Joseph Zakhaev

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"Death is a disease. Its like any other. There is a cure, a cure... and I will find it."

―Joseph Skirata

Iosif Grigorevich Markov (Miralukese: Иоcиф Григоревич Марков, Melona 7, 7 ABY), better known by the pseudonym Joseph Skirata, is a Jedi Hunter in House Marka Ragnos.

Biography

"You must never forget who you are or who you have become. There is power in such knowledge, and without it you are nothing."

―Unknown Philosopher

Early Years

"When we say "the state," the state is we, it is we, it is every man, woman, and child who falls today, it is the advanced guard of the people."

―Grand Inquisitor Silecio

Lord Hegemon Grigori Markov. Portrait painted in 1 ABY.

Joseph Skirata was born on Ferox, a largely unknown planet nestled deep within the Outer Rim, in 7 ABY. Moments after his birth, his mother, a wealthy and influential woman, died, effectively orphaning the newborn. Parentless, Joseph was adopted by his grandfather, the Lord Hegemon of the Grand Army of the State.

He recorded little of his lifetime prior to his adolescence but what information has been gleaned from his autobiography, In the Company of Shadows, indicates that his grandfather had a very limited influence on the boy. Instead, he was raised by a female Kiffar whose name he has never disclosed. She loved and cared for the child, but she also understood the ways of this particular Miralukan society, so, before the boy could walk, she began to teach him, not just to fight, but to win, no matter what the cost.

When he was seven, he was taken from his caretaker and was enrolled in a rigorous educational system, as all Miraluka are. The aim of the system was to produce physically and mentally strong males to serve in the army. It encouraged conformity and the importance of the state over one's personal interest, but also generated the future elites of Ferox. Discipline was strict and the males were encouraged to fight amongst themselves to determine the strongest member of the group.

Quite unlike his peers, Joseph quickly proved to be the most preeminent among them, a prodigy in his own way. By order of the Holy Synod, he and several other children were taken northwards, to be raised in the harsh and mountain range that lay there by a brotherhood of monks rumored to be former assassins of the Mecrosa Order. None were expected to survive their formative years.

For nearly five years he trained there, until, of all those that came with him, he was the last one left. Finally the completion of his training was realized and in 19 ABY, he traveled alone to the capital city to begin the next stage of his life. Though normally it is considered too young for military service, because of the strong cultural emphasis on achieving superiority by any means necessary, Joseph was officially conscripted in the Grand Army of the Feroxin government.

The First Civil War

"Many persons believed, or pretended to believe, and confidently asserted, that religion could not coexist with the state. In the end, they were right."

―As stated in a speech by Lord Hegemon Deimos in 25 ABY

For thousands of years, the church stood along side the sovereignty, equally dividing power amongst each other in an attempt to establish a state of political equilibrium. Yet, there are, and always will be, those that seek more than they are given, more than they are allowed. Those individuals who cross the boundaries of the judicial institutions so that they may assert themselves as the masters of the the greater macrocosm, and in the process change everything around them. Grand Inquisitor Silecio was one of them.

Origin of Silecio

Born over five decades prior, circa 31 BBY, Silecio's mother was slain during the infamous, if short-lived, Creo Insurrection. He was less than two years of age when he was placed in the care of a band of monks in the mountains of Qadir, the spine of Ferox. His predominately religious environment molded him into a vindictive and overzealous individual whose sole purpose in life, as he put it, was to worship the deity of his people. When he was sixteen years old, enrolled into the University of Ecclesiastical Sciences, a prestigious college in the capital city, to more thoroughly study theological and philosophical ideologies, subjects in which he excelled. After much diligent work, he would be inducted into the Holy Order of St. Marcion the Martyr less two years later.

His evergrowing genius was quickly discovered, flourishing in his new habitat as he manipulated priests and politicians alike in a clandestine grab for power. Within a decade he was the youngest member in known history to be allowed a seat at the table of the Holy Synod. His ambition and greed for power would not end there. In 2 ABY, the self proclaimed Grand Inquisitor of Qadir staged a coup d'état against the Holy Synod, and alongside his supporters cast down the foundations of the church. In the midst of the power vacuum that ensued, Silecio took the liberty of appointing himself as the head of a second Holy Synod before, having realized his dream, proceeded to usher in a new age of theocratic authoritarianism. But no ripple in the pond ever truly ends, and bound by the will of his own hubris, the Grand Inquisitor began to formulate the next phase of his revolutionary crusade.

A War of Authority

File:General Skirata.jpg

Joseph as he appeared near the end of the First Civil War.

It was in late 19 ABY when Silecio decided to push forward the next stage, deeming that the Feroxin government had grown too corrupt to be allowed any more clemency. It was a quiet think at first, as he attempted to remove the powers that be from there post, all the while rallying an indefinite amount of Miralukas under his banner. But when he began revitalizing many of the methods prevalent among the Creo Insurrectionists the sovereignty began to grow curious. He quickly realized this and in his erratic desperation he initiated Operation: Blackout before it was even ready.

Joseph, having recently completed his Rite of Transition, was at that time stationed at Camp Gagarin, a reconnaissance base on the Vademii Border, when the newly formed Inquisitioner's Revolutionary Army began their assault on the nearby city of Svarog. They managed to blanket the area with a massive radio jamming signal, effectively cutting the city of from the outside, forcing Joseph to experience his first taste of modern combat. Unable to face the IRA in open combat, they instead chose to resort to guerrilla tactics and "dirty" methods, utilize their superior mobility and urban warfare skills to ambush and eliminate enemy troops within the cities limits.

Unfortunately, their actions, though valiant, did little to halt the progress of the Inquisitor's war machine and soon they were out of luck. Held up in an old bank, the Gagarin Unit attempted to defend themselves as their position was slowly squeezed by the surrounding enemy forces. In the end, the Commander, a young but intelligent man called Teranus, decided that no matter how hard they tried they were all going fall that day. Joseph was handpicked to be the runner who would inform the Lord Hegemon of the growing threat that Silecio posed, an in effect, became the only survivor of the Gagarin Unit. After a tearless farewell, the Gagarin Unit, in a final act of martyrdom, revealed themselves to their enemies and died in the ensuing bloodbath. It was in this moment that Joseph managed to slip out of the building and escape the city. For twelve days and twelve nights, the young soldier traveled across the wild and unexplored wilderness trying frantically to reach the Capital. It was at dawn, that thirteenth day, when he reached the cities boundaries. Even though he was exhausted, starving, and critically wounded, he managed to drag himself to his grandfather's home and final deliver the message that was entrusted upon him. Over next several days, as he was slowly nursed back to health, the Grand Army began to prepare itself for the inevitable clash with the IRA at Konestants, a city that scouts claimed would be the next victim of the Church's crusade. When he declared to be fit enough for battle, Joseph joined the armed forces under General Krakenus as they mobilized towards Konestants. So finally, after a thousand years in the making, the First Civil War began.

The incompetence of the modern scout proved to be quite serious as the amount of troops they had reported marching to Konestants was nearly half of the actual force met at the city. After a crushing defeat, the Grand Army was forced to withdraw to the nearby city of Minadore to recoup their losses. Once again, Joseph, though quite inexperienced, had survived, something he jokingly attributed to the many mistakes he had carried out. The next seven years would be a period of both loss and victory for the Sovereignty, beginning with that firt battle at Konestants.

Flight From Ferox

"The beast will still be dangerous as it flails about. Why, my brother, should we kill a madman only to allow a psychopath to take his place?"

―General Kalin Kilin to Joseph Skirata.

By 27 ABY, Joseph had grown exceedingly tired of the war against the IRA. Though he had been proclaimed a hero for his actions, he cared nothing for the merits and medals he recieved. The sudden death of his grandfather left him bitter and angry, and after some deliberation, he deemed that it was necessary to cut off the head of the beast, in this case, to eliminate the Inquisitor. His allies attempted to dissuade him as the old man's death would destabalize the political and socioeconomical status of much of Ferox. He did not heed their warnings, but instead proceeded with his initial plan. After infiltrating Silecio's fortress in the mountains of Qadir, during a trial for heresy, he prepared to assassinate him. Once again, General Kilin appeared in an effort to deter the would-be assassin from his choice, with the sole difference being that this time around he cited the Joseph's former caretaker, the only mother he ever actually knew, was dieing.

Discarding his original purpose, Joseph rushed to her side, but unfortunately he came too late and she, after so many years, finally died. Her death quickly radicalized him, and Joseph, putting the unceasing war behind him, travelled once again to the Mecrosan Monastery where his search for a cure for death would originate. For several more months they willingly trained their greatest pupil, teaching him things that only a handful of men knew, things that defied the tenets that they upheld, but for his pursuit they gave little and instead pointed him towards the elusive Jensaarai stationed on Susevfi. He therefore left his homeworld and began the next stage of his existence.

Brotherhood

"I swear by God this sacred oath: That I shall render unconditional obedience to Aristan Dantes, Grand Master of the Dark Brotherhood."

―Joseph Skirata

In the subsequent months, Joseph rooted many different organizations, such as the aforementioned Jensaarai as well as several sith orders and a very peculiar death cult on Dathomir. Under each group he trained relentlessly, yet even so, none of them could provide the answers he desired. Until one day he discovered a blind sage in the hills of Naboo. This man was rumored to have the ability to see the future, and thus guide another in the right direction. There were other, more foul, rumors but this did not matter the young man as his pursuit deemed it necessary to speak to the prophet. The prophet proceeded to tell him of a "brethrens gathering in the silent shadow". After a while, Joseph realized what he meant and departed towards this "Silent Shadow".

Character Profile

Powers and Abilities

Warrior

Having trained for nearly his entire life, Joseph was an exceptional warrior. Under the tutelage of former assassins of the Mecrosa Order, the Miraluka was taught many different martial arts and to use, with great proficiency, weapons of all manners as well as the ability to moderate pain and the knowledge of less acceptable, yet quite effective, combat tactics. The greatest example of his martial prowess can be seen in his attempted assassination of Senator Doresius Margarov. An IRA sympathiser, Doresius was known for his unnatural fighting skills and when Joseph failed to eliminate him in a covert manner, he forced the young man to fight for his survival. Against all odds, Joseph defeated the Senator and fled.

Polyglot

Joseph was always known to be able to quickly adapt to nearly any language. This is evident in the fact that he understood, and could speak fluently, Basic, Miralukese, Old Miralukese, Kaleesh, Mando'a, Twi'leki, and Falleen. It is believed his multilingual ability stems from his strong affinity to the the the Force as this is the most likely solution. He also understands Binary.

Possessions

Unidentified Ring

File:Joseph Ring.jpg

Joseph Skirata being given his ring by an unknown woman.

Possibly the most treasured possession of all of Joseph's material objects, the golden ring is seemingly indifferent to that of a standard wedding band. It's actual origins have yet to be uncovered but based on the fact that he is never seen wearing it, it may be he had become a widower at some point. Unfortunately, there is no proof that he was married at any point in his lifetime, therefore there is little to support this speculative claim. Some scholars have experimented with the idea that it was given to him to bind him to an oath of some sort yet this too has little behind it, even so, this particular theory has been established as the most probable of them all.

Book of Marcion

The original Book of Marcion was continually passed down by his descendants until came into the hands of Joseph Skirata, who has kept it ever since. Unlike his ring, the Book of Marcion has a much more ancient and powerful significance. The exact composition of it is written in protomiralukese, a variant of a far older language, and consists of a multitude of religious texts that were maintained prior to the widespread Alpheridian reforms that were initiated by Archbishop Nikonius thousands of years before the Battle of Yavin, as well as more recent documents authored by the St. Marcion the Martyr before his death.

Over the years, subsequent copies of the original scriptures have been altered to fit personal or public views which contrasted to popular belief. No example can be greater than the Book of Lacrimos. Written by the heretical prophet Lacrimos of Vademii, the Book of Lacrimos was a twisted and perverse corruption of the Book of Marcion, which focused on a alternative belief of pacifism. Though it was greatly frowned upon, Lacrimos managed to draw to himself a cult following of like minded citizens who abhorred the warlike caste structure of Ferox and wished for a better society as they saw it. The Lacrimosan Cult, as it began to be known, greatly stressed the necessity of accepting other faiths and even adopting other liturgical and cultural traditions. Eventually, the Cult angered the Holy Synod to to great of a degree, and declaring it 'a cesspool of heresies and blasphemies' they proceeded to stamp it out. In the greater regions, members were given public executions in broad daylight that were meant to show the power of the Church, while at night, especially in the more rural areas, loyal Marcionists roamed the streets beating both actual and suspected member of the Cult before performing their own brand of justice by hanging them and leaving their corpses to rot on the streets; this was encouraged by the Synod. Side effects included the Great Heretic's Plague, which the Holy Synod attributed to the will of the Gods and meant to root out 'false believers'. The plague was, in this way, used as a propaganda tool to strengthen the grip of the church.

Many things, both great and small, were altered By Lacrimos of Vademii, for example, the following text is an excerpt from the true Book of Marcion:

"Thou shall not allow Heresies nor filthy Blasphemies to fester in thy neighbor's house, but will burn it to the ground."

―Josephus 1:17, Book of Marcion

These words set three interconnected edicts to be followed by the Miralukan populace as listed below:

1. One must never commit blasphemy or dabble in heresy.
2. One must never allow another commit blasphemy or dabble in heresy.
3. The cause justifies the mean. (indirectly, supported)

The following excerpt is from the altered Book of Lacrimos:

"Thou must allow contrasting beliefs to grow in thy own house."

―Josephus 1:17, Book of Lacrimos

These words greatly differentiate from the original religious texts, feeding off the belief that pacifism must be upheld. The new edicts are listed below:

1. One must be able to adopt new beliefs. (heretical)
2. One must not be constrained by laws or close minded religions. (heretical, treason)
3. Violence is, of course, alien to the ideal. (indirectly, supported)

Nevertheless, this problem of complete rewriting is quite prevalent in modern Feroxin society. Even the latest copy of the Book of Marcion, the one the church supports completely, has, in fact, very little actual connections to the one written by the martyr. Thus, Joseph Skirata is the only one who truly understands his religion as everyone else has been fed lies upon lies. This is the true power of the Book of Marcion.

DJB Facts

Positions Held

List positions that are important.

Outstanding Achievements

First ever DJBWikipedian of the Month.

More Quote

These are quotes I intend to use in the future but am unable to at the moment.

"Our bodies are prisons for our souls. Our skin and blood, the iron bars of confinement. But, fear not. All flesh decays. Death turns all to ash. And thus, death frees every soul."

―As quoted by Grand Inquisitor Silecio from the Book of Marcion

"You, the condemned. You have confessed. You admit to protecting the queen, who twists the word of our god and drowns all of us in sin. Your queen seeks immortality in life, the force of paradise. This is heresy. She leads you towards vanity, away from the voice of truth. But this is foolishness, for death... exists."

―Grand Inquisitor Silecio during a trial for heresy

Trivia

• His theme song is probably Death is the Road to Awe by Clint Mansell, from his score for the movie The Fountain.
• If you've seen The Fountain and haven't realized it yet, much of my inspiration came from that film.