Mal'ari'carun is a Krath Priest and member of House Marka Ragnos of Clan Naga Sadow. More commonly known by his Core Name, Alaric, he has long served the Brotherhood. Though his journeys have often taken him further from the Brotherhood, and for longer periods of time, than he would have liked, he continues to remain faithful to his House and Clan. He has held several positions in the Dark Brotherhood, from Magistrate to Quaestor to Dark Councilor (as the Combat Master was considered at the time). At the moment, however, he is content simply to enjoy time spent with his House and Clan.
Character History
The following sections will contain a detailed history of Mal'ari'carun's life. Unfortunately, the primary source has been lost to the ages and, thus, it must be reconstructed bit by bit. Your patience is appreciated.
Parentage and Birth
The Chiss are one of the few races in which using sentients as servants is still a common practice. Most servants are feudal, the familial line working for the same House over many generations. For twelve generations, Er'carun's family had served House Nuruodo. Originally they were laborers, but four generations ago An'carun changed the course of the family forever. An act of uncommon bravery earned him the prefix Ari and a spot among the bodyguards of the Head of Nuruodo. Since that day, the line of Ari'an'carun had served Nuruodo with distinction. Er'carun's father had even been a close advisor to the Head of Nuruodo. Thus was the stage set for Er'carun's life and death.
Expectations were high for Er'carun. It was expected he would follow in his father's footsteps, becoming guard and advisor to Nuruodo (as the Patriarch of the Hosue was often referred). Er'carun worked hard, his hours filled with little more than study. He was tutored alongside the nobility of the House that he might have an education worthy of the advisory position he would inherit. By his coming of age he was ready to assume his duties. He was also in love.
Odd though it may be for such a cold, calculating race, Chiss were known to be full of passion when they felt any emotion at all. Er experienced this the day he met Ia'nuruodo. The feeling was mutual. There was only one problem: If a female of the House married outside the House (with the exception of those [[[starwars:Trial-born|Trial-Born]]]), they forfeited everything, even their name. But to the young couple it was worth it, and she soon became Ia'carun. Nine months later, a child was born. He was named Ari, after the Patron of the Carun line, and high hopes were held for him. Little did the young parents know what heights and depths he would achieve.
Formative Education
Chiss are not Human. No matter how much they might resemble that ubiquitous species on the outside, one cannot truly understand the Chiss without staying cognizant of the differences. Psychologically the differences are extreme, and most can be traced to the adolescence (or lack thereof) of the Chiss. There is nowhere this is more apparent than the education of member of a Chiss Ruling Family.
Whether due to normal evolutionary processes or environmental factors, the physical maturation process of a Chiss occurs at twice the rate of their Human “cousins”. By the age of two, Ari'carun was forming sentences and he began his schooling less than a year later. Given his father's position within House Nuruodo, and his expected position, he was tutored alongside the House nobility. Unlike the Aristocras and the Syndics, who acted as a front when dealing with other Families or Outsiders, the nobility were the true power within the House and those that decided what course it (and the Ascendancy) would take. By the age of six, Ari found himself well-schooled in the arts of politics, psychology, history and science. Educated well-beyond that of a commoner, even one affiliated with a Ruling Family or one Trial-Born, it was here that his education began to differ from his playmates. While the true rulers continued their education in the afore-mentioned subjects, Ari was given a new tutor. On the first day of his sixth year, roughly 25 BBY, he was introduced to his Brother-Made, Raw.
From that moment on, Raw'nuruodo was his teacher. Raw, too, had been born a commoner. However, he had been adopted by merit into House Nuruodo and his performance was such that he was matched into the bloodline so that his descendants would forever be a member of the Ruling House. Unknown to the outside world, Raw was also Tha'raik'nor Deit Nuruodo, or heir apparent to the ruler of House Nuruodo. In this capacity, he had been chosen to instruct Ari in the ways of combat, tactics and strategy. After all, when the day came that he assumed control of House Nuruodo, Ari would become his bodyguard and advisor. Under Mitth'raw'nuruodo's tutelage, Ari'carun grew strong of body and stronger of mind. He was made to travel with his tutor aboard his ship and watch as Raw commanded his picket force against invaders to the Chiss Ascendancy. As the days passed, his respect for Raw only grew, until he knew that he wanted to be everything Raw was. He wanted to be Tha'raik'nor Deit Nuruodo. However, given the impossibility for that, he knew he would do the best job possible at defender the Raik'nor's life. He was taught the ways of Echani by his tutor, becoming skilled in the use of his daggers, and even learned the outdated sword and jo. Most importantly, however, he learned strategy. He learned to think like his enemy and, by doing so, out-think them. He learned how to win. In the end, though, the most important thing he took away from the Frontier Worlds was the friendship of his adoptive brother, Thrawn.
Death and Rebirth
After five years of tutelage, news arrived that Er'carun and Ia'carun, Ari's father and mother, had died. During an attempted coup by the Chaf, Er and Ia had saved Nuruodo's life under extreme conditions and with full knowledge of his own demise as a result. Ari was asked to return home post-haste in light of this development. Shortly after his arrival on Csilla, Ari learned the reason he had been asked to return immediately (after all, his education would normally take precedence over any family matters). While no medals could be conveyed to Er or Ia, given that this would necessitate the revelation of the Nuruodo's identity to the CEDF, they were posthumously adopted into the Nuruodo House and named Trial-Born and Matched. This meant that Ari was no longer of the Carun line. There no longer was a Carun line. From that day forward, he would be Ari'nuruodo, of House Nuruodo.
Ari was no longer considered a child, having been adopted into a Family and being beyond his Coming of Age, he was expected to enlist in the CEDF and bring honor to House Nuruodo. However he still felt the same passion he had before, that to guard Tha'raik'nor Deit Nuruodo. In a rare moment of availability, he managed to gain an audience with Nuruodo and requested that he be allowed to take back his position as guard and advisor. When questioned as to his motivation, Ari explained that the entire Chiss Ascendancy rested on the power of the CEDF. The CEDF was ruled by House Nuruodo and for success should be led by the most capable member of the House. He had worked with Raw and testified, as was well known, that Raw was the most capable officer in the whole of the CEDF. As a result, the best action for the Ascendancy was that Raw live to become Nuruodo. This meant he needed a protector and that he himself was the best capable for the job. After much consideration, it was deemed to be permissible, and transportation for Ari was to be arranged back to the Frontier Worlds.
Before this could happen, however, word reached Csilla of Thrawn's continual indifference toward the non-aggression policy of the Ascendancy. It was decided that he would be exiled, as was custom, to an uninhabited world. Needless to say, his title as Tha'raik'nor Deit Nuruodo was revoked. At this point, the most curious event of Ari's short life took place. Tha'raik'nor Deit Nuruodo was always conferred upon the eldest son of the Nuruodo, so long as he had the proper training, discipline and vision to due such a position justice. The honor could be challenged at a later date, should one be able to show himself more capable, but never had there been more than one heir (Chiss genetics do not allow for twin males due to mutations in the chromosomes, which also result in their odd aging process). Now, however, the eldest son was not one born, but one adopted into the House. Nuruodo's eldest child by birth was but eleven years old. This made him old enough to accept the title, and he had all the required training, but he was not the oldest son. Nuruodo had a son now by adoption as well, and one older than his own biological child. Ari'nuruodo. Thus was it determined that the right to become Heir Apparent would be determined as it had in ages past – a Trial by Fire.
Ascendancy Ascension
While millennia had passed since the last Trial by Fire, record of it was kept in the vaults belonging to House Nuruodo. It hearkened back to a time shortly after the Chiss began colonizing other worlds within their space. In the infancy of the Ascendancy, the Chiss were still barbaric, being closer to the modern Vagaari than their current selves. As a result, it was a trial of physical combat, against enormous odds, where only one survived. Despite his love for his son-born, Nuruodo knew that this was necessary. It was, after all, tradition alone which had kept the House strong and in power for over five thousand years.
While a detailed account of the Ascension (as the Trial by Fire was known) would be far too long for this article, a full account can be found here. Suffice it to say that after all was said and done, Ari was granted the surname Mal (“The Unseen” in Cheunh) and awarded the Leorals as a sign of his new post. He had achieved his dream and was Tha'raik'nor Deit Nuruodo.
Mal'ari'nuruodo's victory was short-lived for circumstances would soon give rise to yet another Ascension, of an entirely different order.
Empire of the Hand
Two years passed in relative normalcy for Mal'ari'nuruodo as he assumed the duties of Tha'raik'nor Deit Nuruodo. He joined the ranks of the CEDF and quickly rose within them, showing similar tactical brilliancy as his predecessor but more restraint and respect for policy. He became the second-youngest commander of a Picket Force in the history of the CEDF and it was generally taken for granted that in a mere handful of years he would be an Admiral within the CEDF. Then the message from Thrawn arrived.
He had established an outpost on Nirauan and built up an impressive House Phalanx to command it. However, the message said he had been contacted by a force from outside Chiss Space which requested his assistance, and he might be gone for several years. It seemed he needed a Chiss to command the House Phalanx in his absence. The one thing which held more loyalty in Ari's heart than the Ascendancy was his Brother-Made. Within a week he resigned his commission and left for Nirauan.
He firmly believed that what Raw was doing, creating an outpost nearer the Galactic Core and attempting to help Outsiders so as to gather new technology and power for the Ascendancy, was the best possible course of action for the Chiss. For Ari, there was no dichotomy between the two ideals. Helping Raw meant helping the Ascendancy. With that in mind, and fully convinced he was right, he informed Nuruodo that he would be leaving Chiss space and would not resign the title of Tha'raik'nor Deit Nuruodo. There was protest among the House leaders and Ari was exiled. However, he took the Leorals with him and carries them to this day. The one thing he left on Csilla was the name Nuruodo. He knew he was forbidden to return, and declared that until such a time as the unjust banishment was ended, he would refuse to carry the name. He became Mal'ari'carun.
He lead the Empire of the Hand in Thrawn's absence, mapping the territories of the Unknown Regions and coordinating efforts between the House Phalanx and Thrawn's Imperial Forces. Eventually, after the tragic word of Thrawn's death above Bilbringi reached them, he ceded the day-to-day operations to Admiral Voss Parck and focused instead on a plan to unite all the forces of the Unknown Regions into a cohesive unit that might repel the Far Outsiders, which had already started invading Chiss space. Though Thrawn was rumored to have died, he refused to go ahead with the plans he conceived. After all, Thrawn had told them that if rumor reached them of his death, he would return within 10 standard years. In the meantime, Mal'ari'carun planned and waited.
Search of Sorrows
Ten years passed and Mal'ari'carun, now aged 25, knew that the Hand would soon be in trouble. Thrawn had been gone for over a decade, and yet no sign of him had been seen by anyone at the Hand. They had all relied on Thrawn's seeming infallibility and that kept them strong for over a decade. It kept Alaric strong for over a decade. However now, with every day that passed, it seemed less and less likely that Raw would return to take command of the Nirauan base. In desperation, he stepped down and promoted Voss Parck to Supreme Commander of the House Phalanx. Taking a Clawcraft, a vehicle of new design based on Imperial engineering, he left Nirauan and went out into the galaxy to search for Thrawn.
While traveling through known space, Alaric encountered rumors of a shadowy paramilitary force operating out of the Aurora system. Subsequent rumors and reports of battle tactics indicated they were being led by a Chiss tactician. Believing he may have finally found Raw, he traveled there, only to discover a neo-Imperial organization known as the Emperor's Hammer, led by an exiled Chiss calling himself Ronin.
Attempting to infiltrate this group to gain access to their intelligence database, hoping for a mention in it of Thrawn's last known location, he discovered a subgroup of Dark Jedi serving the Emperor's Hammer. Known as the [Dark Jedi Brotherhood], they were individuals of incredible power and, more startling, incredible cohesiveness. It was soon made aware to him that he was Force-Sensitive and, while he was not busy commanding various forces (including a fleet of twelve Modified Frigates) or flying with the Elite squadron Praetorian , the then-Major studied the Force. Eventually, he would dedicate himself full-time to the Dark Brotherhood.
A Home to Call His Own
Over the next few years, Mal'ari'carun found himself becoming more and more dedicated to the Dark Brotherhood. Originally having joined to hone his Force abilities in the hopes of finding Raw, he now found himself enjoying it for its own sake. He rose in ranks until he was a Krath Priest, a fairly swift journey in his case. He found himself in Clan Taldryan and discovered a new home, a new family within it's House Ektrosis. Eventually becoming Quaestor of Ektrosis, he also soon found himself an active staff member of the Antei Combat Centre and apprenticed to the Oracle himself. He continued to rise, becoming Combat Master in a time when it was still a position given a seat on the Dark Council. His crowning moment was being awarded the Mark of the Wanderer by the Oracle, Trevarus Caerick. Unfortunately, this was not to last. Mal'ari'carun soon disappeared entirely from the Brotherhood. It was years before he was seen again.
A Journey in Vain
Mere months after being elevated to Combat Master, and days after being Marked, a rumor rushed through most of the galaxy. The Antei system was no exception. The mythic Grand Admiral who had almost defeated the New Republic had returned. Thrawn was back and leading the Imperial Remnant! Without a second thought, without even stopping to request a Leave of Absence, Mal'ari'carun left the Antei system and headed back to Known Space.
He soon reached the Imperial Remnant and boarded an Imperial convoy, using his obvious Chiss heritage to impress the commanding officer into allowing him passage. Careful inquiries revealed that Thrawn had set up operations on the Imperial Capitol of Bastion, which is where the convoy was headed. Two days out, however, Mal'ari'carun had a vision. He saw a Jedi Master infiltrating the facility at Nirauan and somehow killing Thrawn. The vision made no sense, since Raw was obviously on Bastion, but Alaric knew better than to question the Force and, once more entering his Clawcraft, he left the convoy for the Unknown Regions.
He arrived, only to find that the Jedi had already left, destroying half the facility first. Inspection of the destruction eventually led Mal'ari'carun to discover a secret cloning facility hidden under the Empire of the Hand, one designed to mature a clone of Mitth'raw'nuruodo himself. It, however, had been destroyed beyond repair. Knowing now that Raw would never return, he left the Empire of the Hand once more. Disillusioned and filled with rage, he knew he could not yet return to the Brotherhood. Instead, he sunk himself into the Dark Side and began a journey which he would barely survive.
The Wanderings
In the years of The Wanderings, most of which were spent in a small cockpit in the dead of space, Mal'ari'carun faced the truth. Where once there had been a proud, noble member of the most power House in the Chiss Ascendancy, now there was but an empty shell and a wasted life. A hard truth for any being to accept, in one as proud as Alaric is broke him. Always he had followed his own path, for his own reasons.
Though a member of the Dark Jedi Brotherhood, he had never considered himself a Dark Jedi. He used his anger, yes, but towards a noble goal – peace, order, security. Now, in the void left by Thrawn's lies and betrayal, he found that anger could bring comfort to a troubled soul. Letting the hatred and fury encapsulate him, he could breathe easy once more. And so it came to pass that Mal'ari'carun was finally, and wholly seduced by the Dark Side.
In the years that followed, Alaric exemplified the Dark Jedi Code. He knew no fear, only power over his many victims. He felt no worry of death, only the promise that his name would live forever. He had no weakness, only strength in the Dark Side. Ransacking villages and laying whole cities to waste through his anger, he was consumed by his ability to end any life he chose, for any reason. He massacred armies and innocents alike, and he hunted Jedi with impunity. But in the darkest recesses of his mind, he found that the first tenant was the truest of the Dark Jedi Code. There was no peace. Not for the galaxy, and not for himself.
Return from Rage
After four years of murder, it finally hit home. Literally. Seldom using the navicomputer, most of his jumps were guided solely by the Force. He came out of hyperspace and felt the Dark Side's command stronger than ever before. Whatever planet he was over, he had been guided there as the instrument of its destruction. As he flew in to raze the first town he could find, a hail came in over his comm system. That was when he realized where he was and what the Force wanted.
He was above Nirauan, brought there to destroy the Empire of the Hand and the only family he had left. It was to be the culmination of his dark journey. By giving himself over to this act of destruction, he would achieve full master of the Dark Side. The vestigial remnants of his conscience would die along with every man, woman and child on the planet. Hanging there in the dead, black, lifeless of space, Mal'ari'carun reached out with the full force of his world-destroying rage. He would end it. He would kill them all. He would rip the very planet to shreds. Stretching out with his terrible might, he...
...paused, and for the first time in four years asked himself a very important question.
Is this right?
He was no longer sure. And so he laid in a course for the black, where he could ponder the answer to that question. The answer was Tyrith.
Unwelcome Home
Even in the deep of the Black, word reached Mal'ari'carun about the incursion of the Far Outsiders into the Antei system. He had long-since completed his conception of Tyrith, but could not yet bring himself to rejoin the Brotherhood or the Empire of the Hand. He did not yet feel he could stand the presence of others. The news of the Vong invading Brotherhood space changed that.
Mal'ari'carun arrived in the Antei system, only to find it filled with Vongese warships and coralskippers. He managed a single flyby of Antei, finding it completely Vongformed, before abandoning the system as a goner. The Brotherhood had long-since fled. He also knew that any Brotherhood systems nearby would be likewise decimated. He did, however, hold out hope of one Clan which might have managed to maintain its foothold as yet. And so he set his course for Sepros and Clan Naga Sadow. With luck, they would take him in and give him a chance to pay back the Vong for what they'd done to his friends, his brothers, his home. And pay them back he would...
Character Information
Physical Appearance
File:AlchemistObeliskCloak.jpgMal'ari'carun's Robes
Standing two meters tall, his ninety kilogram frame seems slight at first, until one glimpses the hard cords of muscle straining beneath his loose robes. Blue-black hair cascades down his back, ending just below his shoulder blades and framing a face that is all hard planes and angles. Deep-set red eyes, glowing ever so slightly, drink in the world around him. While his face remains impassive, even in the most brutal combat or horrendous actions, the crimson glow of his eyes flare to novas at the slightest agitation, revealing inner demons he must constantly fight to suppress.
Standard robes in a deep blue, covered by a plain black cloak, adorn his lithe frame. They make no concession to fashion, despite their appearance to the contrary. The raised collar ridge to the right of his neck is actually heavily armored to stop any melee weapon and houses a voice-activated comlink. Likewise, the black boots encasing his feet are covered with arcane cobalt symbols. appearing aesthetic in nature, they actually serve to disguise the tritanium plates embedded in the toes, ball and heel of each boot. A faint metallic glint comes from both sleeves, but the origin thereof remains unknown. Completing the outfit, a gun belt rests low on his hips, supporting sheaths for his Leorals and a clip at his back for his lightsaber.
Weapons
File:LegionObeliskBlue.gifMal'ari'carun's Lightsaber
- Lightsaber
- A normal lightsaber, the handle is straight and bears a three-tone color scheme that appears less than threatening, given that it is wielded by a Dark Jedi. There is little special about it, but it holds extreme sentimental value for Mal'ari'carun, being the first and only saber he has carried.
- Tyrith'Sun
- Constructed by Mal'ari'carun after his journey to Gromas-16 (see The Wanderings), they were intended to bring completion to the combat methods of Tyrith. Thus they are named Tyrith'Sun (Instrument of the Prime Edict/Final Way). Given that the latter parts of the Tyrith style were developed with the gauntlets in mind, they are are, in truth, an extension of Mal'ari'carun's body in combat.
- Using the remains of several Phase 1 Dark Troopers recovered from the wreckage of the Gromas Mining & Manufacturing facility, Alaric stripped them down and built his gauntlets. Due to the special combination of phrikite and tydirium used to create the Dark Troopers, the gauntlets are both lightweight and abnormally resistant to all types of damage, including energy- and plasma-based weapons.File:Malaricarun-Knives.jpgThe Leorals
- Twelve inches long, they sheathe his forearms and can be used to parry and reverse attacks. They extend three inches from the top of his forearms and one inch in all other directions. A thinner version of the same material covers his palms and the backs of his hands up to his knuckles. The lighter material is still strong enough to absorb most attacks, but a lightsaber or disruptor rifle would make quick work of it.
- The palms of the gauntlets house pressure-sensitive controls which are used to activate the various gauntlet functions. Perhaps the most important component, they activate and deactivate the electromagnetic field-enhancement technology which multiplies their effectiveness at absorbing attacks to an extreme degree. The same controls also extend and retract the gauntlet's offensive capabilities: wickedly curved blades measuring seven inches in length. They extend from the left and right sides of both gauntlets and are used in conjunction with his Leorals to exemplify the Prime Edict. The final function controlled by the pressure sensors is the built-in docker's clutch. This reveals the reason the tops of the Tyrith'Sun are thicker than the bottoms. They each container a spring-loaded cavity nine inches by two inches, designed to hold Mal'ari'carun's Blastaff and lightsaber.
- A normal charge will operate the gauntlets for 26 hours of continual use. Longer durations (up to 36 days) can be achieved by loading custom-made batteries into the docker's clutch of each gauntlet.
- Leorals
- The Leorals are awarded through the Tri'law, or Trial by Fire, a secret right within House Nuruodo. The Tri'law tests the Selectees' physical and mental prowess in the most intense right of passage on Csilla. Millennia ago, a Chiss visited the Echani to learn of their ways. In exchange for Chiss technology and military techniques, they taught Nuruodo, as he was called, their manner of combat and gave him Echani Knives and armor has a gift for his teachings. It was their teachings, modified into a style now known as Carinor, which eventually led House Nuruodo to power among the Chiss.
- On his way back to Csilla, he encountered a gravity well which had not been there on his outbound flight. He was pulled out of hyperspace to find an unknown planet directly in his path. Unable to avoid it, he crashed upon the lush globe. On planet, Nuruodo found that the only items which had survived were his armor and the vibroblades from the Echani knives (though the handles themselves were now worthless). Knowing he would have to fight for his survival, he fashioned crude handles from a tree branch and connected them to the blades.
- For over a year he survived with nothing else, hunting for food and defending himself from terrible beasts. Eventually, he was discovered by the planet's inhabitants, a peaceful people who were able to repair his ship over time. Finally, after two years being stranded, he was able to return home. But he took part of the mysterious planet, called Zonoma Sekot by its inhabitants, with him. The handles had bonded at a submolecular level with the blades, and he found that they would alter shape to perfectly fit the hands of whoever held them. Not only were they alive but, as Mal'ari'carun discovered nearly 7000 years later, they were sentient as well.
- Blastaff
- A cylinder 9 inches long, it is easily concealable beneath his cloak or within his sleeve. However, when the button on it is pressed the Blastaff, a weapon designed and built by Mal'ari'carun, extends to a lenth of 5 feet. As well as being useful as a Jo (very long sword/very short bo), one end has a concealed foot-long blade, while the other contains a micro-capacitor and, at the bush of a button, will discharge energy directly into any target it is touching (frying their central nervous system when used correctly).File:Malaricarun-Blastaff.gifBlastaff
- Body
- Decades of study and training in many different forms of combat (Echani, Shadow Fist, Carinor, Knifist), and the development of his own style, known as Tyrith, have turned Mal'ari'carun's body into a weapon under his complete control. Able to move each muscle in his body individually, or to refrain from any movement for days at a time without using any sort of trance, Alaric utilizes his entire being to the detriment of his opponents.
Fighting Styles
- Primary: Tyrith
- Secondary: Echani
- Tertiary: Carinor
- Defunct: Shadow Fist
- Defunct: Knifist
Lightsaber Forms
- Primary: Tyrith
- Secondary: Makashi
- Tertiary: Soresu
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Tyrith
Meaning Final Way in Cheunh, Tyrith is a philosophy which recognizes that the highest ideal to which any individual can subscribe is personal freedom and personal responsibility. Developed by Mal'ari'carun as an alternative to the prominent belief systems experienced throughout his life (the Jedi Code, the Dark Jedi Code, and the Chiss Ascendancy), it answers the three primary moral questions: What is right?, Why?, and How do you deal with immorality? More than just a philosophy, it shapes the very way the believer thinks and reacts to the world around him. It has been developed into an epistemology, a moral system, and a style of combat.
The Path to the Final Way
In the years of The Wanderings, most of which were spent in a small cockpit in the dead of space, Mal'ari'carun faced the truth. Where once there had been a proud, noble member of the most power House in the Chiss Ascendancy, now there was but an empty shell and a wasted life. A hard truth for any being to accept, in one as proud as Alaric is broke him. Always he had followed his own path, for his own reasons.
Though a member of the Dark Jedi Brotherhood, he had never considered himself a Dark Jedi. He used his anger, yes, but towards a noble goal – peace, order, security. Now, in the void left by Thrawn's lies and betrayal, he found that anger could bring comfort to a troubled soul. Letting the hatred and fury encapsulate him, he could breathe easy once more. And so it came to pass that Mal'ari'carun was finally, and wholly seduced by the Dark Side.
In the years that followed, Alaric exemplified the Dark Jedi Code. He knew no fear, only power over his many victims. He felt no worry of death, only the promise that his name would live forever. He had no weakness, only strength in the Dark Side. Ransacking villages and laying whole cities to waste through his anger, he was consumed by his ability to end any life he chose, for any reason. He massacred armies and innocents alike, and he hunted Jedi with impunity. But in the darkest recesses of his mind, he found that the first tenant was the truest of the Dark Jedi Code. There was no peace. Not for the galaxy, and not for himself.
After four years of murder, it finally hit home. Literally. Seldom using the navicomputer, most of his jumps were guided solely by the Force. He came out of hyperspace and felt the Dark Side's command stronger than ever before. Whatever planet he was over, he had been guided there as the instrument of its destruction. As he flew in to raze the first town he could find, a hail came in over his comm system. That was when he realized where he was and what the Force wanted.
He was above Nirauan, brought there to destroy the Empire of the Hand and the only family he had left. It was to be the culmination of his dark journey. By giving himself over to this act of destruction, he would achieve full master of the Dark Side. The vestigial remnants of his conscience would die along with every man, woman and child on the planet. Hanging there in the dead, black, lifeless of space, Mal'ari'carun reached out with the full force of his world-destroying rage. He would end it. He would kill them all. He would rip the very planet to shreds. Stretching out with his terrible might, he...
...paused, and for the first time in four years asked himself a very important question.
Is this right?
He was no longer sure. And so he laid in a course for the black, where he could ponder the answer to that question. The answer was Tyrith.
Way of the Seven Souls
While developing Tyrith, it occurred to Mal'ari'carun that his old Brotherhood also followed a philosophy called the Final Way. Out of curiosity, he put himself into a mnemonic trance and wrote out the words of the Final Way. Of particular interest was the section known as the Way of the Seven Souls. He knew without thinking, as did most Jedi, the words of the mythical Darth Bane to his first apprentices; that is, he knew the accepted translation. He was stunned at first to discover how similar the tenets were to Tyrith, with but minor alterations. Below is his translation of the Way of the Seven Souls (changes are in bold). The original can be found here.
- Before all thou shalt be a pillar of stone, eternal and inviolate.
- Allow none to escape the fire of thine convictions, that all may follow Justice.
- The steel of thine blade shall bring the damned before Justice.
- In blood thou shalt baptize the weak of the fold that all may grow stronger than their destruction.
- Sorrow shall be the first step along my sacred way. Bring all to their strength from their suffering.
- Even as I am thine Master, thou shalt follow the truth of my Way.
- Bring forth the void of thine soul, that all lies may pass into the darkness from whence they sprung.
Prime Edict
The philosophy of Tyrith extends into the martial realm in the form of the Prime Edict. It is the simplicity and conviction of morality expressed on the subject of how to deal with the immoral.
- It means only one thing, and everything: cut. Once committed to fight, cut. Everything else is secondary. Cut. That is your duty, your purpose, your hunger. There is no rule more important, no commitment that overrides that one. Cut. Cut from the void, not from bewilderment. Cut the enemy as quickly and directly as possible. Cut with certainty. Cut decisively, resolutely. Cut into his strength. Flow through the gaps in his guard. Cut him. Cut him down utterly. Don't allow him a breath. Crush him. Cut him without mercy to the depths of his spirit. It is the balance of life: death. It is the dance with death. It is the law by which a warrior lives. Or he dies.
While the Prime Edict may seem violent in comparison to Tyrith, it is the logical expression of how a practitioner of Tyrith deals with any adverse situation. It teaches that you don't run from trouble. You face any adversity head-on and fight with every ounce of your being. To meet all adversities is to deal with every situation, no matter how difficult or how small the gain, in a forthright manner with no tolerance and extreme prejudice. It is to never surrender to the enemy or their cause. It is, after all, the love of Truth and Justice which gives rise to the righteous fury expressed in the Prime Edict. This righteous fury leads to violence, and the violence in turn restores justice, completing the circle and beginning anew. Expressed in its basic premise, the Prime Edict is the exemplification of all aspects of Tyrith.
Tyrith as Thought
This is the basis of Tyrith, its reason for being. Tyrith isn't designed to make one successful, or win in a fight. Those are simple eventualities necessitated by its perfection. At its core, Tyrith is a mindset, a way of thinking. While a philosophical dissection would take a length essay, which is in the works, the essence of Tyrith is simple.
- Reality exists and cannot be changed by whims or wishes or wants.
- Any change in reality requires action on your part.
Tyrith is the recognition of and dedication to these truths.
In addition, what follows is a brief list of aspects concerning the Tyrith mindset. This is by no means exhaustive, or even very explainable, but it will have to do until my complete dissection of Tyrith is complete.
- Truth and justice are paramount.
- Your values are sacred. Treat them as such.
- Never take assumptions on faith. Question everything. Understand everyone. Think outside the box and ignore the norm.
- Never shirk the moral responsibility of passing judgment. Always require the best of yourself and others.
- Never take the easy way out.Always find the most efficient and elegant solution.
While these are basic principles within Tyrith, the complete teachings also mold the way a mind perceives and analyzes the world around them. To see the world after Tyrith is to see it through new eyes. That mental discipline is what truly makes Tyrith so unique, but it cannot be achieved without first accepting the philosophy's basic premise and acting on the logical conclusions thereof.
Tyrith as Action
In truth, Tyrith - as a way of acting - is the simplest of its concepts. Once the basic principles are understood and accepted, the rest falls into place. The Tyrith'Con (Practitioner of the Final Way) must face every adversity head-on; he must always be ready to fight, and die, for his values. If not, then he isn't truly alive. To follow Tyrith is to never give in to laziness, to always enact the best solution, and to hold truth, justice, and one's own life above all other values. To an adherent of Tyrith it is better to die on their feet than live on their knees. This section will also be expanded with the publication of the afore-mentioned essay on Tyrith.
Tyrith'Sun
Literally "Instrument of the Final Way", it is the name for both the weapon Mal'ari'carun uses, and for himself. Like many Dark Jedi before him, he believes himself to be The One who will bring order from chaos. Unlike most of the others, he has a plan.
His studies involving Brotherhood lore led him to read every word recorded on Darth Bane. In the end, after all the data was collated, he came to an inescapable conclusion. Darth Bane had seen the future, and knew how the Final Way would be realized. His teachings have since been corrupted and misinterpreted over the millennium as to be unrecognizable from their original meaning, but that doesn't change the validity of the Final Way itself. It only means that once the Final Way (the complete and total dedication to Justice) is revealed, the Tyrith'Sun will have to decide how to bring it about.
While Darth Bane's prophecy concerning the One does not foretell victory - rather, it foretells of the chance of victory should the Tyrith'Sun succeed - it does state unequivocally that should the One fail to bring about the Final Way, the galaxy will succumb to darkness and chaos for all time.
(For more information on Mal'ari'carun's study of the Final Way and the legend of Darth Bane, see Return from Rage)
Tyrith as Style
Conceived and developed by Mal'ari'carun during The Wanderings, Tyrith is a style of combat that transcends its constituent elements. Combining blinding speed and deadly accuracy with seemingly random acts of misdirection, it is a style of combat which is wholly unpredictable.
Focusing on pressure points and weak spots (such as where joints meet), it also requires a strong knowledge of xeno-anatomy, often calling for blows that will slip between a target's bones to hit internal organs or other soft tissue. Combining this with its penchant for whittling down a foe's ability over time (such as through hamstringing them, rather than going for an instant kill at the risk of defeat), it creates a deadly dance of distraction and death.
Its fluid nature is adaptable to any situation, any enemy, any weapon. By its very nature, the practitioner is constantly moving, never staying in one places for longer than an instant. First moving at random, then possibly simulating a pattern; once the opponent senses the pattern it will change in a heartbeat to randomness again. Every part of the body is used, and anything can be a weapon. In Tyrith, there is no such thing as "fair play".
While adaptable to any weapon, Mal'ari'carun typically uses his lightsaber, Tyrith'Sun, and one of his Leorals. Almost dry in its style, despite its constant fluctuations, Tyrith is completely devoid of wasted movement, of flourishes, of bravado, except in the name of psychological warfare. Its defense contains no blocks, but is made entirely of parries and reversals aimed at ripostes and the fulfillment of the Prime Edict.
- Grip: The practitioner holds one knife is a reverse grip in his "off hand". His lightsaber is held upwards in his "strong hand" near the hilt. His thumb and index finger maintain a loose grip on the hilt of his saber, his middle wraps around it securely, and his last two fingers hang loosely away from the hilt.
- Stance: Pointing his lead foot at the opponent, with his body turned completely sideways and his knees beint for a lower center of gravity, the practitioner of Tyrith aligns his back foot's side towards his lead heel. His "off hand" is held out in front and his "strong hand" is behind and above him, with the blade of the lightsaber pointed at his opponent's chest.
- Striking: Given the fluid nature of the style, there are almost no thrusts or jabs except in the name of misdirection. The Tyrith master attacks first, and never allows his opponent a single breath. When the enemy does strike, he will find a defense designed completely around ripostes and counter-attacks. The Tyrith Master may, at this point, go for the kill. Or he may, instead, choose to damage his opponent in expectation of their eventual demise. Regardless, all actions are governed by the Prime Edict.
- Defense: In Tyrith, there is no true defense. Every defensive action leads towards the Prime Edict. To the Tyrith master, embroiled in the heat of combat, no other truth exists. Every dodge is designed to tire an enemy. Every parry is intended to throw an enemy off balance and lead to damage. There is only one truth, the Prime Edict, and the Tyrith master knows this to the depths of his very soul.
Character Accomplishments
Positions Held
Current Position(s)
Trivia
- Mal'ari'carun's name was actually derived from "Alaric", rather than the other way around.
- Mal'ari'carun was one of the first Chiss to join the Dark Jedi Brotherhood.
- Mal'ari'carun is Erro Marked of the Wanderer.
- Mal'ari'carun has developed his own fighting style known as Tyrith.
- Mal'ari'carun's theme song is The Devil's Song by Marcy Playground.
- Mal'ari'carun was the last Combat Master appointed while the position was still a part of the Dark Council.
- Mal'ari'carun is married to Fet'ai'narun, both in the Dark Jedi Brotherhood and in Real Life.
- Mal'ari'carun once wrote a 17-Page story, from scratch, in two hours (March 2004 'Dark Deal' KMT)
- Mal'ari'carun based The Prime Edict on the quote of the same name by Terry Goodkind in the Sword of Truth.
Quotes
- "The Prime Edict: It means only one thing, and everything: cut. Once committed to fight, cut. Everything else is secondary. Cut. That is your duty, your purpose, your hunger. There is no rule more important, no commitment that overrides that one. Cut. Cut from the void, not from bewilderment. Cut the enemy as quickly and directly as possible. Cut with certainty. Cut decisively, resolutely. Cut into his strength. Flow through the gaps in his guard. Cut him. Cut him down utterly. Don't allow him a breath. Crush him. Cut him without mercy to the depths of his spirit. It is the balance of life: death. It is the dance with death. It is the law by which a warrior lives. Or he dies."
- ―Mal'ari'carun