Sith Bloodfyre

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Sith Bloodfyre-Tarentae
Biographical Information
Homeworld:

Shaevalis Prime

Date of Birth:

68 BBY

Date of Death:

N/A

Physical Description
Species:

Shaevalian

Gender:

Male

Height:

1.854 Meters

Weight:

108.86 Kilograms

Hair:

Black

Eyes:

Blue

Personal Information
Allies:
Enemies:
  • Dalthid
  • Natth a'Niel Palpatine
  • Niemand "Duda" Machweg
Lightsaber Color(s):
  • Red (double-bladed)
  • Blue (single-bladed)
Lightsaber Form(s):
Fighting Style(s):
Chronology & Political Information
Profession:

Dark Jedi Badass

Position:
Era(s):
Affiliation:
Dossier:

756

[ Source ]



"Once we realize that imperfect understanding is the Human condition there is no shame in being wrong, only in failing to correct our mistakes."
―George Soros (1930 AD - )


As one of the Tarentae, Sith Bloodfyre stands as a paragon of ascension and power within Tarentum, a House and one-time Clan he has served in exclusively. While the Sith Master is held in great respect by some, and yet reviled by others for past choices, few within the Brotherhood do not recognize the man's name instantly. Having served in a myriad of positions, ranging first from Aedile of then-House Gladius of Tarentum and Quaestor, eventually to Proconsul and then Consul of Tarentum, to serving on the Dark Council itself as the last of the Sith High Warriors, nearly every facet of the Brotherhood has been affected by, or has directly affected, the Sith Master.

I've had some time to add to this, but it's not complete (and never will be). So, for now, this is all you get, suckers. :P


The Boy


"It is a wise father that knows his own child."
―William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616 AD)


So much of what I was, and what I have done has been forgotten. Time is a river, and it moves swiftly. Without others along for the ride to help you remember, you will forget. Without taking snapshots of victory as well as defeat, so that you might live to be greater, you are doomed to repeat your past mistakes. Become more, or be doomed to relive your failures. So it is with others. So it is with me. My first life, and I choose to remember it, was a lie.

Shaevalis Prime is nothing more than a falsehood. Though my people choose to see reality as what they are, and what they choose to be, they do not realize that they are in the grip of a lie that is thousands of years old. We worship an ancient god, as well as his son, who stands as a glorious ruler among us. That ruler, our living representation of god, is an idiot. He is a fool who lives in a monastery that is guarded by those loyal to the true rulers of Shaevalis, my family.

The Seventh Son. The First Prisoner is what I would call him. He plays with instruments of music, practices with weapons of war, all the while being secluded and controlled by the Soreihan, the mystical warriors of my people, and those who serve my family.

You do not understand. You do not have to. You will never visit Shaevalis, so there is no purpose. My people, we have such a hatred of outsiders, that we shun all that we do not recognize. I wonder. Is it hatred, or perhaps fear? In any event, though it is not likely, perhaps you might find yourself lost in the galaxy, and make your way there. If they do not recognize you for an outsider and kill you, you may be able to blend in on looks alone, since our races do look alike. But they would discover you. And then they would put you before the executioner. If, by chance, you ever see my father on such an occasion, spit in his face for me. And then smile brightly before he has you executed.

Everything of Shaevalis is gone behind me. I have no need of it. Unless I should decide to assume my rightful place among my kind. And should that day come, I will likely lead them to glorious doom and destruction, so much do I hate all that they are. They are why I sought out true power. They are the reason I was brought to the Brotherhood. They are the reason I am not what I once was. They are the reason I never speak of that life. Never ask of it again.


Early Childhood

Born to the Grand General and shogunate ruler of the Shaevalians, Shemus Bloodfyre, Sith proved to be the cause of his own mother's death. The woman, Mareeta, wife of the Grand General and daughter of important nobility, died during labor. Throughout his childhood, Sith would often be reminded of the cost he had been to his father, a fact that was used to provoke the boy to seek to repay the man by giving him the best son that could be offered.

While other children of even noble families could live lives of leisure and tranquility, and even of opulence, the only offspring of Shemus Bloodfyre was anything but a trophy child and spoiled heir. Sith was often left in the charge of a caretaker, Menh the Master, one of the Soreihan, a cult of mystics and Force-users among the Shaevalians. Menh was a notable warrior and mystic among his kind, and was requested personally by the Grand General to oversee the care and initial tutelage of his young son. Menh was not unkind to the boy, but had been requested because he was skilled as a warrior, intelligent as a mentor, and perceptive as a seer. Shemus desired his son to be the best his kind had to offer, and Menh was perhaps one of the few who could see that it would be so.

Even while but a few years old, Sith's tutelage and training would begin before dawn had ever touched the skies of Shaevalis Prime. Early exercise and mental training precipitated every morning's chores, even though the Bloodfyre family had many servants and other staff to see to the functions of their estate. The stable hands were generally given one day off a week while the boy completed their tasks, much as the gardeners, cleaning staff and others were, as well. The boy knew each region of the estate intuitively, knew how to administrate every affair, and how to manage the upkeep of the entirety of his family's holdings before puberty had set in. Sith's afternoons were filled with reading, writing, mathematics, sciences, and all manners of study pertaining to higher thought. These were eventually joined by refined physical activities as well, as befitted such an aristocratic Shaevalian male. Swordplay, archery, and manual combat were all pushed upon him as much as he would tolerate, and then some, until he was a true student of many fighting arts.

While Menh was exacting, the Soreihan Master became something more akin to a father figure to Sith than Shemus ever would be. The Grand General kept apprised of his son's education and training, and would infrequently gift the boy with various weapons and other trinkets to reward him for his dedication, but interaction between father and son was very limited; Shemus simply could not forgive his young son for the death of his beloved Mareeta, and Sith was always keenly aware of the fact. And so the boy turned his attention and affections towards his overseer and tutor, and worked exceptionally hard to attain the favor of Menh the Master, a feat that Sith never attained. While Menh was often proud of the boy's accomplishments, the Soreihan had no connection, no attachment to the lad, and as such, could never truly offer the favor and affection that Sith desired. It never stopped the boy from seeking after it, however.

It is worth noting that Sith began to exhibit traits that, among the Shaevalians, were specific to the Soreihan. Menh noticed what would, among Jedi or Sith, be called Force potential, and began to train the boy in the rudimentary use of such powers. Sith underwent trials of the Soreihan that were kept secret from the boy's father and all outsiders. One such trial, undertake when the boy was near six years old, involved being exiled into a deep, lightless pit for several weeks. At the end of the period, testing the boy's ability to sustain himself through his powers alone, Menh entered the pit with a simple torch. The child that had been sent in was now a brooding beast, one that cried out at the very presence of even a ray of firelight. Sith grasped out with the unseen hands of power and doused the flame in Menh's hand, removing the very torch itself from existence with a touch of inner godliness. The change in the boy had begun.


Teen Years

As Sith grew in years, his powers rumbled beneath the surface like some sort of cosmic quake waiting to rock the heavens and the earth in turn. By the boy's twelfth birthday, the Soreihan were prepared to initiate him fully into the order and hone the raw talent he possessed; an unexpected arrival on the same day cut those plans short.

Shemus Bloodfyre arrived with an armed escort of nearly 100 men, all of his personal guard. The Grand General had decided it was finally time for his son to return to the life that he had been exiled from, and time for the Bloodfyre name to be prepared to be passed onto the next generation. Sith resisted, but the will of his father was too great, and Menh was, above all else, a servant of Shaevalis. He had no choice but to accept Shemus' wishes, and return Sith to his rightful father.

For weeks, the boy plotted to kill the Grand General after returning to the Bloodfyre's estate. For unknown reasons, Menh showed himself in the Bloodfyre household before Sith could enact such plans. Perhaps the Master had sensed his student's torment, or perhaps Shemus himself had decided to try and bridge the gap between himself and his son. Whatever the case, Menh was now a member of the Bloodfyre household as Sith's guardian, but also as Shemus' contact to his son.


File:Bloodfyre005.jpg

By the young Bloodfyre's thirteenth birthday, father and son had at least a civil relationship with each other, still mostly through Menh's work. It was enough to provide Shemus with a route to open up Sith's mind to new prospects. At the galactic standard age of sixteen years, Sith was just reaching puberty by Shaevalian reckoning. The boy's time with Menh the Master was drawing to a close at the order of Shemus Bloodfyre, who now saw that he might have a more suitable son if Sith were to attend a military academy and prepare to serve within the Shaevalian forces, a place that would truly honor and ring recognition to the Grand General himself, of course.

Due to his father's connections, Sith was granted entrance into the Tohran Military Academy, one of the finest training institutions the armies of Shaevalis had to offer. At the academy, the other students initially despised the young Bloodfyre, who seemed disinterested in the entire affair, where other boys would have to work incredibly hard to attain such an acceptance. Sith and the others often engaged in contests and disputes to challenge Bloodfyre's place within the academy, and sought on many occasions to create incidents in which Sith would have been expelled from the academy.

As it grew increasingly clearer that Sith was now being targeted due to his father, his initial reaction was to buy into the idea of gaining revenge on his father through being expelled. However, as time passed, Sith began to see his father less as an enemy, and turned those attentions to the other students of the academy. It would be his ultimate pride and reward to see graduation with top honors despite all efforts from his peers. The fighting between Sith and the other students halted after such an epiphany, even though the other students still attempted to goad him into any kind of altercation worthy of expulsion. With passing time, however, some of the students began to admire the tenacity and drive that Bloodfyre possessed, and eventually, Sith won over some of his peers as truest of allies and friends.

Eventually, Sith became one of the more respected and social members of the academy, and indeed graduated with top honors in his class of graduates. He was commissioned upon graduation, and served in a number of positioned that culminated in a very distinguished, but short-lived career as the Commander of the Shaevani Battalion, a portion of the Shaevalian military that his father had commanded himself at one point many years before. During his final battle with the Battalion, Sith's left arm was hacked off, and the man was nearly killed except for an outburst of rage that called upon the true Force, the Dark Side to be exact, which obliterated his foes and even some of his own. Sith was removed from active duty immediately following the closure of the battle, under the pretense of allowing his wounds to heal, but Menh had sensed something in the boy, and had warned the elder Bloodfyre about it, as well.

Following a surgery which replaced Sith's lost arm with a cybernetic one, the young man left the home of his father and the world of his people. The reasons for the departure were never known outside of the Bloodfyre home, if even Shemus knew the reason. Menh left the Grand General's home and returned to the Soreihan with the disappearance of the boy he had trained, and Shemus himself reacted to the situation as though his son had died of his battle wounds. The name of Sith Bloodfyre was not spoken on the world of Shaevalis Prime again.


The Man


"There are two mistakes one can make along the road to truth...not going all the way, and not starting."
―Buddha (563 - 483 BC)


Within the realms of Eos, I found tutelage and experience. Kumba, the last of the Dark Prophets of the bygone age, was Headmaster. Kumba had been of Tarentum, though I was not aware of this initially. Perhaps it was merely a connection of the Force. With my initial training in the Brotherhood commencing, I was forced to make a choice, to find a place I would call home. That choice was defined by the Order I chose to reside within, the Krath. With such a choice, I found Tarentum awaiting, and House Gladius became my abode. It was short work to move through the ranks for me. I quickly became a Protector, at the direction of my Quaestor, Kodiak Tonaloc. The rewards for my efforts? I was able to join with the others, and help to form the newly-dubbed Mystics of the Black Arts, a phyle of Krath dedicated to power and knowledge. Ciara Tearnan, Aari Nikus, Jaya Cypher, Kryndath Del'Chanar, Kidouses, Deathlord, Sith Bloodfyre and Telona Murrage. For a time, those names existed in infamy. Our stories defined Gladius, in some respect. Others came and went, names that will always be remembered, if only by me. Tom Gilbert, Kartena, Knight Camile, Jade Avius, Obscurus, my first apprentice. The Wizards and those who sought to rival the Mystics. Hades, my first Aedile. Cirith Rogenshar, the pretender.

Time seemed to pass quickly for me in those days. The Mystics were a dominant force within the Clan. Ciara, our group-named Queen, had been pulled from above, leaving behind the position of Tetrarch, and assuming the place of Aedile to Kartena. After a time, Ciara left to be the Proconsul of Tarentum. Aari eventually took the reigns of Gladius. I was elevated to the status of Dark Jedi Knight upon taking the position as her Aedile. Within short weeks, I had basically assumed her role, and was elevated to the position of Quaestor, and raised up to the status of Krath Priest.

Yes, the time flows within this recollection. I assure you, it seemed to flow just as quickly as I lived through it. Time seemed to swirl around me, and did not stop for some time. Ciara became Consul. I, as Quaestor of Gladius; Ziguarath, as Quaestor of Cestus; and Wil Striker, as Quaestor of Tridens; we three seemed to have a stand-off with Ciara and Proton, our glorious Clan Summit. Ciara blamed me, as betrayer, since she and I had been such close allies. The result of the tension between us was that I left Tarentum for a time to wander, and the Clan continued on. Whatever became of Wil Striker, I know not. Some call him a coward. Others call him a fool. I simply call him a memory.

My friendship with Ziguarath would last for a time, but it would change form many times, before it simply became a memory as well. My only friend that remains from the past truly is Kidouses. Hades has returned to us in Tarentum, but the bond between he and I was one of allies. Truly, Kidouses was the last of those I held closest left from that age. And even he is mostly departed.


The Dark Brotherhood

Sith Bloodfyre first came to the attention of the Brotherhood several years ago, around 14 or 15 ABY. Though he appeared to be somewhat young, Bloodfyre's cold intellect suggested that he had lived years beyond what his physical appearance suggested. The Shaevalian quickly made his way through the initial training of the Shadow Academy under Headmaster Kumba, the last of the Dark Prophets of Old. After beginning his training at the Shadow Academy, Sith joined House Gladius of Clan Tarentum, and was numbered among the Krath Order. After short months of additional training both back at the Shadow Academy and within Gladius itself, Sith joined with several others of Gladius in forming the once-infamous Phyle, the Mystics of the Black Arts.

In those days, the Phyle was feared and respected among the Krath Order. First among the Phyle were Ciara Tearnan, the Phyle-dubbed "Queen of the Mystics"; Aari Nikus; Jaya Cypher; Kryndath Del'Chanar; Kidouses; Deathlord; Sith Bloodfyre, himself; and finally, Telona Murrage. The reputation following the Mystics was one of insanity, a reputation that spread both within Tarentum at first, and eventually throughout the rest of the Brotherhood. The Mystics were not inane and juvenile, but instead, were thought to be profoundly and incurably mad, that brought with it a misunderstood and dreaded darkness. Despite such madness, however, the Phyle was known to be insightful in regards to the Force, and a powerful detachment bearing some of the Order's finest.

Advancement within the Krath Order and Tarentum itself came fast for Sith; in relatively little time, he was proceeded through the Journeyman ranks to be elevated to the standing of Dark Jedi Knight, and Aedile of Gladius under Aari Nikus, and then shortly after to the rank of Krath Priest and Quaestor of Gladius upon Aari's departure. Sith made a name for himself as a dedicated leader, and as one of the respected members of the Krath. During one particular conflict involving the Krath, Sith proved himself to the Krath High Priestess at the time, and he was elevated to the rank of Archpriest. For more than a year, Sith Bloodfyre led House Gladius, and the House helped to maintain the reputation of Tarentum that it had enjoyed throughout the ages.

At the time, Tarentum was led by Ciara Tearnan, an ally of Bloodfyre's from the Mystics, and a respected veteran of Clan Tarentum. With her Proconsul, Proton, the Clan continued to do well for itself. During this time, the Quaestors of the three Houses of Tarentum -- Ziguarath of Cestus, Sith Bloodfyre of Gladius, and Wil Striker of Tridens -- began to form a bond of loyalty among themselves and their respective Houses. The three worked well together, but rumors were bound to circulate that the three were the true rulers of Tarentum, and that the Clan Summit was effectively nothing more than a figurehead Summit. As had happened within Tarentum several times during its history, rumors and hearsay caused strife, and eventually led to a conflict between the Consul, Ciara Tearnan, and the Quaestors, particularly between Ciara and Bloodfyre, who were rumored to have been more than simply allies for a time. Eventually, the conflict came to a climax that ended with Sith Bloodfyre leaving the Clan to wander in solitude away from Yridia.

Time passed. Following the rift between Ciara and Sith (though not truly linked), a rift formed and became violent revolution between the leadership of the Brotherhood, and the leadership of their Imperial allies. Firefox, Grand Master of the Brotherhood, declared a separation between the Brotherhood and the Imperials, and all loyal to the Brotherhood itself left Imperial space. Some of the Dark Jedi remained behind, claiming loyalty to the Empire, and not to the Dark Side of the Force. Just prior to the Split from the Imperials, Sith began to get in contact with some of his allies from Tarentum. Bloodfyre had felt a call from the Force, and knew his friends and allies needed him. As the Brotherhood Split and moved away from Eos, Sith Bloodfyre returned to Tarentum, and soon helped bring home several former sons of Tarentum, as well.


The God


"Character may almost be called the most effective means of persuasion."
―Aristotle (384 - 322 BC)


Perhaps the second stage of my existence within the Brotherhood comes at a time that we refer to as "The Split." The Brotherhood had decided to cut all ties with the Emperor's Hammer, a remnant of the Imperial Fleet, and Tarentum had suffered a rift. Leaders were called by both factions, those who stayed with the Hammer, and those who remained true to the Brotherhood itself. I returned from my wanderings to Tarentum, an ally of the Brotherhood, and a true son of the Clan. We claimed Yridia, the system we had always dominated, and the others found a home in Imperial space. Ziguarath eventually returned from a period of his own wanderings, and with some of my own encouragement, he was raised to the status of Proconsul to Ciara, and then Consul himself once Ciara had decided to adventure away from Tarentum on her own. Ziguarath, however, was very frequently absent from Yridia. I was tapped to serve as Proconsul. In truth, I was already the head of the Clan, and that fact was eventually recognized. I stood as Consul of Tarentum in an impressive time, in an age when we saw the return of Master Zero and the warlord Maxamillian von Oberst, the hound of the Sith King. The trio of Tarentum's ancients, so to speak, was finalized when Master Zero and Oberst were joined by their fellow, Sirrus, the Mad One.

Wars. Rumors of wars. Tarentum nearly ascendant. We had been edged out of victory in the conflict of Firefox by our long-time rival sibling, Taldryan. I became Sith High Warrior. I fell into madness. I rose to glory, and I fell. I became so much more than I had been, and found myself in a pit of true chaos. The line of Sith High Warriors lay broken, in pieces, after my fall. The Order Leaders wiped away, at the behest of Grand Master Cotelin. A curious move to some. A smart move in the annals of time. Foresight is often gifted to those on high. We may not always understand, or agree, but it is often rewarded by growth.

Tarentum had lived through a so-called "Golden Age" during my leadership as Consul, some had said. Some still would say. I tried my hand at it a second time in later years after my fall from grace. There would be no repeat of such a golden era.


Ascending The Ranks

Just after the Split, Sith initially returned to lead Gladius, serving again under his friend and Consul, Ciara Tearnan. Ciara had grown weary of the conflicts, and felt the Dark Side had other pursuits for her. Ciara stepped down as Consul, and named Ziguarath, former Quaestor of Cestus, as her successor. Sith was honored to serve as Quaestor of his old House, but was soon tapped to be the Proconsul of Tarentum, serving as second-in-command for the often-absent Ziguarath. Though Ziguarath was a willing leader, forces transpired to end his reign; Ziguarath was called away into the Unknown Regions, a journey from which he would not return as the same man he once had been.

Sith Bloodfyre became Consul of Tarentum upon Ziguarath's departure. Though Sith had returned as an Epis among the Krath, it was not long before he was elevated to the status of Pontifex, due to clear and concise leadership, as well as through dedicated vision that enhanced Tarentum as a whole. Some refer to the first term of Sith Bloodfyre as Consul to be one of the "golden ages" of Tarentum. It was during this time that Tarentum's dominance re-emerged, and much of the new became rejoined with the old. Sith helped to bring about the return of figures such as Maxamillian von Oberst and Sirrus, as well as the revered Master Zero to the Clan.

Sith remained among the Krath for a small time, but soon joined his banner with that of the Obelisk, feeling the call of the warrior Order at a time when it was led by the infamous Khobai Wrathraven. While the Shaevalian had felt drawn away from the krath for some time, his stay among the so-called "Blue Order" of the Brotherhood was short-lived. Eventually, Bloodfyre recognized that his true calling lay among the heirs to the ancient Sith, and the man claimed position as a Warlord among the Order and continued to direct Tarentum towards its full potential.

War eventually came upon the entire Brotherhood. During this War, a "Consciousness" began to infect the Brotherhood on every level with the absence of Grand Master Firefox; even the Deputy Grand Master, Jac Cotelin, was tainted. During this period, Bloodfyre served as Jac's Praetor, and it was during this time that Tarentum gained the status and position as Guardians of the Shroud of Antei. Jac called upon Bloodfyre and Tarentum's forces to seal off the Shroud, and Antei itself from the rest of the Brotherhood. The conflict continued to rise, and eventually, even Tarentum's forces could not keep the rest of the Clans away from Antei. The War came to a peak on Antei's surface, but was eventually resolved by the return of Firefox to his throne, and the defeat of the Consciousness, which was actually a collection of beings, including the ancient Sith Lord Okemi.

At the conclusion of the War, Taldryan was named the supreme victors and greatest warriors of the Brotherhood, but had only managed to edge out Tarentum of this victory by the narrowest of margins. No one could doubt the prowess of Tarentum, and the position of Guardians of the Shroud was given fully to the Clan of Life and Death in honor of their actions and strength. Bloodfyre and his leadership were hailed throughout Tarentum, but the Dark Council had take notice of the Shaevalian, as well. Though Jac's actions were not entirely his own, Lord Cotelin had been impressed by the obedience of his Praetor, and the determination of the man to defend both Lord Cotelin and the throne world of Antei with all his power, and the entirety of Tarentum's resources.


The Dark Council

With the end of the War against the so-called "Consciousness," the Dark Council called upon Tarentum to fill a vacancy; the Sith High Warrior, Xanos Sadow, had resigned his post. Sith Bloodfyre was called to lead the Order. During the final days of the War against the Consciousness, Sith had been raised to the level of Elder, attaining status as an Adept of the Sith; shortly after his elevation to Sith High Warrior, Bloodfyre became a Master within the Order, and began to delve into the tomes and holocrons, and all the stored knowledge of the ancient Sith. It seemed that a time of rebirth was slowly coming about.

Serving among the other Order Leaders--first Shaithis as Obelisk High Commander, followed by Korras from Tarentum; as well as Telona Murrage of Tarentum, who had succeeded Alanna--Sith managed to help evolve the practices of the Brotherhood and the Clans to a noteworthy degree. Jac Cotelin succeeded Firefox as reigning Grand Master, and while Sith had continued to serve as Cotelin's Praetor for a time after being positioned as High Warrior, eventually Bloodfyre and Lord Cotelin recognized a need to retire the Shaevalian from assisting the Grand Master on the same basis. Bloodfyre turned exclusively towards his duties among the Sith.

The Sith Order changed and evolved under the leadership and attention of Sith Bloodfyre, but as always happens, time changed both circumstances and people. For more than a year, Bloodfyre reigned as Sith High Warrior, but chose to resign and return to Tarentum. Bloodfyre's departure from the Dark Council preceded the choice of the Grand Master Cotelin to dissolve the Order Leaders of the Brotherhood. In recognition for his excellent service as Sith High Warrior, Bloodfyre was honored with the Silver Sash; few wear the Sash in these modern days, and it is a great honor to bear.

Information circulated outward from the Dark Council to specific circles that Bloodfyre's departure from the Council was precipitated by a fracture in his relations with the Grand Master. While Sith had previously ingrained himself with Lord Cotelin on numerous occasions, the masters of the Dark Side often come into aggressions toward each other. The exact nature of the dissipated relationship between Sith and Jac has never been revealed, but there remains a certain tenseness that is palpable to all whenever the two are within earshot of each other.


The Madness Returns

Tarentum had aligned itself with a mysterious sect of beings rarely spoken of outside of the Clan. However, some information did escape Tarentum that a race of so-called "Keepers" were now in alliance with the lords of Yridia, and that the dark necromantic arts that began to spread throughout the Clan were a boon in recognition of the alliance. Sith's return to Tarentum found him among the sons and daughters of Tridens this time, instead of his previous home of Gladius. Sith was tapped for leadership in the House that guarded the Castle of the great Clan, first as Aedile to JKast and then as succeeding Quaestor. Sith chose the veteran Doni Tzu as Aedile, and the two sought to usher in a new age for Tridens, and for the Clan as a whole. In serving Tridens, it became obvious that Bloodfyre would always be linked to leadership within the Clan.

War came again to the Brotherhood, and this time the Brotherhood would be fractured into opposing factions due to the appearance of two Jac Cotelins. It seemed as though the Grand Master had been cloned for unknown purposes, but at the root of the conflict lay the Lord Hegemon, Kaiann. Tarentum initially refused to take sides in the conflict, seeing it as a dispute among the Dark Council for its own life and leadership, but as with almost every conflict of the Dark Council, the Clans were swept up into the chaos. The two Jacs fought for control of the Brotherhood, with a portion of the Council and Clans following each supposed Grand Master. The end of the War is shrouded in mystery; neither of the Jacs was ever verified to be the real or the clone Grand Master, but after a fight between the two, one Jac emerged, and the Council and most of the Clans were willing to see this figure as the "true" Jac Cotelin. The conflict had ended.

Rumors of treachery ensued as the respected Warlord Welshman Corsair, the reigning Consul of the Clan, retired from the position and bestowed the position upon Sith Bloodfyre, rather than his Proconsul Telona Murrage, as was generally custom in the Clan. Telona did not serve Bloodfyre as aide long, and retired from leadership. Sith chose the infamous and aggressive Maxamillian von Oberst as his Proconsul, when others thought Sith might return his former Proconsul, Rekio Corsair, to the station.

The duo of Bloodfyre and Oberst became rather notorious among the other Clans and the Dark Council as a whole. Initially, it was thought that the presence of Sith Bloodfyre as Consul would reaffirm the relations between Tarentum and the Dark Council, as had happened during Bloodfyre's previous term. There was a short quiet that was brought in, but hopes for a continued peace between Tarentum and the Council could not last. It was suggested that the fallen Sith High Warrior may have been touched by a bit of the madness that had infected the Brotherhood, and was not entirely healed of the Consciousness. Others suggested that the fire of the Dark Side was destroying the Shaevalian from within, and that the man was likely to eradicate all of Tarentum with him if given the opportunity. Within the Clan, however, the Tarenti believed in the powers and leadership of the Shaevalian, and expected a return to the "golden age" of his previous term as Consul.


The Fallen


"All speech is vain and empty unless it be accompanied by action."
―Demosthenes (384 - 322 BC)


Tarentum was doomed for a time. During this stretch of existence, I was tormented by demons of my own. I attempted to return to power, to reclaim lost glory, and I fell further into despair and oblivion. It is within this period of my darkness, perhaps, that the darkness of the Keepers was allowed to grow strong. Masters Shade and Tel'Ratha, those who had been brought forth to bring us into greater darkness, worked plots of their own. Tarentum became their servants. I continued to rely on the Keepers for their knowledge and power. They demanded our pain as entertainment. Our demonic gods were given it, and never once did we recognize it. Many allies I had once claimed were no more. I had ostracized myself from many, except for the truest of Tarentum. This is why my allegiance has never shifted from the Clan. This is why I will never be anything but Tarenti, and Tarentae. The Clan is my home, my only home. The truest family I could ever possess. And we are all evil, glorious bastards.

During this time, my own personal quests for power and knowledge strained me. To be pulled in as many directions as I was could never be sustained. And yet, I was so caught up in my own legend that I truly believed myself capable of all deeds, and infinite glory. Capable I may be, powerful I probably am, but godly I know I am not. Yet, or ever, only time will tell, but godly I am not.

And though I could fall no further, I seemed all too willing to wallow in my own depths of mediocrity and helplessness. I blamed others for my failures. In truth, I simply did not wish to rise up. I did not wish to ascend. I did not wish to be glorified. I think I simply wished to be angry. The Dark Side wished me to be impotent. And though I had learned such a lesson many times, I realized here that if I was not always the master of the Force, the lord of the Dark Side, and the will behind the abilities of the Sith, I would always be the pawn.

I am the lord. I am the master. I am the potent will that devours worlds. I am now, and shall always be Sith Bloodfyre, Master of the Sith Order.


The Dark Times

As Tarentum and the Brotherhood as a whole entered and then ended the period referred to as "Second Darkness," a conflict of training and testing for the Clans and the Brotherhood, Antei found itself under assault by the relentless Yuuzhan Vong. At the end of the "Second Darkness," as the ceremony of celebration to honor the victors commenced, the Brotherhood fleets came under attack from the Vong without warning. The initial attack came suddenly, and many Brotherhood ships fell victim to the alien intruders. It seemed that only Tarentum was able to defend itself adequately, as none of the Clan's ships took any serious damage.

The assault from the Vong lasted a mere six days, but in that short week, many of the Brotherhood fell wounded, or were slain. The Vong pursued the Brotherhood ships from outside of the Shroud back to Antei itself, where the final victory of the Vong seemed assured. The complete victory of the Vong was narrowly averted by the sacrifice of Grand Master Sarin's own flagship, the Autarch, though Sarin himself was not onboard the vessel at the time of its destruction. The Brotherhood forces fled, and because of the heavy losses the Vong suffered in the sacrifice of the Autarch, the alien intruders let the Brotherhood forces flee. Antei was now under control of the Yuuzhan Vong, and the Brotherhood was now an order without a home; the Dark Council now a leadership in exile.

Tarentum returned home to Yridia, but her Consul was soon called away to meet in private with the wandering Dark Council. Each of the Clans' Consuls met with the entirety of the Council, and was informed of a new fleet of Brotherhood ships, and a new directive from Grand Master Sarin to ensure the survival of the Brotherhood: go underground. Each Clan was directed to move itself out of the public eye, and to seek deeper into themselves to discover new strength and power that would ensure the survival of the Brotherhood. After the days-long meeting with the Council, each Consul left with a new fleet of ships in tow, new additions to their forces to bolster the fists of the Clans.

Bloodfyre returned to Yridia with the Clan's new fleet, leading the procession onboard the Clan's Imperial-class Star Destroyer, which would soon be named in honor of House Tarentum's Founder and first Quaestor, Magnus Kaerner. The first action that the Magnus Kaerner would see was a rescue operation over the moon Koros, that ended up being the final battleground and resting place of the Tarentum's long-time flagship, the Victory-class Star Destroyer Corsair. With the destruction of the Cestus Complex, and the eradication of most of the Cestus undead, the third House of Tarentum was reborn under the direction of the Shaevalian Consul.

The praised times of the first reign of the former High Warrior would not return, however, and hostilities between Bloodfyre and the Council, primarily between the Shaevalian and the Grand Master, came to a climax. Sith had come to despise the entirety of the Council because of its devoted allegiance to Jac Cotelin, an allegiance that had once been strongest in the Shaevalian himself. Even though Sarin now reigned as Grand Master, Bloodfyre felt as though Lord Cotelin was secretly manipulating circumstances, and acting against the Shaevalian due to the heightened tension between the two. Sith cursed the Grand Master and his subordinates, and resigned his position as Consul of Tarentum once more. In his stead, Anshar Kahn, who had been serving as the Headmaster of the Shadow Academy, answered the call of the Grand Master to try and restore the power and stability of the Clan in Yridia.

Tensions continued within the Clan for a short time, however, as Anshar had to fight with the personality of Oberst, whom Anshar had chosen to continue to serve as Proconsul to assist with restoring stability in Yridia. The two would work out their own differences, though, and the storm that had erupted with Bloodfyre was soon settled, and Tarentum looked to rebuild. In the shadows, however, Tarentum could not understand the enemy that lay beneath the waves, an enemy that the Clan had welcomed in as friends and allies.


Rebirth Among The Tarenti

While Anshar and Oberst settled into an alliance and worked to restore Tarentum's stability once more, Sith Bloodfyre began to recede away from the daily activities of the Clan and its Houses. Sith numbered himself among those who had reformed the lost House of Cestus, and secluded himself on Koros. Though Bloodfyre was generally willing to interact with those of his House, the days when the Shaevalian was a regular visitor to all Houses and functions of Tarentum seemed long since past.

As Cestus rebuilt, however, the Clan found a not-entirely-unfamiliar ghost out of Oberst's past to keep it occupied. The ghost appeared as the Renegade, a ship that had once been utilized by the Infiltrator Wing, a portion of the former Emperor's Hammer that Maxamillian von Oberst had once served as both IWXO and IWCOM, the top two positions of the Wing. The incident has not been spoken of outside of Tarentum, though the presence of the Renegade was reported in by several passersby to the Yridia system. For quite some time, the old ship was noted among the fleet of Tarentum, but its disappearance recently has been noted. Tarentum has not divulged anything regarding the ship's appearance or subsequent disappearance at all. Whether or not the Shaevalian may have been involved with the events surrounding the Renegade is up for debate.

As Tarentum moved on, Sith turned farther into his own pursuits and his own darkness. Though the final rebirth of the Shaevalian was still some distance off, it became readily apparent that the Dark Side was either testing the Sith Master, or attempting to undo him. And while there is certainly power within the Dark Side, Sith had always stated that he was the master, and not the pawn; that it was Bloodfyre himself who commanded, and the Dark Side of the Force that served his will. Sith sank deeper into himself, and into his own pursuits as he sought to negate the effects of the Dark Side asserting itself, and return the power of his own will to ascension.

As Tarentum continued to come out of its shell during the reign of Anshar, followed by that of Oberst, the Clan evolved. Cestus, Gladius and Tridens were swept away in change, and replaced by new Houses that honored first the founder of the House that became Tarentum, Magnus Kaerner, and one of the greats of the first days, Erich von Reinthaler. The rebirth of the Houses brought with them added productivity to the members in general, and an optimism that had been sorely needed in the Clan. The reign of Oberst was considered to be successful and stable, which evolved into the reign of the hound's Proconsul, Ronovi Tavisaen.


The Sinner


"I shall seize Fate by the throat; it shall certainly not bend and crush me completely."
―Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 - 1827 AD)


There are times when power and ascension unite, and the glorious ones step forward into prominence. Unfortunately, these times do not always come when we wish it. I sought prominence among the Brotherhood again, this time as the Combat Master for the Center. I, who have long-studied power and ascension in all forms. I believed I would show the Brotherhood a new and glorious reawakening to the fighting arts. I was wrong. I served only a few short months under the guidance and direction of my ally and lord, the Grand Master Sarin. Sarin is not the Sith King. He does not have my ultimate allegiance. And yet, Sarin is like Jac, the Grand Master before him. Sarin is my friend, my ally, my lord. There is no enmity between us and yet, he knows his ascension over me. He shows me just how far he has moved beyond me. And yet, still he beckons to me, and shows me that I might continue to rise above the rest, if I simply look for the proper ways to do it. It is rather strange, but it is what I have desired of the Brotherhood for many years. Unification, ascension for the whole, and order among the chaotic masses of the galaxy. Is there a place for me among the Lords of the Sith of both past and future?

Only time will tell.

And now Muz reigns, and while Tarentum awaits the future, it rebuilds. It becomes a place of power and dominance once more. We still have much left to attain, but we have the hound, the warlord, the general, Maxamillian von Oberst with his intellect and strength. Tavisaen has stepped up to lead our great House, fallen from Clanhood, and works to restore that honor as her obsession. My truest friends stand all around me. Saitou, the squirrel of death. The philosopher warlord, Doni Tzu. My enigmatic friend, the original Grand One, Kane Vader. Rekio and Welshman still remain with us, though we have not seen or heard from Spears in many years. Friends come and gone.

New warriors, faithful sons and daughters of Tarentum replace those who are lost, or those who have moved on. The river moves swiftly. Time moves on. Life and death swirl together in a pool of madness that will never let us go. Sins have risen from the dust, and claimed the potential of many, provoking them deeper into the darkness. Pushing them further into the currents of power.

And still I seek to step out of the river, and aim to master its secrets.

Futile?

Never. Just tedious. Time consuming. And very, very much worth it.


The Old Rites Reborn

Sith was tapped for a short time to serve as the Combat Master of the Antei Combat Center. The rebirth of the Shaevalian was not entirely finished, however, and it was decided by Grand Master Sarin that Bloodfyre had not been the appropriate choice at the time. Bloodfyre acknowledged the decision and resigned according to the will of his friend and lord. Sith returned to Tarentum.

As the evolution of the Clan continued, the Brotherhood began to devolve. Everything was changing, and moving towards the old. Numbers among those who followed the Dark Side dwindled due to attrition in war, and the inability of recent initiates to properly control the Force. Not long after Sarin acceded the Iron Throne to Muz Ashen, the new Grand Master decreed that all the Houses that had once Clanned would become Houses once again. Clan Tarentum became House Tarentum anew, as did every other facet of the Brotherhood. Some saw it as a defeat and an insult to the honor and pride of every Clan-become-House; Sith Bloodfyre did not.

The Shaevalian moved to take advantage of the closeness and unity that Muz sought to reinforce in striking down the grandeur of the Clans that had been heaped upon the masses. With the knowledge of the ancient Sith that had been hoarded by the fallen Sith High Warrior in the days before the Order Leaders were done away with, Sith began to research the so-called "Rite of Sin." After months of preparation, and calls placed throughout the Force, a new sect was gathered of the worthy and elite, and the ritual was enacted.

In Tarentum itself, very little is known about those who are now called "Sinners." Outside of the House, next-to-nothing is known about what is being called the "Cult of Bloodfyre." The Shaevalian himself is often referred to as the "First Sinner," but there is little evidence to suggest that this title is an official one, or used inside of Tarentum or the cult itself.


Appearance

Physical Appearance

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Standing at just over six feet in height and weighing in at 240 pounds, Sith is not the largest member of Tarentum, but he is certainly one of the more imposing members of the House. The Shaevalian has long, flowing black hair and cold, light blue eyes. His skin has a mild tan to it, and is nearly unmarked, save a great many scars just above his left elbow. The scarring appears several inches above the elbow, and ends a few inches lower (just above his elbow). The scarring serves as a very visible sign of where his arm was hacked off in combat some time ago, and replaced later by a cybernetic implant, and then by cloned tissue. Also, both forearms bear banded tattoos, three rings that circle both forearms in one of the older Sith dialects; if anyone other than the Shaevalian understands what the bands read, none have revealed the translation. Several other tattoos adorn the body of the Sith Master, though only close friends have likely seen him disrobed to the point of viewing them.

Very little of Sith's physical appearance is actually viewed by the general public. Sith is almost always fully-clothed in his regular clothes and black robes, the hood pulled up over his head, pulled down low over his eyes. The most that the average person will see of Sith is his nose, mouth, chin and neck, and his hands. His mouth is almost always void of any sign of emotion, except for infrequent grins that have nothing but contempt and disdain for those who view it. His hands are soft and strong, in some ways almost strangely inviting, as if begging to be touched. Sith's body, though not as large as others in Tarentum (such as Oberst), still conveys a feeling of strength.

Where Sith walks, most hear his foot steps; they are most often slow and even, almost like the measured footsteps of a stalking predator. His presence is always felt before it is seen. Those who know him and are accustomed to his presence generally know when he is approaching, when he is near, and (consequently) when he is not near. Those who can feel his presence often notice it as a warming sensation; perhaps it is their own mind that convinces them that his name has "mystical" properties and effects to it.

Sith's voice is rather cold and unfeeling. He has a strong, audible voice that can be heard for several meters even at a whisper. His voice is mildly deep, but has a sense of strength to it, as well. Though there is rarely emotion in his words, Tarentum's members often find comfort and courage whenever he speaks. When he does speak, he often carries his words as though he sees and understands the future, and disbelieves that failure is an option for the former Clan of both Life and Death. The Shaevalian is generally straight forward in his words, and rarely does he wax cryptic or poetic, though it has happened on occasion.


Apparel

Sith is a rather solitary individual, and this even shows through somewhat in his dress. His robes consist of a matte black outer robe with a hood, which is almost always pulled down low over his face, and reveals only his chin, mouth, and perhaps the tip of his nose. The robes are very simple in creation, and act more to hide the Sith Master from the world than to provide other benefit. However, within the inner folds of the outer robe, Sith does have some hidden pockets that may be utilized to hide small items, about the size of anything that could reasonably be palmed. Items that might be utilized within these pockets would be ID cards, small packets, and other minor baubles.

The inner robes, or combat gear worn by the Sith Master is also somewhat simple, but very useful for his needs. Bloodfyre is most often seen in combat gear that is a form-fitting, mostly matte black suit with some random additions as well, depending on his present objectives or missions.

Sith wears a black, airtight body glove underneath his robes that is insulated, and with the addition of a sealed helmet, would protect him for a short while if forced into a vacuum situation (i.e. space). The body glove is also for protection against extreme cold, and may also be utilized to disguise the Sith Master's body heat from thermal imaging equipment.

Over the body glove, Sith wears a much-similar form-fitting garment that has a distinct coloration pattern that is designed to help break up his silhouette. The garment itself is main of a plain material, and offers little more than cosmetic covering for the Sith Master. Over this secondary garment is a robe top that is sleeveless, and is much like any other black fold-over robe top, with some red trim.

The utility belt that holds the robe top closed is worth mention, however. The front of the belt, colored red and black, is without clips or real adornment, except for the attachments that hook with two thigh-mounted blaster holsters. These blaster holsters will hold almost any medium-size blaster pistol, though they often carry a pair of T-6 heavy blaster pistols preferred by the Sith Master, or the more-recognizable DL-44s. The back of the belt hides three loops that easily hold cryoban grenades. While Sith does not often carry the cryoban grenades on his person, they are a favorite weapon out of his past.

Sith’s additional accessories are his black, knee-high combat boots, as well as a wrist-mounted communications link. Sith also has the option of adding pouches to his utility belt to contain medpacs and other small items as needed. Additions or subtractions when in combat are typically limited to divesting himself of his outer robe for more comfort and movement during the fight, and sometimes wearing a blindfold during those fights that occur during lighted conditions.


Physical Items of Note

  • Eyes: Sith's eyes are extremely light-sensitive; any level of light above "candle light" conditions tend to cause him discomfort, with the level of discomfort increasing with the intensity of the light conditions. Bright, noonday light can actually cause him extreme distress, to the point of being blinded and overcome by the pain. To this end, Sith almost always wears his hood pulled up and low over his eyes, even at night. Sith has not, and does not reveal this to anyone with the exception of his closest allies. (Read: this is not general knowledge available to the Dark Brotherhood as a whole.) Whether this light sensitivity is caused due to the hue of his eyes, or some other physical attribute or ailment is unknown. When there is any possibility that Sith’s eyes may be exposed to light, the Shaevalian actually wears a blindfold to protect himself; how he “sees” is in question, though it is likely through the Force, if not through the use of his other senses.
  • Left arm: Sith's left arm was hacked off, just above the elbow, at an early age. The specific details of the incident are scarcely known outside of Tarentum. It is known, though, that his arm was replaced by a cybernetic implant at one point, but has since been replaced once more by a "natural," cloned limb by the scientists at Arkanian Micro. The arm was grown from samples of his own tissue, and has all the abilities of any natural limb. Any x-rays taken of the limb, though, can clearly show that the bone looks surgically attached above the elbow. In addition, the scars Sith has always had still remain; he chose not to have them surgically cleared.

Combat

Sith Bloodfyre is a warrior first and a sorcerer second. In combat situations, he prefers to mount both an offense and defense primarily with his lightsaber and other weapons before using the Force. Sith does not generally speak at length when involved in combat, and is blunt and direct when he does speak to his opponents. Unless he is shouting commands out to his Housemates or otherwise, he is an almost eerily silent opponent. Some of those who have faced him have remarked that it was somewhat unnerving to fight someone "as quiet as the grave."


Weapons

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Sith's weapon of choice is the lightsaber. The exact variant of lightsaber, though, changes with time as he studies additional lightsaber combat forms, and finds another form more suited to his tastes.

At present, the Sith Master primarily utilizes a custom double-bladed lightsaber, or a mixture single-bladed lightsabers (sometimes two or more at once). The double-bladed weapon that Sith carries at present was a gift from the current Grand Master, Muz Ashen, when Muz was still yet to attain that vaunted position. The lightsaber is a rather morbid-looking collection of miniature skeletons and black metals, all that draw upon the Sith Master's reputation as one of the darker Necromancers of Tarentum. The Shaevalian also has a mixture of custom, single-bladed lightsabers that looks surprisingly benign. One is a weapon that, historians will note, looks much like the weapon carried by Anakin Skywalker prior to his fall, when he became the dread figure Darth Vader. Both weapons carried by the Shaevalian have "Dual Phase" settings, and can increase or decrease both length and density at the press of the button in combat.

Sith also has a rather large collection of myriad weapons, all combat ready, and may utilize anything from blaster pistols, to force pikes, to barbaric-looking axes and Sith Swords. Sith has also been known to use cryoban grenades, though he has long-since refrained from carrying them on a regular basis.


Lightsaber Combat

Sith had studied many forms of lightsaber combat throughout the years. His initial choice of form was Shii-Cho. Though certainly ancient and studied widely, the form offers very simple, yet powerful offense and defense to the wielder. It is said that one of Shii-Cho's greatest boons to its wielders is the simplicity. In anticipating strikes and preparing for them, other lightsaber-wielding warriors may often be misled by how simple and straightforward the attack is coming from one who utilizes Shii-Cho. As Bloodfyre is blunt and straightforward, this attack style suits him. Though other forms are available to him, while he is wielding a single-bladed weapon, he often reverts to this form simply to catch his opponents off guard, and to shake the situation more to his favor.

Sith has also studied Soresu, and while he is a master of it, the form is found lacking in his eyes. It has an incredible amount of defense to be offered, but for the Sith, it lacks a certain progressiveness. While Sith may revert to this form against greater opponents, biding his time until an opening can be found to go on the offensive, he does not utilize this form with any regularity.

As lightsaber combat has been refined and expanded over the years, the original forms seem to be gone and changed to the point of non-recognition. Such is true for the two variant forms of the original Form V. Djem So and Shien are as cousins, but have very few similarities in actual fighting form; Bloodfyre has mastered both. Bloodfyre utilizes the aggressive velocities of Djem So and, at times, bolsters their results with adapted aggressive strikes from Shii-Cho for stunning success.

While Djem So is the Shaevalian's preferred form for single-bladed combat (even over Shii-Cho), there is much to be offered in the way of Shien. Shien stylings also help switch from quick, incredible defense to offensive velocities, and is the Sith Master's form of choice when he utilizes both blades of his infamous "deathsaber." The benefit of being a master of Shien affords the Shaevalian a great boon in being able to wield a single lightsaber, dual lightsabers, or his double-bladed lightsaber at any given time, all based upon the same school of thought and training in this variant form of the original Fifth.

It also deserves mentioning that Sith has studied the more classic, dueling form of Makashi. Sith has found the form lacking, however; and though he has trained in its rudimentary techniques, and can recognize it on sight, he never, ever, uses that form in combat.


Miscellaneous Combat

Sith has studied the art of Hapan Boxing, as well as various grappling forms, including the Paonga art of the wretched Gungans. Though he prefers to remain on his feet where he can make the greatest use of his fighting techniques combined with lightsaber skill, and even Force powers, he is quite competent should the fight go to the ground. He prefers choke holds in ground situations, generally those that make use of either his own clothing, or the clothing of his opponent. As such, the sleeves on his clothes are reinforced to withstand the strain from being used in choking situations. The other edges of his robes have also been reinforced to withstand the strain of chokes and other techniques that would tear most fabrics.

As one of the Longs, the family of Dragons, Sith has studied the fighting form known as Long Shan Zhi. Though the form offers much in the way of offense, the chaotic nature of the form that is its defining characteristic has limited Sith from mastering the form. The Shaevalian is not touched with the same type of insanity that marks his brethren, and cannot use it to mask his own patterns and trends in the fighting form as much as some of the other Longs can, such as Shan Long, or the Grand Master and father of the form, Chi Long.


The Antei Combat Center

Within the Antei Combat Center, Sith's tactics tend to stray more towards teaching and understanding than death and destruction. During his short tenure as Combat Master for the Brotherhood, it was his feeling that he had a responsibility to ensure that the warriors of the Brotherhood were prepared for the next great battle, whether it be against the Vong or the galaxy at large. It was rather apparent in the Battle of Antei that the Brotherhood, though it perpetuated the myth of its own greatness, was certainly not prepared to ascend to any position of dominance for the time being.

Though the Combat Master was not primarily responsible for training Initiates, Bloodfyre did take on some battles with the new Initiates of the Center to test their worth. In these battles, the rules were often disregarded to test whether these Initiates could be expected to learn at an appropriate pace. Sith ignored the lack of lightsaber skills for lower-ranked Initiates and gave some of them their first chance to use and be instructed in lightsaber combat skills. This was not something to be expected, but fit into the Sith Master's unorthodox views. Bloodfyre will potentially utilize his hand-to-hand skills at any opportunity if it serves the purpose of training. In any fight within the Center, Sith will not kill; the purpose of the ACC, in his mind, is not to deprive the Brotherhood of warriors, but to weed out the weak through making them strong. Due to his own preferences for not killing, the Sith Master outlawed any unsanctioned murders within the Center that did not have proper approval, from either himself or the Grand Master, first. With the Shaevalian having been replaced, this killing ban is likely to have been revoked.

Sith's preferred training routines often take into account various modes of teaching that have fallen into disuse, to include combat droids trained in lightsaber technique, pitfalls and real traps, and a move away from the "morphing hologram" technology that others found so useful, but cannot provide realistic danger to the participants in the Combat Center. Morphing Hologram technology was stripped daily from the Abyss facility that housed the ACC. With the recent return of Halcyon and Dalthid to the Center, the Morphing technology will probably be returned to use.


The Force


"I find your lack of faith disturbing."
―Darth Vader (Star Wars IV, 1977 AD)


The ancient Sith Empire was divided into castes, separating those with power and placing them above those without it. These castes were brought into Sith society by the very Dark Jedi who subjugated them and became the first Dark Lords of the Sith. Among these castes were laborers, masons, manufacturers, hunters and more. At the top of the caste system were the Dark Lords and their chosen servants. These were the Warriors, the Sorcerers, and those gifted of the Dark Side of the Force and Sith Magic.

The Sith Warriors were powerful soldiers and weapons of war. Though they were possessed of the powers of the Dark Side and Sith Magic, they tended to use these powers sparingly, and instead chose to dominate their enemies with their physical prowess. The Sith Sorcerers, however, were those who focused their might through the darker powers, and were able to create powerful storms through the Force, able to call mighty strokes of lightning from their fingers tips or balls of flame from their hands, and much, much more. The Sith Sorcerers were a mysterious sect, one that kept secrets even from the Dark Lord and his Council of Sith Lords. Only the Sith Alchemists were even more mysterious than the Sorcerers.

In the modern era, most Sith practice the teachings of Darth Bane and his hermetic "Rule of Two." Some Sith seek to keep their power to themselves, and find another to seek after their knowledge. Sith Bloodfyre is different.

During his initial training in the Brotherhood, Sith became almost obsessed with the ancient Sith. As his experience and powers grew, so did his quest to uncover the secrets of the Sith (even though he was Krath). Time went on, and though the Dark Side powers grew with study, his hunger was never abated. Sith soon went to train with the Obelisk. Within the sect of fanatical warriors, Sith learned a great deal about combat and martial prowess, and still his desire for more was not quelled. Bloodfyre became a member of the Sith Order, and found his true calling. When the time came for him to ascend to the position of Sith High Warrior, all of the secrets of the Order were opened unto him. And there, Sith found dark powers, indeed. The knowledge of the ancient Sith was laid out before him, and powers unknown to any except the High Warriors before him and the Dark Lord increased his skills and abilities exponentially. And then Bloodfyre had an epiphany of sorts.

As his friend and ally, Maxamillian von Oberst has often said, armies need generals at their heads, not warlocks. With the powers opened unto him, the Shaevalian realized their true potency lay not in using them at every opportunity and showing the universe the extent of his powers, but by keeping them shrouded in mystery and rumor, and letting his enemies be defeated by their own imaginations. Sith's views on the Force changed in that instant.

Sith Bloodfyre is a minimalist in his view of the Force. Though the powers of the Dark Side are opened completely unto him, he does not use the majority of his powers often at all. He prefers to use his physical strengths, sometimes enhanced by the Dark Side, to show his enemies that he is a warrior without peer, and that his skills with any manner of weapon are unmatched. When Sith does use the Force, it tends to be very subtle, or is outright vulgar in existence, calling forth Sith lightning and other dread abilities. When it comes to Force powers, Sith Bloodfyre is almost unstoppable.

There is one sort of weakness in Bloodfyre when it comes to the Force. Sith is an extremely strong-willed person, and very few individuals have ever shown the ability to bend him to their will; the only person ever known to bend Sith Bloodfyre to his will was Grand Master Jac Cotelin, and even then, it was a difficult feat for the Grand Master. As such, mental powers through the Force will not work on the Shaevalian by those of equal or lesser rank. Only those of substantially greater power have any potential to manipulate his will. In addition, perhaps due to this immense willpower and resistance to mental powers, Sith is unable to use many of the Dark Side's mental powers. Bloodfyre finds it difficult to read the minds of others or communicate with them through telepathy. Only those powers that rely on Sith imposing his will on others have any chance of succeeding.

Sith was also considered one of the foremost Masters of Tarentum's brand of Necromancy, and was considered one of the few members of Tarentum who knew perhaps all of the secrets available to the Clan of Life and Death. With the rather strange disappearance of Tarentum's Necromantic powers, and a movement towards utilizing smoke and demonic powers, as well as the ability to create the dreaded Rakghoul, it seems rather strange that Bloodfyre has not hoarded the knowledge of these powers, and learned to utilize them to their fullest extent. It is whispered that the Shaevalian has shunned these powers entirely, and may still be seeking after the darker arts.


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Necromancy


"Think not disdainfully of death, but look on it with favor; for even death is one of the things that Nature wills."
―Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (121 - 180 AD)


As a minimalist in the use of Force powers, Sith believes that the benefits offered through such powers are simply one tool of many within his repertoire. He prefers not to rely too much on his knowledge and abilities within the Force, even though his skill is vast, as befits a Sith Master. Instead, Sith has the viewpoint that an opponent's imagination is the best weapon he has against them. Show an opponent what you can do, and they will see that you have limitations. Allow an opponent to imagine what you are capable of, and the power of their mind and creativity will work against them. This opinion is just as applicable to Sith's use of Necromantic powers, as well. Though the powers available to the Shaevalian Watcher are great, relatively little of his gifts are ever displayed at any one place or time.


Raising Corpses

Perhaps the most often-used power available to Sith is the ability to raise corpses to do his bidding, be it to do general labor, or to aid him as combat-ready allies. Sith is capable of raising all manner of Necromantic servants, but prefers to make use of the deadly Euthanatos most often. These undead are gifted with great martial prowess and physical abilities that enhance their combat skills; the Euthanatos are unnaturally strong and swift, and their skin/hide is extremely resilient, offering a far amount of resistance to damage. The Euthanatos are immune to pain, and only their complete destruction can stop these unholy creations from attempting to do their master's bidding.

In addition to a mastery over the current powers of raising corpses available to Tarentum, Sith is one of the few Watchers who is also experimenting with the practice of creating far greater and more powerful corpse servants. Though his own work surely cannot rival the advances made by the Mad One and Dr. Steiner, it is rumored that Sith has still been able to create some rather impressive creatures to serve him.


The Breath of Life

The powers of Tarentum do not simply delve into the darkness of death and oblivion. Indeed, any Necromancer who purely studied death would place himself at a great disadvantage and have a large void where knowledge of creation and existence ought to be. As a true seeker of knowledge, and one who would understand all of existence, Sith extends his research of powers into the realms of life and existence as much as he explores death, destruction and unlife. The healing and life-giving powers of Tarentum do seem to have a cost associated with them, however. Nearly all of the Necromantic powers available to Tarentum require a sacrifice of one life to restore another. The most common method of handling this necessary "sacrifice" is to simply "siphon" health and longevity away from others. Most of Tarentum's Necromancers make it a practice to utilize their powers within a certain range of others, mostly the unknowing or unwilling. It is possible for the Keepers of Tarentum to sacrifice part of their own existence to power these "healing" arts, but most would prefer to allow others to pay the price of their gift.


The Cold Hand of Death


"Death is nothing to us, since when we are, death has not come; and when death has come, we are not."
―Epicurus (341 - 270 BC)


Every Necromancer seeks to understand death, and the oblivion beyond, and bend it to their will, and make the powers of destruction serve their every whim. In this respect, Sith is a Master. The Shaevalian is able to direct some of the most devastating attacks known to Tarentum at his enemies. These attacks may obliterate the very souls of their victim, or simply shred a part of their life force asunder, and cause terrible results to befall the victim. It is nearly impossible to define what a Necromancer can do, with the proper knowledge and the will to direct the energies of existence. It is possible to say, though, that it is best not to trifle with these dark and dreadful Keepers of Tarentum.


Rumored Powers

In addition to what can be verified (raising corpses), Sith is said to be able to control vast waves of death and destruction; he is said to be able to draw life from vibrant, surrounding areas and transfer it to either himself, his allies, or both; he is said to be able to direct rays of death energies at foes that not only harm them, but begin to unravel their very existence; he is said to be able to stare into the souls of those he meets, and command their eternal essence to die on the spot. It is also rumored that Sith has the ability to shrug off his mortal form and exist as a Force spirit when he chooses, for as long as he chooses.

It is unknown which, if any, of these rumored abilities are actually possessed by the Shaevalian, but some would prefer to believe all of the rumors, and combat him accordingly. Others scoff at his so-called "dark gifts," and see him as nothing more than a man who plays in graveyards and should be fought as a minor irritant.

Sith himself says very little on the subject, and simply smirks at the idea of anyone hailing him as a "minor irritant."

"Let them believe as they wish," he has said, "for their belief in me, or disbelief as it may be, matters not. Life and Death are; and so am I."


DJB Facts

Facts

  • Sith has led several projects that have altered and benefitted the Brotherhood in many ways. Chief among these projects are:
    • (Brotherhood-wide)
      • Sith History
      • Clan Powers creation
      • Order Schools creation
      • Gaming Nights evolution (including Sunday Invitational Tournament)
    • (Tarentum-specific)
      • Clan Powers (Necromantics)
      • The Keepers (history and use within Tarentum)
      • Land Grants
      • Clan-specific Titles (reborn from past Clan practices)
  • Sith is the last person to have held the position of Sith High Warrior, since GM Jac Cotelin felt threatened by the awesome powers and sex appeal of the former SHW, and had the position disbanded.
  • Sith is considered by some to be the "Prince of Darkness" and the "Harbinger of DOOOOOOM!" of the Brotherhood. Before the selection of Xanos Sadow as Deputy Grand Master, some believed Sith to be working towards gaining that Council position, and began gossiping about the "end of the Brotherhood" that would come should he be appointed as DGM. Sith believes Jac Cotelin to have been the original source of these rumors, and has thus labeled Jac as "dumb."
  • Sith was one of the eight individuals who formed the Krath Phyle "Mystics of the Black Arts," a now-defunct team that once held the best Krath that Gladius had to offer (when the Houses were all Order-specific). The Mystics were regarded as the best writing talent that Gladius had at initiation, as well as throughout the tenure of the Phyle. At present, Sith is the only member of the original eight to remain active within the Brotherhood.

Past Positions

  • Founder and Leader of the Rite of Sin
  • Aedile of Gladius
  • Quaestor of Gladius (twice)
  • Rollmaster of Tridens
  • Aedile of Tridens
  • Quaestor of Tridens
  • Proconsul of Tarentum
  • Consul of Tarentum (twice)
  • Aedile of Tarentum
  • Quaestor of Tarentum
  • Trainer in the Antei Combat Center
  • Combat Master in the Antei Combat Center
  • Guardsman in the Grand Master's Royal Guard
  • Praetor to the Deputy Grand Master
  • Praetor to the Grand Master
  • Left Hand of Justice
  • Sith High Warrior

Trivia

  • Sith is the Grand Chamberlain of Tarentum, and a member of the Tarentae.
  • Sith has been a member of all three Orders throughout his tenure within the Brotherhood, and has gained fictional benefits from his time spent within each Order.
    • He began as a Krath, due to the limitations on Orders of that time (he didn't have any of the games to play). Later, he moved to the Obelisk to help compete in Khobai's ORoS, and then to the Sith for the Second Sith War. Bloodfyre has remained a part of the Sith Order ever since.
  • Sith was the first person to have served Tarentum as Consul twice; Anshar became the second. He is the only person to have thrice served as head of Tarentum, either as a Clan or House.
  • Sith is currently the only person to have served in each position of the Clan Summit, and within the Houses of Gladius and Tridens. Welshman was close on his heels in that regard. Cestus remained, but is now a distant memory.
  • At one point, certain members of the Brotherhood were "competing" to see who could hold more positions at one time than Sith (who, at that time, held the positions of: Consul of Tarentum, Sith High Warrior, Praetor to the DGM, Left Hand of Justice, Trainer in the ACC and member of the GMRG before resigning from most of them to serve exclusively as Sith High Warrior).
    • Sith did not hold any record at that point for most concurrent positions, as some people believe. The "competition" was more of a friendly rivalry between Sith and certain friends (most notably Señor Kaek, who did end up holding more positions at one subsequent point). Kir knocked his socks off, as well.
  • Sith was the last in the line of Sith High Warriors, which began as a position known as the "Sith Advisor."
    • As High Warrior, Sith was responsible for the re-design of the gaming nights, and the inception of the Sunday Invitational Tournaments, which were meant to be a "hold over" until the Credits and Prestige system was introduced; the Tournaments lasted much longer than intended.
  • Sith despises the rank "Dark Jedi Master," and instead, prefers to refer to himself as a Sith Master (or, alternatively, a Master of the Sith Order). He does, however, prefer the acronym "DJM" to alternatives such as "SM."
  • Sith was responsible for the creation and evolution of the Clan and Order Powers projects since its beginning under controversial DGM Mairin Astoris. He created the first drafts of every Clan's powers with the exception of Naga Sadow, which was the first Clan to really jump at the chance to create their Clan's powers.
    • Each Clan's powers stayed relatively close to their original form, until the revamp initiated by Grand Master Muz Ashen. The Order Powers, however, have undergone several redesigns, and are probably nothing like they were initially.
  • Sith is the only Non-Sadow Heir to be gifted with a Bottle of Sadow; he was given so personally by Trevarus Sadow.