The Keibatsu are a family of Dark Jedi in the Dark Brotherhood.
Introduction
The Keibatsu are a prominent family of Dark Jedi hailing From Kyataru who have pledged their allegiance to the Brotherhood under Tron Sadow, Founder of the Clan Naga Sadow.
Membership in the family is by invitation only, and even then, certain pre-requisites and a unanimous vote must be held. Most members are selected for their excellence in writing skill.
Members are also selected for their unwavering loyalty to Clan Naga Sadow.
The family's bloodline is Human, with a few members having mixed blood with Zabrak ancestry as well.
Ancient History
In the eleventh Year of Heisei, on the planet of Kyataru, in Yamazakura Prefecture, Kyoudai Tsuwamono Keibatsu was born. As the son of a great warlord, Kyoudai was taught everything a warrior should know- the arts of Kyujutsu, Kenjutsu, Yarijutsu and Naginatajutsu, as well as the art of war. From an early age, he trained tirelessly under his father and the other great warriors who served under him. Life was uneventful on Kyataru and soon Kyoudai had grown and matured. At the age of 25 he was married to Lady Tsukiakari no Ro-zu, and soon was born two strong, healthy sons.
The eldest, christened Meishu Daraku Keibatsu, was tall, dark and overly proud of his writing skills. The younger, christened Shinmen Nagahide Keibatsu, displayed all the martial potential of his father along with the compassion of his mother. Soon the two brothers grew distant from each other- Meishu preferred to stay indoors and practice his writing while Shinmen trained with his father. As they grew older the rift widened- so much so that when Kyoudai led an army off the planet to gain territory on neighboring planets Meishu deigned to join him, claiming a weakness of the lungs. Shinmen faithfully accompanied his father on the voyage, eager to test his skills in battle.
Slowly the armies of Kyoudai edged through the galaxy, scoring victory after victory and establishing supply bases on every new planet to ensure that their campaign would not falter due to lack of supplies. Eventually they came to a distant planet in a strange new system, known to them as Ekietna. Upon this planet they came across a new foe, and one not easily beaten- a strange race of snake-like creatures, surprisingly advanced. After many fierce battles Kyoudai was slain defending Shinmen from the lizards and the army was beaten back to their ship. Heading back to Kyataru, they swore revenge upon the snake-creatures.
On his return to Kyataru, Shinmen sought out Meishu and confronted him. Accusing his brother of cowardice, Shinmen claimed that if Meishu had been present at the time of the battle then Kyoudai might have been saved. Filled with rage, Meishu foolishly challenged Shinmen to a duel. The challenge was accepted and they met at dawn the following week to fight to the death. In a swift, bloody fight, Shinmen cut Meishu to pieces, fury obscuring his vision. At the conclusion of the duel Shinmen realized what he had done and fell to his knees in sorrow. Meishu's body was buried under a willow in the gardens of the Keibatsu home in Teito, next to a carved stone slab bearing a sorrowful poem written by Shinmen:
'Snow falls to the ground
As the rose of life withers
We'll meet in heaven'
For the next six years, Shinmen trained furiously in the hope that he would one day avenge his father. Then, at the age of 29, accompanied by his wife and child, he led a huge army recruited from across Kyataru back out into the galaxy and towards Ekietna. Landing on the planet, they met an equally large army of snake-like creatures waiting for them. There was a battle the likes of which had never been seen- thousands lay dead in the black silt of the battlefield as Shinmens troops and the snake-like creatures fought ferociously over them.
Rebuilt Kuroshin Courtyard
However, Shinmen's mighty army was pushed slowly back towards the borders they had established. The fighting reached its peak on the night that the creatures launched a surprise attack on Shinmens base camp, forcing Shinmen and his personal bodyguard to keep them at bay until Shinmens family could escape. Surprised at the fierce resistance, the band of attacking creatures retreated upon losing over half their number, three dozen slain by Shinmen himself.
For the time being Shinmen's headquarters was safe, but he soon realized the futility of the situation. After a fresh wave of attacks, Shinmen was forced to retreat, leaving behind many artefacts of his family in his haste to escape. However, as he reached his ship Shinmen was attacked once again by the snake-like creatures. Surrounded by his loyal bodyguard, Shinmen fought to the death, taking many of the creatures with him. Witnessing the death of her beloved husband from the ship, Shinmens wife swore an oath that one day her children or their descendants would defeat the creatures that had murdered her husband and his father. And so the army went back to Kyataro and stayed there, Shinmen's widow raising her son as best she could.
The Force in the Blood
Keibatsu DragonUpon reaching the age of 35 Koji Masurao Keibatsu married and fathered two sons, named Musashi Daraku Keibatsu and Nekura Manji Keibatsu. What was unknown to all save Koji and his wife was the birth of his true second son Shin'ichi by one of Lady Keibatsu's handmaidens. The bastard child was sent away to house of a loyal Imperial family on Coruscant so that Koji's shame would not stain the Keibatsu family. However, Koji soon discovered that the Force ran through Musashi's blood, so at the age of 6 the boy was sent away from Kyataru, with the Jedi Master Eojin Quon-Shen. The Jedi took memories of his lineage and early life from him, leading Musashi to drop the Kyataran name of his birth and call himself Muz Ashen. In Musashi's absence another son of Koji was born, his name was Shikyo. His time with the Keibatsu family would be short as he was taken by Mandalorians as payment for debt owed to them by Shinmen. He would be raised as a Mandalorian, he would not learn his true name for many years, and he would not know the fate of his family until they met again. Meanwhile, at the age of 13 Nekura Manji Keibatsu ran away from his home on Kyataru. During his three years traveling the galaxy, his family presumed him dead.
With no viable heirs, the Keibatsu fell from grace with the Kyataran Emperor due to their aggressive and militaristic methods of diplomacy. Nagahide, a rival warlord positioned himself to take over as premier while whispering lies and rumors into the Emperor's ears. Falling from favor, the Keibatsu were left without honor in their own lands, by and large ignored and their line left to unravel. The emperor passed shortly afterwards, and Nagahide ascended to the throne.
When a Jedi strike team attacked Kyataru and the brother's parents were killed, it seemed that the Keibatsu line had indeed come to an end. Polite society no longer even uttered the name, in fear of repurcussion from the Nagahide's men.
However, several days after the attack, Nekura Manji Keibatsu returned to Kyataru to find his home in ruins and several Jedi searching through the wreckage. The knowledge of his parent's deaths unlocked the latent Force power within Nekura Manji, leading him to brutally murder two Jedi in an explosion of rage. Eager to find out the truth behind his powers, Nekura Manji left Kyataru and traveled back out into the galaxy, searching for answers. Meanwhile, Muz Ashen was expelled from the Jedi Order for drawing on the Dark Side of the Force during a battle with a fallen Jedi.
To the Brotherhood
As he traveled the galaxy, Muz Ashen stumbled upon the Dark Brotherhood at roughly the same time as Nekura Manji, although at first neither was aware of the other's presence. Both transferred into House Marka Ragnos of Clan Naga Sadow and became friends, but it was not until eight months had passed that the two brothers went on a mission to recapture a stolen freighter and discovered that they were related. Shortly after the two brothers took up positions of power- the elder, Muz Ashen, became Quaestor of Marka Ragnos and the younger, Nekura Manji, became Aedile of Marka Ragnos, swearing oaths of loyalty to Astronicus Aurelius Sadow. They would go on to lead Marka Ragnos to glory.
Lineage Chart
Unbeknownst to Nekura Manji was that his elder brother had sired a son before settling into the Dark Brotherhood. There was another Keibatsu loose among the stars, and his name was Sanjuro. Borne of a Zabrak named Ashia who had left Muz for fear of his Dark Power and corrupting influence, the young half-breed was left on the steps of a monastery in the outer rim. There he would suffer many indignities until he was found by the Brotherhood and forged into the weapon known as “Sledge”. Father and son would be reunited, and in time Ashia would return and take her place by their side.
Prior to the recovery of Sanjuro a Dark Jedi known as Tharivol Endymiron would emerge from a long journey back into the ranks of the Dark Brotherhood. The powerful warrior and founder of the oft whispered but never seen Black Guard would swiftly move back into a position of prominence and become Black Guard to Nekura Manji. Shortly thereafter a probe would be intercepted by the Brotherhood bearing a cryptic message and the name Keibatsu. Muz, Manji, Macron and Tharivol would trek to an isolated planet in search of the source of the probe, and the secrets it promised to reveal. What they found was an ambush by a rival clan and a party of Jedi waiting to destroy them all.
The KeibatsuIn the end, the four Dark Jedi were successful in defeating their enemies and making their way into what appeared to be a vacation home. There a lone droid, which had been maintaining the house, identified the two known Keibatsu brothers and a third member of their bloodline. Tharivol Endymiron was in fact the forsaken child Shin'ichi Keibatsu. Another of their lineage had been discovered. Shortly thereafter, for his dedication to the family and loyalty to the brothers, Nekura anointed Mononoke "Macron" Keibatsu-Goura as an adopted member of the Keibatsu. Only Shikyo remained to be found. They would not have long to wait.
War had broken out among the clans and as they vied for supremacy Dark Jedi after Dark Jedi fell in battle or in duels. Shin'ichi sought vengeance upon clan Arcona in the name of Clan Naga Sadow and in so doing had initiated a dual with one of their Aedile's, Sagara Mifune. The two fought and as saber and sword clashed time and again Shin'ichi caught sight of a symbol on the blade, the rampant dragon, sigil of the Keibatsu. He withdrew from the battle to inform his brother Nekura. Nekura sent a challenge to Mifune. The two fought and Sagara was knocked unconscious, before the deathblow could be dealt the battle was ended by Muz who wished the young Mifune turned to Naga Sadow. Now a member of the clan Mifune was taken by the Keibatsu in secret to Kyataru where, much like Shin'ichi he would learn of his true heritage and the origins of the blade he carried. The youngest of the Keibatsu was returned to his family at last.
The Keibatsu
When all was said and done the scattered stars of the Keibatsu family drew together once again and rose, shining brighter than ever before. The future of the Keibatsu line seemed in safe hands.
Reclamation of Kyataru
After the eldest brother, Muz, ascended to the Dark Council of the Brotherhood, the family rallied, plotting a return to their homeworld to retake the lands that had fallen into disrepair under petty warlords who had filled the void that the Jedi had made by killing the Keibatsu. Building a base out of the ruined Kuroshin Castle, the brothers prepared for war. Utilizing cloned soldiers called the Nihilgenia and themselves as generals, the brothers waged a three-month long campaign. The bloody weeks culminated in a surrender of the vast majority of enemy generals, and the death of Nagahide at the hands of Musashi Daraku Keibatsu.
Shortly after the reclamation of their homelands, Shin'ichi discovered another carrier of the Keibatsu Bloodline in Sai Na'Ashar, a descendant of Meishu from the Korun world. Bringing him into the fold, it was not long before the death of a legion of Nihilgenia was discovered outside of the Capitol of their lands. Traveling there, they uncovered a growing resistance to their bloodline, led by none other than Eojin Quon-Shen and his loyalists.
After a brutal engagement that cost Shin'ichi his lower jaw, many lives of the Nihilgenia, and ever deepening madness in the whole family, they retired from the field to reorganize, the trauma making Macron grow ever distant to his adoptive family. The wars of the Brotherhood summoned them back to Antei, to fight the Vong.
The twisted outsiders waged war on the Brotherhood in ways that none thought possible. Having cost countless lives, the Brotherhood escaped Antei, surrendering their throne-world and flagship in order to survive. Sanjuro's ship was destroyed, and his body never recovered, thought to have been held captive by the Vong. With the two recent retreats bitter on their lips, the Keibatsu rallied quickly to track down the missing child, following the trail to Autoch Space before liberating him and returning home.
In the wake of the war, as Astronicus' clan grew and prepared for the commanded return to Antei, Sadow found itself led by Keibatsu on several occasions, many of them being named as honorary 'Sons of Sadow', high praise from the Heir of the Sith Lord, Naga Sadow. Macron, Shin'ichi, Tsainemoto, and Ashia all were honored by the Heir before the return.
The siege of Antei was difficult, the Vongthat were expected having been destroyed by Omancor Crask and his forces. With the Brotherhood commanding Armed Forces of the Iron Throne instead of their more familiar clan armies, the worm turned quickly, if painfully. In the late parts of the unification war, the Dark Lord of the Sith Darth Sarin, was killed in combat with Omancor Crask, leaving Muz to ascend to the Iron Throne.
Oaths
The ascension of Muz created many questions within the bloodline. Muz and Nekura had sworn oaths to Astronicus Sadow as the presumed heir to the Sadow bloodline. Oaths of service were what meant the difference to the family of being 'wave-men', masterless warriors or being 'noble servants', an honorable aspiration and tradition from Kyataru. Many of the family began to question their own loyalties, as to whether they would follow their Patriarch, a Dark Lord of the Sith, or if they should honor the oaths and follow the descendant of one. The question was not forced, but arguments within the halls of Kuroshin grew heated.
- "He says he's the descendant of a Dark Lord, and that gives him the right to rule. My Father is the Dark Lord, so what is the difference between us?"
- ―Sanjuro Keibatsu
- "Oaths are oaths. Our loyalty has been sworn to Sadow. If our oaths are no good, what is our honor worth?"
- ―Nekura Manji Keibatsu
A rift had begun to form in the bloodline, between those that held the oaths to Sadow as sacred, and those that felt that their oaths had been fulfilled. Ashia, Sanjuro and Shin'ichi left Orian, retiring to Kyataru as agents of Independent House Revan. Nekura and Tsainemoto chose to stay at their traditional clan, continuing to fight under the Sadow banner. Macron, having already distanced himself from the bloodline, chose to go into exile, as did Shimura. While relations between the factions have been strained by the decisions, they have not erupted into actual violence.
Current Members
Musashi Daraku Keibatsu, The Lion of Tarthos
Nekura Manji Keibatsu, The One-Eyed Dragon
Shin'ichi Endymiron Keibatsu, Abomination of Kyataru
Shikyo Rurouni Keibatsu, Samurai of the Keibatsu
Sanjuro Sledge Keibatsu
Mononoke "Macron" Keibatsu-Goura, Family Armorer
Shimura Xhedias Keibatsu
Ashia Kagan Keibatsu
Tsainetomo Keibatsu
Lost Members
Mihoshi Keibatsu, the little sister of Muz, Manji, and Shikyo, this Krath was separated from her brothers during the K'hamar'an War, and is presumed to have died or gone irrevocably mad.
Impact on the Brotherhood
Many of the Keibatsu have served in high positions across the Clan of Naga Sadow, as well as in positions across the Brotherhood. Their hard work and dedication have served well.
Left to Right: Shin'ichi, Ashia, Muz, Shikyo
Trivia
- The word 'Keibatsu' means alternately 'Family' and 'Punishment' in Japanese.
- Like almost every other Japanese word, the plural is the same as the singular. 'Keibatsus' is incorrect.
- The Keibatsu have their own website at www.keibatsu.org