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Complete Article: Sashar Arconae
Transcluded Pages: Part One - Part Two - Part Three
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Ranged Weaponry
The Mandalorian arguably favours ranged weaponry over combat with a lightsaber, believing that each weapon has a time and place, and 99% of the time, a lightsaber’s place is deactivated at his belt. As such, his usual armourment consists mainly of said weapons. He often considers it a personal failing of foes make it to ‘chopping distance.’
About the size of a carbine, the Trandoshan-made weapon doesn’t look very sophisticated, indeed, it looks like someone’s idea of a joke when compared with the high-tech equipment Soulfire Strike Team usually are equipped with. However, the sheer stopping power of the weapon is what attracted Sashar. Able to discharge a blast of pure concussive energy (taking the form of a neon blue ‘bolt’ coruscating with arcs of static energy) that displaces anything within a five meter radius, the LJ-50 is also a deadly weapon when it scores a direct hit, as the sheer power of the weapon is often enough to drill through reinforced armour without even losing a tenth of its strength, and when applied to unprotected flesh and skin…well, Sashar has described the after-effects as ‘messy.’
When he left to lead Galeres and eventually Arcona, he kept the weapon handy and made several modifications. First and foremost, he added a NightMight 4NS Scope to allow him greater accuracy at longer range (however, using the weapon at anything over five hundred meters would be the height of folly), as well as a Target Imager mounted below the main barrel, allowing ultrasonic imaging of concealed targets. This information, coupled with the Scope and an in-built comlink device can link either with his helmet, or be beamed to other forces for a larger blast (such as an orbital bombardment). He reinforced the casing around the main part of the rifle with durasteel plates, meaning that the weapon could survive a steep fall…or being used to brain a hapless sentient. Finally, Sashar added a magnetic strip which allowed him to fasten the weapon easily to the back of his armour plating when it wasn’t in use.
Sashar's custom SSK-7 Pistol
Sashar, upon leaving Soulfire Strike Team for Quaestor, requisitioned an SSK-7 Heavy Blaster Pistol for his own personal use. To start with, he added a silencer and a light filter at the end of the barrel so that in addition to producing a fraction of the sound a normal blaster pistol emits, it also cuts down on the initial ‘flash’ of a blaster being discharged. He then polished the inside of the barrel down to a mirror finish so that the blaster bolt didn’t lose any power before it left the weapon. To make the weapon more versatile, he added a custom feature – an adjustable focusing emitter. Some blasters are over-focused so add more punch, at the sacrifice of some of its range (this modification also wears down on the barrel). Sashar gave the adjusting emitter three settings: close range (so that the maximum amount of energy can be discharged at the target), medium range (standard, effective to the usual levels for a Heavy Blaster Pistol) and long range (under focused so that he may hit targets further away; however he does sacrifice some of the power at this range). He also extended the safety switch, the stun switch, and the semi/fully automatic switches for added comfort, and also added his own custom pattern to the grip so that it slotted in perfectly with the grip on his gloves. Usually, triggers on blasters and projectile weapons require around 4.5 pounds of pressure to fire, but Sashar heightened the sensitivity of his pistol, giving it a mere 3.5 pounds of pressure required to discharge and also added several grip indentations on the trigger so that his finger wouldn’t slip at all. He also lengthened the trigger guard, allowing the finger to more easily slot into place, ready on the trigger. To aid in his aiming, Sashar added a ‘tri-sight’, a single sight at the end of the barrel and two further sights at the back of the barrel, so that he could properly aim using the ‘three-dot’ method. Finally, Sashar filed down the tibanna gas pack entry mechanism, to speed up the reloading time. The weapon is one of a kind and a true testament to Sashar’s abilities as a weapon and armour-smith.
T-6 Thunderer Heavy Blaster Pistol
- "Here you go, ad’ika; A gun that, when fired, picks the target up, throws them three meters back and leaves them with a crater the size of a melon in their chest."
- ―Voden to Sashar, when presenting him with the pistol.
A recent addition to his arsenal, the T-6 Thunderer was given to him as a wedding present by Voden when they got married (as Mandalorians don’t hold much value in jewelry, other than how much it can be sold for), the T-6 Thunderer is a fallback for Sashar when subtlety is abandoned in favour of something a little…louder. The weapon itself has no stun setting and the Mandalorians didn’t bother to add one. Instead, he simply installed a Mandalorian Chamber, which significantly broadened the beam emitted, causing a lot more damage when it strikes.
Bladed Weaponry
Not content to simply rely on pistols, his conk or lightsabers, Sashar also has a fondness for daggers and thrown weapons, and makes sure to keep both on his person whenever possible.
Noghri Sickle
A present from his old Noghri instructor when Sashar mastered the hand-to-hand art of Stava, the Sickle is entirely unremarkable in appearance. A black plasteel handle about 45cm long and 6cm in diameter slots easily into his left boot. When a small switch is flicked near the middle of the handle, an equally black plasteel blade springs out at a 90 degree angle. The weapon can be wielded as a small scythe, or can be thrown, depending on the kind of threat the Mandalorian faces.
Sashar received the Bes’bev from his brother Zandro for making it to the elder ranks. The Bes’bev, a traditional Mandalorian weapon, is seldom seen away from Mandalore, also functions as a kind of flute. A simple instrument with holes for fingers to cover to produce different notes rather than valves, it is nearly a meter long and its surface is primarily unpolished durasteel. The bottom end is sharpened into a conical point on one side. He tied a leather strap to the weapon, allowing him to sling it over his back when not in use. The Bes’bev can be used either as a bludgeoning tool or as a stabbing implement, depending on his mood. He is rarely ever seen without the flute.
Masters
Sashar has trained extensively in every aspect of war he could and has had many masters in his time. The most prominent in his constant education are the following:
Bralor Kodiak
Sashar’s and Kieran’s adoptive father, Bralor is the head of the Kodiak Clan and had Kieran and Sashar accompany him throughout Dxun once they reached the age of 8 – teaching them everything they’d need to carry on the Mandalorian warrior heritage. They learned survival techniques, weapons mastery with blasters and how to handle explosives correctly, as well as hand-to-hand combat and tactical supremacy. Bralor laid the foundations for them both to become formidable warriors in their own right without any assistance from the force. Unfortunately, Bralor died defending Mandalore during the Yuuzhan Vong war, leaving Kieran as the head of the Kodiak clan.
Frey Gallandro
Sashar’s master in Clan Alvaak was Frey Gallandro. The belkadanian was a harsh master and allowed Sashar to explore the force on his own for the most part, only loosely guiding him through the first steps of being a journeyman. He also encouraged the mandalorian to be fanatically loyal – something which backfired a year after Sashar’s Knighthood, during the exodus. Sashar and Frey had a climactic duel which ended in the Master being exiled from the Clan along with his former student. The two never spoke again and no love is lost between the pair.
Kakhmalakh
The Noghri Stava master taught Sashar the hand-to-hand art. When Sashar took a sabbatical from the Dark Brotherhood, Kakhmalakh offered sanctuary to the troubled youth and instilled a form of Stava to give him ‘discipline.’ Kakhmalakh also helped the Mandalorian on the first steps to training himself to become arguably one of the best Assassin in the Brotherhood.
Strategos took Sashar under his wing when he reached Arcona, and while already being an equite, Strategos still took it on himself to tutor Sashar on the use of the blade. He still trains Sashar to this day in lightsaber combat and the pair regularly spar.
When Sashar was briefly in Clan Tarentum, he encountered the Adept. Oberst agreed to train Sashar in more martial aspects of combat, such as commanding large forces, logistical operation and tactical handling of huge forces. Thanks to his continued mentoring, the Mandalorian is able to competently handle the management of a battle in both large space-going conflicts and on the ground. This has improved his worth to Arcona tenfold, allowing him much more use than just as a commando. Sashar is still in training with Oberst and the two regularly act as de-facto intermediaries between the allied clans. Also of note is Oberst’s sadistic nature and leanings towards torture and interrogation and his tutoring Sashar of these techniques, however this is something the Arconae tries to avoid whenever possible, as he considers it distasteful.
Upon being given the Title di Tenebrous Arcona, Sashar was taken under Mejas’s wing as his ‘Shadow Scion’ – the first apprentice Mejas has ever taken. The Shadow Lord trained Sashar in the more obscure and arcane uses of the force, and when Sashar became an Elder, he was named the second Shadow Lord of Arcona. Given that Sashar usurped Mejas and had him locked in a force-inhbiting beskar collar, the Shadow Lord has been plotting constantly to retake Arcona's throne and kill his former protege. There is definitely no love lost between the two, however the Mandalorian learned a lot of letting his reputation fight his battles for him and how to survive the triple-crossing nature of being on the Dark Council.
[Korras]
Korras took on Sashar as his Praetor and trained him up to aid him in his role on the Dark Council as Master-at-arms. Korras had a unique knack of handling the avalanche of paperwork the role required whilst not letting his training slip, and he was also a very, very charismatic leader, both with the Armed Forces of the Iron Throne and on the Dark Council itself. Korras was also one of the chief leaders of the Obelisk Order, and his vast knowledge on the Art of War is slowly but surely being passed on to his Praetor.
Apprentices
The Mandalorian Prided himself on his mentorship of his brethren and repeatedly took on apprentices during his tenure in the Brotherhood. Indeed, he spent a large amount of his free time assembling what he has dubbed the ‘Kodiak Holocron’ a collection of training regimens and techniques unique to the Mandalorian to help in his training of some of the clan’s newer members. When each of his apprentices reaches the rank of Knight, they are given a tattoo bearing Sashar’s mark onto their left shoulder, signifying their training under him.
Sashar’s first impression of Zandro was an eager, ambitious recruit to Clan Arcona that with a little honing could become a stalwart of the clan. He was right. Zandro proved to excel in every field Sashar tested him in and seemed incredibly at home with a Lightsaber. Zandro also exhibited calmness under fire and charismatic dry sense of humour that made him a brilliant leader. He was also the consummate tactician – in every way Sashar’s prodigy – even going so far as to display an acuity with the rare and difficult art of Battle Meditation. Their newfound familial linkage just strengthened the bond the two shared and they remained close even after Zandro completed his training. Zandro kept going to his older brother Sashar for camaraderie and advice. Zandro was one of the six founding 'Vode Erinos' of the Erinos Family.
Sashar’s second apprentice, the Human was quietly-spoken, not particularly at home with the more mystic applications o the force, but he had a dedicated grit that meant he would never, ever give up. Indeed, his stamina to keep on fighting relentlessly, leading by example is a source of inspiration to his subordinates. Unfortunately, Sashar was driven from Arcona before he could complete Malidir’s training – something the Mandalorian felt guilty about for a long time. Still, despite this, Malidir and Sashar remained friends - Malidir was one of the six founding 'Vode Erinos' of the Erinos family.
Kieran was Sashar’s clan-mate from Dxun and the pair were close even before the Mandalorian took him on as an ‘apprentice’ – though the pair hardly had a master/student dynamic. Indeed, Kieran’s frankness, his black humour and his grim outlook on life speak of someone that rarely listened to authority. That was incorrect however, as the Mandalorian believed in a strong, pronounced chain of command and excelled working in small units such as Soulfire Strike Team. He displayed little ability with offensive force abilities, instead being more adept at augmenting his physical attributes with the force more than anything else. He eventually completed his tutorship with Sashar and the two continued to work closely on various tasks for Galeres, Arcona and the Erinos family. Kieran was one of the six founding 'Vode Erinos' of the Erinos family.
Not your stereotypical Nagai, Rho and Sashar did no always see eye to eye, yet the Mandalorian cajoled the Nagai into accepting him as a master by showing him the ‘Mandalorian’ way of doing things. This produced mixed results. While Rho was quite the combatant with melee weapons – homage to his Nagai heritage, he took to Soulfire’s blaster-heavy approach to warfare reluctantly. He nevertheless progressed in his application of the dark side as only a Sith could and pointedly disagreed with Sashar on many of the more philosophical debates the pair had when discussing the force, indeed, his ‘Grey Jedi’ stance was dismissed and the Nagai seemed content with the role of the dark side in his life. It was Sashar’s belief that he would make a fine Dark Jedi. Whether or not this is a compliment remains to be seen. Upon Rho's attaining the title of Knight, Sashar built the Nagai a custom suit of armor as a way of displaying his pride for the apprentice that provided him with the most challenge.
Another of Sashar’s ner’vod from Dxun, Juda looked to Sashar as an older-brother figure and in a blatant disregard for the laws prohibiting it, Sashar took Juda as his apprentice despite already having two others. The Mandalorians worked extremely well together, and unlike Kieran, Juda exhibited a level of control over the force that even Sashar couldn’t quite match up to. He demonstrated a natural affinity as a ‘seer’ – having a force sense that was impressive for such a raw recruit to the force, and also seemed to lean towards healing and regenerative force powers – it was expected that Juda would become a brilliant healer and seer as he progressed down the path of the force user. Sashar’s one concern over his ner’vod was that the red-haired youth would be seduced by the Dark Side – something he was able to avoid with Malidir, Kieran and Zandro. Sashar also decided to use Juda as the apprentice for a trial mentoring scheme, where Juda and Sashar would remain bonded together as master and student until he reached the rank of Prelate. Juda excelled and as a reward for succeeding, he was given Fraternity.
Earnest, Sashar’s sixth apprentice was taken on reluctantly. The former companion and consummate seducer share a past in that Earnest was the one to ‘take’ Dash Kuatir from the Mandalorian. Nevertheless, he agreed to tutor the Jedi Hunter late in his ascension through the ranks to make him a better asset to Arcona. The pair were often found sparring as it was in direct combat that Earnest needed the most tutelage. Curiously, despite Sashar’s urgings, Earnest shunned all forms of lightsaber combat, forcing him to rely on the more mystic applications of the Force for protection. It was thought that this was ultimately what cost Earnest his life in the Great Hunt, as he disappeared without a trace and was presumed dead. However, just after the conclusion of the Ninth Great Jedi War Earnest resurfaced and took his place back in Arcona, eager to nest in the shelter the First Clan provided. Sashar agreed to take Earnest on as an apprentice once more, however it was assumed by everyone involved that this was more so he could keep a very close eye on the former companion, rather than through any outward sign of affection for the dandified seducer. Unfortunately, Earnest was killed during the conflict on Salas V.
Sashar’s seventh apprentice, Illian was a transfer from Taldryan that craved a mentor able to challenge them both mentally and physically. The Exarch, upon hearing that Illian required an experienced Master took it upon himself to train him, both to reinforce Arcona’s focus and attention on all of their members, regardless of previous affiliation and to temper some of Illian’s more psychotic urges. The two were often at loggerheads due to their vastly different views on team-work and Clan fealty, However during Illian’s trials, Sashar forced him to give up Torment, Illian’s lightsaber and ‘voice in his head.’ After his ascension to Dark Jedi Knight, the unstable ex-Taldryanite became a de-facto extension of Sashar’s will and acted as a spy and assassin for the Proconsul.
Sashar’s eighth apprentice, and perhaps his most difficult. Maligo was a teenager from Almania with a strong talent for mind control. Sashar agreed to assume Draco’s continuing training after the death of his master under suspicious circumstances during a mission against the Yuuzhan Vong. Draco was strongly independent, and showed affinity for the mystical aspects of the Force rather than combat ability, going so far as to shun armor and particle weapons to focus his attention on sorcery and alchemy. Maligo often went AWOL hunting for arcane knowledge of Force techniques. Draco easily made it to Dark Jedi Knight with little help from Sashar, and the Mandalorian encouraged him to continue on his path, as Alchemists were in short supply after the fall of Antei. Unfortunately, Draco felt dissatisfied with Sashar’s style of leadership during the Mandalorian’s tenure as Consul, and left for Scholae Palatinae (Sashar imagined that the choice of destination was meant to spite him).
Lyncoln Novell
Hand-picked to serve at the feet of the Arcona Consul, Lyncoln was been offered a path that few other Journeyman have experienced. The amiable, but reclusive Bothan was chosen to fulfill the role of Apprentice to Sashar in order to bring up the next generation of valuable assets for Clan Arcona. All members of the Arconan summit knew there was much potential and power within Novell, but they also realized that his path was much different from the stereotypical Dark Jedi of the Brotherhood.
Their strong telepathic connection, coupled with long hours of training and mentoring, created a bond between master and student that few within the clan could match. The whispers throughout the clan halls had Lyncoln marked out as a pawn of Sashar's will, but while that may have been true, the Consul had bigger plans for the young Bothan. Through a well thought out and planned regimen of training, Sashar planned to make Lyncoln Novell into a force to be reckoned with throughout the Brotherhood and the galaxy. Unfortunately, during the Ninth Great Jedi War, Lyncoln vanished on the plains of Antei combating the battle droids and rogue Jedi and it is unknown if he will be heard from again, given the confusion that battle wrought.
Maaks, Sashar’s most recent apprentice proved something of a challenge. Being a Miraluka, the obvious sight difficulties often proved to be a barrier between the pair, however that paled into insignificance compared to Maaks’ lack of martial background. As such, before Sashar could properly school him, he sent the Miraluka to Dxun to train with Kieran and Juda until they deemed him ready to rejoin Arcona and Soulfire Strike Team as a Dark Jedi worthy of the squad’s reputation. He struggled through the training, but nevertheless was close to completing it when he was captured by Dash and indoctrinated into the metamorph’s ‘way of life.’ He hasn’t been seen since.