Tang'va Dynasty

The Tang'va Dynasty is an ancient noble line of strong warriors and manipulators from the planet Cameno. Displaced from their home system due to political insurrection after a genocidal war that they incited, their members have been found in many organizations, from the Jedi Praxeum to the Dark Jedi Brotherhood.

History

Shade of Empire

Varthin Tang was a minor Duke of Cameno when he had led a massive campaign against intruding aliens. The lizardlike interlopers had run rampant over the tiny planet, and Varthin's bravery and wildly successful tactics had routed their foes on several fronts, despite their superior numbers and technology.

Varthin's success on the battlefield during wartime quickly became political power in peacetime, the Duke rising through the ranks and eventually being named as successor to the childless Emperor Namla. When the emperor passed, Varthin ascended to the Imperial Throne of Camino, a throne that his bloodline would hold for as long as there was an emperor. The Tang'va, or 'descendants of Tang', were well respected for a dozen generations, their quick and wise decisions leading their world to colonize their moons and become richer as a people.

The last Emperor of the Tang'va line had several children, the most famous of which being Tiberius Tang'va and Claudius Tang'va. As the emperor feared a resurgence of war from neighboring systems, he shut down interstellar trade for fear of espionage, and instituted a viciously xenophobic policy...a policy which quickly turned to genocide. Both Tiberius and Claudius served as generals for their father, brutally enforcing his will until the aliens banded together and actually seized the capital.

In paranoid response, the Emperor Tang'va instituted what he had called the 'Metrion Cascade', a chemical agent that he believed would attack the aliens nervous system and leave the native Camenans in peace. This measure was a complete and utter failure, reducing much of the planet to a burning ash. The Emperor was assassinated by his aide in the hours after the declaration, as well as several of his children. Claudius and Tiberius both are known to have escaped the planet in their own personal craft.

Tiberius in the Brotherhood

Tiberius found his way to Antei, seeking training to hone his Force sensitivity. And much training did he find, both in the Halls of Clan Taldryan and in the Shadow Academy. The ingrained leadership of his bloodline rose up to aid him in his studies, having assembled his own group of loyalists who styled themselves as "Tang'va", despite lack of blood relation. Many young Force sensitives who encountered Tiberius actually fell in line with his charismatic ways, from Raidoner who would later celebrate his own Mandolorian heritage, to a young Muz who would later reclaim his birthright as a Keibatsu.

As the group grew, Tiberius began to use his influence and will to corrupt certain aspects of the Brotherhood, encouraging deceptive practices that served to increase his own power. It was during this time that he attempted to manipulate Muz, which caused him to leave the group. His exodus from the cult would lead many of the Tang'va to seek him out and attempt to slay him as a traitor. None succeeded, and Muz was called the 'Scourge of the Tang'va' for many years afterwards.

The activities of the Tang'va did not go unnoticed by the Headmaster and the Chamber of Justice, and they soon came down on the group for their illegal activities in the Shadow Academy. Demoted in the brotherhood, and his cult disbanded forcibly, Tiberius humbled himself and studied even harder to become an Equite of strength in the Brotherhood. Still harboring a hatred for his former ally, Tiberius avoids the elder Muz to this day, although many have suggested thet the Tang'va is merely biding his time.

Claudius in the Praxeum

While his brother sought out training with the Darksiders, Claudius had sought out personal training with the Jedi. After many years of running a small cadre of pirates and smugglers, the Tang'va finally cashed in his operation after finding where a survivor of the Jedi Purge was located. Having found an old master by the name of Eojin Quon-Shen, Claudius offered his ship to the haggard man for use as a mobile academy for the Force, provided that he tought him the Jedi Arts.

Eojin reluctantly agreed, sensing ulterior motives in the man, but feeling that he would be able to guide the young Camenan towards a more altruistic path. Claudius became one of Eojin's most trusted allies, and his best student in the years to come, despite several 'lapses of judgement' that included the Massacre of the Keibatsu on Kyataru in 16 ABY, and the death of four of his own padawans at the hands of one of Eojin's other students. Eojin continues to keep Claudius with him, due to his innate charisma, which helps him greatly with the Suukou Bodai and his own goals.

Claudius' own goals with the Jedi are unclear. He probably expects that the Master has much more power to bestow upon him, and then he would be able to use his command of the Bodai to seize control of a kingdom on Kyataru, restoring himself to some manner of throne.