Tarentum to fill a vacancy; the Sith High Warrior, Xanos Sadow, had resigned his post. Sith Bloodfyre was called to lead the Order. During the final days of the War against the Consciousness, Sith had been raised to the level of Elder, attaining status as an Adept of the Sith; shortly after his elevation to Sith High Warrior, Bloodfyre became a Master within the Order, and began to delve into the tomes and holocrons, and all the stored knowledge of the ancient Sith. It seemed that a time of rebirth was slowly coming about.
Serving among the other Order Leaders--first Shaithis as Obelisk High Commander, followed by Korras from Tarentum; as well as Telona Murrage of Tarentum, who had succeeded Alanna--Sith managed to help evolve the practices of the Brotherhood and the Clans to a noteworthy degree. Jac Cotelin succeeded Firefox as reigning Grand Master, and while Sith had continued to serve as Cotelin's Praetor for a time after being positioned as High Warrior, eventually Bloodfyre and Lord Cotelin recognized a need to retire the Shaevalian from assisting the Grand Master on the same basis. Bloodfyre turned exclusively towards his duties among the Sith.
The Sith Order changed and evolved under the leadership and attention of Sith Bloodfyre, but as always happens, time changed both circumstances and people. For more than a year, Bloodfyre reigned as Sith High Warrior, but chose to resign and return to Tarentum. Bloodfyre's departure from the Dark Council preceded the choice of the Grand Master Cotelin to dissolve the Order Leaders of the Brotherhood. In recognition for his excellent service as Sith High Warrior, Bloodfyre was honored with the Silver Sash; few wear the Sash in these modern days, and it is a great honor to bear.
Information circulated outward from the Dark Council to specific circles that Bloodfyre's departure from the Council was precipitated by a fracture in his relations with the Grand Master. While Sith had previously ingrained himself with Lord Cotelin on numerous occasions, the masters of the Dark Side often come into aggressions toward each other. The exact nature of the dissipated relationship between Sith and Jac has never been revealed, but there remains a certain tenseness that is palpable to all whenever the two are within earshot of each other.
The Madness Returns
Tarentum had aligned itself with a mysterious sect of beings rarely spoken of outside of the Clan. However, some information did escape Tarentum that a race of so-called "Keepers" were now in alliance with the lords of Yridia, and that the dark necromantic arts that began to spread throughout the Clan were a boon in recognition of the alliance. Sith's return to Tarentum found him among the sons and daughters of Tridens this time, instead of his previous home of Gladius. Sith was tapped for leadership in the House that guarded the Castle of the great Clan, first as Aedile to JKast and then as succeeding Quaestor. Sith chose the veteran Doni Tzu as Aedile, and the two sought to usher in a new age for Tridens, and for the Clan as a whole. In serving Tridens, it became obvious that Bloodfyre would always be linked to leadership within the Clan.
War came again to the Brotherhood, and this time the Brotherhood would be fractured into opposing factions due to the appearance of two Jac Cotelins. It seemed as though the Grand Master had been cloned for unknown purposes, but at the root of the conflict lay the Lord Hegemon, Kaiann. Tarentum initially refused to take sides in the conflict, seeing it as a dispute among the Dark Council for its own life and leadership, but as with almost every conflict of the Dark Council, the Clans were swept up into the chaos. The two Jacs fought for control of the Brotherhood, with a portion of the Council and Clans following each supposed Grand Master. The end of the War is shrouded in mystery; neither of the Jacs was ever verified to be the real or the clone Grand Master, but after a fight between the two, one Jac emerged, and the Council and most of the Clans were willing to see this figure as the "true" Jac Cotelin. The conflict had ended.
Rumors of treachery ensued as the respected Warlord Welshman Corsair, the reigning Consul of the Clan, retired from the position and bestowed the position upon Sith Bloodfyre, rather than his Proconsul Telona Murrage, as was generally custom in the Clan. Telona did not serve Bloodfyre as aide long, and retired from leadership. Sith chose the infamous and aggressive Maxamillian von Oberst as his Proconsul, when others thought Sith might return his former Proconsul, Rekio Corsair, to the station.
The duo of Bloodfyre and Oberst became rather notorious among the other Clans and the Dark Council as a whole. Initially, it was thought that the presence of Sith Bloodfyre as Consul would reaffirm the relations between Tarentum and the Dark Council, as had happened during Bloodfyre's previous term. There was a short quiet that was brought in, but hopes for a continued peace between Tarentum and the Council could not last. It was suggested that the fallen Sith High Warrior may have been touched by a bit of the madness that had infected the Brotherhood, and was not entirely healed of the Consciousness. Others suggested that the fire of the Dark Side was destroying the Shaevalian from within, and that the man was likely to eradicate all of Tarentum with him if given the opportunity. Within the Clan, however, the Tarenti believed in the powers and leadership of the Shaevalian, and expected a return to the "golden age" of his previous term as Consul.
The Fallen
- "All speech is vain and empty unless it be accompanied by action."
- ―Demosthenes (384 - 322 BC)
Tarentum was doomed for a time. During this stretch of existence, I was tormented by demons of my own. I attempted to return to power, to reclaim lost glory, and I fell further into despair and oblivion. It is within this period of my darkness, perhaps, that the darkness of the Keepers was allowed to grow strong. Masters Shade and Tel'Ratha, those who had been brought forth to bring us into greater darkness, worked plots of their own. Tarentum became their servants. I continued to rely on the Keepers for their knowledge and power. They demanded our pain as entertainment. Our demonic gods were given it, and never once did we recognize it.
Many allies I had once claimed were no more. I had ostracized myself from many, except for the truest of Tarentum. This is why my allegiance has never shifted from the Clan. This is why I will never be anything but Tarenti, and Tarentae. The Clan is my home, my only home. The truest family I could ever possess. And we are all evil, glorious bastards.
During this time, my own personal quests for power and knowledge strained me. To be pulled in as many directions as I was could never be sustained. And yet, I was so caught up in my own legend that I truly believed myself capable of all deeds, and infinite glory. Capable I may be, powerful perhaps I am, but godly I know I am not. Yet or ever, only time will tell, but godly I am not.
And though I could fall no further, I seemed all too willing to wallow in my own depths of mediocrity and helplessness. I blamed others for my failures. In truth, I simply did not wish to rise up. I did not wish to ascend. I did not wish to be glorified. I think I simply wished to be angry. The Dark Side wished me to be impotent. And though I had learned such a lesson many times, I realized here that if I was not always the master of the Force, the lord of the Dark Side, and the will behind the abilities of the Sith, I would always be the pawn.
I am the lord. I am the master. I am the potent will that devours worlds. I am now, and shall always be Sith Bloodfyre, Master of the Sith Order.
The Dark Times
As Tarentum and the Brotherhood as a whole entered and then ended the period referred to as "Second Darkness," a conflict of training and testing for the Clans and the Brotherhood, Antei found itself under assault by the relentless Yuuzhan Vong. At the end of the "Second Darkness," as the ceremony of celebration to honor the victors commenced, the Brotherhood fleets came under attack from the Vong without warning. The initial attack came suddenly, and many Brotherhood ships fell victim to the alien intruders. It seemed that only Tarentum was able to defend itself adequately, as none of the Clan's ships took any serious damage.
The assault from the Vong lasted a mere six days, but in that short week, many of the Brotherhood fell wounded, or were slain. The Vong pursued the Brotherhood ships from outside of the Shroud back to Antei itself, where the final victory of the Vong seemed assured. The complete victory of the Vong was narrowly averted by the sacrifice of Grand Master Sarin's own flagship, the Autarch, though Sarin himself was not onboard the vessel at the time of its destruction. The Brotherhood forces fled, and because of the heavy losses the Vong suffered in the sacrifice of the Autarch, the alien intruders let the Brotherhood forces flee. Antei was now under control of the Yuuzhan Vong, and the Brotherhood was now an order without a home; the Dark Council now a leadership in exile.
Tarentum returned home to Yridia, but her Consul was soon called away to meet in private with the wandering Dark Council. Each of the Clans' Consuls met with the entirety of the Council, and was informed of a new fleet of Brotherhood ships, and a new directive from Grand Master Sarin to ensure the survival of the Brotherhood: go underground. Each Clan was directed to move itself out of the public eye, and to seek deeper into themselves to discover new strength and power that would ensure the survival of the Brotherhood. After the days-long meeting with the Council, each Consul left with a new fleet of ships in tow, new additions to their forces to bolster the fists of the Clans.
Bloodfyre returned to Yridia with the Clan's new fleet, leading the procession onboard the Clan's Imperial-class Star Destroyer, which would soon be named in honor of House Tarentum's Founder and first Quaestor, Magnus Kaerner. The first action that the Magnus Kaerner would see was a rescue operation over the moon Koros, that ended up being the final battleground and resting place of the Tarentum's long-time flagship, the Victory-class Star Destroyer Corsair. With the destruction of the Cestus Complex, and the eradication of most of the Cestus undead, the third House of Tarentum was reborn under the direction of the Shaevalian Consul.
The praised times of the first reign of the former High Warrior would not return, however, and hostilities between Bloodfyre and the Council, primarily between the Shaevalian and the Grand Master, came to a climax. Sith had come to despise the entirety of the Council because of its devoted allegiance to Jac Cotelin, an allegiance that had once been strongest in the Shaevalian himself. Even though Sarin now reigned as Grand Master, Bloodfyre felt as though Lord Cotelin was secretly manipulating circumstances, and acting against the Shaevalian due to the heightened tension between the two. Sith cursed the Grand Master and his subordinates, and resigned his position as Consul of Tarentum once more. In his stead, Anshar Kahn, who had been serving as the Headmaster of the Shadow Academy, answered the call of the Grand Master to try and restore the power and stability of the Clan in Yridia.
Tensions continued within the Clan for a short time, however, as Anshar had to fight with the personality of Oberst, whom Anshar had chosen to continue to serve as Proconsul to assist with restoring stability in Yridia. The two would work out their own differences, though, and the storm that had erupted with Bloodfyre was soon settled, and Tarentum looked to rebuild. In the shadows, however, Tarentum could not understand the enemy that lay beneath the waves, an enemy that the Clan had welcomed in as friends and allies.
Rebirth Among The Tarenti
While Anshar and Oberst settled into an alliance and worked to restore Tarentum's stability once more, Sith Bloodfyre began to recede away from the daily activities of the Clan and its Houses. Sith numbered himself among those who had reformed the lost House of Cestus, and secluded himself on Koros. Though Bloodfyre was generally willing to interact with those of his House, the days when the Shaevalian was a regular visitor to all Houses and functions of Tarentum seemed long since past.
As Cestus rebuilt, however, the Clan found a not-entirely-unfamiliar ghost out of Oberst's past to keep it occupied. The ghost appeared as the Renegade, a ship that had once been utilized by the Infiltrator Wing, a portion of the former Emperor's Hammer that Maxamillian von Oberst had once served as both IWXO and IWCOM, the top two positions of the Wing. The incident has not been spoken of outside of Tarentum, though the presence of the Renegade was reported by several passersby to the Yridia system. For quite some time, the old ship was noted among the fleet of Tarentum, but its disappearance recently has been noted. Tarentum has not divulged anything regarding the ship's appearance or subsequent disappearance at all. Whether or not the Shaevalian may have been involved with the events surrounding the Renegade is up for debate.
As Tarentum moved on, Sith turned farther into his own pursuits and his own darkness. Though the final rebirth of the Shaevalian was still some distance off, it became readily apparent that the Dark Side was either testing the Sith Master, or attempting to undo him. And while there is certainly power within the Dark Side, Sith had always stated that he was the master, and not the pawn; that it was Bloodfyre himself who commanded, and the Dark Side of the Force that served his will. Sith sank deeper into himself, and into his own pursuits as he sought to negate the effects of the Dark Side asserting itself, and return the power of his own will to ascension.
As Tarentum continued to come out of its shell during the reign of Anshar, followed by that of Oberst, the Clan evolved. Cestus, Gladius and Tridens were swept away in change, and replaced by new Houses that honored first the founder of the House that became Tarentum, Magnus Kaerner, and one of the greats of the first days, Erich von Reinthaler. The rebirth of the Houses brought with them added productivity to the members in general, and an optimism that had been sorely needed in the Clan. The reign of Oberst was considered to be successful and stable, which evolved into the reign of the hound's Proconsul, Ronovi Tavisaen.
The Sinner
- "I shall seize Fate by the throat; it shall certainly not bend and crush me completely."
- ―Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 - 1827 AD)
There are times when power and ascension unite, and the glorious ones step forward into prominence. Unfortunately, these times do not always come when we wish it. I sought prominence among the Brotherhood again, this time as the Combat Master for the Center. I, who have long-studied power and ascension in all forms. I believed I would show the Brotherhood a new and glorious reawakening to the fighting arts. I was wrong. I served only a few short months under the guidance and direction of my ally and lord, the Grand Master Sarin.
Sarin is not the Sith King. He does not have my first allegiance. And yet, Sarin is like Jac, the Grand Master before him. Sarin is my friend, my ally, my lord. There is no enmity between us and yet, he knows his ascension over me. He shows me just how far he has moved beyond me. And yet, still he beckons to me, and shows me that I might continue to rise above the rest, if I simply look for the proper ways to do it. It is rather strange, but it is what I have desired of the Brotherhood for many years. Unification, ascension for the whole, and order among the chaotic masses of the galaxy. Is there a place for me among the Lords of the Sith of both past and future?
Only time will tell.
And now, while Tarentum awaits the future, it rebuilds. It becomes a place of power and dominance once more. We still have much left to attain, but we have the hound, the warlord, the general, Maxamillian von Oberst with his intellect and strength. Tavisaen has stepped up to lead our great House, fallen from Clanhood, and works to restore that honor as her obsession. My truest friends stand all around me. Saitou, the squirrel of death. The philosopher warlord, Doni Tzu. My enigmatic friend, the original Grand One, Kane Vader. Rekio and Welshman still remain with us, though we have not seen or heard from Spears in many years. Friends come and gone.
New warriors, faithful sons and daughters of Tarentum replace those who are lost, or those who have moved on. The river moves swiftly. Time moves on. Life and death swirl together in a pool of madness that will never let us go. Sins have risen from the dust, and claimed the potential of many, provoking them deeper into the darkness. Pushing them further into the currents of power.
And still I seek to step out of the river, and aim to master its secrets.
Futile?
Never. Just tedious. Time consuming. And very, very much worth it.
The Old Rites Reborn
Sith was tapped for a short time to serve as the Combat Master of the Antei Combat Center. The rebirth of the Shaevalian was not entirely finished, however, and it was decided by Grand Master Sarin that Bloodfyre had not been the appropriate choice at the time. Bloodfyre acknowledged the decision and resigned according to the will of his friend and lord. Sith returned to Tarentum.
As the evolution of the Clan continued, the Brotherhood began to devolve. Everything was changing, and moving towards the old. Numbers among those who followed the Dark Side dwindled due to attrition in war, and the inability of recent initiates to properly control the Force. Not long after Sarin gave up the Iron Throne in favor of Muz Ashen, the new Grand Master decreed that all the Houses that had once Clanned would become Houses once again. Clan Tarentum became House Tarentum anew, as did every other facet of the Brotherhood. Some saw it as a defeat and an insult to the honor and pride of every Clan-become-House; Sith Bloodfyre did not.
The Shaevalian moved to take advantage of the closeness and unity that Muz sought to reinforce in striking down the grandeur of the Clans that had been heaped upon the masses. With the knowledge of the ancient Sith that had been hoarded by the fallen Sith High Warrior in the days before the Order Leaders were done away with, Sith began to research the so-called "Rite of Sin." After months of preparation, and calls placed throughout the Force, a new sect was gathered of the worthy and elite, and the ritual was enacted.
In Tarentum itself, very little was known about those who were called "Sinners." Outside of the House, next-to-nothing was known about what was called the "Cult of Bloodfyre." The Shaevalian himself was often referred to as the "First Sinner," but there is little evidence to suggest that this title is an official one, or used inside of Tarentum or the cult itself. Whether intended as some permanent circle or not, the Rite apparently failed, and the circle was broken. The Sith Master fled Yridia, perhaps, or simply disappeared into the depths of the Asylum; no one is entirely certain. The currents of the Brotherhood moved along, and swept history away with it. Bloodfyre would not return until the situation had changed, and drastically so.
On Death's Door
By time the Shaevalian either felt the call, or someone sought to draw him back to the here and now in the Brotherhood, the Jedi had made appearances. There was a person known as Omancor Crask or Darth Carnus on Antei, and then a new iteration of Jedi upon a world that was to be known as New Tython. The Brotherhood seemed to ride the tides of these storms well, but Tarentum continued to suffer. Though there were faithful to the banner of Tarentum as always, they seemed to be fewer in number. As Tarentum itself seemed to wane, so too did the days of Muz Ashen's reign on the Iron Throne draw to a close. Ascending the Iron Throne was a Sith Lord hailed as Darth Pravus, who was said to be the murderer of the former Grand Master Sarin.
Pravus made the curious move to raise all the Independent Houses to Clan status once more, though a few had previously attained that status under different means. At the end of this change in House to Clans, Tarentum itself was changed: Scion Altera and Hades were removed as Summit, replaced by a former Tarenti, Raiju Kang, and Korras Tarentae, who was now being hailed as Darth Aeternus and was possessed of a noticeable darkness and ferocity that the former Obelisk High Commander and former Master-at-Arms had never before exhibited. As the change in leadership occurred, a renewed vigor came among much of Tarentum, including a return of Bloodfyre. The Sith Master emerged from the bowels of the Asylum that had been his home among the Mystics a darker individual, though he stepped forth as committed to the Clan as ever before.