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I see the contestants are making their way out onto the starting grid. This article was originally created as an entry for a Tenth Great Jedi War competition and is not official DJB canon content. It is preserved here for historical purposes only.
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Cotelin's Holocron is a Sith Holocron created by GM Jac Cotelin. After the Zoraan Uprising, and the loss of the Dark Hall, it was apparent that keeping all the teachings of the Brotherhood in one place was extremely unwise. He sought advice and assistance from Thedek, who was already reknowned for his ability to manipulate methods of storing information. With Thedek's guidance, Jac created his own, personal holocron, as a means to store the vast amount of experience and knowledge he had already accumulated.
In the years since, the holocron was passed from Consul to Consul, allowing them to add their own experiences and detail events that have occurred during their reigns. In this way it is ensured that the knowledge of Taldryan and a running historical record of the Brotherhood is preserved and maintained for the generations to come. Almost by accident, this holocron has also captured part of the essence of all who have contributed to it, so keeping the memories of it's creators alive.
When Grand Master Muz Ashen oversaw the reorganization of the great clans into houses, former Consuls of Taldryan came together to decide what to do with the holocron. The debate lasted through the night, and in the end it was decided that the holocron would instead be kept in the Brotherhood's holocron center rather than be left in the care of a house. The opposing side unsuccessfully argued that keeping the holocron on Antei defeated the purpose of the backup record, but were eventually swayed by the argument that it should be kept in the safest possible place.
Cotelin's Holocron is one of the most used holocrons in the center today. Visiting masters are invited to add their thoughts and experiences to the holocron so that despite the Brotherhood's potential decline, our precious teachings would be kept forever.
Properties
The holocron of Wang resembles a four-sided pyramidal Holocron. It was furbished out of a golden material and overseen with Symbols of the Dark Side. It has the phrase "In umbris potestas est" carved on all four sides on it in Aurebesh. Once it is activated its interior starts to glow in a soft rubicund light.
Contents
The contents of Cotelin's Holocron were unique in that the essences, knowledge, and memoirs of several Dark Jedi were stored within. Perfecting the Holocron over a span of years, Jac Cotelin ensured that, no matter what disasters struck, a historical record would remain that could help rebuild and maintain the ways of the Dark Brotherhood. Though initially a personal Holocron of his own knowledge, the artifact was eventually passed down by the Consuls of Clan Taldryan.
Excerpts from Cotelin's Holocron
Jac Cotelin, Grand Master
- "One of the darkest times in Clan Taldryan history. It's not what one would expect me to say of my elevation to the position of Consul in this great Clan. It was however, a promotion that I never sought out, one that I never asked for. In the months leading up to Grand Master Zoraan's mental collapse, there were those in the Brotherhood who had seen the instability forming, and had sought out avenues to limit his excesses. Telaris "Mav" Cantor was one such person. Mav had been a driving force for Taldryan, and indeed the Brotherhood as a whole. He was my friend, my confidant, and he was the same for every person in Clan Taldryan. He had been actively campaigning for Zoraan to resign, a campaign which in hindsight was one full of wisdom and foresight.
- "However when dealing with a mad-man, no amount of practical reasoning would assuage the feeling of betrayal in Grand Master Zoraan. In an act of extreme rage, and petty jealousy Zoraan removed from our Clan one of it's most inspirational and compelling leaders, my friend Mav. Zoraan, his mental faculties already beginning to erode, prone to irrational and frightening outbursts was more than willing to appoint an outsider to lead what he saw as a rebellious Clan Taldryan. It was with a heavy heart that I took over the reigns of Taldryan, to hold in safe keeping the position that Mav had been so amazing at. But more importantly, in order to protect Clan Taldryan from without.
- "Our greatest strength has always been our unity. Unity in the face of adversity, unity against the combined hatred of the rest of the Brotherhood. It was what defined us, it was what made us better. Zoraan thought he could destroy our wills by removing Mav. I viewed it as my duty to defend it, so that no outside influence could seek to undermine what we were: A Brotherhood within a Brotherhood."
Kir Katarn, Prophet
- "The ever growing influence of the Emperor's Hammer Command Staff on Brotherhood affairs following Zoraan's uprising has finally come to a head. We Jedi, and those loyal to our ways, are leaving Imperial space to find our own way. The road will be long and difficult in the days ahead, and we have already lost brothers - through skrimishes and through loyalty to the Empire - and we will lose more. I beleive, however, that this exodus will ultimately prove to be more benefical, and being on our own will be more more fruitful than living under the yoke of the Imperial Remnant."
Vodo Biask, Epis
Written on the eve of Clans being dissolved, a more solemn entry on the Brotherhood's membership dwindling and Taldryan changing.
- "While most of the Clans viewed the dissolution of their membership to the status of a House as a major blow, Taldryan had a unique angle on these events. Forged from the strength of Independednt House Ektrosis, Taldryan was by far the youngest of the Clans. Ektrosis had proven long ago that an Independent House could stand against the might of the Clans, and so the reorganisation of the Brotherhood was seen in Taldryan as just that, a reorganisation necessary to ensure the ongoing health of the Brotherhood as a whole, rather than a handicap to the greatness of Taldryan."
History
Beyond the Ashes
The Holocron fo Wang in the Rubble of the Dark Hall
For those looking in from the outside, it had perhaps been inevitable. For those caught in the grips of it, it had been one of the most trying and difficult period for the Dark Brotherhood. It was perhaps one of the most terrifying experiences those in the Brotherhood had ever had to deal with.
Grand Master Archibald Zoraan, a man whose power in the force was rivaled by few in the known galaxy had grown insane and unpredictable. As his descent into madness became more apparent, factions within the Brotherhood had sought out the power of the Emperor's Hammer to bring him to heel, and restore order. In the ensuing chaos that followed, Zoraan's insanity exploded forth both figuratively and literally.
With his departure, the Brotherhood was left in a precarious position. Much of the combined knowledge of the Brotherhood had been lost in the departed Grand Master's selfish and reckless destruction of the Dark Hall on Eos, and as the Consul of Clan Taldryan, and a Grand Master in his own right, Jac Ae-Sequira Cotelin knew what his duty was.
Never again would it be a simple matter to destroy the combined knowledge of Dark Brotherhood. He took it upon himself to begin chronicling the history of the Clans, in order to ensure that their legacy would continue unmolested throughout time.
Construction
It was no mean task, the construction of a Holocron, especially one that would need to remain secret. Though Jac was one of the most powerful force users alive, even to him not all mysteries would simply be revealed without proper guidance. Sadly, being a Grand Master the number of people in the Universe who could be expected to teach you anything was not exactly a high number. As such Jac knew he had to seek out one of the most knowledgeable men in the Universe when it came to archiving and storing information, Grand Master Thedek.
With the knowledge of Holocron building and production now known to him, the creation of this Holocron would become one of Jac’s most taxing and time consuming activities. Within this item would need to be stored his own knowledge of the Brotherhood, from the time of his joining until Zoraan’s betrayal. Not only that though, he must need to make this holocron different from others, allowing making sure more than just he would be able to add to its knowledge, forming a truly eternal repository for the knowledge and history of Clan Taldryan and the Dark Brotherhood as a whole.
Memoirs of the Grand Master
- "We cannot only look to keeping our own knowledge safe Yacks, we’re the strongest of the Clans. If there is ever a calamity, they will inevitably look toward us for leadership. Despite our rivalries, we must not fail in this."
- ―Jac arguing with his Proconsul over the construction of the Holocron
The time following Zoraan’s departure was one of uncomfortable peace within the Dark Brotherhood. In order to circumvent the poisonous distrust between the Dark Council and the Clans under Grand Master Chi-Long, there was to be a great gathering of the Clans, with each sending a representative to the Assembly, in order to act as a forum for building trust.
Conflicts and wars would continue unabated throughout the following years. Tensions would grow between the Clans, and between the Dark Brotherhood and her longtime allies in the Imperial Remnant, the Emperor’s Hammer. Cotelin would continue to chronicle the events in the Brotherhood as he witnessed them, adding to his collection as though it were almost a memoir.
Few in the Brotherhood or Clan Taldryan knew of his ongoing efforts to maintain a separate record of their history, to the other Clans it would be expected that it was merely another egomaniacal example of Taldryan’s excess, and to the Dark Council it could have even gone so far as to indicate yet more discord being sown throughout the Brotherhood. Only a select few knew of the Holocron’s construction, let alone its purpose. Keirdagh Taldrya Cantor, Jac’s longtime Proconsul had advocated that Cotelin use the Holocron only for the betterment of the Clan, and damn the Brotherhood as a whole, but Jac knew he could not simply do away with his duty. Fearful that others would feel this way, Cotelin was forced to continue his work in secret.
A Legacy Born
With the tensions between the Emperor’s Hammer and the Dark Brotherhood fast approaching a fracture point, Cotelin knew that he was entering a crucial point in the Brotherhood’s history. Knowing the position he was taking within the Council of Seven, Cotelin knew that his own life would be forfeit should the upcoming rebellion fail. To this end, he recruited his Proconsul Sithspawn, and began instructing him of the Holocron he had been creating, and showed him how to access and add to the information.
Considering his own life to be forfeit in the endeavor of freeing the Brotherhood from the Remnant’s influence, Jac knew that this was the time his Holocron would be most needed. He bestowed it upon Sithspawn and exacted a blood oath, which he would continue to pass the Holocron on to those who came after him, ensuring that Taldryan continued to document the history of the Brotherhood and keep it secret as long as they were able.
While not the most bookish of men, Sithspawn was forever loyal to Jac and Taldryan, and his oath would be secured. As such, unbeknownst to the Brotherhood as a whole, Taldryan would from that day forth be silent chroniclers of the Brotherhood’s History and knowledge.
Fallen Clan
This is not my first dealing with this holocron… in fact; there have been many instances where I have found a certain solace amongst its presence. Though, and for reasons I cannot say, I do feel this may be my last. I can not explain why. Not because I am bound to some ill promise or that I have sworn myself to an oath. Rather, I do not feel I can express in any audible form of what I truly feel… words are meaningless; the force is everything.
Times have changed. The Iron Throne has changed much since I first stepped into this world of dismal obedience and loyalty to the Grand Master. Much like this device before me, my Clan has been the only thing keeping me steady in my sane…
So much has changed. I hear the voices of those familiar by name and those familiar by face echo back at me. Some of their words are encouraging… most, though, are firm in their correction. There is change coming, and somehow I feel my time leading Taldryan will be shorter than I can anticipate. I do not feel weak, but the tides of the force are never wrong…
My Aedile Shaz’air; he longs to be where I am, leading Taldryan. His ambitions are great, but he still has much to learn… he is not foolish enough to dismiss the call of the force, and he knows he will stand in a similar position to where I stand now in the future, leading over Taldryan. But he is still young in both the ways of the force and in Taldryan… many outside of my beloved House Ektrosis do not know Shaz’air or the secret that he carries. There is promise with the Prelate that I cannot deny.
My orders from the Dark Council are harsh, and I feel many will leave Taldryan when the time the Iron Throne will act on their part of these orders. I pray all those who are weak be cast out now. If what I see from these orders is correct, there will no longer be a Consul of Taldryan, rather a Quaestor. The days of Independent House Ektrosis are forgotten by most, but this may be all too quick of a return for some.
Don’t be mistaken, my days are numbered at the helm of Taldryan. Taldryan has a new legacy about to unfold before her… I must go now, and prepare my successor.
Times of Despair
With the clans being reorganized into houses, the leaders and former leaders of Taldryan came together to discuss many things, one of which was the future of Cotelin's Holocron. Many believed that Taldryan, House or Clan, was the one entrusted with its care and should be the one to safeguard it regardless of Brotherhood events. As well, they argued that being in part a backup history of the brotherhood, it should be kept as far away as possible from the Iron Throne, just in case another Zorann appeared to lead the Brotherhood into another Dark Age. The opposing faction thought more broadly, and believed that the newly instituted Holocron Center of the Brotherhood would now be the safest place for the holocron. In the end, the latter faction won out in the debate, and the holocron was sent to Antei.
The holocron was quickly recognized as an authoritative source of Brotherhood history. Despite being held by Cotelin's home clan for many years, the leaders allowed to add to it frequently went on to become members of the Dark Council. Continuing the spirit of the holocron, the decision was made to allow Elders visiting the holocron center to add their own piece to the masterly crafted holocron. The hope was to record the history and teachings of the entire Brotherhood, and restricting the authors to a single clan didn't further this goal.
The current Holocron Tribune, Benevolent Taldrya Whiner, was originally part of the faction that believed the holocron would be safer staying with Taldryan. Upon his appointment to the post of Tribune of the Holocrons, the Taldrya swore that at the first sign of trouble he would personally escort the Holocron to a safer location. In the meantime, he would continue the tradition of allowing Elders of the Brotherhood to add their experiences to the Holocron.
Creators
This Holocron was created by Grand Master Jac Cotelin following the events surrounding Grand Master Zoraan's uprising and death; and the destruction of the Dark Hall. The loss of many of Taldryan's early records in the force storms was an impetus for Cotelin to preserve what remained of the Clan's histories for future generations.