Khryso Mallus is a male Chiss Sith and member of the Dark Jedi Brotherhood. He has attained the rank of Acolyte and is currently a student at the Shadow Academy. He belongs to House Ajunta Pall of Clan Plagueis. While he has held many professions throughout his life, he is now a loyal adherent to the ideology of the Sith and seeks greater power in order to life a life of opulence, decadence, and culture. While he is not the most social of beings, he prefers to work cooperatively with others to achieve a greater goal. However, he will not tolerate obstacles of any form. Some might describe him as mild-mannered, but make no mistake: he is a Sith.
Character History
Nirauan and the Imperial Civil War
Even after the death of Grand Admiral Thrawn, the Imperial forces stationed on Nirauan stayed loyal to the Empire. Although there were some among their numbers who expressed concern over new leadership, it was largely accepted that going forward, the Hand of Thrawn would persevere as an asset to the Imperial Remnant. These were the circumstances surrounding the birth of a Chiss child named Khryso Mallus. His name alone is evidence enough of the expectations set for him. While both of his parents were Chiss, they were also both loyal Imperials, his father even having served under Grand Admiral Thrawn. So, they elected to give him a more traditionally human name in style, blending elements of both of their family names together. "Khryso" came from his mother, Khrys'orr'allai, and "Mallus" from his father, Torc'ruum'allus. In this new naming convention for their family, the hopes and dreams of the two parents were thrust upon their young child.
Khryso was just shy of a year old when the Imperial forces there began to splinter into separate factions, joining up with various remnants as they fled towards the Unknown Regions. As separate Imperial warlords and leaders began to consolidate their power and move base towards the Unknown Regions, minor fighting broke out between different factions within the forces stationed on the planet. Different Imperials had different commanders they wanted to follow as the Empire did its best to rebuild. Torc'ruum'allus, being an enlisted soldier, was involved in many of said skirmishes and met his end when a fellow soldier decided to turn on their unit, slaughtering most of them. This left Khrys'orr'allai a widow and Khryso fatherless. While the betrayals and disagreements never reached open warfare, the planet quickly had some lines drawn in it and the citizens began leaving in droves.
While, of course, Khrys'orr'allai was grieved by the circumstances surrounding her husband's death, she knew it was part and parcel of living within the Empire sometimes. One of Torc'ruum'allus' closer friends within the army, a human man named Tim Falger, decided to take Khrys'orr'allai's and Khryso's welfare over his shoulder, caring for them while they found a way to rebuild. Even after the fighting settled down, however, it became clear that Nirauan was no longer the bustling Imperial outpost it once was. The Empire was a far shadow of its former self and a much diminished population did nothing to help the economy. Tim and Khrys'orr'allai eventually decided it would be in their best interest to seek out somewhere that offered more than an Imperial fortress.
Living as an Imperial
Early Childhood
in 13 ABY, not long after Khryso's second birthday, his family unit left Nirauan. Unsure where to settle, they did some planet-hopping that lasted the better part of a year before eventually deciding to settle on the out of the way planet of Minashee. This planet was still being ruled by an Imperial faction that hadn't fled the area yet. They were able to secure living arrangements in the capital city of Minsah. Tim besought the grace of Moff Luthus Tadrin, the man in charge of the sector who lived nearby the city. He was able to secure a job as a soldier and once again continued to provide for the Mallus family.
Khryso was raised by his mother as an upstanding Imperial citizen. Unlike Nirauan, Minashee and especially Minsah was almost entirely human, so Khryso and his mother stood out quite sharply. While the Remnant wasn't quite as xenophobic as its predecessor, there still was a stigma attached to the sole Chiss boy trying to blend in as if he were just another Imperial. While Khryso never faced egregious discrimination or prejudice, he also wasn't granted any favors. Everything he accomplished he had to strive for in his entirety. This sense of being an "other" also contributed to Khryso developing a somewhat reserved personality, preferring to keep his head down and avoid any trouble, focusing instead on his work or studies.
Khryso proved to be rather sharp and capable, managing to outperform most of his peers as he went through his schooling. One of the reasons for this might be his latent Force sensitivity. Since he never manifested the Force in any kind of spectacular way, nobody caught on and he was just seen as unusually keen. Most people probably chalked it up to his alien nature, although his mother figured there may be something special about him.
Fading Imperial Influence
In 18 ABY, the Imperial Remnant's power continued to decline during the Cold War with the New Republic. Fortunately, Minashee remained one of its holdings. This did, however, bring about a subtle change throughout the populace. The Remnant was now the underdogs in the galaxy, forced to scramble to stay together. Minsah now hung heavy with the air of a defeated peoples. Much of the Imperial pride and will that had inhabited the planet began to drain, even from Khrys'orr'allai and Tim. Khryso, however, still being young, could only see this as a sign of weakness on the part of the Imperial Remnant. Clearly, if the Empire was as great as he had been taught, they wouldn't have allowed themselves to be defeated. Therefore, as he grew, Khryso didn't develop the aggressive loyalty to the Empire that his parents had hoped for him. Unfortunately, he found the archives of Minashee to be dreadfully lacking when it came to non-Imperial topics.
Due to his reserved nature, it never became clear to anyone outside of his family how uninterested in the Remnant Khryso had become. His family, however, was a different matter. Khrys'orr'allai was heartbroken by the discovery, however, Tim decided to take a more active approach in making Khryso a loyal Imperial. He began to show and teach him things about his job as an Imperial soldier, even going so far as to convince Moff Tadrin to meet the then 10 year old Khryso. Surprisingly, the Moff was impressed with the surprisingly sharp boy and the two struck up a friendship. Khryso spent a fair amount of time at Moff Tadrin's palace learning about culture, leadership, and warfare in their talks. He even gained access to a wider wealth of information to study.
While Khryso appreciated the time he spent talking with and learning from Moff Tadrin, it did little to change his mind. Thankfully, being in the officer's presence alone was enough to assuage the fears of his guardians and Khryso soaked up whatever he could like a sponge. He came to admire the Moff's lifestyle, although from his perspective it wasn't something that was attainable under the current weakened Imperial Remnant. However, he now had something to strive towards. As he entered his teenage years, however, the peaceful world of Minashee would be turned on its head.
The First Order
In 25 ABY, the First Order came to the Tadrin sector. They had apparently been on a recruitment campaign as they built up their forces, visiting Imperial Remnant holdings along the fringes of the galaxy to extend an invitation to join. They met with Moff Tadrin for several days before leaving the planet. The Moff had apparently turned down the offer, not wanting to reengage the Republic in a war he thought they couldn't win. However, this would turn out to be a mistake, as not even a week later, the First Order invaded the planet to force their joining. Khryso was only 14 at the time, but due to the severity of the oncoming invasion, he was drafted into the Imperial military, as was his mother. He was barely into boot camp before the First Order arrived on Minashee, planning to add it to their growing empire. The fighting was intense and Khryso found himself subject to many a close call. After almost a year of fighting, they fell under the rule of the First Order. Unfortunately, both Tim Falger and Khrys'orr'allai had perished in the war. The planet was left in ruins and Moff Tadrin was relieved of duty as a new First Order governor was put in charge. Khryso decided to stay behind and help the Moff and his family find their footing in their new place in society.
Khryso managed to avoid being recruited into the ranks of the First Order due to his alien biology, although most of Moff Tadrin's children were taken. His youngest daughter, Lena, and his four wives were all that managed to remain behind. Due to Khryso's recently orphaned status and his familiarity with the Moff, he almost became a part of the family. Even more so when he and Lena began to date. The relationship wasn't entirely serious and was mostly two teenagers enjoying themselves. It was clear to Khryso fairly early on that Tadrin wasn't thrilled about the idea, but the Moff mostly kept it to himself, severely humbled as he had been by the First Order. Khryso saw how broken the man had become and resolved that he never wanted to see himself that way. He had every intention of rising to live a life of opulence, culture, and luxury, and he would not let someone take it from him. Tadrin's aversion to conflict had left him a poor, broken man.
Eventually, dealing with the First Order became too much of a hassle for Khryso. He could tell his relationship with Lena was also starting to break down his connection with Tadrin. The Moff, while he had once held Khryso in a certain regard, had become bitter and his classic Imperial xenophobia was beginning to surface as he saw his daughter cavorting around with a non-human. Rather than let things deteriorate into something unsalvageable, Khryso decided to leave at the age of 17. His relationship with Lena was surprisingly easy to break off, confirming his suspicions that it was just an adolescent fling. He had managed to save up enough credits to make his own way for a short while, although that would run out soon. For the time being, Khryso fell in with some mercenary groups, deciding to take advantage of his history as a soldier. Khryso officially left his Imperial citizenship behind and became a citizen of the greater galaxy.
Young Adulthood
Khryso worked as a mercenary for several years, sometimes as a front-line soldier but more often in a support role. During this time, he saw much of the galaxy and learned a lot. It was also during this time that he began to suspect he was Force Sensitive. He seemed to have a talent for quickly analyzing situations and predicting opponents. Some of his fellow mercenaries began pointing out to him times that he seemed to act on an almost superhuman level, and this was further confirmed when a man they were working with commented that Khryso reminded him of a Jedi he had once worked with. This prompted Khryso to seek out the New Jedi Order. Unfortunately, he only found out that they had been destroyed by Kylo Ren.
Khryso still wanted to learn how to wield the Force, however, so he began to seek out other sources of information on the topic. It was not long after this that he parted ways with the mercenaries, going to live on Coruscant. He had to seek out someone who could teach him to properly wield the Force. What little information he could find wasn't enough to sate his interest, but he refused to go to the First Order and the likes of Kylo Ren, one of the only widely known Force users left, to learn. He had no desire to become a First Order lackey, he wanted the power for himself. As he strained to teach himself what little he could manage while searching for a teacher, his yearning for power began to lead him towards the Dark Side.
He knew from his life in the Empire that Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader had both been practitioners of the Force. They weren't Jedi, however. Which meant their power had come from another source. Information on other Force-using Orders was hard to come by, at least for the average citizen, but Khryso spent the better part of a year doing as much research as possible. What little fruit he yielded solidified his resolve. Taking what money he had left, he hired a pilot. In 34 ABY, Khryso Mallus left Coruscant. With the help of his pilot, for over a year Khryso searched the galaxy for clues. Unfortunately, his pilot wasn't interested in spending so much time searching the galaxy. They were mostly a commercial pilot and they had a life back on Coruscant they wanted to get back to. However, Khryso had spent the vast majority of his capital on securing this ship and he couldn't let it go that easily. Rather than give up on his search, he was forced to relent and kill his pilot, taking control of the ship for himself. It wasn't long after this that his search led him to the Unknown Regions.
In 36 ABY Khryso managed to stumble across the Aliso system. His ship was immediately accosted by forces he wasn't familiar with and he was taken prisoner. It was revealed to him that he had discovered the Dark Jedi Brotherhood. It didn't take much deliberation for him to realize this was the destiny he had been seeking. He requested to join the ranks of the Sith and, upon completing some basic tests, was granted entry into House Ajunta Pall of Clan Plagueis.
The Shadow Academy
Khryso was immediately shipped out to Arx to study at the Shadow Academy there. He quickly applied his full concentration to the lessons, advancing through the ranks as fast as he could manage. In a matter of months he had ascended to the rank of Neophyte. He stayed at the Academy afterwards, continuing his studies while he learned the ropes of this new society. He quickly progressed through the ranks of the Shadow Academy as well, becoming a Sophomore before putting his studies on temporary hiatus to devote more attention to developing his combat abilities and Force talents.
A few weeks passed and Khryso managed to grow his skills to the point where he was elevated to the rank of Acolyte. He decided now was as good a time as any to resume his studies at the Shadow Academy, although he would be making an effort to better split his time. As he worked to earn his first Dark Maven, it became clear however that he was straining himself by trying to focus on too many things at once. So, he took a trip to the Brotherhood market and purchased a droid to assist him in his day-to-day activities, giving him a bit more free time to devote to his studies and practice. While at the market, another vendor caught his eye and he decided to purchase a blaster as well. He had learned to handle various types of his blaster during his time as a mercenary, so it would be handy to have one at his side, at least until he became a lightsaber master.
Returning to the Academy, Khryso resumed his work with the assistance of his new droid Ufie. He completed his work, earning not just one, but two Dark Mavens over the course of the next few weeks. As he considered which studies to approach next, however, Khryso was contacted by his superiors and informed that he would be assigned to a Master to assist him in his training. He was genuinely interested in seeing what he could learn from a more experienced member of the Brotherhood, and was happy to discover that the Master assigned to him was none other than Battlemaster Dralin Fortea, the newly elected Aedile of House Ajunta Pall. Working with his Master, Khryso was able to push through more of his studies and training and successfully graduated from the Shadow Academy by earning his first Dark Savant. Although he had graduated from the institution, Khryso would stick around for months to come to continue training and studying.
Apprenticeship
As Khryso trained under Dralin, he would often travel between Arx and Aliso as he strove to continue his studies at the Shadow Academy while he trained under Dralin. He was successful in this endeavor, as he continued to earn degrees during his apprenticeship. On one of these visits to the Shadow Academy on Arx, Khryso met a Devaronian girl named Nefilee Ath'muss. Nefilee was a Sith Apprentice studying at the Shadow Academy, although she was beginning to struggle. The two formed an acquaintanceship that resulted in Khryso acting as her tutor. Over the course of a few days of study sessions, they forged a friendship and kept in contact with each other afterwards, Khryso occasionally helping her study when she needed it and he was available.
Physical Description
Appearance
Khryso is a Chiss with a toned athlete's build. He has the standard light blue skin of his species, along with the glowing red eyes. His eyes are somewhat narrow and deep set, but not overly small. The bridge of his nose is thicker than average, but it doesn't look overly bulky or large thanks to the more standard size of his nose tip and nostrils. His mouth is on the small side, with thin lips only further accented by how firmly he tends to keep them pressed together. His jawline and chin are quite hard and pronounced. His hair's blue color is so dark it comes across as black. It has a thick volume to it and its waviness is evident because he keeps it neck-length. However, it is kept neatly trimmed and maintained, usually tucked behind his ears. His neat mustache is kept relatively short and gentlemanly, but it is clearly a shade or two lighter in color than his hair. His face is clear and unblemished.
Clothing
Generally, Khryso will be very neatly put together, with his clothes firmly pressed and kept sparkling clean. He prefers dark colors, mostly blacks and purples, but will allow lighter colored highlights if it suits him. He prefers to look professional and barely ever dons casual-wear, even his pajamas having a measure of posh to them. He prefers cloth over leather and will often swath himself in robes and capes. Hats and other head-wear are generally considered out of the question, however, unless a hood or helmet is necessary for stealth or survival. Although, as soon as able, he would prefer to remove them so they do not mess up his carefully styled hair. Gloves are a must have in most situations, again, preferring cloth over leather. He likes to keep the material thin, however, so as to keep the effect on his sense of touch minimal.
Personality
Khryso's eventual goal in life is to live the life of an elite. After seeing firsthand how the Moffs of the Galactic Empire could live, he set his sights on reaching that lifestyle. Therefore, he has made conscious efforts to mold himself towards that goal. He does his best to retain an air of confident aloofness and politeness. Even when thrown into dire straits or confronting a sworn enemy, he strives to keep the image of a distinguished gentleman. While some of this is certainly a facade, his years of concentration have successfully managed to properly roll this image into his actual personality.
Generally, Khryso is not much of a conversationalist. While he certainly is capable of having a dialogue and even shooting the breeze in some cases, unless motivated otherwise, he keeps his words short and to the point. This brevity complements his tendency to be somewhat blunt and direct with his contributions. Not wanting to present others with the opportunity to misrepresent him, he prefers to speak plainly and clearly and avoid overly colorful language.
Khryso tends to latch onto pursuits that will better him as a person and, if even down the line, push him closer to his goal. He studies relentlessly to increase his knowledge, trains often to maintain his combat ability, and works hard to understand the Force. The one aspect he hasn't quite mastered is networking and social interaction. While he is not uncomfortable around people, his lack of true conversational skills and bluntness of tongue often leads to difficulty in cultivating relationships. That being said, once he sets his mind on something, he will not rest until he is satisfied with whatever results he turns up. He does not like losing or seeing weakness in himself, but he is also somewhat stubborn and will not back down from a challenge.
Gear
Ufie
Ufie is a DUM-series Pit Droid that Khryso Mallus purchased from Utilis Innovations. The droid may not be the most powerful or intelligent piece of hardware, but Khryso chose it because of its compact size and simple programming. Despite this, he still wanted the droid to be representative of the person he was, so he had the drab brown plating replaced with a stylish silver and gold pattern. Ufie performs whatever task Khryso assigns it without question, often taking care of more trivial and mundane tasks such as gathering texts, cleaning, or delivering messages. Ufie is never far from Khryso's side, and will stand-by silently when given nothing to do. In the short time Khryso has had the droid, he has grown quite used to the presence and will occasionally even carry on brief, one-sided conversations, since he doesn't understand binary. When it is crucial for Ufie to inform Khryso of something, he can transmit written messages to Khryso's datapad.
Other
Khryso carries a few of his personal possessions with him in order to assist him during whatever tasks befall him on any given day. The first and simplest is a C1 Personal Comlink which he can use to contact various personnel of the Brotherhood as well as contacting Ufie. His comlink is usually in his outfit's breast pocket. He also usually has his Holocron with him; he received the device upon graduating from the Shadow Academy and can use it to access most of the Academy's stock of information. It is kept in a small pouch attached to his belt. Finally, he has his datapad, also received from his time at the Shadow Academy. The small device is kept in a pocket on the inside of his cape.
Weapons
Khryso usually has two primary weapons with him. The first is his Novitiate Armory Lightsaber, a basic lightsaber provided by the Brotherhood so that he could learn how to use the weapon before he would eventually build his own. The blade is a sharp purple in color, but, otherwise, the weapon is quite plain. Like most, he keeps his lightsaber clipped to his belt. He also carries a Blastech LL-30 Blaster Pistol, which is usually holstered on his belt.