Sith Bloodfyre

"Death is nothing to us, since when we are, death has not come; and when death has come, we are not."

―Epicurus (341 BC - 270 BC)

"Think not disdainfully of death, but look on it with favor; for even death is one of the things that Nature wills."

―Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (121 AD - 180 AD)

Sith Bloodfyre-Tarentae is a figure of both great reputation in some circles of the Brotherhood, and of great infamy in others. Though he is both respected and reviled for his past actions and positions held, Sith has been a person of great weight and importance throughout his time in the Brotherhood. Sith has served as the Aedile and Quaestor of both House Gladius and House Tridens within Clan Tarentum, as well as Proconsul and then Consul (twice) of the ancient Clan. The Sith Master has also served as the Left Hand of Justice, Praetor to the Deputy Grand Master, and then Praetor to the Grand Master. He has been a member of the Grand Master's Royal Guard, as well as a Trainer in the Antei Combat Center. He also has the distinction of having been the last in the long line serving as Sith High Warrior of the Brotherhood. Though opinions on this dark figure may vary from person to person, nearly everyone in the Brotherhood has something to say about this man.

I've had some time to add to this, but it's not complete. So for now, this is all you get, suckers. :P

Character History

Sith Bloodfyre is an enigmatic figure, in some respects. Outside of Tarentum, very few know much (if anything) about the Sith Master. He has spoken little of his life before appearing within the Brotherhood, but some things are known.

Sith Bloodfyre is a Shaevalian. Little is known about the Shaevalians as a race, but Sith has verified that they are a very proud, war-like race. Sith has hinted to an extended lifespan among his race, though it is unknown exactly how long a lifespan Shaevalians are afforded. Sith has little-to-no contact with his people these days, though the reasons for this have never been mentioned by the Sith Master.

The Brotherhood

Sith Bloodfyre first came to the attention of the Brotherhood several years ago. 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 completing the intial phases of Shadow Academy training, Sith joined House Gladius of Clan Tarentum, and was numbered among the Krath Order. After several months of additional training within both the Shadow Academy and 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.

Advancement within the Krath Order and Tarentum itself came fast for Sith; in relatively no time, he was 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. In relatively short time, 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.

A Golden Age of Tarentum

Time passed. For a time, Sith stepped aside from the duties of Gladius. When the split from the Imperial Remnant transpired, Sith returned to assist Tarentum in weathering the conflict. For a time, Sith returned to lead Gladius, but was soon tapped as the Proconsul of Tarentum itself, serving under Consul Ziguarath. Though Ziguarath was a willing leader, forces transpired to end his reign; Sith Bloodfyre became Consul of Tarentum. 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 the revered Master (DB)Zero to the Clan. War eventually came upon the Brotherhood, and Tarentum was narrowly edged out of a victory by Taldryan by a mere 600 points; no one could deny the abilities of Tarentum and her Consul.

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 Sith Order. During the War against the Consciousness, Sith had been raised to the level of Elder, attaining status as an Adept of the Sith; soon after his elevation to Sith High Warrior, Bloodfyre became a Master within the Order, and began to delve into the ancient tomes and holocrons of the ancient Sith. It seemed that a time of rebirth was slowly coming about. The Sith Order changed and evolved under the leadership and attention of Sith Bloodfyre, but as before, time passed. For more than a year, Bloodfyre reigned as Sith High Warrior, but was called to return to Tarentum when the Grand Master, Jac Cotelin, eradicated 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.

Returning Home

Since returning to Tarentum, Sith has reverted to his old ways and has focused almost exclusively upon the needs of Tarentum. Where before, Sith had been a true brother of Gladius, now, Tridens would call upon the Sith Master for his experience and leadership. Sith became the Aedile of Tridens, serving with Quaestor and Sith Warrior JKast, before succeeding JKast as head of that House some time later. The honored Elder, Doni Tzu, then became Sith's Aedile, and the pair has helped to usher in a new age for Tridens under their leadership.

There is much in store for Tridens within the near future; with the recent end of the so-called "War of the Jacs," Tarentum's respected Warlord, Welshman Corsair Tarentae, has decided to end his reign as Consul. Welshman quickly chose his successor in the person of Sith Bloodfyre-Tarentae. The Clan is in a state of transformation as the Summits of both Houses evolve along with the Clan Summit, and Sith considers it to be a good time to be in Tarentum. As Tarentum adapts to a new Consul, it also prepares to recognize and thank its former Consul, Welshman, though none in the ancient Clan will speak of what Welshman's reward will be.

Physical Appearance

Standing at six feet in height and weighing in at 230 pounds, Sith is not the largest member of Clan Tarentum, but he is certainly one of the more imposing members of the Clan. The Shaevalian has long, flowing black hair and cold, light blue eyes. His skin has a mild tan to it, and it nearly unmarked, with the exception of a great many scars just above is left elbow. The scarring stops just above the elbow, and is a very visible sign of where his arm was hacked off in combat some time ago, and replaced by a cybernetic implant. Both forearms bear banded tattoos, three rings that circle both forearms in one of the older Sith dialects; it is unknown to any but Sith as to what the bands say. Several other tattoos adorn the body of the Sith Master, though only close friends have likely seen him disrobed to the point of viewing them.

Very little of Sith's physical appearance is actually viewed by the general public, however. Sith is almost always fully-clothed in his regular clothes and black robes, the hood pulled up over his head, pulled down low over his eyes. The most that the average person with see of Sith is his nose, mouth, chin and neck, and his hands. His mouth is almost always void of any sign of emotion, except for infrequent grins that have nothing but contempt and disdain for those who view it. His hands are soft and strong, in some ways almost strangely inviting, as if begging to be touched. Sith's body, though not as large as others in Tarentum (such as Oberst), still conveys a feeling of strength.

Where Sith walks, most hear his foot steps; they are most often slow and even, almost like the measured footsteps of a horror movie killer. His presence is always felt before it is seen; those who know him, and are accustomed to his presence will nearly always known when he is approaching, when he is near, and (consequently) when he is not near. Those who can feel his presence often notice it as a warming sensation; perhaps it is their own mind that convinces them that his name has "mystical" properties and effects to it.

Sith's voice is rather cold and unfeeling. He has a strong, audible voice that can be heard for several meters even at a whisper. His voice is mildly deep, but has a sense of strength to it, as well. Though there is rarely emotion in his words, Tarentum's members often find comfort and courage whenever he speaks. When he does speak, he often carries his words as though he sees and understands the future, and disbelieves that failure is an option for the Clan of both Life and Death. The Shaevalian is generally straight forward in his words, and rarely does he wax cryptic or poetic, though it has happened once or twice.

Physical Items of Note

• Eyes: Sith's eyes are extremely light-sensitive; any level of light above "candle light" conditions tend to cause him discomfort, with the level of discomfort increasing with the intensity of the light conditions. Bright, noon-day light can actually cause him extreme pain, to the point of being blinded and overcome by the pain. To this end, Sith almost always wears his hood pulled up and low over his eyes, even at night. Sith has not, and does not reveal this to anyone with the exception of his closest allies. (Read: this is not general knowledge available to the Dark Brotherhood as a whole.) Whether this light sensitivity is caused due to the hue of his eyes, or some other physical attribute or ailment is unknown.
• Cybernetic (left arm) implant: Sith's left arm was hacked off, just above the elbow, at an early age. The specific details of the incident are unknown to any but the Shaevalian. It is known, though, that his arm was replaced by a cybernetic implant, whose covering mimics the appearance of his own flesh. The implant itself does not necessarily bring any great advantages to Sith; though he had the option to have "advanced" additions to his implant, he chose to go with a very basic replacement. The arm does hand a stronger grip than the remaining "real" limb, and is resistant to pain and injury. The implant does have a noticeably mechanical scent, though, to those with developed senses of smell.

Combat

Sith Bloodfyre is a warrior first, and then a sorcerer. In combat situations, he prefers to mount both an offense and defense primarily with high lightsaber, other melee weapons, and then the Force. The Shaevalian does not often speak when involved in combat, preferring to focus on the task at hand. There are times, however, when Sith will raise his voice, whether it be to shout orders or hail the triumphs of his Clanmates, but in general, he is an almost eerily silent opponent. Those who have faced him have remarked that it was somewhat unnerving to fight someone "as quiet as the grave."

Weapons

Sith's weapon of choice is the lightsaber. The exact variant of lightsaber, though, varies with time, as he studies additional lightsaber combat forms, and finds another form more suited to his tastes. At present, the Sith Master tends to utilize either a single-bladed, custom lightsaber, or a custom double-bladed weapon. Sith has a rather large collection of weapons, all combat ready, and may utilize anything from blaster pistols, to force pikes, to barbaric-looking axes and Sith Swords. Sith has also been known to use cryoban grenades, though he has long-since refrained from carrying them on a day-to-day basis.

Lightsaber Combat

As much as Sith prefers to limit his use of the Force, he also prefers to limit his use of an active lightsaber. His lightsaber is most-often dormant, bursting into activity mere moments before an attack or defensive block. While an opponent is within striking distance, Sith will keep his weapon active; but should the distance stretch out, or a lull in combat activity occur, Sith will most often deactivate his weapon, even if maintaining a combat-ready stance and grip.

Sith has studied several lightsaber combat forms, but prefer to utilize the "basic" art of Shii-Cho for its simple strikes which still maintain impressive accuracy and efficiency. Sith is a master of the art of Shii-Cho, and as such, can use it to its greatest results. He has also studied the arts of Soresu and Djem So, and while he has not mastered these two arts to the level of his understanding in Shii-Cho, he has still gained an impressive grip on the defensive techniques offered by both forms. Sith has shown a preference for Djem So over the Soresu form, and tends to be more aggressive in his defensive maneuvers in combat. He has also taken a keen interest to the art of Shien, but has become even more adept with the deadly, and sometimes Force-heavy form of Dun Moch. It may seem somewhat strange, for someone as a "minimalist" in their viewpoint of the Force to utilize and master Dun Moch, but Sith has found its capabilities and devastating techniques too tempting to refuse.

Miscellaneous Combat

Sith has studied the art of Hapan Boxing, as well as various grappling forms, including the Paonga art of the wretched Gungans. Though he prefers to remain on his feet where he can make the greatest use of his lightsaber skill, and even Force powers, he is quite competent should the fight go to the ground. He prefers choke holds in ground situations, generally those that make use of either his own clothing, or the clothing of his opponent. As such, the sleeves on his clothes are reinforced to withstand the strain from being used in choking situations. The edges of his robes have also been reinforced to withstand the strain of chokes and other techniques that would tear most fabrics.

Necromancy

Sith's opinion of the Force in general is that it is a tool, one of many in his repertoire. He does not rely on it exclusively, nor does he rely on it largely. His use of the Force tends to be very sparse; it may be far better to defeat your opponent through his own imagination, wondering what you might assault him with, than showing him what you actually can assault him with. In this way, myth, legend and fear also become part of your arsenal.

As far as Necromantic powers are concerned, Sith follows the same ideal: it is one of many tools available to him, and very few powers that he has access to find regular use. He makes it a practice to perfect the raising of corpses, and prefers to raise undead servants to aid him, whether it be in combat, or other situations where he may need a helping hand (skeletal or otherwise). The Sith Master does have a vast array of dark powers available to him that affect life and death in a variety of ways, but only rumors and speculation exist as to the exact scope of his abilities. In addition to what can be verified (raising corpses), Sith is said to be able to control vast waves of death and destruction; he is said to be able to draw life from vibrant, surrounding areas and transfer it to either himself, his allies, or both; he is said to be able to direct rays of death energies at foes that not only harm them, but begin to unravel their very existence; he is said to be able to stare into the souls of those he meets, and command their eternal essence to die on the spot. It is also rumored that Sith has the ability to shrug off his mortal form and exist as a Force spirit when he chooses, for as long as he chooses.

It is unknown which, if any, of these rumored abilities are actually possessed by the Shaevalian, but some would prefer to believe all of the rumors, and combat him accordingly. Others scoff at his so-called "dark gifts," and see him as nothing more than a man who plays in graveyards and should be fought as a minor irritant.

Sith himself says very little on the subject, and simply smirks at the idea of anyone hailing him as a "minor irritant."

"Let them believe as they wish," he has said, "for their belief in me, or disbelief as it may be, matters not. Life and Death are; and so am I."

DJB Facts

• Sith has led several projects that have altered and benefitted the Brotherhood in many ways. Chief among these projects are:
  • (Brotherhood-wide)
    
    • Sith History
      
    • Clan Powers creation
      
    • Order Schools creation
      
    • Gaming Nights evolution (including Sunday Invitational Tournament)
      
  • (Tarentum-specific)
    
    • Clan Powers (Necromantics)
      
    • The Keepers (history and use within Tarentum)
      
    • Land Grants
      
    • Clan-specific Titles (reborn from past Clan practices)
      

• Sith is the last person to have held the position of Sith High Warrior, since GM Jac Cotelin felt threatened by the awesome powers and sex appeal of the former SHW, and had the position disbanded.
  

• Sith is considered by some to be the "Prince of Darkness" and the "Harbinger of DOOOOOOM!" of the Brotherhood. Before the selection of Xanos Sadow as Deputy Grand Master, some believed Sith to be working towards gaining that Council position, and began gossiping about the "end of the Brotherhood" that would come should he be appointed as DGM. Sith believes Jac Cotelin to have been the original source of these rumors, and has thus labelled Jac as "dumb."

Trivia

• Grand Chamberlain of Clan Tarentum, and member of the Tarentae.

• Sith is currently the first and only person to have served Tarentum as Consul twice.
  

• At one point, certain members of the Brotherhood were "competing" to see who could hold more positions at one time than Sith (who, at that time, held the positions of: Consul of Tarentum, Sith High Warrior, Praetor to the DGM, Left Hand of Justice, Trainer in the ACC and member of the GMRG before resigning from most of them to serve exclusively as Sith High Warrior).
  

• Sith was the last in the line of Sith High Warriors, which began as a position known as the "Sith Advisor."