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Did you ever hear the tragedy of Darth Plagueis the Wise? This article details the history of a character who no longer actively takes part in current events.
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Vodo Biask Taldrya was a Sith Warrior, Son of Taldryan, former Consul, and a former Dark Councillor. At the time of his death in 38ABY he was the Director of Clan Intelligence presiding over the Office of Secret of Intelligence and the Quaestor of House Ektrosis
Biography
Genesis
Vodo was born to a pair of slaves in the Outer Rim circa 1 BBY. His youngest memories of the two Twi’leks are blurry and he was quickly separated from them around age three. As a young boy Vodo served a house slave to various private owners who utilized him many ways. He performed deliveries, service upon guests, and helped in kitchens. At age thirteen he was given to a barkeeper on Nar Shadda to settle a debt and was put to work serving drinks and passing messages. The proprietor of the establishment was a greedy, dirty Cerean who took advantage of the boy in various unmentionable ways and later wound up dead, inexplicably, in the night.
Vodo, suspected of murder of his Master, went on the run. For years he managed to evade capture using his wit, his tenacity, and a penchant for luck. Looking back, Vodo would remark that he had always been able to foretell trouble by a tingle in his Lekku headtails. As he later developed his affinity and control over the Force, he would recognize it was his connection to that energy field that protected him.
Eventually, a group of bounty hunters managed to track down and corner the now eighteen year old Twi’lek on Dantooine. Vodo, caught unprepared, managed to kill one of the Trandoshan slavers with a sharpened shard of metal before he was subdued and re-enslaved. With his bounty collected, the Trandoshans sold the young man to a mining operation in the Corporate Sector. Here, Vodo was forced to work the dark, hot, and dangerous mines of asteroids alongside criminals and slaves of many different species.
He was party to a revolt that went sour in ABY 19. The mining officials, seeking to minimize damage to their equipment chose to space the slaves in the effected quarters rather than risk security personnel and droids to subdue them. Vodo managed to catch the glance of one of the officials through a view plate beside an airlock before his air ran out. At the time the Twi’lek was unsure of what happened but would later describe it as his first use of Force Persuasion. The human man opened the lock for Vodo, without a word, who then proceeded into the room and slaughtered everyone with the blaster rifle he’d taken for the revolt.
For the next few years Vodo was again on the run, his image clearly recognized by CorSec law enforcement by the vid of his massacre of the Mining Foremen. Finding it best to leave the Corporate Sector Vodo fled to the Inner Rim, finding passage on freighters and working his way across the Galaxy. Having never had official documentation, he never found it difficult to circumvent the official immigration procedures with the proper planning. He did find it strange however that every few months, no matter how well he’d hidden his tracks, the same Trandoshan Bounty Hunters that had captured him years earlier, would eventually catch him up and he’d again have to flee.
Things came to a head on Duros while Vodo was working as a runner for a local Crime Boss. The Trandoshans, rather than cornering their prey, approached his boss and bought out his contract and arranged, without his knowledge, for a meet-up. It was a fateful night. The normally clear night was wracked with the crackle of lightning and thunder, rain poured from the sky, and Vodo found himself in an alley expecting to receive a package but instead found himself facing five heavily armored Bounty Hunters.
It was one of those moments that can only be explained away by the Will of the Force. As the bounty hunters moved in Vodo dispatched one with a hidden holdout blaster, broke the arm of a second with an instinctual maneuver, and was only subdued by the remaining three simultaneously firing neural shockers. As Vodo lay upon the wet duracrete alley, certain he would return to a life of slavery, he heard a snap-hiss and the heads of his attackers crumpled around him.
Induction to the Brotherhood
Vodo had been rescued; by chance a passing human male whom only introduced himself as Katarn, removed his restraints and hurried the young Twi’lek out of the alley and off the planet. Uncertain what to make of the man Vodo found himself in awe of the Man’s sheer presence. Katarn, who Vodo would later call Consul Kir Katarn, informed him that he had been on-planet pursuing a different mission when he’d felt the Force used in a wild and untrained manner. Deciding to investigate he’d found the slavers around Vodo. Kir picked the boy up and together they left Duros on the man’s ship.
He told him of his organization, a place for Force Sensitive’s to learn and train into powerful conduits of the Dark Side of the Force. Vodo was told he had two choices, step out of the airlock or accompany him to the Brotherhood’s home planet of Antei. Vodo decided on the latter and found himself marooned with a knife, a canteen of water, and two day’s rations on the edge of a massive rock field. He was told that if he followed the rising sun, he would find his way to the Great Hall of the Brotherhood and acceptance as an Apprentice of the Dark Side. If he didn’t, he would die.
Early Years
Vodo proved his mettle and was accepted into the Brotherhood’s ranks and was assigned to Clan Taldryan, under the command of Consul Kir Katarn who guided the Twi’lek’s first steps in learning the intricacies of the Force and the Dark Side. When it became quickly apparent the clever young man leaned towards the Arcane elements of the Force rather than its physical applications Kir Katarn handed him over to the capable hands of Alanna Taldrya of House Ektrosis.
Lady Alanna guided Vodo in the ways of the Krath, whom Vodo pledged himself to. He learned the basics of control, of weaving spells, and of researching new and lost means of use. Vodo was a loner from years of self-reliance and did not know how to rely upon others well. He kept to himself for his first years, preferring the quiet and contemplation of the House, the Clan, and the Brotherhood’s massive libraries.
Vodo was a Guardian when the Seventh Great Jedi War broke out. Though his contribution to the Clan’s war effort was small in comparison to some, he did manage to make a name for himself among the Journeymen as a capable and rising young star.
When the Yuuzhan Vong attacked the Grand Master’s Medal Ceremony in 27 ABY Vodo was aboard the Dark Council’s ship awaiting his duly earned awards from the Second Darkness war games. He and his clanmates were forced to flee the crippled warship back to Taldryan’s nearby Task Force. An Aedile of Ektrosis by this time, Vodo helped organize his Dark Jedi under the banner of then Quaestor Hel-Pa Taldrya Sklib and the capable leadership of the Clan’s Consul, Duga Taldrya Arkarso.
Close-Up of Vodo's Prosthesis
Vodo acquitted himself admirably and found himself promoted to the ranks of the Equites for his efforts and officially joined the Krath Order as an adherent.
By ABY 28 Vodo was now the Quaestor of House Ektrosis and a well respected member of Taldryan’s Summit and an Krath Arch-Priest. Grand Master Artisan Dantes, seeking to reclaim Antei from the Yuuzhan Vong, ordered the forces of the Brotherhood to prepare for war. Taldryan responded and instead found a splinter Order of the Jedi already occupying the planet. The battle was hard fought and losses were high but together with the Brotherhood at its back, Taldryan fought valiantly and won the day.
Vodo
In the final days of the war Vodo, Lady Nyssa Taldrya, and Vodo’s Aedile Sidarace Rathden were captured by the splinter Jedi of Omancor Crask. Attempting to bend the captured Dark Jedi to his will, Vodo was forced to duel his apprentice and slay the weaker willed Miraluka. A rescue party, led by Vardar Fen'Amar Taldrya, picked up the remaining Taldryan Jedi at the foot of the Brotherhood’s occupied Great Hall but was shot down. In the crash Vodo was paralyzed from the waist down. In the days after the war, Vodo refusing the weakness of his mortal flesh, had his body replaced with cybernetic prosthesis from the navel down.
Ascent to Power
Clan Taldryan
Vodo's Ruby Scepter
Vodo began to change in the years after the Battle to Reclaim Antei. His moods turned darker, his ambitions sharpened, and he became more stoic. His sacrifices and leadership during the Great Jedi War were recognized by his peers and he was made a Son of Taldryan and granted the right to adopt the name Taldrya. He was given the command of Proconsul of Taldryan and quickly succeeded Halcyon Rokir as Consul thereafter. At the helm of Clan Taldryan, the most powerful and prestigious of the Clans, Vodo set out on a course to reform and strengthen his Clan.
The Military was given additional funding to repair, reequip and resupply. Officers were given full independence from Jedi command, and Dark Jedi were encouraged to train in conjunction with Special Forces but not at their head. Diplomacy with Clan Naga Sadow was initiated to secure an alliance against the lesser Clans. Lastly, a full survey of all Taldryan Planetary Systems, Possessions, and Claims was begun to account for every resource at the Clan’s command. Industry and commercial enterprise were encouraged, settlement begun on the outlying systems, and the basics of a colonial economy laid down to anchor the Clan’s finances.
In recognition of his accomplishments the Grand Master, Muz Ashen, conferred the rank of Epis upon Vodo and awarded him the Ruby Scepter.
The Dark Council
Ambitions only grow in size and appetite and soon Clan Taldryan could not satiate Vodo’s hunger. Seeking more power, more secrets, and more influence, Vodo worked his way into the Grand Master’s confidence and was appointed Voice of the Brotherhood. Ostensibly, the position of VOICE was to act as the Grand Master’s mouth piece but behind the scenes Vodo began establishing networks of informers, spies, and ears to feed him information. The VOICE then utilized this information to effect plots and intrigues among the Dark Council and gains the trust of the Grand Master.
Things fell apart quickly however as more adept players began to edge the Twi’lek out and Vodo was forced to step down from his position worn for the wear little better for it. Retiring to his Clan and home of many years, Vodo now resides upon Karufr in his private estate researching the mysteries of the Dark Side.
The Old Guard
With the destruction of Clan Taldryan's home system by the Justicar, and former Son of Taldryan, Jac Cotelin Vodo found himself on the run with the rest of the Clan and its surviving fleet assets. A Chiss doctor by the name of Rhylance managed to maneuver himself into the Consulship, displacing the heir apparent Zoron. Distrusting the Chiss man, and craving the power of the Consulship for himself once more, Vodo organized an underground resistence to Rhylance's regime he dubbed the Old Guard. Utilizing the aid of his two Apprentices, Zasati Treyvsch and Nihilius Vexrii, Vodo and the Old Guard managed to overthrow the Consul and put in his place a long time friend and Son of Taldryan Rian Taldrya.
Death
The Brotherhood came into conflict with the Collective and over a series of wars Vodo saw action against the anti-force user alliance. In 38 ABY the Brotherhood found its capital of Eos under assault unexpectedly. Taldryan came to the Grand Master's aid and so too did Vodo. Choosing to rescue the diplomatic envoys of the allied Severian Principate, Taldryan's forces assaulted Mattock Station in orbit. The next phase of the war saw the Clan descending to the planet's surface and racing to reinforce the Iron Legion's headquarters. Leading a commando unit to the rear of the Collective's ground side encampment Vodo spotted what appeared to be a launcher of some sort. Deciding his resources were low and that he was the only one capable of putting the apparent super-weapons out of action he raced off into the midst of the enemy camp. Discovered in the act of sabotage Vodo quickly found himself outnumbered and out of options. Deciding to sacrifice himself so that the super-weapons could not launch a chemical/biological attack, Vodo destroyed the power generator feeding the launchers and died.
His final thought was transmitted through the Force to Force Sensitives of Clan Taldyran who heard Axios, meaning "I am worthy". His dedication and sacrifice on behalf of his clan was recognized when the newly commissioned Taldryan Navy Imperial Star Destroyer II was christened 'Axios'.
DJB Facts
Vodo has been a member of the Dark Jedi Brotherhood for over ten years and has spent that entire time as a member of Taldryan (aside from a short stint on the Dark Council). He's been a leader at every level from Eclectic Pedagogue, to Battleteam Leader, to Aedile and Quaestor, to Proconsul and Consul, and finally Dark Councillor.
Activities
Vodo primarily participates in Fiction and Run-On based events, dabbles in Graphics and ACC, and does not game very much though he does own the free-to-play The Old Republic.
Lightsaber
Vodo Consular Lightsaber
Though most notable as a scholar and arcanist Vodo is also an accomplish saber duelist and has applied a great deal of time to his practice of various forms of Saber Combat, individually and in combination with allies. He began studying Form III first and added Form II to that later on, then Form IV Ataru. As his skills developed and matured, Vodo found a particular liking for the Sokan style of saber combat for its assertive use of terrain for position and superiority.
Vodo has always preferred lightsaber hilts with additional length to aid in his fairly dexterous use of the more agility based forms. Vodo's first custom saber hilt was three and a half hands long and designed to aid in his use of Form III Soresu and Form II Makashi. His second, commissioned to celebrate his ascension to Consul of Taldryan, was made to resemble his Ruby Scepter in form. The hilt is nearly a meter long and with the blade ignited, comes to a full length of 2.3m!
Outstanding Achievements
Awards:
Clan Awards
- Mark of Honor
- Scroll of the Arts
- Son of Taldryan
House Ektrosis Awards
Misc.
- Named Taldryan's Most Active in the 2008 Taldryan Tallys
- Named Best of Ektrosis in the 2008 Taldryan Tallys
Trivia
- Vodo was originally an Obelisk, but discovered it was not to his liking and, upon acting on advice from Kir Katarn, changed to the Krath.
See also