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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.
Dead Men Tell All Tales
If there was any unease among the corsair lords of Kharse's dominion, they did not raise their voices. The unnatural powers that Erasmus was cultivating granted them an edge few other minor lords could benefit from, least of all his ability to seemingly predict future events to their benefit. Those who did see Erasmus departure as a possible sign of weakness would soon find themselves in error, with some meeting their end within hours of discussing breaking from the fleet or attempting to assassinate Erasmus himself. More impressively, Erasmus' own strategies would seemingly follow illogical or bizarre patterns, only to to have raids and planned strikes succeed in time with natural disasters or failures.
Erasmus himself would lead fleets repeatedly during this time, but all too often would seek out odd or strange targets which seemingly made no sense at first. Outlying worlds with seemingly no material benefit or strong infrastructure or even any life at all. Yet on each he would continually find a hidden fortune. On an airless abandoned world Erasmus led his vessels to a mountainside, and spent several weeks digging into the side of it. This risked mutiny, until one dig site uncovered a long-buried base, dating back to the earliest days of Xim the Despot. Although long outdated and utterly obsolete, the technology within was an archaeological treasure trove, and Erasmus was able to sell the bulk of it to private collectors; keeping only a selection of data crystals for himself.
A much later conflict would see Erasmus leading a raid directly into a warzone between two Outer Rim warlords, raiding a museum several kilometres from the frontlines but blowing up the landing zone for one side. The chaotic rout which followed Erasmus' forces were able to withdraw as one warlord was lost in battle, even going so far as to steal several of their dropships as they retreated. This would be the first of several unforeseen consequences in Erasmus' ambitions. The surviving warlord would turn his attention to Erasmus' fleets, seeing them as a rival, and initiating a protracted war which would drag out for over a decade.
Yet it was during this time that Erasmus began to experiment with darker powers. The ability to speak with the spirits of the dead, to torment and even read their essences for information. This would result in the requests for bodyparts by Erasmus, often disguising the effort of his activities by demanding the heads of his foes. Erasmus' throne room would soon be joined by the skulls of his defeated enemies or those of "worthy status", with their spirits bound to them and serving as an unwilling advisory council. Though no pirate could state why, they would begin to feel a sense of nearby pain when in Erasmus' presence, as if witnessing a public execution.
Anamathea's Dream
With his power in the Force growing, Erasmus set his sights on wider grabs for strength. With little warning he spoke to every ship serving him, summoning them to their bastion world and organising them into multiple battlegroups over their standard formations. The surprise of this was abrupt and to many it seemed as if Erasmus had gone mad, mobbing together the cutthroats and traitors into single organised combat formations which could easily implode into infighting. The alliance between them was kept in check largely by self benefit and greed over any true loyalty, and even the news that Kharse himself would be leading one such group did little to still concerns. Matters were made worse only when Kharse cited their main targets - The treasure worlds of both a Hutt family of middling power, the primary stronghold of a notorious rival pirate lord they had thus far avoided irking, and the major resource mining planet linked to the Trade Federation.
The last of these proved enough to have several captains openly challenge Kharse, claiming he had lost his mind. Each of these was dealt with by Kharse in turn, each in open battle where odd quirks of fate or misfortune always ensured his opponents met their end at his blade. This quelled at least some word against him, but nevertheless concern remained high as they moved out, leaving only a token force to safeguard their holdings. What followed would become a string of assaults known as the Red Scar Raid in generations to come, as much for Kharse's bizarre streak of good fortune as the strange events which felled their foes.
The moment that Kharse's fleets set off after their chosen targets, several actions played out one after another. The Hutts became embroiled in a feud with a rival family, diverting their attention and personal armies away from the targets Kharse had outlined. For two critical days the battlegroup ran rampant over their chosen worlds, escaping with no shortage of personal treasures, slaves, and precious metals. The rival pirate king Kharse led his fleet personally against had been quietly tacking an outbreak of disease among several of his holdings borne from corrupted water supplies; those who raced to defend against the assault were limited in strength and capability. Within days, Kharse had purged every world of resistance and plunged the castle which had served as his foe's stronghold into the heart of a sun, taking the pirate king's skull as a trophy by the battle's end.
The raid upon the Trade Federation was to be the action most fraught with danger, but a new circumstance arose on the same day which drew away many ships from the chosen sector. The defensive vessels and trading ships had been directed to blockade the world of Naboo, devoting them to fully surrounding the world. Unable to withdraw from their chosen operation, the pirate forces were able to raid multiple storehouses and targets without reprisal, then withdraw in their own leisurely time.
The stunning success concluded with a return to their strongholds, which had been left intact following their departure. No word had come of any assault or threat, but those left to defend it were unnerved. They spoke of certain attempts by known raiders to target Kharse's territories, but offered no details to their fate. The only clue as to what had taken place was a recording, of pained and unending screaming from the crews who had attacked before something ripped them out of realspace and back into hyperspace. The cause behind this or even how Kharse had known when to strike was a matter he remained tight lipped on.
No Greater Victory
The Red Scar campaign would be just the start of many such sudden rampages Kharse would inflict upon the surrounding sectors. Time and again he would muster his fleets, summoning them for a new campaign for parts unknown, and time and again they would return victorious. Such efforts were never safe and never weak, but Kharse knew how to leverage the greed and ambition of those under him in his favour. Carefully pitting fractious and determined factions against one another, he would manipulate them as easily as a piece on a Dejarik board, using their personal failings or character flaws to his benefit. Yet Kharse himself was careful. Rarely turning directly to conquest, he would only expand his reach to a few planets at a time, and even then rarely offering any one underling total authority over the region. To him control mattered more than power, and there was a balance to be struck there.
Even with his modest holdings, the Republic was not unaware of the threat Kharse's fleets posed and made several efforts to root him out. Each ended in failure, with a flotilla of Judicial Forces ships ventured into his space, a freak incident with an energy anomaly tore them apart. When a Jedi was sent to investigate them, Kharse dealt with them personally. Capturing the Jedi alive, few knew what Kharse had planned for the Knight, only that his screams would echo from Kharse's personal chambers for months to follow. Year after year, decade after decade, Kharse would carefully maneuver his holdings and choose his battles with a mix of fate favoured recklessness and precision care which seemed to contradict one another. Although some still wondered how good fortune always seemed to favour him, such questions were easily silenced by the next bounty his decisions brought to them.
The outbreak of the Clone Wars did little to change Kharse's tactics, save for having to account for a far more militarised galaxy. Although Kharse pointedly avoided direct confrontations to avoid bleeding his forces or drawing them into a protracted conflict, but at the same time picked clear and beneficial targets for his own use. Despite having a longer standing enmity with the Republic, the CIS was Kharse's chosen opposition in this time. This was as much due to the larger and wealthier corporations serving as the backbone of its military making for profitable ventures as certain individuals who offered a potential risk. These were beings powerful in the Force, either acting as servants for a powerful figure in the Dark Side or lesser known factions attempting to turn the war to their advantage. Unwilling to ignore potential rivals following an encounter with one Dark Acolyte, Kharse pointedly attacked and raided sites of Force relics to keep for himself, and deny them strength.
By the time of the Clone Wars' end, Kharse had remarkably accomplished all he had desired - Between captured ships and those he had begun manufacturing, he had a fleet worthy of any warlord. His servants and followers were loyal to his banner via self-interest without compromising their ruthless talent for destruction and ambition, and his worlds were minor and well guarded enough to be overlooked by the major powers. Best of all was a vast library of occult teachings and rituals of Sith long past, allowing him to slowly enhance his power over time undisturbed or challenged by others. To Kharse this was the victory he had long desired, and as with all things it was not to last.
Scattering of Embers
The Pale Wanderer
The Reluctant Warrior
The Useful Prisoner
Physical Description
Personality
Equipment
Powers and Abilities
