Clan Plagueis is one of the Dark Brotherhood's seven Clans. Barely escaping the destruction of the Jusadih System Plagueis became a shadowy force, enslaving thousands to form a new army and taking a new Ascendant Fleet by force. Initially thought to be destroyed by every House and Clan in the Dark Jedi Brotherhood, Clan Plagueis has risen from the ashes to become a powerful force answering to the will of the Grand Master.
The Clan's Namesake
- "You must begin by gaining power over yourself; then another; then a group, an order, a world, a species, a group of species… finally, the Galaxy itself."
- ―Darth Plagueis the Wise
Darth Plagueis the Wise
The legendary Sith Lord, Darth Plagueis’ past is shrouded in mystery. A Muun, whose influence touched events in the galaxy for over half a century, Plagueis was discovered and trained by the unknown Sith Master of the time. Little more is known of the Muun Sith Lord’s past other than his choice of apprentice, Darth Sidious.
Although the specific events are unknown, Plagueis chose a gifted Nabooian known as Palpatine. Plagueis trained young Palpatine and declared him furthermore to be known as Darth Sidious. It is believed Plagueis realized that he had found the Sith Lord that would complete the millennium-old plan of Darth Bane: revenge and destruction of the Jedi Order.
From Sidious, it is known that Plagueis trained his apprentice in both the Light and Dark Sides of the Force, revealing Darth Plagueis’ wisdom in the necessity understanding one’s enemy, the Jedi, to assure their eventual destruction. Also revealed by his apprentice, Plagueis was fascinated with the concept of immortality and the possibilities of spontaneous generation, forcing him to delve into the deepest, darkest areas of the Force. By successfully influencing midi-chlorians, Darth Plagueis was able to save people from dying and create life.
After Plagueis had taught his apprentice everything he knew, Sidious killed him in his sleep, declaring himself the new Sith Master. With the ironic death of Plagueis, his legacy through his apprentice survived as Darth Sidious became the Sith Lord destined to take the final steps, to walk among the Jedi unseen, to bring about the destruction of the Jedi Order and the collapse of the Galactic Republic.
History
- Main article: Clan Plagueis history
Battle during Horizons. The modern Clan Plagueis was forged in the crucible of the Horizons Crisis in 30 ABY. The forces of Archibald Zoraan swept through the system, blasting apart the Jusadih Military Regime. Even as the forces orbiting each planet worked to destroy those below, bioweaponry and other toxins were deployed to ruin any chance of recolonization. With the death of Chi Long and the release of a Starweird into the system, it was not long before Jusadih was reduced to ashes. Barely surviving, even while aided by Clan Arcona against the enemy, the Plagueians were forced to flee into Hyperspace in a blind jump aboard the badly damaged original flagship Ascendancy, the rest of the Brotherhood knowing only Arcona's report of their destruction.
Coming out of lightspeed, the Plagueians found themselves within the outer reaches of the Stygian Caldera. Near their position drifted a derelict space station, a relic of ages past. Sending out a call to the remaining Plagueians who had not been aboard the Ascendancy, Tra'an Reith sought to rebuild. After the Saraask'ar were brought to heel and the station boarded, Plagueis set itself toward repairs and refit.
Using their cargo and parts, they were able to make the Ascendancy spaceworthy once again. At the direction of the Quaestor, Solus Gar worked with the leader of the trandoshans, Tress'kar, to imprison and guard the crewmen of the rescue ships ships they would draw to the edge of the Caldera with a distress beacon. The reptiles kept their charges secure while the rest of Plagueis set out to fulfill Tra'an's vision. Once it was complete, the newly ascendant Dread Lord Reith revealed his project - a slave army, formed of Ravager soldiers and Subjugate crewmen. With the core of a new army at hand and a repaired ship, raids were launched and Plagueis began to become strong again.
With the beginning of the campaign against the One Sith in retaliation for their attacks on the Brotherhood, House Plagueis emerged from its seclusion during the battle for Nfolgai. Throughout the campaign, Plagueis was a force to be reckoned with, driving their enemies before them repeatedly. Following their victory on Ziost, the Grand Master saw fit to elevate them to the level of Clan.
Since that time, they quelled undesirables and Jedi in conflicts on Florrum and Aliso. The Aliso system became the new home of Clan Plagueis, ending its more secretive and mobile existence. The Clan moved to build a power base within the newly occupied system, attempting to create a solid foundation for future growth.
Clan Organization
Clan Officials
Dread Lord
The Consul of Clan Plagueis is styled the Dread Lord of Plagueis and is the autocratic ruler of the Clan and all its holdings. The Dread Lord is the supreme ruler of the entirety of Plagueis, serving as governmental leader as well as supreme military commander. As the absolute ruler of Plagueis and Aliso, the Dread Lord's word is law, unchallenged by any others. The Dread Lord swears fealty to the Iron Throne.
Dread Lord's Wrath
The position of Dread Lord's Wrath is occupied by the Proconsul of House Plagueis. The Wrath serves as a personal enforcer and executioner for the Dread Lord, taking orders directly from and answering only to him. Unlike the rest of the Dread Lord's servants, who are bound to his will by a dark side ritual, the Wrath is given autonomy. The Wrath is second in authority only to the Dread Lord, commanding similar levels of authority over those subordinate to him in the Clan on the assumption that he acts to project the Dread Lord's will.
Right Hand of Dread
The Right Hand of Dread, or Quaestor of House Tyranus, operates as the lord of their own house, having entered into a sworn loyalty to the Dread Lord in the context of the feudal system of the Clan. The obligations of the Quaestor include military support and the return of tribute to the Dread Lord, in exchange for certain privileges including the grant of land and military assets to form a fief. The Quaestor is also allowed to appoint an Aedile to serve as their second.
Left Hand of Dread
The Left Hand of Dread, or Quaestor of House Ventress, operates as the lord of their own house, having entered into a sworn loyalty to the Dread Lord in the context of the feudal system of the Clan. The obligations of the Quaestor include military support and the return of tribute to the Dread Lord, in exchange for certain privileges including the grant of land and military assets to form a fief. The Quaestor is also allowed to appoint an Aedile to serve as their second.
di Plagia
Those honored with the title di Plagia are the honored elders of Clan Plagueis, those who have demonstrated the utmost loyalty, dedication, and activity. The di Plagia serve as counselors to the Dread Lord and his servants. Given nearly the same level of respect and reverence as the Dread Lord, the di Plagia hold little authority of command and instead function as high-ranking political advisors.
House Tyranus
- Main article: House Tyranus
House Tyranus's forces are led by its Dark Jedi members the same way the Sith led the Imperial Military during the Great Galactic War. As such, they are responsible for carrying out the will of the Dread Throne, serving as its main economic and military arm. The leaders of Tyranus, by and large, collaborate with both the Force users and non-Force users enlisted in its ranks, creating an Imperialist environment that demands the utmost rigor and perfection at all times.
House Ventress
- Main article: House Ventress
Founded in 39 ABY by Qormus Aquila and Selika Roh, House Ventress stands as a distinguished arm of Clan Plagueis, operating with subtlety and strategic finesse. Positioned strategically on the moon Cilix, Azorian Citadel serves as its hidden fortress, drawing power from the gas giant Cogrion. Guided by the vision of Selika Roh, the Dread Lord of Clan Plagueis, Ventress excels in political manipulation and covert influence. Beyond its defense role, the house is a masterful player in the intricate game of Sith politics, carving a niche as a powerhouse in the shadows.
Government
The throne of the Dread Lord, seat of Plagueian rule. The devastation wrought by the Horizons Crisis in 30 ABY had a profound impact on the government of Plagueis. The Jusadih Military Regime fell along with Jusadih, paving the way for new governance of the Ascendant Clan. Where the Regime was steeped in the military traditions and formalized structure of the Imperial Military, the new structure that took its place was more feudal in nature. Instead of the military model, Plagueis would be closely modeled on the magocracy of the ancient Sith Empire. Instead of a strictly codified military chain of command, the Dread Lord serves as the liege lord of the Clan while the Quaestors became vassals in service to their feudal lord. In the period between the exodus from Jusadih and the Clan's arrival on Aliso, the Quaestors exercised an inordinate amount of freedom as the primary seat of their power was the capital warships of their House's fleet. With the settlement of the Aliso System, however, the Dread Lord granted land holdings on Aliso itself. Now faced with more civic duties and further removed from their naval ships, the Dread Lord was able to somewhat curtail the operational independence of the vassals while at the same time expanding their power bases.
The title and position of Dread Lord is given to the leader strong enough unite the entirety of the Clan under their banner and seize control through power, cunning, and mastery of the Force. The Dread Lord is the absolute ruler of Plagueis with unquestioned authority. A ruling council, made up of the Dread Lord's Wrath, Quaestors and their seconds, and the di Plagia, is responsible for implementing the Dread Lord's will. Many of the members of the ruling council are assigned a specific area of authority, or sphere of influence. Trade, information gathering, or command of a fief were just some of the spheres that the Synod members could be designated to oversee. The control exerted by the Dread Lord through the ruling council is absolute, even over the other Dark Jedi of the House regardless of rank.
The unrestricted authority of the Dread Lord and ruling council does not, however, translate to unrestrained loyalty amongst the members of the Clan. Like any Dark Jedi, those members of Plagueis with power often want more and those that lack it desire to attain it. Political factions are known to form within the ranks of the Clan, coalitions formed around powerful individuals. While the Dread Lord maintains his own network of intelligence gathering assets, many members of the ruling council and the House's Equities maintain their own resources both within Plagueis and without. Knowing of a rival's weakness or of an opportunity to elevate oneself in the eyes of the Dread Lord can serve as a powerful motivator to keep information away from the other members of the House.
Society and Culture
Culture
A Legion ground assault. The culture of Plagueis following the Horizons Crisis is very different from that which came before, one that is far more Force driven than its predecessor. The trappings of the more civilized Empire of Palpatine and the Imperial period have given way to something that shares far more with the ancient empire of the Sith. The martial government gave way to a more feudalistic one, and the culture of the Clan changed with it. Instead of authority being derived from the structured, military system, it instead flowed from personal strength of will and power. The attitudes of those within the clan have adapted to this environment and embraced more of the survival of the fittest mindset.
Clan Plagueis is the only unit in the Dark Brotherhood to lack a planetary dominion, and its internal society reflects this. The do not concern themselves with the minutiae of the day to day oversight of government or the needs of a people. They instead bring others to heel, be they colonial governors, independent settlements, etc., forcing those they conquer or intimidate into swearing fealty to the Dread Lord and the Clan. Ruling their own "Empire" through intermediaries allows the Clan to maintain control over the resources it needs to survive while also insulating them from direct attack.
Plagueians follow an aggressive interpretation of the philosophy of the Final Way, a Sith doctrine revived by the Dark Lord Kane Vader. They see it as their duty to expand through conquest; in doing so, they seek to gradually convert all survivors into dark siders or, formerly, slaves and bring about an era of ferocity, power, and darkness for the Galaxy. Like the Sith of old, they realize that their goal could take time, and thus they are content to live with war in their hearts and blood on their hands for the foreseeable future.
In the years since Plagueis’ settlement on Aliso, they have become much less focused on spreading their influence through conquest and have begun to rely more on diplomacy. By reaching official agreements with many other Brotherhood Clans and the formation of the Confederacy of the Outer Reaches, one might suspect the Clan’s days of subjugation are behind them. Their internal culture, however, remains focused on the ideals of power and will, and these new developments serve more as a vehicle to ensure the survival of the Clan and an investment in its future. Plagueis has not chosen to give up fighting, they have only chosen to fight smarter.
Castes
Like the ancient Sith Empire, Plagueis would also adopt a hierarchy built on a rigid caste system and stratified rank structure to put its subjects in their proper places. The caste system is broadly divided between Force users and non-Force users that serve the House, with specific levels within those classes.
- Lords of Plagueis : The Dread Lord and members of the ruling council make up the highest level of Plagueian society. Elevation to this level is determined solely by the Dread Lord, though the counsel of the ruling council is often consulted. Members of this caste will have their name preceded by “Lord” when addressed formally by a subordinate or member of a lower caste. On very rare occasions, the Dread Lord will elevate non-Force users to this station. These individuals are rare, and will often have performed extraordinary service to the Dread Lord. They also represent the absolute apex of skill and deadliness amongst the members of the Clan unable to touch the Force.
- Force Users : The second highest level of Plagueian caste system is made up of the remaining Dark Jedi that are not a part of the Synod. In keeping with the magocratic structure of Plagueis, the Dark Jedi are superior to all those that lack Force ability. Any non-Force user is expected to refer to a Force user that has completed their trials of knighthood as, “my lord,” out of respect.
- The Willing : Not all that serve the Dark Jedi of Plagueis are those forcefully brought to heel. There are those that serve willingly, and these members of Plagueis make up the third caste within the House. These non-Force users are considered full citizens of the House and enjoy more freedom and privileges than those below them. Many that make up this caste come from the remains of the Jusadih Military Regime and the officers and men that survived the Horizons Crisis. Still others come from those who Plagueis capture that are willing to serve their new dark lords freely. Only those who unquestioningly demonstrate their loyalty by allowing the depths of their psyches to be laid bare with the Force are granted this place in Plagueian society.
Members of the Saraask'ar.
- Subjects: Plagueis wields authority over many groups that function almost as client state-like entities. Subjects occupy a unique position in the caste hierarchy, being neither free nor slaves. Given some autonomy, subjects are not given the rights of citizens of the Clan. These groups maintain their own internal hierarchies and have some level of internal freedom, but they and their leaders are still directly answerable to the Ascendant Clan. Entire companies, trade guilds, or governmental entities can all fall under Clan Plagueis as subject entities. Some examples of these subjects are the Saraask'ar, Hyperdyne Systems, and the Valneikian hive. Often times, the relationship between Plagueis and subject entities are not publicly known, so that the influence of Plagueis can operate from the shadows.
Economy
Following the escape from Jusadih, the economy of Plagueis did not come from legitimate sources; all of their assets came from raiding, black market sales, and the slave trade. As the House strengthened into a Clan, the Dread Lord Montresor built a plan to create a more permanent form of economic support through the control of colonies, outposts, and settlements through their governing bodies. No longer would Plagueis have to subsist on what it could carry away, instead they would be able to build a secretive Empire of resources and servant states through leaders forced to align themselves with the Ascendant Clan. This economic growth was accelerated when Plagueis claimed Aliso as their homeworld. With a resource base to derive trade and profit from, Plagueis has expanded its economic activity to include things such as metallic ore and other valuable resources.
A major export for the Clan was in trafficking trained slaves. The vast majority of those sentients seized by the Clan are unsuited for the needs of Plagueis, and are instead handed over to the Saraask'ar for training and sale. These slaves were taken to Aliso for processing and are then transported to one of the various Saraask'ar enclaves for indoctrination. Sold on the Invisible Market, these slaves were a significant source of the Clan's direct income. When information came to light in 35 ABY regarding large deposits of Doonium on Aliso as well as in the system's asteroid belt, mining operations targeting the valuable metal ore were started and created a valuable new revenue stream for the Clan.
In the wake of the Cantonica Accords, the bulk of Plagueis’ workforce and economic capital was lost to them. In order to avoid an economic collapse, they were forced to make a quick transition into mostly mechanized labor forces. This transition was aided with a cache of Clone Wars era supplies secured by the Regent of the Brotherhood, but the rapid loss of assets combined with the increased expenditure of purchasing an entirely new workforce still forced the Clan into a slight recession that will likely take years to recover from. Fortunately, with the formation of the Confederacy of the Outer Reaches, additional routes of trade and income have become available to Plagueis that should aid in its rapid recovery.
Military
Command
There is little differentiation between Clan Plagueis and its military, as they are in many ways one and the same. Every Dark Jedi holds authority over the military, nearly every one is a soldier in some capacity, with mechanized droid forces making up the bulk of the infantry of the Plagueian war machine. While the Dread Lord maintains overall command of the military forces, his Wrath acts as the military executor and oftentimes commands the fleet or elements of it in the Dread Lord's stead. Standing above the line military commanders, the Force Users of Plagueis occupy a similar position to that of the Jedi during the Clone Wars or the Sith of the ancient Sith Empire.
The leaders of Plagueis may, optionally, wear military rank insignia and military uniform as befitting their station at the head of both political and military chains of command in Plagueis. Each insignia is modeled after the same Imperial rank structures that the Plagueian military uses, and can be paired with more ornate accessories than common military dress codes would allow. The Dread Lord and their Wrath us insignia comparable to a Grand Moff and Moff respectively, while other positions on the ruling council use rank insignia that corresponded to high ranking, specialized officers.
| Plagueian Command Rank Insignia
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| Position
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| Consul
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Proconsul
|
Quaestor
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Aedile
|
Rollmaster
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Battleteam Leader
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ascendant Fleet
- Main article: Ascendant Fleet
Ascendancy, heart of the Ascendant Fleet. The Ascendant Fleet is centered around the powerful Imperial I-class Ascendancy. The Ascendancy acts as the Clan flagship and leads the fleet in large engagements. The Strike-class cruiser Wrath and Pelta-class frigate Abrogator form the core of the Plagueian home fleet, under the direct authority of the Proconsul and Overseer respectively.
The twin Vindicator-class heavy cruisers Vigilant and Dominant, along with their own escort vessels, are each assigned to one of the Clan's two Houses. While they are available for independent operations separate from the wider Ascendant Fleet, these units still serve the will of the Dread Lord and must heed their orders.
The starfighter forces of House Plagueis are no longer made up primarily of outdated Imperial types dating from the Galactic Civil War. Instead, the House had primarily adopted fighters designed by the New Republic and it's members. Now, however, with the introduction of their droid infantry, the Clan has begun to take advantage of droid fighter craft to fill out their fighter screens.
Ascendant Legion
- Main article: Ascendant Legion
The majority of the Ascendant Legion is made up of battle droids. These troops are directly lead by officers of The Willing. Most of the small unit leaders in the Legion are former officers or soldiers from before the fall of Jusadih. The infantry forces are complemented by armored units, aviation, and artillery. The Legion additionally operates a large number of transport craft to ensure mobility. The main body of the Ascendant Legion can be deployed from the Ascendancy, and this ship is used when any large scale planetary assaults are called for by the Dread Lord.
Astrography
The Aliso system, home of Clan Plagueis. Originally, Clan Plagueis was located in the Jusadih system in the Core Worlds. However, the destruction of much of the Clan and the scouring of Kapsina drove Plagueis from its home system in 30 ABY. Over the next four years, Plagueis would operate from a space station located within the Stygian Caldera, expanding through influence rather than territory. Plagueis eventually discovered the Aliso system in 34 ABY while in pursuit of Undesirables fleeing the planet Floruum.
Laren Uscot, a bounty hunter, was the first to run across this out of the way system within the Unknown Regions, and his mission was followed by a full survey mission to catalogue the system's planets. Aliso, with its intact Seperatist facilities, was seen by Dread Lord Teylas Ramar and Wrath Selika Roh as a perfect place to reestablish Clan Plagueis once more.
While there were no indigenous examples of sentient life within the system, Aliso itself had been host to a vast number of Geonosians. The system held vast ore deposits that went initially undiscovered by Clan Plagueis, but they had been the reason the fleeing Seperatists had built their secretive facilities on Aliso in the first place. Plagueis, bringing the Geonosians to heel, then saw fit to exploit those untapped resources.
Aliso I & Aliso II
Aliso I is a F-class main sequence star with a diameter of about 1.89 million kilometers. It is located on the edge of the Unknown Regions and its solar system serves as the home for Clan Plagueis.
Aliso II is a near-solar T class brown dwarf that has a moderately eccentric and inclined orbit around Aliso I. A pale magenta color, Aliso I orbits nearly 0.9 light years away from Aliso I making it the furthest most object in the solar system, and also marks the boundaries edge.
Orbit 1: Pecarro
Pecarro is the innermost planet of the solar system which orbits Aliso I at a distance of 47 million kilometers. As an epistellar jovian, Pecarro orbits Aliso I in a tight, tidally locked orbit of only 82 days and boasts a surface temperature of over 4000 degrees Celsius.
Orbit 2: Asteroid Belt
The Aliso system asteroid belt orbits Aliso I at a distance of about 165 to 219 million kilometers. A large amount of debris, the asteroid belt is believed to be an early remnant of the protoplanetary disk formation as later planets were beginning to coalesce. As one or more planets were forming in this range, the gravitational stress from the tightly packed early solar system, and the pull from the Aliso star, and the massive gas giants Pecarro, and Cogrion, ripped the early protoplanets apart creating the asteroid belt. This also allowed for Aliso to settle into a more stable orbit between the two gas giants comfortably, and also in a more habitable zone for life.
Orbit 3: Aliso
Aliso is a habitable terrestrial world that is home to Clan Plagueis. Recovering from a volcanic winter, mixed with its habitable zone orbit of 417 million kilometers, has created a planetary climate of a constant autumn. It is also the location of The Pinnacle, the base of operations for Clan Plagueis.
Orbit 5: Trecurus
Trecurus is a completely uninhabitable world that is third in orbit around Aliso I at a distance of 592 million kilometers. Believed to originally have been a moon of Cogrion that was ejected from orbit and captured by Aliso I, Trecurus is a geologically dead world with a very light atmosphere.
Orbit 6: Cogrion
Cogrion, a class II gas giant, is the fourth planet from Aliso I. While well outside the habitable zone at an orbit of 942 million kilometers, the bulk of the gas giant's water exists as vapor in the dense, thick atmosphere. This is due to heavy gravitational pressure from the core and convection produced within the atmosphere constantly pushing heat from the core throughout the layers. Cogrion also serves as a comet-catcher for the inner system, more specifically Aliso, by gravitationally flinging incoming comets out of the system.
Orbit 7: Tonus
The Anchorage, now located at Tonus. Tonus is a class I gas giant and the outermost planet in the Aliso system at an orbit of 5.89 billion kilometers. Hidden within a tranquil pocket of its turbulent, electromagnetically charged atmosphere of ammonia is the Anchorage, Plagueis' secondary base of operations and strategic naval operations center.
The Anchorage
- Main article: The Anchorage
Constructed before the Great Galactic War for military purposes, the Anchorage was a strategic coordination center during the war. Lost during the Republic’s Invasion into Sith space, it remained hidden – lost in the nebula – for centuries. Not until 30 ABY, under the leadership of Dread Lord Tra’an Reith, would the outpost be discovered. A blind hyperspace jump, guided by the Force, brought Plagueis to the doorstep of the derelict station. Recognizing the potential it presented in the face of losing a second Dominion, the Clan established The Anchorage as a waypoint and repair station. When Plagueis relocated to the Aliso system, they were unwilling to abandon the valuable structure. Fitting the station with a hyperdrive sled, it was then moved to the Aliso system and placed within the upper atmosphere of Tonus.
Typical Clan Actions & Reactions
The loss of their dominion transformed Plagueis, erasing all aspects of their former legacy and leaving Plagueis as the embodiment of their motto of "Adapt, Ascend, and Avail." It also made them fierce and violent. Other Houses and Clans hope for peacetime in between attacks; the Plagueian war is one to carve out their own shadow empire, and thus never ends.
When struck, Plagueis will react in kind; only in the Arx system do they refrain from overt warfare. They will typically move against agents of an enemy from the shadows, or launch attacks outright against targets on opposite ends of an enemy's home; by doing this, they hope to fluster and overextend the foe, striking when he is vulnerable. Plagueis does not embrace peace, for peace is a lie.
Important Figures
The following is a list of all members who have had an influence on and impacted Clan Plagueis. For those who serve in the most distinguished of manners, the title of "di Plagia" was bestowed upon them. Listed below are those di Plagia still in service; for their wayward brethren, they need only locate Plagueis, as the Clan is always willing to adopt and initiate Rogues.
The Honored di Plagia
- Main article: di Plagia
Influential Leaders