- "The light is cruel, shining upon those seeking solace in the dark..."
- ―Atra Ventus
Also known as Anima, Xue Long (pronounced shu-eh) was born as Atra Ventus (pronounced at-tra) on Corellia, where he spent most of his youth getting in trouble. A bit of a smart-Alec he tended to open his mouth when he shouldn't. Gaining the reputation as a hooligan the authorities weren't overly surprised to be called to the home of the Ventus family, yet they were surprised upon arriving. As the only survivor of the bloodbath one would think he'd be at the center of the media. This was not the case, in fact he fell off the grid completely. At least, until he woke up in a holding cell staring at Methyas and Locke.
History
We All Start Somewhere
The Ventus family comes from humble origins on Corellia. While their name had not become known outside their small community they were still well loved. Always taking time to help out their neighbors, Liam Ventus and his wife Aryanna seemed to have the golden touch. It was into this world that Atra was born. Even as an infant his parents already knew he was bound to rebel. Bed times were more a suggestion than actual guidelines, food became anything he could get his hands on, and authority was something he all together ignored. Even still, his parents' good nature came out from time to time as he helped the other children out.
Due to his rebellious streak, Atra became known to local law enforcement as readily as he was known by his neighbors. If something went awry, usually Atra would be involved somehow. Still, he payed attention in classes and was an avid learner; it was as if his mind had an unending appetite. Among his studies were the basic tenants of self defense. It was from his father that he learned this. Despite the relative peace of their society, Liam knew the dangers of the world, and more notably of just about any experience to be had off-world. Through this father-son training Liam imparted his beliefs and his ways unto his son.
In 21 ABY, CorSec received complaints from the locals and made their way to the Ventus grounds. Far from their first journey, CorSec officers expected to find Atra up to no good again. Instead, as they arrived, they found the power grid shorting out and an eerie silence. No longer certain as what to expect the officers made their way warily to the entrance. Keying in the security override the door slid open with a hiss, revealing the contents inside. It was hard to see at first but as the lights flickered and sparked they were granted flashes of crimson. The first officer couldn't stomach what he saw and collapsed to the ground heaving. Activating a flashlight another of the officers did a quick scan of the room. In terms of the room, nothing was stolen or damaged, but that was the end of the normality. The crimson stain of blood coated the floor, splattered upon the walls, and filling the nostrils of the officers. In the center of the room lay three limp forms, their clothes torn and bloody.
The officers already knew by the amount of blood that survival was unlikely, if not impossible. As they carefully entered the room they reached down and rolled the still form of Liam face up. It was with heavy hearts that they did the same for Aryanna. Finally they came to Atra, wearing only his sleeping pants. Even at 16 his stature was immense, easily confused with someone older and all muscle from his work as a farmer. His back was covered in burns, possibly from a blaster but the officers couldn't be sure. Flipping him over the first officer almost heaved again. Atra's torso was split open from the upper left of his chest to the lower right. White bone glistened from the ribs of his chest through the crimson of his blood. The officers nearly jumped out of their skins as a weak cough escaped his lips.
Born of Blood
Moving fast CorSec was able to bring Atra to the nearest medical facility, which managed to save his life. His recovery was long, physically, but longer still mentally. Even after two years, as the scar on his chest bore a grizzly reminder to his fate so too did the mental scars he didn't bother hiding. Often he was found in the center of cantina brawls, whether he started them or finished them. It was in this way, in 25 ABY, that Atra disappeared from common record. It is unclear who started the brawl, but what is known is that a high ranking member of CorSec was killed during the fight and blame rested with Atra. As CorSec officers arrived Atra was questioned by a single officer. The conversation consisted of hushed tones and finally an acknowledgement from Atra. Shortly after Atra and the officer departed another detachment of CorSec officers arrived. When asked where Atra had gone, they were surprised to hear about the officer. This was the first official tangent of CorSec to arrive, and there had been no officers sent ahead. Atra had not been seen since then.
Atra in his attire as of becoming Quaestor
Breaking the Chains
Atra was discovered amongst the ruined chambers of a prison break in the Cenota Facilty by Methyas and Locke whilst they were investigating. Immediately the unknowns of the situation put Locke and himself at odds. Methyas intervened and took the Corellian to be his apprentice. As a group, they moved through the facility to find the Alchemic horrors within, and Tsainetomo Keibatsu Sadow. The warrior made short work of the two Dark Jedi, for some reason leaving Atra alone as he passed. In a great deal of pain, they made their way to the Marakith Skyhook where they could re-evaluate the situation.
On the Skyhook they made plans to blend with the crowds of the Kel Rasha Spaceport with the intent of discovering the Terrorists before they could make their move. This bid was fruitful as they discovered more than they bargained for, Locke and Atra getting wounded in the process. They were able to track the Terrorists to a base hidden on the seventh moon of Inos.
Within the facility, they discovered the presence of the Organization, and evidence of a super soldier program. These soldiers made an appearance as they brought their as of yet unknown strength to bear upon the Dark Jedi. Locke and Atra were once again wounded in the encounter, something Atra was beginning to begrudge.
Upon returning to the Marakith Skyhook with their newfound knowledge a coup d'etat was performed upon Macron, the man who was behind Atra's five year imprisonment and experimentation. During the battle Macron nearly fatally wounded Atra, leaving his mark upon the Corellian's chest. In the aftermath, Atra was appointed Quaestor of House Shar Dakhan, a position he had no previous knowledge of. After receiving medical treatment, the Corellian was sent off with Mirado, his master's brother, for more personal combat training.
Ambition is the Ladder we Climb
During training Mirado and Atra received notice that they were to travel to Kar Alabrek and hunt down Tsainetomo. This was a task Atra did not revel, having seen the Son of Sadow fight once more. Still, they followed their orders. Shortly after arriving they encountered members of Arcona already engaging Sai. After interfering, the pair discovered there was far more going on than they first realized.
Tsainetomo was making the ultimate sacrifice, giving up his home and family to become the enemy to unite the clan. Atra respected the man all the more for it, developing admiration for the wayward warrior. In addition, it was Sai's goal to put an end to one of his greatest mistakes, the clone Orenth. Developing the plan, a temporary alliance was forged between Sadowans and Arconans as they worked together to end this threat.
Atra became a temporary partner with Marick, the Proconsul of Clan Arcona. Together they were able to track down and confront Orenth. During this encounter, Atra and Mirado became privy to the Arconan's Force Wraith, witnessing it first hand. In the following encounter the group was separated, leaving Atra broken and alone with the clone, Orenth. Seemingly defeated, Atra's hidden persona took over, betraying the truth behind the experiment. He was deemed a failure because the extent of the experimentation performed by Macron had shown no effect, but the true face of the experiment belied the effectiveness of them. Orenth was left crushed and defeated, no longer a threat to anyone.
Upon returning, though their initial mission was a failure, Atra was anointed with Knighthood, his new found skills and adeptness recognized by the Summit he now served.
Atra wearing his Proconsul robes.
Ghosts of the Past
In the lull upon his return, Atra commissioned a secret investigation into his own genetic structure. As an experiment of the Mad Alchemist, the Quaestor needed to understand the extent of his alterations. With something as simple as a DNA test, Atra discovered his life was more of a mystery than he knew. Based on the results, it was ascertained that his father, at least, had been an Umbaran. This had been completely unknown to him growing up. Speaking further with the Geneticist he had commissioned, several aspects of the Alchemist's tests became clear. The tests were unclear in regards to his mother, but they did recognize signs of genetic tampering that resulted in Atra's dark hair colouring, as opposed to the white the species was known for. They could also see into the Ultraviolet spectrum, something that had passed on to him and had resulted in Macron trying to pull that ability out of his very dna. The test had failed in the most painful of manners, nearly rendering him blind. Less noticeably, his canines were extended compared to what was typically associated with humanoids, giving his grin an animalistic quality.
The discovery of such hidden truths within his own past prompted Atra to delve deeper, perhaps utilizing the newly formed SHADOW program from Marka Ragnos. It was not to be, as the Orian Incursion was enacted. During the fight, with the Firebases almost lost to the opposing forces, Atra ordered their self-destruction. The order was given without the knowledge of Summit and resulted in the deaths of countless DSOG and Sadowans alike.
Surviving the Plague
Memories of the plague will haunt Atra like the scar upon his throat. A grim reminder to the morbid tale. While the Brotherhood fell to the rage-inducing effects of the Force-siphoning Plague, he fought to retain his sanity alongside a myriad of forces. Among those were his old master and Archangel of Palatinae. Cut off from the group, in the middle of a fierce fire fight, he finally succumbed to the plague. Suddenly cut off from the Force and feeling more alone than ever, he was distracted long enough for a stray blaster bolt to catch him in the throat. Falling immediately unconscious from the shock and pain, it was Archangel that pulled him from the battlefield and returned him to the forces led by Kalia, the Quaestor of Marka Ragnos. She immediately brought his near lifeless form to his old master, Methyas, who did what he could to repair the damage.
Too far gone, it was left to Atra's natural healing to aid in his recovery. The scarring too extreme, the Proconsul was left unable to speak. Refusing to face his long time phobia and undergo cybernetic surgery, Atra turned to the Force once more for aid. Taking to telepathy like a fish to water, he remained mute except for when he deemed it required of him to speak within the minds of those around him.
On the Shores of Crusade
The Dark Crusade took its toll on both the mind and body. Through hardships on Nfolgai and Khar Delba Atra became more and more disillusioned in regards to the war effort. He realized with each passing day that he lacked the power to defend anyone, and started making plans. Reaching out of his comfort zone, he reached out to Xia Long (Sildrin Sadow) to learn more of the Sadow Apostates. The meeting was enlightening, though he couldn't make much sense of it at the time. Turning his attentions elsewhere, he decided to make a desperate gamble. Banking on the One Sith presence within the Orian System, Atra took it upon himself to ply what little knowledge of Sith Alchemy he had learned from Macron and siphon the power from an Elder class opponent.
The plan backfired in more than one way, resulting in his capture and subsequent torture. Through a series of events, Sildrin was also taken in by the One Sith. During the ensuing events, Atra released his most primal instincts, which were fragmented during his experimentation. Using his bestial rage, Atra killed his captors and then rushed to perform the ritual. The results were an utter failure, causing the corruption of his own flesh starting in his right arm. Through quick thinking, Sildrin suppressed his connection to the Force and halted the spreading of the corruption. In shame, Atra and Sildrin returned to Sepros while the Proconsul did his best to hide the corruption from prying eyes.
Atra before abandoning his post
To better facilitate those who were unresponsive to his telepathic methods, Atra worked with the Alchemists of Naga Sadow to develop a synthetic larynx and return his voice.
Burn Too Bright, Only to Snuff Out
After his abrupt departure from Naga Sadow, the once Proconsul of the Clan seemingly disappeared from existence. The names Atra Ventus, nor Xue Long, were no longer uttered, not even upon a whisper. Corruption and mistakes had left their mark and what remained was cut away, leaving only Anima in its place. His arm was lost somewhere along the way, the wounds self inflicted, and replaced with a cybernetic replacement. At some point even his sense of self dissolved. In actuality, Atra had taken on a lover during his absence. It was the death of this woman and their young daughter that broke what little will to live remained within him. It was at this point in time he took on the name Anima, the perfect term to describe what remains after the surface is peeled away. Not content to merely waste away with inaction, his newly realized, singular goal became his utter fixation.
The elimination of all sources of Force in the galaxy.
Naturally, such a daunting task was not one he advertised, though his reputation as a killer became well known. That is to say, he was a killer that exclusively hunted those believed to be Force Sensitive, or proven users. It was a simple, easy to understand life, and the seemingly never ending quest sated his near out of control blood lust to the point that he could once again function clear of mind. It was only after almost two years of this existence that he was once more contacted by his old master, Methyas. It seemed the Blind Man had need of his particular set of skills, and Anima was more than happy to oblige so long as their goals ran parallel.
Atra Ventus in 34 ABY
Physical Description
Atra's towering form typically stands a head above above most of his peers. His shoulders are broad with a barrel chest that drops to a slender waist. His body is conditioned and fit, showing the signs of his physical training while his skin is so pale that it appears to glow when reflecting moonlight. His entire back and right arm are covered in burn scars that creep over his shoulder onto his chest, highlighting the battle scars that mar the rest of his flesh. His dark, black hair is kept messy and tied in a loose ponytail that rests just past his shoulders in length, while he has thinly trimmed facial hair running along his jawline. He possesses sharp cheekbones while the rest of his face has a soft almost sad quality to it. When he speaks, he does so with a subtle but noticeable lilting accent.
He wears zen-like attire that reveals his right arm through asymmetric sleeves. His right forearm is covered by a white cloth wrap while his left hand is covered with a black glove. He wears a black sleeveless shirt that is tight to his body, the collar rising halfway up his neck. Above that shirt is a white collared shirt with a slit at the throat, descending into a circular-like opening with a white band just above the opening. This second shirt rises just shy of the other shirt upon his neck. His dark grey robes cover his top and fall to his ankles, a sleeve running down his left arm and a white snowflake design on his left shoulder. Beneath the grey sash knotted at his waist is a large white snowflake emblem on his right hip. He wears black gi-like pants tucked into sleek, black boots with a good tread.
He carries himself casually, with a grace that stands at odds to the visible muscle structure of his body. His piercing, grey eyes possess golden flakes around the pupil, forming a star burst pattern. The paleness of his features, framed by his dark hair, offer a stark contrast to the dark and light tones of his attire.
Companions
Adalinde - The Enforcer
Born: 10 ABY
Height: 5'5" / 165 cm
Weight: 124 lbs / 56 kg
Hair Color: Red Velvet
Eye Color: Blue
Personality:
Adalinde seems tailor suited to the ways of the Sith. Her temper flares fiery hot at all times, leaving her in a near constant state of aggression. She has forged her anger into a laser-like focus which she brings towards her given tasks. Despite her incendiary nature, Adalinde remains reserved in terms of conversation, adverse to sharing more than she is willing. She finds pleasure in combat, the violence and pain of it igniting her senses regardless of the source - even her own.
Appearance:
- scarred/burned right half of face, hidden by hair
- snake tattoo curling up arm and over shoulder onto chest (dark green)
- right-side only sash/tunic (dark grey, black trim), leather wrap around midsection (black), tight strapless tank-top (black, grey trim,) tunic that runs past her knees in front and behind, black leggings and boots
History:
While Adalinde remains mute in regards to her past, the records show that she was born to aristocracy. She learned quickly at a young age that beauty was a blessing in such a society, and was a tool her parents encouraged her to use as a means of increasing their station. It was a tool that turned into a curse very quickly for the young woman. Jealousy is an ugly beast and so often results in deeds just as hideous.
Adalinde thought herself among friends and discovered the viper's nest far too late. Her so-called fellows turned malicious and pressed her face first into an open flame. To her credit, Adalinde fought back as best she could, which left only the right half of her face severely burned. During her recovery, with her "good looks" lost to the family, she found herself all but disowned by her parents. So she did them all a favor and left as soon as she was recovered. She abandoned her family name, her legacy, and in so doing discovered her sensitivity to the Force and soon after... the Brotherhood.
The Dark Brotherhood became her surrogate family, replacing the one that had wronged her. She grew in both power and beauty, forever reminded of the past by the scars that marred her flesh. Adalinde began to use her hair as a veil, letting it grow long and cover the half of her face she found most repulsive, most shameful. She dedicated herself to her studies and was recruited into the Inquisitorius shortly after its inception.
She remained fiercely loyal to the cause, anger and pain fueling the power within her. She was recognized as a suitable weapon by those with the necessary influence and soon found herself being pushed through the ranks. Her rise found her assigned to Atra Ventus - who was acting in dual capacity as an Inquisitor and Praetor to the Voice. It is there she remained, functioning as his enforcer, which was a role she found herself reveling in.
Lux Venia - The Pilot
Born: 1 BBY
Height: 5'8" / 173 cm
Weight: 130 lbs / 59 kg
Hair Color: Dirty Blonde
Eye Color: Green
Personality:
Lux is known best for her uncanny ability to talk as fast as she flies. Capable of stringing together seeminly neverending sentences, she isn't one to shy away from the topic at hand. She speaks plainly and possesses no mental filter to speak of. If she thinks it, chances are she's already said it. This can often get her into trouble and has resulted in the development of a rather strong tolerance of others as a survival mechanism. Flying, however, is the one place Lux feels truly free and in complete control. She lives for the thrill that comes with feats of daring, always opting for the riskier maneuver over the "safe and easy".
Appearance:
- comm-headphones
- midriff jacket with rolled sleeves (white with black/orange inner)
- form-fitting v-neck (shades of red)
- cargo pants and boots (beige pants and black boots)
History:
Lux began her life the way she continues to live it: homeless. Born to drifter parents on a transport ship, she has never had a world to call her home. Once old enough she had to make herself useful in order to put food on the proverbial table. For her, this took on the role of piloting. Lux has manned the helm of countless ships and barely remembers a time when she wasn't a pilot. She has worked with countless employers over the years, both legitimate enterprises and otherwise, and as a result developed what can be seen as an annoyingly chatty attitude.
Her skills found her placed in the Republic's care, learning to become a combat pilot. That path was not meant for her however. She, and her superiors, quickly learned that her lack of an off switch when it came to her mouth was going to be a constant source of insubordination. It was a notably aggravating point for the officers, and a source of amusement for Lux. This found her quickly expelled and without a home once again.
That worked just fine for Lux and she settled back into her drifter ways without much difficulty. A pilot for hire once again, she moved from contract to contract without much care for the who, what, where, or why. Eventually she came across a particularly vague opportunity that enticed her with its promise of long-term employ. Her decision to accept the contract found her acting as an unaffiliated transport for Inquisitorius operatives - though she didn't know that at the time.
She never had the same passenger twice - from what she could tell - until the first time she transported Atra Ventus. For one reason or another, the man took note of her and made the necessary provisions to secure her as his exclusive pilot. Lux didn't mind that so much, as the credits were even better with her on retainer than it had been before.