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Pontifex Muz Keibatsu Sadow is the current Herald of the Dark Brotherhood.
Character History
The scion of the Keibatsu line, a deposed family from the backwater feudal planet of Kyataru, Musashi Daraku Keibatsu was taken by the Jedi Master Eojin Quon-Shen at the age of 6 as a padawan. Through his training by the survivor of Order 66, Musashi learned the ways of the Force and eventually forgot his true name, parsing it to 'Muz Ashen'. When Eojin merged his few students with the Luke's Jedi Academy, Muz expanded his training and eventually completed his studies.
Muz had ascended to the knighthood in the New Jedi Order, but not without concern from his master, nor without incident. Ashen seemed to be slipping closer and closer to the dark side, calling upon it to accomplish his goals when it seemed that all was lost. His eyes charred black by a Sith beast's death, Muz grew more and more imposing as his abilities grew.
Fall to Darkness
The final straw came when Muz's legendary technological expirements crafted a synthetic cortosis-like fabric. The Jedi Council convened, remembering the events at the Keibatsu stronghold. They effectively banished him, sending him on an open-ended mission to protect a fabricated planet called Dearanor. When a dark Jedi by the name of Cor An-Jin showed up to destroy the planet and take the valuable resources, Muz was outmatched. Calling upon the dark side to defeat the darksider, Muz saved hundreds of thousands of citizens.
Upon reporting the incident to the council, he was derided for touching the dark side.
Muz's disrespect for the council grew exponentally, and he relinquished his sabre, quietly building a homestead on Dearanor. The local government honored Muz with a lavish ceremony and the gift of an ancient sword, the Nagamichi. The Jedi Council decided that they could not afford the liability of Muz falling to the dark side, and sent Knights to extinguish his threat. Facing their sabres, Muz expected to die. The sword he was given had other ideas, however. The sword had been treated alchemically to resist sabre blades and blaster bolts. Muz managed to survive the assault and left Dearanor, heading deep into uncharted places to avoid the New Jedi Order.
It was there that Muz first learned of the Dark Brotherhood, serving as a general in the Autocthonian Navy under the High Lord Darrow. Having saved the High Lord's life on more than one occasion, the highly decorated Ashen was gifted with one of the High Lord's own personal ships and an open invitation to return. Muz took his new ship, named it the 'Fallen Spear' in a silent nod to his fall from grace as a Jedi, and set out for Antei.
The Brotherhood
Antei marked a new beginning for Muz. Enlisting in the Dark Brotherhood, Muz quickly passed the Shadow Academy's coursework and was assigned to a Sith house, where his abyssmal luck with smaller fighters made him more liability than asset. Manesh Sadow traded Muz to the Krath (for what some say was a six pack and a lap dance from Tissaya Argat, an attractive Chiss Quaestor of Marka Ragnos), where Muz flourished.
Assigned to missions with Kali Desdemona, Nekura Manji, Beowulf, and Korras, Muz quickly rose through the ranks of the Brotherhood, successes against all odds leading to his impending knight trials. Muz fought alongside the future Obelisk High Commander, even facing him as an ancient spirit possessed him, a fight that would claim Muz's left arm, but cemented him as a stalwart ally of the House. None of these experiences could have prepared Muz, as he never expected an old wound to be opened.
On a mission during the Independence Games, Manji and Muz fought against a small New Republic force, led by a Jedi. The jedi was one of Eojin Quon-Shen's students, and recognized Ashen as a fallen Knight. After slaying the knight, Muz discovered an encrypted datapad that belonged to his former master.
The datapad laid bare Ashen's lost history. Manji was his brother.
The Fourth Great Jedi War
The two fought alongside each other under the banners of Marka Ragnos, leading separate armies against the Antarrans. After an architectural expedition uncovered an ancient Keibatsu holding that revealed treasures as well as a generations old animosity for the Antarrans, the brothers rallied, winning battles left and right against the Antarrans in the Great Jedi War. It was for their services during this war that they were raised to the higher offices of Quaestor and Aedile.
Ashen remained ashamed of his memory loss, remained embarrassed at the weakness of his will that enabled him to be brainwashed out of such things that were so important to him. He refused to take up the Keibatsu name, believing that he had not yet earned the right to bear it again, that he was unworthy. Muz trained incessantly, building his strength as he prepared for the next inevitable conflict.
The Last Krath Rite of Supremacy
When the ancient K'hamar'an threat resurfaced, the brothers were ready, rallying their house to greatness in what would be later called the Rite of Supremacy. The brothers led their house to unlikely victories, helping to make Clan Naga Sadow the second Clan of the Brotherhood.
After the war had died down, and summer boiled the snow from Tarthos, the brothers were faced with ancient magics and old curses. The Stone Lion, a beast known to the Keibatsu family by myth, only showed up to claim dishonorable kin, to clean the family tree. Muz knew that his reluctance to take up the family name would haunt him, but no one saw this legend as true until it arrived in the flesh. Muz hunted the beast outside the walls of the Marka Ragnos Cathedral, and the epic combat that followed would leave Muz with the nickname of 'the Lion of Tarthos'. His sense of honor fulfilled and destiny paid, Muz Ashen took back up the banner of the Keibatsu, reclaiming his heritage.
Rising Through the Ranks
Shortly afterwards, Muz was called upon to serve as Proconsul of Clan Naga Sadow, leaving his younger brother installed in his place as Quaestor. The Brotherhood called on his expertise and also gave him duties in the Chamber of Justice, as well as a position as praetor to the Herald, where he was tasked with the creation of lightsabers.
Helping Consul Xanos Sadow to garner success in the Obelisk war, Muz's sense of duty to clan grew, even as Antei called for more and more of his attentions.
Finding the Tulok Hord Holocron with Xanos, the pair studied the lightsaber master's teachings very well, creating their own Holocron for general use of the Brotherhood, The Lightsaber Combat Guide.
It was shortly after that when he was coerced into entering the Championship Tournament on Antei by his brother. Muz found himself victorious against great odds, having even been forced to fight the reigning Grand Master of the Dark Brotherhood, Jac Cotelin, in a battle that would spin Muz's mind in new madness. Perilously close to losing control of himself and his demons, Muz fought on, managing to emerge triumphant, and named as a Champion of the Combat Centre.
Newly named as a Son of Sadow, news came from Antei that the Herald retired, leaving the Grand Master to appoint Muz as the new Herald.
Muz's action as Herald has been well-received, the Keibatsu having generated scores of new lightsabers as he had a new home built for him, deep withing his family's ancient territory on Kyataru.
It was only a matter of time before Muz and his brothers raised an army to reclaim their ancestral homelands from those who had usurped them in their absence. After a long deployment of the Keibatsu and their allies, the Herald made use of clones bought from Kamino, the Nihilgenia, as they forced the usurpers of their family's holdings back out of the territories. The 'Reclamation of Kyataru' lasted nearly three months, the Family returning to their clans and other duties just before the onset of the Sixth Jedi War.
DJB Facts
Throughout his reign as Herald, Muz has been responsible for many of the improvements that are used by the membership. Most notable were the use of Custom Robes, the Lightsaber Combat Guide and creation of better options in the Lightsaber Creation Interface. He strives to make the office of Herald a center for graphic standards, often providing graphics for various DJB sites.
Lightsabers
In addition to creating Custom Lightsabers for various members, Muz created graphics for a new Lightsaber Creation Interface to be used by any member ranked DJK or higher. The Creation tool also unlocks additional saber designs with ranks gained beyond Dark Jedi Knight. At the rank of SBL, OE, or KE, members are allowed to select certain Saber-staff and dual lightsaber designs.
Lightsaber Combat Guide
As a supplement to a member's character sheet for the Antei Combat Centre, Muz (along with others) created guidelines on specific styles of lightsaber combat.
Robes
Muz has also created a variety of Robes, with different levels of customization available depending on your Rank. Custom Robes are made available to any member serving on the Dark Council.
Trivia
- The name 'Muz Ashen' is an obvious corruption of Musashi, the famed samurai and author of the 'Book of Five Rings'. The famed samurai was known for his use of two katana at once, much as Muz uses two lightsabers.
- The Character of Muz Ashen was developed as a character for a Fanfilm project that never saw production. The character was at that time frame, still a member of the New Jedi Order.
- Muz is said to reside in Kuroshin Castle on Kyataru. The name means 'Dark Heart' in Japanese.
- Former Left Hand of Justice
- Former Proconsul of Clan Naga Sadow
- Former Magistrate and Praetor to Kaine Mandaala
- Former Praetor to Cyris Oscura
- Seventeenth Herald of the Dark Brotherhood.