Arx is the current seat of power for the Brotherhood residing in the Arx System.
Landmarks
The following map details the major landmark locations the Dark Brotherhood utilizes on Arx.
Detailed map of Planet Arx
History
Grand Master Pravus pleased with the progress of Eos City
Reforming the Brotherhood after the destruction of Antei, Darth Pravus set his sights on the Star Chamber's long-term plan to move to a populated, industrial planet able to meet the needs of a New Order. Using an existing infrastructure that was built under the guidance of the Star Chamber’s subordinates, he established an immediate and total rule over Arx. Militaristic governments were formed under the Star Chamber’s guidance, making way for Grand Master Pravus’ New Order in 35 ABY.
The Dark Council knew that for Arx to succeed, security and secrecy would be imperative. As a result, the colonization of the planet took longer than anticipated, since the Grand Master insisted on switching out contractors to help spread misinformation.
The planet remained well fortified and a relatively peaceful area of the typically war-torn Brotherhood space until the Fourteenth Great Jedi War. After several years of conflict with The Collective, the Brotherhood's enemy was able to rapidly recover from multiple defeats and initiate a major strike against Arx. Rapidly overwhelming the defensive fleets in orbit and turning the Nesolat Platform, Mattock Station, and the Godless Matron into raging battlegrounds, they were able to press their advantage even as Clan battlegroups arrived to turn the tide. While several minor victories were achieved and even forces from the Severian Principate joined the battle on the Brotherhood's side, the Collective was able to overwhelm the shield gate over Eos City. Combined with the destruction of the Iron Navy's flagship, the Endeavor, they were able to retain a distinct advantage throughout the various skirmishes.
The Eos Offensive, by Bale AndrosWith the brainwashed Evant Taelyan working to undermine the Brotherhood from within, the Collective began landing ground troops. As the fighting raged on and the Collective made strides toward attacking the Dark Ascent itself, Grand Master Telaris "Mav" Cantor put plans into motion to oppose them. Initiating a Sith ritual as those in the city fought to buy him time, Cantor drained the life from Evant and even requested the aid of those in the surrounding area. Just as the Collective broke into Cantor's chambers, led by their founder Rath Oligard himself, the Grand Master unleashed his ritual and quickly turned the tide of the battle. Oligard was killed, accidentally gunned down by one of his lieutenants, and his body spirited away as they retreated. With their leader dead and their morale broken, the Collective withdrew from the planet, leaving the city devastated in their wake. Evant's life was spared only thanks to the actions of Atyiru Caesura Entar Arconae, who dragged him back from the brink of death with her powers, restoring him in mind and body.
Atmosphere
Il'var - the great lake Sustaining diverse biomes and a plethora of flora, Arx has a breathable Type-I atmosphere that is saturated with greenhouse gases due to the constant pollution of planetary industries, making for a warmer climate towards the equatorial regions but a colder one towards the poles. Temperatures fall within the ranges expected of a standard terrestrial planet, though certain extremes are noticeable at the desert-like and tropical equatorial regions and the snow-capped poles.
Due to the constant shifting of tectonic plates, volcanic activities and the concentration of crystals being released from the planet’s crust in certain regions, Arx’s climate varies from continent to continent, but remains heavily studied under Arx’s many observatories both on and off-world. Storms are commonplace over the oceanic regions as submerged kyber crystals are released from the planet’s crust to ionize the atmosphere, in addition to the calm, warm ocean waters creating convection currents in the air above the surface. This makes travel to Arx’s cities and continents from the atmosphere troublesome, but not impossible.
Contained within a planetary shield that has not one, but several shield gates forming checkpoints at access points to the surface, Arx’s best and brightest scientists, tacticians and architects have created a method to circumvent the complications of travel to the surface — all while bolstering Arx’s security measures. All of the shield gates are built as structures that are each suspended by skyhooks from the surface, eliminating the need for offworld vessels to land on the surface of Arx. Visiting starships are instead moored to the skyhooks while their occupants are sent to the surface via turbolifts or private shuttles shielded from the dangerous electrical currents, normally reserved for the Dark Council and their envoys.
Geography
With a slight axial tilt and a circular orbit, Arx experiences a regular seasonal rotation throughout a local orbital period. Geothermal activity venting into the atmosphere through volcanoes on the surface exude greenhouse gases that add to the planet’s warmer regions, making Arx a geologically active planet that is situated close to its sun.
Lush and colorful from the concentration of greenhouse gases, the equatorial regions of Arx’s surface can be described as ranging from tropical and boreal to barren. While just over half of the planet is engulfed by a dark blue ocean, Arx is comprised of several large islands that from larger land masses that make up three continents: Elos Vrai, Uskul, and the Sorasu Desert.
The planet’s tectonic plates have formed mountainous ridges in the center of some of the larger continents. The farthest tip of the planet is an icy tundra that spills over onto the largest of the three continents, Elos Vrai.
Continents
Elos Vrai
Elos Vrai mountain range
Main Article: Elos Vrai
A single great lake is carved into the center of Arx’s largest continent, with smaller pools scattered throughout. A main river carries the freshwater gathered in lake Il'var and ferries it into the ocean. A second river branches off and heads inland, providing fresh water and irrigation to the rest of the continent. To the east, a long mountain range acts as a wall between the colder northern drifts, capping the far side of the mountains in snow while remaining craggy on the near side. One large mountain within the range looms ominously over a city built in its shadow. Sustained with freshwater from the lakes, the Brotherhood has developed their largest cities on the continent. After several decades of infrastructure development, roads leading from the shore’s causeways have connected Eos City, among others, to the vast network of industry that is spread across the continent.
Drawing heavily from Imperial ideology, Arx’s installations were designed with militaristic efficiency at the forefront; little was commissioned for the sake of construction alone. Every section serves a specific purpose while assimilating with the others. There is no tourism, and anyone who lives within the city works in some kind of position. Defiance is not tolerated, and all holonet traffic is monitored carefully. Strict patrols from local law enforcement droids and operators ensure that trade is limited and regulated.
Uskil
Marshes of Uskil
Main Article: Uskil
More a collection of large islands than a single landmass, Uskul is home to storms that have ravaged the northernmost island.
Due to the close proximity of the islands, the water surrounding them is often shallow enough to walk between them, making the area something of a marsh or bog when compared to the other continents.
Seemingly endless, the storms are rumoured to be the remnants of Dark Side energies, but all such rumours are pure baseless conjecture. In truth, the separation of the continent’s main landmass has uncovered several troves of kyber crystals beneath the surrounding ocean, which was studied within the Shadow Academy and proven to produce odd properties in the environment and climate. Inexplicably, the concentration of crystals has resulted in the ionization of the continent’s atmosphere, producing the catalyst needed for the tropical storms to maintain their charge.
Sorasu Desert
Sorasu terrain
Main Article: Sorasu Desert
Split into two main halves, the continent is often referred to as a dried-up desert. Close to the equator, the region is too hot and lacking sustenance to preserve more than a lean strip of tropical growth near the shoreline and within few small oases scattered throughout the continent with one larger more notable one. It is a barren land that is populated with the Iron Legion’s sandtroopers and shoretroopers to maintain order for a select few inhabitants.
Because of the uninhabitable nature of the continent, the Iron Legion saw fit to use it for questionable means without interference from outside forces. Factories operate around the clock, mines and the Crucible are all cloistered far from civilization and tell of a far different lifestyle than the citizens of Arx are familiar with.