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Erasmus Kharse, known once also as the King Breaker, the Arch Genomancer, the Master, and Grand Chirurgeon, was an Arkanian Sith Lord and ruler of a minor domain deep within Wild Space. Once a grand warlord who raised up a band of corsairs into a powerful armada, Kharse ruled a powerful warfleet relatively unopposed in his isolated region of the galaxy. Becoming dissatisfied with merely ruling through power with little contest, Kharse gradually turned his attention toward the sciences. Learning what he could of sorcery and Alchemy, Kharse's attention was steadily drawn to crafting and controlling the nature of life itself. Ruling his dominion for decades and leaving to pursue his own experiments on other planets, Kharse left a trail of dead worlds and monsters in his wake. Abandoning and killing every partner as soon as their value was spent in pursuit of knowledge, those who learned of his name came to associate it with betrayal.
Kharse would work for some time with various minor groups while ruling his domain, brokering deals and turning upon his partners as deemed beneficial. This would include the group known as the Collective, and Kharse's quiet infiltration and then treachery would earn his enmity of them. This would be the start of his undoing however. A combination of an internal rebellion, a Collective assault group cornering him, and the Children of Mortis deeming him enough of a threat to try and end his life would bring his kingdom to ruin. Kharse would only survive by tricking an old enemy, Nikora Rhan, into coming to his rescue. Although this would ensure his survival, he would be imprisoned and held by Clan Odan-Urr. Too useful to kill and too dangerous to set free, Kharse is now kept as an asset for when his knowledge is required by them.
Character History
The Young Sawbones
Distant Origin
Kharse's exact origins remain unknown, as the Sith has remained tight lipped to all but the most basic of details. While the occasional hint of his history will be given in passing, those who record such matters not that his origins, nature of his father, relationship with his family, and upbringing seem to change constantly. Whether this is Kharse fooling himself or simply misdirecting others remains unknown, but three factors are known with certainty: He was born on a different name to that he chose. He was not born on Arkania and has never visited the world. He knew his parents for at least the first five years of his life, and held at least some general awareness of his connection to the Force from a very early age.
At some point after his adolescence, Kharse would find his way onto a pirate vessel by the name of the Chthonian Dawn. In some tales he was taken in a raid, and either losses taken or a display of talent allowed him to find a place among its crew. A corsair ship operating across the spiral arm of Wild Space, the ship was a raider which preyed upon the weak and the vulnerable. A Republic military design dating back to the days of the Jedi Civil War, it had been repeatedly upgraded and modified to at least be somewhat more of a threat than those it hunted. In this place Kharse would earn his early skills but little respect from those who surrounded him. Although only Kharse's word is known for this, the Captain supposedly played his crew against one another, fostering discontent and rivalries to both ensure his position and goad them into taking greater treasures in their raids. Most were little more than easily replaced fodder, and the youngest among them were treated as cannon fodder until they had proven valuable.
Multiple encounters with stronger corsair groups supposedly pushed the ship deeper into Wild Space to hunt forgotten planets, and with it Kharse would lose sight of the worlds he had once known. The fate of his parents or any he might have once cared about remains unknown, and Kharse has never spoken of any forgotten friends or blood kin left behind in this time. Whether they were dead or forgotten is something only he knows. By this point, his concern seemed to focus more upon survival and attaining strength above all else.
By the Light of Flames
Surviving multiple raids in spite of his use as cannon fodder, Kharse would work to make himself useful. This has been confirmed only by his own words, but he actively sought means to ensure he would not be readily killed by a rival or quietly removed. Mechanics and engineers were either removed as required or claimed by factions and used as little more than slaves, while weaponsmiths were actively hunted and killed by rivals if they did not align themselves with a specific faction. Because of this, Kharse found a rapid niche as a medic within the vessel. While a dangerous role, the Chthonian Dawn had lost many of its previous experts either in violent encounters or foolhardy raids, and had increasing casualties from infections or easily healed wounds. With some existing experience and knowledge of medical matters, Kharse was able to quietly talk his way into becoming an apprentice to the ship's sole surgeon.
Far from squeamish about the sight of blood and capable in his craft, Kharse was able to carve out a protective bubble for himself through his talents. Refusing to take bribes to kill others and avoiding botching surgeries, Kharse balanced threats to his life with active protection. Although others attempted to use threats to end his life in an effort to bump off rivals, his blunt refusal to do so for anyone earned a degree of loyalty from the entire crew. It at least meant there was one relatively neutral area they could rely upon amid the treachery. When one raid party leader attempted to kill Kharse via poison for refusing to kill a ranking officer, he was strung up and flayed within the cargo bay by others. Kharse would quickly use such opportunities for his own benefit, and more than once faked an attempt on his life to kill those he considered a possible threat to his plans.
Becoming accustomed to this control, Kharse would remain in his position for several years, learning his crafts and also quietly picking up additional skills. By the end of his third year on the ship, Kharse brokered a series of agreements and quiet negotiations with several factions. Then, once they were in place he challenged the captain openly. With the crew of the Chthonian Dawn already suffering from severe discontent after multiple failures, and the captain himself was growing old and fat. Kharse had prepared for a major fight, but instead quickly found himself with the upper hand in their duel, and killed the captain with relative ease. With only a relative few loyalists to remove, Kharse was able to set himself up as overall commander of the vessel.
Sinner's Bounty
Kharse's leadership would prove to be more cautious than the pirates were used to. This risked rebellion multiple times they would recoginise there was a method to the man's apparent madness. Often planning far ahead and spending his hours pouring over information, Kharse would earn his victories by manipulation and stacking the deck over simple daring and guile. Establishing famines on certain worlds to make them vulnerable, drawing off threats to open the way to seemingly strong but now vulnerable targets for raid, and even the taking of whole harbours for months thanks to simply talking his way past their defenses; Erasmus' first weapon was manipulation. Even through this success, he would find more traditional risks from his comrades. His life was almost ended early into his career in a surprise duel. A subordinate unhappy with his share of the spoils from an especially profitable haul challenged Erasmus for his captaincy. Unable to delay or manipulate events as he desired, Erasmus would almost meet his end as both he and his foe ran one another through. With the blade missing his heart only by inches and taking months to recover, Erasmus would put far more martial prowess into his attacks, relying on displays of skill to deter others from further challenges. Or, as he would put it, "wasting my time with needless bravado."
Even with some troubles among his crew, Erasmus' sole ship would rapidly become a fleet through one carefully timed raid against a port on the fringes of Wild Space. A shipbreakers yard utilised by both the Republic Judicial Corps and ORSF fleet would be infiltrated and claimed by Erasmus' crewmen. Combined with and extremely well timed attack by the Cthonian, and Erasmus was able to flee the yard with two frigates and six corvettes to his flotilla. Spending months to recruit and gather reliable crewmen for each, Erasmus would gain the attention of the Pirate Lord of the region - Seltinar the Hammer. A message with an offer of glory and good fortune was sent to Erasmus, along with a veiled threat should he ignore the message.
Red Right Hand
The Crimson Spire - Seltinar the Hammer's main stronghold - was an easy location to find, but in an area few would dare to approach. Situated on the surface of a planet, overrun with hostile life and orbiting a dying supergiant, it was encircled by navigational hazards, traps, and ambush points. Simply reaching the world was considered proof of capability, and Erasmus would spend a full year gathering information before finally making the attempt, losing one ship in the effort. Even so, answering Seltinar's message would prove troubling, and Erasmus was challenged by several of the lord's subordinates before arriving. Although Erasmus initially believed these were an effort to oppose potential threats or even mark out their position among the pirates' pecking order. The truth would prove to be more complicated. Seltinar, a Feeorin outfitted with crude but physically powerful cybernetics, had bid Erasmus and several other pirates to arrive at the world. Both seeking personal glory and to keep his power, he offered each of those he had summoned an offer to gain a position in his organisation. Supplies they often lacked, a reliable port to return to, and an ease of replacing losses in war; all benefits to logistics which Erasmus often found frustrating. Yet to join the group would be to give up freedom and answer to another.
Erasmus quickly saw what this actually intended to offer - Security. There had been several rising pirates in this portion of Wild Space within recent years, through raids, daring assaults, or sheer luck. This had been earning unwanted attention from outsider powers, but each also posed a risk to Seltinar's dominion. By having brought them there and making them offer as a king would, it sought to prevent them disrupting the status quo that had been established. Erasmus already knew rejection wasn't an offer, even before another pirate attempted to leave only to be brutally murdered by Seltinar in person. Yet neither could he simply accept a place in another man's dominion. So, Erasmus accepted the offer, accepted the additional crewmen, and began to make his plans. Each pirate was granted a new target and a witness to see how they accomplished he goal, with many overlapping to force conflict. Erasmus' own victory would be accomplished without bloodshed, sending his rival chasing a decoy target while he hunted down the derelict ship and the prizes within its hold. Yet within that hold Erasmus offered a vague message of assistance for future operations, but with enough imperfections to indicate a fabrication when it was inevitably brought forward to try and bring up Erasmus on accusations of conspiracy.
Year by year, moment by moment, Erasmus would make his decisions carefully and with consideration. Taking risks when needed, taking glory in battle, and ensuring those he stood with were loyal to his own banner. Over the course of the next two years, Erasmus would carefully ensure he was one thing to Seltinar above all others - Indispensable to managing his dominion.
Who Laughs Loudest
Erasmus would finally make his move during the Stark Hyperspace War. With attention drawn elsewhere due to the Stark Commercial Combine posing a direct and obvious threat to the Republic, Seltinar was forced to make his move. Although in part driven by several defections from Seltinar's own fleets to the Combine, and the decision putting Stark on a pedestal far above Seltinar's own accomplishments. Although certainly a minor and distant threat, making a far stronger stand seemed to irk the pirate lord, and he made a demand of Erasmus to target a Republic world they would have otherwise ignored. Well fortified and far beyond the protective chaos of Wild Space, Erasmus repeatedly refused. Only when Seltinar was forced to publicly rebuke Erasmus and cite Stark indriectly as his reason for pursuing such a dangerous target did Erasmus opt to move. However, Erasmus slowed his pace, stopping repeatedly for seemingly minor ventures which offered them little benefit. Although this brought whispers of Erasmus being cowardly, a handful realised he was simply biding his time and waiting for something. The "something" in question would follow only days later, with the collapse of the Combine and loss of the entire organisation to a joint Trade Federation and Jedi assault, along with Stark's own betrayal of those he stood with.
Erasmus spoke to the other captains of this, and then cited Seltinar's own seemingly unhinged behaviour, and how he had seen this as so much of a threat he was sending them to their deaths in the name of a bruised ego. He then admitted to delaying, certain this would happen, and asked which they would prefer in control - A man who couldn't recognise lost battle and would waste lives on an idiot's gambit out of pride, or a leader who saw it for what it was and would delay wasting lives until he witnessed its collapse. Erasmus' prior reputation and talent was enough to turn most to his side, and the few who refused were quickly removed from any position of leadership.
When Erasmus returned to the Crimson Spire, he had already won the battle. Carefully having positioned his own men in areas to best control the facility, closing down defenses and removing the few too loyal to be trusted, Erasmus' fleet returned and took control without firing a single shot. Seltinar would die some time later in the bowls of his palace, hunted down in the dark after being robbed of all power and authority to his name. After a few well crafted conflicts to weaken the few who might pose an immediate threat to his control, Erasmus took the throne as the new pirate lord of his fleets.
The Crimson King
Wolf at the Door
Erasmus' victory bore with it more treasures than he could have ever dreamed. Riches plundered across a century of piracy, coveted technologies taken from hospital ships and science stations, even lost artworks thought to have long been destroyed but found on derelicts. All were housed within the Crimson Spire, and much of it fascinated him. Yet, to keep the loyalty of those he stood with, Erasmus would give up many of these to his captains. As much for the sake of avoiding civil war as cementing his new rule, Erasmus handed out a portion of the tower's wealth to those who had stood alongside him. With it came a promise to each captain - For the first year under his rule there would be no tribute taken from any of them, and their lord would stand only on his own strengths. This was, by his own crew, seen as madness but it was too generous of an offer for the others to simply ignore. Yet neither understood that he was simply buying himself time to take advantage of an unexpected discovery. While rooting through the innards of the spire, Erasmus had uncovered a hidden museum of sorts. Within it were boundless treasures and icons of a long dead empire and the items of its lords. Erasmus only found a scant few notes as to why it had been hidden, but each indicated it was too useful to remove but too dangerous to wield.
Buoyed by the curiosity and sense of triumph he had gained from his new position, Erasmus walked alone in these places, without his guards or security of any kind. It was during this time that his crew, veterans all who had known him for years, seemed to notice a change. Both a self-assurance which went beyond simple certainty of his skills and into a surety of things to come, as if he knew what would come to pass next. Furthermore, certain figures would end up dead before they might turn against him. As if the moment they spoke against his rule, misfortune would befall them. This would come to pass when the full raiding flotilla of Raith the Black would be destroyed in a freak accident, encountering a rival and far larger fleet in an engagement which should have been impossible.
The ability Erasmus had gained stemmed from what he had found in those museums, especially a number of ancient tomes. Crafted by those who had almost annihilated the Republic in days long gone, it detailed how to tap into an inner power and harness the potential to kill and shape fate itself to their benefit. The only thing which gave Erasmus pause was the understanding that, however capable, these same skills had not preserved their leaders from ultimate death and defeat. Yet, some part of him felt a calling to it and a natural inclination to use the powers detailed within its pages. And with every page turned, the newly crowned pirate king claimed with it the power of a sorcerer.
Ghosts Tell All Tales
Anamathea's Dream
No Greater Victory
Scattering of Embers
The Pale Wanderer
The Reluctant Warrior
The Useful Prisoner
Physical Description
Personality
Equipment
Powers and Abilities
