Shadow Taldrya

"Well, then I suggest you start masturbating yourself blind cuz everything else I suggest requires nudity."

―Shadow

Shadow Taldrya is an Obelisk Dark Side Adept loyal to Clan Taldryan and proudly bears the title Son of Taldryan. Though he is relatively weak at projecting the Force from himself, Shadow has become quite adept at focusing the power to enhance is physical, combat abilities. One of Taldryan's foremost lightsaber combat instructors, Shadow has recently taken over instruction on a Brotherhood-wide scale. His brief capture and subsequent escape from a Vong vessel during the Battle of Antei has given him some insight into Vong fighting styles, which he is currently teaching to the Brotherhood's collective warriors.

A man of few words, Shadow tends to present one of two personalities to those around him. One, a light-hearted joker with a somewhat flippant attitude towards authority. When in battle, however, the nonchalant, humorous demeanor is replaced with grim severity. He focuses on his opponents - their styles, their moves, their reliance on the Force, and uses that knowledge to plan his attack. His almost dual personality has served him well and he has long walked the line between Brotherhood leader and Clan warrior.

Character History

A Path to Darkness

Though the Emperor and his apprentice had fallen during the Battle of Endor in 4 ABY, the planet of Corellia was still a very pro-Imperial world and for many years New Republic forces would continue to skirmish with the remnant Imperial forces. Five years after the Battle of Yavin, a group of Imperial Intelligence agents ordered the local CorSec officers to attack a garrison of rebels. Though their allegiance was somewhat divided, many CorSec forces engaged the New republic in open combat on the streets of Corellia. Caught in the crossfire was a young boy, only ten standard years of age, and his parents. The battle took the lives of both this boy’s parents, leaving him orphaned and alone amidst an ongoing war. Alone he found himself targeted by an unwitting officer. Before the high energy beam could hit him, the boy made a miraculous escape, inhumanly twisting out of the way of incoming fire into a relatively safe

Corellia

alleyway. It was there he met an old man, tall and severe, but with a sense of loss on his aged features. This man grabbed the boy’s arm and quickly led him away from the scene of the battle. Away from his parents, his life, his world.

The man turned out to be Loor Kata, a Sovereign Protector, one of the elite guardsmen in Imperial service, with limited knowledge of the Force, but a passable understanding of lightsaber combat. Though not trained as a full-fledged Dark Jedi, Kata decided to apprentice the boy; keeping him by his side, a constant shadow to all he would do in the years following the fall of the Empire. And so the two traveled together, the boy gleaning all the knowledge he could from the former Protector. As he was always silent and following the elder warrior, Kata eventually took to calling him his shadow. Over the years the nickname stuck, and the young boy from Corellia became known as Shadow – the only name others would know.

Shadow spent his years in exile with the Emperor’s servant learning as much about the galaxy as he did about the finesse of lightsaber combat. Wherever the two ended up they would always be involved in some type of brawl – over sabaac, over women, over the fall of the Empire. Though he didn’t feel one way or the other about the Emperor, Shadow continued to serve his master and was frequently the one who managed to save their necks. But, Shadow grew to love his time spent amongst the scum of the galaxy. In the seedy bars, trashy whore houses, and dens of crime lords he felt most at home.

File:Nar shadaa streets.jpg

Streets of Nar Shadaa

Eventually the pair met their match in the vertical city of Nar Shadaa. A drunken brawl ended by a quick flash of Shadow’s blade followed by a wild escape. Unfortunately, before they could return to their shuttle they encountered a group of black-robed figures. Kata tensed as if he knew them then ignited his crimson red blade and attacked. Shadow dove after him, but he was too late. In a matter of seconds his master was defeated, his heads separated from his body with one swift stroke. The young warrior brought his weapon up and attacked his master’s killers, viciously slashing into their midst. He managed to slash one of the robed men, severing an arm, but his prowess with a blade was not enough. From three sides he was struck by a powerful invisible force that lifted him off the ground and threw him headfirst into the side of a building. Before he blacked out he could see the group advancing slowly on him, but now there was nothing he could do.

The Shadow Academy

As luck would have it, Shadow wasn’t killed that day. Sensing his potential the Dark Jedi decided to bring him with them. They confiscated his weapons and strapped him into a seat for the long journey to their home. Shadow officially joined the Dark Brotherhood on the planet of Eos at the age of fifteen. Though at first he was a prisoner of the Brotherhood, Shadow eventually found himself accepting their teachings and put his memories of the past behind him.

During his Academy training, Shadow slowly began to learn to manipulate the Force. Through strict training he gained a limited knowledge of basic Force techniques, though he always found himself struggling to project the power outside his own body. Because of this he was always lagging behind the rest of his class. Combat, however, was another story. Already familiar with the most basic forms, Shadow was quick in grasping the more complex techniques of lightsaber combat. His martial prowess grew exponentially advancing him to the fore of the combat training class and upon his graduation he chose to follow the noble path of the Obelisk; a true warrior of the Brotherhood.

Fresh out of the Shadow Academy, Shadow was transferred to House Galeres of Clan Arcona, but the Brotherhood was now on the verge of destruction. Zoraan, the current Grand Master was becoming more and more unstable, until finally he used his powers to strike out against the Dark Hall. Shadow, being a new member, didn’t take sides in the ensuing conflict, but he monitored his new leaders closely. Galeres became a confused mass as the inept leadership was unable to control its members. Deciding he had seen enough, Shadow left Arcona to find a more powerful Clan when his path crossed that of the Quaestor of House Dinaari, Sharad Hett. Sharad managed to convince the Acolyte to accompany him to Sahare, the headquarters of Clan Taldryan. Only a few weeks after leaving Arcona, Shadow had found the only Clan he would ever be a part of.

Trials by Combat

In 17 ABY, less than a year after being accepted as a member of House Dinaari, Shadow was approached by the Clan Summit with the proposition of filling the recently vacated position of Quaestor. Weeks before, Sharad Hett had been appointed Obelisk High Commander, leaving no one to take over the task of leading the House. Under the proffered guidance of both Jac Cotelin and Keirdagh Cantor, Shadow was set to take command of the most powerful of the Obelisk Houses.

Wary of the responsibility he now had, the Jedi Hunter struggled to live up to the high expectations placed upon him. The House was in dire need of improvements, but he doubted his ability to affect changes by himself. To that end he selected one of the few

File:Dinaariclaw.jpg

House Dinaari Logo

friends he had made during his time at the Academy, a young man by the name of SwipeR, to join him as Aedile. The two formed a strong partnership, leading their House by way of example, working with their members to complete the tasks that needed to be done.

Having gained Knighthood shortly after his appointment, mainly due to a Dark Council policy on required rank, Shadow felt that he had yet to earn his rank or lightsaber. Because of this, the young man vowed to do his all to bring about an increase in Dinaari's power. When his predecessor announced an Obelisk-wide competition to decide the skill of the Houses, Shadow had the opportunity to make good on the faith placed in him.

In essence, this event became his own set of trials, which he would complete to earn his lightsaber. Together, he and SwipeR spearheaded Dinaari's efforts in the Obelisk Rite of Supremacy, battling side-by-side to ensure the House retained its dominance. After a month of feuding with the best Obelisk forces marshaled by rival Clans, Dinaari emerged victorious, once again remaining the First House of the Obelisk.

Unfortunately, even the greatest of victories can have unexpected consequences. Though Shadow was still devoted to his House and Clan, he no longer had the same drive he once had. The House itself had become a trial for him, a cage he had quickly outgrown. Having succeeded in both the Rite of Supremacy and in increasing the House's standing within the Clan, Shadow felt that he had little left to offer. Inevitably, this realization caused the Knight to draw into himself. Where he had once led every charge and trained with his members, Shadow was now content to remain alone on Kaiburr and focus on his own training. He began to develop more solo skills, those which would be of more use to a lone warrior wandering the Galaxy. The day finally dawned when Shadow, Quaestor of Dinaari, entered the chambers of his Consul, Lord Cotelin, and tendered his resignation.

Power and Politics

It was during this period of time that Shadow began delving into other aspects of the Dark Brotherhood. Now an Obelisk Warrior, the young man felt the urge to further his understanding. Much of what he learned came from his old mentor, Sharad Hett, who had recently taken Shadow on as a Praetor, an attaché to the office of Obelisk High Commander. Following this, Shadow was appointed as Praetor to the Commander of the Guard, Sithspawn, another former member of Taldryan. These positions drew him deeper into the intricate web of the Dark Councilors, and the power they wielded over the various Clans. The Warrior found himself with an increasing desire to have such power.

Royal Guardsmen in training

By maintaining a steady flow of activity between both Clan and Dark Council, Shadow was quickly elevated to the rank of Obelisk Battlemaster, which further increased his influence with the Council. Through consistent effort, and with the backing of the previous Commander, Shadow was able to negotiate his appointment to Commander of the Royal Guard by Grand Master Firefox. Besides gaining a seat on the Council, Shadow had also managed to remain attached to his beloved Clan, in a highly controversial "dual allegiance".

His first task upon appointment, was to study the near-extinct combat style of the Echani - a skill that every Commander was required to master. Shadow's training was conducted in private, as the argot style was deemed too dangerous for most common members to learn. While he trained, Shadow was preparing a complete restructuring of the Guard, deciding to implement strict requirements for induction and advancement. His was to be a Royal Guard comprised of only the elite of the Brotherhood, and he had great expectations for what he could do with such a force.

However, fate intervened with his grand plan when the Brotherhood was swept into the ruinous flames of another war. A tenuous alliance, previously unfathomable, brought the seven Clans together against a consortium of pirates, who had besieged much of the Brotherhood's territories. As Commander, Shadow's duty was to protect the Grand Master, but he been absent from the Iron Throne for some time, leaving his Deputy in charge. Under the direction of Mairin Astoris, Shadow was tasked with ensuring that the members of the Dark Council remained free from harm.

It was in the midst of war that he became aware of many things that had been hidden from him. The Battlemaster found himself again and again at odds with the rest of the Council as it became increasingly erratic, its members plotting and backstabbing in an effort to increase their own power during the conflict. Fortunately, the Clans managed to rout the pirates attack and had begun to cleanse the galaxy of their existence - but the Council was now in a state of complete anarchy. Shadow found that he had learned far too much – he had seen the true face of the Council, a sight he would never forget. Events he had once not been aware of were now seen clearly. Upon his return, Firefox, despite his previous promises otherwise, forced Shadow into a choice between his position and his Clan. The choice was obvious. Near the end of the Fifth Great Jedi War, Shadow denounced his role as Commander of the Guard and returned to help his Clan end what was left of the conflict.

Shadow of the Empire

The Clan's eventually returned to their own systems, licking their wounds and turning inwards to rebuild their strength. Shadow, not being able to see his dream realized, took the opportunity to rejoin the Dinaari summit as the leader of Dark Infantry Brigade. During his time as Sergeant, Shadow spent a great deal of time perfecting his lightsaber technique.

He eventually mastered the techniques of Shii-Cho and had proven himself adept at Djem So.

Their alliance already forgotten, the Clans became consumed by small skirmishes across each other’s borders for several months after the war. Dinaari and House Kirleta came to open warfare, though this was quickly ended by the Clans. Still, Dinaari had extracted a heavy toll on Kirleta's forces. Shadow had led his brigade to several decisive victories, from which he learned a great many things about both space and battlefield tactics. This sparked a new interest in grand battles, leading him to the grand library on Lears, where he delved into the great historical battles, studying the tactics of history’s many brilliant military commanders.

While Shadow continued to hone his skills, unrest was sweeping throughout the Brotherhood. Once the most powerful organization of Dark Jedi in the Galaxy, it had fallen into the role of a tool for the remnant Imperial faction known as the Emperor's Hammer. The Hammer's self-appointed Grand Admiral had taken it upon himself to interfere in the selection of Dark Council members, selecting irrational and unbalanced candidates with little to no connection with the Force. These candidates were nothing more than an attempt to place high-ranking naval officers into key positions within the Dark Brotherhood. This proved to be the first of what became many attempts to cull the Brotherhood and secure it under Imperial rule.

For months the Brotherhood suffered to the point of near destruction, but in early 19 ABY, a secret council convened to plot a new fate for the desperate Jedi. This subversive movement remained a secret kept only by the Council of Seven, until they were ready prepared to strike back against the meddling Imperials. As the Hammer's interference was reaching a peek, the Council decided it was time. The Clans were informed of the massive coup simultaneously and with only a few hours notice. Unfortunately, the insurgents of Clan Alvaak still managed to inform the Grand Admiral of the plot. The Hammer's strike fleet launched a massive attack against the Brotherhood's seat of power on Eos.

The Clans, both loyal and treacherous, quickly dispatched their fleets to add their military might to the fray, increasing the assault to a full-scale war. However, before both sides fell to ruin, the Grand Master's gathered together and focused their strength into creating a powerful Force Storm. The Emperor Hammer's fleet, along with the betraying Jedi, were effectively cut off from the battle, unable to cross the violent rips in the fabric of space. The diversion allowed the Clans to regroup and escape to their own systems to complete their evacuations. The Battle of Eos had ended with the true Brotherhood seceding from the Hammer and venturing out to establish its own colony deep in the Outer Rim.

The Brotherhood returned to the long-forgotten system of Antei – the birthplace of the original Star Chamber, and a nexus of Dark Side power. It was here the Brotherhood began anew, with the Clans encouraged to scout for new systems to call home. A relative peace settled across the Brotherhood as the Clans set about recouping their losses. Shadow, freed from the monotony of naval conquest, used his time to delve into physical Force-enhancements. Instead of seeking greater power, he instead adapted the Force to further augment his fighting ability. And, as part of the effort to replenish the ranks, Shadow was given the opportunity to train the new Taldryan recruits in the Jedi art of lightsaber combat. The Clans had a brief respite from conflict and betrayal – a fragile peace, which allowed them to expand and improve. This peace, however, was not meant to last.

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Warrior of Taldryan

Just over a year after the Brotherhood had settled into it's new home problems began to erupt through the seven Clans. Disputes over territory and new trainees led to heated debates in the newly built Dark Hall. In the end war broke out and Taldryan was joined into the Fifth Great Jedi War. Several months into the war something began to change among the members of the Brotherhood. A consciousness began to infect certain members causing them to turn against their own allies and clan mates. Shadow was also infected by the consciousness and helped lead an attack on the newly built Clan Hall on Karufr. Many such battles were evenly matched with neither side managing to press forward. Eventually Grand Master Firefox returned from his sojourn and discovered the truth about the Consciousness and battled the ancient Sith Lord Okemi, defeating him and freeing the dark Jedi from their enslavement. Finally free of Okemi’s control, the Clans returned to warring on one another. The conflict did not last long after Firefox’s return. The Clans had suffered greatly due to the internal conflicts and Taldryan again began to rebuild it’s empire.

For his efforts during the Great Jedi War, despite the fact he turned against his fellow Jedi, Shadow was elevated to the rank of Obelisk Primarch, highest of the Equite classes. Upon his promotion, Shadow made the decision to focus his training in a new direction. He began to train using dual lightsabers. He found that when combining his skills of Shii-Cho and Djem So he could maintain a fierce attack and a strong defense utilizing both sabers. For training purposes Shadow used a pair of unmodified lightsabers created by the Headmaster, Spears Tarentae.

He took a short leave from his second run as Quaestor of Dinaari and went in search of crystals he would need to create his weapons. After a long and arduous search through New Republic systems, Shadow eventually returned to Altur ready to build his new lightsabers, and began training in a new Form he had heard about during his journey. The ancient variant Form known as Shien would be the focus of all the Primarch’s abilities. Deadly in it’s technique and based heavily in Shii-Cho and Djem So, Shien would be the perfect melding of technique, agility and strength to give Shadow the extra edge over most any opponent.

Five months after Shadow returned from the Core systems, Kir Taldrya Katarn summoned him to the Consul’s private quarters on Karufr. Consul Katarn informed Shadow that he was being appointed Proconsul of Taldryan and was to hand House Dinaari over to the capable hands of Obelisk Prelate Benevolent Taldrya Whiner, Shadow’s now former Aedile. The newly formed Clan Summit received word that High Commander Primarch Korras was planning an attack on Coratua IV. Recent reports indicated that a group of pirate smugglers had discovered a cache of droid supply depots and, more importantly, intact droid storage facilities forgotten since the Clone Wars. A team of Dark Jedi from each Clan was requested to aid in defeating the pirates and capturing combat droids. Consul Katarn gave the task of leading Taldryan's team to Shadow and sent them to acquire as much as they could from the depots and storage facilities.

Shadow's Informal Robes

Shadow's Informal Robes

The assault was a complete success. The pirates were quickly defeated and the Clan teams began expanding their bases to conquer more of the planet and capture more supplies. Clans that encountered one another fought fiercely to maintain control over their territories. In an impressive display of skill, Taldryan’s battle-hardened warriors won numerous smaller battles before finally taking control of the largest droid factory on the moon. Capturing the factory added a great deal of ground assault vehicles and combat droids to Taldryan’s military. Finally, the High Commander announced the war was ended and split the goods amongst the six Clans and took a percentage back to the Dark Council.

Shadow and his team arrived back on Karfur to cheers and congratulations. They had undoubtedly accomplished the most out of any other Clan. After a lengthy celebration, Kir at last made an appearance. He stood on the central dais in the Great Hall of Taldryan’s headquarters and brought the celebrating Clan to silence. After two exemplary years of leading Taldryan as Consul, Kir was going to step down. He motioned the stunned Shadow to come up to the dais and again bid the Clan for silence. In the silence following Kir's announcement, Shadow was promoted to the Elder rank of Dark Side Adept and appointed as the new Consul of Taldryan.

A Rising Elder

Shadow's reign as Consul, though short-lived, brought on several changes that laid the groundwork for the Clan's future. Before doing anything else, Shadow spent his time creating a new Taldryan award, "Kir's Prosperity" - a ring to be rewarded to those whose relentless self-sacrifice helped the clan to greatness. It was a final honor to the former Consul for his years of work making Taldryan the greatest it could be.

Though the Obelisk High Commander had recalled all Brotherhood forces back to their home systems, fighting still broke out amongst many of the Clans. Taldryan again managed to retain it's honorary place as First Clan and returned to the Kr'Tal system with the makings of an entire army. The spoils of war were many and were soon dispersed amongst both the Houses as well as the Clan to further enhance the Taldryan war efforts. A sense of peace was established across the Brotherhood and the Clan again focused on strengthening itself for the next Great War.

Mere weeks after obtaining his position, Shadow was forced to deal with the loss of another influential clan member, Dark Sabre Taldrya. The loss of the Ektrosis Quaestor marked a significant change in the leadership of the Clan. Benevolent, Quaestor of Dinaari, was chosen as Proconsul in part due to the great working relationship he had with Shadow during their time as Quaestor and Aedile. Chaosrain was chosen to take charge of Ektrosis while Duga was chosen to replace Benevolent in Dinaari. This new summit would be the basis for the next generation of Taldryan.

Less than three months after the end of the Rite of Supremacy and Shadow's rise to Consul, he Adept decided it was time to remove himself from active leadership. After lengthy discussions with various elder clan members, Shadow appointed Duga Taldrya Arkarso his successor and passed onto him the legacy and responsibility of Taldryan leadership. As a final token for his past leadership, Duga ordered the making of a cloak, made of the finest silk and dyed in the colors of the Obelisk Order. It was dubbed the Cloak of Shadow, a testament to the old Adept's courageous leadership. The Cloak was added to the Taldryan awards, a tribute Shadow was both honored and moved to receive.

After resigning from Consul, Shadow decided it was once again time to remove himself from the never-ending politics and warfare of the Brotherhood. During his successors coronation ceremony, the Adept slipped out of the crowded Grand Hall and made his way towards the hangar bay. Before anyone noticed his absence, Shadow had slipped into the dark embrace of space.

After passing through the Shroud, Shadow made his way to the Core Systems to visit his homeworld of Corellia. Weeks passed as the Dark Jedi mingled in the large city of Coronet. Though he made several discreet inquiries, Shadow was unable to discover anything more about his past prior to the Dark Brotherhood. Several times during his wanderings of the beautiful city, Shadow encountered students of the Jedi Academy. Instead of drawing these Jedi disciples into battle, Shadow used what skills he possessed to remain undetected and decided it was best if he left the Core before the fledgling Jedi Order discovered him.

Shadow Taldrya

Traveling across the galaxy in search of places where he could unleash his power led Shadow to many worlds he had only ever heard about in his Shadow Academy lessons. He visited the wastelands of Korriban, digging through the Valley of the Dark Lords in search of ancient Sith artifacts. His efforts were mostly in vain, but he did manage to stumble upon an old, half-destroyed Holocron describing several archaic lightsaber forms. It was apparently used as diary for some unnamed Dark Jedi. Apparently the creator of this Holocron was a Sith Marauder, a master of the lightsaber arts. He went into great details about the lightsaber forms offering his contempt for certain styles while elaborating on techniques and training regiments for others. Shadow kept the Holocron and used it to add to his already well-practiced style. A part of the Holocron also spoke of another Sith homeworld, Ziost, and gave directions on how to find it.

Shadow spent a great deal of time on Ziost completely cut off from the rest of the Galaxy. Ziost was a frozen paradise and the verdant forests made an excellent training ground. For months Shadow stayed isolated using the information gathered from the Holocron to teach himself techniques for the archaic lightsaber form of Shien and managing to survive in the rough terrain with only his physical skills. With little need for meditation or use of significant force feats, Shadow, without realizing it, allowed his connection to the Force to dwindle until all he could do was enhance his skills while he trained. His powers as an Adept slowly grew obsolete without him knowing.

Finally, one day while going through his daily training ritual, Shadow was struck by a vision. The strength of the vision dropped the Adept to his knees as he saw flashes of war and violence. Events that would soon transpire. The images flickered through his mind with such force that he was rendered unconscious. Coming to, Shadow realized that what he saw was a prelude to a great attack on the Brotherhood. After almost a year of isolation he would have to return to the Brotherhood and rejoin the active ranks of Taldryan.

The Second Darkness

Upon his return to Taldryan, Shadow discovered his weakened Force connection. Though his combat skills were nearly unparalleled, his affinity for Force-based combat was weakened to the point that even training with the Equite class was exhausting to him. More than once overexertion and dangerous sparring almost cost him his life. Forcing his power to return was obviously not working so Shadow decided to continue to focus on his combat skills hoping that under the influence of the powerful Dark Jedi he was surrounded with his powers would eventually begin to return.

Shadow spent much of his first weeks back familiarizing himself with the new faces and new leaders of Taldryan. Much had changed in the short year he had been gone and not all of it was to his liking. Add PCON stuff?

Not long after his appointment to Grand Master, Lord Sarin called forth the Clan Summits to arrange a special Rite of Supremacy he referred to as the Second Darkness. It was to be a test of Clan might through simulated battle exercises to see which Clan deserved to lead the Brotherhood's forces in a future battle. Vague though the Rite was, the Clans took up the vendetta with enthusiasm. Duga called forth the newly returned Jac Cotelin to aid the Clan Summit in completing the tasks set forth by the Dark Council. With their knowledge combined, Taldryan managed to annihilate all competition emerging as the victors of yet another Rite of Supremacy. Taldryan was rewarded with the title of First Clan and given a new system, Rybanloth that would be a secret retreat, hidden from the rest of the Clans.

During the Vendetta, Shadow had not received another vision. Whether or not that meant the cataclysm had been avoided or not was unknown to the Adept, but deep within himself he knew that the Grand Master was preparing the Clans for that war. It would only be a matter of time before events unfolded and the Brotherhood was thrown into the battle to end it all. Though he kept his fears to himself, Shadow vowed to do all he could to hold the darkness back and keep his Clan alive.

More soon...

Character Profile

Physical Appearance

Shadow stands at nearly two meters tall and weighs roughly 92 kilograms. Due to the amount of strenuous physical training, Shadow is well-muscled, but quite graceful due to years of lightsaber training. His hair is the darkest of blacks, parted to one side and slightly curling at his shoulders. Shadow's eyes are a reflective brown, though when he his overcome by anger his piercing gaze can rattle all but the bravest of Jedi. Though he ignores most of the forms of etiquette, Shadow carries himself with a quiet dignity, and walks nobly when charged with important duties. Despite this, Shadow is well known for being laid back when with his friends, and few would recognize the honorable warrior from the mocking trickster found in the common rooms of Dinaari's headquarters.

Because most of his life is spent in training, Shadow tends to forgo the use of traditional robes and wears simple, black combat boots and a black tunic with blue trim cinched at the waist by a wide leather belt decorated with silver emblems. Shadow's latest crafted lightsabers are always resting on his belt accompanied by his Echani knife. When the weather makes it necessary, Shadow wears a simple black cloak over top of his regular tunic. Attached to his right leg is a self-made holster for his modified Bryar pistol and is at his side at all times outside of training. When formality is required, Shadow dons his hooded cloak and his finest robes complete with silver trim and Order-blue sash.

Combat Training

Joining the Brotherhood as a member of the Obelisk Order, Shadow started combat classes upon his induction as an Apprentice. Run by the Shadow Academy, these classes involved rudimentary training in unarmed, bladed, staved, and eventually lightsaber combat. Due to his unusual upbringing, Shadow was already quite familiar with both unarmed and lightsabers, and managed to advance quickly in those subjects. Though the others took more time, eventually he passed all required exams and transferred from the Shadow Academy to his first Clan.

His required training had ended, but Shadow found that he enjoyed acquiring new skills and relished the chance to spar with his peers and prove his physical superiority. This drive for excellence led the Adept into many aspects of the Brotherhood, including the once revered position of Commander of the Guard. As Commander, Shadow worked with the finest warriors the Brotherhood had to offer and had ample opportunity to train and improve his skills.

Lightsaber Forms

After his preliminary training with Form Zero, Shadow chose to advance in the simple yet elegant form of Shii-Cho, working on the theory that the most basic of the forms held the potential for the greatest strength. He favored this form due to its usefulness in taking on multiple opponents at once, which he was prone to do often in his early days. As part of his desire for renown, Shadow initiated many fights with members of superior standing in the Brotherhood, just to test his mettle against those who would call themselves his better. Shii-Cho served his purpose well, but as his skill and experience grew, he felt the desire to expand on his knowledge.

Soresu was a natural second choice because, outside of the Brotherhood and the New Jedi Order, most of the Galaxy relied on blaster technology. A strong defense was every bit as good as an offense when it came to lightsaber combat, thus Shadow began rigorously training again. However, after making use of the form during a Rite of Supremacy, Shadow felt that Soresu was lacking a certain edge – an edge he felt Djem So did have. With his skill in Shii-Cho and competency with Soresu, Shadow quickly picked up the aggressively defensive form and worked towards mastering it as he had Form I.

Upon his ascendancy to the rank of Primarch, Shadow decided to further develop his combat prowess by adopting a second lightsaber. The ability to utilize twin blades to form a cohesive defense and offense was greatly appealing, and so Shadow crafted himself a second blade of the Type-2 format, which was better suited to his offhand. Though he chose his first form for its simplicity, Shadow felt to truly master the use of dual lightsabers he would need a form of combat that was not widely used. He decided to forgo the traditional Jar'Kai Niman training and opted for the more recently re-discovered lightsaber form known as Shien. Shien was archaic, pre-dating many of the current forms in use by both Jedi and Sith, but it proved to be a deadly style once mastered. Currently, Shien is Shadow’s primary form and he currently wields two lightsabers – his regularly-styled hilt in one hand, and a smaller lightsaber in his offhand.

Fighting Styles

The Brotherhood offered many styles of unarmed combat to its young members, ranging from the most basic to elite styles that were rarely taught in the Galaxy. Shadow, however, found himself drawn to the near non-existent art of Echani, which few studied and even fewer mastered. Unfortunately, even in the Brotherhood Echani was a rare art, and it wasn’t until he was appointed Commander of the Guard that Shadow began learning this elite art.

Upon his appointment, it was deemed that he would learn this ancient form from a former leader of House Dinaari, Kir Katarn. Kir, having studied the art as part of his Storm Commando training long before he was aware of his latent force abilities. The two began training under the direction of the Grand Master, working through each technique and advancing their understanding of the style.

Before his training could be completed, though, Shadow resigned his post as Commander because he had become tired of the corruption and complacency of the Council. But, instead of ending his instruction, Kir decided to continue without the Council’s permission, as they were both members of Taldryan, and Shadow had proven to be an apt pupil. The time finally came when master and student squared off in a live match using custom-made Echani blades. Shadow completed his trial by finishing the fight without a single strike penetrating his defense. The young Obelisk earned the right to wield his Echani knives that day, and became one of the few to master the ancient art.

Weapons

Custom Lightsabers

During the events of the Eighth Great Jedi War, Shadow lost his lightsabers when captured by the Yuuzhan Vong. After his escape, Shadow went about creating a new set to use, which would compliment his preferred combat Form of Shien. Opting for simplicity over style, the Adept chose a basic hilt design using blued steel

Custom Lightsaber, Normal Hilt

Custom Lightsaber, Normal Hilt

for the base with onyx and graphite forming the grips of the normal and just onyx for the curved hilt. A small sapphire lay embedded near the emitters, which shines brightly when the blades are active. Though his original crystals were lost, Shadow decided to manufacture his own silver-hued focusing crystals as a tribute to the trials he faced during his capture. Both blades emit a lustrous silver glow that tapers at just under a meter and a half in length. Once completed, Shadow handed the weapons to the Herald Shikyo Keibatsu who used his alchemical skills to bind the weapons to the Adept.

Echani Knives

Used by warriors practicing the near-extinct martial form of Echani, the Echani knife had a small blade, roughly about five centimeters, it's hilt could be modified to suit the user. The blade, in order to be effective, had to be razor sharp. Even the slightest knick could tear even the toughest skin. In most cases, Echani warriors used two knives instead of one, although it was not uncommon for just one. The Echani knife was not made for throwing, but can be done so rather effectively. The tip of the blade, due to constant sharpening, is exceptionally sharp.

Shadow received his pair of ceremonial knives having completed his training with Kir Taldrya Katarn. As a part of his final test, Kir challenged Shadow to a duel with the blades. Shadow completed his Echani training that day by coming out of the battle unscathed. Though he owns two of the blades, Shadow only wields one in battle the other remains framed on a mantle in his room in the Dinaari Headquarters of Altur.

Modified Bryar Pistol

Many years ago the members of House Dinaari began a new tradition to test the skills of it's members. Not through application of the Force or even sparring with a lightsaber, this tradition was set on the more unusual skill of bryar pistol accuracy. The bryar pistol is a weapon of deadly accuracy, it began as a contest to see who could score more hits against his friends during training sessions using a weakened version of the pistol. What started out as a mere fun competition became a serious standard in the training of Dinaari troops and was sometimes emulated by other members of the Clan.

Being one of the founders of the tradition, Shadow opted to create his own personal version of the weapon. This modified version began as a Bryar Rifle with it's barrel completely removed. Taking two barrels and sawing them roughly in half, Shadow attached them together and added a new firing mechanism. Thus, Shadow's Bryar pistol became more of a double-barreled shotgun capable of great accuracy and such force that it could throw an armored trooper back over five feet. After his appointment to Consul, Shadow decided to have his weapon nickel-plated to further change it's appearance from the standard pistol.

Trivia

• First member of the Brotherhood awarded with the title Grand Whore of the Brotherhood
• Served as Dinaari Quaestor twice

Shadow's SHAFT Warbanner

• Has won 3 consecutive "Tally's" People's Choice award
• Trademark IRC moves are thrusting and bending people over tables
• Created the first working draft of the Brotherhood's Rites of Combat for then High Commander Korras
• Shadow's table was a gift from Benevolent Whiner
• Created the first draft of the Proconsul Handbook
• One of the pioneers of the deadly art of bryar ownage, but cooler than Kir
• Longest serving Quaestor of House Dinaari at 1 year, 1 month and 19 days
• Shadow once served as both Acting Obelisk High Commander and Acting Commander of the Guard at the same time
• Shadow shares a similar style of Form Shien with Adept Korras of Tarentum
• Received his Echani training from Kir Taldrya Katarn
• First member to receive the newly created Pendant of Blood medal
• Created the uber awesome CTF Primer for DB members to master the sexy art of CTF
• Plays the Flag Runner position in CTF and "bunnies" when he can
• December 15, 2002 - Shadow starts thrusting
• November 10, 2003 - Shadow starts bending people over chairs
• March 01, 2004 - Benevolent destroys Shadow's chair in a jealous rage
• March 03, 2004 - Benevolent replaces the chair with Shadow's stain-proof, indestructable table
• Shadow won the first SHAFT CTF Edition competition in March
• On October 31, 2007 Shadow regretfully became a Bryar Bitch
• Though not officially accredited with its demise, Shadow believes that he himself had much to do with the awesome destruction of the entity known as the Club of Shame aka the DBPA

Sharad Hett	Quaestor of House Dinaari 20 ABY - 21 ABY	Pimp SwipeR
Shaithis Var'rek	Quaestor of House Dinaari 23 ABY - 24 ABY	Benevolent Taldrya Whiner
Sharad Taldrya Hett	Proconsul of Clan Taldryan 24 ABY - (Held for six months)	Benevolent Taldrya Whiner
Kir Taldrya Katarn	Consul of Clan Taldryan 24 ABY - 25 ABY	Duga Taldrya Arkarso
Benevolent Taldrya Whiner	Proconsul of Clan Taldryan 26 ABY - 27 ABY	Chaosrain Taldrya
Korras	Gaming Tribune 27 ABY - Present	---