Invictus

Template:Krath charinfo Mal'ari'carun is a Krath Priest and member of House Marka Ragnos of Clan Naga Sadow. More commonly known by his Core Name, Alaric, he has long served the Brotherhood. Though his journeys have often taken him further from the Brotherhood, and for longer periods of time, than he would have liked, he continues to remain faithful to his House and Clan. He has held several positions in the Dark Brotherhood, from Magistrate to Quaestor to Dark Councilor (as the Combat Master was considered at the time). At the moment, however, he is content simply to enjoy time spent with his House and Clan.

Character History

The following sections will contain a detailed history of Mal'ari'carun's life. Unfortunately, the primary source has been lost to the ages and, thus, it must be reconstructed bit by bit. Your patience is appreciated.

Parentage and Birth

The Chiss are one of the few races in which using sentients as servants is still a common practice. Most servants are feudal, the familial line working for the same House over many generations. For twelve generations, Er'carun's family had served House Nuruodo. Originally they were laborers, but four generations ago An'carun changed the course of the family forever. An act of uncommon bravery earned him the prefix Ari and a spot among the bodyguards of the Head of Nuruodo. Since that day, the line of Ari'an'carun had served Nuruodo with distinction. Er'carun's father had even been a close advisor to the Head of Nuruodo. Thus was the stage set for Er'carun's life and death.

Expectations were high for Er'carun. It was expected he would follow in his father's footsteps, becoming guard and advisor to Nuruodo (as the Patriarch of the Hosue was often referred). Er'carun worked hard, his hours filled with little more than study. He was tutored alongside the nobility of the House that he might have an education worthy of the advisory position he would inherit. By his coming of age he was ready to assume his duties. He was also in love.

Odd though it may be for such a cold, calculating race, Chiss were known to be full of passion when they felt any emotion at all. Er experienced this the day he met Ia'nuruodo. The feeling was mutual. There was only one problem: If a female of the House married outside the House (with the exception of those [Trial-Born]), they forfeited everything, even their name. But to the young couple it was worth it, and she soon became Ia'carun. Nine months later, a child was born. He was named Ari, after the Patron of the Carun line, and high hopes were held for him. Little did the young parents know what heights and depths he would achieve.

Formative Education

In which it is told of Mal'ari'carun's early education in House Nuruodo.

Death and Rebirth

In which it is told of Mal'ari'carun's Orphaning and Adoption into House Nuruodo.

Ascendancy Ascension

In which it is told of Mal'ari'carun's trial to become Heir of House Nuruodo.

Empire of the Hand

In which it is told of Mal'ari'carun's defection to The Empire of the Hand and his place among them as a leader.

Search of Sorrows

In which it is told of Mal'ari'carun's journey to find his Brother-In-Spirit Mitth'raw'nuruodo after he fails to return to the Empire of the Hand as he promised (just prior to the events in the Hand of Thrawn Duology).

A Home to Call His Own

In which it is told of Mal'ari'carun's personal struggle to make a home for himself within the Dark Jedi Brotherhood.

A Cry in the Dark

In which it is told of Mal'ari'carun's return to the Unknown Regions when he hears that Thrawn has returned (Two years pass after the Hand of the Thrawn Duology before the news reaches him).

A Journey in Vain

In which it is told of Mal'ari'carun's fruitless journey to find Mitth'raw'nuruodo, only to learn that he never did return. In addition, he learns of the cloning tank underneath the Hand of Thrawn and realizes that Mitth'raw'nuruodo will never return.

The Wanderings

In which it is told of Mal'ari'carun's long wanderings after the disillusionment caused by his realization concerning Thrawn's promise to return. Many troubles afflicted Mal'ari'carun, and many met their deaths at the righteous fury of his blades before he learned that the Far Outsiders whom the Chiss had for so long held at bay had breached the Antei System. Though he returned as soon as he learned, he returned too late. The Incursion was past.

Return from Rage

In which it is told of Mal'ari'carun's struggle to piece together Tyrith, his life, and his sanity.

Resurrection of Reason

In which it is told of Mal'ari'carun's triumphant return to the Brotherhood and his ceaseless climb to achieve order from chaos.

Character Information

Physical Appearance

File:AlchemistObeliskCloak.jpg

Mal'ari'carun's Robes

Standing two meters tall, his ninety kilogram frame seems slight at first, until one glimpses the hard cords of muscle straining beneath his loose robes. Blue-black hair cascades down his back, ending just below his shoulder blades and framing a face that is all hard planes and angles. Deep-set red eyes, glowing ever so slightly, drink in the world around him. While his face remains impassive, even in the most brutal combat or horrendous actions, the crimson glow of his eyes flare to novas at the slightest agitation, revealing inner demons he must constantly fight to suppress.

Standard robes in a deep blue, covered by a plain black cloak, adorn his lithe frame. They make no concession to fashion, despite their appearance to the contrary. The raised collar ridge to the right of his neck is actually heavily armored to stop any melee weapon and houses a voice-activated comlink. Likewise, the black boots encasing his feet are covered with arcane cobalt symbols. appearing aesthetic in nature, they actually serve to disguise the tritanium plates embedded in the toes, ball and heel of each boot. A faint metallic glint comes from both sleeves, but the origin thereof remains unknown. Completing the outfit, a gun belt rests low on his hips, supporting sheaths for his Leorals and a clip at his back for his lightsaber.

Weapons

File:Malaricarun-Saber.gif

Mal'ari'carun's Lightsaber

Lightsaber: A normal lightsaber, the handle is straight and bears a three-tone color scheme that appears less than threatening, given that it is wielded by a Dark Jedi. There is little special about it, but it holds extreme sentimental value for Mal'ari'carun, being the first and only saber he has carried.

Tyrith'Sun: Constructed by Mal'ari'carun after his journey to Gromas-16 (see #The Wanderings), they were intended to bring completion to the combat methods of Tyrith. Thus they are named Tyrith'Sun (Instrument of the Prime Edict/Final Way). Given that the latter parts of the Tyrith style were developed with the gauntlets in mind, they are are, in truth, an extension of Mal'ari'carun's body in combat.; Using the remains of several Phase 1 Dark Troopers recovered from the wreckage of the Gromas Mining & Manufacturing facility, Alaric stripped them down and built his gauntlets. Due to the special combination of phrikite and tydirium used to create the Dark Troopers, the gauntlets are both lightweight and abnormally resistant to all types of damage, including energy- and plasma-based weapons.
File:Malaricarun-Knives.jpg
The Leorals; Twelve inches long, they sheathe his forearms and can be used to parry and reverse attacks. They extend three inches from the top of his forearms and one inch in all other directions. A thinner version of the same material covers his palms and the backs of his hands up to his knuckles. The lighter material is still strong enough to absorb most attacks, but a lightsaber or disruptor rifle would make quick work of it.; The palms of the gauntlets house pressure-sensitive controls which are used to activate the various gauntlet functions. Perhaps the most important component, they activate and deactivate the electromagnetic field-enhancement technology which multiplies their effectiveness at absorbing attacks to an extreme degree. The same controls also extend and retract the gauntlet's offensive capabilities: wickedly curved blades measuring seven inches in length. They extend from the left and right sides of both gauntlets and are used in conjunction with his Leorals to exemplify the #Prime Edict. The final function controlled by the pressure sensors is the built-in docker's clutch. This reveals the reason the tops of the Tyrith'Sun are thicker than the bottoms. They each container a spring-loaded cavity nine inches by two inches, designed to hold Mal'ari'carun's Blastaff and lightsaber.; A normal charge will operate the gauntlets for 26 hours of continual use. Longer durations (up to 36 days) can be achieved by loading custom-made batteries into the docker's clutch of each gauntlet.

Leorals: The Leorals are awarded through the Tri'law, or Trial by Fire, a secret right within House Nuruodo. The Tri'law tests the Selectees' physical and mental prowess in the most intense right of passage on Csilla. Millenia ago, a Chiss visited the Echani to learn of their ways. In exchange for Chiss technology and military techniques, they taught Nuruodo, as he was called, their manner of combat and gave him Echani Knives and armor has a gift for his teachings. It was their teachings, modified into a style now known as Carinor, which eventually led House Nuruodo to power among the Chiss.; On his way back to Csilla, he encountered a gravity well which had not been there on his outbound flight. He was pulled out of hyperspace to find an unknown planet directly in his path. Unable to avoid it, he crashed upon the lush globe. On planet, Nuruodo found that the only items which had survived were his armor and the vibroblades from the Echani knives (though the handles themselves were now worthless). Knowing he would have to fight for his survival, he fashioned crude handles from a tree branch and connected them to the blades.; For over a year he survived with nothing else, hunting for food and defending himself from terrible beasts. Eventually, he was discovered by the planet's inhabitants, a peaceful people who were able to repair his ship over time. Finally, after two years being stranded, he was able to return home. But he took part of the mysterious planet, called Zonoma Sekot by its inhabitants, with him. The handles had bonded at a submolecular level with the blades, and he found that they would alter shape to perfectly fit the hands of whoever held them. Not only were they alive but, as Mal'ari'carun discovered nearly 7000 years later, they were sentient as well.

Blastaff: A cylinder 9 inches long, it is easily concealable beneath his cloak or within his sleeve. However, when the button on it is pressed the Blastaff, a weapon designed and built by Mal'ari'carun, extends to a lenth of 5 feet. As well as being useful as a Jo (very long sword/very short bo), one end has a concealed foot-long blade, while the other contains a micro-capacitor and, at the bush of a button, will discharge energy directly into any target it is touching (frying their central nervous system when used correctly).
File:Malaricarun-Blastaff.gif
Blastaff

Body: Decades of study and training in many different forms of combat (Echani, Shadow Fist, Carinor, Knifist), and the development of his own style, known as Tyrith, have turned Mal'ari'carun's body into a weapon under his complete control. Able to move each muscle in his body individually, or to refrain from any movement for days at a time without using any sort of trance, Alaric utilizes his entire being to the detriment of his opponents.

Fighting Styles

Primary: Tyrith
Secondary: Echani
Tertiary: Carinor
Defunct: Shadow Fist
Defunct: Knifist

Lightsaber Forms

Primary: Tyrith
Secondary: Makashi
Tertiary: Soresu

Tyrith

Meaning Final Way in Cheunh, Tyrith is a philosophy which recognizes that the highest ideal to which any individual can subscribe is personal freedom and personal responsibility. Developed by Mal'ari'carun as an alternative to the prominent belief systems experienced throughout his life (the Jedi Code, the Dark Jedi Code, and the Chiss Ascendancy), it answers the three primary moral questions: What is right?, Why?, and How do you deal with immorality? More than just a philosophy, it shapes the very way the believer thinks and reacts to the world around him. It has been developed into an epistemology, a moral system, and a style of combat.

The Path to the Final Way

In the years of The Wanderings, most of which were spent in a small cockpit in the dead of space, Mal'ari'carun faced the truth. Where once there had been a proud, noble member of the most power House in the Chiss Ascendancy, now there was but an empty shell and a wasted life. A hard truth for any being to accept, in one as proud as Alaric is broke him. Always he had followed his own path, for his own reasons.

Though a member of the Dark Jedi Brotherhood, he had never considered himself a Dark Jedi. He used his anger, yes, but towards a noble goal – peace, order, security. Now, in the void left by Thrawn's lies and betrayal, he found that anger could bring comfort to a troubled soul. Letting the hatred and fury encapsulate him, he could breathe easy once more. And so it came to pass that Mal'ari'carun was finally, and wholly seduced by the Dark Side.

In the years that followed, Alaric exemplified the Dark Jedi Code. He knew no fear, only power over his many victims. He felt no worry of death, only the promise that his name would live forever. He had no weakness, only strength in the Dark Side. Ransacking villages and laying whole cities to waste through his anger, he was consumed by his ability to end any life he chose, for any reason. He massacred armies and innocents alike, and he hunted Jedi with impunity. But in the darkest recesses of his mind, he found that the first tenant was the truest of the Dark Jedi Code. There was no peace. Not for the galaxy, and not for himself.

After four years of murder, it finally hit home. Literally. Seldom using the navicomputer, most of his jumps were guided solely by the Force. He came out of hyperspace and felt the Dark Side's command stronger than ever before. Whatever planet he was over, he had been guided there as the instrument of its destruction. As he flew in to raze the first town he could find, a hail came in over his comm system. That was when he realized where he was and what the Force wanted.

He was above Nirauan, brought there to destroy the Empire of the Hand and the only family he had left. It was to be the culmination of his dark journey. By giving himself over to this act of destruction, he would achieve full master of the Dark Side. The vestigial remnants of his conscience would die along with every man, woman and child on the planet. Hanging there in the dead, black, lifeless of space, Mal'ari'carun reached out with the full force of his world-destroying rage. He would end it. He would kill them all. He would rip the very planet to shreds. Stretching out with his terrible might, he...

...paused, and for the first time in four years asked himself a very important question.

Is this right?

He was no longer sure. And so he laid in a course for the black, where he could ponder the answer to that question. The answer was Tyrith.

Way of the Seven Souls

While developing Tyrith, it occurred to Mal'ari'carun that his old Brotherhood also followed a philosophy called the Final Way. Out of curiosity, he put himself into a mnemonic trance and wrote out the words of the Final Way. Of particular interest was the section known as the Way of the Seven Souls. He knew without thinking, as did most Jedi, the words of the mythical Darth Bane to his first apprentices; that is, he knew the accepted translation. He was stunned at first to discover how similar the tenets were to Tyrith, with but minor alterations. Below is his translation of the Way of the Seven Souls (changes are in bold). The original can be found here.

Before all thou shalt be a pillar of stone, eternal and inviolate.
Allow none to escape the fire of thine convictions, that all may follow Justice.
The steel of thine blade shall bring the damned before Justice.
In blood thou shalt baptize the weak of the fold that all may grow stronger than their destruction.
Sorrow shall be the first step along my sacred way. Bring all to their strength from their suffering.
Even as I am thine Master, thou shalt follow the truth of my Way.
Bring forth the void of thine soul, that all lies may pass into the darkness from whence they sprung.

Prime Edict

The philosophy of Tyrith extends into the martial realm in the form of the Prime Edict. It is the simplicity and conviction of morality expressed on the subject of how to deal with the immoral.

It means only one thing, and everything: cut. Once committed to fight, cut. Everything else is secondary. Cut. That is your duty, your purpose, your hunger. There is no rule more important, no commitment that overrides that one. Cut. Cut from the void, not from bewilderment. Cut the enemy as quickly and directly as possible. Cut with certainty. Cut decisively, resolutely. Cut into his strength. Flow through the gaps in his guard. Cut him. Cut him down utterly. Don't allow him a breath. Crush him. Cut him without mercy to the depths of his spirit. It is the balance of life: death. It is the dance with death. It is the law by which a warrior lives. Or he dies.

While the Prime Edict may seem violent in comparison to Tyrith, it is the logical expression of how a practitioner of Tyrith deals with any adverse situation. It teaches that you don't run from trouble. You face any adversity head-on and fight with every ounce of your being. To meet all adversities is to deal with every situation, no matter how difficult or how small the gain, in a forthright manner with no tolerance and extreme prejudice. It is to never surrender to the enemy or their cause. It is, after all, the love of Truth and Justice which gives rise to the righteous fury expressed in the Prime Edict. This righteous fury leads to violence, and the violence in turn restores justice, completing the circle and beginning anew. Expressed in its basic premise, the Prime Edict is the exemplification of all aspects of Tyrith.

Tyrith as Thought

This is the basis of Tyrith, its reason for being. Tyrith isn't designed to make one successful, or win in a fight. Those are simple eventualities necessitated by its perfection. At its core, Tyrith is a mindset, a way of thinking. While a philosophical dissection would take a length essay, which is in the works, the essence of Tyrith is simple.

Reality exists and cannot be changed by whims or wishes or wants.
Any change in reality requires action on your part.

Tyrith is the recognition of and dedication to these truths.

In addition, what follows is a brief list of aspects concerning the Tyrith mindset. This is by no means exhaustive, or even very explainable, but it will have to do until my complete dissection of Tyrith is complete.

Truth and justice are paramount.
Your values are sacred. Treat them as such.
Never take assumptions on faith. Question everything. Understand everyone. Think outside the box and ignore the norm.
Never shirk the moral responsibility of passing judgment. Always require the best of yourself and others.
Never take the easy way out.Always find the most efficient and elegant solution.

While these are basic principles within Tyrith, the complete teachings also mold the way a mind perceives and analyzes the world around them. To see the world after Tyrith is to see it through new eyes. That mental discipline is what truly makes Tyrith so unique, but it cannot be achieved without first accepting the philosophy's basic premise and acting on the logical conclusions thereof.

Tyrith as Action

In truth, Tyrith - as a way of acting - is the simplest of its concepts. Once the basic principles are understood and accepted, the rest falls into place. The Tyrith'Con (Practitioner of the Final Way) must face every adversity head-on; he must always be ready to fight, and die, for his values. If not, then he isn't truly alive. To follow Tyrith is to never give in to laziness, to always enact the best solution, and to hold truth, justice, and one's own life above all other values. To an adherent of Tyrith it is better to die on their feet than live on their knees. This section will also be expanded with the publication of the afore-mentioned essay on Tyrith.

Tyrith'Sun

Literally "Instrument of the Final Way", it is the name for both the weapon Mal'ari'carun uses, and for himself. Like many Dark Jedi before him, he believes himself to be The One who will bring order from chaos. Unlike most of the others, he has a plan.

His studies involving Brotherhood lore led him to read every word recorded on Darth Bane. In the end, after all the data was collated, he came to an inescapable conclusion. Darth Bane had seen the future, and knew how the Final Way would be realized. His teachings have since been corrupted and misinterpreted over the millennium as to be unrecognizable from their original meaning, but that doesn't change the validity of the Final Way itself. It only means that once the Final Way (the complete and total dedication to Justice) is revealed, the Tyrith'Sun will have to decide how to bring it about.

While Darth Bane's prophecy concerning the One does not foretell victory - rather, it foretells of the chance of victory should the Tyrith'Sun succeed - it does state unequivocally that should the One fail to bring about the Final Way, the galaxy will succumb to darkness and chaos for all time.

(For more information on Mal'ari'carun's study of the Final Way and the legend of Darth Bane, see Return from Rage)

Tyrith as Style

Conceived and developed by Mal'ari'carun during The Wanderings, Tyrith is a style of combat that transcends its constituent elements. Combining blinding speed and deadly accuracy with seemingly random acts of misdirection, it is a style of combat which is wholly unpredictable.

Focusing on pressure points and weak spots (such as where joints meet), it also requires a strong knowledge of xeno-anatomy, often calling for blows that will slip between a target's bones to hit internal organs or other soft tissue. Combining this with its penchant for whittling down a foe's ability over time (such as through hamstringing them, rather than going for an instant kill at the risk of defeat), it creates a deadly dance of distraction and death.

Its fluid nature is adaptable to any situation, any enemy, any weapon. By its very nature, the practitioner is constantly moving, never staying in one places for longer than an instant. First moving at random, then possibly simulating a pattern; once the opponent senses the pattern it will change in a heartbeat to randomness again. Every part of the body is used, and anything can be a weapon. In Tyrith, there is no such thing as "fair play".

While adaptable to any weapon, Mal'ari'carun typically uses his lightsaber, Tyrith'Sun, and one of his Leorals. Almost dry in its style, despite its constant fluctuations, Tyrith is completely devoid of wasted movement, of flourishes, of bravado, except in the name of psychological warfare. Its defense contains no blocks, but is made entirely of parries and reversals aimed at ripostes and the fulfillment of the Prime Edict.

Grip: The practitioner holds one knife is a reverse grip in his "off hand". His lightsaber is held upwards in his "strong hand" near the hilt. His thumb and index finger maintain a loose grip on the hilt of his saber, his middle wraps around it securely, and his last two fingers hang loosely away from the hilt.

Stance: Pointing his lead foot at the opponent, with his body turned completely sideways and his knees beint for a lower center of gravity, the practitioner of Tyrith aligns his back foot's side towards his lead heel. His "off hand" is held out in front and his "strong hand" is behind and above him, with the blade of the lightsaber pointed at his opponent's chest.

Striking: Given the fluid nature of the style, there are almost no thrusts or jabs except in the name of misdirection. The Tyrith master attacks first, and never allows his opponent a single breath. When the enemy does strike, he will find a defense designed completely around ripostes and counter-attacks. The Tyrith Master may, at this point, go for the kill. Or he may, instead, choose to damage his opponent in expectation of their eventual demise. Regardless, all actions are governed by the Prime Edict.

Defense: In Tyrith, there is no true defense. Every defensive action leads towards the Prime Edict. To the Tyrith master, embroiled in the heat of combat, no other truth exists. Every dodge is designed to tire an enemy. Every parry is intended to throw an enemy off balance and lead to damage. There is only one truth, the Prime Edict, and the Tyrith master knows this to the depths of his very soul.

Character Accomplishments

Positions Held

Current Position(s)

Tyro of Night Hawks

Trivia

Mal'ari'carun's name was actually derived from "Alaric", rather than the other way around.
Mal'ari'carun was one of the first Chiss to join the Dark Jedi Brotherhood
Mal'ari'carun has developed his own fighting style known as Tyrith.
Mal'ari'carun's theme song is The Devil's Song by Marcy Playground.
Mal'ari'carun was the last Combat Master appointed while the position was still a part of the Dark Council.
Mal'ari'carun is married to Fet'ai'narun, both in the Dark Jedi Brotherhood and in Real Life.
Mal'ari'carun once wrote a 17-Page story, from scratch, in two hours (March 2004 'Dark Deal' KMT)

Quotes

"We make war that we may live in peace."

―Mal'ari'carun