- "Etiam in Mortem - Even in Death"
- ―The Nekros Coven's Creed
The Children of the Nekros Sanctuary, otherwise known as the Nekros Coven, was a renowned and infamous cult of necromancers that operated in the Yridia System. Working as faction of Clan Tarentum's House Mortis, the Coven was feared across the Minos Cluster. Many knew of its existence, and those that did choose to tolerate it, for fear of angering the cult. or worse, being press-ganged into their service.
History
Founding
In 33 ABY Solas Night-Thorn would be given a vision of the base of the former Battleteam Spectre, The Pyramid. Night-Thorn would travel to Yridia III and seek out the hidden stronghold. Breaking inside, the Sith was greeted by the spirit of Kidouses. He informed his fellow Tarenti that he had determined that without members willing to go where no one else would, Tarentum would fall. He then tasked the young Sith with creating a haven for those who would be shunned or persecuted because of that calling.
And so Night-Thorn would join forces with Tarentum's then-Rollmaster Frosty Romanae Tarentae and his brother Dox. Together the three would form the Nekros Syndicate, a battleteam of Mortis dedicated to the rebirth of the art of necromancy with the Brotherhood, and as Tarentum's pipeline to the seedy underworld of the galaxy.
March to Dathomir
At the orders of the Tarentum summit the members of the Nekros Syndicate deployed alongside the rest of the Tarentum to the planet Dathomir. On the planet the members of Nekros Syndicate were each given command of a brigade of Tarentum troopers. These brigades were stationed around the planet to contain the growing hordes of ghouls. The Nekros Syndicate's Supreme Commander Solas Night-Thorn was given command of a full division. During the campaign Supreme Commander Night-Thorn led Outlaw Brigade to a large Nightsister temple. There the Supreme Commander fell out of contact after ordering Outlaw Brigade into a valley north of the temple. Days later the Supreme Commander returned to his base camp alone and has refused to document the events within the temple.
The Day of Blood
On the 38th day of 35 ABY, a day that has been dubbed the Day of Blood, Solas Night-Thorn enacted Operation Night-Ring. This operation called for the purging of all Syndicate members not dedicated to the advancement of necromancy. That day over a hundred operators, administrators and staff assigned to the Underworld Operations division were murdered. The Supreme Commander would then release a statement, in which he declared that a new era for the Nekros had begun. He went on to explain that the team had a new guiding force, the ethereal Lord of the Void Aramastus. According to Night-Thorn, it was the will of this being that the Nekros should dedicate itself entirely to the art of necromancy. He declared that from that day forth, they were no longer the Nekros Syndicate but rather the Children of the Nekros Sanctuary. He then presented the assembled members with their new guiding principles, the Five Tenants.
What will become of this organization under this new creed? Only time will tell.
Culture
Purpose
The Nekros Coven was an organization with the purpose of the study and advancement of the art of necromancy. They were the heralds of a new renaissance, gone were the days of the Keepers and their manipulative ways. The Coven's divine purpose was to serve the The Lord of the Void and follow his desires, which they achieved through the word of his Arch-Priest.
The Coven's leaders and members followed no will but that of their master Aramastus. Now do not mistake this for dissension. While they did not directly follow the orders of their clan, the Coven's members would always do what they believed was best for the clan. Whether that was standing with or against its leaders.
Influence
Through the Minos Cluster, the mention of the Nekros Coven would cause both Human and Alien to shudder where they stood. Commoners and noblemen alike feared and loathed them.
Thanks to the anonymity of its members, it seemed that the Coven had eyes and ears everywhere. Their numbers had successfully infiltrated all levels of society, from the lowlifes and vagabonds, to the political and economical elite. That is to say nothing of their influence within the Brotherhood itself.
Religion
The religion of the Nekros Coven focused on the worship of Aramastus. Aramastus, also known as the Lord of the Void or the Void Incarnate, is the ethereal representation of the cycle of birth and death. Aramastus is considered to be the creator of all things, said to predate any other established deities. The Coven teaches that his children, Ashlana and Bogandir, were the originators of what is understood today as the Light Side and Dark Side of the Force.
Sigil
The Crest of the Ageless Bond
The sigil of the Nekros Coven was known as the Crest of the Ageless Bond. The Coven teaches that Crest is the eternal seal of Aramastus and is an integral part of the magical formula used to summon the Lord of the Void.
Regulations
The Five Tenets
The Five Tenets were the rules and morals the Coven followed following the Day of Blood. If a member breaks or neglects to follow one the Tenets, they were threatened with expulsion from the Coven or worse.
There are five tenets in all, and they are as follows:
- Tenet I. Never dishonor the Arch-Priest. To do so is to invoke the Wrath of Aramastus.
- Tenet II. Never betray the Children of the Nekros Sanctuary or their secrets. To do so is to invoke the Wrath of Aramastus.
- Tenet III. Never disobey or refuse to carry out an order from a Coven superior. To do so is to invoke the Wrath of Aramastus.
- Tenet IV. Never steal the possessions of a Blood Brother or Blood Sister. To do so is to invoke the Wrath of Aramastus.
- Tenet V. Never kill a Blood Brother or Blood Sister. To do so is to invoke the Wrath of Aramastus.
Hierarchy
The First Arch-Priest; Solas Night-Thorn.
The Nekros Coven was an organized cult of necromancers; they were comprised of a governing body, along with several smaller sections and groups.
The Inner Council
The governing body of the Nekros Coven was called the Inner Council. It is comprised of several members: The Arch-Priest, their Black Hand, and the current High Priests of the Coven.
The Arch-Priest possesses a connection to Aramastus that allows them to telepathically listen to and receive commands from the Lord of the Void. The Arch-Priest's second-in-command was known as the Black Hand. The Black Hand relayed Aramastus' commands to the members of the Coven.
The rest of the Inner Council was made up by the High Priests. Each High Priest is a highly skilled necromancer, recognized by the Arch-Priest for their skill in the art. To be recognized as a High Priest is the greatest honor a Blood Child can hope to achieve; aside from being named Black Hand or Arch-Priest.
Recruitment
As the Nekros Coven was a shadowy, mysterious cult of mystics and sorcerers, the identities of its members were unknown by the public as a whole. The Coven's methods of recruiting are shadowy in nature and clouded in mystery. However, it is known that the Coven did not just blindly accept new recruits and members; a person who wished to join the Nekros Coven must first be noticed by the Coven and demonstrate his or her natural Force talents, and their pension for the darker arts.
When a person embraced their inner darkness, most commonly through murder, a High Priest would approach the person and ask them to join the Nekros Coven, and if the offer was accepted, the person would be given a formal, organized contract with a specific task to complete.
The Nekros Coven were known to recruit serial killers, cannibals, and other heretics and blasphemers. When a continuous string of murders or other taboo acts were committed without punishment, the Coven would initiate an investigation to discover what happened, find the perpetrator, and potentially recruit him or her.
Uniforms and Etiquette
The Children of the Nekros Coven wore robes that denoted their rank within the Coven.
Coven Robes
Initiate's uniforms were comprised of a simple bone color tunic, grey breeches, matching shoes, and a dark grey over-toga. Those who have risen to the rank of Priest within the Coven, wore a set of heavy dark grey hooded robes (with bone colored accents), pants and boots. The High Priests wore a similar set of robes, only their's possessed gold trimmings.
There exised two unique sets of robes within the Coven. The first was the set worn by the Black Hand of the Inner Council. These robes were pitch black with gold accents. The second set were the vastly elaborate robes of the Arch-Priest. Constructed of a set of pitch black and bone colored robes, possessing gold trimming, a large gold pauldron on its left shoulder and a more elaborate hood.
All the Children of the Nekros Coven wore a red pendant cast in the shape of the Crest of the Ageless Bond, the sigil of the Nekros Coven. Most member's pendant were hung about the neck with a simple brown cord. However the Arch-Priest's pendant was hung from an elaborate sash of bone colored fabric and gold.
Pyramid Guard
Beyond these robes, two other types of uniforms existed within the Nekros Coven. The first was the uniforms worn by the guards of the Coven's base, the Pyramid. These guards wore a dark grey hooded jacket with the Crest of the Ageless Bond emblazoned on its right shoulder, black breeches and black form fitting armor. The final uniform of the Nekros Coven is the very proper attire of the Pyramid's staff. These clothes take the form of a black military suit with small red accents, and the Crest of the Ageless Bond embroidered on the left breast of the jacket.
Pyramid Staff
Members
Former Members
Staff