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The Third Brotherhood Civil War (25 ABY)

A Prelude to War

"Victory-class Star Destroyer Dark Prophet. This is Dark Adept Shadow Taldrya, reporting for duty."

―Shadow Taldrya, returning home

"Can we try not taking on their entire army this time?"

―Shadow Taldrya, on reconnaissance mission with Shaithis Va'arek, Sharad Taldrya Hett, and Sithspawn Taldrya

En route to Kr'Tal, Shadow received an urgent communication from Taldryan Command, requesting his immediate assistance in the Dajorra System, home of Clan Arcona. Within hours of receiving the message, Shadow boarded the Taldryan Flagship, Dark Prophet and met with recently appointed Consul Duga Arkarso who revealed that two of Taldryan's Jedi had been captured by the Arconans on a routine intelligence mission. Since the capture, hostilities had rapidly increased between the Clans, and Taldryan was now poised through their enemy's System ready for war.

Shadow was asked to join a ground assault team along with Sharad Taldrya Hett and Sithspawn Taldrya, two of Dinaari's best warriors. Together they were to target minimally protected outposts and gather information on the whereabouts of the lost Jedi in an effort to prevent all out war with Arcona. Their first target was located on Arconae Primus, a small communications station buried deep within the dense jungles that blanketed most of the planet. The three Dark Jedi worked together to infiltrate the lightly defended outpost and defeated the small garrison. Unfortunately, a bit overzealous in their efforts, they had allowed the command staff to get caught in the crossfire and had no one living to question. A brief search through the station's records proved fruitless and they were forced to return to the Prophet empty-handed.

The conflict was escalating rapidly, as Arconan forces had finally been marshaled resulting in a stand-off between the fleets. With limited time left, Arkarso sent Shadow and the team to the moon of Boral, which orbited the planet of Selen. In a small training facility, Shadow, Sharad and Sithspawn uncovered the whereabouts of their missing comrades, who had been moved to Selen for interrogation. They returned to the Prophet with the news to find the Consul was not in command. Instead, Proconsul Benevolent held command and ordered the start of the assault when Shadow explained the situation. But, before the attack could commence, both Clans were ordered to stand down by their Consuls, who had met privately to negotiate an end to the conflict. The war had been narrowly avoided and, much to Shadow's surprise, Taldryan had agreed to an alliance with Arcona for the foreseeable future.

Aggressive Negotiations

"No I'm not trying to start a war, my orders were very clear on that. But believe you me, it's very tempting."

―Shadow Taldrya, removing Clan Ambassadors from Karufr

When a series of unexplained accidents occurred throughout Kr'Tal and other Brotherhood-controlled System, accusations of sabotage threw the Brotherhood into a downwards spiral, with each Clan once more preparing itself for war. Under Consul Arkarso's orders, Shadow and Dark Jedi Knight Matsuki traveled to the Clan embassies on Karufr to order the Ambassadors off world. The gathered representatives of the Six Clans saw the request as tantamount to a declaration of war and refused to leave. Fortunately, Shadow had been given free reign to accomplish the task. The Adept drew his lightsaber and gave the ambassadors an ultimatum—leave or die. Only the Tarentum delegate refused to yield and quickly fell to Shadow's blade. In a matter of hours the Embassies were emptied, but the situation across the Brotherhood was deteriorating rapidly.

When Shadow returned to the Clan Headquarters, it was to the shocking announcement that a man, believing himself to be Jac Cotelin, was claiming to be the true Dark Lord of the Sith. As the Clan Summit and Elders gathered to confer upon the matter, Consul Arkarso informed the Jedi that the true Grand Master was presently on Karufr. Scouts interrupted the meeting a dire warning—Clan Tarentum's fleet had entered the Kr'Tal System. Further intelligence showed that the Clans were equally divided in their support of the two Jacs, but as Shadow knew, only the true Jac would seek help from his former Clan.

Pledged to the true Grand Master, Consul Arkarso ordered an honor guard comprised of several Elders, including Shadow, to serve as the Grand Master's personal bodyguards on the journey to take back the Dark Hall. The Clan departed en masse for Antei. While the majority of Taldryan's force fended off the Tarentum task force, Shadow and the Grand Master's retinue took the remaining ships and slipped into Hyperspace. Scholae Palatinae and Arcona were already surrounding Antei, holding off the Naga Sadow and Plagueis starships, to allow Taldryan to land on the planet.

Reclaiming the Throne

"It's time to take the fight to them."

―Shadow Taldrya, ordering a full-scale attack of Tarentum forces

On the steps of the Dark Hall, the Clans waged an all-out war for their chosen Grand Master. The Taldryan Jedi joined ranks with their allies and helped push the usurping Clans back from the entrance. Shadow, following behind the true Dark Lord, was ordered to proceed into the Hall along with a cadre of Taldryan warriors to commandeer the planetary defenses. Though resistance was heavy, Shadow led the group through a carefully mapped out route that circumvented most of the Clone's soldiers. When they neared their goal, they encountered a large group of enemy Jedi, comprised mainly of Sadow and Tarentae. Pinned down with their objective so close, Duga ordered Shadow to continue on with two Equites—a demolitions and security expert, who would ensure their success. With a last look at their allies, Shadow slipped around the battle and kept moving.

Now separated from the rest of the group, Shadow and his crew fought their way to the Council Chambers, on the highest level of the tower. When they reached the great doors, they discovered the blast doors had already been shut. With a command from the Elder, Benevolent set a series of Detpacks around the door to blow it open. Once breached, the trio raced through the room to a hidden door that led them to the Grand Master's personal study, where the emergency defense controls resided. Shadow ordered Vardar to activate the defenses, while Ben began downloading information from Cotelin's computer to a datapad. As the last line of defense, Shadow returned to the Council Chambers to guard against any would-be saboteurs. The actions of Shadow and his team allowed the Grand Master to confront his doppleganger and the two battled to the death. When one Jac, the true Jac, remained, he called a cease to all hostilities and ordered the Clans to stand down.

The Long Night (26 - 27 ABY)

"Show them what it means to challenge the will of the gods."

―Kol Amnan, beginning the attack on the Brotherhood

After the Brotherhood's Civil War, Grand Master Cotelin pushed for an expansion of the Star Systems. Outlying scouts reported that an area of the Outer Rim was contested between rogue Rebel and Imperial factions. In order to set the Clans on a new target, Cotelin ordered them to assist in the Subterrel Conflict. Shadow took up the cause readily, glad to be using his powers in a battle where he would not be required to spill the blood of his own kin. While the Clans waged their war, the rest of the Galaxy was fighting a battle for its own existence against the Yuuzhan Vong, the extragalactic warriors seeking to purify the galaxy of all technology. For the most part, Shadow was unaware of the plight of the rest of the Galaxy, as his efforts were focused on defeating the Rebel and Imperial alliances. Mid-war, Cotelin, wishing to put an end to the Outer Rim War, abdicated his throne and rejoined Clan Taldryan to help in the conquest.

Though he wasn't there for the coronation, Shadow learned that Sarin, the Deputy Grand Master, succeeded Jac as Grand Master. While the war for the Subterrel Sector was going well, the sudden attack on the Yavin System by the Yuuzhan Vong worried the new Grand Master, who recalled the Clans to Antei before the conflict could be concluded. Shadow was angered to leave when they were so close to victory, the enemy forces nearly destroyed, but he was forced to obey. Yavin, it was believed, was too close to the Antei System, and Sarin wished to ensure the safety of his world. To this end, the Grand Master instituted a Brotherhood-wide training exercise to determine which Clan would lead the Brotherhood's vanguard against these would-be invaders.

The trials were a series of combat simulations. Shadow and a small team of Elders worked feverishly on intricate battle plans that defeated the toughest of simulations and Taldryan was deemed the victors. Elated, the entire fleet gathered on the outskirts of the Antei Nebula for an immense ceremony. It was during the awarding of the title of First Clan that the Yuuzhan Vong fleet struck against the unprepared Dark Jedi. The opening salvo was devastating and the Brotherhood Fleet quickly dispersed, each Clan trying to protect itself. The attack had been a complete surprise because, for reasons unknown, the invaders and their fleet could not be sensed with the Force.

A Prisoner of War

"It was like nothing I've ever felt before. Unrelenting agony. No wonder they call it the Embrace of Pain."

―Shadow Taldrya, recounting his suffering at the hands of the Yuuzhan Vong

Desperate to return to his own Clan's fleet, Shadow borrowed an unattended starfighter and slipped free of the Council ship, to cross the suddenly contested space beyond the Shroud. But, just as he made contact with the Fleet, Shadow's ship was attacked by Yuuzhan Vong Coralskippers and destroyed. As not even the powers of Jac Cotelin could sense the Proconsul, the Summit of Clan Taldryan believed Shadow to be killed in action, and plotted an emergency course into the Shroud itself, hoping the invaders would not be able to follow. However, Shadow was not dead. The Adept, drawing on the Force to keep himself alive, was picked up an hour after the the attack began by a Slaveship, where he was placed, unconscious, into an organic torture device.

When Shadow regained consciousness it was to a pain he had never experienced before. As the days passed, the situation for both Shadow and Taldryan seemed hopeless. As he was presumed dead, Shadow was replaced as Proconsul by Prelate Chaosrain Taldrya, the former Ektrosis Quaestor. While the Taldryan fleet was being decimated inside the Shroud, Shadow and a group of captured Dark Jedi, were being tortured for information about what their kind were capable of. When he was given time to recuperate, Shadow studied his fellow captives—none of them were from Taldryan and he could only recognize two vaguely by sight. Still, he knew that if was going to escape, he would need their cooperation. The idea of trusting non-Taldryan members was repulsive, but he was in a no-win situation and needed any help he could get.

Negotiating a Release

"These creatures are stronger than us and immune to the Force. I don't care how you feel about each other—fight as a team or we’re not getting out of here alive."

―Shadow Taldrya

Though it was difficult to convince them to work together, Shadow managed to convince the Dark Jedi that their survival depended on it. By joining together in a Force Meld, the Jedi were able to enhance each other's strength and overcome the effects of the Embrace of Pain. Before they could escape, guards found them and attacked with their odd, snake-like staffs. By drawing on the strength of the others, Shadow was able to fend off the two Vong, utilizing his Echani training to incapacitate the warriors. Together, with Shadow leading the way, the Jedi made their way through the ship as fast as they could towards the only technology they could sense around them—a captured shuttle they hoped was still intact.

Weaponless and without the guidance of the Force, the Jedi made use of their hand to hand training, which was heightened by the Meld, to fight their way through the Slaveship towards what they assumed to be a hangar bay. The deck that held the shuttle was not a hangar, but some sort of lab that was being used to conduct odd experiments on the ship's technology. Dismay filled the Jedi as much of the ship was destroyed and covered in a strange organic material. Their captives found them there and attacked en mass. The Jedi fought hard, but without their powers and weapons they had almost no chance against the Vong. After two of his comrades fell, their Meld weakened, and Shadow knew they wouldn't have much hope of winning the battle. As two Vong charged him, Shadow, in pure desperation, channeled the Force from the others through their bond, igniting a cacophony of power at his fingertips. Force Lightning burst forth from his hands and the two aliens fell to the ground in the throws of a violent death. Surprised that this application of the Force could effect the creatures, Shadow turned the power on more, drawing strength from the ever-weakening pool of power the other Jedi had to spare.

But Shadow didn't much care what happened to them, they weren't of his Clan, and if they had to die so that he survived he could live with that. The Yuuzhan Vong retreated, not understanding how they were being killed so easily. Shadow took that opportunity to jump into the shuttle's cockpit. Built into all Lambda-class shuttles was an emergency escape pod that detached the cockpit from the rest of the ship. While his temporarily allies were being overrun, Shadow activated the escape pod and punctured a hole through the side of the Slaveship and escaped into the treacherous pathways of the Shroud. The Life Support System, however, was damaged and Shadow had to place himself in a Hibernation Trance to stay alive long enough to be found.

In the Eye of the Storm

"The only things for us here now are death and pride. Both are fatal."

―Aabsdu Dupar, accepting the loss of Antei

Yuuzhan Vong forces occupying the Antei System

When Shadow's mind cleared of the trance, he was in the medical bay Venator-class Star Destroyer Katarn, one of Taldryan's older and more powerful vessels. He woke to the face of Keirdagh Cantor, who was dressed in pilot uniform, which was badly torn and burned and covered with splashes of blood. Keirdagh explained to Shadow that Fury Squadron had come across his escape pod on their return to the Katarn and towed him to safety. Shadow thanked the old Sith and asked him what was happening with the battle. In answer, Keirdagh simply told Shadow to follow him to a meeting of the Summit and elder Taldryan members. Shadow was greeted by the room with shouts of surprise and elation, but the reunion quickly grew somber as he was told the full extent of what had happened during the time he was held hostage. Though information was still limited on the invaders, Shadow managed to fill them in on the few things he had learned as a captive. Unfortunately, little of it would help in fighting a battle of space superiority.

The most crushing blow, of course, was the loss of the Clan's flagship, the Victory I-class Star Destroyer Dark Prophet, which had been lost in the opening attack. While several Clans had managed to retreat to their own Systems, a few were trapped in the Shroud, attempting to hide from the Vong battle fleet. Shadow argued along with the others in support of retreating to Kr'Tal and leaving Antei to the defensive power of the Dark Council. It was Jac Cotelin who convinced the Summit to continue towards Antei to help the Council save the Brotherhood's seat of power. Before they could change course, though, several enemy ships emerged from the Shroud and attacked. Cotelin, delving into his immense reserves of power, used Shadow's knowledge of the enemy's weakness and created a vast Force Storm to eliminate all but one of the attacking battle group. The remaining vessel clashed with the Dark Seraphim, an aging Invincible-class Dreadnaught Heavy Cruiser and sent a boarding party to capture more Dark Jedi.

Shadow, along with Keirdagh and Sharad Hett, took a transport full of soldiers to aid the Seraphim's crew and repel the Vong warriors. With a lightsaber in hand, Shadow was able to take some vengeance against his former captors, tearing into them with his favorite weapon, but their efforts were ultimately in vain. The Yuuzhan Vong warship, crippled from Cotelin's attack, plowed into the Dreadnaught, rupturing its durasteel plating. Shadow and his team managed to make it to the hangar bay and fire up a shuttle to fly them to safety. Moments after their escape, the venerable starship exploded taking with it countless more lives. Though they suffered heavy losses, Cotelin's Force Storm had bought the Taldryan fleet time to limp deeper into the Shroud and closer towards Antei. To Shadow, it seemed a fool's idea to aid the Council when they were already so diminished, but their course had been chosen. With the Yuuzhan Vong behind them, Taldryan had but only one choice—to run to Antei.

The Battle of Antei

"As Grand Master of the Dark Jedi Brotherhood, I hereby order a full retreat from the Antei system."

―Darth Sarin, Battle of Antei

Shadow rejoined the Summit on the Katarn's bridge as the fleet emerged from the Shroud to hover above Antei. But the expected assistance was not there. Instead, Clan Tarentum, a bitter rival of Taldryan, targeted them and attacked the wounded Taldryan fleet. Enraged at the underhanded attack, Consul Arkarso ordered a full assault on the Tarentum fleet. Cotelin, disgusted by the incessant warring of the Clans, left the bridge, but Shadow followed him. Shadow attempted to persuade Jac to rejoin the fight, arguing against allying with lesser Clans, but the Grand Master, who believed cooperation was key to survival, became angry and lashed out, slamming Shadow into a bulkhead. It seemed that he would attack again, but Shadow was saved by a new warning alarm. Ships from Naga Sadow had entered the fray and were attacking both Taldryan and Tarentum. Deep down, Shadow knew the Grand Master was right, but he couldn't see any circumstance that would unite the Clans again.

In the midst of another attempt at civil war, the petty feud was interrupted by the reappearance of the Vong fleet. The Clans were forced to put their differences aside and began to work together to fend off the invaders. In his role as adviser, Shadow helped both Consul Arkarso and his Proconsul direct Taldryan's forces. Along side Jac Cotelin, he grudgingly managed to convince the young, hot-blooded leaders to have faith in the other Clans not to turn on them. Shadow didn't technically have faith in that, but he knew they would not risk their own lives just to get a cheap shot at Taldryan. The battle was intense and more Brotherhood vessels were destroyed with almost no reduction of the enemy's numbers, which seemed to spew endless from the anomaly. When all hoped seemed loss, a new fleet emerged from the Shroud, led by the Grand Master's flagship, Autarch. This new fleet broke the Vong offensive out of pure surprise, but it wasn't enough to turn the tide of battle. The Vong regrouped and attacked anew. In the end, Sarin ordered a full retreat while sending the Autarch on a sacrifice run to buy the Clans time to escape the System.

In the aftermath of the bloodbath, Taldryan's fleet had been reduced by three quarters, with just as many Jedi and personnel lost. As they limped back to Kr'Tal, defeated, Shadow vowed to avenge his fallen brothers and sisters. The entire Clan would prepare for revenge and each knew that Antei would not be lost forever. Shadow didn't mind the loss of Antei, or the destruction of the Dark Council's fleet, in fact it amused him, but a great many Jedi, people he had mentored and sparred with, had fallen in that battle. And he would see the Vong pay for what they did to him and his Clan.

From the Darkness (28 - 30 ABY)

Out of the Ashes

"Someone needs to teach them how to fight. Might as well be me."

―Shadow Taldrya, accepting the position of Blademaster

While the Council wandered the stars in exile, the Clans began to rebuild after their worst defeat, avoiding each other as much as possible and concentrating solely on increasing their ranks. In an effort to increase the fighting strength of the Clans, the Grand Master awarded each with ships from his newly designed fleet. For their efforts to protect Antei, Taldryan received the newly created Cotelin-class Star Destroyer Justice to replace the fallen Dark Prophet. Shadow, for having managed to escape captivity and fend off the Vong in melee combat, was chosen by the Taldryan Summit to start training their new members, which he readily agreed. By passing on his skills, the Adept hoped to give Taldryan the strength to eradicate the Vong in their next encounter. His easygoing nature had been stripped away in the face of devastating loss and the entire Clan shared his desire for revenge.

His new role as Clan trainer drew the attention of Grand Master Sarin, who was seeking a warrior to teach lightsaber and hand to hand combat on a larger, Brotherhood-wide scale. Shadow, though reluctant, agreed to get in contact with the Council to hear their offer. Sarin wished for Shadow to become the new Brotherhood Blademaster, similar to the Jedi Battlemaster, the position of the foremost lightsaber combat instructor. Shadow accepted the position, under the condition that he would be free to run training exercises as he saw fit, without Council interference. This conditition gave Sarin pause,

Shadow Taldrya, appearing before the exiled Dark Council

but in the end he acquiesced to the Adept's demands. With permission from the Grand Master, Shadow set up a training facility on the ruins of Dinaari's old headquarters on Kaiburr, which was now uninhabited.

The Clans all sent their best combatants to Kaiburr for an accelerated training course in single and group combat, focusing on enhancing one's own prowess with the Force, rather than relying on it to overcome the enemy. Using a series of intense and varied competitions, Shadow advanced the warriors' fighting prowess tenfold over the span of eight months. Pleased with the progress being made on Kaiburr, Sarin awarded Shadow with a promotion to the rank of Dark Jedi Master. held by only by a few of the strongest, most talented Dark Jedi in the Brotherhood. It was after this advancement that Shadow began to work with Combat Master Sharad Taldrya Hett, in an effort to further enhance the combat effectiveness of the Brotherhood's warriors. Whereas Shadow taught physical combat, Hett delved into various aspects of the Force. Under their combined tutelage, the Dark Jedi they trained became a force of unimaginable skill. When he felt sure he had done all he could, Shadow resigned the position of Blademaster and returned to Taldryan, ready for his Clan to begin its assault on the Yuuzhan Vong.

Second Chances

"You sure you're up to this?"
"Not at all, but it's not like I have much choice."

―Benevolent Taldrya Whiner and Shadow Taldrya, discussing his choice to return as Consul

Upon his return, Shadow had expected to find Taldryan in fighting form, but the last couple of years had been harder on the Clan than he had suspected. Shadow was dismayed to return to a Clan fractured with self-interest and a Summit splintered with petty differences. The Clan was in dire need of leadership, but Shadow was reluctant to offer. At last, he knew he could not forsake his duty and, using the favors he had earned as Blademaster, convinced the Grand Master to reinstate him as Consul, despite the misgivings of some of the Clan's older members. The moment he was appointed, Shadow began to bring order to the wayward Clan, forcing the Clan Summit to set aside its differences and to work together to regain their old glory.

With a new Summit under his command, Shadow felt as if he had been given a second chance to do what he was unable to before—return the Clan to its former power and lead it to victory. For a few months it seemed like Shadow would succeed. Activity amongst the Clan's members improved dramatically and the Summit was once again properly training new recruits. But the Dark Council quickly grew tired playing exile, and soon turned to the Clans to experiment with new tactics to counteract the Vong's superior technology. Only a few months after being given the reigns and the chance to start anew, Shadow was forced to bow to the Grand Master's wishes and begun a campaign of small military engagements against minor Vong threats.

Back Into the Fire

"At this point the reasons don't matter. I may not like it, but we'd be heavily outmatched in a fight with the Council's new fleet. Personally, I'd rather we fight the Vong."

―Consul Shadow

As Consul, Shadow was in far greater contact with the Dark Council than he had been while on Kaiburr, and he was able to see just how obsessed the Grand Master had become with the idea of striking back at the Vong usurpers. The Dark Lord's orders sent the Clans across the galaxy battling any small pockets of surviving Yuuzhan Vong fleets to test new strategies in an attempt to divine their weaknesses. It was after a few months of small skirmishes, in early 30 ABY, that Sarin sent orders for Taldryan to attack a large, isolated Vong fleet without assistance or backup. Shadow, disgusted by the reckless disregard for his Clan's well-being, attempted to argue with the Grand Master's plan but, under threat of being stripped of his position, was forced to accept the Council's demands.

Using the coordinates provided by the Grand Master, Taldryan's scouts ventured out and returned after reconnoitering the sector, but could gain little information as the Vong fleet was receiving a constant influx of new ships. The enemy was massing near the Bakura System in a region of the Outer Rim Territories, but the scouts were unable to determine the true size or exact condition of the fleet. Forced into a blind approach, Shadow tasked Battle Group Vanguard, the Clan's most powerful Battle Group, with the mission. Unwilling to let their Clan fight without them, both Shadow and his Proconsul, Hel-Pa Taldrya Sklib, stationed themselves aboard the CSD Justice to oversee command. Requiring fluid tactics and multiple contingencies, Shadow allowed the best tactical minds in Taldryan to formulate their battleplan while en route to Bakura. When they entered Realspace, they discovered a large fleet, including two warships and a number of assault cruisers, along with a score of fighters. On the fringes of the fleet were a handful of Slaveships, brimming with lifeforms detected by the Force. Shadow ordered the attack to commence at once, hoping the information gained from the skirmishes would translate to a full-scale battle.

The Elder's of the Clan joined together in Battle Meditation to counteract the Yammosks—the Yuuzhan Vong war coordinators. Their starfighters deployed a number of tactics that had proven effective in the Yuuzhan Vong War and were able to hold their own in the fight. While his pilots were doing their job, Shadow added a secondary objective to the battle plan, allowing his warriors to board and release the prisoners on the Slaveships. Utilizing battle melds and their new training, the warriors were able to overcome the enraged Vong in physical combat, and liberate the sentients the Vong had captured. The battle was an incredible success, with Taldryan showing only a small amount of casualties. When Shadow contacted Sarin, their success emboldened the Grand Master into accelerating his plans to return to Antei and he summoned the Clans to a rally point in the remote Radama Void.

Unification (30 ABY)

"Gentlemen, we are returning to Antei."

―Shadow Taldrya

Though Shadow wanted revenge against the Vong as much as most, perhaps more so, he believed the Grand Master was rushing their return to Antei to satisfy his own feelings of weakness—a folly that would be the downfall of the entire Brotherhood. Shadow knew, deep down, that any glory sought by the Sith would be paid for with the lives of the Obelisk, the true fighting force behind the Iron Throne, but given his volatile nature, the Elder dared not overtly question the Grand Master's motives. The plan devised by Admiral Joss Malin involved jumping the collected fleet through the Shroud into orbit around Antei, a highly fatalistic approach that could prove lethal to a large amount of their forces. Even without the ability to gauge the future, Shadow's instincts told him attacking Antei would be a mistake, and his instincts were rarely wrong. To further add insult to suicide, Sarin forbade the Clans from using their own military forces to help in taking Antei, instead requiring them to lead contingents of the Army of the Iron Throne, who had rarely worked with the Jedi before.

There were casualties in the jump, but Taldryan was unscathed. Attention was quickly diverty from the suicidal jump through lightspeed to the Yuuzhan Vong warships massing before the fleet. Except, the ships were not attacking, or moving at all. From his viewport on one of the ships of the Eighth Fleet, Shadow could see that the Vong cruisers were all dead in space. In a matter of minutes the ship was filled with the rumor that the Grand Master had been contacted by someone on Antei—a man claiming to be a Jedi Master. Shadow's shock was quickly replaced by anticipation. Though he loathed the Yuuzhan Vong and they were a worthy challenge, the Jedi were the truest test of skill—impeccably trained in combat and the Force, and with a religious indoctrination completely at odds with that of the Brotherhood's. Testing the strength of his Clan against the Jedi was, to Shadow, a much more appealing battle.

The Song Remains the Same

"Their egos would not let them go any other way."

―Keirdagh Cantor, remarking on Clan Naga Sadow's betrayal of Taldryan

Clan Taldryan was one of the first to land on Antei, where they were soon joined by the men and women of the 2nd Battalion, who were assigned to serve the Taldryan Jedi to accomplish the Grand Master's goals. Of course, Shadow knew that the Battalion only truly served the Iron Throne, and from the word "go" he was infuriated by the lack of cooperation from Major Doorna, the Battalion's Commanding Officer. From the comm-chatter he heard, Shadow discovered the enemy was being led by a man named Omancor Crask, an ex-Jedi Master who had formed his own militant sect of Jedi warriors. Their mission was apparently to cleanse the Galaxy of anything Crask deemed an evil, including both the Vong and the Brotherhood. As part of Operation Carbonite, Shadow and his Jedi worked to secure a landing zone for the other Clans, a task beneath their ability, but a necessary one.

As soon as the Dropships were down, Shadow ordered his force to move to engage the droid infantry mobilizing Southeast of their position. The droid army fell easily to the experienced Taldryan Jedi, but the heavy artillery was cutting through their defenses. Shadow's force sustained heavy casualties drawing fire from the artillery to give air support a chance to rain destruction down on what remained. Weakened, Shadow was forced by the Grand Master to link-up with the forces of Naga Sadow to reinforce their position. The idea of working with another Clan was not to his liking, but Shadow had little choice with his dwindling resources. The Naga Sadow Consul dealt with Taldryan through a Journeyman messenger, relaying orders without discussion. To Shadow and the Clan's Elders, it was obvious that the Sadow were looking to claim the glory of destroying their objective—a droid factory in their sector.

After confirming a strategy with their allies, Shadow had ordered his troops forward to begin thinning the droid army, a feat that could easily be accomplished by combining forces. The droid lines reformed against Taldryan and the 2nd Battalion but, as expected, the Sadow betrayed them as the Clans of the Brotherhood were wont to do. Using Taldryan as a diversion, the Naga Sadow Jedi began to slip around the battlefield, effectively avoiding the entire droid army, to attack the facility directly. As Shadow's men waged a bloody battle, the Sadow took their time traveling towards the relatively undefended factory solo, knowing they would be able to claim credit for its destruction. Shadow ordered Keirdagh Taldrya Cantor to lead a section of their army to draw off the droid attack, while the rest made their way towards the objective at a quick march. The Taldryan Jedi managed to reach the target in time and proceeded to dismantle it with explosives before their treacherous allies could navigate their circuitous route. Their objective complete, Shadow called for his Summit to plan their next move, but only three of the five appeared when summoned.

Fallen

"What greater weapon is there than to turn an enemy to your cause? To use their own knowledge against them?"

―Jedi Knight Bastila Shan, height of the Jedi Civil War

With all of his efforts focused on seeking out signs of betrayal from their "allies", Shadow was unaware that several of his Jedi had gone missing during the battle, including the Summit of House Ektrosis. Unwilling to lose his members to the likes of an upstart Jedi Master, Shadow dispatched Dark Jedi Mistress Alanna Taldrya to mount an operation to rescue their lost personnel. He knew Alanna would succeed were most would fail, as she was both a powerful Krath, and had a personal stake in the matter because Vodo Biask was something of an Apprentice to her. But the Consul could not let the loss of members prevent him from completing Taldryan's assigned tasks, and Shadow ordered his Jedi to move on towards their next objective, and to leave the overzealous Naga Sadow behind.

Despite working alone, Shadow and his Jedi were able to successfully destroy an enemy artillery platform, allowing their troop transports to slip through the battleground relatively unhindered. As Taldryan marched, the droid army before them was crushed into scrap metal, giving them a clear path to the Triumvirate Library. It was then that Shadow sensed unfathomable distress in the Force, emanating from some of his own members. Instead of leading the charge on the Library, he ordered his warriors to take it by any means necessary, ignoring the Grand Master's plea to avoid collateral damage. As an Obelisk, he knew war was all about collateral damage. Though the mission was going well, perhaps better than expected, something terrible was happening within the Dark Hall itself. Unable to win a decisive victory, Shadow ordered the stronghold to be taken out with explosives. Though much of the Library survived the blast, the entrance was in complete ruins, trapping both allies and enemies inside, to be left for the Council to deal with at a later time.

In the aftermath of the war, Shadow was informed by Quaestor Biask, that Crask had managed to convert the young Ektrosis Aedile, Sidarace Rathden, to the Light Side of the Force and brainwash him into attacking his former master. Biask was forced to slay his own Aedile and barely managed to escape with his life and the lives of the rescue party Shadow had neglected to worry about. His preoccupation with winning the war had left him blind to the peril his people had been in. While he was being informed of his Summit's actions, word spread through the Clans that Sarin had been defeated in battle and that his Shadow Hand, Muz Ashen, had succeeded him as Grand Master. Shadow would have chosen to miss the coronation, if he had not been summoned by his new Lord. But, filled with shame and regret in the wake of how events had unfolded, Shadow refused to accept the award given for his efforts in the war. The Clan, however, could not ignore the cost of his actions. For nearly destroying the Triumvirate Library and because intelligence had been leaked by the turned Ektrosis Aedile, Taldryan was unseated as the most powerful Clan of the Brotherhood, the position usurped by the hated Arconans. As soon as the ceremony was ended, Shadow returned to Karufr alone to reflect on his failures.

A Wayward Son (31 - 34 ABY)

Abandon All Hope

"I have thought hard on this and it's what's best for me. It's what's best for Taldryan."

―Shadow Taldrya, recording his resignation

Shadow Taldrya, incognito in a Nar Shadaa bar

With the death of so many Jedi, and the Clan's vaunted honor usurped, Shadow could not help but blame himself for the losses Taldryan had suffered under his rule. He was the first Consul to lose Taldryan its place as the dominant Clan since the time of the Great Clanning in 13 ABY, an indelible scar that would forever torment him. Fearing anger and accusations from the rest of the Clan, Shadow became withdrawn and isolated, only forcing himself into the company of others under the most dire of circumstances. Eventually, he fell into a deep depression and stopped performing his duties as Consul altogether. It wasn't much later, weeks at the most, that Shadow decided it was time to move on. Under the cover of darkness, he slipped out of his quarters and into the hangar bay, and left Taldryan behind with nothing but a holo-recording of his resignation.

For a time, Shadow wandered listlessly amongst the stars, avoiding highly populated Systems because he was still wanted for questioning by the New Republic, which had recently been reorganized into the Galactic Alliance. Wishing to avoid unwanted attention from the New Jedi Order and its myriad of Praxeums, Enclaves, and Temples throughout the Galaxy, Shadow kept to the fringes of the Outer Rim, always vigilant for Alliance patrols and scouts. Far as he was from the the galactic hub, Shadow expected no one to find him in the vast reaches of space. But he wasn't counting on another presence wishing to avoid Luke Skywalker's Jedi Knights. On the Force-saturated world of Felucia, Shadow was confronted by a beautiful Twi'lek female, emanating the strength and power of the Dark Side of the Force.

At first wary of this unknown Jedi, Shadow instinctively drew his weapon and attacked. The two battled, but Shadow could sense he was only being tested by the stranger. Immediately, he reigned in his skill, merely matching the ability of his opponent, feigning that it was difficult to keep up. The fight was brief, barely long enough to probe his feigned skills, and ended when the Twi'lek deactivated her weapon. Introducing herself as Venera, she told Shadow his presence had been sensed when he passed near the ancient Sith homeworld of Korriban. Her Master, a man searching for those with power to join his cause, had sent her to test him and, if possible, recruit him. Curiosity overcame caution. Unaware of any prevalent Dark Jedi sects beyond the Brotherhood, Shadow was intrigued by what he might discover and agreed to accompany his potential ally back to Korriban to learn more.

Darkness at the End of the Tunnel

"My Sith will be many, but they will be one. The Order itself above all."

―Darth Krayt

Upon landing his ship on the barren desert world, Shadow was led towards the ancient ruins of the Sith Academy, but they did not venture into its decrepit halls. Instead, Venera led him to the entrance of a large cave, which branched off into an underground network of tunnels. These led to an immense chamber that had, at one time, been part of the old Academy, but had sunk underground over the millennia. Waiting to greet them when they entered was a small circle of heavily robed figures, each marked by intricate tattoos etched across their visible flesh. At the forefront stood a large man, who appeared human, but somehow twisted by what Shadow recognized as Vong experiments. He was introduced to the self-proclaimed Dark Lord of the Sith, Darth Krayt.

After a brief explanation of where he had learned his skills, to which Shadow had already fabricated a tale involving a falling out with the New Jedi Order, Krayt explained his vision of a unified Sith Order, replacing Darth Bane's Rule of Two with his own Rule of One—an Order of many Sith ultimately answering to the Dark Lord. To Shadow, this seemed very similar to the foundations of the Dark Brotherhood. Krayt spoke of his vision for the future with such fervor that Shadow found himself drawn into the idea of a new power sweeping across the Galaxy to right all wrongs. He agreed to join Krayt's New Sith Order and was accepted as a Sith Acolyte.

What followed were several months not unlike his first in the Brotherhood. Shadow was trained in new techniques and was inundated with the philosophies and doctrines of the Sith, while spending a great deal of time broadening his personal knowledge of the Force, though he was still limited by his gross expenditure of power. As he became more attached to the Order, Shadow was given greater amounts of trust, and gained the rank of Sith Adept. Most of his free time was spent learning about the Order and its members from Venera, who was also an Adept, but was hoping to soon become a Sith Lady. At first, the One Sith seemed like the perfect haven for the Rogue Dark Jedi—his knowledge of the Force expanded rapidly and he always had a dueling partner thanks to Venera. Yet something held him back. He continued to hide the full extent of his skill, while gauging the strength of the others, wanting to keep his past and the existence of the Brotherhood hidden from Krayt and his fledgling army.

The Road to Nowhere

"I had hoped to find a place among your new Order, but Two Sith or One, you're still cowards unwilling to act."

―Shadow Taldrya, denouncing Darth Krayt and his One Sith

For six months, Shadow trained as a member of the One Sith, hiding who he was, but deepening his relationship with Venera and the others. Despite how well things were going, Shadow began to grow less comfortable among his new allies. He found the Sith ideology did not mesh with his own personal preference for action and direct confrontation. Krayt's vision was similar to that of most of the Sith Shadow had encountered—grand designs that involved waiting indefinitely for a moment to act. As an Obelisk, Shadow knew that waiting to enact grand plans usually resulted in failure, and believed the Sith hid behind their visions and strategies to avoid truly testing their strength against their adversaries. Shadow's distaste for Krayt and the One Sith grew until he was openly questioning the tenets of the Order, arguing with the younger members and challenging the elder. Finally, Shadow decided he would leave, but knew he would not do so alone. After spending a night with Venera, Shadow told her of his plans to leave Korriban, promising her a life worthy of their strength and power. She agreed to go with him and, together, they planned their escape.

Not long after that twilight encounter, Shadow and Venera slipped unseen out the underground headquarters of the One Sith and headed to his shuttle, which was set to take them anywhere they wanted to go. But, before they could enter the ship, they were confronted by Krayt and his two Hands, who appeared standing on the opposite side of the makeshift landing pad. Shadow pushed himself in front of Venera and drew his lightsaber, telling the Sith Lord that they were leaving. Venera shoved her way past him and went to stand next to Krayt, who greeted her as Darth Venera. Shadow knew he should have expected betrayal from a Sith, but he had been fooled. Krayt ordered the Twi'lek to attack him, which she did without hesitation, expecting an easy fight, but Shadow reacted differently than he had in the past. Having trained with her for months, Shadow knew exactly how Venera would attack, and he ended the fight with ease, a true Obelisk warrior, by piercing her through the heart with his blade.

Mildly surprised, Krayt ordered his Hands to finish Shadow off. Dropping all pretenses, Shadow unleashed the full extent of his power, dueling both Sith Lords with his preferred Form of Shien, and dominated them both with his martial prowess. Shadow managed to incapacitate both Hands and left them wounded, but alive. Again, he told Krayt he was leaving, but the Dark Lord attacked. Shadow was quicker than the ailing Sith, and easily outmatched him in lightsaber combat. Angered, Krayt summoned his power and launched a massive blast of Force Lightning at Shadow, who reacted quickly and summoned the same power to his fingertips. The twin attacks slammed into one another, creating a concussive blast that threw them both across the landing pad. Shadow slammed into his ship, while Krayt tumbled out of sight. Before the Sith Lord could recover, Shadow jumped into his ship and blasted off into space.

With the Horuset System behind him, Shadow realized he was in trouble. Krayt's assassins would be sent to hunt him down and the Galactic Alliance would surely find him and turn him over to the Jedi if he were discovered. Neither death or imprisonment were options he liked. Reluctantly, Shadow realized his only true sanctuary could be found outside the reaches of civilized space. In desperation he turned to his last alternative—Wild Space. Resigned to his fate, Shadow first plotted a course for the Galactic Core, where it would be harder to track him when he made the final jump. He knew that rejoining the Brotherhood would not keep him safe but, perhaps, he would one day return.

A Twisted Fate (34 ABY)

"Perhaps it is time to return and start anew."

―Shadow, after killing his old mentor

Staying under the radar was a little more difficult than Shadow originally anticipated, his personality very much opposed with the covert arts. Time and again his cover was blown, generally resulting in a quick skirmish with the Alliance, the Remnant, the Hutts, the bounty hunters, or the Sith. Too many people in the Galaxy wanted to skin the Elder alive, which seemed exceptionally unfair to him. After more than a year of running, Shadow eventually returned to his home planet of Corellia, seeking to hide himself amidst the locals who generally had a "don't ask, don't tell" policy.

Unfortunately, it seems you can't go home again. While sitting in a bar built to serve construction workers, Shadow was accosted by a group of Mandalorians, who interrupted his carefree relaxation. Before the trio of mercenaries could notice him, Shadow launched a telekinetic attack that crushed two of the beskar'gam-wearing mandos underneath a pile of tables and chairs. The third countered with concussion grenades and the Dark Jedi was forced to make a hasty retreat to a less enclosed location. In the open, he was better able to utilize his many gifts and managed to take out the mercenaries long enough to get some information—namely, who was stupid enough to try hunting him down.

The Mandalorians talked and Shadow was sent to the bowels of Nar Shadaa, a once-wonderful planet messed up by the Yuuzhan Vong's Vongforming. It was there that he ran into a ghost from his past—Kotus, the former Sovereign Protector that had apprenticed Shadow as a youngster. By all counts the man should have been dead... few survived a direct attack from a lightsaber, and yet here he was. Angered over what he saw as his apprentice's betrayal, Kotus attacked Shadow with all his long years of pent-up anger and rage. But, the old man was no match for a trained Dark Jedi Master and he succumbed to the deadly power of Shadow's Force Lightning.

Shattered Clan

"A lot happened while you were gone."

―Shaz'air Rathden to Shadow

The revelation he had after his battle with Kotus caused Shadow to rethink his choice to abandon the Brotherhood. With renewed resolve, he decided to return to his home of Taldryan and work to assist the Clan in any way he could. Flying a circuitous route back to the Kr'Tal System (he wanted to avoid be followed), Shadow eventually made his way to his one true home.

But the homecoming was not what he had expected. Instead of the welcoming Dinaari celebration, Shadow returned to discover the Clans had been dissolved in 33 ABY, re-forming into the Independent Houses they once had been. Both Dinaari and Ektrosis had been rolled into the new House Taldryan, ruled over by a lone pair of Quaestor and Aedile—Shaz'air Taldrya Rathden and Anubis Annedu.

Shocked and confused, it was explained to Shadow that, after so many staggering losses, the Brotherhood could no longer keep the Clans organized or staffed. Instead of pointing out the obvious—keeping the Clans and dropping the Houses—Shadow decided to make the best of the

situation he found himself in. Not much seemed to be happening in the House or the Brotherhood, but he was more than okay with a little downtime. After all, the Brotherhood could only go so long before catastrophe struck.

The Home

"We're too old for this shit."

―Old Folks' team motto

In the years since his departure, Shadow found that many of his old friends had banded together to create the Old Folks' Home, a unique battle team exclusively for the semi-retired members of Taldryan. Not feeling any great need for activity himself, Shadow joined his brothers in the Home and was at last able to get some true relaxation.

Of course, all that changed when Howlader, a recent transfer, decided things were a tad too boring. He suggested the Home start a mercenaries-for-hire business that would sell the services of the venerable Dark Jedi to the highest bidder. In this way, they could pick and choose their missions and earn fat paychecks doing what they were best at—fighting. The idea made a lot of sense to Shadow who helped spearhead the effort to get the operation underway. To ensure control was kept to the old folk, the entire enterprise was kept secret from the rest of the House and especially the Summit, who many of the elders felt were young and annoying anyways.

From that moment on, all was well for the Dark Jedi Master. He could rest in the Home, pampered by a lovely, all-female staff or, when he wished for some excitement, tag along on a daring mission to save the Galaxy from disaster (or, you know, whatever). Retirement had finally been perfected and Shadow was content to remain with the Old Folks' Home for the rest of his career.