Clan Tarentum history

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"Of all the Clans, ours has stood above and apart time and again. Where was Taldryan when the Antarans first attacked? Was Satal Keto not forced to kneel at our feet, their banners delivered in triumph to Lord Khyron? What they called victories were pyrrhic at best."

―Master Zero Tarentae

Clan Tarentum is one of six remaining Dark Jedi Clans within the Brotherhood of Dark Jedi. Its constituent Houses are Cestus, Gladius and Tridens.

For a summary of the clan, see the Clan Tarentum Prospectus.

History

Founding

In the beginning, Grand Master Jac Cotelin called for the formation of Houses, groups which would promote association and competition between the members and the Orders of the Brotherhood. Not all answered the call for the formation of these Houses. A notable few stood apart.

Among the most notable who stood apart was Magnus Kaerner, Commander of the Brotherhood's elite Tau Squadron. Under direct order from the newly crowned Grand Master Justinian Khyron (orders which would hold long lasting repercussions in the form of swearing allegiance to Khyron above all other Grand Masters), Kaerner organized and gathered his squadron to the banner of a new House - House Tarentum. From the very beginning, one of the nicknames for House Tarentum was "The Tau House." While some said this with jealous scorn, others expressed their respect in addressing Tarentum in this manner.

Quaestor Kaerner chose to settle on Yridia II, the only naturally habitable planet in the system. Upon their arrival, the founders of Tarentum were promptly asked to leave. After a short but intense dialogue, the Yridians agreed to allow Tarentum to remain on the planet on the condition that they leave the few scattered islands of dry land to the Yridian people. Sly and cunning, the Dark Jedi of Tarentum abided by their agreement with the Yridians and built their fortress, Castle Tarentum, under the ocean on the surface of the planet.

With the ascension of Grand Master Khyron to the Iron Throne, Kaerner was appointed Knight Commander of the Brotherhood and Zero succeeded him as Quaestor of House Tarentum. In his reign as Quaestor, Zero, together with his Aedile, Maxamillian von Oberst, brought about a prominent period in Tarentum's history. Not only is this marked as a period of great activity and prosperity for House Tarentum, but it also ushered in two more Legends into the annals of Tarentum's history: Sirrus and Reinthaler.

Quite possibly the greatest legacy left to Tarentum by the effective, if somewhat unconventional, team of Zero and Oberst is the Victory-class Star Destroyer Corsair. Won during the First House Wars, the heavy cruiser was awarded to Tarentum by Grand Master Khyron for its Victory over the other houses of the Brotherhood. As a tribute to the pirates that once sailed the seas of Yridia epoch ago, Quaestor Zero christened the flagship cruiser the Corsair.

Shortly after their glorious victory, Zero was chosen by Grand Master Khyron to serve as Deputy Grand Master of the Brotherhood. Before Oberst could ascend as Quaestor to the House, events in the Phare System called both Reinthaler and himself away, to quell sedition within the Infiltrator Wing. Sith Warrior Torquemada emerged as the new Quaestor with Sith Warrior Faron becoming Aedile.

Clanning

As House Tarentum continued to grow, the leaders of the House felt that the future of Tarentum lay along a separate path than that of Clan Alvaak. House Tarentum became Clan Tarentum.

Quaestor Torquemada and Aedile Jammin were elevated to Consul and Proconsul of the new Clan. The members divided to form House Tridens and House Gladius, named in an ancient, nearly forgotten, language for two fearsome weapons of war: the trident and the sword.

House Tridens, under the leadership of Quaestor Bull and Aedile Piett, remained within the sacred halls of Castle Tarentum. While House Gladius, under the direction of Quaestor Shadow and Aedile SilverFox, moved into an asteroid base within the Itanna Asteroid Belt, which is now known as The Sword's Sheath.

With its newfound status as a clan, Tarentum continued along a very prosperous path for quite some time under the reign of its first two Consuls -- Torquemada and Shadow -- achieving many notable victories when the Brotherhood went to war. During the reign of Consul Torquemada, Tarentum once again held high honors within the Brotherhood as House Gladius and House Tridens were named First and Second Houses of the Brotherhood respectively.

During the time of Consul Shadow, there also continued to be an unmatched rate of Tarentum-trained Dark Jedi ascending to the Dark Council from the clan's houses and leadership alike, including Quaestors Dreadnaught & Imp22 of Gladius, and Proconsuls Bull & Kumba; Kumba being eventually succeeded by Nazkeldu, then-Quaestor of Gladius, for overall second-in-command.

At this time, a restructuring of great significance occurred within the Brotherhood as Grand Master Khyron declared that the Brotherhood's clans would now have three houses, each of a single order. House Tridens became aligned to the Sith Order, and House Gladius, to the Krath Order. This period saw the formation of Tarentum's third and youngest house, House Cestus of the Obelisk Order - which took up residence on the moon Koros orbiting Yridia II, and added a gauntlet to the clan's crest of a crossed sword and trident.

After a distinguished reign as Consul, Shadow chose to step down as leader of the Clan. In his place came Archibald Zoraan, whose service to Clan Tarentum as Consul was marked by extensive absence and neglect. Still, the Dark Council called upon Archibald Zoraan to ascend to the Iron Throne and assume the position of Grand Master of the Brotherhood. As his apprentice and Deputy Grand, Grand Master Zoraan chose Torquemada of Tarentum.

With the former Consul occupying the most powerful position in the Brotherhood, command of Tarentum was left in the hands of Consul Kodiak Tonaloc, a former Quaestor of Gladius. At this time, Proconsul Nazkeldu also stepped down, and Pel, then Quaestor of Tridens, succeeded him. This era is marked with a overbearing shadow of troubled times, not only for Tarentum, but for the Brotherhood as a whole.

The ascension of Grand Master Zoraan sparked warfare amongst the Clans as each tried to take advantage of new situations, or demonstrate their loyalty to the Iron Throne. After the Dark Council had suppressed the warfare, the Grand Master retreated to his private chambers for months at a time, engaging in bizarre studies in a specially constructed observatory at the peak of the Dark Hall.

When several outspoken members vanished under mysterious circumstances, and after a particularly lengthy period of absence by the Grand Master, Clans Taldryan and Naga Sadow openly declared rebellion against the Grand Master, beginning one of the bloodiest battles in Brotherhood history. When the Emperor's Hammer intervened, and agents of the Clans stood ready to depose the Grand Master by force, Zoraan used his abilities to destroy the Dark Hall in a violent Force Storm that raged out of control. Zoraan was presumably killed in the ensuing chaos, which left the Dark Hall, dozens of Dark Jedi, and thousands of years of historical artifacts and records in ruin.

Perhaps taken aback by the multitude of events, Kodiak did not remain long as Consul, but returned to Gladius, and was succeeded by Pel as Consul, and Ciara Tearnan appointed Proconsul. By this time, the entire Brotherhood was in partial chaos, and a new war was held. Tarentum, troubled by it's own leadership changes, did not perform up to its usual standards. Shortly thereafter Pel elected to return to Tridens, and Ciara Tearnan took over the mantle of Consul of Clan Tarentum.

The reign of Consul Ciara Tearnan was a good one; marked by victory and fortune for Clan Tarentum. Under the leadership of Quaestor Ziguarath, House Cestus arose as the champion Obelisk House and was bestowed the title of First House of the Obelisk. House Tridens claimed the title of the Brotherhood's best Sith. And House Gladius made its own mark as an outstanding Krath house.

Ciara's reign was also a time of gain, as new acquisitions where also made. House Tridens constructed the XQ4 Platform Aegis under the supervision of Quaestor Wil Striker. Clan Tarentum claimed the M/CRV Cerberus as a prize in the military operation known as "Deception,"; the three-way feud between Clan Naga Sadow, Clan Arcona and Clan Tarentum. Tarentum took a very close second to Clan Arcona in the feud, which led to the acquisition of the corvette as a reward for their actions.

With just a few Vendettas during this period, it was said to be a time of friendships and fond memories. The only Great War of the period was said to have finished in chaos and left the Brotherhood without a clear victor. What started as a war against pirates, turned clans against each other and muddied alliances.

The Exodus

However, looming in the shadows was a hint of the trying times ahead. Troubled by the path that the Emperor's Hammer was headed, Lord Firefox conspired with six of his most trusted advisors to organize a rebellion and separate the Brotherhood from the Grand Admiral's control.

Mad with fury, the Grand Admiral ordered that all the Brotherhood's forces be held within Imperial Territories at all costs, and threatened execution to those Officers who did not immediately resign their Status within the rebelling Brotherhood. Thus was born the Second Brotherhood Civil War, the Emperor's Hammer Brotherhood (the Loyalists) against the Dark Brotherhood (the Separatists).

Consul Ciara chose to remain loyal to the Iron Throne, while others choose to put their careers as lifelong officers of the Empire first. It was a tough choice, one many decided they would not make but instead choose to simply disappear into shadow. Proconsul Domi led the Emperor's Hammer Loyalists of the Clan back into the heart of the Empire, which included most of House Tridens, as well as Quaestor Gelton Torr of Cestus. Those lost members of Tarentum remain with the Hammer to this day.

Utilizing the power of the reestablished Star Chamber, the Grand Masters shrouded the Force from those within the Empire to allow the Clans the necessary time to escape. The destination of the Exodus was an ancient one known as Antei, the Star Chamber's seat of power over four thousand years ago and the new home of the Dark Council. All the clans laid claim to the systems surrounding Antei, but one. Clan Tarentum chose to remain in their ancestral home within the Yridia System.

Having seen her clan through the tough time of the Exodus and its many hardships, Ciara chose to resign, ending her 2 year reign as Consul. Succeeding her was Proconsul Ziguarath, an individual known for his efforts in House Cestus. Ziguarath's reign was short one, as his attention was called to a war that required the majority of his attention. Leading the clan during Ziguarath's absence were the three Quaestors, Sith Bloodfyre of Gladius, Zekk of Cestus, and Rekio Corsair of Tridens. Eventually, Sith Bloodfyre was appointed Proconsul and later succeeded Ziguarath as Consul.

The Golden Age

The reign of Consul Bloodfyre was perhaps one of the most successful in recent years, and might even been seen as a new golden age for Clan Tarentum. It was a time of gain for both the Clan and individuals as the Clan's possessions grew from its many victories and many were exalted for their contributions to the Clan.

At the outset of the Consul's reign came the second Sith War and House Tridens dominated in a fashion unique to Tarentum. Not only was House Tridens named First House of the Sith Order (the last house to ever receive this honor), but they were also given the Marauder Corvette Creeping Death. The bulk of the victory, and much honor, went to Rekio Corsair who had more points on his own than the next closest House did. Following the conclusion of the Sith War, Rekio would eventually go on to become Proconsul of the Clan.

House Cestus also enjoyed great success as they placed Second in the Obelisk Rite of Supremacy mostly due to the efforts of Shadow Warrior and also Cannabisia. House Gladius was not without its share of triumph. The Keepers of the Night, led by Lady Telona Murrage, claimed a great victory over the other Krath receiving as their prize a tome from the very libraries of the Dark Hall itself.

When it was not preoccupied in it's conquests, Clan Tarentum found itself in a never before seen state of expansion and development. Several projects and systems were put in place or reestablished from the past. Master-Apprentice pairings once again flourished as senior members took student under their wing and a system of trials for Knighthood was instituted that consisted of three parts: one from the House Summits, one from the Clan Summits, and a third test from the Master.

Bloodfyre honored Oberst, returned from his absence along with Master Zero, with title of Marshal and the first of many land grants - the Sea of Darkness. Rekio, along with the confirming voices of Spears and Oberst, granted Bloodfyre the title of Grand Chamberlain of Tarentum. Along with the titles and grants that were given out, a new mark of distinction was created to honor those who had served the Clan with distinguished service in times past and present. The first two individuals to receive the Clan's name of Tarentae were Oberst and Telona, followed soon after by Ciara, Ziguarath, and Sith Bloodfyre.

In another show of their might, Clan Tarentum swept away all opposition in the Third Sith War and again for the second time in a row claimed dominance over the Sith Order. This time for their victory, Tarentum gained a full Wing of Starfighter to compliment their growing number of capital ships, as Clan Tarentum had acquired the Bulk Cruiser Doomsday and the Transport Argos through the Capital Gains competition in addition to the Creeping Death the previous year.

There was little time to celebrate the victory however, as something dark and consuming infested the Clans Brotherhood. Tarentum sealed the shroud to Antei and war between the Clans soon broke out. A strange disease called the "Consciousness" crippled over half the Brotherhood. The concentration of the war then shifted from between Clans to "infected" verses "sane" members of the Brotherhood.

Okemi, fallen Warlord of the ancient Star Chamber, perpetuated the Consciousness in the absence of Lord Firefox. As the end neared, Firefox returned and slew Okemi, restored order to the Brotherhood which had been ravaged by the chaos of the Consciousness. When honors were awarded in celebration of the end ordeal, Clan Tarentum placed second only by the narrowest of margins to Clan Taldryan. Following the events of the Fifth Great Jedi War, Sith Bloodfyre-Tarentae took charge of the Sith Order as the newly instated Sith High Warrior. His successor was none other than his trusted Proconsul Rekio Corsair Tarentae.

The appointment of Rekio to Consul was followed by a host of other changes in the Dark Council itself. Jac Cotelin once again became Grandmaster of the Brotherhood and named Telaris "Mav" Cantor as his Deputy Grand. The positions of Lord Chamberlain and Chancellor were dissolved and a new position, Lord Hegemon, was created. During this time, Tarentum watched with pride as yet another Tarentae, Spears, joined the Dark Council as Head Master.

In the aftermath of the Great Jedi War, many clans committed to seek out and train able apprentices to replace the fallen. Tarentum, choosing to take advantage of their necromantic powers, took another path. Using the remains of the dead, various members of the clan created an army of undead to fill the menial roles within the shortages of the post-war structure. Unfortunately, events took a turn for the worse and the moon-base of Koros was soon overrun by Aptrgangr. The Cestus Complex, as well as House Cestus, itself was severely weaken by the ordeal. As a result, the site was closed and the surviving members joined House Tridens and house Galdius.

Following the resolution of the incident, the Consul turned his attention to expanding the Clan’s socio-economic power and influence in the Yridia System. The clan expanded and began colonizing Yridia III and Yridia IV for the first time, with land being granted on the later. The Upper Nobility, the Tarentae, also continued to expand as Proconsul Anshar Khan joined the ranks of Tarentum’s Inner Order.

Consuls Emeritus

Torquemada
Shadow
Archibald Zoraan
Kodiak Tonaloc
Pel
Ciara Tearnan 10/28/2001 - 06/01/2003
Ziguarath 6/5/2003 - 9/28/2003
Sith Bloodfyre 10/25/2003 - 10/17/2004, 9/7/2006 - 12/18/2007
Rekio Corsair 10/17/2004 - 10/17/2005
Anshar Khan 10/17/2005 - 3/13/2006, 12/18/2007 - Present
Spears 3/15/2006 - 4/19/2006
Welshman Corsair 4/19/2006 - 9/7/2006

The Sith King

Tarentum's history interlaces and interweaves with that of Grand Master Khyron's at many points. Her founding members were agents of the Sith King. To that end, Tarentum has sworn allegiance directly to the Sith King above all others - ruling Yridia as a vassal, and at the disposal of His Royal Highness.

DJB Facts

Of the "original" Houses (Only 2 Clans existed at the time - Ar'Kell and Alvaak), Tarentum was the last to form.
All of the original members were members of Tau Squadron.
House Tarentum dominated in the very first House Wars, and earned the VSD Corsair as prize for the victory.
Prior to the war with the Yuuzhan Vong (GJW8), Clan Tarentum acted as the Guardians of the Shroud of Antei, a fact that irritated certain other Clans of the Brotherhood, as well as certain elder members of Tarentum themselves.

External Links

Clan Tarentum's homepage