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I see the contestants are making their way out onto the starting grid. This article was originally created as an entry for a Dark Crusade competition and is not official DJB canon content. It is preserved here for historical purposes only.
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| Nfolgai (Grid Coordinates: R-4)
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Esstran Sector
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Nfolgai System
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Nfolgai
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None
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Planet
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Type I (breathable)
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Primarily Arid with some rainforest regions
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1.0G
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Mainly mountainous and barren, with jungles and swamps comprising the remainder of the planet’s terrain.
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Great source of Dark Side power in planet’s southern hemisphere.
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Unknown
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Nfolgai, an ancient Sith world along the edge of the Stygian Caldera, was the site of intense fighting in 36 ABY when it was invaded by Clan Naga Sadow and Houses Plagueis, Scholae Palatinae, and Tarentum in the Brotherhood's retaliatory crusade against the One Sith.
History
Early History
The oldest records of Nfolgai's settlement date back before the Rakatan Infinite Empire to a time when the system was dominated by the nascent Sith Empire, ruled from Korriban and later from Ziost. Nfolgai remained largely ignored by the Rakatan incursion into Sith space. Nfolgai remained ignored even as the Infinite Empire held other planets within the Stygian Caldera.
Its first settlers or conquerers may have landed on Nfolgai around the time that Adas repelled the Rakatan forces from the region, sometime shortly after 27,700 BBY. Slaves, namely Humans, Draethos, and Mrlssi, filtered into the area as the Sith Empire continued to expand or collected them through slave-trade. The Draethos, galactic neighbors to the Sith Empire, were among the first to come to the world as prisoners of war. The Mrlssi, hailing from the Tapani sector, trailing Korriban in the Galaxy's spin, were likely brought to the planet sometime after 7,000 BBY when their civilization was first contacted by the Republic.
The planet's history between its settling and the Great Hyperspace War was consumed with the building of monuments imitating Sith architecture, especially the particular style of Sorzus Syn's mausoleum.
Post-Manderon to Imperial Periods
Ignored by their former oppressors, the slave groups on Nfolgai formed tribal societies based on species and claimed territory primarily near the planet's equator. Smaller tribes were forced toward the polar-regions, since the few larger tribes captured and held the richer rain forests at the planet's belt. Without stable society and corrupted by the Nafolgai's latent Dark Side energies, the tribes remained fractured and divided. While the earlier marks of civilization remained on Nfolgai, these structures were treated as fortresses and very little of the culture remains from this period.
Post-Imperial Period
In 35 ABY Nfolgai, once again, attracted the attention of outsiders. An expedition of the One Sith, lead by the Duros Sith Lord Yobd Nan, landed on the planet. They immediately gained the attention of the “native” population: the remaining Mrlssi and Draethos tribes stalked the One Sith expedition. The former slave races, now savage and perfectly adapted to the planet, not to mention possessing an unusually strong connection to the Dark Side of the Force, intrigued the One Sith.
As they explored the planet, the expedition fought repeated battles with the savage tribesmen. The One Sith destroyed several pockets of the savage former slaves, but were weakened in the effort. Eventually, the expedition found what it had been after, the tomb of Sorzus Syn. By 36 ABY they had set up a base camp at the entrance to the tomb, but were still making preparations to enter the structure. It would seem their plans were to be thwarted once again, as the system fell under the ever watchful gaze of the Dark Jedi Brotherhood; a ruthless empire well versed in the useage of the Dark-Side of the Force, and the subjugation of worlds enthralled by it.
Arrival of the Brotherhood
The NSD Ascendency, flagship of House Plagueis, arriving over Nfolgai
The FFC Final Way led Naga Sadow's forces over Nfolgai
As these preparations neared their end a new threat appeared in the system: the combined forces of Clan Naga Sadow, House Plagueis, House Scholae Palatinae, and House Tarentum descended upon the Nfolgai System. The meager space force protecting the planet was swiftly brushed aside by the might of the Brotherhood. Within days troops were landing on the surface, vying, both with the One Sith and each other, for control of the world.
Geography
Deserts make up most of Nfolgai's surface
Nfolgai is a planet of harsh climates and perilous terrain. Over half of the world’s surface is desert, with many rainforest type valleys scattered throughout the mountain ranges. The equatorial region of Nfolgai consists of vast, high plateaus open to the north, and mountain chains on the east and west, with scorching hot lowlands beyond. Although fersh water isn't in short supply across this world, it becomes a matter of finding it in some regions.
The mountains are a thick mass of overgrown jungles and forgotten ruins. The ground beneath is inhabited by dense, tangled growths of vines, shrubs and small trees. The vegetation is sufficiently dense and hinders movement of sentients and other species, requiring that travelers ‘cut’ their way through.
In the lower valleys there are unforgiving rainforests with a humidity-factor of 90 percent or higher, restricting the exploration of many areas by the poor penetration of sunlight to ground level, and becoming swamps in most areas. Water is abundant here, most of the planet’s water sources(ca.65%) are located in these regions.
The polar ice caps cover the North and South Poles and their surrounding territories, including a entire continent in the North. The polar ice caps are sheets of ice that feed ice to massive glacial formations. Remaining frozen year-round, they serve as sources for glaciers that feed ice into the polar seas in the form of icebergs. Because the polar ice caps have unbearably cold temperatures and have existed so for millenia, the areas are home to no known inhabitants, with the exception of a small colony of Mrlissi reported in the area of the crash site of the Render.
Jungles of Nfolgai
Climate and Regions
The majority of Nfolgai's surface bares a dry, and desolate visage. These same deserts hold approximately 5% of the planet's fresh water sources in natural underground wells, located along the cool(20°C/68°F) cavernous under-dark beneath the arid plains. With no shrubbery or vegetation to speak of on the surface, save for carnivorous plant-life, these hot desert climate regions stretch on for hundreds of kilometers of sweltering, windblown sand drifts and dunes.
Sand storms and desert-tornadoes are normal weather patterns for these lands. Varying in temperature(averaging 40°C/104°F; regions vary and tend to be hotter in the summer), the deserts of this world almost meld together in a number of regions, becoming high altitude, cold-deserts(temperatures below freezing, with even dryer air than in the hot desert climates), and giving way to sub-zero ice-lands(-28°C/-18.4°F) in it's mountainous Southern-Pole(providing a third of the planet's freshwater in the form of rivers, lakes and waterfalls), and frozen(-50°C/-58°F) glacial-tundras in its, Northern Polar ice-cap.
Snow-storms can last weeks in the heart of the North, with a month-long blizzard being extreme but not entirely uncommon. The canopied jungles and rainforests seperating parts of Nfolgai's blistering plains do not harbor any comfortable temperatures to speak of either(45°C/113°F), but cool considerably after each sustained rainfall(30°C/86°F), frequent tropical lightning-storms and group-tornadoes holding exception to this rule(35°C/95°F, in most regions). With humidity-factors far beyond what would be considered temperate, every rainforest in the Southern-Hemisphere maintains some sort of swampland or bogland, possessing further densely moist air; ranging from nearly-unbreatheable to unbreatheable, due to noxious fumes, and in some areas, toxic-gases. It is duely noted these areas show distinct signs of Dark-Side influence.
The cavernous regions beneath Nfolgai's jungle-plateaus, and occaisional volcanoes, bare unrecorded climates, and explorers would be advised to utilise bio-suits. The northern jungles give over to the cold deserts affore mentioned. The lands north of these cold-deserts are bombarded by constant wind, freezing-rains, sleet and hail. Explorers of these regions are at high-risk of personal danger, due to occaisional climatic changes and the extremely hazardous terrain features.
Landmarks
Sorzus Syn's Mausoleum
While not the only mausoleum on the planet, the dominant landmark of the southern hemisphere is the monolithic Mausoleum of Sorzus Syn. Situated deep in the rain forests and frequently used as a camp for the tribal Mrlssi and Draethos species, the sharp pyramidal structure shares the architectural designs found on other Sith worlds like Ziost and Korriban. Carved into the sides of a mountain, its vast interior is littered with the corpses of explorers killed by the mausoleum-traps and snares.
Inside the Tomb
Some noteworthy traps that had been revealed were: a pit trap with metal spikes at the bottom, two opposing slabs of rock containing metal spikes that slapped together if one stood on the pressure plate and a pressurised acid. The final was only discovered by a slave making the same fatal error in attempting to forcefully open the sarcophagus, just as it had done to an explorer decades if not a full century before. Corpses were hard to tell just how long they had lay there, as the Dark Jedi had constructed the tomb to reseal itself after a certain amount of time with little activity. Some explorers found dead in a tent tells that the tomb also pressurises itself, sucking out all oxygen from within.
The tomb is littered with corpses, though there was a pile of cursed artifacts, the original scrolls and holocrons from where Syn had gained a large portion of her knowledge. The obelisks and other columns bore writings in the ancient Sith script, though some are Sith Sorcery: Curses that drive the reader insane, forcing them to kill whoever is alive in the tomb; the bowls that held the fire whilst her followers were alive would only light in the presence of a Force User and many others.
Unlike later entombed Dark Lords of the Sith, Sorzus Syn chose for her sarcophagus to be a painted stone that was discovered to be the very same black crystal that Sith Holocrons are made from, atop a pyramid of stone. The interior of the mausoleum is made from sandstone, though later generations added to it. The Dark Jedi, one of the first Sith Lords, requested that those ardent followers that remained faithful to her after her death, including the ones who had guarded her tomb for centuries, be entombed with her to honour their service. The walls of her tomb are hollowed out with numerous places with a sandstone sarcophagus containing each of those followers.
It is rumoured that her personal holocron, containing all of her gathered knowledge of things, including Syn’s works on Sith Alchemy and the original formulae is still in her grasp, within the cursed sarcophagus. A line of Ancient Sith script on her tomb translates to: “Only one who has the same motives as the Sith Lord Sorzus Syn may unlock this sarcophagus and gain the treasures contained therein.”
Render Crash Site
The Sith Interdictor Render
Aerial images of the crash site
Deep in the southern polar regions of Nfolgai is an unusual site. Initial scans detected a variety of wreckage of a number of ships scattered through out a ten square kilometer area. At the center of this area is a rather remarkable wreck. Buried meters into the ice,searches revealed the nearly intact wreck of a Sith Interdictor Class Cruiser. Later examinations revealed this to be the cruiser Render.
Initial attempts to explore the ancient vessel were met with frustration. Scans of the interior were inconclusive, likely due to the meters of ice and the latent Dark Side energies emanating from the ship. Probe droids sent in to investigate were destroyed without a trace. Thus far there are no indications as to what might lurk within the ancient hulk, but the wreck is still of great interest to Brotherhood researchers.
Life on Nfolgai
Present Power-Struggle
Although it is recorded as having no indigenous life, Nfolgai is home to a catalog of imported biological beings. Former slaves of Sorzus Syn and her followers, the Draethos and Mrlssi have established themselves at the apex of the food-chain, martialling all the while for the planet's seat of power. But, it wasn't an easy task. The self appointed 'natives' have been at war with the planet itself, as well as each other, since aquiring their freedom. Transformed over generations by Dark-Side influence, the Draethos have not only reverted to their warlike, tribal selves, they've grown grotesque and hulking in form. Their verbal speach has been replaced by a more bestial vocalization requiring further study(if even necessary). It has been deduced, through captive tribesmen, the Draethos of Nfolgai communicate amongst themselves strictly by way of advanced Telepathy. Violence and murder are commonplace in this culture, and an excuse 'not' to kill is far more difficult to find than the opposite.
A Draethos on Nfolgai
The Draethos of Nfolgai are of a treacherous, savage nature, matched only by their apparent disdain for higher-technology. Tribes are governed by a feudalistic system, brutally pitting hunter and warrior-societies against each other, in a power struggle only momentarily ignored to fight threats to one's tribe. Which brings us to the planet's next sentient species, vying for control of its most facilitous areas, as well as regions radiating obvious power, the Mrlssi of Nfolgai.
A Mrlssi twisted by the Dark Side
These Dark-Side devolutes are perhaps the more intellectual of the two species. Possessing rocketpack-level technology allows Mrlssi raiders to traverse larger areas of the planet's surface and caverns. Horribly reshapened by the Dark-Side, the Mrlssi have grown ominous in appearance; larger than species specifications, with gnarled beaks and huge, clawed talons on all four limbs. The large feathers covering their bodies are soot-grey and greasy, with blood-red plumage adorning the heads of adults. Nfolgai's Mrlssi tribes keenly ahdere to the practice of feeding on conquered enemies(presumably to absorb their 'mystical energies'). This apparent contrast to their petty interest in tech' has not gone unnoticed by the Draethos, who point to it as a means of precipitating war with them on any and all fronts. The Mrlssi, on the other hand, see themselves as spiritual explorers on a quest to unlock Nfolgai's dark energy. They claim the 'diety' they worship demands it, they simply accomodate 'her' wishes.
Other than their craving, and quests, for places of power, Mrlssi on this Nfolgai differ from their Mrlssti counter-parts in a number of ways. One of those being a series of Force Drain powers; a Dark-Side ability that varies in strength and type among individuals and tribes, but seems to be posessed by all. Bloodthirsty though they may be, the Mrlssi reserve useage of this particular ability for religious ceremonies, preferring to keep subjects alive for long periods of time, so as to drain the most energy they can from each and every one. Further study is needed to surmise the use of these drained energies. One thing is certain, their Draethos enemies are an abundant source of said energies.
It has been hypothisized that the Nfolgai's imported Human population met their ultimate ends in similar fashion. Not able to mutate and assimilate to the planet's dark pull as swiftly as the other sentient, semi-sentient and non-sentient imported life, Nfolgai's Humans were literally 'fed upon' by the rest of its creatures and inhabitants.
Mutilated and Malicious
If Sith are anything, they are deliberate. And Nfolgai's list of imported life-forms is evidence to this fact. The wild-life, and domesticated-stock(if they can be named such), are indicative of Syn's wish to keep intruders off this world, and captives on it. Each and every explored region of the planet has discovered traces of, or has experienced direct contact with, several creatures of a ravenous predatory nature. All have been altered in some way, by the Dark-Side's powerful touch. The Sith-Lord's genius is not the only hand at work in these creatures' devolution.
The rainforests, jungles and swamps are home to savage beasts and deadly plant-life. As are the planet's deserts, mountains, caverns and polar ice-caps. As is to be expected, landmark sites(such as mausoleums) are infested by never before recorded specimens of Sith Reptavian and Sithspawn(to include Leviathan), displaying semi-sentient traits and behaviour. The flora in these areas are much of the same nature, and are primarily carnivorous. The Thornsniper Plants and giant Tentacle Bush strains, abundant across landmark sites, cave entrances, and forest floors are of semi-sentient intelligence, and exist in colony-like formations. Draethos do their best to survive treks through rainforests and jungles atop Scaly Taun Taun. They believe travel by tree or air too risky in these regions.
The swamps of these Darkside held enclaves can be of a noxious or toxic air, caused by the existence of severval different forms of Carnivorous Mold, resembling in most finds, Lichen, or a hybrid thereof. The twisted Arachnor, found in the deepest bogs have adapted to consume Nfolgai's toxic strain of Macaab mushrooms, but also strains of its most wicked lichen.
The desert life of this world could described as proactively agressive, in a phrase. Large packs of giant Slice Hounds, on the hunt for Sith War Behemoth herds, are not only prone to reptavian arial attack, they must guard against denning in caves and dry rock-vallies inhabiting Feeder Plants, or huge Hand of Death plants. It is common practice for Nfolgai's Draethos tribes to have hunting parties of Slice Hound-Riders, leading a pack of these vicious creatures. War parties consist mainly of War Behemoth-Riders. It's also common for either group of tribesmen class to have small bands of scouts, aback semi-sentient reptavian, as part of their contingencies.
The few explorations undertaken into the polar regions of this world have uncovered a number of herds, of the planet's one, strict herbivore, Grazers. Nfolgai's Grazers, though extremely aggressive and deathly territorial of their lichen grazing fields, have been altered exclusively by Nfolgai itself. For whatever reason they were left to their own devices as herd beasts. Their natural enemies, however, were acutely mutated by Lord Syn.
Ice Plants prey on as many Grazer young as giant Ziost Scorpions do. The Draethos hunters and warrior tribesmen of these regions navigate the frozen planes and mountains astride intelligent, Darkside influenced,Giant Taun-Taun. Of a natural omnivorous nature, the Taun-Taun are raised, not just as steeds, but trained to aid in hunts and battles.
Although not the majority of Nfolgai's flora and fauna, the previously mentioned specimens are an example of the planet's purpose as a home to Darkside followers and constituants. The potential for the procurring, amassing, and exercising of power on and form this sphere would be utterly foolish to ignore.
Team Members