Sith Bloodfyre

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"Once we realize that imperfect understanding is the human condition there is no shame in being wrong, only in failing to correct our mistakes."

―George Soros (1930 - )

Sith Bloodfyre-Tarentae is a figure of great reputation in some circles of the Brotherhood, and of great infamy in others. Though he is respected by some and reviled by others for his past actions and positions held, Sith has been a person of great weight and importance throughout his time in the Brotherhood. Sith has served as the Aedile and Quaestor of both House Gladius and House Tridens within Clan Tarentum, as well as Proconsul and then Consul (twice) of the ancient Clan. The Sith Master has also served as the Left Hand of Justice, Praetor to the Deputy Grand Master, and then Praetor to the Grand Master. He has been a member of the Grand Master's Royal Guard, as well as a Trainer in the Antei Combat Center; he now serves within the Center as its Combat Master. He also has the distinction of having been the last in the long line serving as Sith High Warrior of the Brotherhood. Though opinions on this dark figure may vary from person to person, nearly everyone in the Brotherhood has something to say about this man.

I've had some time to add to this, but it's not complete. So for now, this is all you get, suckers. :P

Character History

"I shall seize Fate by the throat; it shall certainly not bend and crush me completely."

―Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 - 1827 AD)

Sith Bloodfyre is an enigmatic figure, in some respects. Outside of Tarentum, very few know much (if anything) about the Sith Master. He has spoken little of his life before appearing within the Brotherhood, but some things are known.

Sith Bloodfyre is a Shaevalian. Brotherhood records list very little on the Shaevalians as a race, mainly what Sith has verified about his kind. He has said that they are a very proud, war-like race. Sith has hinted to an extended lifespan among his people, though it is unknown exactly how long a lifespan Shaevalians are afforded. Shaevalians are a very sturdy people, and tend to be larger and possessed of a denser muscular structure than most "base" humans; Sith has verified that he is somewhat of a "runt" among his kind. Sith has little, if any, contact with his people these days, though he has never spoken the reasons for this.

The Brotherhood

Sith Bloodfyre first came to the attention of the Brotherhood several years ago, around 14 or 15 ABY. Though he appeared to be somewhat young, Bloodfyre's cold intellect suggested that he had lived years beyond what his physical appearance suggested. The Shaevalian quickly made his way through the initial training of the Shadow Academy under Headmaster Kumba, the last of the Dark Prophets of Old. After beginning his training at the Shadow Academy, Sith joined House Gladius of Clan Tarentum, and was numbered among the Krath Order. After short months of additional training both back at the Shadow Academy and within Gladius itself, Sith joined with several others of Gladius in forming the once-infamous Phyle, the Mystics of the Black Arts. In those days, the Phyle was feared and respected among the Krath Order.

Advancement within the Krath Order and Tarentum itself came fast for Sith; in relatively little time, he was elevated to the standing of Dark Jedi Knight and Aedile of Gladius under Aari Nikus, and then shortly after to the rank of Krath Priest and Quaestor of Gladius upon Aari's departure. Sith made a name for himself as a dedicated leader, and as one of the respected members of the Krath. During one particular conflict involving the Krath, Sith proved himself to the Krath High Priestess at the time, and he was elevated to the rank of Archpriest. For more than a year, Sith Bloodfyre led House Gladius, and the House helped to maintain the reputation of Tarentum that it had enjoyed throughout the ages.

At the time, Tarentum was led by Ciara Tearnan, once Queen of the Mystics, and a respected veteran of Clan Tarentum. With her Proconsul, Proton, the Clan continued to do well for itself. During this time, the Quaestors of the three Houses of Tarentum -- Ziguarath of Cestus, Sith Bloodfyre of Gladius, and Wil Striker of Tridens -- began to form a bond of loyalty and friendship. The three worked well together, but rumors were bound to circulate that the three were the true rulers of Tarentum, and that the Clan Summit was effectively nothing more than a figurehead Summit. As had happened within Tarentum several times during its history, rumors and hearsay caused strife, and eventually led to a conflict between the Consul, Ciara Tearnan, and the Quaestors, particularly between Ciara and Bloodfyre, who had been allies and more for some time. Eventually, the conflict came to a climax, that ended with Sith Bloodfyre leaving the Clan to wander in solitude away from Yridia.

Time passed. Following the rift between Ciara and Sith (though not truly linked), a rift formed and became violent revolution between the leadership of the Brotherhood, and the leadership of their Imperial allies. Firefox, Grand Master of the Brotherhood, declared a separation between the Brotherhood and the Imperials, and all loyal to the Brotherhood itself left Imperial space. Some of the Dark Jedi remained behind, claiming loyalty to the Empire, and not to the Dark Side of the Force. Just prior to the Split from the Imperials, Sith began to get in contact with some of his allies from Tarentum. Bloodfyre had felt a call from the Force, and knew his friends and allies needed him. As the Brotherhood Split and moved away from Eos, Sith Bloodfyre returned to Tarentum, and soon helped bring home several former sons of Tarentum, as well.

A Golden Age of Tarentum

"Character may almost be called the most effective means of persuasion."

―Aristotle (384 BC - 322 BC)

Just after the Split, Sith initially returned to lead Gladius, serving again under his friend and Consul, Ciara Tearnan. Ciara had grown weary of the conflicts, and felt the Dark Side had other pursuits for her. Ciara stepped down as Consul, and named Ziguarath, former Quaestor of Cestus, as her successor. Sith was honored to serve as Quaestor of his old House, but was soon tapped to be the Proconsul of Tarentum, serving as second-in-command for the often-absent Ziguarath. Though Ziguarath was a willing leader, forces transpired to end his reign; Ziguarath was called away into the Unknown Regions, a journey from which he would not return as the same man he once had been. Sith Bloodfyre became Consul of Tarentum upon Ziguarath's departure. Some refer to the first term of Sith Bloodfyre as Consul to be one of the "golden ages" of Tarentum. It was during this time that Tarentum's dominance re-emerged, and much of the new became rejoined with the old. Sith helped to bring about the return of figures such as Maxamillian von Oberst and Sirrus, as well as the revered Master Zero to the Clan.

War eventually came upon the Brotherhood. During this War, a "Consciousness" began to infect the Brotherhood on every level; even the Deputy Grand Master, Jac Cotelin, was tainted. During this period, Bloodfyre served as Jac's Praetor, and it was during this time that Tarentum gained the status and position as Guardians of the Shroud of Antei. Jac called upon Bloodfyre and Tarentum's forces to seal off the Shroud, and Antei itself, from the rest of the Brotherhood. The conflict continued to rise, and eventually, even Tarentum's forces could not keep the rest of the Clans away from Antei. The War came to a peak on Antei's surface, but was eventually resolved by the return of Grand Master Firefox to his throne, and the defeat of the Consciousness, which was actually a collection of beings, including the ancient Sith Lord Okemi.

At the conclusion of the War, Taldryan was named the supreme victors and greatest warriors of the Brotherhood, but had only managed to edge out Tarentum of this victory by the narrowest of margins. No one could doubt the prowess of Tarentum, and the position of Guardians of the Shroud was given fully to the Clan of Life and Death in honor of their actions and strength.

With the end of the War against the so-called "Consciousness," the Dark Council called upon Tarentum to fill a vacancy; the Sith High Warrior, Xanos Sadow, had resigned his post. Sith Bloodfyre was called to lead the Sith Order. During the War against the Consciousness, Sith had been raised to the level of Elder, attaining status as an Adept of the Sith; soon after his elevation to Sith High Warrior, Bloodfyre became a Master within the Order, and began to delve into the tomes and holocrons, and all the stored knowledge of the ancient Sith. It seemed that a time of rebirth was slowly coming about. The Sith Order changed and evolved under the leadership and attention of Sith Bloodfyre, but as always happens, time changed both circumstances and people. For more than a year, Bloodfyre reigned as Sith High Warrior, but chose to resign and return to Tarentum. Bloodfyre's departure from the Dark Council preceded the choice of the Grand Master, Jac Cotelin, to eradicate the Order Leaders of the Brotherhood. In recognition for his excellent service as Sith High Warrior, Bloodfyre was honored with the Silver Sash; few wear the Sash in these modern days, and it is a great honor to bear.

Returning Home

After returning to Tarentum, Sith reverted to his old ways and focused almost exclusively upon the needs of Tarentum. When Sith first joined Tarentum, he had belonged to Gladius, and had always seen himself as linked to that House. After Sith resigned the now-abolished post of Sith High Warrior, the Shaevalian decided to serve Tarentum as a member of Tridens. Tridens soon called upon the Sith Master for his experience and leadership; Sith became the Aedile of Tridens, serving with Quaestor and Sith Warrior JKast, before succeeding JKast as head of that House some time later. The honored Elder, Doni Tzu, then became Sith's Aedile, and the pair helped to usher in a new age for Tridens under their leadership.

War came again to the Brotherhood, and this time, the Brotherhood would be fractured into opposing factions due to the appearance of two Jac Cotelins. It seemed as though the Grand Master had been cloned for unknown purposes, but at the root of the conflict lay the (former) Lord Hegemon, Kaiann. Tarentum initialy refused to take sides in the conflict, seeing it as a dispute among the Dark Council for its own life and leadership, but as with almost every conflict of the Dark Council, the Clans were swept up into the chaos. The two Jacs fought for control of the Brotherhood, with a portion of the Council and Clans following each supposed Grand Master. The end of the War is shrouded in mystery; neither of the Jacs was ever verified to be the real or the clone Grand Master, but after a fight between the two, one Jac emerged, and the Council and most of the Clans were willing to see this figure as the "true" Jac Cotelin. The conflict had ended.

Following the so-called "War of the Jacs," Tarentum's respected Warlord, Welshman Corsair Tarentae, ended his reign as Consul. Welshman and the entirety of Clan Tarentum turned once more to the leadership of the Shaevalian Sith Master. Tensions between the Clan and Dark Council had been increasing with each passing day, and conflicts soon arose that would test the patience and abilities of the Sith Master once more. It had been said in the past that Bloodfyre was, perhaps, the one voice that could maintain the tenuous alliance between Tarentum and the Dark Council, and thus far, it would seem that his presence has been successful. As Tarentum and the Brotherhood as a whole ended the period referred to as "Second Darkness," a conflict of training and testing for the Clans and the Brotherhood, Antei found itself under assault by the relentless Yuuzhan Vong.

Invasion of the Vong

"All speech is vain and empty unless it be accompanied by action."

―Demosthenes (384 BC - 322 BC)

At the end of the "Second Darkness," as the ceremony of celebration to honor the victors commenced, the Brotherhood fleets came under attack from the Vong without warning. The initial attack came suddenly, and many Brotherhood ships fell victim to the alien intruders. It seemed that only Tarentum was able to defend itself adequately, as none of the Clan's ships took any serious damage.

The assault from the Vong lasted a mere six days, but in that short week, many of the Brotherhood fell wounded, or were slain. The Vong pursued the Brotherhood ships from outside of the Shroud back to Antei itself, where the final victory of the Vong seemed assured. The complete victory of the Vong was narrowly averted by the sacrifice of Grand Master Sarin's own flagship, the Autarch, though Sarin himself was not onboard the vessel at the time of its destruction. The Brotherhood forces fled, and because of the heavy losses the Vong suffered in the sacrifice of the Autarch, the alien intruders let the Brotherhood forces flee. Antei was now under control of the Yuuzhan Vong, and the Brotherhood was now an order without a home; the Dark Council now a leadership in exile.

Tarentum returned home to Yridia, but her Consul was soon called away to meet in private with the wandering Dark Council. Each of the Clans' Consuls met with the entirety of the Council, and was informed of a new fleet of Brotherhood ships, and a new directive from Grand Master Sarin to ensure the survival of the Brotherhood: go underground. Each Clan was directed to move itself out of the public eye, and to seek deeper into themselves to discover new strength and power that would ensure the survival of the Brotherhood. After the days-long meeting with the Council, each Consul left with a new fleet of ships in tow, new additions to their forces to bolster the fists of the Clans.

Bloodfyre returned to Yridia with the Clan's new fleet, leading the procession onboard the Clan's Imperial-class Star Destroyer, which would soon be named in honor of House Tarentum's Founder and first Quaestor, Magnus Kaerner. The first action that the Magnus Kaerner would see was a rescue operation over the moon Koros, that ended up being the final battleground and resting place of the Tarentum's long-time flagship, the Victory-class Star Destroyer Corsair. With the destruction of the Cestus Complex, and the eradication of most of the Cestus undead, the third House of Tarentum was reborn under the direction of the Shaevalian Consul.

As the days passed after the Cestus incident, Sith felt as though his reign as Consul had come to an end once more. The Sith Master began to have visions of other pursuits calling him that lay in a direction that he could not travel as leader of the Clan. The Shaevalian made it known to his Clan and the Grand Master that he intended to resign his position as Consul and Prince of Yridia, and began a search for a potential successor to place before the Grand Master's judgment. The search for Tarentum's new Consul would end in the return of the veteran figure of Dark Jedi Master and now former Headmaster, Anshar Kahn Tarentae. With Tarentum's leadership assured and settled, Sith moved away from the ancient Castle and stronghold of the Clan to the moon of Koros, and joined with the rest of House Cestus to serve under Karel Tarentae and Kazarelth Talismarr, the Summit of House Cestus.

Death on Dark Wings

Clan Tarentum focused onward to rebuild and refocus its efforts on ascending to a place of dominance, which culminated to a point where the Clan took one of its ships, the Bothan-class Assault Cruiser Doomsday, to assault a former Imperial stronghold to divest it of some of its experimental technology. On the return trip home, the Clan encountered a rather unusual "ghost of the past" in the form of the Renegade, a ship that had once been utilized by the Infiltrator Wing, a portion of the former Emperor's Hammer that Maxamillian von Oberst had previously served as both IWXO and IWCOM, the top two positions of the Wing.

The Renegade had appeared out of nowhere, serving as a source of curiosity and perhaps danger for the Clan. However, their insights told them that the ship had come to them for a purpose. Anshar Kahn, Consul of the Clan, led an exploration to the unmanned ship of Oberst's past, taking along with him Oberst himself, as well as Rekio Corsair, Dranik (now Proconsul), and Sith Bloodfyre. Others from the Clan followed shortly behind to assist with the investigation. Though seemingly vacant, the Renegade actually held visitors onboard who had something in store for the Clan of Life and Death, particularly for Anshar and Oberst. The ghosts of the ship's past were intent upon getting revenge for past crimes on Oberst, though initially, none of the Clan (except perhaps Oberst himself) understood what those crimes were. It soon became apparent, though, that the spirits were being incited to violence and revenge by spirits who'd had interaction with Tarentum in the past.

The seven Dark Jedi spirits who had been entrapped in the Crystal of Tears had come to the Renegade.

(More coming soon...)

Physical Appearance

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Standing at six feet in height and weighing in at 230 pounds, Sith is not the largest member of Clan Tarentum, but he is certainly one of the more imposing members of the Clan. The Shaevalian has long, flowing black hair and cold, light blue eyes. His skin has a mild tan to it, and is nearly unmarked, save a great many scars just above his left elbow. The scarring appears several inches above the elbow, and ends a few inches lower (just above his elbow), and is a very visible sign of where his arm was hacked off in combat some time ago, and replaced by a cybernetic implant. Also, both forearms bear banded tattoos, three rings that circle both forearms in one of the older Sith dialects; if anyone other than the Shaevalian understands what the bands read, none have revealed the translation. Several other tattoos adorn the body of the Sith Master, though only close friends have likely seen him disrobed to the point of viewing them.

Very little of Sith's physical appearance is actually viewed by the general public. Sith is almost always fully-clothed in his regular clothes and black robes, the hood pulled up over his head, pulled down low over his eyes. The most that the average person will see of Sith is his nose, mouth, chin and neck, and his hands. His mouth is almost always void of any sign of emotion, except for infrequent grins that have nothing but contempt and disdain for those who view it. His hands are soft and strong, in some ways almost strangely inviting, as if begging to be touched. Sith's body, though not as large as others in Tarentum (such as Oberst), still conveys a feeling of strength.

Where Sith walks, most hear his foot steps; they are most often slow and even, almost like the measured footsteps of a stalking predator. His presence is always felt before it is seen. Those who know him and are accustomed to his presence generally know when he is approaching, when he is near, and (consequently) when he is not near. Those who can feel his presence often notice it as a warming sensation; perhaps it is their own mind that convinces them that his name has "mystical" properties and effects to it.

Sith's voice is rather cold and unfeeling. He has a strong, audible voice that can be heard for several meters even at a whisper. His voice is mildly deep, but has a sense of strength to it, as well. Though there is rarely emotion in his words, Tarentum's members often find comfort and courage whenever he speaks.

When he does speak, he often carries his words as though he sees and understands the future, and disbelieves that failure is an option for the Clan of both Life and Death. The Shaevalian is generally straight forward in his words, and rarely does he wax cryptic or poetic, though it has happened on occasion.

Physical Items of Note

• Eyes: Sith's eyes are extremely light-sensitive; any level of light above "candle light" conditions tend to cause him discomfort, with the level of discomfort increasing with the intensity of the light conditions. Bright, noon-day light can actually cause him extreme distress, to the point of being blinded and overcome by the pain. To this end, Sith almost always wears his hood pulled up and low over his eyes, even at night. Sith has not, and does not reveal this to anyone with the exception of his closest allies. (Read: this is not general knowledge available to the Dark Brotherhood as a whole.) Whether this light sensitivity is caused due to the hue of his eyes, or some other physical attribute or ailment is unknown. When there is any possibility that Sith’s eyes may be exposed to light, the Shaevalian actually wears a blindfold to protect himself; how he “sees” is in question, though it is likely through the Force, if not through the use of his other senses.
• Left arm: Sith's left arm was hacked off, just above the elbow, at an early age. The specific details of the incident are scarcely known outside of Tarentum. It is known, though, that his arm was replaced by a cybernetic implant at one point, but has since been replaced once more by a "natural," cloned limb by the scientists at Arkanian Micro. The arm was grown from samples of his own tissue, and has all the abilities of any natural limb. Any x-rays taken of the limb, though, can clearly show that the bone looks surgically attached above the elbow. In addition, the scars Sith has always had still remain; he chose not to have them surgically cleared.

Combat

Sith Bloodfyre is a warrior first and a sorcerer second. In combat situations, he prefers to mount both an offense and defense primarily with his lightsaber and other weapons before using the Force. Sith does not generally speak at length when involved in combat, and is blunt and direct when he does speak to his opponents. Unless he is shouting commands out to his Clanmates or otherwise, he is an almost eerily silent opponent. Some of those who have faced him have remarked that it was somewhat unnerving to fight someone "as quiet as the grave."

Weapons

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Sith's weapon of choice is the lightsaber. The exact variant of lightsaber, though, varies with time, as he studies additional lightsaber combat forms, and finds another form more suited to his tastes. At present, the Sith Master tends to utilize either a custom single-bladed or double-bladed lightsaber, both having dual phase settings to extend blade lengths. Sith has a rather large collection of weapons, all combat ready, and may utilize anything from blaster pistols, to force pikes, to barbaric-looking axes and Sith Swords. Sith has also been known to use cryoban grenades, though he has long-since refrained from carrying them on a regular basis.

Lightsaber Combat

Sith has studied several lightsaber combat forms. His first mastered form is that of Shii-Cho. He gained an appreciation for the simple strikes and maneuvers of the style, which still held an amazing efficiency and strength to them. Though he has moved on to master other arts, he retains his knowledge and mastery of the art and uses all of its advantages. Sith moved from Shii-Cho on to Soresu, and though he has mastered this highly defensive style, he rarely uses it. Sith Masters do not rely on defense unless forced to, and the art of Soresu is too passive for the likes of the Shaevalian. When forced to defend, though, the full power of Soresu is his, and is often made more potent by his master of the Dark Side.

Sith has mastered both variant Forms of the original Form V. Djem So is Bloodfyre's current preferred form, though he also puts the stylings of the Shien Form to great use when wielding either double-bladed, or dual lightsabers. Sith has adapted both Forms to his own purposes, and makes use of highly aggressive velocities most often in combat, bolstered by the impressive striking techniques of the Shii-Cho Form. As Djem So and Shien both tend to rely heavily on the Force (and the Dark Side), Bloodfyre's mastery among the Sith and his impressive constitution help him focus and sustain the often draining techniques of these potent styles of combat.

It is worth noting that, while other masters of the Shien Form tend to rely on the revergse grip that the Form offers, Bloodfyre has never been seen utilizing this grip in combat. The reason behind this is perhaps due to Sith's chosen hand-to-hand fighting forms, which make use of certain strikes including elbow strikes that would otherwise be impossible with a reverse lightsaber grip.

Miscellaneous Combat

Sith has studied the art of Hapan Boxing, as well as various grappling forms, including the Paonga art of the wretched Gungans. Though he prefers to remain on his feet where he can make the greatest use of his fighting techniques combined with lightsaber skill, and even Force powers, he is quite competent should the fight go to the ground. He prefers choke holds in ground situations, generally those that make use of either his own clothing, or the clothing of his opponent. As such, the sleeves on his clothes are reinforced to withstand the strain from being used in choking situations. The edges of his robes have also been reinforced to withstand the strain of chokes and other techniques that would tear most fabrics.

As one of the Longs, the family of Dragons, Sith has studied the fighting form known as Long Shan Zhi. Though the form offers much in the way of offense, the chaotic nature of the form that is its defining characteristic has limited Sith from mastering the form. The Shaevalian is not touched with the same type of insanity that marks his brethren, and cannot use it to mask his own patterns and trends in the fighting form as much as some of the other Longs can, such as Shan Long, or the Grand Master and father of the form, Chi Long.

The Antei Combat Center

Within the Antei Combat Center, Sith's tactics tend to stray more towards teaching and understanding than death and destruction. As Combat Master for the Brotherhood, it is his feeling that he has a responsibility to ensure that the warriors of the Brotherhood are prepared for the next great battle, whether it be against the Vong or the galaxy at large. It was rather apparent in the Battle of Antei that the Brotherhood, though it perpetuated the myth of its own greatness, was certainly not prepared to ascend to any position of dominance for the time being.

Though the Combat Master is not primarily responsible for training Initiates, Bloodfyre does take on some battles with the new Initiates of the Center to test their worth. In these battles, the rules are often disregarded to test whether these Initiates can be expected to learn at an appropriate pace. Sith has ignored the lack of lightsaber skills for lower-ranked Initiates and given them their first chance to use and be instructed in lightsaber combat skills. This is not something to be expected, but fits into the Sith Master's unorthodox views. Bloodfyre will potentially utilize his hand-to-hand skills at any opportunity if it serves the purpose of training. In any fight within the Center, Sith will not kill; the purpose of the ACC, in his mind, is not to deprive the Brotherhood of warriors, but to weed out the weak through making them strong. Due to his own preferences for not killing, the rumors are circulating that the Sith Master will soon be outlawing any unsanctioned murders within the Center that do not have proper approval first.

Sith's preferred training routines often take into account various modes of teaching that have fallen into disuse, to include combat droids trained in lightsaber technique, pitfalls and real traps, and a move away from the "morphing hologram" technology that others found so useful, but cannot provide realistic danger to the participants in the Combat Center. Morphing Hologram technology is being stripped daily from the Abyss facility that houses the ACC.

The Force

"I find your lack of faith disturbing."

―Darth Vader (Star Wars IV, 1977)

The ancient Sith Empire was divided into castes, separating those with power and placing them above those without it. These castes were brought into Sith society by the very Dark Jedi who subjugated them and became the first Dark Lords of the Sith. Among these castes were laborers, masons, manufacturers, hunters and more. At the top of the caste system were the Dark Lords and their chosen servants. These were the Warriors, the Sorcerers, and those gifted of the Dark Side of the Force and Sith Magic.

The Sith Warriors were powerful soldiers and weapons of war. Though they were possessed of the powers of the Dark Side and Sith Magic, they tended to use these powers sparingly, and instead chose to dominate their enemies with their physical prowess. The Sith Sorcerers, however, were those who focused their might through the Force and Sith Magic, and were able to create powerful storms through the Force, able to call mighty strokes of lightning from their fingers tips or balls of flame from their hands, and much, much more. The Sith Sorcerers were a mysterious sect, one that kept secrets even from the Dark Lord and his Council of Sith Lords. Only the Sith Alchemists were even more mysterious than the Sorcerers.

In the modern era, most Sith practice the teachings of Darth Bane and his hermetic "Rule of Two." Some Sith seek to keep their power to themselves, and find another to seek after their knowledge. Sith Bloodfyre is different.

During his initial training in the Brotherhood, Sith became almost obsessed with the ancient Sith. As his experience and powers grew, so did his quest to uncover the secrets of the Sith (even though he was Krath). Time went on, and though the Dark Side powers grew with study, his hunger was never abated. Sith soon went to train with the Obelisk. With the sect of fanatical warriors, Sith learned a great deal about combat and martial prowess, and still his desire for more was not quelled. Bloodfyre became a member of the Sith Order, and found his true calling. When the time came for him to ascend to the position of Sith High Warrior, all of the secrets of the Order were opened unto him. And there, Sith found dark powers, indeed. The knowledge of the ancient Sith was laid out before him, and powers unknown to any except the High Warriors before him and the Dark Lord increased his skills and abilities exponentially. And then Bloodfyre had an epiphany of sorts.

As his friend and ally, Maxamillian von Oberst has often said, armies need generals at their heads, not warlocks. With the powers opened unto him, the Shaevalian realized their true potency lay not in using them at every opportunity and showing the universe the extent of his powers, but by keeping them shrouded in mystery and rumor, and letting his enemies be defeated by their own imaginations. Sith's views on the Force changed in that instant.

Sith Bloodfyre is a minimalist in his view of the Force. Though the powers of the Dark Side are opened completely unto him, he does not use the majority of his powers often at all. He prefers to use his physical strengths, sometimes enhanced by the Dark Side, to show his enemies that he is a warrior without peer, and that his skills with any manner of weapon are unmatched. When Sith does use the Force, it tends to be very subtle, or is outright vulgar in existence, calling forth Sith lightning and other dread abilities. When it comes to Force powers, Sith Bloodfyre is almost unstoppable.

There is one sort of weakness in Bloodfyre when it comes to the Force. Sith is an extremely strong-willed person, and very few individuals have ever shown the ability to bend him to their will; the only person ever known to bend Sith Bloodfyre to his will was Grand Master Jac Cotelin, and even then, it was a difficult feat for the Grand Master. As such, mental powers through the Force will not ever work on the Shaevalian by those of equal or lesser rank. Only those of substantially greater power have any potential to manipulate his will. In addition, perhaps due to this immense willpower and resistance to mental powers, Sith is unable to use many of the Dark Side's mental powers. Bloodfyre finds it difficult to read the minds of others or communicate with them through telepathy. Only those powers that rely on Sith imposing his will on others have any chance of succeeding.

Sith is also a Master of Tarentum's brand of Necromancy, and is considered one of the few members of Tarentum who knows perhaps all of the secrets available to the Clan of Life and Death.

Necromancy

"Think not disdainfully of death, but look on it with favor; for even death is one of the things that Nature wills."

―Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (121 AD - 180 AD)

As a minimalist in the use of Force powers, Sith believes that the benefits offered through such powers are simply one tool of many within his repertoire. He prefers not to rely too much on his knowledge and abilities within the Force, even though his skill is vast, as befits a Sith Master. Instead, Sith has the viewpoint that an opponent's imagination is the best weapon he has against them. Show an opponent what you can do, and they will see that you have limitations. Allow an opponent to imagine what you are capable of, and the power of their mind and creativity will work against them. This opinion is just as applicable to Sith's use of Necromantic powers, as well. Though the powers available to the Shaevalian Watcher are great, relatively little of his gifts are ever displayed at any one place or time.

Raising Corpses

Perhaps the most often-used power available to Sith is the ability to raise corpses to do his bidding, be it to do general labor, or to aid him as combat-ready allies. Sith is capable of raising all manner of Necromantic servants, but prefers to make use of the deadly Euthanatos most often. These undead are gifted with great martial prowess and physical abilities that enhance their combat skills; the Euthanatos are unnaturally strong and swift, and their skin/hide is extremely resilient, offering a far amount of resistance to damage. The Euthanatos are immune to pain, and only their complete destruction can stop these unholy creations from attempting to do their master's bidding.

In addition to a mastery over the current powers of raising corpses available to Tarentum, Sith is one of the few Watchers who is also experimenting with the practice of creating far greater and more powerful corpse servants. Though his own work surely cannot rival the advances made by the Mad One and Dr. Steiner, it is rumored that Sith has still been able to create some rather impressive creatures to serve him.

The Breath of Life

The powers of Tarentum do not simply delve into the darkness of death and oblivion. Indeed, any Necromancer who purely studied death would place himself at a great disadvantage and have a large void where knowledge of creation and existence ought to be. As a true seeker of knowledge, and one who would understand all of existence, Sith extends his research of powers into the realms of life and existence as much as he explores death, destruction and unlife. The healing and life-giving powers of Tarentum do seem to have a cost associated with them, however. Nearly all of the Necromantic powers available to Tarentum require a sacrifice of one life to restore another. The most common method of handling this necessary "sacrifice" is to simply "siphon" health and longevity away from others. Most of Tarentum's Necromancers make it a practice to utilize their powers within a certain range of others, mostly the unknowing or unwilling. It is possible for the Keepers of Tarentum to sacrifice part of their own existence to power these "healing" arts, but most would prefer to allow others to pay the price of their gift.

The Cold Hand of Death

"Death is nothing to us, since when we are, death has not come; and when death has come, we are not."

―Epicurus (341 BC - 270 BC)

Every Necromancer seeks to understand death, and the oblivion beyond, and bend it to their will, and make the powers of destruction serve their every whim. In this respect, Sith is a Master. The Shaevalian is able to direct some of the most devastating attacks known to Tarentum at his enemies. These attacks may obliterate the very souls of their victim, or simply shred a part of their life force asunder, and cause terrible results to befall the victim. It is nearly impossible to define what a Necromancer can do, with the proper knowledge and the will to direct the energies of existence. It is possible to say, though, that it is best not to trifle with these dark and dreadful Keepers of Tarentum.

Rumored Powers

In addition to what can be verified (raising corpses), Sith is said to be able to control vast waves of death and destruction; he is said to be able to draw life from vibrant, surrounding areas and transfer it to either himself, his allies, or both; he is said to be able to direct rays of death energies at foes that not only harm them, but begin to unravel their very existence; he is said to be able to stare into the souls of those he meets, and command their eternal essence to die on the spot. It is also rumored that Sith has the ability to shrug off his mortal form and exist as a Force spirit when he chooses, for as long as he chooses.

It is unknown which, if any, of these rumored abilities are actually possessed by the Shaevalian, but some would prefer to believe all of the rumors, and combat him accordingly. Others scoff at his so-called "dark gifts," and see him as nothing more than a man who plays in graveyards and should be fought as a minor irritant.

Sith himself says very little on the subject, and simply smirks at the idea of anyone hailing him as a "minor irritant."

"Let them believe as they wish," he has said, "for their belief in me, or disbelief as it may be, matters not. Life and Death are; and so am I."

DJB Facts

Facts

• Sith has led several projects that have altered and benefitted the Brotherhood in many ways. Chief among these projects are:
  • (Brotherhood-wide)
    
    • Sith History
      
    • Clan Powers creation
      
    • Order Schools creation
      
    • Gaming Nights evolution (including Sunday Invitational Tournament)
      
  • (Tarentum-specific)
    
    • Clan Powers (Necromantics)
      
    • The Keepers (history and use within Tarentum)
      
    • Land Grants
      
    • Clan-specific Titles (reborn from past Clan practices)
      

• Sith is the last person to have held the position of Sith High Warrior, since GM Jac Cotelin felt threatened by the awesome powers and sex appeal of the former SHW, and had the position disbanded.
  

• Sith is considered by some to be the "Prince of Darkness" and the "Harbinger of DOOOOOOM!" of the Brotherhood. Before the selection of Xanos Sadow as Deputy Grand Master, some believed Sith to be working towards gaining that Council position, and began gossiping about the "end of the Brotherhood" that would come should he be appointed as DGM. Sith believes Jac Cotelin to have been the original source of these rumors, and has thus labelled Jac as "dumb."

Past Positions

• Aedile of Gladius
• Quaestor of Gladius (twice)
• Aedile of Tridens
• Quaestor of Tridens
• Proconsul of Tarentum
• Consul of Tarentum (twice)
• Left Hand of Justice
• Trainer in the Antei Combat Center
• Combat Master in the Antei Combat Center
• Guardsman in the Grand Master's Royal Guard
• Praetor to the Deputy Grand Master
• Praetor to the Grand Master
• Sith High Warrior

Trivia

• Sith is the Grand Chamberlain of Clan Tarentum, and a member of the Tarentae.

• Sith has been a member of all three Orders throughout his tenure within the Brotherhood, and has gained fictional benefits from his time spent within each Order.
  • He began as a Krath, due to the limitations on Orders of that time (he didn't have any of the games to play). Later, he moved to the Obelisk to help compete in Khobai's ORoS, and then to the Sith for the Second Sith War. Bloodfyre has remained a part of the Sith Order ever since.

• Sith was the first person to have served Tarentum as Consul twice; Anshar is now the second.

• Sith is currently the only person to have served in each position of the Clan Summit, and within the Houses of Gladius and Tridens. Welshman is close on his heels in that regard.

• At one point, certain members of the Brotherhood were "competing" to see who could hold more positions at one time than Sith (who, at that time, held the positions of: Consul of Tarentum, Sith High Warrior, Praetor to the DGM, Left Hand of Justice, Trainer in the ACC and member of the GMRG before resigning from most of them to serve exclusively as Sith High Warrior).
  • Sith did not hold any record at that point for most concurrent positions, as some people believe. The "competition" was more of a friendly rivalry between Sith and certain friends (most notably Señor Kaek, who did end up holding more positions at one subsequent point).

• Sith was the last in the line of Sith High Warriors, which began as a position known as the "Sith Advisor."
  • As High Warrior, Sith was responsible for the re-design of the gaming nights, and the inception of the Sunday Invitational Tournaments, which were meant to be a "hold over" until the Credits and Prestige system was introduced; the Tournaments lasted much longer than intended.

• Sith despises the rank "Dark Jedi Master," and instead, prefers to refer to himself as a Sith Master (or, alternatively, a Master of the Sith Order). He does, however, prefer the acronym "DJM" to alternatives such as "SM."

• Sith was responsible for the creation and evolution of the Clan and Order Powers projects since its beginning under controversial DGM Mairin Astoris. He created the first drafts of every Clan's powers with the exception of Naga Sadow, which was the first Clan to really jump at the chance to create their Clan's powers.
  • Each Clan's powers have stayed relatively close to their original form. The Order Powers, however, have undergone several redesigns, and are probably nothing like they were initially.